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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-10-18 CorrespondenceMarian Karr From: Simon Andrew Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2016 11:22 AM To: 'Tom Newport'; Council Subject: RE: Iowa City doesn't have Uber or Lyft? Good morning Mr. Newport, Thank you for your email. Uber has been operating in Iowa City since April of this year after City Code was amended. Statewide regulation, passed during the last state legislative session, becomes effective January of 2017. Thank you again. Have a good day. Best regards, Simon Andrew Assistant to the City Manager City of Iowa City 410 East Washington St. Iowa City, Iowa 52240 (319)356-5010 simon-a nd rew@iowa-citv.ora From: Tom Newport [mailto:tomnewport1970@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2016 10:05 AM To: Council Subject: Iowa City doesn't have Uber or Lyft? Have any of you ridden in any of these Iowa City cabs lately? I have. Filthy, broken down 20 year old cars and minivans, most of which emit blue smoke. Half the drivers are walking ashtrays. It's an absolute joke. Gross. I bet you've been "studying" Uber and Lyft for years, fearing it. Get with the times. 4f(2) Marian Karr From: SCARLET AMALY <sscarlet2016@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, October 07, 2016 8:52 AM To: Council Subject: Re: Auto Response from City Council of Iowa City mailbox Suggestions I have for your next meeting are as follows: 1. Deploy large trucks from downtown area streets due to noise pollution. 2. Ask for voting on next agenda for Iowa City residents prior to construction on all construction projects. 3. Ask for new referendum on hiring policies for City and other employees due to ongoing serious abuse allegations on City bus service in particular. If you have questions of me please call me at 319- 519- 3468. Thank you for the opportunity at City Council agendas. Lara Laurentis On Oct 6, 2016 2:55 PM, "Council" <Council(a,iowa-cit�org> wrote: Your e-mail correspondence has been received. Thank you for contacting the City Council of Iowa City All correspondence addressed to the entire City Council becomes a permanent public record, and is archived on the City website. This message is generated from an automated response system. Do not respond to this e-mail message, as this mailbox is not monitored. Marian Karr From: Marian Karr Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 1:32 PM To: 'SCARLET AMALY' Cc: Council Subject: RE: Auto Response from City Council of Iowa City mailbox Dear Ms. Laurentis, Thank you for your emails to City Council. Council correspondence is distributed to Council as part of the formal agenda and electronically distributed in their agenda packets. Your emails will be on the "Consent Calendar" portion of the October 18 agenda going out later this afternoon. City Clerk I City of Iowa City P.319-356-5041 F. 319-356-5497 Population 67,862 Proud Home of the Iowa Hawkeyes! From: SCARLET AMALY [mailto:sscarlet20l6@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 12:54 PM To: Council Subject: Re: Auto Response from City Council of Iowa City mailbox What decision was made on my email? Laza On Fri, Oct 7, 2016 at 8:51 AM, Council <Council(a(7iowa-city.orR> wrote: Your e-mail correspondence has been received. Thank you for contacting the City Council of Iowa City All correspondence addressed to the entire City Council becomes a permanent public record and is archived on the City website. This message is generated from an automated response system. Do not respond to this e-mail message, as this mailbox is not monitored. Marian Karr 4f(3) From: Chris O'Brien Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 1:18 PM To: 'gravittmary@gmail.com' Cc: Council Subject: FW: TRASH REMOVAL Ms. Gravitt, Thank you for your email. Upon receipt of your email, we sent our maintenance staff out to the area to empty the trash container while we looked into the situation. After a discussion with staff from the Neighborhood Services Division, I collected a little more information about the situation. It appears this trash container was a part of a grant that was awarded to the neighborhood to supply these trash units to a select few locations. As a part of the agreement, individuals accepted the responsibility for making sure that the trash units were emptied on a regular basis. One of our staff members that lives is familiar with the program is in the process of reaching out to the responsible party to make sure that they are still willing to continue to keep this specific trash container emptied when it becomes full. Thank you again for taking the time to reach out to us with your concerns. Chris O'Brien Director of Transportation and Resource Management City of Iowa City (319)356-5156 Chris-obrien@iowa-city.org From: Mary Gravitt [mailto:gravittmary@gmail.com] Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2016 5:41 PM To: Council Subject: TRASH REMOVAL TRASH REMOVAL In order to keep our neighborhoods healthy, they must be kept clean. I have called the Sanitation/Transit Department on several occasions about a community trash receptacle issued by the City of Iowa City as part of a Summer Neighborhood Project. The person that was in charge of emptying the receptacle no longer does so. As a result flies, bees and other pest are flying around the contents which emits rotting odors. The receptacle is located on Arthur and Wayne Avenue directly next to the Towncrest bus -stop. I would like this receptacle placed on the regular waste pick-up schedule since it is located on the residential side of the street. The Sanitation/Transit Department has promised on several occasions to empty the receptacle, but has not done SO. Please have someone inspect the tree located at 2715 Wayne Avenue. Branches fall at will from the tree and sometimes travel at least half a block. If the tree is diseased please inform the owner of the property. Mary Gravitt 2714 Wayne Avenue #6 Iowa City, IA 52240 319.341.6230 Marian Karr From: Juli Seydell-Johnson Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 10:22 AM To: 'gravittmary@gmail.com' Cc: Council Subject: Tree Concern - 2715 Wayne Ave Mary, City forestry staff inspected the silver maple that you asked about in your email of October 8t". This is a privately owned tree that is exhibiting typical die -back for its age. It is not of a condition to be considered a hazardous tree. Therefore, forestry staff cannot compel the owner to remove it. Sincerely, Juli Seydell Johnson Director of Parks & Recreation City of Iowa City 319-356-5104 J u I i-sio hnson @ iowa-city.o ra www.icgov.org/pr From: Simpson, Jacob D <jacob-simpson@uiowa.edu> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 6:18 PM To: Council Subject: Landlord -Tenant Relations and Housing Quality Dear City Council, As you know, the majority of University of Iowa students live in rental housing. We have expressed concerns regarding the affordability of rental housing in Iowa City, and in recent weeks we had a productive meeting with Mayor Throgmorton and Councilor Thomas. The Council's attention to the issue is much appreciated and we look forward to further dialogue about affordability. In addition to affordability, students are concerned about landlord -tenant relations in Iowa City. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that landlords in Iowa City take advantage of student tenants by falsely charging students for "damages," unjustly refusing to return security deposits, failing to respond to complaints and maintenance requests in a timely manner, and having faulty safety protocol. The failure to provide appropriate safety measures resulted in a break-in last week. A resident on South Linn St, living in a rental property managed by Apartments Downtown, reported that a stranger entered her apartment and opened her bedroom door. When the resident woke up, she screamed, and the stranger fled. The Iowa City police were notified of the incident. The resident presumes the stranger had a key to the apartment, as the resident insists the door was locked. The stranger was not able to be identified due to a lack of security cameras at the apartment's entrances. From personal experience, I have entered "locked" apartment buildings to which I should not have access: both my apartment keys and car keys work well to open the buildings. Additionally, many of the keypads used to lock apartment buildings permit access after punching in "#" followed by the number of the building's address. These appear to be basic safety measures that are intentionally neglected by the landlords. The general quality of apartments are also a cause for concern. Many units appear rundown from the outside and are in no better condition on the inside. There are several reports of mold growing throughout complexes, poor insulation, insect and rodent infestations. A class action lawsuit against Apartments Downtown, Apartments Near Campus, and Apartments At Iowa—property management companies owned by the Clarke Family—was settled recently, and tenants from the years 2010-2014 (nearly 14,000 former tenants) are