HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-09-23 AgendaSubject to change as finalized by the City Clerk. For a final official copy, contact the City Clerk's Office, 356-5040.
AGENDA
CiTY COUNCIL ~V~EETING
September 23, t997 - 7:00 p.m.
Civic Center
ITEM NO. 1.
CALL TO ORDER.
ROLL CALL.
ITEM NO. 2.
MAYOR'S SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Halloween Trick or Treat Night in Iowa
between dusk and 8:30 p.m.
City Friday, October 31,
ITEM NO. 3.
ITEIVI NO. 4.
MAYOR'S PROCLAMATIONS.
a. Childhood Hunger Awareness Day - October 16
CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED,~m.-~
OR AMENDED.
a=
Approval of Official Council Actions of the special meetings of
September 11 and 12, and the regular meeting of September 9, as
published, subject to corrections, as recommended by the City Clerk.
b. Minutes of Boards and Commissions.
(1) Iowa City Airport Commission - August 21
(2) Design Review Committee- September 3
(3) Parks and Recreation Commission - August 20
(4) Planning and Zoning Commission - September 4
(5) Senior Center Commission - July 16
(6) Housing and Community Development Commission ~ June 19
(7) Riverfront and Natural Areas Commission - August 20
#3b page 1
ITEM NO. 3b MAYOR'S PROCLAMATIONS -- The Arc of Johnson County Week -
October 1-5.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #3b) Do we have someone here to accept this?
Marian Karr/ Yes, Madam Mayor, we have Jeff Lauer and Lori Bears here to accept.
Lori Bears/ Would you like an extra one? That's for you to take one home.
Kubby/ Thanks, Jeff. Happy Anniversary.
Baker/ Thanks, Jeff.
Jeff Lauer/ May I speak for just a second?
Nov/ Absolutely.
Lauer/ Terrific. One other thing I'd like to share with you is that we've got a number of
activities, the Arc of Johnson County has a number of activities the first week of
October, culminating on Sunday, October 5th, in a picnic. I'm going to leave
these with you here in just a sec. It's in City Park, Lower City Park in Shelter
#16. And the community is invited to attend. We have entertainment, and food,
and music, and it'll just be a time to really come together. So let me just --
Nov/ Okay.
Lauer/ Can you pass those down?
Nov/ Good.
Baker/ Thanks, Jeff.
Nov/ We'll put some up on bulletin boards.
Lauer/ Thank you very much.
Nov/ There is also a proclamation for Childhood Hunger Awareness Day on October 16.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of September 23, 1997.
F092397
September 23, 1997 City of Iowa City Page 2
(8) Housing and Community Development Commission - August 21
Recommendations to Council:
(a)
Approve FY98 Action Plan revision as follows: Habitat for
Humanity from 930,667 to 946,000; Iowa City Rehab
Program 9424,000 to 9461,000; Iowa City/U of I Fire Safety
Program 93,000 to 96,000; Contingency Fund 970,114 to
995,781.
(b) Emergency Allocation Request for HACAP in the amount of
94,886.
c. Permit Motions and Resolutions as Recommended by the City Clerk.
(1)
Consider a motion approving a Class E Liquor License for
Randali's International, Inc., dba Cub Foods, 855 Hwy 1 West.
(Renewal)
(2) Consider a motion approving a Class E Beer Permit for Randali's
International, Inc., dba Cub Foods, 855 Hwy 1 West. (Renewal)
(3)
Consider a motion approving a Class C Liquor License for La
Casa, Ltd., dba La Casa, Ltd., 1200 South Gilbert Court.
(Renewal)
(4)
Consider a motion approving a permanent transfer of a Class E
Liquor License for Hy-Vee, Inc., dba Hy-Vee Food and Drugstore
#2, 812 S. First Ave.
(5)
Consider a motion approving a permanent transfer of a Class E
Beer Permit for Hy-Vee, Inc., dba Hy-Vee Food and Drugstore
#2, 812 S. First Ave.
(0)
Consider a motion revoking the approval of a Class B Beer Permit
for Vay Say Ho dba Han's Cafe, 340 E. Burlington St. (The
application has been withdrawn.)
Setting Public Hearings.
(1) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION FIXING DATE FOR A IVlEETING ON
THE PROPOSITION OF THE ISSUANCE OF ~§,540,000
GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS (FOR AN ESSENTIAL
CORPORATE PURPOSE) OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, AND
PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF NOTICE THEREOF.
Comment: This resolution sets a date for a public hearing on
October 7 to allow for public comment regarding the issuance of
95.54 million General Obligation bonds to pay for water-related
projects. Staff memorandum highlighting the projects included in
Council packet.
September 23, 1997 City of Iowa City Page 3
e. Motions.
CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE DISBURSEMENTS IN THE
AIVIOUNT OF $13,871,945.30 FOR THE PERIOD OF AUGUST 1
THROUGH AUGUST 31, 1997, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE
FINANCE DIRECTOR SUBJECT TO AUDIT. DISBURSEMENTS
ARE PUBLISHED AND PERMANENTLY RETAINED IN THE CITY
CLERK'S OFFICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE CODE.
(2)
CONSIDER A MOTION APPROVING THE 1994 SUPPLEMENTAL
COIVIMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FLOOD RELIEF
GRANTEE PERFORMANCE REPORT (GPR), THE FY97
COMMUNITY DEVELOPIVIENT BLOCK GRANT GPR AND THE
FY97 HOME ANNUAL PERFORIVIANCE REPORT.
Comment: Iowa City is required by the US Department of
Housing and Urban Development to prepare these reports for
fiscal year 1997 in order to assess the City's performance in
relation to the goals and objectives set forth in the FY97 Annual
Action Plan. The Housing and Community Development
Commission held a public hearing on August 21, 1997; no
public comments were received.
f. Resolutions.
(1)
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE CITY IV1ANAGER TO EXECUTE AND FILE AN
APPLICATION WITH THE UNITED STATE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION FOR A GRANT UNDER 49
U.S.C. 5307 TO BE USED FOR TRANSIT
OPERATING AND CAPITAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
Comment: JCCOG is preparing the annual Federal Transit
Administration [FTA] Section 5307 application on behalf of Iowa
City Transit. Funding in the amount of 9197,444 is being
requested for FY98 transit operations. FTA capital funding in
the amount of 967,753 is being requested for the following
projects: replace one [1] ramp-access low-floor minivan
[929,880]; replace sweeper/scrubber machine for transit building
[928,080]; replace energy management system at transit
building [98,400]; and bus maintenance/overhaul [91,393].
Local funding for capital projects will come from the transit
capital reserve fund.
September 23, 1997
(3)
(4)
City of Iowa City
Page 4
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CITY OF IOWA
CITY CONSOLIDATED PLAN (AKA STEPS) ANNUAL
PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1997, AND
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBIVIIT SAID REPORT
TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT.
Comment: Iowa City is required to prepare a Consolidated Plan
Annual Performance Report (APR) for fiscal year 1997 in order to
assess the City's performance in relation to the objectives set
forth in the FY97 Annual Action Plan that is part of the
Consolidated Plan (CITY STEPS). The Housing and Community
Development Commission held a public hearing on August 21,
1997; no public comments were received.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO
SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST THE RELEASE OF A
SECOND MORTGAGE AND A PROIVIISSORY NOTE FOR THE
PROPERTY LOCATED AT .~13~'~7 FIRST AVENUE, IOWA CITY,
IOWA. /;33 S
/355
Comment: The owners of the property located at 4337 First
Avenue, received financing from the City on May 24, 1991, in
the amount of $13,000. The financing was in the form of a
Second Mortgage, a Promissory Note, and a Warranty Deed.
The owner has sold the property to a low-income household,
thus, the note needs to be released so that the Second Mortgage
financing. can be applied to the new property owner.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE OFFICIAL
FINANCIAL REPORT FOR CITY STREETS AND PARKING FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1997.
Comment: The Iowa Department of Transportation requires all
municipalities to submit this report annually on or before
September 30.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING COIVIPREHENSIVE
IMPROVEIVIENTS ASSISTANCE PROGRAIVI (CLAP) BUDGET AND
DESIGNATION OF IVIAGGIE GROSVENOR AS THE PROJECT
OFFICER.
Comment: HUD has notified the Iowa City Housing Authority
that 1997 (CLAP) funding has been authorized in the amount of
$324,000. The Iowa City Housing Authority is authorized to use
these funds for replacement of items in the Public Housing units
that have reached or are about to reach the end of their useful
life (e.g., furnaces, windows, roofs, siding, appliances, etc.)
HUD must execute a contract with the Housing Authority by
September 30, 1997, to expend these funds.
September 23, 1997
~,q ~'.%t~ (6)
(7)
(8)
City of Iowa City
Page 5
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE WORK FOR
THE SANITARY SEWER, WATER MAIN, STORIV! SEWER,
AND PAVING PUBLIC IIVIPROVEMENTS FOR SOUTHWEST
ESTATES PART 6, AND DECLARING THE PUBLIC
IIVIPROVEMENTS OPEN FOR PUBLIC ACCESS. AND USE.
Comment: See Engineer's Report.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE IVIAYOR TO
SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST AN ADDITIONAL
SANITARY SEWER EASEIV1ENT AGREEIVIENT FOR
SADDLEBROOK ADDITION, PART I, CITY OF IOWA CITY,
IOWA.
Comment: Upon construction of the public improvements
serving Saddlebrook Addition, Part I, the sanitary sewer line as
installed did not precisely follow the original sanitary sewer
easement granted to the City for Saddlebrook Addition, Part I.
The proposed Sanitary Sewer Easement expands the original
easement area granted to the City to include the area of actual
installation. This Resolution authorizes the execution of the
necessary Sanitary Sewer Easement Agreement to reconfigure
and expand the original easement area.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO
SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST THE RELEASE OF A
STORIVI SEWER EASEIVIENT, SANITARY SEWER EASEIVIENT,
AND INGRESS AND EGRESS EASEIVIE-'NT, LOCATED IN'THE
FIRST AVENUE HY-VEE FOOD STORE DEVELOPMENT, AND TO
APPROVE AND EXECUTE SUBSTITUTED STORIVI
SEWER, SANITARY SEWER AND INGRESS AND EGRESS
EASEIVIENT AGREEIVIENTS AND A PUBLIC WALKWAY/TRAIL
EASEMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE SAME PROPERTY.
Comment: The City currently possesses storm sewer, sanitary
sewer, and ingress and egress easements on the site of the new
First Avenue Hy-Vee Food Store Development, Iowa City, Iowa.
The redevelopment of the former Towncrest Mobile Home Park
pursuant to the Hy-Vee site plan required the installation of new
public improvements and the reconfiguration of existing
easements to match said improvement installation. This
Resolution authorizes release of the existing, inactive easements
and the execution of all substituted and additional easement
agreements necessary for the redevelopment of this property.
_S__e._p__tember 23, 1 997 City of Iowa City Page 6
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING, AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK
TO ATTEST AN ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHT-OF-WAY AGREEMENT
AND BILL OF SALE BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY
AND WILLIAMS PIPELINE COMPANY WHEREIN RIGHTS-OF-
WAY AGREEMENTS HELD BY WILLIAMS PIPELINE OVER CITY-
OWNED LAND ON WHICH THE NEW WATER FACILITY WILL BE
LOCATED ARE ASSIGNED TO THE CITY.
Comment: In August of 1996 the City entered into an
agreement with Williams Pipeline Company wherein Williams
agreed to relocate its pipeline facilities located on the City's
future water facility site, and upon completion of the relocation,
to assign all its rights-of-way agreements and easements on the
water facility site to the City of Iowa City. The relocation is
now complete, and the agreement which is the subject of this
resolution effectuates this assignment.
g. Correspondence.
(1) Thomas Saele - bicycle regulations
(2) Cathy Fitzmaurice (Mayor of City of Hills) - annexation of Ryerson
Woods [Reply from Mayor Novick included in Council packet.]
(3) JCCOG Traffic Engineering Planner:
(a) Designation of Four (4) Metered Parallel Parking Spaces on
the 10 Block of North Clinton Street
(b) Lane Designation for Southbound North Dubuque Street
Traffic at Jefferson Street Intersection
(c) Designation of Twelve (12) Metered Parallel Parking Spaces
on the West Side of the 10 Block of North Dubuque Street
(d) Modification of Parking Meter Time Limits on the 300 Block
of S. Linn Street
(4) Civil Service Commission submitting certified lists of applicants
for the following position(s):
(a) Parking Cashier
(b) Community Service Officer
(c) Building and Zoning Inspector
(d) Maintenance Worker I - Pools
(e) Senior Maintenance Worker - Parks (Turfgrass Specialist)
h. Use of City Plaza, (all approved)
(1) Miera Kim (Earth Festival) - September 11
(2) Carlton Blase (Green Party Distribute Literature) - September 13
September 23, 1997
ITEM NO. §.
(3)
(4)
(5)
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION (ITEIV]S NOT ON THE AGENDA).
City of Iowa City Page 7
Lisa Barnes (DTA Sidewalk Days) - September 18-21
Maria Hope (Columbia Special Interest Group) - various dates.
Cris Kinkead (DVIP Clothesline Project) - October 14
ITEIVI NO. 6. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
Public hearing on an ordinance amending the Zoning Chapter by
changing the zoning designation from RS-5, Low Density Single-
Family Residential to OPDH-5, Planned Development Housing Overlay
Zone, for 3.63 acres located east of Somerset Lane and south of
Wellington Drive. (REZ97-0012)
Comment: At its August 21 meeting, by a vote of 7-0, the Planning
and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning and
preliminary OPDH plan. Staff recommended approval in a report dated
August 7.
Action:
#4 page 1
ITEM NO. 4 CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #4).
Lehman/ So moved.
Thomberry/ Seconded.
Nov/ Moved by Lehman, seconded by Thornberry. Discussion?
Norton/ I want to comment on one item, I guess it's the first item under item d, 4d,
having to do with a bond, general obligation bonds for water projects, and as you
know, I've been kind of tracking water projects over time, and so when I looked
at the nmnbers, I thought oops, there's another jump. But it turns out that this
involves some land acquisition and some land management, engineering
management that weren't in the previous figures. And I talked with Chuck about
it, and am assured that we haven't had another sudden increase in these costs.
Nov/
Norton/ The stretch-out is due to some problems with the Corps of Engineers. The
project is being stretched out in time somewhat because of difficulties with the
permits from the Corps of Engineers.
Nov/ I should explain that what we have in the Consent Calendar is setting a p.h. for the
next meeting, for October 7th. So, the issue of the bonds is yet to be discussed.
Kubby/ And actually, I have a question for Don, since he's here, about this. Just to, I
want to make sure that using general obligation bonds instead of water revenue
bonds for this part of our water project doesn't get in the way of using G.O. bonds
in the £~uture for the library and cultural center if the community decides that's
what they want to do.
Don Yucuis/ The size of the issue shouldn't have an impact on the overall amount of
G.O. bonds we could issue in the future.
Kubby/ Okay.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of September 23, 1997.
F092397
#4 page 2
Yucuis/ Previously we were talking about an $8.5 million issue, and that's getting in the
range where you can do a revenue bond issue. When we brought it down to closer
to $5 million, that's a better use of G.O. bonds --
Kubby/ We get a better interest rate, too --
Yucuis/ We'll get a better interest rate. We'll spread it over probably 20 years, and it
still won't affect our long-term indebtedness to issues other bonds in the future.
Kubby/ Okay, thank you.
Nov/ Anything else?
Norton/ Oh, one other comment. I was, we're approving a good many HUD documents
in this, and I thought isn't there a paper reduction act? I mean, the redundancy of
these documents that you have to file with HUD for some of the CBDG grants
and flood relief grants and everything, that's just unbelievable.
Nov/ Yeah. But this is after the paper reduction.
Norton/ Yeah.
Nov/ I lmow.
Vanderhoef/ We have at least a ream of it right here.
Thornberry/ I had some consternation over one of the items, also, Dee, and that was
number 5 in funding in the amount of $324,000 to the Iowa City Housing
Authority to authorize the use of these funds for replacements of items in the
public housing units that have reached or are about to reach the end of their useful
life. For example, furnaces, windows, roofs, siding, and appliances, and I
wondered, I wonder what the life expectancy of a window is. But these are not
Iowa City funds, these are HUD funds, but it's out of the other pocket.
Norton/ (Yes.)
Thornberry/ HUD doesn't generate money, they expend money that's taxed. So it's our
money, actually, that's taxed, that we are getting some of it back. But we are
keeping up the City-owned houses with this money, replacing furnaces, windows,
and roofs and carpeting and vinyl and gutters and this and that and the other thing.
And I'm glad to see that we now have a top program whereby the owners of the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of September 23, 1997.
F092397
#4 page 3
public housing houses are being able to actually own these houses instead of
renting them from the city, which is --
Norton/ But having them in good shape would be a virtue in that case, too, wouldn't it?
Whether you're selling them or --
Thornberry/ Well, I would imagine, Dee, that if the house wasn't in as good a shape as it
could be, you could probably buy it for less money, and perhaps get the type of
equipment or things that, the color of carpeting that you would want. I don't'
imagine that we're giving the money to the people and let them go out and buy
their carpeting and appliances on their own. But if they owned it, then they would
be. And several people have already said that they would like to have that
opportunity, to buy the houses from the City that they're renting, that they have
been renting from the City, so I think that this is good.
Lelynan/ This is money going to rehabilitate houses owned by us.
Norton/ Yes.
Thornberry/ That is correct.
Nov/ Okay. Any other discussion? Roll call- (yes).
