HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-03-24 Transcription#1 page 1
ITEM NO. 1 CALL TO ORDER.
Lehman/ First thing that is not on the agenda, we would like to welcome Iris Frost and
the students from the School of Journalism at the University. Welcome to our
meeting. Hope you find it interesting and informative.
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ITEM NO. 2a MAYOR'S PROCLAMATIONS - Children and Healthcare Week -
March 23-27.
Marian Karr/ Here to accept the proclamation is Colleen Maddy.
Colleen Maddy/ On behalf of the committee that has been working and developing these
activities, I would like to thank you very much for helping to make the
community more aware of the importance of pediatric healthcare. I would also
like to take this opportunity to invite everyone here to attend some of the events,
any of the events, that we have scheduled for the rest of the week. Tomorrow, for
instance, we have some fun things on the agenda including Jello Follies, where
the children get to throw jello at their doctors, kind of a turn of events, and
tomorrow night we have Karoake Night. So it's a way of helping the children
become more relaxed in the healthcare setting. Thank you again, very much, for
helping make this week possible.
Lehman/ Thank you.
Kubby/ Next time the Chamber of Commerce asks us to do the Duck Tank, let's change
it to jello.
Vanderhoef/ I like that.
Kubby/ It's better.
Vanderhoef/ I look good in red.
Lehman/ Karen, you'd probably have to debate the --
Thomberry/ The flavor of the jello.
Vanderhoef/ I'll take red.
??/ I was going to say, anything red would probably pass.
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ITEM NO. 3 CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
Lehman/ Item #3 is consider adoption of the consent calendar as presented or amended.
Thomberry/ Move adoption of the consent calendar.
Norton/ Second.
Lehman/ Moved by Thornberry, seconded by Norton. Discussion?
Thornberry/ You want to mention some of these public hearings?
Lehman/ Go ahead.
O'Donnell/ Have at it, Mayor.
Lehman/ Yeah, go ahead.
Thornberry/ There's a resolution setting a public heating for vacating a portion of former
Benton Street between Riverside Drive and the Iowa River, which is adjacent to
Linder Tire Service. There's a resolution setting a public heating for plans,
specifications, form of contract, and estimate of cost for construction of the
Southgate Avenue and Waterfront Drive paving improvement and West
Pepperwood relief sewer project. There is a public hearing for cost and
construction of the Iowa River Corridor Trail, Burlington Street to Napoleon Park.
A public hearing on the form on contract and estimate of cost for the construction
of Court Street Extended, Phase I improvements. And there is a resolution to
convey 1417 Pine Street.
Lehman/ Dean, that's a particularly interesting one, because that's another, that's one of
our Tenant to Ownership programs, and I think that's wroth pointing out.
Thornberry/ You want to explain, Mr. Norton, --
Norton/ Which one?
Thornberry/ What the Tenant to Ownership program is.
Norton/ Oh, I don't want to take the, I don't want to go into all of that --
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Thornberry/ No, just a brief overview.
Norton/ Well, we're all interested in seeing people who have been in rental situations
move into situations of ownership. And we're under a program of trying to make
that possible. And this is one of the first, I guess, the first one up we've had, and
the first of several that are in the hopper, I understand, of people who've been in
assisted housing in the rental situation that are now moving into ownership
possibilities. It's not just a public matter, banks are involved, and so on.
Thomberry/ Yep. Okay. There's a motion to approve disbursements in the amount of
$6,664,128 for the period of February 1 through February 28, 1998, as
recommended by the Finance Director, subject to audit. Motion to accept form of
continuing disclosure certificate pertaining to the $8,500,000 General Obligation
Bonds. Motion to accept the form of tax exemption certificate pertaining to the
$8,500,000 bonds. And the resolution authorizing the acquisition of property for
the Iowa River Corridor Trail, Burlington Street to Napoleon Park Project. A
resolution authorizing the mayor to sign a subordination agreement.
Norton/ That's about it.
Thomberry/ Another one? And that's about it. And correspondence, all the
correspondence regarding the downtown bars and students --
Lehman/ Is there any other?
Thomberry/ The environmental coalition, the shuttle, Steve Singer's apology, a message
by the SEATS people, recreation, etc.
Lehman/ Okay. Any further discussion? I think you pretty well covered everything.
Thornberry/ That's about it.
Lehman/ Roll call- (yes).
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ITEM NO. 4 PUBLIC DISCUSSION (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA).
Lehman/ Item #4 is Public Discussion. This is a time that we discuss items that are not
on the agenda. Anyone from the public is welcome to speak. You'll need to sign
in, give your name, and limit your comments to no more than five minutes.
Orville Townsend/ Good evening. My name is Orville Townsend. I am supervisor of
the local Vocational Rehabilitation office. And I'd like to make a couple
comments regarding the situation with SEATS. First of all, I'd like to commend
you as councilpersons for the job you do and assuming the responsibility. And
part of that responsibility is to make sure that the City has maximum benefits
from services, etc. You've done a good job of that, and I guess basically it kind of
leads to the situation. We have a situation with SEATS that we have drivers that
are experienced. We currently have services that are serving citizens with
disabilities, not only in Iowa City, but surrounding areas. And basically, the
services have been very positive. I'm requesting, or suggesting, that you might
consider returning to the bargaining table with the Board of Supervisors to see if
we can't resolve this issue, and if so, to maybe consider doing so with a mediator.
I see a situation that can be made into a win-win situation. Where we can take a
system, we can work together, we can make it a system that will be greater than
the one that we currently have, and it's one that everybody can be, you know,
satisfied with. I also have a question to ask, in past years, have we had any type
of consumer satisfaction surveys concerning the SEATS services?
Lehman/ Orville, I'm not sure that we have had. I'm also not sure that we haven't. But
for your information, and for the information of the public, there has been an offer
made to the Council by the Board of Supervisors regarding SEATS. And we are
scheduled to meet tomorrow morning at 9:00 with our negotiation committee to
accept that offer, to look it over, to make recommendations to the Council. So,
we are discussing this, and hopefully we can get something worked out.
Townsend/ Okay, good. How about the satisfaction surveys. To anyone's knowledge,
have we had anything like that in the past?
Steve Atkins/ Orville, to the best of my knowledge, we have not performed them. Of
course, we're the vendee, and as far as I know, the County has not performed
those types of surveys. To the best of my knowledge.
Townsend/ Well, as part of creating that win-win situation that I hope we will have, I
would also suggest that we might consider creating such a system, so that as we
sit down for negotiations each year, we're getting feedback directly from the
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consumers, in terms of what their needs are. Some of those things that we may
miss. And again, I'd like to commend you on the good job that you're doing.
Thank you.
Lehman/ Thank you, Orville.
Eileen
Cusher/ My name is Eileen Cusher. I live at 840 Maggard. And I spoke last
week. I'm still very concerned, heating that you're at least going to sit down at a
negotiating table and try to work it out, to me, is a positive step. I must say that I
am still very frightened by what you have said is your intention to redo a system
which has kept us safe and mobile. Me, for eighteen years. And to decide that
that doesn't meet your needs anymore, so you will dismantle it, and start your
own. I'm not quite sure how it could be anything else, because you're not heating
anything from us that says we are at all dissatisfied, or that in any way, we have
not been served well, and we feel at a reasonable price. At that point, I have to
wonder, what is there to be gained one way or another, politically or financially.
And as of yet, no one has in any way told me or any of the constituency out here,
why you insist that it is so necessary that you dismantle something that works for
the people who use it. And I've not gotten an adequate response to that at any
time. And I don't think anybody out here has either. I'll leave it at that. But right
now, where I live, I have three buses available in the morning. At 6:00, 7:00, and
8:00. I have three buses available in the evening, at 4:00, 5:00, and 6:00. Other
than that, I have a four-block minimum walk to get to a bus station. And quite
frankly, just from last week till now, I'm obviously not doing as well. That four
blocks, or the block and a half is a big consideration. And yes, there are many
times I could use the lifts and use regular transit. But not when it's not even
available. And then you talk about cutting back service that keeps me mobile.
And I become frightened. And not just frightened enough to sit at home and
quiver and shake. But frightened enough to come down here to talk to you to try
to understand what is going on in your minds. Because there has to be some point
to it. There has to be something. And I don't understand it. I don't understand
your logic. I wish that you could tell me what that logic is. Because so far, all I
have heard, is that SEATS made $120,000 of what you call profit, and put it into
the County's coffers. And from what I understand, SEATS is not for profit. Is
that correct? Not for profit means that you put your money back into a system,
whatever that system is. And since the County is the system, that money has been
put back where it belongs. And I have difficulty understanding why we're at this
impasse to the point that you have so many citizens so frightened. It doesn't
make sense. And it just leaves us feeling completely powerless. And it has very
little to do with us. It has nothing to do with us. It has to do with whoever and
whatever is going to gain. And that's not us.
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Thomberry/ You had a couple of questions, and I'll try to answer at least one of them.
Maybe Dee Vanderhoef can help me out with, because we're on the negotiating
team, Dee and I have been negotiating with the County since last June. We have
not said that we're going to take SEATS away. Never have, never will.
Cusher/ I never said you did.
Thomberry/ Okay. We are not trying to pare back and make it leaner and meaner.
We've never said that and we don't want that.
Cusher/ You have said that you will cut transit buses between 9:00 and 3:00 in half.
Now how you're going to do that and give the same number of rides is, to me, a
real, real interesting problem.
Thornberry/ It's not a problem, it's a challenge.
Cusher/ It's not a challenge. I call it almost un-doable.
Thomberry/ And the money, the quarter of a million dollars in the last three years that
the County has profited off of the taxpayers, not the riders of it, because the riders
are not paying the total amount, but the taxpayers of Iowa City, y'all included, are
paying a quarter of a million dollars in the last three years of profit that did not go
back into the SEATS program. It was, it goes into their general fund and was not
put back into the SEATS system. If it was put back into the SEATS system, I
wouldn't have a problem with that. But if it goes into the general fund as profit, I
do have a problem with that. Because it's the taxpayers that are getting screwed.
If they can do what they do for less money and not have a profit, I would have no
problem with it.
Cusher/ I have a difficulty with you calling that profit. And I also have difficulty also
that your figures show what other figures do not show. In other words, you have
some type of accounting system, and I have seen several others that don't match
yours. So I have difficulty believing you.
Thornberry/ The only thing I'm saying is, the County has told us they have made this
profit. They have told us that in writing. And they have made this profit. They
told us they made a profit offof us on this system, in writing.
Lehman/ Dean, this discussion will take place tomorrow.
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Thomberry/ Yes, it will. But I'm just trying to say, it's not all one-way. There are
negotiations back and forth, and perhaps we're not one-hundred percent right --
Cusher/ Just try to remember that there are people who are going to lose.
Thomberry/ Pardon me?
Cusher/ Try to remember those of us who are going to lose, should some type of deal be
struck that reduces service. Because those of us who try to use it rely on it heavily
at times, and sometimes not at all.
Thomberry/ You bet.
Cusher/ But if you literally cut that service to half, which is what has been proposed,
during 9:00 to 3:00, and one transit bus that somehow is going to serve as a taxi to
catch all the non-riders that somehow or other don't make that schedule, it does
not make sense. I've watched the system for eighteen years, and it does not add
up. It doesn't add up.
