HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-06-03 TranscriptionJune 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page I
Council Present: Dickens, Dobyns, Hayek, Mims, Payne, Throgmorton
Council Absent: Botchway
Staff Present: Markus, Fruin, Dilkes, Karr, Knoche, Dulek, Yapp, Boothroy, Nations,
Craig, Tharp, Scott, Moran, Andrew, Andreson, McMahon, Bockenstedt
(sound system problems with City Manager and Assistant City Manager mics)
Agenda Items:
Hayek/ I want to welcome everyone! Um ... first bullet point is questions regarding agenda
items. Yes, Jim!
3d(17) AMERICAN LEGION ROAD AND TAFT AVE. — RESOLUTION
APPROVING, AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO
EXECUTE AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST AN AGREEMENT BY AND
BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND FOTH INFRASTRUCTURE
AND ENVIRONMENT, LLC TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING CONSULTANT
SERVICES FOR THE FUNCTIONAL DESIGN OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
ROAD AND TAFT AVE. IMPROVEMENTS.
Throgmorton/ If nobody else wants to ask a question, I ... I will just for the heck of it. We just
got something in the, uh, in the late packet about Amer ... so Item 3d(17).
Hayek/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ Uh, about American Legion Road and Taft Avenue and design consultant
contract. So, uh, I ... I don't have any objection to it, but I'm wondering whether, uh, the
staff, and I guess that would mean mainly, uh, Rick's crew, uh ... (unable to hear person
responding away from mic) Yeah, Knoche, Ron, uh, I'm wondering if, uh, if they've
been tracking the new urban design ... urban street design publications and guidelines that
have been appearing in print over the past year or more. Uh, you know, cause I'm
conscious that those design, those new design guidelines differ from what our ordinary
practice has been. So ... (unable to hear respondent) Uh, well (mainly) three different
publications.
Knoche/ Yeah, there's... there's multiple publications out there, and we have been tracking them,
um, and we'll ... we'll look into the potential of using some of those concepts, um, as we
move forward with this. The ... the contract that we have on, uh, this agenda is the
functional design, kinda laying out grading limits, laying out the profile of the roadway,
uh, and then also looking at the intersections, um, for the potential of either, you know,
signalized intersection at American Legion ... or at Scott Boulevard or potential for a
roundabout. I know there's some ob ... objections to that but, uh, at least get the (several
talking) education out there in regards to the roundabout at that location (several talking)
and uh, and then also be able to work with the School District and get them the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 2
information that they're going to need as they start putting their site plan together for the
east side elementary school.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I understand we need to move ahead.
Knoche/ Uh huh.
Markus/ (unable to hear clearly, away from mic) ...how that impacts the potential school site and
(unable to hear)
Knoche/ Right, so ... so as we establish what the profile of the roadway's going to be, you know,
as far as the grade elevations, and then also looking at the impacts as far as the grading
impacts, it'll ... we'll be able to then, uh, allow the School District to grade their site
accordingly, allow for their utility connections, then also look at the potential of.. in the
future, uh, a... a grade separated crossing of American Legion Road for the... from the
trail system in Windsor Ridge to the school site. And continue that trail system south
along the greenway, in the ... in the future planning area. Thanks!
Payne/ I have another question that's probably for you.
Knoche/ Okay.
ITEM 3d(7) 2013 SEWER REPAIR — RESOLUTION CORRECTING THE FINAL
CONTRACT PRICE IN THE RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE WORK FOR
THE 2013 SEWER REPAIR PROJECT.
Payne/ It's on 3d(7), which is the 2013 sewer repair.
Knoche/ Uh huh.
Payne/ Which the estimated cost was $46,000. The bid was $79,000 and the actual cost was
almost $158,000, like $100,000 more than the bid, or more than the estimate.
Knoche/ As ... in that project we added additional sites, um, just due to, um, some ... some im...
we added additional sites to the contracts as they became, urn ... as we became aware of
them. And so ... that ... that's how that contract grew the way it did. Um, there were sites
that we needed to make repairs on, and ... and we already had a contract in place with
Lynch to be able to do that work.
Mims/ Cause you had about six or seven, didn't you?
Knoche/ Yeah.
Mims/ From the list. Yeah.
Payne/ Did that come to us or...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 3
Knoche/ It did not originally cause it was a competitive quotation project. Um, it ... and ... we...
we will not have that happen again. It just ... this time it ended up being that way, so...
Payne/ Okay!
Knoche/ So, yeah.
Payne/ It was a fluke!
Knoche/ It was a fluke, yes (laughter) Yes!
Payne/ Okay.
Markus/ (unable to hear, away from mic)
Knoche/ On ... on this it was per site, um, so we ... we did negotiate with them on the added sites.
But we had an idea based on, you know, what we saw for those other locations.
Payne/ Okay. Thanks!
Knoche/ Yep!
ITEM 3d(16) NEW CITY WEBSITE - RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE
MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST TO A 28E
AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOR WEBSITE
DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
Throgmorton/ Thanks... thanks, Ron! Matt, I guess on 3d(16), uh, about the, uh, well why don't
you go ahead then.
Hayek/ No, I was ... I was going to ask staff to walk us through the web site, um, redesign process
and ... you know, where we're going and that sort of thing.
Fruin/ (difficult to hear, away from mic) ... our Communications Coordinator (mumbled)
McMahon/ Hi, um, we are hoping to work with the University of Iowa, um, and their web
department on helping us redesign our new site. Urn ... uh, we obviously have a need to
improve our site, um ... I've had several issues with it and we'd like to just jump in and
help, um, improve our customer service, um, by providing some added features that we
can't currently access on our site. Um, we feel like the collaboration with the University
will be ... will be a great opportunity, to reach out to the community in a way that we think
we need to.
Hayek/ Do they do this, uh, sort of thing for other municipalities?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 4
McMahon/ No, we will be their first outside of the University of Iowa.
Hayek/ That's a big number up front of course, but this is a comprehensive web site with a lot
of... components and interface, um... yeah, and the... and the ongoing maintenance looks
pretty low for such a comprehensive web site.
McMahon/ Yes.
Fruin/ (difficult to hear, away from mic) ... one of the other options available to us (mumbled)
The contract with the University (mumbled) very good deal for us in that (mumbled)
Karr/ ...use Tom's.
Hayek/ I think there's a mic issue! Thanks, Geoff.
Fruin/ (mumbled) Uh, the $3,000 ongoing maintenance is a ... is a very good ... very good deal
(mumbled)
Hayek/ Yep.
