HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-02-19 Transcription#2 Page #1
ITEM NO. 2. MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY MESSAGE.
Lehman: You know over the past year or so Council's gotten a lot of publicity
for a lot of things, not necessarily always ones that really reflect what
we've done. So I think this message will give you some idea of what
happened in the last year. This Council has set economic development
initiatives and growth in the local tax base very high on our list of
priorities, and 2001 was a very successful year in that regard. Last
year the City issued 783 building permits with a total construction
value of over 123 million dollars, which is about 4% of the City's total
assessed taxable value. About 20.5 million dollars of that amount was
for new single family homes, with another 29.5 million spent on the
construction of over 300 multi-family residential units. Also included
was 5 million in industrial construction and just over 56 million for
commercial construction and remodeling. A significant portion of that
123 million dollars will eventually be reflected in our local property
tax base. Owens-Illinois has nearly completed an eleven million
dollar, 60,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Scott Six Industrial
Park, and Seabury and Smith is constructing a six and one-half million
dollar, 46,000 square foot building to expand its operations in
Northgate Corporate Park. Both projects are aided by property tax
rebate incentives from the City to encourage these welcome additions
to our local economy. Together they will bring 55 to 60 new, quality
jobs to the community. Additionally, ACT plans to invest up to 40
million dollars to expand its Iowa City operations and for this project
we have approved the use of Industrial Development Revenue Bonds,
which represents no cost or risk to local taxpayers. And as an aside, I
believe the $40 million investment by ACT is the largest investment in
Johnson County by the private sector. Construction has begun and
ACT's expansion plan will be fully implemented over the next several
years. Further, renovation of the Sycamore Mall approaches the seven
million dollar mark in additional investment by the developer and
tenants thus far, and those improvements continue. Council partnered
in this project through property tax abatement incentives for this
redevelopment. Our efforts to grow the tax base focus on downtown
Iowa City as well. We are in the process of negotiating an agreement
with the Moen Partnership, the selected preferred developer for Urban
Renewal parcel 64-1a. The proposed plan consists ora 14 story, 22
million dollar building with mixed uses including commercial space,
hotel suites and conference facilities, residential apartments and
condominiums, and limited on-site parking for the convenience of
tenants and their customers. Other projects underway downtown
include the private redevelopment of two parcels on Iowa Avenue that
will add 42 apartment units as well as more ground level commercial
space in the Central Business District. Revitalization of the downtown
area will be enhanced by two major public projects as well. The 18.4
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million dollar expansion of the Public Library is underway. Voters in
Iowa City overwhelmingly supported this project in the November
2000 referendum. While it has been necessary to make certain
adjustments in our capital improvements program and operating
budget to accommodate funding, the end result will be an attractive,
expanded library which will better serve the needs of Iowa City
residents, at least three-fourths of whom are active library users. The
City has also undertaken the creation of a multi-modal ground
transportation center to be located downtown on South Dubuque Street
between Burlington and Court Streets. Design of this facility is nearly
finished and we expect to complete construction in 2004. This 12
million dollar facility will provide much needed space for an inter-city
bus depot, will have a day care component to serve those who's daily
activities are centered in and around the downtown area, and will
provide public parking to accommodate current needs as well as future
commemial and residential development on the near South side.
Approximately 75 % of the funding for this project will come from the
Federal Transit Administration. I would be remiss in not mentioning
the opening of the Tower Place & Parking facility on Iowa Avenue,
including commercial condominium space that will generate additional
property tax value. Only two units remain to be sold. That facility,
along with the completion of the Iowa Avenue reconfiguration and
streetscape improvements, was dedicated last October. This area has
become much more attractive and pedestrian friendly and,
simultaneously, a net gain in the number of parking spaces in that area
has been achieved. I want to highlight two public works projects slated
for completion this fall. In the late summer or early fall we plan to
place the new water treatment plant in operation. Water quality will
improve significantly and our ability to deliver abundant fresh water to
the entire community will be measurably enhanced. The expanded
facilities at the South wastewater treatment complex will also come on
line this summer, bringing us into compliance with federal clean water
standards and creating the additional capacity for accommodating
projected community growth. The combined estimated cost of these
two projects is 98.5 million dollars. Public allegations have been
made that we are experiencing significantly cost overruns on these
projects. However, I can assure you that both are proceeding on time
and within budget. Several other current City initiatives will enhance
development within the city or its defined growth ama. These include
the 17-lot Aviation Commerce Park just North of the Iowa City
Airport, the extension of Mormon Trek Boulevard West and South of
the airport to connect with South Riverside Drive, and the extension of
Scott Boulevard in Northeast Iowa City to connect with Iowa Highway
#1 North. Aviation Commerce Park lots are now available for long
term leasing and the associated revenue will help make the Airport less
dependent on general tax subsidies for its operation and maintenance
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expenses. Let me point out that not all of the very positive things that
accrue to our community are the result of major initiatives such as the
ones we've described. I like to emphasize from time to time we often
refer to as the "warm and fuzzy" things we're able to accomplish. For
example, last year we allocated city funds to compliment private
donations to construct the skywalk between the new Tower Place
Parking facility and the Senior Center across the alley. Similarly, we
shared in the cost of the Riverside Festival Stage seating project, the
installation of permanent seating at that facility in Lower City Park,
also funded in part through private donations. We authorized the
construction of a skate park in Terrill Mill Park and we joined with the
Iowa City Kickers in resurfacing the parking lot at the soccer fields
near the South wastewater treatment plant. Council further approved
the construction of about 15,600 linear feet of crushed limestone trails
through Hickory Hill Park, an improvement that will enhance the use
of the park by all citizens, including those whose disabilities may
make it otherwise difficult or even impossible for them to enjoy first
hand the many things the park has to offer. These are just a few
examples of the community enhancements we are privileged to be a
part of as City Councilors. You value them highly and they represent
one of the things we enjoy most about bringing the services of City
government to our citizens. During our recent budget discussions you
have heard concerns expressed regarding the limits placed by the state
on our ability to raise revenues sufficient to accommodate both
community growth and new or expanded service initiatives. Indeed,
we are faced with considerable financial constraints in that regard.
However, by effectively planning and managing our finances, we
continue to enjoy the benefit of a Aaa General Obligation Bond rating.
Our revenue bond issues have also continued to merit the highest
ratings. And for the 16th consecutive year Iowa City has received the
Government Finance Officers Association's "Certificate of
Excellence" for our financial accounting and reporting. These are
clear indicators that our financial position remains sound and that we
are not disproportionately committed to any debt burden and that we
are maintaining adequate revenues and reserves to pay for the
programs and services to which we have committed. We regard the
maintenance of a strong financial position as a priority of the highest
magnitude. Because of our concern with financial stability, I believe
we must address the issues of dwindling cash balances projected over
the next 4 years. As we have seen from state and county budgets,
across the board cuts are ugly and very difficult to implement fairly. If
we act prudently now, we can lessen the possibility of such actions at
the City level. I will be asking the Council to direct the City Manager
to take actions to ensure our cash reserves do not fall below the 15%
level. A second area of concern that I believe we must address is the
level of general obligation bond indebtedness incurred by the City.
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With the sale of the Library bonds this year, there is a significant
increase in our G.O. debt. If we implement the other capital
improvement projects as currently programmed, we will exceed our
self-imposed repayment limit of 25% of our property tax bills. We
need to rearrange these projects in a fashion that will not jeopardize
the viability of our community. I am confident we can do this. We all
love our city or we wouldn't be sitting up here tonight. Although we
may disagree with one another on some of our...the issues that come
before us, I hope we never fail to place the good of this city and its
people above all our disagreements and political differences. Iowa
City has been a great place to be for at least as long as I can remember,
and I look forward to the things we can accomplish in the next year
and beyond to ensure that it remains so. Thank you.
Champion: Thank you.
O'Donnell: Very good.
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ITEM NO. 3. MAYOR'S PROCLAMATIONS.
3a. Special Olympics Month - March 2002.
Lehman: Marian, are these in any particular order? Okay.
Karr: Here to accept is Jon Meskimen and some very special Olympians.
Jon Meskimen: Thank you very much. I'm Jon Meskimen from Iowa City, a coach for
Special Olympics Iowa. I'm here wearing several hats this evening
representing the state office, the local committee here in Iowa City and
also the Iowa City Community School System. On behalf of the
Special Olympics Iowa we'd like to thank our corporate sponsors
greatly: LL Pelling, General Mills, Rockwell Collins, Iowa Telecom,
and the University of Iowa Health Care. As you can see we have
several athletes here tonight and I would like them to raise their hand
as I call off their name. From the Iowa City Recreation Center we
have Kama Szczech. Karna and I, it's hard to believe, just about two
weeks from now we're in Alaska a year ago representing the United
States of Amehca in the world winter games for Special Olympics so
we are very proud to be here this evening. Julia Brumbaugh, Janene
Edwards, Kristen Phillips, James Sullivan, David Chapman, and
Coach Ashley Wilson from the Iowa City Rec. Center. From Iowa
City Community Schools I'm very proud to present Randy Noel,
Kristin Watkins, and Mallory Earnest. This year Coach Steve Alford
for the University of Iowa Men's Basketball Coach is hosting our fund
raising event. We're having the Steve Alford Golf Tournament, I think
it's in April and you'll have to look for details in the paper. This will
enable us to hold the mid-winter tournament for over 1,000 Special
Olympics athletes from across the State of Iowa right here in Iowa
City. They will compete in basketball, basketball skills, cheerleading,
gynmastics and power lifting at the University of Iowa Field House on
March 16th. The funds raised will pay for meals and accommodations
for these athletes from all over the state. Our committee thanks this
Council for recognizing March as Special Olympics Month. We
would not be able to have such a successful event without the support
of our comanunity, volunteers and area businesses that give financial
support or donated prizes. We hope you will join in our fund raising
efforts this spring for the Coach Alford tournament and the proceeds
will go towards our mid-winter tournament. Thank you very much.
Lehman: Jon, here's the proclamation. You're a very special guy.
Meskimen: Well, thank you.
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Lehman: No, you really are. Let's give Jon a hand. There aren't many...There
aren't many folks that have the dedication and caring that you have for
these kids and we all truly appreciate it. I'm sure the kids do too.
Meskiman: Thank you very much.
Lehman: Thank you. Since I'm already up here I'll just read the next one.
2b. Breath of Fresh Air Month - March 2002
Karr: Here to accept is Beth Ballinger, spokesperson for Breath of Fresh Air
and CAFI~.
Beth Bollinger: Mayor Lehman, City Council, thank you very much for this
proclamation. As you mentioned we are not approaching the third
armiversary of the visit to Iowa City and our community by former
Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. While he was here he challenged
Iowa City to pass a smoke free ordinance as one of the most effect
ways to reduce death and disease due to cigarette smoke and tobacco.
Despite his prominence as a conservative figure in politics, he
recognized that smoke free ordinances are one of the most important
ways of promoting health. And he felt that a smoke free ordnance
does not represent big invasive government, it represents government
at it's best. So we invite you, the City Council, and the community of
Iowa City to join us at a celebration next Friday, which is March 1st, at
4:30 at the Sheraton Hotel as we celebrate the kick off of the smoke
free ordinance here in Iowa City.
2c. Sertoma's Freedom Week - February 16 - 22
Karr: Here to accept is Julie Carrico, Director of the National Heritage Essay
Contest.
2d. Girl Scout Week - March 10 - 16
Karr: Here to accept is Carla Jesse, Community Development Director Girl
Scouts of Mississippi Valley and some girl scouts from the area.
Carla Jesse: On behalf of the 11,000 girls that the Girl Scouts of the Mississippi
Valley serves council wide, our council it stretches from Williamsburg
to Kiwanee, Illinois. I'd really like to thank the City Council for this
measure of support and Mayor Lehman in particular. You've been a
wonderful asset in the quest to recognize the efforts and achievements
of both girls and volunteer men and women as we strive to make the
world a better place in tomorrow. Thank you.
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Lehman: Thank you girls. It kind of reminds me of our grand daughters. I hope
they all become girl scouts, all three of them. Thank you, guys.
