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Council Present: Botchway, Cole, Dickens, Mims, Taylor, Thomas, Throgmorton
Staff Present: Fruin, Dulek, Grier, Hightshoe, Yapp, Andrew, Korpel, Rackis, Craig,
Karr, Bockenstedt, Howard, Knoche, Boothroy, Seydell-Johnson,
Laverman, Havel
Others Present: Neal (UISG)
Questions from Council re Agenda Items:
Throgmorton/ First topic on our, uh, agenda is questions from Council about agenda items. Any
questions about agenda items?
ITEM 5e(3) PROPOSED FY2017 OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PLAN - RESOLUTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON
MARCH 1, 2016 TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED FY2017 OPERATING BUDGET,
THE PROPOSED THREE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN FOR FY2016 - 2018, AND
THE FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2016 — 2020
Thomas/ One question I had regarded the, um ... on the Consent Calendar, the, uh, Item 5e(3),
where we ... we have the, uh, proposed fiscal year 2017 operating budget and capital
improvement plan. If we were to, uh... when ... when is, when would be the appropriate
time to propose additional amendments? Would that be...at that meeting on March Vt9
Throgmorton/ You mean to, uh, the fiscal year 2017 budget...
Thomas/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ ...and CIP? Uh, I think they should be brought up this evening. Correct, Geoff?
Why don't you go through a little bit what you and I talked about.
Fruin/ Sure, and ... and Dennis, please, uh, jump in if I misstate anything. Um, what cannot be
adjusted after this meeting is the tax levy. Urn ... so you can, uh, make decisions after, you
know, at the ... at the meeting when the budget's adopted, but it cannot ... um, increase the
tax levy. You could drop the tax levy if you want further, but ... if you're going to suggest
spending that will, um, increase that levy, that should be done tonight and staff will need
that direction tonight so that we can publish appropriate notice.
Thomas/ So with that being the case then, um ... we ... sounds like we may need to pull that item
from the Consent Calendar. (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Yeah (mumbled) but we should discuss it here.
Thomas/ Yeah, but that's what I'm...
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Throgmorton/ So do you have particular suggestions?
Thomas/ Well the one ... the one suggestion, and it does .... relate to the ... the levy would be the
question of funding... Library staff and there was ... there was some correspondence on
that, which sounded like ... with respect to this fiscal year, the ... the actual amount would
be less than we had initially been discussing and I guess depending on when we would
set... the clock in terms of that staff person, um, you know, it could be under $30,000 a
year.
Fruin/ Well we ... what we recommend as staff is that you budget for the entire position for the
fiscal year. And that way the tax levy's adjusted on the FYI budget and it doesn't have
to be partially adjusted this year for that purpose, and then, uh... uh, partially ejec... uh,
adjusted next year. So .... we fully acknowledge that it's a, uh, position that won't be filled
on July 1St, if it's approved. Um, but I think the ... the appropriate thing to do would be to
budget for the full position. We have a number of conservative bug... budgeting practices
that help us, um ... attain the financial condition that we have and I ... I think it's prudent to
do that.
Thomas/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ I ... I'm thinking about your initial suggestion to pull it from the Consent Calendar.
My sense is that we don't really need to do that. We need to decide in the work session
what to do with regard to that topic, if...if there's clear majority support for doing what
you're suggesting.
Thomas/ Right.
Throgmorton/ Then we would just instruct the staff that that's... that's what we want to do. So,
uh, I need to hear from other people about this.
Taylor/ I've got question (mumbled) does that include the whole idea of the bookmobile service
or are you just talking funding for the staffing?
Thomas/ Well they're tied together.
Taylor/ Okay, cause I ... I would like to continue discussion about the, uh, funding for the book-
mobile itself, including the staffing that.
Throgmorton/ Well the (both talking)
Taylor/ As far as revisiting the discussion on that and the vote that we took regarding (both
talking)
Throgmorton/ I guess I'm not following you there, Pauline. We ... we already have, uh, funding
for the bookmobile itself in the capital improvements program. What I think is at
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question here is whether we want to fund staffing for the bookmobile, you know, in other
words, revisit the topic that we ... as we discussed during our last meeting. So...
Taylor/ I would be okay with that.
Throgmorton/ So I ... I think I'm hearin' two people (both talking)
Cole/ I'm supportive of that, as well. Um ... um, you know, the bookmobile's been an issue that
we sort of zigged and zagged a little bit on, but yeah, I am supportive of the budget
recommendation for the staffing position. Um, so yeah, I am in support of that.
Throgmorton/ Uh, Terry, Kingsley, Susan?
Mims/ Well I was one that had initiated saying that I thought we should wait a year and ask for
more ... work between the Library and non -profits, um, and we had a majority at the time
that agreed to that. Um ... to let them do ... I'm a big proponent of both public/private
partnerships. And we had majority that agreed on that when I requested that we pull that
so that we could keep the levy down the 10 -cents that the staff had originally proposed.
So ... I'm ... I would like to stay that way.
Botchway/ And just to be clear, Geoff. Um ... you know, with the... inclusion of the bookmobile in
the capital, um ... improvement's budget, it will be that 10 -cent increase. I mean, that's
what we're talking about right now.
Fruin/ (several talking) The levy increase is not tied to the capital improvement. Uh, that will be
GO bond issue. The levy is ... is going to be impacted by the staffing. So what (several
talking) I think the issue before you is, do you want to have the tax levy at 10 -cents
and ... and no...no staffing for the bookmobile, or urn ... uh, 7 -cents, and have staffing for
the bookmobile.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I ... I think maybe I'd state that just a little bit differently, I mean, the ... the
reduction in the.... the.... the overall tax levy (both talking)
Fruin/ That's correct, yeah.
Throgmorton/ ...would be decreased by 7 -cents instead of by 10 -cents.
Fruin/ Thank you for that, yes. That's right.
Botchway/ Yeah, I mean (clears throat) I think I said this at the last meeting as well, um, not to
say that I haven't been persuaded by a lot of different comments that have come from, uh,
different folks from the Library community and some other folks as well, but ... I ... I just
felt uncomfortable with, um, moving the levy in that way and I wanted to stay with the
reduction of 10 -cents instead of the reduction of 7 -cents. Um, I still think there's some
discussion that ... can still happen, um, with, uh....at least the one group that was brought
to the attention by Rockne and I think (mumbled) reached out as well, um, just had a
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conversation with 'em as far as what they could provide, and so ... um, I still feel like
there's a way to figure out, um, what the most cost-efficient manner of handling this is,
uh, with still providing a great service to, um, our residents, but, um ... so that being said,
I'm sticking with what I previously said before.
Dickens/ Since I missed most of that discussion, I would tend to lean toward keeping the levy as
low as possible, so...
Throgmorton/ Well, uh... last meeting, you know it's interesting being... participating in our work
session discussions. Uh... and I'll tell ya how I was responding to the last one. The topic
came up right at the start of the work session discussion. My sense was that we had to
decide on the budget that night, and I wanted to make sure that we didn't get stuck
somehow by processing, uh... uh, the budget, uh, material we had in front of us. And
I ... I've taken this, uh... I've decided to kind of be the last person to speak on these things,
so I can get a sense of how others are ... are, uh, thinking, and at that time, there were three
votes opposed ... to, uh, well, in favor of getting... opposed to keeping it in, uh, the budget,
and two in favor, and I thought if I vote in favor, that will result in a 3-3 split, which
could lead to an impasse that would chew up a whole bunch of time, which I thought we
did not have. So in the spirit of moving things along, trying to come to resolution on that
topic, and therefore on the budget as a whole, I voted in favor. That said, I wanted to
vote ... for keeping it in the ... in the levy. So, that's what I would vote for tonight. So, I
support the idea of having ... uh, a funding, uh, person, that staff position for the
bookmobile and with the consequent effect on the tax levy.
Thomas/ I concur with Jim. My ... my position hasn't changed. I would ... I would like to see the
staff position.
Botchway/ I guess for me (clears throat) at least for me, I mean, I know that, Rockne, you had a
communication with a individual ... I don't know whether or not similar communication
will go out because I'm assuming we wouldn't necessarily provide additional funding for
non-profit to do the exact same service (mumbled) and so ... I don't know how that
communication will go forward. Um, then on top of that ... I mean, I ... I still, um, am
interested in, um, how this, uh, speaks to, um, you know, what it looks like from a
community standpoint. I know there has been communication as far as what (mumbled)
look like, but ... I .... I just have some questions. Urn ... and uh, you know, I have no
problem with the Library. I love the Library for many different reasons and I've said that
publicly many different times, but I .... I just want to make sure that, um, at least I knew
from when I was talking ... I can't remember the person's name. That's why I keep looking
at you (both talking) Cassidy, yeah! Um, exactly where, urn ... what kind of
neighborhoods they were going to hit, so I felt, you know, very comfortable as far as
having that discussion, um, and continuing on that discussion to wait a year, to kind of,
you know, talk about what that may came ... come from, but urn ... I just hope we can have
the same discussion or ... I'm just hoping the Library can bring that to the table for at least
my ... my questions (several talking)
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Cole/ And ... and I want to sort of clarify that too, because I was the one that brought up the
original concept of the (mumbled) Library, that particular non-profit. I think they're a
fantastic service. I'm very encouraged by the work they do. Um, although I have been
persuaded that it's really an apples and oranges type service, um, that they ... they provide
great funding, um, I think they provide great events, but they provide a different type of
service than I think what the Library is going to ... is going to supply. Um, so that's sort of
why I think we sort of got a little bit into this either/or dynamic, and that's not what I
intended. So I'll accept responsibility for that. Um, I did not want a situation where
support for one would lead to not supporting the other. I do hope though that the Library
and Antelope can work in close partnership. I think the Library's provided an excellent
role in terms of working with non -profits, with the City of Literature, uh, with the
Writer's House. So I like that concept and I'd like to push that going forward. So ... that's
where I was coming from on that. But I did not want the support for one, uh, to really
lead to a reduction in the other. I think they are different services, and so, uh, I think we
need to focus on the Library funding request and what they're asking for, and I think it
does meet a lot of the City's objectives in terms of improving literacy and increasing
access, throughout the city, because it is a barrier for people to get downtown. So, that's
sort of why I've supplied that little bit of extended explanation on that. (clears throat)
But I am supportive of the request as made by the Library to fund the staffing position for
the, uh, bookmobile.
Mims/ Well I'll just comment again, I mean, you know like Kingsley said — I think all of us
unequivocally support the Library. I mean I .... there's no question there. My point is I
think the need for us to look at ... as much as we can public/private partnerships, and while
maybe the two organizations are doing some things a little bit differently right now, you
know, that doesn't mean that there can't be some work together on those kinds of things.
To me, the staff presented us with a ... a really good budget that decreased our levy by 10 -
cents, you know, you'll probably get sick of hearing me say it, but keep harping on the
fact that we're just barely getting started into the changes in the property tax reform that
the State Legislature put in place in 2013 that's going to make our budget tighter and
tighter as we go forward. And so to take advantage of decreases that we can get in the
levy now is just going to give us some protection going forward, when we may absolutely
have to increase it simply to keep up with just absolutely necessary services within the
City. Uh, the other thing that ... that is becoming a growing concern is when you look at
those property tax changes, and you look at potential reduction of development within the
community, um, the only way we can keep adding positions without increasing the levy
is if we increase our tax base. Um ... and so ... you know, there's a lot of concern out there
right now, quite frankly with the new Council and where ... where we're going. We've got
developers ... I have heard from them personally. I know attorneys who've heard from
them in closings, uh, talking about where this Council is headed in terms of development,
and if they chose not to come forward with proposals and we don't get the growth in our
tax base, um ... we're gonna be in tough ro... tough spot down the road and so ... I ... we had
lots of other departments that I'm sure made the pitch to the City Manager's office to
increase their staff, and ... they were probably turned down. I mean, our Parks and Rec
could certainly use more staff. Um ... and not to necessarily pick them out over others, but
we definitely need more staff in different areas. The Library comes to us under a
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different legal organization because of State law, and ... you know, quite frankly, I find
that a little bit frustrating that ... because of that, they are getting, you know, more
consideration from this Council, um, than others. They ... and I, I mean, I'm not criticizing
the Library. They do a great job and I ... and I appreciate everything they do and I agree
that anything we can do to improve literacy is important. Urn ... but I don't think people
are necessarily looking at the big picture, um, on this when you look at the long haul. So
I will not support it.
