HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-07-16 TranscriptionPage 1
Council Present: Cole, Mims, Teague, Taylor, Thomas, Throgmorton
Council Absent: Salih
Staff Present: Frain, Monroe, Andrew, Dilkes, Havel, Bockenstedt, Ford, Hightshoe,
Seydell-Johnson, Nagle-Gamm
Others Present: Wu (UISG)
Consider a draft resolution on climate action and continue discussions on plan priorities for
the near future:
Throgmorton/ Okay, so we're gonna begin our Iowa City City Council work session for Tuesday,
July the 16th, 2019. And the first topic is to consider a draft resolution on climate action
and continue discussions on plan priorities for the near future. So I wanna make some
suggestions about how we proceed, but ... you all tell me whether you think it's a good idea
or not. So we need to identify key questions and suggestions that .... that we need to
discuss more thoroughly here, with regard to the proposed resolution. I personally am
very leery of trying to wordsmith the entire resolution in detail here. I mean I.....I see
specific things I think could be changed but wordsmithing it. It's probably not a fruitful
way to spend our time. I think it would be much more fruitful to see if we agree with the
general thrust of the 'whereas' clauses .... and then turn to the, uh, to the, uh, what do ya
call'em? To the .... the actions the resolution calls for. The'be it resolved' parts. I think
that's where most of the meat of the ... uh, of the, um.....proposed resolution is.
Mims/ Can you.... somebody remind me where that resolution, which document that resolution
was in? (several responding)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, it's the July 11 th, IP #4. Yeah, why don't you get it and then we can turn to
it.
Mims/ I got it! Thanks.
Throgmorton/ Okay. So if that's okay with you, let's turn to the 'whereas' clauses. I don't know
that we need to go through them, one by one. I will say I think there needs to be a
'whereas' clause stating how large and important Mid American's and the University's
carbon emissions, and emission reductions, are for achievement of our goals. You know
it could just go in there somewhere. I hadn't tried to figure out exactly where it would go.
But it would be one of the'whereases.' Eh .... the rest of you, do you see any particular
'whereas' clause that gives you .... reason to pause?
Mims/ Well when I get down, one, two, three, four, the fifth one, 'Whereas Iowa City,' there's
verbiage in here that.....I guess I haven't seen the specifics on and don't know what the
studies are behind that in terms o£ ...suffering impacts of climate change in the form of
air pollution. I .... maybe that's true, I ... I don't know. I'm uncomfortable voting for
something like this when its not .... it's not somethin' I've seen a lot in the news in terms
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of air pollution. Urn .... extreme heat, I know it's hot now but .... we get cycles on the heat.
So again I .... I haven't seen specific data in terms of are we getting more longer .... um,
extreme heat events. Um, so those were a couple things, and then.....so that, and then the
next one, um.....continuing to make some of these things more expensive. Again I'm not
sure where the healthcare piece is coming from. I wanna preface this I guess .... let me
back up (mumbled) it's not that I wanna disagree with this thing, these things, but if we're
gonna do this and put it out there, I want it to be as credible as possible and not people
looking at this and saying, 'Oh, here's good old crazy Iowa City again, just throwing
everything up against the wall,' whether.... whether there's any studies or facts to back it
up. And so I mean if. ... if people have read certain things and feel really comfortable on
these, then fine. I'm just saying I haven't seen that kind of information (mumbled) thus
personally I'm not super comfortable with those parts.
Fruin/ Uh, with regards to the first'whereas' you cited, one simple solution, um, could be
referencing the climate study that .... that we did a couple years ago. We worked with a
climatologist to help us project what our temper.....you know (mumbled) study how the
temperature has changed but also project that into the future so we could cite some
findings of that report. Uh.... might be more fact -based, or at least (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, there's some substantial hard data in that particular report that we could
draw on.
Mims/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ I ... I agree with you about the air pollution part. I don't know that that should be
drawn into this topic at all, uh, but with regard to extreme precipitation events, more
precipitation, greater heat, I mean, those kinds of things, I think (mumbled) that report
that Geoff just referred to. So if we could sort of bookmark that paragraph and make sure
we draw on that past report. That would be helpful.
Cole/ And I think including any other comments we have from the IPCC report itself, um, in
terms of the empirical evidence, cause it's my understanding that that report was
generated by the leading climate scientist in the world. So, hopefully, you know, if need
additional empirical we could draft language in terms of impact from the report.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, the problem is there are like, I don't know, a hundred or more specific
findings havin' to do (both talking)
Cole/ Well .... well, yeah, but I'm just saying, we could... probably grab somethin' but in any
event.....
Throgmorton/ It's crucial to refer to that particular report though, cause it's driving .... the
possibility that we will change our goals and all that.
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Taylor/ In regards to that, uh, study, um .... I know their recommendation was the net zero, but I'm
still of the belief that that's.... that's a really ambitious goal to .... to get to by 2050,
but .... we do what we have to do!
Throgmorton/ (mumbled) call for a 100%, um....
Taylor/ Right!
Throgmorton/ ...um, reduction in carbon emissions. I don't think they call for net zero. But
I'm .... I'm not certain about that, so it'd be good to verify (both talking)
Taylor/ The 'whereas' states net zero ..... by 2050.
Mims/ I don't have anything else on the'whereases.'
Cole/ I don't either.
Teague/ I know we're not gettin' into the weeds here, um ... but one of the questions I .... I mean, I
would definitely echo some of the things that Susan said, as well as Rockne, um, but
when we're talkin' about .... how this would affect, um, some of our lower, um, income -
level individuals .... within our community, um .... you know, here it talks about, um,
addin' additional pressure on persons and families of low-income, now therefore be it. So
we do know that this will cause some financial pressures, and how will we as a city
....you know, what will we do to kind of help with that?
Fruin/ I think that's the .... the equity component of the report. That was a major focus of the
report. So I look at that sixth 'whereas,' um, you know, it's ... it talks very generally, but
again, I think we can draw from the equity portions of our report. That way there's a
citation that we can .... fall back on for this, and I would think when it comes to, you
know, what you're gonna charge staff with, you're gonna ask us to have that same equity
lens with our report. So we'll come back to you and we'll have a set of strategies based
on what you tell us today and we'll have to explain at that time how we're taking equity
into account, and my guess is you'll see incentive programs that are targeted to help low-
income, um, families and individuals, small businesses or whatever the case may be. So I
think that .... I think that will remain a focus of ours going forward.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, with regard to that, it reminds me that .... surely on a, in a resolution like this,
since what we're really doing is proposing.... getting to changing parts of our current
climate action plan. We should acknowledge as a'whereas' that we adopted in
September, 2018, a climate action and adaptation plan, which called for and then specify
the emission reduction and .... uh, by 2025 and by 2050, and .... and then some general
statement about lots of other things that it called for, including the equity component.
Other'whereases' may come to mind as we continue this discussion, but why don't we
turn to the 'result' parts. I .... I'd suggest we go through them one by one, because they're
more, if you will, more substantive in terms of what we're gonna be directing the staff to
do. So I .... just for the benefit of people in the audience or watching on television I'll read
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each of them. Then we can talk about them one by one. So the first is 'result that the
City Council hereby declares a State of Climate Crisis; given that the crisis poses a
serious and urgent threat to the well-being of Iowa City, its inhabitants, and its
environment. (several responding)
Teague/ I think we had, uh, a lot of discussion on do we use overt crisis or .... and, um, and....
and I'm happy to see that we're here because I do think that one of the things that
Councilor Taylor said is that if we put in this, um, some strong words.... and not actually
do it, then that kinda minimizes, um, the plan itself. So...
