HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-06-04 Info PacketOUR
CITY OF IOWA CITY
www.icgov.org
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET
MISCELLANEOUS
IPI Council Tentative Meeting Schedule
IP2 Article from City Manager: Commercial property tax reform
June 4, 2015
IP3 Article from City Manager: After one year, Juvenile Court diversion program seeks to
expand
IP4 Article from City Manager: Farmers and Cities Play the Water Pollution Blame Game
IP5 Memo from City Clerk: Iowa League of Cities meeting
IP6 Memo from Housing Adm.: Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of
Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Assistance (VASH) program
IP7 Email from Iowa City Community School District Youth and Family Development Coordinator
to Police Chief: ICPD and ICCSD Collaboration
IP8 Copy of Police Chief responses to David Freeman and David Robertson: Wetherby Park
IP9 Notice of Funding Opportunity — Housing Trust Fund Accepting Applications
IP10 Memo from City Clerk: FY21012 Adopted Budget and FY2015-2017 Financial Plan
Memo from City Clerk: KXIC Schedule [Distributed as late handout on 6/5]
DRAFT MINUTES
IP11 Human Rights Commission: May 19
1 = j
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET
CITY OF IOWA CITY
www.icgov.org June 4, 2015
MISCELLANEOUS
IP1 Council T ntative Meeting Schedule
I122 Article from 'ty Manager: Commercial property tax reform
IP3 Article from City anager: After one year, Juvenile Co diversion program seeks to
expand
IP4 Article from City Mana r: Farmers and Cities Play the ater Pollution Blame Game
IP5 Memo from City Clerk: to League of Cities meet!
I126 Memo from Housing Adm.: using and Urban evelopment (HUD) and Department of
Veterans Affairs Supportive H sing Assistanc (VASH) program
I127 Email from Iowa City Community Sc of Distri Youth and Family Development Coordinator
to Police Chief: ICPD and ICCSD Coll orati
IP8 Copy of Police Chief responses to David Fr man and David Robertson: Wetherby Park
IP9 Notice of Funding Opportunity—Hous g Tr t Fund Accepting Applications
IP10 Memo from City Clerk: FY21012 Ado p ed Budget d FY2015-2017 Financial Plan
DWAFT MINUTES
IP11 Human Rights Commission: toy 19
� r j
CITY OF IOWA CITY
Date
Thursday, June 4, 2015
City Council Tentative Meeting Schedule SP1
:j
Subject to change June 4, 2015
Time Meeting
5:30 PM Special Formal Meeting
Location
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Monday, June 8, 2015 7:00 PM Special Formal Meeitng Emma J. Harvat Hall
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
5:00 PM
Work Session Meeting
Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:00 PM
Formal Meeting
Monday, July 20, 2015
4:00 PM
Reception prior to meeting
TBA (Johnson County)
4:30 PM
Joint Meeting / Work Session
Monday, July 27, 2015
5:00 PM
City Conference Board
Emma J. Harvat Hall
Work Session Meeting
7:00 PM
Special Formal Meeting
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
5:00 PM
Work Session Meeting
Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:00 PM
Formal Meeting
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
5:00 PM
Work Session Meeting
Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:00 PM
Formal Meeting
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
5:00 PM
Work Session Meeting
Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:00 PM
Formal Meeting
Tuesday, October 6, 2015 5:00 PM Work Session Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall
7:00 PM Formal Meeting
Monday, November 30, 2015 1-6:30 PM Work Session Meeting Ashton House
Strategic Planning and Orientation
Commercial property tax reform - Business Record
http://businessrecord.com/Content/Real-Estate-Development[Real-Estat_..
From the City Manager
1 11
PREVIOUS ISSUES NEWS BY INDUSTRY
Google +
Search
Home I Advertising I Membership I Newsletters I Contact Us I About I BPC News I Sub.
SPECIALTY PRODUCTS EVENTS CALENDAR EXECUTIVE TOOLE
Commercial property tax reform
The 2 -year-old legislation has cities looking for new sources of revenues
BY KENT DARR, Senior Staff Writer
Friday, May 22, 2015 6:00 AM
Ed'itor's note: West Des Moines will not hire new employees in
the coming year and Des Moines is on a search for new
revenues. Why? It's all in reaction to property tax legislation
that was passed in 2013, with a key provision taking effect this
year that will hit municipal revenues next year. We decided to
take a look at what the effect has been so far, and at the
potential future effects on cities. The answers, as you might
expect for an issue as complex and multifaceted as
commercial property tax reform, are not uniform. West Des
Moines and Des Moines both draw a large percentage of their
revenues from commercial property taxes. And the reality is,
it's just too soon to know what the real effects will be of
legislation that Gov. Terry Branstad declared two years ago
would lead to the largest reduction in property tax bills in state
history. But despite the uncertainty, and despite an underlying
fear from city leaders that the state, as it has in the past, will
leave promises unfulfilled, cities are preparing for a landscape
that will continue to morph as the legislation takes effect.
Grounded
Property tax reform hasn't been a city budgethuster, but local officials are concerned
If you ever wonder whether land rules the roost in Iowa, just consider that property owners can tap into more
than two dozen tax credits and exemptions, and those don't include rollbacks and abatements and rebates that
lower tax bills.
As further evidence that we are prone by policy to protect the land from tax grubbers, the Iowa Legislature, with
Gov. Terry Branstad in agreement, passed what were hailed by many, depending on how much hyperbole they
had ingested for the day, as the most significant property tax reforms in state history in 2013.
For municipalities, though, the reforms took an additional bite out of their principal source of revenues, with the
first real effects showing up in budgets for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
At first glance, the impact appears slight, with the loss of some property tax revenues offset by something called
"backfill;" a promised return of dollars lost to reform. Even for communities that have experienced an overall
decline in property tax revenue, the backfill has added up to increases in revenues of 1 or 2 percent.
But what if the backfill goes away? And what happens when the state pledge caps out? It is doubtful that city
Most viewed Mr
• WHO anchor Dix to became s -
manager for SHAZAM
• 2015 Forty Under 40 class am
• Guest Opinion: An invisible do
• VIDEO: Kurt Mumm provides
Sculpture Park
• Women of Influence: Now ace
5/27/2015 12:49 PM
I of 6
Commercial property tax reform - Business Record http://businessrecord.com/Content/Real-Estate-Development/Real-Estat...
expenses will freeze. And there are plenty of Statehouse observers who know legislators sometimes have short
memories. They point to example after example of instances when appropriations suddenly lock in at $0.
So, who's paying attention to what admittedly can be a dry and complicated issue?
Des Moines and West Des Moines, two cities that receive a large chunk of revenue from commercial property
taxes, are expected to take the biggest hit from changes in the commercial property tax laws, especially from
changes in the way apartment buildings are taxed. On the other hand, development colossus West Des Des
Moines was able to lower its tax levy for the coming fiscal year by a nickel, and it put in place a hiring freeze.
There have been some key changes.
One the one hand, legislators decided that as a matter of tax fairness, the owners of office buildings,
restaurants, retail shops and massive warehouses shouldn't have to pay taxes on 100 percent of the value of
their properties. Some also argued that lower taxes would trigger more commercial development. Developers
and brokers say that has not occurred.
As of this year, commercial and industrial properties are taxed at 90 percent of value, a figure higher than what
was sought by tax reformers.
The law also instituted a complicated formula for establishing a commercial property tax credit. The credits were
expected to generate an average savings of $523 per property in 2014, the first year they went into effect. Once
the credit is approved, it stays in place forever unless the property is sold or its use changes. For example, an
office building converted to an apartment building would not quality.
But lawmakers didn't forget about owners of apartment buildings. Beginning with property assessments
conducted in January, multifamily buildings will see their taxable value fall to the same level as single-family
homes over eight years. This year, apartment owners will pay taxes on a little more than 86 percent of their
properties' value.
That change alone was enough for the city of West Des Moines to put a hiring freeze in place for the fiscal year
that begins July 1.
West Des Moines City Manager Tom Hadden isn't declaring an emergency. In fact, few city officials are
panicking over the changes in property law. And for a simple reason: It is just too soon to know what the real
effects will be.
Still, Hadden and Des Moines City Manager Scott Sanders recognize that their cities need to find additional
revenues if they are to provide services residents expect.
Alan Kemp, executive director of the Iowa League of Cities, said city budget planners should be anticipating a
rough ride.
For one thing, he is surprised that lawmakers seem willing to fund the backfill for fiscal 2016 (remember, a state
budget has not been approved). He thought that with the state still locked in debate over school funding and
with revenues relatively tight, the property tax rebate to cities would have been eliminated.
"The state has a bad record of maintaining obligations," Kemp said.
Kemp and others know that what lawmakers give, they can take away. In fact, it is the Legislature, with
interpretation by the courts, that determines how cities raise money. Even locally generated hotel/motel dollars
are parceled out on a formula mandated by the state.
The local option sales tax, considered the best alternative to property taxes for generating local revenues, could
be changed by pending law to distribute half of the proceeds to property tax relief.
The city of Des Moines would like to determine for itself how the money might be spent. In particular, City
Manager Sanders would like to invest it in improvements to neighborhoods with the hope of boosting property
values.
The city of West Des Moines supports sharing the revenue with property owners, apparently recognizing that
the best way to win voter support for the 1 percent hike in sales taxes is to guarantee some property tax relief.
Des Moines has walked the fine line — some would say the razor's edge — between taxes and fees as revenue
generators for several years. It currently is holding $40 million in trust to pay a court-ordered settlement of a
lawsuit that resulted in a judge's ruling that what the city called a fee, this one for users of electricity, was in fact
an illegal tax.
The Legislature came to the city's rescue in 2009, and allowed Des Moines and any other city to assess a fee
for the use of electricity and other utilities.
Lawmakers have mandated other expenses that cities can't avoid. The state's 49 largest cities pay into two
pension funds, one for police and fire departments, the other for all other municipal workers. The police and fire
pensions, called 411 funds, put steep requirements that many believe could ultimately lead to a public pension
2 of 6 5/27/2015 12:49 PM
Commercial property tax reform - Business Record http://businessrecord.com/Content/Real-Estate-Development/Real-Estat...
crisis, much like those that have forced some West Coast cities into bankruptcy.
For Gretchen Tegeler, executive director of the Taxpayers Association of Central Iowa, that crisis is practically
unavoidable, but she doesn't believe it can be solved by letting cities tap into unlimited revenue sources.
Tegeler is a tax expert and a respected advocate for fiscal discipline. Her arguments can be boiled down to this:
Cities need to control expenses; give them more money and they will spend more money.
But City Manager Hadden has a reply to that.
"We're not like the federal government. We have to spend within our means," he said.
For the most part, that amounts to spending what revenues property taxes provide.
