HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-03-05 Info Packet of 2/22 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET
I MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS I
IP1 Meeting Schedule and Tentative Work Session Agendas
IP2 Email from Council Member Vanderhoef: Investing in Communities Coalition
IP3 Memorandum from City Clerk: E-Mail Communications
IP4 Memorandum from Transit Manager to City Manager: Downtown Shuttle
IP5 Memorandum from City Engineer to City Manager: 2001 Asphalt Resuffacing
Project
IP6 Iowa City Police Department Monthly Bar Check Report - January 2001
IP7 Release: Police Racial Profiling Presentation to be Held March 7
IP8 Letter from David Skorton (U of I) to Thomas Aller (Aliiant Energy): Signage on
1-80
IP9 Minutes: January 25 Regional Workforce Development Investment Board
[Vanderhoef]
IP10 Minutes: January 25 East Central Iowa Council of Governments
[Vanderhoef]
IPll ECICOG Update - 2000 Annual Report [Vanderhoef]
IP'I2 Letter from John Fitzpatrick (Northside Neighborhood Association) to Iowa City
Press Citizen Editor: Office Development in the 500 Block of E Bloomington
Street
Memorandum from City Clerk: Municipal Bond Bidding on the Internet submitted
by Council Member Pfab
Memorandum from City Clerk: Legislative Day 2001
City Council Meeting Schedule and ~ebrua~22,200~
Tentative Work Session Agendas
February 22 Thursday
5:30p-6:30p SPECIAL COUNCIL WORK SESSION Council Chambers · Joint Meeting with Library Board
March 5 Monday
4:00p COUNCIL WORK SESSION Council Chambers
6:30p CITY CONFERENCE BOARD
7:00p SPECIAL FORMAL COUNCIL MEETING
March 6 Tuesday
FORMAL COUNCIL MEETING RESCHEDULED TO MARCH 5
March 19 Monday
6:30p COUNCIL WORK SESSION Council Chambers
l March 20 Tuesday
7:00p FORMAL COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers
I April 2 Monday
6:30p COUNCIL WORK SESSION Council Chambers
April 3 Tuesday
7:00p FORMAL COUNCIL MEETING Council Chambers
Meeting dates/times subject to change
FUTURE WORK SESSION ITEMS
Dog Park Sidewalk Cafes
Mormon Trek Extended Alignment 64-1 a Request for Proposals
Development Code
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 22, 2001
TO: Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Council Member Dee Vanderhoef
RE: Investing in Communities Coalition
The National League of Cities has initiated a national agenda calling on the next
Congress and Administration to support investment in America's communities. More
than 20 national organizations have agreed to collaborate with NLC to gain support for
investing in communities.
The Investing in Communities statement outlines seven key values that form the basis for
a long-term investment and six priorities for federal action.
I'd be interested in hearing any comments you may have on the plan before my departure
on March 6 for the NLC meeting.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
This is a priority within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under #2, which calls on the federal government to %upport the availability
of affordable low-and moderate-income housing and hivest in the revitalization of e.xistlng
communities so they are centers of hope and opporr, nlty." For a complete copy of the
Investing in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web site at www. nlc.org.
Background due to the lack of low-income rental units at
rents payable by voucher holders. The
Lo~v-income families with housing housing affordability gap, pamcularly for
problems are found throughout the people m'aking below 50 percent of the
United States. Long-term Average Median Income (.~M1), is a primary
demographic and economic trends point to an challenge for housing advocates.
increase in the number of loxv-income people
with housing difficulties in large cities, small CONGRESSIONAL ACTION
to~vns, and rural areas.
Although the 106th Congress considered a
Rising rents in private rents] housing markets, number of legislative proposals to address
associated with a strong economy, are affordable housing issues, none were enacted.
resulting in a dwindling supply of decent and The National Affordable Housing Trust Fund
affordable housing available to low-income Act, introduced by Senator John Kerry (D-
households. Indeed, while median rental costs MA), would have created a new affordable
paid by low-income tenters rose by 21 percent housing producfon program by using surplus
between 1991 and 1995, the median income FFIA insurance funds for production of ne~v
of the same group increased by only 2.2 affordable housing units. However, despite
percent during the same period. bipartisan support, this legislafon ~vas not
considered by the Senate Ban-king Committee,
Rental assistance programs have carned the and there was no companion measure in the
major burden of providing housing assistance Home.
to very low-income households. However, the
federal investment in new rental housing Senator Kerry is no longer on the Senate
production, that the lowest income Banking Committee, but he will introduce a
households can afford, has declined new version of his legislation early in the 107~h
precipitously in the last 20 years. Congress. Although this measure wfil
probably have bipamsan support, it is unlikely
Although there have been modest increases in that any measure, which relies solely on FHA
the number of federal rental vouchers in surplus funds, that result from inflated
recent years, many communities are unable to mortgage insurance premiums, will have a
use all the housing vouchers they are allocated realistic chance of passage.
Senate and House authorizers and :~ Visit your Congressional delegation and
appropriators may have to concentrate on urge them to support reasonable affordable
strengthening existing production programs, housing production proposals. Let them
such as HOME and CDBG, to address the know about the shortage of low_income
affordable housing gap for low-and moderate- affordable housing in your area.
inCOITle f3fl~eS.
~' Congressional authorizers and
NLC POSITION AND POLICY appropriators in pamcular should be
encouraged to explore realistic measures to
NLC believes there is an irreplaceable bolster housing production, including
role for the federal government in additional funds for HOME and CDBG.
addressing our nation's housing
needs. NLC strongly supports federal ~' Primary jurisdiction of housing issues
. housing policies that promote affordable belong to members of the House Financial
rental housing and encourage affordable Services Subcomrnittee on Housing, the
homeownership. NLC further supports Senate Ban'king Subcommittee on Housing
regulatory flexibility in federal public, Section and Transportation, and the VA-HUD
8 and other assisted housing programs that Appropriations subcommittees in both the
provide a viable source of housing for low- House and Senate.
and moderate-income individuals and families,
and for special populations like the elderly, For further infirmation contact
handicapped and individuals with AIDS.
Scott Shrum
~'~'Action ! Legisla~ve Counsel
Center fir Po~g 6' Federal Pelations
> While NLC supports fiscal discipline and (202) 626-3020
debt reduction, unprecedented federal
surpluses provide an opportunity for the
United States to work to provide more
affordable housing.
>- Addressing the affordable housing
shortage has not yet surfaced as a high priority
item for either the Democrats or Republicans
in Congress, or the new Administration.
Local elected officials must help raise the
profile of this issue and encourage initiatives
to lessen the affordable housing shortage.
THE BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS
ACT OF 2001
This ~s a priority within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Coruruun~ties
Action Agenda under #3, which cabs on the federal government to "provide the necessary
financing, investment incentives, and support for communities to build and ruaintain the
infrastructure best suited to their needs for the 21 century." For a coruplete copy of the
Investing in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web site at www.nic.org.
Background
access, while almost alMarge and mid-size
Broadband, or high-speed Intemet businesses have access to such technology. In
access, is provided by a series of addition, a 2000 U.S. Deparwnent of
technologies that give users the ability Commerce report showed that less than 5
to send and receive data at volumes and percent of towns with populations under
speeds far greater than current Internet access 10,000 have broadband access, while 65
over traditional phone lines allows. In percent of cities with over 250,000 people
addition to increased speed, broadband have cable broadband access. Similarly, a
provides an "always-on" connection and a recent Federal Communications Commission
"two-way" capability, which allows the user to report found that broadband technology is
both receive and transmit data at high speeds. being deployed throughout the United States
Broadband connections can be made via at a reasonable rate, but rural areas, inner city
cable, telephone wire, satellites, or fixed consumers, low-income consumers, minority
wireless connections. The connection speeds consumers, and tribal areas are lagging far
can be anywhere between 25 to 175 times behind.
faster than standard phone line connections.
This not only allows for faster software and ConFessional Status
information downloads, but also provide the
ability to make online interactive applications Senator John D. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.)
available at almost real-time. Broadband introduced the Broadband Internet Access
technology has the potential to transform the Act of 2001 (S. 88), along with 32 original
Interact, how it is used and what it offers. supporters, "to accelerate deployment of
Online classrooms, showrooms, or health current generation broadband access to the
clinics will allow the users on each end to Intemet for users located in certain low
cormnunicate as if they were in the same income and rural areas and to accelerate
room using both sight and sound. deployment of next generation broadband
access for all Americans." The bill calls for a
For cities and towns across the nation to 10 percent tax credit to tele-
remain competitive, affordable broadband communication/cable service providers for
access is essential. Currently, between 4 and 5 qualified expenditures to bring current
percent of U.S. households have broadband generation (at least 1,500,000 bits per second)
broadbrad services to "rural subscribers or available communications aad information
underserved subscribers." It also calls lcor a technology through municipally initiated
20 percent tax credit ['or tele- development.
communications/cable service proriders ['or
expenditures to bring next generation (at least .}',}'Action !
22,000,000 bits per second) broadband
services to "all rural subscribers, all > Contact your delegation and urge them to
underserved subscribers or any other support the Broadband Intomet Access
residential subscribers." Overa/1, the bill Actor2001 (S. 88).
provides tax incentives for the
telecommunication industry to invest in > Municipal elected officials should meet with
"underserved" communities to help end the their key telecommunications/information
disparity in broadband access based on technology administrators, and industry
location and income level. officials involved with Intemet services to
discuss and determine the current and
Key Issues for Cities future needs of their dries so they can
advise their congressional deleganons
Key for cities is to determine the most regarding the best steps Congress could
effective, far-reaching, and compefitively take to make universal broadband access
neutral way to deploy broadband, and other available in a timely manner.
information technology. It is important that
cities, towns, and regions of all sizes develop > Contact Congress and make clear that
comprehensive broadband-related plans. municipalities must retain authority to act
These plans should commit cities to strategies in the interest of their cifzens; especially
that spur economic development for their ~vhere there is no compefrion or
community, and support educafon and health affordable service. This would allow for a
iniriafves, while protecting streets and other market incentive that is not preempfve of
public infrastructure from disruption. municipal authority and allows local
governments to act as partners with
NLC POSITION AND POLICY industry to foster the rollout of this
essential technology in each community.
NaC supports the rapid universal
deployment of high-speed Interact
ccess, or broadband information For more infirmation contact:
technologies. This technology will be an
important economic tool for communities by Juan Otero
allowing individuals, businesses, hospitals, and Pn'ncipal Legisla~'ve Counsel
schools to be efficiently linked together at all Center fir Pok} (~' Federal Relations
6mes and in all locations. (202) 626-3020
NLC believes that, in addressing broadband
access issues, the federal government should
not preempt existing local guyeminent
authority to regulate cable television or
telecommunicarions enfries. NLC urges the
federal government to recognize longstanding
municipal authority to assure universally
EDUCATION REFORM
THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT
(ESEA)
This is a priority within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under #1 and #4, which call on the federal government to "Reduce poverty
by substantially improving public education, job training"and "invest in youth and provide
support for fax~illes and children to promote their full and healthy development." For a
complete copy of fhe Investing in Conununides agenda~ ~sit fhe NLC Web site at
v.,vav. al c. o rg.
Background 4. Making federal money available to parents
who opt to remove their children from a
As the first initiative of his substandard public school and put them
Administration, President Bush in another school if the substandard
announced his education reform public school fails to meet state standards
package, stating that he wanted local school within three years. Parents facing this
districts to improve themselves with federal choice may use this federal money to
help so that, in the end, "not one single child" place their child in a private school or
would be left without decent schooling. another public school.
Important to cities, the poverty-focused Bush
education package is concerned, almost Bush's plan offers states and school districts
exclusively with poor, minority children in greater flexibility in spending federal money
inner city public schools. It is expected that while holding schools to higher performance
Bush's education reforms will be debated in standards. Federal school money would be
Congress and passed this yeaz as parr of the apportioned through block grants without
reauthorization of the Elementary and being earmarked for specific purposes.
Secondary Education Act 0ESEA). Cities and Approximately 50 current education programs
their public school systems have much at would be consolidated into 5 block grants for
stake. more flexible use at the local level.
Bush's education reJ~rm legislation is based onJbur The Bush plan would also give states more
?nndples: flexibility in using federal funds to trmn,
recruit and retain teachers, provided states
I. Local control of schools; show they have effective teachers in the
2. Federal help for school districts; classroom. In addition, his proposal includes
3. Annual testing in reading and math in the a $5 billion program to help children read by
third grade through the eighth grade; and third grade.
Democrats have also unveiled a s~'dlar ,~'.,~Actiol'l !
education plan, but with more funding; an
increase of $35 billion over five years, )Encourage your Senators and
boosting TitJe I spending for the poorest Representative to support more local school-
students by 50 percent. based decisiommaklng in the reauthorization
o f ESEA
The Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA) is the core federal law affecting :~ Explain to your congressional delegation
public schools. It w~s desxgned particularly that all children can learn and can meet high
for students who would gain the most from it, educational standards. To do so, they must
such as those from high-poverty communities have adequate opportunities for success in
who ~re at risk of academic failure. Through school, including access to supplemental
the assistance of ESEA programs, state and service.
local governments are able to provide extra
services to school disthcts with special needs, ~ Remind your members of Congress that
such as urban and rural schools. The law was federal education funding should be directed
designed to improve overall education in the to the children who need it the most, whether
United States and advance educational equity. they are in poor inner-city schools or other
public schools in poor areas of our country.
NLC POSITION AND POLICY
>' Oppose special tax breaks for families with
NLC supports programs that adequate resources to send their children to
supplement state and local efforts to private school.
provide all children with a high-
quality education. ESEA programs that target >- Urge your delegation to support the federal
specific national priorities, such as assuring funding levels needed to provide schools with
equity in education, improving the the resources needed to integrate technology
achievement of disadvantaged children, and into their curricula. Technology should be
decreasing the dropout rate are crucial to our used as one tool to increase academic
nation's cities. For state and local achievement and cognitive skills.
governments, ESEA reauthonzation could
provide increased funds but also greater Formore in~rmation contact:
flexibility.
Kenneth Adams
The Department of Education gathers and PrincipdLegis~tive Counsel
disseminates to state and local educators Center jar Po~7 ~ Federal Relations
statistics on children, schools and education; (202) 626-3020
the results of national studies; evaluations of
national programs; and reports on education
methods and issues. This information is
extremely useful for state and local educators
and policy makers.
National League of Cities
2001 Hot Issues
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
This pr/ority is within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities Action
Agenda under #5, which calls on the federal government to "Support local govenunents'
ability to fuItill their obligations to citizens by preserving their long-established taxing
powers, including use taxes on remote sales, without placing unreasonable collection
burdens on business." For a complete copy of the Investing in Communities Agenda, visit
the NLC web site at w'w-w.nlc.org.
Background on February 8, that would mandate detailed
t-q,: simplification requirements on states and
IFith the 1998 Internet Tax localities before congressional consideration
Freedom Act moratorium on new, of an expanded duty to collect taxes on
multiple, and discriminatory remote sales. ?dso, these bills ~vould relax
r,qxarion o( electronic commerce and on business ne.,ms (physical presence) standards.
transaction taxes on the sale of Internet This would significantly reduce current
~tccess expiring in October, 2001, legislative business liability in business-to-business
initiatives started surfacing in early February electronic commerce and other remote sales
in both the House and Senate. _¥-nong them transacuons, for collecting and remitting sales
are several new proposals that would not taxes to states and localities, as well as for
resolve the underlying electronic tax paying state income and employment taxes.
collecnon concerns of state and local
governments, but would extend the 1998 Another significant concern of state and local
moratonum five years or make it permanent. governments would be a permanent
Another approach xvould attempt to develop moratorium on taxing Internet access. As
a consensus bill ~vith the input of all voice, data and entertainment services
stakeholders. This is the only approach converge and are conveyed over the Internet,
currently that might resolve the many a permanent ban on taxing access fees would
concerns of state and local governments. exempt these services from state and local
However, undl a final bill is drafted and taxation as well as regulation.
introduced, we will not -lmo~v iF NLC can lend
its support. If enacted in their current form, the
Wyden/Cox bills ~vould have significant
Congressional Action negative implications for the future of state
and local sales tax revenues. The bills would:
gDde~ t'3'. 28,_"2) and Co.'<' (unn~t,,,vbeped) Proposals:.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and * Extend the current moratorium five years
Representative Christopher Cox (R-CA) or more on new, multiple, and
announced their introduction of identical discriminatory taxes on electronic
bills, S. 288 and a still unnumbered House bill,
commerce and make the existing ban on rates. The extent of multiple tax rates
taxing Internet access permanent; allowed would have to be worked out among
the stakeholders and the bill's sponsors.
