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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-03-07 Transcription ~ P~I ITEM 2 OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARD-- Regina Elementary. Wilburn: Could Austin, Ryan, and Kelly please come forward? Well, thanks for coming down. We really want to welcome you here tonight. It's a rainy night out there, so I know it may have taken you a little bit to get here. This is a very special time for the City Council, and more importantly, it's a special time for the City, because we get to hear about the good work that you've done and the reasons why you've been nominated as Outstanding Student Citizens. So, who wants to go first? Okay. Go ahead and be a leader! Lynch: My teacher nominated me for this award because I'm a good student and I like to be helpful. I work hard at everything I do. If anyone ever needs help in the classroom, I'm more than willing to assist them. It makes me feel good to help somebody else. I especially like to help the younger kids at school, so they can look up to me as a good role model. I'm an alter server at church and I like to spend time playing games with the younger kids in my neighborhood. I've learned that helping others offers great rewards. (applause) Elliott: Ross, can we have the names? Lynch: Ryan Lynch. Wilburn: Thanks, Bob, and don't forget to say your name. Akers: All right. I'm Austin. I think Ms. Sovers chose me for this award because I'm helpful. Some things I have done recently are helping Lorene, a kindergartner, and Caroline every day, shoveling snow at school, helping Ms. Vincent divide papers, and helping set up for the band concerts. I've also helped Ms. Sovers make tests and sort papers into mailboxes. At church, I help by being an alter server. My parents say I'm getting this award because I am a good kid. At home, I do lots of chores; feeding the dogs, taking out the trash, helping my dad with our chickens, setting or clearing the dinner table, and bringing in firewood. I'm also a very supportive brother. I cheer for my sister and her volleyball team at weekend tournaments. Thank you for selecting me for an Outstanding Student Citizen for Regina Elementary. (applause) Rummelhart: Hi, my name is Kelly Rummelhart and I am very pleased to accept this award. Some of the things I help out at my school are, I come in at recess to help the Student Council, I volunteer for different activities, I help my teacher by filing papers, running errands, and cleaning up the classroom. I also do something if a teacher asks me to do it. Thanks again for choosing me for this award. (applause) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #2 Page 2 Wilburn: We've got certificates for you tonight. Thank you.. .and I'm going to read one, but they all say the same thing, except they have your own names on them. Citizenship Award for their outstanding qualities of leadership within Regenia Elementary, as well as the community, and for their sense ofresponsibility and helpfulness to others, we recognize you as an Outstanding Student Citizen. Your community is proud of you. Presented by the Iowa City City CQuncil. (applause) Great job, thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #lb Page 3 ITEM I PROCLAMA nONS. b. National Brain Injury Awareness Month - March Wilburn: We have a proclamation for the National Brain Injury Awareness Month for the month of March, and no one's here to receive that, but very important, very important issue. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. ~ h~4 ITEM 3 CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED OR AMENDED. Champion: Move adoption. Bailey: Move adoption. Wilburn: Been moved by Champion; seconded by Bailey. Discussion? Make a note in the Consent Calendar, public hearing, Item C.3. Consider a resolution setting a public hearing.. .is changed to April4'h on plans, specs, form of contract and estimate of cost for the construction of the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center exterior glazing and panel replacement project. Any discussion? Roll call. Item carries 4-0. (several talking) 7- 0, I'm sorry! I was thinking the magic number, where's the magic number? (laughter) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #4 Page 5 ITEM 4 COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA). Wilburn: This is the time reserved for the public for items that are not listed on tonight's agenda. If you would like to speak to the Council, please state your name and write down your information. Honohan: Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, I'm here tonight because I was inspired by an article in the newspaper, comparing the Witwer Senior Center in Cedar Rapids, and the Iowa City Senior Center. What caught my eye was, in a community much larger than ours, they average 26,000 visits a year, and we're up to 88,000. You get a lot of paperwork, but I'm going to give you some things that I think highlight why I think we're such a premiere Senior Center. I've got copies for everybody. Champion: Sometimes you golla toot your horn! Honohan: That's what I'm doing! Tooting the horn! (laughter) The first document that I'm giving you is a summary of the participation of the Senior Center for the last three years. The last three