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ITEM 2. STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS — Helen Lemme Elementary
Hayek: Would the Leopards from Lemme Elementary please come forward! (applause
and people speaking from audience) Aren't you guys supposed to be, uh, doing
homework right now at home? What (several talking and laughing) You already
did your homework! Very good answer! Very good answer! (laughter) Well I
want to welcome you to City Hall. I'm Mayor Hayek and this is your City
Council behind you and it's an honor for us to have you here and, uh, you
probably know this and maybe the audience does as well, but what the City
Council does throughout the year is bring students from our elementary schools
who are nominated as leaders of those elementary schools down to City Hall so
that we can meet you and ... and give an award to you, and it's just a great honor
for us to have you here this evening and ... I know this one. Mia ... you see back
there on the wall? Do you see that picture? Who's that? (unable to hear
response) Your grandfather was the Mayor of Iowa City, uh, several decades ago
and did a lot of important things for the city and so I know he would be proud to
see you up here! Well ... what I want to do, I think I'll just give you the, uh,
microphone and I see you each brought a piece to read, and that's the first step.
So I'll just hand it to you!
McDonald: Hi, my name is Mia McDonald and I think there are different reasons why I won
this award. Some very important ones being ... I lead by example, meaning I show
others the right example on what to do and how to act. I also am nice and
respectful of my peers and help them if they need help, even if I understand how
to do something and they don't, I don't make fun of or criticize them about it.
And I always try to do the right thing. From getting the right answer to a question
to being a good role model for everyone around me. I'm a very hard worker too.
I always try my hardest to get my homework assignments in on time and I work
hard in class, by things such as participating, volunteering, and helping others.
Academics are very important to me as well as other things like extracurricular
activities. I participate in student council, safety patrol, band, and in sports. I
have a younger brother that I look out for and feel a sense of responsibility
towards, both at school and at home. I try to be a good example to him, and I
willingly give him advice when he needs it, whether he wants it or not. I also
have a dog that I help take care of at home. I try to give myself as many different
experiences as I can, in order to improve my own skills, as well as helping others.
As I look ahead to junior high next year, I plan to stay involved and work hard to
do my best and be a good example to others. This award is especially significant
to me considering that I was chosen by my classmates. I continue to strive to be a
good leader. Thank you for th... for this opportunity to speak to you and for this
honor. (applause)
Fischer: Hello! My name is Josiah Fischer. I would like to thank my class for this award
but I'm puzzled of why I got it. What I took ... when I take a look over my class,
and go to after school activities, I see a lot of better leaders that should of won this
award. I think it's cool that everyone in my sixth grade got at least one vote.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of December 16, 2014.
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Before we voted on this award, we talked about what being a leader is, and during
that time I could think of so many people who deserve this more than I do. I will
take this award, but I think this award is for all of us sixth graders cause we are all
amazing leaders in our own special way. "Thank you! (applause)
Hayek: That was nice. You both congratulated each other on (mumbled) reading your
presentations. That was really nice! Well, you are student leaders, and that's why
we're here celebrating you and having the whole community see what you've
accomplished, and it's certainly a lot, and for your own classmates to be, uh,
identifying you as the leaders of ... of your school, that's a big deal. So,
congratulations, and I also want to thank your parents, your family members, and
your teachers and the other people here in the audience, cause they have a lot to
do with why you've been successful... this far! And you're both in sixth grade?
Okay, moving on to junior high next year! Oh boy! (laughter) Well what we
have is ... uh, called a Student Leadership Award and it reads as follows: for his or
her outstanding qualities of leadership within Helen Lemme Elementary, as well
as the community, and for his or her sense of responsibility and helpfulness to
others, we recognize you as an Outstand Student Leader. Your community is
proud of you. Presented by the Iowa City City Council, December 2014. So,
Mia, I'm going to give this one to you, and Josiah, this one to you, and let me
shake your hands and congratulate you. You've done your homework, so I guess
you can stick around (laughter) Good... good for you (laughter) Thank you so
much! Congratulations! (applause)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of December 16, 2014.
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ITEM 3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
ITEM 3a Iowa City Area Development Group
Hayek: Okay, Item 3 is, uh, a couple of special presentations. The first one is, uh, a
presentation from the Iowa City Area Development Group! Welcome!
Nolte: ...hard, uh, hard speakers to follow! (laughter) Uh, well thank you, Mayor, uh,
Council Members. We wanted to come and give a quick update on kind of our
activities and our efforts to grow the local economy. Uh, we'll kind of go through
the presentation quickly and then answer any questions you might have about our
efforts. Uh, I'm Mark Nolte, the President of the Iowa City Area Development
Group. I'm joined by Kate Moreland. Kate's our Director of Collaborations and
Community Relations, and uh, will let her talk a little bit more about that in a
second! So, uh, as a review, Iowa City Area Development Group — we work to
enhance the vitality of the community by working, uh, to grow and attract
interstate commerce companies. So those are companies who make a product or
service that's sold outside the market. So we partner with organizations like the
Chamber, the Downtown District, and the CVB, uh, but our role in this is to, uh...
uh, help companies like, uh, some of our largest employers — ACT, P&G, Oral-B
— down to some of these smaller startups that may be in the software or, uh, some
of the natural organic food businesses that are popping up around here, and that's
...that's really our role in the economy. Um, we are ... uh, we work in a five-year
increment. We are, uh, two and a half years into our five-year increment. So just
kind of a ... an update on where we're at. So far, uh, our efforts have helped,
um ... uh, the job numbers aren't on here that I just put on the thing! (laughs) Um,
I got to take this off memory. So far we've worked to, uh, add about 450 new
jobs from the existing companies in our market. Uh, you can see we're a little
low, uh, below where we'd like to be right now, but we've got some good things,
uh, that we're working through. Uh, as far as new jobs attracted to the area,
we've helped, uh, to bring in 860, or the goal was to bring in 860 new jobs, uh, I
think we're at 298 right now, um ... as our metric, and then startup companies.
This has just been phenomenal. We've, uh, there's been 119, uh, jobs created in
this space, uh, mostly in Iowa City through the result of the, uh, the Co -Lab effort.
Um ... so, 934 new jobs have been created. We, uh, we use an induced job
multiplier, so we can, uh, we can estimate that another 1,600 jobs have been
created in the private, uh, sector in the retail, in service sector, as a result of these
jobs that have been created, so ... uh, that's where we're at, uh, so far. One of the
things that we do is work with our interstate commerce companies on an annual
basis. We ... we survey them to find out what their needs are, how things are
going, uh, if ... if their growth and, uh, what their success measures are. Some of
the things we've learned, uh, what you see here, this is a... some brand new data
we hadn't been able to get. The first column is national data. Uh, economic
development groups like ours around the country use the same survey form, so
we're all gathering apples -to -apples information about our company. Uh, the
companies we serve. The first bar is national data that just been released. The
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second is Iowa data. The third is, A ... region -wide, so this is the seven county
area, Johnson, Linn, and then their surrounding counties that make up Iowa's
Creative Corridor. The next bar is for just the, uh, communities that ICAD serves,
and last is just the Iowa City companies we've surveyed. So if you look at this
you'll see that 81 % of the companies, the interstate commerce, uh, companies in
Iowa City have ... uh, report an increase in sales. Uh, 65% show an increase in
market share, and 70% plan to expand in the next two years. So all very positive
trends compared to some of the state and national trends. Uh, when we look
further, uh, introduction of new products and services, and investment in R&D
looks very strong, as well. Those are some of the key performance indicators we
look at to see what the future's going to be ... for these companies, and then the big
one, uh, how many plan to add jobs, and 52% of the companies in Iowa City plan
to add new jobs. Uh, where we're looking right now, uh, it, A ... we are about,
uh, 298, uh, jobs that should be created over the next three years with just the
companies we've surveyed, and I think at the time of survey there was ... there was
close to 300 open, unfilled positions, so ... there's another 600 jobs in our
economy, if we can address some of the workforce challenges that ... that we've
got. Uh, when you look at the executives that we work with, their satisfaction
about labor in the area, you can see that it's kind of on par, uh, with some of the
other trends. We asked them how their satisfaction with the availability,
affordability, quality, and stability of the workforce here, and, um, we'll have a
full report that we'll give, um, to City staff that they can share with you at a later
date. We just got this new data, uh, so we're kind of shifting through that. So,
uh, some of the key things, um, 400 unfilled positions, 73% of the companies we
surveyed say it's gotten more difficult to hire. So these are ... that's a positive
thing. It's a good problem to have, but it is a real problem, uh, that we need to
address. So, we are working diligently with both the school system, Kirkwood
Community College, the University, and doing some things to ... to market this
area, uh, as well as working with the companies, uh, to be better employers of
choice, and we'll talk about that in a little bit. So workforce remains the biggest
asset of this area. People love the Midwestern work ethic, people show up on
time, they work hard. There's just not enough of them with the right skill sets, uh,
for some of the companies we've got, and so when we dig deeper into that, um...
anything in the software, technical fields, um, mechanics, uh, CNC machinists,
uh, folks who can repair and program those type of machinery, uh, and then
(mumbled) sec... sector workers in general. We're just short of in this economy.
So I'm going to let Kate talk about some of the things we're doing to address
some of these shortfalls (coughing, unable to hear speaker)
Moreland: One of our, um, quality of life web sites is pickyourpace, and that web site really
shows people on the outside what it's like to live here, um, it has videos that show
culture and the arts, education, and ... and is a tool for employers to be able to send
out to people they're recruiting, to see if it's an area people are interested in, um,
and so we see our big employers and small employers alike having some page on
there to ... to highlight their companies, and they also use this as a resource when
they're recruiting. Um, we began partnering a few months ago with the Iowa City
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Chamber and Diversity Focus on a corridor connector. We know there are a lot of
spouses that move here and are looking for professional jobs, and so we work,
um, with the Chamber and Diversity Focus to hire Ja, uh... (mumbled) her name?
(laughs) Um ... (both talking) Joan Murin, um, who came from the University,
retired last ... last spring. We gave her about two months of retirement and then
asked her to come back and help us in the private sector (laughter) and it's been
really, um, amazing to see her ability to connect these people with current jobs,
and we think that really is a welcoming effort we can do as a community, and um,
helps us get two, you know, often two professionals here in the area, um, when
we do have these open positions. Um, the Corridor Job Club is another regional
effort we have that we bring, urn ... people together who are I search of, uh, a
position professionally. We bring in resume writers and different, um, speakers to
help them be able to navigate the area and find a position. And then our team
effort, which is our culture effort. We're helping companies, uh, look at their
workplace culture and we've brought together a number of companies on a
monthly basis to be able to talk about best practices that are working. We think
that's a unique workforce, uh, strategy to be able to retain and attract employees,
if your culture is something that is really, uh, highlighted, companies like
MediRevv and Geonetric here in the corridor are really setting pace to be, uh,
unique employers, and so we're working to try to share those ideas, uh, with lots
of different companies.
Nolte: Some of the things that we're trying to do to kind of move the dial on the business
attraction, uh, we've had the shovel -ready site program. We continue to actively
market the Iowa City industrial park. We've got two active projects out there.