· Grant fast track congressional authority
to require out-of-state sales tax collection Senators Dorgan and McCaln have agreed to
if states and localities simpli~ their tax try to draft a consensus bill with the input of
systems; state and local governments, the large retail
stores (Wal-Mart), the National Retail
· Mandate detailed simplifications Federation, the International Council of
requirements includinG one rate-per-state, Shopping Centers, AT&T, AOL/Time
uniform bases, definitions, exemptions, Warnet, and other Internet Service Providers,
audits, bad debt rules, tax returns and Microsoft, and others from the
remittance forms, and state administration telecommunications industry. In the interim
of all state and local sales taxes; as a placeholder, and to counter the
Wyden/Cox bills, Senator Dorgan will
· Limit business activity tax nexus to sellers introduce a slightly altered version of his bill
from last year.
"that have continuous and systematic
contacts ~vith the state";
To facilitate introduction of a potentially
viable bill this year, stakeholders have been
· Remove the grandfather clause from the
asked to submit by March 1 the provisions
original moratorium, which allows states
each must see in a consensus bill. Senate staff
collecting taxes on Internet access before will take these suggestions and try to fashion a
October 1, I998, to continue to do so; consensus bill that could be introduced this
· Set a $5 million threshold for annual spring.
natiomvide sales before a business ~vould STATE LEVEL INITIATIVES TO SIMPLIFY
be required to collect sales and use taxes AND REFOPtblrSALES TAX CO'LECTION
on remote transactions. SYSTEMS
At the press conference held to introduce the There are t~vo proposals being introduced to
Wyden/Cox bills, Sen3.tor Patrick Leahy (D- state legislatures that would provide for the
WI'), Chairman of the Internet Caucus, and
passage of model legislation authorizing states
Representative Bob Goodlatre (R-VA) to join together to eventually adopt a tax
expressed their strong support for these bill. simplification agreement. The first proposal,
finalized on January 24, 2001, is a product of
Senator Smith of New Hampshire 18 months of work by 29 state tax
Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) has introduced administrators and other state tax experts that
two bills: S. 245 which would permanently were assigned to work as part of the
ban all taxes on Internet transactions and S. Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP). This is
246 which would extend the current a state-launched initiative that was designed to
moratorium by five years. resolve electronic commerce taxation issues at
the state and local level independent of
Consensus Approach t~ Senators Dotgan and federal action. The other proposal is an
McCain: In a major concession to local amended version of the SSTP's JanuarS, I 24
government concerns about losing local model legislation and agreement, ~vhich was
option taxing authority, Senators Byron amended and adopted on January 27, 200l,
Dorgan (D-ND.) and John McCain CR-AZ) by the National Conference of State
have said that their legislation would not Legislators. The National Governors'
have to impose one tax rate per state but Association (NGA) and the National
would permit multiple state and local tax
Conference of State Legislators CNCSL) are collecting sales and use taxes in interstate
encouraging state legislatures to pass one or transactions;
the other version of the model legislation, and
then to work toward adopting or developing · Supports joint federal, state and local
a tax simplification agreement. For more efforts to develop f~ir and equitable sales
details on these two proposals, visit the and use tax collection strategies.
SSTP's web site at
htttp://www.geocities.com/streamlined ~',~A ctiotl!
2000/, and the NCSL web site at
wxvw.ncsl.org click on "Public User", >' Meet with, call, and write members of your
"Updates and News", then select "e- congressional delegation and:
Commerce Resolution".
~' Voice strong opposition to the Wyden
NLC POSITIONAND POLICY (S.288) and Cox (unnumbered) bills, and the
Smith bills ( S. 245 and S. 246), or any other
· NLC opposes any federal legislation move in Congress that would adversely affect
which ,vould preempt state and local state and local authority to collect sales and
authority to collect legally due sales and use taxes or to extend the current
use tax on goods and services sold into a moratorium on Internet access, nexv,
state: discriminatory, and multiple taxes on Internet
transactions. (A sample letter and talkdng
· Supports federal legislation authorizing points are posted on NLC's web site at
state and local governments to require the wxvxv.nlc.org.)
collection of legally due sales and use
taxes on goods and services sold into the ~ Provide examples to your congressional
state; delegation of what would happen in your cit31
or town if Congress takes any action to limit
· Opposes any extension of the current the collection of sales and use taxes on
moratorium unless it is linked to Internet transactions.
Congressional authorization for states and
local authorities to require collection of ~" If there are members of your
sales and use taxes on remote sales; congressional delegation ~vho are on the
House Ways and Means, Commerce, or
· Opposes the Wyden (S.288) and Cox Judiciary Committees, or the Senate Finance,
(unnumbered) bills, and the Smith bills (S. Judiciary or Commerce Committees, please
245 and S. 246), and any other legislation make sure they hear from you regularly on
that could have the effect of permanently electronic commerce taxanon issues. (These
barring collection of sales and use taxes are the committees of jurisdiction that will
on online purchases; consider legislative proposals on electronic
commerce taxation before they are
· Supports legislation that is sensitive to the considered by the full House or Senate.)
tax collection challenges of small and star-
up businesses when they conduct sales
over the [nternet but does not define a Forfitrtherin~rmation contact.'
specific de minimis exemptions; Cameron lght~man
Director, Center fir Pok'9, and Federal Rekstzons
· Supports federal legnslation that addresses (202) 626-'3020
various approaches to tax simplification,
including the use of technology to
substantially reduce the burden of
PROPOSED E-RATE CHANGES
This is a priority within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under #1, which calls on the federal government to "Reduce poverty by
substantially improving public education, job training, and public transportation while
promoting and sustaining regional economic growth." For a complete copy of the Investing
in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web site at www. nic.org.
Background matching grants for community technology
centers and would shift jurisdiction over the
As part of his education reform centers from the Education Department to
package, President Bush is proposing the Department of Housing and Urban
some major changes to the "E-rate" Development. Under the proposal, it is
telecommunication discount program for unclear what will happen to the $2.25 billion
schools and libraries. The technology part of in E-rate funding that comes out of the
the president's education reform initiative calls universal service fund. Moving the E-rate
for combining the "E-rate" with several from the FCC to the Education Depargnent
Department of Education programs to form could amount to a several-billion-dollar-a-year
one "performance-based technology grant windfall for telecommunications companies if
program." they are not required to cut the rate
consumers are currently taxed. The package
Funding for that program would be dispersed included no specific funding proposals.
"by formula" to states via block grants.
"Burdensome paperwork requirements will be In the long run, the president's proposal could
eliminated by sending E-rate funds to schools lead to decreased funding for the program,
by a formula instead of the curcent application which currently stands at $2.25 billion a year.
process," it says. "Flexibility will be increased Shifting the administration of the program to
by allowing funds to be used for purposes the Department of Education would render
that include software purchases and E-rate funding dependent on congressional
development, wiring and technology appropriations. In its current form, under the
infrastructure, and teacher trmning in the use Federal Communications Commission's
of technology," the plan states. oversight, the program receives guaranteed
funding by the universal service contributions
The plan would provide funds to enable assessed from telecommunication earners.
schools to purchase software filters for
indecent materials, and would require states to
set performance goals and reviews to ensure
that technology funds are improving student
achievement. Bush's plan also would offer
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION > Tell youf delegation that the E-Rate
application process should be streamlined,
Current/y, several education measures are being but the funds should not be placed in
draf'ced that would implement the jeopardy.
Adrninistration's proposal on E-R~te funding.
Hearings are expected in the House of > Municipal elected of~dals should meet with
Representatives and the Senate. their key city officials, school officials, and
community groups involved with E-Rate
The Bush plan has thus far drown bipartisan funding to determine current and future
opposition from two U.S. senators who were Interact needs in their community.
among the original sponsors of the legislation
that added the E-rate provisions to the Formore in~rmation contact:
Telecommunications Act of 1996: Olympia J.
Snowe (R-Maine) and john D. Rockefeller IV Juan Otero
(D-W. Va.). Print?pal Legislaave Counsel
Center]br Po~9 ~ Federal Relations
(202) 626-3020
NLC POSITION AND POLICY
The National League of Cities
strongly supports federal efforts to
address the digital divide. NLC
opposes efforts to change the current
structures for funding the e-rate program.
~-~-Action .t
Contact your delegation and urge them to
oppose changes to the E-Rate's funding
structure.
Contact your delegation and make clear
that E-rate funding should not be phced
in general appropriations or converted
into a state block grant.
HIGH-SPEED RAIL
This is a priority within the National League of Cities~ 2001 Investing in Cona.mnnities
Action Agenda under #3~ which calls on the federal government to "provide the necessary
financing, invesmaent incentives~ and support for communities to build and maintain the
infrastmcture"and "invest in transportation infrastructure that cleans the air, land and
water." For a complete copy of the Investing in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web
site at w~vw.nlc.or~.
Background match its federal support with state and local
partnerships almost dollar for dollar in the past 3
Transportation congestion in the United years. Their long-term capital plan calls for
States continues to worsen despite the average annual fedend support of $1.5 billion,
billions of federal, state, and local dollars representing 2.5 percent of total transportation
spent armually on highway and airport spending. These funds will be used to continue to
infrastructure. The airline industry is stmg~ing expand high-speed rail corridors and improve
with overcrowding at airports, an air traffic overall safety and reliability of the national rail
control system that cannot handle the demands system.
put on it, and industry consolidation challenges.
Since 1997, more than 250,000 new flights have The 106a~ Congress considered several bills
been added with over 400,000 delays, regarding long-retch capital funding for Arntrak,
cancellations, and diversions reported during the proposing tax-credit bond financing totaling $10
same time period. Our nation's highway system is billion over 10 years. The final considetafon of
also experiencing gridlock with a 30 percent the Amtrak bill came as part of S. 3152
increase in dnver delays over the past 3 years. It is (Community Renewal and New Mazkets Act of
esumated that 68 percent of metropolitan 2000) iust prior 1o the end of 2000. Despite the
freeways are considered congested, with the fact that the high-speed rail provision of the bill
problem increasing each year. had sxgnificant bi-pardsan support, it was not
included in the final bill passed by Congress.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, cities are
looking for alternative choices for intercity travel, Congressional Status
including passenger rail. Curren~y, intercity rail
receives less than 1 percent of U.S. transportation The 107~h Congress, with strong support from
spending and the U .S. ran'ks near the bottom Senate leaders Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Tom
globally on per-capita investment in rail. Since FY Daschle (D-S.D.), have reintroduced a similar bill
1998, intercxty rail has received almost $2 billion to last year's entitled the High-Speed Rail
less th2n it has been authorized, with no guarantee Investment Act of 2001 (S. 250). The bill is
of future support. sponsored by Senators Joseph Biden (D-Del.) and
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tx.) and had 49 co-
Supporters ofintereity rail fimding believe that sponsors at its introduction. If passed, the bill
increased fedend spending on intercity rail will would:
result in nncreased local support of an expanded
nauonal rail system. Amtrak has been able to
· Provide $12 billion over 10 yeats (1;1.2 billion NLC POSITION A_NII POLICY
annually) for the issuance of Amtrak bonds
for investment in high speed tail initiatives NLC urges Congress to pass legislation to
including further northeast corridor provide funding for the expansion of
development, new high speed-tail corridor high-speed rail corridors and for the
development, and other capital improvements continued support ofintercity tail projects. NLC
on existing vail lines. supports legislation that develops partnerships
· Allow up to $100,000,000 of the annual among local, state, and federal governments to
allotment to be used for basic intercity rail promote rail as a cost-effective and efficient mode
including station rehabilitation or of transportation.
construction, track or signal improvements, or
the elimination of grade crossings. NLC supports a strong federal role in financing
· Require states to contribute 20 percent of the passenger rail.
total costs of the qualified proiects. State
matching funds could not be derived from * Passenger rail service can provide a cost-
federal funds including transfers from the effective, timesaving and energy-efficient
Highway Trust Fund, but state matching means of transporting people. It also helps
funds could include donation of right-of-way. alleviate overcrowding on highways and
States wishing to participate at a greater contributes to economic productivity.
percentage will be given preference in the · The federal govetmment should authorize and
selection process. appropriate sufficient funding to ensure
· Authorize Amtrak to issue bonds with tax viability for inter-and intra-state passenger rail.
credits (based on a market rate of interest) · NLC urges Amtrak to examine the feasibility
being provided for the bondholders. The of developing new high-speed passenger rail
bonds would be repaid with the dollars services along densely populated corridors.
invested by the states, which would be held in · Shared state-federal funding of interstate
an interest bearing trust account until bonds passenger rail service should be strongly
ate redeemed. encouraged, and federal matching subsidies
· Limit to 53 billion the amount that could be should be made available to states.
designated for any one corridor.
· Require Amtrak and the U.S. Secretary of ,,~',~"Acdon!
Treasu~ to make annual reports to Congress
regarding capital spending plans and the status }' Contact your congressional delegation and
of the bond repayment program. urge them to support the High Speed Rail
Investment Act of 2001 and support
Key Issues for Cities continued appropriations for intercity rail.
> Let your congressional delegation know your
Is the expansion of high-speed rail service a viable city's specific intercity rail needs and how the
solution to transpo~tatinn congestion problems? development of high-speed rail can alleviate
x,x~'hat are the costs to develop a national system? transportation congestion problems facing
x,X,l:at role should the federal government play in your community.
planning and financing the development? How
can state and local gnvemments work with the For further in~brmadon contact:
federal government and Amtrak to expand high-
speed rail into their communities? Melissa ~hite
Senior Legislau~ Counsel
CenterJbr Pokey ey Federal Relations
(202) 623-3020
PIPELINE SAFETY
This is a priority W/thin the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under #3, which calls on the federal governnxent to "provide the necessary
financing, investment incentives, and support for communities to build and maintain the
infrastructure best suited to their needs for the 21 century." For a complete copy of the
Investing in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web site at www.nlc.org.
Background
pipelines transport natural gas to 60 million near Cadsbad, New Mexico claimed the lives of
residenfal and commercial customers, 12 people, including 5 children.
They also transport 60 percent of the
crude oil and petroleum products that fuel our State and local gnvenmaents have the authority to
economy. In total there are over 2 million miles of inspect and regulate all intrastate pipeline systems,
pipelines involving 2,400 opentots, a number that however interstate pipelines, even though they still
has grown I0% since 1997. Although pipelines are run through many communities, can only be
the safest mode of transportafon for hazardous inspected by state officials when authorized by the
materials, safety violations still dalm an average of U.S- Department of Transportation (USDOT).