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ITEM NO. 4. OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARDS
Lehman: We're going to get down to Council business real soon sudden. The
Weber Elementary School students who are here for citizenship
awards, if you would come forward please. This is one of the things
that the Council has done for several years now. We recognize
students from our elementary schools who receive outstanding
citizenship awards. These kids are nominated from...by their peers
and I'm going to ask each of you if you would give us you name and
then read why you were nominated. And we'll start with you, Alex.
Alex Kron: Hi, my name is Alex Kron. I'm in the sixth grade and I attend Weber
Elementary. I'm honored to be selected for the Citizenship Award. I
feel like it is a good...
Lehman: Sorry about that.
Kron: That's all right. I feel like it is important to show good citizenship in
my family, my school and my community. To show good citizenship
I have been participating on the safety patrol program. The safety
patrol program helps kids get to and from school each and every day.
I like to help the kindergartners get on the bus safely. I show good
citizenship in my community by helping others in need. I helped a
man when he was in the hospital by pushing his snow. Otherwise I
show good citizenship in my community is when I helped the
Domestic Violence Intervention Program at their fundraiser, the Super
Bowl. I helped DVP raise money by serving soup and helping clean
up after the event. I have volunteered at the American Cancer Society
by helping promote their Relay for Life. I am proud to have received
this award because I feel that showing good citizenship is an important
for a good community. I am glad that I can do some small part in
helping others. Thanks for this awards.
Champion: Very good.
Anna Murray: Good evening, my name is Anna Murray and I am a sixth grade
student at Weber Elementary. I would like to thank the City of Iowa
City and the City Council for this award. I am very honored. Weber
Elementary has taught and helped me practice many of the core virtues
and I try to follow them both in and out of school. During school I am
very responsible. I must complete my homework, I participate in sales
at the school store and I am one of three captains for School Safety
Patrol where I make sure students are safe and follow the roles. I am
Vice President of my classroom where I run class meetings, help with
class votes and respond to classmates suggestions and needs. I am
respectful and compassionate to my peers. I persevere in school by
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trying my hardest to get my work done and do it right. Outside of
school I show my responsibility by having completed the Red Cross
babysitting course and I now baby-sit for many families. I persevere
in many sporting activities such as softball, soccer, tennis, and
basketball. I have demonstrated giving by both serving and preparing
food at the Free Lunch Program in addition to donating items like
shampoo and toothbrushes to the homeless shelter. Thank you again
for this award. I am very grateful and appreciate the honor.
Catherine Found: My name is Catherine Found and I am on Team 4 at Weber
Elementary. I am very honored to receive this award. At our school
we try to practice the core virtues. I show the virtue of responsibility
as the captain of the safety patrol. I make sure students are safe going
to and from school. I also supervise 67 other students to make sure
they are also helping to keep students at Weber safe. Other activities
that I participate in at school are media helper, school store, and
conflict mangers. These utilize the virtues of honesty, respect and
compassion along with responsibility. Outside of school I am
involved in band, where I play the saxophone. I take piano lessons
and I participate in piano competitions. I play sports including
basketball and softball. I contribute to the homeless by feeding at the
Free Lunch Program and donating to the homeless shelter. This year I
have also had the honor of designing the T-shirt for the Iowa City
Road Races. In all I do at school, at home, and in my community I
strive to do my best.
Lehman: I'm just going to read one of these, citizenship award. For outstanding
qualities of leadership within Weber Elementary as well as the
community and for sense of responsibility and helpfulness to others we
recognize these students as outstanding student citizens. Your
community is proud of you. Presented by the Iowa City City Council,
February2002. Alex, Anna and Kathleen. You know I...it...don't
each of you wish that you could have said what they said up here? I
mean really. This...I think that's so cool. We are very, very proud of
you. But I'll tell you, your parents and your grandparents are more
proud of you than the Council is. Thank you, folks, very much.
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ITEM NO. 5. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
Champion: Move adoption.
O'Donnell: So moved.
Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Vanderhoef: I would like to pull number 5e(8) for separate consideration.
Lehman: Okay. Other discussion?
Karmer: Yes, I had a question for Steve. We're going to have a public hearing
on a resell of...resale of sewer revenue bonds.
Atkins: That's correct.
Kanner: Are there any risks that we should look for or is it just a matter of
we're getting better interest rates that we're able to get a potential
saving of $2.4 million?
Atkins: The bottom line is just that that the market has improved to the point
and when we sell the bonds initially we build in provisions, call
provisions. And so we've reached the point where in analyzing the
current...the status of the market, where we are with our sewer debt, it
seems to make sense that we go back out for refinancing and that's
what we do. We would...actually we would be borrowing to pay the
bonds off but the schedule does not change. What does change is our
interest rate and we estimate that we're in the neighborhood of $2.3
million in savings.
Kanner: Okay. And then I had a question. We got correspondence in regard to
the MidAmerican site at 505 Burlington. Is MidAmerican a part
owner of Iowa Illinois (can't understand) Partnership? Does anyone
know.'?
Wilbum: No.
Atkins: Don't think so Steven. I couldn't confirm...
Wilburn: Yeah.
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Kanner: They're separate? I have some questions though about MidAmerican
doing the reseamh on their own site. I was wondering if you had any
thoughts or perhaps...
Atkins: Fox guarding the hen house kind of thing?
Kanner: Yeah. Look into that. The EPA says they accept that initially. I
wonder about that.
Atkins: I suspect...yeah, I mean I'd be happy to check for you, from the EPA.
I suspect that it involves federal laws and once they ultimately decide
how this can and can not be done we're obligated to accept that. It
would be rather foolish, I suspect, if they were trying to do anything
less than honorable on the thing. I'll find out for you Steven but that
seems to be reasonably common practice.
Kanner: Sometimes the Federal EPA laws are a bit weak compared to what
we'd like in our City...
Atkins: That's true.
Kanner: ...and I was wondering if we can just make a comment on that.
Atkins: Let me make...sure I'll make a comment to them. I'd be happy to do
that. It's not that difficult.
Vanderhoef: I'm finished with that cause I want to add on to this.
Kanner: Go ahead.
Vanderhoefi It crossed my mind that in disturbing this area with the bridge, this
would be treated like a Brownfield.
Atkins: That's what I understand. That those are the applicable laws.
Vanderhoef: So if we can get some dollars from the state, Brownfield dollars, I
think that would be worth investigating at least, or the Federal
Brownfield dollars.
Atkins: That's easy enough to do.
Vanderhoef: We can ask.
Atkins: We can ask.
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Karmer: That sounds good. And then finally in correspondence number 9, we
had a letter from Jim Throgmorton about parks, which perhaps he's
going to address later. He talked about hiring a landscape architecture.
Can you tell us once again how's the master plan coming for Parks and
Rec., which in a sense is a landscape amhitecture in body?
Atkins: To my knowledge, Steven, the commission has not started the work.
The appropriation that you provided with them a year ago remains but
they have not started the work.
Kanner: Do we need to send a memo out that we'd like to see this move along,
from Council?
Lehman: We might ask them where they are, what their plans are.
Atkins: I think it would be appropriate coming from you all since you appoint
the commissioners.
Lehman: Could we ask just where they are...
Atkins: Something for you...
Lehman: ...on the master plan?
Atkins: Sure.
Vanderhoef: What kind of timeline they might be anticipating.
Atkins: Sure, that's fine.
Kanner: Thank you.
Lehman: Okay, any other discussion on the consent calendar? All in favor of
the consent calendar with the removal of number eight, roll call.
Motion carries. (7/0) Is there a motion to...
Pfab: Accept?
Lehman: ...deal with...
Champion: Motion to approve e(8).
Lehman: e(8). Discussion? Oh, second? I'm sorry.
O'Donnell: Second.
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Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Vanderhoefi Okay. Is Ron here?
Atkins: No, I don't...there he is. Here he comes.
Vanderheofi There he is speak of. I had a question for you, Ron. Actually two.
Number one, is this project an immediate need now that we have the
reseeding done along the drainage way?
Ron Knoche: The trail project is just part of the major plan that we had for the area.
It's not an immediate need.
Vanderhoef: Okay. So it could sit if we truly get this budget cut that may come
down yet for this fiscal year. This is a project that has not moved
forward. Then the second piece of it is, where's our staff on possibly
doing this project in house rather than with an outside consultant?
Knoche: I...right now I think we're pretty loaded with projects that we're
working on but if we would hold this off it's be possible that we could
work into the mix in the next.., in the coming fiscal years.
Vanderhoef: Okay. I guess I would like to ask Council to defer this one week and
lets get just a little bit more information on where we are on the state
budget coming down to us and whether this is one of the projects that
could be put on hold for a short time.
Lehman: Is that a motion?
Vanderhoef: That's a motion.
Lehman: We have a motion to defer.
Wilburn: I'll second.
Lehman: Seconded by Wilbum. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. (all
ayes)
Atkins: I understand we'll defer that to the next meeting a week from...
Lehman: A week from tomorrow.
Vanderhoef: Uh-huh.
Atkins: A week from tomorrow. And just a little more background
information for you?
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Vanderhoef: If we could and then definitely what the schedule is for the engineering
department right now.
Atkins: Okay Ron?
Vanderhoef: Thank you.
Atkins: Thank you.
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ITEM NO. 6. PUBLIC DISCUSSION
Lehman: This is a time reserved on the agenda for items that do not otherwise
appear on the agenda. If you wish to address the Council, please sign
in, give your name, limit your comments to five minutes or less.
Jay Honohan: Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, it's Jay Honohan again, a
member of the commission. You mentioned in your report, Mr.
Mayor, the skywalk, it's great when it's raining and you can park in the
ramp and walk into the Senior Center and I wanted to thank you for
your support again. What I'd like to talk a little bit briefly about today
is what the Board of Supervisors did on Valentine's Day. I asked them
to be my Valentine but they turned me down.
Vanderhoef: They wouldn't kiss you huh?
Honohan: And they cut 45,000 from our budget. And we're scrambling right
now because we know that you have set the budget and are going to
have your public hearing on it tonight so we may be forced to make
some cuts. At this point and time however, we did have a meeting of
the 28e committee this morning and Mike and Connie were there and
of course we started out by Mike asking why we were there after what
they did with out budget. But we got a glimmer of hope perhaps and I
use the word glimmer. We got the suggestion that we might want to
look at several of the projects that we might have to cut and pick out
one or two that are very important and come back to the Board of
Supervisors on Thursday and see if we can squeeze out a little better
amount of money than the 100,000 that they're not offering us. And
Linda and I started working on that today and we're going to be in
contact with Mike and Connie and I guess four of us'll be at the Board
of Supervisors meeting on Thursday. I'm hoping they'll change their
mind but I've gone down in flames at two different meetings with them
so far so I'm not sure that we're going to have any better success but
we're going to give it a try and you'll hear from us after that meeting.
Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you, Jay.
Champion: Thank you, Jay.
Peter Hansen: My name is Peter Hansen. I'm here this evening on behalf of the
public power initiative. I strongly encourage the City Council to fund
a study of the feasibility of establishing a municipal utility. My wife
and I moved to Iowa City about three years ago from Orange City
where we had lived for thirty years. Like many other cities in Iowa
had a municipal utility. In fact, nearly every city I've ever lived in has
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had a municipal utility. I lived the first eighteen years of my life in
Wilmer, Minnesota and somewhat later I attended graduate school at
Iowa State University. And both of these cities, as you perhaps know,
have municipal utilities. A municipal utility is much like a small
business, locally owned, locally controlled, sensitive to local needs,
and returning much of its income to the local community. Undeniably,
MidAmerica Energy's first responsibility is to it's owners and not to
the residence of Iowa City. Investor owned utilities in Iowa charge on
average 30 to 35% higher rates than do municipally owned companies.
The Ames municipal inutility has not raised its electric rates in over
twenty years. During the recent power crisis in California, the
municipal utilities did very well. Clearly however, a feasibly study
will have to be conducted to ensure that the conversation to a
municipal utility is as advantageous as I believe it to be. The cost of
this study could be diminished however by cost sharing with
neighboring communities such as Coralville and even more distant
cities such as West Des Moines which I read is also considering now a
municipal utility. So please do not renew MidAmerica's franchise for
any period greater than four years. The time for a feasibility study is
now. A franchise longer than four years would simply require either
postponing the study or later repeating the study. So in conclusion,
owing to the many advantages ora public utility, I strongly urge you to
fund the study of the feasibility of establishing a municipal utility and
to do so now. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you. We're planning on discussion that, I think, probably next
month.
