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Home My WebLink About2017-01-10 TranscriptionPage I Budget Work Session Council Present: Botchway (arrived at 1:20 P.M.), Cole, Dickens, Mims, Taylor, Thomas, Throgmorton Staff Present: Fruin, Monroe, Andrew, Bockenstedt, Yapp, Boothroy, Knoche, Seydell- Johnson, O'Brien, Rummels, Ralston, Tharp, Schaul, Havel, Craig, Grier, Morns, Howard, Voparil Review of Saturday's work session: Throgmorton/ Okay, I think we're ready to begin. So, welcome to our Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Kingsley Botchway got called into jury duty this morning, so .... he's not here now. I don't think he's gonna be here for the next several hours. If he shows up though, that's good! Also, uh, Geoff reminds me that this entire .... work session will be videotaped, or whatever, digitally taped. Jack's over there, uh, doin' it. So .... we should be conscious of that fact. (laughter) All right! Dickens/ Are you talking to me? (laughter) Throgmorton/ I'm talkin' to me. I don't know (laughter) Sometimes it's hard to be conscious about anything! (laughter and several talking) All right, so the first order of business is to review Saturday's work session discussion about the .... the budget itself. And the three year, uh, financial plan, I guess. Anybody can begin! Geoff, did ... you didn't want to say anything, you just wanted to see if there was dialogue, discussion? Fruin/ Correct. Mims/ I don't know if other people have had time to do a lot of digesting on it. I have not, with my work schedule, and that's why I asked on Saturday that we put it on the work session for our first meeting ... I think it's in February. So, if that works for people, I would just as soon defer discussion of it till then. If... Cole/ I was just gonna say that, um (laughter) I had actually thought we were going to focus on the capital improvement projects just today and not actually give substantive feedback. Um.... Throgmorton/ You don't have to, I mean (both talking) Susan makes a good suggestion. Cole/ Yeah! Mims/ If that works for folks. Cole/ That works for me! Thomas/ I think it's better to have everything, I think, covered as well before... revisiting what we saw on Saturday. At a work session we can hash out both the capital plan and the.... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 2 Budget Work Session Cole/ Yes! Mims/ I'd just like a little more time to .... digest stuff. Cole/ Agreed! Taylor/ (several talking) ...Susan's judgment (laughter) Throgmorton/ So, Terry, you're going to be the outlier? (several talking and laughing) Dickens/ No! (several talking) Throgmorton/ All right, well I can say I've been, uh, just kinda swamped over the past several days so .... this sounds like a great idea to me! Dickens/ The public hearing isn't till the 21" so (mumbled) plenty of time to... Throgmorton/ So, you marked the date down, Geoff? Fruin/ We have it down! Throgmorton/ All right. Okay, so ... leaping ahead, uh, getting ahead of our agenda here, uh, we're gonna turn to capital improvements projects. And it looks to me like .... Ron and Dennis are going to speak first, right? So .... who's gonna talk? (several talking) Okay! Ron Knoche! Capital Improvement Proiects (CIP) (2 hours): Knoche/ All right, thank you for the opportunity to present the capital program to you. Um, we have, uh, the budget for the capital program starts on page 495 in the budget book. Um, we'll pretty much follow along in the project order, uh, as it's presented in the budget book. There's one project that's... that's switched outta order just because of, uh, making it, uh, a part of a .... a group of projects. Um .... let's see here, I'm gonna go ahead and do this. (mumbled) All right, perfect! Um .... uh, the ... you know, how have we gotten to this point, uh, in September, uh, Dennis and the Finance group sent out, uh, the... requested the pro ... to the departments as far as projects that, uh, should be included, as far as new projects, and updates to the projects, uh, that we already had in the program, uh, last year. Um, as we follow through the calendar, um, you know, it culminated with, uh, the ... December 16th presentation of ..in the Council packet as far as the budget went. Uh, we'll have ... um, you'll see about $171 million worth of projects, uh, over the five- year program. Um, those are focused in nine areas of, uh..of the, of our .... of our operations. Um, Mike Tharp'll present on the Airport projects, uh, Dennis'll present on the Finance, uh, Chief Grier'll have the Fire projects, um, Susan Craig'll be, uh, in regards to the Library, uh, Doug Boothroy for the NDS projects, Juli Seydel-Johnson for the Parks. Uh, we'll have Kumi Morris will actually present for the Police project. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 3 Budget Work Session There's only one of those. Um, Jason, uh, Havel will step up for the Public Works, and then we'll have Chris O'Brien with the Transportation Services and Resource Management projects. Um, then the ... the last area is the `on the radar.' So those are the projects that are on the unfunded list, or new projects, uh, that aren't currently shown on the unfunded list, um, that we feel are significant projects, uh, that we need to be prepared for or just want to bring to your attention. Um, so with that, uh, I will have Dennis go through the Finance piece. Finance: Bockenstedt/ This slide here .... thank you, this slide here shows you the, uh, projects in the five- year program. Uh, by division. And you can see that the Streets, uh, division, the Streets projects are far and away, uh, the majority of the projects, at least dollar -wise, in the program. Uh, other significant divisions are the Public Works administration, uh, the Transit operations, and... and then Waste Water and Parks. Uh, a few of the major projects that are ... that are pushing that, um, if you look at that Streets operations, there's a $43 million project in there for the Gateway Project. Um, so that, uh, represents about half of that, of the Street budget there. Um, and the Public Works admin, that $18.6 million, about $12 million of that if for the new Public Works facility. Um, and for the Transit operations, really the bulk of that $18 million presented there, uh, represents the Transit and Equipment facility, and that's out in 2021. Um, and then, uh, the Parks, about half of that is for the ped mall reconstruction. Um, so that gives you an idea of where the .... the capital dollars are going on a divisional basis. Um, this slide represents the projects as they're budgeted, uh, over the next five years. Uh, it's pretty typical that the majority of the dollars are in the first couple years, as we have a much better idea of what's going to happen next year and the year after, versus five years from now. Um, I will, uh, mention that in 17, 18 this is the Gateway Project, so that is also pushing those dollars up, and then in 2021, you see that tick up, um, and that ... uh, is where that Transit facility project is. Uh, that helps push that number 2021 up a little bit higher. Uh... the program by funding source, uh, this gives you an .... an idea of where the dollars are coming from over the next five years, uh, to pay for the program. Uh, you can see that our number one funding source is GO bonds. Uh, we do estimate about $10 million a year for, uh, GO bond funding and that $50 million is .... is kind of right on the mark for that. Uh, over the next few years it'll actually be a little elevated. We're lookin' at about $12 million in each of the next two years, or I should say 18 and 19, so it's a little higher in those two years, and that's also, once again, the Gateway Project that's pushing that number up. You know, I think eventually we would like to .... to get that target down to more like, you know, 8 or $9 million a year for bond funding. Other large, uh.... uh, revenue sources, uh, the federal grants, uh, represent a lot of...uh, Airport grants, uh, street and road grants, uh, there is about a $12 million grant in here for the Transit facility, which, um, so that's kind of an estimate out in that 2021 year. It's not, uh, realized at this point. Um, another significant, uh, source of funding for capital projects is road use funding. Um, and you can see that represents about $14 million and that is required to go for streets, bridges, uh, sidewalks, uh, projects of that nature, and then still showing here is the local option sales tax. This may be the last year that that's presented, um, as that should be fully expended, uh, once the Gateway Project is completed, so, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 4 Budget Work Session um ... but there are still dollars in the program, uh, that represents the spending of that ... that temporary sales tax. Do you have any questions about the .... I will make a note that the funding sources here is $162 million, versus the expenditures of $171, and ... and that difference, in case you were wondering, represents funding dollars that were put into place. Some of these are multi-year projects, so there may have been bond funding or other funding that was put into place, uh, prior to the start of this five-year program, and which represents that ... that gap, and once again, a good chunk of that is from the Gateway Project. Knoche/ So With that we'll start with the project presentations. Uh, Mike will start presenting on the Airport projects. Those projects start on page 517 in the budget book. Throgmorton/ Good afternoon, Mike. Airport: Tharp/ Good afternoon again! I'd like to say I'm going to be a pa ... a pacesetter for everything, but (laughter) I think some departments, uh, coming behind me will take a bit longer. The Airport is funded through, uh, two different grant programs — the FAA, which is a 90% match, and then the State, uh.... uh..... uh, there's two different funds — the General Aviation Vertical Infrastructure and then the State Airport Improvement Program. Those, uh, State grants are anywhere from 70 to 85%, uh, matching. If a project doesn't get a grant fund, it doesn't proceed forward, just by virtue of. ... of the cash outlay that would be required to take care of that. So all of these are dependent on .... on the Airport being able to get those grants to .... to, um, make the projects happen. Mims/ Mike, just to clarify, when you talk about the match, you're talking 90%, that' s the FAA paying 90 and we pay 10? Tharp/ Correct! Mims/ Okay. Just wanted to clarify. Tharp/ Uh, the biggest project, one of the ones we've had on the books for a while is our apron reconstruction and connecting taxiway. This is something to increase the ... the pavement that we have available for aircraft parking. As you can see by the pictures, we do have some events, football games, other events that, uh, we ju... do draw significant aircraft traffic to the Airport, uh, you know, as you can see, we've got a number of aircraft on the grass, uh, on the closer, uh.... uh, runway, and then even further out, uh, we've got a couple of other aircraft on the other side of a potentially active runway. So, tryin' to get everything where we can keep it close in, it's a little better security wise, little better to keep track of the aircraft, urn .... this would be an F ... one of those FAA projects where if we got the grant, uh, they would provide 90% of that funding. Some ... some of the miscellaneous smaller projects — the airfield pavement rehabilitation, this is a two-phase project. We completed phase one last year, which was a .... a smaller apron expansion, but essentially what it calls for is, uh, a reconstruction of the pavement immediately This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 5 Budget Work Session adjacent to the terminal building that the aircraft use for parking. Uh, that pavement is currently some of our last original pavement that was laid in the 1950s, so it is showing, uh.... uh, signs of wear and ... and weather decay. Uh... we hope to go after grants in the next, uh, the State round of funding. Hangar 8 door replacement, that is a ... an initiative that the Airport wants to take. We've got, uh, 10 t -hangar, uh, units that have chain pulley doors. We'd like to retrofit those to be electric. It's a little more accessible to tenants. Um.... and then those .... those pulleys, which, you know, they're great, they're low -maintenance, but they are, uh, getting worn out and nobody really, uh, manages those types of doors anymore, so it's hard to, uh.... uh, find repair pieces when we need `em. Uh, the runway 7-3465 and 3466, this is a ... an initiative from the Airport Master Plan that would call for a ... extending runway 7-25 another 213 feet. Um, that would enable ... with the other changes to the ... the remarking, enable the 25 then to get, uh, right there at the 5,000 -foot landing distance mark that, uh... uh.....aircraft companies, charter companies like to see, uh, mainly for insurance purposes, but uh.... uh, one of t hose initiatives that we think will .... will increase the usage of the Airport, increase the ... the, uh.... um.... capabilities of the Airport to handle the aircraft that do want to use us. The Airport south taxiway extension, this is a FY17 project, um .... we did get a State grant for this. We were able to work with the FBO, uh, this is actually currently under construction, their 10,000 -square foot hangar. Um, this would let the Airport extend that taxiway, that orange strip right there, uh, to match the apron and where the ... the new building is being located. And this is a 70% grant. North t -hangar restrooms, this project is something to provide additional restroom facilities on the north t -hangars, uh.... uh, area. With some of our recent hangar buildings to the south, we've had the opportunity to install a .... a publicly accessible restroom on the south side, so we'd like to go back and essentially retrofit one of our storage areas that, uh, we no longer use to, uh, to that extent and turn it into a restroom facility. And the last, uh, project that I believe we have on the schedule is a Airport tractor replacement. This is something that we've worked with the Equipment division on and it aligns with the equipment replacement schedule. Uh, we've got some extra money in there because we would like to upgrade the size of the tractor, just, uh.... uh, by virtue of the way we're using it, it's a little small for the capacity. We do use it a lot for snow plowing and ... and it is our prime farm tractor in terms of. ... of grass maintenance and mowing. Um, but in the winter it's .... it's a bit light for the mo .... uh, snow moving. Mims/ Mike (several talking) One other qualification. Tharp/ Uh huh! Mims/ So when the numbers are in here for the total project cost, you know, year by year. Those are the actual total, but what we would be expending is what the match is (both talking) Tharp/ Correct. Mims/ Okay. Tharp/ Correct. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 6 Budge[ Work Session Mims/ Thanks! That makes the numbers look better! (laughter) Throgmorton/ Anything else for Mike? Thomas/ Uh, this is probably going to be a question I may ask more than once, but ... with these projects that get the .... the matching grant or, you know, percentages of one degree or another, taking for example say the apron reconstruction where most of the money is coming from the federal grants. Once that project is completed, let's assume we .... we go forward with it, we build it. In 50 years, this one has a 50 -year life, useful life, who's obligation will it be financially to replace that construction? Tharp/ It would .... it would still be, presuming the programs don't change, it would still be an eligible, uh..... Thomas/ So it would be eligible for.... Tharp/ For reconstruction (both talking) Yeah, it would ... it would be our responsibility to maintain it over that life, so crack sealing, pavement repair type stuff, uh, would fall on us, but uh, the .... the major rehab that would need to be done, at the end of that 50 year to replace it would be an eligible project again. Throgmorton/ But to be honest with ourselves and others, uh, we need to acknowledge that it's hard to predict what kind of federal or State programs will exist 50 years from now, or... we know what happened (laughter) what existed 50 years ago and what's happened since then, but we ... it's hard to project into the future .... that far for programs. Yeah. Okay, thanks, Mike. Tharp/ Thank you! Finance Department: Bockenstedt/ The Finance Department, we just have a couple of projects here that (mumbled) one is our annual City Hall project, and we've put, uh, from the general fund, about $50,000 a year into City Hall improvements and .... and then each year maybe something happens, maybe it doesn't. It's determined if something is needed. Uh, currently in the works, uh, our exterior landscaping for the building. Uh, interior and exterior signage, and also we're lookin' at, uh, carpet in the City Clerk and Human Resource offices. Throgmorton/ As promised! (laughter) Hi, Kingsley! Bockenstedt/ Um, another project in the works, and this, uh, project the phone system replacement is currently under design and going to RFP. Um, and this will replace the entire City's phone system to a voice over IP system. Uh, the current system is .... is dated and the parts are no longer available for the phone system. Um, so we'll be lookin' This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 7 Budget Work Session at this as being funded from, uh... uh, internal service fund, uh, ITS funds, uh, and next year we'll be lookin' at replacing that, the City's phone system. Knoche/ And with that Chief Grier'll join us, uh, the Fire projects start on page 420....524 in the budget book. Fire Department: Throgmorton/ Good afternoon, Chiefl Grier/ Howdy! How's everybody doin'? (several responding) Very well! Mims/ We just started! (laughter and several talking) Throgmorton/ We're makin' such great progress you wouldn't (several talking and laughing) Grier/ Oh, and Kingsley, you got out of the .... your commitment! Uh, apparatus replacement program, we do have a few projects coming up, starting in, uh, 2019 for, uh, two pumper engines. We actually pushed one of our replacements from, uh, 17 to, uh, 19. It's ... we do all of our equipment replacement via analysis score of, uh, mileage, how much we're spending to maintain it, working with the Equipment division, and for the one, uh, pumper that we were going to replace, it just .... it wasn't needing replaced so we did not. Uh, we've also.... reduced the fleet size by one, uh, fire apparatus. We used to have another pumper engine that we used, but it had grown outdated so we did sell it to, uh, Oxford and they .... they are still getting some good life out of it, and they're very happy with it, so it was good. Uh, next would be, uh, a fire safety house replacement in 2020 for $60,000. Again, we've kind of deferred the replacement of the one we have now because we've been making some, um, minor repairs to it, and it still meets the need, but it's probably getting to the edges of the, uh, of its life, but we will maintain it as long as we can. So..we... might anticipate moving that another year. And then the big one in 2021 for apparatus replacement is replacement of quint 2. It's basically an engine with a ladder stuck on top. And that works out of Station #2. It allows us to have a ladder on each side of the river, uh, servicing both sides of the .... the city. That's a, uh, as you can see, a little more expensive one. Uh, we do a 16 -year replacement typically for our pumpers, nine front line, seven reserve. The, uh, quint is on a nine-year replacement and just by the ... the make of the apparatus, it gets a little more wear and tear going around town, and if the score doesn't, uh, indicate it needs to be replaced, we would recommend pushing that. Uh, the other one is for 2017, we have $700,000 set aside for the fire training center relocation. This is part of the big .... bigger Public Works campus, uh, project, but this would allow us to have a training facility within the city, uh, allow us to go down there, uh, without having to schedule, little .... little easier on us. Uh, it would also allow for other potential City departments to use. The Police Department could use it for some of their training. There would be a burn room in here, some SCBA mazes. We could do ladder work. All the ... all those things that we need to, uh.... get some time practicing on. That's all I have! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 8 Budget Work session Botchway/ Couple questions. Who else use .... who else uses that training facility? Who else used it prior? Grier/ We've .... our prior training facility would use the ... usually companies in the county would use it as well, so typically.... Oxford, Tiffin, Riverside. There's 13, I think, in the mutual aid. So we would open it up to allow them to use it. Botchway/ Was there any shared costs discussed when we were talking about the project? Grier/ We have not had those discussions. We .... we would, uh, allow them to give us some funds to pay for any materials they would use, but other than that we haven't.... typical, uh, use of what we kind of had with Coralville. If we use something ... a resource, then we replace it. Excellent! Thank you. Throgmorton/ Thank you, Chief (several talking) Good afternoon, Susan. Library: Craig/ Hi! We have such pitiful such small amounts in the CIP. You know, just .... few hundred thousand here, few hundred there. Um, in FYI 7, this year we'll be spending the money on the bookmobile, which as I said on Saturday, we expect to be delivered in April. Um, that project is pretty much on budget. The .... next thing up for FY .... 18 .... is some reconfiguring of several spaces in the Library. This is similar to what we did a couple of years ago, when we moved some desks around and created the teen space. But it's a ... quite, really a smaller project. Um, we've reconfiguring the computer lab, which, you know, as I always say, was designed in the last century. We did the designs for this building.....um, in 1998, 99. Urn .... and it's just ... not very flexible anymore for the types of work that we do in there. There's no place for anybody to plug anything in (laughs) because everything was envisioned as you come in, you sit at a fixed work station, and it's just time to upgrade that. It's .... we are also.... in discussions with, um, designers on removing either the wall .... would be on the .... east or the west to make more space in that room for some different types of. ... introduce some different types of technology. And the children's space, um.....the.... newest thing in library services is to focus .... to bring some more focus, and we've been doing it through our programming, uh, which I talked some about on Saturday, um .... for those upper elementary grade students, um, know ... for many, many years libraries have really focused on the pre-school child and then we sort of started getting, doing a lot of work with those K through 2 kids, as they're, you know, learning to read and doing that, and now .... we're coming back around and trying also to keep those upper elementary kids engaged and as you can see from the space, you know... it's not a place a fifth grader would really want to hang out. Um .... so it's ... no walls tearing down, some added electricity cause they're carrying their phones around too or working on an iPad, but more seating, paint, storage to bring things out on tables for them to .... be engaged with, um, so those are the two projects we have in FYI 8, and then out in 2021 is the biggest of the three projects, uh.... involves.....recarpeting major parts of the building that have not been recarpeted yet. In the project a couple years, we recarpeted very worn areas like the entrances to the main Library and into the children's This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 9 Budget Work Session room. By this time those'll probably have to be done again. Hopefully the teen center, that carpet will still be good. We'll be moving from ... when the building was built, uh, carpet tiles were sort of just coming into their own. We'd be using carpet tiles for this new, um, for the recarpeting project, which would make things more flexible. We ... over the years, we have used all the carpet scraps we had though to sort of replace and repair where things needed it, um, but it's time to plan for some major recarpeting in the building, and also, um, some furniture replacement. Again, it's an ongoing thing. We have money in our operating budget every year and try and do a project to repair or replace some significant part of our furnishings, but the ca ... carrels where the public access computers are, you know, will be very worn by that time and need to be replaced. So ... those are our three projects! Any questions? Cole/ I'm wondering, you know, STEAM seems to be the word de jour. With those remodel of the, um, sort of the early elementary school, is STEAM sort of going to be a focus, where, you know, where we'd sort of have maker -space type focus or is that sort of what you're shooting for, and if not are there any plans for something along those lines? Craig/ You know we do a lot of STEAM programming now and we just pull tables out and do it in the storytime room. This new space would be ... hopefully more attractive to the upper elementary kids than just doing all the programming in the storytime room, and .... the computer lab has all area .... has always served as sort of swing space for upper elementary kids' programs as well. For instance we do our Minecraft programs up there. So we would expect to see a certain amount of the STEAM -related programming done in that computer lab space. Cole/ Great. Thomas/ What.... what percentage, um, of the building is used for meeting or gathering, versus... bookshelves and things of that sort? Do ... do you have any idea (both talking) Craig/ I could not tell you. Percentage wise, you know, if you go to the second floor, um, you know, we have people.... regular visitors to the Library that never go to the second floor. But, the second floor has .... seating at tables, you know, if you ... using technology at those tables it's because you brought it yourself. Urn .... and there are.... probably seats up there for 150 people at tables. In addition on the second floor, we have three small group study rooms that will accommodate six people. Uh, and we have some small two -person study rooms too, which again are focused on that gathering kind of joint, urn .... working together. Thomas/ The reason I ask is I think, um, I know the Parks Department is ... promoting its gather, was it `Gather Here' is the, uh, Master Plan's motto, and I .... in touring the new Music School building.... Craig/ Uh huh. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 10 Budget Work session Thomas/ ....it seems that the amount of space in that building for.... socializing is impressive. So I'm .... I'm, I feel like it is .... it's, I support that. I .... I think it's a useful strategy in terms of increasing the use and value of the building. Craig/ Right. The whole concept behind all of our public meeting rooms has been a gathering space since day one. Um, I mean you do have to think a little ahead and get a room booked, but the rooms are open and available free to individuals, to non -profits, um, and, you know, they .... they are small or large, um, for whatever, you know, the whole civic nature of gathering and conversation is part of our mission. Thomas/ Uh huh. Throgmorton/ Uh, I'd just like to praise the Library for one of many particular aspects. I'm thinking of the second floor, mainly the southfacing windows and .... the windows on the east and west, and uh, on a winter day, on a sunny winter day, it's really lovely up there and, uh, a great place to sit down and do some work or read a newspaper or whatever one wants to do. Craig/ Right! It's .... I think it's very welcoming! Throgmorton/ Good deal! Any more questions for Susan? We bombarded you. I hope you don't take exception to that, but .... (laughs) Craig/ Thank you! Throgmorton/ Thank you, Susan. Mims/ Geoff, can I go back and ask one quick question, cause I'm not sure how long staff is going to be here through this. On the fire training center, what is the $50,000 increase in annual operating expenses? I just tried to look at each of these in terms of their impact on the annual operating budget and I noticed that one at 50, and I was just curious what that was. Thank you, Chief. Sorry didn't get you when you were still up here! Grier/ (both talking) Mims/ It's at the very bottom on the budget impact. Grier/ I think that's just our estimate on materials that we would use there — power, if there's any type of security, all those different things associated with just operating the ... the facility. Mims/ Okay. Grier/ I think I took that from a previous ... uh, year's.... submission... Mims/ ...submission, okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 11 Budget Work Session Grier/ And I .... I knew that we would not go over that, but I did not want to undershoot the estimate. Mims/ Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it! Grier/ And I should have mentioned... since I got back up here, I'll take one second, if I could. Uh, having the training center local does help with, you know, the hands-on training that's required for us to maintain all of our certifications, and, uh, certain number of hours are required for ISO .... checks and those sorts of things. So, I neglected to mention that but I wanted.... given the opportunity, I took it! So.... Throgmorton/ Yeah, I'm really glad to see it in the CIP, as well, um, so .... I .... there's no need to elaborate, but I'm really happy it's in there. Grier/ Great! Thank you! Throgmorton/ Good afternoon, Doug! Neighborhood and Development Services: Boothroy/ Good afternoon. (clears throat) Good afternoon. Um ... okay. Start with the, uh, money being .... in .... in the budget for, uh, the, um, Riverfront Crossing development. We've had this in the past. It's 150,000. It's, uh, to be used for studies to conceptualize, uh, things such as street designs and things like that. Um ... you know, we have, uh, some interest in developing on ... in the South Gilbert Street area, so I ... I can see that this money would be used fairly soon, uh, in order to, uh, you know, get that all fitted together. Uh, the climate action plan implementation money, um, you ... we have consultant, uh, RFP due on the 20a' and, um.....this money here would hel.... help us, uh, implement any of the actions. Uh, the 150 is kind of a placeholder to, uh, have enough money in order to follow through with, uh, the recommendations that might come out of those ... that process. Uh, permitting software, uh, upgrade. Uh, the 600,000, I mentioned on Saturday, that's .... that software was put in place in 1992. Uh, we no longer really have support for it, uh, and the other thing that, um, we're running into is that, uh.... uh, it's.... it's, uh, interfaced with Microsoft Office or (mumbled) upgrade to Microsoft Office is becoming problematic. Uh, it's time for it to be, uh, refreshed and, uh, and we need a new software system, and this is the core, uh.... uh, to the operation of everything that we do up there. We've been automated and on our computer since 1992, so all of our data and all of our functions and all of our permitting and all the .... all the paperless, uh, stuff that we do, uh, run off this system. So it's pretty .... it's pretty critical, uh.... uh, as well as all of the, uh, activity that the inspectors do in the field with laptops. It's all coming back through this. So, this is the core, uh, to our work functions, and it's important that it...it be up ... upgraded, and particularly, uh, supported. Botchway/ Hey, Doug, before you move forward ... um, so for all the prior, um .... work and all the prior documentation you have on the other, uh, on the 1992 software, that will transfer over? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 12 Budget Work Session Boothroy/ We'll have to do a data migration and we intend to take a look at that. Uh, we believe that, yes, we can do that. Botchway/ And that's.... within this cost? Boothroy/ We hope! Botchway/ Okay. Boothroy/ We'll see. Botchway/ Okay. Boothroy/ I think that, uh, this .... this money, we're in a posi.... if it's approved, we would start looking at that this year. Uh, I think it .... last time L....I did this, uh, I guess it was 1992 (laughs) it took us about a year plus to ... to work through, uh, the process, uh, so it takes a while to, you know, find a .... a computer software, uh.... uh, provider and then, you know, work through how we'll make that transition, how we'll keep everything fresh. Botchway/ Okay. Boothroy/ Uh, so .... it's not without some pain. Botchway/ Right. Boothroy/ And then the City Hall remodel was moved to 2018. This is the ... the area down where the MPO is located. We didn't, uh, complete the remodeling when we did the, uh, NDS. This is the one area. Uh, AmeriCorps is using that space now and so, uh, they'll be done, uh, this year, uh, probably. So, uh, we'll be in a position to .... to look at, uh, freshening up that space and ... and, uh.....uh, making it more habitable for the MPO, uh, after they've, uh, left. Any que.... other questions? Throgmorton / I think I'd just like to observe that there are other CIP projects that are directly relate to the Riverfront Crossings development, like the extension of Kirkwood, uh, the tunnel un ... under the Riverside bridge, uh, the landscaping along Riverside Drive, or streetscaping. Boothroy/ Streetscaping. Throgmorton/ Yeah. Maybe some others, I don't know, but at least those three. Boothroy/ And the park! Throgmorton/ Oh yeah, the park! (laughs) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 13 Budget Work Session Boothroy/ Is a huge one! Okay! Throgmorton/ Yeah. Thanks, Doug. Boothroy/ Uh huh. Speaking of the park ..... (several talking and laughing) Parks and Recreation: Throgmorton/ Hi, Juli! Seydell-Johnson/ Hi! All right. Lots of projects here! First of all, two custodial accounts that we have, uh, the Parks annual improvement fund. This is for our smaller projects throughout the city, throughout the parks. We did, uh, some work at Highland Park last summer, um, some at, uh.....uh..... we did a shade structure over one of our playgrounds, a number of small shelter projects, those type of thing come out of that, and then our Parks annual ADA accessibility. We haven't been using a lot of that yet, but as you may remember, the Parks Master Plan is looking and inventorying everything throughout the park system, all of our facilities, for accessibility issues. So that funding will go to knock things off the list after we get that plan finished. Frauenholtz-Miller Park, uh, just met this morning to talk about rebidding this. The first round of the bids came in fairly high. Uh, we have hopes that when we go out for rebid in, um, February that we'll be able to get it accomplished. Uh, the changes that you'll see when we rebid it, some of this, um, colored, stamped concrete will be changed to just regular concrete. We will likely bid it with one shelter with a second shelter as an alternate. Um, and then change a little bit of the sculpting of the ground so we don't have quite as much earth work and sodding at the end, so .... hopefully that'll bring it back down and we'll end up with a very nice park by the end of the summer, this summer. Cemetery asphalt overlay, uh, very simple — just keeping the roads in the cemetery passable, as we have, uh, services and visitors at the cemeteries. Riverfront Crossing Park, we were just talking about. Phase one is under design and you'll see phase one here on the center. Um, it includes largely the wetlands creation that was part of our flood mitigation grants, um, that's in the southern portion of the project. Um, one thing we've added in is a trail connection here from the current trail along Highway 6 to Gilbert. So we will have that connection, as well as a bridge at the Second Street alignment. So we'll have the trails through the park with two connections to the east and then the, uh, wetlands area. We have also gone ahead with some of the design work for what you see here as a .... a parking circle and parking lot area. We may bid that as an alternate if funds are available, um, just to get more of the park done. Cole/ Julie, will that park have any edible landscaping that you're aware of? And secondly, are there are room for gardens in that particular location? Seydell-Johnson/ In phase one, not likely. Phase one is largely wetlands creations, so phase one will focus on the wetlands. The master plan for the Parks shows a garden area up here towards the northern end. Um, that's on ground that's not technically part of the park yet. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 14 Cole/ Okay. Budget Work Session Seydell-Johnson/ So the gardens might come later, and then edible landscaping would come as we develop the plans for the rest of the (both talking) Cole/ ....plan but not the first phase (both talking) Seydell-Johnson/ ...so there's still lots of room for it and most likely it will. It's just not in phase one. Cole/ Okay. Thank you. Seydell-Johnson/ Emerald Ash Borer response plan, um, we have a lot of money sitting in this fund, um, so you'll see it decreases slightly; you may wonder why when we know Emerald Ash Borer is coming. Um, we're learning a lot more about Emerald Ash Borer. If you remember a few years ago, when it was first found, a city would have to go in and clear cut all their trees immediately. Luckily for us it's a little bit different response now and although we know we're gonna lose most of our ash trees, it'll be drawn out over a number of years and not such an influx at one time. So we are preparing for that. The tree inventory will help us, uh, target areas where we have the most vulnerable ash trees, and then it'll be an ongoing process for a number of years. Thomas/ Juli, on .... on that particular.....item, um.....you know, I've been over the last several months really concerned about the, kind of the stat ... the state of our urban forest. Uh, certainly Emerald Ash Borer will be a major factor. Uh, I would add to that just natural attrition, you know, we ... I know in our neighborhood we've lost a number of trees. And then I would ... I would also add to that, um, you know, we had .... we have these glowing numbers in terms of development, and in some areas that development has resulted in significant tree loss, depending on where the development is. So .... so one of my goals, one of my hopes is we can .... urn, ratchet up the .... our urban forestry plan, and I don't know .... you know.....what kind of budget should be allocated for it. The .... but most of this is in effect tree .... tree planting. Correct? Seydell-Johnson/ Correct. Um, and it's an interesting fact we just learned, I think earlier this morning, the early numbers of the tree inventory show that our tree canopy is about 33% of the cities covered in trees. Um, and what we're learning is our goals should probably be around 40%. So the good news is, we're not as far off as we .... as we might be, or many other cities. Um, it will also help us determine how quickly we're going to lose some of that canopy from exactly what you talked about. So ... urn .... you know, it's definitely something we want to work to ... towards over the next couple years of replacing and adding more. Uh, bike, this is an annual fund, continuing, uh, connecting bike trails throughout the community. Hickory Hill Trail redesign and development, as you know, in 2016 we finished the Master Plan, which is what is shown here. Um, the Master Plan came away with some very high priority items, uh, for the park, and those'll be the things that we will be pursuing in 2017. And those are .... the smallest of the three is the signage, so that as people get through the park they won't get lost. Very small, and uh, nice signs, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 15 Budget Work Session not overpowering anything in the park, and then bridge work and trail work, dealing with erosion issues, shoring up the trails, not paving any trails at this point. Um, just making what's there better. Realigning a few things just so that they are less prone to, um, erosion and other issues. Cole/ Julie, which page are you on? It's ... it's not going in seq.... (several talking) Okay! The intra -city bike trail? Okay. Oop, sorry! Seydell-Johnson/ 535. Cole/ Yep! Seydell-Johnson/ Um, so that work, we hope to have done this summer, so you'll see a number of crews out working throughout Hickory Hill Park this summer. Botchway/ Um, we .... when we talked about this a while back, we were talking about overall accessibility in some of the areas. Where do we stand on that, and I'm kind of alluding to a question I'm gonna have later on, on page .... 531, uh, around park annual ADA accessibility improvements. Because .... and my question, or my thought and a question, is that number's too low. And I don't know necessarily whether or not that was something that was discussed when we, urn .... had that report about ADA compliance and I think that really .... I don't know where Simon is, but I think that was around, urn ... um, maybe more of the street -level, uh, ramp ... things, and so it didn't necessarily talk ... or speak to parks, but are we thfnking along those lines, are we pushing along those lines, as far as accessibility's concerned? Seydell-Johnson/ Sure. Exactly ... right now, and during the Park master planning process, it's happening right now. Um, we have .... we have consultants going through all of the Park facilities and looking at accessibility issues. So we will have a prioritized list, um, by next June of all of our .... you know, accessibility issues throughout the Park. At Hickory Hill Park, the discussion was of the possibility of adding two smaller paved loops, one by the B1oo.... Bloomington Street entrance and one by the 7's Street. Those were not considered to be in the top priority of the items for that park, in that there are other parks that have those paved accessible loops in the nearby, so you won't see any of that changing at Hickory Hill with this particular project. Um, other than taking care of the bridges and the, um, soft -surface trails, we'll make those more accessible than they are right now. Cole/ But .... but the gravel is wheelchair accessible (both talking) Seydell-Johnson/ It is! (both talking) Cole/ ...when it's well maintained. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 16 Budget Work Session Seydell-Johnson/ Yes. It can be. So there is ... consider, you know, we don't have everything in Hickory Hill to be under 5% slopes and that sort of thing. That's just not possible in a park like that (both talking) Cole/ Yep! Seydell-Johnson/ Generally we look at accessibility throughout the entire system, and if there are other similar experiences that people can access.... assess nearby, access nearby, we can do that too. Botchway/ But going back to that, the, again, I'm jumping ahead to the Park annual accessibility improvements. Is there enough money in that particular fund to speak to what you just talked about? Seydell-Johnson/ Probably not. Just depends on how much we want to bite off each year. Botchway/ Okay. (both talking) ...consideration annually, and that may change (both talking) Seydell-Johnson/ ...annual, yes. Yeah, and like I said, at the end of this Park master plan we'll have a better assessment of that. Andrew/ And there will likely be some projects identified through that master plan process that will come back as specific stand-alone projects, um, for instance Juli will get to one shortly that is for, um, Recreation Center improvements, um, which came out of our previous ADA audit of the facility. So, once we have that Master Plan in place, there will likely be some larger projects that are identified that will come back in, uh, future years' budgets. Botchway/ Okay. Seydell-Johnson/ Um .... Highway I trail, this is just a very small portion of trail. Sustainable roadway vegetation management, this is an annual program where we are working towards changing the plantings along a number of our roadways to more sustainable choices. Uh, the money in the next year will be used primarily for the medians on Washington Street farther east than what we did last summer. Um, and then ... Highway 1, um, Sunset to the east of, I think it's Hawks Ridge is the name of the street out there. We'll be working at some new plantings in those areas. Cole/ Can I just say too I think that's a great program too. (mumbled) I think it's Highway 6 too. Haven't you done some of that too? Seydell-Johnson/ (mumbled) Cole/ Yeah, so it's great work on that! You had teased in a lot of stuff on that too. Seydell-Johnson/ Another small portion of trail, Highway 6, Sycamore to Heinz. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 17 Budget Work Session Throgmorton/ Can you stay with that for a second? So I .... I wasn't clear before about which side of, uh, Highway 6 the trail was going to be located on. I take it it's on the south side. And crossings would be ... I'm havin' trouble reading this with my glasses, uh, crossings of Highway 6 would be where? (several talking) Ralston/ Yeah, good afternoon, uh, to answer those questions, I'm not 100% sure which side the trail would be on now. Throgmorton/ Ahhh! Ralston/ It hasn't been designed. I would guess the south side because that's where the existing trail closer to Highway 1 exists. So I think it would be desirable to have it on the south side, but that would come through the design process. Uh, crossings, uh, to be determined as well. Uh, we do know thought that one major crossing that would be advantageous is that First Avenue. Uh, part of that would be to connect to the new road diet along First Avenue as well. So to get some good connectivity, uh, regionally and, uh of course throughout Iowa City as well. Throgmorton/ I ... I've heard over the past few years that there are s ... fairly substantial number of people who walk to work, and would be good for them to have a sidewalk.... that enables them to do it safely. Ralston/ I agree, and in fact, um, we actually skip a portion, uh, from what exists now toward Highway I to get to this portion for that very reason. Uh, Hollywood Boulevard actually creates a nice connection that can work temporarily until we come back and fill in that portion, uh, back to Broadway to the .... west. Throgmorton/ Thanks! Seydell-Johnson/ I knew I'd have to show at least one video, so Willow Creek Park is (laughter and several talking) we just got this video as well! Um... Thomas/ There's the trailer! Seydell-Johnson/ Yeah, it's just a small .... this project is, uh, some creek restoration, but then also replacement of this playground that you see. It's an older playground. And, urn .... shelter at Willow Creek Park. Urn.... again, you can see it's one of the older styles. So that's all I'll show of the video but, um .... that's that particular project. Oops! Throgmorton/ Juli, was it Jack Brooks that prepared the video you showed us Saturday? (several talking) Seydell-Johnson/ Yes! Throgmorton/ The famous Jack Brooks sitting over here behind the camera! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 18 Budget Work Session Seydell-Johnson (several talking and laughing) ...and wasn't that a great video! So that's Willow Creek. Uh, annual Ree Center improvement funds, as I mentioned during the operating budget, one of our largest customer service issues is just the age of these two buildings and the continual ... we have systems breaking down quite regularly, so .... this fund allows us to continue working on plumbing, electrical, a number of things throughout the buildings. Upgrading the building, uh, controls. This has to do with the HVAC systems. Um, getting them all to talk with each other and be controlled by one computer program. Um, at the moment a lot of our comp .... a lot of our HVAC systems are controlled by the old green screen DOS programs, believe it or not (laughs) Yes! (laughs) So this will get us updated and get them all coordinated with each other. Rec Center lobby remodel. Um, we have (mumbled) out to chose architects that are actually due today for this project. Um, looks at really three things. In the lower level of the Rec Center there's two single -stall restrooms that we're going to look at making more accessible, using probably some of the ADA funds as well. The, uh, stairway between the two levels of the Rec Center has ADA compliance issues, so that will be part of the project, and then, uh, reworking the upper level of the administrative ... front area of the administrative offices. Cole/ When was the last time that this was fully remodeled? Has it been since it was .... has it ever been fully remodeled? Seydell-Johnson /It's been piece -worked here and there, I think (both talking) Cole/ It's never had a full .... okay. Seydell-Johnson/ I don't think so! Yeah. Knoche/ The pedestrian mall reconstruction, this'll be the .... the piece along, uh, Dubuque Street from, uh, Washington Street to the south and then College Street, between Linn and Clinton. Uh, basically it'll be a building face to building face, uh, replacement of the pavement, uh, we'll have new furnishings, utility work'll be done, water main replacement, uh, storm sewer addition, or upgrade, um ... and then the ... the look itself, uh, the existing planters as far as the limestone planters will stay in place, but we'll add footings and ... and do some, uh, maintenance on those to get those to hold together. Um, and then we'll also be lookin' at, uh, kiosk upgrades and, uh, crossing of Clinton Street, um, of College Street at Clinton, uh, will also be upgraded or ... or fixed, uh, similar to what we have, uh, done at Washington and Clinton. Botchway/ Hey, Ron, before you move forward. What is the impact, um, particularly of businesses along, I mean, we had the same .... we had the same conversation around Washington Street. Um, have we had those discussions yet? Will those discussions be in the future, because I mean .... while, you know, I really appreciate the Washington Street project, it was really difficult to get around. Um, I think that led to some of the things that we heard about at the City Council level. I'm thinking about the businesses that are impacted there. Um, partially I'm thinking about the yogurt stand that's right there but there's other businesses that other people go to (laughter) and so, um, what are your, I This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 19 Budget Work Session mean, are we contemplating that? Is that just gonna be one entire reconstruction or is it going to be phased in any particular way? Knoche/ I ... I imagine that we will do it the same way we did Washington Street. We're just in the beginning process of...of kind of getting at that design. Uh, but we will definitely have outreach with business owners in the ... in those areas. Um .... we'll definitely have to have a phase project. It won't be a situation where we'll just be able to close the whole block and ... and be able to move forward. So we'll have to phase it. Dickens/ There is a meeting Thursday, I believe, two different meetings at 9:30 and .... 2:30? At the Library.... discussing the upcoming.... construction .... so...... Seydell-Johnson/ Creekside Park redevelopment, uh, we actually kicked this project off for design this morning. Um, we're looking at a park that has gotten a number of extra, um, parcels of land due to flood buyouts, so we'll be looking at options, um, for what could be done with the extra land and .... and reworking the older shelter and playground. Uh, look to have neighborhood meetings probably end of March, we talked about this morning. Cardigan Park development, this is one of the newer parks, uh, far off.. far on the east side, on Court Street, um, almost to Taft and the gravel road on the east side of town. Um .... small park in the middle of a number of condo units. We are looking at, uh, paths and a small playground, shelter. We .... looks like we'll actually put the playground in this summer, using some of the open space, um, neighborhood open space funds that are available for that district. Uh, with the rest of the park development in 2018. Throgmorton/ One of my sons used to live in one of the townhouses, uh, adjacent to that, uh... um, forthcoming park, and when I would visit him I kept thinking, `Wow, this will be a terrific park if it's developed well,' and really enhance that cluster of houses, uh, that's bounded. So I'm really looking forward to seeing this park being put in place. Thomas/ Yeah, I would say (clears throat) from what I've seen over the last several years, this is one of the better site plans, um, that .... that's been developed. It has very good circulation, um, it has numerous gathering spaces at all different scales. You know, the center green and then the smaller areas. Um .... I would say the one thing that puzzled me when I looked at this plan were the parking bays. Seydell-Johnson/ They're already there! (laughs) Thomas/ And they're already there (laughter) and I .... I kind of (both talking) Seydell-Johnson/ ...all three types of parking (both talking) Thomas/ What was ... I .... I have no idea what the point of (both talking) Seydell-Johnson/ ....three different types on three different sides (laughter) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 20 Budget Work Session Thomas/ We're trying to promote walkability. And yet we've cut out parkland, basically, to ... provide parking, when I would assume the street parking would have been more than adequate to have served both the housing and the park, but it's there so .... but I ... I do think the plan is, um, is really coming together well. Throgmorton/ It's a thing, John. Thomas/ Hmmm? Throgmorton/ It's a thing. This is a phrase I'm hearing over and over (laughter) It's a thing! (laughter) Seydell-Johnson/ Robert A. Lee ADA improvements, um, same thing we talked about on the other Rec Center too. There's a number of improvements just to make it more accessible, uh, a lift to the swimming pool. These are the two restrooms I talked about, uh, we look to make those two unisex restrooms, urn .... that are more serviceable than what you find there right now. Botchway/ What about the elevator? Or there's somethin' there that's .... somethin'. I can't remember what it is right now, but there's somethin' with the .... it's either the elevator or the turn to get into the elevator or something in that central area, right before the steps. Maybe I'll have to check it out today. Seydell-Johnson/ There's a .... there's an extra set of doors there, urn .... might be upstairs you're thinking, the elevator kind of comes into an alcove upstairs? Botchway/ Maybe that's it. Seydell-Johnson/ This won't address that. That would be very expensive to .... to change that. Mercer Park Aquatic Center pool improvements, competition pool used by City High School, uh, this would look in the future to replacing things like the bulk head of the dive blocks, um, the chair, those kind .... the tile work around the outside of the pool. It's just aging. In order for it to remain relevant for competitions we'll need to continue to upgrade it occasionally. Mercer Park ball diamond #4, this is in one of the further out years. Um, not sure why but this, uh, ball field was configured the opposite of the other ones at Mercer Park, so we get complaints about the sunlight at certain times and, um, it's just not used as much. So the idea is to flip it around, um, and make it so it fits in with the rest of the .... the ball fields at the site. West side park development, this is a placeholder, um, for ... as we finish our Park Master Plan we know that there's growth on the west side. Uh, we have some parcels of land that are undeveloped out there. This would look at, um, what kind of services and facilities are needed and ... and allow us to do some more park development in that area. And the cemetery shop roof replacement, just simply so it doesn't leak! (laughter) Terry Trueblood, uh, unfortunately I did not have a picture of the parking lot. We have pictures of everything else fun going on out there, and that's great. The bad part is when you go out to have fun and you can't find a parking space during the summer months especially. Uh, it would be a further addition This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 21 Budget Work Session of parking areas. This could change depending on what happens with the Public Works site (both talking) Cole/ How many spaces are you talkin' about adding? Seydell-Johnson/ Um... Thomas/ Says a hundred in the report. Seydell-Johnson/ I believe a hundred. In the mornings when we ... for instance when there's a 5k event out there and something else, parking is just really difficult, so.... Cole/ Okay. Seydell-Johnson/ Yeah. Fruin/ Juli, that was contemplated in the Master Plan, the expansion of parking? Seydell-Johnson/ It was. Yeah. Thomas/ Is there any possibility....I.....I don't know what the typical level of parking is in that park, but it could... could it be done as overflow parking, meaning, you know, maybe not paved to the full extent? Seydell-Johnson /We would certainly look at that, and as I was just about to say, we're also looking at possibilities with the new Public .... as the new Public Works facility happens across the street are there ways that we can cross park over there. Cole/ How many acres will that be? How many acres of the parking expansion (both talking) Seydell-Johnson/ Not much. I don't have an exact number, but it would add on to the parking lots as you see them now. So I think essentially if you go out there on a really busy summer day, it would be all the areas where people are parking on the grass (laughs) right now. Throgmorton/ Well it ... it's kinda like I guess John was thinking, I ... I was ... I was thinking about the, uh.... uh, the parking that's available just across the, uh, just across Mor... what's it called? Um .... (several responding) McCollister, thank you. Uh, and .... about how it would be better to be able to use that instead of building more parking space directly on the park site, if possible, and I don't want to push it too hard, but, uh, I think that'd be a... Seydell-Johnson/ Yeah, and we would certainly look (both talking) Throgmorton/ ...more efficient way to do things, if we can do it. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 22 Budget Work Session Thomas/ I ... I ran across a concept that I'm .... I'm hoping can help inform us on .... on all these issues, as .... as they relate to budget. And it would be, uh, the minimum viable project, you know, that we really look at .... at, very critically at our capital improvement projects to make sure ... uh.... we don't, you know, gild the lily (laughs) We don't ... we basically do what's essential to meeting whatever programmatic needs we've identified. Uh, and... because...the reason is simple, we ... we have more capital need than we have funds to cover. So .... I .... I feel we really need to be consistent on that because .... um, we just don't have enough money! (laughs) So I .... I think we need to be as cost-effective as possible, uh, with whatever we do. And this kind of triggers that in my mind as .... do ... do we really need to pave more parkland, if in fact there are other ways we can solve that. Botchway/ So is there going to be an asterisk by this? Seydell-Johnson/ It sounds like it! (laughter) Botchway/ (several talking) ...I want it to be highlighted, especially if we're havin' the conversation. I know that y'all will be thinking about it, but we may not as we're having the conversation around the Public Works. Fruin/ Yeah, it's.....you know, this is programmed to be in year 2021. Botchway/ Right! Fruin/ So you're gonna have several more bites at the apple, so to speak. And .... and as .... as Juli alluded to, you know, hopefully the Public Works phase one goes well before this, and during that design phase, we'll look at overflow parking opportunities, uh, down there, and then we'll have three or four, you know, more years of experience there. I think the big problem is, it's become a real hot spot for these charity walks and rums, um, and you combine one of those with a wedding or another special event, and you get people parking in the grass and then Juli's got her maintenance staff out there for the next week, uh, trying to repair the ... the turf out there that's been torn up. So ... um ... it ....yeah, it's not gonna happen next year. So, there'll be plenty more time to discuss it. Seydell-Johnson/ Next project, Fair Meadows playground and shelter. Um ... this park close to Grant Wood Elementary. So Grant Wood has a fairly new playground. What we're asking here is to replace the aging playground with the area specifically targeted to younger children to pre-school age. We have a number of in-home daycares nearby that use this park, um, and replace the shelter at this park. Throgmorton/ Good. Seydell-Johnson/ Uh, Wetherby bathroom and shelter upgrades. Um, as you know we have the sport court, new sport court coming in soon with some CDBG and Wellmark funds. Um, this would look to upgrade or replace the shelter and the playground that are there. They're aging and a few years from now it'll be time to replace those. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 23 Budget Work session Thomas/ When was that shelter .... how old is that shelter? Do you know? Fruin/ I don't recall. Seydell-Johnson/ Yeah, the ... the mural is fairly new, uh, it's within the last probably five years, I think. But the shelter itself I think is quite a bit older. Shelter and restrooms there. Dickens/ Wetherby's only about 10 or 15 years old, I think, so.....