HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-12-14 TranscriptionDecember 14, 1998 Council Work Session Page 1
December 14, 1998
Council Work Session
7:15 PM
Council: Lehman, Champion, Kubby, Norton, O'Donnell, Thomberry ,Vanderhoef.
Staff: Atkins, Helling, Karr, Franklin, Yucuis, Klingman, Craig, Schoon, Winklehake.
Tapes: 98-135, all; 98-136,
Review Zoning Matters 98-135 S1
a. Consider a motion setting a public hearing for January 12 on an ordinance
designation 2 South Linn Street as an Iowa City Historic Landmark.
Franklin/The first item is setting a p.h. for January 12 .... designating 2 S. Linn Street, the
Harmon Building, as a Iowa City Historic Landmark. That will be acted on by the
Planning and Zoning Commission this Thursday.
O'Donnell/What time is that meeting'?
Franklin/7:30 PM in this room.
Kubby/I am trying to figure out kind of an interesting scenario. Is it possible that the
city... need to get a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation
Commission? ....
Franklin/Yes, if it is designated a landmark, that is exactly what would have to happen.
b. Consider a motion setting a public hearing for January 12 on an ordinance
changing the zoning designation of approximately 0.2 acres located at 703 Benton
Court from Medium Density Single-Family Residential (RS-8) to High Densit),
Multi-Family Residential (RM-44). (REZ98-0015)
Franklin/...set a p.h. for January 12 on an ordinance changing the zoning designation of
.2 acres at 703 Benton Court from RS-8 to RM-44 .... Oaknoll parking lot issue.
Thornberry/There was a 3- 3 vote on the P/Z .....
Franklin/What that constitutes for you procedurally is that is a denial of the rezoning.
Kubby/There was some discussion... two parcels or one parcel .... Development
potential on the Oaknoll site ....
Franklin/There was that discussion, yes.
Kubby/Would it be better protection for the neighborhood should we decide to go for
this .... less encroachment... If it were two lots... could built more on their site.
Or doesn't it make any difference functionally? ....
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Franklin/Functionally I think it would be the same .... One lot .... Debatable how much
development you could do on that one lot and still provide parking.
Lehman/This will all be discussed at the p.h.
Franklin/...there is a lot of details... We will go through a lot of that stuff at the work
session on the 11 th.
Norton/I do understand... staff has not been able to invent a new wheel.
Franklin/
c. Consider a motion setting a public hearing for January 12 on an ordinance
changing the zoning designation of 21.26 acres located on the east side of Naples
Avenue from Intensive Commercial (CI-1) to Sensitive Areas Overlay Zone-
Intensive Commercial (OSA-CI-I).
Franklin/Setting p.h. for January 12 on an ordinance .... 21 plus acres... CI-1 to OSA ....
This is the Maxwell project.
Kubby/...Observation .... When things are not done according to plan .... This new
plan... most environmentally sensitive thing to do .... That what we do .... Instead
of having them rectify what they did .... We just kind of change the plan. I guess i
have similar concerns .... This is used as a tool to mitigate... mistakes that were
made .... I don't want this ordinance to be used as a mitigation plan .... Second or
third time it has happened ....
Franklinj Rochester Hills was prior to this ordinance.
Kubby/But there were some things that we agreed to ... according to what was done.
Franklin/That is a judgement that you all are going to have to make .... Correction of the
deviation from the plan is more detrimental than leaving the deviation as is ....
Sometimes to correct that is more damaging than not.
Norton/
Kubby/... If there are some ways to do it on the front end... communication with the
developer... with the person on the bulldozer ....
Thornberry/But I didn't think that ordinance was to be set in stone to the point where
common sense ~vouldn't dictate otherwise.
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Norton/It is flexible... Point is the spirit in letter ....Perhaps you shouldn't have chopped
into it to start with.
Thornberry/Some of these things were done long before the sensitive ordinance came
into existence. So how do you go back and rectify that? ....
Norton/
Kubby/...once something is figured out and plans are made, the plans are not flexible .....
Norton/We will see that staff report in our next packet?
Franklin/Yes... suggest that you visit this particular site .... It will help you in your
decision making ....
Norton/It would have helped at the hearing to have some pictures ....
Franklin/...take the digital camera ....
d. Consider an ordinance to vacate street right-of-way located east of North Market
Square Park, and south of Horace-Mann School. (VAC98-0006) (First
consideration)
Franklin/First consideration .... Vacate street r.o.w... School district.
e. Consider an ordinance changing the zoning designation of a 4.45 acre tract from
Suburban Residential (County RS), to Low Density Single-Family Residential (RS-
5) and Public (P) for property located at the east terminus of Court Street. (REZ98-
0015). (Pass and adopt)
Franklin/Pass and adopt on the RS-5 .... Property we annexed on Court Street ....
f. Consider an ordinance changing the zoning designation of approximately 10 acres
from Low Density Single-Family Residential (RS-5) to Planned Development
Housing Overlay (OPDH-5), to allow 36 dwelling units, for property located at
Wellington Drive and Village Road. (REZ98-0012/SUB98-0021) (Pass and adopt)
Franklin/Pass and adopt on the rezoning for the Wellington Condominiums.
g. Consider a resolution approving a preliminary plat of Village Green Part XVI
and XVII, a 30.85 acre, 4-lot residential subdivision with 2 outlots located at
Wellington Drive and Village Road. (SUB98-0021)
Franklin/Preliminary plat for Village Green, Part 16 & 17 .....
h. Consider an ordinance changing the zoning designation of 21.53 acres from Low
Density Single Family Residential (RS-5), County A1, Rural, and County CH,
Highway Commercial, to Planned Development Housing Overlay (OPDH-12),
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Franklin/Pass and adopt on the zoning for .... Silvercrest.
i. Consider a resolution approving a preliminary plat of Silvercrest, a 21.53 acre, 4-
lot subdivision located at the southeast corner of Scott Boulevard and American
Legion Road. (SUB 98-0024)
Franklin/Preliminary plat for Silvercrest... being divided up into four lots. Any questions
on that? We are done. Oh, I gave you all copies of the Northeast District Plan.
