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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-02-23 TranscriptionFebruary 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 1 Council: Lehman, Champion, Kubby, Norton, O'Donnell, Thomberry, Vanderhoef. Staff: Atkins, Helling, Karr, Yucuis, Doyle, Davidson, Fowler, Logsden, Neumann, O'Brien, Schoon, Franklin, Dilkes. Tapes: 98-28, all; 98-29, all. Review Agenda Items 98-28 S1 1. Thornberry/(Agenda Consent Calendar 5e(5)-814 Rundell Street Subordination Agreement) On #5 of the Consent Calendar, why in the world would we have to subordinate a loan for $100,000 when the taxable assessed value is $195,0007 Why do they want second? .... Lehman/If you are a bank, you do ask for security. Thomberry/But it is $195,000 and they are only holding $100,000. Why in the world would they need a second? Lehman/I am sure to secure their interest in it .... Thornberry/We wouldn't have to do this. Lehman/I think they probably couldn't get a loan with out this. Kubby/We could ask Pam Barnes .... Thomberry/ Dilkes/It is a rehab loan that already in existence and the bank is making a first mortgage and so we subordinate the rehab loan....typically do as long as there is enough equity to recover it because the bank usually wants to be in a first position. Thornberry/ .... they would like to have four subordinations .... I don't understand why the bank would require the city to subordinate $100,000 loan on a $195,000 assessed valued property. Lehman/This is a second mortgage .... Dilkes/It is a refinance .... so the city is already in a second position .... in order for the positions to remain the same. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 2 Vanderhoef/It is a refinance on this loan. Kubby/ Thomberry/I just didn't think it was necessary to have a second when they are only loaning $100,000 on a $195,000 house .... Dilkes/It is not a second mortgage. It is a rehab loan. Thomberry/There is $95,000 worth of equity. Dilkes/ ....the two weren't done at the same time .... Kubby/ ....does it really matter to us? Thornberry/ Atkins/Doesn't make that much difference because we have sufficient equity .... ? Thomberry/ Norton/Might give the person a better loan .... Lehman/ 2. Champion/I would like not to receive these little blue things unless they say "yes." Karr/You don't want to receive them unless they say yes? Champion/I don't need to see .... I don't want to get all of these. Karr/Okay. Vanderhoef/I had it on my list, too ....save paper. Karr/So you want us to file them and only give them to you if they say yes. Vanderhoef/Correct. Lehman/That is a good idea .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 3 3. Champion/I was quite disturbed about this letter from Pat Eckhardt about the Historic Preservation Commission, that she was not granted a contract and yet she was asked to submit a bid and her bid was several thousand dollars less than who they granted it to .... because she lived on Linn Street .... disturbing .... Norton/Is that an agenda item? Lehman/That is okay. It was going to come up anyway. Could we ask for a response? Atkins/Yes... we will prepare a formal response. 4. Thornberry/On the PCRB executive session, page 2 1 think there was just a little error .... 5b.6. It was 2-9-98 .... 97-6 and 97-6. Is there two 97-6's? Karr/97-7. Thank you. 5. Vanderhoef/ .... PCRB. I would like to know if there is a position that the council would like to take. There has been an incident already that Karen was contacted by someone who was going through the process of PCRB and as a council person, I am not real comfortable personally in conversing with someone who is in the middle of the process and I am not clear how other people feel about this and whether they think this is something they feel we ought to have a policy on? Kubby/I think our role is just to clarify what the process is and have people stick with it. Lehman/I think that is exactly right ....Have that commission be as non-political as absolutely possible. Norton/Our comment would be stick to the process. Kubby/ ....called them back... what was expected .... Vanderhoef/I appreciated the note... It was looking toward the future of what happens if someone calls .... Lehman/ Dilkes/Ernie ....where are we? Lehman/Going through some council time. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 4 Kubby/Council time and agenda items mixed together. Dilkes/Okay .... maybe this is more appropriate under Council Time because it is not an agenda item. Stick to agenda items under Agenda Items and do council time- 6. Norton/(Agenda Consent Calendar 5e(3)- Construction of South Sycamore Regional Greenspace and Drainage Corridor ) .... Clarify .... acquisition of easements... South Sycamore Regional Drainage... I just wanted if someone could tell us .... idea of how many there are? .... big project... Point of information. Atkins/I will ask somebody for tomorrow. Norton/Was the cost of those easements included in the original number of $1.1 million? Atkins/To the best of my knowledge it was. I will check .... $1.166 million was the total cost of the project. Norton/Follow-up. The property owners out there who benefit from this thing were presumably going to kick into this, right? Can their kicking in be in the form of a free easement? Atkins/I don't know. Dilkes/I think if you can negotiate that. Atkins/I suspect we could. Norton/Or even a fee simple situation. Dilkes/If you get to condemnation or you can't agree and you go to condemnation, the benefit to them can't be considered, cannot. Norton/Such a wide scale project .... have more information about it. 7. Norton/Long term deer management thing. I guess that is just setting the p.h. so I will hold my comments to then. I am concerned about the bow and arrow hunting in the long range. Champion/Stick to our guns on that. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session Thomberry/On #7, under Planning and Zoning before Karin gets here. Lehman/We will do P/Z. 8. Kubby/(Agenda # 20- AGREEMENT WITH THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO FOR A PURCHASING CARD SYSTEM.) ...credit cards. It sounds like it is a good idea but I would like to be able to have it be a local bank. I would rather have a local bank profit from our efficiency. Atkins/I think I can answer that for you. We did put out proposals and Iowa State Bank was the only bank who submitted a proposal and they were basically going to provide us with credit cards .... three year agreement .... We did try that. Kubby/Three local banks who do a lot of good community work .... Lehman/ Atkins/One of the banks officially said we are not interested .... 9. Norton/(Agenda #19- FEE FOR TEMPORARY USE PERMITS.) ...fees for this temporary. Will somebody be here tomorrow night to discuss those? .... could be considerable cost .... I just wondered if $75 is only Ron's office or does it include the total city commitment? .... Atkins/I can get someone here tomorrow night. My understanding was they thought through that number. Norton/Just find out for yourself and let us know tomorrow night. Vanderhoef/...$25 renewal which .... gave... behoove me to immediately renew and do this again and keep it going ....It still takes an inspector to go out and look at it to be sure it is set up safely. Thornberry/Is this within 12 months or the calendar year? Atkins/(Can't hear). Vanderhoef/Well, I don't know ..... Norton/Get a little clarification to make sure the money is realistic. page 5 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 6 Lehman/ 10. Kubby/(Agenda # 18- RESOLUTION RECLASSIFYING POSITIONS IN THE WASTEWATER DIVISION AND THE LANDFILL DIVISION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT) There is a new memo on our desk tonight. It is slightly different .... Helling/What it does essentially is remove the second part. We have to go back and look at that again .... We need some clarification ..... Kubby/It may be what the Landfill needs is a Maintenance Worker II ..... Helling/We may come back to you with a resolution adding a Maintenance Worker II, deleting Maintenance Worker I .... Lehman/ Helling/Just the amended resolution that has the one position, Maintenance Worker in Wastewater. Lehman/All right. Vanderhoef/ Kubby/ 11. Norton/I thought Dean would bring this one up about the paving of Napoleon Park. Leave it up in the air whether it is going to be asphalt or concrete depending on what happens? Lehman/ Atkins/I thought it was a bid alternative that took care of that. I will find out for you. Norton/ Thomberry/ Atkins/So Napoleon Park is okay? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 7 SEATS 98-28 S1 Lehman/Next agenda item is SEATS. Atkins/I don't have a whole lot to report to you. We do have a list of names in your packet for a perspective advisory committee. Ron and Joe assembled that list of names. Those folks have indicated their willingness to serve. We have checked with them .... Secondly, I do not have .... your rural budget proposal yet. We have not received the information back from the County. And until that information arrives, really there is no way I can assemble that budget for you. A third point, is that the weekly reports that we have been receiving from the county, we have not received in about a month. So our information sources are slipping somewhat. We did check on quick thing. The transfer of equipment, we checked with the IDOT officials as well as ECCOG and they have confirmed... that the transfer is something that they feel they can accommodate fairly easily. And that is really all I have to report. Champion/Are you open to any more people on the committee? Atkins/That is a list of names that we came up with, Connie. It is really very much up to you all. You pick whoever you would like to pick and we will serve their interest. Norton/It is about six and six, providers and people who ride? Kubby/Seven and five. Norton/ Kubby/Seven persons with disabilities .... Thornberry/That is 12 people on the committee. Norton/Pretty good size. Kubby/One of the comments about the list... many people who use wheelchairs. You can't just lump all persons with disabilities together .... try to broaden the spectrum of what people's needs are in terms ofparatransit would be helpful. There is someone with a visual impairment .... I know that there was a gathering here this This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 8 afternoon ..... Maybe we could go to that group and say do you have suggestions on how to broaden this. Vanderhoef/Do you have anyone from the Senior Center, a senior rider? Atkins/ Vanderhoef/ Atkins/Those folks are people that expressed an interest. If you want to add to or subtract from, that is very much your call. The size of the committee, 12 is getting big .... Norton/ Vanderhoef/If we have got overlap or similarities on riders .... Thomberry/Every person has a unique situation and how many do you put on a committee? Lehman/Steve, these people have expressed an interest to serve on the committee? Atkins/Ron, you spoke with those people and they all indicated they would agree to serve? Logsden/That is correct. Atkins/Ron has indicated they would agree to serve. Logsden/(Can't hear). Atkins/Ron indicated that he contacted some seniors and some of them were not interested in serving. We can contact more. O'Donnell/I had somebody interested tonight .... add them to that list. I think it should be cut down, certainly. Lehman/ .... If all of these people have volunteered and if they all have been talked to, I have a little problem with going back and saying... now we decided we don't want you .