(several talking) Maybe 15 at the max. Fruin/ We ... we can ... we can find that out and report that back to ya. Yeah. Seydell-Johnson/ Uh, and then Chaddick Green Park upgrade. We're looking at some upgrades to this park, uh, to help with the garden area. Um, so it'd be the first kind of park development that we've done around the actual garden. It's a very popular garden area and this would likely provide a restroom, small shelter, um, with some outdoor washing stations or some different things for .... people using the community gardens there to have available. Throgmorton/ Excellent! Thank you, Juli! Police Department: Morris/ So basically the only CIP project that the Police are asking for is carpet and cabinet replacement. And right now they have rolled carpet, uh, on the first and second floors, and they're looking at putting in carpet squares, similar to what we have in this space here. The cabinets are, um, well, you can see some of `em are, um, damaged, but also what you can't see on the other side of the report writing room is that the cabinets used to house, um, VHS, um, tapes which they no longer use, and so there's a lot of, um, reworking to, um, work with current operations. Anything else? Throgmorton/ That was easy! Yeah, I hope you like your new job, Kumi! Morris/ I'm getting there! (laughter) Knoche/ We're about half way through the presentation. I don't know if people want to take a break, um, or if want to .... forge on. So.... Botchway/ Power through! Knoche/ All right! Throgmorton/ Before you start, I want to ask if it would be all right for me to eat my lunch. (several responding) I brought it with me. Would anybody take offense? (several talking) Well, I've got some chips (several talking) somebody mentioned an apple. I got one of those. (several talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 24 Budget Work session Dickens/ Just don't crunch too loud! (laughs) Throgmorton/ Great! Thanks! Public Works: Knoche/ All right, so ... next section's the Public Works' projects. Uh, page 549 in the budget book. Havel/ All right, on to the fun stuff! (laughter) Uh, kickin' things off here, um, the Normandy Drive storm sewer replacement project. This one we'll look at doing a couple things. Uh, first will be making some repairs to existing storm sewer, uh, in this area. The second thing will be to modify the existing structure and make some improvements there that will allow for, um .... easier and more efficient pumping when it's required. Uh, during flood events this is the location where we are ... often, uh, install pumps to, um, address issues in the area, and so this would make it sort of a .... a way to reuse existing pumps in a more efficient manner. The Stevens Drive storm sewer improvements. This is a similar project. Um, again this is, uh.... I guess more or less the same thing only in a different location. Uh, again you're looking at making some repairs to the existing storm sewer in the area and ... and then making it so that we can again use those existing pumps, um, during flood events. The annual storm water improvements project. This is, uh, $240,000 annually, and what it looks to do is basically make repairs, improvements, um, for the existing storm water system. Um, it could be anything from replacing or repairing intakes. Um, repairs to storm sewer. Drainage ways, that kind of stuff, um, and again, locations, projects, that kind of stuff varies year to year. A lot of it just depends on, uh, issues that come up and needs that are .... are there for those facilities. Cole/ Relating to storm water, um, are we gonna be having any, uh, bioswell type projects at all in ... in the foreseeable future? I'm thinking of for example in front of Hancher, uh, I love what they've done in terms of sort of the natural storm water management. Is that something that we see ourselves adopting, uh, in the future? Havel/ I don't think at this time we have any that are in the I guess final design stage, but it's something that we've been working with consultants to look at — are there locations where they make sense? Are there locations where, um, it's something that we can fit into the project and .... and be able to maintain. Cole/ Okay. Havel/ Uh, the Lower Muscatine area storm sewer improvements. Uh, a few years ago we reconstructed Lower Muscatine Road, and as part of that project, we addressed the intakes and storm sewer capacity for Lower Muscatine Road. Um, unfortunately the surrounding neighborhood has very little to none, um, as far as storm sewer, and so what happens during heavier rain events is that water comes rushing down those side streets onto Lower Muscatine and floods Lower Muscatine, um, and ... and the issue really has to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 25 Budget Work Session do with intakes and getting that water into the storm sewer. They're just not able to keep up and so the storm sewer may have capacity, but we just can't get the water into it fast enough. So what this looks to do is really kind of go a block or so, um, on some of these side streets into the neighborhood and install intakes to help, uh, catch that water before it gets to Lower Muscatine where it causes that flooding. Botchway/ How'd you take the picture? Havel/ What's that? Botchway/ How'd you take the picture? Havel/ Uh, I was in a car. It's .... that one's actually at Sycamore Street and, um .... Deforest. So it ... that water gets goin' pretty good during the heavier rain events. Thomas/ There's... there's one .... there's one, um, it's not as nearly as extreme as what ... what seems to be happening on Lower Muscatine, but at Gilbert and Market, over near where I live, that, um .... in a heavy rain tends to flood. I don't know if you're familiar with the conditions there, but it...it seems, Jim, do you know what I'm talking about? Knoche/ And that is ... when we get into the older areas of town where we were using a different design standard, it's not uncommon to have those situations come up, you know, where we do have the over land, uh, flow going versus being able to get into a pipe and goin' underground, so ... um, you know, those are ... as we .... as we look at the overall, urn ... uh, sub -basins in our .... in our community, um, we'll be lookin' at makin' improvements in those areas also. Thomas/ Yeah, that's a busy... fairly busy intersection, so things can .... break down. Knoche/ Definitely. Yep! Uh, the next project is the Public Works, uh, facility. Um, you know, we appreciate you all comin' out and ... and doin' a .... doin' the tour and visiting things. Um, this project is .... is in the budget books as a $12 million project. Uh, multiple funding sources, uh, to ... to try to pull this thing together and .... and really, urn .... you know, we ... as we, um, wor.... work our way through the ... the concepting of this project in the first phase, uh, which will be the Streets building, uh, bringing water distribution down, urn .... and then Traffic Engineering, we'll .... we'll be lookin' at, you know, can... can we do this project at less than $12 million, obviously. Um, we are looking at, uh, 1.1 million out of the equipment fund, uh, we have a $2.5 million general fund, uh, investment, um, the .... project that, uh, Chief Grier talked about earlier is shown as a $1.4 million investment in ... in the site, and then, uh, we're looking at a loan from the Landfill for $2.5 million. So, um, you know, it's just showing that we have multiple projects that we're trying to bring through, and, um, the outlier that is the sale of the land that we'll be vacating and we show that as a million dollars. We think that's a good estimate, but, uh, we won't know until we .... we put it on the market. So, um ... you know, this .... this project, uh, will be, um, pulling together, uh, those areas, also looking at, um, the fire training tower, um, and then also, um, Parks, um, storage for some other, uh, departments This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 26 Budget Work session also. Uh, Parks is lookin' at trying to find a place to store some materials. Um ... it's, uh, it'll be a challenge, uh, challenging project as far as funding goes, but, uh... uh, we're excited to .... to be able to move into a phase one of our Public Works facility. Dickens/ When would that property be sold, cause you're still gonna have Transit located on there, aren't you? Knoche/ Right, so ... what we'd be looking at is .... the ... so we would be able to vacate basically the corner property. So, you know, we would move, uh, the .... (both talking) right, and that... exactly, and so ... uh.... any equipment would actually be on that site also. So our fleet maintenance building would still be there. Um, so everything to the east of that building would stay in place. Um, but we would, uh, have the, uh, refuse operations moved to the existing water distribution building, and... and that would be able... allow us to vacate that corner. Dickens/ Thanks! Havel/ All right, so moving on to the Riverside Drive area, uh, and the next three projects will actually be, um, kind of combined to a single project, but they're, uh, three separate projects in the CIP. The first one being the Riverside Drive pedestrian tunnel, and this would look to install a new pedestrian tunnel, uh, under the Iowa Interstate Railroad on the west side of Riverside Drive. Um, south of Myrtle and north of Benton, and what this would do is it would look to create a .... a pedestrian corridor on the west side, uh, especially with the new Kum n' Go, the new, uh, apartment building there, and, uh, potential redevelopment on the ... there at the Myrtle intersection, um, this would certainly be a .... a welcome addition for pedestrians in this area. The next project is the Riverside Drive streetscape improvements. Um, this ... we completed our .... our master plan recently for the....the Riverside Drive corridor and the streetscape improvements. This project would include a .... a couple different phases of that, uh, the first one being .... the section again on the west side of Riverside Drive, um, as well as the north side of Benton Street. So that would be the areas there on both sides of the Kum n' Go. Um, as well as in front of the apartment building and then would also extend up to the Myrtle Avenue intersection, urn .... as .... as well as potentially some stuff on the east side that would provide connection to the Iowa River Trail, um, so all that would be included kind of in that first phase. The ... the next phase would be in 2018 and it would really focus at the Benton Street and Riverside Drive intersection. Uh, the reason for that is, uh, it'll be coming up here shortly, but the DOT is looking at doing an overlay project, so we're havin' a .... we'll be doin' a joint project With them, um, and so .... with that they take a look at those curb ramps, it just makes sense to do that at the same time. Cole/ What kind of overlay project will they be doing? Havel/ So the overlay project will be going from essentially Rocky Shore down to Sturgis Corner. Um, and they'll be doing an asphalt overlay, uh, and as part of that they look at curb ramps, uh.... for ADA requirements, that kind of stuff. Um .... so, that'll, like I said, it'll be comin' up a little bit later as well. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 27 Budget Work Session Mims/ Ja... oh! Go ahead, Pauline! Taylor/ I'm curious about the signalization at Myrtle Avenue. What ... type of signalization are you (both talking) Havel/ Perfect! Taylor/ (both talking) The what? Havel/ Said perfect segue! That's the next project so... Taylor/ Oh, okay. Oh, sorry! (several talking) Mims/ I ... just quick question on the tunnel. How far back from the street do you antici... I know the design work isn't necessarily done yet, but.... ballpark of how far back that's gonna be from the actual street? Havel/ I would say we're probably lookin' at ... 20 -feet, maybe, from the street. In that neighborhood. Mims/ Okay. Havel/ It's set back from the normal sidewalk location some, um.... Mims/ So basically have a jog in the sidewalk to get through the tunnel (both talking) Havel/ Correct. Yep. Mims/ Okay! Thank you! Havel/ So the next ... uh, project here is the Myrtle/Riverside intersection, uh, signalization project, and what this would look at, um, you know, originally we had sort of envisioned a hawk signal at this ... this intersection, which would really focus, um, for pedestrians. Um, in kind of looking at traffic volumes and ... and safety aspects and how this would operate, I ... I think we're looking now at potentially full signalization. So kind of a standard traffic signal. Um, I don't think that that's necessarily set in stone at this point. That's, um, I think ... we're heading to design, so that would be something that we would look at, um, as part of that design. The intersection project will include, uh, like I mentioned, signalization. It'll also include some pedestrian, or some streetscape elements, um, and again, this would look at, um, potentially use of some plantings, uh, street trees in the area. There ... there is also potential maybe for some pavers for ... near the pedestrian ramp, uh, areas, but all that's, uh... yet to be designed. So we'll work through that during the .... the design process. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 28 Budget Work Session Botchway/ So what was the rationale between this particular intersection getting signalized, because to me it seems like it's very .... it's close, so as soon as I leave from the, um .... uh (several talking) Benton, thank you, Street intersection, I'm literally stopping at the next intersection and there's another one maybe another 30 seconds down the road. And I'm tryin' to figure out also what are you walking to on the other side? Havel/ Really I think it has to do with pedestrians is really where the signalization comes from. Um, as far as .... you know, I think ... as part of the master plan, that was one of the big findings of that ... that study was that there is a need for a .... a crossing here, a safe crossing for pedestrians, um .... I think a part of it just has to do with the nature of. ... of people, and you know, it .... you may be able to go to Benton, but it's not the shortest path, and so you probably won't. Um.....maybe not you personally, but people in general. Mims/ Also going north from Myrtle, there is a sidewalk on the east side, isn't there? (several responding) Right. And there's none on the west. That's University property, so there's probably never going to be one on the west. So I think it's important to have a crossing at Myrtle so that people who live up the hill in those apartments, if you've got students who are, you know, headed downtown campus and aren't gonna cut through the parking lots to get to the buses over by the Law building, they can get down there and across the street and in summertime, you know, you've got (both talking) Botchway/ ...sidewalk on that other side? (several responding) Mims/ No, not on the west side! Not going north. Fruin/ This project ... I think is really anticipating a .... a change in ... in use along, um, along this corridor too, and we saw the ... the, um, Kevin Hanick project bring a lot more residential. You guys approved a Comprehensive, uh, Plan change anticipating some... some denser residential development, um, just west of the ... the Kum n' Go property, um, this Kum n' Go property that's pictured here is vacant. It's likely that you'll see a ... a request some time down the road for, uh, a project that includes, um, residential units on there, and of course the heavy pedestrian traffic flow with all these new units is gonna be to the campus and so it's how ... how to get people across and .... you could hope that people cross at Benton, but again with campus up there, the Library, the Wellness Center, they're not gonna go Benton, over to Clinton and up. They're gonna... they're gonna want to shoot through this area and there's just not good, safe pedestrian crossings on this corridor. Botchway/ Is that University property that's on that side? Mims/ On the west side, yes (several talking) Cole/ And this road would be a bad candidate for a road diet because of the traffic volumes, so it's really the only way to get them safely across. Yeah. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 29 Budget Work session Taylor/ It just seems like it's more kind of an anticipatory plan, like anticipating the increased pedestrian traffic, cause at this point now ... I drive that road quite a bit and it doesn't seem like there are many people at that intersection waiting to pull out into it or to walk or to bike across. So... Throgmorton/ Yeah. The street ... the street's gonna be changing, yeah (several talking) Taylor/ So it's anticipating (both talking) Throgmorton/ So I know it's ... it's a real bear to try to cross that ... try to cross Riverside on a bike from the bike trail. Then go up the hill. You know, toward Mennonite Church or something like that. Or to try to do it on foot. Fruin/ And, Jason, maybe you can explain what a hawk signal is and .... and .... and I know you think that we may be movin' off of that, but that's some of the consideration that'll go into the, uh, design work that's bein' done. Havel/ Yeah and .... I think really what a hawk signal is is it's more on a pedestrian scale. Uh, you see `em a lot of times at mid -block crossings and what it does is it's essentially kind of a flashing signal that alerts drivers to stop so that pedestrians can cross. Um, you don't see `em quite as much at intersections where... which is why I think we were.... heading the direction potentially of, uh, of full signal. Um, maybe you have... anything to add? Ralston/ Yeah, no that's all accurate. I just want to throw in one more thing is that, um, rather than be anticipatory, this signal actually is warranted now regardless of pedestrians, because there's actually a relatively large number of collisions at the intersection. As traffic increases in the corridor, like Geoff mentioned because of development that has and will be likely approved, um, it's only become more warranted. So I think regardless of the pedestrian issue, which is the most important issue now, this signal's probably going to be necessary in the very near future. It's already warranted (both talking) Throgmorton/ You're using that word `warranted' in a pretty precise, technical way, right, having to do with DOT standards? Ralston/ Yeah, we actually... we've actually gone through and done the study and both the hawks signal and the full traffic signal are warranted today. So like Jason said, it makes sense to probably go down the path of full signalization, rather than throw money at a hawk signal, come back later and find out we needed the full signal. Um, something else to mention too is, uh, a hawk signal's relatively expensive. Uh, in the neighborhood of 80 to $100,000. A full signal may only be $200,000. So it sort of makes sense, um, you know, if we think we're gonna need it to go ahead and ... and kind of do the full ... the full design. Mims/ Is it possible with that full signalization to have it designed such that it stays green on Riverside Drive all the time unless traffic coming down Myrtle triggers it? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 30 Budget Work Session Havel/ As part of our signals, we have detection, and so there would be ways to set up the timing such that if. ... if that's what we wanted to do then we could do that. Mims/ Okay. Thank you. Thomas/ Is there (several talking in background) a hawk signal in, um, East Village in Des Moines? I was there not too long ago and I ... I believe I saw one. I don't know if... Ralston/ Yeah, I'm not real familiar with Des Moines but I know there's some, uh, several in Des Moines. They have six or seven of `em now, um, and I believe Cedar Rapids has a few. Uh, but again, those are mostly at locations, uh, where they're not a full intersection. You know, it might be mid -block, and that's usually a better location for a hawk signal. Botchway/ And ... and Susan really answered I guess my, I wouldn't say complaint, but ... my issue with it, again safety being a part of it. Not trying to say I'm the unsafe person (laughter) but my issue is that (several talking and laughing) anyways, hope that's not on record! But, um, you know, on Highway 1, I hear multiple complaints about that signalization, and this one's... vastly closer. I mean it's literally, I mean, I could run that! I mean in literally 30 seconds, and so I feel like that's problematic. If it's .... (laughter) work with me, Susan! (laughs) I said 30 seconds. 