HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-05-17 Transcription#2 Page 1
ITEM 2 PROCLAMATION
a. Historic Preservation Month - May 2005
Lehman: (reads proclamation)
Karr: Here to accept the proclamation is Tim Weitzel, Acting Chair Historic
Preservation Commission. (applause)
Weitzel: Thank you. I just have a few quick remarks. This proclamation really
says it all, and I just want to say that Historic Preservation is alive and
well in Iowa City, and we are keeping busy on the Commission. We've
got 45 certificates of appropriateness we've issued this year so far, and 6
certificates of no material affect, and we've sent out 1,150 letters to all
home owners of national landmarks, or excuse me, local landmark, local
historic preservation district and local conservation districts, so all land
owners now have that notification. In addition, there are a lot of great
things that people can do this weekend to go out and help participate and
celebrate the Historic Preservation Month. Attend the Salvage Barn open
house on Saturday from 9:00 to 1:00; attend a history walk in the
Longfellow Neighborhood from 1:00 to about 2:30; and you can attend
open house of the new Friends of the Historic Preservation house on
Washington Street - 925 E. Washington - on Sunday. Thank you very
much. (applause)
Champion: Thank you.
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ITEM 5 PLANNING AND ZONING
d. AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BY AMENDING
THE SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAN TO CHANGE THE
FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATION AND PLAN TEXT
TO CHANGE THE AVIATION COMMERCE PARK
DESIGNATION FROM INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL TO
RETAIL/COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL
1) Public Hearing
Lehman: Public hearing is open.
Klein: Good evening, my name is Garry Klein, at 628 2nd Avenue. Tonight I
come before the Council to discuss shared vision and shared
responsibility. For the last several months, we have debated the
implication of the Wal-Mart expansion in our city, and with little
exception, most of us agree we could have brokered a better deal.
Economic development is the lifeblood of this community, no doubt, but it
is the people who pointed to the parts of the community body that needs to
go that count. When I think about the fact that we are parceling off public
land, changing our comprehensive document to do so. I have to admit that
I get a little incensed, ! suppose is the word. Because of who it's, in this
case, the user. This is an entity that historically has contributed to the
denigration of communities, and it upsets me. And like others, I hold the
five members of this Council who made the decision to sell the property
accountable for their judgment. So, respectfully, I say this: we need
public policy through zoning that treats the development of the big box
retailer differently than the development of the micro-enterpriser or the
neighborhood business. Our zoning code is now under review and we
must not lose sight of the opportunity we have to find better ways to use
large amounts of land, especially if we want to have places for affordable
housing to be built in the future, which we all know we need. Still, I can't
help but ask myself 'why do we find ourselves here?' The answer seems
to be because as a community, we do not have a shared vision of how to
grow Iowa City. Air Commerce Park, in its current incarnation, was
intended to serve the economic well being of our municipal airport, which
for many, was problematic from the get-go because of the belief that the
airport does not serve the general good. Thus, this was a poor model for
economic development. Now we have, we will change the zoning as such
that we will invite Wal-Mart to expand and other similar businesses, to
either relocate or new ones to come in, most of which will be exporters of
our community's wealth. So again, the greater community is not served
by this decision. What model would work? We can all agree that we need
to promote economic development that builds our community. We need
businesses that will be responsible to pay fair wages and provide
necessary benefits, but we also need brain trust enterprises working on the
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industries of tomorrow, and seeded by the community today. We need to
find a way and a place for the valuable human resources that we lose every
year about this time, who load up and leave Iowa City, many of them
forever. We need to find ways to explore the industry attached to cultural
development that encourages artists and others to become successful
business people. We need to have a vision that continues to strengthen our
downtown, and most importantly, we need better pictures. Last night we
all enjoyed the presentation that Karin Franklin and Jeff Davidson
provided, showed us a computer modeling of Burlington Street in the
downtown area. All the members of the Council were impressed by the
presentation, as were most of us sitting out in the audience, because it
depicted current and imagined buildings, cars, streets, medians, trees and
flowers, and so on, but I was struck by one thing that was missing from
this picture - there were no people in the picture. And I think that's
what's missing in our community development picture. How will the
decisions that we make here tonight affect our community? How much
will it cost us in the long run? However we view enterprise, we all know
that free enterprise isn't free. I challenge the Council to develop a vision
with citizens of this city that we all can share, and take responsibility for,
because until we do, we will be like the street cleaners at the Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade - we will look at the mess that we have in front
of us and say "where do we start." Thank you very much.
Lehman: Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak to this issue? Public heating is
closed. Do we have a motion?
Wilbum: I think you've got someone...
Lehman: Pardon? Well, we wait an appropriate length of time. If nobody gets up,
we figure they're not interested in speaking.
Stromquist: Okay, my name is Shel Stromquist. I live at 316 Myrtle Avenue, in the
neighborhood, so to speak, of the new proposed Super Wal-Mart. I speak
on my own behalf, though I've been deeply involved in efforts to try to
protect the integrity and viability of what in many ways is a fragile
neighborhood. Surrounded on the one hand by a behemoth that we call
the University of Iowa, whose appetite for additional properties seems at
least to us neighbors rather unlimited, and we fear a behemoth on the other
end, and that is a Super Wal-Mart that I think I see, and I think many of
my neighbors see, as compounding the problems that we already face. A
city of neighborhoods is something that we all ought to try and encourage
and protect and defend. Those of us who were in the trenches, so to speak,
in marginal inter-city neighborhoods see this as a particularly critical fight.
One of the ways in which this threat it seems to less manifest itself is
among other things is a potential for significantly increased traffic on a
street like Riverside. Riverside...my street, Myrtle, as you may know,
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comes down the hill and joins Riverside. There's a fair amount of traffic
on Myrtle, coming from fairly dense housing, some of it student related,
some of it not, but Riverside from our point of view, is already a terribly
dangerous street. There have been numbers of serious accidents at that
intersection. To increase the volume of traffic on that street in the way
that I think it's fair to say a Super Wal-Mart undoubtedly would, is simply
going to compound the risk to bodily injury, let alone to vehicles that we
already face. We're concerned about the impact on other stores in the
area. You know, people say 'well it's just adding a grocery store to an
existing Wal-Mart," or to an existing Wal-Mart operation, but the point,
the reason they do that, of course, is to increase the volume of sales
dramatically in other areas of their stores. It's not just a grocery store
added to an existing Wal-Mart, and that is going to have undoubtedly a
spillover effect on other, the viability of other businesses, in that area, of
Paul's, of Cub's, certainly, of others as well. We value local businesses.
We think they're an important part of the fabric. We've already seen a
tremendous erosion of local business downtown and in other parts of the
City because of the impact of the Coralville mall. We can't afford to see
more erosion or we're going to lose more of the fabric of our community.
Wal-Mart is a vicious, low wage, anti-union firm whose record is well
established around the country. Two hundred communities have already
said 'no' to Wal-Mart, to Super Wal-Marts. There's no reason why a
community like Iowa City, with the quality of life that we have here, with
the aspirations to see our citizens paid a decent wage, should succumb to
the pressures of this behemoth that is, that is reeking havoc, frankly, in this
country. This is the largest corporation, the largest retail corporation, in
the world. They're paying poverty wages; they're not offering benefits. Is
this the kind of business we want in our community? I don't think so. I
don't think this is Iowa City at its best. They're discriminatory. They're
the largest class action suits ever in the United States, now being brought
against Wal-Mart, for discrimination against women. The cases are
legion. Just go to the Internet and you'll be cascaded with articles that
document this. Let's think creatively about alternatives. If you're
concerned as I am about the tax base, okay, let's think about how to
augment the tax base in more creative ways that are going to be consistent
with the fabric of this community. I mean, think of a store like Fin &
Feather, that relocated in that very neighborhood. And has been, I think, a
magnet for business vitality on a smaller scale. Let's think about inter-
mixing recreation and retail on a small scale. Let's encourage local
businesses to expand within reason, but let's preserve the fabric of this
community. Let's not give it away to corporations like Wal-Mart. I mean,
honestly, ! can't believe why our elected officials would be, would feel
that this is somehow in the community's interest. I'm mystified, frankly.
I appreciate your time.
Lehman: Thank you.
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Cochran: Hi, my name is Kathy Cochran, and I live at 1311 College Street, and
obviously I'm against Wal-Mart, a Super Wal-Mart coming to town. I
believe that we don't want it here, we don't need it here, not here, not
now, and I have several reasons for that. First of all, I think that a lot of
people don't see the pragmatism in having two Super Wal-Marts basically
within ten miles of one another. Now, of course, Super Wal-Mart sees the
value in that because they will actually squeeze out the competition
between the two. We will lose, undoubtedly we will lose Cub Foods, we
will lose Paul's, we'll probably jeopardize what growth we have
developed in the Pepperwood Mall area, and in what used to be Hargrave
Plaza, now Gateway Plaza. Super Wal-Mart does evil things in towns.
I've been in other communities where Super Wal-Mart has come in and it
has devastated the downtown area. We have had, as mentioned before,
we've had battles here in town with downtown, with the siphoning of
businesses out of downtown. I think that with another Super Wal-Mart so
close to downtown, it will just bleed the rest of downtown out. Also, what
undoubtedly happens is that there will be these empty buildings. I hate to
test empty buildings, and that will be what will happen because Wal-Mart
doesn't want competition to go into their existing buildings, even if they
empty it, so they don't like anybody, businesses, to go in there, so you're
going to be left with an empty Wal-Mart that's going to be an eye sore,
and then once there's this domino effect of other empty businesses, you're
going to have empty buildings, and that's not attractive. That doesn't
supplement the community at all. So, I don't think that we need a Super
Wal-Mart, so I encourage you to say 'no' to that. Also, do we really want
this? We've already talked about the traffic situation. Undoubtedly,
Riverside, the corridor there, on down to where the airport and the
Johnson County Fairground is, that whole area is going to have to be
changed. The traffic situation will undoubtedly be skyrocketing, as well
as on Highway 1, on the other side. I don't have to be an engineer to
figure this out. I can, you know I can...! don't know who on the planning
committee does those statistics, but I'm sure that someone sees that there's
going to be a need and money that has to be put into that. I think that it's
unfair to the local businesses, obviously. I know that I have talked to
certain members on the Council, which made it sound like that you can't
stop Wal-Mart. Super Wal-Mart will come, but if they're going to come,
then we want them to buy this land from us so that we get the money from
it. Well, I don't think that that's good for the community either because
I've heard people say that their property taxes will decrease because of the
increased revenues to the city. But actually, I don't think that will happen.