fiscal years. I chose these years because...some of you will recall, three years ago is when we started the membership fee, the participation fee, and of course we were concerned about what impact that would have on the Center's operation and the people that visit the Center. If you will note, we have increased every year since then and are continuing to go up. We are now at 55,612 visitors for the Senior Center programs and we're up to a total of 87,462 when you combine the dining programs and the other groups that use the Senior Center. As you recall, when we started those fees, we were concerned about the impact and how much we would be able to support the center. If you would please look at Operational Revenue, you will see that the percentage of contributions, by the participants of the Senior Center, has gone up each year, and we are now at 10.8% of our budget, and by the way, I'm not here to fight over the budget. I realize when the war is over, and we'll see you all next year about another budget. But we've been very pleased, and this of course, you approved the Iowa City Senior Center funding, and part of the finances that are showing up there corne from the Endowment and the Charitable Giving accounts. The next schedule that I have for you shows the percentage of memberships, and it shows that Iowa City, of course, has the largest percent of membership of people at the Senior Center. The incorporated cities outside of Iowa City are 9% and rural Johnson County's at 6%, and I'm always excited to tell you that we have 2% from outside the county, and we have people corning from Griunell to the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center. There has been a concern, there was a concern at the time that we started this program of membership fees about scholarship programs. So, I have included here the summary of the financial support for Senior Center services and programs for those people that cannot afford it. At the current time, we're This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #4 Page 6 running about 11 % of the members are on scholarship, and finally, because people are always concerned about how we partner. The final exhibit that I gave you shows the various partnerships that we have had in the past year with other organizations and other institutions and other programming, and you will note, there is over 208 partners that we have partnered with over the years. And a final note, because I know you've got a busy schedule, we right now have about 23,000 seniors in Johnson County. That's an approximate figure, close to the last census. But, these are eligible seniors, eligible from 50 on up, and I call it, there's two kinds of seniors. There's eligible, and there's available. And those between 50 and 65, really are not very available to us because they're always working full time. In fact, I worked until 67 and I wasn't available, and that's when I started on the Commission. We actually, in. ..when I consider the fact that if you're looking at 65 and over, you're at 11,000 seniors in Johnson County, and then you consider that many of them are in nursing homes. It is my studied opinion that we are representing, with our membership, some 10 to 12% of the seniors that can come to the Senior Center in Johnson County. And we are very, very proud of that. We have just finished our Goal Setting session, and we're setting up goals to make this your Senior Center, our Senior Center, to continue to be the best one, and the only one to date, accredited in the State of Iowa. Thank you very much, and I'll answer any questions, and I'm always available for questions at any time. Thank you. Wilburn: Thank you, Jay. Anyone else like to address the Council on items not on tonight's agenda? Karr: Move to accept correspondence. Vanderhoef: So moved. Bailey: So moved. Wilburn: Been moved by Vanderhoef; seconded by Bailey. All those in favor say "aye." Opposed same sign. Carries. Yes? Berkowitz: Holly Berkowitz, 612 Granada Court. I come to you tonight with a heavy heart because Iraq is in a civil war and we sit here in a bubble and we think that we can shield ourselves from things that are happening in the world, and the tragic part about this is that the Bush administration invaded Iraq because of the oil there. It's one of the largest reserves of oil in the world, and it lied about 9-1-1. It lied about weapons of mass destruction to cause that invasion, that criminal invasion of aggression, it was.. . criminal wars of aggression, if Enron needed to build an oil pipeline through Iraq, through Afghanistan, to connect with their power plant in northern India. Now what I'm getting at is this, because that, those two This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #4 Page 7 invasions were probably criminal wars of aggression, we need everybody in this room and outside of this room to demand from their Congress people investigation of those facts. Those are facts, and I don't understand what's happening in Washington D.C. Something very strange is happening in this nation, but I have a suggestion. About four of them. I guess one of the most important things is the propaganda, because the criminal war of aggression would not have happened without the powerful propaganda machine, and at this time, the