HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-07 TranscriptionApril 7, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page I
Council Present: Botchway, Dickens, Hayek, Mims, Payne, Throgmorton
Council Absent: Dobyns
Staff Present: Markus, Fruin, Elias, Hightshoe, Hart, Dilkes, Karr, Walls, Yapp, Knoche,
Ford, Havel, Bockenstedt, Jennings, O'Brien, Boothroy, Rackis
Others Present: McCarthy (UISG)
Questions from Council re: Atienda Items:
Hayek/ Okay, why don't we get ready. My i -Pad says it's 5:00. That must be accurate. Want to
welcome everyone to our April 7th work session. First item on the agenda is agenda
items! Any questions regarding tonight's agenda?
ITEM 4e(10) REZONING HIERONYMUS PROPERTY AT MUSCATINE AND
SCOTT — MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 15
REZONING APPROXIMATELY 1.36 ACRES LOCATED AT THE
NORTHWEST CORNER OF MUSCATINE AVENUE AND SCOTT
BOULEVARD FROM LOW DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY (RS -5) ZONE TO LOW
DENSITY MULTI- FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RM -12) ZONE (REZ14- 00008)
ITEM 6a REZONING HIERONYMUS PROPERTY AT MUSCATINE AND
SCOTT — REZONING 1.36 ACRES OF PROPERTY FROM LOW DENSITY
SINGLE FAMILY (RS -5) ZONE TO HIGH DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY (RS -12)
ZONE LOCATED NORTH OF MUSCATINE AVENUE AND WEST OF SCOTT
BOULEVARD (REZ14-00008) (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Payne/ I have a question on Item 4e(10) on the Consent Calendar and Item 6a, the rezoning of
the Herma... Hieronymus property. I don't understand these two things... and why
they're... one's on the Consent and one's on the ... we've already voted on one. So what's
the difference between them and why are they both here?
Markus/ I think there's an error in the notice ... uh, caused that. Marian, you want to comment?
Karr/ Are ... are you asking about the resetting of the public hearing? There was a discrepancy in,
um, the zone, both the designation for a single-family versus a multi -family, and in the
designation of the zone itself, RM -12. The ... all through the process, through the
Planning and Zoning and all through the process, the ordinance was correct. The staff
report is correct, and the neighbors were correct ... were notified correctly. The error
occurred simply on the agenda, and in the notice itself, and to avoid any conflict we just
thought it would be better to step back, reset it, and we'll ... we will then have no action
on 6a, set the public hearing, hold it again on ... on the 15th, have first consideration, and
at the meeting on April 21 st, catch up to where we would have been with consideration
(both talking)
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Payne/ So 6a is nixed. (several talking)
Hayek/ No action! And then 4e(10) sets the public hearing.
Payne/ To start over!
Karr/ We just need it for that paper trail. If people were looking in one place versus another, to
show that ... that trail. That answer it?
Payne/ It did!
Karr/ Okay!
ITEM 4d(4) NORTH PLANT SALVAGE AND DEMOLITION PHASE OF THE
IOWA CITY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT RELOCATION PROJECT
— RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR
TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR THE
NORTH PLANT SALVAGE AND DEMOLITION PHASE OF THE IOWA CITY
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT RELOCATION PROJECT.
Mims/ On, uh.... 4d(4), that's with the, uh, demolition of the North Waste Water Treatment Plant
and that came in significantly lower than our estimate. Um ... are we going to be able to
use ... that difference to ... kind of facilitate the development down there or
the... the... beginning of the park at all? Uh, to...
Markus/ Sewer plant ... demo bids.
Mims/ The ... I was asking, Ron, about the difference in the, uh, no that's okay! The bid came in
very low compare ... for the North Waste Water Treatment Plant demolition.
Knoche/ Sure!
Mims/ And how can we efficiently utilize that difference in like the $5 million estimate versus
the $2 -point -something that it's actually going to cost for demolition.
Knoche/ Right. So, um, what ... what it looks like currently, um, I ... one of the reasons for the
change or the difference in the bids, I think, was the risk that we took out with the
mercury abatement, you know, and taking part ... taking care of that. So ... so based on the
mercury abatement being about $2.5 million, um, you know our ... our work of roughly a
little over $2 million on the demolition, we'll have about a million dollars left of the sales
tax, um, that we got through the flood mitigation. Um, and so we're, uh, currently
lookin'...probably do an RFP to get the design, uh, underway and move forward in that
manner. The ... what we'll be looking at is grading, um, and trail work, and the wetland
along with the creek, um, stabilization, and ... in the ... in the initial bid...
Mims/ Okay.
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Knoche/ ... and move forward from there.
Mims/ So that might speed up that process a little bit?
Knoche/ It could...
Mims/ Okay.
Knoche/ ...definitely.
Mims/ Okay, great! Thank you.
ITEM 4d(1) NORMANDY DRIVE RESTORATION PHASE IIIB PROJECT -
RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR
TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE NORMANDY DRIVE RESTORATION PHASE IIIB
PROJECT
Karr/ I'd also like to note, urn ... 4d(1), the Normandy Drive restoration project. There is an error
and it will be corrected, um, the actual bid ... was, urn ... Ron, do you have that?
(mumbled)
Knoche/ So the... the... the bid as read was, uh, $232,030.55 (both talking)
Karr/ Point 55.
Knoche/ ... and there was a math error in their... in their bid. So it was $10,000 higher than what
it should have been. So 223 ... 223,030.55 is what ... (both talking) should be awarded for.
Karr/ Staff will... still recommending approval. We'll just make that change, uh, and just treat it
as an amendment and request approval tonight.
ITEM 4f(4) Alexa Homewood -Weldon: Iowa City Telecommunications Commission
Hayek/ Um, there's a letter ... 4f(4), there's a letter, um, from the Telecomm Communication on
Iowa Utilities Board and this Alliance Technologies, um, franchise. Can... what's... can
we get some staff...
Markus/ So we've moved to decertify the, urn ... certificate of, urn ... that was issued for Alliance
Technologies. So that'd remove them and then our franchise would return to the local
franchise... which would increase the amount of payments that come back to the City...
through August of 18.
Mims/ To outside companies does that then make us look ... more attractive to potentially expand
into?
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Markus/ I don't think so.
Mims/ Okay. That was one thing that was kind of mentioned in the letter, so I (both talking)
Markus/ Yeah, they suggested that, but I don't think that's really what would happen.
Mims/ Okay.
Markus/ I think they'd look at ... and we're talking to other companies right now too so...
Mims/ Right.
Hayek/ But someone else could come along ... get a statewide franchise and pops back up (both
talking)
Markus/ And so then it'd return to the State franchise, which is a reduced amount of franchise
fees paid to the City at that point. That's correct.
Hayek/ Cross that bridge when we get to it.
Markus/ Yeah.
Hayek/ Okay.
Markus/ We have some ... we have some competition going on right now for interest, and that's
just in the informal stages, but ... I think the public is very interested in seeing some
competition for our current franchisee, so...
ITEM 4d(7) AFSCME CONTRACT - RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND THE AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES LOCAL
#183, TO BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2015 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2020.
ITEM 4d(9) POLICE LABOR CONTRACT - RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND THE POLICE
LABOR RELATIONS ORGANIZATION OF IOWA CITY TO BE EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2015 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2016.
Mims/ I would agree! Um, on 4d(7) and 4d(8), these were the, um, employee contracts with
AFSCME and the Police Department. Um, the whole agreements were in our packet.
Are we ... correct in assuming that there's no substantive changes to those agreements? It
was just the wages and benefits that were ... laid out through the negotiations and/or
arbitration?
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Markus/ Yes. I think Karen did a nice job of identifying the specific changes in each of the
agreements.
ITEM 4e(9) EAST HARRISON STREET RECONSTRUCTION — RESOLUTION
SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 21, 2015 ON PLANS,
SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE OF COST FOR
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EAST HARRISON STREET
RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH
NOTICE OF SAID HEARING, AND DIRECTING THE CITY ENGINEER TO
PLACE SAID PLANS ON FILE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION
Mims/ Okay. Thanks. Um, I had another one on, uh, 4e(9), that was the Harrison Street
reconstruction. The timing of that, um ... is that going to be an issue ... I mean it sounds
like with the timing that we're going to do that before that parking ramp and those condos
are built on the corner of Dubuque and Harrison. What's that going to do to ... that newly
reconstructed street and then have all of that construction going on?
Knoche/ Yeah, I ... I, um, the ... the road itself needs to be, you know, reconstructed before
Midwest One opens their office building on the corner, um, of Dubuque Street ... or of
Clinton Street. Uh, the construction at the Sabin site, there will ... there will be some
impact along Harrison, but ... but I think a majority of that will be staged off of Dubuque
Street and off of the alley.
Mims/ Okay.
Knoche/ So I ... I think they'll be limited, and ... and part of the Harrison Street project that we're
doing will be extending the utilities to that site, so they won't have to be tearing the street
up to be able to do that.
Mims/ Okay. All right, thank you!
ITEM 8. RELOCATION APPROVAL LETTER — MOTION FOR APPROPRIATE
DIRECTION FOR STAFF TO RESPOND TO A REQUEST FROM THE CITY
OF CORALVILLE FOR A LETTER INDICATING NO OBJECTION TO THE
EXPANSION OF LEEPFROG TECHNOLOGIES IN CORALVILLE.
Hayek/ So Item 8 is the relocation, uh, approval letter. Do... (mumbled) give us an update on
where things are?
Markus/ Yes, I'd asked Wendy to come forward. We've had a flurry of activity on this issue
since ... I think the last Council meeting the Council, uh, deferred this and, uh, we've
returned it, uh, at this point, so I'd have Wendy walk through the report that, uh, is in
your packet.
Ford/ Want to go through the whole report now?
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Markus/ You might as well get the ... the highlights out at least.