45, maybe to a minute and a half, but anyways the point is is that I just don't .... I just don't want that to be another issue or complaint if we are (mumbled) we can make some of those changes. Mims/ Yeah. Yeah, if it's just triggered by traffic coming down Myrtle, then that .... right, that'd be good. Havel/ All right, the next one, the west riverbank stabilization and trail project, um, this one has money in ... in, um, 2017 and 2019. Uh, 2017, what this would really look to do is help address, um, a .... a lot of erosion, some real severe erosion that's starting to occur, uh, just north of Highway 6, and so what that money would do is to kind of address those immediate needs. Uh, there's been some concern I know from the property owners, especially with that building there near the river, um, they have some concerns about the ongoing erosion, um, and so that would look to address that. The money available in 2019 would look to install a trail in this, uh, stretch between Benton Street and Highway 6, um, it would also look to kind of expand that bank stabilization, again, looking to make sure that we, um, aren't losing any more riverbank, um, there will be some areas that would likely have to filled in somewhat, again, just to kind of reclaim some of that area, um, but that would then look to put a trail on top of that, which could then be extended to the south, uh, in the future. The Iowa City gateway project, I won't spend too much time on this. I think everyone's been, uh, involved with this for quite a while now. Um, construction is ongoing. Uh, it began here in, I guess last year now, in 2016. Um, we're on schedule to complete the project in 2018. Uh, just kind of a high level ... you know, the ... a lot of the, or the goals of the project really were elevate Dubuque Street, uh, new Park Road bridge, uh, new trunk sewer, uh, along this corridor, along with some other improvements but ... uh, that one is ongoing. The annual traffic signal projects, this one is $150,000 annually and it looks to repair, uh, replace, or install new traffic signals. Um, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 31 Budget Work Session it's kind of, uh, as needed, so it could be any number of things, whether it's an existing signal that needs some work or, um, locations where we .... we feel a new traffic signal is needed. Um, I guess just kind of a .... as an estimate, that $150,000 is probably good for one .... one traffic signal. Botchway/ Uh, talking.... speaking about, you know, kind of, um, walkability, and um, just overall accessibility, have we looked at expanding the options for, um .... uh, for ADA compliance, and so I ... I don't remember if it was the presentation we had here or a presentation I've had somewhere else, where it talked about, um, for individuals, uh, that are legally blind, um, being able to, you know, have beeps or, um, I know that we have some of that, um .... I wouldn't say permeated but, kind of the dotted pavement to allow for individuals to know when they're coming up to an intersection, but there are some other things more, um, advanced, for lack of a better word, that were incorporated or discussed, and I can't remember where that was. Is ... is that a part of any type of enhancement that we'll be doing? I think... again, and .... and it depends on the area too, I mean.... Havel/ And I think those are discussions that are ongoing, you know, I .... I think you're alluding to the, uh, truncated domes, which are required at all pedestrian crossings, street crossings, so those are going in at all new locations. Um, the... audible pedestrian signals, those... there's kind of an ongoing discussion on whether those should be included. Currently they're not required, um, there's some discussion that they may be in the future. Um, so we're kinda working through that, ub, the .... where we're at right now is that we're .... we're setting up our signals so those could be changed out if that's what we want to do, um, in locations where there are high pedestrian counts, such as downtown, those kind of areas, we're going ahead and installing those. Um, they don't come without a cost. Um, they are pretty pricey. I think they're in the neighborhood of about $10,000 an intersection to install those. So I .... there's certainly a cost there. Um, and .... and it's kind of weighing those factors, um, you know, if you get into situations where you put `em in residential areas, you're often .... can expect some complaints, uh, again because they're always going. So, uh, there's a number of factors we consider, but they are, um... there is an ongoing discussion on including those. Fruin/ Your work session, uh, at your next meeting you're going to talk about the Dubuque and Linn Street intersections with Washington and, um, one of the, um, decision making criteria we looked at was the .... the audible notifications at those, and that helped lead us to our decision to replace those signals. Um, and .... and you're gonna take that up, but in those areas where there's high pedestrian, um .... uh, movements, um, I think our intention is to look at those audible, um, notification systems at those intersections. Havel/ Uh, the traffic calming project, this one is ... looks at installing traffic calming elements, um, again, that's kind of at the end of that neighborhood process of selecting locations and .... the actual improvements that are to be installed. Um, this ... these are locations throughout the city, and again depending on neighborhood interest and... and where those, uh, show up at. Um, this does include, um, $25,000 in 2017, and then drops down to $15,000 annually, um, that has to do with sort of what ... what we spend on traffic calming, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 32 Budget Work Session um, and so there's currently a balance in that project, and so there's the ability to cut back until we ... get to a point where we're needing more funding. Um, one thing I wanted to note is there has been interest in a ... a northside traffic calming project. Um, there is sufficient balance in the ... in that project to do that type of project. So I think that there's money for that that wouldn't necessarily be part of that annual allotment. Um, for .... for this project. Fruin/ Jump in on that one real quick, um, part of the other rationale for lowering the traffic calming annual funding to 15,000, um, one, we were doing all that we could with the road use tax dollars to shift more to the resurfacing program, and so you'll see a couple of these annual line items go down a little bit. You'll see the resurfacing line, uh, go up, and also based on your conversations about traffic calming several months ago, um, we are going to put a much heavier emphasis on the lower cost solutions, which is the striping, the street tree planting, as .... as opposed to the speed humps, which tend to be more expensive. So we felt comfortable dialing back this budget a little bit. Cole/ I guess I'd just like to highlight one thing. I look at that speed bump where that gray sedan is, or that mini -van is and this conversation we've had with Jeff Speck about the roads being too wide, um ... you know, so I think we have the roads being too wide, cars go too fast, and then we have additional costs to get the bumps in to slow the traffic down. Um, that would be somethin' in the future that ... I really want to look at the standards we're usin' in terms of how wide we're making these roads. Of course it would be pursuant to the, you know, the national standards, but there are different ... I think NACTO is one that we've talked about. But I think this illustrates it .... pretty well. Thomas/ Another.... another comment I would make, since we are kind of overarching, you know, what we're talking about is revenues and expenditures. My .... my hope on the northside traffic calming is if we ... and we'll be looking at street parking as a part of the, um, form -based code up there, is that if we do .... uh.... if we were to develop a parking benefit district — in other words, you know, permit parking in the northside, uh, but attach a fee to it, most of the parking on the street is residents from outside the neighborhood commuting in, parking for free, and then taking Cambus or walking downtown. If we can ... uh, implement a parking benefit district and keep the funds, minus whatever costs are involved in..uh, managing the program, uh, that could provide a funding source for traffic calming as well as any other, uh, public benefits that could... follow, um, but ... but the....the benefit of that, of course, is we .... we're creating a revenue stream apart from the general fund. Uh, it's not something that we would draw down from. It's something generated within.... within the neighborhood itself. So that ... that's something I'm hoping we can explore.....uh, as we move forward with that study. Throgmorton/ Well I would definitely agree, uh, it's something we should explore. Havel/ The next project is overwidth paving and sidewalks, and this is an account that, um, for those locations for new streets or new sidewalks where, um, with overwidth paving or if we are, um, asking for wider sidewalk in those locations, the City typically pays the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 33 Budget Work session difference between kind of the standard and ... and the wider width. Um, so this is funding for those locations. Cole/ The wider width sidewalks, are those able to ... can you bike on those? Or not? On the wider width sidewalks? Is that (both talking) Havel/ Believe you're allowed to. Cole/ You're allowed to. Havel/ Yes. Cole/ Okay. Havel/ The curb ramp, ADA, uh, project, um, this looks to replace or install, uh, curb ramps in locations throughout the city. Um, typically what we focus on, uh.... primarily are those locations where there are no curb ramps, where there's a need for connectivity or sidewalk connections and there aren't existing ramps, uh, we do also look at locations where, um, there are ramps but they're.... they currently don't meet current ADA guidelines. So those may be locations where there aren't truncated domes or there's a ramp but it's really steep and hard to navigate, so those types of locations are what we would be looking at. Um, you can see here, this is a, sort of a screen shot of our GI ... GIS database that shows, uh, curb ramp locations, um, curb ... the green ones are those that curr... meet current ADA guidelines, um, the red ones don't. That's not to say that there's not a ramp or that it's not usable, but it doesn't meet some aspect of that ... of those guidelines. So it could be a ramp, for example, that, um, is perfectly usable but doesn't have the truncated domes and then that would be one that would be .... marked for, I guess, future replacement at some point. Mims/ Jason, are these funds, are the funds pulled out of this? Are the dollars pulled out of this project, or this fund, when we're doing, um, street reconstruction, or does ... and we're doing this, the ramps then, or does that come out of the dollars for that street project? Havel/ Typically those come out of the dollars for that street project. Mims/ Okay. So this would be in addition to (both talking) Havel/ ...in addition to.... Mims/ ....anything that we're doing with construction or reconstruction. Havel/ Correct! Mims/ Okay. Thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 34 Budget Work Session Havel/ Uh, brick street repairs. This is, uh.... approximately $20,000 annually. Um, and what this is for is, again, repairs to brick.... existing brick streets. Um, with the dollar amounts that are in there annually, those .... these really are focused on small, urn ... sort of point repairs. You're not going to be able to replace, you know, blocks of ...of brick streets with this money. So it's really focused on those small repairs that are, uh, in immediate need. The annual pavement rehabilitation project, um, this has approximately $1.5 million in 2017. Um, and you can see that it...it increases about $100,000 each year after that. Um, this focuses on a ... on a .... couple different, uh, methods, I guess, for pavement rehabilitation. Uh, the biggest one being asphalt overlay, so that's kinda the ... the big tic ... big ticket item typically for, um, the rehabilitation project. It will also include, um, concrete patching, new curb and gutter replacement, um, crack sealing, chip seal, um, those kinds of things. The projects that occur... during the year will vary. Uh, we try and ... and include different types of projects and also to spread those out throughout the city. Um, so that we're hitting different areas and we're not focusing solely on one part of...of town. Uh, one thing I wanted to mention is it also includes curb ramps. Uh, you can see a picture here of curb ramp replacement, and so those areas where we go through and overlay through the crosswalks. We take a look at the curb ramps and replace those, um, if needed. Thomas/ Jason, wha.... what is the standard for the truncated domes? Is that a State standard? Havel/Uh, well it...it comes from the federal level and it works its way down through the State. So the State DOT kinda has their guidelines for, um, what's required, but it's based off of federal requirements. Underground electrical facilities. This is a project that... really it's a fund for ... um, looking at relocating overhead electrical facilities underground. Um, typically these are in areas where there's other projects that are going on, whether it's private development or public projects, um, where utilities would need to relocate and typically what we're required to do, or what we end up doing is paying for the difference between what it would cost `em to relocate it, aerial in another location, and to ... to relocate it underground. Uh, I guess I wanted to note real quick too the, uh, some previous examples of that were, uh, Lower Muscatine Road, First Avenue, and currently on Dubuque Street, um, are some locations that have been done or in the process of being done, um, and we're looking at the Riverfront Crossings Park and Gril ... Gilbert Street corridors as upcoming ones. Throgmorton/ Jason, I'd just like to mention that, uh, yesterday I guess, uh, I ... drove again, uh, on the First Avenue overpass, underpass, whatever it's actually called, and I just want to praise the staff and the contractor for the job they did. It ... it really seems to be a ... to have turned out really well, and I know there's a little landscaping that has to be done yet, but ... so .... just want to convey that (several talking) Dickens/ ...minimal effect on the businesses. I've talked to quite a few businesses that said that it, you know, usually with a project like that, it shuts things down, but we kept that lane open pretty much, all but a week or so, and it really helped them out. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 35 Budget Work Session Botchway/ And I'll quickly say (laughter) only for this particular project, so don't quote me, that the one lane is currently working for this particular project. Only! (laughter) Havel/ Uh, the annual complete streets improvements, this is, uh, funding that's really.... kind of a holding place for projects that come up. Um, you know, this can be a ... a variety of things. It could be four -lane to three -lane conversion. It could be bike lanes. Um, just those type of complete streets projects is ... is what this funding would be for. Um, one thing that we're looking to include in this would be implementing the bike master plan. So once that's complete, this would be possibly some funding to help implement some of those .... those projects. The sidewalk in -fill program, this is, uh, a program that looks to install sidewalk in those locations that currently don't have sidewalk. Uh, what we really try to focus on are those areas where there's a gap. So it wouldn't necessarily be ... extending sidewalk from its current end just to end in another location. We're looking for those areas where we can connect to sidewalk on both ends and really create some connectivity, uh, with the program. Mims/ That one's completed. Havel/ Yeah! (laughter) Mims/ (several talking) Oh yeah, my neck of the woods! (laughter) I wouldn't of cared if they didn't do it, but.... (laughter and several talking) Havel/ The Burlington and Madison intersection improvements. So this is a project that looks at, urn.... improvements for, um .... not only vehicles but also pedestrians and bicycles, at the intersection of Burlington and Madison, as well as potentially some improvements along Burlington Street. Uh, another thing that would be looked at in, um, including this project would be some utility work, but also potentially the, um .... conver... the four -lane to three -lane conversion along Madison Street would be included with this project. Um, you know originally this project included medians on Burlington Street. I think we're... it's been long enough now that we're gonna kinda take a look at that and see if that's still something we want to do. So that may or may not change, um, but it's something that we'll .... we'll take a look at. Uh, I also wanted to mention, uh, you know, this includes about $500,000 in, uh, traffic safety money, as well as, uh, about a million dollars of STP money included in this project. Uh, one other thing I forgot to mention too, you know, kind of the .... seemed to be kind of the sister project of this one was the Burlington and Clinton intersection project. That one is scheduled ... or is currently frnishin' up design and should be construction, uh, this year as well. The annual railroad crossings, uh, this is kind of a holding, uh, fund for those locations where we need to make, uh, improvements to railroad crossings. Uh, typically the City's on the hook to make those repairs when it comes to, um, pavement and, uh.... so th... that's kinda as needed and just, uh, again as ... issues arise. American Legion Road, um, so this is the... reconstruction of American Legion Road from Scott Boulevard to Taft Avenue. Um, and it looks to improve it from the current rural cross-section and upgrading it to a ... an urban cross- section, so that would be adding curb and gutter, as .... as well as storm sewer. Um, in addition to that, we'd look at adding bike lanes and sidewalks along this corridor. Uh, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 36 Budget Work Session you can see here the current design looks at a roundabout at American Legion Road and Scott Boulevard. Um, so ... that would be included with this project. Um, and this project also includes about 2.2 million of STP funding. Cole/ What does the STP stand for again? Havel/ Surface Transportation Program. Cole/ Okay. Dickens/ And where does the contributions and donations, is that from developers in that area or ... is that a... Havel/ I believe that's from the School District. Dickens/ School District! Knoche/ And ... and there's also as development occurs, there is a impact fee that goes along with that. So there is some money there from developments that have occurred in that .... in that corridor. Havel/ The annual bridge maintenance and repair, um, this is a ... a fund that looks to fund a couple different things. One is every other year we have a study done of existing bridges, takes a look at conditions and, um, any need for repairs. Uh, and then would also fund those repairs. Um, this is actually an increase from what it's been in the past, and what that really gets at is ... in the past we've had enough to kind of look and see what the issues were, but we didn't have any money to actually create those, uh, or complete those repairs. So this has been bumped up to help, uh, not only address some projects that we've been waiting to do, but also, um, have some funding for repairs as they're needed. Dickens/ Are these mainly residential bridges, like I know off of First Avenue, between Muscatine, First Avenue, and Court there's a lot of bridges that follow the creek there. Is that where a lot of this is being done, or is it all over? Havel/ The .... so we .... we currently have (mumbled) looking at doing. One would be out here on College Street bridge, um, the Iowa Avenue.... bridge over the Iowa River is one that we're looking at doing, um, the Gilbert Street bridge over the creek, um, is another one where we have repairs that are kind of, urn .... we're waiting to do those, so those'll be coming here probably the next year so, um, so it varies, and again, it just kind of depends on as they're needed they .... they.....we would go out and address those. Dickens/ Thanks! Havel/ LED street light replacement. So this ... project looks to, um, it's kind of an ongoing process of, um .... basically retrofitting existing City -owned street lights. So, um, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 37 Budge[ Work Session installing LEDs. Obviously the .... the main benefits there are reductions in energy usage, uh, and maintenance. Cole/ Former Mayor Regenia Bailey has talked a lot about street lighting. Uh, was this the type of street lighting that she was refer .... have you had any conversations with her about that? Havel/ I've been aware of some of those conversations (both talking) Cole/ ...you know? Fruin/ I think, uh, she's (both talking) focused on the, um, MidAmerican conversions that are happening. Cole/ Okay. Fruin/ Um, this project deals with the ... the City -owned lights, which are the ... more of the decorative lights, so you can think of (both talking) and the parking lots. Cole/ Okay, thank you! Fruin/ But yeah, MidAmerican is replacing all of theirs, um, .... uh, we .... I think over a five-year period, does that sound correct, um, so .... I think that's what she was concerned about some of the brightness of that light in the neighborhoods, and the spillover into homes, and we do get those, uh, those .... those complaints typically come to Ron and Jason, uh, and their staff and ... and they've been able to work with MidAm in most cases to get them to readjust lights and .... and put additional shields on to help resolve some of those issues. Cole/ Okay. Thank you! Throgmorton/ Yeah, I think Regenia was also referring to making sure that the lights actually focused the light where it's needed, instead of just being (several talking) bright object that obscures your vision and makes you less safe actually. Cole/ Topic I hadn't thought about a lot, but very important. Mims/ Is the decrease in this funding simply because we've already gotten a fair amount done or....I'm sorry! I didn't mean to put you on the spot. I've kind of had that question on a number of these (both talking) Bockenstedt/ Actually I, Susan, I believe that's .... was an increase from prior years amounts, so there was a bump in 2017 for, uh, some repairs that were needed, and then it steps back down a little bit for future years, but it still is an overall increase from prior years. Mims/ Okay. Thank you! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 38 Budget Work Session Havel/ Uh, McCollister Boulevard extension from Gilbert Street to Sycamore Street. Um, this... Will .... like I said, basically extend the, uh, McCollister Boulevard from its current, uh, terminus there, east of Gilbert Street. The Sycamore Street .... uh, project that was completed included a roundabout, uh, for the future intersection of this street. Um, and obviously with the .... the recent opening of Alexander School, there's... there's increased need for additional, uh, east -west connectivity down here in this part of town. Throgmorton/ On this particular project, I ... I think a crucial thing is for the design of the street to reinforce whatever comes out of the form -based code work that's being done down there. And I'm sure y'all are very aware of that and, uh, I guess Dan Parolek's gonna be here pretty soon, right, or.... Fruin/ Yeah (both talking) those kick-off meetings in mid-February, um, and the design on this project won't start until after the form -based code study's completed. Dickens/ And we currently own the right-of-way to this... Fruin/ No. It's not even in the city limits at this .... this point, so .... uh, in order for this project to proceed we're gonna have to have some cooperation from the .... the property owner, but I think we'll get that. Havel/ The Prentiss Street bridge replacement project. So this will, uh, replace the Prentiss Street bridge over Ralston Creek. Obviously you can see some pictures here, uh, that is certainly in need of, uh, replacing the ... the triple culverts there, um, this includes up to a million dollars in bridge funds. Um, it will also include some stream bank, uh, protection, as well as some storm sewer replacement in the area. Melrose Avenue im... improvements. This will look to reconstruct Melrose Avenue, IWF Road, uh, between Highway 218 and Hebel Avenue. Um, this is a joint project with the County. Um, it will look ... more than likely will, um, remain an ur... or rural section. Um, there has been discussions about possibly including a wide shoulder to allow for, um, use for bicycles or .... or other uses. Um, another thing is potential, uh, potentially including water main out to the Landfill. Um, that's something we've looked at in the past and kind of held off on, one of the reasons being, um, potentially with this project the vertical alignment of the roadway could change, um, so we didn't want to potentially put that water main in and then find out down the road it was going to be too shallow. Um, so I think this would be a good time to kind of look at that project, if that's something we want to do. Um, it includes about $930,000 in STP funds, uh, it also includes, like I mentioned, uh, funding from the County as well to help fund, um, part of the project. Dubuque Street reconstruction. So this will reconstruct Dubuque Street, uh, from Washington Street to Iowa Avenue. Um, including streetscape elements and utility improvements, um, similar to what was done on Washington Street. Um, this is, uh, in the ... the program for 2021. Um, and is part of the, uh... the downtown streetscape master plan. Kirkwood Avenue to Capitol Street connections. So this will look to, uh, extend Kirkwood Avenue and Capitol Street, um, it's included in the Riverfront Crossings Master Plan and really looks to, uh, increase connectivity within the Riverfront Crossings District, um, you know, with the new park and .... and ... or future development in this area, uh, really help with that This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page39 Budget Work Session connectivity. Foster Road elevation design from Laura Drive to No Name Road. This looks at the, uh, the design of elevating, um, Foster Road so that's one thing to keep in mind that this is just for the design of that elevation, um, obviously this is an area that's susceptible to flooding, uh, especially in 08, uh, with some pretty major flooding out there. Um, and so with Peninsula and the surrounding areas, this is their sole access, you know, so that's.... that's been an ongoing concern. I'm sure all of you have heard from those folks, um, and so this project would look to come up with that design for, uh, a ... a way to elevate Foster Road to have that, um ... access that could be maintained during flood events. Throgmorton/ I'm thinkin' this is a contingency, yeah, in case we can't get it done through the (both talking) Fruin/ Really I think if the Forest View project moves forward, and we're able to work out, uh, somethin' with the developers there to get that secondary road established, uh, and punched through to Dubuque, then we can probably back away from .... from this project and that's partly why we don't have the construction funds, uh, budgeted in there, but in the event that that project falls apart or for whatever reason doesn't move forward, I think we seriously need to look at fast -tracking, um, this project. So we wanted to have some design funds at least in the budget, um, should we need to move forward. Dickens/ Can we name No ... No Name Road? (laughter and several talking) Cole/ We had some concerns that were expressed last summer by some of the residents there regarding flood mitigation. Are there any capital projects that we need to address that, or can you maybe update on just where we are in that (mumbled) directly related to this? Fruin/ Probably referencing the Idyllwild storm water projects. If you guys could update that. Havel/ So we are, um, wrapping up the study now that will look at those improvements for the Idyllwild area. So really what that looks to do is, uh.... right now the drainage for the area I guess kinda is to the north, really goes through Idyllwild, um, and so what that project would look to do is potentially pull some of that drainage out of Idyllwild and directly, uh, or pipe it directly to the river. So, um, that study is nearly complete. With that we would then move to construction, uh, of that project. Fruin/ And that' fully funded in previous years, so (several talking) see it here but (several talking) we have the resources to ... to move forward. Cole/ Thank you, Jason. Havel/ The ... the next two projects are, uh, as I mentioned, they'll be joint projects with the DOT. So the DOT is looking to do overlay of, uh, Governor Street and then the next one will be Riverside Drive. Um, and so these will be joint projects with them. Um, the Governor Street overlay looks at the stretch of Burlington from Van Buren to, uh, Governor, and then from Governor from Burlington up to Dodge. Um, this would, like I said, it would This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 40 Budget Work Session include.... asphalt overlay of the roadway. It would also look at, um, ADA curb ramp repairs. Um, we would also look at doing some utility repairs, um, as part of this project. So that ... in most cases would be, um, possibly some manhole repairs or adjustments, but mostly focusing on, uh, storm sewer intakes and storm sewer in the area, um, and I believe the money in the budget includes really our portion of it. So the ... I would anticipate that the DOT's contribution will be much more than that as they'll be responsible for the overlay portion of it. Uh, the Riverside Drive asphalt overlay. Again, similar project, uh, would go from Rocky Shore down to Sturgis Corner. Um, and again ... when we're doing this project, that's when we would look at potentially doing the, um, streetscape improvements there at the Benton Street and Riverside Drive intersection. And both of those are scheduled for 2018. First Avenue, Scott Boulevard intersection improvements. Um, so this project.... constructs a roundabout at the intersection of First Avenue and Scott Boulevard. So that would be near the ACT entrance. Um, this is an area we routinely get, uh, comments I guess you could say regarding queuing and, uh, delays at the intersection, especially during peak hours. Um, we've completed I guess what would sort of amount to a feasibility study. Um, and it...it appears that a roundabout would work well here and help to address those issues. Botchway/ Will it be two lanes or one lane? Havel/ One lane. Cole/ So won't be like that one in Mt. Vernon? Havel/ It will not be like the one in Mt. Vernon! Cole/ Go ahead! (laughter) Havel/ Uh, Gilbert Street intersection improvements. This project really focuses on the... intersections of Gilbert Street at Washington Street and College Street, as well as kind of the corridor between them. Uh, it would look at curb ramp replacement, you know, these ramps don't include truncated domes, so it would look at bringing those into compliance. It would also look at replacing the existing traffic signals at these intersections. Um, I don't know if you can tell here, but you could... some of the paint is starting to come off and you can see where it's, uh.... in some of its past life it's been different colors and it really is getting to the point where it probably needs to be replaced. Um, similarly With the .... the street lighting along Gilbert Street, uh, we would look at replacing the .... the street lighting there on the east side of Gilbert, um, the middle picture there on the top, you can see, um, there's actually three different types o£.of poles there, of lighting poles, um, that have been installed over the years. So this would look to extend kind of the lighting from the downtown, that style, um, along the .... the street here and, um, make it more consistent, uh, and really what this would do is try and be in coordination obviously with the Chauncey project, but the .... the reconstruction of the Chauncey Swan Park and... and kind of have those occur at the same time. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 41 Budget Work Session Throgmorton/ With regard to this particular project, I know in the past we've had some discussions about a road diet for Gilbert Street, and uh... my recollection is that there were two complications that we would need to think about, one has to do with ... uh, the entrance and exit of. ... of fire trucks from our station, which is connected to this project, I think, and... and the other has to do with the Burlington/Gilbert Street intersection. So I'm wondering whether this particular project, with regard to Gilbert and Wash .... Gilbert and Washington, uh.... foresees or at least could accommodate, um, a road diet on ... on Gilbert Street. Havel/ And I think it could. Um, you know, typically when you're talking about signals and road diets the issue is you have mass anus that aren't long enough. Um, that's typically the... I guess the change that needs to occur when it comes to signals. So if that's the case for this project, we could look at making sure those mast arms are long enough. Um, it's really a pretty simple fix when you're doing it at the time you're installin' them. It becomes a little more difficult when you're tryin' to retrofit or do it after the fact. So it...it would be much easier to do it, um, at this time. Fruin/ So you're ... just to clarify, you're saying that the signals can be designed to accommodate a road diet in the future, not necessarily implement the road diet at the time of these improvements. Havel/ Correct! Fruin/ Okay. Throgmorton /Got it! Fruin/ So if there's a desire to push forward on a Gilbert Street road diet, sooner than the direction you gave us several months ago, that would require separate funds and separate attention. Throgmorton/ So that could be a topic for discussion at our, what is it? The ... which meeting are we, Susan (several talking) Mims/ February (several talking) Throgmorton/ The first meeting in February? Dickens/ 7th.... Fruin/ Yeah, and it's just as a reminder, I think the .... the, after we presented the downtown traffic model, the direction that we're pursuing is Clinton Street this year, uh, Madison Street in 18, and then we'd circle back and decide, you know, I .... I think there was some discussion about, ub, Gilbert, um, and there was some discussion about the Market, Jefferson, uh, couple up there and whether we want to, um, explore two-way, um, but Clinton and Madison are the two that are on our .... on our kind of, uh, to do list right now. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 42 Budget Work Session Havel/ Annual sewer main replacement. This is, uh, a fund that .... looks to repair and maintain the sanitary sewer system, so this really is, urn .... depends on needs, uh, this could be anything from, uh, spot repairs of the sanitary sewer or manhole replacements, um, this includes our sewer lining project, uh, comes out of this fund. So again, kind of a .... a variety of, uh... sewer main repairs. Dickens/ Is this enough money? I mean, we're looking at a lot of aging sewer lines. Havel/ I mean .... we could always use more money (laughter) but I think it's, um, it's been operating pretty well. You know, again, it ... it, there's.....there's always times where things start out a high priority and get moved down the list, depending on other things that come up, um, but I would say for the most part we're able to address the .... the most critical repairs. Taylor/ I ... I was impressed; in one of the reports some of `em that you have planned for replacement were like 1950 -something. Does that.... does your decision base on that? Do you look at those were in the 50s, maybe we should be looking at repairing or do you, uh, wait for a problem (both talking) Havel/ Uh, I think you consider age, but age itself is not the only factor, um, you know, there are some locations that are even older that are in pretty good condition, and so I ... I think you start to look at age as kind of a ... a reason to keep an eye on it, but it's not the only reason for replacement. The backup generator and electrical system upgrade. This project would replace the existing, uh, generator that is located down at the waste water plant. The... existing generator is not sufficient to power the entire plant. Um, so it's undersized for ... for, from that I guess position. Um, in addition you can see here in the lower picture there that there... during a recent flood event, there was, um, significant effort that had to be ... ex ... expended to protect it from being, uh, flooded. So this project would not only look to, uh, upgrade the generator, but would also look to elevate it so that the ... um.... basically the generator and controls would be above the, uh, flood plain. Dickens/ How would this be funded? Bockenstedt/ This is entirely from sewer fees. Havel/ The Scott Boulevard trunk sewer project. Um, this is one that's been around for a little bit. Um, and what it would do is look to extend the sanitary trunk sewer, uh, from the, where it currently ends north of the Iowa Interstate Railroad there, and would extend it north to .... the existing lift station that's located north American Legion Road, um, with the recent, or ongoing I guess, uh, school construction, it would, urn ... would anticipate not only that but also future development in this area, and so that .... this would help to, uh, accommodate that future development. Knoche/ That project would take an existing pump station off line, uh, there in the Windsor Ridge subdivision and we would do a tap -on fee, uh, with this project. There's already a This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 43 Budget Work Session tap -on fee for the piece that is extended up to the railroad tracks now. Um, so we'll... we'll recoup the costs, uh, through development fees. Cole/ Is that currently in Iowa City? I'm looking at the mobile home park. I thought that was not ... or is that gonna (both talking) Havel/ It ... it's currently not in Iowa City. Cole/ Okay. Havel/ Yep. Melrose Court sanitary sewer replacement. This project will replace the existing sanitary sewer that's located along Melrose Court, uh, this is a sewer that's relatively deep, um, and it's had a history of..of issues and ... and need for maintenance, um, so this would look to elevate the ... the sewer and then, urn .... replace it, uh, more or less in place. Uh, the Nevada Avenue sanitary sewer replacement. This project would, again, replace existing sanitary sewer, uh, this is another one that, um .... is.....sort of a ... a problem area, uh, we've had repeated need for, uh, maintenance and ... and ongoing issues. So, uh, again replacement of an existing sanitary sewer. The West Park lift station rehabilitation. So this is, uh... the replacement of an existing list ... lift station located within City Park. Um, it's ... was constructed in the 1960s, um, and so it's.... outdated, uh, it was also completely flooded in 2008. So the .... the new project would upgrade the ... the lift station, um, and again, would also elevate the generator and controls, um, a .... above the flood plain. Heat exchanger, uh, replacement. So this will.... replace an existing heat exchanger, uh, it's nearing the end of its useful life, um, it's suffered some internal corrosion and it's just getting to the point it needs to be replaced. Um, we've looked at repairs and it's just not cost effective to re ... to repair at this point. Uh, it really needs to be replaced. Uh, a study has been completed and to determine kind of type and .... and size of the replacement, so all that's, um .... been completed and now it's just time for the actual replacement of the unit. Digester complex rehabilitation. Um, so this is repairs to the digester complex at the waste water plant, urn .... you can see here that there's, uh, part of this has been caused by the ... the struvite deposits, um, it includes replacement of the heat exchangers, renovation of the digester covers, um, replacement of piping and recirculation pumps. Um, again it's aging equipment that's in need of...of repair or replacement, uh, and, again the struvite deposits are .... are really taking their toll on, um, some of this equipment. Mims/ What is struvite? Is it a chemical they use or .... (several talking and laughing) No I don't! I .... (several talking) Havel/ It's ... it's (several talking) it's actually, um, a component ... a lot of it's phosphorous, so it's part of the nutrient removal, uh, that we're doing at the plant now, uh, with the new process. Mims/ I bet you all would have failed! (laughter) Havel/ Uh, some of the Water division projects, uh, here you know we have a couple water main replacement projects. A lot of these are 1950s vintage, so it's just that timeframe where This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 44 Budget Work Session whatever was going on as far as construction hasn't held up as well. So it's just kinda that era where we've had some issues and .... and need to replace those mains. Um, the ground storage reservoir VFD upgrades. This has been kind of an ongoing project, um, so this is kinda finishing up that, I believe in 17 we'd be looking at the Bloomington, uh, GSR for the VFD upgrades. Throgmorton/ I give up! What's a VFD? Havel/ Variable Frequency Drive. So it's a way to kind of work with the pumps to be more efficient. And then the nutra... nutrient removal project, um .... there's been a study completed and so this would be just kind of implementing the recommendations from that study. Uh, some of the additional Water division projects, again, some water main replacement projects similar to before. The water plant computer control system replacement, um, this is replacement and upgrade of the SCADA system. The current system is obsolete, um, and so it's just to the point that it needs updating. The ... water distribution pressure zoning. Um, this is looking at, uh, the system as a whole. Currently it's one pressure zone, and we're starting to get reports of low water pressure, especially on the ... the far reaches of town, and so this is kind of looking at is it time to go to multiple pressure zones, or ... or what .... what can we do to help alleviate some of those... those issues. Uh, Silurian well rehabilitation. Um, so this will .... look to replace the three Silurian wells. These are, uh, a primary source of low nitrate ground water, um, so we use that, uh, to help mix with other sources to .... to some degree dilute, um, some of the other sources to .... to bring those, uh, again, those nitrates down overall, um, and really this is over time there's been a reduction in capacity and so it's just a way to kind of get that back, um, get that capacity back for .... for those water sources. The water plant softener improvements. Um, this ... what this would do is automate operations, um, and .... and result in improved process control and safety. Uh, so it's really