Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-01-14 TranscriptionJanuary 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 1 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session 3:05 PM Council: Lehman, Champion, Kubby, Norton, O'Donnell, Vanderhoef, Thornberry. Staff: Atkins, Helling, Karr, Mansfield, Yucuis, Schmadeke, Fowler, Kugler, O'Neil, Craig, Kopping, Robinson, Trueblood. Tapes: 99-10, all, 99-11, all. FY2000-2002 Budget Discussion 99-10 S1 Atkins/Two quick announcements. One is you have your Citizens Summary .... We mail a copy of this to each board and commission member .... There is reasonably drop in traffic to pick them up. Kubby/Having the highlights in here is good. Atkins/Secondly, the 27th we intended to do mostly capital projects. I would like to add the Human Service funding on the front end of the thing .... Enterprise Funds. Yucuis/We plan on doing Enterprise Funds today. Starts on page 81 of the budget .... Starting with the Parking Fund...overview of each fund. There is no rate increase in the three year plan. We are phasing out the majority of the meters on Iowa Avenue between Gilbert and Clinton because of the Iowa Avenue Streetscape Project .... Phased out 1/3, 1/3, 1/3... starting in year 2000. Lehman/We have said we will not start removing parking until we could use the new ramp. Yucuis/It is my understanding that if you do the new ramp, you will probably do the streetscape fight outside the ramp and those have meters. There is a phase in of revenue from the new ramp on Iowa Avenue starting in FY2001 .... $560,000 and then we are estimating close to $800,000 in FY2002. We are phasing in the expenses to operate the new ramp .... Added in debt service on the new ramp and one other .... We are plam~ing on using $1 million in cash to help pay for part of the parking project and that will come out of our reserves which is shown on page 82 of the bottom of the page ..... Parking Renewal Improvement Reserve. We actually have some money allocated in FY99 .... Approximately $1 million of that $2 million is for the new ramp. We also .... Architect fees, approximately $~00,000, we are u~ing cash from there... plus once we sell bonds... reimbursement resolution .... If we issue the bonds, we will reimburse ourselves for the architect fees of about $800,000. The net amount out of this fund will be about $1 million. Champion/... all collected from Parking? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 2 Yucuis/Correct .... Transfer about $170,000 a year and every other year a ramp maintenance project .... Lehman/ .... other parking revenue, is that metered parking? .... Yucuis/Yes...Page 81. Kubby/ .... looks like in 02 the beginning balance will start going up. Is that going to be a consistent trend without having any increase in fees? Yucuis/There is no guarantees .... Our plan is to try to keep the project self sufficient .... Kubby/Beginning balance in 02 of $823,000 to be the lowest point? .... Or was that the reserve fund? .... Yucuis/The reason the cash balance goes up in 2002, if you look down in Misc. Transfers in FY2002 .... We have a one year debt service, 10% of the 1992 bond issue is set aside as a reserve. That helps pay for the final principle and interest payment that comes due in 2002. When we pay off those binds, we can transfer some of the reserve back into operations because that is where it came from .... Our revenue is pretty flat .... Vanderhoef/How much of the other parking ramp has been traditionally transferred into the General Fund? Yucuis/If you look at the Parking Fine, the first revenue line item... $473,732 .... Transfer that at June 30 .... Vanderhoef/As we remove parking meters and revenue goes down from parking meters and fines out there, that we may well see a decrease of moneys available to transfer into the General Fund? Yucuis/We are anticipating that the fine revenue from Iowa Avenue .... Will go down and we had estimated about $60,000 in lost fine revenue .... In FY2001 and 2002. Kubby/It might matter what kind of parking strategy we use in the new ramp .... Norton/ Yucuis/Transit. There is no major operational changes. We have your route study that will be presented to city council in the next two months and we are anticipating that will be expenditure neutral .... Federal money...continues to come in ...about $300,000. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 3 Norton/ Yucuis/We have had no indication. Norton/Is it three year or five year money or year to year? Fowler/It is at least a five year commitment from the federal government on the federal funding with the reauthorization .... Atkins/It was three years ago we were told by the feds that it was going to go. Fowler/Then they re-authorized more money. Norton/ Kubby/I have some questions about the Transit customer service .... I saw that someone has already been appointed to the position7 What was Bill Dollman7 Fowler/Bill was a bus driver. He went to customer service in Treasury. Kubby/Okay. Fowler/He took a position in Treasury. Kubby/...Will these people able to drive buses? Fowler/Yes. Kubby/Will there be any reduction in service because of that shifting around? Fowler/It would be taking two of the current on-call positions and they would be eliminated and these positions would be created...same person, same people... consistency but there still would be a backup driver. Kubby/ Fowler/Probably be an emphasis on people skills .... Arkins/Joe, how much of that is driven by the downtown interchange? .... Fowler/The downtown interchange would be the driver of this position because it would be someone who would be there who would be a customer service person .... Presence in the interchange. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 ~¥S011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 4 Kubby/...didn't we make a decision to do it in the middle of the street? Norton/I thought it was on hold. Vanderhoef/It was on hold... found out that the Capital Center was sold. Lehman/We did decide to got to the middle of the street and then when the Center was in the process of being sold, it kind of got put on hold. Norton/How it got back on the front burner I wasn't quite clear .... Lehman/ .... I think it was .... We said hey, let' s wait...let's see if we can't do it in the building. Norton/Where do we stand now? Fowler/The people who are looking at the Mall are interested in having it on the sidewalk area ....Instead of the middle of the interchange ....Hopefully the end of the month ....make a decision to go ahead on the sidewalk or... middle of the street. Norton/So it is still pending. Fowler/...having it constructed this summer .... construction season. Norton/ Kubby/I am looking at the transfer from the General Levy and we always kd~ow that there is some rising costs in that direction. But the jump from the estimate FY99 to the year 2000 proposed is not very much. Is that realistic? Fowler/We haven't historically taken the budgeted transfer from the General Fund over the last three years .... have come in less. Arkins/Joe, you also show we are doing much better in the federal grant .... Norton/ Vanderhoef/So budgeting for $438- and actually only using $161- Yucuis/The FY97 transfer was $252,000 .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 5 Kubby/Look above that at the Federal Intergovernmental Revenue is going up .... With the Transit Route Study, will there be any increased needs or costs? Fowler/We are working under the parameters .... so many hours of service... There could be options to expand service. Norton/ Fowler/The plan we would present would be this is what we can do with what we currently have .... Kubby/I think we need to all ask Marvin Pomerantz to endow the city with enough money that it will give us $750,000 a year for no fare transfer everywhere in town. I wonder how much that would be? Atkins/$7 million. Kubby/He can do that. I am going to be working on it but don't hold your breath. Vanderhoef/ Yucuis/Wastewater. We have factored in three rate increases... each July 1 of FY2000, 2001, and 2002 and those are 10%, 10% and 5% ..... Currently three year plan, we have projected a 10% and a 5%. The additional 5% is partly due to adding the new project... $10.6 million project, the south digester and we have also factored in additional fees because we will be able to treat additional BOD and SS .... We are getting a good payback from one of the companies in town .... Kubby/I am still confused about that. Besides Proctor and Gamble, do we really need to be treating more BOD? Norton/ Schmadeke/There are two issues: the treatment of BOD and the type of BOD it is .... Kubby/It is all about dandruff. It is just so amazing to me ..... Schrnadeke/ Kubby/When would we have needed ourselves to build the two digesters?... Schmadeke/2012 .... Will have to measure improvements at the south plant around that time anyway depending on the city's growth. