HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-01-18 Transcription#2 Page 1
ITEM NO. 2 OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARDS.
Lehman: Due on the agenda is the Outstanding Student Citizenship Awards from
Hoover Elementary. If you young people would come forward please.
Karr: You can come right up the steps right here.
Lehman: This is something we do throughout most of the school year and it is
probably one of the most fun things that Council does, recognizing some
really fine young folks. So, if you would like to introduce yourself and
then read your thing, then we will get on with this.
David Covington: I think a good citizen would help the community locally,
nationally, and internationally. Some examples would be having a clothes
drive for Nicaraguans and a bake sale for Hurricane Floyd victims. I think
a good citizen would respect others, be responsible and treat others with
kindness and caring and do their duty. I would like to thank my parents
for raising me, Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. (can't hear) and my other teachers
for helping me to learn, and my brother and my sister.
Emily Hindman: I think being a good citizen is respecting others, doing extra work
and helping peers. Good citizens should try to help the community around
them, turn in schoolwork on time and try to do their best. To be a good
citizen you don't have to be good at everything. What counts is that you
try to do your best and be happy with yourself, whatever you do. I would
like to thank my principal for giving me the opportunity to receive this
award, my teacher, friends, my grandma and my parents for giving me a
wonderful home and raising me with love.
Signe Mueller: A good citizen is a responsible person who respects others and
helps others. A good citizen helps her friends and peers when it is needed.
A good citizen always gets her homework in on time, completes
assignments, and does extra work. A good citizen helps the community
and tries to do her best. I think a good citizen doesn't have to be good at
everything. She should just try and help. A good citizen volunteers when
she can help. I would like to thank my school, Hoover Elementary, and
my principal Mrs. (can't hear) for having a nice and safe school to come
to, my teachers for setting good examples for me, and my family for
telling me what is good to do and what is not.
Mackenzie Pierce: Good citizens are considerate of others and are willing to give their
time and skills to the community. For example, I know people who
volunteer at the Crisis Center, who work to save Hickory Hill park, and
who volunteer at Iowa City Schools. My goal is to become a better
citizen. When I am older, maybe I could work to save parks, help with
community design and volunteer at the food bank. For now, to make my
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school a better place, I try to be responsible and help out when possible. I
like living in Iowa City and I hope I can make it even better.
Lehman: It is kind of too bad we all don't say things like that, isn't it? Each of you
will receive one of these which says (Lehman reads award) Citizenship
Award. For outstanding qualities of leadership within Hoover Elementary, as well as the
community, and a sense of responsibility and helpfulness to others, we
recognize (the name of the student) as an outstanding student citizen.
Your community is proud of you. Presented by the Iowa City City
Council, January 2000. I have even put these in the fight order.
Congratulations, young folks.
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ITEM NO. 3. COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AWARD
Lehman: I am not sure about this Madan, but is this the first one of these that we
have done since I have been on the Council?
Karr: Community Contribution?
Lehman: Yeah.
Karr: Yes, it is.
Lehman: Item 3 is a Community Contribution Award and this one gives me
especially great pleasure. We have a young gentleman in this community
named John Cumming. John recently celebrated his 9th birthday, and if
you folks noticed the front page article in the Press Citizen along with a
picture, he had his birthday party at the Iowa City Animal Shelter rather
than requesting gifts from- his guests purchasing gifts- he requested that
they bring donations to the animal shelter. For this reason, the Iowa City
council would like to present this award to John for his community
contribution. So, John, if you would come up here please. Do you like
dogs?
John Cumming: Yes.
Lehman: You would love my dog Peaches. I got her down at the pound just 3
months ago. This is a Community Contribution Award for his unselfish
deed of great sharing and thoughtfulness toward the Iowa City/Coralville
Animal Shelter, we recognize John Cumming. Your community is better
because of you. Presented by the Iowa City City Council.
John Cumming: Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
O'Donnell: What a nice kid.
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ITEM NO. 4. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
Champion: Move adoption.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Move by Champion, second by O'Donnell. Discussion? Roll Call.
Dilkes: Was there a discussion earlier at the work session about taking one of
these items off and discussing it separately? No?
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ITEM NO 5. PUBLIC DISCUSSION (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA). [UNTIL
8 PM].
Lehman: Item 5 is Public Discussion. This is a time reserved in the meeting when
the public may address council on items that do not otherwise appear on
the agenda. If you wish to address the council, sign in, give your name,
and limit your comments to 5 minutes or less.
Jay Honohan: Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, I am Jay Honohan, 2305
Friendship Street, Iowa City, IA. I am here representing the Senior Center
Commission this evening. I also- a commission and a lapse of good
judgement elected me the chair for the year 2000. So, you folks are going
to suffer through me a lot more this year. In fact, I see that I will see you
on the 25th, I guess, because that- the budget is scheduled for our group. I
have a few things I would like to report. The first, and I think most
significant in connection with our campaign for the skywalk. We have
now raised over $47,800 and we started that drive on December 21. We
are quite pleased with our progress so far and we are continuing to work
for that, spearheaded by Joanne Hora and Terri Miller, the past chair who
has agreed to be on our strategic planning committee. With a deadline of
12 noon we managed to get the CDBG community development block
grant application in at 11:20 this morning. And, it has been quite a session
for us and I frankly learned an awful lot about the Senior Center that I
didn't know, even though I have been there for approximately- well, I
have been there a year. And, at our meeting today we discussed the 28E
agreement. One of my goals for this year will be to revive the 28E
agreement committee in one form or another. But, we discussed it today
and decided that you are doing the budget, the county is doing the budget,
you are spending more time than you probably would like to, so we are
going to defer our request out of consideration for you folks until later on.
We will probably bring it up again in April and we will have some ideas
as to what we would like or what we would propose for that. We are quite
concerned that in the 28E meetings there seem to be- one side is the
county and one side is the city. And, we sort of feel that we are all in the
county and particularly as it concerns the Senior Center Commission we
would like to get rid of that kind of thinking and work together to get a
new agreement. We welcomed our new members today. We had quite a
volatile meeting. I offered my resignation but they refused to accept it
after the meeting. And, we expect a lively year. We encourage input from
the Council. We welcome you and the public at any one of our meetings.
We meet on the third Tuesday of every month. And we would certainly
appreciate input and consideration from anyone. If there is any questions.
Oh, I forgot one thing. You have a letter from Terri Miller in your packet
on the consent calendar regarding our concern that the appointment of
Carol Thompson to the commission represents a conflict of interest. Carol
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was at the meeting today. I expressed the concern and indicated to Carol
that it had nothing to do with her integrity, nothing to do with her abilities.
We just feel it is difficult for a Board of Supervisor to be on the
commission when we could be requesting things, money, other things and
she would be in a conflicting position. Carol has agreed that I will be
present at a, I hope in the very near future, meeting with the Board of
Supervisors to discuss this and to express the concerns which are
unanimous on the commission except, of course, for Carol. And, if the
Council would ever like to discuss that with me or other members of the
commission I would be glad to do that. And I thank you very much for
your time.
Lehman: Thank you Jay.
Jim Spratt: Happy New Year folks.
Lehman: Happy New Year.
Spratt: Jim Spratt from here in Iowa City. And, I came down- I didn't come
down, excuse me- two meetings ago I had hoped to visit with you but then
it wasn't clear that you were meeting. I later found out that you had. And
then at your last meeting time, which I presumed was your meeting time, I
came down here- got down here about 7:15 and there was a gentleman at
the, your north door outside smoking a cigarette. I asked him if there was
a meeting and he said no there wasn't. But I came around the front
anyway and I met with the member of the Iowa City constabulary,
bumped into, out there and was told no, there wasn't a meeting. And you
obviously were meeting which I found out the next day. Therefore,
consequently I had two requests instead of one. The first one is that you
purchase a brief continuing ad in the local newspapers to let us know
when you are meeting. I am old enough to remember a time when not all
of the local journalistic effort was based on various editorial swats at you
folks and others in the community, but they actually did have a listing on a
regular basis, on a continuing basis, of civic meeting of major
consequence, i.e. City Council, Johnson County Supervisors, the Planning
and Zoning Commission, things of this nature. Now, I may have missed
something, but I didn't notice it for these last three meetings and therefore
I would ask you if unlike the airwaves where there is a certain civic duty
implied and they must provide civic service- if you have to buy an ad
comparable to the page to "what is going on at the university?" kind of
thing that we see in the local (can't hear) publication every day and not
just the days you are meeting, but every day. But at least the day of and
the day preceding or something of that nature. It would be nice to know
that you are meeting so that we can visit with you and not to harass you
but to occasionally add our two cents. The second request was the only
request I had as of three week ago. And that is that you consider revisiting
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your decision, not all of you, but the decision of the last Council to put in
the proposed angle parking on Clinton Street. I don't believe you have
spent any money on it yet and I think it is worth a second look for various
reasons. And I am sorry to be so late in telling you so. But I don't watch
you on a daily basis and you slipped that one through and then now by the
time that I finally get to talk to you it is old business- it is old hat. It is the
only remaining two-way thorough fare in and through downtown. That is
it. There isn't any other one. And, it will add to both the vehicular and
the pedestrian hazards. That is number one reason. In my opinion, there
is no question. It is potentially a hazard to us now, if we get a few inches
of snow, if it ever happens again with our warming, but it can be
extremely hazardous. There has got to be- there is a lot of trucks that park
in the middle and on the side and there are people crossing heavily
through out that and, again, it is the only way you can get through town or
if you want to get into town quick that usually is the way to do it. And
there is another one- it will eliminate the quick stop shopping. I don't
know your shopping habits, but they are yours, but there are various
different shopping habits. But I know, many times, I will have
prearranged by phone and I can pop in and pop out and pick up a hundred-
dollar purchase as I did the week before Christmas, quite often smaller
purchases, by quickly pulling into one of those little spots. The turnover
there can be extremely rapid and I think that you have enough of the
parking spaces for those that are the professional shoppers that want to
spend an afternoon, that kind of thing. And, I think what you are going to
do is you are going to eliminate the quickie shopper who is the best
margin you can find, by the way. Somebody comes in, buys and gets the
hell out of there, very quickly tums over your inventory and those of you
in business downtown can appreciate what I am saying vs. those lurking
around and even more so taking a lot of personnel time. And I think you
won't add to the persistent shopper or the professional shopper but you
will eliminate the quick stop shopper. And I think you therefore will
drive more shopping away from downtown rather than bring it to
downtown. And, I am at a loss to think that the new manager or that
owner of the mall wouldn't have that in mind and appreciate that. There is
a number of floors of shopping spots for the afternoon shopper, if you
will. There is really nothing for the quick stop kind of shopping. And, in
this regard, you know, if we are- gee, are we just doing the same old stufF?.
And I haven't heard any bright thoughts of, you know, setting up a bunch
of interact kiosks in that mall down there where you could shop on line for
everything that is out there in Coralville. You wouldn't even have to go
get it, you could just pop in and pick it up in the mall downtown. And
those stores that are represented both out there and here, they ought to give
that a thought as well as some of our specialty shops here in town. And I
won't name names, be they represented on Council or otherwise, but there
is a lot of things that could be done in that fashion which is what we are all
going to be doing more of in due time. But, I think what you are trying to
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do with the angle parking- I just don't see the positive to it. I see a
number of negatives, the biggest one of which is the safety factor. And I
thank you for your time.
Lehman: Thank you.
Bob Elliott: My name is Bob Elliott. I live at 1108 Dover. There have been a number
of things said recently in the paper and otherwise regarding the library
system and in that respect a couple of us met with representatives of the
library board recently. And I wanted to take just a couple of minutes to
kind of inform you what we discussed with those representatives of the
board. Not the full board, excuse me, just representatives of the board.
Pointed out about three things- we are very much in favor of continuing
and even increasing what we already have as an exceptional library in
Iowa City. We definitely want that happening. We have a great library.
It can be even better. We do not like what we understand to be the present
plan of the library, which is an extensive or massive amount of funds for
extensive expansion and remodeling of the library downtown only. We
would like to see, would like to work with the library board and help them
develop and promote a compromise which would have perhaps fewer
funds for a may more modest expansion of the downtown library and
some amount of funds for a branch library- at least one. The one last point
that we made to them- it was our understanding that the library board, and
perhaps the Council, was thinking of having a bond election as a special
election. We think that would be most unfair to the number of people in
Iowa City who are interested in something other than the present plan. We
think that any election to determine the future of the library here should be
at a special election which would have a much larger traditional turnout
and therefore would provide a much better idea as to the thoughts and
feelings of the people in Iowa City. So, if you would- if you are thinking
of a bond issue, I think that it is very, very important that it be at a general
election when you would have the largest possible turnout. One last point,
I was very impressed, again, with Mark Martin who met with us
understanding that we had concerns, as a matter of fact, complaints about
the current plan. Mark is one who treats those kinds of situations with
respect and something productive coming out of it. So, we feel very good
about Mark Martin leading the library board though we disagree with a
number of things that they have been wanting to put forward. We will
continue to work with them and hope that we come up with a compromise
that will be for the benefit of the largest number of Iowa City people.
Thank you very much for your time.
Champion: Bob, can I ask you a question?
Elliott: Sure.
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Champion: You keep referring to 'we". Who are 'we'?
Elliott: There is just a couple of us. Bob Roelf and myself.
Champion: Okay.
Elliott: Since that time we have contacted a number of other people who have like
interests. As you know, in Iowa City you can find anybody to agree with
almost anything.
Champion: Thank you.
Elliott: Thank you.
O'Donnell: I would like to hear more of your ideas sometime Bob.
Elliott: I would be happy to meet with- Mark has invited us to meet with the
library board and we would be happy to meet with the board and with the
Council. What we want to do is assure that we continue to have an
outstanding library in Iowa City.
O'Donnell: Exactly.
Elliott: Thanks.
Spratt: May I just... ?
