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ITEM 2. OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARDS -Helen Lemme
Elementary
Hayek: Would the students from Helen Lemme Elementary please step forward. Well, hi,
guys! I'm Mayor Hayek and this is the City Council, and welcome to City Hall!
We're very excited to have you, and uh, at the beginning of our meetings, we
invite student leaders from the various elementary schools to come and talk to us
a little bit about what they're up to in school and then we've got something we'd
like to read for you. So I see the three of you have brought a little piece of paper
with you. I think what I'll do is just hand the mic down the, uh, row here and I
can hold it for you, or you can hold it yourself, and we'd love to hear what each of
you is up to!
Gordon: Hi, my name is Amelia Gordon. I would like to thank the City Council, my
teachers and classmates at Lemme Elementary for this award. Being a good
citizen is one of the six pillars of character I try to follow every day. Some ways I
show citizenship are I prac...participate in safety patrol. I have volunteered at the
Johnson County Crisis Center. I volunteer in the first grade classroom helping the
teacher, and also working with students who need extra help. Plus I work in the
lunchroom at school sometimes, and read with kindergarten students. Most
importantly being a good citizen means helping others without being asked and
not expecting anything back in return. Thank you again for this honor.
(applause)
Woodward: Hello, my name is Clare Woodward. To me, citizenship is all about helping
others in the community, even if it means missing something you would rather do,
like in my case playing with friends or going out to recess. I (mumbled)
citizenship in many ways. For starters, I help the first grade class by checking
papers, and helping the kids with the worksheets they do in class. Next, I am in
Girl Scouts where, for example, this year we went to the Johnson County Crisis
Center and helped bag rice. Finally, every year around Christmas time, my family
finds a less fortunate family through Handicare, and buys them presents like
clothes and toys so they can have a better Christmas. I feel very honored to have
received this award. Thank you. (applause)
McGehee: Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen of the City Council. Thank you for the
opportunity to speak with you tonight. My name is Lucy McGehee. I'm a sixth
grader at Lemme Elementary here in Iowa City. I would like to share with you
some examples about what being a good citizen means to me. You could do
something as simple as volunteering at a free lunch program here in Iowa City, or
something as big as helping people overseas. When the earthquake happ...in
Haiti happened, it left many people without safe houses or clean water. At
Lemme, we had a school fundraiser and raised over $1,300 for tents and
medicine. I helped in my church's youth group fundraiser to get bicycles to
children in Africa. They have to walk up to three hours just to get to school.
Bikes help cut that... cut that time down in half. When you go home tonight,
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Council meeting of March 1, 2011.
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think about what we can do to make this world a better place for us, and for
generations of people to come. Thank you. (applause)
Hayek: So those are fantastic! Very eloquent, and I applaud you for all of the work
you've done, despite your young ages, and uh, the award we're giving out is a
Student Citizenship Award. And, clearly you are very strong students at your
elementary school, but you are also citizens of this community, like the rest of us
are, and it's important to set an example, and I think the three of you do that with
the work you've done at school and in the community here locally, and for less
unfortunate individuals around the world. So, I applaud you for that! I also want
to recognize your parents and teachers, uh, they have a little bit to do with your
success, I suspect, and I'm glad they're here this evening as well. Um, I
have...an award and, uh, one for each of you, and it reads the same. I'll read it as
follows: Citizenship Award, for her outstanding qualities of leadership with
Lemme Elementary, as well as the community, and for her sense of responsibility
and helpfulness to others, we recognize you as an Outstanding Student Citizen.
Your community is proud of you. Presented by the Iowa City City Council.
Congratulations! (applause) Congratulations and thank you! (applause)
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Council meeting of March 1, 2011.
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ITEM 3. PROCLAMATIONS.
a) Special Olympics Month -March 2011
Hayek: (reads proclamation)
Karr: Here to introduce our Special Olympians is Joyce Rossie, Hawkeye Sports.
