HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-06-18 TranscriptionPage 1
ITEM 1. CALL TO ORDER.
ITEM la Roll Call
Hayek: Uh, for those in the audience, Council Member, uh, Mims is participating via
telephone so you will not see her but you will hear her this evening and she is
very much a part of this meeting. Um, also I want to note that, uh, there is an
addendum to the agenda. It's Item 7a and it regards the SEATS contract. So if
you are here to address the Council regarding SEATS, I ask that you do not
address us during community comment, but instead save your comments for Item
7a on the agenda.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 2
ITEM 2. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
ITEM 2a Friends of Animal Center Foundation (FACF)
Hayek: Item 2 is special presentations. We have two this evening. One is from the, uh,
Friends of the Animal Shelter, uh, Center Foundation. If they could please come
forward!
Karr: And here to pre ... make the presentation is Kym Leyden, Executive Director.
Come right up! There you go!
Leyden: With me this evening I have Misha Goodman, Animal Services Supervisor, and
our Board President, Tara Mott. So I'd like to present you with this awesome
check for $250... $200,000, our first installment over the next five years and I
...I'm pleased to announce that thus far we've raised $750,000 towards our
million dollar goal. So we are well on our way and (applause) (mumbled) That's
in gifts and pledges so for those of you out there who've already given, thank you
very, very much and for those of you who are considering a gift, um, I'll be right
out there after the meeting! (laughter) Thank you.
Hayek: I gave these comments a few minutes ago at your ... at your press conference
outside, Kym, but I want to thank you on behalf of the City for a tremendous
fundraising effort. Uh, we ... many of us were part of the Council in 2008 when
the floods hit and the Animal, uh, Shelter was impacted so adversely and what a
difference five years make, um, and this is a very important partnership for the
City and we're going to have a good product at the end of the, uh, effort and uh,
but ... but much of that product will be thanks to the efforts of this group, and the
people in the community, and the businesses in the community, uh, that support it.
To ... to have reached three - fourths of your goal already is just incredible, uh, and
for those of you out in TV land, it is not too late to, uh, consider a... a pledge or a
donation, uh, to this excellent organization. So congratulations!
Leyden: Thank you very much! (applauses)
Hayek: (away from mic) ... shake your hand here! (applause)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 3
ITEM 2. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
ITEM 2b Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation
Karr: Okay, the second presentation is from the Iowa City Public Library Friends
Foundation. Here to present is Patty McCarthy, Development Director of ICPL.
Hayek: Patty, how are you?
McCarthy: Good to see you!
Hayek: You too!
McCarthy: It is an honor to be here to be able to present the City with $125,000, which
represents the Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation first installment of
our Better Busin ... I'm too many betters! Better Building, Better Service
campaign to remodel the Library. The new Library will celebrate its 10th year
next year. The City kindly, uh, agreed to issue $200,000 in bond money to help
us do this remodeling project. So we've gone a little bit above and beyond and
are going to raise about $250,000. We're well past $200,000 so it is an honor to
give you $125,000 tonight and I'll be back next year! And thank you to everyone
who golfed on Friday for the, uh, Library Links was one of the fundraisers just for
this effort!
Hayek: Thank you, Patty, and... and as with the Friends of the Animal Shelter, uh, this
important organization is such an important one, and ... and it's a strong
partnership and it's one of the reasons our library is, uh, from my perspective,
second to none in the state of Iowa. So congratulations! Keep up the good work,
and we hope to continue the partnership!
McCarthy: Thank you.
Hayek: Thanks, Patty! (applause) I guess I have to turn the check over! (laughter)
Champion: Maybe everybody out here's going to bring us a check tonight! (laughter)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 4
ITEM 3. PROCLAMATIONS
ITEM 3a Juneteenth National Freedom Day
Hayek: (reads proclamation)
Karr: Here to accept the proclamation is Human Rights Commissioner Orville
Townsend. (applause)
Hayek: (mumbled) Thanks for coming!
Townsend: (away from mic)
Hayek: Sure!
Townsend: Although Juneteenth is a special day for African Americans, uh, here in Iowa City
we are a ... a community of color. So ... we will be having a Juneteenth celebration
on, uh, June 29"' at Mercer Park from 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. and since we are a
community of color, it's only befitting that everybody have an invitation to attend.
So we hope we can see you! Thank you!
Hayek: Thank you, Mr. Townsend!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 5
ITEM 4. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
Hayek: Item 4 is consider adoption of the Consent Calendar as presented or amended, and
I think we want to make a...
Champion: Move adoption with, uh, excluding 4e(1) and 4e(7).
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved, uh, by Champion, seconded by Payne. Discussion?
Throgmorton: Matt, could I say one... one brief thing about, uh, 4d(1), which is the Transit Title
VI program plan?
Hayek: Sure.
Throgmorton: Very long, complicated document, but ... but what I noticed in it is, uh, a ... a real
positive. A lot of... a lot of good information concerning the number and variety
of people in Iowa City who have limited English proficiency, and about how the
Transit Division is trying to connect with them. It's a very positive thing. I was
very impressed with the information and with, uh, what, uh, the Transit Division
is trying to do. So I just wanted to acknowledge that.
Hayek: Thank you for those comments.
Karr: Mr. Mayor, I think there's someone here to comment about 4f(6). Did you
want ... we should talk about the Waterfront? (unable to hear person away from
mic)
Hayek: Yep! If there's here ... anyone here to talk about the Waterfront parking changes.
Dahlen: Should I sign in? Okay. My name is Lori Dahlen and I live at 2018 Waterfront
Drive and I also work there. I'm a manager at Hilltop Mobile Home Park. And I
was speaking with John Yapp yesterday and today, um, regarding the potential
changes and I think some of `em are ... are really good. I like the idea of the,
um ... no parking signs at any time south of the main entrance to the park, because
that's a wooded area and there's been a lot of dumping there, and there's been
some efforts in cleaning it up so that's really great also. Um ... and also people
have been sleeping in vehicles and we would like to get away from that being an
element of the neighborhood. Sure you can all agree with that! Um, and then...
the issue that a lot of people have in the park, um, the west side of the street is
also currently full of parking. And the east side is supposed to be no parking,
which in the most part it is. Um, sometimes there is like a food service vehicle
that maybe sometimes gets stuck in the middle of the road, and I think ... I think it
was, um ... originally designed for that food service truck to be able to park on the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 6
east side and then service the Shelter House and also maybe HACAP. I'm not
exactly sure about that. Um, but anyway, a... apparently it's kind of in the middle
of the street now and um, the issue with the park is, on a daily basis during the
time of the school year, there's 13 buses that come in and out of there. So you've
got these 13 buses and then you've got the exiting of the park, and the coming in
to the park. So if by chance you had parking on the west side and you had a bus
going out, if there was a need for an emergency vehicle to come in ... that ... that
wouldn't happen in a fast way. That person would be stalled, at best. So ... so
your option, I think, is to eliminate that west side parking. That's what I think the
option is. Uh, I don't think we can eliminate the school bus turnaround. It's just
a thought. I know you're trying to do the best with what there is, and I know that
you're trying to make changes, and I hesitated to even come here, um ... I know
some people have emailed and so, you know, hopefully it's a good idea to show
up. Um ... another thing too that... that... that bothers people and ... and I think it's
great, um, they are proposing, um ... I mean, the good side is they're proposing
having parking from 8:00 to 5:00. Um, so there would be no overnight parking,
which would be no sleeping in vehicles. Okay? So that's a big thing and um...
the Shelter has rules, uh, you know, they have situations where they'll allow
services to certain people and ... and then it ends there. Um, so this ... by chance, if
someone let's say was on the sex offender list and sleeping in a vehicle, you
know ... was there a law passed three years ago that says ... uh, sex offender of a
more serious nature can't be within 300 feet of a daycare or places where children
gather. Does that mean ... does that mean staying in a vehicle? I don't know. Is
that loitering? Maybe it isn't. Um... anyway, I... I think we're headed in the right
direction. Um ... but I do know coming in and out of the park I hear it constantly
from people that they have to wait and wait and wait and wait getting in and out
of the park, and if it were a normal street in Iowa City, uh, you know, you
wouldn't have that ... just that one segment of the population where the buses are
coming from. And, so ... so that's the issue and I just would like you to consider
that and consider the no parking on the west side. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments and for coming down.
Dahlen: Yep! Do you have any questions? No!
Hayek: Thank you! Any further discussion? Roll call, please. Passes 7 -0. Why don't
we take up 4e(1) and 4e(7) at this time, but we need a motion for that.
ITEM 4e(1) MOSS GREEN URBAN VILLAGE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN
- DETERMINING THE NECESSITY OF AND SETTING DATES OF A
CONSULTATION (JUNE 26, 2013) AND PUBLIC HEARING (JULY 239
2013) ON A PROPOSED AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE MOSS GREEN
URBAN VILLAGE URBAN RENEWAL PLAN IN THE CITY OF IOWA
CITY, IOWA
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 7
ITEM 4e(7) MOSS RIDGE ROAD CONSTRUCTION - SETTING A
PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 23, 2013 ON PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS,
FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE MOSS
RIDGE ROAD PROJECT, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH
NOTICE OF SAID HEARING, AND DIRECTING THE CITY ENGINEER
TO PLACE SAID PLANS ON FILE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION
Champion: I move, uh, 4e(1) and 4e(7).
Throgmorton: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Champion, seconded by Throgmorton. Discussion?
Throgmorton: (mumbled) gonna get a presentation?
Hayek: Yeah we ... do we ... do the staff presentation at this time? Thank you.
Ford: Hi, good evening. My name is Wendy Ford. I'm the Economic Development
Coordinator for the City, and I understand there were some questions about the,
um, the Resolution of Necessity for the Moss Green Urban Village Urban
Renewal Area, Amendment #1. If I can say that twice, congratulate me! Um,
we're also referring this to ... as, to this as the Moss Ridge Urban Renewal Area.
And as you can see on the map here, the original area, um, was approved in 2010
when the development team was different than it is today. There have been
several iterations of project ideas to get, um, development going in the Moss
Ridge Urban Renewal Area over these last three years and it has come to, um,
light that the, uh, most efficient way to, uh, to do this would be to build a road that
is not the extension of Oakdale Boulevard, but rather Moss Ridge Road. So let
me back up just a little bit and set the stage for why having an amendment to a
Moss Ridge, to the Moss Ridge Urban Renewal Area's necessary in the first
place. What you're actually cons ... going to be considering as a Resolution of
Necessity which, um, initiates the legislative process to either adopt or to change
an urban renewal plan, and because of access issues to the Moss, the original
Moss Ridge, uh, Urban Renewal Area, the ... and the, uh, desire by the developers
to, uh, to construct, uh, Moss Ridge Road as opposed to Oakdale Boulevard
extended on the north, uh, and... proceeding discussions with Pearson, the ... and
the use of the Pearson prop ... uh, property over which to construct this road, we
have a need to amend the urban renewal area. So again, looking at the map, you
can see with the big green arrow, the Pearson property there, um, the area that we
would like to amend into the urban renewal area. And to get a closer look at, uh,
at how the proposed new road fits into that. Let me switch to this view. An aerial
view here which, uh, which shows the original, uh, sorry ... the original Oakdale
Boulevard and plans, uh, the new plans for the Moss Ridge Road here, and you
can see how they bisect the Pearson property. Little more clear when we take off
some of the other graphics there. So, uh ... so that is one change that was needed
to the original plan, um, the location of the road, and for the City to construct the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 8
road, um, we ... we would have to have that area included in the urban renewal
area to be able to use TIF financing to finance the cost of the road, uh, from
Highway 1 into the Moss Ridge Urban, uh, Development there. And so the ... the
construction of the road is one new project in the ... in the Moss Ridge Urban
Renewal Area that needs amendment. The second would be providing us the
opportunity to work with a, uh, future development project in that area. So let me
stop there and see if you had specific questions, uh, visa vie anything I've said
yet.
Throgmorton: Yeah, I'd like to ask two questions I think, Wendy. Wh ... the first is why does all
the Pearson property need to be included in the amended area?
Ford: Pearson requested that their entire parcel be amended into that area, and that is
one single parcel.
Throgmorton: Right, that has implications for...
Ford: Say they desired to expand their building, uh, have new jobs, um, do any kind of a
project that might be worthy of your considering a development agreement
because of the jobs, because of increased property taxes, they too would then be
able to participate or request participation, public participation, in that expansion.
Throgmorton: Right, okay. I thought that's what you'd say. And then the ... the second part
about, uh, potential development agreements. That applies to anywhere in the
expanded, uh, urban renewal area, is it ... is that correct? Not... not... not just the
older part but also to the part that would include the Pearson property.
Ford: Yes. Yes. That is correct.
Throgmorton: Okay. Those are really the two questions I wanted to ask, uh, there are other
things I could say but ... but they don't really apply to scheduling a public hearing.
Hayek: Right!
Ford: And if I could just clarify, again, the Resolution of Neces ... Necessity just initiates
that legislative process, and it sets a date for a da ... a consultation with the other
taxing entities — the schools and the counties — and that is set for June 26th here in
this building, and it also sets the date for a public hearing when you would, uh,
consider adoption of the amended urban renewal plan.
Hayek: Thank you, Wendy.
Champion: Thank you.
Hayek: Any other discussion on these items?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 9
Throgmorton: Yeah, I ... I will have other things I would want to say about the particular...
activity but I'll defer that to our next meeting, cause all we're doing tonight is
initiating the process and scheduling consultation sessions, scheduling the public
hearing, right? Yeah.
Hayek: Yeah. Okay. Roll call, please. Passes 7 -0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 10
ITEM 5. COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA).