23 lives per year, as well as 113 injuries and $68 Recent/y, OPS has been widely criticized for lax
million in property damage. A recent report by the enforcement and not relying on state parnets to
General Accounting Office (GAO) notes that assist in the regulation of the pipeline industry..
major pipeline accidents have been increasing over Reports have shown that state officials turn up
the last decade. three times as many safety violations and inspect
much more often than does the OPS. With recent
In 1968 and 1979, the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety events in mind, states and localities are seeking
Act and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act increased responsibilities.
created the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), to be
responsible for regulating the design, construction, CONGRESSIONAl. STATUS
inspection, testing, operation, and maintenance of
the pipeline systems. Program changes were Last year, the 106~h Congress considered several
passed by Congress in both 1992 and 1996. bills to amend pipeline safety law and reauthorize
the OPS program. The Pipeline Safety
Two recent deadly accidents, involving both liquid Improvement Act of 2000, was passed
and gas pipelines, have increased pressure on unanimously by the Senate, but failed 1o pass the
Congress and the Administration to strengthen House after being labeled "weak" by safety and
federal pipeline safety laws. In June 1999 the environmental advocates.
community of Boilingham, Washington was
devastated when a pipdine leaked 200,000 gallons This year, several bills have been introduced to
of gasoline into a creek which ignited, killing two address this matter. Senators John McCam
ten year olds and one eighteen year old, and Adz.), Chairman of the Senate Commerce
destroying 1.5 miles oftiverbed. One year later, a Committee, Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), Chairman
second accident involving a natural gas pipeline of the Senate Budget Covmruttee, and Patty
Murray (D-Wash.) sponsored the Pipeline Safety
Improvement Act of 2001 (S. 235), which was safety? When developing safety plans, should the
identical to last year's Senare-passed bill. S. 235 OPS and pipeline operators rake into account the
was passed unanimously by the Senate on environmental and safety concerns of local
February 8, with an amendment added to mandate governments, who are located along the pipelines?
pipeline testing every 5 years, with certain Should pipeline operators be required to provide
exceptions, including if the USDOT aleten'nines municipalities with information about the quality
that there is a lack of sufficient testing capability and location of their systems?
or that testing would create an undue interruption
of needed energy supplies. The original language NLC POSITION AND POLICY
in S. 235 called for only periodic testmgof
pipelines, with the frequency of the test to be NLC urges Congress to pass legnslation to
determined by OPS. · allow for increased state and local
authority over interstate pipelines. NLC
The McCain hilt would also require pipeline supports legislation to ensure that local and state
operators to develop a plan to knprove the governments have the authority to protect their
qualifications of their persormel, and require citizens and the environment.
operators to report all oi1 spills over 5 g~lons
instead of the current standard of 42 gallons. NLC supports efforts to enhance federal safety,
Employees, providing mfocmation on possible regulations and increase state and local authority
operator violations, would be protected from to oversee pipelines. Specifically, Congress should
termination and discrimination, and advisory allow state and local officials more fle.,zibility in
committees would be created to address state and imposing safety requirements beyond the federal
local concerns and make recommendations to requirements, the authority to enhance and more
OPS. clearly define operator certification, to n'npose
increased inspection requirements, safety
Now the debate shifts to the House of standards, the ability to develop education and
Representatives, where Rep. James Oberstar (D- research prog'cams, and the authority to require
Minn.), Ranking Democrat on the House pipeline operators to report all spills except those
Transportation and Lnfraswacture Commat~ee, has that are truly minimal.
introduced the Pipeline Safety Act of 2001 (H.R.
1-~4), clairning it is tougher and more effective ~.-~" Action/
than the Senate version. The House bill ca[Is for
inspections at least every five years, with no >' Contact your congressional delegation and urge
exemptions. It also requires operators to submit them to support pipeline safety reform that gives
updated reports on the condition of their pipelines more authority to state and local govermnents to
annually, publicly disclose the location of all oversee intrastate pipelines.
pipelines, and specifies more deftned guidelines ~- Document specific instances that have resulted
for the qualification ofpipeline workers. The in harm to property, to local business, or to public
Senate bill addresses each of these issues, however safety in your community. Provide this
it leaves much of the planning in OPS' hands. information to your congressional representative
Finally, H.R. 144 adds a study on minimizing and NLC's Center for Policy and Federal
encroachment on public rights-of-way, and Relations;
increases research and OPS funding more so than >' Urge citizens to contact their representatives
the McCam bill. regarding their safety concerns;
>' Evaluate your city's emergency preparedness
Other legislation is expected to come from Rep. plan and contact pipeline operators for updated
Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), calling for even tougher information on the location of their facilities; and
standards than the current House bill. in order to >' Connect with ever~ city and town along the
pass any legislation this year, loca] governments pipeline that intersects your cogunity through
will need to loudly voice their concerns to pass your state municipal league, and work with state
stricter guidelines. parmers to develop a comprehensive safety plan.
Key Issues for Cities: For more in~rma~'on contact..
Me~sa g/hire, Sera~r Legis/a~ve Counsel
Should the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), a Center fir Po/,'~ ~' Federal ReZaiz~ns
division of the U.S- Department of (202) 626-3020
Transportation, have sole authority in deciding
when pipelines should be inspected for public
PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING
This is a priority within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under #2~ which calls on the federal government to help us ucreate safe and
secure environments by couti~,,ing support for COIIllIlnnlty policing and community-wide
crime prevention programs, indudlng gun safety laws, and support public safety programs
such as police, fire, and emergency medical srevices.' For a complete copy of the
Investing in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web site at W~VW.NLC.ORG
Background criminal laxvs, support victims of crime, and
provide more support to substance abuse
Anumber of public safety issues programs and other drug control initiatives.
surrounding the reauthorization of The bill seeks to expand the current COPS
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe program along with gun violence reduction
Streets Act have resurfaced from the 106m initiatives and reauthorize incentive grants for
Congress. Above all, federal funding for local local juvenile delinquency prevention
public safety programs remains at the programs. Another provision of S. 16 is the
forefront of this debate, namely funding for proposed funding of prisoner teentry
the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant programs for supervision, trac'king, and
(LLEBG), the Community Oriented Policing reentry training. At the time this legislative
Services (COPS) program, the Bulletproof update was printed, no similar bills had been
Vests Parmership Act, Juvenile Accountability referred to the House or Senate Judiciary
Incentive Block Grant, and other federal Committees. However, the Administration
funding mechanisms. has proposed consolidating funding to state
and local governments through the creation
The 106m Congress considered various public of a single block grant. The proposal
safety bills ranging from an actual five-year threatens the current stimcture of Tl.F~.BG
authorization of the Local Law Enforcement funding, which is the only direct source of
Block Grant (which only passed the House) federal funding to cities and toms for crime
to increased appropriations for certain justice prevention. How this proposal will evolve as
programs such as hiring more prosecutors to the 107~h Congress progresses is uncertain.
enforce existing gun control laws. At the
outset of the 107th Congress, Democratic However, throughout any legislative
leaders have introduced S. 16, the "Twenty- developments to reauthorize the crime bill,
First Century Law Enforcement, Crime the major funding concerns for cities and
Prevention, and Victim Assistance Act." The towns are expanding the Local Law
legislation would assist local law enforcement Enforcement Block Grant, determining the
and administration, strengthen fedevil future of the COPS program, and securing
direct, flexible funds for local crime predicting disasters, and responding to
prevention. NLC expects a portion of this emergehales.
year's debate over IX .~.BG funding to focus
on the differences between dries and cotmries Future of the COPSprogram. NLC supports
on disparate allocations and formula changes. community policing efforts along with direct
Current grant requirements designate the federal anti-drug and anti-violence funding to
Attorney General of each state to settle cities and towns that can be directed towards
funding differences between cities and community policing efforts, anti-crime and
counties. An increase in I-T.~'.BG funding violence activities, and rural enforcement
would alleviate this problem. Last year, NLC programs. However, please note that for this
supported a five-year authorization of the success to continue, more assistance is needed
LLEBG program at $750 million .per year for public safety technology and training; and
with no formula changes. more funding is needed to continue
employing officers after the grant periods end
The administration of a proposed block grmt to help communities absorb the long-teE
to states and local governments for crime costs of COPS-funded officers.
prevention, rather than funding vasious
programs individually, creates several .,~'~"Action!
concerns, especially with the proposed
increases in funding for juvenile justice, gun ~' Let your congressional delegation know
interdiction initiatives, and pilot funding for the importance direct funding to cities and
prisoner teentry and community safety to~vns, such as the Local Law Enforcement
programs. Additionally, proposals such as Block Grant, citing examples of how you have
those outlined in S. 16 would impose utilized LLEBG funds.
increased sentencing guidelines on some
states accepting federal funds for crime ~' Reiterate the importance of the local need
prevention. For example, this mandate for direct funding in the wake of proposals to
presents a clear preemption of state and local consolidate all federal funding for crime
authority to enact alternative sentencing prevention into a single block grant.
guidelines for juveniles. NLC opposed the
juvenile justice provisions in last year's ~' Urge your congressional delegation to
pending conference bills because of the work to hold down state "pass-through"
federal mandates that would be imposed and requirements for administrative costs and
the changes that would redirect funding away other unrelated programs to ensure that the
from cities to states. As the Republican appropriate amount of funding reaches the
leadership introduces its own proposal to local level for police training; public safety
reauthorize the crime bill, NLC will assess the technology, improvement of criminal records
impact of both proposals on local law systems, youth diversion/after-school
enforcement agencies. programs, and other crime prevention
mxuauves.
NLC POSITION AND POLICY
NLC supports direct federal crime Formore intimation contact.'
prevention funding to cities and Deborah Rigs~y
towns, and believes that federal Senior Legislative Counsel
assistance, which enables local guvemments Center fir Po& & Federal Relations
to improve public safety services, wilt always (202) 626-3020
be key in reducing crane, planning for and
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
This is a priority Within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under #3, and #5, which call on the federal government to "Create safe and
secure environments by continuing support for public safety programs such as police, fire,
and emergency medical services" and to "Support local governments' ability to fulfill their
obligations to citizens by preserving their long-established taxing powers, including use
taxes on remote sales, Without placing unreasonable collection burdens on business." For
a complete copy of the Investing in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web site at
www.nlc.org.
Background Local govenkments have been trying to reach a
solution to these problems through the courts and
In 1995, Congress passed the Interstate federal legislation. Many local govemments have
Commerce Comsmssion Termination Act brought cases ag",unst railroad companies both
(ICC-TA). This Act created the Surface before the STB and the courts. In both instances,
Transpomtion Board (STB) that regulates railroad local governments have not been successful. An
activities as they relate to mergers, However, the opportunity exists today to change this dynarmc as
STB believes that the ICC-TA, through its the STB statute will be considered in 200I for
mission to protect interstate commerce, has the reauthorization.
fight to preempt traditional local government
authority over local zoning, public safety, and the Congressional Status
environrnent.
Since the Surface Transportation t3oard (STi3)
In the last few years, railroad mergers have authorization has expired, action to reauthorize it
increased significandy. As a result, many reg4ons is expected in both houses of Congress this year.
are confrontLng increased rail traffic and
construction to upgrade the lines. For cities and In 1999, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman
towns, increased traffic means that trams walt for John McCam (R-Axiz.), former House
hours on the tracks before entering a depot. Transportation and Infrastructure Corrarnttee
Therefore, congestion is greatly increased and C, ha.uwnan Bud Shuster (R-Penn.), and Senator
public safety hazards are created. For example, in Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) introduced
cities across the nation, trams are cutting off sepazate pieces of legislation to re-authorize the
ambulances from hospitals and police and fire STB. McCain called for no changes m the Boaxd's
officers axe being obstructed in responding to function d~awing wide support from 27 Senate
emergencies as railroad companies continue to members co-sponsoring the bill. Shuster and
increase the length of trams. The federal Hutchison called for changes in the Board's
gevemment does not regulate tram lengths. handling of anti-competitive behavior.
Additionally, the idling trams create
environmental problems for local communities by Since each of these bills failed to be approved by
reducing air quality and increasing noise levels. committee, the STB has remained an issue for the
107'~ Congress. House Transportation and
Infrastructure Ranking Member James Oberstax
(D-Minn.) introduced the Surface Transportation ,~'.,~'AcHoB!
Board Reform Act of 2001 at the beginningof the
107t~ Congress. In addition to addressing anti- ~" Contact your congressional delegation,
competitive behavior, the bill would allow the representatives on the House Transportation and
Board to preempt only local and state laws that Infrastructure Cornrmttee, and Senators on the
would prohibit the implementation of merger Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
agreements approved by the Boazd. Furthermore, Comrmttee, to urge them to make STB
the Boaxd would have to consider the reauthorization a priority this year. Ask for their
environmental and safety effects a merger would support for changes to the law to protect local
have on communities, and the effect on passenger authority over environmental and safety
rail transportation. The proposed legislation regulations;
would also require the Board to ensure that
commuter rail authorities are able to provide >' Document specific violations of land use,
passenger rail service that helps meet the country's zoning permit, environmental and safety
passenger rail needs. ordinances in your city by railroads;
Key Issues for Cities > Document specific instances that have resulted
in harm to property, to local businesses, or to
Should railroads have total gunit] from public safety;
liability, accountability, or compliance with local
police powers? Should the Surface Transportation >' Connect with every city and town in your state,
Board (STB) be directed by Congress and the through your state league, to demonstrate a
Administration to balance local needs and pattern and practice of preempting or defying
responsibilities? Should the STB, an appointed local authorit3.,;
federal body, or any other level of government,
have complete authority under federal law to >' Invite your congressional delegation to visit
preempt local government authodt] over zoning your city to see first hand the specific problems
public safety, and environmental protection. and concems your city has, and urge them to
support legislation that will end the preemption of
NLC POSITION AND POLICY local government authorit] in relation to railroad
issues; and
ahu; urges Congress to pass legislation to
hal t preemption of local government >- Determine the irapact on your community
thority as it pertains to railroad from increased rail traffic. Provide this
actaviues, especially with regard to traditional information to your congressional representative
municipal authority. NLC supports legislation to and NLC's Center for Policy and Federal
ensure that local governments have the authority Relations.
to protect their citizens' public safety and
environment. For further injarmation contact:
The Administration and Congress should amend Mek~-sa White
the ICC-TA to clarify the law so that it does not Senior Legislative Counsel
preempt local government authority to protect the Centera6r Pok~7 ~ Federal Relations
public safety and environment issues facing (202) 626-3020
municipalities.
TAKINGS
This is a priority within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Comm,mities
Action Agenda under #5, which calls on the federal goverament to "support local
governments by recogni~ing their responsibilities and related revenue requirements and by
providing resources~ investrnents~ and incentives for local governrnents~ commnnlties, and
regions to meet new challenges~, and "support local government authority to make local
decisions." For a complete copy of the investing in Communities agenda~ visit the NLC
web site at www.nlc.org.
Background "forum shop", to choose between pursuing the
local, state or federal process to an absolute
In the 106e~ Congress, there were two t'akings conclusion or to circumvent such consideration
bills aimed specifically at local government and proceed to federal court. By federalizing local
authority: "The Private Property land use laws, local land use decisions would be
rmplementation Act of 1999" (H.R. 2372) and made increasingly by the non-elected federal
"The Citizens Access to Justice Act of 1999" (S. judiciary, not by local communities. Additionally,
1028), introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). this process erodes the federal court's use of the
The bills would permit land owners/developers abstention doctrine, which is the discretionary
who experience adverse aflings to bypass the local authority of federal judges to decline to decide
and state court process and proceed directly to cases that may result in a federal court's intrusion
federal court. into sensitive local controversies.
ConFessional Status Second, takings legislation overturns existing law
that requires that sum courts review local land use
NLC successfully prevented Senator Hatch from decisions before a case is "ripe" for federal court.
advancing his "takings" bill (S.1028) in the Senate Ripehess is a judicial doctrine that seeks to ensure
last year. Due to strong opposition from cities that matters before the courts axe sufficiently
and the state municipal leagues, Senator Hatch matore for resolution. In 1985, the Supreme
pulled the bill from the Senate Judiciary COurt ruled that prior to filing a takings claim in
Committee agenda. Its House counterpart, H.R. federal court, the plaintiff must satisfy two
2372, passed on March 16, 2000. Senator Hatch requirements. (Williamson County Planning
vowed to reintroduce the same takings bill this Cornmission v. Hamilton Bank of Johnson City).
year. (Note, the takings bills introduced in the One, the plaintiff must have a "final decision"
106~h Congress axe vu'tually identical to the takings from the local governing body in chaxge of
bills of the I05~h Congress.) dispensing land use decisions.
Takings & Local Land Use Control Two, the plamtiff's must demonstrate that they
have gone through the procedures established by
T'akmgs legislation direcdy attacks the primacy of the States to address consideration of land use
local officials in land use matters. Essentially, the matters. In other words, a property owner must
takings legrslation would allow landowners to first make eve~ effort to resolve land use disputes
through fie loc=l public hearing, review and NLC POSITION AND POLICY
appeals process before going into federal court.
Takings legislation designed to cizcumvent this C has specific policy which "opposes
process would undercut the soundness of the federal regulations, statutes or
Supreme Court's ripehess test. ~e~endrnents which place restrictions on
state and local government actions regulating
Third, the takings bill would impose undue private property or requizing additional
financial burdens on local governments. This compensation beyond the continually evolving
would necessitate costs for local government to judicial interpretations of the Fifth Amendment of
travel to federfl courts to litigate an issue that is the United States Constitution." (National
local in nature. This is particularly onerous for Municipal Policy $1-060)). Local elected offichls
smaller communities who will now have to appear adopt ordinances, approve building pen'nits and
in distant and more expensive federal courts grant zoning variances, not for the purpose of
before the administrative procedures at the local infringing on property rights, but rather for the
level can adequately address land use disputes. opposite reason, to protect the property rights of
all members of the community.
