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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-03-04 TranscriptionMarch 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page I March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators 12:00 NOON COUNCIL PRESENT: Bailey, Elliott, O'Donnell, Vanderhoef, Wilburn (Mayor Pro Tem) COUNCIL ABSENT: Champion, Lehman STAFF: Atkins, Karr, Dilkes, Helling GUESTS: Joe Bolkcom, Vicki Lensing, Mary Mascher, Bob Dvorsky TAPES: 05-20, Sides A and B UPDATES Wilburn/ If folks don't mind eating and talking at the same time, maybe we can go ahead and (several talking at once). Maybe, just for the record, we could go around and say who we are, and I'll start. I'm Ross Wilburn from Iowa City Council. Elliott/ And I have a mouth full of pizza, and I'm Bob Elliott. Vanderhoef/ And I'm Dee Vanderhoef. Mascher/ Mary Mascher. O'Donnell/ Mike O'Donnell. Bailey/ Regenia Bailey. Dvorsky/ Bob Dvorsky (can't hear). Lensing/ Vicki Lensing. Bolkcom/ Joe Bolkcom. (several talking and laughing at once) Wilburn/ On behalf of the Council, just want to thank you all for coming and meeting again. I wasn't with you the last time; I left town, I believe, that day, and I think the Mayor is out of town, and Connie apparently is babysitting, and if she finishes her duties, she'll be with us. We've got the agenda, and just looking forward to hearing some updates from you on where we're at with these particular items that are laid out. So, maybe we could just go, I don't know how you want to handle this — one issue at a time or ... okay, so we'll start with the hotel tax. Hotel Tax: Bolkcom/ Well here's a copy of the bill, actually it's page one and page two. There's the, the explanation is page two and for some reason it didn't print. This has been filed with the Senate Ways and Means Committee as a committee bill, by myself and Senator Zieman, raising the franchise (can't hear) from seven to nine cents. The bill does not, it essentially just raises it; it doesn't make any changes. You This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 2 know, there's been some discussion about how the money is being spent. The bill does not address any issues associated with how the money is being spent. Elliott/ It's local option though, correct? Yeah. Bolkcom/ Correct. So basically it changes an existing law, and moves it from seven to nine. I know that I have received some correspondence from the Convention and Visitors Bureau that would like to see (can't hear) of that money to promote regional attractions. Vanderhoef/ And am I correct that, that this would require each city to vote to make the increase if it becomes allowed? Bolkcom/ Yes. Vanderhoef/ And at that time, if a city chose to designate all or part of that additional 2% they could do that? Bolkcom/ I think submitted... as you have authority to spend it now, which I assume you have flexibility to do that. Elliott/ My two questions are what looks like the prospects for us, and how do you folks feel about it, meaning how are you going to vote on it? Bolkcom/ I think the prospects of it are uncertain. Senator Zieman and I both agreed to file it. I'm not sure about his interest in it. We have a number of bills that we've agreed to bring forward to the committee. I'm not sure who this was assigned, what the subcommittee is. Sometimes ... I think it's been assigned; I'm almost certain it's been assigned. I should have brought that. I think in the Senate it might have been Senator Quirmbach, who's a former Ames City Council member. Frequently when they're assigned, if they're assigned to certain people, you know they're dead, or have some life. I'm interested in seeing us have a debate on this. I have no quarrel at this point with trying to move it ahead. Mascher/ Have you got, assigned a subcommittee? Bolkcom/ Yeah, I believe ... I don't have the subcommittee here, but we can, it's on the web, and if you look this bill up. I apologize for not bringing that. Mascher/ And I would support it. I don't know. We don't have a companion though, right, so we'll wait for you guys. Bolkcom/ And it's a Ways and Means bill so it's not subject to the first (can't hear) is next Friday. So I'll check in with Senator Zieman to see what his interests are. He pretty much will have to say `This makes sense to me' before (can't hear). This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 3 Dvorsky/ But it does require a referendum? Bolkcom/ It requires a local ordinance. Dvorsky/ Not a referendum (can't hear). Wilburn/ You said this is not subject to the first (can't hear)? Bolkcom/ That is correct. Vanderhoef/ So it isn't local referendum. It's only Council can do it? Bolkcom/ The City or County may impose by ordinance, of the City Council, or by resolution, somewhat a little easier, of the Board of Supervisors, the hotel and motel tax, at a rate not to exceed 9%. Vanderhoef/ That makes it easier. Dvorsky/ Easier here, not easier in Des Moines. (several talking at once) It would be easier in Des Moines if there was a referendum (can't hear). Bolkcom/ And if it were 60% it'd be easier than even that. Vanderhoef/ How do you see it, Bob? Dvorsky/ Well, Republicans have this no tax thing, so, you know, this essentially is allowing our cities to tax (can't hear). So, they probably wouldn't be interested doing it. I mean, it doesn't have anything to do with the Mayor's Award (can't hear). ...referendum, I don't know if they'd look at it then or not. Elliott/ Are they pretty adamant about no tax? Dvorsky/ Uh, yeah. Elliott/ Read my lips? Mascher/ Doesn't matter if it's tobacco or (several talking at once). Elliott/ Right. I was referring to that. Bolkcom/ I mean, this suffers from that general philosophy, frankly. Wilburn/ Any other questions by Council, or staff, or comments? Vanderhoef/ I'm tired of paying 19% when I go out of town, and having them come into town. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 4 Mascher/ Or higher if you go out of State. (laughter) Condominium Taxes and Property Tax Code: Bolkcom/ I don't believe there's anything happening on this issue. Wilburn/ House side? Mascher/ I'm not on Ways and Means, and I don't know that this is something that we've got, as part of the Governor's task force. Joe, has there been much discussion about it? Bolkcom/ It's been a conversation point. This really goes into the next question. I talked to Senator Quirmbach yesterday in anticipation of today's meeting, to kind of get updated on where we are. Senator Quirmbach, former member of the Ames City Council, teaches Economics; it's just a real, real strong person on the tax issue, and understands the property taxes. So he's our appointed person in our caucus on it. He's very good. He's very interested in continuing to press for a property tax bill to come out of the Governance Committee, and he thinks the prospects are `okay', not great, but okay for something on rollback, establish a floor on rollback. There was actually a bill filed this week in the Senate to establish a rollback, I think at its current rate, not moving it up but not letting it go any lower than ... what is it? 47 ... wherever we are now, and that had about a dozen sponsors in the Senate. So that's out there. There's a number, as you know, there are a number of other bills out there, and I suspect by the end of the month we will have some proposals to talk about. That's the deadline (can't hear). So they're spending probably four hours a week in Committee meetings, just talking about that property tax issue. Senator Quirmbach is aware of the condo issue, because they've had it to deal with in Ames, as well. So, he's interested in it. There's also a conversation going on about trying to figure out a way to do things differently with apartments - try and reduce some of the burden there. Because of the price tag on it, it seems probably pretty unlikely that there's going to be much change in