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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-11-23 TranscriptionPage 1 Lehman/Just like to announce that Dee Vanderhoef is under the weather and that' s why she's not here. Charlene Thornberry, Dean's wife is gravely ill and is being treated at the University Hospital. They went to Rochester, Minnesota tonight for consultation tomorrow so I'm sure that Dean and Charlene both would certainly appreciate remembering them in our thoughts and prayers. So, that's why we're short. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #2 Page 2 ITEM NO. 2. OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARDS - REGINA ELEMENTARY Lehman/This time is Regina. This frequently is the best part of the meeting, it's one that I think I enjoy the very very most so if you folks would like to read your name first and then your nomination. Emily Temple/Hi my name is Emily Temple. I have tried to be a good citizen by helping my community and being active in many things. I am a girl scout and my troop does many service projects. We also donated supplies for relief packages for other countries. I have been in a broadway production at Hancher to benefit the Ronald McDonald house. For years I have helped serve meals at the Wesley House and once I helped at Christmas. For my 12th birthday I donated over 50 food items to the Crisis Center. This summer a couple of neighbors and myself helped clean up an elderly neighbors yard and then we had a neighborhood pizza party. I try to do these things to help others. Lauren Beaumont/Hi my name is Lauren Beaumont and I'm a candidate for the Student Citizenship Award. I think I'm a good citizen because I participate in many things and I care very much about my community. One activity that is close to my heart is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Because I have a few close friends that live with this terrible disease I've donated time and money to this foundation. I have a 4.0 grade point average at Regina Elementary. In my seven years of attending school there I have participated in Student Council and I've given my time to teachers that need various jobs. I play basketball and softball as well as most other sports. I play the piano and I've played in various recitals and festivals. I am an alter server at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. Being a good citizen can be anything from being a good neighbor to taking an active part in our community and I try to be the best citizen that I can be. Jessica Tanner/Hi I'm Jessica Tanner and my teacher nominated me for this award because of my hard work in and out of the classroom. I work hard to meet my potential. I work hard to earn to get and earn grades I know I can get and deserve. I also work hard for Student Council as a classroom representative. I have helped organize groups to help the teachers and groups to clean the school. I volunteer recess to come in and help the teachers in their classroom. In conclusion I would like to thank the City Council for recognizing me and other students in the community for Citizenship. Lehman/I think it's important that you realize that the City Council may be making these presentations but the City Council represents the people of this community and you can bet that in addition to your moms and dads and grampa's and gramma's the community is very proud of young people like you. I'm going to read the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #2 Page 3 award and then I have one for each of you. (Reads award) Could we have pictures? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #3a Page 4 ITEM NO. 3. MAYOR'S PROCLAMATIONS. a. WORLD AIDS DAY-DECEMBER 1 Lehman/We've got two proclamations this evening. (Reads proclamation. Now therefore I Ernest W. Lehman, Mayor of the City of Iowa City, Iowa City, Iowa do hereby proclaim December 1, 1999 as World Aids Day in Iowa City. Marian Karr/Here to accept is Laurie Haag and Keri Althoff. Keri Althoff/Hi my name is Keri Althoff I'm a Sophomore here at the University of Iowa. I just wanted to take the time to thank the City Council for your support in AIDS ending the silence Listen, Leam and Live, this World Aids Day. As a student here at the University of Iowa it's great to know that the City of Iowa City supports all of the people in this community especially those 25 years and younger and encouraging prevention, ideas and communication about this disease. Kubby/Do either of you have details about the Human Red Ribbon activity? Could you share that? Laurie Haag/The Human Red Ribbon is happening on Wednesday December 1 st at the Hubbard Park by the Iowa Memorial Union at about noon, people will be gathering starting at 11:30. And essentially what it is we get enough people to form a giant red ribbon and then we roll out fabric and form the Human Red Ribbon with a couple hundred people about 300 people will form it. Althoff/We encourage you all to come. Haag/Yea your all invited. Kubby/Thanks. Haag/Thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #3b Page 5 b. HATEFUL ACTS AND HATE CRIMES Lehman/We normally don't read proclamations when no one is here to receive them but tonight there's a meeting at the Library responding to some hate crime that have occurred in Iowa City about a week ago. There was a rally downtown a week ago Saturday night and this proclamation was read, it's been signed by, we call it an Iowa City Proclamation but it's been signed by the Mayor of Coralville, Mayor of University Heights, University of Iowa and the Johnson County Board of Supervisors and I think it's particularly fitting that we read this here tonight even though no one's here to receive it. (Reads Proclamation.) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #4 Page 6 ITEM NO. 4. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED OR AMENDED. Norton/Move adoption. O'Donnell/Second. Norton/Was there an amendment, was an item going to be deleted? Lehman/Actually yes. Kubby/That's in the amendment. Lehman/They have been amended but the public, taking of bids for the fountain to be located across the street from the Civic Center is going to be postponed under Public Arts Advisory Committee and the other item of note to the public I think is that starting after the first of the years the Council meetings will be on the first and third Tuesdays of every month rather than every other Tuesday so it'll be a little more predictable when we meet so. Any other discussion? Roll call. Motion carries. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #5 Page 7 ITEM NO. 5. PUBLIC DISCUSSION (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA). [UNTIL 8 PM] Lehman/Item 5 is Public Discussion, this is time reserved for discussion of items that do not otherwise appear on the agenda. If you wish to address the Council please sign in give your name and limit your comments to five minutes or less. Mary Doyle/My name is Mary Doyle, I live at 217 Mt. Vemon Drive. I'd like to address the issue of Hickory Hill Park and Oakland Cemetery that was discussed at your meeting last night. Specifically pertaining to the 40 acres purchased by Iowa City from the Gaulocher family in 1919. First I would like to applaud your decision to recommend dedicating to Hickory Hill park the 30 acres of that land that have not been found suitable for cemetery use. I also applaud your decision to send this issue to the Parks and Recreation Commission for their recommendation. However, I feel strongly that the Council did not go far enough. I think that the remainder of the 40 acres which is already not been converted for cemetery use should be dedicated by this Council as parkland. I heard some of you say last night that the issue had been discussed and the decision made two years ago so it does not need to be discussed again. I disagree. Two years ago we were all operating under the assumption that the use of this land had been illegally restricted to cemetery use by the Gaulocher family at the time of it's purchase. We now know that this is not true. There is nothing in the deed which restricts or any way recommends that this land be used as cemetery. There is nothing in the contract from the side of the seller that specifies or restricts the use of this land as cemetery use. In fact the only mention of the cemetery in the contract is in the title which was put there by the City. Two years ago the Parks and Recreation Commission recommended that all 40 acres be dedicated as park land. Until you were told by city staff that the Gaulocher family could sue and would likely win in court I believe this Council was also in favor of dedicating all 40 acres as park land. The decision