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Home My WebLink About2005-07-05 CorrespondenceMarian Karr 3e 1 From: Leonard, Judith J [Judith-Leonard@hawkeyesports.com] Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2005 11:02 AM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: vacant residence on West Minster Street in Iowa City Dear Council Members: We live next to a vacant house on Westminister in Iowa City. It has been vacant for over 1 year. It is truly an eyesore and also a place that looks like an invite to vandals. I asked Johnson Cty (I had the address) to give me the owners name. They said it belonged to Wachovia Bank of Delaware!! I suppose it is a foreclosure or that it is being tied up someway but someone should be responsible for its condition. Is there a way that any of you could check on this. The address is 157 Westminister. I would like to contact the bank or lending institution about the property. Thank you. Judy Leonard 2909 Washington St Iowa City, IA 52245 6/16/2005 arian Karr rom: Naftaly Stramer [nstramer@yahoo.com] ent: Sunday, June 26, 2005 11:11 AM o: Ron Knoche c: Sadie Greiner (sad ie -g reiner@uiowa.edu); George Hollins (george-hollins@uiowa.edu); Rick Fosse; Kathryn Johansen; Brian Boelk; `City Council ubject: RE: Work on Clinton street and IC Jazz Festival ar Ron, anks for the fast response. I am not sure what does it mean that "the city required the iversity to coordinate with all major events...". es it means getting the major events to agree to it? I know for a fact that members of e Jazz festival staff are very upset with the road construction. Most of them are in the nd set that the City of Iowa City does not care about such problems, and your email low is somehow shifting the responsibility from the city to the University. is is wrong, as we as Iowa City residents, do pay taxes and elect members of the city uncil and not the University. any case, it is to late for this year. I hope that for next year, more planing ahead 11 be done. Y, aly Stramer -�- Ron Knoche <Ron-Knoche@iowa-city.org> wrote: Dear Naftaly, The construction work on Clinton Street is a steam tunnel for the University of Iowa. The City reviewed the project with the University and required the University to coordinate with all of the major events planned for the downtown this summer. This included limiting the work that could occur in the days prior to and during the events. Sincerely, Ronald R. Knoche, PE City Engineer City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Phone: (319) 356-5138 Fax: (319) 356-5007 Email: ron-knoche@iowa-city.org -----Original Message ----- From: Naftaly Stramer [mailto:nstramer@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:10 AM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Work on Clinton streed and IC Jazz Festival Dear council members, The Iowa City Jazz Festival is one of largest events going on in Iowa City each year. This year, part of S. Clinton street sidewalk and street will be blocked due to road work. What I am asking you is how come the city planned road work to take place during such an event that is planned so much ahead of time. 1 Sincerely, Na£taly Stramer 716 River St. Iowa City, IA 52246 Karr rom: Allison McNeese [a.mcneese@att.net] ent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 5:47 PM o: council@iowa-city.org ubiect: Mediacom Iowa City Council Members, sterday I emailed a complaint about cable television service to Mediacom, sending an e- py to the council as well. wanted to report that I have had very helpful and prompt responses from Mediacom about e problem I reported, and (without my requesting it), customer service representatives ve credited my account for the time my service was inoperable. the interest of fairness I thought I should follow up with an expression of tisfaction and gratitude for the effective and courteous way in which my problems were dressed. ank you. llison McNeese 620 Holt Ave. Iowa City, Iowa 52246 1 rian Karr rom: Allison McNeese [a.mcneese@att.net] ent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 6:46 PM o: council@iowa-city.org ubiect: cable service ear Iowa City Council Members: his is a copy of an email I have just sent via the Mediacom website, in the early evening f Tuesday, June 21, 2005: y cable reception has been inoperable for nearly an hour today (at least that is as long s I've been home ... it was off when I got here nearly an hour ago, at 5:45 p.m.). do not complain every time this happens, but I will note that this is at least the third ime in the past several weeks (in less than a month) that this has occurred. find this especially troubling Since my cable rates were recently again increased, aking my monthly payment now exceed $51. L is difficult to find an easy way to report this. Local numbers for Mediacom seem to ave been disconnected, and the 800 -number listed in the telephone book remains Dnsistently busy. am forwarding this email message to the Iowa City Council, in