Kanner: At our March Council meeting?
Lehman: I would think sometime in March.
Champion: March or April.
Karr: Could we have a motion to accept correspondence?
Wilbum: So moved.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Motion and second to accept correspondence. All in favor? Opposed?
Motion carries (all ayes)
(can't hear)
Lehman: Right.
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Caroline Dieterle: I'm Caroline Dieterle and I'm here to talk to you about the
armouncement recently of the policy making children age twelve
sufficiently old to give permission to the police to search a residence.
I've heard from a member of the press that you have voted 6 to 1 not to
discuss this publicly and if that is true I...I'm really quite depressed by
that. And I say shame on you because I think that this is something
that a lot of people have a lot of feelings about. Twelve is not old
enough to drink alcohol, to vote, to marry, to work for money in a
regular job without a work permit, orto leave school. Persons of that
age engaging in sexual relations with adults 18 or older are consider to
have been victims of statutory rape. Apparently the PCRB was not
consulted in the formulation of this policy, was it?
Lehman: Can't tell you.
Dilkes: The PCRB has reviewed that policy.
Dieterle: If...
Lehman: Okay, thank you.
Dieterle: But were...they may have reviewed it but were they consulted in the
formulation of it? That's different. This is a perfect item to refer to
the PCRB again since the latest ordinance the Council has passed says
the Council may request the PCRB to hold a public meeting to discuss
police policy. The relevant paperwork that resulted in this decision,
law case citations, correspondence, and so forth should be made
available to the PCRB and also to the public. Did the City's Legal
Department and the Police Chief have any consultation with the
Council prior to the adoption of this policy? Well...According to
newspaper reports the Police Chief is saying other cities are using age
twelve in quotes. Is this policy the result then of succumbing to peer
pressure, the very same thing our kids are told to resist when asked to
use drugs or drink? In case it has escaped your attention, I'm going to
give you a copy of a recent editorial in the Press Citizen which states
the opinion of the editorial page of our local paper, not simply one
individual, on this age 12 is old enough policy. Will children of age
12 be likely to ask for credentials of people who come to the door or
could a person get into the residence under false pretenses by posing as
a police officer to a twelve year old child. Persons much older than 12
find it difficult to refuse entry when confronted by police at the door.
Permission to enter is often followed by intimidation and search. Let's
all remember that search doesn't mean a casual walk through of the
residence. It involves the rifling of closets, the emptying of drawers,
bookcase, medicine cabinets, and other disruptive activity in search of
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any scintilla of incriminating evidence of illegal behavior. It is a
complete invasion of your home privacy. How many of you would
want your own 12 year old child giving permission to have your
residence entered and searched. Anybody here in the audience think
it's a good idea? Raise your hand if you want yours searched. I don't
see anybody. Apparently it's not particularly popular. Will we next be
hearing about the police waiting until such time when they know the
adults are absent from home to come to the door and to ask a 12 year
old for permission to enter instead? Please rethink this. We aren't a
community that needs this to be done.
Lehman: Thank you, Caroline.
Karmer: Actually, I was going to bring up this issue at Council time. I don't
think we've made a decision.
Champion: We didn't make it. We haven't discussed it.
Lehman: No, I don't...
Kanner: Yeah, we haven't discussed it to my knowledge, Caroline. The
information you had is false on that account.
Dieterle: Well I'm very glad to hear that and I hope that you do discuss this
(can't hear)
O'Dormell: You have to talk in the microphone.
Wilburn: Motion to accept correspondence.
Vanderhoefi Second.
Lehman: Moved by Wilburn, seconded by Vanderhoef to accept
correspondence. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. (all ayes)
Andrew Epstein: Good evening, my name is Andrew Epstein. I am here to announce
the creation of the Friends of Hickory Hill Park Land Enhancement
and Acquisition Fund affectionately known as LEAF. We are very,
very excited about this fund. The purpose is to establish a working
and collaborative relationship with landowners and developers in the
vicinity of Hickory Hill Park. Already we've had wonderful response.
We've had many donations and pledges. We've had interest from
landowners and developers to work with us. And I just wanted to let
the Conncil know that as you consider various land uses and proposals
and plats and so on near Hickory Hill Park that we are out there
attempting to raise funds for the purpose of buying buffer zones and
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leveraging the kind of collaboration that we think is very healthy for
our community. As you know, in the past often it's been a very
adversarial relationship between park users, environmentalists and
developers and landowners and we'd like to change that. And so as
you move forward and as we attempt to raise money and gain support,
please keep in mind that we are here attempting to do what we think is
right. And that is, once again, to work very closely with the
landowners and developers for land that is up for sale now and in the
future in all areas of the park. Thank you very much.
Champion: Great. Thank you.
Vanderhoef: I applaud you for your effort, Andrew.
Jim Throgmorton: Hi, my name's Jim Throgmorton, 1020 Church Street. I too would like
to talk about parks. As part of my work at the University I've recently
been reading some historical material about the creation of the park
system in Louisville, Kentucky where I grew up. The core parts of
that system, three large and quite wonderful parks connected to one
another by parkways, were originally designed in the early 1890's by
Frederick (can't understand) Holmstead and his firm. Holmstead, as
you probably know, was the co-designer of Central Park in New York
City and is the most influential figure in the history of American
landscape architecture. As I read the material and recalled my
hundreds of experiences in those wonderful parks I realized just how
much we need to develop a coherent and integrated vision for an Iowa
City area parks system. Our parks, meritorious though they are in
many respects, could be reconfigured so as to provide an enormous
asset that would resonate in the minds and hearts of Iowa Citians for
decades. Let me offer a few particulars. First, it's parks, parkways and
scenic vistas that leave a lasting impression on Louisville's residents
and visitors. They help to give that city a strong sense of place which I
now only recognize having, you know, grown up there and go back to
it now, I see it. Second, Louisville's extraordinary park and parkway
system would not exist...
(End of side 2, 02-22)
Throgmorton: ...and other citizens and the commitment of the mayor and Board of
Alderman in Louisville. Third, the park and parkway system was
build around the outer fringe of Louisville's urbanized area as it
existed in 1890. It foresaw the general course of development and
ensured that high quality public space would be available for the city's
future residence. And forth, Louisville's three large parks were
designed primarily to provide the city's residence with a convenient
opportunity to enjoy beautiful, natural scenery and to obtain occasional
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#6 Page #20
release from the strains of city life. With that purpose in mind each of
Louisville's parks was designed in a matter consistent with it's natural
topographic features. So I would like to encourage you to show
similar foresight for our city. Hire an outstanding landscape
architecture firm to devise a plan for the parks and parkways of the
Iowa City region. Instruct that firm to draw upon the omsted(sp?)
tradition for inspiration but to incorporate the best of contemporary
ecological thought into plans for specific parks like Hickory Hill.
Then show some true foresight and this is tough I heard the budget
discussion, and commit a substantial amount of funds, probably
generated through bond issue, to the construction and maintenance of
the revised parkway system. Louisville has recently devised, recently
devised a new plan for it's parks, has chosen to invest a substantial
mount of money into it, and has been producing dramatic
improvements. Even the City of Las Angeles, Ernie, that demon place
out there on the West Coast has recently initiated a major effort to
revamp its park system. Isn't it time for Iowa City to create a system
that it's citizens will 100 years from now walk through and say if it had
not been for the foresight of Mayor Emie Lehman and the Council
back in 2002, way back then, these wonderful parks would not exist.
Thanks.
Lehman: I did bring the letter, Jim, got it right here. Thanks, Jim. Any other
public discussion?
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ITEM NO. 7b. PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE
APPROXIMATELY 2,800 SQUARE FEET FROM LOW
DENSITY MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, RM-12, TO HIGH
DENSITY MULTI-FAMILY, RM-44, FOR PROPERTY
LOCATED AT THE NORTH END OF WEST BENTON
COURT. (REZ01-00027)
Vanderhoef: This is approximately 20 square...20 feet along the end of Benton
Court. Public hearing is open.
Dilkes: 2,800 square feet as opposed to thousand.
Vanderhoef: Excuse me. Yes.
Bob Downer: Thank you. Madam Mayor Pro Tern, Members of the Council, I am
Bob Downer. I'm the attorney for Oaknoll Retirement Residency,
applicant here. This particular rezoning request was made necessary
by reason of the planning for approximately a $5 million addition to
the health center at Oaknoll and the addition of eight apartment units.
This is forming an open area where patients at the health center can get
sun and fresh air in a secure environment. And in the process of
designing this, the addition went further south than had been originally
contemplated and a portion of it goes onto a part of the Oaknoll
complex that is zoned RM-12. This is a part of the parking lot area
that we got involved in a couple of years ago and which was worked
out through a conditional zoning agreement and the like. This is not
an issue of density. It is an issue of use. The lower level of this two-
story building is going to be a health center; the upper level is
apartments. There will only be one level that is above ground as it's
seen from Benton Court and the residential areas that are
located...single family areas located to the south and west because as
those of you who have seen the area are aware the topography falls off
as you go to the north. But it is not permitted to have a health center in
the RM-12 zone and that's why it was necessary to seek this rezoning
request. The building actually goes over onto this area some ten to
twelve feet. And to provide a little margin of safety the request was
for a twenty-foot strip along the northerly side of the existing parking
lot. So it's 2,800 square feet. This is approximately a $5 million
project as I mentioned that is ready to proceed. I had written a letter a
month or so ago requesting expedited consideration on this and any
assistance that the Council could give in that regard would be
appreciated. The bids have been received. These are felt to be
favorable bids. The principal contractors are all Iowa City contractors
and are anxious to get started. If there are any questions I'd be happy
to attempt to answer them.
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Kanner: Bob, I assume that you attempted to implement the good neighbor
policy and that we have as a suggestion for these type of situations.
And one of the concerns from previous times was the...how this fits in
with single family residential areas to the west. And so I was
wondering if you heard fi.om people on what some of their concerns
might be in the neighborhood?
Downer: No, in fact there has never been a single instance that I am aware that
anyone who lived within approximately four to five blocks of this
complex has ever raised any concern. We have attempted to keep
people in the neighborhood fully informed as to what has been
occurring. At the time that the parking lot issue came up there was a
full disclosure and presentation with regard to the long-range plan that
Oaknoll has. And there's going to be further consideration given to
that shortly based upon the fact that now all but one of the single-
family residences lying on the east side of George Street has been
acquired by Oaknoll and that one owner is strongly supportive of
Oaknoll's plans for the area.
Vanderhoef: Other questions? Thank you.
Champion: I think...I think Oaknoll has tried to be a good neighbor and I think
they have a reputation of being a good neighbor. I don't know...how
would we go about expediting this. If we vote on this tonight...
Lehman: No.
Champion: No. Next time.
O'Dormell: (can't hear) next time so we can collapse on it.
Champion: Meeting in two...collapse it. Okay.
Vanderhoef: So we have a meeting in one week.
O'Donnell: I would be glad to do that. I would.
Vanderhoef: Other questions? Seeing no other speakers, public heating is closed.
O'Donnell: There's still another chocolate chip cookie left.
Champion: There was one left.
Vanderhoef: This is the cookie monster.
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#7d Page #23
ITEM NO. 7d. PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND
SECTION 14-6 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO
ALLOW GROCERY STORES IN THE INTENSIVE
COMMERCIAL ZONE, CI-I~ AS A PROVISIONAL USE OR AS
A SPECIAL EXCEPTION.
Lehman: Public heating is open.