Elements of reform
Thirty years of debate led to HB 295
The property tax reform legislation was approved by the Iowa Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Terry
Branstad in 2013. Some of its changes were immediate, some will be phased in over 10 years.
Rate of growth: Effective the day it was signed, allowable taxable growth statewide of residential and
agricultural properties was lowered to 3 percent from 4 percent.
Commercial and industrial values: The taxable value of commercial and industrial properties was set at 95
percent of assessed value as of Jan. 1, 2013. The taxable value dropped to 90 percent as of Jan. 1, 2014.
Business credit: On Jan. 1, 2014, owners of commercial properties received a credit on the first $145,000 of
assessed value that was estimated to equal the taxes paid on a residential property of equivalent value based
on 2013 assessments. Once approved, that credit lives with the property, unless its use changes. The credit
does not apply to multifamily properties, so if an office building were converted to apartments, the credit would
not apply. This provision came with a bit of a surprise. When the bill passed, it was estimated that the credit
would average $523 per property statewide. Instead, the average credit was $900 per property, an increase of
nearly 70 percent.
Multifamily rollback: The rollback is the amount of assessed value that is taxable. Beginning this year,
multifamily properties are treated as a separate class, with taxable value declining until it reaches the residential
rollback in 2022. For 2015 assessments, which will be paid in 2016 and 2017, the taxable value of residential
properties is about 55.2 percent; for commercial it is slightly more than 86 percent. Those rates are expected to
be about 56.4 percent in 2022.
Local option an option
Weary of state promises, cities look to local option sales tax
Mandates concern local government leaders. So do half promises.
Just consider the problem Iowa lawmakers are having coming up with a funding formula for schools. The
formula was a legislative promise, one that schools use to set their budgets. The debate over school funding
has many city leaders worrying about the future of a so-called backfill of revenues lost to property tax reform.
West Des Moines City Manager Tom Hadden notes that what lawmakers give, they can take away or at least
place a local price tag on it.
"The state's biggest impact is by legislative action," Hadden said. "Our ability to access funds is very limited."
Here are a couple of examples of those actions:
The hotel/motel tax that cities collect is distributed in a manner mandated by state law. Cities typically see three -
sevenths of the revenues from the tax, which is 7 cents on the dollar.
Even the much ballyhooed local option sales tax will have a stake anchored in the property tax landscape,
providing lawmakers get a chance to vote on a bill that was introduced this year in the Iowa House Ways and
Means Committee.
Rep. Tom Sands, chairman of the committee, is a longtime banker and fiscal conservative who keeps a close
watch on taxes and revenues flowing to cities. He introduced a study bill in April that would allow cities with
touching borders, such as those in Greater Des Moines, to ask voters to approve the tax. If approved, at least
50 percent of the revenues would have to be used to lower property taxes.
3 of 6 5/27/2015 12:49 PM
Commercial property tax reform - Business Record http://businessrecord.com/Content/Real-Estate-Development/Real-Estat...
Sands said the property tax relief language is essential to garnering support from legislators in rural counties
In West Des Moines, which has pressed for a change in state law that will allow cities whose borders touch to
ask their residents whether to adopt a local option sales tax, city leaders seem to support the idea of using
some of the extra revenue for property tax relief.
West Des Moines City Councilman Jim Sandager said that feature might be enough to get voters to support a
local option sales tax.
In Des Moines, on the other hand, city officials would like the option of how to spend the option, said
Councilwoman Christine Hensley.
It should be noted that current law does not require directing any portion of local option revenues to property tax
relief.
How are cities coping and prepping?
Freeze hiring, find alternatives to property taxes
West Des Moines City Manager Tom Hadden has been on the job for a little more than a year. He arrived just in
time to see the first impact of property tax reform.
Property valuations gained a mere 0.7 percent for the 2015 and 2016 fiscal years, based on 2014 valuations,
meaning the full effect of property tax reform had yet to take hold. Property tax revenues available for city
expenses gained 1.1 percent after increasing an average of 4 percent a year for several years.
The rollback in revenues from multifamily assessments will show up in the fiscal 2016 and 2017 budgets.
Hadden's reaction: Freeze hiring.
His next thought: It would be great to ask voters to approve a local option sales tax to partially offset the dollars
that could be lost over the next 10 years as the result of property tax reform.
Hadden estimates the city needs at least 3 percent revenue growth just to pay salaries, wages and benefits,
such as mandated pension contributions.
"When they take away your revenue stream, it can be challenging," he said.
And then there are basic services, like police and fire protection and good roads and streets, that residents
consider important.
"People aren't interested in hearing your excuses when they have an issue they want you to address," he said.
And that, he believes, is what sets cities and their budgeting process apart from the sources of many of their
required expenses. He points out that the city of West Des Moines, unlike the federal government, can't float
along on a deficit.
"Local government has to live within its means," he said. "Yet the local level is where you have to provide the
services."
The percentages would tell you that West Des Moines and Des Moines will feel the brunt of changes to
commercial property taxes.
In 2013, nearly 30 percent of property revenues in both cities came from commercial buildings, according to the
Iowa Department of Management, well above the state average. Those numbers reflect revenue before
apartment buildings began their rollback to residential numbers.
By comparison, a mere 5 percent of Waukee's revenues were from commercial properties in 2013, while
Ankeny accumulated 19 percent of its revenues from commercial properties.
Des Moines City Manager Scott Sanders said the property tax landscape is a "risk to the budget." The city is
counting on $5 million a year from the state to make up for the drop in commercial valuations to 90 percent from
100 percent.
He also points out that city budgets must be filed with the state by March 15, long before lawmakers have a
state budget in hand. Cities really don't know what they are getting from the state when they crunch their
numbers.
The City Council understands that it needs to focus on improving property values in neighborhoods and finding
new construction for vacant properties.
4 of 6 5/27/2015 12:49 PM
Commercial property tax reform - Business Record http://businessrecord.com/Content/Real-Estate-Development/Real-Estat...
A 1 percent local option sales tax would provide the funds necessary for those improvements and move the
budget burden away from property taxes, Sanders said.
'The local option sales tax is the one source of revenue that would be large enough to supplement property
taxes," he said. "We have considered other options, but they are not of the magnitude of the local option."
Sanders also noted that when the Legislature passed property tax reform, lawmakers said they would address
the need for alternative revenues in future sessions.
Rep. Tom Sands introduced a bill this year that set the framework for debate on the local option sales tax.
Some council members also have discussed tapping into the city's large base of nonprofit organizations that do
not pay property taxes. Those efforts have found little traction. Still, it is a topic that gets a lot of attention in Des
Moines, where public utilities and hospitals make voluntary payments in lieu of taxes.
"The public realizes that the tax burden is spread more thinly when you have large tax-exempt entities,"
Sanders said.
What does the future hold for cities?
A watchdog believes cities will get by just fine
Gretchen Tegeler asks lots of questions about taxes, based on reams of data she compiles from state and
federal officials as the executive director (and frequently the sole employee) of the Taxpayers Association of
Central Iowa. She is a frequent contributor to the Business Record, and the topic more often than not deals with
public finances.
After years of experience, she still is surprised by novel nuggets of information. For example, much was made
two years ago when the Iowa Legislature, as a part of what lawmakers called landmark property tax reform, cut
the maximum statewide growth in valuation to 3 percent from 4 percent.
Tegeler, as many of us, assumed that the 3 percent — or 4 percent, for that matter — was a target. If
assessments only went up 2 percent, let's pretend, then that would be the statewide average for the year.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, Tegeler said. She recently discovered that the statewide average increase is a target with
a can't -miss bull's-eye. The statewide average will increase 3 percent no matter what.
"I was as surprised as anyone when I learned that," she said.
But what that discovery points to is a broader belief that where there's a will to raise revenues, there are many
ways.
"They will always find a way," Tegeler said.
She is not being hostile toward local governments.
Tegeler recognizes that expenses that must be paid, and many of those are mandated by the state.
Still, she does not have a sense of impending doom for city budgets based on changes in the property tax law.
After looking at the data, she predicts that Des Moines will lose about 3 percent in taxable valuation over the 10
years it will take for multifamily properties to be taxed the same as residential. West Des Moines will experience
a decline of about 3.5 percent, just on its land in Polk County, where most of the city's apartments are located.
Tegeler predicts that Ankeny will lose about 2 percent in commercial property tax revenue over 10 years and
Urbandale will lose about 1.4 percent.
"I don't think Ankeny and Urbandale will even notice it," she said.
The loss of taxable valuation in West Des Moines will more than likely be offset by the city's rapid development,
Tegeler said.
"Des Moines will notice it — but it's still pretty small in the scheme of things," she said. "Consider this year their
taxable value grew 2.4 percent, so if this had been in place it would have grown 2.1 percent instead."
5 of 6 5/27/2015 12:49 PM
From the City Manager --04-15
IP3
After one year, Juvenile Court diversion
program seeks to expand
Schools focus on understanding, teaching behavior
JUNE 2, 2015 1 6:30 AM
IOWA CITY — Start small.
That was the goal of police, school, court and other officials in the first year of a Juvenile Court diversion
program that aimed to reduce the number of children in the court system. To that end, officials focused
solely on cases of disorderly conduct.
Rather than face court dates and a criminal record at an early age, offenders of high school and junior high
school age were given the opportunity to do community service and actions designed to make them think
about their actions and consequences.
Now, as the Iowa City Community School District's academic year draws to a close, those officials are
looking back on the term — and the first year of the diversion program — and assessing its impact.
And while authorities do not yet have end -of -year numbers on the program's success, they are confident
enough in the program's strength and shifting attitudes about juvenile discipline that they intend to expand
its reach in the coming school year.
"My goal is possibly doing diversion for all simple misdemeanor crimes for juveniles," said Gabe Cook,
the Iowa City Police Department's new juvenile crime investigator and a graduate of the Iowa City school
district.
If that comes to fruition — and the initiative appears to have the support of other players in the juvenile
crime diversion program — it could further reduce the number of children winding up with court records
for first-time minor offenses, while also freeing up valuable court resources for children in need of greater
attention and services.
The decision to expand or not will be made by representatives in the diversion program, which is made up
of police, court, school and social services officials.
The offenses included in the broadened diversion program would include shoplifting, simple assault,
public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia and possibly possession of marijuana.
"We're able to devote more resources and more intensive attention to those kids that need more intense
attention," said Sixth Judicial District Judge Deb Minot, a former Johnson County prosecutor. "We're
siphoning off the kids who we can work with in one way and hoping it works and saving our more
dedicated and more expensive resources for the kids that need a higher level of intervention."
While the goal of the Juvenile Court system was to give children a chance at receiving intervention
without a formal court record, Minot said that is not what is occurring now. Minor offenses remain on
children's criminal -records as they enter adulthood. - - - - - - - -
Under the diversion program, which began at the onset of the 2014-15 school year, police don't respond
to the first instance of disorderly conduct, providing it's not a major fight or disruption and the juvenile
doesn't have an extensive previous record.
