HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-04-19 TranscriptionPage 1
ITEM 2. PROCLAMATIONS
ITEM 2b Bicycle Month - May
Tbrogmorton: Speaking of proclamations, there are three. One has to do with .Our Veterans —
Now and Forever, but there's no one here, correct, Marian?
Karr: That's correct.
Throgmorton: ... to accept it. The second has to do with Bicycle Month, so I want to read a
proclamation and then ask ... Bob, are you coming up ... to accept it? Yeah. Okay.
(reads proclamation) Bob Oppliger, come on up! (applause) Did you ride your
bike?
Oppliger: Not today! (laughter) I have (unable to hear, away from mic) I wanted to give
you a few highlights of what's going to be going on during May. Uh, Bike to
Work Week actually starts on Sunday this year with a ride ... from City... family
ride, from City Park led by none other than our Mayor and it'll be, uh, starting
about 3:00 and I believe from Upper City Park. Couple of the other highlights are
that there will be bike rodeos at every .... all but four public schools this year.
There's an (mumbled) bike rodeo at ... in North Liberty and then a...13 different
ones at, um, Regina and all the public schools in Iowa City area. Um ... the very
popular move naturally to the market last year, um, attracted over 800 people to
come to the Saturday morning... Farmers Market on a bike or by walking and ... as a
result of their efforts got a $2.00 market coupon and this year we're bringing that
back. And lastly, probably one of the biggest highlights at least for me is the
Director of the, uh, Bike Friendly Program from the League of American
Bicyclists is coming into town on May 90' and 10'11 to spend time with the City
and the City Council, and then on .... and also with the University. So those are a
lot of good events that'll be going on during, uh, May. I should add, before I
forget it, is that every day during Bike to Work Week there'll be free food
somewhere in Iowa City if you bike to the location. So thank you very much for
the proclamation and we'll see ya on your bikes!
Throgmorton: All right! Excellent! (applause)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 2
ITEM 2. PROCLAMATIONS
ITEM 2c Arbor Day — April 29
Throgmorton: Okay and our next proclamation has to do with Arbor Day. (reads proclamation)
Karr: Here to accept the proclamation is City Parks and Rec Director Julie Seydell-
Johnson. (applause)
Seydell-Johnson: Mayor and Council, just a brief thank you for supporting all the tree planting
and all the efforts in our Forestry department in the City. Uh, its busy tree month
for us. We've had tree saplings being planted out at Terry Tublo... Trueblood
Recreation Area, and you've probably noticed a lot of street trees going in along
Court Avenue. Um, just a lot of plantings happening this time of year and we
continue to do more and more wherever we can find space. Uh, it's our 360' year
being named as a Tree City USA, and when I looked on the web site today I
wanted you to know we're one of only three cities in the state that have been a
Tree City for that many years. So I think that's a real accomplishment for an
entire community. Thanks!
Throgmorton: Great! Thank you, Julie! (applause) Okay, before moving on to Item 3, Student
Leadership Awards, I want to, uh, alert everyone that, uh, the Council decided to
move Item 18, which has to do with transportation network companies, also
known as Uber, uh, up from It ... from Item #18 to appear immediately after Item
#6. So that means we're going to address that topic earlier in the our formal
meeting than the formal, uh, agenda indicates. So, just wanted y'all to know that.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 3
ITEM 3. STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS ITEM
3a Longfellow Elementary
Throgmorton: I'm gonna have to go out front in order to read these and ... we should have three
students come up, all from Longfellow School, right?
Karr: That's correct!
Throgmorton: Is it working? Yeah! Hot dog, it is! Okay, so, uh.....I'm so pleased to have
Longfellow students here, uh, because as I told all three of you, my two sons
graduated from Longfellow years ago and I used to live about a block away from
Longfellow, so it's really great seeing you here. So ... these, um, Leadership
Awards all say the same thing. So I'm going to read it one time and then hand it
to each one of you and ask you to read your statements, okay? So ... the,
uh... certificates say (reads Student Leadership Award) Which one of you is
Addison? All right, great. Here you go, so ... hand that to you! And ... the next one
goes to EmmittHansen. Says exactly the same thing. Congratulations, Emmitt!
And the last one goes to Yamro Seabold. Did I pronounce your name, first name
correctly? I know .... I know your dad really well, so ... here you go! All right, so
urn ... why don't we have ... let's back up here a little bit and then look out that way
and I'll hold the microphone before you. So we'll start with you because you were
the first.
Hackbarth: Hi, my name is Addison Hackbarth. I am deeply honored to be ... receiving this
award. I believe I deserve this award because every Halloween I collect money
for Trick or Treat for UNICEF. I have donated... donated to Oceania as well. I
donate to my school's Coats for Kindness drive and last year I sold hot chocolate
and our class newspaper to raise money. I also participate in Jump Rope For
Heart every year. I am in safety patrol and (mumbled) as Iowa's State
Ambassador. I am in the older kids club and plan the younger kids holiday's
par ... holiday parties in the after-school program. Thank you again. (applause)
Throgmorton: What ... what's your father's first name?
Hackbarth: (unable to hear, away from mic)
Throgmorton: Andrew. I ... I ask because I used to coach at softball ... I mean, a little league
baseball team and there were Hackbarths on some of the teams I was involved in.
I don't know! All right (laughter) All right, let's come around here. Be your tum
(several talking and laughing in background)
Hansen: Greetings! My name is Emmitt Hansen and I'm a fifth grader at Longfellow
Elementary. I believe I'm an outstanding student because I'm kind to others
throughout the community. I work my best in class and I try hard. I'm a nice
person. My mom says I'm optimistic and I think of the good part of things, even
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 4
when they're bad. I never back down until I make my dreams come true. No
matter what challenges are ahead. I use positive words, I keep trying, I work hard
to make sure others are sus .... are successful in their dreams too. Thank you.
(applause)
Throgmorton: I like it! I never back down till my dreams come true! Very sweet! Okay, your
turn!
Seabold: Hi, I'm Yamro Seabold and I'm proud to be chosen as a Longfellow Elementary
Outstanding Leader. I was born in Ethiopia and was adopted at the age of four. I
had to learn a new language, make new friends, and trust myself and others. This
has impacted my life in many ways that have helped me a] ... helped me always be
willing to help others. I'm vice president of Longfellow Elementary, participate
in Girl Scouts Troop 5191, and helped organize a coat drive. I'm also often
assigned to welcome new students to my school. I hope to keep using my
leadership skills to help others and make the world a better place. Thank you.
(applause)
Throgmorton: Very nice! Are there any proud parents out in the room? I don't know, there
might be. Well look at that! There are! (laughter) Okay, y'all are doin' great.
Keep up the terrific work, keep trying to follow your dreams and live 'em out,
okay? Thank you! Congratulations! (applause) All right, we have another
special ... sort of proclamation. It's a Certificate of Appreciation. I don't know if
y'all know, but uh.... every year the ... the Student Senate at the University, um,
appoints someone to be the Student Liaison to the City Council. This year Nicki
Neal has been the Student Liaison. She's done a superb job, following, uh, the
footsteps of, uh, Evan McCarthy and Alec and ... who ... who are some of the
others? You remember? (several responding) Cody, yeah, just terrific people.
So this year's been Nicki. So I want to read this (starts to read Certificate of
Appreciation) Can you come up, Nicki? (continues reading) (applause)
Neal: I just want to say thank you to everyone, City staff to City Council, and the
community, for making this experience so positive. I've learned so much from all
of you and ... I'm so thankful for these past two years, being able to advocate for
the students. So ... thank you for making this experience a memorable one!
(applause)
Throgmorton: Nicki, some of us remember when you came on board as a rookie! Just like,
what, two years ago? (laughter) Yeah! So ... you've done great work.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 5
ITEM 4. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED
Botchway: So moved.
Dickens: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Botchway, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? (several talking) Yeah!
Go ahead.
Taylor: ...the items ... I didn't know, uh, this is where ... it was appropriate to ask about it?
Let's see, Item 4e(1) and 4e(2). (both talking)
Throgmorton: Go ahead! Yeah (both talking) Yeah, what are they?
ITEM 4e(2) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT, CAMP
CARDINAL BOULEVARD — MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING
FOR MAY 3 ON A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF PROPERTY
LOCATED NORTH OF MELROSE AVENUE AND EAST OF CAMP
CARDINAL BOULEVARD FROM RESIDENTIAL 2-8 DWELLING
UNITS PER ACRE TO OFFICE COMMERCIAL (CPA16-00001)
ITEM 4e(3) REZONING NORTHEAST OF CAMP CARDINAL ROAD —
MOTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MAY 3 ON AN
ORDINANCE REZONING APPROXIMATELY 26.98 ACRES OF LAND
LOCATED NORTHEAST OF CAMP CARDINAL ROAD FROM
INTERIM DEVELOPMENT SINGLE FAMILY (ID -RS) ZONE TO
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY (OPD -8) ZONE (REZ16-00003)
Taylor: Uh, it was about the Camp Cardinal Boulevard, um, additions?
Karr: Setting public hearings. (clears throat) Setting public hearings.
Throgmorton: Right, so ... what ... what do you want to ask?
Taylor: I just had a question, urn .... as far as I was unclear of the geographic location
between the two. There was one that was, uh, talking about, uh, an ... more of an
industrial kind of development and then the other was, uh, the Senior Center
developments and ... and then there's the church in there, and I kind of wondered
(both talking)
Throgmorton: John, could you comment?
Taylor: Yeah!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 6
Yapp: Sure! The, um .... the, uh, Comprehensive Plan amendment, uh, proposal is
adjacent to Camp Cardinal Boulevard, uh.... southwest of where the new St.
Andrew Church will be, and we'll have a map for you, uh, at the public hearing at
your next meeting.
Taylor: Okay!
Yapp: Um ... and the, uh... the one that's northeast of Camp Cardinal Road is ... north of
where the St. Andrew Church will be. Again, we'll have maps for you at the next
meeting.
Taylor: I was just trying to visualize that. Thank you!
Yapp: Sure!
Throgmorton: Thank you, John. Anything else? Any other discussion? (several talking in
background) Roll call.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 7
ITEM 5. COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA). [UNTIL 8
PM]
Throgmorton: If...if you'd like to address any item that's not on the agenda, please step forward,
uh, tell us your name, uh... say what's on your mind. Please don't take more than
three or four minutes to do it, but ... uh... please, uh, if you have something you
want to say, please come up!
Eastham: I'm Charlie Eastham, 953 Canton Street in Iowa City. Um, as many of you know,
uh, I'm here to talk about the Rose Oaks (mumbled) situation (mumbled) just a
brief update. Um, as many of you know, the, uh, Rose Oaks' tenant association
along with the Center for Worker Justice held a press conference at Rose Oaks
today, at noon, uh, at which time, uh, several tenants in the tenants association
and residents of Rose Oaks, um, told their personal stories to the press, to the
media, uh, and those personal stories are, um, filled with, uh, a good deal of stress
on the part of many people who are trying to find, uh, relocated housing for
themselves and their families. Um ... unfortunately, uh... I think I heard, well I
know I heard today, that some tenants are, one, are actually facing a period of
homelessness because they're unable to now to look to find a suitable replacement
housing with the amount of money they have available to do that, and the
time ... and the time at which ... in which they have to ... to make that search. Um, it's
very regrettable. I've heard at least one tenant say that he and his, uh, child, um,
he's very uncertain about their future. Um (clears throat) the tenants also, uh,
from the tenant association, uh, read to the press, um ... from their, um, their
document that they pub ... um, that has actually been forwarded to ... to you as
Council Members, entitled Rose Oaks tenant associa.... association, which
contains, uh... uh, three, uh, requests and demands of the owners. The first one is
the, um .... the tenants are asking that all residents, current residents, whose leases
are set to expire (clears throat) before August 15t, uh, not be asked to involuntarily
relocate until after August I". Um (clears throat) people actually need greatly
more time to find suitable alternative housing, and many of them are not going to
be able to find that if they have to relocate when their current leases
expires... expire or if their leases have already expired. Urn ... (clears throat)... also
tenants are asking for, uh.... uh, $1,000 in individual, uh, going to individual lease
holders, um, including all the lease holders, 150 -something, that have moved
since, uh, this March, as compensation for their moving expenses. The tenants
have developed this, uh, amount on their own, looking at their own family's
needs, uh (mumbled) moving expenses and uh.... we think it's quite reasonable.
