HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-06-02 TranscriptionJune 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 1
Council Present: Botchway, Dobyns, Hayek, Mims, Payne, Throgmorton
Council Absent: Dickens
Staff Present: Markus, Fruin, Knoche, Dilkes, Karr, Boothroy, Yapp, Howard, O'Brien,
Andrew, Hart, Moran, Hightshoe
Others Present: Neal (UISG)
Questions from Council re: Agenda Items:
Hayek/ Okay! Let's, uh, get started with our June 2, 2015, City Council work session.
Welcome, everyone, to City Hall! It's a real short work session, which is why we're
starting at 6:00 and we'll jump straight to questions from Council regarding agenda
items.
ITEM 3d(5) IOWA CITY GATEWAY PROJECT - RESOLUTION APPROVING,
AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AND THE
CITY CLERK TO ATTEST AN AMENDMENT NO.2 TO THE NOVEMBER 18,
2010 AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND
HNTB CORPORATION OF KANSAS CITY, MO TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING
CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR THE IOWA CITY GATEWAY PROJECT
Throgmorton/ Item 3d(5), the amended contract with HNTB for the Gateway project. Uh, the
negotiated, uh, amount for the additional work is pretty large, like ... if I'm reading
correctly $830,000.
Markus/ That's correct.
Throgmorton/ Uh, and that's all consultant work, right?
Markus/ That is design.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, okay, yeah ... so, uh, I ... I'm just wondering why such a large amount.
Markus/ Usually it's a function of, uh, percentage of construction, uh, value roll -up, but this is a
much more complicated design for this particular bridge.
Knoche/ Um, as HNTB has been in multiple times and presented different bridge types, uh, the
bridge type that we chose, uh, obviously was a lot more complex than what the original
bridge, um, that we had included in the original contract. Um, and so with this complex a
bridge, it's just ... it's that much more to design it. And unfortunately that was an
oversight that we didn't catch, um, as we were moving forward with, uh, the
recommendation that we were making at the time .... to Council.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 2
Markus/ So we had extended discussions with HNTB and they acknowledged that it was really
their responsibility to bring this up. Um, at the time we were looking at the redesign and
the extra cost for the ... the actual construction of the bridge (both talking)
Throgmorton/ We understood the bridge was going to be more expensive.
Markus/ Yeah, and we pointed out that that's when they should have brought up the extra design,
and I think both staff and they knew that that ... that was the appropriate time and it got
missed.
Hayek/ Is ... is any of this tied to the revisions that resulted from the extensive public input and...
Knoche/ No.
Hayek/ None of that?
Knoche/ Not this one. That was (both talking) that was amendment number one.
Hayek/ Yep! Limited to the bridge. Other ques... (both talking)
Markus/ Well we looked at it. We think it's ... it's the right fee for this work and recommend it.
Throgmorton/ Okay!
ITEM 5a ZONING AMENDMENT FOR HOSPITALS — ORDINANCE
AMENDING TITLE 14: ZONING TO CREATE AN EXEMPTION FROM THE
FLOOR AREA RATIO LIMITATION AND ESTABLISH NEW HEIGHT
STANDARDS FOR HOSPITALS LOCATED IN THE COMMERCIAL OFFICE
(CO -1) ZONE
Payne/ I have probably a silly question for Karen Howard. Is she here? Yep!
Throgmorton/ There she is!
Payne/ It's, um... on a memo that you sent to the Planning and Zoning Commission that says
`amending FAR and height standards for hospitals.' What does FAR stand for?
Howard/ Floor area ratio.
Payne/ Okay!
Howard/ So it's the ratio of floor area in the building to the area of the lot.
Payne/ Okay. That's all that I had! (laughs) Thank you!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 3
ITEM 3f(4) Douglas Beardsley: Regulation of Electronic Cigarettes
Mims/ 3f(4) ... um, I know we have a lot of things on our pending work session, or our pending
item list, um ... but this is one we talked about for ... before the regulation of electronic
cigarettes. Um, letter from Doug Beardsley. I think there's been more research since
they were here about a year or two about this, and it sounds like the University and
maybe the County are taking some additional action. I would be interested if there's, uh,
enough Councilors to put this back on our ... agenda in terms of looking at expanding our
ordinance issues (both talking)
Dobyns/ I'm seeing a lot of confusion in my practice about patients who are truly being deluded
that e -cigarettes are much safer and the way to go. Um, and as expected, the tobacco
lobby is doing what it, you know, (mumbled) so well and it moves ahead of legislative
efforts on this issue. So it'd be nice to start trying to catch up.