Rossie: Sergeant Eunice Shriver founded Special Olympics in 1978 and started with less
than a thous...or excuse me, a hundred participants. Special Olympics Iowa
serves, um...over 2,300...excuse me, 22 sports, 11,300 athletes across the State of
Iowa. Our mid-winter tournament is coming up here, March 18th and 19th, at the
Field House, and our competitions are in basketball, basketball skills,
cheerleading, gymnastics, and power lifting. Once our athletes arrive in Iowa
City, they bear no expenses. We keep them overnight in hotels, we have their
meals, and we have a banquet for them on Friday night. (unable to hear person
away from mic) (laughter) (applause) Everyone loves the banquet! We have
three campaigns in order to do that. We have the Sponsor an Athlete campaign,
which raises about $5,000, and it's generally through businesses throughout the
Iowa City area, and we thank those businesses. We also have our Polar Plunge,
which is coming up at the end of this month, March 26th, if anyone would like to
join me! Come on down to the Reservoir! Um, last year we, uh, was our largest
total, and that was $30,000. June 8th this year we have our Special Olympics
Swing With Celebrities golf tournament at Brown Deer Golf Course. Um, we
would like to once again thank the Iowa City Council for making March Special
Olympics Month. Thank you very much. (applause) I would now like to read all
of our athletes names that are here participating with us tonight. Mary Arnesdorf,
Julia Brumbaugh, Mallory Ernst, Eliana Friedman, Charles Lee, Sherry McKee,
Jill Michalek, Emily Redlinger, Brian Nancy, Justin Conklin, Donna Butterbaugh,
Shauna Prescott, Brian Bates, and thank you all for coming so much. (applause)
Hayek: Thank you, and I just want our Olympians to know how proud we are of you.
You, uh, do such great work, and we're very excited to have you tonight. Thank
you for being here! (applause)
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ITEM 5. COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA).
Hayek: This is the opportunity we have at each Council meeting for members of the
public to address the City Council on items that are not on tonight's agenda. If
there's something you'd like to bring to our attention, please uh, step forward, uh,
sign in, uh, give us your name, and please limit your comments to five minutes or
less.
Gravitt: My name is Mary Gravitt (coughing) excuse me, and I'm here about my
neighborhood, Towncrest, and I'm here about Broadway, and I'm here about
Block money being given to this Broadway development, when they are going to
discriminate. There was a story in the Press-Citizen that they're not taking
Section 8 vouchers. If they're going to get our Community Block money, which
is meant to help the people in need, then they shouldn't get our Block money if
they're not going to have Section 8! And then there was some story in there about
they're going to do background checks. You can't get Section 8 without a
background check! So these people are going to take, what, $900,000 that they
need? They are a private corporation, and they...they, uh, redevelop that, uh,
parking mall. I mean, pardon me, that shopping mall over there. I forgot the
name of it. They have money to do those townhouses and those condos or
whatever they want to do. My second point is Towncrest is declared a slum! A
blighted area. Towncrest is a community of homeowners, it's an affordable
community, and it's the only community that doesn't flood. And, the
homeowners should be here protesting! Cause once you get this redevelopment
stuff in the...in the mix, their homes, as soon as the paperwork is done, their
homes, or the value of their homes are stuck there at slum value. If it takes that
person 20 years to make that development, their house is what it is worth today. I
know, because my mother got caught up in that so-called development. Now, if
that slum landlord, who should have been keeping his property up, couldn't keep
his property up, why should he get our money, our City money and our Block
Grant money, and if you've been listening to the news, next year there probably
won't be any Block Grant money. They're shaving everything away. What we're
having is a class war here, where everything that the middle class or the working
class has is being eroded, and I don't think Broadway should get any Block Grant
money to discriminate against people who (mumbled) earned tax money went into
making the Block Grant money! And, furthermore, Towncrest is a viable
neighborhood, and it's not a slum! Thank you!