Ford/ Okay. So ... this is the item that was deferred last time because we didn't have enough
information for you to, uh, provide a recommendation on whether or not to send a letter
of approval that had been requested by the City of Coralville for, um, the relocation of an
Iowa City -based business, Leepfrog, to Coralville. Um, a lot of information has come
and gone, a lot of activity has passed, and um, we have worked with, um, the CEO of
Leepfrog to better understand the situation. We have heard from, um, the folks at the
third -party, uh, consultant, called Proximity, who were the site consultants that, uh,
Leepfrog had chosen to help them make decisions, um, in where to go next, and um... at
the, by the end of the day today, after having put together our entire presentation for you,
we got an email at about 2:30 this afternoon from the City Administrator in Coralville
saying that the, um ... that the applicant was going to pull their application for State
funding. In other words they were going to stop the request for State funding, uh, and
uh... that was the end of...of that, and uh, we're still sitting here trying to decide what to
do with the relocation request from the City of Coralville. Um, the whole thing has, uh,
opened up, uh... the ... the issue of the proto ... communications protocol that we've been
working with ICAD and ... and trying to work with the City of Coralville and City of
North Liberty in adopting, to avoid s ... to avoid such situations where, uh, we're on the
one hand having to play by State's ... by State rules in providing letters to the Iowa
Economic Development Authority, and/or agreements that it is okay if another
municipality uses tax increment financing to assist in the relocation of a company from
one Iowa community to another, while on the other hand fighting, uh, as hard as we can
to keep an Iowa City -based company in Iowa City. We understood two or so years ago
in... in 2013 when, uh, Leepfrog was at the threshold of... of, uh, a large... period of
growth. In other words they were going to go from the 27 employees that were housed at
the ACT Circle address of the ... only address of their company at the time, to nearly 70,
um ... and that there weren't any Iowa City sites that were immediately available to them,
um, that a temporary location in Coralville would be, uh, would be all right. After all,
they need to continue on, uh, with their business and we want them to grow and we want
them to succeed, and we had many conversations with them, um, to ... try to ensure that a
permanent location could be found in Iowa City. Well, uh, later in 2013 after a
temporary move to the Oakdale Research Park in ... in Coralville. That's on that State-
owned land, actually in a building that had, uh, been home to, um ... uh, (mumbled) the
DNA technologies, uh, business... IDT, um, after they had been housed in there and got
settled and were on their way to growth, they said okay, now it's really time to think
about what we're going to do permanently and they set out on a, uh, a quest for where
that permanent location was going to be. Um, after a period of time they hired Proximity,
this Des Moines -based, uh, site consultant firm or construction consulting firm, to help
them, uh... do that due diligence in figuring out where that was going to be, and that was
about the point where, uh, communications between ICAD, Leepfrog, and Iowa City, in
order to maintain them here, uh... went dark, for lack of a better word. It wasn't until,
um, we were asked to provide a letter of approval for this ... for Leepfrog's application to
the State for these State tax incentives, um, that were going to be matched by, uh, a
$495,000, uh, tax increment financing piece that we realized, um, there were several
things that needed attending to, and um, they all could have, uh, been avoided, at least in
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...at this level had there been a communication, uh, communications protocol in place.
Any questions so far? Or on anything else that you heard today ... I could go on but I'm
not sure that...
Hayek/ So the piece that got withdrawn was the ... the High Quality Jobs... application to the
State, is that...
Ford/ Right.
Hayek/ ... correct?
Ford/ Um, the application to the State was, uh, for a total of $146,818 that was largely, uh, that
are largely tax credits, uh, 50,000 of them... $50,000 were investment tax credits, $91,500
or so are the refunds of... of State sales tax on the expenses of, uh, constructing a new, uh,
office space, and there was a $5,000, uh, grant for research activities. So $146,818 from
the State, matched with the $495,000, uh, in Coralville TIF.
Markus/ So it might be beneficial, uh, Eleanor, if you could describe the requirements. There's
the piracy provisions in TIF and then there's provisions in the IEDA provisions regarding
High Quality Jobs. They're a little different, but I think they get at the same point.
Dilkes/ Yeah, I ... I think, um, the letter, the proposed letter essentially sets forth the criteria that
is included in the High Quality Jobs Act. Um ... and um ... while there is some difference,
um ... essentially in both ... in both provisions a relocation is defined as a substantial
reduction, um, in a ... in a preses... in a presence in one municipality. Um, the additional
detail for the High Quality Jobs Act, I ... is included actually in one of the initial
paragraphs of the proposed letter. Um ... the ... the letter request that was made from the
State, um, is a specific component of the eligibility requirements in the High Quality Jobs
Act.
Mims/ And in the ... the email that we got this afternoon, it appears that the withdrawal of the
application was ... from the City Administrator in conjunction maybe with the company,
but City ... Coralville City Council, it appears, has not even weighed in on this? It's just
coming from the City Administrator?
Ford/ That would be our read of receiving the email directly from the City Administrator there,
yes.
Mims/ Okay. Thank you.
Botchway/ So my question is is ... you know, we bring up the communication protocol in
conjunction with this ... from what I've heard, the City of Coralville has had no contact
with Leepfrog. So we are saying that they have had contact with Leepfrog? Cause could
the application come from the City of...I mean could it come from just simply the State
or it has to go through the City of Coralville as well?
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Markus/ Well... as we read the application, the application talks about TIF. So at some point,
somebody had to make that determination, and the letter we received from ... the City
Administrator this afternoon indicated that they couldn't comply with our conditions, so
obviously they have some level of involvement. I'm not sure what you're referring to. I
think ... I think initially the corridor, uh, compact or protocol, there was ... there was some
issue with the Coralville City Council feeling like they had not had any communication
about the protocol. But that would be back through their administration. That wasn't
something... that we withheld.
Hayek/ So King... Kingsley, if you look at, uh, Item 8, the, urn ... the business financial assistance
application to the State was sponsored by Coralville. And there's a ... there's a reference
to the local TIF funding, as well.
Botchway/ I guess there's ... some confusion, cause I've been talking to some of the Coralville
City Council Members and ... it almost seemed like there was no conversation, and so I'm
just...
Markus/ (both talking) I've heard that statement, but, Kingsley, that's referring to conversations
leading up to the ... the point where they discussed the communication protocol, that they
were not previously privy to that conversation. Um, I can tell you the full ICAD board
met on that, which their City Administrator was involved in. There's been executive
board meetings of ICAD where that was discussed. There's been a Chamber Commerce
meeting where that was discussed. The City Administrator's been privy to those things.
So they may not have known that, but it's not for the lack that that information wasn't out
there! But that's not ... I don't think somebody's suggesting to you that that's our
responsibility. I think there... there's a ... there may have been a communication gap
internally there.
Mims/ And I don't ... I'm not sure what you're referring to in terms of lack of communication, or
lack of communication or no communication between Leepfrog and Coralville, but I
don't see how they could possibly have gotten to this level and putting this application
into the State and offering TIF also without there being significant communication (both
talking)
Botchway/ No and I'm (both talking) yeah, I'm not disagreeing with that. I'm just (both talking)
Mims/ Okay!
Botchway/ ...I wanted to be ... make sure I'm clear, cause just in case the conversation comes
back, I want to (both talking)
Mims/ Yeah!
Botchway/ ...well no, this, this, this, and this happened.
Mims/ Right.
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Payne/ The ... the Councilors in Coralville may not have recognized the fact that because they
were applying for the State money also that they needed a letter from us. That ... that may
be where the lack of communication is.
Botchway/ Well and again, I guess (mumbled) moving to a different topic, you know, how are
we affecting the business interests of Leepfrog? In ... in this whole situation?
Ford/ Well we find ourselves in somewhat of an awkward position and uh... (laughs) mostly
because we may thwart their ability to get State funding if they go to Coralville and
match that State funding with, um, with TIF funds from Coralville as well. Um, that
same State funding opportunity would likely be available should we have, uh, space that
would meet their needs here in Iowa City. We would also be asked to provide a local
match, uh, I don't know that it would be four times the, uh, State funding amount. That
would, uh, probably be a little bit unusual, but um, we have the ability to ... be home to
Leepfrog Technologies Inc. I think our interest is in playing by the rules and keeping our
homebase businesses at home.
Hayek/ I ... I mean, I think what I would say in response that, you know ... any business is free to
move... anywhere, but what... distinguishes this situation is that there is a public subsidy
involved, both State and local.
Botchway/ Right.
Hayek/ Um...
Markus/ And I think the distinction is that ... at some point, Iowa City has to make it clear that...
that businesses have the right to move, as ... as the Mayor indicates, but when those
incentives get involved, if the ... if the City has to ... has to determine whether they're
going to, you know, let the businesses, quite frankly, in Iowa City be mined out of Iowa
City. Now ... that being said, a local business may not find the particular site or facility or
...building that they want here in Iowa City. They have the right, uh, to go to a
neighboring jurisdiction. Where the law comes in is on the incentivization. And quite
frankly the ... the piracy provisions were seriously beefed up, post -Von Maur. So, let's
get the elephant out, you know, and completely exposed. Part of this goes back to that
discussion. And so ... at some point, it seems to me, that the City Council has to weigh in
on this sort of issue and decide, you know, that ... that while a business may want to
migrate to a ja... neighboring jurisdiction, the laws are such that we have the say in
whether incentives are offered in a neighboring jurisdiction. And so for example today
we get the letter from the City Administrator. The City Administrator of Coralville is
saying that they're not going to pursue the State funds. Nothing was necessarily said
about tax increment financing funds. So that's something that we'll still have to pay
attention to.
Ford/ And I guess I would also add to that, um, that ... the staff recommendation was to allow for,
uh, a letter that said, okay, you can do this if your community enters into this
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communication protocol with us, and if there is a written agreement, uh, made between
Iowa City and Coralville regarding that relocation of Leepfrog, uh, prior to the use of a...
a TIF, uh, incentive for them, um, that would support or allow them to relocate back to
Iowa City without having to, uh, go through, uh, a similar agreement here. And it were
... it was that, um, it was that point that I think stopped Coralville from... it was both of
those points that stopped Coralville from, uh...
Markus/ It's just conjecture as to (several talking) whether there's the weight of both issues or a
particular emphasis on one or the other. But ... you know, the letter from the City
Administrator says that they couldn't comply with those. (several talking)
Dilkes/ Well and I think it's important to note too that the letter did not condition, um, the letter
of support for the move, on agreeing to the communication protocol that ICAD
recommended. It said that agreement or a substantially similar agreement, recognizing
some of the press comments that have been made about their apparent concerns.
Throgmorton/ So it's not clear to me what recourse we have should Coralville, or any other
nearby, uh, community use TIF in a way that we think is ... pirating, uh... uh, a business
away from Iowa City. What recourse do we have?