terms of like saying all apartments are now residential. (can't hear) for a number of years phase them into a residential setting. Vanderhoef/ Is there any conversation about the League and ISAC proposal of taxing differently on first primary house and the second, because in my mind that gets at a bit of this condo activity, without ever calling it condo. Bolkcom/ The League continues to press their proposal. I was at a meeting this week with Dubuque legislators where the League presented, you know, they have their Power Point; and the League and the counties continue to press their proposal. I haven't attended the Committee meetings of the Governance, where the other legislators are. They've had a presentation. We're actually thinking about bringing that, the cities and the counties before the Ways and Means Committee This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 5 for the presentation. We're not sure that all the members of the Ways and Means Committee have seen the proposal. Ways and Means Committee is obviously where the bills are going to go through, but with Governor kind of stepping up and making this a big issue for him, kind of the focus of the hard core work has been moved over to this working group, where in an ordinary year we've had members on the Committee, although all the members of the Tax, or the Property Tax, I believe they're all Ways and Means Committee members; Zieman and Senator Quirmbach are the Senate members. Elliott/ Is this again pretty much along party lines, the... Bolkcom/ I don't, I don't really think it is. I think that everybody... there's widespread agreement that we ought to do something on property taxes. The other thing... so I don't see it really as a partisan issue. You know, there's those that say it's got to be revenue neutral and no single property tax payer bill can be affected, which is really hard to do, you know, unless it's going to go down, and we know that cities and counties need a certain, you know, revenue neutrality is like, is something we ought to be about, in terms of not loosing money, in my judgment. The other thing that has been talked about is, this is probably a more long-range problem, is that, is that if you're really going to do relief, you've got to put some more money on the table. The State has to put some more money on the table; these could be the mental health system or the schools that buy out, or the school costs, and we've got about a $350 million deficit in the current budget, which in other words maybe one-time money to cover about $350 million worth of costs in this upcoming budget. Until we get in the black, I don't see where we're going to have a $100, a couple hundred million dollars to give property tax relief, and fix the system. Mascher/ Well, and we're continuing to put forth proposals to cut more taxes. You need to know that the pension tax and the social security tax, all of those are ones that have come through the House Ways and Means Committee, and you know, Joe talks about deficit and that just kind of falls on deaf ears (can't hear), not even caring about that, but continuing to cut our ability to fund priorities. Elliott/ Has this been divided between rural and urban property taxes, or is it all thrown together? In other words, is it the city against the Farm Bureau? Is ... how ... (several talking at once). Lensing/ I think on property taxes, but I think the tax mentality is more of a party, yeah. Vanderhoef/ So the property tax proposal betwixt the Iowa League of Cities and ISAC really covers a collaboration of all the thinking, and they were able to put this together as a package, which makes it very enticing to look at it, that maybe you don't get everything you would want and they don't get everything they would want, and I think that's where there's some hope out there, at least, that there will be. Certainly pushing for the 50% rollback, I would hope that you folks would This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 6 consider — you say to keep it where it presently is, but I would hope you would push back up to the 50% if you can make that happen. Lensing/ Wasn't there some talk, though, that Farm Bureau and AVI might come out with a property tax proposal? But you haven't seen anything yet? Bolkcom/ I saw, this has been six weeks ago, I was, I didn't even get to keep the piece of paper. It was a piece of paper with nobody's name on it, either of the groups, and it was just one side, and it had a study in year one, that would be this coming year, where we would study what local services are paid for by property taxes, and have a state-wide discussion about it. O'Donnell/ That's their big thing. Bolkcom/ And then in year two we'd have a specific proposal. Dvorsky/ What's property tax should pay for? Bolkcom/ And we all know that it's different in every state, what people are willing to spend money on. In year two they would maybe have some specific ideas. So, they really didn't, they kind of threw that out. That hasn't really surfaced. Vanderhoef/ So they haven't truly filed any other bills, and the League's bill has been filed. Bolkcom/ Correct. Vanderhoef/ So... Bolkcom/ They didn't really take any, they didn't spend any political capital, and I mean, the League and the cities really deserve a lot of credit for putting this set of ideas on the table. Some very specific ideas, you know; they have stepped up and these other folks, they're just ... it's blah, blah, you know, it's... there's not any details to it. Vanderhoef/ Then I think we heard at the city levels that the Governor and the Legislators were wanting a proposal to react to, whether than us reacting to these few things that they're throwing out as ideas now from other groups. So... Wilburn/ Well given the discussions are so fluid related to tax reform or relief, I guess I echo Dee that anything you can do to keep, since we passed our budget, to keep the rollback from dropping again, I mean, that really, what we went through the last time that happened after our budget was just, I mean, the Council dug in, we dug in and made the adjustments we needed to, but not a happy time. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 7 Dvorsky/ Could I just throw in a couple two cents here. This is somewhat anecdotal, but I think it goes to all these points. Yesterday afternoon the Board of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation asked Senator Angelo and I to attend their board meeting. He's the co-chair of a corporation and is in the Senate. So we were there, and if you've ever been at the Farm Bureau boardroom, you know who has a lot of power in Iowa. I mean, it's like a Fortune 500 boardroom; this huge table where you can probably get 30 chairs around it, built-in microphones and the whole thing, you know. If you go out to the complex in West Des Moines, it's amazing, but I don't think any property tax things are going to move, unless the Farm Bureau either blesses them or isn't at least in opposition to them. Having said that, now that we're 25/25 in the Iowa Senate, we really do need to work with the Republicans. Senator Bolkcom and I are really trying to work; we both have co-chairs that are Republicans of Corporation Ways and Means, and you really kind of try and figure out where they're coming from and what they want, and how you can kind of accommodate that, if you can. I think the League of Cities needs to start working with the Farm Bureau, and the Farm Bureau is really moving, some would say, too slowly, but they are moving. They understand the changing demographics of Iowa, and they're moving towards sort of, more of an urban thing. They're talking about clean water; they brought up clean water, they wanted to know why there was no money in the budget for clean water. That was one of their questions yesterday. Mascher/ Because they keep proposing tax cuts. Dvorsky/ No, they proposed $5 million for clean water last year, and