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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-11-16 Correspondence I ~ i CITY OF IOWA elT --= -~ f~~!:'t MEMORANDU ~~..gg,~ Date: Novembe,Z,Z004 t~~ To: City Clerk From: Anissa Williams, JCCOG Traffic Engineering Planner ~ Re: Item for November 16, 2004 City Council meeting: Change NO PARKING 8 AM TO 6 PM MON-FRI to NO PARKING ANY TIME signs on the south side of Brookland Park Drive As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A(10), Change NO PARKING 8 AM TO 6 PM MON-FRI to NO PARKING ANY TIME signs on the south side of Brookland Park Drive between Melrose Court and Brookland Place Comment: This action is being taken due to a request from the Melrose Avenue Neighborhood Association to remove on-street parking from the south side of Brookland Park Drive. Staff investigation determined there was not a safety issue with current parking regulations, therefore a survey of the affected neighborhood residents was conducted. The results of the survey were 4 votes in favor of the proposal and 2 opposed. One of the opponents to the change stated that the street was the only guest parking available at their residence. City staff position is neutral on this request. jccogtp/mem/aw11.2.doc " '~ ;:::C) ,---. _.,- - II .~'-': I '- W "- --:--1 i J -. ~=~ '-.0 )> .. 0 --J Page I of I Marian Karr ~~(I) -~_._~---~~~._._---~._~---~~_._--_.~._-~---~----------- From: Brand Newland [brandnewland@hotmail.com] Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 4:28 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Brookland Park Drive parking issue City Council Members- I would like the Brookland Park Drive parking issue removed from the consent agenda so that it can be discussed during the public portion of your upcoming meeting. Thank you for your time, Brand Newland 404 Melrose Court 11/15/2004 YJ(I) Marian Karr From: Ryan Parnell [rparnell11 @yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 8:38 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Parking Situation on Melrose CI and Brookland Ave My name is Ryan Parnell and I am emailing council members to request that the topic of changing the parking signs on the corner of Brookland Ave and Melrose Ct from "NO PARKING 8 AM TP 6 PM" to "NO PARKING" become a meeting involving public feedback instead of just the council looking at the issue. I live on Melrose Ct and this situation negatively affects my neighbors and I greatly and many in the neighborhood disagree with this proposition. This is the only area for us to park at night and weekends and it is especially important since many of us live in apartments or houses that have more roommates than necessary parking areas are provided. Anyone who knows this area by the hospital and stadium know that parking is basically non-existent and without this parking, many of us would be at a loss with no simple solution. The complaints brought on to begin this issue are from few and their situation differs greatly from our own, mainly because of their position in life. The persons I'm referring to are of an older age bracket who live by themselves and/or with their significant other. Their own driveways provide them with enough parking for two vehicles and is sufficient. This situation differs greatly from a college (graduate/undergraduate) student who lives with two to four roommates and with friends/significant others who visit frequently. Thank you for your time and I hope you can realize this will adversely change our lives. Sincerely, Ryan Parnell 402 Melrose Ct email: rparnell11@yahoo.com phone: 319 400 4491 Do you Yahoo!? Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. www.yahoo.com 1 City Newsbytes: The Official E-Newsletter for the City of Atlanta Page 1 of3 Marian Karr ~- From: Mayor's Office of Communications [citynewsbytes@atlantaga.gov] 4 2 Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2004 3:57 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: City Newsbytes 11-02-04 November 2, 2004 IN THIS ISSUE: AT-A-GLANCE Note: The At-A-G/ance version of City Newsbytes takes only one click to view the full version. Just click on anyone of the links below. . It Takes a Village... in Southside On October 28th, Mayor Shirley Franklin and City Councilmember Jim Maddox, joined by Fulton County and Atlanta Development Authority officials, opened the Village on the Green luxury apartment homes in Atlanta's Southside Community. . Atlanta?_s Finance Department Reorganizing for Greater Stability With recent promotions in the City of Atlanta Department of Finance, the City continues to strengthen the foundation of ethics and integrity that Mayor Shirley Franklin is committed to in city government. . Mayor Committed to Creating a Healthier City Mayor Shirley Franklin is committed to making Atlanta a safe and healthy place to raise families. That's why Mayor Franklin, in partnership with the United States Conference of Mayors, is urging Atlantans to achieve diabetes control in November as part of National Diabetes Awareness Month. 11/2/2004 City Newsbytes: The Official E-Newsletter for the City of Atlanta Page 2 of3 . :[l11agineJ>O'Nnto'NnJ:>evelopment Day Do you want to directly affect the way Atlanta looks in the 21st Century? Do you have an idea that can enhance the quality of life for Atlanta residents and make Atlanta a more attractive place for visitors? If so, Imagine Downtown was created just for you. . Southboundlnterstate Entrance Ramps Upgraded The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is currently engaged in a construction project on Interstate 75/85 (/-75/85) southbound in Downtown Atlanta. GDOT is installing ramp meters, which are similar to traffic signals, at the four southbound entrance ramps on 1-75/85. . Rave Reviews! o On October 21st, a season of hardwork ended for more than sixty dedicated seasonal employees in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs. o Congratulations to Officer Wanda Welch, a 17-year veteran of the Department of Corrections in the Transportation Unit, for finishing 4th in the Law Enforcement category at the 21st Annual Covington Police "Fuzz Run". o Congratulations to Reverend Michael Jones in the Mayor's Office of Constituent Services for observing his 50th anniversary of ministering in the faith community. o Atlanta Police Chief Richard J. Pennington was elected Vice President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) at their 28th Annual Training Conference in Dallas. . Up~oming Events and Volunt~er Opportynities o The final public hearing for the 2005 Proposed Budget will take place in the Council Chamber at Atlanta City Hall on Friday November 5th at 10:00 a.m. o What would you do to make Atlanta a more livable city? The City of Atlanta wants to hear your ideas at a series of upcoming workshops hosted by the Department of Planning and Community Development's Bureau of Planning. o Today, November 2, 2004 is Election Day. Vote...it matters! . WeeklYmFeatures Email us at gtynew~j:Jytes@atlantaga.go\l to provide your feedback 11/2/2004 City Newsbytes: The Official E-Newsletter for the City of Atlanta Page 3 of3 or nominate someone for a Stakeholder Spotlight. Forward this E-Newsletter to a Friend To learn more about the programs and services of the City of Atlanta visit us online at www.atlantaga.gov. Unsubscrice from this E.Newsletter ""~~~"15itYN.;,.;:~r;yI.Si'i1>7i:MJ'U"';"if6"""1!;;rn~i'$~;:~1.f0\'ii!1ii.i 'i Intormatloo oili"ara trom.'alt:CII)i:<!...pal1manliiu. ,,"Ii 11/2/2004 GEL REVISED 4 3 . .