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 6 Kubby/And what is the life time of a digester? .... Schmadeke/50 years or more. Vanderhoef/ Kubby/Still, we are a dozen years ahead of schedule. Norton/Didn't you say we ought to have some spare capacity .... Kubby/They just have to pre-treat. Norton/ Letunan/I think we are going to have that excess capacity .... We are talking about building two digesters now .... Norton/ Kubby/Because of population growth, in 2012 will we need to add more digesters at that point? .... Schmadeke/Depends on the industry that we have .... Current demand... We will not have to build any digesters 2012 .... Kubby/And the other two will be paid for completely by Proctor and Gamble? .... Yucuis/Based on our expected revenue from the increased treatment. We are looking for a pretty quick return on that. Kubby/Because they had an opportunity to do it on their own and they didn't. So I am glad to hear that. Norton/ Kubby/As long as it really does work out .... If we need to raise those special rates to make sure they are paying the full direct and indirect costs .... Lehman/I would assume there is some sort of scheduled rates that proctor and Gamble will be subject to even with the new digesters .... Based on volume and what they use or whatever. Is that correct? Schmadeke/That is right. BOD and suspended solids. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 7 Lehman/ .... dandruff shampoo and they quit making it, who pays for the digesters? .... Do we have a long term agreement with those folks? .... Vanderhoef/..if P & G moved that dandruff shampoo line out of here and wouldn't have the need for that capacity. Lehman/...a time certain that would give us an opportunity to cover the cost of building the digesters. I don't think that would be a problem. Schmadeke/They did give us what their estimated need would be in the next 5 and 10 year period. (All talking). Yucuis/We can try. Lehman/A lot better to talk about it now than after we build the digesters .... Amenable to such an agreement. We are talking about a lot of money. Norton/...front end costs are shared with them in some way. Lehman/ Kubby/ Yucuis/We have three debt service payments factored into the three year plan .... Doing a January 26, 1999 bond issue of $7 million .... $10.5 million in 2000 and $15.5 million in 2001 .... We have also factored in the expense of $7.6 million of cash... towards the wastewater projects. So we are going to be spending $7.6 million on those projects of cash out of operations ..... Also in FY2002 we have added an estimated increase cost of $300,000 when the new plant becomes operational .... Not sure if that is staff and commodities or service and charges or a combination of both .... On the overhead you can see the history of our rates...in 91 we had the 25% and 10% increase and in March '95 we started into the big rate increases .... When we get to the water we are looking at 2001 and not having an increase .... Norton/Is that based on sales tax? Yucuis/I will get to that. This is without sales tax ....There will be increases in people' s rates even if the sales tax goes through. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 8 Kubby/If we did not bond out for any other wastewater projects, when would we be paid of P.. .... Yucuis/2012. We are paying off about $3.4 million of debt a year until 2012...refunded in 93 for the 86 issue. So we are going to be paying off that bond issue in 2012 and that will be our $3.4 million savings. The 96 issue... paid off in 2016 and the one we issued last year is about the same, 2017 .... Lehman/ Yucuis/It is anticipated we should be in pretty good shape... after these increases .... Kubby/The problem we are having with copper and mercury... what are the costs associated... in rectifying that? Schmadeke/What we are trying to do is get it out of the system .... We have got about three years left .... Chemical cost .... Operating costs addition .... Kubby/Do we have that grace period... do we have that in writing? Schmadeke/Yes. Norton/I thought they were adding stuff every year? Schmadeke/That is on water stuff. Kubby/Have you figured out the source of that mercury? .... Schmadeke/We don't know ..... testing ....Analyze our testing procedures .... Kubby/Other communities .... Schmadeke/They don't have mercury in their system. Kubby/Is part of the study trying to figure out where it is from? Norton/There must be a finance number of sources .... Put a graduate student on it .... Sctunadeke/ Kubby/Ames sense to me .... To spend a little bit of money or time trying to figure out where it is coming from. Norton/Somebody in preventive medicine... environmental studies .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 9 Kubby/It is a constant nag for me. Where is that damn mercury coming from .... Norton/Seems like an answerable question .... Yucuis/Move onto Water. Norton/All of your talk about wastewater does not assume you are going to be treating stormwater? Schmadeke/No. Norton/...some of that may affect your plans .... Boy oh boy .... (All talking). Kubby/...starting to accumulate cash for stormwater. I think we need to do that. Atkins/We need to get you something as a separate report on how we are going to take that issue on .... Kubby/For next budget .... something to accumulate... Vanderhoef/That is what Ames is doing, a dollar per statement for every utility user .... Atkins/That was proposed at one time .... Vanderhoef/I am ready to get an ordinance in place so we can legally do what we need to .... Kubby/That is on the work program? Atkins/Yes. Yucuis/Water. I am showing the two rate increases, July 1, 2000 and 2001, 15% and 10%. That is if the sales tax doesn't pass. We had originally planned on doing a March 1 rate increase and because of the sales tax we deferred that to July 1 .... There is a new position, electronics technician in FY2000. New debt service payments on three bonds issues, $7.7 million in FY99; $4.9 million in FY2000 and $27 million in FY2001. In the water fund we are planning on using about $10.7 million of accumulated cash .... To pay for part of the water projects. Kubby/Where is that $27 million show up? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 10 Yucuis/It would show up on the bottom of page 93, start of the debt service .... We will start transferring money in FY ..... $1.42 .... looking at about $2.18 million for the annual debt payment over approximately 25years. We have also factored in approximately $300,000 of increased costs in FY2002 when we are anticipating the new plant becoming operational .... It is built into personreel services and commodities and services. Personnel services and services and charges .... FY2002. Kubby/We think that in July, 2002, the water plant will be on line? Atkins/(Can't hear). Kubby/All right .... Vanderhoef/We are bidding this out this next year, fight? Atkins/Yes. Schmadeke/Toward the end of the year. Yucuis/(Refers to overhead). If the sales tax in approved, what the impact is to a home that uses 800 cf of water .... Without the sales tax we are looking at approximately $48 for the year .... An additional $36 water only .... Bill will go up about... $7 a month. If the sales tax does go through, that is the approximate savings that you would have over the two years .... Your total bill... rate increases for sewer in there, too .... Refuse... We are recommending that we decrease the curb side refuse fee by about $.55 a month because of the decrease tipping fees at the landfill .... From $11.55 down to $11.00 .... factored into this next section. With all the rate increases .... See about a $6.00 a month increase. With the sales tax it will probably go up to $2.50 a month because you won't have the water portion in there ....Definitely be an increase in a month bill even if the sales tax goes through. Norton/ Yucuis/Water, combined .... (refers to overhead). (All talking). Yucuis/I will make copies of that again. Vanderhoef/...saw that you were recommending a decrease in refuse recycling, it was like oh, I would almost like to leave it in place and drop it at the time we add the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 11 stormwater so it doesn't seem like such a large increase. It was a perception to people .... Norton/Start earmarking. Vanderhoef/ Kubby/Refuse question, will we need to increase rates to accommodate the new trucks for the expanded curbside program? ..... Vanderhoef/ Norton/Will the cost have to go back up when we get those new trucks? Atkins/I thi~ we are in good shape for a couple of years on that. Vanderhoef/Because we are bonding out on it. Atkins/Using some debt financing .... Ought to be able to get through a couple of years for the lower rate .... We have not raised the rates since '94 .... Lehman/The proposed decrease in the refuse rates will take place in the first of July? Yucuis/Correct .... Bills that go out July 1. Lehman/I really think .... can't start too soon on this stormwater thing... I would rather see us earmark it for stormwater. We are going to have to do it ....Let's get started on it .... Champion/We could earmark it for the recycling trucks and bond for less .... Vanderhoef/ Norton/Just be nice to tell people that their refuse rates went down .... Lehman/ Kubby/It is just the fact of decreasing it is a positive. Vanderhoef/ ....did it all at the same time .... Yucuis/We will be setting a p.h. most likely the first part of April on rates. Norton/We have some time to talk about rates between now and then .