HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-09-15 TranscriptionSeptember 15, 2015 Iowa City City Council Work Session Page 1
Council Present:
Staff Present:
Others Present:
Botchway (arrived 5:30), Dickens, Hayek, Mims, Payne, Throgmorton
Markus, Fruin, Dilkes, Karr, Ralston, Yapp, Boothroy, Andrew, Schaul,
Rackis, Craig, Havel, Moran, Rummels, Bowers, Howard, Spoul
Neal (UISG)
Questions from Council re: Agenda Items:
Hayek/ I want to welcome everyone to the September 15, 2015, work session. First bullet point
is questions regarding agenda items.
Karr/ (mumbled) that on your regular agenda, uh, the tobacco civil penalties, Items 6, 7, 8, and 9
have all been (noises on mic) processed as final payments, so you will not be holding
hearings on those. 10 and 11 are the only ones you need.
Hayek/ So what we will do on, um, 6, 7, 8, and 9 is I'll tee up a motion to adopt all of those
resolutions, uh, and then put it on the floor that way so we can just do it more efficiently.
And then will Andy Chappell be here from the County on the 10 ... on 10 and 11?
Karr/ Yes.
ITEM 2f(2) Ricardo Cortez: Pedestrian Risk on Dubuque Street
Dobyns/ 2F(2), um, the blinking lights on Dubuque, um ... um .... I can't remember what we ... you
got it, good! (several talking and laughing)
Hayek/ You've been waiting to say that, haven't you? (laughs)
Dobyns/ Um, what ... what did we ultimately decide for the Gateway projects for that crosswalk,
cause I ... I seem to recall some discussion. There were blinking lights on Benton, uh, near
the Roosevelt Education Center and I'm not sure they worked very well. Is there
somebody...
Markus/ Kent, can you, uh (both talking) address that?
Payne/ I don't think that ... I think we opted not to do the blinking lights.
Dobyns/ I think we did and I thought it was based on what happened at Benton or what didn't
happen at Benton, but...
Ralston/ Yeah, Kent Ralston, Transportation Planner. I remember the discussion, but I don't
know that I can answer that question without going back and looking. I remember the
discussion revolved around possibly having... and... and my recollection was a radar
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feedback sign that would actually tell you what your speed was, um, but I can't remember
if we decided to put one in or not.
Payne/ And we were going to reduce the speed prior to that on the north side ... sorry, on the north
side of it.
Ralston/ That is ... that is correct. Right around Foster Road is ... is my recollection.
Hayek/ (mumbled)
Yapp/ Uh, for the blinking lights on Benton, we did test, uh, what are called in -pavement
flashing lights at the crosswalk on Benton Street near Roosevelt School. Uh, tested it
over a period of months and did some before and after observations. Uh, and found that
most elementary school kids and, uh, college-age, uh., men and women did not use it.
Uh, they either crossed without activating the lights or activated the lights, but waited
until they stopped blinking to cross. Uh, and actually ended up removing those, uh, at the
request of the principal of Roosevelt, at the time.
Dobyns/ Nicole, any rebuttal? (laughs)
Neal/ I mean students... generally follow the light signals, but I mean ... we're human, we're busy,
we're trying to get places and ... things happen! (laughter)
Throgmorton/ So 2f(2) seems to be a hot topic. I was going to bring it up also with regard to the
pedestrian crosswalks on Market Street and Jefferson Street, which we brought up before,
but I'm very conscious that bicyclists don't know ... not all bi... bicyclists know whether to
stop and not all drivers know to stop, even though there's that little sign saying 'State law
requires you to stop.' Uh, I think those crosswalks need to be marked better, more
clearly, more definitively. I've seen an accident there. I've personally witnessed thr... uh,
a third car slam into the rear of a second car as a pedestrian was trying to wa... cross the
walk on Jefferson Street ... at Linn Street. So ... (laughs) ... but it's just not marked well.
Payne/ Can't disagree with ya! (laughs)
Throgmorton/ So I ... I would hope ... that we would agree that the staff should really, uh... take that
seriously.
Payne/ The...the item was specifically about what we were going to do on Dubuque Street
though, wasn't it? I mean that's what the letter was about.
Hayek/ Yeah, I mean, it's a ... (both talking) ...referring to another area of town.
Payne/ ...I thought we were going to address that in the ... in the project.
Hayek/ Well why don't you let Kent go back and review what was discussed and decided. (both
talking)
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Markus/ We would be glad to take it back and take a review of it and come back with a report.
Dobyns/ (mumbled)
Markus/ If that's ... if that's the consensus the Council wants (several talking)
Hayek/ Just to remind us what ... (both talking)
ITEM 2d(4) SECTION 8 COORDINATOR POSITION - RESOLUTION
AMENDING THE BUDGETED POSITIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
SERVICES DIVISION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND DEVELOPMENT
SERVICES DEPARTMENT BY INCREASING THE POSITION OF SECTION 8
COORDINATOR FROM .94FTE TO LOFTE.
Payne/ ...we decided. I have a question on 2d(4), and it's probably more of a comment than a
question. It's the Section 8 Coordinator position. The very first section (coughing,
unable to hear speaker) says, 'In this budget year the Coordinator position was staffed at
75 hours per week.' That means per pay period, doesn't it?
Markus/ Yeah. (several talking) 75% (both talking)
Karr/ (mumbled) (not on mic)
Throgmorton/ I wondered about that! (laughs)
Payne/ Okay.
Markus/ It was ... it was supposed to be a percent I think instead of...
ITEM 2e(1) UNIVERCITY SALE, 1104 EAST BURLINGTON - RESOLUTION
SETTING PUBLIC HEARING FOR OCTOBER 6, 2015, ON A PROPOSAL TO
CONVEY A SINGLE FAMILY HOME LOCATED AT 1104 EAST
BURLINGTON STREET.
Payne/ But ... 75% is what they were. Okay! I also have a comment on 2e(1), which is a
UniverCity sale. I have to make my comment (laughter) that $199,600 is too much
money for an income -eligible buyer. It's ridiculous! You wanna (mumbled), Dobyns?
(laughter)
Dobyns/ No, ma'am! (laughter)
Hayek/ Don't talk about roundabouts! (laughter)
Dobyns/ (mumbled) striking distance of you! (laughs)
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Throgmorton/ The primary purpose, of course, is to strength the neighborhoods that are close to
the University. So that homeowners could actually, uh, live there. So I take your point.
It's ... it's a little bit costly for anything that income -challenged homeowners (both talking)
Payne/ And how do they maintain it, and in 20 years are we going to buy it again and fix it back
up because they couldn't afford to maintain it? That doesn't help the neighborhood if they
can't afford to maintain it.
Markus/ Heretofore I think we're close to 50 houses. We have not had that kind of challenge to
any great extent in the houses previously sold under this program and they seem to be
managing. I think there's a presumption, you know, when they make the initial, uh,
evaluation that that's the fixed income, but ... people's incomes grow too and so ... people
have grown into the ability to take care of these properties as well. So ... we've had very
good success with that program. It's ... it's a unique pro..a unique, uh, program from across
the country and I ... and really more the objective is to infuse ownership into what have
evolved into rental types of markets and try to stabilize them with some homeownership
and ... and quite frankly to that extent, I'd say that this program's been a remarkable
success.
Payne/ And I think it's a great program. I just think that it's... irresponsible to sell somebody a
house for $200,000 that's... income -eligible.
Mims/ But I would say this, Michelle. If my ... if my recollection is correct, this can go up to
120% of AMI.
Payne/ Which is still only less than $90,000.
Mims/ But I would also assume that if these people are getting mortgages, that you know your
banks and your credit unions have their standards in terms of meeting, you know, what
percentage of their income they can use towards housing. So I would have to believe that
they're meeting that. And with interest rates as low as they are, it makes it...
Payne/ A little better!
Mims/ ...makes it more possible for people to (both talking)
Payne/ Right!
Mims/ ...go a little bit further than their income, but still ... I mean, even if you make (coughing,
difficult to hear speaker) $90,000, you're only talking, and I realize you also have the
carrying costs on this, I mean you're talking something that's maybe two, two and a half
times their annual income. That's not ... that's not an outrageous amount to spend on a
house.
Payne/ I guess it's a matter of opinion! (laughs)
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Hayek/ But ... but listen, the area's we're looking at, the University -impact area, is marked by
higher value housing and it's driven by the rental income that these properties, investment
properties, so to get in there and to accomplish this goal is going to involve some (both
talking)
Payne/ Irresponsibility?
Hayek/ ...higher priced homes (laughter)
Markus/ Well I ... I think the other part of it is is that when the bank does a financial analysis on
these properties, they're looking at the ... the equity that this house brings and is pledged to
the, you know, the debt and these houses retain the value substantially, so the bank is
making, you know, a determination as well as to how... the... the worth of these properties.
So...
Payne/ I still think it's irresponsible! (laughs) You're not going to change my mind! (laughs)
Markus/ Apparently not! (laughter)
Hayek/ Okay, anything else on the agenda?
ITEM 2b(2) Library Board of Trustees — July 23
Payne/ I have a question on ... let's see, what is this? It's 2b(2), it's the Library minutes. There's
just something in here I don't know what it means and maybe I missed it in ... earlier. It's
on the second page ... the one, two, three ... fourth paragraph, it says, "FYI 6, NOBU
budget." What's NOBU mean?
Markus/ Susan Craig is here to answer your Library question.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, what's that mean?
Craig/ So glad I'm here! (laughter) The Library Board controlled funds, we call them non-
operating budget and it gets translated down to NO, non-operating, BU, budget.
Payne/ Okay.
Craig/ So it's a group of funds, the gift funds and enterprise fund, State funds that all get put
together that are under the Board's authority.
Payne/ Okay. Perfect. Thank you!
Throgmorton/ Kinda like NewBo up in Cedar Rapids (laughter) just different! (several talking
and laughing)
Hayek/ Anything else?
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Payne/ Of course, I still have more! Sorry! Parks and Rec... meeting minutes...
Hayek/ 2b(3).