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of September 23, 1997.
F092397
#5 page 1
ITEM NO. 5 PUBLIC DISCUSSION
Nov/ Item #5 is Public Discussion. This is a time to discuss items that are not on today's
agenda. We ask that you sign in please, and limit your comments to no longer
than five minutes.
Rene Paine/ Hi, I'm Rene Paine. I live at 823 Ronalds Street in Iowa City. And tonight,
I'm here to represent Public Access Television. I wanted to hand out to each one
of your our annual report for the last year, and invite everybody to stop by and see
what's going on at the Access center. We're located in the back of the Iowa City
Public Library, still. And we have workshops every month that the public is
welcome to attend. We have program guides available at several places around
Iowa City and Coralville, so you can check out and see what's on Channel 2. And
we are accepting drafted series proposals in case you have an idea for a TV show
that you need some help on. So we'll be accepting those until about October 15th.
So, just to let you kind of know what's going on, I'll hand these out for you.
Council/ Thank you.
Terri Miller/ Good evening. I'm Terri Miller, and I'm here tonight from the Senior
Center Commission. I have a couple of items titat I wanted to bring up to you.
The first item is that at the Senior Center, we currently are replacing a floor in a
workout room, in a fitness room, and it's a beautiful hardwood maple floor. It
looks gorgeous. The reason that I bring it up is because I just want to thank you
for your commitment to the buildings in this town. The Senior Center is housed
in a beautiful and historic building. And it's wonderful to see these kinds of
maintenance items talcing place to upkeep the building. I think we all very much
appreciate that. The second thing that I wanted to bring to your attention is that
on October 22nd, the Commission will be having, at the Senior Center, will be
having a community, a community meeting, town meeting, to discuss issues that
pertain to the Senior Center, and to invite participation from the community and
the participants. And this meeting will be from 3:30 until 5:00 in the afternoon.
And I would invite any and all of you to attend. We always appreciate your
feedback and comments at that time, and I know that the participants often have
questions that can be answered more easily by someone on the City level. So, if
you are so inclined, we would invite your participation at that time.
Nov/ Thank you. That's an excellent idea to let people come and tell you what they
think about what you're doing.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of September 23, 1997.
F092397
#5 page 2
Miller/ We did it last year, and we had an overwhelming response. We got some
wonderful ideas which we were able to implement, and we feel like it's a good
time to check in again. Thank you.
Carl Orgren/ I'm Carl Orgren. I'm a resident of 5 Melrose Place, and have been for 27
years. And an editorial in the paper today reminded me that I've been thinking
about coming down here for some time and saying just a few words to you
people. I don't really lmow who to address them to, because they're City staff
members, the policy-making people, the contractors, the construction folks. But I
would just like to say that having lived in that area for a year and a half, or two
years, however long this project took, I am amazed at the effectiveness of the
design, the conduct of the construction during the whole thing, the lack of
intrusion into my life during that period given the scope of that project, is truly
amazing. And somebody needs to pass along, if it hasn't already been done, to
the construction people and contractors, that they figured out the deal about public
relations. Any questions I had, even of people at the lowest levels, were always
treated with respect, with rapid answers, we were warned ahead of time for
closures of water and so forth. I just think it was really good. I see later today
you're going to be talking about where the paint goes, and I'm not extremely
concerned about that. I suppose, that part of the editorial this morning I rather
agree with, that maybe it's a little overkill to have a left-turn lane on Melrose
Place. But I don't care. It serves me well, but maybe right-turners would like
something else. But it was a really good job, and I really appreciate it.
Kubby/ Thanks for coming.
Orgren/ Thank you.
Nov/ Steve, you'll pass that on to our City staff?.
Steve Atkins/ Yes, ma'am, I will.
Bennett Brown/ Hi, my name is Bennett Brown. I live at 802 E. Washington Street.
And I'm here tonight to represent the folks who worked on the Citizen Initiative
to put Hickory Hill first, to put it on the ballot, to put the First Avenue Extension
on the ballot. And now that the debate, the tenor of the debate has had a chance to
cahn, I wanted to publicly thank the City staff, in particular the Planning Office
and the City Clerk's Office and the Attorney's Office for all the help that they
offered to the people working on this campaign, and all the information they
provided. And I wanted to let you know that we've taken a lot of that information
and put it on the Web, as much as we could, and will continue to do so. And I
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of September 23, 1997.
F092397
#5 page 3
brought the Web address so that people could see it. And I also wanted to make a
sincere offer of help to any of you that would like to put anything, any position
papers or other documents that you'd like to put on the Web, related to this issue
or in general, to make available to the public, to help you out, I would be glad to
do that. So, I hope people can use this to get informed before they vote in
November on it. Thank you very much.
Kubby/ Yeah, I don't' know who put the website together, I'm sure it was many people,
but I went on it last week after it was kind of finalized, and I was really impressed
about the overhead photography, and having different strategies of development
in the area being outlined, and then the photograph altered so we could get a sense
of what these different development strategies, what the end-product would look
like at least from that one vantage point. That was really helpful, I think. It's a
really great website. We should take this offer seriously, that if people have
differing opinions, to put discussion and discourse on the website so people can
have a really well-rounded discussion about this issue.
Brown/ Thank you. I might mention that I offered to the Planning Office to put the
entire Sensitive Areas Map which is up there, on the Web. They're, I don't know
how many pages, but many, many color pictures that I'd be willing to scan in,
volunteer my time, and there are also things on there from the Traffic Study that
Jeff Davidson completed, and many other maps. Thank you again.
Nov/ Is there anyone else who would like to talk about a topic that is not on today's
agenda? Okay, we'll move on.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of September 23, 1997.
F092397
September 23, 1997 City of Iowa City Page 8
b. Consider an ordinance amending the Zoning Chapter by conditionally
changing the zoning designation from RM-20, Medium Density Multi-
Family Residential, and RS-5, Low Density Single-Family Residential,
to OSA-20 and OSA-5, Sensitive Areas Overlay Zone, for
approximately 1.9 acres located at 1122-1136 N. Dubuque Street.
(REZ97-0003) (Firstconsideration)~.~ /~..~
Comment: At its September 4 meeting, by a vote of 6-0, the Planning
and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning and
Sensitive Areas Development Plan subject to conditions. Staff
recommended approval subject to conditions in a memorandum dated
August 15. Correspondence in Council packet includes a request.fgr
expedited consideration.
Action: '~_~_~/7/~~~t.c~. -~'~
c. Consider an ordinance amending Title 14, Chapter 6, entitled
"Zoning," Article N, entitled "Off-Street Parking and Loading," to
increase the parking requirements for residential uses in the CB-5,
Central Business Support Zone. (Pass and adopt)
Comment: At it June 19 meeting, by a vote of 7-0, the Planning and
Zoning Commission recommended that off-street parking requirements
be increased for residential uses in the CB-5 zone.
Action: ~/~~..~z~ _ ~ ~-~
Consider an ordinance amending Title 14, "Unified Development
Code" of the City Code by amending Chapter 9, Article A, entitled
"Parking Facility Impact Fee" to revise the formula for payment in the
CB-5 Zone. (Pass and adopt)
Comment: At the City Council's May 5 work session, a decision was
made to proceed with amendments to the zoning ordinance and the
Parking Facility Impact Fee Ordinance, as those ordinances relate to
required parking for residential uses in the CB-5 zone and the ratio by
which fees may be paid in lieu of required parking. The ordinance
under consideration requires that a fee equal to 75% of the required
spaces for any residential use in the CB-5 zone be paid, and that no
fewer than 15% and no more than 35%
spaces be provided on site.
of the required parking
#6b page 1
ITEM NO. 6b Consider an ordinance amending the Zoning Chapter by conditionally
changing the zoning designation from RM-20, Medium Density Multi-Family
Residential, and RS-5, Low Density Single-Family Residential, to OSA-20 and
OSA-5, Sensitive Areas Overlay Zone, for approximately 1.9 acres located at
1122-1136 N. Dubuque Street. (REZ97-0003) (First consideration)
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #6b).
Norton/ Move adoption of the ordinance.
Nov/ Moved by Norton.
Norton/ First consideration.
Thornberry/Second.
Nov/ Seconded by Thornberry. We have the first consideration up for discussion at this
point. Is there any Council discussion?
Norton/ This project has a long history, and one that has raised a great many concerns on
the parts of a great many people, there has been extensive discussion and
consideration by P/Z, and again by us with the people involved, and I think we
have something here that looks like it will work. And there are conditions
imposed that will make sure that we follow up to see that it works. So I'm
satisfied even though it's going to still give some people problems.
Nov/ We did have some question last night about the letter form one of the citizens, and
Kirsten Frey is here if we want her to answer any of these questions.
Kubby/ One of the questions that came up for me, not from the letter, but from, it's to
you, Kirsten, --
Nov/ Come up to the microphone.
Kubby/ And it's not, I don't want to appear cynical about this, but I wanted just to
understand what the process would be under certain conditions.
Kirsten Frey/ Okay.
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Kubby/ And there was a comment reported in the P/Z minutes saying that one of the
safeguards, you had said one of the safeguards is that Terracon would not
continue to sign off on the plans should the site conditions be different than
anticipated. So, I guess I'm trying to thinit of, you lmow, the worst case scenario,
and what the process would be if you get on-site with machinery and there's not
the kind of bedrock, or in the right place, to do what you need to do, what's the
process?
Frey/ I thinic, I think that goes to an essential issue that's been raised several times, and
that is why aren't there any guarantees about this. And I thinit the reason that is
that it's impossible to give guarantees. We did borings, we have a plan, designed
in light of those borings, but you can't tell what you're going to find until you get
there. And for that reason, we do have a Terracon engineer who will be on-site all
the time. If the conditions are different than anticipated, or if something is done
incorrectly, that Terracon engineer will immediately bring that situation to the
attention ofAndr6 Gallet, who spoke to you last time, who's the engineer in
charge of the project. We also have made arrangements with the City of Iowa
City to immediately bring that to the attention of the City staff, so that they will
immediately lmow that there's a problem. And everything will stop then, until the
City staff and our engineer has decided how we're going to go about dealing with
this issue. Whether it's an adjustment in the plan, as a result of finding something
that we didn't anticipate. And if that does require an adjustment, is it something
that's a major adjustment, or is it a minor adjustment. If it's something major,
obviously, we'd have to go back before public bodies to seek approval of that
plan. If it's just something that's an error or a mistake, then that stop's backed up
and the engineer will tell us what we need to do to correct that error. So, I thinit
what we've done is provide a system of constant monitoring and oversight where
we're working with the City of Iowa City and the City staff and our engineers to
make sure that the process works as smoothly as possible.
Kubby/ Okay. Another question I had last night was, I know that if things don't work
down the road, that there's some recourse that the City has on the property
owners. But is there any plan to monitor, by the property owners, not during
construction of the stabilization project, but afterwards? To be able to note small
signs before it becomes a big problem?
Frey/
I think that the answer to that question is first twofold. First of all, I thinit one
thing that's really important for the Council and the public to lmow is that one of
the reasons this alternative was chosen is it's a low-tech, long-term fix. Unlike
some of the more high-tech fixes that require, where you build walls and there's
pressure going on both sides, this isn't a solution that requires constant
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maintenance and constant improvements. Once it's there, it's fixed. So, I think
the first answer to your question is we've purposely chosen a solution that will be
a long-term fix, which we believe is in everybody's best interests. The second,
the second answer to that question is yes. We have, my client is very concerned
about this problem and wants to fix it once and for all. And in our discussions
with the neighbors, we have agreed to continually monitor the situation and
remedy, and we've assumed the obligation to correct it, should anything need
correcting. So, yes.
Kubby/ And what does that mean, continued monitoring?
Frey/ Well, I don't think, I'm not sure what that means, because I'm not the engineer.
And given the nature of the solution, this is not a solution where you need a whole
lot of fancy tests to determine whether or not it's working. You're going to be
able to see if it's working.
Kubby/ If we've got a lot of dirt on Dubuque --
Frey/ We've got aproblem. Exactly. And so that's one of the reasons that we chose this
solution, is it is, I mean, you can tell whether it's working or not. And it'll be
obvious to everyone.
Norton/ Irdrsten, Ms., the lady that wrote the letter, Ms. Travis --
Frey/ Yes.
Norton/ Asked a question about what, what other hill stabilization jobs did this
engineering firm undertake, and can you give me any indication of that?
Frey/
Well, I spoke to them about that. And they indicated that they haven't done
exactly this type of situation, because you never to exactly this type of situation,
but this type of solution has been used for decades. As I indicated, it's a low-tech
solution, that even the City of Iowa City has used something similar on Scott
Boulevard, you know, this is not exactly the same, but similar. So, I think that, he
didn't tell me, you lmow, we've done 112 projects, or give me a finite number,
but he did indicate that it's been around for a number of years, and that he feels
confident that it will effectively stabilize the slope.
Norton/ And the other question, will the visual impact from Dubuque, will it be screened
pretty well from Dubuque?
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Frey/
Well, to be honest, we've done everything there that we can. The bottom line is
that we have to stabilize the slope. We can't leave it like it is. And any
stabilization is going to require some type of wall or buttress or, I mean, it's
impossible to stabilize the slope without talcing out some trees, without having
something there. The only way to do that is to go back to the initial plan that we
first talked about, which requires grading the entire slope all the way back. And
that was not satisfactory to people. So, given that, what we've done is we've tried
to minimize any aesthetic problems as much as possible.
Norton/ But--
Frey/ So--
Norton/ The trees along the bottom then will screen that, though.
Frey/ Yeah. They are honey-growing locusts. And were suggested by the City Forester
with, and one of the reasons they were chosen is they're a fast-growing tree. So,
they were chosen expressly for the purpose of let's get them tall as fast as we can,
to shield as mnch as we can. The other thing is that, I think when you're looking
at the crosscut of the actual plans, it's easy to forget that the two apartment
buildings are there. So, you're not seeing the entire length of the rock slope from
the road, like the crosscut might suggest that you do. I drove past there the other
day, and I thought okay, how much of this slope can I really see. And you really
have to look pretty, right in-between the buildings. Prod if you're going the speed
limit there, it's a relatively short period of time. So I think it's screened as much
as we can make it.
Lehman/ You lmow, you said earlier that you assumed the obligation of seeing to it that
this is, you know, done correctly, that it works. Aren't you, don't' you have the
legal responsibility, whether it be this year, or next year, or five years from now,
to see to it that this does work? This is your project, and obviously it's in your
best interests to see to it that it works.
Frey/
That is correct. I think that what I was trying to state is that we've tried to do more
than just assume the responsibility of a landowner. With, in our agreement with
the next-door neighbors, the Ostergaards, we have assumed the continuing
maintenance responsibility, even on stuff that lies on their property. And so, The
Cliffs, whoever owns The Cliffs will always have that obligation, and it runs with
the ownership of the land. So, yes, we do have a legal obligation, but we've tried
to do more than that.
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Lel'maan/ We're delighted to see this happening.
Nov/ Finally.
Norton/ Finally.
Nov/ Is the bottom line here?
Frey/ I think I've, through your questions, I think I've addressed most of the concerns
that were expressed in the letter. If there are other concerns, I'd encourage people
to call me, if they choose to do that, they can call me at my office. If any of the
Council members have concerns, I'd be happy to answer those questions, or to
refer you to the engineer if it's a technical question, because my expertise is not in
engineering.
Nov/ I assume that you have a copy of the letter from Ms. Travis?
Frey/ Yes, I do.
Nov/ Okay. I want to you lmow that I did speak with her on the phone. I did explain
very much what you had said today, and I told her that we're being optimistic that
this is going to work.
Frey/ And I think one of the things that's very important for the public to lmow, and I
think that you guys are well aware of it because of your minutes of the P/Z
meeting, but we had a lengthy discussion in front of the Commission where we
talked about all of our alternatives, and why this one was chosen over the others.
And I think that that's been a very collaborative process, throughout the past
several months, and I really feel like we've selected the best plan for the site.
Nov/ Thank you.
Norton/ Thank you.
Nov/ Is there any other Council discussion? Roll call- (yes).
Karr/ Madam Mayor, can we have a motion accepting correspondence?
Kubby/ So moved.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
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Nov/ It's been moved and seconded that we accept correspondence. All in favor, please
say aye- (ayes). Motion carried.
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ITEM NO. 6d Consider an ordinance amending Title 14, "Unified Development Code"
of the City Code by amending Chapter 9, Article A, entitled "Parking Facility
Impact Fee," to revise the formula for payment in the CB-5 zone. (Pass and
adopt)
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #6d)
Thornberry/ Move adoption of the ordinance.
Nov/ This is pass and adopt.
Lehman/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Thornberry, seconded by Lehman. I will make one comment on this.
This is a tad complicated. The ordinance, as we are doing it tonight, requires that
a fee 0£75% of the required spaces for any residential use in CB-5 be paid. Alad
that no fewer than 15% and no more than 35% of the required spaces be provided
on-site. Anything else? Roll call- (yes). We have approved this ordinance.
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September 23, 1997 City of Iowa City Page 9
Consider a resolution approving a preliminary and final plat of W.B.
Development Second Addition, a 5.17 acre, two-lot commercial
subdivision located north of Escort Lane and east of Naples Avenue.
(SUB97-0020)
Comment: At its September 4 meeting, by a vote of 6-0, the Planning
and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the preliminary and
final plat, subject to approval of legal papers prior to Council
consideration. The legal papers are being reviewed. Staff
recommended approval in its September z~ staff report.
