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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-05-05 TranscriptionMay 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 1 Council Present: Botchway, Dickens, Dobyns, Hayek, Mims, Payne, Throgmorton Staff Present: Markus, Fruin, Karr, Dilkes, Ford, Havel, Andrew, Bockenstedt, Aria, Moran, O'Brien, Knoche, Rackis, Hightshoe, Yapp, Boothroy, Morris Others Present: Neal (UISG) Questions from Council re: Agenda Items: Hayek/ Let's get going here! Welcome, everyone, to the City Council work session for Tuesday, May 5, 2015. First bullet is question regar... questions regarding agenda items. ITEM 5d(3) CHURCHILL MEADOWS — RESOLUTION APPROVING FINAL PLAT (SUB15-00002) ITEM 5d(4) AGREEMENT WITH COUNTY RE: HERBERT HOOVER HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS - RESOLUTION APPROVING A 28E PROJECT AGREEMENT BETWEEN JOHNSON COUNTY, IOWA AND THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO A PORTION OF HERBERT HOOVER HIGHWAY FOR THE CHURCHILL MEADOWS SUBDIVISION ITEM 5d(5) MACKINAW VILLAGE PART SIX — RESOLUTION APPROVING FINAL PLAT (SUB15-00003) Karr/ Mr. Mayor, I'd like to note that we are going to be pulling for no action tonight, we'll be putting it back on. 5d(3), Churchill Meadows; 5d(4), the Herbert Hoover Highway improvements agreement; and 5d(5), Mackinaw Village, Part 6. We'll just delete those from the Consent Calendar and it'll be back at a later time. Hayek/ 5d(3), (4), and (5) (noises on mic) Okay. Botchway/ So I have a question... Hayek/ Sorry (mumbled) Deletion of or removal of? Do you have a preference? Karr/ I don't have a preference. If you do, that's fine. Hayek/ Deletion. Karr/ Okay! Hayek/ Go ahead, Kingsley. Sorry! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 2 ITEM 5d(17) ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER - RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FUNDING OF $6,250 IN FY15, $25,000 IN FY16 AND INTENT TO BUDGET $25,000 IN FY17 FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER, INC. Botchway/ So I, no that's fine! I have a question, uh, statement about, um, 5d(17). Um, the article about ... Pear Deck ... or EDC, sorry, the EDC. Is there any particular plan ... I guess it's a question for ... well, Wendy! Um, you know, we've kind of talked about this in some type of context over the last couple weeks with other, um, entities, um, and so for Pear Deck, which is ... I think it's currently housed in the, um, ICAD, you know, building here. Assuming that they... grow, I mean, do we have particular plans with organizations or places ... we're thinking about being an incubator. Do we have any plans with these economic entities... further than that? You know what I mean, like (both talking) are we looking at (both talking) space and other things. Ford/ Uh huh. Markus/ Yes, we do! Botchway/ Okay! That's what I ... that was my questions. (both talking) ...to not run into... Markus/ Yeah, go ahead! Court/Linn is a space. Ford/ Yes, we're. -..we're working with the developers of the Court/Linn site, on 20,000 square feet of office space that could be used, uh, or that will ... would (both talking) Markus/ ... grow `em out! Ford/ ...used for businesses to grow into and ... and uh... further grow out of the Co -Lab and grow into. Botchway/ But beyond that space as well, as we have other entities that might be ... may not necessarily want that location. Have we ... have we established other locations or other areas, um, that might ... be of use or ... I mean I'm just ... I'm going back to the conversation that we had with, um... Markus/ Leapfrog? Botchway/ Yeah, Leapfrog, and obviously there's situations that are out of our control from that perspective, but just making sure that we're doing whatever we can to ... um, encourage business growth or encourage, especially that start-up growth within our town, um... wherever, and so obviously the Court/Linn spot is one place, but I didn't know whether or not we were continually and consistently thinking about that as well. Markus/ We are. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 3 Botchway/ Okay! That's all I (both talking) Markus/ Riverfront Crossings. Botchway/ Okay. Markus/ Moss project. Botchway/ Okay. Markus/ Other places. I think we're ... we're trying to, you know, look forward to those kind of opportunities to grow those businesses into `em. So... Ford/ We .... and we keep a ... a rough database of everything we hear about, as well, so we can flip to those and link up. It's all sort of private -market work. Link up the business who needs something, with a developer or the realtor who has something. Botchway/ Okay, that was it! Thanks! ITEM 5e(3) NORTH EAST CORNER OF COLLEGE STREET AND GILBERT STREET — MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MAY 19 ON AN ORDINANCE REZONING APPROXIMATELY 27,200 SQUARE FEET OF PROPERTY LOCATED NORTH OF COLLEGE STREET, EAST OF GILBERT STREET FROM PUBLIC (P-1) AND CENTRAL BUSINESS SUPPORT (CB -5) TO CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT. (REZ15-00006) [CHAUNCEY] Dickens/ I got ... 5e(3), the Chauncey project. Uh, just wondered if we could kind of put a timeline together, so that it's out there in the public and that we're all in agreement when we're gonna go through this, cause we have to do a consult with the P&Z and then just... make sure that we have... everybody's going to be available, cause we may have to have a special... meeting to keep everything in process, so ... (mumbled) Dobyns/ Especially with less summer meetings. Dickens/ Yes! Because they're going to be tearing this building (noises on mic, difficult to hear speaker) apart, so we may want to ... look at... Karr/ We put something in your packet for the next time ... at the time of your hearing, and you can look at some options. Dickens/ Yeah, see what works (mumbled) Botchway/ But we don't ... we have no set schedule as far as talking about it, because I know the individuals came to the last one. I know that was a Press -Citizen article and so I'm not saying that that came but I think (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 4 Dickens/ We're having the ... we're setting the public hearing (several talking) so the next meeting we'll have a... it'll be... yeah, so bring a sleeping bag (laughter) Markus/ I think the way we've counted so far, we're anticipating as many as five meetings to deal with that issue alone, and so ... you know, probably finding out what all of your schedules are, what, you know, the ... the developer's schedule is, what the staff s schedule is to make sure that all ... you know, can fit into a... a pattern of meetings, uh, we'll... we'll take a look at that and Marian, I think, and I have talked a little bit about... contacting the Council to find out what their schedules are too. I mean, it's a big issue in the community, so we want to make sure that ... you know, we're going to have Councilors here. Payne/ And I think, if I remember right, during the summer there are several meetings where not all of us are here. Markus/ Right. Payne/ For... for, both like the June and July meeting. Throgmorton/ Tom, can you say a little more about what those five meetings would focus on? Markus/ Well you have the ... number one is setting the hearing. Then you have at least three readings. Plus you have the consult. You're already up to five. Throgmorton/ Okay. Yeah. Hayek/ I think he's including tonight. Markus/ Yes. Throgmorton/ Yeah, I didn't know if you had something else in mind but (several talking) Markus/ There's just a ... there's a lot of process involved in a project like that. Throgmorton/ Right! ITEM 5b(1) Human Rights Commission— February 17 Payne/ I have a question on 5b(1), which is a memo from Stefanie Bowers. Um, to the Mayor and the Council. Markus/ Oh, yeah. Payne/ The first item is underneath... um, recommendations. Am I in the right packet here? You're looking at me... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 5 Karr/ ... cover sheet to the minutes. (clears throat) Is that what you're looking at, the cover sheet (both talking) Payne/ Yep! Yep! It's on page 32. And ... my question is this, how is ... I don't read that as a recommendation. How is it a recommendation? Markus/ Are you... are you talking about the minutes or Stefanie's report? Payne/ Well, it's a memo... Markus/ Yes! Here's... here's the situation that ... Human Rights Commission talked about this issue. Okay? So it...it appears through the minutes, um, as ... a recommendation, I guess, from the Human Rights Commission. And... Stefanie, in looking at the specific recommendation, felt it was necessary to take a lot more time to research that issue before it became an agenda item. So ... the cover letter is an attempt to explain and copy back to the Human Rights Commission, as well as the City Council, explain that we need more time to really get you some sort of recommendation in that regard. This kind of goes back to, I think, a discussion the Council had about ... uh, boards and commissions submitting minutes and in the body of those minutes having, you know, recommendations that don't necessarily manifest as a part of those minutes, into a specific recommendation that ends up on the agenda of the Council. And so ... that was in those minutes and she wanted to explain that we will be studying that issue and bringing it back to your attention so that you didn't move right into that issue. Does that make sense? Mims/ It is a little weird. I mean, it's not a recommendation. Just (both talking) she indicates at the bottom that, you know, that it's going to take (noises on mic, both talking) Payne/ Right! I mean and I ... when I read that I'm going, how is this a recommendation? So I... I wasn't following... Mims/ I think maybe ... I think maybe the Commission had made the recommendation (both talking) Markus/ They did! As a part of the minutes (both talking) Mims/ Yeah, they had made a recommendation that the ... the issue of housing vouchers should not be (both talking) Payne/ But that's the second item! Not the first item! Housing vouchers is Item #2. Mims/ Right, and I think that one says no further action needed, doesn't it? Dilkes/ No, it says motion by Townsend, seconded by Olmstead for Council to add housing choice voucher to the definition of public assistance source of income pass date zero. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 6 Payne/ Right, that's #2. I'm asking ... on #2 it makes sense that it is a recommendation. But #1, as you read that it doesn't sound like there's no ... recommendation in there! Mims/ Oh, cause they're just supporting... Payne/ Yeah! That we support the ... we support listening posts. How is that a recommendation? Mims/ That they supported the racial equity and diversity plans. Markus/ I think that's their own. Isn't that their own listening posts? Payne/ Well ... I don't know (laughs) Markus/ Yeah. Payne/ It says ... made the following recommendation to the City Council, and then you read it and it's not ... so I'm not sure ... I don't understand what it's getting at. Markus/ Yeah. My comments refer to Stefanie's (several talking in background) second item. Mims/ I ... I hear what you're saying, Michelle, because to me that first one isn't really a recommendation to the Council. It's just indicating support of something that we've already... Payne/ Right! Mims/ ... done. Payne/ Okay! So it's just (both talking) Hayek/ Well and it ... and it refers to questions and concerns from at least a couple members of the... Commission that staff said ... asked them to organize and forward so that responses could be provided. It really isn't a ... (both talking) recommendation. It's ... a list of questions and concerns that they'd like some answers to, it seems to me. Dilkes/ I ... I think if staff has a ... has any thought that it may be a recommendation, it's better to put it in that form and get it to you that way than to do otherwise. Hayek/ Yeah. ITEM 5d(2) UISG APPOINTMENT — MOTION APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF NICOLE NEAL AS THE CITY COUNCIL LIAISON FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA STUDENT GOVERNMENT (UISG) TO THE CITY COUNCIL UNTIL MAY 1, 2016 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 7 Throgmorton/ So on Item 5d(2), I don't really have a question, it was just an observation. On the left we have Nicki Neal sitting as Student Liaison. So, uh, welcome! (several talking) And, uh, you know, it's too bad Evan's not here; he's done a great job and I'm sure Nicki will do every bit as well! ITEM 5d(15) THE PALISADES, FIRST ADDITION - RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE WORK FOR THE STORM SEWER, TILE LINE, DRAINAGE WAY, SANITARY SEWER, LIFT STATION, FORCE MAIN, WATER MAIN, PAVING, LIFT STATION DRIVEWAY AND CERTAIN SIDEWALK PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR WINDSOR WEST - PART THREE, AND DECLARING THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS OPEN FOR PUBLIC USE Mims/ Um, in the ... the, uh, agenda itself, not the packet but the agenda, I think Item 5d(15) has a typo in it. Um, it's for the ... the title says the Palisades First Addition. When you get down to the