It's a quite reasonable request. If, uh, if the Rose Oaks, uh, owners provided
$1,000 in compensation to all the 150 or so tenants who are, uh, who are residents
have had to move, or will have to move as part of this project, that'd be about
$150,000 in compensation in total, and this is a $42 million renovation project.
So $150,000 out of a renovation budget of, uh, 100 ... of, uh, $42 million is ... is not
of great consequence to the com... to the company. A $1,000 per resident is a
great consequences ...consequence to those residents. (clears throat) The, uh,
third thing the tenants are requesting is that 20% of the renovated units, uh,
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 8
remain affordable with, uh, with current tenants having an option of, uh, moving
back into those units at some point in time, at rents that are close to or comparable
to what they've been paying in the time they've been living there. Uh, we also
want to note that tenants are... would like to support company's... the owner's
efforts to research available financial assistance programs that can be used
towards the end of, uh, providing affordable.... some portion of affordable units
out of the units that are going to be, uh... renovated. The total units that are going
to be renovated. Uh, finally, uh, the Center for Worker Justice would just like to
note that the Rose Oaks' owners have said in a public document that they're going
to, uh, they want to donate $15,000 to the Center for Worker Justice. Um, the
Center's is ... uh, declining that donation because the Center firmly believes that
any funds provided by the Rose Oaks' owners needs to go directly to residents and
not to service agencies. Um ... thank the Council for your consideration of these
matters and I hope you'll continue to pursue every ... every alternative that we have
available to us to assist tenants. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Charlie.
Ross: Hi, my name is Brandon Ross and, uh... I'm here tonight to speak for, uh, for a
group of people, uh.... I had a conversation with, uh, a friend who's a handicap
person, is a wheelchair person, uh, a wheelchair using person, and uh, he brought
up a concern amongst, uh, handicapped people, especially those who are in
wheelchairs, uh, about, uh, the ... the public sidewalks and, uh, Iowa City, and
about the difficulty that people have, uh, regarding pesticide spread. Uh,
herbicides usually, uh, those things that are granules. Uh, when they are moving
the wheelchairs, uh, the pesticides come up and not only get very much on the
hands, which get irritated because of them, which is the most immediate thing, uh,
gets into their clothes and they're low to the ground, and ... that, uh, the ... the
concern is that, urn .... uh, it's a health .... it's a health hazard for them. Uh, some of
the people also have ... may have, uh, asthma conditions which can also be ignited,
uh, by ... by that, and that ... uh, the feeling is that there is a right, uh, for ... for
people, uh, who are handicapped, to be able to go down sidewalks and not have
all of that all over their clothes when they get home, and that the whatever
spraying, uh, should be contained to the properties, uh... that the users, uh... are
spraying on. And, uh, that's a major concern that also ... uh... subsequent to that,
uh, these sprays, which, uh, which include ... 90% of them, uh, chemicals like 24D
are cancer-causing, neuromuscular disease causing. They upset asthma. Um,
they're also easily taken in by ... children in strollers. So if you have a baby or an
infant, uh, a toddler or kids were just walking along, it also affects them. This
was part of the conversation not only for the handicapped but also for the
children. When you're in a stroller, when you're using a stroller, many of you
have, uh, have children, the wheels shoot the particulate up and as you're strolling
your child, or if it's a handicapped person, that particulate gets into their systems.
They breathe it, uh, and that's the last person, the last ... the last one's you want to
breathe that in. So... I feel that, uh, we feel that it's a right, it's a health right. It's
a health concern and uh, a human right to be able to walk the sidewalks and not to
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 9
have to have that, uh, problem exist. Uh, it defmitely puts a certain group of
people at .... especially a disadvantage. And I would say as just a .... related to this,
um, which is my main point, but secondarily, I would like to say and remind
people, uh, that it is spring and, uh, people do spray these, uh, pesticides that are
to exterminate dandelions and, uh, violets and clovers and such, that bees which,
uh, the bee colonization, uh, population in Iowa is a big concern and uh, we all
know this, uh, most of us who are ... who have family or have been here in Iowa.
Bees require the dandelions to pollinate and, uh, to extend their population. So it
is best not to even spray on your lawns to eliminate them in this particular
situation, but I return back again, uh, in consideration for the handicapped. Please
consider this, uh, and perhaps somebody pick it up and make ... make a go of it to
help do something about it. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Brandon.
Ross: Hi! I'm Becky Ross ... and I'm back. I've been coming to talk to you for about four
years now and I know that, uh, this, uh, item is in your strategic plan, so I'm just
going to talk to you one more time and hope that, uh... that maybe something's
actually going to happen. Um ... I'm ... I'm with the 100 Grannies for a Livable
Future and we're here to talk about single -use plastic bags, again! So you all
know by now that plastic does not biodegrade. It only photodegrades into tiny
pieces that are then impossible to get rid of. I read recently an article from The
Guardian stating that plastic pollutes every comer of the earth, from the depths of
the ocean to the Arctic Sea, and the impact is highly damaging to our food chain,
which starts in the oceans. By 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans by
weight than fish. I know that seems a long way from Iowa, but when plastic bags
hit the water in a stream or a river, it flows right on down to the Gulf of Mexico,
and it may not get there all in one piece, but, urn .... still, sea life will eat it or get
tangled up in it. 61 % of all of our plastic waste ends up in the oceans and less
than 10% gets recycled. So ... I don't believe that recycling is really the answer, if
that little of a percent gets recycled. And then I've read that plastic manufacturers,
uh, really can only use a very small percentage of recycled plastic or it ... to
maintain the quality of their product. So most recycled plastic really gets
downcycled, um, into something that will eventually end up in the landfill.
(clears throat) So we've also discovered that there's a lot of money spent on
picking up plastic trash that blows away from the landfill, right here in Johnson
County. And even then they can't get it all. So this is a huge problem that needs
to be addressed. Many cities and even countries, and I just read that France just,
uh, did ... I think it was supposed to start in January, but they ... it's starting now,
very ... I don't know if it was yesterday or ... you know, a few days, but it's ... it's
going to happen now. Um ... have eliminated the single -use plastic bags. And
there are plastic bag ordinances being written in more ... many more cities right
now. We have been studying some of those ordinances and have found some that
we like. We believe there should be a fee for any paper or plastic bags, uh, that
retailers use. This would help incentivize you using a reusable bag, and I know
there are arguments about that being a tax, but it doesn't have to be a tax. It is just
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 10
a charge for a product that you need to get your purchases home. And if there is a
charge for the bag, when you're buying just one or two items, maybe you won't
even need a bag. You can just say'no thank you.' Um, plastic bags have only
been around since the 70s. Um ... and ... I ... I know that most of the 100 Grannies
that I know have not found it that difficult to give them up. Um ... we have
continued to make sturdy, reusable bags (loud mic feedback) and give them to
people who need them. We also continue to educate through programs and
displays at events in the area. We just were at Kirkwood this morning. Well,
over the noon hour. Um, and we've done the Johnson County Fair and festivals
downtown. We've done .... we've had people sign pledges. I think some of you
signed pledges to refuse plastic bags. We have little, um ... badges that we give out
that say 'BYOB,' and that's 'bring your own bag,' not bottle! (laughter) And
we've worked with the University students, uh, on a ... just recently we gave out,
uh, reusable bags when people brought their plastic bags downtown in the ped
mall. Um, with a world population that keeps growing, from about two billion
when I was born, to over seven billion now, our plastic pollution will keep
growing too, unless we do something to stop it. Uh, it doesn't make sense to just
keep on doing something because it's convenient, when it's destroying our
environment. If you had a cancerous tumor in your body, would you just let it
keep growing because it was too much trouble to do anything about it? And that's
kinda what plastic is right now — it's a cancer (laughs) We either do something
now, or leave it up to our children and grandchildren, who will have an
ever ... even bigger mess to clean up. So, um, I'm asking you to please consider an
ordinance to, uh, eliminate single -use plastic bags. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Becky. So I ... I want to let you know that on June .... June 7 we're
having a work session, or we intend to focus a work session discussion on a waste
minimization strategy, which includes plastic bags and various other things, but
it's a combination of things that are being drawn together into an overall strategy.
Ross: Great! Thank you!
Schoelerman: Um, Deb Schoelerman from the 100 Grannies, as well. Um, I want to speak
briefly to the elimination of single -use plastic bags, as well. Um, I think we all
want our community to be beautiful and welcoming, as well as a great place for
our families to live, grow, work, and play. Last week I was driving on Highway 6
and today it was 965, and you cannot help but to notice the plastic bags in the
trees, and it's not a very pretty sight. So to me that's not very welcoming for a
community. Um, we have a, um, an acquaintance, a friend of ours, who is from
Portland who moved here a year or so ago and has ... has first-hand experience with
Portland's ordinances... ordinance... ordinance to, uh, eliminate their plastic bags
and I'm going to read some of her numbers. Portland's ordinance was passed in
2011 to promote reusable shopping bags and reduce the use ... single -use plastic
bags. The use of single -use plastic checkout bags. It was implemented in several
phases. Initially the ban on single -use plastic checkout bags applied to large
grocery stores and pharmacies, those with a gross annual sales of $2 million and
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 11
large retailers over 10,000 square feet that have a pharmacy. So essentially the
big stores first. There were about 167 of those, mostly groceries and pharmacies.
They were required to provide only recycled paper bags or reusable bags to their
customers at checkout. After 12 months, the city assessed how it was going. The
ban had made huge strides in cutting down on plastic bag waste. A survey of just
23 of the 55 major grocery stores that were part of the ban revealed that they
prevented the use of eight and a half million plastic bags per month in the first six
months. Or about 52 million fewer bags total. 52 million fewer plastic bags in
six months in Portland, and I know we're not quite as big as Portland,
but ... (mumbled) we could ... we could eliminate a lot! They also found that
reusable checkout bag use had increased 304% and paper bag use had increased
almost 500%. Based on these results, the city agreed to an expansion of the bag
bag in 2012. It was phased in in 2013, first encompassing all other retailers and
food providers with stores greater than 10,000 square feet, followed by all other
stores later that year. So by the end of 2013, all retailers in the city of Portland
are part of the plastic bag bag. And as Becky mentioned, we support a five -cent
charge on paper bags, not giving it just as another choice. But you need to ... if you
really want people to change, you're gonna have to charge them, we believe. So
I ... I believe that being environmentally sensitive is valued more and more, by
more and more people, as the reality of climate change becomes more accepted by
citizens. Eliminating single -use plastic bags is one simple action we can take to
protect our community and keep our roads, bike trails, and parks beautiful.
Eliminating single -use plastic bags will show our progressive spirit and our
willingness to improve the present and plan for the future. When our children and
grandchildren ask us what we did to help combat climate change, what will we
say? Working toward the elimination of single -use plastic bags in our community
is one thing we can do. It's doable and the result would be observable. Thank
you for taking time to discuss this issue.