the hope that the quality f cable service may be improved ... at least restored to what seems to have been a more Dnsistent record in the past. Llison McNeese 20 Holt Ave. Dwa City, Iowa 52246 1 n Karr Karen Kubby [kubby@pobox.com] Monday, June 27, 2005 9:03 AM council@iowa-city.org police chief appointment process 27, 2005 ity Council, e recent change in the City Charter outlining City Council approval of the Police Chief pointment, brings with it a need for some special attention. As the upcoming pointment is the first since this Charter change, the process you use will be precedent tting. hope you will decide that it is important to have some sort of public process as part of ur approval process. The Police Chief has special responsibilities to the community, as ey are in charge of the department that has very unique duties and priviledges in our ves (the right to arrest and use force against citizens). has been clear that applicants have asked for confidentiality as they began this ocess through the City Manager. The process ends with you --public policy makers. ease include us in your deliberations. Any applicant who gets far enough in the process at their name is in front of you for approval should feel comfortable having their name t in the community and the fact they are vying for this position known by their current ployer. This would be a great way for the new appointee to be welcomed to our community and to start off on a positive note. If there isn't an opportunity for public input, their welcome may be mared by the fact that people didn't get to share any thoughts with you before the appointment and the new Police Chief will have to deal with that as they begin their new position. Again, I urge you to develop an appropriate venue for the public to be part of your deliberations before you discuss the upcoming appointment of Iowa City's new Police Chief. Karen Kubby 728 2nd Ave. Iowa City, IA 52245 ===Privacy Statement===== ATTENTION: This electronic document may contain confidential information and is intended f r use by the addressee and/or their intended representatives only. Review by unintended i dividuals is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, t ansmit, copy, disclose, store or utilize this communication in any manner. If you r ceived this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and permanently J lete this message from your computer. Thank you. 1 arian Karr rom: Stephen vlastos [stephen-vlastos@uiowa.edu] ent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:41 AM o: council@iowa-city.org ubject: process for hiring police chief Council members very much share the concern raised by Karen Kubby that the council develop a process public forum in regards to the hiring of the next IC police chief. Citizens's rticipation in decisions relating to their governance and transparency in the conduct siness of their elected officials is the essence of democrcy, isn't it? ncerely ephen Vlastos 46 E. Bloomington St. phen Vlastos fessor, History Department 0 SH Awa City, IA 52245 1. (319) 335-2221; FAX 319-335-2293 rector, Center for Asian Pacific Studies 6 IC, Iowa City, IA 52242-1802 in of arian Karr )m: George Pappas (george_d_pappas@hotmail.com] nt: Monday, June 27, 2005 12:30 PM council@iowa-city.org biect: Medical Cannabis Initiative Inquiry Council Members, The current effort to introduce a medical cannabis initiative to the Iowa City ballot s been moving forward. The community group coordinating the effort recently turned in e final batch of required signatures, which is estimated to contain sufficient gnatures to qualify for a vote next November. Pending an affirmative opinion by the ty Attorney, it seems you all will have the opportunity to vote on the initiative at the ly 19 council meeting. In the interest of the well-being of potentially affected parties, I would like to see is measure passed at the council meeting. Therefore I will be contacting all of you to t a firm indication of your positions as well as whatever reservations you may have out this effort, whether from a moral, political, legal, or practical standpoint. I 11 accomodate whatever form of communication is easiest for you. Please respond by ail if that is most convenient, and provide me with a time that would be best to reach u by phone. I would like as thorough an account as possible of your positions. Would you like to ow more about the clinical research of the effectiveness of cannabis as medication? Do u question the authority of the City to enact on an initiative? Is the recent Supreme Court decision of concern to u? Do you think the initiative will be effective in achieving its goals of protecting riously ill patients? Please be as thorough as possible in your explanation, so that we n open a dialogue to address whatever issues are of concern. And please contact me at y time. ank you all for your time, orge D. Pappas 2 S. Dubuque St. Apt 8 30) 533.1989 ,press yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! :tp://messenger.msn.click-uri.com/go/onmOO200471ave/direct/O1/ Marian Karr 3e 6 From: Kelly Vanderwerff [kvanderwerff@meccaia.