Finally, a talchags bill would undeunine the ability
of local elected officials to protect public health 3~'~'Actiotl!
and safety, safeguard the environment, and
support the property values of all residents of a
· Please urge your congressional delegation not
community. By granting developers a number of
to co-sponsor or support any legislation that
significant new procedural advantages in land use
litigation, the bills would provide developers and would preempt traditional municipal fights
other dawnants greater leverage to challenge local and authority regarding local land use
land use planning reguladons. Local elected decisions.
officials would be forced into the position of
either having to approve a proiect or face daunting · Point out to your congressional delegation
legal expenses. Developers would have little that the existing public hearing and appeals
incentive to resolve their disputes with the process is working.
neighbors or negotiate for a reasonable settlement
outside of the courtroom.
For further infirmaion, please contact:
Vemnique Plug'ose-Fenton
Ptfn4~al I2gidative Counsel
Center fir Poh~ ~ Federal P~lat~ns
(202) 626-3020.
PROPOSED TAX CUTS - AT A GLANCE
This is a priority within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in COrnm,,n;tieS
Action Agenda under #5, which calls on the federal government to "support local
governments by recognizing their responsibilities and related revenue requirements and by
providing resources, investments, and incentives for local governments, communities, and
regions to meet new challenges." For a complete copy of the Investing in Communities
agenda, visit the NLC web site at www. nlc.org.
Background
orrowing heavily from a tax cut plan orchestrated during the final days of the 1062 Congress
Bintroduced in Congress last January. Senators Phil Gramm (R-Texas) and Zell Miller (D-Ga.)
and campaign proposals outlined by President Bush, a long-awaited tax reform package was
introduced a bill (S. 35), which marors the tax cuts proposed by the President - the "Tax Cut With a
Purpose Act of 2001 ." The Gramm-Miller measure was introduced with the intention of "creating a
startang point for tax reform legislation."
Although, the tax cut was inifally proposed by President Bush under the notion of heading off an
economic recession and taking advantage of the largest projected surplus (currently estimated at $5.6
trillion over the next 10 years), leading economists have dismissed the notion of reversing the
economic slowdown, but favor the planned tax cuts. Subsequen~y, Federal Reserve Board
Chairman Alan Greenspan has embraced a gradual phase-in of the proposed tax cuts which would
help pay off a large portion of the national debt within the next 10 years along with several caveats.
"In today's context, where tax reduction appears required in any event over the next several years to
assist in forestalling the [govemment's] accumulation of private assets, starting that process sonner
rather than later would help smooth the tr:msition to longer-term fiscal balance," Chairman
Greenspan stated before the Senate Budget Committee. "And should current economic weakness
spread beyond what now appears likely, having a tax cut in place may, in fact, do noticeable good.'
The benefits and consequences of such a massive tax cut have yet to be fully projected as current
esfmates indicate more than the original calculations of $1.6 trillion tax cuts over the next 10 years.
At this time, the most prominent and composite piece of legislation is S. 35, which contains
measures to reduce personal income taxes through a phased-in, across-the-board cut in tax rates
where the lowest income taxpayers would only be subjected to a 10 percent tax rate (instead of the
current 15 percent rate). However, this proposal does not help lowerowage earners who are
currently categorized at the top of the 15 percent category. For instance, the Center for Budget and
Policy Priorities (CBPP) states "a single mother with two children who works full time and earns
$22,000 would receive no tax cut whatsoever under the Bush plan." Altogether, the bottom 40 percent
of the population would receive just four percent of the tax cuts; about one-ninth of what the
wealthjest one percent of the population would receive.
The following chart illustrates the effects of the proposed tax reform package.
CBO Baseline Projects -January 2001
($ in Billions)
2001 2002 2002-2011
Revenues 2135 2236 27,887
Outlays 1853 1923 22,277
Surplus 281 313 5,610
On-budget 125 142 3,122
Off-budget 156 171 2,488
Unckr this base~ne - which CBO reminds is a neutral benchmark generally based on
current law that can be used to evaluateproposed changes in law and is not apre~'ction
of what ill happen - smplases continue to grow. This. year, if no new laws are enacted,
the surplus is expected to be $281 ln~'on. Next. year, the budget year-2002, the
base~ne suC~las is $3 ~ 3 triton, and su~luses going out through 2001 would be
expected to accumulate to $5.6 tffl~on.
In addition to reducing income tax rates at a cost of $727 billion, the Gramm-Miller proposal would
~SO:
· increase the child tax credit from $500 per child to $1,000 per child over the next five years and
reduce the marriage tax penalty at an estimated cost of $250 billion over ten years;
· gradually reduce the federal estate tax, repealing it in 2009 "to help prevent the destruction of
small businesses and family farms," at a projected cost of $236 billion;
increase the annual contribution limit on education savings accounts from $500 to $5000 by the
year 2006 for education expenses, including grades K -12 and higher education at a cost of $3.5
billion over ten years;
· encourage charitable donations, allowing tax-and penalty-free with&awals from IRA accounts
for taxpayers age 59 and over who wish to make charitable donations at an estimated $80 billion;
and;
· permanently extend the research and development tax credit to "create an environment that
encourages innovation and rewards investment in technology and industry" at $24 billion.
A number of other tax proposals are being considered along with the Tax Cut With a Purpose Act
of 2001, including several stand-alone bills to repeal the estate and gift taxes and a Democratic
alternative (S.9) introduced by Senator Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) - the "~7orking Families Tax Relief
Act of 2001." Senator Daschle's proposal would cost approximately $850 billion over a 10-year
period, offering "targeted" cuts to low-and middle-income families along with safeguards for Social
Security, Medicare, and deficit reduction. The Working Families Tax Relief Act would also provide
non-refundable tax credits for low-and moderate-income workers who make retirement
contributions and for small businesses who make contributions to employees' qualified retirement
plans - similar to measures contained in last yeas's pension reform proposals.
The timeline for negotiations will most likely extend beyond the targeted date of April 15, which is
when Congress is supposed to have passed a budget resolution. In fact, the President usually lays
out his spending blue print in his budget request due the fast Monday of February. This year, the
President is introducing his tax cut proposal before providing clear guidelines on his budget request
for 2002 and the out years.
According to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lore (R-Miss.) and House Speaker Dennis Hasterr (R-
Ilk), Congress could pass the tax package before the August recess. Exactly how the tax cuts axe
passed - as sepante bills or omnibus legislation -- remains questionable. Additionally, a move to
make some of the tax cuts retroactive to the beginning of the year is also being considered to
"clearly pump some additional funds into the economy in fairly short order," according to Vice
President Dick Cheney.
Key Issues for Cities
Municipal interests in this evolving debate seem somewhat unclear at present, given the fact that
several detm'ledproposals from the 106e~ Congress have yet to resufface, such as tax cuts for
businesses linked to an increase in the minimum wage; pension reform; a repeal of taxes on Social
Security benefits; the solvency of Medicare and Medicaid; and a repeal of the three percent
telephone excise tax.
In fact, the only part of the President's plan that currently includes bond provisions is education
reform. Under the education reform package, school districts could issue tax-exempt, private
activity bonds for schooi construction and repair that would be exempt from state bond volume
caps. This new category of tax-exempt bonds is estimated to cost approximately $181 million over
the next five years.
With regard to electricity resmxcturing, many public power utilities are advocating legislation to
grandfather all existing debt and allow future tax-exempt financing for distribution and transmission
facilities, but not for power plants. (Legislation germane to this proposal had not been introduced at
the 6me of printing.)
The main concern for cities is: exactly how will such massive tax reductions affect discretionary
spending used to help finance local public services and infrastructure?
While there is much anticipation for a tax cut pack,qge on Capitol Hill, many state and local
treasuries may not benefit from such a broad tax reduction -- especially for states that use the
taxable income of their residents as a baseline for determining their annual state tax bills, according
to the National Governors' Association. In the wake of declining revenues and proposed sales tax
simplification that could impose a single sales tax rate upon all local governments within a state, the
effects of such a broad federal tax cut would certainly reach local revenues for public services and
infrastructure financing.
NLC Position and Policy
e National League of Cities supports changes in the current federal revenue system along
Tiodi~cations to the federal revenue system must acknowledge the direct and indirect
with paying down the national debt to stabilize the national economy. NLC believes that any
linkages among federal, state, and local mx systems. Changes to the federal mx structure that reduce
the ability of cities to raise revenues and capital must be accompanied by spedtic federal actions to
address any adverse impacts on local economies. Overall, NLC supports a progressive tax policy,
which gives priority to domestic programs, low- and middle-income families, and deficit reduction
NLC will continue to work with Congress in adopting a tax reform package that not only benefits
taxpayers, but mitigates any long-term effects of local defttits and declining federal assistance for
public services and infrastructure, such as public safety and emergency response capabilities, social
services, housing and community development, and water infrastructure financing.
>">'Action!
Urge your congressional delegations to:
~ Beware of the possible spending cuts and strict spending limits that could be necessitated by a
very large tax cut
>- Address the reform and restructuring of Social Security and Medicare before passing a massive
ten-year mx cut based on budget surplus projections that are not accurate out more than two to
three years.
> Address the need for investment in local infrastructure (water, transportation, schools, etc.),
economic development in distressed communifes, production of affordable housing youth
employment needs, childcare, public safety, and other investments in the future of our nation's cities
and towns.
>' Communicate their concerns to members of the two key committees that initiate tax legislation:
the Senate Finance and Budget Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.
For further in~rmation contae.
Deborah Bags~y
Senior Legislatim Counsel
Center fir Po~7 ~' Federal l~lations
(202) 626-3020
REVISITING THE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1996:
LOCAI- CONTROLS UNDER ATTACK
This is a ptiotity within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under #5, which calls on the federal government to "support local
governments' ability to fulfill their obligations to citizens by preserving their long-
established taxing powers", and %upport local government to make local decisions." For a
complete copy of the Investing in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web site at www.
nlc.org.
Background Communications Commission (FCC), and
overbeanng state and national laws that preempt
Z/Z~s the Telecommunications Act of local authority. Local officials believe that they
1996 was passed almost 5 years ago, must be fairly compensated for the
.members of Congress are agmn telecommunication industry's use of public
considering whether the intent of the Act, to rights-of-way. Utilities, such as
deregulate the telecommunications industry as telecommunications providers, that depend
a means to increasing consumer choice and upon street cuB, dispute claims that multiple
lowering prices, is actually being achieved. cuts diminish the lifespan of roads and view
Leaders in the telecommunicafons industry these fees merely as attempts to raise revenue
are m'aldng the case to Congress that for local governments' budgets.
comprehensive preemptire reform of the
legislation is needed this year. These reforms Local governments have a myriad of interests
are specifically targeted at local control and to protect, including fight-of-way
taxing authority. A broad coalition of maintenance and inspection, avoidance of
industry trade associations are making a disruption and deterioration, and zoning
concerted effort to have Congress preempt concerns related to aesthetics, consistency
the authority of local governments to set their with growth plans, and economic
own taxes and tax rates on development. At the same time, local elected
telecommunications, instead mandating officials across the nation are facing an
uniform state taxes and rates. increase in the requests for use of public
rights-of-way relating to the development of
On the issue of rights-of-way, renewed cable and telecommunications systems. As
attacks on public right-of-way compensation deregulation allows the telecommunications
and management authority have resurfaced. proriders to become competitive, and the
Local governments across the nation are being number of companies desiring to dig up
threatened with industry lawsuits, preemptire streets increases, the relationship between
regulatory measures from the Federal local governments and telecommunications
providers is becoming more tense. These NLC POSITION AND POLICY
telecommunications providers are increasingly
seeking preemptire measures from Congress, N!.C strongly opposes efforts by the
the FCC and state legislatures to limit local federal government to
controls. estrict/preempt local governments
in their local telecommunications
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION taxing/franchising authority. NLC strongly
opposes federal efforts to preempt loc~fi
Currently, several measures are being drafted zoning controls on rights-of-way
that would place/Lmitations on local management issues.
telecommunication taxing/franchising authorigr.
The telecornmunications industqr is seeking to '~"'~"Action!
place telecommunications "reform" wig a
measure to extend the Internet Tax }' Contact your delegation and urge them to
Moratorium. Of particular interest to oppose efforts to undermine or preempt
telecommunications proriders is a congressional local telecommunications
mandate that municipalities be forced to taxing/franchising authority.
expedite rights-of-way applications and > Municipal elected officials shot~d meet with
prohibit "unreasonable" requirements. These their key city officials involved with
proposals have not been fma/ized but are telecommunications taxing/franchising
expected to be introduced in the coming authorities to determine the current and
month. projected revenues from
telecommunications taxes and cable
KEY ISSUES FOR CITIES franchises.
~ Contact your delegation and make clear
What will be the relafonship between local that municipalities must retain rights-of-
govemments and telecommunications
way authority to act in the interest of their
proriders in the information age? How much citizens, especially where local zoning is
control will Iocal govemments have over the concerned.
deployment of advanced telecommunications
services in their communities? Will local For more in~rmation contact:
governments be able to protect local zoning
and taxing/franchising authority? How can Juan Otero
the federal govemment address "digital P~incipal Legislative Counsel
divide" issues in a manner that is consistent Center fir Pd~y ~ Federal P~lations
with local autonomy? (202) 626-3020
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING
This is a priority wjth;n the Nadonal League of Cides' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under #3, which calls on the federal government to ~provide the necessary
financing, investment incentives, and support for communities to build and maintain the
infrastructure best suited to their needs for the 21 century." For a complete copy of the
Investing in Communities agenda~ visit the NLC web site at www.nlc.org.
Background maintenance costs that are escalating annually
at 6 percent above inflation, the ability of
Over the past several years, it has traditional sources of revenue (local water and
become increasingly clear that the sewer fees) to sustain and maintain these
nafon's drin-king water and systems over time is in serious doubt.
wastewater ~nfrastmcture is reaching - if not
surpassing - its useful Iife. A significant part Clean andSqf ~raterjSrthe 27': Centu~, a recent
of the nation's infrastructure dates from the report compiled by the Water Infrastructure
late 19~h century. The most recent expansion Network - a coalition of state and local
of these systems took place following the two government interests groups,
world wars. Interestmgly enough, the newer environmentalists, engineers, labor unions and
the infrastructure, the more likely it is to be public and private utilities - maintains that
deteriorating. Pipes installed at the mm of the "on average Oocal] water and sewer rates
last century were largely constructed of iron; would more than double" if local utilities were
more recent iterations were cement or plastic. solely responsible for funding this gap. Rate
increases of such a magnitude would pose
Nationwide, the current local investment in significant hardships, particularly among
water infrastructure is about $60 billion poorer families. According to EPA's
annually or 90 percent of the operation and "benchmarK" households paying more than 2
maintenance, and construction costs of these percent of their income for either water or
systems. The U.S. Environmental Protection sewer fees suffer a hardship.
Agency (EPA) and the drinking water and
wastewater industry have surveyed municipal PROPOSED SOLUTION
water systems and have determined that there
is a significant gap - approaching $23 billion The Water Infrastructure Network (V/IN) has
annually for capital needs alone - between developed and agreed on the outlines of a
federal, state and local government legislative proposal intended to revitalize (in
investments in water infrastructure, and the the case ofwastewater) or enhance (for
funding necessary to repair, rehabilitate and drinking water) the federal financial
replace aging and failing systems. Coupled commitment to water infrastructure needs.
with increased and ever more costly mandates The proposal recommends a five-year $57
on these systems, and operating and billion authorization beginning in fiscal 2003
for loans, grants, loan subsidies and credit governments in meeting their clean water and
assistance for basic water infrastructure needs. drinking water mandates.
These funds would be allocated to states to
capitalize state-administered grant and loan ~'~'Action .t
programs.