Lehman: Go ahead.
Spratt: A brief comment. I am not the other gentleman that the speaker referred
to, by the way. But, I would encourage you, as well as the library board
and anybody else, to please keep in mind that the downtown central
library is the heart and soul of this community, in my view. And the talk
about other library locations has branch libraries etc., I think it warrants
very careful looking into as terms of what the function of those things
could be. And I think you know what I am trying to say. You may not
have a full library but it would be handy to have places where you could
pick things up, drop them off, that kind of thing. And again, the library
intemet site is wonderful. You know, the telephones can do wonders and
for those that can't get downtown or they don't have transportation that
kind of thing- not just to drop off a book at the Hy-Vee but to be able to
pick up something. This could be something that could be done, but you
wouldn't have to have the entire (can't hear) of the full library facility
there with all of what that implies.
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Lehman: Thank you.
Bill Boos: I am Bill Boos. I would like to read into the record an (can't hear) piece
that Florence Boos and I put into the Iowa City Gazette. The Iowa
City/Cedar Rapids Gazette about the sharp shooting of deer. In the first
ten days of this month White Buffalo Sharpshooters led by Anthony
Nicola shot dead 360 white tailed deer in the meadows, forests and ravines
of northern Iowa City. Grave questions may be raised about the nature of
execution, geographical range, and political history of these activities.
Consider first Nicola's modes of operation and his demand for changes in
existing laws. His (can't hear) the meticulous care and quasi-surgical
nature of the organization's preparations to shoot single bullets and safe
trajectories from raised stands and trees. A quotation in a praiseful
newspaper article acknowledged in passing, however after the fact, that his
group's most productive methods" in Iowa City, it actually involved
firing from pickup trucks". In the after math of his shooting activities, De
Nicola has also called for suspension of Iowa City laws that ban private
use of silencers and shooting within 200 yards of private residences. Four
apparent sites for possible shooting were in fact located in the Peninsula in
trees somewhat less than 200 yards from the nearby trailer court. The
acknowledged geographical range that I referred to above of White
Buffalo's activities was also very wide- at least four square miles, I think
perhaps a bit more. DeNicola clearly sought to carry through his plans as
quickly as possible and he seems to have obtained, among other things, a
very substantial extension of the field of operations outlined in Iowa City
Council meetings last year when the Mayor firmly asserted that shooting
would take place only in the Peninsula, a remark that the Council
administrative assistant later told us supplied to public land only. In any
event, Anthony DeNicola and his co-workers obtained permission from
land owners to shoot extensively on private land and ranged far beyond
the Peninsula into the privately owned fields, pastures, and ravines where
much of the most rapid and productive shooting seems to have taken
place. He seems also to have enjoyed intermittent but useful support from
unidentified trucks and possibly, according to some observations reported
to us, air support as well. These observations point to a very different
mode of operation from the one White Buffalo presented to the public
before the event. Indeed, a safari-like scenario in which animals in fields
may have been spotted, herded, and driven toward hunters in vehicles who
then shot them in relatively large numbers. White Buffalo claimed to have
killed 50 deer in one night. A brief drive around DeNicola's area of
operations also suggested a number of ways in which developmental
pressures may have motivated the former Iowa City Council to under
write its controversial and disproportionately expensive sharp shooting
program. Far more than problems with hosta plants, fender benders,
insurance premiums, and concems for undersized deer, unused but newly
constructed roads meander east from ACT and the Press Citizen building
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toward the proposed extension of Scott Boulevard, now a dirt road. And
construction is indeed fully under way in the Peninsula, the largest
remaining undeveloped area near downtown Iowa City. Deer had
migrated to these areas from once rural habitats in Coral Ridge, North
Liberty, and their removal would presumably help clear the way for more
malls, condominia, suburban houses, and white collar office parks as
would (can't hear) of Hickory Hill park. Suppose this view of the forces
behind the City Council's decisions is essentially correct, suppose we are
bulldozing the original habitat of Iowa City' s deer, is it humane then to
kill them quickly citing small size, for example, as evidence that they are
starving? Putting animals out of their "misery" is indeed a measure loving
humans may take with their pets. But the deer of this area are not pets.
They have, it is true, adopted to us to a rather impressive degree as their
ancestors adapted to other predators for thousands of generations. In
periods of stress they give birth to fewer young and their stature almost
certainly diminishes. Our own ancestors were on average six inches
shorter and 40 to 50 pounds lighter than we are. With such departures a
rhetorical question from ideal size and weight have justified a fictional
(can't hear) life management commissions decision to put them out of
their misery. Other people have found other ways. Several towns in
suburban and ex-urban settings, Hudson, Ohio, Hollard Park, Illinois,
Boulder, Colorado, in some ways a larger version of Iowa City, decided to
live with their deer and their deer decided to live with them. The
authorities in Hudson, for example, have planted foliage deer tend to
avoid, studied accident patterns, posted signs, reflectors, and warning
lights, enforce speed limits more strictly in deer crossing areas. Another
effective method, ironically, has been suggested by Anthony DeNicola
himself in his doctoral thesis, Purdue 1996. He praised there, the efficacy
of "a new bio bullet delivery system to deliver contraceptive agents", and
concluded that "reproductive inhibitors show promise for use as a deer
management option in small isolated environments". It is (can't hear), the
scholar, we should heed, not DeNicola the not-for-profit sharp shooter.
We call on the city to participate actively in government contraception
studies, this is a possibility, deploy non-lethal methods in future years and
kill no more, if possible, of these gentle and harmless animals. In slightly
different terms, I would ask the City Council to declare victory over 360
herbivores and retire the field. That is basically all I wanted to say.
Lehman: Thank you.
Lori Van Allen: My name is Lori Van Allen. Iowa City, you have called out the
big guns and with considerable force and man power have brought down
360 deer, half of the reported number living in city limits. The will of
those who push for a radical strike against the deer have had their way, but
there are more of us than you would like to think who strongly oppose
lethal deer control methods. Now is the time to give a long hiatus to
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excessive violence. In its wake, let's exercise our environmental
awareness and our gratefulness for having the wildlife that we do. As a
popular song remonishes: you don't always know what you have until it is
gone. Our natural resources should be for all of us to enjoy and preserve.
Private interests should not have a fight to decide arbitrarily to eliminate
parks and wildlife for their own and for city coffer enrichment. Instead of
continuing as rapid expansion in a decisive mode we need to begin
incorporating the preservation of wildlife and forest into the laws
governing development. We need to conscientiously set aside wildlife
habits and protect them from the threat of exploitation. We need to
incorporate sensitivity to the patterns ofwildlife in our plans to cut
through forests, such as lower speed limits, reflectors, fences, etc. have
proven effective in deterring deer. In former days, cow passes were
included in road construction and allowed animals to safely pass under the
road. A disarming simple way of containing deer away from populated
areas would be simply to feed them. To put down corn in the interior of
their habitat in the winter months we would have many fewer deer
roaming for food and farmers would have an additional market for com.
The question we as citizens need to ask is this: will we soon be telling our
children and grandchildren, sadly Iowa City was once rich with deer and
woods but we weren't knowledgeable about conserving back then? The
day is soon upon us when we must decide or lose having the choice
forever. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Kanner: Ernie, are there plans to reconvene the deer management committee next
year?
Lehman: Yes.
Kanner: And are there... ?
Lehman: In fact this year, probably within a couple of months I would guess.
Kanner: Are there opportunities for the public to be part of that committee, to be
appointed to it?
Lehman: Always have been. In fact, that is how the committee was set up in the
first place. They are all people appointed from the public.
Kanner: And who should they see then if they want to be considered for that
appointment.
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Lehman: Well, they can see any council person, or they could call Lisa Mollenhauer
who is the chair of that committee. Anybody is welcome to serve on that
committee. Go ahead.
Leslie Hall: Hi, my name is Leslie Hall and I live in Iowa City and I am here to talk
about the sharp shooting as well. I am here to urge Iowa City not to renew
an expensive barbaric and dangerous deer slaughter contract with Anthony
DeNicola's White Buffalo sharp shooting team. Clearly there are more
economical, humane and safe ways to regulate deer overpopulation. One
option I hope the Council will consider is the utilization of contraceptive
methods mentioned before such as the bio bullets touted by Anthony ####
in his doctoral dissertation. Additional less expensive and more humane
options that I urge the council to consider are public education, the
installation of deer reflectors and signs, and close monitoring of vehicle
speed limits in deer paths. Finally, I think it is imperative that Iowa City
put limits on the construction of new buildings and roadways. The deer
population as well as the remaining undeveloped natural areas in Iowa
City need to be recognized and preserved as the assets they are. Thank
you.
Holly Berkowitz: Hello. How are you?
Lehman: Good.
Berkowitz: Good. Holly Berkowitz, I just came, flew in, from Tel Aviv. And, Tel
Aviv is a city of about several million people, but we didn't have to have a
car four months. Can you believe that? And, I really dread having to
come back and having to drive everywhere. Could somebody help me out
please?
O'Donnell: Take the bus.
Berkowitz: What?
O'Donnell: Take the bus.
Berkowitz: Well, you see-
O'Donnell: Just kidding.
Berkowitz: Well, I am serious. I am serious that all we had to do was walk 2 blocks
and we could catch a bus within five minutes to anywhere we wanted to
go in Israel. Okay, but, the point is that we can plan our communities so
that we are not forced to drive everywhere. Do you see what I am saying?
If we have a vision, if we know that we don't want to drive, have to drive
everywhere, 10 miles to get a loaf of bread, then we will build our cities so
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that we don't have to do that. If we enjoy walking to the store, through the
gardens and...
Lehman: Holly, you need to speak into the microphone.
Berkowitz: ...to the store. If we enjoy walking to school, if we enjoy walking here
and there, if we enjoy car pooling with neighbors or taking the bus, in a
pleasant place, then we will plan our places to be pleasant instead of hell.
Okay? Okay. Urban sprawl is a big problem. Let's stop it. Okay? Let's
count more than cash so that we can (can't hear) stop it. If we count only
cash we will value only the things that cash can buy and thus we will get
only the things that cash can buy. And what is that? Congestion on the
traffic- on the roads- sitting for hours, driving, commuting in an
environment that we don't want to be in. I don't think that anybody wants
to do that. Do you? Okay. (can't hear). Second point is I love Iowa City.
I love the feeling that Iowa City gives to me, the spirit of community, the
historical gem that it is. Let's tum this death, this dying city, into a really
vigorous Eden, paradise. Let's plant some gardens and make Eden out of
it. Okay? How about this: old town Iowa City. Have a trolley riding
around the downtown area with dinging bells on it. And have a children' s
village down on the mall where kids could come and play and it is like a
children's museum- have a science museum in every shop downtown.
Have a botanical garden in the Old Capitol Mall. Have a place where we
can have a computer center to figure out which wastes people regularly
put in the trash- businesses, residential- and get that on the computer and
the supplies and the categories, and then the potential for using that and
link the two into a market maker system? Let's make the Englert into a
talent show center that attracts people from all over the country. Let' s see.
Let's challenge the negative forces that are dictating to us that we have to
think about certain things to be a valuable person. That we have to drive a
car to be a valuable person. That we have to fit into little boxes to be a
person of worth. Wrong. That is very wrong. If we want to feel whole
we need to be able to produce the flows that we need to satisfy the cells in
our body. We have to think beyond our simple cells and we need to look
beyond our simple private short-term immediate self. We need to look out
into community- call it Communist if you want- it is not. If you want to
live by labels don't put a label on me because I am too complex for that.
Reach beyond the labels. Reach out to the feeling of being whole, and you
can only do that by completing cycles that you need to survive- the flows
and the cycles that you need to live a full life. Thank you. Think whole.
Lehman: Thank you Holly. Any other public discussion? Excuse me.
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ITEM NO 7. PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON THE ADOPTION OF THE 1999
NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE.
Lehman: We discussed this earlier today with folks from Housing Inspection
Service. Apparently does not represent any radical surprises from the
community and certainly has the approval of our inspection staff and from
the information they gave us, from the electrical contractors that they have
cornacted here in Iowa City along with- what commission is it?- board of
appeals. So it- and this puts us- this is a national standard that we will be
adopting. Is there any comment? (Changed tapes)
Vanderhoef: ...electrical people that spent many hours going over this and doing the
work and advising on this, we really appreciate their help.
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1TEM NO 8. THE CITY'S INTENT TO CONTINUE WITH A PUBLIC
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY RIGHTS
FOR THE SOUTH SYCAMORE REGIONAL STORMWATER AND
GREENSPACE PROJECT.
a. Public hearing
Lehman: This is a public hearing, hearing is open.
Berkowitz: Why don't I take advantage of this? I was encouraged that- Holly
Berkowitz again- I was encouraged that having come back with a real
feeling of wholeness, I was wondering why that is and I think it is a
feeling of diversity and perhaps...
Lehman: Holly, are you speaking to this- on this public hearing to the storm water
management item?
Berkowitz: Yes.
Lehman: Okay, go ahead.
Berkowitz: Yes, I am also speaking to waste innovation where we use everything we
have got. We innovate enough to come up with greenspace using the
storm water. Do you see what I am saying?
Lehman: Uh-huh.
Berkowitz: Funnel it into a park for a wet land. Make a garden- gardens out of it. I
will let you run with that.
Lehman: Thank you. Other public comment? Public hearing is closed. Do you
have a resolution?
b. Consider a resolution declaring
Vanderhoef: So moved.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Wilbum: Yes, I was wondering, I didn't have a chance to check with Chuck, I am
remembering back when I was on Parks and Rec.- is this the project where
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looking at some other alternatives related to storm water management,
different types of planting to try and get some of the water to infiltrate,
stay in the area and could you comment a little bit just on some of the
features so that... ?