I think that what will happen is there will be needs for more streets, and
other growth factors, that will just eat up all of that new revenue that you
get.
Lehman: Kathy, you need to wind it up.
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Cochran: Okay, so, I don't think that this is manageable growth, so I encourage the
Council to look at manageable growth, and a Super Wal-Mart in that area
in Iowa City is not part of a manageable growth dynamic, so I urge the
Council to vote 'no' and to stop Super Wal-Mart from coming into Iowa
City. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Baldridge: My name is Tom Baldridge. I live at 915 Oakcrest. I'll be brief. I second
what Shelly said. He said it as eloquently as any of us could have said it,
my concern is the community's loss of conscience. Wal-Mart is not a
good corporate citizen here or anywhere. There's no reason for us to do
anything to accommodate them. And I urge you to resist it. Thank you.
Think of what they've done to Medicaid. Think of what they've done to
the need for people, for welfare. They're making millions, and they're
keeping it all for themselves.
Dieterle: I'm Caroline Dieterle. I live at 727 Walnut. I obviously agree with
everything that's been said by Shel and the other speakers since his
eloquent speech. I've lived here now over thirty years, and I've seen the
town grow. I've seen all kinds of industry come in here, all kinds of
businesses, and never in that thirty years have my taxes gone down one
cent. It's a popular fiction that bringing in business is going to reduce
people's property taxes. Yeah, right, like there's Santa Clause, okay? It's
not going to happen, so don't try to sell me Super Wal-Mart on the idea
that it's going to lower my taxes. If anything, it's going to raise them, and
the reason for that is that at the one end you're putting supposedly your
property on the tax base it's going to pay some taxes; on the other hand,
what's going to happen is that we are going to have to pay more to many
of the local charities that we support. Now, I was at the breakfast the
other morning where I saw many of you; there's a lot of good-hearted
citizens in Iowa City. We support things like the food bank, the free
medical clinic, and you know, the shelter for abused spouses. We have a
very charitable community, but what's going to happen is if you bring in a
place like Wal-Mart, and they're not paying a living wage basically, and
they're not giving any benefits, then all of the local charities are going to
have to pick up the ball. So not only are we going to have to have our
taxes go up to pay for more streets, but we're going to have our charitable
donation dollars go up too if we're not going to find that we're sinking
into a situation where we have people who are in grievous need all around
us that nobody is being able to help, and there's the other thing too is that
there's the loss of the other businesses that will probably go out, and that's
going to be a minus sign on your tax base when those go out. The whole
thing reminds me, the City's behavior, reminds me of the story of how you
can kill a wolf, which is how you put some bait out with some razor blades
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that the wolf will lick, cutting his tongue, so that he continues to lick and
lick and lick, drinking his own blood until he exsanguinates. It's an ugly
story and it's really nasty, but that's what we're doing here. And I don't
buy the idea that you can't tell a business where or where not to locate
because I really think that if a sound stage for a porn flick company tried
to come in here, you'd quickly find some way to keep it out. You know,
and we'd all support it probably, but you know, let's not bring that red
herring in here either. I remember when the first Wal-Mart came in, and
there were a lot of us that said it was a huge mistake. It was a huge
mistake. Now, most of the time my mother said you know if you make a
mistake you should learn from the mistake. I'm hoping that you will have
learned from that mistake that the past Council made and you will not let
Super Wal-Mart come in. Thank you.
Lehman: You know, the issue that we're talking about is amending the
Comprehensive Plan to allow retail in north airport commercial. The
decision to sell the property to Wal-Mart has already been made. So, your
comment might be more appropriately addressed to the use of that
property. (someone in audience talking) No, not the rezoning. This is the
land use, but the decision to sell the property has been made. Now we're
talking about the land use on the north airport commercial. Go ahead.
Kuhn: Hi, my name is Kelly Kuhn. I live at 1709 H Street; I'm a student at the
University, a senior in the English Department. My reasoning for being
here tonight, I found out about the Wal-Mart issue and I have to say, I'm
sure you've all heard all of the arguments, the unionization arguments, the
social arguments, regarding Wal-Mart. These things came up to me when
I was working on "Nickel & Dimed" at the University, and really made an
impact on me, having, I mean obviously as a college student worked the
low wage jobs, but bringing Wal-Mart in here is not going to keep us here.
Bringing Wal-Mart in here is going to keep low wage jobs here, which
aren't going to keep college students here. I think one thing that this, that
this city has got to deal with is that college student population as being a
transitory population, and trying to keep that population here, and Wal-
Mart's not going to do it. It jugt isn't. I know, again I'm going to reiterate
the argument that was made, that the, that the City Council maybe perhaps
shouldn't tell the businesses, should not determine which businesses can
and cannot relocate here, but consider our downtown, consider our malls
that have just recently experienced a regrowth after the Coralville mall
came in. Those are not going...we're not going to continue to experience
that growth with Wal-Mart. I think it's absolutely, absolutely acceptable
for a city council to tell a business where it can and cannot be in its city,
and that we don't want it in our city. When I was in Cedar Falls, the city
council said, due mostly to a lot of citizen support, 'we don't want you
where you want to be' and there's a Wal-Mart, but it's not where it wanted
to be. A small victory, I know, but I think the City Council absolutely
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does have that right to say that, and to again, if another type of business
were coming in, I'm sure this would be, you know, a different argument. I
know that there is in the, in the proposed land zoning, rezoning, some land
that is still highly industrial and in which case, you know, as was
mentioned, an adult book store, a strip club, and we wouldn't be making
these same arguments, but in reality, if you're going to say that the city
council doesn't have the right to tell a business where to relocate, you're
going to have to look at them the same way, and if you, you're going to
have to think about whether you would tell another business that they
can't relocate there, as well. So, I would urge you to definitely consider
that, and consider the effects on this community as you consider the land
use. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Sanders: Hi, my name is Gary Sanders. I realize that the purchase agreement was
signed, it was a conditional purchase agreement. The rezoning must take
place before the deal is finalized, and obviously we have to consider Wal-
Mart because that's the corporation at whose behest the rezoning is being
done, and again, I would like to mention about the porn palace, which I
am hoping will come here, and I intend, in all honesty, I've contacted the
Lion's Den corporation and I will be looking for a piece of property that is
zoned intensive commercial, and if not, I will be asking for a rezoning for
something to intensive commercial because even though I think Wal-Mart
is corporate outlaw number one, for some reason it has some patina of
legitimacy, and it's interesting that today of all days we're doing this since
today the United States Court of Appeals found Wal-Mart guilty of serious
and repeated offenses of blocking emergency exits. This is on top of
everything else, and it's interesting that, you know, in the last few years
there have been long articles in the New York Times, the Wall Street
Journal, about what a great place Iowa City is, a place to live, invest your
money, and I didn't see anything about Wal-Mart in any of those articles.
That's kind of strange. So obviously this is not adding anything, and it has
to do with 'what is our legacy' to future generations, and I take this
seriously. I've lived here twenty-eight years, many of you grew up here. I
wish I had the time to go one by one to the five people who voted for it in
March to give you an argument to rebut, but I don't, but I really do wish
you would consider what our legacy is going to be. Is this what we want
to leave? And I would like to conclude, ifI may, I am the President of
American Federation of Teachers, Local 716. I'm also here as a delegate
from the Iowa City Federation of Labor, and I am the Chair of Iowa City
Stop Wal-Mart, and I like to think that at least one of these is a faith-based
organization. So I would like to read, ifI may, from the good book to
conclude. I'll be reading tonight from Genesis, Chapter 25, Verse 29
through 34. "One day Jacob prepared a broth and when Esau his brother
came in from the country exhausted, he said to Jacob, 'I am exhausted.
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Let me swallow some of that red broth.' Jacob said, 'Not til you sell me
your rights as the first born.' Jacob said, 'Not til you swear.' So Esau
swore an oath and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau
bread and the lentil broth, and he ate and drank and went away without
more ado. Thus, Esau showed how little he valued his birthright." And so
tonight, I am presenting the City Council with a pound of red lentils, and
some bowls, as you give away the birthright of future generations of Iowa
Citians for $3 million. (applause)
Lehman: Thank you, sir.
Dvorsky: Melvin Dvorsky, I think if Wal-Mart is permitted to come in here, you
will be defeating the purpose of trying to get economic growth and
development downtown. I see that we're getting some new stores
established here in Iowa City with the grocery store coming in to the Plaza
Towers, and so on, and I don't want to see our good works for something
like this and for all those stores we're trying to rejuvenate here in Iowa
City taken away by a Wal-Mart, which will do more good, or which will
do more damage, than good. Thank you very much.
Lehman: Thank you, Melvin.