Markus/ Well (both talking)
Throgmorton/ That's (both talking)
Markus/ Barring.... barring one of the administrative departments of the City stepping in ... or the
State, stepping in and taking action, I suspect that it's a legal process for us to involve
ourselves in to stop something like that from happening.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I ... though ... thought you might say that. So, do you have any sense of what
that legal process would consist of, Eleanor?
Dilkes/ Well I think you're talking about litigation. There's no, um, mechanism in the TIF
piracy provision like there is in the High Quality Jobs Act for a letter of support from the,
um, from the neighboring community.
Hayek/ But I, you know, I don't... we're obviously not there, uh, yet. What we're talking about
is a letter of support that's on our agenda for this evening, um, to the Iowa Economic
Development Authority. I think what's... what's important for us to keep in mind is ... is
that that ... that letter of support is called out within the High Quality Jobs rules, and that's
why we were asked to provide one, which staff put together, and that's what we were
going to vote on tonight and I think... probably still will, but that's why it was on the
agenda. Similarly under the TIF statute, um ... A ... uh, the ... a situation where there's a
subsidized relocation into another community, um ... uh... requires, uh, a written
agreement between the city that's losing the business and the city that's gaining the
business. Um ... and ... and that's... that's not as germane to tonight as ... as the ... as the
first piece is because that's what we were requested to do, but they are tied in, and they
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are, um ... subject to basically the same measurement, the substantial reduction,
uh... (several talking) but ... but that's what's for tonight (both talking)
Payne/ ... but because they've already temporarily relocated, will we have to provide a letter if
they're going to provide them the $495,000 in TIF?
Markus/ Well ... there's going to be all sorts of arguments... plus, minus in any debate in that
regard. The point I would make to you though is ... Debbie Durham and the
administration of the Econo... of IEDA has made a determination that this is in conflict
with the State law, uh, govering ... governing the Jobs provision, uh, that would have
provided funding. So somebody at the State level has made that determination on that
side of the ledger.
Hayek/ Well, this is ... this is on the formal for this evening, and if there are members of the
public who want to weigh in they certainly can at that point. Is it your recommendation
that we proceed with the vote at the (both talking)
Markus/ Our recommendation is that you would proceed with the, um, sending the letter, but
probably place a cover on it, explaining we've been notified that Coralville's withdrawn,
uh, the request to the State, but I think it's still important for the State to see our
communications on this issue. I would point out that the, uh, President of Leepfrog is in
the audience this evening too.
Hayek/ I see him! Okay, well, staff, thank you for the work on this. Um ... and we'll ... we'll take
this up again at the formal, and there may need to be kind of a repetition of some of these
points at that.
Ford/ Thanks!
Council Appointments 012):
Hayek/ Thanks, Wendy! Other agenda items? (several talking and laughing) Okay! Let's
move on to Council Appointments. I believe the only one up is Library Board of
Trustees.
Throgmorton/ I'd like to recommend, uh, reappointing David Hamilton and appointing Monique
Washington. I ... I'm not sure who the third would be, uh, you know, so I'm gonna ... not
include that in my recommendation, but there is a third and I guess there's a male
preference for third, if Monique would be appointed also.
Mims/ I was going to recommend... um, Adam Ingersoll, John Beasley, and Monique
Washington. Um ... and ... and I know that goes against kind of reappointing somebody
who's done a partial one, but he seemed, urn ... maybe somewhat ambivalent about
staying on, but very willing to step aside if we had a minority appointment, and just
getting maybe some, uh, age variety on that, uh, Board of Trustees, and I thought, um,
Adam Ingersoll had an incredibly strong... um, application, and... um, I've known John
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Beasley since ... the mid-90s. We were on ... in the Chamber CLP together, so that's
where I came up with Adam Ingersoll, Monique Washington, and John Beasley, and I've
known Monique since our kids were in high school together too.
Botchway/ I would agree, but just with the... urn... split between the two. So I would agree with
Jim, but then adding ... Adam Ingersoll as a third person.
Payne/ And I actually had mine ... mine were exactly like Susan's. Uh, I had John Beasley
because I've known him for several years. Um, I thought Monique's application was
good. Um, and would add diversity, and I agree with, um, Susan's idea of the, um, age
diversity too. I think that's a great idea with Adam Ingersoll.
Dickens/ I had Beasley, Ingersoll, and Monique Washington.
Hayek/ I came in with, uh, Monique and with... Beasley. Beasley's application was a little, uh...
light but... I've... I've known him. I think he'd be great, and I think his ... his other, um,
board work...
Mims/ Yeah!
Hayek/ ... is ... is, uh, is telling. It's very ... it's very good. My third one I was open to ... so is ... is
the ... uh, the guy applying to reappointment, is he ... he's kind of agnostic about (several
talking)
Throgmorton/ Maybe I could say another word about, uh, David Hamilton since y'all have said
how you've known, uh, a couple people for a long time. I've known David for, uh, 25
years. He's a retired Professor of English at the University of Iowa, former editor — long-
time editor of the Iowa Review, uh, very well-known, very well-respected, uh, in his
field, uh, and he's been on the board for ... uh, two years? I ... I think, uh, maybe just one,
uh, so ...I think he's eager to be there but he's also very eager to make room for a
minority representative if ... if...if need be! It's not as if he's saying I don't want to be on
the board.
Hayek/ Well I'd like to get John Beasley on there. The ... the other male appointment I'm ... open
to.
Throgmorton/ Well it sounds like we have two for sure already settled upon, right? John Beasley
and (several talking) Monique Washington. So I don't know, uh, sounds like a three -
three for the third person, unless I'm miscounting. No, I am miscounting, cause I don't
know what Matt thinks. So...
Hayek/ On the ... well I'm, uh... I was impressed by Ingersoll's application. What's his age?
He's younger.
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Mims/ He's got four young kids, I think it was, and that's ... and I think when you look at the
Board of Trustees ... as with so many of our boards, we tend to get more weighted on the
older side. Uh...
Payne/ Sometimes it's hard to get young people to want to be involved, and it's a good thing to
get ... young people. I'm not discounting Mr. Hamilton at all, you know, not at all.
Throgmorton/ Uh huh.
Payne/ I just...
Hayek/ I didn't sense that strong a desire to ... keep going from his application. I mean, if I ... I
guess I'd go with Ingersoll I guess. He had a very impressive application!
Mims/ Uh huh.
Botchway/ But I'm confused. We're advocating for age, but then we're adding John? Even
though he might be ... he might be older than ... um, Hamilton?
Hayek/ He's not!
Throgmorton/ No, David ... David Hamilton's around 70.
Botchway/ Oh, okay!
Mims/ Yeah!
Botchway/ Okay.
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Payne/ Beasley's much younger than that! (laughter)
Dickens/ He's younger than me! (laughter)
Botchway/ Well he's 54...I mean it says 54 but ... (both talking)
Dickens/ Yeah.
Botchway/ ... so I wasn't sure.
Hayek/ All right.
Mims/ Four then?
Hayek/ Um...
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Mims/ If you're going with Ingersoll.
Hayek/ Yeah. Um ... we don't need to ... well, Terry, you're... you're stuck with the other thing.
Dickens/ Oh, with the ... Paratransit.
Hayek/ Paratransit!
Dickens/ Yes, I... be glad to stay on that (several talking) ... good people!
Mims/ Good!
Throgmorton/ If...if I could make one point. Terry and I went to that, uh, presentation ... or not,
uh, memorial service for Terry (both talking) Cunningham. It was really quite moving to
be there, you know, so...
Dickens/ It was a packed house.
Mims/ Good!
Dickens/ You couldn't move! (laughs)
Hayek/ Glad you're willing to do it! Okay! Uh, next item is the Charter Review Commission
recommendations. See Mr. Chappell is here!
Charter Review Commission Recommendations (IP #3 Info Packet of 3/12 and 4/2):
Chappell/ (mumbled) ...mess up this computer here ... putting my stuff on there. Thanks for
having us. Um, I'm Andy Chappell. Other Members here tonight are Steve Atkins, uh,
Karen Kubby ... Carrie Craig, and Dee Vanderhoef. Uh, and others who weren't able to
...to make it, of course, you know who they are. Um, I was asked to give ... you
obviously have our report, urn ... and I was asked to just basically sort of go through it a
little bit, answer any questions or attempt to answer any questions you have and uh... and
maybe just sort of hit the high points, I think was the ... the goal. So, um ... without further
ado I will start out with a new Preamble. Uh, the Preamble wasn't meant to be a major
substantive change, but it did, we thought, better emphasize and make it maybe seem a
little bit more like... emphasizing the fact that this is our Constitution. This is Iowa City's
Constitution, and the one thing I did point out, and this was a change that we made in
response to our very last public hearing, um, the ... the phrase 'proclaim ... we proclaim
that the government of Iowa City belongs to all of its citizens, and all share the
responsibility for it.' That's language that ... that apparently had struck a chord that I
think the Commission had initially missed when we redid the Preamble. That's
something someone, and maybe a couple folks had pointed out in that public hearing.
You're losing that language so we've ... we ... we at our last meeting built that back in, um,
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we ultimately agreed with that comment, thought okay ... we like the new Preamble, um,
but let's not lose that language. Let's put that back in there.
Throgmorton/ Andy, could I ... maybe I'm misunderstanding something, uh... uh, when I ... read
the ... the, uh, amended text of the Charter, I didn't see the word `citizen' in that sentence.
I saw the word `resident.' Residents.
Chappell/ Did I misread it? I'm sorry!
Throgmorton/ You said `citizens.'
Chappell/ Then I misread it! Because I'll go to the next point, which is we removed the word
`citizen,' any number of places — in fact every place, uh, from the Charter. So I apologize
for misspeaking. I've got two sets of notes here that I'm going off (laughter) I must have
moved on to the other one! The second change we made was to remove the word
`citizen,' removed it from the Preamble, removed it from other places, um, the idea here
was, um, certainly the government of the City of Iowa City is not just for `citizens' of the
United States. It's for ... for the `residents,' for the folks who live here and ... and in some
circumstances, the folks who visit. Um, I don't know that there was nech ... necessarily
ever an intent to convey the idea that citizenship was required for participation at all
levels of the government, but urn ... but certainly maybe that ... that term has taken on a
slightly different connotation, uh, more recently. We thought it would be a nice updating
change. Um, that change is made throughout. In Section 2.06B, we've made a change,
proposed a change of course. All these are proposed changes! Um ... to give the Mayor,
um, some ... not exactly strong power but additional power to put items on the agenda.