Action:
Consider a resolution approving the extraterritorial preliminary and
final plat of a Resubdivision of Lots 14 and 15 and a Portion of Outlot
C, Woodland Ridge, Part 1, containing 2.36 acres and located south
of Meadowview Lane and east of Dane Road. (SUB97-0019)
Comment: At its September 4 meeting, by a vote of 6-0, the Planning
and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the preliminary and
final plat, subject to approval of legal papers prior to Council approval.
The legal papers are being reviewed. Staff recommended approval in
its September 4 staff report.
Action: ~~~y/~~
ITEM NO. 7.
INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE
APPLICATION OF BOND PROCEEDS OF THE SERIES 1997 GENERAL
OBLIGATION BONDS.
Comment: The public hearing is to allow public comment regarding
reallocating a portion of the 1997 General Obligation bonds from strictly
the Library roof project to other purposes. Staff memorandum included in
Council packet.
PUBLIC HEARING
Action:
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING
Action: ~'~-'~/~~
#6e page 1
ITEM NO. 6e Consider a resolution approving a preliminary and final plat o£W.B.
Development Second Addition, a 5.17 acre, two-lot commercial subdivision
located north of Escort Lane and east of Naples Avenue. (SUB97-0020)
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #6e)
Vanderhoef/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Norton/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Vanderhoe£, seconded by Norton. I assume that we have legal papers all
in order?
Eleanor Dilkes/ Yes.
Nov/ Thank you. Roll call- (yes). We have adopted the resolution.
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ITEM NO. 7 INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION
FOR THE APPLICATION OF BOND PROCEEDS OF THE SERIES 1997
GENERAL OBLIGATIONS BONDS.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #7). P.h. is now open. Mr. Yucuis, would you like to tell us
about all these other purposes, so that we get it on public record?
Yucuis/ With the bids on the library roof coming in better than expected, we had
allocated $225,000 for that project. With insurance reimbursement, and the bids
on the projects being lower, we were able to reallocate $115,000 of that project to
other projects. We also have put the Fire Station #3 remodel on hold, and that
freed up another $60,000 to be reallocated to some other projects. There's three
projects that were listed in the memo recommended to be spent for those projects.
That's the Robert A. Lee gym floor, and that is in progress right now. Originally
projected to be done and paid for from a G.O. bond issue next year, but with these
ftmds becoming available, I'm recommending that we use these funds to pay for
that project. The office renovation was originally projected to be paid for out of
General Fund monies, and I'm recommending that we use these funds to pay for
that project also. And the Animal Shelter, we had originally budgeted $165,000,
and that's what's been in the budget. And from the time we did the budget to the
time we did a bond issue, we had additional amounts added to that project, and
that brought the cost up to $210,000. So, we're requesting that we use some of
those funds to pay for that project, also.
Kubby/ Don, what was added to the Animal Shelter project?
Atkins/ I've got it, Don. Lockers, kennel doors, a washer, dryer, stove, shelving, phone
system, landscaping. We'd intended to pay for those out of the General Fund, and
we prefer, because we have this ability now, to put them against that --
Kubby/ So it wasn't that there was an add-on to the project, we're just paying for them
differently.
Yucuis/ Correct.
Atkins/ We'll pay for them differently, yes.
Kubby/ Thanks.
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Yucuis/ A question that arose earlier, whether or not we could use, or had enough funds
to pay for doing the other two phases of the Civic Center roof, and that other
phases of the Civic Center roof were approximately 150-some thousand dollars,
so there were funds, there were actually enough funds available to do that. If the
Council does wish to do that, you're more than welcome to do that. We would
have to reallocate or come back to you with funding for the gym floor and the
office renovation. Most likely we would use the General Fund money on the
office renovation. The Animal Shelter, we'd probably go back to the General
Fund funding of that, although I don't recommend that at this time.
Nov/
The other issue is whether or not we're going to put a third floor on the Civic
Center in one of those sections, in which case, the deferral of that roof is sensible.
Okay. Any other questions? Discussion?
Thornberry/ If we were talking about replacing the roof on the Civic Center, would there
have been any insurance money available for that? Just the hailstonrt, or not?
Yucuis/ I'd have to check on that, Dean. I don't believe we had any insurance money for
the Civic Center roof at all.
Atkins/ I'll thought we checked that. I think we've exhausted that, what we did have
available to us.
Yucuis/ We did have all the roofs, City-owned roofs checked after the hail damage.
Thornberry/ Okay, and then, how would the roof on the Civic Center be paid for, out of
General Funds, or, when that comes time?
Yucuis/ The next two phases would be added, would most likely be added to another
General Obligation bond issue.
Atkins/ Anther option is that if we build the third floor, depending on the timing, the
contractor that builds the roof, as a subcontractor to the general contractor, we
might be able to get a deal that way. There's just several options that are
available to us.
Thornberry/ Thanks, Don. Nice suit.
Nov/ Okay. Is there any other comments from the audience in this public hearing? P.h.
is closed. We need a motion.
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September 23, 1997 City of Iowa City Page 10
ITEM NO. 8.
CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 9 ENTITLED "MOTOR
VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED "RULES OF THE
ROAD" BY ADDING A NEW SECTION 12 THEREIN TO MANDATE LANE
USE CONTROL ON MELROSE AVENUE FROM UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS TO
BYINGTON ROAD. (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
ITEM NO. 9.
Comment: This action is being taken as part of an agreement between
the City and the Melrose Avenue Neighborhood Association to adopt, by
ordinance, the lane usage and pavement marking on the newly
reconstructed segments of Melrose Avenue between University Heights
and Byington Avenue. Lane usage and pavement markings will provide
three (3) 11' travel lanes and two (2) 7' shoulders from University
Heights to S. Grand Avenue and two (2) 11' travel lanes and 5' shoulders
from S. Grand Avenue to Byington Road. The design and agreement to
incorporate into ordinance is contained in Resolution No. 95-321.
Action: ~.-~/7~¢~/~ __________________~./~/z~_~.~,,~/~,~.~
CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 9, ENTITLED MOTOR
VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC," CHAPTER 1, ENTITLED "DEFINITIONS,
ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC REVISIONS,"
SECTION 9, ENTITLED "ACCIDENTS," BY REPEALING PARAGRAPH A,
ENTITLED "REPORT OF ACCIDENT: INABILITY TO REPORT." (SECOND
CONSIDERATION)
Comment: This action is being taken as part of a cooperative effort
between the Iowa City Police Department and the Johnson County
Council of Governments to provide better traffic accident information for
traffic engineering and traffic planning purposes. The ICPD is currently
providing copies of officer-completed crash reports to JCCOG for traffic
engineering data purposes. The current participant-completed crash
reports are less reliable and less informative than the officer-completed
reports and thereby unnecessary as long as cooperation continues
between the ICPD and JCCOG. The amendment will reduce paperwork
for both ICPD and JCCOG.
Action: ?/~Z., .~.~/ ~'~,~ ~z,~f.,"./~ p
#8 page 1
ITEM NO. 8 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 9 ENTITLED
"MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED "RULES OF
THE ROAD," BY ADDING A NEW SECTION 12 THEREIN TO MANDATE
LANE USE CONTROL ON MELROSE AVENUE FROM UNIVERSITY
HEIGHTS TO BYINGTON ROAD. (SECOND CONSDERATION)
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #8)
Thornberry/ Move adoption of the ordinance.
Lelunan/ Is there any reason this can't be expedited?
Nov/I don't see any good reason why.
Lel'uuan/ This is strictly routine.
Thornberry/ So, read it. Find the green sheet.
Nov/ Yeah. It's not a bad idea.
Thornberry/ Yeah, there's no sense in waiting to do it.
Nov/ Now, the stripes are already done, we're just formalizing.
Lelm~an/ I move that the rule requiring that ordinances must be considered and voted on
for passage at two Council meetings prior to the meeting at which it is to be
finally passed be suspended, that the second consideration and vote be waived,
and the ordinance be voted on for final passage at this time.
Thornberry/ Second.
Leluuan/ I move that the ordinance be finally adopted at this time.
Nov/ Wait, we have to vote on the other one. Moved by Lehman, seconded by
Thornberry, that we waive second consideration. Is there any discussion? Roll
call-
Norton/ Oh, I have a question --
Nov/ Okay.
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F092397
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Norton/ I'm still concerned about those so-called shoulder lanes. Are they bike lanes, or
not?
Nov/ They are.
Norton/ But--
Thornberry/ Bike and bus.
??/ And the bus pulls over to let the --
Norton/ But we don't designate bike lanes anymore, do we?
Kubby/ No, we just allow some extra room so there's not as much conflict between the
automobiles and bikes.
Norton/ Well, I understand that. So this means we have "Share the Road" signs, but no
bike lane?
Kubby/ Right.
Norton/ Okay.
Nov/ But these are striped. These are lanes. And it gives us a chance to have the bus
stop with room for --
Norton/ I understand that.
Nov/ Cars to go around it, or the bicycle with room for a car to go around it.
Baker/ A seven-foot shoulder, Dee, is really not wide enough for a traffic lane.
Norton/ No, I understand that, it's basically a place for the bus to pull over, but it's a
humongous bike lane. I'm just talking about the signage because as I understood
it we'd given up on bike lanes and gone to "Share 'the Road" signs.
Lehman/ Well, this is --
Kubby/ Well they're not mutttally exclusive.
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Lehman/ (Can't understand) expedition.
Nov/ Right.
Norton/ I don't' see that diamond anywhere else in town, do I?
Kubby/ He's a little bit lost.
Norton/ Is this the only place in town that diamond marking's on the pavement?
Nov/ No.
Kubby/ Where?
Nov/ There are some --
Atkins/ First Avenue?
Nov/ First Avenue is it?
Atkins/ I think First Avenue may have them.
Norton/ I'm beginning to think I'm in a high-occupancy lane.
Atkins/ I don't' know that that his.
Norton/ You lmow, more than two people in a car.
Council/(All talking.)
Norton/ You get a speed.
Nov/ It sometimes means a tandem bike.
Norton/Okay.
Nov/ We're voting on the waive of second reading. Roll call- (yes; Kubby no).
Lehman/ I move that the ordinance be finally adopted.
Thornberry/ Second.
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Nov/ Moved by Lehman, and seconded by Thomberry that we give this ordinance final
consideration. Roll call- (yes). We have adopted the ordinance.
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F092397
,September 23, 1997 City of Iowa City Page
ITEM NO. 10.
CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 14, ENTITLED "UNIFIED
DEVELOPMENT CODE," CHAPTER 6, ENTITLED "ZONING," ARTICLE S,
ENTITLED "PERFORMANCE STANDARDS," SECTION 11, ENTITLED
"SCREENING" BY ADDING CHILD CARE CENTERS TO THE LIST OF
AREAS WHICH MUST BE SCREENED FROM COMMERCIAL AND
INDUSTRIAL USES. (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Comment: Section 14-6S-11, City Code, provides that commercial or
industrial uses must provide screening when they abut or are across a
street, highway, alley or railroad right of way from residential zones,
office and research parks, schools, and recreational areas. With recent
zoning amendments, child care centers are now permitted in zones that
allow intensive commercial and industrial uses, but are not included
among those uses which are to be screened from commercial/industrial
uses. Adding "child care centers" to the list of uses that must be
screened from industrial and commercial activity is in keeping with the
intent of Section 1 4-6S-1 1. //[~/z~'~_~-/ ¢~ ~/
ITEM NO. 11.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND
THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST AN EXTENSION AGREEMENT FOR FY97
PARATRANSIT SERVICE BETWEEN THE CITY AND JOHNSON COUNTY.
ITEM NO. 12.
Comment: This resolution will extend the FY97 Paratransit service
agreement between the City and Johnson County [SEATS] for an
additional month - October, 1997. The total cost for the extension is
947,182. Any fare revenues in excess of 92,567 will be returned to the
City. This amount is in-line with the monthly rate paid for the FY97
service. The City and Johnson County are currently making progress in
negotiating the agreement for FY98 paratransit service, but there is not
enough time left in September to reach an agreement and allow for
review and execution by the respective governmental units.
Action: ,~:/E~'~,' ,~.,2
OO~SIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DESIGN OF THE IOWA
CITY TRANSIT INTERCHANGE FACILITY.
Comment: At the June 2 work session, the City Council directed staff
and the project consultant to investigate reorienting the Transit
Interchange Facility such that the entrance faces east rather than west.
The project has been reoriented so that the entrance faces east. At its
June 16 meeting, the Design Review Committee reviewed the redesign
and recommended denial. Consideration was deferred from June 3,
June 17, July 15, and August 26.
Action: O~'~¢~-'~P/ ~4~'~b~¢~~~,
#10 page 1
ITEM NO. 10 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 14, ENTITLED
"UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE," CHAPTER 6, ENTITLED "ZONING,"
ARTICLE S, ENTITLED "PERFORMANCE STANDARDS," SECTION 11,
ENTITLED "SCREENING," BY ADDING CHILD CARE CENTERS TO THE
LIST OF AREAS WHICH MUST BE SCREENED FROM COMMERCIAL
AND INDUSTRIAL USES. (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #10).
Thornberry/I move that the rule requiring that ordinances must be considered and voted
on for passage at two Council meetings prior to the meeting at which it is to be
finally passed be suspended, that the second consideration and vote be waived,
and the ordinance be voted on for final passage at this time.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Nov/ Was that Vanderhoef over there? Okay. Moved by Thornberry, seconded by
Vanderhoefthat we waive the second consideration on this ordinance. Is there
any discussion? Roll call- (yes; Kubby, no).
Thornberry/ I move that the ordinance be finally adopted at this time.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Nov/ Okay. It's been moved by Thornberry, seconded by Vanderhoef that we give this
ordinance our final consideration. Is there any discussion? Roll call- (yes). We
have approved this ordinance.
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ITEM NO. 11
Nov/
CONSDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO
SIGN AND THE CITY CLERI( TO ATTEST AN EXTENSION AGREEMENT
FOR FY97 PARATRANSIT SERVICE BETWEEN THE CITY AND
JOHNSON COUNTY.
(Reads agenda item #11). I sent them a letter this agemoon. There will be a little
committee that will meet tomorrow morning for the purposes of defining the
statistics that we would like to have at the end of our second month, two months,
and then negotiate a more lengthy contract after December 1 st when those
statistics are available, the reports that we need are available. And I'm hoping
that the Supervisors will go along with the three-month extension instead of one-
month. Do we need to move that this be changed?
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 97-135, SIDE A
Nov/ Moved by Lehman, seconded by Norton.
Thornberry/ Then make a motion?
Nov/ Then move to amend.
Thornberry/ Move to amend to three months instead of one month.
Nov/ Moved by Thornberry.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Nov/ Seconded by Vanderhoef that we extend the paratransit service agreement between
the City and the County to three months. Now we need a --
Thornberry/ For November/December.
Nov/ Correct.
Lehman/ Right.
Nov/ And we now need to vote on the amendment, and then vote on the whole
resolution.
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Kubby/ What was the Supervisors' -- did you talk about the 90 day extension at the
meeting this morning?
Nov/ Yes.
Kubby/ And was there a sense of how they feel about going from 30 to 90 days?
Nov/ They are going to think about it, and part of their thought is to get a better-defined
report that we would like to have at the end of our second month.
Kubby/ Okay.
Nov/ And that report is going to be defined, the staff is going to get together, and it will
be a Supervisor and a Council member, and they'll meet at 9:00 tomorrow
morning. They would like to get this definition set up and then vote on the
contract extension on Thursday. However, they have another been meeting on
Tuesday next week, and they could take part of that for a formal vote if they want
to think about it a little longer.
Kubby/ Eleanor, if for some reason they decided they didn't want to do a 90, they
wanted to do a 30, where does that leave us in terms ofparatransit service for this
month of this? Would we need to vote again, or will this --
Dilkes/ I think you'd probably have to call a special meeting and vote on a 30 day
extension.
Kubby/ Okay. That sounds, I'm glad that they didn't reject that idea out of hand. I think
that's a good sign that we are, I mean we all lmew that we were really close, that
we have some things to tie up, and I think that's a good indicator that they realize
that, too.
Nov/ Now, there was some discussion --
Baker/ Absolutely.
Nov/
Of going longer than three months. But, I presented the Council's point of view
that we really felt we had to have some reports in some definitive form at the end
of 60 days, and then talk about the around-the-year contract.
Kubby/ It sounds like it was a productive meeting.
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Nov/ Okay. Roll call--
Kan'/ No, it's a motion.
Nov/ We don't need a roll call on the amendment, okay. All in favor of the amendment,
please say aye- (ayes). All opposed same sign. Motion carried. Now, roll call on
the entire resolution- (yes). We have approved a three month extension of our
SEATS contract.
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.September 23
ITEM NO. 13.
qq-.
ITEM NO. 14.
ITEM NO. 15.
97-
, 1997 City of Iowa City Page 12
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM.
Comment: This resolution establishes a public art program for Iowa City
with an allocation of 8100,000 per year in the Capital Improvements
Program to be spent on commissioning or acquiring art for public places.
The resolution also reflects the Council's intent to establish a Public Art
Advisory Committee to govern and manage the program. ~
., O ., · /! _
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT
ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY IN LIEU OF CONDEMNATION BETWEEN'
GLENN D. AND PRISCILLA A. JACOBSEN AND THE CITY OF IOWA
CITY, IOWA, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MUNICIPAL PARKING
FACILITY.