Carberry: Good evening, Council. My name is Mike Carberry. I live at 2029
Friendship Street in Iowa City, and I will be very brief here. I actually
know most of you on Council and just wanted to remind you that as the
Councilors of the City of Iowa City you are charged with being the
representatives of the people, and exercising the people's will. I've
recently been involved in a survey here in Iowa City, a political survey,
over 350 likely voters which makes the statistics relevant, and over 70%
of those people surveyed were against the Super Wal-Mart. That's almost
three-quarters of Iowa City, likely voters. The people that put you in your
seats are against this. Why don't you listen to them? Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Reasoner: Hi, my name is Mary Pat Reasoner, and I've been in Iowa City for about
four years now, and I love it. It's worked out really great for me. I go to
Kirkwood right now. I'm a local musician, and I've held some different
jobs here in Iowa City and the community, and a lot of great points have
been stated tonight. All the reasons that we know: the class action suits
where 1.6 million women filed that against Wal-Mart. We know that Wal-
Mart only doles out like 8% of their expenditure towards labor, so you
know, people are struggling getting by and the list goes on and on and on,
and I actually, for my Sociology class this term I did a big project on Wal-
Mart. But anyway, a lot of those facts have been stated here tonight. I'm
just hoping to appeal to you on an emotional level and just for the integrity
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of Iowa City. It's a town of education, culture, of community, you know,
why have it, it just seems very counterproductive, and times are getting so
crazy right now, you know, with pretty much the state of everything and I
just, I just hope you please listen to us tonight. Thanks.
Lehman: Thanks.
Anderson: Hi, I'm Gretta Anderson. I live at 803 S. Lucas, and in, sort of in the
neighborhood very close to Route 6, which is a very, has all of the traffic
problems already mentioned at the intersection of Gilbert and Route 6 is
probably the worst intersection in the whole city, and it's just one
intersection down from the intersection we're discussing. So traffic is a
concern to me, but what I really want to address right now is the concept
of food, food production, and food distribution because we're talking
about a Super Wal-Mart that is adding food to its many products. We live
in Iowa which is an agricultural state, which is famed and held up as the
breadbasket of our country, and yet in Iowa we import most of our food.
I'm sure that Wal-Mart is going to be importing its food from elsewhere
than Iowa. As it is, we can go...I've worked with local farmers who are
trying to get connected with restaurants and supermarkets in town so that
they can get a market for their produce. I don't think Wal-Mart's going to
be involved in any of those efforts. I've worked for Table to Table, which
rescues food and produce that isn't damaged, and food, boxes, and so on
that are bent or what have you, and takes them to the Crisis Center, Shelter
House, Successful Living, wonderful programs that we have here in this
city. Table to Table itself is a really, really wonderful program. I don't
think Wal-Mart will be involved in that, and the people that will go out of
business on account of Wal-Mart's big corporate attitude, the Hy-Vee's
and the Cub's, we already lost Eagle. Those are the good neighbors who
are being involved in this. Where am I going to get my Amana jam? I'm
not going, you know, ifHy-Vee goes out of business. I just want us to
think about the way we think about food, and do you want to buy your
food at Wal-Mart, and should we encourage people to buy their food at
Wal-Mart, or buy their food at the Farmer's Market?
Lehman: Thank you.
Santangelo: Hi, I'm Patti Santangelo from 3035 Stanford Avenue. You said you
wanted to concentrate on zoning. Well, have you considered where the
people who work at the new Wal-Mart are going to live? We do not have
enough affordable housing as it is, and so far there's been no help from the
Planning and Zoning Committee in getting affordable housing. Every
time someone has come up to...I'm on the Board of Greater Iowa City
Housing Fellowship, and we had at least three projects that we tried to get
through Planning and Zoning, and nothing would happen. The neighbors
would go up in arms about it, and they all sided with the neighbors there,
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but here with Super Wal-Mart, it doesn't seem to matter. You just seem to
want to go for the money and that's it, but there's, you know, we don't
have enough housing as it is, and the places on Broadway that we're
losing are not helping. I know, I helped move people out of there, and
they had no place to go. They had to put their things in storage and try to
get into Shelter House, with twenty-nine spaces for the whole county
doesn't work. And at poverty wages you can't afford anything else. So I
don't know where they're going to live when they come. I guess they'll
have to do what everybody else does and go to Washington County.
Apparently that's the affordable housing for Iowa City is Washington
County. So, thank you.
Lehman: Thank you. Public hearing is closed. Do we have a motion?
2) Consider a Resolution
Elliott: So moved.
Lehman: By Elliott.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Roll call.
Wilbum: Hold on a second, Ernie.
Lehman: I'm sorry. Do we have some discussion?
Bailey: I was going to say I can't support this change in land use. The
Comprehensive Plan serves as our strategic plan, and from a strategic
point of view, I don't think that this is necessarily a good move. And
when I thought about this I really looked at 'is it the user' and so I put
other big box stores and other stores that I like. I go places to shop, and
that's really not my concern. I would like to see more rigorous
development of our current retail areas. I think that that would be
possible, particularly that area west of Aviation Commerce Park, and that
would serve this neighborhood with a community retail, and so from a
strategic point of view, I think we should stick to our Comprehensive Plan.
So I'll be voting no on this.
Wilburn: Well, in terms of the land use, staff pointed out that the differences
between the rezoning are really not going to be that different, that
significant. The question about Wal-Mart and the purchase, I was one of
the five who did agree to doing this. I think back to when I first came on
Council. There was, and the four years before I was able to get on
Council, the opinion, and more than opinion - the strong feeling that Iowa
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City was anti-business, and it was difficult to recruit some of the
businesses to come here. We have a set of economic assistance tools that
the Council made a decision, a deliberate decision to use to attract some
businesses. We did bring some of the higher paying jobs to town. I'm
thinking the (can't hear). We helped, you know, with some business
expansions with our Proctor & Gamble, our Oral-B, and in those
situations, I felt it was appropriate when offering an incentive to stay or to
come to Iowa City, I felt it was important to look at some of those other
dynamics. In this case, we're talking about a sale of property, partially,
and it's a piece of property that's been for sale and no one else has made
an offer, looked at this piece of property. In my opinion, in terms of
where we came from with that anti-business sentiment, I don't feel it's
appropriate to apply some of the things that are being asked, with the sale
of land to a business, we...some of the concern about some of the
businesses - I heard Hy-Vee and Cub Foods. Some of those practices that
Wal-Mart may use, and perhaps to a greater degree, are used by some of
these other employers. It's been pointed out about Wal-Mart and the
number of poverty wages, or the number of people on welfare receiving
public assistance. I saw in the newspaper that some of the other grocery
stores, Hy-Vee being one of them, being amongst the I think it was
number four in the state. Again, I go back to situations where we are
offering assistance in trying to bring someone to town, I think it's
appropriate to look at some of those other things. In this case, we just
have a disagreement about whether or not that's appropriate.
Champion: I continue not to support it, and I hope that if people in Iowa City really
don't want Wal-Mart here then you should not spend your dollars there.
Obviously, they're surviving because people are spending their dollars
there, and I think it's really time you need to fight with your pocketbook.
Wilburn: Otherwise I appreciate the people that showed up tonight, and respectfully
expressed your opinion. Not everyone has done so in this matter, but I
appreciate your respectful tone this evening.
Lehman: Any other discussion? Roll call. Motion carries 5 to 2, with Bailey and
Champion voting in the negative.
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ITEM 5 PLANNING AND ZONING
e. CONDITIONALLY CHANGING THE ZONING
DESIGNATION OF APROXIMATELY 54 ACRES FROM
PUBLIC/INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL (P/CI-1) ZONE TO
COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL (CC-2) ZONE FOR AVIATION
COMMERCE PARK (REZ05-00004)
1) Public Hearing
Lehman: Public hearing is open.
Sanders: Yeah, uh, by a quirk we also get to speak about this, though I will not take
five minutes. I would only address one item, and that is (TAPE ENDS)
back several weeks ago to what Bob said about after all other places ate up
the small groceries of his youth, and certainly that's happened in my life
time. The question is how is Wal-Mart different, and that to me is the key,
but we have to understand, and I will keep it under five minutes, Ernie, I
promise.
Lehman: I believe you.
Sanders: 'Cause you've got that red lentil soup to eat afterwards (laughter) that
Wal-Mart is larger than K-Mart, Sears, Target, Safeway, Kroger, all of
them combined. Sales last year of $288 billion, gross profit, net profit I
should say of $10 billion. The CEO of Wal-Mart last year made $17
million, while the average salary for full time people there was $9.68 an
hour. Fifty years ago, the large industrial corporations of this country,
which were heavily unionized, set the bar on wages and benefits, and other
companies followed suit. What is happening now is Wal-Mart is lowering
the bar in the race to the bottom, and that is why you see Wal-Mart leading
the way for manufacturing in China, as K-Mart and the others follow.
That is what is going on. This is a unique situation in American history.
This is not comparable to what happened with other stores being replaced,
and I realize that philosophically we are on different terms here, that Ross,
the $3 million is important to you. I honestly think in twenty years we
will regret this, that in hindsight we will see that we have given away
something very precious. Coralville does not mind giving away whatever
it has to the top bidder. I had hoped that Iowa City, in my twenty-eight
years here, would be somewhat different. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you, Gary.
Cochran: Kathy Cochran again. I just want to address also the fact that a lot of
discussion, there's been discussion about the fact that suddenly we have a
buyer for this piece of property, and so you know let's strike while the
iron is hot on it because it set unbought for five years, or whatever,
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however long it's been on the market. If that was the case, why didn't you
rezone it four years ago to meet more, a different type of retail commerce
economy, instead of what is happening now. It's the cart leading the horse
in this case, instead of the horse leading the cart, and so I, I really wonder
what the City Council is really talking about here. Obviously in this case
it's because this particular business is wanting the property, and for all the
reasons that we've discussed, of course, we don't want it here, but if with
the rezoning change, which has been granted by the Zoning Committee, I
think that there would be other businesses that come forward and want to
develop in that area. So I'd like, as Ms. Bailey had said about the
Comprehensive Plan to it, I would like the other people on the City
Council to think about that. Thank you.