Hayek: This is the opportunity at each City Council meeting for members of the public to
address the Council on items that are not on the agenda. So if there's something
that's not on tonight's agenda that you would like to bring to our attention, I invite
you to step forward. Uh, we ask that you sign in and then verbally give us your
name, and we ask that you limit your comments to five minutes.
Ross: Hi, my name is Brandon Ross. I, um, I come with, uh, an issue that, uh, a lot of,
uh, a lot of people I know, uh, do talk about, and I thought it was not
inappropriate to bring it up at this point, which uh has to do with, uh, with
Council and uh, Council elections, Council, uh, wages. (mumbled) strong belief
that ... as ... as earning $6,000, I think, is about what the Council earns per ... I
haven't checked. I hope I'm not giving away anybody's secrets here. Uh, but
that at $6,000 it's my opinion that, uh, that the Council is not really open enough,
uh, to the greater public for people to run. That the, uh, City Council... City
Councilors generally make ... are made up of people who tend to be upper middle
class or even upper class, uh, well to do. People making perhaps $100,000 but
very few, if any, uh, practically none who are working class. Um ... the working
class in this town is much larger, uh, than people in the upper middle class in this
town. The average wage, uh, in Iowa City is somewhere in the 40s, so you can
imagine there's plenty of people in the 20s. There are many people who are
working for Walmarts, McDonald's, pizzerias, yet uh, not too many people on the
Council, uh, come from Walmart or uh, Kmart or pizzerias. Well, one Council
Member did work for a pizzeria. Uh, that would be a trivia question for any of
you. Uh, it was Steven Cantor. With the exception of Steven Cantor and a few
others, very few others, that I can think of. Even people running. You don't have
working class. Recently we had a candidate named Jared Mitchell. He owns a
very small coffee shop. But this doesn't seem to be the make -up of the Council.
This is not a personal, uh, this is not a personal complaint about any of the
Council Members, uh, whose services I ... I respect and appreciate. Um ... the
other day I was, uh, I was on the soccer pitch. My daughter plays soccer with, uh,
Connie Champion's granddaughter.
Champion: Which one? (laughter)
Ross: That's right! That's a bad thing, that's an open statement, right! Of the 47 or 8, I
can't remember now (laughter) Uh ... Maureen's daughter, uh, Sam is one of our
...is the great ... she plays .... she's our offense right there. My daughter's the...
she cleans up the messes on the defenses. And Maureen said to me, she said,
yeah, my mom always said anybody can run. And it reminds me of, you know, it
just reminds me of the kind of parental things that parents say, and I agreed with
her. I remember Connie saying, uh, I remember her saying many times, I believe
anyone can run and everyone should run, and that's one of the things I really like
about the spirit of Connie Champion is that she does really feel this. The problem
is ... is that, uh, the door's not really open. And ... if I can remain on the soccer
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 11
pitch just for a while longer, my daughter before she was fortunate enough to be
able to share the pitch with one ... with a Champion, and uh, and believe me, she's
out top goal scorer. So you can see where all the aggressiveness comes from, um
...I was, uh, I was watching a game where my daughter was the only girl on the
co -ed team. She was the co -ed aspect of the team, uh, a year ago. And there are a
lot of great players. My daughter learned how to play physical and everything,
and I was standing and I was watching this one player, uh, who was fantastic for
our team, a great kid. Beautiful, soft - spoken, but the ... but just amazing player.
And he came over to the sidelines and he was hanging out with me and my
daughter and I said, hey, it's been a whole season already, where's, uh, where's
your mom for crying out loud? He said, oh, well she's working at McDonald's.
And I thought, she's working at Mc ... he's the best player on the team! His mom
doesn't ever get to see him play even. The prospect of somebody like his mom
being a Council Member — his mom who brings up children and knows a lot about
life and whose son is the best player on the team! That she could possibly...
possibly know what's going ... you know, possibly come and ... and run for
Council for $5,000 or $6,000, it's an impossibility! And so I feel like what we
have here is we have ... we have a situation that is not representative, uh, of...of
the community. You have a broad group of people. Most people in this
community are not the kind of people who talk about whether or not we're going
to change commercial to uh, to uh, partial residents, uh, open up properties to
businesses and things like that. They have other concerns that are not being met.
They have concerns that you talk about but I think that it would be just as good if
they would be able to talk about it and that the wage of the Council should be
higher for them to be able to do that. It should be $10,000 or $15,000. Should be
a living wage. Do you realize we have a City Council that is not paid a living
wage? Who can afford to be on this Council? Retired people. People with
money who can move around their hours. Uh, and not to say that these are...
these are bad people or anything. I think a lot of `em are great people! But none
of those people include the real people that make up the great majority of this
town.
Hayek: Brandon, we're going to need you to wrap up here. It's good to hear from you,
but you're about five or six (both talking)
Ross: Am I long- winded, anybody? (laughter) All right. I appreciate this moment.
Thank you, and please consider this, uh, not only the Council but also people, uh,
who are watching in, uh, and maybe send some emails about this. Thank you!
Hayek: Thanks, Brandon!
Gravitt: My name is Mary Gravitt and I'm here to talk about a qual ... quality of life issues.
For one thing, about the Library. I noticed the Library gave you huge check, in
my opinion a huge check, but they're not in compliance with the ADA! On the
second floor, you're supposed to have those same power pushes that you have to
open this door, on the bathroom — both bathrooms, and on snack shop, and they're
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 12
not in compliance. I have been complaining about this ever since the Library was
built. If you do not have upper body strength, you cannot get into the bathroom
on the ... on the second floor or you cannot get into the snack rooms, and the way
that the bathroom ... the ventilation set ... system in the bathroom works, there's a
ventilation system swirling and pulling the door in, and you're trying to pull the
door out, and then ... even that, the way the toilets are, uh ... were constructed
where they hang from the top and ... not toilets hanging from the top (laughter) the
stalls hang from the top. So that the building is settling, and the stalls are leaning,
so that the stalls doors no longer shut. And the disability stall, the hook fell of it.
I guess the maintenance man decided ... he put it someplace and he can't find it
cause it's not on there now. And when you open the door, it smacks against the
wall so some day the tile is gonna break! So I should ... could suggest that if they
can have ... get $250,000, they use a small portion of that to get back into
(mumbled) the ADA law. Like I said, I've been complaining and I, uh, I spoke to
someone, and I wasn't speaking about the Library. He told me the only way that
a patron could force the Library to get in line is to sue the Library, uh, Board.
Now I ... I like the Library! I use it the Library every day but Sunday because I
don't have a car. But ... I think it's time for the Library to start obeying the law!
Cause people use the Library, disabled people use the Library, and once your
body strength goes, you can't go to the bathroom on the second floor, and the
second thing I want to, uh, talk about is peop ... I have a neighbor. I ... I don't
know the neighbor, but it's been two neighbors in there, and the trash can has
been out there for three years. That little blue can has been out there for three
years. Now summer's here — it's drawing flies. I thought that after the trash was
collected you bring in your trash container and you set it to the side. But this
person after ... this is the second ... it's a rented property and each tenant has left it
out for about three years. So it's never going (mumbled) I'm expecting a tree to
grow out of it soon, and the final thing is that too many people are buying their
way out of green space. Even this development where you're gonna ... make the
street go higher 'and pull up the old trees. That shouldn't be allowed! There
should be some other method of .. of flood control other than ripping that
neighborhood apart. So that's all I have to say. I'm waiting for SEATS. Thank
you.
Hayek: Thank you. Could staff look into that Library maintenance issue, and report
back? Thank you. Anyone else during community comment?
Bramel: Mayor Hayek, uh, Councilors, my name is Alec Bramel, City Council Liaison.
Uh, just want to give you an update concerning the, uh, fraternity and sorority, uh,
density, um, zoning (mumbled) that we did on ... we last voted on on May 14tH
Um, we ... you instructed staff to go back and look into that and see if we couldn't,
you know, look into the densities, uh, of the fraternities and see if we couldn't
change that, um, cause we had quite a, uh, showing of students in support. Um,
last week I met with, uh, Geoff, uh, Fruin and I met with, uh, Karen Howard and
Bob Miklo from, um, City staff (clears throat) City Planning and we had a ... a
fairly collaborative and very successful meeting, and we, uh, came to the ultimate
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 13
conclusion that we're going to look into changing the RM -44 and the P -RM, uh,
zones, um, that are currently now with the ... with the new, um, amendment that
we put through, 500 square feet, um, per roomer, um, per property. Um, and we
were going to look into changing it back down to maybe 300, maybe somewhere
in between. We haven't made .... has not been set in stone yet, but we are
continuing that conversation. Um, so, um, to ... sum up, you know, we will be
changing, we're looking into changing the density, um ... this action is not on our
agenda tonight. Um, may not be on the next one. We're looking into ch...
bringing this to the Council, um, first Planning and Zoning first, um, probably late
summer or early fall, uh, and that's only because we're going to be bringing the
...the City is also ... City staff and Planning is also going to be bringing private
dormitories, uh, action also and we're gonna put `em together, push `em through.
So ... uh, that's all I have. Uh, is there any questions, just let me know. Talk to
Geoff or myself or anyone from City Planning, I guess. So ... thank (both talking)
Hayek: Thanks, Alec! Appreciate it! Anyone else? Okay. We'll move on to Item 6,
Planning and Zoning Matters.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 14
ITEM 6. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
ITEM 6a AMERICAN LEGION ROAD REZONING - CONDITIONALLY
REZONING APPROXIMATELY 2 ACRES FROM COUNTY
RESIDENTIAL (R) AND APPROXIMATELY 2.83 ACRES FROM LOW -
DENSITY SINGLE - FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RS -5) TO LOW- DENSITY
MULTI - FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RM -12) LOCATED AT EAST OF
SCOTT BOULEVARD AND NORTH OF MUSCATINE AVENUE AND
AMERICAN LEGION ROAD. [Discussion only at formal meeting] (REZ13-
00002 & REZ13- 00003) (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Hayek: This is second consideration. Expedited action has been requested.
Payne: I move that the rule requiring that ordinances be ... must be considered and voted
on for passage at two Council meetings prior to the meeting at which it is to be
finally passed be suspended, that the first consideration and vote be waived, and
that the ordinance be given second consideration and vote at this time.
Champion: Second.
Hayek: Um, motion to collapse from Payne, seconded by Champion. Uh, discussion?
Any ex parte communications from the last reading? Um, is there anyone from
the public to address us? Okay.
Throgmorton: And why should we collapse readings?
Hayek: Well ... so I'm just waiting for that, and then if there's no one from the public, now
we can have ... there is a staff member.
Miklo: Yes, as you only have one meeting in July, if you wait til your normal course, it
delays the project by, uh, almost a month.
Hayek: Thanks, Bob! Let's have Council discussion. Um (both talking) have a concern
about this?
Champion: No! I don't!
Throgmorton: Well I ... not really and totally understand how summer's the construction season,
uh, waiting a month... cuts into the construction season, so I completely get that.
Uh ... so no, I guess I don't have any objections.
Hayek: Yeah, I don't generally like (both talking)
Throgmorton: ... I don't generally like it.
Hayek: ...but when you've got a unanimous P &Z vote and a unanimous first reading
vote, and ... no apparent controversy in terms of input from the public, I feel more
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 15
comfortable under these circumstances. Any further discussion? Is there any
inclination the Coun ... the Council will go against the P &Z recommendation?
Okay. Roll call, please.
Payne: I move that the ordinance be finally adopted at this time.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Pass and adopt moved by Payne, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Roll call,
please. Item passes 7 -0.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
Payne: So moved.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, second by...
Dickens: Second!
Hayek: ...Dickens. Discussion? All those in favor say aye. Opposed say nay. Motion
carries 7 -0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 16
ITEM 7a PARATRANSIT SERVICE CONTRACT - REPEALING RESOLUTION
NO. 13 -196 AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE
CITY CLERK TO ATTEST REVISED 28E AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND JOHNSON COUNTY FOR THE
CONTRACTING OF PARATRANSIT SERVICE WITHIN THE
CORPORATE LIMITS OF IOWA CITY.
Hayek: Need a motion.
Dobyns: (several talking) moved.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Dickens, er, Dobyns; seconded by Payne. Discussion? (noises on mic)
Throgmorton: Uh, well ... you mean from the public first?
Hayek: Well yeah, do we, uh ... we can hear from staff if anyone is interested. Maybe we
oughta get just a brief (both talking)
Throgmorton: Yeah, we ... we don't have a copy of the resolution in front of us.
Karr: It was a late ... it was a late handout electronically sent to you.
Throgmorton: This?
Karr: No. Electronically sent in your late handouts this afternoon at 3:00.
Champion: Oh, that's right, you told me that! (several commenting)
Hayek: Why don't we get (several talking) just a brief summary from staff of what this
means and then ... uh, invite audience, uh, input.
O'Brien: Following the ... the meeting that we had on ... June 4th where it was passed, um...
after discussions between, um, legal counsel from the City and the County,
exchanging back and forth, uh, there was some language change within the
contract related to indemnification, as well as, um, any substantial changes made
to operating costs would result in renegotiating and opening up the contract again
at that time. Those were two changes that it was felt were, uh, substantial enough
changes to bring it back to Council to ... to revisit, uh, and to approve those
changes, but there was nothing related to ... um ... any of the issues that had been
discussed prior that ... that changed in that timeframe.
Hayek: Can you explain a little bit more what the indemnification change that was
worked out with the County regards?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 17
O'Brien: Are you familiar with that? That was something that Eric worked out. So ... so
more or less what we're looking at there is in the past the County had done ... the
contract was all done within the County. So there was no need for us to really be
involved in that. Now that we're performing some of the maintenance and we
have some other issues related to the vehicles, um, it's ... it's come that we now
have to kind of indemnify each other. Does that... sound accurate?
