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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-24 TranscriptionPage 1 1. Call to Order Teague: Well good evenin', everyone! Um ... we are definitely in a new space and ... where the Councilors are .... um, at their homes or.....um, very different tonight, and for the public that is joinin', we wanna welcome you and this is kind of the .... the new way of the world across the globe, and so we're very cognizant of the challenge it may be for some to join us by Zoom and we're gonna be as careful as we navigate tonight to make sure that if you're on and you want to speak, um, we wanted to make sure that you had that opportunity. Um, I would ask people to navigate a little bit at...at the bottom of their screen, and you'll see a comments section. So if you are on, uh, from the public and you would like to, urn ... uh, to make a ... to speak tonight, if you can just write your first and last name. We have staff that's going to record, uh, your name and alert me when you're present, uh, when it's time for your item. If you can also list that, either your item number or the name of the item that you want to talk about, and then I will be sure that we include you, uh, on that item. For those that don't figure out how to submit their name, uh, at the bottom, I'll always take a moment at the .... at the end of those names that I've called from the public, just to allow people to chime in. If you're on the phone, I understand that you won't have the opportunity to type and say that you wanna join us. So we're gonna go a little slower, uh, when it comes down to the public comment, but I want you to know that we are certainly, um, gonna navigate this as best as we can tonight. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 2 2. Proclamations 2.a. Transgender Day of Visibility Teague: (reads proclamation) And I understand that we, uh, have, uh this proclamation will be accepted by the Human Rights Commissioner Cathy McGinnis. McGinnis: Yes, thank you, Mayor Teague. Thank you to the City Council Members. I appreciate your recognizing this important day. As you said, uh, the International Transgender Day of Visibility is important to celebrate and recognize the living members of transgender community around the world, and I appreciate that we can recognize this day as a way to raise awareness around a discrimination that transgender people still face, while also appreciating the courage it takes to live openly and authentically. Thank you. Teague: Great! Thank you! Thank you for joinin' us. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 3 1-8. Consent Calendar—Adoption of the Consent Calendar as presented or amended. Teague: Could I get a motion to approve Consent Calendar as amended? We're movin' Item 5.a.2. and 6.e. from the agenda as requested. (female): So moved. (female): Second. Teague: Um, and I may have you (mumbled) moved by so that I ... cause it's .... it's a little challenging. So moved by.... Taylor: Pauline.... Taylor! Mims: Seconded by (both talking) Seconded by Susan. Teague: All right. Moved by Taylor, seconded by Mims. Discussion? So I do know that, um, Item 61, um, I would like to call Kent Ralston and I also know that there's one individual, uh, that has submitted their name (noises, unable to hear speaker) public (mumbled) Rachel Carlson and if there's anyone else that would like to speak (mumbled) public, please, um, if you can find, urn .... that way to chat and submit your name, if you would like to speak on any of the items on the Consent agenda. Um, Item No. 61 for, uh, just the knowledge of the public is the Jefferson Street/Glendale Road traffic calming. Uh, so, Kent Ralston, if you can, uh, present to (mumbled) requested. 61 Jefferson Street/Glendale Road Traffic Calming Resolution authorizing the installation of speed humps on Jefferson Street and Glendale Road, between Clapp Street and 7th Avenue Ralston: Yeah, thank you, Mayor and Council. Can everyone hear me okay? (several respond) Okay. So ... so as the Mayor mentioned, the resolution before you this evening authorizes the installation of speed humps on Jefferson Street and Glendale Road, between Clapp Street and Seventh Avenue. Uh, as, uh, residents of that corridor have successfully completed the City of Iowa City's traffic calming process. As the 85' percentile speeds along that corridor, uh, were roughly between 30 and 40, uh, 35 and 40 -miles -per -hour, excuse me, uh, as is shown in your packets, uh, with a posted speed limit of 25 -miles -per -hour (mumbled) quite a bit faster than what we would like to see. Uh, staff discussed This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 4 traffic calming options with those residents (mumbled) public meeting on November 12s', and the consensus of the residents who attended the meeting was to move forward with request for traffic calming, uh, which we're discussing tonight. Uh, on January Yd a survey was then mailed to residents of the corridor, in order to measure support for that proposal, and in all staff received responses from 69% of the households along the corridor (noise, unable to hear speaker) 72%, uh.... indicating support for the proposal. Uh, I did wanna mention just a few things that make this, um, a little bit unique. Staff first, uh, tried to seek out some alternative options to speed humps in the corridor. As we know the larger public does not favor speed humps, uh, as well our several Council Members, uh, just because they don't really provide an aesthetic amenity, uh, to a corridor, um, just a matter of slowing down speed. Uh, in this corridor we did look at the use of median islands and traffic circles, and actually, uh, discussed that at a public meeting last summer. However, once we got a little bit further along with preliminary design, uh, the City engineer and his staff concluded that we just weren't going to be able to fit, uh, those traffic circles into the corridor in a way we would have liked to of. Uh, the second thing I'd note that's a little bit unique is the speed humps being proposed tonight are slightly different than the other speed humps in and around town. Uh, they're exactly the same, although these speed humps would actually have a .... a break or a separation in them, uh, to allow emergency vehicles and, uh, transit buses and other large vehicles to pass through the corridor, uh, and essentially straddle those speed humps. Um, in some of the preliminary traffic calming committee discussions that we had, uh, the Fire Chief had noted some concern about response times in the neighborhood to the east of Seventh Avenue, uh, and after doing some research and providing that to him, uh, he concluded that these modified speed humps, uh, were satisfactory. Um, just in a nutshell by way of background, the traffic calming process is really a five-step process. Uh, the first being that staff needs to receive a petition, uh, which we did. Uh, the second step is a study and evaluation, uh, which we also did and concluded the speed, uh, were much faster than we would like to see, as I mentioned previously. Uh, we then held the neighborhood meeting, uh, that I also had mentioned earlier, and had some pretty good, uh, attendance at that meeting, and then we conducted that neighborhood survey, which I had mentioned. Uh, that survey, uh, re ... the .... the adopted traffic calming program requires a 50% response rate to the mail -out survey, with a 60% approval rate, and I had ... I had mentioned we exceeded both of those, uh, with this corridor. And then the fifth and final step is really just approval, uh, by this body, and I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 5 Thomas: Uh, Kent, one of the, uh, this is John, one of the questions that we saw in the correspondence had to do with how this could im... impact bicyclists along this corridor. Could you speak to that? Ralston: Yeah, uh, you know, that's a little bit of a matter of opinion, although I would say that we have speed humps, uh, you know, in more .... in well over a dozen locations around town now and we really don't hear that it affects bicyclists in any really, uh, detrimental way. Uh, the way that speed humps are constructed, they actually stretch, uh, across the street, the width of the street, uh, but they do stop short about two or three feet from the curb line, uh, on either side to allow for drainage, uh, so if a bicyclist didn't want to ride over the speed hump, they could actually, uh, head toward the curb line and... and (noise on mic, difficult to hear) around it, uh (mumbled) there'll be a gap in the middle as I mentioned because these will sort of be a modified speed hump, and then the last thing I guess I would say is that, uh, the speed humps are much longer than most people actually, uh, I guess think they would be. They're actually 12 -feet in length, as the way the car travels, um, and really when riding over them, uh, you know, a personal level, I've not noticed that they'd be really detrimental. So these aren't speed bumps like you would see in a, uh, a parking lot of a large retail store. These are actually speed humps, so they're constructed a little bit differently and .... and shouldn't really be a problem. Thomas: Thanks! Teague: Any other questions for Kent? From the Councilors? We have, uh, someone from our community, Rachel Carlson will go first and then followed by Theresa, uh, Biancheri will be followed .... uh, will follow Rachel. Carlson: Can you hear me? Teague: Yes! Carlson: Thank you for, uh, the time. I just wanted to follow up with what Kent said. Uh, as neighbors we've followed this process for several years to get this to happen. Um .... we .... it's a very, very, very dangerous stretch of road. We all call the police all the time, uh, trying to get solutions and ... and this is the solution that we've come to now, after a couple years of, um, trying to figure something out, and I will say that, um, Councilman Thomas' question about bicycling. It's currently not safe to bicycle because people are speeding so quickly through there. I wouldn't let my child