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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-15 Bd Comm minutesItem Number: 4.a. CITY OF IOWA CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT April 15, 2025 Climate Action Commission: March 3 Attachments: Climate Action Commission: March 3 MINUTES IOWA CITY CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSION MARCH 3 — 4:00 PM — FORMAL MEETING EMMA J. HARVAT HALL FI NAL MEMBERS PRESENT: Emma Bork, Jamie Gade, Ben Grimm, Zach Haralson, Nadja Krylov, Wim Murray, Brinda Shetty, Michelle Sillman, Robert Traer MEMBERS ABSENT: Michael Anderson, Angie Smith STAFF PRESENT: Sarah Gardner, Diane Platte, Jane Wilch OTHERS PRESENT: Lizzy Fitzsimmons, Trysten Culler CALL TO ORDER: Gade called the meeting to order at 4:00. APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 3, 2025 MINUTES: Shetty moved to approve the minutes, Murray seconded, and the motion carried. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Action items from last meeting (staff): • Staff sent commissioners information by email about whether they may participate in Bur Oak's shrub program, whether the MPO uses travel diaries as data collection, and how households are notified of the utility discount program. The email message was included in March agenda packet. Events: • Earth Expo (1-4 p.m. April 5, Robert A. Lee) • Neighborhood Energy Blitz (April 26) • Other events in the community (commissioners) o Shetty shared information about the Earth Month Hub (https://sustainability.uiowa.edu/earth-month) offered by the Ulowa Office of Sustainability. Additionally, a 4,000-tree planting project is happening on Arbor Day. • Recordings of the State of the City Address and Inclusive Transportation discussion posted to City's YouTube channel OLD BUSINESS: • Call for two volunteers to serve on Climate Action Grants scoring committee o Krylov and Shetty volunteered to serve. A 2-hour meeting will be scheduled by Bissell. NEW BUSINESS: Proposed reusable food container grant • Gardner summarized the memo from the agenda packet. Climate Action Commission March 2025 Page 2 of 5 • Shetty asked if the same container would be used for all the businesses that participate. Gardner clarified that the City would only provide funds; restaurants would get to choose what containers they buy. • Krylov asked about food events that the City is involved in, like the Farmers Market, and whether those vendors would use compostable or reusable containers. Gardner said there was no program specific to the Farmers Market but participating vendors would be welcome to apply to the reusble grant program. Krylov asked if the City could incentivize vendors to utilize reusable containers. Gardner and Wilch described previous efforts and challenges encountered, noting it is an ongoing process to find solutions. Discussion of Compost Facility Expansion from Resource Management • Wilch described the planned expansion of the compost facility with grants from the Iowa DNR and the EPA. Goal is to increase capacity of the facility, expanding from 15k to 20k tons per year. Currently in the design stage of the new facility. Construction is projected to begin in the fall. • Grimm asked about capacity. Wilch explained the expansion would allow more programming to be added, such as outreach to restaurants, additional curbside customers, etc. • Sillman asked about compost turners and Wilch described how this new equipment would speed up the decomposition process. • Traer asked if UIHC waste is hauled for composting. Shetty answered that Ulowa uses WasteManagement, a third -party hauler, to collect compostable waste. Wilch noted that 10% of the material currently at the compost facility is food waste; most is yard waste. • Krylov asked if the finished compost is sold to help fund the program. Wilch explained it is $20/ton and is available for residential or commercial landscaping use. Discussion of Environmental Management System (EMS) Objectives and Targets from Resource Management • Every landfill in Iowa is required to participate in comprehensive planning. One option to fulfill that requirement is to opt into the Environmental Management System (EMS) program, which is focused on continuous environmental improvement, and is managed by a core team of city staff. • EMS goals ("Objectives") are identified for six categories for the landfill: o Hazardous Material Objective and Target for Iowa City is related to medical sharps containment o Organics Management Objective and Target for Iowa City is related to the compost facility o Water Objective and Target for Iowa City is to spread leaves over the landfill o Greenhouse Gas Objective and Target for Iowa City is to reduce transportation emissions related to cardboard transport by installing a cardboard compactor at the Sturgis Ferry recycling center o Recycling Services Objective and Target for Iowa City is to divert more roof shingles away from the landfill o Environmental Education Objective and Target for Iowa City is related to proper disposal of e-bike and electric scooters batteries Climate Action Commission March 2025 Page 3 of 5 • Each objective gets a metric ("Target") attached to it. Depending on the selected objective and target, the timeline for achieving the target can be set for a single year, multi -year, or ongoing. • Wilch shared an example EMS Objectives and Targets sheet and explained the different components. o "Aspects and Impacts" is a list of priority topics that guide the future drafting of the next year's Objectives and Targets. Every spring staff scores the list of Aspects and Impacts to identify what is a priority and where programming might be needed. o EMS offers many check -ins, including an annual report, internal audit and an external audit to gauge progress. • Commissioners asked questions about the roof shingle recycling program and related construction and demolition materials recycling programs. Wilch shared that they work with LL Pelling to turn the shingles into a road surfacing product. • Haralson asked about opportunities to pull demolition and construction material diversion into the regional climate planning process. Wilch shared there are regional conversations taking place between area landfills around that and compost expansion. • Krylov asked about the impact of current federal funding uncertainty on the program. Wilch said it was difficult to estimate because at the moment the funding is just paused but not eliminated, but staff are considering possible alternative options should the funding be rescinded. Wilch noted Resource Management has the $100,000 commitment for the compost turner from the Iowa DNR regardless of any federal funding uncertainty. • Gardner outlined a potential process going forward in which the Commission and staff could work together to identify one objective for each section of the Climate Action Plan and could then set a related target to track over the course of a fiscal year. She noted they could use a simplified format of the EMS sheet Jane shared. Staff could help identify a baseline number to track against or see if there might be a working alternative where a baseline does not exist. • Gardner suggested they could begin with the Buildings section, and could start by identifying top priorities in that section to help narrow down the possibilities as to what might make for a good Objective and Target. After that they could move on to the Transportation section. She suggested leaving aside Waste, as that is already covered through Resource Management's own EMS process. After that they could take a look at Sustainable Lifestyle and decide if they want to have a metric attached to that, or if it would make sense to circle back to the earlier categories and add a second Objective and Target given that the Buildings and Transportation sections are where the real greenhouse gas reduction possibilities are. • Commissioners asked questions about how metrics would be developed. Traer asked if it would make sense to base objectives on things already being measured or identify things that should be measured but currently are not. Gardner suggested it could be either, noting some things are measured by staff currently because there hasn't been an opportunity to do so or another entity is measuring it, while other things aren't measured because it would be very difficult to do so. She encouraged the Commission to think broadly about the possibilities and said staff can then investigate