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so the action that follows matters. So on that point, I would suggest we add
a new clause, after the first one, which specifies.... and the new clause would specify our
new goals for Iowa City's carbon emission reductions, namely 45% and 100%. Cause
unless I misread the resolution, it does not currently state those goals.
Thomas/ It's under the 'whereas' section, Jim.
Throgmorton/ Where? (several talking)
Cole/ ...whereas, but it's not in the resolution. (several talking) ....terms of what we're resolving
to do? Does it matter?
Throgmorton/ Yeah, there's (both talking)
Dilkes/ I think if the Council wants to adopt (both talking)
Cole/ ....goal (both talking) need a resolution. Yeah, I would agree with that, Jim.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so it should be a'whereas,' cause that's coming from the IPCC, whatever,
uh, but also we need to say, uh, have a resolve thing that says this is what we're gonna do!
Cole/ Okay. I would agree with that, Jim.
Throgmorton/ Any .... any disagreement with that?
Thomas/ So just in other words moving the third 'whereas'below?
Throgmorton/ No, I think the .... the third 'whereas' should stay right where it is, cause that's....
that's based on research by the Intergovernmental Panel. So, but .... what are we gonna
do? What we're gonna do that needs to be a'resolve' thing. So we resolve that we're...
we're going to achieve a 45% and 100% reduction in carbon emissions. That's what I'm
saying is that there oughta be a separate 'resolved' paragraph. I wonder if we should add
a further clause.... saying something about, I don't know what verb to use. I .... I'll use the
verb support, that we would encourage and support Mid American and the University of
Iowa to achieve the emission reductions.... that they currently have planned, or something
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like that, cause, you know, achievement of our goal is pretty dependent on what they're
gonna do.
Cole/ That's fine, but doesn't that get a little bit too much into the details. As .... as I look,
primarily what we're doing tonight is to identify this target and the time, and there will
probably be subsequent work sessions in terms of implementation of that goal. I mean,
I'm not strongly objecting to it, but .... I don't wanna get too much into all the actual
strategies that we're going to employ.
Teague/ And .... I wonder if this (clears throat) if the second one's that .... that's listed here really
does incorporate the University of Iowa.... and Mid American Energy. Potentially we
could add their name, um.....if..... if we felt that that would be appropriate.
Cole/ That was my thought, Jim, is that we're already cal .... calling for the coordination.
Throgmorton/ Well, here .... here's a suggested language that I really hate to wordsmith, but we
could incorporate Mid American and the University. So like if we said, 'Coordinate its
....will continue to coordinate its efforts with local municipalities, Mid American Energy,
the University of Iowa, as well as other local, regional, and state governments, etc.'
Cole/ Why don't we just say utilities instead of the actual entity? I mean....
Throgmorton/ Could do!
Cole/ Utilities and then educational institutions?
Throgmorton/ Um ... en .... energy utilities?
Cole/ Yeah, energy utilities and then educational institutions?
Throgmorton/ Could do! Any objection to inserting that particular language — energy utilities
and educational (both talking)?
Cole/ Yep!
Taylor/ Would that include, uh, I was encouraged cause at the Joint Entities meeting the, uh,
School Board presented their, uh, plan for climate change and so they.... they've got a
plan in place. So the ... that would include them and .... I also was encouraged because, uh,
the other communities when Jim spoke about ours, uh, even the smaller ones around us
wanted to learn more about our plan and wanted to see our plan. So I think that falls right
into this. They're already, uh, curious about it, cause we can't do it alone! (several
talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, and the .... the current language, even as modified as we just discussed,
would include the School Board, cause it's another local, uh, governmental unit. All
right, how bout the next, what is it third? No, one .... uh.....result, one, two .... the third
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'result' paragraph, in the draft text. Yeah, so this one's pretty crucial, isn't it? So do we
want to direct the City Manager's office to develop and deliver a report within 100 days,
recommending ways to accelerate Iowa City's climate actions, consistent with limiting
global warming to 1.5 degrees centigrade. I'd say just to .... get it out there that we don't
need to be referring to the limiting global warming to 1.5% because we've already said
we wanna reduce our emissions by 45% as of 2030. So we could ask for the report to
recommend ways to .... um.....achieve that 45% reduction by 2030, and be on track to
achieving a 100% reduction by 2050.
Cole/ I'd agree with that, Jim.
Mims/ Yeah, that's fine.
Teague/ I do have a question about .... more so the process of this, if we're going to, um, have an
opportunity to .... weigh in on it, if the public is gonna have an opportunity to weigh....
weigh in on it?
Throgmorton/ That's one of the wher...uh, the'resolve' clauses.
Teague/ Okay! All right. I.....I didn't know if that was like a little bit independent of. ... but that's
totally acceptable.
Cole/ Could I back up on one previous clause, um, you'd indicated in ... it says 'further resolved
Iowa City will continue to coordinate its efforts with local municipalities, as well as local,
regional, and state governments to accelerate actions to rapidly eliminate greenhouse gas
emissions.' Shouldn't it be rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions? I mean cause when
we talk about a net zero, as I understand that concept, and maybe Martha's watching she
can ... oh, you're right there! Um .... we're not necessarily talking about elimination of
fossil fuels, as we're trying to get to net zero, and so .... correct or .... or not? I mean so for
example if we were able to do an offset with production, and increase, you know,
renewable energy production and get a plus, and there was a credit .... a ...... a deficit in
terms of our carbon that is being emitted, you still get to that net zero, which is the goal.
See what I'm saying? It should be reduced as opposed to eliminate, cause I think this
could also with it .... with us wanting to make this actually work, and we're totally
prepared — to Susan's comment — for people to criticize us, whatever, but I think if we're
talking about eliminating, I .... I just greenhou.... carbon emissions, I think (mumbled)
taken out of context.
Throgmorton/ I'm okay with rapidly eliminating. I'm sorry (laughs) rapidly reducing (both
talking) greenhouse gas emissions.
Cole/ But other than that I don't have any other (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, thanks for re .... actually reading that clause, cause I had not read the whole
....about the whole clause. All right, so how bout the, um, part of the .... (mumbled) track
of these things. The.... the.....third'result' paragraph in the draft text, how bout the part
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where we would direct the City Manager's office to develop and deliver a report within a
hundred days.
Mims/ I'm interested to hear what Geoff has to say. When you say you have a lot of stuff
already, but what's your reaction to that, from a staff perspective?
Fruin/ Well I .... I guess I .... I'd wanna flip the tables a little bit (laughs) back with you, just what
exactly are you envisioning in this report? We can walk you through each series of. ... of,
uh, basically present a scenario that says here's how we can get to, uh, the .... the 45%
target. Um, we also need to recalibrate our, um, our missions, cause the IPCC draws off
of the 2010 as a baseline, where previously we've drawn off of 2005. So we need to do a
lot of recalcs, but what I would think comes of this report is here's how we're gonna get to
the 45%, and if you wanna go to the 100%, you know, now we're gettin' into the, you
know, the long-term and it's a little harder for us to project exactly how we're gonna do
that. I think it's reasonable to expect that we could outline a plan to get ... get us to the
year 230, uh, 2030, um, to meet that first goal, but you have to understand it's gonna be
fluid. We ... we started to kind of sketch that out in the presentation that Brenda gave you
last time. We said, you know, if Mid Am does this and .... and University does this,
and.....and the City, you know, meets X, Y, and Z, then we can get there. We just need to
beef up on how we're gonna influence those partners and how we're gonna make
reductions in our own operations to get there. So I don't have a problem doing it. I just
wanna make sure that when we come back it's gonna meet your expectations.