~, 0 e.~-.:: c=.::' Iowa City Council ~C-) ...[;.- University Heights Council ->=J c.:. .' ~"..- Il November 1,2004 C) I - ..- f'~ Dear Council Members, ::P> :-Tl ~'.'~1 <.-! <J <:: co My wife and I were taking our usual evening hike, on October 30th, at 9:30 p.1\i~;past ~~ Kinnick Stadium, past the football practice field and the baseball field to the road that (..,) cuts south up past the University ofIowa Hospital overflow parking area and on up to the University's Finkbine Golf Course Clubhouse and past the University ofIowa Athletic Club. This is a very well lighted route and we walk it nightly with our large dog 'Loki'. Upon reaching Melrose A venue we decided to walk back the same way, just in reverse, which was the very first time that we had ever done this. As we were walking northeast just past the Finkbine Golf Course Clubhouse, we spotted approximately three hundred feet away, a mountain lion standing in a perfectly well lighted area along the edge of the sidewalk and grass that passes very close to a thirty foot deep ravine to the east. We had just walked past this area no more than five minutes before and had seen nothing except a lot of deer. The mountain lion was standing and was looking down over this ravine. This ravine is one of the major deer entryways into the large woods that stands directly east of Finkbine Golf Course and which extends into University Heights and to our own home's backdoor. Dee.r can easily follow a totally wooded environment from over thirty miles away and deer follow this wooded area from as far as the Amana Colonies, totally undetected. This mountain lion evidently followed the large numbers of deer that led him directly into our neighborhood. We could see this mountain lion perfectly as we had kept walking toward it and we got as close as 200 feet away. It had remained standing in excellent street lighting the whole time as we approached. It must have been at least eight feet long and probably over 250 lbs. This mountain lion was clearly viewed by both my wife and me for over two full minutes as it remained standing in an exceptionally well lighted area, and with moon light, so we were able to easily and very clearly make out it's lion face, it's very large body and it's three foot long, rope like tail. This mountain lion looked directly at us for over a minute as we continued to walk towards it, then it looked down into the ravine and then calmly descended down off the sidewalk and grass into the ravine and into the woods to the east. It did not seem frightened of us and if anything, it seemed mostly annoyed that we were disrupting it's ability to stalk the numerous deer that were moving all about that night. I notified the Iowa City Police and the University of Iowa Police the next morning. The University ofIowa Police acted immediately. They picked me up at my home so we could look at the area of the sighting, look for cat tracks, and for scat. The DNR was called but they indicated that they could not act on this mountain lion sighting until actual tracks were found. The University Police Officer and I thought we might try looking for some tracks so we proceeded into the woods. He was a very nice officer and he voluntarily showed me how to work his Teaser Gun just incase something happened to 1 him. He also had a pocketknife. Knowing the size of the cat that we were trying to track, this ended up being a very short, non-productive investigative walk. There is no way that any resident should ever have to go up against a cat this size, ever, for any reason. Why would the general public ever be asked to put itself at risk to look for tracks or for yet another mountain lion sighting in order to get a picture without being allowed any real means of protecting itself within the city limits, when this is the job for the DNR or licensed, knowledgeable and approved hunters designated and approved by the various City Councils that should be hired to immediately investigate and track any reported mountain lion sightings within our communities! As long as there is a chance that a mountain lion could still be in a residential wooded area, no one should ever be allowed to venture in without expert knowledge and protection. The reason no tracks have been found in this case is because no one has looked for them. The DNR already stated it is not getting involved unless tracks are found, I do not own a firearm, and it is also illegal to carry one in Iowa City and University Heights, there is no way I am going to look for tracks for a cat this size without expert help, so this mountaiI). r~. lion sighting report has died without any of the surrounding neighborhood be~ warned: This is not a very good way for our city government to protect the neighborhQ@o ~ residents of our city. -'''' :-j :~~ 11 "," , " I ,,"- --.1 ( N I have been to East Africa on twelve different occasions filming cheetah, lions'iidd. ._ '---r-l I J ' ,.,...~~ ; j j leopards, as well as many other wildlife, for a film that I have shown professi~~ly :0: :---! across North America. I have seen hundreds of animal kills in Africa by cats ~~/fuuc1f? ,.j bigger than a full grown mountain lion, against prey much larger than a humai?, with ~l success every time. Why is there no immediate and serious effort being made to move quickly on these reported mountain lion sightings with the seriousness that these reported sightings should demand and which are occurring more frequently in our residential areas? Kids play in the woods where this mountain lion was seen entering. Why is it that the DNR is not able to follow up more quickly on every reported residential mountain lion sighting, especially those that have penetrated deep within our communities? Why does it seem that the first effort that seems to be made is to assign tasks, to discredit the story, or the circumstances or the people making the reported mountain lion sightings? What reasons are there for discrediting many of the reported mountain lion sightings? It could be the result oflack of everyone's effort to get the needed evidence, and preconceived thinking that mountain lions do not venture deep into a city or a populated residential area, or that mountain lions would not like to be seen in a well lighted area on a walking path or that they would hear you coming and would never let themselves be seen, or they would run away before you could ever see them up close, or they are too scared of people, or they would not stand in one place that long without running away, or every mountain lion leaves tracks for non-trained residents to easily find and recognize and if they are there, you let us know, then we will get involved, or that if a mountain lion is present, it should have been seen by others, or mountain lions eat just deer and as long as they are well fed, they are harmless to people, etc." Who are these people in authority who are making these kinds of preconceived judgments. Every residential mountain lion sighting should be acted on immediately. People in authority 2 that overlook the safety ofthe citizens truly need to start looking 'out of the box' to understand the adaptability, the