what might be possible. She noted the value of the EMS process is that it provides guidance to articulate what can be measured by also what is it we are trying to achieve in measuring it. Ultimately, the goal is not simply to measure something but to drive progress on the city's climate action goals. Climate Action Commission March 2025 Page 4 of 5 • Sillman asked if the process was to identify desired outcomes and work back to set the target, and Gardner confirmed that is an approach they can take. Wilch said the process is designed to drive continual improvement and show how that was achieved. She confirmed that they often change measurements from year to year. Gardner shared that this could be the process for future Commissions, to determine whether they want to continue a prior measurement to continue working in that direction or whether, having initiated an action by setting the measurement, they want to then set a new measurement to drive new efforts. • Krylov asked if the goal would be to measure the thing that has the biggest climate change impact or measure the thing that is easiest to measure. Gardner clarified that the measures should be things connected to Iowa City's Climate Action Plan, but beyond that it could be either something that has a big impact or is easily measurable. Wilch noted that under the EMS framework, once an Objective and Target is set, it can then be further broken down into and organized structure of action items to help achieve the desired outcome. • Wilch described a process used by Resource Management to score different possible objectives, in which each is assigned a score based on how much control or ability there is to achieve the outcome, how much impact the outcome would have, and whether it would cost or save money. Scores are averaged together from staff members with a variety of perspectives and expertise to narrow the field of possible objectives and targets. Gardner offered one possible way to proceed, if the Commission desired it, would be to identify priority areas first and then staff could try scoring the possible actions and bring those scores back to the Commission to help pinpoint the desired objectives. She also noted another possibility, in which the Commission identifies an objective based on an item in the plan that has not had much traction as a way of trying to move that item forward. • Sillman shared that EMS seemed like an interesting process that provided a systematic way of approaching potentially daunting tasks, and going through the process could be informative. PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: • None RECAP: Confirmation of next meeting time and location: • Monday, April 7, 4-5:30 p.m. Emma J. Harvat Hall Actionable items for commission and staff: Staff will include a report from the CAAP Buildings section (actions to date) in the agenda packet for the next meeting. Staff will share with commissioners some possible dates for tours of the Landfill and Compost Facility. ADJOURNMENT: Sillman moved to adjourn, Traer seconded, and the motion carried. Meeting adjourned 5:19. 4 Climate Action Commission March 2025 Page 5 of 5 CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD 2024-25 A L.,Q1 CO l0 N O F-� N N F-� N W NAME TERM EXP. F\- N A Ql N A W N A U, N A CO N A Nri A 0 N N A N cn W N cn W N cn A Michael 12/31/2025 O/ O/E X O/E X X X X X X O/E Anderson E Emma Bork 12/31/2026 O/E X X Michal Eynon- 12/31/2024 X X X O/E X X X X Lynch John Fraser 12/31/2024 X O/E X X X X O/E O/E Jamie Gade 12/31/2025 X X X X O/E X O/E X X X X Ben Grimm 10/31/2026 X X O/E O/E X X X X X O/E X Zach Haralson 12/31/2025 X X O/E X O/E X X X X X X Nadja Krylov 12/31/2026 X O/E X Wim Murray MiclAmerican X X X X X X X O/E X O/E X Rep Michelle Sillman 12/31/20025 X O/E X X X O/E X X X X X Brinda Shetty UI Rep X X X O/E X X X X X X X Angie Smith 12/31/2025 X X X X X O/E X X X X O/E Gabe Sturdevant 12/31/2024 X X O/E X X X O/E X Robert Traer 12/31/2026 X X X KEY: X = Present 0 = Absent 0/E = Absent/Excused NM= No Meeting * No longer on Commission Item Number: 4.b. I, CITY OF IOWA CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT April 15, 2025 Human Rights Commission: February 25 [See Recommendation] Attachments: Human Rights Commission: February 25 [See Recommendation] r -4 CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM Date: April 3, 2025 To: Mayor and City Council From: Stefanie Bowers, Human Rights Coordinator Re: Recommendation from Human Rights Commission At their February 25, 2025, meeting the Human Rights Commission made the following recommendation to the City Council: Resolution All Are Welcome: This is a recommendation to the City Council. Pries would like the Human Rights Commission to refer the resolution to the City Council for adoption. Pries worked with the County Attorney and Board of Supervisors who subsequently adopted the resolution. Pries provided background on the resolution and stated it is related to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which protects people's rights and does not allow people to be discriminated against based on religion. Pries is asking the commission for support in asking the City Council to add the resolution to their agenda. Pries moved, and Harkin seconded. Motion passed 5-0. Additional action (check one) No further action needed X Board or Commission is requesting Council direction Agenda item will be prepared by staff for Council action S:RECform.doc Updated_ 11.7.2024 All Are Welcome in Iowa Resolution Declaring All Are Welcome in Iowa City Whereas, equal rights under the law and liberty for all is foundational to our nation and government; and Whereas, the Declaration of Independence states, "We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all [people] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"; and Whereas, the Iowa state motto states, "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain": and Whereas, the Iowa Civil Rights Act passed in 1965 and amended in 2007 includes employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit considerations as areas of life that cannot be used for discrimination based on a person's color, creed, gender identity, marital status, national origin, disability, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation; and Whereas, many Iowans are experiencing anger and fear due to several laws passed in Iowa in 2023 and 2024, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which codifies religious exemptions allowing individuals to use religious beliefs as legal justification to discriminate against other Iowans who are then deprived of their rights and liberties; and Whereas, discrimination and inequality erode the founding principles of our society and government; and Whereas, equal rights under the law and liberty for all require that anti -discrimination protections be considered a compelling government interest and the least restrictive means of achieving that interest. A religious liberty claim should not be elevated above or overrule by law other equally important rights and liberties; and Whereas, no person should be allowed to use religion, religious freedom, or any other reason as justification to discriminate against another person based on color, creed, gender identity, marital status, national origin, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, reproductive status, violence survivor status; and Whereas, Iowans are leaving our communities and the state due to the dangers of RFRA and other laws passed by Iowa lawmakers that send a message contrary to our state's motto and the promise that All Are Welcome in Iowa; and ALL ARE WELCOME IN IOWA COALITION VTERFAITH ALLIANCE OF IOWA I PO Box 41086, Des Moines, IA 50311 20 Updated_ 11.7.2024 iithallianceiowa.org 1 515.279.E 1 info@interfaithalliancei Whereas, these laws, including RFRA, harm the reputation of our state and the best interests of its business community as well as cities and counties large and small, urban and rural; and Whereas, Iowa City aims to create a community where discrimination has no place. It also recognizes ensuring complete safety or freedom from discrimination is a complex, ongoing effort and collaboration among individuals, organizations, and government. Therefore, be it resolved, Iowa City is committed to promoting a united vision where All Are Welcome in Iowa City and further commits Iowa City to being a discrimination -free community. We recognize our responsibility to foster a community that actively works towards inclusivity, equity, and the protection of rights for all, even as we acknowledge the ongoing nature of this work. Be it further resolved, Iowa City encourages businesses, housing developments and landlords, non-profit organizations, houses of worship, educational institutions, and neighborhood associations to unite in the message All Are Welcome in Iowa City and declare themselves as a discrimination -free partner. ALL ARE WELCOME IN IOWA COALITION INTERFAITH ALLIANCE OF IOWA I PO Box 41086, Des Moines, IA 50311 interfaithallianceiowa.org 1515.279.8715 1 info@interfaithallianceiowa.org 21 Approved Minutes Human Rights Commission February 25, 2025 Emma J. Harvat Hall Commissioners present: Doug Kollasch, Emily Harkin, Roger Lusala, Elizabeth Shannon, Mark Pries. Commissioners on Zoom: None. Commissioners absent: Kelsey Paul Shantz, Lubna Mohamed, Viana Qadoura, Idriss Abdullahi. Staff present: Tre Hall, Stefanie Bowers. Recommendation to City Council: Yes. Meeting called to order: 5:30 PM. Native American Land Acknowledgement: Pries read the Land Acknowledgement. Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: None. Approval of meeting minutes of January 28, 2025: Pries moved, and Lusala seconded. Motion passed 5-0. Updates on Outreach and Engagement by the Police Department: Community Outreach Assistant, Tre Hall updated the commission on the police department's work with Joshua Dabusu who works with persons who are immigrants and refugees on police relations. Dabusu hosted a presentation at the public library on the purpose and functions of the police department and when 911 should be utilized. He will also be presenting on domestic violence at the Broadway Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County in the near future. On Feb. 2& Sergeant Nieland and Dabusu held a meeting with the Center for Worker Justice where they explained the difference between ICE and the police department. They also discussed how the police departments can partner on educational programs with organizations. On November 21s', Nieland and Captain Brotherton met with Global Ties Iowa who brought foreign exchange students and faculty from different nations to discuss their role in the judicial system. Hall reported on his own attendance at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake where the department raised $754 which will be put back into the community through department outreach efforts. Correspondence: The Commission received correspondence from Whit Martinez Community Outreach of The Englert Theatre. The Theatre is interested in partnering with the Commission to support any event that would help the Iowa City immigrant community. Shannon spoke with Martinez and expressed to him the commission would need more details regarding how they would like to approach the engagement request. With more details, the commission is interested in the collaboration and would be curious to know what kind of visibility it would give the commission with the community. Kollasch expressed there may be a broad interest in allyship through this event, asking how those who are not immigrants could help. Shannon plans to meet with Martinez to obtain more details for a possible future event. Funding Request: Iowa City Foreign Relations Council requested funding for a program in April entitled "Climate Resilience Together." The group is requesting $250. Pries moved to approve the request. Lusala seconded. Motion passed 5-0. FlimScene requested funding for a series entitled Iowa Disability Film Festival. The request is for $250. Pries moved to approve. Lusala seconded. Motion passed 5-0. Resolution All Are Welcome: This is a recommendation to the City Council. Pries would like the Human Rights Commission to refer the resolution to the City Council for adoption. Pries worked with the County Attorney and Board of Supervisors who subsequently adopted the resolution. Pries provided background on the resolution and stated it is related to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which protects people's rights and does not allow people to be discriminated against based on religion. Pries is asking the commission for support in asking the City Council to add the resolution to their agenda. Pries moved, and Harkin seconded. Motion passed 5-0. Human Rights Grant: The grant will go live on March 15Y and be available through April 15t. It will be an online submission and an online review. Save the dates: Night of 1000 Dinners: This event will be held on March 6t" She Speaks: This event will be held on March 8" at the Robert A Lee Recreation Center from 1-3pm. Youth Awards: This event will take place on May 22nd Juneteenth & Pride: Will take place back-to-back with Juneteenth on June 20t" and Pride on June 21st. Human Rights Awards Breakfast: Will take place on October 22nd Pries asked if commissioners should sign up for events. Lusala mentioned it may be too early with Kollasch agreeing. It was agreed staffing would be discussed closer to the event dates. Vote on Civil and Human Rights Commissioner's Letter in Opposition to HSB242: It was unanimously agreed, to sign onto the letter. It will be signed as a joint group with each commissioner listed under the Commission signature. Pries moved, Kollasch seconded. Motion passed 5-0. Staff & Commission Updates: Staff: There is a Ramadan celebration dinner on the next scheduled commission meeting date, so the meeting may be rescheduled. Staff also shared that the vote for Chair and Vice Chair of the commission will be on the March agenda. Pries: Shared that he spoke a eulogy for Mai Yang, a Laotian refugee he served with while a pastor in Pella, Iowa. Pries also attended an event at Hancher where they referenced a bible verse that he repeated at the meeting. Pries was present at the ICE office in Cedar Rapids on February 5" where he said he had a very powerful and meaningful experience. Pries attended a webinar on Anna Julia Cooper where he was told the takeaway is how important it is to show up for education and recognize women and Black people in education. Pries recently toured Dream City and encourages all to support it. Pries also shared he tries to keep his Bishop Current and knowledgeable on things occurring within the state. Mendez Shannon: Shared her experiences with changing legislation regarding illegal DEI. Shannon shared her emotions on the impact of those working on DEI and their fight to be heard. She also attended a workshop that focused on women and their right to feel empowered and seen. Mendez Shannon was happy to see there is a will to fight during unprecedented times. Kollasch: Shared he has recently been in New York City where he saw the news of Iowa and was disappointed. On Sunday he attended Cabaret which showcases Berlin in the 1930's and the downfall of nightlife during a fascist regime. Kollasch was able to visit the Stonewall Inn where he reflected on recent Iowa legislation and how the LGBTQ+ rights movement started, noting it was trans women of color who started the movement. Harkin: shared she attended the Lunar New Year on behalf of the Human Rights Commissioner. Harkin reported it was a cheerful event that she enjoyed attending. Adjourned: 6:11 PM. The meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/@citychannel4/videos. 