Throgmorton: Thank you. Good evening, Roger!
Knight: Hello, good evening! And now we come to the least favorite person to talk
(laughs) Um, I'd just like to speak ... on behalf of...uh, where I live, Ecumenical
Towers. Um ... we've had a lot of troubles with, um, parking and we get no help at
all with, um, from the Police department with our four spots out front. We have
people parking there all the time that have no reason to be parking there. We
have elderly people that have troubles... walking and it's ... well, can you come
(mumbled) give'em a ticket? No. (mumbled) start showin' that it's not okay?
Yeah, yeah, yeah! That's right ... what we get, if that. (mumbled) call the office.
Well, they're not here. It's the weekend. It's after hours. No help! The streets
(mumbled) echo that on the sidewalks. It's bad! I know you ... you guys are
working on Washington Street. Go look at the ped mall! From ... the, uh, Old Cap
to the ped mall, right, um ... across, uh... somebody help me. Clinton! Right down
Clinton. That's real bad! I mean ... Evel Knievel, nope! I'm not gonna touch that
one! I mean it's bad! And then last thing I want to say is ... for the, uh, last City
Council meeting. Are you guys serious? You guys are not gonna really seriously
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 12
help the people of Oak... whatever... Lakeside, whatever it was ... whatever it's
called now. You can't help out people who did nothing? It's just somebody
bought the place and... nobody's came up and actually talked about it. I'm
shocked! We're gonna tear down some of the buildings. They didn't say rebuild
new ones. They just said tear it down. Go out there and look for an apartment!
Either they're luxury, where you have to have a ton of money, or they're junk!
You got bugs, bothering things. Are you serious? I mentioned once
before... before the second, um, Moen tower went up. It's going to raise rent, and
it has! Even to the low income apartments. It raised the price. I thought this City
Council with the new people on would get rid of the voice from the last City
Council. The ones that'let's go, go, go!' Let's put the city for sale and screw the
people that live here. And once again here we are, go, go, go! Screw the people
that live here! It's all about who has money in their pocket. Well—what makes it
so that my apartment money's next. They're gonna tear down it because someone
else bought it. What about your apartment building? That's a scary thought to
think about, that the City Council's gonna go ... well, we don't really have
a ... ordinance to say no so we're gonna say yeah! Go right ahead! Something to
think about. Thank you!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Roger. Next time we're on this ... when we see each other on the street,
why don't ... why don't we chat a little bit? I'd love to (both talking) Okay! Geoff,
maybe you could have somebody look at the parking situation, right? Okay,
anybody else want to address Council on any item that's not on our ... on the
agenda? Okay, I don't see anybody so let's turn to Item 6, Planning and Zoning
Matters.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 13
ITEM 18. TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES (LIBER) — ORDINANCE
AMENDING TITLE 5, ENTITLED °BUSINESS AND LICENSE
REGULATIONS," BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED
"TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES". (PASS AND ADOPT)
Karr: Mr. Mayor, could we have a motion to move up Item 18 and place it on the floor?
Botchway: So moved.
Thomas: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Botchway, seconded by, uh, Thomas. Discussion? Hearing none, uh,
all in favor say aye. All opposed? Motion carries. So, Item 18 (reads
description)
Mims: Move adoption.
Botchway: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved, uh, by Mims, seconded by Botchway. Would anybody care to discuss,
uh, address us on this topic? Uh, sorry!
Dilkes: You want an update from staff on (both talking)
Throgmorton: Oh, correct! I wanted to do that, didn't I? Thank you very much! I had a note to
myself to do it. Uh, before anybody speaks, uh, we need to have an update from,
uh, Simon Andrew on our staff because there's some State legislation that has a
bearing on this particular topic. Simon!
Andrew: Sure, there's a ... a bill that has passed the State Senate and the State House, um,
that would, uh, regulate TNCs on a statewide basis that goes into ef..that would
go into effect should the Governor sign it, uh, January 1st, 2017. Uh, passed the
Senate 50-0 and the House 97-0. Um, so that begs the question whether, um, we
would be moving forward with the third reading of this. Um, our
recommendation is that, um, given that that's ... seven and a half months away and
that the State legislation largely minors what, um, our, uh, current ordinance
under consideration does, um, that having that regulatory framework in place
ahead of time, uh, is, uh, a good thing. Um, the State legislation also, uh, removes
some home rule authority from us in terms of regulating taxi cabs as well. Uh, a
lot of the provisions that we've been considering in terms of, uh, local business
offices, chauffeur's license would not be required of either TNC drivers or, uh,
traditional taxi drivers, so long as the taxi has fewer than seven passengers, um,
but that's where we are with the State legislation. Again, it's, uh, at the
Governor ... it will be going to the Governor's desk, um, likely this week. Uh, we
expect that he would likely sign it, but ... um, again, with State legislation it's
never, you never know until it's, uh, until the ink is dry, so .... that's where we're at
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 14
with the State, um, largely the direction we were going in anyway, but ... um,
wouldn't take effect till January I".
Throgmorton: Thank you, Simon. Uh... this is news probably to several of you, certainly was
news to me this afternoon. So, uh, we need to take that into account. Uh... Roger,
I don't know if you wanted to address us, given that information or whatever,
so...
Knight: Hi, my name is, uh, Roger Knight, case you guys forgot a few minutes ago
(laughs) Um ... (several talking) No, it's still workin'. I hit... accidentally hit a
button (mumbled) Um ... I think it's kind of funny that people have been sayin' that
this is to save Uber. It's not to save Uber! Nothing that you guys passed can kill
Uber. Um ... the regulations ... I think is kind of funny, uh, Pauline, you said it last
time. Uh... everybody's kinda hesitant but they're gonna push it forward,
um ... because people want it. It's a great idea until you realize it's Uber! Not that
anything bad really about Uber, but ... like I said last time, really one more
regulation, you can't say is a good idea. I mean it's a background check. It's not
like we're gonna ... tear 'em apart and try to ... put'em in black, you know, lawsuit,
bankrupt, tear'em apart. It's ... let's make a rule so that the City has a right to
protect itself, and its citizens. That's what it comes right down to. Does this City
Council care about its citizens? I thought the last ... three of you to get voted on
would say yes. Now I'm not quite sho... so sure. You know, they, uh.... college
students over here, I thought it was kind of interesting. They were real proud to
speak to Uber last time. Right after drinking alcohol right here in the, uh, City,
uh, Hall. Yeah, I saw it. There were empty bottles fall out of the lady's purse. I
didn't mention nothin' because I'm not looking to ... you know, put somebody in jail
who, you know, maybe need to relax a little bit before I speak in public. But it's
something I'm not laughing at. When you talk about puttin' somebody's life in
danger, I don't know anyone who was (laughs) who's sane in their own brain. So
(clears throat) I hope you guys vote it down. Show Uber that, hey, you guys are
welcome here but you're not gonna play by your rules. You're gonna play by
ours. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you. Anybody else want to address this topic?
Wallace: Hi, I'm, uh, Seth Wallace.
Throgmorton: Good evening, Seth!
Wallace: Thanks! Uh.... I'm .... I support letting Uber go through. I think one of the ... one of
the points we just heard about there being a danger and that we need to protect our
citizens, I fully agree! I think that's one of the roles of City Council, to ... protect
its citizens from any sorts of danger. However, I don't agree that one of those
roles would be protecting its citizens from themselves. And with overwhelming
popular support. I mean (mumbled) Pauline said, there's hesitancy but since
there's so many ... just popular support for the bill, you're considering passing it
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 15
anyway, and I think that's... that's kind of important that you're representing the
people of Iowa City and the people of Iowa City would rather have Uber be here,
even if they don't have to do the background check than not be here with having
to do the background check. The safety that is afforded to us with that additional
thing is not worth the not having of the.... sentence got away from me there!
(laughter) Uh... I support Uber. That's really the whole thing that I'm going for!
Thanks!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Seth! (applause) Anyone else? Thought I saw you in the Clerk's
office earlier today.
Herrin: I was and I was not drinking (laughter) even though I just had a rough quiz, but I
would have liked to have a drink! (laughter) Um, so my name's Christina Herrin.
I'm a senior, um, none of us are intoxicated or have any drinks, but that's really
none of anyone's business anyways! Um, but I would just like to say all of us
students here do represent... or do support Uber, and we're super, um, supportive
of the vote that, um ... was just passed in Des Moines and we're really excited that's
going to be in effect January I" and we just heard about that. So, um, we think
that's awesome, and ... um ... in general we just want to say that we hope you
support our civil liberties and, um, to chose what services and products we do use.
Um, we're glad that, um, and Des Moines is passing. We do want safety
regulations, but ... um, obviously they do consider it safe since it was a ... how many
people voted yes? Everyone (both talking)
Andrew: They were both unanimous (both talking)
Herrin: Yeah, so unanimous vote yes. Um, but ... yeah, we just hope that you do take into
consideration of just the consumers too because we're the ones using it and it
really does effect, I mean 30,000 college students — that's a lot of, um, job
opportunities for people and urn ... it'll give a lot of people, um, more ... more
affordable ways to get around and get to work and get to class and get home
safely, urn ... so at night so we just really appreciate your consideration and um,
yeah, we just hope (mumbled) protect our civil liberties and allow us to chose
what services and products we do use. So, yeah, we relly... we appreciate it! So
thank you, guys, so much!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Christine. (applause)
Mazgaj: Uh, hello, my name is Dustin Mazgaj. I am a senior at the University of Iowa and
I drive for Yellow Cab. Thank you for your time tonight. I'm asking you to defer
your judgment on this Uber situation for a large amount of reasons. Um, number
one, the new regulations that were previously mentioned that you should go over
all the facts before you make a final decision on such a big issue such as this.
Um, the majority of people in Iowa City want Uber — I get that. That's really
clear, but the problem is the majority of the people are confused or deceived.
They're under the impression that the government, or City Council, is stopping
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 16
Uber from coming here, but in reality Uber is the only reason why they're not
here. There's legislation in place that clearly says you guys can do business here.
And I just want to reiterate that. The majority of people are deceived or confused;
they don't know exactly what's happening. Um, some of the wording in there,
such as Uber is not a taxi or Uber is not a vehicle for hire. That's just simply
false. I've asked a lot of my professors in business school about do you think
Uber is a taxi or do you think they're a vehicle for hire, and they all say very
clearly that Uber is a taxi and it is a vehicle for hire. Um, if you pass this
legislation, new businesses will want new and special laws, and with the way
computers and apps are going, there's going to be an endless amount of new
businesses all wanting special regulations for their business. This could be a huge
can of worms that could create a lot of problems down the road. Um, I think Uber
has a predatory business model because of its use of surge pricing and its five
rides for free. So basically anew, uh, rider to Uber can get $100 in free rides and
everybody loves Uber for its low prices but eventually its prices are going to go
up, because it's going to be subject to regulations and lawsuits, just as any
business in this industry is. Um, they're not going to be able to do the free rides
forever, you know, and in addition to that, they're going to need to make a profit
because currently their expenses are more than their revenue, yet some people say
they're worth $65 million, but that's kinda like the housing bubble that happened
back a long time ago where everybody thought that things were worth a certain
amount, and then when all the prices went down, it all hit the fan and we may run
into a similar thing there. Um, in Iowa City there are higher insurance
requirements and higher amounts of cab fare that Uber is going to benefit from
because then they can have more potential revenue, but unfortunately they're not
contributing towards the system that's at place, so they're getting the benefit
without sharing part of the cost and I don't think that's right, and I'm asking you
guys to please defer this judgment because of the new legislation and the unequal
treatment for Uber and cab companies.