eligible for compensation after illegal provisions in the companies' leases were punitively applied. The City has a stake in landlord -tenant relations because students are especially vulnerable to abuse in such an oblique power dynamic that we are necessarily subject to entering—so long as we wish to attend the University of Iowa. Currently, the City may enforce City Code requirements through the rental property permit process. If these aforementioned anecdotes are so prevalent, do you believe the permit process is effective? Should the City become more proactive in enforcement of the Code? Should the Code become more restrictive? We appreciate your attention to these issues. Sincerely, Jacob Simpson and Benjamin Nelson University of Iowa Student Government 4f(5) Marian Karr From: Linda Dykstra<Idykstra@iowacitylandscaping.net> Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 11:44 AM To: Eleanor M. Dilkes Cc: Council; Dave Panos; Jason Havel Subject: RE: Sycamore Project Eleanor, Thank -you for taking the time to respond to my letter. I do realize it was our error, but wanted everyone to know we would have loved to do that project for the city and we did put a lot of time into bidding it. Maybe next time. Sincerely, Linda F. Dykstra Owner 11 From: "Eleanor M. Dilkes" <Eleanor-Dilkes@iowa-city.org> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 4:10 PM To: "ldykstra@iowacitylandscaping.net" <Idykstra@iowacitylandscaping.net> Cc: "Council" <Council@iowa-city.org>, "Dave Panos" <Dave-Panos@iowa-city.org>, "Jason Havel" <Jason- Havel@iowa-city.org> Subject: RE: Sycamore Project Dear Ms. Dykstra, I am sorry that your bid had to be returned and will explain why here. The Sycamore Street and Lower Muscatine Road Landscaping Improvements Project is a "public improvement" project. Because the cost of the project exceeds the competitive bid threshold of $135,000 the Iowa Code requires that it be competitively bid through a formal process that is dictated by the state code (Chapter 26). Unlike some other purchases and projects that are not governed by the state code, strict compliance with Chapter 26 is required and the City has little flexibility. The Notice to Bidders, which is included in the project specifications, stated: "Sealed proposals will be received by the City Clerk of the City of Iowa City, Iowa, until 2:30 P.M. on the 20tb day of September 2016." When bids are received at the City Clerk's office they are immediately stamped with the date and time they are received. It is my understanding that your bid was dropped off at the receptionist's desk in the Public Works Department, the receptionist put it on Dave Panos' desk, and Dave did not see it until after the deadline had passed. The receptionist did not put any notation on the sealed envelope. Section 26.10 of the Iowa Code states: "The date and time that each bid is received by the governmental entity, together with the name of the person receiving the bid, shall be recorded on the envelope containing the bid. All bids received after the deadlines for submission of bids as stated in the project specifications shall not be considered and shall be returned to the late bidder unopened." After bids were opened Dave consulted with me about whether your bid could be accepted. I reviewed the code section and also spoke to a colleague in Des Moines who I knew had litigated this issue several years ago. That review led me to the conclusion that the delivery of the bid to Public Works, rather than the City Clerk such that there was no time stamp, was an irregularity that could not be waived by the City because it was contrary to the code provision. Accordingly, I advised Dave to return the bid to you. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions. Eleanor Eleanor M. Dilkes City Attorney City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Email: eleanor-dilkesOaowa-citv.org Phone: (319) 356-5030 Fax: (319) 356-5008 From: Linda Dykstra[mailto:ldykstra@iowacitylandscaping.net] Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2016 3:40 PM To: Council Subject: Sycamore Project Dear Council members, Please see attached letter. Linda F. Dykstra Owner Marian Karr 4f(6) ONE— From: Geoff Fruin Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 6:29 PM To: 'angela lambertz'; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply; Council Subject: RE: Iowa City Police Chief Search: One Citizen's concerns, 10-11-2016 Ms. Lambertz, Thank you for your interest in our Police Chief search process. We have recently updated our chief search webpage to reflect the current status of the process. We will be interviewing a small group of semi-finalist candidates toward the end of October. From that process we will announce 2-3 finalist candidates and schedule a public meet and greet. You can view the members of the semi-finalist interview committee on our website. The general topics noted in your email are important. During the interview process we will discuss many of these topics with each candidate. Thank you again for your email and interest in this important hire for Iowa City. Stay tuned for an announcement of the finalist candidates and the public meet and greet session (likely early November for announcement). httos://www.icgov.org/pro'ect/iowa-city-police-chief-search Best, Geoff Fruin From: angela lambertz [mailto:cawfee73@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 10:20 AM To: Geoff Fruin; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply; Council Subject: Iowa City Police Chief Search: One Citizen's concerns, 10-11-2016 Hello, My name is Angela Lambertz, and I am deeply concerned about the continued unjust and racist treatment of people of color in Iowa City by the Iowa City Police Department. I understand efforts are underway to appoint a new Iowa City Police Chief that cares about racial equity, as stated in the current Police Chief job description. Thank you for acknowledging this need within our vibrant community. What is being done right now to ensure our newly appointed Police Chief will be fully invested in racial equity? What is being done right now to ensure our newly appointed Police Chief has the experience and background essential to eliminating racism within the Iowa City Police Department? How will the new Police Chief ensure the use of de-escalation techniques as the first response and minimal force at all times, and eliminate disproportionate contact with racial/ethnic minorities? How will the new Police Chief require anti -bias trainings and anti -bias testing for ALL current officers, new hires, and, dismiss racist officers? How will the new Police Chief require mandatory, ongoing trainings for officers on how to engage children and youth in a developmentally appropriate way (e.g.: no physical force, no pepper spray); as well as trauma and racial stressors; power, privilege and oppression; and how to engage people with mental health challenges? Also, the iceov.org website says that information on the small group of finalists for Police Chief will be publicly posted, and that there will be a public "meet and greet' forum before you make an appointment. The last posting on the is og v.ore website on the Iowa City Police Chief search was July 11, 2016, 2:15 PM. I have not seen this information on the finalists or the public "meet and greet' posted yet. Please direct me to the location of this information within the is og v_org website. Please email me at: cawfee73na junail.com. Thank you for your concern. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you, Angela Lambertz Iowa City citizen Marian Karr From: Geoff Fruin Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 6:27 PM To: 'ICGr11962'; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply; Council Subject: RE: New Police Cheif and Racial Justice Ms. Titus, Thank you for your interest in our Police Chief search process. We have recently updated our chief search webpage to reflect the current status of the process. We will be interviewing a small group of semi-finalist candidates toward the end of October. From that process we will announce 2-3 finalist candidates and schedule a public meet and greet. You can view the members of the semi-finalist interview committee on our website. The general topics noted in your email are important. During the interview process we will discuss many of these topics with each candidate. Thank you again for your email and interest in this important hire for Iowa City. Stay tuned for an announcement of the finalist candidates and the public meet and greet session (likely early November for announcement). httr)s://www.icgoy.org/proiect/iowa-city-police-chief-search Best, Geoff Fruin From: ICGr11962 [mailto:icgr11962@gmall.