Bob Downer: Mr. Mayor, Member so the Council, hopefully this is the last time this
evening that you'll have to hear from me. I am Bob Downer; I am here
representing Streb Investment Partnership, which is the developer of
the Scott Six Industrial Park. Because there's been extensive
discussion of this issue previously I will attempt to be brief here. We
have, of course, participated in the discussions of the Planning and
Zoning Commission and with the staff as this matter has been
considered with respect to an amendment to the ordinance as an
alternative to the rezoning of the property which had been requested
by the property owner. Of the two proposals that have been advanced,
we would strongly prefer the provisional use proposal that has been
submitted as one of two alternatives by staff. We feel that the...there
can be adequate protections for the public built into this without
creating a situation where there is disparate treatment with respect to
requests for this type of use that might be made in different areas of
the City. A considerable amount of attention has been focused on the
matter of traffic. And at the risk of being redundant, it has been
pointed out on numerous occasions that there are many substantial
traffic generators that are permitted in the CI-1 zone as that zone
presently exists. Further with respect to the specific use which is
being proposed for the site that as caused this issue to generate, I
would point out that there is an identical structure that is located on
Mormon Trek that has not required a traffic signal. This is not a store
of the size of Hy-Vee in its new stores that are being permitted. The
existing Fareway Store in Iowa City is 24,000 square feet and that's the
size that is being provided here. There is a 30,000 square foot
maximum proposed in the ordinance, which is consistent with the CN-
1 zone. As has been observed previously, there has been a substantial
outpouring of public sentiment for this in terms of enabling this
particular retail outlet to locate in the area in question. There have
been petitions cimulated, letters to the editor, editorials in favor of it
and the like. And we would submit that this is a case where a change
in the zoning ordinance is needed to accommodate persons in that
particular area of Iowa City. If there are any questions that are present
we would be happy to attempt to answer them. The Strebs are here
with me this evening. Because of the extended time period that has
been involved in the consideration of this matter and all of the issues,
we would respectfully request that this be acted upon as soon as
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#7d Page #24
possible. We do have the coming of construction season; maybe it's
already here with the kind of winter we've been fortunate to have. But
in any case, this is a matter upon which we would urge your early
consideration.
Lehman: Thank you.
Downer: Thank you.
Lehmm~: Questions for Bob?
Kanner: Bob, you said you're representing the Fareway Store?
Downer: I am representing the Streb Investment Partnership that is the owner of
the property that has a contract with Fareway to sell them the property
in the Scott Six Industrial Park subject to their being able to construct
this store on that site.
Kanner: If...
Downer: I do not represent Fareway.
Kanner: Okay. But let's say we make a special...make this as a special
exception. You don't think the grocery store would be able to make a
case for this being in the best interest of the welfare for the citizens of
Iowa City? You said...you seemed to say there's lots of support. If
we're going to do this ! tend to think that a special exception would be
the route to go and I think from what you say you'd be able to make a
case before our Board of Adjustment to allow that special exception.
You feel that perhaps you...it would not be able to be made there?
Downer: I think the case could be made just as we feel that it has been made to
the Council and to the Planning and Zoning Commission. It is one
more step that would be required to be taken at a point when hopefully
they would have approval and would be anxious to get underway
as...with their construction. Also I think that with the support that has
been generated for this project by the citizens, the Council being an
elective body has been able to perceive this. The Board of Adjustment
is in a different structure and it doesn't seem to me that this really fits
with the quasi-.judicial function that is exercised by the Board of
Adjustment. If that is the direction that the Council chooses to go I
would assume in the absence of directions from Fareway to the
contrary that we would follow through just as we've attempted to do
up to now.
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#7d Page #25
Kanner: I guess one of the problems that I had was that last time we heard from
the owner of the...from the owners of Fareway that people don't walk
to stores anymore. But I think the Fareway Store that's in existence
now is an example. I went out there. I saw not a great deal of people
that walked but there were people bicycling. Probably one out often
people were bicycling or walking up to the store from surrounding
areas. And that's one of the concerns here is that it is not walkable,
that it leaves...in fact Karen Howard, our staff member, says that in a
sense it would lead to a type of sprawl. She didn't use the word sprawl
but (can't understand) stores in remote areas from residential areas and
that's something that we don't want in our town because it's planned.
And I was wondering if you could address that concern?
Downer: I would strongly disagree with that concern particularly as it is located
in this area. There is a significant amount of manufactured housing
that is located in close proximity to this. This is an area of our
population in this community that is under served by retail
establishments and I don't believe that it would be possible anywhere
in the City to find a site that would be more readily accessible to
persons in manufactured housing than this site. Secondly, the
Planning and Zoning Commission did address certain criteria that they
would recommend be incorporated in this including making the
property accessible by sidewalk and by bicycle. And we do not resist
that. We have no objection to that at all. While we have certainly had
our disagreements with the Commission throughout this process, that's
not one of the areas with which we have a disagreement. And so we
certainly would be hopeful that any store of this nature would be made
pedestrian friendly. But we do not feel that pedestrian friendly and
locating this in an area that is readily accessible only to single-family
dwellings are synonymous. And for that reason feel that this...given
the dirth(sp?) of other retail establishments serving this area of the
community makes this particularly suited for this use.
Champion: I agree. I'd just like to make a little comment on that that there's a
tremendous amount of manufactured housing in that area who are
nowhere near walking or bicycling distance to a grocery store right
now.
Downer: Correct.
Lehman: Bob, I think one of the...
Champion: (can't hear) correct that.
Lehman: One of the concerns that the Planning and Zoning Commission had,
and I'm sure you're well aware that staff has given us two different
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#7d Page #26
ordinances one making grocery store a provisional use, one making it a
special exception. But...and perhaps my understanding is not correct
but my... I believe that under a special exception the City has the
ability to require more sorts of activities than we would under a
provisional use. Is that correct?
Champion: Correct.
Downer: They could be certainly more varied given the particular sites
involved. I feel that it would be possible to put a number of
requirements into the provisional use and did communicate with staff
about this. For example, those items that are in the conditional zoning
agreement for Scott Six, the commercial areas involving masonry
buildings and things of that sort, we feel would be valid criteria to
apply across the City for this type of use. But it is clearly the case that
you could have more site-specific requirements with a special
exception than with a provisional use.
Lehman: But what you're saying is you would rather try to meet those
requirements with a provisional use...
Downer: Yes.
Lehman: ...then by a special exception.
Downer: That's correct.
Lehman: Okay. Thank you.
Pfab: And I think...
Lehman: Other questions for Bob?
Pfab: IfI understand correctly, I think, one of your greatest needs is a
shortening of the time span. I mean you're willing to make a lot of
accommodation...a number of accommodations so this can be moving
on.
Downer: We've certainly attempted to do so, yes.
O'Donnell: Bob, all of the issues that I've been involved in over four years on this
Council, I've had more calls on this issue than any other one.
Lehman: Not smoking.
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#7d Page #27
O'Donnell: Absolutely on this one. And they're all positive. And I think there's
many pluses for the community. It keeps people from driving across
town to go to the other grocery store. But I think that's a wonderful
spot for it and I'll continue to support it.
Downer: That's an interesting experience. I've even been accounted...or been
accosted a couple of times in other supermarkets by people telling me
they were supporting this.
Vanderhoef: Bob, one of the things that hasn't been mentioned tonight and so I'm
going to mention it just because it is a concern of mine in long range
planning for the City and certainly for our budget line. In a
provisional use situation there isn't any provision to have the developer
assist us with infrastructure kinds of things that might be precipitated
sooner rather than later in the way of upgrading of the road and also
for traffic signals. And as I understand it this can be done under a
special exception and I just wondered if there was any interest in the
part of the developer to assist with this?
Downer: Well I think it's important, Dee, is I believe I mentioned one other time
and perhaps it wasn't before the Council but if we go back and
examine the process that was followed in 1996/1997 by which the
Scott Six part came together and the decisions were made on zoning
and the like and the formulation of this so called public/private
partnership, it was considered that the road on the south side, 420th I
believe it is, was going to be paved by the City. That was considered
to be a City contribution to this development and that's in writing and I
can produce the documents on that if necessary. This was done in...as
a City contribution in recognition of the fact that the Strebs' were
building the infrastructure for the entire 140 plus acre park all at one
time, which I think may be the largest subdivision in the history of
Iowa City that was all done at once with all the streets, sewers, water,
storm sewer, storm water management and the entire thing. So I don't
feel that it would be appropriate at this point to ask that they
participate in that particularly given the fact that this roadway is going
to be needed in any event. I don't think that that really ties to this
particularly. As far as a stoplight is concerned, I think I've already
addressed that. As far as other areas are concerned, it's certainly
something that I would take a look at. Those are the two principal
ones that I've heard mentioned. Sidewalks, certainly if there needs to
be extra width because of bicycles and to accommodate this particular
use that's something to which I think we'd be amenable.
Vanderhoef: Okay. The real crux of all of this is that until it builds out into the
industrial park this delays the time of the City participation in that
420th. And when I look at my budget and my bonding I would rather
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#7d Page #28
delay having that put onto my table for capital improvements at this
point in time.
Downer: Well, Dee, the only thing that I can say to that is that we have had two
very major industrial type developments in that area, one of which is
complete the other of which is nearing completion as the Mayor
pointed out in his message. And we hope that there will be more of
these coming along very soon to augment the tax base...
Vanderhoefi Spur them on.
Downer: ...so that you have more ability to move forward with these.
Champion: I know you're concerned about the future, Dee. I don't see it...you
know, I was thinking the two Hy-Vee's, I just have to use them
because I'm the east side of town and that's where I shop. They don't
have stoplights to get in and out of them so I don't know why people
think that Fareway is going to need stoplights. I don't understand...
Vanderhoef: They have access to a stoplight.
Champion: Not coming in and out of the parking lot you don't.
Lehman: No, but that's not what you're saying either.
Vanderhoef: No. I'm not talking about in and out of their parking lot either. I'm
talking about on Highway 6 or...
Champion: Oh, I guess I misunderstood where you thought they were going to be.
Vanderhoef: ...on Scott Boulevard. No, not within the park, honey.
Champion: Oh.
Lehman: Okay. Any other questions for Bob?
Downer: Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you, Robert.
O'Donnell: I can't see where we'd need a stoplight on Scott Boulevard.
Lehman: Well its going to happen (can't hear).
Champion: (can't hear)
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Vanderhoefi Yeah, this will hurry it up.
Karen Kubby: Good evening, my name is Karen Kubby, I live at 728 2nd Avenue. I
actually didn't come to speak on this issue but there are a couple things
that I wanted to say. And one was when Mr. Pfab you said about
accommodating...that the Strebs are accoaunodating the City. Really
it's the City accommodating the request after a very long and
negotiated process for figuring out this public/private partnership and
this industrial park. So this change of plans, which is at least the
second change of plans that the City has done to accommodate the
Stebs, is really an accommodation by the public for the potential of
this specific request. And it's always difficult to do things when you're
talking about a specific thing that people feel strongly about because
the issue that Dee's talking about is not just about the Fareway Store
it's about any other land zoned this way. So it's a land use issue; it's
not about Fareway. And so it's really, really important that when you
make the decision between special exception and provisional uses that
it's going to work everywhere in the City and not just at this comer.
So I ask you to really think about that when you make that
determination. Thank you.
Lehman: Well said, Karen.
O'Donnell: I believe there's two other pieces of ground zoned this way in the City
isn't there?
Lehman: I would have to ask Karin Franklin for sure but I think it's close to it.
Ann.
Champion: Poor Ann.
Ann Bovbjerg: Good evening Mr. Mayor, Council. My name is Ann Bovbjerg,
I'm...live in Iowa City. I'm Chair of Planning and Zoning
Commission. The words that we sent to you about our work on this
ordinance don't look like any other ordinance because this zone isn't
like any other zone and this request isn't like any other zones. So we
were not able to say to you we feel that in order to have a grocery store
that could be accommodated in CI, in this intensive commercial area,
it should have these kinds of curb cuts, this kind of set back, this kind
of masonry, this kind of loading docks and shielding and fit into the
neighborhood. ~o that was something that we struggled very hard to
try and come up with some of the kinds of wording that both the
applicant and some of the staff members have tried to say could be
used if it were provisional or a special exception. And there are
several reasons for this. One is that the intensive commercial zone
was never devised before it was used. It was kind of a title that was
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#7d Page #30
put on a hodgepodge of uses in several areas around the town and it's
very difficult to write special ordinance language for hodgepodges.
And we found we couldn't do that. We also, as the previous speaker
said, had to look at not this particular CI-1 zone or any other one and
those characteristics buy every CI-1 zone in the whole City and that
made it impossible for us to say you must have a 40 foot setback or
you must have a driveway that comes in that way. So...we also could
not say that this particular application in this particular comer must
have these kinds of requirements and call it a CI amendment because
that was very site specific and you can't do site specific ordinances.