>. Contact your delegation and urge them to
The WIN recommendations propose the carefully review the issues involved in the
creation of Water and Wastewater water infrastructure funding gap. Urge them
Infrastructure Financing Authorities to support legislation that will renew and
(WWIFAs) in each state to replace the two enhance the federa/financial commitment to
current State RevoMng Loan Funds (SRF) for these critical environmental priorities.
drin'king water and clean water. As with the
SRFs, States ~vould be required to provide a >. City officials should meet with their
20 percent match for any federal revenues. drinking water and wastewater professionals
to assess their individual city needs.
While half the funds would be targeted to Communicate these needs to your members
wastewater and half to drinking water needs, of Congress. Include information on rate and
States would have the flexibility to shift up to spending increases over the past several years,
an additional 15 percent from one purpose to as well as the anticipated repair, rehabilitation
the other. This flexibility would be available and replacement needs in your locality.
so long as such a transfer did not adversely
affect any project on the state's priority list >-Emphasize that a renewed federal financial
that was "ready to go." commitment to water infrastructure will
benefit all Americans - rich and poor, large
WIN recommends that Congress require the corporations and small businesses, big cities
new state funding authorities to provide 25 to and small communities, and everyone in
50 percent of each year's allocation as grants between. Point out that such investments will
that would fund up to 55 percent of project enhance public health protection and the
costs. Up to 75 percent of project costs environment and will have long-term
would be eligible for grant funding in economic benefits for the nation as a whole.
economically distressed communities. Loans It can effectively serve as a tax cut for all
and loan subsidies would include interest rate taxpayers, a reduction in the cost of doing
discounts, zero interest rate loans, principal business in the United States, and most
forgiveness and negative interest rate loans. importandy, is an investment in protecting
public health, the environment and the
economy for current and future generations.
NLC POSITION AND POLICY
lFhile NLC adopted a resolution For further infirma~on contact:
supporting a renewed federal Carol Kochrisen
financial commitment to assist P~indpal Legislatim Counsel
local governments in meeting their water and Center fir Po~y & Federal Relations
wastewater infrasa'ucture needs, we have (202) 626-3020
taken no positions on the specifics of such
legislation. Nevertheless, NLC has always
supported both grants and loans as
appropriate federal assistance to local
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
This is a priority within the National League of Cities' 2001 Investing in Communities
Action Agenda under # 4., which calls on the federal govertmaent to "Invest in youth and
provide support for families and children to promote their full and healthy development."
For a complete copy of the investing in Communities agenda, visit the NLC web site at
www.nlc.org
Background: · local Workforce Investment Boards ~nd
Youth Councils created by mayors, city
In 1999, more than 5 million youth were councils, and govemors;
out-of-school and out-of-work. Only · unions and private employers already
about one-half of the nation's youth, engaged in public/private parmerships for
lac'king a high school diploma or a GED held recruiting and training workers; and
a job. Only a third were working full-time.
· bipartisan majority in Congress that has
Only 1 in 6 were able to get a full-time job consistently supported youth employment
paying more than the poverty level ($320 a and training prograras.
week).
In Fir 2001, the Department of Labor will
Today, cities have many potential building administer three primary programs to address
blocks available to help build effective local
youth employment: the Workforce
youth employment policies: Investment Act's (IXrLA) youth training
· federal agencies with youth employment program funded at $1.103 billion for
programs include the Labor, Education, disadvantaged youth of which 30% is reserved
Housing and Urban Development, for out-of-school youth; the Job Corps
Defense, Energy, Justice, Health and funded at $1.4 billion; and Youth Opportunity
Human Services, Interior, Environmental Grants funded at $275 million. The
Protection Agency, and National Park Depatunent of Labor uses these grants to
Service; develop high-quality programs to help
· an infrastructure within community non- individual youth find better jobs, to increase
profit agencies, faith-based organizations, their educational levels, and to achieve
community-based organizations and community-wide impacts by increasing youth
community colleges that stand ready to employment rates.
address this challenge if they are given the
resources within a weil designed delivery In 1999, cities were provided with enough
system; federal assistance to employ 500,000 youth for
the summer. Now that the WIA is fully in
effect, and requires tracking of youth in
federally assisted employment programs for ~Action/
the entire year, the same amount of federal
funding reaches far fewer youth. $150 million >' Explain to your congressional delegation
in additional funding is now needed to that you depend on their continuing and
adequately address the challenges cities face in increasing support for these three critical
providing full-time employment operations Labor Department programs that support
for disadvantaged youth that seek wore cities and their ongoing efforts to provide
youth employment to those who need it most.
NLC POSITION AND POLICY: :~ Explain to your Members of Congress
that, under the WIA, cities are now faced with
The federal government should providing full-me rather than just summer-
convene educational stakeholders to only employment operations for
identify those employment skills disadvantaged youth. For this reason, in
which all high school graduates must possess 2002, there will be a need for a $150 million
in order to obtain increase in funding over this year's level of
successful employment. $1.103 billion to serve the same number of
youth that were participating in the summer
NLC opposes the enacm~ent of a federal sub- youth program.
minimum wage for youth because it would
lead to the displacement of adult workers. >- Emphasize to your Senators and
This does not diminish NLC's interest in Representslye the critical need to increase,
programs for disadvantaged youth. even fur,her, their investment in youth
employment. ConFess, through these federal
NLC supports a targeted Jobs Tax Credit as programs plus a few others, is currently giving
one incentive to private industry to provide less than 200,000 disadvantaged youth
jobs to disadvantaged youth. opportunities to turn their lives around. This
represents less than 10% of the 2.3 million
poor, or near poor youth, who are not only
out of school but also out of work.
For more in~rmation contact:
Ksnneth Adsins
Printpal Legisla~'m Counsel
Center fir Po~y 6~ Fe&ral P~lations
(202) 626-3020
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 21,2001
TO: Mayor and City Council
C1
FROM: Marlan K. Karr, City erk'~':
RE: E-mail communications
The attached article was in the latest News Digest, a monthly magazine distributed by the
International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC). I thought the information was worth
sharing.
Cc: Department Directors
1A/hat You Don't Know JUmut ne u LaserFiche
E-mail Can Hurt You U~RS Uenture mnu
Raise $2O,0OO
Editor's Notc: Adricnne Escoe is ~,resident at Escoe/Bliss Communication, a documentation firm. She
Documentation: The PracticaI Guide for World-Class Organizations, is available through ASQ
Cutting-Edge Documentation; ayzd ISO 9000: (Ahnost) Everything ~)u Wanted To Know. Contact
Dr. Escoe at (949/263-9248) or aescoe~escod~liss.c~m, or visit the Escoe/Bliss Cotnmztnication web
~ite at www.escoebliss.co~n. Over the past few years, IIMC
't's getting harder to find a successful business today that isn't using e-mail and MCEF have been dedicated
to communicate with employees, customers, suppliers, and others. partners with the LaserFiche
.Companies use e-mail systems to transmit memos, policies, purchase Corporation. IIMC and MCEF
arrangements, forms, and many other kinds of transactions and documents. recognize LaserFiche's
commitment to~vard providing
However, the same e-mail system that delivers information reliably and excellence in technology to IIMC's
hnmediately (or nearly sod also can introduce liability--ranging from mild membership and appreciate its
confusion to legal and economic disaster. How well does your firm manage its e- reciprocity toward sponsoring
mail? Or does it manage it at all? Is your e-mail a catastrophe waiting to happen? projects and events beneficial to
This article addresses when it is appropriate to use e-mail, and when it's not; e- Municipal Clerks.
mail access and privacy; and managing and retaining records of e-mail messages. As LaserFiche embarks on a
The article also offers guidelines for e-mail etiquette. new endeavor ~ the Value Added
Resellers Program (VARs) -- IIMC
~ U~E E-~AIL APPROPRIATELY believes this new initiative will
A company provides e-mail services to heIp its employees conduct business. provide many benefits for its
Therefore, its e-mail policy should emphasize business uses, for example, members and is asking for their
purchasing arrangements, meeting notices and minutes, memos, general business
support. Here's how it works:
announceznents and bulletins, procedures, forms, ~vork schedules, and similar
For every LaserFiche product
types of messages and documents. The company may set the same limitations on sold to an IIMC member
personal use of e-mail that exist for telephone, fax, and carrier-delivered mail .
Many companies specify limits for using e mail for personal communications, such municipality, LaserFiche is
as work-related social events, for example, employment anniversaries and holiday encouraging its VARs (salespeople)
parties. Whatever the policy, it should be cnmmunicated clearly and applied and to make a monetary donation to
enforced consistently. IIMC/MCEE VARs may contribute
up to $500 from every sale. The
What kind of e-mail has no place on a company's e-mail system? For one, any funds, which LaserFiche anticipates
highly personal messages, such as gossip or love letters[ Another bad idea is using to raise in excess of $20,000, will be
c-mail for communications about employee performance or discipline. These distributed to MCEF.
hlgh]y sensitive issues should be discussed in person, for both professional and
legal reasons. And a third e-mail no-no is any kind of negative rexuark about a IIMC and MCEF have
product or serviceeither the company's own or a competitor's. Each of these enthusiastically embraced this
exampies could lead to embarrassing or expensive legal or regulatory activity. A initiative and look forward to
~ood rule of thumb is to ask yourself how you would feel if the message were helping their members reap the
announced on the six o'clock news. If you'd rather not see or hear it broadcast, then benefits from this exciting, viable
and fruitful venture.
leave it off your e-mail. Con+inued on page 3
I I M O N E w s D I G E S T
E MAIL Continued from page 1
~} NOT-SO-PRIVATE MESSAGES believe), telecommunications failures, and human error,
E-mail users often are surprised to learn that their mes- sabotage, or vandalism.
sages are far from private. Network administrators usually Smart companies realize the importance of having an up-
have access to the messages, and immediate supervisors to-date records retention program that addresses e-mail
often do. Even using the delete key, contrary to what many issues, a current records retention schedule, and procedures
people think, may not destroy an e-mall message. In fact, it is that ensure compliance. Systematically destroying e-marl
usually easy to retrieve a so-called deleted message from the records is not the same as selectively destroying records that
e-mail "trash bin," and utility software often can find and might be subject to subpoena. A documented program for
reconstruct messages generally thought gone forever. destroying e-mail records has saved more than one company
Do employers look at their employees' e-mall messages? from legal or financial ruin.
Do they have the right? Many think so. If computers are O E-MAIL ETIQUETTE
designated for company-related purposes and employees are
told that anything on t~he computer system is subject to Because it is so easy to generate and transmit an e-mail
examination, then it is okay for bosses to read their message so quickly, many of us have a sorrowful story of
employees' e-mail. pressing the "send" button before it should have been
pressed (or pressing it when it never should have been
From a legal perspective, e-mail can be viewed by plaint- pressed !). So before you send your next e-mail message,
iff's lawyers as a great source of "smoking gun evidence." consider the following guidelines.
People often send hasty, explicit messages expecting they are
temporary. An e-mail message can last for months or years, Proofread. Spelling and grammar errors are distracting and
saved on the recipient's computer or the company's back-up may convey an unwanted image.
media, or on a hard drive even after being "deleted." Keep in Be concise. Busy people are more likely to read brief messages,
mind that e-mail messages, like other company documents, and on a screen short paragraphs are easier to comprehend.
may be subject to discovery proceedings in legal actions, Limit distribution. Send copies only to those who need to
which can result in sizable judgments against the company. have the message delivered to them individually. Consider
using a bulletin board, the Internet or an Intranet, or other
{} MANAGING E-MAIL electronic communication vehicle to reduce the number of
One of the biggest frustrations of using e-mail is being copies distributed. Each copy means someone has to read,
unable to easily find a message or attached document think about, and disposition the message.
again. Companies that store word-processed documents in Consider system differences. Some e-mail systems break up
a largely disorganized way are even more likely to do so lines exceeding 72 characters and many don't handle
with e-mail. emphasis, such as bold, italics, and underline. Graphics also
Managing e-mail effectively involves selecting a system are often a problem for many systems. Learn the system
that can meet users' needs for immediacy, formality, capabilities of your recipients and write messages accordingly.
accountability, access, security, and permanency (when Identify yourself. In your messages, include your name and
desired). This means that users should consider how the affiliation and any other information that may help the
system can organize messages and attachments. Further, recipient deal with your message. Be sure to include your e-
users should look at the system's editing and display mail address because some systems do not automatically
capabilities; for example, they should ask if the software has display them. To save time, if your system permits, use an
a spell checker and if it automatically identifies tee author, automatic signature that includes identifying information.
recipient, date, or other desired information.
Be careful with humor and sarcasm. Label or otherwise
Other considerations for managing e-mall include the identify messages meant to communicate humor. E-mail
need for notifying receipt of a message, for any legal or messages have no voice cues to help recipients interpret
contractual conditions that require original signatures, messages as intended. Use keyboard punctuation to show
compliance with security standards, such as password humor or other emotions (such as smiley faces). But avoid
protection, or other measures to authenticate a message. (Of sarcasm, because it is easily misinterpreted.
course, technology is speeding along with many products Don't send e-mail in anger. Angry messages can be taken
that capture signatures electronically.) Additionally, consider
whether the company needs to limit the distribution of out of context and become destructive. Communicate anger
confidential messages or draft documents. personally or even better, sleep on it and decide in the
Preparing for an emergency or maintaining business morning if you still want to convey anger.
Don't use all capital letters. Messages sent completely in
continuity in the event of a disaster, such as flood,
earthquake, tornado, or hurricane should include provisions caps come across as angry, rude, or sharp.
for your e-mail system. Provisions should also be made for Be careful what you put in print. Think twice about
other threats to the security of the system, such as computer transmitting personal information~ or~abusive, harassing, or
hardware and software failure, media deterioration (for bigoted messages. Any of th~ kinds of messages may be
3
I 02-22-01~
IP4
Iowa City Transit
To-' Steve Atkins, City Managelp,[' ~/,
From-'Ron Logsden, Transit Manager
CC-' Joe Fowler, Director, Parking and Transit
Date; 02/16/01
Re= Downtown Shuttle
I reviewed our current Downtown Shuttle route per the request you received from a
City Council Member to determine if there was a way to expand the current route. I
reviewed our current route and the surrounding areas and came to the same
conclusion that Joe Fowler, Director of Parking and Transit and I came to when we
set the route up. The current route is the best possible route without adding an
additional bus.
In order to make a route of this nature successful, it is imperative that the service is
frequent and the route is short. The current route can not be expanded without
lengthening the schedule from it's current fifteen minute headways. If you decrease
the frequency of service then it will be less convenient for people to use the service
and they are more likely to drive downtown.
If there is a desire to serve other areas with the Downtown Shuttle, I believe the best
option would be to add another bus into the mix. We are currently serving the high
density residential areas that we set out to serve. Under the current schedule, we
are picking students up in time to get them to class and we are downtown outbound
ten minutes after they get out of class. If we were to extend the shuttle route, we
would risk compromising the convenience of our current schedule.
· Page 1
City of Iowa City
M MORANDUM
Date: February 21, 2001
To: Steve Atkins ~ / ~
From: Rick Fosse
Re: 2001 Asphalt Resurfacing Project
Listed below are the streets included in the 2001 Asphalt Resurfacing Project.
Asphalt Overlay Streets
Coua St. Washington Park Place Rd. thru Peterson St.
Bowery St. Gilbert St. east to Summit St.
Summit St. Burlington St. south to the railroad bridge
Whiting Ave. Ct. Whiting Ave. north to Caroline Ave.
Whiting Ave. Whiting Ave. Ct. west to Kimball Rd.
Kimball Rd. Whiting Ave. south to Governor St.
Clapp St. Jefferson St. noah to Rochester Ave.
Benton St. Dubuque St. west to railroad tracks
Dubuque St. Kirkwood Ave. noah to Benton St.
Kirkwood Ave. Gilbert St. west to Dubuque St.
Lower Muscatine Rd. Franklin St. to Sycamore St.
North Summit St. Dodge St. south to Dewey St.
Riverside Drive River St. noah to 100' south of Grove
Seal Coat Streets
Richards St. East end
Conklin Ln. Entire length
Noah Dodge St. Ct. Entire length
Lower W. Branch Rd. East of Scott Blvd. to Pacha's Place
Slothower Rd. Entire length
Land fill Rd. Entire length
Napolean Ln. Entire length
Taft Ave. Lower W. Branch south to American Legion Rd.