Dilkes: Right. We're ... we're just ... for those things that we're taking responsibility for,
we ... we indemnify them and, uh, visa versa.
O'Brien: Where ... where as in the past we had no ... we were just contracting with them and
they were responsible for maintenance, operating. Now we have a part in that
so...
Dilkes: (both talking) So in other words if we ... if we do some maintenance that ... is
faulty and causes an accident, for instance, that would be our (both talking)
O'Brien: That would be on us!
Hayek: And then can ... just a little bit more, um...
O'Brien: On the operational changes?
Hayek: (both talking) ... on the operational changes.
O'Brien: Sure. I mean, that was something that's been discussed since the beginning and...
I think it was more hinted at in the contract. The language was called out to
where, um, for example, if we make any changes ... to our paratransit service
operations. For example, we decide we're going to stop operating at 6:00 P.M.
Uh, whereas right now we go until ... til midnight, or if we're going to eliminate
Saturday service or ... any big changes like that that impact the operational costs,
um, of the paratransit service substantially, the ... then the discussions will reopen
based on ... on what the County's portion of participation will be for those
services. Um, now in that we have excluded what Council has already passed
being Sunday service and half fares. Uh, those are not included in the substantial
change language, um, but are rather excluded from... from reopening the contract.
Does that make sense or did I talk myself around that enough?
Hayek: No, that ... that's helpful, and I think it's good for the audience to ... to hear this
before we solicit input, so...
O'Brien: Okay!
Hayek: Okay. Thanks, Chris, and if there are (both talking)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 18
O'Brien: I'll be here if there's any.
Hayek: ...he will be here.
Throgmorton: Yeah, I ... I'd like to ask one question...
Hayek: Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead, Jim!
Throgmorton: Not of Chris! I mean, just ... I ... I think maybe the question would be to Marian or
to Eleanor. But I just want to make sure, am I right in understanding that the ... the
revised resolution, uh, includes the language we adopted two weeks ago about
directing the staff to explore alternatives, etc.
Dilkes: Yes, it does.
Throgmorton: Yeah, okay. Great!
Hayek: Okay. Now is the time, uh, that we would ask for input from the audience to the
extent there is any.
Ostrognai: Hi, I'm Nancy Ostrognai ,um, I live on Glendale. I, uh, I don't really understand,
uh, what's going on, like uh, last time when I was here and (mumbled) half fare
but uh, have the (mumbled) alternatives. Have you looked into alternatives?
Hayek: I ... I think I can answer that and say that ... that is still what we are going to do.
Ostrognai: And so what .... need to come back in two more weeks?
Hayek: Well when we...
Markus: It's in September.
Hayek: Yeah, that would be early fall.
Ostrognai: (mumbled)
Hayek: What ... what we're doing this eve ... what the staff told ... what the Council
instructed staff to do after the last meeting, which you attended, was to ... was to
go in this direction but look for alternatives, uh, and we gave them authorization
to finalize the contract with the County based on that but if there were any
material changes to what we had talked about that staff needed to come back to
us, and we just heard from staff about two changes that ... that don't affect our
intention to look at those alternatives, but instead had to do with the language in
the contract, and staff felt that they should come back to us, and that's what
we've, uh, got before us this evening, but the underlying intention to move
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 19
forward, uh, with implementation, but look for alternatives, that's still the track
the City is ... is headed down.
Ostrognai: I ... I think the (both talking)
Hayek: Does that make sense?
Ostrognai: ...the Council is sort of abandoning... the moral priorities (mumbled) Iowa City.
Um, you know, it's (mumbled) diversity and tolerance and ... you know instead
you're (mumbled) figure out your priorities and instead, uh ... you're coming up
with different priorities, you know ... I don't think it's very fair.
Hayek: Well we will be looking at those alternatives which is a direction that the Council
instructed staff to take, and that has not changed. What is before us tonight are
the two, what I would call minor changes to the agreement. They don't modify
the underlying instruction to look at alternatives, and that will come up in
September, uh, and there will be more opportunity for input at that time. I mean,
correct me if I'm wrong, Eleanor, but I think what's before us tonight are those
...are those two changes. One is this mutual indemnification. It's a legal term
and it has to do with the City and the County protecting each other because now
both entities are responsible for a portion of maintenance, meaning the
maintenance of the vehicles they own. In the past it was all done by the County.
We're now taking on some of that. That's the first part, and the second part is...
is this clarification, uh, that ... that Chris O'Brien from ... from the Transportation
Department, uh, explained. So those are the only two changes, uh, in the
agreement. Um, the rest is ... is ... is exactly what we decided as a Council at our
last meeting to accomplish, and again, there will be this opportunity because
we're going to look at these alternatives by September.
Dilkes: Yeah, I ... I think the ... another important component is that the ... the end of
Sunday service and the elimination of half fares does not go into effect until
September 30th, and the Council has asked for alternatives prior to that time.
Hayek: Thank you!
Ostrognai: (mumbled) to the Council that ... it seemed like a majority were voting to reject
this (mumbled)
Hayek: Thank you.
Cunningham: Hi there! I'm Terry Cunningham. 554 Westside Drive. I guess I ... I just need a
little clarification on a couple things Chris said about possibly reducing the time
that SEATS is operating from 11:00 to 6:00, and taking another day off, or did I
totally misunderstand that?
Hayek: I think ... let him...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 20
O'Brien: No! Yeah, those were just examples of what would reopen that contract. That's
not something being considered. That... that's... if we ... in order, um, for that, I
guess part of the contract to be opened up and be renegotiated we'd have to make
some sort of change like that... in order to renegotiate.
Cunningham: Thank you!
Hayek: Thank you, Terry.
Ruff: My name is Keith Ruff. 601 S. Gilbert. (mumbled) when you do vote, please
remember every time (mumbled) and go wherever you want, some of us don't
have that privilege. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you, Keith.
Gravitt: My name is, uh, Mary Gravitt. And I ... when you make your decision, I ... I want
you to consider what's going on in the society. Today on Harvest Radio, on
WSUI, they had a program about the SNAP program. Now that means that the
poor and the disabled are under attack, because SNAP is food stamps. So now
their food stamps are going to be cut, and these social programs won't give any
money — they don't have the money, and we seem to be under siege from our own
Congress. So that a person that's on a fixed income is not going to get a raise.
They just don't have the money. So if you ... it's like you're going to double the
fare on the half price people, and that's not right. And people have ... a lot of
disabled people work. So they need to get to work on Sunday. Like some people
want to go to church. Like I say, I keep church in my heart. I don't go to church
but ... the idea is ... we have ... we have to protect each other. For some reason this
country we are no longer one people. We are `them' and `us,' and the `uses' with
the money don't want to help the `them' that's bothering them. You know? So
when you consider... just consider those things. Look in the budget. There's
some money out there... so this program can continue. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments. Anyone else? Okay, we'll close it down for
Council discussion... if any.
Throgmorton: Well, I ... I think I want to reiterate what you said, Matt, just to put it in different
language. Two weeks ago when we adopted that resolution, we explicitly
directed the staff to explore alternatives to the elimination of Sunday services and
half price fares, and to present alternatives to the City Council prior to the
elimination of such services on September 30th of this year. So ... this resolution
has nothing to do with whether or not we're being bad to lower income people or
people with disabilities, or anything like that! It's just a ... a legal modification
that reflects a particular... two particular changes in ... in the negotiated agreement.
S o l ...I'm very happy to support the proposed resolution, but I'm looking forward
to seeing what the staff comes to us with in ... sometime in September.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 21
Dickens: I'm ... I'm on the same page. I ... I did meet with Reverend Welsh today for 15
minutes or so, over 20 minutes. He, uh, has sent some emails that you should be
getting. I know he sent `em to the staff today and he's just ... just goes over some
of the ideas that possibly could be used in the future. So there's people out there
that are trying to ... trying to figure out a solution and they're passing it on, and
(mumbled) studies need to be done ... and phasing it possibly in, so ... I will
support it.
Hayek: Any other discussion? Roll call, please. Item passes 7 -0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 22
ITEM 7b. 2013 WILLIAM STREET STREETSCAPE - PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS,
FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE 2013 WILLIAM STREET STREETSCAPE
PROJECT, ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY TO
ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH
NOTICE TO BIDDERS, AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT
OF BIDS.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing. The public hearing (clears throat) is open. (bangs gavel)
Um, the estimated construction cost for this, by the way, is about $530,000 and
will be funded with General Obligation bond proceeds. Anyone from the public?
Public hearing is closed. (bangs gavel)
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Dobyns: Move the resolution.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Dobyns, seconded by Payne. Discussion? Roll call, please. Item
passes 7 -0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 23
ITEM 8. PHASE 2 OF THE FIRST AVENUE STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS -
PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE
OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PHASE 2 OF THE
FIRST AVENUE STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT,
ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY
EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH NOTICE TO
BIDDERS, AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS.
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing. The public hearing is open. (bangs gavel) Estimated
construction cost of Phase 2 is roughly $1.1 million and will be funded with
General Obligation bond proceeds. Anyone from the audience? Public hearing is
closed. (bangs gavel)
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Dobyns: Move the resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Dobyns, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Roll call, please. Passes
7 -0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 24
ITEM 9. PIN GRANTS - APPROVING DISTRIBUTION OF THE "PROGRAM
FOR IMPROVING NEIGHBORHOODS" ( "PIN ") GRANT FUNDS.
Hayek: Get it on the table?
Champion: (mumbled) move the distribution of the (both talking)
Hayek: Maybe... should we wait for the, uh, do you want it on the table?
Karr: We need to have it on the table to discuss it (several talking)
Hayek: ... on the table.
Champion: It's on the table.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Champion, seconded by Payne. Discussion? Now it is on the table!
Roberts: Now I can go?
Hayek: Yes you may!
Roberts: Okay!
Hayek: Please do!
Roberts: Good evening, Mayor Hayek, City Council Members. I'm Cindy Roberts from
the Grant Wood Neighborhood Association. And we are here to present our ... our
annual PIN grant requests, PIN grants being our `improve our neighborhood'
requests. Um, we always appreciate your support and we ... we hope you can
continue to support this very valuable program. It's now in its 18t year and
historically the City Council has approved $15,000 towards the PIN bant ... PIN
grant requests. Many of the grant requests are for low to, uh, moderate income,
uh, neighborhoods, and events and activities that support those neighborhoods.
This year we had initial grant requests that exceeded the $15,000. So in our
neighborhood council meetings, there were, um, some ... um ... some grant requests
that were reduced and some that were eliminated to ... to help accommodate that,
um, that difference. Because we have numerous grant requests, each presenter,
and we will try and hold to this very tightly in respect of your time, each presenter
will limit their comments for each grant request to two minutes, along with any
questions that you may have for any of us as we present our requests. Uh, the
first grant request is from Country Club Estates. Okay. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Cindy...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 25
Roberts: Yes?
Throgmorton: Do you want questions after each presentation or at the end?
Roberts: I think whatever... if you would prefer, sometimes I think it might be simpler
if...if you have questions about a particular grant request to ask that right away.
Throgmorton: Okay.
Roberts: And then we just move on ... if that's acceptable to all of you. Thank you.
Gholson: I'm Tim Gholson. I'm here from the Country Club Estates Homeowners
Association in west Iowa City. Uh, we were approved through the PIN grant
program for $1,600 plus, um ... to put in new trees, shrubs; um, do lots of
improvements on the park that we have in our neighborhood. Uh, it's the only
park we have in the neighborhood, is a private park. Um, but it serves more than
just the people who belong to the Homeowner's Association. It does serve the
whole neighborhood, as well. Um ... we are matching, uh, these funds with $1,500
of our own money, as well. It is ... will ... um, benefit the neighborhood by making
it a much, uh, nicer place, providing more shade for the people who use the park,
all those kind of things, and it's no different, uh, even though it is on private
property, uh, it is no different than any other program that you're going to hear
about because this program serves the taxpayers, or this project serves the
taxpayers of Iowa City, just like the rest of them do. Um (sneezing noise on
microphone; unable to hear speaker) doesn't care whether it gets improved — the
taxpayers do. Uh, the money that's spent in the park helps improve property
values in the neighborhood, helps homes sell in the neighborhood, helps improve
tax values in the neighborhood. All things that the city benefits from. So, thanks!
Hayek: Thank you.
Dobyns: (mumbled) questions for him? (several talking)
Hayek: There might be a question, Tim.
Throgmorton: Well I ... I was going to ask you a question, couple ... two questions...
Gholson: Sure!
Throgmorton: ... but I think you've already answered them. The first is, is the park privately
owned by the Homeowner's Association? (both talking)
Gholson: Yes it is.
Throgmorton: And...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 26
Gholson: Or it's owned by the ... the developer at this point in time but ... same thing.
Throgmorton: Okay. And ... and the second is ... can any member of the general public of Iowa
City go to that park and use it?
Gholson: Sure! They can't use the pool or the tennis court, but they can use the park.
Dobyns: What does the park encompass? I ... I (both talking)
Gholson: It's an open area. It's a parking lot with a basketball hoop. It's a playground with
a play structure, urn ... it's got sand, um ... so it's ... it's a park just like most any
other park. It's green space and place for kids to play.
Hayek: And is the landscaping intended to occur in the area that the general public could
access freely?
Gholson: Sure! Definitely!
