HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-04-21 TranscriptionPage 1
Council Present: Bergus, Mims, Salih, Teague, Taylor, Thomas, Weiner
Staff Present: Fruin, Monroe, Dilkes, Fruehling, Sitzman, Severs, Baird, Nagle- Gamm,
Seydell-Johnson, Knoche, Hightshoe
Others Present: Wu, Longenecker (UISG)
COVID-19 Update:
Teague/ (recording starts here) ....on a shelter in place order within our community and so I
think it would just be, um, I believe our duty to submit a letter on .... on behalf of our...
constituents within our, um, community where we just simply, you know, state something
on behalf, especially since, um, we .... we know that Linn County is right next door to us
and, um, when you're talkin' about the corridor, um, and the jobs between Iowa City
and .... and Cedar Rapids, we have probably 1,500 people a day going between these
communities, and so we're certainly, even though we're in different regions, um, the risk
is, you know, is .... is certainly there because of the .... you know, the .... the trans.....
transitionin' between the communities. So .... I think from my persp .... perspective that
we should submit something, urn .... what that somethin' looks like is really the question.
Are we, urn .... going to ... uh, just cite support for when she does, urn .... move toward a
shelter in place or will we (mumbled) more, um, orders (mumbled) maybe there's one or
two that we might find that we wanted to cite in the letter. If so what might those be. Of
course we hear people, urn .... you know, down in Linn County right now where they can't
go to each other homes, you know, is that somethin' that is of interest to us. So I think
whatever we submit we can really customize it to ensure that we're presentin' somethin'
that is, one, symbolic.... um, to say that .... we will .... we will support the Governor,
should she move to (mumbled) in place order, but also to our, uh, constituents and
actually residents within our community that have called for this time and time again, uh,
for this order.
Weiner/ And I think we're .... we also .... in addition to being part of the corridor, we also remain,
um, a regional resource and we've seen that now (mumbled) with, um, with the plant in
Columbus Junction that we .... we have a responsibility to the greater region. Again, I
mean I don't honestly hold out much hope that ... that the Governor is .... is gonna do
anything at this point,um.... but if we do something, it is .... it does need to be for our own
residents so that they understand that we take this seriously and we've heard them.
(several talking)
Fruin/ If I could interrupt real quick. I think we're having some problems with our public
streaming, uh, right now and if we could just push pause in the conversation. I need to...
I need to just check with our Communications staff and see what's... what's goin' on, but I
don't think we're.....I think our streaming has dropped. So, could we push pause for a
few minutes while I check (mumbled)? (several responding)
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Fruehling/ Geoff, I'm on the phone with Maz here and we're trying to get her on.
Frain/ Yeah, I'm thinking our public streaming may drop.....may have dropped (both talking)
(garbled) (PAUSE)
Teague/ Well I do see....
Monroe/ It's on now! It's live streaming through Facebook at the time .... right now.
Frain/ Okay. Thank you!
Teague/ And is that Mayor Pro Tem?
Salih/ Yes I'm on finally!
Teague/ All right!
Salih/ Yeah.
Teague/ (laughing) You might wanna change your name, if you can.
Salih/ Who me? Oh! (both talking) I'm using (both talking)
Teague/ Yes! Yep, yep!
Salih/ (both talking) ...that I'm receiving it tell me I have to start at 7:00 P.M. But .... uh, I don't
have a way to change it.
Taylor/ Just go into the work session one.
Salih/ But I am .... that the only one I have. I just (mumbled) up.
Teague/ Okay. We can .... we can, um, talk off line, but yes. I was havin' challenges also with
getting' the 7:00 P.M. link but, um, here we are! So that's great! All right, so we'll
continue with our conversation. Sounds like we're, uh, up and live again, so.....yeah,
essentially we were just talking about COVID-19 updates and .... we're talkin' about a
letter to the Governor and what that might look like, what are our thoughts .... if we still
wanna submit it; are there any specific items that we want to add in the letter. That's
where we are.
Salih/ Okay!
Thomas/ (both talking) I would again just emphasize that I think, uh, while the .... the Governor
has the regions that we do have this, uh, considerable flow between Cedar Rapids, Linn
County, and Iowa City, and that that .... you know, that's a factor that, uh, I don't know if
it's given enough emphasis in the regional analysis, uh, but it is a major commuting
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corridor. So.....um, I'm just... perhaps.... perhaps, you know, the more information the
Governor receives with ..... with certain emphasis on certain points, it may nudge her
toward, uh, changing the number on, uh, Johnson County.
Taylor/ This is Pauline. I agree with John, uh, she may or may not realize the connection, the
close connection between, uh, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City that we have so many
commuters, both ways. In fact we still have the 380 bus, express bus, traveling back and
forth and still carrying people. There is a very close connection and she may not realize
that.