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 9 Atkins/Ron's comment to them was we are thinking about this... they indicated their willingness to participate. I don't know of any hurt feelings if someone is not selected. It was intended just to get an expression of their willingness to participate. Kubby/I think we should hear who the other people are ..... O'Donnell/I gave the letter to Steve tonight. Kubby/If we are deciding on the committee, how can we- Lehman/I think it needs to be decided pretty soon. Kubby/ O'Donnell/We don't even know the size of the group. Norton/Let's have those two names? Kubby/Why is there a hesitancy to say their out loud? Champion/There isn't .... Norton/ ....put 14 numbers in the hat and draw 7 of them. Champion/I thought Bob Welsh would really be good on it .... Norton/ ....riders and ones that are agencies .... Champion/I think he talks to a lot of seniors .... O'Donnell/Leann Mayhew has expressed interest to me twice. She is a user. Kubby/Leann uses fixed route and paratransit which is really great. Norton/Don't you think 7 would be enough ..... Kubby/I prefer more... 9. Lehman/I would like for us to come up with a number and let staff know what that number is... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 10 Kubby/Are we talking about something that is more longer term? ... Or for just for this discussion about who provides and how? .... I think long term .... Lehman/Do we agree on 9? Norton/ Champion/ Vanderhoef/I think we are moving forwards towards a commission kind of thing which is not what I heard that we were doing with this originally. We are putting together... here... is a transition team to help in the transition. It has nothing to do about a commission as far as I am concerned. Lehman/May I suggest- We have talked... short term. I think that there is a very definite case to be made for long term as well. But I think for the time being .... we need to get this committee appointed and get started. We can make the decision as to the tenure at some time in the future. But I think this committee needs to be appointed and needs to get started. Kubby/But saying it is a transition team says that we have made a decision before we have seen- Lehman/We are not going to use the words 'transition team.' Kubby/ ....they can develop what we do and how we approach the issue. Not to help with the transition from the county to the city. That is premature. Lehman/I agree with that. Kubby/That is not what I just heard you say. Vanderhoef/That is not the way I interpreted it. Truly... they wanted- The request from Casey Hayse .... wanted a group put together to help identify the transition kinds of things that they were concerned about .... It had nothing to do with being a commission or any of this long term thing .... Norton/ .... within a reasonable time... help work out.. help us figure out what to do... recommendations... structure for long term advice for paratranist operation. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 11 Vanderhoeff At that point we can design what we need .... Norton/They can recommend what kind of long term committee that we need. Kubby/But I still hear Dee Norton and Dee Vanderhoef saying slightly different things. I think we need to be clear about what the task of the committee is before we go off appointing one. They need to have some objectives that we give them so they know what to do and what their goals are. And I still hear Dee talking about transition .... Champion/We had a name .... advisory committee. Lehman/I think the job of this committee is to define what SEATS does. It is not their decision to decide whether or not the City or County provides the service. Kubby/But to help us understand the system so we can make the decision .... Lehman/Their role is not to decide who provides the service but to help us better understand what is expected of that service so that we can make a better decision as to whether or not we feel we can provide it. O'Donnell/That, to me, doesn't sound long term. Lehman/It may or may not be... for the time being this committee needs to get started. Vanderhoef/ Norton/If you want 9, you have got 8 users and 6 agency type people... cut it down by having the staff throw 3 of the 8 out and 2 of the 6 .... Lehman/Is that all right with the rest of council? (All talking). Lehman/Wait a minute .... Champion/ ....different reasons that they use SEATS ..... Norton/I don't think we should ask staff to pare it down. Thomberry/...identify the groups that you want represented .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 12 Norton/ Lehman/Simplest thing is that accept the 12 that have been contacted and make the committee 12 and go on with it. O'Donnell/I think that is fine. Norton/Does that leave out your 2? That would be 14. Kubby/I would suggest... 3 people from the Evert Conner Center, two of which have CP and that one of them be dropped and replaced with Leann... Heather is an employee, I believe .... Keith is a rider and is employed... as well as Casey. So I think either Casey or Keith should be dropped and replaced by Leann. Keith... and replaced by Leann. Lehman/All right. Kubby/And to replace Linda Kopping with Bob Welsh. O'Donnell/I like Linda on there. Kubby/Then we have two people representing seniors who both aren't seniors, who aren't riders of SEATS. Norton/You don't need Leanne and Linda and Bob. Vanderhoef/I agree. Lehman/Leave the group as it is and add Leann. Kubby/ ....why are we not going to decrease the agency folks .... Lehman/ Vanderhoef/Leanne has one look at it and Linda has another one .... I guess maybe Bob is the one that I would drop out of it. Norton/He will go to the meetings anyhow. Lehman/So we have replaced Ruff with Leann? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 13 Kubby/Talking with 12. (All talking). Lehman/You got it, set it up, wish them God speed and any help that they want from council, please have them feel free to call us. Kubby/I think we need to, in writing, explain to them what we are asking them to do .... Lehman/I agree. Kubby/I have another SEATS issue in response to your letter back to the Board of Supervisors. One of the things that wasn't responded to by our letter back was the offer to kind of experiment with co-manager of SEATS .... to make sure we understand what it is we are getting into .... O'Donnell/I don't think that is necessary. Lehman/I don't know that we have the information yet .... to say that we can even do that. (All talking). Vanderhoef/ .... background of our employees and previous experience in paratransit .... I would prefer to leave that up to their choice. Kubby/I am not sure that private paratranist operations would be as flexible as what the county is doing ..... O'Donnell/I don't know what we would accomplish at all. Kubby/Here is what would be valuable to me. To make sure that our staff fully understands the current amount and manner that flexibility has provided to date .... some of that is people power and vehicle power .... some of that has to do with flexibility .... To make sure that is incorporated into our budget... Champions/I have problems with it... I totally trust the city staff....That is their job to do .... Kubby/They haven't gone down to observe the dispatch. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 14 O'Donnell/ Champion/ Lehman/ ....if it becomes apparent that that needs to occur .... Kubby/As long as that is not a dead issue. Lehman/Steve .... There are a number of questions .... received from folks who are very concerned about SEATS .... Many of those questions we do have the answers for and I have suggested to the staff that we compile a list of questions and answers, make those available to the folks who are riding SEATS .... along with an explanation of where we are in this process... That a final decision won't be reached until we get all the information .... I think we owe it to those folks to dispel some of the bad information out there .... Kubby/ ....Fears create questions. Lehman/Karen, there have been some out and out lies told. Vanderhoef/ Thornberry/ Lehman/I just think it would be wise for us to try to clear up some of those easy but fundamental questions. Kubby/I think we should have the time frame on there, too. I have no idea .... I would like that discussed before we get off this topic. Vanderhoef/The time frame of what? Kubby/When we are going to talk about it next, when are we going to get more information, when we are going to get an updated budget. Vanderhoeff I think we heard already this evening that we cannot provide a budget for county activities until we get the information an we have requested the information back on the 13th and so far we have not received it. So we can't provide that budget. So we have no time frame on that and that depends on the County .... The time frame that was put into the original proposal was that if we took it over, we were looking at a minimum of three months and if we could do it