Even though you won't be getting that formally for sometime... February. It is
going for the first public hearing before the P/Z Commission, Thursday night...
draft plan... staff recommendation and then there is also the communication we
got from the citizens group .... That proposes the alternative plan. You have
that .... memo on the top... two maps... staff's proposal and the other is the
alternative plan. We let them borro~v our CAD CD .... Take that and make some
changes where they thought it was appropriate.
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Review Agenda Items 98-135 S1
1. Kubby/I had misc. P/Z item about the...Escort Lane sewer and all of their system is
self contained. I guess that is a question. Is that sewer system self contained and
not connected to ours in any way?
Franklin/No, that is on municipal sewer, it is a lift station and that is where the capacity
issue comes in.
Kubby/I guess I want to understand better what the risks are ..... P/Z minutes it says
when lots change hands... fair share capacity is ....
Franklin/It is in the legal papers now.
Kubby/ .... What if someone goes in and their sewer capacity needs are larger than what
the legal papers say their fair share is in that development?
Franklin/But they go back against the seller of the property.
Kubby/...clean up costs and lawsuits. Are they liable?
Franklin/The people who own the development and have sold the lots, yes. It is like a
covenant that goes with the lot. Now we all know when something like that
happens often the city is turned to .... To solve the problem. We will be watching
as the building permits are issued for these .... We will know what the sewer
demand is .... I don't think it is a good situation ....
Norton/... sell your rights ....
Franklin/
Vanderhoef/Did we get that one lot taken care of?. The sewer with the next door
neighbors?
Franklin/...On this WB Development?
Norton/Access... there is an access over the sewer easement there.
Lehman/Anything on agenda items?
2. Karr/Mr. Mayor, under agenda items, we are going to be adding 7b. tomorrow night. I
think you have a copy of it .... Resolution to expand the deer management plan to
include the posting of signs. It is not on your agenda, we are going to be adding it
late. We have it for you tonight .... Just allows as the ability to post signs.
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3. Norton/Item #8 for the PCRB. All we are doing here is having that business of who
can appear at the session .... Why does the community itself didn't make any
comment on that? Did the PCRB discharge, Marian? ....
Karr/It is later on in the agenda ..... I think I do have an answer.
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Wetherby Friends and Neighbors 98-135 S1
Lehman/Wetherby.
Jerry Hanson/I am the chairman of the steering committee for Wetherby Friends and
Neighbors and Mr. Don Anciaux is with me tonight here, chairman of our
Advocacy Focus Group. We were formed this summer out of some trouble we
had in our neighborhood .... We have evolved a bit .... Neighborhood association
of our own... join in with the Broadway Street people .... Worked very well
together. Our goal is to improve the life .... Crime and gang prevention was our
very first agenda .... The neighborhood has quieted down a lot .... I would like to
say that one of the very biggest factors... was the pressure put on these people by
the police... thank the police very much... Thank you to the city council for all of
your help and support .... People in the area noticed that... Pedestrian safety near
Broadway was a concern... Streetlights were added to our neighborhood ....
Traffic control in our own neighborhood we are working on right now .... Four
nexv stop sign locations .... We plan in the future to meet with the business and
commercial people in the area ..... We would like to see the two of us work hand
in hand in the future. We have met with landlords in the area .... Very pleased
with the cooperation given to us... In the future, we hope to get together in the
spring a panel headed by these larger landlords for the smaller landlords in the
area ....
Norton/How many larger?
Hanson/There would be five .... From that particular area. There are some people that
own like 5 or 6 different duplexes in our area. But these are the guys with the big
buildings .... We are trying to get together for the summer... social activities in
the neighborhood .... When we went house to house... feelings that people had ....
Nice to see that kind of cooperation... PIN grants... we have a committee set up
for this .... Have a return type of questionnaire ....
Wetherby Park Improvements... we have met with Mr. Treeblood .... i am sure
there will be no problem in spending the money,.. $100,000 .... We would like to
see an outer ring ....Few more benches by swing sets .... Substantial money ....
Gardens.. will stay ....enlarged ....People all over the city use those .....
We have had some discussions with developers in the past about different types of
houses ....We would rather be proactive .... We are trying to find a path to work
towards ....Housing.. that is a benefit to us ....I have talked to a couple of people
so far... HACAP .... Two different developers .... Sometime after the first of the
year we are going to try and put together a meeting with all of these people at one
time... to get housing in our neighborhood .... Down below the park .... Starting at
Burns and Sycamore .... Beyond that .... vacant ground ....
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Vanderhoef/Where are we on that general plan down there?
Norton/Have you taken a hard look at the South Central Plan?
Hanson/We live by it.
Franklin/it is the South District Plan and it is done.
Hanson/It was adopted last December.
Norton/
Hanson/This is how we look at it .... Quite specific. It tells where they would like to see
multi-unit houses... developments .... It tells us the street designation, zoning ....
We would like to get deeper into this... get some cooperation.
Kubby/Is HACAP participating as a landlord? ....
Hanson/I just contacted Carol Conner over there .... Would be willing to work with us ....
Kubby/They have 18 units there .... They have a lot more pull with their tenants ....
Norton/...you will continue to work with the Grantwood people?
Hanson/You bet .... There has been a lot of support between the three neighborhood
associations there... We work very well together .... Same vision in mind for that
part of town.
Kubby/Note that we got from staff had outlined all the things that you have been up to.
Has there been any concerns about neighbors being stopped by the police? ....
Have there been any negative reactions?
Hanson/No, nobody that has attended out meetings ..... We have gone and knocked on
doors.
Lehman/Can you characterize the efforts by the police as being very effective?
Hanson/Absolutely, 100%.
Lehman/
Hanson/The neighbors are very pleased... thank Chief Winklehake for all of that
support.
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Kubby/I have a question for R. J .... If you knew hoxv many stops were actually made ....
And how many arrests came from the stops ....
Winklehake/There would be data from the arrests that were made .... Traffic stop ....It
would show that a traffic stop was made.