Hayek: Thank you for your comments. Is there anyone else from the public who would
like to address the City Council tonight? Seeing none, we will move onto Item 6,
Planning and Zoning matters.
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ITEM 7. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION GRANTING THE CITY MANAGER
LIMITED ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DISBURSEMENTS FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITY FUND.
Bailey: So moved.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Bailey, seconded by Dickens. Discussion?
Bailey: Well, um, in the Economic Development Committee we talked about this, and we
feel like this will make us, um, give us the ability as a community to be more
responsive to opportunities that come available, and naturally there's a process
that we would be informed and advised of what has occurred, so...feel like this is
a good step in the right direction to be responsive to the environment. Do you
have anything to add, Susan?
Mims: Nope! I think that covers it!
Hayek: Well put! Any further discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7-0.
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ITEM 8. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2012.
Mims: Move the resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Dickens. Uh, we'll open up the discussion,
and... since Items 8 and 9 are somewhat related, if anyone wants to make
comments as to either, I suggest we do so, uh, at this time.
Bailey: Well, as I said at the work session, um, where this budget was revised and
proposed, I continue to have some problems with the budget as...as put forward
to us. You know, we've heard a lot about budgets being a reflection of our values
and also, um...I see budgets as a tool to move our policies and our goals forward,
and just certainly is how we should use it, for sure, and in many ways it doesn't
do that. Um, when we come to our priorities of public safety that we talked about
for the last couple of years in the community, we voted on, we've made decisions
in that direction, um...to take the cuts or to...to slow down our progress in those
departments concerns me, and it doesn't seem to speak to those priorities. Insofar
as the CIP, um...our flood mitigation policy for the last, you know, two and half
years has been to remove people from harm's way, and yet we removed some
money that would enable us to continue buyouts in the Parkview Terrace area,
and once again...we're not using this budget as a tool to...to move forward on
some of those priorities, and...and that's concerning to me. We talked in the...in
the work session a little bit about how next year's process will be very different
and we expect that next year's process will be very different, and I hope it is.
Um, but I don't think that that responsibility can completely rest on the shoulders
of our City Manager. It shouldn't! It should be shared equally. We're the
policymakers, we set the direction of what and why, and so what I'm hoping is
that we can consider this year finally getting to the place where we set some
priorities in the fall before the budget is developed, and give some direction to
staff. I mean, we have a great staff here, um, probably the best in the State, and
there's no reason that we shouldn't be coming together to talk about our collective
priorities, so I hope that we can put that on a work session and actually commit to
that this year, and not sort of, um, put that off because we don't have a strategic
plan, which obviously we need to get to, or because it's an election year. So I'm
hoping that we can do that. Um... all that said, there are some really great things
in this budget. Um, we continue our commitment to the Library, which is
probably the biggest jewel of the city, um, we continue our commitment to parks
and open space and recreation, and there's some incredible visionary
opportunities with the Towncrest redevelopment and Riverfront Crossings. So,
um, so it's a mixed bag for me. I just wanted to put those things out there.
I...um...I will support this because I think that we come together collectively, but
those concerns will remain and I will continue to advocate for public safety. I
will continue to advocate for our budget to...to advance our priorities as we
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previously stated and previously voted on, and I...I want all of us to consider that
as a body, as we continue to have discussions, in difficult economic times what
are our priorities and how do we accomplish those with a challenging budget. So,
thank you for indulging me for expressing that, um, L..you know, I've wrestled
with this budget since we talked about it, so I really am...um, mixed bag, but all
in all moving forward just not as quickly in some areas as I'd like to see. So
thanks!
Hayek: Sure!