Throgmorton: Thank you.
Mazgaj: Thank you. (applause)
Williams: Good evening, my name is Lynn Williams. I'm a business partner and driver with
a new, uh, company Mustache Cab, formerly Red Line, and I'm here tonight to,
uh, make this brief but I wanted to express concerns, which I did send all three
emails to the Council, uh, previously, which you should all have received and
have copies of, uh, cause I did file these with the City Clerk. Uh, basically our
opposition to Uber is, uh, on several items. One is that all of us cab drivers and
companies have to abide by the City regulations that were put in place.
According to what, uh, Uber is stating, they are wanting to operate under their
own rules and not abide by City regulations. Further, uh... I've also had
discussions with several people who I know across the country, including
metropolitan areas such as San Francisco, Minneapolis, and also New York. Uh,
the concerns that they have with Uber is that of traffic congestion, for one, uh,
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 17
because of the numerous amounts of people who are Uber drivers who are further
congestering the, uh, traffic situation in metropolitan areas. We have enough
traffic congestion issues around here as it is. So ... having all these Uber drivers
out and about is going just to further complicate matters. Also there's no really
regulated pricing for them. Uh, whereas for us, metered cabs have accurate
displays of what we are charging our customers. And ... we have to abide by that,
especially with the ... the commercial insurance that we are required to carry. Uh, a
$1 million policy. That's costing us...at least $325 per month per cab. Whereas
Uber drivers are only reg ... they want to operate under liability only, which is
cheap insurance. That's ... that cannot be allowed to happen. Uh, I ask the City
Council to vote down ... letting Uber operate in this city. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you. (applause) Others?
Bradley: Hello, I'm Roger Bradley, Manager of Yellow Cab here in Iowa City. Um, I
understand Uber is ... there's a popular demand for ... for Uber. Um ... but I just ... one
of my things I'm really troubled with is the fact that ... not just here in Iowa City
but in other states, other localities... um, it seems that if...you know, when they go
back and they want to do an Uber ordinance or they just, you know, consider for
the first time that it's basically kind of a holding a gun to the head, you know,
saying this is what we want and if not we're going to pull out. And once you get
something like that started, it's very difficult, um, you know, because once again,
if there's popular support for it. One of the reasons we have a representative
government and not a pure democracy is because it's not always the case that
something that is popular is right. I mean there's.... history has taught us that
that's the case quite a bit. I'm not saying that some of the examples of history, this
is just as important as those. I won't even go into those, but uh... you know, it's
certainly the case that, uh, you know, popularity should not equate that, okay, you
can get whatever you want, you know, um, and then continual threats, you know,
well we're gonna pull out of the state, we're gonna pull out of this town, or
something like that. Um ... so it's really up to this Council to decide, you know, we
understand it's popular, but ... you know ... you know, are we gonna go down the
road of safety first instead of just popularity. Um .... it's true that with this new
State legislation, I haven't had a chance to look at it. There is a lot of unknown
information. Uh, we're still finding information about how other cities,
municipalities and even states are going back and redoing their Uber ordinances,
based on, you know, the mistakes that they have found, and now with this State
legislation, you know, I can't even address that because I don't know exactly how
it's going to work. I don't know exactly what kind of parody there's going to be
with taxi cab companies, um, if there's, you know, if. ... releases us from some
requirements that's certainly, you know, welcome. You know, we want to save
money too. Uh, but ... the fact of the matter is is that, you know, that's going to
take place soon enough and, you know ... if we can't address it now maybe we
ought to just defer until we see what that legislation says, instead of just, you
know, running ahead with that. Cause one thing is certain, I ... if...if we pass this,
and Uber gets started here, then, you know, they're going to get a competitive
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 18
dis... a competitive advantage until January 1" because if -because if that
legislation helps out the taxi cab industry, well then we don't get that relief until
January ls`. Whereas if you pass this ordinance tonight, that ... you know, the
competitive advantage starts as soon as Uber starts up. And ... and besides,
it ... nothing is preventing Uber from being here anyway, so if you defer this until
more is known about this State legislation, it...it really doesn't harm Uber's ability
to begin work here. ... sol ...I ask that you consider this very carefully, at the
very least defer this until more information is known. There's just a lot of
information out there. Uh, we've ... you know, and I realize that I've sent a lot of
information to the Council. Um, there's been other cab, uh, drivers from other
companies have sent a lot of information in, good information. Uh, my boss has
sent in a lot of good information. Um, but really to tell you the truth we've
scratched the surface. I mean ... believe me, I have two files that are huge, uh, so
there's really just a lot of...it's dangerous, you know, to ... to start this up without
knowing clearly what it's going to do to Iowa City. So I ask that you at the very
least defer this. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Roger. (applause) Anyone else?
Neal: My name's Nicole Neal. I'm a student representative and again, I would like to
remind you to consider the student population in this issue. Students make up
30,000, um, people in the community and .... I have heard so many students in
support of this, and honestly it's been one of the most supported issues, um, since
my time working with Council. So I really hope you remember students while
considering this, and ... um ... how much safer it is and why students would like
Uber in the city.
Throgmorton: Thanks, Nicki!
Laskowski: Hi, Council! Joe Laskowski.
Throgmorton: Good evening!
Laskowski: I was checking out the agenda tonight and it looks like we are postponing a third
vote and having a second work session and then revisiting this on the third?
Throgmorton: No. No, the motion on the floor (both talking) is pass and adopt motion.
Laskowski: For ... the (both talking)
Throgmorton: For the transportation network companies ordinance, AKA Uber.
Laskowski: Then what's on the agenda that says we're going to have a second work session
and revisit it on May 3`a9
Karr: That would be ... that statement goes to the taxi companies.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 19
Laskowski: Okay. Then what are we (both talking)
Karr: ...continuing discussions.
Laskowski: ...if we pass the ordinance tonight?
Karr: We are discussing taxi company regulations and reporting back, after talking with
the companies. This is on the transportation network, Uber companies. Those arc
two different operations.
Laskowski: All right (mumbled)
Ross: Hi, Brandon Ross. Uh...just on some points, uh, that were made tonight. Uh, yes
there are a lot of students and it does seem to be popular with students. I think
that students actually like the idea that they can commodity some of their free
time, uh, students are actually, uh, have a large burden of, uh, of, uh... of. ... to the
University because they got loans they're paying, they're barely making rent, rent
is high here so naturally people want to be able to get some jobs, make a few
bucks. Um ... course the student population is in large transient, uh, just, uh... just
one group in itself, uh, if you just take, um ... uh, Asian Americans, uh, who are
just in ... in for schooling and then leave and go back to their countries. It might be
up to 15% now. Uh, this is an issue that's a local issue. How is this going to
better, uh, this town? Uh, it seems like you're giving the keys to the highway
away. Uh, the cab companies are established businesses here. If somebody wants
to work, uh, as an Uber drive ... as an Uber driver, they are bypassing all the
standards that they would have to use in order to be cab drivers, and I trust the cab
drivers because they have to go through this process, and they have to go through
the standards, and if they, uh, if they are not accountable in their job, they will be
fired. And, uh, and this is something you can depend upon. I would also say that
this is a working class position, uh, and that, uh, someone mentioned working
opportunities. Well this has, uh, job opportunities. It doesn't have any job
opportunities for those who actually dedicate themselves to driving cabs, whether
part-time or full-time. It's the opposite. So people are going to lose ... they're
going to lose jobs. And they're going to lose their money. And they're going to
lose, uh, you know, other things because of this. Urn ... as far as, uh... civil liberties
go, urn ... yeah, I ... you know ... I think it's the right of people to be able to have
transportation. I don't think it's necessarily the right, uh, to ... to have a company
that's not accountable to anybody come in, um, and uh, just a ... just draw money
out of the, uh, out of the town. Uh, Iowa City is getting nothing from this, so it's
not advantageous for ... for Iowa City to have Uber. About the person who said,
uh, wh... why ... why are you telling us what, you know, what we should do. Uh,
it's our own, you know, are you going to try to, uh... protect the citizens from
themselves. Well, in fact there are traffic rules, where we protect the citizens
from themselves. There are environmental rules where we protect the citizens
from themselves, and even gun rules. I know they're not very many, uh, that
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 20
protect the citizens against themselves, uh, and even the, uh, Republican National,
uh, Committee are afraid that guns will come in there, so that's a ... that' a bizarre
kind of idea there. Um ... uh... anyway, privatizing... allowing... allowing this
company to come in, uh, you know, I don't see that this is going to improve
anything. I think that actually, uh, it....it actually makes things worse. Uh, if I
were a student, I probably would like the idea that I could work and make a
hundred bucks here and a hundred bucks there, but that ... that doesn't necessarily
mean that that should be, uh, employed and I think that, you know, even accepting
Uber without, uh, at least deferring in this ... is ... is sort of like giving privatized
management to, uh, to deciding what water Flint, Michigan, residents will drink,
and I don't really believe that's a good thing. I think it's that kind of a decision. I
think that, yes, traffic will be involved. There'll be all kinds of things that you
won't even be able to say. One ... one party will... will... one party will definitely,
uh, will definitely benefit from this, and that is a company that is far away.... far,
far away from Iowa City. And they will benefit. And their fares will go up! And
the safety standards, the proof is that there isn't any more safety with Uber .... than
there is with taxi cabs. Intuitively you're probably safer in a taxi cab. The cost
will ... will even up, because a big business knows what to do. So I say this is a
dreadful decision. If you want control.... have control of your own city, make a
good decision about your own city! Don't just let them come in! You don't have
to do that. And my suggestion is that you don't. (applause)
Larkin: Uh, my name is Daniel Larkin and I find it, uh, kind of interesting that we have
people coming up here to talk about what it's like being a student when they're not
a student here. Um, personally I can tell you that I am, uh, more likely to pull out
my phone and order a ... an Uber driver than I am to call a, uh, taxi cab. Um, but
it's understandable why they're so nervous of Uber coming into the city. Uh, I'm
sure the railroad companies weren't too fond of the airplane, but the... there's no
reason to keep restricting, um, Uber from coming into the city if we're going to
benefit from it. Students, like you said, we have loans, urn ... why should, um,
someone who's not paying back loans on ... on student debt, uh, tell us that we can't
drive in our free time if we want to and I just think that, um, Uber would be
incredibly beneficial to Iowa City and the community at large. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you. (applause) Can you hold on for just a second? Is ... is there anybody
else who would like to speak and who has not yet spoken? Joel? Good evening,
Joel.
Gilbertson White: Good evening! I would like to urge caution.
Throgmorton: Can you say your name, please?
Gilbertson White: Oh, my name's Joel Gilbertson White. Um, I would like to urge caution, um,
and perhaps a slightly different perspective. On ... on the one hand, um, I'm a
former cab driver and I know that there is, I mean, I had .... a few weeks of
professional training that was stuff that (mumbled) having my, um .... Minnesota
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 21
driving license at the time, um, didn't do for me. Um, and ... I thought that was
important, and knowing the maps and things like that was important. Um, I also
recognize that, um ... students need to have funds as well. Um ... I want to
encourage, um, an atmosphere that's not either or. Uh... that it's either cab drivers
or, um, Uber drivers, um, because there are some people whose finances or, you
know, people have different values. Um, at the same time, um, I have a fear, um,
I don't know if it's founded, that this could present some type of Walmartization
of transportation in that there's a race such that the mom and pop shops have a
much more difficult time if they have... different, um, if they have a different
model that they need to work through, in which case then all of a sudden we lose
the professional drivers, and just have Uber, and maybe Uber can be a solution. A
solution. I ... I have a fear of us privatizing this a ... a method, an inexpensive
method for folks to get places, when I ... I think, um, one other aspect of governing
in terms of like setting a balance so that, um, you know, our ... if we had subways,
if we had, um, you know, we do have a busing system. Um, there's the Cambus
as well. There's, um, there's cabs. Private .... I drive my own car sometimes,
often, um, bicycles, and then Uber as well. Um, to be able to find a balance that's
going to be effective for our city, that's going to protect as, you know, really
consider who do we serve. You know, I hear that we serve... and... and it's
important to consider that we have students and that's probably part of your
budget, a big part of how this city gets its money. Um, likewise ... off subject,
but ... when I heard, um, Charlie mentioned $42 million for ... the Rose Oaks
project, I ... I ... I saw some dollar signs there, um, as well, which can ... be a factor.