South Plant Access Rd. Entire length
Soccer Access Rd. Entire length
South Sycamore St. South of Burns Ave to Sand Road
Dodge Street Captain Irish Parkway south to Burlington St.
Asphalt Repair/Patching Streets
Dodge Street (Hwy 1) Captain Irish Parkway south to Burlington St.
The estimated cost of the project is $927,030. Of which approximately $50,000 will be
funded by the Iowa Department of Transportation for the work on Dodge Street (Hwy 1 ).
I02-22-0t
Iowa City Police Department IP6
Monthly Bar Check Report
January 2001
YEAR 2001 MonthIV Total Year to Date Totals Arrest/Visit
Business Name A B A B YTD
1 ST AV CLUB 1 ~,~,~ 0 1 ~ii!~i~ii!i~l0 0.00
AIRLINER 9 ~ 6 9 6 0.67
ALLEY CAT 4 ~ 0 4 0 0.00
ATLAS GRILL 0 ~ 0 0 ii!iiiiiiii!iiiiii0 0.00
BREWERY 0 '~"~ 0 0 i=:i~:::~;:~0 0.00
BO JAMES 6 ii~,~ 18 6 i;i;i;:ii;i;:~i;18 3.00
BROTHERS 7 "'~ 3 7 ......... 3 0.43
CARLOS O'KELLYS 0 0 0 ~ 0 0.00
COLLEGE ST BILLlARD 4 0 4 0 0.00
COLONIAL LANES 1 0 1 ~!~,:!!0 0.00
DAVES FOXHEAD 0 0 0 i?i?ii?i~i~0 0.00
DEADWOOD 2 0 2 ~=~ 0 0.00
DIAMOND DAVES 0 0 0 ~ 0 0.00
DUBLIN UNDERGROUND 2 i~ 0 2 e 0 0.00
EAGLES LODGE 0 ~ 0 0 0 0.00
ELK'S CLUB 0 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii0 0 0 0.00
FIELDHOUSE 6 i';~,'¢16 6 ii!iiii!iiiiiiii16 0.00
FITZPATRICKS 0 ~ 0 0 ~i 0 0.00
GA MALONES 4 8 4 8 2.00
GABES 6 5 6 5 0.83
GEORGES 0 ~2:~<i~,~,;/0 0 i'-~"~i~0 0.00
GIOVANNIS 0 ~ 0 0 0 0.00
GREEN ROOM 0 0 0 0 0.00
GRINGOS 0 ~! 0 0 0 0.00
GRIZZLEYS 0 ~2 0 0 i~1'**;:0 0.00
GROUND ROUND 0 .... !:i::;;:;~0 0 ~ 0 0.00
o o.oo
HAPPY JOES 0 0 0
HILLTOP TAP 0 0 0 ~'~%~ 0 0.00
JIMMY'S BRICK OVEN 0 ~ 0 0 iiii~i[~i'~0 0.00
JOES PLACE 2 ~ 0 2 i,,,i,,,/,,ii,i/0 0.00
KITTY HAWK 0 ~ 0 0 0 0.00
LOFT 0 e 0 0 ?,:~j~ 0 0.00
MABELS 0 0 0 ~ 0 0.00
Column A is the number of times a bar is visited specifically checking for underage drinkers.
Column B is the number of people charged with possession under the legal age in each bar. Note this is not the
total number of charges in each bar.
Iowa City Police Department
Monthly Bar Check Report
January 2001
YEAR 2001 Monthly Total Year to Date Totals Arrest/Visit
Business Name A B A B YTD
MARTINIS 4 3 4 3 ~ 0.75
MEMORIES 0 iii? 0 0 0 0.00
MICKEYS 2 i~ 0 2 0 0.50
MIKES 0 0 0 0 , 0.00
MILL 1 0 1 0 ~ 0.00
MOOSE LODGE 0 ,~,~!~\~\~0 0 0 0.00
MORGAN'S 4 1 4 1 0.25
MUMMS 0 0 0 0 0.00
ONE EYED JAKES 5 10 5 ....../~i~i 10 2.00
OUTER LIMITS 0 ~:,iiiii0 0 ~ 0 0.00
PLAMOR 0 ~ 0 0 0 0.00
PRESS BOX 1 0 1 ~ 0 0.00
QUE 4 !~il,I,6 4 6 1.50
QUINTINS BAR &DELl 0 0 0 0 0.00
RT GRUNTS 1 ~i 0 1 0 0.00
SAMS 0 0 0 0 0.00
SANCTUARY 0 0 0 0 0.00
SERENDIPITY LAUNDRY 0 0 0 0 0.00
SHAKESPEARES 0 ' 0 0 0 0.00
SPORTS COLUMN 5 15 5 15 3.00
T U C KS 0 0 0 ~/,~ 0 0.00
UNION 7 19 7 .......... 19 2.71
VFW 0 0 0 0 0.00
VINE 0 0 0 ~!i~ 0 0.00
ViTOS 1 ~ 1 1 1 1.00
WIG AND PEN 0 ~.::~ 0 0 0 0.00
TOTAL 89 111 89 111 1.25
Column A is the number of times a bar is visited specifically checking for underage drinkers.
Column B is the number of people charged with possession under the legal age in each bar. Note this is not the
total number of charges in each bar.
Title: POLICE RACIAL PROFILING PRESENTATION TO BE HELD MARCH 7
Release Date: 2/21/01
Release Time:
Originating Dept.: City Marroger
Contact Person: Stephen J. Atkins
Contact Number: 356-5010
The Iowa City Police Department will host a presentation to
the community on the initiatives undertaken by the Department
in addressing the issues associated with racial profiling.
The presentation will be made by Police Chief R.J. Winkelhake
a~d Sgt. Sid Jackson. While attending the Southern Police
Institute's School of Police Administration at the University
of Louisville, $gt. Jackson prepared a report/study
concerning the issue of racial profiling. Racial profiling
concerns have begun to receive both state-wide and national
attention. The Iowa Ci[y Police have taken a state-wide
leadership role in addressing these issues. The work effort
of the department will be presented. The City Council has
expressed their support by way of a recently-adopted non-
discrimination policy directed at racial profiling.
The presentation will begin at 7:00 p.m. on March 7, 2001, in
the Iowa City City Council Chambers, 410 E. Washington
Street, Iowa City. The program will run approximately one
hour.
I 02-22-01 E
IP8
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
February 19, 2001 ~:~ --'
Thomas L. Aller
President
Alliant Energy Investments, Inc.
200 First Street SE
P.O. Box 351
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-0351
Dear Tom:
I'm writing on behalf of The University of Iowa to request consideration of adding signage on
Interstate 80 adjacent to exit 244 to call attention to museums at The University of lowa. We
believe these museums may be of great interest to those traveling along this route. Specifically,
we would like to call attention to the University of lowa Museum of Art, the Old Capitol
Museum, and the Museum of Natural History. If it is possible to consider adding such signage,
but the amount of detail would exceed that normally used, perhaps a sign indicating "University
of Iowa Museums" would be possible.
Please let me know what next steps would be appropriate to pursue this request. Thanks in
advance for any help that you can give us.
Best regards,
David J. Skorton
Vice President for Research
Interim Vice President for University Relations
cc: President Mary Sue Coleman
Vice President Doug True
k~l~ruie Lehman, Mayor, Iowa City
Steve Atkins, City Manager, Iowa City
Jim Fausett, Mayor, Coralville
Kelly Hayworth, City Administrator, Coralville
/irk
Office of University Relations 101 Jessup Hall Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316 319/335-0293
Distributed by Council Member Vanderhoef
REGIONAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD (RWIB) MEETING
JANUARY 25, 2001
RWIB Board Members Present: Lu Barron, Kenneth Cable, Robert French,
Beryl O'Connor, Doug Peters, Dee Vanderhoef, Cathleen Real, Suzette
Wheeler, Gerald VanDkyke, Thomas Henry, Linda Kowalsky.
RWIB Board Members Absent: Valerie DeRycke, Sandy Koppen, Robert
Marsh.
RWIB Ex-Officio Board Members Present: Joe Drahozal, A1 Flieder, Steve
Rackis, Marilyn Mclnroy.
RWIB Ex-Officio Board Members Absent: Elizabeth Selk, Douglas Elliott,
Dee Baird, Steve Lacina.
Guests: Larry Harmon, Connie Aidridge, Allan Haynes, Bob Ballantyne,
Lora Morgan Dunhman, Paula Cox.
Staff: Mary LPoinas was ill and unable to attend.
Presiding Chairperson Dee Vanderhoef called the meeting to order at 10:05
aom.
Ms. Vanderhoef asked for those present to introduce themselves since we
have new RWIB Board Members and Guests today.
Ms. Vanderhoefasked for Approval of the Agenda for today's meeting.
M/S/C Robert French, Cathleen Real that the Agenda is approved.
Ms. Vanderhoef asked for Approval of the Minutes from the 11-30-00
meeting. M/S/C Lu Barron, Beryl O'Connor that the Minutes are approved.
Steve Rackis discussed the Review Draft Action Plan which was included in
the packets that were mailed out. Sister Cathleen said she now understands
how it applies to our service arena.
Bob Ballantyne explained it was our region's intent to expand and enhance
usage of Common Intake and the Case Management computer system. He
further stated that the partners eventually will communicate electronically to
look at data on mutual clients, add comments to their file, send
communication to the data file on an individual, i.e., sign up a person for a
job search class. Region 10 will be a hub and satellite process electronically
connected rather than all parmers being located in one building. Bob
indicated that the Youth Program uses ICN to access and provide
information on counseling and career exploration. This system is also being
developed by the state but not all components are completed at this time.
Kirkwood Community College and Iowa Workforce Development are both
on the IWD network. Once the firewall system issue is resolved along with
some other issues it is the intent that all partners will be electronically
cormected. Until that time groups not on line can be informed via disks, or
hard copies.
Ms. Vanderhoef asked what RWIB could do to help complete connectivity
of all parmers. Kirkwood Community College and Iowa Workforce
Development have the same firewall. Steve Rackis indicated he will contact
the two systems people to talk about how to merge their rules. The date to
get firewall connection was February 2001. Steve mentioned he would
report back at the next RWIB meeting on what progress has been made.
Mr. Rackis indicated that Mark Edwards, who had been manager at IWD in
Iowa City, had resigned. An advertisement will appear in The Gazette on
Sunday, 01-28-01 advertising the opening.
Ms. Vanderhoefmentioned that the Youth Advisory Council met January
24, 2001. Bob Ballantyne gave a presentation to the group to explain the
differences between "Big WIA" and "Little WIA".
IWD has secured a new webmaster. Mr. Rackis said that he and some other
staff had met with him two weeks ago. The webmaster gave them a
ternplate and he indicated we could use it as we wished. Mona Mossbarger,
IWD Workforce Advisor and Peer Support Person, will be attending
FrontPage classes at Kirkwood beginning February 6, 2001. Mr. Ballantyne
indicated he also has two staff persons working on the web page. It is the
intent to have some information on the Regional Web Page sometime in
February.
Cathleen Real suggested that each leader within the Action Plan give an
update at the end of the year telling progress that has been made.
2
Steve Rackis introduced Lora Morgan Dunham, Goodwill Industries, and
Paula Cox, Benefits Counselor, IWD, on contract under the Social Security
Administration grant.
Paula Cox talked about the handout included in the packets that were mailed
entitled "DRAFT, Iowa Workforce Development's Disability Resource
Focus Group". Paula indicated there is a concern on how to make the voices
of persons with disabilities heard. Many of them work during the day and
cannot get time off to attend meetings such as our RWIB Board meeting.
Ms. Cox said that when she was talking with some persons with disabilities
that their wishes were to meet among themselves and then perhaps send one
individual as a representative to an RWIB Board meeting to make a
presentation.
Lora Morgan Dunham said that some people have told her that Iowa
Workforce Development could do a better job of marketing their services.
Ms. Cox said that due to transportation barriers it is easier to go to the
persons with disabilities, ask what problems or concerns they have, develop
an answer and then go back to them with that answer.
Steve Rackis mentioned that he had attended the MHDD Board Meeting in
January (Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Board) and it was
decided that Steve should meet with Craig Wood, Central Point of
Coordination, MHDD, to discuss further the National Employment
Employment Opportunities Fund grant. Many providers for persons with
disabilities are already established. The strategy is to continue to have all
groups work together.
There is a Transition Advisory Committee that has been in operation for
about ten years. They work with individuals with disabilities Kindergarten
through grades 12 to help prepare these students for work, further education,
or whatever they need for after graduation from high school.
Steve Rackis talked with the management staff at Options of Lirm County
and they are working on plans to partner together with IWD to better serve
persons with disabilities. The New Employment Opportunities Fund grant
of $150,000 should help pull everything together. Steve also mentioned that
he is in the process of meeting with all the partners to discuss the
3
Memorandum of Understanding and how everyone working together can
better facilitate delivery of services to persons with disabilities.
Bob French said from what he is hearing at today's meeting there is a need
for staff to develop their skills to work with persons with disabilities and that
Iowa Workforce Development should do marketing of their services or if
necessary provide budgeting to allow this marketing to occur.
Dee Vanderhoefthanked Paula Cox and Lora Morgan Dunham for their
presentations.
The RWIB meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
The Chief Elected Officials Board convened their meeting at 11:15 a.m. in
joint session with the RWIB Board.
CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT: Lu Bancon, Lee Clancey,
Lumir Dostal, Victor Klopfenstein, Bob Stout, Leo Cook, James Houser, Ed
Sass, Mike Lehman, John Tibben, Dee Vanderhoef, Dale Todd.
CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIALS ABSENT: Henry Herwig, John Bell.
Chairperson Dostal called the meeting to order at 11:15 a.m.
Chairperson Dostal asked each individual to introduce themselves.
Chairperson Dostal asked for Approval oftoday's Agenda. M/S/C Ed Sass,
Dale Todd that the Agenda is approved.
Chairperson Dostal asked for Approval of the CEO Minutes for the
December 19, 2000, meeting. M/S/C Dee Vanderhoef, James Houser that
the Minutes stand approved.
Steve Rackis was asked to explain the New Employment Opportunities Fund
Grant. The purpose of the grant is to help four groups; Persons with
Disabilities; Welfare Recipients; Minority Youth; and Ex-Felons. Region
10 was asked to pilot a program for persons with disabilities.
Paula Cox and Steve Rackis met with Chamber of Commerce Presidents,
Ron Corbett, Cedar Rapids; and John Beckford, Iowa City, to solicit their
4
input regarding ideas for utilizing the New Employment Opportunities Fund
grant. Mr. Corbett thought that targeting an employer who already is
successfully using persons with disabilities might be a good approach. Mr.
Beckford suggested finding a business that has a labor shortage and promote
the use of Work Keys to profile their jobs and then determine which jobs
could be filled with an individual who has a disability.
Steve Rackis said that when he talked with Craig Wood from MHDD that
Craig had suggested we contact job developers and job coaches from current
service providers to see what suggestions they might have for use of the
grant money. There is a limit of $5,000 per individual.
Both the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Chamber of Commerce's indicated
they would be happy to put information in their publications, web sites, etc.,
to promote the marketing and hiring of persons with disabilities.
The Govemors office will be looking at how successful we have been, i.e.,
did we help businesses with labor shortages, did we help persons with
disabilities obtain employment. It was suggested that successes and failures
be documented to provide data for the future.
Bob French suggested that the RWIB and CEO Boards be kept informed and
updated as to the successes that have occurred in helping persons with
disabilities to obtain employment, and how businesses have been helped
also.
The Department of Corrections received a grant to help targeted youth
groups, such as those youth at risk, potential gang members, youth that do
have a record (basically those youth that would have barriers to
employment). Linda Fairchild is in charge of this project.
Mr. Dostal indicated that the Youth Council had held a meeting the previous
day and he felt the meeting went very well.
Chairperson Dostal announced that the next meeting of the Chief Elected
Officials would be April 26, 2001, at 11:15 a.m. at Iowa Workforce
Development.
Steve Rackis said that he had received a phone call from Mary Ubinas after
the December 19th meeting of the Chief Elected Officials. Mary was
concemed because the gender of the RWIB Board was not balanced. There
are currently eight females and six males. Lumir Dostal, Dee Vanderhoef,
Bob Ballantyne, Larry Harmon, and Steve Rackis met to discuss this issue.