Fruin/ (mumbled)
Payne/ I was just involved in a web site redesign on a, um, commission that I'm on, uh, for work
and it's nothing as detailed as what we have. It's very simple, a very simple web site,
and it was $25,000. So ... and the ... we supplied all the information to go on it, also. So, I
mean, I thought that the $60,000 was very reasonable.
McMahon/ We think so too!
Throgmorton/ Well I'm really happy to see that, uh, we're going to be doing this, uh, I think I'm
not alone in saying it's often hard to find information on the web site. It's been very
frustrating.
McMahon/ Yes!
Throgmorton/ So...
Hayek/ Okay!
Throgmorton/ Good deal!
Hayek/ (both talking) Thank you! Other agenda... questions?
ITEM 7. BLUE ZONES COMMITMENTS — RESOLUTION STATING SUPPORT
FOR ACTIONS ALIGNED WITH ACHIEVING BLUE ZONES
CERTIFICATION.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 5
Dobyns/ I assume for the Blue Zones the group will come during public session? And...
Throgmorton/ The group is there (laughter)
Dobyns/ (person responding from audience) Is... going to do during work or public?
Fruin/ We're planning a presentation in the public.
Dobyns/ Great, all right. Thank you.
Hayek/ Can I ask a question now about Blue Zones though and that ... you know, you look at
the ... the packet materials, um ... how ... and I ... and I didn't drill down, you know, with
enough detail to know exactly what we're pledging to do or what comes as a packages of
recommendations that we could consider.
Nations/ Uh huh.
Hayek/ Can you kind of talk generally about what we're actually committing to do.
Nations/ Sure!
Hayek/ And what would be options on the ala carte list of great things awesome cities can do.
Nations/ There ... the Blue Zones has a list, kind of menu, for us to choose from, and we work
with City staff and had meetings, um, and talked with what we're already committed to
doing, what we're ... what we're going to do, uh, what we've already done, and we do get
some points for what we've already done. So, we have to have a minimum of points, and
so we have, um ... a, in your packet should be a milestone with what we are saying that
we're committed to doing, but it's not set in stone, and it's not that, um, if we ... if we fall
into problem with one of those that we can't cross it off. So it's meant to be kind of a
flexible working document that we can also add, um, on different projects, but there's
enough padded, um, activities there that should get us through the certification. So, um,
that... the... that came up from talking to City staff and working with Geoff Fruin, and
um, but none of that is totally set in stone, and the main purpose of doing the presentation
tonight is to get a signature on the resig ... resolution, um, to ... just to show the re- ...uh,
commitment from the City Council in going forward. And ... and to, um, so those ... those
aren't set in stone.
Dobyns/ Of the 42 possible points, um, how many points did we get based on those things
you've recommended that we approve?
Nations/ Um, we need 17 and on that list is 25.
Dobyns/ Oh okay! All right.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 6
Hayek/ So we should get there without...
Nations/ Yeah!
Hayek/ You know, some of these things we're clearly doing already...
Nations/ Uh huh.
Hayek/ ... streets, pedestrian, bicycle, etc. Probably some of the tobacco issues. But then you
get into some of these areas that might stir up more controversy, for example, fast food
legislation.
Nations / Right.
Hayek/ May or may not be a good idea for us, but you can bet it... it would...
Nations/ We didn't really consider that, and we've been told that no other city that's been doing
the Blue Zones has ... has considered, um, getting rid of fast food (laughs) or, you know,
fast food chains.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Dobyns/ I looked through the list and everything I saw was kind of low - hanging fruit.
Hayek/ Seemed like it.
Dobyns/ Yeah. I...
Nations/ In the resolution you mean?
Dobyns/ Yeah, in the resolution, from what the...
Nations/ Um, the Blue Zones requires that we do ... only do two projects and we're signed up for
six, and those are ... are projects that we already had in the works, so ... the, uh, out of the,
uh, built environment, so...
Dobyns/ What is the toughest one to get? Is it getting, what, 20% of citizens?
Nations/ Uh...
Dobyns/ I think the ... one of the things was like 20% of all citizens have to...
Nations/ Yeah, and if the ... the thing with citizens signing up is you not only have to sign up, you
have to go back to the web site and complete one pledge item. So I think a lot of people
don't understand that. So...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 7
Dobyns/ Would that include our University of Iowa students? Included in that denominator?
Nations/ I would think so (both talking) Um, Shannon Green will be here tonight from the Blue
Zones and she might be able to answer that question (both talking)
Dobyns/ This is just my sneaky way of asking you a question that would be nice to have an
answer for in public, yeah! (laughs)
Nations/ Yeah! And I think that they're going to be working specifically with the University
cause they know that's a whole different ball of wax.
Dobyns/ Okay, cause that'd be another entity. Okay!
Nations/ Yep!
Dobyns/ All right.
Nations/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ I'd like to share, uh, say, Matt, that I totally share your, uh, discomfort about some
aspects of it. When I read the big long thing, I thought, oh, I don't know, this is ... there's
too much here, and are we committing ourselves to all of this, and then it was clear we
aren't, but you just need to be ... to clarify ... be very clear about that point, I think, tonight
and ... or whoever's making the presentation tonight needs to be very (both talking)
Dobyns/ Yeah, some could look at the list and go, all that? (laughs) Yeah!
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Mims/ Yeah, I think it's where we have to make sure people focus on the resolution, not on the
Blue Zones document, that ... and expect that we're adopting that whole thing.
Hayek/ Yep.
Nations/ Right. That's just the menu. The whole thing's just the menu to choose from, and it's
for the City to make the decision of what to choose, so...
Hayek/ Okay. Thanks, Brenda!
ITEM 5b RIVERFRONT CROSSINGS FORM BASED CODE — ORDINANCE
AMENDING TITLE 14: ZONING, ADDING ARTICLE 14 -2G, RIVERFRONT
CROSSINGS FORM -BASED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, AND AMENDING
OTHER ASSOCIATED PARTS OF TITLE 14 TO INTEGRATE THE FORM
BASED CODE. (PASS AND ADOPT)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 8
Throgmorton/ Matt, can I move back, up on the agenda a little bit to Item 5b, which I think is...
it's okay ... the form based code item. We can talk about that, right? Yeah. Uh, well,
y'all remember that last meeting I said I wanted to introduce three amendments and ... and
said I'd (mumbled) given the situation I'll defer doing that till tonight, and there's a little
bit of information about that. The staff's response to those proposals in our packet. So
what I would like to do is introduce the amendments, and frankly I don't expect that
there'll be sufficient support ... support to pass them, but if someone would be willing to
second the ... the, uh, the motion, I'd be very appreciative and (mumbled) give us a
chance to talk about the topics, and then we can ... if, you know, I assume collectively that
Council would want to vote it down but ... I ... I would just like, uh, to, uh, ask someone to
be willing to ... uh, second that motion when it comes up.