the Governor didn't, according to them anyway. I'm just saying what they brought up. They talked about higher education, how we need to (can't hear) Mascher/ Did you ask them if property tax should pay for clean water? Dvorsky/ Property tax ... their thing on property tax was, and you talked about that earlier, the thing on property tax was they want to know, the first thing they want to know, is what does property tax pay for. That was their biggest angle. They need to have that worked out before they move forward, and they seem to be really hard on that sort of thing. So I think you need to know where they're coming from, and how you deal with that, and the League of Cities needs to sort of do more of that and talk to them, because you know their power is ebbing low, but they're still pretty powerful, but they know it's ebbing a little bit more, and there's a gentleman who's probably the number two or three person in the Farm Bureau right now. He used to be their lobbyist several years ago, when I knew him from there, and he's ... no, no, Denny Preznal. You know Sharon, it's his, it's her brother-in-law. And he used to lobby for the Farm Bureau several years ago. He used to be a teacher, by the way, Mary. So, anyway, he understands it. He gets, he's on the School Board in Ankeny, by the way. He gets it. So he's the current head of (can't hear), who's another former lobbyist years ago. But when Denny takes over, I think you're going to see some changes. He probably brought This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 8 in David Lyons; I don't know that, some changes in the Farm Bureau, and I thanked them at the meeting. They did bring up the idea of a TIF thing a couple years ago, and the whole idea of vital values was really, it came from David Lyons and the Farm Bureau, so I don't think you want to discount them, and I think you want to kind of work with them a little bit more to do some things, but you know, they are kind of moving in the direction and the current president is a farmer from Brooklyn, and I've seen him, Craig Lang, and I'd see him because he's from Brooklyn. He used to come to meetings here in Johnson County. So, and he's the one who talked about we need funding for higher education because he was talking about his kids going to UNI, and the last several years their tuition has doubled. So, I think that's something, at least we're learning from being 25/25, and some of the other side things, and their ideas, and you need to start, and we need to start, working with these groups. Elliott/ Bob, that was the reason for my first question. Is it not reasonable to think about discussing these separately, urban property taxes separate from rural, or agricultural land property taxes? It seems to me ... the Farm Bureau is out there, and they would be tremendously difficult to sway. Dvorsky/ Yeah, but they're connected. I mean, the residential is tied into the ... and they did... Elliott/ That's not a reasonable... Dvorsky/ So you have to deal with it ... (several talking at once). Vanderhoef/ The League proposal does that decoupling, so that's a very good first step in recognizing the needs of both governmental bodies, and providing for them, but not hampering one or the other because of the coupling. Dvorsky/ Most people (can't understand) recognize the needs of city government. I mean, they have no idea what cities are and how they operate either. Their City Council members don't talk to them, or the Farm Bureau's always there and always working, you know. Vanderhoef/ Interesting. Dvorsky/ I mean, it really is. Anywhere across the state. I mean, unless you live in Des Moines or a few other assorted cities, you don't hear from your city councils. We're fortunate in our area that I hear from probably all of them in my area, and I have thirteen cities. So, and my district is more typical than other ones, you know, because there are thirteen cities; and I hear from Mt. Vernon, Lisbon, Solon, Shueyville, Oxford, Coralville — that kind of thing, so ... but no, that's more of a (laughter). Bertram, there's another one. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 9 Vanderhoef/ Well, I think it does point out, Bob, that you get out and see them until they know you and are willing to talk to you. Dvorsky/ Well, and they see me a little bit too, but for whatever reason, there just isn't, you just don't hear much rural districts, or they choose not to hear them, so councils need to sort of step up and talk about that. Elliott/ But the Farm Bureau is a huge force, remaining. Dvorsky/ Right, and they still are and they still will be for a while. Vanderhoef/ Along that vein, just out of curiosity because I think it's something our Council has sort of skirted around the edge of, is it more effective for us to just send you a letter and say `these are the things that we support', or is it better to send it in the form of a resolution so that you can actually hand it to someone else at the Legislature, if you agree with the proposal, and say `hey, take a look at this'? What's most effective for us to use with you folks, and the State Legislature? Bolkcom/ I like email. Beyond that, you know, people are so busy, if I hand them something that you guys sent, I'm going (can't hear). Well, it doesn't matter what city (can't hear). It's not personal; it's just overload. Vanderhoef/ Yeah, okay. Lensing/ I guess the other thing, last year when I was on the local government committee, as we were getting bills, trying to figure out how it impacted the city, and I would bug Steve a lot, saying, I would email him and say `okay tell me how this plays out' so I guess if you're tracking certain legislation and you know you have something to share, think we need to know, then I would encourage you to email us, because often if it's a committee we're not on, and then it comes up on the floor, and we haven't heard from anyone, we don't necessarily know how that impacts our community, or our county, or how it plays out. So, you know, we try and be aware of things that are going on, but it's hard sometimes. So if there's certain things that you're really keeping an eye on, you know, and know that there's a huge impact that we should be looking at, you know, I would say please email us. Vanderhoef/ Okay, so if we collectively say `hey, we need to send stats on this' and ask staff to send one email, and co-sign it Council, that will do it for you? And skip the letter routine? I mean, we have to publish it, however we do it, within our Council packet, so if it goes out... Bolkcom/ ...as an attachment (can't hear). Vanderhoef/ Okay, great. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 10 Wilburn/ Well, it might also be interesting to, because of I suppose information overflow, us to re -think and consider any relationships that we have, whether it's working through the League of Cities or talking to any, I mean, talking to cities where, it was interesting to hear you say they don't hear from their city councils. If we know folks, or if as you go to a different league, if we can, league events, if we can target council members in some of those other cities (can't hear), your legislator, you know, and just try to ... maybe that can be, trying to take advantage of relationships rather than sending more paper. Lensing/ In the House, we have some members who are former council persons and former mayors, and I would, I guess, if you have relationships with them or city councilors, you know, who know them, you might encourage them to work on those folks. They don't always (can't hear). Mascher/ And I would venture to guess that there are more supervisors than city council members. Wilburn/ Okay. Mascher/ Which has a big influence in terms of (can't hear). That's why, coming back to what Bob said, the coalitions are so important. If the Farm Bureau and the League of Cities came in with a proposal, I think it would go. If you had that kind of mass of support, because that translates into a lot of support back home then in terms of what would actually be able to be accomplished, but often times they hit loggerheads and then nothing happens, and so we don't move forward with anything. The Farm Bureau, they're very powerful. Lensing/ Well they would hit most of the legislators too, one or the other. Elliott/ Dee, how closely does the League work with Farm Bureau? Vanderhoef/ They have had some sit-down meetings with Farm Bureau while they were putting this together, when they were real close to finishing it up, and they've been working with several groups at the State level to present the program and answer questions, and so forth, and try to bring them along, and encourage them to support this, versus going out and creating an all new tax proposal that just muddies the waters even more. Mascher/ As Bob always says, if the road lobby was in support of it, everything would go. (laughter and several talking at once) Elliott/ Are there any times when you're sitting there and thinking you'd like to hear from Iowa City about anything? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 11 Wilburn/ Can we save that question for a little later, and move on to ... but I don't want to ... write that down and we'll remember that. Dvorsky/ The five new Democratic senators elected, we had three of those were former mayors, and the other two were firefighters, and then of the two Republicans that got elected, one was a mayor, Fred (can't hear) from Urbandale, and the other one was a school teacher for years. So, we're starting to get some more people that have some city backgrounds. Vanderhoef/ Well, I know the Chamber Alliance, just as a sidebar, Chamber Alliance is doing some work right now and will be coming back with some, hopefully, more statistics to look and see whether they can support existing bills or whether they're going to bring forth something of their own. Penalties for Alcohol Violations: Bolkcom/ This is a bill that was filed in judiciary just this week, Senate File 241. It takes the language that we received at our last meeting, and deals with the scheduled violation issue of PAULA, and also makes a modest, some would suggest modest, substantial increase in the fine. I don't recall if this number is the number you have or not. I think it may be going from $100 to $250, is that, is that what you proposed? I apologize for not... Elliott/ I got a call from the DI yesterday that said the Senate is debating something that would move it to $250. Bolkcom/ Yes, no it says right here, $250. I couldn't remember if yours was more, and maybe second offense was at $500? Okay, this only goes to $350. But it does make the scheduled violation change that would change the issue of the court appearance. You could make a plea without a court appearance. Senator Kreiman, the co-chair of the judiciary, is interested in the bill. He's ... he understands the scheduled violation issue. He's in agreement on that. He had some concerns about raising the (can't hear). So, should he (can't hear) to bring this forward, he may... Senator Keith Kreiman from Bloomfield. Dvorsky/ (can't hear) I don't remember the number. I mean, they wanted to raise theirs too. Bolkcom/ Is there a House piece, that there might be a House bill? Lensing/ I'm trying to remember. A couple weeks ago in judiciary we did a bill, and it wasn't the fines, but it was doing away with, for the first offense, no court appearance. You just pay the fine, but it was, I don't think we changed the amount of the fine. I meant to look that up before I left yesterday, and I forgot. We have not debated it on the floor yet, but it went through judiciary. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 12 Dvorsky/ What's the aim of the City Council? You want the fines increased, or do you just want... Elliott/ We want a penalty to be more meaningful. Lensing/ Well, the purpose of our bill in the House was to unclog the courts. Pay the fine and you don't have to go to court, and I don't think it did any more than that. Dvorsky/ Yeah, that's my question though. Do you want, which do you want? If Keith doesn't... if Keith's the chair and he doesn't like the fines going out, then maybe it doesn't raise the fines that much but we get the rest of the bill. That's what I'm trying to actually figure out something that'll work. Elliott/ Our thought is, in today's society finding a young person who's going to school and lives in an apartment and has cell phones and all that, a $100 is not that meaningful. Dvorsky/ But if you get into a scheduled fine first, and then you can raise the amount later. I mean, to me that would be the first thing you'd want to do is put it as a scheduled fine because that's, you know, makes a lot more sense, and then if it is ... we're talking about raising fines across the board actually, as a way to possibly fund the court system, or increase. the four days that they're not open right now, and we're talking about maybe doing raising fines and using that money to keep the courts open. Vanderhoef/ Which is not any different than what we're doing on inspection fees and everything else, is trying to pay for the service that we're providing. Mascher/ Unfortunately, the judges are adamantly opposed to using fee increases to fund the court system. I understand that, Bob, but they think there are inherit things wrong with that system, in terms ... then there's the motivation to fine people more and they also gave the example of one of the reasons we take so many driver's licenses away is because people can't pay the fine. It's not because... Dvorsky/ No, there's sixty-nine ways to lose your license and so we already went through all that. I mean, it's a real tough thing dealing with that. That's another one that we haven't been able to deal with. Mascher/ Well, and because we were doing that in addition to raising the speed limit on (can't hear) is what it was amounting to. We'll do 70 m.p.h. speed limit and then with that, we'll increase the fines, double the fines, but we, and then it'll be able to pay for patrol cars and upgrading the equipment that the Iowa Patrol has too because that was part of the problem they were having, is they can't keep current. Dvorsky/ The Senate views that as two separate issues. That's a different thing. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 13 Lensing/ Well I had heard they want to use some of that money for the courts, yesterday though. Is that somebody's amendment that's out there? Mascher/ I thought it was in the bill that passed, was it through Ways and Means, or which one are they doing? Or the one that passed through, it would have been transportation because that's where they were doing the speed limit. Lensing/ I don't think we want to tie court funding to speed limits. Dvorsky/ I also have, if we could do some increase in fines, the other area I'd like to put some money into is domestic violence because we really don't fund them very well, and it's a real convoluted system now, so that would make sense to me, but we'll see. Elliott/ I think you mentioned, do you prefer going for the graduated rates, or going for immediate .... I think you know what our ultimate goal is, and the best way to get there is ... you folks know that much, much better than we do. Dvorsky/ We do raising (can't hear; laughter). Vanderhoef/ Vicki, did you also have a look at the new (can't hear) registration, that's being talked about? Lensing/ We haven't done that yet. I think it may be on the docket next week. We have a really full schedule next week. So, I think it's one ... I'm not on that sub, and to be honest, we've been so busy with subs in that committee, that I haven't kept track of anyone else's but mine, and all I can think about right now, I know we have an interior designer bill coming up, and that's about all I can think of. (laughter) So let me look and see who's