Kubby/
Winklehake/If we show that they called out a traffic stop, if there was a ticket issued ....
Kubby/... Officers who are pan of the Scat Team, are they doing those duties fulltime?
Winklehake/Yes.
Kubby/Do you ever see a potential for the Scat Team to kind of segue into community
policing?
Winklehake/I think part of what they are doing is probably a very good example of
community policing .... Citizens .... Identified... behaviors that were creating
problems .... And the officers are assigned to deal with those particular issues ....
Kubby/
Winklehake/..being able to have an affect on what is going on in the neighborhood, I
think we have seen some of that .... Some of the problems...have migrated to
other places .... I think that is a very good example of neighborhood policing ....
Kubby/They build a relationship with this neighborhood on the reactive side .... It seems
that if you are scattering those individual officers to all other areas of town, it
might be interesting... community policing on the proactive side .... target those
particular officers to the neighborhoods where they have build up this relationship
already.
Winklehake/...build better relationships with all of the officers in the different
neighborhoods .... Every year .... Choose to go into a different assignment ....
(All talking)
Winklehake/We assign somebody to an area for a year .... If .... you want to move, we
encourage people to do that so they have a better perspective of what is going on
in the community .... Here is overlap as well.
Norton/
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Lehman/Sounds like the neighborhood... formed partnership... working pretty well
down there.
Winklehake/Her were a lot of things that we were able to help with .... got a
neighborhood association that is getting involved .... Hey gave us a great deal of
support .... These are things we need to have addressed.
Norton/Sounds good .... working with those landlords... crucial to this whole process.
Hanson/We have worked with a lot of the agencies here from the city .... traffic
Department... Housing .... We have gotten cooperation from everybody we have
worked with .... Appreciate it .... Neighborhood Services... Marcia Klingaman has
done an outstanding job for us .... Wealth of information and help. Thank you
very much.
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Sales Tax Policy 98-135 S1
Arkins/I put in the packet ...draft of the Sales Tax Policy .... This is our best effort at the
ballot proposition ....
Lehman/1.25% for Water Funding. Do we have any problems with that? ....
Vanderhoef/Library minutes... statement about monthly savings for that water and I
would like to know the accuracy of that figure.
Arkins/It is pretty close. We will calculate it accurately. Once you confirm this, we will
go back and run numbers .... 80-90, that sounds about right ....
Vanderhoef/
Arkins/It is sort of a talking point. We will prepare something for you .... 2.
Vanderhoef/What was your thinking .... I noticed that you deleted on the very last
paragraph of#2 that things that we might be using the dollars for additional $5 6
million.
Kubby/You mean the list that is on the actual ballot language.
Vanderhoef/
Arkins/I thought that went away a long time ago .... trying to be much more general about
it ....
Norton/Also governments wasn't in there.
Atkins/It was other area jurisdictions was one and- hey were both there. I don't have a
strong opinion ....
Champion/The next paragraph down ....
Kubby/Some people wanted jurisdictions ....
Arkins/
(All talking).
Kubby/Jurisdictions would be more flexible.
Atkins/
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Thornberry/University, is that a local government? .... Maybe jurisdiction might be more
appropriate.
Arkins/University is the state .... Government .....
Lehman/Jurisdiction... have .... four ....It stays. Next- #3.
Vanderhoef/On #3. I mentioned it last time... When we capitalize library in the second
line and then we use lower case for community events center, it sounds like the
community events center is part of the library. I would like to see community
events center capitalized all the way through #3.
Thornberry/
Vanderhoef/
Atkins/So upper case on everything, okay.
Kubby/#3, the very last phrase, community activities and events. I know that we are all
clear about what that means. But I want to make sure that the next group of
people and the general public .... Understands what we mean by that .... so that
people know exactly what we are talking about ....
Norton/For example, the Arts Fest .... Jazz Fest, Riverside .....
Vanderhoef/Arts Fest ....
Thornberry/
Arkins/How about arts and musical festivals or local festivals? .... We are working on a
new Saturday night concert idea, too.
Kubby/Local festivals... deemed a cultural activity .... A certain intent with that
language.
Lehman/This gives them an idea of what we were thinking of.
Atkins/#4. Public transit and Paratransit.
Norton/There is this funny wording, reduction in fares .... Such as reduction in direct
fares should be left out. You already have a such as ....
Arkins/That was an Eleanor ....
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Norton/Such as a reduction in direct fares. You have got it.
Lehman/Reduction in fares is almost a parenthesis .... To give examples ....
(All talking).
Kubby/Add i.e.
Lehman/
Atkins/What about ..... drop reduction in fares, reduction in direct fares, passes ....
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 98-135 SIDE 2
Atkins/I am saying you may wish to reduce .... From $.75 to $.50, that is a direct fare.
You also may wish to reduce the cost of a pass from $20 to $10.
Norton/
Champion/I don't think you need to give all the examples.
Atkins/I am not suggesting that ....
Kubby/I am just saying discounted fares including direct fares, passes, and other
discounted services.
Atkins/I am okay on that.
Norton/
Champion/But if you say including, that means you are going to do all of those.
Thornberry/You have a such as up there .... Sort of an e.g .....It does not look right.
Norton/Fix that is all I say.
(All talking).
Champion/Just leave that first such as out.
Arkins/How about two sentences? The sales tax revenue will be used to provide
enhanced service. Additionally- no, that is no good.
O'Donnell/I think such as is right. Such as additional-
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Thornberry/
Atkins/Remember, this is policy, not ballot proposition.
Kubby/So, such as additional and or modified fixed route. This revenue will also be
used to reduce fares-
Thornberry/Could.
Vanderhoef/May.
Norton/
O'Donnell/
Kubby/We have to go back to the ballot language...says we will reduce fares and
increase service with these moneys. Yes, it does ....
O'Donnell/Delete reduction in fares such as .... Go modified fixed routes, reduction in
direct fares ....
Vanderhoef/Fare relief and enhanced services is what the ballot says. So it does not say
we will reduce.
(All talking).
Kubby/But our policy for the majority of the city council is to reduce fares and so that is
what our policy statement ....