Dilkes/ Mayor, with regard to this conversation, I just wanna note, because it may not be obvious
from the Governor's order, but the .... the guidance that we've gotten from the Department
of Public Safety is that .... the restrictions that have been put in place, um, in Region 6, so
in Linn County for instance, apply to people who live and work in Linn County,
regardless of whether they're present in Linn County. So in other words if somebody is
working .... in Linn County and living in Johnson County, they are subject to the guidance
that they can only gather with members of their immediate household.
Salih/ I just wanna ask if you ... whether you add the (mumbled) numbers, like did you mention
something about the people that not been added to the number and they still have a
positive? They .... they just have the symptom and .... they believe that they have it, but
they never (mumbled) because they never been tested. We have a lot of people in the
immigrant community who's like those. Uh, and I will (mumbled) if you can mention
this kind of thing from the letter, because to me the number there is not the real number.
Teague/ I would agree with you (noises in background) I would agree with you that the number
isn't the real number. The number certainly does lack, um, potentially asymptomatic
individuals that don't go in for testing, as well as individuals that have gone to ... for
testing, but for whatever reason their physician has not .... you know, approved for the
test, and so we .... I think the Governor may be aware that the numbers are not true, and
citin' that in the letter, um, may be appro... I think it's definitely appropriate for us to
make mention of, um, of that, especially seein' today that we have 69 individual, uh, new
cases. That were confirmed.
Bergus/ Mayor, I would be favorable to sending a letter to the Governor, just to go on the record
for the people of Iowa City, because they have.... contacted us with such a strong call for
more restrictions. I was talking with a business owner just yesterday who said, `Well,
since the closures end on April 30th, we're going to open on the I" and I ... I really think
people are looking for guidance and the best that they have is the current, you know, um,
closures that, as of right now, end on April 30`s or that would be the last day. So, um, I
don't .... I think it would.. A personally think it is appropriate for us to indicate our
concern with the increase, right? I mean it appears from the ... the raw numbers, whether
it's the lack of testing or not, that ... the virus is increasing and from watching the daily
press conferences it feels like this question of when we hit the shelter in place or not, and
what the 10 on the scale means. It .... it feels that that conversation has been subdued and
is less front and center than it was a week or two ago, and so I think it is important
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because people are still contacting us and calling for more .... more guidance and more
restrictions, um, that we just communicate that on behalf of Iowa City. And I think it can
be very simple and straightforward. Um, I don't know if asking explicitly for authority to
do that ourselves, which is what .... part of what I understand the communi... uh, the, I'm
sorry, the Board of Supervisors did for Johnson County. That may be something we want
to do as well.
Wu/ Do you think, um, if a letter is written it might be prudent to maybe, um, send it over to, uh,
someone at the University, College of Public Health, just to, urn .... see if there's any
glaring scientific inaccuracies or to make sure all the vocabulary's all right, just to make
sure there's, urn .... (mumbled) information being processed in that letter is correct?
Teague/ All right. Any other thoughts on this? Yes!
Weiner/ Yeah, I'd actually like to, um, if you .... if you all would tolerate it I'd actually like to
read a statement essentially into the ... into the public record at this point. Um, about our
need to make sure that we are really looking after people, um, at .... to make sure that
every industrial plant is protecting their essential workers adequately, which we have
seen is not the case necessarily and there was just another temporary closure in the
Amanas, in addition to, uh, at Whirlpool Amana Plant, in addition to the ones that we've
seen at meat packing plants. Regardless of who their workers are, regardless of where
they came from, and what language they speak, they need to be protected as human
beings and as essential workers, not as expendable workers. We need to make sure that
we have maximum transparency, um, so that we know when people have tested positive,
whether it's at a meat packing plant, a grocery store, or a long-term care facility, and
that ... we have to do everything that is in our power to protect their families and contacts.
I personally believe that the State should be doing something like using hotels so that
when someone in a family, say someone from one of the meat packing plants tests
positive, whether or not they have symptoms, they can quarantine safely for 14 days,
without risking inflecting friends and family who may also well work with vulnerable
populations. In Johnson County, in Iowa City, Johnson County, we've been very
fortunate so far with our long-term facilities, long-term care facilities. I know the
concerted efforts have avoided any serious outbreaks, which we know .... (mumbled) most
vulnerable residents, who are all someone's mother or father or aunt or uncle or
grandparent. They.... they're a world unto themselves and I say this, um, as Yom ... Yom
HaShoah, the .... the Holocaust Day of Remembrance draws to a close, I really feel
compelled to say that their lives have enormous value and then we have to do everything
within our power to keep them safe. Maybe that means regular testing for all staff and
PPE. I leave that to the experts, the epidemiologists and .... and the public health experts.