intelligence, the cunning and the power of the mountain lion. No one is provoking fear into these mountain lions? No one is hunting them, they have no natural enemies, why should they ever fear man, let alone a woman or a child? Mountain lions are developing a greater boldness, they are learning quickly, and they are watching closely, they are stalking deer now, but who is to say when that habit will begin to change, and who would ever know as people would just start disappearing. We need people involved in our DNR and our City government that are desirous of protecting our residents living in our residential areas from the growing risks of having mountain lions moving amongst us and I see a denial of this potential threat by some authorities who are not responding quickly and properly to these mountain lion sighting reports. Now that we have had two mountain lion sightings in residential wooded areas on both sides ofIowa City, we should develop a DNR/ Iowa City/Coralville mountain lion tracking crew that responds immediately to every mountain lion sighting within our community. Anyone that says, "Well, no one has been killed yet, or mountain lions eat just deer, or if they are full of deer meat, no human should worry," as an excuse for not taking the infiltration of mountain lions into our community as a very serious threat should not be re-elected to their leadership positions in this community. They are totally out of touch with what is happening with a very smart and a potentially very dangerous species of cat that is growing in numbers every year and which is becoming much smarter than most of the people who are trying to understand, study and manage it. Thi~" growing concern, if not dealt with soon, will eventually start making outdoor r~eatio~ life in this city more difficult and more dangerous to enjoy without fearing co~ly fOr:: the safety of our children and our loved ones. ~~~ :--' S:i i i (), J - .----i,.....-'; N Mountain lions are predatory animals with extreme cunning and extreme physiOat;: "'" ,.....] , , strength. A full-grown mountain lion could easily kill a man the size ofIowa's:-=R;Ob~rt Sb: " ~....J Gallery, the nation's best offensive football lineman last year. They canjump '@1ieally?'i as high as 18 feet and jump as far as twenty feet in one leap. They are the grea~t N jumpers of all of the world's cats. They can hit their victims with an impact force great;r than the best NFL pro linebacker, which usually is intended to break the victims neck. Most victims, if left only stunned, do not recover fast enough to ward off any further life threatening attacks. Mountain lions do not belong in our neighborhoods and the DNR and our city leaders should start acting like this is a very bad idea before someone gets killed. If mountain lion sightings are reported within the city limits, State and city agencies should immediately get there best trackers and hunters out to that location and proceed to take care of business the proper way in order to protect our citizens, not try to discredit the mountain lion sighting, or make our residents engage in preliminary tasks that should be left up to experts. Both Hickory Hill Park on the east side and now University Heights on the west side of Iowa City have now had mountain lion sightings. Why is it that the huge deer population located deep within our community is not being seriously addressed in order to reduce it's numbers by any possible means and at any cost. The huge deer population is large 3 enough now that even the predatory mountain lions are following the large deer populations deep into our community to do what the DNR and our commooity leaders should be continuing to do to reduce the deer numbers. Also, why are the mountain lions not hunted down and killed who are stalking the deer deep into our cities and who are showing no fear of our residents? In all of our National Parks, these types of predatory animals that show no fear of people and make it to the camp grounds and lodging areas, are the very first to be hunted down and killed. Where is this cities urgency to step in to help make sure that mountain lion sightings within our city limits are taken seriously, investigated quickly so that we can all be sure that we do not yet have a mountain lion that is still lurking within our city limits who might eventually start stalking our children as they play in the woods, as they walk to school or as they walk over to a ftiends house, or a jogger on a remote wooded pathway? This is a very serious issue that is life threatening, it is a critically important issue that needs urgent addressing now before any of the lives of any of our citizens are harmed and it needs to be dealt with in a well-planned approach that becomes a community wide effort that does not make residents feel stupid for reporting a mountain lion sighting near their home that they voluntarily report because they see it as a serious threat to their own safety, their families safety, and to their neighborhood's safety. The DNR should start evaluating it's policies for addressing the increasing growth in the numbers of mountain lions in this state and how they are going to keep this State's residents safe and how they plan to keep the mountain lion's numbers properly managed and how they are going to keep all ofIowa's mountain lions fearful of mankind. I would not have felt so strongly about this issue ifI had not personally seen a very dangerous sized mountain lion and have the sighting happen in my own back yard. Jim and Margie Ebert f',.} c::;::':I Q c.-=:t University Heights ..J~- ~'~O """"-- 5>-: C) T1 ...r&.::: (")" I ,-- -;r-- N ............., .c_ ~. ~ ~<:.--- l i I rf: ~ ;N_--' -.>... '-1". ,....:;b. <.J ,~..'j ~~ co ...--;;.. :i> N ~ 4 /6 cfc; l@teI1C; l This is a mountain lion sighting alert to all the folks living in University Heights and on the West Side of Iowa City near Finkbine Golf Course. If we did not write a Letter to the Editor, there was no other way to alert the residents of University Heights and Iowa City. My wife and I were taking our usual evening hike, on October 30th, at 9:30 P.M. past Kinnick Stadium, past the football practice field and the baseball field to the road that cuts south up past the University of Iowa Hospital overflow parking area and on up to the University's Finkbine Golf Course Clubhouse and past the University of Iowa Athletic Club. This is a very well lighted route and we walk it nightly with our large dog 'Loki'. Upon reaching ~lros~ Avenue we decided to walk back the same way, justf~ffi! i:'::) """~: " reverse, which was the very first time that we had eYer ~ ' I -- -'- done this. As we were walking northeast just past t@- \J "-r-; : ! I ---, I ' Finkbine Golf Course Clubhouse, we spotted ~ C:? "-/ approximately three hundred feet away, a mountainlion ::; standing in a perfectly well lighted area along the edge of the sidewalk that passes very close to a thirty foot ravine to the east. We had just walked past this area no more than five minutes before and had seen nothing except a lot of deer. The mountain lion was standing and was looking down over this ravine. This ravine is one of the major deer entry ways into the large woods that stands directly east of Finkbine Golf Course and which extends into University Heights and to our own home's backdoor. Deer can easily follow a totally wooded environment from over thirty miles away and deer follow this wooded area from as far as the Amana Colonies, totally undetected. This mountain lion 1 evidently followed the large numbers of deer that led him directly into our neighborhood. We could see this mountain lion perfectly as we had kept walking toward it and we got as close as 200 feet away. It had remained standing in excellent street lighting th~who~ time as we approached. 