Champion/To include fare relief.
Vanderhoef/That was not the discussion that we had that night.
Champion/Oh my gosh.
Vanderhoef/It was a split vote.
Kubby/The majority came down, the policy question... that we would reduce fares in
some configuration.
Champion/That is right.
Vanderhoef/In some configuration but not necessarily the drop box.
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Kubby/That is why it is fine with us to say direct fares, passes and other discounted
services in the policy statement ....
Vanderhoef/
Norton/It is really garble the way ....
Thornberry/Two such as in the same sentence.
Norton/Well, I know what they are meaning. Why don't we look at another one .... I am
working on a draft here.
Kubby/The last sentence on there .... Says may reduce .....
Vanderhoef/But xvhat they are trying to say in this thing is the reduction in fares could be
one of any of these things, not necessarily in the drop box.
Kubby/I have moved onto a different issue. The last sentence in #4 .... I want to make
sure we all understand what that means. I want it to mean... that that comes only
after we have enhanced the service and reduced fares in some way .... That we
don't reduce the general fund until we have done those things. Is that what that
says?
Lehman/... I think it is our understanding. The idea is to enhance our service, make it
better .... After that, if there is money left, we will reduce the General Fund
contribution.
Kubby/
Thornberry/What did he say? ....
Lehman/I believe our intent is to enhance the service .... making service more convenient
as is prudent. It may also result in lower cost .... Pass passes... reduced rates.
Thornberry/He is saying may as opposed to will.
Kubby/
Thornberry/
Kubby/Some kind of fare reduction no matter what form it takes .... So it needs to say
that... That has to happen before we relief the General Fund.
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Vanderhoef/ .... there would be the $500,000 plus $200,000. That is enhancement
money ....
Kubby/I want to make sure that it is clear that we enhance service and do some kind of
fare reduction before we relieve the general fund.
Vanderhoef/That is up there in the previous sentence .... Will be used to provide for
enhanced service. We have already got it in there, Karen.
Kubby/I am asking, does everyone understand what that sentence means? Do we all
agree?
Norton/
Lehman/I think w,e all know what it means .... Funds may also be used for reduction in
direct fares, passes and other discounted services. Doesn't that kind of say it?
Norton/I have a proposal... could be improved in both ways .... Sales tax revenue will be
used to provide for enhanced services and reduced fares .....
Lehn~an/I would not concur with using the words and reduced fares ....
Vanderhoef/We have all agreed that these other programs are also a reduction in fare.
Champion/I thought we made it perfectly clear that we were going to reduce the fares.
Lehman/Why couldn't we just say that funds may also be used for reduction of direct
fares, passes and other discounted services?
Vanderhoef/I agree.
Thomberry/I could agree with that.
Norton/That is fine.
Arkins/I didn't hear what you said.
Lehman/Funds may also be used for reduction in direct fares, passes and other
discounted services and may reduce the General Fund contribution.
Norton/Ernie, you are making two sentences ....
Lehman/
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Kubby/May needs to be changed to will if you want to have the majority rule here .... We
need it to say we will do it ....
Norton/
O'Donnell/We have said we are going to reduce the bus fares .... Reduce the fares ....
Vanderhoef/
Champion/We mean fares.
Vanderhoef/1 am wanting to know your definition? ....
O'Donnell/We told this group we are going to reduce the fare.
Lehman/When we say reduced fares, the public is hearing not going to cost $.75 to get
on the bus ....
Vanderhoef/That is not what we are saying.
Channpion/We had four people who voted on it. We said we will reduce the fares.
Vanderhoef/What four people voted that we would definitely drop from the fare box
rather from the other possibilities? ....
(All talking).
Vanderhoef/It may be more beneficial to the public to have the other discounted services
and fares ....
Champion/We can do that after we drop the fares...
Vanderhoef/That isn't what I thought we agreed upon.
Kubby/... intent of at least three of us was to work through this budget process .... Reduce the direct fare box ....
Vanderhoef/...I don't want to lock us into that position.
Norton/... latest xvording ....
Arkins/I am not sure any more. Two sentences... Sales tax revenue will be used to
provide for enhanced service such as additional or modified fixed routes. Funds
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may also be used for reduction in direct fares, passes and other discounted
services. Funds may reduce the General Fund contribution ....
Kubby/The may has to be will, second sentence...
Thornberry/In the original document it was a such as ....
Kubby/The intention of the majority for the policy statement is that fares will be
reduced ....
Thomberry/We are not messing with the ballot language.
O'Donnell/This is the policy and it does say will.
Kubby/Not the new sentence that Steve just read.
(All talking).
Thornberry/It will be used to provide enhanced services...e.g .....
Norton/
Thornberry/It says such as ....
Kubby/The new sentence that we just created says may.
Thornberry/Karen, right here .... The sales tax revenue will be used to provide for the
enhanced services and that is still there.
Kubby/But we have put a period and we have created a second sentence .... That one that
is in green... that needs to be will.
Thornberry/
Lehman/How many want will instead of may?
Kubby/
Thornberry/It has got a will.
Lehman/All right, you got a will.
Norton/And the last may is still a may.
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O'Donnell/I am not sure what we said anymore.
(All talking).
Norton/We have two wills and one may.
Lehman/
Atkins/The last sentence says funds will be used for and the one after that says may.
Norton/Two wills and a may.
Lehman/We are on #5, catch up with us.
Thornberry/I wanted to make sure that Steve had the fight language.
Lehman/#5.
Vanderhoef/Just added the public safety personnel.
Lehman/I think I heard a fine.
Vanderhoef/Good, go.
Arkins/The last one.
Lehman/#6 is fine. Good done.
Vanderhoef/I just thought in the area of human services instead of using agencies in
there ..... in the area of human services, period.
Norton/Might be not an agency that we are helping.
Vanderhoef/That is what I am thinking. Please cross out the word agency.
Norton/...need to fix that.
Vanderhoef/Take the word agency off and add s to service. #6 ....
Norton/Human services.
Kubby/...area human services and to provide additional funding for those services .....
(All talking).