bicycle on this street as it is right now. So we ... I This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 6 am very, very, very strongly support traffic calming measures on our street. Thank you. Teague: Thank you. Theresa? Biancheri: It's already been said, uh, by Rachel, and .... and, um, especially, uh, and even though, uh, there aren't a lot of, um, of our neighbors present, I know that we have a lot of people who are also in support of this. Um, it ... it's very dangerous. I know that, um, the average is 35, 40 -miles -an -hour, urn ... of people going over the speed limit, but I've seen it much higher, um, and .... and I don't feel safe, and not only are there bicyclists, but a lot of people use this road to walk to work down at the .... well, they used to, uh, to walk to campus, um, and also a lot of dog walkers, um, so, uh.... yeah! Please, uh, please vote for this. Thank you. Teague: Thank you. Is there anyone else from the public that would like to talk about Item 6.0 Or any item on the Consent agenda? Council discussion? Mims: This is Susan, and I would just say, and I mentioned this in the work session, that we have, um, a pretty good process in place for our traffic calming. Uh, it's something that we have worked and revised at least a couple of times, and I feel really strongly that if the neighborhoods have gone through this process and meet the criteria, that we need to follow that process, and it's certainly from, you know, I know Kent's process in his presentation that that is exactly what's happened and so while I understand there are people who may not agree with that, we do have a process in place and I feel like we should follow that. So I will be supporting this. Thomas: I .... I will be supporting it as well. Uh, you know, I've mentioned in previous Councils that, um, I .... I'm always looking for another solution to the problem of speeding than speed humps, but as Kent said, they looked at some options and... and they just didn't seem to work on this particular corridor. So I will be supporting the ... the speed humps. I was looking at the, uh, traffic data here. I was, and I drive this corridor fairly frequently. I was really surprised to see what the speeds were. Ulr, in some cases between Parsons and Seventh for example, 15% of the vehicles are traveling at or above .... over 42 -miles -an -hour. So that... that's not just a safety issue, in my view. That's .... that affects anyone, uh, experiencing that corridor, whether they're walking, bicycling, perhaps just out in front talking with their neighbors. So it's.... it's both, uh, safety and quality of life that is impacted by this. I .... I wish it weren't so. I wish people would simply drive more respectfully of the places they drive through, but ... this is .... this is where we are and so I will be supporting it. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 7 Taylor: This is Pauline. I, uh, I was one that asked to .... to have discussion on this. Can you hear me? (several respond) Oh, okay, uh, and I'm glad to have gotten.... been able to have this time, especially (mumbled) from Kent and hearing from Rachel and Theresa, and especially from Rachel saying that it's not safe for bicyclists now and ... and certainly wouldn't be if the cars are going 35 to 42 -miles - an -hour. That's... that's not safe. So I would think that, uh, hopefully, um, most of our correspondence were from the bicyclists. I would hope that this will help to, uh, get them to understand that this'll make it even safer for them. So I ... I'm in favor of it now. Weiner: This is Janice. Uh, there is a .... I'm glad to hear that there is a process, that they've been able to accommodate emergency vehicles. It's definitely a safety issue and it sounds to me as if it's been through a really exhaustive process, so I will also be supporting. Salih: Well I'm (mumbled) It is on the Consent agenda still? I'm still supporting it, right? Teague: Yes. If no more comments then roll call please. Can I get a motion to accept correspondence for Item 5.a.2., Item 6.a.....Item 6.e. and Item 61? Mims: Moved by Mims. Weiner: Seconded by Weiner. Teague: All right, and we're gonna do a roll call on this item. Roll call please. All right, we got through out first vote! (laughs) (mumbled) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 8 10. Lease Agreement with MidAmerican Energy Company for a Solar Energy System at Waterworks Prairie Park — Resolution approving the lease of land at the Waterworks Prairie Park to MidAmerican Energy Company for a large-scale solar energy system. 1. Public Hearing Teague: I'm gonna open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) And I'm gonna, um, have.... Geoff Fruin, our staff here at the City, our City Manager, uh, kinda give, um, some .... some comments on this item and then I'll follow that by MidAmerican (garbled) and then I do have (garbled) community that have submitted their names, that wanna (garbled) which is Steven Loescher, Jerry Wetlauf...Wetlaufer, and Regenia Bailey. Um, if there's anyone else in the community that wants to talk on this item, please add your name to the comment section and then I will call your name. If you are on the phone or, um, wasn't able to submit your name (garbled) in the comment section, I will (garbled) uh, allow time for people to chime in. At this time we're gonna get Geoff Fruin, um, City Manager. Fruin: Uh, thank you, Mayor. Uh, good evening, Mayor and Council, uh, the item before you is the lease agreement with MidAmerican Energy Company. Uh, this has been something that we've been working on, uh, for the last, uh, probably nine months to a year or so. It is the lease of just shy of 19 acres of land at Water Works Prairie Park to MidAmerican Energy for the purpose of establishing a large-scale solar energy system. As I mentioned, it is a 30 -year lease, but there is an additional 10 -year option that MidAmerican can exercise. The annual rent payment is going to start at $13,440 and has a 3% annual escalator. The, uh... uh, good folks at MidAmerican Energy are here and they'll tell you a little bit more about the, uh, the....the project itself, but we did note in the staff report, uh, that is estimated to generate three megawatts of energy, uh, which is roughly the equivalent of 580 average single, uh, family homes in the state of Iowa. Uh, this project was identified in the, uh, accelerated... the 100 .... the 100 -day report to the accelerated actions for our climate plan, and our climate plan did call for, uh, staff to pursue partnerships with, uh, key stakeholders, including our energy companies. Urn .... the, uh.... uh, MidAmerican staff that will present next will tell ya a little bit about why this property, uh, was selected. Um .... I wanna focus in on some of the correspondence that we've received, uh, with questioning the placement of the solar panels over the established prairie, uh, at the park. Uh, those concerns are certainly legitimate. Those are, um, questions that were raised by both the City and MidAmerican early on on this project. The lease agreement, uh, if approved tonight, or in the future, does require MidAmerican to have a This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 9 vegetation plan approved by the City before work can start. Um, we do not view a .... a, uh, successful, the solar project and the, uh, quality prairie area as two mutually exclusive goals. Matter of fact we think that they can co -exist and be a model, uh, that can be shown across the state and the country, and we're committed to that ideal. You'll hear a little bit more of that from, uh, MidAmerican when they, uh, when they present. Um, the vegetation plan is currently being worked on. Uh... uh, that is bein' led by MidAmerican Energy. Uh, but they have brought on a .... a couple of consultants to ... to help them. One is very familiar with the city, uh, Applied Ecological Services. They were our consultant for our master plan, uh, for our natural areas, and if you, uh, noticed on the Consent agenda, the prairie project that you approved at Hickory Hill Park was also, uh, designed, uh, and reviewed by Applied Ecological Services. So, uh, they're very familiar with our, um.....uh, situation here in Iowa City and .... and have a to contribute to the vegetation plan for this project. Uh, MidAmerican Energy has also been in contact and, uh, seeking the assistance of the Centers, uh, of Pollinators and Energy, uh, which has a lot of experience in trying to marry renewable energy fields and, uh, quality prairie plantings that contribute to the habitat. Uh, so again I want to recognize that those, uh, those concerns are certainly valid, um, and uh, should the Council decide to move forward, uh, staff, uh, both at the City and MidAmerican Energy are committed to trying to, um, create the .... the best marriage between the natural area and, uh, the solar array. I do warm point out just a couple of other small pieces to this project. Um, there will be a little bit of tree removal. Some of the trees that are currently in the, uh, Department of Transportation right-of-way would need to be removed, uh, in order, uh, to prevent them from shading the first, uh.... uh, several rows of the solar panels. MidAmerican has committed the, uh, to a tree replacement fee. That'll total between 25,000 and 30,000 for all the tree removals associated with this project. The City would use those funds for additional tree plantings in the community. The, uh, location along I-80 does give this project significant visibility, uh, which was one reason it was selected, uh, or identified by both the City and MidAmerican. It will be a, uh, not only a meaningful project but also one, uh, to showcase our commitment to climate action. Uh, as part of this lease agreement, MidAmerican would also create a wayside at, uh, right off the trail, next to where solar, uh, panels would be constructed. Uh, and they would, uh, pay for the construction of a small shelter facility, as well as educational signage that would highlight, uh, both MidAmerican Energy's commitment to renewable energy and the City's climate action plan. Be happy to take any questions, uh, or if you prefer, Mayor, we can, uh, allow the MidAmerican Energy representatives to share a little bit about the project too. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 10 Teague: Um, does ..... does any Councilors have questions for Geoff? We can always swing back around. All right, we'll go ahead and have Matt Ott from MidAmerican Energy. Jablonski: (garbled) ....Adam Jablonski, um, I'm the Director for Renewable Energy Development for .... for MidAmerican. Uh, thank you for your time to the, uh, Mayor and Council, and um, a very good introduction by Geoff. Thank you for that. Um, just kind of running through the slides. Hopefully you can see those up on your screen, um, some of this'll be a little bit of a repeat with what Geoff said. Um, but this is, kind of jumping down to the last bullet, but this is MidAmerican's, uh, first solar project, uh, so we're excited to be able to partner with the City and showcase renewable energy and our commitment to environmental respect, uh, both the City and MidAmerican have. Um, it's a three -megawatt project. It's made up of over 10,000 solar panels. And it will produce enough electricity to power approximately 580, uh, average Iowa homes and I'll touch on this a little bit later, but we are interconnecting into the distribution system, which is just across the interstate from this, um, which will be able to serve, um, you know, local load, Iowa City residents, as opposed to a project, uh, interconnecting to the transmission system, where that energy would, uh, travel farther. Uh, annual lease payments under this lease, um, start out at $13,440, going up 3%, uh, but also with that there is a property tax payment currently estimated about $3,000 annually that'll.... that'll come into the City. Um, so this along with our, uh, investment in other renewables, such as wind projects, is part of our plan to provide 100% renewable energy to our customers through our Green Advantage program. And that is a program, uh, that is certified by the Iowa Utilities Board. Uh, next slide, Matt. Uh, so just why we chose this location, um, you know, first when it comes to solar, you need a, uh, wide open, uh, relatively flat area, uh, to support a solar project. Um, and there are only, you know, so many of those unimproved areas, uh, available with.... within the city on City property, uh, where we're able to, you know, accommodate this partnership with the City. Uh, so this one was identified as ... as a good location, because it's flat, uh, it's proximity to the interstate, like Geoff said, will be good showcase, uh, for ...for both the City and MidAmerican. Um, and again it's proximity to the local electrical distribution system that's, uh, just right across the interstate, which is where we're gonna interconnect into, and be able to serve the residents of. ... of Iowa City, uh, with this renewable energy. Um, again it's highly visible to the public, uh, it'll help raise awareness of the project, renewable energy, and associated environmental benefits. Um, will also like the, uh, lease requires, uh, be installing, uh, that rest and educational area in the park, uh, and then turn that over to the City, uh, so we'll .... we'll be responsible for those costs, the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 11 installation, and then we'll, uh, give that ... give that to the City. Um, we're also able to, on an area like this, use single -access tracking, um, so this .... this allows a solar project to track the sun from east to west, and it has a better production as compared to a fixed tilt system that you'd put on, you know, hard surfaces or surfaces you can't penetrate. Next slide. All right, yeah, one thing we identified early, uh, that we knew we needed to address, uh, in .... in talks with the City was, um, basically restoring the prairie. So, you know, this isn't, um, hopefully there wasn't any confusion, but, you know, we're not, you know, clearing and graveling or paving or anything like that, this area. Uh, it will be temporarily disturbed, uh, but once a project is construction .... constructed, it'll be reseeded with a pollinator -friendly seed mix and preliminary estimates, uh, only have about less than one acre, you know, being taken out of that prairie, um, due to the, you know, the .... the access road down the east side and then where the pilings are pounded into the ground to support the solar system. Um, you know, as Geoff mentioned, we're working with, uh, Applied Ecological Services, which the City has used in the past, and I believe is comfortable with, um, and also the Center for Pollinators and Energy, um, they are a, you know, well regarded entity. They go to, uh, a lot of renewable energy, uh, conferences and present on, you know, how prairie can coexist with ... with solar. Um, so we will work on that, uh, vegetation and seeding mix plan, um, with .... with a consultant, like Ecological Services, and again that'd have to be presented, uh, to the City and the City must .... must approve that plan. Um, mentioned it before, but the educational rest area will probably touch on, you know, how solar works, the City's climate action, uh, goals, and uh, also, you know, we'll probably touch on some prairie and how we've been able to in .... incorporate prairie with the solar project and make sure they.... they..... they coexist there. So, that is the, uh, end of the, uh, quick presentation, but uh, we've got a few people here and uh, happy to answer any questions. Teague: Thank you, Adam. Does Council have any questions for, um, Adam from MidAmerican Energy? Thomas: I have, uh, one question, uh, this is John. Uh, on the .... on the solar field here, will this .... I'm assuming it's going to be secured with fencing? Jablonski: Yep, that's correct and we've been in discussions with the City already on what an acceptable, uh, fence would be. Keeping aesthetics in mind and the ability for, uh, small wildlife to still move through, um, I think we've landed on an agricultural knot fencing. That's, uh, got the bigger squares in it, um, so it's less industrial looking. It'll be, uh, wood and fence posts and we think will fit in, uh, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 12 you know, well within the area while keeping people safe and out of the solar facility as well. Thomas: And .... and how tall will it be? Or do you have that nailed down? Jablonski: Uh, right now it's about seven -feet. So it'll be about six foot, uh, that agricultural (mumbled) and about, you know, one foot of three strands of barbwire, so about seven feet. Thomas: Is .... is the barbwire required in your mind? Jablonski: Um .... yes. We think it is, uh, for security purposes. Um, it is a electric - generating facility. You know, it's got electrical equipment in there and moving parts. It moves slow, but it still moves. So for .... for safety purposes, we ... we do think it's required to, um, you know, basically keep people out, keep people safe. Thomas: And, um, you know, one last question, I ... I'm trying to get a sense from the drawing of where this fence would be, but it looks like it would be, uh, fairly close to the existing trail. Is that right? Jablonski: Uh, yeah. It'll be .... it'll run parallel with the trail. I don't know, Matt, do we know exactly what the distance is, um .... I think it was somewhere between five and 10 feet off of the trail. Ott: At a minimum I believe it's 10 -feet is what the City had asked us to (both talking) Jablonski: Okay, minimum 10. Thomas: Okay, thanks! Jablonski: Yep! Ralston: Just kinda add to the .... to that a little bit, um, you know, our .... our timeline, you know, we're workin' with the developer right now. This is the last, uh, piece of development, the key piece of development, we need to complete, uh, to be able to, you know, give that contractor the .... the go-ahead to .... to start construction so they can finish up their final designs, uh, order materials, and then right now looks like construction would start about, uh, probably early July time frame is... is where the current schedule sits. So, um, you know, right now with finishin' this This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 13 lease up here ... here shortly hopefully, uh, with .... with City approval. Um, we'll be able to stay on track and get this project, um, online by the end of the year. Teague: Any other questions for Matt or Adam? From MidAmerican Energy, or for Geoff .... from the Councilors? Weiner: This is Janice. Were there any other tracts of land under consideration when you, uh, you described why you believe this one is ... is a really good location for this, but were there any other tracts of land that you considered, that, uh, may have been a mix of land that would not affect the prairie? Jablonski: The only other, this goes back I think a year to initial discussions. Uh, with ... with the City, but you know, to ... to accommodate that partnership it had to be on City - owned property. Um, if my memory serves me correctly, it was this one or, uh, the Airport, and at that time, you know, we didn't have a lot of experience with solar projects and uh, FAA approval to put it at....at an airport. Um, so we did not think that was possible to navigate that in a short period of time, uh, to put this project online in 2020. So, you know, it came back to, you know, this was the best fit, we thought. Teague: All right, seein' there are no more questions, um, I just wanted to remind the individuals that want to speak on this topic from the public, um, in a second I'm going to be calling you one by one. For anyone that has not, that do wanna speak on this topic, if you can write your name and submit it through the comments at the end, I will also take a moment to see if there's anyone that would like to speak on this topic that didn't write their name or they're on the phone. The other thing I wanted to just say, uh, prior to the public coming, is that during our work session there was discussion by Council on this topic, um, where I believe there could be a motion to continue the public hearing and defer the resolution until April 7a . So just know that that may be coming, uh, where we will not close the public hearing, and there potentially could be a deferral. Um, I'm gonna call up the names of the individuals that want to speak. I will ask that you (garbled) no more than five minutes to speak, and uh, the first person that I have is Steven Loecker. If you're on the phone. Or .... or present. We don't see you present yet. I'm .... I'm gonna go to the next person. Jerry Wet, uh, laufer. Wetlaufer: It's Wetlaufer. And, um .... (noises in background) I (difficult to hear) I wanna speak chiefly on behalf of (noises in background) (mumbled) (both talking) Teague: We can barely hear you. Oh, there! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 14 Wetlaufer: (noises in background) Let me see if I can cure that. Um, I have a deep personal commitment to the development of alternative energy and .... yet I agree with the Sierra Club and others who have raised environmental and ecological concerns about costs associated with this project, but I'm here to speak for the many people who love and use the Water Works Prairie Park, uh, many of us year-round. It's a park that's heavily used and greatly loved as a park. It may not be covered with sod and weed killer and soccer fields, but it is nonetheless, um, what the City has always claimed it to be, mainly a prairie park, filled with native prairie plants that support all manner of. ... life and all manner of public use. Um, to suggest as has been suggested that this land is undeveloped or undevelopable is respectfully, I think, to show disrespect for Iowa's native eco -system and eco -system that has all but entirely disappeared, and I think it further shows disrespect to those who originally dedicated this land as a prairie park, and to all the .... all of us who use it and love it as such. I was hoping primarily to speak in favor of deferring action until .... there was a better opportunity for the public to be heard. I .... I don't think it's .... that the argument in that favor ...in favor of that is very complicated. The ... I can't imagine that this would qualify as a public .... as the public hearing that was promised, given that so far as I've been able to determine, there has not been a single word either in the Press -Citizen or on the City's web site concerning this proposal, apart from the agenda for this meeting, concerning this proposal or announcing a public hearing. Those who kn ow about it know about it only by virtue of word of mouth. Further, clearly the Council and, um, and .... the citizens have far more important matters that they ...that have to be .... that are demanding their attention now and that require action by the Council. Um .... and this technology is for all of its virtue and as seamlessly as so far it has worked, it has ..... it is new and deeply unfamiliar and challenging to most of us and stands as a considerable impediment to public participation. The .... as to the use of the park, um, it's used for....... the trails are heavily used by walkers of all ages and characteristics, by brisk walkers, by older walkers, by disabled walkers who are (unable to hear) um, it is paved and leveled, uh, by people (mumbled) walking dogs on leashes, and .... it is used by some of both our oldest and our youngest bike riders for whom the flat terrain and the absence of traffic and the prairie setting hold great appeal. The, um, I know it because when my wife was suffering from cancer, um (mumbled) that we began in ... in 2003 to walk in this park virtually every day, year round, until she passed. Um, and it was of enormous value to us, and I know that other people value it similarly. The... are there other questions to be raised? Sure. I still struggle to understand what the proposal is. I have .... a map, of sorts, that I have found after a good deal of digging. Uh, it certainly shows no fence, it certainly shows no rest area or This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 15 educational facility designed to promote the contributions of MidAmerican Energy, and um, and I'm deeply interested, and I think others are deeply interested in what the details would look like. Uh, the map that I've seen suggests that there would be no trees removed. And yet now I hear for the first time that a significant number of trees would have to be removed. And, um ... and there has even been a suggestion that this would not interfere with .... park users who want to use the trails, and .... and I just have to say that by that standard, the entire parkland could be paved. Uh, if ...if the .... if the trails were left intact, we would be able to say that nothing has interfered with the trails, and um, and I think that this is a .... a huge and .... costly intervention. It is not a matter of the park and the energy company coexisting. It is a classic win -lose situation in which .... land is being taken, from the park, and turned over to the energy company, um, at what I believe to be an extremely favorable rate, uh, so favorable that while the committee.... while the company concedes that the better way to meet its... objective of ...100% fuel efficient is by wind rather than by solar. Given the subsidy that we're providing here, um, suddenly it becomes appealing to them and I think that we need to take more time. I think we .... um, I think consideration needs to be given to the people who use it, twice in the last .... week and a half I have driven past that parking lot and .... and seen more than 25 cars in the lot and those were not people going to a church picnic. Those were individual cars, individual families out walking and biking and using the park. And, um, and I sincerely hope that .... that (mumbled) decision will be deferred until we can have a proper hearing. Teague: Thank you! Thank you for, um, Jerry, for chimin' in. Um, Regenia Bailey, Mayor, are you here? Bailey: Yes, I'm here. Thank you. Teague: Great! Bailey: Um ... before I start I want to thank all of you for your leadership in this difficult time. Um, natural disasters are tough enough, but a natural disaster without a play book, um, really tough. So thank you for your service. Um, I like so many others, um, am very concerned about this, uh, juxtaposition of an intensive industrial use that ... that takes up about 10% of the parkland, as far as I can understand. Uh.... and it just doesn't seem .... it seems incongruous with the use of a park. A park is not just where you place your foot. A park is also the viewshed. Um, we seek our natural areas, in an urban space we ... we go to our natural areas so we can be around nature. This, I haven't heard anything about how, uh...how it's This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 16 intended to mitigate the impact on that viewshed. In fact visibility seems to be a prime....primary criterion for this location. And so I ... I'm just .... I just have a lot of concerns. This is a park and in this town we really have a community value of separating and buffering our intensive industrial uses, uh, from our less intensive land uses. A park is a less intense land use. I mean we should embrace that and we value those parks and green spaces in this community, and so to put this in the middle of a prairie, even if the prairie is restored, there's still a huge impact. Um, the fact that we would have a fence with barbed wire in a public park, um, the fence that ... or the fact that, you know, that we need to be buffered from elec... electric generating activities. The public needs to be buffered from its own land. That's a little, um, it's an incumberas use. And so I would ask you to consider. I know how difficult it is to, um .... to start rethinking things about nine months into a project. I mean you have resources, you have staff time, um, you've spent time developing this partnership with MidAmerican. I understand that this is far down the road, um, in discussion in your minds, but as you heard from Jerry, many.... many people from the public are just now wrapping their heads around this project and just hearing about it, and .... and you've seen the concern from the public. So I commend you for consideration of deferring this item. I would also urge you to really take a look at alternative locations. The Airport seems to be an ideal location. Having worked on their strategic plan, I think that it would be a nice partnership with them. I understand, yes, the challenge of working with the FFA, but um .... I think that it would be worth exploring, given the value that all of us place on this park, and uh, the importance that our urban open .... public spaces have in the hearts and minds of people in this ... in this community. So, please, uh, reconsider this location, as difficult as that might seem, as .... as far as this project is in its development, please reconsider a location. Thank you. Teague: Thank you. Is there anyone else from the public that would like to address this topic that hasn't, um, signed up or maybe are on the phone? Hearing none, um, because of the, um, information that was, um, shared amongst the Councilors at the .... at the work session, could I get a motion to continue the public hearing and defer the resolution until April 7, 2020? Taylor: So moved. This is Taylor. Mims: Second by Mims. Teague: Moved by Taylor, seconded by Mims. (vote taken) Could I get a motion to accept correspondence? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 17 Salih: (mumbled) move. Mims: Second.... second by Mims. Teague: Moved by Salih, seconded by Mims. Roll call please. All right! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 18 11. $11,600,000 General Obligation Bonds — Resolution instituting proceedings to take additional action for the issuance of not to exceed $11,600,000 General Obligation Bonds. 