Throgmorton/ A reasonable warning. Thank you! Any other discussion on this particular topic?
Looks to me like we have four votes so ... Geoff.
Fruin/ We have our direction.
ITEM 5d(1) GENERAL QUARTERS, PART TWO — RESOLUTION
APPROVING FINAL PLAT (SUB15-00029)
ITEM 5d(2) GENERAL QUARTERS, PART THREE — RESOLUTION
APPROVING FINAL PLAT (SUB16-00001)
ITEM 5d(3) MOSS RIDGE PHASE 1— RESOLUTION APPROVING FINAL
PLAT (SUB15-00032)
Throgmorton/ Yes. Okay. Thank you! Uh... are there other agenda items? I ... I'd like to bring up
one. Uh, with regard to Items ... I guess 5d(1), (2), and (3), which have to do with
approving final plats. Doesn't really matter which one we're talking about. Sue, I wonder
if you ... we have two new Council Members, uh, who have no direct experience with
regard to rezoning and platting and preliminary plats and final plats and all that. Could
you very briefly ... uh, de ... explain for our Council what the difference is between
preliminary and final plats, and what the Council's discretion is with regard to final plats?
Dulek/ Sure, but I ... I think maybe the first part of your question, that is the process, perhaps is
somewhat more familiar with ... starting from the P&Z standpoint. Karen, do you want
to ... do you mind just ... first one? Or John, I'm sorry! And in terms of discretion, sure, I'll
add that at the end, unless you want to, John, but I ... I ... I don't want to misspeak.
Yapp/ Sure! Uh, John Yapp, Development Services. Uh... the beginning of a process for a
development proposal typically begins with a rezoning and a preliminary plat. And it...it
is at that stage, uh, that the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council and staff
and the developer, uh, enter into... discussions and public meetings about the ... the zoning
of the development, the density, the style, where the roads will be, the sidewalks, the
open space, uh, all ... all the, uh, factors that go into a development. Once a zoning and a
preliminary plat is approved, uh, the final stage is a final plat. Uh... a final plat as long as
it is consistent with the approved preliminary plat and the rezoning, uh, there is not much
discretion on the part of, uh, either staff or the City Council. So our role is really to
ensure that it is consistent with the approved preliminary plat. The effect of a si... of a
final plat is really so individual lots can be recorded and then bought and sold. Uh...
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those lots, the lots in the final plat are then recorded with the, uh, Johnson County
Recorder's Office and then can be bought and sold. Uh, the other ... the, uh, detailed
construction documents and legal documents, uh, for the creation of individual lots is part
of that final plat that are reviewed by, uh, Engineering and Legal staff, respectively. Sue,
did I miss anything?
Dulek/ Um ... no. I ... but I do think that ... that John said it is key, that you won't see the ... part of
the ... the final plat and what they refer to as the 'legal documents' there will also include
the legal opinion of the developer's attorney, making sure that in fact (mumbled)
developer does own all the property, there aren't any liens, anything that the City is
required to be done up until now is good to go. So, if tomorrow for example you want to
purchase that lot in one of these subdivisions, everything has ... has been completed. So
that is ... that is the key in the final step, whereas it's all front -loaded, as ... as John
indicated.
Throgmorton/ Great! Thanks to both of you.
Yapp/ Thank you.
Throgmorton/ Other agenda items? I'm not hearing any. I think we need to move on to our
strategic plan. So let's move to that! Part of our work session. So, Simon's gonna help
us do this, and uh... Geoff, you and I talked about this. So why don't you explain how
we're gonna proceed.
Review Strateaic Plan Draft RP # 4 Info Packet of # 2/111:
Fruin/ (clears throat) Well, what was in your Information Packet was the beginning of what will
be the quarterly reports that you get to show, uh, how we're measuring our progress, uh,
with your priorities. There's a lot of...other things in that report that I think will ... will
make it too busy for us to work off of tonight. So what we did is we took the same, uh,
seven priority areas and all the, uh, Council identified actions and we put 'em in a cleaner
Word document here. So what I thought we could do tonight is start with the seven focus
areas, uh, see if we can get Council agreement on those, and then as time permits, go
through each one and look at the different, uh... uh, policies and action items that you, um,
have developed to make sure that you're okay with the language that we're using. Um,
our hope would be that we can finish tonight and that on the March 1St agenda we can
present you with a resolution to formally adopt the strategic plan.
Throgmorton/ Good ... good deal! I think we can do this. So let's just focus our minds and
attention on this. What I'm going to do is move through each specific line. If you have
suggestions about any one, you know, each of the lines that I go through, speak out.
We'll see how ... what our agreement is and ... you'll enter changes, right?
Andrew/ Yup! And we'll have, uh, track changes on, so you'll be able to see what it was and
what it's changed to. If I don't get anything right as I'm typing, please interrupt me.
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Throgmorton/ Okay! With regard to the very opening sentence, I personally think that, uh, the
measuring progress toward should be deleted and the words 'this strategic plan intends to
foster' inserted. It's no big deal. I'm not gonna put a lot of weight on it, but ... so ... so
the ... the way I would suggest it is 'this strategic plan intends to foster a more inclusive,
just, and sustainable Iowa City.' It's intentional. So...
Botchway/ Sounds good!
Cole/ I'd agree with that, Jim.
Taylor/ I do too.
Throgmorton/ No big deal. Okay. So, did you get all that, Simon?
Andrew/ I think so.
Throgmorton/ This strategic plan intends to foster ... a more inclusive. (several talking) Yeah,
that's where it is. Okay. So the first line ... so the key question is do we want to retain
these verbs (laughs) or not. I mean, in terms of just being consistent. Uh... obviously I'd
prefer that, but...
Cole/ I think we should, because I think it suggests action, and I think that's what we want to try
to do, is to actually achieve these rather than just have them be words, so I think that's a
good point. We should leave the verbs in.
Thomas/ The only one I ... I would throw out, uh.... a suggestion would be on the 'build a vibrant
and walkable urban core' to say instead 'achieve a vibrant and workable ... or walkable
urban core.'
Throgmorton/ But you're okay with the idea of using verbs, huh?
Thomas/ Yeah!
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Uh, I am too. (mumbled) that's three. (several talking) One, two, three.
Okay. So there's four. Okay, uh, so ... with regard to the first sentence then. So you ... you
can see that all those verbs remain, except we might change one of 'em, or maybe others
here. So, first line, uh, 'develop a strong and resilient local economy.'
Mims/ I don't like the word 'develop.' It says to me that ... we don't have that, and I think we have
a lot of parts of that already. Um, we may need to, you know, improve upon it and
strengthen it, urn ... but .... it sounds like we're starting at ground zero when you say
'develop,' and I don't think we're at ground zero by any stretch of the imagination when
you look at our local economy.
Throgmorton/ Would you like .... word like 'maintain?'
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Mims/ Well, I don't know that I like 'maintain' because I think that says that we don't have any
room (mumbled) for improvement, and I think we do have room for improvement. Um, I
mean we've got 'enhance' on number five, but I think 'enhance' is ... you know, would be a
good verb there. (several talking) Yeah.
Throgmorton/ 'Promote?'
Cole/ 'Promote' is a good verb (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ...good with that? (several talking) 'Promote.' Next line...'build a vibrant...' No
you wanted 'achieved,' didn't ya, John?
Thomas/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. So (several talking) anyhow...'achieve' or 'build a vibrant and walkable
urban core.'
Mims/ The only problem I have with'achieve' is...you know, what ... what is the actual measure of
it and ... do we ... do we have the capability staff -wise and financially to 'achieve' that
within supposedly the two years of this strategic plan. Is it ... is it su... is it
suggesting... reaching an end point that we may ... not reasonably be able to meet within
two years, and sets our ... I'm particularly concerned and you'll hear me say more about
this later, I'm particularly concerned about setting our staff up for failure ... with how we
word things and how much we have in here, and I don't want to do that.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, good question. I see it as being directional, not ... an end point.
Thomas/ (several talking) ...see it kind of aspirational (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Move in this direction.
Taylor/ Do you like the word 'encourage?' 'Encourage a vibrant and walkable urbanT
Mims/ To me that's better than 'achieve.'
Throgmorton/ John, what...
Thomas/ I'm okay with 'encourage.'
Neal/ I like 'encourage' as well.
Throgmorton/ (several talking and laughing) Okay, so 'encourage.' Persuaded! (laughter)
Okay, let's see, the next one...'create healthy neighborhoods.' I want to make a suggestion
about that. Uh, my suggestion is...'foster healthy neighborhoods throughout these...
throughout the city.' 'Foster healthy neighborhoods throughout the city.' That means
every neighborhood.
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Botchway/ Sounds good!
Thomas/ Okay with me (several talking)
Cole/ Sure.
Dickens/ (several talking) ...we're not really creating, we're... developing and making sure that
everybody's included (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Right, I wanted to...
Dickens/ ...inclusive.
Throgmorton/ Wanted to get away from that idea that we're (several talking) Yeah.
Dickens/ Some of it's already created.
Andrew/ Sorry, what was the first word again? (several responding)
Throgmorton/ 'Foster healthy neighborhoods throughout the city.'
Cole/ Agreed!
Throgmorton/ Okay, think we have four for that. Um, so I think the next one was ... we were,
well....'maintain a solid foundation,' financial foundation. I'm ... I'm good with that.
(several talking) The next one, uh, 'enhance community engagement and inter-
governmental relations.' Likewise, I personally am good with that.
Cole/ I like that. (several responding)
Throgmorton/ Fact I'm fine with the, uh, all the rest.
Cole/ Yep!
Botchway/ Oh, no! Wait, wait, wait!
Throgmorton/ No?
Botchway/ Don't like two 'promotes.' Sorry!
Throgmorton/ Oh! (both talking)
Taylor/ Where's two 'promotes?'
Dickens/ First one's (mumbled)
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Mims/ I don't see a problem with two 'promotes,' personally.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I'm ... (several talking and laughing) All right, so ... and we're okay with
'advance social justice and racial equity' as well? (several responding) Okay. Good
deal!
Cole/ You said 'equity' as opposed to 'equality.'
Botchway/ Oh, 'equity,' yeah! (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Oh, right! It should be (several talking) cause everything else is about equity.
Cole/ Yep!
Throgmorton/ So that, yeah, that word should be changed to 'equity.' Okay. Can you move to
the next one, which is all the sub -headings under ... under the...'strong and resilient local
economy.' I'll just go line by line, right? I won't read 'em. First line.
Mims/ Well, here's where I ... I guess I'm just gonna jump in on a little bit different tangent, Jim,
at this point, because it's not any particular one that I disagree with, okay? When I read
through and re -read and triple -read through this, I ... I don't find a particular action item in
here that I disagree with, okay? I think they're all really good. I think if I counted right,
and I think maybe City Manager Tom Markus said this one night. In these seven areas I
think we've got 36 action items.
Throgmorton/ Pretty close.