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[Council Break[
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Cardboard 98-135 S2
Atkins/In the audience is Rod Walls, new Superintendent for Refuse Collection. He has
to make all of these things work.
Karr/Rodney and his crew ~vere very helpful in the Census ..... deserves a big thank you.
(All talking).
Neumann/A number of months ago you directed staff to look into a corrugated cardboard
ban .... Committee to take a look at it. The report... four recommendations. The
first one is to delay the implementation of any cardboard ban until we can let the
rates take effect in January and see where we go .... Three largest haulers ....
Secondly we want to take a look at Linn County. Blue Stem corrugated cardboard
ban will become effective in January, 1999 .... They are going all out on this
cardboard ban... handing out warning tickets .... They have spotters at the landfill
site... They direct traffic in...looking for corrugated and other toxic items and
things that aren't suppose to be in the trash... Budgeted for three fulltime
spotters .... Watching for corrugated...
Norton/Why doesn't their haulers go to Illinois?
Neumann/Their tip fee is $35 per ton.
Norton/Ours is pretty low now.
Neumann/It ~vill be in January.
Kubby/Why is Linn county' s percentage of corrugated 10% higher than ours?
Neumann/Industrial base.
Norton/We had a much bigger percentage of cardboard when we started talking about
this ban ....
Neumann/The overall is around 4.7 but that includes craft paper .... We need to back that
out ....
Norton/We talked about a fiber ban at that time.
Neumann/All paper, it is not realistic. It ~vould be just impossible to enforce.
Champion/Are we still going to do all the paper pickup at the curb?
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Neumann/Yes, Rodney will give you an update on that real quick after we are done here.
Then we had to back out the contaminated portion of the corrugated ....
Norton/Looking at these figures I feel kind of silly having suggested ....
Neumann/Originally you did talk about all paper.
Lehman/We were under the impression that xve were talking about a lot more quantity.
Neumann/
Norlord
Neumann/For that small amount and the expense of collecting it .... With Bluestem's
they have got spotters, appeals .... A whole system set up for this ....
Norton/What are apartment people- Are they managing at that end?
Neumann/As far as I know they haven't done much of anything yet but they will by
January or the hauler is going to get a fine. They are going to have a review
period ....Fines... tip fee doubles if there is corrugated in there. $35 to $70 a
ton ....We will see ....
Thornberry/I understand your memo. I would like to suggest... have Brad contact Cass
County, Georgia to see what they are doing .... State of the art separation idea ....
Just contact them .... They have claws that open bags ....
Kubby/...we really need to slow dmvn on the corrugated which seems very reasonable
after looking at this ..... focusing on construction and demolition materials,
education and some kind of further incentive.
Neumann/We are not going to ignore corrugated... We are going to make contact with
those folks... get it out voluntarily.
Vanderhoef/How are the apartment people accepting the mixed paper that we are putting
with our newspaper?
Neumann/You haven't decided to do that yet .... They really see it as a cost increase ....
Other half of the population is still on the multi-family dwelling that is not paying
anything. They don't see enough reduction in the garbage to get any savings to
put towards recycling ..... With a corrugated ban, especially with the student
housing, they would have a real hard time trying to get every piece of corrugated
out in some of those dwellings ....
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Vanderhoef/What kind of tonnage might we realize out of the multi-family units on the
mixed paper and forget about the corrugated?
Neumann/If you look at mixed paper and corrugated and chipboard, you are talking 40-
50% of their waste stream. That is only if they separate it out though.
Norton/Are xve not required to separate out our newspaper print and regular paper now?
Neumann/At the curb, we are.
Vanderhoef/Now we are but we are moving the other direction to do mixed paper for
our s.f. dwellings ....
Neumann/With the single family... incentive .... Two bags. Multi-family you are not,
you don't have a unit based system. It is a dumpster system .... There is no
incentive built in to reduce ....
Lehman/From your memo .... Big one is construction ~vaste.
Neumann/The committee felt .... Better spent going after the 25% rather than a smaller
portion.
Kubby/Makes sense... Iowa City .... Everybody is growing ......
Neumann/The committee felt that working with some of the homebuilders... pilot
programs, source separating at the site to see what we are dealing with and see
what is doable and what is not and see where the money goes ....
Norton/You have got two lists here, four recommendations... 12 other...
Neumann/The four recommendations are saying let's wait and see what is going to
happen... Look at Bluestem and do a voluntary thing at the landfill .... What the
rest of it is is if you decided to ignore that and ...go with it anyway... 14 points.
Lehman/Are xve in a position that we want to say go ahead with the ban anyway?
Council/(No).
Lehman/... four recommendations...reasonable, make a lot of sense ....
Vanderhoef/I have one more thing... conversation with University folks. They were very
amenable to adding some education kinds of things .... Put education or
information in the new student packet... a place where we might ask them...
where there are recycle ....
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Neumann/Similar to what ~ve do with new utility customers here .... Give them all that
information. We can pass that along to the University.
Norton/I want to be sure... endorsing these four points... You are not going to change
the fact that s.f. are still expected... to separate their cardboard. In other words,
that is still desirable?
Neumann/Yes.
Norton/...don't ~vant to lose that educational point of trying to get the cardboard
separated .....make sure we weren't going to drop any of those kind of voluntary
efforts.
Neumann/... We do have some other grants in ....
Norton/
Thornberry/
Lehman/
Vanderhoef/
Thornberry/I do daily and I pay for two dumpsters.
Lehman/Brad, the other thing we talked about, we did vote to mix paper on curbside and
you didn't do it right away but I understand that we are close to being able to do
that.
Neumann/Not really, we are running into a lot of problems .... What Rodney is passing
out is- What ~ve want to do is we want to collect mixed paper... and magazines.
We want to try to keep them separate .... More value... What Rodney has here ...
front page is the current vehicle we have now. The second two are proposed
vehicle changes.
Lehman/I thought xve had already made provision for different vehicles.
Neumann/We are in the process of doing that right now .... Three new vehicles. Trading
in one, getting three new and keep two for backup .... Get a better- Our problem is
our current trucks, we can't make them any longer ..... The guys down there don't
want to make the wheel base any longer... so we need a shorter wheel base but a
longer truck... Work with manufacturers and develop the specs... Some of the
trucks... cab-over design... may take up to eight months to get ....