One would be a speculative building, uh, and one would be a, uh, a manufacturing
operation. So we're working... working hard to see if we can get commitments
out of those two. So hope to come back to you soon with an offer to purchase
land in the industrial park for those projects. Uh, was here a few months ago, if
you recall, um, we launched the first in the nation autonomous vehicle, uh,
operation, uh, protocol. I guess if you call it. We've got two companies so far
that are interested in coming here and partnering with the University of Iowa, uh,
probably some SBIR funding, work with the National Advanced Driving
Simulator, but we hope that that's a catalyst for more investment and bringing
jobs in in that sector. Uh, but what we're learning is we need to continue the
effort to push for coding education. We've got a national shortage of folks who
know how to, uh, program software. So we think there's a real growth
opportunity in that area, uh, so we're working to kind of congeal some efforts in
that space as well. Uh, some of the things we're doing to market the area as a
place to live, work, and play, because one of the things that we've learned is if
you're ... if you've not lived here, uh, people outside this area just don't know
about our community and know how ... how strong it is. So, trying to do some
cost-effective ways to promote the area. Uh, the Iowa Brag campaign is a social
media campaign that people can say positive things about the state and the ... and
the community. Uh, partnered with the Iowa City Downtown District, work with,
uh, City Manager Markus on an international program. What ... what we're
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learning is we've got to be more, uh, more welcoming to folks from the outside,
especially as the University is recruiting, uh, students from other places and we
get, uh, we're getting ... you know, we want to be a diverse destination. We want
to be a place where pe ... everyone feels welcome, and so we as an economic
development organization feel that we have a role in that as well. How can we
bridge, uh (coughing, unable to hear speaker) as a city with the private sector,
with the business community, and really make this a community where everyone
feels welcome and engaged. They know where the job opportunities are, uh, and
so some of the physical manifestations of that, working with Nancy, uh, and
her ... uh, and her organization to put different languages on some of the banners
that went up downtown, uh, I think we're, uh,...there's a bank that is, uh, I think
...I think it's okay to announce it now, but Hills Bank this week is unveiling the
first, uh, ATM in the nation, that they know of, uh, that will have, uh, well in our
region anyway. I shouldn't say; I don't want to overstate that, but they will have
Mandarin and Chinese language options on it, uh, so we'll be working to help
promote that. Uh, it's those little things that we can ... we can be doing to help
make people feel welcome in this community, and so we're trying to ... to, uh, use
whatever influence we might have to help spur some of that and drive that. Uh,
but our big philosophy is ... if we're going to create wealth, if we're going to
create job opportunities, we ... we can't always be looking outside our community.
We've gotta grow from within. Uh, and the surge of entrepreneurial activity in
this area has been phenomenal over the last three, four years and continues to just
....just gain momentum. Now that that fly wheel's turning, we're seeing more
and more companies get venture funding, Angel capital, um, this picture of Riley
Eynon- Lynch, they just, uh, completed a $500,000 round within the last couple
months for a company called Pear Deck, which has been launched out of the
IC ... uh, Iowa City Co -Lab. Um, it's that kind of thing that we think will help
reshape our economy. That will attract more young minds to come here. As
more young people come here, more businesses will want to be part of that, and
so that's really the ... the genesis of our philosophy right now — how do we ... how
do we help the companies here become stronger, become places of employment,
where people choose to be there, and so that's, uh, as Kate was talking about with
the team effort. What we can do to help them think about their internal cultures
makes them more attractive. If we can spur more entrepreneurial activity, that
brings more people in. So we're trying to rethink the role of the economic
development organization, uh, and I feel like we're on the right path, that we're
...we're doing some good things and moving the dial. Kind of thinking long-
term, but still trying to deliver the short-term results. So ... with that I will, uh,
yield to any questions that you might have.
Hayek: Oh I'm sure there are questions. It ... it's kind of hard in this (coughing, unable to
hear speakers)
Nolte: Yeah!
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Hayek: ...to ask (both talking) Yeah! And um ... but this ... this, very impressive and this
is a lot of information and we look forward to the ... the follow-up report, and uh,
we appreciate the work you do.
Nolte: Thank you. Uh, we left a copy of our annual report and our ... our report card to
date for you.
Hayek: Thanks! Very helpful!
Mims: Thank you very much!
Throgmorton: Thanks!
Hayek: Thanks, Kate. Thanks, Mark.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
formal meeting of December 16, 2014.
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ITEM 3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
ITEM 3b Iowa City Downtown District
Bird: Good evening!
Hayek: Hi, Nancy!
Bird: Uh, thank you for having me today. Um, my name's Nancy Bird. I'm with the
Iowa City Downtown District, and ... uh, today what I'd like to do is give you, um,
a brief review of our ... our operating framework for those of you, um, who need a
refresher, and those in the audience and those watching at home. Um, an
overview of our, uh, highlights for 2014. A snapshot of 2015, and then, uh, a... a
brief discussion about reauthorization, since that's coming up soon. So, we'll see
if we can't get through this relatively quickly. Uh, the Iowa City Downtown
District is a non-profit organization. We, uh, are primarily funded through a self-
supporting municipal improvement district, and for those of you who don't know,
that primarily means that the property owners voluntarily agreed to assess
themselves a tax so that they could use that investment in targeted ways, as they
see fit, to help support a very competitive environment, um, for downtown Iowa
City. Uh... uh, passed by City Council, it started in 2012, and it has a four-year
term, so we're almost to the end of it. Uh, the tax rate that the property owners
are assessing upon themselves is $2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value of that
property. So in, uh, this year our budget was roughly $585,000. $295,000 of that
was from the SMID tax. We have $100,000 from the University of Iowa, and the
rest we raise ourselves. Um, our mission is to champion the Iowa City Downtown
District as a progressive, healthy, and culturally vibrant urban center of the
region. Um, you know, it's the city's living room. There's a lot of passion and
energy around downtown Iowa City. I'm thrilled to be able to support this
organization and this downtown. It's phenomenal! Um, we just always have to
continue to work. We can't be complacent on, um, where we live and what we
do. So, um, the SMID, the Iowa City Downtown District boundary, um, is in the
yellow up here, if you can see it. Um, we've tried to kind of make it a little bit
easier for people to understand. It's really the Northside Market Place
neighborhood, and then the more traditional downtown area. So it's really two
neighborhoods, and that includes the Old Capitol Town Center. Um, we have 335
businesses within that area, which it's ... very, very dense. Over 150 property
owners. That's growing with the number of new condos that are businesses and
residences that, um, have, uh, a ... you know, have been established last year, um,
and close to 2,000,000 square feet of space. So, uh, to give you a brief review of
some of our highlights. Uh, I think we're probably most often known for events.
Most of our events are promotional events that we try to do to help support the...
the businesses and making sure people are coming downtown and they know
what's available. Um, this year we're celebrating the entire season, uh, you
know, of the ... of the holidays. So we're having some really great success with
the trolleys and ... and making sure that Santa appears on every Saturday. We
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don't know how he does that, but he does. He's coming downtown more and
more often! Um, we're actually having to turn away families, unfortunately, so
we just know that there's a demand for this, that we've, uh, the trolley rides have,
um, I mean, it's at the capacity (mumbled) I mean the warm weather helps, but
it's all really, really good sign of where we need to go in the future, that people
want to be downtown. Um, Northside October Fest is another big regional, um,
event that we host. Top Chef and others. Uh, the other thing that we do is
marketing, and in 2014, uh, we had our third addition of the Downtown
Magazine. I think that's something that we're going to try and grow over time,
make sure it gets in the right hotels and visitor centers, and that we're really
promoting downtown for what it is. The other thing that we've, uh, worked very
hard to do is make sure that we have some tools that our businesses can use, um,
and that the community can use to help I guess engage with downtown. There's
so much excitement about trying to, you know, get to know some of the business
owners and our restaurants and, uh, I think for a long time it's been challenging
for the business owners to know what to do with all that. So we have a new gift
card, um, that's, you know, doubled in sales this year, so that's going in the right
direction. We have a Blue Zone walking snap. We have dining directory maps,
and lots of merchandise, so there's a way that you can come to our office and we
can help support you, especially when it comes to University events. Uh, we have
a new welcome banner, as Mark had suggested. Uh, we have ad spots on NPR. I
mean, our voice is out there and we're visible. And, um, I thought I'd bring up
this new, uh, small business assistance, which we do a little bit of, but I'd like to
do more of in the future, that really, really works. Uh, this year we spent, you
know, a fraction of our budget on photography, but what it's done is it's allowed
businesses to help get their images out there that they haven't had, that people
want to see. They don't know what brands are downtown. They don't know how
to shop. They don't know that we have some of these things tucked into these
little boutiques that are, you know, these hobo purses that are quite popular. Um,
we've got tons of yogo studios... yoga studios. Um, and how we make our food.
This is from the Bread Garden. So these ... these images have been really critical
to push out through social media and allow our businesses to market themselves
like they haven't been doing in the past. Urn ... other highlights, clean and safe
always is a, you know, it's a fundamental for downtowns. You know, probably
the best program we've ever done is work with the Iowa City Police Department,
and with your support to, um, you know, really have Officer Schwent, who's... I
know he's here tonight. He gets a lot of fanfare, but he's really one of the, um,
one of the ... the game changers, I think, for us, because he doesn't just come
downtown and, you know, enforce rules. He has conversations. He explains why
the rules are there. It makes a big difference! Um, we power wash, we partner to
make sure the downtown is clean and safe. Um, I saw Crissy's here tonight. We
really appreciated partnering with her this year with the new Fresh Starts program
to help, uh, pick up the downtown, with the City, uh, on football Saturdays. You
know, if people are picking things up, then maybe other people will see that and
they too will pick things up. Uh, we also have a new project that just came online
this year, uh, like within weeks. I was hoping it was going to be a little bit sooner,
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but within weeks I'll take it! Um, to light up the Northside. So, um, some of
these things demonstrates that, you know, we're working together, we're more
collaborative, and we're getting things done where we're seeing consensus. Um,
the next project that I wanted to focus on was our, um, last January our Board
decided that, you know, we talked about tenant mix for a long time. It's one of
the reasons I was hired and the organization was set up. How do we get at a more
balanced tenant mix? So we made a concerted effort to focus on retail this ... this
year, um, really explore... we've had other cities done, what does it mean in this
economy at this time, what's our ... what are our possibilities for retail. And, um,
how does that help us achieve a healthy and balanced tenant mix, because ... just
because we're talking about retail doesn't mean that it's not going to support, um,
you know, just one piece of the puzzle, and the more we can support that, we
support the office, we support the residential. So with that recognition, we really
focused in, um, with the City's support, um, we hired Downtown Works, who are
retail strategists, and uh, they've been working on a report this fall and have, uh,
been to Iowa City several times to ... to help us understand what our potential is.
Is there potential? We have a ton of commercial around us, um ... what should we
be doing differently? Let's just work with the reality that we've got, and it was
actually very, uh, helpful to know, you know, that we're ... you know, there's
definitely a place for additional retail downtown and that we're not capturing our
full like urban market potential. There's a. lot of people that really believe in that
urban setting, dense development, walkable and bikeable communities, and we're
not hitting that market in full. So there are things that we can do to do that. Um,
our businesses downtown, some of them are phenomenal and some of them are
good, but their performance varies widely. There are things we can do to help
improve that ... that performance through training and even small tweaks with
merchandising can increase sales dramatically. Um, they've also left us with an
optimum mix in how we achieve it. So, we have goals, you know, in the past I
think it's been challenging to know, well, what should we be doing? Now we
know that we ... that on the left is our existing, uh, mix of businesses in our ... um,
this is ... doesn't relate to the Northside, but most of the downtown, um, that was
our existing mix and we really actually do have an ideal one. It essentially says
that, um, we need to cut back on some of our food. I don't think this is rocket
science. Um, but what are the other things that we fill it in with, and what are
some of our challenge areas, and when you see the non -retail piece, that 17%, to
get it down to ... to 7! A lot of those are things like bank corners and businesses
that aren't open during the day. So, um ... a lot of, you know, people when we...
when we're talking about a lot of things, a lot of this work is on us — the Iowa
City Downtown District — to do, and we're committed to doing it. But there are
key areas of work that are, uh, things that we'll need support from the City on.