Mims/ Okay. I think that's too many. I think it is too aggressive, um, I think with our City
Manager leaving and as he talked about being understaffed in the City Manager's office
and that's the area that will lead an awful lot of this. I think it's really important that we
find some ways to pair down some of these, to really prioritize what's in here, um, and...
and I don't know if staff is comfortable with giving us any... feedback in terms of the time
commitment they see on some of these, um, and ... and what that means, but as I said
before, one of the last things that I want to do ... going forward, and particularly with the
transition that we're going to have, is to set our staff up for failure, and I think this is so
aggressive and some of these things are going to be so time-consuming, that I'm afraid
that's what we're doing. Um ... and so, again, I can't necessarily pick one out and say, oh, I
don't like this one. That's not the case. I think they're all good ideas. But I really think
we need to try and prioritize what are the most important ones, um, based on some of the
time commitment and narrow down what we have under these seven topics.
Throgmorton/ It's a good point. Uh, Geoff and I have talked about this at length. Also Tom and
I have talked about it. It's very clear we're gonna have ... as a Council, we're gonna have to
give some priorities, if we stick with what we have here. We're gonna have to convey
some priorities to the staff about which one of the, uh, key elements we want them to
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move ahead on most, uh, propitiously. So... so we could try to delete all sorts of things
right here and now. I personally do not favor that, but we are going to have to give
priority direction as we move along.
Cole/ No, and I think we can achieve these. I mean, certain of these we're already in the process
of doing. Reviewing the City's tax increment finance policy. If you look at proactively
seeking opportunities to facilitate development and interstate entryways. There's already
projects in the works on that. Working closely with the City of Iowa City ... er, the School
District, Kirkwood Community College. I mean a lot of these things we're already in the
process of doing — the Riverfront Crossings plan, um ... you know, these are goals for us
to, uh, shoot for and I ... I think that we should stick that with that, but as Jim said, I do
think we need to prioritize at some point and sort of highlight the most important ones,
but I would like to leave it in. We've already spent a lot of work on this, and I think we
should stick with it.
Thomas/ Yeah, I tend to agree with that. I ... I think it's helpful to have ... these bullet
points... there. They may, you know, I agree they need ... they'll need prioritization, first of
all. Uh, at the same time I think it's helpful to have them there. Some of these may, as
Rockne said, in my mind are almost reminders of some of the things that we're already
engaged in. Um, so they're... they're helpful in that regard, and ... and so ... and others may
not be, um ... may not translate to ... to a significant initiative, but uh, I think it's useful at
this point to still have them in there.
Throgmorton/ Pauline? Terry? Kingsley?
Taylor/ It seems like we had slimmed down quite a bit initially from ... from the list that we had,
and these seemed to be condensed. Some of 'ern seem very similar and maybe would be
able to be reworded, um, so that there ... there aren't so many, but I agree with Rockne.
They ... they all have importance and maybe we could order them in ... in what we believed
to be the level of importance.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I don't think we're going to be able to do that tonight (both talking)
Taylor/ ...tonight, no.
Throgmorton/ (both talking) we will have to give guidance to the staff.
Taylor/ Right.
Dickens/ I guess I would go ahead and accept it as we've written it, because we did spend quite a
bit of time over the last several.... several meetings. I do agree with Susan that there is a
lot in here and looking through some of 'em, uh, work sessions we're already ... I think
we're televising those now (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, we are.
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Dickens/ ...that can almost (both talking)
Throgmorton/ As we speak!
Dickens/ ...already be taken off. Uh, yeah, but tritor... prioritizing these is very important, I think,
and we may need to go even section by section and spread it out over ... over a period of
time, cause we're gonna have other things to do with the City Manager, things like that,
so...
Throgmorton/ So ... so on that point, uh, Tom made a suggestion that I found valuable, uh, in one
of the conversations he and I had, and the suggestion was that we each identify five ... of
these ... 36 or whatever that we would really like to see accomplished within our ... this two-
year term, so that we can point to it and say, 'oh, we did that, we feel good about that.'
We can't do that right now, but that'd be pretty, uh, pretty helpful, sort of, uh.... heuristic I
think is a word for it, uh, to help us figure out what to -how to proceed with regard to
identifying further priorit... priorities. Okay, well I think we have a sense that we would
like to retain, uh... the elements and maybe refine them slightly. So, the first one having
to do with identifying... and the local food economy. Any changes proposed on that?
Cole/ Well (mumbled) said that we already liked the seven that are there, or are we gonna go line
by line?
Throgmorton/ Good idea! Okay, so I ... I would like to suggest two ... changes in three lines, but
otherwise retain the whole. So on the second line, I would suggest that we insert the
words 'and consider amending' right after the word 'review.' So 'review and consider
amending the ... the TIF policy.' It doesn't mean we will amend it.
Dickens/ That ... that would be my question. We're reviewing it and then we should decide then if
we plan on amending it, cause I think reviewing has to come first. So...
Throgmorton/ Definitely has to come first.
Botchway/ I'm fine with the language. It's reasonable.
Throgmorton/ What I'm suggesting or what's there? (several talking)
Taylor/ Right, I am too.
Throgmorton/ Okay. Uh, on ... one, two, three, four, on the fifth line, about 'work closely with,'
after the name 'Iowa Works,' I would insert the words 'labor organizations' comma.
Cole/ That's an excellent idea.
Taylor/ I like that.
Thomas/ Good!
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Cole/ Cause I know that a lot of the labor unions really want to work on apprenticeship programs
(both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah! There's a lot of support for (both talking)
Cole/ ...very well with that.
Throgmorton/ And it, yeah, it's a ... it's just another, uh (both talking)
Dickens/ (mumbled) (laughter)
Throgmorton/ On ... the last ... no, sorry, next to last, 'develop programs.' That .... that line.
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ I would ... I'd like to combine those last two. So ... how to say this? Here ... here's
what I would suggest we do is have ... have it read, have the last two lines read 'develop
programs aimed to enhance ... small business development and retention,' and ... develop a
program to, oh god, that's not right! I'm sorry! Oh, no, never mind. 'Develop programs
enhancing, sorry, develop programs enhancing small business development and retention,
and... supporting small business development and employment opportunities for
minorities.' So that...
Mims/ Seems like we've got that small business development in there twice.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I'm trying to (both talking)
Mims/ ....my thought when I read through (several talking)
Thomas/ My suggestion (both talking)
Mims/ ...redundancy in there.
Thomas/ ...suggestion was on the last one, to ... uh...'develop a program to support employment
opportunities for minorities,' since we covered the...
Dickens/ Business (mumbled)
Thomas/ ...business development in the first.. just, the one just prior.
Dickens/ Just delete this whole (mumbled)
Mims/ My only question is do we get into legal issues on ... something so narrowly focused in the
last one. I mean...
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Cole/ What if we said 'diverse communities,' as opposed to 'minorities?' What ... what do people
think about that, so the diverse communities seems to encompass minorities, but it's not
quite as...
Throgmorton/ For diverse communities.
Cole/ For diverse communities. I don't think anyone would complain about that.
Botchway/ So what about'develop programs aimed to enhance small business development and
retention, with a focus on opportunities for minorities?'
Thomas/ Could you repeat that?
Botchway/ Just the first line, 'develop programs aimed to enhance small business development
and retention, with a focus of opportunities for minorities.'
Taylor/ Is that two separate ideas though, with the one (mumbled) to encourage more small
business in Iowa City and the other is ... the diverse populations?
Botchway/ I mean some of it was, but I think that it's still ... a part of the, I mean I remember the
first prong being about, you know, overall small business development because I think
I ... I believe it was around the conversation as I was talking about, you know, the SSMID
and um, doing that in different, um, communities so to speak within Iowa City, but then
that last part was separate because I think then I talked about leveraging our community
partners to, um .... help us, um, present or provide more opportunities for minorities from
small buz... business development standpoint and employment standpoint, um, but ... to me,
and I think, you know, Susan mentioned, we have small business development in there
twice. I don't necessarily think that you won't ... you couldn't do the same thing within the
first framework. I think that that's what (coughing, unable to hear speaker) focus on it,
just to make sure you're paying attention to it as you're going through those different
things.
Throgmorton/ Could, uh, Rockne suggested using what, diverse (both talking)
Cole/ Diverse communities.
Throgmorton/ ...instead of minorities.
Cole/ Minorities.
Botchway/You know, that's one of those things where I see where you're going, Rockne, and I
think it kind of speaks to Susan's concerns about the legality of it. But I guess for me it's
about being very clear as far as our expectations in that way, and so I don't ... we're not
tying, I mean, to your concern, Susan, which is an avid concern. We're not tying
anything to that. We're just saying that we're ... we're going to develop something with the
focus, but doesn't necessarily mean that it will be ... um, we're trying to meet any type of
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goal or, um, or something along those lines. But I think that has fallen under, at least
(mumbled) professional job (laughs) as far as leg... illegality issues, but, urn ... that's, yeah,
I think ... that's my point, Rockne, I guess to that question (both talking)
Cole/ ...obviously I'm supportive of the concept, but unfortunately we have had, you know,
nationally a ... quite a different discussion on this, and um, but I'd be comfortable leaving it
in and say, hey, let's do the right thing and, I mean, do you think it would be different in
terms of focus if we use 'diverse communities' as opposed to 'minority,' Kingsley?
Botchway/ I just look at (both talking)
Cole/ ...would your preference be?
Botchway/ I look at it from the framework if...somebody's just reading this ... I look at it from the
framework if somebody's just reading this particular document, what they would view
from viewing that, and ... I mean I guess you can get the same type of understanding from
'diverse communities,' but I don't think it provides the same emphasis (both talking)
Cole/ ...I'm comfortable leaving that in then.
Dickens/ Just get rid of the small business (mumbled)
Cole/ Yeah.
Botchway/ Yeah.
Dickens/ And just go straight from 'develop program' to 'support employment opportunities.'
Cole/ Yeah, yeah. Cause I would imagine the programs that we'd be working with would be
closely coordinated with federal and State programs, which probably the legalities of that
would be, um, fleshed out before they'd come our way anyway.
Botchway/ If not I'll just blame Simon!
Cole/ Yeah, yeah, exactly!
Throgmorton/ So what the proposed language is 'develop programs to support employment
opportunities for minorities?' Is that what I'm hearing? (several responding)
Andrew/ Two separate bullet points?
Throgmorton/ One. I mean (both talking)
Botchway/ Say that one more time?
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Throgmorton/ 'Develop ... develop, uh, programs to support ... um, employment opportunities for
minorities.'
Botchway/ No, I was saying use the first line, 'develop programs aimed to enhance small
business development and retention, with a focus on minorities.' The reason why I say
that is because I still think it's important for us to look at different, uh, economic
development or small business development within different communities in Iowa City.
So I don't want to take off ...I don't want to lose the focus on that. Urn ... but I...
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ I'm okay with that. (several talking)
Dickens/ ...get rid of that.
Throgmorton/ I'm ... I'm okay with that, and delete the last senten... uh, the last bulleted item.
Botchway/ The issue that I have though it's ... it's not just employment opportunities. It's actually
like entrepreneurial opportunities through small business development.
Taylor/ You want minorities to be encouraged to develop businesses.
Botchway/ (mumbled) ...with a focus on minorities.
Throgmorton/ To say ... say it again so Simon can...
Botchway/ So just delete that line. There we go.
Andre/ Like that?
Botchway/ Yep!
Taylor/ On minorities or the minority population or...
Botchway/ You know what, change to 'diverse communities.' Never mind! (several talking) I
feel like I am. As soon as I write it (mumbled) or as soon as I saw it on the screen I
changed my mind. Just put 'diverse communities.' To your point! (mumbled)
Mims/ But I hear your point also, Kingsley, in terms of, urn ... sometimes you dilute the language,
and you got to be careful there too, so I ... I hear what you're saying there.
Throgmorton/ Okay, can we move on to the next ... policy area. Um, I have suggestions but I
should refrain from speaking for a minute here and see if others have specific
suggestions.