Our understanding in discussing this ... this issue with staff and ... and of course we had
some prior Council Members and a prior City Manager was that as a practical matter, if
the Mayor wants something on ... on the agenda, it generally happens anyway, but...
given the fact that we have a, no offense, weak Mayor and a, uh, City Manager, we
thought it important that if nothing else, the Mayor be able to get things on the public
agenda in front of the City Council for a vote, if need be. Um, recommendation at, uh,
Section 3.01 is very... ministerial, just in relation to updating some language that ... that
the City Attorney said this has changed; we need to update this. Uh, we didn't really...
have too much substantive discussion about that one. She said this is a change that's
dictated by State law. Um, Section 4.025 in relation to the City Manager's removal.
Again, no offense intended. Um (laughter) we removed the language and changed it a
little bit to basically indicate... prior, the prior language indicated the City Manager was
entitled to two months, uh, severance, essentially. Um, the contracts that the City
Manager's been entering into for some time have provided well more severance and we
just thought we'd maybe update that to just indicate we'll refer back to the contracts.
That's the practice I think that the market sort of dictates what those contract provisions
are anyway, and it sort of seemed maybe a little misleading to ... to leave that language in
there. Someone might think that the City Manager was only entitled to two month's
severance. In, uh... Section 5.01 ... in relation to the, uh... what's currently known as
the ... Police Citizens Review Board, or at least as far as the Charter's concerned, is still
known as the Citizens ... or the Police Citizens Review Board, yeah. The ordinance has
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been changed; the Charter had yet to be changed, update, to catch up with the ordinance
change. Consistent with what we've done in other places, we recommend you ... we
remove the word `citizens.' There we're suggesting the Community Police Review
Board. Um, it just ... one, it's a little more I think consistent with how that board op
...operates, at least our understanding about how that board operates. It's also, uh, keep
...keeps the new acronym so if to the extent there's documentation that has that on there,
people can get used to that language. The other thing we did with respect to 5.01 was we
split up, um ... what formerly was Al. You'll see it's now Bl, and split it into, uh,
Sections Bl and 2. There was some con ... some perception on the part of the ... of the...
the now Citizens Police Review Board that those, uh, that the recommendations that they
ha ... were able to make were somehow tied to things they heard at the public hearing.
That wasn't our understanding about what the Charter was supposed to do. Certainly was
not our understanding as to what their power was. We thought to clarify that, we split
those up, and make it clear that those are independent powers by the ... by the board.
Section, uh, 6.03 ... is, so 5.02 is a ... another one of those updates, getting rid of the word
`citizen.' If we could remove the word and not replace it we did. Otherwise we genara
...generally replaced it with the word `residents.' Um ... 6.03 is another ministerial
update, just correcting the now current, uh, chapter of the Iowa Code that deals with
campaign finance. Um ... and then, uh ... certainly I think what most would consider the
biggest or maybe the most important change that we recommended. It's ... in our report
it's ... it's paragraph number... paragraph #8 and it has ... it relates to Article 7 for the
initiative and referendum. And I'll summarize by saying the first thing ... first decision
we reached was that ... the votes didn't happen in this order, but the first decision was
essentially that all eligible voters should be allowed to sign petitions for initiative and
referendum. As you know, currently only `qualified' electors may sign those petitions.
So the change goes from those who have currently registered to vote ... to those who are
eligible to register to vote. Um ... the reasons behind that were sort of myriad for ... for
different folks but uh... to summarize, um ... lot of it has to do with I think in general the
idea that we have same-day voter registration, so maybe the idea, the act of...of having
actually registered to vote, maybe does ... is not quite so distinguishing as it used to be.
Um, it also is a ... can be somewhat confusing. It's a more cumbersome process. This'll
clean it up a little bit. We also suspect, or uh, propose that ... that we increase the number
of signatures required. That number of 2,500 had been there since the inception of the
Charter back in the 70s. Obviously the City's population has increased significantly,
and ... if the other recommended change is adopted, you will increase... significantly the
number of folks who are eligible to sign those petitions. We thought those ... just went
nicely hand-in-hand. The number as it indicates in the report was a matter of
compromise. We did sort of...explain it by saying ... well, let's look at the proportion of
...of the ... the number, the original number to our population in 1975 or 74, and um, let's
compare that to what it ... where we're at now. That's how we got the 3,600, but I don't
want to imply that there was some science there. It was ... there were definitely folks who
thought that number should be higher. Definitely folks who thought the number should
not change, and we had folks who thought the number frankly should be lowered ... from
2,500. So ... I describe it as a ... it's a result of some compromise by the Commission. By
the Members of the Commission. Other changes in Article 7 that are proposed are
mainly related to those two changes, procedural changes. Um, one of which is removing
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reference to the birth date on the, uh, on those petitions. There's no need to have a birth
date any longer. Um, it was something that I think a lot of people were a little hesitant
to .... to fill out. The birth date helped if we were trying to determine, if the City Clerk
was trying to determine whether ... the qualified elector, the name there, was the same
person who was really registered at that particular address. So it was useful information
and it could ... it could help if you were ... if you had moved. So you weren't at that old
address. If you had the birth date, you could still confirm that it was that ... that it was the
same qualified elector, but if we go to eligible electors, we don't need the birth date at all,
because the only thing that'll be checked is ... is whether it's an Iowa City address.
Mailing address. And then the other change is ... in getting rid of, um ... what some
certainly found to be a cumbersome process of...of having the City Clerk, uh, go through
and certify those, uh, signatures, um ... as ... uh, what' the ... the language? As sufficient as
opposed to insufficient, going through, checking all those names, um ... with the current
updated voter rolls, making sure that folks are either registered... where we expect them
to be registered or we have their birth date so we can confirm that each John Smith is the
John Smith that lives at that address. With the change to ... from qualified to eligible, that
doesn't have to happen anymore. The process will be ... simpler. Will take a lot less staff
time. We've shortened up the deadlines a little bit too, to account for how much easier it
should be. Um, we really expect it to take now a matter of hours, um, to get those
signatures, to check ... to see if they're Iowa City addresses, and then to say, yes, you have
enough signatures. Um ... and then...
Hayek/ Andy, can I stop you there? On the ... on the ... on the birth date issue, um ... how, what
does the process do with respect to a ... a 16- or 17 -year-old who wants to sign on to an
initiative or referendum petition?
Chappell/ Well ... much like you would with ... (both talking)
Hayek/ Is it a part of the affidavit or something like that or...
Chappell/ Well the ... the person who signs the affidavit will indicate that they've, um, that the
folks have ... have read the petition, uh, which should indicate you have to be 18 to sign,
and at some level you just have to rely on people to not lie and to not indicate that
they're... the... the petition still indicate you have to be a ... in some way an eligible
elector, so certainly a 16 -year-old would not be an eligible elector because they are not
eligible to register to vote, and at some point you have to rely on folks. There is a
process that you could challenge if say... you, we've heard that, you know, someone
picked up a hundred signatures by going to West High over the lunch hour, um, there is a
challenge, uh, mechanism which mirrors the mechanism set out in State code, but that's
...that's where it would have to happen.
Hayek/ Just curious!
Dickens/ And if we turn down a referendum or a petition... after it came to us, it would have to
go to a vote anyway, and then they would have to register to vote to vote (both talking)
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Chappell/ Certainly! Yes. And the procedure there then mirrors the existing, uh, procedure for
petitions that's... that's set out in the State code. It's a little simplified, so it looks like a
lot of change there, um, but that's what we were attempting to ... to change. Um ... and
then as I indicated, those dates are shortened up, the timeframes are shortened up. And
then finally the last change we proposed, um, is in Section 7.07, which is just ... makes
clear that we think if the Council is going to ... um, mix up the requirements for initiative
and referendum, change them at all, it ought to be through an amendment to the Charter
itself, as opposed to through... through some ... just an ordinance. Um, I won't go through
...there are other matters that we discussed. I won't go through them all. I will just
emphasize, um ... that there were two items that the Commission felt strongly enough —
the selection of the Mayor and the Council Member compensation issue that are
described in the report, that we certainly encourage the Council to, at some point, get on
your radar, get on your, um, get on an agenda for some discussion, and see if...can't
maybe address some of the concerns that we heard from the public, um, with respect to,
one, how the City Council selects the Mayor from among its members and also how...
Council Members are paid. We understand especially the... the... the compensation issue
is ... is never an easy one for any elected body to discuss. Um, there was an ordinance at
some point that it automatically adjusted. That ... that ordinance, I believe, was repealed,
so we don't have that provision anymore, but there is a strong sense, certainly among the
Commission and ... and from the folks who spoke to the Commission, that ... frankly
you're paid too little, um, and that ... that should be adjusted somewhat. Other than that
I'm happy to try to answer any questions... you have.
Mims/ I just want to say thank you very much, to you and all the members of the Commission
for all the work that you've put in over the last year. We ... obviously a lot of thoughtful
consideration of the Charter and a lot of public input, and certainly appreciate all that
time and effort.
Chappell/ I know we were all happy to do it!
Payne/ And I thought by reading your meeting minutes it looked like you had good... discussion,
I mean, it wasn't like (both talking)
Chappell/ Certainly spirited discussion!
Payne/ (laughter) It wasn't like people held back their opinions and you discussed through them
and were very respectful of having differences of opinion and came to conclusions and...
Chappell/ Hopefully the City Clerk's office didn't have to, uh, clean those up too much (several
talking and laughing)
Payne/ ...no swearing in there, so...
Chappell/ (laughter) Right!
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Hayek/ No, I ... and I echo these comments and ... and thank the ... the members for ... for their
work. You know, you ... you balanced ... the sometimes competing interests of having,
you know, an open process where you're soliciting public input and ... and ... and, you
know, thinking and deliberating and... and... and, you know, getting... getting the
community, uh, to weigh in on things ... with what is at the very end of the process a very
methodical text -driven, you know, process of dealing with a written document. Um...