Exteriors, facades, signage, windows, interiors — essentially we're not going to be
able to attract a lot of new attention until we really bring, you know, raise the bar.
Um, and this is ... I thought this was a really good, um, picture and indication of
what we need to move towards. These two different storefronts have the same
price point of the sandwich within. One is cluttered. It's got, uh, it's challenging
to see what's going on. Uh, I mean, I don't even really need to say that much.
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You see the ... the one on the right, it's clean, it's got a very creative signage, um,
it's just night and day what these two things offer, and yet they both sell a
sandwich. So, um, I think these are important for us to understand. You know,
the types of facades that we need to start working with our property owners on
are ... are bright and creative, and, um ... you know, we see these in other markets.
These are the things that we need to encourage to happen here, and it is absolutely
true that good design is good business. Um, anything that's designed well, you're
proud of, it's going to attract more things that are of high quality in nature. The
same with signage, you know, the more creative it can be, the better. So,
contiguous is a big piece of this, and I ... I bring this picture up because it took a
panorama to get this entire bla... blank wall, but these are the things that we need
to get a strategy around, how do we encourage, uh, contiguous corridor, you
know, retail corridor if we have these big blank walls, and we need to start
working with our property owners to start addressing these things. And it's not
really anything new that we're trying to do. It's almost like we're trying to step
back to the old, and you know we've got a lot of great phenomenal building stock.
It's also very challenging because it's ... it's older, but I think, you know, the core
of our Board, and our downtown believes in, um, you know, preserving the
amazing building stock that we've got to the extent that we can. And there's no
silver bullet for hard work in seeing opportunities. I think a lot of people in any
report you do, you're going to want to jump right to — well what can we do, where
— but the reality of it is ... you gotta go out and you've got to, um, do a lot of one-
on-one work to ... find out what those opportunities are. I mean, space we have
less than 4% vacancy. So the space is really a big piece of this. When those
spaces unveil, are we going to have something ready for them? So, um ... in 2015,
switch from 14 to 15, what we hope to do and spend a bulk of our time doing, um,
other than our other things we typically do, marketing, promotions, events, um, is
work on this tenant mix implementation. Distinctive, clustered, and contiguous.
Um, building those property relationships, and you know, a lot of people have
asked — is this national? Are these national stores you want to go out and get?
Are they regional? Are they local? I think if ... when I get those questions, the
thing I say is healthy, because there's a lot of national stores that people are
excited about that aren't doing so well nationally, and that's part of
understanding, um, you know, what's going to complement our downtown, and if
we're working on it, we're going to work on something that's complementary and
that won't ... that won't hurt what we've already got going. So, and that's
important. Um ... we're also ... have a small program that we're working on to
help incent those property owners who aren't very motivated right now, by
providing them with additional information of what they could do with their
properties. Um, we do have some vacant space out there that's sitting there, uh,
that would be great if they were renovated and filled. I mean, we have, you know,
working with ICAD and Mark's group, we want to work in partnership with them.
If you've got, you know, people who are looking for space, we want the
downtown to be a ... the amenity and the ... the recruiting tool, and we want those
...we want to help support those new businesses coming downtown. Uh, so the
support we need from the City to help us get there is really to help us look at
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design review in a way that's, um... it doesn't, uh, bog down your staff. It is more
predictable from the property owner's perspective. Um, how they can move
forward. That provides guidelines, but that isn't so prescriptive, because
creativity is the game. So, uh, we have .... I know the City's worked on these
things in the past, and urn ... I think we need a refresher ... to understand how do
we ... how we get there. We also think that funding and supporting minor
modifications and building change program to incent that change will be
important. The building change program has done wonderful things. There's
been a lot of, um, excitement over getting new facades. It's absolutely made a... a
difference in sales. Um, I think we need to make some tweaks so that when the
City gives away that money they're guaranteed what they're going to get back,
and that the quality of the design is higher than what it is today. All of these
things at the end, um, if you're asking, cause I know a lot ... I know all of you
probably get this a lot — it's a lot of attention on downtown. Um, and when I hear
that as well I think to myself this investment downtown is such a support to the
rest of the community, um, especially when it comes to property sales. That's the
easiest thing that you can point to, because whenever one of those properties, um,
is renovated or, um, is improved in its utility, the property taxes go up, which is
one of the challenges of it, um, and so those are there for... for the community to
use towards other services. Among other things. I mean, it's a great downtown
and the community loves it. Other 2015 pursuits I don't want to leave off cause
we've talked about this in the past but we've been kind of in sleeper mode on it is
the, um, the garbage. I'm committed to figuring this thing out. We've got a lot of
garbage dumpsters. It's been better since, um, since, uh, I think the Downtown
District has started. We've done a lot of conversations with property owners
about contracts, but I think we can do better yet and with the City's support and
the University of Iowa's Sustainable Communities Project. I know one of the
City interns is going to work on a study that looks at this. How do we ... how do
we crack this nut, cause we can do it! And of course, you know, helping support
and implement the streetscape update, which we're very, very psyched about.
(mumbled) it's almost so much pent-up en ... energy about `let's just get to it!'
But, um, you know, want to do it right! So last, we have a .... kind of our draft,
very preliminary draft, um, operating budget summary for next year. Um, we
don't have to, uh, confirm this until May. Our Board doesn't adopt it until later,
so I'm sure this will change, but this gives you an indication that we'll probably
have a larger budget anticipating, um, that we may have to raise some of this
money ourselves. Um, and this is my last slide. Switching gears here a little bit
just to talk about reauthorization. It's really separate from what we're planning
on doing next year, cause we do have a full agenda, but we need to get
reauthorized if we're going to continue to operate after December 315` of 2015.
So, um, our Board discussed a number of options in ... in, uh, November and...
decided initially that maybe the ... the option that makes the most sense for us to
move forward on, um, that has the most substantive change is to look at our
boundaries and amend them so that they're a little bit more natural. Some of the
...the boundaries are a district right now. They go right down streets, so they
include one side of the street but not the other. So when we're talking about the
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Burlington Street corridor, we really want to talk about what is being called
downtown. Oh, the Art Museum is downtown! Well, it's not right now (laughs)
It's actually right outside of the Iowa City Downtown District border and we ... we
want to include that and ... and celebrate it. Um, similar to Gilbert Street. Both
sides of that corridor, including the City of Iowa City campus, that we really want
to say, you know, our Civic Center is in, you know, downtown Iowa City. Um,
and these boundaries, um, don't mean a lot to a lot of people, but when it comes
to a SMID district, it is our absolute value that we market the things within it, and
we work on the things within it, and are very careful to communicate about
businesses outside of it, because those property owners aren't... aren't paying a
tax ... to do so. Um, so those are some of the initial discussions for 2016. We
have to have a signature drive in the spring, and get all of our property owners to
buy in to the common vision. Um, we've talked a little bit with our Board about,
well, you know, in Cedar Rapids they have a 20 -year SMID, and you know, for
staff s sake and for the Board's sake, it's really easy to do that. I think we've got
enough a momentum that we could get that passed, but I think we all understand
how important it is to keep that engagement, and when the term limit is shorter,
there's just a little bit more fire under the ... under the skillet to make sure that
we're ... we're working really hard on things. So, um, we may keep that term limit
pretty tight. Um, and we may look at other types of uses to assess, to ... to make
sure that we meet that agenda. Uh, so the petition, this ... uh, for the SMID, will
come back to you, uh, in August of 2015. So, mark that down and get ready for it
and any support that you can lend us, we would certainly appreciate. Um, and
with that, that concludes my presentation and if you have any questions, I'd be
happy to entertain them.
Hayek: Thank you, Nancy. This is a ... very important information and look forward to
looking at that, continuing to partner with you.
Bird: Thank you (several talking)
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ITEM 3. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
ITEM 3c Public Works Director Proclamation
Hayek: Before we move on, um, I need to ask our Public Works Director to come
forward. Mr. Rick Fosse. Rick is our Public Works Director and is retiring in
another, uh, two weeks?
Fosse: New Year's Eve!
Hayek: New Year's Eve! (several talking and laughing) So, we have a, uh, special
proclamation for Rick. It reads as follows. (reads proclamation) Thank you,
Rick! (applause)
Fosse: Thank you very much!
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ITEM 4. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
Hayek: Item 4 is consider adoption of the Consent Calendar as presented or amended,
with deferral of Item 4d(2) regarding final plat of the Carter Estate until January
6th. And, removal of 4d(7), uh, concerning the, uh, winter emergency homeless
shelter for separate consideration.
Payne: So moved.
Botchway: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Botchway. Discussion? I know there's at least
one member of the audience who wishes to address us on one of the Consent
items.
Kelly: I'm Melyssa Jo Kelly and I reside at 7 Oak Park Court in Iowa City. Um, good
evening, Mr. Mayor, Council Members, and City officials, especially our City
Manager. I'll be addressing some of my brief remarks to you. Um ... I'm very
pleased to be here regarding the, um, correspondence I sent you all about police
accountability. Um, my momma brought us kids here to Iowa City, um, the
summer of the `great wash,' the great march on Washington, and um ... the very
first protestor I saw in Iowa City was a white college student carrying a sign that
said `Selma.' That was on the steps of the only federal building, which at that
time was the Post Office. Now it's the Senior Center. And I'm very thrilled to be
alive during an era where people all over the country are coming together in a
very, um, decentralized grass roots effort to, um, make police departments
accountable. Um, I worked for 25 years to, um, in ... in the movement to end
violence against women, and also seven years as a professional trainer. Um, my
experience tells me that we can make change. In the early 70s, there were zero
rape crisis lines and zero battered women's shelters in the United States. Today
we all expect them everywhere. Um, normal police response to domestic violence
and sexual assault then would be grounds, uh, for severe, uh, severe, uh,
discipline. It would not only violate protocols for sexual assault and domestic
violence investigation. It would actually violate existing general orders. So
change is possible. Obviously we haven't ended violence against women, but
we've made it easier for survivors of those crimes to survive. Um ... I know some
people, uh, think that police officers should receive diversity and sensitivity
training, to try to fight back against these terrible killings that have gone on across
the country. My experience as a trainer tells me that training is a great way to
give motivated people tools for change, but it's not the way to stop police
brutality and wanton killing, and wanton use of dead ... deadly force. I'm glad
Iowa City has a ci... a Citizens Police Review Board, but they don't have the
power to hold officers accountable for their actions. In the past, and without that
power... without consequences for their actions, citizens, particularly people of
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color, will not be safe. Um, in the past police were supposed to be willing to risk
their own safety to preserve public safety. That's not what it's like anymore.
