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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-02-15 Transcription#3 Page 1 ITEM 3 OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARD - Hoover Elementary Wilbum: Well thanks for coming down tonight, and congratulations on your award. It's an honor for us to have you with us tonight. We always enjoy this part of the meeting, and appreciate what you do for the community, and it's very important for us, as adults especially, to hear what you have to say. The Mayor is not here tonight. He's with a group in Washington D.C., representing our views out there, from Linn County and Johnson County, but I'm sure he would want you to know that your parents, and especially your grandparents, are proud of you. (laughter) I guess each of you has a statement so why don't we start on the end; you can read your statement and say what it is you've, the reasons why you were nominated. Mahaffa: Hi, I'm Maggie Mahaffa, and I'd like to thank my teachers and our principal for giving me this award, and I think that citizenship is being polite to other people, and also doing kind things for others when they need it, or even if they don't need it. Citizenship is about doing the right thing and helping each other. (applause) Stone: Hi, I'm Carolyn Stone. First I'd just like to thank the City Council and my teachers for giving me this award. I think a good citizen at my age is someone who does not put people down. Ifa teacher or anyone else needs help, a good citizen is someone they can count on. A good citizen will also not single people out for what they are or what they look like. (applause) Sheets: I'm Kelsey Sheets. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my teachers at Hoover and the City Council for giving me this honor. Also, I wrote a poem, instead of a paragraph, because sometimes expressing my feelings in poetry is easier for me than expressing them in words. Think about the choices you make and think about the things at stake. I think I'm a good citizen because I always try to do what's right. I stand up straight in a crowd; I always try to think aloud. I pay attention in class; I always try to do my task. And even when the day is done, I'll think of who I am and what I've done. Together, united we stand - I try to encourage this thoughtful plan. Some call me stupid or even dumb, but I don't listen. I keep doing what I was doing before. It could be helping the girl next door. I think this is why I've been invited here tonight and ! wish you all, ladies and gentlemen, good night. (applause) Wilburn: Very well said by everyone, and that might a first, I'm not sure, but we'll have to check on that. (laughter) And Maggie, I will read Maggie's award, but they all say the same, and you'll each get your own with the same award presentation. (reads award) (applause) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #2 Page 2 ITEM 2 PROCLAMATION Sertoma's Freedom Week- February 13-19, 2005 Wilbum: (reads proclamation) Karr: Here to accept the proclamation is Dennis Mitchell. (applause) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #5 Page 3 ITEM 5 COMMUNITY COMMENT Wilbum: This is a time for the public to again talk about things that are not on the agenda. As you approach the microphone, please write your name, state your name for the record, and please limit your comments to five minutes as a courtesy to others who wish to speak, and to other agenda items. Winekauf: Good evening. My name is Glen Winekauf and I'm here on behalf of Mercy Hospital. As you know, Mercy Hospital was the first hospital in Iowa City and has been in continuous operation for over 130 years. We have a deep respect for Iowa City history, as we have been here during most of it. We also know, however, that organizations exist to meet the needs of the people who live in our community. These interests and needs compete sometimes and the need to serve our neighbors, and to heal and comfort them when they are sick, has to be balanced against preserving old and sometimes historic buildings. In September 2004, the Iowa City City Council submitted an amended application to the State Historic Preservation Commission requesting it to designate a Gilbert-Linn Street Historic District, that excluded the commercial property, yet included the residential property. As you know, Mercy Hospital owns two commercial properties, a parking lot and a house on the comer of Gilbert and Burlington, Bloomington Streets. We do not want to see these properties or other commercial properties to be encumbered beyond the current commercial zoning requirements. I am here tonight to advise you that the State Historic Preservation Commission met on February 11, 2005, to consider the application for the Gilbert-Linn Street Historic District. In doing so, they ignored the wishes of the Council and the State Historic Preservation Commission voted to recommend approval of the initial application, instead of the revised application, which excluded the commercial properties. As you know, nine of the eleven property owners in the commercial district, opposed the inclusion of their properties in the Gilbert-Linn Street District. Mercy is one of these owners. I am here tonight to