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 10:10 AM To: Geoff Fruin; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply; Council Subject: New Police Cheif and Racial Justice Hello,my name is Tracy Randall Titus, and I'm deeply concerned about the continued unjust and racist treatment of Black people in Iowa City by the Iowa City Police Department. I know you are making efforts to hire a new police chief that cares about "racial equity," as stated in the police chief job description. I appreciate this, and I'd like to ask you: what are you doing right now to ensure that the new chief is fully invested in racial equity, and has the experience and background to eliminate racism within theICPD? Specifically, how will the new chief ensure the use of de-escalation techniques as the first response and minimal force at all times, and eliminate disproportionate contact with racial/ethnic minorities? Will the new chief require mandatory, ongoing trainings for officers on how to engage children and youth in a developmentally appropriate way(as in: no physical force, no pepper spray); as well as trauma and racial stressors; power, privilege and oppression; and how to engage people with mental health challenges? Also, your website is ov.or says that information on the small group of finalists for police chief will be publicly posted, and that there will be a public "meet and greet" forum before you make an appointment. I have not seen this information on the finalists or the public "meet and greet" posted yet — can you tell me when and where this information will be posted for the public? Please call me/email me at:ICGr11962na,gmail.com or 319-400-8537. Thank you for your concern. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Tracy Randall Titus 706 Brookside Drive Iowa City, IA 52245 Marian Karr From: Geoff Fruin Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 10:06 PM To: 'jane.stewart@mchsi.com'; policechiefsearch@iowacity.org; Council Subject: RE: Police Chief Search Ms. Stewart - Thank you for your email and interest in the hiring process for the Police Chief. You can view the latest status of the search at www.icgov.ora/project/iowa-city-police-chief-search. The Police Department is committed to the fair, just treatment of all individuals. The City's Human Rights Office reports to the public regularly on the various ways in which the City, including the Police Department, is attempting to build relationships and eliminate bias in our many services. Again, thank you for your interest and commitment to our community. Sincerely, Geoff Fruin -----Original Message ----- From: jane.stewart@mchsi.com [mailto:jane.stewart@mchsi.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 8:50 PM To: Geoff Fruin; policechiefsearch@iowacity.org; Council Subject: Police Chief Search Dear Mr. Fruin and City Council Members, I've lived in Iowa City for the past 22 years and, in that time, I have never contacted the City Council for any reason. Why now? Three reasons: 1. Iowa City is (to my great delight) a much more diverse community than it was when I moved here in 1994, 2. 1 am concerned about race relations within our city (1 am white), and 3. 1 see the hiring of a new Chief of Police as an opportunity for us to ensure that Iowa City builds positive relationships between our police force and people of color— particularly black men and teens. I appreciate recent efforts that I've seen: • The hiring of Henri Harper as a Community Service Officer • "Shop with a Cop" • Police/Youth "Do You See Me Now?" basketball at Mercer and soccer at Grant Wood School • "Trick -or -Treat with Police" • and most importantly, the admirable handling of a potentially lethal situation involving a black teen from Cedar Rapids at Mercer Park this summer But despite the recent efforts, the fad remains that racism is a problem in our city and within our majority -white police force. A 2015 study showed that disproportionate numbers of black and brown people were stopped for traffic violations. Iowa's incarceration rate of black men, compared to our black population, is the highest in the nation — many for non-violent crimes. These are not things that make be proud of Iowa City or of Iowa. We can do better. So I ask you: What specific measures will you, as City Manager and as members of our City Council, take to improve race relations in our city? How can we help ALL residents of Iowa City feel safe and welcome? How can we instill hope while the national black and blue divide grows ever more deep and complex? The hiring of a new Police Chief gives us an opportunity to move in a new, positive direction — but it has to be the right hire — someone who genuinely cares for the welfare of our black and brown citizens and who will work with us effect positive change. Remember Ferguson, Baltimore, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Tulsa, Los Angeles, EI Cajon, and so many other cities across our country. We must learn from these horrific and unnecessary killings or we run the risk of our community experiencing the pain and turmoil those communities now face. Let's work together to make sure that doesn't happen. Jane Stewart 2802 Friendship St. Iowa City, IA 52245 Priest, New Song Episcopal Church (Coralviile) Member, Iowa City SURJ Marian Karr From: raquelmessy@gmail.com on behalf of Rachel Messer <messer.rachel@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 1:06 PM To: Council Subject: re: new police chief Dear City Council of Iowa City, My name is Rachel Messer, and I am an Iowa City resident. I am writing to you about the current police chief hiring process, and your role as the City entity that approves this new hire. I am deeply concerned about the continued unjust and racist treatment of Black people in Iowa City by the Iowa City Police Department, and the disparate treatment of residents of color as compared to white residents. Just this month, I have been made aware of several incidents in which police officers have treated Black residents much more punitively and cruelly than White residents in the same situation, for the same minor infractions. I am White, and I am deeply disturbed by this differential and unjust treatment. According to the police chief job description, it appears as though the City is making efforts to hire a new police chief that cares about "racial equity," and truly eliminating racism and racial bias in the ICPD. I ver much appreciate this effort this is no small feat and your efforts are courageous and moving all of us forward. Given the continued racism perpetrated by the ICPD, I want to ask you: what is City Council currently doing to ensure that the new chief is fully invested in racial equity, and has the experience and background to hold ICPD officers accountable for their racial biases and actions? I take this question very seriously, and am genuinely interested in your answer. Specifically, how will City Council ensure that the new police chief requires the use of de-escalation techniques as the first response and minimal force at all times, and eliminates disproportionate contact with and punitive treatment of racial/ethnic minorities? Also, how will City Council ensure that the new chief requires anti -bias trainings and anti -bias testing for ALL officers and new hires, and is willing to dismiss racist officers? Finally, how will City Council make sure to hire a new chief that encourages a truly independent community police review board which has the ability to conduct independent investigations and evaluations? Thank you for your time, and for taking racially -biased policing and the mistreatment of Black Iowans seriously. I look forward to hearing from you via email or phone: (925) 354-1293. Sincerely, Rachel Messer Marian Karr From: Geoff Fruin Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 9:17 PM To: 'lisa_heineman@world.oberlin.edu'; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply; Council Subject: RE: Police Chief Search Ms. Heineman, Thank you for your email and interest in the Police Chief search process. We have updated the public on the process through our search website, which is linked below. htti)s://www.icgov.ors/proiect/iowa-city-police-chief-search Once the finalist candidates are announced we will schedule a meet and greet for the public. This will likely not happen until early November. Again, thank you for your interest. I recognize the topics you are concerned with are important considerations as we make our way through this hiring process. Geoff Fruin From: lisa_heineman@world.oberlin.edu [mailto:lisa.heineman@yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 9:45 AM To: Geoff Fruin; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply; Council Subject: Police Chief Search Dear Mr. Fruin, and Members of the City Council, As a long-time Iowa City resident, I am deeply concerned about the continued unjust and racist treatment of Black people in Iowa City by the Iowa City Police Department. I appreciate that the job description for the new police chief makes commitment to racial equality a priority, and I'd like to ensure that the City is applying specific measures to insure that the new chief has the experience and background to eliminate racism within the ICPD. Specifically, I'd like to ask about the following: How will the new chief ensure the use of de-escalation techniques as the first response and minimal force at all times, and eliminate disproportionate contact with racial/ethnic minorities? How will the new chief require anti -bias trainings and anti -bias