Their motto is whatever it takes to get home at the end of the shift. They shoot to
kill. They go for the body mass, and they fire all the bullets they've got in the
gun. The blue wall of silence keeps most of their crimes secret. Instead of being
held to a high standard of conduct, they hide behind the, uh, different state
versions of the peace officers bill of rights. Instead of facing independent
investigations, they protect their own with internal investigations, and when pros
...prosecutors are forced to act, they don't do their jobs. They don't pro...they
don't prosecute police crimes. This simply cannot continue. City officials must
take action to stop police violence. For example, Tom Markus, our City Manager
here, actually has the power to order the Chief of Police to take disciplinary action
against an officer that Mr. Markus feels has behaved in ... in a reprehensible
manner, and he has the power to tell the Chief of Police, "I'm ... I'm giving you an
order. You report to me. If you fail to follow this order, you can be subject to
disciplinary action, up to and including termination." I speak from many years as
a `burrocrat' as we liked to say in San Francisco. Um, I close with a very brief
quotation from public testimony given over 25 years ago. Ice Cube ... Ice Cube's
words on NWA's "Fuck the Police" are even more relevant today than they were
in 1988. A report from the Underground. The young people got it bad when
they're brown, and not the other color. So police think they have the authority to
kill a minority. (sighs) Please, do all you can each and every one of you to
change this ... because black lives matter. Thank you!
Hayek: Thank you for your comments. (applause) Is there any other discussion of the
Consent Calendar? Council discussion? Roll call, please. Passes 7-0.
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ITEM 4d(7) WINTER EMERGENCY HOMELESS SHELTER —
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE
JOHNSON COUNTY LOCAL HOMELESS COORDINATING BOARD'S
WINTER EMERGENCY TEMPORARY SHELTER PROJECT
Hayek: So we'll take up Item 4d(7), which is a resolution authorizing financial support of
the Johnson County Local Homeless Coordinating Board's winter emergency,
temporary shelter project.
Payne: Move the resolution.
Dobyns: Second!
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Dobyns. Discussion? Crissy!
Canganelli: My name's Crissy Canganelli and I'm the Executive Director of Shelter House
and I want to thank the City, um, of Iowa City for your leadership, uh, the City
Council for your consideration of this request, um, and your timely response to
this. Um, here to answer any questions that you have regarding the proposal.
This is submitted to you on behalf of the Local Homeless Coordinating Board.
Shelter House is a project lead and partnering with the City of Iowa City Police
Department to guarantee that there would be a shelter option for individuals who
otherwise would be denied shelter at Shelter House, uh, due to eviction or
intoxication or for those individuals who are unwilling to access services at
Shelter House, and therefore, uh, sleeping on the street during the winter months.
Um, we'd be looking at operating for the months of January and February, at this
time, and I'd also like to thank Kevin Diggman, Mike Hodge, and Dean Oaks for
their leadership in coming forward with an appropriate facility that's situated well
to meet the needs of this project. So if you have any questions, I'm ... I'm happy
to respond.
Hayek: Can, um, we took a brief look at the proposed budget, which I think included the
month of December, which we're already partially through...
Canganelli: Yes!
Hayek: ...what does that do with your budget numbers, and ... and uh, where are you with
respect to other, you know, municipal contributions toward this cause?
Canganelli: Yeah, um, so overall the budget would probably be reduced by about a third.
There'd still be the full expense of some of the fixed costs, such as the equipment,
the sleeping mats, um, some of the supplies that would be needed, irrespective of
how long we would be in operation, but certainly the staffing, insurance, and rent
would be about a third of the projected cost in the budget provided to you. Um,
where we are as far as the other requests that have been submitted, requests were
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submitted to, um, Johnson County Board of Supervisors, City of Coralville, City
of North Liberty, uh, Community Foundation of Johnson County, and United
Way of Johnson County, Johnson and Washington's county... Washington
County, excuse me. Um, so far we've received a commitment from the
Community Foundation of Johnson County in the amount of $5,000. Um, we're
here tonight, uh, requesting support from the City of Iowa City. I'm told that the
County Board of Supervisors will be making a determination tomorrow and will
have a response back to us by the end of the week. Um, as will the United Way,
and I've heard no update from, uh, the cities of Coralville and North Liberty.
Hayek: Thank you.
Throgmorton: Crissy, uh, I understand that this is a short-term approach toward dealing with, uh,
a pressing winter -oriented cold -time problem. Uh, but for the longer run, you've
been looking at, along with other people, have been looking at Housing First as a
possible way to proceed. Can you give us a sense of how things are coming with
regard to that longer term approach?
Canganelli: Sure, um, certainly this project proposal is a bandaid approach, and directly in
response to concerns articulated by the Police Department that City Hall is not an
adequate facility to ... to continue to provide this service over the winter months.
Um ... for the last year and a half, the Local Homeless Coordinating Board, there's
been a subcommittee that has been working to build a coalition of partners,
stakeholders if you will, that are invested in offering a Housing First initiative, a
Housing First service, for individuals who are chronically homeless, living on the
street, cycling through our services and systems, time and time again, only to land
back on the street, uh, sicker than the time before. Um, to date the coalition exists
of representation from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, uh, Mercy
Hospital, MECCA, the VA, um ... Community Mental Health Center, Shelter
House, um ... I think that's the primary partners. Uh, we're extending that to other
representatives from, uh, service providers from the mental health sector. Um,
we've collected data on a number of different, um, individuals and developed case
studies, and are able to show that with individuals who would be kind of the target
cohort for this Housing First initiative, we're as a community across Johnson
County spending over $120,000 in providing services for these individuals, um,
each year for the last five years, is the average, only for them to go between
emergency rooms, psych ward, jail, um, excuse me, Iowa City Police Department
is also a player in that coalition, um, jail, MECCA, and then back to the street,
again, sicker than they were the time before. We believe that this money could be
better spent, more strategically spent, and that in working together as a
community, we could provide housing for these individuals, um, offer them the
opportunity to move into that housing, get off the street, and be able to
demonstrate as other communities across the nation have that people do improve
in their health and well-being. They start to take better care of themselves. They
start to drink less, uh, become med compliant. It's not overnight, um, but these
are the trends that other communities are seeing. Not only does it resonate for an
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economic reason, but it's a humanitarian thing to do. Um, the timeline for this,
it's not going to happen this year. We're in the process now of beginning to write
grant applications. We need to identify a pro ... an appropriate site. Um, and ... of
course, uh, be able to secure the resources to build the facility, let alone, um, fund
the supportive services that would be necessary. Um, there's interest from the
Iowa Finance Authority, uh, so I think that that's promising as well.
Throgmorton: Thank you.
Dickens: Is there a concern that, uh, we have so many of the facilities are all in one area
and I know that there's businesses in those areas that are a little concerned that we
keep putting homeless shelters and the Shelter House and all the facilities are in
one area. Has there been dis... some discussion on a permanent home some place
other than that same area?
Canganelli: Um, we haven't identified a location for, um, the proposed Housing First
initiative. Um, I think that that's something that will certainly be taken into
consideration, but has to be done also with respect to appropriate, um, land sites
that would fit within the ... the coded use. Um, and cost is also an imperative as
well, but yes I understand that concern. And for this particular project, again, it's
only a pilot and would only be for the months of January and February, and so it's
not a permanent location or intention of permanently locating another shelter
service or supportive service in ... in that neighborhood.
Hayek: Thank you, Crissy!
Canganelli: Yep, thank you!
Hayek: Is there anyone else from the audience?
McNutt: Hi, my name's Jeff McNutt. I'm an artist and a ... a gallery owner in Iowa City,
and my gallery actually is in one ... in that neighborhood, uh, that you're
discussing here today. Um, first I want to thank this lady for her service. Um,
homelessness has touched my, uh, not immediate family, but friends of mine,
where I had heard some, uh, people I volunteered with, uh... happen to be, uh,
homeless and were in a car for about six months, coming from Chicago. So it's
nothing I take lightly when I ... when I hear about this topic. Um ... but with that
being said, one of the things that I'm trying to do as a business owner, like the
downtown Iowa City, is bring a sense of art and, uh, additional art that we already
have flourishing here. Last year I opened up in February and had, uh, eight shows
with different artists in Iowa City and Iowa, and I brought an average of 200
people into the gallery with great parking and uh, just got a lot of buzz and it was
...it was a great ... great first year. Um, I've continued to build up this gallery
with my own artwork. Uh, I work with the Chicago Cubs, uh, Iowa Hawkeyes,
done some work with Dan Gable and the Olympics, and so I've tried to support
this gallery through my own work, um, rather than working off of anybody else,
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um, in any sort of way, but I do want to provide ... my dream is to provide in 2016
with, uh, an art gallery where I can hire somebody to be...be there full-time. Um,
I can't be as a ... as an artist, uh, myself, so ... I'm trying to develop this thing, and I
guess my concern is is that, urn ... while it's a ... it's a sensitive subject, I ... I don't
want as a business owner or a gallery owner in that area, which is a great location,
um, to have a traffic flow, uh, that is of...of homelessness, and it's not necessarily
the lady that I knew, but it's the ... some of the topics we hear of jail and ... just sort
of those sort of topics I guess as ... as far as I can ... I guess enough said on that. I
do have a petition of 37, uh, business owners and property owners, um, they've
signed a petition for the City of Iowa City, um, to refrain from funding,
participating in or providing any financial or other support for the creation and
operation for the homeless shelter at any location, other than the location that it's
now operated by the homeless shelter ... or the Shelter House. So, I wanted to at
least present this and uh... it's nothing that I'm taking lightly, but ... thank you for
your attention.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence..
Botchway: So moved.
Payne: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Botchway, seconded by Payne. Discussion? All those in favor say
aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries. (several speaking in audience; unable to
understand) Is there any ... is there anyone else from the audience who would like
to address us on this issue?: So ... mind you to please, uh, sign in and give us your
name and everybody's been good on the time so far, but I want to remind the
audience that we do have a limit of five minutes per ... per, uh, per speaker.
Pusack: Uh, my name is Elizabeth Pusack. I'm a Residential Services Coordinator from
Shelter House here in Iowa City, which means I work directly with clients on a
daily basis. Um, I conduct intake interviews at Shelter House, which means that I
get to hear a lot about what people ... what brings people to Shelter, what
challenges they face, and what they hope Shelter can help them accomplish. Um,
I also work during ... work the night shift during last year's especially brutal
winter. Um, and I'm here to urge you guys to support a temporary winter shelter
in Iowa City. We had far more people trying to come in from the cold last year
than we could accommodate. We had people sleeping in every corner of the
dining and recreational areas at Shelter House. Um, areas that are intended for
eating, (mumbled) filling out job applications, board games, homework. Um, I'm
sure you know what it feels like to have a bunch of strangers in your living room.
It's stressful, and um ... many of the people staying at Shelter, uh, in overflow, or
who were hoping to stay in overflow are not used to communal living in close
quarters and would do a lot better at an alternative facility. In addition, there are
many people who due to mental illness, addiction, and other obstacles find it
really hard to comply with the expectations we have for clients at Shelter House.
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The rules are hard for everybody, even us staff members sometimes. Um, we
make it work despite all that for many people in the winter months, um ... but there
are still people we have to turn away. I know many of these people well. They
have amazing spirits, gifts, and stories. Many of them are artists themselves.
