HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-02 TranscriptionPage 1
Council Present:
Council Absent:
Staff Present:
Others Present:
Botchway, Cole, Mims, Thomas, T rogmorton
Dickens, Taylor
Fruin, Monroe, Andrew, Dilkes, Voparil, Craig, Ford, Nations, Ralston,
Panos, Reichart, Havel, Rackis, Seydell Johnson, O'Brien, Yapp,
Bockenstedt
Nelson, Stewart (UISG)
ICPL Bookmobile Tour:
Throgmorton/ All right, so we're gonna begin our Iowa City City Council, uh, work session for
May the .... the 2 I of May. And the first item on the agenda is ... the bookmobile tour! So,
is there going to be any kind of briefing beforehand by anybody associated with the
Library or do we just run outside and Kingsley starts driving? (laughter)
Fruin/ We were .... we were gonna go outside first and then come back in, and I think Susan was
going to provide an overview.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Okay! So that's where we're headed? Right now!
Craig/ ...Public Library bookmobile today, and the sun, may it always go together (laughs)
um..you know, this has been a long road here. Uh, I've learned a lot. I .... I have built a
building, and buying a bookmobile is almost as complicated. (laughter) It doesn't take
quite as much time but .... um, every little nuance. We have had so much help from other
City departments. Um, I can't begin to tell you. We've learned lots of people's names
that we didn't know very well, and um, the people in Equipment, the people in Parks and
Rec, Transit... you know. I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody, but lots of people in the City
have helped us out. I think the Equipment guys thought it was a new toy they got and
they get to figure out how to change the oil (mumbled) um ... but the point of the
bookmobile is to serve Iowa City neighborhoods and I think that it is going to be a great
service. You have a schedule in front of you tonight and it's available online at, uh,
icpl.org/bookmobile. Um, we have really tried to spread the visits out throughout the
community. As you see, all the stops are full service. Anyone can come stop. So if it
happens to be at Legacy, which some people would think that's only for the people who
live at Legacy. That's not true. Anybody in the neighborhood can come. Like
wil... likewise there's a stop on George Street, which we sort of see. We have a contract
with University Heights. That's the stop that's closest to them. You know, it's fine for
anyone who lives in the neighborhood to, we hope, walk over or bike over and ... and visit
the bookmobile. Um, we'll have three schedules a year, uh, operating five days a week
regularly in the summer time and four days a week during the school year, and obviously
in the summer time, you know, we're really working with Parks and Rec for, um, park
visits, uh, multiple times during the day. We're going to, um, the park .... Party in the
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Park on Thursday nights. So we're coordinating a lot with them. When the school year
starts, we'll be back and we'll visit more schools in the after-school and the early evening
]yours. Um, so I'm, you know, now we have it and I'm looking forward to see how the
community reacts and how we can serve everybody, and I'm glad to answer any
questions if I can!
Throgmorton/ Kingsley asked all his questions out there in the bookmobile.
Botchway/ Oh, we're not supposed to?
Craig/ He was interested! (several talking)
Botchway/ Yeah, I mean I think you (both talking)
Craig/ And he says he has a chauffeur's license, so maybe we could work a deal! (laughter)
Botchway/ I do! No, I think if we could work it out where, you know, if somebody's sick or
something like that, could come in and help (laughter) No! (laughter)
Thomas/ Does .... does the bookmobile, uh, I've ... the thought of how, you know, ice cream
trucks, you know, they'd have the music and so you .... even if you didn't see the ... the
vehicle, you knew it was in the neighborhood. Is there any music?
Craig/ There is an audio sound system that's part of it, but I don't think we thought about doing
down the road.
Cole/ I hope not!
Craig/ I don't think we want people running up to it while it's, you know, going out there. We
are .... um ..... trying to figure out how we can coordinate with the system on the buses so
you can look and find the location of it at any given time, you know, if you have it on
your phone. (both talking)
Throgmorton/ (mumbled)
Craig/ So we're workin' with that, because they've been making it change in what they used, you
know, it's somethin' that will come down the road, I hope!
Botchway/ Well I think to John's point though, is there any way that outside of knowing, driving
by the bookmobile and so say it's in my neighborhood. Is there anything that
somebody's going to say, `Hey, the Iowa City bookmobile is here,' loud broadcasts on
the radio. Just because if I'm not paying attention to, you know, the intemet or wanting
to look for it, will I know outside of it being there?
Craig/ Well every day we've tried to have what we call a `high visibility' stop, you know,
whether it's at a grocery store, at one of our shopping malls, so that people will drive by
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and go, `Whew! Let's get over here and go visit the bookmobile,' and in some of the
neighborhoods, like the mobile home parks, I have no doubt that they're gonna know
when the bookmobile is there. Because we have had such positive reactions, utn,
everybody that we called and said, `You know, would you like to have the bookmobile
come and visit your place?' Everyone has been very enthusiastic and, you know, we
changed a couple of times, like, um, I think maybe it was Breckenridge said, you know,
don't come at that time of day. That's really a busy sort of bottleneck right there. Come
later. You know, we've worked those things out with people and, um, I think ... the people
in that neighborhood, particularly those contained neighborhoods like the mobile home
parks are certainly gonna know when the bookmobile's there.
Thomas/ I ... I (several talking)
Throgmorton/ How long will each stop last? Sorry, John!
Craig/ If you look in the .... the schedule, most of them are an hour. Um, sometimes, uh, like the
mornings when we're at a park, we hope we can extend that by a little bit. We don't
know yet how much travel time it's going to take in between some of these spots,
because we're just getting out and driving the routes and things. So if we canstay an
hour and 15 minutes. If we get there 15 minutes early and get setup, we'll be open. You
know, it's .... it's a trade-off between more stops or longer stops. So, it's a work in
progress!
Thomas/ I ... I just wanted to say I'm looking forward. I'm sure you're going to have City
Channel out there at some point soon (both talking)
Craig/ City Channel has been at several events and ... um, one of our people who happen to be the
person who was scheduled to .... to, um, train on the truck that, uh, Equipment gave us for
the people who are, um, studying for ... uh, practicing for chauffeur's licenses, he's gonna,
uh, follow her again while she's actually driving the bookmobile. So, yes. City
Channel's been there with us and .... and we have some great video! And if you haven't
seen it, they set up a camera. Wasn't City Channel, it was our staff, the day we loaded
the collection on, and it's like this time lapse thing where boom, boom, boom .... it looks
like, you know, we loaded that thing in five minutes and it was more like eight hours.
(laughter)
Cole/ How were the locations chosen and if someone is living in an area of Iowa City that's not
close by to one of these locations, is there a process by which they could request it to
come to their location or how .... how did that occur?
Craig/ We looked at locations. We tried to identify a high visibility location for each day. We
tried to hit both the east and the west side of Iowa City, and extend somewhat into the
County, um, who has a contract for service with us, and .... then our focus was on
neighborhoods where we thought people might not have the ability to get downtown to
the Library. So, um, we're at, I believe, every mobile home park in the City limits and
several in rural Johnson County, and we are at every retirement home that had space for
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us to park. There were a couple that we couldn't get in their driveways, so.... That's
how we picked them and we ... one of the reasons we are looking at changing the schedule
three times a year possibly is to make sure that if some place is not very active and
there's potential someplace else, we'll change things up.