Hayek/ Are you going to, uh, hand out ... new material or re- handout what was handed out (both
talking)
Throgmorton/ No, I wasn't intending to hand out new material cause it was in the packet.
ITEM 5a REZONING ( GOOSETOWN / HORACE MANN) — ORDINANCE TO
DESIGNATE THE GOOSETOWN / HORACE MANN CONSERVATION
DISTRICT AS A CONSERVATION DISTRICT OVERLAY (OCD) ZONE. (REZ-
14- 00004) (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Hayek/ Okay. I'll try to locate that before 7:00. Okay! By the way, on the ... on the historic
district rezoning there's a request for expedited. We will take that issue up, whether ... the
issue itself and the ... the request to expedite, um, at the formal.
ITEM 5b RIVERFRONT CROSSINGS FORM BASED CODE — ORDINANCE
AMENDING TITLE 14: ZONING, ADDING ARTICLE 14 -2G, RIVERFRONT
CROSSINGS FORM -BASED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, AND AMENDING
OTHER ASSOCIATED PARTS OF TITLE 14 TO INTEGRATE THE FORM
BASED CODE. (PASS AND ADOPT)
Throgmorton/ Matt, I also wanted to thank Doug and the staff in general for, uh, for writing their
response to those proposed amendments, and also to, uh ... um, note that they laid out a
process that, uh, that includes connecting with not - for - profit, uh, housing providers. So,
I ... I just want to thank them for doing that. (mumbled) clarifies how things will proceed.
Council Appointments:
Hayek/ Um, we do have ... a Council appointment we might as well make, on the agenda, um, for
Human Rights.
Mims/ I guess I would say Stella Hart. I mean, we're looking at a woman ... that eliminates one
out of the three, um ... the other woman has lived in Iowa City for 25 days, which
I'm ... doesn't ... I'm not real comfortable with that personally.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 9
Payne/ I applaud somebody for wanting to get involved, but (both talking and laughing)
Mims/ True, very true!
Throgmorton/ Might change her mind 25 days from now!
Payne/ Right! (laughs) I ... I agree with you ... on your...
Hayek/ Is there enough (several responding) support for Stella Hart?
Throgmorton/ Yes!
Hayek/ Okay! Think that's our only appointment. Anything else on the agenda?
Agenda Items (cont.):
ITEM 6. REZONING (AIRPORT) - ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 14, ENTITLED
"ZONING," CHAPTER 6, ENTITLED, "AIRPORT ZONING," TO PROVIDE
THAT A STRUCTURE MAY PENETRATE THE HORIZONTAL OVERLAY
ZONE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, one ... one other item, Matt. Uh, on Item 6, which has to do with the
Airport's horizontal overlay zone. Uh, I want ... I know Mike's ... is here. I ... I wonder if
he or someone else might very briefly explain why this change is being recommended
now, just to be clear about it.
Tharp/ Yeah, this change is ... is coming up for a couple of reasons. It's a conversation that's
been going on in the background for a couple of years now. Uh, we've seen over the last
couple years where the FAA is allowing, whether it's because of better technology in
airplanes, things like that, where airspace studies are coming back and they're allowed to
exceed the horizontal overlay zone. Um ... this would take the process from a special
exception process with a board that ... you've seen the ... the, uh ... um, listings on ... on
Council packets — the Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment — that,
uh, over the last eight years have met once or, um ... uh, and takes it from that setup
where ... and puts it into an administrative review. So that, uh, if a airspace study comes
back and it's clean, it's not going to alter, urn ... approach minimums or safe altitudes,
things that would, uh, have a negative impact on the Airport. They can be approved
administra ... administratively and uh, the permit process can go forward.
Throgmorton/ So ... what you said (mumbled) you said you were going to, there were a couple
reasons why.
Tharp/ Well ... I ... I don't know why the FAA is allowing them to, um ... break the plain if you
will, but I ... I presume it's because of better technology in aircraft, and uh, just general
advances of that nature.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 10
Throgmorton/ Oh, okay! Thanks!
Hayek/ Thanks, Michael! Any other agenda questions? Okay. Let's move on to,
uh ... discussion of merits of consolidation of City and County Assessor Offices.
City /County Assessor Organizational Structure:
Andrew/ Good evening, Simon Andrew, uh, Administrative Analyst. The Johnson County
Board of Supervisors have asked us to review the, uh, possible costs and benefits
associated with consolidating the City and County Assessors Offices. Um, we do have
retirements expected in both offices, and that what ... is what makes this an opportune
time to review, um, these positions, and that is consistent with the City's practice of
reviewing vacant positions or soon to be vacant positions, um, to identify, uh, potential
efficiencies. Um, there are two distinct issues at play. There is office consolidation, but
there are also... practices, procedures, forms, um, that could be changed, um, with or
without office consolidation. Uh, and along with that, assessment methodology is
something that's independent of, uh, whether or not the two offices merge. Uh, little bit
of background. Uh, each of Iowa's 99 counties has an assessor that's created by State
code, uh, but State code does allow cities greater than, uh, 10,000 in population to create
their own City Assessor if they so choose. And it's important to note that there's no
overlapping costs or services, um, with city and county assessors. The Iowa City
Assessor performs assessment duties only within Iowa City, and the Assessor ... the Iowa
City Assessor's levy is only levied on property within Iowa City. Similarly the County's
Assessor only handles Johnson County assessments, outside of Iowa City, and uh, his
levy is only, uh, levied on properties outside of Iowa City, within Johnson County. Uh,
currently eight cities in Iowa have city assessors. Uh, Iowa City obviously being one of
them. Six of the nine largest cities in the state have city assessors. Urn ... and this
decision is entirely up to the City Council. Um... so we evaluated three options. Uh, the
third here was eliminated fairly quickly. Um, the first option is obviously to maintain the
status quo of having two separate offices. Um, we looked at consolidating into a single
office, or maintaining two separate offices, but perhaps contracting with the County, um,
for the actual assessment duties but, um, maintaining our Conference Board
representation. Um, State code may not allow for that third option, so we dismissed it
fairly quickly. Um, we don't know that it's been tested, um, there are ... I know that Scott
County, uh, contracts with a private service for assessment services. Um, but it didn't
look like we'd be able to maintain our representation with that option, so ... urn, that one
was dismissed, uh, fairly quickly. Uh, we looked at five, uh, criteria for making the
decision, um, and we would recommend consolidation, if these five criteria were met.
