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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-01-06 TranscriptionJanuary 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 1 Council Present: Botchway, Dickens, Dobyns, Hayek, Mims, Payne, Throgmorton Staff Present: Markus, Fruin, Bockenstedt, Dilkes, Karr, Andrew, Moran, O'Brien, Adhikari, Grier, Knoche, Tharp, Yapp, Fosse, Schaul, Davidson, Boothroy Continuation of Saturday, 1/4/14, Budget Meeting Hayek/ ... get started here. I think Rick would want us to start. Um... so welcome to the work session, everyone. Uh, before we enter the exciting world of capital improvements, we still need to finish the Finance portion of Saturday's meeting. So why don't we turn it over to Dennis for that. Finance pg. 18Z Bockenstedt/ Okay, um, I'll just talk a little bit about the Finance Department, kind of what we're doing, what some of our goals are, responsibilities, and just feel free to ask questions if any come up. Um, the Finance Department is made up of five separate divisions. Uh, we have the Administration division, which has four employees, uh, which includes the budget, the capital improvement program, uh, the management of the City's debt, and the employee benefit programs. We have the Accounting division, which has seven employees. Uh, that manages the payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable. Uh, they also do grants management, um; they do financial reporting and the audit. Uh, we have the Revenue Risk Management division, which has 10 employees. Uh, they handle utility billing. They also manage the City's insurance, uh, worker comp programs... Karr/ Excuse me, Dennis, it's on page 18 of the summary book. Bockenstedt/ Oh! I'm sorry! Karr/ That's okay! Bockenstedt/ And the, uh, safety programs. And then we have a Purchasing division with four employees, who does contract bidding and management. Uh, they also do central functions such as postage, copier replacement, radio maintenance, um, and then we have our Computer Services division, which has 10 employees, and they do the computer maintenance, software, uh, phone system, network system, uh, fiber optic cabling, uh, servers and computer programming. Uh, the primary goals of the Finance Department is first and foremost to maintain the City's financial stability and flexibility. Um, and uh, one of our ... our second goals is to maintain the City's GFOA awards, uh, both the financial reporting and the budget, and also to maintain the City's triple -A bond rating. Um, some of the focus that we have been looking over the past year, and looking ahead, is to ... to really increase our operating efficiency and within the department and throughout the City, uh, with technology enhancements; with, uh, hardware and software. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 2 Um, some of the things that we've managed to complete over the past year are ... are, uh, the maintenance renewal of the GFOA award programs in financial reporting and budget, um, we, uh, maintained the City's triple -A bond rating, uh, over this past year (noises in background) and um, a big undertaking that we are mostly complete with, uh, has taken a lot of staff time across the entire department is that is the, uh, implementation of a financial, uh, accounting system, which includes payroll, um, purchasing, and... and lots of other functions, which has taken a lot of the ... the City system paperless, but we still have a lot more to go in that area. Um, next year we're looking at, um, completing that implementation, uh, the modules left are utility billing and we have a employee, uh, reimbursement software to put in. Um, we're also looking at doing a timekeeping, our time clock software which would allow punching in and out and flow seamlessly in through the payroll system. Um, other enhancements we're looking at are really looking at completing and filling out the City's fiber optic network. So much of today what we do flows electronically from department to department, and throughout the city. Uh, just filling in the gaps and the loops, uh, in that system. Some of the highlights, uh, for the Finance Department budget, that includes we are eliminating, uh, two and a half positions. So we're reducing, uh, down from 37 1/2 to 35 positions. Um, we've already eliminated a half -time management analyst position. Uh, we're looking to eliminating a ...a full -time project manager, and a full -time grant accountant, which was ... that position was primarily hired, uh, for the 2008 flood, uh, for all the grant work we had. Um, and also there's some funding in there for the timekeeping, uh, piece of the software, and... and that's pretty much the highlights of our operations and the budget and ... I'll try and answer any questions if you have any. Hayek/ Questions for Dennis? (noises on mic) I ... I simply have a compliment and that is this, that, um, you took over for Kevin and it has been, from my perspective, a very seamless transition, uh, and we appreciate that, and I also, um, appreciate your command of, uh, the... the... the shifting terrain in Des Moines with respect to property tax reform and the multi- family conversions and... and what that means for Iowa City and... and the work we have to do to brace for these changes that we see on the horizon, um, the forecasting and ...and so forth. I think that's so critical as we go forward and try to position ourselves to absorb those hits. But your role already has been impressive and I just want to thank you. Bockenstedt/ Thank you! Hayek/ Anything else for Dennis? Okay! Let's take up CIP! Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Fosse/ Well for the next two hours, we're going to shift our focus from operating to capital budgets, and in a similar fashion to the operating budget, our capital projects are now driven by the ... by the strategic plan, and uh, in your ... in your budget document, that's outlined on page 24, the ties between the projects and the components of the streg... strategic plan that they support. Uh, many of the projects support more than one part of the strategic plan, but for simplicity we've just listed the ... the major component there. Um, we have 103 slides to get through in the next two hours, so that gives us about 73 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 3 seconds per slide, so we're (laughter) we're going to endeavor to be precise, but ... but don't let that stop you from asking questions, cause we're happy to take the time and ...and talk about the projects in whatever depth that you would like to do that. Um, but I would ask that we ... we reserve our discussion of the ... the program as a whole. That is what projects we want to take out, what projects we want to put in, until after we've been through all the projects, and we'll try and do ... get through all the projects prior to break and we'll have that other discussion after break this afternoon. Um ... so are there any questions before we dive in and get started on that? (noises on mic) Okay! Well, here's how we're going to do this. Uh, what we have done is ... is we've organized it ... we're going to lead off with ... with some information from Dennis. He's going to give us a financial overview of things, and then we're going to track sequentially through the budget book, and it begins on page ... uh, roughly 330 if you're tracking along, and uh, by ... by tracking sequentially, it's going to naturally break down into various operational areas. It'll lead off with Transportation Services, then Public Utilities, and Landfill, uh, Airport, uh, Streets, Bridges, Storm Water, and some miscellaneous Public Works projects, uh, Parks and Recreation, and Trails; uh, Public Safety, and then some other miscellaneous projects. Uh, one of the things that ... that I want to point out is ... is the document in front of you is a financial document, and we are going through a planning exercise, and that distinct... distinction is important because every project that's currently going on in the city is in the financial document. So we're not going to cover everything that's in the book. We're going to jump only to the projects for which you still have a decision in front of you for. And, uh, so the ... it may be tough to ... to figure out where we're at in there. So in the upper corner of ev ... every one of our slides we have the project number that'll help you track through there. Uh, also want to point out that one section ... oh, we also have an on- the -radar section. I'm sorry, I forgot about that, and that is for projects that did not make our recommended budget, but are on the unfunded list but for one reason or another, we want you to be familiar with them and ... and have some background in case they come up in the next year or two. Uh, one section that you will not see specifically, uh, broken out this year is our flood recovery and mitigation section. Uh, rather what we've done this year is we've just indicated those ... those projects with the ... by showing it in blue up at the top. Say, Marian, can we get the ... the laser pointer here at the table for us? So if you see a project where it's blue instead of white you know that's one of our flood recovery and mitigation projects. Thank you, Eleanor! Um, and related to that, I ... I want to point out where we're at overall in that process, cause we're very proud of that. We've got, uh, we've got nine major flood recovery and mitigation projects, and only one remains unfunded at this time, and that's fire training center, uh, relocation. Uh, but we have been able to put together the funding package for $162 million worth of projects, that includes $99.8 million — we're just shy of $100 million, uh, external funding. That is from state and federal sources, and we also brought in $34.3 million in the local option sales tax, for a combined total of $134.1 million to help fund these projects. And in the column on the left, you can see, uh, the relative status of `em. The ... the green projects are either in the construction phase or ... or, uh, being bid. Yellow is in the design phase, and ... and the pink is, uh, still in the conceptual phase. So, with that background, uh, let's go ahead and hand it off to Dennis for that financial overview. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 4 Bockenstedt/ The first slide here is the, uh, CIP program by division over the next five years. And that amounts to about $223 million. Uh, the largest slice of that pie is, of course, for Streets. The Streets program. Uh, that includes the Gateway Project, uh, the Sycamore Street project, uh, the First Avenue railroad crossing, and they'll cover many of those other projects later. Uh, the next largest piece is for the Waste Water Treatment, uh, Plant and uh, sewer system, which is ... totals a little over $28 million, and that includes the South and North Treatment Plant projects. Um, and then some of the next larger slices include Public Transportation, which would include the $20 million facility that we could pu ... potentially replace, and then Public Works Admin, which includes, uh, the levee and lift station projects, as well. (mumbled) Uh, the next slide is (mumbled) and this represents the amount of dollars that we're looking at allocating over the next five - year period. 2014 being the largest piece there with $85 million worth of projects, uh, that includes the completion of the South Waste Water Treatment Facility, uh, the lift station and levee projects, the Animal Shelter, and uh, a number of street reconstruction projects. Um, it starts to go downwards as you go out ... outward in years, um, but the Gateway Project, uh, currently we're looking at 15 and 16, and then uh, also the North Treatment Plant in 15, and then those projects start to ... to slide off as you ... as you go further out. Uh, the next slide is a pretty busy ... busy slide. Uh, and this is the CIP by funding source. So this is how we're planning to pay for, uh, the improvements that are being shown. Um, you can see the largest, uh, slice in this pie is the GO bonds. So we're looking at issuing approximately $10 million a year in general obligation debt over the next five years. Um, and then, uh, two of the bigger slices on there include the (coughing, difficult to hear speaker) grants and so a lot of that has to do with the flood related programs, like the Treatment Plant and the levees and lift stations are represented by a lot of grant work and also some of the street reconstruction projects, and then also at the bottom, uh, kind of that green slice there is the local option sales taxes, uh, the portion that will be going to the Gateway, uh, to the Dubuque Street reconstruction project. And I'm going to hand it back over to Rick! Fosse/ Thank you! Uh, if (mumbled) I want to back up one slide and ... and just point out that, uh, prior to the flood we ... we would budget about $10 million a year of GO bonds for capital projects and you can see that ... that we're coming off that peak now of post -flood activity and beginning to work back down into the normal range there. So that's a good thing for us all in... in that regard. Uh, so next we're going to move on to Transportation Services and Chris O'Brien is here for that! (mumbled) Transportation Services: O'Brien/ Uh, the first one I'm going to start off with is ... is T3004, which is the parking facility restoration and repair project. Uh, we hired an engineering firm, uh, THP to put together a five -year maintenance and master plan for us for our parking facilities, um, and what this does is it lays out the next five years of work. Um, a couple things to note in there. The majority of the work is concrete and water sealant repairs. Um, as you can see from some of the photos there, um, we got good ratings from ... for all of our facilities, even those that were, uh, built in 1979 were some of the first ones that were built. Um... and some of the numbers that you see in the budget, we're still working with the engineering This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 5 firm on ... on which of those, uh, there's several of those... several items of the work that we're going to do internally — some of the waterproofing and things like that that'll bring that number down substantially, uh, due to the labor that we'll absorb in- house, rather than paying for outside, uh, resources to do that. So, uh, once we get those numbers we'll get those in... into the program, uh, once we know what those are, and those should come down. Uh, T3009, uh, parking facility and enforcement automation. Uh, this is a project that's been ongoing for ... for the last, oh, three to five years where we've been, uh, steadily changing how we operate within our parking facilities. Um ... replacing a lot of our ... our aging equipment with new equipment that ... that has automated some of our processes, and then as ... as, uh, we've had employees leave through attrition we have... we've been able to maintain our operations without replacing... without replacing some of those. Uh, what's remaining on this project, uh, we have an $82,500, uh, that ... that's going to take place in 14 for meter housing replacements for our on- street, uh, parking meters, and we have a $270,000 project to, urn ... take the Chauncey Swan facility and... and install access and revenue control equipment. Uh, we waited on that one. That's the only remaining facility we have. Uh, waiting to see what happens with that ... that parcel, uh, that's adjacent before we determine what type of.. of equipment we're going to put into that facility. And I believe we have roughly about $300,000 remaining, uh, in the existing ... uh, funds, because there's certain parts of the meter project — the censors, things like that that we haven't implemented yet. Um, we're waiting to see ... a little bit more information on that technology before we move forward. Uh, for the Riverfront Crossings, um, this was a project that we had, um, had slated prior. Uh, we had some design documents done and then postponed that project due to, um ... there was some development that hadn't taken place that we ... we anticipated that would have, uh, as well as parking demand numbers that were a little softer than we had anticipated, so we ... um, postponed that project and are now involved in a project, uh, in the Harrison, uh, Harrison, Dubuque, and Clinton area, um ... that's a joint project as well that's kind of replaced, uh, the Riverfront Crossings project that we initially implemented. Um, so we did put some design money in there for ... for future years, uh, as we anticipate that as Riverfront Crossings developed, we may need to put another parking facility in that location. Dickens/ Could that be moved up ... is that going to ... pretty solid... O'Brien/ Uh, I think we put it there. It's obviously flexible, should the need arise. I don't know that ... I think based off capacities, we ... I mean, if...if there's a lot of development that... that shoots up in the next one or two years, then obviously we'll have to rethink that one, but for now we feel comfortable where that's at. Dobyns/ How many years before it'd go up, Chris? O'Brien/ What's that? Dobyns/ Conceivably (clears throat) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 6 O'Brien/ Takes about two years ... from the time that you (both talking) Uh, 3017, the Capitol and Dubuque Street fagade improvements. Um... so in the top left hand corner of this slide are the two existing facilities, uh, the Capitol Street and Dubuque Street, they are both, uh, constructed in the same year, which was in 1979, 1980, uh, and as you can see, back then the construction was let's make it look like a parking deck. Um, a lot of the facilities we build now have a ... a lot more aesthetic ... a ... it's a lot more aesthetically appealing, uh, than some of the older ones, and there's been a lot of... through ... through the, um, comments that we get, as well as the streetscape Master Plan that we're working on now, a lot of comments about that Dubuque Street corridor, um, and as it's a major transportation hub through Iowa City, uh, as well as some of the development taking place around it, with the School of Music and some potential other projects floating out there. You then on the other side of the street have these facilities which, uh, maybe don't blend in as well with ... with some of those. I'm trying to be kind here, but um... (laughter) that ... that maybe aren't as appealing as some of the other projects that are taking place. So, down here these are just concepts of...of different, um, different concepts for facilities. These aren't ones that we've had any designs done on, but just different concepts that we've pulled, uh, to show some different things that you can do in those areas, uh, and what we would be looking to do, uh, and with the money that we have in there, these are just for design and ... and initial concepts, uh, drawings for these types of...of projects. Throgmorton/ Chris ... I ... are you suggesting, uh, the possibility of replacing these with new parking structures? O'Brien/ No, just the exterior is what we're looking to do, of both those facilities. So it would be ...be wrapped from ... from all those locations that are ... that are visible from the outside. Hayek/ What's the life of...of a garage like that? O'Brien/ If it's a well- maintained, you can easily get to 80 years on a facility, if it's well - maintained! And we are now, what in the... Hayek/ 35. Throgmorton/ 40. O'Brien/ (several talking) Going on 40, between 35 and 40, so ... you know, 50 is what they tell you, but if you maintain it well, you can get in the 70 and 80. Mims/ Long past what we have to worry about! (several talking and laughing) O'Brien/ ...this is just fagade improvements, and this is separate from the restoration projects that we talked about earlier. Uh, the Transit Facility relocation, this will also come up again when we talk about, um, the Riverside, Highway 6 intersection in a ... in a project later on. Um ... but one of the projects that's at the top of our list, has been for a while, is the ... the Transit Facility relocation. Um, we've done an initial site assessment, um, and This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 7 the scoring, the way it came out, was to put it on the ... the new Public Works' campus. Um, but the issues that we're having at this facility, um, it was built on an unregulated, uh, dump site, um, and so we ... we've already put a methane abatement building in. There's a lot of settling that's taking place around the building, um, so there's a lot of ongoing maintenance, as well as, uh, just some performance issues from ... from different drains that no longer operate, um ... to ... I think we have between... roughly between 5 and 6 -foot of settling that's occurred around the facility. Um, so every year we have to either do an asphalt patch, and then every other year we do a full asphalt lay -down in that area to ... to make sure we can get in and out of our facility without bottoming out the buses. And this is one that we're all obviously seeking federal funding for, because it's a ... it's a $20 million... potentially $16 to $20 million project. Uh, the Court Street Facility automation, this one actually we wrapped up a little sooner than we anticipated, so this one's done, and then ... um, we ... we finished off the last piece of it prior to, um, needing any additional funds for that. So ... uh, Transit bus shelter replacement and expansion, uh, we have funds spread over two years, 14 and 16, um, in order to replace, um, aging facilities, as well as expand, uh, some shelters into some different areas, um, as well as to maybe do a redesign of our ... of our current, uh, currently what we have are like the ones up on the top left, which is a brown aluminum with sort of a, um, opaque dome on the top, to more of a see - through, um, glass, maybe a little bit more modern. Um, we're getting pricing on those to see what those come out at, but to dress up those bus stops and, uh, as we add new ones, uh, to upgrade what those facilities look like. Um, the last one we have is a Transit bus camera replacement project. This once again is a replacement. Uh, every one of our buses has a six - camera system, uh, located in each of the buses. Uh, that then downloads that information to a DVR, and then it has a back -end software package to it. Uh, the reason we need to replace that is, um, it's aging technology, and the company that, um, we originally got this from was ... was bought out and no longer supports this system, so this is a two -year project to, um ... to replace half of `em, uh, in 14, I believe, and half in 15. Um, so that we can get those replaced and, uh, get a back -end software system that has support from an outside vendor. Payne/ Does this count .... the software? O'Brien/ Yes, those numbers include the software, as well. Payne/ So $108,000 includes the software (both talking) Public Utilities & Landfill: Fosse/ Any other questions for Chris before we move into ... the next section, which is Public Utilities and Landfill (noises on mic) Okay, let's go there! (several talking in background) Uh, our first project is our annual sewer mains project, and that is both maintenance and preventative maintenance on our sanitary sewer collection system. Uh, that comes in two flavors, where we ... we, uh, have the open excavations, which are usually necessary when we have a sewer cave -in that manifests itself in a hole that comes to the surface and ... and sometimes there are other problems underground that we do need to dig up and fix, and the other type of preventative maintenance that we do is ... is with This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 8 the curative place liner. So think of that as a ... an asphalt over -lay for sewers, if you will. That's just our way of staying ahead of the maintenance on ... on our sewer system. Our next one is our sludge, uh, bio- solids dewatering equipment replacement, and this is at the South Waste Water Treatment Plant. Uh, these machines have been diligently squeezing the excess liquid from the solids, uh, for the past 20 -plus years, and, uh, that's one of the final steps in the treatment process before this sludge goes out into our ... our drying beds, before it is land - applied. Uh, these, uh, these pieces of machinery are wearing out and needing to be replaced. It's fairly substantial project - $1.4 million, uh, but needs to be done. Our next project is the demolition of the North Waste Water Treatment Plant, and you'll see by its blue designation there, that's one of our, uh, flood recovery and mitigation related projects. Uh, we did, uh, just recently score the, uh, the State Flood Improvement Sales Tax Program grant for this. We got $8.5 million, roughly, and uh, this is about a $6 million project to demolish the North Plant, and then we also have around $2.5 million to begin the grading for the park project, and we'll talk more about that later. Our next project is the annual water mains project, and this, again, like sewers is for maintenance and preventative maintenance. Uh, again, this system has parts that are well over 100 years old out there and ... and are in need of maintenance. Here's some examples there. The next slide is ... is a cluster of a bunch of projects that are water - related, and these are ... these are location- specific projects where we need to replace some water mains, and some of the most notable on there — the First Avenue water main that was two, uh, New Year's (mumbled) ... that's... that's that one down at the bottom there. It's tough to see the ... the magnitude of the hole that one produced, but it...it was significant. You can see that's... that's the pavement there that was tipped up. Uh, another one that's on there is the, uh, the Washington Street water main repair, and there's a shot of Washington Street when the water was still boiling up at that location. So the last slide and this slide, uh, combine to ... to make necessary those water rate increases that we talked about yesterday, our ... our day -to -day operations are doing okay. It's staying ahead of the maintenance of our distribution system is ... it's what's driving that financial need that we talked about. Dickens/ So are some of these going to be moved forward... projects as far as implement... getting the new water mains in or ... will they still be gradually put in? Fosse/ The ... I'm sorry, I didn't quite follow that. Dickens/ Well I just wondered if some of these are going to have to be moved forward as we (both talking) Fosse/ Oh! Dickens/ ...problems with. Fosse/ Yes! There's... there's some we want to get done sooner than later, just because of our vulnerability to addition... additional breaks ... out there. By all means! Our next project is, uh, the Hebl Road improvements. And, uh, that is ... is really the access road for our Landfill. This is a project that's long overdue. That's just a chip- sealed road that ... that This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 9 carries an incredible amount of heavy truck traffic, and this is a tough project to take on because it's... one... one way in and one way out, and the Landfill is a facility that's ...that's rarely closed for more than one day at a time. Uh, so that's our challenge in designing that is how ... how can we do that and keep our Landfill in operation. Also out at the Landfill we have the, uh, the ... (mumbled) or excuse me, gas collection flare replacement project, and uh, we need to replace the ... the flare component. This is what flares the ... the methane gas and ... and converts it to carbon dioxide and water. Uh, that is rusting out and pretty soon will not function well, and then also we'll replace the control systems out there, which are aging. We're having a difficult time getting parts for those, and there are better technologies available to us today. So that's about a $300,000 project for that. Our last project in this section is replacing the household hazardous waste, uh, storage unit that's out at the Landfill. So when we do, uh, household hazardous waste collections around town, or take it in out at the Landfill, it is all stored in this prefabricated unit here before it is shipped off to a facility that can deal with ... with the waste, but what you see is this ... this also is rusting out and it...it is time to be replaced. It's ... it's, uh, it was our first and only unit, and this is about a, uh, a $300,000 project to replace that one. Payne/ Will that be replaced again with something that's steel, or can it be fiberglass or... Fosse/ That's what we're going to look at, if there's something that's... that's more durable in there. Because you know we got roughly 20 years out of this one, but ... it would have been nice to get longer. And in... in (both talking) Dickens/ (mumbled) Fosse/ What's that? Dickens/ We don't do any on the east side? Fosse/ We do collections on the east side, but it (both talking) Dickens/ ...it's all brought out there. Fosse/ Right! It's only on a daily basis or ... or special event basis, and then it comes out here for storage. Any questions before we move to Airport? Michael, it's all yours! Airport: Tharp/ With the Airport projects, the Airport CIP is ... is, uh, funded primarily from two sources, the Federal Aviation Administration which typically provides 90% grants, uh, they cover 90% of the costs of...of major projects at the Airport, and then there's a State program which mirrors some of the guidelines of the ... the federal structure, and they provide anywhere from 70 to 85% of the ... the construction project funds, uh, depending on the project and ... and what it's actually doing. Uh ... oops! Uh ... going in order, not necessarily in timeline for ... for numbering, but in ... in number order, A3430 is our apron This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 10 reconstruction and connecting taxiway. This is primarily to increase the hard surface parking at the Airport. Um, as you can see by the photo, this ... this has been on our project list for a couple of years now. Um ... you know, some special events, football game days, things like that, we get a fairly large influx of aircraft, and on occasion we actually have a lot of different places we can overflow them to. What the goal is is to provide more hard surface by the terminal building. Um, as you can see, uh, our decommissioned runway, and even across a ... a second runway, uh, we've got aircraft stored, so it's a little harder to maintain and, um, aircraft are spread out a little less secure, um, so it increases the security of the ... the Airport, as well. Um, following that, uh, 3442 is our obstruction mitigation and part 77. This is primarily just making sure our, uh, runway approaches are clear. This is something that the FAA is mandating and ... and um, in terms of making sure everything's safe, but it's also one of their higher priority, uh, areas that they're focusing on at the moment. Uh, for us it's a matter of just go through, doing some surveys, and... and we can do a number of things to mitigate obstructions, whether it's, uh, obstruction lighting or if we need to do a little bit of tree trimming, things like that, um ... we're not anticipating anything too, um ... strenuous at this point in time. Uh, the Airport equipment shelter, this is something that's been on our... our books for a couple of years as well. Ever since we, uh, removed the United hangar building that had been our equipment storage building, uh, that was something that was, as part of the runway extension project was removed as a obstruction. Uh, right now a lot of our equipment sits outside during the course of the year and we're just looking for a ... a building that, uh, can replace that and ... and have that capacity back. Payne/ Can I ... can I ask you a question about 3442? Tharp/ Uh huh! Payne/ You mentioned tree trimming, tree trimming can ... is a capital project? Tharp/ It can be. Um, primarily what we're looking at, we're ... we'll have to go out and physically survey, um, anything that might be tripping the obstructions, or the ... the plain of the protection zones, confirming (mumbled) obstructions and then, um, you know, do what we can to ... come up with a way to mitigate that particular obstruction. Payne/ Okay. It just...