next to last line it says `improvements for Windsor West.' Just as you ... filed them. Okay. ITEM 12. AID TO AGENCY ALLOCATIONS FOR THE YEAR STARTING JULY 1, 2015 - RESOLUTION ALLOCATING HUMAN SERVICES AID TO AGENCIES FUNDING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2016 Dobyns/ Want to bring attention to a few items, uh, Item 12. The first one, uh, you recall Matt sent to me a report about six months ago, the Milken Report. It was touting that Iowa City was the number one metro area for older citizens, um ... and it's something that came up in our Senior Service Commission. We talked about it. Uh, we didn't go into a lot of the, um, the issues with this because... people who are very bought into the Senior Center, there were three of them ... three of us who were not so bought into Senior Center, so not as you recall not a whole lot came out of that report. Urn ... but this is a good time since Matt will be having a proclamation the beginning of public session today on older Americans, um... Mims/ Like you and I? Dobyns/ ...uh, month (laughter) So, um (both talking) I won't tell you who I'm thinking about when I think of the Council (laughter) um ... but I take a look at the Aid to Agencies (mumbled) recommendation and if you take a look what the Milken report said was positive about what we did, (mumbled) you know our excellent economy; um, our great budget rating; um ... you know, our transit system, you know, good job there, Chris! Um, and the fact that, you know, we have great health services. What they warned us though about was that the fact that, uh, frail elders who are struggling to stay independently in their home really need more services than Iowa City. So they sort of said `watch out' there. Well if you take a look at Aid to Agencies, there are two funded organizations — Elder Services, uh, and Pathways, that promote this. Senior Center really doesn't have services in this regard. And ... um, if you take a look at the funding that we're giving to the two services here, it's 1/20th of the $666,000 that the City puts in, um, you know, to the Senior Center. So ... my recommendation is to the future Council, when we sit down This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 8 in December as we usually do when we take a look at budgetary items, to talk with staff about some of the (mumbled) doing already in terms of having the Senior Center put on the norm with other Senior Centers around the country and driving more of the money that they need for their good services through fundraising, rather than just getting it from the government, because a 20 to 1 inequality I think is something that just needs to be spoken to. So, just sort of a, you know, a suggestion was, you know, to be mindful about this December. Throgmorton/ On that point, Rick, I went to the, uh, the Senior Center's annual meeting on the 23rd, I think, and fundraising was certainly part of the conversation that they had. Dobyns/ Yeah. Yeah. So I'm glad about that. So, um, I also had an issue, and ... Tracy Hightshoe here, urn... yeah... Tracy, I had a question. You had a comment regarding, um, that there were few applicants this year than in previous years, um, for CDBG and HOME, uh, funding and I was just curious — is that some concern that there's not ... an interest out there or... Hightshoe/ Um, we have about the same number of applications for CDBG and HOME housing applications. Um, two years ago we had nine, last year we had six, this year we have seven. The ... uh, for Aid to Agencies we have more than we've had in the past. Dobyns/ Uh huh. Hightshoe/ It's the CDBG public facilities that we've really had a ... a reduced number. Um, like last year. We usually average about nine. This year we only had two. Um, I think that's the net effect of we went to a minimum allocation of $50,000. We strongly encourage applicants that serve the Johnson County or the multi-regional, you know counties in the area, to start looking at a long-term facilities plan and then to also ask other funders. So if you... if that agency is providing services to all Johnson County then, you know, they should be looking at Iowa City for funding, but they should also be looking at other — the County, the cities — that make up Johnson County or the region. Because of that, and we started giving first consideration to 50,000, that has really reduced the number, cause that requires that non-profit to look at a whole facilities... Dobyns/ Uh huh. Hightshoe/ ...um, update plan, put that together, start ... start doing a capital campaign, asking other funders, and then coming to us at the same time. So that's why I think you're seeing fewer applications. Dobyns/ Okay. Hightshoe/ But for public services and housing, we have about the same as normal. Dobyns/ Okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 9 Hightshoe/ Or same as usual! Dobyns/ Good. Thank you! Hayek/ Are you comfortable with that ... that 50,000 threshold? Or is it... or is it... Hightshoe/ To be honest we only have about 90 to 100,000 every year for public facilities and we looked at it, um, we also have a lot less time, I mean, our budget is shrinking, our admin is shrinking, um... we're trying to make an impact, a bigger impact, with the same amount of funds and we're trying to... make the biggest impact in sharing the cost with as many people using those services. If that makes sense! So we're trying to increase our funding partners as well as make a larger impact. You know we were getting to the point where we were getting the same agency applying year after year to do a bathroom remodel, to replace carpet. That wasn't the kind of impact we were hoping to make with our funds. So, I think you'll see this year with DVIP, they're remodeling a significant portion, doing all their commercial bathrooms. I mean, it's $116,000 project. Neighborhood Centers is finishing up their whole lower level to... for space. So they're making... progress and it's just a lot different than funding. Not to say it's not needed by non-profits to do one bathroom at a time or one carpet, or one room of carpet, but ... we're hoping to make a larger impact with the funds. If that answers your question. Discuss two points of conversation recommended by the Charter Review Commission (selection of Mayor and Council Member compensation) UP # 3 Info Packet of 4/301: Hayek/ Yeah, thanks! Thanks, Tracy! Well, Rick, I think your ... your first point is a fair one and ... when we have junctures like this where we're voting on... on these kinds of, um... allocations to the service providers, it's ... it is telling, to see the ... the distinction in funding. Other agenda questions? Going once, going twice! Okay! Let's go to the second bullet point, which is, uh, discussion of the two points of conversation recommended by the Charter Review Commission. This is at, uh, the April 30t' Info Packet. Isn't it? (several responding) And there's a little handy red "X" (laughter) in paragraph 1 and paragraph 4 (laughter) Dobyns/ I wish I had that all the time! (laughter and several talking) Mims/ Well I'll ... I'll start out on the first one, the selection of the mayor. I... I mean I read... all of the minutes in detail of the Charter Review Commission because I think this is such, you know, an incredibly important process that ... that we ask people in our community to go through every 10 years in terms of, you know, looking at our Charter, that you know ... how we... how we run the government, and I think there was obviously... some people who were interested in having a popularly elected mayor and some continuing the way we are. You know, they decided not to recommend a change to that selection, but there was a concern about the ... I think the transparency maybe of...of the way the mayor is selected. Um, personally ... I like the way we do it, and ... and I think it's worked really well for Iowa City for a long time. I think ... given that, you know, when-people are voting, they... should understand that any of the seven Council Members could ultimately This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 10 be mayor. And ... I think historically the Councils have done a very good job of selecting people, um, with the skill set, you know, to ... to be public spokesperson, to ... hopefully, you know, bring diverse opinions together on the Council, as people have different, you know, political agendas or whatever and ... and do that kind of thing. So I'm really comfortable with the fact that the seven Council Members over the years have had that, uh, responsibility after every election to do that. You know, in terms of.. and I, I mean, I said this publicly on KXIC and I'll say it publicly tonight. I mean, a year and a half ago or ... whenever it was, after the last election, after the 13 election (both talking) Hayek/ (mumbled) Mims/ Um ... I threw my name in the hat ... for mayor! And ... you know, had discussions with all the Council Members and stuff and Matt had already been Mayor for two years, and the consensus of the Council was, you know, Matt had done a fine job and people didn't see a need or reason to make a change, and Matt wanted to continue. And we re-elected Matt as Mayor and ... I'm happy we did, and we've continued to work well together, and ... I guess when I look at, you know, I think people have... historically as I've heard other councils doing it, you know, people have kind of thrown their hat in the ring and talked to Council Members, I'm not sure how else you do it! Um, and I ... and I guess I look at it this way: you're talking about potentially some very, um ... personal comments that you might be thinking about somebody, or have to make, okay? Let's ... let's say you've got two people who kind of throw their hat in the ring to be mayor, and if people want to open it up to ... I'm not sure what all this public discussion and ... and I don't know how you can force Council Members to say something they don't want to say, but do you want to be sitting here in a public meeting saying, `I'm going to pick Joe because Sam's an idiot. Sam could not possibly represent the City very well. Sam ... you know, doesn't come prepared to the meetings.' or ... you know, whatever else it might be. I mean, it could be a very... Payne/ Contentious! Mims/ Well, very contentious and very uncomfortable. I mean there ... there quite frankly is the Iowa nice. You're not going to sit here... typically, and personally insult somebody by saying what their shortcomings are and that's the reason you don't want that person for the mayor and you do want the other person. So ... you know, I'm not sure how ... else we make it, other than ... I mean, you can put a press release out and say this is on the agenda. This is what the Council's going to be talking about. But I'm not sure... Payne/ Or just public education on how it does work. Mims/ Uh huh. Payne/ Would be more transparent... Mims/ Sure! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 11 Payne/ I think a lot of people don't really understand how it works. Mims/ Right! Payne/ Um ... because it, you know, it's different than most places. Mims/ Uh huh. Payne/ But ... it's a public meeting. I mean, even before I was on Council, I came to probably three, at least three elections of the mayor and sat in the audience. I mean, there weren't very many other people (laughter) Mims/ I was going to say, you're probably the only one here! (laughter) Payne/ But it is ... it's not ... it's a public meeting! So... Mims/ Right! And Council Members can say or not say whatever they want in that public meeting. Payne/ Uh huh. Mims/ And they have not all been unanimous votes. Payne/ So the transparency part of it maybe is just an education of...letting people know that when you elect somebody, they could be mayor, and not necessarily this year! Two years from now they could be elected mayor. Mims/ Right. Payne/ So it's... Dickens/ I just think that, you know, if somebody wants to be mayor, that they can go and lobby all the other Members. Personally, on a one-to-one basis. That way you're not bringing all, you know, if you have a reason that you don't think... Kingsley would be a good mayor, you, you know, talking to face to face, you can say I think maybe I don't think you should do this, but these are things you could do that maybe I would consider you. So I guess I like the way we do it because I believe that the mayor is the person that we feel that we can work with... Mims/ Uh huh! Dickens/ ... as the rest of the Council. So I like the way it's set up, and I like the way that, you know, if you really are interested in it, that you go around and talk to all the other Councilors and ex ... express your views that you're interested in it, and that you want to pursue it, and ... and hopefully that everybody's honest enough with you to tell you their reasons yes or no! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 12 Mims/ Right. Botchway/ So we have ... we've talked about why it's important to ... to engage in this particular process, but I guess the one ... I guess my ... question from my reading of the minutes was ... why do we have the current structure in place, compared to other structures? And so I don't know ... so why ... why do we do this process, I guess is my question. Payne/ Why is ... why is it ... elected within instead of... Botchway/ Correct! Mims/ Well, that's the way the original Charter was done and every Charter review since then has felt that it's worked well for this city and has left it the same! Botchway/ So if that's the answer, then ... um, if we don't come to some type of agreement as far as that might necessarily be concern, then why wouldn't we ... put it out to the voters to answer that question? I guess I mean I have, you know, other communities within the, uh, Johnson County area do it... and I don't ... let me say this. First and foremost, I do think it's an interesting thing and I do think, um, I think it's one other community in Iowa that does it, or one other city in Iowa City ... or in Iowa that does it, is that correct? (several talking) That does this process, as far as selecting the mayor within the actual council. Maybe I'm wrong, I'm hoping I'm right, but ... um ... so being the ... the few, one of the few cities, I think you know, gives it an eccentric taste that I do like from a ... a different standpoint. But, um, I ... part of me, you know, obviously reading some of the minutes but also some people have come to me and talked to me personally about it, and even when I ran, talked to me about it. Um, it is interesting that we don't have it ... we don't do it differently. I mean, we don't do it where you elect your mayor and from that respect, and I don't see ... I didn't necessarily have an answer, and I haven't heard ... any other reason why, outside of ..you know, that's what the process it was when the Charter was originally, um, put together and you know, it's just been kind of continuing from that. Payne/ And it's been reviewed, every 10 years! So there is a commission that reviews it, that is a rep... representative of the people! That commission is representative of the people! Botchway/ Okay, well ... I mean, I could ... we could make different arguments about that because I mean we had how many lawyers on the actual commission? I'm not saying that that's necessarily a bad thing (several talking and laughing) No, no, I'm not saying that's a bad thing! I'm just saying that when we talk about representative of the community, we have to be very careful how we're, you know, talking about that from that perspective. People could have applied. There's a lot of different conversations we could have had. I was on board with the people we selected. I'm not saying anything about that, but I'm just saying that if we really wanted to ... if we really want to know what the community wants to hear about it, I mean we would ... put it to a vote! Find out from there! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 13 Mims/ I don't ... I guess I ... I mean, to me ... the Charter was developed. It's got a 10 -year review, and ... I'm not interested in starting a second Charter review of picking... picking and choosing things that the Review Commission didn't do and saying, well, because they didn't do it I think we should put it out to the public to vote. Throgmorton/ But that ... that's not really what's before us, Susan. What's before us is ... is a recommendation from the Charter Review Commission to think about how to make our selection process more open, more transparent, more inclusive. Mims/ I agree! But what I'm hearing from Kingsley is the idea of potentially putting it in front of the electorate. I agree with what you're saying entirely, that that's not what their recommendation was, but what I think I'm hearing from Kingsley is the idea of putting this before the electorate, and so my response to that is ... I'm not interested in starting a second Charter Review Commission process. Throgmorton/ Well I don't know what Kingsley meant but uh, I ... I believe, as y'all know, that we ought to let the people directly elect their mayor, but I know there's not any real strong support for that here, so there's no reason to kinda go down that... down that road. Uh, but I do think we really ought to consider at least alternative ways of making our process more open, inclusive, and transparent. So, you know, I tried to think about that a little bit and I came up with some ideas. I don't know if they're good ones or not, but at least I thought about it. Uh, so one possibility, uh, one stepping point, uh, starting point might be something like this: formally announce the opening of the elec... selection process on say, I don't know, December the 1 st. Make it visible to the public that the... the process has started (laughs) all right? And then, uh, a second step might be to invite members of the public to nominate people from the seven to be their preferred candidates, and to explain why, uh, and then ultimately the ... the seven Council Members would still chose who to, uh, select ... but at least the process might be more open. So I'm just trying to suggest a possible way of making things more open, transparent, etc. Dobyns/ I would agree with the, uh, first one. I mean when you run and ... and you're lucky enough to get elected to Council, um, kind of the last thing you're thinking about, um, but then the first thing you think about afterwards is that you get a call from one of you, um, and all of a sudden you recognize this, say, `Oh, okay!' So I think it would be reasonable to, uh, you know, cause I'm reading here the Commission does recommend strongly that we spend some time studying the issue. I guess that's what we're doing now. I think it's reasonable to make some sort of declaration. We can put it like we put it with a lot of things, in the back pages of the paper where no one reads it. Probably that's not in keeping with what you're talking about, Jim (laughs) Maybe something a little bit more, you know, brash than that, um, but I think that'd be reasonable. Just in some way and fashion is that just a notice to the Iowa City public that these Council Members, with our contact information, um, will be deliberating with each other regarding the, uh, election of a mayor. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 14 Payne/ Isn't that what the notice of the public hearing is on the meeting? I mean we elect them in a public (several talking) It's a public ... okay, public meeting, but we ... we have notice of the public meeting and what the agenda is at that meeting. Dobyns/ But the Charter Review Commission is not talking about all the other things that we can put in. They're talking about this issue. That ... because they're saying (both talking) Payne/ Right, and that's what I'm saying. That's the only thing (both talking) Dobyns/ This Charter Review was a ... this is a blue panel group, um, and they're saying we... this is different. Um, and I think all of us would agree that this is a big decision that we make, you know, who our leader is going to be, um, for two years. You know I don't think that's a big ask ... to put that up and just make people aware that you know if you want to call into each other and start, you know, giving your two -cents worth, I think that's in keeping with what the Charter Review was asking us. Throgmorton/ Yeah and I think... as... as it is now, my sense is that from a public point of view, the process involves this. It's announced who the next mayor is going to be. How did that happen? (laughs) You know, I mean you know from a public point of view. We know that conversations take place among ourselves. Dobyns/ Yeah. Throgmorton/ But from the public point of view, I don't think that's what it looks like at all. Dobyns/ Your ... your second recommendation about having people, uh, solicit names. You know, there's only seven of us. Um (laughs) (both talking) Throgmorton/ Well, nominate people. Dobyns/ Nominate, and I ... and .... and (both talking) Dickens/ Several of us that really don't want it! (laughs) Dobyns/ (laughs) Yeah, I (laughs) ...ask me may I please unnominate myself (laughs) um... Dickens/ If elected I will not serve (laughs) (both talking) Dobyns/ So that's what I ... that's (several talking) Hayek/ Yeah, well first of all, any Council can propose changes to the Charter... at any time. Um, you know, and secondly this is ... and ... and I say this as somebody who's not going to benefit one way or the other from this, I mean I'm ... I'm done in eight months and so I... (both talking) Dobyns/ Well that's a benefit! (laughter) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 15 Hayek/ That is a benefit! (laughs) (several talking) Um, but ... but I don't have a ... a dog in the fight as it were on ... on this issue, but ... you know we did ask this Commission to look at it. They spent... over a year doing so. There was, from the minutes, a lot of discussion back and forth. They ultimately decided to maintain the status quo. Um ... they did ask us to ... to study this issue, but ... um ... you know ... as with your School Board, you know, it ... it's ... it's ... it is a position that, um ... uh, votes but is, you know, by and large a facilitative, diplomatic role within ... the Council, and... regardless of what outside people think makes for a... good mayor, uh, and by the way, we hear from people anyway about that. Um, you know, ultimately this comes down to a vote among the seven Councilors as to who in their collective view would do a good job of facilitating meetings, uh, collaborating between the Councilors, being a good face -forward for the City, um, and... and so forth, and when you elect someone to the Council, as somebody said, you do so knowing that there's a one in seven chance that person will end up as mayor. So I ... I view it as part of our representative democracy. Payne/ And ... we're all equal. We all have equal voting rights. You're not voting to split a tie vote. Hayek/ Right. Payne/ So we, you know, we ... we're all equal. Basically, and I ... I don't mean this in a bad way, it's a figure head that is leading the meetings, you know. Mims/ Uh huh. Payne/ That you get to do all those extra things, cut ribbons and stuff like that. (laughs) But ... but really you're equal to the rest of us in voting capability. You're just the leader. I... so, I...I don't... it would change the whole structure to have it direct elected by the people (both talking) Hayek/ I ... I guess I think if there'd been a ... a substantial change in the powers assigned to the mayor position, or the duties assigned to the mayor position. You know I ... I might be... more persuaded to ... to change the actual selection part, but ultimately that ... that didn't occur through our Charter process. Payne/ Right. Botchway/ So ... so I guess, Jim, you're proposing that we have some ... you know ... message out to the public that, um, we are now going to start deliberation on the mayor, between Council Members. Is that what I ... is that what I heard or... Throgmorton/ Uh, yeah, basically. Botchway/ Okay. I mean I guess... from my... from my standpoint, I mean this is ... I mean, again, I think we ... maybe cause we live here and we don't necessarily know. I mean any This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 16 individual coming into this environment wouldn't necessarily know that that's how we select the mayor, so I ... I mean, I understand that the Commission voted, um, a majority of them voted to, um ... uh... to keep the current process, but I don't know if we've addressed the concerns that were brought up from the public comment, or even were discussed, and maybe we don't care! Maybe we're not interested and that's fine. I guess I'm just trying to figure out how do we ... if that's the case, how do we get that information out before the election, to let people know that that's ... a part of the process? Is that in, um ... I don't know, I mean maybe you put that on the ballot somewhere, you know. I ... I'm not sure, but... Hayek/ Put what on the ballot? Mims/ (mumbled) Botchway/ There's no ballot when we ... when we vote in November? (several talking) Mims/ Oh, okay! Botchway/ I'm talking about education beforehand (both talking) Hayek/ Oh! Oh! Botchway/ Letting people know that once you're a Council Member, um, or when you vote for these individual Council Members, they could be possibly selected (both talking) Hayek/ Yeah! Botchway/ ... as mayor. Dickens/ It could be brought up at the forums, you know. Hayek/ There could be an educational component, I don't disagree with that, and I also think that ... that the ... that the organizational meeting, as I think we call it, sometimes gets, you know, buried on a Saturday morning or right before the budget process starts. And I wouldn't have any problem with, you know, drawing more attention to that or ... or separating it, um, and encouraging the public to come. Um ... and the public, you know, can weigh in. It's a public meeting. We always take input. As ... as can the Council and I can, in m tenure, uh, I ... I know I remember comments being made at several, uh ... two- yearjunctures. Dobyns/ Well we've made our decisions by that meeting. So public comment is ... interesting, informative, but I don't know if it's persuasional. Throgmorton/ So here ... here's an alternative thing. Let's say that