Senate and the House are working behind closed doors on something called Bits Legislation that would eliminate the govermnent channels, the educational channels, the library channels, public access. Has anyone heard of that? I think Mayor Lehman actually wrote a letter and some people have been talking about it. That's just an example. Second, urn, the Patriot Act was passed today, and the City of Iowa City needs to take action to prevent the unconstitutional invasion of civil liberties here in Iowa City. I would like you to take action, of the more than 100 cities and municipalities and other government organizations around the country have taken action to tell the Federal government "no," we will not obey these, these illegal requests to invade people's privacy, because they are unconstitutional. The war in Iraq was unconstitutional. The war in Afghanistan is unconstitutional. Third, because that, those two invasions violated the U.S. Constitution, they are a high crime and we need an investigation to impeach this Bush administration, and number, quite a number of cities in the United States are drawing up resolutions to impeach George W. Bush and whoever is responsible for those criminal acts, in fact, there is, it is now on the ballot, a ballot in a town in Vermont. Third, and most hopeful, because the war on Iraq was a show of military force, of shock and awe, to show off our military strength, now all the people of the world feel that, that they need to fear America because we are a military, supreme military power in the world, and I really don't want to be associated with it, with a bully in the world, especially when it is responsible for the criminal torture that violates our U.S. Constitution. It violates international law and treaties, and violates moral laws ofreciprocity, and the torture and detention and rendition of the innocent, thousands and thousands of innocents around the world, very, very secretly, and that's probably the most outrageous things. It's so secret! Donald Rumsfeld was more upset that the pictures of Abu Grahib were released to the media, than he was that the torture was authorized at the very top of the chain in the White House by Bernie Gonzalez in probably January of2002. And then, Bush nominated Gonzalez as Attorney General and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate. We are now officially an outlaw nation! I hope we are proud of that, and the only thing that we can do at this point, is to say to the world, we represent more than military might, and one suggestion I have is for the City ofIowa City to officially become a sister city to any city in Iraq. I dare you to do that. Thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #4 Page 8 Wilburn: Thank you for your comments. Berkowitz: Pardon? Wilburn: Thank you for your comments. Berkowitz: Could you, could you do that? Could you vote to become a sister city? Wilburn: Holly, you've made your public comment and if there's any Council Members who wish to suggest to the others to do something, then they may feel free to do so, but you've had your time for public comment. Berkowitz: Okay, can I get some feedback about that? Please? Wilburn: Holly, you can talk (both talking at once) Okay, thank you. Anyone else like to address the Council? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #6 Page 9 ITEM 6 AMENDING TITLE 14 ENTITLED "UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE", CHAPTER 5, "BUILDING AND HOUSING", ARTICLE 1 "GRADING ORDINANCE", TO CREATE A CONSTRUCTION SITE RUNOFF CONTROL ORDINANCE. a. PUBLIC HEARING Wilburn: (pounds gavel) Public hearing is open. Siders: Good evening. My name is Glenn Siders and I'm with Southgate Development Services. I'm also with Land Development Council. We understand that this is an unfunded mandate that the City needs to adopt. We know an ordinance is coming. Our goal is not to try to delay or not have an ordinance, but our goal is to try to make it as less cumbersome and duplicative as possible. We have on file with your staff, have submitted some written material. We know that your staff has been working on some of our recommendations. We can get you that written material, if you'd like a copy. There were a couple of things that I wanted to mention. I'll try to make it as brief as possible publicly that I think are of importance that I think the Council needs to be aware of so when this does come up for adoption, you are aware of those. One of our concerns is the duplication of some of the documentations. And I don't know how familiar you are with, and I don't want to go too informative, but you have to get a NPDES permit, a NPDES permit from the State of Iowa. There is a pretty fair level of documentation you have to provide to get that permit. From what we see from the Iowa City proposal, many of the things that you need to do for the State ofIowa, you would duplicate for the City of Iowa City, if it's as easy as doing your SWPPP requirement in the same documentation as the State and bringing those same documents to the City, we're not opposed to that. That's really not a duplication, but if you delay the process and make us fill out an application and repeat many of the same things, and that review process is delayed because of that duplication, we think that's unwarranted. We would feel more comfortable if there are things that you feel necessary that you need to add to the State's requirements, we feel your ordinance should outline those things that need to be added, and hopefully, what could be achieved as my engineer, when he does a SWPPP, he could do one SWPPP, add those additional requirements that the City wants in that SWPPP, submit that to the State and at the City. So, again, hopefully would save your process so once you're permitted by the State, you could bring that down here to the City. They could review your checklist or whatever, and then it would be just a one or two day process to say 'yeah, you've complied.' Champion: What'd you call that document you had, you had permit from the State. What did you call that? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #6 Siders: Page 10 An NPDES Permit. Don't ask me what that means, because I never remember. (several talking at once) She can tell you. But that's a permit that's required that we all have to comply with. One of the comments that we also wanted to bring forward to the Council is your ordinance simply states that there are going to be fees involved and that fee schedule will by resolution of Council. We would like to see an outline of what those fees are, so we can comment whether we think they're high. I doubt you'd hear the comment we think they're too low. (laughter) But, we'd like to comment to make, to reassure ourselves they wouldn't be excessive and they're to do what your program is attempting to do for the City. One of the things in the ordinance requirement is the time frame in which you have to correct a major or a violation; I believe your current draft says 24 hours. That will be simply impossible to meet. Sometimes, I believe, your staff is looking at that, and is open to amendment, but again, I wanted to bring that forward. The final draft that comes before the Council- 24 hours simply is not workable. If you get a major rain event, there are many times you cannot get to the problem area for a few days because of the rain event, to make the correction. Coupled with that is there's language in your current ordinance about stop-work order where an ordinance, where if they find a violation with your storm water ordinance, it's my interpretation of reading that that all work has to stop. I don't think that is fair. I don't think that's intent, and there are times you need to work to make corrective measures to the project where you can continue to work on the project without adding to the pollution of the water system. I think that is unfair. I think you need language in there that you have a reasonable time, whatever's deemed reasonable by the City and/or State, DNR, that's currently how we operate with their permit. If there is a problem, the DNR comes up to your site, they give you a certain time frame within to work, but they don't shut you down. And I think that should be as your ordinance reads. There is a section in there called Soil Quality Restoration. The way that's really outlined in your ordinance, it's very unclear as to what soil quality restoration entails. In fact, we're not even sure where you might find specifications on what soil restoration is, or desired. I think if the City has a desire.. .it's my opinion that that section of the ordinance could be omitted, but if it is a strong sense of the City that they need to provide something, then I think they clearly need to define what is expected of the builder and/or developer, to accomplish this soil restoration effort. It needs to be clearly defined in your ordinance. And I'm not advocating they add another couple pages to your ordinance. You just need to make it quite clear as to what you are expecting the people to do, particularly if you continue with the stop-work order and your project is shut down, you could be adding days or weeks to that shutdown period. And we're talking, you know, building houses, as well as the development out in the field. So, it does have a significant impact. Your inspection and self-monitoring requirements are somewhat vague and unclear. It is difficult to know what we are to self-monitor, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #6 Page II what the City is to monitor and expect. I think it would be clearer if you could recategorize your, in your ordinance say what the City is going to monitor, what they expect us to self-monitor, and clearly outline and identify what those obligations and duties are. Your penalty section is, I think needs clarity and uniformity. There is some vagueness in what penalties result, what type of penalties result from what type of action, and to summarize the whole long laundry of this, I'll summarize by saying I think you need to be specific as to, ifit's a self-monitored violation as opposed to a violation the City imposes on you, or whatever, how those penalties and corrections need to be identified. There's a section, huh, resolution for discrepancies. Construction activities undertaken by the applicant prior to resolution of all the discrepancies specified in the written report shall constitute a violation of this ordinance. That's a quote from your draft. It's not identified what a prior resolution is. I'm not sure what that is, a prior resolution to a