It's not good planning, it's not good business, it's not good City
Council and it's, I think, illegal. So we didn't want to do that. What
we did for you is what I think gives planning staff, the legal staff, the
Council and everybody some goals to work for, almost performance
standards. So that whatever is done in whichever site you're looking at
has to be considering traffic, has to be considering safety, has to be
considering other kinds of things. And so we have given three
different goals to work for considering health, safety, and welfare,
which is what the Commission looks like...looks at, and the particular
land use. The other thing that it gives both the Council and other
members of the City as well as the developers is the flexibility of how
they want to go about siting the building, putting in driveways, putting
in walkways, so that they get to these goals so that if our goal is
economic development and the expansion of the City and the health,
safety and welfare of everybody, we think that giving people the
flexibility to come to these goals is the way to do it. And so after a lot
of discussion this is what we are presenting to you. It's not the
ordinary ordinance. Now how it will be written so that this kind of
thing is accomplished might...we might have to work on that. It might
be just in house, in staff. But that is why you don't see an ordinance
like any others. And interestingly enough some of the first material
that we have from our outside consultant looking at redoing the code is
a lot less specific and a lot more goal oriented and flexible. So I think
we're in the right thinking. Any questions?
Lehman: Ann, how many places do we have CI-1 zones in Iowa City?
Bovbjerg: Around...various places along Gilbert Street and Gilbert Court area.
Lehman: Right. That's the only other place though, isn't it?
Bovbjerg: Highway 6 southwest, there are pockets along there.
Champion: Right.
Lehman: Okay.
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O'Donnell: Okay.
Champion: We appreciate the work that you have done on this.
Bovbjerg: It...it's not a cliche but we have all learned a lot. And this is a problem
with site specificity and use specificity and favorable feeling toward
the applicant and what we felt were...what the Planning and Zoning
Commission could do and should do. So...
Vanderhoefi Ann, have you received the updating on the zone? Where are you on
moving forward with the total review of our commercial zones?
Bovbjerg: We have gotten the neighborhood commercial. That's the one we're
looking at and we're going to next be looking at on Thursday night.
Vanderhoef: Okay, and what about the other commercials?
Bovbjerg: The other ones are supposed to be coming on very soon.
Vanderhoef: So you're going to try and handle one without handling all three at the
same time?
Bovbjerg: I don't know how...what we're going to do. Tune in Thursday night.
We're going to look it over and maybe that would be one of our
discussions. You know, how much we want to vote on before we get
the whole thing. But the neighborhood commercial looks good so far.
Lehman: Good.
Bovbjerg: Any other questions?
Pfab: I believe you're saying that instead of being basically cast in stone of
what your options are, you're looking at goals so there will tend to be a
slight bit of flexibility which was not allowed in the previous
ordinance.
Bovbjerg: To our way of thinking, yes.
Pfab: Okay.
Champion: Great answer.
Bovbjerg: Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you. Anyone else wish to speak to the issue?
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Karr: Can we have a motion to...
Lehman: Public hearing is closed.
Karr: ...accepting correspondence.
Wilbum: So moved.
Pfab: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Wilburn, seconded by Pfab to accept correspondence. All
in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. (all ayes)
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ITEM NO. 8. PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED
OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2002
THROUGH JUNE 30, 2003, THE PROPOSEDTHREE-YEAR
FINANCIAL PLAN, AND ALSO THE MULTI-YEAR CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM THROUGH FISCAL YEAR
2006.
Lehman: And before we start the public hearing, Steve, would you like to give
us kind of a thumbnail sketch of what we're talking about?
Atkins: The budget year you have for consideration this evening is fiscal year
03, that is it begins July 1st of this year. Our process for budget
preparation begins generally in late September, early October whereby
the departments prepare their budget recommendations. Those
recommendations involve the actions of a previous council, some of
our history, tradition with respect to certain services. It also represents
some commitments we may have made. For example the library
referendum and the need for debt and operational expenses associated
with that project. I think above all one of the important things to
remember about budgeting, that is an estimate. It is an estimate of
expenditures and revenues for a given period of time and it's clearly
proscribed by Iowa law as to how we assemble this information. I did
a quick check and as a Council you convened in session for 23 1/2
hours of you time collectively in reviewing this budget. Now your
personal commitments of time, only each of you know how much was
involved there. As has been our practice in the past, we mail a copy of
our citizen's summary to each member of a board and commission
within the city organization. That involves about 150 copies. Your
review is guided by the state law. That is tax rate caps are set by the
state, taxable values, roll back set by the state, notice/hearing
requirements are all set by the state. By law you can appropriate
monies only one year at a time we however do a three-year operational
budget and a five-year capital plan. The fiscal 03 budget is difficult
and I believe difficult for all Iowans. The media coverage has been
extensive. The financial and resulting public service implications, I
believe, have been well described. Cities, counties, schools, the
university, each has been effected but notably the State of Iowa. I
don't think it's never been more evident that the control the state
exercises over local governments, as this budget has demonstrated, has
the clear financial difficulties the state experience comes home to us.
Unfortunately there are certain results that occur that were local
decisions in response to short fall in monies. We find ourselves at
odds with each other. You heard one tonight. The county has reduced
Senior Center funding by $45,000 and that's in the face of an existing
agreement we have. It appears that cuts in Senior Center services are
likely to be inevitable. But I think the most notable thing is the
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$45,000 puts the budget you have in front of you at this moment out of
balance. And those aren't actions of yours. The budget recommends a
number of changes that the state has imposed. For example, we no
longer receive reimbursement for the machinery and equipment
taxation. That's a loss of $700,000 in the general fund. The state cut
local aid in several categories. Road use tax was reduced by almost
13%. That simply means that as you consider projects that are ora
street related nature, rather than the use of road use tax you have to
consider debt. The state is also considering, as we've been watching
over the last couple days, an additional 2 1/2% cut in state aid. But I
think above all the most important thing is after you've adopted this
budget the state legislature remains in session. And I mean that
jokingly but I mean that seriously. You will have adopted a budget
and not know for sure what the state is going to do. In balancing this
budget we made a number of very deliberate decisions. Now some
were from my recommendation, clearly a good many of them the
things that you did. But the one I think of particular importance is that
we adopted a no layoff policy, no furlough. I believe our employs are
our greatest asset to the organization, the greatest investment that we
have. And that for us to consider reduction of employees, we need to
be assured that these financial consequences that are being thrust upon
us are going to be in our face for a protracted period of time. We don't
know that yet. Of course, when we commit to our employees, we
commit to the support financially. And this year we have an
unprecedented increase in the cost of health insurance. We've talked
about policies and how to address that but we have an estimated 40%
increase in the cost of health insurance to support our employees.
What have we done? I believe it's been the result of planning but we
intend, as we have in this budget balancing, to recommend to you the
use of our reserves on a short-term basis. This way we are spared, as
is the public who wants and expects services. But only spared in the
short run as the governor describe, draconian cuts in public services.
We can fulfill commitments within the budget but there are others that
we can not. The library, its debt, the operational needs when the
library is open are incorporated into the budget. A fire station, we
have monies for land acquisition and planning but we do not have
available resources for staffing. Capital investment, I think very
clearly that's been an issue of some consequence and concern as I
watched you going through your consideration of capital projects and
our debt plan. I advise you of cautious concern with respect to our
debt plan but I would say the same with any city in Iowa. You'll recall
from my budget message, that report was identified in the year 2000
identifying, discussing many of the changes that Iowa may undertake
or undergo.., excuse me, undergo and unfortunately with the downturn
in the economy many of those cimumstances occurred. I'm saying to
you that I believe we can ride out one year with the short-term use of
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our reserves but a second year would be very difficult if not highly
unlikely. We will continue to rework our debt plan. We can fulfill the
major conunitments we have such as the library. This evening you
planned on a hearing on our sanitary sewer debt for refinancing
purposes and the savings we might occur...that might occur. We've
all noticed over the last few months good bids on many of our
projects...
(End of side one, 02-24)
Atkins: ...reducing our borrowing. That will be reconsidered. But we're well
within our maximum available debt. Now this budget is balanced in
accordance with the state law but I would remind you that that law
seems to move every day. You are scheduled for budget adoption at
your meeting of the 27th. That's it, sir.
Lehman: Okay. Public hearing is open and I'd like to ask Council if we have
questions from...that come from the audience that we'd like to answer
if we would record those questions then we could see that we can try
to get some response to those prior to our meeting next Wednesday.
But lets let the public have their...a public hearing is for public input.
Let's hear what the public has to say and try to reserve our questions
until the public is through.
Byron Ross: Byron Ross, 1488 Cromwell. Hard to believe that I have some
questions about the budgets I can't...The City Manager says it's in
balance. Technically, legally, yes but when the cash drops 58.5% in a
short period of time that bothers me. What bothers me worse or just as
much, the general obligation bonds go up 34.5%. I'll get you a copy of
this. Cash going down like that, debt going up like that and then
you're going to spend a million dollars to put a footbridge across the
damn. I don't understand. I have looked through this budget once or
twice. I've asked one City Councilman, you know, about the south
side transportation. Well we can pay it out of parking revenues. The
parking fund from fiscal year 202 goes from 520,000 to a deficit of
20,000. How do you pay something when you're in the whole? What
it's for, I get the feeling...two different Councilmen kind of made a
mistake and said something. You're trying to take the surplus...that's
what I've been told, the surplus revenues from the south side center
and put it into the bus system since it runs at a pretty good des...I can't
find surplus. You've a...as close to $70,000 in property taxes,
between 60 and 70, down on those properties you're not going to get. I
don't see that deducted out of the income. The childcare center, the
way it's designed and if I'm reading the state requirements, it can
handle 95 and you're talking about 72,000 rent. Based on all those
statistics and talking to people that you might...somebody might be
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able to make it with 45,000 rent. There profits gone unless they want
to work for nothing. And there's not really a shortage. What I find out
if...there's a shortage in the infants. A lot of it is between little guys to
two years old you have to have one person for each four and it's 10 to
11 hour days. They're having a hard time finding people to fill those
positions. The south side center, you're supposed to get 9 million 6 in
free money from the Federal Government. If the deficit that I see is
going to be there plus there multi-purpose general obligation bonds
that...you know, in Steve's case a little bit he referred to in the press as
revenue. When you borrow money I don't know how that becomes
revenue. It can be cash flow but not revenue. I would bet you if you
put in...and I'll sit down with anybody from the staff that want me to,
it's going to come out...it's going to cost you a few million bucks over
a period of 15 or 20 years to get that money. Well you say it's need to
develop the Hieronymus property and so forth. What I've heard on the
Hieronymus property...when she gots the building 75% rented she has
the financing. Plaza Center One, my old...had problems. Two of the
five floors have sold to Iowa facilities. That comes out. An individual
who has offices downtown on a triple net lease where he pays increase
from property taxes and the conu'nercial taxes are standing on end.
When the lease is up, moving. Between that and the increase in his
parking permits he said I can not stay here. I mean there have been
several. Another individual didn't have a triple net lease, his is worse
it's about $400,000 building. The rents in the last year plus have gone
from over 11,000 to 13,000 and that's a small building. And he's
afraid, the rent lease is coming up, he doesn't think that he can make it
work. And I don't understand all this. It's just...appraisals may be
high but I've looked through though...found access to the County
Assessors stuff that's...or City Assessor, that's terrible. But a lot of the
stuffis selling for appraised value. (can't understand) except the City
on what they're buying... Hieronymus property 24% above the
appraisal, the one that's in the name of the First Federal Savings and
Loan of 14.6, the Lenock & Celik building, 10.1 above appraised. So
there's three buildings the City acquired. Why do you pay more than
the appraised value when out of the market a lot of time that's what
Vanguard or close. I'm working with a person now, they're
property...they can't get what's appraised and it's dropped. So I don't
understand how all this works. I don't think the south side project
is...I've been told that it's not a done deal but the Mayor put it in the
State of the Union report that would lead you to believe that it is. I
can't get the numbers to work. I'll sit down with any City staffand go
down with them. And when I asked have you considered this, it's
always no we didn't. You've been optimistic. How many dollars
revenue are you taking from one parking ramp to go over there? I
think if you take money from one pocket and put it in the other do you
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increase your income? I can't make it work. Here's a copy for you.
Any questions? Thank you.
Champion: Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you, Byron.
Kart: Motion to accept correspondence?
Wilbum: So moved.
Lehman: Moved by...