(laughter) seems weird that tree trimming would be a capital and not a maintenance item. Tharp/ It's something that ... airports will do collectively over ... they'll do maintenance on ... on the approaches, but when it becomes a, you know, like every 20 year period, 10 year period, they'll go through and do a bulk collection and ... and primarily the cost'll be the surveys and... Payne/ So because it's bulk and it's so much, then it becomes... it's... hits a threshold, become capital. Tharp/ Yeah. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 11 Payne/ Okay. Dobyns/ Can you grab the power pointer and show me which is the inactive runway? Tharp/ The north -south runway ... um ... north-south runway right there is the inactive one. Dobyns/ Okay. And the east -west one also would have similar trapezoidal concern (both talking) Tharp/ Yeah, this one was cleared as part of the extension and rehab project. So it's (both talking) Dobyns/ ...that's done. Okay. Tharp/ It's, uh, been done and ... this one, just by virtue of the way it was funded when the rehab was done, the ... the clearing wasn't necessarily undertaken at that time. Dobyns/ Thank you! Tharp/ Um, 3448's the Airport perimeter road. Uh, we're starting to get into a ... a long -term planning vision in terms of the use of the south area, and this would provide essentially the access road to start some of that development activity on the south side of the Airport, whether it's hangar, um, type... activity or, um, others. It's a way for our field trucks and other maintenance vehicles to get over there without having to cross the ... the active runway. And this is our big one. This is one that's actually coming up next in terms of ...of a major project. The ... the two photos really show, you know, the Airport about 20 years apart. You can see, uh, the west side's a little bit cut off but there's a lot of development along the interstate, uh, north and northwest of the Airport. There's some substantial development, and you know, over the course of the next 12 to 18 months, as we put the Master Plan together, and we'll be looking at you know forecasting data, the needs of the Airport, uh, you know ways to generate additional revenue, and this plan'll essentially be the blueprint for Airport activity for the next 20 years. Fosse/ Any questions for Mike before we move on? Throgmorton/ Rick, I ... I don't have a question for Mike. Thank you, Mike. Uh, I do have a question having to do with your previous presentation... Fosse/ Sure! Throgmorton/ ...uh, has to do with Fiberight which we discussed, I don't know, three weeks ago or whenever that... whenever the meeting was. Uh, nothing about Fiberight appears in the CIP, correct? Fosse/ That's correct. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 12 Throgmorton/ Yeah, and ... and do you anticipate if we make the move to Fiberight that there would be in the future some finan ... some CIP type investments, or conversely, are... are any projects not included in the current CIP in anticipation of moving to Fiberight? Fosse/ At the present time, uh, in our discussions with Fiberight, they have not indicated any request for a capital investment on the part of the City. So I ... I don't anticipate that, at least not so far. Uh, but there ... there is the potential to have an impact on a capital program, and... and our operating program, and that yesterday we talked somewhat about looking at our equipment replacement and in the coming year we have a... a bulldozer up for replacement. We'll probably put that off until after we know, uh, where we're going with Fiberight to know what size of... of dozer to buy. And... and similar things like that. And uh ... the replacement of the road is timely, uh, in the ... that regard, because if we are successful at negotiating something with them, we'll have loaded trucks traveling out, as well as loaded trucks traveling in, and that'll be additional wear and tear on the roadway. Throgmorton/ Thanks! Fosse/ That help? Throgmorton/ Yep. Fosse/ Good! Good. Well Ron Knoche, our City Engineer, has joined us and will guide us through the next section on Streets, Bridges, Storm Sewers, and Public Works. Streets, Bridges, Storm Sewers, and Public Works: Knoche/ All right, the first project is the Riverside Drive Arts Campus' storm sewer improvements project. It's a million dollar project, uh, currently scheduled FY16. Um, that's still, uh, we're still working with the University on that. It will be a joint project. Um, the City's share will be, uh, paid for out of the storm water utility. Uh, the purpose of the project is to upgrade the pumps and uh, allow for operations at higher river levels than what we can today. Uh, project 3802 is the Moss Ridge project. Uh, $4.9 million, uh, gonna start on it as soon as we can. Uh, we have $1.9 million in RISE grant funding from the DOT. Uh, we'll construct improvements of Highway 1, uh, turn lanes and signalize the intersection, uh, as well as construct the roadway and install the public utilities, uh, to the Moss property. Harrison Street reconstruction, uh, this is a $500,000 project, uh, scheduled for FY15. Uh, funded with general obligation bonds. Uh, it will reconstruct Harrison Street from Clinton Street to Dubuque Street, uh, replacing the brick pavers with concrete pavement. Um, also includes some storm sewer upgrades. Uh, this one is in conjunction with the Midwest One project in that area. Payne/ Do we save those bricks then? I think we talked about this maybe last year (both talking) Knoche/ We will. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 13 Payne/ ...we save those and use em (both talking) Knoche/ ...palletize `em, save `em at the Public Works' yard, and use them for our, uh, other projects that we have ... for our brick street program. Uh, Gateway project is, uh, as you can see is one of our storm, or one of our flood recovery projects. Uh, $51 million project scheduled FYI through 17. Um, a multitude of ..of funding sources included there. Um ... I think you're pretty well aware what the project is. Um, the one thing that you will notice with this project in this go- around, it includes, uh, not only the Gateway project, but also the sanitary sewer project and the three -laning of Park Road up to Riverside Drive. Um (mumbled) has signed the fonzi, uh, so at our January 21St, uh, meeting we will, uh, hopefully get through and establish what the design parameters will be for the project. Uh, the ... uh, 3814 is our annual traffic signal project. That's $120,000, um, for the installation of new traffic signal. Um, if we do not have a... an intersection that is, uh, needs to have a signal installed, we also use this to upgrade, uh, current equipment at an existing signalized intersection. Um, this is funded out of the general obligation bonds. Davidson/ Uh, project 3816 is our traffic calming program. This is a ... a program that was developed many years ago, uh, internally to respond to neighborhood requests for, uh, traffic calming projects within neighborhoods. It's a project that basically ... a program that basically empowers neighborhoods. The projects are not generated by the City, but they're generated by the neighborhoods, uh, when ... when there are concerns about, um... uh, traffic within our neighborhood streets. Uh, we then go in and do an assessment, collect data, do an assessment, determine if a traffic calming strategy, uh, and you see at least a couple of the examples here in terms of, uh, speed hump, uh, projects. You can see the `check your speed' signs but basically determine the, uh, the ... the type of traffic calming installation that is appropriate, if any. It then goes back to the neighborhood and the neighborhood determines if they wish to see it, uh, implemented or not. If they determine that they do wish to see it implemented, uh, then it comes to you ultimately for approval and installation. The projects are funded by the City, um ... and uh, we ... we budget a relatively modest amount each year. We don't use the money unless there's a project, uh, and coincidentally in calendar year 14, uh, we investigated three projects and ... and did not implement any of them. Payne/ So in 14 the revised... expenses were about $50,000 more than the receipts. What... what was that cause? Davidson/ What page is that, Michelle? Payne/ I'm on 356. Davidson/ And tell me again the number you were looking at there? Payne/ 3816, and I'm looking in, uh, 2014 revised. Davidson/ Right. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 14 Payne/ And the expenses are $74,423, where the receipts are $25,000. Bockenstedt/ There are some funds that are carried over from year to year if they're not spent. So, the (mumbled) Karr/ Dennis... Dennis. Do you have your mic on? Bockenstedt/ (noises on mic) (laughter and several talking) Karr/ One of `em is fine! (laughter) Hayek/ You guys kind of look like the Enron panel up there (laughter and several talking) Bockenstedt/ There's road use taxes allotted each year that are ... that are being transferred into that project fund, and so then those are accumulated and spent as projects would come about, and so that's why there's an appearance of ... of, uh, more funds being spent than being taken in in one particular year. Payne/ So the fund kind of builds up, but we're not ... we're not seeing that in these numbers here really? Bockenstedt/ That's correct. Markus/ Not showing it as a revenue. Bockenstedt/ Yes, yes! Payne/ Okay. Thanks! Knoche/ Let's see here, uh, project 3821 is, uh, over -width paving and sidewalks. This is a $25,000 annual program, uh, funded through the road use tax fund. Um, it helps off -set the ... the cost to developers for over -sized pavement or sidewalks that are installed in a subdivision or site plan, um, which are installed at the request of the City. (noises on mic) Throgmorton/ Ron, for a second I thought you said `drug use tax fund,' and I thought, well, there's an initiative I hadn't heard about! Knoche/ (laughs) No! Curb ramps for ADA, this is a $50,000, uh, bi- annual project. Our next, uh, program will be in FY15. Uh, road use tax funds are used, um, this $50,000, uh... amount will reconstruct approximately five to 10 intersections, depending on -what needs to be installed, um, at those intersections. Um, as I say, it depends on the amount of improvement that ... that's necessary at each of those intersections. Uh, 3823 is the brick street repair. This is a $20,000 annual program, urn ... use... road use tax funds are used and it allows for spot repairs, uh, in the brick street system. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 15 Hayek/ What, um, does that also include the ... the reconstruction one block at a time (several talking) That's a separate line item... Knoche/ No, that's a separate project ... will come up to you. Um, 53824 is the pavement rehabilitation program. Uh, $640,000 annual program, uh, variety of...of funding sources — road use tax and franchise tax, um, and this program, basically we ... we go through, uh, we'll mill out, uh, three inches of existing asphalt, replace it with three inches of asphalt, um, included with that is base repair, uh, as necessary. Uh, we'll also upgrade curb ramps in these corridors as necessary, um, when we do these projects. Uh, the FY, uh... 14, uh, 15 program, we'll be looking at the Jefferson and Market Street corridors, kind of that far, uh, eastern ends of those ... of those streets. Fosse/ Something to note on this project is that the ... the, uh, allotment for this is larger than in years past and that reflects that healthier road use tax fund that we talked about on ... on Saturday. That's a good thing cause that allows to begin to catch up on some of our deferred maintenance out there. Throgmorton/ If I could pick up on that briefly. I know some time, I don't know, many months ago we talked about, uh, the sad state of repair of some streets on the north side, in the Northside Neighborhood. I ... I'm hoping that some of this repavement work would take place there. Course I know you have to assign priorities throughout the city; I completely understand that, but ... but uh ... some of those streets are in pretty bad shape. I just wanted to draw your attention to that again. Dobyns/ Are those the, uh, next major arterials are the one -ways that are going to be repaired. Are there any other major arterials in the city ... that are coming up? Knoche/ One of the programs ... one of the ... one of the ones that we'll be looking at will be Dodge Street. Uh, that'll be a joint project with the DOT. Dobyns/ Okay. All right. Knoche/ Uh, 53826 is, uh, underground electrical. This is, uh, $175,000 annual project. Funded through the franchise tax. Um, basically used to underground utilities, uh, in project corridors, uh, that we feel they need to be underground, and ... normally it's in regards to a capital improvement project that's being undertaken. 53828 is sidewalk infill. A $100,000 bi- annual program. Next one'll be in FY 15. Uh, using general obligation bonds to fill in gaps in the sidewalk system. Uh, our next project, we'll be looking at filling in the gap between, um, basically, uh... see, Court Hill Park, um, along Court Street, from Kenwood along ... to that, east to that bus stop that's there by Friendship. Um, that project would also look at including a trail through that piece of Court Hill Park, uh, between Friendship and Court Street. 3830 is the alley assessment project, $181,000. Um, the project is funded by assessing it to the adjoining property owners, um, the $181,000 would reconstruct approximately one block of alley pavement and that would also include any storm sewer upgrades necessary. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 16 Payne/ Is that done then at the request of the property owners, or do you pick one? Knoche/ The ... the intent, at least the way we've been ... because of the backlog that we have on projects currently, we ... we've been kind of leaving it up to property owners to bring those, uh, blocks of...of alley to our attention. Um, I think we haven't reached out to those property owners that... the... the block that, um, I think is probably the ... the one that is probably most needed is the block, um, by John's Grocery. Um, that's one that they had approached us in the past, and could not get enough support from all the neighbors in that one. Um, so we ... we may approach that group and see if they're interested in the program. Dobyns/ But otherwise you're going with the squeaky -wheel theory? Knoche/ Exactly! Hayek/ But we've got ... based on FY14, $180,000 in the bank... Knoche/ Right. Hayek/ ...so we could ... do a project at this time, I guess? Knoche/ There a ... it's ... it's not banked, it's... basically it's through the assessment program. So we're ... we're not accumulating funds (both talking) Hayek/ Right, we haven't done it yet (both talking) Knoche/ ...in this fund we wouldn't be accumulating funds. Fosse / And without the ... the support and the desire to get this done by the abutting property owners, the assessment process is very difficult to get through from a legislative perspective. Hayek/ Why because it's politically difficult? Fosse/ It ... there are thresholds, if a certain percentage of the property owners are against the project, it ups the threshold from you all that it takes to pass that, and at some point it takes unanimous votes. A vote. Markus/ (mumbled) ....are they willing to pay for it? Dobyns/ But at some point fire access has to be a concern, I mean, I assume we don't have anything that is that ... bad. And you can't get a fire truck in there. Okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 17 Fosse/ In your residential alleys, the trees are usually a bigger obstacle, uh, than the pavement condition for getting' the big pieces of equipment through there. That's why our garbage pickup is moved out to the streets. Hayek/ So we have a mechanism in place, but now we're just waiting on the private property owners to band together in these given areas. Fosse/ Yes. And make the request. Mims / And when we agreed to move forward with this, we were talking about a ... like a 10 -year assessment period, weren't we, so it wasn't... for them to pay for it. Wasn't it something like that? Fosse/ That's correct. That's what's specified in the ... in the State code. Mims/ State code. Okay. Fosse/ Yep. Knoche/ Um, 53834 is the Burlington, Madison intersection and median project. Uh, $1.5 million, uh, FYI 5, 16. Uh, we have a $1.5 million, uh, in federal and state grants for the project. So we've about fully funded. Um, intersection improvements, including turn lanes and signal upgrades at Burlington and Madison. Um, also includes a landscape median from Madison Street to the Iowa River. Um, includes, uh, will include a, uh, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements in that corridor. Uh, this'll be a project that we will have to work with the University of Iowa on. Uh, there's some property there that, um, we'll have to work with `em to ... to be able to widen the street, uh, in that area along Gibson Park. 53840 is the Burlington/Clinton intersection improvements. Uh, $1.5 million, uh, scheduled in FYI 5, uh, we do have $200,000 in (can't hear) money, uh, for the project. Uh, the rest will be with GO bonds and water operations funds. Um, reconstruct the intersection, uh .... and, the pavement between Court and Burlington, uh, along Clinton Street; uh, we'll add turn lanes, um, and this is being done in conjunction with the School of Music project. Hayek/ As we, uh, develop further, um ... farther south of Burlington, and as the Music School goes up and all these other things occur, you're going to have more pedestrian traffic crossing Burlington, are we still using the model of having pedestrians cross at the grade level, as opposed to subterranean or elevated, uh, crossing? I mean, has ... is the thinking the same there or ... are we... Davidson/ Yeah, the overall ... the overall thinking is that the pedestrian accommodation will remain at grade. But, we are creating some opportunities, uh, for example with the Court Street Transportation Center, the School of Music project, both have opportunities for, uh, overhead passage between our parking facilities and these new University, uh, installations. If a determination is made in the future we ... the thinking with the Art Museum coming downtown, we're trying to incorporate that as well. So, for the time This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 18 being, at grade crossings, trying to enhance that as much as possible, but leaving the opportunity for above -grade crossing where it makes sense in the future. Dobyns/ So I ... I guess what I'm taking from Matt's question is that, uh, we really can't predict the traffic. We have a sense that it's going to change, but it could change quite a bit. Um ... and I'm just wondering is anything we're, uh, budgeting for in this next two years going to be to the detriment of having an above -grade or below -grade passage way in the future? Because we might... Davidson/ That's a complicated... question/answer, Rick, but I think ... the fact that we are leaving opportunities ... you know, the ... the above -grade crossings only make sense where they make sense. Uh, for example, the two pedestrian bridges across, um, Riverside Drive at... at Iowa and Burlington. Those work because they transition nicely from the sidewalk system on either side of the street, and ... and basically if ... if you don't create those logical opportunities, people aren't going to use `em. It's not that difficult to get across at -grade that people are going to go out, go to the trouble to go up, across, and then come back down. So by (clears throat) by leaving the opportunities for those to be incorporated in the future buildings, and ... and when I say we're leaving opportunities and that we've gotten one side of it ready to accommodate that, if...if it makes sense on the other side as well. Dobyns/ So in two or three years, if by some chance we go below or above, we're not going to be putting anything in there in the next year that's going to (both talking) Davidson/ ...inhibit that. No. Throgmorton/ I ... I ... I want to agree with Jeff but ... I ... I encourage us not to leap into the, um, idea that we ought to be building, um, elevated ramps to get people from one side to the other, cause part of what that does is speed traffic along. A ... another thing it does is, uh, detract from the, uh ... uh, the sense of lively, uh, streetscape with a, you know, lots of people walking on the sidewalks and that kind of thing. So it just needs more thought. We shouldn't just leap into the idea that we ought to build these things. Knoche/ Next project is 53843, which is the railroad crossings. This is a $20,000 annual, uh, project, uh, with ... using road use tax funds. Um, basically it's used for the repairs of ...of any railroad crossings, uh, as they come up, as needed. Project 3849, uh, is, uh, the project that we had referred to earlier. Uh, this one is scheduled FY17, $800,000. Um, general obligation bonds. Uh, that dollar amount should be enough to reconstruct approximately two blocks of brick street. Um, and we have not identified the next, um, the next area that we'll be focusing on yet, uh, for that project. Um, 3854 is the American Legion Road, uh, Scott to Taft Avenue. Uh, $6.6 million, uh, currently scheduled FYI 7, 18, so it's kinda in the out years, but uh, general obligation bonds and developer fees will be used to ... to finance the project. Uh, includes the reconstruction of American Legion Road, uh, Muscatine, Scott Boulevard intersection, um, and then upgrading the street from that point out to Taft Avenue. Uh, obviously this is in This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 19 conjunction with the School District's elementary school site, uh, identified on the east side of town. Um.. Payne/ So (mumbled) traffic signal control, that's at Scott and... Muscatine? Knoche/ Right, and what... Payne/ That is not anticipated till like 2017 or later? Knoche/ That is ... that is the way it is identified currently. What we're going to do with this is, uh, do a study to identify whether a signalized intersection or a roundabout or a traffic circle would be a better, uh... Payne/ That's a really bad idea! (laughter) Knoche/ All right! Davidson/ And ultimately the seven of you will determine if it's a bad idea (laughter) Uh, project 3868, Mormon Trek Boulevard right turn at Benton, and three -lane conversion. This is a project that, for those of you who've been on Council for some time have seen dwindle in scope. It used to stretch from Abbey Lane to, uh, Mormon Trek Boulevard. Um, and it was based on ... there you ... there you see the larger corridor. It was based on a, urn ... uh, crash history that we saw showing up in our, uh, crash data of mainly fender - bender type, uh, rear -end collisions because of the necessity for turning traffic to basically clog up the inside lane. There's no turning lanes in this corridor and so you're seeing a preponderance of...of rear -end collisions. Nothing with any significant severity to it, however; so the project, uh, over the course of the last 10 or 15 years, uh, never rose to the ... a high enough priority to be in a funded year, uh, and ... and have, uh, anything implemented, which would have been probably either turn lanes at individual intersections or a center, uh, turn lane throughout the corridor, which would be an enormous project in terms of property acquisition and disruption. So what we've done is we've shrunk the project down. The project that you see herein the funded year is just to deal with the most critical intersection, which is the one you see in the foreground. Uh, and that's to try and make improvements, um, you can see the half million dollars there in, uh, 2016 to make improvements to this intersection and modify the signal system, but just focused on this being the most critical intersection in the corridor, rather than the larger project. Does not eliminate the larger project in the future, but gets the most critical thing done, uh, in a funded year. Dobyns/ The plans are the same that you showed me before, as far as... Davidson/ Yes! (both talking) Yes. Mims/ So, Jeff, this ... this will include a dedicated left -turn lane from ... Mormon Trek (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 20 Davidson/ It will... it will include a protected left turn (both talking) Mims/ Protected left turn, okay. Davidson/ ...how it's set up remains to be seen, but it'll be a protected left (both talking) Mims/ Protected left turn, okay. Thanks! Payne/ So will ... the road be widened there? Davidson/ We believe it can be done without widening the road. Payne/ Okay. Knoche/ Uh, 53871 is the First Avenue /Iowa Interstate Railroad crossing improvements. Uh, $8.3 million project, uh, FY16 ... FYI 4 to 16. Uh, we (both talking) Hayek/ (mumbled) Knoche/ ... in federal funds. Uh, and uh, general obligation bonds for the remainder. Uh, construct a grade separation of the Iowa Interstate Railroad and First Avenue, uh, includes pavement, sidewalks, storm sewer, uh, pump station, and water main upgrades. Uh, the current schedule that we're on will be, uh, utility work done, uh, this summer, in 2014, uh, with the intent that we will bid the project, uh, fall /winter of 14, early 15, and be able to start construction of the road project in, uh, in 2015. Dickens/ Are there going to be many closures on that, while the utility work's being done or is (both talking) Knoche/ There may be some lane closures, but I don't think there'll be a ... a full (several talking) closure of First Avenue. (several talking in background) Mims/ So will the whole grade separation be done in one year? Knoche/ It'll take two construction seasons to be able to do it (both talking) Mims/ ...two construction seasons, so 15 and 16? Knoche/ ...15 and 16. Mims/ Okay. Knoche/ Uh, 53910 is, uh, bridge maintenance program. It's, uh, $50,000 in the annual program. We use road use tax funds to, uh, to finance it. Um, this funds the biannual bridge inspection program and does any minor repairs that are needed as identified in that program. 