Cole/ Well I think Geoff is on track though, you know, in the sense of, again, Brenda already did
that. Very preliminary sketch. We also have the basic foundation in the.... the.... the
contracted report that we already have. So we're not instructing him to start all over. It's
essentially just to give us that road map, based upon the existing plan, you know, which
parts may we need to accelerate and us realizing we can't have a perfect crystal ball and it
is a hundred days, but I think to the hundred days piece of it, um, you know, we need to
be, you know, obviously respectful of staffs time, but I think there is something about
hundred days historically when you have these events of great magnitude that we do need
to emphasize that, hey, this is .... and for City Council this is very quick. This is a very
quick change in updates. So I do like the hundred days, realizing there will be some
limitations in terms of the that we get, um, but I think what Geoff had described is sort of
on track (mumbled) I would want.
Fruin/ The other thing I would add to that, uh, and hundred days, I don't have a problem with a
hundred days. Um, if you're declaring a crisis, a hundred days is probably pretty
reasonable, uh, for us to come back to you with a plan, but .... you know, understand the
way I look at this, we're not gonna come to you and say, okay, here's the 10 actions we're
gonna take to get there, cause we don't know if any one of those may fail or, um, produce
in the way we think. We'll try to sketch out a whole number of actions, and almost
provide a .... a menu of opportunities for you. Here's what we can do in the waste sector,
here's the possibilities in the building sector, uh, some are gonna be policy -driven, some
are gonna be incentive -driven, and they're gonna be tied to revenue increases that you'll
need to consider. So we would .... we would probably provide some type of menu of
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options, and then maybe a staff recommendation for a .... a collection of those menu items
to get us there, and then the public, um, I assume your .... your Climate Action Advisory
Board, uh, the Council is gonna have input and I expect that that would change before the
Council finally adopts it.
Throgmorton/ Well I think we need to be a little more explicit about this. So when I was writing
my own notes in preparation for this, what I wrote was that, uh, the, uh, the .... in a
hundred days the staff would come back to us with a report recommending specific
actions we can take to achieve the 45% of reduction by 2030. And I jotted down a list of
like six actions that I think of and I don't know that they would all be effective or not, but
they come to mind. I can list them here in a minute if you want. But I think we need to
be more clear about that. I mean there is clearly uncertainty about what Mid American
really would do, what .... with regards to its emission reduction, what the University really
will do. So we can sort of bound that a little bit and have a fairly good idea of what we
are expecting, but then there's the leftover part, and a tiny part of that is City government
operations as such. What about the rest? That's what I'm interested in.
Frain/ (both talking) addressed in this too.
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Mims/ Yeah I like what Geoff has presented. I think for them to give us a menu of items, and
whether we take that back to the Climate Action Committee or just the, you know, also
the public in general to get their input and response on that, for us to be able to look at it
in terms of what are the budgetary implications of some of the choices, um, on that list,
uh, what .... which ones we think, you know, based on the studies and stuff will give us
the biggest impact in terms of those reductions. So I think that is a good way, you know,
for us to start with that report, with that menu of items like Geoff has suggested, and then
get more public input, look at the budget implications, and then refine it from there.
Teague/ I think the biggest concern I have is, um, if we're talkin' 2030 gettin' to 45% and then
2050 if. ... if. ... just make sure that whatever the homeowners have to do is spaced out,
um, so that it's not all coming, you know, we don't deal with them now, but 2030, which
I'm not sure exactly what the plan will be, uh, presented, but I just wanna make the
statement that I do think that, um, havin' that end goal of 2050 is important because then
that really does matter how the plan is laid out, um .... throughout, and so just wanted to,
again, just make that statement, um, that it .... to get to the 45 is good but I really think
that you .... you have to plan to 2050 in order to get to that 45, which I do know that the,
um, I think there is global or .... like large plans to get to the 2050, but I'm not .... I'm not
sure that it's really sectioned out and .... um, how will it be achieved by 2030, which I
know that's going to be developed, but again I .... I wanna just make mention that, um,
when we're talkin' about homeowners and .... and, um, because they're a large part of this,
um, we might want to try to.....have some goals set for them throughout the process.
Mims/ Well and I agree, but I think you also have to look at the fact that when you have a home
that currently exists, there's not .... I don't believe there's a whole lot that we can or would
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be doing as a city that is going to force them to spend money, I mean we can't (both
talking) we can't go in and force them to change or add insulation to their house, and you
know, those kinds of things. So I look at that more as .... um, what potential incentive
programs, particularly for lower-income people can the City provide to help them, you k
now, whether it's new insulation or more energy-efficient furnace, when we already have
some of those programs in place now. But those sorts of things, and I know there's
people in the community who are already gearing up to, um, have a much more formal
process in terms of, uh, getting information out and sharing that in terms of how people
can either build more efficiently or retrofit more efficiently and cost-effectively, etc. So I
think we're gonna see partners within the community as well, and I think that's gonna be
important.
Throgmorton/ So on that point, I would like to recommend that we have the staff look at creating
a new, uh, basically GO bond program, a pretty large one. I don't know how to bound it,
uh, but a pretty large bond program that would provide financial assistance for energy
efficiency improvements in existing buildings. And that that should be linked to our
efforts to make housing more affordable, because.... especially for, uh, renters and lower-
income homeowners. So if we can tie those two things together, and reduce the cost of
living by getting energy expenses down, while also, uh.... that ..... that will help with the
affordability challenge. So.....the numbers I put down were $5 to $10 million in this
bond program. Now I don't know where I got those numbers really, other than out of my
hat .... or out, you know, whole cloth out of my head, but we .... you know, we spend a
million dollars on our road improvement. We spend a bunch of money on somethin' else.
This is pretty important ... if we have a crisis situation, why don't we identify the money
that we're gonna use to get the hardest thing, which is reduce natural gas emissions in
existing buildings.
Mims/ I think one of the things we need to be really careful of in things like that is .... is leave it
to the staff to figure out and give us advice on financing, cause certain things you can
legally bond for and other things you have to go out and have the public vote on. So, I...
I think (both talking) I think it would make sense to leave that to Geoff and Dennis and...
and the other people, you know, if ...if we thought we wanted to spend a certain amount
on a certain type of program, how .... how could we do that, where.... where would
finances come from.
Cole/ And I'm not necessarily looking at tonight, that we're outlining the solutions, but (both
talking)
Mims/ ...would agree.
Thomas/ I ... one thing I will mention is, and you know, in preparing this draft and also looking at,
uh, you know, the question of, okay, we're asking for a report in a hundred days. What is
this report? So as I often do, urn .... I tried to find such a report and I sent it to, uh, to you
all, I don't know, maybe .... two information packets ago, uh, that the response of the City
of Vancouver, Canada, and I understand that Iowa City is not Vancouver, Canada, um, but
nevertheless, you know, the broad brush issues that any city faces are essentially the
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same. Right? You have transportation, you have buildings, you have questions
regarding, uh, you know, what do you do with your waste. You have issues regarding
how products are consumed in your community, where are they coming from, what's the
embodied carbon in those products, and I was really impressed, not only with the .... the
vision of what Vancouver had generated, but also that it was framed in the context of a
crisis. You know, we .... we need to ramp up the .... the urgency of what it is we're dealing
with. That's.... that's the, that's why we're having the resolution. Um.....Vancouver has
an overarching concept of 'green Vancouver.' There're all kinds of initiatives that are
included under that umbrella of which this.... response to the energy crisis is one. So
they've been working on it a long time. Uh, I think we can learn from Vancouver. I think
we can learn from other cities, as well. I mean that's.... there's.....there's a lot of work
that's been done on all the issues that we're just mentioning. You know, how.... how do
we do this, how do we address the residential scale energy consumption to heat and cool
your building? When .... when do you intervene, or provide incentives? Well it's often
going to be when that .... water heater is replaced, you know (laughs) so you don't go in
now and say everyone in, by the end of, you know, 2020 is gonna replace their water
heater. But you know you .... you do strategically try to factor in when it's .... at what point
in time is it appropriate to offer the incentive. Um, but I .... I think the details will flow
once we have an idea, and again that idea that informed me was looking at, uh,
Vancouver's response, partly because, you know, they do seem.... they've been working
on this for probably 20 -plus years and have a pretty good idea of what .... where they're
going with it. Um, there may be others, as I said, but .... (several talking)
Mims/ I'd like to, oh, I'm sorry!