This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 15 by July 1 or in that time frame, that was what our recommendation was and I have not heard that that has ever changed. Lehman/I think it is more apropos for you to speak to that Steve .... time frame .... Atkins/I am not so sure I can either .... Thornberry/I have got a question. How long do you wait for information? Atkins/Good question. Lehman/At this point, we are just waiting. Things are kind of in limbo. Thornberry/What are we waiting for? Lehman/For the information that we requested from- Thornberry/How long do we wait? Lehman/I don't know how long we wait. (All talking). Vanderhoef/The request from the county was that we get information back to them by the 20th ....and we still haven't received our information from them so that we can do it. Champion/...important thing... people are reassured .... Vanderhoef/Following up on Emie's suggestion of question and answer thing, I think we have a lot of these questions available to us .... Is there a method that we could have a call in number to add questions to the list or drop us a postcard? ....Give us a question so we can answer it. Lehman/Steve, do we have a list if questions yet? Atkins/Yes...earlier meeting ....We haven't finished it yet. Champion/ Vanderhoef/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 16 Norton/...nice to start planning ....A million different ways to chop this thing up .... O'Donnell/It is really difficult to set a deadline when we don't have the information. Norton/Set a deadline for the information. Why not let's say by March 15, we got to move or whatever? O'Donnell/I would like to do that. Lehman/ .... If we have not received an answer from the County by March 15, then we are going to have to proceed as if we were not going to receive the information. Norton/ Lehman/ O'Donnell/I would like to get this committee going. Lehman/Yes, the committee starts. Kubby/And Dee is continuing to talk that until we make- That we are still onboard with this July 1 and I am not attached to that at all because .... there needs to be a transition team .... I am not interested in having a firm July deadline. Vanderhoef/That was as near as possible .... put out as the suggested date. Kubby/ Lehman/More important to furnish the quality service that we are talking about then it is that it be delivered by a certain date ....If we do it, we will do it in a timely fashion .... Kubby/Are there still four people who are using the same language as Ernie is, saying if we do it? Because if there are four people who are saying no matter what, we are going to do it, we need to be honest about that and put that out there right away .... Lehman/Let me phrase the question like this. Are there four people .... who are absolutely positive that the city should take over the system? Thomberry/I think we have already done this once but we can do it again. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 17 Lehman/We told the staff to proceed to investigate this. Kubby/The more important question is that once we see what we have already directed staff to do, we may or may not choose to provide the system ..... Norton/ .... based on further information .... If they come up with some big different numbers, I could change my mind .... Thornberry/From past experience, I would feel very very uncomfortable with continuing SEATS service with the County .... knowing what I know .... As a business decision .... If ! was getting that type of service... I would not stay with them .... Norton/ Champion/I have a different viewpoint .... I think the City should do it. I am not willing to move forward with it unless we will provide the same quality of service .... I think we should do it ....I think we are a main user of it. I think it ought to be in our hands .... Norton/ Vanderhoef/Especially when the money has not been coming back .... (All talking). Lehman/Are there four people who are willing to say unequivocally at this point in time that the city is going to take over the service? ! see three. Thornberry/Four. One, two, three, four. Kubby/She said she has to look at the quality we are willing to provide before she is willing put her hand up. Thornberry/I thought you said the City should do it. Champion/! am convinced the City should do it... (All talking). Thornberry/I think we have got to get off the fence here folks. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 18 Champion/I am not on the fence. I think the City should do it and I am going to insist we provide the same quality of service. Thornberry/There you go ..... Kubby/ CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 98-28 SIDE 2 Thomberry/Saying we can put in on paper. Norton/I want to see it on paper. Vanderhoef/Staff can do that. So we have got 4 1/2. Thornberry/I just think we need to tell the people that the decision has been made. All we are doing now is putting the package together ..... Norton/ Thornberry/ ....We can do it and we can do it well ..... Norton/Our whole reason for going into this was for cost effectiveness. Thornberry/That was the original intent. Norton/ Thornberry/And the level of commitment that a purveyor has had with a client and the client-purveyor relationship ain't there. Kubby/But at this point, Connie is willing to say that she will back out if she doesn't feel that what we are providing will be quality and that is important because it is like the swing vote in terms of being open to saying yea or nay. There are four people who are open to saying yea or nay depending how it is. I want that to be clear. Lehman/A week ago tomorrow night, I wrote down where I think the city is regarding SEATS and I sent this to Steve today .... I got it and I am going to read it. And if you disagree with it, tell me so because this is, from sitting here, this is where I feel we are. (Reads his notes.) "The current situation with SEATS is as follows: This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 19 The city council instructed the city staff to investigate the possibilities of the city furnishing the system to at least the City of Iowa City and to the entire area if possible. The result of this direction was council receipt of preliminary figures and information from the staff as to how the service would be provided and at what costs. It was emphasized that the information was based on information received by the city from the county which information may be considered to be incomplete. Based on this information, the council directed the staff to continue development of the system. A final decision on the part of the city as to whether we will or will not provide the services will be made later. It rather says based on our information we feel we may be able to provide the same level of service at a costs saving to the tax payers of the city. Subsequent communications from the county have left us to try to configure a system for the entire county which would require a 28E agreements between the county and other governmental agencies. We have requested the necessary information from the county to enable us to make such calculations. Upon receipt of such information, we will attempt to put together a comprehensive system for the entire county. The process of putting it together such a system will be time consuming and very detailed. For the time being, it is important that the council, the county, and the riders of the SEATS system exhibit a level of patience which will help this process come to a fruitful conclusion. It is only after we come to a conclusion that we are comfortable with that we will elect to either provide the service or reconvene discussions with the current service provider." Now that is where I think we are .... My spell checker didn't correct all the spelling .... Is that really where we are? Norton/That is where I am but I am not sure everyone is. Kubby/I think there are four people who are there. Lehman/ Kubby One of the questions I have, especially for Connie, in terms of looking at the quality of service. How will we assess if the quality of our service is the same? .... Champion/I think that will come out of that committee ..... Kubby/ Champion/As questions come out of that committee, we will have to respond to them .... Lehman/We aren't going to get any further with this tonight. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 20 Kubby/ Lehman/I think that most of us feel that there is a possibility that we will be doing this .... We are not willing to put that in concrete. O'Donnell/Service is the key word ..... ]Council Break] This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 21 Landfill Grant Program 98-28 S2 Lehman/Landfill Grant Program. Brad. Neumann/You should all have a copy of the Iowa City Landfill Grant Program recommendations. This is a program that you approved last fall .... $25,000 annually for waste reduction efforts... available to any business, non-profit or community .... We got eight applications .... They all fit within the $25,000 .... We had a staff committee .... Norton/Nobody is picking up their containers with a forklift .... Neumann/ (All talking). Lehman/All right .... Neumann/We are just looking for your approval of the recommendations. Lehman/We concur. Thank you very much ..... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 22 Review Zoning Items 98-28 S2 a. Consider a motion setting a public hearing for March 10 on an ordinance amending Title 14, Chapter 6, "Zoning," Article E, "Commercial and Business Zones," Section 2, Neighborhood Commercial Zone (CN-1) regarding size restrictions on restaurants. Franklin/Setting a p.h. for March 10 on size restrictions on restaurants. b. Consider a motion setting a public heating for March 10 on an ordinance amending the approved preliminary Sensitive Areas Development Plan for Lot 51 of Walden Hills, containing 2.9 acres and located within the OSA-8, Sensitive Areas Overlay Zone at the northeast comer of Shannon Drive and Irving Avenue. (REZ97-0018) Franklin/Setting p.h. on March 10 on a PDH for lot 51 in Walden Hills. Norton/Is that changing the number of structures on that Lot 51 ? Franklin/Yes, it is a different configuration .... It is also a different configuration in terms of how it is going to be sold... s.f. detached on very narrow lots with not exactly an alley .... Houses will face the street and you will come in from the back. I will show you pictures next time. Norton/ Franklin/It will not exceed the density that is allowable there. Kubby/You want #7a., don't you? Thomberry/I did. I read- Considerable was almost italicized. Franklin/It is italicized. Lehman/ c. Consider an ordinance vacating a portion of former Benton Street between Riverside Drive and the Iowa River which is adjacent to Linder Tire Service. (Second consideration) Franklin/Second consideration on the vacation on a portion of Benton Street. d. Consider a resolution approving revisions to the August 6, 1996, Fringe Area Agreement with Johnson County, which is part of the Iowa City Comprehensive Plan. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 23 Franklin/Resolution on the Fringe Agreement, changing the language from plat to concept plan .... e. Consider an ordinance vacating .50 acres of Waterfront Drive, located south of Highway 6 and east of Gilbert Street. (VAC97-0003) (Second consideration) Franklin/Second consideration on vacation of a portion of Waterfront Drive so we can sell that. Vanderhoef/Do we want to collapse that? Franklin/Yes, you do. You want to collapse that one and Benton Street, Item #c. also... f. Consider a resolution approving a preliminary and final plat of Disposition Parcels of a Portion of Waterfront Drive, a 0.5 acre, 4-lot subdivision located south of Highway 6 and east of Gilbert Street. (SUB97-0033) Franklin/The subdivision of Waterfront Drive. You also need to do that prior to your p.h. and resolution on conveyance which is later on the agenda. So e. and f. need to be done before you can do Item #10. g. Consider an ordinance amending Title 14, Chapter 6, entitled "Zoning," Article L, entitled "Provisional Uses and Special Exceptions," to provide for temporary use permits to allow short-term activities, such as special events or seasonal outdoor storage and sales. (Pass and adopt) Franklin/Pass and adopt on temporary use permits. And there is an item later on on the agenda about the fee for temporary use permits .... h. Consider an ordinance amending the Building Code and Title 14, Chapter 6, entitled "Zoning," Article B, entitled "Zoning Definitions," to change the definition of GRADE. (Pass and adopt) Franklin/Pass and adopt on definition of grade. i. Consider a resolution approving a preliminary and final plat of Westport Plaza, Part Two, a 14.41 acre, one-lot commercial subdivision with one outlot located on the southeast side of Highway 1 West, north of Sunset Street. (SUB97-0034) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 24 Franklin/The preliminary and final plat of Westport Plaza, Part Two... two-lot subdivision. One lot of which is the outlot for the runway protection zone ....Are there any questions on this one? Vanderhoef/Everything is in order now? Franklin/(Yes). Norton/I have a question on #h. Is the grade definition at all relevant to what is going on off Foster Road? Franklin/It is not, no. It is not pertinent to that project. j. Consider a resolution to sever (de-annex) 78 acres of property located south of Highway 6 in the northwest comer of the corporate limits. (ANN98-0001) Franklin/A resolution to severe 78 acres in the NW comer of the city. We had the p.h. on this last time. Coralville is deferring this to their March 10 meeting .... Norton/Is there any quid for this quo? (All talking). Franklin/No, not really. It is being neighborly. k. Consider a resolution approving a preliminary plat for Boyd's Fashionable Acres, an 11.34 acre, 16-lot residential subdivision located at 2511 Rochester Avenue. (SUB97- 0027) Franklin/A resolution approving the preliminary plat of Boyd's Fashionable Acres, a 17 lot subdivision. This is not one that you have seen before and I want to point out that in the comment, the vote from P/Z Commission was 4-2, not 6-0 .... Rochester Driveway. Do you want to look at that one? Vanderhoef/Yes... I have got a question, too .... Kubby/So it is an existing driveway, not a new driveway? .... Franklin/Right. (Refers to map). This is where the driveway comes out .... That is Frank Boyd's house and he is the one that is doing the subdivision of the whole property... He is not intending to develop this immediately but wants it in place This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 25 for the future ..... (Refers to map). I would anticipate that we can see this drive as the one servicing this house with a possible change in ownership. Champion/(Refers to map). Norton/Will the drive onto Rochester disappear when Lot 1 is itself subdivided? Franklin/Yes. If it is either rezoned or subdivided at some time in the future .... Norton/ Kubby/Is that is in legal documents? That once the property changes hands, the driveway will be closed? Franklin/It will be in the legal documents of the final plat. Not that the property changes hands. If it is subdivided or rezoned. Kubby/ Franklin/If they go forward with this plat, then that driveway stays if it is just done this way. If that lot is resubdivided (refers to map) .....then we would... have that driveway disappear. Kubby/Is it a problem having the current driveway so close to the new street? Franklin/Ideally you would not want it there ....it is just one s.f. house. I would like to see it disappear in time. Vanderhoef/The road... curve... blind curve .... Franklin/We wanted it lined up here because it is across from- Vanderhoef/It is just a problem. I have a couple of questions. In the outlot area... donate 2.35 acres .... Does that include both of the retention basins they are talking about? Franklin/No (refers to map) ..... There are two detention basins because of the way the land lies ..... (refers to map). Vanderhoef/Off of Post Road, do we have an easement in place there? ..... between lots 27 & 28? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 26 Franklin/There is an existing storm sewer right here (refers to map)... along a drainage way here... catch basin right here .... What will happen with this project is that it will be piped from here (refers to map). Vanderhoef/So we do have that stormwater easement between the two houses? Franklin/(Yes). Vanderhoef/Could we use that... another easement between lots 5 & 6 of the new one so that we can get access off of Post Road over to the Outlot A? .... Franklin/We could ask for it between 5 & 6 as part of the subdivision. We would have to negotiate with these property owners .... If they did not want.. that to happen, we would have to pay them for those easement rights and that is not part of this subdivision... dealing with two other property owners ..... Vanderhoeff (Refers to map) .... Kubby/Makes the outlot more functional .... Vanderhoef/Absolutely .... Rita Lyrm comes over to First Avenue .... people use it all of the time .... to get down to Hoover School... I would like that investigated. Franklin/I need to know if there is a majority of council that wishes to consider this. It would mean deferral of this plat because we need to- Well, we could go ahead with the preliminary and attempt to get it with the final. If you do that, then it is purely up to the willingness of the applicant in this case to grant that walkway between 5 & 6. Vanderhoef/Or wherever you could negotiate one from Post Road. Franklin/ .... if we could negotiate it. I don't know whether that will occur or not .... Once you approve this preliminary plat, the final comes in, you would be hard pressed to say no to that final plat once you approve this preliminary. Norton/Parks and Recreation must have looked at this question .... access difficult. Franklin/There is two points of access .... 30 foot wide easement here (refers to map) ..... Mr. Boyd has also said that he will dedicate a 20 foot easement here down to Mount Vernon .... have a pathway through it. The dedication of open space in this This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 27 case is much greater than what is required ....Asking for... on top of that. I don't know what the response would be. Norton/Both P/R and P/Z looked at this .... issue of access to that ....Who mows all of Lot A? .... Franklin/The water detention is right in here (refers to map) and all the rest of it is open space. The entire area will be dedicated to the city. We will maintain the whole thing. Kubby/ ....we take on maintenance responsibilities for homeowner's associations .... Franklin/It is the tradeoff for public access .... Champion/ ....natural. Franklin/Why don't I talk to the applicant tomorrow and see if he is amenable to this at all? If he is not, I will let you know tomorrow. Okay. Lehman/Never hurts to ask. Kubby/ .... Is it possible to have this other drive? I prefer to leave the drive where it is but only until the street is built .... Once the street is built, to have that drive switched .... We should get that extra drive out of there on that curve .... Lehman/I think that because it serves only one s.f. dwelling, it has been there for years .... presented no problem whatsoever. I have no problem with leaving it there .... Kubby/There is going to be more traffic .... Norton/ Franklin/Frank and I had a conversation about this property two years ago or more. I do not recall making that commitment. He does. I didn't think it was something worth going to bat over. Jeff and I consulted about it... consequences... It didn't seem like the battle to pick .... We called it even. Champion/ ....I would try to get the walkway .... Norton/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 28 Franklin/Okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 29 Library/Cultural Center Building Committee Presentation/Referendum 98- Franklin/The Library/Cultural Center Building Committee would like to present where they are and then where they would like you to be. Jessie Singerman/Good evening. I am the President of the ICPL Board of Trustees. I am going to speak first this evening and then Tom Gelman will be talking on the CenterSpace concept. Last year we celebrated the 100th birthday of the ICPL. Tonight we are here to ask your assistance in planning for our second century of service ..... library services... no longer adequately served by our current facility .... out of space and we must find an appropriate solution to our current and future space needs. We are here tonight to ask you for three things: council support for the multi-use project on 64-1A, including an expanded library and CenterSpace facility, to ask that you reach a decision about how such a project would be financed and to ask that you proceed no later than May 1 to confirm a date for a referendum on this project in November 1998. The benefits to Iowa City of your actions include a library able to effectively meet current and projected demands .... innovative library services .... vital and healthy downtown. Iowa Citians love their library... soul of Iowa City, a jewel .... A cornerstone of downtown. We have a great public library. It is the busiest library in the State of Iowa .... dedicated staff.... demographics of Iowa City... education level... indicate... citizenry prone to making heavy use of the library resources .... I have a few statistics. (Refers to overhead: ICPL Statistics). Over 70% of people in our service area have library cards. 