3 Human Rights Commission ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2025 (Meeting Date) NAME TERM EXP. 1/28 2/25 3/24 4/22 5/27 6/24 7/22 8/26 9/23 10/21 11/25 Viana Qadoura 2025 A A Idriss Abdullahi 2025 P A Mark Pries 2025 A P Roger Lusala 2026 P P Kelsey Paul Shantz 2026 P A Liz Mendez -Shannon 2026 P P Emily Harkin 2027 P P Doug Kollasch 2027 P P Lubna Mohamed 2027 Z A KEY: X = Present A = Absent Z = Present via Zoom Item Number: 4.c. CITY OF IOWA CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT April 15, 2025 Library Board of Trustees: February 27 Attachments: Library Board of Trustees: February 27 Iowa City Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes February 27, 2025 2nd Floor —Boardroom Regular Meeting - 5:00 PM FINAL Tom Rocklin - President Bonnie Boothroy Robin Paetzold DJ Johnk — Vice President Joseph Massa John Raeburn Hannah Shultz -Secretary Claire Matthews Dan Stevenson Members Present: Bonnie Boothroy, DJ Johnk, Joseph Massa, Claire Matthews, Robin Paetzold, John Raeburn, Tom Rocklin, Hannah Shultz, Dan Stevenson. Members Absent: None. Staff Present: Elsworth Carman, Sam Helmick, Anne Mangano, Brent Palmer, Jason Paulios, Angie Pilkington, Katie Roche, Jen Royer. Guests Present: None. Call Meeting to Order. Rocklin called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm. A quorum was present. Approval of February 27, 2025 Board Meeting Agenda. Boothroy made a motion to approve the February 27, 2025 Board Meeting Agenda. Johnk seconded. Motion passed 9/0. Public Discussion. None. Items to be Discussed. Director Evaluation Process Proposal. Rocklin shared there was a preliminary conversation about the director's evaluation process last month. Rocklin drafted a proposal for the process based on conversations with the city attorney and with the Library Board. Rocklin said the Trustee conversation last month noted it was important to involve more people, so he thought of two options for doing that. Paetzold asked if option b would violate open meetings laws with four trustees in the room. Rocklin said If it stays under 5 trustees they can meet without a quorum. Shultz liked option b because it included the evaluation committee that gathers information. Matthews agreed it seemed to make the most sense. Massa liked it too and said often from year to year the board officers don't change; having volunteers one year means the next year could be an entirely different group of people which would eliminate the potential for duplication. Paetzold asked Carman for his perspective. Carman shared he is comfortable with either option, and said option b makes sense for the reasons discussed. Carman said it I f you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. is a complex process; in years with good interpersonal connections, it feels fair but the process should also be prepared for potential future contention. Carman said with option b you widen the net a bit. Shultz said option b is also the closest to what has previously occurred. Shultz made a motion to adopt the new evaluation process using option b in number 4 of the proposal process. Johnk seconded. Rocklin said he discussed if the Board decision should be made into a policy or if it should be a decision trustees make in a meeting with City Attorney, Eric Goers. Goers preferred the latter for its flexibility in the event the Supreme Court changes its ruling next year. Motion passed 9/0. Set Calendar for Next Fiscal Year. Johnk asked if there were any changes. Carman said this is a process the library does every year. Carman said we usually choose when Inservice Day is and what the designated holidays are and FY26 was straight forward. Shultz appreciated the explanation of the staffing levels. Matthews noted the remote drop day and asked if there was always one Facilities person in the building. Matthews asked if there was a reason the remote drops are checked every day and asked if it would be possible to skip Christmas Day. Carman agreed and said he feels similar, and shared feedback from the Library Facilities Coordinator that the possible work of an overflowing remote bin or being called in an emergency feels more problematic than spending an hour and a half doing a pickup. Carman said on closed days someone needs to do a building walk through as well to ensure all the building systems are functioning. Carman said having someone come in to check the building is easier in long run than coming back and finding an issue. Paetzold asked if there would be any city festivals that would extend library hours into the evening. Paulios said the library no longer keeps the building open for the Block Party, but the lobby is open and staffed by members of the Leadership Team. Boothroy asked why December works best for Inservice Day. Carman said it has been historic practice. Mangano said the original justification was to celebrate staff work anniversaries at the end of the year while avoiding the holidays at the very end. Mangano said the Leadership Team has discussed changing the date but hasn't done so yet. Carman said there are pros and cons to changing the time of year. Mangano said the practice of meeting in December goes back to the 1970's. Massa made a motion to approve the FY26 Holiday Calendar. Shultz seconded. Motion passed 9/0. Staff Reports. Director's Report. Rocklin thanked Carman for a thorough report on legislation updates. Carman said there have been many committee meetings and events reshuffled. Carman said the Leadership Team has been strategically trying to be present at the capitol building, and several have attended committee meetings. The Leadership Team has tried to crowd source their talking points to fill in the blanks of what other speakers are leaving out. Carman said the obscenity exemption bills would have a drastic impact on service delivery and a big impact on the library collection. Carman said there are many ancillary questions around the bills. Carman posed the question, where would the gate keeping be if they passed, at the point of registering for a library card, checking out library materials, or walking in the building. Carman said it can be a challenge not to get into the logistical weeds. If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Carman said another set of bills libraries have been watching are the professional organization bills. Carman shared there has been some great unpacking of what that impact could look like. In the beginning libraries didn't necessarily understand what the impact would be and now we understand better. Carman noted Mangano's updated report about obscenity and let Trustees know if there are any questions about the differences between offensive and obscene materials, or if anyone is wondering why a library would be arguing against the obscenity bills, there are many experts on the Leadership Team in the room to help discuss that. Carman said Mangano's report does an exceptional job of laying it out. No questions were asked. Carman said there has been some opportunity to speak one-on-one with bill sponsors. Carman and Mangano spoke with representative Salmon. Carman said there wasn't eagerness to learn from public libraries but staff will continue trying. Paetzold asked Carman to explain what the timeline would be like if the bills pass, noting it would be very costly and a huge restructuring would be required. Paetzold wondered how marry months libraries would have to change operations. Carman said he doesn't think the current bills have a date sooner than the fiscal year. Helmick said they are under the impression Governor Reynold's office would review and give a timeline before signing. Pilkington said it would be similar to a year ago with SF496. Matthews said that was a six-month timeline. Carman said within Paetzold's question is also would there be definitive direction beforehand or would it be a date of implementation. Carman said some library systems would try to make their own decision about how far you'd need to go and others might wait for explicit direction. Carman said if the current draft went through, he doesn't see a path forward without closing the library while evaluating impacts. Paetzold asked if the City of Iowa City is concerned about liability. Carman said he sent all the library bills being watched and their summaries to the City Manager's Office and to City Legal. Carman had not received feedback yet at the time of the Board meeting. Carman and Royer also met with some of the legal team to touch base and let them know we are watching the bills. Carman shared with legal he would love to see these bills rise to a legislative priority for the City of Iowa City as they will have a significant financial impact if passed and would happen quickly. Paetzold asked if the League of Cities across the state is expressing any stand on the bills. Carman said he did not believe so. Paetzold said this puts libraries in a very vulnerable position financially. Carman said he assumes cities are watching these bills and thinks most library directors will pass this on to their city management to make sure it's on their radar. Carman acknowledged the City of Iowa City has broad legislative concerns. He noted these bills are oppressive and would have a significant financial impact, including possible criminal charges against staff. Staff would need to know their own protections and where the liability would lie, which has a chilling effect. Carman questioned what would happen if, because of his job, he was placed on an offender registry and became ineligible to work for the city. Carman wondered how that cycle would work and said he felt a lot of attorneys are reluctant to answer theoretical