Um ... I want to encourage you all as well to, um, continue to ... have busing be a ... a
major factor and to ... and to be proactive, um to make sure that ... that the we can be
a green city so that, um ... we're not taking, um, you know, individual rides when
we can ... when we can do better, and if we can encourage folks, if we can make
ways that our city is ... is nodal, so that we've got, uh, people able to move from
here to here and have, uh, proper shops so that they can walk and bike to places, I
want to encourage that. So ... I'm ... thanks!
Throgmorton: Thank you, Joel.
Mark Von Stein: My name's Mark Von Stein and I own Moustache Cab. We're based out of the,
uh, Coralville, North Liberty area right now. I think Uber could also be what's,
uh, flash in the pan where everybody wants to take advantage of it and get on the
train right now, but it could be, you know, down the road they may not be as
popular. One of the reasons why, you know, everybody says taxi cabs are so
expensive. We have to have a million dollar policy that runs over $300 a month.
That's $10 a day per vehicle. Uber drivers, they just have liability that, you know,
you can get for $35 a month! You know, so we're ... um, footin' a lot of the bill on
insurance. We have to file for ... all the forms for the city. We have to have
background checks done by our police departments. We have to have driving
records, and we have to be 25 years old to drive taxi cabs. That's the level of
maturity. Same as renting a car. I mean, as far as a 19 -year-old college kid who
doesn't know the area driving a taxi cab, you know, or driving an Uber vehicle,
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 22
trying to get you from point A to point B, they may not have the best idea nor the
best routes or whatever without using another distraction like a GPS. Another
thing is that, um, Uber drivers... they have to use their smartphones, constantly
staring at'em, know where their next trip's going to be from. You know that's just
one more distraction in a vehicle, you know, and then one thing that we do not
encourage is distracted driving. Iowa City already has a great bus system.
Cambus system, you know, buses out to Coralville. We encourage bicycling and
we already have, you know, about 10 cab companies running around this town
right now as it is, and I just don't think that, you know, bringing something else in
here with more distracted drivers on our streets is going to be beneficial for our
city that is already doing very well as it is. Thank you!
Throgmorton: Thank you.
Haveron: Hi, uh, I'm James Haveron. Um, I just want to touch up on two points I think that
are very important to discuss. Um, I'm glad that taxi cabs have all these
regulations and safety things that make them so much better than Uber. Um, but
if these are really effective and necessary why are so many more crimes
happening in taxi cabs than there are in Uber ca ... or in Uber drive vehicles, um, in
cities that have adopted Uber. Um, I'm not from Iowa, I'm from Texas. We have
Uber, um, and there are, um, been studies and stuff done that show that more
crime and more sexual assault and more harassment has happened in taxi cabs
than Uber. Um, and so if we are going to follow the argument and logic about
how more regulation is better, um, I don't think we really want to put that onto
Iowa City. I think we want to have a safe environment. Um, and so based off of
places that already have Uber, um, that would be the case to let'em here. Also, it
is proven that the more that there are more businesses that are ... that there are here,
um, the lower the prices are. Um, we bear how this is like a working class issue.
Well if this is a working class issue, wouldn't you want lower prices? Um, you
don't make as much money, um, and so your purchasing... your purchasing power
isn't as high. Um, so to me ... being from not, you know, from a poor family, I like
the idea of lower prices. Um, lower prices come from more competition, more
competition comes from Uber being able to come here. Um, and so ... thank you
for your time.
Throgmorton: Thank you, James. (applause) Anyone else who has not yet had a chance to
speak? Do you want to address us one more time? Please... please be much
briefer, you know (both talking)
Williams: No problem! (mumbled) very quick! Uh, again my name is Lynn Williams from
Moustache Cab. Uh, my point was going to be on the safety factor. Uh, here
again, I'm one of the drivers in town that's actually medically certified. I also am
a volunteer with the Johnson County Medical Reserve. I carry emergency
supplies in my cab, so that I can tend to anything that, uh, I do roll upon or have
occur in my vehicle. So that, uh, safety is my number one aspect when it comes
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 23
to transporting my customers. So that here again is something that, uh, I'm
willing to stress very highly to the Council. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you. I ... I, did he state... restate his name? Yeah, okay. Thank you.
(several talking in background) Sorry? (talking in background)
Laskowski: Joe Laskowski again.
Throgmorton: Yeah (both talking) can... can you .... can you hold on just (both talking) We...
we'll put an end to it after you speak, Joe. (person speaking from audience) No
(mumbled) we've already.... everyone's already had a chance to speak. I don't
want to get into a situation where people are coming up over and over again, so...
you were there. I don't want to make you walk away, so ... be very brief, please,
Joe.
Laskowski: So this discussion has primarily been about regulations and setting aside safety
standards that you all developed and we put into place over a year ago. So I'm
wondering why are we considering setting those aside. Feels like private interests
are controlling this Council or dealing with the privatization of local government.
There's been a little bit of discussion about which constituents are more important,
which constituents are louder. This ordinance sort of implies that one group gets
recognized and is more important than all the others. So we must ask ourselves to
what lengths, are we willing to go to sacrifice safety for the convenience of an
app -based life. So again, I second the motion to, uh, postpone the third vote and
make amendments to this ordinance. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Thank you, Joe. Okay, so, uh, Council needs to discuss this topic now. The
motion's on the floor. Lots of information before us, lots of perspectives have
been provided, uh... let's go for it!
Taylor: Well I'd like to commend our State legislature for looking at this issue. Uh... and
I do hope they looked at, um, closely at the TNCs and what's been going on
across the country and even across the world, uh, with some issues that relating
this and some cities and states that have actually pulled Uber out, uh, because of
things that were going on and ... with all due respect to the students and the
Chamber, who, uh, previously spoke on this and the Corridor Business Bureau
who have spoke on this, and the public, um ... I do understand that, uh... uh, the
convenience and the cost of it is ... is attractive to you. But, um, cheaper and more
convenient isn't always what's best for the community, uh, in my belief. Uh, I
didn't hear it tonight but I've heard it before that, uh, Iowa City should be
progressive to allow Uber in. That's a progressive thing, but, uh, progressive is
like what we heard from the Grannies earlier, the plastic bag ordinance or, uh,
banning pesticides or even medical marijuana bill. That's progressive. This isn't
progressive. This is allowing another means of conveying passengers from
one .... one place, uh, to another. Um, and .... Uber keeps talking about their
independent contractors. I ... I, their drivers, they refer to them as independent
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 24
contractors and they're... they're drivers. Without the drivers, Uber would not have
a business. Uh, so that ... and that's the same, uh, with taxi cab companies. And so
I think I still am under the belief that they should have the same rules and
regulations and it sounds like perhaps that's where we're going on the State, which
would be great! But... we're looking at Iowa City from now until January and I
see this more as a bullying, and I'm sorry, but I see it as a bullying on Uber's part,
uh..trying to bully us into, um ... following their rules and regulations, and I ... I just
don't think that's right and ... uh, so I would ask for us to ... to please look at it as that
and not be bullied by them into, uh... writing their own rules and regulations, but I
do hope the taxi companies, uh, take this as kind of a wake-up call and ... and do
look at, uh, your services that you're providing and... and do what you can to ... to
maybe help improve the service that you're providing to the community.
Botchway: Frankly, Pauline, I ... I disagree a little bit, slightly, um, or maybe a lot. Urn ... one
thing that has not been said, and I've consistently said this over and over again,
but I have yet to see any information about the consumer on this issue. I know
that we talked about ... maybe at the work session, maybe even the first
consideration, that we currently don't have any information as far as complaints
against taxi cabs and other things.
Andrew: Correct. If it doesn't result in a citation, if the ... if an officer doesn't take action
then we don't have (both talking)
Botchway: Frankly as we're talking about (noises in background, difficult to hear speaker)
and equality and I think misusing equity, it...it bothers me that we're not even
comparing situations at all, um, and ... and it makes me a little upset just because,
um, you know... it's... it's turned into a class issue at times, and to me that's, you
know, being disrespectful about the ... kind of the deliberation on the issue, because
I frankly talk with individuals from all types of classes, races, genders, whatever
the case may be and ... at least for me it's been consistent from the theme that, you
know ... we need additional options as far as transportation is concerned. Um, it...it
is awkward that we are, um, we've talked about it from a strategic planning
standpoint, how much transportation is so important to our community, but when
we have another option that has worked successfully in other cities, and granted,
has not worked successfully in other cities, um, we just... we're... we're not willing
to kind of, you know, um, take it under consideration and ... and look at it, try it,
experiment. You know one of the things that came up, and I brought this up
again, from the Chamber meeting, um, and uh, I'm not soliciting like the
Chamber's the greatest thing ever, but I did appreciate the talk that was given
about, you know, being experimental, trying different things. I just, uh, woke up
really early this morning to have a, um, to listen to Steve Dolzol and Jennifer...
Jessica Peckover, um, give information, uh, as it pertains to CIT training that, you
know, I think Susan's going to and that as a Council I don't know where we're at,
maybe as a whole, but ... is very important. That being said, currently CIT training
could not happen in Iowa. I mean it's something that we're going to have to look
at as far as changing ordinances and doing some things differently, to provide
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 25
options for our jail population, for other folks who are having a rough time. You
know, it...it just bothers me because I feel like, you know, the narrative that has
been strung, at least from the communication that I have, has been seriously
weighted as far as, you know, again, a class (mumbled) problematic. I will say
one other thing. Um, because I was just recently a student, and I guess when I say
just recently — it's been eight years removed and so I'm getting to the point now
where it's not as just recently (several talking in background) I do not like the
negativity as far as how we talk about our student population. I remembered at
the time that I was a student that, um, you know, very transient population, we
shouldn't be considered, but I'm ... I'm pretty sure that I was still under the rules
and regulations of every other resident that was a part of Iowa City, and so it is
problematic when we have these conversations that we don't necessarily consider
students as a part of the greater whole when they take up an entire part of our
population, and beyond that, give us a lot of the wonderful things that we ... we do,
or at least ... I won't speak for everybody else. I do on a regular basis, whether that
be playing basketball, you know, um, participating in fest ... um, different festivals
and then obviously, you know, pulling on some of the resources that the
University provides, um, in different ways, shapes, or forms, and so I will be
supportive, um, again of this ordinance. I'm not saying there aren't issues that
need to be addressed. I'm not saying there aren't things that we may need to
change, um, from an ordinance perspective, but again, it kind of goes to the
misinformation that's happening, you know, ordinances get changed all the time.
You know, I guess I've been on Council now ... two and a half years and I've seen
us change ordinances when we thought it was necessary, and if we do see there is
a problem ... I feel very comfortable making that change, if...if it means not moving
forward with Uber, um, down the road. So I, again, am supportive and, you
know, willing to hear thoughts.