In those cases, students instead complete a "stop and think" program that requires them to reflect on the
incident and why it happened. Iowa City schools also provide mentors for some students — teachers,
community members or law enforcement — who can check on students' grades and spend time with them
over lunch or riding along in a police car.
That approach has allowed teachers and administrators to learn more about the reasons for students'
behaviors and has improved behavior in school overall, officials said.
"I've seen huge dividends pay off from this," said Michelle Cook, Gabe Cook's wife and assistant
principal of South East Junior High School. "Getting kids connected to school makes them feel better
about themselves. When they feel better about themselves, they're less likely to misbehave."
For subsequent offenses that do involve police, officials determine if court diversion is appropriate, If so,
juveniles typically will do community service and write a victim -impact letter as well as a sheet designed
to walk them through their actions and decision-making.
"It keeps them from being in the court system," Gabe Cook said. "But, these kids are not getting away
with it."
Minot was a member of a group of local officials who participated in Georgetown University's Reducing
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice Certificate program in 2013. The intensive five-day
sessions seeks to teach participants how to reduce minority contact with the juvenile justice system.
"The whole point was that disproportionality is not one system or agency's problem, it's everybody's
problem," Minot said. "Until you got everybody to the table ... you wouldn't be able to handle that
problem. That was the insight, the epiphany everybody had."
2
Officials at South East Junior High have seen reduced disproportionality this year, Michelle Cook said.
"It was not just about making the numbers look better because anybody can do that," Michelle Cook said.
"If we truly want to see the decline in disproportionality, then we truly need to see a reduction in the
disproportionality of the behaviors, not just the consequences."
Iowa City Police Sgt. Kevin Bailey, the former juvenile crime investigator who helped implement the
diversion program, said it's too early to tell if the anticipated overall decrease in Juvenile Court cases is a
result of the diversion program, different approaches to school discipline or something else. He said Gabe
Cook and others will continue to assess and change the program as they see fit.
"We've had growing pains," Bailey said. "This isn't `Kumbaya.' This is a work in progress."
Schools also have made their definitions of behaviors and consequences more consistent, Michelle Cook
said. And teachers and administrators are working on understanding cultural differences between
themselves and their students, which may factor into how they view students' behavior, said Joan
VandenBerg, the school district's youth and family development coordinator.
At South East, discipline referrals this school year were down 50 percent compared to the previous year,
Michelle Cook said. Including theft offenses in the diversion program could have a significant effect on
schools, VandenBerg said.
Michelle Cook and VandenBerg said they support the idea that discipline can be about teaching, not just
consequences.
"We kind of want to get to some of the underlying issues to address why this kid is reacting in this way,"
VandenBerg said. "Every kid, you have to do a little bit of detective work to understand exactly what's
going on with them."
Judge Minot said the Georgetown instructors told their group to have a long view on the program and
advised them it could be three to five years before they see significant changes. Still, she already is
excited about the early returns on the initiative.
"My personal feeling is, if we diverted one child of color and at the end of the year, there was one fewer
kid that has a juvenile record, then I think we're successful," she said. "If I find out ... that it was five or
10 or 13, then I'm going to be thrilled because we couldn't figure out how to do any of that before."
Page 1 of 4
From City Manager
Farmers and Cities Play the Water Pollution Blame Game �P4
BY: Daniel C. Vock I June 2015
Des Moines has a water problem. The source of the drinking water that's processed by the city's utility, which serves half
a million people, routinely has dangerous levels of nitrate, a colorless, odorless and tasteless form of nitrogen. In extreme
cases, nitrate -rich water can be fatally toxic for babies, depriving them of oxygen. So for the past several years, Des Moines
has been spending hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to filter nitrate from the Raccoon River, where it gets its
drinking water. The situation has grown so dire that the utility says it will soon need to build a new facility to comply with
federal pollution laws, at a cost of somewhere between $76 million and $184 million.
But to hear Bill Stowe tell it, the dirty water isn't really Des Moines' problem at all -- it's the problem of outlying rural
counties, where farmers apply nitrogen -heavy fertilizers to boost crop production. Stowe, the CEO of the area's water utility,
says he's tired of waiting for farmers to voluntarily reduce the amounts of nitrate they allow to seep into groundwater, and
he's tired of waiting for someone to police the farmers.
So he's suing them.
"Our stormwater systems, our sanitary sewers, our water systems are paying for pollution caused upstream by agricultural
producers," Stowe says. "That's not a situation we're going to allow to continue to go unchecked."
The lawsuit technically pits the Des Moines Water Works against 13 obscure agencies in three agricultural counties more
than 100 miles upstream from the city. But it carries great symbolic significance -- it challenges fundamental farming
practices in a state whose identity and reputation are linked inextricably with agriculture. It also exposes an urban -rural rift.
"Des Moines has declared war on rural Iowa," Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican in his sixth term, said as the utility geared
up for the court battle this winter. "Instead of filing a lawsuit, Des Moines should sit down with the farmers and people who
want to do something about it."
Stowe dismisses the idea of a regional conflict. "Clean water is no less necessary on farms and in small towns than it is in
cities and suburbs," he says. "The issue is more starkly industrial agriculture versus the rest of Iowa. The endgame here is
agricultural accountability for water quality in this state. There's not another business that could put ... a pipe into a water of
the state and not be regulated."
The suit claims that water polluted by fertilizer should be regulated under the same federal rules that govern water
discharged from factories and sewage treatment plants. It's forcing Iowans to confront the long -neglected and sometimes
painful problem of how to clean up their rivers without choking off the lifeblood of the state's economy. It's part of a bigger
discussion about Iowa's farming history and what the state wants to be in the future.
Similar conversations are taking place in other states as well. This spring, Ohio lawmakers cracked down on farming
practices (such as spreading manure on frozen fields) that harm waterways, after a Lake Erie algae bloom shut down
Toledo's water supply for two days last August. In Maryland and other Mid -Atlantic states, efforts to clean up the
Chesapeake Bay have increasingly focused on stormwater runoff in communities far upstream from the bay.
In Iowa, the lawsuit takes issue with the technology that makes much of the state farmable to begin with. Iowa today has
some of the nation's most fertile farmland, and, with some plots going for more than $10,000 an acre, some of the most
valuable. But it wasn't always so. A century ago, much of Iowa was marshy swampland.
The first white settlers in the "prairie pothole" region north of Des Moines, where the Raccoon River originates, thought the
vast expanses of flat land were worthless; they settled along streams or on drier ground instead. But soon area residents
discovered that by adding drainage pipes four to five feet underground, the swampland could be made incredibly fertile.
So they installed underground plumbing systems to carry water away, and their farms flourished. As the practice became
more popular, farmers needed a way to move the drained water off their property and into streams and rivers. In 1908,
voters amended the Iowa Constitution to specifically allow farmers to band together and create "drainage districts" to build
those ditches and drains. Heavy machinery made installing drainage systems easier, and farmers continue to install drains
even today. They are used extensively for corn and soybean fields in the Raccoon River watershed, and are common on 40
percent of the farmland in Midwestern states between Iowa and Ohio.
"Sac County would be a mosquito haven but for drainage districts, because there'd be standing water everywhere," says
Colin McCullough, an attorney who, like his father before him, focuses on drainage issues. McCullough is representing Sac
County's supervisors, who were sued by the Des Moines utility in their capacity as trustees for drainage districts in the area.
Just defending the case could put a huge financial strain on the resources of the county, which has only 10,000 residents. In
fact, all the defendants will likely have to hire lawyers from Des Moines and Washington, D.C., but Sac County's insurance
company so far has refused to cover the costs of the suit.
http://www.governing.com/templates/gov_print article?id=304453691 6/4/2015
Page 2 of 4
Des Moines Water Works CEO Bill Stowe: "Clean water is no less necessary on farms and in small towns than it is in cities and
suburbs. " (Ryan Donnell)
Drainage districts are essentially agreements among neighbors to build, maintain or upgrade infrastructure to move water
away from the fields. Residents decide whether to start one, and the costs are paid for entirely by landowners in the district.
A supermajority of those landowners can block projects entirely. In fact, drainage districts themselves cannot do much but
build drainage facilities. They don't have the authority, for example, to adopt conservation measures. While county
supervisors are caretakers of the drainage districts, they actually have little say in what those districts do and rarely spend
much time overseeing them.
There are 3,000 drainage districts across the Iowa prairie; as governments go, they are tiny. But the drainage districts are
the key to Des Moines Water Works' unique claim that water coming from farmlands can be regulated under the federal
Clean Water Act, which focuses most of its enforcement on "point source" pollution, typically liquid flowing out of a pipe into
a body of water. The law specifically exempts "agricultural runoff' from regulation. While it is a clear concession to a
powerful lobby in Congress, the agricultural exemption also makes some regulatory sense. It's not hard to imagine the
complexities of regulators trying to pinpoint pollution to specific corn or soybean fields.
A central question in the Des Moines lawsuit is whether the water carried by the drainage districts is actually "agricultural
runoff." The utility says no, because it's not surface water. It isn't rainwater that rolls downhill into a stream; it is water that
trickles through the soil before the drains siphon it off. The Des Moines Water Works considers it contaminated groundwater
that, when it enters streams and rivers, should be treated as point source pollution.
It's the drains, in the Des Moines utility's view, that are responsible for the high nitrate levels. Nitrogen is naturally filtered
through soil and taken up by plants. That is, of course, why farmers apply nitrogen -heavy fertilizers in the first place. But the
drainage pipes short-circuit that process, says Stowe, the utility's CEO. The pipes, he says, "falsely interrupt the
groundwater system and bring it to a higher quantity and lower quality."
At its heart, the lawsuit raises a novel legal claim. "The surprising thing is that this issue has never been litigated," says
Drake University professor Neil Hamilton, who heads the Des Moines school's Agricultural Law Center.
It is also clear, Hamilton says, that the Des Moines utility strategically selected its defendants so the focus of the suit would
be squarely on agriculture. All of the drainage districts it sued are in sparsely populated areas, where farms are the only
plausible source of nitrate pollution and public data show high levels of nitrates in the water. That rules out other sources of
nitrate contamination that are more common in urban and suburban areas. The move "nullifies the goose poop and golf
course arguments" that have sometimes been used to deflect responsibility from agriculture's role in producing the
pollutants, Hamilton says.
The drainage districts have plenty of legal defenses. There's a threshold question of whether they can be held liable under
Iowa law at all. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled three years ago that drainage districts cannot be sued for money damages;
they can only be sued to compel them to keep up their systems. The districts also will point to legislative history purporting
to show that Congress meant to include drainage districts under the agriculture protections in the Clean Water Act.