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 12 Yucuis/Refuse. Recommend that fees go down by $.55 due to the decreased tipping fees .... Lehman/I see that our ending balance keeps going down ..... Yucuis/Lowering of fees but also we have lowered the tipping-the cost to bring the garage to the landfill... Lehman/...tells me we are spending more than we are taking in. Atkins/Those are still healthy balances, Emie .... We felt very strongly that if we are going to reduce the landfill fees... Seemed only fair that the public not pay. Kubby/ Atkins/That is a $400,000 balance projected the year 2000 on a $2 million budget. I think that is a healthy enough reserve and you know we are pretty fussy about our reserves. Vanderhoef/Where does this show the reserve for closure? Yucuis/I will be getting into that. Norton/Where are the new trucks shown? Yucuis/It is in one of intemal service funds .... Norton/What are you adding there, one person? Arkins/Chuck, that is that redistribution of time. We are charging them .... We try to track that very carefully .... Charge the actual time of the individual spending on the job should be charged against the proper enterprise fund .....more accurate cost distribution. Kubby/Who had that ~A before? Atkins/Traffic .... Lehman/The decrease in waste at the land fill .... 40% since 1990? Atkins/In volume. Lehman/Tough to transfer that into low costs of operation .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 13 Atkins/You still have to cover there at night... have to open the doors certain hours .... Kubby/We are not building those $1.2 million cells as frequently .... Every 1/3 year. Norton/ Atkins/ ....landfill cell use to cost us about $300,000. It is about $2 million now .... Norton/Are we satisfied about our liners and all that stuff now? Atkins/Everything we do with respect to those landfill cells is reviewed by the state, by all of our folks. We have a fulltime engineer assigned to do nothing but- Kubby/But there are monitoring wells, too. Norton/ ....poplar trees, they didn't work? Atkins/They didn't work as well as we thought they should. Norton/They drilled holes in the lining and one thing and another. Atkins/We felt that the poplar tree was a good idea. DNR .... Didn't think it was a good idea. Lehman/ Kubby/Paul Johnson will probably be interested, the new DNR guy. (All talking). Atkins/...attractive feature to the land fill by being able to forest it. Kubby/...new head of DNR... maybe try again... great option .... Lehman/I heard Lew Licht give a program...He was very very happy with some big change that just occurred in Iowa with the DNR .... Now they are apparently listening. Norton/Great to look into that again .... Lehman/Especially when we get into stormwater. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 14 Yucuis/Landfill .... Decrease of the tipping fee by $10 a ton. Our revenue base is approximately 75 tons per year .... Major operational change .... New recycling center .... The transfer to fund capital improvements is reduced from $1.7 million a year to $300,000 per year based on the Landfill Master Plan. Kubby/Will that be in a different line item, the cost of building and setting up the recycling center? Yucuis/Correct. Norton/...does not add any people? .... I hope it works. It is always hard to start up an operation like that without having some extra. Atkins/It is going to work. Yucuis/Page 96... Landfill Replacement Reserve is where we transfer money from operations into there .... Transfer money out of there to fund capital projects. Hazardous waste recycling building is included in that transfer? ...internal loans. This is where we recommend taking the money and there is loan repayments in FY2000 of $332,000 coming. The actual receivable balance for all the internal loans we have outstanding as of July 1, '99 is approximately $2.5 million .... Biggest amount right now is for the hangars. We have been funding the hangars there of about $1.3 million. Improvements in the Senior Center here is about $400,000; ScanIon Gym is about $500,000...internal loans...each one of these funds is paying back this replacement reserve with interest. We funded the weather alert sirens .... Loan to HIS for computer upgrade ..... So we will get back that $2.56 million plus interest. Kubby/That fund is for the purpose of buying more land? Yucuis/Any capital improvements for the landfill .... building new cell...hazardous waste recycling building... land acquisition .... Based on the Master Plan we have been able to identify our projects... been able to decrease the amount transferred in .... not have as much money in there .... Atkins/The future of the fund is not going to be as flexible .... Norton/Are there a statutory requirement there? Atkins/The closure/post closure .... Yucuis/ Norton/Does this include equipment? Do we assume operating equipment is a capital? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 15 Atkins/ Yucuis/All the existing equipment out there... We are funding it into an equipment replacement fund .... Usually have money to replace it all at once .... Factor that into services and charges .... Atkins/Avoid those big spikes. Yucuis/Page 97...Landfill Closure/Post Closure Fund...current liability in our June 30, 1998 audit for closure/post closure is estimated to be $13.2 million and we are funding this through the tipping fee right now and we are anticipating having about $6.4 million available at the end of 2002 .... Kubby/Will we need to always be at a certain level? .... Yucuis/...regulations .... Atkins/You have to monitor for 30 years .... We will think about... We may have some cells we want to close... have it over with .... The formula the state has for us, you need to have cash or you can pledge a portion of your bonding and indebtedness and you have to maintain a certain credit rating. We have taken the cash and the bond position .... 30 years from the date of closure .... Monitoring wells .... Norton/I don't understand how Illinois can accept garbage for $25 .... Lehman/How do they get by with it. Atkins/In some instance you will find the state declare itself as the agency responsible .... Each state is different .... Norton/ Kubby/ Norton/I just hope it is equitably impose across every community .... share that cost .... Atkins/Most publicly owned land fills in Iowa are run by the county... far broader tax base than we do .... Risk factor is a little bit different .... Kubby/Landfill authority .... Atkins/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 16 Yucuis/Airport. Revenues reflect three hangars built in the last three years. Norton/Before we leave landfills... golf course .... Vanderhoef/Forget it .... Atkins/The Terry Trueblood Memorial Golf Course .... (All talking). Yucuis/There is currently a half-time maintenance worker at the Airport and we are recommending increasing that to full-time over two fiscal years. Expenses include the loan repayments... for the building of the hangars .... Kubby/Talk a little bit about the functions of the maintenance worker .... O'Neil/It is getting done a lot slower .... More and more time is going to management .... Since we went with a city employee/manager in '79 .... Manager and part-time help. A few years ago I went to a permanent half-time .... We put up two buildings .... Kubby/It is you got physically more stuff to do. O'Neil/...routine maintenance that has to be done. Yucuis/Last enterprise fund is Cable T.V. No major operational changes .... Page 99...$.50 local access pass-through .... Page 100 shows the money we get from TCI .... In and out .... Send a check off to PATV .... Equipment replacement reserve and cable re-franchising .... Kubby/I have been hearing about this Avatar and it seems like it is an idea that has a little bit of momentum internally .... We have not been updated. Helling/You will be. They are doing some experimental stuff right now and basically the cost is absorb in the operation .... University students... At some point in time... video and audio media .... Have to identify some funding sources if we do it .... Drew and I have kind of talked about it .... Avatar .... Kubby/Do we have any time projection... how they would enter the market? Helling/No .... after the first of the year .... We need to get together and talk about some of these things .... CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 99-10 SIDE 2 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 17 Helling/ Kubby/Keep us updated. Norton/I think we need to schedule a meeting at some point .... Distribution of moneys here. What is happening with that $200,0007 .... Helling/When we went through the re-franchising process we had the assessment of that $100,000 over that four years in consulting fees. We absorbed that out of the operating fund and we left that earmarked... cable offices are going to have to move someplace .... Norton/IfMcLeod were to come in... new set of problems and issues .... I am still not quite clear where we stand on community programming... questions .... Kubby/ Norton/ Helling/Issue we have to raise with McLeod. Norton/Will they both pay a franchise fee and a pass through? Helling/Most of that is based on subscribership .... Balance out .... Norton/ Helling/Directly tied to the number of subscribers. Kubby/The extra money will come from the public access money .... Big decision... who gets that money. Norton/Whether we are doing the right thing with community programming .... I think we got to get straightened on it. I don't think we are doing nothing as it is .... Boards and Commission 99-10 S2 Airport Commission - Howard Horan & Ron O'Neil Howard Horan/Good aftemoon. Don mentioned our need for developing the half time ...eventually to full time. A lot of Ron's time is taken up with administrative issues .... As our space out there grows and develops... We look forward to developing the noah commercial area... by April bring in a little more specific plan... Other person is going to be important in helping maintain that .... landlords in that area .... Ought to have somebody on board to help deal with that .