HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-11-02 TranscriptionNovember 2, 2009 City Council Work Session
Council Present: Bailey, Champion, Correia, Hayek, O'Donnell, Wilburn, Wright
Staff: Helling, Fosse, Bollinger, Dilkes, Karr, Hargadine, Davidson, Yapp,
Bailey, Rackis, Severson, Fortmann, O'Malley, Boothroy
Others Present:
Council Appointments:
Bailey/ Um, let's start with the Human Rights Commission. (several talking)
Champion/ This commission always has a lot of applicants.
Correia/ Well, I like Fernando (mumbled) familiar with his work as a case advocate, uh,
(mumbled)
Bailey/ Okay.
Correia/ And it looks like (mumbled)
Bailey/ Pardon me?
Correia/ Low on males on this (mumbled)
Bailey/ Okay. Do we have four for Fernando?
Wilburn/ Yes.
O'Donnell/ Yes.
Champion/ Yeah.
Bailey/ Okay. Fernando. Let's get two...we have three vacancies; we need two more.
Wright/ (mumbled) couple of the others (mumbled) jumped out at me little bit was Connie
Cuttell.
Bailey/ Is your microphone on? Okay. Connie...
Wright/ Cuttell.
Bailey/ Cuttell. Okay.
Wright/ ...just moved back to town.
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November 2, 2009 City Council Work Session
Hayek/ I can support her (mumbled)
Bailey/ Okay.
Wright/ She looked very...a promising member of the commission.
O'Donnell/ That's fine.
Bailey/ Okay. Do we have another...okay, Connie and Fernando, and then do we have
somebody... third... person.
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Champion/ Well, I thought there were several really...a lot of good candidates. I think Cowen
(several talking) yeah!
Bailey/ Yeah, he's done some interesting work.
Wright/ Also brings some different perspectives.
Champion/ Uh-huh.
Bailey/ Uh-huh. So do we have four for Cowen? (several responding) Okay. All right. Let's,
uh, Parks and Rec.
O'Donnell/ (mumbled) John Westefeld.
Champion/ Oh, of course!
Bailey/ We have two vacancies.
Hayek/ I think he's doing an excellent job.
Bailey/ Pardon me?
Hayek/ I think he's doing an excellent job.
Bailey/ Okay. Do we have...
Wright/ You talking about John?
Champion/ Yes.
Bailey/ We have four for John? (several responding) Okay. And then we need, we have two
vacancies. Someone else?
Wright/L1m, I thought Clay Clausen also having good background.
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Bailey/ Interesting application, yeah, I thought so too. Do we have others who could support
Clay? (several responding) Okay. All right, um, Senior Center Commission.
Champion/ Well, definitely Chuck Felling.
O'Donnell/ Yes!
Hayek/ Yeah.
Bailey/ Okay. Four for Chuck? (several responding) Okay.
Correia/ (mumbled) involved with the Task Force on Aging, um...familiar with her work with
the Livable Community.
Bailey/ I was also going to suggest Jean Martin, who would bring quite a different perspective
(several talking) very active (several talking) so we have...we have Jean, three for Jean...
O'Donnell/ Four.
Bailey/ Four for Jean, okay. All right, Youth Advisory Commission. One person for the at-
large, and I think we have two applicants.
Wilburn/ That's correct. I spoke with, um, both Arianna and Alexandra. I did let them know that
in both of them know in two weeks we will have another at-large position open so that
whichever one would not be appointed, their name would automatically be submitted for
that appointment, and both of them would be interested, should they not be appointed at
this time. Um... some information about each that was not in their application, but I
discovered in speaking with them, and this is in no particular order. Um...let's see,
Arianna, um... is looking to, uh, increase her involvement in community, um, she, um, is
not set on her after-high school, um, activities, but she said it's most likely that she will
still be in the community. Um...she has been, um...active in interacting with, um, Mr.
Harper's group out at City High and was interested in, um, both feedback to the Council,
um, and looking forward to, uh, encouraging the Council to ask, uh, the Commission
what type of issues they would like to have them, uh, solicit feedback from their peers.
Let's see...um...she also, uh, there would be two evenings that she would work, um,
Monday and Wednesday, but just until 5:30 so any evening would be open for her.
Alexandra...uh, Tomarius, um...the meeting times, uh, she has pretty flexible schedule.
Uh, she's been involved with the interact club, uh, they've been doing in the last couple
years they've done stream cleanup in the community. She's done some volunteering at
Ronald McDonald House, um...and has helped out with the Run for the Schools for a
couple years. Um...this is, again, this is information that's not in there. Um...she...in
speaking with some of her peers, she's one who a lot of, uh, her peers do come to for
suggestions, um, advice, opinions, and she too was interested in kind of that feedback
loop between the Council and the Commission, in terms of, um...whether...both had
heard about the forum that the Youth Advisory Commission had held. They thought that
would be interesting. They were also interested in the possibility of just in smaller
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groups, um, meeting at, um...at, uh, the junior and senior high schools to collect similar
information, and that's what I can tell you about both. Both, uh, I think would be,
um...um, active, interested members of the Commission.
Bailey/ Okay, sounds like we have two good candidates. So... suggestions?
Wright/ (mumbled) said Ross about Arianna wanting to make some more connections, get more
involved in the community, I think that's...for somebody who's 17, that's admirable.
Bailey/ Okay, so Arianna too?
Champion/ That's fine, sure.
Bailey/ Okay, all right, Arianna (several talking). Great, thanks for doing that, Ross.
Wilburn/ Okay.
Bailey/ All right.
Wilburn/ And I'll, um, Marian, are you going to contact them, should I contact them?
Karr/ Um, I will be contacting them routinely, certainly if you wanted to follow up in addition,
that'd be...
Wilburn/ I'll follow up in addition. All right.
Bailey/ Okay. All right.
Wilburn/ And it was Arianna, right?
Bailey/ Uh-huh. Let's move on to agenda items. The agenda that we'll be doing in an hour.