Markus/ I ... you know, I don't think you need to take it to a work session. I think you could just
give us the nod in terms of direction and ... and we'll pursue a ... an ordinance read ... you
know, draft and ... and then bring it back to you. (several responding) We ... we think
it's ... (several talking) we think it's an appropriate thing to do (several responding)
Mims/ Okay! Looks like we've got a lot of nods here, so ... great!
Hayek/ ...obviously need to discuss it at a work session, but we can do that with it being (both
talking) an actual agenda item.
Markus/ You'll see what it is. It ... it ... just expands e -cigarettes into the cigarette venue.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Mims/ Okay, thank you!
ITEM 3d(12) COUNTY REZONING NEWPORT ROAD — LETTER
RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF COUNTY REZONING OF 28.04 ACRES OF
LAND LOCATED AT 3022 NEWPORT ROAD NE FROM A -AGRICULTURAL
TO R -RESIDENTIAL AND R3 -RESIDENTIAL (CZ15-00001)
Dobyns/ 3d(12), um, this is about the fringe area agreement, um ... where we review County
zoning cases. Um, I ... I guess my perception is that there's some confusion when you
read about this that the City Council for Iowa City has, you know, the decision might be
contingent on, um, what we decide, and it's more nuanced from that, um, and I did talk
with Geoff about it, and I was wondering, Geoff, if you could sort of tell us (both talking)
Markus/ John (both talking) John is going to go through (both talking)
Dobyns/ Oh, John? Okay. All right.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 4
Yapp/ Yeah, and Geoff Fruin gave me a heads -up, so I prepared a few slides. Uh, this is an
image of the, uh, fringe area map. It is from 2006 so it's a little bit of...of a dated map,
uh, compared to modern technology, but the green area is City of Iowa City. Uh, and
then what this represents is the two-mile fringe area around Iowa City. To the north, uh,
west is, uh, City of Coralville, so that is not included in the fringe area. Uh, the
areas ... the fringe area is divided up into two ... uh, different areas — areas within the city
growth boundary and areas outside of the city growth boundary. Uh... what the fringe
area agreement does, it provides for City review of proposed development within the
two-mile fringe area. This is enabled by State code. Uh, the fringe area agreement
encourages development in conformance with the County land use plan. Uh, again, the
two-mile fringe area is divided into areas within the city growth area and areas outside of
the city growth area. Uh, if a development is proposed within the growth area, meaning
in an area the city plans to annex, uh, in the future, uh, they are required to construct their
subdivision with urban design standards. So that it can be annexed and integrated, uh,
into the, uh, city development. Uh, for rezoning actions, which is what the Newport
Road item is on your agenda tonight,. uh, the City provides review and comment, uh, on
the proposed rezoning, but the decision is made by the Board of Supervisors. Uh, and we
review it according to the land use plan. Uh, subdivisions of three or more lots are
required to be approved, both by Iowa City City Council and by the Board of
Supervisors. Uh, so for a rezoning, the City is advisory to the County. For a subdivision,
both the City and the County have to approve both.
Throgmorton/ Can you show us where this development is on that map?
Yapp/ I can show you approximately ... uh... in this vicinity here, and it's in ... it's in what
Johnson County calls the `north corridor' of Johnson County, which is identified as a
residential growth area for Johnson County.
Hayek/ Does that distinction between rezoning review and subdivision review hold whether
you're within or outside of the ... planned growth area.
Yapp/ No ... it does not. It's the same ... for both.
Hayek/ It's the same. Okay.
Payne/ And the planned growth area, are those areas that the City can serve by sewer without
(both talking) lift station?
Yapp/ It is! That's correct.
Hayek/ So the planned growth really's just driven by ... urn ... the City's intentions and ... and
consequently the urban design standards we would require of... (both talking)
Yapp/ If it's a ... if it's a property within our growth area.