Chappell/ I think you've just described my life (laughter)
Hayek/ Yeah (laughter) Yeah! And you were well suited to ... to ... to lead it, Andy, and you did
a fantastic job. But the, you know, that's hard to ... to ... to get from the more ... (mumbled)
discussion phase, uh, to a... a really productive deliberation, which is what those minutes
make clear occurred, to a concise document with ... with all the T's crossed and I's dotted.
Um ... and then to lay it out in ... in a really clearly -worded memo that makes it very easy
to comprehend what was recommended and what was at least discussed. So, I ... I thank
you. This was ... this is very, very important work!
Chappell/ Thank you!
Hayek/ So...
Throgmorton/ Well I, you know, I ... I want to support what everybody else has already said. I
won't repeat the points cause I ... I agree with them. Uh, that said, I ... I do wish the
Commission had ... proposed some other changes that in my own personal judgment are,
uh, appropriate. That said, I know you're a commission. I know I'm only one person on
this Council, so I wouldn't make a big deal out of it.
Chappell/ And there were Commission Members too who would share those sentiments (both
talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I understand that, um...
Hayek/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ ...and I certainly don't disagree with the ones that you have made. So ... I want to
be clear about that. I ... I do want to ask a legal question which, since you're a lawyer
maybe you know the answer but Eleanor's right here too. (laughter and several talking)
Just as, uh, for my own understanding, make sure I really understand how this process
works. If the Council wanted to, am I right in thinking it could propose its own
amendments to the Charter and put them to the voters for voter approval?
Dilkes/ Uh, yes you can.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so I mean ... and ... (mumbled) we could do that right now, I mean, I just
want to be clear about this. I'm not proposing that I want to do it but ... um ... we could
say we want to do so-and-so (both talking)
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Dilkes/ The Council can actually ... do an amendment to the Charter, which is subject to reverse
referendum. As well.
Throgmorton/ Ah, okay! That's helpful to know. Thanks!
Hayek/ Other questions for Andy? Thank you! (several talking) So I think what we need to do
(both talking)
Throgmorton/ Thank you!
Hayek/ ... um ... is, I mean, this is not a voting item tonight, but I think we need to tell staff...
what we want to do with it.
Payne/ That was going to be my next question. So what are our next ... what would be the next
step for us ... to ... do?
Mims/ Put it on the agenda so we would vote on it.
Payne/ So we would vote on it or vote on it to say what we're going to do with it or...
Dilkes/ Well, the ... the Charter requires that you do one of two things. That you adopt the
amendments as presented by the Commission, or you put the proposed amendments to
the voters. You cannot just reject them. Um ... it's my interpretation of the Charter that
you can put some ... you can adopt some by ordinance and you can adopt ... and you can
put others on the ballot, should you so choose.
Botchway/ So there's no level ... I mean, there's no ability for us to discuss it in another lengthy
discussion? I guess... so this is the only opportunity to discuss it?
Hayek/ Well we ... we (several talking)
Dilkes/ The issue is ... whether ... which form you want to take. Do you want to adopt them by
ordinance or do you want to put them, um, on the ballot?
Botchway/ Right. I guess my question is is that... so there are recommendations that were given,
but I think a lot of the controversy/work, um, would probably come under a lot of the
other matters considered, and so from that, how do we handle that? That would be
something that we would discuss later on ... or...
Mims/ We could (both talking)
Botchway/ I guess I'm confused.
Mims/ I mean we could bring it... somebody could bring it up later if the Council agreed to put it
on an agenda and we would have to do it by an amendment to the Charter, if Eleanor said
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we could, but what's before us right now, we either have to accept or put to the public
vote, correct?
Dilkes/ Correct.
Mims/ So...
Dilkes/ I mean you can have discussions about any other item...
Mims/ Yeah.
Dilkes/ ...at any time, um, and the Commission has recommended a couple that they suggest you
take up, as ... as Andy was talking about, but ... but right now ... you have to decide
whether you want to adopt these by ordinance, and/or you want to put them on the ballot.
Hayek/ Or a little of both.
Dilkes/ Right!
Hayek/ Yeah.
Mims/ My thought would be to be `em all ... to adopt `em all by ordinance.
Throgmorton/ So let's, um, trying to follow up on Kingsley's question. So let's assume we do
that tonight, we decide to adopt them by ordinance, and then instruct the staff to prepare
an ordinance and so on. Uh, there's nothing then to stop us from ... having at least one
Council Member, maybe more than one, say we also ... in the future, after we adopt this
thing, should propose... should consider another amendment... to, uh, to the, um, oh what
is ... the ... the (both talking)
Mims/ The Charter.
Throgmorton/ ... Charter ... and then we could ... we'd go through our normal process, I guess, if
there are a majority of people or ... or whatever the number is, three, willing to discuss it
in a work session, we do that, and then if we had a majority we would vote and adopt it.
Right? I mean, we'd follow that normal kind of process.
Payne/ And ... I would just agree with Susan of adopting what is before us by ordinance and then
putting on our work session list those other items that the Commission suggested that we
discuss in further detail. That they didn't (both talking)
Dickens/ And the others that (both talking)
Payne/ And anything else that somebody wants to bring up. Yep.
Botchway/ Yeah, I think that's what Jim's saying too, so...
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Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Botchway/ As long as we, again, we're in agreement that we're going to put it on the work
session (several talking) Okay!
Hayek/ Yeah, and ... and at any time during the 10 -year period between Charter Review processes
we can ... we can do just that. So ... but ... but we ... but we can ... I see what you're saying,
we can certainly follow up on the recommendations, uh, that are in this.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so I ... I want to be clear about this also. So if I understand correctly, we
have just agreed that we will put on our work session, uh, list ... uh, the topic of, uh,
considering whether to adopt the ... the couple kinds of, uh, to address the two topics that
the, uh, Charter Commission, uh, suggested we address, but also any other ... this is what I
want to get at. Any other particular amendments that at least two or three. I don't know
what number. Uh, Council Members would want to suggest. So ... we should be clear
about that.
Payne/ I almost think it's two things — one is their recommendesh ... recommendations for us to
discuss and then another item for other... items to discuss.
Throgmorton/ I ... I'm okay with that. I just want to be clear about it.
Payne/ And we could do it at the same time. It doesn't have to be different work sessions, but
it's just almost two different... it's the same topic with two different sub -bullets, to me.
Dickens/ And do we want to follow the protocol that you need three to bring a subject up.
Hayek/ Well, I mean, we ... I don't know that for agenda crafting purposes we want to have lots
of little sub -parts. You could simply have a discussion regarding... Charter issues.
Dickens/ I think that's what Jim was asking what...
Throgmorton/ Right.
Dickens/ ...how many people do we need to bring up the separate sections.
Botchway/ All right, yes, so now I'm confused. So for example, in the event ... if we don't agree
with the three ... 3,500 number ... we would have to take that to a vote? (several
responding)
Payne/ Yep! How confusing would that be? For the voters!
Botchway/ Well I mean ... so...
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Dilkes/ The ... the rule is ... that these recommendations either have to be adopted by ordinance or
they have to be put on a ballot for a vote. There is also ... a process whereby the Council
can suggest, or can ... amend the Charter, or put, um, issues to the ... to the public, but with
respect to these... recommendations, those are your only two choices.
Botchway/ Okay. I mean I guess I have... comments, questions, concerns about couple of
different things, but I don't know whether or not ... I mean, I can go through them all now,
I mean, and talk about `em. If that's okay.
Mims/ It probably makes more ... I mean, given that our only choice is either to adopt it by
ordinance or put it to the public, it would seem to me that you need to decide which way
you want to go on that, and even if there's things here that you don't agree with, if we
agree, which I think we have at least three people and more to talk about potential
amendments to the Charter later, and you know the things that they have ... that the
Commission brought up, then that might be the appropriate time to talk about some of
those concerns.
Botchway/ Okay. I ... I can agree with that. My next question is, is there anything (coughing,
unable to hear speaker) I mean we've ... and I guess I should have asked this while Andy
was here, or ask him questions, but I wasn't sure about the ... you know, protocol. Um,
can we then re -ask the Commission to come back and ... okay, never mind! I see the
heads nodding! (laughter) Okay, cause I mean I guess I'm talking about the ones that are
other matters to consider, because I could see a situation, and I guess I ... I guess I'm just
thinking about my vote or my particular perspective, but say for example I want the
number of districts to change. Since it's not a recommendation from the Committee ... we
would discuss it, but ultimately it wouldn't necessarily be an agenda item for us to ... to
vote on. Does that make sense? Am I not thinking about that correctly or...
Dilkes/ The ... the Charter, you could ... you could always appoint another Commission before 10
years. The Charter just says at least once every 10 years. So you would have the option,
if you wanted to, to do ... (laughter) to do a (several talking and laughing) um, but you
would also have the option as a Council to ... to vote in favor of...of either putting an
amendment to the Charter to the voters, or adopting it by ordinance if there are four of
you that wanted to do that, and then that amendment would be subject to reverse
referendum, meaning with a petition it would go on the ballot.
Botchway/ But ... my question is, absent the ... absent the Review Commission, um, we can't ... uh,
there's no mechanism as far as, you know, us either approving it or it going to a vote. It
would just simply be handled how we normally handle things.
Hayek/ Are you talking about this recommendation (both talking)
Botchway/ No, the other matters considered.
Hayek/ Other matters considered would be ... would be up to us to discuss and vote on ... and then
it's (both talking)
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Mims/ If we want to amend it.
Hayek/ ...as a Charter amendment, and then it would be subject to a reversal by the voters.
Throgmorton/ And ... and that would be true for any time in the next cou... 10 years (both talking)
Dilkes/ Yeah, I mean, your issue is the ballot deadline.
Botchway/ Okay.
Dilkes/ ... in... for the State, which I believe is at the end of August.
Botchway/ Cool! I just want ... just making sure!
Dilkes/ Yep!
Dickens/ We don't do these very often.
Botchway/ Yeah, basically.
Hayek/ Well I ... I too would support... putting the entirety of the, um ... recommendation on
a ... on a formal vote. I'm not ... I'm not enamored of the, uh... uh, eligible, uh, qualified
changes, but I understand where it comes from. Um, and I think in the aggregate this is a
very, uh, quality document, um...