Schmadeke: Alri ght, it is both the quantity and the quality issue and with a regionalized
basin where we can eliminate these small storm water storage facilities
and then utilize that property for, in this case, wet land development. And
also, on the quality issue, to have different plant life along the channel and
to enhance water quality.
Wilbum: It is my assumption that by doing this type of project it will help us stay- it
will help us in the future be in compliance with federal guidelines related
to monitoring the quality which is something that hasn't been done or
required in the past?
Schmadeke: That is correct.
Wilbum: Okay.
Vanderhoef: This is another one of those projects too that we had lots of public, private
cooperation in designing this with the developers and making a good
public project out of it.
Schmadeke: That is correct.
Lehman: Other discussion? Roll call. I am sorry.
Berkowitz: Um- something you might pick up on is also make greenhouses out of the
storm water drainage. Green is a- vegetation is a great water treatment
mechanism. And if you add a surface- a greenhouse environment to that
you can make it into a tropical area. With some of the heat waste that you
have in the area.
Wilburn: Are you talking about other alternatives?
Berkowitz: Oh, yeah. I mean, the potentials are fabulous. Just think of all of the
really- this part of town als0 really needs- wants ingpiration. Yeah?
Wilburn: Okay.
Berkowitz: You might add a couple of hills, you know, bring in some- make some
mountains out of chips and make some waterfalls too. But-
Wilbum: Thanks for coming.
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Lehman: Thank you. Roll call. Motion cardes.
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ITEM NO 9. PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND
ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
IOWA CITY LANDFILL RECYCLING CENTER PROJECT,
PHASE 2, 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 public heating and it's open. Estimated construction cost is
$542,000.
Berkowitz: I was just- I just mentioned something about the waste innovation network
system to the visitors and information convention center. What is it? It is
a computerized center to log- to inventory the wastes, the regular wastes,
that businesses and residences have on a regular basis and throw away-
that if someone else took it and used some imagination and used some
thought and care, enough to see a use for it beyond their own house or
building, that it could become a resource for profit instead of liability for
loss. And so, what I am proposing to use is maybe use Sycamore Mall or
the Old Capital Mall as a center, a computer center for a depository of
information first on the inventory of waste that people have on a regular
basis. And, I want a WINS center started and a committee or whatever to
look into this, please, and to help find funding for it to pick up all of the
junk that we are throwing away everyday in our trash can. If you took
toilet paper rolls, the number of toilet paper rolls that each household
threw away each day, and from the United States, think what a mountain
that would be. You know, that is the kind of potential we are talking
about. And that is only toilet paper rolls. And put all of this on potential
supplies and then link it with artists, engineers, repair persons, any kind of
creativity- children in the schools, junior achievement- and find out what
kind of potentials these things have that we are throwing away that could
make us richer. We are throwing away billions of dollars in our trash
everyday. Thank you.
Lehman: Public hearing is closed. Do we have a resolution?
b. Consider a Resolution approving
Champion: Move adoption to resolution.
Pfab: Second.
Lehman: Champion, seconded by Pfab. Discussion?
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Kanner: I think Holly, what you are saying there is a lot of truth to that and there is
a lot more that we can do. I think this project is a good project. I will be
voting for it. We were also told before in our work session that there is a
problem with flow of- having enough flow to maintain our income and I
think that is at odds with trying to reduce the flow in there and we have to
find a way that we can reconcile those two things and I think that will be
our job in the coming year. One of our major jobs as a council is to try to
reconcile how we can reduce the amount of garbage that is going into our
land fill and also maintain adequate revenue to keep our recycling
programs going and other good programs that are connected with it.
Berkowitz: Okay, if you are going to- one of the first responses to the questions about
recycling is: it is too difficult, it is too expensive, and there is no market
for it. First of all, it is too difficult. Life is difficult. Life is not easy,
cheap or quick- life is complex, changing and challenging. It is
expensive- in the short term, maybe- for the initial investment, but what
business investment is not at the beginning? You need to make that initial
investment to get any long-term return. And if you are talking about
immediate you are talking about today, a year from now, ten years from
now or seventy years from now, you have to map that out. Map that out:
private, short-term obvious, or public long term difficult to understand, or
life web, infinite and- infinite and impossible to understand in human
terms. Okay? And so, you have to find- you have to have the will and
ability to find the links. You can't just sit there and say "we don't see a
flow from this box to this box, so there is none". Or course there is not- if
you don't see any there will never be one. If you want the flow that you
need to stay alive you are going to have to activate it. That is what life is
all about. That is what chemistry is all about- called activation energy.
That is what investment capital is about. And capital in more than cash.
Okay. Capital in creativity. Creativity- where do we get our creativity?
From looking beyond ourselves. From looking at the way other people
and other cultures do things. I am inspired, you can tell. But, let' s not just
stop short and take the easy, cheap, and quick first. Okay? We need to
challenge ourselves. Remember you have to challenge yourselves to
accomplish anything.
Lehman: Thank you Holly.
O'Donnell: I want to respond to Steve. In JCCOG I am on the solid waste
management committee and we are in the process of appointing the solid
waste management commission to help us with really hard problems like
cardboard, for example. I mean, there is cardboard that can be recycled.
There is much of it that is going into our dumpsite. So steps are being
taken and when we get the commission appointed I look for it to be very
effective. We are doing some things.
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Lehman: Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM NO 10. PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORMS OF CONTRACT, AND
ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
IOWA CITY LANDFILL GAS COLLECTIONS SYSTEM
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 public heating, the heating is open. The estimated construction
cost of this gas collection system is 1.5 million dollars. Public heating is
closed.
b. Consider resolution approving
Vanderhoef: Move adoption of the resolution.
Wilbum: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by Wilbum. Discussion? By the way, this is the sort of thing
that we don't do because we want to. This is something that is required. I
am sure they don't- overall it is good for the environment and needs to be
done but it is a requirement that we have in the operation of the land fill.
So, this is not a discretionary spending of money, but one that we really
have to do.
Vanderhoef: This is also a phase two of this entire project and this is funded by landfill
revenues, not general ftmd kind of revenues. And yes, it is expensive and
we must do it.
Kanner: My understanding is that if we collect enough of this gas, of these gases,
that eventually we will be able to use some of it perhaps for heating
purposes. Is that true Mike?
Lehman: It depends on how successful- the concentration of the gases determine
whether we can use it. Down at the present, where the city bus barn is, we
are putting in a gas collection system there. But the concentration of gas
apparently there is not enough that we can use it for anything. So it is a
matter of just burning it off. I have no idea how much this is going to
produce. I am sure that if it produces enough volume we certainly would
use it.
Atkins: When we do the project that will be, you know, we will look at those
options and traditionally what happens is that land fills are often in remote
locations and you may be able to capture it but you can normally only use
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it on-site. It is getting it from the landfill to somewhere else to put it to
productive use but I can assure you that is certainly an option that will be,
and certainly should be, explored.
Lehman: Roll call. Motion carries.
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1TEM NO 11. CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF LOT 1, BLOCK 3,
RUNDELL ADDITION, CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 2,995
SQUARE FEET LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF GRANT
STREET AND COURT STREET, TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS
WILLIAM G. FLANAGAN AND ELIZABETH ROSE.
Lehman: This is a public heating. The heating is open. There has been an appraisal
made on this property and there has been a range of values given. The
amount of money that has been offered the city for this property is $525,
which I think that is down to about 17 cents a foot, if I am not mistaken.
Vanderhoef: I have some reservations on moving forward with this resolution at this
point. I have a feeling that I would like to have some more information
about the use of this property. It seems to be a larger piece of property
than what we traditionally have been vacating and selling. The price that
is being offered seems to be a bit low. I would like a little more
investigation on this. I recognize that the value of this collective property
would allow building a garage perhaps on it which would increase the
value of the entire property considerably more. We have been looking at
some figures- our legal staff offered some other insights on how we came
to prices for vacated land and I think I would like to revisit this perhaps in
a setting at a work meeting and then bring it back.
O'Donnell: It says clearly here though that this in intended for use- there is going to be
the construction of a driveway on the property.
Vanderhoef: And it would be large enough- the combined property then would be large
enough for construction-
Flanagan: Excuse me.
Lehman: ...still have to come in for a permit. That doesn't make any difference.
Flanagan: I am Bill Flanagan so if you have any questions you might direct them to
me. If not, if you are- if you have decided that you are just going to revisit
this then fine. But if you did have any questions that I could answer I
would be happy to try and answer them. You understand how we arrived
at this estimate? It was based on research that was done by licensed
appraisers based on other properties that the city had sold in recent years.
So, that is how we came up with this figure. It seemed like a fairly air-
tight method of determination of value to me.
O'Donnell: I agree.
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Pfab: Is there a copy of an appraisal that was done?
Flanagan: There is a copy of an appraisal that was distributed with the letter.
Lehman: You have it in the packet.
Pfab: I missed that.
Kanner: We have a copy.
Lehman: It is in our packet.
Kanner: It is like-
Lehman: 30 pages.
Kanner: It is a copy.
Lehman: Yeah.
Kanner: I had a question, not necessarily regarding this property but in comparison
to another property that we dealt with just previously at 1033 where they
paid about $2.72 a square foot versus 17 cents per square foot. For all
these types of cases of conveyance, do we ask for the property owner or
the potential property owner to submit something to us? What was the
process for 1033, owner, for sub- for getting a price for that?
Dilkes: This one is a little bit different than a lot are because most of them are
right of way. And, we have to go through the vacation process which goes
through planning and zoning and then comes to you and then we go
through the disposition process. This one is not right of way so there is no
vacation that is required. So, in this situation, yes, it was suggested that an
offer be made by the property owner.
Kanner: Was 1033 a right of way? 1033 E Washington?
Dilkes: I think so, yes.
Lehman: And there is no easements on this property either is there?
Dilkes: Not that I am aware of, no.
Flanagan: There is just the requirement set back on both sides on Grant Street and on
Court Street.
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Kanner: I guess I don't quite understand then what the difference is between the
two properties- they were both next to other properties-
Dilkes: Right of way is property that has been dedicated to public use. The
streets, the sidewalks, etc. Before we can dispose of that type of property
we have to vacate it, meaning we have to rid the property of the public
use. And so there are two phases to the process. And all I am saying is
that when you have those two steps it- you have a lot more discussion at
the staff level about the property.
Kanner: What was the right of way though for 10337 I thought it was covered
grass land between two yards that had no public use?
Dilkes: There is a lot of- that a lot of times why public right of way is being
vacated. It is because it is no longer used by the public. We cannot vacate
right of way that is still being used for access, for example, by the public.
So, yes, a lot of times when we vacate right of way it is because it is no
longer needed for public access etc.
Kanner: But you are saying that at some time it did have a public access
component to it?
Dilkes: Yes.
Kanner: And this property never had-
Dilkes: No, it is a lot. It is a separate lot. A platted lot.
O'Donnell: From everything I have read on this I don't have any problem with this at
all. Your intention is to build a driveway?
Flanagan: That is correct.
O'Donnell: If, indeed, he does want to come and put up a garage at some point in time
you have to get a building permit- I don't see the problem here.
Champion: I don't have any problem with it.
O'Donnell: And it is a piece of ground that there is no other use to us for. I mean, it
seems if you can make a property owner's existence somewhat easier I
don't have a problem with it.
Lehman: No, but I think that Dee's point is that if you have a 3000 square foot piece
of property that you attach it- basically it becomes attached to another
piece of property that is 3000 or 3500 square foot, now you end up with a
6000 square foot lot. Is the increase in value of that 6000 square foot lot-
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is $525 a reasonable amount of money to pay for the increased value of
that lot? This is the procedure that we have gone through and the
appraiser gave the value and this is mid-range of what he asked for. Now,
we are trustees, I guess if you will, of the city's money. I mean, if this is a
fair transaction and we feel comfortable with it then we should move
forward with it. (two talking) Yeah, but if we feel that for some particular
reason this may not be adequate we could continue the public hearing and
discuss it again later. That is Cotmcil's call.
Dilkes: I think one of the things that was pointed out in the memo that we did to
you- or that Sara did to you- is that, let me back up for a minute. There is
usually not an appraised value. I mean, appraisals can really vary. So,
yes, there has been an appraisal and I commend the property owner for
that and that got the process started, but that is not, you know, that is not
the beginning and end of the discussion. What really brought, I think, sort
of smacked us in the face about it is, that you have another resolution of
intent convey and setting of a public hearing on your agenda at number 21
where the amount being offered and the amount that will be paid for that is
the assessed value of the neighboring lot. So, that is why we just brought
the issue to your attention and suggested that you think about it.
Champion: That we think about the process?
Dilkes: That you think about what you think is a fair mar- what you think is a fair
price for this. And essentially all it is is you just need to think like you
would as if it was your own property. What is a fair price for this
property. What are you willing to sell it for?
Vanderhoef: Am I right that the assessed value for the land where the, Mr. Flanagan's
property presently sits, is somewhere in the neighborhood of $4.00 a
square foot?
Flanagan: That is correct.
Vanderhoef: And the adjacent property assessed value for the land is like for $3.00 a
square foot?
Dilkes: I think that is correct, yes.
Vanderhoef: And this obviously is almost doubling the size of your property so it has
more (can't hear) space on it. So, I am thinking that perhaps someplace
between the $3.00 and $4.00 a square foot may be something that I would
like to talk about.