Hayek/ Right!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 5
Yapp/ Yes. Uh, the particular item on your agenda tonight is outside of the growth area. Uh,
and it is within the north corridor residential growth area for Johnson County.
Hayek/ But it's within two miles and therefore we ... (both talking)
Yapp/ That's correct! (both talking)
Hayek/ ...recommend.
Yapp/ Yes.
Payne/ It's a rezoning.
Yapp/ It's a rezoning.
Payne/ So it's a recommendation.
Yapp/ That's correct.
Payne/ Got it!
Yapp/ Okay! Thank you!
Dobyns/ Thank you (both talking)
ITEM 7. ASSESSMENTS — RESOLUTION ADOPTING AN ASSESSMENT
SCHEDULE OF UNPAID MOWING, CLEAN-UP OF PROPERTY, SNOW
REMOVAL, SIDEWALK REPAIR, AND STOP BOX REPAIR CHARGES
AND DIRECTING THE CLERK TO CERTIFY THE SAME TO THE
JOHNSON COUNTY TREASURER FOR COLLECTION IN THE SAME
MANNER AS PROPERTY TAXES
Hayek/ Thanks, John! Uh, Item 7, Assessments, just the regular routine. If anybody shows up
tonight, um, to contest ... a, uh, an assessment for weeds, sidewalks, snow, etc., we have
an updated list. A few people came in and paid, and so are not on the list anymore, but
whoever shows up to contest, um, we'll need ... there may be nobody, but if somebody
shows up to contest, um, then we need to remove them from tonight's action for separate
consideration at the June 16t' ... uh, meeting. So just be a ... resolution adopting, but
accepting out for separate consideration ... Johnnie doesn't take care of his grass. Other
agenda items?
Karr/ Mr. Mayor, do you want to just note you're also going to be announcing the public
comment, um ... on the item that's on the Consent Calendar?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 6
Hayek/ Yeah, so I got that note from you, Marian. Um... see if I can find it. Do you want me to
formally mention all of those things?
Karr/ No, you don't need to formally... just to note this'd be the appropriate time if anyone is
here for that discussion.
Hayek/ On the CDBG/Home or...
Karr/ Home..yeah!
ITEM 3d(14) CDBG/HOME AMENDMENT FOR HOUSING PROJECTS —
RESOLUTION ADOPTING IOWA CITY'S FY15 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN
AMENDMENT #1, WHICH IS A SUB -PART OF IOWA CITY'S 2016-2020
CONSOLIDATED PLAN (CITY STEPS), AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO SUBMIT SAID PLAN AND ALL NECESSARY
CERTIFICATIONS TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT
Hayek/ Yeah, yeah, no I plan to mention that. So ... the ... there's a ... the, uh, the amendment, uh,
at 3d(14), um ... on the CDBG/Home, uh, housing projects. Um, there may be some
people in the audience. I'll mention that at the beginning of the meeting. So if they're
here to comment on that, it would be during the Consent Calendar.
ITEM 3f(7) (ADDITION) DAVID ROBERTSON: CRIME AT WETHERBY
PARK.
Throgmorton/ So I guess I want to mention Item M(7), which was in our late handout that we
got ... what, after noon I guess today.
Karr/ Yes!
Throgmorton/ So this concerns a... email we received from Mr. David Robertson a... about
Wetherby Park.
Hayek/ Uh huh.
Throgmorton/ Uh, and I ... my sense is that Mr. Robertson, uh, draws attention to some
worrisome actions ... but the proposed solutions he offers are maybe every bit as
worrisome, and ... and, so I ... but we need as a Council to figure out how we want to
respond.
Markus/ Well we're ... we are ... we are meeting, staff is meeting with, um ... the neighbors in that
area, and I agree that the suggestions are worrisome, and ... so we are attempting to ... I ... I
had quite a conversation with the Chief about this. We're attempting to, uh, use
communication to a higher level, rather than fences. Urn ... and some other techniques
involving paren ... parents, uh, and getting them involved in this process. Parents of the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 7
children that are involved, and we think that that will start to, um, work through that.
Um, I think the Police Department has showed a... a lot of restraint in terms of how
they're trying to deal with this and ... I don't know if you saw the articles about diversion
and, uh, there was a wonderful article about the diversion program that's in place in the
judicial system right now, and I think we're trying to take kind of the same lead from that
and ... and work through these without... using the heavy arm of the law, so to speak.