But we have to get this right because they won't get a second chance, and I don't
personally think they're getting it right at the State level, so that puts all the more burden
on us at the local level. We have to double -down. We have to model the correct behavior
and ask people to do the right thing, and maybe a letter is part of that. And we absolutely
have to ensure that we do the right thing for our most vulnerable and stand by our
essential workers, ensuring they have the protections they need and the ability to
quarantine safely. Um, and in light of, uh, apparently what an executive order that the
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President may make, I would just add that there .... he's adding more fear .... and doubt to
our immigrant community, um, and those who are ... who are applying for green cards and
all I would say to that is unless ... any of us are Native American, we are all immigrants.
Thank you.
Teague/ All right, well thanks for navigatin' that conversation with us and, um, Eleanor.... we'll
have to connect to get a letter drafted and submitted, if that's .... (garbled) agreeable to the
Council.
Dilkes/ Can I get a little clarification here? Is this coming from the Council or coming from the
Mayor? Do...
Teague/ What .... what do .... do people want it to come from Council or do you want it to come
from the Mayor?
Thomas/ I would prefer the Council.
Taylor/ I would also (mumbled) Council.
Weiner/ I think it's stronger if we all agree that it comes from all of us. (several talking)
Dilkes/ Okay, and... and are ... are you giving the Mayor the authority to approve the letter on your
behalf then?
Salih/ Yes.
Thomas/ That's fine.
Dilkes/ Okay. Thanks.
Teague/ Great. All right! Well, we're gonna navigate to our first item on the agenda, which was
to continue the strategic plannin' conversation that seems like it was so long ago (laughs)
So .... definitely, um, as I was readin' through it it was like, oh, yeah, we did talk about
that! So ... all right! Are we gonna have .... Ashley kinda start us off on this?
Continue Development of the 2020-21 Strategic Plan QP31:
Monroe/ Yes, hello! Good evening! (both talking)
Teague/ Hello!
Monroe/ I will start by just summarizing very quickly the memo that went in the packet
accompanying the strategic plan notes. Um .... Council had its, uh, strategic work session
in early March. Um, there .... the initial one, and Council Members shared their first
thoughts about high priority items and you had agreed to discuss possible actions for
common themes presented. Uh, overall there was agreement on the seven main existing
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strategic plan objectives, uh, still being relevant to the City's current needs and goals,
with some adjustments, and I wanted the numbers removed from the items to ... to prevent
anybody from thinking that they're numbering a prioritization of these .... of these
objectives. So we walked through and Council finished working on five of the seven
objectives. There's two remaining, and I will leave it to you to decide how you want to
proceed this evening. Um .... we provided a, uh, a document in with the packet with the
memo, um, showing a side-by-side comparison of the prior plan with the specific
priorities and then the proposed plan, with the newer items or adjusted, modified items.
Um, the headings were either agreed upon by Council at the strategic planning session, or
uh, for a couple of the latter two that you didn't get to yet, we wanted to, uh.... I guess
take a shot at what exactly, um .... was discussed and .... and what could best frame the
issue. Uh, so you'll see as we get into, uh..... the unresolved topics — encouraging a
vibrant and walkable urban core. It's been relabeled to, uh, enhance community mobility
for all residents. You are welcome to make modifications. The other, talking about
economy, was changed to promote an inclusive and resilient economy throughout the
city. So I'm taking notes and happy to .... you know, just .... just follow your discussion
as ... as you work through tonight. I'm going to change and, uh.... share my screen so that
you can see exactly what we have here for you, um, to work in.....my apologies. Okay!
(mumbled) There we go! So we have, um, this first section here was .... was your
advancing social justice and racial equity, and just .... just let me know where you'd like
me to start. I can move the screen anywhere.
Fruin/ Mayor, do you want us .... do you want staff to go through each one of these items that
you've already completed and .... and allow Council to weigh in on those and confirm that
that's.... that's your intention or.....uh, do you wanna.... kind of facilitate the conversation
in a different manner?
Teague/ Yeah. One ... I know that, uh, Councilors may wanna weigh in on ... uh, what's been
presented, um, from our past discussion. Wonderin' if we want to ... talk about what is
present or if we wanna continue with the .... the last two items and then .... um .... have
some thoughts on those. So .... I think I'm more inclined to start with the new items,
unless people feel like they wanna.... kind of get their memory refreshed by goin' off
....by goin' through some of the past conversations that we've had. I don't know what
Councilors are feelin'.
Thomas/ I .... (both talking)
Mims/ ....maybe to start at the beginning of what Ashley has and go through section by section.
I don't think staff needs to read any of that to us, but maybe just take a minute to look at
each section and see if we have any changes so we could maybe put these pieces to bed,
and then we'll see how much time we have to get into the new ones, but then at least we
could have these all done.
Thomas/ Yeah, I agree with that.