testing for ALL officers and new hires, and dismiss racist officers? How will the new chief ensure that there is a truly independent community police review board with the ability to conduct independent investigations and evaluations? Will the new chief require officers to report all uses of force and use this to inform an early intervention system that re-trains and disciplines officers with repeated uses of force or civilian complaints? Will the new chief require mandatory, ongoing trainings for officers on how to engage children and youth in a developmentally appropriate way (as in: no physical force, no pepper spray); as well as trauma and racial stressors; power, privilege and oppression; and how to engage people with mental health challenges? According to the City website (icgov.org), information on the small group of finalists for police chief will be publicly posted, and there will be a public "meet and greet" forum before you make an appointment. I have not seen this information on the finalists or the public "meet and greet" posted yet — can you tell me when and where this information will be posted for the public? Many thanks for your concern. I look forward to hearing from you. Lisa Heineman 729 Ronalds Street Iowa City 319 337 3739 Marian Karr From: Geoff Fruin Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 9:14 AM To: 'Cole Cecil' Cc: PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply; Council Subject: RE: Police Chief Search Mr. Cole, Thank you for your email and interest in the Police Chief search process. We have updated the public on the process through our search website, which is linked below. https://www.icgov.org/proeect/iowa-city-police-chief-search Once the finalist candidates are announced we will schedule a meet and greet for the public. This will likely not happen until early November. Again, thank you for your interest. I recognize the topics you are concerned with are important considerations as we make our way through this hiring process. For more information on our current efforts I would encourage you to visit the Human Rights section of our website (https://www icaov ora/city-government/departments-and-divisions/human-rights/racial-equity-and-diversity initiative). Geoff Fruin City Manager I City of Iowa City P: 319.356.5013 Web I Facebook JTwitter From: Cole Cecil [mailto:cole.cecil@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 12:11 AM To: Geoff Fruin Cc: PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply; Council Subject: Police Chief Search Hi Mr. Fruin, My name is Cole Cecil, and I'm a resident of the Iowa City / Coralville area (I live in Coralville and work in Iowa City). I recently heard about the search for a new Iowa City police chief, and I'm sending you some of my thoughts and questions regarding this event. As of late, I have become more and more aware how prevalent a problem racism still is in our country. As a white person, I'm ashamed of how people of color have been and continue to be treated. I have even been made aware recently that there are various injustices happening in our own community. I have been working to educate myself more about these racial injustice issues, both to make sure that I myself am not part of the problem and to learn how to do my part in advocating for racial justice. I got a chance to look through the Iowa City Police Chief Recruitment Profile, and I was happy to see the focus put on racial equity issues, such as finding candidates sensitive to cultural and racial diversity, making the police force more diverse, building a strong relationship with the community, and working to eliminate racial profiling. Thank you for your effort in pursuing these goals. One question I have is this: what is being done to ensure these goals are met? In other words, what is the plan to ensure that the chosen candidate is indeed committed to promoting racial justice? And once the new police chief is hired, what will be done to ensure progress is being made in this area? Will milestones be set in order to measure progress towards these goals, and will they be shared with the community? Thank you for your time - I look forward to hearing from you. I'm also looking forward to continuing to work with our amazing community on these issues and seeing people of all races and backgrounds being treated more and more equally as time goes on. Thanks, Cole Cecil Marian Karr From: Joel Gilbertson -White <joelgilbertsonwhite@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 12:10 PM To: Council; Geoff Fruin; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply Subject: Regarding Keeping Our Communities Safe Greetings Iowa City Decision -makers, Around the time my family and I initially moved to Iowa City from Pittsburgh, PA four years ago, I became aware that Iowa (and Johnson County in particular) had very high rates of disproportionate minority contact, and small-time drug arrests for young black men were on the order of 8x more likely than for the population at large in our county. As an advocate for racial justice, alarm bells went off as I realized there will be SO MUCH work to do to neutralize this pattern, both in terms of getting Iowa on board with ending the war on drugs -- a red herring front to continue Jim Crow policies in a less visible war, or rather a legally sanctioned way -- and in terms of making sure the law enforcement in our community are prepared to protect the rights of every non-violent person, including training of officers to become fully aware of their own implicit biases while working to counter them, and including a strong critical examination of local laws, policies, and procedures to eliminate injustices codified into our system. I am concerned about race relations in our city, in terms of ongoing divisions of housing, which to my mind still resemble redlining. I'm also concerned about the impact this has on ICCSD's difficulty figuring out how to create homogeneous populations in schools, when the housing is too heterogeneous to allow for straightforward district boundaries. And I am concerned about city hiring policies, to make sure that people of color are hired at ratios proportionate to the population of the community, and that wherever possible, employees are hired with livable wages and fair benefits, and not just as short-term labor and no benefits. Practices like the latter would undermine my confidence in Iowa City as being the progressive university town we claim ourselves to be. My primary concern for writing is to ensure that our police chief search is earnestly driven by principles put forth by the Coalition for Racial Justice's requests, and by the words consequently placed in the flyer advertising for a new police chief position. My concern is that this search be carried out with a heart -felt earnestness for a more just and sustainable community on the part of every member of city council, and each person involved in the decision-making process, and not just an obligation to appease constituents. I do appreciate the city's initial efforts to move toward better relations between ICPD and the communities they serve, including the hiring of Henri Harper, and efforts to have youth and police interacting in soccer games. And I do also recognize that these measures still fall far short of building trust with communities of color who have such great distrust that many report calling the police is a last resort. We have seen cases in national news in which a police call for help turns into an arrest or unfair treatment, and even killings. I understand we are taking measures to prevent that from happening here, and pray that IC will do everything it can to go above and beyond to ensure that our next police chief, and the department he/she oversees will assiduously and actively work to find and dismantle every cultural assumption that could lead to tragedies here, and replace those assumptions with starting points that allow for building of robust unequivocal equity in ICPD's relations with communities of any gender, ethnicity, race, or class, especially those who have felt underserved and unprotected, notably young men of color. The hiring of a new police chief is a critical junction of opportunity in this effort, and my hope is that a candidate will present him/herself as somebody who is CLEARLY interested in doing everything possible to strengthen community safety and trust for all who live here. As one of the founding members of Iowa City s SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) chapter, I would like to see the measures above given conscientious consideration, and would also like to find ways for our group to support you in these efforts, so that every member of our community can feel welcome. I would like to know what measures are being taken at the City Council level and in city management to create a just and sustainable community, inclusive of all who are here and of any who would choose to come. With gratitude and blessings, Joel Joel Gilbertson -White 821 Spencer Dr Iowa City, IA 52246 mobile: 319.930.8032 "If the artist does not create, the world suffers." -Paul Robeson "a small change in