discrepancy is confusing. That needs to be clarified. Again, particularly if the builders expected to discontinue construction while they're figuring this out. There's also vagueness, inconsistencies with the time frames in which the City will respond to certain things. If you're in the shutdown mode, doesn't specify that they'll be there, what time frame they'll be in there, and if they're busy with some project and it takes them a week to get out on your job to look at it so they can tell you what to do to correct something, you need to be shutdown for that... for example, if it was a violation of stringing mud in the street, the inspector could have seen the violation on Monday morning. You could have cleaned the mud up on Tuesday...or Monday afternoon. You have to shut down and if the inspector can't get back out there until Thursday to realize you cleaned the mud out on Friday, or Monday, you've lost four days of your project. There are two comments, or one comment at least, that I don't think you did get a written report on, and that is, and I'll be very specific. In your draft, in the draft I have, and I believe it's the one in front of you, in Section B, number 6, F. There is a section that says eliminate potential damage to sensitive environmental areas such as water bodies, so on and so on and so on. The word "eliminate" troubles me immensely. I'm not sure eliminate is an all-inclusive term. I'm not sure that's impossible to eliminate every possibility. I think you need to be a little bit more vague and say reasonably or something, but the term eliminate is very specific, and I think needs to be looked at. And then in I below, you have a similar provision that says "assure stabilization." You have your SWPPP plan that outlines how you're going to stabilize everything and I'm not sure how you assure, so again, I think it's language like reasonably assure or something, needs to be incorporated into your ordinance, just so it's not all-inclusive. And then last comment that you have not received is in your monitoring. There are certain reports that you are obligated to submit to the City. It's unclear how that reporting mechanism works. We talked in your draft a little bit about written reports. Don't know if a phone call to the inspector is adequate to be a This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #6 Page 12 report of something. I think your reporting mechanisms in your ordinance needs to be clarified a little bit, as to what is expected of the applicant to correct any potential violations. I think that completes my comments. If you'd have questions, I'd answer them, otherwise I'll shut up and sit down. Atkins: I have a question, please, for Glenn. Are you going to share similar comments with the other cities? One of the goals we're trying to establish is to make sure that all. . . . Siders: Yeah, actually I'd like to make another comment. There is a representative in Coralville. They have a public hearing tonight, and it's my understanding they're going to have another public hearing, or a continuation of this, until the 21 st, and your first reading or something? Wilburn: Actually, what we discussed was closing down the public hearing. City staff, I saw the City Engineer back there taking notes fast and furious. We were going to defer first consideration. Siders: It's cumbersome because most municipalities are having a public hearing on the same night, but we do have a representative in Coralville making the same comments, and their ordinance does vary a little bit, so they're making some additional comments on theirs. Wilburn: Thank you. Siders: Thank you. Champion: Do we want to keep the public hearing open? Elliott: I was going to say, usually we continue, do we not? Dilkes: It's really up to you. Urn... Atkins: There's a side of me that would probably say keep it open. We finish up our work. It still may not satisfy folks, and you ought to have another crack at it. So, you should probably keep it open. I would think so. Vanderhoef: Move to continue the public hearing. Wilburn: Moved by Vanderhoef to continue the public hearing. Correia: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Correia. All those in favor say "aye." Opposed same sign? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcriptiou of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #6 Page 13 Atkins: I felt like I've just asked for punishment. (laughter) Wilburn: I didn't even pick up the hammer yet! (laughter) We need a motion to defer. Bailey: Move to defer the first consideration. Elliott: Second. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey; seconded by Elliott to defer until March 21 st. All those in favor say "aye." Opposed same sign. Okay. Carries 7-0. b. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE (FIRST CONSIDERATION) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #8 Page 14 ITEM 8 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 3, "CITY FINANCES, TAXATION AND FEES," CHAPTER 4, "SCHEDULE OF FEES, RATES, CHARGES, BONDS, FINES AND PENALTIES" OF THE CITY CODE TO INCREASE PARKING FEES AND INCREASE MONTHLY PARKING PERMIT FEES (SECOND CONSIDERATION) Champion: Move second consideration. Wilburn: Moved by Champion. Vanderhoef: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion? Atkins: Yes, sir, may I comment? We have not finished the work on doing the analysis, and we will have it in time for the next meeting. Wilburn: Okay. Atkins: Okay? Because we have transit routes also scheduled for that meeting, so we have a number of transit issues on the.. .20th Wilburn: Thank you. Other discussion? Roll call. Item carries 7-0. Karr: Motion to accept correspondence. Bailey: So moved. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey. Vanderhoef: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Vanderhoef to accept correspondence. All those in favor say "aye." Opposed same sign. Carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcriptiou of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #10 ITEM 10 Bailey: Wilburn: Correia: Wilburn: Correia: Bailey: Elliott: Wilburn: Page 15 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET EXCLUDING HUMAN SERVICES AID TO AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2007. Move the resolution. Moved by Bailey. Second. Seconded by Correia. Discussion? Well, I think we were able to achieve some things we wanted to with this budget. We lowered the tax rate, we added two police officers. I think we're on our way to meeting some of our goals with public safety, with commitments to continue to discuss, well before the next fiscal year on how we can work towards those public safety goals. So I feel good about this budget. And I'm really happy about the economic initiatives that we have in this budget, with the extra money for ICAD and quality of life with Summer of the Arts, and the Sports Authority. I think with any budges there are going to be some disappointments, and there will be some things that we like about it. I have a keen disappointment with a part of it, but it's a budget that we worked.. . staff provided for us. We considered it, and we're going to pass it. I will have an amendment when it comes to the three-year plan. Any other discussion? Roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #11 Page 16 ITEM 11 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR HUMAN SERVICES AID TO AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2007. Wilburn: I have a conflict of interest. I work for an organization that is an applicant for this. Bailey: Consider a resolution adopting the annual budget for Human Services Aids to Agencies for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2007. Champion: Move the resolution. Vanderhoef: Second. Bailey: Moved by Champion; seconded by Vanderhoef. Roll call. Item carries 6- 0; Wilburn abstaining. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #12 Page 17 ITEM 12 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FINANCIAL PLAN FOR THE CITY OF lOW A CITY, IOWA FOR FISCAL YEARS 2007 THROUGH 2009 AND THE MULTI-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2010. Champion: Move the resolution. Wilburn: Moved by Champion. Bailey: Second. Wilburn: Seconded by Bailey. Discussion? Elliott: I would propose an amendment to this resolution, and I'll read what I propose. By no later than August 2008, City Manager will provide Council with a plan to have sufficient funds available for the City's Annual Budget to enable full staff for the proposed north side fire station #4. Further, to report on progress toward that end, probably parenthetically, with multiple funding alternatives, would be provided to Council by no later than August 2007. I move that. O'Donnell: I second that. Wilburn: Been moved by Elliott and seconded by O'Donnell to consider that amendment. Discussion? Champion: I'm not going to support that amendment, and it's not because I don't think we should have a new fire station. I just don't think that's the right way to approach it. I think if... the Council needs to be looking at the budget over the next couple of years and we need to decide how we're going to come up with the money for that. It's a priority with all of us, Bob, and how we're going to do it, I'm not sure, but we will certainly try to do it. Elliott: It's a priority, apparently not one of the higher priorities. We have heard by about every measurable means that are, we need a fire station on the north side. We need staff for it. Our staff compares with any other cities in, of comparable size in a five-state area with other big ten cities, our staff is lacking, not in quality, but in quantity, and we have at least twice now said 'yes it's important but we can't do it.' Then the next year, 'yes it's important but we can't do it.' I think we need to say right now, 'are we going to plan to do it, or aren't we.' And, I'd like a vote on that. Bailey: Bob, with all due respect, I've served with you the last couple of years and this has been your priority, and yet in all of that time, I have not heard, until tonight, any solution or suggestion about how we should approach This represents only a reasonably accnrate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #12 Page 18 that. So, part of what I see lacking here is a discussion item on the table about how to approach that and how to fund that. I think we all, as Connie said, this is a priority for all of us, but there have been no suggestions about how to take this on. Elliott: I don't think that the Council is the right place to look into the inner workings