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Teague/ All right! (garbled) ...unless I hear an objection, that's how we'll go, just kinda go
through what we currently have done and then we'll .... uh, swing with, uh, the .... the
remaining two. So, Ashley, you wanna lead us through this?
Monroe/ Sure! So the .... the several items that were identified in advance social justice, racial
equity, and human rights. We added the human rights to the heading in this section.
Then ensuring City progress towards increasing diversity of staff in a manner that's
reflective of our community demographics. We're completing the phased effort to raise
minimum wage for temporary employees to $15 per hour by July 1 ' of 2021. We would
continue emphasis on human rights based training for City employees, boards and
commissions, and the community. We would establish priorities and ensure resources for
increased access and translation of our critical City messaging. We would continue
partnerships with community organizations through the City's social justice and racial
equity grant program. And the final one here is develop a coordinated effort across City
departments to expand social and recreational programming for special populations. So
if there are things in here that are .... have a phrasing that is .... is not indicative of ..of what
you want, then we can make adjustments, and we're taking notes.
Thomas/ I'm .... I'm okay with all of those.
Mims/ I am as well.
Bergus/ I thought this was a good reflection of our discussion of that item.
Salih/ Yes it does. This is exactly what we talked about, which is great. Thanks!
Weiner/ I agree.
Taylor/ Looks good!
Teague/ Thank you! Yeah!
Monroe/ Okay! I will move to the second .... the next one. We changed this section from
promote environmental sustainability to be more reflective of our climate action
emphasis, and uh, efforts to lead in that area. So demonstrate leadership in climate
action. So we're adopting and beginning implementation of the City's accelerating Iowa
City's climate action's report. So you'll see that item later tonight. Uh, as well as track
and effectively communicate our progress towards reaching the IPCC carbon emission
reduction targets, adopted by City Council in 2019. So telling people what we're doing
and what progress we're making.
Mims/ I think that looks fine and I think the first bullet point just really encapsulates so much
because we have so much in that climate action plan. We don't have to try and delineate
all that in our strategic plan, but that just really hits it right there. So I think these two
bullet points are good.
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Bergus/ One thing I wanted to raise was, um, with the removal of the emphasis on the Parks and
Rec Foundation, which was in the prior, uh, strategic plan under the same heading. Um, I
just wanna make sure we're acknowledging what we heard and what we learned from the
conversation about the, um ... Waterworks Park solar utility installation and prioritizing the
value of natural areas, in relation to climate action. I mean as I step back from the input
that we received, to me it....it felt .... what I heard was a prioritization of a certain natural
resource over ...this means of, uh, of achieving renewable energy, and as I articulated at
that meeting, that was surprising to me. So I just wanna make sure, as we look at our
plan, that we're not de-emphasizing the importance of. ... natural areas in the context of
environmental sustainability.
Fruin/ I think the item on your agenda tonight, you know, speaks to that directly. We have 85, 86
acres of. ... of natural area ready to be .... uh, created, um .... uh, through, uh, through the
action you'll presumably approve tonight. So our staff remains committed to not only
caring for the, uh, the .... the property or the natural areas that we have, but ex ... expanding
that consistent with the climate plan and our natural areas plan.
Thomas/ I guess the only question I had on this one was whether .... uh, with some rewording,
um, item B, on .... on the 2018, 2019 strategic plan could be revised, uh, in a .... and, um,
included in the current strategic plan. One ... one way I was looking at revising the
language would be to say (clears throat) support efforts to increase the effectiveness of
the Parks and Recreation Foundation and other environmental organizations in achieving
our climate action goals. Um .... so, and perhaps in some way, and I hadn't really thought
about it in terms of the .... this question of balancing our .... our, uh, goals with respect to
natural areas within the climate action plan, but it....it.....it's sort of this question of do
we wanna highlight, uh, the collaboration and partnerships that I'm hoping we will
achieve through the climate action plan.
Bergus/ (mumbled) since I raised this issue, I mean I .... I think that the elevation of natural areas
and preservation of those is part of our climate action plan. Um, I just wanna make sure
that we're prioritizing appropriately. So if folks are comfortable with how this is written
and .... and say, yeah, that includes all of that, including what you said, John, right, if that
articulation is within the implementation of. ... um, of our climate action plan, I'm
comfortable with that.
Thomas/ Yeah (garbled) I couldn't remember the actual language in our plan, in terms of
promoting partnerships, but um.....yeah. If ...if it's really well emphasized and ... and
stressed in the plan, then .... my suggestion may not .... may not be relevant and necessary.
Teague/ I think a part of achievin' the goals within the climate action is really to partner with
community members and look at.....we're gonna have to be exhaustive in how we, uh
(garbled) achieve this by lookin' at various areas within our community and so, I believe
that it is a part of it and we don't have to state it here, because it really is a part of that
climate action.