awareness or perception can create a ripple effect, nudging the aesthetic and emotional life of a whole city in a new direction" - unlistedbelarade.wordoress.com 4� �6> Marian Karr From: Geoff Fruin ]ate Han&its Distftbuted Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 5:25 PM To: 'Joel Gilbertson -White'; Council; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply Subject: RE: Regarding Keeping Our Communities Safe Mr. Gilbertson -White: (Date) Thank you for your thoughts on the multiple subjects addressed in your email. Your input and that of others is very much appreciated. For the latest on the Police Chief search please visit https://www.icgov.org/proiect/iowa-city-police-chief-search. Feel free to contact me if you have questions that go beyond what the webpage provides. In terms of what we are doing now to address some of the issues you have raised I would direct you to recently issued documents: Our latest Diversity Implementation Form: http://www.iowa-city.org/weblink/O/doc/1548294/Electronic.aspx Council's Strategic Plan Status Report: http://www.iowa-city.org/weblink/0/doc/1547578/Electronic.aspx Again, if you have questions about these ongoing efforts please let me know. Best, Geoff Fruin City Manager I City of Iowa City P: 319.356.5013 Web I Facebook ITwitter From: Joel Gilbertson-White[mailto:joelgilbertsonwhite@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 12:10 PM To: Council; Geoff Fruin; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply Subject: Regarding Keeping Our Communities Safe Greetings Iowa City Decision -makers, Around the time my family and I initially moved to Iowa City from Pittsburgh, PA four years ago, I became aware that Iowa (and Johnson County in particular) had very high rates of disproportionate minority contact, and small-time drug arrests for young black men were on the order of 8x more likely than for the population at large in our county. As an advocate for racial justice, alarm bells went off as I realized there will be SO MUCH work to do to neutralize this pattern, both in terms of getting Iowa on board with ending the war on drugs -- a red herring front to continue Jim Crow policies in a less visible war, or rather a legally sanctioned way -- and in terms of making sure the law enforcement in our community are prepared to protect the rights of every non-violent person, including training of officers to become fully aware of their own implicit biases while working to counter them, and including a strong critical examination of local laws, policies, and procedures to eliminate injustices codified into our system. I am concerned about race relations in our city, in terms of ongoing divisions of housing, which to my mind still resemble redlining. I'm also concerned about the impact this has on ICCSD's difficulty figuring out how to create homogeneous populations in schools, when the housing is too heterogeneous to allow for straightforward district boundaries. And I am concerned about city hiring policies, to make sure that people of color are hired at ratios proportionate to the population of the community, and that wherever possible, employees are hired with livable wages and fair benefits, and not just as short-term labor and no benefits. Practices like the latter would undermine my confidence in Iowa City as being the progressive university town we claim ourselves to be. My primary concern for writing is to ensure that our police chief search is earnestly driven by principles put forth by the Coalition for Racial Justice's requests, and by the words consequently placed in the flyer advertising for a new police chief position. My concern is that this search be carried out with a heart -felt earnestness for a more just and sustainable community on the part of every member of city council, and each person involved in the decision-making process, and not just an obligation to appease constituents. I do appreciate the city's initial efforts to move toward better relations between ICPD and the communities they serve, including the hiring of Henri Harper, and efforts to have youth and police interacting in soccer games. And 1 do also recognize that these measures still fall far short of building trust with communities of color who have such great distrust that many report calling the police is a last resort. We have seen cases in national news in which a police call for help turns into an arrest or unfair treatment, and even killings. I understand we are taking measures to prevent that from happening here, and pray that IC will do everything it can to go above and beyond to ensure that our next police chief, and the department he/she oversees will assiduously and actively work to find and dismantle every cultural assumption that could lead to tragedies here, and replace those assumptions with starting points that allow for building of robust unequivocal equity in ICPD's relations with communities of any gender, ethnicity, race, or class, especially those who have felt underserved and unprotected, notably young men of color. The hiring of a new police chief is a critical junction of opportunity in this effort, and my hope is that a candidate will present him/herself as somebody who is CLEARLY interested in doing everything possible to strengthen community safety and trust for all who live here. As one of the founding members of Iowa City's SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) chapter, I would like to see the measures above given conscientious consideration, and would also like to find ways for our group to support you in these efforts, so that every member of our community can feel welcome. I would like to know what measures are being taken at the City Council level and in city management to create a just and sustainable community, inclusive of all who are here and of any who would choose to come. With gratitude and blessings, Joel Joel Gilbertson -White 821 Spencer Dr Iowa City, IA 52246 mobile: 319.930.8032 "If the artist does not create, the world suffers." -Paul Robeson Marian Karr From: Audrey Keith <audreykeithiowa@gmail.com> Late Handouts Distributed Sent: Monday, October 17, 2016 11:20 PM To: Geoff Fruin; Council; PoliceChiefSearchAutoReply Subject: ICPD commitment to racial equity /C /( F I I io Hello, (Date) + My name is Audrey Keith and I am critical of the ongoing unjust and racist treatment of black people and other people of color here in Iowa City. I am aware of the council's strategic plan and diversity implementation -- sounds like there's a lot of good stuff going on or in the works, and I appreciate that, but I have a few specific thoughts and questions: 1) In regards to the new police chief hire, will the chief have the authority and be willing to enforce any new policies created regarding the use of de-escalation tactics, eradicating racial profiling, de -prioritizing the enforcement of non-violent offenses, and limiting use of force? 2)I saw that the ICPD participated in a panel about Campaign Zero, what community policing tactics do they intend to employ? I saw the hiring of a Community Outreach Assistant, which is great, and what else will the ICPD do to change how all officers go about their work? 3)I like the idea of the Coffee with a Cop events for their focus on one-on-one informal interaction, how has participation been for these so far? -- I'm afraid there would be a lot of barriers for people to be able and willing to attend, especially if they already distrust the police. Is the officer in uniform, do they have their weapons on them? That might not feel safe for many people. --It's putting the responsibility on the public to bring tough conversation topics and represent their communities, when really the responsibility should be on officers and the department in general to seek out interactions with the public by attending community events (preferable in street clothes) or volunteering in various neighborhoods. Thanks for you time and consideration, Audrey Keith B.S.W. Certificate in Critical Cultural Competency University of Iowa Official Memo Iowa City Mobile Vending Association 10/11/16 Re: City Council Briefing MOM" 4f(7) ri1ED 2016 OCT 12 AN 8: 2- CI ► Y CLEI; 10'., CITY, ICi The Iowa City Mobile Vending Association (ICMVA) seeks to enhance the Iowa City street food culture by encouraging relationships throughout the community --offering citizens amazing food options, while fostering alumni, minority and woman owned entrepreneurs, economic space and a opportunity to grow a small business. Proposal: To begin immediately, 90 day pilot program allowing 6-10 licensed food trucks a temporary ban for the vending hours of l0pm-3am in the downtown district, in agreed upon locations at the administrative discretion of the City Manager. Recommendations • Provide the Iowa City Manager broad discretion to carry out the pilot project and to give him the leave to modify the terms of the project as he sees fit • The ICMVA recommends there be a total of 6-10 mobile food vendors • The ICMVA recommends that the following locations of operation be examined: o Linn St, from Burlington St to Iowa Ave o Clinton St, from Burlington St