The free pass that the agriculture industry gets under federal environmental laws can breed resentment even in a farm
state like Iowa. While ignoring the nitrogen and phosphorus that wash off farm fields and into rivers, federal regulators keep
close watch on the water flowing from city sewer pipes or water treatment plants into those same rivers. In fact, the
Environmental Protection Agency has been tightening the screws on municipal water systems under the Clean Water Act,
often requiring improvements costing billions of dollars.
In many areas, though, farm runoff is harming the environment more than city waste. For example, the chemicals
responsible for creating the Gulf of Mexico "dead zone," where most marine life cannot survive, come largely from
agricultural sources. Midwest corn and soybean fields, such as those upstream from Des Moines, account for a quarter of
the phosphorus and more than half of the nitrogen that enters the Gulf. By comparison, urban areas contribute 12 percent of
the phosphorus and 9 percent of the nitrogen that runs into it.
It is particularly frustrating, says Pat Sinicropi of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, because reducing a
pollutant such as nitrogen or phosphorus is much cheaper in the field than in a treatment plant. In the Chesapeake Bay
watershed, for example, one study found that it would cost farmers $1.50 to $22 per pound to reduce nitrogen in the water.
For wastewater utilities, the cost would be $15.80 to $47 per pound of nitrogen removed. For stormwater cleanup, the cost
would be more than $200 a pound.
Iowa farmers planted more than 300,000 acres of cover crops in 2013. Experts say this reduces nitrate leaving farm fields by 31
percent. (Joe Murphy, Iowa Soybean Association)
http://www.governing.com/templates/gov—Print article?id=304453691 6/4/2015
Page 3 of 4
The federal government also keeps a close eye on drinking water agencies, many of which, like the Des Moines Water
Works, use rivers as their supply. Those utilities must comply with regulations under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
That scrutiny is what spurred the Des Moines utility to build a special $4.1 million treatment unit to remove nitrates in 1991.
Nitrates dissolve in water and are difficult to remove. The process Des Moines uses to do so is messy, because it creates a
corrosive salt slurry. It's expensive, costing $7,000 a day. And it's outdated, because better processes have been
developed in the quarter-century since Des Moines built its existing facility.
But Des Moines is using the nitrate -removal process more and more often. In the first decade after the treatment unit was
built, the city used it, on average, about 50 days a year. Recently, though, nitrate levels in the incoming water have been so
high that Des Moines has been breaking its own records for consecutive days with the unit operating. Due in part to extreme
weather, the Des Moines Water Works took in more nitrate in a single week in the summer of 2013 than it had the entire
previous year, which cost the agency more than $500,000. Since then, nitrate levels have remained stubbornly high. This
winter, the water agency had to keep its unit running for 96 days, the longest ever for that season.
When Branstad, Iowa's governor, said Des Moines should work more closely with farmers to reduce pollution, he
probably imagined something like what Cedar Rapids is doing.
In the same week that Des Moines filed its lawsuit, Cedar Rapids, Iowa's second-largest city, announced that it had
received $2 million in federal money to work with 15 local groups to encourage farmers to find ways of curbing pollution. It's
a collaboration among some of the biggest players in Iowa agriculture, including state and county soil and conservation
districts, Iowa State University, and trade associations for pork, corn and soybean farmers.
That's how Steve Hershner, who is in charge of the drinking water, wastewater and trash collection in Cedar Rapids, ended
up on a bus tour of farms with 80 other people in March. The group explored several new ways to break down nitrate on
their own farms using natural processes. Farmers can plant winter -hardy plants during the offseason, ones that will continue
to break down nitrate after the main crops are harvested. They are also spreading water along the grassy banks of streams,
rather than piping it straight into the stream itself, so the grasses can process the nitrates.
One promising technology, known as "biodigesters," can help too. Biodigesters are essentially underground concrete
chambers filled with wood chips that mimic the work done by wetlands to convert nitrates into nitrogen gas, a harmless
substance that makes up most of the world's atmosphere. Water from pipes passes through the biodigesters, each of which
is about the size of a small basement. Microbes in the wood chips break down the nitrates before the water moves through.
But there are drawbacks. "Innovations like this are really expensive to construct and install, and they take some - - -
management," Hershner says. "It's not that you put it in and never think about it again."
Then there is the problem of scale. The federal grant will pay for demonstration projects, but that doesn't go very far. Roger
Wolf, who runs the environmental programs at the Iowa Soybean Association, says stemming the flow of nitrates
downstream would take somewhere around 180,000 biodigesters in Iowa; the soybean association, viewed as a leader in
the area, currently helps run 26.
Many activists believe farmers could reduce pollution by either using less fertilizer or using it in a more environmentally
friendly way, but Wolf says that won't be nearly enough to solve the problem. "You're not going to reach these goals by
tweaking fertilizer management," he says. "I think that's difficult for people to understand." A full solution of the nitrate
problem would require financial resources that neither the federal nor the state government seems ready to provide, plus
coordination among the state's 90,000 farmers, 300,000 landlords and 3,000 drainage districts.
The collaborative approach pioneered by Cedar Rapids may also be too late for Des Moines. Because of differences in its
geography, economy and water supply, Cedar Rapids can afford to be patient. In fact, Cedar Rapids has no system for
filtering nitrates from its drinking water, because it hasn't ever needed one. Its goal in working with farmers is to make sure it
won't ever have to build one.
But statewide, Des Moines' aggressive approach is winning in the court of public opinion. A February poll by The Des
Moines Register found 63 percent of Iowans backed the utility as it prepared its lawsuit. Support was strongest among
urban residents, but even in rural areas, residents were evenly split.
Hamilton, the Drake law professor, says the lawsuit highlights the public's growing frustration over water quality. "People are
saying this isn't a new issue," he says. "We've been dealing with water quality issues in Iowa for generations. I think it's fair
to say the public is growing weary of claims that all we need is more time and voluntary measures will get us there, because
there's no evidence to support that."
CORRECTION. A previous version of this article credited the third photo to Ryan Donnell. The photo was actually taken by
Joe Murphy.
http://www.governing.com/templates/gov_print article?id=304453691 6/4/2015
r �P5
®, CITY OF IOWA CITY
'- �V
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
June 3, 2015
TO:
Mayor and City Council
FROM:
Marian K. Karr, City Clerk
RE:
Iowa League of Cities Meeting
The 2015 Annual Conference for the League of Cities will be held September 23-25 in Cedar
Rapids. If you are interested in attending, I will be happy to handle your registration for you.
Please let me know as soon as you decide.
Attachment: Schedule of Events
U:l_eaguem eeting.doc
U,
1
OPEC
,
F
i
iowA� ;Iw`.www.iowaleague.o
LEAGUE`
OfCITIES -"�
J
U,
1
OPEC
,
F
i
iowA� ;Iw`.www.iowaleague.o
LEAGUE`
OfCITIES -"�
—► NEW!
Register to receive housing information.
Attendees are responsible for their own housing reserva-
tions and must submit a conference registration BEFORE
making a reservation within the League's room block at
any hotel.We recommend registering for conference and
making hotel reservations early because rooms are limited
and may fill before the room blocks close on August 23.
Only city officials who are registered for conference
and their guests will be allowed in our block.To ensure
delegates receive a room in nearby hotels, we ask that
attendees respect our policy and not share housing
information with non -registered city officials or vendors.
After registering online, you will receive a receipt, fol-
lowed by a separate email containing housing and other
pertinent registration information.
Registration Add -Ons
Networking Best Ball Tournament
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. I Pre -Register
Connect on the green with city officials and exhibitors.
Shotgun start begins at 10 a.m. with registration open-
ing at 9 a.m. Groupings are done by handicap, and the
$85 registration fee includes greens frees, shared cart,
lunch and prizes. Flight winners will be announced at
the Welcome Reception later that evening, pin winners
will be announced at the course after the round.
Annual SK Run/Walk
Thursday, Sept.24, 7 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. I Pre -Register
Start your day with a fun 5K run or walk around Cedar
Rapids. Anyone is welcome to join, but attendees who
register before August 21 will recieve a free shirt. A light
breakfast will follow the free event.
Ride CR Bike Tour _
Wednesday, Sept.23, 10:30 a.m. - noon I Pre -Register
BYOB -Bring Your Own Bike (& helmet) and join the city
of Cedar Rapids and the Corridor Metropolitan Planning
Organization on a bike ride through the heart of the city.
Starting at the recently renovated NewBo City Market
the metro's multimodal transportation planner will
guide you through three of Cedar Rapids' most dynamic
neighborhoods. Stops will include Downtown Cedar
Rapids, Czech Village and the NewBo neighborhood.
In total the ride will traverse just over 5 miles at a leisure-
ly pace through the city's core; cyclists of all levels are
welcome. More information is available at
www.iowaleague.org. Space is limited, so register early.
2 1 Iowa Leaaue of Cities Annual Conference & Exhibit
' orkshops
How Alternative Fuel Vehicles are •
Changing the Way Cities Get the Job Done
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. I Pre -Register
This workshop offers attendees a chance to discov-
er how cities can use alternative fuel vehicles and a
chance to see different types up close. Alternative fuel
vehicles offer cities a way to operate more efficiently
and gain stability over fuel costs, while also being
better for the environment and promoting green prac-
tices in the community. However, selecting the right
type of vehicle for your city may present challenges as
each city may have different needs for their own fleet.
Learn about the various alternative fuel vehicles used
to perform city services and then hop on the bus to
check them out and see a demonstration.
The Dramatic Recovery of Cedar Rapids' •
City Facilities After Historic Flood
Thursday, Sept. 24, 8 - 11:45 a.m. I Pre
Since the historic flood of 2008, Cedar Rapids has
replaced or renovated more than $200 million in city
facilities, including City Hall, Central Fire Station, Police
Station, Public Works, Public Library and Paramount
Theatre.This workshop will share the city's facility
recovery story that spans a variety of buildings - from
a $5 million Animal Care & Control facility to a $45 mil-
lion public library and everything in between.Various
complexities will be explored, including local, state and
federal funding mechanisms. Attendees will also hear
about design, construction, sustainability and end-user
experiences, including how the buildings serve the
public. A driving tour of the buildings will include sev-
eral stops so attendees can take a look inside.
® This is just a glimpse of everything the event offers.
Visit www.iowateague.org
for up-to-date information.
CEUs Available
Receive certification hours for the Iowa Municipal
Finance Officer's Association (IMFOA) Certification
Program when you attend. Specific workshops may
qualify for Continuing Legal Education. Check our Web
site for updates.
Register first to receive housing information.
Ride CR Bike Tour.
(Don't forget your bike and helmet!)
e sure to visit the Newbo City Market
wring a Mobile Workshop er the
ide CR Bike Tour.,
tisit the National Czech & Slovak
Auseum & Library during the
'resident's Reception.