Thomberry/ I hope we can come to some agreement tomorrow.
Kubby/ Well, I think, just in terms of making sure that we talk about things really
clearly, the County indeed has said that in those years, they've had a surplus, but
they have also explained to us that it's not something that will, that has happened
on an almual basis in the past, except for those years, when they did not have a
full complement of staff. And so it's not something that the City could count on
on a year-by-year annual basis, to have those kinds of savings, no matter who runs
the systems. Because once the system --
Cusher/ (Can't hear) inflationary basis. We don't lose the amount. It always goes up.
And to expect to depreciate that system amount of money, to service those people,
it doesn't make sense to me. Because my sense tells me that even on my
disability check, I get a 1.25% increase.
Lehman/ Folks, we aren't here to debate the issue. We're here to take public input, and
we'll be happy to take it. But no decision is going to be made here tonight.
We're going to listen, we'll take notes, and we're going to have our meeting
tomorrow, and we'll try to hopefully hammer some things out then. Go ahead.
Intesar Duncan/ Should I start?
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Lehman/ Sure.
Duncan/ Good evening. I'm Intesar Duncan, and I've been here before. I was talking to
you about the issue of the City bus drivers calling out the stops, using their
internal PA system, and extemal PA system. There is a little bit of improvement
in calling, they're calling the stops internally. It's just, it's a partial, it's some of
the time. It's, they've forgotten. Some of them still don't call it out. Some of
them are not calling out all the stops. Some of them calling them out too soft to
be really effective. I have been interacting, or communicating with the City
Transit Manager's office about the problem, and I mentioned to him that it seems
like it's just happening when I'm riding. Because it doesn't look like they really,
I can tell when they turn on the PA system, and it doesn't seem like they really
have the experience of doing it all the time. And forgetting some of the time, or
not turning the right way, or too quiet. He told me that it's, when he rides with
them, it's happening. He doesn't know what else he can do. I did mention to
him, of course, it happens to him when you ride with them. But it's not
happening all the time. And the big thing is the external is not happening at all. I
mean, I have not heard it once, yet. He did say he hears it when he rides on these
buses. What I'm trying to say -- and then I pointed out to him that the other day,
it would be nice, if those, you know, you've got the equipment, they're trying to
make these buses accessible for the ones who can take the City buses will take the
City buses, which is myself. You want me to take the bus, you've got the
equipment, let's use them. Let's make it be effective. Let it be convenient for me
to be able to use them, not to be always asking the individual what bus is this, or
what bus are you waiting for, and then this individual leave, and here I'm at the
mercy of going up to every bus to ask. The other day, I was at the northwest, the
north entrance to the Hospital. If you know that stop, there's many buses that pull
in there, many CAMBUSES, many City, Iowa City and Coralville buses. If they
use those external microphone, it would be wonderful. By the time I walk up to a
bus and I ask them what bus is that, my Westwinds bus pulled behind and pulled
away. I missed it. So, I mean, why, you're getting all these equipments and
trying to be accessible, let's use them right, or not use them.
Lehman/ Well, we are working on them. We did get a memorandum tonight, and we are
looking into this, you're, you know, we've heard you, and hopefully we'll get
something accomplished.
Duncan/ The point I'm trying to make here, I've been talking back and forth with the
City Transit office since this summer, and this has not quite happened complete.
And I just have so much fear of thinking that the City Transit wanting to take over
and run SEATS. Because SEATS, it's a wonderful service. I really like it. I
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consider it strongly to keep SEATS with the SEATS people to run it, because they
SEATS people are compassionate, they know what they are doing. They are there
to serve the disabled people, not just anybody. I mean, they know what they are
doing. And I'm kind of having quite faith in them, and I'm afraid, I don't have
really faith and interest in the City Transit system from what I've seen since this
summer. And another thing I want to add, we are the disabled individuals like
myself, we have an extra challenge, and we try very hard, I try very hard to keep
working and pay taxes and vote for you all, so please, don't make me always fight
for my rights. Fight for to survive. I mean, why make it so hard? Thank you.
Lehman/ Thankyou.
LeAnne Mayhew/ My name is LeAnne. I have a question for you guys. Have you guys,
we wondered if you guys ride the SEATS bus, give our drivers credit, they do a
good job. And Steve, when is the Advisory Committee going to get started?
Atkins/ I would hope, LeAnne, we can call a meeting within the next week or so by
contacting everyone. So, you should be hearing from us. We've had several
other people who've called about it, also.
Mayhew/ Okay. Thank you.
Atkins/ You're welcome.
Philip
Zell/ Hello, I'm Philip Zell. I'm representing the Senior Center Commission.
And I have a meeting announcement for you, and I'll just read it to you. This is
from the Council of Elders of the Center. City Plans for the construction of a
parking ramp in what is now the Senior Center's north parking lot, have generated
a lengthy list of concerns on the part of Senior Center participants. Where will
participants park during the construction of the ramp? How much will parking in
the new ramp cost? Will there be a connecting ramp between the parking ramp
and the Senior Center? When will construction begin, and when will it end? And
the list goes on. In order to identify and compile a comprehensive list of parking-
related participant concerns, the Council of Elders is hosting a public meeting in
the Center's assembly room on Wednesday, April 8th, from 1:45 to 3:00. The
meeting will begin with a brief presentation by City of Iowa City Parking and
Transit Director Joe Fowler, and Assistant Planning and Community
Development Director Jeff Davidson. Fowler and Davidson will discuss the
overall plan for the new parking facility, identify the current status of the project,
and describe how the Senior Center is being included in the City's planning for
this project. Following this presentation, the public will be asked to express their
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personal concerns related to the construction of the ramp. These concerns will
then be compiled by the Council of Elders, presented to the Senior Center
Commission, and forwarded to relevant City Departments, and the City Council.
Please keep in mind, this is for public consumption, this is an information-sharing
and -gathering meeting only. Any problems or potential problems that are
identified will not be resolved at this meeting. And so, I'm here to invite you all
to that meeting. And again, it's Wednesday, April 8th, from 1:45 to 3:00 in the
afternoon, in the Assembly Room. Thank you.
Lehman/ I think you said our staff will be there.
Zell/ Yes.
Lehman/ And I think this is very, very important that this sort of conversation take place
prior to any kind of planning that's done so that we know our concerns, you know
our limitations, and we each know what we're going to do. So, you know, I
applaud your efforts, and I'm sure as many of us as can will be at the meeting.
Zell/
Thank you very much. If you get a hold of the most recent posts, you will find a
list of some of the concerns that came up during the last Commission meeting,
and so that will serve as a good starting point. Thanks.
Lehman/ Thank you.
Larry Olson/ My name is Larry Olson. Marilyn Bestandig(??), a retired RN and SEATS
rider for the past eleven years, was unable to attend your meeting tonight, and
asked me to read you some of her thoughts. Many if not most of us come to the
need for SEATS through changes and losses in our lives. We are in the seventh
age of life, described by Mr. Shakespeare in his Seven Ages of Man. We are
relinquishing complete independence and acquiescing in varying degrees to
dependence. We have given up homes for apartments or care centers, said good-
bye to our Tin Lizzies because our vision has changed. We may not hear as well,
and our reaction times are diminished. We struggle to keep good health, and try
our best to adapt to inevitable changes coming our way. Sometimes these are
radical changes, and in every aspect of our lives. Everything we once did is more
and more dependent upon others: shopping, grocery-buying and transporting,
getting to church, medical appointments, social functions, and all of the other
functions of an amended full life. Families may not always be able to fill in the
needs. Indeed, there may not be family. A growing sense of helplessness and
anxiety ensues. How am I ever going to do all I need to do without worrying
about safety, falling on the ice and snow, getting exhausted in heat and humidity,
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or too tired from simple activity? Then here comes this beautiful thing we
affectionately call SEATS. We begin to realize that they exist for us. We can call
and arrange our way to whatever it is we need, and be treated with dignity, though
we may be slow and fumbling, carrying a cane, using a walker, taking forever to
get up and down steps, or even have one of our senior moments, forgetfulness.
We are smiled at, greeted by name, and made to feel like this person really likes
his or her job of working with elderly me. We feel trust, and appreciation for the
level of function we do have. We feel respected. We feel safe, and our lives are
made easier and happier. And now comes a group of business administrative
people who would bring more change to us, who would take apart this beautiful
thing we've come to respect and depend upon. Perhaps not perfection, but who or
what is? The elderly are not impressed by, nor interested in egos. Egos straining
to be plumped up like peacocks. Nor by quests for power and control. These
attitudes just get in our way, and are somewhat revealing. Mr. Mayor, Mr.
Atkins, and Council, I don't believe that we feel any sense of mission from you.
The heart and soul of SEATS is mission, and the mission is human service.
Human beings with needs the average person doesn't have, yet. Wresting control
may allow you to set up the skeleton of service, but the heart and soul, human
service, is missing. If you really have the best interests of the elderly and disabled
in the community in your best thinking, and in your fullest hearts, you would say
enough, they are being well-served, and have been for many years. Ask
yourselves, how can we all work together as we strive to serve them even better?
My friends, this SEATS is the pride ofparatransit service. It is obvious to me that
it has never been fully appreciated by this community. Leave this beautiful thing
called SEATS alone to continue its mission. SEATS knows how this is done.
Some who have come and gone as drivers are those who don't fit, who don't feel
this sense of mission, don't enjoy the job. Those who do fit, are the heart and soul
of SEATS. Peace be with you. Thank you.
Lehman/ Thank you.
Clara Oleson/ Good evening. My name is Clara Olesen. I'm President-Elect of the
American Federation of Teachers, Local 716. I'm here to comment on three
issues in relation to SEATS as well as some more long-term issues. I think this
Council might do well to think about the words of John Kenneth Galbraith who
indicated that the challenge of the '90s was going to educate the moral
vulnerability of the comfortable to the needs of the many. And I think here, we
have seen a lack of democracy in this community in action. People without power
standing in the rain with signs in front of this Council Chamber, week after week,
is not democracy in action. Until the Chamber of Commerce is out there, until the
comfortable are out there, until a seat is made at this table of deliberations, Mr.
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Atkins, before a policy which impacts members of this community who have
equal value with the business community, democracy has been diminished in this
community. To the extent that this is an economic dispute, certainly, this
negotiating committee and this body has not articulated for members of this
region how a dispute in which the parties are minuscule a part, given the total
budget of both entities, is going to be made up for by the public relations disaster
which we have seen week after week. I would strongly urge that when those
negotiations begin tomorrow, that you send the negotiations in with a moral
imperative to maintain not just the patina of liberality in this community, but the
actual reality. No one Councilmember can represent every member of this
community, because you do not have the same lifestyles, you do not have the
same experiences. And every Council as a whole lacks something. And that is
why the means of communication to all members of the community must be kept
open. And that did not happen here. And I think we have seen, really, the first
underbelly problem of this particular composition of this Council. It does, it
means nothing about you as individuals. It does not mean any individual lack.
What it means is that you have not asked the administrator of this Council and of
this community to make sure there is in place the communication network
necessary to support any public policy review or articulation. In closing, I would
urge you to look at the offer by the County carefully. And I must say, so that you
don't feel picked on, I came and gave pretty much this same speech to the County.