to Iowa Ave o Dubuque St, from Washington St to Iowa Ave • The ICMVA encourages permitted "food truck parking" zones administered by the City. Note: Madison, WI has over 100 permitted fixed locations. • The ICMVA would like to develop a trash remediation plan with the DTA and the City of Iowa City • The ICMVA would like to discuss any public safety issues, such as with fire or police • The ICMVA would like to work with the Iowa City Downtown District as much as possible to respect the concerns of downtown business owners --honoring the 100 ft buffer zone, and working to identify key areas to avoid --as well as key areas to focus. • After 90 days, reassess the situation --discuss Spring 2017 ordinance possibilities. *The following proposal was originally presented to the Iowa City Downtown District, multiple business owners and the City Manager in mid-September* • STATEMENT: On 4/21/2015, the Iowa City Council enacted Iowa City Code 9-4-16, better known as the "Food Truck Ordinance." Section D(1) of the Food Truck Ordinance prohibits licensed food trucks from operating in the "downtown zone" defined as: Furthermore, the Administrative Rules Governing Food Trucks in Section 5 entitled Operational Policies limits the hours of operation for food trucks to 7AM-9PM. • PROPOSAL: The signatories propose that the ban of operation in the downtown zone by licensed food trucks be lifted, in a very limited fashion, and that the hours of operation in the Administrative Rules be extended under the following terms and conditions for the reasons to follow: 0 Licensed food trucks should be allowed to operate in the downtown zone during limited times of the day, specifically, the late night shift of 10PM-3AM. • REASONS IN SUPPORT: 0 The core reason food trucks were restricted from the downtown zone when passing the Food Truck Ordinance was to prevent food truck competition with existing brick and mortar restaurants, out of deference to the existing restaurants. 0 A majority of brick and mortar restaurants in the downtown zone close between IOPM-11PM (SEE: this link). 0 As such, the competition between food trucks and brick and mortar restaurants during the hours of 1OPM-3AM would be nearly non-existent, as very few remain open past 10 or 11 PM. 0 This a very limited lift of the ban on food trucks in the downtown zone • ACTION REQUESTED: • Full vote of the Iowa City Council to amend § 9-4-16(D)(1) to lift the ban on food trucks in the downtown zone during the limited hours of IOPM-3AM. 0 Amendment of the Administrative Rules, Section 5 by the City Manager to extend the hours of operation for food trucks to 3AM Anthony Browne Mobile Vending Association of Iowa City Elizabeth Wohlford The Box Lunch Otmane Benjilany O's Grill Tito Francisco & James Wachutka Flip N' Chop Food Truck Robert and Kelly McLean Island Vybes Leslie and Brian Triplett Dumpling Darling Rory Brown Dublin Underground Tom Banta ICAD Group, Blue Zones Sunnorters Kyle Sieck Local Burrito Heather Sitzmore The Pink Umbrella Bakery Patrick Rashed Caribbean Kitchen Nick Whetro Ich Liebe Dich Mac'n Cheese Bryan Asklof Nodo Veronica Tessler Yotopia Kate Moreland ICAD Group 4t-p�-1) Marian Karr From: Tito James <flipnchop@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2016 12:57 PM To: Kyle Sieck Cc: Council au: nandouts Distributed Subject: Re: Iowa City Mobile Vending Association Pilot Proposal Kyle, \ 0 �, o Sound awesome! (Date) Typo from the 2nd paragraph, last sentence after the coma, "Also, supporting this pilot is a vote for public safety, as we believe, the more food in an intoxicated persons belly, they (the) safer they are as the evening comes to a close. Tito On Tuesday, October 18, 2016, Kyle Sieck <cheflcyle(a,localburrito.com> wrote: Dear Council, My name is Kyle Sieck, owner Local Burrito Catering, and organizing member of Iowa City Mobile Vending Association. At tonight's meeting, our proposal that we submitted last week will be considered. This proposal, aims to create more opportunities for food truck entrepreneurs to offer their products to downtown consumers after the majority of kitchens close for the evening. Voting for this pilot program means supporting a vibrant street food culture, and it also means supporting opportunities for alumni, minorities and woman owned businesses. Also, supporting this pilot is a vote for public safety, as we believe, the more food in an intoxicated persons belly, they safer they are as the evening comes to a close. Over the past month I have been discussing ideas with the Iowa City Downtown District, speaking with Nancy Bird and Nate Kaeding, as well as reaching out to downtown establishment to hear their concerns. Many will agree that food trucks are an amazing addition to the civic fabric, however, concerns still exist form brick and mortar restaurants such as Pancheros and Mesa Pizza. To address the concerns of existing businesses and to support the needs of the citizens, we are asking you to consider a new pilot program which allows terms (to be decided) to a select number of vendors, in a select number of locations, access to test the waters to see how this works from approximate hours of l Opm-tam. We are asking for a 60-90 day pilot to begin as soon as possible before the weather gets too cold, to see how this works, in hope of growing on last years Mobile Vending Policy. We are trying really hard to work across party lines to create a sensible solution that addresses everyone's concerns. Thank you for your considerations and suggestions as this idea is presented to you this evening. Sincerely, Chef Kyle Sieck Kyle Sleek Owner, Local Burrito Catering www.localburrito.com 563-241-2857 Flip N'Chop Food Truck International Street Food Business: (319)-333-2277 Official Memo Iowa City Mobile Vending Association 10/11/16 Re: City Council Briefing The Iowa City Mobile Vending Association (ICMVA) seeks to enhance the Iowa City street food culture by encouraging relationships throughout the community --offering citizens amazing food options, while fostering alumni, minority and woman owned entrepreneurs, economic space and a opportunity to grow a small business. Proposal: To begin immediately, 90 day pilot program allowing 6-10 licensed food trucks a temporary ban for the vending hours of 10pm-3am in the downtown district, in agreed upon locations at the administrative discretion of the City Manager. Recommendations • Provide the Iowa City Manager broad discretion to carry out the pilot project and to give him the leave to modify the terms of the project as he sees fit • The ICMVA recommends there be a total of 6-10 mobile food vendors • The ICMVA recommends that the following locations of operation be examined: o Linn St, from Burlington St to Iowa Ave o Clinton St, from Burlington St to Iowa Ave o Dubuque St, from Washington St to Iowa Ave • The ICMVA encourages permitted "food truck parking" zones administered by the City. Note: Madison, WI has over 100 permitted fixed locations. • The ICMVA would like to develop a trash remediation plan with the DTA and the City of Iowa City • The ICMVA would like to discuss any public safety issues, such as with fire or police • The ICMVA would like to work with the Iowa City Downtown District as much as possible to respect the concerns of downtown business owners --honoring the 100 ft buffer zone, and working to identify key areas to avoid --as well as key areas to focus. • After 90 days, reassess the situation --discuss Spring 2017 ordinance possibilities. *The following proposal was originally presented to the Iowa City Downtown District, multiple business owners and the City Manager in mid-September* • STATEMENT: On 4/21/2015, the Iowa City Council enacted Iowa City Code g 9-4-16, better known as the "Food Truck Ordinance." Section D(1) of the Food Truck Ordinance prohibits licensed food trucks from operating in the "downtown zone" defined as: Furthermore, the Administrative Rules Governing Food Trucks in Section 5 entitled Operational Policies limits the hours of operation for food trucks to 7AM-9PM. • PROPOSAL: The signatories propose that the ban of operation in the downtown zone by licensed food trucks be lifted, in a very limited fashion, and that the hours of operation in the Administrative Rules be extended under the following terms and conditions for the reasons to follow: O Licensed food trucks should be allowed to operate in the downtown zone during limited times of the day, specifically, the late night shift of 1OPM-3AM. • REASONS IN SUPPORT: O The core reason food trucks were restricted from the downtown zone when passing the Food Truck Ordinance was to prevent food truck competition with existing brick and mortar restaurants, out of deference to the existing restaurants. 0 A majority of brick and mortar restaurants in the downtown zone close between 1OPM-IIPM (SEE: this linkl. 