ITEM 2b(3) Parks and Recreation Commission — July 8
Payne/ 2b(3) and it's on page ... 3 of 6, um, Mercer Park playground. It says ... these playgrounds
will either be re ... oh, oh! It says, 'The RFP includes removal of the playgrounds at
Mercer. These playgrounds will either be repurposed or replaced. The project will also
include the addition of a fiber system surface.' I can't understand from reading that, is the
playground going to be put back or not?
Moran/ No. We're going to take some pieces out and repurpose them in other parks, some of
them will go away because they've lasted... they've used up their usefulness and then a
whole new playground system will be installed.
Payne/ Okay. That's the part that I didn't get, that it would have a new playgrounds system.
Moran/ Right, right.
Payne/ Okay.
Moran/ Yeah, a brand new will come ... a brand new one will come in.
Dobyns/ So we're retiring some of the old equipment in the Park and Rec Department?
Moran/ Yes we are! (laughter) Some are older than others! (laughter)
Council Appointments:
Hayek/ Thanks, Mike! (laughs) Anything else? Okay! Let's move on to Council appointments.
I think we just have one ... for CPRB.
Mims/ I would recommend that we appoint Donald King.
Payne/ I concur.
Throgmorton/ It's not fully inconsistent with, uh, the policy that we're either....have just adopted
or are on the verge of adopting, but in spirit it seems to me that it is. He was on for four
years, uh... um ... a ... another year also. I think a total of five and ... and departed, I don't
know, over a year ago I guess for personal reasons, and is applying again. So it doesn't
violate the letter of that policy. But it seems to me it violates the spirit.
Mims/ I don't think it does. I thought all we were saying was that we weren't ... my recollection of
our discussion was that in the past ... we had almost always reappointed and what we were
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saying is we were not going to make that an assumption that we would automatically
reappoint. Not that we would not reappoint, but it wasn't going to be an automatic
assumption, and also he's been gone off of it for a year, year and a half.
Payne/ Right and did ... I mean we have that stuff in our ... that we had this time from Stefanie that
talks about the ... the new proposals and it was if you've been off a year you're basically
you're... you're eligible again just like you're new.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, it's ... the letter of the policy. It's not violating the letter of the policy.
Mims/ But I don't think it's violating the spirit either. That's my point. I ... I don't think it's
violating the spirit of it at all either. And I think he's the more qualified of the two male
applicants.
Throgmorton/ Well the way I think of it as potentially violating the spirit is the spirit of the ... of
the policy is to increase the likelihood that the boards and commissions will be more
diverse, uh, than they curr... have been historically. That is what I take to be the spirit.
Mims/ And I would say the two males that we have applying are both white, so ... I ... so ... I don't
see how it's violating the spirit anyways and then when you take the specific case, when
you've got two white males, it certainly is not violating that, in my opinion.
Hayek/ Well and I ... I think it's one of our most diverse, um, commissions.
Dickens/ And I think he can jump right in, having been on that. The learning curve isn't there.
He'll have a good idea what he's doing as soon as he starts. Um, he won't miss a beat.
Dobyns/ (mumbled) who were you thinking of, Jim?
Throgmorton/ I ... I was thinking of readvertising.
Hayek/ Well, but ... but to do that, see we adopted the State rule on ... on, uh, on gender balance to
our boards and commissions and my understanding is that for us not to appoint, um, one
of these two males would req ... would basically require us to conclude that neither is
qualified. And I ... suspect both (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ...I would not say that about, uh, the applicants, so if that's the case...
Hayek/ Is that right?
Dilkes/ I think that's ... I mean I think generally, yes.
Hayek/ So...
Dobyns/ Jim, were you just thinking a larger pool?
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Throgmorton/ Uh, yeah ... yeah.
Dickens/ And it's been advertised, what, over...
Hayek/ (several talking) We pushed it back once (several talking)
Karr/ This is the second time.
Throgmorton/ Oh (several talking)
Mims/ We already pushed it back once, so...
Hayek/ (mumbled) do just that, open it up (several talking)
Dobyns/ Well I ... I agree, I like to see a wider grouping, but I guess ... if we are held to making a
decision today and if we don't make a decision we're suggesting they're not qualified, I
don't know ... (several talking)
Throgrnorton/ And if it's true, and I assume it is, that we have already extended this (several
talking) then ... okay.
Mims/ No, I ... I actually encouraged us to extend it last time, hoping we would get a more diverse
pool, which we did not. And to Matt's point, I do think this is probably our most diverse
board or commission, with two out of the five on there are people of color.
Dobyns/ I think we're stuck, Jim.
Hayek/ Okay, is there ... sounds like a consensus for King. (several responding) Okay. I think
that was the only one we had, right?
Throgmorton/ Only one I know of!
Hayek/ Okay. Okay, let's move on to the next bullet point, 136 S. Dubuque Street property
update.
136 S. Dubuque Street Property Update:
Markus/ So we're going to, um ... uh, have a report from Geoff Fruin. We do have some guests
here this evening and I'll just have 'em raise their hands. David Conrad who's the
Assistant VP of Economic Development for the University; uh, Mark Nolte from, uh,
ICAD. He's our Executive Director. Uh, Susan Craig who is kinda the quasi -landlord of
the Wedge space, uh, which is immediately west of the Library. Uh, and Nancy Bird,
who is here from the Iowa, uh, Downtown District, the Iowa City Downtown District. So
we're gonna have Geoff walk through this program and answer any questions you might
have.
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Fruin/ Good evening, I'm going to just ... I'm not (mumbled) (several talking)
Hayek/ Geoff's mic's not working. He'll use Tom's, I guess.
Fruin/ Okay, good evening! Try that again, uh, really excited, uh, to be here tonight to talk to
you about the ... the proposal that we have in front of you. Um, I'm not going to talk a lot
about the operational details. I'm going to leave that up to ... to David and Mark to explain
their vision, uh, for the property. Um, but I want to just give you a little bit of
background, and it was included in the memo, but I think it's worth, um, just walking you
through how we got to ... to where we are today. So, uh... about this time, uh, last year
in ... in, uh, in October, um, we came to you and asked that you release the Wedge from
their lease obligations. At that time the lease ... the Wedge had two years remaining, uh,
approximately two years remaining on their lease in that space, um, but were not able to
meet the ... the financial obligations, um, at least that was their representation to us and for
a variety of reasons we recommended to you that we release them of the obligations,
which you all agreed to do and was done on November 1St of...of, uh, that year ... of...of
2014. Um, we began to, uh, think about how we would reuse that space. We didn't have
any ... any plans for the space at the time. Um, and quite frankly weren't really prepared,
uh, to ... to go out and ... and seek users. And as I mentioned in the lease, or in the memo,
what became readily apparent to us is that there was plenty of restaurant demand for this
space. There were folks ready to ... to move right in and assume the same lease terms, um,
and ... certainly if it was, um, our intention to ... to fill that bottom line number, the lease
amount, we could have done that pretty quickly with another restaurant. For a variety of
reasons, a couple of which I mentioned in the memo, we decided to explore alternative
uses. I think the biggest driver of that was to really, um, try to further our goal of
diversifying the different uses downtown. Um, there's plenty of spaces that restaurants
are in and there's plenty of spaces that restaurants can go in downtown. We didn't feel
like utilizing our space for that purpose was really going to further our goal of...of
strengthening the downtown core with other uses. So that left us looking at retail options
and it left us looking, uh, for office -type uses and as I mentioned, um, I felt that there was
some complications on the retail front. I think it was highly unlikely that we would find
someone to come in and take that whole space at that lease rate, um, that whole ground
floor space and to subdivide the space would have been a pretty significant cost to the
City, and I think it would have produced some .... some units that, um, weren't
necessarily, uh, the best retail, um, storefronts that could be created, and that's because
the storefronts that we could have created if we subdivided that space, um, would be
facing the playground, and obviously the pedestrian traffic of the mall, um, would behind
the playground. Storefront windows wouldn't be very accessible, and ... and so, um, we
wrote off that option pretty early. That led us to the office, um, to explore office uses and
we've been having conversations with the University and ... and ICAD for several months
about this, uh, partnership. There was a little bit of information in ... in the memo, but
um ... real quickly I just ... I want to express a little bit, um ... uh, of...of why we think this is
going to be a very, very good use for ... for the City. Um, we jumped in support of the Co -
Lab, uh, three or four years ago when they were first getting started, and at that time it
was ... it was an unknown whether it would take off. It was a ... it was a, certainly a risk for
ICAD and it was a risk for the City to ... to invest in ... in something of that nature.
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And ... and because of, uh, the work of Mark and ... and his staff and the community support
that they've received, the ... the Co -Lab, uh, has been incredibly, incredibly successful.
Um, they've spun off two other, uh, Co -Labs, one in Coralville and one in North Liberty,
and Mark will tell you the one in Iowa City here can't meet all the demands that it has.
And so, uh, we really have an opportunity to work with them, uh, to continue to grow
what they're doing, um, but to grow it in a way that, um, will ... will involve the
community and will involve the University, um, I think to everyone's benefit. So, when
we look at your strategic plan and we focus on that... those... those two objectives that I
mentioned, the strong urban core. We think that that ... that this is going to ... to really help
with that. We think about strategic economic development, uh, strategies. Um, here we
have an opportunity to partner with the University, to partner with the, uh, with ICAD,
and to really grow, um, young businesses in the entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Iowa
City that I think will provide long-term value for the City. I did mention in the memo
that it is likely when the lease comes before you that it will be subsidized. This will not
be a market -rate rent situation and we're working through some of those, um, negotiations
right now and how that affects our ICAD contribution, but in order for this to ... to really
work and ... and to ... to provide the businesses the support that they need, it's going to have
to be a subsidized rent. So in the short-term, yes, we will not receive the same financial
value that we were getting, or that we would get with a restaurant use, but in the long-
term I see it as an investment in ... in ... in the, um, entrepreneurial community here, which
will pay dividends well beyond what we could get with a ... with a monthly rent check,
um, that we would, um, see from another restaurant use. So with that, I'm going to
introduce, uh, Mark and ... and David Conrad and they're gonna come up and talk a little
bit about the vision that they have for the space and ... and field any questions that you
have.
Nolte/ Thanks, Geoff, uh, and I think that ... you know, that sums it up very well and we do
appreciate all the support that ... that the City has provided to ICAD and the Co -Lab. It
was a big gamble when we started it. Uh, it has been very successful on a lot of fronts,
but um, but to Geoff s point, what we're missing is kind of that, uh, ability to grow.