Monroe/ Okay, are we .... are we good to move on to the next item?
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Teague/ I think so!
Monroe/ Okay! Great! So here, urn .... this had been called enhance community engagement and
intergovernmental relations. Just modified it to say strengthen those relationships. Um...
we would initiate a redesign of the City's website, uh, based on comments and kind of
thoughts about what our communications strategy should look like. Um, pursue creative
engagement techniques with a focus on reaching diverse population groups, as well as
working collaboratively with other local governments and strengthening ties with our
state and federal election.... elected delegations.
Thomas/ One thought I was having on the second item .... was, uh.... adding to that in the
following way, just .... to say pursue creative engagement techniques with a focus on
reaching diverse population groups and neighborhoods. Um .... over the years since I've
been involved in City affairs on Planning and Zoning and on Council, I've really begun
to appreciate how there are these two aspects ... that I see as recurring themes. One is
issues that relate perhaps to a certain demographic, without....without necessarily any
regard to, uh, where that demographic may, uh, dwell within Iowa City and .... issues that
may be relating more to, and be, uh... uh, empha .... emphasize kind of the place specificity
of the issues. Urn .... so that was one .... one thought I had on that.
Taylor/ This is Pauline. I .... I agree with John because we've .... we've had extensive discussion
on trying to strengthen neighborhood associations, uh, across the community, so I think
including that after (garbled) population groups, uh, and .... um, and neighborhoods, or
encouraging neighborhood associations, something to that effect.
Teague/ I....I see groups, uh, more than just race related or, um, I see that as like, um, the ... kind
of the bike .... the biking crew (laughs) urn .... various groups that we have within our
community. If we are going to add groups and neighborhood associations, I might throw
in there `and individuals,' because I think we cannot diminish the importance of reachin'
out and engagin' individuals within our community. So if we're gonna add neighborhood
associations, then I would definitely request that we add individuals.
Thomas/ I don't .... I don't have any objection to that.
Mims/ Well maybe one way of doing it instead of adding a third one is changing that to reaching
diverse populations and neighborhood associations, or whatever terminology John used,
rather than groups, um, just address it as diverse populations, and that .... could be groups
or individuals.
Teague/ Sure. That sounds good to me.
Thomas/ So what .... what are we, uh, where .... what did we end up with then?
Teague/ Are people comfortable with diverse population.... populations, and neighborhood
associations?
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Mims/ I am! And I would agree with your comment, Bruce, that diverse populations, it's based
on age. You could.... ethnicity, interests — like you said, bike groups — etc. So it's ... it can
be used in a lot of different ways, as we describe diverse.
Teague/ Sure.
Bergus/ And, John, did you intend just neighborhoods, not necessarily .... we don't wanna imply
limitation to the association .... the formal association.
Teague/ Sure. (several talking)
Thomas/ I mean I'm okay .... if. ... if we're, if the notion of association is not taken in some kind
of literal way, but just that there is .... an association among residents that forms whether
it's formal or informal, um .... I think that's fine.
Weiner/ Yeah, I think we're better off without the associations on the end, because
neighborhoods is much more inclusive.
Thomas/ Okay.
Teague/ Sure.
Weiner/ (both talking) ...and cross cutting.
Salih/ I agree!
Teague/ Yeah. All right. Ashley, you got that?
Monroe/ I have it!
Teague/ Great!
Monroe/ Slightly modified that as you were speaking, so ... uh, we're good to move on. We talked
a little bit at the strategic plan session about, uh, not only our financial foundation, but
also the public infrastructure, um, facilities and our .... and our financial reserves. So we
modified the title to invest in public infrastructure facilities and fiscal reserves. And we
kept many of the prior items, uh, potentially rephrasing it in a different way. So ... we
want to carefully prepare for significant financial challenges, projected during the final
years of State property tax reform mandates, through fiscal year 2024. We would strive
to continue to reduce the City's overall property tax rate. We would evaluate local option
sales tax and other alternative revenues that may be needed to achieve Iowa City's
strategic objectives and reduce reliance on debt and property taxes. We would develop a
long-term plan to improve the pavement condition of City streets. Initiate physical and
financial planning efforts to modernize and expand critical public facilities. And the final
one is .... to consider establishing a cost of development framework that can help guide
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decisions on how best to accommodate future growth. So we took all the things you'd
spoken about and tried to piece together, urn .... some items for consideration.
Thomas/ I had, uh, on the last item ... uh.... spent a fair amount of time on this one. It's a difficult
one to capture in one sentence, I think, but urn .... I .... I will try. Um ... this is what I came
up with (clears throat) consider land use and tax policy.... promoting land .... I'm sorry, let
me start again. (clears throat) Consider land use and tax policy, promoting long-term
prosperity and thriving development patterns.
Mims/ My concern with that language is nobody in the general public is going to have a clue
what we mean.