1. Public Hearing Teague: I'm gonna open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) And .... um, I do know that, um, Direct.....uh, Finance Director Dennis, uh, Bockenstedt is on ... in on here as well. If staff, um, have questions for him, um, but do you have a presentation you would like to do on this (both talking) Bockenstedt: Yes, I do have a brief presentation, Mayor. I can go ahead and set that up. Teague: Great! Bockenstedt: I hope everybody can see that. Uh.... good evening, uh, as the Mayor said I'm Dennis Bockenstedt, the Finance Director for the City of Iowa City. Um, tonight there's a series of public hearings and resolutions, uh, in order to facilitate the issuance of the 2020 general obligation bonds. Uh... the timeline for the issuance of the general (mumbled) obligation bonds is presented here. Uh, tonight, uh, March 24', there is a .... two public hearings. Each one is followed by a .... a resolution, and then there is a third resolution, uh, to authorize the property tax pre -levy. On, uh, April 14th, uh, we will conduct our bond rating call with Moody's Investor Service. Uh, there'll be further Council actions on April 21", and on ... on May 5, uh, we will receive and open the bids, uh, that we would receive from investors and banks. Um ... and then on May 19th, we would have the resolution authorizing the actual issuance of the bonds, and then on June 1" we would close on the sale of the bonds and receive the proceeds. Uh, those projects being funded by the 2020, uh, general obligation bonds, uh, it's primarily park and street improvements. Uh, the largest project is the American Legion Road reconstruction at $4.85 million. Uh, there's an additional $1.4 million for the First Avenue and Scott Boulevard intersection improvements. Uh, there's also additional funding in there for the asset matrix software and a fire truck replacement. Uh, the 2020, uh, general obligation bonds were a part of the 2020 amended budget and five-year capital improvement program. Uh, they were incorporated into the current and future property tax levy projections. These will be sold in a competitive bidding process, and as I said there's, uh, a couple public hearings and resolutions and then a third resolution. So it's actually Items I 1 through 13 on tonight's agenda, uh, that I'm presenting for right now. And then I will try to answer any questions you have. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 19 Teague: Seein' there's no questions, uh, public discussion? Is there anyone from the public that would like to address this item? I didn't see anyone, um, on the sideline. I'm gonna close the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Could I get a motion to approve the resolution? 2. Consider Resolution Salih: Moved by Salih. Thomas: Seconded by Thomas. Teague: Moved by Salih, seconded by Thomas. Council discussion? Roll call please. Motion passes 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 20 15. FY2021 Budget Public Hearing — Resolution adopting the annual budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. 1. Public Hearing Teague: I'm gonna open the public hearing. (bangs gavel) And I believe we have our, um, Ashley that is going to talk on this item. Ashley Monroe. Monroe: Okay, thank you. Hello! Um, I will share my screen. We have just a couple of slides to briefly walk you through this, uh, walk you through our budget. (mumbled) ...just a moment. Okay! So ..... we have ... this just shows a calendar of budget review and adoption. We began the budget process nearly a year ago in July and Council had an initial discussion in August last year. Uh, we worked on these items and presented to Council in early January of 2020. In, uh, February, on the 18`h, we set the max property tax levy rate. So that was a new, uh, process this year, required by State legislation changes, and um, and then today we're holding the public hearing for, uh, final adoption on the budget. It needs to be certified with the County Auditor, uh, by the end of the month. So couple of things to be very proud of is we've included in the budget just high level, uh, strategic initiatives that we've included in this budget. Uh, we have $1 million general fund contributions towards our affordable housing efforts, uh, and then Council, uh, approved a significant increase to our Aid to Agencies grant programs, so both of those items are included here. We have investment of course in our road improvements program. We're continuing work on our bicycle master plan, our parks master plans and natural areas master plans. So we're moving along there and, uh, the budget also addresses some of our major, uh, facility planning needs. We've invested per Council's direction in increases to hourly wages for City employees, and also make conversions for some of our temporary employees into permanent status employees, and also added some new positions with this budget. Uh, we've significantly invested in staff. And then finally just another highlight is that the budget addresses a significant climate action and adaptation efforts, per our recent, urn .... or recent 100 -day report. Uh, we have continued to reduce our tax levy rate. Uh, so we are bringing ourselves more in line with other Iowa cities. We're now in the mid-range of the top, uh, largest cities in Iowa. We're building stronger reserves for our future. So both emergency reserves and also facility reserves. We're avoiding spikes in our utility fees by making just small incremental changes to our ...our fees, and I'll touch on both that and the property tax just now. So here we have, uh, a statement of the property rax .... property tax rate trend and our tax levies. So as you can see, our property tax rate has decreased. With the single line, the bars are showing, uh, tax This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 21 valuation and the .... the difference between those. In the chart on the right, we're just showing the, uh, tax levy totals. So we have our combined general fund tax levy. It's staying at $9.61. We're increasing the employee benefits levy by 10 - cents. So it goes from $3.24 to $3.34. We're increa.... we're adding an emergency tax levy, uh, for the first time in a while. We have used that in the past, the City has, but this time will be 24 -cents and that's being dedicated specifically to climate action initiatives. And then finally we're dropping the debt service levy by 40 -cents. So from 2.97 to 2.57, uh, with a final tax levy proposed of $15.77. It's a drop of 6 -cents in the levy. And then the final thing I'11.....I'll go through is that, uh... our fee changes proposed. There are no fee changes, uh, recommended for stor.... storm water, sewer, parking, or transit. We have 5% water rate increase that was previously approved in the .... in the last year's budget. It was a two-year approval, uh, to fund system upgrades and maintenance. There's a 90 -cent monthly refuse fee increase, recommended for.... based on the .... the fluctuation and increase and use of our recycling programs, and then the last recommended fee changes in the budget are $2.50 Landfill trash disposal tipping fee. So that would be applied when you go to the Landfill, and a $3.00 increase for recycling large-scale TV monitors over 18 -inches. So with that I will wrap up and Geoff, Dennis, or I can answer any questions. Thank you! Salih: I just have a question.....when you say we increase the affordable housing fund to one million and after that you adding the .... the (mumbled) Aid to Agency grant, my understanding that's only for like, uh.... house into home fund? It seem like for all the agency. Monroe: Yes! So (both talking) Salih: ....from the one million? Monroe: No, um (clears throat) excuse me! The $1 million was applied to the affordable housing fund, right, just like it has been in the past years, um, and then we have a separate pool of money that, um, is in the general fund, that 675,000 for Aid to Agencies support. That is separate from the affordable housing fund. Salih: Okay. Because you know, the million there (both talking) Monroe: Yes! They're two separate items (both talking) Salih: Okay, sure. Thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 22 Weiner: This is Janice. I'm .... I'm really happy that one of the things that we built into the budget is .... is, uh, our reserves, because as we....as we look at this year now we're faced with enormous uncertainty about some of our revenue, with ... with COVID-19, hotel/motel taxes, transit, a variety of other things. So, um, I just wanted to ask what .... what flexibility is there for .... for us going forward? As some.... speaking as someone who's not tremendously (mumbled) with City budgets. Fruin: (garbled) Bockenstedt: Uh, yeah I can adjust that and we do have a, uh.... a substantial general fund balance, and of course that's helped to, um, build contingencies and flexibility. Um, you know, if we have revenue fluctuations or, uh (mumbled) but then also, uh, several years ago we built the emergency fund and part of that was on the backs on, um, you know, the State changes, uh, to what they were doing with property taxation. Also it was, uh, coming following the .... the flood of 2008, which the City faced a lot of, uh, financial stress at that time. So we really developed, uh, that emergency fund to tackle those (mumbled) and contingencies, and this is one that, uh, we feel if. ... if. ... either lost revenue or excessive expenditures that we would fall back onto and be able to reach into and... and help sustain operations, to the extent we can, and ... and right now that fund has about a $5 million balance in it, uh, which hopefully would be enough to carry us through whatever time period we're gonna go through here. Weiner: Thank you very much. Mims: I would just .... make a couple of comments. We've worked.... we've worked really hard on the City budget, I would say, over the last eight years. Um, I've been on Council for 10 years and I think we've .... we've made a lot of progress. I think this is our eighth year of reducing the tax levy. Um, but even more importantly in this year I think is our continued building of that emergency fund, uh, the continued building of the facility fund. We have some huge facility needs, transit facility, probably a new police station, other things like that that are gonna be, you know, tens of millions of dollars, um, and so to start building that fund so that we would have matching funds for hopefully some federal grants down the road. Um, as Janice mentioned our reserves are so important. Um, and .... and I think the other thing that I'm really pleased to see was our ability to add significant staff, significant permanent staff that .... that deal with a lot of our core services for the City. Um, we've been .... our staff has been stretched as we, as our community continues to grow, and so it's ... I think it's important that we get some This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 23 assistance and relief for them. So think we've got a good budget, uh, we may have some challenges as we go forward with what we're facing right now, but I think we're in a good place to deal with that. So thanks to staff. Teague: Would anyone from the public like to, um, to address this topic? I'm gonna close the public hearing. (bangs gavel) Could I get a motion to approve the resolution? 