We're at capacity, um, and at a market rate environment where we're at, we just can't take
on more space. The numbers don't work out, and so when we learned that the University
was pursuing this opportunity last year, we were really, uh, interested in learning more
about that and uh, to David's point, um, you know, he's ... he's made it, uh, very clear the
University wants to lower the drawbridge and start to do more to blur the line between
town and gown, and uh, I think they ... he really means it, and so what we see with this
space is an opportunity to ... to merge, and I love the name that, uh, has been put forward,
but merge these concepts. What more can we be doing to ... to grow the private sector, at
the same time to grow more technology out of the University, but do it together. We're
both doing many of the same things. Why not do them in tandem? And then you take it
to the next step: well how does this make sense for downtown and the Library? We've
entered a period where young people are going to have to be more mindful about creating
their own opportunities. The nature of our economy has changed and that's what we're
trying to do with growing this entrepreneurial ecosystem. How do we give young people
especially the tools to create their own profession moving forward, and a lot of it's going
to rely on, um, you know, the tools you're all using, you know, anyone with a laptop can
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be the next Bill Gates, uh, but we've gotta start, you know .... my ... I'll get out my soap
box. We're not doing enough at our public schools right now to teach, um, those tools.
That's.,. that's just my belief, right, and until .... until we can get to that level where every
kid of every socio-economic level, um, has the opportunity to do that, um, I don't think
we're going to move the dial, but I see us being in the living room of the ... of the
community in this space, where kids are playing on that playground, looking in the
window and seeing what these people are doing to create jobs. I think that will start to
make the connection of 'I can create my future if I learn this new language,' you know,
some of these coding skills. If I learn how to operate that 3-D printer and some of the
other things that will be there, and how does that augment with the Library's doing, and
work in tandem with the Library to create kind of a continuum of curriculum that we can
do ... go from basic education through mentoring, entre ... you know, apprenticeships, up
through creating their own businesses and really, uh, work both with, um, the Vice
President of Research and Economic Development office, but JPEC, you know, the
student entrepreneurs and bring those all together and ... and provide cohesive, um, service
mix, but then also layer on top of that the Convention and Visitors Bureau's interest in
having a presence in there. Uh, the Downtown District, uh, the Chamber, uh, Diversity
Focus (mumbled) other partners are open to ... uh, and the Entrepreneurial Development
Center, how can they be part of this space too and really, um, make it that ... that merged
space where if you are interested in creating something new and you've got a vision,
we're going to put the people around you to help make that happen. So, that's really ... but
space matters, right? It ... it takes more space than we have right now. Uh, we need to be
programming this in different ways from what we can possibly do with the existing Co -
Lab, and so, um, we're really, you know ... I think it's going to be a tremendous
opportunity, right there in the heart of downtown for people to see and interact in
different ways and grow new companies, uh, and that will ... will then spur more ... you
know everyone thinks Meta Communications popped up overnight. You know, they
don't realize that that was a 15 -year process to get them where they're occupying three
floors downtown, but ... uh, we need to grow that funnel. Get more of those companies
started to grow more of those success stories, and then really work to connect those
people to the community, uh, at a ... at a real level so that they ... we're not incubating
companies that then go off somewhere else, and I think that's where the partnerships with
some of the other organizations will be very meaningful in that way. So, uh, we're very
excited to be part of this, uh, and work very closely with the University. Um, obviously
it's ... it's your space, um, but we would like to look at all opportunities to work in there
and grow this concept with you, so ... with that I'll turn it over to David.
Hayek/ Welcome, David! Thanks, Mark!
Conrad/ I think Mark gave a pretty good description of what the vision is, but I'll say a couple
more things. One is that for the University to do economic development, we have to have
the private sector involved. Because we may have some ideas on products or even
companies, but we really don't have the skills within a university to turn them into a
business. So ever since I've been here I've been excited about the fact that ... we can open
the University up a little bit, so that it's a little more porous to partners on the outside and
people in the private sector, because if...if a student or a faculty member tries to start a
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company, the first thing they run into is that they don't know much about business. And
it's difficult to find that within the University because people, successful entrepreneurs,
they don't ... not all of them even go to the University and sometimes they drop out after
their first year if they're very successful. So, the opportunity to work with ICAD and
with the City to bring people... from the outside who have those kind of skills together
with the idea people. The innovators with the entrepreneurs. It's pretty exciting! It's
actually the most exciting thing I've seen since I've been here, and I've been here almost
two years. So, I think, uh, in addition to coding and people learning computer skills
there, uh, I'm trying to get money from the State to pay for a workshop, uh, where people
can use tools like 3-D printers and CNC machines to work on prototypes, uh, devices. So
we have lots of people from the Hospital, faculty and students, who want to make tools,
but they don't have an easy way to fabricate something and they don't have the skills to
produce a tangible tool that they can use in the OR easily. It would be great to have
biomedical engineers, uh, computer scientists, hackers from the community, young
people from the Library — all forming a team to try to produce something like that and
ultimately start a business around it. So ... we lose a lot of people because it's hard for
them to come up with those kind of resources here. Lots of the medical device people
end up going to Minneapolis where there's a real medical device industry set up there, but
we don't have to lose all those if we bring some of these resources, so ... if the space turns
out the way I'd like to see it, and I think Mark would agree, it'll be a very public space.
Uh, it will probably have more people from the community in it than it will University. I
think the biggest challenge is going to be how you get introverted engineers and scientists
from the University to want to hang out in a ... a very public space, but ... I think it'll be
vibrant. I think there'll be people there, hopefully all day and night, and a lot of activity
going on around, peer-to-peer learning, uh, sort of fab lab maker space, high tech, and
start up companies and entrepreneurship, and I don't think many areas have put those
groups together. There's certainly places that ... like the Co -Lab where you have start up
companies and there are maker spaces and hacker spaces where you have the technical
people that are coding, but putting... designers from studio arts or humanities together
with engineers... entrepreneurs, computer scientists, all under one roof ..in that kind of
collaborative environment ... I don't think there's many places that have done that. So I ... I
think it'll be ... good things will happen when those people mix. So ... I think we'll ... we'll
answer any questions you might have.
Throgmorton/ I ... I'd like to follow up with a question having to do with connecting with the
community. Uh, and I'm going to express a value, as well. The question's basically this —
how do you picture connecting with, uh, the African American and Latino parts of our
community, uh, many of whom are low-income, lower income anyhow. Uh, it seems to
me that it's really important to be able ... to institute... ways of connecting with that
popu... those populations. So, I'm ... I'm wondering what you all have in mind about that.
Nolte/ I think that's where you start with things like the hacker-thons, the maker ... space concepts.
We were approached today about, uh... a group that wants... apparently it's about 125
different video game developers in the area that want to have a place where they can have
events and things like that. All these would be open to the public. You gotta
capture ... you know, you gotta capture people's imagination, right? We don't have a space
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right now that does that, that invites you in and says 'try this!' 'Here's someone that's
gonna help you do that.' So I ... I guess this goes back to my broader comment about, I
don't think we're offering everything we need to in the public schools, right? If I ... I can
be frank, if you look at software coding, um, by and large it's the domain of white, middle
class males. That's gotta change, right? We gotta get that to where every kid, uh, has
access to these opportunities to do that, and I think by doing this downtown, it's
gonna ... it's getting, more kids are going to see that as they're in the ped mall. They're
gonna want to do that, and that's gonna put good pressure on our school system to add
that to the curriculum and really reshape, uh, some of the pedagogy right now.
Conrad/ I think that's an excellent point, and it's not just minorities. Uh, one of the big
challenges is how do you get women to feel comfortable in that kind of space,
that's... that's been so, in the past, male dominated around robotics and around video
games that involve blowing up things (mumbled) my sons like to do on video, but...
there are also ... there are a lot of women that are very interested in coding, if they can see
an application whereby they can help people. So you have people in the medical school,
you have women who say, 'I'd like to write an app if it can help diagnose cancer,' but just
coding for the sake of coding for a game is not as interesting to many students as seeing
the reason. People get really excited when they think they're making a difference. Uh, I
think we had a hackathon in that space earlier and we did have people, um, not just white
males show up. We had a big diversity of people, actually from all over the world, and
they got along very well because there's no cost or ... or very minimal (laughs) and
you ... you do feel part of a community. So it will be important to build an inclusive
community that ... for African Americans, for women, for ... I ... I think it's traditionally been
a young, white male game dominated type group and we ... we've put a lot of thought into
what the space will have to look like, how safe it'll be in the evenings, and ... and do
people feel welcome and safe in that environment. So we have a group of people now
studying just that, that'll be making some recommendations but ... uh, it ... I think I have this
video where I say if it's just for guys, then it's a failure. You have to have inclusion. It's
part of a way to bring more diversity to the ped mall, quite honestly. If it ... if it works the
way we're intending, they'll be ... there'll be a space for a different group of people in ... on
the ped mall. So we need to ... to keep your point in mind, it's a very good one.
Mims/ I would just (mumbled) I would just say ... for me some of this conversation started on our
trip to Omaha. I can't even remember now when we went down there. July? August? I
mean, back in the early summer, spring.
Hayek/ Uh huh.
Mims/ Um, we drove to Omaha. Chamber of Commerce took people down and Mark and I, I
think, spent probably at least two of the four hours driving to Omaha talking about coding
schools (laughs) and ... if there's anybody who is passionate about bringing these
opportunities to everybody, regardless of socio-economic background, ethnicity,
whatever — it's Mark, and I know that from the conversations that we had, and we shared
those values and talked about, you know, how do we do this? How do we get it away
from, as David said, the ... the typical white, young males that ... that have dominated this,
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and so, um, we ... we had a lot of conversations on the trip down. We met with people
with the coding schools down there. We talked again about it at EntreFest when you
guys brought people in from Omaha to, you know, to talk about that as well. Um, so
I .... certainly look forward to this and, you know, being a part of it from the City and as
an in ... as an individual, but, David, I don't know you. Mark, we've spent a lot of time
talking about it, and I certainly know that Mark's values are there in terms of making sure
that this is not just for the young, white males, that we'll really make every effort to make
it as inclusive as possible. So I think that's really important and look forward to that.
