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Home My WebLink About2004-04-22 Info Packet'~='-"~"~'=~ CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET CITY OF IOWA CITY April 22, 2004 www.icgo¥.org I MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS IP1 City Council Meeting Schedule and Work Session Agendas IP2 Memorandum from City Manager: Grant Wood Expanded Gymnasium Proposal/Iowa City Community School District IP3 Memorandum from Steven Nasby, Community and Economic Development Coordinator, to Council Economic Development Committee: April 21, 2004 Meeting -~ ~ -' I?1 City Council Meeting Schedule and c~w o~ Iow^ cn-~ Work Session Agendas Apr, ~, 2004 www.icgov.org I TENTATIVE FUTURE MEETINGS AND AGENDAS I · MONDAY, MAY 3 Emma J. Harvat Hall 5:15p Special Formal Council Meeting (Dinner Provided) Separate Agenda Posted To Follow Council Work Session Special Formal · Planning and Zoning Items · Agenda Items · Council Appointments · Council Time · Identification of Priorities for Discussion · TUESDAY, MAY 4 Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00p Formal Council Meeting · FRIDAY, MAY 14 Emma J. Ha/vat Hall 8:30a Special Council Formal Meeting Executive Session - Staff Evaluations · Monday, May 17 EmmaJ. HarvatHall 6:30p Council Work Session · Planning and Zoning Items · Agenda Items · Council Appointments · Council Time · Identification of Priorities for Discussion · Tuesday, May 18 Emma J. Harvat Hall 7:00p Formal Council Meeting · Tuesday, June 1 TBA Special Work Session 7:00p Formal Council Meeting Monday, June 14 6:30p Council Work Session · Planning and Zoning Items · Agenda Items · Council Appointments · Council Time · Identification of Priorities for Discussion Meeting dates/times/topics subject to change FUTURE WORK SESSION ITEMS Regulation of Downtown Dumpsters DATE: April 20, 2004 TO: 'City Council FROM: City Manager RE: Grant Wood Expanded Gymnasium Proposal/Iowa City Community School District The Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) is currently initiating a number of capital improvements following their successful bond referendum. You may recall in a letter of January 21 (copy attached) that a cooperative agreement with the school district was suggested to provide for gymnasium/recreational space at Grant Wood Elementary School. The current planned improvements at Grant Wood include the addition of a multi-purpose room, classroom and restroom renovations, and kitchen improvements. The timing and the location of the improvements at Grant Wood Schoo~ are advantageous, considering the need for recreation space in southeast Iowa City, as well as an opportunity to locate such facilities in a neighborhood-friendly location such as a school. Currently, the high demand at the Scanlon Gymnasium (Mercer Park) can often require turning away youth and other organizations due to lack of space. The possibility of an expanded gymnasium project at Grant Wood meets the needs outlined in various City planning documents. Through a series of public input sessions, neighborhood facilities were determined to be a high priority in CITY STEPS, the City's consolidated plan for housing, jobs and services for Iow-income residents. Grant Wood Elementary is located in a census tract in which 56% of the households are considered Iow to moderate income. We also, as a City government, recognize the need for additional recreational services that are accessible to Iowa City residents, notably in southeast Iowa City. Grant Wood Elementary is a larger elementary school in Iowa City with a 2003-04 enrollment of 400+ students. The construction of a full-size gymnasium would allow for increased use of gym space for students during the school year, and in conjunction with other planned improvements ripens the school to the community after school hours. On March 18, the Housing & Community Development Commission recommended allocating $300,000 of the City's Community Development Block Grant funds for the construction of a family resource center. This resource center will house a pre-school program and provide adaptable space for area agencies and neighborhood organizations to provide services. This is a standalone project and it does represent a commitment to the southeast part of Iowa City. With the other planned improvements by the school district, it would seem appropriate that if we were in a financial position to provide for an expanded gymnasium space, we address even more community issues and concerns. We are suggesting City financial support for an expanded gymnasium element as an additional part of the overall investment in Grant Wood School. April20,2004 Page 2 Assuming the acceptance of this concept and a successful negotiation of a 28E Agreement with the school district, I believe the ICCSD and the City would be well served. I would recommend to the City Council to pledge a not to exceed figure of $460,000 toward the construction of a gymnasium of 90 X 72. This size has been reviewed by the Director of Parks & Recreation and it appears to accommodate recreational activities that would be of interest to the community. It is slightly larger than the new Wickham School gym. I would propose the $460,000 be incorporated into a future City bond issue and, given our credit rating and tax base growth, I believe we can accommodate this capital investment in our overall long term debt plan without serious effect on other planned capital improvements. It must be noted the programming of the gymnasium will remain problematic for some time, as both cities and school districts struggle with the issues caused by the State's financial condition. However, I do believe this is a capital investment risk worth taking at this time. This will allow us to take full advantage of a cooperative opportunity to provide recreation space in our community where there is an expressed need and in