They too deserve a safe, warm place to sleep. I believe Iowa City, my hometown,
any city, should have a good answer to the question — where am I supposed to go?
I hate it when I have to say — I don't know! Um, I hope you'll consider this
shelter. Thank you for your time.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Langer: Good evening, I'm Michael Langer. I, uh, pastor One Ancient Hope Presbyterian
Church here in Iowa City. I'm also a member of the Local Homeless
Coordinating Board. I work with Crissy and Officer Schwent directly on the
Extreme Weather Planning Committee, specifically Officer Schwent and I have
been exploring ways in which, uh, we can help provide storage facilities for folks
who are chronically outdoors and not using the Shelter. Uh, I came here in 2008
to plan a church, and our specific goal was to work for the common good of the
city through our gospel -motivated efforts, to really seek this city's flourishing.
We started off, uh, almost immediately, so the ... kind of my launch date was the
same date that there was about six feet of water, uh, running down the, uh,
Coralville strip, and so our denomination worked with us to bring in about 1,000
volunteers over the course of a year, uh, to work on rehabbing that, and we really
work with, uh, kind of two premises. One, we believe that people are created in
the image of God, and that we're called to love our neighbors as ourselves. And
so what we've been able to do over the course of the last six years that we've
been here. We meet at the Robert A. Lee Rec Center. We meet there
intentionally... so that both students and the homeless have access to our
community. We have people in our church who are able to remind, uh, folks who
are chronically homeless, uh, that change is possible, that people care about them
even when they've given up hope, uh, in themselves. One of my first visits here
was, uh, to talk to Crissy and to walk into the old Shelter that some of you
remember and say, `I'm coming here to plan a church. What I want to know from
you is how could we helpT And so that's really begun our conversation with
them. We have people in our church to this day who have been homeless and are
now no longer homeless. We also have people in our church who have been
members of our church for a while who are currently experiencing homelessness,
and I brought show -n -tell. Uh, over the course of the last six years, our church
has distributed over 100 sleeping bags to people on the streets, and we're not
talking about Walmart sleeping bags, because Walmart sleeping bags and some of
the bags that you buy at Fin and Feather, those are really designed to be slept in
once, maybe twice, in your nice marmot, uh, tent (laughter) taken home, cleaned
really nicely, and then put away. What they're not designed to do is to be slept in
for three to four months at a time, and not cleaned at all, and treated horribly. The
only other people who do that are people in the United States military, and so
we've been handing out Army Ranger surplus sleeping bags for the last six years,
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that are good to 40 -below. Because one of our goals would be that people in this
city, even though they have had horrible things happen to them, they do not
deserve to freeze to death, and that's really what this shelter is about. It's been
my pleasure to work with Officer Schwent on some of these projects. It's been
my pleasure to walk through the facility, which you guys all know where it is.
It's fantastic, and do some of the brainstorming, and so what I want to say is, this
is really an investment in this city. It may seem like it's just throwing money over
a problem that doesn't go away. But it really is investment in this city. Societies
that flourish are those that take the image of people, created in the image of God,
dignity, and love seriously. Flourishing does not come about from survival of the
fittest, but through acts of justice, grace, and mercy, and seeking the common
good. And I just say three last things. One, this intervention really is about
preventing further damage. My mother lived on the streets for six years because
of very abusive first marriage. Uh, she was an alcoholic. She did the kinds of
things that a woman on the street would do to get money. Uh, and she passed
away about four years ago. And ... the, uh... the opportunity that we have here is
to remind people that even though they have had horrible things happen to them,
the city cares about them enough to say you don't freeze to death, and we can
intervene in that way. It will avoid sleep deprivation. A lot of the folks that we
have the ability to help here do what's called business squatting. They try to find
local businesses that are open 24 -hours -a -day, or the University Hospitals, and
move around... so that they don't have to go outside, and when they're doing that,
they're not sleeping. And one of the things that this will allow is folks to get a
good night's sleep, and when people get a good night's sleep, you know this!
You feel better the next day! And you're able to make clearer decisions. So I
would recommend this to you, because it will help the city to flourish. It is an
investment in the flourishing of this city, that will seek the common good of
everybody in it. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments. (applause)
Young: My name is Paul Young. I'm one of the people that signed the petition, and I was
ambiguous about signing it because ... uh, I feel the way the gentleman just spoke.
I also own a business and I want my business to flourish like the people in
downtown Iowa City do. Um, my understanding is that the house ... the Shelter
House, the residents are not permitted to stay there during the day. Is my
understanding correct? (response from audience; unable to hear) For the most
part. So if you ... at another, another shelter with the same rules, where are those
people going to go during the day? Where are they going to use the bathroom?
Where they gonna hang out when it's cold? I mean, if ... if the concern is that
grave, why not let them stay there 24 -hours a day?
Hayek: Sir, you need to address your comments to us. (both talking) That's just how
we're set up.
Young: Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm ... very unfamiliar (both talking)
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Hayek: I understand!
Young: So ... urn ... and the concentration of another facility 300 -yards away from the one
that's already there, I mean, you've got two junior high schools here. One's on
the southeast part of town, the other's on the northwest part of town. Why won't
you do that with the same facility here? I understand the need for a more
permanent thing than a two-month thing at the old Aldi's, so why not work in that
direction? As far as something permanent in a location that's several miles away,
so you don't have the concentration of the kind of problems that that brings
sometimes, and also I would encourage that people not be forced out, 8 hours, 9
hours, 10 hours a day! It's cold during a January day as well as January nights.
So that's all I gotta say!
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Clark: My name's Dave Clark. Uh... we have, uh, three buildings in the area that ,uh,
we're talking about that ... where these signatures came from, and I'd
like ... I ... I've done a lot of soul searching on this, that you speak out against
something like this that it's construed that you don't want to help these people. I
think we're almost to a person, and almost to a business, everyone that I talked to,
to sign this petition, was concerned that... everything seems to be located in the
south Gilbert... Gilbert Street area or Gilbert Court. Now there's the old Social
Service building on north Governor Street. It's been sitting empty for what, five
years now? There's a building on Linn Street. I think it's in probably about, uh,
400 block that's been sitting vacant for at least two or three years. And ... we feel
that we want this to happen for the people, but we just don't want it ... if you can
call us `nimby's if you want, but we ... we think we have our share. Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Landry: Good evening. The Reverend Doyle Landry of... Founder and Executive Director
of Positive Vision. (clears throat) Christmas Eve 2000 my wife passed to breast
cancer. I am a depression survivor. What that means is you don't kill yourself.
So, I know what it's like for medical reasons to not want to be indoors. So, when
I read about this proposal, and thought, hmmm, I've never presented before the
City Council here. There but for the grace of God go I. Again, there are
individuals who choose not to go indoors because they haven't come to terms
with themselves. And I know what that's like. So ... I wanted to urge the passing
of your temporary shelter for two reasons. One, there but for the grace of God go
I. Two, there's an opportunity to move people forward, when they're ready,
because today someone else, tomorrow me. So, I am... still a depression survivor
and still cogniz... cognizant of the fact that when it gets colder, there are
individuals regardless of their appearance haven't come to grips with their life as
it sits currently, but that's today. Here in Iowa City it's my sincerest hope that
because it is Iowa City, where you have the opportunity to share conversation
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with individuals, you can pick up the phone and schedule a conversation with
individuals instead of talking at one another, that the opportunity comes for the
individual who we may not want to deal with because they are temporarily
without a home, that they can be permanently stable. I urge the passing of your
temporary shelter.
Hayek: Thank you for the comments. (applause) Okay, I'm going to close it down for
Council discussion.
Botchway: At least for me, um, I feel like this is a situation that, uh, while I can appreciate
the petition by the business owners in this particular case, uh, and I don't want to
speak for anyone, uh, just simply for myself. I think this is an awesome
opportunity, um, for them to, uh, get involved, urn ... uh, after this and really, you
know, possibly help out with funding or other initiatives with the Housing First,
and uh, kind of get behind and support that. It was, uh... you know, I always love
these types of situations because, uh, it brings together people that wouldn't
necessarily, um, come together, except for this particular issue, but this could be a
great collaborative effort with a lot of the, uh, business owners that signed the
petition and, uh... um, and uh... a lot of the organizations that are trying to help the
homeless in the area to ... to do something that hasn't been done before in a long
time, but uh, I say that ... and then I say that in saying that I'm going to support the
passage but, um, again, you know, for those business owners that are here and
um, might be listening, I think this is an awesome opportunity to open up some
dialogue with people who are ... who have programs, uh, working with the
homeless and you know that same type of support, um, that you, uh, wanted to
have for the petition moving forward and doing that with, um, some of the
organizations, as well.
Throgmorton: Kingsley, I had a ... I had a similar thought, and I wondered... Crissy, I don't know
if you've, uh... uh, tried to involve any of the business owners in that area with
regard to the ... the Local Homeless Coordinating Board in its effort to develop
the ... the Housing First strategy. If you haven't, I ... I think it would be a ... a pretty
good move to reach out to ... I'm sorry ... John, is that your name, and Paul?
(unable to hear responses from audience) I know ... I know you're Paul because
(laughs) we've talked a lot but I was trying to remember your name. I'm sorry,
sir! Uh? (several responding) Dave, yeah! To ... to reach out to any one of the...
these three people, or some of the others that signed the petition, to see if maybe a
couple of `em could participate on the Board, to ... to help find a site that would be
reasonable, because I completely understand the concern about ... an excess
concentration in a particular part of the city. And I know Terry and others are
going to talk about it as well, but that might be a good move.
Hayek: Uh, I'll ... I'll be supportive of this. This is the right thing to do. Period. Um, I
...two things, however. One 1, uh, on the issue of a ... of...of a more permanent,
urn ... uh, solution, if ... if that's ... if that's in the works, if initiatives are
considered, projects are ... are considered, um, I ... I am sympathetic to the ... to the
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location issues, and I think it, uh, is something that bears discussion. Uh, this as a
temporary matter, um, alleviates that concern for me, and time is of the essence.
The temperature change today is an indication of that. So it's important to
support. Um, the resolution is contingent on, uh, the financial contributions of
other regional partners, and that's ... and that's why I asked that question initially.
It's very important to me, and I think to this Council, I think far too often Iowa
City is assumed to be the only institution, um, capable of or responsible for, uh,
funding initiatives like this and homelessness and many other issues are regional
in scope, uh, certainly, uh... uh... there's issues of ... of housing and... and... and,
uh, other things that we talk about as a Council are the product of and have an
impact on, uh, our broader area. It is not just Iowa City, and it is important for
our ... our neighbors and the other stakeholder institutions in the area to ... to be
part of this. So ... but this is the right thing to support.
Dickens: I ... I don't have any problem with funding this, but the big concern is that it is
being put in one area. We talk about affordable housing. We talk about
everything. The concentration in that area is very strong. I've talked to a lot of
business owners in that area that have had problems and ... and it's not that I
don't ... am not concerned about these people. I think I probably will support this,
against ... you know, how I feel. I think since it is a temporary thing, and I am
concerned about the people for the ... the coming two months. Cold weather is
awful and ... turned 60 today, and as I get older I get colder (laughter) and it's...
it's not a good thing. Um, I ... I will support it, but only on a temporary basis, and
that it will not continue to ... to be in the same area.
Hayek: Further discussion?