Anderson: Gretta Anderson again. Yeah, I just thought maybe you could rezone it to
have community gardens there. Just an idea.
Dilkes: Hold on; just want to remind you that before you close the public hearing,
if the Council wishes to impose the conditions suggested by the Planning
and Zoning Commission, that needs to be done by motion prior to the
close of the public hearing, and we'll need to take a break and have that
agreement signed.
Wilburn: I move that we adopt the changes in the conditional zoning agreement set
forth by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Champion: Second.
Lehman: We have a motion and a second to adopt the...is that, that is appropriate
during public hearing?
Dilkes: Yes, that's proper. Before the close of the public hearing, and we'll need
to vote, and I also.., go ahead.
Lehman: We have a motion to accept the conditional, the conditions in the
conditional zoning agreement as recommended by Planning and Zoning to
Council.
Dilkes: Okay.
Lehman: Is that correct?
Dilkes: Right, and I just want to remind you in case you didn't read my memo,
that we just need to be clear that Wal-Mart, because the condition would
fail under the purchase agreement would not be legally obligated to
proceed with the purchase if you impose the conditions.
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Lehman: Harry Wolf, would you please come to the podium. I visited with Harry
briefly before the meeting tonight. As we are all aware, there was a period
of time over several months where the City worked with a land
development company in arriving at the purchase of this property, along
with conditions relevant to traffic control, turning lanes, relocation of
roads, etc., etc., etc. They came to an agreement, that agreement was
presented to the Council, and Council accepted that agreement.
Subsequently, in their deliberations on rezoning, the Planning and Zoning
Commission has added additional conditions to that agreement, which
were not part of the original purchase agreement between the City of Iowa
City and the agent acting for Wal-Mart. I have serious problems with
changing the rules. However, I understand from our conversation earlier,
Harry, that you believe those conditions may be acceptable to the
developer. Would you address that, please?
Wolf: Yes, and again, I'm Harry Wolf. I'm currently the broker representing the
Airport Commission and the City Council on the marketing of Aviation
Commerce Park. I've represented the City through this process, along
with City staff. My comment to the Mayor earlier was that through
conversations that I've had with the developer, Jason Price, I believe staff
has had conversations with architects, engineers representing Wal-Mart,
they are clearly aware of these conditions that have been offered up by
Planning and Zoning that are in front of you right now. I want to be
careful that I don't represent what I can't represent and staff, you might
want to hear from staff about their conversations, but they're aware of
them. I sense that there's not a huge amount of, well concerns a strong
word, but that they're aware of them and ! don't think there are any deal
breakers in there, so to speak, but again, they haven't had the luxury of
really understanding and being presented with these conditions, so I don't
want to be so bold as to say they're not a problem, but if Council's looking
for some sort of assurance from the developer transferring that information
on to their client, Wal-Mart, and then coming back with some sort of
report, I will do my, I will do what I can to generate that document on a
timely fashion.
Lehman: As the City's agent, you feel you can do that?
Wolff As the City's agent, and I think, I think that they're keyed up and ready, I
mean I think they would react to it quickly, but again, I can't speak to how
far into the organization those conditions have been communicated, and it
would take a few days to understand all that, and again, you might want to
visit with your staff about some of the other discussions that have taken
place with architects and engineers, but again, I've had direct contact with
Jason Price the developer. He's aware of the fact that there have been
conditions generated by Planning and Zoning. I think he's aware of the
nature of those conditions. I'm not sure he's even seen them, and again, I
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cannot represent how deep into the Wal-Mart organization they've gone,
but again, as your agent, I would be happy to do what you would like me
to do to get some assurances back from Wal-Mart that these are
acceptable.
Lehman: Well, I don't know how the rest of the Council feels. I mean, personally I
like the conditional zoning agreement. I think it's a good agreement. I
think that they may well agree to that, but I am not willing to approve a
conditional zoning agreement that changes the terms under which a piece
of property was bought in good faith from the City. I would, as one
Council person, like to see a letter from the purchaser, agreeing to those
terms, prior to approving them.
Wilbum: Just so the public's aware, that the conditions that we're talking about are
related to landscaping, pedestrian connection structure, and building
design standards.
Lehman: And most of them...I think the new ones are design standards, aren't they?
Wilburn: Yes, and while design standards may not have been part of the legal
documentation, the fact that it had to be rezoned by the City, the buyer is
aware of that, and these type of conditions exist in other communities
where, I mean, they're familiar with these and so I'm comfortable, even
though part of that, as part of the rezoning, they knew that there would be,
there's a possibility that there may be some other conditions.
Champion: If we're rezoning this land for Wal-Mart and then I think you have the
right to include some standards on design. It's being done in a lot of
communities, especially with stores like Wal-Mart, and I have no
problems supporting it because maybe then they won't like it.
Wilburn: And we've also talked about along Highway 6, you know, looking at some
of these, whether it's the pedestrian, or well, in fact, even the design
standards, I think that along Highway 6 is something we should take a
look at and move forward with.
O'Donnell: I would like to see us defer this until we have some type of notification
from the agent, or communication with the...
Bailey: I have a question about how these kinds of things go because I'm certainly
interested in these design standards, particularly because there's adaptive
reuse approach that big boxes can be divided, or unoccupied. If we
impose this conditional zoning and it's a deal breaker, do we have the
ability to renegotiate the conditions?
Dilkes: Only if Wal-Mart wants to do that.
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Bailey: So if they walk away, we don't, but if they remain at the table unhappy,
we have the opportunity to continue negotiations. Is that...
Dilkes: Oh sure, you can continue negotiations, it's just .... what you need to
understand is just the way the purchase agreement is now, it is contingent
on a rezoning there are no contingencies for conditions. Therefore, if you
impose conditions, the City has not met that contingency of the purchase
agreement and Wal-Mart has grounds to walk away. They very well may
not do that, and Harry may, I mean, but I just don't know, and so...
Bailey: Right, I think none of us...
Dilkes: ...and you certainly can impose whatever conditions you want as part of
the rezoning process. I just want to make sure you understand the inner-
play between the rezoning and the contingencies of the purchase
agreement.
Bailey: So if we're comfortable with this idea of conditional zoning, why would
we ask permission from the purchaser to do so? Why wouldn't we say
that this is what we want to do, and then they can say 'we're unhappy' and
further negotiate.
Wilburn: And I agree with that, and I think, well, one, they've been aware of it. We
would have heard something. We would have heard something if there
was a major problem and if there is, then we'll know and we can...
Elliott: I think it's a very unfortunate precedent that we have negotiated with an
entity, and negotiated in good faith, supposedly on both sides, and now
after everything is done we're saying 'nh-oh,' we've got something else
here. I just think that's a terrible precedent to set. It's another, it's another
addition to that perception that it's tough to do business in Iowa City. I
don't like that at all...
Wilburn: Not if you're aware that these types of conditions can be placed associated
with the rezoning. They knew that it had to be rezoned, and that means
something, and they have...any business has experience, well, the public
has experience with it.
Elliott: I would be interested in some generalized conditions for design, but I
would never support the extensive design conditions set out here.
Bailey: Well, and these came from our Planning and Zoning Commission,
probably the Commission that's most friendly to development and
business in our community, so I don't think we should doubt that, I don't
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think they're being unfriendly to business. 'I think that we should trust
their advice, and there was a clear majority that supported this.
Elliott: I think this is another aspect of us getting too much into design.
Bailey: This is a corridor to our community. We create legacy as leaders in our
community. We have a responsibility to step up to that legacy
requirement, or you can eat lentil soup, I suppose. (laughter)
O'Donnell: But this also goes against the grain of the purchase agreement. (several
talking at once) And I still would like to see this deferred until we have
some communication.
Elliott: I also.
Champion: If you sent it to, if you sent it to Wal-Mart, and you're giving them a
choice if they want to meet these conditions, so they're going to say 'no.'
Lehman: Well, they have that ....
Bailey: Well, and they would probably remain at the table because apparently, I
mean, five people are certainly interested in having Wal-Mart here. I
mean there's no indication that we're not interested in having them here.
Champion: They're going to say 'no' to this conditional zoning, I mean to the design
review thing.
Bailey: I don't think they're going to walk away from this.
Champion: No, I don't think they will either.
Lehman: Eleanor?
Dilkes: Well, you also have the option of continuing the public hearing and having
Harry talk to Wal-Mart, and then, you just can't close the public hearing
without imposing the conditions, but you certainly can continue it.
(several talking at once)
Vanderhoefi There's a couple reasons why I'd like to continue the public hearing until
June 6th, and that is that within the design standards, I want a couple or
three more definitions in there that to me if you were an outsider and just
in a conversation with another councilor today, it was apparent that the
other councilor had a different vision of what the word "screening" meant
than to what I expect with screening, and I have a couple of other places
that I would like a little clarification that I think we could do. I certainly
can give notes to people this evening, or we could do it at a work session.
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I just think it's not a big thing that we couldn't do on a Monday night
before revisiting this public hearing.
Lehman: My issue here is that, and I may be absolutely incorrect, but during the
period of time that we spent during these negotiations, which was months,
this was a long period of time. We knew as did Wal-Mart, or their agent,
throughout the discussion, that this was going to requite a rezoning. We
knew, or should have known, that when we have rezonings that we do put
conditions on those rezonings. We did make conditions relative to traffic,
to turn lanes, stop lights, and a number of other things. Knowing the
nature ofrezonings and the possibility of conditions, it seems to me that
there should have been some agreement, some arrangement in that
agreement, that would allude to possible further conditions. The other
thing that I find somewhat frustrating is that this is the first time that we
have set design standards for a large building, and it applies only to one
piece of property in the entire city. It doesn't apply to any other piece of
property. It's only Aviation Commercial Park. I just really don't like this,
and I would certainly entertain a motion to defer this, or to continue this
public hearing to the...