So ... we're crafting a response and ... and that'll go out, uh, from the Police Department,
um, to show that, you know, the police are completely aware of the situation and are
dealing with it, but ... we don't really need to create records for these kids either. I
think ... to some degree they ... they'll be able to manage through this.
Throgmorton/ That sounds good to me. I...1, and... so what I would want to say is consistent
with what you just said, Tom. I think we need to respond in a manner that's consistent
with our diversity initiative, and everything we've been trying to do for the past three
years, and... and in part that means involving a... a diverse array of residents from the
area into the discussion about how to respond.
Markus/ Right. Right. Yeah, you know, I think that ... I don't want to just say it's kids being
kids, because sometimes behaviors go beyond...
Throgmorton/ Right!
Markus/ ...what you would expect, but I think that ... I think that the police are very aware that
they don't want to ... take draconian measures, you know, in dealing with this situation.
So ... I was very pleased with the response I got from the Chief and how they intend to
deal with this. I see Doug's in the audience this evening. Doug, if you want to add to
that or think there needs (mumbled) anything added, go ahead!
Hart/ (away from mic) ...just have a couple things. (mumbled) remind you that, uh, Jerry Nixon
applied for a PIN grant, $5,000, which will be utilized for extra patrol for overtime for
officers down there on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Actually I was just working on
a ... a follow-up memo to the Council here before tonight's meeting, and in part of that I
was reviewing the calls for service down there since January 1 of this year, and the...
most of those calls for service are extra patrol requests, which was (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Are ... are what?
Hart/ Ex ... extra patrol, so an officer initiates a call for service for extra patrol down there, um, so
we are aware what's taking place down there and our ... our first strategy is to identify the,
uh, youngsters that are involved, and meet with their parents to try to handle it in a, more
of a less official manner. So...
Botchway/ So I have two questions, I guess, and (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Your microphone!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 8
Botchway/ (noises on mic) Oh! I have two questions since, uh, Jim brought it up was, um, one,
has this kind of gone through... cause this is kind of...I would say a new thing but since
we have certain, um, initiatives in place, it's gone through that kind of roundtable
discussion, um, as far as, you know, how to handle that particular .... or ... or handle this
particular situation.
Markus/ We have a lot of internal conversations about how to deal with these situations,
and... and you know I think we always want to start with communication in... in finding
out where the ... you know, the rub is in those things, rather than just marching in
and ... and necessarily citing people for what could be citable, you know, issues I'm sure,
but I think they ... the police are trying to, you know, be more community policing rather
than, um, just, you know, observe and arrest kind of policing. So .... and we've had
a ... we've had a lot of those conversations, and I'm glad to see that the police is reacting
to them in a positive way. And that doesn't mean that they won't take action if it's
required, you know, and -and they will, but I think our first effort is to try and calm the
situation and make sure that not only the kids but the kids' parents know that the behavior
is not acceptable, and try and work that angle first. Lot of times you get the parents
involved and ... they'll be tougher than the Police Department ever would be.
Hayek/ Thanks, Doug!
Karr/ I'd just like to note you also received in your late correspondence tonight another letter on
the same subject from David Freeman. We're going to put it together and accept them as
correspondence at the same time, rather than have it in another packet.
Botchway/ And respond to it in the same (both talking)
Karr/ Yes! Of course!
Botchway/ Okay.
Markus/ Doug, you're working with the Chief on the response, right? (unable to hear response
from audience) Yeah.
Hayek/ I ... I got a suggestion, uh, that we consider moving a few things up in the agenda... before
The Chauncey related rezoning. And ... I'm ... I guess I'll say I'm ... I'm open to that, but
there appear to be two or three potentially three things that could draw some public
comment and there aren't that many things on the agenda and ... I don't know how much
we want to shift around, um ... on our agenda tonight, but I ... I throw that out there for
consideration.
Throgmorton/ What ... what are the items?