So... (laughter)
Agenda Items:
ITEM 9. AMENDING TITLE 12, ENTITLED "FRANCHISES", OF THE CITY
CODE TO ADD A CHAPTER IMPOSING A FRANCHISE FEE ON THE
GROSS REVENUE OF FRANCHISEE MIDAMERICAN ENERGY
COMPANY DERIVED FROM THE DISTRIBUTION AND RETAIL SALE
OF ELECTRICITY AND THE DISTRIBUTION, DELIVERY AND
RETAIL SALE OF NATURAL GAS BY MIDAMERICAN, OR OTHER
NATURAL GAS PROVIDERS UTILIZING THE DISTRIBUTION
SYSTEM OF MIDAMERICAN, TO CUSTOMERS WITHIN THE
CURRENT OR FUTURE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF
IOWA CITY, AND ON A REVENUE PURPOSE STATEMENT
SPECIFYING THE PURPOSE OR PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE
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REVENUE COLLECTED FROM THE FRANCHISE FEE WILL BE
EXPENDED.
Wright/ You hinting at anything?
Bailey/ Well, you know, move quickly and that sort of thing, yes. Anything?
Wright/ Um, just one thing on...Item 9, um, that was the work session with unfortunately
sneezing my head off, and so I wasn't present and I wanted to, uh...
Bailey/ Ah, right.
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Wright/ ...uh...kind of second Karen Kubby's suggestion about that word infrastructure. How
much is that going to hamstring...
Bailey/ How much is that going to limit what we can do with the (both talking)
Wright/ What we can do and what we cannot do.
Bailey/ ... if we use that funding what we can do with it?
Wright/ Yeah.
Bailey/ Or...
Correia/ I think when we were...when we met, when we talked about public infrastructure, we
talked about things like streets, roads, sewers -- that would support (mumbled)
Bailey/ The industrial park.
Correial The industrial park...I think that's what we... spoke about, that we're supportive of that,
wanted it to be very hard (mumbled) that it was going to be linked to increasing the tax
base, essentially, to try and limit the need to impose a franchise fee because we're gaining
more revenue, because of... increasing our capacity to attract industrial or commercial
development.
Bailey/ It seems like it would limit us, or...we wouldn't be able to do some of this downtown
unless it was infrastructure, correct?
Correia/ Yes. And I support that. I support continuing to keep that public infrastructure in the
franchise fee. Others who (mumbled)
Wright/ I think that's a bit too limiting.
Bailey/ But it's what you indicated you supported at the discussion.
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Wright/ I wasn't at the work session.
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Bailey/ I know, but that...when we talked about it, you were initially (mumbled) supportive of it.
Wright/ I was?
Bailey/ Yes, that's what our...
Wright/ That was the Sudafed talking! (laughter)
Bailey/ Oh, okay, fair enough!
Hayek/ I...I would support...of keeping it as is, um...I...first, it's what we previously agreed to
after consideration. Second, there would be a broader public benefit to...to throwing it
into infrastructure, which would be enjoyed by the public, um, and...and lastly, I, you
know, I don't know that we're even going to get to that anyway, I mean, that was the
spillover category, if for a short period of time we had, uh, funding from outside sources
for the public safety positions, um, that's speculative at best, and even if it occurs, it's for
a short period of time. So...
Bailey/ That's where I'm at too, because I think the likelihood...the likelihood of actually getting
down the list, I think, is slim, at best...at best. So, um, and I think we're going to, I mean,
we certainly are hearing enough concerns about this. So I would...I would support
keeping it the same. We did really hash out that language. Okay? Any other agenda
items?
Dilkes/ I just wanted to make one um, note on the franchise fee, um, a couple meetings ago
the...Dale had gotten a communication from MidAm about reducing the estimate, um,
based on their position that there would not be a franchise fee on what we call
"transported gas" just very simply transported gas is gas owned and sold by another
company that moves through MidAmerican's lines and is sold in, um, in Iowa City. Uh,
there's a...there's an argument going on between the League and the, uh, the utilities as to
whether that's covered. Our specific, uh, franchise agreement, uh, specifically covers
transported gas so they have agreed that that would be covered, and so our estimates are
the original estimates that you were given.
Hayek/ Are we able to talk about the franchise...
Bailey/ We can, but we might want to have more...
Hayek/ Would you prefer that we wait till the evening?
Bailey/ It might be beneficial to...
Dilkes/ ...I just...
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Bailey/ Certainly able to, but it might be beneficial to have more of it during the public hearing
and that discussion.
Hayek/ Fine.
Dilkes/ I just wanted to tell you that because I didn't think (mumbled)
ITEM 4. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
f. Correspondence
7. DTA Letter on Panhandling Issues
Bailey/ All right. Any other agenda items? I did have a question about 4.£7, the correspondence
from the DTA, and Dale and I talked about it this afternoon, and Dale, you said that you
had a plan for that?
Helling/ Yeah, we had asked the DTA to, um, provide some specific information, in terms of
what they were looking for. Now that we have it, uh, my intention would be to have a
group of the staff get together and address those issues, and come back to Council then
with some...some observations and recommendations about each one of the things that
they're proposing.
Champion/ So I do think members of the DTA are coming to the, uh, City Council meeting
tonight. It might be good, Regenia, if you just told them what Dale just said.
Bailey/ Okay.
Dilkes/ I...I will tell you from my perspective is that the law in this area is not, I mean, you
know, there's a lot of arguments that can be made, one way or another. I think the last
time we went through this, I kind of did that balancing and brought something to you and
you went with it. This time in terms of how far, what areas of town, I think I'm going to
be looking to the Council to tell me what you're wanting to support, with respect to that,
and...and then I'll tell you whether I think I can defend it.
Hayek/ Would...would that follow the input Dale's talking about giving us?