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Mims/ On the first one ... you know, again until we get into doing something... you know, it's hard
to know what that really entails, but ... um, when you talk about, you know, 'protecting
historic residential, commercial buildings and provide for their restoration.' That ... kind
of concerns me, I mean, I think that's something that you really have to look at, case by
case, and you know, what's the dollar amount and what's the benefit and ... and what other
players can you bring into it, and to ... and to put that quite so strongly that ... as if we as a
city with tax dollars are going to provide for the restoration, um ... I'm not comfortable
with that.
Throgmorton/ How bout 'facilitate' instead of'provideT
Mims/ You know and then you have... differences of opinion sometimes of whether they're worth
preserving, um ... and so ... depending on who's doing the preserving and whose dime is
doing it.
Cole/ Well (mumbled) say 'support historic preservation efforts,' and the last clause instead of
'provide,' because support you could support the Downtown District, you could support
private groups doing it, you could support the City doing it, if we have the funds (both
talking)
Mims/ Sure!
Cole/ Okay.
Mims/ Lot of different ways you can support, I would agree (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Say the language again (several talking)
Cole/ ...'support historic preservation efforts.'
Throgmorton/ That's it?
Cole/ Yeah!
Mims/ I think that's good. (several talking)
Dickens/ You done good! (several talking)
Throgmorton/ I would like to insert a new bulleted item, at...at the start of this, because I think
it's crucial for the whole. Uh, and this item actually appears later on in our document, so
it would be deleted later on. And ... and the language is 'consider...' I'll just say it quickly,
um, 'consider creating a new City Council committee with a focus on sustainable built
environment.' We have that ... we combined two things ... at the end of the document. So
I'm just saying pull one of 'em out and put it in here, because it really pertains to ... this
vibrant, urban core stuff.
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Mims/ See and I'm not ... really ready to go in that direction until we have a better idea how this
whole STAR community rating thing is going to work, and ... and the integration of that
with our whole strategic plan, and .... and the STAR committee and everything.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, uh, this doesn't commit us to doing it. It says 'consider creating,' and ... and
of course I support the idea (laughs) of creating it, but it ... but it still (both talking)
Cole/ I think it makes more sense in that particular ... in the ... in the core neighborhood section,
cause you're right, we could reject it and say that we don't want to do it. We're not
committing ourselves to it, correct.
Botchway/ Right, the only ... I mean, the only question that I have is (mumbled) Man! I can't
relax up here now! (laughs) The only question I have is ... can you go up to the next one?
Not, sorry! Does it need to be under that, I mean I support it. I guess I just don't know
whether or not it needs to be under that heading. That's more of a question, Jim,
than ... (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I...it...it probably could go in either (both talking)
Botchway/ Okay, so it doesn't matter to me (both talking)
Throgmorton/ This one was the thinner of the categories, so I thought put it here.
Cole/ Yeah, I think that makes sense.
Thomas/ Yeah, in that regard I think it ... yeah, I mean it seems like it could fall possibly under
(both talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay, so ... Simon, can you cut that and ... put it up (several talking)
Taylor/ Can we incorporate what Susan's discussing as that phrase is about incorporating the
STAR, um ... ideas and...
Throgmorton/ I don't... it's clear we're gonna be considering the STAR communities stuff, uh...
Cole/ But that's for the sustainability section, as I see it, not to the vibrant, walkable urban core.
Mims/ Before we get any further ... is that second bullet, I guess I thought I was hearing Rockne
say.. just replace the whole bullet with 'support historic preservation efforts.'
Throgmorton/ What were you saying, Rockne?
Cole/ Well I was supporting the actual clause... instead of a'provide (both talking)
Mims/ ...restoration...
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Cole/ ...support historic preservation efforts, yeah.
Mims/ Okay! Okay! Not sure .... (both talking)
Botchway/ Is there (both talking)
Mims/ ....how we protect 'ern then.
Throgmorton/ Well ... we ... we can by action if we choose to, but ... you know, we're
not... committing ourselves to protecting any particular building at this point.
Mims/ Yeah, but ... see I thought what he was saying was just, you know, support historic
preservation efforts as the whole bullet, which I think works really well, because there's
lots of, like you said, there's lots of ways we can support. We can support through, you
know, encouraging the designation. We can, you know, initiate it ourselves. We can put
tax dollars into it potentially. Um ... the minute to me you put the word 'protect' in there,
it...it is a sense of...action beyond which maybe we would want to go on a particular case.
Again, I think the historic preservation needs to be done on a case-by-case ... I think ... I
think we have that belief that it's important overall. Um ... so I'm not comfortable with the
way the second one is ... written. I don't know about everybody else.
Throgmorton/ I ... I support it the way it is.
Cole/ Yeah, I do too.
Botchway/ I actually would agree you could remove it and still have the same weight.
Throgmorton/ Remove what?
Botchway/ Remove the 'protect historic residential, commercial buildings,' and just have 'support
historic preservation efforts.'
Dickens/ That's more of an action.
Botchway/ Cause to be honest with you, it seems redundant. From a standpoint of...by
supporting 'ern you could be protecting 'em, you could be providing for, you could do a
lot of different things (both talking)
Throgmorton/ A lot of historic preservation's not just about individual buildings, but about
neighborhoods. So...
Taylor/ Right, yeah I ... I would agree, and in fact I agree with Susan. I thought he meant just
le ... have it support historic preservation efforts, which I think that's more global and says
a lot more than just protecting.
Dickens/ I would agree ... delete the first part and just keep the second.
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Mims/ So take out the first part, Terry? (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Pauline, are you supporting doing that, taking that first part out?
Taylor/ Right, cause I'm a little uncomfortable with the 'protect' part too as far as how people
would see what we mean, what we would do to protect, but I think supporting could
include protecting.
Throgmorton/ I think I hear four people in favor of 'support historic preservation efforts.' Are
there other suggestions with regard to this category? Well, all right, so I...I have two
more suggestions. With regard to the ... the one that starts with the words 'initiate public
dialogue,' uh, I think that's pretty vague, so I think we need to ... bring some clarity to it.
So I would suggest this...just listen as I read and...'initiate public dialogue about the
meaning and importance ... of a walkable urban neighborhood, and how to achieve it.' So,
this would involve inserting the words'and importance,' after 'meaning.' The word
'urban' after the word 'walkable,' and the words 'and how to achieve it' at the very end.
Cause as it is, it's just really vague. You know, in ... initiating public dialogue about the
meaning of a walkable neighborhood.
Dickens/ When I think urban, I think more the downtown area, but I ... and I think that it should
be inclusive of all the neighborhoods, if we're looking to maybe add commercial spaces
in some of these new neighborhoods. I don't consider them quite as urban. I consider
those more, you know, the pocket neighborhoods that we've talked about, so I think
you're pigeon -holing it a little bit by saying 'urban' in there.
Mims/ That's a good point, Terry. I hadn't thought about that.
Thomas/ It's ... it is listed under'urban core.' This is one of the problems. We have two
categories...
Dickens/ Right!
Thomas/ ...overlapped to some degree, but urn ... I don't know that we need to say 'urban' cause it's
already listed under 'urban core.'
Dickens/ It's under the 'urban core,' so just leave that out and the rest of it sounds...
Throgmorton/ Okay, so ... I think I hear support for that. Did ... did you get the words?
Andrew/ I'll need the (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ....and at the end ... the words 'and how to achieve it.'
Cole/ I would support those changes.
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Throgmorton/ Me too!
Taylor/ I do (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay, so, uh, I had one other suggestion on this category.
Dickens/ (mumbled) (laughter)
Throgmorton/ If there are four votes (several talking) shut 'em down! (laughter) Uh, the
suggestion is to add the following bulleted item. Let me just read it so you hear it, and
then maybe go back over it. 'Ensure that new buildings are complementary in mass,
scale, and character with their context.'
Cole/ Would that be similar to essentially a form -based code analysis, or would that be separate,
Jim?
Throgmorton/ Well, it's, uh.... it's sort of in that direction.
Dickens/ Isn't that already being (both talking) being done in some (both talking) already?
Throgmorton/ ...it comes up later on. Yeah. The form -based code of it comes up later on for ... a
neighborhood out in the city.
Mims/ I'm not comfortable with it. I ... here's, I mean ... let me put it this way. I could see that for
the near north side, okay? Where, you know, you've got a lot of single-family homes,
and you don't want a developer buying two or three adjacent homes and tearing'em down
and putting up some massive apartment building. Totally agree with you there! Okay,
my concern comes, let's say, with ... Riverfront Crossings or other areas where we might
be doing things that we haven't been doing in this community before, and we might have
development proposals for high-rises, okay? What ... what then is the "context" and is that
mass and scale based on what you're saying... working there? So I ... I'm not comfortable
with it.
Throgmorton/ I hear your point.
Mims/ I totally would agree ... on near north side. Cause I've even talked to Tom and ... and (both
talking)
Dickens/ ...historic district anyway (both talking)
Mims/ Well, and Matt and I had talked about is, you know, there some way of doing some things
there to keep bigger (both talking)
Throgmorton/ How .... how bout this, I mean I get your point and I agree, so ... I'll toss out one
possible change. So ... in, uh, again, just hear the language. 'Ensure that new buildings in
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existing neighborhoods ... are complementary in mass, scale, and character with their
context.'
Mims/ But how do you define 'existing neighborhoods?' Is the Riverfront Crossings not an
existing neighborhood?
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Mims/ Right, it is, so .... (several talking) Yeah, I'm ... I'm not comfortable with it. I mean I hear
what you're saying (both talking)
Thomas/ ...used again (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, what ... what, the language I suggested, and I clearly hear that some ... some
are opposed to this ... not opposed but (both talking)
Mims/ Just have concerns!
Throgmorton/ Yeah. What I was suggesting was 'ensure that new buildings in existing
neighborhoods are complementary in mass, scale, and character with their context.'
Mims/ The other thing is I'm not sure... well ... I ... I think it ... I think it requires looking at zoning
issues...
Cole/ ...a Comp Plan issue (both talking)
Mims/ Yeah, I don't see it as a strategic plan issue (both talking)
Cole/ ...good protection in the Comp Plan and one thing I would like to do is really review, in the
future when we're talking about aspirational language in the Comp Plan, how much
weight we place upon that, but ... that strikes me as a separate discussion, although
obviously I'm supportive of the concept. Um...
Botchway/ Yeah (both talking)
Cole/ Comp Plan's already pretty good!
Mims/ Yeah.
Botchway/ And I would agree, as well, I mean I'm supportive of the concept, but I ... I ... I shouldn't
say fear. I have concerns that, um, once in writing, if we do ... deviate, um, for whatever
reason. There could be a reason. Then we'll be, you know, hold to task for the fact that
we had it in our strategic plan.
Throgmorton/ Okay! My ... my plane just (laughter and several talking)
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Cole/ But I liked the concept (several talking)
Taylor/ I also liked the concept (several talking) You don't want a whole mix of like 20 -story
and a two-story and a purple building and a blue building and ... uh, so I like the concept
(several talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay, are there any other ... any other suggestions for this category?
Cole/ It's great!
Throgmorton/ Okay, moving on to ... the healthy neighborhoods category. Uh, any specific
suggestions?
Mims/ I know the first one says 'consider,' um ... but I, I mean, I just have a concern with that
because ... and I guess if it stays in, which it probably will, I think it's something that we
have to be incredibly, incredibly careful of.
Botchway/ Is ... would you ... would you be okay with'review and consider amending?' Kind of
similar to the language we had before?
Mims/ My concern is ... is the direction that I've heard from people ... you know, in doing this
has ... that we may end up down a path that's going to really hurt our development. You're
going to see development going to the neighboring cities. Um .... but my sense is this
Council's gonna review this as ... but I wouldn't personally.
Throgmorton/ I would like to sug... uh, suggest a couple small changes at the very end of that
particular bulleted item. Uh, and instead of...instead of the end reading 'residential areas,'
have the end read 'new residential/mixed-use areas.' So it's clear we're talking about new
stuff... and... and not, uh... not sort of anywhere.
Botchway/ I would agree.
