HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-12-12 Transcription Page 1
Council Present: Alter,Bergus,Harmsen, Salih, Taylor, Teague, Thomas
Staff Present: From,Jones, Goers, Grace, Platz,Hightshoe, Sitzman,Russett, Kubly
Others Present: LeFevre,USG Liasion
1. Call to Order
Teague: It is 6:00 PM on December 12, 2023, and I want to welcome everyone to their City Hall,
I'm gonna call this meeting to order,roll call please. [Roll Call] All right well,before we
get started, I wanted to acknowledge that we have two councilors. Er,today is their last,
uh,meeting with us,um, Councilor Pauline Taylor, and Councilor John Thomas. And on
behalf of the City of Iowa City, we want to say thank you for your service.Um, eight
wonderful years of however you describe it we'll listen to. But we have some parting gifts
for you both, and so I wanted to just present this to you. Thank you. And say thank you
very much on behalf of the City of Iowa City. And if you stick around,we'll,uh, ask you
all to give some words at the end of the meeting today. All right,when we give our
updates. All right we're going to move on to item number,um.
Ross: Could we get the TV outside raised? The volume is like nothing and we're packed in here.
Teague: Thank you,yes,we will work on that. Thank you. Yes,thank you. Thank you, I
appreciate that.
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2.-6. Consent Calendar
Teague: We wanna make sure we can do what we can there. Er,we're gonna move on to items
number. Um, I'm gonna get a motion for consent agenda items- items 2 through six,with
the exception of 5.g. We'll,uh, do a separate consideration for 5.g. Could I get a motion,
please?
Salih: So moved.
Alter: Second,Alter.
Teague: Moved by Salih, seconded by Alter. Anyone from the public like to address a topic that
is on our consent agenda. If you are online,please,uh,raise your hand. If you are in
person, do the same thing. Seeing no one online or in person Council discussion. Roll
call,please. [Roll Call] Motion passes 7-0.
5.g Final Plat—Iowa River Mobile Home Park—Resolution Approving Final
Plat Iowa River Mobile Home Park a Resubdivision of Paden's Resubdivision of
Lots 1 and 4 of Charles Subdivision,Iowa City,Iowa. (SUB23-0001)
Teague: We're onto-we're going to allow Councilor Bergus to,uh, excuse and recuse herself
from this item.Could I get a motion to approve item 5.g please.
Thomas: So moved, Thomas.
Alter: Second,Alter.
Teague: Anyone from the public like to address this topic? If you're in person,please raise your
hand. If online, do the same thing with your virtual hand. See no one in person or online.
Council discussion. Roll call,please. [Roll Call] Motion passes 6-0.
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7. Community Comment
Teague: This is an opportunity we're going to move on to item number 7,which is community
comment. This is an opportunity for individuals that want to speak on- on item that is not
on our agenda. Um, I do see lots of people here today,um, so I wanted to er,take a show
of hands of everyone that wants to speak on an item that is not on our agenda, okay?All
right. Um, I'm gonna ask Mayor Pro Tem help me to count the hands.
Fruin: We've got one outside too.
Alter: One, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, [OVERLAPPING] I've got about 16 or 17
there.
Teague: Okay,we're saying about 16.
Alter: I got 19.
Teague: Well, I have a count of 19 individuals,because we really do want to hear everyone,uh,
that wants to speak I'm gonna allow,um,three minutes for starting, and I'm gonna ask if
you're hearing that it's the same message that you may feel like,you know,that point has
been made. Uh,just allow for new information because we do want to hear everyone. So
there is a sign in,uh, sheet at the podium,there's also one in the back where there are
some stickers that you can pre sign up. So those that are wanting to speak I'll ask that you
go and kinda join a line and also bring up those speakers-those stickers. And we'll just
ask people to come give your name and the city you're from. And if we do go,um, a little
long, I'm gonna reduce the minutes,uh, depending on how many people are available. So
it could be two or one minute as,um, I wouldn't want to do that. So welcome. Yes please
state your name and city you're from.
Totah: Hello. Hi,uh,my name is Deema Totah and I'm from Iowa City. I am a professor at the
University of Iowa, and the views expressed here are my own. Um, so I am a Palestinian
American, I was born and raised in Ramallah,Palestine. And the discomfort many of you
may be feeling right now is the reason I brace myself before answering the question,
where are you from?Palestine has become a taboo topic, a loaded word,but this word is
my identity, it is who I am. And it has taken me 15 years of living in the US to start
speaking publicly about my experiences, for fear of retaliation,misrepresentation and
suppression here in the US, as well as safety concerns when visiting family back home.
And I have many stories to say,but I'm just gonna give you a few. So when I was 11,my
home was occupied by over 60 Israeli soldiers for four days. Armed soldiers surrounded
our house,they banged on the doors. They ordered my parents to go with them as they
searched the house, and while my eight year old sister and I waited alone in the basement,
we heard a barrage of shots. We had no idea where our parents were. The soldiers had
shot out all the windows in the house to announce their presence in our suburban
neighborhood. My parents are alive. My high school boyfriend arrived to school several
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times with bruises he got from Israeli soldiers while crossing checkpoints inside the West
Bank just to get to school. Last year my best friend's husband was pulled from his car and
beaten up by Israeli soldiers. Three weeks ago,members of my family, including a 14
year old,were held at gunpoint by a mob of settlers, escorted and assisted by an IDF
Israeli defense forces soldier,while driving through a Palestinian village 20 minutes from
their home inside the West Bank. The last two months have seen a surge in wholesale
killing of Palestinian civilians. Set against a backdrop of longstanding, and ongoing
oppression by the Israeli government. And this government has received more US aid
than any other country in the world as this graphic shows. Let me open the graphic. And
I'm worried they are going to receive more now. We have averaged $3.4 billion in aid to
Israel every single year. And I'm living in a country that not only vilifies my identity,but
it forces me to use my tax money that I've earned while serving this community,to pay
for the oppression of my own family. Since I moved to the US in 2008,this aid translates
to hundreds of my personal tax dollars from me, and from almost every single taxpayer in
this room,paid directly to the same government that has oppressed me when I grow up,
when I've grown up and continues to institutionalize this oppression. As I think of how
we are complicit in abuse of power and humanitarian crisis currently happening in
Palestine,know that if we do nothing,we're actively financing this violence, every April
when we do our taxes. It is time to end this now. Thank you for your time.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome.
Phillips: Thank you. Good evening. My name is Dan Phillips. I live on the east side of Iowa City.
I'm a now retired medical doctor. In my 40 years of practice, I did family medicine
including obstetrics and for the last 20 years,primarily emergency medicine, often in
impoverished areas and with minical-minimal access to technology. I've seen a lot of
pain and death. I know the swell,the screams,the agony, and the despair of physical and
emotional suffering. The ongoing massacre of over 18,000 Palestinians,most of whom
are women and children, is not some video game with good guys and bad guys. This and
the heartless,barbaric blockade of food,water, and medical supplies gives new meaning
to the depth of human depravity, of which we are an active part. I can hear the cries. I can
smell the blood,the putrefaction, and the burned flesh. Israel has targeted and destroyed
all the Gaza hospitals except for two in the south,killing over 300 health care workers.
The fust interventions in treating the injured are stabilization and pain relief, there is no
pain medication,no IV therapy,not even water to wash wounds or to drink. I heard last
week a doctor at the Al Shifa hospital now destroyed. Its medical director was taken
away in handcuffs describing the death of a nine year old girl from sheer pain while
having her leg amputated without medication-without pain medication, or anesthesia,
while lying on the floor of the remains of the hospital. Another was reporting on infants
and children with extensive burns. Having worked in a large burn unit in St. Louis, I can't
imagine the horror of enduring this without pain medication. Think of the every day
occurrences of kidney stones, gallbladder attacks, appendicitis,heart attacks, and
bleeding ulcers. Think of cancer patients and diabetics now over two months without
medication, if they are still alive. Israel directed 80% of Gazans to abandon everything
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and walk south. What happened to the disabled,the elderly, or those too sick or too
young to walk?Do we just leave them under the rubble of the houses?Now,with Gaza's
healthcare system destroyed and absent supplies including antibiotics, do we just wring
our hands while another expected 30,000 die of cholera,typhoid, and pneumonia, and
wound infections?How many are to die of dehydration and starvation to satisfy Israel's
desire for retribution and apparent genocide. It makes me feel complicit in this atrocity as
I pay taxes. I call upon you to be human and condemn this atrocity and demand a cease
fire and peaceful negotiations. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome. Please state your name and the city you live in now.
NaAllah: Hello, everyone. My name is Rabiah NaAllah and I'm an Iowa city resident and student
at the University of Iowa. I'm here to encourage the City Council to adopt a resolution
causing for the cease fire in the ongoing genocide in Palestine. On March 25, 2022,the
Iowa City City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of the people of
Ukraine. This resolution condemned the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine, citing-
citing its misinformation from propaganda and its attack on civilians, including a
maternity hospital and theater full of hundreds of women and children. Unfortunately,
this body has yet to pass a resolution that condemns the murder of Palestinians both
before and after October 7, 2023. This body picking and choosing which injustices to
condemn is unacceptable and does not represent the ideals of my fellow Iowans. The
resolution that we are asking for this evening is one that demands a humanitarian cease
fire in Palestine. One toe in the right direction. However, any such resolution should also
unequivocally demand this country to stop funding the destruction of innocent
Palestinians. By population the Gaza Strip would be the fifth largest city in the United
States where more bombs were dropped in the span of a week than the span of a year in
Afghanistan. Today, over 18,000 Palestinians are forever gone. School buildings,
churches,homes,nurseries, daycares gone. The Palestinian fight for justice is not
synonymous with denying the rights and security of Jewish people. It is a stand against
Zionist policies. Just as the ongoing black American fight for injustice is not synonymous
with denying the rights and security of white people, it is a stand against white
supremacy. As a collective we should refuse to tell future generations that in the midst of
ethnic cleansing,we were silent and stood by and did nothing. With factually informed
views, audacious statements and progressive resolutions being cast from today. Our city
council can be a shining example for cities around the country. US support of Palestinian
genocide, Congolese genocide, Sudanese genocide. Any genocide, it needs to end now.
Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Please state your name and city you live in.
Messinger: Hello,my name is Audrey Messienger. I'm an Iowa city resident and I am affiliated
with Iowa City Jews in solidarity with Palestine and Eastern Iowa,Jewish Voice for
Peace. As you have heard, and we'll hear from other speakers,the humanitarian crisis and
attacks on Gaza, and arrests and killings of Palestinians in the West Bank are in violation
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of international human rights laws. These are laws which apply in any contact or any
conflict,not just Israel and Palestine. Critiquing the Israeli governments disregard for
human life and human rights right now and since 1948 is not inherently anti-Semitic. In
fact,Jews, and even Zionists have been criticizing human rights abuses in Israel for
years. Entire Jewish organizations are dedicated to campaigning for Palestinian human
rights including the Zionist J Street,the anti Zionist Jewish voice for peace. If not now an
Israeli group,B'Tselem. Yet our politicians in the House of Representatives recently
passed House Resolution 894,which, and this is a quote "clearly and firmly states that
anti-Zionism is anti semitism." I want to be clear that first of all,what I'm focusing here-
what I'm focusing on here is critique,which is not the same thing as anti Zionism. Yet in
the public eye it's a slippery slope. The government of Israel routinely attempts to quiet
peace activists domestically and abroad through the conflation of criticism of Israel with
anti semitism. And many of our politicians, as well as Christian and Jewish Zionists, are
on board with this In many communities in the United States, Zionism has become
synonymous with American Jewish life. And those who criticize the Israeli government
are more likely to be labeled as anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic. This has real consequences in
Iowa City. For those of us who frequently protest for a cease fire, demonstrations are
becoming more risky because people passing by are more likely to shout at us and accuse
us of anti-Jewish sentiment. We should not be afraid to protest for basic human rights and
freedoms for Palestinians. In addition, community members,particularly UIowa students
who protest for a cease fire, are at risk of being docked and labeled publicly as anti-
Semitic, which can have severe professional consequences for them. Furthermore,
focusing on criticism of Israel as a source of anti semitism can detract from the
acknowledgment of other sources of anti-Jewish hate. This is especially relevant right
now in Iowa City, given the anti-Semitic comments made to the City Council almost two
months ago. I want to finish by referring to the Jewish concept of Tikkun clam. This
concept,which means repairing the world,represents a common hope for peace and
humanity,which is something we should all be fighting for right now. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Will you lower the thank you. Welcome. Please state your name and the
city you're from.
Osman: Hi. My name is Tarweeh Osman. I live in Iowa City and I'm with Iowa City Action for
Palestine. The scale of human suffering I've seen in these past few weeks have surpassed
anything that I've ever known or could have imagined. Palestinian activists and reporters
on the ground in Gaza have explicitly asked for these atrocities to be shared,uncensored
and in visceral detail. Because the magnitude of the carnage being inflicted upon them by
Israel must be known. They said that they are recording and relaying their darkest and
final moments in hopes that they can move the world to stop the genocide. There are
many videos that I've watched these past few weeks that I will never forget. A video
where a father holds two bloodied bags of what he could find of his children screaming,
My children are dead. Another video of a doctor performing an amputation on his child
without anesthesia. Who later died because of the level of pain and shock to a small body
was unbearable. His father,the doctor had to continue work while mourning his child's
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violent and painful death. Another video where small children organize a press
conference in English to plead the world to stop the bombing. That they are just children
and that they want to live. Another video of a bereaved Palestinian mother who just lost a
child crying that her only hope is for the bombs to kill her before she has to witness
another one of her children be martyred. It's important to acknowledge how the
Palestinians are dying because they are not just dying. They are dying violent and brutal.
And hours, if not days long deaths. They die by fire. They die suffocating for hours in the
dark with broken and torn limbs under stories of concrete sitting atop them, screaming to
see if anyone else from their family is still alive. They scream for help from anyone
above the rubble to find them and dig them out. While Palestinian men atop the rubble
dig with their bare hands through thousands of pounds of concrete,trying their hardest to
pull anyone they can out. There are no words sufficient enough to convey what is
happening in Palestine. These are horrors that change people who just witness them
irrevocably, let alone those who lived through them. But I-what I will also never forget,
and what has inspired the world is the resilience,the enduring kindness and the
unshakable humanity of the Palestinian people. In the midst of death the Palestinians
teach life. Whilst the young girl is being carried on a stretcher out of the rubble in shock
she turns to one of the men and asks him if she is dead, and he replies,no,my dear,you
are alive and you shine like the moon. In their darkest hour we must not close our eyes or
turn our backs on the Palestinians. Here in Iowa City we must do our part to align
ourselves with the international community in calling for an end to this genocide and an
end to the senseless and indiscriminate violence. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome. Please state your name and city.
Nix: Hi, my name's Nix. And I'm from Iowa City. I live in Iowa City, Iowa. Uh, I'm here to share
on my experience of being forced out of my employment in Iowa City due to advocating
for a Free Palestine. I was working for United Action for Youth, and in October,began
advocating that we speak to youth about Palestine in response to the escalation of the
genocide in Gaza. I decided to offer Zenes to young people about Palestine. In response,
management told me I was not allowed to disseminate information regarding Palestine to
youth. I asked management to review three specific Zenes for approval. The history of
Palestine, food oppression in Palestine, and indigenous solidarity. Management's stance
was firm,no materials about Palestine were to be shared. Following this directive, I kept
the Zenes in my office away from the youth. To express my support for Arab and
Palestinian youth, I put Palestine Solidarity posters in my office window. Subsequently, I
was called to a meeting with my supervisor and the Executive Director,where I faced
reprimands, and was written up on two accounts; sharing information about Palestine and
displaying the posters. When I asked the Executive Director if she had read the Zenes,
she admitted to only skimming them, and made it seem like her hurried response was due
to my potential non-compliance. I want to clarify again that I removed the Zenes in
question from the public areas and kept them in my office immediately after being told to
do so. I was never instructed to take my posters down before being written up. Due to
these write ups, I issued my two weeks notice as I found it disgraceful to be limited in my
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advocacy. Surprisingly,my employment was terminated instantly upon giving notice, an
action unheard of with other employees in my time at UAY. In my time working at UAY,
I was never made aware of a written policy restricting unapproved materials from being
shared with youth. To the contrary, staff regularly shared resources that were not
subjected to a formal review process. During my employment at UAY,management
clearly and consistently stated that we should advocate for trans rights, abortion rights,
queer rights,women's rights, and racial justice,yet the same advocacy was not extended
to Palestine. I was told that advocating for a free Palestine was too political and complex.
The selective restriction on discussing Palestinian issues and the punishment of
employees for expressing solidarity with Palestine is a clear example of anti-Arab anti
Palestinian prejudice in our community. I care deeply about advocating for social justice,
and I was never silenced in my advocacy until I expressed solidarity with Palestinian
human rights. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome. Please state your name and city.