Comment: Glen D. Jacobsen and Priscilla A. Jacobsen, husband and
wife, are the owners of real estate locally known as 7 Harrison Street in
Iowa City. On the signature of the City Manager, subject to approval by
the City Council, the City ha9 extended the Jacobsen9 an offer to buy
this real estate for the future construction of a municipal parking facility
and the offer has been accepted by the Jacobsens, This resolution
approves and ratifies the purchase agreement.
Action:
,o,,,,,, o,-,-,,.s
ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, THAT IS PART OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN
(CITY STEPS), (EXCLUDING HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND HAWKEYE
AREA COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM), AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO SUBMIT SAID PLAN AND ALL NECESSARY
CERTIFICATIONS TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT, AND DESIGNATING THE CITY MANAGER AS THE
AUTHORIZED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE CONSOLIDATED
PLAN.
Comment: The Housing and Community Development Commission, at
their August 21, 1997, meeting, recommended approval of the amended
FY98 Annual Action Plan. This amendment provides 837,000 to the
Housing Rehabilitation Program and 83,000 to the Manufactured Home
Fire Safety Program.
Action: ~~~/~~a~
#13 page 1
ITEM NO. 13 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC ART
PROGRAM.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #13)
Kubby/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Norton / Second.
Nov/ Moved by Kubby, seconded by Norton. We had some discussion of amenchnents
last night. Is Council interested in amending this to require $100,000 as a
minimum?
Norton/ Well, I would like to move to amend by inserting the word "minimum" before
the words $100,000, to allow us the flexibility in certain situations. So a
minimum amount of $100,000 would be allocated in the Capital Improvements
this year.
Kubby/ Second.
Thomberry/ What, what --
Nov/ Moved by Norton, seconded by Kubby that we add "minimum". Any discussion?
Kubby/ I mean, in reality --
Thornberry/ Absolutely. What you're saying then is that each public, each public, any
time something is built for the City, we're going to add $100,000 per year,
minimum, to a project or certain projects --
Nov/ No.
Thornberry/ What you're going to do --
Nov/ This is in our Capital Improvements period.
Thornberry/ Okay.
Nov/ It may be spent on a project or maybe put aside and saved for another project, or it
may not be spent at all.
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Thornberry/ Let me ask you this.
Nov/ It's not project specific. It's just in the budget.
Thornberry/ Where's the $100,000 per year coming from for public art?
Kubby/ From the CIP project. And so what you originally said was correct.
Norton/ As an increment on certain capital projects, right.
Thornberry/ So, certain capital projects, if it were originally $50,000, it might be more
than that when you're adding on to get some money for public art projects.
Norton/ Three projects might be $50,000, it might be $55,000.
Thornberry/ In the past, we have art around Iowa City, some art projects arotmd Iowa
City. They were either donated to the City, dedicated to the City in other ways, or
fund-raisers for these public art projects. For everyone who is paying taxes in
Iowa City for public projects, these projects are just going to go up now, for
public art, for a committed to decide the art project that goes to a specific location
sometime, whatever they designate. Is that correct?
Norton/ Yeah.
Thornberry/ I'm just trying to get -- is that right?
Norton/ It's an investment in this community, right.
Nov/ And there can be --
Thornberry/ Not necessarily.
Nov/ A public art commission that recommends to the City Council. I mean, the design
of how the commission operates, how independent it may or may not be, is
something that goes into the bylaws in the future. So you will have some say in
how independent they are.
Thornberry/ Who will have some say, the taxpayers, or just the City Council?
Nov/ Oh, do you think they're going to do that without the taxpayers, do you think so? I
suspect --
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Kubby/ I think what Naomi's saying is that we get to set up the art advisory group, and
so we would have control over how much independence they had about these
decisions. So, that's our decision.
Thomberry/ Now, you --
Kubby/ But if that passes, that's the next step.
Thornberry/ There's a resolution on the floor to set the $100,000 as a minimum. What to
you propose, Dee, to be a maximum? Or do you propose not to have a maximum
at all?
Norton/ I only propose that as a minimum in case there are certain projects where you
just can't do it for that, need to step it up a little bit.
Thornberry/ I mean, a million dollar project for a specific piece of art would not be out
of the realm of possibility in your estimation.
Norton/ Well, it'd be different, yeah. You wouldn't have to go that far, I mean, that'd be
a possibility, I suppose.
Nov/ It would be in the --
Norton/ A ridiculous one, perhaps.
Nov/ It would be in the City Council budget. The City Council would choose to spend
the money or not.
Vanderhoef/ Well, Dee, when we had this conversation at the Work Session, I'd said that
I'd support a public art program, and that $100,000 was a maximum for me,
personally, and that it didn't always have to go that high. So, when you throw
this amendment on there, I can't support this.
Norton/ That gives you trouble?
Vanderhoef/ This, that leaves it so open-ended that I'm not comfortable with that at all. I
have truly been thinking in the $75,000 to $100,000 range for a starter, and see
what happens with it, and then bump it up, possibly, at a later time. But, I cam~ot
support this.
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Kubby/ In a certain sense, it might be functionally the same either way. That just
because the resolution say s $100,000, if Council wanted to take money either
from capital projects, or the General Fund, and/or grant money, and/or private
fm~draising, we can still do that, no matter if the amendment is in there or not.
Thomberry/ Well, you'd have to do it to the tune of $100,000 per year --
Kubby/ Yeah, that would be the minimum.
Thomberry/ And spend it on two public projects, if it were a minimum.
Kubby/ Right.
Norton/ (Yes).
Kubby/ It would have to, if we say $100,000 a year, we would do that every year. It's
just some years, we would do more. With or without the amendment, we could, if
the majority decide to do more.
Vanderhoef/ And the possibilities of, fithere is a project that you want more for, that
certainly you can save it up for more than one year if there's a special need. So,
to bump it up above $100,000 is just not acceptable to my mind.
Norton/ So you don't --
Kubby/ It looks like Karin would like to say something.
Karin Franklin/ One stipulation that's in here, just so that you keep it in mind. If you do
decide to spend more than $100,000 in any given year, or if you were to decide to
spend less than $100,000, or I should say, allocate less than $100,000, then you
must do that as an amendment to this resolution, and have a public hearing on it.
Thornberry/ But Karin, the resolution, the amendment on the floor is to have $100,000
minimum.
Franldin/ Yes. I'm--
Thomberry/ So, if someone were to suggest a $1,000,000 project, and the Council was so
inclined to do that, at that particular time, that would be very onerous for the
people that are paying the taxes on the City projects.
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Kubby/ Well, easy to argue something --
Franldin/ The onerousness of it is obviously something that you would have to judge.
But you're absolutely right, Dean, if that amendment is in there, you can go
beyond $100,000 for an allocation in any fiscal year, as a Council action. What I
was speaking to was Karen's point who was saying that whether you do the
amendment or not, the Council can decide to allocate more than $100,000. Yes,
you can decide to do that, but you do it in a public hearing amending this
resolution forum. And I just wanted to make sure that you were all aware N_
Norton/ Well, actually, that'd be --
Kubby/ So if you have the "minimum" word in there, we can just do it during our budget
process?
Franldin/ That's right, because you would not be amending this resolution then.
Kubby/ Okay, thard~ you.
Thornberry/ So the amendment that you proposed, Mr. Norton, is --
Norton/ Maizes it easier.
Thomberry/ Is, well, would mandate a minimum of$100,000 a year?
Norton/ Right.
Thornberry/ With no maximum.
Norton/ Well the maximum, that's right, there is no maximum.
Thomberry/ Right.
Nov/ The maximum would be --
Thornberry/ Whatever the Council --
Nov/ At the discretion of the Council.
Norton/ Up to the Council.
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Nov/ And I cannot believe that there's going to be a City Council that's going to spend
any gigantic amount of money on this.
Thornberry/ Yes, but darlin' you're not running this all. You may be replaced by
someone who has a different viewpoint --
Nov/ And it can be canceled out by your vote.
Baker/ Hey, Dean, I'm comfortable with that amendment.
Lehman/ Dean, right now, with or without this, I'm not going to support the resolution as
far as that goes, but right now, if we decided tonight, we have a proposal for
$150,000 for an art object to be placed in the middle of the Pedestrian Mall, we
could vote that in.
Norton/ Yeah.
Lel:ar~an/ We have always had the capability of doing that.
Thornberry/ That is correct.
Lelmaan/ But this will not change that. This will just guaranteed that a minimum
Thornberry/ Right.
Lehman/ Of$100,000 a year goes in there.
Thornberry/ Minimum.
Lehman/ Yeah.
Thornberry/ That's what I really have a problem with.
Norton/ Well, you've got a problem with (can't understand).
Thornberry/ If it were a maximum, it could be something less than that.
Norton/ I thought you had a problem without the minimum.
Nov/ No, this is an allocation --
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Thomberry/ No.
Nov/ You can set it aside for another year. You don't have to spend it all at once.
Baker/ We'll do a flat figure, but higher than $100,000.
Norton/ What did you say, Larry?
Kubby/ Larry wanted $150,000.
Baker/ Yeah, I thought of $150,000 as flat figure.
Thomberry/ As a minimum or a maximum?
Baker/ You can always raise that by separate resolutions.
Norton/ Well, the question is, with the mechanics, it'd be simpler if it was this way. I
don't know ~-
Baker/ You're right.
Norton/ You want to leave it to the other way --
Kubby/ I'm fine.
Baker/ No, that's good. Minimints.
Thomberry/ My goodness, this scares me.
Lehman/ Wait till we talk about the resolution. We're just tallring about the amendment
now.
Thomberry/ We're just on the amendment now.
Nov/ All right. Is there any further discussion on the amendment? All right. It's been
moved and seconded. We need ayes for an amendment. All in favor, please say
aye. Baker, Kubby, Norton, Novick. I think I heard four. Do you want a hand?
Baker/ I heard four.
Thornberry/ Why don't you --
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Kubby/ You need to say names.
Lehman/ I'd like to call for the "nay" vote.
Thornberry/ Yeah.
Nov/ All right. Call for the "nay" vote. Lehman, Thornberry, Vanderhoef Nay. I heard
three.
Kubby/ Dean tried to throw his voice there.
Nov/ All right. By a small margin, we have approved the amendment.
Thornberry/ Of a minimum of $100,000 a year, a minimum orS100,000 a year, in
addition to -- Oh, this is scary. Let's vote.
Baker/ This is scary?
Thornberry/ This is scary.
Norton/ Well, look at all the (can't understand).
Thornberry/ It could be a lot more than $100,000 a year, Larry.
Council/ All talking.
Kubby/ This is not a radical program. This is not, this is actually done in a lot more
flexible way than a lot of communities. And, it's a way to improve the quality of
life and to maintain the integrity --
Thornberry/ Quality of life --
Kubby/ And the vitality --
Thomberry/ Quality of life, Karen, doesn't have anything to do with art objects
downtown. That is not -~
Kubby/ I beg to differ.
Thornberry/ That is not quality of life, I'm sorry.
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Norton/ Dean, we're talking about
Kubby/ I'm not --
Norton/ We're talking about a direct (can't understand).
NoW Okay. Now--
Thornberry/ Where did this idea come from?
Nov/ Let's get back to the resolution establishing an art program. Is there a discussion of
whether or not we should have an art program?
Thornberry/ Yeah.
Kubby/ That's what we were talking about.
Lehman/ Yeah.
Kubby/ The importance of it.
Lehman/ I have a couple, I do support arts, I mean I don't have a problem with that. I
have a real problem with adding $100,000 a year to the Capital Improvements
Program. We are basically borrowing money for public art. Now, I believe there
are many reasons why a city should borrow money. I think public works, and we
do it all the time. I think they make a lot of sense. But, I think borrowing money
for public art is not one of them. It took this Council and the City administrators
probably three months to come up with a deficit of what, $300,000 in our General
Fund, and we can decide in a few minutes that we can find $100,000 by deficit
financing. And I really don't' think that's appropriate. I think a public art
program is appropriate. We can do public art at any time we want. All it's got to
do is be presented to a Council, and any Council can vote on that. But I think
deficit financing for public art, I don't disagree with art, I don't' think this is
something we can't live without. If we can afford, it, I think we do it, but I don't
think we take it out of debt financing.
Nov/ You want it out of the General Fund?
Baker/ What' s your definition of deficit financing?
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Lehman/ We are borrowing the money for public art.
Nov/ Did we ever have --
Lelmaan/ That's deficit financing.
Baker/ Well then everything we do is deficit financing.
Lehman/ No, it is not. The General Fund is not deficit financing.
Baker/ We pay our bills. Deficit is when we don't' have the money --
Lehman/ We are borrowing -- Larry, when you issue bonds, you're borrowing money.
That's deficit financing.
Norton/ No, that's just borrowing.
Lehman/ It's like going to the bank and borrowing money. It's real money, and you
have to pay it back. You lmow, in your, in our packet~ it shows what we pay each
month, or each year, in our taxes, to retire bonds. Right now, we're paying 12.6%
of our property taxes is used for General Obligation bonds, to retire those bonds.
And those are for bridges and roads and other public improvements, which I
totally agree with. But I disagree with borrowing money for a project that I do not
consider to be a necessity.
Baker/ Ernie, you're, I think the confusing thing to me is that the selective use of this
term "deficit" --
Lehman/ It's not selective.
Baker/ No, it is. Because you're willing to do deficit, by your definition, deficit
financing for other projects, but not deficit financing for art.
Lehman/ I think the key word here is necessity. we're talking about roads. We're
talking about streets. we're talking about sidewalks. We're talking about sewers,
whatever. I think those are necessities. Those are things that we must have for
the people of this community. I don't disagree with public art. And I think we
can support it. But I don't' think we can support it, nor should we support it --
Baker/ Even then, those categories that you mentioned as necessities, there is still
discretion. There are many things we could get by without doing.
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Norton/ Sure.
Baker/ Within the categories that you've set up.
Lelnnan/ At least they aren't as blatant. Certainly, we took Melrose Avenue, and we
made it nicer. Now, we can't consider that art, because it's a divided boulevard,
and we have trees, and we have retaining walls. That's not art. It's very pretty.
We could have made a four-lane not-divided highway, just a plain ugly street. We
chose not to do that.
Baker/ Right.
Lehman/ We made it nicer.
Baker/ Right.
Lehman/ But that doesn't count for art, because that's not art.
Baker/ But we did increase the cost, right?
Lehman/ We certainly did. But what we're talking about now is that it's not enough just
to make it nicer. Now, we have to specifically identify --
Norton/ All of this
Lelnnan/ Public art, which I think we can do. I just disagree with financing it with debt.
Baker/ Okay.
Norton/ All of this stuff is going on one way or another. We're responding in part here
to a recommendation from the Chamber of Commerce which perhaps you
remember.
Lelnnan/ Oh, I certainly do.
Norton/ And they see it as an investment. Many, many communities have done this,
large and small have done this, and they've usually tied it as a percentage of
capital projects. Now we'd looked at various mechanisms for that, and to try to
categorize the exact projects we want to hook this fund into, it's hard to say in
advance, and so that's left up to the City Manager at this point. But, certainly an
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investment that a lot of communities have found was worthwhile. And I think, if
you go to the government buildings, go to University Hospitals and see what art is
done there, go to many, many communities that have done this, Rockville,
Maryland, Atlanta, Georgia, Phoenix, Seattle, and many small ones too, Vollmar,
Colorado, and others that have introduced this kind of program, it's not as if we're
inventing the wheel here. People have seen this, as creating a situation and the
environment which you want to go to visit, which is exciting, and pleasant. It's
not just pounding sand in a rat-hole, as I say, it's an investment.
Thornberry/ Dee, I don't disagree, either, with art for art's sake. The fountain downtown
is a piece of art. Some people may like it. Some people don't like it. But it's a
piece of art. The fountain in Coralville that you drive by, the wall on the County
Courthouse wall, as you walk in.
Norton/ Right, right.
Thornberry/ A piece of art as you walk in. I don't disagree with those.
Norton/ Okay.
Thornberry/ But, like Ernie said, if you have to borrow the money in debt financing, for a
project at a minimum of $100,000 a year, added onto the price of a project, that's
forcing the people that may or may not agree with that particular piece of art, to
not only pay for it, but pay the interest on the borrowed money for that piece of
art. Now, we can do art, and we can do art all over town.
Norton/ How much are we (can't understand).
Thornberry/ We specify what art the Council or the committee or whatever, I don't
disagree with having an art committee if that's what you want. We've got Design
Review which I didn't particularly care for. They may want a say in what is
designed properly. Maybe that committee ought to be given to the Design
Review committee, and have them also design and review the art that is put
aronnd Iowa City, since they're so knowledgeable about designing --
Norton/ A possibility.
Thornberry/ And review. And I don't disagree that this could happen, and the University
certainly has art all around the University projects. But to finance them through
borrowed money that everybody gets to pay interest on, I don't think is the way to
do it.
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Norton/ That's how they financed the art at University Hospitals. That's how they
finance all of these. That's how you finance roads or schools or anything else.
Kubby/ That's how you --
Thornberry/ That's how we financed, that's our money goes to the University. That's
part of our money.
Nov/ That's what the --
Thornberry/ But that is a little far removed from the City Council with the taxpayers
coming to us and saying "Hey, listen, I thought a couple of months ago, you were
talking about being in the hole here. You've got some problems with your
budget. Now, you're saying a minimum orS100,000 per year is going to go into
public projects, a minimum of $100,000 --"
Nov/ Well, we're talking about two different pots of money.
Thornberry/ It's still the taxpayers' money.
Nov/ Yes, I know. But, the General Fund was the only place where there was a problem.
The Capital Improvements money did not have a problem.
Thornberry/ Oh, G.O. bonds, you don't pay interest on and you don't have to pay back?