Payne/ I totally agree with you. I'm not enamored with that, but it's kinda grown on me, and
today I was actually in a meeting at work where somebody wanted to use the word
`citizen.' Well, this goes back ... it isn't the same exact thing, but just ... and I said no
we're not using citizen. We're going to use resident (laughs) so ... it, I mean, it... some of
those ... these things are just growing on me, so and I do understand the idea between
qualified and eligible. Um, if they sign it and they don't ever register to vote, they can't
vote on it anyway. So (laughs)
Hayek/ Yeah, no and my ... and my thinking goes to sort of an overall philosophy about
representative government, um...
Payne/ Yep!
Hayek/ ... but ... but I ... I'm ... I'm comfortable with ... with that and the other recommendations.
Payne/ Since they picked to raise the number of signatures that helps.
Mims/ Yeah, I think that helped too.
Payne/ In my mind.
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Hayek/ So there appears to be a majority, if not all of us, who want to put the entirety of this as
presented on a, uh, formal agenda for a vote, and not send any of it (both talking)
Throgmorton/ For adoption as an ordinance, right?
Hayek/ Exactly!
Throgmorton/ Yeah, and maybe ... other topics need to be brought up in the future.
Karr/ It would be our intent to have it on your April 21st...um... agen... formal agenda. And then
you could discuss then that action further, and then we would include the other items on
the pending list.
Hayek/ Okay.
Botchway/ Okay.
Hayek/ Okay. Once again, thank you. Job well done. This is one of the most important
functions, um, our public can perform to improve the city and it was a lot of work! And
we thank (both talking)
Dickens/ ...stick around or ... do their homework!
Joint Agenda Items (IP #4 Info Packet of 4/2):
Hayek/ (laughs) Thank you to all of you! (laughter) Okay, uh... joint agenda items. That's,
uh... (several talking) (clapping)
Botchway/ (mumbled)
Hayek/ Uh, okay! There's a joint meeting coming up, uh...
Dickens/ Monday the 20tH
Hayek/ On the 20th.
Dickens/ I will not be here.
Mims/ Do we want an update from the School District on boundaries and equity policy or...
Hayek/ I think that would be wise.
Payne/ I do too.
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Throgmorton/ I think it would be. I can't keep track of the boundary alternatives (several talking
and laughing)
Hayek/ The iterations just keep coming out, um, and so it'd be nice to get a report. (several
talking)
Throgmorton/ That's a hard thing, but yeah! It's confusing!
Hayek/ Okay, so let's ... let's request that. I ... and I, I mean, I'm comfortable with just that being
our suggestion for the joint agenda. At least this one. Okay?
Throgmorton/ Okay with me!
Information Packet Discussion (March 26, Apri12):
Hayek/ Info Packets. We have two of them. One from March 26th.
Throgmorton/ We're still on the first one?
Mims/ Yeah, 3/26.
Hayek/ Yeah. There ... there was a nice letter from Ro Foege commending City employees, uh,
who provided important assist on a very snowy day and I just want to pass along my
appreciation for what staff did. That's nice to ... nice feedback to get!
Mims/ Well I'll just, you know, quickly comment on some of the articles that the City Manager
put in. I thought, um ... the one on the walkability issue and who takes responsibility for
sidewalks is an interesting one and I don't know if there's, you know, anything that we
can do in terms of our ordinances, in terms of, uh... looking at the City taking on some of
the financial responsibility for people who are ... qualify, you know, poverty level, etc. I
don't know if that's... something that...
Hayek/ Yeah.
Mims/ ...staff is ... or Council's interested (both talking)
Hayek/ It's ... it's an interesting argument to suggest that, you know, while roads, which are made
of concrete and used by primarily cars are to be funded by the public but
sidewalks... which are made of concrete and primarily, um, used by pedestrians, you
know, fall to the homeowner ... to handle. Now I know there are major budgetary
implications (both talking)
Mims/ Right!
Hayek/ ...but...
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Mims/ And that was very clear from that article (both talking) a lot of cities, but I ... I don't know
if there's other Council Members, I'd be interested in having staff just look at ... can we...
make some policy adjustments that would help us to help people who have financial
issues when they have sidewalk repairs. That are necessitated.
Throgmorton/ Well I certainly think we ought to do that. I ... I mean, you know, sev... many
months ago I suggested that we reconsider how repair of sidewalks is paid for and we
didn't get very far with that, but I definitely... think that...
Dickens/ Didn't Rick Fosse do a whole...
Throgmorton/ Yeah, he made a presentation to us, right.
Mims/ It's, yeah, it's just hugely expensive! But at least...
Payne/ So you ... you can afford to own a home, but you can't afford to do maintenance, so we're
going to provide money to help those people.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, imagine your... yourself being an older, retired person (mumbled) fixed
income who really isn't making much money at all and probably didn't have much
money, but happened to own a small, older house.
Mims/ Got your mortgage paid off.
Hayek/ But the ... see, I think the distinction is, you know, the ... the sidewalk and the road are
both within the right-of-way. They're required to be there.
Payne/ Right.
Hayek/ We pay for one one-way and another (both talking)
Payne/ I ... I understand that whole argument. I don't understand with subsidizing people that
own homes, because they can't afford to maintain the sidewalk. No!
Hayek/ Well ... anyway!
Botchway/ I'd like to see it too! But I guess my only add to that would be ... um ... well, not what
Michelle's proposing, what Susan's proposing, um...
Payne/ We all understood that! (laughter)
Botchway/ Okay, so (laughter) ...making sure!
Dickens/ Otherwise you would have got backhanded! (laughter)
Botchway/ Um...
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Hayek/ Sure you want to sit over there? (laughter)
Botchway/ Not anymore! Um, I guess my other add would be, from a walkability standpoint,
places where we don't have sidewalks, um ... whether or not there's a thought to, um,
what the reasoning is behind it, adding, you know, adding sidewalks. I mean, I can't
think (both talking)
Mims/ We have an in -fill program, you realize.
Botchway/ yeah.
Mims/ I mean... so I mean, again, it's a matter of money, you know.
Botchway/ Right, but I guess I guess I want more ... it's come up a couple of times in different
forums, comments as far as, you know, not having that ability, you know, to walk from
their particular, you know, place, neighborhood, whatever the case may be, for lack of
sidewalks, and so I guess...
Hayek/ Well why don't we do this. Sorry to interrupt!
Botchway/ No, go ahead!
Hayek/ But I think ... I'm just worried that we're going to get too ... into too much substance here
when I think what we really just need to do is decide if there are three people who want
to talk about sidewalk policy and I ... there clearly are (several talking) so let's ... add that
to ... a work session.
Mims/ And just ... the other two, you know, um ... articles, the Policom that ranked Iowa City, uh,
metropolitan statistical areas, the third strongest economy in Iowa, top 10 nationally.
Thank you for including that to let us know! And Pear Deck, one of our own home-
grown, uh, really did well at the South by Southwest, uh, in Austin and got $150,000
grant, uh, for their development of their business. So, congratulations to them!
Hayek/ Okay! Moving on to the April 2" d packet.
Throgmorton/ IP #9, the press release about Council listening posts. Uh... I ... I was wondering
why the Library was chosen for the first listening post, and why those particular hours,
that time period, was chosen? 4:00 to 5:30 in the afternoon.
Payne/ I actually had a question on that too, Jim. I'm glad you brought it up, because... who's
going to be there? Did we discuss ... did I miss it? Who's going to be there? I'm
confused.
Mims/ I don't think we had yet.
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Karr/ No. Um ... you directed staff to set up a schedule. Stefanie Bowers and myself had, uh,
two or three discussions. We brought in Tom and Geoff and discussed it with Matt. One
of the target groups that were identified was the younger, uh, student population, or the
University base, so we wanted to get to that group ... before summer. We felt that the
other outlying areas were more residential in nature, and we could very possibly, um, and
certainly that's on our list ... as well. That was one of our criteria. Secondly, there was
also direction given to be flexible as fol... as far as the times of day. Not all of them in
the evening. So again, our intent is to fluctuate. We may be looking at some morning
ones. We're anxious to get some feedback.
Throgmorton/ Uh huh.
Karr/ We may be looking at mid-day, but this was to catch people who may be downtown during
the day, again, it's a stop -by, it's not a formal presentation, but to allow more of an open
house and exchange that way.
Throgmorton/ Okay, that makes sense, but ... but, Evan, I think you and I have had a conversation
about this before, and if I remember correctly, you were suggesting that it would be good
to hold this kind of venue ... this kind of event in one of the University buildings.
McCarthy/ Yeah, I was (both talking) something actually much more formal, and I think that
there are spaces on campus we could even use just the room where Student Government's
been meeting, that's large enough, but ... uh, I think that would probably be more useful if
we're targeting the student population, than necessarily the Public Library. Nothing
against the Library but ... I think that the reality of it is that more people are going to be on
campus, especially that time of day. So that was my other question, because that seems
like just a time when people are ... getting off work or getting ready to go home. So I
wasn't necessarily following the selection of early evening as the prime time for
engaging with the community, you know.
Throgmorton/ So do you have ideas about what would be a better time for connecting with
students on campus?
McCarthy/ The students I would say early afternoon. That's my sense. Or even a weekend, uh,
during the day, I think, would be better, just because of the variability of schedules, but
the spaces on campus„ as far as those go, I think that we talked about, um, the Old
Capitol Mall even. Just having something in the bottom floor, where people can filter in
and out, and that's something that people see as they're going by, and that wouldn't be
just students either. So I think that it hit ... that it'd just be sort of a two birds with one
stone thing. But in terms of maybe even IMU space. I don't know how formal you'd
want to get with these sorts of things, but there's certainly spaces available that I think
would ... target and draw in more of the student population. I'm not saying that should be
necessarily the first priority, because I understand that you're going to want to talk to
voters, and especially people who have been in the community, are a little bit more
established, but um, hearing that that's a priority, then ... I think that there may be better
ways to go about it. Nothing against the current plan, but...
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Karr/ I think the other thing is we certainly identified, um, the uh... student and University
population. We also identified though the downtown area, um, and that was one thing,
and also parking and accessibility, and that was one major thing that ... that, uh... we
concentrated on, is that we wanted walkability and ease of dropping in and out, and ... and
also parking aspects. We also think that once we get that first one done, we're going to
get invitations, we're going to get more suggestions, and we'll be able to schedule them
farther out. Um, again, the discussion earlier on was a much more fluid, drop-in ... urn,
and not identify... there will be other opportunities, but the listening posts were just two
Council Members...