56,000 regular borrowers .... We circulated 1.2 million items last year... 100,000 information and reference questions .... programs... 21,000 people... Had 674,000 visits to the library. In four hours on a typical Sunday, 1,000 people will come through the doors... very very heavily used facility. The current building was opened in June, 19981. It's 47,350 square feet .... local population and usage level... exceeded by 1990 ..... Shortfall in space in 1990 .... was 14,000 square feet .... by Year 2010, estimates are we will need an additional 28,000 square feet .... How do we get here tonight? The ICPL Board of Trustees has been exploring our expansion options since 1992 .... library space planning experts .... building plan .... researched eight variations of potential projects before we presented a project to the council in '95-96. Our plan was to expand the library to the west into the Lenock and Cilek Building .... council rejected this plan .... At that point we agreed to a joint planning process with the council... library needs and larger plans for downtown Iowa City .... The city council and Library Board of Trustees held six meetings from May '96 to March '97 .... majority of council members agreed .... expanded library was necessary and that the expansion should be downtown. It This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 30 was further decided... most promising option was multi-use, multi-story building on 64-1A .... architects engaged... showed how it could be done and in June '97 the council passed a resolution of intent to put the question of a bond referendum supporting this project on the ballot no later than November 3, 1998. At that point, council began to consider the financing... we began meeting with representatives of CenterSpace. Since then ....met regularly with CenterSpace Committee members to consider the project .... This project meets the needs of the library for expanded space .... will provide expanded space for children's programming and collection... expanded access to adult collection, increase seating... more computer access... other services of the library. The Library Board of Trustees has endorsed this project and wished to proceed with council's support to take it to the voters .... We are here to ask three things tonight (refers to overhead: Ask Three Things). That the council support the multi-use project on 64-1A, including an expanded library and CenterSpace facility. To ask that you reach a decision about how such a project will be financed and that you proceed no later than May 1 to confirm a November date to put this project before the voters so that we can conduct an appropriate campaign. The benefits as I indicated before... library able to meet current and post needs, projected demand and a healthy and vital downtown. Thank you .... Tom Gelman/Get organized here .... I am here tonight as a representative of CenterSpace group/committee. I was asked to present it's position on this project. I need to indicate that I have only been involved with the CenterSpace group for just about one year. The group has been in place for about nine years .... changed fairly dramatically during that period .... What I want to do here tonight is talk about some specifics about the intended use for CenterSpace facilities ....It has been artfully drafted in the materials that you have already received .....It very articulately sets forth a vision for what this project is .... This the third effort to describe what it means ..... 30-40 pages trying to describe what the cultural component of this project is .... community benefits... Also I want to talk with you about the reasons why this is the right project for right now. This just very very generally sets out what we are dealing with here. (Presents overhead: Library Expansion and Cultural Community Center) .... two components: Library... Cultural community center component .... We have a financial model ....both capital and operating expenses... Steve has presented a proposed model .... has very good potential for this community .... Other portions of this project... governments models, operation model and the community support model .... focusing on a couple of the areas tonight. This is a very different This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 31 project than was originally planned for CenterSpace. It is a new partnership with the Public Library .... in terms of the development of 64-1A. The project has multiple components (refers to overhead: Major Elements/Major Cultural Community Center). The major elements of this project: Library expansion and remodeling, underground parking, foundation for potential private development, plaza and site work and a cultural community center which is the CenterSpace Project. This project has... seven component pieces... Lobby .... receptions... community activities ....4,000 square foot area. The second area is a ticket information area .... significance ....ticketing would be a place where you could get tickets for all community activities .... The information center would be a place where we could share information... enhance what the library does ....Art Center and Galleries... divided into exhibition space... workshop space ....local artistic endeavors... as well as touring regional and national exhibitions ....Another space is the exhibition space and community meeting rooms .... focus on other cultural activities... classrooms... local community organizations could meet .... similar to the Library meeting rooms .... The communication center... combine all the public communications... in one place .... Auditorium and performance center... theater .... 500 seats... heavily used by community... smaller types of performances... Finally there is an administration area .... Uniquely appealing is the mixing of the communication center, community auditorium, community arts center and a community library, all in the same place... compliment each other... supplement their activities .... in this one unique facility .... local access television... accessibility to those types of activities .... For more details, I do refer you to the packets you received .... specifics .... schedules and uses of spaces... The city has probably incurred well over $100,000 and perhaps closer to $200,000 in professional and consulting fees to date on this project and the library project .... untold hours of volunteer activities .... I would point out to you also the conclusion on the Camiros Study (refers to overhead: Camiros Conclusion) .... updated study by the consultant who did the original CenterSpace Project to evaluate this project which is different and this is the conclusion .... "These facilities evolve with their community, fostering a stronger interest and involvement with the arts in becoming a significant community assets".... It was a very response from the consultant .... Now I would like to shift gears and talk... vision behind this project... personal reflections... Much more at stake than the downtown retail .... I have lived in Iowa City my whole life. I have never considered downtown to be only a campus town. It has always offered something for this community .... center and heart of Iowa This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 32 City. But right now we are this close... for Iowa City to become a campus town, dog town, dinky town .... If that happens, if we lose the heart of the downtown .... there will be no replacement .... lots of reasons for us to go other places without a community center. To prevent this, it requires leadership, vision and investment .... The cause of the problem is not the Coral Ridge Mall .... The fault .... is that all of those types of activities that were traditionally located in the downtown are now locating away from downtown ..... The fault will be the failure to do something significant to invigorate the downtown .... The blueprint for accomplishing this has already been created. The Downtown Taskforce was specifically looking at this issue ..... delineated what needs to be done ..... the hemorrhage is the flowing of activities, attractions and interests away from downtown. As a citizen I don't know why we wouldn't invest money in downtown unless there is something of interest for the entire community to come downtown .... You have to have a centerpiece .... Kubby/Another way to put that is community members who are not students. Gelman/I understand about students having the right to take advantage of all community assets .... I am worried about the rest of us though. So why this project? .... (refers to overhead: Why a Library/Cultural Center?) .... 1-First of all 64-1A is a terrific opportunity .... We need the lot and we need to make the best use of it we can. CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 98-29 SIDE 1 Gelman/The worst thing .... would be if we distract from the Library's presence in downtown .... creating branch libraries would be absolutely the worse solution because it would be a further detraction of interest from our downtown which is not what we need at this time... 3- A perfect match for our citizens .... A project that makes books for a community... art and culture and activity more accessible to the community... This is Iowa City .... We have orchestra, we have chorus, we have bands .... This is a community that strives on cultural activities .... same reason why the Library is so successful .... 