2. Consider a Resolution Mims: Moved by Mims. Thomas: Seconded by Thomas. Teague: Council discussion? (both talking) Thomas: I'll just, uh, quickly echo what .... what has been said thus far. I think it's, um, you know, I think budget is a good reflection of both a, you know, conservative approach with our contingencies, as well as making progress on a wide range of fronts actually in terms of our Aid to Agencies, improving our infrastructure, our park system, uh, so the quality of life has been steadily improving over the years that I've been in Iowa City and I'm really pleased with that. Weiner: And I think this year in particular we will have no regrets about increasing Aid to Agencies. Teague: Roll call please. Motion.... passes 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 24 17. Teague: Thomas: Taylor: Teague: EPA Consent Order - Zinc effluent limits — Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to sign and the City Clerk to attest the Consent Order between the City of Iowa City and the Environmental Protection Agency regarding zinc effluent limitations at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Could I get a motion to approve the resolution? Moved by Thomas. Seconded by Taylor. Council discussion? Taylor: This is Pauline. I just had a quick question for Eleanor. Uh, just as I was scrolling through it, uh, on page 4 of their, um, statement, the EPA statement, it's actually number 29, under the general obligation. I don't know if you can find that in there. (garbled) Dilkes: Yes. Taylor: So page (mumbled) down at the bottom, 29, it says a copy of the audit report was sent to the IDNR and the City on or around December (garbled) 2020 (laughter) Dilkes: That's .... good catch! I'll .... I'll let the EPA know that (garbled) Taylor: Okay, thanks. Just a minor detail, that's all! (laughter) Thanks! Thomas: I just had a question as to what the source of the zinc is? Knoche: Uh, Mr. Mayor and Council, this is Ron Knoche, Public Works Director. Uh, we have.... there's two sources really of zinc in our community. One is the background zinc, which is basically, uh, if you take zinc as a .... a vitamin, um, that's passed through and ends up in the (garbled) comes into the plant. Our second source, and....and probably about equivalent as far as size, is from Procter and Gamble, uh, in their hair care products. Um, and so .... uh, you know, as .... as, this has obviously been an issue for .... for us for a few years, um, and .... we've been trying to find the source, and ultimately at the end what we've come up with is, uh, that when we set our local limits, uh, back in 2015, uh, that the ... uh, efficiency that we had assumed in our new plant. So if you recall 2015, we hadn't started the new plant, basically the south plant renovation was being completed This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 25 but we hadn't really had any experience in operating the .... the new process, uh, and ... and what we found (garbled) my conference room, um (laughter) what we found is the ... through some help with the EPA, uh, our assumed efficiency of 79% which was an industry standard at that time, uh, is in reality 57% removal through our plant, and so basically we had created our own problem, with some help from other experts, uh, in ... in setting that local limit too high, or too low ... or too high because, uh, in the end we had a, um, ended up hurtin' ourselves, and so basically, uh, we worked with the EPA. Uh, they've helped us through that process to identify basically what our .... where our misstep was, uh, and we're in the process of working with P&G now to, uh, both... the.... the next resolution will, or ordinance, will establish.... start the process to establish a new local limit, but then also working with P&G to make sure that their pretreatment process is .... can ... can get us to the point we need to be at, uh, at the plant. �I HT I1; M., Teague: Any other Council discussion? Taylor: Um, Ron, do .... this is Pauline. Do you think then that, um, with them decreasing their hair care products line over time that that will help to bring it down? Knoche: That's correct. And that's.... that's one of the things that they've.... they've already brought up with us is ... is as they start to move their product lines to West Virginia, you know, it will reduce, um, for them what that, you know, basically for them what it does is it reduces the amount of pretreatment that they'll have to do, um, to the .... their affluent that comes into our system. Taylor: Thank you. Teague: Hearin' no more comments, roll call please. Motion passes 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 26 18. Wastewater Code Modification — Ordinance amending Title 16, entitled "Public Works", Chapter 3, "City Utilities", Article D, "Wastewater Treatment Works Users", Section 6, "Building Sewers and Connections"; and Article E, "Wastewater Treatment Works Indirect Discharge", Section 4, "Pretreatment Standards", Subsection B(2) to establish updated influent limitations for Zinc. (First Consideration) Teague: Could I get a motion to give first consideration? Thomas: Moved by Thomas. Weiner: Seconded by Weiner. Teague: Council discussion? Knoche: Mr. Mayor and Council, this is Ron Knoche, Public Works Director again. Um, basically what this ordinance is doing is .... is two things for us. One is, um, the first piece of that is in regards to building sewers and connections, uh, our current practice has been that the .... any building sewer line that's being abandoned is abandoned at the main, uh, but that has not been codified. Sothis is basically just codifying what our current practice is, uh (mumbled) ordinance would then reduce the zinc, uh, local limits from 91.88 ounce per day, uh, down to 44.1 ounce per day. Teague: Okay. Any other Council discussion? Roll call please. Motion passes 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 27 19. 28E Agreement for Access Center — Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign and the City Clerk to attest the 28E agreement between the City of Iowa City, Johnson County, the City of Coralville, and the City of North Liberty for the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center, a/k/a the GuideLink Center ("the Center"). Teague: Could I get a motion to approve the resolution? Mims: So moved .... Mims. Taylor: (mumbled) Taylor. Teague: Moved by Mims, seconded by Taylor. Council discussion? Mims: I'll start, if you don't mind, Mayor. Um, this is Susan Mims. I've been on the committee that's been working on this for the past, uh, well I've been involved probably for about a year and a half or so. The committee's been going a lot longer than that. Um, I think as Council Members know, uh, the City has committed to $2.5 million towards the construction of the access center. Uh, Coralville and North Liberty have each committed about 500,000. Um, the County will be the managing entity ...well, it will be run by the County. They will hire a managing entity to actually provide the services. Uh, for members of the community who might be listening and may not be familiar, this is a behavioral access center. This is going to be a place where, um, the community, uh, law enforcement can bring people who might otherwise, uh, need to go to the emergency room, or in the case of law enforcement, to jail. Uh, people who are having some sort of a crisis that might be due to mental health issues, um, there will also be a sobering area. There will be detox. Um, and also people who are, urn .... uh, substance abu.... substance use issues as well. So there'll be a lot more iss.... lot more information coming out about the various services, how people can, uh, bring a family member there. It will be for adults only, 18 and over. Um, one example would be, you know, a family who has an adult child or a spouse living with them, um, who has a .... an issue that they need assistance with, that doesn't necessarily need to be (mumbled) emergency room, doesn't need to be in jail, but they need special assistance because of some sort of behavioral issue. As I said it might be mental health, um, it might be substance, alcohol, etc. So we're excited about the progress with this. Uh, this 28E agreement is a contract, um, between the municipalities and the County, as to, um, how this will be run, the expectations in exchange for the money that the Coun.... that the City is committing to this, um, and there is also, um, language in there that if for some This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 28 reason the services were no longer provided within five years, that we would get 20% of our money back, uh, on a prorated basis. So really looking forward. This .... this fits in with all of the, um .... uh, CIT training that we've done with all of our officers and first responders in the community. So really excited to see this get up and running hopefully later this year. Teague: Great. Taylor: This ... this is Pauline. Uh, I, like many folks, uh, in the area, uh, have visited the San