Hayek/ Well, it would be, um ... 5d, uh, which is the Court/Taft rezoning, and then, um ... the, uh,
Windmill Heights preliminary plat, and... that... that was the suggestion, but then I looked
at it, you know, for example the assessments item, Item 7. There could be people here
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 9
for that. Urn ... the others appear to be unlikely to draw community input, but you never
know! There's a ... there's a fiber infrastructure item. Who knows what could happen
there.
Throgmorton/ We ... we have no reason to expect opposition with regard to the first two items,
right?
Hayek/ We could on ... on the second one. Windmill Heights has had property owner...
neighborhood... dissention.
Throgmorton/ Right. Right.
Hayek/ See, it gets a little sticky.
Mims/ I think we probably ought to leave `em. I mean, that's what the public is seeing in terms
of the agenda. That ... that's always my concern is we switch `em around and
then... somebody has assumed that that's the order they're going to go and
we ... complicate it for people.
Hayek/ Or they assume that the ... first items on the rezon... the Court, or sorry, the
College/Gilbert rezoning will take a while and they show up later (both talking)
Payne/ ...till later.
Hayek/ ...for their agenda item and they ... then we've skipped over them, so ... I think we leave
well enough alone (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay!
Hayek/ Any other agenda items? Okay! Uh, Info Packets. First is May 21St. Going, going...
Mims/ Oh, I do have a real quick question. Will we have anybody going to the... Workplace
Revolution on June 8t'9 Representing us?
Markus/ Matt and I are going!
Mims/ (laughs) I had intended to go, till I found out we had a City Council meeting.
Fruin/ (mumbled) ... going the next morning. (laughter) We're going to have staff there.
Mims/ Okay!
Fruin/ Um, and urn ... hopefully we have a good ... good turnout.
Mims/ Okay. All right. Thank you! Yeah, looks interesting; I had hoped to go but... conflict.
(several talking) Sit here instead!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 10
Hayek/ All right, anything else (both talking)
Payne/ Is that one of the special meetings?
Mims/ Yeah, Monday the 8th.
Markus/ Yeah, it's Monday night is that ... that meeting, so it's a conflict there.
Payne/ Okay, and I won't ... I'll look at it. Maybe I can go!
Mims/ Okay! It's IN...
Payne/ Okay. I remember reading it but I just don't ... didn't put two and two together!
Mims/ Okay.
Hayek/ Uh, May 28th!
Mims/ Want to do KXIC? Or what are we...
Hayek/ Oh, I forgot to look at my dates!
Payne/ Who's tomorrow?
Mims/ That's what I was going to ask.
Payne/ Cause I believe I'm next week, the 10th.
Hayek/ There doesn't appear to be one tomorrow.
Karr/ 10th is Michelle!
Payne/ Okay! (laughs)
Mims/ Yep, and you're on there!
Karr/ 10th is Michelle. (several talking)
Dobyns/ I added a few dates in, uh, Friday in September since, uh, my schedule makes it difficult
to do the Wednesdays. Um ... told Marian about it. It's later on in the fall.
Karr/ Those are provided in the late handouts, um, revised with Rick's schedule in it. That was
the only changes. The fall ones for Rick.
Mims/ So do you have anybody on for tomorrow?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page I 1
Karr/ Um, June...
Mims/ ...3rd?
Karr/ Oh I started at the 3rd ... I'll look at break.
Mims/ Okay.
Karr/ I think I do. I think I started the 10t1i, but I'll take a look at the P. (several talking and
laughing)
Mims/ I can do it if we need to. Just let me know. (several talking)
Hayek/ Do you have somebody on the 17t'.
Dobyns/ It's Terry!
Karr/ No, we do not!
Hayek/ I can (laughs, several talking) I'll jump on that grenade.
Karr/ 17''?
Payne/ I was thinking you were the 3'd! I was thinking you were tomorrow.
Karr/ And I'll look.
Hayek /My calendar's not thinking that! (laughter)
Botchway/ So I know ... I don't want to jump around, but I can do ... Friday the 3rd and the 17''.
Karr/ July 3rd can be pre-recorded... you're... you're on Fridays, July 3'd and the 17th?
Botchway/ Yeah. Yes! (noises on mic)
Hayek/ And be recording that on the 2nd
Botchway/ Right, 10:00 A.M.
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ June 17th, cause that'll be right after our next.
Hayek/ July I think he's referring to.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 12
Karr/ No ... yes he is referring to July. I, however, am referring to June.