4-Urban community centers, they are a trend. We are urban revitalization going on all over the nation .... they are revitalizing with entertainment and cultural activities .... business, professional and commerce will follow if you have some other activities. 5-Economic development... there is incredible advantages .... helps makes Iowa City unique .... schools, facilities... cultural facilities... 6- Regional activity center .... it has to offer something to the community that is not offered anywhere else... it will have a role to play in the broader region to provide entertainment, to provide activity .... that you can't get anywhere else .... 7- A reliable financial model, one of the hardest things that we have been struggling with. I think Steve has proposed a financial This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 33 model for the downtown .... its viable... coherent project .... I think it is something that I can sell as an individual .... It is an investment. 8-Community infrastructure .... sole of the community is the parks, schools and the cultural centers and the libraries .... 9-As far as I know, this is the only plan now on the table that has a chance of saving the downtown as a community center .... This project is an investment in the future of Iowa City .... We ask for council support, leadership and enthusiasm and nothing less. Thank you. Kubby/I have a specific question about the auditorium. You have taken the conference center aspect out of it ....Is the auditorium going to be a flat floor auditorium or a raised? .... Gelman/It is proposed to be raised graduated seating. The conferencing component, this would work for small conferences... small business seminars .... A lot of it had to do with traffic flow... economic ....need for exhibition space ....It all posed a problem that it didn't make sense... It has been scaled down dramatically. Vanderhoef/How does it compare in size... hotels? Gelman/It is a different type of space .... Vanderhoef/ .... I am trying to vision what kind of conference you would be seeing in this space that would be different or non-competing with our hotel spaces. Gelman/You don't have rooms here... Food service capabilities would be different .... It would be a limited type of activity ....It could also supplement some of the activities that go on now .... Norton/The auditorium could supplement .... Gelman/So it could compliment from time to time .... I don't think it would be significant competitor .... Vanderhoef/ Kubby/My question about the fiat floor ....also gives you a lot more flexibility for expanding .... Gelman/There are people here that could answer it much better than I .... after... more of a performance center... one that would have a multiple use .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session Norton/ Champion/It is a wonderful size auditorium. Gelman/ ....this is still in the very most preliminary stages .... Kubby/The auditorium... could make or break the finances for CenterSpace... we need to do it right .... In talking to some private promoters.. they are interested in booking things in there... The potential for theater space .... Gelman/In the Camiros Study it says that as programs develop over time... attract more performers, that you have higher proceeds from the use of the auditorium space. Champion/ Lehman/It is going to require council discussion. I suspect what you are asking us is if we approve of the concept, not the particulars .... But is this a concept that council can believe in and put in on the ballot as we said we would a year ago. Gelman/I think that is precisely what we are asking. Norton/ ....money... Lehman/Before we talk about money... do we feel that this is a good project for Iowa City? .... Norton/We did that before .... Lehman/Jessie... one of the questions that I had .... I want to be very very sure that as a council as appreciate that this is what the Library Board and the CenterSpace people want to do .... you believe in the project. Singerman/The Library Board has endorsed the project .... We support the project. We want to proceed with this project, that is correct. Lehman/It is important for me to hear that .... combined support .... Singerman/ ....The Board supports this project and wants to proceed. page 34 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 35 Gelman/From CenterSpace standpoint... this is a different project....partnering with the Library .... gives opportunities here... complimentary nature... enthusiastic about the Library as a facilities partner .... Kubby/ ....private space section? Franklin/I would have to describe that as extremely informal interest. Kubby/What kind of use was it? .... Franklin/Housing .... Kubby/Lots of different kinds of people .... Franklin/That could still happen .... Champion/I think it would be incredibly well used .... Kubby/I think we need to find a way to make this happen. Lehman/I think I am hearing some enthusiasm for this. Norton/Yes. Thornberry/I will not support it. Lehman/I guess one of the things that we are going to need to do .... majority of council that will support the project and putting it on the ballot. I think it is important... tentative yes...now it is our.job to figure out how we are going to do it. Singerman/Yes ..... thank you. Kubby/This moment is really important... should be jumping up and down. (All talking). Thornberry/In resolution 97-214, 17th of June 1997 it was voted on and it was wholeheartedly supported at that time also. Norton/But we are getting more refinement on it all of the time now .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 36 Franklin/You need to pass another resolution, do you understand that? Okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 37 Downtown Financial Plan 98-29 S1 Lehman/Steve, we got to know how we are going to pay for this. Atkins/ .... What I would like to do... suggestion, I think you are going to have to convene yourself for a discussion about the whole comprehensive package .... components of the projects as well as the financing .... Take the memo and I want to step through it fairly deliberately ..... give you an idea on my thinking .... The purpose of the preparation of this memo (Atkins February 20, 1998 memo re: Downtown Projects-Financial Proposal) was to address the resolution of intent .... no later than the 3rd of November, we would offer a referendum for the approval of the library and cultural center projects. Also the purpose of this report is to identify the downtown projects comprehensively. It was my judgment... recognize the full extent of the commitment that I hear us talking about .... costs of all of those projects... funding options... how much money is available .... a proposal to you to help focus the discussion on this. Second page, Downtown Project. These are what I believe to be the major downtown projects .... You have not made a formal commitment or approval to any of these projects... We have not comprehensively said this a package of improvements that we want to put forth on downtown .... simply repeated to you what the plan calls for .... Downtown Streetscape .... Iowa Avenue Streetscape .... number of unknowns .... Iowa Avenue Parking Garage .... parking revenue bonds and cash .... to be applied to that project. Norton/ Atkins/That has parking revenue and cash. The next project is Block 102 .... parking garage .... know the least about... average cost .... unknown circumstances... could be part of a redevelopment project .... Library/CenterSpace/Parking Multi-Use Facility. The numbers that I have provided you came for a March 1997 memo .... the escalation clause was showing March 1997... have to think about that .... O'Donnell/Under parking here .... Atkins/100. Thornberry/ ....underground .... Atkins/So what I am showing you under capital funding needed, this is a summary of all of the projects, .... $37.69 million .... I did not add in some other projects... important to the concept... Transit Interchange ....Recreation Center .... expansion... Civic Center and Police Rehab .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 38 Page 3 is Source of Financing .... identified... major sources of money available .... certain restrictions .... Road Use, Water/Sewer, Parking Fund, Parking Revenue Bonds, General Fund, University of Iowa, GO Debt, Cultural Scientific Property Tax Levy, Sales Tax .... Source of Financing Summary .... Page 5, three issues for you to deal with. 1-We need to identify the downtown projects and what you expect to fund ..... What I have suggested to you is a proposal ..... The downtown Investment Initiative .... proposed to you $34 million in downtown improvements. I have removed Block 102. It will simply have to wait .... Show you how we can finance those projects .... question marks .... Downtown Streetscape .... permanent financing in place at some date in the future .... you could proceed immediately to complete that project. Iowa Avenue Streetscape .... going to have to reduce the scale of that project .... go through the suggestions of how to finance each and everyone of these .... Most important one .... Library/CenterSpace component .... need for two referendum. 1- to incur the debt $22.5 million in GO Debt... debt be retired ...by local option sales tax .... Kubby/Are you suggesting that at the same election? Atkins/Yes, it would be at the same election .... Lehman/What would occur if the library passed and the tax didn't? Atkins/I would suggest... public information... pass a resolution expressing specific intent if those circumstances were to occur .... If one is yes and the other is no, here is what we intent to do ....That needs to be spelled out in detail ....I then chose to prepare for you a Sales Tax distribution... give you some idea ....We have estimated that we would generate about $5 million a year... 40% would be pledged for debt retirement for the Downtown Investment Initiative .... We would fund 10% of sales tax money... operating Library/CenterSpace Projects .... Community interests and needs... propose that 10% be pledged to Human Services... property tax relief.... 