Throgmorton/ Looks great, Susan! Thank you. (both talking)
Craig/ Thank you guys! You made it possible!
Throgmorton/ Could you come back in another two or three months, give us a brief, very brief
update, just (both talking)
Craig/ Sure!
Throgmorton/ ...about how things are goin'?
Craig/ Yeah, and I'll be back at 7:00 to watch you get a check! (laughter)
Potential Sustainability/Carbon Emission Reduction Projects OP #3, IP #4 of 4/27 Info
Packet
Throgmorton/ Oh, that's quick enough. Thanks! (laughter) Thank you! Very exciting!
(several talking) Nice, uh, nice vehicle. All right, well our next topic is exploration of
sustainability and carbon reduction projects. Ashley, were you intending to say anything
at the start or are we just goin' into it?
Monroe/ No! I just thought that, um, we'd leave you to discuss, uh, we supplied the ... the memo,
uh, a second time for review and .... (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay! Just wanted to be clear. Okay so let me say a few words at the start. Uh,
there's $150,000 in the FYI budget for climate action projects. In one of our previous
meetings we agreed we wanted to identify one or more projects that could be
accomplished this year, at least that's the way I understood it, and which would .... hm,
symbolize, uh.... in.....in a pretty publicly, visible way our commitment to carbon
emission reduction. I ... I think that's right. Is that spot-on? Yeah, okay. So .... thanks to
Ashley, we have six possible projects before us and our task is to choose one or more of
them. And .... I .... I gotta tell you for me personally I find that pretty difficult to do
because we don't really know the costs of the projects. We don't really know
the... effects of the projects. So we could do a vote (laughs) you know sort of just, uh, by
our gut feelings about what we prefer, or we could, uh, process it a little more thoroughly.
When I go through the .... the possibilities, I find myself inclined toward mixing three or
four of `em. But again, I don't know how much each of `em would cost. Like I don't
know how much a `big belly' costs, uh, to buy and operate, uh, for example. So ... that
complicates our decision process it seems to me. And frankly I don't think it really
should be our role as a Council to do a benefit cost assessment, or something like that, for
Us kind of thing, but I don't wanna just kind of dump it back in the... in the City
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Manager's lap. So ... I feel a little bit at a loss. I know the ones that I sort of prefer in
terms of mixing `em. I ... I like the ... uh, the expanded tree planting. I like the `big belly'
recycling, in some parks. And I ... I like reeval... excuse me, reevaluating the feasibility of
a solar wind project at either the waste water treatment plant or the landfill, and I liked
Rockne's suggestion, about lookin' at, uh.... um.....what do ya call it? Return on
investment for I guess give municipal buildings, right? For solar projects on five
municipal buildings. But .... like I say, I .... I find it difficult to balance, given what I just
said. So I wonder what you folks are thinking. I know you've had a chance to process it
all so you have your own thoughts about this, uh, let's share `em and see what we come
to.
Cole/ Jim, I don't know if maybe I can start off. A little bit of the reasoning behind why I
wanted essentially get that more information is that, Jim, I think that that's precisely I
think what we've been missing in past meetings. The precise cost estimate of what it
would take, if we were to do, um, a solar installation on one of our major municipal
facilities, and secondly to get a specific estimate as to what the carbon mitigation would
be on any particular building. Um, in the assessments I've looked at, um, Geoff shared
with me in the past. I think three or four years ago there was an assessment actually on
City Hall. Um, there was essentially a detailed cost estimate, and there was also
identification as to what the specific carbon emission would do. I think those are critical
factors when we talk about major buildings. I think some of these strike me as well
within the ability to sort of make the decision tonight, um, so for example the small solar
and wind installations. My sense from reading the memo is actually that that would be
relatively doable, relatively quickly in terms of being able to at least assess the cost. Um,
obviously the large wind and turbine solar voltaic system, that will require more
information. So what I would really like us to do is to authorize staff, and I have shared
this proposal with Geoff, prior to tonight's discussion, authorize staff to get an estimate
on, uh, the buildings that staff feels are the most readily adaptable to solar installation.
Um, I .... my understanding that depending upon the entity, we'd .... we would request a
Request for Proposal, uh, that in some cases there might be a de minimis cost. In other
cases there may be no costs at all. I think it depends upon the individual company in
terms of the... providing the estimate, uh, because it will require some time, is my
understanding, to bring their engineers out. Um, they can't just essentially obviously
eyeball it. They have to do a structural assessment, and I think that gets us where we
really need to go. Um, I think we need to feel a greater sense of urgency, um, in terms of
climate change. I ... I think we're proceeding, uh, forward with a Climate Mitigation Task
Force, um, but ... but frankly I don't want to wait 14 months before we take the next major
step (both talking) And so I think that we can get that information, and then if we come
back and we get that estimate and the....and.... and Geoff has not indicated that this
would be an overly burnis ...onerous obligation on staff. If we do get sticker shock, um,
we can ... we can defer and decide not to move forward with it, and the other thing that I'm
suggesting is that once we get those estimates, um, then once we go into our year-to-year
capital improvement project, they would go into essentially all of the other competing
priorities that ... that we would identify in a year-to-year basis, but the difference being
that we'd have a specific cost associated with `em. So that's what I'd really like us to be
able to do to get that authority, and in terms of these particular projects, I won't go
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through every one, um, but the two at the top of the list I think jump out at me as
significant ones that we should focus on. We install the large wind turbine I think in
partic... in particular at the sewage treatment plant. I think that's gonna give us not only
the biggest bang for our buck, but the greatest level of reduction for carbon mitigation,
and two, uh, the small wind and solar installations, and so what I'm ... you know, Geoff
has talked about these as sort of more of a demonstration concept. I mean the actual
carbon emission will be relatively low. Um, but I think we need to .... with the media that
we have, with our TV station that we have, City Channel 4, I think we can really project
to the community, you know, what we can accomplish. So that's.... those three things, I
think if we can move on those I'd feel that we're making progress, and I think that we're
reflecting the urgency that we need to all feel related to climate change.
Throgmorton/ When you said wind project at the treatment plant, did you mean a wind and solar
project? (both talking)
Cole/ Well I think it ... basically what it says is large wind turbine or solar voltaic system, so for
that I guess I would .... my understanding is that it's essentially an assessment of staff,
what ... what they think would be the most cost effective, and so if staff comes back and
says, you know what, we've done the assessment. We think the large wind turbine would
be more effective, I ... I would defer to staffs judgment on that. Um, so I think it'd be in
the disjunctive rather than (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay, let's hear from others. Thanks, Rockne!
Thomas/ Well I .... I like the idea of kind of a diverse approach, because .... I am try .... I'd like to
try to view this as .... as a way of previewing, in effect, the scope of what would be
involved in a climate action plan, with the idea of high visibility being one factor, uh, that
we have confidence that whatever we do it will .... be something that we would anticipate
seeing implemented, even once we have the ... the climate action plan in place. If we can
incorporate our overarching strategic plan goals of inclusiveness and... and justice, I think
that would be a factor, as well. Uh, so the ... the projects that ... that interested me, one I'm
sure is no surprise (laughs) would be the .... the tree planting program.