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 18 March .... plans and specs for tenninal renovation .... Seem to have a fair amount of people who want T-hangars .... Three areas for T-hangars .... Those pay for themselves... I think the change in ownership in the Iowa City Flying Service... more development... higher level of customer service .... Remind you .... Last set of T-hangars... This last snow fall... needing some extra equipment .... Seems a good idea... increase our equipment out there... buy just a little heavier duty machine .... Thornberry/I understand there is a waiting list of people wanting T-hangars .... O 'Neil/10 to 12. Norton/How much space you got for additional ones? O'Neil/One more already positioned and that is ten more T-hangars .... We have takers for that .... Remember the United Building is being replaced by a southwest hangar that we are building for Iowa City Flying Service .... It is not a very good space to store airplanes... problems with birds .... Any number of those people in the old United Hangar might be up and ready for their own T-hangar .... Thornberry/...new building. O 'Neil/Shop... storage of charter aircraft ....I think they have some jets ....I think they pay for them with money .... (All talking). Thornberry/So when do you need that new T-hangar? O'Neil/We had originally thought '02 but ...move it a year up at least. Lehman/ O'Neil/ ....noah commercial area, there will be a lot happening there .... Thornberry/Have you thought about having a park around there? Horan/Yes .... Picnic table or two .... We would like something a little nicer .... We have thought.. if we can possibly make an observation... on the south portion of the terminal building .... Secondary egress .... Lehman/There are three mobile home courts .... Those homes have small children... worse area in the city when it comes to any kind of green space .... Perfect place This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 19 for a park ....Built in group of folks that can use that. I would really like to see the airport .... Vanderhoef/As long as we have permission from the FAA to put it in that area .... Parks and Rec... a south loop for the trail around the airport .... Horan/If that trail goes directly underneath... 624, our primary runway .... Argument .... (All talking). Horan/As long as we can keep the FAA reasonably happy about that. Vanderhoef/I would say sooner rather than later to approach them on that. Kubby/Trail... part of the Master Plan .... Norton/ Vanderhoef/I was curious about your marketing plan for the noah area. Horan/We are going to... depend on Tom Bender to hopefully come up .... Expertise .... We are pretty much responsible for the concept of that .... Find a local developer to help us do that .... Vanderhoef/...when do you anticipate that? Horan/ ....April, right soon after that ....next 120 days or so .... Kubby/Do we know... airport operations budget... his current FY...projecting a pretty big increase in services and charges ....Page 98 ....FY99 estimate ....services and charges, there is a big jump .... Atkins/I would say...terminal consultant .... Architectural fee... I would suspect... General reduction in services and charges .... In FY99 your current budget was $114,000...request was for $87- and we left it at $87- O'Neil/Design charges for the terminal .... Probably 3-4 things. Atkins/Do you recall what we paid HLM to do the sketches? .... O'Neil/$10,800 ..... Kubby/So we might have expected it... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 20 Arkins/We did some backing on a number of these things. Norton/ Atkins/ .... it was only 5-6% .... This is an enterprise fund... Looked for in the airport operations was what was the level of subsidy .... Horan/ Norton/ Thornberry/The terminal renovation, does that bill, since that is a city building, does that go to the Airport Commission or that just an internal? Atkins/Capital projects for the airport... the debt is in our debt service fund .... The airport .... The money to subsidize the airport's operations come from the $8.10 levy. If you look in your capital projects, you will see a list of capital projects and that is intended to be both the capital costs as well as any architecture fees associated with it and then we charge it to the debt service ....It is all property tax .... Lehman/Thank you. [Council Break] Heritage Trees - Kate Klaus Kate Klaus/I act as project designer for Heritage Trees. We have had quite a year with the trees ....Bad information. You have my funding I am asking for for the next three years ....cover letter. I have down for each of those years... booth rental for Johnson County Fair...$200 a year for a booth .... This is the original five year plan... rational of our activities ..... I can tell you about our activities. We are moving right along with the grove and so far we have planted three white pines, three small white oaks, five burr oaks, three shingle oaks, two Kentucky poppy trees, three bitternut hickories, one sugar maple, six white oak and one hombean .... ahead of our five year planting schedule. Kubby/...protection and support those young trees have ..... I have seen you out there .... Klaus/We have to fence these trees very carefully .... Norton/ Klaus/We just keep planting .... We have more than enough money to plant the whole grove from donations .... We are finding we can't plant as expensive big trees as This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 21 we thought because the transplant is just too difficult ....We are feeling very positive about the grove. Kubby/ Klaus/One hickory fell on a bittemut .... Are other asking is for the Johnson County Fair booth ....Information about trees ....State forester and Trees Forever... own publications ....This is something ....Iowa City and Coralville... people of the county... especially evident this year because the fair came after the horrible storm... We put out this Large Trees That Grow Well In Jotmson County flyer .... Loan Tree lost 75% of their trees .... (All talking). Klaus/ I should report on the Manville Heights survey .... Take us a full two years and possibly into the third summer... All those wild ravines... mosquitoes, poison ivy and ticks... volunteers were older people .... Storm hit .... Have to go back and redo .... The biggest burr oak in all of johnson County went... it was old, between 150-200 years .... That was a real lost .... We need to redo the tree walk brochure. It has been very successful .... We are just about out of all of the brochures .... A lot of the trees that were there are no more. Judith Pendleton Caufield, publisher and editor... volunteered her services to do it again .... If we get the funding .... O'Donnell/How do the volunteers go on the tree surveys? Klaus/We had about 40-50... Manville Heights .... Is the size of 2~3 of those neighborhoods .... Heavily wooded. We could have used more volunteers .... O'Donnell/I would help you with that. Klaus/ Champion/ O'Donnell/I walk Rocky Shore Drive about every night .... Bees are very active .... Klaus/We are going to try to redo the Tree Walk brochures and .... Manville Heights .... Redo the old ones .... Go to the fair and we will do our survey of Manville Heights .... Then in the fall we will keep going with the trees .... We will be out planting trees in the grove in spring and fall .... Thornberry/Make up that new existing walk brochure. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 22 Klaus/Some of them are gone .... We will be planting the rest of the white oaks up in the grove .... Champion/Does your $4,000 a year include the $600 booth rental? Klaus/No, that was my mistake. The booth rental is $600 for three years .... $200 a year... We basically would like $4,000 a year. I think we are doing good stuff. Historic Preservation - Lars Anderson & Scott Kugler Lars Anderson/I am a member of the Commission since 1997...two items that we would like you to consider for the next FY budget .... two items deal with staff time... and survey of the downtown area .... Staff time... background. In 1983 when we were formed we had two historic districts and 64 properties and now we have six districts and 33 landmarks...278 properties. Between 1983 and 1991 our commission reviewed a total of eight projects. Since 1992, 59 projects and 41 of those have been in the last 3 years. Our workload is increasing. We also do reviews of Community Development Block Grants... issue Certificates of No Material Effects. That is mostly done by staff.... Everyone of these projects goes through staff first .... Takes up a lot of staff time. Our calendar calls for 12 meetings a year... average between 17-18 meetings per year... extra meetings .... Everyone of those, the staff person needs to prepare an agenda .... send our notices to everybody .... We have more work with the siding and windows possibly. We have also got... proposing a historic district in the Longfellow area .... We have surveys planned. We have talked about going to two meetings a month now in stead of our one meeting a month because our meetings have been so focused on the review process .... Scheduling one meeting a month just to deal with reviews of those projects .... That will leave us the other meeting to focus... Again, if we do that, it is going to call for more staff time as well. Between 1983 and 1990 we received only three grants. Since 1990 we received 11 grants from the State Historical Society .... $82,000 ..... That all requires staff time... work program... We had an Old House Seminar .... According to staff... they have been getting a lot more requests for information .... Contractors .... People... resources for them. They want to know about what possible tax incentives, tax credits .... All that requires staff time... 1983 started with tA staff time and it hasn't changed .... Increase in workload and increase in things we are doing... Asking for increase to ½ staff time... Approximate funding for ¼ staff person is $12,500 including benefits .... The other item that we would ask... funding for a survey of the downtown area .... We feel a timely issue... general downtown improvement project .... We have received preliminary estimates for a survey... $8,000 to $32,000. Quite a range. We feel... depends on what you are asking for in the survey and the actual area to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 23 be surveyed... proposed area... bordered... Jefferson, Van Buren, Burlington and Clinton .... Basically identifying historically significant buildings in the downtown area ... historic district or possibly landmark designation .... Emphasize... provide a lot of educational and informational material .... Guideline .... We think we can get it done for around $15,000 .... Applying for grants... time consuming process... 