Dilkes: We have a motion on the floor, so either that needs to be withdrawn, or it
needs to be voted on.
Lehman: Okay. We have a motion on the floor; we're discussing the conditional
zoning agreement. Is there any additional discussion?
Wilburn: Please restate the motion so everyone's clear.
Lehman: The motion is to accept the conditional zoning agreement as prepared by
the staff of the Planning and Zoning Commission, as a part of the
rezoning. If we approve the conditional zoning agreement, we can
proceed to approve the rezoning. If we do not approve the conditional
rezoning agreement, or if we attend not to approve it, it requires a meeting
with Planning and Zoning Commission. I think it would be best if we
withdrew the motion until the next, if we continue the hearing, if the
motion maker and seconder are willing to do that.
Wilbum: Yeah.
Champion: Yeah.
Lehman: Well, can we vote that, we can't vote that down without a meeting with
Planning and Zoning.
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Dilkes: Well, you're not disagreeing with the zoning recommendation. You're
just agreeing with the conditions. I don't know, what do you think about
that, Karin?
Franklin: I'd love to make it easy for you, but the conditions become a part of the
zoning, so I think if the Council is going to go in a different direction than
the Planning and Zoning Commission, according to your resolution, you
need to give the opportunity for the Commission to meet with you.
Lehman: So we cannot vote on that. We could take a motion to defer.
Wilburn: Has the Commission...did they indicate any interest if the Council went
against this in meeting with the Council?
Franklin: Yes, yes they did.
Dilkes: Why don't you take an informal poll and see whose going to, on the
conditions, who would want to support the conditions.
Lehman: Well, informally, how many will support the approval of the conditional
zoning agreement at this time?
Vanderhoef: With clarification of definitions.
Lehman: I see three.
Bailey: That was four. That's four.
Vanderhoef: If we can clarify the definitions of what's in here...
Dilkes: It has to be adopted before the close of the public hearing, so it is as it
stands right now.
Vanderhoef: Then I can't do it...
Dilkes: Unless you want to make a motion to alter it, or it's a non-substantive
change.
Vanderhoefi It'll be definition...I suspect you'll rule that substantive.
Dilkes: I don't know, until ....
Vanderhoef: Okay, I'll just vote to defer.
Lehman: Well, we have a motion to defer.
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Dilkes: Wait a minute. We have a motion on the floor to approve a conditional
zoning agreement. It appears to me that that motion would fail.
Lehman: Right.
Dilkes: And therefore I think you need to withdraw the motion and set up a
meeting with the Planning and Zoning Commission, and then you can if
you want to vote, then vote to continue the public heating.
Champion: Why would we withdraw the motion?
Lehman: Because our regulations require that if we're going to vote against the
recommendations of Planning and Zoning Commission that we meet with
them prior to that vote.
Champion: Right, Oh, prior to the vote. Oh...
Elliott: Is this our answer to a filibuster?
Champion: I think so. (laughter)
Wilbum: This is not personal. I will go ahead and withdraw the motion, but your
informal poll indicated that the conditional zoning agreement was going to
fail, and so what you're talking about is, it would not have happened, we
would not have disagreed with their recommendation, but I'll go ahead.
Dilkes: No, no, no. It has to pass in order to agree with their recommendation. If
it fails you disagree with their recommendations, that's why you need to
withdraw the motion.
Wilburn: All right. I'll withdraw it just to move us on.
Lehman: We have to have...
O'Donnell: I would like to defer this...want me to second it?
Champion: Of course I will.
O'Donnell: I move we defer to June 6th.
Vanderhoefi Second.
Lehman: We have a motion to defer the public hearing to June 7th, and a second by
Vanderhoef. All in favor? Opposed? The motion carries, I believe...let's
raise hands. All in favor? Deferring? We have 4 votes to defer, we have
3 votes not to, and those voting...
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Karr: Mr. Mayor, I'm sorry, could we...since this is, could you repeat the vote
so I can see. Who's the 4th?
Lehman: I was just going to state it.
Karr: Okay.
Lehman: Champion, Bailey, and Wilbum voting in the negative to defer. The
motion carries. We now need a motion to defer first consideration.
2) Consider an ordinance (First Consideration)
O'Donnell: So moved.
Lehman: Moved by O'Donnell.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Second by Vanderhoef. All in favor? Motion carries.
Atkins: Ernie, not to mess this all up.
Lehman: You couldn't. (laughter)
Atkins: Is your expectation of it as a Council, the next step in this process is a
meeting with Planning and Zoning? Is there anything else that you wish
for us to do? And having Harry contact...
Lehman: I would very much like a letter from Jason Price, or someone representing
the purchaser, as to their reaction to the conditional zoning agreement.
Are there other Council people who would ...
O'Donnell: I would like that also.
Elliott: Yes.
Atkins: So your expectation is for us to pursue that, and bring whatever that
document...
Lehman: I don't know if there's four people who want to pursue that. I do. We
have four, yes.
Wolff So those conditions as written?
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Lehman: As written, or you may want to visit .... conceptually.., do they
conceptually agree with it..
Vanderhoef: What I am looking at, Harry, is I just want some definitions in there so it's
real clear what they mean by certain terms within the conditional
agreement. Otherwise, I'm supporting conditional agreements. I think the
design standards are an important part of big boxes, and there has to be a
first one someplace, and this is, this one apparently is going to be it, but
certainly if we're rezoning all of the 52 acres in this parcel, not just a
parcel for the potential Wal-Mart business, then I want it in place for all of
them.
Lehman: Do you have any idea what timetable you would be required to come up
with? The only reason I ask, my suspicion is that if we get a letter from
the developer that these conditions are acceptable that there probably will
not need to be a meeting with Planning and Zoning Commission?
Champion: The other thing is too, that Dee just had some questions about some
definitions in there. She supports the conditional zoning. So, you're
going to have four folks to agree with Planning and Zoning once she gets
her definitions straight.
Lehman: I think we may have seven people agree with Planning and Zoning
Commission. Well, six, because I think it hinges on this being acceptable
to the people we made the contract with.
Champion: But that's so crazy.
Lehman: It may be crazy, but I think...
Champion: You're the one giving the rules.
Lehman: What?
Champion: You're the one giving the rules, that's what conditional zoning is about.
Lehman: We had a signed purchase agreement that did not include those conditions.
We added those conditions afterwards. Anyway...
Dilkes: My office will coordinate with Harry and we'll talk to him.
Lehman: Thank you very much.
Elliott: Mr. Mayor, let the record show we fell into morass and battled our way
out of it. (laughter)
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Atkins: Before you move on, just...make sure we touch all the bases here. If the
letter that Harry secures indicates that the Planning and Zoning
contingencies that they wish to have applied to this contract are okay, does
that mean that we still have to proceed with a meeting with Planning and
Zoning?
Lehman: No, I do not believe that to be true.
Vanderhoef: Probably not. No, I'm saying, I don't see that these definitions are going
to be that big a deal.
Atkins: I wasn't thinking about you, Dee, specifically.
Dilkes: The question is if Wal-Mart is agreeable to the conditions and such that
the purchase agreement contingency will be met, is there Council majority
that supports imposing the conditions?
Lehman: How many would support those conditions if it's acceptable to Wal-Mart?
Dilkes: Or not.., so no, if we get the purchase agreement amended or get a letter
that's satisfactory, we don't need a meeting with P and Z.
Lehman: Okay.
Champion: Or if we get Dee's definitions straightened out we won't need a meeting.
Lehman: I don't think yours are deal breakers.
Vanderhoefi I don't think they are either.
Atkins: Just want to ...(several talking at once)
Kart: Motion to accept correspondence.
Bailey: So moved.
Wilburn: Second.
Lehman: Motion and a second to accept correspondence. All in favor? Opposed?
Motion carries.
Atkins: Ernie, may I make one more comment, please?
Lehman: Yes, please.
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Atkins: I just want to note that going in that all of this hinges on the acceptance of
the Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendations to you
completely. Not going to start bargaining, or horse trading...
Lehman: I do not have an issue with those conditions at all. I have an issue with the
process.
Atkins: And a majority apparently does not have a problem with the conditions, if
it's acceptable to the purchaser. (several agreeing)
Lehman: Got that now? All right. We're going to do Item F and then we're going
to take a break.
Karr: Motion to defer, for the ordinance? (several talking at once)
Lehman: We had a motion and a second, we did.
Champion: It was voted on.
Kart: Okay.
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ITEM 6 REPEALING CITY CODE TITLE 12, CHAPTER 4 ENTITLED
BROADBAND TELECOMMUNICATIONS FRANCHISE
ENABLING ORDINANCE AND ADOPTING A NEW CHAPER 4
Lehman: Public hearing is open.
Castillo: My name's Brett Lord-Castillo. I'm one of the Commissioner's on the
Telecommunications Commission. I'm also a member of the
subcommittee that dealt with the negotiations with Mediacom. One of the
main things I want to do is address some of the concerns that I've had
relayed to me. The main one seemed to be the length of the agreement,
it's a 13-year length. There's a couple reasons, actually in terms of
agreements like this, generally it's best to push for longer terms on it. The
biggest factor is the regulatory environment. Some of you may be aware
that in recent years FCC has pushed more towards deregulation of the
cable industry. That trend seems likely to continue. Create an agreement
now lets us craft it under the current regulatory environment where we
have a little more control. It's likely that if we do shorten the term, for
example, to five years, at that point in time, we'll face a more deregulated
environment. We won't be able to get some of the terms that are in here
now. In particular, support for public access that's in there. There's been
a push by the cable industry even to deregulate the ability to regulate the
basic cable tier to maintain levels of the franchise fees. In five years we
may not have those sort of negotiating chips. We could end up with some
worse franchise. Right now, other companies besides Mediacom, I
believe Charter has generally been pushing for 3% rather than the 5%.