just kind of automating that process. The Jordan well rehabilitation, uh, similar to the Silurian wells. This would look to .... to make repairs, uh, again to kind of bump up that capacity and ... and, uh, make those improvements. South Capital Street water remain replacement. This is a project, uh, a water main replacement project, um, you know, here not too long ago we've had some .... some main breaks along this stretch, um, that have been pretty major events, um, with signi ... significant amount of damage, um, so this is a 1960's vintage, uh, it's just something that's, um, a stretch that's really in need of repair, um, to a ... address those, uh, ongoing water main breaks. Uh, we anticipate that this replacement would occur, uh, around the same time you'd be looking at other improvements down in this area, uh, again, Capital Street, uh, extension, that kind of stuff. Forest Avenue water main replacement. Again, water main replacement here, um, again that 1950s, uh, age of pipe, um, with a history of water main breaks. Process analyzer replacement. So this is ... will, uh, I believe it's $25 .... or $25,000 annually, starting in 2018. So this Will be kind of an ongoing process to, urn .... replace these components, uh, it's a situation where manufacturers aren't .... will no longer support, um, repairs or .... or ongoing maintenance of these...these items. So it's just we need to upgrade `em. The distribution building repair. So this is water distribution, uh, you may remember some of this on our tour of the Public Works sites, um.....this would look to repair the roof, exterior walls and foundation to, uh, address locations where water's getting in. Um, it would also look to, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 45 Budget Work Session um, repair....make repairs and updates to staff area, uh, again to kind of make that, uh, a .... a better work environment, urn .... one thing that would certainly help with these improvements is it would help to improve efficiency and ... and cut down on heating and cooling costs. The water plant roof replacement. Um, this would replace the roof membrane, and ... and repair areas where we've had some water damage occur. Um, so the ... membrane is actually beyond sort of its recommended life span, so it's just time to, um, go ahead with that replacement. And finally the collector well capacity improvements. Um, this would kind of look at two phases, the first one being kind of a study phase to ... to take a look at, um, the existing facilities and determine a plan, um, how we could go about improv ... uh, increasing our capacity for these facilities, uh, and then the second phase would really be implementation of the findings of that study. With that I'm done! Throgmorton/ Wow! That was a lot! (laughter) So .... I'm really leery of, uh, ending before our 7:00 P.M. deadline. Um, but we're doin' pretty well so far, aren't we? Um, I want to say one word about the .... the water plant. When I was doin' this gig 20 years ago, meaning being on the City Council 20 years ago, uh, the joke was, you know, don't drink the water. And it's really pleasing to know that that is not the joke anymore. Nobody tell is because we have a really fine drinking water plant and the ... the, it's operated really well so praise to the Water staff for what they've been doin'. Havel/ Thank you. Throgmorton/ Thank you, Jason. Hi, Chris. Transportation Services: O'Brien/ Good afternoon! Uh, I won't have quite as many as Jason (laughter) so this won't last quite as long. Um ... first project we have is the Landfill equipment building replacement. Uh, this is a ... a nice 1980s vintage metal building that we have here. Um, currently we can't fit ... so we've got a new bulldozer and a new compacter. Uh, we actually can't fit those in these buildings, uh, the sizes of the ... of the equipment have changed, uh, over the years and we're not able to keep them inside when we have to actually maintain them. Urn .... as you can see, the, uh, from the .... the bottom right hand corner we ... even when the door's shut you still can't get the elements completely closed out. Urn .... locker rooms, there's not enough capacity for staff. The showers aren't adequate for what we need. Um, so there's a lot of. ... a lot of different changes that need to happen. Uh, we've pushed this .... kind of moved this project around because we've got other, um, more pressing needs that have forced us to ... to move this one, but it's one that's comin' up in, uh, that's in 2019 that we have that project. Uh, the Landfill tarp development system. Um, so what we're lookin' to do with this, and I kind of touched on this when I was here Saturday, is that we're lookin' to change our fill method at the Landfill to more of a flat fill. Uh, and the reason we're doing that is .... um, others that have undertaken this have shown large increases in the amount of compaction they get, which what we hope is that that'll extend the life of our ... our cells, allowing us to hold off on when we build new cells, which in turn saves us money as we continue to move on through the life of our... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 46 Budget Work Session of our Landfill site. Uh, and that's .... we moved that to 17, so that's.... assuming it's approved, that's something we'll do right away so we can get started With that, uh, on our current cell and get that rolling. Uh, the leachate pumping system. So one of the projects that we just completed was a ... over $1 million gas expansion project. Uh, kind of the next phase of that, I mean if you can imagine what a gas well looks like and we'll say this is ... the pen I have, your screen goes up part of the way of your well. For a lot of our wells we have liquid so far up that well that we're not able to ... to get to the gas we need to, to pull it up out of the system. So, uh, what this'll help us do is, uh, pull the ... the liquid, the leachate out of that in order to allow better gas coverage and to..uh, have better management of our gas system at that point. Uh, the Landfill cell design. So this is one, uh, that's currently scheduled for 20 and 21. Uh, we might be coming back to move the design of that up, just so we have that ... so when it's time to construct, we have that design ready. Uh, but what that'll be is, urn .... where we'll filling at now, that's.... you're kinda looking.... down where that trash is, that's 09 where we're at now, so just to the north of that, which is this area just on the other side of the road Will be what the .... the next phase of our .... of our cell design'll be, will be to fill in that area there. Uh, parking facility restoration repair. Uh, so last time I was here we pulled the photos from actually the internet to show types of construction, so we actually pulled ones from....these are all from our projects that we've done over the last couple years. Um, so this is an annual amount of money that .... if. ... it varies depending on what type of. ... of projects we're gonna be doing, but .... urn, as you can see, there's concrete repair. There's resurfacing, and then the bottom left-hand corner, we put in additional funds in this year for the next project we do to rehabilitate the stair towers over at Chauncey Swan, uh, because they're in need of a make -over in order to, uh, it's one of the few that we actually have dry - walled stair towers. A lot of times they're.... they're bricked, um, and we're havin' issues with moisture in the dry wall so we're gonna refurbish that. Uh, parking facility enforcement automation. You know, this ... this project's been... ongoing as we continue to automate processes within, um, and ... and really what ... what we're looking at here is, uh, equipment for the Harrison Street facility, as well as additional equipment for Chauncey Swan. So once we determine what direction we're gonna go there based on what we see at the Chauncey, um, once that project's completed, uh, we'll probably be making some equipment changes over at Chauncey Swan as well. Throgmorton/ I certainly hear lots of complaints about the .... uh, the .... the way in which one has to pay at Chauncey Swan, uh, people get frustrated by tryin' to use the equipment. At least that's what I see. O'Brien/ Yeah, um, that was when we did the on -street, uh, our choices were a system similar to that or the single-space system, um, and a lot of the concerns were heard out of Cedar Rapids were that people had ... like if there were rainy days, people would have to wait. Uh, I guess I haven't heard a lot of complaints about the Chauncey Swan, so it's good to get that kind of feedback (both talking) Throgmorton/ ....I mean it's not so much that .... that people have to go to a .... a specific site to..to enter a number or whatever. It's that they get confused, when they're tryin' to pay and that's.... that's what I'm conscious of. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 47 Budget Work Session Taylor/ Paying ahead, Jim, as opposed to when you leave? (several talking) ...confusion I think. (several talking) Throgmorton/ You have to pay ahead at Chauncey Swan (several talking) Yeah. Taylor/ So people get confused (both talking) Throgmorton/ Yeah. But how to do it. (several talking) O'Brien/ Um, the Transit facility relocation. This one's I think been a continually moving target and has been on CIP for quite a while. Um, obviously when we did the public, uh, the Public Works facility tours, we were able to take a look at the Transit facility. Um, we have a site picked out (clears throat) excuse me ... now it's just a matter of the funding mechanism, um, and then the feasibility study, those are really the things that are hangin' out there, so .... that'll continue to keep moving until we .... we know where that federal funding's gonna land and then we'll .... we'll be able to go ahead and make that move. Uh, the bus shelter replacement. So the top left is (clears throat) is some of our .... is, um, actually one of our units and then the other four different designs that we've come across that we'd like to replace it. Um .... so we'll have a RFP that'll be going .... that we're putting together that'll be going out, uh, that will .... uh, right now along the Towncrest and Lakeside routes is where we have, uh, I think we have nine replacements, and four or five new shelters already established in the plan, and then we're .... we're gonna build on that for future projects as they occur. Uh, the parking equipment EMV upgrade. So much as you've seen when you walk into places to pay with a credit card the ... the use of the EMV and the chip, and the chip and pin, urn .... the parking equipment is going to that, to where we have to upgrade to those types of standards. Um, for all of the places that we take credit card payments. So this will be a ... a way to, um, upgrade that parking equipment that you see in our facilities in order to, uh, to meet the ... the security measures that are .... that are coming across for credit card security. Uh, Transit facility office remodel. Uh, lot of this is .... so 1984 was when that facility was built. Um, not knowing when we're ever gonna see federal funding, there's just still some things that have to take place in order for us to, uh, to have better space to function in — carpet replacement, uh, some .... some remodeling of the actual space in order to have a more adequate work space, uh, and that's what these funds are put in there for for this project. Uh, the bus sign replacement. Now this is one a few years ago we didn't really anticipate having to do. Uh, but the .... uh, the equipment that we used and the vendor that we had no longer supports this style. Um, the nice thing is is that we have 11 heavy-duty buses that we ordered and they're being manufactured, so those'll be replaced as a part of that. We'll have the .... the new, then the new signs with the new buses as they come in, so we really only have to replace half of our fleet, uh, and so that's what those funds are and the ... and the project is to replace those remaining signs that we're not able to get to with the ... the new buses we're ordering. Botchway/ So ... you know .... now knowing that, I mean was there any conversation with, uh... um, company to .... not only... necessarily help us out with the cost but also .... I mean This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 48 Budget Work Session obviously you looked at it for the future as far as new buses coming online, but, uh, to me that (mumbled) sounds tricky. I mean, I don't understand how we're not necessarily being accommodated for something that they're switching to. O'Brien/ So a lot of it, I mean, if you .... and I kind of touched on this too, the buses that you actually see coming off-line are... are 21 -year-old vehicles, so....it....it has to do more with the age of the equipment and the fact that we don't really get funds to replace that. They're supposed to have a 12 -year, a 15 -year life. We're pushin' 21, 22 anymore just because the funding's not there to replace `em unless you want to use, uh, just local dollars for those replacements. Um .... so, you know, to expect that either the software piece, as the signage (mumbled) digital and it's more about software, that that's gonna ... to last the 20 years, I think, would be tough. I think .... I think when they first set `em up and we didn't even get in on this when .... when this company was first... obviously it had been well established, so they .... they ran their platform for quite a while before it went to the point of not being supported. Botchway/ But we have buses that are like 10 years old, 10 to five, right, I mean .... would this affect those buses in particular? O'Brien/ Yeah, because when ... I don' t think any of us anticipated that when we bought those buses ... that the, we went with, to match the same system we had, and at that time they didn't know their platform would be changing. Um, so we're still five years out on a software platform. So ... um, and ... we have some that were replaced now that were actually physical scrolls that aren't actually digital, so some of the scroll .... does that make sense? They're actual .... I see what you're saying, that somebody sells you a product but then goes out of ..but I .... I think that platform lasted for quite a while and we utilized it for a couple decades before we were able to switch it, so.... Botchway/ No, I just thought there were new buses literally like five years old that we're still saying that we need to change (several talking) O'Brien/ ....grand scheme of that type of a system ... you know, you might run into that occasionally, I mean I don't think they knew, and maybe they did five years ago but .... that doesn't mean necessarily that ... they knew within that five-year window they were going to be able to make the change and therefore ... I don' t know that we were being... cheated in any way out of the product that ... I think that's just the nature of when ... when you're talking more of a software package, versus a physical unit, um... Mims/ I think it's just indicative of the technology changes that come along and people aren't gonna support what they see as an outdated... product or model forever and so.... Botchway/ I mean I ... I totally agree. I'm not .... and I'm not questioning (several talking) I'm just kind of using my own knowledge, when I've done some large purchase upgrades, it was always a question whether or not, you know, the upgrade at the time would be compatible, you know, 10 years in the future, and granted there can't be any guarantees, but ... I mean there had to be some type of conversation along those lines to ensure that we This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 49 Budget Work Session weren't just buying a product that, you know, a year, two years, five years down the line you're gonna say we're gonna go in a totally different direction. Then I would possibly go with another company. O'Brien/ I mean when .... when you're purchasing.... not to really get down into too much detail when you're buying a bus, but ... you know, it's a piece of equipment where you have ... you have a base model and then nothing but options. All of these ... you may have seven different options for this. So as you're going through all of the different technologies that you can utilize, you know, at that point when you're going through, how long has it been there, when do you anticipate that it's going to .... you know, at the point that we ordered these, nobody knew that it was going to be extinct at the time that we were making that move, so.... (several talking in background) I think that's it! Throgmorton/ All right! On the radar, Ron, are you gonna do that or .... urn..... On the Radar: Knoche/ ...have Juli come up also for the Parks projects. All right, uh, so the first `on the radar' project, uh, so the unfunded list starts on page 604, uh, the first project is the unfunded, uh, #12. Uh, this is the Gilbert/Highway 6 intersection improvements. Um, this was a project that we had in the CIP a number of years ago. Uh, as the Riverfront Crossings, uh, redevelops it .... there's gonna be a need to do something in this intersection, and actually in the corridor of Gilbert Street. Um, not only will it be from a traffic standpoint, but it'll also be from utility standpoint also. Um, rerouting some of the sanitary sewer, and uh, and just making it, uh, operate better in that area. Um, unfunded 20 is the Peninsula secondary access that we've .... we've already hit on that a little bit, but um, with the Forest View redevelopment, um, obviously there's.... there's hopes that, uh, that that project will occur with that, but it is one that we're gonna have to be looking at as that development occurs. Uh, the Foster Road extension, uh, Dubuque to Prairie du Chien was a project that we did have in a ... in a funded year, uh, previously. Uh, it is unfunded #21. Uh, basically is .... is, uh, as we look at some redevelopment potentials in those areas, or developers look at those areas, um, it's a project that we'll be lookin' at. This would include, um, also some sanitary sewer upgrade, uh, in that corridor. Uh, and then the Rohret south sewer, uh, unfunded 47, and then the Carson Lake regional storm water unfunded 53. Uh, this would look at, uh, opening up the potential for redevelopment, uh, to the west of 218, uh, south of Rohret Road. Would be a .... a .... sanitary sewer extension underneath, uh, Highway 218, and then the regional storm water management in that area. Seydell-Johnson/ (noises on mic, unable to hear speaker) ...Park projects, but one quick, uh, you had asked about the age of Wetherby Park. Um, the shelter is interesting. It was actually, um, built in 1978, but then in 2000, which is probably what you're remembering, it was moved and a cup... cupola was added to the top of it, so there was some work done to it then, um, playground was 1993, but then again in 2000 there was a few upgrades made to it then too, so both are considerably older, but have had some renovations done to them. Uh, so we have Lower City Park. This master plan was This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 50 Budget Work Session completed, um, last spring. It does a lot to make the park a little more flood tolerant, adds some, uh, space to the Riverside Theater to ... for increased, um, functions that could be held there and makes it safer from the flooding area. And then East Side Sports Complex, um, down by American Legion Road, um, to the south of that, uh, new baseball fields, soccer fields, space for an ... an indoor facility if we chose, um, and also neighborhood park functions, as that area develops, uh, with more neighborhoods and the new school. Knoche/ And then the Riverside Drive redevelopment, that would be the Public Works site. Um, as we, uh.... move our operations off of that corner, uh, we'll have to determine whether it's somethin' we're gonna sell outright or if we're gonna look at doing any type of subdivision in that area, uh, for that corner. Seydell-Johnson/ And finally we added, uh, off-road cycle facility. Um, location to .... to be determined. We're looking at that somewhat during our Park master plan, but with the ... the popularity of cyclo -cross and as we talked during the operating budget, one of the adult sports that's growing right now is off-road cycling and having areas to do that, and also initiative of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Knoche/ And with that, uh.... open up the floor, uh, with questions and any discussion. Throgmorton/ Okay, uh, ladies and gentlemen, um.... Cole/ When we talk about unfunded, if we were to fund them would that then be six years out, is that pretty much what... cause this is sort of a five-year capital improvement plan is my understanding, is that ... how that would generally work? Mims/ Or we have to switch something else around. Cole/ Okay. Mims/ Prioritize. Yeah. Fruin/ And there's.... obviously there's a whole long list of unfunded. We just highlighted a few that we think there's perhaps a higher probability that you'll hear about them, either people will advocate for them or a development project may come along that triggers discussion about those projects, but .... um, there's a long list in there and frankly we could probably continue to develop even longer lists. You all could come up with even more projects, uh, to ... to add to that list. Dickens/ I just know like 21, Foster Road extension at one time was talked about taking... some of the dirt from there to use it for the Gateway project, so at...at one time it was a little farther, I know the person that was trying to develop it was willing to use the land there (mumbled) I know that's moved back a little bit because nothing's happened. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 51 Budget Work Session Fruin/ There's some development interest, uh, we've had a few proposals come before us, probably with unrealistic expectations on density, um, but we continue to get some interest in there and it....it may be somethin' where the private sector ends up paying for a good portion of that, uh, I think that connectivity would be really nice (several talking) Yeah. Dickens/ Jewish Cemetery Road I guess it's called there, that .... and that's not really a good road to be cutting across on because it's very narrow and ... and very high residential. Throgmorton/ Yeah, I continue to think that area along the... Foster Road extension has lots of potential, uh, but we should use .... our decision about whether to build a road and how. you know, how to pay for it as part of the overall development scheme that would be worked out with potential developers, and Geoff knows all this better than I do. Cole/ John's talked a lot about maps, and understanding the year to year where we have the investment in terms of capital improvement projects is gonna vary. Some years it's gonna be in this region, some (mumbled) the other one, and of course we try to address all needs of the city, but I think for me, if it's possible — probably not this year, but maybe going forward — I think it would be interesting from year to year just to see a map of where the investments going on a year-to-year basis, just so in our own mind we can have a sense of that. Um, so .... just a request. Is that something that we have the capability to do or we already are doing? Um... Knoche/ We have the capability of doin' that and I think that's something' that we can have prepared for you, uh, for future discussion. Cole/ Okay! Thanks! Throgmorton/ I'd say lacking a map at the moment, still the ... the array of projects we've heard about this, uh, this afternoon felt pretty balances to me. Felt like a pretty good mix of projects around the city. But it's only a feeling (laughs) How bout you folks down there? Taylor/ I ... I agree with you, Jim, cause being a west sider, it seemed like the west side seemed to be forgotten quite a bit, but there are quite a few things even the west side parks, thank you, Juli, uh, are looking for improvements, and the Roh... Rohret Road area and that area, um, I ... I agree with you, Jim, that it's pretty well balanced, but looking, seeing it color -coded on a map, I guess, would be good! Mims/ My perception, I think, is staff has always done, I think, a good job, not ... not necessarily trying to distribute projects geographically from year to year, but look at where the highest need is and .... urn, it's varied obviously from year to year. You might look at one year and the west side's really high or the east side's really high, but .... um, you know, where's the need, and also where... where's the reinvestment, so it doesn't increase our long-term costs. I mean you let things go too long, and then you let `em deteriorate to the point that your expenses are significantly higher, so making sure that we're, you know, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 52 Budget Work Session we're doing that maintenance. Um, I think the map would be helpful, uh, certainly to see, um, and maybe it's not done on a one-year scale. Maybe it's done like (laughs) five years or something (several talking) so that you, you know, because of such significant variation, um, you know, from year to year. Um, I .... I had a question that I kind of asked earlier, and Dennis, when .... when I'm looking at this, and you ... on some of these projects, it shows prior year numbers. Are those just lump sums that have been dedicated to these projects in a prior year or are some of them what annual funding has been in prior years? Bockenstedt/ Some of the annual ones, there's cumulative, so that would be, um, prior years that we funded that annual project, versus some of those say like, uh, the, uh.... the electricals and the generator backup. Mims/ Yeah. Bockenstedt/ We'd actually alloted, uh, a portion of that funding a couple years ago for that project and then it was delayed, uh, for various reasons, and so now (mumbled) already accumulated a lot of funding for that project in place. It's just been delayed and is now moving forward at this time. So, it is a variety of things, but some of those are the annual ... (both talking) Mims/ Some are annual, okay. Fruin/ Is it safe to just think of that as money in the bank for that particular project, when you see that.... Bockenstedt/ Right (several talking) Like for the Gateway project, you know, some of that funding has been put in place previously, and now it's been expended in the upcoming year and future years. Mims/ Okay, and any of the dollars that are shown under 2017, I mean, technically we approved 2017 CII' budget previously. I mean we're halfway through fiscal year 2017, so a lot of this projects may already be started, I'm assuming.... Bockenstedt/ Some of the design may have started, um, you know, one of those things was we... by doing that we try to reduce the fiscal year to get that funding put into place. So as we accumulate during our fiscal year 2017 road use dollars or general fund dollars, then that construction would start in the spring of 2017. So it's really of ..of having that funding in place, but then also as we're starting this construction year, going back and looking at those projects, and the funding, and making sure that's exactly what we want to do. So it's a matter of ...you know, we started accumulating that funding at the start of the fiscal year, now it's a matter of shoring up those projects and ensuring, you know, that's what we're gonna do. Mims/ I guess my point in asking that question is I think as a Council we have to be .... incredibly cautious about suggesting changes to 2017 projects, cause ... I mean, we may have already This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 53 Budget Work Session expended time and money in terms of design work and things like that, um ... not that we can't talk about `em, but I think those may be pretty tough to change without being very inefficient with money and time at this point (several talking in background) Bockenstedt/ Yeah, a lot of the changes (mumbled) have to do with high priority changes. So you know something comes up that was not anticipated that, um, I believe that was a sewer main, uh, project on Melrose where there was significant repair and then that project moves up and it allows us the chance to put that project into that year, uh, as that need, uh, arose. Thomas/ One.....one thought I've been having on the ... on the mapping issue is whether it may have potential.... to, um, be correlated with other values that we might .... be able to map as well. For example, um, if we were to view property value as measure of quality of life in a neighborhood. You know, if property values are going up, that scene arguably could be viewed as a ... a reflection of the quality of life in that neighborhood. Um .... correlate the return on investment of our capital projects as it relates to property value. So that where, you know, we see property values are flat, that may be an area that we need to at least give a look at what is it .... that is causing the ... the values in those areas to remain flat. How can we leverage capital projects, uh, and this could apply to the School District as well, um, leverage projects to improve property values in those areas where they seem to be flat over time. Um ... or measure, you know, even in those areas where property values are increasing.... how are these capital projects.....affecting those property values? Um, because in the end, I think that's ... a lot of what we're trying to accomplish with capital projects is .... what is the health and vitality in....as it relates to ... to the city at a neighborhood scale, because one of the struggles I have with this program is it's ... it's viewing things to some degree an aggregate, and yet I think we realize that ... my experience of Iowa City is different from your experience, and it ... and it, in many respects it ties to neighborhood. So to the degree we can dis-aggregate the program, I think there's some value to that. Botchway/ The only thing I would add, um, not necessarily to that point, is, you know, again, uh, great job as far as listing these projects and it seemed like, obviously, as you were going through, but also reading some of the projects, there are areas of concern and need that you were addressing. I'll be honest with you, I would say that, you know, um, you know, Ron or whoever was in charge of putting that tour together, um, did a wonderful job, because it's really stayed at the forefront of my mind, and it ... and it makes me, not worry but ... you know, want to ensure, you know, as I see some of the, I don't mean to throw the Parks and Rec, uh, department, uh, out there, but I saw some of the maintenance that was discussed as the Parks and Rec ... at the Parks and Rec department standpoint, and I would just want to ensure that we're having the same level of discussion around maintenance of those buildings as well. Um, I know that it's a different type of maintenance and so you're .... if you're doing .... the maintenance around computers is different than, um, you know, any type of maintenance you would have around buildings and, um, when you're talking about streets or roadwork or, uh, transit obviously as well, but .... to get to that sort of disrepair, um, you know, it just made me feel bad as a Council Member to not necessarily, um, be as aware as I should have been to ensure that we were thinking about This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 54 Budget Work Session how CIP dottos... dollars were going towards those particular projects. So, you know, I ... I would just say in the future, I mean obviously we have a plan. I'd like to move forward on that plan and do whatever possible to make sure that plan gets implemented, but you know .... if there's other projects that we're not seein' for whatever reason, um, that you know need some repair, obviously we're relying heavily on you, but ... you know I just wouldn't want that ... and the other piece of this, and there's not too many items on the CIP that I ... I thought about, but I know I ... I brought you up, Chief, to talk about the Fire station, and I know that isn't necessarily a good project to talk about, but...if there are projects where we can recoup, uh, dollars, um, from other agencies or other, um ... um, really more other governmental, um, entities, I really want to have more of that discussion, um, again not necessarily in the money -grab sense, but more, you know, at times we're sharing resources we don't necessarily know that we're sharing, um, whether that be, you know, the bike and trail system that I think we talk about, that the County I think talks about extensively as well, um, I mean we really need to think about how we're doing projects as a region, um, it's the same thing I would be saying if I was talking at Coralville or I was talking at North Liberty as well, because, um, it just ... to me just matters more, and so we have, you know, as we do the east side complex, which I know is far in the future possibly, I mean, that's a change for the region, even though it's happening, um, just in Iowa City. So .... just in the future, as we're thinking about those things, those are my two major, um, concerns, more highlighting on the first concern because that was kind of gut wrenching to see, you know, water drippin' and it's funny you know because it reminds me of workin' with my grandfather and seein' some of those things in his old shop, um, but you know, it's ... I just wouldn't want to work there, and I don't necessarily know what the people that were there wouldn't want .... would want to work there as well. Throgmorton/ All right, I want to ask a question about one significant project that does not appear on the CIP, and that's the possible access center. So, uh, surely, Geoff, you've been thinking about that and you have ideas about how it could possibly be inserted in our CIP somehow, somewhere, at some time, depending on all the other moving parts. I wonder what your thinking is at the moment. Fruin/ Well, I ... I didn't feel like we had enough information, still don't have enough information to really put anything in the budget. Um, you know, there's two components. There's the capital cost and there's the .... the operating costs, and before you even move forward on the capital you have to know how the operating's gonna be solved, and I don't think, um, that ... that information I think the committee that's working on that is getting pretty close, um, but certainly we didn't have that information. Um, what I tried to do is just ensure that we have the flexibility to move forward should we need to in this particular fiscal year, so for FYI 8, um, and ... and really I think what .... I .... I don't think it's realistic, um... that a ... a ... an entity would need to contribute the entire capital budget in FYI 8. We haven't acquired any land. We haven't done any, uh, detailed architectural studies or anything like that, I mean, somethin' of this magnitudes gonna take several years to, um, move forward. Um, if there's a ... a push, and I think it's comin' here pretty soon for cities, and the County, to commit to a dollar amount. I think we can do that safely and ... and I can explain the different funding options we have, but I don't think This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 55 Budget Work Session those outlays are gonna need to necessarily come at that same time. I think it's more of a commitment and then perhaps the outlay for FYI 8 becomes much smaller. If there's a land acquisition and if there's, uh, professional services that need to be done, architectural studies that need to be done to plan out the space, we certainly have the budget flexibility, um, to accomplish that. So .... I ... I feel plenty comfortable that we can react and .... and that I can give you the assurances you need to, uh, commit to, urn ... an ask when that comes forward. Um, but until we have all those pieces, it's hard to ... hard to place somethin' in the budget. Throgmorton/ Good deal! That's exactly how I thought you might respond (laughs) But yeah, good deal. Okay, any other questions for our terrific staff? Cole/ I just have a comment on where we are with the Robert A. Lee. I ... I guess, you know, to your point, Kingsley, I guess I'm really troubled... it's one of our premiere locations. It's one of our premiere facilities. And I guess I would like to see, um, not this year's budget as Susan mentioned, 2017 we can't make any change on that, but just for something to think about, I would really like to see us evaluate that ... for a full-scale reimagining of that space, consistent with its space as a recreational center for all Iowa Citians. Easier said than done, but I am seeing a lot of high value projects for, you know, necessary pedestrian extensions and these sorts of things, but I would really like to see that because we have a lot of our low income friends that use that space. And it doesn't seem like we have the investment there, that we should consistent with the value of...of trying to be a recreational center for everyone, um, so that's obviously going to be a staff decision in terms of figuring out even just coming up with a concept, but boy, I would certainly be supportive if all of a sudden staff had that sort of idea, um, going on in the future, cause I think where it is, the fact that we're worried about the water and the pool and all that stuff, I think we can do better to serve my view on that is. But... Botchway/ It's a.... Frain/ We've got I think about, uh, close to $900,000 in the five-year budget for facility improvements, but, um, we've been spendin' a lot of money in there for the last several years, and .... I think Juli could tell you, there's a ton of capital needs in there. Seydell-Johnson/We've broken it down into several projects that were on the $700,000, um... you know, um, level and we've got enough to keep ya goin' for several years based on that, just to keep it ... to redo the systems, everything in that building, from the plumbing to the electrical, and the locker rooms, all those things are reaching that age where you'll be seeing this pretty much every year, uh, for the next several years. Um, we've done a lot of smaller things, which you've probably noticed, which I think have really increased the use in the last year, just by, um, lightening things up, the new paint. It hadn't been ... a lot hadn't been done for a number of years, but we're biting if off, piece by piece. Cole/ Okay. It's a complicated issue, but I would ... that may underscore the point that maybe we just need to get a, you know, reimagine that as a (both talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 56 Budget Work Session Throgmorton/ ...a point we could come back to at our meeting in February (both talking) Frain/ Yeah, and Juli and I frankly have talked about do we .... do we continue to go down and... and tackle these improvements a couple hundred thousand dollars at a time, or do we ... do we bring in a .... a, someone to reimagine how we might use that space. Um, I think it's a .... I think when you have that discussion, you almost need to take a ... a step back even further and think about just that property in general and whether the Rec Center, as it's configured today, is how we want to use that property, particularly as we ... as we get set to begin discussions on the ... on the City Hall property here, because we're gonna be, uh, potentially, um, turning over a ... a large .... uh, piece of property, uh, that we have control over now to the private sector which then if you think about municipal needs for the next 25, 50, 75 years, if we want municipal structures downtown, um, we're really left with the Recreation Center and that parking lot, uh, so.... Cole/ Complicated issue! Fruin/ It's a very complicated issue, yeah. (both talking) But ... and .... and becoming a very expensive (laughter) Thomas/ You know, Rockne, in response to your comment, I ... my .... my belief, ever since I moved here, is that the neighborhood parks are under -capitalized. So when we're talking about ... um, neighborhood youth, basically the whole range of...of folks who could benefit from parks and open space, um, I would like to try to better address the issue where youth live. You know, in a more distributed manner. Uh, as much as trying to focus.... it's.... it's a difficult thing. There's sort of a .... we have, just like with the Library, you have a sort of a single, central facility, um .... and at the same time there's a need that as Iowa City grows, needs to be addressed as well. It's a .... it's a challenging issue in my mind. Throgmorton/ Okay, are there any other major topics anybody wants to bring up, uh, and if not, we should probably give everybody a break and ... a chance to go home and live the rest of their lives. So .... uh, I'm not hearing anything so, uh, we will revisit the budget and CIP at the first meeting in February. Fruin/ Yeah, and I'd just encourage.... if any Council Members are... are.... are going to be introducing things on .... on the, um, 7d, if you can give us a heads -up on that. We have to set the public hearing on the 21 st, so if you identify something on the 7a', um, and you want to make changes that require us to go back and do research, you're probably looking at a special meeting to ... to resolve that answer. So, um, we can berepared and ... and help you ... maybe help you prepare to have that discussion on the 7 if you give us a ... a heads -up on anything you might be thinkin' about. Throgmorton/ Okay, good deal! Thank you to the staff for the great work in presenting the material, uh, especially to Jason who just spoke, you know, for an hour I guess, at least, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017. Page 57 Budget Work Session about all the great projects that Public Works is doing. Ron, thank you. Dennis, thank you. Juli, thank you. Cole/ Thanks, guys! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council budget work session of January 10, 2017.