10%... supportive of public transportation programs .... $500,000 be pledged for public safety programs .... finally 20% for direct property tax relief. I think the first task we need to understand is the comprehensive package of projects for downtown. Once you have settled in on those, we can discuss... financial implications ....take the resulting numbers... overlay it on top of the financial program and ....decide what sort of referendum are required. Kubby/Are you suggesting a sunset clause? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 39 Atkins/No, I am not. Lehman/Steve, in tomorrow night's agenda there are two items that ask for resolutions... approving Streetscape and Iowa Avenue Plan. Can I ask what does this mean? Atkins/I would recommend you defer those, Emie,... going to discuss this issue comprehensively. Lehman/I really think this is part of a total package .... Atkins/I think you need to discuss clearly the comprehensiveness .... inter-relationships of all of the projects .... Norton/I want to be sure that doesn't convey the wrong signals... We approved the Southside Plan .... as a guide .... Lehman/This is not indication that there is any reluctance on the part of council to proceed with some sort of improvement in the downtown ..... Champion/It would be really nice ..... had our work session and came up with a capital agenda.. this is what we are going to do. Lehman/We have scheduled for Thursday a goal setting session .... downtown is going to be very very high ..... Scheduled six hours .... I wouldn't be adverse... use the afternoon to talk about this .... Kubby/I think our goal setting is so important to look at the whole community .... We need to give the time needed to look at the biggest pictures .... Lehman/ ....suggest that we go through the goal setting .... Norton/I don't see any reason to expand the goal setting to fill six hours .... Atkins/I would like some indication... to prepare for this kind of discussion. Karin is going to do the goal setting. If you choose to go to this, then I need to prepare for that .... Kubby/I think it should be a separate focused time .... Norton/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 40 Atkins/I can't do anymore... You have got to tell me what you want done .... Norton/ Vanderhoef/Before we go into this total financing .... conversation ....criteria that we expect of a one cent sales tax and what our goals are to do ....whether we want to commit to long term operations ....most interested in at the end of the goal session .... Atkins/ .... I really believe you have got to say what kind of downtown initiative you want .... Let's work that out .... Take those moneys and apply it to the project plan that you have approved ....I really think we need to say... these are the important projects .... Kubby/ ....staff... figuring out a process for talking about it ....to understand .... Atkins/I agree with that .... I can put it together.. I need to know that you are going to give me a block of time to do that .... I am going to facilitate .... Lehman/Play by ear... if we... finish early, I have no problem with starting to talk about this .... I think that we really must do that .... Atkins/This is a very complex issue... I intend to step you through .... Lehman/Steve... just be prepared if we get that far .... Kubby/I think we should say we are not going to get that far and do our goal setting .... Atkins/I will do whatever you want to do .... Vanderhoef/ ....Can we change the goal setting to Wednesday instead of Thursday? .... Kubby/I have a bunch of appointments that I have already made for next Wednesday .... O'Donnell/ Lehman/We all have to be at the goal setting session .... Kubby/I think we should stick with it. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session Norton/ Vanderhoef/I am available both days... (All talking). Lehman/ ....next week is out .... (All talking). Norton/ Vanderhoef/It is the Workforce Development and that 28E agreement .... Only other possibility... I can be back by 2:30 .... Kubby/I can't .... (All talking). Lehman/ ....We wanted to provide ourselves with enough time .... important .... O'Donnell/Do this Thursday afternoon and change the goal setting session. Kubby/ Lehman/...goal setting session .... (All talking). Vanderhoef/It is the 28E agreement with the training consortium... state Workforce Development .... I will get more information .... Lehman/ Vanderhoef/I think it is going to be acceptable unless there are changes made at the meeting. Norton/Somebody can just call you. Champion/It is so difficult to find a day .... page 41 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session Norton/ Lehman/ Atkins/I will be ready Thursday afternoon. Lehman/We may very well be ready, too. (All talking). Lehman/ Karr/Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. (All talking). [Council Break] Lehman/On Thursday, do we want lunch brought in? CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 98-29 SIDE 2 Champion/Bring it in .... Lehman/Fine... work while we eat. Karr/Whoever would like to can tell Maclan what they would like .... within reason. Atkins/If it comes on a bun, you got it. Lehman/ ....turkey sandwich .... Kubby/You know what I eat and what I don't eat. page 42 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 43 Appointments 98-29 S2 Airport Commission Norton/We have certainly been looking for gender balance. Kubby/ O'Donnell/I would like to recommend Tom Bender .... extensive background .... served on the School Board... second time he has applied for this commission. Vanderhoef/ O'Donnell/I just think they need that development background down there. Vanderhoef/Yeah, he is a good man. Norton/ ....looking for a woman on that thing for so long .... Kubby/She is qualified .... O'Donnell/This is the first time she has applied ..... Champion/...think Tom Bender would be good .... lot of development at the Airport .... Jill .... I don't think a pilot is what we need there right now .... If she wanted to reapply .... Important time for the Airport Commission .... Thornberry/What do you mean by another pilot? How many pilots are there on the Airport Commission? Vanderhoef/There are two. Kubby/ O'Donnell/The development background... Tom is essential to that .... Thornberry/Why? O'Donnell/Because they are going to be doing development down there. Thornberry/Are they? O'Donnell/That is what is proposed. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 44 Norton/ Thomberry/I am just saying we have two outstanding people. I would encourage Jill to apply again .... Kubby/If they are both outstanding, why wouldn't we go for gender.'? Thomberry/I think I will not vote on this ....I feel a little bit of conflict. Kubby/What do you mean? .... (All talking). Thomberry/ Kubby/Are there four for Tom or four for Jill? O'Donnell/I would support Tom. Lehman/Two for Tom...one, two for Jill. Vanderhoef/I really think Tom has got the qualifications .... Kubby/You need a fourth for Tom. (All talking). Kubby/It is three to three. Dean, you have to decide. Lehman/ Thomberry/ ....I will think about it ....I know Jill... I know Tom is outstanding .... (All talking). Thomberry/I do know what all Tom has done. Vanderhoef/ (All talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 45 Broadband Telecommunications Commission Lehman/We have one applicant. We have a second one whose name came up tonight. Kubby/Steve has served one term... excellent job. Lehman/Do we have four who want to go with Steve? (Yes). All right. Norton/He has really worked hard at it .... Civil Service Commission Lehman/Civil Service Commission. Vanderhoef/I think we should re-appoint all of our members .... taking them from six year terms .... Lyra .... four year term .... Lon Moeller same way .... Norton/The first one.. been on 12 years ....ought to... turn over once in a while. Kubby/I would agree .... Lehman/Are there four people who want to appoint Michael, Lon and Lyra? (Yes). All right. Design Review Committee Lehman/Design Review Committee. Kubby/It is even an option, Eleanor, to have someone who is not a licensed architect? .... Dilkes/I think the statute or ordinance says licensed architect. (All talking). Norton/ Vanderhoef/We could re-advertise for either .... Karr/You would have to re-advertise .... Vanderhoef/ ....either an architect or- Karr/If the architect is willing to switch his. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 46 Lehman/IfNowysz would be willing to serve as a business person .... If he would be willing to switch his designation to architect, then we could advertise for a business person .... Vanderhoef/ .... as long as we had the option there... we could choose how we wanted to and he could be designated ..... Karr/The licensed architect is Gary Nagle on Design Review. Bill Nowysz is a business owner .... The other one is Mark Anderson whose term is right here .... Kubby/We have discretion to decide who is who .... Karr/I am questioning doing it without going back to the Board and confirming which slots are which and Dee's point is that you can switch them around, just re- advertise. Lehman/Appropriate thing to do would be to make that switch prior to re-advertising .... Karr/The business owner's term is up July 1999. So if Bill switches to this one, his term would then go to 2001 .... Dilkes/I think it may mess up the terms. Lehman/We are going to re-advertise for an architect. All right. Dilkes/We can check on Dee's suggestion. Norton/Let us know tomorrow night .... Vanderhoef/ Karr/He has applied previously also. Kubby/He is very interested. I-Iigtofic Preservation Commission Lehman/Historic Preservation Commission. Vanderhoef/Trudy Day. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session Lehman/ ....At large. We have no one for the other one. (All talking). Housing and Community Development (HCDC) Lehman/ Kubby/I really like Bob Simpson but he works for HACAP .... Dan Coleman is very well qualified .... Vanderhoef/ Norton/Go with Coleman then. (All talking). Dilkes/I think he (Robert Simpson) would clearly be in violation of the Conflict Rule that we have set out for that Commission. Vanderhoef/ Lehman/It is either Coleman or re-advertise. O'Donnell/I would like to re-advertise. Norton/What is the matter? .... O'Donnell/I would just rather re-advertise. Kubby/Go with Coleman. O'Donnell/I would rather not go with him Norton/Let me think about that again. Let me look. Vanderhoef/He has not a long history in Iowa City which concerns me .... Kubby/ ....fresh perspective ....qualified applicant. page 47 Lehman/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session Kubby/His strength is housing issues ..... Norton/I could go with Coleman .... Kubby/ O'Donnell/I would still like to re-advertise ..... Thornberry/I could go for re-advertising. Champion/I am not real happy with it but I think he is qualified .... Lehman/All fight, Dee you are with Coleman? We got four. Now we got to go back to the Airport Commission. Thornberry/Has anybody talked to the Airport Commissioners? Lehman/I have .... Thornberry/I have been out of town .... Jill could apply next time. Champion/Does anybody know when the next term is up? Kubby/ Lehman/Six year terms. Kubby/ Karr/2000 unless there is a vacancy. (All talking). Karr/2000 is next vacancy unless there is a resignation. page 48 Lehman/Tom Bender, all fight .... Airport Commission: Tom Bender Broadband Telecommunications Commission: Steve Hoch This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 49 Civil Service Commission: Lon Moeller (2001 Michael Kennedy (2000) Lyra Dickenson (2002) Design Review Committee: Discuss during Formal Meeting Historic Preservation Commission: Trudy Day (At large) Re-advertise Summit Street Housing and Community Development Commission/HCDC: Daniel Coleman This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 50 Council Agenda/Time 98-29 S2 1.O'Donnell/The same thing Dean brought up earlier about the house on Rundell Street with the going after $90,000 and the house is worth $195,000. I had a couple of questions on that but I think it is answered. Kubby/... talked to Pam Barnes about how that works? 2. O'Donnell/I had another question on Patricia Eckhardt, why she didn't get that bid that was- Lehman/Okay, we have done that. O'Donnell/That is one of my questions. 3. O'Donnell/Another one was we had the neighborhood commercial and I would like to see us do something on this one. Lehman/That is going to be up tomorrow night. O'Donnell/That is all I had. 4. Norton/Two that I want to bring up... I had a memo here from June Braverman who wants the council to consider participating in the Ronald McDonald show here .... an all community Broadway Review that benefits the Ronald McDonald House .... family entertainment ....They want us to do some kind of an act .....appear as a group singing .... Champion/That would be a lot of fun. Norton/June 13 is the performance .... 2:00 PM ....If you think it will be fun, I will work with her .... (All talking). Norton/Lehman/Go after it. 5. Norton/Don't forget Bowl For Kid's Sake, 2:30 PM Saturday at Colonial Lanes .... spouses are welcome .... (All talking). This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 51 Norton/ 6. Kubby/The Housing Authority .... tentatively schedule is requesting some council presence at a tenant's meeting .... meet public housing tenants .... March 21, 10:00 AM .... at the Civic Center .... It came from me talking with the Housing Authority .... If there are going to be four of us ..... Champion/Is that really a problem? .... Kubby/ Dilkes/You are discussing things you may on down the road. Kubby/ Lehman/When we get closer to the date, we will figure out who is going to come. Kubby/...I would like to be there .... 7. Kubby/I had another PCRB question about some of the reports that we are getting. One of the things we really wanted from the PCRB- We tried to write the ordinance in a way that was really accessible. We tried to have the process be really accessible to people so it was kind of easy to understand. And the report site all these ordinance-places in the ordinance in a very bureaucratic way and I would like to request that, even if it makes the report a sentence longer, to outline- if that is necessary, to say it in a narrative instead of saying- having all of this bureaucratic stuff in the report. Because the citizens want to look at some of the reports to kind of understand what are the trends and complaints, what are the trends and findings that- Karr/The reports are going, of course, to the complainant, a copy of it. But you are saying citizens in general? Kubby/Yeah. Karr/The introduction is always the same. So, I mean, it is consistent. Kubby/It is consistently bureaucratic. Karr/Well- This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 52 Thornberry/I don't see any problem, the way they have done it. Karr/I can certainly take it back and they can talk about it. Thomberry/They have done that. Kubby/Maybe just bring that as a point of conversation, that they can- Karr/Sure, maybe another sentence will soften it. Kubby/That is why I am bringing it here. Karr/Okay, I can do that. Kubby/(Can't hear). Thornberry/What did you say? Kubby/It is going to go to the PCRB and they can decide if they want to something. Thornberry/That is not direction, the council, to get as far as I know. Was it? Kubby/Does anyone object to the PCRB deciding whether they want to make their reports less bureaucratic? (All talking). Norton/They should be as intelligible as possible. Kubby/That this issue was brought up and they can decide how they want to write their reports after hearing- Norton/Some concern was expressed. You might say that. Kubby/My last issue is- O'Donn¢ll/But it is just an option to them. Lehman/Go ahead, Karen. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 53 8. Kubby/My last issue is about the Master Plan, kind of a synopsis of things going in there. Do we have a timeframe, Steve, for talking about landfill issues? Atkins/...It will probably be another month or so .... Kubby/I like the idea of not having the closed landfill look like this same thing. I also don't want it to be higher than any other natural feature in the area. Atkins/We agree with you on that. 9. Vanderhoef/I was just curious where we are on the Transit Interchange negotiation at this point? Atkins/Last I heard it was sitting in Heitman's hands in Chicago. I will find out for you. Kubby/Could the Mayor call Heitman, would that help... bring it to the top of the pile? Would you be willing to call. Lehman/Of course I would. Kubby/ 10. Vanderhoef/ ....gaps in sidewalks... Do we have any kind of an inventory of where these are? Atkins/No we don't. I asked for a report .... Norton/Where these missing pieces are? Vanderhoef/Yeah and how critical they are. Atkins/... I have asked them to give some kind of a working list. I will check .... Vanderhoef/I am concerned a little bit right now with First Avenue and along the football field. Atkins/We tried that with the school many moons ago .... Vanderhoef/...cut through .... the sidewalk ends up there on Rochester just east of First Avenue .... walking without sidewalk ..... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 54 Champion/ O'Donnell/ Atkins/ Vanderhoef/That is a real concern during football season. Champion/ ....I always thought it was the city's fault we didn't have one. 11. Champion/ .... I have had several downtown merchants complaint about how smelly the alleys are, specifically the one by restaurants. What do we do as a city council to try to get the downtown business people, Ernie .... ? Why don't people sweep the sidewalks in front of the door? Why don't they pick up their trash in the alley? .... What can we do as a city council? Lehman/One of the things.. frustrating... busy weekends, those dumpsters are filled to overflowing and there are not latches or locks on the lids .... If we required that dumpsters be locked, you would eliminate a tremendous amount of what we have in the alley. Thornberry/The only way you can require locks in during the night .... Champion/ Norton/Steve has a mechanism for blowing the whistle on them... fine .... Atkins/We went through the alleys twice this year .... (All talking) Norton/Point is what should we do?...bring it up in public .... Champion/It amazes me that merchants complain about the dirt downtown .... Thornberry/I got a plaque from Project Green .... pick up Plaza area .... (All talking) Lehman/I think the DTA should be approached... indicate that we are not real happy with those alleys .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 55 Norton/...We are putting considerably effort into trying to clean the place up .... (All talking) Champion/I even sweep the street in front of my store .... less than five minutes ....I will buy everybody a broom. O'Donnell/I see dogs downtown, too ..... Lehman/ 12. Lehman/I have got a couple of things. We all got a memo from Steve regarding the policy for the use of the Plaza, how the permits are issued and the criteria for which they are issued. Do we all concur in that? We do. Norton/Are there any cases that would come to us? .... Atkins/I have consulted Eleanor before .... Norton/ Atkins/It is really not as difficult as it sounds. It is time, place and manner .... Kubby/Problem with what happened with the holiday tree is that the fountain was not a usual place for getting a permit .... caused problems for me personally .... Lehman/ 13. Lehman/Tomorrow is going to be Employee Recognition Day at 9:00 at the Rec Center .... I will be there .... 14. Lehman/As all of you are aware... proposal.. to the Airport Commission regarding this jet service. Dee Norton and I are going to meet with the Airport Commission .... Wednesday at 5:30 .... asking them to keep us up to speed as to what they are doing ..... They have agreed to meet with us .... Kubby/ Lehman/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398 February 23, 1998 Council Work Session page 56 Vanderhoef/ .... updated me .... there was nothing that was confidential .... worthwhile thing to listen to .... Lehman/There is a lot more to this .... Kubby/ ....Are there things that they need that aren't in the Master Plan or in later stages of the Master Plan? .... Lehman/If this is as important... He is talking about 20 to 25 significant jobs .... other businesses .... It could be a real economic development issue .... Dee and I will meet with them .... Norton/ Kubby/Organizational issues that we are going to try to do on Thursday. Atkins/On the table in the Conference Room... map of Dane Road .... Capital Projects for next year .... Adjourned: 10:30 PM This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of February 23, 1998 WS022398