Flannagan: Well, I understand that and it appears to me that the City Council is going
to reconsider this and so I urge you to do that. Just keep in mind that the-
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what I would ask you to keep in mind, respectfully- that the offering price
that I am making is based on the appraisal of a licensed appraiser. It is
based- as you point out, there is a range of values that potentially are
attached to this property from a low value to a high value. I chose the
middle value as a starting point operating still in what I believe is good
faith. The other property owners that you are talking about used a
different formula, from my reading of the abstracts, for establishing their
property and that is up to them but I think that using an appraiser, I mean,
when I went to the city and I said "well, how do I figure out what to offer
you" they said "well, if you want a sure fire method, then get an appraiser
to look at it". Because, who can argue with that7 So, that is what we are
doing. But, I just point out to you that the method that I used, or was used
by the appraiser that I hired for $225, to establish the market value of this
property- now, market value is based on a number of things and one is
demand. There is no demand for this property outside of my wish to
attach it to my property. I am the- my property is the only adjacent,
privately owned, adjacent property to this land. So, that would affect, you
know as you are saying, that would affect market value. Basically, what I
would like to do is I would like to establish as you would, whatever the
fair market value- what you feel and what I feel is the fair market value
and just proceed with this. Thank you.
Lehman: What is the pleasure of Council? Personally I am not interested in us
going out and getting an appraiser and spending a lot of money appraising
it.
Wilbum: Given that he has already done that I am okay with it.
Champion: I am okay with it too.
O'Donnell: I am perfectly comfortable with it. It is- he has paid for an appraiser
already.
Champion: If we are going to do it by a different method it should have been done
before he went to the bother to do that. That is my feeling about it. That
if we are going to sell land to people then we need to have some more
definitive process in place then "go out and get an appraiser and make us
an offer".
Dilkes: Let me point out though that the appraisal is based largely on sales of city
property. You all can decide, to a large extent, what you think city
property should be sold for. Another problem with the appraisal is that-
and I am just giving you information here- is that I can't tell from the
appraisal when the date- what the dates of the sales were. And I know a
lot of those were prior to-
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Champion: 19307
Vanderhoef: I don't remember anyone that wasn't-
Dilkes: I mean, I am just telling you we have another one on the agenda where we
are talking about assessed value so maybe we do need to have some
discussion about this and decide, you know, what you think about it.
Lehman: It might be appropriate to defer this to February 1 and have at least looked
at these things. I don't know that we are going to change a single thing
but at least the Council might be more comfortable with the decision.
O'Donnell: We have done that but we have asked Mr. Flanagan to get an appraisal and
approach us with a price and it has been done. We have been offered mid
range which is, I think, perfectly satisfactory. I am ready to-
Lehman: You are satisfied with the price. I don't sense that the rest of the Council
is totally satisfied.
Kanner: I would like to defer. I just still feel uncomfortable with the disparity in
ranges that we are getting here from different properties and we need to
get a better handle on that.
Lehman: And this may very well be right. But, you will feel more comfortable if
we have an opportunity to look a little closer. How many- do we have a
motion to defer?
Pfab: I would make that motion.
Vanderhoef: I will second that.
Lehman: Moved by Irvin Pfab, seconded by Dee Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Karr: Excuse me, we are still at the public heating. Would you like a motion to
continue the public hearing first?
Lehman: Do we- we are deferring the public- continue the public heating. That was
the motion.
Karr: Ah, okay. Sorry. Got it.
Lehman: Wasn't it Irvin? Yes, that was the motion.
Karr: And who seconded that?
Lehman: And Dee Vanderhoef seconded that. That is what she heard too.
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Karr: Okay, sorry.
Lehman: Discussion? All in favor?
Pfab, Wilbum, Kanner, Vanderhoef: Aye.
Lehman: Opposed?
Champion: No.
Lehman: All in favor raise your hand please. Opposed? The motion carries 5-2.
Champion and O'Donnell voting in the negative. We are going to take 5
minutes folks, before we come back with number 12.
Lehman: That was just a warning shot over the bough. Let's get started.
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ITEM NO 12. CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE A TENTATIVE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND THE
POLICE LABOR RELATIONS ORGANIZATION OF IOWA CITY.
Champion: So moved.
Lehman: Moved by Champion.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? This is a three-year contract. This
has been negotiated and accepted by the police union. It was negotiated, I
believe, by Mr. Helling and city staff and provides for 3 '/4 % increase in
wages for each of the next three years.
Kanner: I wanted to note that I will be abstaining from this. I feel that even though
I have faith in staffs negotiating and the city's negotiating that I needed
more time to look over this agreement and we only received this today and
I would like to have a little more time to look it over. I would ask if we
could defer it if the Council would go along with that- I have a feeling that
they don't want to defer. But, if we do take a vote I will be abstaining.
Lehman: Okay. Other discussion? Steve, I think that in the future if the Council
wishes to become a party to the negotiations it is probably incumbent that
we start that process before the negotiations start because I think this is the
culmination of negotiations that are probably authorized by Council. With
staff having the sanction of the Council to proceed with negotiations and
reaching a- and if we did not agree with the contract obviously we could
say no. If this is a contract that apparently has received the blessing of our
negotiators and the union so I personally would prefer that we move
forward. Other discussion?
Pfab: I believe it is a great thing to have behind us and I would recommend that
we move it- approve it.
Lehman: Roll Call.
Karr: It is a motion.
Lehman: It is a motion. All in favor?
All (excluding Kanner): Aye.
Lehman: Opposed? Extension?
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Kanner: Aye.
Lehman: Motion carries. 6 votes in favor, Steven Kanner abstaining.
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ITEM NO 13. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 14, CHAPTER
3, ENTITLED "CITY UTILITIES" OF THE CITY CODE OF IOWA
CITY, IOWA, BY ADOPTING A NEW SECTION 14-3B-5
ENTITLED "PROJECT SPECIFIC TAP-ON FEE FOR THE
NORTHWEST SANITARY SEWER PROJECT, PHASE II." (FIRST
CONSIDERATION).
Champion: Move adoption of the ordinance.
Vanderhoef:
Lehman: Move by Champion, seconded by Vanderhoef. First consideration. Is
there a discussion?
Champion: I would just like a little explanation what this all means.
Dilkes: Essentially what this- what the next four ordinances do for different
projects- for different sanitary sewer projects- we- they are the procedure
by which we recover the cost of those projects from properties to which
we have extended service.
Champion: Okay. But these are just isolated incidences? Is this done all of the time?
Dilkes: Well, we don't- we do them once we know what the exact costs are.
Champion: Okay. I just didn't quite...
Dilkes: So, like one of these, for instance, is fairly old but we need to know what
the exact costs are before we put the ordinance in place.
Champion: Okay.
Lehman: Further discussion? Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM NO 17. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 8, ENTITLED
"POLICE REGULATIONS", CHAPTER 5, ENTITLED
"MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES", OF THE CITY CODE TO ADD A
NEW SECTION PROHIBITING THE USE OF VEHICLES FOR
LODGING ON PUBLIC STREETS, RIGHTS-OF-WAY, PARKING LOTS,
OR OTHER PUBLIC PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY.
(SECOND CONSIDERATION).
Vanderhoef: Move second consideration.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Wilburn: I have a- go ahead. No, go ahead.
Crissy Canganelli: My name is Crissy Canganelli and I am the executive director of
the Emergency Housing Project. I stand before you tonight not only a
spokesperson for the homeless shelter but as a citizen of this community
for 17 years, a parent, and an advocate. I understand that the passage of
this ordinance required that the nature of the problem be established, the
magnitude of the problem be identified, and that the issue of harm be
specified. First of all, I would like to indicate that at no point in time
during the course of the fact binding process or dialog did anyone
approach the shelter or staff. Over the years many of you have been
through the shelter- Councilpersons, State Legislatures, city staff,
community leaders, neighbors, concerned citizens. Many are familiar with
the long standing base line counseling services that we provide, our
policies and the general condition of the shelter. We are Johnson
County's only general use homeless shelter providing emergency shelter
to men, women and children under one roof 365 nights of the year. We
have a broad service area, as the closest alternate shelter sites are located
in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Davenport, Dubuque and Ottumwa. We
have been serving the homeless of this community for 19- since 1983.
Founded and located at our current site, I might add, by the members of
this community through a joint effort between the consultation of religious
communities and the City of Iowa City. EHP can provide shelter to 29
men, women and children nightly. We run at capacity very nearly every
night of the year. In 1999 we offered- we had 10,183 nights of shelter
which is an average of 28 persons served per night. Running at capacity
for us means that mattresses go down on the floor and it is difficult to
speak of dignity under such conditions. Our records indicate that EHP
denied shelter to approximately 250 individuals in 1998 because of lack of
space and well over 350 in 1999. With families constituting a significant
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and ever growing portion of that number. Every time our staff are faced
with the agonizing burden of declining shelter to someone it compromises
our mission. At no point in the discussion was it ever proposed that one
possible solution and proactive resolution could be to provide more shelter
space. What we have is by no stretch of the imagination adequate. The
current facility is single men, women and families, with children sharing
the same floor. It has 29 individuals using 3 bathrooms. Couldn't one
possible solution be not the criminalization of the victim but the simple
provision of an acceptable facility? Upon review of the written transcripts
from the preceding discussions, I would like to offer the following.
Councilwoman Champion, with reference to the concern regarding the
provision for sanitary facilities for those habitating in their vehicle, I find
this well founded. As such, I am sure that you will agree with some
consideration be given to this community in general with reference to the
provision of said sanitary facilities, to be used by the hoards of students
passing through my neighborhood and the public rights-of-ways, finding
themselves incapable of controlling even the most simple of bodily
functions. Regarding your comment on December 7, of last year
suggesting that the proposed ordinance would be problematic for the
University and other medical facilities, if alternative sites to the shelter
were not provided. Quite frankly, they haven't had a problem with this
before. The shelter has been relied upon chronically for patients to be
released to and for students who find themselves in dire straits. I have my
own problems regarding the premature release of medical patients to the
shelter. It is irresponsible and unethical. Former Councilwoman Kubby,
thank you for your recognition that this is in fact indicative of a much
larger problem. And thank you for your analysis and your vote against
what is in my view as a planner, from my education in urban and regional
planning, not good public policy at all. And thank you for at least
suggesting that social service providers be consulted with regard to
potential solutions. Further more, I agree with your statement that once
you start to legislate particular behavior, criminalizing by class, the
emphasis is not- is only to continue in some vein. Thank you to my
neighbor and landlord for suggesting that a potential explanation for a lack
of concern of what on an angry day I might call is "callous disregard" for
our bridge people, is that they are out of sight. Councilman O'Donnell, as
I alluded to I am not a homeowner. I was once but that was preceding my
divorce. I am a single parent with three children. I hold two jobs and a I
am a renter. The women that Ms. Kubby spoke of sleeping in their cars
with their children, I admire their courage. I would like to address your
concern that the rights of individuals who have their own home, that they
pay taxes for, that they have the right to feel safe and secure in their own
property. I would like to indicate that for the record I believe that as a
person who does not own her own home, I hope that I have this same
right. This right to feel safe and secure in my home even though I do not
pay property taxes. I would like to suggest that often times the renter does
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pay for this indirectly yet never sees the benefit. Former Councilman
Thornberry, I would like to suggest that your interpretation of the problem
was wrong and myopic. And furthermore, my children attend public
schools, we go to church on Sundays, I could be exposing all of us to a
wealth of communicable diseases. My background is not in medicine but
I am quite sure that we would be hit just as hard by the flu had we picked
it up- or excuse me- I am quite sure that we would be hit- that we would
not be hit any less hard by the flu because we picked it up from a home
owner, a tax payer, a church goer, or a teacher. To the City Attorney,
thank you for your clarification that indeed the fact that somebody lives on
the street does not, in and of itself, mean that person has a greater
propensity to be a criminal. Former Councilman Norton, this is
manifested in each of the communities that you iterated and beyond. It is
estimated that some 23,000 Iowans will experience homelessness this
year, 53% of whom are estimated to be children. Of course, there will be
those who live out of their cars. This is part of what is known as the
facelessness of the homeless. They have a face and they have a voice and
although it is not often listened to. To (can't hear), fear is not rational. It
is by its very nature not rational. It may be reasonable and defensible. I
concur with the concluding statements offered in the closing paragraph of
the memorandum for the City Attorney to the City Council dated
November 4, 1999 regarding the US district court for the South District of
Florida and the finding that and I quote, "The practice of arresting
homeless persons for performing such activities as sleeping, standing and
congregating in public areas was to be enjoined for the following reasons:
First, the practice of arresting homeless persons for harmless and
voluntary conduct which they must perform in public is cruel and unusual
punishment and in violation of the 8th Amendment. Second, such arrests
violate individual's due process rights because they reach innocence in the
(can't hear) of conduct. Third, the city's practice of arresting homeless
individuals for performing essential life sustaining acts in public when
they have absolutely no place to go effectively infringes on their
fundamental right to travel in violation the Equal Protection Clause. There
is evidence that the homeless have no where else to go. They do exceed
the number of beds available. And for this, I am asking you outright for
your help and for your support. We need your help in finding an answer
to the read problem. Given of course, that the most real problem remains
that as a nation we are not going to end homelessness. We can be
responsible however, in how we address the complexity of attendant
issues. Simply put, I would suggest answering the concerns as voiced by
the neighbors. Recognizing that fear is by its very nature irrational. I
would suggest providing the citizens of this community and beyond with a
shelter that meets the demonstrated demand. Please give sober
consideration to its location for it will be here to stay. Please see that the
structure provides a space in which individuals seeking emergency relief
and counsel feel safe. A space that the staff and volunteers can be
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productive in. A structure that provides for and promotes the health,
safety and welfare of these citizens too.
Kanner: I had a question for you. Is it Kirsty?
C~ssy: Cfissy.
Kanner: Crissy. What percentage of the people that use the shelter would you say
are seniors 55 or over?
Canganelli: About, less than 10%.
Kanner: Less than 10%.
Canganelli: About 10% to less than 10%.
Kanner: I bring that up because someone mentioned to me that they went by the
emergency shelter and then they came and came to the senior center and
talking about the ramp and saying, "wouldn't it be great that the money
they are raising for the sky walk across from- was used for something like
a homeless shelter for seniors", and I think that is something we ought to
look at and that would be a good partnership of the seniors.
Canganelli: I would strongly advise not separating out by age.
