HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-17 Council minutes r
^� CITY OF IOWA CITY
M E M O RA N D U M
Date: September 24, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Kellie Grace, City Clerk
Re: Council Work Session, September 17, 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, Kilburg, Knoche, Havel, Sovers, Nagle Gamm,
Bowers, Davies, Ogden, Hightshoe, Kubly, Thul, Gardner
USG: Monsivais, Martinez
(A transcription is available in the City Clerk's Office and the City website.)
1. Clarification of Agenda Items
Councilor Moe requested item 6.d Burlington St/ Hwy 1 Bridge Improvements Project to be
pulled from the Consent Agenda for separate consideration. Mayor Teague clarified that
unless counselors wanted a separate vote on an item, they could comment on items without
pulling them from the Consent Agenda. Moe stated he only wanted to discuss them item
and would not request removal.
2. Information Packet Discussion [September 5, September 121
September 5
1. (IP2 — Press Release: Give your input to our Charter Review Commission) Councilor
Harmsen asked staff to explain what the Charter Review Commission is and how the
public can participate at the upcoming forum. City Attorney Goers provided
information.
2. (IP3 - Building Statistics: August 2024) Councilor Harmsen asked staff for a
summary of what is included in the report. City Manager Fruin provided information.
September 12
1. (IP2 — Work Session Agenda) Councilor Alter asked if other Councilors were
interested in evaluating public hunting areas in the Manville Heights vicinity for deer.
Councilor Alter also requested to have further discussion on the budget and budget
priorities at a future work session, possibly tying in affordable housing finances.
City Manager Fruin asked for clarification regarding the topic on evaluating public
hunting areas and prioritization.
Action: `Opportunities to expand bow hunting opportunities in or around Manville
Heights' will be added to the next work session agenda. Staff will prepare a memo
outlining options for the City Council to consider.
`Affordable housing finances presentation' and `FY 2026 budget discussion' will both
be added to the Pending Work Session List.
September 17, 2024
Page 2
3. University of Iowa Student Government (USG) Updates.
Matthew Monsivais, USG Liaison and Ava Martinez, USG Alternate Liaison presented
updates.
4. UNESCO City of Literature update
John Kenyon, Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature Executive Director, presented a
PowerPoint on who they are, what they do, where the organization is going, and what the
designation means. Individual Council members expressed their views.
5. Sister City Organizational Structure Discussion
Mayor Teague noted the memorandum from City Attorney Goers which was included in the
September 12th Information Packet (IP3). Teague stated the City joined Sister Cities
International in early 2024 and has since been in discussions on how to move forward and
again noted the memo which outlined the structures of different Sister Cities. Individual
Council members asked questions and expressed their views. City Attorney Goers provided
additional information.
Action: Mayor Teague and Mayor Pro Tern Salih agreed to lead community conversation
about sister cities. They will return to the full City Council with their recommended course of
action.
6. Review of City grant programs (Social Justice, Racial Equity, Climate Action, Public
Art, and Aid to Agencies)
City Manager Fruin summarized the memorandum included in the September 12th
Information Packet (IP4) which provided details on the City grant programs. Individual
Council members asked questions and expressed their views. City Manager Fruin and
Neighborhood Services Coordinator Kubly provided additional information.
Action: `Review of the Aid to Agencies grant program' will be added to the Pending Work
Session List with the potential for that to be a joint meeting with the HCDC.
Staff will inform Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) of the City
Council's direction to rename `Emerging' to `Non-Legacy' in the context of the Aid to
Agencies program. This change can be made effective immediately.
Staff will coordinate creation of a shared document that states the purposes of the four
recurring grant programs outlined in the September 12th Information Packet (IP4) and
provide a 5-year funding history of each grant program. The funding history will contain the
recipient, grant amount and purpose (if applicable). Staff liaisons to the HCDC, HRC, CAC
and PAAC will provide this document annually to the commissions prior to the start of
scoring or deliberations on grant awards. The document is being provided for transparency
purposes and is it not intended to be incorporated into scoring rubrics.
7. Council updates on assigned boards, commissions, and committees
Updates were given during the formal meeting with item 13.
Adjourn 5:46 p.m.