to commit some of this land to cemetery use was made with inaccurate information. There is nothing that legally binds the City to use any of this land for the cemetery, that is why the discussion needs to be reopened. There are a lot of us in Iowa City who do not want any more land used for cemetery beyond the 3-4 acres that have already been converted. It is not because we are anti-cemetery it is because the 6-8 acres being discussed are not just any 6-8 acres, I realize that if you are not familiar with the park that 6-8 acres out of 186 currently being used as parkland does not sound like a big deal but the 6-8 acres you are considering for cemetery use are the heart of Hickory Hill Park. This (can't hear) of purchase in 1919 is what most Iowa Citian's think of when we think of Hickory Hill Park. The 6-8 acres are the hill where you find the Hickory Trees that gave the park it's name. This is the most heavily used part of Hickory Hill Park, it is the part of the park that is accessible to those who do not have the time or the physical endurance to walk to the back reaches of what we call This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #5 Page 8 Hickory Hill Park but is in reality classified as Storm Water Management. This 6- 8 acres are unique even within the park, this is the woodland area that in the spring is covered with a profusion of blossoming wildflowers, wild geraniums, trout Lilly, jack in the pulpit, and trillions to name just a few. These are not found in any other area of the park. With further expansion of the cemetery the vast majority of these will be destroyed along with the mature Hickory and Oak trees found in the area. With the loss of the trees we also lose the many species of birds that make their home there, species that we do not see in our backyards or in any other parks. If this 6-8 acres is converted to cemetery the land that is dedicated as park land will be split in two. We will not have one Hickory Hill Park but two parks that do not even come close to what we have in the one continuous park that we have now. Over the many years I have been walking in the park I have seen wild turkey, fox and coyotes along with the more commonly seen wildlife. These animals and birds require a large contiguous habitat, cutting the space that they now use in two will not leave them adequate habitat. In reading the minutes of your meetings from 2 years ago I noticed that some of you were wondering why the cemetery was in the, or that the City was in the cemetery business at all. It's a good discussion. There was also discussion about the large cost of preparing land that is not particularly suitable for cemetery use. The cost of preparing the land that is currently being convened is way above what is usually spent on preparing cemetery land. The additional 6-8 acres that you want to leave available for cemetery use 40 years from now will cost even more to repair. None of this land is well suited for use as cemetery, but it is perfectly suited for park land. As I sat here last night listening to your discussion of funding for the Senior Center sky ramp, the purchase of the Englert Theater for community use and mention of the many other projects beneficial to the community for which funding must be found. I found myself wondering why are City Council has chosen to spend such an exabomant amount on preparing unsuitable land for cemetery use. The subject of the city continuing in the cemetery business should be discussed by the Council and the entire community. If we decide as a community that we want to continue providing cemetery plots we should look at buying land that is more suitable and leave park land as park land. With the huge projected cost of converting an additional 6-8 acres of park land for cemetery use I'm sure we can purchase and prepare land that is suitable for cemetery conversion and still have some left over for other projects that would be beneficial to Iowa City. Thank you. Champion/Thank you Mary. Lehman/For those of you in the audience who don't know, this has been referred for comment back to at least to the Planning and Zoning Commission, there will be discussion. Norton/Park and Recreation. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #5 Page 9 Lehman/Parks and Recreation I'm sorry, there will be discussion of this when it returns to the Council which would be, obviously we take public comment anytime but that would be a far more appropriate time I think of discussion but anyone who wishes to speak to it we certainly would entertain those thoughts. Corbin Sexton/Good evening, my name is Corbin Sexton, I live at 1159 Hotz Avenue in Iowa City. I'll make this brief but heartfelt as well. I use Hickory Hill Park every day, I spend at least an hour there as do many many people so discussions of Hickory Hill Park are dear to my heart as they are to many people who were here last night and who I imagine are watching tonight and who may not be even aware that these discussions are taking place. As a member of Friends of Hickory Hill Park we look forward to being in contact with Parks and Rec. department as you make this very important decision and we are also extending an invitation to Council members to take a tour of those specific 6 acres that are under discussion. The park has been under discussion as Mary pointed out and as you well know for many years what is new is what it looks like now that that cemetery land has been cleared and we think that it's important to not make this decision without public input so thank you very much for this chance to speak to you tonight. Kubby/Can we have, is it a big deal, because we're going to put the markers out, we're talking about doing it, to put some flags out there where those additional 6-8 acres are so that we can go and look at the park from the cemetery perspective from the park perspective to see what would be changed. Steve Atkins/I'll take care of it. Champion/That would be a good idea. Lehman/That's a good idea. Norton/I think most of us have looked at it surely I've walked out. Kubby/But to see where. Norton/I understand. Kubby/About the exact boundaries are to see how much is being cleared, how hilly is it, what section of the park it is specifically would be most helpful. O'Donnell/And maybe Steve we should show everyone a copy of the master plan. I mean there are five stages to this thing. Atkins/Maybe I'll. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #5 Page 10 O'Donnell/I don't know if anybody's ever seen it. Champion/We have, sure we have. O'Donnell/Well I'm talking. Atkins/Maybe I'll reduce it in some fashion, easier to hand out, I'm sure we can always make a copy of. Norton/Well when it comes up here later yea. Lehman/Right when we address it. Kubby/Will you let us know when those flags are out so we can go visit? Atkins/Yes. Lory Van Allen/My name is Lory Van Allen and I've come here tonight with a similar protest of ongoing policies. I wish I were a better speaker but I do feel passionately about my issue and I know it's an old issue but I hope it doesn't go away in the minds of the citizens of Iowa City and that is the deer issue. I'm very disturbed about the policy that' s now enforced, my concerns are along two lines that I feel have not been properly presented in their totality to the public. One is that I feel that there is belief among many people that the policy is simply to reduce the herds of deer but my review of the figures seems to more closely indicate that there is a policy of eradication of the deer that will be an ongoing program throughout the entire winter up and through March. My other objection to the policy of the deer kill is that I believe that many reasons were brought up as to why we need to reduce the herds or eliminate the herds however most people see it. Some of them are very good reasons, one of them is that they present traffic hazards, it's a tragedy when deer run into cars and cars are damaged and insurance companies have very big bills to pay as a result. Another reason given is that the it will provide food for the poor and who can argue with that, that's, who knows if all the deer that are killed will be able to be processed for the poor. It is in fact a very expensive way to handle the situation I feel. But what I saw as being an issue that is very evident to me and to other people who object to the killing of deer is was not brought up and I think there's a reason for that. I feel that there is a concerted effort to develop the land on which the deer are now living and there doesn't seem to be much objection amongst Council Members to allowing the developers to have carte blanche in this regard and I foresee as I