Kanner: You don't think that is a good thing?
Canganelli: There wouldn't be enough magnitude. You would be separating out a
very limited pot of money and everyone would be compromised.
Kanner: I am just saying that if we are going to have more space this is one way for
the senior center to get involved whether or not it is a separate building for
seniors or not. I think this is one possibility for them to come for
commtmity money to work in this area. I think the senior center could be
doing more working with homeless seniors.
Canganelli: I wouldn't be able to speak to the interests of the senior center and
whether or not they would want to be working with homeless issues.
Thank you.
Wilbum: I was going to express my concern related to this ordinance. And it is
related to the criminalization of homelessness. You know, the comments
that were just made, I get concerned about- I heard at your work session, I
heard some of the concerns from the neighbors about the situation and it is
unfortunate if neighbors were going to law enforcement- I commend them
if they did go and speak to the individual for making that attempt to get to
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know the person. But, you know, regardless of that, if this were a
homeless situation I would like to see- I would like to have the police
chief have officers try and work with human service professionals earlier
so that if this is an issue for anyone that earlier on in the process either
services could be attempted to be sought after. During your work session
in December I heard, 7th I think it was, the suggestion that Linda
Sieverson had talked to someone at- or some mental health professional-
and it just seemed to me after if this was 6 months to a year that- the time
frame was unclear to me- that it took that long for someone to try and
reach out from a human services background or that type of thing. I
would like to see that law enforcement were trying to work closer with our
human service professionals, were that be the emergency housing project
or-. Another concern I had was there are times, and having been someone
in human services, where someone either because of lack of space or just
because of fear of domestic violence type situation that type of thing,
someone choosing to reside in their vehicle until they can get to the point
where they are able to work through some things or to try and seek out
some human service resources. One more comment and then I will let you
go- the other thing that I think Eleanor you said, that there also was
discussion about some other- about designating a spot for persons who are
going to reside in a vehicle for this to happen. I know you said that
(changed tapes) .... was left in this ordinance?
Dilkes: The ordinance reads that unless the area is permanently or temporarily
designated for lodging in a vehicle it's a violation.
Wilburn: Okay, my third concern about this had to do with if that eventually lead to
that being that type of- that type of area being established, that that's an
area of town that can have a stigma attached to it- well, that is where the
homeless people live and again, we are getting to stigma- stigmat- I can't
say the word- stigmatizing and also can it lead to more criminalization of
homeless. There is just too many other unforeseen things that I think may
happen if this were enacted and so I would hate to see that happen and I
will be voting no, so.
Danielle Kaim: All right, well, over the last few years there have been-
Lehman: Could you give your name first please?
Kaim: Oh, yeah. My name is Danielle Kaim. My address is 1725 Country Club
Drive, Coralville. And over the last few years there has been a few times
when due to bad circumstances I have ended up being-
O'Donnell: I can't hear you.
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Kaim: Over the past few years there has been a few times when due to things
going wrong I have ended up being homeless and the longest of these
periods was a time when I wasn't living in Iowa City yet. And, I was
working two jobs. Frequently I did not get offof work until 2:00 in the
morning. No homeless shelter is even open that late and so there were
nights that I ended up staying in my car when it was as cold as 10 below
zero. Now, this was not fun. But it was what I had to do to try and stay
alive and that is all I was trying to do- is try to stay alive. It seems that
this law is punishing people for trying to keep their job, maybe have a
social life, keep some degree of independence and dignity in their life- you
know, whatever meager amount of those things that they can get and try to
stay alive. This isn't about people doing the things for fun or doing things
to be threatening. This is about people just trying to live. There are
several reasons that people might end up sleeping in their car. Number
one is because they might be afraid that they are going to fall asleep
behind the wheel. We all know that there have been a lot of accidents
caused by people falling asleep behind the wheel. Number two is if
somebody drinks a little bit more than they intended to and knows that
they are in no shape to drive home and decides to take a nap for a little
while until they are okay to drive home. Number three is of course if
somebody is homeless and ends up sleeping in their car as a last resort
because they can't find somebody's couch to crash on, the homeless
shelter is full, the homeless shelter is closed, etc. And, so there is a few
different reasons not to pass this item. First of all, it encourages people to
drive home even if they are maybe a little bit drunk or extremely tired and
think they might fall asleep behind the wheel. Second of all, it makes it a
lot harder for people that are really down and out to get back up on their
feet again. And people do pull themselves out of being homeless. People
that are homeless do sometimes have jobs and not everybody that is
homeless is some sort of perverted ax-murderer drug addict with bad
hygiene. So, I know that there is a lot of negative stereo types, I know that
homeless people are still socially acceptable to pick on and they are not
cute and fuzzy, they don't have antlers, but they are people. They are not
some sort of cockroach or rat, they are people. And, they, you know, are
trying to have the same sorts of lives as all of you I am sure have. I am
sure that everybody that is homeless out there would prefer to be living in
a house and have a roof over their head and be warm and have food in
their bellies. But, sometimes things don't happen that easily for
everybody and I don't think it is right to kick people when they are down.
I think it is much better to try help people get back up. That is all I have to
say.
Lehman: Thank you.
Taylor Burrows: Good evening. My name is Taylor Burrows. Whatever (can't
hear) rationale, financial, zoning, or otherwise this City Council has for
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passing this amendment, I believe it is fundamentally unethical. The
people in this city who are forced to live in their cars because of economic
necessity do so primarily because of economic necessity. The basis for
that economic necessity might be financial carelessness but often it is not-
it is just simple bad luck because a lot of people really are just born behind
the eight ball. To a much larger extent than other people. We should not
treat these people as eye sores. I mean, they deserve to retain some
dignity. Now, I know there is not enough room in EHP for these people if
they were forced out of their cars. I would ask this City Council if any of
the members consider themselves to be devout Christians. And if so,
would Jesus support this amendment? You know, 2 ~/2 years ago, I
hitchhiked to Iowa City because I was in a very, very financially bad
place. I hitch-hiked here because I am a veteran and I was jobless and
homeless and I figured out well, you know, Iowa City has the best
veteran's hospital around, and it is all for free. All my medical care is
taken care of in this town. And I lived at EHP. But, you know, I might
have not been able to stay in EHP if every person who was living in a car
was forced out of their car. This is simply not right. I did manage to pick
myself back up. I got a job- I have numerous jobs in Iowa City. Recently
I managed to get myself back on my feet to the extent that I will be
matriculating back to college at the University of Iowa in the fall or spring
of 2000 or 2001. And, yeah, I was homeless for 2 months, but I went to
college at Westem Illinois University for 5 years. In the '50's my paternal
grandfather was the mayor of Burlington, Iowa. So, stereotypes are wrong
and we shouldn't stigmatize these people. My friend Danielle was right-
some homeless people do pick themselves back up. And that is all that I
would like to say.
Lehman: Thank you.
Christy Welty: I am Christy Welty. I chair the Libertarian Party of Johnson
County and I wanted to present a librarian view although is seems to be a
fairly common view in this room. This proposal is not about health, safety
and welfare as it claims. No one is being hurt or intimidated. No private
property is being vandalized or even touched. So what is really going on
here? This is simply a case of legislating elitism. It sets the elites against
the leasts. In the brochures that I have seen, Iowa City takes pride in its-
promoting its atmosphere of inclusion. Human rights ordinances address
discrimination regarding physically definable difference. They address
discrimination regarding philosophical definable differences. But you
don't have one regarding economically definable differences. And you
don't need one. But you should be honest about what you are really doing
with this ordinance. Tell them, tell the people that you are voting this law
for, that you are going to shut the gate on people who are just starting out.
That you don't want people to move here if they are not already
established. Say that if someone falls on hard times they are no longer
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welcome in your fair city. After all, this ordinance says that Iowa City is
only for the elite, the established, and the economically superior. So let's
be truthful, this ordinance is about excluding the economically inferior.
Thank you.
Jeff: My name is Jeff and I would rather not give my last name for this reason:
folks, look me in the face. I am homeless. I am living in my car with my
wife and three dogs. Now, your answer of course to me, I am sure, Ms.
Champion or Mr. Pfab or any of you up there is quite simple. Get rid of
those dogs. Well that is nice. And I appreciate your concern for my
family because those animals are part of my family. I am working at the
present time at a local manufacturer making over $8.00 an hour. My wife
is working through a temporary service at a nation wide, in fact world
wide, company making over $7.00 an hour. When I started to live in my
car I had just gotten out of a semi driving up and down the road- a
profession that I loved for more than 10 years. In fact, I parked in some of
the parking lots here in this town and slept over so I did not have a
problem of being tired and possibly injuring members of your community.
But right now, I find it very hard to have a little bit of pride facing you
folks. It is not easy for me to come up here and beg or to plead, I don't
speak as well as a lot of these other folks. I have got a high school
education and one year of college. But I do not and I implore you folks
not to make sleeping in a car a criminal act. The city of Cleveland, Ohio
had a similar legislation and it was voted down. Actually it was started to
be enacted and then the state Supreme Court told them that it was
unconstitutional. Now I don't expect you folks to come up here and put
signs out in your front lawns telling me, well here is a safe place to park. I
don't want that. I don't want your pity and I don't want to hear the folks
in this community tell me how Christian they are but they will help me
under conditions- give me my checkbook. Let you run my life and take
away what little I have left because I lost a large storage unit in the state of
Califomia when I moved from there. I went to live in Indiana with my
parents where my children are staying right now and what stuffI had in
the storage unit there that I brought with me I have lost. What I have left
iS in a 5 X 10-storage unit in Coralville. I got that- those possessions
while I was living here in the state of Iowa. I had a little place to live and
my wife had to get off the road because of her health. And when my
employer would pay me, if the check didn't bounce, there wasn't much
left. So I can't afford these $1100 rents. These $1500 rents to have a
place that is adequate because there is a court order in the state of Indiana
right now that tells me to get my children back. I have to have adequate
space. But I can't afford adequate space on my income of nearly $300 a
week or my wife's income of $200 a week. Now, I understand I don't
want you folks to force people out of their cars but I don't want you to
condone it either. I would like to see programs- and you tell me, well
there is programs available. And you are dam right there are. Except I
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don't qualify. I make too much money. My wife doesn't qualify because
she makes $24 too much on her own income a year to qualify. Now, if I
had my children- if I lied or said I was psychotic or that my name was for
example Charles Manson or Mr. Rimendez down in Texas, I might get
some help. But why do I have to lie to other folks in this community and
to myself. I don't want you to give me anything but I would sure like a
hand up. I would like to see some kind of a committee formed which I am
more than willing to serve on. To sit here and say, folks we have
altematives. Something a little more than going down to the shelter where
for number one there may not be room enough. Number two, you've got
everybody in one room. And folks, I have visited shelters. There are a lot
of people down there that are drug addicts. Well, my wife is a recovering
addict. Are you going to look me in the face when you bury her in a
pauper's grave and tell me I am sorry. Are you going to sit there and look
at your paper and have tears running down your face and say isn't that a
shame? No, you are going to say- oh well, and live your lives as you
have. You want me to take away a space for maybe a woman who is
being abused and battered by her husband? No, I am not going to do it. I
have a roof and I pay $60 a week on it and it is called a car payment. And
if I am lucky I might get to upgrade to a minivan where I can stretch out.
What will make me get rid of my possessions? What will make me give
away what little I have left: what pride, what dignity, whatever it is that I
have left? It is like licking boots because in my mind, like I say, I am not
as well read or versed as a lot of these people but I am going to tell you
from the heart- I can't do it. Don't tell me I am not good enough for you
because evidently I must be worth something you let me stay in this room.
The police aren't here hauling me off making it illegal. What would
happen if I had a suspended driver's license because I couldn't pay the
amount of money that was required to get it? I can't move that vehicle.
So, are you going to have me arrested for a suspended license? Are you
going to create more problems, more headaches, more heartache? Are you
going to cause me or my wife to leave me? If you can go to bed at night
and feel good in your heart about that. If you can call yourself a Christian
and look yourself in the eye in the mirror. Then there is more power to
you than I have got. Don't give me something, give me an altemative.
Why not work with some of the local people down here? Hy-Vee, or
some of the other merchants in this town, [and] set up a program maybe
where they pay me half salary and the other half go for part of a deposit.
You say that there is churches and so on and so forth, well I have called
the churches. I have got a cellular phone and those people ain't called me
back. They call them benevolence committees. Well please, stop playing
God. Don't lie to me or lie to yourself and decide you are good enough,
you are not good enough. That man that that article was written about
could be sitting right here in this room and it could be me. You would
never know him on the street because I have I have sit down and I've had
coffee with him. I have talked to him and I've talked about his fears. His
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fears being parked downtown and being taken advantage of by places
maybe like these parking areas. Let's go down there and roll a homeless
person. Let's go out here and let's tie him to a tree. Let's go out here and
do what they did in the state of Wyoming to the gentleman who just
happened to live differently. Why don't we do that here? Back in the
1940's-
Lehman: Jeff, you are going to need to wind this up.
Jeff: I am, just one more point. In the '40's we had a family from the state of
Iowa called the Sullivans who gave the greatest sacrifice in their life.
Their five boys fought for what it says in the Constitution and what it says
on the Statue of Liberty: give me your tired, your poor, your huddled
masses yearning to be free. What do you think they are doing tonight if
you pass this ordinance and make it criminal? Can you look at yourself in
the mirror in the morning? I sure hope so.
Lehman: Thank you Jeff. Is there some discussion on Council?
Champion: Well, I think it has been pretty well said. I didn't support for the first
reading and I am not going to support it again. I think- I have a real
problem for this ordinance as I mentioned before and the end result of the
ordinance bothers me that if somebody is sleeping in their car that they
can be fined when they obviously don't have the money to have other
shelter. The whole ordinance bothers me and I am not going to support it.
Lehman: Irvin?