Champion: You know I ... I ... I still have problems with this. I'm sorry. Uh, this private park
is using more than 10% of our PIN grant money, and I have a lot of problems with
... over 10% of our PIN grant money going to a neighborhood that is not at all low
income and not ... and not ... and not open to the public. I ... I really cannot support
your ... I personally cannot support (both talking)
Gholson: So you're not supporting the taxpayers of our neighborhoods?
Champion: I'm not going to support your PIN grant for your neighborhood.
Gholson: But the taxpayers are the ones that you're not supporting.
Hayek: Why don't we do this, why ... why don't we limit this to questions right now and,
cause we'll have an opportunity to either vote this up or down, or massage it as
the Council sees fit once we go through these. So are there any other questions,
uh, for the presenter? Okay. Thank you.
Gholson: Sure.
Clark: Good evening, Sarah Clark, Northside Neighborhood Association. And I'm here
with two items, both related to North Market Square Park and I think all of you
are familiar with it and several of you I know were at our grand opening
celebration last September, and um, if you've been by the park this spring and
summer you've noticed that the plants that we planted using PIN grant funds have
been thriving. Um, they made it through the drought last year, and that was in
good measure due to, um, one or two neighbors manually taking hoses down to
the park, oh about every two days, and doing watering, doing a lot of volunteer
work, and we've always ... we planted the, uh, planting areas knowing we wanted
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 27
to support them using volunteer labor. There's no complaining there at all, but
based on last summer's experience, we talked to the, uh, Park and Rec
Department and they have generously agreed to build us a small tool locker that
will be located on site. Um, we've talked about, uh, what it'll look like and the
location of it, and I think something very nice is going to come out of that, but we
are asking for $300 just to buy some very basic... some hose ... several hoses,
some litter pick -up tools, five- gallon bucket, that sort of thing, which will make it
a lot easier when the neighbors do their volunteer work days, so that they don't
have to take things down to the park in a wheelbarrow or, God forbid, drag their
car two blocks with tools in it, cause that would not make sense (laughs) So
that's the first one. And the second one, um, we're asking for, uh, $700 in, uh,
funds to basically finish off the planting areas there. Um, even though we did
have a drought last summer, we made it through without losing too many plants.
Um, but we will need to do some infill, and we are also have an eye to expanding
a couple of the planting beds and uh, maybe also supplement — there's one bed
there that's a ... that the City staff, um, planted out, but neighbors have been
looking after that one and we may try to do a few more things, like bulbs, in that
area. So, that's what we're asking for. Um ... and we are happy to volunteer to
help supplement City staff cause I know there just aren't enough, um, Rec Park
staff to devote the kind of hours that, you know, we'd love to see to keep that park
going. So we're very happy to do that volunteer work. Thanks!
Hayek: Thank you, Sarah.
Kreitkowski: Good evening. My name is Amy Kreitkowski and I'm here on behalf of the, uh
(mumbled) sorry, the Northside Neighborhood Association, to express support for
the PIN grant to help defray the cost of preserving the last remaining brick
sidewalks in the Brown Street Historic District. As many of you know, there are
four remaining brick sidewalks that are located on the 700 block of North Johnson
Street. They're all adjacent to homes that are designated as key contributing
properties of the Brown Street Historic District in the Iowa City Historic
Preservation handbook. Uh, last fall three of the four homeowners received
letters from the City directing them to repair or replace the brick sidewalks. The
Historic Preservation Commission has recommended to the City Council that
these brick sidewalks be preserved, um, and while this PIN grant won't cover the
full cost to repair all of the brick sidewalks, um, it, uh, it does demonstrate the
support of the other neighborhoods for preserving these historic sidewalks and as
y'all probably know, we are currently, uh, working with City staff on other
potential solutions to this issue. These sidewalks, like the brick roads and the
historic homes we feel all play a very significant role in bringing people to the
north side — visitors I know personally are usually pleasantly surprised to find that
brick sidewalks are still in existence. Um, thank you for your consideration of
this PIN grant application. And if you have any questions I'd be happy to answer.
Hayek: Thank you. Appreciate it!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 28
Kreitkowski: Great, thank you (mumbled) evening.
Thomson: Good evening, I'm Will Thomson, uh, from the Longfellow Neighborhood, and
I'm here to apply for a PIN grant to cover some historic sign renovations and
repairs. Uh, ten years ago the City granted us an arts grant which allowed the
Longfellow Neighborhood to install over a dozen historic signs in the easements
around the neighborhood. Uh, these historic signs reflect the, uh, the growth of
the neighborhood, the industrial, uh ... history and some of the really significant
buildings in our area, and they have in the last, uh, several years, um... gone
through the usual erosion process that, uh, overtakes all of us at some point and
uh (laughter) with a very modest investment of $500 from a PIN grant, we would
be able to replace all of the sign graphics with a... a vinyl, which was tested two
years ago on one of the signs — the one on Muscatine Avenue. Um, and we can
replace all of the graphics so they would be refreshed and renewed, and uh, we
would scrape, prime, and repaint all of the sign standards and bring them up, uh,
to a... a sparkling condition. Uh, this is basically our intent, uh, and the... offset is
that most ... all of the labor will be performed by neighbors and uh, friends, and
the, uh, cost is simply ... the funds are requested to offset the cost of producing the
vinyl graphic sheets that, uh, that, uh, I mentioned. Um, I appreciate your
attention to this and I'm going to, uh, step over to one side here and present on
behalf of Longfellow and Grant Wood Neighborhood with Cassandra Elton of the
Long ... of the, uh, Antelope Free Library Book Mobile project and ... and Cindy
Roberts, who is co- sponsoring this next PIN grant application. Um, Cassandra
spoke to our annual meeting in the Longfellow Neighborhood about the Antelope
Free Library Book Mobile project and uh, re ... received our support for the book
mobile, and the neighborhood's endorsement. Uh, this PIN grant would allow her
to purchase books and supplies and extend the support for, uh, literacy...
(feedback noises) City of Liter... Literacy to areas beyond our own
neighborhoods. Um, and Cindy Roberts will speak to her Grant Wood
Neighborhood's, uh, endorsement of the project and uh, I'll hand it off to you.
Roberts: Think of this as just a wonderful merger of a neighborhood interests and also what
Cassie is doing with her Antelope Lending Library, particularly in the Grant
Wood Neighborhood we have a variety of summer programs geared towards
elementary students. The reality for a lot of our elementary, well, I can't quantify
that exactly, but many of our elementary students having access to the downtown
library sometimes just is not, um, a reality for them as far as transportation needs,
unless they have parents during the day who are able to actually drive them
downtown. Um, taking the bus downtown when you're a young child, unless you
have an adult or some, um, guardian doesn't really work very well. Cassie's
program here which will visit Grant Wood, um, two or three times a week during
the summer is just a wonderful blend to, uh, some of the needs that we have in my
neighborhood.
Elton: As mentioned, my name is Cassandra Elton, uh, and I'm the Library Director of
the Antelope Lending Library. Um ... uh, so the Antelope Lending Library is a
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 29
small mobile community library. Uh, it's actually a 31 -foot bookmobile that lives
in my driveway (laughs) and um, and it allows us to bring books out to the Iowa
City neighborhoods. Um, this is our first summer offering services, um, and we
spend part of every week day afternoon in the Iowa City parks. So on Mondays,
uh, and this is all from 2:00 to 3:00, uh, on Mondays we're at Willow Creek Park.
Tuesday at Creekside. Wednesday at North Market Square. Thursday at Fair
Meadows, and Friday at Wetherby. Um, next week we'll be at the Mercer Park
Farmers Market every Tuesday from 3:00 to 6:00, um, and as Cindy mentioned,
um, every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9:00 to noon, um, we're at
NCJC's Grant Wood's summer program. Um ... we just began lending books this
week, um, so ... Monday, and today, uh, and we've already had over 70 people
visit us and we've lent out over 30 books, um, in just those two days. But we
have over 4,000 books in our collection, all from donations, um, many are worn
and outdated, uh, so the money that we receive from this grant would enable us to
purchase more current books for our collection, um, as well as books in other
languages that are spoken in our community. The languages that we're looking at
are Spanish, French, and Swahili specifically, but we're open to other
suggestions. Um ... these books would enable parents to read with their children
in their native language. Um, we're really excited to provide literature and
support literacy for everyone in our neighborhoods. Um, are there any questions?
Hayek: Fantastic!
Elton: Okay!
Payne: Can ... can we get your, I mean... can we get her contact information if we want to
donate some books?
Elton: Yeah, definitely! I can give that to you at the end or...
Hayek: Shoot an email to the Council, if you want...
Elton: Okay!
Hayek: ... go to the web site.
Elton: Okay! Great, thank you.
Hayek: Thank you.
Payne: Thank you.
Roberts: Or you can look at the latest issue of the Grant Wood Neighborhood Association
newsletter (laughter) and her contact information is right in there! How `bout
that?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 30
Hayek: Shameless! (laughter)
Throgmorton: Gosh! Where would we find that, Cindy? (laughs)
Roberts: Um, it's in your inbox! (laughter) I'm Cindy Roberts. I'm back with the Grant
Wood Neighborhood Association PIN gren ... PIN grant request for this year. We
have four this year — two are new as far as what I'm calling new, one -time
requests and two are returning requests, as far as things that we would like to
continue from previous years. The, um, the total dollar amount for our PIN ... PIN
grant request is approximately $4,100. 1 first want to extend a sincere
appreciation to Mike Moran at the Parks and Rec Department who recently
improved ... who recently approved Parks and Rec funding that will take care of
our Parks and Rec staffing need for our skate afternoon, our Sunday skate
afternoon, and also our Grant Wood open gym time, which um... skate time will
begin again in the fall and the open gym will begin a little bit later in the fall when
the weather starts getting a little cooler. With that approval, that meant we did not
need to submit a PIN grant request for that type of staffing because we do use
Parks and Rec staffing for those needs. Thank you very much. (speaking away
from mic, unable to hear) ... but I guess not. Um, as a general reminder about my
neighborhood, it's in Census Tract 18 with approximately 56% of our residents
and families with low to moderate - income level. The percentage of children who
receive free and reduced ... free lunch at, uh, Grant Wood Elementary is currently
at about 62 %. So just as far as that, um, demographic. The first PIN grant
request is a continuing one, would be our fourth year — the PTO family dinners at
Grant Wood Elementary. It's been a very successful program. There is a letter of
support from Michelle Eckland who's Grant Wood PTO Treasurer. The primary
purpose of the funds is to provide simple suppers and childcare, uh, directly to
Grant Wood PTO to help encourage parental involvement. Sometimes it's just
the simplest thing like having a meal ready -made and know that you will have
childcare for your children. Michelle has mentioned in her involvement with
PTO this really has helped increase the ... the parental participation, which is
something that had ... had dwindled a bit in the last, oh, prior to when we started
this program. So, uh, basically no change in that program. What we are
providing are funds. They take care of pulling together the simple meal and
providing childcare. And I will move on unless you have questions. The next
one I'm actually here on behalf of Henry Harper who recently returned from his,
um, trip, civil rights tour with his FastTrack students. He was, for some reason,
extremely tired when he got home; so I told him to stay home, get some rest and
I'll ... I'll take care of this. This is a continuation of a project that, uh, Henry
started with his FastTrack students last summer. It's a, uh, curb painting project.
Henry has three goals with this project. One is ... is just a logistical, providing a
hands -on activity for his fast ... FastTrack students, and it's primarily during the
summer — little bit during the fall, but once school starts, uh, there really wasn't
too much time for that. The second goal, to provide a real positive interaction
between students and residents, just for people to get to know each other. It's
...it's kind of like you get out to get to know your neighbor, but get out to maybe
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 31
know neighbors that are not just in your circumference area. So that was, um, the
second goal, and ... and actually the area residents, he concentrates primarily in
Grant Wood, Wetherby, and Pepperwood. These are all ... they're all very large
neighborhoods, but they're all within an area where it's fairly easy for the
students because these are primarily high school students to ... to get around and
make that connection. I said three goals, but I think I only said two. Okay, so...
two goals. Um, the ... the money this year, which is substantially less than last
year is mainly to replenish some things, um ... few of the stencils needed to be
replaced and then just some paint. So the...the amount if substantially less than
what, uh, he needed last year to really get the, um, get the business going, so to
speak. This service is provided to residents free of charge. And the third item,
um, and the last two are new requests from us and we're considering them as one-
time requests. The third item is ... uh, equipment so we can have an ID, uh, let me
just read my notes here because I'm messing this one up. Um ... a one -time grant
request for equipment that would provide Parks and Rec staff who work at our
Grant Wood gym, for example skate time, open gym time, other times where
Parks and Rec staff have, uh, duties there. The same ID card equipment, um, to
make ID cards on site. Now my understanding ... this was kind of a new
development. My understanding's that this ID card equipment resource is now
available to Parks and Rec staff, both at Mercer and downtown Parks and Rec.