questions without actual information, but it's something that a lot of librarians are wondering. Carman said library directors from the largest libraries in the state get together regularly and had a meeting last week to discuss strategies for communicating with their cities, staff, and community. Carman said there is a lot of concern, and the biggest question is how fast libraries would need to comply and the requirements. Carman said if everything with reference to a sex act needed to be removed from the library collection that's a significant percentage of the collection. Carman said think about the best sellers that have sexual references. Rocklin asked Carman if there is any way to do that efficiently or is it book by book. If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. Carman said there is no way to do it efficiently. There would be some subject headings staff could easily review, however without knowing parameters, Carman said a picture book that has two adults hugging might be included. Carman said it is culturally acceptable for romance in adult books and because of that, the topic might not show up in the cataloging or the reviews. Carman said it could literally mean handling every item individually. Massa asked how to do that. Matthews said when the schools did it they started with a list of materials that were most challenged, then moved on to titles they already knew of. Matthews said everything was documented to be 100% certain it was compliant, and pdfs of the pages were saved. Matthews said it took more than 30 people six months perpetually reading to complete. Matthews said many books were pulled and many were questionable. Boothroy said one school district used Al which didn't help matters. Matthews agreed and said another took broad sweeps and just got rid of everything. Paetzold said the library would have to lock the doors for months while we go through this. Matthews noted the use of the word "knowingly" in the bill and said you can't assume a professional knows every word of every book in their library. Matthews said this bill would close a small library and gave an example of a small library she was formerly director of. Matthews said at ICPL it would be a substantial undertaking, but it would close small town libraries. Boothroy said she is concerned that what happened to school districts might happen to public libraries, where laws went into effect long before the guidance came out so people were guessing about what they were supposed to do. Matthews said that is why Iowa City Schools were very careful about documentation, but small towns don't have the luxury, resources, or time to do that. Matthews said it means different things in each community, if you're talking about local control this is the opposite. Paetzold asked what does the library's professional insurance cover for liability and defense and noted the possibility of Iowa City Public Library being a test case. Carman said he will investigate it. Mangano said SF347, which would eliminate the ability to purchase materials with a sex act, may not get any legs, but the obscenity exemption will. Mangano said she would argue that nothing in our collection is obscene and would pass the Miller test. Mangano said we have to figure out how much we want to test that in court. Mangano thinks we would win but said we would have to decide how often we want to do it and how much money it would cost. Paetzold said it's going to be costly and would be interested to see what insurance would cover versus what the library would cover. Carman said we have small scale experience in completing a diversity audit by hand. Carman said the scale of this project would be devastating and patrons wouldn't be able to be in the library. Carman said vendors may have tools to help. Mangano confirmed they do already. Carman said that means you're trusting they're going to apply the right level of grading. Carman said the majority of our circulation is done through self -checks and right now that is fine because library policy states that if you have the card in your hand you have the rights and privileges to use it. Carman said if we had to have minor library cards and adult library cards we may lose that opportunity, it would change our staffing model and the physical check out desks because they are not big enough to handle busy times. Carman said the impacts are deep and we would probably be a test case. Carman said the comments at some of the committee meetings have been shockingly uninformed about what libraries do and include dramatic statements like "at this point public libraries are the only place explicit material can be found." Carman thinks there is a good chance the obscenity bills will pass. Carman noted we're doing the most we can to be involved and advocate for libraries, but that it doesn't If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. seem to be having an effect. Matthews asked if this is just physical items or if it includes digital items as well. Mangano said both. Rocklin said if approved the library will have a difficult policy discussion. Rocklin said we can argue we have a collection policy and we don't collect obscene materials; we would have to determine the risks associated with that and we probably would get sued, that's a discussion to have with the City of Iowa City. Paetzold asked if we have other allies such as the ALA in terms of resources. Paetzold noted we would be put in a difficult situation and be a national test case. Helmick said the ALA would like to give legal and lobbyist support; ILA is slowing that down. Helmick said if a specific library was interested, Helmick could connect them with people. Paetzold agreed ILA seems to be functioning differently this legislative session. Matthews asked would this also mean revoking the AIM card for students. Carman agreed and said this would have dramatic changes for the Bookmobile, outreach, and everything else we do. Carman said with some of our electronic resources we can select titles, others are packages, and there may be services that would have to be cut. Carman said publishers may get more interested as the legislation moves along. Matthews said Penguin Random House and Harper Collins are involved in the 496 lawsuit. Matthews said since publishers got involved in school library legislation, she imagines they would get involved in a statewide all ages bill. Helmick said Skip Dye was on their Presidential Advisory Committee as the Penguin House representative. Matthews said they're involved in legal issues regarding past legislation and imagines they would likely continue. Paetzold asked if there is a sense that larger libraries in Iowa could unite or is there enough diversity in libraries that it wouldn't work. Carman said this was discussed at a meeting and suggested involving multiple boards as they can do things libraries can't. Carman said there was diversity in individual library responses but thinks if it was revisited with a concrete proposal there is potential. Paetzold asked if that would give strength or complicate things. Carman said it's hard; the relationships in that group are very strong but all of the directors come from different areas of the state. Carman said what works in Council Bluffs may not work for us. Carman isn't aware of IUPLA ever releasing a joint statement and doesn't know that it would be damaging for a subset of that group to release a statement from similar communities. Carman said there is also potential to request city attorneys meet with the Directors and Boards to get an idea of how different places are approaching it. Carman said he is open to facilitating and thinks there is a possibility for joint work. Carman said there is also the Johnson County Public Library directors meeting, and Corridor libraries, there are a number of options for joint statements. Paetzold said it is a good idea to identify our allies. Boothroy said it is a really good idea and we need to be proactive and not wait to see what happens. Paetzold identified there are two conversations to discuss operational costs and societal values. Paetzold said an ally may be the ACLU. Rocklin said if the goal was to make a statement to influence legislation it would be extremely important to come from libraries across the state of Iowa. Rocklin said there is nothing Iowa City can say that will make a difference. Rocklin said our statement would only have the value of reminding the community where we stand, which is a