respectfully request that the City Council direct the City Attorney to work with the affected parties to pursue action to get the State Historic Preservation officer to only consider the application which the City Council recommended in September. Thank you. Gustaveson: Good evening. My name is Craig Gustaveson. I'm representing the Downtown Association, in particular the Friday Night Concert Series. Over the past fourteen or fifteen years, we've had... Wilbum: We do have a public hearing tonight on the budget. Gustaveson: Oh, do we? Okay. Later? Okay, thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #5 Page 4 Wilbum: While we're waiting for the last speaker, are there, is there interest in discussing this request at a work session or? O'Donnell: I would like to do that. Bailey: I think we've already sent a letter. I think we made our wishes pretty clear. O'Donnell: We sent a second letter, excluding these, and they opted to take the first letter, including them, and I would like to see if we have any options on it. Elliott: The first letter...I...Eleanor can respond to that, but I believe the first letter was to the Commission. This letter would be to the officer to whom the Commission now sends the recommendations. Bailey: I think we sent the letter. Dilkes: I think if there's three of you interested in putting it on a work session, that's where it would belong. Not now. Wilbum: Yep. Okay. Gelman: My name is Tom Gelman. I'm legal counsel for Mercy, and I just wanted to follow up on a detail that Glen didn't mention, and again, in a request to the City to be of assistance. In connection with the application that's pending before the State Historic Preservation Commission, an important factor is the number of property owners that are within the proposed district. The district that they are considering is the original district. I had asked today for the deputy State Historic Director to confirm for me the number of property owners that they are relying upon. The number that they are relying upon is 78, and that is in fact incorrect. The number of property owners in the district that they're considering is actually 76. So in connection with Glen's request made to the Council, I'd like to further request that the City clarify and certify to the State Historic Preservation officer, the actual number of property owners who live within the district, and it is material because the number in the district also relates to the rights of those persons to object, and there is a substantive issue relating to the review at the national level, which will very much depend upon a correct count of the owners who had the right to object. And so the 2 is a material issue in this instance, so we'd ask for the City to certify and correct the State Historic Preservation officer as to the right number. In that regard I do have a list, which we believe to be a current and correct list of the 75, I'm sorry, the 76 property owners, and the properties that they own. There's many more properties than that in the district because several owners own multiple properties, but this is a list of all of the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #5 Page 5 separate 76 owners of all of the properties in the larger proposed district. I'll give this to Eleanor. Wilbum: I guess I would suggest as well, if you just put your specific request of the Council in writing and submit that, and then we can discuss any options with our Council. Gelman: Part of the concern we have is the time frame here. We are led to believe also, with the response I received back today, that this request will be forwarded to the National Parks Service early next week, so this is very time critical, and we all would wish the information provided to the National Parks Service be correct and accurate as it could possibly be. We've indicated this to the State Historic Preservation office already, but we don't know if our word will be sufficient, so we would like the applicant, which is the City in this instance, to be sure that the information that is submitted to the federal government is correct information. Thank you. Kart: Motion to accept. O'Donnell: So moved. Champion: Second. Vanderhoef: Eleanor, can you go ahead and check the numbers for us? It appears that there is a question between the number of properties and the number of property owners. Dilkes: I'm going to have to look at it and talk to Karin Franklin. I don't think I can give you any...no, I just, I'll take a look at it. Vanderhoef: The time critical,..thank you. Dilkes: I understand the time. Wilburn: Moved and seconded to accept correspondence. All those in favor? Opposed? Carries. Any other public comment? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #7 Page 6 ITEM 7 AUTHORIZING CONVEYANCE OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOME LOCATED AT 2311 NEVADA AVENUE TO A PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM TENANT Wilbum: Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. Bailey: Move the resolution. Wilbum: Moved by Bailey. Champion: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by Champion. Discussion? This is part of our tenant ownership program, which is well supported by the Council. Roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #10 Page 7 ITEM 10 APPROVING PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS AND ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DUBUQUE STREET /FOSTER ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (STP-U-3715(625) 70-52), AND DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS. a) Public Hearing Wilbum: Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. b) Consider a Resolution Bailey: Move the resolution. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey. Vanderhoef: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion? Vanderhoefi Ron? We were asking last night just to double check, south of that intersection, how far down...can we raise the road there at all or is that where that garage gets in the way? Knoche: The garage does get in the way there, so we're really not changing the grade elevation there at all. The one thing that will help with the flooding in a smaller storm is there's some storm sewer improvements that are going in there that will help alleviate some of the on-road flooding that does occur. Vanderhoef: Okay, good, thank you. Wilbum: Any other discussion? Roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #11 Page 8 ITEM 11 PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2005 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2006, THE PROPOSED THREE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN, AND ALSO THE MULTI-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVE- MENTS PROGRAM THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2009. Wilburn: Public hearing is open. I'd like to ask the City Manager if you could just briefly walk us through what your opinion this budget does, and what we don't accomplish with it. Atkins: The budget is for our fiscal year 06, beginning July 1 of 05, including June 30 of 06. The budget has incorporated the number of dramatic changes that occurred approximately a year and a half ago when the State Legislature reduced the level of funding for local governments, and generally speaking, our general operations, as shown on the budget, are substantially unchanged. Our debt management position in the budget proposal has improved, and that is we have returned within our self- imposed limits with respect to our tax levy being less than 25% for the retirement of debt. There's a number of notable projects, I believe, in the upcoming budget, and I'll just simply move through a quick list. Folks have begun to see the work on Dodge Street from Governor to 1-80; the Dubuque and Foster Road intersection will be bid; we are waiting, and we hope the Mayor and everybody does well in Washington tomorrow. If that goes, the extension of Mormon Trek from, over to Riverside, and ultimately from Riverside, calling it McCallister Boulevard, over to, over the river to Gilbert Street. Grant Wood Gymnasium - the City is contributing close to $500,000 for an enlarged, a larger gym than originally planned in the school bond issue. That's a neighborhood in need of recreational opportunities and we believe we can contribute to that. The Grant Wood School will also be receiving funding for a family resource center, from our CDBG program. I would note that our CDBG program, at the time of the budget preparation, was full funding. With the announcement of the President's budget, there's likely to be some changes. What will occur, it's...we can't predict at this point. Other projects are some signalization improvements at Mormon Trek and Walden Square, installation of a signal; and Scott and Court will have a signal installed, as well as some other related traffic improvement to improve the flow through there, and an entry road from the upper level of Peninsula Park, down to Peninsula Park, which will open that for traffic and folks to begin using the park. That's about it. The budget's balanced in accordance with State law. Wilburn: Alrighty. With that said, would anyone like to address the Council about the budget, financial plan, and multi-year capital improvement plan? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #11 Page 9 Once again, sign in, state your name, and limit your comments to five minutes. Gustaveson: Craig Gustaveson. I'm representing the Downtown Association, and in particular the Friday Night Concert Series. I'm the new coordinator of the Friday Night Concert Series. Over the past fourteen or fifteen years, we've had a great partnership with the City of Iowa City on help funding our Friday Night Concert Series, and we want to thank you once again for your continued support of it. As many of you know, last year was just about our last year when we came up several thousand dollars short in funding our concert, and through some fast and furious efforts, we were able to keep the music playing. It's, I think it's become one of the most popular events we have in downtown. We see anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand people show up for these concerts. It really showcases our downtown, particularly this year with the new library and the new Moen Building being built. We feel like this is a real opportunity to bring people downtown and see what's going on. It's, as you're looking at the line item for the Friday Night