Thomas/ Well I was having trouble with the original one (laughs) It ... it is very difficult to .... to
(both talking)
Mims/ It is!
Thomas/ ...communicate these concepts in everyday language, urn .... but it .... what I began to
feel.....with.... in.....in trying to move forward on this, it seemed to me it's .... it's an issue
of land use policy and tax policy that we're talking about.
Mims/ How do you refer to tax policy, in what way?
Thomas/ Well what .... how our tax policies, either favor.... incentivize certain types of
development or disincentivize other types of development. So it ... you know, our .... our
land use pattern is the result of both our zoning and other land use policies, and how we
arrive at how those properties are taxed. (both talking) And those ... (garbled)
Mims/ I guess I don't see how .... we have that much difference in the way they're taxed, other
than are they residential, are they commercial, I mean we only have those basic
categories from the State. Then we have the assessment, and then we have our tax levies.
So maybe I'm missing what you're trying to communicate, but I just don't see that we
have a whole lot in terms of our tax policy, unless .... we find certain ways to incentivize
certain things, and ... and maybe that's what you're getting at.
Thomas/ Yeah, it's .... it's just trying to, urn .... if we ... if we have concerns with how ...the City
is ... is developing, and I .... I'm trying to also emphasize the fact that ... I'm not, this... this
question of growth is not simply growth on the periphery, but growth anywhere within
Iowa City. Um .... so.....trying to focus more on development rather than the notion of
growth, uh, and then within.... within that context, how we tax property, you know,
sometimes in other words.... one.... one good example, just ... just to sort of give .... give it
kind of a case analysis on this is, um, property is .... typically taxed based on its
improvement, rather than its land value, and so if you have an empty lot, your taxes on
that lot, uh, because there's no improvements on them, tend to be relatively low. Even if
that piece of property is in a location of high value, say in the downtown or close to the
downtown. So that tax burden on that property while it's vacant is very low. Is that what
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we want, or do we want to see that land developed? That's one of the consequences of
our .... with our tax policy emphasizing the value of the improvements rather than
evaluating of the, um, the value of the property itself.
Bergus/ As far as our, um, sort of next year, two year strategic plan, what I recall from this part
of the conversation I felt like was encapsulated well in that last item, which was more
about.... seeing if we could benchmark the cost of development, so that we had a better
understanding about ..... you know, types of development sort of subsidizing other types
of a development. What I recall about the conversation was, is if. ... if relatively less than
single-family, um, development that requires a lot of City infrastructure because it may
be on the periphery or it's just, you know, miles of water and sewer and roads and
sidewalks, what is the cost of that and ... and how are we weighing that and incentivizing
our zoning code and development approval process? That's what I recall, and I felt like
that was encapsulated well in that point. I hear what you're saying, John, and I think
that's maybe a.....a, what I hear you saying is maybe a longer term or bigger issue .... that,
you know, I don't know what it is or isn't necessarily encapsulated in that item, but ... I
like the little bit narrower idea of just having some sense of. ... the cost of development in
different parts of our community and how ...how we might, how that might impact our
zoning and regulatory policy. (both talking) ...like this bullet point I guess is what I'm
saying (laughs)
Thomas/ I'm .... I'm, first of all, happy that it's in there (laughs) in some fashion. I think this is a
much longer conversation as to how we .... you know, what this really means, um, and
perhaps, you know, over the next few weeks I'11.....I'll send Council some links to talks
that I've been watching recently that influenced me in my thinking along this... along
these lines, but um, because many cities are now in the process of trying to understand
what this ... this issue translates to in terms of moving forward. But I ... I'm fine, you know,
if people feel that it's just perfect or close enough, um, that's fine. I .... I do, I did wanna
bring into this discussion, you know, what I .... once we expand on it and have these more
detailed discussions that I ... I ... I suspect, based on my reading into this issue that land use
policy and taxation policy are two things we're going to be looking at.
Mims/ Yeah, I agree with Laura. I'm comfortable with the way we were getting started on this
and I think this will grow into something more, um, as we go forward.
Taylor/ (mumbled) this is Pauline. I appreciate John's comments, uh, I also appreciate Laura's,
uh.... uh, reminding us what our conversation was. It seemed like that was such a long
time ago, uh, and usually on financial budget things I defer to Susan, cause I appreciate
her knowledge of...of financial things, so if she thinks this is understandable and ... and
what our intent was, then ... then I'm fine with it.
Weiner/ I'm fine with it as well, and I think that as we go forward and eventually we see what
the ... what this .... what we and the City and our finances and everything else look like as
we come out of the pandemic, it may also take a somewhat different shape. So this ... I
think this is a good starting point.