This Council has a level of education. This Council has a level of establishment
backing. This Council has a level of middle-class values, of comfort, of
achievement, and of economic success. But if this Council continues the way
they have continued with the lack of moral leadership, you are showing your
disdain for the democratic process. I do not want to have to come here one more
time. I want the people that are to be empowered here to be as accessible to you
as the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Merchants Association, and
anybody else with money in their pockets. Thank you.
Marilyn Belman/ Hey, I want to follow Clara Oleson. You know, I think you have come
a long way, and I think what Speedy said is true, Orville, sorry, I know him as
Speedy, from his football days. I said something earlier that, you know, I think
that, in my late twenties, I worked in the Poverty Program, and I think there are
pockets of people that can become invisible to us. Sometimes the poor do it,
sometimes the elderly, sometimes the disabled. And I think that perhaps that's
what's happened. Because I keep hearing people say they're not listening to us,
they're not listening to us. I think you are, I think that, and I'm glad that there's
something happening tomorrow. I think that what you're hearing is that people
want something to happen. And I think that, I saw just briefly, I'd heard about the
meeting this morning, and when I called Casey and told her I'd heard about it, she
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said yeah, but make sure that they have the Advisory Council. And I talked to
Mr. Atkins, and he said well, the Advisory Council hasn't gotten going yet. Well
I said that's really important. The drivers have supported it, the Board of
Supervisors has supported it, we've supported it, if there's something wrong, get
the Advisory Committee that can fix it. And I think that that's in the proposal, so
make sure that that's part of it. Because if there are things that the people are
saying need to be changed, then that's the way to do it. And that's the way to get
input from us. And I think that you're right, that there's, Clara's right, there's
been a ton of us out here a lot. And I think that we're trying to give you input and
we're trying to help in any way that we can. And we appreciate what you're
doing, but I think that what we have is what we think we've all liked what we've
had with some revisions. So I think that there's a lot of fear going on. When I
talked to the woman who talked with two canes, I don't know your name, you
don't realize what they're going through. And that's part of what I didn't realize
until I had a disability either. And so, you really need, see what happens? When
you've got a disability, life is different, folks. Thanks. And so, you really need to
make sure to involve us. And when Casey said, they're making decisions without
us, I said, well, let me just say something tonight, so that's what I'm saying.
Make sure you get that Advisory Committee in place. Thanks.
Lehman/ Thank you.
Thornberry/ Your information is very, very quick and quite accurate. I didn't find out
about this meeting until late this afternoon.
Belman/ One of the drivers had a copy, and I saw it.
Thornberry/ You know, I'm looking at, you know, what I get here.
Belman/ Well, I'm overjoyed, Mr. Thomberry.
Thornberry/ You guys have a system that you get your information rapidly.
Belman/ I think they know that I've been active. I've been so concemed. I've been so
scared. I can't drive, and I haven't driven since '94.
Thornberry/ The County has not communicated to the negotiating team that there's a
meeting tomorrow morning.
Kubby/ We talked about it last night.
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Lehman/ We got the thing today.
Kubby/ So anyway --
Thornberry/ The Board of Supervisors has not mentioned that they have come out with a
proposal or anything else, they have not notified us at all.
O'Donnell/ They've notified the media.
Lehman/ Well, that's --
Belman/ Well anyway, we hope that you work it out, for our benefit.
Lehman/ We do, too.
Belman/ Okay. Thank you.
Lehman/ Thank you.
Kubby/ And actually, what the Supervisors have proposed, and I guess I have a process
question, too, is I mean, set aside the quality issues because people here are saying
that we are committed to the quality issue, but when we look at, and one of the
reasons we're looking at this is because Iowa City riders are 80% of the head
count of who is riding SEATS. 72% of the tour-trip minutes, that is, the amount
of time that riders spend on a SEATS vehicle, and in our last contract, we were
paying 65% of the total budget. The new proposal that came to us from the
County is having the City pay 50% of the total cost of SEATS.
Thomberry/ Karen, this is very interesting, because these figures have changed from our
negotiating. The County is telling us that we're 80% of the rides and 72% of the
total tour-time. These numbers have been changing during the period of
negotiating.
Norton/ Just the last set.
Kubby/ That's not true, I've seen figures for the past six months.
Lehman/ This discussion will take place tomorrow, folks.
Kubby/ But I guess what I'm saying is that I feel like the County wants to work with us.
We have said to the County we want to work with you. We're, we haven't been
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believing each other's staff and each other's figures. We need to sit down. This
seems like a really good deal that we have an obligation to take very seriously.
O'Donnell/ I think it's closer.
Kubby/ And the question that I have, when people have been talking about this issue is,
if our negotiating team is meeting with the County tomorrow, how do the rest of
us have any input to guide you in what to look for, what questions to ask, if that's
happening tomorrow morning?
Lehman/ Karen, let me just say, and we talked about this very briefly last night, and I
think it's appropriate that this go through the negotiating committee. And we did
say that their recommendation or lack of recommendation or this itself will come
to all of us at a regular Council meeting, and we will all have an opportunity to
have our input. I think we owe it to our team to give us a recommendation
whether we choose to accept that recommendation or not is certainly a Council
decision.
Kubby/ So what will happen at the meeting tomorrow morning if they're not empowered
to act in any way, will they just be presented with this, what's been presented on
paper?
Lehman/ Karen, obviously, no one is empowered to act for this Council, other than the
Council itself. You're well aware of that. This Committee can give their
opinions, and I'm sure they will. That's partly what we asked them to do. At the
same time, we will receive everything that occurs at tomorrow's meeting as a
complete Council. It may be able to help us in the process; it may not be able to
help us. But in any event, the discussion and the decision will be made by the
entire Council, not by a negotiating team.
Kubby/ Well, I've always understood that. But the negotiating team has gotten us to this
point, and I mean, Dean even said last night, maybe there's not a purpose for the
negotiating team at this point, this juncture in the process. And I agree with him.
I think it's time for all of us to be talking together.
Lehman/ And I think we all will. But I do think that this is, at least at this point, is the
most appropriate way of doing this. And I think we kind of decided that last
night, and we will proceed, and hopefully we can work something out.
Christine Denburg/ Good evening. My name is Christine Denburg, and I've spoken to
you guys a couple of times. I just was curious, who is going to be representing
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the City Council tomorrow night, or tomorrow during this meeting?
Lehman/ Dee Norton and Dean Thornberry are, or pardon me, Dee Vanderhoef and Dean
Thornberry are the negotiating committee. I will be at the meeting as well.
Denburg/ You know, I mentioned at the last meeting, and I'm going to mention it again,
that I think it would be really important for you guys to hire some type of outside
Lehman/ We heard you.
Denburg/ I know. And you know, what really scares me is that I don't think that Mr.
Thornberry realized it, but fifteen minutes ago, when he was talking about
Johnson County, he said that in the last three years, $250,000 has been kept and
the City has gotten screwed. You said the City has gotten screwed by Johnson
County. And you know, that really scares me that you're walking in and you're
negotiating with the County, and I really hear that you're really angry, and
sometimes once people are really angry like this, they're not really thinking with
kind of an open mind.
Thomberry/ I'm looking at this and saying thank you, Johnson County. Because you
started out some time ago, when Dee and I, what was their first offer to us,
$610,000.
Vanderhoef/ $610,000 roughly.
Thornberry/ And they've come down and said, oh yeah, well, that was too much, and
we're now down to, what they're looking at is $528,000. And I would like to see
justification of that. So, that's, that's $100,000 --
Denburg/ You know, sir --
Thomberry/ In just a matter of months. And we did get screwed. And they said that
they charged, that they overcharged us. So that's, I'm just repeating what they've
told us.
Denburg/ But, sir, in the way that you're acting, I really feel like number one, that we
might be better served to have other people take a turn at working and negotiating
with the County on this, if hostility has gotten too high in the meeting.
Thomberry/ There are no hostilities at all. I'm just saying that there's a contract
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negotiation.
Denburg/ Well, when you're saying that the County's getting screwed, it sounds to me
like you're mad.
Thomberry/ I didn't say the County got screwed.
Denburg/ You're saying that the City's getting screwed. So, to me, that sounds like
you're mad. And I --
Thornberry/ Well, I'm sorry you took it that way. And I didn't mean it in anger. I'm
just saying it's a fact.
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 98-45, SIDE B
Denburg/ My view of the County lowering their price is the County, I think, is very
concerned about all of the ridership, and the County's going to take and subsidize
the City and take care of us. That the County's a little bit more concerned right
now than some of you people. And so, somebody's going to blink. And so the
County, to say that this year, the County blinked. And the County's not willing to
put us all through something, so the County's willing to subsidize and take care of
you folks.
Lehman/ Christine, let me just make a couple of comments.
Denburg/ Sure, sir.
Lehman/ First of all, there has been a lot of conversations taking place between members
of this Council and the Board of Supervisors for a long time. They may not have
been public conversations, but those conversations have taken place to the point
that we have a proposal. Any decision is not going to be made by our negotiating
team. Recommendations may come from them. This Council will make that
decision. So don't, you know, don't stand there and tell me or anybody else that
the County's done this or the City's done this. This has been a mutual effort on
the part of the City and the County, and we've come up with something that we
want to talk about. And we're going to do our best to work something out. But
this is not a unilateral effort on anybody's part. There's a lot of time and work
gone into this by a lot of folks sitting up here, as well as people on the Board of
Supervisors.
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Denburg/ But what I'm --
Thornberry/ There's no Councilmember that has not had interaction with the County on
SEATS.
Denburg/ Yes. And you guys have all been really wonderful and accessible to us talking
to you about it. And I've been really appreciated that. I've spent a lot of time
with you guys. But I think, in the future, I think the thing that would be most
helpful for you to hire someone that really knows paratransit, that would be
someone that's unbiased, that can come in and give some kind of report, and we
can spend some money analyzing the whole paratransit system instead of it just
being what the City thinks and what the County thinks. Get some experts in here,
spend some money, and really look the whole system over. And maybe
somebody that's not biased can come up with a way for us to establish who needs
to pay what, instead of it just being City says, County says, and back and forth,
back and forth, of they didn't provide this report, and just like tonight, it was
mentioned asking if there was any type of consumer survey ever done, and the
first thing Mr. Atkins mentioned was the County hasn't done that. The County
provides the service, they haven't done that. And it'd be really nice for us to get
somebody in here and spend some money that doesn't really belong to either one
of the programs, and we can just all work together and come up with an idea of a
reasonable way to assess costs in the future so this doesn't happen next year and
the year after, and the year after, because we've done it too many years in a row.
And it'll be over tomorrow, it'll maybe get fixed for the next year. But the
problem is, every single time, everybody gets more and more upset, and we get
sick and tired, I mean, my mother started riding SEATS five years ago, and this
was going on five years ago. When can we finally have a time when we can get
along? I mean it's a wonderful service. You guys want to provide wonderful
service. I've talked to you guys, you're very concerned about the community. At
one point, can't we just bury the hatchet and all work together and do what
everybody ends up really wanting to have happen, which is quality paratransit
service? So, why don't we just hire somebody, get somebody in, to be kind of a
mediator for everybody, that doesn't believe that the City is getting screwed.