Uh, the first was cost savings for Iowa City taxpayers. Um, and that is just reflected in
the, uh, the City Assessor's levy, or the consolidated office... offices levy. Um, the
second was equal or improved City representation on governing and appeals boards. Um,
spoiler alert here! This is the one that really was the deciding factor. The rest of these
were largely a wash. Uh, more equitable and more accurate assessments, and uh, better
customer service was the fifth criteria. Uh, so the first was cost savings. The Iowa City,
uh, Assessor levy is currently lower than the County levy. So if the two were to
consolidate today, all else being equal, the two levies would effectively be averaged, and
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page I 1
it would increase for Iowa City property owners and uh, decrease for County property
owners. Now there are some sunsetting TIFs in the coming years, as you're well aware.
Um, in jurisdictions outside of Iowa City, um, so that would bring the two levies closer
together as there's more valuation that the County could, um, levy their, uh, taxes against.
Um, there would be potential upfront costs to consolidations, uh, software systems would
have to be merged. There may be some equalization of salaries and /or benefits, um, with
the staff, uh ... coming together under the County's government. Uh, to benefit Iowa City
taxpayers, the total reduction in expenses would have to be enough to overwhelm, uh,
that current difference in the levies. It would not only have to decrease costs overall, it
would have to decrease costs enough to make up for that current 8 -cent difference in the
two levies for Iowa City taxpayers. Um, again there could be short-term costs. The long-
term savings, while it seems intuitive that combining the two offices would, um, have the
potential for some efficiencies, this is uncertain, and the potential savings for the average
taxpayer are marginal. Um, with the current difference in the two levies on, uh, a
$200,000 home, it's about $8.00 a year. So the tax savings, as uncertain as they are for
Iowa City property taxpayers, um, wouldn't necessarily amount to much. Uh,
representation, again this was the one that really was the deciding factor for us. The Iowa
City Assessor's Conference Board is comprised of the City Council, the Iowa City
Community School District, and the County Board of Supervisors. In a County, um,
Conference Board, the City vote is the majority of all of the cities in the County.
Um... so essentially, uh, the City of Iowa City would be one of 11 or 12 votes, out of all
the cities, which would be one -third of the votes on the Conference Board, if that makes
sense. There's the School District vote, County vote, and the City vote. And we'd be
one of 12 cities. Uh, the Board of Review adjudicates, uh, appeals. The Conference
Board apor ... appoints the Board of Review. Um, also appoints the Examining Board and
approves the Assessor's budget. So, by eliminating the City Assessor's office, we will
lose a good amount of control over, um, the office and over, uh, the other appointments
that, um, the Conference Board would make. Uh, equity an ... equity and accuracy of
assessments — uh, both Assessors' offices perform very well. Um ... it was pointed out
that some of the, uh, statistical metrics to, urn ... to evaluate assessors have... differing
usefulness across different property classes. They're more useful for property classes
that have, uh, a higher sample size in number of sales. So for residential properties, um,
especially under $800,000, they're, uh, fairly useful metrics. Uh, the first is equalization
orders, um, and that is an order given down by the State. If, um, the equity of
assessments within the County are not, uh, up to par, and none have been received by
either office in the last 10 years for either residential or commercial. So by that metric,
they are performing very well. And the next two for residential asses... especially, um,
they have both performed very well. The last two years with data available, they were
the top two offices in the state in terms of residential co- efficient of dispersion and they
were both in the top eight in the state, um, over the last four years in price related
differential for residential. So, we are confident that in either system, uh, this will
continue to ... perform well for Iowa City taxpayers. Uh, customer service — both offices
currently operate out of the same building. Um, one of the ... issues that Ames was
approaching is that their county seat is in Nevada, and so consolidating the offices may
mean for customers in Ames they would have to travel to Nevada if they wanted to
interact with the assessor in per ... uh, in person. Um, this isn't an issue in Johnson
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 12
County. They, um, operate out of the same place. Um, software systems, forms, and
procedures could be standardized, uh, regardless, um, of whether the offices consolidate
or not, and again, that would be, uh, something that the Conference Board would be able
to provide direction to the Assessor's Office on. And, uh, as with cost savings, there is
the potential for some upfront costs that, um, could affect customer service. You know,
if we devote, uh, a substantial amount of staff time to this consolidation, it could affect,
uh, how much time current staff has to devote, uh, to customer service. Um, but again,
there are some ... there's a potential for some uncertain long -term gains in customer
service. Again it seems somewhat intuitive that, um, having one office would provide
some efficiencies in that, uh, in that sense, but ... um, they are uncertain at best. Um,
some evaluations from other cities. Uh, essentially the trend throughout the 90s, there
were several cities that consolidated, including Des Moines, Marshalltown, um,
Waterloo, uh, there were a couple others. Uh, over the last 15 years, uh, many cities have
evaluated this option and none have chosen to consolidate. Uh, the most recent being
Sioux City and Davenport. Um, Sioux City just reviewed this year, um, and it looks as
though the conversation isn't going well there, or going anywhere there, but um, I don't
think that that one has finalized yet. Uh, Davenport indicated that they would maintain a
City Assessor's Office, but um, again, review in the ... in the coming years as they have
more information available. Uh, the previous reviews all, uh, definitively said that they
would keep the City Assessor's Office. So, again, in conclusion, uh, cost savings, long-
term is uncertain, short-term there would likely be no cost savings. Um, in fact there
could be the potential for increased costs for Iowa City taxpayers. Uh, representation, we
would necessarily lose representation on the Conference Board, um, which does, um,
provide the Council with a great degree of control over, um, how assessment duties are
performed in the City, uh, and again the last three we are confident that either office, or a
combination of the two, would continue to perform well on these, and so we don't really
have any concerns in terms of that. So the recommendation from staff is to maintain a
City Assessor's Office, um, while continuing to transition to an income approach to
commercial properties especially. Um, when that's desirable. That's something that the
City Assessor has been, um, transitioning to more in recent years, um, and can provide,
uh, more accurate valuations, especially with commercial and rental properties. Um, and
we would like to standardize processes and procedures when, um, practical, between the
two offices, and if we were to look at this again in the future, if we had, um, all
standardized forms and software systems, it would be easier to consolidate if that was
something that a future Council had chose to do. I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Dobyns/ In my two years I'm trying to think on the City Conference Board if there's been a vote
that has been split. I'm trying to think cause this is all ... I recognize the benefits aren't
great.