Nolte/ The thing I loved about what Omaha was doing, the woman who came and visited us...
Mims/ Uh huh!
Nolte/ ...is an African American female (both talking)
Mims/ Yep!
Nolte/ ...who's leading the coding education in Omaha...
Mims/ Yep!
Nolte/ ...and somehow we'll figure out a way to steal her! (laughter and several talking)
Botchway/ And I'm not sure whether or not this was discussed or not, but you know, as you're
thinking ... I know you're talking about downtown and I'm sure the ... the area around the,
um, Robert E. Lee Rec Center's downtown or incorporated downtown as well, but I mean
that could be a great space and we know a lot of, you know, all kinds of kids come there
and, um, just ... I guess my ... I guess my issue with it, you know, having ... being in the ped
mall and then obviously as you were talking about, Mark, with the, uh, hackathon and
that, I knew nothing about it and so from a communication standpoint, and I get a lot of
information so it could be that I missed the email, but I got some ... there was a lot of
people that just didn't know about it happening and then also from ... um, and that's just
communication with the School District as well, you know, there's kids there and trying
to figure that out, working that out, but also ... again if we can ... if we can find places where
we know kids will be at, um, and you know then we know there's a lot of kids, um, at the
Rec Center, um, and ... provide programming and a lot of obviously, um ... not recruitment
but um ... advertisement in those areas as well as far as you know even if it's a huge poster
on a wall or poster on the front door. You know, have Tom dress up or something along
those lines and ... and really advocate it for hours on end, um, whatever we can do to kind
of build that capacity and do that, I think would be great work.
Nolte/ (mumbled) proximity to the Library and the Rec....and the Rec Center are both going to
help tremendously. I mean the ... thing about the Co -Lab now is that no one really walks
Court Street.
Botchway/ Right.
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Nolte/ Young kids especially don't walk Court Street. So if you don't know the Co -Lab's there,
you don't know it's there! But when people can see it every day, I think that's going to
help us tremendously.
Throgmorton/ But so isn't the key peer-to-peer kind of connections? I'm thinking about what you
just said, Kingsley, and ... and uh, kids who are in ... the Rec Center and so on. If...if
someone ... who they recognize as a peer that they trust and so on said, 'Hey, let's go over
there ... and check things out.' Then it'd be much more likely to happen than if...you know,
if...if they were just some sign on ... on the ... the Dubuque Street building (both talking)
Botchway/ ...thinking about what like (mumbled) does, um, there's an engineering, uh... uh, group
out of the Engineering School that does a lot with, you know, uh... uh, diverse kids
throughout the School District, but a lot of their things focus on transportation, and so
they can get people downtown into the Engineering School, but then you know kind of
to, uh, Jim's point, I mean, there's a lot of kids that they're leaving out and so, um,
because of that then you have, um, some issues come up that, you know, why isn't this
opportunity available to everyone and so ... that ... that's what ... I'm just trying to think about
things on the front end that, you know, to think about that, you know, would possibly
alleviate the problem and add to a more diverse network. Cause that's exciting, I mean
coding and everything else you know (mumbled)
Conrad/ We've talked about providing transportation too, cause that can be an issue. If there are
areas where we could transport people to and from. I think in the afternoon, I would love
to have high school kids spend 3:30 to 5:30 and then their parents pick them up there.
That ... that's a relatively safe time for them to be on the ped mall and in that space. If
there are ways we can provide transportation, that's certainly something we'd both be
excited about, because the logistics mainly get difficult for some people just to get there.
Parking is ... can be an issue, but if we did public transportation or had a van, then that
would make ... make it a lot easier. That's something we've looked at.
Nolte/ It's not all coding, you know, but ... and again, teaching those young people the
entrepreneurship skills too. I think that's another area that (noises on mic) we can, you
know, you look at the ... there's kind of this whole emerging fashion industry going on
right now. You look at some of these companies that are popping up now. That's part of
that creative process, you know. Uh, we want to ... if it's creative and it's gonna ... it will
create opportunity, that's .... you know, what I want kids to say, you know, if they go to
the Rec Center, I want them to say, 'I went to that place. They taught me something.
They welcomed me in. They treated me with respect and...'
Mims/ I want to go back! (laughs)
Nolte/ Yeah, and hopefully they take that back to school and say 'Why (mumbled) (several
talking) (laughter)
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Hayek/ These ... these are all great points. To take it up to the 30,000 -foot level, I think we should
recognize the strateg... the ... the importance and ... and the significance of the strategic
alliance between the City and ICAD and the U of I's Office of Research and Economic
Development, and then the other groups that ... that play supporting roles, whether it's
Downtown District or ... or Chamber or otherwise. Um, but ... but those initial triangle
pieces, uh, the ... the City, ICAD, and the University, um, form a very strong alliance
through this exciting project. Um, and I'm thrilled about the location! I think it's exactly
where you want to smash together these various stakeholders with an initiative that
unfolds on, you know, the doorstep of the community, in a sense. The living room as
somebody put it. You put it ... maybe Geoff put it, um, and I think there's a role for ... for,
uh... further collaboration between us, between these groups, uh, downtown, and I ... I think
economic development in our downtown area, um, is ... has got to be one of our strategic
priorities going forward, um, so this ... this bodes well and I'm excited to see these pieces
come together in this ... this collaboration.
Throgmorton/ Matt, since we're at the 30,000 -foot level, uh, I ... I'd ... I would hope ... I would say I
hope that, uh, connections can ma ... be made with the School District, as well. I think
you're right about high school students and being able to draw them, and maybe
elementary school students as well, but 3:30 — that's completely viable. I think a lot of
City High, West High students take courses at the University late in the afternoon. So
things are possible, but I want to bring it down to the ground level, as well, uh, with
regard to a different kind of disability. Uh, will the space be fully accessible? (several
talking) Basement? Bathrooms, everything ... (several talking) Excellent!
Nolte/ And that's been one of the challenges with us finding a bigger space to do this in, you
know.
Craig/ Elevators aren't cheap to install, so...
Throgmorton/ Right.
Craig/ ...finding a place that's already ADA compliant (both talking)
Throgmorton/ I remember going down those steps when there was a hardware store down there,
so...
Craig/ There's an interior elevator that's large.
Nolte/ Freight size elevator for (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, excellent!
Dickens/ To get the word out maybe you could, uh, work with the Chamber as far as going to all
of its members and asking them if they wouldn't be willing to donate advertising or you
know ... we always do our windows and everything but we've also .... we've given, uh, live
remotes that we didn't use. We gave 'em to the Downtown Association or something
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that ... can get the word out. Uh, social media, I mean ... that's where everybody gets their
news anymore. We've gotta really tap into that as well, but I think the Chamber could be
very helpful with the businesses, that they could kinda jump on this too.
Botchway/ Well to Matt's point about communication, making sure you communicate with the
School District cause I know that I am (feedback on mic) I mean (laughter) I've been
working on some things as far as gaming, um, is concerned and so I would not want to
duplicate those efforts at all, so I'd rather you know something that was here instead of,
you know, where ... I think I was looking at Chicago. Some other people already came
and done ... did a presentation, but I'd like if it was here in the community, so...
Conrad/ That's where we'd be if we get that continuum right. So you get exposure. You learn
something but you really want to get deeper, so you come in and there's a company in
this space that just needs kind of an apprentice coder and you start to build (mumbled) so
we're not duplicating things at certain levels, but we finally figure out as a community
how to get that continuum from interest to employment.
Information Packets:
Hayek/ Okay! Thanks! Appreciate it! (several talking) Staff, thanks for ... for pushing this.
Okay! Uh, Info Packet discussions. We have two Info Packets. The first is September
3rd
Dobyns/ I want to discuss staff recommendations about, uh, duration on boards and
commissions. Um, focusing on ... (mumbled) the big one, Planning and Zoning. My sense
is that ... right now it's five years and I think that was the staff recommendation. My
thinking is that ... there's a sense that while it takes you some time to get up to speed, well,
I would agree with that, but the way I look at it is what if you don't get up to speed? Um,
I would suggest that we should recommend three years, uh, for Planning and Zoning and
if after three years a person goes, 'Okay! I feel that I've come up to speed. I know what's
going on,' um, I think the Council ... in the time I've been on has been very willing to
recognize success and people's, uh, skill sets being built on a commission, and rewarding
them with a second term. And I think we, you know, (mumbled) what if someone after
three years don't quite feel that they get it.
Payne/ Then they wouldn't reapply.
Dobyns/ Then they wouldn't reapply, but if they have to go five years...
Payne/ You can resign.
Dobyns/ Okay, well let me finish. Let me finish. You'll get your chance. Um ... I'm just thinking
after three years, especially with ... my sense talking with people who are younger than
me, which are ... is getting to be a larger portion of the demographic (laughter) um, is that
when people want to volunteer, but they don't want to put in the time — the two years,
three years, the five years that the rest of us are crazy enough to do, um, Planning and
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Zoning doesn't suffer for people who are interested and I would extend this discussion to
some of the other boards and commissions, but I really think that we ought to shrink the
amount of time, to give a sense of what people who are younger are looking in terms of
what ... how they want to volunteer.
Botchway/ Well I was going to say to that point, if we are looking at the Planning and Zoning
being three years, then I would say we make all of them three years. I mean I ... if, we're
getting to the point where we're ... I mean as long as we ... I was on the side of staying with
the Planning and Zoning five years just because of what was advocated on Council before
as far as it being a huge learning curve and other things, but ... I mean one of the
recommendations that was talked about ... um .... I guess this was at the prior meeting, was
um ... directing staff to shorten the terms of certain ... or it says certain boards and
commissions. Never mind. But ... having consistency across the board, I mean, would be
nice. But I ... the only part I disagree with you on is the fact that if we get into the part of
then reappointing an individual for a second term, you know, first of all then what would
be the criteria that would say that they're doing good, compared to somebody who's doing
bad, and then the second part being, that would be ... contradictory to what we're trying to
do with the boards and the commissions, as far as making sure that we're having, you
know, rotating and ... lot of (both talking)
Dobyns/ And I'd guess that with Michelle's comment is that they wouldn't request reappointment,
but we'd give them the opportunity to beg off.