—i Mobile Workshops (continued)
Putting Down Roots - A Comprehensive Housing
Strategy in Cedar Rapids
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. I F're Register
The 2008 flood in Cedar Rapids had a dramatic effect on housing and
neighborhoods. With flood waters reaching well beyond the 100 -year
and 500 -year flood plain, over 5,100 residential parcels were impacted
and over 1,300 parcels were ultimately acquired and demolished as part
of a Voluntary Acquisition Program.The removal of so many homes only
exacerbated a shortage of affordable and workforce housing that the city
had been working to remedy before the flood. As a result, the city has im-
plemented a comprehensive approach to replacing housing and restoring
neighborhood vitality, which will result in the creation of over 1,700 new
housing units by 2016. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to
tour a variety of housing improvement projects and learn about the fund-
ing strategies and approach to public input that have made the housing
recovery a success in Cedar Rapids.
Tour of Flood Protection and Greenway Improvements in 0
Cedar Rapids
Thursday, Sept. 24,330 - 4:30 p.m. I Pre -Register
On June 13, 2008, the Cedar River crested to its highest level in Cedar
Rapids history, 31.12 feet.The previous record reached only 20 feet.The
flood waters penetrated 10 square miles or 14 percent of the city, impact-
ing thousands of homes, businesses and city facilities. As a result,the city
has made huge strides in its recovery efforts as well as planning for a flood a
control system of levees, floodwalls, gates and pump stations to protect
the city. In addition, the city has enhanced the Cedar Rapids Greenway, a
collection of riverfront parks totaling 130 -acres on the west shore of the
Cedar River comprised of previously existing park properties and prop-
erties acquired by the city.The park enhancements will encompass the
city's flood protection system while introducing both natural/passive
landscapes and active recreational assets to increase the vitality of this
area, serve as a landmark destination for the city, and provide connectivity
for the length of the river from the north end of the Time Check neighbor-
hood to the south end of Czech Village.
• Advanced Planned with the seasoned city official in mind.
• City Clerk --o- The needs of city clerks were on our mind when we
planned this event.
•Economic ---i Information contains an economic
Development development angle. O
• Interactive ---p- Includes a topic overview and lots of time for .�
you to contribute content.
• Mobile —> An off-site workshop or event for which the 3..
League provides transportation. Q
Small City--- 0- Suggested workshops for delegates from small cities.
Register online at www.iowaleague.org
Wednesday, Sept. 23
Networking Best Ball Tournament 110 a.m. - 3.30 p.m.
Pre -Register (Learn more in the add-ons section)
Ride CR Bike Tour 11030 a.m., noon I Pre -Register
(Learn more in the add-ons section)
Workshops 11:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Running Water
A wide-ranging discussion on utility and environmental
topics important to city officials: maintaining a viable
drinking water system; asset management for wells,
towers and meters; wastewater best practices and
emerging issues; and effective stormwater quality
practices. Utility experts will provide information on laws
and best management practices.
Strategies for an Active and Engaged Community
This workshop will focus on three components of citizen
engagement that cities can use to bolster their efforts
and improve how they connect with their community:
Part I: Drones, Skyping and Twitter ... Oh My!; Part II: Put
the Spotlight on Citizens for Long Term Success; Part III:
Branding Your City:The First Step in Marketing Success.
First -Timer Orientation 14.45 - 5.45 p.m.
Meet other new conference attendees as you learn more
about what to expect and how to get the most out of
the conference. Veteran attendees are also welcome.
Red Carpet Event 14:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Enjoy classic rock and blues with Cedar Rapids Mayor
Ron Corbett and his band, Crankshaft, before the red -
carpet Exhibit Hall opens.
Welcome Reception & Exhibit Hall 1530 - 8 p.m.
Dress in your Hollywood best, and join us for an evening
of glitter, glam and glitz. We'll roll out the red carpet
Wednesday evening as the spotlight is on exhibitors. See
what companies and organizations are offering and how
they can help your city become a star.
--. Thursday, Sept. 24
Annual 5K Run/Walk 17- 8.30 a.m. I Pre -Register •
(Learn more in the add-ons section)
Workshops 18:30 - 9.30 a.m.
Credit Outlook for Iowa Local Governments •
Many local governments use rating agencies to assess
their credit worthiness when issuing debt. Learn what
criteria is considered and what you can expect during
the credit rating process. Also hear about Moody's credit
outlook for local governments in Iowa and the nation.
4 1 Iowa League of Cities Annual Conference & Exhibit
Hire Hard/Manage Easy -Tips for Getting the Best
Employees •
Learn recruitment strategies that can be used by local
government officials to hire and retain the best people
for positions. All cities will need to recruit for positions
at some time, learn best practices and practical advice
on the ever changing recruitment process.
Hometown Pride: Rolling Out the Red Carpet for
Your Community
The Hometown Pride program, offered through Keep
Iowa Beautiful, focuses on empowering citizens and
improving the quality of life in Iowa's communities.
We'll explain the role of the community coach and
review program methods, technical and funding
assistance, leadership development strategies and
case studies of current cities in the program.
I'm in Charge of What? 0
City officials have a wide range of duties, some they
may not have thought of until it pops on their radar.
This workshop will provide a guide to workplace safety
for small cities, including how elected officials can
understand their responsibilities in managing a safe
workplace. Hear strategies on how to improve the safe-
ty of your city and foster a healthier, happier and more
productive workforce.
Public -Private Partnerships: An Approach to
Economic Development and Meeting Growing
Public Infrastructure and Service Needs
Public -Private Partnerships, or P3s, have emerged as an
effective way to offer services in an efficient
manner, utilizing the financial and other resources
of the private sector. However, P3 arrangements are
often misunderstood, surrounded by misinformation
and misperceptions.This workshop will provide an
overview and the legal framework of P3s, including an
explanation of how to use P3s as tools to support
economic development and public infrastructure
efforts.
The"Process"of Balancing the City Budget
Since the state legislature implemented significant
changes to the ability of cities to generate property tax
revenues, city officials are experiencing an ever-
increasing challenge in balancing their budgets. This
session will demonstrate a proven method to balance the
budget using a straightforward and inclusive
process that can be easily duplicated in your community.
Find the Workshop Key on page
Threats to Trees and Tree Management
Trees Forever and the Iowa DNR Forestry Bureau will provide a primer on
how trees function as important components of a city's infrastructure and
what threatens them. Presenters will discuss practices and policies that
mitigate the impacts of these threats, and funding and resources available
for planting and caring for trees and woodlands.
Exhibit Hall Open 9:15 - 10:55 a.m.
Enjoy your morning coffee and pastry while talking with exhibitors and
peers in the Exhibit Hall.Take advantage of the last chance to connect with
a vendor.
Workshops 10:45 - 11:45 a.m. z
Reslient Cities
In order to remain healthy, vibrant, safe and economically competitive cities ;
must be able to anticipate and adapt to all types of change. Resilient
communities recover faster and better from natural disasters and other j
challenges. Learn from past challenges then bounce back faster while
being more prepared for the next challenge.
Connecting the MoneFederal to State to Development on Iowa
Brownfield Property
This interactive workshop will demonstrate how a city wins federal Brown-
field grant funding, addresses environmental issues and then leverages the
technical results into tangible dollars used by developers as Iowa Brown-
field tax credits. Included will be a "walking, talking re-enactment"of a city
case study.
Developing and Maintaining Effective Working Relationships •
How effective city officials are at building and maintaining positive
relationships largely defines the success of our cities in the short and long-
term. Learn how to reduce conflict and strengthen workplace relationships
while also sharing your stories and advice.
S `
P r It's Not Just for Kids and Geeks: Legal Aspects of Municipal
Social Networking
w While the use of social media has several advantages in increasing
transparency and greater citizen participation, it also creates a number of
potential pitfalls for cities which could lead to First Amendment violations
or violations of Iowa's Open Records and/or Opening Meeting Iaws.To
make matters worse, as employers, social media exposes cities to a number
lublic Library and of legal claims by employees, such as constitutional claims, discrimination
eatre since the claims and claims under the Iowa Public Employee Relations Act.This
presentation will identify these unique issues and provide guidance on how
to navigate this area of the law.
Paving for Progress
This workshop will illustrate how the city of Cedar Rapids created a
pavement management plan for street improvements.The program used
pavement data to make more informed decisions on where to focus
resources. Regardless of the size of your city, this presentation will outline
the importance of prioritizing projects and engaging the public in
pavement management.
Register online at www.iowaleague.org
Thursday, Sept. 24 (continued)
Workshops 110.45 - 11:45 a.m. (continued)
The Latest on Iowa's Property Tax System
Changes made to Iowa's property tax system during the
2013 legislative session continue to roll out and impact
city budgets. Get the latest on the property tax sysetm
and how to best prepare for the future.
TIF and Economic Development Workshop 0
Always a popular topic, tax increment financing and
other tools play a key role in economic development
efforts.This session will provide guidance on how to
effectively use such tools in your community.
Opening Luncheon I noon - 2 p.m.
Recharge and refuel over Iunch.Watch League Weekly
and www.iowaleague.org for keynote speaker and
programing announcements.
Workshops 2:15 - 3:15 P.M.
411 Summit
An opportunity for cities that are members of the
Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System of Iowa
(MFPRSI) to obtain up-to-date information on legislation,
system investments and future contribution rates.
Below 100
Below 100 is a nationwide effort to provide training
and guidance on improving the safety of police officers
through the reduction and elimination of preventable
deaths and injuries.The goal of the program is to reduce
line of duty police officer deaths below 100 in a year.
While focused on police officers, this training is relevant
for all city officials as it offers ways to improve basic
safety procedures and create a culture of protecting
employees.
Innovative Parks and Recreation Programs •
This interactive session will feature examples of how
different cities have implemented innovative parks and
recreation programs and offers attendees the chance to
share their city's accomplishments and challenges.
The Life Cycle of a Capital Project •
Learn how your city can include life cycle costs in
planning efforts, including a cast study of Grimes'water
and wastewater improvements.
Secure and Friendly Environments for Cedar Rapids
(SAFE -CR) Overview and Implementation
Despite the best efforts of city officials, some nuisance
properties remain a challenge to remedy.The SAFE -CR
program was developed to not only address nuisance
issues through traditional methods, but also encour-
age a higher quality of life by preserving property val-
ues and control the costs of tax payer -funded services
such as police, fire and property code enforcement.
Hear how the program works through nuisance issues
provides rental business training for property owners
and governs mandatory tenant background checks.
6 1 Iowa League of Cities Annual Conference & Exhibit
The Art of Downtown Placemaking
Integrating art into the public environment can have a
significant impact in developing a downtown's sense
of place while also serving as an economic develop-
ment driver. Hear stories of how cities can include art
in their development plans, including replicating terra
cotta on historic buildings, blending art in streetscapes
and fabricating major installations that reflect the
culture and history of a community.