Thomas/ I was really impressed with, uh, how they not only gave the information, but framed it
in a way that I think would be very accessible to the general public, and .... and give a
sense of the scope and magnitude of what it is we're talking about.
Mims/ What I was going to say is I think we've had a lot of good discussion and ideas. I'd like to
see us try and work our way through .... the 'resolved' pieces, or we're not gonna get done
with this (laughs) I think we're gonna have plenty of time to come back and talk about
more of these ideas of like, okay, let's use Vancouver as a real.... learning tool and those
(both talking)
Thomas/ My last thought, I could see where staff, uh.... at certain intervals between now and a
hundred days from now has a, you know, could prepare a draft, may .... maybe an outline
of what the report might entail, uh, so we have an idea as we move forward what the end
product will be.
Throgmorton/ Okay, I certainly don't object to moving forward, uh, moving ahead more quickly.
I do want to state, but we don't need to have a discussion about it, I wanna state four other
suggestions I have about specific ideas that the staff could look into as part, uh, when it's
preparing the report and returning, uh, coming back to us. So I already mentioned one.
The second is to require more stringent energy standards.... as we currently do with
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regard to affordable housing, for new buildings, as a condition for rezoning in the
Riverfront Crossings District.
Cole/ Doesn't that get into the solutions?
Throgmorton/ Absolutely it does, and I wanna state them so that, uh, they'll be part of the
thinking about what could be done, and I .... uh, with regard to these specific things, I've
been thinkin' about 'em a pretty longtime. So I just wanna at least get'em out there. The
third would be also require more stringent energy... energy standards for new buildings in
other areas outside the Riverfront Crossings District, but only if it's combined with
financial incentives. So it'd have to be something like you had suggested, Susan, that
(mumbled) require something but provide financial assistance at the same time. And it'd
be a condition of rezoning, I should .... I don't know if I actually said that. All right, the
fourth would be to require the use of an energy use benchmarking tool for major
buildings, like it's done in Des Moines. I don't know if we can do it, but Des Moines has
a, you know, I wanna get it out there as a possibility. So that's enough, but you know, by
focusing some attention on new buildings, we can affect the margin. Right now we have
no way of affecting the margin. Each new building.... each new building should signal to
the public that we're taking this seriously, that we face a crisis, and we're gonna do
somethin' about it. So ... that's one way to do it. Okay, so movin' on to other, uh,
paragraphs in the.... proposed resolution. Uh, let's see this next one reads, uh, further
resolve that City Council intends to schedule a presentation of and public hearing for
these strategies to achieve emission reductions at an accelerated pace.
Cole/ I would agree with that.
Throgmorton/ That makes sense to me.
Frain/ Let me just clarify. When we talk about accelerated pace, uh, and accelerate is used a
couple of times in here. My understanding is that accelerate refers back to the, um, the
goals that we're setting. So you're not looking at 45%, you know, at 2025. We're talking
45% in 2030, and that's accelerated.
Throgmorton/ Yes.
Frain/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ Are we okay with that (several talking)
Dilkes/ Might be nice to say that though, because it's confusing otherwise. I mean, you've set a
goal so why aren't we referring back to the goal in these.... resolve clauses?
Throgmorton/ Yeah so could state, uh.... uh (both talking)
Frain/ ...work on that (both talking)
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Throgmorton/ ....presentation and public hearing for these strategies to achieve the emission
reduction goals established by the City Council. Or words to that effect.
Mims/ I .... I have a question too, just about the terminology 'public hearing.' We use those at
Council as a formal, legal, urn .... type of construct for rezonings and .... and things like
that. So I'm just wondering is rather than 'public hearing,' uh, maybe looking at some
other verbiage there. I mean a hearing is .... for the City Council, a hearing is a public,
legal.....proceeding that we have to have for certain items that we do. This would not
come under that, so I would just .... and I just leave it to Coun... to staff (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Somethin' like 'public presentation and .... comment period.'
Mims/ Yeah, I mean we don't need to wordsmith here, like you said, but I just have that concern
when I see 'public hearing.'
Throgmorton/ Okay, the next 'resolve' paragraph is, 'further resolve that to meet Iowa City's
ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, staff recommend.....new direct
actions policies and economic incentives for the City's climate action and adaptation
plan.' I think that's implied in the third and ... one about a report within a hundred days, as
we've discussed it.
Cole/ I thought the same thing. Are you calling to excise that portion, Jim?
Throgmorton/ Yes, given the discussion we've already had. Yes. All right, and the next one in
the draft is .... uh, further resolve that to meet Iowa City's, uh, no, we already did that.
'Further resolve that Iowa City's climate mitigation and adaptation planning policy and
program delivery shall ensure a just transition for all its people.' So, I'm very familiar
with the phrase 'just transition,' but I'm not sure the broader public is. Do you think it's,
the meaning is clear enough as it's written, I mean it refers to what you were concerned
about, Bruce, but .... yeah.
Mims/ I think it does.
Throgmorton/ Okay, so we can .... keep that one. All right, uh.....'further resolved that as Iowa
City works on climate mitigation it shall continue to advance climate adaptation efforts to
address unavoidable current and future climate change impacts.' Yeah, I don't see any
difficulty with that. How bout the rest of you? (several responding) Uh.... can we move
on then? All right, somewhere in this mix, maybe at this point, I think we need another
'resolved' clause. So let me read it and see what y'all think, or hear what y'all think. So
it'd be, uh, 'resolved that the City Council shall work with the staff and Climate Action
Advisory Board to clarify and enhance the role of the CAAB and in its budget
discussions, uh, in the Council's budget discussions, consider creating or funding a new
full or part-time position to bolster outreach and engagement efforts, and make climate
action more of a community -wide endeavor.'
Thomas/ I'm expecting that to come out of the hundred days report.
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Teague/ You're not expectin' that to be (both talking)
Thomas/ I'm expecting that issue, you know, as well as the others to be included in the report.
Throgmorton/ So you don't think there's any (several talking)
Cole/ I think it's too specific, I do at this point. Here's the declaratory and then we're sayin' in the
future we'll get into the details.
Throgmorton/ Okay! Let's see, I think we're at the last 'resolved,' right? 'So be it resolved that
the City Council will work with the City Manager's office to develop a budget that
enables urgent climate action in the near term, while ensuring a climate resilient future
for Iowa City in the long-term.'
Cole/ Sounds good to me!
Throgmorton/ Any objections to that? Okay, so, um, maybe we oughta reflect quickly on the
whole, but I guess in .... in, with that, uh, in mind, I believe it's crucial that we be clear to
ourselves and clear to the public that what we're doing with regard to climate action and
trying to help avoid long-term disaster, must be done .... by thinking also about the present
and the effect of our present-day actions on the broader public. That .... that's where the
just transition part comes in, and it's where your comments about homeowners and so on
comes in. So I think especially with regard to anything Navin' to do with affordable
housing or the challenges that.... especially lower-income people face in our city, uh, we
gotta tie these things together it seems to me. So....