Payne/ Unless they think they're doing fine.
Dobyns/ Right. And then Council will have to weigh in, as is our responsibility.
Hayek/ Well I would, uh... I don't know if three's the magic number or not, but ... it may be, but
I ... it does not make sense to me to have board and commission terms that exceed Council
terms. Um ... I mean, you know, so ... and I would include everybody and ... and, you know,
so the ... the, for example the Library and I don't mean to pick on it, but it ... but it says that,
you know, they ... they recommend sticking with six years and they point out that that
board deals with budget and fiduciary matters and ... and director evaluations and makes,
uh, policy and ... and things like that, all true. All things that the Council does, as well,
and ... um ... it ... that is ... I mean I ... I personally think it was a mistake for the State to push
the School Board, uh, positions from three to four years because it scares people away.
It's a longer time commitment. Three is ... it's only a 12 -month difference, but it makes a
big difference to people who are thinking about their ... their ability to commit to
community causes. And ... um ... six years is a long time. I know there's a lot of interest in
those positions, but that also means there's less turnover and ... and P&Z, I ... you know
maybe four years is the right number for that. And maybe three, I don't know! But
I ... I ... the ... the ... the more I think about it, having board and commission terms that exceed
the length of a City Council term is ... doesn't make a lot of sense to me, personally.
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Throgmorton/ Well, that particular point doesn't carry too much weight with me, Matt. But uh,
but ... uh, you know, there are what... three... one, two, three commissions that are really at
stake I think or ... or maybe I can't ... I'm having trouble reading (both talking)
Payne/ ...only three years, I mean...
Throgmorton/ Well the Board of Appeals thing ... it seems to me that should be three years. So I
wasn't persuaded by, uh, comments about it needing to be longer. Uh, the Library staff,
uh, I'm pretty compelled by what you said, Matt, with regard to the ... the Library, uh,
Board. But I don't know that that ... that doesn't lead me to think three years. It does lead
me to think four years. With regard to Planning and Zoning, I think the biggest hindrance
toward diversifying that commission is it is enormously time -intensive, relatively
speaking compared to other commissions. And ... and ... and combine that with the current
time length of appointments, five years of doing that stuff ...over and over again, I mean
it's pretty hard doing this. It's pretty hard doing that too and it...it is very time consuming.
So I think for ... for anybody who's trying ... trying to work, uh, is ... you know, not wealthy,
not retired, not in the business of developing land or selling property, this is a big
challenge! (laughs) You know, so...
Payne/ And yet we have many people on that commission that have been on there for probably at
least three terms.
Throgmorton/ That commission?
Payne/ Um, of Planning and Zoning Commission.
Throgmorton/ You mean in the past or the present (both talking)
Payne/ ...currently!
Throgmorton/ Who?
Payne/ Charlie and Ann.
Throgmorton/ Three terms?
Payne/ Uh huh.
Throgmorton/ Three five-year terms?
Payne/ Ann is in her third five-year term.
Throgmorton/ Not Charlie.
Payne/ I think Charlie... Charlie was on there when I was on there!
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Throgmorton/ Can you check that out? Yeah, um ... I ... that ... that's not good. I wouldn't ... I
wouldn't support either Ann or Charlie or anybody being on for three five-year terms, uh,
sol...I guess the, what I'm trying to get at is I think the term for the Planning and Zoning
Commissioners needs to be shorter but not too short because you do have to learn some
difficult stuff. So ... uh, and ... and the shorter the term the more likely it is that we can
diversify that commission. So I'm inclined to say four years for that term, or for that
board, not five and three is not enough, it seems to me. I'm ... that ... that's where I stand on
that.
Mims/ Given what I've heard people say and as I looked at this and was thinking about it, here's
what I would re ... recommend, is that we go with ... the, and I ... I agree with what Matt says,
I mean, if commiss... if Council Members have to get up to speed in ... hopefully less than
four years, um, you know, I think we need to expect that of our boards and commissions.
I would suggest that we take the Library Board, the Planning and Zoning, and the Board
of Appeals and go to four years on those, and take Parks and Rec and Community Police
Review Board and go to three on those.
Payne/ And given that, I have a question about the recommendation that says... however, without
consistency, the recommendations will fail to meet intended goal of increasing the
diversity of the applicant pool, and does that mean without the ... the three-year term
consistency or ... I'm not quite following what consistency that recommendation is
referring to.
Botchway/ I thought it meant years as a whole (several talking)
Karr/ I ... I think what we're looking at is ... again, we talked about (mumbled) and Stefanie and I,
uh, spent considerable time on this, is that we don't want the appearance of one board or
commission... being any more important, less important, taking more learning curve.
When we recommended three, it was based on the fact that that was what the majority of
the remaining boards and commissions were. That's when we recommended three.
Certainly if we would go to four, it would then match the current Parks and Rec and
Community Police Review Board four. Then as we look at diversity and we look at, um,
attracting more people to boards and commissions, we want them to be a good fit and to
apply, but not to be discouraged by six versus three, or four versus three. So the overall
goal is the consistency (noises on mic)
Payne/ So just to comment, those commissions that are currently three-year terms...
Karr/ Yes!
Payne/ ...we have a harder time getting people to apply for those than we do for the Library
Board, which is six, and Planning and Zoning, which is five. So ... but I don't think the
years, the term of the commiss... of the length of time ... is the deterrent or attractor to
someone applying, simply because those people don't have people clamoring for them ... at
three years.
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Bowers/ And I think what we're saying is is that whatever the ... the years should be consistent
between the City boards and commissions. Um, when you look at the equity report and
look on page 18, that deals with the demographics of folks that are serving on boards and
commissions, I mean I can count'em on ... I think there's about seven as far as people of
color. And so we know that some of the causes of inequities are treating people
differently and not being consistent. And so (both talking)
Payne/ But how ... how is that treating people differently? Because they... everybody has the same
opportunity to apply for a boar ... board or commission, and they still have the same...
would they're not clamoring to apply for the ones with three-year terms, so why would
we think that having a three-year term would entice more people to apply?
Bowers/ And I ... and Marian can correct me if, uh, I misinterpreted her opinion, but I think what
we were saying is that the ... the boards and commissions just have the same number of
years, period. Three was the number because that's the majority of what the boards and
commissions are. So I'm not saying three's the magic number, but that ... there is
consistency across the boards and commissions, and um, Marian and I actually
participated in a webinar yesterday and um, some of the things that cities are doing that,
um, are looking and dealing with racial inequities is ... is really trying to do outreach to the
community, um, through community partnerships and things of that nature, and from a
recruiting standpoint. Um, if you're looking at going around, um, and speaking to groups,
it's a lot easier to recruit people and give them, um, the ... the um ... the information that,
you know, whether it's the Library Board, the Human Rights Commission, Planning and
Zoning, City boards are X, you know, it's X amount of commitment, um, as far as years.
Whereas I ... I think ... when boards and commissions have different, um ... terms attached to
them, there may be a sense that some hold greater weight and that's a debate for another
day, but I ... I also think it ... that some are more visible, um ... and some aren't, and I think
that's why you do struggle with, you know, getting folks to ... to apply, because some are
just more well known than others. But, um, I just think from an outreach standpoint it's
easier to recruit, uh, folks if...if they're all, you know, the same length of time versus
having one that is six years, one that's four, and then some that are three.
Hayek/ I would probably be okay with a mixture of threes and fours, but ... if we are to stick with
the consistent term for everything ... I would be inclined to go with four because you have
P&Z, you know, which is a very steep, long learning curve, and to, you know, if the
Library's already at six, to go to three would be a fairly drastic change for it. And ... and
most of these others are already at four anyway.
Karr/ Right, well you go back ... I'm just looking real quickly, uh, Matt (mumbled) is three years.
Senior Center is three years.
Hayek/ All right.
Karr/ Public Art is three years and Telecommunications is three years. So overall, there are
fewer at three than there would be at four, given tonight's sentiment — yes. So if
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you ... you could make that argument and we could come back ... we could take a look ... we
just have not talk ... so you would be extending by a year...
Hayek/ Okay, you'd be moving a number of threes to fours.
Karr/ It would be moving about ... four of them, yes.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ So a ... another way to think about this is in terms of...total number of...board
person years, and reducing...
Hayek/ Like dog years?
Throgmorton/ ...total number, yeah, reducing the total number of...of board member years. So
that ... so that the likelihood that the whole body of board membership will become more
diverse because... because there's more turnover (both talking)
Karr/ ...over a static period of time, yes.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. (several talking)
Payne/ And I think it fixes the goal in the short-term, but once the goal is ... I ... I think we need to
think more of just than fixing the goal ... fixing the diversity issue in the short-term, and is
that the best thing to do in the long-term is to have a three-year term rather than a four-
year term?
Botchway/ I just ... I just don't ... I guess I don't necessarily understand the comments for having a
longer term, I mean I ... I mean, Matt, to your point. You just said the School
Board... you... you were just kind of a, uh, taken back by the fact that the legislature had
actually increased the, um, School Board (mumbled) and I know that's a separate
conversation that we're having, but my point is from a board and commission standpoint,
I'm just trying to understand why ... why having a longer term is ... is warranted, and I ... and
I get, well, and just to finish the point. I get that ... I still feel there's a problem then if we
still have four and three because some are more important. I still feel like we've talked
about Planning and Zoning as being the ... the most ... most of our conversation has focused
around Planning and Zoning and how steep of a learning curve it is ... I ... I just feel like
we're (both talking)
Payne/ So why do you think ... I mean I have never ... it has never entered my mind that the length
of term of a ... of a board member determines how important that commission is, or even
have entered my mind that the Library Board is more important than the Board of
Appeals. I mean, I ... that just doesn't make any sense at all to me.
Botchway/ Just from our level of discussion. I don't think we've talked about any other boards.
We've talked about Planning and Zoning for the majority of our discussion (both talking)
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Payne/ But I'm just using it as an example (both talking) That's the longest one and ... but that
doesn't mean Library Board is more (both talking)
Hayek/ No, I don't (both talking)
Payne/ ...longer term, I mean that's a...
Hayek/ I think it's more an issue of...of...of discouraging people from applying, and when you're
looking at a five or six-year term, that's a heck of a lot less attractive to me as Joe Q.