3-4 years before we actually got anything done. Also the number of commission in the state .... The competition for available grant moneys increased tremendously .... I guess we think it is important to do now .... So those are the two items that we would ask for. Norton/Do your plans include an updated brochure? .... Anderson/We actually... subcommittee of our commission working on that right now... exploring alternate funding .... Kugler/The actual publication, putting the brochure together was funded through a state grant .... Norton/I find that very helpful .... Kugler/We have gone through an unbelievable number of those since we have published... second publications... Not sure what is going to happen with the Longfellow District .... Something we are working on. Thornberry/I went to one of those meetings... I understand there are several designations for historical... areas and around Longfellow there are different designations in that whole area. Kugler/Historic districts and landmarks .... Conservation districts which we have not done yet .... Several of those that have been identified... different standards .... Thornberry/270 properties that you have identified .... Out of that many, how many are residential... commercial? Kugler/Very few. The only commercial would probably be some of the landmarks .... There may be a couple of rental properties in there. Thornberry/Commercial buildings. Kugler/There are 8-9 buildings downtown as well as a few buildings in the Noahside Commercial area .... The rest are all residential s.f .... Thornberry/Do you propose them to be in a historical designated area or do they come to you? .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 24 Kugler/The landmarks... can be proposed .... Anybody .... With a nomination... can come and say I think this building is a historic landmark .... The district...w e nominate the district. We do surveys .... Here is why. Thornberry/ Kugler/The number of surveys the commission has done has been at the request of neighborhood groups. The Longfellow survey was initiated that way .... Thornberry/I am concerned about the people who are put into these historic designated areas without wanting to be in them .... On the downtown area, say you do the survey, day the survey comes back- We have an old downtown. Say it should be .... A historical district. That is the whole downtown. That would put quite a burden on the property owners... Would that be designated a historical district or would it be landmarks? Anderson/It depends on what the survey- We hire an expert to come back and tell us what they think .... There are certain things you look for in a historic district .... I think the downtown area... so many non-contributing structures .... It would be more designating them as landmarks .... Lehman/So what you are asking for is a ¼ time person and money to do a survey of downtown? Anderson/Right. Thornberry/I think with that survey of the downtown we ought to put some kind of a limit on there so they don't go high end .... Lehman/All we are doing right now is talking about a request for moneys .... Thornberry/ Lehman/We will have an opportunity to discuss that at the time it comes up. Norton/We probably need to get something going on the survey .... Lehman/ Thornberry/I sure don't want the whole downtown. Kubby/Steve, you did not recommend this additional ¼ time? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 25 Atkins/I did not recommend the position. The issue of historic survey came up after budget. Kugler/In the budget, it is my understanding it didn't get recommended to council but the Planning Department did recommend that increase in their request. Kubby/They wanted to use another part of that for Public Art? Atkins/Correct. Thornberry/Do we have somebody in place on staff that ~A of their time? Atkins/No... don't' want to get into. Iowa Arts Festival - Diane Sulg & Steve Parrot Salgan/Director of the Arts Festival. Steve Parrot/President of the Board of Directors this year. Salgan/We just cannot be more excited about any event than we are about this years upcoming Arts Festival .... Working for several years ....groups .... Community .... We are requesting an increase to $10,000 .... Last year we went from $5,000 to $6,000 in support. Our budget has grown by leaps and bounds .... This year... $157,000 and so that percentage we are asking you for... 5-6% of that budget. You are an important contributor... Also look for sponsorships... individual contributors .... We sell things... The Arts Festival for this January is finally on some firm financial footing... steady payroll... Community support .... Community is very much behind the events we are putting on... Huge change this year... call to 3,000 to 4,000 artists .... Hope to choose 100-150 of them to fill the streets of Iowa City with art...craft... music... food this year. Saturday morning DVIP is doing a road race .... ICARE folks... pancake breakfast .... They decided to come back with us .... Draws a larger family type of audience which is what they wanted .... Our orchestra event will be Thursday night .... The UI moved it alumni weekend to our weekend .... They are not scheduling a Thursday alumni event so that their alumni can go to the orchestra ..... we are looking for a full weekend of activities. We are doubling our children's programming .... Library .... We have a Japanese sculpture... public art in the street .... We are working... advertising and marketing budgets are both doubling .... Worked with Cindy... marketing this year on a definite state-wide and regional basis .... Some grant... festival in a box .... Slides...descriptions of our event will go to 25 mid-west newspaper editors for the entire region .... Steve Parrot/Thank you on behalf of the Board for your generosity .... We are interested in putting on a classy, exciting and fun festival .... Appeal to both people who live This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 26 here and people outside .... Two other things .... Partnerships and stewardships... Over the last year... worked real hard with a lot of partners to help us .... Jeff Davidson and David Schoon, public Library, Arts Iowa City, DTA, DVIP, ICARE... Alumni Association .... We drew together a pretty good cross section of the community for a meeting... ask them to tell us what they wanted the festival to look like and where it should be... community input. As far as stewardship... Board takes seriously the financial responsibility .... We hired Diane... professional .... Focus on bigger vision... help enhance the vitality of the downtown... And focus on making sure we find the money to do this... creative... Activity book .... Salgan/Called all around Iowa .... Parrot/We hope that will give us a little bit more money ....Grants... corporate sponsorships... fundraising... Lehman/ Parrot/Board of Realtors are a major sponsor .... Salgan/At $10,000. We have increased our state support from about $800 .... $5,500 this year .... Very competitive .... They have convinced we are a legitimate art organization... We have smaller grants from Eastern Iowa Tourism Association... We raise about $60,000 to $65,000 in corporate business sponsorship... Rockwell, 360 Communications... local businesses .... We raise about $16,000 in grants .... City and state .... We write a lot of grants... We sell things... increase revenue... more artists... food .... Two year grant for $5,500 each year .... Norton/Dates .... Coordinated with work that is going to be going on downtown .... Parrot/We won't be at our regular location this year .... Salgan/... 10th through the 13th, Thursday through Sunday .... Parrot/We have a pretty good size board...volunteer committee .... Their investment, time and energy... We believe this is a good investment... community spirit .... Kubby/What was the amount we gave last year? Salgan/$6,000. Norton/International component .