Mims/ Right.
Karr/ ... going back and forth and not something more structured.
Throgmorton/ Well I personally believe that trying to connect with students is a very good idea,
and I ... I'm completely supportive of that, and it makes sense doing it in the timeframe
that you suggested. But my own sense is that doing it in the Public Library feels like the
same -old, same -old. And ... and I think we'd be ... have a lot more success connecting
with the students if we did it somewhere on campus, or maybe like (both talking)
McCarthy/ ...what about the Pentacrest?
Throgmorton/ Eh...
McCarthy/ Hope for good weather? I don't know! Okay, yeah fine! (laughs)
Throgmorton/ (both talking) ... or maybe at Old Capitol, uh, Center, uh, we did... in the 2000
election season we had one forum in that... sort of open area (several talking) I thought it
was really ... pretty creative and had a ... a lot of people came by and were watching and
listening, uh, and surprised that it was taking place, and there were, I don't know, 50
people sitting there in the audience. But I'm not pushing that. I'm just saying I think
we'd be better off either doing that or ... or doing it on campus.
Mims/ Given that this one's already been ... you know, the ... the publicity's already gone out for
it. I would suggest that we go with this for our first one. You know, we may try and do
one over the summer somewhere, and then maybe in the fall we try and do one on
campus somewhere, and catch the new students also when ... when they comeback. I...
part of my experience with students too is ... we've hit the nice weather and you're about
four weeks (both talking) you're about four weeks from final...
McCarthy/ Checking out!
Hayek/ Yeah!
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Mims/ Yeah! They're... they're going to be checking out from city issues. They're going to be
working on finals and those last term papers and ... at least I did when I was that age
(laughs)
Payne/ And who are the two Council Members that are going to be there?
Karr/ We'll need to discuss that.
Hayek/ That's what we're about to...
Karr/ We're ... we're going to discuss that.
Botchway/ Michelle's one of `em!
Karr/ No ... (laughter) I've heard from ... by putting it out, I did hear that Matt was interested in
attending one, but (both talking)
Mims/ ...if I'm available (both talking)
Karr/ Again, that discussion was whether we were going to assign, whether we were going to
take ... not everyone can go to all of them. It is certainly not a meeting where we ... the
intention is that there be a quorum.
Payne/ Right.
Karr/ But a commitment that two would be there.
Mims/ Right.
Hayek/ Well I ... I agree. This is already out there. Let's stick with it and we're going to be
doing this on a regular basis going forward. I mean, there's ... you know, there's also
an ... an aging population downtown that ... that, for ... for whom this would be, uh,
accessible and ... and convenient. Um, I agree (laughs) that by early May the student
population is hitting the books, um, or otherwise kind of looking beyond the school year.
Um ... uh... (laughs) You said that, not me! (several talking and laughing) Uh, but ... but
I agree, I mean, I would be very open to on -campus... listening posts, and then we get out
into the community more.
Mims/ Yep!
Payne/ Yep!
McCarthy/ Matt, were you going to talk about the late handout? The email from Provost Butler?
Or...
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Hayek/ Uh, sure! So, urn ... you'll see it in the late handout. We probably should have talked
about it during agenda items, but, urn ... so on Friday of last week, Evan and Joelle
Brown, who's a ... a graduating senior, who has been very active in international student
issues while on campus came and met with me and we talked about, um, some of the
things, um, they've been involved with, uh... with respect to the experience of
international students during their tenure in Iowa City. Um, and ... you know, there's a lot
going on. There are a lot of organizations and players, you know, starting with the
University, but including... the City and ICAD and all these other groups, um ... and so it
was exciting to ... to hear about that, but um, we talked about some specific, uh, ideas that
Evan and ... and Joell, um ... were ... are ... are thinking about or chewing on. Um, and
although it was not an exhaustive discussion, and a lot of those things are still under
consideration by ... by our students, um, they ... they have merit, and so what we ... what
we decided was that I would shoot an email out to some of the, uh, organizations
that... whose... whose missions bear on the, uh, at least in some way, shape, or form, the
experience of international students during their time here. So on Saturday I shot an
email out that's in the packet to the VB, to ICAD, to the Chamber, to the City, to the
University, urn ... uh, explaining this, and then just, you know, opening up the door a little
bit for them to ... to pursue it further, and then Sunday the Provost, uh, Barry Butler, uh,
wrote back and added his piece, along with, uh, a nice, um... PowerPoint of... of basically
what's occurred over the last several years in terms of activity in this area, but there's a
lot we can do, and I know the City is presently engaged in conversations to the
International Committee through ICAD, um, and we want to play our part. The
international students are important to us. They're, uh, a huge benefit to, uh, our
community, um, and a lot of these, uh, people, you know, whereas ... you know, 10 years
ago your typical international student was a ... was a ... a graduate student or older,
urn ... many of them are now coming at a much younger age, um, you know, as young as
our college freshmen, and sometimes even younger because I think they come over at
a ... at an earlier age. Some of them do. So image the experience of a ... of a 17 -year-old
in a... in a new place, a new land, new culture, new language for the first time, um, and
especially when you have what we identified as this limbo period, urn .... uh, where they
arrive and ... and can't necessarily get into a University dorm or ... or avail themselves of
University services. Um... what that experience is like and whether there are things we
can do with CVB or the private sector to, uh, to improve that ... just by way of example.
So...
Botchway/ So I mean ... I ... and I appreciated the, uh, PowerPoint given as well, but I think a lot
of this falls on the University. I mean, bringing in ... bringing in, excuse me, international
students and then, um, you know, I won't go so far as saying not providing adequate
orientation, because I think they do, but ... um, you know, there's little things. I just
remember in my prior job with the County, you know, the interaction with individuals as
far as getting a car and other things, I mean, I think are just as important as, you know,
knowing where your classes are or knowing where you're living. Um, so I don't know
how that works, and obviously you're having that conversation with them or... shooting
that out, but I think that, you know ... I do feel like the University needs to understand that
there might need to be more than what they're doing currently, but then with the thought
that, you know, we as a city, and obviously other, you know, uh, organizations are going
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to be willing partners to whatever, you know, they might suggest. So for example if they
say, you know, we want to set up a day where we have a lot of international students,
walk through the City Hall process of, you know, utilities, whatever the case may be, I
mean ... that would make sense to me and I think that it would really, you know,
acclimate, you know, individuals here a lot better.
Hayek/ So ... good point, and you know, for example, take CVB. They... they... they... it
primarily consists of, uh, of hoteliers, um, who are trying to push occupancy and... and
make themselves attractive to visitors to the community and they put together packages
all the time for conferences or whatever, but you know, to put together something that is
a ... a welcome package for ... uh, you know, a Chinese student who comes to town, um,
and is going to be in a hotel for a couple of weeks. You know, they ... they can do that
kind of thing, and I... and I know they have interest in it. Um, Downtown District,
similarly. You raise a very good point with, you know, setting up utilities! Um, knowing
your rights. The lease issue, I think, has ... has legs. I ... I see no reason why there
couldn't be a ... a boiler -plate standard lease that is offered in multiple languages, that all
be part of the same lease, just different sections for different languages or two languages,
um ... and ... and University could play a role in that. So there's a lot that can occur, but...
McCarthy/ Yeah, don't get me wrong! We're also talking to the University and there's a lot
more that they could be doing, but I just wanted to sort of...like Matt said, have this
conversation be opening the door to those sorts of partnerships and conversations in the
future.
Payne/ I do have a question on IP #10, on the 4/2 packet, which is the letter from Chief
Hargadine regarding body camera purchase. He does mention in there that there will be a
policy regarding the use of the cameras, and I was wondering if...we will be privy to
seeing that policy.
Throgmorton/ Yes! Yes!
Markus/ (both talking) ... assured you that you would be.
Payne/ It was in here? That I didn't read it?
Markus/ No, I've said that publicly and (both talking)
Mims/ Yeah, I asked about it a while back too.
Markus/ ...at least at two meetings. Uh, the City Attorney is reviewing the policy. Uh, we've
invited the ACLU to come in and meet with, uh, staff to discuss their positions, um, on
this in trying to craft the policy. There's serious issues involved here of both privacy and
public access kind of public policy issues, so all of that needs to be kind of worked out. I
suspect even once you get your policy in place, um, experiences here and other places
across the country are going to, um. ... indicate changes. I suspect you're going to have...
uh, potential litigation that results in judicial rulings that ... impact how the data or the, uh,
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the film, uh, can be used, and who has access to it. Whether it's public or not. So, we're
trying to bring in some people that, um, obviously weigh in on these types of issues, uh,
including the ACLU, but others ... uh, to get some ... get some views on that. Eventually
I'm sure across the country as more of these body cams get used, they'll be some best
practices that we can look to, but we're kind of on new territory and trying ... you know,
find our way through the woods at this point.
Dilkes/ There was legislation at the State that ... that died, um, addressing... and one ... one piece
of that was that there would be a specific confidentiality provision for, um, the video
from these cameras, but...
Mims/ Well, and I think we had in our packet a few weeks ago a piece from the ACLU and ... I
mean, it talked about how their view on this had really changed over time, I mean, as
they .... saw different things happening and ... hadn't looked at all the different sides. So
as you say it's ... it's a pretty complicated issue in terms of (both talking)
Markus/ But when you start defining people's rights ... you know, there's ... the policy can cross
over a lot of people's rights in the process of this policy. So...
Hayek/ Okay. So, we need to talk about KXIC, which is (both talking)
Karr/ Can I just go back one second? On the listening post, to just avoid any confusion... are you
going to let me know who will be attending so we know what two people, or... first come,
first serve, or is it ... Matt and Susan are free to do it. So is that who we're going to
(several talking) Okay!
Hayek/ It's again, what ... May 7'?
Karr/ That's great! Okay. (several talking) Thank you.
Hayek/ Um, hold on, let me just double check! (laughter) Yep, that works!
Karr/ Okay. Thank you!
Mims/ See how good that smart phone is? Used ... you used to have to go back to your office and
check your calendar! (both talking)
Hayek/ It's pretty smart! It was a nice excuse, wasn't it? (laugher) Hey, so on KXIC, I'm
already going to have to cancel my May 1St
Throgmorton/ Oh man!