Thornberry/ We can even go to a third party for our service.
Denburg/ You know, there you go again. There's your little attitude.
Thornberry/ No, I'm just saying, that there are other options out there.
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Denburg/ Well, you're threatening me again with "well, there we go". We'll just hire
outside services. Sir, your attitude shows that I don't think you belong on the
bargaining committee.
Lehman/ I'm sorry. We're not solving anything. I can tell you, we'll do our best when
we work with the County to see that we get this resolved.
Denburg/ Well, and I have total faith in you, Mr. Lehman. We've spoken before, and I
know your heart is in the right place. And I've spoken with Connie, and I've
spoken with Karen. And I know you guys can do a really good job. But you
know, Mr. Thomberry, you're on the committee, and I really feel like you have a
very adversarial relationship with the whole SEATS issue, and I think maybe you
should step down and find somebody else that doesn't have all of the previous
baggage.
Thornberry/ I started this in June of last year, and intend to see it through. And I hope
that we can come up with a contract that would satisfy everybody. That's our
goal.
Denburg/ Well, I hope we can do it in a nice way where we don't have to insult other
people and threaten people with having to get other services.
Thomberry/ I'm not threatening, I'm just saying the options are out there.
Denburg/ Why'd you mention it at that point?
Lehman/ Hey, look--
Denburg/ All right. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it, and I really do hope
that you can hire someone to come in and do some mediation and work on these
issues for the future.
Lehman/ Thank you. We hear you.
Kubby/ But I think Christine's point is really important, that we have been in this place
every year, on an annual basis. And that it is that we're going from a crisis to
crisis kind of thing, and we need to figure out some way -- the County's proposal
to us was a five-year contract, and I hope that we end up with something that is
multi-year. I think that's very important.
Cusher/ One thing I find interesting about this conversation right now is the lack of sight
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from those of you sitting on the Council, that you indeed have no bias. Because
it's very apparent to those of us who sit out here that there is bias. And that there
is some form of, for lack of a better term, bad blood between you and the County.
That doesn't serve us, it will not serve you. And it certainly doesn't serve the
County. And all I can see is a loss-loss situation. And we're going to be at the
bottom of the pile of loss.
Lehman/ No, you won't be.
Cusher/ I'm going to need more than your words for that to be real.
Lehman/ I realize that. Is there anyone else who'd like to speak to this before we move
along?
Thomberry/ Emie, I would say one more thing, and then I won't say anything about this.
We were criticized for not responding to those that asked questions of the Council
the last two years. And I felt badly when someone actually had a question and
wanted an answer from the Council, why is this this way, why is that that way,
and we talked about it, and we said let's start trying to answer their questions.
But if they don't like the answer, well, then it gets into an argument, and I don't
know which way to go.
Lehman/ Dean, I think our job is to listen to the public at these public meetings, to listen
to their concerns. Obviously, if we try to engage in debate, there will be
differences of opinion, and I don't think this is the forum for us to do that.
Thornberry/ No, it's not.
Lehman/ But I think it is very important, I think every one of us agree, that we do listen
to what the public tells us, and hopefully, and I guess I'm confident that those
folks who have spoken have indeed been heard, and that will be reflected in the
work as we move forward, and I think we're looking forward to sitting down
tomorrow and working with the County, and see. I don't think there's any two
groups of people in Iowa City who care more about getting this situation resolved
than the County Board of Supervisors and the Iowa City Council.
Thornberry/ My question was just, do we answer questions when they have quesitons, or
do we just sit here and look and listen?
Vanderhoef/ And listen.
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Thornberry/ But if they have a question, and they say, I want an answer --
Kubby/ I think we should answer the question.
Norton/ Sometimes.
Kubby/ I think it's individual Council members and the individual style with which they
deal with that. I think answers should be given. It's relevant, people are here,
were here.
Thornberry/ It's an interaction. They're representatives, but I don't want to get into an
argument with them. I'm listening to what they're saying, and I really am
listening. And I would like to sign the contract more than anybody. And, well, if
at all possible, I won't sign it, I'll bring it to the Council and say please, please
sign it.
Norton/ We want to look at it, right.
Lehman/ All right, all right.
Thomberry/ But I didn't know if you wanted us to answer the question or not.
Lehman/ Dean, I hear what you're saying, and I've experienced a lot of the same.
Townsend/ I had --
Lehman/Yeah, Orville?
Townsend/ I had an additional response. You know, we have a unique situation where
we're secured here. We have people who are dependent on a system. You know,
who really need that system, who's very confident in that system. Everything that
happens from the time that the controversy occurred has just been like gasoline on
a flame, you know. And I can understand that. Without these services, citizens
with disabilities, many of them will lose their independence. The current system
that we have may not be ideal. There may be some concerns about it
economically, or the way it's put together. But it's a system that can be
improved. I would hope that we won't have a situation like this in the future.
Because of the economics of things like this, dollars will dictate a lot of the time,
and we may not have any concern about that, but what we, we may not have any
control over that, excuse me, we will always have concern. But what we might be
able to do, to keep situations from this happening again, is to create systems
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where we communicate, where we have involvement. Now, there was some
mention of an Advisory Board earlier, I don't know what that is, but I would hope
that if we ever get to this place, or this spot again, that we can get through it in,
you know, in a positive way because we would have handled it so that persons
who were involved will have some input, whether it's an advisory board that you
appoint, or whatever, but when they come in here, they will have confidence and
trust in this Council. And if there is a problem to be dealt with, they will be ready
to roll up their sleeves and help you deal with it as opposed to being frightened
and concerned to the point that it just won't make sense. You know, I hope that
we will be able to forget about yesterday. Because what we thought in terms of
dollars and cents yesterday, what we saw as problems yesterday, we hadn't seen
the emotional concerns. And I'm sure that now we do see a need to move forward.
So I encourage you, forget about yesterday, and let's focus on what we can handle
and accept today. Thank you.
Lehman/ Thank you, Orville. One more speaker, and we're going to take a break. Go
ahead.
Rick McCaslin/ My name is Rick McCaslin, and I am a SEATS driver, but I do not
approach you as that tonight. I am also a Senior Pastor of the Iowa City
Foursquare Church. I want to approach you as that. I want to say to you the same
thing that I said to the Board of Supervisors. Many of you have probably received
the copy of a letter with some misprints in it, and I apologize for that, that I read
to the Board of Supervisors. Tonight, I left another meeting because I felt I
needed to be here, after seeing what the County offered today. I would leave you
with the same beginning as I started with the Board of Supervisors. Proverbs,
chapter four, "Wisdom is supreme, though it cost all you have, get
understanding." I hope and I pray that by the end of this week, or by the
beginning of next week, we'll have an understanding.
Lehman/ Thank you.
McCaslin/ Thank you.
Lehman/ We're going to take a five minute break, a seven minute break.
BREAK
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ITEM NO. 5b PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS - Public heating on an
ordinance conditionally changing the zoning designation on a 4.46-acre tract
located at 500 Foster Road from Interim Development Single-Family Residential
(IDRS) to Sensitive Areas Overlay-8 (ISA-8) to permit 35 dwelling units and
approving a preliminary Sensitive Areas Development Plan. (REZ97-0011).
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #5b). P.h. is open. We've been asked to continue this
heating through April 7th. If anyone wishes to speak tonight, they're certainly
welcome to. If not, I will entertain a motion to continue the p.h. to April 7th.
Vanderhoef/ Move to continue.
Champion/ Second.
Lehman/ Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Connie. All in favor- (ayes). Motion
carded.
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ITEM NO. 5e Public hearing on an ordinance approving the preliminary OPDH plan for
Walnut Ridge, parts 6 and 7, a 66.68 acre, 20-lot residential subdivision located at
the north terminus of Kennedy Parkway. (REZ98-0001)
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #5e). This is an area out west of West High School. P.h.
is open. P.h. is closed.
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ITEM NO. 5f An ordinance amending Title 14, Chapter 6, "Zoning," Article E,
"Commercial and Business Zones," Section 2, Neighborhood Commercial Zone
(CN-1) regarding size restfiction on restaurants.
(1) Public Hearing (continued from March 10)
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #50. And this is a continuation ofa p.h. from March 10th.
P.h. is open.
Kandie Briscoe/ Good evening, Council members. Excuse me, I have a cold. My name
is Kandie Briscoe. I think you've had some communications with my associate,
Kirstin Fry. I'm here this evening filling in for her. We represent Plum Grove
Acres, and have an interest in the restaurant that was proposed at 200 Scott Court.
And I'm here tonight to voice our support and request that you approve this
amendment to the zoning ordinance for restaurants that are proposed in the CN-q
area, so that you change the criteria that's used to look at these from square
footage to occupancy load. As I think has become apparent, square footage isn't a
very good measure. Although I know that this is an amendment that's to benefit
the entire community, I think everyone's aware that this amendment was
triggered, the consideration of this amendment was triggered by a specific
restaurant. And the plans for the restaurant that were proposed for 200 Scott
Court were initially approved with a special exception application that le~ out the
square footage in the basement. And when that special exception application was
re-submitted including the square footage, even though the number of seats in the
restaurant, the size of the building, and the number of parking spaces was exactly
the same, the special exception was denied. I think this makes it clear that square
footage really shouldn't be the only consideration, and that it just doesn't give a
very good indication of the effect of the restaurant on the neighborhood. And
that's really the intent of the criteria for CN-1 zoning. Occupancy-load
measurement on the other hand, is more representative of a restaurant's impact on
the neighborhood. It's closely tied to the number of people that the restaurant will
serve. In fact, a larger square footage, keeping the occupancy load the same,
might actually have a lesser effect on a neighborhood, a lesser negative effect on a
neighborhood, if you have two restaurants with the same occupancy load but they
have a larger square footage due to a storage area, the restaurant with the larger
square footage would have fewer deliveries because it would be able to store more
goods, meaning lesser truck traffic through that residential neighborhood. If you
look at square footage, as was suggested by the P/Z, Planning and Zoning
Department memorandum, to set the occupancy-load, you're really just going in
circles. You're using a circular logic. Because you can see from the data that
they collected that a 3,200 square foot restaurant could be anywhere from a 50
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occupancy-load to a 100 occupancy-load. So square footage isn't really a very
good way of setting this criteria. Occupancy-load, on the other hand, really gives
you a link to the number of people served, and its impact on the neighborhood.
And there is a percentage limit built into the criteria as well, that's tied to the total
commercial square footage. So there is a maximum on the square footage. So
you have both a measure of the number of people being served, and the
percentage impact, as far as the commercial, the total commercial impact on the
neighborhood. You should keep in mind, as well, when you're considering the
actual number that you want to set for this occupancy-load, that the number of
customers served is typically going to be a smaller amount than the occupancy-
load, because occupancy-load has a factor that is attributed even to areas where
customers aren't seated, like storage areas, the kitchen, and the food prep areas.