I'm ... I'm not totally sure about that. Um ... in addition to having this equipment
resource for check -in, just checking in students or families or whomever just to be
consistent with what ... because we do treat our Grant Wood community gym,
school gym and community gym, as kind of a rec center. A quasi -rec center. Uh,
we're also hoping that the ID card system could help facilitate making the Grant
Wood facility even more accessible to other students or families, as well as
providing a better idea of just who's using the facility and the ... the type of
activities and the quantity of people that are using that. The funds would cover,
um, the printer that's needed, the scanner, replacement ribbons, and the actual ID
cards. And, of course, that would be a one -time expense because then that would
be used year after year, only replacing or needing to purchase new ID cards. We
also view this as something I'm a little unfamiliar with exactly how the equipment
works, but um ... my understanding is that this really does help with some of the
initial intake of supervision, as far as when students or families come in to a... a
rec center type setting. The last one came to our attention, or my attention,
somewhat recently, prior to the PIN grant request. The Broadway Neighborhood
Center in the past has always had a summer lunch program where they actually
provide free lunches to school -age children. This would be primarily elementary -
age at Fair Meadows Park which is in the Grant Wood neighborhood. Urn ... they
were unable to secure funding for the staffing that they need for the two people
that basically provide the lunches. The funding for the food is there, but the
funding for two people which is an hour a day, two taf...two staff members one
hour a day for 46 days, and in the past this summer lunch program has served
about 125 summer lunches each day during, um, during that 46 -day period. I'm
not quite sure what... since typically that summer program would have started
June 6th, I'm not quite sure what they're doing right now since our funding
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 32
wouldn't start until July. I was going to check with Marcia on that. We wanted
to, uh, submit a PIN grant request so that can continue this summer. My
understanding is this would be a one -time request because then the hope being
that, how the Broadway Neighborhood Center secured staffing funding in the past
that would be open to them in the future. Um ... in closing, our neighborhood
works to create events and activities that help bring our neighborhood, a very
large one, together as well as welcome Iowa City residents outside our
neighborhood to our events and activities. Getting the word out about the many
positive things in our neighborhoods is always one of our goals, as well as one of
our challenges. Um ... I want to extend a personal invitation to our Fair Meadows
Park splash pad grand opening this Sunday, 2:00 to 4:00. Free ice cream, um
(mumbled) puppet show and a puppet workshop, along with the grand opening of
the splash pad, as long as that City inspection thing works out (laughter). We're
still waitin' on that! Um, and as always, thank you for your ... your consideration
for our PIN grant requests. Uh, they're always very much appreciated and to
Marcia Bollinger for all the assistance she provides each one of us as we prepare
these. And Marian, thank you for the #9 slot on the agenda. I really like that!
(laughter)
Hayek: Thank you, Cindy!
Krapfl: Hi, my name is Katy Krapfl. I'm representing the Goosetown Neighborhood
Association and we're requesting PIN grant funds to renovate the parks and
garden at Reno Street Park. Currently the structures and the playground are being
renovated by the City and to go along with that we'd like to renovate the parks
and the planting area. There are currently two garden plots available and they've
become overgrown and kind of...filled with hostas and kind of things that have
spread out. We'd like to renovate those plantings, including more, um, seasonal
interests with some bulbs and also maybe do some plantings around the, um,
exterior of the structures that are being installed. And... eventually we'd also like
to have, uh, more children's involvement and possibly create an edible, kid -
friendly garden at ... using the funds next spring. So ... that is our proposal.
Champion: I'm sorry, what park is this?
Krapfl: The Reno Street Park.
Champion: Oh, right! I know which one you mean.
Krapfl: Yep!
Champion: It's a cute little park. I just saw it.
Krapfl: Yeah! It is little! (laughs) Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 33
Nichols: Hi, I'm Karen Nichols and I'm representing, um, Creekside Neighborhood
Association, and we are requesting $500 for two Little Free Libraries in our
neighborhood. Um, we see this as an opportunity to build community and ...and
improve quality of life in our neighborhood. Um, libraries have long been
recognized as a public good and supported by tax dollars. The neighborhood
libraries play nicely into our city ... city's identity as a UNESCO City of Literature
and um, as you probably know, Little Free Libraries have received PIN grant
funding in the past. Um ... we have two neighborhood contractors, um, Martin
Construction and Top Shelf Construction, who have volunteered to build the
libraries, and both have said they can do so by the deadline of June 30', 2014.
We have eight people from the neighborhood who have volunteered to be
involved in, uh, the building and upkeep of the libraries and many more have
offered to donate books. Given the high -use areas where these libraries will be
located, um, Creekside Park and the bike trail, and the popular... popularity of
these libraries in other neighborhoods, we expect, um, high use of the libraries
among the neighborhood residents. The tot ... total number of households in
Creekside Neighborhood (coughs) excuse me, is 669. Uh, Creekside is a
moderate to low- income neighborhood and we expect high use among both young
people and seniors. At least two of the people who will be supplying books are
educators, and we plan for at least half of the books in the park to be for children.
Educational research has shown that a key indicator of student success is the
presence of books in the home, and low- income students are the least likely to
have an ample supply of books of their own. Little Free Libraries are one way to
meet this need. It would be beneficial for seniors and other disadvantaged
persons in the neighborhood to have a source of free books that, um, is very
nearby. No other funding that we know of is available for this project. Um,
private donations of building materials will be sought. If money can be saved in
this way, the savings will be put toward building more Little Free Libraries for the
neighborhood, and the amount we're crest... requesting is based on, um, the
amount that, um, has been given, uh, for these Little Libraries in the past. About
$250 to build each one. Um, the libraries will be well - constructed and well -
maintained and are expected to benefit the neighborhood for many years to come.
Questions?
Throgmorton: Karen, do I understand correctly that, uh, there will be a party in the park at
Creekside this week?
Nichols: There will be! (laughter) This Thursday (both talking)
Throgmorton: When's that going to be again?
Nichols: 6:30, um, in Creekside Park this Thursday.
Throgmorton: This Thursday. Oh yeah, good!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 34
Nichols: Thank you! (laughs)
Hayek: Thank you.
Nichols: Any more questions?
Thomson: I wanted to thank the Mayor and Members of the Council for allowing us
to ... (both talking) Oh, you have one more! I'm so sorry! I ... I lost my, uh...
(laughter) I lost my place here!
Champion: Now you're going to be #15 on the agenda next year! (laughter and several
talking away from mic)
Gartzke: My name's Francis Gartzke. I live at 2709 Wayne Avenue and I'm with the East
Side Neighborhood. Um, it's funny, everybody's requesting flowers and books.
I'm requesting trashcans (laughter) Urn ... we, uh, appreciate the Council for
trying to upgrade Towncrest. It's ... we're really excited about it. We see
construction going on and we're ... we want to take it a step further to help keep it
clean, and uh, we're... probably want to put trashcans around the bus areas. When
a few of us in the neighborhood get home from work it's been an issue. We've
had to do a lot of pickin' up. When we get home from work we want to relax.
But um ... we have numerous volunteers who are willing to maintain these
trashcans so ... and we don't want to get `em too close to the bus stops cause I
talked to Mary (laughter) We don't want her smellin' anything she don't need to
be smellin' (laughter) so we uh, are really excited. We want to keep ... take the
step up and help better the Towncrest area for new prospects possibly coming in,
businesses. If they scout the area out, we want to give a good presentation.
Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you. Appreciate it.
Thomson: (speaking away from mic) ...apologize for (mumbled) (laughter) um, and ... and to
say that I appreciate your listening to the grant proposals and ... as you know, they
are a cost - effective way of...of expanding services and uh, and beautifying and
improving our neighborhoods. Uh ... many of the worthwhile projects that you've
heard about tonight and others that you have ... have approved in the past have
really improved things in the neighborhoods, like the Little Free Libraries for
example, uh, gardens and beautification projects, uh, grassroots improvements,
uh, historical signage, trails, and so on. Um ... and we hope that you'll (feedback
sounds) continue to support PIN grant funding as it has made these projects
possible. And, uh, we're asking that you authorize the resolution approving the
recommendation made by the Neighborhood Council for the fiscal year 2014 PIN
grants. Thank you very much.
Hayek: Thank you, Will. Okay. Let's take it back to Council deliberation here. Figure
out what we want to do (feedback sounds)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 35
Mims: Um, I would just ... who's got the floor, Matt?
Hayek: You do, Susan.
Mims: Okay, thank you. Um, I would just say I have to find myself in agreement with
Connie. When I look at grants, to me, and I don't know how the language is
actually written on our PIN grant. These should be going to help neighborhoods
who either could not or would have great difficulty, uh, doing these projects on
their own without the assistance of the City. And, when look at the Country Club
Estates, um, PIN grant request, I have two concerns. One is ... as others have
mentioned that this is on private property, and two that there is no ... I can't
believe that there's any economic need per se in this neighborhood, um, for the
City's grant money. And so I ... I have grave concerns about that one. Um, I'm
fine with the rest of them.
Champion: I guess I've already expressed my view on this.
Payne: When you look at the requested amount and the recommended amount, there's
only one of them that wasn't fully funded and that was the ... Johnson Street brick
sidewalk repair.
Champion: But there were other grants that were ... did, weren't there other grants?
Bollinger: (both talking) ...um...
Champion: ...other proposals?
Bollinger: Hi, Marcia Bollinger, Neighborhood Services Coordinator, um, there were the
two grants that Cindy referred to that Mike Moran, as part of the Parks and Rec
budget, is now going to be funding for the roller skating and the open gym.
Neither the Brookside walk nor ... um, the Country Club Estates were fully
funded.
Champion: But didn't you say ... at the beginning, somebody said there were ... the grants
proposed (mumbled) amounted to a lot more than the...
Bollinger: I think it was $25,000 (both talking)
Champion: Right! So ... were there things that were taken out?
Bollinger: Almost $25,000.
Champion: Right.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 36
Bollinger: Um, Northside voluntarily reduced their initial grant request from $1,000 to $700,
wasn't that correct, um, cause you found that you had some additional funding,
um ... but that pretty much reduced it down to what ... what you see in, um, the
memo that you received.
Champion: (both talking) ...$25,000 to...
Dickens: ...the Rec Center took over some of the, couple of the grants.
Champion: Well I ... I'm sorry. I'm still not willing to fund that. (mumbled) money was
carried over.
Payne: Where I was going with that was would we put that 1667 towards the ... brick
street sidewalk repair, you know, add that because they requested $5,000. It still
wouldn't be up to their $5,000 (both talking)
Champion: That would be fine!
Payne: But move that money to a different item, line item.
Champion: I would not have any problems with that.
Dobyns: Didn't... didn't a couple weeks ago we talked about another place that was trying
to repair their brick sidewalks, uh, was that (several talking)
Markus: ...same issue.
Hayek: Same... same one (several talking)
Payne: And this was one of the items ... the ideas for funding for that, wasn't it?
Markus: That's exactly right. The ... the Commission referred ... or deferred to this funding
source. Um, I spoke with, uh, Amy earlier today or emailed Amy earlier today.
It's my understanding though that the funding would go to the off -set of the
City's, uh, contribution towards the brick, uh, sidewalk and that issue, and um, so
that we're clear on that. I'd just like to ... see, there's going to be ... there's going
to be private participation and there's going to be public participation. The
proposal that the staff proffered was that the ... adjacent residents would pay the
equivalent of what a sidewalk replacement would be with concrete. The City
would pick up the overage from, you know, subtracting concrete from what the
brick replacement was.
Payne: I think the...
Hayek: The overage though... is the overage 1677?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 37
Markus: Um, no. It's... combined it's going to be more than that, but it's ... it's actually,
uh, we met on the site, um, I kind of took the lead because we assigned and had
Rick handling floods that week (laughter) and so um, what we, um ... kind of
concluded was ... we brought out a ... a, uh, landscape, bricklayer and so we had ... I
think had pretty reasonable prices. So that's kind of the approach we're taking,
but we're still working out the details with the adjacent residents.
Throgmorton: So I ... I don't have any objections to, you know, committing this $1,700 to the
brick sidewalk, but I want to make a different suggestion. I ... I, like Connie, I
think it's inappropriate to commit $1,700, uh, for a privately owned space. All
right, so ... that's ... but I wonder if maybe we could ask the, uh, what's the name of
the ... Neighborhood...
Bollinger: Council.
Throgmorton: Council, thank you. Uh, to recommend to us, um what they ... another way of
spending the $1,700.
Bollinger: Uh huh. That's occurred in the past and that's been the standard procedure (both
talking)
Throgmorton: ... gonna suggest ... I mean, I don't have any reason to oppose committing that
money to the neighborhood. It's putting the money into a privately owned space
that I object to. So perhaps the Country Club Estates neighborhood people could
come up with an alternative use of the funds...
Bollinger: Uh huh.
Throgmorton: ... that would pass muster from the Neighborhood Council's point of view.
Dobyns: Well the two playgrounds in the area are Weber Elementary and at Hunter's Glen
Park (both talking)
Champion: ...Hunter's Run (both talking)
Bollinger: Hunter's Run.
Dobyns: ... and both those areas have playgrounds which would benefit from (mumbled)
Throgmorton: Yeah, uh, a little creativity here might ... might help (both talking)
Dobyns: ... (mumbled)
Bollinger: Well as they ... as the Neighborhood Council summarized where they ... how they
had ranked the applications and allocated funding, I think there was some level of
...they need to sit down and really look more closely at the PIN grants. They
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 38
have kind of evolved over the last 18 years and um, the limitation on private
property, um, was ... was somewhat soft, depending upon what the outcome was
and what the availability to the public was, um, to enjoy whatever is being done.
Uh, so they ... they plan on spending some time talking about that as well.
Dobyns: And I'm not willing to never say never. I mean, if a private entity, um, wanted to
allow the public access to their area in perpetuity and that was clearly advertised
in perpetuity, um, and there was adequate signage suggesting that, um ... this area I
don't think has that intent, except for that very small private playground area, and
if I recall, um, off Lakeshore Drive there's a sign there that doesn't invite the
public. It says this is, you know, a private area, and there's no suggestion, as I
recall, that that little play area is open to the public. And so it does not describe
that so...
Hayek: Well let's do this. If...it sounds like there's a majority that does not want to fund,
um, the Country Club Estates portion of this, um, you know, we've spent ov...
almost 45 minutes now talking about $15,000 of funding. I would prefer that we
move forward and if we're going to make this change, uh ... instruct the
Neighborhood Council to determine how to spend the remaining $1,667.
