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ITEM la. PROCLAMATIONS.
ITEM 2a Democracy in the Workplace Day — April 8
Hayek: Do we have anyone here for the proclamation, Marian?
Karr: No.
Hayek: Okay, it's in the packet and I don't need to read it. Okay, item 2.
Throgmorton: Can I ask a question about that?
Hayek: Absolutely!
Throgmorton: Does anybody know really what worldblu is? The organization? Worldblu
certified organizations model how freedom and democracy ...etc.
Karr: ICAD requested this be added.
Hayek: Yea, it came from ICAD and I think it's blue zone related.
Karr: I believe so, yes.
Hayek: But to answer your specific questions, I don't know.
Throgmorton: Certainly sounds good. Strange nobody knows anything about it. Okay.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
special formal meeting of April 7, 2014.
Page 2
ITEM 2. ANIMAL CARE AND ADOPTION CENTER 2014 — RESOLUTION
REJECTING BIDS RECEIVED ON MARCH 27, 2014 FOR THE ANIMAL
CARE AND ADOPTION CENTER 2014 PROJECT
Hayek: Item 2 has been revised. Resolution rejecting bids received on March 27, 2014
for the animal care and adoption center 2014 project.
Mims: Move to reject the bids.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Mims, seconded by Payne. Discussion? Is there anyone here form the
audience that wishes to address us.
Rathje: Good afternoon Mayor and Council. My name is Craig Rathje and I'm from a
neighboring community Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I know sometimes when you read
the paper and people kinda listen a little bit to what's being said out there before
there's an actual meeting you already hear a lot about what's going to happen as
far as there's been some news out there that the bids would be rejected and I can
understand that because more than likely it going to have to come back to rebid
because of the price. It's been quite a long time you know since this flood and
people are out there busy but never the less I'd like to mention that you know with
the Friends helping the Animal Shelter they're a big part of the people that are
going to help contribute money in this building. Now to me it seems like it would
be quite a disappointment with all the different functions that they run and the
things they have done around the community in order to try raising the money in
order to have a top notch twenty first animal shelter would come to no avail. So I
would hope you would take this into consideration. Recently the Mayor had
mentioned something about complementing the volunteers and how the Cities
themselves are not able to do it alone. In this situation you see that the volunteers
are out there willing to help make a difference with these animals. I sent a letter
yesterday and I hope you all have had time to read it. And now I'd like to just
read a little something, and once again thank you for your time. I appreciate your
service. It is important all work the volunteers do. The Mayor had mentioned
this and a lot of thanks goes out to these people because the City staff cannot do it
alone. The volunteers work toward making necessary accomplishments toward
their mission and their goals. We all know that animal care facilities take care of
unwanted and abused animals. The service they provide is essential and necessary
for the safety of the community. We all know when one is driven with
compassion, humanity, and ethics we're able to turn a negative into a positive.
This is what we need in today's world. We lead by example. Educating our
children and grandchildren. Friends helping animals and other members of the
community give much of themselves, unconditionally. Most importantly they
raise money to accomplish their mission and their goals. Having a top notch
twenty one twenty first century animal shelter or animal center where many of
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
special formal meeting of April 7, 2014.
Page 3
these people work in the way to help the cause that is not only meaningful to them
but also the animals. In everything I've said don't forget the social, cultural, and
entertainment they bring to themselves and to the community. I hope you can
find a way to make the original plans of the animal care center a reality. Thank
you very much.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments Mr. Rathje. Anyone else from the audience.
Council discussion?
Mims: Well, I think it's disappointing but I think we started anticipating that some of this
was going to happen with our bids given the somewhat recovery of the economy
and certainly all the building that is going on in the area. I would hope that when
this comes back to us that the new plans and design would be such that would
allow us to eventually implement the original scope and ideas in as cost efficient
manner as possible. Whether that means you know adding on more space or
different amenities that we can't necessarily afford at this time.
Throgmorton: I would certainly agree with that, and I would also like to thank Mr. Rathje for
coming. You probably don't know this but my dog Watson, and my two cats,
Kitten and Callie, both come from the shelter. My neighbor Liz Ford is, I don't
know, chair of the Board of Directors for the Animal Shelter. I am a total
supporter of the shelter so I completely agree with you about the ambition of
producing a high quality shelter for the animals and we'll do the best we can and
we're all rally profoundly disappointed about the bids but it seems to be the
market and we'll all do what we can.
Hayek: There's a memo in the packet from staff, is there anything else we need to know
before we vote?
Markus: I don't think so. Unless you have questions.
Throgmorton: And we're coming back sometime in May or whenever sometime in May.
Markus: Once we get revised plans.
Hayek: Any further discussion? Roll call, please. Passes 6 -0.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
Payne: So moved.
Dickens: Second
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Dickens. All those in favor say "aye ". All ayes.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
special formal meeting of April 7, 2014.
Page 4
ITEM 3. UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERSHIP — RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER RO SIGN AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA TO PARTICIPATE IN THE IOWA
INITIATIVES FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
Hayek: Item 3 (reads item
Payne: Move resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Dickens. Discussion?
Throgmorton: I wonder if Tom or Geoff could elaborate a little bit. I think from my point of
view very exciting to read the memo and I congratulate you totally for moving in
this direction. One thing I am a little bit puzzled about has to do with the press
release which focuses on at least according to the quote from Nick Benson who is
the director for the institute or the initiative the quote focuses on marketing on
what the City has been doing but my sense is that we'll be asking them to do
substantial amount more or wider variety of work....
Markus: Yes, substantially more. I'll let Geoff walk you thru some of the programs we're
talking about.
Fruin: Yes, I've been working with Brenda Nations who has done lion's share of work
on this. The way the application process works is that the City's propose
anywhere from 30 -40 projects that we might be interested in working with the
University on. What we try to do is try to understand what the University's
curriculum is, who's involved, what departments are involved, what their interests
are, and we tried to match up different projects associated with that. We have not
yet sat down with the University do determine how we'll pare our list of 30 -40
some odd projects down to 10 or 15 so I don't know if the communication project
itself will make it but certainly if there's people in the school of journalism or
perhaps have a marketing interest that might be a natural alignment. If there is
not interest from those groups we certainly we wouldn't go that route. But that is
just one of about 30 or 40 projects that we have suggested. We should know
within the next month what the University's interests are in terms of aligning. For
the press release I think both sides, whether we were commenting or the
University was commenting, we had to pick a couple of projects to talk about, and
I would assume that if the University chose that project to talk about that may be
one that they are interested in. We certainly in it too but it would be one of many.
Throgmorton: Thanks Geoff
Hayek: Further discussion? Roll call, please. Passes 6 -0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
special formal meeting of April 7, 2014.