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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-01-05 Transcription Page 1 ITEM NO. 4 CONSIDER MOTION TO FIX METHOD VOTING Kubby/ I'd like to move that we have nominations from the floor, vote by voice vote, and have the vote be a vote of the total membership. Norton/ I'll second that. Karr/ Moved by Kubby, seconded by Norton, that the nominations be from the floor, it be a voice ballot of voting, and that the majority vote of the total membership be the decision making process. Is there discussion? Thornberry/ What do we do with one member absent? Karr/ The member is simply absent and we are voting with a council of six. Thornberry/ Oh, okay. Karr/ It would still take four. Norton/ At what point would it be appropriate to consider at least on some issues of deferring until we have a full majority. Would that be in order at some point? Karr/ As each issue comes up that certainly is something that can be moved. Norton/ Okay. Karr/ Is there any other discussion on the method of voting as moved? All those in favor signify by saying "aye"? (all ayes) Opposed same sign? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 //5 Page 2 ITEM NO. 5 NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICE OF MAYOR OF THE CITY OF IOWA CITY Kubby/ Before we begin voting I mean Ernie is a candidate for an office it would seem reasonable because we have had some discussion periodically about what is the role of Mayor for us to discuss what our expectations are for the candidate to then speak to those issues and some of the things that I have heard people talk about in campaigns or during the working of the City Council has been issues of inclusiveness to be sure the public has chances to speak. When there are emotional disagreements among Council Members how that is dealt with the public sphere. Trying to create good communication among Council Members as well as representing us to the general community as well as organizations within the community that are very active on Council issues. So I'd like us to have a brief discussion about our expectations on the role of Mayor. Champion/ Would this be an appropriate time to do that Karen or should we possibly schedule a work session for the City Council on how we're going to conduct meetings and handle each other's opinions. Kubby/ Those are kind of organizational things versus how the Mayor conducts himself. I want to know what I'm getting when I vote for Ernie. Norton/ Right. Lehman/ There are a couple things that I would be happy to let you know what I would expect if I am chosen as Mayor. First of all, and I've noticed this in most of our meetings, I really feel that every Council person should have an opportunity to comment on an issue before we get involved in back and forth comments. In other words, if, there are seven of us and I feel that each of the seven should have an opportunity to speak before we engage each other in arguments or whatever. And I would certainly ask that Council go along with that. Now some of the seven may have no comments at all but I do think that it is important that these folks have an opportunity to respond before we get into discussions between Council people. I also feel that when it becomes apparent that a majority, whether that be 7/0 or This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #5 Page 3 6/1 or 5/2 or 4/3 that the time has probably come that we should vote. Now I'm not in any way suggesting that we limit discussion but I've seen, and we have, were we have talked and talked and talked long after that it has become very apparent that a decision has really been made on the part of Council folks and we aren't really going to change their minds. So I would like to see that. I also would like to see us not interrupt each other. You know this business of having two people talk at a time is I think somewhat discourteous. It's self- defeating. It doesn't make for an orderly sort of meeting. Clearly if we follow the first couple of suggestions that isn't going to be a problem. I will also intent to meet with Steve and/or department heads prior to meetings to discuss agenda items and I think that is probably for my benefit than any body else's so that I have a clear understanding of agenda items prior to the meetings. Hopefully if I gain some insight I can pass that on to Council people at the meetings. But I think that is something that I intend to do. I also have been very uncomfortable many times during public discussion and I think that other Council people share that feeling. We have chosen not be argumentative with the public and I think that is good. On the other hand there have been statements made to us by the public which are clearly erroneous and in most cases I think those things have been corrected. I think we need to tell the public that positions that are taken by people addressing Council are not necessarily those of Council nor do they necessarily reflect the way speaks. And with the concurrence of Council I would like, whether it is an agenda item or just a time after pubic discussion for Council members, and I'm not using this as a substitute for Council time, but where if there's something presented that we really disagree with