Dobyns: I'm going to be very supportive of this, as well. Um, I know that faith -based
organizations, uh, participated in bad winters. I was very concerned about
security, um, in those facilities at the time that they were done. I know that right
outside our doors here there were, uh, similar concerns last winter. Um, I'm glad
this group put together this temporary, uh, solution. Uh, this is not hard to vote
for. This is a very target portion of this population, for a very short period of
time, and for only a few months out of the year. I recognize that the long-term,
um, solution is going to be far more difficult, and I look forward to working with
that.
Hayek: Roll call, please. So 4d(7) ... 4d(7) passes 7-0.
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ITEM 5. COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA).
Hayek: Um, normally we would, because of the hour, uh, go on to Item 6, Planning and
Zoning Matters and then pick up on the ... on the Community Comment at the
back end of the meeting, but because the City put a couple of presentations on the
front end that took up about a half an hour, what I'd like to do is, uh, have
Community Comment be ... from now until 8:45, which is half an hour from now,
and then we will go into Planning and Zoning Matters, and if at the end of our
meeting there is still more interest in Community Comment, we'll take those
comments up at that time. So, we'll, uh, do Community Comment now and in
keeping with our practice, we ask that you sign in, state your name, and keep your
comments to five minutes or less, and again, these are, uh, comments that
have ... uh, that are not on the agenda, that you would like to bring to our attention.
Thank you!
Harper: Hello, City Council, uh (clears throat) my name is Henri Harper. Uh, Iowa City
resident for 18 years. Uh, I come to talk about some issues that we as ... as few of
us in the community have discussed over the last, uh, few months, and... and
my ... myself, I'm from the St. Louis area and living in Iowa City like 18 years,
I've noticed some things for myself that, uh, I myself want to address, along with
some other individuals that I know, and I ... and I came first to talk about
(mumbled) having a discussion, but at the same time, we haven't had the
discussion about some issues that, uh, involve our community as a whole. I ... I'm
at the point where I like to look at Iowa City as a community where our city
government, uh, listens to all the citizens about some issue within this country,
especially this community, and some issues that have been addressed in this
community, and this country, for over the last... since I've been alive, since the
60s, and I notice the ... the issue where we can't have an honest discussion about
some issues, and we can't have some honest discussion here in Iowa City about
the issue that addressed, uh, that affecting our community as a whole, and I come
myself, uh, asking the City government to start having the discussion about how
we can include every individual and citizen in this community about the issue that
affect our country, and especially in our community. We have a very unique
community, and... and a lot of us that live here notice that within our community
we ... I don't feel welcome. We don't feel included, and we don't... definitely not
part of the conversation about how we need to move forward as a community, and
we're moving to 2016 and ... and I'm part of the Black Voice Project. And we're
talking about some issues that we feel hasn't been addressed in this community,
for a long time, and for myself, we need to frame a different conversation about
how we as a community can come together and discuss how we as a community
can move forward. Only way that can happen, if the City government in itself has
to include all the citizens in that conversation, and for me when I noticed the
conversation come up, people get defensive, you know, about well, we're already
doing that, and we don't have that issue here, and we ... that ... but ... why we have
to reactionary? Why something have to happen here in Iowa City before we
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decide we want to address some of the issues? There's a lot of angry people in
this community! (laughs) We got a lot of angry students (mumbled) that are
black that come here from different community, notice the ... the conversation in
the community, they know the conversation in this country, don't feel involved in
this community. So I'm asking our City government for a moment, at some point,
to at least start having the conversation. And you can't continually push the
conversation away and think we don't have these issues. I don't want to live in a
community that's policed. I don't want to live in a community that I don't feel
involved, and I definitely don't want to live in a community that I don't feel that
it's the community or the people that I have or vote for ... are addressing my
needs. So I'm asking you as a City Council, seriously consider having an honest
conversation about how we move forward, and you know what? It's okay to say,
you know, I don't know. I don't have a clue. I don't have a way of addressing
these issues, but I need to get somebody to come in here, some people to come in
here, and help me understand how our community can be the community that we
all want to have. I heard this conversation all the time how progressive our city
is. Well, for some of us ... we look around and say how ... look at the way things
are done in Iowa City! There's not many of us involved in City government.
There's not many of us involved in the City, uh, schools. There's not many of us
involved in the conversation. All that we're asking at this point is just to have a
conversation. That don't cost you no money! First thing people say, well, we
ain't got the money for that! Well, we can't afford not to have the money for that,
if we still have the issues in this community that we need to hire more police, we
need to have more people being arrested, we need a bigger jail, then we would
have to be ... or have more money! All we asking, as a community, to involve
everybody in this conversation, and I hope that you don't get defensive and say,
well, we already talked about that. We don't have that issue. That's not
something we need to deal with right now. Well I tell ya this ... if you continually
avoid this issue, it's going to come to bite ya! Now you can avoid it. You can
say we don't have those issues here in Iowa City. We do! I've been working the
school district for 17 years. I know a lot of kids (mumbled) have moved back and
live in this community, and I will tell you this ... if we don't address this issue at
the community, we gonna have a crime wave, things gonna start happenin', and
people gonna wonder why we having these issues, why we having these
robberies, why we having these breakins? Well, we have people that don't feel
included, and don't feel like it's their community. So I'm just askin' you as a
City government, to just start having the conversation (mumbled) include
everybody in this conversation so we as a community can feel included whatever
decision is being made. That's all we are asking — for a conversation. So ... sol
don't know how that look, or how it should look, but for me as a community
member and being here 18 years, I just want to feel like that I at least can sit down
with people and get to know who you really are, what you really think, what you
really feel, your families, why you ran for City government, why you do the
things you do, so we all can feel like we're involved in the City government of
Iowa City. So that's just for me and some people that we talk about, but I don't
want this ... nothing that's happened in this country to happen here in Iowa City.
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So I'm asking you, again, to start having the conversation of how we can move
forward as a community, as a City government. (applause)
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Porter: Hello, my name is Royceann Porter and I'm coming to you on behalf of the Black
Voices Project, on behalf of the Coalition for Racial Justice and the Center for
Workers Justice. Um, from Ferguson to Eric Gardner, uh, it's been an outrage for
a lot of people. Iowa City, um, has had some peaceful protests. Um, very
peaceful. Um, and they've had some hurt. The last thing that has ... issue that has
come up after the Eric Gardner was this art piece down on ... the University
campus. Um ... more people from ... the school got involved, is outraged, the
community got involved, outrage. I was invited to come to a town hall meeting,
online, that was for black people only. They didn't want white people there.
They wanted black people to come, so that they can talk about issues and
concerns in our community. And what you need to know is, there are issues and
concerns going on in our community. So I went to this town hall meeting, which
had about 100 people, including students and community leaders, and when we
got into this meeting, they talked about getting into ... this is what they did. They
formed along the whole wall. They had issues ranging from transportation,
housing, affordable housing, employment, policing... around the whole wall, and
everybody in there went to a group. Everybody. Wherever they felt that they felt
compassion about and saw that that was a need, they got in that area and they
spoke on and wrote on what the problems was on those issues. Um, surrounding
our community. So, in this ... the outcome for me is to come up here and speak to
you to let you know — it is time to start having these conversations. Yes, there are
action plans. I've personally talked to Sam Hargadine myself, which he has told
me about diversity and yes, we're going to have some training, but policing is not
our only issue. We have affordable housing. We have racial equity and racial
disparities. We have, uh, disparities in education. Disparities in housing.
Disparities in employment. Everywhere you turn, every day somebody is having
an issue. Every day, and this is something that we need to confront, instead of
pushing it to the back burner. Now we had a acq... an equity report done by our,
um ... the equity, um, report was done from the Ad Hoc Committee, and you
yourselves got in here a statement of commitment from the Council, a resolution
by the Council that states: It is working to eliminate disparities within the City
government. When you start working, cause ... we need y'all to come to the table!
We need y'all to step forward and work with us, because that's what we out here
trying to do. Trying to save the day. Trying to keep people calm, and say hey,
let's work it this'a way instead of everybody going out acting a fool — we're
trying to keep `em calm! You said right here the Council must support
opportunity to achieve equity and create a more inclusive community. Every time
we bring up the issues of what's going on in our community, within this City
government right here it's not talked about. All the time, all we're hearing is the
downtown developments, the buildings, who gonna put up what, who ... who
gonna ... who gonna get the money, TIFs, and River Crossing, but we got ... Iowa
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City is more than that. We got issues in our community, people, that is affecting a
lot of people, and now is the time for us to try to come together, collaborate, and
have a guid... dialogue on what's going on! It's a lot going on right here in our
own community and it's not really a black and a white thing when it come to
policing, because we got a video that ... two videos that's viral, going viral! Of,
uh, one is a house party and another is a young white man walking down the
street and the police officer attack him. So these are things that shouldn't be
going on in progressive Iowa City. These are things that we've got ... we've got
to ... we ... we got to, I'm sorry but it's just gotta be done! We need to have a
conversation. It's time to come to the table. Iowa City Council, Johnson County
Board of Supervisors, Tom Markus City Manager, Assistant Manager, whoever,
you know, Chief of Police ... Black Voices Project, Coalition for Racial Justice,
and Center for Worker Justice is willing to work with whoever to ... bring on
these, uh, conditions... these issues that's going on within our community. It's
time. It's going on. It's a lot of people hurting. It's a lot of people in our city
that's hurt, and like I said, it's not a black thing. White people are ... are there for
the support, as well, and we thank them, but ... this is just something that needs to
be done. Thank you. (applause)
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Halt: Hello, my name is Joseph Hall. Um, and I think I had agreed not to speak today
but...
Mims: I'm sorry, could you repeat your name, please?
Hall: Joseph Hall.
Mims: Thank you.
Hall: And I was here, uh, two weeks ago.
Hayek: Right!
Hall: Um, so I'd like to echo, um, try to echo, I think, uh, what Henri and Royceann
have been saying, um ... I was at ... not two weeks ago but the two weeks before
that, at your work shop where, um ... you were given the equity report...
presentation and ... it's frustrating I think, and I didn't want to call people out, but
I think it's important that we hold our City Council accountable. Um, there was
two Members on the Council that had something to say about what needed to be
done, what the City Council could do. And there was ... two other Council
Members who said, well ... maybe we need to think about what the City Council
really could do. The ... the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tem both sat back and said,
well, I don't see, in effect, what the City Council could do more ... than what's
being done now. And... that's... unacceptable. The equity report says that Iowa
City is not an equitable place. It's far from equitable. If you look at the Ambrose
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Study, Iowa City Police are ... in 2012, are 2 ... on average, 2.3 times more likely to
stop a minority than a white person or a person of, uh, Asian ethnicity. Two
times, more than two times likely to pull somebody over! Because of what they
look like! Or at least correlated with what they look like. That's a problem. And
it's not just in police, as Royceann and Henri said. This is in housing. This is in
the schools. This is in who's employed for positions in, uh, private companies
and City government. The City has to look at this. The City has to understand
that you're responsible for making change. You have to take the lead.
Community members are here, pushing you, ready to help, but you have to at
least put this on your agenda. You have to put this on your work sessions. It's
not on your work sessions. We hear that it may be in February. That's not soon
enough, and maybe you'll correct me, and I hope you do! You need to have work
sessions on policing. You need to have work sessions on disparity in
employment. You need to have work sessions on affordable housing. You need
to have them soon! They need to be productive meetings around legislation and
initiatives that produce productive change for the betterment of the community
members. Thank you. (applause)
Hayek: Thank you for your comments. I do want to point out that we ... on January 13th
are scheduled, uh, that ... that there will be a work session on these and related
issues January 13th is the date of that.