Hayek/ ...schedule. My wife ... my wife's...
Mims/Where was that at?
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Hayek/ That's, uh, the 7:15 Friday morning, May 1St
Dickens/ I can do it!
Karr/ Terry' ll do it? May 1St
Dickens/ (both talking) I'll do May 1St
Hayek/ Thank you!
Dickens/ 7:15.
Mims/ Which packet was that in?
Karr/ That was a late packet handout (several talking) It was in 4/2, the original one, and since
that one went out, we had a late one that went out yesterday.
Payne/ Is it any different?
Throgmorton/ (mumbled)
Karr/ Yes! It was ... there was a number who called and requested times, so I wanted to update it,
prior to this discussion. The original one was IP #6.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Karr/ Uh...
Payne/ There's actually some taken off! April 22"d did have something on it on...
Karr/ That's correct! (laughter) There were updates made and some people took off and some
people added.
Botchway/ So for ... May 15th ... um...
Karr/ There are two people who've asked, so I wasn't sure how you wanted to...
Botchway/ You can remove my name!
Karr/ Re ... okay, so that Dobyns can do the ... May 15th
Botchway/ Yep.
Mims/ Okay, so do we have anybody for April 15th? Next week?
Payne/ Unfortunately my phone...
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Karr/ April ... 17th?
Payne/ ...is dead, so ... I can't (both talking)
Mims/ I was just looking at the Wed ... I was looking at the Wednesday (both talking)
Karr/ Oh, the Wednesday — no! The blanks that ... this is the most current one, the late handout.
No, we have no one for April 15th, Wednesday.
Hayek/ I cannot do that one.
Mims/ Uh, let me ... I mean ... if nobody else can (both talking)
Dickens/ Is it a week from Wednesday? (several talking) I can do that.
Karr/ April 15tbg.
Dickens/ Yeah.
Karr/ Okay.
Dickens/ Jay and I have to get our bet going with the White Sox and the Cubs, so...
Karr/ April 15th is Dickens, okay.
Mims/ Okay, do we anybody for Wednesday, April 22nd?
Karr/ No!
Mims/ I'll take it!
Karr/ 22nd Mims. Okay.
Hayek/ Earth Day.
Karr/ Then just to finish up the Wednesdays, May 6th (several talking)
Hayek/ I can probably do ... hold on ... this is a smart phone, but it's not that smart! Hold on a
second. (several talking)
Mims/ What day did you say, Marian?
Karr/ I said just to finish up the Wednesdays, May 6th.
Hayek/ (mumbled) Uh, I can do May 6th.
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Mims/ So did you switch from the 29th? Are you going to take those two in a row?
Hayek/ Oh! I don't need to do two in a row. Anyone else want May 6th9
Mims/ Are you around, Jim, for any of the Wednesdays or...
Throgmorton/ I think I'm already signed up!
Karr/ For April 8th!
Payne/ I can (several talking) I can check on May 6`h and see what my work schedule is.
Karr/ Okay, I'll put ... I'll put...
Botchway/ Do you want me to just do it? I can do May 6th.
Payne/ Okay.
Botchway/ I'll just take May 6th
Karr/ May 6th is Botchway. Okay. And that finished up the short-term Wednesdays.
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ And then ... we've got the short-term April and then if there's future commitments I will
add `em to the list so that when we see it again we'll see what holes we have. If there's
duplicates I'll include `em like that and we can just change it.
Hayek/ You got what you need for right now?
Karr/ Yes!
Hayek/ Okay.
Mims/ Okay.
Council Time:
Hayek/ Council time!
Throgmorton/ I'd like to bring up one topic. In our last, uh, meeting, in our last work session, we
had a pretty testy discussion about the Planning and Zoning Commission appointment.
And I don't want to revisit the specifics, but I do think the discussion raises an important
question of a more general nature, which at some point we should discuss. The question
is this: what should the Council do if a majority of the Council believes that a specific
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commission is dysfunctional. It's a serious criticism to ... to direct at the members of a
commission that works hard on behalf of the City. So, you might not agree, but here's
what I think. I'm going to suggest three things. First, we would owe it to those
commissioners to clearly define what it means for a commission to be dysfunctional.
Secondly, we should also have some measureable evidence in hand that goes beyond the
anecdotal. And third, if a majority of the Council... believes that a commission is not
functioning well, the Council should convey its concerns to the chair and commissioners,
and ask them for improvement. So without taking those steps, or ones very much like
them, the Council's claim would to many observers appear to be completely arbitrary. So
I ... I'm just saying there's a question I think we need to deal with and there are certain
particulars. I ... I don't know if we have time.
Payne/ I don't ... I don't disagree with your comments, I mean, I think it's important to let them,
any commission, know, or board know if their ... if we think they're dysfunctional.
Hayek/ Well the question is ... I mean, the, you know, this is something that would be placed on
a ... on a work session agenda (several talking) three people.
Payne/ Yep!
Hayek/ There are three!
Botchway/ Are we going to move on to something else?
Hayek/ Council time!
Botchway/ All right, so ... um, recently we were, uh... let me go back. I think Jim and I were at
the same discussion. It was building communities, um, kind of an open forum, I think
this last Saturday maybe. Just some things were brought up. Um, one of the things I did
write down, because we were just talking about communication between entities and you
know doing a better job of collaboration, blah, blah, blah, blah. Um, and I didn't know
about this, and so ... I wanted to ask questions regarding it first. Um, basically there was a
lot of conversation about non -profits and the ability to communicate amongst non -profits.
It was told to me that before we had a position in the City that kind of handled those
things, as far as overall overseeing communication between non -profits and it was
Linda...
Throgmorton/ Severson.
Botchway/ Uh, Severson. Is there ... any thought on whether or not we have moved that position
to the communication team, and ... it just seemed like a need, and it already seemed like a
need prior, um, when ... talking or dealing with non -profits, but it got brought up, um, in
the midst of the discussion as far as being a ... um, a viable option, as far as, you know,
handling those type of things. And the rea... or I can go into reasons why, I mean,
commun... I mean, just communication between entities, amongst themselves, as far as
you know what's currently going on. Um, you know, uh, information to the public as far
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as, you know, what current non -profits. I remember Susan at one time, and I think this...
you got this information from the web site, there are over 100 non -profits in Iowa City. I
mean, um, that information, I think, is just good information to know, from a public
standpoint. Who's currently coordinating that effort, um, you know, there could just be a
lot of we're ... not necessarily constantly asked for money, but there could just be, um, a
point person or somebody from the City level that can really deal with a lot of these
issues in that level, just because it...it seems like, you know, when they're asking for
money or ... and I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but um, maybe some collaborative
networks could change some of the asks, or the amount of the asks, when we're talking
about finances in that regard. So there's literally a lot of different things I see that you
can do from it, but...
Payne/ So my question to you is, why is it the City of Iowa City's responsibility to manage the
non -profits?
Botchway/ That's a great question!
Hayek/ Guys, we're getting into the merits of something here. So what I would suggest is either
we schedule it, add it ... add yet another thing to our work session list, or just ask staff to
maybe... provide you some information initially ... as ... as to what the history of that was,
and... and so on.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I think preliminarily that would be a good idea, and depending on what...
what staff reports back, we could decide whether or not to put it on a work session. I... I
certainly sensed at that meeting that it was a... a worthwhile topic (both talking)
Dilkes/ And, Kingsley, I think ... you're talking about human service agencies. (several talking)
Okay!
Botchway/ So just ask ... I just asked, never mind.
Hayek/ Yeah, no, so let's get that information but ... yeah, what ... what, you know, is the model
airplane non-profit ... flies out at the Landfill what we're talking about (laughter) or is
it ... is it more in the human service area, you know.
Dilkes/ That's what I take from...
Botchway/ Okay (several talking) but I mean I can ask and then come back (both talking)
Dilkes/ ... Linda worked with the human service agencies (several talking)
Botchway/ I can ask (several talking)
Markus/ And I think inherent in that discussion, the primary role of, uh, for human services falls
under the County's jurisdiction. Um, through statute. So maybe in response, we would
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come back and suggest something like that, that that's where the coordination's probably
better handled.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ Well my ... my vague recollection, and y'all know better than I do, is that she was
half-time in the City and half-time in JCCOG or later the MPO until she retired or died?
She died, didn't she (several talking) uh, and then we had another person take her
position, but that person was injured in an accident, and when ... and she couldn't
continue that work. That's the way I remember it (several talking)
Mims/ Well, let's just get it from staff.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Right.
Pending Work Session Topics:
Hayek/ Pending work session topics.
Payne/ Think we've added enough items to that to last for...
Mims/ Couple years!
Payne/ Couple years or more!
Botchway/ I would, um, only ask that we put into ordinance any type of action that Michelle
might have against, um ... uh, roundabouts (laughter) I ... I just want to make sure that that
(several talking)
Hayek/ ... did you catch that?
Botchway/ (several talking) ...recommendations!
Hayek/ ...matter of policy now and...
Botchway/ Cause I just was in a roundabout... every time I'm in a roundabout I think about
Michelle and how it works!
Payne/ When somebody rear -ends ya, then really think about it!
Hayek/ We're going to have you watch European Vacation and then uh...
Payne/ I don't watch movies!
Upcoming Events / Council Invitations:
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Hayek/ There's a roundabout in that one! (laughter) All right, upcoming events, Council invites.
I've been asked to speak at the Consultation of Religious Communities, and will be doing
so later this month ... on City issues.
Throgmorton/ Well on Thursday the University of Iowa's Public Policy Center's going to be
holding a symposium on `Food Production,' and on April 18th, the local chapter of the
United Nations Association is going to be holding a forum on `Climate Change.' (several
talking)
Payne/ There was an invite in one of these packets...
Botchway/ The...
Mims/ That might have been the April 18th one. I think that was in our packet.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I think so!
Payne/ Oh, is it... okay. That might have been.
Botchway/ Wait a minute, isn't it April l I th ... situation too, over at the Children's Museum.
Payne/ Yes! That was the one .... that's the one I'm thinking of.
Botchway/ Okay!
Dickens/ Bob Dvorsky.
Botchway/ Yeah (several talking)
Hayek/ Okay, anything else? All right, we'll take a break and come back at 7:00. Thank you!
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