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 27 Salgan/ .... this year .... Visual arts... paper collage... We are selling art .... We want people to know that the streets are full all day .... Come down anytime .... Spend the day in Iowa City ....Spend a weekend .... Artists ....Need 75-100 hotel rooms for those artists .... Thomberry/Culinary arts events .... Salgan/... this would just be food .... We intend to feature the small single restaurants... Iowa City restaurants .... Chef demonstrations .... We really appreciate your support .... Block buster event .... Kubby/February 2 .... Atkins/You have February 2 completely open fight now for you .... O'Donnell/ Salgan/ O'Donnell/ Salgan/Thank you all very very much. Convention and Visitors Bureau - Wendy Ford Ford/Those are just a couple of our updated publications... annual report... Newest version of the meeting planners guide .... Marketing promotions publications... Thank you for the time to come... ask you for continued support in the coming years .... Thank you to Dee Vanderhoef... appointed person .... To Connie Champion and Dee Norton .... Meetings .... The CVB wears many hats... promote... Tourism in Johnson County is made up of many many many small businesses .... In Johnson County... FY97 more than $143 million generated by travel generated spending for our area .... Employs 2,550 people in the county .... Taxes .... bring in $9.4 million to the state tax coffers... $2.25 million to local tax coffers ....Last FY Iowa City collected almost $1/2 million in Hotel Motel Tax revenues .... That is just a portion of the business done in the area .... Some of the highlights... this year we are placing an additional $15,000 in advertising .... We had asked for funds for an additional marketing person .... Dedicate to convention marketing .... Huge increase in the number of requests for information .... Iowans .... Good vacation option. We also spent $10,000 less on a visitors guide... improved .... We will spend $5,000 less than that .... due to... negotiations with our publishing company .... We distributed 100,000 of those This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 28 Visitors Guides this year .... We also have increased the revenue line for the CVB membership dues by about $5,000 .... Due structure change that we underwent... give us a little bit more marketing power .... Highlights of this year .... Reinstated grant program .... Awarded $7,600 to area business .... People organizing events... CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 99-11 SIDE 1 Ford/Would help buy the brochures .... I am looking forward to another grant review committee meeting in about a week .... Have about $20,000 worth of requests and we have $10,000 in our budget to grant out over this FY .... Wonderful events to do that with ....Return on investment of that... $7,600 ....Over 90,000 people came to the area... About 3,000 of those people stayed over night in a hotel... brought in $150,000 worth of hotel sales which would net us back $10,500 in hotel taxes .... Additional spending on restaurants and retail places .... We worked with more than 100 motor coach tours through the area .... Also worked directly with 30 different conventions in town .... We also welcomed 10,356 people though our front door and answer 11,522 phone calls .... Our volunteers work nearly 900 hours to help us do all of that as well .... One other highlight... Iowa City and Coralville won a coveted award...Tours and Community of the Year award .... Great fun to receive .... Lehman/You got the award, the best there is right here .... Significant award for the State of Iowa .... Very nice .... Well deserved. Ford/Looking ahead .... Iowa Games .... Regional festivals .... We won the bid to host a basketball, soccer and also bowling regional festival June 25 and 26 in town .... We may have 25-30 different soccer teams in .... This is an event that needs a new home... hospitality... Another thing... data base marketing... internet ....Most comprehensive data base for marketing to convention meeting planners .... Focusing in on the markets we can handle here. Hotels are only operating at about a 62% occupancy rate .... Increasing Hotel Motel Tax revenues .... 10% jump in a $472,000 is not insignificant .... We are going to be trying some new group travel trade shows .... Doing a number of different advertisement placements .... Statistics we have ....Business reply postcards ....Getting about 600-700 of those a year back ....In sight into why people are here ....That is it for my report... Thanks for your support .... Thornberry/Wendy .... Occupancy rate... 62%... Motel Tax is up 7.4%. Ford/Hotel rooms are costing more. Thornberry/I happen to see .... Saw for this last year there was zero bus tours .... It looks like they are going down each year as opposed to going up. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 29 Ford/That reporting sheet is not working for us .... We are assessing that .... Thornberry/Some hotel operators don't send the information into you .... Looked like the occupancy rate is going down all of the time. Word/ Almost a point a year for the last four years .... Annual report .... This is the hotel occupancy rate ....Occupancy rates are not adjusted ....Adjust the number of motor coach tours that are reported by the hotel ....It is a lot closer to 100 .... Important that we know how many so we can gage the economic impact of that tour. Thornberry/That report was not looking real good. Ford/The occupancy rate isn't .... When the occupancy rate goes down and Hotel Tax collections are going up, it means that hotels are having to charge more and they are not getting as many people through the door .... It also hurts when we are trying to compete for the bigger conventions... meetings .... Thomberry/ Ford/We could draw more people in .... Thank you. Come out and see us sometime. Library Board - Jessie Singerman & Susan Craig Singerman/President of Library Board of Trustees. Every year at budget time .... Impressed at how much service Iowa City gets for the amount of money that you allocate to the library .... Impressed... 1/4 numbers... bottom line is 100% of budget .... So we have great service and great performance from staff. A couple of things in the budget... Change in how we are handling maintenance. Right now we are having a cleaning contract company come in and clean the building... We want to shift to having library staff maintenance people, to hire our own employees .... We think it will have better accountability and better performance and reduce some security issues .... cleaner and more suitable facility for the public .... Kubby/Do you know much you pay currently for that cleaning contract? Thornberry/They should. Atkins/(Can't hear). Singerman/Is an increase .... We believe it is time to make that change .... Other thing... increase in the wage scale for our temporary or hourly personnel... High turn- over and lack of applicants in the past year .... From $5.80 an hour to $6.50 an This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 30 hour .... Clouds .... In area of supplies and services and charges. In the supplies area we budgeted at this FY's estimated expenditure, meaning no increase in money allocated to this line even though we will now be buying cleaning supplies .... In services and charges we are budgeted at 1997 model... decrease the past couple of years .... book jackets, paper, computer paper, utilities, sewer and gas... equipment repair and so on .... These are items that cost what they cost .... You can only cut it so far .... Long term... library service as a whole might suffer. Are there any specific questions? Thornberry/ .... The two books and materials for $363,200? I can't remember what those two books were. Singern~an/I don't know why is says two books .... Craig/One is adult books and one is children's books .... Categories ....About 25,000. (All talking). Thomberry/Good move on the cleaning .... Supplies... The city buys a lot of supplies .... Atkins/...It will all be worked out. (All talking). Champion/I didn't understand the difference between the two .... Having your own cleaning was $13,000 more? Singerman/$17,000. Vanderhoef/To move it over to city employees .... Plus supplies. Singerman/It is really not working... We tried changing contractors .... Thornberry/They are having the same problem getting help as anybody else .... Singentian/Better coverage. Atkins/Throughout the budget temporary wages were increased .... Kubby/Maintenance I in terms of basic cleaning... Singerman/ This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 31 Atkins/Generally speaking... one full time, a 3//4 time and a ½ time. They are all three ones .... There are folks .... Basic maintenance of buildings .... That is all expected of that person .... Kubby/Energy audit internally... I wonder if we can save on utilities at all? That would be something to look at ..... A great place to save money. Singerman/ Craig/We go up and down in those energy audits .... No reason that I can comprehend .... Several energy projects in the building... HVAC really needs to be replaced .... New energy management system .... To be more efficient .... Lehman/Thank you. [Council Break] Downtown Association - Cathy Weinguist Weinguist/Friday Night Concert Series... the DTA gift to the people of Iowa City .... I don't' have a lot of facts and figures... Share .... I have been getting phone calls from bands .... I got a call from a band that we have never had because they are featured musicians .... University .... He said to me the Friday Night Concert Series is... a good gig... heard by people who don't necessarily get to hear us... newspapers... kids wanting to see... hear real musicians... This is a place .... Get to hear live music .... Purpose... I went to a reception for the new Chairman of Dermatology at University Hospital... talking