They talked about the gender imbalance and felt that attrition would correct
the problem.
Lumir Dostal made a motion that the nominations to the RWIB Board be
accepted as decided at the CEO Board meeting of December 19, 2000. Dee
Vanderhoefseconded the motion. Motion eartied.
Steve Rackis mentioned that he and Bob Ballantyne had been discussing
upgrading the computers at their offices. The current PCs were purchased in
1997 and are operating on Windows 1995. The State is moving to Windows
2000 and very few of our current computers are capable of being upgraded.
The existing PCs would be retained for use in the Resource Center by
customers. Mayor Clancey and Supervisor Houser suggested contacting the
purchasing agents for the city and county. For the City of Cedar Rapids it
would be Judy Lehman and for Linn County it would be Britt Hutchins.
They felt these individuals would be good resources as far as prices. Steve
indicated that the State has a contract with Computerland and he would have
to do some checking on whether we could use other vendors.
Chairperson Dostal thanked the CEO Board members for attending today's
meeting.
Presiding Chairperson Vanderhoefannounced that the next RWIB Board
meeting would be February 22, 2001, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Iowa
Workforce Development, 800 7th Street S.E., Cedar Rapids.
Meeting adjourned at 12:25 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Judy Landt.
Lumir Dostal Dee Vanderhoef
Chairperson Presiding Chairperson
Distributed by Council Member Vanderhoef
MINUTES ~ 02-22-01 ~
East Central Iowa Council of Governments
Board Meeting 1:00 p.m. IPl 0
January 25, 2001 - ECICOG office
108 Th'trd Street SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
MEMBERS PRESENT
Mike Lehman-Johnson County Supervisor
Lu Barron-Linn County Supervisor
Rod Straub-Iowa County Supervisor
Gary Edwards-lowa County Citizen
Charlie Montross-Iowa County Supervisor
James Houser-Linn County Supervisor
Ann Hearn-Linn County Citizen
Leo Cook-Jones County Supervisor
Ed Raber- Washington County Citizen
Dennis Hansen-Jones County Citizen
Dee Vanderhoef-Iowa City City Council
Henry Herwig-Coralville City Council
Ed Brown-Mayor of Washington
Bob Stout-Washington County Supervisor
Marc Greenlee-Benton County Citizen
MEMBERS ABSENT
Don Magdefrau-Benton County Citizen
David Cavey-Mayor of Olin
Tom Tjelmeland-Mayor of Ely
Carol Casey-Johnson County Citizen
Dale Todd-Cedar Rapids Commissioner
David Vermedahl-Benton County Supervisor
ALTERNATES PRESENT - None
OTItER'S PRESENT - None
STAFF PRESENT
Doug Elliott-Executive Director
Gina Peters-Administrative Assistant
Jennifer Ryan-Planner
Tracey Mulcahey-Grants Administrator
Lisa Garlich - Planner
Chris Kivett-Berry-Housing Planner
Jim Nehring-Joint-Purchasing Coordinator
Marie DeFries-Solid Waste Planning Coordinator
1.0 CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Dee Vanderhoef at 1: 10 p .m.
.1 Recognition of Alternates - None
Vanderhoef introduced Greenlee as one of the new board members from Benton County.
.2 Public Discussion - None
.3 Approval of Agenda
M/S/C (Brown/Hen-wig) to approve the agenda. All ayes.
2.0 ROUTINE MATTERS
.1 Approval of Minutes (November 30, 2000)
M/S/C (Cook/Lehman) to approve the minutes as written. All ayes.
M/S/C (Barron/Brown) to approve the executive committee minutes from the December meeting. All
ayes.
.2 Preceding Month's Budget Reports/Balance Sheets
Elliott gave an overview of the December financial statements. Departmental statements for the quarter
were included in the board packet.
M/S/C (Heam/Hansen) to receive and file the December financial statements for audit. All ayes.
3.0 AGENCY REPORTS
.1 Chairperson's Report
Brown, chair of the nora'mating committee announced the slate of officers: Vanderhoef-Chairperson,
BrownsVice-Chairperson, and Barron-SecretaryfFreasurer.
M/S/C (Cook/Stout) to accept the slate of officers for 2001. All ayes.
.2 Board Members' Reports
Hearn announced that information was included in the board packet regarding an upcoming conference
and invited everyone to attend.
.3 Director's Report
Elliott referred to the depository resolution included in the board packet and asked that it be approved.
M/C/S (Hansen/Houser) to approve the depository resolution. All ayes.
Elliott revealed a banner with the new graphic identity for the agency.
Elliott regretfully announced that Kivett-Beny has submitted her resignation of employment.
.4 Joint-Purchasing Report
Information was included in the board packet.
.5 Community Development Report
Information was included in the board packet.
.6 Housing Report
Ten housing fund applications were submitted to 1DED for approval in January. The awards are
anticipated to be announced on March 19.
.7 Solid Waste Report
DeVries told the board that there are several proposals in front of the legislature right now that cause
some concern. One is SF 65 and concerns the Groundwater Protection Fund (handout attached).
Discussion followed.
M/S/C (Brown/Houser) for staff to prepare and the chair to sign a resolution stating that the ECICOG
Board of Directors supports energy assistance to low income Iowans but that the funding should not
come from the Groundwater Protection Fund. All ayes.
DeVries handed out two articles regarding the bottle bill (handout attached). Discussion followed on the
bottle bill.
DeVries told the board that the legislature is also discussing the transfer station issue.
Ryan told the board that Representative Foege is sponsoring a piece of legislation to make the Safe
Chemical Management for Schools Project a statewide project.
Board members were encouraged to contact their local legislators regarding all of the above issues.
.8 Transportation Report
Information included in the board packet.
4.0 COMMiTrEE REPORTS
2
.1 Executive Committee
The minutes of the December meeting were included in the board packet.
.2 Personnel Committee
Barton gave an overview of the proposed 2001-2002 (FY2002) salary plan that was included in the board
packet.
.3 Budget Committee
Herwig gave an overview of the proposed 2001-2002 (FY2002) budget that was included in the board
packet.
M/S/C (Herwig/Montross) to adopt the FY2002 salary plan and budget as presented. All ayes.
.4 Transit Operator's Group:-None
.5 Solid Waste Technical Advisory Committee
DeVries told the board that the IDNR comprehensive planning staff is to be at the February 8 TAC
meeting to talk about the comp plan and transfer stations.
The TAC will soon bring a recommendation to the ECICOG board regarding transfer stations in the
regional comprehensive plan.
.6 Ad Hoc Committee Reports
Elljolt told the board that the Transit Sub-Committee went on a tour of the providers in the region before
their last meeting. Elliott noted that Mary Rump, Robyn Jacobson, and IDOT staff will meet at
Washington County MiniBus tomoxrow and the sub-committee will meet prior to the February board
meeting. A report will be presented at the February board meeting.
5.0 IOWA INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW SYSTEM - None
6.0 OLD BUSINESS
.1 Approval of Expenditures
MJS/C (Stout/Cook) to approve payment of expenditures. All ayes.
7.0 NEW BUSINESS
Straub handed around an Iowa Trails 2001 map. Straub started discussion on the transportation of
prisoners by the regional transit system. Vanderhoef encoaragcd Straub to take the issue to sheriffs in
the region. She noted ECICOG would entertain a proposal if presented to the board.
8.0 NEXT MEETING: February 22, 2001
M_JS/C (Brown/Hanson) to adjourn the meeting at 2:22 p.m. All ayes.
Lu Barron, Secretary/Treasurer
February 22, 2001
Date
3
· RECYCLING
Demonstrate support for
Bottle Bill expansion by
passing city resolutions
For more than 22 years, Iowaus have recycled cans and
bottles under the current Beverage Container Deposit
Law, more commonly known as the Bottle Bill.
Advocates of updating and expanding this law are
gaining momentum for the upcoming legislative session. Not
only does this effort include groups like the Beautiful Land
Coalition, a diverse group of environmental and community
organizations collecting over 44,000 signatures of Iowaus
supporting an update, cities are also showing their support.
Recently the city councils of Wyoming, Iowa City, Olin and
Ames unanimously passed resolutions in favor of expanding
Iowa's Beverage Container Deposit Law. In the resolutions
the cities addressed the many benefits of the current bottle
bill and support for expanding it to include:
· Creation of the Robert D. Ray Beautiful Land Fund.
· Expansion of the Container Redemption Law to
include bottles and cans used for tea, water, fruit and
vegetable juices, sport drinks and other noncarbonated
beverages.
· Increasing the handling ~ee per container from 1 to 2
cents for grocers and redemption centers.
· Requiring all beverage containers sold in Iowa to have
a minimum post-consumer recycled content of 25
percent by weight.
Iowa City Council Member Dee Vanderhoef led the
passage of her city's resolution. Vanderhoef says Iowa City
has a strong recycling program and its citizens are very
committed to keeping Iowa City clean and beautiful and
keeping litter off the road. She also believes the Bottle Bill
needs to be updated to give retailers an additional handling
fee and that there are new consumer products that need to
be addressed to keep them from becoming litter on the
roadways,
Mayor Stuart Ireland from Wyoming said the city received
a sample resolution from the East Central Iowa Council of
Governments, put it on the city council agenda and passed it
unanimously. "We need to keep bottles and cans out of the
ditches and out of the landfills."
Another reason why cities should support the Bottle Bill is
the community service it serves. In Muscatine, the local
organization called Crossroads (which provides services for
persons with disabilities) processes over 12 million cans in
cooperation with local retailers. The organization is a
community benefit not only to these special citizens, but also
to the resulting clean roadways. An increase in the handling
fee would not only keep these types of organizations going,
it would also increase the number of jobs for those with
disabilities.
By passing a resolution, cities can show their support for
the expansion of the Bottle Bill. If you would like more
information on the Bottle Bill initiative or a sample
resolution to use for your city, please contact the League at
(515) 244-7282 or by eraall to konnicawiezell@
iowaleague.org. ·
18 CITYSCA~E January2001 5
From Council Member Vanderhoef
ECi¢I L"' [ I
2000 ANNUAL REPORT
A NEWSLETTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN BENTON, IOWA, JONES, JOHNSON, LINN AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
From the Chair
How appropriate that we should unveil our new logo with
this annual report. Like the annual report, the logo is a culmi-
nati~,n dour work over the last year. The ECICOG Board of
Directors officially adopted the agency strategic plan in 2000,
and creation of a new graphic identity was one of severa
objectives we tackled right away.
I think you will agree the new logo conveyh the profes-
sionalism and vibrancy that you have come to expect from J
your regional planning agency. However, the proof is in the
Doug Elliott
pudding, which appears inside this annual report. Dee Vanderhoef ECICOG Executive Director
Once again we are honored to have had the opportunity to Chairperson, ECICOG
play a part in the many important projects you have imple- Board of Directors
impressive. We congratulate you tbr all you do to improve the
services and hcilities of your communities and the lives of your citizens. Iamproud t~, present the ECICOG
I look forward to serving for another year as the chairperson of the EC1COG Board annual report. h has been a busy
of Directors. I also hope we'll have the opportunity to visit yoor community in the
year, as you ill'C a~'arC, and as the
coming year, and that you will call upon our professional staff whenever we can be of enclosed sunlmary of services
assistance. That's why we're herd reflects.
There arc a tb~ pitfalls in try-
...... ing to encapstdalc all that goes on
in a simple list. The first is the dan-
ger thdt you IULIV hLIVC left someone
aren't ca,it) quantified; the "other
On January 25th, the ECI(]O(i Bt}ard ol EAST CENT~L IOWA duties as acquired' parl of our
Directors held their annoal mccdng at COUNCIL OF ~VERNMENTS age. no> i,,h dcscripti,m.
the ECICOG offices. In addition k~ um
YOUR REGIONAL P~NNING AGENCY In ~pitc ~,[ thc~c limitations, I
dueLing the monthly husincss c~t the hapc yuu'll take btlnlc time to review
agency, the hoard elected officers Ib~ the list and wc what we, and vour
the calendar year, adopted a dcpo~itorx ECICOG presented its new logo at its ,
resolution and fiscal year 2002 agenQ annual meeting on January 25, 2001 colleagues, h,wc hccn up to.
budget, and presented the agency's new space to express my appreciation to
logo. the b.('l(:(~ i Bo,H-d af Directors for
Dee Vanderhoef, Iowa Cit~ City term as secretary/treasurer. their ctHItinucd lcadcrqfip and sup
Council Metnber, was elected th~ her [ hese three oftleers plus the chairs p,wt of Ihc agcncx, h, Ihc staff
second term as chairperson. ']'hc ht}dld cd the hudget add personnel comn~it their ctmlinucd dctliuni<m ,rod
also elected gd Brown, Mayor DI [Los cttlnposc the executive conlnlittce. CollunihI1cIII It, a high Icvd ol
Supervisor, was elected for her th ~t I~,,n'd meeting. planning agency.
2000 ECICOG Services to Member Governments
· Housing Rehabilitation Program JOHNSON COUNTY
· CDBG Administration · Hazard Mitigation Plan
CITY OF GARRISON · Housing ];~sk Force
Iowa COUNTY · FHLB Administratkm
· Dry Hydrant Grant
CI~ OF N~gL I qkleconmmnications gsessment n FHLB Grant Application
~ HaT~rd Mitigation Plan Grant = HUD RHED Application
CI~ OF NORWg · EI)SA Administration ·Waste Tire Management Program
n Comprehensive Plan n XM~ste Tire Management Program I Safe Chemicals in Schools Project
n Codification n I hmsehold Hazardous X%ste n Solid Waste ( :omprd~cnsive Plan
n Zoning Map FaciliD' Grant Update
·Housing Fund Appli~tion ·Solid Waste ~mprehensivc Plan
C~w oF Vg Hogg ' Lipdate ' L' , .