Mims: Well, I think Regenia's expressing...I think the thoughts really of the whole
Council, I mean, I don't think any of us were excited about looking at public
safety cuts. And, I mean, we had just gone through the whole franchise fee and
doing that to add positions, and this is not an area certainly that we...that we
wanted to backslide on. And so I would certainly concur with you...with you on
that, Regenia. I think one thing that...that the community needs to be very much
aware of is certainly in the Fire Department. It's an inspection position. It's not a
front-line firefighter, and I certainly expect that City staff will, uh, manage to still
cover those inspection needs with...with other staff so that there's not going to be
a public safety issue, um, with that cut, and I think it's important for people to
also realize in the Police Department, if I can recall correctly, we've been down
about three individuals who've been on military assignment. So those people will
be coming back, I think late summer, early fall so even with the cut, we're up two
really bodies from where we are right now. That aside, I agree, um....I came into
this, uh, advocating for public safety when I was campaigning, and I still say that
that should be the number one priority of the City, and I do, as I said at the work
sessions and have said before, expect that we will, uh, be looking at a very
different process and hopefully, um, a very different outcome next year. Gives
Tom time to get his feet wet, and really, uh, dig in to what's going on in the city
and hopefully find areas of efficiencies and I also agree with you that we need to
really sit down and talk about priorities, and I hope really get started moving
forward quickly on strategic planning now that we've got Tom onboard. So, um,
I certainly will be supporting it. Uh, is it 100% what I'd like to see? No. The
other...point I would make is, as we look at this whole area, and we look at
economic development, which I think is important to all of us, we have got to
keep our eye on our overall taxes and fees, and we are not particularly
competitive at times with some of our neighbors, and so I think we have to look
very carefully at what we can do, what our community wants us to do, and ways
that we can be more efficient to hopefully, uh, lower our tax rate so that we can be
more competitive when it comes to, uh, keeping and attracting businesses.
Hayek: Those are, uh, excellent comments from both of you, and I...I just want to
amplify a couple of things. I do want the public to understand that, uh, and I think
I speak for the entire Council, that...that public safety is a high priority of this
Council, and a couple of things to add to...to the discussion, at a time when we
are not adding, uh, general fund positions here within our city operations, we are
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the formal Iowa City City
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adding 13, uh, positions in public safety, eight in the firefighting side and...and
five on the police side, and we are opening Fire Station #4 on time, uh, and we
have opened a police substation, uh, as well and those are obviously expensive to
the city. Um, so uh...these are tough choices, but at a time when we're not in a
position to add, uh, staff, despite the needs of other departments who are serving
increasing demands throughout the community, whether it's Park and Recreation
or anything else, um, we have made that commitment within public safety to
make those expansions to...to keep up with the need, even at a time when we're
unable to do so, uh, elsewhere. Um, and yes, L..I think, uh...uh, confirming or
affirming our priorities, uh, throughout the balance of this year, uh, is...an
especially critical time, uh, thing to do, given the...the budget and municipal
finance outlook, um, we are in a far better position than most communities
nationwide, but we are not immune from this economic downturn, and we are
seeing that the...the trend, uh, for communities like Iowa City in terms of the
expansion of revenue relative to the expansion of, uh, operational costs, uh, is
unsustainable, and we are going to have tough choices to make in next year's
budget and beyond in all likelihood, and I think that's, as you guys have said, uh,
all the more reason to...for us to focus on those priorities, uh, as this year unfolds.
Champion: I don't think there's ever a budget that I'm totally happy with. Um...I for one
think the Police Department and the Fire Department are very well staffed now,
and it's taken a long time to get... get them to the point they're at, and I think it's
a very, very positive thing. L..my unhappiness with it is the amount of capital
improvements. I would like to see us cut some of those to keep...to keep people's
taxes down, but I didn't get my way on that, but I'm going to support the budget
because I think it's a good one and I don't think you ever have one that's 100%
agreeable to everybody.
Wright: I don't think any of us think it's a perfect budget. It's...
Champion: A perfect budget we'd have a lot more money!