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Wu/ I guess I'm not sure this is really by space, but I was wondering has the City ever
considered, um .... I guess supplanting or replacement of property taxes with, uh, a land
value tax. I think John brings up a good point where, urn .... the way property taxes
currently work is that it almost de -incentivizes building up since the more improvements
are on a parcel of land, the assessed rate goes up, but uh, if...if the burden of the tax were
to be on (mumbled) assessed value of the land, um, it could be an incentive for denser
development. Or more efficient development.
Fruin/ The entire assessment process is .... is dictated by State law. We don't have the ability to
manipulate the assessed, uh, the assessment process. That's out of our control.
Monroe/ Okay, do we like the way this looks here?
Thomas/ Yeah, that's ... that was the only one I really wanted to focus on.
Mims/ I'm fine with it.
Monroe/ Okay. Moving to the fifth one, this was the last that you covered on your, uh, strategic
planning day. We modified this from foster healthy neighborhoods throughout the city to
include the phrase, uh, affordable housing. So it reads foster healthy neighborhoods and
affordable housing throughout the city. So there are four items here. They are continue
efforts to expand and adapt the City's affordable housing strategies to meet the needs
throughout the community. We would consider and adopt the South District form based
code and ensure it can be adapted to other parts of Iowa City. We'd continue
implementation of the Parks' master plan and complete an accompanying recreational
facilities master plan (mumbled) in the budget approved in fiscal year 21, and uh, to
monitor and report bi-annually on building and rental permit trends in the former rental
cap neighborhoods. So there was some discussion on that item, uh, during the strategic
planning session.
Thomas/ Well here on the, uh, the first item, since we changed the heading, uh, one suggestion I
have would be on the first bullet item, to say continue efforts to expand and adapt the
City's affordable housing and neighborhood improvement strategies, throughout the
community.
Mims/ That makes sense to me.
Weiner/ Sounds fine.
Teague/ Yep, sounds good!
Monroe/ ....modified it slightly. Does that look good?
Teague/ Yes.
Monroe/ Great! Any other items here?
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Teague/ Hearing none!
Monroe/ Okay.
Teague/ (laughing)
Monroe/ Um, so this is one section we did not get to. I'll just read both of them and then you can
decide if you wanna pursue additional conversation tonight, but um, we ... we modified
encourage a vibrant and walkable urban core to say enhance community mobility for all
residents. There was significant conversation about, uh, access, inclusion, mobility,
pedestrian walkways, other .... other aspects here, urn .... that revolved around transit and
other items. So .... talk a little bit more there, and then the other was the economic, uh,
strategic plan item, um, moving from strong and resilient local economy to promoting an
inclusive and resilient economy throughout the city. Uh, during this part of the
discussion there was significant talk about, um, opportunities available for all types of
businesses in all parts of town, and um .... there wasn't a lot of conversation about
carrying over specific items in either of these, um, strategic objectives, so....
Thomas/ Well this is .... this is kind of a different emphasis, uh, from what we had before. I'm
not .... I'm not suggesting I'm .... I'm not supporting it, but it .... it's different. Um, one
....one question that I had, if the focus is on community to ... uh, mobility, would be, uh,
where we stand with our status with the League of American Bicyclists. Um ... I know
several years ago in a previous strategic plan we had talked about achieving gold status
with an aspiration of platinum status, and I .... I don't know where we are with that
particular, um, strategic goal, but it seems if we're .... if the focus on this item is now
community mobility, that would be a good measure to, um, include under this one.
Frain/ This is Geoff. Um, we do, uh, still have that internal goal. Our staff's working towards
that. I believe it's ... it's this year, I could be off one (garbled) could be next year, but the
reapplication period for the bike -friendly community designation is ... is either, again, up
and something that the MPO staff is working on, or (garbled) next year. Uh, we were
really close to gold last time and we feel with some of the on -street improvements that
we've made, um, the last couple of years, we'll be in a good position to get gold. Um,
platinum's a whole other, uh, level. Uh, probably a bigger step between gold than
platinum, than it was between silver and gold, if we get there. So, uh, if you want to
strive for that platinum status, just know that you're going to have to .... to really take
some .... some bold action, uh, when it comes to bicycle infrastructure (mumbled)
Monroe/ Bicycle -friendly status is also one of the transportation projects in the climate action,
um .... action, accelerating actions report.
Teague/ Lookin' at the .... bike master plan was one of the things I did wanna bring up, um, and
so bike -friendly community, I think that works for me. The one thing that I will say is,
um, public engagement, I know oftentimes we have .... a plan that we've gone through
and exhausted, you know, opportunities for the community to come and gain input, but
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then once we go and do a project, um, those go by the wayside (mumbled) a previous
plan to .... there's a lot of community, uh, conversation, and so this just goes to one of the
things above is, um, whenever we do any of these things, just makin' sure that we have
that public engagement. I think that's gonna be a critical, um, even though we have, you
know, gone (mumbled) I think once we .... oftentimes it's years before some of those
plans, um, actually happen, and so, um, we .... we live in a community that, uh, things
change all the time, and so priorities change, and so I think that that's somethin' that we
have to really consider when we're doin' this, but master, you know, kind of the master
bike plan, as well as the bike -friendly (mumbled) is definitely somethin' we wanna have
here.