Cole/ I'd support that, Jim.
Thomas/ I think it's ... it's, you know, we have 'consider' in there. We're not ... we're not saying
'adopt.' (laughs)
Throgmorton/ So, Simon, are you hearing the particular words. So 'new' and then, yeah,
'residential/mixed-use.'
Dickens/ I don't know if I like the 'new' in there because you hate to not have affordable housing
possibilities (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, but this is about the annexation policy. So it has to (both talking)
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Dickens/ ...have to be out in the new area. (mumbled) not gonna annex! (several talking) Well,
University Heights! (laughter and several talking)
Cole/ ...in terms of the annexation.
Throgmorton/ Ye ... yeah, because...
Mims/ Why even put it in ... why even put in what the area is? If you're annexing, you're going to
be looking at the zoning and stuff related to that annexation anyways, so ... I mean, it ... if
you're truly going to consider this, you're going to have to ... you're going to have to write
an annexation policy... that... that adapts ... that considers where you're annexing and what
it's adjacent to. If what you're annexing is adjacent to our industrial park, with the intent
that it's going to be used for industrial use because all of a sudden we finally have some
things out there, you're not going to put affordable housing in it. So ... to me you don't
need to add ... you don't even need the 'in residential areas' or 'in residential/mixed-use
areas,' you know, if you consider amending the City's annexation policy, uh... to require
the provision of affordable housing, I would assume any amending of that policy would
take into account ... what that annexed land was adjacent to.
Fruin/ Staff would, you know, when we get to that point, and this ... this is an item that's actually
on your pending list already, but when it gets to that point, we'll help guide ya through
the language, and I think we know that the intent is that if there are residential units being
offered that there's an affordable housing, uh, component to that. So ... I wouldn't get too
hung up in the ... in the language here, um, just like we are with inclusionary zoning —
we'll guide you through the ... the language of the policy.
Cole/ I think I like leaving it in.
Throgmorton/ Um, me too. I ... I thought I heard (several talking) Okay. Uh, any other
suggestions in this category?
Thomas/ See, on the third bullet, um ... I would suggest, uh, just saying 'develop strategies to
diversify the, uh, diversify the membership of neighborhood associations' and delete 'and
centers,' which...to me was somewhat unclear. Uh, we could add a second bullet, which
would be, uh, 'develop strategies to promote the formation of strong neighborhood
centers.' Uh, you know, as ... as a separate item, but ... but having it as, um, 'membership of
neighborhood association and centers,' um...was not clear to me.
Taylor/ I agree with John on that, cause it seems like it's two separate ideas, because like the
neighborhood associations, say the Brown Street Neighborhood, versus, uh, the Pheasant
Ridge Center are ... are two different concepts.
Botchway/ John, can you say the last part of what you just said?
Thomas/ 'Develop strategies to promote the formation of strong neighborhood centers.'
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Botchway/ Can we just say 'develop strategies to diversify the membership of neighborhood
associations and promote,' whatever you just said.
Cole/'Strong neighborhood centers.'
Thomas/ And promote strong neighborhood centers? (several talking)
Dulek/ Just keep in mind the centers are private. The City has no control over those. (several
talking)
Thomas/ Well it's not meant ... at least my intent with use of the word 'center' is not public/private.
Just that there is a place within every neighborhood that is a focal place.
Taylor/ A gathering place. (several talking)
Mims/ I think that's confusing, when you have neighborhood centers like Broadway
Neighborhood Center, Pheasant Ridge Neighborhood Center. I ... I think the use of
'centers' in that context could be very confusing.
Thomas/ Uh, gathering center, gathering places would be one option.
Mims/ See again, I guess I get confused. What, I mean what are you talking about?
We've ... we've got neighborhood parks. We've got the schools that neighborhoods use.
We're not gonna go out and put up buildings for the neighborhoods to gather in. So
I ... I'm confused. I'm honestly confused about how you mean it in terms of what we might
even do, and so ... from that point I'm not comfortable with it being in there.
Throgmorton/ Well I guess the... this... this really gets ... gets to the heart of, uh, the whole idea of
what a 'walkable urban core' would be like, what strong viable neighborhoods are like,
and in part that involves having 'neighborhood centers' that one can walk to or ride a bike
to, uh, like out at, uh, Blackstone area... purchase things that you want or do things you
want to do, uh, that ... and that's all fine... ultimately a matter of good, physical design.
So ... I ... I see the point. It seems to me we want to diversify the membership of
neighborhood associations, definitely want to do that. But we could strengthen ... uh...
neighborhood centers, as well. I ... I'm not gonna put a lot of weight on that myself, but if,
you know, you got good language, John, to suggest (both talking)
Dickens/ And promote neighborhood centers.
Mims/ See I don't... without more definition, I don't like neighborhood centers because we're
already using those formally (both talking)
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Mims/ Right. (several talking)
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Botchway/ ...I don't like that, um ... language (mumbled) I mean...
Cole/ Let's just leave it as it is.
Throgmorton/ How ... how bout instead of the words 'and centers,' insert the words 'and strengthen
neighborhood gathering places?'
Botchway/ I don't like the words 'gathering places.' I mean I just think that ... (several talking)
Throgmorton/ ...going to have to drop the words 'and centers' it seems to me. And just stick with
the neighborhood ... the membership diversification.
Botchway/ Well because I think it goes beyond that, I mean I think that when you're talking
about diversifying in different places, as you're talking about different centers, um, you
know, it goes beyond just the neighborhood associations, because you know ... correct me
if I'm wrong, but the ... the Downtown District is, um, within itself not necessarily a
neighborhood association, I mean, you could say that, but I see it as a 'center' and they
have a very strong voice (both talking)
Thomas/ As Jim said, they're a physical place component to having, you know, a neighborhood
association is an organization and then the ... this notion of 'center' has to do with physical
place.
Mims/ But then I think if we look at the last bullet, I mean, it says 'substantially improve public
spaces... through improvements to sidewalks, curb cuts, parks, and streetscapes.' I
mean ... how is that different than...
Thomas/ Well for example, um ... then this is sort of getting down the road with this ... this item,
but ... schools, for example, could be much stronger, um, centers within neighborhood
communities, uh, if they were... promoted in that way, uh, which is being done in other
cities. I was just reading about that today. So...
Mims/ And those are public spaces too. For us. I mean, I ... I hear what you're saying, John. I
just ... I don't...
Thomas/ (mumbled) ...yeah, the...okay. It's, um ... it's (several talking) I'm okay with centers in
that (laughs) maybe the .... if people aren't clear on it, we just promote dialogue on it, um,
through the process of...engaging in that bullet point.
Mims/ Yeah, I would not keep 'and centers' in there cause I think it's confusing.
Throgmorton/ I think (both talking)
Neal/ I find it confusing as well. Having the 'and centers.'
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Thomas/ Well 'and centers,' I think neighborhood centers is ... is ... it's important to qualify centers
but um ... anyway.
Taylor/ Do we need ... when you're talking about diversifying membership, when we originally
talked about this was it more like encouraging more neighborhoods to have their
associations (mumbled) more of a community feel (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I understood it (both talking) Pauline, I ... I understood that to mean, uh,
doing what we can to ensure that neighborhoods, uh, associations included renters as well
as homeowners, and ... other people who live and work in the area, so that the ... the
membership of the neighborhood associations really re ... reflected the diversity, whatever
it is, the diversity of the neighborhood itself. That's what I understood by diversify,
doing what we can to diversify, um, membership of neighborhood associations.
Botchway/ I just don't think it's addressing the next point. To me substantially improve public
spaces through improvements to sidewalks, curb cuts, parking, streetscapes ... doesn't
speak to ... um ... neighborhood centers as John's kind of, um ... described. I mean I think
those are two different things. For me that's more of a .... I don't know.
Thomas/ Well, perhaps... perhaps to try to just move this forward, we could modify, which I'd
already done. The following bullet item, which I'll just read this, see what everyone
thinks. 'Substantially improve access and use of public spaces through improvements to
sidewalks, streetscapes, parks, and schools.'
Throgmorton/ I like the language. Can you say it again, please?
Thomas/ Uh, substantially improve access and use of public spaces through improvements to
sidewalks, streetscapes, parks, and schools.
Throgmorton/ I like the language. I don't know about the rest of you.
Cole/ I do too. I support it. (several talking)
Taylor/ I think that (both talking)
Botchway/ ...doesn't make sense to the, what you're talking about, John. I mean ... to me it just
means providing access to those public spaces, but I thought we were going to do more to
promote (both talking)
Thomas/ Well the use (both talking) it's access and use, so that the two are emphasized.
Botchway/ Okay. Never mind.
Throgmorton/ Make sure Simon's gettin' the language there, John.
Thomas/ Yeah.
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Throgmorton/ Okay, with regard to the bullet item before it, I tell ya what my gut feeling is.
There's a lot of learning we all need to be engaged in somehow with regard to the design
points, the physical design points, that are being implied by all this, and we can't do it
now. We just spin our wheels and ... but we've set up a process for, uh, achieving
some ... some collective learning. So ... and you know, coming to a shared understanding
and that kind of stuff, so ... I ... I don't think we need to spend any more time on ... this
particular part. Okay? So, movin' on, Simon!
Botchway/ Wait, so remove centers?
Thomas/ We take out 'and centers' then on the, urn...
Throgmorton/ I'd say take it out. (several talking) I see personally nothing to change in this.
Botchway/ I didn't ... the only thing I said the 'be attentive.' Um .... (mumbled) the third bullet
point, 'be attentive (mumbled) (noises in background)
Mims/ My .... my point, yeah, my point on that is ... I don't know if there will be changes coming,
but there has .... and ... and if you wanted to ask Dennis, I mean, there have been changes in
their criteria over the last year or two, and that was where some of the cities in Iowa lost
their triple-A bond rating, was not necessarily because they had done anything differently
or worse or wrong, but simply because the changes to those criteria put them on a lower
part of the scale, and so they lost their triple-A bond rating. So my point with that was...
that our staff needs to be attentive to ... what Moody's is doing and if they are changing
any of their rating criteria to make sure that ... you know, we're up on that and we can be
as proactive as possible so that we don't get blindsided by any of those changes (both
talking) that was my point.
Botchway/ ...actually agree. I think the issue was with the....'be attentive' was ... if there was a
word — I didn't have one, it's just more of a concern (both talking)
Mims/ Monitor?
Botchway/ To provide more weight.
Mims/ Yeah, mon ... monitor potential changes.
Botchway/ Okay. That was ... I just wanted to make sure (both talking) like, you know, I mean,
pay attention but...
Mims/ Yeah, maybe monitor potential changes to Moody's rating criteria.
Botchway/ Just to provide more weight...
Mims/ Sure!
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Botchway/ ...cause it is ... you make a good point as far as it being something that lot of cities lost
and want to make sure we're paying (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Monitor potential changes to Moody's... to, yeah. Yeah, is that right, Susan?
Mims/ Yeah, I think so. Yeah.
Cole/ And this may be implicit in this, but what about efforts to reduce outstanding City debt.
Um, you know, obviously we .... we have a relatively decent debt situation, but I ... I think
we really need to look and monitor sort of how much owe, and consistently monitor that.
Is that something that's implicit within the triple-A? I guess I would like to say, um...
Mims/ We have debt policies.
Cole/ Yeah.
Mims/ I mean in our ... in our financial policies (both talking)
Throgmorton/ We're in very good shape (both talking)
Mims/ We're in very, very good shape.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, if we were in bad shape I'd say yeah we gotta stick a bulleted item in here.
Cole/ Okay.
Mims/ Yeah, I don't think we do. I think the ... the policies that we have in terms of how much of
our tax levy can be for the debt levy and, you know, there's a number of other ... pieces to
it. If you go back and ... and read in the budget document, uh, part of the City Manager's
transmittal letter, I think that summarized a lot of that in there and if it wasn't in the
transmittal letter, it was in the ... there were different parts of the budget were talked about
our debt policy and stuff, which I think are ... are really strong, and so I don't think we
need anything in the strategic plan.