3; ~ ~;~ II C) -, I - .....,- :=.J C") - This mountain lion was clearly viewed by both my W:4i :!: :-'-1 : i ..._.......,. and me for over two full minutes as it remained stanJifi~ it! ,j (..11 an exceptionally well lighted area, so we were able to -..j easily and very clearly make out it's lion face, it's very large body and it's three foot long, rope like tail. This mountain lion looked directly at us for over a minute as we continued to walk towards it, then it looked down into the woods and then calmly descended down off the sidewalk into the ravine and into the woods to the east. It disappeared quickly into the woods and into the night. It did not seem frightened of us and ifanything, it seemed mostly annoyed that we were disrupting it's ability to stalk the numerous deer that were moving all about that night. I notified the Iowa City Police and the University of Iowa Police the next morning. The University of Iowa Police acted immediately and picked me up at my home so we could look at the area of the sighting, look for cat tracks, and for scat. The DNR was called but they indicated that they could not act on this mountain lion sighting until actual tracks were found. The University Police Officer and I thought we might try looking for some tracks so we proceeded into the woods. He was a very nice officer and 2 he voluntarily showed me how to work his Teaser Gun just incase something happened to him. This ended up being a very short, non-productive investigative walk. Why does the general public have to put itself at risk to look for tracks or another sighting without being allowed any means of protecting itself within the city limits, when this is the job for the DNR or licensed, knowledgeable and approved hunters designated and approved by the various City Councils that should be hired to immediately investigate and track any reported mountain lion sightings within our communities! Why is it that many of the mountain lion sightings that have been reported, are going totally unreported to the public that would publicly alert the general public? It is as though mountain lion sightings are not publicized to the general public because someone in authority feels that the mountain lion sighting was incorrectly reported, or because it was unsubstantiated, with either a lack of viewabl~ ~; tracks, or without a second substantiated sighting or~t t~ f- -' ....' people actually reporting the mountain lion sighting~;were;~ Il not credible or knowledgeable sources? :-,_ !"_, =: rT] ;:='~ -:.u :1;: '..........1 ~~ /-::~ (.0 I have been to East Africa on twelve different occasf:fu1s U1 -J filming cheetah, lions and leopards for a film that I have shown professionally across North America. I have seen hundreds of animal kills in Africa by cats not much bigger than a full grown mountain lion against prey much larger than a human with total success every time. Why is there no immediate and serious effort is being made to move quickly on these reported mountain lion sightings with the 3 seriousness that these reported sightings should demand and which are occurring more frequently in our residential areas? Kids play in the woods where this mountain lion w~ o "",' seen entering. ;;:; Q ~~; ~~ ~~; :;~: II -- ,----.- Why is it that the DNR is not able to follow up morec~ - .-.""1 -0 : I I quickly on every reported residential mountain lion ~;2 ~~ ~-, \~.-~) sighting, especially those that have penetrated deep ~ithi~ our communities? Why does it seem that the first effort that seems to be made by the police, and the DNR, is to discredit the story, the circumstances and the people making the reported mountain lion sightings? The DNR and others who have discredited many of the reported mountain lion sightings as non-credible, use as their reasoning for not calling the reports credible the result of preconceived thinking that mountain lions do not venture deep into a city or a populated residential area, or that mountain lions would not like to be seen in a well lighted area on a walking path or that they would hear you coming and would never let themselves be seen, or they would run away before you could ever see them up close, or they are too scared of people, or they would not stand in one place that long without running away, or every mountain lion leaves tracks for non-trained residents to easily find and recognize or that if a mountain lion is present, it should have been seen by others, etc." Who are these people making these kinds of preconceived judgments. They truly do not understand the adaptability, the intelligence and the cunning of the mountain lion. Who is it that is provoking fear into these mountain lions? No one is hunting them, they have no natural enemies, why should they ever fear 4 man, let alone a woman or a child? Mountain lions are developing a greater boldness, they are learning quickly, ~ and they are watching closely, they are stalking dee910w ~ but who is to say when that will begin to change. j~~; J 5:~ -n I ..~~ - '<-,-, We need people involved in our DNR and our -0 : : I -, C"1 ~ -j ',~... City government that are desirous of protecting our ~ w CJl residents living in our residential areas from the risks of -J having mountain lions living amongst us and I see a denial of this potential threat by the way the DNR and some city agencies are responding to these mountain lion sightings and reports. Anyone that says, "Well, no one has been killed yet," as an excuse for not taking the infiltration of mountain lions into our community as a very serious threat should not be re-elected to their leadership positions in this community. They are totally out of touch with what is happening with a very smart and a potentially very dangerous species of cat that is growing in numbers every year and which is becoming much smarter than most of the people who are trying to understand, study and manage it. This growing concern is making outdoor recreational life in this city more difficult and more dangerous to enjoy without fearing constantly for the safety of our children and our loved ones. Why is it that the DNR is not sharing all of the possible repercussions and consequences to our communities for allowing and having mountain lions traveling into our cities most vulnerable population areas? Mountain lions are predatory animals with extreme cunning and extreme physical strength. A full grown mountain lion could easily 5 kill a man the size of Iowa's Robert Gallery, the nation's best offensive football lineman last year. They can jump vertically as high as 18 feet and jump as far as thirty feet in one leap. They are the greatest jumpers of all of the world's cats. They can hit their victims with an impact force greater than the best pro linebacker. Most victims do not recover fast enough to ward off any further life threatening attacks. Mountain lions do not belong in our neighborhoods and the DNR and our city leaders should start acting like this is a bad idea before someone gets killed. If mountain lion sightings are reported within the city limits, State and city agencies should immediately get there best trackers and hunters out to that location and proceed to take care of business the proper way in order to protect our citi~s, niit try to discredit the mountain lion sighting. 