Fifi: Good evening. My name is Yumah Fifi. I'm a Palestinian American and a resident of Iowa
City. And I'm also a public health academic by occupation. So I'd like to start off by
confirming that international humanitarian law is explicit in its protection of healthcare
infrastructure, including hospitals,medical staff, and ambulances as well as the sick and
wounded. Parties to a conflict must respect and preserve the function of healthcare
establishments. With that in mind, I'd like to share reports about Israel's violation of
international humanitarian law and its current war on Gaza with respect to healthcare
infrastructure. A report from the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High
Commissioner, dated December 7th, so already outdated notes, at least 364 attacks on
healthcare services have been recorded in the occupied Palestinian Territory since 7
October 2023. More than 50 health facilities and 190 ambulances have also been
affected. Other healthcare workers have been injured, arrested and detained,including, as
you heard,the General Director of Gaza's biggest hospital Al Shifa,who was arrested on
23 November, and his whereabouts are unknown. At Indonesi Hospital has reportedly
been bombed 35 times since 28 October. The health infrastructure in Gaza has been
completely obliterated according to the special rapporteur. She also pointed to an
immeasurable number of violations of the special protection afforded to civilians,
children, and medical personnel under international humanitarian law alongside
widespread violations of international human rights law. And the rapporteur said, "We
bear witness to a shameful war on healthcare workers. This war is raging because of a
lack of political leadership, end the war on Gaza and end it now."Also, since October
7th, 214 different hospitals have been bombed a 100 ambulances have been destroyed,
and dozens of doctors have been arrested without charges. Their whereabouts remain
unknown. On December 11th,just yesterday,Dr. Ben Thompson of the Union of Medical
Care and Relief Organizations stated that 283 healthcare workers and 133 UN staff
members have been killed in Gaza. The deadliest period in UN history. Of the 35
remaining hospitals in Gaza,he said, as of this morning,yesterday, 26 are non-functional,
with nine remaining only partially functional. Key facilities like Gaza's only eye and
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mental health hospital, el-Wafa Rehabilitation Hospital, and Algeria Hospital have been
targeted some with white phosphorus,which international law dictates are never to be
fired at or near civilian infrastructure. By mid October, Ellora hospital had run out of
blood, leading to post surgery deaths. The entire Gaza city lacked functional hospitals,
with only one remaining in the Northern part of Gaza, leaving thousands without
treatment access. A staggering 700-900 children in Gaza have undergone amputations
and a heart wrenching acronym,WCNSF, Wounded Child No Surviving family has
emerged due to the high number of children injured without any family left. The targeting
of medical facilities has been a deliberate strategy of the Israeli war on Gaza. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome. Please state your name and city?
Qadoura: Yes. Hi,my name is Viana Qadoura. I am a Human Rights Commissioner for the city
of Iowa City. I'm a Palestinian too. I have lived there. I know what occupation means. I
know what siege means. I know what starvation,what care fee,what collateral damage
means. We lived that. We have seen that. I'm not going to go and repeat what they have
said and what they're going to say. As a child, as 10 years old, I have witnessed with my
own eyes an army and Israeli armies planting things within dirt in my neighborhood. One
day we were just sitting there in our houses,just kids playing around, and all of a sudden
a big explosion happened. We heard the screams of parents, of neighbors, all of the water
tanks exploded. People start shouting, cars, and calling for ambulances. As a child, I ran
outside with my parents,we saw a bloody, shattered body. It was our neighbor,he was 13
years old. My uncle,he's the one who ran there, and he held him while he's wearing a
white shirt. Until this age, I remember the horrific scene. I seen that his friend died, one
left disabled for many years we can see the scars that this explosion did to the neighbors,
neighborhood, and to the family, and to us as witnessed this. This is nothing comparable
to what Gaza is going through. But you know what?When you live there and you sense
that we are one body,we feel each other. And if anyone wants to doubt what occupations
leaves the child with,what this horrific scenes and tragedies and atrocities leave you
with. I'm willing to sit down and explain to you. So now you know what Gaza's going to.
You have to be honest with yourselves. What does it look like? They can cover your eyes
so that you do not see thousands of dead Palestinian civilians,but have they covered
your hearts?You are witnessing a historically brutal occupation. Gaza has become a
graveyard for thousands of children. It's a living hell for everyone. Thousands of lives
lost, countless families torn apart. This must end now. We demand an immediate cease
fire in Gaza to stop the violence and save innocent lives. Your voice can make a
difference, and I'm sure that you can do it. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. I want to get a show of hands of how many individuals still want to speak;
1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8. I'm going to have to trim down the time to 2 minutes because I want
to make sure that we hear from everyone,welcome.
Harwood: Okay. Hello,my name is Casey Harwood, I'm an Iowa City resident and a professor of
mechanical engineering. You've heard it mentioned the lack of access to basic resources,
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and I'd like to delve into that just a bit more. International law has long established that
water is a basic human right, and right now, it's critically- critically compromised for
Palestinians and has been for a long time because of Israeli restrictions. Starting in 1967,
Israeli military order 158 made it illegal to perform in nearly any activity involving water
infrastructure within the West Bank. This included drilling new wells,repairing aging
infrastructure, even so much as collecting rainwater without the issuance of an Army
permit, of which only 13 were issued in total in the 29 years following that order. The
result has been a wide disparity in water access within the West Bank. In settlements
which are widely regarded is illegal under international law, settlers have unrestricted
access, even while, often only hundreds of feet away,Palestinians consume well below
the WHO guidelines for sustainable water consumption. This is even more oppressive in
Gaza,where as we can see right now, Gaza's in mid November 2023 are consuming 2-3
liters per day. While the WHO has established a minimum short term survival limit
during emergencies of 15-20. That's less than 1% of what I,most of you,nearly everyone
in this room uses every single day, and its Palestinians are powerless to turn this around
on their own. In October, Israel cut off the water supply into Gaza. And water within
Gaza is 95%undrinkable because Israel installed a cordon of deep wells along the coastal
aquifer that extracts most of the groundwater before it ever reaches the Gaza strip. So I
call upon the City Council to consider requesting immediate and unconditional
humanitarian aid be provided to Palestine so we can ameliorate these.
Teague: Thank you. Thank you Welcome. Please state your name and city you're from.
Wu: Hello,my name is Shona Wu, and I'm a resident of Iowa City. I am a third year medical
student at the University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, and I'm here representing
our White Coats for Black Lives chapter. I'd like to discuss our continued military and
weaponry support for Israel. And fust, I bring you an example of what the US military
aid is doing there. An investigation by Amnesty International published last week has
revealed that US made joint direct-that US made joint direct attack munitions were used
in two deadly Israeli airstrikes on civilian homes in Gaza. The bombings killed 43
civilians,which included 19 children, 14 women, and 10 men. The strikes on October
10th and 22nd targeted the Lna Jar and Abu Milk family homes with no evidence of
military objectives at either site. Both homes were in South Gaza, an area where
displaced civilians were told to go by the Israeli military during the bombardment of the
northern Gaza area. Distinct ammunition fragments found by Amnesty International
contain serial numbers that link the weapons to Boeing Corporation. The investigation
incorporating survivor accounts, satellite imagery, and physical evidence, suggests these
were either direct attacks on civilians or indiscriminate strikes,both constituting war
crimes. The investigation also found no evidence of military targets in or near the
residences,raising serious concerns about the legality of these attacks under international
law. The situation implicates the US under its own Arms Export Control Act and
international humanitarian laws,highlighting potential complicity in violations due to
ongoing arms transfers to Israel. Israel has openly rejected the involvement of the
international Court,highlighting the troubling lack of accountability and recourse should
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we continue to supply arms and military aid. Your community calls on you to call for
Congress to reject Biden's proposed $14.3 million military aid package to Israel because
to be clear,this is illegal under our very own Arms Export Control Act that I just talked
about. It is unconscionable to think that our money,my money will provide a weaponry
to Israel and cause further Palestinian civilian suffering. Thank you for your time.
Teague: Thank you Welcome.
Reynen: My name is Clara Reynen, and I am a resident of Iowa City as well as a graduate
student studying library and information sciences and book arts. On November 20, 2023,
the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor published a report asserting that cultural heritage
institutions have been deliberately destroyed in Gaza by the Israeli military forces.
Cultural heritage institutions are locations that, according to the Hague Convention,
include,but are not limited to,museums, large libraries, and depositories of archives. The
Hague Convention is clear in its language,purposeful destruction of these institutions is
an irrefutable violation of international law. Without these important historical sites,the
already sparsely available history of the Palestinian people is being further decimated.
The sites destroyed include the historic Al Omari Grand Mosque,three historic churches,
five bookstores,the Gaza Center for Culture and Arts,the Hakawi Theatre Association,
the Alja Cultural Museum, and the Rafa Museum. And as of December 3, over 100
heritage institutions have been destroyed. As a UNESCO City of Literature. Iowa City
has a responsibility to uphold the inherent value of all cultural heritage sites, domestically
and internationally. Our own City of Literature's mission statement is as follows, "To
build and support diverse communities of writers and audiences through the
transformative power of story" The website also states,that our community has been
"Has long been quite simply a place for writers, a destination, a proving ground, and a
nursery". The gentle intimate language with which we cherish our history as a city that is
in of itself a cultural heritage site, are in stark contrast to the devastation and destruction
that similar sites in Gaza face. Is this the tender attitude towards the humanities that
inspired me to pursue a career as a librarian and information sciences professional?
Where is that compassion and humanity now? In closing, I'd like to leave you with this
quote from Jurgen Stock,the secretary of interpool. "Crimes against cultural heritage do
not just strike at objects,but the destruction of heritage is linked to persecution of
individuals [OVERLAPPING]"
Teague: Thank you. Thank you Yes. Welcome. Please state your name and city you're from.
Schlutter: Rasmus Schlutter, Iowa City. Um,my name is Erasmus. I'm baptized in the Greek
Orthodox Church,my pronouns are they and them. I stand in solidarity and heartbreak
with my Palestinian neighbors in Palestine, Iowa City, and across the world. Despite
resounding national, international demands for a cease fire,the bombing continues. This
is because the conflict is not solely between Israel and Palestine. Israel receives almost $4
billion of US Aid every year, and has received almost 300 billion since World War II,
adjusted to inflation. In 1986,then Senator Joe Biden defended this commitment, stating,
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were there not an Israel the United States would have to invent in Israel to protect her
interests in the region. I ask city council whose interests are these?Are these our interests
as residents of Iowa City? The occupation targets Palestinian intellectuals, doctors,
journalists,writers, cultural institutions, as we just heard, civilians,mothers, children,
fathers, every single person is a target. It is the enemy of memory and it writes its
occupation in craters and martyrs. But what is a cease fire? It is in the word, a cease to
the fire, an end to the striking of missiles,the dropping of bombs, assassination after
assassination,the endless atrocities committed against the Palestinian people. Those who
oppose the ceasefire will concede-hope we will concede that the Israeli attacks are
committed in our interests,that the bombs bought in our names rightfully deliver children
to the grave. A grave so often whose burial is in the fallen rubble of homes. How can
these be our interests?How can these be anyone's interests?US aid to Israel will not give
us health care,will not house our families,nor teach our children,nor grow our food.
Instead,they employ tactics to silence protests and obscure the investments at play. The
interests of occupation of Palestine are the interests of imperialists. The Palestinian
people will continue to love to struggle and to remember,there is no violence which can
silence the humanity of Palestine. So let us join the call for a cease fire. Take our place
alongside the global majority who no oppression is never in our interest. Palestine is in
our hearts and our souls, let it continue to be in our words and our deeds as well, for a
cease fire and for an end to this violent occupation for a free Palestine. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. And I want to remind people again,there are stickers in the back if you
wanted to pre fill out a sticker. Welcome.
Kolder: Thank you. My name is Sarahann Kolder, I work at Prairie Lights bookstore. I grew up
in Iowa City. On December 9th,this past Saturday, a peaceful and inconveniencing
protest action was done at Kinnick Stadium by over 30 members of our local community.
The protest interfered with a fund raiser holiday party for the University of Iowa. This
institution,the University was targeted because of its involvement in the genocide
happening to Palestinian people. For historical context,the book 100 Years War on
Palestine by Rashid Khalidi is a great resource.Now,how is the University of Iowa
relevant? The University has a partnership with Collins Aerospace, a company with a
significant branch in nearby Cedar Rapids. I grew up here in Iowa City, I have a friend
with multiple family members that work for Collins Aerospace. Another friend of mine
has a younger sister who has just offered an internship with them. These are people we
know with significant power to influence deadly decision making. This is not an issue
beyond our scope of concern. Collins Aerospace is owned by RTX. RTX provides
weapons and war technologies to Israel. The University also has a history of
collaboration, as recent as September,with Lockheed Martin, a weapons manufacturer.
Specifically,they are responsible for a $3 billion sale of F35 fighter jets to Israel. The
city of Iowa City would not exist, as we know it without the University of Iowa. Let's
reflect on what that means for Iowa City to be inextricable from an institution having
profitable relationships with companies that supply weapons of death to Israel. Also, I
encourage all of us to educate ourselves on the history and value of civil disobedience.
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Are we content with the arrest methods used last Saturday? These videos can be found on
the Instagram sjp.Iowa City. To conclude, Iowa City should not feel secure in its
reputation of being a left leaning oasis in the conservative Midwest. If this is how you see
Iowa City,please re-evaluate your comfort with this presumption and take action towards
supporting those who are brave enough to disagree, critique, and interrupt the actions of
institutions and people whose power otherwise goes unquestioned. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you Welcome.
Ituk: Hello. My name is Kufre Ituk and I'm a resident of Iowa City. Today I'm wearing black to
represent the black stripe on the Palestinian flag that stands for the oppression,
persecution that Palestinians have suffered for countless years. City Council of Iowa City,
as your constituent and a member of the Iowa City community I urge us to pay attention
to our nation's co signing of genocide. On December 11th the world witnessed a raised
hand, a hand raised in the support of the genocide of Palestinians. The United States
vetoed a United Nations resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza. Reaffirming what we
have all known for a long time that the United States stands for the genocide of the
17,000 Palestinians that have been slaughtered by the Israeli defensive forces since
October 7th and the displacement of two million Palestinians in Gaza. People in Gaza are
facing starvation and are lacking much needed medical care, civilians are being used as
collateral. The Biden Administration cannot pretend to care for the well being of
Palestinians, cannot pretend to care for the human rights of Palestinians and cannot
pretend to care for the US House Resolution 786 for immediate ceasefire and VETO the
United Nations resolution of a ceasefire. It is fully and completely contradictory. I urge
the Council and its constituents to remember that the genocide of Palestine should matter
to us all. Injustice everywhere enjust- endangers justice everywhere. Thank you for your
time.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome.
Doolittle: Hi. My name is Kate Doolittle and I live in Iowa City. The forces enacting genocide
in Palestine and the violent policing in Iowa city are intimately connected. US police all
over the country participate in exchange programs that train officers to use the same
Israeli occupation force tactics against US citizens that are used to murder and abuse
Palestinians. Though to my knowledge the ICPD does not participate in such a program.
The global policy of violent militarized policing is being weaponized against our
community. On Saturday my partner and other peaceful protesters were brutalized by the
University of Iowa Police Department under the watch of the Iowa City Police
Department. My partner's arm was wrenched behind their back and their wrist is now
sprained and potentially fractured. Even after we were home safe the video of their
screams of agony literally made me sob, I physically could not watch it. On top of that,
they were grossly mistreated at the Johnson County Jail,where they were put in solitary
confinement for over five hours for being trans. They were offered no food and no
medical evaluation for their wrist at any point between arrest and release and were
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repeatedly made to do painful tasks like carry items to their cell despite their injury.
Despite the fact that my partner was brutalized during arrest by a UIPD officer,the
violence is grounds to file a complaint against ICPD with the Community Police Review
Board,because article 20-01-A3 of the duty to intervene and report states all employees
shall intervene if they observe or become aware of what they believe to be unnecessary or
excessive use of force by an employee of another law enforcement agency. ICPD stood
by and watched while peaceful protesters were violently attacked by university officers. I
have absolutely no faith and the ICPD will be held accountable by the CPRB. Of the 20
allegations against ICPD in the CPRB 2022 annual report,Police Chief Dustin Liston
sustained none and the CPRB sustained none. I was going to talk more about the awful
details of that report but I can't so I'll just say that the multiple militarized police agencies
in and around Iowa City cannot be separated from each other,they cannot be separated
from the IOF waging genocide in Palestine. These agents of violence are all part of the
same machine,the machine which murders and brutalizes US citizens here,Palestinians
there with US weapons and tax dollars.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome. Please state your name and city you're living in.
