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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-10-04 TranscriptionOctober 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 1 Council Present: Bailey, Champion, Dickens, Hayek, Mims, Wilburn, Wright Staff Present: Markus, Helling, Dilkes, Karr, Bentley, Andrew, O'Malley, Mansfield, Ford, Goodman, Nagle -Gamm Others Present: Cody Graham, UISG Council Appointments: Hayek/ Welcome, everyone! We don't have a lot of time so let's try to get through some of these things as quickly as possible. First item is Council appointments. Believe there is one, uh, for the Senior Center opening. (several talking away from mic) Karr/ I'm sorry, you'll have to wear your microphone. Hayek/ So, uh, there's one opening and ... and Daniel Benton is the sole applicant. Bailey/ Daniel will be great! Wright/ I think he'll be fine! Hayek/ Okay! Put `em up! Next is agenda items. Agenda Items: Karr/ Mr. Mayor? Due to an error on my part, I included the SSMID on the Consent Calendar. You'll have to, as you did the last time, delete when you make a motion to adopt the Consent Calendar. The motion should include deletion of that item for separate consideration. Then we could vote on ... then we could vote on the ... on the Consent Calendar as amended, and then state the conflict of interest and the remaining members could vote on the remaining item. Hayek/ Okay. Karr/ Okay? Hayek/ So that motion as to everything but the carved out (both talking) Karr/ ...with the deletion of 4.d.(6). Hayek/ ...by all seven of us, and then separately considered will be the ... yeah, okay. Okay. So, uh, agenda items? We've got a number of P &Z items but I assume those'll be, uh, handled ... at ... in the formal? Any agenda items for discussion? Bailey/ (mumbled) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 2 Hayek/ Going once, going twice ... okay. Let's talk about the, uh, Peer Community Research/Animal Control Services Report. Simon. Peer Community Research /Animal Control Services Report (IP3 of 9/29): Andrew/ Good evening. My name is Simon Andrew. I'm an intern in the City Manager's office. I crafted the memo in the, uh, packet tonight about animal services delivery. Um, first I'd like to thank Council for giving me the opportunity to speak. I know you have a busy night so I will try and be as brief and (mumbled) as possible. Um, discussed in the memo are two related but really separate issues. Uh, first is the proportional sharing of cost across local governments, and the second is the discussion of operational models used by other cities of roughly Iowa City's size. Uh, first on cost sharing. Uh, the memo reports 2010 fiscal year data for, uh, Iowa City General Levee funding and City use of the Animal Care and Control facility. But more to the point, or a view of the revenue generated from 28E agreements and the corresponding usage from other local governments, um, can give an indication of disproportionate local government support. Over the last five years, 28E agreements have funded an average of 21% of the facility's operating costs. Uh, this includes a one -year spike of 29 %. Over the last two fiscal years, these agreements have funded 15 and 16% of the facility's operational costs respectively. However, over the last five years, an average of 41% of the animals received by the facility have been from outside of the Iowa City city limits, and these animals accounted for 51 % of the days the animals were cared for at the facility. In 2007 Johnson County ended the practice of paying for all cities outside of Iowa City and Coralville, uh, for their stays at the facility. Uh, in terms of Iowa City property tax funding, uh, the exact percentages vary annually. Um, they've gone as low in the last, um, seven years as 48% and as high as 75 %. Uh, for the last three years this percentage has been between 61 and 68 %. Uh, these percentages follow a conservative definition of city funding as property tax revenue only, um, it doesn't include licensing fees and other, uh, revenues that have been generated by the City, um, so these could be viewed as being low estimates of Iowa City's support for the facility. Um, this funding commitment, uh, outpaces the City's use of the facility. Uh, over the last five years animals accepted from Iowa City accounted for 56% of the animals accepted, and they accounted for just 46% of the total days animals have been cared for at the facility. As discussions continue as to the appropriate size and possible funding sources for the new Animal Control facility being constructed, uh, the proportional sharing of costs across all local governments, uh, that intend to use the facility, should be a focus. Uh, the second issue is the