Andrew/ Uh huh.
Dobyns/ But I'm just trying to look at the potential harms that City staff notes in your
recommendation. And I'm just wondering ... I just ... I mean, is there an example of a vote
that might ... be a problem that we would want a stronger representation? I mean, I've
only been on for two years. I'm trying to think...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 13
Mims/ Yeah, I mean, I don't know that there is, but I ... I guess I can't see us as elected officials
representing the citizens of Iowa City ... doing anything that would decrease our residents'
representation on something that's this important, uh, particularly when there's no
indication that there's going to be significant cost savings, and in fact, might cost our
citizens more because of the difference in the levy rates right now. So I ... I mean, I
would have to see some really, really... compelling reasons to consolidate... when at the
same time you're giving up representation.
Dobyns/ And I just wanted to understand globally, not that much benefit, not that much harm.
No compelling reason to change. And that's my read on (both talking)
Mims/ No, I mean I think the biggest thing, I think, is in ... is in the last part of that
recommendation is looking at the way the assessments are done and moving towards the
way the County has been doing it, I think, for a while and this upcoming fiscal year is ... is
a reassessment year, right?
Markus/ Yes.
Mims / And so I guess if anything... potentially the discussion of how quickly then that is done,
and is it fully implemented within this next assessment, um ... (unable to hear person
responding away from mic)
Dickens/ (several talking) They don't want to.
Markus/ (unable to hear, away from mic)
Mims/ What ratios are you referring to, Tom?
Markus/ (difficult to hear, away from mic) Simon pointed out that different methods that are
used (mumbled)
Mims / Right. Okay.
Markus/ (unable to hear, away from mic)
Mims/ Okay. Gotcha.
Throgmorton/ So I actually have a question that relates to the County Assessor, and I ... I don't
know if the County Assessor's in a position to answer this question but...
Dilkes/ The County Assessor is not here (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Oh! I'm sorry.
Hayek/ Brad and Denny are...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 14
Throgmorton/ Sorry, Brad! (laughs) Um, I ... I was basically wondering whether the County has
an opp ... had had an opportunity to take a look at the report. You know, maybe (unable
to hear response; away from mic) They did? Okay. (unable to hear respondent) Yeah,
okay.
Andrew/ In fact, um, quite a bit of the report came from input provided by, uh, Bill Greazel and,
uh, Denny, um, Baldridge. The ... a lot of it is direct quotes from them or from the Ames'
study.
Throgmorton/ But they ... but they've seen the final report (both talking)
Andrew/ Yes, yeah, they have.
Throgmorton/ ...been in a position to say something if it ... if they see ... if they've seen factual
inaccuracies in the report or anything like that. They had an opportunity to...
Andrew/ Correct. Correct. I've corresponded with Mr. Greazel a couple of times in the past
week, and um, Denny last week as well.
Markus/ (unable to hear; away from mic) (several talking)
Baldridge/ One of the main differences in the method... methodology is the software that we use.
Um, we use, uh, a Vanguard system of, uh, mass appraisal. It, uh, calculates all the
values from, uh, sizes and condition, things like that. Um, they have a ... a different
software package than we do. I think probably if...if there was going to be any ... any
equalization of those, probably the County would be switching to the Vanguard method.
It's, uh, more universally used in Iowa, um ... the Proval method that they use, and I think
they would agree, is uh ... is kind of a national, uh, package that isn't quite suited to Iowa.
They have to do some, uh, some machination, I guess you'd say, to get it to work here.
Um, but I think that their ... they have gone to Vanguard for the commercial part of it, and
I think eventually they'll want to ... they'll want to go to Vanguard for the residential.
The thing is it would take a lot of, uh ... a lot of fieldwork to do that. I think they ... they
would have to probably revisit the properties, do some different types of measurements
and things, and then there'd be a lot of data entry. So it's not something that would
probably be done immediately or within a year. Uh, the income approach that, uh, Tom
talked about, um ... the ... the County has implemented that. They've been using it for
probably three or four years I think, maybe a little longer, um, what that does is
capitalizes income from ... from rental properties and comes up with a ... with a value that
way. Uh, we have a ... a software package that can help us do that. Um ... Brad has been
working on that quite a bit and ... and has been gathering information from property
owners, uh, rental information, expenses, things like that, um, and we're probably ready
to do something on that for 13 with, uh, with apartment properties with that type of
property. Um ... it's a little more difficult with retail, we think, and office properties, just
because there's not much ... as much information available on those. So ... I think we're
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 15
coming together on that part of it as far as the different software that probably will take a
while for that.
Hayek/ Is ... is the, um, relative lack of information on retail and office be ... because those rental
rates and arrangements are less public? They're... they're (both talking)
Baldridge/ Well that's part of it (both talking)
Hayek/ Like an apartment complex advertises (both talking)
Baldridge/ ...we can get a lot of, uh, rental information from web sites and advertisements,
things like that. Um, another thing with the retail and ... and office, there just isn't as
much of that. I mean, you ... you've got a limited, um, number of properties that you're
looking at and ... and thus the ... the rental rates are, you know, the information just isn't
quite there for that. Um, I think it's something that we can work on and they've managed
to do that in ... in Johnson County but they've... they've been at it a little longer than we
have and they've kind of got their property owners trained to ... to respond to their request
for information and things like that. So ... it's something I think that could work toward
and ... and probably, um, within a few years, uh, implement that.
Markus/ (unable to hear; away from mic)
Karr/ Tom, I'm sorry, could you use your microphone? Thank you!
Baldridge/ Well, we are limited somewhat on, you know, we talked about equalization orders
earlier. Um, the State Department of Revenue does keep track of our sales and ... and, uh,
assessment ratios. Um, if we go too far beyond that then they're ... they would order a...
a decrease, um ... I think there's some doubt whether that would do us much good with the
retail, uh, as it would with the apartments. The apartments, I think that I'd probably have
to admit that we may be a little low on those, um ... you know, there just isn't a lot of
information available, uh, sales information, which is what we've been using. Um, so
yeah, I think ... I think apartments probably would ... would increase but you know, you
hate to say without... without the information.