on that and where that is, if that, you know ... the subs have been really busy meeting in State government, and... Wilburn/ We don't necessarily (several talking at once). Lensing/ The lobbying groups have been up for that a lot, I know. So I know it's active and... Vanderhoef/ Well, it certainly was something that was discussed with Council three or four years ago, when we first started looking at possibilities in the city, and at the local level where we have many outlets just outside of the city limits, that sort of cooled us on the idea, but in general. Mascher/ I was very supportive of it last time, Dee, and it did make it. I was on the subcommittee and we met with the retailers and the wholesalers and all of the beer industry and all of the people who had a stake in it, and it really came from small communities where they were having enormous problems, problems with keggers in local farm fields, without anybody's permission or knowledge, and This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 14 being able to trace them, to try to determine who was buying the kegs for these underage drinkers, and often times it was parents, and with that we also had a piece that would have been an education piece, where they would have been informed about when you bought a keg, you were informed of all of the penalties and fines, in terms of providing that for underage drinkers, and again hoping that would be some kind of a deterrent, but I'm convinced that that's a good thing and I think it's something we should be doing. Missouri has had fewer problems as a state. It doesn't address everything. Of course we can't go into the stores and say `well, then limit the number of six packs you can buy' or any of that nature, but it did solve a problem for them in many of the rural areas where they were having a lot of uncontrolled minors drinking, and parents buying it for them and not being held accountable, in terms of what they're involvement in that, and what would happen last time was it made it through committee, subcommittee and committee, and it got on to the calendar for debate and was never brought up, and so my understanding was that the wholesalers and retailers got to leadership and convinced them that that wasn't something they wanted to be involved in, and it died right there. We couldn't get it (several talking at once). Wilburn/ I think what we could offer is if you see that this is going to gain momentum, and you would like an opinion from us, we can see if we have interest in giving consensus and making a decision and sending a note or let you know. Elliott/ That was my thought earlier that please do not ever hesitate dropping us an email to Steve or to Ernie to let us know if you'd like to hear from us about anything. I like the idea that we are meeting and exchanging views and discussing and getting, hopefully, on the same page on a number of things. Mascher/ Ross, if you don't reach consensus, just hearing the two conflicting viewpoints would be fine too, because that too we can use in our decision-making. Wilburn/ Okay, we can probably guarantee that. No Smoking: Mascher/ Against it. We have the bill filed, for the local ordinance issue, and that has been assigned to judiciary,.as well, or is that? Lensing/ This is Ro's bill, so probably it would come through .... no, no, Paulson is chair of judiciary, so I was thinking that's where it's going, but maybe... Wilburn/ Is that one of those abyss things that never surfaces any more or...? Mascher/ Well, it could be state government too, or local government. I don't know where they assigned it. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 15 Lensing/ If it's in state government, or see, Craig is chair of judiciary so if it went there. Either one of those. I guess I don't know where it was assigned. Roe talked about it last week at the forum. Do you remember where he said it was? Bolkcom/ It was assigned to local government in the Senate. They had a subcommittee yesterday on the bill and it failed to get a subcommittee. Lensing/ It was in local government last year and didn't get anywhere. Dvorsky/ The question was two to two, that fails? (several talking at once) Bolkcom/ Secretary of the Senate told me two to two (can't hear; several talking at once) A lot of things are being... Lensing/ Last year was in local government, and Senator Hahn was then Representative Hahn and he wouldn't advance it, and he was pretty clear on not being for it. Elliott/ Here we do not have unanimity, and I'm not sure we have a consensus on what we would do if we had it. Bailey/ But we did agree that we would be interested in having the option of having that discussion. That's where we are. Wilburn/ And we have a history of (several talking at once). Bailey/ We want power is what I think we decided. Vanderhoef/ And then what we do with the power is our own debate. O'Donnell/ (can't hear) be like a little oasis, you know, I think at the very minimum that should be at the county level. I don't really think Iowa City can regulate differently than Coralville, or something like that. That has to be... Elliott/ I feel strongly about that. Bolkcom/ Well there are bills to do it at the state level here, and they're numbered... on any of these lists, there's a number of states right now. I think New Mexico yesterday passed a state-wide ban, either passed it (can't hear) houses, so I think ... and there's several other states that have done it in just the last couple months, so I think ... and Senator McCoy has a bill, we're getting there. It's just taking us longer. Dvorsky/ The question is, politically, all these groups that want to pass the tobacco excise tax increase, should they put all their efforts, should they do this or some other things, so.... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 16 Mascher/ They're putting their efforts into the tobacco... Dvorsky/ Yes, all their efforts are going to be tobacco tax, and then there's the view if you get tobacco (can't hear). May not be rationale but that's.... Mascher/ They said yesterday Kentucky voted to increase their tobacco tax. Dvorsky/ Well, Minnesota... oh, I know. (several talking at once) Lensing/ Now we did test the hookah bar license. (several talking at once) We never heard from anybody about it here. (several talking at once) It's the bar that just opened up downtown. Wilburn/ Yeah, it's across from Trinity Episcopal Church. Vanderhoef/ How was it? Wilburn/ I haven't been ... (laughter; several talking at once) It's because I'm out there with the people, Dee. Lensing/ It looks like straws coming out, and they do (several talking at once) but the idea is since it is a tobacco product, it should be licensed just like anyplace else. My question... and not frequenting these places I don't know, but you know, is there a health issue? Do they change the tips? And how do they do all that to keep it, you know. Vanderhoef/ I wondered the same thing. Wilburn/ I think the newspaper article suggested that they did, and then there was some debate as to the cleanliness and health affects, and so... Lensing/ The next thing will be having public health inspect these places, and I don't know... Wilburn/ I think I remember Ralph down at Public Health talking about an interest in that. NEW LEGISLATION Bolkcom/ (can't hear) first funnel... hardly any legislation (can't hear) Mascher/ And some if, in the House, I mean, is just bad, and so we know that the intent again is to get people on political votes and, it just is a waste of our time. It's just very sad that. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 17 Lensing/ Well we've kind of cleaned the calendar though. I don't think there'll be much debate next week because they'll put the emphasis on getting stuff out of committees, right. Mascher/ So we do have a meeting on Monday morning, 8:00 in the morning, on early childhood and early childhood proposals, in terms of the Governor's proposal, and then the Republicans and the House also have a proposal in terms of increasing funding to empowerment and helping with providing additional support for people to get licensure and making sure that we've got parenting programs like our HOPES program, that does into homes and checks on babies early on in their life, and supporting families, moms and dads both. Wilburn/ Right, I serve on the Empowerment Board here, so that's good to hear. Mascher/ 8:00 Monday morning — we tried to get the time changed because we didn't think that was real convenient for a lot of childcare providers. Lensing/ It's a half hour later than the last hearing. Mascher/ That's true; that's a good point. Lensing/ The things we did in the House this week, the big ones, were meth and mental health parity. We got those through, and I think the other... Mascher/ We didn't get the meth bill; just through committee. Lensing/ Or, yeah, there was a lot of focus on that, and the House debated mental health parity and what else did we have ... the transportation budget, we got through. Otherwise, it was little stuff. Wilburn/ Steve, did you have an item? Atkins/ I've got about just a half dozen real quick things for you. IPERS, we did not budget for an increase. Is it going to be approved, do you believe? Lensing/ It's in state government; there's a committee working on it. That's one that will come out next week, and there is an increase. I can't tell you what it is; they've been working on it, but... Atkins/ I had a 4% over four years. (several talking at once) Okay, it's just that we did not budget in our projection years for, but it appears it's going to change. Lensing/ I thought ... I don't think that's firm. That was part of the discussion, and I, we haven't, the subcommittee's been working on it, so I know we'll see it in committee next week. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page IS Atkins/ Anything on road use tax? Any changes in the formula anticipated, being kicked around? I hadn't noticed much. Dvorsky/ Do we know about the interior formula between counties, and there was talk of changing that around, and I know Jim Hauser from Linn County served on that committee? Atkins/ No, that's the first I've heard that. There was a House File 96 that redistributed. That was favorable to cities. Dvorsky/ That's the way to do it, because Linn and Johnson County loose out on the current, and northwestern Iowa there's a road every... (TAPE ENDS) There's some group (several talking at once). Vanderhoef/ And sometimes that's one of the points with Farm Bureau, at least in my mind, gets in there and really pushes the whole idea of the farm to market road, and that every... Dvorsky/ I think every road in northwestern Iowa is paved now, so, you know, that's probably the point. Vanderhoef/ Well, you asked me about the blue line roads in northwest Iowa, and I can probably tell you most of them. That's the way you get around up there. Atkins/ There is apparently some legislation kicking around to have the State license electrical contractors. This is one where the State would take over licensing, and local jurisdictions would end up doing the enforcement. That would mean about $30,000 a year less to us in revenues. Lensing/ I think it is in state government. I mean, I... Atkins/ Plumbing is the same way. I mean, it's financially a big hit, and it's clearly the State taking over something and we end up having to enforce it. Kind of keep an eye on that one. Lensing/ Who's pushing it? Atkins/ I don't have that in my notes; I'm sorry. I suspect it's ... one of the things, it's out of state contractors who want to come in and do business, have to come down and get licenses from us for their trades. They'd like to have one State license they can move anywhere they want, but then we have the obligation of inspecting, enforcing, and there's no money in it for us. Lensing/ Let me check on that one. Atkins/ Would you please? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 19 Vanderhoef/ Would they be trying to say then what the standards are for all... Atkins/ The electrical code itself, I've got to believe, would be the next step. It's just ... if ain't broken ... if you want outside contractors to come into the state and do work, there's got to be some other system we can work out to get those folks licensed. We would, okay ... there's also a bill, House Study Bill 185, having the State substantially take over new renovated playgrounds and public property have to be inspected by the State Health Department. Vanderhoef/ They've got lots of money to inspect? Atkins/ Well, we have on our staff, four of our staffers are called, we get them certified playground safety inspectors, and we do every year, we inspect ours, simply because of the liability question alone. Apparently a couple years ago they tried to do something with swimming pools and it got all messed up. If you'd just keep an eye on that one for us. Okay? Lensing/ Now we did have a bill on ATV parks. Atkins/ I didn't hear about that. Lensing/ In cities ... we did this on counties last year. It was to remove the liability for faulty construction. I know cities don't want to be liable, but it's like if you're going to build it... Atkins/ Oh yeah, we understand that. Lensing/ So, and it's... it didn't seem to be a problem here, and the part of the code they were putting it in, was that whole laundry list of skate parks, scooters, and it seems to me if we're going to do anything with ATV's, it should go with, in the code section where it is, with snowmobiles, because they're motorized and it's different, and I didn't think you all were thinking of doing one, but just so you know. I didn't support this. Wilburn/ We get a dog park first. Atkins/ Those ATV vehicles are huge problems because of noise complaints because you're always ... in the city you're close to the subdivision, somewhere. Lensing/ And you need so much land in this... Atkins/ You would. I don't see that it's in our interest. That's all I had for you. Thank you. (several talking at once) Lensing/ Steve, I'll look for these and let you know what I find. This represents only'a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 20 Mascher/ Have you had trouble with your skateboard park at all? Atkins/ No, no, in fact it's been one of our better investments. Mascher/ I see people there all the time. (several talking at once) Atkins/ Yeah, I have to admit that I wasn't wild about it. It's been well managed, people, I mean, very few police complaints; the kids are well behaved. Oh yeah, and the complaints, that's even more so, we just don't have the downtown complainers like we used to. Lensing/ And in terms of wear and tear, problems? (several talking at once) Wilburn/ The only problem was with some of the bicyclists, because it's not really a bicycle, it's a little harder on it. Atkins/ We inspect it, and we would look for chips in the concrete, which are at risk for somebody taking a tumble, but I'm sure Terry inspects it on a regular basis and would patch it immediately. So, no, we're quite satisfied. It appears to have gone down because of the activity in downtown, kids with skateboards. I have not had the number of complaints that I normally get on street furniture, because we did put little nuts, those little bolts that mess up somebody's ability to do it. It's, kids don't like it but they also can't get the thing off, so ... so it works. Wilburn/ Eleanor? Dilkes/ I just wanted to bring one ... it's a bill that came out of the House state government committee. It's House File 372, formerly House study bill 59. It creates a new definition of meeting for purposes of the Open Meetings Act. There's been a lot of discussion by city attorneys about this. It's, I think it's a very problematic definition. It talks about a series of meetings. I'll read it...it says, "A meeting includes a series of gatherings of members who constitute