Comcast similarly has negotiations far tougher than what we faced. Our
agreement is a very quality agreement. Dubuque passed their agreement
last night. Every point of it, pretty much their major points, we are either
equal to them or better than them on our agreement.
Lehman: What's the length of time on theirs?
Castillo: Sixteen years.
Lehman: Okay, thank you.
Castillo: In fact, pretty much that's been the length of time we've been seeing with
Mediacom, with other agreements. I think they have representatives that
can probably speak to that. In other cities, larger companies such as
Comcast, Time-Warner, Charter, have been pushing for shorter
agreements just because they know that with the shorter agreement they
may have the opportunity to regulate better terms for the company in that
time span. A longer term also protects us with one of the main risks, risk
of a buy-out. The position of Mediacom right now, it's probably not
likely for a company to buy out the franchise here, but when you look for
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even a five-year time frame, that can change. If in five years, someone
else owns the franchise, we will be negotiating with a different company.
We will probably be negotiating with a larger company who will not give
us as strong of terms. If we have a longer term agreement and a company
does buy out this franchise during that time, we'll be able to have that
agreement to protect us. One other very important aspect is what we call
the state of the art clause. Let me grab which one that is here. That's
"Services Equipment and Facilities" clause, under "Assistance and
Capacity", Item G. As you may have noticed, part of the conditions of
that clause is that they have, Mediacom has to be able to realize a return
on the investment within the length of the franchise agreement. So, if we
do shorten the agreement, that means that there's considerably less power
in that clause. Right now, for example, with the Dubuque agreement, they
basically handled that by specifying specific system upgrade, and a
technology updating fund. That means that they do have specific caps on
what Mediacom's bound to in upgrading. For us, we compare to local
franchises. Everything coming off the superhead end that serves this area,
so Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, other such communities, the Mason City
head-end that has comparable communities. The Fairfield head-end which
is also comparable, and the city of Ames, any upgrades within those
communities, Mediacom will be bound unless they come to Council for an
exception or an experimental design to create similar updates within a
year. You notice there's no sort of caps on that, on the amount of
spending, or the nature of the upgrade, other than they need to be able to
receive a return on their investment within the length of the franchise
agreement. This clause is very good for making sure that we stay among
the top-developed systems in Iowa, but shortening the agreement will
significantly lengthen the power of that clause, so that was another reason
to push for the longer term. In general, when negotiating these
agreements, the idea is to protect the City against a deregulation
environment, to look for longer terms, and really not to risk having to
renegotiate periodically. The last factor is cost. I'm not sure of the exact
number for Dubuque. I think (can't hear) might know that number, but it
was I believe over a half million dollars that they spent negotiating their
contract. We don't want to face the costs like that every five years. In
fact, we were able to, through the informal process, keep costs negotiating
down quite a bit. We do not need to eat up City funds having to
renegotiate cable franchises too frequently. Thank you.
Wilburn: So in your opinion there is teeth in the state of the art clause?
Castillo: Significantly, yes.
Wilburn: And the rest of your argument was that because of the environment,
deregulation, that ...
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Castillo: And the terms of the contract are very good. It'll be...ifyou search across
the country, it's very hard to find a franchise agreement with terms as
solid as this. One of the better ones you'll find is over in Montgomery
County, Maryland, which has the bonus of being near Washington, D.C.,
and having a significantly larger base. Even representatives from their
Commission there that I have spoken to have had the opinion that we have
a very good agreement, and theirs is about the only one I've seen
negotiated lately that might possibly exceed ours, and in the state of Iowa,
I have not seen anything recently that are as good as ours.
Champion: One of the common complaints we hear is rates, but we do not negotiate
rates, isn't that correct?
Castillo: Yeah, except for the basic tier, and basic tier we're one of the lowest
around now.
Champion: I think it's important for the public to know that, because it's the rates that
we get the most complaints about.
Castillo: Mediacom has the most uniform rates throughout the state for tiers beyond
basic. In terms of trying to create more consumer value, a lot of that's
going to come more in just in formal negotiations, discussing with
Mediacom what we would like to see, what types of features we want to
see offered. As a company they've been very good on that. They've
always been very agreeable in agreements; they resolve complaints
rapidly; much different environment than what we saw under, especially
previously AT&T; much better experience than other cities have
experienced with other companies that could potentially move in here.
Any other questions you'd like to have addressed at this time? Thank you.
Vanderhoef: Thank you.
O'Donnell: Very well done.
Larew: My name is Jim Larew. I'm here on my own behalf but I'm here to speak
about an issue that came to my attention in a slightly different capacity.
I'm chair of a group that is campaigning in favor of public power, which is
the issue of who should own the electric utility franchise, and to get a
basis for a better understanding of our community's feeling about this and
related issues, we commissioned a public opinion survey and the base of
the survey was this: that we pre-selected those voters who are most likely
to vote in an election. We have a self-interest in doing that, so I wouldn't
represent it's the broad spectrum of Iowa City citizens, but those who are
politically interested, and the sample size was 350. We asked a
thermometer question. Of course, our interest had to do with public power
issues and others, but we allowed the recipient of the question to measure
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a variety of individuals, political individuals and institutions on a zero or
one to one hundred scale, a thermometer, and at one hundred you can see
the question is listed there. "I'd like you to rate your feelings towards
some local people and organizations with one hundred being very warm,
favorable feeling; zero being a very cold, unfavorable feeling; and fifty not
being particularly warm or cold. You can use any number zero to a
hundred. The higher the number the more favorable your feelings. If you
have no opinion or have never heard of the person or organization, please
say so." In an instance where the person did not recognize the name of the
person or the organization, it was not counted as a part of the responses.
To me it was astonishing and market at the low rating that Mediacom
cable received. That is to say it's mean score, or average score, was
36.79. Nearly twice as many favorable, or the range in terms of
favorability, was assigned to the Iowa City water service. Many more
people favorably support the water service. Mediacom cable was the
lowest of all institutions or individuals who were rated. Down below on
this page, you have the opportunity to view how many people gave a
rating of above or below fifty because fifty would be right in the middle,
and so you can determine how many people had favorable or unfavorable
ratings. Mediacom at 21% favorable, compared to nearly 60%
unfavorable. You have an institution here, a business institution, that is
highly, highly unfavorably viewed by the citizens who this institution or
this business is intended to serve, and you are the only protection against
that kind of an unfavorably received consumer product. I believe that if
the University of Iowa students, having completed their exams, went home
with a 36% rating on a 100 scale, they probably wouldn't be returned by
their parents for another term until they shaped up. I believe that public
employees, or people in the private sector, who after years of service were
rated at 36.7 would not be rehired again. I believe that City Council
people who had a 36% approval rating would not run for election, or if
they did they would not be reelected. How is it then that we come to this
position as I understand it, the question is for how long shall we extend the
franchise? Three years? Thirteen years? Isn't it possible to recast the
question to say 'is this the service provider that we want at all?' I think
one need look no further than a place like Muscatine, Iowa, that has city-
owned cable service, highly rated by the citizens. The rates are
substantially lower and if you just turn on their web page, there's no fewer
consumer options to those consumers in terms of the array of programs
that they can watch for lower costs. I would like to see this city turn this
issue back to the cable commission and say 'did you seriously consider all
of the options before coming and asking us to confirm a continuation of a
franchise of a very unpopular provider of an essential public service.'
Thank you.
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Lehman: Jim, just one question. Do you have any other statistics for other cities
that have commercial cable companies, as far as how they rated with their
consumers/
Larew: I have not done that survey. What I am skeptical of though, Mayor, is
when I see advertising purchased by supposed public opinion survey
organizations, and those organizations are paid large sums for the ability
to use those advertisements, and it seems to me that there is an illusion
created that Iowa City residents highly support and greatly favor this
particular company. I have not done surveys of other communities.
Lehman: No, but...you know we talked last night a little bit, and I think there's, we
all tend not to like a lot of times services that are available from only one
source, whether it be the utility company or the cable company or the
telephone company, and that's why ! wondered if you just knew, for
example, how Des Moines or Ames or Cedar Rapids or somebody else...
Larew: No, I understand your question, but isn't that what makes this different
though, Mayor? That is to say that those people who don't like Mediacom
can get a satellite dish, or those who don't like it can put up an antennae
and at least get thirteen channels? That makes it unlike Mid-America
where if you don't like your electrons from Mid-America, you've got no
choice, and I think the reason you don't have more political fire here is
because people are going other places with their consumer dollar, but it
doesn't make you any less responsible, I think, for finding the most
reasonable and public-spirited cable company to serve the citizens of Iowa
City. They deserve no less. Yes?
Vanderhoef: Jim, when was this survey done?
Larew: In the last six weeks.
Vanderhoef: Okay, that takes care of one of my questions then, because my experience
over the last five years or so, that there have been fewer and fewer
complaints about the cable. I sort of watch that because they report the
monthly in the minutes of their meetings. The other thing that I have a
little problem with was the question in itself, feelings towards, and when I
look at that, there's two things that come to mind. If people are really
angry about their rate for service, that's going to affect their feelings, if
that's the first thing that they think of. If they are just talking about the
service provided and take cost out of the equation, then maybe you get a
different answer. So, I'm not terribly impressed with this number because
of the way the question was asked.
Larew: I understand that. It's a relative question, but the same consumers were
asked to rate Iowa City water, whose rates are not particularly Iow, but
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apparently the citizens of Iowa City think that the quality is especially
high, and...
Vanderhoef: But that's what came to mind.
Larew: That's me too, and I was as surprised by the differential here. I think with
that many responses, it's not something that you can explain, well it's a
margin of error or this or that. It's a significant finding, and I think you
would do well to say is there some better way that we can look to find a
way of getting a service that people want and deserve in a higher quality
fashion, and I think that this is an indication that you should look for those
options.
