HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-08-06 Council minutes CITY OF IOWA CITY
MEMORANDUM
Date: August 14, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Kellie Grace, City Clerk
Re: Council Work Session, August 6, 2024—4:00 p.m. at City Hall in Emma J Harvat Hall
Council: Alter, Bergus, Dunn, Harmsen, Moe, Salih, Teague
Staff: Fruin, Lehmann, Goers, Grace, Hightshoe, Sitzman, Russett, Knoche, Sovers,
Rummel, Seydell Johnson, Kilburg Varley, Kubly, Carter, Black
USG: Carroll
(A transcription is available in the City Clerk's Office and the City website.)
1. Clarification of Agenda Items— No discussion.
2. Information Packet Discussion [July 18, July 25, August 11
➢ July 18 - no discussion.
➢ July 25
1. (IP5 — Joint Entities Meeting: July 15) Councilor Moe noted the discussion regarding
the Pop Up Metro held at the joint entities meeting and stated he would be traveling
to see it first-hand and would report back.
➢ August 1
1. (IP7 - Memo from City Clerk: Proposed Council Meeting Schedule, January —
December 2025) Councilors discussed the proposed 2025 City Council meeting
schedule.
Action: For the 2025 meeting schedule, several meeting date changes were
determined. March 11th will be the only meeting in March. July 8th will be the only
meeting in July. The first meeting in November will be Monday, November 3rd
December 9th will be the only meeting in December. Council opted to wait until later
this fall to determine the date of the all-day budget work session.
2. (IP6 — Pending City Council Work Session Topics) Councilor Alter proposed
revisiting the on-street parking fee downtown and asked if there was support to add it
to the pending work session items.
Action: A discussion on downtown parking will be added to the pending work session
list.
3. University of Iowa Student Government (USG) Updates.
Jack Carroll, USG Chief of Staff of Student Government, presented updates.
August 6, 2024
Page 2
4. Staff presentation on the $3.75 million PRO Housing federal grant award
Senior Planner Russett, presented a PowerPoint on the following:
• Background
• Grant Application
• Grant Award
• Revised Scope & Budget
• Timeline & Next Steps
Individual Council members asked questions and expressed their views. Senior Planner
Russett, City Attorney Goers, and City Manager Fruin provided additional information.
Action: Staff will continue to work with HUD to finalize the scope of the PRO-Housing award.
Once a grant agreement is executed, staff will prepare a brief memo update for a future IP to
keep the Council and public up to speed.
5. Presentation on repositioning public housing project from Bloomberg Harvard
Leadership initiative fellow Naomi Mehta
Naomi Mehta, Bloomberg Harvard Leadership initiative fellow, presented a PowerPoint on
Expanding Access to Affordable Housing which included the following:
• Introduction
• Repositioning
• Considering Repositioning
• Repositioning by SVC
• Expanding Affordable Housing
Individual Council members asked questions and expressed their views. Housing Authority
Manager Carter, City Manager Fruin, and City Attorney Goers provided additional information.
Action: Staff will move forward on the path toward repositioning our public housing. The City
Council will be kept up to speed throughout this multi-year journey.
6. Review draft Request for Proposal (RFP) document for 21 S. Linn Street
Economic Development Coordinator Kilburg Varley summarized the Request for Proposals
(RFP) provided in the August 1 Information Packet as IP4. City Manager Fruin provided
additional information. Individual Council members asked questions.
(Recess to Formal meeting at 5:45 p.m. — Return to Work Session at 8:25 p.m.)
Individual Council members expressed their views. City Manager Fruin, Economic
Development Coordinator Kilburg Varley, and City Attorney Goers provided additional
information.
Action: The 21 S. Linn RFP was determined to be ready for issuance (pending correction of one
typo). The issuance will take place on September 3rd or 4th, assuming a revised TIF policy is
approved by Council in that same timeframe.
August 6, 2024
Page 3
7. Tobacco Moratorium Discussion
City Attorney Goers summarized the memo included in the August 1 Information Packet as IP5
which encompassed the three draft ordinances requested by City Council at their July 16th
meeting. Goers reviewed the draft ordinance for the tobacco permit cap. Individual Council
members asked questions. City Clerk Grace provided additional information.
Action: The tobacco permit discussion was continued to a future work session. Staff will send
Councilor a list of questions to contemplate prior to the next work session discussion.
8. Council updates on assigned boards, commissions, and committees
No updates.
Adjourn 9:40 p.m.