5~ q C) -< 11 (j -~. I ::= - -~ ( t - Both Hickory Hill Park on the east side and now Uti1Y@rsijy .=:!J /..~ -" ~. J Heights on the west side of Iowa City have now hadf ~ ~ ' mountain lion sightings. Why is it that the huge deci ~ population located deep within our community is not being seriously addressed in order to reduce it's numbers by any possible means and at any cost. The huge deer population is large enough now that even the predatory mountain lions are following the large deer populations deep into our community to do what the DNR and our community leaders should have done long ago to drastically reduce the deer numbers. Also, why are the mountain lions not hunted down and killed who are stalking the deer deep into our cities and who are showing no fear of our residents? In all of our National Parks, these types of predatory animals that show no fear of people and make it to the camp grounds 6 and lodging areas, are the very first to be hunted down and killed. Where is this cities urgency to step in to make sure that mountain lion sightings within our city limits are taken seriously, investigated quickly so that we can all be sure that we do not yet have a mountain lion that is still lurking within our city limits who might eventually start stalking our children as they walk to school or as they walk over to a friends house, or attack a jogger on a remote wooded pathway? Why do our citizens have to have their lives put at great potential risk of being attacked by a mountain lion on our cities walking, biking, and jogging trails that are located in or near many of the forested recreational areas bec~e t~ DNR and city agencies are unable to deal with this ~ipg threat in an effective manner? C~:< ~~ ::::n -"J;~ . - ~.<.: tI: :32 :"'1 , , -, This is a very serious issue that is life threatening, ~ is a ~ 0 critically important issue that needs urgent addressiftg noW before any of the lives of any of our citizens are harmed and it needs to be dealt with in a well-planned approach that becomes a community wide effort that does not make residents feel stupid for reporting a mountain lion sighting near their home that they voluntarily report because they see it as a serious threat to their own safety, their families safety, and to their neighborhood's safety. The DNR better start evaluating it's policies for addressing the increasing growth in the numbers of mountain lions in this state and how they are going to keep this State's residents safe and how they plan to keep the mountain lion's numbers 7 properly managed and how they are going to keep all of Iowa's mountain lions fearful of mankind. Jim and Margie Ebert University Heights Jim Ebert 30 Prospect Place Iowa City, Iowa 52246 319-621-6361 .. ~... 0 ~ c:-.::> ~() .x.- ~~ 1"'>- c-:;. ~- -:-J -< -n D- f - --,..-.... - , -, /' ,-:.-;~ i1 ~-....... I iT' ""1:J ; 1 j C) ~~ :r -, ~'/" W ',_I )> c.n -<oJ 8 Marian Karr (][- From: Kathryn Johansen Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 8:30 AM To: 'tristand277@hotmail.com' Cc: .City Council Subject: FW: Dear Tristan: Thank you for your e-mail message to the City Council. Council members do not receive their e-mails directly and your message will be forwarded to them as official correspondence. If you wish to communicate with Council members, please contact them individually. Council member names and phone numbers are listed on our City website. Go to www.icgov.org. Click the blue link for Departments then select City Council. Thank you for writing. Sincerely, Kathi Johansen Administrative Assistant to the City Manager -----Original Message----- From: tristan dobrian [mailto:tristand277@hotmail.com] Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2004 9:45 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Dear Iowa City Council, My name is Tristan Dobrian, and I am a junior at City High School. For my State and local Government class, I am doing a project on voting permits for 17 year olds which would allow them to vote in school board elections. Your opinions about this would be very helpful to me, and I would appreciate it if you could please answer the following question - Are you in favor of allowing 17 year olds to vote in school board election, and if you are, what would it take for this to successfully pass a vote? Thank you very much for your time. Tristan Dobrian Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/Ol/ 1 Marian Karr ~- From: Kathryn Johansen Sent: Monday, November 01,20048:21 AM To: 'shawn-froberg@uiowa.edu' Cc: 'City Council Subject: RE: Good morning, Shawn: Thank you for your e-mail message to Mayor Lehman. Mayor Lehman and Council members do not receive their e-mails directly. Your message will be forwarded to them as official correspondence. If you wish to communicate with Mayor Lehman or any of the Council members, please contact them individually. Council member names and phone numbers are listed on our City website. Go to www.icgov.org. Click the blue link for Departments then select City Council. Thank you for writing. Sincerely, Kathi Johansen Administrative Assistant to the City Manager -----Original Message----- From: shawn-froberg@uiowa.edu [mailto:shawn-froberg@uiowa.edu] Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 12:29 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Dear Mayor Lehman, I am a journalism student at the University of Iowa and working on an assignment for my journalistic reporting and writing class. After talking with Captain Widmer at the Iowa City Police Department about the donation for the new K-9 unit I learned that you are person to talk to about the fund raising aspect of the project. I have a few questions and don't need much of your time, if you want to set up a meeting for some time on Monday (I am out of town for the weekend) that would be great. If you are too busy that's fine I can also e-mail you the questions. Thanks for your help, Shawn Froberg 1 Marian Karr - From: Linda Flowers [Iflowers@jpnlaw.com] Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 7:42 AM To: cou nci/@iowa-city,org Subject: Beautification How long, how long must we look at the weeds and trash up and down the median between 2nd Street in Coralville to Melrose. The grass cutters will only cut one row on the edge of the curb. The rest lS left to grow very tall with weeds and trash that blows by. We've looked at that mess every day all summer, and even now going into fall they will not make two more passes with the lawn mower (in some places one would get it) . I do wish somebody in authority would drive over there and look. The wild grass at the ends of the medians is also ugly. That's my two bits, have a great day. Respectfully submitted, Linda Flowers Coralville (driving back and to for work in IC) 1 Marian Karr From: Kathryn Johansen Sent: Friday, November 05, 20044:43 PM To: .City Council Subject: FW: Mormon Trek Blvd plantings .m.Original Message----. From: Terry Robinson Sent: Friday, November 05,20044:15 PM To: 'lfloOwers@jpnlaw,com' Cc: Terry Trueblood Subject: Mormon Trek Blvd plantings Ms. Flowers, I understand your feelings regarding the median on Mormon Trek Blvd, It may help you to know the plants in the median are not random weeds that are being allowed to grow. They are various native prairie plants that were selected to survive in the harsh environment between the two lanes of traffic. This is part of an agreernent reached between the University and Iowa City when the responsibility for ownership and maintenance of the area was switched from the University to Iowa City. The plants and grasses are beginning to establish themselves. We will be adding some prairie flowers next spring to bring more color to the area. Regarding the one mower pass on either side of the median. This is something I have directed the crew who mows the area to do. It is not that they just won't do more. Last year as the grasses grew they hung over the curb too far and were creating a hazard for vehicles. We decided to do one pass to keep the edge clean but still attempt to maintain the prairie plants in the center of the strip, As for the trash, you are correct I have noticed it also and it is on our list of cleanup tasks. Just this morning before your e-mail was forwarded to me, I directed my weekend staff to work on it Saturday morning before the football game and on Sunday. Most of the area should be cleaned up by Monday afternoon. I hope this helps you understand what is happening in the area. Sincerely, Terry Robinson Superintendent of Parks & Forestry. 1 Page 1 of 1 Marian Karr -{:<;) ~ ..~ - From: Jeff Davidson Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 4:53 PM To: 'IARXPHD@aol.com' Cc: 'City Council; 'City Manager's Office; Anissa Williams Subject: FW: (no subject) Hello Andreski family. Your message below was forwarded to me for response. It would be desireable to have a protected left turn arrow for southbound to eastbound left turns as you have suggested. The problem is that there is no separate dedicated left turn lane for this movement. Left turns are made out of a combined left/through lane. It is not possible to make this lane left turns only, because we need the traffic carrying capacity from this lane for both lefts and throughs. We have evaluated having a protected movement for southbound lefts and throughs and stopping all other movements, but this introduced much more delay to the overall intersection than the existing arrangement where southbound lefts must yield to oncoming traffic before making the turn, The solution is to construct a separate left turn lane at the intersection for these movements. This project is in the City's capital improvement program, but has not yet moved high enough up the priority list to be funded and implemented. The City Council considers this annually when they approve the annual City budget. This intersection is not a particularly high crash location; it ranks 47th on the list of high collision intersections in the community. We will continue to keep an eye on the collision rate in case there is significant change before we have the opportunity to construct the left turn lane and have protected left turns. Thank you for your message. Jeff Davidson, Traffic Engineering Planning. -----Original Message----- From: Dale Helling Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 I :23 PM To: Jeff Davidson Subject: FW: (no subject) Jeff, Please respond and cc Council. Thanks. --Dale -.---Original Message----- From: IARXPHD@aol.com [mailto:IARXPHD@aol.com] Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 I :21 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: (no subject) Dear City Council: Please tell what the process is to request a left turn traffic control signal and at the corner of Benton and Mormon Trek. This is a dangerous intersection with many collisions due to the lack of this feature. Thank you, The Andreski family 43 Denbigh Dr. 248-3159 11/8/2004 Page 1 of I Marian Karr ~~~~~_.~---~~--~- ._~.__._~ From: IARXPHO@aol.com Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 5: 19 PM To: Jeff-Davidson@iowa-city.org Cc: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Re: FW: (no subject) I would be curious where this intersection ranks in terms of accidents when you look at the rate of accidents per cars turning, I would bet it ranks higher than 47th. I would like to obtain a) the ranking and the methodology of that ranking b) the prioritization list that includes this project. I also have concerns with people gunning though when there is a srnall space and the high number of pedestrians who use this intersection. I understand the budget process, etc. I would like to know what we as citizens can do to address issues such as these, I feel strongly that this is a tragedy waiting to happen, and I hope that the council can address this issue in a timely manner. Thanks again, Mike and Melinda Andreski 43 Oenbigh Dr. 11/8/2004 Marian Karr r=r- From: Rebecca Neades [rneades@iowacityarea.com] Sent: Monday, November 08, 20042:02 PM To: council@iowa-city.org; n beuter@ci.coralville.ia.us; clair. mekota@northlibertyiowa.org; robbertg2003@yahoo.com; m bah I@southslope,net; james. moody@northlibertyiowa.org; tasalm@terracon.com; joh n. souku p@northlibertyiowa.org; BrianJames(E-mail); ElliottB53 @aol. com (E-mail); Ernest Lehman (E-mail); HenryHerwig (E-mail); Jim L. Fausett (E-mail); John Weihe(E-mail); Regenia D. Bailey (E-mail) Subject: Invitation to Legislative Leadership Forum Dear Mayors & Council Members, The Iowa City/Cedar Rapids Technology Corridor has much to be proud of and we'd like to share it with you! The Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Area Chambers of Commerce would like to invite you to attend a Legislative Leadership Forum on Friday, November 19, at 3 p.m. in Iowa Hall on the Kirkwood Community College campus. The event will include the panel discussion by members of the state leadership, as well as timely information about the Corridor area. In addition to legislators and elected officials from Linn and Johnson counties, Chamber members will also be invited to attend the forum. Please confirm your attendance with Rebecca Neades at the Iowa City Area Chamber at 319/337-9637 or bye-mail at rneades@iowacityarea.com We look forward to seeing you on November 19. Sincerely, Rebecca Neades Vice President Government Affairs Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce 1 Page 1 of 1 Marian Karr From: capscomics@aol.com 1.;;;; r Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 1 :55 PM To: Counci 1@lowa-city.org Subject: Brookland Park Drive parking change To the members of the council; I received a letter from the City indicating that it planned to change the availability of parking on Brookland Park Drive, on the block I have called home for the past 18+ years. Our family did not receive a survey and this is my only opportunity to register our viewpoint. If this change occurs, it means that the nearest legitimate free public parking to my home will be about four blocks, an eight minute walk from my home. I would like to think that friends, family, and others who are significant in my life and the lives of my wife and children might be able to find us without the need to "hike in" to see