Markus/ (away from mic, difficult to hear) ...the ratios for both the County and the City suggest
that assessments are pretty (mumbled) (unable to hear; away from mic; noises in
background) You're using sales data on one and income data on the other would suggest
that one should be (mumbled) I hear (both talking) in the other two jurisdictions, and
they tell me that (mumbled) assessed values in their jurisdictions.
Baldridge/ In the county you mean?
Markus/ They're too high (mumbled) ...apartment owners and commercial property owners are
complaining (mumbled)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 16
Baldridge/ Well I guess I ... you know, I hear things but I, you know, I don't have any numbers or
anything like that. Um, I think part of the ... part of the problem, again, is ... is the lack of
sales, even in apartments, um, the last several years with the conversions to co -ops and to
condos, those don't get reported as ... as commercial apartment sales. So we don't really
have anything to go with. A lot of the apartments are also ... um ... have long -time owners.
They're just not selling because they are profitable, I think. Um, people just aren't
selling them. When they do, there's been some practices they've been using to not report
the ... the sales data on `em, the sales amounts. Um ... so it's ... it's just kind of difficult
to ... to pin that down and I think the Department of Revenue has the same problem. I
mean they ... they've been working with that and with the new multi - residential class that
will come with the, that new property tax law, they'll probably have even a tougher time
on the apartment part of it. Um ... so it's just a matter of how much information is
available, I think.
Markus/ The County's has pretty good success (away from mic; difficult to hear)
Baldridge/ Right. The income approach is an accepted appraisal method so ... uh, yeah that ... that
is defensible, and ... and I think they've had fairly good luck with that. Um...
Mims/ I mean, it would ... it would seem to me that if there's not very many sales, then it's hard
to assess ... or even for the State to do equalization orders based on what our assessments
are compared to sales, if there aren't many sales. And yet if we're seeing that the income
method would give us higher assessments, which really says these properties are worth a
whole lot more than we're assessing them at, and we do have a few sales where I think...
where they've been exceptionally higher, that ... it would make sense to move towards
that income methodology. It would seem like that's a truer...
Hayek/ Yeah.
Mims/ ... a... a truer... estimate of their value. I mean if somebody's going to buy an apartment
building, they're going to look at the cash flowing on that ... the cash flow on that
building.
Hayek/ And ... you know, to the extent that the ... the co -op, uh, and condo conversion, um, trend
has been underway for several years now, um ... that would seem to be a deterrent to
selling if you're a property owner cause now you're... you're figuring out a way to drop
your property taxes. Your place is more valuable. And then with the commercial
property tax reform that's being implemented, that's yet another boon to ... to property
owners. It would just seem to me that if we have a problem now within inadequate levels
of sales for statistical purposes, that that's only going to get worse. I mean I don't know
if that's right.
Baldridge/ And the, you know, sales are used in the income approach too. I mean,
they're... that's where you find out, you know... what... what your cap rates are, um, you
know, how things are ... how the selling prices are comparing to income, so, you know,
we do need ... we do need sales with both methods.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 17
Markus/ (difficult to hear; away from mic) Denny, the staff s recommendation is to encourage
the City Assessor's Office to move to more of an income approach, and that's based on
the assumption that the result of the likely higher assessments (mumbled) a more accurate
way of reflecting what the real value is by capitalizing the income stream, based on the
rents. How does the Assessor's Office react to that (mumbled) (noises on mic)
Baldridge/ Well ... you know we ... we're seeing that with the ... with the, uh, income approach that
we have applied, we're seeing some higher values. Um, I don't think it's enough to ... to,
uh, make a broad brushing statement that they're all going to go higher. I think there are
areas where we're ... were plenty high enough, especially the outlying stuff, the ... the
down, the downtown... close -in, uh, student rental market, I think that's... that's pretty
strong and uh, you know, that's where we ... we may see some increase in values on those.
Uh ... probably downtown retail, you know, that's a mixed bag with, uh, the bar and
restaurant -type of properties are selling very high. Uh, other types not so much. So you
have to kind of balance that a little bit. Um ... but yeah I ... I think there's potential for
increase with the ... with the income approach.
Markus/ (difficult to hear; away from mic) You can understand our concern with the ... the tax
reform act reducing the values on some of these income (mumbled) properties.
(mumbled) make sure that the assessment (mumbled) fair as it can be in terms of what
those properties are worth so that they're assessed properly so the burden isn't shifted to
another class of property, i.e., single family (mumbled)
Baldridge/ Certainly there's going to be some changes, some shifts, and we have to be aware of
that.
Markus/ So is it ... is it under State law, is it the City Assessor's complete discretion as to
methodology that gets used?
Baldridge/ Um, yes it is. I think the recommended is ... is market approach, you know, to ... to
look at sales. That's always the first thing that they ask you to look for, but the income
approach is becoming more prevalent. Uh, I know several other, you know, like Polk
County uses it quite extensively. Um ... Cedar Rapids, probably not so much, but they're
moving towards it. Um, Davenport, I think they're... they're using it quite a bit so...
yeah, it's ... it's coming. It's the coming method, I think.
Markus/ (difficult to hear; away from mic) ...(laughter) How do you respond to what the ... the
staff s recommendation is? Do you intend to move forward (mumbled)
Baldridge/ Oh yes! We're ... I think I stated already that we will be, uh, implementing some of it,
uh, in the apartment area right away. Um...
Dobyns/ So I get it now, a City staff recommendation from Iowa City does not legislate a
change. It might be compelling. As far as governance. It's just ... (mumbled) All right.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 18
Hayek/ Well we'd be one of three.
Dobyns/ Yeah. And then, Denny, I hear you... understanding and describing what would
happen. I'm not hearing a ... preference. You sound...
Baldridge/ Preference...
Dobyns/ You sound equivocal or indifferent to me. Um ... listening to you in terms of the
compelling need for income (both talking)
Baldridge/ Income approach.
Dobyns/ Yeah.
Baldridge/ No, I ... I think that it's ... it's a good thing. We'll be using it. We're going to be using
it for the ... like I say, for the apartments. The other stuff we're still working on, but
uh ... I think it's...
Dobyns/ Oh, okay!
Mims/ So will you ... will you use it for all of the apartments then ... in Iowa City in this next
reassessment in 15?
Baldridge/ Yes I think we will, um ... you know, we may try to temper that somewhat with...
with the other approaches, you know, we ... we do a correlation where we look at all three
approaches. If the information is available, but it looks like the income approach is prob
...probably the strongest right now.