Botchway/ You serious? (laughter)
Thomas/ (laughs)
Throgmorton/ Gonna have to rethink that, John! (laughs)
Thomas/ Uh, yeah! And.... and..... partly because I know even in taking with Jim, you know,
Jim, you were not really that, at least my impression was is that you were not that clear
on the value of trees with respect to (mumbled) emissions.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, in our first conversations (both talking)
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Thomas/ ...in our first conversations. So I .... that, so I think there is an educational component to
this. Uh, I like ..... I don't, as Jim said, I don't know the cost of it, but kind of having just
toured the bookmobile, I thought having .... the City having an electric vehicle, um, with
those vehicles that are traveling around Iowa City would have a high visibility, uh, and
again if that ... if that's something that we can anticipate as .... as a strategy that we will be
implementing, um, I could see, you know, taking a first step and doing that. Uh, Rockne,
your .... your assessment, um, program I think would be a .... another piece. And then
something that would reflect, you know, the solar, wind — you know, whether it's a
demonstration project, you know, something that would kind of address that component,
which is more on the ... um, providing supply, you know, the supply side of..of a climate
action plan.
Throgmorton/ Okay!
Mims/ Well for me ... um, in terns of the projects that Ashley had on here, my first one would be
the tree planting and the Big Bellies. I think .... I think Ashley had given us kind of a
ballpark cost of $14,000 or....
Monroe/ Yes! There, um .... (mumbled) this is me not doing the math in the moment, but they are
about $200 a month to, for rentals, so .... you're looking at .... you know, a couple
thousand dollars a year to ... to rent (both talking)
Mims/ Per....
Monroe/ Per unit. So if we installed them in six to seven of the most used parks, then, you
know... whatever that cost would be. So that would be (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ....that'd be a continuing cost (several talking)
Mims/ But the thing, I mean, and I've seen this cause I spent .... many, many nights over many,
many years in our parks for baseball and softball (laughs) and -you know, and for
tournaments and stuff, and let me tell you, the end of the day, you know, before the end
of the day, the trash cans are all overflowing, you know, and then you're seeing the City
crew come through with a truck or two and having to make multiple trips, trying to dump
all of those and so when you talk about ... the emissions from the vehicle, the gas, the ... the
time for staff, etc., um, I think ... putting some of those Big Bellies out there, one they're
very visible. The hope .... it promotes that idea of recycling. So I think they're very
visible as well as, you know, giving us, even though there's cost in renting them,
certainly we're getting some savings as well in terms of the vehicles and manpower, in
terms of having to be out in the parks as often. Um .... having, uh, grown up in ... and ... and
preferring to live out in the country, although I live in the city, but ... in a very ... an area
very covered with trees, um, I like the idea of doing more tree planting. Uh, I think that,
you know, we know that it cools. It ... it's good in terms of the quality of the air, and I
think it just makes a much more attractive area in which to be and spend your time when
you've got, uh, a lot of trees. So I'd be interested in doing that.
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Throgmorton/ Can I interrupt just for a second? Do we have any estimate about the cost of
planting... you know, a substantial number of trees along south Sycamore? (several
talking) Just wondering if we had one. I don't know if we do.
Fruin/ Um, I .... I'm puffin' it somewhere high 200s or 300s for that corridor. That was a big
corridor, the Lower Muscatine, Sycamore corridor, but I want to say it was somewhere
around 250,000 to 300,000. I don't know if the engineers.... about 300,000 I'm hearing.
Yeah.
Mims/ So obviously with ... with what we're talking we'd have to either pick a part of that
corridor or a different one, depending upon....
Thomas/ Or plant smaller trees. I don't know what size....
Fruin/ Yeah, there's a number of..and then that was a ... that was a pretty barren corridor too.
There's... there's some where it's ... it's more just, uh, filling in some gaps, as well. Um,
but we ... what we would do is sit down with the, uh, our staff and identify a couple of
corridors that we think are good candidates and come back to ya and....
Thomas/ It could tie in, by the way, and I forgot to mention, with the ... the, uh, bicycle master
plan, you know, try to identify those corridors that we're promoting because those will
perform better if they're well landscaped with street trees.
Mims/ So those are the two that I would give priority to, is the Big Bellies and the tree planting,
and then I'm certainly, um, not adverse to Rockne's idea of, you know, doing an RFP,
but I would certainly .... as we look at that, I think we need, and obviously depends upon
the particular location we're talking about, but I think we should be looking, depending
on the location, just as strongly at wind as solar. I ... I don't see a big emphasis of one
over the other. Obviously it depends on the location which one might make more sense.
We're not gonna put a big wind mill on top of this building, obviously. Okay. Um, and
while I like the idea of a wind mill out at the landfill, obviously I think we need to do a
financial analysis, you know, before we would move forward with anything like that.
So....
Throgmorton/ Before Kingsley talks, could I say something about the ... the financial analysis?
Uh, am I .... am I correct in understanding there, a return on investment analysis in this,
for this kind of project, would be basically determining how much it costs to reduce, uh, a
ton of carbon emissions. So the return is maximizing emission reduction.
Frain/ You could do it any way you (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Or carbon absorbed by trees (both talking)
Frain/ ...we could look at the pure financial and the impact on utility bills, uh, and kind of a pay-
back period, um, it changes when you go to carbon emissions cause you have to consider
the source of -of the energy that you're, um, replacing, um, so, you know, you can
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structure those ... those calculations in a number of different ways. And then it's relative
to ... to what, um, what are the other project opportunities. So that's why we're hopin' you
can kind of give us an (mumbled) know we're just lookin' at renewable energy then we
don't need to worry about lookin' at HVAC units and .... and building controls and things
that we've been doin' for a while.
Throgmorton/ So if we do a purely financial analysis... well, I ... I know we can do (several
talking) carbon analysis and ... and the other, but focus on the financial analysis for a
second. I would advocate .... uh.....doing two different types of financial analysis. One is
a standard return on investment in terms of dollars and cents, and the other would
incorporate the social cost of carbon, and I know, Geoff, you and I have talked about this
before, but, uh, the .... the previous, uh, fe... national administration used basically $40 a
ton as the social cost of carbon. We can incorpra... incorporate that into our analysis,
pretty much as a test case, as well as for providing useful information in this particular
context. And have that as a .... a parallel to ... to go along with, uh, the strictly financial
analysis.
Mims/ I guess the only other comment I would make, and I .... and I get that the majority of the
Council has wanted something that's kind of a .... flashy, you know, publicity (coughing,
unable to hear speaker) but ... but I think for the public, and I think for us as well, it would
be interesting to see the difference or a comparison on that return, uh, when you talk
about an HVAC project. I mean I know they're not as exciting and flashy, etc., but ... but l
think it's important, you know, as we are .... we control the money for the City. We are
responsible for spending taxpayer money. And so I ... I think it's important that we have
that comparison between doing the new and flashy, um, and what... what's it really doing
for us in terms of reduction of carbon emission, um, and the return investment, versus,
you know, the non -flashy kinds of projects, which might be HVAC. It might be new
windows. It might be LED lighting, and certainly I think with... Geoff, you'd have to
answer this. With some of the facility's analysis that's been done over the last few years,
would you and staff have .... maybe like two or three kinds of projects like that, that
maybe... you've kind of been thinking about, that ... at some point need to be done because
of building maintenance or something (both talking)
Fruin/ ...we have a, you know, a list of improvements at each facility that ... that we've been
chippin' away at for years, and that's one thing I want to make sure that everybody
understands that ... our staff has not been kind of standing still the last 10 years or so.