Champion: Okay!
Hayek: Um ... and, you know, come back to us or not, but I'm comfortable... trusting them
to make a good decision.
Throgmorton: Okay, so you want a motion in that ... to that effect?
Champion: Yeah (several talking)
Throgmorton: Yeah, so I... I move that we adopt the resolution, minus the $17... approximately
$1,700 from Country Club Estates, but we direct the, uh, Neighborhood Council
to come back with us to recommendate ... with recommendations about how ... how
we could spend that $1,700.
Bollinger: Okay.
Hayek: Well I would... could... could you have it be with instructions to spend it, I mean,
I don't know that we want them to come back to us with (both talking)
Champion: No, they can just spend it!
Hayek: ...on $1,700.
Throgmorton: Sure.
Hayek: I mean, don't you think that'd be more efficient?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 39
Throgmorton: Sure, uh ... (laughter) I'd accept that, uh, amendment (both talking)
Bollinger: So you just want a informational memo that says what they decided (several
talking)
Champion: Thank you!
Bollinger: Okay.
Hayek: And we'll consider the, uh, the original motion, uh, withdrawn. Okay, so moved
by Throgmorton, uh ... and seconded by Champion. Further discussion? Roll call,
please. Item passes 7 -0, and we appreciate the, uh, appearance of everyone here
this evening. Good luck! Thanks for beautifying Iowa City. (noises on mic)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 40
ITEM 10. SALE OF $7,230,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS - DIRECTING
SALE OF $7,230,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, SERIES 2013A.
Champion: So moved.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Champion, seconded by Payne. Discussion? Uh, hello, Dennis!
Bockenstedt: Good evening, uh, I'm just going to talk about the bond sale we had today a little
bit and this actually covers Items 10 through 13 and ... um, at 10:00 this morning
we took bids on, uh, two separate bond issues, uh, the first one was titled 2013A,
uh, $7,230,000. Uh, we ... we thought we had a very successful sale this morning,
um, we ended up getting nine bids on that particular bond issue, um, which is
quite a few bids. We were very pleased, uh, the..the low bid came from UNB
Bank in Kansas City, Missouri, uh, and they teamed up with Hills Bank and Trust
of Iowa City, and they put in a 10 -year rate of 1.538 % ... which is a ... a tremendous
rate. We were pretty happy with that. Uh, the second bond issue was a taxable
bond issue and this was a two -year bond issue. Um, on that particular series of
bonds we received five bids, uh, that ... the low bid on that was from (mumbled)
uh, Fifth Third Securities and they bid a two -year rate of .7419 %. Um, so we
were happy with the number of bids we got, and we're also very happy with the
rates, uh, we were able to get. So, and I'll take any questions if you have any.
Hayek: Nice work!
Throgmorton: How's our bond rating?
Bockenstedt: (laughter) Very solid!
Throgmorton: Great!
Hayek: Any questions for Dennis? Thank you! Council discussion? Roll call, please.
Item passes 7 -0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 41
ITEM 14. REDEFINING THE HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATOR POSITION TO
HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATOR / EQUITY DIRECTOR - AMENDING
THE BUDGETED POSITIONS IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS DIVISION OF
THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES DEPARTMENT AND THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AND CONFIDENTIAL PAY PLAN BY
REDEFINING THE HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATOR POSITION,
GRADE 28 TO A HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATOR / EQUITY
DIRECTOR POSITION, GRADE 29.
Payne: Move resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Dickens. Discussion?
Champion: I just think this is a really smart move. I like it!
Throgmorton: I do too! I think it's an excellent move.
Payne: Yep!
Hayek: Roll call, please. (noises on mic) Passes 7 -0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 42
ITEM 15. CITY STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING AD HOC
DIVERSITY COMMITTEE REPORT- IN SUPPORT OF THE STAFF
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF VARIOUS
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE AD HOC DIVERSITY
COMMITTEE.
Payne: Move resolution.
Dobyns: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Dobyns. Discussion? Uh, we have a number of
people in the audience here and I assume they wish to address us, and so we'll
start with input from the audience and then close it down for City Council
discussion.
Whiston: My name's Dorothy Whiston and I live at 317 Mahaska Drive. Um, first of all I
just want to thank you for all the time you've put in over the last six months. I
know that, um, Tom Markus and other staff members attended a lot of the Ad Hoc
Committee member, or Committee meetings and that they did a lot of really good
work. Um, as a member of the Coalition for Racial Justice and the Consultation
of Religious Communities who has a keen interest in the issues around diversity
and racial disparity. Um ... we were very heartened by what the Ad Hoc
Committee, Diversity Committee, came up with. Um, I do want to say that I ...I
think that I really appreciate how much time the staff evidently put into going
through the ... the report with a fine -tooth comb and thinking about what might be
done. I think what still needs to be done is for the Council, um ... not necessarily
at this time. I liked the idea of putting something in the strategic plan down the
road. Um, to really make a statement about racial disparity in Iowa City. Um,
diversity, uh, is one issue, but racial disparity, which is something that can be
numerically measured, um in terms of police contacts, in terms of housing, in
terms of employment, in terms of educational outcomes and practices. Uh, is
really something that Iowa City... nationally is an issue, but Iowa City also really
needs to make a... a concerted effort and commitment to working on overcoming
the racial disparities in our count ... in our community. Um, there's clear
evidence, I think, out there, whether it's from the juvenile justice, uh, report
issued by the State, or the thing about marijuana arrests that there is discrepancy
in policing in ... in Iowa City. Um, and certainly I think in the criminal justice
system in other places, as well. Um, so while I think these are great first steps, I
think that there... they're not, uh, in the report that you got, or the
recommendations from ... the City staff, there are not evidence - based, best -
practices based, uh, elements that will allow us as a community to measure racial
disparities as they currently exist in our community, um, and even particularly in
terms of policing, um. ... but I think it needs to be expanded beyond that. Fir...
first to measure where we are, and secondly to come up then with strategies to
address those discrepancies, those disparities and ... and inequities, um, so that we
can have clear strategies to overcome them. Um, and to remedy them. So I hope
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 43
that, uh, I heard a couple of you say in the work session that this is a first step, and
it's a commendable first step, um, but I ... but I really, uh, hope that you will hear
the community, uh, who's interested in this, hearing it's ... it's a baby step. It's a
...it's a preliminary first step, and a lot more needs to be done. Um, I guess the
...the piece of the report that I, um ... feel the most concern about is when ... when
I first read the report, my take on it was that the Ad Hoc Committee was calling
for pretty significant change in culture in the Police Department in Iowa City.
Um, and I didn't see that ... kind of urgency and the ... and the real shift in direction
that I think that they were asking for, uh, in the response, uh, to the
recommendations that they made, and I hope that you will, uh, continue to
dialogue with them. I really appreciated Jim Throgmorton's idea that there would
be a meeting between the Ad Hoc Committee and the City Council and staff to
talk about that. I hope that if you have that ... I hope you will have that, and I hope
you will make it a public forum, um, you know, from ... from little things to, you
know, the ... the police recruitment video was replaced, but why did we have a
S.W.A.T. team oriented police recruitment video up there in the first place? You
know, we need to talk about that as a community, that... that... who... who we
want to be as a community. How we want the Police Department to represent us
as a community, and respond to us as citizens in this community. Um, I think
when you get a message from a significant portion of the community that they
feel that the attitude toward them is monitor and contained, um, I don't feel that
way as a middle -class white person in this community, but I know that many, uh,
people of color do feel that way. And that's a problem! That's a problem!
That ... and it's not just a matter of trust. It's a...it's a problem that we have as a
community, and it's a problem that's borne out in the arrest statistics in our
community. So I think we have to, um, pay very close attention to that. Um, so
you know, again, I want to commend you on what you've done so far and all the
energy and time that you've put into this and ... and there have been some good
forums. Um, but I think there's a lot more to be done and I hope, again, that the
shift can be from a diversity outlook to a racial disparity and racial equity outlook,
because those are very different ways of looking at them, looking at these issues,
and racial disparity and racial equity are measurable. And, I don't believe that the
report, um ... as outlined in, uh, in these recommendations really addresses that
issue. It kind of addresses how we're progressing on these recommendations, but
that does not address how we're doing on ... on issues, measureable issues of racial
disparity. So, thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Calkins: Good evening. My name is Marilyn Calkins. I live at 2714 Wayne Avenue. I
also am a member of the CRC and the Coalition for Racial Justice. And ... it's
been really interesting to hear the recommendations by the staff, and it's good to
know that people have been thinking about these issues, but I have two really big
concerns. First of all, that I didn't feel like those recommendations or any of the
wording reflected the fear and mistrust that many of the minority and immigrant
community feel about the law enforcement here in Iowa City. And those feelings
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 44
should have been reflected in some way. Also, I've lived at my address, a
neighbor of Town and Campus, uh, apartment complex for 15 years. And in fact,
my door overlooks their parking lot and part of their buildings. I can't tell you
how many times, even though a majority of that time I worked during the day and
was only home nights and weekends, that I'd hear the sirens and sure enough
they'd stop at Town and Campus, and even the number... again, the fewer number
of times that those were on an area where I could view, there wasn't just one or
two cars. There were three, four, or five cars. And a bunch of policemen jumped
out, and obviously I didn't know what the call was about. Quite often though
within 10 or 15 minutes, all but one of the cars was gone. I don't know how those
families felt. I don't know how those mothers with children felt when something
was going on and maybe it was nothing, and why did all the police come to their
house. Why did they all show up at their address? I hope that during the
continuing discussions, that the voices of the people concerned are really heard
and taken into account on some of the decisions that are made. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you.
Eastham: (clears throat) My name is Charlie Eastham. I'm also a member of the
Consultation of Religious Communities and the Coalition for Racial Justice. Uh,
I do want to, uh, thank the Council and uh, the, uh, staff, the City Manager, for
getting us this far. Uh, and I, uh, I hope that (mumbled) have expressed, we can
get a lot faith... further in the next, uh, very few months, if not... certainly not
immediately but, uh, relatively soon. Uh, I think one of the ... I share the same
issues that, uh ... uh ... uh, Dorothy and Marilyn have expressed. Urn ... the, uh, it
would be much better I think if the ... if the report, the staff's recommendations
(mumbled) Council's response. First of all simply acknowledge that a racial
disparities is a ... is a problem. Just, you know, say that outright. Um, and the...
this community, uh... and the other... and the, uh, other parts of the
recommendations in terms of law ... uh, law enforcement and their relationship to
minority communities and people of color, um..uh, it's very helpful that the City
is doing many, many things. It's going to be more helpful if the City ... uh, the
law enforcement community were, um, committed to changing their numbers.
Uh... each interaction between a police officer and a member of the minority
community can go in many different... many different directions and right now
most ... many of those interactions are convincing people of the minority
commun ... the minority community that they're not particularly welcome in this
... in Iowa City. They're not particularly pleased with how the police off... the
police department is, uh, is addressing their concerns. Uh, and those individual
interactions ... eventually get reflected in larger numbers. Um, and the juvenile
justice, uh, system is very good at creating, uh, numbers that reflect
disproportionate minority contact. Those ... that same data could be collected and
uh, analyzed, uh, for adults and young adults, and those numbers kind of, you
know, they can ... they can drive, uh, or they can guide, I'm sorry, they can guide a
changes in police behavior so that in ... over the next many months, people of
minority communities will see themselves, understand that the police department
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 45
is actually here to protect and serve them, and not to monitor and control them,
and I hope that that's where we're going to go, uh, here immediately. Um (clears
throat) I'm sure the members of the Coalition and the CRC and many other
commun... community members would... are dedicated to assisting, participating,
and working with City staff and the Police Department in getting to a place where
we are not quite now. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Fox: Hello, I'm Karen Fox and I'm on the, uh, Coalition for Racial Justice and I
wanted to be sure that we thought about the juvenile effect of the disparity of
children in school being addressed by the police in school being addres...
arrested, having criminal records because they have had an argument or a... a
disruption in school. It's, uh, the disparity is huge. It's like 17 times more
children, is that correct? Um, are ... are confronted by the police who are of racial,
um, minority and I think that our community needs to look at this and see what
we are doing to these children, graduating from high school with a criminal
record, not expunged, has an effect on their entire life for a mistake they may
have made in junior high school. So I hope that the Committee will look at ...the
Council will look at that. I think the Council and the Manager (mumbled)
Assistant Manager and also the ... the racial, I'm sorry, the Ad Hoc Committee,
um, and I thank you for your time.
Hayek: Thank you.
Massey: Good evening, Councilors. My name is LaTasha Massey. I live at 2826
Whispering Meadow Drive. I just quickly wanted to say that I am very much
open to sitting down and having that conversation you all as a, um, a Ad Hoc
Diverse, well, previous Ad Hoc Diversity Committee Member, um, I think that
it's very important that, um, I appreciate, um, and I'm sure my family appreciates,
the opportunity to be heard, um, and I think that there is a difference between
being heard and being listened, and I think it's ... as a country we've missed that.
We've taken a lot of time and we've heard what people have said, but we haven't
really listened to what they said, and I think that we ... if we miss this opportunity,
this would be another one of those things, one of those policies or procedures
that's happened in our country that's had a chance to make it right, and we missed
it, and I really ... I really will encourage you to really, really look at what we
wrote. We spent a lot of time, and we didn't get paid. My family, I missed many
a dinners (laughs) you know, coming because I feel it's important and that I feel
like not only is it going to impact me, it's going to impact future generations.