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Neumann/What we are proposing is that we would keep magazines separate and the
mixed paper separate. We would continue with the corrugated, the newsprint, the
plastic and the metal and we would drop the glass.
Lehman/
Neumann/The only thing we would have to give up is glass .... Problem anyway .... More
value to the metal ....
(All talking).
Kubby/We want to make sure that our trucks are flexible .... New technology... new
markets... We may want to add something .... Make sure... adaptable for the
unknown.
Rodney Walls/The biggest problem we have is with the drivers, the cul de sacs. We are
limited with the length of the vehicle... maxed out right now... have to drop
glass.
Champion/
Walls/Look at the back page .... With this truck here .... Top load ....
Neumann/I think the truck we are looking at maybe runs $10,000 more than what we
have now. I think the problem we are also going to run into is that we get three
new ones that can do this but two we are going to keep, can't.
Lehman/
Neumann/
Thornberry/
Norton/
Neumann/The box is what we are after. The cab may change to get a shorter wheel
base ....
Atkins/When are we going to do the mixed paper?
Neumann/Depends on hoxv soon we can get the trucks...still looking into that.
Atkins/Eight to nine months before we can take that on.
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Lehman/Will the current fees that we are charging residential customers for recycling
pay for this?
Atkins/Right now... replacing partial fleet .... We need to go back and do the
arithmetic ..... My impression is that with the additional capital costs, the
recycling component of the fee is going to go up. We lowered the other one just
recently. I think this is a year away .... They are six years ....
Lehman/Is this cost effective to do this?
Atkins/Bottom line, I am not so sure that recycling is cost effective .... So many other
issues...
Kubby/In the long, long term .... The longer we can make our landfill last... make those
million dollar cells last extra an six months...
Neumann/Curbside recycling is always more of an educational tool .... Carry over to
your work environment. It is the work environment is where all your trash is
coming from. It is 75% of it .....
Lehman/What percentage of our recycling do we get from s.f. residential? ..... What
percentage of our refuse do we get from s.f.?
Neumann/About 25% .... We go up to four units here in Iowa City .... 25% of the
land fill.
Norton/How are we coming with the state requirements for reducing input?
Neumann/In our last report we were at 42% .... We report back to the state as a six
county region and the region is at 36% but our individual landfill is at 42%. That
is a per capita ....
Norton/May break even ....
Atkins/I think it is going to be real hard... bottom line, feds have decided that they are
going to make recycling at the end of the system .... We have been custodians of
that policy ....
Vanderhoef/When we recycle at home, we definitely are training the next generation.
Norton/No doubt about that.
Neumann/We see it in the schools ....
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Lehman/I take it we are going to be in the process of ordering equipment that will do
what we are trying to do, pick up more things at the curbside .... We are going to
put a moratorium on our banning cardboard and go with the recommendations
that you have given us.
Neumann/And we can bring this back at a later date.
Vanderhoef/
Neumann/
Wails/ ....wheel base...236. That is what we currently have right now ....
Neumann/We are still looking ....
Lehman/You don't want our input on the length of the wheel base ....
(All talking).
Lehman/Thank you.
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Airport Terminal 98-135 S2
Lehman/Airport architectural agreement .... In council packet, page 131.
(All talking).
Lehman/We don't need a computer for this because we are talking about the design of
the building.
Thornberry/Instead of spending S60,000 for a consultant to design, you have already got
a floor plan. Is that acceptable to the Airport Commission?
CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 98-136 SIDE 1
Thornberry/To a contractor and say that is what we want, build it .... change orders ....
Why not just bypass this if that is what the Airport Commission wants, just say,
get a contractor, build the damn thing.
O'Neil/Well, because we need to spec it out. We are going to have to take bids from
contractors. Unless everyone is bidding off the same sheet, then we don't know
that we are going to get the same thing from any particular contractor .... We have
to have the open bidding process for the entire thing.
Kubby/But you don't know it will be the cheapest because not everybody is going to be
working from the same specs.
Thornberry/ .... when they get into it and they have their change orders .... It is going to
vary anyway. Why can't you spec off the floor plans...?
Atkins/My understanding of the state law is that this is a commercial property and
therefore subject to the state building code... have to have an architect being able
to certify that all of these things are official ....
Thornberry/
Norton/I want to be awfully sure .... Good set of plans... Still a level playing field.
Thornberry/But if the state won't allo~v them on the bidding process .... I think it is a
waste ....
Norton/I can't imagine the state saying you have to have a certain kind of drawing in
order to make a bid.
O'Neil/They do.
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Arkins/Fire safety regulations.
Lehman/How can you bid without a detailed set of plans?...
O'Neil/You don't know ....
Champion/There is a little bit... to save some money .... Instead of spending $60- for an
architect... interview architects who would follow through the whole thing...
handling the construction business and all of that .... His fee ~vould be the same ....
Atkins/...They will do bids and specifications, take the project to the point of bid. I am
making the assumption .... If we do the inspection internally... then xve would
cost that against what we would charge our own inspectors .... Hire another firm
to supervise the construction management .... Also pay for that also.
Thornberry/ .... I know how they selected HLM... It bothers me. Like when I built my
house, I went to a building company that also had a plan guy .... And if I did
select that lumber company .... The plans were included ....
Atkins/$60,000 for a $700,000 project is not an outrageous number.
Norton/
Atkins/
Kubby/They are going to have to deal with the historic aspects.
Lehman/The question is do we want to renovate the airport?
Vanderhoef/I would like a discussion on the use of the second floor... to put in an
elevator to make that second floor accessible. I would like to have a real specific
number on what the additional cost is to do that. That is a very small area up there
for the cost of an elevator.
Arkins/The elevator is $50,000.
Vanderhoef/That is light isn't it. I think it is more than that .... at least.
Thornberry/Why? One of the buildings out there in the industrial park in Coralville is a
very very nice building .... It was $27,000.