Antonio facilities and, um, they're.... they're really remarkable and I've been, uh, anxious for a long time to see what we as a community, uh, could do on those lines, um .... and I thank Susan for being a part of those discussions to get this project off the ground, uh, because doing something like this from scratch takes a lot of work. Uh, I'd also like to thank the cities of Coralville and North Liberty for being a part of this agreement, uh, cause it'll benefit their communities too, and I .... I think it's a perfect example of our strategic plan, goal number five that's enhance community engagement in our governmental relations, cause we're all working together on this and it's going to be something that really benefits all of our communities. Every time I drive by where, uh, they're starting the construction, it's very exciting to see that. Thomas: Yeah, I'll just add this is a wonderful project. It's wonderful in the sense that it is a joint, uh, agreement involving, uh, the City of North Liberty, Coralville, and Iowa City. Susan, thanks for your work on this over the last year and a half. Um, it's a $7 million facility. It's a major, major piece of public work, uh, that we're adding to our community. It also has an advisory board, so that, you know, there's an opportunity there to kind of. ... oversee the .... the operation on a regular basis. And I believe the winter shelter is (several responding) Yeah, so it's ... it's really I think a wonderful example of cooperation and vision. Weiner: I'm really happy to see it moving forward. Uh, you just mentioned the emergency winter shelter, John. It's going to be a tremendous, uh, boon to the community to have it permanently in one place, that's.... that's a .... that's really designed for it and at times when it does need to be used, it can be used for other purposes, but that .... that really is a step forward for .... for this community, and I'm very happy that all the law enforcement issues have been sorted out. Just very happy to see this going forward. Bergus: I think another good element.... this is Laura, uh, another good element, um.... relating to this 28E agreement is the reporting that we'll have so that there will be This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 29 data available for things like the .... the number of visits and, um, discharge and we'll be able to quantify I think the successes and a lot of the good that's happening with the access center. So I'm really pleased to see that as well. Teague: Yeah, I think many people know that, um, that access center, for the most part, different forms, uh, of and has been in the works for years and years and years. Um, the five elements have come together nicely and I'm very happy to see that it is actually gonna happen (laughs) because I know that, um, it was definitely a hope and a dream, and to know that all the work that's gone into it, uh, gettin' to the part where it is is, uh, really great for our community. Um, when I think of all the needs in our community, especially from just the mental health, uh, standpoint, this will be great and so very happy about this. Uh, I .... I think we're ready for roll call please. (male): You might have some folks that warm speak (both talking) Teague: Oh, absolutely! I am so sorry! Um .... is there anyone from the public that would like to address this topic, and I do know that we have, um .... um.....maybe someone from Johnson County Attorney Office on, potentially. Is there anyone that would like to address this topic? From the public? Hearin' none, roll call please. Motion passes 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 30 20. Council Appointments — Applicants MUST reside in Iowa City and be 18 years of age unless specific qualifications are stated. 20.a. Civil Service Commission - One vacancy to fill a four-year term. April 7, 2020 - April 1, 2024. (Term expires for Richard Wyss) Teague: (mumbled) um, could I get a motion to .... well we need to actually discuss, um, the applicants and I only saw one applicant, uh, that was .... that fit the requirement because we have a one male requirement. Taylor: I...do we move now then (mumbled) discussion? (garbled) Teague: Yeah, we're gonna discuss and then appoint. Taylor: Okay, um .... yes, it makes sense that there's just the one male applicant and he's currently on there. Did one term, and we've allowed people to do, uh, two terms before. So that would make sense. Mims: Well and the other comment that I would make is that .... of all of our commissions this is one where, um, some familiarity with State code and the whole civil service process in this case is really, really important, and Rick, um, has .... is a former police officer for the City. So he's very, uh, familiar with the civil service process, cause of all the testing that they have to do for police, and he's served on this commission for a while, and ... what we have to understand too is ... we use this for hiring, but also when there are other issues that come up on the back end, this is an incredibly important commission; having somebody with some expertise and familiarity is really important, so, um, I would highly recommend that we reappoint Rick to this. (female): Agree. Teague: All right! Salih: (mumbled) Teague: Oh, I kinda thought that was ... urn .... a comment. Salih: I move to reappoint Rick to this position. Taylor: Second. Taylor. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 31 Teague: Moved by Salih, seconded by Taylor. Any discussion? Roll call please. Motion passes 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 32 22. Community Comment Teague: And in a second I'm gonna invite Austin Wu, um, who I believe is ... maybe on the phone or maybe not! Um, but because this (garbled) our ...Austin, you're there? Wu: Yes I am. Teague: All right! There you go! Wu: All right, so .... um, unfortunately there's no campus events to speak of, unfortunately. I don't think there will be for a while. Um, let's see I'd first like to wish good-bye to all students who lived in the residence halls, many of whom were first-year students, uh, over spring break, uh, the process for, um .... for evacuating most students out of the dorms, uh, took place. So I'm sorry that their first year in Iowa City has been cut short and I wish them a quick and safe return to their hometowns, to the extent that circumstances allow. Um .... I would like to commend all University workers continuing their functions in critical roles, including those currently working at the UI Hospitals and Clinics. Uh, I would also like to recognize, uh, faculty, staff, and students of the College of Public Health, many of whom have been working very hard and, um .... compiling, uh, lists of community resources for people to use, as well as, uh, media and graphics encouraging people to do social distance and stay-at-home. Uh, let's see, many students are graduating this year, such as myself (mumbled) commencement is disappointing. However, uh, the sense of loss is immeasurably greater among my first generation classmates, of which, uh, the University of Iowa can count thousands among its ranks and many of whom I call my friends, and then finally I would also like to recognize the Iowa Supreme Courts halt on virtually all evictions until the 4' of May or later. Uh, this will undeniably keep people in their homes until the worst of the crisis subsides, and during a time when many people are out of work or otherwise have reduced abilities to pay rent. Uh, the link between health and housing has been well demonstrated, and the risk of losing housing increases stress and anxiety, diverts money from healthcare to rent, and places additional burdens on public services. Losing access to housing means additional pressure on already strained social services, not to mention exposure to the elements. Uh, in this environment losing housing can mean increased exposure to disease, which is .... uh, which is not ideal under any circumstance, but especially these, and as someone studying.... someone currently studying the subject, protecting people's housing is protecting public health and I'm proud of our state for taking action to that end. So, that's it, urn .... this'll be a strange This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 33 semester, at least for the remainder, but uh.... we'll find a way to make it work. Thanks! Salih: I have a question for you, Austin. Wu: Yes! Salih: Yeah, you know there is many students that, uh, they reach out to us and saying that they really have difficulty continuing the online classes. (mumbled) because they live in common they could cough and they don't have nowhere to go, and also some student they say they don't have access to internet. Basically some students they just don't live by just online. They .... they need to do like (unable to understand) uh, what is Student Government is doing to ensure those student will pass their classes? Wu: Sol...I, yeah, I think you point out a lot of the difficulties that people have, um, that lot of people might not learn as well in this detached online environment. I know I certainly don't. Uh, yeah, lot of students probably relied on a lot of University resources at the Library, because of study spaces, intemet, um, the computer labs (garbled) are closed off to students yesterday. So like I don't have a printer anymore. Uh, so there's... there's, yeah, so now those students don't have internet. Maybe if they're in their hometowns they won't have as good of internet connectivity as at the University. Uh, I know at Iowa State most undergraduate classes have been converted to a pass/fail system. So, um, and they won't affect people's GPA or, um, the .... the standards for passing have been modified. I know there's, um, there's a petition going around for the same efforts to take place at the University of Iowa. Urn .... I can certainly ask Noelle and Sarah, the Vice... President and Vice President about, urn .... um.....their take on pass/not pass status or any other assistance, uh, that students might need. Salih: Yes. Thank you. Wu: No problem! Weiner: And, Austin, this is Janice. I comment also the DI for continuing to publish throughout this semester, even though they have to do their editorial board meetings virtually. I think that will also be .... continue to be a really helpful resource for students. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 34 Wu: Yeah, it really is spectacular. So, um, I, uh, I actually went to the hospital to donate blood today, and I walked instead of taking the bus, like I usually was, but I saw on the newsstand they're still printing the DI, but I reckon in 15, 20 years those copies'll be local historic artifacts. (mumbled) hats off to them! Teague: Thank you, Austin. Councilors, there .... there may be some people from the public that did not, um, address us earlier during public comment. Are, uh, wondering if people are agreeable to allowin' public comment, at this time? (several respond) Great! All right, so we're gonna open up public comment. If there's anyone on the line or on the telephone that wold like to comment, um, because I'm not exactly sure if people are still here. I may just have people chime in, give their first name, first and last name, and give public comment. And keepin' your comments no more than three to five minutes. Hearing no one, I'm gonna (both talking) Oh! Go right ahead! Shaw: What was the topic? Teague: Oh, it's just public comment. Anyone who would like to address any topic with Council. That was not on the formal agenda. Shaw: Well this is Dan Shaw. Can you hear me? Teague: Yes! Shaw: Okay;. I've been sending you some information and research in emails today about the coronavirus and some insights that people in the community have been seeing about the way it was, or was not, contained, uh, the initial outbreak, uh, when it first got to Johnson County on Mach P. Um, really just wanted to impress some of the.... epidemiological modeling that shows the rate of infection spread based on known cases of community spread. And .... some specific oversights in the containment protocol that did not appear to capture, um, all of the infectious transmission that happens with coronavirus. I really think Iowa Department of Public Health here and our local Johnson County Department of Public Health are radically underestimating the contagiousness and the transmission mechanisms of coronavirus. And that's not based on my opinion. That's based on epidemiological researchers connected all over the world who are sharing this in real-time and sharing their findings, and I've been trying to share those findings since March 11`x', with the Johnson County Health Department, with Johnson County Emergency Management, uh, local officials. I've been trying to get this information in the hands of people that make that decision, and This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 35 we're getting very little feedback or dialogue I guess about why they are so out of step with the world expert .... the expert communities opinions, or...or I should say their evidence that's emerging, about how the virus is spread. Lasting up to three days on plastic, two days on steel, or, you know, we're talking about door knobs and hand railings. We're talking about other studies that show it lasting up to nine days on hard surfaces. We're talking about significant evidence of. ... transmission effects that are not accounted for by our containment protocol or our investigation of the initial (mumbled) contacts as they first came into the community, and that's really what's presenting the danger here. If this is .... the kind of spread that's been observed in other places and was not contained initially, the scale of what we're talking about, um, is enormous. We're talking thousands of cases already present. So that .... that's really what's driving the frustration. The community is seeing this expert opinion from all around the world all coalescing around the danger that we're in, uh, because we have known community acquired transmission. The DJ who announced it publicly, his estimated infection date was as far back as March 86i, when his .... his symptoms spiked on March 13". So what we're looking at is a long period of time where we've got this virus that doubles its growth rate every three days or more, according to recent data, and no real.... understanding or acknowledgment of that from any of our government agencies. So I .... I, happy to share any information I know oranswerany questions that are creating stumbling blocks. I understand there's differences of opinions about the best way forward from our local stakeholders, including the hospitals, um, but I just warm express a very strong community position that it is growing around us and we're not doing anything about it. Teague: Dan, thank you for sharing. Council, um, typically can't, um, talk during public comment or have discussion, but we appreciate you sharin'. Is there anyone else on the phone who would like to address Council .... or on Zoom? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 36 23. Teague: Taylor: City Council Information Um .... and I know that things are, have been a little light but .... tun, maybe if any Councilors have something you can just chime in. Otherwise we don't have to go to everyone. This is Pauline. I just had, this is kind of a question for Geoff. I had on my calendar, uh, a couple of upcoming things, but I suppose probably we reschedule, including tomorrow I think there was supposed to be a demonstration of an electric bus. I would imagine that's been put off? Frain: Yeah. , Taylor: Okay. Fruin: (garbled) cancel that. Taylor: Probably re .... reschedule in the near future, cause I'm excited to be able to see that at some point, and the other thing was that, um, I think on April 2"a in the afternoon we were invited to a grand opening for, uh, the Element Hotel, which I was also excited to see that, but I imagine that's being postponed also. Frain: I don't have confirmation on that, but it's a pretty safe bet. Taylor: (mumbled) Okay, that's all I had. Mims: This is Susan here. I would just say, um, remind everybody, and I don't know how many people are on here other than Council and staff now, but to keep lookin' out and reaching out to people you know in the community that are ... that are staying at home, whether they're retirees or working at home or elderly or whoever. Um, just....I'll tell ya, I've been working from home the last week and a half and it is really different. Um .... when you're used to being out and around other people all the time, uh, it's a real change, and so for people who, you know, who are home and doin' the best they can to self -isolate, um, you know, just I think, Bruce, I think you've used the words and others have used them, be kind, reach out, check on people, um, and do the best you can to, uh, keep yourself safe and healthy and do all the social distancing that you possibly can and... and just a real thank you to ... to staff and the Mayor for all the work that they've been doing behind the scenes. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020. Page 37 Weiner: This is .... (several talking) Bergus: I thought Janice was gonna chime in. Um .... this is Laura. I just wanted to echo some of the discussion that we had during our work session, um, in case folks didn't tune in at 5:00 for that. We had the opportunity to get a really comprehensive and helpful update regarding the City's, um, response to the coronavirus pandemic, and I also just wanna highlight for people because things are moving so quickly that we wanna make sure, uh, folks are staying home, if they are able, and the mayors of Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty, uh, came together on Sunday and, um, pronounced that advisory to people to ensure that they are staying home and so I think that's pretty clear and explicit guidance, and wanna make sure that people understand that that is ... that is serious. We don't take steps like closing public buildings and, um, making statements about advisories to work remotely and .... and not leave your house unless you absolutely need to for essential items. So, I think that, urn .... I hope people are able to find good, reliable sources of information. I would continue to direct them to the City of Iowa City and to Johnson County Public Health, and to the Iowa Department of Public Health and the CDC, um ... you know, regardless of the data we may have at our fingertips at any given moment, we do k now that if we act as if we need to contain, uh, the spread of the virus and we stay home if we can, that that will definitely help. So I just wanted to thank City staff and all of the people in our community who are able to do that and contribute to that effort so that we can help, um, protect our most vulnerable, as well as, uh, everyone in the community. Weiner: This is Janice. I echo what, uh, Laura and Susan said, with a special.... with some special thoughts to ... if you know folks who are in nursing homes in particular, they're really isolated right now because they can't have visitors in. While we're meeting, Iowa had its first, um, COVID-19 related death. Um, my heart goes out to them. It won't be the last unfortunately. It's why we're all asking people to ... to practice, um, social distancing and to stay home if it's at all possible. Um, it's a little bit jarring (mumbled) doing normal business. We still need to be doing some normal things as we can, um, but really do ask everybody, uh, to look out for people as they can and echo the .... the notion to please.... please be kind and where you can be please, as Mr. Rogers would say, please be a helper. Teague: Thank you, Councilors, for chimin' in on there, and my last comment on that, uh, in relation to COVID-19 is that, um, our actions do affect other people and so, um, just be aware that we're in this together and we can get through this together, and so I'll leave it at that. I'm gonna switch over to Item 23. Wait a minute, Item 24, and we'll get any updates from our City Manager. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special formal meeting of March 24, 2020.