that there is a very short minute or two on the part of Council people to respond to what's been said by the public. In other words having someone get up, sit down and clearly having presented something that we disagree with for us to sit here and make no response at all I don't think is in the best interest of the person who has spoken or in our own best interest. I also think that we are going to have to limit our comments to the matters that we are discussing. Frequently we seem to get off on tangents and discuss things that or bring things up that are really not relevant to the agenda and I guess that I would ask that we all stick with the agenda. We do have Council time for all of us to expound on whatever is important to us on that particular day but I think we have to limit ourselves to the business at hand when we do. I also would like not to read the entire the comments of each agenda This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 //5 Page 4 item. Frequently that comment of a technical sort of nature and I think it means probably absolutely nothing to most of the public. The rest of us already have it. I would rather, if you will "laymen" terms, explain what the item happens to be. It will probably move the meetings along a little more quickly and I think will make the items more understandable. I would also like to ask, and I think that mostly we have been pretty good about this, but I think hat we need to be sure that Council is mutually respectful of each other so that comments that made here are made regarding agenda items, regarding items of a public nature and not personalities. And I think that is not too much to ask of Council. Another item that I really think is important and one that we haven't done, and I think we need to do it, we need to keep a list of pending items. and these are some I think we need to sit down and come up with that list and keep track of that list. And I would like to ask with the concurrence of Council that the City Manager at each meeting after Council time when it comes time for City Council information that Steve be directed to update us on our pending list. The only time that the people of Iowa City really come in contact with Steve, maybe at a social function or when they have a complaint and I don't think that Steve gets the exposure to the public that he really should have and I feel that he can update us and at the same time let the people of this community know just exactly what the City Manager does do. So I think that's important. I also have some other priorities which I guess are more of a Council nature but I think those are some of things that I would, if I'm Mayor, those are things that I would expect us to do and if anybody has any disagreement or whatever let me know. Norton/ Ernie, I have a comment I'd like to make about your points, most of which I agree with but, I think it was the second point that said when there's an obvious majority perhaps we ought to close debate rather more rapidly but I'm concerned about that because there are many times when that's pretty obvious but some of the issues that led to that position need to be clarified. I worry .... Lehman/ I hear you. Norton/ that's the only time in a public meeting remember that most people hear about the details of issues. And one of the criticisms I hear is that a lot of the things go on at the work session that are not on TV and the thinking, the alternate thinking, and various points of view are This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #5 Page 5 not expressed. I think that's an important public relations and public informational aspect even though the vote may be cast in stone already. Lehman/ I absolutely agree with you. I mean I think it has to be thoroughly discussed but we can both remember times that we have had discussions that we have literally repeated ourselves .... Norton/ I understand. Lehman/and went on and on when it was time to vote. Norton/ I quite agree. Lehman/ I agree with you. Norton/ There's one other aspect of that seems to me might be desirable at some point when an explanation is clearly necessary on some of these issues that have along background or a complicated set of issues. Perhaps some person on the Council might be asked to prepare that briefing so that it doesn't always fall to one person or the most assertive person or whatever. That somebody might be able to help pass that duty around a bit. Lehman/ Good point. Kubby/ Some of the things that we are talking about now are organizational things that I have a lot of suggestions and other people may have a lot of suggestions. Those things aren't on the agenda today and Marian said they would be on our next informal meeting. Norton/ Yes, very good. Kubby/ So I don't want to let my not commending mean that I concur with everything because there are a couple of things that I have questions about too. Save them for a list for Monday the 12th of January. So either we could get a copy of the list of things that you have suggested Ernie for our next packet so we could think about it for our next organizational meeting. Lehman/ Certainly. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #5 Page 6 Kubby/ I put pout a memo, I don't know if other people had other things to get them in time for the packet. Karr/ Is there any other discussion? We have a motion on the floor to nominate Ernie Lehman as Mayor of the City of Iowa City. Are we prepared to vote? All those in favor signify by saying "aye". (all) Opposed same sign. (none) Motion carried unanimously. Ernie Lehman has been elected Mayor of the City of Iowa City. Kubby/ Congratulations Ernie. Norton/Congratulations ..... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. FO 10598 //6 Page 7 ITEM NO. 6 NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICE OF MAYOR PRO EM OF THE CITY OF IOWA CITY Kubby/ Like to nominate Dee Norton. Karr/ Moved by Kubby, is there a second? Is there a second? Motion dies for lack of a second. Are there any other nominations for the office... O'Donnell/ I'd like to nominate Dean Thornberry. Karr/ Second? Champion/ I'll second it. Karr/ It's been moved by O'Donnell, seconded by Champion, to nominate Dean Thornberry as Mayor Pro tem for the City of Iowa City. Are there any other nominations? Are there any other nominations? Third and final call for any other nominations for the Mayor Pro tern position. Hearing none I'll entertain a motion to close nominations. O'Donnell/ So moved. Karr/ Moved by O'Donnell. Lehman/ Seconded by Lehman to close nominations. All those in favor of the motion to close nominations signify by saying "aye". (all) Opposed same sign. (none) Motion carried. Now proceed to the ballot for voting. Kubby/ I guess I had the same thing for the Mayor Pro tern. That if Dean has anything that he wants to say about what we can expect from him as Mayor Pro tem I'd like to hear that. Thornberry/ I really don't have too much to say about the office of Mayor Pro tem, Karen, other than that I feel that I'm quite politically close to the majority of the current Council and the new Mayor. And as a Council Member I have a tendency to take the bull by the horns and direct the bull as opposed to holding the tail and going where he leads. I commit to a position without really waffling on the position. Can and will am swayed by competent and worthwhile facts and will continue This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 //6 Page 8 to do that. I'm a horse of the same color that I have been. I hold a position that I can defend. I'm not always right and I don't know who is always right but that's why there are seven of us and I have one vote out of seven. Karen you and I have been probably in agreement more than we have not been agreement but there have been disagreements. But there always will be when a democratic form of government and that's why there are seven of us instead of one. Karr/ Any other discussion? Norton/ I was just going to say that I'm going to vote against Dean's nomination or election even though I enjoy him and respect him as a friend and respect his ideas. I just think I'd represent a little bit better range of views on the Council and in the community given Ernie as Mayor. I think that's my issue but nothing personal Dean. We'll get along just fine. Thornberry/ I'm still not going to give you any more strokes on the golf course. Norton/(laugh) all right, very good. I don't demand strokes. Thornberry/You do demand strokes. (laugh) Kubby/ I'd like to make a few comments too because I too will be voting in the negative. Especially in this last election cycle I heard a lot of people talking about inclusiveness in the Council and the Council needing to work well together and one of the ways that I think we had an opportunity to start off on a really wonderful foot in that sense would have been to have more diverse political representation in our leadership and when I sit in the audience and look back at those of us sitting up here it would have felt more inclusive to have Ernie and Dee rather than Ernie and Dean and I mean there are some there's always going to be political differences and 98% of the votes are 7/0 but there are some philosophical issues and stylistic issues that I do have some concerns about with Dean that are all things that you have said in public sphere or have been very vocal about. Things like not supporting gender neutral language which to me is an inclusiveness issue. Sometimes saying things like that you wanted to send postcard notification to a neighborhood because lower income people were going to move in and to me... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #6 Page 9 Thornberry/ Pardon me, I didn't understand that. Kubby/ You wanted to send out postcards to a neighborhood when we were talking about a transitional housing facility to let people know that lower income individuals were going to move into the neighborhood and that was something that you had said at a formal Council meeting and those are just things that are not of an inclusive nature that I want our leadership to be directing and so for me it will be a challenge having you as part of the leadership and I hope what that will bring for you is a challenge to be more inclusive in not only in your language and the way that you talk with the public and about the public and that that will be a challenge for you and I hope that you excel in that area. Thornberry/ If I may respond? Kubby/ Please. Thornberry/ I believe there should be