Wright: Yes we would! Um, but it is a workable budget. I think it does...it does meet
most of our goals, as you've pointed out, we added public safety positions, um,
everybody's already made all the really good points so I'm not going to talk very
much, but it's...it does recognize the fact that, uh, a cycle of increasing property
taxes every year, um, is in the long-term not sustainable, and we certainly have
had quite a few discussions along those lines going through this budget, and I
think um...it's something, as Regenia pointed out, we need to do some serious
discussion to later in this year and going into the budget season next year, and I
fully expect we're going to do that.
Bailey: I hope so!
Hayek: Any further discussion?
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Wilburn: All I can add is, uh, this'll be my final city budget and (coughing) those, um, City
Council candidate wannabes out there, start studying up, and all the comments
you've heard out here (mumbled)
Hayek: Roll call, please. Item passes 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the formal Iowa City City
Council meeting of March 1, 2011.
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ITEM 9. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE THREE-YEAR
FINANCIAL PLAN FOR THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, AND THE
FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM.
Wilburn: Move adoption of the resolution.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Wilburn, seconded by Mims. Discussion? Roll call, please. Item
passes 7-0.
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Council meeting of March 1, 2011.
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ITEM 10. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING, AUTHORIZING AND
DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST AN AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA
CITY AND THE STATE OF IOWA-VISION IOWA BOARD FOR A
RECAT GRANT (11-RECAT-003-TERRY TRUEBLOOD RECREATION
AREA)
Wright: Move adoption.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Wright, seconded by Mims. Discussion? And for the public's
uh...knowledge, this has to do with a $1.6 million grant that the City has received
from the State of Iowa for development of the Trueblood Recreation Area.
Bailey: And as I've stated before, um, despite the fact that I'm the Chair of that board, our
attorney has reviewed the potential conflicts and I will voting on this item, and
I'm happy to vote on this item! (laughter)
Hayek: Further discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7-0.
Dilkes: And let me just clarify for the public that the reason for that is you don't
participate with, uh, on the Vision Iowa Board with respect to Iowa City funding.
Bailey: Right, right! Exactly. I should have clarified that. I recuse myself at that level,
not this level.
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ITEM 12. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO
ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE FY2011
ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION PROJECT.
Champion: Move the resolution.
Wright: Move the resolution.
Hayek: Moved by Wright, seconded by Champion. Uh, discussion? And for the public's,
uh, information, the engineer's estimate for this was $788,200. Um...Public
Works and Engineering recommends awarding the contract to McComas-Lacina
Construction of Iowa City. Uh, this project will be funded with parking
operations revenue and GO Bond proceeds and McComas-Lacina came in at
$789,000. Discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7-0.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
Wilburn: So moved.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Wilburn, seconded by Mims. Discussion? All those in favor say aye.
Opposed say nay. Motion carries 7-0.
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Council meeting of March 1, 2011.
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ITEM 15. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Hayek: Why don't we start down with you, Susan?
Mims: Um, just a reminder to the public that tomorrow we have a...not tomorrow!
Thursday, excuse me, the 3rd, um, an open house meeting at Parkview Church
from 4:30 to 7:00 on the Gateway project, which is the elevation of Dubuque
Street and replacement of Park Road bridge and the Taft Speedway levee, and
there will be a presentation at 5:30. So would encourage anybody who has an
interest in that to come, get some information, offer, uh, your ideas or
suggestions. Again, 4:30 to 7:00 on Thursday the 3rd at Parkview Church!
Champion: Nothing!
Wright: Nothing.
Wilburn: Nope!
Bailey: Um, we know that spring is on its way because on our Consent Calendar we had
some sidewalk cafe approvals, and as the snow melts, one of the things I've been
noticing is how much our City loves dogs, and um, sometimes how we forget to
pick up after our dogs. So I just want to remind people that that's really
important, especially as we get into warmer weather and we have kids running
around and if you need bags for that, I have a closet full of them. So just let me
know, and I will deliver them to you (laughter).
Dickens: Nothing!
Hayek: I've got nothing!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the formal Iowa City City
Council meeting of March 1, 2011.