Knight: Um, my name's Roger Knight. Um, you guys have fallen way down. You guys
have your pants around your ankles on a lot of issues. Um ... police officer who
shot Eric Shaw, white officer, white... guy. To this day has not been in any
trouble. He's just, oh, I'll resign. That was that. Wow! Really? He made it.
Oops, I screwed up! I ... you can't do that! You can't go outside and go, pow!
Oops, sorry! Messed up! That's murder! He was ... murdered an individual. The
police department doesn't want to hear how they mess up. I had one officer who
told me, oh, it's just a MegaBus, 320 S. Dubuque. Uh, no! 320 E. Washington,
dude! He didn't want to hear it. And to have an officer even look into it ... A my
lord! There was ... no! The federal government moves faster than that. That's
BY The City Council can do a lot! You know, Mediacom not that long ago was
once known for ... the worst cable company in the country, yet you guys are, hey,
let's sign a contract with `em! Let's make `em a legal monopoly in our city!
Yeah! They're the greatest! Um, where? You guys are fallin' asleep. But if
Moen comes callin' (laughter) hey ... what butt cheek you want us to kiss? (makes
noises) It's BS. You guys need to really open your eyes. Look at what's going
on. The issue of homelessness. Homelessness is a big issue because there's no...
um, affordable housing! There is rent that is way over what I make a month, and
we're not even talkin' about food yet! We're not talkin' about gas. We're not
talkin' about electric for heat. You guys are fallin' asleep! Way asleep! The City
is hurtin' for money because... well, you guys are hurtin' the City. It's what can
we do for the college students? Uh, go outside look what they've done to the
town. Bars! Beer bottles! Beer boxes! Loud noise! Noise ordinance. You guys
have yet to bring that up. Come on! When you guys gonna pull your pants up
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and come to the table. And help out the city. I'm sorry, I mean, I don't know
how else to put it. I've came here many, many times. Many, many times! You
guys have taken the Champion approach. Yes, we need to do this. Okay, let's
vote for it. Nope! Ain't gonna happen! Nope! Well, this city voted her out
pretty quick on that kinda junk! Who else do we need to vote out? Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Adams: Uh, good evening, my name is Adil Adams. This is the second time I speak in
front of the City Council. I live in Iowa here for 17 years. I am the founder of
(mumbled) founder of Sudanese community when I come to Iowa City in 1997.
There is only one Sudanese family. Now we have like 300 families. And all the
kids they go to University's and they are successful, and all of them are driving
taxi. I don't want to talk about issue taxi because (mumbled) discuss it next
session. But uh... I notice ... Barack Obama speak, uh, two weeks ago about the
accident of (mumbled) and he mention very important thing. He said ... if we want
to fix the problem, we supposed to go to the root of this problem. What is the root
of the problem? There is unfair laws. They pass laws (mumbled) This happen
long time ago, but now, we don't want to pass laws and this laws unfair. If fair to
some people, they harm other people. We not supposed to pass these laws. So...
I am owner of American Taxi and my company destroyed by the City. I don't
want to go in the details. But uh... I file or I have petition. I hope the City can
look at it the next session. I thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments.
Landry: Once again for the record, the Reverend Doyle Landry, Executive Director of
Positive Vision. (clears throat) Officer Thomas E. Wortham the IV made a
commitment to me on ... May 19th at 7:15 in the morning, um, coming through our
Positive Vision program as a high school student. As an African American
officer he understood the importance of role modeling, and so... "Doyle, I will be
at the park tomorrow the 20t at ... 2:00." Because I'm not text savvy, for those of
you who know me you'll get the... you'll understand that, because I'm not I can't
play that voicemail that I still have saved, because at 11:30 that evening, Officer
Thomas E. Wortham the IV was killed, in front of his parents, in front of their
home, on the south side of Chicago. For those of you who really know me, I like
birthdays. Thomas E. Wortham the IV and I shared the same January 201h
birthday. I mentioned earlier this evening that I am a depression survivor,
and ... when you work with young people who want better for their life. Who have
experienced traumatic events, whether it's the killing of a parent, wi ... witnessing
domestic violence in your home, attending schools that have medi... metal
detectors, being texted four, five, six times an hour images that, um, are not
saintly, eventually it takes a toll on your system. I say all that to say, um, this is
the market where I started as a journalist, and so when you're paid to tell the
story, it's hard to look at the files of kids who kill and recognize many of them
don't have ... a fair chance starting out. I bring that up because we have too many
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kumbaya conversations in Iowa City. It ...is Iowa nice to talk about the
Hawkeyes and the weather but that's as far as it gets about being real. And so as
a United States Marine Corps veteran, I share with you that you have a real
element in this city that, um, is violent. They just haven't erupted yet, and I don't
mean that to scare. I mean that to keep it real. I wish I could turn back the hands
of time to May 19th ...but I can't. And by the way, there weren't any white
people around. Nowhere close. So, I believe in ... about being accountable about
race. Some of you have seen my emails that, again, can't publicize here. Yeah,
that direct. Because again, first within our race we have to be accountable before
we point fingers outside. And we have problems that start with conversations
within our collective. So ... this is Iowa City, um, and I ... tire of the kumbaya
conversation. For those of you who were here on November 1s1, 1991, when the
nationwide attention unfortunately focused on an angry University of Iowa
student who couldn't get a job. What do you think it would be like for a current
Iowa City resident who ... can't take it anymore, who ... can't get a job or ... no one
talks to, or is on the fringes because he or she is a veteran, and decides enough is
enough. Again, that's not a scare tactic. It happens unfortunately in our
communi... in our ... in our states, and it doesn't have to happen here if we're
willing to be Iowa Real, instead of Iowa Nice. So, on October 25th, meeting
rooms A, B, and C were reserved for that conversation that people like to avoid,
that two months prior got a lot of `yes, I'll be there, Reverend' because the
conversation was about race. And when people realized, as we got closer to
October 25th, that we were going to talk about it, all of a sudden the conversation
shifted and people started cancelling. Nothing new if you're used to Iowa City.
Because again, it's about being Iowa Real versus Iowa Nice. So, isn't it
surprising that a month later on November 24th what erupted in Ferguson
happened because people don't communicate.
Hayek: Sir ... we ... we will need you to finish up (both talking)
Landry: Absolutely!
Hayek: (both talking) ...five minutes are up.
Landry: Sure! So ... meeting rooms A, B, and C. For anyone who's listening, because I'm
not going to make the reservation. I would just prefer to be present, because it's
past that point. And I would hate for the same thing that happened to Officer
Thomas E. Wortham the IV to happen here. Thank you very much!
Hayek: Thank you for the comments. Probably have time for one more if there's anyone
else from the audience.
Langer: I'm still Pastor Michael Langer of One Ancient Hope. Uh, I just wanted to come
and say I've had an opportunity to work with the Iowa City Police Department for
about a year and a half. I've done probably a half a dozen ride-alongs. I've
ridden in the mornings; I've ridden in the afternoons; I've ridden at night; I've
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ridden overnight; I've worked a lot with Officer Schwent, who, uh, I'm sure you
all know, but many of you may not know. His ... he has a street name, and his
street name is Officer Friendly. And that's because of the way the Department
operates. You guys have got a fantastic Chief in place. And the way in which he
comports himself and promotes the Department, and pushes the Department
forward, comes from the top down, and so ... I'm not saying that other
communities don't have issues. I'm not saying we might not have issues here, but
you guys have done a great job. And I want to say thank you for the police force
that you've put in place. I have watched in numerous situations police officers
show what I consider to be a ridiculous amount of unmerited restraint when they
didn't need to show it. And continued to show restraint. And so I just want to say
thank you for the Police Department that you have in this city, and I appreciate it,
for one.
Hayek: Thank you for the comments. (people speaking in audience away from mic)
Okay, we are going to move on to Item 6, Planning and Zoning Matters.
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ITEM 6. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
ITEM 6a MOSS RIDGE CAMPUS REZONING — REZONING
APPROXIMATELY 51.03 ACRES FROM INTERIM DEVELOPMENT —
RESEARCH PARK (ID -RP), RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PARK (RDP)
AND PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY- HIGHWAY
COMMERCIAL (OPD -CHI) TO INTERIM DEVELOPMENT —
RESEARCH PARK (ID -RP), RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PARK (RDP)
AND PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY- HIGHWAY
COMMERCIAL (OPD -CHI) LOCATED NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80
AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 1 AND A REVISION OF THE ASSOCIATED
CONDITIONAL ZONING AGREEMENT.
1. PUBLIC HEARING
Hayek: This is a public hearing. The hearing is open. (bangs gavel) Is there any ex parte
communications to disclose? Do we have any staff on this or do ... if they're here
if we need ... there's Mr. Yapp!
Yapp: Uh, good evening, John Yapp, Development Services. Uh, you had the staff
presentation on this item at your last meeting and there was some confusion
regarding the, uh, Conditional Zoning Agreement. Uh, we do have the signed
version of that agreement in your packet. Uh, essentially this is a rezoning
request, uh... so the zoning boundaries match the subdivision boundaries in the,
uh, Moss Office Park development. Be glad to take any questions.
Hayek: Any other material changes from last time?
Yapp: There is not, no.
Hayek: Okay.
Yapp: Thank you.
Hayek: Thanks, John!
Mims: I'm...
Hayek: Hold on, the hearing is still open.
Mims: (mumbled)
Hayek: Is there anyone else from the audience who would like to address us? Okay,
before I close, I need to take the temperature. Is the Council inclined to go with
the recommendation? Appears to be the case. I'll close the public hearing.
(bangs gavel)
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2. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Mims: Sorry about that; didn't mean to jump the gun! I move that the rule requiring that
ordinances must be considered and voted on for passage at two Council meetings
prior to the meeting at which it is to be finally passed be suspended, that the
second consideration...
Hayek: First. Remember, we haven't done...
Mims: ...oh yeah, that's right! That the first consideration (laughs) uh, and vote be
waived, and that the ordinance be...
Karr: Given second consideration.
Mims: ... given second consideration at this time. Thank you! This was not what we
normally read! (laughs)
Hayek: Mo...
Payne: Second!
Hayek: ...motion to collapse from Mims, seconded by Payne. Discussion?
Payne: I didn't know you were done! (laughs)
Mims: Kinda stumbled through it! (laughs)
Hayek: Roll call, please.
Mims: (laughs) I move that the ordinance, uh, be given second consideration at this
time.
Dobyns: Second!
Hayek: Uh, moved from Mims, seconded by Dobyns. Discussion? Roll call, please.
Passes 7-0. So third consideration will be at our next meeting.
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ITEM 6b REZONING HERBERT HOOVER HIGHWAY — ORDINANCE
CONDITIONALLY REZONING 39.6 ACRES OF PROPERTY FROM
INTERIM DEVELOPMENT SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (ID -RS)
ZONE TO LOW DENSITY SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RS -5)
ZONE FOR 32.34 ACRES AND LOW DENSITY MULTI -FAMILY (RM -
12) FOR 7.26 ACRES LOCATED AT 4701 HERBERT HOOVER
HIGHWAY. (REZ14-00015) (PASS AND ADOPT)
Payne: Move adoption.