Nov/ No, I'm saying that you cannot equate the two issues of cost. They are not the
same issue.
Thornberry/ They're still one pocket or the other out of the taxpayers.
Norton/ It's an investment, you've got to (can't understand).
Baker/ A clarification, because I'm groggy and confused. The discussion is that we
support public art but we don't want to pay for it through deficit financing. So, is
there another source of funding for the art that you support, that you would
advocate?
Lehman/ Larry, I don't thiak, I disagree with a fixed amount annually coming out of
deficit financing.
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Baker/ Okay.
Lehman/ I'm not saying at all that we might not have a project that would be presented
to us by the Chamber of Commerce, okay? It's a project associated with some big
thing we're doing that we feel is important enough, and that we really want to do.
At that point in time, we look for the money. Now, I'm not saying that we would
never take it out of bonds. I'm saying that as a policy, I think it's a bad policy to
fund it on a regular basis out of debt financing.
Nov/ We had the option of doing something proj ect-specific, and we coulch~'t get four
people to agree on it.
Thornberry/ So, you're going to force them to buy something whether they want to or
not. Or, they could defer it --
Nov/ No--
Thomberry/ Until a later date, with a minimum orS100,000.
Norton/ For something more significant.
Thornberry/ Now, we're redoing the front of the Civic Center right now, and I would
support an art piece for there.
Norton/ You'll have the money available to do that.
Thornberry/ I would support it.
Norton/ You'll have the money.
Thornberry/ As an individual project. Not as a minimum project. A minimum amount
of $100,000 a year, added onto the price of municipal projects --
Norton/ The one reason --
Nov/ Okay. You want to support it at 1%?
Thornberry/ I can't support deficit financing for art.
??/ There isn't any other way.
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Council/ (All talking).
Thornberry/ On a mandatory basis per year. With a minimum, Dee, of $100,000 really
bothers me, as you know.
Norton/ Well, I think we've --
Thornberry/ I'm going to lose sleep over this.
Kubby/ Well, you know, I kmow that Dee was going to say something. I want to know
what Dee Vanderhoef has --
Vanderhoef/ I still haven't changed my mind. I support some public art. However,
when you start putting that as a minimum, when we specifically spoke of it in our
Work Meeting, and it was plainly said as maximum, there's a big difference there
for me, and it opens up a whole lot of other things for me. So, I'll go back to
supporting the art project on an individual basis.
Kubby/ The--
Norton/ I want to comment on deficit financing for just a minute, because one of the
reasons we're financing it that way, tying it to capital projects and paying for it
over time, if you wish, which includes some debt payment, is that you spread that
costs over a longer, on a longer set of users, just like you do with the water
projects or anything else, any other project.
Thornberry/ Passing it on to our children and grandchildren.
Norton/ How do you think they paid for the art at the, the river scene down in the County
Building?
Nov/ Yeah, the County Building. Yeah, exactly, that's what they did. We're all still
paying.
Thornberry/ As an individual site-specific piece of art. As opposed to, say, Dee, to
you've got to have a minimum orS100,000 per year in that kitty.
Kubby/ It's just obvious that there's a split --
Thomberry/ No, it could be --
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Kubby/ In philosophy between a program and the beauty of the program is that it just
becomes a natural part of the infrastructure of your community. We recently
broadened our definition of infrastructure for the community when we passed the
Open Space ordinance, to say that as the community grows, we need open space.
And, my argument in favor of a consistent program is that that's just, again,
including that in the definition of as we continue to develop, not just
geographically, but as we redo the downtown, that as there are open spaces
created, and community focal points created, artwork is an important part, a
consistent important part of the infrastructure of our community. And I support it
100%. I'm with Naomi and would have preferred a program that was a 1% of
projects over a certain amount of money. If staff had suggested $500,000, I
would've gone to $300,000, but there were only 2 or 3 votes for that, so having
the amount per year that's not site-specific isn't my preference, but is very
acceptable. And, you lmow, there's bread of life, but there's also an important
role in government to provide the roses of life. And no one's always going to
ever agree about a building design, or about the design of a piece of artwork.
That's why we're going to have a committee so it's not just us making the
decision. I don't want us to make the initial decision. And we've seen, I mean
one of the comments that Dee was making, I don't lmow if it was heard, saying
how much public art has really been inspired in this community by this Council in
the past ten years. What kind of public art has been created? And I don't think
that there's a really good answer, there's none. And so, that to me says that it's
time for a program, and there's support for it, and I'm looking forward to us
moving forward on it.
Thornberry/ There's been no art piece done in the last ten years by the City of Iowa City?
Kubby/ Nope. I don't lmow when the last time, I mean, the fountain was the last piece.
Thornberry/ I know. I'm asking.
Nov/ Well,--
Thornberry/ Is there none?
Kubby/None.
Lehman/ Well, I don't lmow, Dean, but here again, there's a philosophical difference. I
really feel that the, we did Burlington Street, the intersection, we did a lot more
than we had to do. It's a very attractive intersection. It makes the downtown
more pleasing.
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Kubby/ The design.
Lehman/ To me, yeah, but to me, good design certainly could be attributed to some of
the money that we're thinking about spending.
Norton/ Nobody's going to stop that, we hope.
Lel'unan/ And we certainly have not been remiss in any way, shape, or form, in ten years,
as far as trying to make our projects attractive and pleasing to the public.
Kubby/ That's not what I stated.
Lelm~an/ No, I lmow that's not. But I think, I guess I consider that not to replace public
art, but certainly as a part of public art, and you don't. I mean we have a
difference of opinion on that.
Kubby/ Although I don't have a problem with having some of the public art be function,
for example, on a bridge, to have a handrail that has some elements that it's
obvious that it's not just a pretty handrail, or a well-designed handrail, but that it
may incorporate some aspect of art that is very obvious. And so, I don't mind, in
some projects having, giving some direction to the committee to incorporate
functionality. But not on every project.
Lehman/ One last, one last point on this --
Baker/ Let's vote.
Thomberry/ What really bothers me the most is the fact that this is a minimum with your
amendment.
Kubby/ I think we got that.
Thomberry/ A minimum.
Kubby/ We got it.
Nov/ Okay.
Thomberry/ I'll vote.
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Kubby/ Hold it.
Thornberry/ I'm saying, I want the people to understand this, that --
Kubby/ They understand it.
Thomberry/ That a minimum --
Nov/ They understand it. Is there an interest in going to a project-specific allocation?
Thomberry/ There's no maximum.
Nov/ If you're interested in a project-specific allocation, we can switch.
Thornberry/ The amendment has been, the resolution ~-
Nov/ No, we --
Thomberry/ Well, the resolution's --
Nov/ No, we have not voted on this resolution. If we want a resolution that requires a
1% of project-style without a specific number, we can do that. We can vote no on
this resolution. We could have another one next time.
Thomberry/ I would much rather do that than have a minimunn.
Norton/ No.
Thomberry/ Of $100,000 --
Kubby/ we're going backwards in our discussion.
Norton/ Let me hear this.
Thornberry/ I'm acquiescing --
Kubby/You've changed your mind?
Norton/ I want to hear what he's talking about. Because we tried to consider doing it as
a percentage-of-project. We had some difficulty defining the projects properly to
generate the kind of money that would be necessary. When we looked at the data
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that were presented to us, it, this number, $100,000 came out as about what
would've been generated in the last four years, per year, as 1% of what Karin
called targeted projects, I think, bridges, streets, trails, and buildings over
$500,000. So, that, and Ernie, you were the one that suggested maybe a fixed
number rather than let it float every year depending on the project, so that's where
the, that's where we came to this particular position.
Baker/ It was always in the, no, I think Ernie did it, I think earlier discussions indicated
preference for the General Fund.
Norton/ Well,--
Baiter/ But not on a regular basis, and this is what was --
Norton/ Well, he thought it was, if it was a project, if it was tied to project money, that it
would go up and down depending on the project. Whereas, it might be easier to
plan with a specified amount. I think the people that proposed this would rather
see it tied to projects. And I think, maybe, in the future, we may want to get there
once we get a clearer handle on what projects should be included.
Nov/ We can --
Kubby/ I'm ready to go with it tonight.
Nov/ We can have the advisory committee advise us on what projects to include.
Norton/ Right.
Nov/ It's certainly possible.
Norton/ And we could then revise our mechanism and get rid of the "minimum" even
being in.
Thornberry/ Well, with a minimum of $100,000 per year, and a maximran of none. I
mean, it's ~-
Nov/ Were you going to vote for it without the word "minimum"?
Thornberry/ I would say that I could not, absolutely not, support, $100,000 minimum
with no maximum --
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Baker/ Would you have voted for it with just "$100,000" maximum?
Nov/ Were you going to vote for it before we inserted the word "minimum"?
Lehman/ Why don't' we vote and find out.
Thornberry/ I'm not going to tell.
Kubby/ I mean, Dee Vanderhoefwas clear about this.
Norton/ Okay, let's start it.
Thornberry/ We can just bring it up and see.
Norton/ We can fine-tune it later, Dean. Let's get it started.
Baker/ Good campaign issue.
Nov/ Are we ready to vote? Roll call-
Thornberry/ Absolutely not.
Vm~derhoef/ No.
Baker/ Yes.
Kubby/ Absolutely, yes.
Lehman/ No.
Norton/Yes.
Nov/ Yes.
Thomberry/ Can we have a break?
Nov/ We have approved this --
Kubby/ I know CPR.
Nov/ ON a 4/3 vote.
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Norton/ You'll love it.
Thornberry/ I need Valium.
Nov/ All right. I told John Beckord he could have a minute. Do you still want that,
Jolm?
Thornberry/ I'm' shaking.
John Beckord/ No. It was interesting.
Kubby/ I should say congratulations.
Beckord/ I, that was what I came here for, of course, was to say thank you and
congratulations. And for those rtmning for the Council who have portrayed this
as a business versus the people thing, where the Council, or the Chamber has six
votes in their pockets, this is a pretty ironic vote. You lmow, a lot of these issues
were fleshed out during a number of debates, not only in the Art-Business
Partnership Committee, but in the Local Government Affairs Committee, and the
Board of Directors, and at the Executive Committee level, an there wasn't
agreement on it, just like there isn't here tonight. But ultimately, a modest
strategic investment was deemed by a majority of our board as a good investment
for this community. It does, Dean, and in the minds of the majority of the Board
of Directors of the Chamber, constitute an improvement in the quality of life. In
fact, in the minds of a lot of business-people, it's good business because it'll
attract people to this community. It will attract people to visit the community. It
will visit people who companies are trying to attract here, especially highly skilled
people who look, primarily, for a high quality of life location. People who have
choices where they can live, people who are in high-demand who want to live in
an enlightened community, a culturally rich community. And, you're taking what
is compared to a lot of other communities around the country a very modest step.
Now, I agree, when you start getting into some hypothetical numbers as you did,
with million dollar projects, you lmow, some red lights start flashing, and you
start to think now wait a minute, this could get out of hand and could become a
burden, which is not what we were talking about before, which was a very modest
investment. It's like buying a $20,000 car and putting a $200 radio in it. You
don't need that radio, but spend the extra 1% to improve the quality of life in that
car, don't you. And you don't think a whole lot about it, and in fact, you might
use deficit financing to finance the radio.
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Nov/ More likely to finance the car.
Baker/ Well, it's part of the car.
Beckord/ It's part of the car. And I think, if ultimately you have to come around to the
view, if you can support this, that public art is part of the quality of life. If you
are adamant against that, you probably never would submit to the idea that public
money should be spent on art in any way, shape, or form. And, of course, as I
said, we're not breaking new ground here. Not only at the community level, but
in this community, state and federal buildings have had this program for many
years, and it's worked. All you have to do is walk through the halls. Not only the
hospital, but any number of public buildings, and see how the environments are
enriched by public art. Finally, it's been suggested that this might quelch the
appetite for private individuals to give for public art. I'm hopeful it'll do quite the
opposite. In fact, having some public money on the table for very specific
projects could entice more private money, to make what, this $100,000
commitment into something much larger than that, through the private sector. It's
leveraging what money of the public can be made available, the public can make
available, and perhaps getting more significant dollars on these projects. Time
will tell, of course, too.
Kubby/ I thinlc we should have had John speak before we voted.
Nov/ He spoke more than once. We all heard him.
Kubby/ I lmow, but he was very eloquent on the subject.
Beckord/ We've had a lot of, I've had a lot of feedback on this particular issue, and there
is disagreement in the business community. And it's a delicate one for sure. And
again though, I think blowing it out of proportion in terms of the actual dollars
that will be spent is doing a disservice. Because we are only talcing about a small,
modest investment. But yeah, we'll be monitoring it over time to see if somehow,
like you said, the Council, the nature of the Council changes, and things change,
and hopefully that won't happen though, and this will continue to be a modest
program, in terms of dollars, but I'm' hoping a very major program in terms of the
impact it has on the look and the feel, the vitality of the community. But thank
you, thank you for your vote of confidence.
Nov/ Thanks, Jolm.
Kubby/ I hope people won't --
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Nov/ Don't forget to sign your name.
Kubby/ Dean's extreme example of $1,000,000 was meant to make a point.
Thornberry/ Yes.
Kubby/ Because no one has talked about that kind of money. And I hope that people
don't think that we have been talking of that kind of money.
Thomberry/ More like $900.
Kubby/ This is a, something, I mean, it's a good strategy on Dean's part. Many times, he
makes very extreme examples to make his point, but then that gets to be the
example that we all talk about, and that's not part of the reality of the discussion
that we've had.
Thornberry/ Well, John, you --
Nov/ And he's made his point more than once.
Thornberry/ John, when you give an example of a $20 in a $2,000 car, --
Nov/ No, it was --
Norton/ $20,000 car.
Thornberry/ Whatever, Naomi. I'm talking about the $2,000 with a $15,000 radio,
which you can get, or an audio system in a car that is worth more than the car.
That's possible with the ordinance passed the way it has passed.
Norton/ That's not probable.
Thornberry/ Because it does say "minimum orS100,000" and there is no maximum.
And yes, $1,000,000 is probably out of the realm of possibility, but $900,000 gets
close.
Nov/ No, it doesn't.
Thornberry/ You know, you've got to really be careful and watch your City government
like a hawk.
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Norton/ I don't' think that'll happen.
Kubby/ Even if you agree with this "minimum of $100,000", people should watch local
govermnent, you're absolutely fight.
Thornberry/ Thank you.
Norton/ Thank you, John.
Nov/ Thanks, John.
Carol Spaziani/ I'd like to just take a minute. My name is Carol Spaziani. I'm' the
chairperson of the Arts-Business Partnership Committee of the Chamber fight
now, that germinated this idea, and in spite of the unevenness of your support, we
have tonight brought each of you a token of our art interest to thank you for your
vote. I'd like to present ~-
Thornberry/ Larry said he could go ahead and take mine. How much is this? I've got a
credit card here.
Spaziani/ Individually selected.
Nov/ Oh wow, thank you.
Thornberry/ Thank you.
Norton/ Gee, I hope Dean gets a real ugly picture.
Baker/ Is it?
Nov/ It's art, folks.
Lehman/ Yours is a $1,000,000 bill, eh?
Thornberry/ It should be.
Nov/ Thank you, Carol.
Norton/ Thank you.
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Vanderhoef/ Thanks, Carol.
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ITEM NO. 14 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN AGREEMENT
FOR ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY IN LIEU OF CONDEMNATION
BETWEEN GLENN D. AND PRISCILLA A. JACOBSEN AND THE CITY OF
IOWA CITY, IOWA, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MUNICIPAL
PARICING FACILITY.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #14)
Vanderhoef/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Lehman/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Lehman. Discussion? Roll call-
Norton/ What does this entail in the way of a commitment now, down the road?
Thornberry/ They're making a parking lot.
Nov/ A facility.
Franklin/ Is that what you mean? This is where we're going to build the parking facility
in the federal lot.
Norton/ At some future point.
Franldin/ Yes.
Nov/ We're still negotiating for the rights?
Franldin/ We're still negotiating with GSA. I think the next steps that we'll probably
take are to put together a concept plan at least, for the GSA to review. They have
indicated their willingness to work with us on their rights under the federal law.
Now, we haven't pursued this as a priority, since the Council decided with the
paricing study to the one immediately south of Burlington, and one on the north
side of the downtown first. But we are pursuing this one. It is the one other one
that we have planned for the south side. So, we'll do the design concept, get the
approval of the GSA, and then proceed with the acquisition of any other
properties down there. But as they have become available, we have entertained
acquiring them because the price of the properties now are going to be less than
they will be, say 5 years from now.
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Norton/ This is part of our commitment with the park impact fees and the--
Franklin/ That's right.
Norton/ And the effort to, it's a fairly high-density residential down in that section.
Frarddin/ That's right.
Norton/ But, to provide some public paricing as part of that agreement, as it was, as it
were.
Franklin/ Yes. And this is part of playing out the Near Southside design plan. This
block was a parking facility, and called a Civic Plaza, with some public amenities
on it, and the public parking.
Thornberry/ This is one of the pieces of the puzzle, of the Near Southside development,
downtown, Northside project.
Norton/ Yeah. I just didn't want people to think we're rushing out and buying something
here very randomly. That it is sitting in a plan.
Thornberry/ Part of the big picture.
Norton/ Yes. The puzzle.
Nov/ And for the meantime, it will be rental housing.
Thornberry/ For a short time.
Franldin/ Well, you're working with the Feds.
Norton/ Until we --
Thomberry/ Until we tear it down.
Norton/ It could be quite a while.