Throgmorton/ I agree.
Cole/ Okay.
Thomas/ There was one item that I ... was considering on ... on, under this heading, and that was...
and it relates to the question of...getting an understanding, making sure we have a clear
understanding of what our liabilities are with respect to ... you know, it could be ... all of
our, you know, all of our... facilities that the City owns and maintains. You know, the
operating and capital costs, which can be quite broad. Uh, I was initially thinking of...of
just emphasizing the need to assess the cost to maintain our city streets, which I feel is
something that, um, you know, we kind of talked about during the ... budget period. Um...
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and it...it does concern me. I mean (laughs) I see streets in my neighborhood, uh, that I ... I
kind of begin to wonder when is this on the capital plan (laughs) uh, and you know, I ... I
was hearing...
Mims/ It's traffic calming, remember? (laughter)
Thomas/ That's right! (laughs) Not ... not my brick street! I'm okay with my brick street.
It's ... it's the asphalt street (laughter) just to the south, uh...
Throgmorton/ You're only kidding, right?
Thomas/ (laughs) But, um ... you know, I ... I've heard sort of chatter, you know, on the social
media on the condition of the city streets, and ... and maybe, Geoff, you could tell me that,
look, we have a ... a pavement management system in place. We know what their
condition is. We know what the cost to .... to repair and renovate the streets. We've got it
under control. I just don't know that (laughs)
Fruin/ Yeah, well ... we....we can provide you that information. We can go through and .... and
give you an assessment of the road conditions and give you some estimates on what it
would cost to get everything up to a certain level. I think we went through some of that
exercise when we were considering LOST a few years ago, because a good ... a major
component was ... of...of that proposal was for roads, uh, certainly you've seen Cedar
Rapids do that. So that's all ... that's something we can provide. I will say regarding your
comment, um, on the chatter, this time of year you're gonna hear a lot of chatter about the
roads, and we recognize it, but it's ... full-blown pothole season right now and it's only
going to get worse before it gets better. So this is .... this is a tough time of year for road
conditions. Hopefully, you know, once the asphalt plants get up and working, we can fix
the streets up and that chatter will subside a little bit.
Mims/ I think you raise a really good point, John. I don't know that we need it in the strategic
plan. I would say that I think our staff does a really good job. I think during budget
they ... um, I don't know if it was Ron Knoche brought in the map of all the streets and the
color -coding of what, you know, percentage they were at in terms of good, poor, fair, you
know, etc. So, um, I think it's a really important thing that ... that is being kept track of, so
we kind of know where we're at and ... the increase in the gas tax has helped us somewhat
there with the road use tax money we're getting, but .... um, I don't know that we need it in
the strategic plan but I think ... making sure that staff is paying attention to that is really
important, and I think they are.
Fruin/ One thing to ... to (mumbled) and I can't remember off the top of my head what the LOST
proposal was for roads. Um, I was thinking maybe 50% or so.
Mims/ I think so.
Fruin/ Um, so that would be roughly $5 million, um, a year and we ... we still said at that time
that, that's really ... it's not going to get us caught all the way up, but looking over a 10 year
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period, to put that number in perspective, this year we were pretty proud to come to you
and say we've doubled our street resurfacing line, and that went to $1.5 million as a total.
So, the mountain to climb is large when it comes to our roads, and I don't want to give
any false impressions that you're gonna see, um ... you know, drastic improvement over
the next few years. Again, we're proud that we're able to double that, thanks in part to
the, um, road use tax increase at the State level, but .... we've got a long way to go and
we're workin' internally to figure out ways that we can divert more money over to roads,
but, you know, there's some stiff competition for resources right now.
Throgmorton/ Yeah it's a good point, John. I don't know that there's support for adding
particular language though. Uh, nothing else under this category? Movin' on! I ... I want
to suggest two things. With regard to the first, the words'weigh in,' just the words'weigh
in.'
Mims/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so I would suggest the following language. 'Exert timely and appropriate
influence.' It says the same thing.
Mims/ Uh.... I'm not even sure I like the word 'influence.' It ... I think it ... I think some people
could see that as sounding heavy-handed. I know that's not how you mean it necessarily,
but um ... yeah, I know, but... sometimes people just take that word, influence, and ... um...
Thomas/ I have dis... discussed with ICCSD (mumbled) opportunities to promote the successful
passage of the 2017 bond referendum.
Cole/ You know, I like Jim's (both talking) Go ahead, Pauline! Go ahead.
Mims/ It was me!
Cole/ (both talking)
Mims/ The only thing I would say about that, John, is ... I would not ... I would not want to put
language in this strategic plan that, urn ... already assumes and commits us to supporting
that, when we don't know exactly what's going to be in it. I mean, we know what their
master plan says now, and we know what is 'supposed to be in it,' but if they ... if the Iowa
City School District were to make significant changes to it such that a lot of that money
was not going to be reinvested in our older schools, like it ... like the master plan says now,
I'm not sure as a City Council we would want to support that bond referendum.
Cole/ I agree with ya, Susan! (laughter) (several talking) We should be neutral, uh, because I
think that these ... it's a very big political issue that we're all gonna face, and we maybe
come out in favor, uh, as a Council. We may individually come, I mean, so I think we
should just do the ... I like the'weigh in,' because it suggests a process, um, but I think at
this point we should remain neutral, because in terms of what is in that strategic, uh,
bond ... there's a lot of issues for the community to discuss at this particular time, and I
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think the original language was support and we had actually pulled back to the more
neutral, um, because of the big issues that the community faces. Um ... so I think that
reserves us the flexibility to (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ...discussion is why I suggested the language'exert timely and appropriate
influence' cause it doesn't mean ... we know what we're gonna do. We don't know for sure
what they're gonna do. So we're gonna try to effect what they do, in whatever
appropriate way we think is necessary.
Andrew/ Does the word 'input' work? Provide timely and appropriate input?
Cole/ Yeah, I like that. (several talking)
Throgmorton/ ...addresses Susan's concern, yes. Yeah.
Cole/ I agree with Simon.
Mims/ That sounds good!
Dickens/ That's why you get the big bucks! (laughter)
Throgmorton/ All right. I had one other suggestion. I ... I think that the third category is ... for me
it's pretty much meaningless. So ... I suggest deleting it and ... and changing the last
bulleted item to read as follows. 'Significantly improve the Council's and the staff s
ability to engage with diverse populations on complex or controversial topics.'
Botchway/ Sounds good (several talking)
Throgmorton/ So all right, let me get some ... be clear about the language, Simon, so uh... after the
words 'ability to,' delete the next three words. Insert the word 'engage.'
Botchway/ Or, not and.
Throgmorton/ Uh, I'll have to read it in a second. And then after the word 'populations,' insert
the words 'on complex or ... or controversial topics.'
Botchway/ Good memory though! (mumbled) my team next time we're playin'!
Throgmorton/ Yeah, there ya go!
Andrew/ And then deleting the third?
Throgmorton/ Yes!
Botchway/ Um, should we delete the second?
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Cole/ Yeah, I was going to say (both talking)
Throgmorton/ No! No! No! No! Don't because...you know why? (several talking) Because
we can point to it as something we accomplished! (several talking)
Fruin/ I think you added one earlier in there!
Cole/ Oh (several talking and laughing)
Throgmorton/ Are we done with this topic?
Dickens/ Yeah!
Taylor/ I like that!
Throgmorton/ All right. 'Promoting environmental sustainability.' Any suggestions about it?
Cole/ You know, the ... in looking at this particular issue, I think this is an important issue
obviously for everyone, um, but I really want to ... have language that talks about us
proactively engaging our community partners in sustainability efforts, and I think of like
a Backyard Abundance, you know, the work that Jeff Biggers is doing, other groups,
um ... you know, they're doing some great work and I think in terms of our strategic plan, I
don't view it as necessarily a ... um, burden on the ... on the City, and I think we need to
proactively engage our non -profits in our sustainability efforts, and it doesn't seem like
that particular ... uh... bullet item is there. So 'collaborate with community non -profits to
promote sustainability efforts.' And I think that's important, cause it's not already there,
and I think that if we're talking about decision making and staff, we, you know, they may
get approached by various community groups and I think they need to say, hey, well
look, this isn't part of our current strategic plan. It may be as simple as, you know,
working in the public parks or those sorts of things, but ... I think we need to have
something in there that we're ... we are partnering and collaborating with non -profits, and
community groups to support sustainability efforts.
Throgmorton/ Simon, maybe you could type some language and ... and then we'll decide what we
want to do with it. (several talking)
Dickens/ The plastic bag policy ... you know, incorporated into that area there because it's ... that's
one of the groups...
Cole/ Yeah.
Dickens/ ...that's workin' on it, that you could do groups such as...
Botchway/ I would agree, eliminate that one ... or .... what you're talking about (both talking)
Dickens/ Incorporate it into the other.
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Throgmorton/ Rockne (several talking)
Mims/ Yeah, and you wouldn't have to by ... specifically pulling it out and pointing it out. My
question would be ... you know, if we're gonna add one, do you want to restrict it just to
non -profits? I mean...
Cole/ Or other community groups. I think we'd just say collaborate with non -profits or other
community groups to (both talking)
Mims/ Or entities ... (both talking) I'm talkin' private. I'm talkin' the School District. I'm talkin'
the University. Um...
Botchway/ That's a good point (several talking)
Cole/ Community partners (mumbled) there ya go again! (several talking) Yeah, so collaborate
with community partners on sustainability efforts, and I think that's .... and it's vague
enough that I don't think again we're putting the ... the onus on staff, but we are saying that
that's an aspirational goal.
Dickens/ (mumbled) plastic bag policy in there or ... does that fall under...
Cole/ I think we should, because I think that's a particular policy. We're sort of (both talking)
Mims/ ...they'll be here pretty soon I'm sure (several talking)
Dickens/ I just didn't know if we wanted to (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Any other suggestions on this? I ... I have one I want to suggest. Uh... uh, it's not
an addition. It's a modification to the last .... to the ad hoc climate change thing. Uh,
and ... again, please just bear with me as I say this. 'Set a substantive and achievable goal
for reducing city-wide carbon emissions by 2030,' and 'create an ad hoc climate change
response task force, potentially under the umbrella STAR Communities Committee, to
devise a cost-effective strategy for achieving the goal.' Now, I....I'll explain.
What ... what I'm advocating here is that we define the goal. And then ... assign the task of
figuring out how to achieve this goal to this ad hoc climate change task force. Instead of
having the ad hoc climate task force define the goal for us. That's the main distinction
I'm making. So ... you know, I ... I can restate all this so that Simon can type it, but I ... I just
wonder whether you agree.
Cole/ I support that because I think ultimately you're talking about greenhouse gas reductions. I
think it's the legislative body that sets the target, um, in terms of what we want to
achieve, and I think the task force with those marching orders then tries to figure out a
cost-effective way to make that happen. I think what we don't want to have happen is
that we have a ... a committee, we say we're doing a really good job, there's no measurable
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progress, and I think that's something that Kingsley's often brought up — measuring with
data what the goals are.
Botchway/ So I would agree as well. My only language change ... would be to remove the
'potentially under umbrella of STAR Communities Committee.'
Mims/ Why?
Botchway/ Cause I'm not sure, I mean, to be honest with you I can't remember exactly why it
was in there. I mean I know why we talked about it, but ... it, I mean, we could potentially
say it to any of the bullet points, cause we were talking about making STAR communities
kind of our measurable, you know, umbrella for a lot of different things. I don't know
why we specifically spell it out here. Um...