Hayek/ And it would ... it would seem that this would, um ... I mean, it could be a benefit to a
property owner in times of economic downturn because if your rent rolls dry up or you're
a hotel and your vacancy rates skyrocket or ... or whatever, wouldn't you get the benefit at
...during rough times, during a, uh, during a decline in the economy.
Baldridge/ Right. And ... you know, some of 'em ... some of `em may go down, but I think the
predominant trend will be for them to go up. Um, some of `em may have what vacancies
or ... or conditions where their income, you know, maybe the place is rundown and the
income just isn't there. They can't rent the properties or they have to lower rents. Those
will possibly go down, but I think most of `em would ... would probably go up.
Throgmorton/ Denny, I ... I don't remember, how frequently do you assess the value of, uh,
commercial apartment buildings? How is ... once every three years (both talking)
Baldridge/ Every two years. Yeah. And that's for everything.
Hayek/ You know, Rick, to answer your question, uh, about votes and what occurs at the
Conference Board.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 19
Dobyns/ I'm getting it now. I get (laughs)
Hayek/ Yeah, well so my ... my, from my experience, you know ... people study the packets.
They squabble a little bit about whether there's... there should be $4,000 in the vehicle
replacement fund or not or postage is too high, um ... because that's what they
comprehend. And that's what we end up talking about, and that's drop in the bucket in
terms of the bigger issues...
Dobyns/ Yeah.
Hayek/ ...whether we consolidate or not, and I ... I concur with the staff recommendation. I don't
see a reason to consolidate. But an even bigger issue it seems to me is ... is ... is the
valuation methodology or philosophy, um...
Dobyns/ (mumbled) ...things happening at the State level with apartments and co -ops, it's
especially important to sort of keep a ... a tighter, closer grip on the ... on this process. So
I'm ... I understand ... I now understand the harm a little bit better.
Hayek/ So...
Throgmorton/ What do you need from us?
Hayek/ Okay, so I ... so the staff recommendation is to maintain the status quo. Doesn't sound
like you need any action from us, but it's ... I guess if everybody's nodding heads...
Dickens/ We want `em to change it! (laughs) Doesn't sound like anybody does.
Hayek/ So ... appears that Council (both talking)
Dobyns/ We'll go with the null hypothesis.
Throgmorton/ ...while following up on the recommendation to move more toward the income
methodology.
Hayek/ Yeah, I don't think ... I don't know that we as a body, and Eleanor will tell us...
Throgmorton/ Yeah, we're not the governing (both talking)
Hayek/ ...can't do it but ... I guess we're reflecting what we're hearing the office say they intend
to do.
Dilkes/ No, I ... I don't think you can make that direction to the Assessor, but ... but obviously
that's the ... he's, I think he said (both talking) that's what his plan is.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 20
Dobyns/ (several talking) We can fill the room with our exuberance! (laughter and several
talking)
Dilkes/ I mean there is ... I can't remember the exact wording of it, but there is a `preference' for
the sales approach. You kind of have to look at that and then move on to the rest of `em.
(several talking) He ... he has to be able to justify that, um...
Hayek/ Okay.
Dilkes/ ...because, just because the County hasn't had challenges, I don't think that means we
won't.
Information Packets:
Hayek/ Well, and ... and maybe they have. Um ... okay, so ... I think that's it for this topic. Do we
need anything else? All right. Denny and Brad, thanks for (several talking) coming
down. Okay. Uh, Info Packets. May 22nd is the first one. Not much?
Throgmorton/ What happened? (laughs)
Mims/ No, there was not much there.
Hayek/ Okay. Uh... May 291H
Mims/ So, Marian, on IP4 ... you're needing both 16tH and the 30tH.
Karr/ Yes, we'd like to. We'd like to do the 16th to take care of some pending items, and the 30th
we'd like to do evaluations.
Throgmorton/ What are the times again, Marian?
Karr/ 5:00 P.M. on Monday the 16th, and noon on Monday the 30th
Mims/ I can make the 30th. I'm not sure about the 16tn ... at this moment.
Karr/ Okay. Um...
Dobyns/ My preference... the 30th is the 5:00 P.M. option? (several talking)
Karr/ No, the 30th is the noon ... noon option is the 30th. 5:00 P.M. is the 16th.
Payne/ How long is that going to take on the 30tn?
Karr/ On the 30th? Uh, it's the three evaluations, and obviously I'd be biased to say there could
be a quick meeting. Uh (laughter) usually an hour would do it. That's pretty much up to
you, and if it doesn't then we could adjourn to another date and time.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 21
Throgmorton/ Well, I can do both meetings as far as I know. (several talking in background)
Hayek/ I can do, uh ... I can do both.
Karr/ Would it help, Susan, on the 16th to go a little later, or it doesn't matter at all that evening?
Mims/ Um ... I ... I just don't know. I've got something pending on my calendar that I won't...
Karr/ You won't...
Mims/ That I won't know for a couple days (mumbled) It's out of my hands at the moment!
Karr/ Okay.
Mims/ Later could help, yes, if we had... if you needed me here, then later would be better.
But...
Payne/ You said 5:00 P.M., right?
Karr/ That's what I've suggested, yes.
Payne/ And then that one will take how long?
Karr/ That one we're anticipating a couple hours. That's why we didn't want to do it on a
regular night such as this before a, uh, formal meeting.
Payne/ And the 30th noon.
Dobyns/ That would be how many on the 30th9 How many hours?
Karr/ The ... on the 30th it's evaluations so it's whatever time (several talking)
Dickens/ ...could be longer if you want to beat `em up ... on the evaluations.
Dobyns/ Yeah.
Karr / And we can be (both talking)
Dobyns/ (mumbled)
Karr/ Again, we can be fluid a little bit. We do have some other staff and outside s eakers on the
16th, so we just need to firm up the time if it makes a difference. On the 30t , it's just...
among us, so we could again change it if a half hour here or there would make a
difference.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 22
Hayek/ Okay. So ... it sounds like we're okay on the 30th, right?
Karr/ 30th at noon.
Hayek/ Okay, 30th at noon. 16th, um ... sounds like everybody's okay with the exception of
Susan, who doesn't...
Mims/ I just don't...
Hayek/ (both talking) ... I don't know, do we want to go later just to ensure that?
Mims/ It's up to the rest of you.
Dickens/ Yes.
Throgmorton/ When will you know about your schedule, do you know?
Mims/ I don't know, because it's (several talking)
Hayek/ Yeah, we have a full set of Council meetings the following day.
Payne/ So I hate to go too late.