operational models of other cities that are roughly the size of Iowa City for their animal control services. Uh, the cities included in this review have populations roughly our size. Uh, Lawrence, Kansas and Bloomington, Illinois were also included, given that they have large public universities, uh, in their cities. Uh, this list of peer communities was developed prior, before animal services research began. Uh, the ... this portion of the memo was intended to outline options as to possible operational models for animal shelter facilities, noting some of the costs and benefits associated with ... with each model. It is important to continually research operational models in other municipalities to search for best practices in the delivery of all City services. Uh, this is a brief overview of This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 3 animal control operations, a more in -depth analysis will be required, uh, to ... is necessary to compare specific models. This includes facility capacity, adoption rates, uh, (mumbled) spay and neutering programs. I was surprised by the number of facilities that do contract with outside agencies for operations. In fact, none of the nine cities researched outside of Iowa, uh, operated city -run facilities themselves. They all contracted with outside agencies, or left it up to the county. Uh, in others ... in some cities the reliance on other agencies implied some cost savings. In others there were operational efficiencies gained. Uh, in Des Moines in particular and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, adoption rates went up, uh, dramatically after the instituting of the contract for, um, services. Uh, each facility... each city's facility operates differently and each city has varying levels of non - profit capacity and county support. The improvements made in other communities do not necessarily mean that these improvements can be realized in Iowa City; however, the trend appears to be commonplace enough that it warrants further discussion. We will not know to what degree any of these models could benefit Iowa City without asking these questions and conducting appropriate research. So if any Council Members had any questions about the memo itself, I'd be happy to answer them or Misha Goodman's here, also, that... possibly answer your questions. Bailey/ I know that you said that it...it...we need further research, but did you get a sense when you were looking at operational models about, I mean, you looked at population, people population, did you get a sense of animal population, um, in the shelters, not in the community. Andrew/ They were ... they seemed to be roughly the size of our facility. Um ... the low seemed to be about a thousand animals annually. Bailey/ Okay. Andrew/ Whereas Iowa City takes in a little over 2,000, um, all the way up to eight and ten thousand. I know Santa Fe, New Mexico takes in more than 10,000 animals annually, urn ... Des Moines' was, I want to say roughly 8,000. I'd have to look that up though. Bailey/ Okay. And then, um, so ... digging into this further, I would be interested in that, as well as, um, I'm assuming also that Bloomington and Lawrence, Kansas have the same sort of... we have some cyclical abandonments. Andrew/ Sure. Bailey/ Um, and I'm assuming that they would have the same, um ... and I would be interested in euthanasia rates, too, just ... what we try to maintain as a standard versus other communities as a standard. Andrew/ Sure. Um, and I know that in Bloomington especially a lot of the services are handled by the county, um, Bloomington - Normal is a metropolitan area that includes multiple municipalities and so McLean County is very involved in animal control services. The contract, um, that Bloomington has is primarily with the county. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 4 Bailey/ All right. Andrew/ So it's sort of a similar arrangement with the school and with ... maybe Normal being kind of comparable to Coralville. Bailey/ Okay. So this was a good start, I thought ... in looking at models. Wright/ I was just curious whether .... uh, what effect if any this would have on our pursuit of FEMA funding to help with a new facility? Markus/ Yeah, I think we have to continue down the path that we're currently (both talking) in terms of our facility. Wright/ ... so we need to get the facility taken care of, but then we can look at the operating model separately. Markus/ Yeah, and that doesn't necessarily have to follow immediately. I think that ... I think that what the hope was that this study would kind of generate some thoughts about what the potential is for an operating model, but I think we have to pursue, you know, the whole FEMA approach, and