Workshops 3:30-4:30p.m.
Nuisance Abatement - Keeping Your City Clean 40
Learn how cities address junked cars, weeds, danger-
ous structures and other unsightly or hazardous con-
ditions.The workshop will focus on the development
of a strong nuisance ordinance and how to work with
property owners.
Capital Improvement Plans: Providing a Blueprint
for the Community
This workshop will discuss how a Capital Improve-
ment Plan (CIP) will help put a city's Comprehensive
Plan into action through the budgeting process. Learn
how a CIP can reduce duplicate efforts and how a CIP
can be used to inform the public of future needs and
projects. Former and current city officials share stories
on the most effective strategies and how to avoid
common mistakes.
Estimating Long -Term Financial Impacts Resulting
from New Development
An important part of determining if a proposed devel-
opment is a good opportunity for a community is to
understand the development's direct long-term fiscal
impact on the city. Learn about the basic premises and
assumptions used in projecting these impacts.
Find the Workshop Key on page 3.
Handling Major Liability Issues
Changing the Face of Downtown
Cities and city officials face a wide
The Iowa Economic Development Authority's Downtown Resource Center
variety of liability issues and must be
assists communities around the state in revitalizing their downtown and
aware of evolving trends in litigation
commercial districts. Learn the latest trends and hear an overview of state
related to personnel matters and city
programs designed to assist cities.
operations.This session will highlight
areas where there has been con-
Improving the Implementation of Public Improvement Projects
siderable litigation in recent years,
The perception of a project's success can vary greatly between elected
allowing your city to deal with issues
officials, staff and the public. How cities deal with project concerns often de -
before they become costly.
termines the degree with which the public views your projects as a success.
This workshop will detail steps that cities can take to ensure project success
Lessons Learned from Elkader's
in the eyes of all stakeholders.
Flood Recovery and
Redevelopment •
Making Effective Decisions Using Data
The city of Elkader experienced
Several obstacles make it difficult to use data to make effective decisions.
record flooding in 2008. In response,
Learn how you can use an Iowa State University web -tool to easily access
the city developed a planning pro-
complex up-to-date data when discussing issues impacting the city - this
cess to transition the flood -impacted
includes both financial, economic development, quality of life and health of
area into significant amenities for the
residents.='
community. Learn how communities
r j ::,ur rf -s
can follow a similar process to rede-
Much Ado about TIF'ing
velop areas in need of infrastructure
Tax increment financing (TIF) is a valuable tool for many cities in helping
and recreational improvements.
spur development in the community. However, there is sometimes debate
over when the tool should be used and how many city resources should be
Awards Banquet 16 -8 p.m.
invested in related projects.This interactive workshop will give attendees
And the award goes to ... Cities! Enjoy
the chance to share their experiences in using TIF and some of the obsta-
a banquet buffet followed by the
cles they have met.
presentation of the League's annu-
al All-Star Community Awards, the
Using State Bids to Maximize Your Purchasing Power
Legislative Service Awards and other
Cities and other governments can use bids awarded by the Department
special honors.
of Administrative Services (State bids) to purchase many items. Potentially
save money when you learn how you can make it work in your community.
President's Reception 18 - 10 p.m.
Join colleagues and friends at the
Annual Business Meeting 19.15 - 10 a.m.
National Czech & Slovak Museum &
Voting delegates from member cities vote on business items, including the
Library for this special event to thank
approval of the new League Executive Board members and the League's
League President and Creston Mayor
legislative priorites. All are encouraged to attend.
Warren Woods for his service.
Workshop 19.15- 10 a.m.
.
Effectively Managing Public Records Requests •
--► Friday, Sept. 25
Cities create and possess an incredible amount of records, many of which
Workshops 18 - 9 a.m.
are open for public review.This session will focus on the mechanics of how
Are Your Parks and Playgrounds
cities should handle public records requests, including setting reasonable
fees for retrieval and copies, compliance deadlines, working with the public
Safe?
and handling large requests from unknown parties.
Given the popularity of parks and
playgrounds, it's important that cities
Closing Brunch 110- 11:45 a.m.
ensure they are safe and properly in-
sured.This workshop will detail some
Enjoy a brunch buffet with the newly -elected League Board President.
Watch www.iowaleague.org and League Weekly for the announcement of
of the common types of exposures
the keynote speaker.
cities have with parks and play-
grounds and what should be done to
correct them.
Register online at www.lowaleague.org
September 23-25, 2015 -- 1
ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBIT
Organization/City
Name (as to appear on name badge)
Title
Street Address
City State Zip
Phone
Email Address
O 1 am a first-time attendee
O 1 am new to city government
O Guest Registratio; -, - MSG
Allows a spouse/significant other and child(ren) to attend
non -ticketed conference sessions and gain access to the Exhibit
Hall. Registered guests receive access to the Exhibit Hall for
Wednesday night's Welcome Reception and Thursday morning,
a ticket to the Closing Brunch and a complimentary conference
bag. Registered guests may also sign-up to golf or participate in
the Run/Walk or Bike Tour. Guests cannot be city officials.
Guest name (as to appear on name badge)
O $85 -Networking Best Ball Tournament
(pre -register) Handicap:
O $35 -Thursday Opening Luncheon
O $60 -Thursday Banquet & President's Reception
■
Registration Fees
The conference fee includes admission to all general ses-
sions,workshops and meal functions on the conference
agenda. Please contact Shannon Busby at (515) 244-7282
for accessibility or dietary accommodations.
League member
Non -League member
Through Aug.20 After Aug. 20
O $195 I O $250
O $320 O $365
Requires Pre -Registration
O $85 - Networking Best Ball Tournament
Wednesday, Sept. 23 10 a.m. Shotgun Start I Jones Golf Club
Handicap:
O Free -Ride CR Bike Tour
Wednesday, Sept. 23 10:30 a.m.- noon
Bring your bike and helmet
O Free -Annual SKRun/Walk
Thursday, Sept. 25 17 a.m.
Register before August 21 to receive a shirt.
I plan to 0 Run O Walk
T-shirt size O S O M O L O XL O XXL
Mobile Workshops
o How Alternative Fuel Vehicles are Changing the Way
Cities Get the Job
Wednesday, Sept. 23 1 1:30 p.m. -4:30 p.m.
o The Dramatic Recovery of Cedar Rapids'City Facilities
After Historic Flood
Thursday, Sept. 24 18 -11:45 a.m.
O Putting Down Roots - A Comprehensive Housing Strategy
in Cedar Rapids
Thursday, Sept. 2412:75 - 3:15 p.m.
0Tour of Flood Protection and Greenway Improvements
in Cedar Rapids
Thursday, Sept. 24 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Total amount enclosed
Each attendee must fill out a separate form. Registration will not be processed wilt)
out payment. Ali cancellations must be received in writing by Sept. 7. Cancellations
after Sept. 1 are subject to a $50 administration fee. No refunds after Sept. 14. No
refunds will be made to no-shows. credit card payment available only online.
ofCITIES Mail form & payment to:lowa League of Cities, 500 SW 7th St, Suite 101, Des Moines, IA50309
8 1 Iowa League of Cities Annual Conference & Exhibit
06-04-1
�•'-r® CITY OF IOWA CITY 1P6
MEMORANDUM
Date: June 3, 2015
To: Tom Markus, City Manager
From: Steven J. Rackis, Housing Administrator
Re: Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Veterans Affairs
Supportive Housing Assistance (VASH) program.
Introduction:
Since 2008, the Iowa City housing Authority and the Iowa City VA Medical Center have
partnered in the HUD-VASH program to pair housing for at -risk veterans and veteran families
with supportive services. Our current allocation supports 67 rental assistance vouchers.
On May 26, 2015, the Housing Authority was contacted by HUD to determine whether or not we
would be interested in administering an additional 10 vouchers.
History/Background:
Seventy-five million dollars was included in HUD's FY 2008 Appropriations for the voucher
assistance portion of the HUD-VASH program. The Iowa City Housing Authority administers the
housing assistance portion of the HUD-VASH program. Ongoing VA case management, health
and other supportive services is made available to homeless veterans in the Iowa City/Cedar
Rapids Corridor through the Iowa City VA Medical Center. In order to participate in the program,
the Veteran must commit to the VA's 5 -year case management program, be income eligible,
and not subject to any lifetime sex offender registry. Following is the historical timeline of
HUD/VASH allocations:
February 2008
35 vouchers
May 2013
15 vouchers
October 2014
7 vouchers
April 2015
10 vouchers
Discussion:
In October 2012, the HUD-VASH program implemented the Housing First concept for the
delivery of services. Housing First places permanent housing with supports at the foundation
for success and stability, including better access and outcomes with treatment services. The
Housing First model minimizes barriers to recovery and focuses on access, rapid engagement,
and then sustainment of community-based permanent housing. That means that Veterans can
move from the streets or shelters directly into permanent housing as quickly and safely as
possible. Housing First helps VA focus HUD-VASH on Veterans experiencing the most
significant challenges to housing stability, including chronic homelessness, severe mental
illness, and other significant barriers.
Recommendation:
Therefore, as you have directed, staff will apply for the additional 10 HUD-VASH vouchers. If
the funding is approved by HUD, then the City Council will need to consider whether or not to
accept the HUD-VASH vouchers.
From: Tom Markus
Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2015 8:12 AM
To: Marian Karr
Subject: FW: ICPD and ICCSD Collaboration
For the info packet please.
From: Joan VandenBerg [mailto:VandenBerg.Joan@iowacityschools.org]
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2015 6:02 PM
To: Sam Hargadine
Cc: Stephen Murley; Susie Poulton; Tom Markus
Subject: ICPD and ICCSD Collaboration
Dear Chief Hargadine,
With our school year coming to a close, I want to thank you for your support for our collaboration. The police
departments really had to do the heavy lifting for the new diversion program. It was great that Iowa City PD
took such a strong leadership role and is willing to consider expanding to other misdemeanors in the
future. Kevin Bailey has been a great resource to our building administrators. He will be missed and we want
to make sure that we have a plan moving forward. We are very excited to work with Gabe Cook and plan to
have him come to our Core Management Team in June to help with the transition. Gabe has a lot of great ideas
and I think could be a good resource for many issues.
Thanks again for your support!
We look forward to continuing our partnership next year.
Joan Vanden Berg,
Youth and Family Development Coordinator
Iowa City Community School District
(319) 688-1015
NOTICE: All email communications to and from the District's email server are archived in accordance with District policy and procedures. This email
communication, including attachments, contains information which may be confidential and/or legally privileged, and may otherwise be exempt from disclosure
under applicable law. The information is intended solely for the use of the addressee. If you are not the intended recipient or believe you received this
communication in error, please reply to the sender indicating that fact and delete the copy you received. In addition, if you are not the intended recipient or believe
you received this communication in error, any unauthorized retention, copying, disclosure, distribution, or other use of the information is strictly prohibited. Thank
you.