People are staying. This is not a community anymore where you're seeing people
of color being here for one or two generations, but people are staying for multiple
generations. So this is going to affect my grandchildren and their children. So
please take antoher chance to look at some of those things. Some of those things I
really see as ... as some parts where some people put some serious work into that
and we can see that those things are going to be changed, and there's some other
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 46
areas where's it's like, oh, I think we should talk a little deeper about that part of
it. I can't speak for the entire, um, Committee that was here, um, but I can only
speak for myself and for my family in saying that we would appreciate a second
look, and another opportunity to dig a little deeper, because these are historical
things that have been happening for a very long time. It's not personal. It's not,
you know, personally just pointing out the police (mumbled) personally pointing
out transit services, but this is a historical thing, and I really think that it's
important that we see beyond that, that we see beyond our own lenses of how we
view life and see that there are other people out there that are having a different
experience, so they're going to hear it and they're going to feel it differently.
Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you.
Finnerty: Good evening, Diane Finnerty, um, member of the Iowa City Human Rights
Commission, and uh, resident of Iowa City, 728 Dearborne. First, and I'll make it
quick, I have three requests for the Council in regards to this, and ... but let me
first start with the thank yous, and that is to every member of the Ad Hoc
Diversity Committee, to the Councilors that proposed it, to really the effort and
the time and the arguments and the conversations and the, uh, hopes that were
embedded in the report, it shows and it's a, uh, I think, a model for, um ... when
you ask the opinion of the residents they will give it, and... and make
recommendations. So, I thank the committee members. I thank City staff for the
really quick, when you think about public (mumbled and laughs) the quick and
very thoughtful responses to the item by item, um, recommendations and the
format, uh, that you're presenting it to Council to be able to regard, um, the...
that's not ... that's not a small effort and so thank you for that, and then also indeed
to the Council for, um ... uh, your comments during the work session, um, for your
thoughts about taking this seriously and putting it into the strategic plan. I think
that's a fascinating, um, recommendation and I can tell that it's, uh, each one of
you is ... is bringing your heartfelt thoughts to, um, what's been proposed before
you. The three recommendations or requests that I would make of Council as
you, um, decide what to do with this, um, the first is to, um, regard the ... the
recommendation the Ad Hoc Diversity Committee made regarding an equity
report. Um, I think the proposal that is coming from staff around the ... the, uh,
the DIFS, diversity implementation forms, is ... could be a very useful
management tool in terms of the timely and effective implementation, and indeed
it is a (mumbled) implementation, um, of making sure the efforts that they
promise you will be done, will be done. That's a very different report than a
equity outcomes report. So the difference between, um, monitoring whether
implementation occurs is a managerial issue. Monitoring whether the efforts that
were put into place have any impact ... is an assessment of outcomes, and that's an
equity report as the ... as the committee members have recommended to you. So, I
ask that you think about not just from a managerial perspective, um, about
whether what your staff say will be done is done, but also from a community
leadership perspective about whether what is being put into place is actually
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 47
having the intended, um, outcomes. Uh, I think it's also interesting to think about
annual reports being submitted, on a report that's issued in 2013. So as ... as it's
currently written, you'd get the annual update about whether those things are
being implemented or not, but there's no feedback loop about is what we're doing
effective, and I... and I would also agree that I think, um, there are both new
initiatives and also there's a continuation of many initiatives that we know
continue to result in disparities. Um, so the first is ask you to look at the concepts
around the equity report and ... and revisit what the Ad Hoc Diversity Committee
is recommending. The second one is the Ad Hoc Diversity Committee
recommended, um, that the refort ... report format is, uh, developed... I'm reading
from, um, equity report, the first bullet. The report format and composition shall
be developed by the City Manager in consultation with the City Council, the City
of Iowa City Human Rights Commission, and any other committees determined
by the City Council. So in addition to the DIFS, what's being recommended right
now is you've got tons of reports out there, and of course you do. There's
compliance agencies you need to be giving data to about how you're doing.
There's no format for that to be publicly accessible, and I've tried, believe me.
I've been into every one of those reports that's been, uh, identified as being out
there. I would also not want any public employee to reinvent the wheel and have
to resubmit one more report in one format, um, but there are formats that can be
accessible to the public that looks at monitoring indicators that the Iowa City
Human Rights Commission stands ready and willing and able to work with you
on looking at models. I'd like the Council to consider why the Human Rights
Commission was, um, recommended out of that process for the report format, uh,
in spite of the Ad Hoc Diversity Committee's recommendation. I did just come
from the Iowa City Human Rights Commission and that's why I was in and out as
we met this evening, as well, and we voted uh, to request that Council, um, ask
that we ... uh, work with the City Manager, uh, to put the Iowa City Human Rights
Commission back into the concept about the equity report as re ... as requested to
you from the Ad Hoc Diversity Committee. And that comes ... will come to you
as a Human Rights Commission resolution. Lastly, um, and my third one as a
Commissioner is just to ask you to think in general what role the Iowa City
Human Rights Commission can play in these efforts. Um, I've been out working
to recruit people to join, as I'm looking at the applications and what it states for
all boards and commissions is that, "Individuals serving on boards, commissions
play an important role in advising the Council on matters of interest to our
community and its future." Please consider, um, you've got some commissioners
that stand ready, willing, and able to partner with you on looking at these, whether
it's monitoring best practices that exist in other places. All of us, I think all of us
in this room, would like Iowa City to be known as a leader, not in disparities, but
a leader in how do you create municipal models for addressing, uh, changing
demographics and the Commission stands ready and I ask the Council to ... to
think very strategically about how you can make good use of its commissions.
Thank you.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 48
Hayek: Thank you for your comments. Anyone else from the audience? Okay. Close it
down to Council discussion.
Dobyns: You know, to me if it was evident that the Police Department's interaction with
mor ... minority members of our city did not facilitate diversity, then the Council
wouldn't have called the Diversity Committee, and we certainly wouldn't have
listened to them. But we called the Diversity Committee. We did listen to them,
and so did City staff. And what they put together is the way I look at it is it's sort
of like a microscope. We needed to take a look at this, but when I take a look at a
microscope, it's because I need to scrutinize what's down there, but I do not pre-
suppose what I am going to see. So I don't think you should pre- suppose what
the Council is going to see. We're going to take the microscope to this. But don't
pre judge, and I'm not going to pre judge either. And I think what we have is a
plan in place to take a very good look. What is important is what we are going to
see over the next six to 12 months, and I think with the addition of pairing this
with the strategic plan will add to that evaluation and scrutiny, and so I am going
to vote for the measure.
Payne: One ... one of the things that, um, Diane mentioned was effectiveness, and I think
it is important to have an effectiveness review. Maybe that could be part of the
annual review, you know, how effective was this... what... what staff did, um, I
think it's important that what we're doing is working or not working so that we
can change gears if we need to. So, I mean I thought that was a very good
suggestion to have some kind of effectiveness review.
Dickens: Like, uh, Rick, I think we need to start somewhere with human rights and look
...looking forward, may have to learn from our history. Uh, I ask each City
Councilor to meet with our Police Chief. Uh, I talked to him in between the break
and I'm the only one that's actually sat down. He said Rick talked to him a little
bit, uh, when Sanctuary City came up. Uh, ask the Chief to sit in and uh, learned
a lot about what he thinks about his role in the community is, and I think each of
the Councilors needs to take the time and see his view as well. I really would like
to meet with the Ad Hoc Committee, as well, and uh ... just respect our
differences, and we have to move forward.
Hayek: Seem to be kind of going in a line here so (laughs) continue. Uh, I'll be
supportive of this, and I, uh, applaud the process that brought us to this point. I
think it's clear we need to increase, uh ... engagement and ... and trust, uh, between,
uh, law enforcement and ... and transit, you know, that has not gotten the ... the
same attention as law enforcement, but it was certainly part of this exercise, uh,
increase the engagement and trust between those, um, departments and the
community, and we need to expand the conversation with the other institutions
that I consider stakeholders in ... on this issue, the ... the County, the other cities,
the ... the Sixth Judicial, uh, the justice system, um ... um, the schools, etc. Um, but
I ... I think we all concur on those things and I think we can see that that is one
reason the staff adopted nearly all of the recommendations coming from, um, the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 49
Ad Hoc Committee. Um, and I think it makes sense for us to take this next step,
um, using, um, a template that mirrors what we do for our strategic plan, in that,
uh, we've got this document. Staff presented it earlier this evening. Uh, it allows
for periodic reporting. It allows for measurement of progress toward
accomplishments of the goals, uh, set forth in it, um, and as we've seen with our
strategic plan over the last couple of years, I think it can lead to an efficient result -
oriented, um, transparent, uh ... uh, outcome, uh, that ... that provides the reporting
we've gonna want to see over time, to see how we're ... we're measuring up. Um,
so I think those things are good. I think it's also important to remind ourselves as
a community, um, that ... that we have a Police Department that, uh, that is marked
by a high degree of...of professionalism. Um, they operate under a lot of
scrutiny. Um, and ... and you know, they're... they're expected to keep us safe and
... and solve crime and we have crime, uh, and... and do all of those things, and
they're also expected to do so and engage the community with sensitivity and tact,
um, and ... and ... and discretion. Um, I think our Department does those things.
Um ... while there is always room for improvement, uh, throughout the City
operation, um, and ... and while this is a ... a first step, um, that will ... that we will
be revisiting time and again, uh, I think in the years to come, um, it's important to
recognize that ... that this is a high- functioning operation and one that we can be
proud of.
Champion: Thank you for saying that. I thought you did very well.
Mims: Connie, I'm next.
Champion: Oh, I'm sorry!
Hayek: Yeah, don't you see her? (laughter)
Champion: I forgot to bring up the blow -up doll! (laughter) Sorry! You can go next.
Mims: Matt just said we were going down the line so (laughs) No, I ... I know it's getting
late and I won't, uh, add too much other than to say that, as I said during the work
session, I really see this as a first step. I think it is a very good first step, but I ... I
heard a lot of comments from the community tonight that I think we need to take
to heart, um, as we move forward, and there's always room for improvement, but
this is a good place to start, and um, I look forward to making this part of our
strategic plan for the City, um, come late fall.
Champion: Can I talk now?
Mims: Yes you can! (laughter)
Champion: I'm sorry, Susan.
Mims: No, that's okay! (laughs)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 50
Champion: I appreciate what everybody else has said, and I also think that ... the Committee
did a fantastic job, but this is ... you're talking about a cultural change. I'm sorry,
it's not going to happen overnight, and that's what the beauty of this whole
document that we talked about tonight. It provides ... uh, some basic guidelines to
keep moving forward to get to where you want us to be, and ... and I have total
faith that this City will do that, but this isn't going to happen overnight, and that's
why you can't take it all so literally. Every time there's a new report coming back
about this, it's ... there's going to be some improvement. I mean, I ... I'm hoping
there's going to be some improvement! If there isn't any improvement, then
you're going to have to come back and yell at us again. But thank you so much,
and I ... I have a strong hope in this whole document. Thank you.
Throgmorton: I guess I would be last in the line, huh? Okay. Thanks for coming ... uh, to listen
to the work session, in particular, and then to speak, share your views with us
about this, thanks! Uh, this is a really important action. During the work session
I made several comments about the staff's recommendations. All of them were
intended to be constructively critical. I suggested that it ... I thought it would be
wise to ask the Ad Hoc Committee, Joe and, uh ... um ... uh, LaTasha and others,
and RoyceAnn and others, uh, what they think about the staff s response before
we in fact acted on them. I... indicated I ... I thought we should seek greater clarity
about what the Police Department intends to change, rather than to emphasize
what it intends to continue. And I ... I said I thought we needed to be measuring
changes and outcomes with regard to racial disparities, the point that, uh, Diane
has made. Not simply actions undertaken by the staff, even though those actions
are good ones. We've also heard many good suggestions tonight. So take ... we
should take those into account, but right now what I want to do is emphasize that I
recognize and appreciate the very good ... work and effort that's gone into
the ... the task of preparing the staff s recommendations. I totally recognize that
this is not an easy topic to address. It's not easy to go through a complicated
document and figure out how you're going to respond to each particular
recommendation. So ... I ... I want to acknowledge that and express my admiration
for that. Susan just described this as a very good step forward. Many of you have
said something similar. I agree, and I support, um, you know, most of its
particular recommendations. Uh, and what else was I going to say? Something
on the next page here ... and lastly, and I think I want the Chief to hear this more
than, uh ... um, more than anyone else, or maybe I want to hear myself say it,
because it's ... it's important to express. I have the highest respect for our police
officers. I recognize they have a very difficult job, and I know they're doing the
best they can in that very difficult job. So I hope you and the other officers know
that. So I'm going to vote for the resolution, of course.
Hayek: Any further discussion? Roll call, please. Passes 7 -0. Should we take a quick
break? (several responding) Okay, we're gonna keep on (several talking) keep
on keepin' on, I guess! (laughter) All right!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 51
ITEM 18. RESIDENTIAL WASTE CONTAINERS — AMENDING TITLE 16,
ENTITLED "PUBLIC WORKS," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED "CITY
UTILITIES," AND TITLE 17, ENTITLED "BUILDING AND HOUSING,"
CHAPTER 5, ENTITLED, "HOUSING CODE," TO REQUIRE THAT
WASTE CONTAINERS BE STORED WITHIN TWO FEET OF A
BUILDING WALL OF A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE. (FIRST
CONSIDERATION)
Champion: Move the resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Champion, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Hello!
Dieterle: Hi, is there any input allowed?
Hayek: On Item 18?
Dieterle: On this item?
Hayek: Yes.