at the same time we're doing that, what we're trying to do is check with these other jurisdictions to see if they're willing to participate proportionately in terms of capital costs and operational costs. Uh ... I think to be perfectly blunt when they see the operational costs and the, uh, capital costs, uh, they are going to start pursuing other alternatives on their own, some of these other jurisdictions. I'm not sure how Johnson County is going to do that, but I would think some of the, uh, communities around us may look, uh, to different models on their own, and ... and that's fine. Uh, if they take on that responsibility as far as I'm concerned. My concern from the very beginning on this is that, um ... we pay our proportionate share and that, uh, we do not provide services, um ... that are not being reimbursed equitably from outside our city limits. I think we have been very generous in the past and I don't think we can afford to pursue that same, um, model in the future. Wright/ This would be the type of an operation that would lend itself to ... uh, a multi - jurisdictional approach... Bailey/ Uh -huh. Wright/ ...very well, but I don't know if we can pull that off. Champion/ We haven't been successful with the Senior Center. Wright/ Among other things! Champion/ Among other things. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 5 Markus/ And ... and quite frankly that suggests that maybe another jurisdiction, um, that has the ability to raise funds on a more equitable basis to begin with would be a more logical place for that to happen. Um, meaning the County, um ... you know, uh, JECC being somewhat of a model in that regard, I mean, there's ... you know, there's been some discussions and, you know, but that's all part of the learning and the growing and the evolving of that kind of a model, um ... but it seems to me that, you know, that that's something that they would be better suited to, and I think this has happened over a period of time where Iowa City has taken on some of these more regional types of operations when we were, you know, the biggest... we're still the biggest entity, but ... others weren't, you know, using our services as much as they are today, and I think it's now creating an inequity which is creating a burden on Iowa City taxpayers for these things that I think that there needs to be a redistribution or a relook at how we get back to equity. Hayek/ And we need to figure these things out before we commit to a particular facility, approach, I would think. Markus/ Right, and so (both talking) Hayek/ I mean, the operations follow. Markus/ ...and so the Police Department is looking at, uh, pursuing this path where they're going to talk to the other jurisdictions. They're going to show them what their proportionate share of cost would be for capital and for operations, ask `em, `Are you in, or are you going to pursue something else?' I'm very reluctant to move into an expanded type of facility without a contractual obligation from those other jurisdictions. So while we're on this path of pursuing FEMA and ... and in the RFPs for design and all those things, uh, we're pursuing that as well. Champion/ Good, I'm glad to hear that! Wilburn/ Part of the challenge is that, uh, as other communities experience growth... because of past practice, um ... you know, you are not going to, uh, we have the negative brunt of their growth. It's not a matter of ... we're picking up the cost of their growth for services they don't have to provide and ... and historically around some of the regional conversations whether it's the Senior Center or some other things, the ... response from some of the other jurisdictions has been that Iowa City is being unreasonable and Iowa City, um ... urn ... I guess, and unfair, I mean, Iowa City should continue to try and frame it in terms of...here's the bottom line costs ... per person, wherever you ... or per animal, wherever you are from, and um, the hard decision will be ... if they continue to opt out if Iowa City is going to ... will have a decision to say no and not provide something and then that's where ... it can get pretty political. Markus/ Well, and one ... one of the arguments that's been made back in having this discussion and we're ... we're trying to frame this issue as best we can too is, well, people will drop animals here. I just ... my counter to that is, you know, illegal activities such as that This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 6 should not be the basis for how we size the facility, and I think the other thing that will happen is, uh, constituents in other jurisdictions will go to their governing body and ... and have to have that governing body address the issue. If they choose