us, The four of us who live here are all licensed drivers with vehicles and as such do not have space to spare for our guests. Of equally great concern, if not greater concern, is that according to the letter, "I would like to remind you that any violation of these signs would be enforced by complaint only." This past summer, I, and several of my neighbors, received parking tickets when parking as construction crews and city vehicles had done, in areas designated for us to park in by the city while our street was being paved. Members of the neighborhood, denied access to their own driveways, were ticketed while city vehicles and construction vehicles, grossly illegally parked, were not cited. We had in place on our dash boards placards indicating that we had special permission to park due to our circumstances, yet still at times, received citations, I went so far as to call the police and ask that they send an officer to review the situation. I pointed out my citation and half a dozen city and construction vehicles guilty of the same offense. The officer shrugged and indicated I might fight the citation and win but he was unwilling to enforce the same ordinance against the cities own vehicles or the construction crew, Given the value of my time and the demonstration of the city's "even handedness and notion of fair play," I paid my ticket and dropped the issue. Of what value is enforcement if it is not done evenly and consistently? Are we encouraging people to disregard our statutes and ordinances in the hope that they will get away with it so long as no one complains? What if all of our rules were enforced on a complaint only basis? This exercise of poor precedent is a bad example to my children and those around us. Make the laws and enforce them, continually, vigorously, or if it is not worth enforcing, do not enact the change. The change you are proposing is simply another way in which quiet citizens of the area have an opportunity to suffer poor and arbitrary treatment at the hand of the city and I must raise my voice against it. Sincerely, David Caplan 520 Brookland Park Drive Iowa City, Iowa 358-0632 11/8/2004 . ACT Circle is off of North Dodge Street, ~ approximately 100 yards south of 1-80 and services the Sinclair Gas station, the new Road House BBQ, and North Dodge Athletic Club. Follow ACT Circle down the hill to the Noel-Levitz Office Park. Mt. Vernon Open House N H W Y 1-80 I W E I Fimess I D 0 mm d g e r-', ~ [oel.Levitz ACT circle s ,~,... tf t 11 I - -- r 7,( C) , i ~ ; , ,--.1 ~rwl~ I Gas I ',..J i'':> - Leep C) tf Frog S Iowa City . Patient Education Institute Open House Join us for, We are celebrating! En tertalnment ~Sq : · Our tenth anniversary 1burs ': . · Moving to our new office location Hors d'oeuvres Please join us on Refreshm.ents Thursday, December 2 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 210 1 A CT Circle, Suite 200 Iowa City, Iowa 52245 RSVP stacy-craft@patient-education.com Please turn over for directions. 319351-5220 Marian Karr From: rudi-colloredo@uiowa,edu Sent: Sunday, November 07, 2004 9:07 PM To: mikeodonnell@iowa-city,org Cc: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Crosswalk on River Dear Mike Here is the message that I sent earlier. Could you confirm that you got this by replying to me at chesca-colloredo@uiowa.edu, just so I know that I got your email address right? Thanks and thanks for helping push this idea forward. Yours, Chesca Colloredo-Mansfeld ----- Forwarded message from chesca-colloredo@uiowa.edu ----- Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 22:07:25 -0500 From: chesca-colloredo@uiowa.edu Reply-To: chesca-colloredo@uiowa.edu Subject: School crosswalks To: "council@iowa-city.org" <council@iowa-city.org> Dear City Council Members I am interested in discussing the possibility of improving the signage at school crossings. As the parent of two elementary-age school children I am constantly amazed to watch cars speed past as kids wait patiently at the marked crossing place on River Street on their way to school. The cars seem unaware that they should stop for children waiting to cross. This is particularly true in the morning when people are cutting through River Street on their way to work at the hospitals. Even the school buses go right on through the pedestrian crossing without stopping to let the walking children through. I have even tried stepping out into the street and waving a car down to get it to stop so the kids can cross only to have the driver shrug his hands at me indicating that he did not understand why he should stop. There is very limited parking at our local school and kids are strongly encouraged to walk to and from school. We have one crossing guard at another location but several cross walks that get heavy child traffic. I would like the Council to consider placing some kind of signage to tell drivers that they are expected/required to stop for pedestrians. Ideally, such a change should be impleneted at all school crossing sites without a patrol. I have seen some apparently effective signs (State Law Yield to Pedestrians in 1 Crosswalk) on the crosswalk between the University Hospital and the new parking structure on Newton Road. I use that crossing quite regularly and am able to step onto the pedestrian walk and have approaching cars slow and stop. I have also noticed that all buses stop for pedestrians. When I enquired to the Saftey Patrol Officer about these signs I was told that they were on University property and not something that could deployed without City Council approval. In doing a little background research on this issue I found a report that indicates other cities, including some university towns and Cedar Rapids, have found these signs to be helpful. The Cedar Rapids test did not include any school crossing areas and were all at intersections. The report is available on the web at http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/reports/pedyield.pdf I am not sure what the correct procedure is for trying to get a change in city signage, but would appreciate you considering the issue or allowing myself and two other concerned parents to raise the issue at a Council meeting. Thanks for your time and efforts on behlf of those of us who live in Iowa City. Yours, Chesca Colloredo-Mansfeld 227 Ferson Ave. Iowa City, 52246 341 9799 ----- End forwarded message ----- 2 Marian Karr Gl1B- From: Joe Fowler Sent: Tuesday, November 09,20044:18 PM To: 'baller@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu' cc: 'City Council; 'city Manager's Office; Ron Logsden Subject: RE: ICT buses & noise pollution Dear Mr. Baller, Thank you for your letter regarding the Iowa City buses. Brakes on the buses are a maintenance item that is constantly being addressed. Brake pad suppliers have been changed in the past and the brake noise has been reduced considerably. Every bus receives preventive maintenance monthly and drivers report any malfunction daily. I can assure you that when brake noise becomes an issue it is addressed but all brake noise can not be eliminated. Thank you for your past support of our system and I hope that you will continue to support it in the future. If you notice a problem with a bus in the future you can e-mail me and I forward the information to our maintenance supervisor for attention. If you can include