we did issue a ... a public notice of some kind that on say... on say December 1St that the selection process was This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 17 underway, and then invite, uh, residents to contact any of the seven to express their views about who they believe should be the best mayor, would be the best mayor. Dickens/ You could bring it up at the .... at the first Council meeting after ... after the election, that this process will be starting. You know, you're ... these seven people are eligible to be mayor. If you have concerns or recommendations, please call these ... any one of the seven Councilors and ... bring your views forward, but you could do it at each of the Council meetings up until the time that we actually vote. Dobyns/ So could we have ... it seems we have four of us that have ... warmed to this idea. Could we have staff prepare ... a recommended, um, amendment? That we could consider at a future meeting? Hayek/ To do what? Dobyns/ To make a ... what did you call it, Jim? Um ... a pr ... a (both talking) Throgmorton/ Notifying the public that the selection (both talking) Dobyns/ ...public notification. Throgmorton/ ...and encouraging them if they so desire to contact their ... their elected Council people to express their views about (both talking) Dobyns/ Eleanor, would that be your office or... Dilkes/ Pardon me? Dobyns/ That be your office, comes or... Dilkes/ We'll ... we'll come up with something. Dobyns/ Okay. Dickens/ She needs more work! (laughter) Dilkes/ I mean I got the gist of it, I think! Throgmorton/ Yeah, but there wouldn't have to be any amendment, cause we wouldn't ... at least as I understand, we wouldn't be amending the Charter, the recommendations that have come from the Charter Review Commission (several talking) We just (both talking) Dobyns/ As much as it hurts me to say that, I'm going to leave (laughs) alone! (laughs) Botchway/ So the other question, what about adding it to the ballot? And saying that to the public, as they're selecting the individuals, from an educational standpoint. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 18 Mims/ I don't ... I have no idea what the State rules are (both talking) Dobyns/ ...Auditor's office, is that even legal to put advertisements on the ballot? (laughs) Botchway/ ...an advertisement, it's a .... it's just, I mean, letting them know, letting people know that ... I don't, and I don't see necessarily any reason why off the top of my head now. I'm not ... I'm not sitting in front of the legal, uh, opinion in front of me, but off the top of my head I don't see any reason why we couldn't do that. Payne/ I think it actually could be confusing. Botchway/ To tell people ... that that's how the selection process is? Payne/ Uh huh. Mims/ They could then think they're voting for the mayor. Payne/ Yes! (laughs) (both talking) Mims/ You know, I didn't think of it until you said that. Payne/ Uh huh. I think they could interpret something the wrong way. Dobyns/ I mean we can always ask Travis what he thinks, but... Dilkes/ Yeah, we can ask Trav.... I mean what ... I'm not aware of any particular process for adding stuff like that to the ballot. Are you? (unable to hear response) I mean ... or how we ... then what ... but we can certainly ask! Botchway/ Or explanation in the ... in the booth. Dilkes/ But that's about a ... that's about a ballot issue. If...if you have a ... if you have a ... if you have a public measure, then you can put an explanation of it... in the booths (several talking) Botchway/ But I just don't ... I don't know off the top of my head if there's anything against (both talking) Hayek/ I'm not ... I'm not ... I think ... I ... I agree that it could cause confusion, that you think you're voting for the mayor by casting your vote for a City Council candidate. Mims/ And then when you've got at -large and you've got districts then it really gets confusing if you've got language on there about a mayor that... Payne/ Yeah. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 19 Mims/ ...you're not quite sure how that fits in. Payne/ And you're voting for more than one (both talking) Mims/ ... education ... I think education... Payne/ Prior! Mims/ ...after the election, education about the process after the election has occurred... Payne/ Right! Mims/ ... is probably the best way to go. Payne/ Yep. Dilkes/ I mean I guess I can just think of a number of things you'd want to educate people about and ... and put on a, I mean, you could educate people about our district, the way we (several talking) districts and stuff, and I'm ... I just don't ... I don't know how receptive... the Auditor's going to be to just putting anything we want ... to educate people about on the ballot. Throgmorton/ I think, I mean, I don't agree with the idea of putting it ... language on the ballot that you, uh, sort of pointed us toward, but I do completely agree that when people first move here, they have no idea whatsoever how the mayor's selected — no idea! And they're, I think to the... when... whenever they begin thinking about it, they're surprised to discover that they don't elect the mayor. So ... there ... there is ... a ... confusion, uncertainty, doubt, uh, I don't know what the right word is to use there about (both talking) Dobyns/ But the first change will... should address that, Jim. Throgmorton/ I would think so! Dobyns/ Yeah, so I ... I know we've already decided on that, so (several talking) Mims/ Yeah, I mean I think with a lot of these things, if... if (coughing, difficult to hear speaker) have the interest in the civic process, they're going to find out. I mean, we don't elect the president or the chair of the County Board of Supervisors. Okay? I mean, they alternate that every year. We don't ... as the public we don't, like you said, we don't elect the president of the School Board or the vice president of the School Board. I mean, so you have different ways of doing things, I mean ... you've, you know, you've got a mayor in Coralville who's elected but doesn't vote. You've got... Cedar Rapids has (several talking) a totally different, I think Cor ... Corbett votes, doesn't he, he's a voting. I think he's a voting member of their council. Anyway, I'm just saying there's lots of different This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 20 ways and... you know, if people are civic minded and want to get involved, they're going to figure out how to look it up or ask some questions, and they're going to pay attention to the elections. So ... not to say that we can't do a better job when we're getting ready to elect the mayor, of making people aware that we're getting ready to do it. I have no problem with that. Dilkes/ And some... some of those differences are a function of the fact that we have an option to have a Home Rule form of government. That ... the structure of which is not dictated by State Code. Throgmorton/ Should we turn to the compensation ... issue? So I do have a view about this. I ... I personally think that the compensation should be substantial enough to make it feasible for an every -day -person of modest means, uh, to run for election and be elected and serve. Mims/ What does that mean? Payne/ Yeah, what ... that's my question. Throgmorton/ Yeah, if you ... if you don't .... if you're a working person, uh, run a small business, don't earn a lot ... a ... a large income, it's unaffordable for you to .... kind of move away from that work and start doing this cause you're only going to make $7,500 a year. Mims/ Why though? I ... I... Throgmorton/ But here, I ... I don't want to kind of get us trapped in that. I ... I don't think there's support for, you know, in ... increasing the pay to a ... a large enough number so that enough, so people could really afford to do what I just said. So, set that aside. Uh, I do think if...if we, uh... an alternative would be to ... just provide for raises, basically, and so my suggestion is this: that ... that we have, uh... um, what do you call it? Um ... that, uh, annual increases should be equivalent to the, uh, to, uh, what our union employees get, or what I actually think is something like 90% of what our union employees get. So that it's not quite as large, but there is an increase, and it ... and it's, you know, kind of built in, instead of... anything else. Hayek/ Did ... did there used to be that? I ... I think there might have been a ... a COLA or some sort of adjustment... Throgmorton/ Yeah. Hayek/ ...and I think it was ... right around when I joined, or maybe even before I joined, there was a budget scare and you know as a political statement (both talking) Dickens/ I just remember Regenia said that we're freezing (both talking) Hayek/ We're freezing, and it just stuck! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 21 Dickens/ That was six years ago... Throgmorton/ Yeah, so... Dickens/ ... at least! Throgmorton/ So we could change that. Dobyns/ Oh, okay, I didn't realize that. Dickens/ I think it should raise $10. (laughter) Dobyns/ Well I ... I think it should go back to a, uh, ad ... an adjustment, a cost of living adjustment, to be determined bi-annually. Hayek/ I mean, you could adjust it by like the average increase in the bargaining units, cause you're going to have three (both talking) Throgmorton/ Right, something like that! Yeah! Hayek/ Or... Dickens/ I didn't know we got paid when you were on the Council and then Marian asked for my social security number and I said it was too late for a background check. (laughter) Dobyns/ Well, we're not arguing if you're worth it, Terry, we're arguing in general. (laughter) So... Dickens/ Whatever anybody wants; I don't... doesn't matter! Mims/ I don't feel real strongly about it either because ... I ... I do feel strongly that it is not set so high that this becomes a career position for people, okay? Payne/ Right! Mims/ And (laughs) Payne/ I think we know a town close by that that didn't work out very well in ... like north of us. Mims/ So ... you know, so I don't agree with that, and I ... you know ... I don't fu11... I don't fully agree with the argument that people make that ... people of modest means can't afford to run for Council. I ... I ... that's another whole story, but ... so to me, if you're... Hayek/ We've seen them run. I mean (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 22 Mims/ Well, yeah, I think you have, and I think ... I mean, yeah, if...if people need childcare to come to meetings, that's... that's a different story, but ... you know ... I think a lot of us continue to work full time, I mean, my god, Michelle works 60, 80 hours a week and still manages to do it, and so ... it's not the matter of money, it's the matter of time, lots of time, and ... and I mean I think that's one ... like with the mayor! I mean you've gotta be somebody who is either self-employed or has flexibility with an employer to put in the kind of time that the mayor puts in for a lot of the special, you know, activities and stuff. So, to me, if you're not going to go so high as to make it basically a... a living wage position, which I totally do not agree with, I don't really care whether we get a raise, because I don't ... I don't see it as an incentive to run. I don't ... I mean, I see this as volunteer work. Payne/ Uh huh! Mims/ So ... I'm ... I mean I can go with the COLA. I can go without it. Throgmorton/ (both talking) Only a person who has substantial income could say that this is volun... should be thought of as volunteer work. Mims/ I disagree with that! I disagree with that! Throgmorton/ I think it's ... not paying people an adequate salary systematically disenfranchises a large proportion of the public ... who could possibly... serve on this Council, but never think of it as remotely possible because they can't afford to do it! Now I know we disagree and there's no reason to kind of struggle with that, you know. Dickens/ I guess every board and everything I've ever been on it wasn't for the money. And I don't (mumbled) you know sometimes I don't get a paycheck if business is bad so... you know, you're talking about the small business person. Well, I'm probably that. Yes, over the years I've increased, but I ... I was eligible for cheese when I was younger, with my children, so ... I guess... our... our board that I'm on, our behind group board. I've been president and chairman of the board of that and ... I get travel and, uh... $500 a meeting, and we have four meetings a year, and that's just because we're gone from our business. So ... I guess I don't ... I don't do things for that, and maybe some people do, but ... yeah, if we want to increase it a little to make it a little more enticing for people, that's fine. You know, we can do whatever. I'm fine with it, but I think most of us don't do it for the money and ... and I don't consider myself a rich person. I ... I've worked hard to get where I'm at, but... Payne/ I don't (both talking) Dickens/ It's taken years! Payne/ I don't necessarily like tying it to cost of living, which would kind of imply that you could ... use this as your job. I ... if you want to tie it to, you know, the average, um, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 