We've been actually very aggressive in .... in reducing our carbon emissions. We just
haven't done so in a flashy way. We've been takin' care of the ... the low -hanging fruit, so
to speak, but .... but we still have a long ways to go. We have lots of facilities that don't
have, uh, LED lights. Um, the AmeriCorps program's gonna help out with that this year,
uh, and help us, uh, make some further progress there. Uh, you've seen, urn ... um, HVAC
projects come before you, boiler replacements, things like that. HVAC projects. So
we're doin' as much as we can, as quick as we can, with a lot of those renovations, and
they've made a big impact, and we .... we track that. So, uh, but that's the long way of
sayin', yes, we can bring forward some ... some of the more routine projects and ... and
show how those pay out too.
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Mims/ I would like to see that.
Cole/ No and I actually would agree with that. I mean .... and I think that's part of the point of
getting the estimates and the cost. So ... we can come back, we can get an estimate as to
the cost, you know, that the staff feels are the most adaptable. We can also get a sense of
sort of the ... the carbon emission. We can ... it seems like in terms of our his ... history,
because we have so much experience, we probably have infonnation readily at hand as to
what it would cost if we were to do HVAC renewals and those sorts of things. So, that's
sort of what I'm envisioning is step one is to do this process, get the information, and
then reconvene, you know, six months from now or whenever we get that information in,
and then make the decision at that point, and we may decide that HVAC makes the most
sense going forward.
Botchway/ So I would just say, you know, I mean I kinda agree with everybody, where they're
(clears throat) kinda at. Um, you know I would ... so trees I'm obviously for. Now you've
changed my mind as you've gotten on Council and in general (laughter) so I appreciate
that (several talking and laughing) Um, I think that for me, I mean, there's different
reasons. Obviously I ... I think I agree with the reasons as far as carbon emissions, but
shade, I mean, being a huge (both talking)
Thomas/ The weather here I think is (both talking) essential.
Botchway/ Somewhat tough, and I think it ... you talked about the bicycle master plan. One of the
things as you were talking, I was thinking about just walkability in general, and so
making sure that we're thinking about that particular corridor that we're gonna use, be...
use that as a promotion as far as we're making this a more walkable corridor by doing
these things, and so that would be something important. The large installation, I ... I'm all
for, um, I'm more interested in wind than solar, but I think from Susan's point, I mean,
I'd just be interested from the number's perspective which one would work. Um, I would
like to see it, obviously, um, a large installation at our, um, our water treatment plant.
I ... for me, I ... I'll be honest with you. I'm really excited about the smaller projects. Um,
one because, um, I don't necessarily know what kind of costs will come from that, but
when I think about visibility, and I think this is part of the reason we're talking about this,
honestly. Um, trees are important, but I think, you know, I'm not a tree guy, I mean,
you ... you put some more trees on there I'm gonna drive by and say, `Huh, there may be a
couple more trees,' I'm not gonna notice kind of a huge change, um, but when you think
about large installation project, I don't mean this as a rude thing, I mean I just don't see
myself going to the water treatment plant a lot. Um, I may, you know, go there for a tour
sometimes (laughs) but I'm not, you know, gonna make it a daily trip, and so I guess I'm
thinking of, you know, kinda Susan's point. Not something like big monstrosity on top
of City Hall, but what are some other things in relation to maybe our City buildings, as
Rockne had mentioned, um, just smaller, you know....I.....I don't know where all of our
City buildings are. I can think about the Public Works facility that we're talking about
phase one, I mean, that would be an important piece as we're seeing more cars drive that
corridor, maybe having a couple of signature small projects there. Um, those are the
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things I think that are high visibility and we can kind of build those into the project, and
may have some high, you know, cost benefit analysis as well.
Fruin/ Yeah, we .... we've talked a number of. ... certainly the Public Works facility, that's on our
radar. Um, Juli's talked to me about, um, park shelters and ... and bein' able to take care
of the lighting at park shelters, with .... with solar. Um, Chris and his staff are looking at,
um, solar on bus shelters, when we might provide some ambient lighting, uh, at...at key
locations. So, uh, the .... the bookmobile, I don't know if they covered that out there, but
they have solar, uh, as .... as part of that system. So we are trying to integrate, uh, that
into, uh, some of the, uh, routine.... more routine projects that we do and there
are... there's a lot of. ... there's a lot of, um, possibilities, particularly at parks if you want
to ... if you want to go that route.
Botchway/ I guess ... but then, to that point, Geoff. I appreciate you stating that. If it is a question
as far as doing a large project at the, I mean, at the water treatment plant and doing a lot
of those small projects, I would be more inclined to do more of those small projects, just
because I do think that, you know, granted we can do more bang for your buck analysis
as it applies to the water treatment plant, but I don't know how many times, now I can't
remember her name .... as she's come before us so many times before, has talked about
bus shelters, and being able to add that (several talking) been able to add that, um, that
lighting piece, from a safety perspective with bus ... I mean that would just be, you know, I
think we would be killing two birds with one stone. So, that's an important part. Um,
and then the vehicles, I almost think that we can do that irregardless of doing this
analysis. I think that, you know, I'm not necessarily interested in kind of buying vehicles
now. I .... I think maybe it's in line as far as, you know, if we come up to a .... a cycle
where we need to buy three new vehicles, we'll think about purchasing vehicles that have
kind of, you know, are electric vehicles or something along those lines, and so I don't
necessarily know if a feasibility study needs to speak to that, and so I'm interested but I
don't think I want to spend the money in that. So, just to recap, trees. It's hot. Um, a
large installation, obviously at the water treatment plant as everybody's kinda talked
about, and then the smaller projects, I think for me, would just be one of those things. I
left out the, um, the Big Bellies because I was in Toronto, it'd be two weekends ago, and
they just didn't have that. I appreciate they had like the recycling and some of the other
pieces, and so then my question is is, you know .... is Big Belly offering us more than just
some type of contraption that kind of melds more into the, um, to the environment of the
particular area that we can just separate. I mean, I don't think I did anything differently
than I would at a Big Belly. Um, but I think .... I don't know, I can't remember the waste
minimization impacts as far as like when it goes into the contraption what it does. But
that would be my question. That's why I'm .... I didn't put Big Belly on there.
Fruin/ It's a .... it's a compactor. (both talking) ...compacts. There's a solar panel on the top and
it compacts it so you don't have to pick it up as much.
Botchway/ Okay. So I mean that's why I'm not high on it, but I mean for me those are the three
things I would focus on.
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Throgmorton/ So, Geoff, have you gotten crystal clear guidance from us? (laughter)
Fruin/ Well I mean, uh.... kind of, yes. Um (laughter) you know what I'm hearing is interest
in ... in perhaps exploring something larger scale at maybe the landfill or waste water, um,
facilities, which we can look at. Uh, visibility projects and I sense some flexibility on
whether that's large scale or several smaller scale, um, and then the tree planting corridor
seems to be, uh, unanimous across the board. The Big Bellies are really nice.