Champion: Do you have any ideas?
Larew: Options? Well, one is the public ownership option. That is to say that
when Muscatine purchase, in the late 90's..this isn't one of those things
where it was done so many years ago with federal dollars that you can't
compare apples to oranges. It was done in the late 1990's, and they're up
and running, and just turn on their web page. I'm not their advertiser, but
it's amazing, the billing that they do - people are calling, they have the
24/7 answering operation system, the list of channels they have going to
200's, and the rates that they pay for comparable services, HBO, Starz,
and the rest are lower than what Mediacom is charging. It seems to me
that it's not a difficult leap of faith to think that we could do as well or
better, but at least we ought to look. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Kart: Motion to accept correspondence.
O'Donnell: So moved.
Lehman: Second?
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries.
Dilkes: Given Jim's comments, I just want to clarify that we really aren't at liberty
to just pick a different cable company. IfMediacom would commence the
formal renewal process, federal law requires that you can only deny that
renewal based on four grounds. So it's not like we can just go out and
chuck that renewal and say we want a different company.
Champion: But we do have the right to have a different company; didn't we okay...
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Lehman: It's not an exclusive franchise. Anybody else can come in, or well,
anybody...
Stromquist: Shel Stromquist again. I would encourage you, strongly encourage you,
before getting into a debate about whether 13, or 15, or 12, or 3 years
should be the length of the franchise to take seriously how much animosity
there is in this community towards this company, and to think seriously
about the kinds of alternatives that Jim Larew was suggesting do exist.
They're not off in some other country; they're just down the road in
Muscatine. (TAPE ENDS) Let's explore what those four grounds might
be before we lock ourselves into another long term contract. The
regulatory environment might change, but if we decided to municipalize
and we're able to do that, the change in the regulatory environment
doesn't mean anything. We basically are running it and regulating it
ourselves, and the returns from the example of Muscatine are impressive
indeed. I didn't know this was coming up tonight, and I think if public in
general knew that this was an issue before the Council, and a well-
publicized hearing were held, you would have an earful. There would be
people waiting in line to talk about this company. It's performance and
it's rates, so I encourage you, before you lock us into another straight
jacket, that we look at all the alternatives. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Castillo: Brett Lord-Castillo again. I figured I'd address some of the comments that
were just made in there. The Commission has examined other
alternatives, and to some extent it is limited. Muscatine was brought up in
terms of municipal cable. Now, one thing, there are several municipal
cable companies in Iowa at this point. To my knowledge, only one of
them is operating without being part of an existing municipal electric
utility, and the situation in Muscatine, they've purchased the plant from
Mediacom. Currently, their pricing is done on marginal pricing. Not
quite exactly a lost leader, but it is bundled with their other services. The
pricing is done based on the marginal pricing providing the service, rather
than the pricing of the entire plant as purchased. One thing to be aware of,
I know the Council has made a recommendation on this before to the
State, if laws are in place to protect basically how bonds are issued and
how revenue are generated from electric utilities, that would be an option
in the future. At this time though, in order for us to create a municipal
utility, we'd essentially have to purchase the plant from Mediacom at a
fair market value, and that would be after going through the formal
process, as well. That's part of the reason why the idea of converting
immediately to municipal utility really is not a feasible option at this time.
If we have another company replace Mediacom, that requires finding
another company. Quite frankly, there's not a lot of interest in providing
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service in eastern Iowa among other companies. Major companies such as
Time-Warner and, well Time-Warner in particular, is a good distance
away from here. Probably any other company in the future will be highly
dependent on who ends up in Minneapolis, of all places. So, we have
actively pursued, overbuilders and other companies, you're aware of the
situation where McLeod was to be granted a franchise but they decided
that they didn't want to do an overbuild. On a regular basis, the City staff
and the cable franchise does send out documentation seeing basically if
other companies are interested in this area, particularly as an overbuilder.
One other aspect too in terms of the survey, you may be aware of what's
called ERCA, does regular surveying on public feelings provided by
companies. They do similar scale on zero to a hundred. Of the companies
here, these numbers are pulling considerably lower than averages for each
of the industries. I believe for electric the average is normally up in the
low to mid 70 ranges. Municipal too, water is considerably higher. For
cable, cable industry rates the lowest of any industry as a whole. For
ratings of customer service, that just tends to be the perception of cable as
a whole. Numbers there, I believe, the low ends are around 51 normally.
Average is around 58. So the numbers here are lower than the ERCA
numbers, but across the board they're lower so it might actually be due to
more the nature of the survey. As we're all aware too, the complaints
have gone down consistently during the last couple of years. A few
months ago we actually had zero complaints for a month. It's been a very
long time since we had that.
Champion: Maybe people aren't complaining because they don't have cable any
more. I don't have cable any more because I could not get good reception
and they told me they could never fix it, so I thought how can I have cable
if I have a fuzzy screen. So, you know, I'm not complaining to them any
more because I don't have it any more.
Castillo: Yes, Mediacom did have a consistent drop in basic subscriber numbers
until the most recent quarter, where that drop finally did reverse around,
and probably a lot of loss is due to competition to satellite and such, but
with their existing customer base, even with rate increases and other such
issues, we've seen a lot less complaints, a lot less outage issues, and even
Mediacom's one of the few companies that held off on a rate increase
during the recent spring period when most companies do create rate
increases in their. So..
O'Donnell: We don't negotiate rates anyway, or we can't, but you know I too have
had many calls where people call with a problem and it's not addressed
because nobody answers the phone, and I've done that myself, and that is
frustrating, and I think Connie raises a very valid point. People do tend to
leave and they've bought dishes and so forth, but you know, I really, I
have a feeling that this will probably pass tonight. I would like to see
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it...well, I would like to see it deferred until we can have more discussion
on this, because I would like to see what else we can get for our
community. And I don't know Muscatine, that may be a fantastically
wonderful rate and system, but I have no idea what they're giving our
community. You know, we have things in this community that people
value and ...
Castillo: Absolutely, we definitely want a municipal option. Until municipal
electric's in place, that's probably not a very strong option for municipal
cable option, or municipal telecom utility.
Bailey: Well, and for me, this agreement does have wonderful things for our
community, but for direct benefit for citizens, and this is important for me
to hear from the consultant about exactly what Mediacom can provide that
directly benefits the consumer, because these benefits that have been well
negotiated in this franchise agreement are benefits to the City, and benefits
to public access TV and our system, but citizens aren't seeing those
benefits directly.
Castillo: Well, if you don't mind, that is part of the primary purpose of the
franchise agreement is the negotiation between the city and the cable
utility on what the cable utility is providing, in exchange for access to the
right-of-ways. A lot of the more consumer-oriented benefits...there are
some in here, especially in terms of consumer negotiations and customer
service issues. One of the biggest ones is the changing of the outage
refund periods and of hours related to service calls and such. Realistically,
we're pretty limited on what we can actually put into an agreement that
will directly affect a consumer.
Bailey: I understand that, but I think that that's a discussion that we're all
interested in hearing, and it's contingent upon us to look out for the
consumers. Not just for the City, and so I think that's important, so can
we move to defer at this point?
Lehman: Yeah, last night we had, I think Council...there are a lot of questions that
Council folks have on this, and I understand we had a very good
consultant who prepared this document and we may end up thinking that is
a wonderful document, but last night there seemed to be an interest on the
part of the Council to ask that person to come to a Council meeting and let
us discuss with them so that we better understand what you already know,
because I don't think we really do know. There's a lot of confusion
among us, so we did indicate last night that we would probably defer this
and if Council still wishes.
Helling: Mr. Mayor, just for your information, we have been in contact with the
consultant and they would be available. Don Williams would be available
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to be here at your work session on the 6th, and also then to stay for the rest
of the public hearing if you continue it on the 7th.
Lehman: Do we have a motion to...oops, sorry.
Elliott: Mr. Mayor, I just want to say that occasionally Regenia and I agree, and
this is one of those times when I agree with what she said, but in addition
to that, conceptually in such a high-tech field, I would, I will strenuously
oppose any long-term agreement, more than...
Lehman: Before you hear the consultant?
Elliott: Yes.
Lehman: Okay.
Elliott: But I do want to hear the consultant because there may be a good
compromise to which we can arrive.
Lehman: So, Regenia, did you move to defer, to continue the public heating?
Bailey: Yes, I will move that.
Elliott: I will second that. You bet.
Lehman: We have a motion and a second to continue the public heating to June 7th.
All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Do we have a motion to defer
the first consideration?
Vanderhoef: So moved.
Bailey: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef; seconded by Bailey. All in favor? Opposed?
Motion carries.
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ITEM 8 ASSESSING A $300 CIVIL PENALTY AGAINST ONE-EYED
JAKES, PURSUANT TO IOWA CODE SECTION 453A.22(2) (2005)
a) Public Hearing
Lehman: Public heating is open.
Chappell: Good evening, Andy Chappell from the Johnson County Attomey's office.
Another tobacco civil penalty, and hopefully the last for this year. One-
Eyed Jakes tonight; on February 19th, an employee at One-Eyed Jakes sold
tobacco to a minor. The employee later didn't appear in court, and as such
was found guilty. This is the first violation of Iowa Code 453A.2 by an
employee of One-Eyed Jakes within a two-year period. Because of that, I
believe that the Council should assess a $300 civil penalty against One-
Eyed Jakes. I haven't been in contact with the owners so I don't know if
they are here tonight.
Lehman: Okay, any questions? Thank you.
b) Consider a Resolution
Champion: Move the resolution.
Bailey: Second.