Kubby/ Yeah, it could be, especially because we're talking about the potential of two
other parking structures first, and our parking fund can only handle so much debt
at one time.
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Franklin/ It'll probably be at least five years, but less than ten.
Nov/ Thank you.
Lehman/ Let's buy it.
Nov/ Any other discussion? Roll call- (yes; Kubby, no). We have approved this
Thomberry/ No, I didn't vote.
Nov/ Oh.
Thomberry/ I wondered why Karen voted no on it?
Kubby/ I'm not ready to support another parking ramp at this time.
Thornberry/ Yes.
Nov/ I'm sorry, I thought I heard your answer.
Thomberry/ Thank you. I didn't --
Kubby/ I usually feel free to justify my votes when I'm ready.
Norton/ Yeah, really.
Kubby/ I'm not shy.
Norton/ Not at all.
Thornberry/ Me, neither.
Kubby/ Okay. Yeah, agreed.
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September 23, 1997 City of Iowa City Page 13
ITEM NO. 16.
.~ . qq ..
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE HOME INVESTMENT
PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM ALLOCATION FOR HABITAT FOR
HUMANITY WITHIN THE AMENDED FY98 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN,
THAT IS PART OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN (CITY STEPS).
ITEM NO. 17.
Comment: The Housing and Community Development Commission, at
their August 21, 1997, meeting, recommended approval of the amended
FY98 Annual Action Plan. This amendment provides $15,333 to Habitat
for Humanity.
Action:
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CDBG ALLOCATION FOR
HAWKEYE AREA COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM WITHIN THE
AMENDED FY98 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, THAT IS PART OF THE
CONSOLIDATED PLAN (CITY STEPS).
ITEM NO. 18.
Comment: The Housing and Community Development Commission, at
their August 21, 1997, meeting, recommended approval of the amended
FY98 Annual Action Plan. This amendment provides $4,886 to Hawkeye
Area Community Action Program.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND AUTHORIZING
MAYOR TO SIGN AND CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF THE SHAMROCK/ARBOR CULVERT ENTRANCE
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
Comment: The bid opening for this project was held September' 16,
1997. The following bids were received:
Peterson Contractors, Reinbeck, IA
Iowa Bridge & Culvert, Washington, IA
Wolf Construction, Iowa City, IA
Hurst & Sons, Waterloo, IA
Kingiron Construction, Solon, IA
Engineer's Estimate
$91,666.00
$123,327.00
$125,429.20
$136,297.40
$149,936.00
8143,000.00
Public Works and Engineering recommend award of the contract to
Peterson Contractors of Reinbeck, IA. Funding for this project will be
provided by General Obligation Bonds.
Action:
#16 page 1
ITEM NO. 16 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE HOME INVESTMENT
PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM ALLOCATION FOR HABITAT FOR
HUMANITY WITHIN THE AMENDED FY98 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN,
THAT IS PART OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN (CITY STEPS).
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #16).
Lehman/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Thornberry/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Lehman, seconded by Thornberry. Discussion? I'll tell you, this is
separated out, because I am planning to vote "no". I notice that the Commission,
when they discussed this, were concerned about discrimination based upon race. I
was concerned about discrimination based on religion, and I think the prayer on
site, and the endorsement of Christian prayer without any other is not going to
work for me, and I'm going to vote "no". Go ahead, roll call- (yes; Novick, no).
We have approved tiffs resolution on a 6/1 vote.
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ITEM NO. 17 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CDBG ALLOCATION
FOR HAWIf, EYE AREA COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM WITHIN THE
AMENDED FY98 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, THAT IS PART OF THE
CONSOLIDATED PLAN (CITY STEPS).
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #17).
Norton/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Nov/ Moved by Norton.
Baker/ Second.
Nov/ Seconded by Baker. Discussion.
Kubby/ This is separated out because I'll be abstaining, because as a Council member,
I'm also on the board of HACAP, representing Council, and even though it's not a
legal conflict of interest, I do feel like I wear two hats, and have fiduciary
responsibilities in both areas. I feel that it's a conflict. And, I will be wanting
another Council member to take over on the HACAP Board for four years, so
come January, it will be time to pass on the wand. The broom, the wand,
whatever.
Norton/ Magic wand. Didn't this come down as a zero-interest loan? Is that what this --
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 97-135 SIDE B
Norton/ There's some discussion in the minutes of the Housing and Cmranunity
Development Commission about whether this was supposed to be a grant or a
zero-interest loan. Isn't' it now a zero-percent interest loan?
Franldin/ I think you're correct on that, Dee. It's not a grant.
Norton/ There was some discussion of the appropriateness of this particular renovation,
or replacement of stoves, I believe was involved.
Franldin/ It was an emergency replacement of stoves, yeah.
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Norton/ Was it really an emergency, or something that should have been planned into a
budget, a maintenance budget beforehand. I think that was the position, and I
thought that was relatively persuasive, and therefore, they switched it from a grant
to a loan, which I think is sensible.
Franldin/ I do, too. And yes, it was on the floor as a grant, and then changed.
Nov/ Any other concerns here? Roll call- (yes; Kubby abstaining). We have approved
this resolution on a 6/0/1 vote with Kubby abstaining.
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ITEM NO. 18 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING MAYOR TO SIGN AND CITY CLERI( TO ATTEST A
CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE SHAMROCK/ARBOR
CULVERT ENTRANCE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #18).
Kubby/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Norton/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Kubby, seconded by Norton, that we award this contract to the Peterson
Contractors of Reinbeck, Iowa. Funding for this project will be provided by
General Obligation bonds.
Norton/ Is it scary when a bid comes in at $50,000 under the estimate?
Rick Fosse/ A little bit. I think we have the dry summer to thank in part for this. The
contractors got their work done early, and they're looking for more work to finish
up the season. But this is still lower than we expected. But Peterson is a
contractor that we've worked with before. They're a big firm, they do quality
work, so we expect a quality product out of it. I should note, a third of this is the
amount it talces to clean that culvert out. That's a tremendous task.
Thornberry/ I was just going to note the low bid is $91,600, and the high bid was
$150,000. That's quite a spread.
Fosse/ Yes, it is.
Nov/ Competition.
Thornberry/ Some parts of Iowa were wetter than others?
Fosse/
Well, also, this project has some unknowns. It's not one that people do routinely.
It makes it difficult to estimate, and difficult to bid. So I hope Peterson's able to
make some money on it but still do a quality job for us.
Thornberry/ So do I.
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Kubby/ And now that we're doing this project, I lmow there are some people who live
along this are who have decided the kirrd of improvements they're making to their
own property, based on --
Thornberry/ Yeah.
Kubby/ The decision we made about how to do these kinds of, this kind of job.
Thornberry/ Finishing up the --
Kubby/ It's spurred other investments, private investments.
Norton/ When I think of this as being the culmination, or on the verge of culminating a
long discussion about how to strike a balance here between putting all that in a
tube and leaving it entirely open, and flooding yards and so on, I think the
compromise, I sure hope it works.
Nov/ Yes, we all do.
Vanderhoef/ I think what I'm more concerned about is having neighbors coming back to
us in five to ten years and saying they want some more help on this same project.
And that is not the intention that I have in supporting this particular vote.
Norton/ Well, I guess it has a history of coming back, does it not?
Vanderhoef/ Yes. And that concerns me a bit.
Norton/ I hope we're going the right thing today.
Vanderhoef/ I'm going to support it.
Nov/ We can hope so. 2M~y other discussion? Roll call- (yes). We have approved this
project award.
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September 23, 1997 City of Iowa Oity Page 14
ITEIVi NO. 19.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND AUTHORIZING
IVIAYOR TO SIGN AND CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR THE
RENOVATION OF THE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR
CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEIVI AT THE IOWA CITY/JOHNSON
COUNTY SENIOR CENTER,
Comment: The bid opening for this project was held September 16,
1997. The following bid was received:
Quint Co., Inc., Rock Island, IL
Engineer's Estimate
$118,910.00
$126,53O.OO
ITEIVI NO. 20.
Public Works and Engineering recommend award of the contract to Quint
Co., Inc. of Rock Island, IL. Funding for this project will be provided
through an interfund loan.
Action:
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND THE IOWA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR USE OF CITY STREETS AND
INSTITUTIONAL ROADS AS A DETOUR AS PART OF THE WOOLF
AVENUE BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
Comment: Due to construction of the WooIf Avenue bridge, it is
anticipated that Highway 6 will require closure five (5) different times.
Each highway closure will entail 1 to 3 days depending upon the type of
work performed on the WooIf Avenue bridge. The detour route for east-
bound traffic beginning at the intersection of Highway 6 and Hawkins
Drive will utilize Hawkins Drive, Melrose Avenue, Byington Road, Grand
Avenue, and terminate at Highway 6. The detour route for west-bound
traffic beginning at the intersection of Highway 6 and Grand Avenue will
utilize Grand Avenue, South Grand Avenue, Melrose Avenue, Hawkins
Drive, and terminate at Highway 6. Highway closures will not be allowed
during University of Iowa basketball or football games or during University
of Iowa graduation days.
Action: '~,,_~//'~/~/~~'~'
#19 page 1
ITEM NO. 19 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING MAYOR TO SIGN AND CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A
CONTRACT FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE HEATING, VENTILATION,
AND AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEM AT THE IOWA
CITY/JOHNSON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #19)
Lehman/ So moved.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Lehman, seconded by Vanderhoef. We got another one that came in
low.
Thornberry/ What exactly is an interfund loan?
Atkins/ What we do is, in effect, borrow from ourselves our own reserves, we finance the
project, and then we set up a schedule to repay ourselves and charge ourselves
interest. So rather than going out on the market for these smaller projects, it's a
way of preserving the reserve at a level that we have become comfortable with,
and getting this type of project accomplished.
Nov/ It's borrowing from, for example, a landfill reserve fund, and repaying it on a
gradual basis from the General Fund.
Atkins/ Paying cash for a car and then making payments for the next car you buy.
Kubby/ The car analogy again.
Atkins/ Yes.
Kubby/ Basically, the bottom line is --
Norton/ The financing is (can't understand).
Kubby/ It comes out of the General Fund.
Lehman/ Does it have a radio?
Baker/ Dean, it's deficit financing.
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Kubby/ How big of a radio?
Norton/ Yeah.
Atkins/ There's a lot of senior citizens.
Kubby/ And I do have hesitancy whenever there's only one bid.
Norton/ Yeah.
Kubby/ ICnowing how important this project is to get some even kind of heating and
cooling at the Senior Center. But because it was not just a few thousand dollars
below, but a little more than that. But, I feel comfortable supporting it.
Lehtnan/ Well, I don't' think they would recommend that we accept it if we weren't
comfortable with the contractors, isn't that correct?
Linda Kopping/ The reason there was only one bid was because the project had
specification asking for a certain digital control system to be used. That digital
control system would match what is being used in other City buildings, so that
there is, there are existing staff members who have expertise in managing that
particular system. As a result, there were only two companies who could bid on
this project because of their own zoning and franchise agreements, and one of the
companies had competing demands on his time and elected not to bid at this.
Thornberry/ Will there be areas of the building that will call for air conditioning in one
portion in one part of the building, and heat at the same time?
Kopping/ I don't' think so. Mike might be better able to answer that than I.
Mike Drahos/ It is a possibility.
Thornberry/ It can do that?
Lehman/ The answer was yes.
Kubby/ If you say anything else, you need to come to the mic to say it and get it
recorded.
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Kopping/ Yeah. This is Mike Drahos, he's with an engineer who's been working with us
on this project. He'.s with H.R. Green.
Drahos/ There's portions of the building that are different type systems. The basic level
is a system that can do heating and cooling, both. In the upper levels, it's cooling,
or less cooling. So, you lmow, some rooms may call for a lot of cooling, and
some may just choke down and not provide as much cooling, and too, interior
lights, and people will ldnd of build the head in that area.
Thornberry/ So there's more than one unit is what you're saying.
Drahos/ There's four units that are going to be integrated to the system.
Thornberry/ Okay.
Nov/ And it's possible to have a level of the Senior Center that requires no heating at all?
Just cooling and less cooling?
Drahos/ The interior zones, yes.
Nov/ Interesting.
ThornbelTy/ A lot of times, restaurants, in the kitchen for example, use air conditioning,
whereas heat is needed in the dining room. And it requires more than one unit.
And I thought this was just one great big HVAC unit.
Drahos/ Yeah.
Thornberry/ And I thought wow, that's quite a unit if it can heat and cool at the same
time. But there are different units.
Drahos/ And the system also ties in the chillers and the boilers so we can monitor those
and make sure we're getting good savings in our efficiency (can't hear).
Thomberry/ Okay.
Drahos/ Thank you.
Thornberry/ Thank you. Clears it up.
Kubby/ Yeah, that helped a lot, thank you.
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Thornberry/ Clears up who he is.
Nov/ Okay, are we ready to vote? Roll call- (yes). We have approved the resolution
awarding this contract.
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#20 page 1
ITEM NO. 20 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND THE IOWA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR USE OF CITY STREETS AND
INSTITUTIONAL ROADS AS A DETOUR AS PART OF THE WOOLF
AVENUE BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #20).
Norton/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Norton, seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Norton/ All I can say is it's a really tough detour. Oh boy.
Thornberry/ That is going to be a bear.
Kubby/ It is.
Thornberry/ Highway 6 is a very, very, busy street.
Norton/ Terrible.
Nov/ Yeah, the days when it's going to be closed to traffic one direction or another are
going to be miserable.
Thomberry/ Yeah.
Nov/ However, the bridge itself is going to have a pedestrian opening dm'ing the entire
construction, and there are a lot of people --
Norton/ (Can't hear) Riverside Drive traffic.
Nov/ Who may choose to walk, who haven't yet walked. But there are a lot of people in
the neighborhood who do walk today. And, I've heard a comment from one of
the neighbors who had a picture that the City was distributing close to the bridge,
and she thought it looked good, so. Thank you, Rick.
Norton/ The Riverside Drive traffic going up from Melrose and across both alleys, across
around the Arena, it's --
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Thornberry/ What is the, what is the timetable on this? How many years is this going to
take?
Nov/ It's not estimated in years.
Thornberry/ It's going to seem like years.
Nov/ I have a timetable amendment. There was a tentative schedule for Woolf Avenue
bridge reconstruction and it mentions closures will not be allowed during UI
basketball games, or graduation. We should add football in there so it matches.
Lehman/ It was in the one you read.
Nov/ Yeah, I know it was in the comment, but it wasn't in the NNW schedule.
Fosse/ Okay.
Nov/ And I was told it was the most spring, quick football game.
Vanderhoef/ No, basketball.
Fosse/ We'll make certain of that.
Baker/ What about wrestling?
Nov/ It mentions basketball. It doesn't --
Thornberry/ Yeah, what about wrestling?
Nov/ I don't lmow.
Fosse/ I'll check on that as well.
Nov/ But thank you for remembering.
Vanderhoef/ Check on those, I think that's real important.
Fosse/ The schedule for this project is I think it's ~-
Nov/ February to June?
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Fosse/ What's that? We'll bid it in December, and begin construction probably the early
February, late January, and this project, we should get done within one year,
because we don't' need to maintain traffic on Woolf Avenue for the bridge. We
will maintain pedestrian traffic, but not vehicular traffic. That'll help to speed
things along considerably.
Norton/ But the other detour, the big detour will only be in place for a few days at
different times, is that right?
Fosse/ That's right.
Norton/ It'll fix itself.
Fosse/ (Yes). We hope Murphy's Law doesn't intervene during those detours.
Thornberry/ I'll be it wouldn't be closed if Gable were still the wrestling coach.
Nov/ Well, he said he's going to check on all those things.
Thornberry/ Wrestling.
Baker/ Wrestling.
Thornberry/ Wrestling.
Kubby/ Wrestling.
Nov/ It sounds like cattle rustling the way you're talking.
Thornberry/ Cattle rustling, that's, they do that in --
Lelmaan/ Rodeos.
Baker/ That's why we've got to annex those fairgrounds.
Thornberry/ Let's get some rodeos into the city.
Nov/ I said rustling.
Thornberry/ Oh, rustling, rustling.
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Norton/ One question. You've been in close touch with the VA, I take it?
Thomberry/ The big A?
Vanderhoef/ Is there any coordination with the University project over on Newton Road?
Fosse/ Yes, there has been. That project will be far enough east on Newton Road that it
won't interfere with the detour of this one. But, there will be a lot going on in that
part of town.
Vanderhoef/ So, there's the possibility there that Newton Road would be closed at the
same time that Highway 6 was closed?
Fosse/ That I don't know off the top of my head.
Vanderhoef/ That's the one that I would hope wouldn't happen, if we could coordinate
with them that that wouldn't happen.
Fosse/ Okay. I'll follow up and let you guys lmow.
Vanderhoef/ Thank you.
Norton/ Good point. That'd be a double whammy.
Thomberry/ That'd be a double whammy.
Kubby/ Well, walk, bike, transit, during that time.
Vanderhoef/ Parasail?
Thomberry/ Get out of your house.
Kubby/ Sure.
Thomberry/ Move your (can't understand).
Nov/ Are we ready?
Leturban/ I think so.
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#20 page 5
Nov/ Roll call- (yes). We have approved this resolution.
Kubby/ Can we take a break?
Thornberry/ Yes. Naomi needs a break.
Baker/ No, we're almost through. Almost through.
Kubby/ It can still be that way.
Nov/ We're on Item #21.
Norton/ It's a good idea. We'll put out a (can't understand).