value but would not influence legislation. Matthews said people only see the words obscenities and minors and naturally think of course we want to protect children. Rocklin said the challenge to this for legislators is voting against this opens them up to a challenge in the next election. Boothroy said even if we can't do a joint statement, we can at least feel out the group to see if there are any libraries that want to approach it from the same action. Paetzold said in the past we've put out these statements and have fought, and legislators would listen and say that it is interesting but would If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa pity Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. still vote the way they want. Paetzold said there is something else going on that we can't fight this with facts, and we've got to be prepared to defend ourselves. Carman clarified that when he said the IUPLA directors are coming from different directions there is no rift in philosophy, the differences are how different cities are structured, how much autonomy libraries have, what the current temperature of the Boards feels like. Carman said he would check in with IUPLA and see if there is interest in talking through details of approach and come up with joint talking points for cities and city attorneys, so the messaging is consistent. Paetzold asked if there is anything staff would like the Board to do that hasn't been identified. Mangano said the senate file on public library exemptions only went to subcommittee and hasn't gone to the broader education committee. Mangano said there are a lot of members on that committee and ILA put out a message on how to email everyone but Mangano doesn't know that everyone's mind is made up or if everyone understands the broader implications of the file. Mangano said they are faced with many bills at one time, and they want to run with them as fast as they can. Mangano said if you talk to them about taxpayer money and court system being filled with unnecessary lawsuits, Mangano thinks that is good message for them to hear in addition to removing access. Helmick said it worked well to talk about keeping libraries local last year. It's a good reminder that this file circumvents the procedures, and the state is overstepping local control. Mangano said the house version of the public library exemption did pass but not totally on party lines. Carman said he thinks staff are feeling very affected by this legislation. Carman said he tries to offer factual information without making it seem hopeless in his weekly staff messages. Many staff are tuned in and watching what is happening and it is impacting staff morale. Carman said there is concern for job security, and concerns around work becoming disconnected from values. Carman said patron behavior has also escalated. Carman said this legislative cycle patrons haven't commented as much on the bills, as compared to last year. Carman said some people weaponize the bills and use it as a platform to abuse staff. Carman said we've been talking at the Leadership level about what we can do to make staff feel supported and informed. Carman said many staff are watching other pieces of legislation and having deep concern about what is happening in the State of Iowa, and that is a tough intersection. Carman said he believes staff appreciated the advocacy letters the Board created last year around legislation. Knowing the Library Board is watching legislation and thinking about impacts matters to staff. Carman said he always shares a summary of Board meetings for all staff after each meeting to keep them informed. Carman said we are getting close to the end of the funnel which ends on the 7th, every day that goes by is a little more optimistic. Carman said the Library Levy legislation has not advanced very far and is likely too late for it to move on. Carman said it was promising to see bipartisan support for that idea but it has not progressed. Palmer exited the meeting at 5:41 PM. Matthews asked about Enrich Iowa eligibility. Helmick said the goal posts continue to move on this. Essentially Enrich Iowa would be withdrawn from libraries that have an institutional or (whose staff have) individual professional memberships. Helmick said on the streets it is known as the anti -ALA and ILA bill but you can't say that because it would be illegal. Helmick said it was ourjob to impress upon legislators that over 98 libraries and 15 institutions in the State of Iowa also belong to these institutions. Helmick said Mangano made a great point that the Urban Library Council helped us save $55,000 because of our membership last year alone. Mangano said the changes we made with Hoopla were If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. based on what we learned from Urban Library Council. Helmick said there was concern about Marxist leanings and Helmick reminded legislators that an Iowan would be leading ALA for the next year. Helmick said the Library Bill of Rights talks about not discriminating by age, and instead of accepting that is an Iowan value we've held since 1938, as Iowan's wrote it before the ALA adopted it, Helmick said it clear it is no longer an Iowan value in 2025. Matthews said at some point it is a violation of freedom of speech, to be unable to advocate for yourself. Helmick said the Georgia Library Association shot this bill down last year and were prepared to sue the state of Georgia. Helmick said it was not received by the education committee though it was supposed to meet at 11:00 today. Helmick said the running theory is they are either rewriting the bill or running out the clock because they will be sued. Palmer entered the meeting at 5:43 PM. Matthews said thinking back to her small-town library days she wouldn't even have been able to keep the lights on without ILA. Without ILA telling her what paperwork to fill out it wouldn't have been a library in the first place. Helmick said the state library is not equipped to support libraries in the same way as ILA. Pilkington said some hope that the State Library could take on the duties of ILA but there have been cuts and the State Library is no longer able to support the 544 libraries in Iowa. Paetzold asked do you think they're most likely to attack a library that is going to defend itself or one that won't. Helmick said Iowa City seems to be a target. Pilkington said people think we have money. Carman said we also run the risk of someone who opposes the legislation litigating to make a point, there is a lot to think about. Royer and Carman met with staff at City Legal to see how the City views staff involvement in political process. Carman said it was a good conversation, and legal gave thoughtful answers, and that we're going to keep talking about that at the leadership level. Carman feels strongly that everything we're doing right now fits well with expectations. Carman said we're sticking to facts, what is shared with legislators is educational and not lobbying. Carman said we're going to a subcommittee meeting to give context and factual information, which is different than standing up and sharing opinions. Boothroy asked about Board input and asked what the best approach is; is it better for trustees to communicate as a group or is it okay to communicate as individuals. Carman said it depends on the vehicle, comments in the bill book would need to be individual, letters to the editor coming from the Board could be powerful. Paetzold said there are different audiences noting legislators, staff, and the community. Carman said it could be a great opportunity for staff and trustees to work together in solidarity and with collaboration, it would allow trustees to say things library staff may feel constricted in while still being able to share factual information with authority on things like day to day library operations with authority. Carman said sometimes the questions that come up around this legislation are around minute details about how libraries work, such as how materials get checked out. Shultz said you could also encourage them to go to their library. Paetzold said she doesn't think this is about a rational strategy. Rocklin said it is quite rational; it's about being re-elected. Carman said there has been language this year that he didn't hear last year from library supporters emphasizing that using the library is "voluntary inquiry," and the messaging includes if you don't like it don't go. Carman said that it is not messaging