Kippes: Hello. My name is Izzy Kippes, I live in Iowa City. I'm a former student of the
University of Iowa and I'm currently a employee at the University of Iowa, I work in
cancer research. I'm also a transsexual woman. Earlier this year the state of Iowa passed
legislation banning teenagers from using- from medical transition,banning children from
using the restroom that feel most comfortable in and banning teachers from using any
name or pronouns other than the ones assigned to that child from their birth. Amid this
the University of Iowa invited Matt Walsh, current figurehead of the anti trans movement
to speak at our school. I attended a protest against the U&I's inviting of an anti tran
speaker,three weeks later I was arrested for alleged actions relating to that protest. Four
armed UIPD officers entered my workplace to handcuff me and escort me out to the jail
to book me for simple midemeanors I was wearing scrubs. A month ago UIPD arrested
six more trans people at another anti trans speaker event hosted by the University. Just on
Saturday UIPD, ICPD and University Heights police brutalized four more trans protesters
who were disrupting a fund raiser event. They utilized pain compliance techniques on
kids whose hands were already restrained behind their backs. They even arrested an
individual with no charges,no warrant and released him five minutes later. The UIPD
cannot be allowed to continue acting with such ridiculous impunity. The Iowa state
government and the US federal government have stolen lifesaving medicine from
transgender youth, stolen any modicum of safety in their schools and stolen roughly a
fifth of each and every one of our paychecks and use that money to criminalize descent at
home and murder children in Gaza. The metro area we all live in maintains an Iowa City
Police Department, a Coralville Police Department, a North Liberty Police Department, a
University Heights Police Department and the University of Iowa Police Department. I
ask that the city of Iowa City consider legislation that would restrict the university from
maintaining its own privatized militarized police force. Thank you.
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Teague: Thank you. Welcome. Please state your name is City?
Remington: Mandy Remington, Iowa City. I was not planning on speaking tonight because there
is nothing that I can say about the atrocities that are happening in Palestine that has not
been better said by those here tonight that are directly affected and I have spoken out
many times about my opinions on police responses to protesting in this town. What I can
say and what I did learn over the last year is what it took for each one of you to get in the
seat that you are in. And I know that you did not do it for the money,you did it for all of
the people that you listened speaking to you tonight about things that are causing severe
distress in their lives. So I ask you, as someone who worked hard to be your colleague
over this last year to please do not let this be another situation where you sit here and you
listen to resident after resident come to you and ask something of you and you turn
around and vote against them. You are not being asked to put your lives on the line,you
are not even being asked tonight to make any extreme systemic policy change. You are
being asked to make a statement. Listen to everybody that is here talking to you as their
representatives. Thank you.
Teague: Welcome. Please state your name and city.
Abuissa:Newman Abuissa, a longtime resident in Iowa city for 30 years. Thank you so much for
hosting this forum today, for allowing us to speak. I really appreciated every one of
those-those who spoke today,they spoke very articu-articulate and very new information.
Thank you so much for everybody who spoke today. I want to defend those students and
lang-young people who are-talked-who talked today and I would expect you to do the
same. The University of Iowa Students Democrats, spoke demo- democratically and they
voted to issue a statement to say that the Palestinians should be- should live long and free
from the river to the sea. And one of the regi-board of-board of Regent members called
them a bunch of idiots for saying that. And I think we are responsible to defend our
students. The-the- I'm also uh,the Arab American Caucus chair in-with the Iowa
Democratic Party. And the democratic party should also defend them not attack them like
they did. And I expect you to-to defend those students as well. Israel is trying to silence
the truth by killing 65 journalists in the last two months. They don't want people to know
what is the truth, they don't twist the truth, they upside the truth 180 degrees. They-they
are doing the-the genocide and the ethnic cleansing and they say that the Palestinians are
doing that. They-they lie multiple times during their-their- their-their discourse of this
course. At the end here I just want to thank our Mayor for attending the vigil for the
Palestinians, I want to thank councilmember Mazahir Salih for attending one of the
protests and I would invite you to come and protest with us and be part of this learning
process and this is the only way we can solve this problem. Thank you so much.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome. Please state your name and city you live in.
De: Yes sir. Good evening. Salam,which means peace. My name is Mono De. I'm uh,North
Liberty resident. And I've only lived here for about a year and a couple of months. I came
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from Columbus, Ohio,which has a much bigger Arab community uh,than here um, and
the voices are stronger actually in Columbus, Ohio and um,the activism is am- amazing
and here it is too I see, I was very pleasantly surprised. I think it is important to talk more
also about what it means to be a Palestinian-American. Uh, I was born in Germany so I
consider myself a Palestinian-German-American. Um, and even though I never lived in
Palestine I visited every two years as a child. And even as a child not living under this
occupation I've seen enough of it. Just getting through from Jordan to Palestine at times
as a child I would wish,boy couldn't my family just live in Spain or Greece? Or we just
get off the airport TSA and you're done?Not three checkpoints we're humiliated,
humiliated and humiliated. And one of the biggest humiliation that I remember as a child
of seven, seven or eight is that it is chaotic on the King Hussein Bridge, absolutely
chaotic in the 90s. And one of the times I remember is that there was like a um, like a
curtain uh,that is,uh,that can be mobile that was- I was separated from my father and
my brother and was just my mother and me and my sister. And as a child I'm scared of
the IDF, I'm with the big guns that they sometimes point at you. Just as a citizen to visit
your family passing through,nothing else. You can sometimes get those guns pointed at
you.Never at me, I've never seen it with my mother but I've seen it otherwise. So we
were surrounded by this curtain and an IDF soldier, a female came in.
Teague: Thank you.
De:No problem.
Teague: Thank you. I want to thank everyone that came up and spoke today. Are you coming to
speak?Please come. I don't know if there's anyone in the hall that wants to speak,but I
will allow-,um, I will allow up to three more speakers. So we have one,we have a
second. Is there anyone else?We'll just have these two. Welcome. All right. Sorry, I
couldn't see. So we'll have these three.
Yeager: Hi,my name's Nicole Yeager. I live here in Iowa City. I'm a graduate student but I'm
reading a statement for Ionas Alexis who's over at the Englert right now. Lifelong Iowa
Citian. I am here alongside friends, colleagues, and acquaintances in demanding the
support of US House Resolution 786 for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in
Palestine. And reject Biden's 14.3 billion military aid to Israel. This is a call for peace and
ending. This is an ongoing genocide supported by our Governor, our university, and our
President. Additionally, I would like to condemn the actions of the University and Iowa
City Police against the December 9th protesters, as well as the targeted protesters who
were arrested a month after their demonstration. Twisting arms and wrists to extremes
and putting hands on the throats of demonstrators who showed no resistance, only
represents the actions of bullies has no place in our community. These institutions have
also demonstrated clear prioritization to surveil,target, and arrest trans members of our
community as perpetuated by the governor's agenda to dismiss their lives. We demand
that the violence end. The United States must end their support of the apartheid. And we
demand that the University of Iowa,which had all ties in partnerships with the various
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weapons manufacturers. We ask that you please set the example here in Iowa City and
tell governor that Iowa City demands a permanent cease fire. I'd also like to add that
there's a long,meaningful history of community members and students standing for what
is right in Iowa City. It is your duty to ensure peaceful demonstrations in this community.
Don't turn into civilians being brutalized. Thank you
Teague: Welcome.
Ross: Hey,Brandon Ross from Iowa City. I'm second generation American.My mom's family's
from Ukraine and we're Jewish and so this is a rough period. An important thing to know
is that 60% of people do not want to send any more weapons into Ukraine.And 70% of
people in this country have been pulled to find that they don't want to send any more
weapons into Israel. And unfortunately, our congress, only 3% agree with them. Three
percent agree with the vast majority of US, Citizens. Both situations the US has taken full
advantage of and is to be condemned. The US is arming,basically, a right wing
nationalist government in Israel who is destroying lives in Palestine. In Ukraine,the US,
which helped overturn the elected president in 2014. Victor Yanakovich has been arming
violent fascists and neo Nazi groups since 2014. And they have been pushing for war
through both unpopular regimes of Poroshenko,who left office with 9% approval rating
lowest in the world, and Zelensky,whose approval rating is now below 20%. So this is
not,what we were Ukrainians call our government is not this government and hasn't been
since 2014,but the US uses Ukraine as a battleground to get at Russia,which is their
major project, and that's really what we're doing. Uh from 2014-2022 the regime in Kiev
had bombed hospitals and schools and orphanages and infrastructure, and killed over
2,000 children, over 16,000 Eastern Ukrainians. Those are Ukrainians we did not come to
help them. And finally,Russia interceded. So please-please get on the phone, get on the
type or get on the street. Stop funding of weapons to these two countries. Thank you
Teague: Welcome. Please state your name and city you're from.
Meggitt: Hi Alisa Meggitt, Iowa City. I didn't plan on speaking tonight,but I want to finish a
story from our sister here from Ohio,who is about to address human rights abuses at the
checkpoints in Palestine. And I'm sad she didn't get a chance. I would love her to tell her
many-many stories. I can tell you I've been to Palestine once for one week, and in the
course of that short time, I witnessed an old man being abused by the IDF at a checkpoint
where they took his walking cane out of his trunk and accused him of bearing a weapon
in his car. And they intimidated him, and they shook it at him, and they screamed at him,
and they sent him off without his cane. The way it works in Palestine, if you understand
the disparities,the roads there, all the funding goes to the Israeli roads. The Palestinian
roads are very decrepit and unnavigable. And so this man's going to have to park far- far
away, inadequately, and he's going to have to walk home without any cane or walking
support. Um,the same week I was there up in Nobles,the IDF shot students,two boys or
a group of boys that were playing soccer. And as the kids were trying to approach him to
help him,the IDF soldier stood on him,with his backpack and his gun and let the kid
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bleed out. And every time the kids tried to come up and support their friend,he would
point his gun at them. So he literally stood on top of the child until he died. This happens
every day. I want to invite City Council and the people in the room and listening to join,
if Americans only knew with Alison Weir every day they give fantastic updates. There's
so much we need to know. And as elected officials representing all of us in Iowa City, I
invite you to show your leadership as a community and to express your opposition to this
carnage happening in Gaza, and support the ceasefire and to really address the police
abuse that recently happened. I think if it was a protest for Israel, in support of Israel,that
wouldn't have happened
Teague: Thank you. I want to appreciate all those that weren't able to speak. Thank you for
showing up into your City Hall, and we heard a lot here today and we just appreciate
everybody taking the time to come. Thank you. We're going to move on to planning and
zoning matters. I will pause for a minute. Thank you. And will you all close the door
when you leave? Thank you so much.
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8. Planning& Zoning Matters
8.a Zoning Code Amendment—Ordinance amending Title 14,Zoning to reduce
the maximum allowable height in the Neighborhood Stabilization Residential(RNS-
12)zone from thirty-rive(35) feet to twenty-seven (27) feet for single-family and
duplex uses. (REZ23-0005)
Teague: We're on to planning and zoning matters. Item 8A,zoning code amendment reduction of
maximum allowable height in the RNS 12 zone. This is an ordinance amending Title 14
zoning to reduce the maximum allowable height in the neighborhood stabilization
residential zone from 35 feet to 27 feet for single family and duplex uses. I'm going to
open the public hearing. And all right. So this is kind of a we had deferred this item. And
now,we-we had a meeting with our planning and zoning commission during our work
session today, and now it's our opportunity to have this discussion once again, Council. Is
there-the staff presentation was given to us on 1121 at our last formal meeting. Um, are
there any questions from the council to staff? I- I do have one.
Salih: I do have one too.
Teague: Okay. Rock,paper, scissors?All right.
Salih: Go ahead.
Teague: All right,um so- so the South district form based code, can you all speak a little bit to
that?We heard a comment earlier that they're limited to 2.5 stories, so if you can just
kind of speak to that.
Russett: Yeah,that's-true. The South District form based code is a form based zone, so it has
different standards and it's based on stories. So it is a maximum allowable height of two
on a two stories. All of our residential zones have a maximum of 35 feet.
Teague: Can stories- can two on a two stories reach the 35 foot?
Russett: Well, in the South district foreign based code there's also a feet maximum. So it's both
stories and feet. So its height is calculated entirely differently in the foreign based code
than it is in our residential, our standard residential districts,which is just a standard foot
measurement.
Teague: Okay. Um, I guess one last question and hopefully it can be answered. So can a property
be 35 foot- feet in the- in the South district. In the new foreign base code?
Russett: Yeah, so it's- it's measured differently. So a 35 foot building in the South district form
base code is different than a 35 foot height limit in a standard residential zone. Because,
um, in the standard residential zone, in the RN2-12, it's 35 feet from average grade to the
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midpoint of the roof. And the-the height is calculated differently in,um,the South
district. So even if it could get to 35 feet, it would be a different measurement. And it's
measured differently. And I don't- I don't know off the top of my head exactly how the
measurement is calculated in the South District.
Teague: Okay. Thank you.
Alter: I'm going to sound like I'm seven to the eye.
Russett: Yeah.
Alter: Judge, 2.2 stories in the South district form based code. Look,would it be in proportion
with the 35 foot? [OVERLAPPING]
Russett: Probably not. It would probably be it would probably look smaller.
Alter: Okay.
Russett: Yeah.
Salih: You know, from last time when you guys give us information, I wrote like some question
here,but we did not talk about it because we postponed. So I just want to ask you like
when we say 27 and 35 is 27 equal to 2.5 history and the 35,three?Because the
difference is not that big.
Russett: Yeah. So I guess what I would say is if the council is inclined to reduce the height limit,
staff would recommend that we keep the measurement and feet and not use stories for
this particular zoning district,because it is a standard residential zone where we measure
it in feet. So, um, I'm not sure that that answers your question. But,um,you could still
have a 2.5 story house that's 35 feet in the RNS-12 zone.
Salih: What about the 27?
Russett: You could have a 2.5 story-Also? -building that's 27 feet?Yeah.
Salih: Okay. My other question was I think somebody mentioned last time is 17 houses, it has
been demolished 6 was okay prior to the land being rezoned to RNS-12 and 9 or 11 were
27' or less. Is that accurate?
Russett: Yeah. So we did an analysis of demolitions within the RNS 12 zone since 1992, and
there have been 17 demolitions in that specific zone since 1992. Six of those demolitions
occurred before the RNS-12 zone even existed, so those were still multifamily zones at
the time. In addition,we also looked at of the demolitions that occurred in redevelopment
that occurred,what are these new structures,what are the height of these new structures?
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And so we found-we were able to find building plans for 11 of the 17 that were
demolished. And nine of those were 27 feet or less. So our conclusion is that the 35 foot
height,maximum allowable height, is- is not an incentive to redevelop the redevelopment
that we have seen for the most part is 27 feet or less.
Salih: Thank you.
Teague: Hearing no other questions,thank you. All right, anyone from the public like to address
this topic?Please come up and state your name and city you're from, and if you have a
sticker,you can drop it in the basket. If you are online and you want to address this topic,
please raise your hand at this time.
Throgmorton: Good evening everybody. My name is Jim Throgmorton, and I live in Iowa City.
It's really hard talking about this topic after listening to the discussion about Palestine,
and what's happening in Gaza and so on,uh, it's just really difficult to do. But I want to
address one topic and that is,where did this Number 35 feet come from? The answer is it
came from a model zoning code drafted by Herbert Hoover when he was working in the
Commerce Department back in the 1920s, 1927 in particular. The model code that he and
his fellow people developed was simple, and it- it was crafted- and its crafters thought
that the code could be applied nationwide. The 35 foot height limit in the code, and that
code was based on mansion districts in big cities like New York and Chicago,where 35
foot tall houses for the wealthy were not uncommon. Many communities quickly adopted
the standards with little or no change. But over time,most cities found that they had to
alter the model code to reflect local conditions. In Iowa City,the 35 foot limit was
adopted to allow walk in basements on sloping lots. There are no significant sloping lots
in the north size part of the RNS-12 Zone, and only one little stretch of, I think it's
Washington Street that has that kind of condition. Just because the 35 foot height limit
has been in place since Herbert Hoover, is not a good reason to keep it. Especially if it's
harmful to tightly packed properties,narrow lot,uh, frontage lots in the RNS-12 Zone. So
you might think about that, it's- it's not something written in stone that must be followed
for particular reasons. Instead, it's just been around for about 100 years, and if you look
carefully at the conditions on the ground, a 27 foot height limit would make a lot more
sense than a 35 foot one in the RNS-12 District. Thanks.
Teague: Thank you. We're going to move online to Susan. Welcome.
Futrell: Hello,thank you. I came down earlier to speak in person and there was no place to sit,
um, so I want to appreciate the Council for allowing all of that time and space for the
public comments, and also for making the Zoom,uh, option possible,um, for me to-to
continue participate,um, I just wanted to add a few things to,um,the points that I raised
in the earlier hearing. I won't repeat those,but again,um, I li-my husband and I live on
the near north side on Fairchild Street,um, in the district that's affected. If you walk
around this,um, district like you-you can see what makes it unique from most other
neighborhoods in Iowa City. The mix of large old homes, including the home of our,um,
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former mayor, or I'm sorry, of the fust woman mayor of Iowa City,Emma Harvat, and
also the small brick and stone houses from the early days of Iowa City mixed in with the
small immigrant cottages in Goosetown. It's a very diverse neighborhood already. The
city has just invested many,um,hundreds of thousands of dollars in helping to maintain
the historic brick streets in the neighborhood, and the neighbors here, as I said before,
for- for many decades have worked hard to help maintain and stabilize the neighborhood.