to ignore, um, participating with us, or they choose to go on their own with some other model. There's... there's other models beyond what's been addressed here, um, there's a private sector model that can be (mumbled) but somebody may have to grow into that because the size of the metropolitan area right now does not necessarily have that kind of service already in existence. So you may have something that'd have to be created at some point to ... to serve that niche. Wilburn/ And I would think, especially for something like this, um ... the whole cost, the whole unit cost. Here's what the service costs is important to put out there so that, um ... that helps the public understand. Markus/ And I would tell you I think we've been, uh, Finance Director and I had an opportunity to talk about how we distribute cost and the capital cost and, Kevin, jump in and tell me if I'm stating this incorrectly, but the capital cost is post- uh, FEMA reimbursement. So, and I think the other thing is, we have a, um, a very good non - profit that's helping raise funds to build this facility, and I think we decided it would be post- to those costs, as well. Meaning that the capital costs on a proportionate basis would be that amount that this city would have to put out, beyond those reimbursements. So I think that's a ... it's probably as generous in terms of capital costs on this thing, as we could be. Hayek/ Well, I'm ... my sense is that animal control is but one of numerous service areas where, um, as a matter of necessity, we will have to ... take a closer look at our arrangements. Um ... another example, somebody mentioned the Senior Center. I looked at that recently and ... for example, I think Johnson County, uh ... which is the other government paying into the Senior Center, outside of what Iowa City contributes, um, accounts for 20% of the use of the facility, but pays an amount closer to 10% of the budget. Um ... and ... and we are entering... entering into a ... a I think long and sustained period of tough times, uh, in terms of our budget capacity. I just don't think we have a choice but to look at these things. Bailey/ There's another aspect to our operating budget that ... that's minor, but we've never really capitalized on it and it's the licensing. I mean, quite frankly a lot of domestic animals in Iowa City aren't licensed, especially if they're, um, indoor and um, you know, I know it's a small percentage and it would be a small percentage of the budget, but that's something, if we're exploring all options, I think that's something that needs further and more rigorous (mumbled) explored and enforced. Goodman/ Regenia, we have been doing that, and we've been looking into, uh, private sector contractors... Bailey/ Good! Goodman/ ...to take that service over, to try and increase those revenues, as well. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 7 Bailey/ I think that that's a good move because ... it hasn't in the past been happening so much. I don't think people are aware of it, you know. Champion/ Well I think it used to happen when you took your animal to the vet. Bailey/ Exactly! (both talking) Champion/ ...and so you had this constant renewal of licensing, and now that doesn't happen that way. Bailey/ Right. Wright/ That would make so much sense to be able to do that. Bailey/ Yeah. Champion/ That's not what ... it was that way for years! I don't know how long it's not been that way but... Bailey/ Right, and we ... we have some societal trends with animal care and ... and companion animals with younger people in our, uh, in our community I think. I think those kinds of rules and having those private contracts would be a good thing. Markus/ So that the pet community doesn't feel like you're picking on them necessarily... we're looking at this same kind of issue across the board, with services that extend beyond our border. Recently, uh, Johnson County advised us, as well, about the Library situation and they're reducing the cap from ... they're proposing to reduce the cap from 5% to 3% growth factor. So they couldn't grow any more than 3% and uh (both talking) Hayek/ Their share of it. Markus/ ...yes, and Susan, for the rural population that would use our library, and that's an issue, by the way, that impacts, you know, our neighboring jurisdictions with libraries, as well, and so Susan Craig and I had that conversation, and she'll be attending, uh, the work session of Johnson County to express the concern about that, uh ... you know, hopefully expenses don't exceed that 3% number so that that's not an issue, but, urn ... should they, uh, it would seem that they have the same proportionate responsibility in that regard. Champion/ If somebody opted out of our animal