and intricacies of the budget. Two years ago when we received significant failure of state funding, the Council did not make the decisions. The staff made the decisions. No one knows better about the budget than the finance staff and the city manager, and I would look for them for guidance to give us alternatives on how this can and should be done. Bailey: As I stated before, the leadership responsibility in this community is ours, and we have to lead in a policy direction. If this is a priority, then set forth a policy or an idea that we can lead on and (can't hear) the staff. Rather than expecting them to do the hard work of it. Elliott: And Ijust did. Bailey: No, you didn't, and that's why I won't be supporting your amendment. Elliott: Than I guess we disagree, but I think it would be totally inappropriate for the Council to attempt looking into the inner workings of this budget and pull things out. That is what the staff is there for. They know more about it than anyone of us, and I would look for them to do that, and to make recommendations to us. O'Donnell: Well, and the time to support a need is now, and whether or notwe determine it's time to start setting money aside in preparation for this. We will need it in one point in time. I think it's needed now, but it certainly, it's certainly time to start thinking about it and I don't see any problem at all with giving ourselves a goal to shoot at. Vanderhoef: Just to make it very clear to our community, our dilemma is not in building the fire station. We have adequate bonding capacity that we could do that and make that part a priority. Our dilemma is to staff that fire station and it takes nine officers just to do 24/7 coverage of a new fire station. The cost of hiring nine new employees - if you look over the history of the last ten years, I think probably the highest year of adding any employees has been two, maybe three, and that was when we were in the process of adding new firefighters, prior to the demise of the budget due to state funding issues that actually took firefighters away from us by attrition. So, looking in the long-term of how to bring nine new firefighters on is a very difficult job. I don't disagree with you, Bob, that we need the fire station. I think we ought to be looking as a community towards new funding sources for the general fund. This may not be This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #12 Page 19 something that is acceptable to this community, but we are competing with other cities in this state, and comparable cities that I'm sure are in your list, Bob, that have either gambling revenues that come into their city, or they have I-cent sales tax. Iowa City has neither, and whether that's a funding source that we would like to look at in this community. It may be time for our city to look at I-cent sales tax again. It could certainly be specified for safety officers for our community. Wilburn: Any other comments? O'Donnell: I will agree, it's very expensive (unable to hear). We all know that, that's why I think it's wise to start a plan now, rather than later. Correia: I feel like we've started a plan, through the conversations that we've been having in the work session, and letting the staff know that this is a priority that we have, going into, thinking ahead for the next year. So I'm wondering the need for such an extreme amendment here. Ifwe have, we've started talking about ways, I think, about reorganizing, different departments saving money on administration, through looking at different things. So I feel like we have a commitment and have been communicating to staff that we want to be doing this over the next...before, I'm not sure why...(TAPE ENDS). Elliott: ... the Council. In recent years, they have always said this is a high priority. I don't doubt that a bit. I don't doubt that there's anyone who would disagree with the fact that it is needed. The difference on this Council is the urgency of the need. Those are legitimate differences to have. There are, there appears to be another difference between Regenia and me, and how is the best way to go about funding this. Those are also, I think, legitimate differences. But, this is the way I feel. This is the level of importance and the urgency of need that Iowa City has, and I think the amendment is needed, necessary, but we will all have to vote as we see fit. Wilburn: The other piece for the public has already been stated, a few years ago with the loss of state aid, we had a plan. Staff had presented a plan to build, purchase the land, build, and staff this fire station. The state aid is gone, but it shows some of the fluid nature of funding that we receive. We, the cuts that were made a couple years ago, were cross the board costs. There was some attrition. When you're talking... we already received a recommendation from our staff, our City Manager, that you're talking, in order to bring on those nine firefighters, you're talking about laying off, eliminating ballpark 15 other staff positions that are funded from our General Fund. What that means is that's a dramatic, potentially dramatic policy shift, which is the responsibility of Council, and not a staff member, because we set a staff member up for the city manager for picking out which areas are untouchable