Public...
Payne/ Which could be true, but the Library Board is one that people clamor for and some of
these with three we can't get anybody to apply for.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Payne/ So I can't see that the ... the, in practice that that is true!
Hayek/ To ... to your point, Kingsley. I ... generally speaking I'm okay with three-year terms, but I
recognize the issue with P&Z because of...it is a unique board and ... and I ... I suspect it
requires more work. There may be some others — Library Board's a lot of work, as well,
and Housing Commission can ... can be a lot of work, but P&Z is ... their meeting schedule
alone is ... is, uh...
Dilkes/ Presumably though they get up to speed faster cause they meet twice a month. (laughter)
Hayek/ Yeah, that could be true. We ... we could go with three across the board.
Dobyns/ I would suggest that (several talking) we who are making a decision are probably a little
bit aberrant, I mean, the fact that we sign up and we're volunteers, and here we are
making this decision. I think we need to extrapolate to a more common person in Iowa
City who is maybe not willing to jump in with all fours the way we have.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Karr/ May I ask, is there interest on the part of the majority of Council to reach a consistency in
the board and commissions, not what it is, but just a general — is there an interest to do
that, not ... not what it is, nail it down right now, but is there any to look at consistency on
boards and commission terms?
Throgmorton/ Well I don't see an inherent necessity to do that.
Karr/ Because I think that's the major (several talking)
Hayek/ Wait, you don't see a necessity (several talking)
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Throgmorton/ I don't, yeah.
Mims/ I would agree with you, Jim. I don't either. I ... I don't know that we want to go all the
way from three to six, but I don't have a problem with having a couple different...
Karr/ Because if there is (both talking) for consistency or a majority of you to do that, we can sit
here and talk a long time about (several talking)
Hayek/ What if we did this, what if we reached a consensus that the most we want any board to
be is X years, or ... (several talking) and maybe it's four (several talking)
Payne/ I could agree with that.
Hayek/ ...and then have staff take another look at...at the list and maybe come back with a
recommendation of...what (both talking)
Karr/ All right, with that in mind, I think we can come back then with a different approach, if
that is the desire.
Hayek/ It ... at least shrinks the difference, you know, but ... it may not get ya to the absolute
consistency that ... that (both talking)
Payne/ And it still doesn't mean that just because something is four years it's more important than
something that's three. (several talking)
Botchway/ Just because people are clamoring for that board or commission, even Stefanie said, I
mean, it also is because it is more public and so Planning and Zoning is something we do
on a regular basis, and so I can see individuals wanting to be more a part of that process,
but ... but for the argument that you're saying that individuals clamor for it, I ... I don't see
why that's still more important or holds more weight to (both talking)
Payne/ It doesn't!
Botchway/ ...but you're advocating for more!
Payne/ I'm not advocating for more! I'm just saying that it doesn't ... the argument doesn't make
sense. That people don't apply because of the derm... cause of the term!
Hayek/ So what would you do with this issue?
Payne/ Just exactly what we talked about, the three and the four and to have them recommend
which ones are three and which ones are four!
Dobyns/ (mumbled) on Planning and Zoning, how many of us are more comfortable with three
and how many are for four?
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Payne/ For Planning and Zoning?
Dobyns/ Planning and Zoning.
Payne/ I'd go four.
Mims/ I'd go four.
Throgmorton/ I'd go four.
Dickens/ Four.
Hayek/ Four.
Dobyns/ Three.
Botchway/ I go three.
Payne/ And for me, having been on that commission (both talking)
Hayek/ ...it's a 5-2 vote on the four to three issue (several talking)
Payne/ If...if I knew it was three years, I wouldn't even apply for it.
Dobyns/ How bout Library, since that's going all the way down from six. That's the biggest
drop, um...
Payne/ Four.
Dobyns/ I'd say three.
Botchway/ I'm sticking with three cause of the consistent issue.
Hayek/ I don't know, personally.
Throgmorton/ I don't know either.
Payne/ I would do four.
Mims/ I think I would probably change from six to four rather than cutting them in half.
Payne/ Yep.
Hayek/ But maybe ... but we're going to drive ourselves into a (several talking) if we, uh, if we
keep (several talking)
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Dobyns/ (mumbled)
Hayek/ Are we at least in agreement that we want ... we want to have staff come to us
with ... (several talking) threes and fours and...
Karr/ Okay, we can proceed with recommendations 1 and 2 to change (several talking) and on
the, um ... uh (mumbled) redefining and expanding the definition of, um (mumbled)
relationships to be consistent? (several responding) That would be a resolution. We can
come back with those the next time and take care of that, those two.
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ Because the other ones, whatever's determined, would effect board and commission by-
laws and ordinances, and ... and other things (several responding) um ... these can be taken
care of (mumbled) Okay.
Hayek/ All right. Thank you.
Throgmorton/ That was easy! (laughter)
Hayek/ And obviously anyone on there now is grandfathered, my presumption (both talking)
Karr/ Yes! Yes! And obviously as we talk about this, we're heading into one of our busier times
of year for appointments, so the goal at the time we initially did this was to have this in
place prior to that. Given that's not going to happen, anybody will be grandfathered in so
it'd be just that much longer before we take a look (mumbled)
Hayek/ Okay.
Payne/ Are we still on work packet items then?
Hayek/ We're still on the, uh, September 3rd Info Packet.
Payne/ I have a question on IPS, which, Stefanie, it's the Government Alliance and Race Equity
training that you....what is the difference between this training and the training in
November? Or in October I mean.
Bowers/ Sure. So I just kind of answered an email about that this afternoon, but I think Dr.
Moore and Diane Finnerty's training is looking at, um, oppression, privilege, and
competency as it relates to ... personal biases that we all have and how our personal biases
affect our interactions with others and how those then affect decisions that we make.
Whereas the GARE training is looking at ... systems and structures within government,
um, with the, um, understanding that a lot of neutral government policies, um ... result in
inequities, and so looking at these systems, um, looking at institutional barriers, um, and
how ... city governments can, um, create tools, resources to minimize or reduce (coughing,
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difficult to hear speaker) um, disparities, or over or under -representations that we see. So
I think one is more ... more of an institutional, um, training, whereas one is more, to me, I
would describe as individual.
Dobyns/ (mumbled)
Payne/ The October one is (both talking)
Bowers/ I'm sorry, the Dr. Moore and Diane Finnerty one would be the more individual.
Payne/ And that's the October one.
Bowers/ Correct! (laughs)
Payne/ Okay (several talking)
Hayek/ Thank you, Stefanie.
Payne/ Thanks! Very much! I have another question. IP6, which is the traffic calming on
Westbury Drive. Somebody here that can ... and it's more of a generalized question than
specifically. Um, so it says ... the City's adopted traffic calming program requires that at
least 60% of responding households must indicate support for the proposed traffic
calming project.
Ralston/ Correct.
Payne/ So is the assumption that if somebody doesn't respond, they approve.
Ralston/ No. If they don't respond, they're not tallied at all. So we only look at the ... we only
tally the ... the fors and against for who responds.
Payne/ Who responds.
Ralston/ Yes, one vote per household.
Payne/ So if one person responded yes, and that's the only person that responded, it would be a
go.
Ralston/ Well we would bring that to you all and we would report that there was only one person
and then...
Payne/ Okay!
Ralston/ ...if you chose so it would be a go, yes.
Payne/ Okay!
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Ralston/ Yes.
Payne/ Thank you.
Hayek/ Thanks! Okay, September 10th Info Packet.
Throgmorton/ Uh, can we talk about KXIC?
Hayek/ Yeah!
Throgmorton/ Now? So it's IP4. Uh, I'm pretty much due for some time in the next few weeks,
so I could do either October 7, November 4, or the Friday thing on October the 16th
Dickens/ I'll do September 30th. (mumbled) ...baseball season.
Karr/ (several talking) ...which ones do you want, what's your preference? (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Well I...
Karr/ The 7?
Throgmorton/ Yeah, uh, November the 4th.
Karr/ November 4th. Can anyone do ... can anyone do September 23rd since that's the most
immediate?
Hayek/ Yeah, I can do that it looks like.
Karr/ September 23rd Matt.
Hayek/ Sure!
Karr/ Okay, then we have Terry for the 30th. October 7th?
Botchway/ I can do the ... (mumbled) Yeah, I can do the 7th
Karr/ (both talking) Okay. And then we have the 14th, 21St, 28th, and then November 4th then.
So if we want to wait a while or you can let me know and I'll plug it in. Um ... so we can
get to another meeting (mumbled) of time.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ So ... so Friday... they're not filled up, right?
Karr/ Fridays (both talking)
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Mims/ Rick has those.
Karr/ Rick has ... has them because (several talking and laughing) So I mean...
Throgmorton/ Can't have too much, Rick, right? (laughter)
Dobyns/ I'm my most eloquent on Fridays, Jim. As opposed to Tuesday evenings! (laughs)
Karr/ So ... the Fridays remain the same with openings November 20th and December 18th.
Hayek/ Um ... briefly on the, uh... is it an attachment. I'm trying to ... ahhhh! Tom had a memo, uh,
to Stefanie regarding CPRB, um ... which I thought was good and ... and it just as a
reminder that, uh, it ... boy would it be great if other communities followed our lead, uh, in
terms of...public oversight of...of their police operations, um ... I hope that trend increases,
and that's certainly something that people who are thinking about this issue on a national
level and trying to solve the issue of trust between law enforcement and the public tend to
talk about, which is this civilian oversight issue. Um, I'm glad we do it and I hope that
concept spreads.
Karr/ Matt, you're talking about IP8, the ... equity report (both talking)
Hayek/ Uh, was it...
Mims/ No, it's in IP7.
Karr/ 7?
Mims/ Page 16 of the packet. It's attachment #1 (several talking)
Hayek/ Thank you. I've got one of those bubble things that takes you right to the comment
without telling me which item I'm in. (several responding)
Payne/ I think I have a question that might be on the same ... item that you're talking about. It's
actually on page 14 of...the 9/10 Info Packet. At the top it says September 8th, page 4,
and this is probably just a really silly question, but close to the bottom it says 'on June
18th, the Communications Department launched the new City web site. The new site
features a Google translate button, located at the bottom of each page.' What is a Google
translate button?