shelter, what is the percentage of animals that are just dropped anywhere now? Do you have any idea? I mean, I do worry about that. I hate to see animals just dropped off and then allowed to run stray. Goodman/ Uh, you know, we have citizens picking up animals. We don't know whether they've been dropped off, stray, or just running loose or, um, so I think in terms of abandonment, it's not that high. I think you're more likely to have people, uh, coming in and saying This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 8 they ... they found the animal in a jurisdiction that they didn't find it in. I think that's more likely. Champion/ (mumbled) ... seem kind of cruel to me to have them dumped off. Hayek/ Okay. Is there anything else? Do you need any further input from us? Markus/ No, we just kind of wanted to give you an update about what's happening. It's been a gap since we last communicated. So this is... Hayek/ Okay. Markus/ ...wanted to give Simon a chance to get before you and show some of the research he's been working on. Hayek/ Thadnk you, Simon. (several talking) ...for being here. Okay. Info packets. September Information Packets: Mims/ On IP4, the, uh, traffic study, the Kirkwood Avenue, Summit Street intersection. Staff had recommendations on that, urn ... their ... their first recommendation was, uh, simply to paint the crosswalk area, a pedestrian crosswalk, start with that. Uh, and their second one was to put in the, um, oh, what do you call it? The little island in the middle... Hayek/ Refuge island. Mims/ Yeah, refuge island, and given... given the traffic on that street, I would certainly encourage that second option to be looked at, sooner rather than later, um, because I wouldn't personally have a whole lot of confidence, uh, of traffic stopping just because I was in a crosswalk. And, um, if the crosswalk is put in and painted at this point, I would ... before they do a refuge island or get to that point, I would hope that we would also put up one of those `yield to pedestrian, it's the state law,' signs? Wright/ Those make a huge difference. Bailey/ They do! They do! Mims/ Well I think it (several talking) yeah, it just really draws drivers' attention to the fact that, oh, there is a crosswalk there and I am legally liable if I hit somebody in that crosswalk and so, again, if it were me walking, I'd be incredibly cautious, but if we're going to start with painted crosswalk, I'd like to see the yield sign and I'd like to see staff expeditiously investigate the, uh, the refuge island, as well. Champion/ I've been really paying attention to this intersection, since I use it a lot... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Bailey/ Uh -huh. Page 9 Champion/ ...and it seems to me that part of the problem is ... when people are trying to make a left hand turn from Summit onto Kirkwood, they're only ... they're watching the traffic, not watching pedestrians at all, and yet it'd be easy to cross Summit Street ... if you're coming ... I gotta get my directions straight, west! If you crossed Summit Street before you cross Kirkwood, it'd be a lot safer, and I'm wondering where they're going to put that crosswalk, because then ... the people who are trying to make a left -hand turn, they're not ... you're not going to be in their way, so to speak. Do you know... understand what I'm saying? Mims/ Right, but the place to put it is east of Summit because that's where you have the extra space in the street, because you've got the ... you've got the left turn lane coming as you're east bound... so the logical place for that crosswalk is on the east side of Summit. Champion/ I don't know if you need the thing that you have a crosswalk... oh, good! Hayek/ How `bout we hear from the expert! Nagle -Gamm/ Hi there, I'm Darian Nagle -Gamm, I'm the Traffic Engineering Planner. Champion/ Great! Nagle -Gamm/ Um, I wanted to let you know that the crosswalk has been installed. It was painted, uh, recently, just within the last few days. It is on the east side of the street, um, for the reasons you mentioned, because it would be easier to put the refuge median in on the east side because the width, um, right there is enough that we could provide a little bit of space for pedestrians in case, um, they get stranded in the middle of the street. But I can take your feedback about the yield to pedestrian sign. Bailey/ Uh -huh. Yeah. Nagle -Gamm/ Um, if you guys are all in agreement, I can take that back, as well. (several responding) Any other questions about Kirkwood and Summit? Hayek/ Thanks for looking at it! (several talking) Wright/ Are you going to proceed with a signal study for, uh, Kirkwood and, uh, Keokuk? Nagle -Gamm/ Yes. We'll go ahead, um, take the count