Mims/ Matt said he was going to do June. Right? (several talking)
Hayek/ Yes!
Karr/ And the 3rd and 17th of July is Kingsley.
Throgmorton/ Well I ... I did it last week, so ... I did the 8:00 A.M. last week so I ... I don't know
that I want to volunteer for...
Karr/ And you're on for June 19'h (several taking)
Throgmorton/ For the 7:15, yeah.
Mims/ I'll do July 1 St. I can't do the 20'. I'll be out of town. I'll take the 1St
Karr/ July 09
Botchway/ I can do the 20 ... what time is it? It starts at 8:00? I can do the 2411'.
Karr/ 24th of June?
Payne/ And ... is it at 8:00 A.M.? And it's live now? (several talking) Okay, on Wednesday?
Karr/ Kingsley, you have the 24th of June and the 3rd and 17th of July?
Botchway/ Correct.
Throgmorton/ Maybe Nicki could do one!
Hayek/ Yeah, we need to spread the love around here a little bit! (laughter) Do we have ... others
are signed up here? (several talking)
Neal/ So which ones are open yet?
Karr/ Uh, July 8th is a Wednesday, or um, August ... 21 st
Neal/ Um, how bout July 8th?
Karr/ July 8th.
Throgmorton/ This'll be new, I think. I ... I don't know that a Student Liaison's done it before,
but...
Dobyns/ That's a good idea!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 13
Throgmorton/ Yeah!
Hayek/ Anything else you need to plug?
Karr/ Um, not at this time. It'll be back on for ya on the 16th though because we don't have
another meeting until July 27th. So we'll need to plug in a couple more.
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ But I can populate those. You can (mumbled) take a look at your schedules.
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ Thanks!
Payne/ For some reason I do think you're tomorrow though!
Hayek/ Yeah, will you check about tomorrow morning.
Karr/ I will check, yes! (laughter)
Hayek/ I'm nervous! (several talking)
Throgmorton/ You can't do it too many times, Matt (several talking)
Payne/ The only reason I think that is cause I was going to volunteer for tomorrow and then you
did, so I took the 10th.
Hayek/ Okay.
Payne/ That's ... the only reason I ... am thinking that.
Council Time:
Hayek/ Anything else on the May 28th Info Packet? Okay, Council time?
Throgmorton/ I want to mention two things, Matt, uh, just as for information, you know. I ... I
attended a City of Literature board meeting on May 260'. It was... the... the meeting after
Sally Mason's last meeting. Uh, she won't be participating in that anymore. She's made
a huge contribution to it over the years. The other thing is I also went to an Iowa Work
CEO Board meeting. Up in Cedar Rapids on the 28th. And one of the things they did
during that meeting was have, uh, really extensive conversation, uh, about, um ... finding
ways to, uh, connect dis... to ... to take advantage of a substantial grant that Region 10 has
gotten, having to do with, uh, dislocated workers. So at one point I said, well, you know,
I don't really track this whole conversation, so could ... could you please tell me what the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 14
City of Iowa City could do, uh, to, uh, you know, respond to this situation. And
that ... that contributed to the conversation. So there's a ... a lot of discussion about it, and
a lot of, uh, passion brought to it actually, and... and much of it had to do with...
perceptions on the part of many members of that... of that board about how high schools
no longer train students for crafts or for industrial arts. (several talking) And ... and so a
lot of people were saying we need to do something about that, we need to do something
about that, so the ... the, uh, Iowa Work's Board is going to create some subcommittee, or
some committee, to look more deeply into that, uh, to... sort of explore alternatives and
how they might be connected to this basically $6 million grant. So, uh... I can't tell you
more about it, but I ... I wanted them to connect with Tom ... to see what could come out of
that.
Markus/ Good!
Hayek/ Good. Michelle!
Payne/ Um ... I wanted to mention that, and obviously this is something that really should be at
Council meeting at...at Council time, cause ... but I won't be there, so maybe somebody
else can mentill ... mention that Party in the Park starts this Thursday ... at Kiwanis Park.
So ... it's at Kiwanis Park at ... from 6:30 to 8:00. And then also this weekend is the Arts
Fest!
Mims/ Yep!