look around the city and drive around the city it won't be long before all the land that the deer now habitat is totally gone. And I feel that that must be a primary reason why the deer are going to be eradicated though not largely dealt with. I have a letter from to the City Council from another person concern about the deer, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #5 Page 11 Florence Booth and her husband. She wanted me to read it tonight because she won't be here. Dear Members of the City Council, we call upon the members of the new City Council to halt the systematic destruction of the areas white tail deer. Lehman/We all copies of that tonight. Van Allen/OK I made it all understandable. The claims made as a support of this policy have vilified the victims of the policy, namely the deer and suppressed other views namely that we are exterminating these gentle animals for the convenience of insurance companies and for the financial gain of real estate developers. Is it truly a coincidence that the city's concem with deer over population has arisen at the same time land development has begun to encroach on the city's last remaining woodlands and park areas? Iowa City's deer have lived quietly and peacefully in the inner recesses of our park for years. Deer crossings occur at predictable times at sites year after year. Fences and signs and reflectors could guide and regulate their passage safely. Rather than spend small amounts on such regulation, the city administration appointed a deer commission most of whose members seem predisposed to favor solutions of eradication whose costs will surpass $100,000 this year alone. And the slaughter will continue, sharp shooting is inherently unsafe and sooner or later some child, adult or pet will inadvertently be shot. The writer of a recent Press Citizen article also observed that one city with an aggressive deer slaughter plan reported an increase accident rate after it's inception. Although it has now made plans to sharp shoot for many years. Final remark, this years Christmas stamps and many of the seasons cards for sentimental depiction of deer's. Objects of counter affect and nostalgia and art but in the line by real estate prediction and irrational hostility in city life. We can only hope now that the new City Council will reexamine the issues of deer killing and retain enough of their habitats that the animals will remain who remain can transfer their survival techniques to another generation. In this spirit we urge the members of the new City Council to halt the slaughter of the city's remaining deer, we also urge any listeners who wish to help protect Iowa City's deer from further sharp shooting to call SAVE THE DEER at 338-4383. Sincerely Florence E. Boos and William Boos. OK. Thank you. Champion/Thank you. Elisah McNeish/My name is Elisah McNeish and I live at 606 Westgate Street. I think that sharp shoot is very cruel and very inhumane and that deer have a right to live and even though there are many deer deaths as a result of deer vehicle accidents I don't think that's justification to kill more deer. And sharp shooting deer is ineffective and it just makes the situation worse and because the deer will have more food, better nutrition and they'll have more space so naturally they'll have more fawns. And in Bloom field Minnesota their entering their 9th year of sharp shooting, and the deer vehicle accidents just keep getting worse and also This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #5 Page 12 Biologists J. D. Shoopart confirms that this is the case and the deer committee hasn't had any biologists or anything to argue against that. And also I'd like to point out that the deer committee had a hard time coming up with an argument for it and they ended up saying that Iowa City's deer are well fed but they've said before that we need to sharp shooting because they're starving. And I think there are better solutions like deer reflectors, community education and stepped up law enforcement that are very effective. And in conclusion I'd just like to point out that I think it's, that the sharp shooting is inhumane, it's ineffective, and there are better solutions to deal with this problem rather than just end it tastefully. Thank you. Lehman/Thank you. Other discussion. Bob Elliott/I came at the right time. Lehman/You came also too late. Bob Elliott/Just barely. Thank you very much, I'm Bob Elliott, I live at 1108 Dover and I very much appreciate having the opportunity to say just a couple of words tonight. I'm out of breath I just walked over from across the street. I am following up a letter that I sent to the mayor about the library and since that time I have talked with Mark Martin a person I know only well enough to respect him a great deal and I will be talking with him. But I did want to follow-up on urging that you do consider branch libraries and especially as Jay Honohan pointed out that Kirkwood is interested in sharing some of the operating costs with you. I understand the independent nature of the Library Board, I understand they come to you for money only but I did want to simply reinforce that letter and that hopefully I and some other people can be talking with the board about this. I think it has to do not only with the financial aspects of whether or not it is more expedient to have one or branches but it is also a method of serving what is at least a very interesting and interested minority in the community. And Iowa City has always prided itself on serving a well meaning and needed to be served minority. So I simply want to take just a few minutes to follow-up on the letter and thank you very much. O'Donnell/Thanks Bob. Champion/Thank you. Lehman/Thank you Bob. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #6a P age 13 ITEM NO. 6. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS a. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING A PRELIMINARY PLAT OF HOLLYWOOD MANOR, PARTS 7 AND 8, AN 11.67-ACRE, 42-LOT RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION LOCATED WEST OF SYCAMORE STREET AT WETHERBY DRIVE. (SUB99-0022) Champion/Consider adoption of the resolution. O'Donnell/Second. Lehman/Moved by Champion, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion. We discussed this last night very briefly and I just want the public to know there are storm water issues in this part of the community that have been addressed. I won't say solved but our information is that the storm water will probably be handled better than it currently is being done. Norton/Yea I think we ought to note that there's some additional property between Wetherby Park and this that when this is developed that will have another impact on this. Lehman/Right. Norton/This water problem it's, I think we can guarantee that the water isn't going to totally disappear but presumably be somewhat better than it was. O'Donnell/It's not going to disappear but we've been assured this will make the situation better. Norton/But it will bear watching I'm sure of that. Lehman/Other discussion. Motion carries. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #6b-f Page 14 ITEM NO. 6b-f RESOLUTION APPROVING FINAL PLATS FOR: WINDSOR RIDGE, PARTS 10-14. Lehman/Items B, C, D, E, and F have been requested for a deferral. Could I have a motion to that effect? Kubby/So moved. Norton/Second. Lehman/Moved by Kubby, seconded by Norton. All in favor. They are deferred. Karr/Mr. Mayor until December 7th. Lehman/Until December 7th is what we said. Karr/I missed it sir. Lehman/Yea OK. O'Donnell/You were going to catch that. Lehman/I was going to catch that right. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #7a Page 15 ITEM NO. 7 PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONTRACT 3 - SOUTH PLANT IMPROVEMENTS, WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND COLLECTION FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS, AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS. a. PUBLIC HEARING Lehman/This is a project whose estimated cost is $24,900,000. Public hearing is open. I think Chuck you were going to brief us a little bit on exactly what the project is. Chuck Schmadeke/Dave Elias our Wastewater Superintendent is here this evening and he will present the background information and details regarding the construction project. Dave Elias/The Iowa City Wastewater Facilities include two treatment plants and an extensive collection system, nearly 300 miles of pipe. The noah plant has been in operation since 1935, it's had periodic upgrades every 15 to 30 years something that we have continually worked on as a community. The south plant was constructed in 1989 on a new site, one that has given us the opportunity to continue to expand facilities and not be boxed in within the town, within development. Four major interceptor pipes have also been added since 1989, the southeast interceptor of the Snyder Creek, the South River Corridor and the Willow Creek Interceptor. All of these have been geared to sort of direct flow towards the new site, the south plant site. All of the construction that has gone on in recent years has been set to do several things, several goals. Number one to relieve surcharging or backups into homes and businesses in the community. To meet new federal environmental standards, to maintain the treatment capacity that we've had and need for the city and to begin to phase out the use of the noah waste water plant. The current construction project one before you now, has several different facets too that we'd like to talk about. First of all this will reduce the load at the current north plant by approximately half. This will enable the biological process there to perform at a higher level, to meet the current standards that we're expected to attain through DNR and EPA. We'll also be transferring all of the digestor operations from the north plant site to the south plant, the digestor operations are primarily the most odorous part of our process and we're wanting to move those out of the more developed area. The upgrade to the south plant will also go along ways to achieving the other goals that we've kind of laid out. The activated sludge process is the heart of the biological system and the upgrade here will be geared to achieve ammonia removal, it's a biological This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #7a Page 16 process, there are not any specific chemicals to achieve this, and these will bring us into line with EPA and DNR standards for ammonia limits and this will be achieved by the summer of 2002 with this project. Along with that biological portion are equalization basins, pumping cladtiers, disinfection facilities, these primarily will assist in, these are physical processes that will assist in simulating the capacity that's diverted from the noah plant so that we can continue treating that amount of waste. Along with the project will be a laboratory administration and maintenance facility. The laboratory concentrates on bio-solids testing, we like to call this bio-solids instead of sludge's. We also monitor landfill groundwater issues. Do the studies required for the DNR compliance reports and then just process control in the system. And then maintenance facilities will also be needed to continue to operate this major waste water facility for the city. Sludge processing will include the digestor relocation, this will also be a process upgrade, we'll be moving to a temperature phased anaerobic digestion. The city has used anaerobic digestion for the full time at the noah plant. This is a recent improvement in the process that will give us a more capacity and smaller tank space, it will also be a more flexible process for us to use in meeting the demands in various types of waste that come into our facility. The sludge processing has another very powerful biological process, it will generate a safer quality of sludge and will be more readily available for use in public and private areas as a fertilizer. This site also will remain stage for future requirements for the cities facilities, space is available for the next expansions that will be required eventually. It incorporates several process innovations just available within the last 10 years. It will improving the processing efficiency and the flexibility in order to allow us to continue to treat a variety of waste both residential and industrial. The project includes very well defined processes so that our treatment costs can be well defined as well. And these costs for treatment are applied to all of our customer base alike based on flow and concentration calculations so each customer will pay for the amount of capacity and facilities that they're process is required. These facilities will be available to serve the community, Iowa City for many years into the future we think. They're well designed and we think it will be a good addition to our public health and environmental programs. Lehman/Questions for Dave. Kubby/I had a question. When your talking about the temperature regulated and anaerobic processes, I must have heard you wrong, I thought you said they'll take less space but have more capacity. Does that mean it will run through it faster? Elias/Yes. Yes. This is the, it's a two-phased anaerobic process, the first phase is a high temperature thermophilic process and so the bacteria reaction rates are quite a bit higher in that phase than in the mesophilic range which is what we currently operate in so we're able to design smaller tanks. If we were designing for exactly the same amount of treatment gallons or tons, the temperature phase one would be This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #7a Page 17 a smaller tank so we've been able to just take advantage of that scale reduction in our process. Kubby/Thanks. Norton/Dave your adding two digestives down there? Elias/Yes. Yes. Norton/Now but some at the north plant will go off line then? Elias/Yes all of the ones at the north plant will go off line, and then the facilities at the south plant will take their place. Norton/And what will the north plant handle at that point? Elias/We will be shutting down and phasing out the anaerobic digester process at the noah plant so that facility will just be decommissioned so that won't be in operation. Norton/Will there be any functions taken place there? Elias/There will be still the trickling filter process will still be going, that'll need to be active for a number of years yet until, we project until the bonds on the original south plant are paid off. We think that we have, this project will give us enough capacity to last past that and then at that point at some time we'll look at the decommissioning of the rest of the old portion of the noah plant. There will always be some facilities at the north plant for just pumping, excess flow during high water wet season treatment that will be utilized through the facilities that were built 10 years ago. Kubby/Will that be true then if we convert part of the north plant for storm water enrichment? Norton/Yea (can't hear). Elias/That's a another big issue that we really haven't done a lot of studying on, it's a, I don't know if I even want to go into the whether or not that would be useful to do to convert that facility into storm water treatment. It's sort of a different animal. Kubby/OK. Champion/We don't want to talk about wastewater either but we might be forced to. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #7a Page 18 Norton/Yea. This won't do anything to reduce the we, our facilities could go further I take it if we have fewer crossover than we had storm water, better separated from our sanitary sewer system? Elias/That's true to some extent, we do not have in Iowa City what is called a combined storm system. Norton/I understand but we still have a lot of cross over? Elias/We have some infiltration because a lot of it, the town is in an area that has a high ground water table and so as the collection system ages you take in more water just as it comes through the cracks and the joints. And we're always working on trying to remove the most obvious of those but your always going to have some of that to deal with. Lehman/Other discussion. Norton/Oh I want to ask you a quick bit about the odor, you said you were going to move the odor from the noah plant to the south plant. Well I play golf and the odor once in a while. Lehman/I knew we shouldn't have said. Norton/Now down there is kind of grim and also there's some people at least planning some development down adjacent to Pleasant Valley Golf Course, what are they going to do7 Elias/Well we like to think that ifit's properly sized and working right it won't smell. The north plant has been there since 1935, there have been some improvements made to it off and on but in many ways it's pushed to the limit and it's up to it's capacity especially the digestors with the new process we think we'll be able to contain odors very well. Norton/At the south plant. Elias/At the south plant so we don't anticipate it just moving a problem from one place to the other. Norton/Good. Lehman/So you can tee off. Norton/Good. You'll just have to put up a big fan and blow it the other way. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #7a Page 19 Lehman/That's another bond issue. Any other discussion? Public discussion is closed. Kubby/Well we didn't allow any members of the public to speak. Lehman/Is there anybody else that wanted to speak? Kubby/I mean I don't know if that there is. Lehman/I thought we asked. O'Donnell/We did. Kubby/I'm sorry. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #7b Page 20 b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING Lehman/OK. Do we have a motion? Norton/I move adoption of the resolution. O'Donnell/Second. Lehman/Moved by Norton, seconded by O'Donnell. Is there any Council discussion? Roll call. Kubby/Well wait I do, I'm sorry, you know when your going to spend $25 million dollars I think you should say something. Norton/Worth talking about right. Kubby/Well there were some things when we first started talking about making wastewater or sewer improvements for most people, that's a more understandable tenn. We looked at trying to do some wetlands treatment to do our tertiary area treatment that goes through a bunch of processes and the very last one before it gets taken off to the river we talked about doing some wetlands and having the water go through wetland plants to clean it and it would also create a park. And there was a lot of enthusiasm on the part of Council to do that and then when we looked at it was $30 million dollars versus $10 million dollars for that section of treatment. And we just and it was a beautiful idea but we just couldn't justify three times the amount of money when the zero's are that many in the number. So I'm sad that that didn't work out economically and maybe in smaller communities around the county that's something that could work for them. And I want to ensure, so I guess I want somebody from city staff to tell me this again that improvements made here that are going to accommodate industrial users particularly Proctor and Gamble that all the direct and indirect costs for bonding, bond council, every indirect cost that I probably can't think of because they're indirect, are incorporated into their specific special rates. That no rate payer or other industrial or commercial user will be paying for P & G's part of the plant that we're building. Atkins/We believe we've designed a rate structure where residential doesn't subsidize industrial and industrial doesn't subsidize residential. I think one of the things and Dave you might want to come to the microphone to explain this a little further. We had traditionally measured it in pounds and now it's measured in. Elias/Traditionally we've measured it in flow, gallons per day. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #7b Page 21 Atkins/Thank you. Elias/And our basic residential rates are always based on water meter. A couple years ago you folks approved a new approach to our industrial charges and we now supplement those charges with a surcharge based on pounds of waste so. (END OF 99-105 SIDE 2) Elias/Exceptionally concentrated than we have calculation that we can apply in order to recover the treatment costs that are inherent and the more pounds of waste that needs to be treated, not just the volume of water flowing through there. So we actually, at this point do have a two-step surcharge that at a certain higher concentration higher strength basically we're charging for the BOD and suspended solids, one step higher. And then if it goes yet higher to a very high concentration we hatchet it up one more time so we think that we're covering those costs for the highly concentrated waste. Kubby/Thankyou. Schmadeke/I might add that the debt associated with each of those processes has also broken down into like the debt for the digesters, the debt for the activated sludge process and then those costs in turn are used to compute that pounded BOD and focal point. Kubby/Good. Lehman/Other discussion. Roll call. Motion carries. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #8 Page 22 ITEM NO. 8. PUBLIC HEARING IOWA CITY'S CONSOLIDATED PLAN FOR 2001-2006 (A.K.A. CITY STEPS) Lehman/I'm just going to read the comment. This document is Iowa City's 5-year plan for housing, jobs and services for low-income residents. A series of public meetings has been held to receive citizen input regarding the strategies, goals and priorities detailed within the plan. A 30-day public comment period started on November 5, 1999. Public hearing is open. Charlie Eastham/My name is Charlie Eastham from 1152 E. Court. I'll try to be both brief and coherent, something I 'm not particularly good at in either respect. First I want to encourage the Council to adopt the plan I think it's an excellent one. There's one minor issue I'd like to ask the Council and perhaps the staff and the Housing Community Development Commission to think about. One of the needs as addressed in the plan is for child care facilities and it's also child care under the Services section of the plan, it's given a high priority and we certainly heard about the need for child care especially for working households. One of the, I've worked briefly and informally with a local congregation, a small congregation about starting a child care center. One of the problems was in coming up with money to finance operating costs while the center was starting, the first few months of operation. So I've suggested one of the hearings for this plan that the Commission Housing Development Commission consider making money available for start up loans for organizations both private and nonprofit that want to start a child care centers or for in-home providers that want to expand or start an operation in their house. I think the one of the difficulties was using CDBG money for a loan for operating costs is that that money would have to come out of the public services section of the plan or the funding. And that that actual amount of that money is relatively small and there's a lot of competition for it and so I guess I would ask the Council to consider ways to get around that. Including possibly using some local fimds that would be in the form of a loan and could actually be repaid over time, I think that would benefit (can't hear). Lehman/Other comments. Kubby/I have a few comments as a member of the public. Lehman/OK. Well as a Council member? Kubby/Well I want them to be part of the public comment period to be put in the document so if I don't do them now they're not part of that right? Lehman/Do it. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #8 Page 23 Kubby/They're really short. Well actually there's only one and then there's a question for the committee. One is I'm looking at the section on starts on page 79 called "Barriers to Affordable Housing" and there's not a section about profit in the housing market in here. And I'm not using that word in a derogatory or a complimentary way just that the fact that there needs, for the private sector, there needs, the most cases there needs to be some kind of profit that can interfere with that can be a barrier and I just think that should be mentioned because it's an obvious thing. And I guess my question comes also in that section under community attitudes because I know that we have had a lot of very emotional discussion about zoning changes on Council and my question for the committee is what can we do to help facilitate different community attitudes about mixed income neighbors and neighborhoods and mixed styles of housing be next door to each other? We see even when there are very high end multi family homes being built next to single family high end homes that there's still this conflict and this emotional reaction against that and I we need to figure that out. And so any help that the Housing and Community Development Commission can give or the public about how to ally those fears or to talk about those community attitudes would be most helpful because it's a direction we're going. And we need to figure out how to talk about it and how to deal with those fears. Norton/I want to add in that regard I was distressed by a report somewhere in the minutes of maybe the Housing Commission that suggested that once assessment does in fact change if you site property nearby. Dilkes/That's not accurate, those will be cleared, are you talking about the P & Z minutes? Yea, that will be cleared up at the next P & Z. Norton/OK good. Dilkes/Next minutes you get, Sarah looked into that I think that may of been the reason put forward when they requested a change but that was not the reason it was granted. Norton/OK good. Lehman/Thank you. Norton/Another one I'd like to see added is some comment here talking about difficulty of affording housing and of course utility rates are part of that and we've talking about wastewater and water rates but we do have a low income policy in the city that tries to be available to assist people who are in difficulty about those matters and I think that might be sited as one of the steps that the city is taking to try to help out on that front OK. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #8 Page 24 Champion/Well we do have neighborhoods that work and function very well with mixed income housing and maybe we need to take our clues in those neighborhoods because I think it's a really good way for people to live. And I'd like to pursue that Karin. Kubby/So if people have comments there's a 30 day comment period that started on November 5 so it's. O'Donnell/Next week. Champion/Next week. Kubby/So people can send the city letters or that would be the best to have it in writing I suppose and your comments are to be incorporated into the plan that' s part of the HUD process. So if you have something to say write it down and send it to us. Norton/Well I have one final one additional comment about the, this is on page 82 Steve and it has to do with the efforts to look into some of the code questions that might have a bearing on the cost of housing and I don't know who precisely is carrying on that study. I know we've looked at it several times but some of those I want to be pretty cautious about for example, changing the spaces between studs and so forth. We should do everything we can but we want to be cautious yea. Karin Franklin/Right now we are reviewing proposals from consultants for a development code review which we'll be bringing back before the Council for approval of a contract once we land on somebody that we think would be appropriate for doing this kind of review. And it would be quite extensive in terms of looking at all of our development codes and procedures and then the next step would be to do any code revisions that are recommended out of the study and at that point we'll decide exactly how we want to do that. Norton/OK but it might be noted that we have over the last four years at least done looked at codes in part and we have made modifications in a number of places. Franklin/Building codes yes. Norton/I remember in plumbing and electrical and other places to try to do just what they're talking about trying not to guild the lily for example or take advantage of modem technology where (can't hear). Franklin/Right. But we've never done it for all of our development codes yea. Norton/Very good. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #8 Page 25 Lehman/But we have done I think smaller lots, smaller setbacks, muffled, narrow streets. Norton/Narrower streets. Lehman/And made these things possible right now to help accommodate lower cost. Norton/But this is fight into the building code the plumbing, the electrical right? Franklin/This is focused, it is going to be focused on the zoning ordinance, the subdivision codes. Some look at the building codes but because we've already done the review of the building codes that is not going to require as much detail look. Norton/OK. Franklin/What we wanted to get was some outside eyes to look at these so that we're not just critiquing ourselves. Lehman/Other comments. Champion/Does anybody off hand know if the average cost of a house is rising continually rising every year? Or have we stabilized? Do you know that Karin? Kubby/The added cost is going up. Lehman/Everything's going up. O'Donnell/Way up. Kubby/Like it was $104 and now it's what $117. Norton/$134 or something. O'Donnell/And I think the codes your talking about Dee are not necessarily anything that's going to compromise a safety issue. Norton/No I understand. O'Donnell/It's just codes were we exceed state requirements. Norton/They certainly should be looked at and particularly where they, well they might in some cases exceed, for example some of our fire codes, our sprinkler codes probably exceed those requirements because we have so many high density dwelling. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #8 Page 26 Lehman/Public hearing is closed. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #9 Page 27 ITEM NO. 9. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 9 OF THE CITY CODE OF IOWA CITY ENTITLED "MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC," BY AMENDING CHAPTER 1 TO ADD SECTION 4C THEREIN TO ALLOW THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO INSTALL OR MODIFY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES FOR TEMPORARY CONDITIONS. (FIRST CONSIDERATION) O'Donnell/Move first consideration. Champion/Second. Lehman/Moved by O'Donnell, seconded by Champion. Discussion. Norton/I take it this would be a big blessing. Lehman/Administrative I think it would be a blessing. Arkins/We believe it would be. Lehman/Yea make life a little simpler. Arkins/You believe it would be. Champion/I think it would (can't hear). Norton/Does this have to do with blocking off a sidewalk you mean during construction all that kind of stuff?. Atkins/Just a whole variety of traffic control ideas. Jeff Davidson/Do you want your question answered? Norton/Yea just briefly what is involved. Davidson/We had a situation recently with the River Street project where we you know according to the letter of the law should have gone through modifying the ordinance with three readings and then the project was done and then modifying it back with three readings, we decided to use the City Manager's police powers to just it temporarily and then we'll change it back when the project's done. Kubby/That's a little scary. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #9 Page 28 Davidson/This will allow, it had to do with the neighbor's being able to park on street in an area where they normally are not allowed to park. Norton/Yes I understand normally not. Davidson/And that's all this will (can't hear). Norton/But this might involve blocking a sidewalk for construction of things of that nature. Davidson/Sure whatever is needed and Council would be notified. Norton/Good. Lehman/Sounds like a good idea. Other comments. Roll call. Motion carries. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. # 10 P age 29 ITEM NO. 10. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 9 OF THE CITY CODE OF IOWA CITY ENTITLED "MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC," BY AMENDING CHAPTER 4, SECTION 10D(A) THEREIN TO ESTABLISH THE LENGTH OF BUS STANDS. (FIRST CONSIDERATION). Kubby/Move first consideration. Norton/Second. Lehman/Moved by Kubby, seconded by Norton. I think this is to make bus stands. O'Donnell/Bigger. Lehman/Work bigger. Champion/I think this could have been an executive decision too. Lehman/I think it probably is in an ordinance but has to be changed that way. Dilkes/I think it isn't in an ordinance so it has to be put in so there's more clarity and how much distance we have to give them. Lehman/Oh. Either this or shorten the buses is that? Davidson/Yea you could shorten the buses. This establishes it at 60 feet, right now it's not specifically designated what length, so if somebody gets a ticket and it ends up getting thrown out in court because there's nothing in the ordinance that says it's 60 feet. Champion/I see. Lehman/Heaven for bid that a ticket should be thrown out. Other discussion. Roll call. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #11 Page 30 ITEM NO. 11. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND EARTH TECH, INC. OF WATERLOO, IOWA. Lehman/I'm going to ask you Jeff to explain this as soon as someone makes a motion to approve it. Kubby/So moved. Lehman/Moved by Kubby. Champion/Second. Lehman/Seconded by Champion. Discussion and Jeff please explain it to us. Davidson/The reconstruction of North Dodge Street between Interstate 80 and Governor Street is currently in the city CIP for the year 2003. We've started a cooperative project basically with Iowa DOT, this area of North Dodge Street is a state highway, State Highway 1, it's also part of the national highway system. As such the DOT has acknowledged that they have a role in funding any improvements to this. We're trying to also coordinate the project with the extension of First Avenue and Captain Irish Parkway which is scheduled for 2002 right now. We're also trying to coordinate it with the conversion of Highway 1 between Kalona and Iowa City between Iowa City and Mount Vernon to Super 2 highway standards which is basically designated passing areas periodically but otherwise continuation of a 2-lane road. This is the first step we have to do and Iowa DOT has required that the city conduct an environmental assessment of the project, it's according to federal law exactly what this study has to consist of and this contract will allow us to apply comply with all of those requirements. Norton/What's this kind of road use thing, what