Dilkes/ Well, I think that's going to be, I mean, we'll meet as a staff and we'll tell you what we
think, but I, from a legal perspective, until you me what you want to do, um...and...and
we'll go from there, as opposed to...to me doing that balancing, cause frankly, um, yes
there is for example some case law out there that would support a completely, um,
solicitation-free zone, um...there's some that wouldn't, um, but...but it's not like I can tell
you, and I think this was the same communication we had with the DTA or that Wendy
did, is that if I could tell you there's...you can't do this and you can do this, I'd tell you,
but that's not the way the law is, so I think what's going to be better is for the Council to
make a policy decision, with input from staff. Uh, because there's a lot of issues here that
are raised in this letter, but with respect to that particular issue...making a particular area
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of town solicitation-free from a legal perspective, I'm going to ask the Council to make
that policy decision, and I'll tell you whether I think I can defend it or not. Probably
could defend it, um...but I don't...I don't want to do...I think...all I'm saying is, I don't
want to do that balancing this time, personally.
Hayek/ Would it be possible for someone in Legal to go through this and...and at least highlight
the things under just obvious no-nos...so that...
Dilkes/ Yes. Oh, absolutely! (several talking)
Hayek/ ...talking about things that could never happen and (both talking)
Dilkes/ Sure, if there are...if there are absolute nos, yes, I'll tell you that, but I'm just giving you
a forewarning that I think, you know, this is going to be...a policy decision for you all.
Bailey/ What's the timeline for that, Dale? So if I'm going to comment to DTA tonight (both
talking)
Helling/ Um, yeah, I would hope that we can convene that group within a week or so, uh, we are
doing budget now and there's (mumbled)
Bailey/ Okay, so...
Helling/ Probably, won't mean that it move as fast as...as it might otherwise.
Bailey/ Do we anticipate that on a work session before the end of the year, or do we anticipate it
on a work session after the...the first of the year? That's my, I guess, my fundamental
(coughing, unable to hear)
Helling/ Because of the limit amounted of time, work session time you have anyway for the
remainder of the year, I...I would guess, and the last one of the year being combined, I
would guess probably after the first of the year.
Bailey/ Okay. Thank you. Any other agenda items?
ITEM 4. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
f. Correspondence
8. Community Gardens
Correia/ I had two, um, one is the correspondence about the, um, community gardens that we
got. Just wondered about that, that there'd been some talk of doing community gardens in
some of the empty lots down in the Parkview Terrace that the City now owns and some
concerns that neighbors have on how that might not necessarily add to neighborhood
beautification.
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Champion/ I can't hear you, Amy!
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Correia/ The concern in the, uh, the woman, that Elizabeth Maher's wondering whether that
might not...might not be beneficial to their neighborhood, essentially. And so that's what
I'm...I think the Parks and Rec Commission started talking about that.
Helling/ They...they have, yeah, and I don't think they've made a decision yet, um...
Correial So, have they done...outreach to the community to get input? I think that'd be
important.
Helling/ At this point, I don't...outreach in terms of...
Correia/ Getting input from...
Helling/ ...uh, they would certainly go to the neighborhood before they would do that, but there
may be some degrees in which that could be done, too. Uh, and maybe a little more
thorough imagination about what that could be, I mean, it's not all, you know, vegetable
gardens. There could be flower gardens and things that...
Correia/ Sure, sure. I don't know...I think the concern that I got from the letter was,
just...maybe more people in the neighborhood, as well as you know sometimes, you
know, in my garden in my backyard I don't always do the best job keeping it...you know,
but that's my yard and so...
Helling/ No, I think...in talking to Mike briefly, I think one of the things that they
would...they're going to approach this very carefully. And they are sensitive to the
feelings in the neighborhood.
Correia/ Okay.
Bailey/ Okay. You said you had a couple?
ITEM 17. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING, AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST AN AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA
CITY AND FOTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT, LLC TO
PROVIDE ENGINEERING CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE
LOWER MUSCATINE ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
Correia/ Yeah, and I just...the, um...item 17 about the reconstruction, um, engineering services
for the Lower Muscatine, I had contact from someone in the neighborhood that has very
mature trees in the yard and so how are we...are we able to do engineering in such a way
that we can save as many mature trees.
Bailey/ I visited with that person (several talking)
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Champion/ I think we all have.
Bailey/ Yeah. Well, I went out and looked at (several talking)
Hayek/ I'm scheduled to go out and look in mid-November.
Bailey/ They're pretty trees. You'll enjoy it.
Hayek/ I know the trees! But (several talking)
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Champion/ I mean, I think...that would be horrible to...destroy those trees for a wide sidewalk
(mumbled) other side without destroying anything, and I...
Bailey/ We're cognizant of that, right, Rick?
Fosse/ Yes we are. We're looking at a variety of things on where to center the road, where to
locate the sidewalks, uh, perhaps undergrounding the electrical, so there are a number of
things that we're checking out.
ITEM 13. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE CODE
SECTION 16-1D-2, ENTITLED "PERMIT REQUIREMENTS" TO
REQUIRE AND ALLOW COUNCIL TO SET BY RESOLUTION AN
EXCAVATION PERMIT FEE SCHEDULE.
Bailey/ Okay. I think that's...(several talking). Okay, any other agenda items? I did have a
question about Item 13, about uh, permit, evacuation permit fees, um, and the right-of-
way, and is that at all linked at all to franchise fees and maintaining the right-of--way?
Dilkes/ The only connection is that, um, state law provides that if we...if we have a franchise fee
we can't charge that excavation permit to, uh, MidAm.
Bailey/ So...we can't charge it to them? Okay. Got it, but we can charge it to Mediacom, for
example.
Dilkes/ We can charge it to, well.....not to Mediacom because we have a franchise with
Mediacom.
Bailey/ Okay, um (both talking)
Dilkes/ ... Qwest (mumbled)
Hayek/ Or to a homeowner who wants to dig a hole? (several talking) On his property?
Fosse/ In the public property.
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Hayek/ Or, yeah, in the right-of--way?
Fosse/ Uh-huh.
Gifts/Naming Policy (Info Packet #2):
Bailey/ Okay. Thanks. All right, any other agenda items? Okay. Let's move onto the gifts and
naming policy, and it's... it's Info Packet item #2.