Dobyns/ Didn't you do that? It's fun!
Throgmorton/ It is fun!
Dobyns/ Yeah!
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Payne/ I try to stay off the web site now cause it's so awful, but ... (laughs)
Hayek/ Geez! (several talking and laughing)
Fruin/ You can select from a number of, um, different languages and it'll translate the page (both
talking)
Payne/ Well I saw that down there. It says English. Why would I change it? I don't know how
to speak any other language. That's all it means? That's all it is? Okay! (several talking
and laughing) I said it was a silly question! (laughs) I had never heard of it before!
(several talking)
Fruin/ Sorry, I didn't hear ya!
Dobyns/ The, uh, regarding the languages. I think if you do Google translate, the grammar is
kind of a little ... (both talking)
Fruin/ It....
Dobyns/ ...clunky..with the foreign languages, when I took a look. Um...
Fruin/ It could be. It's a ... it's a very commonly used application that a number of (both talking)
private and public entities use.
Payne/ So...so basically it just translates whatever's on that page, whatever language you pick.
Fruin/ Correct. Yes.
Payne/ Okay. (several talking) Well, I used it on Google before but I just didn't connect the two.
Dobyns/ I don't know if you could do any better. I think it's, um ... it's (several talking)
Hayek/ Right.
Dobyns/ But I think a foreign language speaker would look at it and kinda go, 'Really?'
Fruin/ Part of the, you know, what we have to work on as a ... in our communications operations is
to make sure the ... the verbiage we're using on the page doesn't include slang and ... and
things that are not easily interpreted, and that's something that ... that takes a little getting
used to, but um ... you know, if we can be very clear in our communication, hopefully it'll
translate cleanly, but um, that certainly doesn't always take place.
Markus/ You know, I think the effort is worthwhile because it...it creates a situation where
eventually persons, um, non-English speakers can come in and have it translated for their
own language, as to what we're trying to convey in terms of our rules, regulations,
policies, communication. So, I think the intent is in the right direction. Refinements
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always take time, but I think that's a movement in the right direction. I would hope
people would be supportive of that.
Payne/ Definitely! I mean I think it's a good idea. I just didn't understand what it meant (laughs)
Karr/ I'd also like to wear my consistency hat again and say that the other advantage in that is
that regardless of the department you're in, the document, the translation is the same,
though it may not be perfect, it is the same reading it in that department as it is in another
department, and I think that is a very helpful, consistent message that the City can put out
in that respect.
Dobyns/ The broad categories are accurate, because that isn't so grammatically ... relied on
grammar, uh, but the narrative doesn't make any ... and so a foreign language speaker can
look at categories and figure it out pretty well, so...
Mims/ IP10. I'd just like to thank staff, uh, or whoever put together this affordable housing
projects in Iowa City, kind of this two-page brochure, um, great summary of the projects
that the City's involved in, uh, for affordable housing.
Throgmorton/ IP8.
Hayek/ Yes!
Throgmorton/ The equity report. I want to thank Stefanie for that report. I think it's extremely
well done. Uh, I do wonder though whether ... I ... I might have overlooked, uh, some key
information, uh, cause I read it quickly and didn't go back over it, so maybe I did. Uh,
does it discuss, um ... disparities in education, income, employment, access to jobs?
Bowers/ Um ... it would address employment as it relates to City employment.
Throgmorton/ But not generally for the City's, the population of the city?
Bowers/ The entire equity report is data that's ... what I would consider internal data that's related
to City services, programs, and operations.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, yeah.
Hayek/ Well ICAD, through its workforce development stuff, maintains a lot of the broader data,
I think.
Throgmorton/ Well, I wanted to bring it up, mainly because I've brought it up before, and I think
that ... that's the real nub of it, is doing ... taking substantive actions to reduce disparities in
income, education, employment, access to jobs, and so on. That's where the hard work is.
That's where we need to be also reporting on.
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Botchway/ I would like to say, um, kinda along the lines, um of Susan's comments was I'd just
like to report, I mean I think it's ... not to say the last report wasn't clean. I think the last
report was just as clean. I think that it's just more ... urn ... I don't know, palatable. I don't
know if that's the right word I want to use, but ... I think it's just...
Hayek/ The equity report or the house ... the affordable housing?
Botchway/ Oh, I'm sorry, equity report (both talking)
Throgmorton/ (mumbled)
Botchway/ Sorry, equity report! Um, cause I know the first one in and of itself was, uh, just a lot
of information, period, just because it was the first one of its kind, and so in ... you know,
you mentioned the fact that this report would be, um, a lot, you know, more shorter and
you know all those other different things, but urn ... it's good, you know. I like it. I like
the pictures. Not to say that's the only thing, but I think it adds to the ... the report and the
readability of the report, so...
Throgmorton/ It highlights important facts (both talking)
Botchway/ Right!
Throgmorton/ ... and ... in a way that's not entirely (several talking and laughing)
Mims/ ...quotes can be taken out of context (laughs)
Botchway/ Yeah! Yeah! (several talking and laughing)
Hayek/ Very well done report, Stefanie! Did a very good job on it!
Throgmorton/ Yeah!
Mims/ And to Jim's point, we always have more work to do, not only as a city but as a
community, so...
Botchway/ I will have to say and this just came up in some of my twitter controversy from time
to time, but you know ... I ... I know that there's more to do and I know Susan talked about
that and I know that we've, you know, consistently been kind of on the precipice of the
discussion as far as, you know, what are we doing, can you consistently update ... I just ask
that you know the same be asked of other entities. It might ... it might be and that's fine;
I'm just not aware, um, but just you know ... I don't know if there is an equity report for
each, um, jurisdiction within Johnson County.
Hayek/ I'm confident there isn't!
Botchway/ Well ... but I ... and I don't ... maybe there's something (both talking)
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Hayek/ I think you have to look at their staffing, which doesn't compare to ours. You have to
look at their commissions, which don't compare to ours. We're the only ones with a
CPRB, go on and on and on. That is a very good point.
Botchway/ But I think ... but to that point as well, I think that too frequently we may wait until
after something is set in stone and then start focusing on (mumbled) cause Iowa City's,
you know, we've been the big city for a long time and so I know there are a lot of
questions and criticisms that comes from that, but you know, as some of these newer
cities emerge, North Liberty's getting larger, um, you know, it'd be great to kind of have
that, and I don't mean to use North Liberty. And again, maybe they're already thinking
about it, but have some of that discussion with the County, you know, I mean that's
something that I know they work on, but again, having this type of report, um, is huge,
so...
Markus/ Well I think that goes to the point of the whole CPRB and ... and the point of my memo
to the Council was is that we have a situation where ... we hear from other elected officials
of other jurisdictions on a regular basis about what we are or aren't doing, but when you
look at the equity report, you look at the CPRB, you look at all the other things that we're
working on, and ... there's a tendency to come back to the same well to further refine that
well when the others haven't even gotten to the starting point of the reports that we're
doing. And so I think you do have to keep that in mind. That's not a justification not to
keep doing what we're doing, or to expand or even do more, but ... I think sometimes
people hide in the shadows, quite frankly.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, course I look at that a little bit differently. Our standard is ourselves, not
what other people are doing, and therefore we need to continually strive to improve, do
better at what we're doing, uh, and not let ourself be weighted down by what others are
not doing.
Botchway/ But it's a collaborative process (both talking)
Mims/ I don't think that's what Tom said at all though.
Throgmorton/ No, well ... just emphasizing a point.
Hayek/ Yeah, but here's how I would look at it, I mean, I don't think he's stating something
contrary to what you're saying, Jim. I think we have to ... we can't let up. We have to do
these things. Um ... but ... but we are an easy target, yet we represent any more only a half
of the County's population.
Botchway/ Well and I ... I agree to a certain extent, Jim, but my point was ... or to a greater extent
of my point is just being a little bit upset at, you know, initially when the Ad Hoc
Diversity Committee, and Marian, help me out if this is not the case. There were
comments about ... I think there's a couple people that came to the Commission meeting
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and went to great lengths, or maybe it was, uh, CPRB, went to great lengths talking about
the ... the Police Department (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, for sure!
Botchway/ ...and it wasn't ours! I mean and so ... so, and that was something that came out from a
communication's standpoint, I mean, maybe as we're looking at taxicab situations, maybe
we need to look at different colors for our, um, for our police cars, because I think a lot of
people assume Iowa City's the police when it's not. It could be University Heights, could
be Coralville, could be North Liberty, the County. It could be, um, the University, I
mean (laughs) so many different police departments in our jurisdiction that have some
type of weight ... at times in Iowa City. Again, not saying that Iowa City police don't have
some things to work on. I'm not saying that we as a Council don't have some things to
work on, but some of the comments I've heard, not only from the Ad Hoc Diversity
Committee but also going to these community forums and having these multiple
discussions about police, some of 'em have been out of our jurisdiction and ... I don't know
if anything's happened along those lines and ... and so to me it's still a collaborative
process, because as we work on this you know and Iowa City is working on this
solely ... or not (mumbled) working on this to our own standards, whatever the case may
be, I ... I just, you know, kind of putting the message out there, not only to the community,
but also to the cities as well that, you know ... kind of getting on board from a
collaborative standpoint, maybe adopting some of the things that we're doing, maybe
doing some things better ... I ... I don't know. I think it would be a good place to start.
Mims/ Well to me, that's what Tom was saying. Here we're already doing these things and we're
working hard to continue doing them and continue to do them better and better ... let's start
trying to put some pressure on these other people to bring them up to where we are,
not ... I didn't hear him say let them drag us down. I'm hearing him say let's try and bring
them up to where we are. We need to continue doing and improving, you know, doing
what we're doing and improving upon what we're doing, but ... let's try and put a little
pressure, drag them along.