the bus number in future correspondence it will be very helpful. Sincerely, Joe Fowler Director Parking & Transit -----Original Message----- From: Rob Baller [mailto:baller@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu] Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 5:05 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: ICT buses & noise pollution Dear Council, I am a huge fan of Iowa City Transit, the city's bus system, and I use it to commute to and from work everyday. I do have one complaint, however. The noise created by the brakes on almost every bus I have been on is absolutely deafening. The problem is so bad that I am tempted to wear ear plugs on my daily commute. In addition, I own a home that is located on a bus route where the bus regularly applies its brakes. This means that at the top and bottom of nearly every hour my home is bombarded by the deafening scrawl of bus brakes!! Can anything be done? I see two solutions: 1. better maintain the brakes (raise bus fares if needed); or 2. stop buying brake pads that screech when worn (the maintenance folks obviously ignore the screech anyway). Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, Rob Baller 3412 Arbor Drive Iowa City, IA 52245 Rob Baller Assistant Professor Department of Sociology Uni versity of Iowa 140 Seashore Hall W. Iowa City, IA 52242-1401 1 phone: (319) 335-2485 fax: ( 319) 335-2509 '1-" (I ~) Marian Karr From: Rob Baller [baller@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu] Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2004 10:58 AM To: Joe Fowler Cc: 'City Council; 'City Manager's Office; Ron Logsden Subject: RE: leT buses & noise pollution Dear Mr. Fowler, Thank you for your thoughtful response. I just wanted to communicate that in my opinion the problem is still a serious one, but I am sure you are doing the best you can with limited resources. By the way, electric-powered buses would be wonderful because my understanding is that the electric motors themselves act as brakes. Should the opportunity arise to trade-in the old ones, you would have my full support! Just my 2 cents on electric buses. Have a good day. Sincerely, Rob Baller At 04:17 PM ll/ 9/2004, Joe Fowler wrote: >Dear Mr. Baller, > >Thank you for your letter regarding the Iowa City buses. Brakes on the >buses are a maintenance item that is constantly being addressed. Brake pad >suppliers have been changed in the past and the brake noise has been reduced >considerably. Every bus receives preventive maintenance monthly and drivers >report any malfunction daily. I can assure you that when brake noise >becomes an issue it is addressed but all brake noise can not be eliminated. > > >Thank you for your past support of our system and I hope that you will >continue to support it in the future. If you notice a problem with a bus in >the future you can e-mail me and I forward the information to our >maintenance supervisor for attention. If you can include the bus number in >future correspondence it will be very helpful. > >Sincerely, >Joe Fowler >Director Parking & Transit > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Rob Baller [mailto:baller@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu] >Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 5:05 PM >To: council@iowa-city.org >Subject: ICT buses & noise pollution > > >Dear Council, I am a huge fan of Iowa City Transit, the city's bus system, >and I use it to commute to and from work everyday. I do have one >complaint, however. The noise created by the brakes on almost every bus I >have been on is absolutely deafening. The problem is so bad that I am >tempted to wear ear plugs on my daily commute. In addition, I own a 1 home >that lS located on a bus route where the bus regularly applies its >brakes. This means that at the top and bottom of nearly every hour my home >is bombarded by the deafening scrawl of bus brakes'! Can anything be >done? I see two solutions: 1. better maintain the brakes (raise bus fares >if needed); or 2. stop buying brake pads that screech when worn (the >maintenance folks obviously ignore the screech anyway). >Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, > >Rob Baller >3412 Arbor Drive >Iowa City, IA 52245 > > >Rob Baller >Assistant Professor >Department of Sociology >University of Iowa >140 Seashore Hall W. >Iowa City, IA 52242-1401 > >phone: (319 ) 335-2485 >fax: ( 319) 335-2509 Rob Baller Assistant Professor Department of Sociology University of Iowa 140 Seashore Hall W. Iowa City, IA 52242-1401 phone: ( 319) 335-2485 fax: (319 ) 335-2509 2 MRP ~ '--I' CHAPTER l~- f ; i .' 'I Johnson County AARP '] '" / Chapter # 1816 0' -, h" /-'-'''' . I .0'0 Cli' . 28 S. Linn Street _J" . Iowa City, IA 52240 /.'\"'/(\ ' v '...j..,'(,'--; Ph: (319) 356-5219 or 351-1135 November 8, 2004 Iowa City Council c/o City Hall 4'0 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Attn: Ernie Lehman, Mayor Dear Mr. Mayor: The Johnson County AARP Chapter 1816 would like to invite you and your fellow Iowa City City Council members to our annual AARP Holiday party. This event will take place on Monday, December 6th in the Assembly Room at the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center located at 28 S. Linn Street in Iowa City. Starting time will be 2 P.M. We plan entertainment, refreshments, door prizes and an opportunity to join in the Holiday spirit with an optional donation of a gift for our Home Delivered Meals customers or an item of canned goods for our local Crises Center. Last but not least, we are promised a visit from Santa Claus. We hope that you can join us. Eve Casserly President Johnson County AARP Chapter 1816 Enc. A Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons. Inc. )I)I c.R.P I(JWa JOHNSON COUNTY AARP ;'-1\ i Chapter # 1816 ;-\: ,I 28 South Linn Street .., II rd' Iowa City, IA 52240 t r ,'.... . ~) J -:i hi'l . 0 I; Ph: (319) 356-5219 or 351-1135 , ,', i\../. i !rlr.f~" '~\- ',' \(; " COMP- O:NP, ana flLL . . . come liefp us cefe6rate. . . JIJICR.P JInnua{J{ouday Program Monaay - (j)ecem6er 6, 2004 2:00 CJ>.M. (note special starting time) Senior Center Jf.ssem6fy CJWom !No 6usiness meeti1l{j; Just Sociafizi1l{j -- Music --- ~freshments --- (j)oor CFrizes -- a visit from Santa. %e entertainment program wi{{ feature crom !NothnagCe ana the chiUfrens' guitar ensem6Ces from Wi{{ow-wina Schoof ana a J{ofit[ay Sing-.Jl-Long with Margaret CJ?jcharason at the piano. Jlna . . . . . . Santa Cfaus to wish us a{{ we{f. . . . . . JIJIc.RSP mem6ers ana our guests alSo are invited to 6ring wrapped gifts wliicli wi![ 6e donated to CEUfer Services for tlieir deuvery to Coca( area J{ome (])euvered 9rf.ealS customers or - aftemativeCy - a non- perisfia6fe food item wliicli wi![ 6e donated to tlie Crises Center. If 6ringing a gift for a J{ome (])euvered 9rf.ealS customer, (j'fease fa.6e( your gift as to wlietlier it is intended for "man" or "woman". (Jrote: gifts are strictCy optwna( on your part.) Ca{[ CEve CasserCy at 351-1135 for furtlierinfonnatwn. AARP Coming events in 2005: January 3rd ---- A program on Medicare and Prescription Drugs and you. February 7th ---- United Way in our Community March 7th ----- Representatives of the State Legislature will be on hand April 4th ---- AARP Annual Meeting: Election of Officers for the coming year. Program: Public Power