And I did want to point out that in the P/Z figures, there are only occupancy
numbers given for 17 of the 34 restaurants. And the other half of the 34, there
aren't even occupancy numbers. There are seating numbers. And like I said, the
seating number is actually going to be lower than the occupancy, so they're a little
bit misleading, because you really don't have complete data here. I also wanted to
point out that one purpose of the original amendment was to allow for an
expedited process for small restaurants that would fit into a neighborhood setting
so that they don't have to go through all of this special exception procedure. So,
your purpose needs to be to allow an expedited process for those little restaurants
so they don't have to go through the expense and the time of going through the
special exception procedure. So you need to set that limit at least high enough to
allow those appropriate businesses to get in in the expedited process. So, I'd just
like to ask that this amendment to the zoning ordinance be approved, and we
would ask that you incorporate the higher occupancy-load limit of 130 into this
amendment. I would also like to suggest that the readings be consolidated so that
you can expedite the consideration of this amendment.
Lehman/ Let me point out that at the last meeting, when we, where we continued the
public hearing, we did ask that the P/Z Commission consider the 130 number as
the occupant-load, rather than 100, which they did. As you are well aware, the
City staff and the P/Z Commission originally recommended the 100 number.
Two of us attended the P/Z Commission meeting where they again reaffirmed the
100 number as preferable to the 130. And I think the reason for that, and ifI
misstate this, Karin, please correct me, but the 100, we're talking about a
Neighborhood Commercial zone in this case, and we're talking about any
Neighborhood Commercial zone in the City, not any particular location, the
feeling is that a 100 person occupancy-load would allow most restaurants of a size
that is appropriate for a Neighborhood Commercial. It does not rule out a larger
one which can be had by special exception. If I'm not mistaken, last night, this
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Council said that should the applicant in this particular case wish to pursue this
and have to go through the special exception process, that the fee be waived
because he's already been through it twice. But, is that a fair explanation, Karin,
that this will, hopefully, address most situations, and for those situations which
are not addressed by the 100, it would not be difficult if the circumstances are
correct, and the Commission looked at it, to tailor a restaurant of a larger size for a
Neighborhood Commercial. So P/Z did reaffirm the 100.
Briscoe/ Was there additional data collected other than what was attached to Mr.
Kugler's memorandum dated March 24th?
Lehman/ Not that I'm aware of.
Briscoe/ Okay. Because it looked like, I mean, I pointed out that there really were only
occupancy numbers for about half the restaurants that were looked at. And I
know that the number, I think I had, there was an estimate in another
memorandum dated February 27th, that says that 100 people is the estimate for a
3,000 square foot restaurant, and as I pointed out, there are two restaurants listed
fight in this other memorandum that it could be 50 occupancy-load, or it could be
100 for a 3,200 square foot restaurant. So it really varies a lot, and it's hard to use
square footage to predict what that occupancy-load should be.
Kubby/ But I think they looked at some restaurants that were allowed through the special
exception process that were over 100 occupancy-load and found that there were
some special circumstances that allowed them to fit in with the neighborhood and
the feeling of the Neighborhood Commercial Zone. That there was shared
parking, there were other kinds of pedestrian access that allowed that
circumstance to be acceptable. And so they felt that it was important to ensure
that those factors were present before saying yes, and that was one of the
rationales for staying at the 100 level.
Briscoe/ I appreciate your comments.
Lehman/ Thankyou.
Thornberry/ May I --
Lehman/ I'm sorry, go ahead, Dean.
Thornberry/ My questions last night, and previous to that were, if in a Neighborhood
Commercial Zone, a grocery store could be 40,000 square feet, why couldn't a
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restaurant in a Neighborhood Commercial have 130 seats? I guess I still don't
understand that, why you can have a 40,000 square foot grocery store in a
Neighborhood Commercial but limit the restaurant capacity to 100 people. But
Ernie and I both went to the P/Z meeting and listened to their discussion, and it,
the ordinance would limit the occupancy to 100, but it wouldn't, they could go
through special exception and get a larger one. And the difference in parking, in a
restaurant next to a 40,000 square foot grocery store, or in the current situation, a
30,000 square foot grocery store, but with so much parking for that grocery store,
that the restaurant could use that shared parking. Whereas, a lot of restaurants in a
Neighborhood Commercial area have their individual parking. And if each
business had their own parking without any shared, then we'd have an awful lot of
parking in a neighborhood setting. But, through special exception, they could
have a larger restaurant if the special exception people --
Briscoe/ And I understand there is a maximum limit on parking spaces for these
neighborhood businesses. And I did want to re-emphasize that occupancy-load is
actually a bigger number than the number of people that is seated in the restaurant
typically.
Thomberry/ Right, that is correct. We're aware of that.
Norton/ But I think it's interesting to point out that staff has inquired of other
communities, and most of them have been around 2,500 or 3,000 square feet, and
something like 100 occupancy. And I searched for a rationale for larger and failed
to find it, because if you get it larger, then the special exception will go larger yet.
And there are plenty of zones in town where a restaurant of considerable size
could be accommodated. And if you look at all the CN-1 zones around town, I
just don't think you want to crowd them that much. So I'm going to stick with
100 and trust the special exception process to consider, you know, not promise,
but consider requests to go over that in light of the particular circumstances of that
particular location. But I think this is a reasonable move, and to try to find a full
rationale probably doesn't exist. Because, any restaurant that's good is going to
attract too many people.
Briscoe/ Well, and I think the important thing here is to change the criteria anyway.
Because square footage just isn't, you can tell from some of these numbers,
square footage shouldn't be the criteria.
Norton/ We're going to (can't hear).
Briscoe/ I think it's an excellent move.
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Lehman/ I'd like to suggest two things for you. You asked for expedited consideration.
I would ask you, with Council's permission, that you request that in writing. Now
tonight, normally we do not vote on resolutions following public hearings.
Tonight, it's on the agenda, and should we wish to act, and I think we will, we
would be speeding up the process by two weeks right there just by doing that.
Should you wish expedited consideration at the next meeting, would you drop us
a note explaining to us why you would like it, as an aside, if you would also like
to mention, with Council's concurrence, that we have agreed to waive the cost for
a special exception. If the Council then agrees, at the next meeting ,we can do the
second and third readings.
Briscoe/ Thank you.
Thomberry/ Kadn, I do have a question of you, if you will. The occupancy-load of 100,
does that mean he could have more seats than 100, but limit the occupancy to
1007 Does that limit the number of seats that he can have in the dining facility?
Norton/ It's for 15 square feet.
Karin Franklin/ For a total, for the total occupant-load for the building, that is going to
count the dining area, the kitchen, and storage and office, whatever space is used
there.
Thomberry/ But he could have as many seats in the dining room as he would like, it's
just that the occupancy-load is the limit.
Franklin/ Assuming that those are tables with chairs, as opposed to fixed-seating. Now,
if it's fixed-seating, then we're counting the benches. But if it is not fixed-
seating, then the occupancy-load is determined by the square footage. And if he
wants to squeeze everybody in, he could do that.
Thomberry/ Or spread everybody out.
Franklin/ Or spread everybody out.
Thomberry/ Or all stand up.
Lehman/ Okay. Any further comments? Mr. Striet?
John Striet/ My name's John Striet. I'm the general manager of the Midtown Family
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Restaurant. I would like to seat 130 people, okay? I'll go with 100 and go with
the special exceptions, but I'd like to make a couple of comments. There's never
been an issue on parking. I've heard it three different times today from different
people. I have not changed a damn thing on this since I filed in '96. Except the
basement, and the basement's always been in the plans. I just, I, you know, I
don't understand what's happening, what's taking me so long to accomplish
something. I've been to P/Z twice. I've talked to Karin. You know, we talked
tonight. So, whatever you do, I'd like to get it expedited so I can get a restaurant
built, okay?
Lehman/ John, I think this is an example of sometimes we need to fine tune our
ordinances, and I guess I would certainly apologize for the amount of time it has
taken. The important thing is that we have been able to fine tune this so that it
will work for your facility as well as others in the same zone.
Striet/ I appreciate that very much. Thank you.
Lehman/ Thank you. P.h. is closed.
(2) Consider an Ordinance (First consideration)
Lehman/ Any further discussion?
Kubby/ Move first consideration.
Lehman/ Moved by Kubby.
Norton/ Second.
Lehman/ Seconded by Norton. Roll call- (yes).
Vanderhoef/ No amendment?
Lehman/ No amendments.
Vanderhoef/ That's good.
Thomberry/ Karin Franklin is --
Kubby/ A persuasive woman.
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Lehman/ Kafin, you did a great job, and we commend you for it.
Franklin/ Thank you.
Lehman/ Not something easily accomplished, but you did it.
Thomberry/ And the perseverance by Mr. Striet to get this thing done. He apparently
wants this very, very badly.
Champion/ I'd hope so after twenty years (can't hear).
Lehman/ Okay.
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ITEM NO. 5g Ordinance amending the approved preliminary Sensitive Areas
Development Plan for Lot 51 of Walden Hills, containing 2.9 acres and located
within the OSA-8, Sensitive Areas Overlay Zone at the northeast comer of
Shannon Drive and Irving Avenue. (REZ97-0018)
(1) Public Heating (continued from March 10)
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #5g). P.h. is now open. Karin?
Thomberry/ Got a bulb out?
Lehman/ There we go.
Franklin/ The Council requested that we show this illustration of this project, and
basically what I'm showing right now is a prototype of the units that would be
built on the site. These are units that were built in another part of Iowa, and
impressed the builder of Lot 51 in Walden Hills. What is different about this
project is the fact that these are going to be built on very small lots. The lots will
be 27 feet wide. The access to these properties is all from the rear, on a pseudo
kind of alley, so that the buildings as they face the street, what you will see will be
the front doors, the front porches, as opposed to the garages, that we're more
commonly used to in current subdivisions. This particular illustration shows a
fence in front of the buildings. That will unlikely be the case in the Walden Hills
subdivision. What you'll see will be the sidewalk and then sidewalks to the front
door.
Lehman/ Karin, this is rather significant because of the size of the lot, and hopefully this
is a direction that Council has indicated for some time, we would like to see lower
cost housing, and land being such a large part of that cost, that the smaller lots
should improve the cost of housing.
Franklin/ Each of these houses will be on separate lots, and so it's a very different
product in the housing market than we've had locally, so it'll be real interesting to
see how it does sell. It is a project which embodies a lot of the principles that are
in our Comprehensive Plan which the last Council adopted, in trying to provide
neighborhoods that are more accessible to people, versus cars, and gives a very
good presence to the street, as well as having more affordable units.
Thomberry/ Karin, these are 27-foot wide lots, and there is a gap between each house.
Franklin/ That's right.
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Thomberry/ You can basically walk between.
Franklin/ It's anywhere from five to seven feet.
Thornberry/ In mobile homes, a double-wide mobile home is what, 24 feet?
Franklin/ At least.
Lehman/ They go up to 28 or 30, I think.
Thornberry/ That's going to be a pretty narrow house.
Franklin/ Yes, the houses will be narrow.
Thomberry/ They do go up.
Franklin/ Pardon me?
Thornberry/ They do go up.
Franklin/ Yes, two stories.
Norton/ I think it's worth noting that one of the restrictions in lot size is to some extent
offset by having a bigger common open space, isn't it?
Franklin/ Yes. To the rear of these units, there will be a common open space, on the
other side of the alley. You could do that with a mobile home development, also.
It's not typically done.
Norton/ It does make sense rather than to make each lot larger and have a relatively small
greenspace, you have even a little smaller, but you have an even bigger communal
area.