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Karr/ If we... do we want... again, I... do we want to tentatively set it on the 16th and as soon
as ... I think the desire is that all seven be present, and if we can't do it with seven I'd
rather ... we can just cancel it then. It isn't (both talking)
Dobyns/ What's the topic for the two -hour meeting?
Karr/ Um, there's, uh, dealing... information from, um, our uh, Police Department, our Equity
Diversity Reports, um, it's a number of things that we intend to package.
Mims/ I mean if we said 7:00 I know I could be here. I ... but, if it's 5:00 I don't know if I can or
not. But I might be able to. So, I mean, we could set it for 7:00. Then if my schedule
allows it, we could move it up to 5:00.
Hayek/ When will you know by?
Mims/ I just (both talking) it's out of my hands.
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ So should we, I mean, is there a majority who ... again, we can leave it and then when
Susan finds out we can...
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 23
Dickens/ Adjust it.
Karr/ We can adjust the time if we could confirm the 16th and it ... and just stay with that at the
present time and then adjust it time -wise.
Dickens/ Shoot for the 16th
Payne/ But what time? That's the...
Dickens/ We're going to do it at 5:00 and if we have to change it to 7:00 we (several talking)
Dobyns/ ... give up my life for Susan.
Mims/ (laughs)
Hayek/ Yeah!
Karr/ Duly noted!
Throgmorton/ Do you know for sure that Kingsley can be here?
Karr/ Yes! I had talked to all of you previously and ... that was ... yeah. (several talking)
Payne/ So 16th at 5:00 unless otherwise notified.
Karr / And then... and then we'll put... we'll put a confirmation. We'll put it on the agenda that
way, on your tentative schedule, and then we'll be touching base.
Hayek/ I'll get my kids counseling in advance. It's okay, Susan. Don't worry about it!
(laughter)
Payne/ It's at 5:00, so you'll be able to be home before they go to bed.
Hayek/ Well ... all things...
Throgmorton/ I won't be able to watch Game of Thrones with Zoe!
Hayek/ Oh good lord! (laughter)
Dickens/ That's re -runs! (laughs)
Hayek/ Okay!
Dobyns/ Yeah, it's re -runs. It's okay!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 24
Council Time:
Hayek/ Uhhh ... got your KXIC set up. All right. Council time! I just want to tell people, I
dropped off a couple of boxes to the City Attorney's office this afternoon, some, uh, our
law firm was involved in the 60s and 70s in the urban renewal stuff, and we had just
some old files we've been trying to purge and ... uh ... uh, we dropped off a bunch of stuff
this afternoon, including like urban renewal reports from the 60s and 70s, early 80s, and
it's the same topics. Parking, housing, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Payne/ So it's never been fixed is what you're (several talking and laughing)
Hayek/ The documents are shorter! You know, there's less text.
Payne/ So people were less windy?
Hayek/ But uh...
Dilkes/ ...unfixable! (laughter)
Dickens/ It's still in process!
Hayek/ All right. Meeting schedule.
Meeting Schedule:
Hayek/ Do we ... will we, uh ... I think we've got double meetings in all the months.
Karr/ Yes.
Hayek/ But sometimes... some summers we drop down to one. Are you intending to come to us
and ... with a better sense of our agenda (both talking)
Karr/ No, I was ... I was going to go with first and third until you had ... told me otherwise.
Throgmorton/ That's what we told you to do, right?
Karr/ That's I believe correct (several talking)
Payne/ So like the first week of July, are there people that are on vacation that week? Or is
everybody here? Cause I...
Mims/ I'm here.
Payne/ Okay. I would like to be on vacation, prior to the 3rd, which I think is ... no...
Karr/ The 1St is a Tuesday.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 25
Payne/ Okay. I would like to be on vacation prior to the 1 St, but I...
Hayek/ Well where ya going?
Payne/ Denver! (laughter)
Dickens/ Whatcha doing? (laughter)
Karr/ If there's ... if there's any interest on the part of Council, the sooner we know the better
because we're setting public hearings and there's going to be awards of contracts and
things that are going to be into play. (several talking)
Payne/ No, I said it ... that I was going to leave the next day, so...
Hayek/ Well I know we've ... we've stuck with the first and the third for the sake of consistency,
but we've also in the summer (both talking)
Karr/ Absolutely!
Hayek/ ...tiny break which I'm sure people would enjoy.
Karr/ Oh yeah!
Hayek/ Um, and I just don't know how heavy our workload will be this summer. So...
Karr/ We can, um...
Hayek/ Want to kind of think about it?
Karr/ ...we can certainly, we can talk about it at staff tomorrow! Sure.
Markus/ That's one of the things that staff's most (away from mic; difficult to hear) (laughter)
Karr/ And I think the distinction we made too to clarify was ... (several talking) ...there was the
consistency of first and third, rather than rescheduling meetings. Cancelling meetings is
a different issue (several talking) than rescheduling them.
Markus/ (away from mic; difficult to hear) ... and try and gear our meetings to one per month in
July and August (mumbled)
Payne/ I'm actually on vacation the first week of August.
Hayek/ Well, see (laughter)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.
June 3, 2014 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 26
Payne/ So I would be happy with... any... change. But I'll be here regardless! Just because
(several talking)
Dobyns/ ...vacation the first week in August too.
Payne/ So you'll be gone, probably.
Dobyns/ I'll be gone. Without regret (laughter)
Karr/ It might be helpful... staff certainly can look at it and get back to you, but it might be
helpful if you know you're going to be gone to let us know, cause it may then ... lead us to
pick ... to recommend what date the rest of you will be here (laughter) you know, if you
know.. .
Markus/ ... email Marian.
Karr/ Yeah, just email. That'd be great. Then we might be able to just take care of it that way.
Hayek/ Thelma and Louise style, we're just going to jump off the cliff of...meetings together
(several talking and laughing) Staff and Council equally to blame! All right. Uh,
pending work session topics.
Pending Work Session Topics:
Hayek/ (mumbled) Uh, upcoming events.
Upcoming Events / Council Invitations:
Throgmorton/ Juneteenth is happening on June 14th out at Mercer. That's one. (several talking)
Juneteenth.
Dobyns/ Oh, Juneteenth, okay!
Dickens/ And Arts Fest is this weekend.
Mims/ Oh yes!
Hayek/ Yeah.
Mims/ Arts Fest!
Dickens/ Indigo Girls, 9:00 Friday night.
Hayek/ It's amazing, uh, booking (several talking and laughing) Okay! Well, enjoy 57 minutes
and we'll see you back here. Thanks for your time!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 3, 2014.