Payne/ And Rick and I signed up to work in the City's ... booth on Friday night. (several talking)
Of course! (laughter)
Botchway/ Sorry for you, Michelle! (laughter)
Dobyns/ She's a big girl!
Hayek/ That'll be the heaviest, uh, volume at that time.
Payne/ From 6:30 to 8:00 (laughs) We figured it to be the funnest time!
Hayek/ Uh, so will somebody mention Party in the Park?
Mims/ Yep!
Meeting Schedule:
Hayek/ Thank you. Other... Council time items? Meeting schedule. Pending work session
topics.
Pending Work Session Topics:
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 15
Payne/ So should we talk about Geoff s note that he sent about the priority list. I mean, I agree
with what he said (several talking) totally that, I mean, it's totally dependent on things
that are going on and ... it may not happen in the order that it's in. I mean, I ... I
understand that.
Neal/ I agree with everything, um, just recently though the UISG's, um, leadership has
mentioned to me about the sidewalk repairs, and they were wondering if that could be re-
evaluated maybe this summer before school starts, while students aren't ... on campus as
much. Um, they really mentioned to me that there were some areas that ... they deemed
unsafe, and then they also mentioned, um, for Hawks Ridge, there isn't really a safe route
to the Walmart and that was something that they also were interested in looking into.
Fruin/ We can probably work on that outside of the work session (both talking)
Neal/ Okay!
Fruin/ I think we're planning a meeting in June, correct?
Neal/ Yes, yep, great!
Payne/ Didn't we just put in like an eight -foot wide trail on the north side of Highway 1? That
goes all the way from Hawks Ridge to Walmart, and in front of Walmart there's ... a, um,
a light, so...
Neal/ These are just the concerns that were voiced to me, so I thought I would pass them on.
Mims/ I'm not sure there's a crosswalk there though.
Dobyns/ Yeah. (several talking) Well, half the distance from Hawk Ridge to Walmart is the
Walmart parking lot and that's not walker -conducive.
Payne/ No, but there's a ... but there's a ... eight -foot wide sidewalk on the north side of the road
that they can walk on and then cross at the light, if (several talking)
Knoche/ I ... I just ... I just looked at this this weekend. Um, so ... there's a sidewalk that goes
from the front of Walmart all the way out to Highway 1, and then it does cross Highway
1 to the trail and then down to the Hawk Ridge light. So I mean there ... there is ... there is
a ... a path there. May not be the most direct route, but that ... there is a way to get there.
But (mumbled)
Mims/ But you're talking going all the way east.
Knoche/ You'd have to come ... west, yeah, so from Hawk Ridge you'd go down the hill and then
go west along Highway 1...
Dobyns/ It's at the light.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.
June 2, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 16
Knoche/ At the light, yep. West along Highway 1 cause there's an eight ... the trial goes all the
way along there now.
Mims/ Okay.
Knoche/ Then you would cross at the Walmart driveway, and there's a sidewalk that goes right
to the front door.
Mims/ Okay.
Botchway/ And I don't know if that's not necessarily the ... the best route, either, because ... I
remember back in the day when 1 was at Hawk Ridge trying to cut through the, uh, the
car lot there.
Dobyns/ Yeah.
Botchway/ That's not always fun.
Knoche/ Right.
Botchway/ So, I mean ... un ... unless you're talking about that, which is something we can't do.
And that might be the best route.
Mims/ Yeah, we're not gonna... encourage that (laughter)
Hayek/ Why ... why don't we do this, why don't we have staff follow up with UISG on those
specific concerns, but we need to respond to staff's memo on ... the prioritization concept.
Mims/ No, I agree with what Geoff said, I mean, it ... a lot of it's just dependent on how
much ... time it takes for staff and...
Hayek/ This does provide general direction (several talking)
Payne/ ... general direction, but the idea that it's a living document that may change.
Hayek/ Okay! Anything else on the Info Packet, May 28th9 Upcoming events.
Upcoming Events:
Throgmorton/ Arts Fest, it's already been mentioned.
Payne/ Yeah (laughs)
Hayek/ Yeah. Somebody should absolutely mention that tonight! Okay! Good meeting. Come
back in half an hour for the formal. Thank you!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work
session of June 2, 2015.