Pfab: I was against this approach from the very beginning. That doesn't make
me any better than anybody who voted for it but it does bring us up to- it
brings to the forefront problems that we have and I think we as a Council
have to spend some time and effort helping those people who are not as
fortunate as us sitting up here and I think we need to get on it as fast as we
can. Get this out of the way and go on.
O'Donnell: I did support it the first time. Something is ringing isn't it? If that is not a
sign. I think it was well said by Crissy tonight. I- it really bothers me to
have somebody have to sleep in their car. And maybe we do need more
facilities in this town. I believe when anybody calls you as a Council
member you have to respond. I don't care whether you are an apartment
renter, you live in a trailer house, or house- as an elected member of this
city when you are called by one of the citizens you have to respond. This
Council did that. It is not going to upset me a great deal that this second
reading goes down but I will support it.
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Lehman: Other Council comments? I just- one comment. First of all, this
ordinance does not make it illegal to sleep in your car, does it?
Dilkes: No, it doesn't. What case law there is makes it quite clear that a
prohibition on sleeping in your car is not valid.
Lehman: Yeah, but I mean the comments on about being too tired or too drunk or
whatever and sleeping in your car are in no way prohibited by this
ordinance.
Dilkes: That is correct.
Lehman: I certainly am sympathetic to most of what I heard tonight. I supported it
the first time, and I guess I am going to support it again. I think there may
be a problem that we may need to address. I also think that there are
certain problems that are- and by the way, if I am not mistaken, this
ordinance requires that before anyone is cited they have 24 hour notice
and they have the opportunity or be notified of an alternative shelter- is
that correct?
Dilkes: That is correct.
Lehman: This is not a matter of citing people. I mean, I think there are- it does
offer altematives. I am not sure that they are totally acceptable
alternatives and I guess I am like Mike, I am not going to be real upset
about it getting beat but I will support it. Roll call. Motion is defeated 4-
3.
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ITEM NO 18. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO
SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK ATTEST AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN
HOWARD R. GREEN COMPANY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA AND THE
CITY OF IOWA CITY FOR CONSULTING SERVICES DURING
CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND
WELL HOUSES.
Lehman: This is a service that will be $466,000.
Vanderhoef: Move adoption of the resolution.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Kanner: I had a question for Chuck. There is another project connected with water
where we are going to have in-house consultants. And what is the
difference here? Why do we go outside [and] sometimes inside. Could
you explain that to me?
Schmadeke: Yeah, generally it is based on our staffing and whether we have sufficient
staff to perform that work. Sometimes it is qualifications- whether or not
we are qualified. On this particular item here we don't have qualified staff
to carry out that function.
Kanner: I guess was hired- we are hiring someone for 2 years of the project versus
a private contractor. We are having someone who is going to get benefits
from us and I assume will be part of the union here and we feel that it is
more worth while to do that that will save money whereas here we are not
bringing an extra person in for the 2 years as a part of our staff. We are
having an outside private contractor. So that is the difference I am looking
at. Why is one case different than the other that we don't want to hire
someone to be on our staff.
Schmadeke: I don't- in this particular case here, I don't think we would, if we hired
these people to be on our staff. It is not really a full time job for them to
do that work. It is heavy up front if you notice on the payment schedule it
is heavy on the front end of the project and tapers off toward the end. We
would be bringing staff on and then having to lay them off and I don't
think that is in our best interest either.
Kanner: So it is a matter of having someone be able to be occupied as a 40 hour
week worker?
Schmadeke: Well, and I think in this- on this particular project too we want to keep the
consultant that did the design work on board during construction so that
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they are comfortable that the construction is proceeding according to their
design.
Kanner: Is this pretty standard this kind of payment?
Schmadeke: For these sizes of projects, yes it is.
Kanner: Thank you.
Pfab: I have a question. Okay. Does the paying of this amount of money give
us any legal- or are there legal obligations with the advice and inspection
that he does?
Schmadeke: Well, they are held responsible for the advice that they give us, yes. And
they are also- this ties in to their design too. If it is built according to
design and they have observed that they are, I think, more liable in that
sense too once the project is complete.
Pfab: Okay, I am going to ask you a question that is not related but- I can't
separate it in my own mind. We just took the liberty of 3 or 4 kiosks-
which to me were almost ludus- ludi- ludicrous-
Lehman: Too expensive.
Pfab: Priced. And now they are not correct. And it looks like we are going to
have to pay more money. Now, I don't know what went wrong but did
those people design them and are they responsible for fixing them?
Schmadeke: I haven't been that much involved in that process but it is my
understanding, yes, they have designed them, they were on board during
the inspection process, they have gone to the factory and watched them
under production and-
Atkins: Chuck, let me jump in on that I think.
Lehman: Yeah.
Atkins: As far as the price they were publicly bid Irvin. The design was approved
by the City Council, I am going to lay it back on you, but the design was
approved, they have to be, they were a specialty product, they had to be
manufactured separately. We received the allegation that it was not ADA
compliant. We intend to go back to the consultant that we hired, that
approved the shop drawings, that sent it off to the manufacturer to have
them built, to make it right. And that, as far as I am concerned, means we
don't spend anymore public money other than the time and effort to get
the product as we desired to have the product.
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Pfab: So, you would- the person that we are hiring for this operation carries the
same responsibility?
Atkins: Absolutely.
Lehman: Right.
Pfab: I mean, that I think is where the money is worth it. If we get that- but.
Atkins: That is- well, is there a potential for a legal challenge between the city and
the parties designed- or that designed the item? Certainly. I can't
guarantee that that won't happen but I can tell you the expectation is
someone other than the city is going to make it right.
Pfab: Okay. I am glad to hear that.
Lehman: Thank you Chuck. Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM NO 19. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO PRESCRIBE A PROCEDURE
TO WAIVE THE APPRAISAL IN CASES INVOLVING THE
ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY WITH A LOW FAIR MARKET VALUE
FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT MAY ENTAIL
CONDEMNATION.
Vanderhoef: Move adoption of the resolution.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by O'Donnell. Would you explain that to us? Real briefly what
we are voting on?
Dilkes: The recent amendments to the state condemnation law that became
effective July 1 st of '99 require that an appraisal be obtained but
authorized the cities to do a procedure for waiving the appraisal in low
market value cases. Essentially, we have just adopted- with this resolution
we will adopt, to a great extent, the DOT's policy for compensation
estimates as opposed to appraisals.
Lehman: Okay.
Pfab: I have a question. What is the dollar amount? What is low?
Dilkes: It has to be $10,000 or under.
Pfab: I am somewhat uncomfortable with that- but that is fine.
Lehman: I think it would be used- it wouldn't mean that everything under $10,000
would not have an appraisal. Wouldn't we- we would have the discretion
on items under $10,000. Is that not correct?
Dilkes: That is correct. What we would do is we would have to develop a system
for estimating those- estimating what the value of the acquisitions are, if in
our estimate based on comparable sales there- it will be less than $10,000,
then we can forgo the appraisal.
Lehman: Or we could choose to do it.
Dilkes: Or we could choose to do it. It would be at our option, yeah.
Lehman: It would just allow.
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Kanner: Can people whose property is condemned- they could always challenge
this in the regular procedure that is allowed now? That' s correct, isn't it?
They could appeal it. They could appeal it to-
Lehman: Always.
Dilkes: That is another- yeah, that is another issue. They always have the right of
appeal if the condemnation commission does not give them the figure that
they are happy with. Just as we have the right of appeal.
Kanner: Irvin, are you uncomfortable? You feel it is too high, $10,0007 It should
be lower?
Pfab: No, I just- I just look at it 17 cents a square foot. And I can't get that out
of my system yet.
Dilkes: The agency that has the most experience with this, because they have done
it for a long time is the DOT. And so I patterned it after the DOT's policy.
Pfab: I just believe to have an expert witness in court if it is challenged is
worthwhile.
Dilkes: I can tell you that if we anticipate a challenge we will likely get an
appraisal. It is only in our best interest. This just gives us the option.
Lehman: Other discussion? Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM NO 20. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING MAILING AND
PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF INTENT TO COMMENCE PUBLIC
INVOLVEMENT PROJECT TO CONSTRUCT THE NEAR SOUTHSIDE
TRANSPORTATION CENTER PROJECT AND TO ACQUIRE
PROPERTY FOR THE PROJECT; AND SETTING DATE OF THE
PUBLIC HEARING FOR MARCH 7.
Vanderhoe~ Move adoption of the resolution.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Kanner: I like a lot of things that are in this and as it was explained by Jeff earlier,
but I just don't like the idea of the possibility of 300 to 600 more parking
spaces downtown right now. I think we need to go other directions and
encourage public transportation and so if we were to cut down the number
of parking spaces, perhaps, that would be one thing I would look favorably
upon. But as it stands now I am going to vote against this and hope that
Council in the future will put more money and resources into encouraging
public transportations. Which, I feel, this is at odds with.
Lehman: Steve, as it stands right now there isn't any parking or anything else. This
is just an intent that says we are going to move forward. I think your
concerns would probably be best addressed at the March 7 public heating.
If we were to vote this down there would be no public heating. There
would be no nothing. This project would be gone. If we want any
opportunity to fashion this thing in some sort of fashion that is acceptable
to the people of the community and the Council, we have got to move
forward until such point as it is unacceptable. I am not trying-
Kanner: You make some good points and I appreciate hearing that. That maybe we
should let it go forward and have hopefully some discussion.
Lehman: I believe that myself.
Vanderhoef: What seems to be happening here- I also looked at this and we have new
state laws that deal with notification of folks and the possibility that we
might be looking at acquiring some property from them. This is also a
project that is in the feasibility study stage fight now and we don't even
have that back. But because of these new laws of notification, we are
going to have to at least move part way forward at this point in time until
we even know what we are working with. We do know already that we
have some federal dollars in the tune of 80% for this project and the city
will be involved in only 20% of this. And, yes, I would rather have more
information upfront but because of this law we have got to go forward
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right now and notify these folks that the possibility exists. It doesn't mean
we are going to do it. It just means it is a possibility.
Pfab: I believe this project has tremendous opportunities providing we get a lot
of input from the public and we start thinking outside of the box a little bit.
I think there is a tremendous potential. Right now it is kind of a fuzzy
foggy concept so. Let's go forward, would be my suggestion.
Vanderhoef: That is what I think too.
Lehman: Eleanor, did you have a comment?
Dilkes: What you will see on your agenda for March 7 is a resolution authorizing
acquisition of the property.
Vanderhoef: After the public hearing.
Dilkes: After the public heating. That is fight.
Lehman: Other comments? Roll call. Motions carries, Steven Kanner voting no.
Karr: Mr. Mayor, could we have a motion to accept correspondence that you had
this evening from Hieronymi Partners?
Champion: So moved.
Wilbum: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by Wilbum.
Kanner: I am sorry, I didn't hear that Madan.
Karr: We are accepting correspondence distributed this evening regarding block
102 from Hieronymi Partners.
Lehman: This is what we received prior to the meeting. It just makes it part of the
record.
Kanner: Okay.
Lehman: All in favor?
All: Aye.
Lehman: Opposed? Motion carries.
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ITEM NO 22. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO CONVEY AN
APPROXIMATELY 7,720 SQUARE FOOT PARCEL OF THE
UNIMPROVED, VACATED PORTION OF THE VIRGINIA DRIVE
RIGHT-OF-WAY LOCATED BETWEEN LOTS 2 AND 14 OF
NORTH HILLS SUBDIVISION IMMEDIATELY NORTHEAST OF
THE INTERSECTION OF VIRGINIA DRIVE AND RIDGEWOOD
LANE TO PHILIP AND HELEN OLDIS, AND SETTING A
PUBLIC HEARING ON SAID CONVEYANCE FOR FEBRUARY 1.
Wilbum: Move adoption of resolution.
Lehman: Move by Wilbum.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by Vanderhoefto set the public hearing for February 1st.
Discussion?
Pfab: I have a question. February 1st is coming up pretty fast.
Lehman: Right.
Pfab: I would be a lot more comfortable if it was a week or past that.
Lehman: Well, we will set the hearing. We listen to it, we don't necessarily take
any action at the public hearing.
Pfab: Okay. Then that is fine.
Lehman: That is pretty common, to set the public hearing-
Dilkes: On dispositions of property we typically do the public heating and the
resolution disposing of the property on the same night. You always have
the option to defer that however.
Vanderhoef: I am not sure that you were present when we had a conversation about this
when (can't hear) about it earlier.
Pfab: May not have been. Okay, I was- part of it I was absent. You mean in a
work session .... ?
Vanderhoef: I am trying to think whether it was a letter or whether it was- maybe it was
in the P & Z minutes that I read it.
Lehman: Well, if we are not comfortable with it at the hearing we certainly don't
have to act on it.
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Dilkes: I think you have now got all three of these matters set for February 1st, so
that would be consistent anyway. All three of the disposition matters.
Lehman: Okay. Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM NO 23. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION REPEALING RESOLUTION NO.
98-31 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF IOWA CITY
AND APPROVING A NEW RESOLUTION SETTING FORTH
RULES OF ORDER FOR THE CONDUCT OF FORMAL
COUNCIL MEETINGS.
Lehman: This was at my request that we change the term "public discussion" that
appears on the agenda to "community comment". It was, I think-
effectively we expect people to comment we don't necessarily intend to
engage them in discussion. Discussion. I need a motion, I guess.
Vanderhoef: So moved.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Wilburn: Can you explain a little more your rationale for this?
Lehman: We have many times in Councils- I have been on 6 coun- or 6 years on the
council- comments that are made that are under public discussion
frequently involve the council in discussion, sometimes debate, sometimes
even arguments. I think it is important that, and I would be more than
happy to do this prior to public comment, that we indicate that this is a
time set aside by the Council for the public to comment. Not nec- that
doesn't require a response from the Council. There may be occasions
when we feel we should, but the word discussion necessarily intimates
there will be a discussion back and forth with the public. Now, because
we only allow one hour, in fact it is less than an hour, we cut off this, that
particular portion of the meeting prior or at 8:00. I think it probably is
incumbent on us to get as much public comment as we can and not
necessarily engage in public discussion. I just prefer the word comment.