and which are fair game, and the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #12 Page 20 Council doesn't stick to them, it can help destroy the moral ofthe organization. The second piece that 1 will add, is that. . . what is dangerous to assume or presume, and I hope the media doesn't do this, in hearing that we're not going to be able to fund another fire station is it, it doesn't recognize that this Council and the City does make investments in our public safety. We are adding the two police stations. Within the next four fiscal years, we've got over $3 million worth of investments in fire apparatus and another expansion of fire station #2. So we do take public safety serious. We are making an investment. We're taking another hit in our General Fund, which is another thing to plan for. The University made a major purchase, which takes, of Old Capitol Center, a good portion of it that takes away another hit, and so regardless of the plan you come up with tonight or within the next six months, there's another big gap, which means potentially by the standard of assigning staff to make some more dramatic cuts in personnel, so I think again, as been said, we've given the direction. We're keeping an eye about other possible funding streams. There's other conversations, I had a conversation with mayors of the other ten most populous cities in Iowa, and one of the issues that we thought we might be able to discuss and brainstorm was how we can talk to the Legislature about alternative funding mechanisms for cities. That being said, we should probably go ahead and vote. Roll call. Karr: Motion on the amendment first. Wilburn: Oh, I'm sorry, that's right. Karr: We vote on the amendment first. Wilburn: Yeah, yeah, this is where we are voting on the amendment moved by Elliott; seconded by O'Donnell. Thank you, Mike. And amended... all those in favor, thank you, all those in favor say "aye." All those opposed, same sign. The motion fails, Elliott and O'Donnell in the affirmative. Now, back to the main resolution. Any further discussion? O'Donnell: Just one additional thing. I don't disagree with anything that anybody said up here, but as time passes on, this is most certainly not going to become less expensive to fund. So, that's something we need to consider also. Wilburn: Roll call. Champion: I was going to ask.. .kind of the same question that Regenia asked, is where would you get the money for these firemen? O'Donnell: Connie, that's exactly what we're asking Steve to come up with, a plan. That's how we do a lot of.. . This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #12 Page 21 Champion: But for instance, there are areas in the city that I would not want to touch. O'Donnell: Well, we probably wouldn't touch those, but there's (laughter) other areas that we all could agree on. (several talking at once) Bailey: .. . and I think that's a discussion we obviously have to have before we send it to staff. Champion: ...ask staff to cut jobs. O'Donnell: Nobody's asking staff to cut any jobs whatsoever. We're asking for a plan, Connie. A plan to get this thing on the right track, and that's certainly not asking to cut any jobs. Wilburn: Continue with roll call, please. Item carries 5-2; O'Donnell and Elliott in the negative. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006. #16 Page 22 ITEM 16 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION. Wilburn: Bob, I started at the other end last time. Elliott: How 'bout that! One of the things that I noticed, and I think it began before our new chief was on board. Steve, tell me...it's the thing that I like about the bar checks is we are identifying and praising those bars that pass muster, and certainly identifying those who don't, and I like that idea. Secondly.. . Atkins: I don't think Sam can take credit for it, but he'll... Elliott: That's what I said, I think it started before he.. . (several talking). I got some information from a corporate newsletter that March is National Women's History Month, and I like the idea, especially when I got the Corridor Journal today and it was filled with women of influence, one of them to my immediate left, whom I admire and respect, those I disagree with from time to time! (laughter) One of the things I like about this month is the theme this year is "Women, builders of communities and dreams," and I think women do that so very well, and I don't think we've mentioned that. It needs to be mentioned. Wilburn: (unable to hear) Vanderhoef: Nothing, thank you. Wilburn: Mike? Connie? Correia: I just want to take this opportunity to thank the Homeless Overflow Project for the work that they've been doing, providing shelter for homeless persons, while we are waiting to build a new and expanded shelter, and I want to thank the staff for responding so quickly to the issue that came before us, really just a week and a half ago, about working on the fire safety and (unable to hear). I think everybody appreciates that effort all around, so thank you. Wilburn: I just want to add a special thanks to the Iowa City AM Rotary for their community foundation grant. They gave out $10,000 in grants to various community organizations, just before this meeting started tonight. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of March 7, 2006.