Mims/ I think because there's a lot of the different things under that STAR community rating
that ... that are related to this, as well as a lot of other things, and the idea of not
having... multiple overlapping committees as much as we can possibly avoid, and so I
think that's why we put it in here, as potentially coming underneath, um ... the umbrella of
the STAR Communities Committee. Doesn't say it will be ... but it potentially will be, I
think just depending on ... I mean, just depending on how we organize all of that.
Throgmorton/ So I take your point, but I ... given the fact that the word 'potentially' isn't in there,
I'm okay with it.
Cole/ Could Simon maybe type up what you would propose then?
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so ... let me, uh, take a shot at it here, Simon. Um, 'set ... sorry. 'Set a
substantive and achievable goal ... for achieving, uh, sorry, for reducing city-wide carbon
emissions ... by 2030, (several talking) Yeah!
Botchway/ Like (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ And ... and, uh, so where are we, uh, so we got comma and create, and ad hoc
climate change response task force. So the...
Botchway/ I don't think (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so some cut and pasting could be done here, I don't know. Where are we?
Urn ... task force, potentially... that whole ... that whole cause, 'potentially under an umbrella
STAR committee... Communities Committee.' Uh, I guess there's a comma...'to devise a
cost-effective strategy for achieving the goal.' Yeah, that's what I'm suggesting.
Cole/ I think that looks great, Jim.
Taylor/ I like that!
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Throgmorton/ All right. Any other suggestions under sustainability? Okay, moving on to our
last category. See, we're gonna change the word 'equity' to equali... to 'equity,' right?
(mumbled) (laughs) All right, here the third bulleted item is the one we pulled the
sustainable built environment out of, so ... it would read 'consider creating a new City
Council committee with a focus on social justice and racial equity.'
Cole/ I think that's great!
Throgmorton/ Let's see ... uh... I ... I see one typo, in the last bulleted item. The preposition 'if
should be 'of.' On the top line. Oh, well, it is 'of.'
Fruin/ I think we caught that when we (several talking) document.
Throgmorton/ Never mind! Other people have suggestions?
Botchway/ Yeah, the only one that I was looking at was the last one. I guess I should have
brought this up, but um ... removing the last one and tying it into the ... the second heading,
cause we said 'encourage divers...' I just don't remember why we said 'encourage diverse
housing types.' I think I was in agreement with the point ... at the time we were talking
about price points for a variety of income levels. We're talking about building a vibrant,
walkable urban core, and putting the, um, affordable housing under that particular
heading.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I..I thought this properly belongs in this category because it's about social
justice, and racial equity. It's not only about racial equity. So my own personal sense is
that ... social justice is, uh, I'm sorry, the affordability of housing is a crucial part of social
justice. That's why I personally favor having it here.
Botchway/ I would agree, I just ... I just think it (mumbled) away from one and put it in another.
Throgmorton/ Is there support for doing what Kingsley suggests?
Cole/ I think we should leave it here.
Thomas/ It's okay where it is.
Taylor/ I agree, as far as social justice.
Throgmorton/ All right. So we'll leave it where it is. Are there any other suggestions with
regard to this category? Or any of the items in it? I don't hear any. Seems to me we're
done. With that. (noises in background) Let's see .... all right, so we're gonna move on.
Information Packet. We have, uh, probably eight minutes or thereabouts.
Information Packet Discussion [February 4,111:
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Cole/ I guess I had a question on, um, February 4h Information Packet. Uh, Item ... I think it's
Item 3, uh, relating to the historic preservation issue. Geoff, could you update ... I think
the first question I'd just like to know is this a reviewable issue by Council, or is this
something that is solely within the discretion of staff. If the former, I would like to
review it. If the latter, obviously then we can't review it, but I frankly do not like the way
this was handled, um...
Mims/ Which one are you referring to?
Cole/ It's February 4t`, Item #3, the February 1 memo relating to the UniverCity program, 1025
E. Burlington Street update. Um ... to the extent that we have the authority to review it, I
would like to, and I think that that was a suggestion actually that Mr. Markus, or Tom had
made to Alicia Trimble. Um (mumbled) littler overview on this, or can we review it? I..I
frankly don't like the way it was handled. I don't know if Geoff can give us an update
(mumbled) on that.
Fruin/ Sure. I would ask probably Tracy or Stan to come up and just let us know what the status
of the ... the bid, uh, process is, where we're at with the renovations.
Hightshoe/ Um, much like all of our UniverCity homes, we will be taking up the, a public bid for
the work at 2015 Burlington.
Cole/ Okay.
Fruin/ Has that been ... has that been done yet?
Hightshoe/ We're working on it now.
Fruin/ Okay.
Hightshoe/ So it'll be coming to you for a public bid because it'll be over $62,000.
Fruin/ Okay. So then you ... you have the opportunity... if we ... if we proceed right now, um,
eventually on a Council agenda you'll be asked to approve an award to renovate, to make
renovations to the house. So if the Council does not want us to go down that path, and
you want us to pursue other sale opportunities, now would be an appropriate time to give
us that direction, or at least tell us to hold off on the ... on preparing the bid package for the
property.
Cole/ Well, I would like to further ... my point is is that I would like to further promote
collaboration with the ... with the Friends of Historic Preservation. The reason why it was
offered to them in the first place is my understanding is that it ended up being a little bit
of a money pit, um, and so that's one of the reasons why they explored that in the first
instance. Um, my understanding, there was a discussion that was had and then initially
they settled on $100,000 and then was increased to 115. I think we really need to partner
with our historic preservation groups to ... to really make sure that we maintain this quality
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housing stock, and also, um, promote historic preservation. So I would like to review it,
and I'd like to direct the staff, uh, to promote any further discussions with the Friends of
Historic Preservation, cause I don't like the way that this was handled.
Fruin/ Let ... let me jump in on that, because our ... our goal is to ... to maintain and protect the
housing, just as you said.
Cole/ Yeah.
Fruin/ I don't think our actions are contrary to that goal. Um, two, we reached out to the Friends
of Historic Preservation cause we were interested in that collaboration too. We reached
out and ... and we explored the possibility. At a staff level we determined that the
partnership was a little too costly for us, urn ... now certainly you can give us direction that
you're willing to, um ... contribute, uh, that kind of investment into that partnership. At a
staff level we didn't feel comfortable with that. This memo was placed in the public in
part to make you aware of it because there was some conversations with, um, individual
Council Members, so we wanted to make the Council as a whole familiar with the issue.
Um, so you can give us that ... that direction now, but ... with respect to the process and the
goals, um, for ... for the housing, um ... I'm not sure ... I guess I'd like clarity when you say
you don't like how that was handled (both talking)
Cole/ The last paragraph it says, um, that essentially the lowest offer that staff had offered was
$100,000, and when the Director of Friends of Historic Preservation went to discuss that,
it was immediately increased up to 115,000, without in my view adequate explanation as
to why it was increased $15,000 during the course of an effort.
Hightshoe/ (both talking) I was the one. Actually it was ... you know, it was never an offer for
100,000.
Cole/ Okay.
Hightshoe/ We talked to Friends of Historic Preservation and when they submitted their offer for
77,000. that would have been 107,000 subsidy for one home. So that means that would
have to come back to Council and ask for another 57,000 to .... to accept that offer. So
when my email back to, um, Friends of Historic Preservation, I was just trying to
illicit ... that their offer was so much lower than what I ... we would probably even consider
coming back to you, cause even at 100,000 I would have to come back to City Manager
or the Council and ask for another 30,000 subsidy for just one home. So I was just trying
to illustrate the difference of their offer from even what the lowest what I would come
back to you to ask for. So it was never an offer of what we were going to sell the
property for. I was just trying to illustrate... it was just so huge that we had to go forward
and rehab it ourself, because we asked the Assessor at that point then to give us
comparable homes, in decent condition, along Muscatine, Burlington, that we could sell
the home. The value came back a lot higher than we originally thought, so then the
amount of money that we could invest, based on what the Assessor thought we could sell
it for for... comparable properties, we could invest 75,000 and be within the same
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parameters that the UniverCity had set out. So without coming back to you and asking
for additional money or subsidy, while still preserving that house, and rehabbing it to the
standards that are ... that's in within the conservation district. So that's .... so the 100,000
was never an offer to them.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I ... I personally fully favor the idea of partnering... partnering with, uh,
Friends of Historic Preservation, uh, but there are obviously cost implications associated
with, uh, this particular building. So I'm ... I'm not prepared at this moment to say ... do it
differently, staff, you know. Or make a different decision. Uh, I ... I think, uh, staff
is ... Tracy in particular, has done everything she can to make sure that she's acting
consistently with what she understands our City policy in general to be. So ... if there's ... if
there's support from others to ... revisit this particular issue more carefully, you know,
when we really have some time to go into it, uh, I ... wouldn't object to that, but...
Mims/ I would ... I'm in favor of the staff going ahead as is and following the UniverCity, uh,
process that they've done. I think, you know, it's an unfortunate situation. It's ... it's
costing us more than we would like on these houses, but ... and I agree, when we can
partner with non -profits, that's fantastic, but if it's going to cost us a lot more to partner
with them and really not get any different end result, then ... bidding it out or doing it
ourself and still selling it so it's owned, you know, single-family home and owner -
occupied, why would we partner with them and have it cost the taxpayer more money
when the end result's the same thing.
Botchway/ I would agree, and I really ... I would agree and I appreciate your, um, your
explanation. That really helped me. I have a better sense of everything, so ... I would
agree.
Taylor/ It is confusing though, because you said you hadn't offered the 100,000, but in our notes
it says the lowest offer staff would contemplate was 100,000.
Hightshoe/ I put that in the email when I was telling ... when we got the 77,000, cause I wanted to
give Historic Preservation just some idea about how much ... how much lower than what
(mumbled) consider, but even at the 100,000, I would have still had to come back to the
Council for permission, cause that would ... that was about 30,000 more than our $50,000
budget, so that would have been about a 80,000 subsidy.
Cole/ Can we at least defer this so we can get additional information from Alicia Trimble on
this?
Mims/ I don't want to defer it.
Cole/ Well that's my request.
Mims/ Fine, and I'm responding I don't want to!
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Throgmorton/ If...if the building was going to be demolished and Friends of Historic
Preservation had made an offer and we rejected it, I'd say...
Cole/ All right! (mumbled) the votes.
Throgmorton/ Okay, so ... movin' on, any other particular items?
Hightshoe/ Is the direction to staff to continue with the bid (several talking) Okay.
Mims/ I think we need to adjourn.
Throgmorton/ (several talking)
Council Time:
Dickens/ Can I just bring one thing up since (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Terry, one thing, Terry! (laughs)
Dickens/ I just would like to revote on the Lens funding and see if there's enough support to put
it back on the agenda. With a 3-3 tie, I watched ... all the public input. I've read
everything. I was not able to call in. I did call in for the executive session (mumbled) so I
would like to see if there's support to put it back on the agenda to vote.
Mims/ I would (both talking)
Dickens/ Not this ... this meeting, but for the future meeting.
Throgmorton/ My gut feeling is that this ... we're gonna have to talk about this a little bit more and
we don't have time to do it right now. So we'll have to revisit it right after our meeting.
Dickens/ All right. Sounds good, but I just wanted to make sure that was (several talking)
Throgmorton/ So we'll pick up on that point when we reconvene (several talking) Okay, so we're
done with the work session for now. Take a break.
RECESS TO FORMAL MEETING
Throgmorton/ I think we were beginning to address... Terry's, uh, question about the Lens. So,
Terry, would you revisit that please?
Dickens/ Yeah, I'd just like to see what the temperature of the Council is to see if we could put
that back on as a ... agenda item to vote on. Cause it was a 3-3 tie and I ... I have, uh, heard
from a lot of community members that would really like to see ... some finality to is, rather
than just being a 3-3 tie. So ... I'd like to put it back on.
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Mims/ Yeah, I'm supportive of it.