to him... transition from Austin, Texas .... Coming from a city to a smaller city .... He had a teenage daughter .... He told me a story that the second time her came to visit .... Family, staying at the Holiday Inn downtown and he said I walked out of the hotel to go out to dinner and there was a band playing right outside the hotel .... Big crowd... I thought at that moment we can live here... Friday Night Concert Series... music, art, community feel... It is free. There is no one who can't come .... It is a real important symbol of Iowa City .... We had a fountain for years and years .... wouldn't have it there .... Construction workers are absolutely determined not to interfere with the concerts .... Looked at moving it down to .... Hoping to have it down at the Blackhawk Mini-Park area .... We might even like it better down there .... Lehman/I see the DTA did match what we gave last year and you are asking for the same amount? Weinguist/Yes .... If you wanted to help us a little bit more it would be wonderful ....I hope I will raise more ....We did get a couple of concerts in on Saturday ....We This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 32 have talked about why do we stop in September .... Answer... starting in September there are high school football games ..... Champion/Sometimes you can overdo something. Kubby/Will you be building a stage then? How will that work for the mini-park area? Weinguist/I will have to talk to the city manager? Kubby/ Atkins/I can't tell you exactly how it is going to work ....Mini-park... Some sort of staging is going to have to be prepared .... Kubby/Make sure that it is accessible .... Weinguist/ .... so nice to have something semi-permanent .... I would like to see thing going on down there all of the time .... Norton/Having complaints about the sub-woofers. Weinguist/We are done right at 9:00 PM .... Punctual .... (All talking). Weinguist/I have really been heartened by the reaction of the bands, too .... How much the bands like .... Important function both for the bands and the kids. Lehman/Thank you. Jazzlest - Derick Levine Derick Levine/...new for me .... We decided not to do the video this year ....Keep this real short...say ditto for everything... Benefits the festival brings to the community .... Some of the educational benefits which we are hoping to expand this year with clinics and workshops... opportunities to local high school bands .... Addition of side stages... junior high kids... first gig ever .... We are working on continuing these kinds of collaborations with the clinic program. Working also with the University... sharing some of the costs of some of these clinics .... Spend some one on one time with some of the people coming in... Nationally recognized artists .... One thing... not as tangible... fact of when you go there and you see all of these children having a blast .... Last time I went to a professional music event... I didn't' see any children. Tickets are expensive... kids... chance to get exposed to this kind of music... That is really the most This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 33 exciting part of the educational aspect ....These children are future jazz audiences .... Other points are ones... obvious .... In terms of economic impact in Iowa City .... Last time some numbers... estimated between $3/4 million and $1 million per year .... People have estimated... informal survey... people are spending $15 a head at the festival for food, gifts... Doesn't include the money they are spending in the local establishments ....Hotels ....There is a definite profound impact with that .... Music... some of the things other people have said .... Number of Grammy wim~ers play here ....This is free. A friend of mine runs a jazz club in St. Paul and told me... excited ....An opportunity... amazing when you consider that other festivals... charge anywhere from $25 to $100 per ticket... It is something that we maybe take for granted... It is very unique. Some of the artists... Granny winners... award winners .... Something we are very proud of. Kubby/Do you know what your line up is? Levine/Not exactly. We haven't signed any contracts .... Kind of hush hush .... Diversity in styles... Acid jazz ....Hip hop music ....Going a long way to putting Iowa City on the map along with NPR's coverage .... We get so much air play from that .... Jazz Set is frequently re-broadcasting the Iowa City Jazz Festival .... Of course the fact that the festival... it is putting our attention and focus back on downtown .... It is basically a proactive way of keeping our attention focused in downtown .... Having it be a real community center .... That is basically what I wanted to highlight... I did bring with me some of our marketing materials .... We are here asking you for money .... Matching funds... We are constantly working on ways to improve our development strategy... We have two new programs... A corporate marketing brochure .... Being targeted to corporations here in Iowa City .... Detail some of the perks and benefits of sponsorship .... Second part of our new marketing program is the inclusion of 100,000 programs... distributed in three new markets in Omaha, Des Moines and the Quad Cities .... Independent papers... significant undertaking .... We have been able to underwrite a great portion of that .... We think it is worth it .... They are not going our in a genetic advertising supplement. They are being put into independent papers .... People... interested in the arts .... We are hoping that this piece is going to bring a lot of new people here... help strengthen all the other functions of the festival. Kubby/Is there any money from the Iowa City School District? .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 34 Levine/... Steve Grismore... educational aspects. I know with the University there are some ideas about a way to share costs. I don't know if anything has been done with the schools. Norton/The festival is still primarily the 3rd and 4th? Levine/Yes. Norton/ .... I personally am confused about how the 4th of July thing works with this whole festival... seem to be at odds ....We may talk about that in some other context, Steve .... Kubby/Timing is perfect... except for travel... You can walk down to city park right at sunset .... Levine/ .... Now, having them in the park... You don't have to be in the park to get a great view .... I think it works together really well .... Hoping to tie in sort of a fireworks theme .... Norton/It should be tied in some how .... Kubby/Thank you .... Senior Center - Terri Miller Terri Miller/I am here to represent the Senior Center Commission. I guess I would just like to start out commending city council and city staff... a lot of capital improvements to this building .... roof and the outside .... Last year there was substantial amount of work... sprimkler system... Areas of capital improvement along with the security system and the doors... made a major difference in the building .... Ability to use the space and the building... usage of the space has increased because of that .... commitment of the staff... to oversee those kinds of projects .... Really important to the success of it .... As I read through the budget .... expansion of services .... To provide services .... Senior Center has asked for... increases .... A couple of V2 time... one in maintenance and one receptionist... those are really important... One of the concerns that I had .... A decrease in the amount of maintenance supplies .... Capital improvement requests... less .... Need for ongoing maintenance in an older building... necessary .... There might be some additional needs to continue the maintenance. One additional item... an amount to expand and maintain the participation in the Senior Center during the building of the ramp .... need for... types of programming... maintain interest level of those folks who may find it difficult to get here because of the difficulty of parking .... So those folks didn't This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 35 find something else to do .... We wanted to keep them coming here .... Good population of senior participation .... Kubby/Has there been any thought to .... Work out some certificate that if you participated in something, that you got flee Transit during that period the parking ramp is under construction .... Norton/Shuttle them from some other location... an outlying area .... Temporary purposes .... Kubby/The buses are running anyway .... Norton/ Lehman/Might start a new habit. Norton/I think we need to be creative about that .... Miller/Certainly that is a concern .... We do have some parking in the ramp .... I think whatever we can do to accommodate people at that time. (All talking). Miller/I am referring to the ramp down the hill .... Vanderhoef/Would they like it better of the parking was up on the College Street entrance so they could come across and not walk up the hill? .... Norton/It is good for them. Thornberry/I have a question about the Johnson County contract, going from $16,000 to $13,000 .... I was wondering why they dropped? .... Yucuis/That is library. (All talking). Atkins/It is 20% of budget. Yucuis/The $110- is low .... We will have a number in there of 20% of $631- less the other revenue... closer to $120- The $114- in FY99 would have been 20% of the original budget that was approved last March .... Thornberry/Okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 36 Kubby/...volunteer specialist time. If you could choose