23 compensation increases that the union gets or something like that, that would be one thing, but I don't like tying it to the words `cost of living.' Throgmorton/ I ... I agree! Payne/ And ... and I don't care if it increases at all. So I'm not ... it's not... Hayek/ Uh huh. And ... and people of modest means run regularly. Think of the Brandon Ross's and the Garrett Mitchell's and ... and ... and, um ... and others who ... who jump in. Mims/ I think it's the time commitment. Hayek/ I think it's the time, and ... and everybody does it differently. I think North Liberty pays like 50 bucks a meeting. Throgrnorton/ (mumbled) ... does it differently. Hayek/ You know ... I think. I don't know what they do in Cedar Rapids. Um... so ... I think ... I think Coralville is ... little bit less than us„ but they're kind of in the ballpark. Dickens/ It's all borrowed money. Throgmorton/ So here's my proposal to get us off the dime here, uh, that ... that we, uh, annually increase the ... the compensation for Council people by the average of the union increases for each, for those years, and I don't know if that's a problem from a staff point of view. I doubt that it is, but you know, if it is ... it'd be important to know, but that's the proposal on the table and so we can (both talking) Dobyns/ Can I make a friendly amendment? We just ask City staff to recommend a cost of living adjustment, mostly based on (several talking) Payne/ As long as they don't call it that! Hayek/ Yeah, they could just call it...it could be some sort of inflationary thing. I worry politically about tying our compensation to what we end up bargaining with the ... (several talking) Throgmorton/ ...90% or some ... or something like that (several talking) Hayek/ You could also ... you could also have ... just like in leases, some sort of, you know, increase based on an inflationary or consumer price index, or something that staff could come up with, that would be more objective and less tied to a relationship we have with our employee groups. Dobyns/ Is that okay, Jim? As a friendly amendment? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 24 Hayek/ I don't know what that would result in, but I ... I think a more objective measurement might be safer for future Councils. Throgmorton/ I'm not sure what the friendly amendment is, because (several talking) Dobyns/ Friendly amendment is we just, uh, have City staff, um, you know, bring to us a cost of living, and don't specify it. Throgmorton/ If... if our, uh, terrific staff (laughs) uh, can sort of grasp that general sentiment and put something in writing, that'd be dandy. I could go along with that. Markus/ We can do that. Dobyns/ Okay. Payne/ Just don't call it `cost of living.' (laughter) Markus/ I don't think you necessarily want to tie bar it to union settlements either, and I don't know if this conversation came up, Geoff ..Geoff and I were just conversing that ... you approve the union contracts and you're setting (several talking) those amounts and so that's a ... that to me would be an issue. Um, the other thing is, having lived through, um ... our countries closest, uh, resemblance to a, uh, depression, um, they don't always go up! Um, in certain places (several talking) and so, you know, to ... to suggest that it's always going to be an increase is probably a bit misleading as well. Throgmorton/ Right. Markus/ So I think, you know, that ... that we'd probably use the terms `annual adjustment.' Dobyns/ Adjustment, okay. Markus/ And ... make a recommendation based on some metric that we can come up with. Mims/ 1%. Dickens/ Dollar a day! (laughter) Hayek/ Okay! So you've got enough direction to ... to explore that further. Markus/ Libor Index or something (laughter) Discuss any other changes to the City Charter not addressed by the Charter Review Commission: Hayek/ Call it a roundabout! (laughter) Uh, all right, next item ... oh, yeah, next item is discuss any other changes to the City Charter, not addressed by the Review Commission. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 25 Payne/ Haven't we already voted on this once? Mims/ I'm ... not interested! Payne/ Yeah. Botchway/ I mean, there's an obvious problem, and maybe we're not aware of it from wherever we're sitting from, but there's an obvious problem with how people think about, um, our, um, election process. Now I know we've moved on from the selection of the mayor, but the number of districts and the election of district council members, I mean, it's ... maybe we don't hear it here, but in my previous job, it was an on-going question of debate and problem, and so I mean I guess ... it depends on... Payne/ Ex ... explain cause I don't ... I don't understand why it's a problem. Botchway/ It's ... it's confusing! To, I mean, it's confusing to somebody, you know, just being introduced to the process. As far as an individual would be in a particular district, they would run in that district, you would vote for `em in a primary election to re ... reduce the particular number, um, and then everybody would vote on `em as a whole in the general election. There's, I mean, there's some people that if we do have districts would like it so you would vote in that particular district, and only vote in that particular district, and then vote for the at -large candidates. Payne/ And I would like direct... direct election of the President of the United States but it's just the way it is. I mean what's ... I don't get it! (laughs) Botchway/ That argument, I mean I know we've ... that argument in and of itself, I don't believe is ... it's not necessarily a good argument for me. Like because of the way it is, is not, I mean, I don't like that argument. But I mean... Mims/ Well, I guess I look at it this way: again, you know, we appointed a Charter Review Commission who spent a year going through this (both talking) Payne/ Yeah! Mims/ And they talked at length and got a lot of public input on ... the districts and should they change the number of districts, should we get rid of the districts, should they all be... should everything be districts, and ... they came back and recommended no change. So again, I'm not interested in having this Council start a second Charter Review process. Dobyns/ I agree with you , Kingsley, uh, on that, but there are only two (both talking) Hayek/ Can you put your mic on? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 26 Dobyns/ Uh... I ... there are only two X's on this and it, um ... the Charter Review says take a look at these things. We've discussed the others. So out of respect for the process of the Charter Review, even though I agree with you, I think this just needs to go to the (mumbled) Botchway/ So ... I'm just making sure I'm reading this correctly. In addition to those matters discussed that led to the above rec ... recommendations, the Commission gave serious consideration to several issues that did not lead to recommended amendments. Some of those issues are discussed below. Numerous other issues were discussed by the Commission. These discussions though not described here are reflected in the Commission's meeting minutes. I thought we were discussing the fact that, you know, while they weren't able to come to a recommendation about it, having some deliberation on, um, what could be done about these particular items, but it sounds like if they don't... if they didn't give a recommendation either way, because they didn't we're just not going to address it. And that's okay. I just want to make sure that I'm understanding it correctly. Hayek/ Well their ... their decision was ultimately not to change... whatever the particular issue was. Payne/ They're just saying that they had discussion on it, and pointing that out, but... Botchway/ Okay, then I ... then I'm ... then I was confused about when we ... when we initially had talked about it, because ... when I thought the other matters were considered, it was to give some thought as far as, um, these particular processes and discuss `em at a Council level, but (both talking) Hayek/ Well that wasn't a recommendation from the Charter. I think that was coming from you and Jim. Throgmorton/ Yeah, you ... you and I had talked about how... the... there might be some other topics that should be discussed and maybe (several talking) Botchway/ But it sounds like, and I guess I'm going back to my point, but it sounds like ... we don't need to have that discussion and we're just going to follow that ... I wish we'd just known this before cause this is a waste of -it's a waste of time (both talking) Dobyns/ Well, it sounds like they talked about it a lot, and they sort of floated before us in case you wanted to jump in, but we read all their minutes. They had a lot of meetings and excellent deliberations, and I just don't think ... those of us in our limited time discussing this can come anywhere close to the deliberation that that body had over the last year. So I'm going to, out of respect for that, I'm not going to take the bait. Botchway/ Okay! And that's what I'm saying. If that was the case, we just shouldn't have had the discussion brought up, period. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 27 Dobyns/ Yeah. Throgmorton/ So I'd like to (several talking) I'd like to make a claim and then possibly a suggestion, depending on whether the claim is factual or not. Uh, when I read the minutes, and here I want help from Eleanor and Marian and Karen, I guess. I don't know who else out in the room might have been on the Commission. Uh, but uh, when I read the minutes, I did not see moments where they carefully looked at what other charter cities around the United States do in terms of how they structure the mayor's relation... or what the mayor's duties and how they, whether they elect people on a district basis, like Kingsley was referring to. Uh... I think of Tacoma, Washington, for example. I know they just went through a ... a charter review process. I know they have a ... a ... a, um, a council/manager kind of government and ... and soon. So ... if, is that true? I mean, am I factually accurate that there was no systematic study of other charter cities, small to medium size cities, in the United States, uh, in terms of...their charters and so on. Dilkes/ I ... I think that's accurate. I don't recall any. Karr/ I think it's accurate, especially with systematic. There was informa ... information provided, both from citizens as well as some Committee Members who brought forth such as Tacoma. So they were aware of other... changes... as they were brought up, but not a systematic approach to them, no. Dilkes/ Cause there were proponents on the.... obviously on the Commission for both. Throgmorton/ (both talking) Yeah, okay! Fair enough! I ... that's what I thought the situation was. So anyhow, my ... my suggestion is simply this: we have a really good political science department here at the Univer... ver ... versity of Iowa. Could we not ask them to conduct a systematic study, uh, and you know, this could involve masters students, uh, just to look into what these ... those other cities do with regard to may ... the mayor's duties and with regard to district -based elections. Hayek/ Jim, I'm ... I'm just not interested in that! We ... we have a constitutional process that is our Charter review. We had some extremely bright people from varying political camps on this Commission. Spent over a year ... taking up all of these issues, collecting input from the outside, and bringing their own sense of...their own, uh... uh... sense of...of, uh, governance, uh, to ... to the discussion, and ... and I think they engaged in a ... in a thoughtful and deliberate process, um, made some changes, didn't make some other changes, and...and sent it to us, and ... and we ... we, you know ... every system is different, you know? We ... look at the County, you know? So we're non-partisan, um, you know, and ... and .... and I think that's a good thing! Um, the County is highly partisan in how they elect over there. Um ... there's no end to the number of ways to ... operate a local government, or set up a local government. Um, and ... and we went through a very thoughtful process. I'm just ... I'm not interested in opening it up again or ... or ... or pitching this body of work aside and... and (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 28 Payne/ And what would we do with the data once we got it? I mean, is it going to sway us to do something different than we do now? Throgmorton/ Well I have two answers to that. to the next Charter Review Commission. talking) Payne/ So we should do it then! (laughs) One is, uh, in the longer run it could be provided Course that's 10 years from now. (both Throgmorton/ In the short ... in the short run, any future Council always has the ability to amend the Charter and then have a recall referendum on it in case the public doesn't like the... the changes. So ... it could be valuable. I'm not saying it would be cause I have no idea really what they'd find. I have no idea! (laughs) I ... I'm just saying I think that ... that kind of information was not obtained and could have been valuable. Anyhow, I don't (both talking) Hayek/ I know, and I just