doing so, we can share a cooperative project with another area local government. By copy of this memorandum, I will ask for City Council support for this proposal at an upcoming work session. I have taken the liberty of informing the Superintendent of my recommendation so he can advise as to how we might proceed with the joint school district/City proposal for additional gymnasium space at Grant Wood Elementary School. cc: School Superintendent Terry Trueblood Steve Long Tracy Hightshoe Steve Nasby mgdmern/gran~vood doc CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org January 21, 2004 ICCSD Attn: Lane Plugge OFFICE OF THE 509 S. Dubuque CITY MANAGER Iowa City, IA 52240 Stephen J. Atkins Cily Manager Dear Lane: steve-alkins~iowa-cily.org Dale E. Helling Thank you for meeting with me to discuss the school district's Community Assistant City Manager Development Block Grant (CDBG) application for a family resource center at Wood dale-helling@iowa-city.org Elementary. As I understand, the school district will apply for the cost of constructing a family resource center that will add approximately 2,200 SF to Wood Elementary. The space will be highly adaptable to accommodate the changing needs of the neighborhood. The school district will utilize the additional space to partner with Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County (NCJC) to operate a pre-school program and will partner with area agencies to provide adult education, after school programs, parent education and services open to all community members. As we understand it, the recently passed ICCSD bond referendum included the addition of a multi-purpose room at Wood. The 2,200 SF addition listed in the CDBG application is outside the scope of the improvements identified in the bond referendum and would not proceed without the support of CDBG funds. Youth facilities and youth programming are high priorities according to our Consolidated Plan, the city's guide to allocating our federal dollars. The city also recognizes the need for additional recreational services that are accessible to Iowa City residents, especially in southeast Iowa City. Given the extent of the proposed improvements at Wood Elementary, I would like to initiate a conversation with the school district to consider the expansion of the multi-purpose room, as approved in the bond issue, to a full size gymnasium. A full size gymnasium would serve the students during the day and provide recreational programming opportunities after school hours. The application for a family resource center will go through our normal CDBG allocation process. Based on a favorable recommendation by the Housing and Community Development Commission and support by City Council members, it would appear financially advantageous to utilize the economies of scale and consider the expansion of the multi-purpose room into a full size gymnasium. By copy of this letter I am asking the Council to consider this as an option. I believe that the proposed improvements offer us the opportunity to fulfill various city, school district, and local human service agencies needs. I recognize much has to be done, as well as, identifying additional resources and the partnering relationship. Hopefully this proposal can be accomplished in order to better serve 410 E. Washington Streetall of our interests. As you proceed with your efforts to receive moneys from the Iowa City, IA 52240 Phone: (319) 356-5010 Fax: (319)356-5009 CITY OF IOWA CITY www.iegov.org GDBG allocation, please keep this in mind. I will ask Council to discuss this option at their earliest convenience. Sincerely, OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER Stephen J. Atkins Steve Atkins City Manager City Manager stcv¢-atkins~iowa-ci~y.org Dale E. Helling Assistant City Manager dale-helling~iowa-clty.org cc: City Council Terry Trueblood Karin Franklin Tracy Hightshoe 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Phone: (319) 356-5010 Fax: (319) 356-5009 MEMORANDUM DATE: April 16, 2004 TO: Council Economic Development Committee FROI~I: Steven Nasby, Community and Economic Development Coordinator~ RE: April 21, 2004 Meeting The Aoril 21't meetina is beine cancelled. The following is a brief update on several items that were discussed at the March meeting. 119 Towa Avenue - Request for Tax Exemption ]~owa State Bank and Trust, as administrators of the Bremer Trust, are withdrawing the request for tax exemption for the redevelopment of this property. As such, no additional consideration for this item is necessary. Please see attached letter. 2004 Economic Development Strategy The ED committee reviewed this document at the last meeting. The proposed 2004 Economic Development Strategy is included on the City Council agenda for consideration on April 20. CDBG ED Fund Applications Staff is still working with several potential applicants. At present, $102,900 in FY04 funding is still available for allocation. Since the CDBG Economic Development Fund is an annual earmark we expect to be receiving and additional $170,000 for FY05, which begins on ,luly 1. Due to the sizable amount of CDBG funding available, the committee may want to revisit the direction for the use of these funds. Staff will place an item on the agenda for discussion at the May meeting. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact me at 356-5248 or via e-mail at Steven-Nasby@iowa-city.org. IIOWA STATE BANK&TRUST COMPANY 319'356'5800 · www.isbt.com April 13, 2004 Steve Nasby City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52245 RE: Tax Exception / Bremer Trust/119 Iowa Avenue Dear Steve, Please accept this letter as a formal request to withdraw the Tax Exception Application referenced above. I would like to thank-you and the Economic Development Committee for the time and consideration in this matter. Sincerely, Dan Black Vice President Real Life Matters