I Comprehensive Plan CIw OF ANAMOSA
CI~ OF VIgN
m CI)BG Administration _ , m Housing I(claabilitatiun Program
I Housing Fund Application
n Housing Preservation Program CI'I~ OF CO~L~E CI~ OF MARTELLE
I Housing Fund Application · ( :DB(; Administration n I tousing Fund Application
I Dry Hydrant Grant
Ow OF WgFOg · I Iazard Mitigation Plan C~w OF OUN
n Comprehensive Plan ·Housing Fund Application n Comprehensive Plan
CI3' OF HILB n(:apital Imprnvcmcnts Plan
BEgON CO~
n Housing Needs Assessment ~ 1 )ry Hydrant Grant n Hnusing Fund Application
CIB' OF [O~VA CI~ I Hazard Mitigation Plan
n l)own Payment Assistance Program ~ l iousd~old HaTi~rdous X,%~aste CI~ OF ONS~>W
ICI)BG Pre-applicatkm Facility Grant nCDB(; Ad~nini~tration
I CI)BG Application CI~ OF k~NE T~E I Mobile Hnmc ( ~rdinance
I X%ste Tire Management Program a ( 21 )B( i Administration CIw OF WYOMING
n I tousd~old Hazardous X~hstc
~ I [omeownership Assistance n 1 laz~u'd Nlitigati{m ['lan
Facili~ Grant l~rogrmn a l,and t 'x' Plan
· Safe Cbemicals in Schools Pn ,jcct
:~ I )ry t lydrant Grant n Znni ng ()rdinancc
·Solid Waste Comprehensive I'lan Ctr~ oF NORTH LIBER~ JONES COUNIY
Update ~ qtc Pkm and Development Review · Solid Xxhstc t Z~ ~mpM~cnsive Plan
· Zoning Ordinance
· Subdivision Ordinance ~ [hmsing Rehabilitation Program Update
;~ [ hmsing Fnnd Application g X%stc I'irc N kmagcmcnt Program
I 1 tabitat i~r Humanity Ap[~licati, ,n ~ '
;~ I lahu'd Mitigation Plan ~ ( iEF Sanliar> ~cwct I'nficct
~ Z~ ,~in/SubdMsion Ordinance
~ Iringc Area Agreements
CI~ OF go~
I Ci)BG Administration ~(Lnpital hnprovements Plan
a [l,~/ard Mitigatkm Plao
I Hazard Mitigation Plan Solemn }{¢)USIN(; CORPO~IION Cll~ OF CINIER P(HNI
l Joint Ptlrchasing(:{)ordillalitH/ sscrlltn' [[i)klsil/g l>rojcct l(2oln[~lchcllsixu ['htl
(]['ff OF MIHI~RSIIUR(; Xdministration CI IY o[ CINI R,Xl (]ll h
I ( :l )B(; Pre Applicati< m ~ Xppiiancc 1 )onat ion i ( 2{ ~di licdti~ m
m{ El )1~(; Application n( :[ )B(;,kdminiq~ ,Ui,,u
CrfY OF NORqH ENGHSn
2000 ECICOG Services to Member Governments
' Fh ii>d Btly OLit TRANSPORTATION/TRANS[I
CI ['fOf COGCON nAdn~inistratilnl ill Rcgion,d I'nmsit
IComprdlensivc Plan CI'I~' ol AINSXvORIII System
~ Zoning Ordinance m ( [ )B(; Xcinlilnqration I Staff Assistance to ( :ontractcd
~ 1 )ry t l)Mrant ( ;rant CI IY ol l~RIt ,tl I< ~N ]~ansit Providers
m R( :PI)/F Applicatiun m l)rxllydlant ( ,lant mAnnual Cnnsnlidatcd ]}',ulsil
· lhrgcted HouMng Needs CH ~ ol (?lbxxvl i)R[ ~5x'[I,l L Applicatiun
Assessn~ent ~( i ~Bt~ Adminiq~alion IAdministratkm State &Fcdcra]
CIn' OF ELY · IhmMng I~chabilitation Progran3 Funding (Xmtracts
i Fringe area i,and Use Plan C[l~ (}l X~rAMIINGI(IN I Prepare Anntla] SerxKc Agrccnlcntb
CI I~ OF F~gAX } I h~LNng Rchalqlilation Program I Pmcnre Regkmal 'h'an~il Fqtfipmcnt
m I lousing Rehabilitation Progran~ m I Iou~ing I:ttaM Application
~ Zoning Ordinance m FI )SA XdminiMration m StaffTranspnrtation Policx
CI['Y OF LISBON I t 51 )B(; Pro Applicatkm Commi~ce
m Housing Rehabilitation Program CnY ol- WH tMAN
m Housing Fund Application a ( X m~prchcnsivc Pkm m Staff GIS Users (iroup
m ( ;I )BG Pre-Application · Zq ~ning t }rdinancc m Transportatinn Planning
m EDSA Administration m h~lbnnatinnal Zoning Brochure Program
n Dry Hydrant Grant I Suhdivisinn Ordinance m Transpnrlatiun Impn~wmcnt
CI~ OF MOUgVEgON ~ Fringe Area Agreemen~ Program
m Dry Hydrant Grant m Site Plan & 1 )cvclopment Review m Coordinate with N lctn~pnlitan
CIw OF P~ WASHINGTON HACAP Planning Organizations
m Hamrd Mitigation Plan m Multi plcx Housing Project Iowa A~OC~TION OF ~GIONM.
CI~ OF P~EBURG Develupment
m D~ Hydrant Grant WASHINGDN Co~' I Staff Serves on Board tfi' I )ircdors
CI~ OF ROBINS · (2DBG Administration IOWA DEPITME~ OF NATURAL
m Comprehensive Plan gOURC~ (IDNR)
TROY MIkm I Review IDNR Grant Pmpnsals
m Dry Hydrant Grant . , :- · m Staff SeNes on S'I;~TEMAP
BLU~TEM SOLID WASTE AGEN~ Advisory CommiUee
i Outreach Investment Program SOLID WASTE LANDFI~/COMMISSIONS IOWA GEOG~PHIC INFORgHON COUNCIL
m Administration m Contract for Waste Tire Processing I Staff Serves on Board of 1 )ircctnrs
CED~ ~PIDS ~)MMUNI~ SCHOOI5 I ( 2ontract lbr X~q~ite Goods IOWA ~CYCLING ASSOCIATION
m Eco house Grant Administration Processing I Staff Serves on Board uf 1 )ircctors
L~NN COU~ m X%~xste Tire Managen~ent Program L~g Co. HgTH DEm:, GRANT WOOD
mk~intPurchasingCoordination mSolidXVastc(Zon~prehensivePlan ~,IOWAWASTEEXCHgGE, ET. AL.
·Flood Buy-out (I & lI) Update mSafe Chemical Management in
m FEMA PA Administration m Staff Solid XX~Bte TAG Schools Pilot Project
m 'lhc l.an~fiH Link NewsleKer m StaffAssistm~ce tn Solid Waste GENEg PUBLIC gD ~HER
m Waste Tire Management Program Cnmmissions ORG~17tTIONS
m Solid ~Bte Comprehensive Plan HOUSING I Edu~tional Presentations
Update m } lousing Prese~'ation Grants m Information Provision &Referral
m Safb Chemicals in S&ools Project (I & 1I)
m CDBG administration COMMUNIW D~PMEg
m Housing Fund Appli~tion m RCPD/F Application and Grant
Calendar
of the 'EJ~, Cg"~ ~al I~w~ ~un~il of ~.~
Gm.~,~nh~en'~s.:c. .'~ ~.. :' ' , ..:;~ February 19 ECICOG offices dosed in obse~ance of Presidents' Day
ECR.'(~ wa~ eshd~l~ht~{ in 1972 to plonlole . February 22 ECICOG Board of Directors meeting, ECICOG o~ces, 108 Third
m.~ h ~i~ l~jo.~ March 8 ECICOG S~AC meeting, ECICOG omces, 108 Third Street SE,
ud W~o~T~H~ '"' 7 ............. Cedar Rapids, 1:00 p.m.
M~ q~~qdi~m March 29 ECICOG Board of Directors meeting, ECICOG o~ces, 108 Third
~ Barn ~ i Street SE, Cedar Rapids, 1:00 p.m.
Hind Bm~ Don ~dc~u
~ml ~ C~I~ Monu For additional informa~on on any listed meetings or events, contact the ECICOG o~ces.
Da~d ~vcy M ~
G~ Edwar~ R~ S~aub
Staff Notes
Hen~ He~g Da~dVe~m~ ECiC06 Housing P~anner, Chfis ~vett-Ber~, resigned her psi-
. fion ~n January to ta~e a new position with Linn County. She will be
l~es Hom~ ' '~'~ ..... wor~ng at ECICOG on a part-time basis through ~e month of
~, COGSta~ February. ~vett-Berry joined the ECICOG staff in l~y 1995.
Doug ~oR, ~ ~r~ During her tenure, she administered a variety of housing projects
G~a P~m, Mmin~a~ ~nt
and was instrumental in completing housing needs assessments for
M~ Rump, Tra~om~on S~ces
Rob~ Ia~b~n, Tra~om~on S~ several counties. ECICOG sends its good wishes with ~vett-Berry as
Chad Sn~ ~mmuni~D~pm~t she pursues new opportunities within the region. Chris Kivett-Berry
David ~eh, ~mmuni~ D~e~p~t
Li~ GarliC, ~mmuni~ D~e~pm~t OopsX Chad Sands, Community Development Planner, was inadverten~y omitted from
Marie DeVri~, Solid W~te P~nning the list of staff e-mail addresses in the previous issue of the Update. Just to be safe, Ml staff
lennifer Rye, SM~ W~e P~nning member email addresses are repeated below.
Christ~e ~veR-Be~, Ho~ing ~ Doug Elliott, Executive Director ecicog~ia.net
Tracey M~ey, Gmn~ Mmin~afion
Jim Nehr~g, Joint ~rch~ing Gina Peters, Administrative Assistant gpecicog~inav. net
David Correia, Community Development Planner dcecicog~inav. net
~t ~ntrM I~ Marie DeVries, Solid Waste Planning Coordinator mdecicog~inav. net
108 ThiM S~t S~ S~te 300 Lisa Garlich, Community Development Planner lgecicog~inav. net
~dar hpi~, Io~ 52401 Roby~ Jacobson, Transportation Planner rjecicog~inav. net
(319) 365-9941 Chris Kivett-Berry, Housing Planner (through 2/01) cbecicog~inav. net
~.ia.net/-~i~ Tracey Mulcahey, Grants Administrator tmecicog~inav. net
Jim Nehring, Joint-Purchasing Coordinator jnecicog~inav. net
EconomicD~pment. Mary Rump, IT/Transportation Planner mrecicog~inav. net
~ ~i.ua.. ~ Iennifer Ryan, Solid Waste Planner jrecicog~inav. net
Chad Sands, Community Development Planner csecicog~inav. net
East Central Iowa Council of Governments
108 Third Street SE, Suite 300 u.s. POSTAGE
PAID
DEE VANDERHOEF
IOWA CITY COUNCIL
2403 TUDAR DRIVE
IOWA CITY IA 52245
ASSOCIATION
15 February 2001
Letter to the Editor
Iowa City Press Citizen
1725 Noah Dodge Street
Iowa City, IA 52245
Re: Office Development in the 500 Block orE. Bloomington Street
In a letter to the Press Citizen, 30 January, Gene Lariviere accuses the City of
blocking economic development because the City denied his plan for an office
building and parking lot. The Northside Neighborhood Association disagrees with
Lariviere's accusations and strongly supports the City in conducting the review of
the development plan.
The development is within a CO-1 zoning, intended to provide a transition from
Mercy Hospital to the residential northside. The area is a mixture of residences
and homes that have been adapted for professional use, maintaining a residential
feel to the neighborhood. Parking lots have been placed in side and rear yards.
Residents and office owners in the area opposed Lariviere's plan, not because it
was economic development, but because its design was wrong for its location.
The Northside Neighborhood Association supports the City's interpretation of
code in conducting the design review that resulted in denial of Lariviere's plan.
The City suggested alternatives for a neighborhood friendly design.
Lariviere and his associates have challenged the legality of the City's
interpretation. As citizens residing in the noahside, we support the City's
position. This is not a question of economic development, but a question of being
a good neighbor.
Sincerely,
John C. Fitzpatrick
For the Noahside Neighborhood Association Steering Committee
721 North Linn
Iowa City, IA 52245
Telephone: 337 3223
Cc: Iowa City City Council
City of Iowa City
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 22, 2001
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Marian K. Karr, City Clerk
RE: Municipal Bond Bidding on the Internet
The attached information was provided by Council Member Pfab after the information
packet had been scanned. Council Member Pfab requested the material be distributed to
you hard copy.
Packetdis.doe
P~9c 1 of 1
Irvin Pfab
From: "lnfo Desk 1 INFOI" <lNFOl@iowa-city,lib.ia.us>
To: <lpfab@avalon.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 7:16 PM
Subject: municipal bond auctions on the Internet
Dear Mr. Pfab,
Here is the web address of Grant Street Group web site you found at the library.
htt~.%//www_.gra_~tstreet.comlperl/bond.~l?
&generate_homepage_button =auctions&unique_id=OpRWT8ZPGcqAAEZwCEg
Here is another site of interest:
http://www~wston!ine.comJstory/supp[WST20000907SO010
The city of Pittsburg's web site linking users to MuniAuction, the same site as t~e first one you looked at:
http://trfn .clpgh.org/government/pghgov.html
Here is another:
http:~www, pfma_uction .corn/
And ano~er:
http:~www .fmsbonds. Com/
You can find more if you go to Metacrawler and put in "municipal bonds auction" and hit search.
Good luck,
Maeve Clark
]'nformation Services Coordinator
2/22/01
Page 1 of 1
Irvin Pfab
From: "General mailbox"
To: '"lrvin Pfab'" <ipfab@avalon.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2001 10:59 AM
Subject: RE: How to start bid auction of our city bonds?
Hello,
Here are a couple of links that came up when I performed a Google search
on the Internet for city bonds being auctioned off. I think you'll find
the second link especially helpful because it mentions a firm that has
been established to assist cities in the auctioning off of their bonds.
rm sure there is a lot more information that can be found on the
Internet in a similar way. I've also forwarded your e-mail on to our
Finance editor, but she is out of the office for a week or two so might
not be able to get back to you (and might not have any better
recommendation than seeking the advice of some type of firm anyway).
Best of luck, and thanks for your interest in Governing.
Helissa Conradi
Research Coordinator
http;//www.J~fmauction.com/resultsJUnion,City.ASD.GOs. OO.AON/bid ...summary.
html
http://www.ci. houston .tx,usj'citygov~contrel ler/press062100. htm!
..... Original Hessage .....
Frem: Irvin Pfab [mailto:ipfab@avalon.net]
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 8:59 AH
To: General mailbox
Subject: How to stare bid auction of our city bonds?
This message was sent using a character set not supported on the
Internet Hail Connector. The message text has been placed into the
attachment: Al'r00000.txt. To view, double-click on the attachment. If
the text isn't displayed correctly, save the attachment to disk, and
then use a viewer that can display the original character set.
2/22/01
City of Iowa City
M MORANDUM
DATE: February 21, 2001
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Marian K. Karr, City Clerk
RE: Legislative Day 2001
The registration deadline has passed for the February 28 League Legislative Day.
However, I can still register someone if I know by Friday, February 23.
Please check your calendars and let me know by tomorrow.
Visit the State Capitol I Yes, ,'m ,n,eres,ed,n b nga 've c.ee.ed,.e.a,es,.a,,am
available to come to Des Moines. I understand that the League will contact
The League is happy to announce the me when they find four other people from my region to attend a MVP
Municipal Visitors Program (MVP)
for the upcoming session. Elected and I visit.
appointed city officials from across Name City
the state are invited to Des Moines on
the days listed at right to visit with the
League's lobbyists, Tracy Kasson and Wednesday, January 31 . Tuesday, March 20
Konni Cawiezell, and help them on city
legislative issues. MVP participants will Wednesday. February 7 Tuesday, April 3
be encouraged to also meet with their
lawmakers to discuss important issues.
As with other League-sponsored events . Wednesday, February 14 Tuesday, April 10
such as City Hall Day and Legislative
Day, a city presence is imperative when
the League addresses city issues with Wednesday, February 21 Tuesday, April 17
lawmakers. No one knows better than
you how these issues effect your
community. MVP will give you the Please return or fax this form to the League no later than January 15.
opportunity to observe and participate in The League fax number is (515) 244-0740. The mailing address is:
the daily lobbying process at the Capitol.
The state is split into six regions: 317 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1400
Des Moines, IA 50309-4111
northeast, north central, northwest, L. ...................
central, southwest and southeast. Visitors
are invited on the Tuesdays and Wednes-
days ,isted .n the form at .gbt. Thcday LegiSlative Bal/2001 Registration
will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a briefing on
'*hot" League legislative issues. After the
briefing, MVP participants are
encouraged to meet with their law- City
,nakers. The event win conclude at noon.I Address Zip
There will be five slots available for
ouch date. Cheek the dates on the form Phone ( ) __ Fax ( ) __
that will possibly work for you and returnI Please list names as they are to appear on badges.
the form to the League no later than
January 15. We will work to find four Name
,,,her peop:e from yoor region aud assignI Tit;e
that date. making it easier to carpcol to
Des Moines. Name
Your participation is invaluable to our I Titie
~uccess. If you have questions about the
program, coutact Konni Cawiezel[ at the
t,~ague (s~5) 244-7282. · I Title
legislative Day set for Feb. 28 A.aoh additional names and titles to this form
Fhc League wn~ host its annual Legis- IFeos:League members at $40/,ers0. =
hitire Day Wednesday, February 28, from N0nmembers at $50/person =
9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hotel Fort Des I
Moines, 10th and Walnut Streets. This WI I am a Legislative Day first-timer
xcar's event will include issue briefings COntact name Phone ( ) __
early in the day, a question and answer
,cssion with legislative leadership,
luncheon and time to lobby with legis- , be issued on all cancellations made pdor to February 21. If a cancellation is made after
hnors at thc Capitol. February 21, a partial refund will be made up to 48 hours prior to Legislative Day. Call
Legislators will be encouraged to sup- I the League if you need special accessibility or dietary accommodations.
port issues that encourage community Please return this registration form and appropriate fee by February 21 to:
growth and citizens' quality of life and
queried as to their stand on the League's I Iowa League of Cities
priorities. PO Box 84
Register now by filling out and mailing Des Moines, IA 50301-0084
in the form at right. · L. ...................
Cll)t$ClPE January 2001