Um .... and ... and I think what I would suggest is maybe that we take that discussion
internally as staff and prepare that for the next budget season, because that's really, uh,
the ... the rental structure of those is more of an operating cost. We wouldn't be tapping
into the capital funds to purchase those because they're leased. Uh, we'd have to build
that into our operating budget and, um .... uh, that seems like a discussion maybe down
the road, and I don't sense a whole lot of urgency, but I do think there's, um, I do think
the experiment downtown with those has gone well, and there's probably, uh, some, uh,
good reason to ... to put those in some high volume parks. So, trees, um, we'll get you
some, uh, numbers of routine projects that we have comin' up and what those look like,
and then explore a mixture of small and large scale projects, and we can bring it back to
you. Does that sound....
Cole/ Are we going to get the RFP though? Did we get support on that? For the big projects?
Throgmorton/ I .... I think it's a good idea.
Fruin/ Okay, so (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ...basic information for lookin' ahead (both talking)
Fruin/ What... what's the ... just lay out the expectations for what that RFP will produce, how
many facilities, um, are we okay at just the two facilities that I mentioned? Do you want
us to bring in City Hall? Do you want us to bring in the Rec Center? Uh, want to make
sure that we get at what you want here.
Cole/ Well I was hoping that it'd be the five municipal buildings that staff in its own assessment
are most readily adaptable to either a solar or wind installation, based upon the lowest
cost to the taxpayer, um, is sort of what I was thinking of. So that way you would have
the ... the flexibility on that and we'd just get the RFP, and then we'd come back once we
(both talking)
Fruin/ So my guess is gonna be, um, and I don't know this for sure, but we're probably looking
at water, waste water, landfill, airport, outlying facilities that aren't very high in terms of
visibility but, um, probably provide us the most ample opportunity for a ground mount.
My .... my guess is the ground mount's gonna be a better, uh, situation because our .... our
roofs weren't desired to ... to hold solar, uh, some may be capable, but I doubt very many,
without some structural reinforcement.
Throgmorton/ Rockne, does that sound good to you?
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Cole/ Yeah, that sounds good to me, I mean it's based upon your judgment. Yep.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so sounds like, uh, you can make sense out of this.... wizened discussion
(both talking)
Fruin/ Yeah, we got enough. Yeah, it's good!
Clarification of Agenda Items:
Throgmorton/ Excellent! Well, that was a lot easier than I thought it (laughter) Uh, hold on, I
gotta go through notes here to find out .... what's coming up. I know we have ... uh,
clarification of agenda items. All right! Any agenda items anybody wants to talk
through a little bit? Oh! I want to congratulate Ben and welcome Gustav aboard!
(mumbled) Where'd Ben go? Oh, there he is, over there! Yeah, so it's Gustav that will
have big shoes to fill next year, right? Anybody else, clarification about this or that?
ITEM 13. OPEN CONTAINER AMENDMENT — ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE
4, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, CHAPTER 5, PROHIBITIONS AND
RESTRICTIONS, SECTION 5 OPEN CONTAINERS, TO ALLOW OPEN
CONTAINERS TO BE CARRIED FROM ONE LICENSED PREMISES
DIRECTLY INTO ANOTHER (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Botchway/ Open container amendment, Item 13. So there's just been some conflicting stuff that
I've read, and albeit late at night and so maybe I'm just....misreading it. But, this
ordinance allows for .... this is specific to the, um, the downtown block party, or
this is just for in general?
Fruin/ This is the downtown block party. The framework will be there for other events to
potentially utilize that .... oh, Simon's here. Um ... stole his thunder. Um, but it
would require your approval. So....
Botchway/ Okay.
Fruin/ We've always envisioned this as `let's test it out with this event,' and if it works then
maybe we have discussions about doing it, uh, for a similar event next year or for
other events.
Andrew/ Yep! Absolutely. Couldn't have said it better. Uh, they all require an individual
agreement that comes back to you for each one, so um, while the code amendment
could apply to other events, they would have to get individually approved
(mumbled) to be able to take advantage of it.
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Throgmorton/ Simon, I'm not entirely clear about one other point. So, I do understand that, uh,
one could buy a drink at, uh, at a certain.... place, and then carry it into another
place, across the street?
Andrew/ Yes.
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Andrew/ Yeah, so there will be, uh, individual cups that are specific to this event. So those are
the only ones that'll be allowed in the street. So if you want to carry a beer say
from one location to another, or buy it in a bar and drink it in the street, it has to
be in that cup. So you'd carry that cup into the bar and they would sell you your
beer or wine (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ...use a little hyperbole here, would somebody be able to kind of wonder the
streets downtown, with this particular open container?
Andrew/ Yes, within the defined area. That is correct.
Throgmorton/ Okay.
Botchway/ But not the beer! (several talking)
Mims/ Yeah, you can have the cup with the beer, or wine, in it (several talking) Yes, with beer
or wine in it.
Botchway/ I'm just making a .... a, the difference between... not a can of beer. (several talking)
Andrew/ ...approved container, that's correct.
Dilkes/ Although we don't have an enforcement mechanism for that. Because open containers
will be allowed, so we're not gonna be able to charge someone who's got an open
beer, with an open container violation. The focus of the police is going to have to
be on behavior.
Andrew/ An analogy to that is, you know, if somebody opens their own beer inside a bar or
restaurant, that they didn't buy at the bar or restaurant, that isn't, uh, you know,
that isn't illegal, uh, per se, but the bar would ask the person to leave. You know,
they wouldn't be allowed to ... per the policy. So it would be similar in the street in
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that, um, you know, it wouldn't be illegal for them to have their own beer that
they've brought in and opened it there, but they would be asked to pour it out,
asked to leave.
Throgmorton/ So we think of this as an experiment.
Andrew/ Yes!
Throgmorton/ Right? Okay, how will we know if the experiment fails?
Andrew/ Well I think the (both talking) largely it'd be, you know, calls for service, if..if the, you
know, if the police experience.... we'll have six, um, what would have been off-
duty officers, uh, paid by the Downtown District, that'll be on site there. So we'll
review with them what their experience was, whether they ran into any problems
with, um, you know, this change that is different from other, uh, festivals. That'd
be the primary concern.
Fruin/ I think it's just gonna be a ... you know, a sense of how the community reacts to it, um...
certainly when they did this up in Cedar Rapids, I think by and large it's ... it was
received very well and they've.... they've decided that they want to continue to do
that. It's not to say that their events have gone on without problems, um, because
they did have some challenges up there, but urn... the.... the feel from the
community was that it worked out okay and with some tweaks we .... we can
continue to go forward. Now if it turns out that, you know, it....it doesn't fly as
well here and we have a number of issues, we're not bound to ... we're not
committed to continuing with it, and the Downtown District knows that and they
take this .... I know they're taking this very .... this responsibility very seriously
because, um, they would like to see this type of event become a tradition here and
they want to make sure that, uh, they carry it out and ... and do so responsibly so
that, uh, there is a good .... there is a good response from the community and,
um... there's a ... a, kind of a push to do it again.
Throgmorton/ I don't remember what the boundaries would be.
Andrew/ Sure!