Helling/ You have a memorandum that outlines, uh, considerations that...that...we suggest you
look at, um...and we also gave you a copy of our own Library Board's policy on, uh,
naming...facilities or parts of facilities, rooms, what have you...um, the...and we didn't
find a lot of written policies out there, um, but we did find one for Des Moines that I
think is...is more comprehensive than anything else we're aware of, and we're not
suggesting that maybe Iowa City's wouldn't have to be as comprehensive, but it does
cover a lot of the bases and so we thought we'd...it would be good to...to start with.
Um...and this really is kind of what ultimately would be part of an overall gift, uh, gift
and gifting policy, uh...that we...started to look at a while back and then...and then other
things came up, and uh, the water for one! And, um, so we want to get back to that, and
this would be part of that, but the reason we're bringing this piece of it to you now is...is
because the, uh, Friends of the Animal Shelter have, um, they're ready to embark on their
fundraiser for, uh, improvements to the...to the Animal Shelter, after it's reconstructed,
uh, and so they're looking to do this type of thing, naming and so forth, and uh, to
perhaps, uh...pose particular opportunities, if you will, for people to...to get something
named after... a part of the Animal Shelter be named after them for a specific amount. So
we wanted to bring this to you now, at least get a Council...feeling of Councils'
consensus on this piece of it so they can move ahead, and that's why it's sort of separated
out this way.
Bailey/ So do you want us to just go through these questions to provide some direction?
Helling/ I think that would be...great.
Bailey/ Okay.
Hayek/ Before we do that, I...I've got some general thoughts that I'd at least like to share with...
Bailey/ Okay.
Hayek/ I've been thinking about this a lot, and... and reviewed the information we were provided
with, and...my personal conclusion is that we...that it would be a better practice to not
name public assets after private individuals. I mean, it's too complex and too political a
process to be fair, uh, and...and realistic. I mean, if you're talking about, um, the
contributions of someone from the private sector, uh, as it relates to a naming issue, then
you pit the wealthy donor against the life-long volunteer, who did not get a dime, but
gave thousands of hours of...of sweat equity toward a particular purpose. If you're
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talking about, um, the services of a...of a City employee, how do you fairly decide that?
Uh...um...I think it's an impossible task to decide, you know, which, uh, employees are
somehow more deserving of...of naming than others, um...and...and within that issue, it
seems to me that certain areas of...the...certain areas of City government, like libraries,
parks, open spaces, um, lend themselves to naming more easily than other areas, like
sewer systems and accounting departments. Um, and...and so I...these are, they're
public assets, um, I...I, you know, I looked at Des Moines' policy, and it's...it's
unbelievable, and then there's this little provision that says we've got all these rules, but if
the Council wants to go in a different direction it can, no problem with that. Um, it's a
slippery slope.
Bailey/ Well, I...I agree with you on a lot of what you're saying about public assets. I'm very
uncomfortable with naming, well...certain buildings, um, the question would be then,
how does that hamper fundraising, because you and I both know, or we all know, um,
that fundraising can...21 st century is sometimes motivated by getting your name on a
room, um, I'm assuming you're talking about rooms within...within buildings, as well.
Hayek/ Yeah. I...I think it's...I think it's, uh, I think it's crass, and...and, uh, you can certainly
fundraise and recognize donations on a plague. Have a donation board. But where
you...where you start to auction off public facilities, whether they are an entire building
or a room within a building, I...I don't think that's good policy.
Champion/ Well, I agree with (several talking) already been done!
Hayek/ I know it has.
Bailey/ But, we're talking about a policy from here forth, and you know, I could almost buy into
this, because I've been very uncomfortable with the concept of naming. I think some of
you know that, and so...you know, recognizing that if Friends of the Animal, um, Shelter
seek donations, of course we would have a donor board just as we do in the Library, just
as any...any, um, any building would, but...I don't know, it's somewhat compelling to me
to have a no-naming policy.
Wright/ No, I agree and I've been thinking along very similar lines as Matt. I think your word
crass pretty well hits it on the head. Um, these are facilities that belong to the entire
community, um, you know, to every resident, and...putting a price tag on'em just doesn't
sit well with me.
Bailey/ Other thoughts? This could save us a lot of time.
Wilburn/ The concern that I have...in excluding, uh, prohibiting a Council from naming...is not
necessarily with the fundraising aspect. It is with , uh, and some cases a historic
acknowledgement of certain events. A body of work by...an employee, a former
employee, um...and I think that that is a tradition and a richness that I would not like to
see disappear. Um...I think that part of the...deliberative process, albeit a political
one...at times, um...allows for and provides for conversations to have, again, about...a
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potential historic and/or body of work which someone may have done, um, we are sitting
in Emma J. Harvat Hall, and while that may not mean something to some the election
and...of, uh, of the first female mayor of a city 10,000 uh or larger was acknowledged in
a French newspaper at the time, and you just don't know the, uh, domino trickle out effect
that that may have, something like that may have, and that's...that's a...that's a rich
tradition that communities, some communities have used, and this one has used, that I
would not like to see vanish.
Wright/ Can we just have a clarification here, uh, we're talking about...
Champion/ Buying a room.
Wright/ ...honorific naming for...in lieu, essentially in exchange of a gift.
Bailey/ We're talking about naming, yeah, honorific.
Wright/ As opposed to (both talking) a true honorific policy, which is, you know, naming this the
Emma Harvat Hall, which (both talking)
Wilburn/ Perhaps I misunderstood Matt, because part of his conversation was about picking out
something that belongs to the public and naming it so maybe you could clarify that for
me.
Bailey/ Were you both honorific as well as philanthropic?
Hayek/ I think you can make a better case for historic figures.
Wright/ Yeah.
Hayek/ Um, but...but when it comes to recognizing somebody who has done something for the
City, uh, whether as an employee or as a volunteer or as a benefactor. That's where you
get into trouble. Um, so, uh, historical figures, uh, and by the way, I don't think it's...I
would not agree that it's a rich tradition. I think naming is a relatively recent
phenomenon. I mean, hospital didn't do it until recent decades, and lots of places haven't
done it until more recently. Um, budgets are tighter. I think it's just become more
acceptable. Um, so...does that...does that clarify it, I mean, I...I would draw a
distinction between truly historic figures, um, and...and the things that...that this policy
really is talking about.