that he is ready to adopt but thinks it's a valid point. Carman said ICPL says that in different ways, such as we collect broadly and invite patrons to access what you like and leave what you don't. Carman said he is a little nervous to see where that phrase will go; it's exclusionary and the library has worked hard to lower barriers for access and be here for everyone. Paetzold said it sets the stage for If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. someone to say yes but those are taxpayer dollars. Shultz said looking ahead, are we seeing in Iowa or other states changes in enrollment in MLIS programs. Carman said not that he is aware of. Helmick said they are under the impression they haven't been able to track it quite yet. Helmick said the University of Iowa MLIS program has the largest student body in history. Carman said with the IMLS programs every year there is a narrative that we're coming up on a wave of retirement. Carman said sometimes we make assumptions about librarians' political beliefs and where they align on issues and that is not always true, there are a range of beliefs. Carman wondered if political shifts in different states will result in more people coming into the librarian field that didn't feel like they could be part of it before. Paetzold said some of them are muzzled, we've heard that through people who work at the university scene that theirjobs would be on the line if they speak up. Paetzold said also when you look at allies, we have Lucy Green and while she must respect her position, she's a wonderful ally. Shultz said we're seeing, especially in rural areas, shortages of every profession right now in Iowa so she doesn't think that's going to be an issue here in Iowa City. Shultz questioned in 10 or 15 years if there will be any libraries in Iowa to work at. Carman said some of the impacts of these bills will de -professionalize positions. Carman noted that if we don't curate collections but instead need someone to check a list to see if a title is allowed to be purchased, a library degree would not be needed to do that. Matthews said that it already happened in school libraries. Carman included the DAS changes to state library reporting as a piece of legislation of interest because we must pay attention to where those changes are leading, noting the possibility of no longer having accreditation systems in our state. Carman said those also drive the types of positions that require certain types of education or experience, and those standards are regularly shared with the city when explaining staffing level changes. In Iowa City we are not at risk of a swift and simple change if accreditation went away but other communities might be. Paulios exited the meeting at 5:53 PM. Carman said we know there have been some retirements in the state library that haven't been filled right away. There has been talk of restructuring and it's something to watch carefully. Paetzold asked if there is a system for updating the board between now and our next meeting because it is a hot season. Rocklin said a lot is going to happen between now and the next meeting. Paetzold said we can't wait a month and just watch. Shultz said information could be emailed. Rocklin agreed, particularly around funnel week. Matthews asked if it would have to come from Carman or could the Advocacy Committee share information. Paetzold agreed the committee should work on that. Paetzold said she hesitates to ask one more task of staff when the Advocacy Committee can work on it as a group. Palmer exited the meeting at 5:55 PM. Paetzold asked should the committee meet with staff, noting the importance of becoming proactive. Carman said it wouldn't be a burden to have staff create a basic report, it could be as simple as documenting the progress of legislation and sharing links to the bill book. Carman said staff could also set up a meeting to talk about pertinent information. Paetzold said the community education aspect of combining Trustees and staff is something we should be thinking about. Paetzold said she doesn't think people are getting it. Matthews said 20 miles out of Iowa City it's a different story, different interest in If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. educating, and different choices in advocacy and interest in legislation at all. Massa said community standards are different too. Massa said you go to West Liberty or Solon it is different than Iowa City. Carman asked what the preference for updates is, noting realistically between now and the funnel he can only imagine one meeting happening. Paetzold said staff are most knowledgeable. Shultz asked if that is information that would be put together anyway. Carman agreed. Helmick said so many libraries are going to look to us at Iowa City Public Library, we are the standard. Helmick said they don't talk about Des Moines, and wanted to make sure folks understood the gravity of it. Matthews asked if it would be more meaningful if it camejointly from staff and the Board. Rocklin noted the advocacy committee and said he thinks it is a good opportunity to use it. Rocklin said he would look to the advocacy committee to recommend an action, reassure staff Trustees are paying attention, and educate the community. Rocklin asked the Advocacy Committee to meet with a few staff and email the board, noting we can always have an emergency Board meeting. Paetzold said there is a third part of that too and noted the advocacy potential. Rocklin said the advocacy committee can come up with ideas of what we should do, the Board can respond. Carman asked if anyone remembered if they heard from Trustees at subcommittee meetings. Pilkington said she only remembered one. Paetzold noted the minors at drag show bill and asked if that effects story time. Helmick agreed. Paetzold said it wasn't a priority in the discussion, but does it affect library programming. Carman agreed. Pilkington said no drag story times are planned at this time. Carman said House Bill 158 was a recommended passage. Rocklin said it is clear at the funnel. Carman said it hasn't reached a priority, even in this conversation, but noted in other sessions this would be getting a lot of attention in our community. Departmental Reports: Collection Services. Rocklin said the report was fascinating. Johnk thanked Mangano and many Trustees agreed. Matthews said the screen shot was interesting. Carman said this report and the IT report were good examples of how communication with the Board is also helpful to staff. Carman said it takes a lot of time to put together and thanked Mangano. Matthews asked if the bulk of this is completed. Mangano said yes, and every quarter staff will be updating and maintaining. Children's Services. Carman said the report included information about the All Abilities Club. Rocklin thanked Pilkington. IT. Matthews asked if the public would have awareness of the ILS shifting to a new model. Mangano said if in any way there might be new features in the catalog. Matthews asked if this was the public facing catalog. Mangano agreed. Shultz noted it closes soon, next week. Rocklin noted open -source products, and asked would it get into the process because a vendor supports it. Mangano said there are different companies that offer the ability to code for us or we can code more, which may be a benefit. Rocklin asked that they are not purely community supported products and Mangano agreed. Development Report. Shultz said it is brilliant to have fundraising outside of fundraising season. Roche handed out flyers to Trustees for the fundraising event to share with friends. Roche said there are 50 paid tickets so far and they are hoping to have 200 at the event. Roche said there are 35-45 community tickets for nonprofit leaders that are partners of the library, so they can attend. Roche is excited about how the event is coming together. Carman shared he is pleased with ticket sales. Rocklin hopes to see trustees there. If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. President's Report. Appoint a Nominating Committee. Rocklin noted three trustees will be leaving the Board at the end of the fiscal year: Shultz, Johnk, and Rocklin. They will meet to prepare a slate of candidates for the three positions. Rocklin said there will be an election at the April meeting. Paetzold asked if any of them plan to reapply. Rocklin said none of them are planning to reapply. Shultz said they are the only group since she has been there that have all made it the