less than the majority of the members at each gathering, but who collectively constitute a majority of the members, where the series of gatherings includes deliberation or action upon any matter within the scope of the governmental bodies decision making powers." Lensing/ That was re-referred back to subcommittee because no one said anything until after we passed it through, and then I think we heard a lot, so my understanding is it's going back to subcommittee, so we should see it again next week. Dilkes/ Okay. Lensing/ And I think it's, it wasn't ... there was no context for it, I mean, we didn't hear a lot when we passed it through, and then kind of after the fact, I think it goes back This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 21 to Polk County when they were trying to get the, remember, there were like three councilors that went to Pennsylvania to make a deal and, it had to do... Dilkes/ It had some, some concern people had about the Open Meetings Act. Lensing/ That's where it started, but nobody realized how problematic it was. We started getting email, so my understanding is it's going back to subcommittee. Dilkes/ Okay, because ... I think the conclusion of the city attorneys I talked to was that as written, you basically would advise your councilors not to talk to each other, except at a noticed meeting. Lensing/ Would you send me an email with your comments on it. Dvorsky/ Is Dave McQuire still (can't hear) city attorney in Cedar Rapids? Dilkes/ Jim Flitz is city attorney in Cedar Rapids. Vanderhoef/ Sounds like... Elliott/ As Eleanor read that, it sounded as though a series of meetings where collectively they would represent the majority. Are you talking about if three people meet three times, that's nine people, even if it's the same people? Dilkes/ No, it means if Regenia talks to you about a subject; you talk to Dee about a subject; Dee ... and then because of the subsequent discussions, your initial conversation with Regenia is a meeting. It's very problematic. Mascher/ I think this is coming from the newspaper association. (can't hear) But I was going to tell you that Michael Beck contacted me and told me to support it, so I think you ought to have a discussion with the board out at the Press -Citizen and explain the problems of that. (several talking at once) I don't know if he was just jumping on board because the newspaper association told their editors and publishers to do that, or if he really believes it's the right thing to do, but I want you to know there is some push for it in that organization, and (can't hear). Lensing/ There's another one that I'm on, on open records, and I want to say it's House study bill 136, and it dealt with a county issue down in southwest Iowa where they weren't holding, or posting, open meetings, but they're close and I get the two confused, so you might want to look that one up and tell me what you think on that one too. Dilkes/ Okay, okay. Dvorsky/ The thing with the newspaper association, they have actually good lobbyists who actually follow through on those things. That's not always the case. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 22 Vanderhoef/ In talking to friends who are in California.and Arizona and Texas, who have these sunshine laws, basically that you can't do anything, their council meetings become the total discussion of everything, that nothing else can happen prior to that because you cannot talk to more than, less than the majority, and the council meetings may last six and seven hours, weekly, in these big cities to get through the discussions. Bolkcom/ Sleep over. Vanderhoef/ Yeah, and they don't take breaks. it's ... if you're at the council table, you wait until there's a subject that you don't have an interest in, and you race out and race back because the mayor's going to continue on with the discussion. Elliott/ I was going to say, six or seven hour meetings aren't new are they, Mike? Bolkcom/ I need to excuse myself as I have a meeting at 1:30, but thank you very much for having us. Vanderhoef/ Thank you for coming. This has been helpful. Mascher/ Just a couple things on my list. The Lodge — we had enormous concerns and questions about that whole project when it was being built. We got involved with OSHA inspectors and having them go to the job site because it was an unsafe situation for the workers. They had many, many illegals working that job. Do our inspectors, our city inspectors, get involved in that at all? They even believed that the building was built improperly, and that, I don't... Dilkes/ Mary, who is we? Who? Mascher/ We have been working with labor groups, and people who also have people who live out there, okay? (several talking at once) I'm talking about from a local standpoint, and the comment was `you watch; that place is not going to be able to be filled because it's so shabbily built and poorly constructed that you're going to see that turn into a city housing project' in a few years, because they're not going to be able to find anybody to fill it, and it'll be just exactly what the city would do is buy something like that and put low income housing in it. O'Donnell/ Our inspectors go through (can't hear). Mascher/ Some, not all, not all, I mean, the fact that it was being built without a lot of the OSHA guidelines being followed, was actually documented, and obviously, we... Dilkes/ That's my question, Mary, documented by who? Mascher/ OSHA. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 23 Dilkes/ OSHA. Mascher/ OSHA came in and OSHA... (several talking at once). After they were gone two weeks, they were back to doing the same thing. Vicki saw them up there. Elliott/ Have we heard about this? Atkins/ Okay, a couple things I think are important. One is that we do have an inspector, and so I'm just, I feel confident that it meets the building code. Secondly, we do not inspect for OSHA. Our people are not trained to do that. Thirdly, if there is the illegal issue, and it's strange, just before the Wal-Mart vote I met with the local laborers and I said if you sense that, then you call the INS and apparently they have done that, and they will make arrests. They just simply need to be made aware of it. I'm a little reluctant to have my inspectors make those kinds of judgments. That can get us .... I need to think that one through a little bit more, but Mary, to my knowledge, and I'll check records on the Lodge that building code was satisfied. Elliott/ Steve, am I correct? If Mary is hearing things like this that appear to be serious and supposedly documented, wouldn't you want to hear about that as quickly as humanely possible? Mascher/ I mean, did you know that. Atkins/ No, I did not, no I did not know that. Mascher/ First of all they were denied access to the property, which the contractor can do, so they ended up having to get a court order to go in. You don't know any of that? Atkins/ No. O'Donnell/ Well who would they call to enforce it if they didn't call the city? Dilkes/ OSHA is a state agency, not a city agency. We don't have OSHA enforcement. (several talking at once) Mascher/ ...and that they had numerous illegals on the site, and what happens is as soon as they deny access to the property .... (several talking at once). Dilkes/ My question, I just want to be clear since there is a reporter in the room, that the city does not regulate OSHA. That is a state enforcement, so the city would not necessarily... unless OSHA informed us, just because they wanted to. Mascher/ So you're not automatically informed of those things? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 24 Atkins/ No, we're not. Mascher/ Don't you think you should be? Atkins/ I don't have... Dilkes/ I think we'd have to have that discussion. Mascher/ I guess I think you should be informed. Dvorsky/ If you won't informed, you can't do anything about it. Dilkes/ But if we don't have any authority to follow up... Mascher/ The only thing is if you're looking at unsafe situations, no matter who's working it, don't you think that's important for you to know that? I'm not asking you to take action on it. Dvorsky/ The results of the inspections, don't those... Mascher/ ...city inspectors would be in there watching... Dilkes/ No, no, no; we're jumping to some conclusions here. I think you're assuming the relationship between OSHA and the state inspectors that does not exist. Mascher/ I'm saying that they might be violating city codes as well. That's all I'm saying, and you should be watching that too. That's all I'm saying. This was an out of state company who has had a terrible track record, and has been notorious for being fined by OSHA in other states. Those things are of concern... Wilburn/ I do know that, at least in terms of the building code things, in fact I believe the city inspectors were trying to work with them because they got behind. They got behind in their schedule, were not the city inspectors trying to do what they could to inspect them as they went along. Atkins/ You know, folks, it's when we cooperate with a builder, then we catch hell. Then if we don't cooperate with them we catch hell. Dvorsky/ The thing about all these sort of related things about OSHA problems, about INS, about people theoretically being independent contractors who weren't really independent contractors, all those things that sort of go on when you have sort of shaky operators from out of state, because I know in my other job, we had some people working there for some subcontractors and that they really, you know, they were supposed to be independent contractors and they weren't, and all that sort of thing. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 25 Mascher/ Well the safety and OSHA issues were brought to our attention about a year ago, and then we didn't hear after we were out of session, in terms of fines and follow up, and then I think they were supposed to be done by fall for students and that didn't happen, but I guess what I'm wondering is if we need to just check into it. It would seem to me if OSHA is doing an inspection, are there safety issues coming into your city, if there should just be some sort of notification from them to the city so that you at least know that there's a concern out there on something happening in your community, and maybe that's what we need to approach. (several talking at once) Say you've got a kid interested and check them out. Elliott/ Well if nothing else, whatever the legalities might be, informally we would certainly appreciate you letting, giving us a heads up. Wilburn/ And maybe if we continue these type of meeting we'll make each other aware of those type of things. Dvorsky/ The INS is another situation (can't hear). I mean, who can call the INS or who should. Atkins/ Well, and I remember some involvement to call them, and okay, you're done. (several talking at once) Dvorsky/ That was a big thing that Senators Grassley and Harkin did was put an office in Cedar Rapids. Wilburn/ Mary, did you have another issue? Mascher/ I was just going to mention swimming pools. I talked to Regenia about it. I think our pools are in pretty sad shape. Wilburn/ Is there one specific pool? Mascher/ City Park, yeah, and I look at what is happening in other places, Coralville and North Liberty, and all we're doing is providing an avenue for people to go elsewhere because they will if we don't do something to energize and spark and keep our community vital, and I know, you know, last year was a really crappy summer in terms of the weather and the temperatures for having a lot of swimming, and I know our numbers dropped dramatically, but I think you've got to keep, in a long term plan or range plan with Parks and Rec, in terms of what are we doing, and whether it's indoor facilities that also provide those kinds of opportunities for young people and families, but it's just something that I feel we've been negligent on. I started out on Parks and Rec a long time ago, and remember when we helped build Mercer Park and that indoor facility, and those are the kinds of things we need to continue to do. There's a need on the west side of town right now in terms of new facilities and providing more for young people This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 26 in those areas, and we know we have a lot of housing with young people in them, and I just think we ought to be looking at that and I hope it's something that I hope you're considering as well. The bond issue in Coralville passed by 97% or something. It was un -Godly. Wilburn/ Just so you know, we did have a conversation amongst council and at the last one or two JCCOG meetings about just trying to get an inventory from the schools on where there's cooperation in terms of trying to meet recreation, activity type needs. There is the CDBG funds that we sent, they're helping with the space at Grant Wood. In terms of the pool, we did, there was some, we did some big replacement, yeah... Atkins/ $200,000 filter system a year ago at City Park. Mascher/ That isn't what I'm saying. Wilburn/ I understand. (several talking at once) Dvorsky/ North Liberty got cap funds for their indoor/outdoor pool because it's kind of a regional thing. You ought to look into that maybe. It's a beautiful old outdoor pool, the Iowa City pool is. That might be a possibility looking at those. Mascher/ I'm saying with the population we have, you're right. You can think regionally. There's nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't negate the fact that we have a beautiful location where we could do something too, and you would still have, I think, the draw. I don't think it's a matter of being able to accommodate all of them. Bailey/ ..what we need, and what other recreation activities aren't available in Coralville and North Liberty that we could offer that their residents could take advantage of. Elliott/ We need indoor soccer facility. We need ball fields, softball fields, baseball ... we need a lot of things. Wilburn/ And our Parks and Rec Commission does prioritize their wish list and we take a look at that at budget time. That's just an FYI. Vanderhoef/ The Grant Wood thing was an opportunity that wasn't really on the list, but the school district went ahead to expand their neighborhood center into the school, and so forth. It was an opportunity for us to increase the size of that gymnasium so it would meet the recreation needs. Another piece of it that we're looking into, we don't know exactly where it's going to go, is the new National Guard facility out on the west side, and in my way of thinking is that we need to look at recreation facilities on the west side of the river. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session. March 4, 2005 City Council Meeting With Legislators Page 27 Dvorsky/ That National Guard facility, because originally it was going to go in Coralville, but they moved it, but regardless, the National Guard at one time, their whole idea was to co -locate the National Guard facilities and with a recreational facility or some other one, up in Emmitsville, or Estherville, put together a whole thing, and that was sort of a model and they were looking at that here, but that never, but maybe it could still... Vanderhoef/ Well, just for some open spaces for recreation purposes, and I know there was a conversation by a few people out there and so I tracked it down and, because they were worried about Homeland Security, which has popped up since the Emmitsville thing, and I was assured by the General and the staff out of Des Moines that this facility would be built in such a way that the secure part can be secured, and the recreation parts can be. Dilkes/ We're going to adjourn the meeting because we've lost a quorum. You guys can continue talking. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the March 4, 2005 Iowa City Council Work Session.