think ... I .... at some point, I think you ... you ... I think this process can reach a point where we're ... where we, you now, study our navel again and again, and I think we have a good system, uh, it has been by and large upheld at 10 -year cycles... ever since the early 70s, and ... you know, Councils have... Councils come and go and the Councils have not during that time saw fit to make massive changes to the Charter during, you know, in between the 10 -year cycles. We have ... we have serious issues that face the City, um, serious challenges, and I think to go down the road of...of...political science review of...of all the various ways of running a local government would just be, you know, a continued expenditure of time and resources, and I'd much rather us focus on ... on the things that are..are right before us, that we can do something about. That's my opinion. Mims/ Agree! Throgmorton/ Next! (laughter) Council Appointments: Hayek/ Next! Uh... Council appointments. I don't think there are any. Dickens/ Wasn't any! Mims/ Quick! Throgmorton/ We did that really well! (laughter) Hayek/ We're on consensus for that! (laughter) Dickens/ I would like to review that! (laughs) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 29 Information Packets: Hayek/ Info Packets, uh, April 23rd and 30th. Start with the 23rd Botchway/ So ... in the ... Tracy Hightshoe memo to, uh, Tom on IP3. Hayek/ Uh huh. Botchway/ I know that we're currently working on it, but... is there ... I mean maybe this is going to be a broader discussion as, um ... I think we've talked with, uh, respective other, um, municipalities and County about affordable housing, but is there any way to give incentives... to landlords ... in regards to, um ... accepting housing vouchers? Or housing choice vouchers? And maybe this is going to be a topic for discussion later on ... at that... Hightshoe/ Yeah, it'll be a topic for discussion later on, but ... um, we try to educate landlord as much as possible, um, but no there's ... I don't believe budgetary -wise that we'd have money for incentives, or it's not part of the program. Um, Steve Rackis is here with the Housing Authority, but ... we try our best to educate landlords, um, but no, we do not provide incentives. Botchway/ Okay. So one of the things I'm going to, I mean I guess I bring up from, uh, our next discussion, whenever we get that memo from staff, and maybe that's gonna be a part of that memo from staff about affordable housing is ... you know, thinking about that as we, uh, think about, you know, initiatives that we support. I mean obviously we support, um, economic initiatives, um, with incentives as we looked at the (mumbled) Riverfront Crossings District and we did some incentives, as it was, um ... uh, put together for that, and so if we're, I mean, if we're serious about affordable housing, and again, we're going to have this discussion later on so maybe I'm making a ... more comment or statement for later on, um, be thinking about, you know, how we could possibly incentivize, or ... um... yeah, incentivize, uh... you know, landlords to, uh, possibly you know help us out with the vouchers, um, the HC ... the HC vouchers and ... and you know really help us with the affordable housing pie ... piece of it. Hightshoe/ I mean we do work with over 400 landlords and we do have a high utilization rate. Botchway/ Right! Hightshoe/ I mean another way is ... it's not your typical tenant that doesn't have like ... if that tenant has bad credit, has poor landlord references, can't afford the security deposit, those are all issues that you're going to have to work through to try to get a landlord, and some of our non -profits, you know, like Shelter House, Crisis Center that work with folks that have that problem, they try to help and try to encourage landlords, um, to begin, but those are some of the issues that are hard to get a landlord who's doing diligent screening to overlook some of those and ... and accept the voucher. So ... sometimes it's not just landlords not having a problem with the Section 8. Problem is the tenant history and then it's just really hard to find a place, or a landlord that'll accept that tenant. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 30 Botchway/ Well and I actually had a couple of different things in regards to that, because I think you ... you know, you laid `em out really well in the memo, but I think ... I think that's for another discussion as far as, you know, looking at barriers to, um ... to having Section 8 vouchers for landlords, and what the City can do about it, but ... again, that's maybe something (both talking) Hayek/ Yeah, but on that point, this ... this 97% utilization rate, what does that tell us about the interest on the part of landlords in using, or accepting, vouchers, at least locally? I ... can you... Hightshoe/ That for the tenants that, you know, they come up ... they can find a unit. If they can't find a unit, then another tenant, uh, Steve would give the, have the information about how many tenants aren't able to utilize a voucher. Hayek/ Hi, Steve! Rackis/ The ... the 97% is, and I don't have the memo in front of me, if...if that's the ... 97% you're referring to, that's our 10 -year utilization average, for the voucher program. Right now we're at ... close to 102%, which is fine because on ... on a monthly basis you can be above or below, but at the end of the year, and the calendar years are budget year from January to December, uh, we cannot fund more than 100% of our vouchers. So, we're gonna have to, you know, count on a little attrition and we will see some attrition, typically in August, that will bring those numbers down, and our hope every year is that we hit right at 100%. So, like I said, right now we're over utilized on the vouchers. So there... and this is, you know, less than I%, uh, vacancy rate in the community and as Tracy mentioned, over 400 landlords are participating in the program. So ... utilization is ... is not... is not an issue for us and in regards to incentives, there are no additional monies available within the program to provide to landlords. There is just no provisions from HUD to do that, and the incentive to the landlord is that a portion of that rent is being paid by the Housing Authority, on behalf of that family, based on their household size and income, and the incentive is they know that that money is coming at the beginning of the month and it will be coming at the beginning of the month, because even people on our program that we're paying ... I mean we have people on the program that are paying $10 a month for rent and the landlord is continually collecting that ... that rent late. Uh, so that ... that's an incentive. The ... the other incentive is ... for the landlord, is they know that, uh, there's been a five-year look -back at the ... at the initial eligibility determination process. Uh, they know they can contact the Housing Authority to get other information to ... to confirm if a ... if an applicant, uh, submits an application and says Kingsley Botchway's their last landlord. The landlord can contact us and confirm whether or not that is in fact who the last landlord was. So, um, you know, I think there ...there are those types of incentives built into the program but ... but simply the ... the, HUD does not provide any additional money to give a landlord, uh, to entice them to... to accept the vouchers. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 31 Markus/ Steve, I'm not sure that Kingsley was suggesting that it would be HUD that would provide the inducement, but I guess the ... I think it begs the question if you have 10)% utilization or you're tracking very close to 100% utilization, what do you gain by inducing ... a landlord to ... to go and ... and join this program, if you're already use... utilizing 100% of the vouchers? Rackis/ There... there's nothing to be gained, and ... and as a matter of fact, it doesn't matter if you incent the landlord or not with some other pot of money, because I would say, you know, and Doug can back me up on that, that a lot of landlords just simply don't participate in the program because they don't want to deal with any government red tape. They don't want to deal with ... and it's not extra paperwork. There's, you know, there's a couple of pieces of paper. They don't want to deal with that. They have misconceptions about how the program works, because of how it worked 20 years ago. So ... those landlords that don't want to participate with government, whether you give `em another dollar or two, they're... they're simply still not going to participate. Markus/ So this is somewhat born out of the issue, um ... uh, from Human Rights, as well... Rackis/ Correct. Markus/ ...where the discussion took place that, um, we would make, urn ... the use or denial of vouchers somehow part of our discriminatory practices, uh, prohibitions. But if we are utilizing 100%, I guess I still go to that question — what ... what is the practical gain for the dollars we'd invest through inducement? Rackis/ There is none! Botchway/ Okay. So ... I guess just from what I'm hearing, I just want to be clear cause I'm going to go back and talk with some people that have asked questions about this, is that we have no problem with utilization of vouchers in Iowa City, and that they're interspersed throughout the community? Rackis/ Correct. Uh... roughly, you know, 65 ... well, they basically follow the general population trends. So ... roughly 68% of the Johnson County population lives in Iowa City, typically 68% of our vouchers are in Iowa City. Same thing, 20 -some percent in, uh, Coralville. Uh, 17% in North Liberty. So the ... the vouchers are following the general population trends. Botchway/ Well I think that's maybe ... maybe I need to clarify. I mean, so .... and not to be rude. I'm not worried about any of the community from that perspective, but... so from Iowa City, if individual, um, we ... we are ... we are dispersed throughout Iowa City equally, as far as housing vouchers are concerned. Rackis/ Uh, we're dispersed, uh, equally throughout Iowa City, and the rest of the jurisdictions, based upon what market rents the landlords are charging. There ... there are areas in the community that voucher holders are not going to get into if a landlord is charging $2,000 This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 32 for a three-bedroom voucher and our ... our vouchers just, you know, if that rent is not determined reasonable on the program, then ... voucher holders not getting into that unit. There... there's a provision within the HUD regulations that on the initial lease -up, the family cannot pay more than 40% of their adjusted gross income towards the rent. So even in ... market areas where vouchers are utilized, we still have, you know, some families that those rents are too high ... based on their income. So I wouldn't say they're distributed equally because it's based upon what is the market rent a landlord can get for that particular unit, and I think, you know, we were talking about the student areas. You're not going to see, you know, you might see one or two, but in the student areas with the rents that those landlords are getting, you're just not going to see vouchers. Markus/ Which... but... but, I think that then trends to the next issue, and that is ... what we're trying to do in Riverfront Crossings in terms of modeling, um, this whole idea of taking 10% of the units and ... and providing affordable housing in there, and we've had some successes, I think, most people would acknowledge, and that's in areas that heretofore probably haven't been, you know, um, in the landscape for affordable, um, units for people to get into, and by putting them at ... even at the rate of 10%, I think it starts to spread out the area where affordable housing is made available to our public. Rackis/ Kingsley, maybe another a ... approach to this, and ... and this is pretty common throughout the country, uh, if we contact 100 people on the waiting list, typically we'll hear from 50. Of the 50 that respond to us, typically about 25 will ... will lease up a unit, and if we don't have the proper utilization at that point, then we go into the waiting list again. But that is ... that is quite common, but we have seen ... we have seen periods, I had done a two-year study of, uh, vouchers that we issued for people that were moving. So an existing participant was moving, and new vouchers that we were issuing, and I did a two-year study, and what we found was 88% of those moving in new vouchers were utilized and over that same period of time, our voucher utilization was about 102%. So, yes, there are people who ... whose voucher expires, but ... Tracy already pointed out, a lot of times it has to do with credit checks, landlord references, lack of security deposit, and a whole host of other issues that go beyond whether or not they actually have a voucher. Markus/ At the end of the day though, we ... you would still say that we do not have enough affordable housing in the community? Rackis/ I would agree with that. Markus/ Okay. So ... to get to your inducement issue, we are using inducements, uh, where we're using TIF and economic, as you know as a part of the Court/Linn Committee to create that next nexus to expand beyond the voucher system and other, you know, model programs that we're using, to expand the amount of affordable housing into our community. And that is inducement related. Payne/ But I don't think we should confuse... housing vouchers with affordable housing. To me it's two different things. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 33 Markus/ How would you react to that? Rackis/ Um, I ... I would agree! Uh, you know, affordable housing is defined as not paying more than 30% of your, uh, gross income towards your housing costs, which includes the utilities. Uh, I would say the housing choice voucher program is a pro ... program that helps make housing affordable for a family that's eligible for the program. Payne/ It's a rent subsidy. Rackis/ Yes. Payne/ Where afford ... I mean ... this other affordable housing... discussed first isn't a rent subsidy, necessarily. Hayek/ Well housing... housing can be affordable... whether it's subsidized or not (both talking) Payne/ ...or not. Right. Hayek/ Both (both talking) Dobyns/ ...of the same coin. Rackis/ Yeah in ... in some cases, when you look at tax credit properties, they ... they are subsidized to be developed, and that usually comes with a fixed rent that is typically around the fair market rent or, you know, perhaps lower. So they're affordable in that sense, but then the... increased affordability comes because the tax credit project can accept the family with the voucher. So they're, you know, tax credits are very, uh, good targets for people with a voucher because you already sort of have a fixed rent structure that's around the fair market rent, plus you're receiving a rent subsidy from us based upon what your income and household size is. Markus/ But ... but in terms of what we're trying to do through TIF, that's a matter of setting what the bar is so you can some very close to a ... you know, the same kind of affordability limit, depending on how much we wish to induce. Rackis/ Correct. Hayek/ Okay! Very helpful, Steve. Thank you for the help, and Tracy, you too! Anything else on the Info Packet? Payne/ Still on 23? Hayek/ Still on 23! All right, how bout April 30th? Botchway/ Um, going to IP #...7. Did we ever ... and this might be just my, uh... not being able to remember, did we ever give a presentation from the individuals we did give, um ... kind of This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 34 those ad hoc funds ... to? Like for example the temporary winter shelter. Maybe we did and I'm just forgetting. Did, you know, did they come back (both talking) Throgmorton/ After the fact ... (several talking) Botchway/ After the fact, just to know, I mean, for ... for that... 1105 Project, I vaguely remember, I mean, it could just be just because it was a time, and then the Diversity Focus Fasttrack partnership. Fruin/ Typically with those agreements, or with those grants, there's an agreement that goes along with `em that'll, uh, require a ... a year-end report or program -end report. So for instance the ... the Diversity Focus Fasttrack partnership that we funded a year or so ago, um, we did get a final report on that and were able to verify that the funds were used in accordance with the Council's wishes. Um ... we ... we don't always pass those along to Council. We certainly can if you're interested to see `em. I've reviewed the winter shelter, you know, financials just to make sure that our money was spent accordingly and ... and it was. Um, but we typically don't forward those to you unless there's an explicit interest. And if there's a particular project that you're interested in, like the winter shelter, I'm sure they'd love to come and talk to you about that experience, but... we'll, we usually wait for that direction from you. Botchway/ Yeah, I just wanted to ask and find out (mumbled) Hayek/ Other items on the Info Packet? Dobyns/ In the spirit of self-righteousness, I'd just like to mention that in the Planning and Zoning Commission of April 16`x', um, you all recall that at the last budget meeting in December, I pined to find a place in downtown Iowa City where I could buy some underwear. And I just want to note that Nancy Bird also reflected on the same issue, when she said there are significant gaps in the (mumbled) dry goods in the Iowa City... that the Iowa City shopper would like to see downtown. Thank you very much! Throgmorton/ Well it's an opp... it's an entrepreneurial opportunity (several talking and laughing) Hayek/ This is gettin' a little personal! (laughter) Dobyns/ Little TMI here, Matt? (laughs) Markus/ In the same line of self-righteousness, I ... I'm surprised nobody mentioned IP8, which was the, uh (away from mic, difficult to hear speaker) notification that we secured a triple-A bond rating once again, so... Botchway/ Oh I tweeted it so ... (laughter) Markus/ You tweeted it? (several talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 35 Dickens/ I talked about it on the radio show! Botchway/ I don't know whether or not ... or, I'll wait till Council time! Never mind! Hayek/ Someone, I encouraged someone to raise the ... the Moody's issue at the end of the formal. Payne/ Yes! I figured Susan was ... would do that! (laughter) Hayek/ Okay! Um ... Council time! Council Time: Botchway/ Well, and Susan ... I mean, you bring it up ... are you going ... to the Moody rating, are you going to explain what that means? Or can staff, can somebody explain? Mims/ Yeah, we certainly can, at least in general terms. Botchway/ Yeah! Or I mean and what it means ... yeah, what it means, because I think there's... just important to ... hear. Mims/ Yeah! It means we pay really low interest rates! (several talking and laughing) Hayek/ I talked about it on KXIC. I don't know when they ran it. Dickens/ They ran it... it was running this morning. Markus/ That's part of the agenda, so ... (mumbled) Mims/ Yeah. Botchway/ Oh, okay! Mims/ Yep, because we have the bond sales. Hayek/ Oh right. Right! Right (mumbled) there's that. Dobyns/ Your item was more important than mine! Hayek/ Other Council time? Throgmorton/ I want to quickly mention three things. Uh, I already mentioned that I'd done to that, uh, the... the... April 23rd, uh, Annual Meeting of the Senior Center. That was instructive and a very valuable thing to do. But I also had a chance to go to the City of Literature's pizza fundraising party at President Mason's house. Uh, which was a treat, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 36 of course, cause the pizza's fabulous, and you know, they raised a fair amount of money for the scholarships that, uh, the City of, uh, the City of Literature provides. So that was an excellent thing. But I also rode in the ... bus, bike, drive race or whatever it's called, yesterday, and finished third (laughter) Kind of embarrassed... Payne/ While you were riding in a bus you finished third? Throgmorton/ Yeah, I finished third. Yeah, but I, you know, I was a close third, so ... but Tom Gill won. He won, I think he cheated (laughter) but I'm only kidding! (laughter) Only kidding! Tom... Tom wrote, said some really good things in the newspaper this morning. So ... it was a fun event anyhow, and Sarah Waltz was the organizer. Uh, she did a great job! Dickens/ I saw you wondering around the streets (laughter) I don't know, was it ... was there a tour? Throgmorton/ Oh that ... that was a tour of native American sites and stories, uh, concerning the downtown area (both talking) Dickens/ ... saw you out there ... I didn't have, I couldn't get to it, but I saw you going around to the different (both talking) Throgmorton/ Yeah, yeah, it was fun to do! Dobyns/ Yeah, I saw you in the pictures. You looked great in your underwear... your shorts (laughter) Throgmorton/ I meant to wear my bright red I Bike Iowa City shirt that is, was produced by the organizers of the event, but I forgot it! So, anyhow... Botchway/ Can we have a motion to ban, um, Rick from talking about underwear? (laughter) Seriously! Dickens/ Second! (laughter) Botchway/ Yes! Mims/ Um, last Monday and Tuesday, um, Geoff and Wendy Ford and I, um, joined a total of 14 people from the Chamber and Coralville and ... small business owners, etc., that went to Omaha, and had ... uh, just an outstanding visit with, uh, a Chamber of Commerce that I think probably gave Nancy and Rebecca more ideas and work than they might ever want (laughs) but uh, the Omaha Chamber is phenomenal, and they were wonderful hosts, and they do all their economic development through the Chamber. They have, um, great partnerships with their surrounding communities and counties, um, including, um, they don't necessarily call it a communication protocol, but they have a communication agreement, uh, about how they talk with each other and how they share information This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 37 and ... and these other Chambers actually pay the salary and benefits for one employee who is housed in the Omaha Chamber of Commerce office, and so kind of sees everything that's going on, is involved in the economic development. They, you know, show `em all the sites in the area, and in fact includes Council Bluffs. I mean they go... work across the river, um, in Iowa. Came back with lots of great ideas but the one I ...sort of that I liked the best is they got together, people from their, urn ... in, oh what do I want to say, Rebecca? When they get ... they got their motto (unable to hear response, away from mic) Yeah, their branding ... they got their really creative people from their marketing and... and different organizations to create kind of a... a brand for the area, and uh, I should have brought my t -shirt, uh, it says `We coast here,' and it runs slanted uphill a little bit and then they can kind of co -brand it. Oh, you've got one! You've got one! Rebecca Neades/ It's Geoff s actually. (unable to hear speaker, away from mic) Mims/ Oh, okay! Um ... oh, okay, We Don't Coast, right! So basically saying that, um, and you ... that you can basically co ... you know, they can co -brand it in different communities, so like Bellevue can put their name on it or they have it in their book, um, you know, We Don't Coast We... Hayek/ Are landlocked! Mims/ (laughter) We ... we don't (both talking) Hayek/ That's a good play on words! Mims/ Yeah, we, you know, We Don't Coast We Entertain, We Don't Coast, uh, We Drink, and it's got bars, I mean, We Don't Coast We ... you know, We Create Jobs, We Surf, yeah, cause they're really into the tech business and stuff. Um... Hayek/ Ah! Mims/ But just ... it was a really.... really good visit. I think lots of good ideas that we brought back and hopefully, um, between the Chamber and ICAD, because Mark Nolte and Kate Moreland were part of the trip too, and City staff, we can ... kind of work on some of those ideas. So ... but it was a great trip! Hayek/ Um ... School Board is taking up secondary boundaries as early as next week. Um ... I'll make a pitch at the end of the meeting, there is a ... uh... listening, another listening post this Thursday at Northwest Junior High and if anybody can make it, I would encourage you to do so. I would also ... 7:00, um, I would also encourage you, either on ... on your own or even better with ... with, uh, you know, anyone else you can muster, to weigh in and support the School Board. I think they are, um, it would appear that they are leaning toward one of the F scenarios, 4 or 5, which are virtually the same. Um, we certainly determined that that would be, uh, a good outcome for Iowa City. Um... (both talking) Mims/ ...those create the most... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 38 Hayek/ Yep! Mims/ ... uh, dispersion, or the most equality, don't they, in terms of SES? Hayek/ Yeah, and again, this is (both talking) this is at the high school level only. Mims/ Yeah! Hayek/ Um, the other, you know, the harder to solve pieces are ... are not before the Board at this time, but at that ... at the secondary level, with the opening of the ... of the new high school, most of which is being paid for with Iowa City tax money, the ... there will be rough parody in terms of socio-economic balance between the three schools, which is a really important step forward. Dobyns/ I plan to go. And speak on behalf of those options. Hayek/ I think all of us need to, um, at least communicate to School Board Members. If, Rick, if you can go to the actual open house, that would be wonderful. Dobyns/ Uh huh. Payne/ I did my communication to. Hayek/ Okay. So ... this is a very, very important juncture. Thanks! Other Council time? Dobyns/ I'm going to mention that, uh, public session Council time this Friday at Terry Plu... Trueblood, there's a fundraiser for Hospice House of Johnson County. So I'm going to talk a little bit about what Hospice House is and the opportunities for that, so.... Meetim Schedule: Hayek/ Meeting schedule? Karr/ Can we talk a little bit about IP #4 in the 4/30 packet? That's the KXIC Wednesday and Friday shows, and the goal was to try with your schedules and a lot of your absences to get the summer taken care of. If possible, and I don't know if you want to take the time now or you want to call me, but we do have quite a few openings, for both (both talking) Hayek/ You know, I ... I can do June 10t'. Um, did you want to jump on that? Payne/ Yeah, I better do ... I haven't done one for... Hayek/ ...let Michelle jump on June 10th then. Maybe we should (both talking) Oh, sorry, go ahead, Jim! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 39 Throgmorton/ I don't want to do both May 27"' and June 3rd. I'd prefer May 27"' if...but.... Payne/ I ... if you want to do the ... (both talking) Mims/ I can do the third. I mean... (both talking) Payne/ (mumbled) Mims/ ...works for you. I'm totally flexible, so I can really fill in (both talking) Payne/ The l Od' would work better. Mims/ Then you do the I Od'! Payne/ Okay. Karr/ June l Od' is Payne, May 27d` Throgmorton, but not June 3'd. So we're (several talking) June 3rd is... Susan. Mims/ Yep! As long as I put it on my calendar right now! Dickens/ And we're back to 8:00 live. As of (several talking) Mims/ Has he communicated that to you? Payne/ What? Dickens/ Yes, he got his hour back so (both talking) Mims/ Yeah, he got his hour back! Dickens/ ...so it is live. It's not tape delayed now on Wednesday. Karr/ No, he did not communicate that! Hayek/ Why don't we email you ... let's all remember to email Marian about the later dates in the summertime. Mims/ Okay! Payne/ And my problem is ... is I can't predict that far out. I mean, my schedule's going to... Mims/ Well, what we can do is fill it up and you just let us know when you can do it, and one of us can give up our slot for you. Payne/ Okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 40 Mims/ Why don't we do it that way? I mean, that way we've got `em covered (both talking) Payne/ Or I can pick it and then if something comes up, call ya! Mims/ Yeah, that's fine too! Karr/ Yeah, it's easier to fill them and change among yourselves than to try and (several talking) Mims/ I'm usually pretty flexible. Payne/ Okay. Mims/ Okay! Pending Work Session Topics: Hayek/ Pending work session topics. Mims/ Too many! Hayek/ IP5 (laughs) Botchway/ How does the pre-recorded work? Payne/ The what? Botchway/ If you did pre-recorded? How does that work, you just talk to Jay or talk to you or... (several talking) Karr/ You talk to Jay and he'll set up a time. Hayek/ (mumbled) ...try to make sure you say good morning or good evening during it, cause it could be playing at any time. (laughter) Other than that it's ... pretty much the same (several talking) Throgmorton/ Matt, with regard to the, uh, work sessh... work session agendas, topics, uh, I... I have ideas about how to structure the priority of `em. Should I share them with Marian or ... you know, just mention `em right now? Cause I don't know (mumbled) have time to really process the suggestion. So... Hayek/ Um ... I don't know, maybe start with Marian. I mean we've got ... 10 minutes. Payne/ That's a way to start the process of thinking about it. (several talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 41 Mims/ Can do a memo and put it in the thing and we can talk about it. I mean I don't think it's ... I think we need to do the prioritizing. Payne/ Right! Mims/ So... Hayek/ Want to throw `em in a memo and then we can take it up (both talking) Throgmorton/ Okay... Hayek/ ...at the next work session. Throgmorton/ Sure! Hayek/ Okay. Thought there was something else. Payne/ Council events. Oh! Mims/ We've got the listening post, Matt and I do Thursday night. Hayek/ Yeah. Mims/ Or 4...4:30, whatever that is. Hayek/ 4 to 5:30. Karr/ 4 to 5:3 0. Hayek/ ICPL. Mims/ It's on my calendar. Yep! Dobyns/ How often are we going to do those? Karr/ We're going at, uh, trying to do four a year, because we're a little late getting started this year, we'll do at least two more and I'm looking for, again, suggestions on locations as well as individuals who would like to... Dobyns/ When? Karr/ Totally open right now! Suggestions on locations, times, and individuals. Throgmorton/ The Spot! I'd be happy to go! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 42 Hayek/ Quick question on the Moody's. Just out of curiosity ... I mean we issue GO debt regularly...at...at what junctures do these ratings come out? Do they ... I mean, they don't do it every time we issue. Bockenstedt/ They do do it every time we issue. Markus/ Every issue is (several talking) Hayek/ Every issue, okay! Bockenstedt/ Yes, every time we issue, uh, bonds, they'll go through a ratings process and they'll issue that rating. So, that happens every year, at least once a year. Hayek/ Yeah! Markus/ So the rating is important because the buyers of those... Hayek/ Sure! Markus/ ...investments, that's their gauge to determine the risk associated with it. And so Moody's is the independent that rates the issue, which is basically a ... a rate of risk. Bockenstedt/ It's a credit rating. Markus/ And ... and so then they ... they, that creates the, you know, the competition ultimately for the price point that they'll ... that the interest that they'll buy the bonds at. Bockenstedt/ Yeah, that's correct. So it's a credit rating and the higher the risk, the higher the rate you're going to pay. Hayek/ And I'd ... and I'd point out that among the ... warnings or, you know, the ... under the category what could make the rating go down, would include a deterioration of our tax base, um ... and ... material reductions in our financial reserves. (mumbled) Bockenstedt/ Yeah, and those ... they put that in there, I mean those are important things to pay attention to because I mean they put those things in there for a reason and ... and so when you develop your ... your financial plan, I mean, you should be cognizant of ..of what Moody's is looking at, um, because they look at those reports every year and they do cycle back to those issues. Markus/ It's.... it's... somewhat akin to a lot of the surveys, you know, that rate us for different things. I always contend that Moody's is probably the most analytical evaluation of our community in terms of...of drilling down into that information. So, they tell you what they're evaluating and so what we do then is we look at the factors that they're evaluating, to determine whether, you know, where we fit into those things and to the extent that we can control that, we ... we attempt to. How much debt you have; how This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 43 much, you know, what your expense, you know, ratios are. Um, all sorts of things that we try to put in place. Your policies that you use! So ... you have a bit of a head start. The thing that's kind of interesting in just, I think, the last few years, they've kinda of overhauled how they rate municipal bonds, and so I think that they've gotten tougher over the years in how they do those ratings. So I think for us to be maintaining it and it's ... it's probably the proof of that is is I think there were four or five triple -As just four years, five years ago. There's down to only two in the state of Iowa at this point, and so ... they're ... they're taking a harder look at how they rate, uh, the communities in terms of scorecarding us, um, for that risk. Hayek/ Do you ... go ahead! Payne/ I was going to say, the ... the outlook says... outlooks are usually not assigned to local government credits with this amount of outstanding debt. Does that mean we have a high amount of outstanding debt or a low amount? Bockenstedt/ Um, I believe that means we have a high amount of debt, which is ... somewhat ironic, because you think of us having a low amount of debt, but when you look at the amount of debt that is required of a triple-A entity, is significantly less than we have outstanding. Which means that most triple-A entities really do not borrow money. Which is kind of, uh, a factor amongst all credit ratings is the ... the more you need it, the lower your rating is, and the less you need it, the higher your rating is, and .... and so shifting from a... a debt burden, uh, financial picture to a pay-as-you-go basis is part of the criteria of being a triple-A rated agency. Um, the percentage -of debt that you would issue as a ... as a triple-A is ... is, uh, very low. It's like less than 1% of your valuation. So, um, it's lower than ... than we're currently issuing, but ... you have to build that whole financial picture. It's not just about one statistic. It's about the whole package. Markus/ And I... and I think the other thing too that you want to pay attention to in... in, when you read through the reports and I really encourage you to do that, but they talk about us not having a profile similar to the typical triple-A type community, and I think that's the case. You know, there's per capita income information, and some statistical information that kind of separate, you know, us from what the herd looks like... Hayek/ And isn't the herd kind of the west Des Moines, suburban office park, low debt... Markus/ Typically more in that direction, yes. And so ... I think that even speaks to how much more effort it takes on our part to maintain that triple-A. Hayek/ So question on the ... on the ... on the mention, um, you know, what could make the rating go down in the future, deterioration of the tax base — do you think that reference ... can you glean what ... what they mean by that? Is it ... is it a reference to property tax reform? Is it a reference to ... something else? Bockenstedt/ It ... it could. It ... when you look at our property tax growth, it's ... it's slow, but it's going up. So I mean we're not getting in the double digit property tax growth gains that This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 44 you might expect from a high-growth, high -rated community. You know, there have been more in the 2, 3, 4% range. However, they are going up. There are some risks out there and as long as we keep a stable, steady growth pattern, I think they're comfortable with that. You know, if we can accelerate that, they'd like that even more, but if that tax base starts to deteriorate, where we're getting negative... where it starts to slide, that would be a ... a definite red flag for them and ... and so how that's going to play out with property tax reform is just something, you know, when those valuations come in, we'll just have to take a look at that and ... and like I said, it's an entire profile. So you know, if you have one element that maybe starts to slide, you have to be aware of the things that you can control, such as the amount of debt we're issuing, amount of cash reserves that we're maintaining on hand, and things with that factor, and trying ... and adjust the picture accordingly. That saying, there are things in that rating that are beyond your control. So, um, but being aware of those factors, at least you can try to do something to mitigate that, if that were to start to happen. Markus/ And ... and along those lines, it's about capacities, as well. So ... to get that rating, if ..if in fact you're too dependent on one source of revenue, if you have alternative choices to generate revenue for your jurisdiction, they look at that sort of thing. So they ... they want to see how close you are to capping and ... and if you have alternative choices, that plays favorably in ... in regards to your situation, because it's a basically a risk reducer to have the ability for optional revenues in case the one you're most dependent on, you know, is ...is really starting to get, uh, stretched, uh, too hard. Bockenstedt/ I mean what Moody's is most interested in is that the bondholders are going to get their money back. I mean, that's... that's the number one thing they care about, and so anything we can do to lower that risk to those investors, that's going to be a benefit. Hayek/ Okay! Well, congratulations again and ... thank you! Any other (noises on mic) events or Council invites? Throgmorton/ Matt, I wanted to mention that at 7:00 P.M. on the 13'h Mary Beth Slonnegar will be speaking in Room A about the history of our downtown. Could be an intriguing presentation. Hayek/ Uh huh! Markus/ I have one... introduction I'd like to make. Hayek/ Yeah! Markus/ Usually you know we have a door prize for the person that came the furthest distance to the event, right? (laughter) We have somebody that came all the way from Jakarta, Indonesia. Aria Widyanto is our Fellow, uh, through the State Department of the United States and he's here for the month of May. He'll be residing at the Markus' household, and he will be joined by Genevieve Yee from Brunei. Uh, she'll be coming in tomorrow. So they're ... a part of an exchange in terms of our governments looking at local This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015. May 5, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 45 government issues, back and forth between our countries. It's a program started by President Obama. Throgmorton/ Excellent! Welcome! Mims/ Welcome! Hayek/ Glad to have `em! Markus/ So introduce yourself to `em at the break, please! Hayek/ Okay! Good meeting. We'll come back at 7:00! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session of May 5, 2015.