Mims: I agree with you, Kingsley. Um, I think there's a lot of issues here and I think
we're seeing a lot of this across the country. There are various lawsuits in
different parts of the country, um, various aspects of Uber, but I do not see ... those
being to the extent of us not ... making the changes in the ordinance here. Um, I do
not like the idea that we are basically being pressured to have a ... to adopt an
ordinance that is acceptable to Uber. I agree with that, but on the flipside of that,
we do have significant, significant demand in this community and we are elected
to represent the members of this community. That includes our students. I agree
with you, Kingsley, sometimes about the negativity that gets portrayed towards
our student population. Uh... Iowa City, Johnson County, would not be what we
are without the University of Iowa and the students. Um, it is not just the
students. I think, you know, we've heard, you know, Nate Kading was here. You
look at a lot of the young professionals who've, you know, either traveled a lot
outside of Iowa City or have lived other places and come back here, and it is a
service that they have used in ... in bigger cities and other locations. They very
much want to see here. Um, issues of getting back and forth to the airport and the
convenience and the cost of doing that is a huge issue. Um, I ... I think there's... you
can go lots of different directions on the safety and ... and I would agree with some
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 26
things you said, Kingsley, and in talking with police officers, as well, you know,
we don't have necessarily a lot of the statistics, and people will give conflicting
information on which is safer. Um, quite frankly what I would say to anybody
out there, um, you know, people want to talk about whether Uber is safe or not.
And I would say this to my own kids, if you're going to use Uber, you know, and
it's harder to do with regular taxi cabs, but with Uber you get that app, send the
thing off to somebody that you know, or your parent that has the information
about vehicle that you're getting into, so if something happens to you, somebody
can try and track you down. Um, you know, you ... you have those kinds of
options that give you hopefully, um, a greater level of safety. Obviously you
could do the same sort of thing in a cab. Take a picture, you know, take the
number, send it off to somebody. Um ... the pricing, you know, I think... again,
from what I've heard from a lot of people, the ... a lot of, um, more affordable
options with a new business model. Yes there is surge or demand pricing, but
again, my understanding is, you know what that price is before you accept the
ride, and so if you don't want to pay that, you don't have to accept the ride. Um,
so you know that up front. Uh, the other thing that makes me comfortable with it
is the adjustments that we are going to make in our "regular" taxi cab ordinances,
uh, within just the next few weeks to reduce some of those requirements to get it,
uh, closer to a level playing field, and so for those reasons I will be supporting it.
Thomas: I think, uh, for me the ... I think the key issue boils down to the regulatory
framework, the aspects of this. It's clearly a service, uh... that there is demand for
in Iowa City and I'm .... I'm happy to see that the, uh, State of Iowa is entering into
this conversation. I know that, uh, in California TNCs are regulated by the
California PUC, Public Utilities Commission. Um, I think having it at a ... at a
statewide level, uh, will even out the playing field among cities, uh, and I would
hope that there might be more ability for the states to negotiate with the TNCs in
terms of the regulatory framework. Um ... so I'm ... I'm concerned about, you know,
clearly the ... the regulatory aspects of this and the parody with the taxi cab
industry. Uh, I'm also strongly in favor, um, and this is sort of on a broader scale,
addressing the issues which I think are in part creating the demand in Iowa City
for the TNCs and that is that we have a ... in my view a relatively weak, uh, set of
options in terms of transportation choice with respect to walking, public transit,
and bicycling. Uh, I think if we had stronger choice in Iowa City the ... the
question of the urgency and demand for ... uh, essentially what is kind of a
chauffeuring service would be diminished to some degree. Uh, and we're still not
facing equity issues in some respects. The, um, to my knowledge the ... the TNCs
will not provide access for persons with certain disabilities. Uh, I'm not aware
that Uber will be offering van service, for example, for persons, uh, who are
confined to wheelchairs. So, there.... there, as well as the cost of -the ride for
hire, you know, not everyone can afford to ride. So I think there are a lot of
issues. It's a very dynamic situation. Um, you know, I'll be supporting it in part
because I...I see now that the State is moving in and in seven to eight months I ... I
think that puts our conversation in a very different context.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 27
Cole: And that's sealed the deal for me (clears throat) As you know, last time I voted no
and I saw that there was an inconsistency with what was required at State law in
the local ordinance and in fact we even received some word that potentially Uber
ordinan ... uh, Uber drivers could be subject possibly to a ticket, um, but it does
look like the State of Iowa has prided... provided essentially a regulatory fix.
They've changed the statute. But I just want to thank everyone for coming out
tonight, on both sides of the issue. I think that you were all very articulate.
Passions run high. I hope though after this meeting that you'll reach out to maybe
someone that you disagreed with and thank them for their position because I don't
want the situation where we clash of ideas and we get angry at one another.
We're one community. Thank you for the students to coming out. You're an
incredibly valuable members, and thank you for the taxi cab companies as well,
and I do want to ... on this question of pricing. Um, where are we on addressing
the taxi companies concern in terms of the surge, because it does strike me, if we
have a game day, that demand model should apply across the board for both the
taxi as well as the, um, TNCs. (mumbled) fix on that?
Andrew: That was one of the things that we've discussed with, uh, revisions to traditional
taxi ordinance, and please jump in if I misstate something here, Marian, but um,
we have discussed the option of traditional taxis maybe having a per head charge
on game days or ... on defined events, essentially special event pricing that they
could charge $5.00 extra per head or something to that effect. It would be present
on the rate card so the passenger would be aware that that extra charge is in effect,
um, and it'd still be registered with the City Clerk and...
Cole: ...and we're working closely with taxi cab companies on that, as well?
Andrew: Yeah, we've already had one meeting with'em and then we planned another one
in the next, uh...
Karr: Planned another one in the next, uh, week, week and a half to report back to you
May 3'd to give further direction.
Cole: And I think just the second point and final point that I want to make is I think
we've talked a lot about technolog... technology, innovation, what allows Uber to
provide this ... a superior service, the ... the traffic, safety regulations, but I think
really what it comes down to and as we evaluate any ordinance is what's fair, and
I think that's what we have to really try to evaluate, and I think what I saw early
on was that there was going to be two sets of rules. I think we have to make sure
that that is a fair process. Um, so I am going to support the Uber ordinance. I
think that the .... I know there's an old phrase 'doesn't take a weather man to know
which way the wind is blowing,' um, the ... the taxi cab companies are gonna have
to respond to this, but I am confident. There was a question of the paradigm shift
of the, um, railroads. Well, that happened 150 years ago and we still have
railroads, so I'm confident with our talented taxi cab companies that they will find
a way to adapt and thrive in this new environment. Um, that does appear to be the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 28
direction that we're going and... and so I am going to support the ordinance
tonight.
Dickens: I'm going to support it as well. I do have reservations about the way Uber comes
in, but ... the people have spoken. As many people that come up to me ... it's 98%
say bring Uber in. They give you their reasons, whether it's... problems with taxi
cabs or just ease or ... whatever their reason is, it's ... it's very tough to fight ... that
kind of outpush from the ... the public that really wants Uber, so ... I will be voting
for it, reluctantly!
Throgmorton: I ... I want to recap a couple things. Help me out, Marian, Eleanor. We first
considered an ordinance pertaining to Uber ... was it two years ago or three years
ago? I think it was two years ago.
Andrew: We started the discussion very late 2014.
Throgmorton: Yeah and then we reconsidered it a year ago. This is the way I remember it. This
is ... and now this is the third time we've really been talking about, uh, the
possibility of bringing in ... uh, permitting Uber-like companies to operate here,
and we adopted the other ordinance last year. And now the State legisla... oh ... one
other thing. In ... in the present case we deferred first consideration on this
ordinance back on March the Is` to give the Council, new Council Members, time
to digest all this stuff, make sense out of it, uh, and time for the public to
understand that we were addressing the topic, and then we did, what, first
consideration on March the 23`d, passed 7-0; second consideration two weeks
later, it passed 5-2; and here we are. Two ... two more weeks later. Uh, and now
the State legislature has adopted its new legislation, essentially preempting local
action, effective January the I", with a ... with legislation (mumbled) pretty dam
similar to what we were proposing. With all that in mind, uh, my, you know,
inclination as well is to .... to vote again in ... in favor of the proposed ordinance,
uh, so that we can move ahead with that. Uh, I do want to say though that I ... kind
of like I guess Terry has articulated a couple times before. I have many qualms
about the business model that Uber ... Uber operates under. Uh... (laughs) many
qualms about that, and I think many of them have been articulated very clearly by
Joe Laskowski, Roger Bradley, and others. So ... I ... I'm not, my own inner -self is
not unanimously in favor (laughs) of, uh, what we're going to do, but in ... on the
whole, I think, it's a step we should take. So I'm going to vote yes. Any further
discussion?
Taylor: Talk about the business (mumbled) and I didn't mention that one thing that a lot of
folks don't realize about Uber it's ... it's a multi -billion dollar company and they've
made a lot of that money on the backs of the ... of their drivers. Their... their drivers
are responsible for their own maintenance of their vehicles, their insurance costs,
uh, fuel costs, all of those kinds of things, uh, they're not compensated for
workman's comp or social security or, uh, unemployment, those kinds of things.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 29
So that's how they make their money, off of the backs of their workers. So ... that's
all I have to say. Thank you.
Throgmorton: Okay. Roll call. Motion carries 6-1.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
Botchway: So moved.
Dickens: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Botchway, seconded by Dickens. All in favor say aye. All opposed.
Motion carries. So we're gonna go back to Item .... 7. Thank you all for coming!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 30
ITEM 7. IOWA RIVER RAW WATER MAIN CONVERSION — APPROVING
PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE
OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IOWA RIVER RAW
WATER MAIN CONVERSION PROJECT, ESTABLISHING AMOUNT
OF BID SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY
CLERK TO PUBLISH NOTICE TO BIDDERS, AND FIXING TIME AND
PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Throgmorton: Open a public hearing. (bangs gavel) Anybody care to address this topic?
(unable to hear person speaking from audience) Sorry? No, this topic, the one
that ... (both talking) ... I know you can't ... I'm sorry, I know you can't hear all that
well.
Knoche: Mr. Mayor, I just wanted to, uh, Ron Knoche, Public Works Director. I just
wanted to, uh, inform the Council that today we did receive bids on this project,
uh, the Iowa DOT took the bids for us this morning. Um, the apparent low is PCI
and uh, their bid was $40,552,000. Uh, if you recall, our estimate on the Gateway
project was $52 million. So, um, we did receive, uh, great bids today. Um, so it
does, uh, make this project relevant because it's a precursor, uh, to that Gateway
project.
Throgmorton: Would you restate the numbers, please?
Knoche: Yes, sir! Uh, the ... the, our estimate on the Gateway project was $52 million. Uh,
the low bid, apparent low bid is P ... PCI at $40,552,000. So, uh, we were about
$11.5 million under our estimate.
Throgmorton: What was the second lowest bid?
Knoche: Uh, second low, uh, was $45.5 million. So, um ... the ... the .... there were four bids
that we received. Um, the low was ... was the $40.5 million; we had two in the
$45.5 million; and then, uh, the highest bid was just over our estimate at $52.5
million.
Throgmorton: Is that a big smile I see on your face? (several talking and laughing)
Fruin: There was a ... a big, uh (several talking) exhale from City Hall at about 10:30 this
morning. (several talking) And it's really going to help us bring our bonding
levels back in line with ... with what we've tried to do, uh, every year. If you recall
during the budget sessions, the next two years of...of bonding were ... were inflated
higher than they typically are, and that was to ... to really cover the additional
expenses with Gateway. If these bids, um, you know, if the project costs end
up .... at this level, we think it will with the bids that were received, we're back
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 31
down to where we're more comfortable, uh, from a year-to-year basis. So,
really.... really good news today.