A couple of things that you don't see when you walk around the neighborhood that I
wanted to point out are that of the,um, 990 some properties in the north side
neighborhood,which is just a part of the RNS-12 Zone,um, only 48% of them are single
family,um, and owner occupied homes. The- another 25% are either condos or two
family duplexes,um, and another 26 are other types of dwellings. In the block we live in,
um,which is only partly in the historic district, one side of the block has two single
family homes, one large older home that is a rental, a duplex on one corner, and a
fourplex on the other corner. Changes in height and density in this part of town make a
much bigger difference than they do in most other neighborhoods, and I think the council
and the staff and planning zoning, I really appreciate the extra time you've taken to
review this, and also to point out that there are other places in the city like the south side,
where we've made efforts to tailor zoning more appropriately to the neighborhood, and I
would just ask you again to,um, support the neighborhood's effort to do that in this RNS-
12 Zone. Thank you very much.
Teague: Thank you. Anyone else want to address this topic? Great,welcome.
DeGraw: Hi,my name is Sharon DeGraw, and I have two visuals,um,
Grace: left side,third one down.
Teague: And we won't start the time until we get this started.
Platz: I think its right there for you.
DeGraw: Thanks.
Teague: And state the city you're from please.
DeGraw: I'm from Iowa City.
Teague: Great.
DeGraw: And I live in the north side, and- so much of the RNS- 12 that's in the north side is in
the southern end of the north side neighborhood,um,there are some properties that are
cut-outs, and while it might just be like one property, if it's built to 35 feet tall, it will
affect numerous neighboring properties, sort of like a ripple effect. Um, the visual that I
have here is an example of 114 North Governor, and it is relatively new construction, I
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think around 2018, and it looks big. It's got a hefty presence,yet it's about 23 feet when
you measure,um,the front facade and it's the two stories, and then you pick the halfway
point of the apex of that third story, and that's at 23 feet, and then there's also an
averaging between the left side of the structure, and the right side of the structure. So
even though the right side looks like a bigger building, it's averaged out, and that's how
the 23 feet is- is there. Um, so that's a- a very- it's a nice building duplex that fits into the
neighborhood. If you were to imagine another story going on top with a flat top roof,um,
and reaching 35 feet,that would make a impact in the neighborhood,that really starts to
ripple out, and affect who wants to live in the neighboring properties or who wants to buy
a house there, and that's the neighborhood integrity that we're-we're trying to keep in
place so that it's a livable place for everyone. Um, and this one too- excuse me-this one
12 is at 915 Washington Street, and it's a duplex that was built in 2012. It's actually a
little taller, yet once again it fits in, it's 26 feet. Um, and then if you imagine if it had one
full level on, and another five feet on top of that,that's where it would start to be 35 feet
tall, and it's the flat top roof,modern construction. So here's the one that,um, sort of
started off the controversy. But once we understood that this is something that could be
built in the north side and in RNS-12 neighborhoods, it has a garage level dedicated to
the fust floor. The two living spaces would be floors 2 and 3. Um,the average height is
35 feet,but at its tallest point it reaches 38 feet. So that's- that's something that really
affects the neighboring properties. It, uh,will cast shadows. We're now talking about
adding solar panels on some of the houses on the north side,but I think,
Teague: Thank you.
DeGraw: That would influence people must do that.
Teague: Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else like to address this topic?Welcome.
Carlson: Hi,my name is Nancy Carlson and I'm asking you to please support the 27 foot height
in the RNS-12 zone. I was one of the group of neighbors involved in bringing about this
zone. We were and still are concerned about maintaining a level playing field for all
neighbors who want to make this neighborhood their home. I believe this height
requirement accomplishes this goal. For decades,this height or less has been respected, it
has not been an impediment to the growth of our area,but allowed houses and people of
various income levels to be allowed to build here. This is a tradition we would like to
continue. In November,the City Council passed numerous amendments to our zoning
code, including one allowing 30 feet, 6,000 square feet lots in the RNS 12 zone. The
reasons behind this rezoning change was to reduce the cost of land to make smaller
houses more economically feasible in our zone. However,with the existing 35 feet
allowance, it provides a wonderful opportunity for developers to shoehom in larger
homes on smaller lots. This jeopardizes already existing smaller homes and makes
opportunities for smaller homes to be developed later on more unlikely. It allows houses
out of size- it allows houses out of size with the rest of the neighborhood. It puts pressure
on owners of smaller lots to sell to this group. If our developers are good business people,
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which they are,they will take up-they will take advantage of this opportunity because
their goal is to get the best return possible on their investment. If you do not believe this,
you are as naive as I was when I moved into this neighborhood 40 years ago. We are not
responsible for this situation. We are only trying to make the playing field as even as
possible. To that end,we are asking for a 27 hight limit. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome.
Kubby: Good evening. My name is Karen Kubby, I live in Iowa City and I am standing before
you to request that you approve the 27 foot limit. I think Nancy really kind of made the
point that the recently approved zoning changes are the thing that is different from the
past when other houses were demolished and things were built,the development pressure
over time is just greater and with the increased density allowed through those zoning
changes approved in November, it changes the playing field. There are, I believe, a whole
host of unintended consequences are going to happen about assessed values and taxes for
everyone in those neighborhoods,but this height reduction can help mitigate the feel on
the street. I know I've thought about this in terms of downtown,that we only have higher
density or taller buildings,how the design of them can allow the increased density,but
mitigate the feel on the street. So we kind of get the best of both worlds. So for those of
you who supported the zoning changes before that increased the number of units that will
happen, and I don't think they will be affordable. The height decrease can mitigate some
of those unintended consequences. So I hope you'll support the 27 feet. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Anyone else like to address this topic from the public? Seeing no one in-in,
uh, in person or online, I'm going to close the public hearing, and uh, could I give,uh,
can I get a,uh, fust consideration,please?
Alter: So moved,Alter.
Taylor: Second, Taylor.
Teague: All right. Just want to remind the Council again that we had the conversation with our
Commissioners,uh, earlier today. This item did pass. They had a different motion that we
had before us today, so their motion was to maintain the current 35,um,height
maximum. And it did pass four to three. What we're talking about now or what we're
going to be voting on is reducing the maximum allow-allowance from 35 to 27. So I
know it was a little confusing about the votes,but I just wanted to make that clarification
again.
Alter: And it sounds like as well so the Commission is, excuse me,the Commission is
recommending denial of this amendment. So for us to vote,we would have to be voting
for it. Correct.
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Teague: So if you want to -if you're voting with the Commissioners,with the majority vote of the
Commissioners,then you would deny the item that's before us today. I know it's
confusing.
Goers: So yes,vote is 27 feet. A no vote keeps it at 35 feet.
Salih: Yes, that a good one.
Alter: Clarity.
Goers: I'll mention it again before we vote because I imagine with your discussions that might
get lost again.
Salih: Yeah, I can start. I think like after hearing all these conversations,you know, and,um, I
just believe that we should ke-you know,keep the 27 or reduce to the 27,whatever I'm
with the 27 because I really believe that keeping the characteristics of the neighborhood
is very important for me. And giving -when I asked earlier the 35 is three story and 27 is
kind of two or 2.5, I meant by that I would like to know if somebody will have this big
room to come and just do a whole new story or by demolishing the old neighborhood
characteristics,by building new building. And that will add just like more expensive
house because nowadays the building is very expensive. So if the developer came and
bought old -like old you know,houses and just build new ones,that's really going to be
expensive. We are not going to accept that will be affordable at all. So I will vote to
reduce the height-I will vote yes to reduce the height to 27.
Taylor: I also will be voting to reduce it to 25. I kept waiting to hear any valid reasons for having
it at 35, and I just hadn't heard that,but I'd heard many, obviously logical reasons for
making it 27. So I would be voting in favor of this amendment to keep it 27.
Alter: So I've got notes from reading and from listening and from the last meeting in the meeting
before. And so- and any rate, I'm trying to put together a jumble, as well as a lot of public
input. Um, I'll cut to the chase and say that I'm in favor of a yes vote for the 27,um,with
a full nod to staff about the need for consistency and the desire for consistency, and that it
is more complicated. However,by you-within its own report and by some of the further
information that you provided us,very few properties are actually impacted by this to
begin with,um, in terms of what the overlay is, as well as the,um, of the historic and the
oh,my gosh, and the North side. Sorry, I'm not going to get that right,but y- y-you know
what I'm talking about?Um,between that and the amount that has actually been demoed,
I think that it- it stands to reason to keep it at a lower level,to keep it consistent with the
neighborhood, and that it does sort of create a sort of mosaic of sorts with the zoning
code or the zoning amendments that we passed already. So I think ultimately with full
understanding that just to sort of throw things at staff and with best practices for
consistency and to essentially say no,never mind, I would be given much more pause on
that if it were not for the fact that it seems that this is a very small number of homes that
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are not protected and yet should be. So I'm- I'm kind of hoping for the best out of,um,
both situations. Um,but I do think that it fits best for a 27 foot height requirement,uh,
and hopefully the-the burden on staff will be less than anticipated.
Thomas: I'm also in support of the 27 foot height limit. Um, I felt in terms of the concerns and
arguments,uh,the last statement from the North Side Neighborhood Association,uh,
provided some, I thought compelling arguments,um, in their- in their report, um,which I
won't go through tonight. I thought about doing that but I- I won't be doing that. I also
heard some very compelling arguments today during the,uh, confer with,um,P&Z. Um,
I thought all three in support of the 27 foot height limit had some very compelling
arguments. Um, I had thought and- and we'll read um,the statement from Anne Furtz
which came a while back. Um, I want to give a shout out to Anne, I want to give a shout
out to,uh,Nancy Carlson because they both were involved in the rezoning back in the
1990s. They have been working on neighborhood stability issues in the core
neighborhoods for 30 years, and they are still working on those issues. Um, so I want to
thank them for their work on that,uh, and continuing to work on trying to establish
stability in the center of town. Anne wrote a letter,uh,which I'll read portions of Uh, she
wrote,recent proposals for three story, 35 foot tall houses in the RNS-12 zone,have
revealed a loophole that is counter to the intent of the zone to stabilize and preserve
existing neighborhoods. I urge the Commission, she wrote this,to planning and zoning,
to approve the North side neighborhoods request to bring the allowed building heights in
line with the existing houses and the RNS-12 zone. That will not only apply to the North
side,but will be beneficial to South Lucas and the Governor's streets. So I think- I wanted
to highlight that statement she made about the request would bring the allowed building
heights in line with the existing houses in the RNS-12 zone. We've had a lot of- in
reading through all the material, and there's a volume of material on this thing, it's
amazing. You know,there's a lot of emphasis on the character of the neighborhood. What
is the character of the neighborhood?And- I think, and basically is speaking to that in
saying that, if we bring the allowed building heights in line with the existing houses in
the RNS-12 zone, it is that height which is characteristic of the RNS-12 zones,which is
what, in part, contributes to its character. So by dropping the height to 27 feet,we are-we
are now zoning. The zoning language is consistent with the character of the
neighborhood. I think it is also- I'll just leave with, um another- another- and it's this
point that I- I think may be relevant here as well. And that is,you know,we have
changed the zoning code,the amendments,you know,have incentivized,um, tried to
promote further development. In my view,the-the-the notion of missing middle,you
know,the use of say,the duplex in this instance as a means of increasing density is most
effective if the buildings are all at the same height. We- we really want that to be the-the
consistency in which the missing middle can be applied so that it's more effective as a
soft density,which is how it's often referred to. It's not a density that draws attention to
itself. And in order to draw attention to itself, it needs to be at the same height as the rest
of the other buildings. If you- if you build that duplex at 35 feet,that is not consistent
with the character of the neighborhood and it's no longer,um, a soft density or a hidden
density, it's actually distinguishing itself from- from the,you know,the fabric of the
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neighborhood. I think the idea of increasing,making those changes to the zoning
amendment,um,will be more effective if the 27 building height is consistent throughout
the neighborhood. Um, so those are my thoughts, and I want to thank everybody for their
perseverance on this,um, and I will be supporting the 27 foot height. A nice vote to end
on,by the way, for me as a final,um,vote on planning and zoning matters. So thank you
Council for supporting this.
Bergus: Also very appreciative of the amount of public engagement we've gotten on this issue,
and,um, I'm struggling with this because it's a- it's process challenge for me. I think,um,
I just want us to be really honest with ourselves about what this change may or may not
do. I don't think it will impact affordability in the neighborhoods. I- I think the number
of,um, lots that it will affect is so relatively small that the likelihood of it impacting
overall affordability is low. It will not address design standards,we can-this- if we say
27 feet,you can get a 27 foot modern flat roof building that I think would look out of
character in- in the neighborhoods. I also really hesitate to signal that we would be
making a change to our zoning code that might be for the purpose of favoring people who
already own homes in the area over those who have not yet had an opportunity to own
homes in the area. I think that's something that we have to remain cognizant of,because
those who haven't yet had an opportunity to live in these neighborhoods don't have a
voice here tonight other than what we may take into consideration. Um, I think,you
know, in spite of all that, I guess I would say, I just want to be honest about those-those
observations or those things that I feel strongly about. I do agree with Councilor Thomas
with your point about the recent changes that we made in terms of the overall,um,kind
of feel and intents of the neighborhood stabilization. So I'll support this amendment. I just
hope that,um,you know,when a building that looks very much like the 35 foot one that
was objectionable is built at 27 feet,that we knew what we were doing.
Harmsen: Just kind of without repeating what has been said,uh,kind of piggybacking off of
maybe the last three comments. Um, for me, one of my motivating factors in making
decisions like this is revolves around the ideas of, is it something that could potentially
have an impact on affordable housing? So somebody that spoke earlier talked about,um,
the earlier couple has been referenced some of the earlier changes we made,uh,which I
was in support of them- a lot of them,but for the sake of simplicity, adding the mid block
duplexes those batch of changes. Even though there was some neighborhood resistance to
that, I still supported that because I could see that as a- as an effect that would possibly
increase the ability for density,which, although it's not a silver bullet,would be a good
part in the shotgun approach to trying to do something about housing in this city. Um, so
in that case,you know,that was my motivating factor. Since I don't really see that the
extra eight feet from 27 or however many feet, 27-35 feet,that-that-that 35 foot would
get us that-really have much impact on the density question,the same way the duplex
would, I think this is one of those times when I find myself,uh, sympathetic to the
neighborhood folks that have come out and said,we really want this for these,um, for
these reasons for the character of the neighborhood. Um, and I don't see the dropping
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from 35-27 as having a profound effect on,you know,keeping us from- from increasing
the density. So I too,will be supporting the 27 foot,um,uh, Change.
Teague: So I appreciate everybody coming out in- for weeks and- and sharing um I guess not
specifically on this matter but related matters. Um as I- I had a conversation with um
folks from the north side, a while back, about the height. And I go back to Jeffs Berck
who when I came on this Council,that was the book to read. And Missing Middle was all
there. It was diversity giving people opportunity. It even talked about having
neighborhoods where there are million dollar homes with affordable housing in the
middle. And so I'm a little confused where we are today by some of those champions, I
guess. And not-not discounting um or judging,but just a little confused by this particular
carving out um and not applying that premise to the entire city. There are missing voices
here tonight. There are some people that reached out to me that said,you know,they
don't feel comfortable coming and speaking um because they don't want to be odd,they
don't want to feel you know weird because they're not in op-they're in opposition of
changing from 35-27 and they don't want to feel awkward amongst their neighbors. I
have a picture up and- and actually,when I-when I brought up this picture is where I
grew up in Chicago. It was Bob Welch. I was talking about housing and he was talking
about Human Rights City. Um and I brought up Chicago and he told me after that
meeting, don't you ever talk about Chicago? It was in a nice way because peoples
envision Chi- Chicago as something kind of negative. Um and we had a great
conversation about it. And- and Reverend Bob Welch is a wonderful person.But I'm
going to talk about- a little bit about like where I grew up it was a- a three story where
everything else around is two story or one story. On there is a,we call them Courtway
buildings where there's about 20 units of families living there on the opposite corner. It
took away our view of the downtown,uh Sears Tower.Now in different name, a church
was built on the corner. We enjoyed that view for many,many years,but it went away.
So I don't see how having missing middle diversity, giving individuals opportunity to live
in the north side or in this district reducing that from 35 or,you know not having that 35.
I just don't see it when we're talking about being this equitable city where we want to
make sure that everyone has an opportunity. So I respect all the comments today, I wont
be voting- so I will be voting no on this agenda item um and again, I- I really do
appreciate everybody coming and sharing their thoughts. I respect them. I have a
different thought process on this matter. Um it seemed like it's gonna pass, so just I
needed to be authentic with my own personal beliefs on this matter. So any other
comments?Roll call,please.
Goers: All right. Again for clarity, so a yes vote amends it down to 27 feet, a no vote retains it at
35 feet. [Roll Call]
Teague: Motion passes, 6 - 1. Can I get a motion to accept correspondence?
Harmsen: So moved. Harmsen?
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Bergus: Second,Bergus.
Teague: All in favor say aye. (Voice Vote)Aye. Any oppose?Motion passes 7 - 0.
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9. Regular Formal Agenda
9.a Sale of 320 Governor St—Resolution authorizing conveyance of a single-
family home located at 320 N. Governor Street.
Teague: We're at item number 9A sale of 320 North Governor Street. Resolution authorizing
conveyance of a single family home located at 320 North Governor Street. I'm going to
open the public hearing and welcome Tracy Hychu.