Markus/ You know the ... the classic to me is when you talk about scattered site housing in terms
of scattering affordable housing across our community. You do that in part to make sure
that people can live and enjoy all areas of the city. However, there's also employment
(mumbled) and everything else, and so it...it seems to me that ... that, um ... that is a
regional issue, and when you start to look at where some of the employment centers,
other than Iowa City area, then there's an absolute need to have scattered site housing
throughout the region. Now show me where that's happening, and so I had a
conversation with some of the ... the affordable housing providers, and I said, you know,
it's ... it's great for you to come back to us and talk about what we're doing, and then ... and
ask for additional things, but what are you doing in terms of the other jurisdictions and
what success are you having in providing affordable housing in our neighboring
jurisdictions? You're right! We're only half the population of the County! So what's
going on in the balance of the other urbanized parts of the County where there's
employment centers where you do need affordable housing, where people are building
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businesses that have employment that probably need affordable housing. So I ... from my
standpoint, you get a lot of A get a lot of push that you folks don't see a lot of times, and
I'm pushing back saying, 'Fine! We'll do our share. We'll do probably more than our
share, and ... and yet you need to go back to other jurisdictions and apply the same kind of
request, the same kind of pressure to accomplish those things across the entire population
to really achieve scattered site.' Scattered site just doesn't mean within the boundaries of
Iowa City. Those boundaries are imaginary to begin with, with most people, when
they're making, you know, decisions as to where they're going to live so you need to have
that pushed out, and that's the effort I'm trying to make with some of these folks. That
doesn't mean that diminishes what we're trying to do one bit, but ... you know, there's more
partners around the table and quite frankly while the pressure point sits at Iowa City,
others are glad to ... just be on the sidelines and watch it be on Iowa City.
Hayek/ Totally agree!
Dobyns/ I think the Affordable Homes of Johnson County heard you this morning, Tom.
Hayek/ Glad to see their piece.
Dobyns/ There was a letter from Sally Scott, so... (several talking)
Dilkes/ I can't help but say something (several talking) another very good appli... or .... or example
of that is the elimination of the question on Iowa City's employment application for
conviction of a crime, um, and if you are interested in jobs, I don't think that's been done
with others'...employment applications. (several responding)
Markus/ So when you get together with the other jurisdictions and (both talking)
Botchway/ ... let's ... that's my Council time! (several talking and laughing)
Hayek/ We've got ... we've got 15 minutes, so let's keep on keeping on here, people! (several
talking) Uh... anything else on that Info Packet? Council time!
Council Time:
Botchway/ So for Council time, the reason why I kind of hit on that particular note is because
during this ... I mean the joint meeting's coming up soon, right, and I know we're ... we
usually talk about the meeting before.
Hayek/ In about a month.
Mims/ End of October.
Botchway/ Okay. So ... there's two issues I want to talk about — putting more ... I think ... I think I
missed the last one so I apologize. Putting more ... and I know we think about it politically
but you know, I mean, it gets to the point where ... I ... I just don't have the time to think
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about how we should play it out. We need to have .... talk about, you know, how this
looks regionally because, um, it's an important issue that I think we ... we all discuss or we
all kinda had (mumbled) during candidacies, and I'm talking about across all the different
jurisdictions, but then ... nothing happens. On top of that, we have to talk about the
decorum. I'm sorry, guys, I know we talked about this last time and, um ... we didn't
discuss it or whatever the case may be, and I think I even said that I was going to discuss
it but then didn't show up to the meeting so that's my fault, but um ... we gotta talk about
decorum and I want to put it on the agenda.
Payne/ I don't know what you mean. Explain!
Botchway/ So, taking pot shots and um, making comments in the public that are ... not conducive
to any type of working relationship.
Payne/ Okay.
Botchway/ Between municipalities, between respective governments.
Dobyns/ You mean ... you talking about that meeting in ... or in general (both talking)
Botchway/ I'm talking about in general.
Dobyns/ Okay, all right.
Botchway/ But the timing is perfect.
Dobyns/ Okay.
Hayek/ Um, and your first point was regionalism. Was it on the housing issue alone or was it on
a host of (both talking)
Botchway/ It was on, well the ... first with the police issue because ... and this is ... sorry, guys! This
was brought up, sorry to kind of, you know, um, ditch ya, Jim, but this ... this was brought
up about North Liberty and Coralville just rather recently with me and so I'm kinda on
that path right now, and then the other part ... so being the police, affordable housing,
um ... and we can talk about employment but I wasn't prepared to ... to bring that in, so...
Throgmorton/ Well with regard to the affordable housing part of this, whatever happened to that
committee that we created jointly, either in the joint cities meeting or the MPO thing? It
was chaired by, or organized by, moderated by Andy Johnson and the County.
Payne/ The last time we ever talked about that was in Coralville, wasn't it? At the Coralville
meeting?
Karr/ They reported they were having a meeting difficulty at the last joint meeting.
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Throgmorton/ Right, and we haven't heard anything...
Karr/ (both talking) ...that he hoped to be able to report back (coughing, unable to hear speaker)
Payne/ ...the next meeting (several responding)
Throgmorton/ So we set up some kind of process but nothing's come of it, best I can tell.
Payne/ Cause we haven't... haven't had a meeting yet, to listen to their ... report.
Markus/ I thought the School was organizing that, and in fact our case (both talking)
Hayek/ And was ... wasn't (both talking)
Markus/ And Tracy Hightshoe is our representative from the City (several talking)
Botchway/ ...but I thought Andy was spearheading (several talking) I think that it was, to what
brought it up, and then eventually it got to the point where Andy was saying that he was
going to do it (several talking) and then ... they haven't met at all though.
Karr/ At the last joint meeting, they hadn't because ... he said they were running into some
scheduling difficulties, but reported that was his goal (coughing, unable to hear speaker)
Hayek/ (mumbled)
Ralston/ Yeah, sorry, I ... I actually sit on that committee, or I guess whatever we want to call it
for the MPO. Tracy Hightshoe does for the City, as has been mentioned. Uh, we did
meet about three weeks ago or so. Don't quote me on a time, but ... two or three weeks ago
we did meet and that was the second, I think, second or third even that Andy Johnson's
put together. So it is functioning, we are meeting, and uh, they've also invited the
University of Iowa, who was represented at the last meeting.
Hayek/ Is there, uh, is there enough substance in the discussion to date that it would make sense
to ask for an update at the joint meeting in October?
Ralston/ Um ... yeah, I think so. Yeah, I don't think that's a bad idea. They've been talking about
definitions in general, how all the different communities sort of look at definitions
differently, and you know, some of these things seem very simple to me. I'm sort of on
the outside of the conversations, but ... um, they've been very helpful, you know, as kind of
an outsider. So I think, um, an update might not be a bad idea.
Hayek/ It gives you a segue.
Botchway/ Okay, so yeah, let's do an update on ... affordable housing (both talking)
Hayek/ ...we've got a meeting between now and then anyway.
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Botchway/ Okay. I just want to (both talking) radar.
Hayek/ Yeah! Yeah!
Botchway/ If anything, so take off the ... I mean I want the affordable housing update. We have to
talk about decorum. So I will bring that up next meeting, but we have to talk about
decorum.
Karr/ (several talking) ...agenda item for the next work session to decide on items (both talking)
Botchway/ Oh, yes!
Karr/ So you can (both talking)
Botchway/ I'm already advocating for decorum.
Throgmorton/ With regard to that particular point, here's my view about it, Kingsley. Each of us
can control our own behavior, but we cannot control behavior of others. So if other
people want to speak in a way we don't like ... I know what you're referring to (laughter) I
can't do anything about it! I mean we can say, hey, you know, so-and-so ... please don't
talk that way (laughs) or set up some kind of rule, but in the end...
Hayek/ Yeah.
Botchway/ I ... I want to have a pu... cause it's frequently talked about that we don't have public
discussions on things. I would want to have a public discussion on record about
decorum. That's why. That's.... that's the reason why. I know that it might not change
the behavior, and that's... that... the goal, I mean, at the end of it is not necessarily the
result that I'm seeking. I'm just seeking on having a public discussion in front of all the
cities, as far as decorum and (mumbled) how we move forward together from a regional
perspective.
Hayek/ Well first of all we have to be careful, cause this is not an agenda item.
Botchway/ Oh, true, sorry!
Hayek/ We'll be taking it up at our next meeting. Let's think about this, um (several talking)
sometimes that, I mean I ... I'm with ya in terms of the underlying objective and concern.
have concerns about whether that plays right into the hands of people who ... who you're
probably referring to, um ... so ... let's think about it. We've got until our meeting in early
October, because I think the joint meeting's like the (several talking) Okay, so our first
Council meeting we'll talk about that at work session, um ... okay! Other... Council time
items?
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Throgmorton/ I would like to mention two things, Matt. On the 21St, I spent three fruitful hours
with Jon Resler, Superintendent of Streets, uh, thanks to Tom and so on, uh, seeing street
crew operations underway, uh, paving ... uh, pothole filling... painting, and so on. Uh, and
John did a terrific job of helping me understand how he runs things. I really enjoyed
meeting with the crew ... crews actually and observing their work and all that. So I want to
thank Tom for helping me set that up and it was a very fruitful thing to do. The other
thing I wanted to mention is I had a ... a really terrific, uh, tour of Mark Twain Elementary
with Mary Bontrager, the ... the Principal on the, uh, September the 8th, I think. I don't
know. A few days ago! Uh, and that was a great experience because they've done ... they
have done a terrific job with the renovations and additions at Twain and Mary is really
excited, and of course she's ... she's just a terrific person anyhow. So she ... it was really fun
hearing her talk about how those improvements are going ... are..will... will be improving
the quality of education they can deliver to their kids, and they face significant challenges
because 90 out of 300 students are English-language learners. Uh, so ... praise to Mary
and so on. And ... and to the School Board members and the Superintendent, I praised
them too by email.
Mims/ Uh, just real quick, Jim and I took a tour with the Parks and Rec Commission last night?
Throgmorton/ Yeah!
Mims/ Um, great time. Saw a lot of the different parks. Nowhere near all of them (both talking)
Except for the last bump (laughs) but um ... yeah, had a really good time with the Parks
and Rec Commission and, uh, Mike Moran, so thank them for that.
Throgmorton/ Right!
Hayek/ Anybody else? Okay, meeting schedule. Anything on that? Pending work session
topics? Upcoming events or Council invites?
Mims/ There's a lot!
Hayek/ Yeah! (laughter) Okay! Take a break, come back at 7:00. Good meeting and thanks to
everyone!
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