Lehman/Mine was $30- for two floors ....
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Vanderhoef/I would like to consider is to have two sets of numbers .... Cost for doing the
upstairs with the elevator ....
Kubby/If we don't do the elevator, it may be the design would be slightly different so
that the public space were designed differently to make accommodation to have it
more available ....
Vanderhoef/ .... Additional space going on the second floor ....
Arkins/I have been operating under the assumption that the terminal project .... 50 years
old. It is time we do it. The second floor presented a unique opportunity for a
community room .... A scheduled meeting room. That has been our assumption.
Kubby/Dee is questioning that assumption.
Vanderhoef/...I expected us to have another conversation about that specifically before I
had this on my agenda.
O'Donnell/I think that is what we said though. We were going to use it as a community
room.
Champion/Is there a need for that, Steve?
Arkins/...probably can never have enough of those kinds of rooms .... We thought ....
This is some unique space .... Overlooking the airport... surface parking at no
charge... draw folks there pretty easily for public meetings ....
Vanderhoef/If it had a built in kind of understanding that that space would be rented ....
Help pay off the cost.
O'Neil/Do you mean for non-governmental use? ....
Vanderhoef/The Rec Center rents rooms ....
Thornberry/Service clubs ....
Kubby/Small wedding reception.
Lehman/Do we want a plan that gives us a cost separation for the second floor?
ChampiorV No.
Thornberry/No. If we are going to do the project, let's do the project.
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Norton/What is the total project cost going to be?
Atkins/About $700-
Norton/No FAA.
(All talking).
Thornberry/This is a municipal building that has been sorely neglected.
Norton/
Vanderhoef/
Kubby/Investing in new community rooms at the water plant .....
Vanderhoef/
Arkins/ .... if you wish to just renovate the building .... Project would just take on a
different character .... The building needs work.
(All talking).
O'Donnell/l think we talked months ago about using this as a community room. We are
just not in key tonight for some reason.
Lehman/That building is an absolutely atrocity.
Thornberry/Are there four votes to go with this $60,000?
Norton/Yes.
Champion/Yes.
Lehman/You have got a go.
Thornberry/What about the bids on things like this elevator .....Do they get to the city
when they are bidding city projects?
Arkins/(Can't hear).
(All talking).
Lehman/He has to compete when he bids.
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O'Neil/We are looking at altematives to make that second floor handicapped
accessible ..... building needs so much other things ....
Champion/Not every building has to be handicapped accessible, does it?
Atkins/Dale can answer better than I .... Federal policy .... ADA compliance .....
Helling/(Can't hear- mic kicked off the table).
Atkins/(Can't hear).
Lehman/
O'Neil/ ....I got a request... someone would like to come in in the middle of the summer
and have a circus at the airport and they have elephants. 1 am not kidding you ....
(All talking).
Norton/I don't remember where we stand on that .... We are still debating ....
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PCRB 98-135 S2
Lehman/PCRB procedures. Are xve going to pass .....
Atkins/Eleanor called and name clearing is still a go. SOP thing still needs more work.
We are talking January.
Lehman/It will be deferred?
Atkins/Yes.
Norton/So we are doing this one thing that is on the agenda?
Atkins/Name clearing.
Lehman/Makes it compatible with state law'.
Norton/Can you answer my question then, why the board chose not to respond to that
one?
Karr/It is a timing issue, Dee. If you remember when John Watson was here at our last
meeting. They had a meeting. PCRB was going to go back and discuss the
recommendations Eleanor had. They talked about it on December 8. Quite frankly
just didn't have enough time to answer all of their questions. They gave the
questions then to their legal counsel, Doug Russell, who sat down with Sarah and
Eleanor late Thursday afternoon. Got the answers but now Doug has got to report
back to the board. They meet tomorrow evening. So based on that we are going to
proceed with the ordinance change. There is no problem according to Eleanor and
her discussions with Doug with PCRB, with the ordinance change on that issue.
We are going to go ahead with that and defer until January 12, the other issue of
the standard operating procedures.
Kubby/
Karr/Item #8 is the ordinance and second consideration. Staff is recommending
expedited action. item #9 will be deferred to January 12.
Thornberry/Are xve going to meet ~vith them?
Lehman/They have asked for a meeting with council. It will probably be in February.
Vanderhoef/
Karr/There are three issues .... Standard operating procedures. In her review, she found
the ordinance needed a change. So she wanted to distinguish between the
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ordinance change needed for the standard operating procedures, the resolution
needed to adopt the revised standard operating procedures and then any changes
to the ordinance separately which would be a result of the annual reports and staff
concerns and potentially to the joint meeting. So to separate those ....
Norton/That is a long time in February but we have budget stuff.
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Council Agenda/Council Time 98-136 S1
1. Lehman/That is the next thing... work sessions that have been proposed for the month
of January to talk about the budget. Do we all have our calendars?
Kubby/Is that in the info packet? Two of those dates are on Thursday .... I didn't have
those times as open, so I cannot do those..
(Council meeting schedule discussion)
Lehman/5th 6th
11 th & 12th
13m
25m & 26
27
Budget meeting 3:00 to 6:00 PM
Budget meeting 3:00 to 6:00 PM
Council meetings
Joint County meeting 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Council meetings
Budget meeting 3:00 to 6:00 PM
2. Lehman/We do need to schedule a meeting with the PCRB folks ..... meet perhaps for
a 5:30 meeting and have a sandwich and sit and have a cup of coffee with those
folks... and just visit.
Norton/They have a number of issues ....
Lehman/They are very sincere folks... working very hard .... New appreciation for what
they do.
Champion/Have the council ever tried early morning meetings before people go to
~vork? .... 7:00 to 9:30 AM ..... not wasting every evening .... Giving up every
meeting. People really love morning meetings .... Because you are done at a
certain time and people have to go to work. So you have a time limit and it
doesn't interfere with your whole day. Can we try maybe a budget meeting ....
7:00 to 9:00 or 7:00 to 10:00 .... Then we don't have all our staff people here late
at night.
Norton/
Thornberry/We don't have to have a morning meeting ....