Reply to letter received # 3f(7) of June 2 meeting
IP8
410 E. WASHINGTON
IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240
PH: 319-356-5275
FAX: 319-356-5449
Mr. David Freeman
1410 Wetherby Drive
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear Mr. Freeman,
Thank you for the correspondence regarding concerns about Wetherby Park.
Like many communities, Iowa City typically experiences an increase in calls for service pertaining to
juveniles who are out of school and do not have the pressures of homework, sports, or other school
related activities occupying their time. With more dispensable time, it is not uncommon that some
juveniles may turn to activity that affects the quality of life of others.
Recently a neighborhood grant was awarded that will allow officers to work overtime in the Grantwood
and Wetherby Neighborhoods on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Officers assigned to this
detail will be briefed on the concerns that have been expressed to the City.
The police department will employ the following strategies to improve conditions at the park:
- Partnering with social services agencies in the area such as the Broadway Neighborhood Center
and the Dream Center along with community members in the neighborhood to assist us with
addressing concerns.
Increased patrol by on duty officers.
Notification of parents for juveniles that are found in violation of minor offenses.
If appropriate, referrals to the juvenile diversion program.
If appropriate, arrest and charging juveniles for serious offenses.
I am confident that with everyone working together we can successfully address the concerns that have
been brought forward. Please continue to share your feedback and observations with the police
department. For issues needing immediate attention please dial 911. For more general questions,
comments and observations I encourage you to contact Neighborhood Response Officer Rob Cash or
Crime Prevention Officer Al Mebus at (319) 356-5273.
Sincerely,
Samuel E, H�gadin
Chief of Police
Reply to letter received #3f(7) of June 2 agenda
410 E. WASHINGTON
IOWA CITY, IOWA 52240
PH: 319-356-5275
FAX: 319-356-5449
Mr. David Robertson
2260 Balsam Court
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear Mr. Robertson,
Thank you for meeting with representatives from the City and your correspondence regarding your
concerns about Wetherby Park.
Like many communities, Iowa City typically experiences an increase in calls for service pertaining to
juveniles who are out of school and do not have the pressures of homework, sports, or other school
related activities occupying their time. With more dispensable time, it is not uncommon that some
juveniles may turn to activity that affects the quality of life of others.
Recently a neighborhood grant was awarded that will allow officers to work overtime in the Grantwood
and Wetherby Neighborhoods on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Officers assigned to this
detail will be briefed on the concerns that have been expressed to the City.
The police department will employ the following strategies to improve conditions at the park:
- Partnering with social services agencies in the area such as the Broadway Neighborhood Center
and the Dream Center along with community members in the neighborhood to assist us with
addressing concerns.
- Increased patrol by on duty officers.
- Notification of parents for juveniles that are found in violation of minor offenses.
If appropriate, referrals to the juvenile diversion program.
If appropriate, arrest and charging juveniles for serious offenses.
I am confident that with everyone working together we can successfully address the concerns that have
been brought forward. Please continue to share your feedback and observations with the police
department. For issues needing immediate attention please dial 911. For more general questions,
comments and observations I encourage you to contact Neighborhood Response Officer Rob Cash or
Crime Prevention Officer Al Mebus at (319) 356-5273.
Sincerely,
Samuel E. Barg ine
Chief of Police
Housing o rust Fund
Johnson County
Board ofDirectors
Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County
322 East Second Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
Email: tachcnbach@htfjc.org Website: www.htfjc.org
Office: 319.358.0212 Fax: 319.358.0053
Bob Dvorsky, President
State Senator, 15" District
Ellen Habel, President Elect
City of Coralville
Ron Mavrias, Secretary
Private Citizen NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
John Warren, Treasurer
Bergan Paulsen
Simon Andrew, City of Iowa
city HOUSING TRUST FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
Jerry Anthony, University of
Iowa, Urban & Regional Planning
Robert Brooks, Private CitiZen The Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County is currently offering $500,000 in funding to
Bob Burns, Burns & Burns, support the development and/or rehabilitation of housing provided to income -qualified
LC. households below 80% AMI. Of the available funding, $100,000 will be dedicated as
Crissy Canganelli, Shelter House grants for projects serving populations below 80% AMI that are able to utilize funding
MiKayla Crouch, US Bank before December 31, 2015. Eligible applicants include businesses, nonprofits, builders,
developers, and governmental agencies seeking funds for affordable owner -occupied,
Maryann Dennis, Ex -officio rental, transitional or emergency housing in Johnson County.
The Housing Fellowship
Kirsten Frey, Kennedy, Cruise, The application deadline is 3 p.m. on Friday, June 19th, 2015. An application, AMI
Fry and Gelner guidelines, and additional information may be found online at www.htfjjc.org or by
Steve Gordon, AM Management calling 319-358-0212.
Steve Long, HBK Engineering,
LI -C
Tracey Mulcahey, City of North
liberty
Phil O'Brien, L.epic Kroeger
Realtors
Scott Schroeder, MidWestOne
Bank
Rod Sullivan, Johnson County
Board of Supervisors
Larry Wilson, University Heights
Citizen
Staff
Tracey Achenbach,
Executive Director
Casey Cooper,
Operations Coordinator
�. CITY OF IOWA CITY IP10
mom-
MEMORANDUM
Date: June 4, 2015
To: Mayor and City Council Members
From: Marian K. Karr, City Clerk
Re: FY2016 Adopted Budget and FY2015-2017 Financial Plan
The adopted budget is available on the Finance Department City Website. A complete copy will
be distributed and permanently archived in the 6/5/15 information packet.
r
CITY OF IOWA CITY
M E MO RAN D U
Date: June 4, 2015
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Marian K. Karr, City Clerk Ra
Re: KXIC Radio Show
At your June 2nd work session, and follow-ups conversations, Council Members agreed to the
following schedule for the Wednesday 8AM radio show. At your request a complete summer
schedule is provided below.
Wednesday
June 10 —Payne
June 17 — Hayek
June 24 — Botchway
July 1 — Mims
July 8 — UISG Neal
July 15 — Mims
July 22 —
July 29 — Mims
August 5 — Mims
August 12 — Mims
August 19 — Mims
August 26 — Mims
In addition we are adding a 7:15 — 7:45 AM the first and third Friday of each month:
Friday
June 19 — Throgmorton
July 3 (pre-recorded 10 am 7/2) — Botchway
July 17 — Botchway
August 7 — Dobyns
August 21 — Mims
Future requests / commitments:
Wednesday
September 2 —
September 9 —
September 16 —
September 23 —
September 30 —
October 7 —
October 14 —
October 21 —
October 28 —
November 4 —
November 11 (pre-recorded 10am 11/10) —
November 18 —
November 25 —
December 2 —
June 5, 2015
Page 2
December 9 —
December 16 —
December 23 —
December 30 -
Frida
September 4 —
September 18 — Dobyns
October 2 — Dobyns
October 16 — Dobyns
November 6 — Dobyns
November 20 —
December 4 — Dobyns
December 18 —
** Please remember that KXIC is very flexible with taping the Wednesday sessions ahead
of the show. It is the intent of the Friday interviews to be live.
Uxadioshowappts.doc
06-04-15
IN I
Minutes Preliminary
Human Rights Commission
May 19, 2015 — 5:30 PM
Helling Conference Room
Members Present: Orville Townsend Sr, Kim Hanrahan, Joe D. Coulter, Paul Retish, Harry
Olmstead, Ali Ahmed, Shams Ghoneim.
Members Not Present: Stella Hart, Edie Pierce -Thomas.
Others Present: Len Sandler, Dale Helling, John Kinnaman.
Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers.
Recommendations to Council: No.
Call to Order:
Coulter called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Consideration of the Minutes from the April 21, 2015 Meeting Date:
Motion Hanrahan, seconded by Townsend. Motion passed 7-0.
New Business
Names of Awardsfor Breakfast
Sandler, Helling and Kinnaman requested for the Human Rights Commission to rename the
Lifetime Achievement Award the Heather Shank Lifetime Achievement Award. The reason for
the request is because Heather Shank, former Human Rights Coordinator, has and continues to
commit her life to Human Rights and has been a pioneer in the field. Townsend suggested that it
be renamed the Heather Shank Human Rights Lifetime Achievement Award so that future
recipients of the award know her contribution to the community. Heather Shank will also be a
recipient of the award at the Breakfast scheduled for October 28.
Motion Olmstead, seconded by Ghoneim. Motion passed 7-0.
Vendor Request 2015 Safe Summer Kick Off l (May 28 and May 29)
The Commission will participate in this event being held at two locations Wetherby (May 28) and
Pheasant Ridge (May 29). There is no fee to participate in these events. The Commission will provide
financial support for both events in the amount of $50 each.
Motion Hanrahan, seconded by Olmstead. Motion passed 7-0.
Vendor Request for Juneteenth Celebration (June 27)
The Commission will participate in this event being held at the Robert A. Lee Recreational Center.
Motion Olmstead, seconded by Townsend. Motion passed 7-0.
Participation Request Coralville 4` "Fest Parade (July 4)
Commissioners choose not to participate in this event.
Vendor Request for Johnson County Americans with Disabilities Act Celebration (July 25)
Ghoneim will staff the Commission table for an hour at this event and Olmstead who is participating in
several of the activities at the event will assist when time allows. The cost to participate is $25.
Motion Townsend, seconded by Hanrahan. Motion passed 7-0.
The Commission chose to support and partner with this celebration by helping to spread the word and
advertise.
Motion Hanrahan, seconded by Retish. Motion passed 7-0.
The Commission is waiting to hear back from Access 2 Independence to see whether a collaboration on a
Disability Advocate Award which would be given at the event is possible.
Proclamations
Townsend will accept a Juneteenth Proclamation on behalf of the Commission at the June 16 Council
meeting.
Olmstead will accept the Americans with Disabilities Celebration Proclamation on behalf of the
Commission and the Johnson County Americans with Disabilities Act Celebration at the June 16 meeting
date.
Funding Request Form
The form will go into effect July 1. Retish would like to see the Commission establish a hierarchy of how
things are funded. For example, requests by University of Iowa organizations should be reviewed to see if
there are funding sources available to that organization through the University of Iowa prior to the
Commission providing any funding.
Commission Action Plan 2015
See Hart's memo in packet for May 19, 2015 for update on educational programming.
See Ghoneim's memo in packet for May 19, 2015 for update on educational programming.
Hanrahan is working on reducing the listening post participant form to two pages. Hanrahan will use the
Juneteenth event as a listening post to solicit information/feedback from the community.
Fair Lending Training (April 30)
Bowers reported that this training which is the first outreach done to area banks by the Commission was
at capacity and well received by those in attendance.