between the extra receptionist time or extra volunteer specialist time, what would the commission recommend? Miller/We haven't really talked about it in those terms. Certainly a receptionist is someone,,, making an impression or not making an impression .... Kubby/...it is not this year but it has been consistently for the last three years .... Miller/... as the professional staff has increased their duties .... Where we have not been able ....It became a part of what we needed to analyze... most important to show up ....How do we most- Where are our needs? .... Maybe we could change some of the duties .... I think over the course of the first several years .... Things have changed in the duties of the staff.... Kubby/Taking in a commission .... What is sold ....Probably wouldn't generate very much .... Atkins/Something on the table... I asked Linda... position interest... expanding... extensive memo from Linda and I need to prepare a response and also comment. They have recommended they would like that space. I just haven't prepared my response. Kubby/Does that get into requests from Senior Dining for space? Atkins/I suspect that is part of the issue .... The Commission .... If they are ever going to expand... There is a parking ramp on the way... limits their ability to expand... program responsibilities. I will prepare something .... They did write a very detailed report. I will get that to you very shortly .... Norton/ Atkins/This building is this building .... (All talking). Atkins/...before the Parks and Recreation folks begin, I have to go to a neighborhood council meeting .... IfI walk out in the middle of it, it is not you. Parks And Recreation - Matt Pacha & Terry Trueblood Matt PachaJ I have been here... on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Commission .... My ten year old cub scout was here .... I would like to thank you for your past suppose. We have requested 4 V2 additional permanent additions to the Parks and Rec Department. 1½ has been recommended for approval .... Clerk typist and... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 37 custodian .... Mercer Park Aquatic Center .... Other three positions which has not been recommended for approval include 2 full time park maintenance workers and a full time natural areas manager .... I would like to spend a couple of minutes on the maintenance workers first .... In the last 12 years our parkland has increased by approximately 640 acres .... Added one full time maintenance worker to staff. There are a number of other acquisitions scheduled to take place .... 7.6 miles of new trails... with another 23 miles expected to be built within the next 3-5 years. We are responsible for maintenance on the trails as well as the snow removal .... There is also a higher level of maintenance... Some of it has to do with... softball complex ..... Babe Ruth fields and baseball field complexes .... There are more safety ....accessibility laws .... Support... we do appreciate that .... We have been able to more than double the number of hours for seasonal employees .... Also allowed us to purchase new equipment .... Mowing operations .... You really can't put a seasonal employee on a $40,000 piece of equipment and turn them loose on projects... can't take the place of full time employees .... With the passage of the Neighborhood Open Space Plan .... Provide us the resources to maintain the parkland. Lehman/Like an unfunded mandate .... Pacha/Natural areas manager... This is a very important new position .... Parks and Rec Department, Public Works and Planning Department .... CHANGE TAPE TO REEL 99-11 SIDE 2 Matt Pacha/...and water work parkland. Also in other areas they would focus on Hickory Hill Park and Ryerson Woods, Whispering Meadows Wetland Park and some of the smaller wetland areas. Also the South Sycamore Greenspace Project .... Hands on position as a manager of the natural areas. This person would also become a certified wetlands specialist .... Assist with sensitive areas reviews, conduct wetlands assessments... grants and conduct educational programs .... Lastly we had our commission meet last night .... They .just wanted a little reminder... Parkland Acquisition Fund, the source of revenue that was redirected .... Concerns about that. Lehman/You have so much land you can't take care of it now .... Norton/When you talk about natural areas .... Is Hunter' s Run in that category? Pacha/No, that would be more active. Kubby/Water works .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 38 Norton/They are starting to fall through the cracks .... Lehman/ Thornberry/Very low maintenance... A hands on wetlands person .... Vanderhoef/...assessment of wetlands and replacement of wetlands and that kind of stuff.... She is not the total expert you are asking for. Norton/Ryerson Woods, to keep that together is a substantial amount of effort .... Timbers are falling down .... Kubby/Prairies to manage. You have to have structured burns .... There is stuff to do .... Public safety issues. Trueblood/The waterworks area will be in excess of 200 acres ofparkland .... (All talking). Trueblood/When you talk about low maintenance areas, some of these actually are very low maintenance .... For example, waterworks and peninsula .... Do require regular mowing... grasses along trials... Also has to be a person to monitor these to make sure prairie grass .... wild flowers... are growing there .... There are prescription burns that have to take place every 3-5 years ....As we are growing ....The other thing, we have some nice resources .... We are really not doing justice to. To have a person of this nature... somebody that really knows what they are doing .... Thornberry/I don't think they are keeping up with the existing part well enough but to hire somebody to do just wetlands stuff- Kubby/All of these things .... Trueblood/There is more and more requirements and restrictions by the DNR .... Certain reports .... Monitor wetlands and submit a report to DNR .... If we are able to hire this person... in-house operation... Even trail maintenance. O'Donnell/In the last 12 years .... How many people have we added? Trueblood/One full time. Thornberry/I know, we need more park people but I am just not crazy about the wetland guy .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 39 Vanderhoef/How much of the specialist could be part of the Engineering Department and how much could be part of the Recreation Department? Trueblood/I am not sure I could give you how much right at this point. Vanderhoef/ Atkins/Capital projects frequently require some sort of a natural areas review, etc., in order to obtain permits .... I wanted to comment. Probably of all the budget recommendations that I had to make, these are the most difficult in saying no .... I think we have a very practical problem .... We have decided... We are going to accumulate lots of land for Parks and Recreation purposes and the numbers speak for themselves .... Sooner or later you reach the point where you cannot maintain the public's property satisfactory and I think we have reached that with Recreation .... Managing a park is a lot more than just cutting the grass .... We made a deliberate decision as a community that we were going to accumulate natural areas as a resource .... They do require some specialized attention. I happen to like the natural areas manager idea because I think you can also take these areas and program them .... Great opportunity as a learning experience for really very little money .... There are other pressures ..... All budget recommendations are not easy ..... I really believe that the council, as a matter of policy .... Take a quick historic review of the kind of land we have accumulated .... As a matter of policy... You need to send back to the commission their ideas on how we are going to maintain all of this land .... 4-5 years ago... expand the heck out of our trails and we have done that .... We did do that and there are questions .... We have wonderful Parks and Recreation opportunities out there. The resource is there but we are not managing as well as we could .... One of the thoughts is we may have to go into the temporary budget and just simply say how much money will that buy us in permanent time .... You need to run to your Parks and Recreation Commission and say we have got to find a way to deal with this .... Norton/But you zeroed it out for three years. Atkins/Yes, I did. Norton/We have to think about it. Atkins/My point is that I would like to put it on the table for you all to think about it .... I think Terry's operation, Terry Robinson, new superintendent .... Catching up... equipment .... Lehman/I thi~ we are going to have to do some catching up with Parks and Rec .... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499 January 14, 1999 Council Work Session Page 40 Atkins/We need to rearrange the resources in the department in some fashion .... For the accumulation of the natural areas ....Has a long long term consequence .... It is not just the one person. Thornberry/ ....trails ....won't be doing them in the winter. Atkins/My point is... we are going to try to keep them open as long as we can .... We need to be directive as a matter of policy. Kubby/It may be there are some trails that we want plowed .... Thornberry/ ....I don't know how they keep up as well as they are .... They need more people .... (All talking). Lehman/We are through, meeting is over. Adjoun~ed: 6:40 PM. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of January 14, 1999 WS011499