Wilburn/ The only piece that we're...I'm still unclear, you're talking about the contributions of an
employee and perhaps immediately upon one's retirement...it may not be...appear to be
historic at the time, but five years later, ten years later...it may.
Hayek/ And it may and you know, maybe there needs to be a minimum waiting period, you
know, twenty-five years or something like that, I mean...um, I...how...how you decide
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these, and anything other than a highly politicized manner is beyond me, um, as a fairness
issue to it, and now I'm repeating myself.
Champion/ And I...the problem I have with it...is...is somebody gives us $500,000, has $20
million, is that worth more than somebody who gives us $5 who's living on social
security? That's the problem I have with it.
Bailey/ ...hear the widow's might story? Yeah. I...so you are uncomfortable with naming with
philanthropic situations, what about the honorific ones?
Champion/ Oh, I don't have any problems with the honorific ones, but I...I agree with Matt in
the sense that how you decide what's worth more, um...it'd be hard to turn down a
Wellmark animal shelter, but I think I could do it! (laughter) You know what I'm
saying? I think there's (several talking)
Hayek/ ...a Wellmark downtown or a Wellmark city hall...
Bailey/ Wellmark city hall...
Hayek/ You can't draw the line!
Champion/ Yeah, that's what I mean. It just, you can't do it!
O'Donnell/ But you also, you know, we have Scanlon Gymnasium.
Champion/ Thornberry Dog Park.
O'Donnell/ We have many people that got together and bought bricks, and you know, the bricks
are named out in front, and I think that's...that's away of creating community
involvement, um, (mumbled) Thornberry, I can't say the name, Dog Park would have
taken had he not been generous. Um, I...I don't know. I think you can...you can hinder
fundraising, I think you can make it a lot more difficult...very easily by doing what we're
talking about.
Bailey/ But you don't...it's not that you're not recognizing a gift. It's just that you're simply not
naming something after the giver. I mean, it's not...it's not that...that Dean Thornberry
wouldn't have been thanked and recognized. It's just that the dog park wouldn't be
named, um, and probably, you know, might be named the Peninsula dog park. And, but
his name would be on a donor list, and he would get the appropriate thank yous and be
treated, you know, as a donor and recognized in that way. It's not... it's not ignoring the
gratitude. It's simply not having the opportunity for a name, a naming policy...naming
rights.
O'Donnell/ No, I (mumbled)
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Wright/ I think it's easy to come up with some way, whether it's a plague or what have you, to,
um...word just shot right out of my head, but to, uh (laughter) to recognize the...the uh,
generosity of an individual or a corporation, without selling the naming rights of the
entire facility.
Bailey/ Or a room? I mean...
Wright/ Or a room.
Bailey/ ...breaking it down. Okay.
Wright/ And... and I would like to separate out honorific from, as you put it, philanthropic. I
think that's a...a reasonable distinction.
Bailey/ Well, is there general agreement on the not having, um, philanthropic naming policies?
O'Donnell/ I can go either way on that (mumbled)
Bailey/ Amy, I don't think you've...
Correia/ Uh-huh, yes.
Bailey/ Okay. So, shall we focus more on this honorific concept?
Correia/ So, just so...we're not going to have a policy. The policy is that we'll not be naming...
Bailey/ Policy would be that it's not permitted.
Correia/ Right, that's right. Okay.
Bailey/ I mean, that's what we're talking about, the policy for philanthropic is we will
appropriately recognize donors, but no naming opportunities would exist within any
fundraising campaigns for a City structure.
Hayek/ And I would want to know what does philanthropic mean, because again, I think you
have the same problem with...with provision of services or contributions.
Bailey/ When I say it, I'm...I'll be really clear. I'm talking about a financial gift. So we can
parse it down to talk about naming volunteers and, I mean, because that becomes the
honorific, recognized for service rather than recognizing for a donation.
Correia/ The first part that we talked about is the naming for donations.
Bailey/ Right.
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Correia/ And...and I guess, so the question is, the current...the way our relationship with the
Iowa City Public Library is that...pertaining to their...
Champion/ They're independent.
Correia/ ...that's my question.
Bailey/ I don't know how.. .
Hayek/ Public asset?
Bailey/ Right, but they have an independent...
Dilkes/ That's a good question. Um...
Correia/ I mean, cause they have these...
Dilkes/ The Library Board adopted these policies. Council didn't have anything to do with these,
and generally the Library Board is...is in control of that. There is a little glitch there
because the building is owned by the City, so I'd have to give some thought to that.
O'Donnell/ You have the Airport also.
Bailey/ Right. It would be the same...that would be the same sort of deal, whatever thought
came from the Library thinking, probably would be similar.
Champion/ Although I totally support what we're talking about here. I have problems that we
have...we have named facilities that were named because of money. So, uh, I guess we
only have two that were named because of money, right? Thornberry and Scanlon Gym.
Bailey/ Do we have others? That you know of, Dale?
O'Donnell/ I'm sure there's more (mumbled)
Bailey/ There are some...there are some areas in the Library that I think are named.
Champion/ Oh, I'm not talking about the Library.
Bailey/ Okay.
Helling/ As far as facilities...
O'Donnell/ (mumbled) they can do whatever they want.
Helling/ I can't...well, of course, um...Thornberry.
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Champion/ That was not monetary.
Bailey/ Thornberry?
Correia/ ...wasn't monetary?
Champion/ I mean, um...um...I'm thinking of Trueblood. That was not monetary.
Bailey/ Right. That was honorific.
Champion/ I think the only two monetary ones I can think of are Thornberry and Scanlon.
Helling/ Might be right.
Bailey/ So let's talk about the honorific sort of approach. Naming for recognition of, and I'll
include volunteers in this, for this, because I think of honorific as recognition of service,
as well as historic significance. Can we agree upon that, honorific is that definition?
How are we feeling about that? And I'm supportive of Matt's position, actually. I think it
just makes it clearer and easier. I mean, you can do different things to recognize people's
service, proclamations, those sorts of things, but it doesn't turn into a structure that goes
on, you know, forever in public assets. And, it just makes it easier and clearer, and I was
very actively involved in trying to get this building named for Emma Harvat, so...I just
want to go on record about that! (laughter)
Correia/ So what has changed your thinking then?
