HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-10 Council minutest,r
Date: April 2, 2020
CITY OF IOWA CITY
MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Kellie K. Fruehling, City Clerk
Re: Council Work Session, March 10, 2020, 1:00 PM, Eastside Recycling Center
Council: Bergus, Mims, Salih, Taylor, Teague, Thomas, Weiner
UISG: None
Staff: Fruin, Monroe, Dilkes, Fruehling
A transcription and power points are available in the City Clerk's Office and the City website.
STRATEGIC PLANNING DISCUSSION
City Manager Fruin gave introductory comments and summarized the memo from the 3/5/20
Information packet (IP3) and noted Assistant City Manager Monroe would be making live
updates on the projector that would be reported back to Council and refined as needed. Council
members started with an exercise of listing what the most common concerns or opportunities
that they have heard from the public.
City Council members reviewed the previous strategic plan goal statement from 2018-19 and
discussed whether to keep the all seven goals, if they needed to be refined, or if the scope
needed narrowed or expanded. Members then discussed if any additional guidance was
needed to supplement the stated goal.
1. Promote a Strong and Resilient Local Economy
a. Undertake a comprehensive assessment of the current public transit system and
implement changes to assure that the service best meets the needs of the entire
community
b. Effectively market and grow the local food economy
c. Through cooperation with the Iowa City School District, Iowa Workforce
Development, Kirkwood Community College, Iowa Works, and others, increase
opportunities for marginalized populations and low-income individuals to obtain
access to skills training and good jobs
d. Work with Procter & Gamble and impacted supply chain companies, local
economic development organizations, and labor unions to respond effectively to
the company's decision to terminate its local production of beauty care products
2. Encourage a Vibrant and Walkable Urban Core
a. Collaborate with the University of Iowa on its redevelopment of University owned
property located in the Riverfront Crossings District, and on improving the quality,
accessibility, and use of the Iowa River Corridor
Council Work Session
March 10, 2020
Page 2
b. Preserve important parts of Iowa City's history by considering the designation of
additional buildings as historic landmarks, and, by considering the creation of an
historic preservation district for part of the downtown after consulting with
stakeholders
c. Evaluate existing strategies and consider additional actions to address the need
for reinvestment in the city's existing private housing stock
3. Foster Healthy Neighborhoods throughout the City
a. Modify the existing Affordable Housing Action Plan to include new strategies to
improve the availability and affordability of housing in Iowa City
b. Embed the "Missing Middle" concept into the City's land development practices
by adopting a Form Based Code for at least one (preferably two) of our
neighborhoods
c. Ensure the next two budgets contain sufficient funds to make meaningful
progress toward achieving the goals of the Bicycle Master Plan and Parks Master
Plan
d. Complete an analysis of traffic accident data and identify actions to improve the
safety of our roadways for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians
4. Maintain a Solid Financial Foundation
a. Continue to monitor the impact of the 2013 property tax reform and evaluate
alternative revenue sources as determined necessary
b. Continue to build the City's Emergency Fund
c. Monitor potential changes to Moody's rating criteria and maintain the City's Aaa
bond rating
d. Continue to reduce the City's property tax levy
e. Maintain healthy fund balances throughout the City's diverse operations
5. Enhance Community Engagement and Intergovernmental Relations
a. Experiment with innovative ways of engaging with diverse populations in person
and on social media
b. Improve collaborative problem -solving with governmental entities in the region on
topics of shared interest
c. Improve relationships with the executive branch and legislature by reaching out
to legislators and other elected officials and working with City lobbyists
6. Promote Environmental Sustainability
a. Adopt an effective Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and ensure the next two
budgets contain sufficient funds to facilitate achieving its goal
b. Support efforts to increase the reach of the Parks and Recreation Foundation
7. Advance Social Justice and Racial Equity
a. Support organizations and efforts that provide services to people experiencing
and recovering from trauma and crisis related to mental health and substance
abuse
Council Work Session
March 10, 2020
Page 3
b. Consider a policy to limit city business to vendors that pay all employees a wage
of $10.10 or higher
c. Explore expanded use of a racial equity toolkit within City government,
embedding it within city department and Council levels
d. Consider elevating hourly staff wages to $15/hour or more within two years
The City Manager's office will make updates to the Strategic Planning Process memo with the
changes noted during discussion and redistribute for the next Strategic Plan discussion at a
future City Council work session.
Meeting adjourned at 3:40 PM.