0 As such, the competition between food trucks and brick and mortar restaurants during the hours of 1OPM-3AM would be nearly non-existent, as very few remain open past 10 or 11 PM. O This a very limited lift of the ban on food trucks in the downtown zone • ACTION REQUESTED: O Frill vote of the Iowa City Council to amend § 9-4-16(D)(1) to lift the ban on food trucks in the downtown zone during the limited hours of IOPM-3AM. O Amendment of the Administrative Rules, Section 5 by the City Manager to extend the hours of operation for food trucks to 3AM Anthony Browne Mobile Vending Association of Iowa City Elizabeth Wohlford The Box Lunch Otmane Benjilany O's Grill Tito Francisco & James Wachutka Flip N' Chop Food Truck Robert and Kelly McLean Island Vybes Leslie and Brian Triplett Dumpling Darling Rory Brown Dublin Underground Tom Banta ICAD Group, Blue Zones Supporters Kyle Sieck Local Burrito Heather Sitzmore The Pink Umbrella Bakery Patrick Rashed Caribbean Kitchen Nick Whetro Ich Liebe Dich Mac 'n Cheese Bryan Asklof Nodo Veronica Tessler Yotopia Kate Moreland ICAD Group Marian Karr 4f(B) From: Kent Ralston Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 10:54 AM To: 'DBYRNES7915@msn.com' Cc: 'City Council Subject: RE: Ref On -Street parking on Ireland Drive and Killarney Road Proposal Hello Mr. & Ms. Byrnes - Thank you for contacting us regarding the proposed parking changes in your neighborhood, your correspondence was forwarded to me for response. In recent years we have received an increasing number of concerns from the neighborhood regarding parking congestion caused by vehicles parked on both sides of the street (directly across from each other) on Killarney Road and Ireland Drive. As you suggest, this appears to be West High students. On multiple occasions, the City has flyered windshields asking drivers to be cognizant of where/how they are parking. As a result there have been some short-term changes in driver behaviors, but never a permanent resolution. Parking issues have reached a point where the City is having difficulties delivering services to your neighborhood. As a result, there is a proposal to prohibit parking on the side of the street where the fire hydrants are located. Parking would remain available on the other side of the street. This arrangement will ensure that City service vehicles and neighborhood traffic are able to safely navigate the neighborhood. In a recent visit to the school parking lot, staff noticed vehicles parked in every space and many more creatively parked outside of designated spaces. It is obvious there is a shortage of available parking at this time. As such, we are also hopeful that the issue resolves itself with the opening of the new high school - and if that is the case, we would be happy to remove the signs if it is the desire of the neighborhood. Please don't hesitate to contact me directly with future questions or concerns, Best Regards, Kent Ralston, AICP Executive Director I Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County Transportation Planner I City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 319.356.5253 From: DENNIS BYRNES [mailto:DBYRNES7915@msn.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 10:26 AM To: Council Cc: DENNIS BYRNES Subject: Ref On -Street parking on Ireland Drive and Killarney Road Proposal Council members, As the 3455 Killarney Road property owner, I am very much concerned with the proposal as outlined in Ms Gamut's 9/28/16 letter which notified the affected Killamey/Ireland area residents of the upcoming parking limitations that will affect our neighborhood. The parking congestion mentioned in the letter only occurs during normal West High School hours. Students park on these streets either because of parking space shortages at the high school, and/or to circumvent traffic entrance/exit congestion that occurs while using the school parking facilities. Please note that I personally called the high school enforcement official in February of this year to determine whether the administration could simply inform students to not park in surrounding neighborhoods, in an attempt discourage some or all of the bumper to bumper parking that was occurring on Killarney. I was told there was nothing that could be done but to hang in there as the problem would self correct itself once the new high school is completed in a couple years. In addition, I advocated removing the no parking signs on the non residential eastern side of Dublin to encourage/allow parking in closer proximity to the school, which would potentially solve the parking problem and which would also increase student safety by eliminating multiple road crossings on the part of students navigating from their parked vehicles in the sub division, then crossing busy Dublin street to get to school. Also noted that the largely unused church parking lot located immediately to the left of West High could likewise be used to satisfy parking needs and promote safety during school hours. Unfortunately, the current proposal will simply shift parking congestion from the North side of Killarney and Ireland, into bumper to bumper congestion on the South side of these streets, spilling over into adjoining neighborhood streets in the sub division. This in turn will continue to hamper residential access and services such as mail delivery and refuse collection, not to mention the student safety issues previously addressed, perhaps resulting in even more resources being spent for additional sign installation in the future. In speaking with Ms Gamm on her proposal she mentioned that the current parking restrictions have evolved over time and were piecemealed based on neighborhood surveys that were performed by the city. Prior to spending more resources erecting no parking signs, I would encourage the Council to direct a more comprehensive analysis of the current parking shortage and determine whether the problem will in fact self -correct in the near future, or whether some other alternative may be more effective at solving the parking congestion on Killarney and Ireland. Regards, Dennis and Debra Byrnes 3455 Killarney Road 1 563 320-2538 4crC ) Marian Karr From: DENNIS BYRNES <DBYRNES7915@msn.com> Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2016 8:41 AM To: Kent Ralston; DENNIS BYRNES Late Handouts Distributed Cc: Council Subject: Ref On -Street parking on Ireland Drive and Killarney Road Proposal �°1l,�lt� (Date) Mr. Ralston, The parking problem is directly traceable to the parking shortage at the high school. There are acres of open space surrounding the school. Has any consideration or analysis been performed on the part of the high school administration or city officials to convert existing school grounds into temporary or expanded permanent parking to alleviate the shortage? The added benefit of expanded capability in closer proximity to the actual high school would result in improved student safety, access and efficiency. Regards, Dennis and Debra Byrnes ----- Original Message ----- From: Kent Ralston To: 'DBYRNES7915Amsn.com' Cc: *City Council Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 10:54 AM Subject: RE: Ref On -Street parking on Ireland Drive and Killarney Road Proposal Hello Mr. & Ms. Byrnes — Thank you for contacting us regarding the proposed parking changes in your neighborhood, your correspondence was forwarded to me for response. In recent years we have received an increasing number of concerns from the neighborhood regarding parking congestion caused by vehicles parked on both sides of the street (directly across from each other) on Killarney Road and Ireland Drive. As you suggest, this appears to be West High students. On multiple occasions, the City has flyered windshields asking drivers to be cognizant of where/how they are parking. As a result there have been some short- term changes in driver behaviors, but never a permanent resolution. Parking issues have reached a point where the City is having difficulties delivering services to your neighborhood. As a result, there is a proposal to prohibit parking on the side of the street where the fire hydrants are located. Parking would remain available on the other side of the street. This arrangement will ensure that City service vehicles and neighborhood traffic are able to safely navigate the neighborhood. In a recent visit to the school parking lot, staff noticed vehicles parked in every space and many more creatively parked outside of designated spaces. It is obvious there is a shortage of available parking at this time. As such, we are also hopeful that the issue resolves itself with the opening of the new high school - and if that is the case, we would be happy to remove the signs if it is the desire of the neighborhood. Please don't hesitate to contact me directly with future questions or concerns, Best Regards, Kent Ralston, AICP Executive Director I Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County Transportation Planner I City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 319.356.5253 From: DENNIS BYRNES [mailto:DBYRNES7915@msn.