Bailey/ Well, I think...
Correia/ ...now she's saying she would support not having honorary naming.
Bailey/ I think as I've, I mean, I wasn't on Council then. That was years and years ago and I
wanted the recognition of a historic figure but as I've worked with the concept of public
assets and community, I think I share that they are all ours and even though I was
describing to a little girl yesterday why this was named Emma Harvat Hall, um, I could
have just as effectively described, you know, the first woman mayor and her significance,
um, so...
Wilburn/ I just think...were you done? I just think that that takes away, and I believe, um, well,
my experience is, you know, back in the 70's some honorific names of some facilities, not
in this community but other areas. I think that there's a...there's a, the visibility allows
for an education piece and conversation starters with visitors, with young people, uh,
some ties between older and younger to that...opportunity for more grandiose naming of
something, um, now this was not a public facility, but as a young person in Illinois the
fact that, uh, the building that we all hung out in, Carver Center, um, led the
conversations and education as to, um, you know, the historical significance of George
Washington Carver and his, which if it's in a book it may not happen or if I'm...if I see it
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in a book, but I heard...I see Carver and hey, is that the same as Carver Center. Yes it is.
I think that you take away some, um, opportunities and education and connection
between community. I think that's a larger scale of community building.
Correia/ Well, the thing that I wonder about is, we could sit up here, us seven and decide we
don't think that there should be honorific naming, but in five years or ten years, a group
of people, uh, or the current Council wants to name a building after...to honor somebody,
they'll just do it, and so I, I mean, I don't know, I mean they could. We would have a
policy you could just be considered and so I'm not sure if...
Dilkes/ The difference is, is that if there's a resolution adopting a policy in order to do that, you
have to change the resolution first (both talking)
Correia/ Okay.
Wright/ And I do think, um, Regenia, you spoke of your conversation with the young girl about
why is this Harvat Hall.
Bailey/ Uh-huh.
Wright/Nobody would have asked you why is this called the Council Chambers.
Bailey/ Right.
Wright/I mean, you probably would not have been able to have a conversation about Emma
Harvat at that point.
Bailey/ Right, but...you know, just because I'm aware of the history of, you know, the city, I
could...I could explain that. The thing that maybe is easier in distinction for me is
historic versus...versus service-oriented naming because service-oriented naming can
become, can get lost in the broader sort of scheme of things, and what seemed
appropriate at the moment, you know, 25 years in the life of a city, it's kind... it is lost to
a large degree. I mean, some know the history of some...some of the naming, but that's
probably more easily lost.
Hayek/ I would not have a problem with...with a, with an historic naming, and Emma Harvat is
an example, or George Washington Carver, um, I think the key is, um, you know,
generality or general recognition, and uh, a distance, whether it's time or otherwise
between the person and the deciders. Um; I think it's important to have that cushion,
because I think it greatly helps the...the deliberative process on...on that issue. Um, she
was mayor...
Bailey/ Early 1920's.
Hayek/ Okay. Well, she served with my grandfather actually, I mean, that...uh, I
remember...that's...but that's 80 some years ago, um...can make a much better case for
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that, and...and she is a historic figure. George Washington Carver's a historic figure. I
can support that.
Wright/ We don't have any shortage of...of people who have made terrific contributions to the
life of this city, uh, or to the life of the world. James Van Allen.
Bailey/ Right.
Wright/ Uh, but I think an honorific naming for historic persons I think is something I could very
easily go along with.
Bailey/ And let us...so what makes, what creates the distance and what would define the
historic...
O'Donnell/ Yeah, define historic.
Bailey/ Is it generally agreed upon contribution, I mean...
O'Donnell/ You know, you can do so many things. You can honorific naming, just sitting here,
Ernie Lehman was Mayor for four terms. You could have Lehman's Lobby. That's been
there forever. Doug's Doorway, um...Helen's Hallway, I mean, you can do whatever you
want. But, you know, honorific naming is, you know I still say if you take...if you take
the money out of the equation, you, uh, you certainly can make your task much more
difficult.
Champion/ Well, if somebody would donate...let's say $50,000 to the Animal Shelter, they could
put up a plague that would say, um, this room, I don't know. You could put the
plague...I don't know how you would say it so it wasn't...you wouldn't name the room,
but you'd say this room is made possible by a gift of...
O'Donnell/ From (both talking)
Hayek/ The key is don't...don't make it possessory.
Bailey/ Right. Well, and you're going to have your different gift categories. You're going to
have, you know, name 'em the bronze or the diamond or whatever it is and you'll have
those...you know, recognition...recognized on the donor wall or whatever, but I mean,
and I think that there's general agreement about the philanthropic. It's the honorific,
historic that we haven't reached conclusion. (several talking)
Wilburn/ I would hate to see, uh, in terms of Amy's comment about future Councils. I would
hate to see us spend the time struggling to come up with a definitive answer, because you
just don't know what at some point is...people are going to consider significant, historic,
um, certain contributions, um, would not be...go ahead.
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Bailey/ Right. We make a lot of decisions that we don't know at the time what will change
though. I mean, that's our job is to make decisions with the best information that we have
at the time, I mean, what Des Moines did to get some distance is they have a time...a
time gap, and it's a couple of years. I mean, that could be something that would...would
say...
Wilburn/ Time is a criteria that I'm not going to struggle with.
Bailey/ Okay.
Wilburn/ Uh, too much. Defining what is significant or defining what impact is, I would not like
to see us spend the time doing that.
Bailey/ Well, let's do a time gap then, I mean, would that accomplish, I mean, then...then you do
have some measure of historic perspective. I mean, theirs is a, um...
Wright/ A five year...
Bailey/ Until at least two years following...this is about somebody who's employed by the city,
but at least two years following their... so we could say, you know, at least ten years
following their contribution to the City or five years or something like that.