Franklin/ Yes. You get a communal area that presumably would be taken care of by a
homeowners' association for people who want to move into a unit that is a
detached single-family where you don't have to take care of a large yard. This
would be a good product.
Vanderhoef/ Karin, whose responsibility is it for the pseudo-alley?
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Franklin/ That will be private.
Vanderhoef/ That is private.
Franklin/ Yes. Just as if it was a driveway.
Kubby/ So--
Norton/ Why is it a pseudo-alley?
Franklin/ Well, I say that because of the pattern. It's not an alley in the traditional sense
that you see in the older parts of Iowa City where it's quite square and the alley
goes right down the middle.
O'Donnell/ And they are paved?
Franklin/ Yes, definitely.
O'Donnell/ It's a great concept.
Lehman/ Thank you, Karin.
Franklin/ You're welcome.
Lehman/ Anyone else like to speak to this? P.h. is closed.
page 35
(2) Consider an Ordinance (First consideration).
Kubby/ Move first consideration.
Lehman/ Moved by Kubby.
Thomberry/ Second.
Lehman/ Seconded by Thomberry. Any further discussion? Roll call- (yes). Motion
carded.
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ITEM NO. 5h Consider a resolution approving a preliminary plat of Galway Hills, Part
Five, a 13.63-acre, eight-lot residential subdivision located on the south side of
Melrose Avenue and west of West High School. (SUB98-0002)
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #5h). This has been recommended for approval by the P/Z
Commission, and also by the staff, subject to certain conditions which we have in
our packet.
Thomberry/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Lehman/ Moved by Thomberry.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Lehman/ Seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion? Roll call-(yes). Motion carried.
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ITEM NO. 5i Consider a motion to forward a letter to the Johnson County Board of
Supervisors recommending that a request to rezone 5.3 acres from Suburban
Residential (RS-10) to Planned Commercial (CP2) for property located in the
northwest quadrant of the intersection of Highway 1 and Landon Avenue to be
denied. (CZ9801)
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #5i). This is an area located south of Highway 1. It's in
the fringe area of Iowa City. This, action on this has been taken by the Board of
Supervisors, so there's no action required by the Council.
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ITEM NO. 6 THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION WITH THE IOWA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR FY99 IOWA DOT STATE
TRANSIT ASSISTANCE FUNDING AND FEDERAL TRANSIT
ADMINISTRATION.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #6). This is through JCCOG. They'll be filing a request
for approximately $296,635 in DOT STA formula funds, and applying for
$2,628,100 in FTA capital funds.
Thomberry/ I would move --
Lehman/ P.h. is open. P.h. is closed.
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING
Thornberry/ Move we file the application.
Lehman/ Moved by Thomberry.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Lehman/ Seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Kubby/ Jeff, when is this application due? What's the timing?
Jeff Davidson/ April 1st.
Kubby/ Okay. One of my concerns about the application is that there are three items in
here that are to purchase capital equipment for a City paratransit service. And it
totals $105,600 of the $2,600,000, so it's a small percentage, but I just, I
understand the nature of these grants, in that if we decide to provide our own
paratransit service, and to contract out with other entities in the County, that now
is the time to put these things in the application, and if we don't do it, they can be
withdrawn.
Davidson/ That's correct.
Kubby/ But I just think that there were some points made tonight about issues of trust
with the City, and about issues about how things look, and that we continue to not
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acknowledge those things, and we continue to do things like this that don't help
our cause very much. And I'm real uncomfortable and kind of dismayed that
we're doing this. And last night, I had asked if there were any other things that
we are projecting to do in the next couple of years, that we could put in here
instead of these things, that if we decide not to do those things, that we could pull
them. Were there any things found between last night and tonight?
Davidson/ No, everything that's in and out here, Karen, is in here because it's needed
now. I do think however, that if the paratransit projects are withdrawn in the
future because of your subsequent decision-making, that we'll still be in good
shape with the remaining projects, since we don't intend to have this whole list
funded. We'd love it if it was, but we don't think the money will be available to
fund the whole list.
Kubby/ And I know that last night, the process was described as very flexible, and that
staff had a lot of discretion in the conversations, in competition with other transit
agencies to say well, I'll take this off the table and move things around here, and
there's kind of some horsetrading. And I'm not, I can't really remember if we
came down with a direction, but I had suggested that we give direction to staff
that if horsetrading needs to be done to make some of these other things happen,
that those paratransit issues be the first things that are traded.
Norton/ Well, we'll assume --
Champion/ My--
Norton/ I'm sorry, go ahead.
Champion/ My recollection of the conversation was that perhaps by the time this
happened, we would have an understanding as far as the need for paratransit
anyway, so that it might be a moot point.
Norton/ Yeah. It does seem to me that if we reach a decision about staying with the
County, for example, and this is not needed, we ought to talk to Jeff about, I
mean, it would be obvious that those items would be the ones you'd negotiate out,
or substitute if that were permittable.
Davidson/ The process that Karen was referring to where at the State level in Des
Moines, all of the 36 Iowa transit systems, there might be 37 now, sit down at one
table and discuss who's going to get what, that'll happen in mid- to late-May, so
you may very well have your decision-making with the County done by then.
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Champion/ I'd like to raise just a hypothetical question. Let's suppose that we do stay
with the County SEATS program as our paratransit service. And we have this
money in here. You know, at one time, we talked about providing a paratransit
vehicle for a taxicab company under a tight contract, and providing a paratransit
driver or training or I'm not sure how the particulars would work. But, would that
be an opportunity, if we were to happen to get that money, if we chose to do that?
Davidson/ Yeah. The opportunity to do that, Connie, exists, either under County or City
operation.
Champion/ Because, if we talk about improving paratransit, I think that would be an
incredible improvement, to provide 24-hour transportation 365 days a year for
paratransit users. So I'm not so sure that that money couldn't remain in there.
Kubby/ But are you saying --
Vanderhoef/ There's a couple of other things that I'm also interested in, Connie, that we
may choose to have another van. So, and it all has to do with transit of our
citizens. And increase of the services to them. So, I choose to leave it on there.
Kubby/ It says paratransit software and hardware, paratransit radio equipment, and office
equipment. Can we change what those things are, as is being suggested, for this
pot of money?
Davidson/ Yeah, those --
Kubby/ I know we can do it outside of that.
Davidson/ Those are items that have been identified by Joe and Ron, and Iowa City
Transit as being what they would need to operate the system. I think if you'd
leave them in there, and those items were funded, Karen, we would have no
problem at all with the State in doing some of the other things instead of those if it
ends up it's not needed because it continues in County operation.
Kubby/ Well, I still strongly object to these things on a political level, being in here. I
understand the logistics, and I'm willing to take that risk, but because there are so
many other things that are, this is a very small percentage of the total, that I
support the other things that are in here, the methane abatement, at our transit
facility, we need to make sure that our workers, and that our facility is a safe place
to be, a multi-use parking facility, that even though I tend to vote against these
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things, that if, since the majority is in favor of them, I think that there should be
some other monies from outside the system to help pay for those. So, I will be
supporting the grant application under protest, because of the paratransit issues in
here.
Thomberry/ I don't vote on things on a political basis. But I, this makes sense, and I
vote on things on a makes-sense basis, so I'll be voting for it, too.
Kubby/ Everything we do is political.
Lehman/ Thank you, Jeff.
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 98-46, SIDE A
Lehman/ Could we have a roll call- (yes).
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ITEM NO. 7 PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE
OF COST FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE MORMON TREK BOULEVARD
CONCRETE PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT, ESTABLISHING
AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING
CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH NOTICE TO BIDDERS, AND FIXING TIME
AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #7). This is a p.h. The p.h. is open. It is my understanding
this is the resurfacing of Mormon Trek from Benton Street to Melrose Avenue,
the section that is really deteriorating. This should extend its life by a
considerable amount. Is there any comment?
Atkins/ Sir, I want to point out, it's not a resurfacing. It's patching.
Lehman/ Patching and diamond grinding.
Arkins/ Resurfacing implies something a little different. Okay?
Lehman/ We're going to resurface those little spots that are bad.
Champion/ There you go.
Atkins/ Your engineer will tell you exactly, but it's not a complete resurface.
Kubby/ If we could resurface for $185,000, we'd do it.
VanderhoefY we'd do it.
Lehman/ we're just doing the spots. Okay.
Thornberry/ Lots of spots.
Lehman/ Lots of spots. P.h. is closed.
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING
Lehman/ Any further discussion? If not, I'd like to have a motion.
Thornberry/ Move adoption.
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O'Donnell/ second.
Lehman/ Moved by Thomberry, seconded by O'Donnell. Roll call- (yes). Motion
carfled.
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ITEM NO. 8 PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE
OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SCANLON GYMNASIUM
COMPLEX IN MERCER PARK, ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF BID
SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO
PUBLISH NOTICE TO BIDDERS, AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR
RECEIPT OF BIDS.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #8). This is a really, really big project. It had tremendous
support from within the community, and it's one that I'm sure we're really, really
proud to present. P.h. is open. As part of the P.h., I would like for the public to
see, by a diagram, what the exterior of this building will look like. So, if you
would like to give us a brief synopsis?
Kevin Monson/ We have an elevation view of the exterior of the building showing the
present brick color and lines and shape, basically being carried through with the
addition of the new gymnasium and multi-purpose space. Would you like to see
the floor plan?
Lehman/ Why don't you show, yeah, the floor plan.
Norton/ The floor plan.
Lehman/ The floor plan, briefly, this is really a beautiful structure.
Monson/ A shot of the floor plan. I hope this is being picked up.
Lehman/ I think you told us last night, there are three volleyball courts and two
basketball courts, in addition to some open space?
Monson/ Right. We have two recreational-sized basketball courts that are 50-feet wide
and 70-some feet long. And we have also the opportunity for three volleyball
courts within that same space. And the multipurpose room is about 2,600 square
feet, which will augment the meeting room that's already there in the present
facility, to give us a variety of sizes for a multitude of different events that could
happen in the multipurpose area.
O'Donnell/ And the approximate seating in that multipurpose room?
Monson/ Well, I don't want to get into occupancy, but --
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Lehman/ It depends on whether they're eating or just sitting.
Monson/ That's right. And they could be dancing and other things, too, or roller-
blading, I don't know. But, over 100, easily.
Vanderhoef/ Last night you said --
Thomberry/ 300? 200?
Vanderhoef/ For people who don't have a listen for square footage, we were told last
night that it was slightly smaller than the social hall at the present rec center. So,
if you've ever been in that room, that will give you a little idea what the size of it
is.
Thomberry/ Right.
Lehman/ Thank you very much. Any further input from the p.h.? P.h. is closed.
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING
Thomberry/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Norton/ Second.
Lehman/ We've got one motion and two seconds. Moved by Thomberry and seconded
by Norton. Any other discussion?
Kubby/ Well, I'm going to be voting no on this. I was hesitant when this project first
came to us, because I knew that the community was going to have to fund a lot of
different kinds of needs. And that at some point, I think we just have to say no
sometimes. And this is one of those things that, I know that there's a desire and a
need in the community for this. I think there's a need for a lot of different kinds
of things, and along with the Civic Center renovations, I'm willing to say no to
those, and I'm willing to say no to this. And this is my only place where I can do
that in an official capacity.