BREAK
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September 23
ITEIVI NO. 21.
, '1997 City of Iowa City Page 15
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING, AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING
THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST AN
AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND MMS
CONSULTANTS, INC. OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING
CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE DESIGN OF THE COURT STREET
EXTENDED, PHASE I IMPROVEMENTS.
ITEM NO. 22.
Comment: This agreement is for the design of the Court Street Extended,
Phase I Improvements which include the extension of Court Street from
its present easterly terminus easterly to the westerly line of Windsor
Ridge Subdivision, a length of approximately 1,720 feet. These
improvements when constructed will expand arterial street traffic flow in
northeast Iowa City. This agreement is for preliminary and final
engineering design work, specifications, and bidding phase services. The
negotiated fee is not to exceed 956,100. This work will be financed with
General Obligation bonds and Road Use Tax monies. Public Works
recommends approval of this agreement.
Action: ~/~~
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED POSlTION~ IN
THE INFORIVIATION SERVICES DIVISION OF THE FINANCE
DEPARTIVlENT AND AMENDING THE ADIVilNISTRATIVE PAY PLAN BY
ADDING THE POSITION OF PROJECT MANAGER/SYSTEMS ANALYST
AND RECLASSIFYING THE POSITION OF SENIOR INFORMATION
SERVICES COORDINATOR.
Comment: The acceptance of a Federal grant requires an expedited time
frame for the Police Department's computer strategic plan. This
resolution creates the position of Project Manager to complete the
project. The Project Manager/Systems Analyst will report to the Senior
Information Services Coordinator. This resolution also upgrades the
position of Senior Information Services Coordinator to reflect the
additional duties. A staff memorandum is included in Council packet.
#21 page 1
ITEM NO. 21 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING, AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST AN AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY
AND MMS CONSULTANTS, INC. OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, TO PROVIDE
ENGINEERING CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE DESIGN OF THE
COURT STI~ET EXTENDED, PHASE I IMPROVEMENTS.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #21).
Lehman/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Thornberry/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Lehman, seconded by Thornberry. Discussion?
Kubby/ There isn't any mention in this contract, which we usually have in ore' contracts
nowadays, for any kind of predesign meetings where the public has a chance to
say what they think the, what kind of needs there are in terms of what kind of road
is built, and I know that this is going through a section where there aren't
neighbors right on the road, but there are neighbors on one side of the road, and
eventually on the other side of the road, too. And so, I don't' want to assume that
the community doesn't care, some issues about the road, just because they're not
living right on it. So, I would like to add some kind of predesign element as we
do with other road extension and remodeling.
Fosse/ That can easily be added.
Kubby/ So,--
Norton/ May I ask, pardon me, Karen.
Kubby/ Well I just want to see how other people feel.
Lehman/ Oh, I agree.
Fosse/ I think so.
Nov/ Okay, fine, add it.
Lehman/ I think we should probably check every time.
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Norton/ I was going to ask about, is anything entailed about the further extension of this
now, that is, does this get built and it's just the stub, or is that phased with
development that the developer installs?
Fosse/ This will go to the edge of Windsor Ridge subdivision, and then from Windsor
Ridge subdivision to Taft Speedway will be constructed as part of that
subdivision.
Thornberry/ You have to have --
Norton/ So that will come later?
Fosse/ Yes. As development occurs.
Norton/ So it'll be a stub for awhile.
Fosse/ Right. This is filling in that gap.
Norton/ Right. And of course, this will now, this is going to increase, I was thinking
about the comments we've had about traffic inside on Court Street. This will
increase the traffic on Court Street in toward town, too, I suppose, won't it?
Inevitably.
Fosse/ Once it makes a connection to Windsor Ridge subdivision, there will be some
increase there.
Norton/ You lmow, we've, I listened to P/Z thinking about this project the other night,
and I don't Imow what to do about that. As you extend arterials, they get filled up
all the way in.
Fosse/ Yes. That's one of the dilemmas with some of our older arterials. We saw that
on Kirkwood and Melrose, and will be facing it eventually on Court Street and
Muscatine, as the City grows.
Kubby/ And part of the, I'm real conflicted about this particular street extension because
in general, the kind of development that's happening out there is pretty sprawlish
kind of development. But, so, I'm against it for that reason. But, on the other
hand, its' going to a section of an outlying residential development that we put it
out there to developers and challenge local developers to do some slightly higher
density housing. And this developer has done that, and asked for some slightly
higher density, so that we could begin curtailing some of the sprawl, and have
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larger centers of population so that we could maybe have neighborhood
commercial areas that were more feasible so that not as much traffic on a daily
basis had to come into town to do shopping. So that it might, in the far future, be
more feasible to put some kind of mass transit out. So, going back and forth
about those two kinds of conflict, I won't lmow till my name is called. If anyone
would like to --
Nov/ That's unlike you, isn't it.
Kubby/ What, pardon?
Nov/ That's unlike you.
Norton/ Does this get --
Kubby/ It is.
Norton/ To the school site, or that putative school site? I'm not sure there is one. I think
there is.
Fosse/ The original subdivision included a site for a school out there. Whether or not the
school district is still interested in that site, I can't recall right now.
Kubby/ They still have years before their timeline is up.
Norton/ And there's no impact fees here.
Fosse/ Well actually, for this project --
Nov/ Will be.
Thornberry/ There will be.
Fosse/ We do hope to recover a portion of the construction cost through, essentially, tap-
on fees.
Letunan/ Right. Because that is developed, I mean, curb cuts will, yes.
Nov/ If they choose to tap in.
Kubby/ But not just for the cost --
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Norton/ I understand that, but it's for the impact that they make on, what they add to the
street, not --
Kubby/ Not the over-width.
Norton/ Isn't that, I guess that's what the impact fee is?
Fosse/ That is correct.
Norton/ Recover their particular impact.
Fosse/ Yes.
Norton/ Do you lmow how to assess that?
Fosse/ That's something we're going to be figuring out. This is new territory for us. We
talked about it at an informal meeting, and I'll be working with Jeff Davidson and
Legal to come up with a plan.
Kubby/ And we do have some basis. I mean, we have some experience with that kind of
fee, to base a street fee on.
Fosse/ Yes.
Kubby/ Thinking of the sewer.
Fosse/ The Hy-Vee on First Avenue is one example.
Thornberry/ And this will carry over then into perhaps 965 to the west.
Fosse/ Oh, it could have implications on a lot of our --
Thomberry/ I'm looking at the same type o£impact fee.
Lehman/ If it works.
Thornberry/ With the same type of impact fee.
Norton/ Now, under this thing, Court will eventually get clear through to Taft?
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Fosse/ Yes.
Thornberry/ Well, the developer's going to put --
Norton/ Yeah, I understand. But when it does, then there's, you've got outlets the other
way.
Vanderhoef/ It will spread the traffic a bit off of, say, Highway 6, and off of Rochester,
in the east-west arterial, and when you talk about Muscatine, you know, if we
have that many arterials that are east-west from our boundaries, it will keep any
one of them from being as overloaded as if you stop --
Norton/Yes.
Vanderhoef/ Making that connection with a couple of these streets. So, for me, it's a
positive to get one more arterial to be sure that we keep this spread. This is one of
those things that didn't happen, and why I have been supporting the First Avenue,
because we did not get enough north-south connections there to move traffic, and
not concentrate it all in one space.
Nov/ Okay. Roll call- (yes; Kubby, no). We have approved this resolution on a 6/1
vote, Kubby voting no.
Thomberry/ What this will also do, won't it, is it intersects, Court Street intersects with
First Avenue?
Norton/ Yeah.
Thornberry/ So it'll mak~ it easier for people to get from Windsor Ridge to First Avenue
to go down to the Hy-Vee there. Because you'll put additional traffic on First
Avenue.
Kubby/ Maybe they'll come down Muscatine or --
Norton/ They've got options, though.
Nov/ They'll have other ways to get to First Avenue if they really want to go to that
store.
Kubby/ And I guess I really want to say, too, that I voted "no" because I'm conflicted
about it, and I feel that it's the more conservative route for me, that, in a situation
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like this where I'm' conflicted and I don't feel comfortable saying yes, that it's
better for me to say "no".
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ITEM NO. 22 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED
POSITIONS IN THE INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION OF THE
FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND AMENDING THE ADMINISTRATIVE PAY
PLAN BY ADDING THE POSITION OF PROJECT MANAGER/SYSTEMS
ANALYST AND RECLASSIFYING THE POSITION OF SENIOR
INFORMATION SERVICES COORDINATOR.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #22) We need a motion.
Lehman/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Lehman, seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Kubby/ I have a couple of questions. I can't imagine a federal grant that doesn't include
any kind of administrative costs.
Atkins/ To my lmowledge, it's one of the first ones that I've ever experienced. I can't
recall it either, Karen. It's intended to be hardware related, and they did not
provide us any money to do that.
Kubby/ I have a hard time talcing money that was slated for street officers and special
project officers, and then getting grant money for the special project officers and
not using that money for street officers, when we're hearing from the community
that people want more officers. So, I understand the need, and the advantage of
having a project manager to make things go smoothly and people get trained, and
someone who's knowledgeable about computers and knowledgeable about the
City organization, but I'm really hesitant to approve this with this pot of money.
Atkins/ We budgeted for those two officers, and then we were able to secure the
narcotics grant and the domestic violence officer grant. So therefore, the budget
is overstated by the amount of their salaries, because they are now being paid for
by grants. So that, setting that aside. And on top of that, we received this third
grant for the computer hardware/software/laptop computer, etc., and what we're
suggesting to you is that we made a decision, it was in the last budget, we had a
$400,000+ upgrade we needed in the Police Department for its computer system.
We had budgeted $115,000 a year over four years. we're now able to
substantially do all of that same work and some more by securing this capital
grant. It does amount to about a $250,000 savings to the General Fund over the
life of the project.
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Kubby/ Would we have, in going to the computer program in the phased manner, as we
had originally planned, would we have had a Project Manager?
Atkins/ No, we would not. It's because of the accelerated program that we have to have
the Project Manager. And candidly, these folks are hard to come by, these Project
Managers that have this particular sicill. And our decision is, it's deliberate that
it's a two-year appointment, and the person that would be --
Kubby/ It's a temporary appointment.
Atkins/ Yes. And the person that would be selected would be told that tlfis is a two-year
commitment.
Kubby/ Will the supervisor, the upgrade, that position is being upgraded, but not
temporarily.
Atldns/ No, it is not. And, in fact, I'm sorry we incorporated that into this memorandum,
because that had been a separate issue at the time.
Kubby/ But the resolution doesn't state --
Atkins/ I lmow. And it should have. It should have, it should have been two separate,
that is my mistake because I believe the information the Senior information
person was deserving of the upgrade, regardless of this particular grant, and
should have been a separate one. So, if you were to choose to say not to the
Project Manager, I would still encourage you to upgrade the position.
Kubby/ Now, are you telling me that even with spending General Fund money on the
Project Manager that the General Fund, at $200, minus $108, we still are saving
money?
Atkins/ We are saving in the neighborhood of $250,000. We're going to get the project
that we had budgeted over the four year period in a shorter period of time, and it's
because we've been able to secure these three grants, this rather large one at the
end. The General Fund does save about $250,000.
Kubby/ But we're paying for a Project Manager that we wouldn't be paying for
otherwise, so if you subtract --
Atkins/ And I am subtracting that out of that, yes.
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Kubby/ And we're still $240,000 over.
Atkins/ And we're still $250,000 to the good.
Norton/ Wow.
Nov/Okay, so --
Atkins/ And remember, our project cost had been about $460,000 plus or mimls.
Norton/ For a total computer upgrade.
Atkins/ We're getting a $360,000 grant, and we budgeted to do that at $115,000 over
four years. We're saying we'll get it in two years. You won't have to budget on
that other end, the two years out. So it is a significant savings, yes.
Vanderhoef/ And you say it's an eight month project, which I know is rapid-fire. But,
you're hiring this independent contractor for two years?
Atkins/ This is not an independent contractor, Dee, this is going to be a full-time
employee with a two year appointment, and that the speed with which we have to
install the thing, secure the equipment and so forth, we have to have the monies
committed, but actually getting it in place and ready to go is going to take longer
than the eight months.
Kubby/ And then getting it to run correctly.
Atkins/ We have to commit it within that period of time.
Vanderhoef/ Okay. And you think it's going to take two years.
Atkins/ I'd have to ask Don, but that's been, when we discussed it as a staff, we felt that
that was going to take --
Yucuis/ With the extent of the equipment that we're planning on getting, the 35 laptops
for, in essence, 35 different people, the training is going to be, the training
requirements are going to be enormous. The demand for knowing how to use
those pieces of equipment and maintaining that piece of equipment is going to be
great. We believe that once you get it in, that's the easy, probably the easy part.
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Probably the next phase is maldng sure everything works, maldng sure everyone's
trained, making sure they lmow how to work them.
Kubby/ So this helps us make sure that the contract and the equipment that we're getting
is functioning how it's supposed to.
Yucuis/ That's correct.
Vanderhoef/ Okay, so you tell me that this is not an independent contractor, but it's
going to be an appointment, a two-year City appointment. So tell me, is there a
difference, then, in the cost of hiring that person, one scenario versus the other?
Yucuis/ It is not different, substantially different, than the inspectors we hire.
Vanderhoeff That I understand.
Yucuis/ It's the same basic principle that we hire a person. At the time of their
appointment, they are considered full-time City employees. But, they are told at
the time of the employment that this is for a 24-month period beginning this date
and ending this date. Now, does it get down to the last minute when they leave or
whatever? No, not normally. I mean, usually we'll lose them a little sooner than
their 24-months, because they're going to look for another job. But our, so far,
this Project Manager, the type of individual, there's a big demand, and we're
going to have to pay a pretty good salary to get that individual.
Vanderhoef/But, my question is, which is the most economical way to do it. The way
we're doing it as an appointment to the City, or hiring an independent contractor?
Yucuis/ I don't lmow that they'd be substantially different. If you hire an independent
contractor, that individual is going to want a base salary plus compensation that
allows for the payment of benefits.
Vanderhoef/ Okay.
Yucuis/ In our case, we are going to pay the base salary and incorporate it into the
benefit package. I don't lmow if it's going to be a big difference.
Atkins/ I'm not exactly sure either.
Kubby/ Is one more paperwork than another?
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Yucuis/ Well, the paperwork is the maintenance of an independent contractor. At least, I
think it is, and we're usually better off, what is also does when you hire an
employee, if there are other vacancies, they're afforded an opportunity --
Vanderhoef/ There's a perspective for --
Yucuis/ They can compete for another job. Now, if there's no other job there, then
again, the thing terminates.
Norton/ Won't this require, won't this system, really, it's one of those cases where you
get an arm, then you've got to give a leg. In other words, won't this system need
to be upgraded about the time you get it integrated. You're going to have to
replace it and upgrade, and you're going to have a specialist all the time, aren't
you?
Yucuis/ Well, our current system is about five years old, and we're in the process of
replacing the MDTs in the vehicles with laptops through this grant, and that was
our, I can't remember if the MDTs were part of, I'm sorry, the laptops were part
of the original program or not.
Atkins/ No, they were not. That's an additional feature.
Yucuis/ And that's an additional phase in this program. But, as far as, I agree with you,
Dee, it'll probably be five years from now, we're going to be looking at replacing
some of this equipment.
Norton/ But, my question is, that, won't that person that you're hiring for two years then
have to be re-upped?
Yucuis/Well, --
Norton/ For another two years, I mean, aren't we down the primrose path here?
Yucuis/ No, I don't think so. I think that you hire this person, you get them on board,
then it's 2 or 3 more years before you start an upgrade, and at that point, whether
we'll do it as we, go right back to our old format. We have expertise now. Our
senior information person knows how to do this. But it's that intense,
concentrated, gotta get it done, short period of time, take advantage of the grant,
that I think is what's driving this discussion.
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Kubby/ Because, if we, if it doesn't take 40 hours a week, in certain weeks, can they be
helping other parts of our computer education needs?
Yucuis/ Yes. They're our employee, and we can assign them as we see fit. If, for
example, there were some other activity.
Kubby/ That's the only advantage of it not being part of the grant money, is that you
couldn't do that if it were part of the grant money.
Yucuis/ True.
Kubby/ But still, I think we should get some feedback after we get the grant money in
our coffers to say that this is highly umlsual, and it's problematic, especially for
smaller communities who might not have the flexibility to do what we're doing,
there should be an administrative cost for something like this.
Yucuis/ Yeah. One of the things that I think we're, you know, we were very fortunate to
get a grant of this size. I mean, it's really a rather large grant. And, because we
do have the capacity to take on these kind of grants, I think your observation is
correct, not having the administrative money just simply tells many communities
we can't play.
Norton/ But I think it is especially using a person in another category because we're
presumably going to be doing some upgrading of computer systems at the Senior
Center, and presumably at the Library, and --
Yucuis/ But that's unrelated to this.
Norton/ It's going to be the same kind of training required in many different contexts
here.
Yucuis/ Well, I can't say that we won't continually attempt to upgrade our data
processing capabilities, and computer capabilities. But, the bottom line is this
person is to be hired through this project, that's it.
Kubby/ And then their time is up.
Yucuis/And if we're able to squeeze any additional time out of it, then that's all to the
better. I don't think it's going to happen.
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Nov/ In the normal course of events, we phase things in more slowly, and we don't, just
don't need that person.
Norton/Well my only point is, if it was predictable, we should have been able to foresee
this, I think.
Yucuis/ No, I don't think we could, Dee.