Mims: Yeah! Very good!
Throgmorton: Well, anybody else want to address the topic? I'm going to close the public
hearing. (bangs gavel)
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Mims: Move the resolution.
Dickens: Second. (several talking)
Thomas: I didn't get to comment on learning about raw versus finished water! (laughter)
Throgmorton: (several talking) ...get your chance. So ... you moved to ... to approve?
Mims: Yes! I move the resolution.
Throgmorton: (both talking) Moved by Mims, seconded by Dickens. Discussion? Here's your
chance, John!
Thomas: Oh, here's my chance. I blew it! Uh, well ... I don't know if you'd been familiar
with that term before but ... I hadn't been.
Taylor: (mumbled) Yeah.
Thomas: Urn ... well, you can look it up! My understanding was the, uh, raw would be
water actually drawn say from our wells. The finished water would be treated
water (several talking) So...
Fruin: Would you like Ron to just run through the project in ... in a couple minutes?
Thomas: Sure!
Cole: What the heck ... Ron! Come on!
Dickens: Thirty seconds!
Throgmorton: I think I've heard Rick Fosse do this kind of thing many times (laughs)
Knoche: Um, so ... so basically the ... the gist of this project, we have a well, uh, that was a ... a
production well at the old waste, or the old water treatment plant, down by North
Hall. Um, when we moved our plant to the north of Interstate 80, we had to make
a connection to that well to our new facility. Um ... ihis well we no longer use.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 32
Um, the main is ... late 1990s vintage. Uh, the ... the current, um, water main that
we have, um, that is ... we're using for finished water or the ... the potable water, is
1960s vintage. Um, the ... the main and its location through the Gateway corridor,
this ... this raw water main can stay in place and we can use it for our finished
water system, and so (mumbled) this project actually goes through, um, cleans
this pipe, um, brings it up to potable water standards, and then we'll make a
connection nor ... by North Hall, um, to ... to bring it on line as a ... as a potable water
main.
Thomas: Thanks!
Throgmorton: All right. (several talking) Okay. Any discussion? Roll call. Motion approved
7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 33
ITEM 8. HIGHLANDER DEVELOPMENT FOURTH ADDITION, PART 1—
APPROVING PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND
ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
HIGHLANDER DEVELOPMENT FOURTH ADDITION - PART 1
PROJECT, ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY TO
ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH
NOTICE TO BIDDERS, AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT
OF BIDS
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Throgmorton: Uh, this project's not ... will not be bid. There'll be no public hearing or action
required. So I'm ... but I'm going to state the ... the Item number and then I guess we
just move on, right, there's no vote on it. So Item 8 (reads item description) but
there's going to be no bid, right? Yep, okay. So ... that's what Item 8 is.
Fruin: Would you like for the new Council Members to ... this ... this project, um ... was
contemplated, uh, last year. Uh, it was an extension for the Northgate
subdivision, a ... a commercial subdivision out on the northeastern part of town, uh,
and the ... the project, uh, involved a RISE grant, which is a State grant program
that helps cities, um, build roads to accommodate new business growth. In this
case, the City applied and the developer, uh, Southgate Companies, was going to,
uh, pay for the road extension as they owned the property around. Um,
Southgate, uh, just has not seen the demand for that property that gives them the
comfort to proceed at this time. The RISE grant award is good for three years, so
they're going to just put this, uh, project off a year. They hope to pick it back up
in 2017, um, but that's going to depend on the ... on the demand.
Tbrogmorton: Thank you, Geoff. All right, moving to Item 9. Here's your opportunity!
(laughs)
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 34
ITEM 9. GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS - RESOLUTION INSTITUTING
PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE
ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $9,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION
BONDS
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Throgmorton: Open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Dennis!
Bockenstedt: Uh, good evening, I'm Dennis Bockenstedt, Finance Director for the City of Iowa
City. I'm going to address the next nine items on the agenda (laughter) Um ... the
first five items pertain to our annual general obligation bond issue. Each year as
we conduct our budget and our capital improvement program, uh, we generate
projects that are funded through general obligation bond funding, and so this first
series of public hearings and resolutions, uh, pertains to the is ... issuance and the
advertisement of those bonds. Uh, the sale day will be May 17th and these are
actions that are required under State law. Uh, the four items after that pertain to
water and sewer refundings. Uh, we don't do these every year. Uh, the next
couple years we are anticipating, uh, these to occur as ... as they bonds become
callable. When they become callable, we can issue new bonds to replace them
and save ... have savings on the interest expense on those bonds, and so there'll be,
uh, public hearings for the issuance of sewer refunding and water refunding
bonds, and just to give you an idea, uh, on the sewer refunding, uh, we're
expecting to save $850,000 a year, or $850,000 total savings over five years, and
water, $309,000 over eight years. So we're expecting to save pretty ... pretty good
dollars on the refunding of those bonds, and um, like I said, these next nine
actions are just re ... required under State law, uh, in order to issue those bonds.
And, uh, I'll try and answer any questions if you have any. Okay.
Throgmorton: I don't see anybody else who wants to address this topic. I'm going to close the
public hearing. (bangs gavel) Ah, missed again! (laughter)
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Mims: Move the resolution.
Botchway: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims and seconded by Botchway. Discussion? Hearing none, roll
call.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 35
ITEM 10. GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS - RESOLUTION INSTITUTING
PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE
ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $200,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION
BONDS
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Throgmorton: Going to open a public hearing. (bangs gavel) No one speaks? Gonna close the
public hearing. (bangs gavel)
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Botchway: Move resolution.
Dickens: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Botchway, seconded by Dickens. Discussion?
Mims: I would ... do want to make one quick comment.
Throgmorton: Sure!
Mims: I ... I just want to thank our, all of our staff, from the City Manager's office to our
Finance office, um ... and just keep in mind that the reason we have the opportunity
to redo these bonds is in large part to the triple-A bond rating that this city has and
the good terms that we can get when we, uh, sell our bonds initially, and the fact
that we can basically refund these at lower interest rates and save all this money,
again, is because of the good financial management and stewardship of our staff,
and so ... its going to save us hundreds of thousands of dollars, and I think that's
really important to remember.
Throgmorton: Right (mumbled) Excellent point! Any further discussion?
Thomas: I just had a quick question on this one. It (clears throat) in looking at the, um, the
background information on this, I ... I believe this was referred to as an urban
renewal ... uh... obligation bond?
Bockenstedt: Yeah, the $200,000 one pertains to, um ... funding for the Riverfront Crossings
Park. I'm sorry, $200,000 refers to the, um ... (mumbled) Yeah, that's correct —
planning for the Riverfront Crossings Park, and so under State law there's separate
provisions of the code under which you issue bonds, and because this one's in an
urban renewal area, and it's for a project in the urban renewal area, we're issuing
that under, um, under that provision of the State law. So it is holding a separate,
uh, public hearing for that particular piece of this issue.
Thomas: Okay.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 36
Throgmorton: Further discussion? Roll call. Motion passes 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 37
ITEM 11. GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS - RESOLUTION INSTITUTING
PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE
ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $500,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION
BONDS
a. PUBLIC HEARING
Throgmorton: Open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Gonna close the public hearing. (bangs
gavel)
b. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Mims: Move the resolution.
Botchway: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Mims, seconded by Botchway. Discussion?
Cole: And so these general obligation bonds fund particular capital projects that we've
already, um, authorized. I guess why don't we put the actual project that we're
voting on in the actual item. Is there a reason for that?
Bockenstedt: Well there is a ... a memorandum that (several talking) those. The ... the bonds are
grouped by their ... by the portion of the State law that they would fit under. So
there's an essential corporate purpose which the State defines pertains to projects
such as streets, sewers, that type of infrastructure. Um, there's other types of
essentials, such as urban renewal area and those are not subject to ref ..a
referendum or a reverse referendum, meaning that they don't have to go into
election. Uh, the last grouping is for general purpose and projects for like rec...
recreational facilities, um, or building repairs or improvements that the ... under
State law is not deemed as essential, then follows general and are limited to
$700,000 in total before they would go to a referendum. So those ... the hearings
are grouped by their ... their State law grouping and not necessarily by the project
themselves.
Cole: Thank you, Dennis.
Bockenstedt: Uh huh.
Throgmorton: All right, any further discussion? Roll call. Motion passes 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 38
ITEM 19. TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY ;LICENSE FEE -
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A FEE FOR TRANSPORTATION
NETWORK COMPANY LICENSES
Botchway: Move resolution.
Mims: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Botchway, seconded by Mims. Uh, Simon, could you please
summarize what's going on with this?
Andrew: Sure! This, uh, since the fe... the ordinance that was approved tonight, uh, says
(both talking)
Throgmorton: (mumbled)
Andrew: ...um, that the fee for the license for a TNC company shall be set by resolution,
um, this resolution would set the fee at $1,000. Uh, as we reviewed other
companies, or other cities rather and states for whatthey charge for license fees, it
was really all over the board. Uh, in general we try and set fees at the cost to
provide a service or to enforce an ordinance, and uh, in this case, uh, there really
isn't a whole lot of, uh, enforcement or implementation costs. Um, we don't know
at this point how many complaints we'll get, you know, to investigate, um, how
long the annual audit would take, things like that. So we couldn't really base it on
what the costs to enforce would be. Um ... other than just.... guessing basically,
you know, the ... the rough estimate. Um, so ... we tried to set it that it was
somewhat consistent with cities our size or pro -rated for population. Uh, the State
legislation that takes effect in January sets the statewide fee at $5,000. Um, so...
you know, in line with that this is relatively high, but....
Botchway: You said that, um ... some of the home rule ... I guess, uh, there were some home
rule restrictions, uh, with that particular change.
Andrew: Uh huh.
Botchway: I mean ... in the event that we were to ask for more, how would that work out, or is
this a one-time (both talking)
Andrew: This will just be a one-time, a resolution that ... and if they do apply for a license
this year and pay this $1,000 fee, come January I" that revenue goes to the State
and we'll no longer, uh, be collecting a fee or issuing a license to TNCs.
Botchway: But then if Lyft or other TNCs come in (mumbled) have to pay a higher fee after
January 1?
Andrew: No, it'd still be statewide.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 39
Cole: So the Public Transportation will administer it, correct?
Andrew: Correct.
Cole: Okay.
Andrew: Correct. The $5,000 to the State'll go into the Road Use Tax Fund.
Cole: Well that frankly makes a lot more sense.
Throgmorton: Build several new roads with that $5,000 (laughter) Okay! Discussion? Roll
call. Motion carries 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 40
ITEM 22. COMMUNITY COMMENT [IF NECESSARY] (ITEMS NOT ON THE
AGENDA)
Throgmorton: (several talking) Did you want to speak?
Knapp: Oh, my turn?
Tbrogmorton: Yes!
Knapp: Thank you. Uh... how do you ... how would I apply for, if I wanted to be on the
Historic Preservation or on the Community Development Commission?
Throgmorton: Marian!
Karr: We have applications in ... in my office. You can stop by any time (both talking)
They're also available on the web site.
Knapp: (both talking) ...Marian, thank you!
Karr: Okay!
Knapp: Uh... I roamed around this building about three times in the last week or so, trying
to find out something, and nobody could tell me and I went to the... Eleanor's
office, I went to other offices, and I asked the question — there is an ordinance, I
believe, in Iowa City for the illegality of owning a parking lot or operate a parking
lot within the Central Business District. And ... Mark Moen has one there. The
only one, and I'm asked why does he have that, and they said,'We don't know.