Hayek/ I wouldn't tie it to contribution to the City. I would say, uh, to individuals of...of historic
significance, leave it open-ended, because there's going to be discretion at some point,
you know, uh, at least ten years after that person's passing or something like that, I mean,
you know, so you've got a time...you've got a gap of time and then, and you limit it to
historical significance and then you let future Councils decide.
Bailey/ I think that's (both talking)
Hayek/ Mindful that they can always reverse the...
Bailey/ I think that's pretty clean.
Wright/ Ten years posthumous, honorific.
Wilburn/ And I...I would...I was going to say five. I would live with ten if you take the
posthumous. I...having to wait for someone to die to...I have a problem with that.
Bailey/ But there are so many other ways to honor somebody. Besides naming a (several
talking)
Wright/ Yeah, I have the secret fantasy about renaming Highway 6 the Van Allen Belt
(laughter). But I can wait a few more years! (laughter)
Bailey/ The secret's out!
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O'Donnell/ You know, about five years ago on this Council we had a City employee who had
been working for like 32 years, and...I'm echoing...this is bothering me. That...his wife
called me and would have felt a lot better if we could have had such and such day, one
day, and I got so much static over that, and I thought it was a great idea. Served his
community for 32 years, and I don't care what department it is, um...and just wanted a
day to make somebody feel better, and I...we didn't do it. I mean...I was voted down
with that.
Bailey/ So, there seems to be general direction about some level... some wording with
historical...what did you say, Matt? Historic significance.
Hayek/ Someone of...
Bailey/ Historic significance.
Hayek/ Someone of historic...historic significance.
Wright/ And just leaving historic open because there are so many ways (both talking)
Bailey/ Well, significance and historic, and then some time period. And we were coming up
with ten or five. Preferences?
O'Donnell/ Well, I really agree with that. Let's just do it!
Bailey/ Five?
Champion/ Ten!
Bailey/ Ten?
O'Donnell/ Ten's good!
Bailey/ Okay. And then, um...
Karr/ From passing, death? Not from service? Passing?
Bailey/ Well, yeah, cause service (several talking)
Karr/Passing, death.
Bailey/ Death.
Champion/ Are we going to get copies of death certificates from everybody in town? (laughter)
Bailey/ I'm sure that those are available. Um, so does that give you enough...
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Helling/ Yeah, I think you're talking about a...a...
Bailey/ A no-naming naming policy.
Helling/ ...kinda guidelines...but...but aclearer policy at the same time, it's clear what you can
and can't do. So we'll try to pull something together. It won't be anything like Des
Moines, obviously, um (several talking) and...and get back to you and you can take a
look at it and...and see what, see if it reflects what you intended it to.
Crime Related Issues Update/Davenport Program Report (info packet #3):
Bailey/ Okay. I'm trying to be aware of the time. Um...our next item up is crime related issues
updated from the Davenport program report. We have this in our Info Packet -thank
you, Amy, but I also am aware that we'll have another memo for our next work session?
O'Donnell/ On the 16th...
Helling/ Yes, for the...for your work session on the 16th.
Bailey/ Do we want to just hang on to this discussion and have both memos available at that time
and just put this item back on the 16th work session? Would that be acceptable to...and
we appreciate you all being here...
O'Donnell/ I think that makes perfect sense.
Helling/ Time-wise, whatever...whatever you want to do (mumbled)
Bailey/ What would work?
Wright/ I'm fine with putting it up on the 16th (several responding)
Information Packet Discussion (10/22 & 10/29):
Bailey/ Are you, I mean, you...yeah, and you did a good job of hitting your deadline, but...okay,
so we'll move that to the 16th. All right, do we have any Information Packet discussion
items? There was one thing in...thank you! We appreciate it. You're very familiar now
with our naming policy, however. (laughter)
O'Donnell/ Sam's Stairway!
Bailey/ Information packet discussion...there was a comment that Marian had regarding
legislative priorities. Did you want to...just...
Karr/ It occurred to me as...I was doing the minutes and listening again to your comments, that if
you were concerned about on your legislative priorities listing some alcohol issues, such
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as, um, the cover charge and um, alcohol specials, I was also wondering if you'd like to
consider the possibility of having...taking a look at increasing fees. There hasn't been an
increase, cigarette license fees for instance, uh, for one year license is $100. That hasn't
changed in decades. And with the health concerns and some other recent legislation
regarding it, may be the time. We keep...the cities keep 100% of those fees. Um, also
would be, uh, going off the same thing, would be taking a look at alcohol fees, licensing.
Those fees over the years really haven't increased. What the State has done is allowed
different, more and more varied choices of licensing, but the actual fees themselves...and
I was just wondering if you would be interested in adding those to your priorities.
Wright/ I'd be fine with certainly looking at (both talking)
Bailey/ I'd be fine with adding it. I'm skeptical that the...that the legislature will raise any kind
of fees this year, but I'd be fine having that discussion with our legislators.
Wilburn/ (mumbled)
Hayek/ Are you drawing a distinction between adding it to our list and discussing it with them?
Bailey/ No, I would add it to our list.
Karr/ Only reason I brought it up is because you have it on your list for cover charges and
alcohol specials.
Bailey/ Soto also add that, consider an increase in cigarette license fees and liquor licenses
fees...license fees.
Champion/ Well, sure, why not.
Bailey/ Matt, you're...
Hayek/ I guess. I...I'd prefer to have us talk about it a little more in depth as a Council before
we add it. I mean, I see the wisdom behind it. Feel a little reluctant on the fly to add
something.
Bailey/ We'll talk about it again on the 16th. We'll have a resolution on the 16th, but it's
certainly...if you're uncomfortable with it after that discussion, we can strike it from the
resolution.
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ I can do a little memo on just the little...on the history, if that's what you want.
Hayek/ (mumbled)
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Bailey/ All right, and then I also asked Dale to talk to the City Assessor to get us some data
about the condo issue, the number...item #2, I noticed there was an article in the Gazette
yesterday about that in Linn County, and he's going to talk to Denny about getting the
data from Iowa City, so we can present that when we talk to our legislators.
O'Donnell/ Good.
Bailey/ Any other Info Packet discussion items?