Dieterle: Well, I would just request that the City consider, or really more than consider, that
the City provide an alternate size to the thing that we have in front of all our
houses. Um, I ... I would probably, if it weren't for, you know, just other reasons,
just ... take it once a month to the curb because it's huge and for one person, who
also composts and recycles (laughs) you know, it could probably go for a couple
of months before I had to take it out there. And meanwhile I've got to find some
place to store the retched thing. And in my neighborhood it isn't such a neat
situation. I really don't believe that I can conform to this aud ... this ordinance. I
don't have somewhere where it's going to be within two feet of my house. And
it's just too big! Um, the University has smaller ones that are available, so they
must make them somewhere, and it would be really nice if a resident could
request a smaller one, um ... I ... I think that this ... this ordinance, you know, is... is
sort of extra for most people, I mean, most people have got a reasonable idea of
what to do with their waste cans, that it doesn't need to be something that's
legislated. So I really am sorry that you're going to be doing this. I don't know
where that's going to leave a lot of us, as far as (noises on mic) conform.
Hayek: Well stay tuned! Anyone else from the, uh, audience?
Carlson: I'm Nancy Carlson. I live at 1002 E. Jefferson. Asking you not to vote for this.
Uh, this has brought up a lot of discussion. I included a piece, uh, about a... a
meeting that the North Side Neighborhood Association had about a month ago,
along with some pictures. Um ... in which this was discussed. Uh ... there were a
lot of concerns and people really wanted to try and deal with the fact that in our
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 52
neighborhoods there are garbage cans stored in front of the houses, but they had
other problems also, one of which was the size of the container. They, uh, in fact
that we ... that there is only one size in Iowa City. Uh ... uh ... Cedar Falls, Des
Moines, Cedar Rapids, Coralville all give their residents a choice as to size. We
have no choice. When this came ... when they brought these to my house. I live
...I live in a duplex. I live... there ... I live in one half of it. I have a tenant who
lives in the other half of it. They brought me two of these. I said, what am I
supposed to do with these? I don't need two! Doesn't make any difference. You
have two units, you have two of these. I have never used the one. I barely use
one of `em. In the meantime the people, the guys next door, which there are five,
overfill theirs on a ... on a weekly basis. So it's all based on one size, one units.
Doesn't matter how many people live there. Doesn't matter how, uh, responsible
they are. One size fits all in Iowa City! Uh, for older women it's very frustrating.
Especially if you happen to live on an embankment. The older section of Iowa
City is not flat. If you live on an embankment, it is your responsibility to get that
container down to the parking strip so that the ... so that the City can pick it up.
There was a lady who told a story at the neighborhood association about the fact
that she did live on a high embankment and she had a lot of difficulty in getting it
down. Couldn't she just take a bag of her, her little bag of garbage and put it
down for the City to pick it up? The reply was, "No, we have to protect the safety
of our workers." I want to know about the safety of our residents! I want to
know if the City is concerned about older women who live by themselves, who
have to deal with these containers. The container is almost as big as they are.
You cannot fill them. If you fill them over one -third full as an older woman it is
almost impossible for you to get them down to the street, especially if you're on
an embankment. In fact, I had one lady who told me what she did because she
lived on an embankment is she got it down to the first step, she put it at a 45-
degree angle and let it go. Then she went down to the bottom of her steps, picked
up the garbage that had fallen out of the container, put it ... put it back in and put it
out for the ... out at the street for the City to pick up. Now I would hope that the
City of Iowa City would be, uh, considerate enough to realize that there are
people here who want to be good citizens, but they would appreciate the City
looking at their position and not just the City's position. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you.
Markus: You know, I've heard this, um, argument made, uh, in writing as well as the
testimony, and I would suggest we defer action and give staff an opportunity to
examine the different size issue, and I would argue that ... you know, maybe some
elderly men would (mumbled)
Champion: I was going to say the same thing.
Hayek: You know, and I think I know what Sarah's going to say to us this evening. You
know, why ... why don't we hear from her, um, and we'll either defer or maybe
even just vote it down and ... start from scratch, is the sense I'm getting. But uh...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 53
Clark: Then I'll cut it short! (laughs) Um, Sarah Clark, um, and I'm here tonight
speaking as a... as an individual. The Northside did not take an official vote on
this, though I also did speak with Mike Wright today and he did share my feelings
about it, and as Doug Boothroy mentioned in his staff report, and as Nancy also
mentioned at our, uh, May Northside, uh, meeting, we did have a discussion.
Actually it went on too long, I think, um, but um ... about this matter and
neighbors were split on it, but a lot of the discussion, actually one of the very first
things that was mentioned, uh, had to do with the size of the container and
wishing could we maybe have smaller ones. So, anyway, I just want to give a
little bit of background on this. Over a year ago residents from the Northside and
from Jefferson Street, you know, met with City staff to express, um, our
frustration over the lack of enforcement tools to resolve, you know, some of the
kind of chronic nuisance issues in our neighborhood, and one of them had to do
with, um, the seemingly permanent storage of the 65- gallon waste containers in
front yards, not just in one or two houses. I can fully appreciate there are a
number of neighborhoods in this town where ... people do not have to ... do not, or
actually... just do not store their waste cans in the front yard. Unfortunately, we,
uh, our neighborhood hosts a disproportionately high number of, uh, houses with
many tenants, many of them short-term, high- turnover, and not all of them of
course exhibit that behavior, but a number of them do, maybe because they just
haven't been informed by their landlord that they need to move the trash can, you
know, maybe a little bit out of sight. Anyway, a cumulative effect of multiple
houses in a block displaying this ends up with something where our central
neighborhoods get a little shabby and if you think it's just because I'm a prima
donna, well I want to point out that I'm not, and I want to point out that (laughs)
um ... the Press - Citizen in an editorial just this past Friday, June 14ffi, said, "Some
of the city's most attractive neighborhoods in terms of location often are the most
unattractive in terms of appearance." They also say, "And some of the city's most
unaffordable housing, uh, actually looks the shabbiest." Well, I think they were
probably talking about good portions of the Northside. Um, so that's why we
wanted to have something where on a case -by -case basis we could actually maybe
address the chronic abusers, not your average citizen, not your person
who ... doesn't have any place to store the garbage can, but must store it next to
the front of the house. Basically we want to go after the scofflaws I think. Um,
the low hanging fruit. I'm sorry! Well (laughs) um ... what happened, I guess we
didn't make our case clear enough or people just didn't understand what we were
trying to do. Um, so I have to say that ... based on an earlier Council meeting and
the work session you had on this, um, I personally am not in favor of Option #3.
Um, I ... doesn't mean that I'm interested in this, uh, issue going away
permanently. I'm certainly not, and I think a lot of people in the Northside feel
the same way. I'm not sure how it is that we're going to come up with how we
will address it, but um ... it just ... doesn't really look good and it's not welcoming
to the gateway of Iowa City when you come into town and the first thing you see
is house after house after house proudly displaying their 65- gallon waste
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 54
containers in the front yard. So, um ... I'm sure there's going to be a way that we
can come up to address that. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you. Anyone else from the audience? Council discussion.
Champion: Well I'm not willing to defer. I am willing to look at other options, um, I agree
that those things are huge. I mean, sometimes I'm really glad they are, like after I
decide to clean out my basement or something, which is like once every 25 years,
but ... I mean, I also because there's only two of us living at home, I don't have
much trash. Um ... but when my kids are all home, I could use two of those.
Maybe I come borrow from Caroline's, but I'm not willing to shut this whole
thing, cause I understand this problem. In my neighborhood this happens,
sometimes with rental property, but it's ... it's not so many. You just have to
knock on the door and talk to them, and it... it ends. Problems in my
neighborhood are solved by a neighbor talking to a neighbor. But it's a different,
whole different environment. It's different than the Northside. It's a tight -knit
neighborhood for one thing.
Throgmorton: I think we should vote down this particular ordinance, and do what, uh, do what
Nancy and Sarah, the prima donna denier (laughter) and ... and Tom and others
have ... have suggested that we, um, look more carefully at...
Hayek: I agree! I mean, this ... you know, in staff s defense, this came out of pressure
from the (several talking) which as it turns out was a little more mixed on the
proposals, uh, and the issues than we initially thought. Um, so I applaud staff for
going through, uh, a lot of, uh, steps on this, but I agree. I think we should just
vote this down. You know, this ... I think what this comes down to really is
enforcement of nuisance issues, and I ... I don't know that the two -foot rule that
we're going to vote down, or I think we're going to vote down, truly solved that.
I also don't know that offering var ... variable or varying sizes of...of containers
does either. It may serve a different purpose, but I don't know that it gets to the
nuisance issues really. I think this, you know, has to do with the appearance,
um ... of...of front yards and ... and structures, uh, largely, uh, rental, uh ... occupied
um ... um and ... and as I've said before, I ... I'd really like us to move away from a
complaint -based system to more of a proactive enforcement approach, uh, with
respect to grass and yards and ... and junk and things like that, um, and I think that
might help these things, so ... but as it relates to the size of containers, I'm happy
to look at it. Further discussion?
Dobyns: I don't understand why the size... admit on a winter, uh, driveway of any slope,
dancing with those large receptacles is dangerous as dancing with me, I mean,
that's (laughter) but I'm not sure. I thought ... this just speaks to the, um, the... the
condition in front. I'm not ... I'm not...
Hayek: It's really a separate issue. Both have to do with garbage cans. I think that's the
relevance.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 55
Dobyns: Okay! (laughter) But I mean, like with Connie, I'm assuming that ... I like Option
#3. I think it was a good one. I think this other issue ... but I'm not sure, Tom,
why you ... aren't they separate issues? Maybe I'm confused here. I mean, we
have to ... we should probably, you know, um, defer tonight's vote to be able to
consider this, uh, other, the size?
Markus: Yeah, I think so.
Dobyns: Okay. (several talking)
Hayek: I think what we're saying is that there ... there doesn't appear to be ... even close to
a consensus on the part of the neighborhood groups that we've at least interfaced
with on this issue that would support Option #3. And if that's the case, why move
forward with it?
Dobyns: Cause it was a good idea?
Champion: I mean...
Dilkes: Well you know we're only on first ... we're on first reading. So deferring just
makes Marian have to keep track of the fact we've deferred it, as opposed to just
putting it back on if you all decide (several talking)
Dobyns: ...we can always...
Champion: Yeah, we can vote ... it's just first consideration.
Dobyns: Yeah.
Throgmorton: If you want to. I'm not going to do that.
Hayek: But you were...
Dilkes: No, I was proposing that... that ... if...if you just vote it down or remove it, you
can always put it back on.
Karr: You can resurrect it in any form you wish.
Dilkes: Any... any time you want. It's not like we've done one reading already and we
don't want to ... uh...
Dobyns: Six of one, half dozen of the other. Okay.
Dilkes: Yeah!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 56
Champion: But what am I supposed to do now if I want to comply with the rest of you?
Mims: Vote no. (several talking) (laughter)
Dobyns: The voice from the cosmos says to vote no! (laughter)
Hayek: All right! (several talking) We're, uh, losing our edge here, uh, so let's (several
talking) unless there's further discussion on this, why don't we take a vote. Item
fails 1 -6, Dobyns in the positive (several talking) Okay!
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
Payne: So moved.
Champion: So moved.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Champion. Discussion? All those in favor say
aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries.
Markus: Good job (mumbled)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 57
ITEM 22. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Hayek: We'll start down with you.
Dobyns: Nothing.
Payne: I just want to tell Rick to have a good time when he's in Europe for two weeks,
startin' tomorrow! (laughter)
Dickens: I just want to thank City staff for, uh, all their efforts during the flood and for
getting Dubuque Street open rather quickly so I can get out of my driveway on
Dodge Street. (laughter)
Hayek: Susan!
Champion: Oh, Susan! (mumbled)
Mims: I'll echo, uh, I'll echo, Terry. Dodge Street is looking a little better now that
Dubuque Street is open back up and thank you all for, uh, accommodating me
doing this meeting electronically. I appreciate it.
Throgmorton: Susan, can you see Dodge Street from there? (laughter)
Mims: Can I do what? (laughter)
Throgmorton: Can you see Dodge Street from there?
Mims: Uh, no! I'm kind of looking at the downtown Indianapolis area right now.
Champion: I think you're at the beach! (laughter)
Mims: I wish!
Champion: Well I do want to tell you that I didn't think this would work very well and it
actually works very well. If we just had a face here of some kind, but I'm really
amazed that it worked. This is the first time I've really done this at a regular
meeting and it really turned out well. Thanks for experimenting!
Mims: Well Marian and I did, or I was talking to somebody. We did talk about putting a
stuffed bear in my chair, but we thought that might be a little tacky. So we
passed.
Dickens: I think a chicken would have been good! (laughter)
Dobyns: I agree!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 58
Hayek: Jim!
Throgmorton: My turn? I want to give a shout out to my son Paul and his beautiful fiance Min
who are getting married this coming Saturday. Bravo!
Dickens: Congratulations!
Markus: Congratulations!
Mims: Congratulations!
Hayek: And I want to, uh, once again commend staff on ... on ... on the flood response.
Uh, we appear to be moving past that but remarkable coordination, um, between
all entities involved. It was really... really well done, and ... and secondly to
reiterate the congratulations on the Moody's, um, 37 years, uh, and running.
That's incredible, and ... and what that means to this operation, uh, cannot be
underestimated. So...
Throgmorton: Yeah, appreciate it.
Hayek: ... bravo.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.
Page 59
ITEM 23. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF.
a) City Manager
Hayek: Mr. Manager!
Markus: Dennis and I looked at that 37 years and we said ... oh boy! We're in trouble if
that ever dropped! (laughter)
Champion: You'll get your walking papers! (laughter)
Markus: Yeah, exactly! (laughter)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of June 18, 2013.