That is just personal. If you don't like it we can discuss it.
O'Dounell: I don't have a problem with it. It is semantics.
Lehman: Other comments?
Kanner: I have a question first. Was that the only thing changed in the resolution?
Lehman: Yes, yes. The change is one word.
Kanner: I think again, if it is not broke don't fix it. I think we are not having a
problem and I get a lot out of some of the give and take that happens and I
think people are pretty restrained Ernie and-
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Lehman: Well, you have been to one meeting.
Kanner: I have been to most-
Lehman: No, no. You have sat here during one meeting.
Kanner: I realize it is different up here perhaps but still I think the give and take,
we leam from it. I think we all learn from it. The audience leams from it
and we have been wondering how do we get audience or citizen
participation and I think this is one good way and we should encourage it
more perhaps to a certain extent so- at this time I would vote against it
because the intent it to limit that. And I don't care so much about the
name change but you've clarified your intent and I respect that but I would
disagree with that.
Lehman: Other comment?
Vanderhoef: I would look at this, playing devil's advocate which I do occasionally, that
it might limit public comment if they thought that they were going to get
involved in a discussion. There are some people that may chose to just
come up and make their comment, they don't want this give and take and
so they might chose not to come up and make a comment at all if they
thought someone up here was going to reply to them perhaps in a negative
way.
Wilburn: I also had expressed an interest- at some work session we had- about the
possibility just to provide- yes people can call us and they do stop us on
the street and send e-mails but here in the Council Chambers maybe
having a place for written comment from the public. I see this as separate
from what you are asking here and I am okay with it but in terms of just
trying to create that opportunity for someone to- who may not want to
come up to the mic but who observes what happens here and what we do
just to have that and to have that accepted as part of correspondence. You
know, at a subsequent meeting. I would like to look into that. Several US
House Representative and Senators have that such an item in their offices
that people can walk in and just write your comment down and leave, so.
Vanderhoef: Which would be similar to them sending us a letter or an e-mail or
something. And yes, we can receive that kind of thing at any time at the
Clerk' s office.
Lehman: What I think you are talking about- notes you might want to leave fight
here at the meeting.
Wilburn: Yeah, fight here.
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Vanderhoef: Just leave it with the clerk.
Lehman: Other conunents?
Pfab: I would like to make a comment. I think your bringing this up is a good
idea. I am a little reluctant- maybe this is much ado about nothing- but I
am not in a position to- I have been to one meeting, whatever it was, and
there is three of us on here. I would be happy if we could bring this up
maybe after three or four months. And I mean, I would be happy to take
another look at it but to vote just against it I am a little reluctant to do that
but I am also more reluctant to vote for it.
Champion: And I am not going to support it either.
Lehman: My thought is that the public should not come here with the expectation of
entering into a discussion when there is only a very limited time amount of
time left of the agenda. I think they certainly should feel more than
welcome to comment and give us whatever comments they see fit but they
should not necessarily expect that to turn into a discussion because there
just isn't time.
Champion: But, you know Ernie, that- there is always isolated problems. Like the guy
who lives in the car was an isolated problem for that particular
neighborhood. Sometimes we do get people who want to get into kind of
a roaring discussion but I think that you have handled that pretty well in
the 2 years that I have been on the Council. I think the idea of public
comment seems kind of- I don't know.
Pfab: Sterile.
Champion: Yeah, sterile because people are used to the idea of public discussion.
Lehman: Let's don't discuss this to death. If we don't like it let's just not do it.
Champion: Okay. I want to make sure that there are four of us who don't want to
change it. But I really- I think the Councils have been criticized in the
past for that attitude when people come up here to speak and I don't want
people feeling that they can't have public discussion.
O'Donnell: And I think it is indeed time for community comment. We want to get as
many people in as we possibly can.
Champion: We never told anybody they couldn't speak.
O'Donnell: We never have.
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Champion: We never have.
O'Donnell: But sometime-
Champion: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
O'Donnell: Sometimes- I have heard that once. Sometimes, Connie, it does turn into
something that none of us want.
Champion: That is why people watch it on TV.
O'Donnell: But that is not appropriate.
Pfab: I have one other comment.
Lehman: Okay, is this a comment or discussion?
O'Donnell: I think they are the same thing Emie.
Pfab: The only way it gets into discussion is somebody up here talks back.
Lehman: That is fight. That is exactly- that is the whole point.
Pfab: If we can't control ourselves why should we put a noose or strangle them
to quite them down?
Lehman: That is the whole point fight there. You got it.
O'Donnell: Let's vote on this.
Lehman: Roll call. Motion is defeated after much discussion and a little comment.
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ITEM NO 24. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED
POSITIONS IN THE ENGINEERING DIVISION OF PUBLIC
WORKS DEPARTMENT BY ADDING ONE SPECIAL PROJECTS
MANAGER POSITION.
Champion: Consider adoption of resolution.
Lehman: Moved by Champion.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by Vanderhoef. And this is an inspection position similar to the
one that we talked about earlier except this will be an in-house inspector.
Atkins: This is an in-house inspector. It really is a little different Ernie than the
contract with H.R. Green. This is where we have a city employee for the
specified period of time and the length of these major construction
projects. That person is our representative on the job. And is there all of
the time.
Lehman: At a considerable savings (changed tapes)
Atkins: ...and we believe we get a superior work product.
Lehman: We have been very successful doing this now over the last two, three
years.
Atkins: We have done this now over the last about 3, maybe 4 years. And we
strongly recommend it. Not only is it a good savings, but it just- on these
major projects, particularly capital projects, remember these are hundred
year decisions- it is nice to have someone who works for you there all the
time.
Vanderhoef: Steve, is this in addition to that previous position that we had someone
doing it and then we-
Atkins: This is another one- it is just simply because there are more projects.
Vanderhoef: We have got the other one filled also?
Atkins: Right. We need another one because we've got more projects.
Vanderhoef: Okay.
Lehman: Other discussion? Roll call.
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ITEM NO 25. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED
POSITIONS IN THE ACCOUNTING DIVISION OF THE
FINANCE DEPARTMENT BY ADDING ONE ASSISTANT
CONTROLLER POSITION AND DELETING ONE SENIOR
ACCOUNTANT POSITION AND AMENDING THE
ADMINISTRATIVE PAY PLAN BY ADDING ONE ASSISTANT
CONTROLLER POSITION.
Vanderhoef: Move adoption.
Lehman: Move by Vanderhoef.
Wilburn: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by Wilbum. Discussion? Comment?
Wilbum: Is this a step thingy for someone?
Atkins: Step thingy?
Lehman: Now, that is a comment.
Atkins: Is this a promotion for one- for a long term employee, the answer is yes.
Wilbum: See, he knew what I was talking about.
Lehman: We have got the thingy straightened out. Other comments.
Vanderhoef: Next time define it.
Lehman: Discussion? Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM NO 28. CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS
a. CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
Lehman: We didn't discuss this earlier but have- at our first meeting this year we
appointed Mike O'Donnell to represent the Council at the Convention &
Tourism Bureau which meets now I understand on Wednesdays. And that
Mike is going to be unable to accept that appointment. We need to
appoint someone else from the Council to serve on that committee. The
interesting part about that is it going to meet at the same time that the
JCCOG does.
Kanner: Don't you get flee trips to Coralville on this?
Lehman: Well, I think that may be a fringe benefit.
Champion: They are going to have to change those meetings aren't they? Just this
one-?
Lehman: No, I think-
Vanderhoef: They are meeting regularly on the same day as JCCOG. So, if JCCOG
continues to meet every other month, that is what was happening to me
this last year because it was changed from a Tuesday meeting to a
Wednesday meeting. And so I was going every other because there
wasn't anybody else to go and JCCOG-
Champion: And so Coralville doesn't have a rep there either?
Vanderhoef: They do because they don't send all of their Councilors to JCCOG.
Champion: Because they don't have enough votes. Right.
Vanderhoef: We have the situation of everybody going to JCCOG except Emie.
Lehman: Well, obviously I can- it would be easier for me to go to JCCOG then it
will be to go to Convention & Visitors Bureau because of work. I mean, I
can walk over from the store and go to that one much easier than I can go
to Coralville and have to get back- but I will go to one or the other. Is
there someone here who would like to serve on that Convention and
Tourism Bureau?
Pfab: Well, how long are these meetings?
Lehman: Generally, they are an hour or so aren't they?
Vanderhoefi Uh-huh.
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Pfab: How long?
Vanderhoef.' An hour. From 4 to 5 usually, max of 5:10.
Pfab: I think I need some more clarification on that. I understood it meant
almost all day.
Lehman: No, that was a planning session that took all day.
Pfab: Somebody forgot to tell me.
Lehman: Well, I- okay, in any event (can't hear) meetings are about an hour.
Pfab: I will contribute one hour of my Council time to be at this meeting.
Lehman: Would you consider staying an extra 15 minutes?
Pfab: I would stay an extra 15 minutes.
Lehman: Are we in agreement to appoint Mr. Pfab?
Vanderhoef: That is fine. (can't hear) the other on the next agenda to change the
appointments to the JCCOG.
Lehman: Do we need to change that?
Karr: Yes, because you would be-
Lehman: Do we have a motion to appoint Mr. Pfab to Commission Tourism and
myself-
Champion: So moved.
Lehman: -to the JCCOG at the same time?
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by Vanderhoef.
Karr: No, it's not on the agenda.
Lehman: No. Okay I am off. All in favor of appointing Mr. Pfab.
Atkins: Just before you go, just so I understand. Irvin is going to give up-
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Pfab: No.
Lehman: JCCOG.
Atkins: JCCOG. Now, he said no.
Pfab: No.
Lehman: Well, you can't do both.
Atkins: Here is the point to the Council- is that JCCOG is an important
mechanism for the distribution of a lot of money and I would really like to
make sure that we are fully represented particularly when it comes to-
Lehman: We will be fully represented there.
Pfab: Okay, no. Maybe we have an opportunity to protest by not going to that
so they change the meeting date.
Atkins: That is up to you all.
Pfab: I really don't want to be divided that way.
Kanner: Did we ask them if they would change it? I missed that.
Pfab: I would be interested in going but I am not interested in missing-
Lehman: Can we delay this appointment7 I will call Wendy Ford and we will- this
will be put on hold.
Champion: I remove my motions.
Lehman: I just ignored them. I am not going to comment on them.
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ITEM NO 29. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Lehman: Who would like to go first?
O'Donnell: I will go first. I had spoken with a world famous bowler last- toward the
end of last week- Mr. Dee Norton- who did give me a sound thrashing last
year. Big Brother/Big Sisters is coming up again this year.
Lehman: When?
O'Donnell: We have got- it is February 26. And I would like to know how many
Council members will be interested in participating this year. Dee's plan
is to get the new Council on one alley and members of the old Council on
the next alley.
Lehman: Unless you bowl in Los Angeles I cannot do it.
O'Dounell: Okay, but that is warning. We also got many letters in the packet about
underage drinking and sooner or later folks, we are going to have to sit
down and talk about it.
Champion: How many?
Atkins: Can I comment on that?
Lehman: Please do.
Atkins: Because we continue to get telephone inquiries and just routine, I am sure
most you during your routine contacts with folks- I have told people that
have asked me that upon conclusion of the budget that you intend an early
sit down work session to talk about the issue of liquor licenses, underage
drinking and everything that goes with it. Is that-
Lehman: (can't hear)
Atkins: So I am saying it is probably late March or early April before you will
have your meeting.
Pfab: I am also very impressed with the effort by other private citizens to get
involved and with the idea of walking around and helping people in need
solve their problems.
O'Donnell: The quality of these letters was really good. My final thing, I have had
several more calls about dogs running loose at Hickory Hill Park and
sooner or later we are going to have to do something about that. The park-
people use the trails and..
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Atkins: I will ask for your suggestions. We put people in there, we have folks that
misuse Hickory Hill park. The moment they are out of sight they cut the
dogs loose. I mean, I happen to live nearby and I go in there and I know
exactly what they are talking about.
O'Donnell: I am getting these complaints on a regular basis so it is something this
Council will have to address.
Lehman: I don't know how we do it though.
Champion: We also have people who like (can't hear) the article in red lights and
yellow lights. I mean, people abuse certain things and it is a problem.
Pfab: The perfect answer: we put a camera there on the trails. That is facetious.
O'Donnell: How high off the ground?
Pfab: No just where the dogs can look at it.
Lehman: Dogs have rights too.
O'Donnell: Dogs are people too.
Kanner: Mike?
Champion: I forgot what I was going to say. It must not have been very important.
Oh, I was going to ask: when is our next discussion of the Hickory Hill
Park Cemetery situation? I thought that would be on today's agenda.
Lehman: No.
Dilkes: No, what I had hoped to say in my memo was that the Council, the last
Council, directed us to go ahead with the paperwork necessary to dedicate
30 acres of the Galoucher property.
Champion: Oh, fight.
Dilkes: I have decided that although we can come up with some kind of legal-
some kind of description that it's probably best to have an actual legal
description of- prepared of the property we are talking about dedicating.
So, if this Council thinks they will direct otherwise i.e. not 30 acres but 36
acres we need to have it scheduled for the next work session.
Champion: Right, you wouldn't want to do that work if it is not going to be accurate.
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Dilkes: Right.
Lehman: Alright and we will make that the next work session, Connie.
Champion: The meeting to special council work session on the 20th, the joint meeting,
that is going to be at the school board offices?
Karr: School board office. Yes.
Champion: Do we have an agenda for that?
Karr: It was distributed last night.