Wilburn: Move to accept correspondence.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Wilbum, seconded by Vanderhoef to accept
correspondence. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. (all ayes)
Leah Cohen: My name is Leah Cohen and I live in Teg Drive in Iowa City. And I'm
here also, obviously, on the budget. My biggest concern with the
budget right now is looking at all the state levels, federal level, local
levels. What we're looking at with out budgets right now, everyone
has had to make very painful decisions in their cuts. I think we've all
read about it. We've all seen it. I don't feel at this point that our City
has made painful decisions in their cuts. I think there's a lot of things
that can be looked at yet. I have a concern when we look at
Waterworks Park still in our budget. We're looking at a bridge. My
understanding is it's not a million dollar bridge; I was told it probably
500,000 but if it's put off longer term it could go to a million dollars.
To me that's not a reason to build it today. Who knows in three or four
or five years if the Council needs to look at that and come up with the
million maybe they can. I don't think we've looked at any kind of, as
far as I've heard, caps on hiring, caps on salaries, anything along that
line. I think that all this needs to be looked at with this City. I saw
today in the paper and I don't know if that was totally accurate but it
talked about commemial, 13.2% increase in our commercial base. We
are talking about bringing commercial to our City. We want economic
development. We want these businesses to come to our town. What
on earth are they going to look at when they're looking at a 13.2%
increase in their taxes and what's going to go on with their buildings?
That needs to be really seriously looked at. We are not going to
increase our tax base if we continue with those kind of an increase. I
understand with the rollbacks that the property taxes will not be as
high, 3% or something along that line, which I think, is reasonable.
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But I do think that the City right now, Councilors I guess you are the
ones that are really looking at it, I think you need to make tougher
decisions. It's you are the ones that are handling our money and it's all
of our communities money. And I think you're really going to have to
sit down and m-look at that and take out any beef you can take out of
that budget right now to try and keep these tax increases down and to
show our citizens that you can make tough decisions too, as everyone
is. I highly encourage you not to go into cash reserves. I think they
need to be there. I do think this is not a short term, one-year deal.
They claim that our economy is growing a little bit. It's going to take a
long time for federal and state to recover from where they're at today.
And it's not going to happen for next year's budget. So I ask you also
to look at what's going to happen 8o that the cash reserves are not used
for the City for these purposes this year. And I thank you for your
time. I know you've put immense time into it and I just hope that you
will re-look at it and re-look at what else you can take out to cut a little
bit further. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you, Leah.
Champion: Thank you, Leah.
Casey Cook: Mr. Mayor, City Councilors, my name is Casey Cook. I own a small
business here in Iowa City and I'm the...I was formerly on the
Planning and Zoning Commission with Ann Bovbjerg for many years.
And I'm also the co-founder and current president of the Friends of the
Iowa River Scenic Trail. I'm here to express some concerns that I
have about the budget and the budgeting process. But before I express
those concerns I also want to make it very clear that I appreciate your
stewardship and your unwillingness to spend our money frivolously.
My concern is that I think sometimes we're too.., so caught up in the
idea of savings that we fail to see the opportunities that are associated
with investing. And I think that's an important distinction because by
not understanding that distinction I feel that we compromise our
vision. Progress should not stop simply because economic times are
tough which clearly they are. Interest rates are currently at historic
lows. Assuming you have a worthy project that you can find funding
sources to match City contributions, there has never been a better time
to invest. I'm not aware currently of any applications from Iowa City
for Vision Iowa funds specifically community attraction and tourism
grants. It seems like that's an opportunity that we're missing and I'm
wondering if we lack vision or just imagination. The Friends of the
Iowa River Scenic Trail have presented a plan to the Parks and
Recreation Commission which was unanimously approved to convert
what I would refer to as industrial wasteland located behind Hills Bank
on South Gilbert Street, it's also known as Sand Lake. The City
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already owns the land and I think this is important because the land
value is part of what could be a leveraged contribution. Second, the
plan relieves a serious safety problem for cars which are now taking
direct access off of Highway 6. The plan would move that parking to
the back of the site off of Southgate. Three, I believe this plan would
be a catalyst for redevelopment of surrounding areas. Now I'm not
talking about Hills Bank. I'm talking about some of the older
warehouse properties there toward the back of this site. When I talk
about the redevelopment of surrounding properties, one way of
interpreting that is to read it as economic development in new tax base.
This is one element that I see of a multi-park plan that could transform
the south end. All of these elements could be put together for a Vision
Iowa project specifically for CAT funds, Community Attraction and
Tourism funds. The other elements include the following. Extend the
trail from Benton Street to Sturgeons Ferry Park on the west side of
the river, rehabilitate Sturgeons Ferry Park through Brownfield grants,
a plan the I understand is already in process, and explore whether
Brownfield grants can be used as part of a leverage contribution.
Three, extend Mormon Trek around the airport which an eight foot
wide sidewalk. Road funds could be also used to leverage Vision
Iowa funds. Four, phase out, and this is a big one. Phase out the
above ground operations at the sewage plant. This is a blighting
influence on the entire area and it retards the economic redevelopment
of that whole south end. I would expect that this would continue to be
a collection and distribution point but no processing. The land surface
could then be captured for recreational purposes. Together I believe
these elements would do the following. One, lead to the
redevelopment of land around Sand Lake and from Highway 6 south
to Napoleon Park. Currently that's sort of low industrial intensive land
and I think it would be welt suited to be developed for a much higher
intensity, land that generates a lot more for your tax base. Two,
encourage.., it would encourage the absorption of the City's
commercial development north of the airport. That's been very slow to
develop there, as you know. Three, foster the redevelopment of the
twelve acres now occupied by City Carton which is located north of
the sewage plant. Four, encourage the expansion of county offices as
well as ancillary professional offices and residential uses. This is
clearly a project that will require staging over the next ten years;
however, planning should begin with a task force to refine the plan and
submit an application for CAT funds. For a primary commitment is to
maintain a Aaa bonding...bond rating, which I think is a laudatory
goal, I think we need to see that in context. And if that's our primary
goal, I think we're missing the boat. I do not believe that is the reason
you ran for office and I don't believe it's the reason that you continue
to serve. I have one other comment. Because the...your support of
the bridge over the...at the...over the damn at the Iowa River Power
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Company has come under some fire, I think that that's an obvious
investment to spur the redevelopment of the peninsula. And I think
that's money that the City will get back many, many times over on a
project that frankly has languished. Thanks for your time.
Lehman: Thank you.
Champion: Thank you. Great plan.
Cook: (can't hear)
Champion: It's great.
O'Donnell: It's nice.
Vanderhoefi We can talk about it later.
Karen Kubby: My name is Karen Kubby and actually the one part of the trail on that
map that Casey had should really be called the Casey Cook Trail, that's
kind of in between the river and Sand Lake. It's a beautiful spot.
Thank you for all your work on that. I wanted to express some
concern about the subsidy from the general fund to the airport. And I
have to say it's really nice I can say something about one little part of
the budget and it's not my responsibility to look at the whole thing.
But this is something that...and I have to out loud although many
people know this, I have never been a big fan of how much the City
has subsidized the airport with general fund money. And the whole
plan behind the hangers, the two new hangers built...it was brought to
us as a guarantee that the rents would pay for the debt to pay...to buy
and construct the hangers and then I read in the budget that we're
going to go from 87,000 to 200 and almost 14,000 to subsidize the
airport. And a big chunk of that is because the hanger rents aren't
paying for the debt. And I guess I want to know at what point does the
Airport Commission become accountable to the City when promises
are made on the front end and decisions are made based upon those
guarantees? And looking at rent schedules saying that there's a
waiting list and we actually waited for the construction time frame for
one of the hangers to get more people to commit to rent those hangers.
And so I...when I see there's all these other needs and human services
are being cut from the general fund and the airport is getting more
subsidy instead of the planned less subsidy, that doesn't seem like fair
public policy somehow. Somehow...if it's short-term help, I want
there to be some kind of repayment to the general fund and then boost
that human service fund later. We're going have...we've got...you
know, the five year on...five year time frame on welfare hitting many
people in our community on the federal level. We're having human
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services cut on the state and county level. We have our neighboring
cities not necessarily paying their fair share for human services based
on population use and then Iowa City is also cutting that. It just irks
me that the airports getting so much money when promises were made
and that one of the results is some very basic needs not being met. So
I want you to figure out how to make the airport more accountable...
Lehman: Karen, I want a break one role but we are scheduling a meeting with
the Airport Commission to find out precisely what you have just
articulated.
Kubby: Well if one of you would call me and tell me what the answer is that'd
be great.
Lehman: I think you'll probably read about it in the paper.
Vanderhoef: I want to correct one thing also. Human services are not being cut,
they're held level.
Kubby: Oh, so the total amount is being held the same...
Lehman: Right.
Kubby: ...but some agencies are not getting as much as in the past.
Vanderhoef: That's right.
Lehman: Thank you, Karen.
Rod Sullivan: Hi, my name's Rod Sullivan. I live at 2326 East Court. And just had
several small comments on the budget. First of all, I guess, you know
I've heard a lot and it sounds really good to me this whole idea of
maintaining the AAA bond rating but I've got to admit that I don't
necessarily understand what that means in terms of dollars and cents.
And I think that the public would benefit from some hard numbers in
terms of, you know, how does this benefit the City and what's the
difference between AAA and AA and etceteras, etceteras. Because
obviously when we're making very hard budget decisions and the goal,
of course, is to keep this bond rating, well then I have to ask the
question why? And I...I honestly just don't know. So I'd like to see
you folks do more to educate the public about that. I'm also very, very
pleased that you folks decided against a policy of furloughing
employees. I think that that's fantastic and I support that. I do
however think that.., obviously you look at the budget and salaries
make up a huge percentage of your budget. And I think that the time
has probably come to do a very thorough review of how much you're
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paying for the human capital that the City is expending money on. I
think you need to look at every department, you know, perhaps some
staffing needs to be moved around, whatever. But obviously we're
paying a lot of money for people and I think it is worthy of review. I
worry about the lour of the federal and state matches sometimes. I
think that we're currently paying the price for some decisions we made
several years ago, federal matches for police officers. Now we've got
a police department that's costing a heck ora lot of money. And yeah
the Federal Government paid for those officers for the first few years
but now we're paying the full bill. And ! think that the lour of these
federal and state matches...federal and state matching money is great
much of the time but sometimes we're also buying off...we're taking
on future potential problems. So I want you folks to think about that.
I know you folks have heard a lot about this footbridge but I have to
echo the previous speaker. And the think that angers me most in the
budget is the airport and I think that that's one place where we're
spending a lot of money when we've got an excellent airport that's the
Eastern Iowa Airport that I can get to in 20 minutes. And I think we
need to take a serious look at the money that we're spending on airport
when we've got all these needs in the City. And finally, you know
we're talking about all these places where we can cut the budget. And
I do think that there's one place where we have the potential to make
some money in this City and because of that I really want to encourage
you to spend the money on a public power initiative study because I
for one really like the idea of five or six years down the road selling
power to Coralville. Thank you.
Champion: Oh, good idea.
Kanner: Rod, I just had a clarifying question. Which previous speaker did you
like...
Champion: Karen.
Kanner: (can't hear) the bridge? On the bridge?
Sullivan: Casey.
Champion: Casey.
Sullivan: I (can't hear) nothing per say just...we're spending too much time on
the bridge, not enough on the airport.
Champion: Steve, can you answer that question quickly?
Atkins: What's that?
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Lehman: Aaa bond rating.
Champion: Yeah, does that actually save the taxpayers?
Lehman: Kevin.
Vanderhoefi Kevin probably can.
Atkins: The Aaa bond rating is...I think the simplest way to describe it is that
a $20 million bond over 20 years, the difference between AAA and A
is about a million dollars in interest.
Champion: Yeah.
Atkins: The difference between Aaa and Aa is about 500 and some odd
thousand. So it is...it's something that does not appear immediately
and the most important thing, I think, for us to consider on the AAA is
that we're about to go out for a very large general obligation bond on
our library and our other projects. Let's have the best possible credit
rating so we set that interest now when the market is where it is. And
we can...basically you have a generation enjoying the benefit of that
decision.
Champion: So if we borrow enough money we can actually save enough money to
build...
Lehman: No.
Atkins: No, no.
Champion: ...that footbridge.
Atkins: I'm sorry. That doesn't work that way.
Lehman: That's wrong.
Kanner: But it's a politichl...