Hightshoe: Hello, Tracy Hightshoe,with Neighborhood and Development Services. In the recent
past,we had two condemnations that we went through. One of the properties was on the
one tonight, 320 North Governor,we had nuisance and property issues since 2018. That
was the reason why we abated it due to or sorry, condemned it due to the serious nature
of it. We bought the house through an appraisal process for 106,000. We then listed the
house with a realtor and we negotiated a sale for 115,000. Um we have expenses
probably about of 148,000 but those include items for property acquisition, condemnation
costs, appraisal costs, insurance,property taxes and repair costs to secure the building.
We have other purchase agreement. There's addendum to the purchase offer that basically
says the buyer can do one of two things. They can either demo within 90 days or they can
renovate the property. And so the buyer indicated to us that their plans is to renovate,but
they can do either. And if they renovate,they have to go to immediately secure the roof.
If you've been out there,there's a huge hole in the roof with a lot of subsequent damage
throughout the house. They have to immediately, like I said,to secure the roof and to take
out all the overgrowth. And so they have to abate the nuisances that the house created and
that poses. So if they renovate,they have to have a building permit within 60 days, and
they have to have a certificate occupancy issued within 18 months. So this is the
resolution to convey the house to the buyer. And the buyer is,to our understanding, a
rooting contractor. So if anyone's probably going to renovate this house, it's probably
going to be a rooting contractor. And if you have any questions?All right.
Teague: Great. Anyone from the public likes to address this topic? If you're on line,please raise
your hand. Or in person, seeing no one, I'm going to close the public hearing. Could I get
a motion to approve please.
Salih: So moved.
Taylor: Second, Taylor.
Teague: Moved by Salih. Second by Taylor. Council discussion.
Alter: I like the fact that it appears that it'll be renoed rather than demoed, so I mean,but
regardless, it's nice that there's movement on this one way or another, and I hope it's- it's
in a great location, so I hope that it turns out well.
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Teague: Roll call,please. [Roll Call] Motion passes 7-0.
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9.b Aid to Agencies Funding Process—Resolution adopting the Aid to Agencies
process and rescinding Resolution No. 18-214.
Teague: Item Number 9 B. A to agencies funding process resolution, adopting the Aid to
Agencies process and rescinding resolution. 18-214. Can I get a motion to approve,
please?
Salih: So moved.
Thomas: Second, Thomas.
Teague: All right. Moved by Salih, seconded by Thomas. And welcome,Erica.
Kubly: Erica Kubly,with Neighborhood Services. So this agenda item will replace our 2018 Aid
agency resolution,that describes eligibility and the funding process. Aid to Agency
provides non-profit public service agencies with flexible operational funding to serve low
income Iowa city residents based on the priorities set in our five-year consolidated plan.
Funding is split into two eligibility categories, legacy and emerging. The bulk of the aid
to agency funding is allocated in a competitive funding round to a core group of 22
service providers called legacy agencies. Applications are submitted through the United
Way joint funding process, and awards are made on a two year cycle. Up to 5% of the
program budget is awarded to emerging agencies,which are funded annually. The
program was initially created for new or developing non-profits,but once the legacy
agencies were established a few years back,we shifted eligibility so that any non-profit
who wasn't a legacy agency could apply for the emerging funds. The Aid Agency
program has evolved quite a bit over the past five years. And last year, during the legacy
funding round,we ran into an unanticipated situation where one legacy agency wasn't not
awarded funding. At that time, the Housing and Community Development Commission
recommended that we allow that agency to apply for emerging funds. However,based on
the way the 2018 resolution was written,they were not eligible to apply that year. So in
the proposed resolution today,we revise the emerging eligibility so that any agency that
is not receiving legacy funds in a given fiscal year is eligible to apply for emerging funds.
And this only affects one agency in the upcoming application round that will open later
this month. The resolution also updates the overall program guidelines to align with how
we are currently administering funds. At this time. We also have an Housing and
Community Development Commission subcommittee reviewing the Aid to Agency
funding process in partnership with Agency Impact Coalition representatives and other-
other funders that participate in the joint funding process. The subcommittee is scheduled
to present the recommendations to the full Commission on at our January 11th meeting.
Any major changes recommended during this process would come to council before the
next legacy funding round that will start in August of next year. So for tonight,we just
have a minor update to the definition so that we can implement them ahead of our FY 25
Emerging Agency funding allocation. Thank you.
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Teague: Great. Any questions?
Alter: I just want to summarize that the only thing that we're concerned with tonight is about
basically opening up the emerging agency pool for any legacy agency that has been
denied through their funding mechanism.
Kubly: Yeah.
Alter: Okay. Thank you.
Salih: I guess I was trying to ask the same question and we know that this is like two year things
so this year will be normal,this is going to be effect next year,right?
Kubly: This is for the FY 25 funding round which we're-we're beginning in December. We'll put
the applications.
Salih: The one that they just approved, it was for which year?
Kubly: So we approved FY24 and FY25 together for legacy agency. So any legacy that got
funding last year will get two years. But the one agency could apply this year, get
emerging, and then apply again next year for two years of legacy funding and get back on
the cycle if they were awarded funding.
Alter: That makes sense- doesn't make sense?
Salih: Yeah. It does not because I don't know. I guess, like if you talk, I don't know,but we have-
you have to give you examples so I can understand. So I know that-you know.
Teague: Before you start,just make sure you're asking questions because we'll be able to
deliberate in a little bit.
Salih: Yeah,that's a question,right?
Teague: Yes.
Salih: But I want to give an example in my question.
Teague: Great.
Salih: Yeah. I guess like I know that there is one agency did not being approved by the-by the
HCDC and-but the Council approved them. You mean the same agency they have to
come and apply for?
Kubly:No,this is- this is referring to a different agency that was not funded by Council either.
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Salih: But they can-they can be eligible to apply for emerging to agency,right?
Kubly: Yes.
Salih: Because now it will be okay for them to do it. Right?
Kubly: Correct.
Salih: That is the one I just want to understand. They don't have to wait two years. They can just
apply as soon as it open,right?
Kubly: Right.
Salih: Okay. Thank you.
Teague: Right. All right.No other questions. Thank you. Anyone from the public like to address
this topic? Seeing no one in person and seeing no hands raised online, council discussion.
Alter: I just have to say I'm perpetually impressed with the way that staff and commissions in
this case work to find the next opportunity instead of just saying,well that's the rule,
that's how it is, right, That there's always a way to try to improve and help the process
actually for the recipients. I mean,this is specific to HCDC but like time and again I just
see it happen where it's like, okay,well, somehow we haven't accounted for an
opportunity. Let's see how that we can tweak something. So I just- I appreciate the efforts
both of the Commission and staff to do this.
Salih: Yeah, I do,too,really,because,you know, some agency might really work hard to become
legacy, and they rely on that,You know, if they are not eligible for any reason and the
Commission decide to open it, I think that's a really good move from them doing that.
And now,you know, it's been now approved as policy change. Thank you for everything
that you guys do.
Teague: Roll call,please. [Roll Call] Motion passes 7-0.
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9.c FY2024 ARPA Worker Retention Incentive—Resolution authorizing a fiscal
year 2024 one-time worker retention incentive bonus to AFSCME,Administrative,
Confidential,and Executive employees.
Teague: Item number nine,Fiscal Year 2024,Arpa Worker Retention Incentive. Resolution,
authorizing a fiscal year 2024, one time worker retention in set of bonus for ask me.
Administrative, confidential and executive employees. Could I get a motion to approve,
please.
Thomas: So move Thomas.
Taylor: Second, Taylor.
Teague: All right. And we're going to ask our City manager, Geoff to lead us here.
From: hank you,Mayor. This is the fust of three items pertaining to employee wages for the
AFSCME, admin, confidential and executive employees. This fust one is the one time
worker retention incentive bonus, and this applies to this fiscal year. So fiscal year 24,the
current fiscal year that we are in. This action,would utilize 1.2 million in Federal Arpa
dollar to provide for equal worker retention incentive bonuses to employees in those two
work groups. The total amount of the retention incentives that 1.2 estimate,there is about
2.75% of the budgeted wages for these employee groups in the current fiscal year.That
2.75 how that number was arrived at is that's the approximate difference in the annual
pay plan adjustments between these two employee groups and those covered under your
public safety bargaining agreements that would be your police and fire bargaining units.
And that looks back at the last three years, so 2.75 is roughly the difference in those
annual increases over the last three years. The way this would be administered would be
that 2.75% again roughly 1.2 million,would be divided equally amongst the active
employees as of December 15th. And if approved,the payroll would run on December
22. I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have.
Teague: Hearing no questions,we're going to go to public discussion. Anyone want to comment
on this item?And if you are online,please raise your hand. Yep,thank you.Please state
your name and city.
Vollenweider: Hello,my name is Megan Vollenweider and I live in Iowa City. I also work for
the city of Iowa City down in the Purchasing Department here at City Hall. Um, I'm also
the Vice President of AFSCME Local 183. Um, and back at the end of September,we
kind of sent up the bat signal, and we wanted to let you know,um, about how economic
conditions have been affecting city employees,um, and how that's affected not just our,
um, like our own personal livelihoods,but also retention and attracting talented
employees to the city as we were watching our co workers leave for other opportunities.
Um, and it- it appears that you guys have heard us and we've gotten this two-part answer.
Um,the worker retention incentive one time this winter and then the pay plan
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amendments for fiscal year'25,um,which I think answer our call in a big way. Um, I
think it would make a huge difference for existing employees, especially as we head into,
for many employees,the holiday season. Um, and then next year with the across the
board increase is,um, something that,uh, is, it builds for the future. Um, it's very
forward-thinking and so we just want to encourage,uh, a yes vote if a yes is the way to
go on this one. And so that's true of the incentive and the pay plan amendment and so I
just-,uh,that way I don't have to talk on all three or all two. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome.
Sterling: Howdy. David Sterling, Iowa City resident. I have comments for the next agenda item,
so I'll just keep this one brief. Uh, the $1,000 that I would receive from this would go
towards,uh,the second vehicle I've ever owned in my life. The fust one was $300 and
broke four months later. But it did allow me to move,uh, in the year that I did move. It
would have been cheaper than U-Haul. Yeah. So just keeping it brief, I hope you consider
this. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Anyone else like to address this topic? Seeing no one in-person or online,
council discussion?
Harmsen: I think what you said earlier,Megan, about sending up the bat signal. And so thank
you for doing that,um, for you and the rest of AFSCME coming to us and sharing what's
been going on. So information-just something we may or may not be aware of,uh,but
certainly you made sure that we were. And so,uh,that has been incredibly important. I
hope you will continue to keep those lines of communication open. Also,thank you to,
uh, Geoff and city staff for crunching the many numbers involved in this and,uh, also
coming up with a plan that it seems like everybody is happy with. So I think that's a
really nice resolution to this-,um,to this call for help. So I'm happy to hear that it was so
well received.
Taylor: Yes. I agree with Councilor Harmsen that,uh, I'm happy to see that,uh,we had come to
something that we all could agree with. I would like to have been even more,uh,because
I, for one,believe that you folks are all the ones that hold this city together. You-you
have the boots on the ground doing the work that keeps this,uh, city providing the
services to our community. So you're-you're invaluable or valuable, I don't know which
way that should be phrased,but,uh,thank you for all that you do, and I hope this helps a
bit.
Thomas: Yeah. Thanks again for reaching out and,uh,this very happy vote for me. Thank you.
Teague: Great. [OVERLAPPING]
Salih:Now.
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Teague: Oh, Go right ahead. Yeah,no,you can go right ahead.
Salih: Mayor,After you.
Teague: Go right ahead.
Salih: Yeah. Yes, I'm glad you come up when you felt like this is need to be corrected, so to
alarm the council. And so we can know that. Sometimes we don't know exactly like this
is a contract that's closed. And I think when you guys create that contract,you never
knew that going to be COVID-19 and all this inflation will come up. I think I'm glad that
you come and you got our attentions and I'm glad the city manager figured it out. And
just like it is not easy to calculate all this and to be fair to everyone and I think as
everyone said,you're doing very important job. We sit here and just tell you what to do
and you guys are the one who carrying that job,which is you are the funnel, and I really
appreciate everything you do. Without all city employees, I think this city cannot kept the
way that it's kept right now. Thank you so much again.
Alter: Just ever so briefly, some of- it's amazing how council can trigger certain,um,things that
you want to say. So I just wanted to say that yes,this is a long overdue kind of heroes
recognition because you did have to work during COVID and you were not covered
under the heroes. And so,um, I'm extremely glad that we could take ARPA dollars to
actually acknowledge the work that you did. And,um, again, as we'll come up,um,that
we're able to listen in other ways too.
Bergus: I'm grateful for the collaboration,um,throughout this process and thank you for,um,
yeah,the advocacy in letting us know what was needed.
Teague: Well, I appreciate you all being here and I'm going to be excited to say,yes,right?All
right. We're going to go ahead and say roll call,please. [Roll Call] Motion passes 7-0.
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9.d FY2025 Administrative,Confidential and Executive Pay Plan—Resolution
modifying classification/compensation plans for Administrative,Confidential,and
Executive employees for fiscal year 2025.
Teague: Item number 9.c?No, 9.d, is fiscal year 2025, administrative confidential and executive
paid plan resolution,modifying classification/compensation plans for administrative
confidential and executive employees for fiscal year 2025. Could I get a motion to
approve,please?
Salih: Moved,Mazahir.
Bergus: Second,Bergus.
Teague: All right. And we're going to go back to our City Manager, Geoff.
From: Yeah. Real quick. So this one is,um, looking at fiscal year'25. So fiscal year'25 starts
July 1 of next year. And every- at the start of every fiscal year,the exact date differs
based on payroll dates. But at the start of every fiscal year, employees are provided in
across the board a wage enhancement that applies to everybody. Those are negotiated in
collective bargaining agreements. And historically,your non union employees,that is
your admin, confidential and executive employees have received the same across the
board update,um,that has been provided through the collective bargaining agreement
between the city and the AFSCME group. So we have two more items. They are
adjusting the wage and compensation plan for first,the admin confidential and executive
employees. That'll be your first vote. And then it's the same,uh,terms for the AFSCME
employee group as well. And I'll walk you through this real quick. Um,this would
increase,uh,the planned across the board increase, a lot of increases there,by 1.25%. So
in the collective bargaining agreement as it stands today, come next July 1st,those two
employee groups are slated to receive a 2.25% increase. This action will take that
increase,um,to 3.5. So it's boosting it by 1.25%. Just like the bonus item that we talked
about last time,the way that the 3.5%was determined was by comparing,um,the
settlement agreement that we have with the police union for next year. So next year,
again July 1st of,uh, 2024,um,the bargaining agreement between the city and the police
union has 3.5%. We do not have a settlement with the fire union yet, so we're basing this
adjustment,uh, solely on the,um,police collective bargaining agreement. So a lot of
numbers thrown your way there. At the end of the day,you are increasing,uh,the
planned wage enhancement for staff by 1.25% The first one, again, is your admin
confidential executive. Then your next vote will be your AFSCME.
Teague: Great. Any questions for Geoff?Anyone would like to address this item? Okay.
Welcome.
Merritt: Hi,my name's Grace Merritt. Uh, I work for the James Theater in Iowa City. I'm also
just a resident here. I came earlier today to listen to the group of people that were
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advocating for a Palestinian cease fire. But I also stayed to see what else was on the
agenda. Um, something I think that was really,uh honestly weird that was said earlier
was one of the people sitting in front of me advocating for people that weren't in this
room who felt like they might be targeted if they showed up to this room and talked
against the housing reformation that was proposed from 27-35 Ft. Um, the specific use of
like feeling like they might be targeted by their neighbors was really interesting to me. It
was fairly off putting to me honestly. I think that it's important to note that like targeting
is happening in this area and it is happening to people that are outspoken. It's noticed by
the people on the board that their neighbors might treat them differently when they decide
to be outspoken about things that are important to them. I do not find it to be a
worthwhile use of city money to increase the money spent on wages for people that are
able to violently target the members of our community. Um, I think there was a great
example of this. This past weekend when protesters were brutalized for speaking out
against what they believed in. I think if we're talking about targeting,we're talking about
giving more incentive. We're talking about giving more tax dollars to a group of people
that have an inequitable way to carry out whose voices are heard and whose aren't. I think
that we should really be taking a hard look at those things. Like it's not a way I want to
see my tax dollars put to use. If we're out loud willing to say that people are targeted for
having opinions that are different than ours,we should look at who's able to enforce,how
you're targeted for those opinions. Protesters were picked up three weeks to four weeks
after being at protests when no one at those protests said absolutely jack shit to them
about being.
Teague: Respectfully, I need you to stay on this topic.
Merritt: Sure, I just think that it's relevant that those people that were brutalizing people that live
in our community, I don't think they deserve more money. That's- I think,that's the topic
at hand. I don't think they deserve it. I don't think they've worked for it. I don't think this
past weekend actions are a great representation of that. I think that we should keep that in
mind when choosing to incentivize people who do target people in this community.
Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Anyone else like to address this topic? Seeing no one in person or on line
council discussion.
Harmsen: Once again,thank you for bringing,this is part of what we talked about before,
bringing to our attention the impact of the inflation. And glad that we were able to
increase this for both-these comments apply to both sets. Ace and asked me to write that
imbalance to some extent. Also knowing that then the following year there will be some
actual negotiations uh with the union. Um,you know, looking forward to hear some more
of the voices at that point so again,thank you.