Lehman: Just a minute. Public heating is closed. Moved by Champion; seconded
by Bailey to consider the resolution. Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM 9 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 14, ENTITLED
"UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED
"CITY UTILITIES," ARTICLE H, ENTITLED "SOLID WASTE,"
SECTION 8, ENTITLED "STORAGE OF SOLID WASTE" BY
AMENDING SUBSECTION E, ENTITLED "LOCATION OF
SOLID WASTE CONTAINER," AND BY ADDING A NEW
SUBSECTION F, ENTITLED "DOWNTOWN SOLID WASTE
CONTAINER CODE" TO ESTABLISH A PERMIT SYSTEM FOR
STORAGE OF SOLID WASTE CONTAINERS IN THE
DOWNTOWN PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY (SECOND
CONSIDERATION)
Vanderhoef: Move second consideration.
Atkins: Sir, may I recommend collapsing and moving ahead? If we could, please.
Lehman: Do we have a motion to expedite this?
Vanderhoef: I will change my original motion, and (several talking at once). I move
that the rule requiring that ordinances must be considered and voted on for
passage at two Council meetings prior to the meeting at which it is to be
finally passed be suspended. That the second consideration and vote be
waived, and that the ordinance be voted on for final passage at this time.
Bailey: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef; seconded by Bailey to expedite. Discussion?
Elliott: I have a question for the City Manager. Steve, what is the downtown
area? What are the parameters?
Atkins: CB-10 zone as we know it; it'd be Burlington, Gilbert, Iowa, Clinton.
Elliott: Okay, second one, is it...
Vanderhoef: Jefferson.
Atkins: No, excuse me. It's the immediate downtown, that's correct.
Elliott: Is it putting a sticker on the dumpster, which is...what if it comes up
missing, it's pulled oft'?.
Atkins: Stickers we ordered are supposedly iron-clad. I don't know how else
to...(several talking at once) I asked for super-duper stickers because they
were going to be on trash containers. (several talking at once)
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Elliott: There is little or no chance of a sticker being removed? What happens
then when it has been rectified? How do we remove it? Do you just exit
out?
Atkins: Just put another sticker on top of it. Just like on your license plate,
annually we would do that.
Elliott: Okay, okay.
Vanderhoefi You know, they request when we get our trash stickers that go on our trash
barrel that we sign the sticker so that if it is stolen, peeled off...
Atkins: Each sticker will have a number, other information; if someone tries to
remove it and put it on somewhere else...
Lehman: I think we're discussing whether or not we should expedite this.
(laughter) We're not discussing...roll call on expedition, please. Motion
carries.
Vanderhoef: I move that the ordinance be finally adopted at this time.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef; seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Elliott: Pretend that that exchange took place now. (laughter)
Lehman: Okay. This is, I think, a very solid effort by the City, which I suspect with
the strong support of the City Council, to clean up the alleys in the
downtown area which has been a real problem for a long time, and we,
I'm really pleased to see this occur. Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM 11 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ON UNCLASSIFIED SALARY
COMPENSATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006 FOR THE CITY
MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, AND CITY CLERK
Champion: Move the resolution.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Champion; seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Let me say,
and I know I speak for the entire Council, how pleased we are with the
performance of these three folks and how fortunate we feel that we are to
have them working for us, and I think that kind of sums it up. (several
talking)
O'Donnell: Especially tonight. (laughter)
Lehman: Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM 17 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION
Lehman: Regenia?
Bailey: I would just like to thank Officers Fowler, Huber, and Stevens. I had the
opportunity to ride along on Friday night, and a walk along on Friday
night, Saturday morning, and I appreciated the time and the interesting
education process. Thank you. And I encourage anyone who hasn't done
that to do that. It's...
Elliott: Someone asked me why one of our Council persons had been picked up
by the police.
Bailey: There were no handcuffs. (laughter) Free of my own accord.
Wilburn: Good luck to Council member Bailey in her transportation grand prix, is it
tomorrow?
Bailey: Right, early tomorrow morning.
Wilburn: You have competition, race between a bus, a bike, and a car, from the
Coralville mall to the Old Capitol. Good luck. Also, invite the public to
United Action for Youth, opening the new youth center at Tower Place
and Parking. Real nice space for the folks down there, and encourage you
to get down and take a look. Good agency. Also, "get well" to my good
buddy Rod Hesson who's probably watching tonight; had a hip
replacement yesterday; hope he recovers well, and congratulation to the
ten and under Iowa City Slammers' girls softball team who got second
place in a tournament in Williamsburg last weekend.
Elliott: Who was their coach?
Wilbum: I'm the assistant coach. (laughter)
Vanderhoefi Anyone you know on the team there? Yes, I know you've got a couple of
ball players in your family, which is nice. This is just one thing for
Council that I forgot last night when we were wrapping up. I would like
to ask Council to put on the work session list of things to look at the
possibility of a survey of our employees for suggestions to change,
improve, do differently, things within our organization. I think that they
have lots of good ideas, and sometimes they just drop because you're
visiting with one of them, and I would like that a formal survey done of
employees.
Champion: Do departments do that already, Steve? I would think...
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Atkins: We sort of informally; no, that might be kind of fun.
Champion: It would be fun, but if you're already doing it.
Atkins: We've got an employee newsletter you all get a copy of the FYIC and that
instrument...yeah... (several talking at once).
Vanderhoefi There are times when they have ideas outside of their own department that
we haven't thought about. (several talking at once)
Lehman: The ball's in your court. Mike?
O'Donnell: I would like to bring up once again the intersection of Dubuque going
south and Church Street. I've brought this up before. Something, I think,
has to be done with that intersection. You can wait there forever. I know
Regenia avoids it and goes down the alley, but I tried it the other day and
the alley was full. (laughter) Well, we really have to address it sometime.
That's, the traffic backs up and when you get a Cambus turning right at
that intersection...
Atkins: Well, hopefully later this summer we're going to do a budget priority
session with you and capital projects...that's on the list.
O'Donnell: Okay, I just wanted to let everybody know that I hadn't forgotten about
that.
Atkins: Yeah. We do get reasonable number of complaints about that intersection.
Lehman: Constance?
Champion: Well, I hope everybody on the Council and the public will take advantage
of the house tour from Friends of Historic Preservation, which are a group
of volunteers in this community who buy dilapidated houses and restore
them, and it's just...this one is at (several talking at once) College, comer
of College...Washington and Summit, and I hope that you'll take the time
to see it. I will not be able to go; I'll be out of town but I'm sure I could
get a private showing from somebody, but it's...and I want to announce
that after twenty-two years of having children in college, my last one is
graduating. (laughter)
Lehman: Robert?
Elliott: Two items. One, congratulations to our neighbors to the south, Riverside,
for getting the gaming commission to allow them to put up a casino, a
resort hotel, and a golf course. I neither golf nor visit casinos, but a lot of
people worked very hard to get that. It's not without controversy, but I
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congratulate the people who worked successfully. Secondly, after last
night's extensive discussion on alcohol, I was rather disappointed. One of
the disappointments was that some people felt that I disagreed a great deal
with the Mayor. I do not. I think the Mayor and I both understand there's
a serious problem with abuse of alcohol. We both agree that something
has to be done. We have a slight disagreement on where to start, but I
would really like to see this Council convene, discuss, ask the Mayor to
set up a plan where we could meet with a senior member of the staff from
the University, get together, get something going, and do something, and
let's move off the dime. I think Ernie has said we had plenty of talk, let's
see some action. I will end since our friend Gary read from Genesis, I will
end with the final verse of Longfellow's Song of Life which says, "Let us
then be up and doing with a heart for any fate, still achieving, still
pursuing, learn to labor, and to wait." Let's address the alcohol issue.
Lehman: Wow! Is that...does Council concur with Mr. Elliott's request? (several
talking at once) I mean, is that something that Council is interested in
doing? Having a meeting with folks from the University...
Champion: I think there are already a lot of groups meeting together.
Lehman: Mike thinks it's a good idea; Bob thinks it's a good idea. Is there anybody
else interested in pursuing this? All right, Steve, we'll get together and set
something up. All right, I have two or three things. Saturday and Sunday
there is Eastern Iowa Big Kids Toy Show at the Airport. You know, I am
just delighted to see the airport being used for something that benefits the
entire community, as well as the pilots, but there is going to be all kinds of
things like motorcycles and cars and four wheelers, and all sorts of things.
There'll be breakfast served down there on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday the breakfast is hosted by the United Methodist Men and Sunday
by the Rotary Club, and all proceeds go to their projects. It should be a lot
of fun. I certainly encourage folks to go down to that.
Elliott: May I add that the only difference between men and boys is the price of
their toys.
Lehman: That's why they said "kids". This is not "men's" toys, these are toys for
big kids. Friday Night Concert Series starts a week from Friday night, the
first concert, and certainly...is it this Friday? But in any case, don't miss
the series. It's a wonderful event for Iowa City. Memorial Day weekend
occurs prior to our next meeting, and I certainly would encourage fellow
Council folks and people from the community to attend Memorial Day
Services which will be held at Oakland Cemetery, I think at 9:30, at
Memory Gardens at 11:00, and then there is another service at the West
Overlook, but that's the really, really special day, and certainly one that,
and I'm proud to attend the first two of those services.
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Vanderhoefi One more thing, please. Last week on Saturday, we cut the ribbon at the
Prairie Park at the water plant site, and at that same event, there was a new
Iowa City trails map, showing the completed trails in our immediate
vicinity, so Coralville, North Liberty, and so forth, so all of you who are
getting out on the bicycles for bicycle week this week or month actually,
and also who want to skateboard and walk and get your exercise and start
your summer off right, stop at City Hall and get a trail map.
Lehman: Two other things: I will not be here the first meeting in June. Ross will
be in charge, and Mike, congratulations on re-running. Saw it in the paper
today. Steve, do you have anything?
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Council meeting of May 17, 2005.