Thomas/ Yeah, I .... I would agree, I mean I think the question of integrating this plan into our...
our current initiatives or strategic plan, uh, are .... are critical. You know, it....it cannot be
sort of a (mumbled) something with a single focus. It's something that should integrate
with our own .... our own community, the initiatives the Council has already undertaken. I
think it .... I can see it easily along the lines that you were describing, uh, perhaps give a
different direction to the affordable housing, uh, plan. Not to say that we wouldn't, we
would abandon what we have, but it ... this .... this, the .... this factor needs to be
incorporated into, uh, our strategy. So it's.... it's..... all the co -benefits I see nothing that
....what I often like to say when .... when talking about this is, um, one ... one could
proceed with all of the actions that this would generate and they would be beneficial to
the public and to the community, without even considering the climate action impacts. I
mean they all have benefits, uh, in and of themselves. Uh, but there is the urgency,
because of the .... the climate, uh, so .... so it's, in fact many of the things that would, I
think will fall under this report are things we already have underway. So it's simply a
matter of accelerating the pace.
Throgmorton/ Any other comments about the resolution as a whole and the general direction
we're providing staff at the moment? Geoff, do you have any questions or you need
something more specific from us (both talking)
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Fruin/ No we'll .... we'll talk about it at a, uh, at a staff group level and when this comes back to
ya, if there's any clarification needed we'll let you know, but I think I (both talking)
Cole/ (mumbled)
Fruin/ .....asking for.
Throgmorton/ I think I'd like to make one further suggestion. Several years ago, like I don't
know, 25 or 30 years ago, uh.... Darrel Courtney, then Mayor and some other people on
the Council, I believe, uh, did, um, a series of presentations around the city about a, I
think a proposed bond that was gonna fund the south waste water treatment plant. Do
you remember this, Eleanor? I've heard .... I remember Darrel tellin' me about this, you
know, years ago. Uh, so they .... they went to various parts of the city and met with the
broader public and said here's what we have in mind, and here's why we think it's a good
idea, and we're lookin' for your support and, uh, and so on, that kind of thing. Uh.... I
would like to recommend that we be thinking of doing something very, very similar after
we get a staff report back from the City staff, and have clarity about what we're gonna be
calling for, with regard to responding to the crisis. Yeah.
Teague/ I have one further comment. Um, it really is related to, um .... residents .... within our
community getting information. Uh, we know that we can mail out a lot of stuff and...
on climate action, and some people really don't understand, um, you know (laughs) all the
elements that they can do themselves to even impact climate action, and so I know that
we had, um, someone from the public, you know, come and talk about, you know, this
campaign where people are goin' out, um, to the residents and kinda explaining. I'm not
sayin' that that needs to be, um, a part of this, but I do think that a special effort to ensure
that the residents of our community, um, are informed of what they can do. Um, today
someone told me that they added solar panels, um, to their home, and I'm thinkin', 'That is
awesome!' And I asked a .... a question that I typically won't ask someone, but I asked,
'Do you mind tellin' me what they cost, because I am not familiar,' I mean I get the .... the
fliers in the mail and, you know, it says $10-20,000 and you're like, okay! (laughs) You
know (laughs) not today, maybe I'll research this in the future, but um, surprisingly, um,
the individual said that the difference between what they'll be paying with the solar
panels and what they'll be payin' to the, um, the energy company, that amount for 12
years will they pay to pay off their solar panels, and so .... um, for that individual, you
know, it....it.....it doesn't cost much more, in a way. Um, I did not remember if they told
me if they put a downpayment down, um, but they had researched a couple of years ago
and it was way out of their budget, um, and of course, uh, that company reached out to
them again and say, hey, we got this awesome program. So .... I think my .... my point
bein' is....um, when you're talkin' about climate action when someone gets it in the mail,
it could be overwhelming and .... and, um, I'm not sure how to really reach the residents to
get it to a level that they can feel empowered, to, you know, tackle this, um, because it is
gonna take all of us to do it. So .... I just wanted to at least emphasize the information that
we get to the residents, we need to really be thinkin' a little bit outside the box of how to
really impact, um, and empower those within our community.
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Throgmorton/ Yeah, fair enough! Any other comment about the draft resolution?
Cole/ (mumbled) super brief comment, just as another template is the effort that the School
Board had did to persuade people on the bond I thought was a good example of
community outreach in terms of identifying the need, the cost, and the benefits. So....
shout out to the School Board.
Clarification of Agenda Items:
Throgmorton/ Okay! I think that means we can move on to our next topic. Yep! Clarification of
agenda items. Uh, I want to mention to you, it's not an agenda item but I wanna mention
that I currently am planning to read a statement about the originally planned targeted
raids on undocumented residents. Um, I think right now I feel like I'm gonna play it by
ear. I may or may not do it, but don't be surprised if I .... don't be surprised if I do it
(laughs) I mean cause ..... my ..... my uncertainty has to do with the fact that there is, best I
know, there have not been any significant raids yet. So .... we'll see! All right. How bout
agenda items? What's on your minds?
8.1. Laurie Lyckholm: Letter to city Council regarding Deer Killing
8.q. Lori Kendrick: July 11th NRC Meeting
Cole/ Maybe just to, um, say that there's one piece of correspondence relating to deer, so maybe
staff could ... I understand there was another unsuccessful effort, but there's a glimmer of
hope in terms of the deer population, uh, issue. Geoff? I don't know.
Fruin/ Yeah, uh.... Mayor Throgmorton, Councilman Teague joined staff in going to the NRC
meeting last week in Boone, Iowa. Um, we had a good healthy discussion, probably an
hour and a half discussion with the, uh, NRC members, and it was really a discussion.
Um, they gave us, uh, I think it's pretty clear expectations, um, while we ... were not
successful, the .... the, ultimately the vote failed 2-5, uh, I think we have very clear
direction from them on what we need to do to move forward and that is really to, uh, do
three things. Uh, put some more certainty around the bow hunt was probably the biggest
one, uh, language in our plan referred, or in our resolution, excuse me, referred to doing
bow hunts if necessary, and they were clearly, um, wanting something more stronger, a
stronger commitment to where we will do bow hunts in the next four years, following a
year of sharpshoot. Uh, they wanted, um, us to go back and think about our target, and
we cleared up some miscommunication with them. If you recall, um, we started off at 25
deer per square mile as our target. Uh, currently we're up around 80 in some areas of the
community. Um, we .... we had received some correspondence from the chair that
suggested that we should lower that down, uh, to 10 and, uh, we clarified that that was
really just their suggestion based on some of the comments that they had heard at our
meetings. Uh, so we're gonna have a discussion with you on August 6th about what you
think that appropriate target should be —10, 25, or some other number, but they were very
clear that that's a local decision, that they want us to .... to think about so we can
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explain... you know, what the difference between the 10 and 25 maybe for our community,
and then lastly, um, they want us to provide a written annual report to them after our
sharp shoot and subsequent bow hunts, which is something that we're more than happy to
do. So .... with your approval, uh, we'll present that plan on August 6th and.... and I do
think, uh, we can get the votes then and conduct a sharp shoot this winter.