does it (can't hear)? Road use. Davidson/Yes I believe so. Champion/That's a lot of. Norton/You can do anything about the intersection of Prairie Du Chien and North Dodge there? It will eventually you mean. Davidson/This is very, this is very, that's one of the highest priorities of this project is to (can't hear). This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #11 Page 31 Norton/But in the mean time people just aren't going to be able to make left turns off. Davidson/In the meantime Dee it is not possible to signalize that intersection because it would not geometrically because we're so constrained right now but ultimately this project will improve that to where it works very well. Lehman/So get on with it? Norton/Hurry yea. Kubby/Well as consistently as I have voted our deer management plan because of the deer kill aspect of it, we're living out one of the sections of the deer management plan with this and that there's a deer management impact part of the study that these consultants will do, where they will assess the impact to deer population resulting from habitat loss or fragrnentation and create alternative methods to try to reduce deer vehicle accidents so I think it's important to note that we're trying to live out other parts of that management plan. And I think we need to bring attention to those other parts because they don't cost as much money, their non- lethal ways of managing our living with deer. And sometimes we don't talk about other pans of the plan very much so it's important to do so. Norton/Might there be an underpass for them, there's been for cattle up there for years right, isn't' it? Davidson/Yea there's an existing. Kubby/Yea further out out of town. Norton/Cattle underpass converted to a deer underpass. Davidson/There' s an existing drainage culvert that apparently has deer tracks in it so we're going to be looking at that continuing that with the reconstruction project. O'Donnell/Good. Very good. Kubby/That's part of what that's plan to do. Atkins/Yep. Kubby/Thanks Jeff. Lehman/Other comments. Roll call. Motion carries. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #14 Page 32 ITEM NO. 14. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE AIRPORT COMMISSION TO PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION OF A 52' X 230' AIRCRAFT HANGAR BUILDING AT THE IOWA CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. Lehman/The bids are what 5 bids, the low bid was $305,430, the estimate was $415,000. Norton/Move adoption of the resolution. O'Donnell/It's unusual. Champion/Saving money. Champion/Second. Lehman/OK we have motion by Norton and seconded by Connie to accept this. I guess I have a question, how do we pay for it? How do they pay us for it? Atkins/What we do Emie as we've done in the past, we advance the money's and then we agree upon with the airport manager and commission on a repayment schedule. Lehman/And that's all set up. Atkins/That's all set up, if you approve this and award this construction process the finance department the airport will put together the documents and it requires a 20 year pay back. Lehman/Right but my only question is that is set up and there's no problem in doing it? Atkins/Yes, you've had what we believe as a long standing policy if they, they the airport, can demonstrate that they have the financial where with all with rentals to pay for these things that we will finance the airport hangars. Lehman/Very good. Norton/They've got (can't hear). Do we charge them interest? Lehman/Yes. Arkins/Yes we do. Norton/Good. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #14 Page 33 Lehman/You didn't think that was going to fly did you? Norton/Want to be sure. O'Donnell/Nice try. Lehman/Other discussion. Roll call. Motion carries, Kubby voting no. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #15 Page 34 ITEM NO. 15. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION DIRECTING SALE OF $11,350,000 PARKING SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS. Lehman/And I believe we have a low bid from Dain Rauscher Incorporated of 6.0017 percent and the recommendation I'm sure to award the bid to Dain Rauscher. Do we have a motion to that affect? Champion/Consider adoption of the resolution. O'Donnell/Second. Lehman/Moved by Champion, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion. That's a good rate I presume. Atkins/Yes, you asked me last evening, do you want me to take you through a couple minutes worth of, if that's still your pleasure. Norton/Yea. Atkins/As you all are aware this part of our capitol project planning is incumbent on us if we wish to ever accomplish some of these large projects that we have to borrow, borrowing means a bond sale that is we sell a financial instrument that we are obligated to pay principle and interest on over a period of time. With respect to the Iowa Avenue parking garage there are two capitol finance issues that are before you and they are items 15-21. And that's 11.350 tax exempt parking revenue bonds, at 1.650 taxable parking revenue notes. As you know the project has two components, that is it's a parking garage and 20 some thousand commercial space which in gorge your policy we intend to condominimize, that's a word and sell off. Much of what we do with respect to debt management and the sell of debt is directed by federal and state law, Securities Exchange Commission, and the IRS, Code of Iowa. They all determine what the rules are as we anticipate the sale of debt for these capitol projects. The 11.35 million debt is to be secured by parking revenue income for a period of 25 years. Simply put the income to our parking system is being pledged to repay the debt. Not the property tax, it's not the general tax payer, the parking revenue. The 1.650 is also secured by parking revenue as well as the sale of ultimately of the property. That is a short term note for a period of two years. Both of those financial instruments have something in it a called a "call provision", that simply means that during the life of a bond or the note we have the ability to call them in, our financial position were to improve dramatically and we found the ability to go into a market that the interest rate would be substantially lower now you have to pay for that because the prospective purchaser knows that at some time we have the ability to call that bond and in affect pay it off, unlike a mortgage penalty. Our credit is reviewed by This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #15 Page 35 Moody's which is an independent firm that reviews our credit worthiness for perspective bond purchasers and our bonds have been rated, this parking revenue bond is an A bond that is separate from our general obligation AAA rated credit, it's a different issue and they have to set that aside. The notes were investment grade 1 which is the highest ranking we can get for those notes. You've gone through, we had the sale today, we believe the interest rates are good and we recommend you proceed. Champion/OK thank you. Lehman/Other discussion. Kubby/Well I'm going to be voting no on all the bonding and financing for the Iowa Avenue Facility because I'm so vehemently against it and don't want to participate in putting my name on funding it. And I you know, Eastlawn took a long time to tear down, it was a substantial building, and I hope that buildings that are built today that if some future council has a say in them coming down that they take half as long to tear down. And I'm beginning to think that we should have a policy that for every two or three buildings that had commercial activity or people activity and that the city has something to say about tearing them down that we should tear one parking ramp down for every two buildings other buildings we tear down in the future. And we'll have plenty of parking ramps to choose from in the future. Champion/I guess you can do that if you don't want to have a downtown at all. Kubby/I think there's lots of ways that people get downtown and we'll keep them. Norton/Your not suggesting to save Eastlawn though. Kubby/What's that? Norton/Your not suggesting we should have saved Eastlawn? Kubby/It's a mood point, it's gone, it's in the landfill. Norton/OK. Kubby/It's not worth talking about. Lehman/Any other discussion? Yes. Kevin O'Malley/I'd like to make a recommendation to go ahead with this. The interest rate is a very good interest rate based upon GO bonds which are issued a lower This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #15 Page 36 discount, lower interest rate, these bonds are very comparable which they are revenue bonds. I was checking the bond bar today and the interest rate was 5.84% on 20 year bonds and these bonds are 25 year bonds which should be much more higher than the 20 year structure so this net interest rate is very favorable. O'Donnell/Thank you. Lehman/Thank you. Roll call. Motion carries Kubby voting no. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #19 Page 37 ITEM NO. 19. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION DIRECTING SALE OF $1,650,000 TAXABLE PARKING SYSTEM REVENUE NOTES. Lehman/This is the portion of the bond issue that will apply to the commercial property of the building. Can we have a motion? Champion/Move adoption of the resolution. Norton/Second. Lehman/Moved by Champion, seconded by Norton. Discussion. The rate on this one was 6.001, whoops that's not right. Champion/Higher. Arkins/6.8. Lehman/6.8465 and the term was how long? Arkins/Two years. Lehman/Yea two years, much much shorter. Arkins/Now that the increase in rate it is a taxable bond, that's why it is much more expensive. Lehman/Right. Roll call. Motion carries Kubby voting no. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #23 Page 38 ITEM NO. 23. COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. Champion/Can I just make a comment on these? Lehman/You certainly may. Champion/Thank you. I want, we had a lot of applications for some of these positions and I just want to explain why I think at least why I voted the way I did and why the Council did as a whole. The term on the Human Rights Commission for instance, two of those candidates are filling an unexpired term and one person has only been on for one term and I think it's important to have some continuity on these boards and commissions so I supported keeping those three people on the Human Rights Commission. If one of these people would have been on for two years I would have considered a new appointment for somebody else but I think it's important that when people apply for commissions I don't want them to think we don't take their application seriously if we reappoint people who are already on the commission. But that was my reason to do that. Lehman/Connie I think that reflects the entire Council. Champion/Yea I do. Lehman/Thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #24 Page 39 ITEM NO. 24. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION. Norton/Well I'll start and I'll be brief. First of I think it's time that I issue a very public thanks for the work on the railroad crossings. Have you driven across? I mean Capitol and South Clinton are just something. Lehman/Twice a day at least. Norton/Finally after all this. Four years. Atkins/Four years on this. Norton/Four years right but we've still got a few to go but. Atkins/You've been insistent for four years you've been after us. Norton/But even after I'm off the Council I intend to drive around and bring to your attention those that need more work. Champion/Maybe at the end of 20 years I will have all the crosswalks well marked in town. Norton/But it is a blessing, it seems to have been done right and that's great. Atkins/I hope so. Norton/That's the only, I just wanted to add one comment regarding commissions. We have an opening on the Board of Appeals for a building professional. And I just want to emphasize that like all the commissions are extremely important I mean I don't know that people realize that that is where most of us get most of our information. It's reading the minutes from these minutes and hearing their different points of view expressed and issues that are brought up. Absolutely critical and the Board of Appeals is very very important because they deal with appeals from code issues and it's extremely important in this town with all the rental property we have particularly. Lehman/Sure. Mike. O'Donnell/Just one thing here, the SEATS Advisory Committee is, we're going to initiate a rider survey program. It's going to start November 29 and extend through December 13th and I want to encourage everybody to fill this out. We recently appointed Bob Simpson to chair this committee once again Bob's done an outstanding job. But once again fill these surveys and get them back to us This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #24 Page 40 because it's very important on us keeping this committee's informed and keeping the system as good as we can keep it. And I want to give my best wishes to Dean Thornberry. Kubby/Just two things. One I wanted to thank all the city employees who took time out of their non-work time 53 different employees from various departments to help out with the leaf rake day and I think it's a really good program that the city's promoting volunteerism internally and helping out households who need help in the fall with all the yard work so congratulations and thank you to those employees. And secondly I wanted to announce that I am going to discontinue my office hours. So you will not find me on Thursday afternoons anymore at the Senior Center either inside or outside. I need my Thursdays back in December and it has been a really good thing for me because I know that all Council members are accessible. I know that people sometimes are hesitant to interrupt council members during work day. But then they're also sometimes hesitant to interrupt them during off time to interrupt their personal time so then it's like when do you call a Council member so this has provided where people knew at least for me they knew I was there for them. I've done this 11 years and I'm probably going to not know what to do on Thursday afternoon' s with myself but I saw in between 350 and 400 people every year at those office hours. And some of them may have ended up calling me anyway but it was a good time for me to learn from people or people could make suggestions and complain if they wanted to. I had very few rules basically it was no violence, that was my only rule at office hours, people could use my time as they wanted. But I want to thank the Senior Center for allowing me use of that public space for that opportunity so thank you and you'll have to call me at home as you already do. O'Donnell/I think we all should move our offices to Dee Norton' s house. Norton/Yea I bet. Lehman/I've got one thing I mentioned last night but I think the public needs to know. December 7 which is a Tuesday or a Monday I'm pretty sure. Norton/6th a Monday. Lehman/We would like if possible for the Council to indicate to the Library Board our preference of the two options that were selected at the meeting with the Library Board. If the answers to the questions that we have are satisfactory I'd like to ask the Council to at least indicate to the Library Board our preference. If you noticed all the holiday lights downtown again those are courtesy of the folks from the Oakdale security facility. They've been helping downtown for a number of years now I know the public really really appreciates those lights. I think it's nice to know how they got there. And I just have one comment that I have to make This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999. #24 Page 41 tonight. Council has a policy of trying not to argue with the public during public discussion. But I think it's terribly important that the public understand that we do not necessarily agree with what is said at the microphone. Tonight there were a number of statements made about the deer committee and whatever. They were absolutely erroneous but we choose not to argue with the public during those things, but don't by our failure to respond don't believe that we agree with what is being said because if we were to argue or discuss with the public during public discussion our meetings would last you know all night long so that' s (can't hear). Kubby/Well I have to respectfully kind of disagree with that that I really think it's important if a member of the public comes up and says something that is not factually correct that we should, if we want to correct it or bring it up we shouldn't wait until they're gone but we should say it after they're done speaking to make those corrections and that maybe that' s a weakness of how we dealt with it tonight. I chose not to say anything but I think we should say it when the people are here and not wait until later. Lehman/I don't disagree with that except so many of those things have been over and over and over and over and over again it's almost redundant to enter into an argument with those folks. Kubby/It's not arguing. Lehman/Steve. Atkins/Nothing sir. Lehman/Eleanor. Can we have a motion to adjoum? Norton/So moved. Lehman/Moved by Norton. O'Donnell/Second. Lehman/Seconded by O'Donnell. All in favor. Meeting is adjourned 8:25. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council meeting of November 23, 1999.