gender equity not that I am opposed to men. Not that I am opposed to women being on any commission or anything. I just would like to have the best person for the job as opposed to we should give it to a woman because there are three men and only one woman on a commission and we're appointing another person. To be gender equal is necessarily a high priority of mine. It's expertise in the area. That's where I come from. As far as cards to the neighborhood on any changes in their neighborhood I believe in neighborhood integrity and to keep the neighborhood integrity in tack it's only fair for the people in the neighborhood to know of any changes that are going to be occurring in their neighborhood. Whether it be on Summit Street. Whether it be on Bowery. Whether it be on any street in town. The neighborhood integrity the people should know of the changes that are imminent in their neighborhoods. To keep it a secret from them should not be done. Those are the two points that you brought up that I felt I must respond too. Kubby/ I think to clarify. I was not talking about gender balance on boards and commissions I was talking about gender neutral language within our ordinances. The two times that you have voted against amendments to items not because of the content of the amendment but because there was gender neutral language included in them. I This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 //6 Page 10 can be real specific about the examples if that's helpful to you. a real different issue than the gender balance on boards and commissions. That's not what I was talking about. That's Thornberry/ I don't want to start a discussion on the bible or anything else when God created man and woman. I don't want to start on that and refuse to be taken into that... Kubby/ That's not what I was trying to do. I was just trying to explain why I was going to vote "no". Thornberry/ Well I read in the paper where you were going to vote "no" so it was no surprise. Lehman/ Let me just suggest, and I will support Dean, this is going to be a Council with seven people and this Council is going to be a team. We talk about Council leadership I think that we will collectively, hopefully, represent the people of this community. I have every confidence that all of us will occasionally say things that we wish we hadn't said. I do have confidence that Dean is going to be able to handle the job. Believe me I've had the job so I know what there is to handling the job. But I think we have got to as a Council move forward as a team irregardless of who sits in this chair or in Mayor Pro tern. I think we all know that. We're all in this together so I really think that we should get on with it. Get to the matters of the City. Karr/ Any other discussion? We have a motion on the floor and a nomination of Dean Thornberry for Mayor Pro tern of the City of Iowa City. All those favor signify by saying "aye". Opposed same sign. Motion carries 4/2 Kubby and Norton voting no. Proceed with item //7 the swearing in of Mayor and Mayor Pro tern. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #7 Page 1 1 ITEM NO. 7 MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEM SWORN IN (Mayor and Mayor Pro tern sworn in) Karr/ Mr. Mayor if you would like to take over the meeting. Lehman/ Okay. A couple of things. First of all I consider it a real privilege and honor to serve as Mayor of Iowa City. Not a position I take lightly. I'm looking forward to hopefully a very good two years. I think that we can get a lot of things done. I think we've got a good bunch of folks here and with our mutual efforts I think that we can work well together and that we can move forward. There are a couple, actually there are more than two, and I will pass these out to the Council members along with a copy of what I previously read but I think there are some goals that I personally feel that we need to consider. I would like each Council person to some up with their own goals and then at a future goal setting session I think that we need to sit down and decided and decide which prioritize those goals of which ones we feel are top of the list. I've got about nine different things. There're not in any order of priority but they are goals that I feel are very important and I would like to tell the rest of the Council. I think that we must maintain a continued commitment to the downtown projects currently in progress. We have to monitor them and I think we have to see to it that it remains a top priority for Council. I think we need to stay focused on the recently annexed industrial property and do everything prudent to see it developed in a expeditious and orderly manner. This represents an excellent opportunity to increase our tax base and adding new jobs. The development of the airport commercial property should be a very high priority and we should deal with it in a fashion consistent with the best interests of the airport and the community and I think we have a good start on that right now. I think we need to move quickly, but I think thoroughly, addressing the development issues for the northeast area including First Avenue and Scott Blvd. I think that we need to take a more active relationship with the University of Iowa administration and