Throgmorton/ I think I'd elaborate just a little bit, maybe you want to as well, Bruce, but uh, I
thought it was a fruitful and frank exchange with the commissioners. I think we, as Geoff
said, did engage in dialogue. Some of the dialogue involved the commissioners, they
may well be watching right now, so if they are, 'Hi, how ya doinT Uh, some of the
dialogue involved, uh, I think as many as four commissioners saying they had observed at
least one I think our last commission mee.... or, uh, Council meeting when we were
explicitly addressing the deer management plan, and I think it's fair to say they took
significant umbrage at many of the comments that they observed being made, or read in
the newspaper, either coming from Council Members or coming from the public. It
wasn't clear to me who specifically they were referring to, but they definitely watched
the, uh, the video or whatever of the .... of the meeting, and just weren't pleased. Uh, I
think there's some tension there. They want bow hunting and .... many of them are bow
hunters, and for me that raises some questions which I have addressed to Eleanor and
think she'll be able to comment on them at our next meeting, but not tonight. I'm not
gonna ask her to do that. Uh.... but we are much closer to having a plan they will
approve. That's very clear to me. I would be very surprised if we did not, if they did not
approve a plan that conforms with what Geoff just said in terms of responding to what
they told us during the meeting.
Cole/ Aren't we pretty much gonna adopt like an Ames -type plan, I mean there are other cities
that have been approved. Is that sort of a...
Fruin/ Well we don't have the specifics of a bow hunt, um, prepared. Uh, we would really focus
on getting the sharp shoot done right away and then while that's in progress we would put
together the bow hunt parameters and that's gonna take a lot of dialogue with the Council
to where .... where do you want to see bow hunts, where don't you want to see bow hunts,
uh, what .... what's the window, do you wanna go .... what a lot of cities do is just follow
the hunting season. Do you warm shrink that window down a little bit, uh, I think we
had one commissioner and I think there was agreement with others that said, you know, it
has to be meaningful and .... and for that commissioner it was 30 days or more. Um, so
we have to put that together. We have to, you know, what kind of qualifications do we
expect from hunters. There's safety courses. There's proficiency courses. We need to do
some more research about how other cities do that, and then we're gonna have to present
that to you, and ultimately to the NRC.
Teague/ I'm gonna save my comments for our next meetin'. I .... I think you both have, um, really
expressed the views of the NRC. Um .... I will say one thing, and that is, um, kudos to
both (laughs) Geoff and Mayor Jim, um, for their presentation. I really do believe, um,
that they did our city justice in sitting and, um, definitely engagin' in conversation, um,
with the NRC, but one thing in particular that I really appreciated, um, in the midst of,
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um, what the NRC wanted, which is, you know, it was very clearly 'bow hunting.' Um, I
heard our Mayor say specifically several times, um .... the feelings of our Council, as well
as, uh, the majority of the individuals that we've heard within our city, and uh, their desire
not to do bow hunting, and so the compromi.... you know, the compromise that Council
did, uh, collectively, um, through the resolution, um, did show to the NRC our desire to
work with them, but I also felt that, um, our Mayor definitely, um, made it very clear that
our community as a whole does not want the bow hunting, but if this is the only option
that we have, this .... we have to deal with our problem, and that's the deer, and so that's
why we went to, uh, Boone, Iowa, to really talk about how can you help us with our deer
issue. So, kudos to our Mayor, kudos to Geoff, you all did well! I'm happy I got to sit in
the back! (laughter)
Throgmorton/ Kudos to you, Bruce, for finding the place (laughter and several talking) Yeah!
One of the commissioners is the most .... the most recent appointee to the commission is a
woman who has served as, what, a county commissioner I think she said.
Teague/ I think county supervisor.
Throgmorton/ Well I would think county supervisor but I thought I remembered the term from
county commissioner. Anyhow .... she served in that position, so at some point during the
meeting or right after she said I've been in your shoes. I understand your situation. I
totally understand why you, urn .... want to.....have your own plan (laughs) not, you
know, kind of feel compelled to adapt to the commission. Nonetheless, the commission
has ... it made its vote and our guidance from the commission is very clear.
Cole/ Maybe just super quick for the public's benefit, and I hate to put you on the spot, Eleanor,
but is .... obviously this was the body that we go through, but does the statute provide any
objective criteria for them to deny or grant, um, a bow hunt, or is it just left .... cause I
think what I'm having trouble with is ... is sort of this, you know, and again, we respect
them. We want to do this. We think they're doin' a great job. But, it just seems like
we're ... that they almost have unlimited discretion, as to what we can and can't do and the
statute doesn't give any parameters, and I ... if I've put you on the spot I'm sorry but it just
seems strange to me that there's so much discretion that they have.
Dilkes/ I mean .... my .... we've looked at it.
Cole/ Yeah.
Dilkes/ (both talking) through the years. They own the deer, essentially is what it is and you're
talking about abuse of discretion standard and no I don't think they have to give any kind
of technical (both talking)
Cole/ It's just whatever they say.
Dilkes/ (both talking) it's an .... it's an abuse of discretion standard, lack of substantial evidence,
you know (mumbled)
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Cole/ Yep!
Dilkes/ So .... but I can detail that more if you'd like.
Throgmorton/ I personally would like to know a little bit more, but you and I communicated
about that. So I'd rather not talk about it more right now.
Cole/ Yeah, and I was just saying in the future (mumbled) for the public's benefit, just to know
sort of, uh, that dynamic.
Throgmorton/ Okay, any other comment about agenda items?
8.c. John Balmer: mecollister blvd
Thomas/ Well I'll just mention John Balmer's, uh.... question about McCollister under
correspondence, 8.c. Uh.... I believe, he asked if this is a road diet and it's not a road diet.
It's, um, an extension of McCollister, which is a two-lane road, uh, until it intersects with
Sycamore. So there's.... it's not a road diet. Correct, Geoff, I mean I .... I mean there are
other aspects (both talking)
Fruin/ ....buildin' a new road.
Thomas/ We're building a new road and it's not a, um, a lane reduction concept. It's, um,
extension.
Fruin/ The travel lanes are .... are gonna be narrower than they are on other parts of that roadway,
but you also have bike lanes. So the amount of concrete, I don't know the specific
measurements but the amount of concrete is probably not much different. It may even be
more with the bike lanes.
Throgmorton/ I think John was re ... John Balmer was using the term rather loosely, not in any
kind of technical way, but ... but he .... he's just objecting to the idea of having the kind of
design that he understands we are promoting for that area. And I think it would be great
if John could be invited, you know, former mayor and all that, I think it would be great if
he got invited to come to the .... the presentation that Opticos is gonna make. Just so he
could observe and learn from whatever it is that Dan (mumbled) says.
Fruin/ Yeah, I don't think we're gettin' into the design of McCollister at the work session,
but ... I'm .... I'm happy to reach out to Mayor Balmer and have a conversation with him.
Mims/ Well and I would just comment, you've heard me say this before, I totally agree with what
John Balmer's saying. I mean McCollister starts on the west side of Iowa City as an
arterial at 45 miles an hour and then goes to 35 miles an hour and then we're gonna go to
25 miles an hour with parking on the sides of the street and I think people who've been
waiting for 10 -plus years or I5 -plus years for this to get all the way around the south side
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of the city, and when that opens up and it's only 25 miles an hour and parking on the
sides, I think we're gonna hear a lot of blow back from community members.
8.e. Jeffery Ford: Fair and equitable city
Teague/ I wanted to just, uh, mention IP 8.e. and that's from Jeffery Ford.
Throgmorton/ Oh, sorry! Go ahead.
Teague/ Yeah, Jeffery Ford, um, and that's, uh, fair and equitable city, um .... is what he wrote
about. Just gonna read a little bit here from his, uh, submission. It is critical that in its
pursuit of fair and equitable city that the Council wrestles with the impact of its property
taxes, and therefore City budget, on the affordability on housin' within the city. A
sustainable and healthy city budget is essential to the foundation of an equitable and fair
environment to all members of the community. He further does state, um .... our
community, we also want to be able to attract individuals with higher incomes and their
ability to con... contribute to the, um, community, but it really is .... where we want to
ensure that, um, when we're thinkin' about the budget and all this other stuff that we are
takin' into account, um, that we're fair and equitable to everyone within our city, and so,
uh, just wanted to, urn .... make mention of Jeffery Ford's letter that was sent.