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2016 10:26 AM To: Council Cc: DENNIS BYRNES Subject: Ref On -Street parking on Ireland Drive and Killarney Road Proposal Council members, As the 3455 Killarney Road property owner, I am very much concerned with the proposal as outlined in Ms Gamm's 9/28/16 letter which notified the affected Killarney/Ireland area residents of the upcoming parking limitations that will affect our neighborhood. The parking congestion mentioned in the letter only occurs during normal West High School hours. Students park on these streets either because of parking space shortages at the high school, and/or to circumvent traffic entrance/exit congestion that occurs while using the school parking facilities. Please note that I personally called the high school enforcement official in February of this year to determine whether the administration could simply inform students to not park in surrounding neighborhoods, in an attempt discourage some or all of the bumper to bumper parking that was occurring on Killarney. I was told there was nothing that could be done but to hang in there as the problem would self correct itself once the new high school is completed in a couple years. In addition, I advocated removing the no parking signs on the non residential eastern side of Dublin to encourage/allow parking in closer proximity to the school, which would potentially solve the parking problem and which would also increase student safety by eliminating multiple road crossings on the part of students navigating from their parked vehicles in the sub division, then crossing busy Dublin street to get to school. Also noted that the largely unused church parking lot located immediately to the left of West High could likewise be used to satisfy parking needs and promote safety during school hours. Unfortunately, the current proposal will simply shift parking congestion from the North side of Killarney and Ireland, into bumper to bumper congestion on the South side of these streets, spilling over into adjoining neighborhood streets in the sub division. This in turn will continue to hamper residential access and services such as mail delivery and refuse collection, not to mention the student safety issues previously addressed, perhaps resulting in even more resources being spent for additional sign installation in the future. In speaking with Ms Gamm on her proposal she mentioned that the current parking restrictions have evolved over time and were piecemealed based on neighborhood surveys that were performed by the city. Prior to spending more resources erecting no parking signs, I would encourage the Council to direct a more comprehensive analysis of the current parking shortage and determine whether the problem will in fact self -correct in the near future, or whether some other alternative may be more effective at solving the parking congestion on Killarney and Ireland. Regards, Dennis and Debra Byrnes 3455 Killarney Road 1 563 320-2538 r `,_.® CITY OF IOWA CITY MEMORANDUM Date: September 30, 2016 To: City Clerk L From: Emily Bothell; Acting Sr. Transportation Engineering Planner Re: Item for the October 18`", 2016 City Council meeting; Installation of NO PARKING ANY TIME signs on the north side of Killarney Road and the south side of Ireland Drive. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 313 of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action: Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (10); Install NO PARKING ANY TIME signs on the north side of Killarney Road between Galway Drive and Dublin Drive and on the south side of Ireland Drive between Donegal Court and Dublin Drive. Comment: This action is being taken to prohibit parking on the north side of Killarney Road and the south side of Ireland Drive to allow for City service vehicles to more easily access this area. `t��.:.®dry P 20114 CITY OF IOWA CITY -m"r MEMORANDUM 4f Date: September 30, 2016 To: City Clerk i From: Emily Bothell; Acting Sr. Transportation Engineering Planner Re: Item for October 18th, 2016 City Council meeting; Installation of (1) STOP sign at the intersection of Herbert Hoover Highway SE and Hanks Drive, (1) STOP sign at the intersection of Herbert Hoover Highway SE and Thunder Gulch Road, (2) YIELD signs at the intersection of Hanks Drive and Unbridled Avenue, (2) YIELD signs at the intersection of Hanks Drive and Grindstone Drive, (2) YIELD signs at the intersection of Thunder Gulch Road and Barbaro Avenue, (2) YIELD signs at the intersection of Thunder Gulch Road and Unbridled Avenue. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (5); Install (1) STOP sign on the southeast corner of the Herbert Hoover Hwy SE and Hanks Drive intersection, install (1) STOP sign on the southeast corner of the Herbert Hoover Hwy SE and Thunder Gulch Road intersection, install (2) YIELD signs on the northeast and southwest corners of the Hanks Drive and Unbridled Avenue intersection, install (2) YIELD signs on the northwest and southeast corners of the Hanks Drive and Grindstone Drive intersection, install (2) YIELD signs on the northwest and southeast corners of the Thunder Gulch Road and Barbaro Avenue intersection, and install (2) YIELD signs on the northeast and southwest corners of the Thunder Gulch Road and Unbridled Avenue intersection. Comment: This action is being taken to clarify the right-of-way at the above intersections in this newly constructed subdivision. ® - CITY OF IOWA CITY 4f MEMORANDUM - Date: October 6, 2016 To: City Clerk From: Emily Bothell; Acting Sr. Transportation Engineering Planner Re: Item for October 18th, 2016 City Council meeting; Removal of NO PARKING ANY TIME EXCEPT SATURDAY EVENING AND SUNDAY MORNING signs, north of Lower West Branch Road SE, on the west side of Brentwood Drive, the east side of Broadmoor Lane and the north side of St. Patrick Drive. As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action: Action: Pursuant to Section 9-1-3A (10); Remove NO PARKING ANY TIME EXCEPT SATRUDAY EVENING AND SUNDAY MORNING signs, north of Lower West Branch Road SE, on the west side of Brentwood Drive, the east side of Broadmoor Lane and the north side of St. Patrick Drive. Comment: This action is being taken to allow for on -street parking for residents accessing the Frauenholtz- Miller Park. �- -q(1 Z) Marian Karr From: Rick Kaster <rick kaster@yahoo.com> „air t ianclouts Distributed Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2016 10:15 PM To: Council Subject: Welcome sign idea Attachments: Welcome to Iowa City.pdf ko 1 � -1 t u'n (Date) Dear Iowa City City Council: I have a proposal that I feel would be welcoming to people who visit Iowa City and the University of Iowa. I have designed a welcome sign that could be placed at the intersection of Hawkins Drive(U.S. Highway 6. I don't know who technically owns the property there, but the sign would be displayed in the triangular grassy area on the southwest corner. I have attached a copy of my design. Thanks for your consideration. Rick Kaster Iowa City COM9 TO IOIUoR CITY ii THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA {fare a4� t/, Marian Karr From: Tracey Achenbach <tachenbach@htrjc.org> Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 2:08 PM To: Council; Geoff Fruin; Tracy Hightshoe; 'Andy Johnson'; Doug Boothroy; jrettig@co.johnson.ia.us; pharney@co.johnson.ia.us; 'Mike Carberry; lgreendouglass@co.johnson.ia.us Subject: MEDIA EVENT: State Housing Trust Fund Marks 20,000th Affordable Housing Unit Assisted, Located in Iowa City Good Afternoon: I apologize for the late notice, but tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. the Iowa Finance Authority is hosting an event to celebrate the 20,000`s housing unit assisted with state housing trust fund dollars. I am happy to say they chose the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County as the trust fund in Iowa to host the event. See the advisory below for more information about the event. I realize it is short notice, but I am hoping we will have a good turnout for it. There will be cake! Please forward this advisory to anyone you think may be interested in attending and celebrating. Thank you, Tracey Late Handouts Distabuted IdltsI(�, Tracey Achenbach (Date) Executive Director Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County 322 E Second St Iowa City, I.A. 52240 319-358-0212 ht§c.org MEDIA ADVISORY For Immediate Release: Oct. 18, 2016 Ashley Jared, Iowa Finance Authority ashley jaredQiowa. gov, 515.494.6213 MEDIA EVENT: State Housing Trust Fund Marks 20,000°i Affordable Housing Unit Assisted, Located in Iowa City State/Local Officials to Celebrate Local Affordable Housing IOWA CITY — On Wednesday, Oct. 19 the Iowa Finance Authority, the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County, the City of Iowa City and local partners will celebrate local affordable housing initiatives and the 20,OOOth unit assisted by the State Housing Trust Fund since it was created by the Iowa Legislature in 2003. WHAT: State Housing Trust Fund 20,000th Unit Celebration WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 - 3:00 p.m. WHERE: 1900 Rochester Ct., Iowa City SPEAKERS: Dave Jamison, Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Senator Bob Dvorsky, President, Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County Representative from Board of Supervisors Representative from City of Iowa City Janet Outlund, Director of Development and Communications, Systems Unlimited, Inc.