Botchway/ (mumbled)
Cole/ I am not supportive of it. I mean first I'd ask Sue, is there any policies on if you have a
Council Member that's absent, cause I think the other thing that I ... sort of if I'm gone or
another Council Member is gone, I mean, is that the precedent, that if we're gone and we
don't like a result that we can reconsider it? Um ... do we have any policies in place on
when you decide something there's absent Council Member on that?
Dulek/ Well there's a couple of issues. There's the reconsideration under Robert's Rules.
Cole/ Okay.
Dulek/ But that's not what we're ... we're talking about here, so Robert's Rules are just your
general. You have two specific provisions for agenda items. One, the City Charter
allows the Mayor to put any item on the agenda. Um, then also back in 2002, Council, by
an informal policy, said that three Council Members could place items, um, either on a
work session or a formal session. So three Council Members here, uh, could put that on.
Um, that's the policy to date. Certainly folks could ... you could change that policy. It
is ... it is your policy. It's an informal policy, but that's how it's been for ... oh, about 14
years. Actually February 27a' of 2002, um ... is what it said. So ... um ... so....
Throgmorton/ So either I could put it on the agenda, the formal meeting agenda, or three Council
Members could. I thought we were gonna have to do the motion to reconsider process.
Okay. So...
Karr/ Reconsideration is by a Member of the prevailing side. What Sue is saying is not.
Dulek/ Cause it really wasn't a prevailing side. Right.
Throgmorton/ Right. Okay. Yeah, uh, so Terry, you weren't here to ... to have heard the
ambivalence I expressed, uh, because I feel considerably (both talking)
Dickens/ I did watch the ... I watched ya sweat (laughter)
Throgmorton/ Well yeah, absolutely! Um ... for (both talking)
Dickens/ Much better on replay. You can (several talking and laughing)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, uh, well ... I've had a ... an extensive conversation with Nancy Bird of the
Downtown Association about this particular topic, and I've talked with Geoff about it
some and ... I guess before that with Tom. And ... I, uh... think, you know, I've heard a lot
of, uh... a lot of people have come to me and said 'thanks' for voting that thing down. So,
you know, I didn't vote it down, but... nonetheless the Council did by a 3-3 vote. So I
think it would be a mistake to immediately reconsider that vote, and ... and put it back on
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the agenda and vote on it again at our next meeting. I strongly believe we need ... the
supporters need to demonstrate that there's substantial community -wide support
for ... uh... you know, the ... the main issue, which is the City funding $50,000 to ... to
support the hiring of a fundraiser.
Dickens/ Yes, that's where I would disagree. It's ... if we have enough Councilors to...
Mims/ That's my question. (several talking) ...you agree? To put it back on?
Dulek/ Excuse me, I don't want to interrupt but I'm going to interrupt. That is if three of you
want to put it on, it goes on, and the discussion that you folks are having then would be
on with members of the public coming here. So ... a little bit of...of explanation, but after
that it's just three it goes on, so...
Dickens/ That's ... (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, there are three that clearly want to have it on. (several talking)
Taylor/ So it would just be added to the agenda (several talking) next meeting or whenever it can
fit in.
Throgmorton/ Sorry, I ... I retract what I said. Should have held it. Okay. So there's that. Um...
we should move ... let's see, the next one is ... uh... anybody else have anything on
February... February 4 packet to bring up? Okay, I don't hear anything. February 11.
KXIC, want to (both talking)
Mims/ I'm sorry, I ... I didn't turn back fast enough. Yes, on the ... just on the Info Packet from the
4t', um, IP8, the Aid to Agencies that was done by, um, Housing Community
Development Commission. So just ... that's a process that we put in place a few years ago.
It used to actually come to the Council and we did all of that. We kind of off-loaded that
to one of the commissions to do, um, I think it's very ... um ... challenging work, um ... it's,
there's a lot of...
Dickens/ Challenging for us!
Mims/ Well it was! There's a lot of really, really good competition from the standpoint there are
a lot of good agencies out there doing really good, great work, and there is just not
enough money to go around, and so ... uh, I just really want to thank and commend the
members of that commission for their time and effort in reviewing those applications and
having I think probably some pretty difficult decisions and ... or difficult conversations and
decisions, but thank them for that.
Throgmorton/ Agreed! Okay, February 11. We ... I guess we could talk about KXIC, which is IP
#5. I'm scheduled for tomorrow morning. Susan for the following Wednesday. At least
with regard to the Wednesdays.
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Dickens/ Is spring break the 16th9 I can do that cause I'm gonna be in town.
Karr/ Spring break is (both talking)
Dickens/ Yeah, I'll do the ... March 16th.
Karr/ The 16'.
Thomas/ I could do April 6th
Cole/ So what dates are open?
Karr/ Um, March 2nd and 9th
Cole/ Think I can do March 2`ha
Karr/ March 2nd
Dickens/ (mumbled) (several talking)
Karr/ The 9th, Taylor. We've got the 2na, 9th, 16th ... March ... March 23rd.
Botchway/ I can do the 23ra... I can do March 23rd
Karr/ March 23rd.
Throgmorton/ All right, so we've got...
Mims/ Do you have the 30th or...
Karr/ I do not have the 30th yet.
Mims/ I'll take March 30th.
Botchway/ Are we gonna finish March? Do we (both talking)
Karr/ We have finished March.
Mims/ Except for the Friday.
Karr/ Except for the Friday, March 18th.
Botchway/ Um, I think I can do (mumbled)
Karr/ March 18th, Kingsley.
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Botchway/ No, put Terry there. (several talking and laughing)
Cole/ What time was my March 2nd one? Is that 8:00?
Karr/ That's at 8:00. (several talking) So we've got March 2nd, Cole; March 9th, Taylor; March
16th, Dickens; March 23rd, Botchway; 30 Mims; April 6th, Thomas; and the Friday,
March 18th, Dickens.
Botchway/ That all right, Terry? I was just kidding.
Dickens/ No,I can do it. What ... what is that on (both talking)
Karr/ That's, uh, 7:15.
Botchway/ Let me take the 16th (several talking)
Karr/ April 6th is 8:00. All the Wednesdays are 8:00 A.M.
Botchway/ I'm gonna take, um, Terry's 16th.
Karr/ And then you'll have back-to-back (several talking)
Dickens/ I'm the Friday the 18th.
Karr/ Yes! Okay, does anybody want to go farther than April 6th or April 1St, a Friday? (both
talking)
Throgmorton/ ...so far in the distant future.
Karr/ Okay.
Dickens/ I don't even buy green bananas cause I don't know I'm gonna be around (laughter)
Throgmorton /Okay, anything else on the February 11 packet?
Mims/ Uh, just since we're being televised now on our work session, in case people watch, IP7,
we've got a open house for City Manager Tom Markus on Friday, March 4th, from 7:30 to
9:00 A.M. for people who are up bright and early. Um...
Throgmorton/ Right here (both talking)
Mims/ Yep, right here in City Hall. I mean there ... there were quite a few others. IP9, I thought
the volunteers per capita was a nice feather in our cap, uh, for the city. Um, IP 12, a
compact of mayors, again another sustainability, uh... project that we might want to get
involved in.
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Throgmorton/ Could I pick up on that for a second, Susan?
Mims/ Sure!
Throgmorton/ Uh... Geoff, am ... was I reading correctly that the staff would like for the Council to
direct me to sign the compact or...
Fruin/ Yes, that's correct. Um, I think it just provides a good framework for where I think we're
going and ... and what was solidified in the strategic planning effort tonight. So, um, we
use the same software that ... that they use, um, and ... and by participating in their program,
we can benchmark ourselves against other cities. So I think it...it makes a lot of sense.
We still have complete flexibility in the path that we choose, so for staff it's a no-brainer,
but ultimately it's your signature, Mayor, that needs to be on it.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I'm very happy to sign it, but I just wanted to make sure the Council was on
board with that.
Cole/ Agree!
Throgmorton/ All right, anything else?
Fruin/ Like to make note of, uh, one upcoming, uh or ... or host of upcoming items in Info
Packets. During your budget work sessions, there was probably a dozen or so items,
questions that were raised by Council that we couldn't respond to on the spot, um, so
we've made a list of those and ... and staff is working to give you a complete response.
You may see memos and they may seem out of left field, um, so I just wanted to give you
a heads up. If you see something, uh, you know, regarding City Park pool and the
aquatic center, um, idea, it's all stemming from budget. We'll do our best to note ... to
notice in the budget why we're bringing the item to ya, but ... um, you may be surprised at
some of those topics.
Throgmorton/ Okay, good deal.
Mims/ I had two other real quick things; there's a lot in here. IP 15, the new sustainability
newsletter that people can get, um, by going to the subscrip ... e -subscriptions on the Iowa
City web site, so would encourage people to do that. And then, urn ... oh, I guess the other
one's the employee potluck. (mumbled)
Council Time:
Throgmorton/ Okay. Council time? Rockne? Council time.
Mims/ I think we just did that (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Well I ... so I want to report to you about several meetings. So I met with Mayors
Lundell and Nielsen, at ... at, over lunch, and spoke to members of the Iowa City Lions
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Club at Waterfront Hyvee. Good meeting; good event. I'll be meeting with the
Partnership for Alcohol Safety tomorrow and going to the Chamber's annual banquet, as
several of you are. I was ... I was thinking about that actually. The, um, City feds... chili,
potluck...
Taylor/ Chili supper.
Throgmorton/ Chili supper occurs the same night, at almost the same time, and I was thinking it
would be good, uh, for a couple or three people to volunteer to go to the chili supper and
the others to go to the Chamber's event. I'm gonna go to the Chamber's event (several
talking) Well, if you can do both, do both, right?
Cole/ I'll go to the chili supper, and I had confirmed on the, uh, Chamber event. So have we paid
a registration fee? How much was that?
Karr/ I don't remember.
Andrew/ It's part of our annual (several talking)
Karr/ We have a table.
Andrew/ We have a table of eight, and we've provided them with eight names.
Cole/Okay.
Throgmorton/ I just want to make sure we ... we kind of attend both, as a ... as Council Members.
Mims/ What was the other one, Jim? (several talking) Who's sponsoring? (several talking)
Cole/ So, yeah, I think I'll go to the City Fest event, but that's at 6:00.
Taylor/ I'll, of course, be going to that also.
Throgmorton/ Okay, I wanted to mention, uh, just a few other meetings, uh, Susan and I are
going to be meeting with Chris Lynch and Brian Kersling, uh, next week. Uh, Kingsley,
Tom, Geoff, and I will be meeting with President Harreld, uh, on the 23rd, and Kingsley
and I are going to attend the Cedar Rapids' Mayor's State of the City speech on the 241h
So ... that's that. Anybody else have any Council time?
Pending Work Session Tonics:
Throgmorton/ All right, uh, meeting schedule. Pending work session topics, um ... I noticed that,
uh, we added two topics to the pending list — review the downtown streetscape master
plan and uh, the permanent city manager thing. So I should report that I'm going to be
meeting with Marian and Eleanor on Friday to talk about just the process, should we
conclude that we want to move in that direction, and I've had a good conversation with
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Geoff, uh, there's no need to go into details right here and right now, but uh, one of the
things he and I agreed upon was that we would decide not more than three months after
the ... the date he's appointed interim city manager, whether we intend to proceed with, uh,
a full search. Did I state that correctly? I think I did. Okay. So I just wanted to make
sure everybody was on board, or understood that. All right, uh.... is there anything
I'm ... scrolling down to see if there's anything else, uh, to be touched on. Boy, it's a good
thing Harry's not here. I get the feeling I'm speaking too softly here. I guess that's it. Is
there anything else we're supposed to touch on? I don't think so. Looks to me like we're
done. Okay! So much for the work session tonight. Thank you all for...
Mims/ Move to adjourn.
Cole/ One final thing (several talking) the public hearing on the budget's going to be March 1St
Karr/ 1 St
Cole/ So when people want to comment on that, that would be the opportunity (mumbled)
Nothing further.
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