Helling/ Um, back to the, uh...just for one moment to the last item. Um...I also indicated in the
memo, um, about road use tax.
Bailey/ Oh, right.
Helling/ Whether or not you wanted to be more specific about that, and... it's kinda up to you.
Again, it's...it's a year when I don't anticipate you're going to see increases in gasoline
taxes or anything like that. It's just whether you want to keep it on your list of priorities,
uh...you have for a number of years. It's been...
Bailey/ Because it's been a League priority. We've dovetailed. Did we have it on it last year?
Hayekl Is the point to change the taxes so we're not losing net dollars with decline in gasoline
consumption?
Helling/ Right, because the gas tax is based on...on a per gallon, rather than the price. I...in past
years it's been included in the League's Time-21 initiative. That's...there are a number of
things there relating to transportation. And again, I just threw it out there because...if
there's something that popped up (mumbled) you'd looked at in the past.
Bailey/ Well, my concern is we're getting a long list.
Helling/ No, I understand.
Bailey/ And...is it on the League's list? This year? I can't imagine it wouldn't be.
Karr/ Um, you have got...Ross, in your packet, you've got the, there's a brochure of the League's
list. Just came today. It's in a separate white envelope. (several talking) And I believe
there might be...I don't know if it's on there, but it'd give you the list.
Wilburn/ Uh, Time-21...economic development...state historic tax...CAT, RECAT, TIF...
Bailey/ But Time-21's on there.
Wilburn/ Yeah, Time-21.
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Bailey/ So...so do we add it to ours or just underscore the League's, that's my question. I'm
comfortable not adding it.
Wilburn/ I think that's fine. (several responding)
Bailey/ Okay.
Helling/ As...as a part of your...
Wilburn/ We're supporting it through the (several talking) Metro Coalition with the, uh...
Bailey/ Pardon me?
Helling/ You want to put anything in your policy about supporting the League's position on
issues, or do you want to do that separate, but I think you've done it separately in the past.
Bailey/ I think we should just do it separately.
Helling/ Yeah, okay.
Bailey/ And we're supporting it through the Metro Coalition.
Wilburn/ That's correct.
Bailey/ Okay. Um, anything else with the Info Packets? Council time, shall we just have that
later? Budget priorities? Pending discussion items? Did anybody have any...that was in
the Info Packet, number 4. Dale, I think you have...
Schedule of Pending Discussion Items:
Helling/ Yeah, I had... one, well, a couple of questions. First of all, we're getting toward the end
of the year. I'm just wondering if there's anything on here that you specifically want to
try to get at before the end of the year. It may or may not be possible, or any other items
that aren't on here that...that should be. Uh, and then to sort of dovetail with that,
particularly, looking at inclusionary zoning and scattered site housing, uh, that's
something that would, if you wanted to...to, um...make a decision on that and move
ahead, it's almost....well, it is probably too late now because of the fact that it has to go to
Planning and Zoning and then come back to Council, and you will have, uh, with the
election you'll have at least two new Council Members...uh, coming up after the first of
the year, um... so the question would... and then I think JCCOG is looking at that too, and
they're...they're, from what I've read recently, they're not talking about looking at
inclusionary zoning until spring time. And then coming back with recommendations to
all the member cities. So, um, if there's a desire to get at this before the first of the year,
you could have a discussion, but understand clearly that nothing could come back to you
for any action prior to that. If...if that's the case we'll just...we'll just knock it back to
after the first of the year.
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Wright/ I think that's reasonable (several responding)
Bailey/ Okay.
Hayek/ Are you looking for other items to knock back? On the schedule?
Helling/ No, some of these are...there's a trigger and it may or may not happen, historic
preservation for instance.
Hayek/ That's, yeah.
Helling/ The guidelines, I don't think they're going to be finished this year, so...
Bailey/ Anything else on pending?
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Champion/ I thought we were going to talk about though concentrations of low-income housing.
We talked about the inclusionary zone and scattered site housing.
Bailey/ Sure. But I mean...
Correia/ After the first of the year.
Bailey/ It's going to be after the first of the year. Because nothing...no changes would happen, I
mean, it would straddle Councils...because any changes in zoning would have to be
(several talking)
Wilburn/ Well, the other issue tied to JCCOG is we always bounce back and forth with that
(mumbled) Council's on the threshold of...making some decision and then it's...what are
the other entities in the County going to say, and so if they're not ready I would suggest
that...we can...inevitably aCouncil Member talks about other jurisdictions and what
they can or cannot do or should or should not be doing with (mumbled) or County to do.
And so if they're not...ready we can stare at each other and talk about it, if the end result
is we're going to wait anyway then (mumbled)
Upcoming Community Events/Council Invitations:
Bailey/ Okay. Um, upcoming community events, Council invitations. The only thing that I
would ask, I guess, under this one is, tonight there was a Historic Preservation event.
When we do City events that are sponsored by one of our departments, it would be
helpful if that was coordinated...Ityould have a preference if it would coordinate a little
bit with our regular Council meeting schedule so we could attend, um, if we're interested.
Are others, were others, cause I was disappointed to miss that. Is that possible, Dale? Or
is this a concern to other people (several responding) Connie?
Correia/ That's happened a couple other times (mumbled)
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Bailey/ Yeah, so...
Helling/ To the extent that our departments or whatever, commissions, whatever scheduling
those, we...I think (several talking)
Wright/ ...by Friends of Historic Preservation.
Champion/ Oh, right.
Wright/ Working with the Historic Preservation Commission.
Bailey/ Working with, right, but I think it should be pointed out, and if they want to go ahead,
that's one thing, but I mean... if... if our departments are involved, it kind of looks like the
right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.
Helling/ Yeah, I...I...
Champion/ They don't want us to know!
Bailey/ Maybe they didn't want us there. We can also look at it that way.
Helling/ Actually, we'll put something, a memo or something in writing so that everybody will
get it and get the same thing.
Bailey/ Yeah, I think that would be helpful. Thank you. Anything we need to discuss with
meeting schedules? Okay. Um, you can take a full five minutes.
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