Teague: Great,roll call please [Roll Call] Motion passes 7 - 0. I do see a hand raised,but I- it
was after I closed the public hearing or the public comment.
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9.e FY 2025 AFSCME Pay Plan—Resolution modifying Article 21 (Pay Plan) of
the agreement between the City of Iowa City and the Iowa City Library Board of
Trustees and the American Federation of State,County,and Municipal Employees,
Local 9183,AFL-CIO.
Teague: 9.e is fiscal year 2025. AFSCME pay plan. Resolution,modifying Article 21 of the
agreement between the City of Iowa City and the Iowa City Library Board of Trustees
and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,Local 183. AFI
and CIO. Could I get a motion to approve,please?
Alter: So moved,Alter.
Taylor: Second, Taylor.
Teague: Um, I think Geoff gave his comments that really covered both 9.d and 9.e. So we're
going to go direct to public comment. Welcome.
Sterling: Hi,nice to meet you. I'm David Sterling in Iowa City. Uh, I just wanted to briefly walk
through my journey of employment with the city to put this in a perspective. When I fust
started working for the city, it was a temp job at Parks and Recreation. Second job, I was
working 45 hours a week. Because of that,the weekends that I was able to see my son, I
didn't actually see him until about 10:00 P.M. uh-uh,both Saturdays and Sundays. Uh,
once I got onto the AFSCME contract and started work in the parking department, I was
able to start seeing my son on Sundays. I still had to work Saturdays,but on the
weekends he was here. I could see him at least one day. I chose my current position with
the City in the Revenue Department because it was a Monday through Friday job,which
meant that I would have full time on the weekends for my son. Uh,this job has,uh,
drastically changed my quality of life with the pay that I've been given from it. But I
would just like to put it in a perspective that working Monday through Friday job um,
makes it very hard for me to find a second job. And the part time wages that I earn have
allowed me to avoid a number of emergencies that I would have gone through otherwise.
However, I'm still struggling to afford some of the cheapest rent in town. Um,the-the
money that was approved on the previous vote,the $1,000 that is being pro rated,because
I'm a 0.69 time employee. Um, I would just like to invite the councilors to consider that
while it seems like this vote is uh-uh, almost a done deal from everyone's attitudes, I hope
that going forward,this helps start a broader discussion of what it is like to actually be an
employee here. To desire to put more time into the city and really just improve the
quality of life for the people that we serve. I've had a number of experiences in prior
departments where the amount of time I was allowed to work did not allow me to
accomplish the goals that I had in the department to service customers.Um, so this wage
increase will be very helpful to myself and a number of other employees at the city. Um,
but as we've acknowledged that this was a bad symbol moment,this is still at the end of
the day, less of a pay cut Thanks to inflation. I hope that this isn't seen as just a one time
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increase,but the start of a discussion on how to over time change what it means to work
at the city, incentivize it. Um, thank you very much.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome.
Wilmeth: Hi,my name is Penelope Wilmeth. I um, eh, I live in Iowa City and I'm a student at
City High School. My mother, she is an AFSCME member and works at the ICPL and I
just wanted to say I also volunteer at the ICPL occasionally and just,you know,you can
really see the passion and work that they put into their jobs and serving their community
throughout, COVID as well. I guess just as a community member, I want to say that I
support this and it really helps to show our appreciation and inflation to those who help
our community.
Teague: Thank you,will you please put your name on that list. Thank you so much. Anyone else
like to address this topic?We're going to go online. Please state your name and city
you're from.
Wild: Hello,my name is Amalia Wild. Um, I am a citizen of Iowa City. I also do work for the
city. I work for the Housing Authority. Um and I fust of all, I just want to say thank you.
I agree that it's really great that this is even on the table. It's really important um, as a
worker for the city and definitely not one of the lower paid workers of the city,um I-the
only way that I was able to afford to buy a home was to go through the City South
District program. There's just a lot of other things in my life that it feels are out of my
reach. I think that I would like to agree with what David said that I'd really like to just the
start of the conversation um, so that the people who live and work in this city um, feel
like they have the opportunities to enjoy being in it. Um, I just want to thank you that this
is here. I just wanted to reaffirm that.
Teague: Great,thank you. Anyone else like to address this topic. Seeing no one in person or
online council discussion. Well, I just want to say Thanks again to all of the city workers.
You all really are the boots on the ground and make living in Iowa City on so many
levels. A place where people that I've talked to many are very happy. With the services
that you all provide. Thanks to all of our city workers. Roll call please. [Roll Call]
Motion passes 7 - 0.
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9.f Iowa City 2024 State Legislative Priorities—Resolution establishing the City
of Iowa City's 2024 state legislative priorities.
Teague: Is Iowa City 2024 State Legislative Priorities. Resolution establishing the City of Iowa
City, 2024 State Legislative priorities and can I get a motion to approve,please?
Bergus: So moved,Bergus.
Taylor: Second, Taylor.
Teague: We're going to have Redmond Jones before us. Welcome.
Jones: Well,thank you Mayor. Council, always a pleasure. As you know,we come to this time
of year where we look at our legislative priorities. The City Council traditionally
formalizes those decisions through a resolution that I'll take a moment to go through. The
city manager and myself met with a uh state local delegation this morning actually and
um I will say that they are working hard for us,uh even though they're fighting the
headwind of partisan politics in- in Des Moines. I think they are finding ways to still be
effective and be participating in the process. So I just wanted to say that I think- I think
we're in good hands uh with the group of folks that we have out there. So uh just to give
like a real quick overview uh,really I know you guys are very familiar with them, some
of these are from previous years. We have a couple of new ones. With our uh new
strategic plan,we kinda structured it a little bit differently uh,based on our values. So I'll
start off with a uh,um, strategic plan value of climate action. Under that,uh, we continue
to support uh, climate action initiatives,the city's climate action adaption plan, and- and-
and continue to push for the state to adopt a 2021 International um,Energy Consa-
Conservation Code. Also in that same value,um,we support legislative changes that ah,
uh,um,would allow for investor honored uh utilities. This would allow citizens to buy
into community solar projects that could then be used as credit storage for our utility
bills. We also and- and continue to praise support from uh our reap grant with the
resource enhancement protection grants. Those are really critical for our parks, er
national-natural resources, and open spaces um, ah, initiatives. Also um,under our
strategic plan,value of advanced um, social justice,racial equity and human rights,um,
we continue and this has- and this has been uh, an important issue as of late,particularly
with um,um,Lake Ridge, and that is support legislation that protects the rights of our
manufactured home residents. This is really important with rent protections, um hoping to
get a state cap, as well as, um, longer notice periods to give residents some ability to
prepare for some of these changes that are coming in, in their rent. So I know that was
also very important to much of our- our state delegation. We also took the opportunity to
supply some of the citizen um,responses that we have gotten with our recent things. So
they have gotten some of the written letters from- from um, um residents there. Also we
talk about the importance of Arpa. We're not out of the impact of COVID 19 and we
continue to support that Arpa dollars using. I know that the governor herself mentioned to
me that she really liked the things that we were doing with the underestimated business
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grant program. I know I saw. Yes, she did and part of it is, you know,make that kind of
hold our hands to the fire and say you said this. I shared that with the delegation. Every
chance you get hey,we would like to hear more about she had mentioned that there were
some additional Arpa dollars that the state hadn't used yet, and our projects are getting
real close to what we call shovel ready, and so we might be the perfect place to put those
dollars, so. I want to keep those things going even though,you know, it might be pie in
the sky but you know,keep it ringing in the ear and talking into reality,right, so,um,
that's also important. Supporting um,reform measures that reduce racial disparity in
criminal justice system and address systemic racism. The governor had a- a focused
committee on criminal justice reform and we promote those recommendations for an
unbiased policing,the mug, other things. We want to keep that um also in- in- in going.
Additionally,reinstate the voter approved library levies. So um,we-we had some
conversation, apparently,uh,the way it was stated this morning is that there's been, er, at
least then from- from some um key Republicans,that there's been some unintended
consequences, and that there's going to be some approach to retool reclaim. We don't
know exactly what that means,but we-we're-we're ready and eager to support that and
our delegation is ready to be a part of that,whatever that process looks like. Um, going,
I'm moving on protection and support of the freedom to movement for people using
public and local trans-transportation. This is all about safety. Um, one of the things that
has always been the challenge, is issues of safety, and our bus drivers they have been
constantly talking about those type of issues. This is our- our approach to bring those
issues up. Obviously,you know, guns is- is a real,maybe a sacred child in the legislative
party,but oh in- in- in- in the legislature right now. But we think there might be some
ways to get in there, and under the words of weapons and maybe knives. We've had
some- some experiences with-with patrons on the bus utilizing knives and things of that
nature. There's some ways that maybe we might be able to address that,which was kinda
reassuring because it also appeared to be one of those kinda pies in skies with the
political headwind added. But there might be some ways to get in there, and so they're
very eager to explore those as well as our- our lobby is. Going on,the next value is
partnerships and engagement. I think one of the partnerships that we saw earlier in our
work session with USG and some of the challenges that they're having as far as rent,
renting and landlord relations, all that,well,we continue to support the student
government's proposal regarding rental property, check-moving checklist um,that had
had some success in the house got stalled in the Senate,never made it to the governor's
desk. We think that there's still opportunity there uh, so they're going to be working and
seeking to see if that can get move the needle on that. Also support the continued ex-
excellence in our states. Primary and secondary and higher education institutions,um,
advocating for additional funding,recognizing that that's a key part of our economic
growth, our standard of living and um, future prosperity,um, as- as well as init-
initiatives that affect childcare. Rounding it out,this is something that we always kinda
support is um a protect home rule authority um, in- and also support the uh,organizations
that uh we've worked through,the League of Cities, as well as the Metro Coalition. If
there's any question, I'd be happy to go into deeper in any of those. But I just wanted to
give a quick overview.
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Alter: What was the um,were you able to get any sense of the temperature as far as home rule?
What were you hearing when you were up there? Is there any- [OVERLAPPING].
Jones: Well, so it depends on how you define home rule,because everyone has a different view
of it,right. I think if you look at it from our standpoint,uh,we-we don't have a lot of it
and if you look from some they will say, oh you have home rule. But when-when the
kinda rubber meets the road with things like mass mandates and those things,you kinda
realize that,no,maybe not so much. So it constantly is- is a point of uh, contention that
usually focus around the issue.
Alter: that helps.
Jones: But we continue to push it when it shows- it shows up and we continue to say home rule,
because no one will come out and say you don't have home rule and we'll just try to find
instances where we can say,hey,this could be adjusted better, so we would literally have
more home rule. I think the property tax issue is- is-Yes.
Alter: I'll follow up with you.
Jones: Yes, absolutely.
Teague:No other questions. Thank you. Thank you. Great. Anyone from the public like to
address this topic? So yeah,please come on up. Please state your name and city you're
from?
Vollenweider: Hi,my name is Megan Vollenweider. I'm from Iowa City. Um, and these are just
my personal opinions. But I'm really glad to hear that there's a little bit of movement on
the library,uh, funding because I love the public library. Uh, it's great that I go on a
Beatles kick, and I can just go over to the library and pick up a huge chunkin' book about
it,um, and it's totally free. Um, and I was so, the- I'm glad that the mobile home residents
have become a topic of concern. Um, Iowa City's mobile home parks are a little bit out of
the way,but they are there,um, and they're a very important part of affordable housing.
In Iowa City, especially for large families, it's very hard to find affordable housing,um,
that will accommodate large families. Um, But yeah, I just am so glad that there's a little
movement on that library funds.
Teague: Thank you. Anyone else like to address this topic. Saying no one in person or. Oh, sorry.
Welcome.
Hannon: Oh, I'm Rayshonda Hannon. I'm from Chicago, Illinois. I lived in Iowa City for 20
years now. I'm just getting into the city council stuff with you guys. And I just wanted to
speak about like,uh,with the buses. I like how they changed everything up and they got
us going and helping us out to move around. But I think that they were more stricter
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when I was younger'cause I see more teens just on the bus and it's like no enforcement,
nobody saying anything. The bus drivers usually keep us ten and everything. And now
I'm seeing them just kinda let the kids go on and do quite a bit much. And with the police
information, it's just like I felt like we speak up when they say see something, say
something. Because,um,there was an incident that I've seen something that with
someone new on the block and supposed to be schizophrenic. And when the officer came,
I'm explaining to him there's no altercation.Never met the lady,there's nothing going on,
but he's just kinda insisting that something happen. What's going on?Where is there an
issue with me or with the child and to make something go on and I'm just like,no,there's
totally nothing going on. This lady just have something that she's sick with and they can
see in the- in their car, on the laptop or whatever,they see that she has a disability. But
they don't know how far along it is and I just felt like,you know,you're not hearing me.
And I call that was what I was supposed to do instead of making things get so crazy and
out of order. But I don't know,maybe I'm not really sure about everything. I just kinda
want to speak on it and get some information to get involved with, something to make
things a little better. And that's why I came in today. Thank you.
Teague: Alright. Anyone else like to talk on the topic of Iowa City 2024 state legislative
priorities? Seeing no one in person or online council discussion.
Harmsen: As I mentioned last time we talked about this. Thank you to staff for putting these
together. And again, for really kind of working with myself and other council members
on the stuff with a manufactured home. That's a-that's a one of my big priorities. And
thank you for doing that. So Mm hmm.
Teague: Yep. All right. Well, this is going to be, as always, a legislative session that we're gonna
all be watching, so. Yes. All right. Roll call,please. [Roll Call] Motion passes 7 - 0.
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9.g Grant Agreement with Free Medical Clinic for Facility Renovations—
Resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign a grant agreement with Iowa City
Free Medical Clinic for facility renovations.
Teague: Item number 9.g is grant agreement with free medical clinic for facility renovations.
Resolution authorizing the city manager to sign a grant agreement with the Iowa City
Free Medical Clinic for facility renovations. Could I get a motion to approve,please?
Alter: So moved,Alter.
Bergus: Second,Bergus.
Teague: All right and welcome. Tracy Hightshoe.
Hightshoe: I'm happy to present as many of you remember this past year we took out a statement
of interest for nonprofit capital grants for the community and how they can address the
impacts of COVID. Two organizations were selected.Neighborhood centers of Johnson
County and Iowa City Free Medical Clinic Neighborhood Center. Johnson County is still
working on their site acquisition. Free Medical Clinic has been working with their
architect to refine the project so that we can come today and enter agreement for services.
So Free Medical Clinic did a great job of explaining how they've been impacted by
COVID and how the people that they serve,which are a lot of low income,um,workers
who probably don't have insurance or they're underinsured,they don't have probably time
off for illness to go to appointments. They are seeing just at the beginning of fiscal year
24,they're seeing a 23% increase in services that-than before the pre-pandemic. Um,
they have a three month wait list for medical services. So you go in today, it'll be three
months before they can see you. And a 12 month wait for dental care. So every day they
are turning patients away. So the pandemic highlighted the existing health disparities
between the insured and the underinsured, and it worsened. The negative impact of
access to timely and quality health care. Despite the free medical clinic running COVID
vaccination clinics,many of their patients do not receive vaccines. And as a result,they're
more likely to suffer from the residual effects of COVID. Also, they're seeing a spike in
patients,but unfortunately, in May of 2023,they- a lot of patients lost their access to the
expanded Medicaid coverage that was offered as part of the Federal pandemic response.
This provi-project provides $1 million to renovate their facility,to really expand the-
the-the space that they have to provide care. So the million dollar, finally, they've been
applying for a long time. Jenny from Free Medical Clinic is here so she can ask- answer
questions too. If I don't do adequate job of explaining the whole project. Um,they'll do
installation of ADA compliant elevator and staircase so that they can span that lower
level. They'll do the H vac improvements for both the main and the lower level that will
create necessary space to assist more patients. They'll create additional medical exam
rooms, including a smaller triage room to schedule,to utilize more volunteer practitioners
during established clinic times. The additional office space in the lower level will allow
them to hire and house a full time staff dentist, a development director, a diabetic
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educator- diabetic educator, and a social worker. The social worker will free up their
registered nurses time to- from negotiating patients assistance programs and other
services that patients need. It also includes a dental laboratory which will allow them to
expand their types of dental services. Including the ability to make molds and dentures, as
well as a multipurpose room to host diabetic educational sessions, including cooking
classes and other large group education which can only be held in their waiting room
during off clinic hours. And one of the many benefits of this project also includes
increased capacity to store refrigerator medication. So right now,they provide a one
month supply. This allows them to supply a three month supply to accommodate the
growing need for insulin by their population. And then lastly,the project includes the
acquisition of furnishings,medical equipment,AV and telco-telecom equipment to outfit
the new spaces. And like I said,Jenny's here if you have any questions,but this we'll-
we'll sign the agreement and this will allow them to proceed with the work.
Goers: Mr. Mayor, sorry to interject. I didn't want to interrupt earlier. Councilmember Salih has
indicated to the City Manager that she serves on the board of the Free Medical Clinic and
has thus recused herself That's why she's not at the dias and will not be taking part in this
item.