Throgmorton/ ...on this experiment.
Andrew/ Uh, goes up to Clinton Street, not including the sidewalk. Um, Iowa Avenue, including
the sidewalk, but stopping at the curb line. So Iowa Avenue will still be open to
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traffic, but the sidewalk will be part of the event. Uh, Linn Street, and um,
College Street essentially. The ... the southern boundary of the ped mall.
Throgmorton/ Everything within that.
Andrew/ Yep, everything within that. So for the streets themselves, it's basically, what,
Washington, Dubuque, and Linn. (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Any other questions for Simon on this? Thanks!
Andrew/ Thank you.
ITEM 5f(3) Kayla Cress: Park Rule of no alcohol, even for small events
Mims/ Um, 5f(3), it's correspondence, uh, it was an email that was sent to me and I forwarded it
to Council, so it would be in the packet. This is on the park rule of no alcohol.
Basically, you know, the issue was .... you know, families either wanting to have a
small gathering or a small wedding reception or something. Is there some way
that we can adjust our park rules to obviously no keggers, that kind of thing, and
so I would .... want, put it in the packet so we could bring it up for a bit of
discussion and see if we could reach any consensus on maybe directing staff to
look at that policy and see if we can come up with some modifications. Are
people interested in (several talking)
Cole/ Could we do a work session on it?
Mims/ I guess my question is, is do we need to do a work session or should we .... Geoff, I mean I
think you and your staff probably would have the best ideas of maybe how that
could be tweaked to allow kind of what this is asking for. Does....
Monroe/ Yeah, and we've done a little bit of research with other cities. A number of other cities
have policies that allow alcohol. Usually small, personal quantities, um, you
know, no case quantities, no kegs, that type of thing. I think it's very possible to
come up with some regulations that would work.
Mims/ So would Council be willing to just kind of let staff start with it and bring it back, rather
than us trying to work session it?
Throgmorton/ Yeah, may ... bring something back to us. A specific proposal.
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Mims/ In the meantime, I mean if ...Rockne, if you've got specific ideas, maybe .... talk (both
talking)
Cole/ Well I didn't have any specific ideas. I was just thinking if we're going to change it, you
know, I think that we should (mumbled) and obviously we're signaling to the
public now, uh, but I was hoping there'd be a greater opportunity to weigh in. I ... I
agree that the point of it is for the keggers.
Mims/ Yeah (both talking)
Cole/ Not ... not for the people at a little get together having a can of beer. Um, but that said, it
would be a major change to the existing policy. Um, I think when we do those
major changes we should give as much time as possible, so obviously we'd be
able to do that, have to come up with a separate... would it come up in the form of
an ordinance change or would it be just a policy that we would be able to...
Dilkes/ There's enough flexibility in the ordinance to permit it.
Cole/ Okay.
Fruin/ I believe that (both talking)
Cole/ ...policy change.
Fruin/ Yeah, I believe that I have the authority right now, um, to, urn .... change the regulations to
allow it and ... and so we've .... we've used that at say the Library, the Senior
Center, a couple of the Parks facilities, um, any time there's a change I'm able to
do that. With .... with this case I'd certainly feel more comfortable coming back to
you and saying, `Here's what staff would recommend. If you're okay with that,
then we'll .... we'll implement it on our end.' So it could just be a...a resolution, or
maybe even a simple motion at that time.
Cole/ Okay, I'd be fine with that (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ...definitely like to see something like that, so we could have a discussion about it
in public and the public would know what the parameters are (several talking)
Fruin/ Yeah, we'll, uh, I think it's appropriate to ask the Parks Commission to weigh in as well,
uh....
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Thomas/ Do .... do we have an idea what facilities we would be permitting this? Or is that part of
the....
Monroe/ Well what we had discussed would be potentially changing it so that you could have,
um, beer and wine for personal consumption, like if you were fishing you would
have personal amounts in your cooler, say for something like that. Um, and then
along with the shelter rental, it would be through a permit. So you'd have to
pro ... provide insurance and show that you have insurance for serving, and still
same, uh, no hard liquor, just, uh, beer, wine, up to say a pony keg or the small
growler type, um, get a lot of requests for that. That's what (mumbled) kind of
some of the parameters we've learned from other cities as well.
Mims/ How .... how realistic is it for .... how realistic is it for people to get insurance? I mean if
they're gonna....
Monroe/ We actually have an option they can buy it through us. That's what we do when they
rent Terry Trueblood or Ashton House (both talking)
Mims/ Okay!
Monroe/ So there is a .... there's a mechanism in place for that.
Mims/ Okay.
Fruin/ We're lookin' at each other (laughter) thinkin' the same thing. Probably I think there's
a .... there may be a, um, a bit of a problem with doing kind of a cooler situation
and ... and the .... and the fishing and I think what I have in mind is more of the, uh,
shelter rentals, where you've got kind of a defined location and a .... and it may,
you know, we'll have to talk. We need to hash some things out, but the, you
know, would this be appropriate for all shelters? At a .... at a neighborhood park
versus a City park or a Mercer, more of the ... the destination parks? We'll just
need to look at some other cities and think about that before we come back to you.
Mims/ Okay! Thank you!
Information Packet Discussion (April 20, April 27):
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Come back to us with a proposal. Any other agenda items? All right.
Let's turn to the Info Packet discussion for the 20th of April.
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Cole/ I had a question about IN, the I-380 planning study. This might be a more of an MPJOC.
um, issue. Do we know what they're evaluating, um, whether they are ... thinking
of doing six lanes or ... or do we know what their long-term goal is on that? Is
Kent here?
Ralston/ Yeah, good evening. Kent Ralston, Transportation Planner. Um, I think ultimately, and
it's odd because with the DOT these things seem to roll out pretty often, so
they're a little hard to keep track of Um, I don't know all the specifics, but I
believe, if we're talking about the same study, it's for a six -lane, uh, between
Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Um, and then also most recently, um, they've also
discussed the potential for using the Crandic rail bed for some form of
autonomous vehicle, and I don't know exactly what that looks like, and that
would piggyback off some of the work that the MPO, the DOT, um, along with
Crandic, has already done.
Cole/ Would we weigh in at the MPJOC level or....
Ralston/ We certainly could!
Cole/ Okay.
Ralston/ Yeah I mean we can write letters of support on behalf of the board. We can, yeah.
That's certainly a possibility.
Cole/ I, I mean I'm concerned about that. I do not want it going six lanes so I mean obviously
that's beyond the scope of tonight but....
Throgmorton/ This has been discussed before at the MPO level and I can recall Susan and I
being at at least one meeting, like four years ago or something (mumbled) saying,
`What? What are you doing?'
Mims/ (several talking) Well yeah, you and I voted against the money ... well, not that it had any
effect, but the money they're going to spend doing the interchange, the $400
million it's probably going to cost, so....
Ralston/ Correct, and that was for the six laning specifically with the 80/380 project that ... it will
actually be six lane, 380'11 be six lanes between the interchange and.... almost to
Penn. (several talking) Yeah, about half way between the new Forevergreen and
interchange of Penn, and I believe, if we're talking about the same study, um, this
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would then continue from that point on, north, and that's been on their radar for a
long time, but I think it's just...
Cole/ Okay.