Mims: Second.
Hayek: Moved by Payne, seconded by Mims. Discussion? Any ex parte from the last?
Any further discussion? Roll call, please. Passes 6-1, Throgmorton in the
negative.
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ITEM 11. COMMUNITY COMMENT [IF NECESSARY] (ITEMS NOT ON THE
AGENDA)
Throgmorton: (mumbled) (both talking)
Hayek: Is there anyone else who, uh... yeah! Sorry about that! So, overflow Community
Comment — if there's anyone else in the community... or in the ... in the audience
who'd like to bring something to our attention we invite you to come forward.
Again, asking to si... ask you to sign in, give us your name verbally, and to keep
your comments to five minutes. Thanks, Jim!
Ingalls: Happy Birthday, Mr. Dickens! Um, my name is William Ingalls. Uh, I live at
608 S. Dubuque Street. Um, I'm not here as a tenant this evening of 608 S.
Dubuque Street, but as a resident of Iowa City concerned about correct process,
uh, an issue I've come to learn that's very close to the hearts of many of you. Uh,
here's a short list why the City Council should direct City staff to take every
possible step to preserve the cottages at 608, 610, and 614 S. Dubuque Street. A
1992 Comprehensive Plan called for the preservation of the cottages. The
Riverfront Crossings' Master Plan, just recently, called for the preservation of the
cottages. All the Building Inspection Department's inspections since 1986 have
testified to the soundness, safety, and habitability of the cottages. All of the Iowa
City Fire Department's inspections have testified to the soundness, safety, and
habitability of the cottages. The Iowa City Historical Preservation Commission
has voted to extend historical landmark status to the cottages. The Planning and
Zoning Commission did not approve Hodges, uh, recent plan favoring instead the
preservation of cottages. That's six things. Six reasons. Six different City staff,
departments. Six different ... or ... or commissions... that have asked that the
cottages be preserved or stated that they're perfectly sound. And that's... that's
why I'm here. That's kind of the seventh thing. Um, the City Attorney is... cited
in a Press -Citizen article that probably won't appear in the paper till tomorrow,
um, as saying... understandably that the City cannot make dec... decisions in a
contest between battling experts. But the City has made a decision. They're
supporting the Hodge report, that was paid for by a person who wants to tear
everything down on that block. And I don't think that's fair. I think that you
have .... Mr. Markus has seen it, uh, a report from another quite credible structural
engineer whose report went to 20 -some pages, point -by -point, indicating why the
cottages should be deemed sound and habitable, whereas the report on which so
many things have descended — vacate or abate orders, uh, demolition permit
requests, all have descended from the report that's thoroughly inaccurate. It said,
and I don't know if any of you were here for it, but when, uh, it was first proposed
at the Planning and Zoning Commission the person who made the report said,
`Books should never have been allowed in that book shop because the floor was
totally unsupported.' How this person missed a 40 -foot beam that supports every
floor joists, and the 2XIOs at either end of each floor joist that supports each one
from ... from floor joist down to the foundation, yet he said no support. That was
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just one of the mistakes. Easily, easily, so easily proven. So I would ask that the
City Council encourage... Mr. Markus and whoever else is concerned to at least
give equal consideration to the second report. If not totally throw it out. To, I
mean, the first report (laughs) urn ... I know that you can't ask me any questions
(laughs) Thank you.
Hayek: Thank you for your comments. Is there anyone else during Community
Comment? Okay! We'll move on to Item 12, City Council Information.
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ITEM 12. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION
Hayek: We'll start down with you, Dr.
Dobyns: Nothing.
Payne: Nothing for me tonight!
Dickens: Just want to thank Marian for the fireworks, uh, I got off work, grabbed a piece of
pizza, uh, went to the top of the ramps, and uh, there was over 100 people just on
top of the ramps over here, and watched the fireworks and what was ... was really
neat, they all started singing Happy Birthday Iowa City at the end, so ... (laughter)
Thank you for that. That was pretty cool. We put it ... my wife put it on Facebook
and got comments from all over the country, so...
Dobyns: Which is older, you or Iowa City? (laughter)
Throgmorton: He's only 60! (laughter)
Mims: Um, I would just like to thank all the people that came to Iowa ... came to the
meeting tonight and commented. We obviously, um, have a lot of issues here in
Iowa City, like we do nationally, to discuss, um, when it comes to so many things,
whether it's race, class, socioeconomic, um, etc., and I ... and I would just like to
clarify one point. I think that there was a, either a misinterpretation or
misperception of a comment that ... I think both myself and the Mayor may have
made, um, in terms of moving forward on discussion, and certainly I did not say,
and I'm sure that the Mayor did not either, that there's ... that there's nothing more
the City can do or should be doing when it comes to this. Um, personally this ... I
think this is an issue that's important to all of us. While a lot of people may not
believe that, um, but I sit here as a ... more than 30 years being married to my
husband who is an African American and having raised four biracial children in
this community, and you know, I see how these issues can affect them, um, as
well. While yes I can walk around with that `white privilege,' they certainly
cannot, and so for me to sit here and say that, um, I don't think there's anything
more that the City can or should do is just about the most ludicrous thing that
anybody could accuse me of. So, um, I think my comment was more to the effect
that, you know, we need to have the discussions but we got a full January slate
with budgets. I felt comfortable at that time of pushing those discussions on the
racial issues maybe into February or so. Um, that was the context of my
comment, and I believe that was also the context of the Mayor's comment. Um,
so I look forward to having the discussions in January. We will do that, and ... and
I would welcome people in the community as well as those who were here tonight
to work with us to try and find some productive ways of engaging in
conversations. Um, I think it's going to be a challenging process. Um, lots of
different issues were brought up tonight, and a lot of those you just can't sit down
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and talk about and ... and resolve ... very quickly and easily. From housing to
employment to policing, urn ... you know, they're all ... they're all gonna be tough,
and they're all ... and we're gonna have a lot of different perspectives on those, but
I think the starting point is for all of us to sit down, um, and listen, truly listen,
um, and hear those different perspectives and jointly try to find some ways to
move forward. We've got a great community, a very diverse community. Uh,
with lots of different opinions, and some very, very strong opinions, which can
sometimes make it very challenging! Um, but it's a process that we certainly
need to do to, uh, move forward productively, and I look forward to the process.
Throgmorton: Susan, I ... I too would want to thank all the people who spoke to this particular
topic, uh, of equity and diversity and I was particularly struck by the, uh, use of
the phrase, uh, Iowa Real rather than Iowa Nice, and about the importance of
having an honest conversation, which is a phrase we've all heard several times,
and I've ... I've talked with Henri a lot about this, so I certainly ... I'm certainly
familiar with his use of that phrase. Uh, but I also want to note the fact that there
were probably 20 or more people in the audience who came to support the people
who spoke, and ... and that... resonates with me. There's a lot of power behind
that.
Mims: Uh huh, yeah, there is.
Throgmorton: Uh, so ... and I just would want to emphasize one other point. 1, uh, with regard to
the fact that we will be discussing this topic, on January 13th, in a work session.
Mims: Yep!
Throgmorton: Sorry? (several talking) at 5:00, here, uh, and I would certainly encourage
anybody who's watching and has a strong concern about this topic, strong interest
in it, to come to that meeting. You won't be able to speak to us, but you can
observe and listen in on what we're ... what we'll be talking about and uh, I
guarantee we're taking it very seriously.
Botchway: Uh, I echo, uh, Jim and Susan's comments. Um, regarding just thanking people
for coming out and speaking on that issue, as well as, um, just being excited about
moving forward and getting that date in January. I think, uh, the community's
really excited, or peop... some people in the community are really excited about
that. Um, the other part is, you know, just kind of what I alluded to, um, or spoke
about it actually in the, uh, initial discussion when it came to homeless. Um, you
know, uh... the homeless population and um, you know, our passage of that, um...
um, possibly providing funding depending on other municipalities but you know,
like I said before, I mean, and I didn't... didn't know whether or not I was really
clear, it's just this being an opportunity for, uh, you know, uh, for businesses
especially, um, that, uh, have a right obviously to speak toward certain issues of
how it affects their business, um, to come forward and um, work with the
agencies. Actually I don't know what happened but I thought I saw one of the
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gentleman that spoke come up and, uh, place his card to the young woman who
spoke about, you know, supporting the homeless issues, so I think that dialogue is
obviously being started, and I hope for the continual need and desire to, you
know, really promote that type of collaboration, because I think it's going to take
both sides to really get something done. So...
Hayek: Thank you. Uh, excellent comments tonight by Council and I applaud all of you
for ... for what you've, uh, said just in the last few seconds, and I appreciate the
comments, uh, from the audience. It's a difficult venue because we're ... we're
receiving and we're not in a position to ... to respond, uh, in any way that would
get us out of here, you know, short of a ... a midnight meeting, uh, every time we
meet, and so it makes for a... a more difficult, uh, process, and... and, but we
receive the input of the community and that is critical, um, and this is not the only
way to reach us. Uh, I think, uh, you know, through email, phone calls, personal
meetings, etc., um, we have been and will continue to be an accessible Council
as ... as the case with our staff. Um, I think that's one of the hallmarks of our
democracy here. Um, Happy Birthday to you! Uh, Marian, excellent job on ... on
the events of, uh, last weekend, uh...
Karr: I just knew who to get on the team! We had a great team (both talking)
Hayek: It was great! (both talking) You, uh... lot of people played a role, uh...
Karr: And the weather cooperated, as well! (laughter and several talking)
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ITEM 13. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF
a) City Manager
Hayek: City Manager?
Markus: So January 13th, are you really expecting a ... just a work session kind of format?
No engagement? I heard a lot of requests for engagement. And that makes a
different format in terms of the meeting. But you may frustrate a lot of people if
there's no engagement.
Throgmorton: Would we ... good point! Would it be helpful to hold a, kind of a conventional
public hearing, I don't think, so interaction... is that what you're (both talking)
Markus: Well, my point is that's the only issue on that agenda. So you could ... you could
actually split the meeting between work session and public, uh, open the public
portion of it.
Hayek: Yep.
Throgmorton: So as in ... we ... we had this, our internal conversation for a while in public, and
then ask people to tell us... say whatever they want to say.
Markus: That and react to what they heard you say and talk (both talking)
Throgmorton: Yeah. Yeah.
Botchway: (mumbled)
Throgmorton: Yeah, I think it's a great idea.
Payne: So, are you suggesting that the public session be after our discussion, or prior to
our discussion?
Markus: Well, I think ... I think you wanted time to react to the equity report. Maybe that's
what you could do first. Uh, and then open it up. You don't have to set that now,
but I want you to think about...
Hayek: Yeah.
Markus: ...that format. I think ... to me it seems a bit chilling just to have everybody come
in here and sit and watch you have a discussion, when it's the only item on you
could break it up and open up (mumbled)
Dobyns: Could we do it in the middle, Tom?
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Hayek: You know, well, first of all, good point. Um, and ... I ... I think some... variation of
that approach makes sense. We can decide this on the 6th. We still have a full,
you know, regular meeting. Let's talk about that at our work session. And that
should still give us time to configure the 13th in a way that we think would be
most effective.
Markus: Think about it.
Botchway: (several talking) ...and scenarios of how that would work too.
Hayek: All right. Geoff?
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