Norton/ This is one I'm certainly going to strongly support, because, partly because
there's such strong community participation in the funding of the enterprise, and
we haven't added any significant gym space in the public sector in many years
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now. And I think, it's one of the, we've done a lot with parks, but less with our
interior space. So I think it's really something strongly needed, and I strongly
support it.
Vanderhoef/ This is a project that has been the number one priority for the Parks and
Recreation Commission for how many years is it now, Terry, five or six years?
Something like that. So, there has been a listen from the whole community, that
there was an expectation that we wanted, we needed, people have come forward
with their dollars to support this, and this is a very valuable asset to the
community and I'm pleased that we're going to go ahead with it.
Champion/ I'll just agree with that.
Lehman/ You know, as a Council who prides itself on listening to the community, I
would really be reluctant to vote against it with the strong support that has been
expressed by the community, both in terms of contributions, and in verbal
support, so I certainly will support this.
Kubby/ And with that rationale, we will have fine negotiations with the County on
SEATS.
Lehman/ Right. Roll call- (yes; Kubby- no).
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ITEM NO. 9 CONVEYANCE OF 1702 CALIFORNIA AVENUE, ALSO DESCRIBED
AS LOT 36, PART I-A, MT. PROSPECT ADDITION, TO THE TENANT.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #9). This is the official conveyance, this is the first of our
Tenant to Ownership program, where the City is working with a person who is
currently residing in City-owned housing, to help them purchase this home, and
they will then be the owner. The financing is from the bank with some help from
the City. I think it's a wonderful program. We'll have a p.h.P.h. is open. P.h. is
closed.
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING
Kubby/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Lehman/ Moved by Kubby.
Norton/ second.
Lehman/ Seconded by Norton. Discussion?
Kubby/ There was a meeting of tenants this last Saturday, of public housing, and quite a
few people came. I was the only Councilmember whose schedule allowed me to
come. And it was a really good meeting. And other people, there was some
clarification of our program, and how things work, and so it was a really fruitful
meeting. And I think that there will probably be another one. A lot of the tenants
wanted to talk to some of the other Council people, and so I suggested that a
couple people who are interested get their schedules together and let Maggie
know, and maybe another meeting can get set up. Because they were really
anxious to get to know you and to talk about some of their concerns. And there's
real support for the program. It was really heartening to hear the stories of the
people and people love our maintenance guy, Bob. So Bob is doing a great job.
There were kudos for staff. People were very happy that we have a very stable
staff right now, and it's very helpful. It's important to know, on some
bureaucratic level that when we make sure that our department directors are there,
and all our employee slots are filled, that it has positive effects on the services that
we offer.
Lehman/ Well, I think, at least my take is that Council has been very, very proud of this
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program. Roll call- (yes). Motion carded.
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ITEM NO. 10 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 9 OF THE CITY
CODE OF IOWA CITY ENTITLED "MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC,"
CHAPTER 3, SECTION 12 HEREIN TO AMEND BY ORDINANCE LANE
USAGE AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS ON MELROSE AVENUE FROM
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS TO BYINGTON ROAD. (PASS AND ADOPT).
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #10). This needs to be done by resolution because of an
agreement with University Heights. Do I have a motion?
Thornberry/ Move adoption of the ordinance.
Norton/ Second.
Lehman/ Moved by Thomberry, seconded by Norton. Discussion? Roll call- (yes).
Ordinance is adopted.
Norton/ This is actually an ordinance, not a resolution.
Lehman/ That's right.
Vanderhoef/ Pass and adopt.
Karr/ Can we have a motion to accept correspondence?
Vanderhoef/ So moved.
Norton/ Second.
Lehman/ All in favor- (ayes). Motion carded.
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ITEM NO. 1 ! 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 DOVER, KOHL, AND PARTNERS FOR A DESIGN PLAN FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PENINSULA.
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #11). And I think this is a really significant thing as far as
the Council is concerned. This is the property that was acquired in conjunction
with the site for the wells, adjacent to the Elks Club property. In this, we are
trying to do an innovative design on this property, to allow for a mix of
development, something that has not really been done anywhere in the State. It
would be certainly new to us. We do not have the ability to do this in-house, and
so we are looking for a consultant.
Vanderhoef/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Kubby/ Second.
Lehman/ Moved by --?
Kubby/ Vanderhoef.
O'Donnell/ Vanderhoef.
Lehman/ Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Kubby. Discussion?
Thornberry/ This $95,000 maximum fee for the design and expenses, is to be recouped
when the peninsula property is sold, what does, do you have any idea what that
property will be selling for? Just ballpark? It seems like it's getting a little --?
Atkins/ You have $1.4 million dollars invested in it.
Norton/ It had better sell.
Atkins/ I would assume that we will, at the very least, target that in pricing the land.
Davidson/ We feel that that is certainly reasonable.
Champion/ Very reasonable.
Lehman/ The other thing that I think is important to note, while we're talking about this,
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we had instructed the staff, when this property first came on line, that we expect
that the design of this property will involve input from local developers, so we
don't come up with a grandiose plan, throw it out there, and look for bids. But
this is expected to be developed along with input from local developers or other
developers, so that the project is something that definitely is something we could
sell.
Davidson/ We've had many of those discussions already.
Lehman/ Right. And I know there've been a number of developers who have indicated
an interest in this property.
Davidson/ (Yes).
Kubby/ Well it won't just be developers who have input on this property. There'll be
public (can't understand) when the public will have the chance to say what they
see as their vision for this piece of property.
Norton/ I thought it was interesting to note that of course, Victor Dover, who's in this
firm, was here, presenting some of his concepts and general notions about new
urban development, and I'm hopeful that he'll come up with some very interesting
and unique plans.
Champion/ I think we're incredibly fortunate to have this land kind of right in the middle
of the City. I think it's really exciting.
Kubby/ The one, and there's a couple areas of town where, and because we want this to
be mixed density, and there's a couple of areas, this, and to the east, off of Court
Street extended, where we're trying to allow these higher density, kind of these
old-fashioned kind of neighborhoods. The one concern I have is that we're not
going to be able to afford public transportation out to these areas. And I hope that
we can work on those challenges. I think it's a very good thing to do, but I hope
that we, maybe there are some unintended results that maybe could cause
transportation problems for people. And so I hope we'll deal with those at some
point.
Norton/ Maybe we should consider a barge coming down the river?
Thornberry/ And there will be some Neighborhood Commercial --
Lehman/ All right, all right.
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Davidson/ That will certainly be part of the plan.
Champion/ I like that barge idea.
Lehman/ Roll call- (yes). Motion carried.
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ITEM NO. 12 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO
SIGN AND THE CITY TO ATTEST THE SUPPLEMENT AND FIRST
AMENDMENT TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA
CITY AND ACT INC. (FORMERLY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING
PROGRAM INC.) CONCERNING ACT INC.'S MASTER DEVELOPMENT
PLAN AND STREET IMPROVEMENTS BY THE CITY OF IOWA CITY.
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #12). This is an agreement that lays out the direction and
placement of Captain Irish Parkway, and represents an agreement between the
City of Iowa City, and ACT, where ACT would be giving us the easement rights
for the extension of Captain Irish, along with certain other agreements between
the City and ACT.
Thornberry/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Lehman/ Moved by Thornberry, seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Kubby/ Well, I had some hesitations about this, but I'm going to vote for it because
getting the right-of-way for this, these kinds of streets is a very expensive
endeavor for the City, and that we've negotiated something with one property
owner is a very fortunate thing. But I do feel, my cautionary feelings are that it
does in some way, maybe unfairly dictate the direction of our northeast district
planning process that is a very community-based process. And we've seen such
overwhelming response to be involved in this process that more than the
maximum 100 people in the planning sessions wanted to come. And so we've
had to have extra planning sessions and this area that we're talking about falls
under that northeast planning district. Although this Council has stated that if
from that public input the northeast plan says that these roads should be in slightly
different areas, and we had to pay to have the fight-of-ways in a different area,
that we would need to do that. If that's the decision that we made.
Norton/ Yes, if something --
Kubby/ So we're going into it with the understanding that if these change, it might cost
us more. So we need to acknowledge that we've talked about that.
Norton/ It should also be recognized though, that there was an agreement earlier with
ACT for a roadway, or a fight-of-way through their property, and this represents
one change from that, and they are in some sense in this agreement
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accommodating that change, so there's been a good deal of give and take already.
I understand what you're saying, that if we make giant changes in that, it's going
to entail more money, and we have to face that possibility. But, it's a chicken and
egg problem, kind of. Got to get moving.
Kubby/ Well, I think the public should be the chicken, I guess. I don't know, what're
you saying?
Norton/ Which is the egg, though?
Thomberry/ Well, Karen, you and I have walked that property and came up with a C+
alignment that --
Kubby/ It doesn't sound so good when you say it like that.
Thornberry/ You and I, you and I worked on that and walked it and said gee, this looks
like a good way to go, and that's the way it came out.
Kubby/ We supported local people instead of the big corporation.
Thornberry/ That's correct.
Kubby/ We made a good decision.
Thomberry/ Maybe we should walk the rest of it.
Kubby/ We could take our dogs.
Lehman/ Why don't we pass this, and then you can walk the whole thing. Roll call-
(yes).
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#13
ITEM NO. 13 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ABANDONED
BICYCLE SALE TO BE HELD MAY 2, 1998.
Lehman/ This is an annual sort of event. Do we have a motion to that effect?
Thomberry/ So moved.
Kubby/ Second.
Lehman/ Moved by Thomberry, seconded by Kubby. Discussion.
Norton/ Should say sale of abandoned bicycles as distinct from the abandoned bicycle
sale.
Thornberry/ I think anyone missing a bicycle should take a look at what's available for sale. It might be yours.
Norton/ There's some good deals.
Thomberry/ Before they go on the block.
Champion/ I think we ought to have an ordinance that allows the Police Department to
do that without bringing that to the City Council. What a waste of time.
Lehman/ I think that if we vote quickly we wouldn't waste a lot more time. Roll call.
O'Donnell/ Right.
Roll call-(yes)
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ITEM NO. 14 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING MAYOR TO SIGN AND CITY CLERK TO ATTEST
CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE WATER FACILITY SITE
DEVELOPMENT - PHASE I IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #14). We had, what, 2, 4, 7, 8 bids. The recommendation
is for Maxwell Construction Company of Iowa City whose bid was $3,961,690.
This compares to an engineer's estimate of $5,160,000. You can see there's a
significant difference. My understanding, and I spoke with Rick very briefly
about this, and Chuck's here smiling, too. Apparently he likes the bid.
Apparently there is a lot of State monies that haven't been released for projects
yet, and there are contractors who are very anxious to be lining up their work, and
this may be responsible, at least in part, for some of the more attractive bids.
Thornberry/ Move adoption of the resolution.
Norton/ Second.
Lehman/ Moved by Thomberry, seconded by Norton. Discussion? Roll call- (yes).
Resolution carded.
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ITEM NO. 15 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING MAYOR TO SIGN AND CITY CLERK TO ATTEST
CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE WILLOW CREEK TRAIL,
PHASE I PROJECT, MORMON TREK TO GALWAY HILLS.
