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.