It's a long time ago.' Uh, is he paying anything for this? If you took and ... put all
together all the revenue that that lot is takin' away from the ramps and the other
things downtown, uh, wouldn't you think it would be expensive for the City to
allow somebody to have a private parking lot in the city if they're not paying for
it?
Throgmorton: I ... I assume you're referring to the lot behind the (both talking)
Knapp: Where (both talking) used to be.
Throgmorton: Yeah.
Knapp: Which is right across the street from a ramp! Which could be utilized... for
parking, for the Josephs and the other businesses along there. And ... I ... I think
also I believe that Mr. Moen rather than develop his property has come to the City
to get it developed, cause he doesn't ... he covets the lot between The Mill and his
lot because eventually he can get that. The City will give it to him and ... or maybe
for a reasonable price, and then he will be able to expand his territory again. And,
uh... the other thing is, uh, I see now the City's gonna... talking about... stopping the
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 41
TIF situation in the future. Uh... does that mean that it's a bad thing? The TIFs?
And if so, then why don't we go retroactive and stop it at this point in time?
Throgmorton: Thank you for your questions, uh...
Knapp: I got a ton of'em!
Throgmorton: Yeah (both talking)
Knapp: I would like to know about the ... the illegality. Uh, another thing, uh... this'll be the
50 year anniversary come May ... of the murder of Ron Lipsius who outside a
grocery store on south ... uh, Summit (several talking in background) and, uh,
I ... had some very interesting information given to me at my 45th class reunion
about somebody that was there at the same time I was here and, uh, I gave all that
information to Tommy Widmer and he says, well, take it to the City so I brought
it to the City and the City has not ... they're just ... they put cold cases on the shelf. I
think Lipsius' family deserves to know ... who killed their father. And I think it
should ... and I have some information that I would like to share with the City, but I
would like them to share... something with me. There was a lady arrested out in
California, but they couldn't extradite her to Iowa. They could have to Illinois.
They ... nobody seems to be able to give me the name of this person and ... the
person that came up at my discussion at my class reunion was a fellow that said
did they ever solve that murder, and I said what murder? And he said, oh, that
grocery store man that got killed, and I said ... I don't know! It's been a long time
ago, and he says, yeah. I said why do you ask? He said well, I always thought
Cathy did it. And I said well why, and he said well she always needed money.
Now that ... you know, a lot of people need money. However, uh... I went to the
library and looked for this information and pulled up all the microfiche files and
made copies of everything and I put the thing on the table (mumbled) drawing and
all the other stuff, and my wife came home from work one day and she looked at
that and she says that's Ron! Ron was a fellow that I was in the Army with. I was
in high school with. I was in college here in Iowa City with. He was the best
man in my wedding and I was the best man in his wedding, and he asked me
about this and so when I researched it, he called me up and then later he said did
you find out anything? And ... I said you don't wanna know. I've not heard another
word from him since then. Other than he called when the tomado hit Iowa City,
uh, what ... 10 years ago or something like that, and I think he was hoping that I
was wiped out in the tornado because I'm probably the only one that knows ... what
I know about this situation and I just cannot seem to get ... the City off a dead
round to tell me the names of the people that were looked at out in ... in California,
and uh... I'd like to know that. I ... cause I believe that the Lipsius family deserves
to know who called their daddy.
Throgmorton: Okay. Thank you. Thank you. You know, you've already taken ... what, I think
well over five minutes.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 42
Knapp: Well, then the other thing is ... on this low-cost housing, which I came in a couple
of weeks ago and they were ... (both talking)
Throgmorton: I'm sorry! I'm sorry, you've already taken more time than we usually give
anybody to speak during public discussion.
Knapp: I'm talkin' about three different things and you have people running rampant up
and up and up and back and up and back, the same person! Adding to the
questions, so I can't just ask a question that I think that maybe Hoover
Elementary, if it ... stops becoming a grade school, might not be an ideal place for
low-income housing? Location! Bus! On First Avenue! On Court Street! Just
seems to me to be a natural place for people that ... I could build something there
for less than the ... probably around $100,000 a unit, where Moen's gonna get
$250,000 for four units stickin' up, way up in the sky. Uh.... and ... I gave a whole
list of questions to the paper. They're gonna be published. What I'd like to know
is if the City had an outcry and said 'we'd like to have this on a ballot in
November,' rather than the Council makin' the decisions, would that be possible?
And I ask that because... Mr. Moen bought the land where the Plaza Towers are
for $250,000. City'd give more. They had a bona fide offer of $1,750,000 for that
land. That building would have been up and done rather quickly, and that
building over here would have been up and done if they'd a gone with one of the
other developers, but now they've dragged it on for four years. And they say,
well, we're gonna save money on taxes, or get money on taxes. Well, that
property would have been on the tax rolls for four years now and Moen's just
draggin' his feet!
Throgmorton: Thank you (both talking) thank you....
Knapp: (both talking) ....he also brought in a couple carpenters. Well, guess what? (both
talking)
Throgmorton:... thank you very much for your comments (both talking)
Knapp: ...contractor. These two union carpenters came in just to ... he probably hired'em
to come in and say, 'gee, we need this for the union!' The union doesn't build
Moen's buildings!
Throgmorton: All right. Thank you!
Knapp: I have 10...10 lists of the questions. I'll just pass 'em out and you can enjoy'em at
your will!
Throgmorton: All right. Give them to, uh, Manan please.
Karr: I can take 'em, Jim!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 43
Throgmorton: All right, uh...
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
Botchway: So moved.
Karr: I'll make copies!
Mims: Second.
Throgmorton: Moved by Botchway, seconded by Mims. All in favor say aye. All opposed.
Motion carries. Moving on to Council ... uh, we're not Council time. Where are
we? Uh (several talking) Council information.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 44
ITEM 23. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION
Throgmorton: Let's start with you, Pauline! (person speaking in background)
Taylor: Council information?
Throgmorton: Yes.
Taylor: Uh, I'm looking forward to, uh, listening post. John and I have a listening post,
uh, tomorrow in fact, uh, at the Old, uh, Capitol Center from 1:00 to 3:00. I'm
sorry the college students are gone, but I hope maybe you can get the word out,
cause it was kind of per your request that we meet there, so hopefully we'll have a
good crowd of the college students there to talk to us about things.
Dickens: Pauline, it did go out on ... I know on the University channels, cause my wife got
a ... so I know it's out there.
Taylor: That's good! That's all!
Throgmorton: John?
Thomas: I have down here that the, um, the University's Center for Human Rights on
Friday will have a symposium on building a ... building a foundation for criminal
justice reform in Iowa. And that will be from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. at the, uh,
Pappajohn Business Building on the University campus.
Mims: I will be participating in the meeting electronically on the third, uh, because I'll be
down in San Antonio for the, um, CIT training, and ... rather than fly back that
night and not be able to participate, I'm going to stay so I can participate
electronically.
Throgmorton: Is that for the work session too?
Mims: Yes!
Throgmorton: Yeah, good, good, cause, uh... downtown streetscape on the third, right?
Fruin: That's our plan, yes.
Mims: Yes, Geoff and I have already talked about that, so I can make sure I have the
information.
Throgmorton: Okay, good! Kingsley?
Botchway: Um, participated this last ... this Saturday, um, actually right before I had to get
stitches, or after I got stitches, uh, on the 22nd annual, uh, University Pow -Wow,
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 45
which is a really great event. Had great food, great festivities. It was amazing.
Um, bring on the pancake breakfast! Um, I went to one. There was an LS ... LLS,
uh, waffle breakfast that I missed, unfortunately, but you know, if there's any
more, please (both talking)
Mims: Kingsley on food! (laughter)
Botchway: ... I ... I give (mumbled) please Tweet them to me (several talking and laughing) as
quickly as possible. Um, it's ... I participated today on the ... it's on the sexual
assault prevention summit. Um ... um, done by the University. It was well done,
um ... even though it wasn't necessarily geared toward K-12, there was some
information there I thought, um, could, um, be...be used across, you know, all
different jurisdictions, and then last but not least, if you haven't had a chance to go
through the hun... Hunger Task Force report, it is important. Um, you know, one
of the ... actually one of the ... it is a City, County partnership. It was, um, Janelle
that really took that on and, um, it really, um, kind of pushed that, um, after we
talked and did some things, and after our ... the conversation around hunger, um,
maybe two years ago, and so, um, excited about what Lynette has provided and
all the other community members, including food banks and other things that
were able to participate.
Dickens: I have nothing!
Cole: I'm really excited along those lines, Kingsley, what the County's doing in terms of
the local foods (mumbled) I think that is really, really exciting. Um ... the School
District is also in the process of reviewing their herbicide, pesticide policy.
They're following our lead on that. I think that may have some controversy with
it. Um, but that is a policy that I'm really excited about and at least I'm
individually really wanting to support. Um, so I hope people will reach out. I
think Phil Hemingway's leading the way on that. I don't know if he's reached out
to any of you, but I encourage you to reach out to him to get more information on
that particular topic. Um ... for conferences, there's a conference in late September
called "Collaborative Cities," in Madison and I'm interested in possibly going.
It's National League of Cities, and I think it sort of fits right in with what we're
trying to accomplish in this particular city, so I'm really excited (both talking)
Throgmorton: I'm going to bring that up during the work session.
Cole: Okay! Um, and then the other thing too is that, um, it's ... it's Earth Day coming up
here, so keep an eye out for the University of Iowa Office of Sustainability.
Throgmorton: 22"a
Cole: ...a ton of really good stuff that they're going to be doing, so ... um ... its sort of like
Christmas for some of us. That's great! So ... that's it!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 46
Throgmorton: Fabulous!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.
Page 47
ITEM 24. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF
a) City Manager
Throgmorton: Geoff?
Fruin: Uh, couple of quick things. On, uh, the Earth Day, we are having a celebration on
the 22nd at Mercer Park at 4:30. There's a park clean-up and some, uh, family
friendly activities there, so ... if you can make it out, please... please do. Also if you
can mark your calendars for May 24a', uh, we have tentatively, uh, booked Dan
Parolek who is the author of the "Missing Middle" concept, uh, to come, uh, to
the community. We don't have a schedule for Dan's appearance, but ... uh, likely
be meeting with various groups throughout the day and offering a public
presentation in the evening at some point, but that will be on May 2e, and then a
big thank you to everybody that was involved in pulling off the Olympic trials,
uh, that was a huge, uh, event and, uh, takes a lot of work to pull that together.
The Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Downtown District, and the University
of Iowa, uh, specifically, urn ... really worked hard to make that event a ... an .... an
incredible one for not only the participants and the spectators, but for the entire
community. I can tell you downtown was ... was packed, um, and there was a little
bit of Mission Creek sprinkled in there too, so it was ... it was really a great
weekend for, uh, for Iowa City.
Throgmorton: Simon?
Andrew: Uh, May 4d', uh, Fanners Market season starts so .... Wednesday we'll start out
here on May 4a', and then every Saturday, so ride your bikes down throughout the
month of May and ... get a couple of dollars for, uh, your food that day, so ... we're
looking forward to it!
Botchway: You drive and then ride like (several talking and laughing)
Andrew: ...park your bike three blocks down here! (laughter)
Cole: One final thing, urn .... the ... to follow up on the presentation of bike proclamation
of the Bill Nesper (mumbled) on May 9a'. I just want to second that again. I
think that's really exciting in terms of making the city a gold level community.
That's going to be on May 9d', so I encourage people to go to a lot of those events
on that date.
Throgmorton: Yeah. Excellent!
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council
regular formal meeting of April 19, 2016.