United Action for Youth LGBTQ Summit (May 9)
Hanrahan who organized this event said there were over 60 participants. Topics discussed at the event
included School Safe Zones and gender neutral restrooms. The plan is to do a follow up summit within
the next year.
Youth Award (May 13)
Commissioners noted the job well done at the event this year. Recipients were down this year and
Commissioners will work on doing additional outreach to the community next year.
Job & Volunteer Fairs
The Construction and Trade Job Fair will be held on Tuesday, May 26 at Mercer Aquatic Center.
2
Education Subcommittee
Retish has set up a meeting between the Iowa City Community School District Equity Director and the
head of the University of Iowa Education Department to discuss ways the University can assist in
recruiting educators for the Iowa City Community School District.
Retish left meeting at 6:41 p.m.
Making Iowa City a Human Rights Community
The subcommittee is working to build community support before taking to the Council. Olmstead is
meeting with Council Member Throgmorton about the initiative in the near future.
Building Communities
Townsend updated Commissioners on the Iowa City Community School District's new boundary lines.
University of Iowa Center for Human Rights Board
A meeting was held on April 30. The Commission will hold its November meeting at the Center due to
remodeling at City Hall during that time. The meeting will most likely be held at the University of Iowa
Capital Centre.
Reports of Commissioners
Ghoneim reported that the Americans Civil Liberties Union -Iowa Chapter recently met with the Iowa
City Police Chief to discuss body cameras.
Olmstead reported that he and Ghoneim are both a part of a new Gazette News Writers Program. The
group takes a subject each month and writes about it from a pro/con perspective. He also reports that he
and the City's ADA Coordinator have been working on a program to improve curb cuts around the City.
Adjournment: 7:24 p.m.
Next Regular Meeting — June 16, 2015 at 5:30 p.m.
Human Rights Commission
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2014/2015
(Meetinu Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
7/15/
14
8/19/
14
9/16/
14
10/2/
14
10/21/
14
11/18/
14
12/15/
14
1/20/
15
2/17/
15
3/17/
15
4/1/
15
4/21
15
5/19
15
Edie Pierce-
Thomas
1/1/2016
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
X
O/E
X
X
X
O/E
Joe D. Coulter
1/1/2016
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Harry
Olmstead
1/1/2016
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
Paul Relish
1/1/2017
O/E
X
O/E
X
O/E
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Ali Ahmed
1/1/2017
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
O
X
O/E
X
X
X
Orville
Townsend, Sr.
1/1/2017
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Kim
Hanrahan
1/1/2018
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Shams
Ghoneim
1/1/2018
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
O/E
X
X
X
Stella Hart
1/1/2018
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
KEY: X = Present
O = Absent
O/E = Absent/Excused
NM = No meeting
— = No longer a member
R = Resignation
Stefanie Bowers
From:
Allen, John S <john-allen@uiowa.edu>
Sent:
Monday, May 18, 2015 4:42 PM
To:
Stefanie Bowers
Cc:
Sandler, Leonard
Subject:
Heather Shank
Dear Stefanie,
I just ran into Jon Kinnamon at the law school a few minutes ago. He said that the Commission is considering
whether to name an award for Heather Shank. I think it is a wonderful idea. Heather has been an incredible
voice for human rights.
I first met Heather when she was a law student in our legal clinic in the early 1990s. I supervised her work on
behalf of an inmate at Fort Madison who brought a civil rights law suit against various prison officials. No
doubt I have forgotten much from those times, but I remember distinctly Heather's work. I suggested that she
do a time line of events so that we could begin to build a narrative of the events that led up to our client's
complaint. She thought that was a good idea. Perhaps a week or two later, she showed up with a huge scroll of
paper. She had poured over hundreds of pages of records maintained by the prison, statements from witnesses,
and memos of discussions with our client. She reconstructed the sequence of events on this scroll. As I
unraveled it, I discovered that its length was roughly equivalent to the perimeter of our clinic. I just stepped out
into our work space to get a sense of what that is. Our work space is 30 feet by 45 feet, so the scroll was 150
feet long. I had never seen anything like it, nor have I seen anything like it since. She then proceeded to
advance a novel legal theory on behalf of the client.
I have had involvement in discrimination cases for about three decades, a period we might divide into the pre -
Heather era and the post -Heather era. I saw Heather transform how a case was developed by the
Commission. She brought the same level of dedication and thoroughness that I had seen in her work in our
clinic to the job as coordinator. I do not mean this as a criticism of any of her predecessors, but Heather brought
the quality of investigations to a new level that surpasses the work that I have seen done by any human rights
agency. She was committed to getting it right. She understood the important rights at stake — the rights of both
the complainants and the persons and businesses called before the agency. In her mind, this required carefully
planned interviews of witnesses, transcriptions of key interviews, pulling together all the relevant documents,
and a careful legal analysis of the claims presented. She viewed the interests involved as too important to just
process a file. All of us in Iowa City have been the beneficiaries of Heather's tireless (some might say
relentless) work for the agency.
I know that you are aware of the work she did in bringing about the addition of gender identity as a protected
status under the ordinance. I suppose that some viewed that as controversial at the time, but Heather has the
wonderful capacity to speak comfortably and honestly about difficult topics. I have never seen her back down
from fear of the other person's reaction. She helped Iowa City be a leader on this issue rather than a follower.
Vu, a 1
�1
Those of us who know Heather know her as kind, compassionate, empathetic, and caring. It turns out that she is
also tough as nails when it comes to issues of fairness and justice. She listens to people and helps them find
their voice as they seek to vindicate their rights.
Heather is an extraordinary person and has done much for this community and beyond.
Warm regards,
John Allen
Stefanie Bowers
From: Linda Kopping
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 12:34 PM
To: Stefanie Bowers
Subject: Renaming the Lifetime Achievement Award
Hello Stefanie:
Please forward this message to the members of the Human Rights Commission.
Thank you,
Linda
Dear Commission Members:
I am writing to encourage you to rename the Lifetime Achievement Award to honor former Human Rights
Coordinator, Heather Shank. The new title would be The Heather Shank Lifetime Achievement Award.
I have known Heather for thirty years and throughout that time she has been a selfless advocate for human rights
on a personal and professional level.
I first met Heather when we worked together as Registered Nurses in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Heather was an advocate for her patients as well as their nurse. On more
than one occasion she spoke -up to address questionably ethical behavior of other professionals towards patients.
Yes, it was the right thing to do, but go back thirty years and think about a nurse filing a complaint about a
physician's conduct. She put her job on the line—and in one case her personal safety—more than once to make
sure patients were treated with the respect and dignity they deserved.
Eventually Heather left nursing and went back to the University. No one has ever worked harder to get through
law school. Not because she was academically challenged, because she was facing new, serious, physical challenges.
It would have been so easy for her to give up, but she pushed forward in order to pursue her dream of getting a
legal degree and using it to address social injustice.
When Heather was hired as the City of Iowa City Human Rights Coordinator she was thrilled. It was truly her
dream job. Major aspects of this position, such as pursuing fair treatment and equal rights, mirrored the
fundamental values by which she lived. It was a good fit.
The record of her accomplishments while working as the Human Rights Coordinator speaks for itself. Besides
working on cases and with the Commission, she increased the visibility of the office, enhanced and expanded
programming, produced educational videos, reached out to under -represented segments of the community, spoke
to anyone who would listen about human rights, organized and sponsored job fairs, and many, many other similar
accomplishments.
There is an expression used that someone who is so thoughtful or considerate of others will "give you the shirt off
their back." It is a figure of speech. Not in Heather's case though. Heather really would give you the shirt off her
back if she thought you were cold and homeless. That is the kind of person she is.
I hope you will look favorably upon this request.
Respectfully Submitted,
Linda Kopping
5640 Lower West Branch Rd. SE
West Branch, IA 52358
Linda Koppinq lCoordinatorl Senior Center)
28 South Linn Stj Iowa City, IA 52240
W 319-356-5225 1 P linda-koppinq@iowa-city.or
www.icgov.org/senior
Nacional insfffute of
Senior Centers
11 Find us on Facebook
Stefanie Bowers
From: Susan Shullaw <susan@susanshullaw.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 2:32 PM
To: Stefanie Bowers
Subject: Heather Shank award proposal
Stephanie, I am writing to voice my strong support of the proposal to name the Human Rights Commission's
Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of Heather Shank, who served as Iowa City's Human Rights
Coordinator from August 1994 to December 2005.
Heather has been a personal friend since the early 1990s, when she was completing her education at the UI
College of Law and beginning her work in private practice. Even then, it was clear that Heather's primary aim
in earning a law degree was to give voice to the powerless, and to fight the human rights abuses she had
observed in her own life. From being bullied as child, to witnessing the mistreatment of patients during her
tenure as a nurse, Heather's experiences served to deepen her passionate commitment to working on behalf of
justice and fairness. When she was offered the job of Human Rights Coordinator, it was one of those fortuitous
"right person, right time, right place" moments, and the City could not have hired a more energetic and
visionary human rights champion.
In my view, it is Heather's far-reaching vision of what human rights could and should be in our community —
and her desire that Iowa City become a model for others to follow — that makes the naming of this award in her
honor so appropriate.
The old phrase, "Think globally, act locally," describes much of Heather's work: She was determined to
achieve justice for individual clients here in Iowa City, but she was equally devoted to putting Iowa City on the
map as a pace -setting community where human rights are in all ways respected, observed, and celebrated. To
achieve the latter purpose, she functioned as a one -woman PR and outreach machine, speaking to schools,
community organizations, corporate gatherings, and any other group she could interest in the cause of
promoting human rights. She held regular film screenings and other events to which the public was invited, and
I can recall many, many instances when, despite her frail health, she could be found distributing posters to local
businesses (and affixing them to light posts) to encourage public attendance. She was never content with the
status quo and was highly proactive, seeking to expand the impact of the Human Rights Commission to multiple
under -served populations, from the LGBT community to recent immigrants from Somalia. Other supporters
have no doubt written to you about the film she produced on transgender issues, which was cited by former
New York City mayor Ed Koch and shown at major human rights conventions around the nation.
Heather has received numerous honors in the past, including the City's own Human Rights Award (2002), the
Iowa City Pride Committee Legacy Award (2005), and the annual Friends of Iowa Civil Rights Award in 2005,
among others. But to attach Heather's name to the Lifetime Achievement Award means that her remarkable
legacy will live on to inspire future generations. The Heather Shank Lifetime Achievement Award will set the
highest possible standard, and will encourage future award -winners to emulate Heather's example as a true
champion for human rights — to dream bigger, work harder, and accept nothing less than (as we all learne to
pledge in grade school) "justice for all." n V, A
Thank you for your consideration,
Susan Shullaw
719 North Johnson Street
Iowa City IA 52245
susan,susanshullaw.com