probably this spring and we'll do a traffic signal warrant study. Um, that was another option that we looked at too, because that would also create some gaps, um, at that intersection, which would help, uh, pedestrians get across the street. Bailey/ And I'm assuming that this entire corridor is affected by what we're doing closer to Kirkwood Community College, and so ... I think the timing of that study maybe ... I'm not This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 10 a traffic engineer so I don't know, but coordinating that might be beneficial, because I think the increase in pedestrian traffic, and other traffic, is ... is a lot about that community college. Nagle -Gamm/ I absolutely agree. I think that we've seen an uptick in traffic, just steadily and slowly, as Kirkwood has expanded, um, their facilities on Lower Muscatine Road and we'll probably continue to, um, so we'll take a look at that, in tandem with the ... the three -lane project that we have on Lower Muscatine. Champion/ Is there any way to do pedestrian counts? Nagle -Gamm/ Certainly! Champion/ Cause I think ... cause I don't see very many pedestrians on Kirkwood, even when the classes (mumbled) ...everybody is either driving or hops on the City bus. Wright/ I don't think it's that there's so many pedestrians... on the street. There's just ... for those that are there, getting across can really be difficult. Bailey/ I have seen a, I mean, because I ... I teach adjunct over there. Champion/ Right, right! Bailey/ I have seen an increase of pedes ... of students, um, walking, skateboarding, uh, and riding bikes, and sometimes I bike on that sidewalk there because it just... Champion/ Yeah, that's fine. Bailey/ Yeah, it's ... it seems safer. So I have seen a little bit of an increase over there. It's... Nagle -Gamm/ When we do the traffic signal warrant study, we'll also do pedestrian counts, and something we'll make sure we also do too is check, uh, the pedestrians that are crossing near the intersection, because they may not be attempting to cross exactly at the intersection, but... Champion/ Don't we all? (laughter) Nagle -Gamm/ To the left or to the right, or to the east or to the west, so... Champion/ Thank you very much! Nagle -Gamm/ Yep! Hayek/ Thanks, Darian! Okay, anything else on the, A... September 22nd packet? If not, how `bout the packet from September 29? Okay. Uh, that leads us to Council time. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Council Time: Wright/ Nothing! Mims/ Nothing. Hayek/ Okay. Summary of pending work session issues? You can see that at IP2 in the September 291h packet. Okay, Dale and Tom, on that? Pending Work Session Issues (02): Page 11 Helling/ Yeah, this is ... this is what we have. You notice on November 21 St, kinda loaded up! Urn ... but you have a, uh, you have a combined meeting on the ... 3 rd , 2nd, whatever it is. Karr/ November 1. Helling/ Yeah, November 1St, okay. Hayek/ Due to the election, I presume. Karr/ November 1, uh ... Halloween (several talking and laughing) I wasn't going to make a connection to Halloween and elections (laughter) Hayek/ Are you accusing me of being a clown or something like that? (laughter) Okay, so that looks good. Um ... upcoming events? Council invites? Upcoming Events/ Council Invitations: Mims/ We've got the ICAD, uh, Investor Breakfast on the 14th. I put in to go. Bailey/ (mumbled) attend (mumbled) but I plan to attend. Hayek/ Okay. Karr/ Two? Hayek/ Sounds like it. Bailey/ Are you going to RSVP? Karr/ I can. Bailey/ Okay, fine with me! Mims/ Sounds good. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011. October 4, 2011 City Council Work Session Page 12 Bailey/ Thank you! Hayek/ Okay, anything... Karr/ Also just a reminder, the uh Human Rights Commission Awards Breakfast is October 20th, and if any of you are interested in going ... why don't you let me know either way so then I know that, uh, I've contacted each one of you, and that's October 20th, 7:30 in the morning, that's at the Sheraton downtown. Bailey/ (mumbled) Karr/ Yes. Bailey/ Thank you. Hayek/ Okay. Well, before we adjourn the work session, I just want, uh, Council and staff to know we have some distinguished international visitors in our audience tonight. I met them the other day at the Oktoberfest, uh, on the near north side, um, they hail from Nepal and ... and other, uh, beautiful countries around the world, and so if you have a chance between now and the start of our formal session, I encourage you to go out and meet with our visitors, and we want to welcome you to our community! Okay, uh, that's all we have, so we've got about 20 minutes here, and we'll meet back at 7:00. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of October 4, 2011.