entire term. Paetzold said we know we're going to have three openings, and we might encourage friends to apply for the Board. Paetzold said if anyone knows an attorney, encourage them to apply. Paetzold said in the past we've always had an attorney on the Board and it's the first time we don't, the City Attorney's responsibility is different and having legal guidance on the Board would be beneficial. Paetzold noted we don't select Board members; however, this could be a challenging moment. Rocklin said more generally it is time to start talking with people who would make good trustees. Rocklin knows someone he would like to recruit. Rocklin noted there are always many applications. Paetzold said we should think about our skillset. Carman said if Johnk, Rocklin, or Shultz were to change their mind we are in an unusual environment; normally Council wants to give a lot of people a chance to serve on boards and commissions, but looking at the budget and legislation right now, it would be more logical than in some years to go to that body and say having six years of experience would be beneficial. Carman said that is not to imply pressure for more service and he does not speak for City Council in any way. Rocklin said it is pretty interesting because city policy states that Council will not consider incumbency for reappointment, but every time he has heard them talk about it, they've talked about spreading it around. Announcements from Members. None. Committee Reports. Advocacy Committee. Rocklin said the Advocacy Committee has work to do. Finance Committee. Massa said they are still trying to meet with the Foundation Board's Finance Committee. Foundation Members. None. Communications. News Articles. None. Paetzold noted the comment Carman made about some behavior challenges and change in culture in the library, and asked Carman to elaborate. Paetzold said in the past we have tried to look at our reaction to things to be proactive, Paetzold asked to hear more about it before it becomes more significant. Carman said it is good timing, there is a policy committee working on the Library Use policy in preparation for Board review. Carman said the last several weeks to couple months, library behavior has been on the outside edge of normal, some of which we attribute to substance abuse, mental health, lack of resources, and more recent instances around political stress and fear. Carman said it is manifesting as abnormal behavior. Carman said there was a ten-year suspension last week, noting ICPL makes every attempt to avoid, as it is the longest suspension time we suspend people for. Carman said there have been mid -length suspensions, and lots of "leave for the day" suspensions, too. Carman said If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. the Leadership Team talks about significant suspensions at our weekly meeting to revisit the conduct report, impacts, and follow up with staff as appropriate. Carman said behavior is at an apex moment, there are a lot of problematic behaviors happening now. Carman said there have been good responses when calling the police and community outreach folks. Carman thinks some of our true social services agencies are struggling to keep up. Carman said there were adult behavior issues in the children's room that resulted in suspension. Mangano said it was also a week that was very cold. Pilkington said winter shelters are not open during the day. Carman said staff are great about handling things with compassion, being trauma informed, and doing the very best they can, but when you get to the end of a three-hour desk shift and had 13 behavior issues, a complex genealogy question, and somebody with a broken kindle, it takes a toll. Carman worries about loss of support from library users who come to do more traditional work at the library and are required to navigate the complexities of all different types of needs or behaviors. Carman said one of the things we're looking at, specifically with behavior in the Library Use policy, is sleeping in the library. Carman feels strongly about the work done so far to keep the library inclusive and create community. Carman wants to tread carefully as we look at how to right size these behavior expectations. Carman said Mangano's point about the weather is strong and it's not unusual to see behavior issues when the weather is extreme. Paetzold said that's rational, people are trying to survive. Mangano said especially when you're telling them to leave. Carman says it feels like a peak right now and he's working to support staff. Carman said there have been a couple more dramatic incidents than usual with a broader group of people involved, and it might be louder or more disruptive. Carman said even then staff rally quickly. Carman said we take care after those events to reach out to staff quickly and offer EAP services or other support. The Leadership Team models a balance of resiliency and sharing honestly when events are scary to them, too. Carman appreciates that as not all libraries do that. Carman said having the Library Use policy in recent memory is helpful, noting it can be reviewed any time. Carman shared Paulios and Helmick have staff working on revising the policy. Carman said there is a new cat cafe in town, and we talked about speaking with them to get a group rate. Carman said it is hard to balance sincere but small actions with staff. Matthews suggested bringing therapy dogs back. Matthews said the Board should consider what else they can do to be supportive such as use NOBU to pay for a zoom training outside of the staff day in December. Consent Agenda. Paetzold made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Shultz seconded. Motion passed 9/0. Palmer entered the meeting at 6:21 PM. Set Agenda Order for March Meeting. Rocklin shared the director's evaluation will be completed before the next meeting. The Library Use policy and departmental reports will be reviewed. Carman acknowledged the loss of former Library Board Member, Janet Freeman. Paetzold said the painting in the Boardroom was from Janet Freeman's collection. Adjournment. Rocklin adjourned the meeting at 6:22 PM. Respectfully submitted, Jen Royer If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this meeting, please contactlen Royer, Iowa City Public Library, of 379-887-6003 orJennifer-ro ey r@icpl.or. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. a`r%t IOWA CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY Board of Commissions: ICPL Board of Trustees Attendance Record Name Term Expiration 3/28/2024 4/25/2024 5/23/2024 6/27/2024 7/25/2024 8/22/2024 9/26/2024 10/24/2024 11/21/2024 12/19/2024 1/23/2025 2/27/2025 3/27/2025 Boothro , Bonnie 6/30/2029 X X OE OE X X X X OE X X Johnk, DJ 6/30/2025 X X X X X X X X X OE OE X X Massa, Jose h 6/30/2027 X X X X X X X X OE X X X X Matthews, Claire 6/30/2023 X OE X X X OE X X X O X X X Paetzold, Robin 6/30/2023 X X X OE OE X X X X OE X X X Raeburn, John 6/30/2027 X X X X X X OE X X X X X X Rocklin, Tom 6/30/2025 X X X X X X OE X X X X X X Shultz, Hannah 6/30/2025 X X OE OE X X X X X X OE X OE Stevenson, Daniel 6/30/2027 X OE X X X X X OE X X X X OE KEY: X Present O Absent OE Excused Absence NM No Meeting Held R Resigned TE Term Expired Item Number: 6.a. CITY OF IOWA CITY COUNCIL ACTION REPORT April 15, 2025 Motion to approve a tentative agreement between the City of Iowa City and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Local #183, AFL-CIO. Prepared By: Karen Jennings, Human Resources Administrator Reviewed By: Geoff Fruin, City Manager Chris O'Brien, Deputy City Manager Fiscal Impact: The wage settlement is within fiscal year 2026 budget parameters. Staff Recommendation: Approval Attachments: Tentative agreement 3.11.25 Executive Summary: The current AFSCME collective bargaining agreement, effective through June 30, 2026, included a limited re -opener in the final year. The City participated in collective bargaining with AFSCME in accordance with Chapter 20 of the Iowa Code. The parties participated in a bargaining session on March 11, 2025 and reached a tentative agreement (TA). The tentative agreement is subject to both City Council approval and union ratification. The City was notified on April 8, 2025 that the union has ratified the TA. Background / Analysis: The AFSCME contract limited re -opener for fiscal year 2026 was voluntarily settled. Negotiated wage adjustments provide for a 2.75% across the board increase in July 2025. The tentative agreement is attached.