Throgmorton/ It's interesting that Jeffery would make, uh, express the concern about increasing
property tax payments and that kind of thing, when at the same time we have just
received the minutes of a meeting of the Housing and Community Development
Commission wherein some commissioners on the .... on that particular commission say,
hey .... you guys can just increase.... property.... your property tax revenue and use that to
greatly enhance the affordable housing, uh, address the affordable housing problem. So
Jeffery says.....reduce the taxes basically and .... and the commission is saying increase
the taxes, and they're both talking about affordability. I think there's a, kind of a .... uh, a
gap there, don't ya think?
Teague/ Sure. I'm not saying we need to increase or decrease. I just wanted to read his letter
(laughs)
Throgmorton/ Fair enough!
Teague/ And make the statement that, um, affordable housin' is important.... within our
community.
Information Packet Discussion [July 31 July 111:
Throgmorton/ Okay, wanna move on to the information packets? Starting with the July 3rd
packet.
Thomas/ I, uh, appreciated the IP2, you know the memo regarding evaluation plans for the
conversions and the travel lane widths. I .... I think that's really, will be helpful as we
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move forward, to better .... to.....to do kind of a post -project evaluation of, um, you know,
the outcomes basically, in terms of safety, providing, you know, what the goals of the
project, which were to improve safety and .... and choice, how effective have they been in
terms of meeting those goals. Um, so I....I'm.....I appreciate that and I think it's
something, I think it's a useful exercise in a number of areas of work that we do. So I'm
pleased that we'll be seeing that.
Cole/ Well and let me add a little bit more detail to that comment. Um, as I understand this
memo, you know we've talked a lot about the safety impacts of four to three, and we've
cited a lot of Iowa Department of Transportation empirical studies, the 20 different road
diets, the anticipated reduction in accidents, but if I'm not mistaken, in the First Avenue of
the actual data from the First Avenue four to three conversion, um, they've shown a 20%
reduction in overall number of collisions, um, from approximately 17.4 to 13 (mumbled)
Am I getting that (mumbled) So .... that's huge! What I love about that is.... is we have
this deep reservoir of information from the Iowa Department of Transportation in our
very first implementation on a significant level we see the (mumbled) that's about what
we're expecting for a lot of these — 20 to 25%. Some of the studies say as high as 47%.
Um, and I think that is what this is about, um, coupled with, obviously, in a reasonable
traffic flow, but if any of us had to choose between a 30 -second to a minute delay and .... a
20% reduction, I .... I think to me that that properly frames this issue. So I was very
pleased to see that empirical forecast being born out with what we've actually done.
Taylor/ He had mentioned that it could be, it'll be two years before we see the data on our current
conversions, but I think, uh, that's.... that's a good time frame and .... and hopefully he's
going to show a trend also, which'll be good.
Throgmorton/ Okay, you wanna turn to the July 11 th packet? So on IP #6, there's an email from
me about whether, uh, any one of our Council Members would like to be part of the
selection committee for the alley, downtown alley RFP. So the first question is, do you
think we oughta have a member on that committee, and then secondly would any of you
like to volunteer, if in fact we would have a member?
Cole/ My own take is, unless anyone really wants to do it, is that no, and the reason why I say
that is first of all I love that they reached out to us, but all those different projects that the
Downtown District has been doing, I .... I've been loving nearly every single one. Um,
and certainly it's always nice to get that Council impact, um, input but I ... I really trust that
leadership's judgment as to what they think is gonna make sense. So that'd be my
position, unless someone really wants to participate.
Taylor/ No, I agree, Rockne. I think it was exciting, it's a great project. I really look forward to
seeing it take place, and I thank Betsy for thinking about inviting us to .... to possibly
serve on that with them, but by, uh, the list of who she already has, uh, on the committee,
it looks like they'll have a great, uh, great bunch to make decisions and.... and, but I don't
think it's necessary for us to ... to sit on it.
Cole/ In part because they're doing such a good job, in my view.
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Mims/ I would agree. It's fine!
Throgmorton/ Okay, without objection I'll contact Betsy and tell her that we don't see a need for
a Council Member to be on that committee.
Cole/ But we very much appreciate them inviting us and hope that they continue to extend that
into the future.
Frain/ Just so you know, Simon is on that committee. So if you have questions about it in the
future (several talking)
Andrew/ Wendy and I (several talking)
Throgmorton/ All right, moving on!
Taylor/ IP2. We should do the KXIC? Kellie's not here to push us into that, but .... but we should
look at those dates so that, um, get those done.
Andrew/ Yeah, we have Council Member Teague has, uh, agreed to be scheduled for tomorrow,
and staff will take the next two in July. So starting with August 7th we have open dates.
Throgmorton/ If I could do the 7th or the 14th, then that would be timely for me in terms of the
seven -week rotation.
Cole/ I .... I could do August 28th.
Mims/ I'll take September 11th.
Throgmorton/ So when I .... why don't I literally sign up for the 7th then, unless somebody else
really would like to have that.
Taylor/ I can do the 21 st.
Thomas/ I was hoping to do that but (several talking) I try to do every six weeks or so.
Andrew/ So I have John on the 21 st?
Taylor/ I'll do the September 4th then.
Andrew/ All right. So we just have August 14th left.
Teague/ I can do the 14th!
Andrew/ All right.
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Teague/ Or should be sign up Maz? (laughter)
Taylor/ We don't know her schedule, so....
Teague/ No, I'm just playin'! (laughs) I'll do the 14th.
Throgmorton/ All right. Good! That was easy! With regard to ... IP #5, pending work session
topics. I just wanna note that on August the 6th we're gonna continue our discussion
about the development review process, which will have been initiated by our meeting
with Opticos and the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Fruin/ Also on August 6th, I failed to put it on there, but we have our, uh, your evaluations of my
position, uh, City Attorney and City Clerk as well. So .... we can start that at 5:00. If you
prefer to start at an earlier time, uh, that's your call.
Mims/ I would say earlier if people can be available.
Throgmorton/ Four o'clock or 4:30 (several talking) Yeah, I'd say 4:00. See if we can do it at
4:00.
Teague/ And where will that be held?
Mims/ In the conference room.
Throgmorton/ In that room. Yeah. All right, uh, IP #8, the memo from ... Jen Jordan, Resource
Management Superintendent, about waste minimization programs. So thanks to Jen for
providing that update, but I do have a question about it. And .... and it's simply this — how
much .... of the.....how much of the tonnage collected through the City's recycling
program actually gets recycled? It's my understanding that the material goes to, um....
uh, the .... the facility over in the Quad Cities and is processed there in a pretty
sophisticated way and I'd love to do a tour of it. Actually it sounds really fascinating.
But I don't know how much of the tonnage sort of disappears along the way (laughs)
Fruin/ Okay, we can get you that.