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #15). This is a bicycle path that will be going from
Mormon Trek, westerly past West High School, and we think it will be a great
benefit to people using West High School, as well as folks who would like to just
circulate within the community. The recommendation of Public Works is
Peterson Contractors Incorporated. Their bid is $205,941. The estimate was
$228,500. If I'm not mistaken, this project was bid last year, with a considerably
higher price. This is a much higher price.
Kubby/ I'll move adoption.
Lehman/ Moved by Kubby.
Vanderhoef/ Second.
Lehman/ Seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Vanderhoef/ Just the comment that here is another Parks and Recreation project that is
going to benefit the entire community as much as the Rec Center.
Lehman/ You know, I'd have been really disappointed if you hadn't commented.
Vanderhoef/ Thank you. I came through with flying colors.
Lehman/ Roll call- (yes).
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ITEM NO. 17 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION CERTIFYING UNPAID MOWING AND
CLEAN-UP OF PROPERTY CHARGES, SIDEWALK REPAIR CHARGES,
FROZEN WATER METER FEES AND WATER SHUT-OFF FEES TO
COUNTY FOR COLLECTION IN THE SAME MANNER AS A PROPERTY
TAX.
Lehman/ (Reads agenda item #17). These are liens that will be placed on property for
the above difficulties. Entertain a motion?
Thornberry/ Move adoption.
Norton/ Second.
Lehman/ Moved by Thomberry, seconded by Norton. Discussion?
Kubby/ Is there anyone here from the public who needs to talk to us about their mowing
bill?
Lehman/ You've all got your yards mowed and your water heaters caught up. Roll call-
(yes).
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ITEM NO. 20 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION
Lehman/ City Council Information. Who would like to be first? Then I will choose.
Mr. Norton?
Norton/ Okay. Well, I, I'm going to be very brief. I'll leave it to you to acknowledge
some of the sporting events, matters. I'd also to comment that I want to look into
the question that our PCRB seems to be to have a heavy workload, and I'm trying
to figure out if they might not be overworked, and figure out what we can do
about that. I've talked to Steve a little bit, but I think he'll be reporting to us
more. I also want to say that in the negotiations tomorrow with our SEATS
negotiators, or representatives, I hope you will consider the possibility that there
might be some way that the City could to maintenance, and also that we might be
able to share vehicles, to get into this possibility of using fixed-route and fixing
our fixed-route and our paratransit, so that some of the virtues of that we've
thought about might be incorporated into the plan, even if the County continues to
run it. Otherwise, I'll defer my concerns and take them up privately with whoever
can deal with them.
Lehman/ Thank you, Dee. Dee?
Vanderhoef/ Just a clarification. And maybe you don't have it in front of you. But, on
our minutes from our goal-setting, under the housing issues, it lists as a goal "the
housing fund". And as I recall, that specifically was one of the things that we had
told the Housing Commission and so forth, to bring information back to us about.
So, it's yes, something that we're going to look at, but the way it's listed there, as
an absolute goal, might sent a mixed message to the community. And I'd just like
to see if anyone else recalls it the same way.
Kubby/ Yeah, they were going to get back to us in August or something.
Vanderhoef/ So, maybe we can just --
Champion/ It's a housing issue.
Vanderhoef/ It's a housing issue that we're going to look at.
Norton/ It was one of the problems.
Vanderhoef/ But it's not a goal. Okay, that was it. And then, I would just like to say to
Council that I told you last night, and I would like to say to the community, a very
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large thank you for all of the well-wishers that have called my husband and I in
the last three months, during his illness, and I'll report that he's in excellent
health, and getting better every day. So, we're on the mend, and I'm happy to be
back sitting in my Council seat. Thank you.
Thomberry/ I have nothing.
Lehman/ Karen?
Kubby/Yeah, I have a couple of things. There's been a lot of talk about cable TV and
cable TV rates, and one of the things I want to remind people about is that cable
subscribers will be getting a refund because of local oversight of past
telecommunications bills on the federal level allowed oversight by local
governments. And that we had the choice of having oversight or not. And we
chose to get certified, I think the term is, to be, to say we're going to oversee our
local cable company. And we've done that, and we've disagreed with them, that
their rates were fair and just. And the FCC, although it took a year, a year and a
half, agreed with the City, and there will be some rebates given to cable
customers. And this kind of local oversight, I think, is incredibly valuable, and
has shown to be effective. And unfortunately, it's going to go away because,
what is it, is it the 1996 Telecommunications Act?
Norton/ Yeah.
Kubby/ The last one that was passed, I think it was '96, the cable companies did a great
job of lobbying in Washington, and this is one of the things that got frittered away
in those negotiations. And lobbied away. Which they're happy about, and I'm
not because I'd like this kind of local oversight. And sometimes these rate
increases might only be a couple of pennies, and that doesn't, that's not a big deal
to me as an individual, and maybe even over the year, fifty cents a month times
twelve is not that big a deal, but when you multiply it by the whole community
that gets cable, that's a lot of money being taken out of this community that could
be used for other things. And so I'm sad about the loss of this oversight, but I'm
happy it worked while we had it. The other thing I wanted to let the community
know about is Human Rights Iowa City has, is a group of people who are looking
at different issues in light of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations
Declaration on Human Rights, which is a very broad document. It has many,
many articles. But it has things in it that people don't really know about. And
one of the issues that Human Rights Iowa City is going to talk about is a
discussion about a living wage for Johnson County. And there's a meeting for
the public to attend to talk about these issues on April 2nd, at 7:00 p.m. at the
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United Nations Association Office, which is in Old Brick on the comer of Market
and Clinton. And in seeing, in getting this flyer in the mail, reminded me of when
I was on the board of HACAP, this really great document that I hope can be of
service to the City Council when we look at our economic development
guidelines. And that is a Self-Sufficiency Standard Worksheet. And what that
means is this really great chart. And it has on one axis all the things that people
need to live, housing, childcare, food, transportation, medical costs, taxes, and
even takes into account childcare credits which a lot of low-income people receive
nowadays, and earned income tax credit. And then on the other axis, it has
different configurations of families. And it kind of comes up with what would
that household that has one adult and one teenager, or two adults and one teenager
and one school-age child, need to be self-sufficient and not need any public
assistance. And the lowest wage for just an adult, and this is just for Johnson
County, it's not national-wide figures, it's for our County, is $5.43, which is more
than the minimum wage. So, I think that this is a very interesting concept of a
living wage, versus a minimum wage, and I hope that people will come to talk
about the pros and cons of doing something on a County-wide basis. So again,
that's April 2nd, 7:00 p.m., at the UNA office. That's all I have, thanks.
Lehman/ Connie?
Champion/ Nothing.
Lehman/ Michael?
O'Donnell/ Well, I just wanted to wish our negotiators luck in the morning. I've
reviewed the Supervisors' latest offer, and it's through your efforts that it came in
this good. And I deem it almost reasonable.
Lehman/ Dee, I know you have one more thing, but before you do, ifI skip stuff, I'll
give you the opportunity to pick up the pieces.
Norton/ Very good.
Lehman/ Last Friday night I had the pleasure, and you know, there are certain things
about being Mayor that are truly enjoyable, and this was certainly one. I attended
the Junior Olympics, Junior Special Olympics Banquet at the University of Iowa
Rec Building. 800 Special Olympians from all over the state were here for the
weekend. And they competed in basketball, weightlifting, cheerleading, and
whatever. Tremendous, tremendous group of young folks. I absolutely
thoroughly enjoyed the evening. I sat next to Chuck Long, and we all know
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Chuck was a former quarterback for Iowa, and I had forgotten that he has a
physically disabled brother, and so this was very, very close to Chuck. But it was
very funny, they put footballs on everybody's plate. Guess who was lined up to
have them signed? Like 400 people in a row, and Chuck is signing all these
footballs, Chuck Long, Chuck Long. And then, I'm sitting next to them, and they
handed me the footballs. I said I can't sign Chuck Long. So, for the first time in
my life, I signed footballs. But it was a really delightful evening. Special
Olympics do so much, and the support of this community and the volunteers in
this community are just, it's fantastic. Not only from an individual standpoint, but
from a corporate standpoint, I think Econofoods provided all the food, River
Products and L. L. Pelling Company were major sponsors, along with General
Mills. But it was a very touching evening, and I really, really enjoyed it. And I
was proud to represent this Council at that meeting. It was fun. Our
congratulations of course go to West High School for their victory in the State
Basketball Tournament. That was a, that one took your breath away. That was a
great game, and certainly our congratulations also to the University of Iowa
Wrestling Team. Again, you know, I hate to say it's boring, but they do it all the
time, and I just love it.
Vanderhoef/ And love it.
Lehman/ Another one, which seldom is mentioned, and Dee Norton pointed this out to
me, and I certainly am happy to recognize it, the Kirkwood Men's Basketball
team won the National Championship for the Junior College Division last
Saturday, is that right, Dee?
Norton/ Yes.
Lehman/ I think that's really significant. Here's another, we're kind of the nest of
athletics here in Eastern Iowa. The other thing I'm going to bring up just briefly.
We had talked in the past about ordinances that would control kegs or tapping.
We had a memorandum from our Assistant City Attorney indicating some of the
difficulties that she was experiencing in trying to come up with an ordinance, and
Steve, I believe that's going to be on our work session for April 7th?
Atkins/ 6th.
Lehman/ 6th. April 6th. So it is something we'll be addressing. Dee Norton?
Norton/ I just wanted to mention something I mentioned earlier. But again, there is a
movie that is going to be shown on Channel 4, Monday at 6:30, next Monday at
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6:30, and on subsequent Mondays I think, through April, called Back from the
Brink: Saving America's Cities by Design. It has to do with, it moves in a
number of cities, I think in this case, Portland, and Chattanooga, and (can't
understand) City, California. Three cities that have tried to renovate their
downtowns in some ways, and some of it's very appropriate to what we're
planning to do in downtown Iowa City, that I encourage everyone who's listening
or watching to take advantage of that opportunity, Monday at 6:30 p.m. on
Channel 4.
Lehman/ Thank you, Dee. And Mike just had one that slipped by us all.
O'Donnell/ The Solon Girls were state champions.
Norton/ Oh, that's another basketball.
Lehman/ Okay.
Kubby/ I also, there are some City High students that won Business Fair awards, talking
about economics, and statistical things that did very well. And I think that we
shouldn't have our kudos just be athletic, but they should be a variety of wins.
Norton/ Well, we're after the life of the mind here.
Kubby/ Thank you.
Champion/ And I'm going to be a grandparent again.
Kubby/ All right, congratulations.
Karr/
I passed out a revised schedule this evening. I don't want discussion. What I
wanted to note what that, take a look at that, because that schedule will involve
changing some resolutions, minor revisions to some resolution dates tonight. And
I wanted to just point that out, because some of your April dates, and May dates
mentioned in there. I'll take care of it, but I wanted to note.
Lehman/ We'll confirm this tomorrow afiemoon at 2:00.
Vanderhoef/ And look at some of it because a couple of those are Tuesday/Wednesdays.
Karr/ Oh, that won't be an issue. What I'm looking at specifically is the April date, more
specifically. And I'll have to change that to sign the documents.
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Lehman/ Okay.
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