Ralston/ You know, they start these things about five to 10 years early and they start the
environmental planning and find out what bridges need to be widened and that
sort of thing.
Cole/ Okay.
Ralston/ Um, they're also looking at something similar, uh, from Iowa City west towards West
Branch. That's also something that's come up here recently, a six-laning towards
West Branch as well, um, and in fact the Quad Cities MPO actually contacted me
to see what our stance would be on that, and I told them I did not know. Because
I said, you know, our forward, uh, bringing up what you had already talked about
with the 380, I said, you know, there was some skepticism of that project. So I
said I .... I would be hesitant to offer that remark at this point in time, but I said
that certainly, you know, we could address it at the board level.
Throgmorton/ So, uh, there's a lot of agreement with you, Rockne.
Botchway/ IP2, so have you had a chance to read it? It's just a letter from, um .... Andy and the
work that he's done with the Board of Supervisors around disproportionate
minority contact, and so I just think, you know, one, kudos to Supervisors and
their staff as far as the work that they're doing. Um, you know, obviously I think
that.....in the line of what we're trying to look at and focus on, in relation to the
traffic study, if you didn't look at the disproportionate contact at the (mumbled)
within the, you know, criminal justice system. I mean I think that we're doing a
good job as far as walking through the entire process and thinking about different
decision points where we want to see changes. Um, my only issue, not with this,
but it's just in general is just how the other cities are ... doing similar work,
neighbors, yeah, doing similar work. Just because, you know, one of the things
that came across in the study, and just so we're clear as well. So we really
haven't had .... um, you know, the CJCC meetings, to have more of this kind of
subcommittee talk, discussion to really try to dig in on some of these decision
points within the criminal justice system, but one of the things that came up from
the initial meetings has been, you know, the fact that Iowa City really does a good
job, and I'm not trying to put any city down. I think that we've just thought about
it maybe ahead of time. A good job collecting that information and data, and so
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was more accessible to Dr. Barnum to be able to do some of that study work,
compared to other cities, and so it'd be .... it'd be interesting, and I don't
necessarily know I want to talk about it right now, but even ... in our next joint
meeting or something like that, to talk about how we can either share or whatever
the case may be, with other cities, so it can be a comprehensive, um, discussion
across all the munit... municipalities. But, other than that, kudos for, you know,
Johnson County for stepping up, and really shouldering a lot of the costs as it
pertains to staff level, um, participation and trying to look at some of this, um,
information.
Throgmorton/ Kingsley, will this particular study be a county -wide study?
Botchway/ Yes, so it will be county -wide, and that's just because the information will be
handled, you know, based on (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Do you know will it be disaggregated by munici.... no, it's all (several talking) it's
at a different level right. (several talking)
Botchway/ I was just talking about in relation to the traffic study and everything else. I ... I don't
know if that's necessarily (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, it looks like a good study. I don't know Mark Berg, the Associate Professor
who's going to be leading it. (several talking) Okay, anything else on that, uh,
that particular, uh, Info Packet?
Mims/ Just maybe to mention, you know, for people who are watching, the Building Business
Basics workshop on May 20a'. So point that to people who might be interested
in ... getting some more information on ... how to start or expand a small business.
So .... the City, I think we're doing a lot in terms of those areas which are, you
know .... an easy, kind of free way for people to get some information, at least to
get `em started, and help point `em in the right direction for additional and more
detailed services they might need. So ..... kudos to staff!
Throgmorton/ So I'd like to ask a question about IP #5, which is the April 27`h listening post at
the Broadway Center. So, I was out of country, wasn't able to .... be around for
that, and all that ... that kind of thing, but who went? How did it go?
Thomas/ Pauline and I.
Throgmorton/ Yeah! How did it go?
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Thomas/ I thought it went well. Um .... I submitted the summary of, you know, the topics we
discussed to Julie. Uh, there were about nine, 10 people there. Uh, many of them
stayed the entire two hours! (laughs) I thought that was a pretty impressive, uh,
reflection of their desire to have a conversation, urn .... and .... and so, yeah. It's
...it's, uh, such a valuable way of connecting with, you know, diverse.....the
diversity of Iowa City and the various neighborhoods and communities, um, and
it's .... I had not been to the Neighborhood Center before. And ... the other thing I
would add is it provides an opportunity for neighbors to get to know neighbors,
you know, it's not just about our connections. It's, you know, the connections
that are made among those who are there, and uh, there was some
fabulous... fabulous folks doing really good work, in .... in the neighborhood.
Throgmorton: Good deal!
Thomas: Yeah!
Throgmorton: Okay, anything else on that Info Packet? How bout the next one, April 27t'? You
want to mention IP6, the proposed ballot language?
Mims/ Yeah, we've got the proposed ballot language for the bond referendum for the Iowa City
Community School District. So glad to see that ... that's moving forward and
certainly, um, just pretty organized group that have ... are, you know, really
pushing for the passage and so they are ... are out trying to inform people, um, of
the benefits to the district. So, encourage people to, you know, look out for that
information and, you know, educate themselves about what this will do for our
district and, uh, then make their decisions. And then we'll be doing a referendum
in support!
Thomas/ Where... where can one find that information? Do they have a (both talking)
Mims/ Yeah, they've .... I think if you to go the School District web site, um, and I think ... I think
this organization, which of course is a pro -group, um, I think has some stuff out,
but I'll .... I'll get some contact information for ya!
Fruin/ Are... are you ready for us to bring you the resolution, at...at your next meeting or....
Mims/ Yep! As far as I'm concerned.
Throgmorton/ I would say so. Yeah.
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Mims/ Yeah, I think the sooner the better.
Throgmorton/ Eleanor, I wanna ask you a question similar to one I asked last meeting, but I hope
I get it right this time. Can individual Council Members take.... explicit public
positions on the election, on the referendum?
Dilkes/ You can, as long as you're not using any City resources to do so, i.e., don't use your City
email, don't use City Channel, you know.
Throgmorton/ Right! Got it.
Dilkes/ Don't (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Don't be the City.
Dilkes/ Yeah. Right. (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay.
Dilkes/ In your personal capacity as....
Throgmorton/ Okay. Thanks! Uh, on a, I guess a related point, we all know I think that, uh, the
School District is holding a meeting at Horace Mann Elementary right now (both
talking)
Fruin/ It's right now, yeah.
Throgmorton/ ...tonight. Uh, I really look forward to hearing how that goes.