Throgmorton/ I think we need to discuss IP #9 also briefly. It's, uh, concerning emails about the,
uh, wa... solid waste collection in the Peninsula. So, Geoff, just give us a brief update on
that and (both talking)
Fruin/ Quick update, um, we .... we sent out letters and, uh, I think I had shared with the Council
some of the justification for us making that, uh, move. It's, uh, to say it's less than ideal
situation for our .... our current waste operation is .... is an understatement, but um, we
failed to recognize that there was language in the subdivider's agreement for when the
City was working with the Peninsula, um, 15 years ago. That requires us to pick up from
the alley. Uh, so Jen and Ron have reached out to the homeowner's association and let
them know that we no .... we no longer are planning to deliver the carts in early August
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and that we'd like to schedule another meeting with them to discuss options. Um, I think
in addition to it being less than ideal for us, I don't know that it's great for the residents
either. Um, we're not able to use our carts out there for about 116 of the households, and
uh, as a result you get a lot of blowing litter. Uh, it's hard for our vehicles to .... to access,
uh, those alleys, uh, which are maintained by the homeowner's association and as we've
gotten bigger trucks, uh, that come along with those tipper carts, it's also gonna be a lot of
wear and tear on those private alleys. So, hopefully we can find a mutually, uh,
beneficial, um, situation, uh, out there, um, and it was, uh, it was unfortunate that we
didn't catch that before the letter went out. So....
Cole/ So to clarify that, it is a binding contract, I mean it was .... so we would actually need their
consent, is that correct?
Dilkes/ To amend it you'd have to have the agreement of the homeowner's association.....my
assumption is that they own the alleys as common areas.
Throgmorton/ Okay, any other items in the .... in that information packet? I ... I guess I'd say with
regard to IP #13, which is the minutes of the June 20th meeting of the HCDC, the
Housing Community Development Commission. That's one long complicated discussion
they had, as best I can tell. So, uh.... too much for me to digest, uh, in one sitting. And I
assume we will, uh, get recommendations from them and process them one -by -one with
regard to the topics they discussed. All right, hearing no other information packet items,
let's move to Council updates on assigned boards, commissions, and committees. And
why don't we start with Bruce and move to the left.
Council updates on assigned board, commissions, and committees:
Teague/ And I wasn't able to make the .... the last one Kellie set in on the .... the Joint Entities
meeting for me. Um, so I have no updates.
Mims/ MPOJC meeting. She sat in on the MPOJC (several talking)
Teague/ Yes!
Mims/ Joint meetings was yesterday. Yeah.
Teague/ Okay! (laughter and several talking) I'm confused now! (laughs)
Taylor/ In regards to the MPO meeting, that was Wednesday, July 10th, um, kind of a lot of the
same agenda items that we talk about, including, uh, the I-80/380 expanding the lanes,
which I'd like to thank Rockne, uh, for questioning the effect of potential increased traffic
and, uh, and speeds on the (mumbled) the environment and, uh, can't say that I was really
happy with her response to that question, but she ... uh, it is a concern, and I know some of
us from the Council at some of the MPO meetings have expressed concerns about the
widening of that stretch of road. Um .... uh..... Joint Entities, I already mentioned that it
was great that the School District talked about their climate plan and that, uh, other
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communities were interested in ... in our plans, which was good! Urn .... let's see .... that's it
as far as assigned committees!
Throgmorton/ Rockne, did you wanna say anything about that, um, information session about the
widening of I-80? Did you have a chance (both talking)
Cole/ ...didn't have a chance to go to that, no. Urn ... but .... I don't know if you just wanna wait
until it's my turn, but in terms of that particular topic, it obviously is a very complicated
issue in the sense of we do have the growing community. Certainly the commerce
between the City of Iowa City and the City of Cedar Rapids is .... is growing every year,
and so we certainly get that, sort of that pragmatic, just sort of ultimately nuts and bolts
transportation issue, but it is.....it is discouraging that at least at the level the Department
of Transportation, and by the way the individual employees, they .... they obviously
implement the mandates from on -high. So I'm not criticizing them in any way, shape, or
form. I think they did a great job as far as that goes. But that we're not, we have this
great climate change crisis. It does not appear to be embedded at all, um, in terms of the
transportation planning. They made some improvements in terms of our commuting bus,
um, you know we are evaluating rail, um, that comes up periodically, and the MPOJC, I
think that's potentially very exciting, but I do think we just need this reset, and it does not
necessarily mean we're gonna eliminate cars. We have no intention of doing that. Um,
but I think it's really right -sizing the transportation. So hopefully, um .... you know when
we're on the MPOJC, we just continue to ask those questions, uh, so that we are able to
actually, you know, make that impact. So.....and I'll have another comment once it's my
turn to talk.
Throgmorton/ Susan?
Mims/ Uh, the Access Center, uh, has their designs out, um, that has been presented by Neumann
Monson and so looking good in terms of the layout of that, the outside design, and I
couldn't make it because of work and this meeting, but between 4:00 and 5:00 this
afternoon, they were having a meeting with Meld to, um, give their name
recommendation for the facility. Um, so Meld has been doing a lot in terms of, uh, the
whole branding, marketing. They were gonna review recommendations, or a
recommendation, for the name and since I couldn't be there I don't know what it was. I
don't know if you know, Geoff. You're (both talking)
Fruin/ I don't.
Mims/ Yeah. So .... that's it!
Throgmorton/ John?
Thomas/ Um, nothing to add (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Rockne?
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Cole/ Um, it's looking like our Mobile Home Task Force is gonna be meeting July 30th, um,
unfortunately I'm not going to be able to be there. I have a family reunion I'm going to be
attending, but it's, um, as I indicated at our last meeting, our first meeting I think was
very hopeful. Um, I think we really had all the relevant players from, uh, Johnson
County, North Liberty, Coralville, and there really did seem to be a spirit of .... of
cooperation. We haven't really fleshed out, uh, what necessarily the proposals is going to
be, but I.....but I think the .... the sense there is that what our goal is is to not be caught
flat-footed, um, when the next crisis comes, related to, uh, this ongoing issue of private
equity and purchasing the mobile home parks. Um, so we're continuing to work on that,
um.....and related to the MPOJC, just one super -brief comment. We also got an update
relating to (mumbled) many of the community members have ... have heard, but one of the
real big things that the MPOJC did that I think we can all be very proud of is that we
opted out, um, of this request.... there was sort of a very complicated issue in terms of
swapping out federal dollars with state dollars, um, you know, when you're doing
Department of Transportation projects, and our regional MPOJC wanted to maintain our
federal wage standards, which for those of you out in the labor community, the Davis
Bacon, and uh, which will ensure higher wages, higher standards for the employees that,
and workers, that are out there making this transportation infrastructure work. And
during that MPOJC meeting they had mentioned, yeah, that you guys opted out last year
and, um, you know, we're continuing to follow those standards, and I just sort of off the
cuff, uh, statement, uh, I was very pleased to hear that we, um, continue to maintain those
standards. Um, that's pretty much it related to that, and the, um City of Lit, we haven't
met. So it's summer break. So....
Throgmorton/ Okay! So Pauline and I met with Janet Godwin and Paul Roesler from the School
Board on July the 3rd and I'd say we had a very fruitful discussion over a glass of wine,
which is not a bad thing, about climate action, about what they were doing, what we were
doing, about SROs, School (several talking) Resource Officers and, you know, what they
were planning to do. So we had another discussion about that yesterday in the Joint
Entities meeting. Uh, so the Threat Assessment Task Force, uh, that the District is
considering was, uh, a related topic that we discussed. We also talked a little bit about
the School Board election, which for the first time, I think, in our local history is gonna
be held at the same time as our City Council election. So I'm really intrigued to see how
that goes, cause, you know, it's not somethin' we've done before, and..... so we talked a
little bit about who, which board members are intending to run for reelection and whether
they have heard any names about other people who might be running as well. It was a
fruitful conversation about that kind of thing. Yeah. That's about it! Nothin' to tell ya
about the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Okay! I think we're done with our, uh,
meeting. Wow! (laughs) It's the first time we've ended a work session, uh, before 6:40,
ever! Or .... so, uh, we will reconvene at 7:00 for our formal meeting! Thank you!
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