Concert Series, I hope you look at this as not so much as an expenditure, but an investment in downtown, because it does showcase our downtown, and we really encourage you to continue supporting us on our Friday Night Concert Series, and we look forward to keeping the music playing for many years to come. Thank you. Wilburn: Thanks, Craig. Wyatt: My name's Mark Wyatt. I'm a Safety and Education advocate with the Bicyclists of Iowa City, and I'm also President of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. I'd like to applaud the Council for one item that's in your budget, unless I'm overlooking anything, and that's the missing link trail, which is going to connect thirteen miles of trail between Iowa City and the Coralville Reservoir. I think this is a really forward-looking opportunity to focus on both recreation and transportation. I know my route to work is going to be improved now that I can use that trail. The trails have certainly promoted an active community, and healthy community, with our impending obesity crisis. And in addition, it's going to reduce congestion, so we don't have to continue to build more parking and ramps and facilities like that, and larger roadways and such. So I'd like to thank the Council for looking into that trail and seeing it through. Thank you. Wilburn: Thank you. Vogel: Good evening. I am Kyle Vogel. I am with Keystone Property Management tonight. I am here on behalf of the Greater Iowa City Apartment Association. In your packets this evening is a letter from our This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #11 Page l0 President David Kacena. He is ill this evening and was unable to be here, so I got placed in his stead to represent our views on an issue that came to our attention at the end of December. At the end of December, we were informed by the Division of Rental Housing Inspection that they would be requesting an increase in rental inspection fees for the 2006, and requesting a new rental inspector. There is quite a bit of detail in the letters that I've provided that Dave has written and provided for you, but some of the highlights that we would like to mention, and would like to bring up, are the fact that in 2002 landlords and commercial rental property owners and condominium associations in Iowa City were hit with an incredible increase, doing anything from 40 to 100% increases in rental inspection fees for properties throughout the area. At that time, it was understood that certain cost saving, cost effective measures would also be taken to help reduce the costs, which seemed to have worked. Over the last two years the rental housing division has shown net profit of $5,000 and around $7,500 respectively the last two years. We do not feel that it is necessary, or that the current situation necessitates, either an increase in fees or an additional inspector. We do acknowledge that there might be a potential in the future for an inspector, but we don't believe the time is now. We ask the City Council and the Division of Housing Inspection Services to look at other options to decrease costs, either through recognizing condominium associations that are primarily owner-occupied and/or by recognizing landlords and property owners who have shown outstanding safety and health records for previous years, and maybe skipping them for a period of every other year, while maintaining, you know, the rental permit fee. There are options that haven't been looked at, and we at the association feel that that needs to be the next step, not immediately another 17% increase in rental fees, which is in one case is the recommendation that's been made by the Housing Inspection Division. I, looking...I just had a chance today to look through the 2006-2008 proposed financial plan, and I guess I am unclear because it does look like in that plan, the additional employee is not being proposed, but we do not know if the fine increase is still being proposed, and I guess we would like to obviously have an answer on that, but we are asking that the Council does, I guess we're asking that the Council relays to the Division of Housing Inspection Services that they need to do what's necessary to find alternate methods and that the first answer, whenever they feel that money needs to be raised, is not 'let's go back to the owners', 'let's go back to the condominium associations' in this town and continually raise ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five...once again, two years ago, some condominium associations ended up paying 100% more in rental inspection fees, and these are associations that are often 60 to 70% owner-occupied, meaning the Housing Inspection Services might not even be inspecting that 60 to 70% of units in that condominium association, yet still 100% increase. So, that's what we're asking from the City Council. We hope that you This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #11 Page 11 will communicate with us. The Council has done an outstanding job in the past with relaying their opinions on rental property and rental housing in Iowa City, and have also done an outstanding job in making sure our voice is heard in the past, and we hope that you continue that fine tradition. Thank you. Wilburn: Thank you for your comments. Anyone else like to address the Council about the budget? Klein: Good evening, Garry Klein at 628 2nd Avenue. The only thing I really want to comment about is the budgeting process as it applies to the public, and I want to compliment Regenia Bailey who did have a forum to explain the budget, at least as she understood it, to a group of people, and I guess one of the things that would be helpful, and again in creating transparency to the greater community, is this booklet, which is over 115 pages plus appendices. It seems like it's the kind of thing that for most of us to get a grasp on and so we know what we're paying for, to be able to have some maybe more public, other public hearings away from the Council chamber, where we could actually get a little more explanation about what goes into making the budget work, and again, I think I'm not here to pick on the budget because I'll be honest and say I don't think I have enough comprehension of what all is in it to do that. I will say that what I get from reading at least the executive summary of it is sort of some ideas of the things that are very important, but when I get back into the meat of the thing, I have to admit that probably like many people, my eyes glaze over and I feel a little inept to handle it. So I guess what I'm asking the Council to consider and perhaps for Steve to consider, is to perhaps have some other opportunities, before now, to kind of go over parts of it. So, again, an informed public is always a better public anyway, and I think that we can do a better job of being helpful to the Council as citizens if we ourselves have a greater understanding of what we're looking at. So that's what I came to say. Thanks. Wilburn: Thank you. Atkins: Can I comment on that? I think it's very important: About five or six years ago, and I will tell you, Garry, if you can round up a crowd, one of us will show up and we'll make a presentation to you. Klein: Great. Atkins: I must have attended half a dozen service clubs, neighborhood associations, and it fell flat on its face. I've never been invited back. (laughter) I very much agree with Garry, that I wish we did have greater This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #11 Page l2 interest because we're more than willing to make a presentation to any group that' s... Champion: Didn't you do a 101 Budget to a group one time? Atkins: Yes I did. I did a 101 Budget to a fairly good, the senior... Champion: And you taped that and showed it on... Atkins: We did all that, and they didn't invite me back. (laughter) Champion: Maybe it was so good. Bailey: What is it about that...? Atkins: I have no idea. We feel very strongly that, we'd be delighted to do that, Garry. Klein: Okay, well I can't... Atkins: And I would say that to any group that's listening in, and I mean that for all of our directors. We have some very good speakers who could present topics to service clubs and other associations. All you have to do is ask. Klein: Well I will bring it to the neighborhood council and see if there's some interest. Atkins: That's one of the groups I did speak to and they didn't call me back either. Vanderhoef: One of the things that I think would be helpful to the public, and I wish we had done it this year, after we were finished. We had such good discussions when we had Council discussion on the budget, that I wished we had taped and run our meetings, our work meetings, on the budget. I think a lot of people would learn a lot, and certainly open up the opportunity for them to ask questions of where they missed the jumps that we know, that you don't know, and that's okay. You know? Pick up the phone and call us. Bailey: And certainly now that we used photos and maps with capital improvement projects. That was a great presentation. We should absolutely tape that and provide that to the public. Elliott: Garry, I would, you mentioned inept, and inept is a feeling with which I have become very familiar in my lifetime, but I did, ! thought Regenia's idea of having a very informal, almost a roundtable neighborhood This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #11 Page 13 discussion, might be a good way of doing that, and I agree with Steve. Anything we can do to have greater public input is certainly beneficial. Wilburn: And speaking of public input, anyone else from the public care to address the Council? Correia: Good evening, my name is Amy Correia and I live at 11 S. 7th Avenue, and I want to thank you all for the opportunity for this public input. I'm going to be brief and I just have three comments. One, the first is I was pleased to see the City is going to hire a full time recycling coordinator out at the landfill. I think this is the right direction for the City to take, and as you're further developing the goals and objectives for that position, I'd like you to consider recycling out at the Youth Sports Parks. I spend some significant time out at the Napoleon Softball Park, and there's a good opportunity for at least recycling plastic bottles out there, and I'm sure that's the case at other youth sport parks. I think that would also reinforce some of the educational goals of the schools with youths in terms of being