students. It's in our own mutual best interests and is an absolute necessity for our long term compatible growth. We need to review some of our Housing and Building Codes to see that they are serving the purposes for which they were enacted. Those which do not serve a genuine public interest should be altered or eliminated. I think we need to evaluate This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #7 Page 1 2 and long term housing goals, including but not limited to public ownership, subdivision concepts, smaller lots, and so on. And this is a goal that we talked about two years ago, it was high on our list of priorities, it is extremely high as far as I'm concerned. I think we need to establish an even greater commitment to consumer service to the people of this community by all of our elected officials and by the City employees at all levels. And lastly I think that we need to schedule, and I hope soon, a goal setting session for all of us so that we can prioritize our individual goals and I suppose we'll try and get this done at one of our first meeting. To set, I think set a times that we can sit down, the seven of us, and come up with the sorts of things that we would like to see done. Kubby/ Do we have a pretty light agenda for January 12 in terms of City business? Cause the organizational meeting could take some time we might need to schedule some extra meetings right away. Atkins/ Right now Karen I think a couple of the big issues are the water plant architecture, depends on how long you want to work on that. We have a discussion on the Gilbert Street corridor. We're contacting property owners about what to do. I know those two big items for sure and now the organizational. I would suggest that we do, and I have during the budget presentation I have a list of what I think are pending issues both budget related and the future to let you start thinking about, you may want to think about at least a work session off Monday night or something the sooner the better. I think that you have to at those things. Lehman/ Okay. Kubby/ Ernie do you have one more of your nine goals? A copy? Lehman/ Yes I do as a matter of fact...more than that too. Next item is item #8 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #8 Page 1 3 ITEM NO. 8 MOTION FOR CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS Lehman/ I've got some suggestions. I talked to Dee Vanderhoef last night on the phone and gave her a list of committee's that I thought she might like to serve on. This is a list and I guess that I would recommend this list. If there are other comments or suggestions or whatever. Kubby/ Yea. I'm just kidda laughing because I thought that's what this meeting was for to discuss who would be on these so I feel like... Lehman/ Exactly Norton/ Recommendations Thornberry/ They're recommendations if you want to change anything around now's the time to. Kubby/ There's actually a committee that needs an appointment. It's not really a committee but the HACAP Board of Directors. There's a City, Iowa City City Council representative, on HACAP that we need to add to this. I've been doing it for four years and I'm ready to pass the baton. So you could add this to the list as well if we could. Lehman/ I think that we did have at one time more appointments than we currently have. In fact if you look at what we had last year it included, you're right it included HACAP, prior to that and I think we did have a representative a the Community for Community Needs, Land Preservation, On-Site wastewater management, and Resource Enhancement and Protection and I don't think You served on the HACAP Board and I guess I would defer to you on how important you think it is that we have a Council representative on that Board. Kubby/ I think it is a good way in keeping in touch with what's going on and part of the human services. Lehman/ How does that vary from having a Council representative on other Boards? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #8 Page 14 Norton/ Yes. Does that set some sort of precedent? I mean we don't have somebody on Free Lunch. Kubby/ Right. It's just that HACAP from all the Counties on there Board of Directors of all the Counties and many of the cities that they provide service and it's a request of theirs. We don't have to honor it. Thornberry/ Does Coralville have a representative Karen? Kubby/ Coralville doesn't, no. Cedar Rapids does. Washington does. Norton/ I don't know. I kinda feel like Ernie we oughta look at the whole package and see which ones really cause does that give them some kind of a special status as distinct from other agencies that are presumably parallel? I don't know. Kubby/ I don't know. There structure is that a third of their Board is the public sector, meaning elected officials. A third of the Board being low income sector, meaning the people that they provide services for and with. And a third of their Board id the private sector. That's the way that they set things up but we don't have to participate if a majority doesn't want to I suppose. Lehman/ That's also something that if we decide to do we can do at a later time. Norton/ Yea. Kubby/ Okay. In the meantime but I want to let people know that I am no longer interested in doing that. Norton/ You're backing off. Yea, we're not represented at the moment then. Right. Kubby/ Okay. Norton/ I don't want them to take offense if we drop somebody Ernie. You can check with them and see. Champion/ Perhaps when we have an occasional meeting among ourselves Karen could spend a couple of minutes talking about what she's done This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 //8 Page 15 on that Board and how important she thinks it is and it would be something that if the Council wants to keep representation that I would be interested in but I don't feel that I have to do it so I think maybe we should look at it and then decide, Norton/ There we go. We have a volunteer. Kubby/ Yes and I've talked to Connie about that. Norton/ Good. Kubby/ I'm interested in being on the Legislative Committee and one of the reasons is that I think that the Legislative Committee has fro the past five years or so has not been very activist oriented. That we once in a while would send a letter out but we're not really meeting with our legislators. I think we just assumed that they are going to do the right thing and that they probably are but I think a different level of communication is needed right now and I'd like and I'm real good at setting up meetings and joggling people's schedule Norton/ We can't have four on there though. Kubby/ and getting ideas on how to approach them so I would like to serve on the Legislative. Lehman/ You have a very good observation. You know I believe that the Chamber of Commerce has meetings during the legislative session on one Saturday a month with the Legislators and I really believe that this committee needs to attend those meetings. I think that we need to be more active than we have been on legislative issues. If the local state government representatives are willing to spend their time on those Saturdays I think that the least we can do is have someone from Council there if nothing else to keep us apprised of what's going on and represent the interests of the City. Kubby/ Right well the other thing that I'm visioning too is not so much us listening to them but having a more informal time that they listen to US. Lehman/ I agree. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 //8 Page 16 Kubby/ We don't have many forums where people listen to us and I'd like to create some of that as well. One on one or small group thing. Thornberry/ Give some City input. Kubby/ Yea. Norton/ Can't have four on there can you? Kubby/ I don't think that we probably should have four. Thornberry/ And I would also like to be on that. Norton/ Well (laugh) Dee's not here we can always take her off. Lehman/ What's your pleasure? Thornberry/ You want to do that too? Norton/ I'd like too. I'm very interested but I understand don't have too. Kubby/ Well, hey Dean Thornberry, Kubby and Norton is a pretty full spectrum of this Council that may serve that Committee well. Champion/ Has the Council's in past gone to the Legislative Day in...? Norton/ Yes we do. Champion/ Have done some... Norton/ We do that and we meet but not as systematically or as hard nosedly as perhaps we should. Thornberry/ In a smaller group. I mean it's usually a very large Norton/ Yea, very large group with people from other communities and Champion/ You can't have four because of Norton/ Would be a meeting wouldn't it? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. FO 10598 //8 Page 17 Champion/ public meetings? Kubby/ Do you think Dee would be upset if she wouldn't on? She could always do stuff she doesn't have to be on the committee to participate in talking to legislators, writing letters, keeping us up to date on issues that she feels is important. Lehman/ I don't really know. I mentioned it to her last night. She called me about 10:30 to tell me she would not be here and I don't know. It was my suggestion not hers. She didn't tell me. Kubby/ Maybe we can move her somewhere else then. Thornberry/ Maybe what she could do is be a fill-in for one of the three of US. Norton/ That's right in case one of three can't go. That would be good. That would be an alternate. That would be good. Make her alternate because it will be tough sometimes on Saturday mornings there may be conflicts for different people. I think that would be wise, good move Ernie. Lehman/ Do I hear Kubby, Thornberry, and Norton for Legislative? All right. Rules Committee? I would like to be on that Committee. Norton/ I'll keep on I'm a knit picker. Thornberry/ You can be on if you want too. (Laughter) Norton/ I've done my duty. Willing to trade that. Lehman/ Would you prefer not to be? Norton/ I don't mind. I'll help with the Rules. I mean I've been doing it. It's pretty easy. We're developing a pretty common pattern now. Thornberry/ You still want to do Emergency? Norton/ No, no. Mike's doing that, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #8 Page 18 Thornberry/ Mike's going to do it huh? Norton/ Mike's going down with the ole boys down there. O'Donnell/ Well talk about it. Lehman/ Is that all right with you Mike? Emergency Management? O'Donnell/ That's fine. Thornberry/ You can talk to Dee about what's all entailed cause he did it last year. O'Donnell/ Okay. Norton/ I've done it two years but you're going to be down there when they're trying to raise the rates. Lehman/ It's going to be Mike's fault. Norton/ You'll enjoy it Mike. O'Donnell/ You see I'm used to that. Norton/ It's a good group. Lehman/ JCCOG will have six members and all of us with the exception of the Mayor is going to be on that Committee. I will be an alternate unless really doesn't want to be on that Committee. That's a very important Committee. Thornberry/ Yes. Kubby/ And if for some reason Ernie you can't do it Steve is allowed to fill in too I think. Lehman/ Right. Kubby/ So if you're unavailable as a sub. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 //8 Page 19 Thornberry/ Marian's always available. (laugh) Lehman/ Okay. Convention and Tourism Bureau. Connie is that something that I think it's a fun Committee to get your eyes open as to what that Committee really does. Champion/ Listen I'm wide open. I'm not fussy. I'm willing to try anything. Lehman/ You know that Committee is funded by hotel-motel taxes and they spend a lot of money it's really interesting to see the return they get on that money and I think that you'll enjoy that. Champion/ Thank you. I look forward to it. Lehman/ A Committee that I don't know that we've been as active as we probably could be or should be is the Student Senate Committee and I do think we can be. You know this interaction with the University is terribly, terribly important for us. The University is far more than University administration. It certainly includes students. Now I've got two names there. Norton/ You know we arranged that one meeting last year which I thought was very helpful on parking and a number of specific issues. Transit, parking and bikes and I think it's time to have another one. I think one of those each year is real, you know it's not easy to get organized but I think we probably should do that don't you think Karen? We were maybe going to focus on that downtown drinking issue and others but we need to figure it out. But I agree and I don't know that we can do more than once a year do you think Karen? Kubby/ No, because we really need to do follow-up on the issues that are brought forth which we didn't do about the transportation meeting. Norton/ But the parking led to the shuttle bus and other changes in downtown. Kubby/ The real question is are you willing to serve on the Committee? Norton/ Oh, I'll continue. If Dee is anxious for something well maybe she it's a possibility when you talk to her. If she's upset about leaving one of them why This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #8 Page 20 Lehman/ Okay. I think she plans on being here if Pete is okay Norton/Leave it this way for the moment. Lehman/ Okay. Kubby/ I'd like to move all of those appointments. Thornberry/ Maybe put Dee Vanderhoef in Student Senate thing. Norton/ She could be on it as well. It wouldn't hurt. Lehman/ There's no regulation says there can only be one person why don't we put Dee and Dee Norton/ Put her on there. That would be great. And Karen. Kubby/ Yea. Thornberry/ You can put all three. Norton/ Okay fine. Kubby/ The more you have the harder it is to get a meeting together. Thornberry/ Maybe two out of three. Norton/ We can always have breakfast. Lehman/ All right I think I heard a motion to approve by Karen. Kubby/ Yes, so move. Thornberry/ With the changes. Kubby/ With the changes. Lehman/ With the changes. Thornberry/ All right. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 #8 Page 21 Lehman/ Any further comments? Kubby/ Just to be clear the only changes from the sheet is that Vanderhoef has moved from Legislative to Student Senate. Lehman/ Right. Thornberry/ She's an alternate Kubby/ Alternate Thornberry/ Alternate on Legislative. Norton/ Very good. Lehman/ All those favor say "ayes" (all ayes) Opposed same sign. (none) Karr/ I'm sorry who seconded that? Lehman/ Mike O'Donnell. Karr/ Okay thank you. And the other change is Kubby to Legislative correct? Kubby/ Oh yea. Norton/ Ernie one last thing. Ernie I do think it is important for example the Convention and Visitors Bureau we need somebody there so when Dee's not there she usually ask somebody else? Lehman/ Oh yes. Norton/ So Mike on Emergency Management if you can't make it some night. Sometimes it's important to have somebody there you never know what will jump up even though some times its not all that much action. Thornberry/ Yea, if something pops up and you can't make it just call somebody and they'll stand in for you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598 //8 Page 22 Lehman/ This is the end of our regular agenda and there's one item that I was called about just before the meeting and I talked to Dean briefly. We received a letter from Sally Stutsman and the Board of Supervisors regarding the SEATS contact and I think that we are preparing a response to that but one of things in that letter said that apparently we have city staff who is not unhappy with the reports that we're getting... Dilkes/ Mr. Mayor I'm not sure if this isn't an agenda item that it's appropriate to discuss this right now. Lehman/ Oh. Sorry. Is there a motion to adjourn? Norton/ So moved. Thornberry/ Second. Lehman/ All in favor. (all) Meeting adjourned. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 5, 1998. F010598