O'Donnell: In 20 years.
Kanner: ...(can't hear) that's in the short term perhaps it costs more like a...
Atkins: Yes.
Kanner: ...larger down payment that you (can't hear)
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(lots of whispering)
Atkins: Right.
Karmer: So that it would save our rating which cost people more with
tremendous increases. Like anything it's a political decision.
Atkins: That's right.
Kanner: Now verses later. One of those things (can't hear)
Atkins: That's right.
DennisKeitel: My name is Dennis Keitel. Iliveat 1696 Ridge Road. Iworkinthe
private sector and we all know that we're having tough times. The
company that I work for has had to re-evaluate their health care plan
and they've raised the out of pocket limits that we have to pay on our
health insurance. Now Steve earlier said that health care costs have
gone up 40% for City employees and I know there's a large City staff.
Have you looked at reducing the costs of health care by raising limits
or by making employees...City employees pay more out of pocket?
Atkins: Do you mind if I answer that?
Lehman: Yeah, go right ahead.
Champion: Please do.
Lehman: Cause we...
Atkins: Dennis, the...we have in our labor contracts a commitment to our
employees to pay the health insurance. I will require us to collectively
bargain and make those changes. That's a matter of employment
agreement. Council's already given us some indication that they wish
to revie~v our bargaining strategy. Secondly, it was really truly
unprecedented because the previous...if you check our previous, I
think two to three years, we experienced very little change. We can
show you the age group, all that information as to who caused it. But
the bottom line is that the...it just went up dramatically this year. And
I can assure you it's going to be...
Keitel: We know that cause we...
Atkins: It is going to be addressed but we can not unilaterally reduce it.
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Keitel: We experienced the same thing in the private section and I just...you
know.., and we're being asked the private sector to pay more of our
share of health care costs and I think the City should look at asking
City employees to pay more of their share.
Atkins: You can ask but we have to bargain it. So...
Keitel: Okay.
Lehman: That has been a topic of discussion at our budget meetings.
Ann Bovbjerg: Ann Bovbjerg, 1710 Ridge Road. A previous speaker brought up
health insurance, which I think maybe we've come to a large enough
group of people, private and public, that the question can be asked of
both the medical community and the insurance company of what
caused this because if it wasn't use of services, an increased use of
legitimate medical, then there's something else. And it seems to me
that insurance is supposed to be based upon actuarial data of what's
actually been used or what actually is the cost of doing business. So I
think, maybe we're getting a critical mass of private and public to look
in to that. While we're on the how to educate people, you talked about
rollbacks. I would like somehow, sometime the public to be told both
the facts and the frustration of state and federal and local on accessed
valuation and rollbacks which give you the taxable valuation and the
kinds of caps that are on rates and the categories you can use. And
then the categories...the caps that are put on total amount of taxable
revenue you can bring in. Cause usually with state laws if you tweak
one, the other ones can float a little bit. So if you've got a cap on the
rate you can still bring in the same total revenue but you have to do it
differently. And so somehow with all of these moving ducks not in a
row, either in one minute or three inches in a column, I don't know
how it can be done. But those kinds of things are thrown around
usually to make an impression on people and they're not always
accurate. So somehow all of the...all of these things that are going
into this stew would be good for people to know that so that we really
know what are tax rates are, what our tax payments are and what it's
going for, and the kinds of restrictions that we have on them. Thank
you.
Casey Cook: I didn't submit this to...and I've got some...my comments in writing. I
would like to submit them to the Council.
Lehman: Do we have a motion to accept correspondence?
Wilbum: So moved.
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Vanderhoef: So moved.
Wilburn: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Wilbum. All in favor? Opposed?
Motion carries. (all ayes)
Karen Kubby: I'm sorry to ask for a second drink at the feedback trough tonight on
the budget but I meant to say something about public power. And that
is I know that a majority of you have some very keen interest in
spending some money on a feasibility study although I know the
amount is not settled and that will happen next month. But one of the
advantages that other Iowa communities have seen is that having lower
rates for all levels of consumers, industrial, commercial and
residential, that even with lower rates there're still dollars being
generated that in many communities are funneled into the general
fund. And so I hope that the feasibility study will be approved in
March. I understand that you're not interested in putting in the budget
as kind of an up front commitment but that if you decided to do it it
will come from contingency. But just to see the potential that if the
hard questions are asked and the answers come out okay that there
could be some real benefits to our general fund that can help relieve
some of this tension.
Lehman: Thank you. Anyone else like to speak to the budget? Public heating is
closed. I'd just like to remind Council, I think there will be some
communication between some of us and the Council and hopefully
next Wednesday we can have some discussions relative to issues that
have been brought up.
Atkins: If you all have something that you want the rest of you to see, that we
have a packet Thursday. So the sooner you can get it to us the better.
Lehman: Yeah, if you've got something you'd like to communicate among
ourselves...I have already given a memo.
Atkins: Yeah.
Lehman: I think maybe another Councilperson has. But we need to address
these things...
Atkins: Anything you want in writing, particularly as you know will go out to
the media anyway, in anticipation of the meeting of the 27th. You just
need to get that to us as soon as you can.
Lehman: Right. But we do need to deal with this a week from tomorrow so...
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Vanderhoef: Yes Leah, this is our turn now to do what you were talking about, after
the public heating.
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ITEM NO. 10. PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND
ESTIMATE OF COST FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE
MORMON TREK BOULEVARD LANDSCAPE
IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF
BID SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING
CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS,
AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS.
Lehman: Public hearing is open. Estimated cost of this project is $210,000.
Public heating is closed.
Wilbum: Move adoption of the resolution.
Pfab: Second.
Lehman: By Wilbum, seconded by Pfab. Discussion?
Kanner: I have a question. What if...if we put this on hold for a while, plans
would still be good wouldn't it? There's a question of the University
funding.
Atkins: I think that'd be the question that we'd want to answer. I think the
University has an expectation that we were going to move this along
promptly.
Ron Knoche: The way the University has...they pretty much up fronted the cost for
this project already through the Mormon Trek construction. So we
already have their money in our pocket. And so...
Lehman: Let's run.
Knoche: Run. Yeah, let's run. So there the expectation is that we fulfill that
commitment that we made to them and do this project.
Kanner: What are the major components in this plan? I'm thinking that this is
one thing that perhaps we can push back a year. Maybe the University
would understand that this is not an essential and it's a way to save
some of our capital expenditures. This would be essentially us putting
in 210,000.
Knoche: No, I...we would be putting in the 105,000. It's a...although we
have.., we have the money to cover the University's payment already.
Kanner: What are the components of it?
Knoche: The components of the project?
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Kanner: (can't hear) of the plan.
Knoche: Planting trees in the medians and putting up prairie grass in the
medians and some shrubbery and whatnot.
Pfab: If you don't do it is there erosion problems at hand?
Knoche: No.
Pfab: Okay.
Knoche: I mean it is a landscaping project like we did last year on the first
phase of Mormon Trek and also on Foster Road.
Lehman: I have a real problem with not doing this.
Pfab: I...
Lehman: I mean I think the University have been a tremendous partner with the
City on a number of projects. This road goes past one of the most
beautiful golf courses in the country. It's going past a new building the
University is building is very, very proud of. That road going under
the bridge that's soon going to be completed is a magnificent raod and
I really think that first of all we've collected their money.
O'Donnell: That's the big part.
Lehman: Well no it's not just the big part. The big part is that we're partners
with the University on this one and I really would think that this is a
bad faith effort by trying to put this off.
Pfab: I think there's...
Vanderhoef: This is also the from yard for University Housing...
Pfab: Right. That's was the (can't hear) make. It's an investment for...
Vanderhoefi ...along there and the, you know, this is what they look at. This is
there vista.
Kanner: Well I wonder. This is...I think the University would be
understanding. I think we should perhaps ask them if they would be
understanding of this. And in terms of the housing, we still haven't
heard what's the fate of that housing out there. We've heard talk of
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maybe tearing down. Maybe we need to have that discussion if
you...as long as you bring that up.
Champion: This is going to be a very attractive street, which a tremendous amount
of people go down every day. You know, I would like to see us have
every street look like this one's going to look and I'm certainly going to
support doing this project.
Lehman: Well, I'd like to close the public heating and have a motion so we can
discuss it.
Karr: We did.
Champion: Oh.
Lehman: Can we do that?
Champion: We did.
Lehman: Could we do that? Do we have a motion? Where was I?
Karr: Wilbum and Pfab.
Lehman: All right. Wonderful. Any other discussion, folks?
O'Donnell: This is a wonderful project and we have in one way or another
accepted $50,000 in...
Lehman: (can't hear)
Vanderhoef: 135.
O'Donnell: $135,000 and it's... I think it's a good idea to proceed with the project.
Vanderhoef: This is certainly an entryway in to the University campus and when
you think about the number of folks that come in from out of town
specifically to go to the hospital or the athletic, it's something that we
want to showcase not to leave sitting idle.
Lehman: Further discussion? Roll call. Motion carries, 6/1, Kanner voting in
the negative.
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ITEM NO. 11. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 1,
CHAPTER 9, SECTION 3, "ELECTION PRECINCTS" OF THE
CITY CODE OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, TO AMEND THE
BOUNDARIES OF THE VOTING PRECINCTS IN IOWA
CITY, IOWA TO CORRECT A SCRIVENER'S ERROR IN
PRECINCT 4 AND TO INCLUDE PROPERTIES ANNEXED IN
PRECINCT 25. (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Vanderhoef: Move consideration.
Champion: So moved.
Vanderhoefi Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Champion. Discussion?
Champion: How many times have we had this on our agenda?
Lehman: Yeah, those scriveners.
Vanderhoef: Don't ask.
Lehman: Are we trying to save money on scriveners?
O'Donnell: I hope so.
Lehman: Okay, roll call. Motion carries. (7/0)
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ITEM NO. 13. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY
CLERK TO ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION
OF THE LANDFILL SALVAGE BARN & FURNITURE
PROJECT.
Lehman: We received five bids. Estimated cost was $107,000. The low bid
was United Builder's Center from Walker, Iowa at $104,475 and
Public Works and Engineering has recommended the awarding o f the
contract to those folks.
Champion: Move awarding.
Wilbum: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by Wilbum. Discussion?
Atkins: I just want to give you a heads up. You know with this project that's
just about going to wrap up our whole recycling center concept out
there. I'm anxious to get this one under construction so that this
summer we can plan to have a nice big open house. It's really going to
be nice.
Champion: Put a nice picnic in the dump.
Atkins: Say that again. A nice what?
Champion: The landfill.
Lehman: Have a barbecue out there.
O'Dormell: Connie's always loved the dump.
Kanner: So are we going with the (can't understand) for artist?
Vanderhoef: (can't hear) barbecue we had.
Atkins: Yeah I'm pretty sure that's what she was doing.
Vanderhoef: The millennium.
Karmer: But we got the (can't hear)
O'Donnell: (can't hear)
Lehman: Okay, roll call. Motion carries. (7/0)
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#15 Page #53
ITEM NO. 15. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE
ACQISITION OF PROPERTY INTERESTS NECESSARY FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF THE HIGHWAY 6 RECREATIONAL
TRAIL PROJECT.
Wilbum: Move adoption.
Lehman: Moved by Wilburn.
Pfab: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by Pfab. Discussion?
Kanner: I had a question about how much property this entails. I can't imagine
there's a lot of private property that this entails.
Dilkes: No, it's real minor acquisitions, as I understand it.
Vanderhoef: Will we be using parkland acquisition funds for that since this is a
linear park?
Atkins: Hadn't planned on it.
Vanderheof: It could be.
Ross Spitz: For that property it's just some...about a five foot strip along
Broadway Street for that sidewalk we're putting in. It wasn't initially
part of the scope that we did, I guess, an original design but we were
going to put that along to connect the Highway 6 there on the east side
of Broadway Street.
Lehman: We're talking about a little sliver here.
Spitz: Yeah.
Lehman: Okay.
Spitz: Just a...there isn't a sidewalk right now. It's about a block long south
of the Highway there to connect up to the...
Lehman: Okay.
Pfab: Do you have an estimated cost?
Spitz: Just for that portion?
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Pfab: Yes.
Spitz: At this point we're...we've sent that property acquisition out to get
appraised so not yet.
Pfab: Okay, it's a little early.