Lehnnan/Let's keep in mind ....
Champion/
Vanderhoef/...I don't see anything until the first week in February ....
Lehman/We need to set that date though with the PCRB.
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Karr/The PCRB would appreciate knowing it .... Plan their schedule...
Norton/
Lehman/
Karr/They are meeting tomorrow night ....
Vanderhoef/ .... week of February 1 ....
Karr/Would you like us to offer the week of February 1 .... Offer the 3, 4, 5th?
Lehman/Will the 3''d work morning or afternoon? Give them that date.
Kubby/Put it down ....
Lehman/PCRB, 7:00 AM? .... two hours is plenty of time ....
Karr/7:30 to 9:30 AM on the 3"d?
Norton/And a little breakfast.
Vanderhoef/4:00 to 6:00 .....
(All talking).
Lehman/7:30 to 9:30 AM .... February 3 ....
3. O'Donnell/I just want to bring up two council meetings ago we got about 350 emails
at the 11th hour. I think the next time they come, if we don't get them that
evening, we get them the following meeting because we can't possibly read
everyone of them and try to pay attention during the council meeting.
Kubby/ .... I might come a little early ....
Thornberry/
Kubby/I am talking about any public info ....
Lehman/We were asked to vote on something with all of this eraall coming in... nobody
on this council, including you, Karen, appreciates stuff that comes in... You
encouraged everybody to do that. I don't think that was very considerate ....
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Kubby/
Thomberry/You asked them to do something that was not appropriate.
Lehman/...when we get a lot of stuff ....
Kubby/Then that has to be true for developers and lawyers and every other category.
O'Donnell/I just don't want-
Kubby/How can you distinguish?
Thornberry/I am just saying that nobody else requested everybody to send you faxes and
distribute them at the night of the meeting. We just don't do that ....
Norton/We do have to take stuff that comes in at night because we get last minute
appeals.
Thornberry/
Kubby/All of those e-mails were not just about sales tax .... I don't request anybody send
stuff about deer...
Norton/...I think we cannot say that we are not going to accept ....
O'Donnell/I don't want them the night of the meeting.
Lehman/
Norton/Cannot avoid ....
O'Donnell/
Norton/You are going to cut your own throat if you make it too tight.
O'Donnell/I am simply not going to take 30 letters at 7:00 and try to even halfway
digest them. I am not going to do it.
Kubby/Each council member can choose-
Nortm~
Lehman/...council will not be able to go through .... That arrive the night of the meeting
prior to taking action ....
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Vanderhoef/The stuff that comes in is at risk at not being read .....
4. Thornberry/On this Wayne and Joan Bourret. I went to their home... they have got a
real problem. There are three letters. Do you all have these?
Karr/We are going to distribute and put them on the next agenda.
Thornberry/...one dated November 18... December 6 and one dated December 7. They
are having problems.
Karr/It might be easier to drop by, leave them with us. We will check our files... put
them on your next agenda.
Thornberry/
Norton/Have we looked at that bank about that possibility?
Atkins/Chuck is doing the sidewalk.
5. Norton/i would like to ask us all to try and think about how we could head off some
confrontational situations that are evolving. I find the First Avenue thing and the
Benton Street thing kind of unfortunate... polarized .... Them versus us kind of
questions... I think we have to be careful and how we operate .... Say this is a
collective thing ....
Vanderhoef/One of the things... Yes, xve want public input. However, it seems at times
that when the neighborhoods give input, they have an expectation that we are
going to take their input and design it the way they want it .... This council is very
definitely looking at the whole city .... We cannot always do exactly what the
neighborhood expects .... Some place in this whole public input we need to let
them know more up front that we are considering all of the ideas... want to hear
their ideas and then we will put together the best plan ....
Norton/We as individuals... We need to start working with them... different issues ....
Help try to diffuse it ....
Vanderhoef/...I use Benton Street...First Avenue... Kirkwood .... I can see a broader
picture than the locals .... Discussion of what public input... how it has to be fit
into the total picture.
Kubby/... a lot of people... looking at a different vision about ho~v communities can be
put together .... i think that there is a lot of discussion going on ....
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Norton/...talking about another referendum. That is not confrontational?
Kubby/
Norton/They are talking about suits already. If they want that to be a private preserve,
buy it .... I just think it is terribly important. They xvould have not accesses onto
Captain Irish at all ....
Kubby/
Norton/I am not at all against. I just want them to understand we can't always come out
to please them.
Kubby/...We are going to make a political decision and they are presenting something
very concrete and constructive .....
Thornberry/Sometimes we don't have the option of saying yes or no .... Initiative... Then
we hear from the people on Bloomington Street ....
Lehman/Dee's point is a very good point.
Norton/For example, the Wetherby folks... stop signs .... There are balances here ....
Vanderhoef/...in that case, they accepted input from the experts from our traffic
planners ....
O'Donnell/One of the comments... you don't want to spoil the view from looking out of
the park.
Norton/But we are responding to that by kind of proper buffering ....
Lehman/We really have got to provide the kind of leadership that some folks in the
neighborhood are providing for their own groups .... Leadership really has to
come from right here .... We are going to have to be more influential leaders ....
Norton/ .... we are trying to listen ....
Kubby/It is when people disagree with us and are organized that it is a confrontation ....
Lehman/...don't look at the big picture ....
6. Kubby/In the minutes from the last meeting it said that the Kirkwood lights were
deferred until this meeting. Does that mean it will be on the next informal?
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Lehman/It will come up again but I don't know how soon.
7. Lehman/Historic Preservation Commission is very concerned about the Harmon
property .... Timing of it... One of the things they are going to suggest in this
letter is that perhaps this particular building may not be able to be preserved the
way they wish but had we done a historic inventory of downtown Iowa City .... It
would have changed a little bit the way we look at .... If we identify these
things ....They may be asking us to help fund a survey for downtown .... Good
point.
8. Kubby/Do we need to be here at 6:30 for the reception?
Karr/City Manager's conference room (Boards and Commissions).
Adjourned: 10:20 PM
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of
December 14, 1998
WS121498