cognizant about the environment and recycling as well, so I think those are some good partnerships. Second, I have a question just, regarding the capital improvement program with the unfunded projects. I was just, it doesn't indicate in the document how priorities are made, or how an unfunded project makes it into a funded project, and I also wondered, some of the items, looks like there could be a possibility for grant funding in terms of some of the prairie lands that were part of the prairie, Peninsula project, some of the bicycle trails, so I wasn't sure if there is a City staff person, or different departments take that on, sort of watching some of the unfunded projects and where there might be some grant funding that could be made available to help with that. Atkins: Can I answer that for you, Amy, and the answer is yes. Correia: Okay. Atkins: The important thing about the unfunded projects, and it sounds kind of like a lost child component of the budget, but what we do is that as the staff, and members of the Council also during the course of the year will present to us ideas about projects, we put them on that list, quite frankly, and record them in the budget proposals to keep them alive, because that encourages the very behavior that you were suggesting. We prepared a project, for example, for Council to give them some ideas about a railroad overpass at First Avenue and Mall, which while it's not funded, we are working on sketches and the idea to bring it back to Council, but the Council has, all they have to do is round up four people who agree and it comes from unfunded to funded. That's generally how it works. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #11 Page 14 Correia: Okay, thank you. Vanderhoefi And occasionally it follows a funding stream. Also, how many big projects become little ones, and whether the grants are available, or whether we're still waiting, that we didn't get funded this year for our grant, but will reapply for the following year that we have a good chance in a later year. Correia: Thank you, and finally to, sort of feedback onto what Garry was saying, as I was reading through the budget, there's a lot of data in there. It's hard for the average person to dissect how that data relates to goals and objectives of the different departments, and so I wonder about the possibility of the citizen summary including brief summaries of strategic plans that may be already in place, for example, I know the fire department, the city staff...citizens can seek out the full documents but there would be a link to 'these are some of the brief goals and objectives of these departments; here's how you can get more information about them' but that would, I think, help out with some of that contacts for analyzing what the budget is saying. Thank you very much. Wilburn: Thank you. Keith? Ruff: Once again, I work for the Conner Center. We would like to thank the Council once more for funding our ADA celebration. We in the disability community have found that despite the signing of the bill, we must yearly remind people that people with disabilities are productive citizens of any community, and we want to thank Iowa City for recognizing that, and assisting us in putting it on every year. Thank you. Wilbum: Thank you for your comments and your efforts. Elliott: I'd like to add that I was working still when the ADA was starting to come to fruition and needed to be passed and was pending, and I attended many sessions where there were all sorts of fears that many problems would result, and it became implemented in both the private and public sector very well, and I think it's one of the better things that has come out of Washington D.C. in recent years. O'Hanlon: I'm Chris O'Hanlon. I'm the Executive Director of the Conner Center, and I just want to applaud all of you for your civic interest in this area. It is an area, an issue that's been going on for a long time. This is the 15th anniversary of the passage of the ADA, and Iowa City's support for this program is important and it's an influence on other communities. I know this year Cedar Rapids is starting to develop its own version of ADA, following off of some of what we've inspired them to do, and so I really This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #11 Page l5 want to applaud you and thank you for your continued supports. Thank you. Wilburn: Thank you. Champion: We're fortunate to have citizens like you who stay involved. Vanderhoef: Yes, we look at the crowds of people who stayed away tonight, but you showed up. Thanks. Wilburn: Any other comments on the budget? Champion: I think this is more comment than we've every had on the budget. Atkins: Before you close the hearing, if I could, just again to follow up on, there's nothing preventing us from making budget presentations to service clubs, and neighborhood associations now, at least explain to them, I mean, this hearing process is a formal requirement of, it's actually of the state, but we have a lot of projects and programs that are in the budget that neighborhoods might be interested in. Just got to round 'em up and we'll get you somebody. Wilburn: We're scheduled to vote on this March 1 st. Atkins: March 1st, right. Champion: I think it's important the public know we're only voting on the amount. Isn't that correct? Atkins: Yes. Champion: So, we can still change things in the budget; we can't raise it, we can lower it. Wilbum: Entertain a motion to accept correspondence? Vanderhoef: So moved. Wilbum: Moved by Vanderhoef. Bailey: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Bailey. All those in favor? And opposed? Approved. Now can I close the public heating? Thank you. The public hearing is closed. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #12 Page 16 ITEM 12 INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR TIlE ISSUANCE OF $5,335,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS Wilbum: Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. Vanderhoef: Move the resolution. Wilbum: Moved by Vanderhoef. Bailey: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by Bailey. Roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #13 Page 17 ITEM 13 INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE AUTHORIZATION AND ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $700,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS Wilburn: Public hearing is open. (TAPE ENDS) Public hearing is closed. O'Donnell: Move the resolution. Wilbum: Moved by O'Donnell. Elliott: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by Elliott. Discussion? Roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #14 Page l8 ITEM 14 INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE AUTHORIZATION AND ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $670,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS a) Public Hearing Wilbum: Public heating is open. Public hearing is closed. b) Consider a Resolution Bailey: Move the resolution. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey. Champion: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Champion. Discussion? Elliott: I would oppose this because I am opposed to the City increasing it's, the number of private residential housing it owns, but this has been in the planning stage for multiple years, long before I was on the Council, and I don't think it's appropriate for this Council to stand in the way of something that's been in planning for an extended period of time. Therefore, I will vote approval, but I do oppose the City having, owning more residential housing. I would like for the City to decrease the amount of residential housing that it has. Vanderhoefi I'll just point out that many on the Council feel we should get rid of a lot of public housing. This particular project is targeting a group of citizens that we do not really have housing for them, for the senior citizens and those with certain kinds of disabilities, so having a facility for them is something that was high on our City Plan, called City Steps, and this is the plan that we forward to the federal government that notifies them of our needs, and some of the dollars that are in this project are federal housing dollars. Wilburn: Any other comment? I'll just add, as Dee pointed out, it is targeted to provide for some housing that we don't have, and unless this figure has changed, I understand the philosophical disagreement, but the City owns .006% of the available rental units in town, so I guess just a little perspective, I think. I'd appreciate your vote on this, Bob. Roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #15 Page 19 ITEM 15 INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE AUTHORIZATION AND ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $510,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS a) Public Hearing Wilbum: Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. b) Consider a Resolution Bailey: Move the resolution. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey. O'Donnell: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Vanderhoef: I'll just note that only $50,000 of that total... Champion: 100... Vanderhoef: No... Champion: It's a two-year. Elliott: It's $50,000 each year. Vanderhoef: Oh, each year, but $50,000 a year, rather than the $200,000. Wilburn: Roll call. Champion: Dee, you didn't get to finish your sentence before I interrupted, so people don't know what you were talking about. Vanderhoef: Do I now? (laughter) Champion: But, the budget for public art... Vanderhoef: Public art budget, budgets $50,000 per year. When the original ordinance was written, it was $100,000 a year, and I think it was two years ago that that was dropped when our City General Fund really couldn't afford $100,000. So only the $50,000 per year comes out of that bond. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #15 Page 20 Wilbum: Okay, thank you. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #16 Page21 ITEM 16 INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE AUTHORIZATION AND ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $470,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS Wilbum: Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. Vanderhoefi Move the resolution. Wilbum: Moved by Vanderhoef. Bailey: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by Bailey. Discussion? Roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #17 Page 22 ITEM 17 INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR TItE AUTHORIZATION AND ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $220,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS Wilbum: Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. Champion: Move the resolution. Wilburn: Moved by Champion. Elliott: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by Elliott. Discussion? One step forward towards that fire station there, Bob. Elliott: You got it! Wilbum: All right. Elliott: Every step is important. Wilbum: Okay, roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #19 Page 23 ITEM 19 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE IOWA CITY CHARTER, CHAPTER 1 (DEFINITIONS) AND SECTIONS 2.03 (ELIGIBILITY), 2.05 (COMPENSATION), 2.11 (COUNCIL ACTION), 2.12 (PROHIBITIONS), 3.01 (NOMINATION), 3.02 (PRIMARY ELECTION), 4.03 (ABSENCE; DISABILITY OF CITY MANAGER), 4.04 (DUTIES OF CITY MANAGER), 5.02 (APPOINTMENT; REMOVAL), 5.03 (RULES), 6.02 (DISCLO- SURE OF CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES), 6.03 (DEFINITION), 6.04 (VIOLATIONS), 7.01 (GENERAL PROVI- SIONS), 7.02 (COMMENCEMENT OF PROCEEDINGS; AFFIDAVIT), 7.03 (PETITIONS; REVOCATION OF SIGNA- TURES), 7.04 (PROCEDI_IRE AFTER FILING), 7.05 (ACTION ON PETITIONS), 7.06 (RESULTS OF ELECTION), 8.01 (CHARTER AMENDMENTS), AND 8.02 (CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION) AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMIS- SION (SECOND CONSIDERATION) O'Donnell: Move second consideration. Wilburn: Moved by O'Donnell. Champion: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Champion. Discussion? Vanderhoef: It sounds like we did a lot of changing in there, and a lot of this is words missing without a great content change for our City Charter, and once again I'll thank the group, I see one in the audience tonight that served on that Charter Commission. It was a tedious and long task, besides my two staff people over here, I should say that too. Elliott: I second that. Wilbum: Roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #20 Page24 ITEM 20 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST TWO LISTING AGREEMENTS WITH HARRY R. WOLF OF NAI IOWA REALTY COMMERCIAL TO LIST FOR LEASING PURPOSES COMMERCIAL SPACE WITHIN THE COURT STREET TRANSPORTATION CENTER (DEFERRED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2005) Bailey: Move the resolution. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey. O'Donnell: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Is Harry still here? There he is, right there. Thanks for hanging in there with us, Harry. Roll call. Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #21 Page 25 ITEM 21 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT BY JOHNSON COUNTY FOR CONSTRUC- TION OF THE SOUTH GILBERT STREET IMPROVEMENTS NAPOLEON LANE TO CITY LIMITS PROJECT (DEFERRED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2005) Wilbum: Engineer's estimate was $4,009,660.63. The low bid was $4,307,230.01 by Cedar Valley Corp. I think we're being asked to defer. Champion: Move to defer. Wilbum: Moved by Champion. Bailey: Second. Wilbum: Seconded by Bailey. Discussion? Champion: Until March 1st. Maybe we should point out to the public that the County is probably going to reject this bid because it's their project. We don't want to reject it until after they have rejected it. Wilbum: Okay. Roll call or motion? All those in favor? Opposed? Carries 6/0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. //27 Page 26 ITEM 27 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION Elliott: Warn the deer I'm heading home! (laughter) Champion: Steve, were you going to get us...I think we asked for this, something about how the parking ramps are being paid for, and what stages their at? Did we ask for that? Atkins: Being paid for? Champion: I mean, how they're, how the payments are going. Vanderhoef: When one will be paid off, and ... Elliott: The income? Champion: No. Atkins: You want the financial status of a parking ramp? Champion: Yeah, because what I'm hoping is they get paid for it, and maybe we could take those two and make them look better somehow. Atkins: Those two? Champion: The two original ones, because they don't look nearly as nice as our other ones. Atkins: Oh (several talking at once). Champion: Is it a big deal to do that? Atkins: No, no, we keep those records routinely. Elliott: They're parking ramps, that's why they're (laughing). Champion: Doesn't mean they have to be ugly. Atkins: Parking financing, yes. Wilburn: Anything else, Connie? Mike? O'Donnell: Nothing. Wilbum: Dee? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005. #27 Page27 Vanderhoef: I don't have a thing tonight, thank you. Wilbum: Regenia? Bailey: Nothing. Wilbum: I'd just like to let the public know the 2005 Fred Mimms Golf Classic, Monday, June 13, 2005, at Finkbine Golf Course. Proceeds from the Fred Mimms Golf Classic will benefit youth programs of the African-American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa in Cedar Rapids. City Manager? Atkins: Nothing, sir. Wilbum: Attorney? Clerk? Okay, meeting is adjourned. Vanderhoefi So moved. Elliott: Second. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of February 15, 2005.