Mims/ I would just mention IP 11. We have our triple-A bond rating reaffirmed, again. Thank
you, Dennis. I know you don't want to be at the helm of our losing that (laughter)
neither does Geoff and neither do I so (laughs) Um, and ... and I think as you read
that, I think it's really important to keep in mind, and ... and we see this in every
single one of Moody's reports, is that Iowa City is an atypical city for having a
triple-A bond rating. Um, when you just look at a number of things, but when
you look at, um, median income, which is much lower, and of course that's
because of all the students, which is a huge part of that. Um, but the stability that
we have because of the University and University Hospital and other large
employers, we have a really strong economic and consistent economic base,
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which is ... is really important, and just as important as those things I thunk is the
incredibly strong financial management the City, um, and .... City staff and
Councils for decades have taken this very, very seriously, and certainly in the last
few years, I think our .... our staff has really stepped it up even further as .... as
Moody's has changed their mechanism and their criteria, um, some of this started
probably before the last election, but some of it maybe since in terms of
emergency fund, um, increasing our, um, the revenues that we're holding over in
accounts, etc. So really making it clear to Moody's that we are, you know,
managing our money really well, um, and so they really address that, and so ... and
I think it's really important because as you look at, you know, we had these late
handouts tonight because there was a bond opening this morning, if you recall,
and we are paying less than 2% interest on our bonds, and some of `em are at 1.6
or below, and that is only because we have a triple-A bond rating. Um, you look
at other cities that have a much lower bond rating and they're paying 4, 5% on
their bonds. That makes a huge, huge difference in terms of the cost of capital
improvement projects, when you start, you know, doubling or two -and -a -half
times in terms of your interest rates so .... um, you know, kudos to this and
previous Councils and staff members to .... to really pay close attention to what
our finances look like, cause .... it makes it possible for us to do some of those
other things because we're not spending that money on interest payments.
Botchway: Susan, you made me think of something, and Dennis, I don't know if this is a
possibility, um, more towards kind of the budget cycle, so not right now, but as
you're preparing the budget, is there a way to .... present some visuals as far as
what Susan just kind of commented on, cause you know, 1.6 is vastly different
than 4%, and so what is the savings, um, to that extent, and I mean, and I ... I
would like, I mean, and again I'm .... I know it's more work, um, and for me it's
kinda going back to the community education piece because, you know, I'll be
honest with you, Susan. Prior to my time on Council if you would have said that
to me, I would have been like `What's she talkin' aboutT Like, you know
(laughs) $160,000 whatever particular bond, I'm just throwing a number out
there, but, you know, if there is some type of. ... and I'm trying to visualize
something where, um, it pays for .... I know that, Crisis Center on stuff does stuff
like this — this would pay for, um, all the lights for a year with the money that
we've saved within this particular, um, you know, range of interest rate. You
know, I think that would be just more compelling for me and I think some other
folks that have, I mean, have asked me questions about it and I don't think I've
been as eloquent as, uh, Susan has been. I just say, you know, well it's different
than like a higher percentage, um, but I think that would just provide more, um,
information and just a .... I don't know, just a better way of, and I always think
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about it, you know, and make a joke about, you know, 10 bucks is like 10 bacon
junior cheeseburgers. It's not the case right now, but it just gives that (mumbled)
as far as what it can be for people as they think about, you know, something that
they are more readily able, you know, to look at and visualize.
Bockenstedt/ Sure! We can try and get some information from our financial advisor, uh, to get
some comparisons between what a triple-A, uh, rated entity pays, uh, versus a
lesser entity pays and we can certainly get that information and convert it into a
format that you could see and compare, either like a property tax rate or
something that's, you know, maybe, you know, like a utility bill or something that
is a little more understandable. So....
Thomas/ Have we taken this subject on as a .... City Channel 4 episode? As I was reading this I
thought, you know, and I know we talked about this during the strategic plan.
You know, how can we take something that is pretty dry stuff and (several
talking) but important! Extremely important and ... and we're very proud of this
and yet .... you know, it needs to be translated into a .... a presentation where
people would .... would actually find it interesting and comprehensible as to what
it is, you know, is ... is being talked about.
Bockenstedt/ We can try! (laughter)
Throgmorton/ Some people learn by words, some people learn by numbers, some ... some people
by charts, some people by analogies. Yeah, so .... I think there are a whole variety
of ways....
Mims/ I'll work with ya on it, Dennis! (several talking) ...discussion in the office today!
(laughs) How do we package it so people can understand it? (laughs) (several
talking)
Botchway/ ...back to our sustainability project, I mean, I think it even said in the memo from
Ashley, you know, there's $25,000 we're going to put towards community
project. I'm sure that we're saving $25,000 based on the interest rates we're
getting, if not more.
Mims/ Oh yeah!
Botchway/ So how do we say that in, I mean (mumbled) a way and say that, you know, we're
able to .... we're able to do these social programs because of the interest rate that
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we're getting. I think that would, you know, I would walk away from that like,
wow! That's amazing that Iowa City's able to do that.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, it's worth a little bit of effort on ... on that.
Mims/ That's a good suggestion, Kingsley!
Throgmorton/ Still on that same Info Packet, and that's, you know, we're at the end of our work
session with this packet, but anyhow, IP #12, City Lab article, entitled `Why is
Affordable Housing so Expensive?' Actually don't want to talk about that, but
I'll use it as a segue. Uh, I learned today that the Congressional Spending
Agreement to fund the federal government through the end of September will
fund CDBG and Home funds at the same levels as FYI 6. That's huge, cause we
were pretty fearful that CDBG and Home would go away! And, grants for
homelessness assistance will increase, slightly, over FY16, and there's all sorts of
other stuff that's embedded in that, and it's .... gotta be pretty fascinating to look at
how that happened, and it has to do with, uh, a cluster of Dems agreeing with a
cluster of Republicans to .... get somethin' passed. And to keep the government
open ... for another five months. So ... I ... thought y'all'd like to know that.
Cole/ Maybe one thing related to legislators, I was looking at IPS, and I see that for May 161i we
have the recap of the legislative session for our work session, and .... I'm just
wondering whether that will take up the full time, and I think since we have these
other items on here, one of the things the legislature did was take away some of
our Home Rule authority, based up on rentals, and so I was wondering whether
we could move neighborhood stabilization up to the May 161i session. I mean,
what do people think about it, cause I think that would be naturally flow from one
of the key tools that they've taken away from municipalities (both talking)
Throgmorton/ I kinda doubt it. I think (both talking)
Cole/ Okay!
Fruin/ Uh, we're tryin' to get it to you as soon as we can. We're .... the week after May 161i, I
think is the 22nd or 23rd we're gonna ... a group of staff are gonna be travelin' to
Des Moines to meet with a few other cities to talk about, uh.... um ..... what their
responses are, kind of just share ideas on .... on where to go from here and what
the best way to protect the integrity of our neighborhoods will be. So we'd prefer
(both talking)
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Cole/ ...okay.
Fruin/ ...wait until probably June to have that discussion, but we know there's a sense of urgency
and we're .... we're tryin' to move quick.
Cole/ I'm wondering, that's sort of lonely up there. Are there any other topics we want to cover
or not? I, you know, the work session time is when we can move forward on
things. Is there anything else that jumps out, or do we want to defer and just ... just
focus on that?
Throgmorton/ Yeah I'd ... I'd like to talk with Geoff about that, uh, more tomorrow, and see if we
can line up specific work session, you know, schedule of work session topics.
Then come back to y'all with it. I'd like to mention IP #7, which is the
Downtown Co -Sign Program, uh, it's a memo from Jann Ream about the
program. I gather it's making tremendous progress and that, I don't know, what
is this... there'll be a grand unveiling on August the I Igi, I think that's right.
And ... and anyhow, it's going really well and it sounds like a terrific program, so
I'm looking forward to seeing the results, uh, on doorways, so to speak. Okay!
Anything else? Oh, look at that, 19 after! Good deal! I guess we're done with
our work session, right, for this evening. Get back together at 7:00!
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