Teague: Great,thank you. All right. Anyone from the public like to address this topic? Seeing no
one in person or online council discussion. Well,this is exciting. Yes, we are,um, I think
the council looked at,um,many opportunities to kinda enhance,um, different programs
within the-within the community through the Arpa dollars. And thanks to Mayor Pro
Tem Alter and to Councilor Bergus,who was also on this committee trying to figure out,
um,you know how can we make an investment in this community so happy that-that
we're at this right now, and,um, I think we're ready for Roll Call. [Roll Call] Motion
passes 7 to. 6 - 0. All right.
Audience member: Thank you.
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10. Council Appointments
10.a. Board of Adjustment
Teague: We are on to item Number 10,which is 10.a. It's going to be council appointments. So
we have um,Yes.
Bergus: A lot.
Teague: So I, I think I'm counting 7, 7 different commissions that we're going to be doing some
appointments for. And how we're going to go about this is go through each one um, and
kind of figure out who wants to recommend somebody for a commission. And then at the
end,we'll figure out who was all majority and we'll do kind of a one vote for all in the
end. All right. So we'll start with 10a and this is a Board of Adjustment, one vac sit of fill
a five year term January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2028. And we have a gender
balance requirement, one female. And we only have one female.
Thomas: Yeah.
Alter: Yeah.
Thomas: But she's a good candidate.
Alter: [OVERLAPPING] I was going to recommend going.
Harmsen: She is on an unexpired term anyway, so.
Teague: Yeah.
Alter: Yeah.
Teague: Yeah. [OVERLAPPING] Paula is great.
Alter: [OVERLAPPING] Paula. Yes.
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10.b Climate Action Commission
Teague: Yeah. All right. So we have that one. All right. We're going to move on to Climate
Action Commission. There's three vacancies to fill a three year term January 1, 2024
through December 31, 2026, and there is a gender balance requirement. Three males.
Salih: Ben.
Alter: He was one on my list as well.
Harmsen: Mm hmm.
Bergus: Yep.
Salih: Mark,
Alter: I also had I'm going to toss a couple of names out and then people we can go from there.
But I was also interested. I thought Michael Anderson looked good. I thought Zach
Haralson looked good. Robert Treyer. So those are names, and people and candidates,
applicants that others can respond to.
Bergus: I also had Michael Anderson and Zach Haralson.
Alter: Mm hm.
Bergus: In addition to Benjamin Grimm.
A1ter.Yeah.
Thomas: I had Michael Anderson as well-
Taylor: Zach [OVERLAPPING] Haralson was good too. Yeah.
Alter: Pauline had Zach.
Bergus: What did you say John?
Thomas: Michael Anderson is um, I think will a good contributor. I have Benjamin Grimm as
well.
Teague: You say Zach?
Taylor: Right,Ben, Benjamin Grant, and Zack Harrison?
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Salih: And I said Ben and Mark.
Teague: Yeah.
Taylor: Mark or Mike?
Harmsen: Mark Reagan is who Maz said.
Alter: Michael Anderson was another that came up for me and for Laura,
Teague: Yeah.
Alter: Oh, okay.
Salih: We need three right?
Alter: Yeah,three.
Harmsen: Yeah.
Teague: Yeah. All right. Any other recommendations? So there's quite a few that I can support.
One,Benjamin and then Michael Anderson. It seemed like there's quite a bit of support.
So it seemed like we have four for those two. Anyone has any strong feelings for anyone
else?Who do we have?
Thomas: In addition,
Teague: we,Zach Haralson,Mark Reagan, and then you had another.
Alter: Oh, I had Robert Treyer.
Teague: Mm hm. I only heard,but yeah,
Harmsen: I did think the Robert Treyer thing. What was it? The taught environmental ethics. I
thought that was an interesting, I mean, I agree everybody that's been named here.
Alter: I was gonna say before as we were going through, I was like and let it be known that this
was an incredibly impressive pool of interested and engaged people with really
impressive resumes.
Teague: So, it seemed like we have,we have two for Robert Treyer,um, that's Sean and Megan.
Mark Reagan, I heard Maz support. And then Zach Haralson I heard, and Pauline
support.
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Bergus: I also had Zach Haralson
Alter: He was in my list as well. So, I mean, I had four peoples.
Teague: All right. So we so Zach,we have four then. At this point I could I go? Okay. All right.
So we have Michael Anderson,Benjamin Grimm, and Zach Haralson for the Climate
Action Commission.
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10.c Housing and Community Development Commission
Teague: And then we're going to move on to Item 10c. Is Housing and Community
Development, one vacancy to file to fill an unexpired term upon appointment through
June 30, 2025. So this is kind of a half term here.
Harmsen: Mr. Mayor, I was wondering if this might be I know that we pushed this back from our
last meeting,but then this month we had an odd meeting schedule which may have I
think I would be okay with pushing this one back to our fust meeting in January and
giving this one a little more time.
Salih: I agree.
Teague: This one has one male,
Salih: requirement,yeah.
Teague: and I don't know if anyone had conversations with people.
Salih: I,no.
Alter: It was sort of mixed. I received a message from a candidate and then I returned the call
and Judge also did voicemail. So I'm in the process of kind of a little bit of jumping
phone tag.
Teague: Okay. What I will say is that I had a conversation with Clinton Dimambu. Um,that was
a great conversation. He is also-he also applied for the Human Rights Commission, and
what was interested during that conversation was he has a Human Rights Certificate from
the Washington Institute of Diplomacy in Human Rights, and so his greater interest is in
the Human Rights Commission. Great conversation with him, so I just wanted to make
mention that.
Harmsen: Thank you.
Salih: That's great. But I just believe that we need to postpone it. Representation is really
important, especially for this kind of commission.
Teague: Mm hmm.
Salih: And that's why I guess will be referred to postponing, [NOISE] give people more time,
advertise it. So this could be the last time we postponed.
Teague: Sure. Yeah. We don't see any more applicants.
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Taylor: We see more applicants. It's just the question, I mean,we already gave it an extra month.
Did we publicizing it more or how can we get the word out or start to encourage people
that we know of that might be good? I mean,not that these aren't good applicants. Just as
before,none of them really stood out. And I like I was going to go ahead and say we
should go ahead with Clinton,but there's there's openings on the HRC, so if that's what
he's better suited for.
Teague: Well,but,you know, certainly I just brought up that the conversation that we had
surrounded the human rights aspect of his, I guess, life.
Taylor: Yeah. I think my concern with all of these and hopefully we would get some applicants,
none of them really seem to have a great knowledge of what this HCDC's all about, so
that's why none of them really jumped out.
Harmsen: Yeah,maybe the exception of George.
Taylor: Oh yeah,maybe
Harmsen: he does. It looks like he has a little bit Kivarkis, if I'm pronouncing that correctly.
Taylor: Mm hm. Mm hm. Yeah. He had experience with grants and.
Harmsen: And if we were to move forward with this tonight,that would probably be who I'd
throw up. But I'd be okay waiting until January as well.
Teague: Um, if we were to wait Kellie, I know that at some point we are waiting because we
want additional applicants. So at some point, I know that if we had an open application
and we couldn't find a male,wait, it would have to be just a male applicant, right? There
was no male applicant. It wouldn't be if we felt that there was.
Harmsen: That's-that's probably right.
Goers: Well, yeah,we have male applicants at present.
Teague: Yeah. So there's yeah, So that rule of.
Grace: We're talking about the gender?
Teague: Yes.
Grace: That's January 1 anyway, so if you deferred.
Goers: Usually in order to get to that point,you have to have not had any email application.
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Teague: That's what I was going to ask.
Goers: Yeah. And you have some before you now. So I think the gender requirement would
remain.
Teague: Yeah. Yeah. I think if,you know, one. I know we have a motion to defer. I don't know if
you want to put on George as an option.
Harmsen: I think if the council doesn't want to defer, I would do that,but that would be my
second choice. But that's not something I feel like I'm going to be upset about if the
council wants to move forward.
Teague: Yeah. Any other thoughts on appointment or deferral? I mean, I- I can support George,
especially since,well, I mean, I can support George. If we need to wait, then there just
has to be some activation of,you know, ensuring people are aware of the opportunities.
Salih: I think from last time because we deferred it- it confuses people,you know,because the-
they most people they don't know that we have a meeting today. So that's why I say like,
that's why nobody applied to this one.
Alter: And when is our- I should know this. I have it on my calendar,the second. So we're
entering into holidays. I mean,we would have to blast this. I mean, if we could use our
own networks to blast this out on social media or what have you to encourage people I
can reach- and that's one thing. But simply to put it out there, again, I don't think is going
to get a lot of movement because it's the holidays, and we're meeting right after,you
know. So I just put that up as another point of consideration.
Salih: How does the City normally advertise for this?Do you just put it on the website and that's
it?
Grace: Well, it goes in the- the paper the fust time it's announced,uh,but then it's on the city
website, It's on the agendas. We send it to communications to put on social media,um,
and I don't know if the communications pushes it out to then like the different-
Salih: You share with organization.
Fruin: Here's-you're going to go to organizations next door.
Alter: Yeah,we can give it one more you know, if- if whoops, sorry,when we had strategic
planning and when we've had other things, Geoff has said, all right,well, if you want to
flex your own,know,reach out,just use our own political capital,use our own networks,
then,you know,we can certainly try to do that as well- [OVERLAPPING]
Harmsen: Does this commission?
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Alter: and see what happens.
Harmsen: I'm sorry. I didn't mean,to step over you.
Alter:No go ahead
Harmsen: Also with the holiday thing in mind. Does this is commission meeting between now
and January 2nd?
Taylor:No.
Harmsen: I mean we- I mean, I'm just saying it probably wouldn't make any difference in terms
of-
Alter:No-no. I just mean, in terms of response. Is it- is it worth holding it off.
Teague: And again,we can call,you know,the individuals,um,to learn more about,you know,
their desire. If-because some of the applications weren't,um,we didn't really have a lot
of insight on their desire. So I think if we're- if we're going to hold off on this, let's make
sure that we're making some calls to learn of the applicant's either new ones or the ones
that are here just to see if they will be,um, someone that we would recommend. Um,
okay. We're going to,um, so I'm assuming,um, I heard,um, I guess three say deferral.
Alter: Four.
Teague: All right,we're out of fourth.
10.d Human Rights Commission
Teague: We're going to move on [LAUGHTER] to the item- [OVERLAPPING] we're going to-
we're going to move on to the Human Rights,uh, Commission,which is 10 D, and there
are three vacancies to fill three-year terms. January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2026.
There are some gender balance requirements. There is one male, one female,and one
non.
Bergus: [LAUGHTER] I'd put Kelsey, Paul Schatz to be able to serve a third term.
Alter: Yes, and I- I want to put Liz. A Latino background.
Bergus: Yeah, I agree with Liz. Yeah.
Harmsen: I also thought that,uh,uh,Anne Kish-Kish? If I'm pronouncing that right,um,has got
that DEI background at the university,um, and part of the African community network
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which I thought were some- some good things to bring,um, so that would be another
name I would throw out there. I,uh, I think I would- I would even though Roger's
fulfilled,uh,Lasala has fulfilled one term, I would certainly if others were in support of-
of that, I think,uh, Rogers did an amazing job,um,but has had a full term. And we-we
often try and rotate people through if they have done a- a full term. So I'm okay either
way,but just wanted to do a- do a least- a very least, an honorable mention.Um,
Bergus: Yeah.
Harnsen: Um, so that's my-my thoughts. And I also agree with Kelsey so.
Alter: I'd like to bring forward the name Deandre Stager. He's,uh,younger,he's in the university
and is involved in a lot of different activities both throughout the university and in the
community. And I thought that was an interesting,um, it- potential addition to the
Human Rights Commission. Somebody who is younger and already very active. Um, I
just- I thought he had an interesting,um,resume, so to speak. A lot of engagement. Um,
and I just like to see that there was somebody young who was involved. Um, I also,um,
she has,uh, oh, it's one female one. Well, there's one that's not- sorry, I'm processing out
loud I apologize to those listening. Um, I'd also throw out there,uh,Micah Covington as
a potential,um, she's very active,uh, or not very active by her own,um,resume,has been
in- involved in doing a lot of advocacy work for rare diseases. In fact, I know,um, she
had contacted me,uh, I think our fust year on the council, about getting a proclamation
for it. So this is,you know,this is- there's consistent,um, engagement. I actually also,uh,
met her several years ago through sort of some political circles and stuff, so I just-that's a
possibility as well. And she has had her name, she's shown interest in commission work
for quite some time as well. So there's a persistent interest. So- there's a lot of really good
people. It's basically the problem.
Bergus: Yeah.
Alter: A good problem but-
Salih: I think-yeah, as you said,there is many,many good people here. You know, it's really
hard to pick. But for me, I always look to diverse- like diversity on the Commission
because the Commission is- everyone will bring like unique representation from their
own community. And by looking at the current cry like Commissioner,we have African,
we have Ame-you know,the white person,we have Middle Eastern,we have- and we're
this- like,well, this like adding a Latino person will be amazing. And our community
mostly is that like, especially when it comes to immigrants, is like African who speak
French, and they have a unique cultures, and Latinos. And we have like all this. When we
have commission, look like the community,that's how we will really have good
representation. And they will come up with really good solution because everybody will
have a voice at the table. That's why I'm saying,Liz.
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Teague: And I can support Liz as well. I had,um, also had a great conversation with Liz. Her,
um,what she submitted was phenomenal,um, she is doing some DI work, I think
contracted with the University of IOWA, Social worker, I think ma-Masters or PhD or
something. I can't fully remember. But yeah, I can support Liz.
Taylor: I could also. I appreciate it that she actually reached out and sent an email.
Alter: Um, yep.
Bergus: Yeah.
Taylor: That shows true interest, I think.
Bergus: Sure.
Teague: So-Nancy,please. So- so we have a majority for Kelsey and Liz. Kelsey is serving a- an
unexpired term which we typically,you know,have reopt people,um, if they didn't have
a full term. Um, anyone else?
Harmsen: I think we need one male at this point, is that correct? To understand the gender
balance.
Alter: Roger and Rodri.
So we-Roger and I-
Bergus: Roger and Rodri were my two males.
Alter: Yeah. And I just. I mean-Roger has done such an amazing job, and he's such an amazing
community member as well, and a great leader. I just feel like this is one of those
commissions that there are so many applicants that this is the one it's highly prized, and I
kind of like the rotational aspect of it, even though it pains me.
Salih: Is Roger serve only one term,right? This is going to be like his second full term,right?
Harmsen: If he was reappointed.
Salih: Yeah.
Taylor: Right.
Salih: If we had a-I think I will support Roger as well.
Harmsen: I had to go with Roger and Andre.
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Taylor: I was,he in an unexpired term began that he finished up and start [OVERLAPPING]
[OVERLAPPING] Okay. But he served his chair. I would be okay with Roger.
Teague: So I think I have a majority for Roger Lusalla, Liz Shad Mendez, and Kelsey Paul
Schatz. Okay.
Harmsen: Like it.
Alter: Who is the fourth. Was it Shawn?
Teague: Yeah. Shawn
Alter: [BACKGROUND] That's right. He brought them up.
Teague: Yes.
10.e Parks & Recreation Commission
Teague: We're going to move on to Parks and Rec,which is 10E. Um, two vacancies to fill a
four year term,January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2027. Uh,there is a gender
balance requirement, one female and one nun. And here we have lots of applicants as
well. Some,um,we have one unexpired term which is Alex Stanton.
Harmsen: I was going to mention that.
Bergus: I like that one.
Alter: Yeah.
Teague: Okay. So I'm here. I heard majority. Yes? So then,um,we would have to have-no, I-
Alex identifies as male, so we would have to have a female.
Harmsen: I mean there is some- some- again,we have an embarrassment of riches with the
quality of our candidates. Um, I would throw out there as one possibility,uh,Virginia
Hayes,who's an arborist,um,who I know a little bit because,uh,they have done some
work,um, after the derecho,helping to remove the tree that we sadly lost from our front
yard. Um, and just somebody I know a little bit who used to be actually-used to live over
in University Heights and used to be a city councilmember over there.
Thomas: Was she with Acorn by any chance?
Harmsen: What's that?
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Thomas: Does she have a- she work in a company doing tree work?
Harmsen: Yes. And I was just thinking to myself, I can't remember the name of it
[LAUGHTER].
"Thomas: It's not Acorn?
Harmsen: You know, I- I hate to venture a guess and get it wrong. I should know that,but not off
the top of my head.
Goers: I think her application says she's employed by Sustainable Landscape Solutions.
Teague: Yeah,that could be. And I think,um,there was a few,but I-Virginia Hayes was good
as well. I can support Virginia.
Bergus: Yeah, I can as well.
Salih: I can do it also.
Teaguye: So it sounds like we have a majority.
10.f Public Art Advisor Committee
Teague: We are moving on to item Number IOF is Public Art Advisory Committee. One
vacancy- one vacancy for an art or design professional to fill a three year term,January 1,
2024 through December 31, 2026. There is no gender balance requirement.
Harmsen: I'll just throw Stephen Miller out there. [LAUGHTER]
Bergus: Yeah, I think that's a good choice.
Salih: I have him infront of me.
Thomas: From the fact that he has encouraged my staff to reapply. Doesn't hurt.