Kanner: I'm trying to think on Boyrum, isn't the same situation? There's a little
segment between Highway 6, right by the video store there.
Spitz: That's all within the right-of-way in that area. There's a (can't
understand) sidewalk in that...up to the Highway almost (can't hear).
Kauner: It's a little short but we're going to cover the rest of that then?
Spitz: Yeah, that's all in the right-of-way.
Kanner: It's on public right-of-way?
Lehman: Okay.
Atkins: To answer Dee's question, yes you could. I'd recommend you approve
the project if you'd like...but I think you ought to ask Parks and
Recreation Commission. They get a little excited about that fund.
Vanderhoef: I know.
Champion: You're spending their money.
Lehman: We're talking about a...
Atkins: I was just going to say...
Vanderhoefi We worked very hard to make sure that linear parks were part of
acquisition fund.
Pfab: This is finance...whatever...
Lehman: This is talking about the acquisition of property.
Vanderhoef: For the acquisition of the property only.
Lehman: I may read this wrong but my suspicion sounds like this is a very, very
miniscule amount.
Atkins: yeah.
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Vanderhoefi It does.
Lehman: It may not even be worth...
Vanderhoef: But I didn't know how big it was when I asked the question.
Atkins: Very, very...
Lehman: Okay guys, roll call. Motion carries. (7/0)
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ITEM NO. 20. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Champion: I want to ask a question and this is probably the wrong time to ask it
but I was thinking of that historic preservation commission which does
a tremendously good job. And there original, I don't know you caR1 it,
a charter, or what do you call a commission...
Lehman: Charge?
Champion: Charge.
Lehman: By laws.
Champion: By laws. I mean, I'm wondering if they're not getting themselves in
trouble with all these small districts of trying to maintain membership
on the commission. Do they look at that or do we look at that? Is that
our charge or their charge?
Dilkes: There's a state code provision which requires representatives from the
districts that you designate.
Champion: Can you ever combine the districts. I mean like say because
there's.., some of those are so small.
Dilkes: I think that's been talked about.
Kart: We asked...I believe we checked on that a while ago...
Atkins: It seems to me...
Kart: ...cause that same question came up...
Lheman: That's right.
Kart: ...and I believe staff checked and there was no flexibility given at the
state for that.
Champion: Wow.
Vanderhoefi It makes sense though, Connie.
Champion: What if the district's only two houses?
Lehman: Yeah, but Connie I think we talked about that for the very reason
you're talking about right now. We're having difficulty getting folks to
apply.
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Champion: well there aren't...they're such small districts.
Lehman: Right.
Vanderhoefi Right.
Lehman: And we are apparently unable to do that.
Vanderhoefi It makes sense but they won't let us.
Champion: well if we keep appointing more and more districts we're going to be
in big trouble.
Lehman: Yeah.
Vanderhoef: Would it be appropriate to address the State Historic Commission that
has this rule and point out sometimes we have this problem?
Dilkes: I think it's the legislative.
Vanderheof: Is it legislative?
Dilkes: I mean, I think it's in the state code.
Vanderhoefi So we need to alert them of that.
Champion: I mean, Iowa City's been pretty aggressive in designating these areas
and maybe it's not been a problem...
Atkins: If you're interested I can write a letter to them...
Champion: Well I think it's a really good idea that...besides the districts...
Dilkes: I know staff has looked at it before so maybe if you want to refer it
back to staff and have them decide or think about...
Champion: Well I think I'd like to ask the commission (can't hear)
Dilkes: ...what the most appropriate mechanism might be to raise the issue.
Vanderhoefi We need to let somebody know that can make a change for us.
Atkins: Is it okay with the rest of you?
Lehman: Sure.
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Wilbum: Sure.
Vanderhoef: Absolutely.
Lehman: Okay.
Pfab: I would like to...we talk about childcare. And is that babysitting or is
it early childhood education? And I think that that's something I
would like to have some discussion at a work session because I think
that's...I work with a couple of organizations and that seems to be the
wave of the future. Instead ofchildcare...that's babysitting.
(End of side two, 02-24)
Pfab: So I would propose that we have a work session to kind of sort that out
because it effects how we think and there's a lot of things in our code.
Lehman: What would.., what would you.., what would be the gist of the
conversation. I mean, we're not in the childcare business.
Pfab: Well we are.
Lehman: Are we talking about...
Pfab: We're going to put a childcare place in our new ramp.
Lehman: Well we're going to lease that out to a private...
Pfab: I know, but let's call it what it is. Instead of...it's not a babysitting
place; it's an early childhood education.
Kanner: Well are you looking...are you think of recently in the news there was
an African American advocacy group saying that if we're going to only
emphasis so many years instead of five through eighteen we ought to
emphasize three through sixteen in our education funding. Is that
along the lines of what you're talking about?
Champion: (can't understand)
Pfab: But it brings out...
Kanner: (can't hear) lower.
Pfab: It adequately describes what is being done. That's what people are
looking for. It's not a babysitting thing it's early childhood education.
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Lehman: Well, I would...
Pfab: I would like to bring it up at a work session and...
Lehman: I wouldn't have any problem when we get ready to do the...
Pfab: But we're going to...but we keep talking about childcare places and I
think that at this time we ought to take a hard look if that's what the
terminology we want to keep using.
Champion: Well, Irvin, maybe you're the only one who thinks childcare is
babysitting. I don't. I don't consider childcare babysitting at all.
Pfab: What do you consider it?
Champion: Well I consider rearing a child and rearing a child is a lot more than
babysitting.
Pfab: It's kind of like early childhood education.
Champion: Well, it's more than that.
Lehman: Okay, we all...we agree. It's more.
Kanner: But I think the point is the issue of childcare is something that's
important. And JCCOG we talked about it a little bit and perhaps on a
council level we might want to talk about what we want to emphasis
with JCCOG, if we want to pursue that with JCCOG.
Lehman: Well you know we are going to get into a discussion relative to some
of this I suspect at a work session rather soon because of...didn't
somebody want to talk about childcare for boards and...
Atkins: Yes.
Lehman: And I think that was...
Kanner: So...
Atkins: It's on our things to do.
Lehman: That's the time we can certainly...we can certainly bring it up.
Kanner: Yeah, I'd be willing, yeah, to expand it. I also think though it is
appropriate in terms of...we are supporting this childcare center. It's
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going to go in the parking ramp so anyway we talk about, I think, is
good.
Lehman: Okay. Anything else, lrvin?
Pfab: No that's it.
Lehman: Connie? Mike?
O'Donnell: Our SEATS director, Lisa Dewey, is going to be leaving and I want to
wish her well. She's, I think, been a tremendous asset to the SEATS
organization. And I understand she's headed down to Mississippi. But
Lisa's been a big asset and I know we've all learned a lot from her so I
just...I wanted to wish her well.
Vanderhoef: I'll second that.
Lehman: Very good. Dee?
Vanderhoef: Nothing.
Lehman: Ross?
Wilburn: Nothing.
Lehman: Steven?
Kanner: A couple things. One is I wanted to announce a concert that's going to
be happening with one of my favorite folk performers, Charlie
King's...Charlie King and Karen Brandoff. This is sponsored by
Iowans for Peace with Iraq and the proceeds are to go to the Iowa
Water project. It's Saturday, March 2nd at 8 P.M. And if people want
more information on this it's going to be at the Wesley House on
Dubuque. Please call 688-9508. It should be fun time,...
Kanner: ...the concert. And the issue I wanted to bring up was one that was
brought up earlier about the police policy, the order that was recently
released by our police chief in terms of how old one has to be before
they can give voluntary consent in regard to police entrance into a
property. I was wondering if we could have a discussion at a work
session about how we feel about it and if there's support for moving
forward on any kind of public forum around this issue.
Lehman: What's your pleasure folks?
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Pfab: I would like to discuss that. I'm very uncomfortable, myself, to have a
child, a twelve year old child give permission to go through...ransack
my place.
Champion: I have to agree.
Lehman: We have...how many folks what to talk about that age? We have one,
you Connie, you don't think that a twelve year old should be able to
give consent either?
Champion: No.
Lehman: All right.
Champion: I don't.
Wilbum: Let's plan to discuss it.
Lehman: When you get an opportunity Steve, I mean I think we have a couple
other things coming up on the work session...
Atkins: There's a list of things.
Lehman: ...the airport meeting and obviously the power thing we've got to
get...we've really got to get started on that cause that's going to be a
long process. So put it on the...
Atkins: Okay.
Vanderhoefi Okay.
Lehman: ...pending list.
Vanderhoefi If we're going to put this on...
O'Donnell: Get started on (can't hear)
Vanderhoe£: ...the agenda for talking about age twelve and consent, I would like
something written from the PCRB as to what went into their
deliberations.
Atkins: Eleanor's office was involved too.
Vanderhoef: When they reviewed this or from...
Atkins: We had a lot of staff people involved in it.
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Champion: I know.
Dilkes: You've received minutes from the PCRB that talk about this policy
SO...
(everyone talking at once)
Vanderhoef: I got the minutes but they were pretty sketchy. Maybe there wasn't
any more meat to them...
Lehman: I think it was pretty well covered by staff,...
Dilkes: I don't know.
Vanderhoef: Okay.
Lheman: ...by R.J. I mean, I think the...
Atkins: If there's anything out there...
Vanderhoef: If that's what it was...
Champion: I want to make it clear that I don't...
Dilkes: I mean, I think...I think...
Champion: ...think there's anything illegal about the whole thing...
Lehman: Well, we'll talk.
Champion: ... I just have problems...
Lehman: We'll put it on a work session.
Dilkes: No...I mean...
Kanner: I would like to see if we can...can we invite the police chief and the
chair of the PCRB to be there as part of the discussion?
Dilkes: It... It...
Champion: I guess I would like to see our discussion decide what we want to do
with it. Maybe we want to throw it back at PCRB or maybe we want
to throw it back at the police chief. I don't...I think we should
decide...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 19, 2002.
#20 Page #63
Atkins: Having R.J. at the meeting is not that big of a deal. I'm sure he'd want
to hear it anyway.
Lehman: R.J. probably...he formulated the policy and I would be at least well to
have him there.
Atkins: Yeah, and he formulated the policy and consulting...
Dilkes: I mean, if it's going...if it's going to take some time to get to the item
you might want to send it back to PCRB and see...I don't know how
much detail they gave...how much detailed review they gave it.
Lehman: Steve, my suspicion is that's not going to show up in the next two
meetings (can't understand), is it?
Dilkes: Then you could have their input when you talk about it.
Atkins: Can't imagine before April (can't hear)
Lehman: No, there's time to ask them if we want a visit from them. Whatever of
level of comfort they have with that.
Atkins: Let me find out what's out there and I'll consult with you before...
Lehman: All fight.
Atkins: (can't hear)
Kanner: Thank you.
Lehman: Okay, anything else Steven?
Kanner: That's it.
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meeting of February 19, 2002.
#21 Page #64
ITEM NO. 21. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF.
Lehman: Mr. Atkins?
Atkins: Nothing, sir.
Lehman: Eleanor?
Dilkes: There was a question, I think from Steven last time about the
referendum requirements or election requirements with a gas and
electric franchise. There used to be a requirement that the franchise,
which has to be done by ordinance, had to go to election. That was
removed in the last legislative session in 2001. It can be done without
an election but by petition which would be...have to be signed by
eligible lectors equal in number to 10% of the persons who voted at
the last regular city election which would be about 1,066 right now,
could by petition force an election.
Kanner: What was that percentage again, Eleanor?
Dilkes: 10% of persons who voted at the last regular city election.
Pfab: So the actual number was !,600 did you say?
Dilkes: No, no, no, 1,000... 1,066.
Kanner: They have to be registered voters too to sign it?
Dilkes: Yeah.
Lehman: Okay?
Dilkes: No, no, no. Eligible, I'm sorry.
Lehman: Eligible to...
Karmer: (can't hear) 10% number and they have to just be eligible.
Dilkes: Residents...city residents, yeah.
Lehman: Okay. Marian? Do we have a motion to adjourn?
O'Donnell: You got it.
Vanderhoefi Got it.
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meeting of February 19, 2002.
#21 Page #65
Pfab: Second.
Lehman: All in favor? (all ayes) We are adjoumed. Thank you very much.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City council
meeting of February 19, 2002.