Nov/ No.
Kubby/No. We didn't know if we were going to get the grant. But we were prepared if
we did --
Yucuis/ We did not know we were going to get the grant. To me, that's the gift that has
been given to us. Instead of $115,000 for four years of our money, we're going to
use $115,000 for one year for the match, and the remaining monies are coming
from the federal grant.
Thornberry/ Let me ask you this. If we had not gotten the grant, would we still have
needed to hire someone?
Yucuis/ No. We would not. We would not have hired someone.
Lehman/ It wouldn't be accelerated.
Yucuis/ We would've taken it in the four-year period and gotten it finished.
Kubby/ And our current employees could've been the support --
Yucuis/Yes.
Kubby/ For this, because it would've happened slowly enough --
Yucuis/ Yes.
Kubby/ That they could have been the support and educational people.
Norton/ My only part in asking is -- forgive me, Dean.
Thornberry/ (Cant' hear) possible way to go?
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Kubby/ But, in the long run --
Yucuis/ Unless you want to give up the grant.
Kubby/ We have $200,000 of General Fund money. Including the cost, that's including
the cost of this Project Manager. So, I've been convinced. That's what I was
asking about, Dean.
Norton/ I was going to say --
Kubby/ And over a four year period, we can save $200,00 from the General Fund.
Thornberry/ Yeah.
Lelm'tan/ It's a lot of public art.
Kubby/ And get all the police officers with the new technology so they can do their job
more quickly.
Yucuis/ I sure hope.
Nov/Okay. Everybody ready to vote? Roll call- (Yes). We have approved the
resolution.
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,September 23, 1997 City of Iowa City Page
ITEIVl NO. 23.
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AIVIENDING THE BUDGETED POSITIONS IN
THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE CONFIDENTIAL PAY PLAN BY
ADDING THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT TO THE POLICE CITIZENS
REVIEW BOARD.
Comment: On July 15, 1997, the City Council adopted an ordinance
which created a Police Citizens Review Board to assist in processing
citizen complaints concerning the Police Department. This resolution
creates a half-time position of Assistant to the Police Citizens Review
Board to perform clerical tasks and support services for the Board.
Annual salary and benefits for this position are approximately 917,500.
Action:
ITEM NO. 24. ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES.
a. Current Vacancies.
(1)
Design Review Committee: One vacancy for a Business or
Property Owner from the Central Business District or Near
Southside Neighborhood to fill an unexpired term ending
July 1, 1999. (Daryl Woodson resigned.) (2 females and 4
males currently serve on this Committee.) (Correspondence
included in Council packet.)
(2)
Board of Appeals: Two vacancies (one Home Builders'
Association Representative and one Licensed Plumber) for five-
year terms ending December 31, 2002. (Terms expire for John
Roffman and Gary Haman.) (1 female and 4 males currently
serve on this Board.)
(3)
Senior Center Commission: Two vacancies for three-year terms
ending December 31, 2000. (Terms expire for Chevalier
Monsanto and Robert Kemp.) (5 females and 2 males currently
serve on this Commission.)
These appointments will be made at the November ~Council meeting.
b. Previously-Announced Vacancies.
(1)
Iowa City Human Rights Commission: One vacancy to fill an
unexpired term ending January 1, 2000. (Dereck Hall resigned.)
(7 females and 1 male currently serve on this Commission.)
.(~or~¢spondcnco i~luded in Council pac~(et.).
This appointment will be made at the October 7 Council meeting.
#23 page 1
ITEM NO. 23 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED
POSITIONS IN THE CITY CLERICS OFFICE AND THE CONFIDENTIAL
PAY PLAN BY ADDING THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT TO THE POLICE
CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD.
Nov/ (Reads agenda item #23).
Kubby/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Norton/ Second.
Nov/ Moved by Kubby, seconded by Norton. Discussion?
Thomberry/ $17,500 is half-time?
Atkins/ With benefits.
Kubby/ Yeah.
Nov/ Including benefits.
Kubby/ Has that person been hired yet? I know you've had interviews.
Karr/ Yes, the person has been hired, Sandy Bauer.
Kubby/ Who?
Karr/ Sandy Bauer. And there'll be a press release and some further information
forthcoming.
Kubby/ Great. Thank you.
Nov/ Anything else?
Norton/ Well, I should say, in the context, I sent around, or gave Steve an article from
New York on their Police Review Board. They added $5,200,000 to their budget,
and have a staff of 158.
Nov/ In New York City?
Norton/ Yeah.
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Nov/ Oh well, they have their problems.
Thomberry/ They do have problems.
Nov/ Roll call- (yes). We have approved the resolution.
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September 23, '1997
ITEM NO. 25.
City of Iowa City
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Page 17
ITEM NO. 26.
REPORT ON ITEMS FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY.
a. City Manager.
b. City Attorney.
ITEIVI NO. 27.
ADJOURNMENT.
#25 page 1
ITEM NO. 25 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Nov/ Next, we have City Council Information. Mr. Baker, would you like to start, since
you have exciting news?
Baker/ I don't.
Nov/ Oh, I thought you were going to tell us about your travels.
Baker/ Oh, I appreciate the City paying for that. Ten cities, ten days, thank you very
much.
Thornberry/ Writer's cramp?
Baker/ No, I still sign the checks, it's all right. No, I just very quickly wanted to thank,
commend Steve for this letter I just read before the meeting, to the Press Citizen.
This is for publication, I assume?
Atkins/ I mailed it to them.
Baker/ Okay.
Atkins/ So, I assume they'll print it, and I don't lmow.
Baker/ I urge the public to look forward to Steve's response to their editorial of
September 22nd. There seems to be some confusion on the part of the editorial
writer about the direction we're talcing with our downtown revitalization and the
process we're going through. I think Steve's letter helps clear that up, and in
addition to the letter, Ernie and I will be sending some more wood down to the
editorial office as well. That's all. Thank you.
Nov/ Wood? That went over my head. Vanderhoef?
Vanderhoef/ Right. The only tlfing I have is, would anyone like to attend a JPTA and
JCCOG meeting on Thursday while I am at (Can't understand).
Kubby/ This Thursday?
Vanderhoef/ This Thursday.
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Norton/ Well, I think I could, but I'm committed to go Thursday, my partner has backed
out, and now I'm all alone and lonely --
Karr/ Is that an offer? I don't know what to do?
Norton/ My partner was Larry.
Kubby/ More confusing, I'm sorry.
Norton/ More confusing. No, but am I committed to go.
Vanderhoef/ No, we can certainly, since it was --
Nov/ They will have a quorum --
Norton/ (Can't understand) getting paid some money. I'll talk to you about it afterwards.
Vanderhoef/ Okay, thanks. That's all I have this evening, thank you.
Lehman/ Golfgame's off, Dean.
Thornberry/ I mean, that's where I get my spending money.
Norton/ I'm torn, Dean, we'll see.
Nov/ Okay. Dean Thornberry?
Thornberry/ We have been talking, in Council, with Staff for some time now about the
revitalization of the median of Highway 6 bypass in Iowa City, and it's being
considered. I don't know what we're going to do with the median, but it's a little
shabby.
Atkins/ The point of it, it's not all up to us.
Thornberry/ It's not all up to us?
Atkins/ No, it's not.
Thornberry/ It's, IDOT, also, but from what I've been told from the IDOT, we're
responsible for the plantings along the highway as it proceeds through town.
Now, I don't lmow if this is, if this means also in the median, or if it's just on the
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outside of the highway, but it's looking a little scruffy. And, perhaps something
can be done with that. If anyone has an area of town that they think looks
extremely bad and needs to be revitalized, let us know. Thank you.
Nov/ Thank you. Okay, Ernie?
Lehman/ A couple, three things. A little over a year ago, I talked to one of the neighbors
out around the Rochester Hy-Vee. And, I asked them to contact, I think, Jim
Brachtel at the time, but there are right rams at the intersection of First Avenue
and Rochester, and that, right turn on red --
Atkins/ Right turn on red.
Letunan/ Which I think is a real problem during the school year when you have kids
crossing the street there. And I would like us to at least look into it. I don't lmow
that we have, but I think it's time that we do.
Nov/ Ernie, they mostly don't cross at that comer, they cross with the crossing-guard at
the entrance to Regina School and Dan's Short Stop.
Kubby/ Right, they want to get to Dan's.
Nov/ Well, but that's where the crossing-guard is, so there's not a lot of traffic that goes
up there.
Baker/ I'm up there everyday, and there's not as much, but that comer from the bank
comer across to Hy-Vee, there's a lot of foot traffic across there.
Lehman/ Well, I've just been told that it's a problem, and I think we should look at it. I
don't know how big the problem is.
Kubby/ You're saying, Larry, from the drive of the bank as you enter in --
Baker/ Right at the comer, at the light.
Kubby/ Oh, at the light.
Baker/ Where they cross over to the Hy-Vee.
Thomberry/ South side of that intersection?
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Baker/Yeah, south to west, to east. That's still a dangerous spot. And I've had
problems, not problems, but seen a lot of people hesitating, not knowing what to
do, because what the kids are doing up there. I agree with you, Ernie, that's a --
Lehman/ Well I think it's something we should look at.
Atkins/ I'll get a report to you.
Lehman/ And, I think, Dee, you brought this up not too long ago. I don't lmow exactly
where we are on the cemetery. I lmow it's been about a year and 9 months or
more since we first talked about the consultants we hired that didn't work and we
got another one --
Atldns/ Yes.
Lehman/ I don't know what our posture is, but I think the time is really coming when we
need to make some sort of indication to the public about what we're going to do
with Oaldand Cemetery. I don't know where we are. I do understand we have
someone worldng on it at this time?
Atldns/ Yeah, we have, we did the preliminary engineering work, which you saw. And
then, we hired that other individual that didn't work out, and they were relieved.
And, we brought on someone else, and I know that that person, if they have not
been here, they are due here, shortly, to prepare that traditional engineering work
for us. It seems kind of a bottom line question for you all, to make a decision on
what you're going to do.
Lehman/ Well, I guess I'd like to see some sort of recommendation or something from
this person sooner rather than later.
Atkins/ Yeah.
Leluuan/ I mean, this has been going on --
Norton / Right.
Lehman/ For a long time, and I think it really, time's approaching when we need to get
some sort of an answer to the public as to whether or not we're going to expand
that cemetery or just exactly what we're going to do with it.
Atldns/ I will get you an update.
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Lehman/ One other thing. In our packet this time, we got a note from Doug Boothroy
and Maggie regarding this tenant to ownership program which we talked about, I
think about a month ago. And, although it's, it's early, the indication is that we
have some of our tenants living in City-owned housing who may very well qualify
and be able to purchase that housing with the help of the City. And I think this is
a real positive move for those folks, and I think it's a real positive move for the
City. And according to that memo, we will be kept up to date as to what
transpires there. But that, to me, is very, very encouraging at this point.
Atkins/ Yes.
Kubby/ I have two things. One is, someone reminded me that the peace pole is gone
downtown. We had talked about replacing it, because it had been damaged.
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 97-136 SIDE A
Atkins/ I'm not sure where to get another one.
Kubby/ Well, maybe we need to just create another one.
Atkins/ I--
Kubby/ I mean, it was basically a peace of wood that had a message, a peace message on
it in four different --
Atkins/ In several different languages.
Kubby/ Languages. And it can't be, maybe we need to put out a community call for
designs --
Atkins/ As far as getting the post --
Kubby/ For replacement of the peace pole.
Norton/ I think the Peace Institute might have some.
Atkins/ Putting a post in, Karen, isn't a problem. But I don't have a better answer for
you than that right now.
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Kubby/ Can we call the Peace Institute and find out?
Atkins/ Yeah, we can do that.
Nov/ You lmow, there was a group of citizens that originally put that in --
Atkins/ Yes.
Kubby/ They were part of that.
Nov/ They also, at that time, committed to maintaining it.
Atkins/ Well, the pole is substantially a 4x4 piece of cedar, I mean we can certainly
afford to do that. I just was thinking about the other thing, the --
Kubby/ The peace message.
Atkins/ There was some kind of a Plexiglas or plastic on the side. I'll find that out for
you.
Norton/ They may have a replacement.
Kubby/ Because I think that we should do that. That's a nice --
Atkins/ We did commit to do that. They committed to maintain it. I didn't' see much
activity after that, but I still think we should --
Nov/ They purchased it and committed to maintain it, so this would be their commitment
to replace it.
Atkins/ But, a 4x4 post, we probably have a couple hundred of those packed up
somewhere, so that might work.
Nov/ But the other part of it, you don't have.
Atkins/ No, we don't. We'll find out.
Kubby/ The other thing I have tonight is a congratulations to a group ofvolm~teers
who've put together a statewide public access TV show called Iowa News and
Views. And, it's an amazing feat to do a statewide public access show, because
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every different public access entity has different rules. So, you have to figure out
what their rules are, do we need a sponsor, don't you need a sponsor, when do
they need the tape by, it's this big logistical hassle, because of all the independent
control of public access channels. And, this group has figured out, in twelve
different cities, how to put an aggressive, political show out there, with a viewing
audience of 350,000 Iowans, potentially. And, the congratulations comes in,
because Iowa News and Views has been awarded the Iowa Sierra Club's
Journalism of the Year award for 1997. And I think it's October 4th, there will be
the annual banquet of the Iowa Sierra Club here in the Iowa City area, where they
will receive that award. So, congratulations to the producer, director, and crew,
all volunteer, of Iowa News and Views. Thanks.
Norton/ Just a couple of quick items. I want to add my second to the comment Larry
made, and that Steve expressed in his letter to the Press Citizen. I think here we
have a case of a broad plan, the Iowa 2000 Statement, refined by the Downtown
(can't understand) Committee, into further detail, and refined by the staff into an
action plan, and many of the actions that we're talcing about parking or plantings
or signage or lighting, or buses and so on, are part of an overall package. And we
have a firm of, I guess, almost lined up, that is doing the overall plan that will
make sure that what we do on Iowa Avenue is consistent with the Near Southside,
and with the rest of the downtown. So, it does put us in the position of being able
to act on things knowing that we're on a reasonable framework, and I think that
that is just absolutely wonderful. And, I was very surprised to see it taken
otherwise.
Nov/ I think they've missed the point that we have a general, overall plan, and we're
receiving the comments from the consultants in a gradual, piecemeal fashion,
because we've asked to receive it that way.
Norton/ Well, we were trying to not wait forever while we make any improvements. I
think there are a few problems remaining, and there are several spots, obviously,
not just a few, but I'm still concerned, and others I think are, about the
maintenance process, and the visibility thereof, and I lmow that we've got some
violation of loading zones going on, and we certainly still have things to think
about, a lot more than one or two. It's not as though everything were done. And,
I want to be sure that we attend to some of those other, I guess, Steve told me
today that the graffiti control, for example, an aspect of downtown, is, and the
enforcement of that has been a little bit vague. But, I think those things are
coming along. The other concern, I just want to reiterate that I mentioned last
night, was some concern on the part with some of the Commissions, that maybe
they were out of the loop, or weren't being listened to, and I'm trying to go back
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and look carefully at where we might invite those Commissions in, and deal with
them in a more timely, perhaps Riverfront and Natural Areas Commission was a
little concerned that they might not be consulted on certain matters, or brought in
late. I think P&R, Parks and Recreation, has got several things going on like trails
in Hickory Hill, or the Cemetery issue, that we need to talk with them. We may
need to think about a little more systematic of how we can get together more
periodically with these groups to keep, to make sure that their hard work is
recognized and utilized. And we also have some recognition schemes input, don't
we, Marian?
Karr/ Yes.
Norton/ Where I'm hoping they can get more public aclmowledgment of their serious
efforts.
Kubby/ I really appreciate your comments, because one of the beauties of our form of
local government is that we have all these boards and commissions, and keeping
people understanding that their input is valuable and used, is really important.
Norton/ I should add in that, that Design Review is another committee that had expressed
some concerns about some of their recommendations slipping through the cracks,
or not being considered, and I think Steve's looking into some of those, right?
Kubby/ Not being enforced.
Norton/ Not being enforced, right. So, we're trying, but we need to do more.
NoW Ok~.
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F092397
~ CRU of
City Council Meeting Schedule
and Tentative Y/ork Session Agendas
September 19, 1997
September 20 - September 26, 1997
[] = Telecast Live on Cable Channel 4
September
7:00p
COUNCIL WORK SESSION
7:00p
7:10p
7:20p
7:35p
7:55p
8:10p
8:40p
9:00p
9:10p
Review Zoning Matters
Landfill Grant Program
Washington Street Two-Way
Transit Shuttle
Transit Interchange
SEATS
South Sycamore Regional Storm Water Management
Meeting Schedule
Council Agenda/Council Time
MondayI
Council Chambers
September 23
§:30p
7:00p [~
SPECIAL FORMAL COUNCIL MEETING
Executive Session
Land Aquisition
City Attorney Interview Process
FORMAL COUNCIL MEETING
TuesdayI
Council Chambers
Council Chambers
September
1:30p
SPECIAL FORMAL COUNCIL IVIEETING
Executive Session
City Attorney Interviews
~9'ednesdayI
Highlander Inn and Supper C/ub
Keg Ordinance
Hickory Hill West
Water Project Costs
Waste Pickup - 4-Plexes
Proposed U of l Parking Facility
Chutes and Vaults
Deer Management
FUTURE WORK SESSION ITEMS
Landfill Master Plan
Sand Point Wells
DARE Program Review
Sanitary Sewer Repair - New Policy Update
Cemetery
Sales Tax