Teague: All right. We got him.
10.g Senior Center Commission
Teague: We are going to move on to item IOG,which is the Senior Center Commission. One
vacancy to fill a three year term,January-January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2026.
So there is a gender,uh,balance requirement, one female. It was re advertised and we-
Harmsen: One applicant.
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Taylor: Yeah. So-. She's a female, and she's been a member of the center for 16 years, so she
should know what it's all about. Did you want to say something?
Grace: I was just going to say we would have to- if you appoint the one applicant we have,we
would just have to readvertise the other one.
Alter: So there are two.
Grace: There are 2 vacancies,yeah.
Teague: So, I could support Nancy.
Harmsen: Yes, as well.
Teague: And then we'll have to re-re advertise. All right. I think we have done it. So I kind of
lost my- [LAUGHTER]
Thomas: Mind? [LAUGHTER].
Teague: Well, I wasn't fully writing.
Harmsen: I think- I think I got it, Mayor. [inaudible] do you have it?
Alter: Uh, let me see. We have Paula Swygerd for Board of Appeals.
Bergus: Adjustment.
Alter: Sorry, adjustment. Um, Benjamin Grimm, Michael Anderson, and Zach Haralson for
Climate Action. We are going to defer HCDC, so don't have to do anything with that.
Teague: To January 2.
Alter: Um, HRC is Kelsey Paul Schatz,um, Liz, I have her last name [OVERLAPPING]
Teageu: Liz,uh-Mendez. -Mendez-Shannon.
Alter: Mendez-Shannon and Roger Lusala.
Teague: Correct.
Alter: Parks and Rec are Virginia Hayes and Alex Stanton.
Teague: Correct.
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Alter: Public Art is Stephen Miller. Senior Center is Nancy Ostrogani. Um, I'm so sorry. I can't
do it. Um, and then readvertising.
Bergus: Well done. [OVERLAPPING]
Teague: All right. So who's going to move?
Harmsen: So moved,Mayor.
Teague: So moved by Shawn.
Salih: Second.
Teague: So moved by Harmsen, seconded by Salih. All in favor say aye. [Voice Vote]
[OVERLAPPING] Aye. Any oppose?Motion passes 7-0,we are on to-Well,thanks for
that. [LAUGHTER]
Salih: Um, and Mayor, I just want to say something. Because now, like for example,we say we
defer to the second of next meeting,the 2nd January for next meeting. You know, always
like people understand will be okay. I can- I can maybe fill out the application until the
fust. I think we need just to say something about the deadline so the people know about
it. That's what confusing for the last one here because it was until the fifth, I think of the-
Harmsen: I think the city clerk is looking it up,maybe.
Grace: I mean,technically it's open till filled.
Salih: Yeah,that's what- that's what I was asking Geoff last time technically because we say
open until fill,then can the people just like do the application and-
Teague: Any time.
Salih: Anytime until the last minute?
Grace: Yeah.
Salih: Twenty four hours, I mean.
Grace: We would put what we have in the packet,but then we could do late additions if people.
Salih: Okay. Just making sure from that.
Goers: We would want to encourage early applicants.
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Grace: Right.
Salih: Of course. Yeah.
Bergus: Of course. Especially with the day before being a holiday,right?
Teague: [OVERLAPPING] Yes, I think point of clarification.
Grace: Uh,yeah.
Harmsen: Business day.
Grace: So it would be- any late handouts would be the-
Salih: 29th.
Grace: -29th. Yes.
Salih: I think that's [OVERLAPPING] good enough.
Alter: Good reminder.
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12. City Council Information
Teague: And then we're on to item Number 12,which is City Council information. And I know
that this is uh,kind of our last hurrah for two of our councilors.
Taylor: I know John has some words to say. Do you want to start John, or do you want me to go
ahead? I don't care.
Thomas: Start. It's been a long day here. [LAUGHTER] I have to kinda wish I had a cappuccino
or something to get me going. But anyway,you know,this is um,been a moment or time
for me to kind of look back and look for, sorry to look- look back and to look forward
and look for a narrative, if there was one. I've certainly become increasingly interested
with the telling of stories and how important they are and engaging um,with others and
conveying meaning. And so I have some parting thoughts uh, along those lines. The title
of this story is at work building community. In a time of political polarization, ecological
overshoot, climate change, and other-just many other disruptions, so it's a difficult time
to be working in building community. I'm a generalist by training and sensibility seeking
to understand the relations between things. As a councilor, I have a strong interest in a
wide range of issues. The city's financial stability, the urban forest,taming automobiles,
new urbanisms, form-based code,missing middle and affordable housing, economic and
racial justice, and the use of ecological principles as a measure of the just and sustainable
city. But my most enduring passion and the connective theme of my life is building
community with an emphasis on strengthening neighborhoods, especially their public
realm, as a foundational element toward that purpose. As a landscape architect, employed
for 23 years in San Francisco's Public Works Department,my colleagues and I designed
landscapes in the public realm, such as parks, libraries,recreation centers, and
streetscapes. Much of that work took place in San Francisco's diverse neighborhoods and
districts such as Chinatown and the Mission Marina,Enrichmond districts, all within a 49
square mile peninsula, about twice the size of Iowa City. So it seemed almost ordained
that soon after arriving in Iowa City in November of 2009,my work would center on
efforts to build community. Initially,the projects were in my own North side
neighborhood, eventually expanding to encompass the greater Iowa City area. In my
professional experience,the planning process for a public works project deeply engaged
those people whose lives would be affected by the outcome. As the great neighborhood
activist and writer Jane Jacobs noted, cities have the capability of providing something
for everybody only because, and only when they are created by everybody. The
complexity of public works cannot be realized without engaging the public's diverse
perspectives in a series of deliberative face to face public conversations. [NOISE] Since
coming to Iowa City, I've had the extraordinary opportunity to work with North side
neighbors and city staff on the renovation of North Market Square Park, originally built
in 1839, and Horace Mann Elementary School, originally built in 1917. Together,they
form an outstanding model of regenerative urban design, creating a strong multi use civic
center for the North side Goose Town neighborhoods and a great elementary school for
the Iowa City Community School District. I'm reminded of Winston Churchill's quote.
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"We shape our buildings thereafter they shape us." I have come to deeply value the
importance of the public reahn in our everyday common life which can offer experiences
of profound beauty as well as a sense of connection to the people and things immediately
around us. Since serving on the planning and zoning commission and city council,my
approach to building community shifted from the design of public spaces to crafting
public policy in a broader sense. From that perspective, a critical question regarding the
health of Iowa City is whether the built environment provides the opportunity for
community to manifest itself in a time when glass screens, our phones, our computers,
our motor vehicle windshields separate ourselves from each other and our surroundings.
The neighborhood is an essential element of the built environment that can foster
community. In a world saturated by technology,why is it so important?For most of our
human existence,we lived in small groups, often no larger than the small towns of Iowa.
Many of which are beautiful resilient archetypes of town planning. Industrial civilization,
however,has dramatically increased the size and population of human settlements. Even
so,the most successful cities typically consist of smaller human scale neighborhoods and
districts, each with their own identity. What are some of the qualities that a neighborhood
or district should have to thrive and reach its full potential? Some of these interrelated
everyday qualities are found in our strategic plan, and they include having a name,having
at least one place that serves as its center,having social diversity within it, or being open
to its enabling,having everyday facilities and services,though not being self-contained,
having a means of representation by which residents can be involved in its affairs and an
ability to speak with a collective voice and having multi-modal internal and external
connectivity that is safe and comfortable for all. These everyday qualities go beyond the
provision of a strong public realm. However,the elements that make up the public realm,
the streets,the sidewalks,parks, schools, and open spaces,provide the settings in which
networks of social capital conform to help and advance land use policies addressing
mixed land use and social diversity. So looking ahead,neighborhoods can and should
serve as an important role in further advancing the manifestation of community in Iowa
City. They can provide a foundation upon which citizens engage in Iowa City's more
general affairs. Indeed,the North side neighborhood provided me with such a bottom up
foundation as the North side neighborhood coordinator,where I first- I was first
introduced to the democratic exercise of neighborhood organizing our comprehensive
plan and zoning code and Iowa city's governance and structure and the confines of City
Hall. The city-the city of Iowa city can help inspire regenerative efforts in our existing
neighborhoods to better flourish and ensure that new neighborhoods are planned to
incorporate the qualities necessary to encourage social cohesion, diversity, and
democratic self-governance. So there's much work to be done building community in this
time we're living in. Thank you Iowa City for the opportunity of- of to serve as your city
councilor for the last eight years. I shall be forever grateful. So thank you all.
Taylor: Thank you John. It's going to be hard to follow your well thought out words.
Thomas: It took awhile.
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Taylor: It's going to sound rambly,just random thoughts I put down on paper. But first of all, I'd
like to thank-thank you Kelly and- and whoever helped you to set up the reception. Oh,
yes,Ashley. Very good. Because it- it was wonderful,very emotional experience. It was-
it was so great to hear well wishes from folks and- and uh, see the friendly faces and their
warm wishes and- and their hugs. It just really made the last eight years feel really
worthwhile that uh, it was a great, great group of people to work with and great citizens
in the community. And so thank you. It was- it was a very nice,very nice reception. Um,
now I'll start on my rambling words here,um, counting the years that I spent studying at
the University of Iowa. I've been in Iowa City for over 50 years, and that just seems like
such a really long time. But I love Iowa City and I'm very proud to call it my home. And
there's a story that I enjoy telling about an experience that I recently had while in
downtown Iowa City. I think Geoff may have shared this with you,but it bears repeating.
And I told some of the folks at the receptionist,the downtown folks, and others that um,
recently an out of town friend uh,joined me for a concert at the Englert. And afterwards
we walked around downtown uh,to decide on a place to eat. Um,my friend was amazed,
truly amazed, at our downtown area. And she grew up with me in Des Moines. And we
had a downtown,but it's nothing like this, downtown.Now, she lives in Woodward, a
small town. But she just kept saying over and over again, all of this is the downtown, all
of this. And of course, I proudly told her that yes it is, because we went on Washington
Street and Clinton Street and Dubuque Street. We just, we did the whole round. So she
was very impressed. And then when we were heading to our cars,we came across the
musical group that we had just seen perform at the Englert which we were like,wow,you
know, like little groupies here because they were uh, get the lead out a Lynyrd Skynyrd
tribute band,which was amazing from our good songs from our'60s so we were still high
on that. And then to actually see them and talk to them,but they were gathered outside
their tour bus. And we stopped to talk to them because, of course, I had to tell them that I
was I lived in Iowa City. And they immediately told me how much they all loved Iowa
City. They absolutely loved their time in Iowa City. And that they'd be sure to come
back,which I'm sure they will. Um,but then they also told me that what they really were
impressed with,what they really impressed them was how clean our alleys are. You
know, I thought about it later, I thought,well, they've probably been in some cities, these
large cities, and they go out for a smoke and have these stinky, dirty, garbage filled
alleys. But it just made me very proud of the efforts the city has made with the downtown
district to help clean up the alleys. Um, so to the new city council members, and the
returning members,never doubt that any and all of the decisions and votes that you make
will have a lasting effect on our community. Because it really does. And it comes back to
you every now and then because I'd kind of totally forgotten about the alley thing until
they brought that up. Um,but we did spend quite a bit of time on that. And downtown
has too, and now the murals and the cleanliness, it's amazing. Um, and serving on the
City Council for the past eight years has been an incredible experience for me, it was not
only a pleasure,but I saw it as a commitment to serve the community that I've loved for
over 50 years. Throughout those eight years, I might not have always agreed with my
fellow council members on everything,but I've always shown them and treated them
with my utmost respect. The ethics,morals and values that I have followed throughout
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my lifetime served to guide me in making decisions. My life experiences,passion and
dedication to help people also carried over uh,to my work on- on the council. The past
eight years hold a lot of memories,many of them very positive. Of course,there were
also some stressful moments,uh,but a lot of us went through that together. We made it
through them as a council and as a city, I would like to express my gratitude fust and
foremost to my family for their continued support during my tenure on the council. We've
been through some rough times,but we're going to get through it and I'm going to spend
more time with them. And to the many people that I might not have ever met except for
being on the council,many of whom were in the room tonight, it's been a pleasure to
meet each and every one of them and to get to know their thoughts and feelings about
Iowa City. I would like to thank, as I did each and every member of the city staff who
literally do keep our city functioning, as I said in the pay plan discussion earlier. Thank
you also to see a couple still here to the department heads who have been very helpful
over the years in answering questions and providing the council with very thorough
reports. Have to give special thanks because they recently helped me out again to the IT
department who have been very helpful to me. Whenever I've had technical difficulties,
they just help me change my password again. Uh,they're always very professional,very
kind and get things done very quickly. So, I- I do appreciate that. I would-Here come
Tracy. I would like to especially acknowledge Tracy Hightshoe. She and I served on the
Nationwide Invest Health Project. Iowa City was one of only 50 cities selected across the
country uh,to participate. And it was- it was a wonderful experience. We all learned a lot
from it. So thank you Tracy for being such a great person to travel with. And I had to
verify with her because it seemed like she and I,while we were out visiting these
different cities,really appreciated Iowa City and what we've accomplished. We-we-
we're really far ahead of many cities. Do I say it Tracy?Especially Des Moines. Sorry
Des Moines. But we- we really felt that-that, you know, gosh,the things that we've been
doing over the last 5-10 years. We've made a lot of accomplishments that some cities are
still struggling with,trying to figure out a way to do it. So thank you again for being-
being a great person to travel with and- and inviting me to join you on that. And- and I
hope that you can continue utilizing the great information. It sounds like you plan to that
we learned when visiting the various cities across the country because I'm very proud of
your Healthy Homes project and the South District homeownership project. So- so keep
up the good work. Recently, I came across a quote from Fred Rogers. Yes,Alias, Mr.
Rogers,who's a wealth of information and wisdom, and I feel it's very appropriate at this
time. He said, and I quote. "Often when you think you're at the end of something,you're
at the beginning of something else." So I will leave you with that thought and wish all of
you happy holidays for whatever holiday you observe and say thank you very- all very
much and uh, goodbye. . That's all. [LAUGHTER].
Teague: Yes. Any other comments by Council?
Salih: Thank you.
Alter: Yes.
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Harmsen: Thank you all both.
Salih: Thank you.
Teague: I did want to- of course,thank you all really appreciate all you've done. I did want to uh,
-just mentioned that we did lose a great humanitarian um,within our community,Pastor
or Reverend Bob Welch who had passed away. I mentioned him earlier today. Um,he
was just a phenomenal guy, great humanitarian. Um,his work,how I got to know him
was advocating for elderly people. Uh,that was one of his passions. And so just wanted
to acknowledge um,his passing. There will be a service held on January 6th, 2024 at 1:00
P.M. at the First Christian Church. So just wanted to acknowledge um,that he did pass
away.
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13. Reports on items from from City Staff
Teague: We're going to move on to item Number 13. Reports on items from city staff or we'll
start with our City Manager's Office.
Fruin: Well, to Councilor Thomas and Taylor. I want to say thank you um, on really behalf of all
the staff for your-your service. Um, it's hard for me to even think back eight years and
think of all the things that you've helped shape. Um,we've gone through major
infrastructure projects,park projects. We've revamped uh, significant policies like our tax
increment financing policy, our affordable housing policies. We just launched, free fare
bus service. It's truly amazing the-the impact that you've had. And as you said,we'll
continue to-to move on. So thank you for that service. And then uh, selfishly thank you
for supporting me in my role here uh,you are the-the last two councilors standing who
gave me the opportunity to-to step up and serve as City Manager. And I'll be forever
grateful for your support at that time and your support for the uh, eight years that uh, I've
been able to serve with you. So thank you.
Goers: I was waiting for you to call on me, Mayor.
Teague: All right. Yes. So we'll go to the City Attorney's Office.
Goers: Well, I'll join Geoffs comments in thanks to both Pauline and John for all your service,
lengthy service to the city. I know that being a city councilmember is often not a lot of
fun. Uh,people think it's,you know, a glorious position,but I know how many calls you
get and that your ear is bent in the community no matter what you're doing. And that you
need to gather information from everyone you speak with as part of your constituents and
then come to a,you know,reasoned and intelligent decision. And I think you both have
done that in spades,both in your time. And like Geoff, I will also thank you both for
being part of the council who hired me a couple of years ago. I appreciate that as well,
and I wish you uh, luck and good fortune in whatever-whatever you're starting. That's
next.
Teageu: We're going to go over to the City Clerk's Office.
Greace: They always steal my thunder. I'm going to say ditto and thank you for your service.
And it- it really has been great working with both of you. And- and you both hired me
too. So I wish you the best and I'm- I'm sure we're gonna still see a lot of you at the
meeting, so thank you.
Thomas: Thank you.
Teague: All right. Well, we are at item Number 14. Can I get a motion to adjourn and wonder if I
can have a move by
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Taylor: I don't want to do it. I don't want it to end. So moved. So moved.
Teague: Moved by Taylor.
Thomas: Second that motion.
Teague: Seconded by Thomas. All in favor say aye. [Voice Vote] Aye. Any oppose?We are
adjourned.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council regular
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