Champion: Oh, it's all here then.
Kanner: I am sorry, it was distributed?
Karr: Last night. We altemate jurisdictions. Excuse me, it was this aftemoon.
Pardon me.
Kanner: Oh, the things we just got.
Karr: In the things you just got there was a joint discussion- it is the school
board' s turn to host it so it is on their letter head.
Champion: Got it.
Lehman: I will not be attending that meeting.
Wilburn: I can't either, I will be teaching.
Champion: I will be there.
Karr: We need to- okay, we need you to also discuss if this is a problem 4:00 on
Thursdays we need to deliver that message because we typically get
together 3 to 4 times a year, so. With the new Council with new schedules
that is something to communicate.
Vanderhoef: As long as it isn't the last Thursday of the month.
Karr: We will have to keep that- you are going to be there Thursday?
Vanderhoef: I will be there this Thursday yes.
Karr: But every Thursday is a problem for Ross.
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Wilburn: Until the second week of May.
Karr: Correct, okay.
Lehman: It is for me for awhile, probably a couple months.
Karr: So that might be something-
Champion: I will bring that up tomorrow.
Lehman: Okay. Thank you.
Champion: That Thursdays are going to be a problem for us.
Lehman: Anything else Connie?
Champion: No.
Lehman: Irvin?
Pfab: I am asking that we put on the next meeting agenda motion to televise the
work session, the Council work sessions and that we reevaluate that
decision after 6 months.
Champion: I agree- we could discuss it at the next work session.
Pfab: Right. However we get it up to- for discussion with the possibility of
moving to do so. If it so pleases the Council members.
Lehman: Well, I don't think there is any problem putting it on- put it on the work
session. That is fine- we will talk about it. I think that is no problem.
Anything else?
Pfab: That is it for me.
Lehman: Dee?
Vanderhoef: Two or three things. There is a meeting on Friday at 1:00 that three
Council members have been invited to because of forum concerns not
because we weren't all invited, with the University to see the overview of
the Hawkeye Athletic Recreation area out on the corner of Melrose and
Mormon Trek. And I would like to go if it so pleases the Council.
Champion: Can't everybody go? You have got to be asked?
Lehman: Only three of us can go.
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Dilkes: That is what I was just- I was just thinking.
Pfab: We are just observing.
Dilkes: No, it's not a question of whether you are just observing or not, it is a
question of whether this is something that comes within your discussion
and decision making authority. And I don't know enough about the
project to know that.
Atkins: Recreational complex, Mormon Trek- Mormon Trek is certainly-
University will eventually be dealt with by the Council. I- the comings
and goings, the traffic counts, things of that nature should have, you know,
that could have a beating on it.
Dilkes: Then I agree with you, a quorum should not go.
Vanderhoef: I was interested just because of the traffic situation and having sat on the
committee with the University and all of the cities and stuff for the road
planning and that project.
Pfab: If there is an opportunity to go I'd be happy to take advantage of it, if not-
you know there is reasons why someone else should go rather than me
that-
Lehman: Well, I plan to go. You plan to go. Irvin?
Pfab: Unless there is somebody else.
O'Donnell: Sounds like we have three.
Lehman: Alright, that is fine. Go ahead Dee.
Vanderhoef: Okay. Did everyone get this invitation, I think it came yesterday on the
community development in the 21 st century which is regional perspectives
on growth management. It is being sponsored by ECICOG for February
22. It is a 9 to 5 session and then again in the evening a 7 to 9 panel
discussion focusing on the future of development along the 1-380 corridor.
And this is something that I am not sure whether you got the invitation or
not, I certainly did because of my involvement with ECICOG. But I am
sure it would be open to anyone that is interested in attending.
Pfab: February 22, 9 to 5 and 7 to 97
Kanner: Where is that at Dee?
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Vanderhoef: It is going to be at the history center in Cedar Rapids, 615 First Avenue.
Atkins: Do you want us to copy that and distribute it?
Karr: They all did receive it.
Atkins: Oh, they did, okay.
Vanderhoef: Did they?
Karr: But, I mean, I can copy it again if you would like.
Vanderhoef: This came in the mail at home so I wasn't sure whether it had come to the
others or not.
Pfab: I didn't get one yet.
Vanderhoef: Okay, I would like to publicly thank Lisa Mollenhauer and the deer
committee for staying with the project throughout the last two years. They
have been very upfront and very open. They have worked beyond the
work that I think probably they expected to be doing in the start of it. I
think we ended up with a very successful project. Tony DeNicola and his
staff were very public oriented in keeping us informed of what was
happening. I appreciate their work and their dedication to making Iowa
City a better place. Also in our packet there was a letter referring to traffic
at the Gilbert and Highway 6 corridor and I wondered if anyone else was
interested in having this on a Council agenda to look at that.
Kanner: About Gilbert Street you are saying?
Vanderhoef: Gilbert and Highway 6.
Champion: I thought we had that discussion.
Atkins: You will recall- that was that extensive project we worked on and worked
on and worked on.
Vanderhoef: This is a different Council.
Atkins: And that was a different Council. And you will have capital projects
coming up shortly. Now that is on your unfunded list. Previous Council
bumped that to unfunded.
Vanderhoef: But we will have an opportunity to discuss it when they put it out (can't
hear)
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Atkins: That is really very much up to you all.
Vanderhoef: Okay, that is fine. Are we going to put together a list from all of us for the
business fair? We have got the letter asking us to be involved in that again
at the political booth.
Lehman: Well, that is on my list but Steve last year after the business I know I
talked to you and a couple of us talked- I really would like to see the City
Council be at- with the City Booth.
Atkins: Staff likes it better too. Where each of you can go to the public works, or
go to the animal shelter booth or go to the police and just be there with the
employees and you certainly may go to the political booth as you see fit
but I just think that the staff likes the opportunity to interact with the
Council members and it kind of gives you something to do too. I mean,
there is something fight there.
Lehman: It is possible for the City to get three booths together?
Karr: There will be four, there is also a census booth too.
Lehman: What is that?
Karr: There is also a census booth also.
Atkins: We have got enough for you to do- you mean like run one fight after
another?
Lehman: No, I mean, if we had public works and the animal shelter and whatever in
one large booth and public safety so that we make our presence really
known. That is not a good idea. I don't know.
Atkins: No, it is not a matter of good idea it is just I don't have any involvement in
setting the thing up. I can certainly ask if-
Karr: We certainly can ask. I have got the application form- I don't know. If
the majority of Council would like to do that we certainly can ask.
O'Donnell: You already lost one tonight Ernie, you want to try another?
Lehman: Was that a comment or was that discussion?
Atkins: Something nags me about splitting you up is probably about- I am really
going to get in trouble with this aren't I?
Lehman: That depends on your comment.
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Atkins: I think if we spread you over- I will just, never mind.
Karr: I think that the other thing that comes to mind is a number of us are
planning videos and displays and sometimes they would be counteracting
the space- it would be my concem.
Champion: I think it is better to have the city kind of split up because we all appear
too big to everybody anyway.
Kanner: What is the date on this? Dee?
Atkins: March 24, 25, Carver Hawkeye Arena. We will get you an assignment if
you want to be there.
Kanner: I have faith in the staff picking the best arrangement for us.
Atkins: It is a weekend. And it is fun.
Lehman: Why don't we put- look at your calendars and let's try to get that set at the
work session on the last day of the month.
Atkins: I will get you a list of the booths. I don't know how many are planned
now.
Vanderhoef: Sounds good. I believe that is all I have.
Lehman: Okay.
Wilburn: I just want to recognize Youth Homes a division of Four Oaks that are
having a celebration for their campaign and remodeling of Waterfront
Drive facility. 4 to 6 this Friday. I will be going and I know they have
some type of program. It is at 1916 Waterfront Drive. And I encourage
the public to go and I don't know how many of you others might be
planning on going but I would imagine if they have some type of program
at 5 they are inviting a lot of public officials that maybe there might not
want to be more than 3 of us there at any one time.
Lehman: Okay.
Pfab: I was planning to go.
Kanner: I was interested also.
Wilbum: That is three- I don't know, I am just assuming that they would-
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Vanderhoef: That is more of a social thing.
Wilburn: From four to five is a social but at 5 they have- the way I read the
invitation they had a definite program.
Kanner: It sounds similar to the UI Rec Center Program kind of thing.
Vanderhoef.' Is that a problem Eleanor when they just put on a program that isn't
something that we are responding to or reacting to.
Dilkes: That is how we have typically- I mean, yeah. It is a problem because- the
problem is that we then have to rely on you all to sit there and not say
anything.
Lehman: Can't do that.
Pfab: You can't trust us?
Wilbum: My point is that they are inviting lots of public officials and they are going
to be talking about their programming and problems and issues and so it
is-
Dilkes: And they come to us for funding at times don't they?
Wilbum: If I were nmning it I would lobby to you all.
Lehman: Absolutely. Fourth one there has got to leave. Anything else Ross?
Steven?
Kanner: In our packet we received a letter from the Housing and Community
Development commission chairperson Jayne Moraski asking us to
consider sending a letter to the University or okaying a later from the
commission to the University regarding the future of Hawkeye Court.
And I would like us to discuss it at our next session, our next work session
if that is okay with folks.
Champion: Sure.
Vanderhoef: Uh-huh.
Kanner: And something else to consider: I would like us to consider getting our
packets on Thursday to see if we can do that and see if that works out with
the staff. I know there is a lot of good reasons I think to get it on
Thursday. The ability to contact staff the next day. The ability for staff if
there is a problem to be able to get it out the next day on a business day- to
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get it out early for people who are going away for a weekend. So, I think
we should see if we can find a way to do that.
Atkins: Steve and I spoke about it and we have our staff meeting tomorrow and
that is going to be one of the topics.
Lehman: Can you just report back to us at our next work session?
Atkins: Yeah, we will get back with you because we have to redo years of old
habits- are the hardest thing to change- but I think that we also have to do
some scheduling because what happens in the agenda process is that a
department may prepare something, be ready to go, present it on
Wednesday and that is the first time Eleanor hears it.
O'Donnell: They need time to put it together.
Atkins: Yeah, they need to bring something more comprehensive. During the
course of the week that work needs to find its way to the City Attorney so
she has a chance- so we are all kind of- there is just some bad habits.
Changing habits.
Champion: They aren't necessarily bad- (can't hear).
Atkins: They are still habits and you know how hard they are to change but I
happen to think there is some merit to Thursday. And quite frankly, it
does make it nicer. You can talk to us on Friday.
Champion: It would make your Friday a lot better.
Lehman: Well, let us know.
Atkins: We will get back with you on that.
Pfab: I would support that- I would be in favor of it. At least look at that and
see what happens.
Kanner: Along the same lines, can you also discuss about commission and board
minutes. Getting those in a more expedient fashion? I know there is a
problem of possible having to prove the minutes before we get it and that
takes some time since some groups only- some commissions only meet
monthly. But maybe we can do some sort of compromise because I know,
for myself, these commission meeting minutes are very important. I have
heard other people talk about how important they are and you really get a
good sense of what is happening from these minutes and they are kind of
exciting too if anyone is looking for a little reading material. But I would
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like us to look and see if we can get those earlier and in a more timely
fashion like a week or two after.
Champion: We talked about that a couple of years ago. Whatever came out of that?
Atkins: What happens is- and also is on our staff meeting agenda tomorrow- I
think it is something that you need to communicate with your board and
commission members too. They all have minute takers and the minute
takers are often the same person for several boards and commissions and it
is not unusual for them to be able to turn the preparation of the thing
around fairly quickly- say a week. But the commissions have traditionally
said "we want to send you approved minutes". Now, if they are willing to
send you a draft or some circumstances such as that, that makes it easier.
And it make it a little easier. We will talk about it but I think it something
you may have to communicate with you board and commissions. And we
will talk to a couple of the chairs. Particularly those that meet- I think
Steve is right- you meet month to month, you get the preliminary the next
month, and the final approval- I mean it is two months before you will see
certain things. But we will talk about it. I don't have an answer for that
one yet.
Kanner: Thank you. I wanted to announce some events especially in the spirit of
the Martin Luther King holiday that we celebrated yesterday and I would
like to announce 2 community events- both of which are about pursuit of
peace and justice that will be taking place this week. First is Thursday
January 20 at 7:00 PM will be the annual Emma Goldman Choice Dinner.
And the event will celebrate the anniversary of the 1973 Roe vs. Wade
decision and the history of women providing choices to women. Proceeds
from the dinner go to a worthy cause. It is providing health services to
low income women through the (can't hear) fund. And I urge you to call
337-2111 more info if you are interested in attending what I feel is a
worthwhile event for a great community asset. And then the second event
is on Sunday January 23 at 2 PM. And it is an event in pursuit of a fair
national health plan- health care plan. The Green and Labor parties will
be presenting the Just Healthcare Teach-in and this will take place at the
Iowa City Library in Meeting Room A. And the event is free and open to
the public. And call 354-4834 if you are interested in more information on
that. And I enjoyed our first formal meeting. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you. I did too. One thing I read, and Mike reminded me, but Steve
did I read where Maggie Grosvenor is going to Washington DC to receive
an award?
Atkins: Yes.
Lehman: I really think we have got ourselves a magnificent-
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Atkins: She was there and back.
Lehman: Pardon?
Wilburn: She has already been.
Arkins: She was there and came back.
Lehman: Well, she certainly should have our most sincere congratulations. This gal
does a great job.
Atkins: We put a memo in your packet I think a couple of weeks ago.
Lehman: And I think we need to recognize that she does just a great job. So our
congratulations to her. Steve, anything for you?
Atkins: Nothing sir.
Lehman: Eleanor? Do we have a motion to adjourn?
O'Donnell: So moved.
Lehman: Moved by O'Donnell, seconded by somebody. All in favor?
All: Aye.
Lehman: We are adjourned. Thank you.
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