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 10:06 AM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Proposal for youth input on city council As a part of a State Incentive Grant that I coordinate for Mecca, I am working with a group of youth from United Action for Youth to find ways that youth can be more involved in and connected to the community. The youth in this group have chosen to focus on local and state government as the area in which they would like to find ways for youth to be more involved. The group would first like to learn more about how the Iowa City council operates and get any feedback from one or more council members on how youth could contribute most successfully to local government. One goal this group has is to eventually form a junior council which could be closely connected to the Iowa City council. They would also like to educate other youth about council issues that impact their lives. Our next meeting is Thrusday, July 7 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. at United Action for Youth (410 Iowa Ave.). We would greatly appreciate it if one or more council members could attend this meeting with us to educate our group about the how the council operates and any ideas you may have for how youth could become more engaged in local government. In the event that July 7th does not work for any of the council members, we meet every Thursday afternoon at the same time. Please feel free to let me know if there is a Thursday this month that works better for you. The youth in this group are very excited to move forward with this idea. I think you will be very impressed with them. You may contact me at this email address or by phone at Mecca (351-4357) if you are available to join us at our July 7 meeting. Thank you so much for your time and consideration on this matter. Kelly Vander Werff Johnson County SIG Project Coordinator 319-351-4357 NOTICE: This e-mail, including attachments, is the property of mecca, is covered by the Electronic Communications Act, is confidential and maybe legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you are prohibited from retaining, disseminating, distributing, or storing this communication on any media. Please reply to the sender if you have received this message in error and immediately delete it. Thank you. 6/29/2005 Marian Karr 3 e, (ry ) Page 1 of 2 From: Robert Givens [robgiv@mchsi.coml Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 9:56 AM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: THE HIRING OF A NEW IOWA CITY POLICE CHIEF THE HIRING OF A NEW IOWA CITY POLICE CHIEF WHEREAS, a police chief plays a central role in protecting the citizens of a community, including their civil and constitutional freedoms; WHEREAS, effective and positive community interaction is a key function of a police chief, WHEREAS, it would be in the best interests of the Iowa City community that the city council should seek input from citizens in the filling of exceptionally important positions that require extensive public contact; WHEREAS, any process in choosing a police chief should be fair, transparent, and democratic; BE IT RESOLVED, by the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, Hawkeye Area Chapter that l) q--[endif]-->We support and encourage the Iowa City Council to make its hiring decision in an open session subject to debate and public commentary; 2) <! -- [endif] -->The resumes of finalist candidates should be readily available for public review; 3) As it is practicable and feasible, that finalists should be encouraged to meet with the public and/or groups expressing a desire to meet with them prior to the Council's hiring decision. Approved unanimously. O DATED: June 26, 2005 O Submitted by Robert D. Givens President, Hawkeye Area Chapter 7/5/2005 City of Iowa City MEMORANDUM TO: City Council and City Manger FROM: Rick Fosse I` Ar DATE: June 29, 2005 RE: Sidewalk Cafes The July 5th agenda includes a sidewalk cafe permit for Givannis that is the first to extend into zone 2 of city plaza. Prior to this all sidewalk cafes on city plaza have been located in zone 1 which is a 10 foot strip directly abutting the buildings. Zone 2 is the remainder of the city plaza space (absent the fire lane) that contains amenities such as lights, benches, planters and so on. This permit request comes at a time when staff is considering changes to the regulations that include limiting sidewalk cafes to zone 1. Because this application meets current regulations it is being placed on you agenda for approval. This cafe, like all other existing cafes, is permitted until January 2006. Staff will have amendments to Council for consideration no later than this fall. In the event the amendments are adopted, this will allow notice to all sidewalk cafe permittees well in advance of the 2006 license year. Cc: Jim Mondanaro