3921 is the Interstate 80 aesthetics improvements, uh, $275,000 project. Uh, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 21 currently funded FYI 5, 16. Uh, $200,000... the... the intent would be, um, we would spend $30,000 on design, um ... we would apply for road use ... uh, State grants in regards to the actual, uh, construction, uh, $200,000, $100,000 each year, um, would install landscaping on ... in ... at the interchanges and along the I -80 corridor to help mitigate, uh, the visual impacts, uh, due to the six -laning and then also, uh, basically help the travelers identify that they're... they're in Iowa City. Dobyns/ Is the water tower there part of the aesthetics? Knoche/ The ... the water tower is, yes, part of the aesthetics (laughs) No! (laughter) Uh, S3930 is the Dubuque Street /I -80 pedestrian bridge project. Uh, a $2.1 million project. Uh... schedule... scheduled for FYI 5. Um, this one has a ... a lot of grant money available to it. We have at...at last count $935,000 in federal money, and $441,000 in state (coughing, unable to hear speaker) um ... construct a pedestrian bridge across I -80 at the Dubuque Street interchange. Uh, the current plan is that the ... the bridge will be on the west side of the Dubuque Street bridges, um, we'll have an at -grade crossing of...obviously Dubuque Street is the, as it comes up from Foster Road, uh, and then will remain on that west side of the road up to, uh, the Butler Bridge and the water works prairie park area. Uh, S3931 is the Sycamore Street, uh, City limits to south Gilbert Street project. Uh, $5.5 million project, uh, scheduled for FYI 5...14, 15, and then also a second phase in FYI 8, uh, general obligation bonds will be used to finance the project. Uh, phase one will be about $2.5 million. Uh, that will, uh, do the road improvements from the current City limits down to the Sycamore `L' and that would be in the area where the new elementary school will be built. Uh, phase two would be a $3 million project that would do from the `L' over to Sand Road, uh, south Gilbert Street. Payne/ Is that in the City limits? Knoche/ The City lim ... neither of those are currently in the City limit ... well, the (both talking) extends down, yeah. Payne/ (both talking) ...the east -west part is... Knoche/ ...yep, down to this point. Payne/ (both talking) ...yeah, the east -west part isn't in the City limits (both talking) Knoche/ ...this part is not in the City limits. Payne/ That's the part that's funded in 2018? Knoche/ 2018, that's correct. Payne/ So is it anticipated it'll be in the City limits in 2018? Knoche/ There is that potential. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 22 Payne/ (laughs) Okay! Markus/ Yes, it's anticipated (laughter) Hayek/ Is ... is it ... before you move on from school things, is it fair to say based on this budget, the City has, um ... made the budgetary arrangements to provide the public infrastructure support needed to ... to complement the School District's work on the southside elementary school? Knoche/ Yes. Hayek/ You know, in ... in, and ... and in collaboration with their timeline. Knoche/ Yes. Hayek/ And ... and the same on the ... for the east side elementary, which is ... I know it's a farther out year, but... Knoche/ Yep! Hayek/ ...there are expenses there! I just want to be clear that we are doing our part. Knoche/ (both talking) Yes. That is correct. Markus/ Those expenses aren't nearly as, uh, excessive (both talking) Hayek/ Right! Right! This is significant. Dobyns/ Ron, can you show me where McCollister Boulevard will eventually be ... cross Sycamore? Knoche/ This is McCollister Boulevard here, extended to the current, uh, property line. It'll come through, uh, right in this area. Markus/ Won't be buying those houses though. Knoche/ Right. This is ... the Lehman family owns both sides of the, of Sycamore Street. Hayek/ (mumbled) ...there may be capital expenses in connection with the School District's work on existing school sites. Markus/ Yes. Hayek/ We ought to keep an eye on that, obviously. Make ... make adjustments as necessary. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 23 Fosse/ Okay, our next project is a, uh, it's actually a four -year project, uh, $50,000 per year to convert, uh, streetlights from, uh, the ... the ones that they are now to the LEDs, and uh, I've shown two examples and they're both in the block of, uh, right east of City Hall. So you can go out and take a look at those tonight after dark and see the differences. I should point out though — these are not to scale. I've zeroed in a lot more on the top one there, uh... so that you could see the individual LED elements of that. Those are in front of the Co -Op, and the one at the bottom is the conventional streetlight that is, uh, near the intersection with the ... with the credit union. One of the neat things about LEDs, other than they use about 30% less energy than what we're doing now is that, because of all the different light sources there, their failure mode is different. So they don't just go out all at once. They ... they fail ... those units go out individually and they ... and they fail more slowly over time so you don't have that abrupt failure. That same thing is true in our traffic signals as well. That's... that's a good thing for us (noises on mic) Um, these, uh, because of the savings we're looking at about a three to four year payback on those. (both talking) Payne/ ...and that's because the LED lights are more expensive to purchase, but use less energy, so that's the payback. The less energy is the payback. Fosse/ Uh huh. Hayek/ As I understand it, LED lights — there's not just one kind of LED light or not just one kind of one level of quality or... or type of illumination, and... and I say that because we should be careful as we go forward with this, as much as there is an environmental benefit to doing LED lights, there may be an aesthetic impact that we're going to ... that we hear about from people. Markus/ That's why we're doing a pilot project. Hayek/ Okay. Fosse/ Yep! We're ... we're going to test some different heads in different locations and ... and see how they work... Hayek/ Right! Fosse/ ...for us. Markus/ There's also the night sky light issue too out there. Hayek/ Yeah. Markus/ Which this should improve on. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 24 Payne / And that bottom light actually shines out more. We also have cut -off lights. The cut -off style that just go straight down. There's no ... there's nothing outside of straight -down. (several responding) Fosse / Right, and ... and there's... there's something to be said for those, that shine out, and ... and around a little bit. Otherwise you get these, uh, intense bursts of light and darkness, and ...and that ... that's why we're doing the pilot, is to find out what fits best and ... and make sure that we're investing in something that we want to do then, as far as the change. Our next project is, uh, an $830,000 project and is one of our next steps in migrating from the Riverside Public Works' site to the south Gilbert Street Public Works' site. This is our old vehicle wash. It's worn out. It's ... it's shot and in difficult shape, and ... and this is a very important thing for us. Uh, especially when you have a fleet like ours that deals with, uh salt, which you can see in the upper right hand corner there. Uh, just to keep the vehicles operating on a daily basis, but it also ... a good vehicle wash can extend the life of your vehicles and improve your resale value, as well. So that's... that's part of the... one of the projects from migrating off that corner. Knoche/ P3964 is the Rocky Shore lift station flood gate, uh, project. Uh, $6.5 million project, scheduled for FY14, 15; uh, CDBG funded 100 %. Uh, we'll construct, uh, a flood wall, around the pump station; flood gates across Rocky Shore Drive; uh, do some upgrades to the railroad embankment to ... uh, make it less pervious, and install a pump station, uh, at ...where the current outlet of the, uh, pipes are underneath, uh, the Crandic Railroad and Crandic Park. Fosse/ Geoff, do you want to cover this one? Fruin/ Yeah, our downtown streetscape project, uh, just to give you a quick update, uh, on where we're at with that. We've had, uh, oh about nine to ten months of public meetings and study done. We're ... we're coming close to completion. We expect to have the report to you, uh, perhaps at your second meeting in February. It's our ... it's our target right now. Um, so ... we don't have, um, a phasing plan or a ... a cost plan for you at this time. What the budget reflects is, um, some monies in 2014, uh, to do two things, and that, uh, one is to ... uh, begin the engineering design of whatever is deemed to be phase one, and we'll need to have that conversation with you when the plan comes forward. And the second would be some funds to take care of some of the more immediate maintenance items, uh, sidewalk repairs and ... and other kind of quick -start things that we can do ... that don't need the design work and attention that, uh, that the larger streetscape projects'll do. So the million dollars that you see in the out -years is really just a placeholder number and we'll need to, um, revise that and develop a plan with you, beginning in February. Fosse/ Thanks, Geoff. Our next project is ... is relocation of the refuse building, and again, this is part of the migration from the Riverside site down to ... to Gilbert Street. Uh, this is where our... our locker rooms and... and morning meeting place is for our refuse workers, and we also store some of our vehicles here. That'll be moved out and then reconstructed at the ... at the south site, with an expansion of our, uh, Streets Division administration and building and locker room down there. Uh, that will accommodate where they gather This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 25 and get their assignments in the morning. Uh, that's a $700,000 project. Uh, closely linked to that is, uh, right next door and that is moving our, uh, Traffic Engineering space out of the Riverside intersection and down to the south Gilbert and... site, and also, uh, supplying some space inside so that they can begin to stage some of their work indoors instead of...of working out, uh, and ... and being so weather - dependent on the things that they can get done when they're preparing stuff to go out, and... and to be installed in the field. Davidson/ Uh, the Riverside Drive pedestrian tunnel project is one where we are trying to develop some, uh, projects to basically partner with the private sector development that we hope to see happen in ... in the corridor. This is an urban renewal area now and there are several projects that are on the drawing board, uh, and what we, uh, thought would be a good kind of initial project is to pick up the, uh, sidewalk at the intersection with Myrtle, uh, and essentially you can see there in the left hand slide the space that has to be traversed right now in terms of any pedestrian trying to get around the railroad embankment, and this is part of a ... this is kind of phase one of what we hope is a longer - term strategy in the area, and in fact, there's a project that'll come up in a couple of slides from now, but basically begin, uh, the ... the City's public infrastructure improvements in this corridor by putting a, uh, tunnel through the railroad embankment for pedestrians, essentially would connect the sidewalk that, uh, comes down the hill at Myrtle Street, uh, through the embankment and then tie into the sidewalk that terminates on the former Hartwig Motors property, uh, just to the south of the embankment here. Uh, you can see the project is scheduled to use TIF funds. We'll capture some of the taxable value, uh, in the area for these, uh, public infrastructure improvements, but certainly want you to see this as part of a longer -term strategy to in general, um, start improving things, specifically for pedestrians and aesthetically, uh, in this corridor between, uh, Myrtle Street and Highway 6. Knoche/ Uh, project P3976 is the Idyllwild storm water drainage diversion study, uh, this is a $21,000 project, uh, funded through the storm water utility. Uh, we are currently, uh, working on getting a contract signed with HR Green, uh, Company out of Cedar Rapids. Um, basically what we're going to look at is if we have the ability to divert, uh, large storm events from going through the Idyllwild detention basin system and take it directly to the Iowa River. Fosse/ Think it's important to note that what's in the capital program now is the study, and if a good project emerges from that study, we'll be back to you to talk about the ... the capital necessary to implement that. Davidson/ Here's the project that I was speaking of, uh, with the railroad embankment project. Uh, to in general improve the streetscape in the Riverside Drive area. What's budgeted in the, uh, CIP here are some design funds, uh, to design and engineer what we ultimately hope to do. Uh, you know, I've been telling people the easiest way to visualize this, in concept — not in terms of specifics, but in terms of concept is what Coralville's done, uh, with the Highway 6 corridor through Coralville, which, uh, beginning at Rocky Shore Drive and now going all the way out to Coral Ridge Avenue, uh, they've basically taken This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 26 what was a very inhospitable, uh, area and ... and aesthetically unpleasing area and really improved it significantly. We don't have the space that they do, the right -of -way that they do, in this corridor, but I think we can accomplish the same sorts of things in terms of pedestrian safety, uh, better accommodation for pedestrians and bicyclists, um, looking at the aesthetics in terms of lighting and plantings, uh, consolidating driveways into fewer locations and improving traffic safety, as well. So, again, just the ... the design fees in here now, but something we hope to capture the taxable value and use for some public improvements that I think will really enhance this corridor, as the private sector development takes place. Certainly the ... the former Hartwig Motors site is sitting there as a ... a big one that, uh, we hope to coordinate with whoever, uh, redevelops that. Fosse/ Any questions on that last group of projects before we move into Parks and Rec? Dobyns/ The Idyllwild diversion area, um, I'm thinking that ... in terms of raising Foster Road, was the Foster Road embedded in the Gateway project, um, in the budget, um... Knoche/ No. Fosse/ No. Dobyns/ Okay, is ... is that something separate? (mumbled) coming up? Fosse/ Uh huh. Dobyns/ Okay. All right. I'll wait till then. Keep going! Fosse/ Okay! Throgmorton/ Rick, I'd like to return briefly to one of the smaller projects that was mentioned quite a while ago, and that has to do with the sidewalk ramp, uh, work, uh, $50,000 a year, eight to ten ramps, something like that. Uh, over the past several weeks we've gotten, you know, some emails from Harry Olmstead, uh, a person with disabilities, urging us to construct more ramps, uh, than just eight or ten per year. Uh, are there any technical reasons why we could not say double the amount of ramps being reconstructed, uh, in the forthcoming year? Fosse/ Here you go, Dennis. (noises on mic) (laughter) Bockenstedt/ ...technical reasons? Um, you know we try to limit the amount of debt we issue on an annual basis. So if we wanted to increase the amount of funding that we're allotting for that, we just want to look at the program and see how much more... additional funds would be available. Um, as far as the technical ability to complete, uh, and design capital projects, um, that would be up to Engineering to determine, you know, what their capacity is. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 27 Throgmorton/ Yeah, I understand that, but we're talk ... you know, I think what I was talking about was something like doubling the anticipated $50,000 a year, which in ... which would be additional $50,000 in relation to the total capital expenditures, uh, planned for the forthcoming year. Bockenstedt/ Yeah, I mean I don't consider that as significant amount to the overall capital improvement program, so and that would be up to the will of the Council to determine. Fosse/ Other questions? Markus/ But getting back to the technical question that Jim initially asked. Fosse/ Okay. Markus/ Is there a construction reason or a design reason not to do it? Knoche/ No, I ... we would ... we would be able to ... to accommodate the design for that additional number of intersections or (both talking) Throgmorton/ Okay, yeah, great. Thanks! Markus/ ...bidding that out? Knoche/ Yes. Markus/ So it shouldn't be a big issue. Knoche/ Yeah, yep! Payne/ But if you did twice as many, it would cost twice as much, theoretically. Markus/ But I think it's ... it's, you know, the question about finance is a matter of scale, and I agree with Dennis — it's not a significant, uh, enough scale difference to ... to really make much of an impact. Knoche/ And one thing, we need to keep in mind that the curb ramp replacement is done with more than just the curb ramp replacement program. I mean, we do it with the ... with our overlay program. Any capital project that we're doing that has street improvements going on, we're replacing the ramps in those corridors. Um, our Streets department is replacing ramps as they come apparent to us through the sidewalk inspection program. So we're ... we're doing more than just, you know, eight to ten intersections a year of curb ramp replacement. Markus/ So why are we only doing ten? Is it a financial issue? Or has it been? Knoche/ I ... I think it ... this is the dollar amount that we've (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 28 Markus/ (both talking) For how long? Knoche/ Um, this is ... we've been going every other year, I think the last three or four budgets. Fosse/ Yeah. During the 90s when the ADA first came out, we went after this hard. Uh, we were spending about $100,000 a year, throughout the 90s. Uh, but one of the unfortunate things of that ... that fast early investment was is the ... the ADA regs have evolved in a way that have made all that work in the 90s obsolete. So any time we come across one of those installations from the 90 that abuts a new project, we're required by ... by law to replace it with the new kind, that meets the regs today. So that's ... for what that's worth, that's our history. Mims/ Do we have ... do we have any idea how many are left to do and get up to these standards with these new regs? Knoche/ We ... we have ... we do have an inventory. I ... we can provide you with that information. I ... I don't have it (both talking) Mims/ Okay, thanks! Hayek/ Let me also ask, in terms of just general, uh, our ... our asphalt overlay and reconstruction budgeting, is it your sense anecdotally or otherwise that ... that we're keeping up with our aging streets, uh, you know, relative to where we were five, ten years ago? Fosse/ We have not been. Not ... not on our street maintenance. Hayek/ So it's ... it's getting slowly worse, and ... and I say that, I mean, you look up at Cedar Rapids which ... which got way behind and they have a much larger geographical footprint, but ... I mean, now they're going with the sales tax to ... to try to claw back. Fosse / And ... and the real hazard to falling behind on your pavement maintenance is the ... the techniques to bring it back up to a good condition again become more expensive the further gone it is. Uh, that is it...at some point your street will reach a level of disrepair, at which can't be remedied by a asphalt overlay, for instance. And then you need to look at full -depth reconstruction. So that deferred maintenance can have a ... a very large price tag in the long -term. Hayek/ I would ... I've been on Council six years and I ... I hear about this more than I used to from people. Markus/ I think that's one of the things we talked about in terms of...Dr. Rick's omnibus, uh, definition of what I proposed for the LOST was one of the items was road repair. Hayek/ Thanks! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 29 Dobyns/ Nice Christmas ornament! (laughter) Fosse/ Anything else before we move into Parks? Thank you! Jeff, do you want to hang around? I think there's a sprinkling of Riverfront Crossings projects in here. Hayek/ Thanks, Ron! Parks & Recreation Moran/ Any more references to Enron before we get started? (laughter) Hayek/ You kinda look like the guy who did time actually! Payne/ That's funny because I just watched (both talking) Dobyns/ You're more the Watergate era, Mike! (laughter) Moran/ Yeah, that's true, thanks! (several talking) Payne/ ...watched the Enron movie. Have you ever watched it? I mean, it's (laughs) just like last week! Moran/ Our first project, uh, Parks annual improvements and maintenance. You've seen that, uh, it took a substantial down, uh, sizing in funding, and in order to meet your strategic plan and to get into neighborhood stabilizations, uh, you'll see later on in the CIP is we're got some other projects that'll spec ... uh, specify neighborhoods. Uh, this went down to $80,000. It will primarily just take care of maintenance, uh, on -going continued maintenance in all our parks and everything. So, we won't do any park development or any of that kind of stuff out of this like we used to in the past. So we've sort of refunctioned some of that, if you will. Next one is Frauenholz- Miller. Uh, Frauenholz- Miller has been, uh, pushed back to 2018. We did the design on this about two years ago, um, and the neighborhood was ready to go and then they couldn't decide on what they wanted. And we had a neighborhood feud, and so I think Council pushed it back and it just keeps sittin' back there at 17 or 18. The design for the park has been done. We've done some initial tree planting and some initial things there, uh, but (both talking) Dickens/ Did get a trash can too. You got me a trash can out there. Moran/ Yeah, well you asked for it so we got it so ... (laughter) So we have done some minor stuff there, uh, but it is designed and it's ready to go, uh, if we need to go back into the neighborhood and see where they're at with that. Uh, soccer park improvements, uh, basically that's a 2017 project and we want to do some trailhead work and do some picnic shelter development and turn that now into more of a park -like setting instead of a soccer park setting like it has been, uh, for the last 10 years. So we just want to add some additional amenities to it that we haven't had the opportunity to do. We've added two playgrounds down there with the help of Kickers who've donated to that, and player This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 30 benches and some other related things, but now we want to make it more of a ... a park, if you will, uh, instead of a soccer, and make it more of a long -term destination so people stay if they've got a lot ... three or four soccer games down there, they don't really have any place to hang out or to get away from the sun. So... Mims/ How does ... oops (noise on mic) how does this fit in ... seems like we've heard before that potentally expansion of the South Waste Water Plant could end up moving this. So how does ... I mean, I'm not against improving the park, but at the same time, don't want to see us put a ton of money in there and then four or five years later... (both talking) Moran/ I think that's why it's back in 17, uh, because we haven't made that determination with timeframes yet... Mims/ Okay. Moran/ ... and we haven't explored some alternative moving locations for that, as well. Mims/ Okay. Moran/ So that's why you don't see it now, 15 and 16, cause I think I'm ... I'm in agreement, and I think Rick's in agreement, as well. We just need to figue out what we're going to do. Mims/ Okay. Thank you. Fosse/ By ... by 2017 we should know where the State's going with their nitrogen and phosphorous regulations for municipal waste water, and we'll have better focus for the near term at that point. Mims/ Okay! Thank you. Moran/ Iowa River Corridor Trail Peninsula Park/Water Works Park, uh, this is a REAP grant so it is really no CIP funding. It's just a ... a project that falls in the CIP category. We received $200,000 from the Resource Enhancement and Protection folks to, uh, do that, and this'll be a continuation, uh, from the Iowa River, uh, right there by the Iowa Light and Power, uh, we'll get ... bring the trail ... the trail goes into the dog park, but now we've had new development up into the Peninsula area and we want to enhance that trail going up into the Peninsula area from what is existing already from the dam and the trail there. Uh, we initially wanted to take this project and go this way and connect it into Water Works Park, but the cliffs that are up in here, uh, make that almost impossible to attach a trail to, or go up and over to, so we decided to go the other way and come up this way so that we can establish the trail connection into the Peninsula neighborhood. Dobyns/ So, Mike, back one ... um ... I'm sorry, right there. Where's... where's the trail, that was going to go along the cliffs? Can you show (both talking) Moran/ Uh, it was going to just follow the ... the river and just come up into here (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 31 Dobyns/ Oh no, but where's it going to go now? You're rerouting it. Moran/ Oh! Down this way towards the dog park and connect into this. Here's the trail system right here. Dobyns/ Yeah. Moran/ And then this is the road that comes down from the Peninsula into the dog park area. Dobyns/ Yeah, you're gonna go behind the houses. Moran/ And all this will go ... that's all new developed area that we have to establish trail into. Dobyns/ So when the ... you want to take a bike from the bridge to the Water Works Park, you're going to have to eventually get on to (both talking) Moran/ You're going to have to go out to Foster and then go down Foster and catch that bridge underneath Interstate 80... or the tunnel underneath Interstate 80. Dobyns/ And is there a ... I don't think there is ... you'd have to go on a bike lane on the road cause I don't think (both talking) Moran/ ...there's no trail access there, right. Dobyns/ (both talking) Okay. So that's just always going to be, uh, an area where we're just not going to have a, um, separate bike trail. Moran/ Correct, unless we ...we find a way to get up through here and get across those cliffs, but that's gonna be a ... a quite extensive project to do that if we want to. Throgmorton/ That ... that's an interesting, uh, issue, because we've gotten some complaints from Peninsula residents about increasing traffic out in the Peninsula, partly related to the dog park, but partly related just to the ... to the development of the area, uh, and yet the streets are designed to, um. ... for low speed traffic. So there's not necessarily anything bad about mixing bike traffic with automo ... automotive traffic through that area. So I ... I'm just kind of raising it as a ... a topic that we don't need to probe a lot here right now, but uh, it's an interesting challenge, I think, to kind of work that out well. Dobyns/ I ... I think the reason I'm bringing it up is that, you know, Mike, this is the first time I've heard ... we've talked about looking at it, looking at it. This is the first time you're suggesting we're possibly abandoning the opportunity to have a bike trail along what would be a beautifully aesthetically pleasing bike trail area along the cliffs. I mean, that would be gorgeous, and it's ... but I understand, but I just want to make sure this is the first time since I've been on Council that we're pretty much abandoning it. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 32 Moran/ Well the ... the other alternative is we wouldn't have to abandone it. We could take it from here and run up $200,000 worth, which would approximately be about a half -mile of trail... Dobyns/ Uh huh. Moran/ And then dead -end it or ... or circle drive it, if you will, and then bring it back, but then that means you'd see another project next year on the CIP that'll probably... substantially a million dollars or so in order to complete it from here, up to Interstate 80. Dobyns/ Yeah. Yeah ... you can't change geography! Moran/ This project you've seen a couple years ago. Uh, we had it designed last year to include asphalt and concrete, no curbs, uh, or gutters or anything with it, and we took it to the neighborhood that would extend from City Park Road into Normandy Drive area, and the neighborhoods are adamant ... the neighborhood is adamantly opposed to it in a permanent setting of concrete and asphalt. Uh, we wanted to bring it back to you. We've sort of taken a look at it and redesigned it as an emergency access road. We believe we can do it in a non - concrete or a non - asphalt way, but staff truly believes that we do need the access into this park for two reasons. One for safety and security, which we've always talked about, and the second one is, if we lose access off of Park Road during the construction season in 2016 and /or 2017, depending on... on how that goes, which we don't know what's going to happen with that yet. So I wanted to bring it back to you. Again, we kept the funding in it. It would be the same proposal to come in here, but it would not be an asphalt or concrete. It would still not have curb and gutters to it. It would be in some sort of permeable pavement or gravel, something that we can ... that Fire Department could access and that we can access. It would have to be opened on a full -time basis during non - routes of access on Park Road during construction, but we could fence it off or bollard it off or anything, uh, when that exit... or when that entrance is open, so that it would truly be an emergency access that we could open that gate up or we could open that up during tornados, during ambulance access, Fire Department access, etc. So we could change the scope of what we were going to do with that, and then we'll need to take it back to the neighborhood just to let them know that. But I don't really feel... staff doesn't feel we need to abandon that project. We really think that we need to put a secondary access road in there. Dobyns/ There still will be parking there though, for people wo want to park off the Parkview neighborhood... Moran/ That's correct. Dobyns/ ...and use the west end. Moran/ Yes. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 33 Dobyns/ But if there was a large ... let's say in the future we came up with some very large festival that we wanted to have in lower City Park, um ... and we would actually open that up to routine traffic for a very temporary period of time? Moran/ I would think with all the walks that we have there too, in the morning ... on a Saturday morning it would be feasible to open that up for three or four hours and then lock it back up after that was done too, just to improve traffic circulation through there, and it would be for intentional events that happened, and not just open from 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. Hayek/ Thanks! Good point, Rick, that you make. Mims/ Yeah, very good. Dobyns/ Uh huh. Moran/ But ... you will hear from the neighborhood on this, uh, I'll guarantee you that because they just... they... they don't want any more access into their area. Well, with the opening of the Ashton House next month, I think they're going to get a lot more traffic any ... anyway, and I think they'll probably get more used to it than what they think they are, because that's going to draw quite a bit of traffic into the area, as well. Dobyns/ You know, I ... I think that's a very reasonable compromise, Mike. With the neighborhood and City needs. So I think it's a good idea to have that ... so... Moran/ I'll tell `em you said so when I meet with `em! Throgmorton/ Well I ... my reading of all the literature, or emails and whatever we've gotten from neighborhood people has been what they primarily oppose is permanent, full -time access on a ... on a road that just goes right past their houses and whatever. Moran/ Correct, yeah. Throgmorton/ And that's not what you're proposing. Moran/ That's correct. Throgmorton/ Yeah, so ... I, yeah, I think it's a reasonable... Markus/ But I think he hears something very different when he goes out to meet with `em. It's much more strident. Moran/ They'll... they'll be here regardless. I don't think they want any type of road at all, period. Throgmorton/ Got it! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 34 Hayek/ Yeah, but you have ... you balance the ... the parochial interest with the public need and (mumbled) that's why we're looking at why we're looking at. Moran/ Um, this ... this project, neighborhood park improvements, uh, is one that I just talked about in regards to neighborhood stabilization is where we're gonna, uh, go out and... and pick certain parks in the area that we need to develop, for exact ... for example, Hickory Trail has a new plot of land that we need to put a ... a park into, and we'll go into certain areas. The 2008 Master Plan that we're updating, uh, shows a ... a huge need on the west side of Iowa City, and we've got to get into those small areas and start developing those. So instead of taking our ... our parkland, um, money at the very beginning of this that we had, we'll have some actual money where we can just earmark and start going into these projects and developing small parks. Uh, they might not be to the same scale as North Market Square —they might! It just depends on the size and the type of the community, and the type of facility that we're going to be able to ... to get with the money in there. Uh, we will also use neighborhood open space monies and combine that with that. Uh, we've got a... a great need at Mercer Park to turn that into more of a regionalized park with all the activity there. So we're gonna ... we've got, uh, about $70,000 in neighborhood open space money that we're going to combine to put in a playground, and you'll see that in the next couple slides, as well, so ... we're going to be more intentional in getting into neighborhoods, specific neighborhoods, as part of your strategic plan. Dobyns/ Mike, I ... I notice sometimes that we kind of bounce with ... we kind of look at a school playground area as some kind of park space, um, and then I've noticed over the, uh, at Weber ... at Weber School, there's that, uh, private park out there that you recall asked us for some money that we revoked, um, and there are some neighborhood parks out there, but I'm taking ... I'm thinking of Camp Cardinal Road, um, albeit that's a shared area between us and Coralville, and the new school, Borlaug, is out there as well. Are there any plans for a neighborhood park out there? Moran/ Currently we don't have any land out there. Uh, we have neighborhood open space monies, uh, right below West High. Uh, there's a trail connector that comes underneath West High, and uh, one of the unfunded list projects is we'd like to go underneath 218 to get to Hunter's Run and make that connection on the west side, but again, that's a very expensive project and it hasn't ranked real high with the Commission yet to get that in front of you all. Dobyns/ But still that doesn't really serve the new developments along Camp Cardinal, so... Moran/ That's, yeah, it's ... it's down south, so ... so currently we just don't have any land mass up there to look not to explore. Dobyns/ We just need more ... more development and then (both talking) Moran/ Exactly, and then in the neighborhood open space plans, they'll either give us land or fees in lieu of. And then that's when we can start negotiating with them to get (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 35 Dobyns/ So it hasn't hit that critical mass yet out at Camp Cardinal. Moran/ Correct. Dobyns/ Okay. Markus/ And the school property is open to the public, even though it's fenced. Moran/ That's right, yeah. Dobyns/ (mumbled) ...until then. Hayek/ So you've got a hundred thousand marked for this item in the FYI budget. Moran/ Right. Hayek/ And we spent quarter million at Northside Market alone? Moran/ Right. Hayek/ Wonder if that's enough? (mumbled) Mims/ Mike, how does the new developments, when they set aside land, um, I mean is this money that we would be using to try and design and develop those parks in those new developments, as well? Moran/ Right. It goes into districts, and the district is determined by deficit of parkland, and so the formula's worked out by the developer, and then they give us an option of either saying you can have this piece of land and/or you get fees in lieu of, and then staff reviews it. We take it to the Parks and Recreation Commission, and we usually say, well, we don't need the land; well take the money or vice versa. For a while, maybe 10 years ago prior to my administration, uh, we took a lot of the money because we didn't want any more of the land because we didn't have staff to maintain the land, so now we're looking differently at that (both talking) Mims / Right! Moran/ ... saying maybe we better take the land and now spend some of the money that we have in the neighborhood open space. Mims/ So we do have some money in that neighborhood open space fund then to develop some of these? I'm thinking in particular like on north Dubuque Road where Jessie Allen's developing. I think there is land set aside that you've agreed ... that you're taking land there. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 36 Moran/ That's correct, and there is a little bit of money that we had to spend -up and we've already made some purchases for that land that hasn't even been developed yet, in that particular area. Mims/ Oh, in that one? Okay. Moran/ It's based on each particular district... Mims / Right. Moran/ ...there's about 10 different dis ... districts in the city. Mims/ Right. I'm just wondering, you know, as we go forward and we have more of these developments and we do take land, kind of piggybacking on what Matt is saying, you know, do we have enough money to actually develop these into parks. Moran/ Yeah. Probably not. But the land is the key to that... Mims/ Right. Moran/ ...cause at least get the land first helps us get over that initial, uh, cost hump. Mims/ Okay. Fruin/ If I could jump in real quick, um, and I just want to make sure that, uh, Council doesn't interpret, um, our neighborhood park investments solely by looking at this one item. We do only have $100,000 for this line item in 2017, but some of the slides that you're gonna see are going to show investments in Willow Creek and Mercer and a few other parks, and what we're trying to do is, uh, with ... with at least one park per year, get in there and make some really substantial, uh, improvements. And the other thing that we ... we probably need to work on, uh, between this year and next year is reflecting what those open space fund ... fund investments are, because you're not seeing those in this document. You're not seeing how those funds, uh, tie into CIP, and um, there are some open fund dollars that will improve neighborhood parks. So, you're not necessarily seeing the complete picture with this slide or even this plan, but ... I think it's safe to say we've got a good schedule for (both talking) Moran/ Yeah, we've got a few more to go that you'll see. Fruin/ Yeah. Hayek/ Okay, that's a good point. Thank you. Davidson/ Uh, the creation of a park at the North Waste Water Treatment Plant site will of course be a significant addition to the, uh, park inventory, uh, for the Parks and Rec Department. But, you know, even more significantly is it, uh, are the, uh, the increase in This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 37 taxable value that this project is going to enable. We estimate probably between a hundred and two hundred million in new taxable value that can be created by basically, uh, creating a number of development parcels that right now overlook sewage treatment plant site that in the future will overlook, hopefully, a nice, uh, urban park, the concept of which, um, you see here. The ... the money that you see budgeted in FY, uh, 17 is to begin the, uh, the implementation of the ... of the park. Uh, what happens in between now and then, and it's a little bit misleading to see all the ... the white space there, but basically the $8.5 million that we just got from the flood mitigation grant program, uh, and the funds that you have already budgeted in the current year for design, will enable us to basically get a... a park designed, get the old waste water treatment plant out of there, mitigate the site. I believe it's to 2 -feet subterranean, uh, and then begin creating the well -in features and the Ralston Creek improvement features. Uh, we've got money already budgeted for that. So this is, uh, in addition to that. Um ... and will enable us to move forward and... and... and chances are that will be in a phased fashion, uh, similar to what we did with the Trueblood Rec Area, where parks typically lend themselves to that phased implementation, and we'll do it as quickly as we can, but we'll also want to do that, coordinated with the development that occurs in the area. Obviously with, for example, the project on the Mums site across the river, developers are already counting on the fact that eventually, uh, this area's going to be transformed into the urban park. Moran/ Mercer Park playground is, uh, an addition of trying to bring that up to a regional park status. We put a new play ... uh, a new shelter there this year and now we'll ... we'll sink this money and we do have some additional neighborhood open space money in there. Uh, some of the projects Jeff was talking about that you'll see, uh, to increase the ... the usage and to, uh, there's a lot of people that come into that facility for both the swimming pool and the baseball and softball diamonds, and so we're just trying to make sure that... once they're there they stay and they have some stuff to do, so it's more of a regional park approach. Davidson/ (mumbled) Uh, the Iowa River Trail, uh, Benton Street to Sturgis Park is a project that's been in the CIP. It's part of our, uh, River Corridor Trail system. Uh, you've heard about it most recently with the proposed redevelopment of the Mums site, which is on a ... we hope a short hiatus, uh, right now in terms of the developer just reconsidering a couple of things, but the project that you see here would extend the River Corridor Trail from its point of termination right now, just north of the Benton Street Bridge, underneath the bridge, uh, along the, uh, Iowa River on the west side. Uh, we have ... well, with the Mums project, we would have all the property we need to get it all the way down to the Highway 6 bridge. We will then be able to go under the bridge, and then the City controls all of the property, uh, down, uh, through Sturgis Park. Uh, there's a small area in the vicinity of commercial court which'll have to be worked out in terms of us acquiring property for the eventual extension to the south, but then the ... the hope is to extend along the top of the west side levee, uh, down to where it'll , uh, intersect with the sidewalk on the McCollister Bridge. So be very, very nice, uh, addition to our regional trail system and get everybody down to the Trueblood Rec Area. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 38 Moran/ Inter -city bike trails is an ongoing commitment to repair and maintenance of any and all bike trails. We also purchase bike racks out of this account. It's a $50,000 a year, uh, occurrence. It happens every year. Uh, we carry that money over if we have more, uh, costs or if we have less costs, we just keep ... keep that in the same fund. So, it just basically repairs all our bike trails around, crack repair, and then any equipment needs that we have. Uh, two years ago we had a study done for the redevelopment of Hickory Hill trails. Uh, the Friends of Hickory Hill Park have been strong supporters of that, and we decided to phase it in cause it was about a $750,000 to $1 million project. Um, I would not be surprised if the Friends of Hickory Hill Park come to you and say, we'd like to peel a little bit of that money away this year and start the study of that. It would be about $50,000 to hire somebody to go in and ... and look at redoing the bridges and redoing some of the trail alignment for that. And then we can get into some of the construction, but right now it's shown as a three -year cycle, or a three -year phase, if you will, and that'll get in and ... and redo all the bridges and redesign all the trails, uh, in Hickory Hill Park. It's supported by the Friends of Hickory Hill Park, and one of the things that I certainly plan on asking them for is some fundraising help, as well, with that, so they have a little bit of a commitment and tie -in to ... to this project. Uh, but I know that they're anxious to get started on it, and they were disappointed to see it in 16, and they said, well, maybe we can just get some money in 15 and start the design work. You know how that goes! So ... uh, this project has been bid out. In fact, uh, you will vote at it at your meeting tomorrow night. Uh, the first half of this is ... was the design and the construction, and then $50,000 of this we will take and we will do an RFP for redesign of City Park, mostly lower City Park, as part of that involvement of trying to ... to bring a new, uh, breath of fresh air into the parks, uh, we're going to get that redesigned and looked at, as well. What this project is that you'll approve is, uh, because of the ADA and our wading pool was not compatible with ADA regulations, we had to redo, um, this area down in here, and bring that up to ADA standards, and then you'll notice that we've bumped all the fence lines out, uh, so that folks can enjoy more grass areas instead of concrete areas at the pool, and then we have these little cabana areas in here that we'll utilize for rentals, so we can bring in birthday parties and rent `em out to families that want to come in and do parties in the pool and stuff like that, and ... and turn some revenue generation, uh, out of it. Most of this will all stay the same. The pool tank will all stay the same. It's mostly redesign of this area right in here. Another, uh, Willow Creek/Kiwanis Park on the west side is ... was identified in our Master Plan. Uh, the RFP for that'll go out ... maybe the end of this week, next week for sure. Uh, what we'll do is we'll take a look at a redesign of that, mostly uh, the trail section along the creek is ... is pretty destroyed, and has been for a long time, so we want to redo that, and we'll want to concentrate on, uh, on bank stabilization, and then look and see what else we can do to rejuvenate those two pieces of...of parks. Uh, the study will be done this spring, and then construction could conceivably start then this summer. So that ... or maybe towards the end of the summer, so that we could get that ... that park rejuvenated on the west side. Dobyns/ Where would the splash pad go? North or south of the current play (both talking) Moran/ That depends on the neighborhood. We haven't had any neighborhood parks we've identified a splash pad, but maybe they don't want a splash pad. We've said that they've This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 39 become very popular on the southeast side of town, and so we are making the assumption that they'll want to do that as well, but we haven't had any neighborhood meetings for that ... yet. So where do you want your splash pad at? Dobyns/ We don't bathe on the west side of town (laughter) Moran/ Oh, okay! (laughs) Good to know! We'll save some money then! (laughter) Uh, the Recreation Center has gone, uh, the phase one improvements, uh, improved the east side entrance so that the kids wouldn't just run out of the building into the parking lot. They sort of have to get turned down a little bit, and so people can pick `em up a little bit more safer than what it was, and we did some aesthetic, uh, painting and catch -up with that. Phase two would involve the gym, where you see in here. The acoustical panels in here need to be replaced, and paint and freshen it up. There's what's been known as the `gymnastics' room next to the gym for a long time, and we need to get into there and... and make some more, uh, nicer facilities. I told you in the budget meeting that the game room at the ... at the Center will be changed a little bit, so that the fitness equipment comes out so people understand that it's a fitness facility, as well, and that'll... that'll serve a little bit of remodeling, as well. We had a little bit of money left over with phase one and we'll start the game room process yet this year, and then phase two we'll complete that, and then move into the gym to do those improvements, as well. And we do have some ADA, uh, improvements that we have to do, as well. Hayek/ When ... when you say, uh, locker rooms, are you referring to the ones that also serve the swimming pool? Moran/ That's correct. Hayek/ Okay. Moran/ We have two buildings; the Recreation Center will turn 50 years old in October, and the Mercer Park Aquatic Center's over 25 years old. So with age comes maintenance, and we have not ever had a maintenance fund for these buildings, and this would be the first time that we would do that. It would be a $50,000 fund to just replace things like door- knobs for ADA that have been obsolete since we replaced `em back in the 90s, and just to catch up with the maintenance, uh, events that we have. Most of the money initially will be spent in the Recreation Center next door, uh, but on an ongoing basis when we know it's there then we can plan projects so that we don't get behind on ... on maintaining those facilities. Uh, this fund would be the ... in cooperation with the ... the new school down on south Sycamore that we talked about. Uh, Grant Wood, the picture of Grant Wood here, we were able to add some CDBG money when they redid the gymnasium, and what they did is ... is we made it a little bit bigger so that we could program it after hours. The School District gets it during the day, and then we get it at the night and on weekends, and then during the summer. We'd like to continue that role with the new school, so we put some money in here and tell them that if you're going to construct a gym, similar to what they've done in Coralville, similar to what we've done, similar to what they've done in North Liberty, we'd like to get in, give `em some money, make a bigger gym, and then This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 40 start programming that after school and then during the summer and on weekends. It's worked well at Grant Wood for us and we'd like to continue that on. Fosse/ Any questions for Mike before we move on? How's everybody doing? We're going on two hours now and we have probably 30 to 45 minutes ahead of us to finish out the presentation. Throgmorton/ Some of us are going to take a break, but just for a minute or two. I ... I need to (both talking) Hayek/ Let's take a break! Fosse/ Thank you! (BREAK) Hayek/ Uh, we'll take it back up! (both talking) Thank you! Fosse/ ...thank you. Well we'll, uh, lead off in our Public Safety section with Fire Chief John Grier! Public Safety: Grier/ Thanks! Uh, Y4406 is Fire apparatus, in FY16 we have $60,000 in the budget for replacement of the kids' fire safety house, and then in FYI 7, $810,000 for replacement of a 2001 engine. Fosse/ I'll point out that the fire trucks are only rolling stock in the city that we finance through the capital program. Everything else goes through the ... the equipment replacement fund, and that's because of the ... the size of the purchase for those. Our next project in Public Safety is the Animal Shelter, and this ... this is one of our flood recovery and mitigation projects. Uh, this project, the design is going well. It'll go out for bid this spring (noises in background) construction this summer, and wrap up for, uh, occupation in the, uh, spring of 2015. Should be ready to open! And that's the end of our Public Safety section. Any questions? Mims/ Yes! Fosse/ Okay. Mims/ On the Animal Shelter, what was the commitment from the Friends of the Animal Shelter in terms of the money they were going to raise? Fosse/ You recall, Jeff? (several talking) There was ... there was a cap on that. (several talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 41 Mims/ Well that's ... I'm just kind of wondering when I look at these donations, I'm assuming that's what that money is? Or is that ... and I'm just wondering if that's adding up to what the commitment was. (several talking) Markus/ I'll have to (mumbled) Mims/ Yeah. I'd ... I'd be interested to know how much they've raised and ... what the status is of that. Thanks. Bockenstedt/ Yeah, those represent the donations in ... in that project budget you're looking at. From the Friends of the Foundation. Mims/ Those donations you're saying are from them? Bockenstedt/ Yes. Mims/ Yeah, okay! Thank you. Fosse/ Correct me if I'm wrong, but if...if the Foundation exceeds a certain threshold with their, uh, donations, it diminish ... it begins to diminish the County's contribution. Is that right? Markus/ That's correct. That was the way the agreement was written. Mims/ The County or it was prorated? Markus/ Prorated. Mims/ Prorated. (both talking) Everybody gets helped out. Fosse/ Oh, okay. Okay. Markus/ (away from mic) ...the donation was built on the... contribution from the (unable to hear) agency was (unable to hear) after the contribution. Mims / Right. Markus/ (unable to hear) Mims/ Okay. Thank you. Fosse/ Any other questions before we move into economic development? Okay. Here we go! Economic Development: Davidson/ The first economic development project is Riverfront Crossings. Oh, I see, am I supposed to advance it? (laughter and several talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 42 Fosse/ Oops! Other one. Davidson/ There we go. Sorry about that! Um, Riverfront Crossings, and actually the next two slides are..are priority areas that you have identified as the City Council, uh, in terms of economic development. The first one is Riverfront Crossings. Uh, there's $200,000 a year budgeted ... I believe that's the case. Yes, $200,000 a year budgeted and this is used for, uh, various things. Obviously we're at the stage right now where it's been a lot of consultant assistance, whether that be for a design studies or appraisals or, uh, the National Development, uh, Council contract and that sort of thing. Um, Towncrest, which is a little bit further along, and I guess we can just go to the next slide, uh, the office building project that you saw here, the ... the catalyst funds were part of the mix of, uh, financing assistance that the City provided on the project, but it's basically for us just to have some, uh, catalyst funds to use for, uh, encouraging projects to, uh, occur in the area. Any questions about either of those? Uh, the Burlington Street dam project then, uh, is uh ... a project that's in, uh ... uh, excuse me, let me find it here. (mumbled) Yeah, it's in the design work right now, and you can see the funding that is budgeted, beginning in 2016 for implementation. Uh, the design study is .... seems like the further along we go is uncovering things that will ultimately change the design of the project. One of the things, the...the focus on dam safety remains. Uh, the University has taken a position, uh, during the study that they do not wish to see the dam actually removed, so we are focusing on improvements that would occur on the downstream side of the dam, to basically fill it in, uh, which would allow the University, uh, utility tunnels to be maintained within the dam, and then the other of course exciting part of this project is the white water course project, which has been moved from this area because of access issues. Actually, being able to access the park and then, uh, one of the things the consultant has told us, that 90% of the people who "use" the, uh, white water course are people that are there to watch people use it, and so we want to make sure we have good accessibility for that, as well. So it's led us to a determination to move it down river, uh, which then, uh, in a very fortunate coincidence allows us to consolidate it with the, uh, park, uh, the Riverfront Crossings Park as well. So that's all underway in design right now. Uh, what you see here then in the latter years is the implementation funds. We very deliberately when we established the urban renewal areas on either side of the river, uh, did include the river, uh, as part of the urban renewal areas, so we would have the opportunity to use TIF funds, as well, for public projects, uh, that would help implement that. Dobyns/ Jeff, I had a question. When the University... (noises on mic) when the University contemplated wanting to maintain the dam as a dam, was that in the context of those discussions did they also understand that the dam also dams water and perhaps enhances flood potential up -river from it, which is also University property? Davidson/ I'm not under the impression, Rick, that that was their motivation in asking that the dam not be removed. It was move the utility tunnels. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 43 Dobyns/ Utilities, yeah, but they made that decision understanding that, you know, they may increase flood potential for their own property up- river, but they decided that the, uh, utility preservation was paramount. Davidson/ Yeah, as I said, I think the utility preservation was the principle... principle reason. That would have just been ... a substantial amount of money for them to replace those utility tunnels. Dobyns/ Right. And they just accept the risk of the flood as is. Davidson/ Right, and of course they have strategies up -river for their facilities where they, I think, feel like they're (both talking) Dobyns/ ...to mitigate for that. Davidson/ ...mitigate the flood risk, right. Dobyns/ Okay. Thank you. Fosse/ Any other questions for Jeff before we move into the miscellaneous section? Hayek/ Thanks, Jeff! Miscellaneous: Fosse/ Oh, Mike and Doug, you guys want to come up while we tag -team the next section? Our next section is, uh, miscellaneous /other projects, and I think we lead off with one of Mike's here. City Hall other projects. Moran/ One of the ... the changes for City Hall other projects is, uh, we lost, uh, one of our building... our senior maintenance workers, and as a replacement for that we hired a facility manager. We were sort of intentional about that, so that we could combine things that were going on within, uh, the City structures. Uh, currently that position takes care of the Recreation Center, Mercer Park, City Park, and this — known as government buildings. Uh, we're now trying to get a... an establishment of software that we can purchase so that he can oversee all the buildings that are around, all the Public Work buildings, Fire Department buildings, and he can start bringing things in under one roof, like all... all the maintenance agreements so that we don't do replication or duplication of all that. So what we're trying to do with that, uh, under City Hall projects is besides the ...the general, uh, maintenance that we do for painting, carpet repair, and stuff like that, we want to start buying software packages so that we can access all the ... all the conditions of the City, if you will, for buildings, so that we can have a better handle as to, uh, cost saving, uh, techniques on that, as well. I think that's ... oh, the remodel City Hall, that's an ongoing ... you can see the areas, uh, that, uh, we're working on. We'll be going out to bid for those, uh, after we do the design phase for that. Uh ... this is the front entrance area. And then up to Customer Service, and then the area that we're in right This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 44 now. Some of those have been done. Some of those still have to yet be designed and go through. That all falls underneath the government buildings section, uh, under our department. Bockenstedt/ Yeah, and that project includes the video camera system in the Council chambers, as well. Boothroy/ This slide represents a ... upgrade and change to our permitting, uh, software. Uh, presently we use, uh, software that was acquired in 1992 that, uh ... uh, supports and as the ... as the basis for supporting our, uh, project docs and uh, icgov- express, um, what I've done is I've put in money paying forward, uh, an account to allow us to make that transition in about four years, uh, in four years, um ... uh, we'll be looking at changing hardware and we need to look at the possibility of, uh, of migrating our system to a cloud environment, and that'll give us, uh, if we go that direction, that'll give us some opportunities to deploy applications more quickly, um, save, uh, costs, and uh, be more responsive to, uh, customer service, uh, needs. Bockenstedt/ Uh, this project, the fiber optic fill -in project, is a ... a new project that we put in there that allots $100,000 annually towards the completion, uh, filling in gaps and loops in the City's fiber optic system. Uh, this is becoming more and more central, as the technology starts to permeate all areas of the City's operations, and the facilities city- wide. Um, the first things we're looking at for 2015 would be, uh, from Fire Station 42 to Mormon Trek Road, along Melrose, and then also, um, on Highway 1 from Gilbert Street to Riverside Drive, and so these will be ... this will be evaluated annually, um, and the loops help create redundancy so if we have a fiber optic break, we won't lose (mumbled) or phone access to facilities throughout the city. Payne/ Is that projected to be underground or overhead? Bockenstedt/ Uh, it ... these are projected to be underground, but we do ... our system is a combination of both above ground and underground. Dobyns/ (mumbled) ...sort of operations use ... um ... (noises on mic) What sort of operations use, uh, fiber optics? Bockenstedt/ Well, uh, pretty much everything that has a phone system is connected to the City's data network. It's a voice - over -IP system, and so um, and the ... the entire, the City's financial system, like requisitioning, accounts payable, uh, payroll's all being inter- connected, uh, through this server network, citywide. Um, we also (mumbled) traffic signal system. Dobyns/ Okay. Bockenstedt/ ...is widely connected, um, to that. (several talking) Oh, and the, yeah, the ground (mumbled) water infrastructure also, uh, is connected to fiber optics, so it ... really in almost all areas (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 45 Dobyns/ ...pump systems, like pump stations, would they be... Bockenstedt/ And the monitoring of those systems, and uh, really through a lot of the operations are becoming more highly, uh, computerized in their operations. I got one more to go (mumbled) Um ... this one, this is a ... partly in response to the addition of the South Treatment Plant, um, the fiber optic cable that currently extends down there is, uh, has received a lot of damage and ... and been spliced many times over the years. Like I said, due to a lot of the computerization and the importance of maintaining those links, um, we're looking at (mumbled) a second fiber optic line, uh, down Sycamore Street, uh, to the plant, so that if one line is damaged, it's ... it does not lose connectivity to the City's system. Uh, that project is being planned in conjunction with the Sycamore Street reconstruction project, um, that'll take place next year, and then the, uh, the replacement of the ... the damaged loop would take place in 2018, um, so that will... maintain a double connectivity to the South Treatment Plant at all times. (several talking away from mic) On the Radar Projects: Fosse / Are there any questions on the, uh, miscellaneous projects before we move on? Okay! Our, uh, next section is `on the radar,' uh, so that ... now we're moving from projects that are recommended for funding to projects that are not recommended for funding, but we'd like you to be aware of certain aspects of them, uh, just because they might come up in the next year or so. And, uh, the first one on the list is, uh, the Fire training facility. As I pointed out earlier in the presentation, that is the ... the only one of our flood mitigation and recovery projects that we've not secured funding for yet. Uh, we've looked at a number of places for funding, uh, we've got some good leads on equipping a new building once it's built, but we haven't secured any money to build a new building. Uh, currently that is estimated at about a $5.4 million project and that does include land acquisition costs, uh, because location of this is very important. Uh, we want it on your radar because if we begin, uh, development of the park that you just heard about earlier, and we don't have this project funded, then ... then we're going to need to make some decisions that we need to be thinking about in advance. Is there anything you wanted to add to that, John? Grier/ I think you covered it pretty much. Fosse/ Good! Hayek/ So, um ... I ... I see a million dollar allocation on the unfunded list, and I think ... is it an apples to oranges... Fosse/ We did not get that updated! Hayek/ Okay. Fosse/ (both talking) ...fix that. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 46 Hayek/ So it's $5.4 (both talking) Fosse/ Current estimate, yes. As I said, it ... land costs is driving a good part of that. Our next project is the Peninsula secondary access, and that's one that ... that you've heard about in the last couple weeks, uh, from people that've come to the podium during public discussion. Um, our current strategy on this is to look at a ... a northerly route. Get my mouse on something that works a little better here. There we go! A northerly route that would go in as part of devel... as development occurs up in this area here, and... so our current strategy is to wait and establish this as part of development up there. If it appears that that development, uh, begins to stall out or... or doesn't look like it's going to move forward, then we'll need to think about taking a more active role in that as the City, rather than just working with development as it occurs. Having trouble with reception here. There we go! Um ... our ... our next one is the ... the Rock Island Depot and although the... the likelihood of Amtrak seems to be fading in the near term, I think it's important for us still to be thinking about the long -term, uh, because of the railroad tracks through Iowa City and ... and our route to Chicago, and at some point, uh, there may be an opportunity to purchase this or preserve it, and ... and we just always want to keep that in mind and remember that. Uh, Rick, you'd asked some questions earlier today about, um... additional road projects and we have a couple of these on the radar here. The first one is ...is the Dodge Street reconstruction. Highway 1 as it comes into Iowa City here. It's already been reconstructed from this point out to 1 -80, and the next project would be from here into Burlington Street. There are two things that are driving this project. One is the existing pavement condition and you'll... you'll probably recall that that was overlaid just a few years ago, and then right away we're back in doing some patching on it because the base just is not holding up anymore. There's, uh, we don't know how many more years we can hold that together just with asphalt overlays. The other thing that's driving this project is we have a variety of storm water problems in the ... the north end of town. Some of `em in the alleys along Ronald Street, some in the alleys along Church Street, and to remedy those we need a new storm sewer that heads up the Dodge Street corridor. Uh, without getting a new storm sewer from Ralston Creek up into that area, we can't get at that. Susan, do you have a question? Mims/ Yeah, I did! Um, there's been some discussion at different times about... investigating rerouting of Highway 1, to not bring all that traffic through town. As long as Dodge Street is Highway 1, I would assume there is some cost - sharing with the State on... Fosse/ Significant, yes. Mims/ Yes. So I would assume that we would want to do any reconstruction on Dodge Street prior to doing any serious looking at rerouting of Highway 1. (laughs) Fosse/ The other thing, and ... and Jeff (several talking and laughing) They even pay us to plow it! That's... that's... Mims/ Yeah. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 47 Fosse/ ...something to keep in mind! And ... and Jeff can talk about how much traffic that comes in one end of Highway 1 and actually goes out the other (both talking) Davidson/ That's exactly what I was going to, uh, add. You know we ... we, because nobody does origin destination studies anymore like they used to in the 60s and 70s, where you stopped people and asked them where they're going, um, they're just not socially acceptable anymore to do that (laughter and several talking) but ... but we are under the impression with the anecdotal evidence that we have that there's very little through traffic on Highway 1 through the community. Mims/ Okay. Davidson/ That generally there's an origin or destination (both talking) vast majority of traffic. So that just changing the designation isn't going to really divert that much traffic. The ...the through bypass traffic is ... is out on the interstate on Highway 218. Mims / Right. Okay. Well I just knew there'd been some discussion of that, and that's why I just ... wanted to raise that issue of, if we've got major costs there, certainly we would want to have the State share in those, if we possibly can, so... Fosse / And the current estimate for this project is about $10.7 million and the DOT would be responsible for the majority of the paving component of it. They would look to us to fund the majority of the storm sewer component of it. It's usually the way those things are (both talking) Dickens/ ...water mains be included... Fosse/ Water mains would be ours. Dickens/ Oh, okay. Fosse/ Yep. Utilities are pretty much all ours. Mims/ So ... what does ... once we get ready to do that, I mean, how far out do we have to make those requests so the Iowa DOT to get it on their schedule, I mean, to coordinate between us and them in terms of money? Fosse/ I think five years, roughly. Davidson/ DOT does a five -year plan every year that the Commission approves that basically determines what they're going to do in the next five years. Mims/ So ... if we want to do this in the next five years, we need to be thinking about trying to get this ... on their... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 48 Davidson/ Yeah, and we have a quarterly meeting with DOT, staff does, where we can get stuff like this on their radar and basically start the implementation of getting it in their five - year plan. Mims/ Okay. Fosse/ The DOT is the one that brought it up with us, originally, because of the ... the high maintenance in this corridor. Mims/ Okay. Throgmorton/ So, I ... I know this is just sort of on the radar but uh, to the extent that we really follow through on this particular project, uh, there'd have to be a huge amount of consultation with the Northside Association, uh, because well, you know the conversations that you ... you and others have had with, uh, people who live up there, uh, it's ... it's just tremendously important not to have some wider, more suburbanized kind of road extended more deeply into the city. Uh, instead it needs to be compatible with the walkable characteristics of the neighborhood. Davidson/ Yeah, that's automatic, Jim, with any large -scale Public Works' project, we would work with the associated neighborhoods, you know, both in ... in the, and not on the back end, but on the front end, to make sure those design considerations were taken into consideration. Fosse/ This ... this'll be one given the constraints of the corridor that I think it'll be even hard to add bike lanes to it. Just because of the right -of -way constraints that are there. Throgmorton/ Yeah, I think adding bike lanes to Dodge Street, uh, in that part of the city would be a mistake. But anyhow, this is a consultation that'll have to take place. Fosse/ Okay! Next project is the ... uh, Taft Avenue, which is the next Scott Boulevard, if you will. It's a ... it's a mile further east from Scott Boulevard. It'll be our next eastern, north/ south arterial street. Uh, it's currently estimated at about $17.4 million to get it from 4201h Street on the south end up to Herbert Hoover Highway on the north end. Up in here. Davidson/ And us old- timers can remember how Scott Boulevard was constructed. It took basically 15 years to do bits and pieces of it here and there, some of it was CDBG funds, some of it was local funds, some of it with STP funds that came through JCCOG. We got some special allocations during that time. It's important for there to be a plan in place so that when it all gets done, it all hooks up into a... a nice arterial corridor. Um, I will say that in terms of our contacts that we get for the new industrial ground, which, Rick, maybe you can just circle it there, right ... right there, um, you know, people just want to know that at some point it's going to be done. We probably... in... in terms of the immediate... people who want to see it done sooner than later, are the existing industrial, uh, businesses that are ... that are located just to the west there, uh, they're a little bit more This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 49 anxious for it. As Scott Boulevard gets more and more traffic, you know, the big semis are not really that comfortable on it, and ... and they would love to see it but we've indicated it ... it's not in a funded year at this time. Dickens/ The new school's located right ... there. Davidson/ Rick can point it out. Right there. Fosse/ Our next project, uh, Transportation project on the radar is ... uh, Foster Road from Dubuque Street to Prairie du Chien, and that's, uh, that's a link in our transportation system that we currently ... we own the right -of -way, uh, the rough grading for the project has occurred, and some of the storm sewers actually in place. The cross -road culverts and the ... the, uh, storm sewer, uh, intakes at...at the low points are in place. It was necessary to acquire this right -of -way and do the grading for the road to install a major water main that went in as a part of our new water plant, uh, back around... between 2000 and 2003. Uh, the only thing that remains is to ... install the rest of the storm sewer system and the paving, and we also have a sanitary sewer that we would like to extend and enlarge. Enlarge down here and then extend up here, and that would be part of the system that would ultimately serve north of I -80 for that component of the ... the Rapid Creek watershed that we'll develop up there. Uh, this is about a $2.5 million project, including the sanitary sewer improvements. Davidson/ (both talking) ...and this is one that we've been discussing in the `on the radar' projects for the 10 -years since the water plant ... the new water plant put the... basically graded up and ... and puts the structures in. Uh, we've been seeing it as a project that would be done in conjunction with development that would have development of the area provide a portion of the funding. That's why we haven't gone ahead and advocated for it as a City- funded project. I will say that we get steady, uh, expressions of interest, some as recently as within the last month we've had a couple people come in who are interested in the property. It is property ... the property to the north ... there's virtually nothing to the south that can be developed. Uh, to the north is where the development ground is. You can see the heay... heavy wooded area from the aerial here. Uh, it is property that doesn't have an enormous amount of development, uh, potential. Chances are it'll be some type of cluster development on some of the high points that will involve removal of some of the woodlands, uh, but I think it's because of those constraints that we haven't seen just an enormous amount of interest, but I will say that if Council wants to keep the perspective of it being driven by development that there is interest in the property, and I wouldn't be surprised if within the next year too we had someone who is interested in develop... developing it. We have had some discussions — it's basically two property owners, uh, in the area, and they do seem to be getting a little more, uh, interested in ... in selling for development. Dickens/ Is there any ... with the Gateway project going at the same time, is there any ... push to move this forward a little bit as a ... using dirt from that area to bring down or to finish the road? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 50 Fosse/ We ... we've looked at it from two perspectives. The property owners up in this area. I'm sorry my mouse is not working very well here. There we go! The property owners in this area have offered up, uh, to ... soil for the Gateway project, and ... but to get at that, we would need to clear the ridge lines up there and ... and do quite a bit of grading to get that soil. Uh, we also have soil out at the Landfill from ... from the holes that we've dug out there. Dickens/ That's quite a ways out though. Fosse/ Yeah, it is. That's a lot further to bring it. Um ... there's one other comp ... oh, the other thing is is that if...if we had known that the environmental assessment process for Gateway was going to take three full years instead of, you know, 18 months that we'd hoped, uh, the ... that we might of pushed this earlier to get that in as ... as a detour route, uh, for some of the traffic during the Gateway project. Dobyns/ Now this is something for the last two years I've been needling City staff about, and I'm trying to get a sense of gamesmanship here is because I've noticed we've increased the amount of development in the Peninsula neighborhood. Um, and we've also been, uh, going to enhance the Hy -Vee and commercial district along Dodge Street. Well, if you take a look is that the fact that we're not going to put ... we really don't want any large commercial area in the Peninsula consistent with our, you know, our philosophy of that. We also don't want any commercial or anything along the Gateway project area, as well, because the aesthetic need, uh, nature of that area. So where do these people shop? Uh, we've gotten letters that have verified, in our packets, uh, over the last few months things that I've been concerned about for the last two years, is that, uh, these people look across the river, and they start to think, well that's the closest shopping. And that's where some of them are going to shopping. Um, and I think we've been too ... we've been working on two different areas. We've been working on putting people in ... in the Peninsula. We put commercial along Dodge, and I really felt we need to connect these two with an arterial, and that's what this is! And I realize the philosophy of waiting to do this, because waiting for developers to come in and do some, uh, cost - sharing with us. Whether ... at some point where I think Council needs to say, okay, there's enough compelling need for a right -of -way to be developed. That maybe we shouldn't wait for the developer to come in, and I understand the need to wait, uh, but that's... so I... for my personal point of view, I've been trying to push development of this. That's part of what, uh, you know, Rick and Jeff were talking about. Um, and I'd like to see this happen in the next couple of years, realizing that ... we may lose the opportunity to have developmental cost - sharing with this. Hayek/ That's a very good point. I mean, the only other route for a Peninsula resident to the north Dodge Hy -Vee is Kimball. Dobyns/ Yeah, and that's just not ... (both talking) topographically... Hayek/ (both talking) ... one of the narrowest (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 51 Davidson/ ... (several talking) Ridge Road. Dobyns/ Well how about Prairie du Chien, I mean, if there was increased traffic along this from, um, the west to get down to the future Hy -Vee commercial area, along Dodge Street. Can Prairie du Chien, as it currently exists, accommodate increased traffic? Davidson/ Yes. The ... the critical thing is the intersection with Dodge Street, and we have signalized intersection with turn lanes, so we think we're in good shape there. Dobyns/ Okay. Fosse/ Next project... Jeff, do you want to talk about (both talking) Davidson/ Yeah! The Gilbert Street, uh, U.S. 6 intersection is probably our poorest functioning intersection in terms of the traffic signal system, and that's because there's not enough capacity, uh, to accommodate just the sheer number of...of motor vehicles trying to get through here every day. Uh, at least at one point, uh, the total entering volume daily was around 60,000 vehicles a day. It's the highest volume with ... with respect to total entering vehicles, highest volume intersection in Iowa City. Um, we had a project 10 years ago that was in a funded year of the CIP. Um, in the early stages of property acquisition, there were some, uh, disgruntled folks in the area and Council determined to defend the project, and it was moved to unfunded status, uh, at that time, and has stayed there ever since. Um, I will say that it's been relatively stable in terms of not rapidly increasing traffic volumes, uh, but we are starting to see from the south, which is where you would expect it because that's the ... the main development ground, uh, starting to see some increase. Uh, what the ... the major portion of the project would add, a dual left turn lane on the north and south approaches. Um, and we continue to get somewhat regular... inquiries of when are you going to do this, but it's remained in unfunded years since Council pulled it out of the funded year about 10 years ago. Knoche/ Uh, the next `on the radar' project is the Iowa River stabilization project. It's, uh, identified on the unfunded list at about $2 million, just a little bit over. Uh, this is, uh, two areas that are identified here, the top of City Park. Uh, we saw a significant amount of erosion during the 2008 flood event and then again this spring, or last spring, in regards to the flooding events that occurred, uh, and then the other portion is down by Sturgis Corner. Um, the ... we did, uh, work with FEMA in regards to applying for the piece along City Park, uh, with the last event. Um, they've iden ... they've indicated that it won't qualify because it ... there ... there are no improvements in the park that ... thatthey would be interested in doing mitigation for. Um, we do have a few portions in there that will be, uh, armored as part of the ... the flood recovery, or the ... um, the disaster recovery from this last event. Um, but then the other piece, as I said, down along, uh, the Sturgis Corner, that ... that is an area basically where the, um, Iowa River Corridor Trail will go through, and so there'll be some, uh, work that we would have to do in regards to that project also. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 52 Dobyns/ Ron, I ... I was doing some reading about riverbank stabilization. The State of Wisconsin, uh, offers, um ... grant support for stabilization of eroded riverbanks using natural methods, like, uh, you know, grass banks with deep ruts rather than just rocks and things like that. Um, and it's sort of a statewide effort. Um, is there anything like that available in the state of Iowa? Knoche/ Um, I'm not familiar with anything directly with ... with that type of work, um, there, um, is a ... a grant, uh, source out there. Um, the acronym is WERP. I don't know exactly what it ... what the acronym stands for, um ... that's one that they ... they tend to look at, um, an area where you've done a ... kind of a regional look at the ... the drainage areas. So, um, we've looked at that for the smaller drainage areas, so Willow Creek, Ralston Creek, um, we ... we don't have anything, um, that we've looked at in the Iowa River corridor. Fosse/ Right. Something else to look at in this corridor when you talk about alternative technologies to just piling rock up the riverbank. If you go upstream from this, and look at the improvements that we did after the 93 flood, uh, you'll see those ... I think are working very well, and what we did is we armored it with rock up to the elevation that will convey 6,000 cubic feet per second, and we did that because of the reservoir upstream. We can go for months at a time with 6,000 csf coming out of there. So it makes it very hard to sustain any growth below that level, that that tends to ... to kill any natural growth. Uh, and then from that 6,000 csf point up, we slope the banks back and planted it down in grasses, and that has worked very well, and ... and so next time you're in the park, take a walk in the north end of the park and see how you like that. Our next project is the redevelopment of the Riverside Drive, uh, Public Works' intersection. We've talked about that a few times tonight, and what you've heard about are ... are funded projects, uh, for relocating the ... the Solid Waste folks, as well as the, uh, Traffic Engineering, and uh, monies to help us pursue federal money to relocate the Transit facility. The only piece left after that is the Equipment facility. That is not in a funded year. That's a fairly substantial chunk of money. It's about $5 to $6 million to move that operation down to the ... to the, uh, to the new site. We do not have a funding source for that yet. But depending on the redevelopment opportunities that come up in this area, we may have a way of getting at some of the funds. So we want to keep that on your radar, and uh, certainly one of the challenges that redevelopment of this site will ... will face is as Chris pointed out, this is old city dump area and these buildings are in the sweet spot up here that have fairly good footings. Uh, the Transit facility is not. That's built on pilings and it's got a deep foundation system that deals with that. Um, so we have that Solid Waste issue to deal with, which is a good segue to our ... our last `on the radar' project, and it's one that's been up there for a few years, and that is the ... the ground water study that we're doing at the northeast corner of the Landfill. In 1972 when we transitioned from putting the garbage along the river and went out to the Landfill, the landfill started at the north end here and these are our oldest and unlined cells, and we're ... we're studying to make sure that the leachate is staying where we want it to be, and ... and also if...if it is not, what steps that we need to take. It's taking quite a while to study this because we're measuring things at a ... at a parts per million level and ... things are moving at...at centimeters per year level. So it's hard to establish trends out there, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 53 uh, but what we want to do is ... is find out if any action is required. You may recall that a few years ago we bought this 17 -acre section here so that we can get out and do more extensive testing in this area and also we can use this as landfill buffer in the meantime. I'll point out that in the 1990s, uh, we did a project where we extended a toe drain along these ... these other cells up to this point to help deal with groundwater issues out there. So those are the ... that is the extent of the ... oops, on the radar questions, or projects, that we have for you. At this point we'll open it up to questions and I guess I'll ask you, do you want to, uh, continue our discussion at this point or take a ... another short break while you gel up some of your ... your questions and things that you want to discuss with us? Discussion/Wrap Up Hayek/ Probably just keep going! Fosse/ Keep going? Okay. Throgmorton/ Yeah, so I'd like to ask, uh, about connections between the proposed CIP and the strategic plan initiatives, especially with regard to sustainability and inclusivity. So, to ...to what extent and in what particular ways do you think this CIP moves in the direction of those two features? Fosse/ Sus... sustainability ... what was the second word you said? Throgmorton/ Inclusivity. Fosse/ Inclusivity. Throgmorton/ Yeah, you know... (both talking) Fosse/ Yep! Yep, I do! I do! Um, Jeff and Tom, feel free to dive in (laughter) at any point. Davidson/ (laughter) I guess I can ... I can maybe get started here. (laughter) I... Dobyns/ (both talking) ...do those together, Jim, cause they're sort of...sustainability and inclusivity are two different concepts. Do you want to attack that separately or... Throgmorton/ I ... I don't think they're entirely separate but ... but they could be dealt with separately. That'd be dandy. Davidson/ I would certainly say that your economic development initiatives, I think, are directly related to sustainability. Um ... and of course that word can have a lot of...a lot of meeting... a lot of meanings, but certainly, um, some of the ones that come to mind, you know, in ... in my mind, uh, in terms of Towncrest and Riverfront Crossings, those are very sustainable developments in terms of being basically in -fill type developments, where the, uh, the City, uh, utility infrastructure is largely in place. Uh, we're trying to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 54 increase walkability. Uh, things that ... that I think are ... make them excellent, uh, you know, poster children for sustainability, uh, and ... and I think will achieve a lot with... with those projects. Um, you know, the larger, uh, when ... when you look at the larger goals of increasing, uh, you know, the property tax base, uh, and employment opportunities, which are, you know, the two things we focus on in economic development, I ... I think those directly relate to making sure we have a sustainable environment, uh, that the City can grow in, uh, and ... and that in fact without those things, we're ... we're gonna have difficulty sustaining the type of community that ... that we want to see. Markus/ (away from mic) Talk about Riverfront Cross ... (unable to hear) Davidson/ Yeah, and ... and Riverfront Crossings, you know, we're ... we're, I think with the park planning, um, and with some of the utility infrastructure planning going to be getting into, uh, some areas that, you know, I'm not even enough of an expert to be able to tell you, but like for example in terms of storm water management. Um, I think there are some pilot projects that we can undertake to do some things that maybe we haven't done, take advantage of the river being right there, Ralston Creek being right there, and end up with an environment that's markedly different in terms of the experience of somebody living there or working there or just being down in the area, in terms of how they interact with the natural features, uh, and... and some things like that, and we're in the early stages of that, but I think they are goals that we have for the area. Fosse/ To that I would ... I would add the ... the section that Chris O'Brien went over, the Transportation Services, is ... is good for sustainability and inclusiveness. Um, all of our preventative maintenance projects I think are very important for sustainability, for... from a financial standpoint, just taking care of what we have and making sure that we remain financially viable, and as well as the ... the projects that focus at the core of our community in our downtown and... and keep a focus there. Fruin/ I guess I would add, um, a couple of things to that, and I think, um, one would be it's ... it's, you may not see sustainability or sustainable values just by looking at the title of each of these projects, but because you've expressed that as a value, we'll ... we'll approach that project with that in mind. So perhaps a traditional road project, um, we're going to look at it a different way when we come to design that, um, and ... and appro ...and bring it forward to you for approval of...of, uh, plans and specs. Um, how we approach, you know, a demolition project, like the North Waste Water Plant. We may take a different approach than we normally would have, or at least give you the option to consider that in terms of recycling some of the ... the construction waste there. So, um, it's not always evident, but hopefully what you'll see, um, is ... is just us taking a different approach and at least presenting you with those options as we move forward on ... on some of those items. Davidson/ You know, any time we look at a (clears throat) a street reconstruction project now we look at it, uh, through the complete streets, you know, as a complete street, uh, making This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 55 sure that it's not just accommodating motor vehicles, but it's accommodating all modes of transportation, um, which I think is a very sustainable initiative. Fosse/ Keep going? There's a couple other projects in here. We have the LED streetlights, and then also the ... the Dubuque Street pedestrian bridge is ... is an important one, to get that second, uh, pedestrian link over Interstate 80. Uh, honestly the one that we put over at Dodge Street, we've not received a lot of positive feedback on and that ... that people perceive it as ... very expensive thing for as few users as they see on it. Uh, but we recognize that ... that's going to build over time and we needed to build it in that corridor, both for Dodge Street and ... and now for Dubuque Street. Hayek/ And ... and I would ... I would echo Rick's comments about, you know, what sustainable means for purposes of strategic planning. It's not simply a green concept. I think it also goes to our, uh, long -range financial stability as ... as a city, which goes to the economic development we pursue to maintain the tax base, especially in the climate we're anticipating. Um, and a number of good things were mentioned. I think the budget is ...has got a lot of projects that would hit on both, uh, topics, and I ... I would add on the inclusivity side that, you know, a number of our infrastructure projects are targeted to areas that ... that have been somewhat depressed, whether it's the Towncrest or ... or, uh, some of our park, uh, re -dos, urn ... you know, things of that nature, uh, bus shelters, um, so I...I see a lot of that personally. Uh ... for what it's worth. Fosse/ Other questions for us? Dickens/ I noticed in the ... last section on bridges that five of the seven bridges you list are all in one neighborhood basically. The Second, Fourth... Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth, and F Street bridges. Is there any concerns with ... those bridges needing to be done sooner, or is there one worse than the other or ... is it just that whole area along Ralston Creek there that's... Fosse/ They're all of a similar vintage. I'll let Ron chime in in more detail on this, but we do a, is it semi - annual bridge inspection, where we look at those? Knoche/ Biannual. Yeah, we do a biannual bridge inspection. Um, those are the ones that have been identified as... as some of the ones that are, you know, in... in a greater need of... of being replaced. Um, but I ... I don't think there's any one of those that is, uh, in any worse condition than the others. Dickens/ It just was kind of weird. They're all in the same neighborhood (mumbled) They were all built about the same time, 50 years ago or 60 years ago. Fosse / What's interesting is no two are the same ... when you go look at them. Dobyns/ I'd like to continue to perseverate and obsess about Burlington and Clinton Street, um, that uh, and I'm thinking, Jim, you mentioned the word inclusivity. I looked it up to see what inclusivity means. Uh, that just means sort of, uh, accessible and available to all, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 56 irrespective of background or ... um ... and so, before I was talking about the fact that... do we need to consider an above or below ground access. I mean, I really think this intersection is representative of the development that's going on in the Downtown District and Riverfront Crossing, I mean, I, um ... that intersection is a crazy intersection, and it's just going to get crazier! Um, I was actually thinking, Jim, about bikers. I wasn't thinking about cars. Um, in terms of accessibility at this point. But, um... Dickens / What about us walkers? Dobyns/ Well, and I'm thinking about ... you know, I ... it's ... it's just everything! Walkers, cars, biking, uh, the amount of traffic as people go to ... I mean, we have restaurants on the north side. They're not just parking! But we want people to be able to go to commercial Iowa City, uh, opportunities north of Burlington too in the Downtown District when they're going to the University art and musical sites. And I just see all sorts of people crossing that, cars going by, and bikers, and um, I've seen some of the mock -ups when we've taken a look at some of the, uh, biking, um ... uh, planning. And, I just am not getting a sense that perhaps we're being expansive enough in terms of looking at above and below ground options. Uh ... I keep asking the question, that's all I can do! Cause I am certainly no expert, but my ... I guess my guess up on this dais is that I'm supposed to worry, and I worry about intersections, and then subsequently other intersections like it down Burlington, um, in terms of advanced planning. And, um, I guess that's all I can express. I ... I'm kind of wondering what the rest of you feel, but I'm thinking I don't ...I don't like having to go above ground. Places I've been before in other cities internationally, you know, below ground sorts of opportunities as well. No one likes to go down and up either. But ... I'm just wondering if perhaps we need to give some light to those considerations, um ... I don't know what the rest ... rest of you think about that particular intersection, how it applies to other intersections. Dickens/ One thing that could affect that is where the Post Office goes, cause right now there's a ... it's a big area of walking to the Post Office and the Courthouse and (both talking) Dobyns/ We're going to have all sorts of things south of Burlington, including possibly the Post Office, where people would want to go and cross that road. Dickens/ Clinton Street/Burlington is one of the ... I think most dangerous corners, just from the walkability. I have to walk it on a regular basis and the number of people that run red lights. Dobyns/ Yeah, we almost put a traffic camera there to save your life, Terry! Dickens/ I know (both talking) ...but we can't even put a drone there! (laughter) Um ... but it is. It's probably the worst ... I think one of the worst intersections in the downtown area. I mean you have a lot of people that cross across Burlington between Gilbert Street and Linn Street there. They just catty -corner to beat it, but ... as far as things going on and with the new music center there, I think the traffic will (mumbled) look at that a little stronger. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 57 Throgmorton/ I ... I'd say precisely what you don't want to do is completely separate automotive traffic from bicycle traffic from the people on foot. That is exactly what you don't want to do, and... and... because if you do it, what you end up with is, uh, a streetscape that is empty of walkers and full of cars that are going 35 or 40 miles an hour, and it...it creates a ... a, you know, a streetscape that is, uh, completely uninteresting for, uh, for ... from any kind of urbanized or ... or perspective having to do with urbanity and, you know, quality of life within cities. You gotta find a way to mix them together in this ... in as reasonably safe a manner as possible. That... Dobyns/ But I think... (both talking) Throgmorton/ ... it can be done if it's done, you know (several talking) ... all over the country. Payne/ Part of the problem at that intersection today. Obviously it's going to be redone, but from a perspective of both walking and driving is ... the walk signal comes on and the left turn signal comes on at the same time. You don't give ... there's no lag between the walk signal and the turn signal. So you have people ... you have a long line of people trying to turn left, with people walking across the street. The ... the problem is, to me, the ... the control of the intersection, not necessarily who's at the intersection. Markus/ I think ... I think, um ... it's clear that the road needs to change in its design and what Jim is talking about is very counter - intuitive, but the reality is, it works. And ... and I think what we have to do is get to a different design for that roadway. Um ... part of the couter- intuitiveness is, the more traffic you have, you should be able to slow it down. It becomes a less desirable place to ... to move through, even though it's probably... there aren't great alternatives to that roadway. So I think it comes down to design issues. Dobyns/ (both talking) ...with pedestrians. It would help with bike. I mean, you slow down the cars, and you make it more bikeable. Um... Markus/ And there's calming things we can do by design to slow that down, to make it more desirable for everybody. And cars aren't going to like it, but ... that's not who we're trying to really move, so... Dobyns/ So if cars don't like it, and we slow down a major arterial through the center of the city... Markus/ It becomes safer! Dobyns/ You know, it's the unintended consequences, I mean, I ... uh, and I like to be thoughtful, I mean, it makes it safer, it slows down the traffic, um, do we really want to slow down... traffic through the center of Iowa City? Throgmorton/ Yes! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 58 Markus/ Yeah, I would say yes too! Mims/ Well I think it also depends on where people are going. I mean, it's like we talked earlier about Highway 1 and peop ... it doesn't tend to be really a through route through the city. People have some sort of a destination to go to. I mean ... I very consciously sometimes when I come from my house on the north side, and if I'm going across the river, think about, okay, do I want to go Burlington Street and hit all the traffic lights, which sometimes are very well synchronized and sometimes they're not, depending upon, you know, people cross traffic and... and walk signals, etc., or do I keep going south on Dodge and cut across on Benton, depending on where I'm going, and sometimes either one is just as good, but I ... I do, I consciously make a decision of do I go Burlington or do I go down to Benton. Um... and I think as, you know, if we make efforts to make it safer and to ... I mean, you've got traffic signals every how many feet? So I don't know how much more you're going to slow down the traffic ... if the lights aren't synchronized. (laughs) You can't get going 30...I don't think you can get going 35 and 40 miles an hour on there! Maybe some people do. But ... I ... I think keeping... while what Jim is saying may be counter - intuitive, I do think it makes sense that we try to keep a safe mix on that same level. I mean, I look at what are the increased construction costs, maintenance costs, safety costs of either going above or below ground, and certainly if you're going above, what are you ... what are you going to connect to on the private side of the street? You know, if the ... if the University has not designed their building on the southwest corner of that intersection for... for a... an elevated walkway to come into, then do we even have space, you know, in the public right -of -way to come down on the other side, and then you start talking about ADA compliance. You know, you've either got a ramp that's... incredibly long, or now you've got to put another elevator in, and so... you know, I guess I would rather see us try to find a way with the redesign of that intersection to make it that much more safer and... and more comfortable for people both on bikes and walking, um, to navigate that in conjunction with the cars. Hayek/ You know I ... I share Rick's, uh, head - scratching. I'm not sure how you phrase it. Dobyns/ Trepidation. Hayek/ Uh, trepidation, cause I don't know what the answer is (several talking) and 1, you know, if you look at ... my ... my opinion is that like on Iowa and Washington and some of the other streets in the ... in the Central Business District, that we ... my opinion, I think we went a little too far in constricting the vehicular traffic. Um, it seems far more congested and hard to maneuver, um ... uh, than ... than it used to be, and you can look at photos of old Iowa City and there just seems to be ... seems to have been so much more use, you know, 50 to 75 years ago down there. It's personal opinion, but I think it underscores the need to ... strike that balance, urn ... as ... as much as possible, and what that means ... I don't know! Markus/ But, Matt, do you feel safer walking down there? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 59 Hayek/ Yes ... yeah, but I'm not sure how much less safe I would feel had we not gone as far as we went. I mean, I... Markus/ (mumbled) ...walking down Burlington. Hayek/ Well... that's... that's a good (several talking) but ... but we've never done anything with that, you know, we haven't ... we haven't done any traffic calming. Markus/ Because it's clearly designed to move metal, not people. Hayek/ No, I know, but ... but the other streets I mentioned are the ones with parking and ... and more of the retail and... and destination places. Burlington has been developed, rightly or wrongly, probably wrongly. It's just a thoroughfare. Um ... so anyway, it ... it's going to be tough and ... and we need to ... this is a critical intersection, and it's the ... as Jeff once said, it's sort of the boulevard connecting north and south. Dobyns/ See I'm actually (mumbled) comfortable. I mean, the... both... all (mumbled) of the city can get into downtown riverfront areas easily and they can get out. But if... if we plan on slowing down Burlington for safety, it does not allow people to go through... at all. And I'm comfortable with that, but I'm just trying to give voice and discussion to ... um, unintended consequences, that just might occur, cause I'm very comfortable going in this direction, but you know, sometimes you don't ... you don't know what you don't know! And I'm a little bit concerned about, you know, perhaps going this direction without at least giving voice to it as a Council. Throgmorton/ You're talking about the known knowns and the unknown knowns as... Secretary Rumsfield (both talking) Dobyns/ Yeah! (laughter) Throgmorton/ I ... I'd like ... you were going to say something. I don't want to... Botchway/ Well I mean I think I disagree with Michelle in the sense that I ... to me, when I'm being a very impatient driver and walking, it seems to be a lot more just about control. If... if I was able to turn right or there was a... at least some signal, um, letting me know that the walkers have this timeframe to walk, I think it would change not only my demeanor, but also being a walker on that side, knowing that, you know, I'm not worried about, um, a car not paying attention and then, you know, clipping me or whatever the case may be. I think without that, I would like to see just that first! And if that change can change some of the congestion that's there, I think from there maybe we look at some of the other things but ... I think that is a quick fix or ... quick fix in the, you know, one of those terms but, uh, that I think would make, uh, a really good change in that intersection that I think a lot of people would like, both cars and walkers and, you know, from that bicycles as well. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 60 Throgmorton/ Can I bring up a different point? I ... I ... my ... my first question had to do with... insustainability and inclusivity, right? So, Rick, you asked, uh, you know, shouldn't they really be treat... treated as separate. Dobyns/ Uh. Throgmorton/ And then you, you know, gave us a definition of inclusivity. For me, the connection is this. A sustainable place is one in which lower income people and people from minority communities have viable economic opportunities and can live a quality way of life. If you don't have that, then you are not inhabiting a sustainable place. It's not the only thing, but that's a crucial part of it. So ... when I was asking about inclusivity, I was really try ... in a ... indirect kind of way, asking about that, in ... in what ways does our CIP ... uh, strengthen the ability, enhance the ability, of lower income people who live in Iowa City and people in minority communities, Latino and African American especially, uh, in what ways does our CIP enhance their, uh, economic opportunity and enhance the quality of lives that they could live. I don't expect anybody to really answer that question, but (laughs) that ... that's what I had in mind when I asked it. Hayek/ So what ... what do we need to accomplish this afternoon? We've gone through the whole presentation, 100 and some slides. What do you want us... Markus/ If you have changes; if you have additions, subtractions that you'd like to make. This is the time to bring those up, and have that discussion. Botchway/ Well I actually had a couple questions, as well. Um, one was ... uh, and I can't remember your name, in the middle. It's not Jeff but... Knoche/ Ron. Botchway/ Ron! Okay. Um ... for the alleyways, I kind of wrote down a quick note, and again, you can tell me if I'm wrong cause it was kind of, you know, trying to learn and understand at the same time. Um, you... basically you're saying that we don't necessarily ...or we don't approach them for repair. The property owners would approach us ... for any type of repair would be for the alleyways? Knoche/ That would be ... that's correct. Botchway/ But there's no... system in place to kind of check to make sure that some of those alleyways are, you know, not falling by the wayside? And the only reason I ask is cause I spend ... I shouldn't say I spend a lot of time in the alleyways (laughter) but I ... (laughs) but, I mean, just with some of the, um, I guess the recent, uh, I want to say march or whatever was going on in town (mumbled) I mean I was running through the alleyways and you know there was a lot of potholes, um, a lot ... going with a lot of students, whatever the case may be, there just seems to be, uh, some lack of, uh, maintenance there, um and if it's ... if it's solely I guess on the property owner to do something about This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 61 that, and that's... is that from a cost - sharing type of thing, like if they talk to us about it they would have to pay some type of money towards it as well? Knoche/ Not necessarily. They, you know, there's some of the ... the small repairs that we would do. I mean, we ... we do get, um ... complaints that come in and we do go out and address some of those, um, but it's the larger ... the larger kind of the whole -scale type of repairs, um, that we look to the property owners to ... to work with us on. Botchway/ Okay. Payne / And ... and would it be more like paving the alley, if it's a gravel right now (both talking) Knoche / Right. Payne/ ... so it would be improving it (both talking) Knoche/ Those upgrades. Markus/ There's base repairs though too in those alleys. There's ... you know, the sump structure probably needs to be improved (both talking) Payne/ Right, it wouldn't just be laying something over the top. It'd be more than that, but ... but that would be part of the improvement that they would be paying for. It's typically not filling in potholes. Knoche/ Correct. Fosse/ So the way our ... our alley maintenance policy works now, if you live on an unimproved alley, and you need rocks spread out there, that is the property owner's responsibility to pay for that rock. If they pay for it at the quarry, we'll go get it, we'll take it out and spread it in the alley, but the property owners, they get together and pay for that or ... or one will just pony up and do it. And then over the years as alleys transition from ... from an unimproved alley to a ... to a paved alley, uh, those are almost exclusively done by assessment. And, since we haven't done any assessment projects in the past 20 years, we ...we really haven't seen any alley projects done in that period of time. Mims/ Well, and this was a specific discussion we had as a Council... Markus/ Two and a half years (both talking) Mims/ ...two and a half years ago about the fact that we had a lot of alleys that were not well maintained, and the cost of doing that, and the fact that we were going to go to an assessment, special assessment process to do it, because for the City to take over that entire cost was just too exorbitant and you know the ... the adjacent property owners were benefitting from that, and so that was a conscious decision, a policy decision, by the Council, um, for that to be an assessment process. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 62 Markus/ You know, historically, um, alleys are ... are kind of the driveways of what we have in subdivisions today. And so driveways are the pretty much the exclusive responsibility, I think including aprons... Fosse/ Uh huh. Markus/ ... um ... of the adjacent property, or of the property owner, and so the alley is a collective driveway, serving in a lot of respects garages to the rear. Payne/ I have a question on the unfunded projects, #32 that's on the bottom of page 376. Is that the same item as ... 3931? Or part of 3931? Knoche/ Yes! Payne/ So that could be taken out of the total on the unfunded projects then. Fosse/ Yep! Dobyns/ (several talking) ...to ask if the Foster Road extension to Prairie du Chien could be advanced to this current budget year, at $2.4 million, I guess what I then have to do is I have to come up with $2.4 elsewhere in the budget? Markus/ Yeah. Dobyns/ Okay. Payne/ Just give back your salary! Markus/ (several talking) It might be better to advance it to the CIP, uh, funded year in a future year, or have us consider that, um... going into a subsequent fiscal year. The other thing I would say to you is that ... you know, there's two parts to this Foster Road discussion. One is this alternative roadway in and out of, um ... (several talking) the Peninsula development and the Mackinaw development itself, and I guess, you know, there is some advantage to having the roadway, uh, over to Prairie du Chien as alternate to the improvement while we're going on with the improvement of Gateway. I think I hear more concern about the alternative ingress and egress... Throgmorton/ Yeah I do too. Markus/ ...Peninsula... Mims/ Uh huh. Markus/ ...than I do, you know, about the extension to Prairie du Chien, and I guess what I'm really trying to point out is all of these things come down to choices, and that's why This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 63 contextually, you know, you want these discussions to occur during the ... the budget, capital improvement time of the year so that you're weighing one against the other. Dobyns/ But if we raise Foster Road throughout its continuity to the Peninsula, doesn't that take care of the concerns? Markus/ No! No, because you still have ... any roadway can be closed by an emergency. I mean, you can have a ... you could have a significant washout! Uh, until we get the storm water improvement taken care of. Dobyns/ You just want a collateral, you're looking for collateral. Markus/ Yeah, I ... they're looking for an alternative, and that alternative, um ... you know, one that we're considering is ... is running through the property to the north of Foster, which... you know, I know there was some criticism about piecemealing, uh, Scott Road, but quite frankly that's a very likely way that this will occur, as that property develops we'll extract right -of -way and road improvement to make that alternative byway through that area. So... Dickens/ Have there been any more discussion with the trailer court up there on Laura? As far as ... cause that was one of the areas that we talked about going through. Markus/ We have, uh, we have continuing conversations with the property owners in that area. think that their concern about the tenants, uh, of the park right now and making sure that they have, uh ... a place to live, and so that's a process that's not just going to happen overnight. So I think that we're looking at all of those discussions. We've had that discussion about where it might come out, uh, onto uh, Dubuque, uh, that connection or running it down the ... the north -south street that connects to Foster. Dickens/ Cause there was commercial, there was talk of commercial building there but we haven't heard any more on that (mumbled) Markus/ We have, um ... to be perfectly blunt, we were hopeful that it might be of a, uh, higher stature, uh, than what we were seeing, and so, uh, that's the message we've conveyed back. Throgmorton/ Uh, I'd definitely like to see, uh, us give more careful, more thorough attention to the possibility of secondary access, providing secondary access to the Peninsula neighborhood. I ... I understand the concerns that people have expressed and I'm... worried that ... as, to use your verb (laughs) uh, Rick, uh, I'm worried that we've heard, but up til now we haven't really responded, uh, to that concern. Uh, even to the extent of indicating how we think we could really deal with the situation (both talking) Markus/ We'll do that. I, you know, I think that's a fair criticism. It ... it's clearly way beyond our radar. We're actually having conversations, uh, with the developers when we talk to the developers of those properties about making a connection through that area, so we This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 64 can describe that carefully enough to the people that have, you know, made ... made their voices heard on this issue. Mims/ Is there any possibility prior to getting a full- fledged road — let's say we do go up through that area, through where the trailer court is now, say that is ... as that develops, if that is our eventual kind of secondary access, even though... either it comes out on Dubuque or it comes back down on Laura, which still is ... is on Foster Road... Markus/ Or both. Mims/ ...yeah, is there ... is there any reasonable potential to extend that road that goes into the trailer park through... even at this point as a gravel road or something that could be an emergency secondary access, if Foster Road got inundated? Dickens/ Like the City Park. Markus/ Jeff, I think we've had that conversation, haven't we? Mims/ Is that... Dobyns/ Well, when we discussed Idyllwild floods... Davidson/ Yeah, we have, and with ... with Public Works, of course. Um, it is possible. There would be considerable expense to doing that, but it is possible, and it would likely ... it'd likely be something that eventually became a more permanent road once the area did develop. Mims/ Yeah, I mean, that would be my thought if we did that would be to try and make it be an alignment that would eventually be a permanent road, but it... I mean, I guess that would be something I'd be interested in hearing back, is there any way that we could do that at any kind of a `reasonable' cost, that would give us secondary access, and maybe that's not possible. Dilkes/ Well just ... just one note. It's ... it's very different than the City Park situation because (both talking) Mims/ ...we don't own the property, right. I understand that. Yeah. Dickens/ (several talking) ... as far as limited use. Mims/ Yeah. Markus / And ... and reasonable is subjective. Mims/ Yes! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 65 Markus/ I ... I would say to you (laughter) that it's not, um ... it's not even comparable to us working through the development process and extracting the right -of -way, or rolling the right -of -way into the development of the property. That way you make sure of a lot of things happening, that it all balances out... Mims / Right. Markus/ ...during that process, and ... and you're... you're probably not going to approach that, and having been in the acquisition business with Eleanor here recently I ... (laughter) It's not a fun business to be in (laughter) Dilkes/ If I was a property owner I would want significant payment for a temporary road going through my property, that I had not yet developed. Mims/ Okay. Hayek/ You know, there are no easy answers on this, but I'm ... I'm glad we're focused on it. You know, the Peninsula area developed, uh, you know, was developed by the City, and in the category of `do as I say, not as I do' we developed it with one ingress and egress, which is not something I suspect we would have allowed the private sector to do, so... um, there is that and ... the, uh, you know, the ... the Council, uh, shot down the Taft levee a year or two ago, which would have provided that ... that backup access, and so I think it's in ... incumbent upon us to ... to ... to keep on this, and ... and I don't know what, which way it unfolds, whether we wait for development process or otherwise, but to ... to keep in, you know, at the front, of...of our focus the ... the fact that this is a growing area. It's an important area, and it's only got one way in and out. Dickens/ Is it an area that we should start funding ... on a limited basis ... now, or in the next year or two? Markus/ I ... I guess my answer (both talking) I guess my answer would be I think that's something you'd want to direct us to take a look at, but I don't know that we would start funding that at this point. Matt, I'm not sure that the Taft levee, uh, created a...it...it may have protected Foster, but again that goes back to what Rick was saying, that's not the same as providing an alternate route. Hayek/ No, but ... I have to think it would have helped, um ... and ... and my prior point is ... is simply that, you know, we ... we would typically have — as I understand it — two ways in and out, of... of a place like that. Markus/ You mean on the ... the levee road? Hayek/ Well, or anywhere. Payne/ With a development of that size is what you're saying, with that many people. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 66 Hayek/ Yeah. So... Throgmorton/ Well on the ... on the pointed hand, I think ... I think you were hearing, Tom, the ... the Council, at least a clear majority, probably everybody, would like for you to be looking... would like for the staff to be looking at, uh, what's involved in providing secondary access on that northern route, and to come back to us and give us some sense of what's viable, what's not, and so on. Markus/ Okay. Throgmorton/ Does that sound reasonable to everybody? (several responding) Hayek/ Yeah, I ... recognizing that there aren't easy answers here, and there could be considerable expense, which goes to the decision making and... Markus/ Well, and I think it... at... at a minimum, we need to communicate to the Peninsula, Mackinaw neighborhoods, you know, what we're contemplating as regards an alternative ingress and egress for that property, that we in fact have had these discussions. We've talked about some alignments and routes and so forth, you know, that ... that's all subjected to, you know, design and detailed engineering, but we ... we certainly have it in our discussions when we talk to the developers there. Hayek/ Once upon a time Parks and Rec had high on its list some sort of pedestrian bridge over ... uh, to Rocky Shore Drive. Dobyns/ Crandic? Hayek/ Or to Park Road. Markus/ Yeah. Hayek/ Is that right? Markus/ (several talking) Yes, that's right. Hayek/ Did that get dropped? Because you could potentially have that that could be used in emergency situations for... Davidson/ Yeah, and there's been some discussion and in some of the correspondence I just had with the Mackinaw neighborhood, I did mention that project. I think it's no longer in a funded year. It was in a funded year subject to us getting, uh, some grant funds to (both talking) Hayek/ I can imagine! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 67 Davidson/ ... and it was a pedestrian -only bridge. I mean, we had some discussion about it possibly being a vehicular access, but you know the notion of...of providing a through - route through the dog park and the Peninsula neighborhood, that wasn't seen as really desirable either. So I mean, that's subject to subsequent... since that project hasn't had any design work at all done on it, that would be subject to your decision making, if you decided you wanted to consider that as a vehicular access. Markus/ (several talking) But ... but I would say as well, we've had conversations about that, and I remember talking to Rick, and Rick, correct me if I'm wrong, but there's a significant differential between a ped/bike bridge and a bridge that can handle road traffic, even on emergency basis. Davidson/ And that's not going to solve your secondary access issue, cause it's in a flood plone ... flood prone area (several talking) Fosse/ Once you get to the west end of that proposed bridge, that would be under (both talking) Hayek/ Yeah, you're right! Fosse/ ...Foster Road goes under. Throgmorton/ I have a very ... much easier topic to bring up. Could I do that? (laughs) Uh, it has to do with, uh, sidewalk ramps. Uh, remember the question I asked earlier about the $50,000 per year and eight to ten ramps. Could we double that? To $100,000 a year, 16 to 20 or whatever ramps (both talking) Dickens/ ...talking to Harry (mumbled) paratransit that was one of his major concerns and ... and I don't ... I think it should be..bumped up, because there's quite a few of `em that are in- usable by ... by that population that really need `em the most. Markus/ Financially, technically, yes you can. It's just a policy decision (several talking) Payne/ ...would it be better to double it every other year, or just put $50,000 in every year? So you're doing some every year. I mean, from a perspective of...of hiring a contractor to do it, is it better to do double one, you know, double every other year or... Knoche/ I think that in the past ... that's the ... the tact that we've taken, is ... a larger project allows for, you know, more to be done with lower unit prices. Dickens/ So like $100,000 every other year (several talking) Throgmorton/ (several talking) ...yeah I just meant double it so whatever's the smart way to do it (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 68 Payne/ Yeah, theoretically thinking, I mean, if you did it at $50,000 every year ... you're doing the same as what we're doing now in numbers. You're just doing some every year rather than every other. Knoche/ Correct. Markus/ Are you combining this with sidewalks? Knoche/ Um ... yes, you know, the ... some of `em. Just depends on how it ... how it comes together. Hayek/ Is there a .... is there a mobilization cost that we're not thinking about here? I mean, I know we do these in connection with other work on a given street. Could we kind of get out over our skies here in terms of not having ... other work that's occurring with which we could couple an ADA project. Knoche/ In regards to the ... the ramp program, um, sometimes it takes kind of a special contractor to be able to do that kind of work. So, um, you know, to ... to do twice the amount every other year, I ... I think makes sense. There is a mobilization cost that does come into that. Uh, it's normally minor when we're dealing with flat work contractors, but ... but it would help off -set some of that additional work. Hayek/ Okay. Markus/ I don't mean to be argumentative, but if you're just doubling it every other year, you haven't changed the amount. You're just making it more efficient, right? So I thought the objective was to create more. Dickens/ No, because we're ... we were only doing $50,000 every other year, where we want to do (both talking) Mims/ $100,000 every other year. Botchway/ Thought we were doing $50,000 every year. Mims/ No, it's $50,000 every other year (both talking) Dickens/ ... every other year... currently. Knoche/ Currently it's a biannual, so it's $50,000 every other year. (several talking) ...request is to do $100,000 every other year. Fosse/ Really what you want to do is double it. We'll figure out the best way to do (several talking and laughing) Dickens/ What's the most cost - efficient? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 69 Botchway/ Um, coupled with that as well, I know that Susan brought up where are we currently, um, across the board as far as curbs and ramps, um, to maintain or to get to ADA compliance throughout the city. Is that a substantial type of job? Knoche/ I ... I would need to look into that. We have the inventory of the ... of the curb ramps in the city. So it'd just be a matter of looking at that and figuring out, you know, what timeline we're looking at. Botchway/ Because if it isn't, I mean, it'd be nice to say, you know, that this was done relatively quickly and we can say, you know, FYI 5, FYI that, you know, we are currently ADA compliant throughout the entire city, I guess that's my big to do, so to speak. Dickens/ I think John Yapp had the figures and was going to get those to us. Botchway/ Okay. All right. Fosse/ My gut feeling is it's much bigger than that. Botchway/ Okay, and that's what (several talking) Okay. Payne/ To get `em all done you might ... it might be like a 20 -year project or something like that, or 10 -year project or something. Fosse/ Yes! Throgmorton/ Well, let's get some facts (mumbled) I can't talk; I'm too tired. You know, get some facts to us about it so we just know what ... what the situation is. Botchway/ And then kind of going back to Jim's point about sustainability. I ... I agree with, um, Matt as well, you know, when you're talking about sustainability, you're talking about financial sustainability, you're talking about, you know, multi - purpose roads. You're talking about the things that I think you're currently doing. Um, I guess from my standpoint I'm also looking at, or I would like to see, more what are we doing as far as, um, creative innovation. You know, what new things can we, you know, throw our way into the, um, to the bull or to the think tank, whatever the case may be, to push something out that either currently cities aren't doing or maybe not too many cities are doing, whatever the case may be. So for example, and this is just a, I mean, a ... a funny kind of example just because I couldn't think off the top of my head, but if Chris were talking about doing more shelters, you know, what if we put solar panels on the shelters and made them heated. You know, those are one of the things that I would love, especially on a day like today, um, that I think a lot of people would go for, and that would be something that currently from the cities that I've visited isn't currently being done. That being a joke, and again just a funny example, things are ... at least be thinking about things, and I know, Jeff, you brought up the fact that this is something that happens possibly in the design stage later on, but at least be thinking about things on an innovative This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 70 level to kind of push us forward. That's... that's kind of where I see sustainability, as far as my definition so to speak, um, for what we're looking ... or what I'm looking for, um... uh, for a lot of these different projects that we're doing. Markus/ So in ... in terms of sustainability, I think in terms of this budget, probably the biggest change that's going to be made is moving the sustainability director from kind of an internal focus to an external and internal focus, uh, by moving them into the Community Development department. So, Housing Rehabilitation, um, Housing Authority project issues, that can all take a much, um, a more in -depth look at sustainability issues, I think, than it has in the past. I think that might be the biggest initiative. Botchway/ But with that, I think that sustainability director would have to be in the plans with everything going on, you know, especially with the Riverfront Cos... Crossings district, I mean, making sure that, um, you know, Jeff is taking to Chris is talking to sus... sustainability director. Markus/ (mumbled) just explained why we're moving that person right into that (both talking) Botchway/ Well there we go! All right. Just want to make sure. Hayek/ So I used up a lot of ammunition a year or two ago to ... to try to push more brick street reconstruction and I'm ... I'm satisfied with that. I just have a question about that line item. We don't show anything for the next two budget cycles, but then you've got an $800,000 set -aside in ... in, uh, 2017. Is that ... can ... can you explain why it's there, why it's a big number there as opposed to smaller numbers scattered over more budget years? Knoche/ Um, you know, when we had the discussion ... I think the last budget, we had ... we had talked about, um, kind of the ... kind of our argument or discussion we had on curb ramps, you know, being able to do more, um, with less money, and so that was the idea of putting those together, and I think Dennis could probably speak to why it's where it's at, but I think part of it was just kind of where it fit into the ... into the program. Bockenstedt/ And I'm trying to look at which (both talking) Knoche/ Uh, 3849, I believe. Mims/ Cause I think when we'd originally talked about that, we had talked about doing one block every other year maybe, and so maybe this is ... is two blocks every four years, maybe, or three or four years or something. Knoche/ Roughly. Yeah. And then the other ... the other street that's in there, obviously, is Harrison Street is in there now, which isn't necessarily a brick street replacement, but it is a... a replacement of a brick street. Fruin/ I can tell you a little bit about, you know, it is as Ron said, it's economies of scale and being able to ... to really, um, (mumbled) money go a little farther, but I know as we This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 71 talked internally, one of the considerations was just the amount of other road work, um, that we're ... that's happening in the years prior, uh, with Gateway, First Avenue, and... and a lot of those, uh, very substantial. So from a funding standpoint, and from just a ...a capacity standpoint, we shifted that out to 17. We haven't identified what blocks they would be. I know at the last budget session we talked about Linn Street and some of the needs there, and we're anticipating that ... that these funds will probably go to, you know, an area such as Linn Street that's... that's really in need of it, but there's also a two -plus block stretch that ... that needs work. Hayek/ Yeah. Okay. Bockenstedt/ And that's exactly why it's that way (several talking and laughing) Hayek/ Okay. Dickens / When is the new school ... on the east side, the ... by Taft Avenue, is that 2019 or... Hayek/ Sooner than that I think. (several talking) Markus/ ...they moved it back up. Dickens/ Should we be looking at funding the Taft ... portion of that coming up from the south there or... Markus/ (laughs) The Taft is how many million? Dickens/ That's $17 million. Fosse/ Yeah! (several talking) Dickens/ ...talked about doing it in portions there. Fosse/ The school has not indicated that that's important for them to (both talking) Dickens/ Mainly just Muscatine then coming out. Fosse/ Yes. Davidson/ And making sure we have good sidewalks (several talking) Making sure we have good sidewalk connections to the school (several talking) Fosse/ Yeah, American Legion. Dickens/ ...turns into American Legion. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 72 Markus/ In fact we're gonna, you know, we're not intending to improve that rural section of road, which I describe as a rural section of road, uh, before the school opens. Um, there's some sidewalk improvements, so we're not even to the point where we're gonna improve that roadway until more property adjacent to it develops. Dickens/ Cause the City doesn't go past Taft when you get farther north there, that's the City limit. Fosse/ That's correct. Davidson/ And the growth area boundary is right there, as well, Terry. The City won't grow too much father beyond Taft unless you make a policy change to do so. Dickens/ ... spread it farther. Markus/ School District boundary continues to go east there, but the further you go north, uh, then you start bumping into, what is it? (several responding) West Branch. Yeah. (several talking in background) I keep hearing from a lot of people over on the east side of the development that I live in that they're not anxious to see Taft go forward so... Payne/ Oh, but I am! Mims/ Too bad! (laughter) Markus/ Yeah. You'll hear from `em! (laughter) Mims/ I guess I would just go back to one of the... recommendations that was in the Manager's letter to us, and to the public, um, and that was your recommendation on putting a committee together to look at local option sales tax. Um ... from my perspective, you know, as we look through this budget, and I think probably every one of us could find multiple things in here that are not currently funded, that we think have significant importance to this community and to the future well -being of this community. Um, I mean, certainly, Jim, you've talked about the ADA ramps, etc. I mean, we've talked about sustainability, um, one of the things that I had noted was the GRIP program. I mean, I think we could always use more money to help low- income people in terms of home maintenance and weatherizing and ... and insulation and those kinds of things. Um, and there quite frankly is just not enough money to go around. And with the efforts that we're trying to make, and commend the staff on lowering, uh, our tax rate. One, I guess the first thing I'd like to say is ... I would hope that as a Council that we would go along with the City Manager's recommendation to put that committee together, and do that study and take a look at that and see what ... do we want to try to go forward and ... and what would be our strategy, um, in doing that. Um, secondly, when we look at the decrease in the tax rate, one of the things that I found, um, very concerning, if I read this right, is that of the ... we've lowered the tax rate by 10- cents, okay? We got 20 -cents savings out of employee benefits, if I recall that correctly, and a 10 -cent increase... in the debt service, okay? (noises on mic) So when we talk about sustainability, and trying to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 73 continually decrease our tax rate, are we going to be able to get more savings on an annual basis out of our employee benefits? I mean that was a 20 -cent decrease in our tax rate out of employee benefits, I believe. And so ... that concerns me that that's not going to be something that we can necessarily do, and we won't know from year to year. I mean, we don't know now, but ... to me that just brings back making it even more important that we look at the local option sales tax ... for property tax reduction, um, and for being able to find funding for some of these other things that, um, I think are critically important to the sustainability of the community. And the fact that a lot of that sales tax is paid for by non - residents, as well. Hayek/ Excellent points! Markus/ There's a lot of, you know, there's a lot of discussion to be had about that. Mims/ I would agree! Markus/ I ... in terms of round numbers, remember to cut your tax rate by a dollar I think the ... the expectation is you'd have to cut $3 million out of your budget to get to that point. So... while we, you know, look at attrition, there's only so much of that we can do before you really start to impact the ability to deliver the particular service, whatever that might be. So we can ring certain efficiencies out of the operation, but at some time you're going to bump up against that. You're not going to ... you're not going to be able to do much more, and then there's always the expectation that costs can rise, just like you're pointing out on health insurance. So, you have to look at both sides. Mims/ Uh huh. Markus/ You have to look at the expense side. You have to look at the revenue, and if... and if you want to get to a point where I think we should try to get to, is be more in the middle in terms of the pack on what our property tax rate is in terms of, you know, other comparable communities, in terms of competition. I think you have to look at that revenue side, at least have the discussion. And... and one of the primary purposes that is kind of in the state law, in the procedures, is for property tax relief, so... Mims/ Uh huh. Markus/ You saw on the comparisons, that's where a lot of the communities, you know, were lowering their tax rate was through the use of that tool. So ... that's one of the reasons I mention it. Hayek/ And ... and as ... as, uh, as nervous as I am about (noises on mic) uh, local option sales tax, primarily for that ... the formula reasons and ... and the potential for that to change on a ... at a legislative level, you know, we are I think at this point, now that Cedar Rapids passed its LOST, the only Metro city without a sales tax. Markus/ Right. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 74 Hayek/ Um, a dedicated sales tax, and ... and, you know, we ... we certainly don't have gaming revenue, uh, or some of these other sources that other cities have. I mean, Dubuque gets enough money from the gaming industry to cover 20% of its general fund ... every year. Um, other cities... Markus/ Plus they use ... plus they have LOST funds, plus they have the utility tax, as well. Hayek/ Yeah, I mean, when you ...when you drill down and you look at what these other cities have in their arsenal, uh, for revenue, um, raising, uh, and you compare it to what we have, and then you compound that with the percentage of, uh, land within Iowa City that is not taxable at all because it's University or ... or other, uh, untaxed land, you get a sense of how we got here, um ... so we do need to look at this. Mims/ I think we do. So... Hayek/ But until the ... topic goes (laughter) further and we do something, and let's say the public supports it, we have what we have... Mims/ Right! Hayek/ ... and ... and the ... the general asphalt, uh, overlay reconstruction line item is ... it's substantial, but as you noted, it's not keeping up with our deteriorating streets. Are we doing enough in that regard? So that we're not paying more later because we let the degradation, you know, get to a point of no return and you've gotta... you gotta do more. Dickens/ But are the road use funds going to continue coming... Fosse/ There's a lot of questions there (laughter) I can tell you that what we were spending, we were not keeping pace. Now that we've bumped it up, uh, not been through the numbers yet to ... to know if that's going to allow us to hold steady or actually gain some ground. My ... my sense is, at best we'd be holding steady. I don't ... I don't think that we will gain ground there. Uh, one of the areas that we're looking to improve our technology is in our pavement management system, and expanding, um, our ability to systematically track what types of maintenance activities provide ... we should provide, at what times in the pavement life, and that's something that the Engineering Division has been working on and we've been working with the State of Iowa on that, as well, the DOT. And... you know, back to the road use tax thing. Uh, as I explained on Saturday, we're ... we're in a better position than we were couple of years ago because of the results of the ... of the 2010 census. Uh, but that doesn't change the fact that the road use tax in the state of Iowa has not gone up since, when was it? 89? Was the last time that was ... or early 90s, one of the two. And... and since that cents per gallon, not a percentage, it... it does not adjust with inflation. So as a state, we're lacking there. Hayek/ Well I ... I once attended a ... maybe two, three years ago attended a talk that Tom Vilsack gave in Iowa City, and I was talking to him afterwards, and he ... he brought up the gas This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 75 tax and he said, `Keep an eye on this because as ... as, uh, cars become more fuel efficient, you have this perverse outcome,' generates fewer gas ... gas tax dollars... Fosse/ Uh huh! Hayek/ ...to the State. Um, so we need to (unable to hear person speaking away from mic) Yeah. Throgmorton/ ...vehicle miles traveled. Hayek/ Well, okay! So you're ... you feel better about where we are on that portion of the budget. Dickens/ He'd feel a lot better if we gave `em more! Hayek/ Yeah, I know (laughter) Fosse/ There you go! (laughter) Botchway/ Are we ... just so I'm clear, are we going through with the recommendation that Susan just ... talked about? Okay, I just wanted to make sure (several talking) Markus/ We'll bring `em back as a part of the recommended document for budget approval. Botchway/ Okay. All right. (several talking) Throgmorton/ I ... I recall that ... from Saturday's discussion, you introduced a pretty creative idea having to do with affordable housing as a way of using some of those LOST funds, if we move in that direction. I'd be curious to see what you give us. Markus/ Um (both talking) well, you know, the ... the point I make is, I think that we, um ... we need to have a stream of revenue if we're going to go in that ... into that issue seriously. Um, it's nice to talk about it, but I think that we have to ... we have to have an income stream to make it happen, and ... we can either ... we can either, um, make arrangements with private developers to provide for it, or we can add to our stock in a much more scattered site way, and I know we've had some discussions about divesting some of our public housing. Actually, part of my argument goes to the opposite of that. I think we should maybe add in certain places. So... Dickens/ Downpayment. Markus/ Well, and there's downpayment assistance, um, we talked about some of our, uh, neighborhoods, um, you know, getting to a certain maturity that, you know, maybe to provide downpayment assistance would allow for individuals to come into those neighborhoods, which would support the schools that are in those neighborhoods, get to that regentrification, um, in those neighborhoods. So I ... I think there's a lot of different This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 76 approaches that we can take. There isn't just one way to do it, but I was hopeful that as part of the committee discussions, we could have those discussions about how we would use the money and talk about some of those programs. Hayek/ And this ... this probably goes beyond where we are right now, cause we're just starting this process, but I ... but I, from my perspective as, you know, a ... sales tax is ... is essentially a regional issue because you open it up for contiguous cities to pursue it, and you have an opportunity at that point to negotiate how it's used and whatnot, and housing is a regional issue, which we have yet to address on a regional basis. So if we get that far, and we're talking about including a housing component to use of a sales tax, I would ...I would think we'd want to consider having a conversation with our neighbors about a regional commitment to use a portion of it for such an outcome. Markus/ Yeah, we've had that conversation. One of the things that I thought if there was support for this, I would bring a companion resolution along when we, uh, consider the resolutions for the budget and just have a ... a resolution that establishes the committee and kind of the dynamic of the committee and what's expected. Botchway/ And kind of going along with where we're going with the whole LOST, if...and affordable housing, I just would feel more comfortable if there was some bottom line, what we mean by `affordable housing.' I think there's a lot of the community's not understanding what we mean. I'm not sure what we mean, and I'm sure that we need to work that definition out as we go through the process, but before we would take any steps to go anywhere, I think we need to at least get that baseline, as far as what we mean, and what people were trying to really, um, talk about when we're talking about affordable housing. Markus/ Well affordable housing relates to incomes, and then it gets adjusted based on what income you're trying, you know, make housing affordable for. Botchway/ Right! Markus/ So I ... I suspect that there is some degree of flexibility in there, but again, we can show you what's typically referred to as affordable housing. In terms of percentage of, you know, average incomes and that sort of thing, but um, again, that could be flexible, depending on what you are trying to target to. Botchway/ Okay. Dobyns/ My sense of that, Kingsley, is that, urn ... as you make affordable... housing more affordable to, um, people, you make it potentially less affordable financially and politically. Because as you make some housing very affordable, and (mumbled) taking a look at, you know, some of the numbers in terms of what that means, you'll have a different kind of housing, and then you get pushback from the community. I mean, and that's sort of what we've never really talked about as a group. Um, on our side of town, you know, we have the Pheasant Ridge development, uh, which is a nice example. We This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 77 have a very mixed neighborhood over on our side of town. Um, and that's pretty affordable, but you know, there's always sort of `not in my backyard' pushback, um, from members of the west side of the community. Um, there are other members of the community that I don't think that have sort of opportunity in Iowa City. Um, so sometimes be careful what we ask for; we may get it! We may get that kind of pushback, but I think it's worthwhile asking. Botchway/ Well I agree to a certain extent, but I also, you know, I used to work at the Columbia Housing Authority in South Carolina, and one of the things that, um, they did, um, they had ... I mean, they really, when they were talking about affordable housing, granted it was a little bit different than what we're talking about right now. I mean, their housing structure from my sense was more on a sustainability level and, I mean, to ... to ... I guess to my ... from my perspective, it looked amazing. I mean, and I think it's just, again, the, I mean, the materials, the developers, I mean all that kind of plays into, you know, what turns into affordable housing or not, um, but I think that's a perfect point to bring up about the, you know, not in my backyard thing, but because of that and knowing that going forward, we can look at I believe more creatively, or ... on a creative element, and look at ... what ... what different things we can do, um, on an innovative level that could, you know, make things more affordable, make it, you know, very pleasant to the eye — whatever the case may be, but I think that ... I don't want that to stop the argument, because I think that's a consistent argument that gets raised, that then you know five years down the road we're asking again, what are we doing about affordable housing. Dobyns/ We have some nice examples on the southeast side of town of affordable housing, you know, smaller units that I think are really, you know, much nicer (both talking) Yeah. Markus/ So, Jim, you asked the specific question, the specific response is I'd like to take some of these projects that we see downtown and in the near downtown neighborhoods, potentially take 10% of the housing units in there, either have the City acquire them for future public housing, uh, so that they fit right into the existing development, um... you know it ... that takes care of any neighborhood type of issue of `not in my backyard.' They're right there in the ... the same building. There's no aesthetic difference, um, that anybody can distinguish, plus they're in the center of the community which has the best service levels. So ... it's sustainable, it's, you know, it's diversity.... it's all those things. Mims/ Well, I think one of the things we also have struggled with too with some of the programs we've used for affordable housing is how long those restrictions last. And ... while I certainly have been one on the Council who's been a proponent of, uh, potentially selling City -owned housing, um ... the fact that we then control that forever, as long as we own it, um, in terms of income limitations, you know, takes away that ... that idea that in a way we're kicking the can down the road. In other words we're kind of solving it for now, but in 10 or 20 years those income restrictions are gone on this property that we gave somebody incentives for, um ... and the ... then you just start recreating that problem down the road. It ... it goes the other direction cause we keep control so, it'll be an interesting discussion. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 78 Markus/ We've had these discussions with some of the developers at this point. They've been very receptive to it. So... Mims/ Be interesting. Throgmorton/ I ... I'm not sure to what extent we're brainstorming here about possible items to include in a LOST, uh, initiative, so I'll just toss an idea out there and not expecting any substantial discussion. Enhancing the quality of neighborhood parks. I think could be really, uh, use ... really good thing to do because first of all, funds would be disbursed throughout the city, and secondly, by... dramatically enhancing neighborhood parks, you ...you can really (unable to hear person away from mic) fill the neighborhood, right. So, anyhow (mumbled) Hayek/ So we ... so let's ... um, we ... we need to give either some direction or ask more questions on the budget issues themselves. Uh, typically in the CIP portion there's a little bit of horse - trading and whatnot and ... um, I've seen more in years past, and we ... sounds like we've done a little bit on the ... on the ADA ramp issue. Um, you know, if there are other things people want to talk about, we ... we can. I think from my perspective, I think this CIP is a very comprehensive, thoughtful, balanced set of suggestions, and it's wrapped in this context of a very smart approach to our budget, that results in ... you know, in even better tax levy than ... than we've had before, urn ... and just a really good product overall. So personally I don't have a lot ... I really don't ... I'm not even going to suggest any changes, uh, to the ... to the CIP recommendations we're receiving. I mean, I'm fine with ...with the ... with the one Jim raised. I ... I just think it's a very ... you know, I ... there's so many good things, so many important things to do, um ... and, you know, it's hard to second -guess staff's sense of the timing and the priority of that. Mims/ Yeah, I would agree. I mean, as you look at these unfunded projects, um (laughs) to the tune of almost $260 million (laughs) Dickens/ Give or take! Mims/ Didn't somebody win the mega millions that they want to give us? (laughs) Um, I mean, it's just daunting. It's just daunting, all the work that we want to do, need to do, um... and the concern, you know, like Matt raised about are we keeping up on the streets, etc. We've got bridges that are on the unfunded list. Um ... making sure, and I know staff does a great job of this, that we don't let things get too far out of whack in terms of our maintenance and stuff, so that they cost us ex, you know, exorbitant amounts but ... um, no I ... I have to go along with what staff has done. I think you've done a great job and, um, just wish we had more money to allocate to some of these unfunded projects. Hayek/ And you know, being on the unfunded list does not guarantee that you're at least five years out, I mean, you know, if...if, um, if the Riverside/Highway 6, uh ... uh, Transit facility issues come together sooner, you know, we can ... we can move that up. Moss Ridge just bumped its way to the very front, and that's $4 -point something million, I This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 79 mean, you know, so these are malleable, um, items and ... and we can ... we can move them around. Um... Throgmorton/ I ... I ... I'm sorry, Matt. Hayek/ Go ahead. No, go ahead! Throgmorton/ I guess what I'd like to say is first of all I'd really like to thank the staff for doing a superb job as usual. I mean, it's really clear and I just want you to know (laughs) that it's recognizable. Uh, I ... I think in terms of my own values, uh, my concern is that ... too much of the CIP is too suburbanized, having to do with new stuff out on the periphery, but ... you know, we don't live in an ideal world and I don't control what the ideal world's going to look like anyhow, so, I ... I think you've done a terrific job in putting together a program for the coming year, and the years following it, so I'm not going to raise any major objections. I see that ... that the trend toward sustainability and inclusivity, and I ...I'm really happy to see that, so I'm completely on -board with it and I ... I thank you all for that. I do have one suggestion that ... to put out there as something that we could think about, maybe not tonight because I think ... I think the timing's not appropriate, but Tom has suggested, has recommended, that we put the, uh, roughly $1 million from, uh, the backfill that we expect to get. He's recommended that we put that into an emergency... Markus/ Emergency fund. Throgmorton/ ...emergency fund, so I ... I asked about this Saturday. So we have a choice there. We can chose to do that, all ... in ... in total or in part, so I think we ought ... we should leave it a bit open about whether we might want to ... consider using some portion of that for some other purposes having to do with the budget itself, and I don't have particular purposes in mind (laughs) so I'm not pushing any one thing. But I just want to lay it out there as a possibility. Dickens/ Should we put it in our work session? Markus/ I think ... I think ... let me explain something about that. I think our projection is closer to 3 at the end of the next fiscal year, right? Terms of how much we will have... Bockenstedt/ Based on how much we would want to set aside would be around $3 million. I believe in this budget we're taking excess fund balance from last year, which would be about $1.6 million to begin the funding process for the emergency fund. Um, so that's where (mumbled) we expect the ... the funding portion, or the backfill portion of that $3 million calculation to be around $966,000 next year, and we anticipate that would double the year after, uh, once the ... the 5 %, uh, jumps to 10% for commercial and industrial property. So the funding requirement for the backfill actually doubles next year. Markus/ So ... I ... the other point I'd like to make is, when you talk about sustainability, and we probably should have talked about that, that is a sustainable feature, because what you're trying to do is have enough money there in case backfill is pulled on us, and we have This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 80 history on our side that that's a good possibility, and uh, Dennis was here in the state as a ... in the finance department of one of the cities he's previously worked with when those things happened. Um ... and I'm sure some of the rest of you can remember it. Rick and Jeff, that that did happen. So it's likely that that will happen again. So you put yourself in a position where you can absorb those initial shocks of that sort of thing happening, and the other part of the sustainability there is, is that you're tipping off to Moody's that you're thinking about those things and you're protecting yourself for those things to happen, and so we're not going to stop borrowing money. So what we want to do is maintain that triple -A. That triple -A gives you a cost advantage when you go out to sell those bonds. So from my perspective, that's a very sustainable feature, and ... and you know a lot of the sustainability does get back to the cost parts of it and the ... the economics of it, and we can build all the things we want, but if we're not getting a return on that investment, it makes it worthwhile, then it's probably not the most sustainable approach. One of the things I'd like to do is when we look at capital improvements in the future is, what is our return on investment? How, you know, what are we getting out of this? Hayek/ Yeah, and I ... I would add, cause ... I'm sorry, go ahead, Jim! Throgmorton/ I was just going to say, that's a question I have, but I didn't want to ask it because I don't... because it's too complicated so (laughs) Go ahead, Matt. Hayek/ Well, I ... I think this emergency set -aside is a really prudent way to go and while... obviously when we talk about sustainability, and I know this is an over -used term this afternoon. I'm getting the feeling, but it's, you know, it's ... we have avoided ... we have largely avoided layoffs, and we have ... we've been tightening our belt through a very humane, attrition -based approach thus far, and to have that emergency set -side allows us to absorb, um, worst than expected hits in terms of revenue from the State, um, which in turn allows us to avoid the sort of mass layoffs you see in places like Des Moines. I mean, Des Moines is just ... they've laid off scores of people. Um, and I think they were playing catch -up, and from an HR personnel perspective, that's sustainable, it seems tome. So ... we can have ... we should have that conversation. I would just take a very cautious approach to it. Mims/ Yeah, the other comment I would make, kind of .. of in regards to what you just said, Jim, about, you know, the CIP was too ... too suburban for your comfort level, and I guess I would say, you know, as you look out maybe at the whole thing maybe it is, but I think if you look at the 200...2015 budget, you know, I would tend to disagree. I mean, for 2015, I mean, you're talking, you know, the biggest parts of this, certainly on the streets side, is the Gateway project, which I mean that really is a flood mitigation, as well as some other issues there. But an awful lot of it, I mean, you're talking... you're talking Landfill, you're talking ... uh, water main replacement, you're talking those kinds of things that are, you know, they're sustainability, they're inclusivity, I mean, in terms of providing good services and infrastructure for everybody, um, within the community, and so the bulk of this money for 2015 in the CIP really is ... um ... maintenance, in -fill kinds of things, and S o l ...I think the suburban part maybe that you're referring to comes in the future as This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 81 we're looking at the areas with the new schools, but uh, for this next year, I ... it's, a lot of it's just maintaining what we've got. Hayek/ Okay. I think we may be able to wrap this up. Um ... do we have any questions or ... or do we have, uh, any information needs that we want to convey? Our next, urn ... budget item ... budget meeting I think is the 14th. Is that right? Markus/ That's if you need it. Hayek/ That's if we need it. Markus/ Yeah. Our intention is to come back March ... 4? Karr/ For your public hearing? Markus/ Yes, the public hearing is... Karr/ March 4. Markus/ March 4. Hayek/ Do we need a budget meeting on the 14th? (several talking) Markus/ I ... I don't need a meeting. Karr/ We just put it in there because ... (several talking and laughing) typically we had always plugged in three or four meetings, and it was easier to plug `em in and reserve it and we didn't think anybody'd be upset if they (both talking) Mims/ Cancelled it! (laughs) Dickens/ Oh! Karr/ Well, except Terry! (laughter) Dickens/ I love meetings! (laughs) Hayek/ (mumbled) ...away with a $50,000 adjustment to $180 million budget! (laughs) Mims/ Pretty darn good! Markus/ Well, let's ... but let's talk about that. The reason that that is occurring is because you just went through your second strategic plan in two years, and so we're getting some direction about what you want, and that is going to continue to evolve in that direction. So, you know, rather than trying to give you a budget, you know, especially for a young and, you know, new administration, not necessarily a young administration (laughter) a This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 82 new administration, we're getting that kind of direction very directly from you. So ... we hope to be, you know, responding in terms of what you're asking for. Hayek/ And you are, and I'm not ... I think I have the most tenure on this Council now that Connie departed, and I remember some very... and you guys do too, not you, Dennis, but ... but some difficult budget processes, budget cycles, where we had cuts we needed to make. They weren't made in advance of it coming to Council. I know it was a really difficult conversation, and staff gets a lot of credit — gets all the credit frankly, for... for responding to the strategic plan, responding to the Council direction, and presenting us with something that already accomplishes the things we identified as ... as, uh, as worth... as worthy of pursuit. Markus/ I have no doubt that in two to three years, you are going to face what you expect to face. This is not necessarily a tough budget from our standpoint, okay, because we're ... we're still being backfilled. But as time goes on, that starts ... the impact starts to multiply. Mims/ Uh huh. Markus/ And I expect that at some point, they'll start to ratchet back on ... on backfill. And that will be the start, and you will experience that. So some of the ... some of the decisions we're making right now will off -set that impact at that point. I don't like to (coughing, unable to hear speaker) Let's anticipate some of this; let's deal with some of this now. So ... and I think we're doing that. Botchway/ (mumbled) do we ... and this is just from an accounting perspective as well, did we go through this and say, you know, what... each department, and what could you cut at a 2% level and a 5% level? Markus/ Yeah, we ... when we go through these ... these budgets, um, what we're looking at, and I told, uh, the Council that, uh, when I was hired that I prefer to look at these things through attrition rather than waiting for layoffs, because layoffs are always much more difficult. Um ... as we just experienced, um, because of cut -backs that ... you know, in the Housing Authority. Um, but yeah, we look at that type of approach. I think it's a bit draconian though to just think that you can cut, you know, flat amounts across the board. I think you have to look at, you know, priorities, how do you prioritize. I'd rather take that approach than just, you know, a ... everybody takes an equal hit, because not everybody in this community values the services the same way, and so that's what this discussion has to be about. We anticipate, you know, how those cuts should be made, but you know, sometimes we have some very difficult discussions. Yeah, we can ... we look at those types of things. They literally go through every line item of every department's budget as we're reviewing them ... to determine if those are fair numbers or not. Botchway/ Okay. I guess from that perspective as well, just making sure in this, again, I'll harp on it I guess for the next four years, making sure we, I mean I or `we' as a ... Iowa City as a whole, sees that somewhere in the budget to say, you know, hey, we're not going to look at it from that standpoint, but um, we are taking the necessary steps. Departments This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014. January 6, 2014 Iowa City City Council Budget Work Session Page 83 are doing this to make sure that we're, um, we're paying attention to things and we're looking at it through attrition and not just draconian cuts. I think that at least gives the public the understanding that that's how, you know, Iowa City's currently doing it and that's fine. Hayek/ Yeah. Botchway/ I mean, that's a good way of doing it. I just want to make sure that it's clear, so there's not any misinterpretation or whatever the case may be. Markus/ So I think with the exception of maybe three positions, we're ... we've eliminated almost 30 positions since 2012 through attrition. Botchway/ Okay. Hayek/ That's... that's part of the messaging that we talked about at strategic (several talking) Botchway/ ... and that's what I mean. Yeah. Payne/ But, along with that, I mean ... in Tom's letter that he wrote to us, I ... I think it's unrealistic to think that in three years or five years that we won't have to cut any services to stay in budget. I mean, the public needs to know that ... you know, we're going to have less revenue so ... you can't just lay people off or tell people they can't use paper anymore. I mean (laughs) you know... that... that isn't going to fix the whole problem. (several responding) Mims/ Managing expectations! Hayek/ It is. Okay, well, unless there are more questions, I think ... we will not have that budget meeting on the 14th. We don't need it. Markus/ And we'll prepare the documents with the changes... Karr/ I'll revise it in the schedule that comes out Thursday. Hayek/ Okay. Thank you! All of you... for your work! Throgmorton/ Thank you! Mims/ Thank you very much! Hayek/ And see you in almost exactly 24 hours! (laughter) We're done! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 6, 2014.