Thomas/ It's a...it, the .... the accreditation does, you know, it has its series of requirements, so it
is I think a useful milestone. I was .... I was looking up, um, if we were to compare
ourselves to other Big 10 cities, uh.... Madison has a platinum. It just got it. Uh, Urbana,
Bloomington, and Minneapolis all have gold, and Iowa City and Ann Arbor have silver.
So that's kind of the... just some context on this ... on this issue.
Wu/ I do know, um, like (garbled) Johnson County, when back when May was still Bike Month
and they were planning Bike Month activities, uh, there's some discussion about reviving
that, it's like `go for the gold' initiative that existed a few years back. Um ... so I think... if
I remember correctly, the last time (mumbled) was done it was like 2017, maybe. So
next year sounds about right, for reapplying (mumbled)
Thomas/ Yeah I think ... based on the, uh, their website it looked like February is when it's due.
So there's plenty of time to get the application together.
Teague/ Another thing that I thought about, uh, at least for this one is, uh, when we're talkin'
about mobility, community mobility, I thought of just increasing activities within
neighborhoods, if...if people ... if there's somethin' that ... is coordinated, an event or block
party or somethin' like that with the neighborhoods, maybe people will be, um, more
inclined to go within their own neighborhood (mumbled) other neighborhoods. So I
don't know, um, if it's Parks and Rec or if it's the .... we have a very active arts and.... arts
community, um, so I .... I just thought ... you know, I thought about that, didn't know
how ...or if this would even fit into this section, but.... definitely in order to get people
mobile you have to have something of interest for them to go to.
Thomas/ Well I strongly support that, Bruce, and ... and, um, in fact, you know, one of our work
session items is, uh, trying to, uh, I didn't mention it because it, um, we do have a bullet
item on completing the Parks' master plan, if I'm not mistaken, and it was in that plan
that address some gaps in our, uh.... distribution of our facilities. So by achieving that
distribution, we should ..... we should be improving the proximity of our parks to the
entire population. Um .... which I think has .... it, you know, there are a lot of arguments
for that, uh, in fact I think it would advance our climate action plan, but I began to really
appreciate it under this, um, you know, sheltering -in-place order, that the more, uh,
opportunities we have within, you know, a .... a very limited sphere around our homes
to .... to recreate and get out in nature and uh, as long as it's possible, engage with our
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neighbors from a safe social distance. The parks provide that option. Uh, and there may
be other options as well. It's not simply the park spaces, but, um, that's an important one,
and um .... so, yeah, I agree. I think it may be covered under other items, um, but it is .... it
is something. If it ... if there's some way of coming up with language for it, um, whether it
relates to, um, you know, pedestrian .... (mumbled) to me would be kind of a pedestrian
and bike mobility issue, urn .... so that they're close, easy to get to by everyone.
Taylor/ Well and I think that also I'm concerned that we took the vibrant, uh, word out of there,
because I think what you're alluding to is ... is vibrant neighborhood parks too, some place
vibrant for people to go to and ... and recreate and, uh, social distancing, meet folks, get
fresh air. So I ... I think leaving that word vibrant out of that title..... maybe we need to
consider working it back in there somehow.
Mims/ I think for me.....like we've said, this is a real shift in this particular, uh, grouping of
items because we were. We were talking about the urban core, um, and so I think without
the urban core in there (garbled) vibrant, there isn't really a place for it in the way we've
renamed this, in terms of mobility. Urn .... which, and I hear what you're saying, Pauline,
and I'm just going back, and I think you know some of it is, you know, fostering the
healthy neighborhoods, um, and affordable housing throughout the city was one of our
other category titles now. Urn .... what this .... what this strategic plan is doing, and
nothing wrong, but it is taking away, um, any emphasis that we had had before on the
downtown, at least on the downtown kind of business area, so to speak. Um, you know,
we've referenced the University and the river, um, and that sort of thing — landmarking
of, you know.....which mostly was going to be downtown and that area, um, and a lot of
people in the community have criticized us for, over the years, for having too much focus
on the downtown, and not enough on the rest of the community. So .... when I was
looking at this and going back and looking at other things, I'm .... I'm comfortable with,
particularly I think as we get into this next one, um, promoting an inclusive and resilient
economy that we can address some of those things maybe that ... that are gone because of
the .... even the naming has changed. But one thing I was going to suggest adding here — I
know we're in the middle of it, uh, etc., but I think something in here about, uh,
implementing and assessing our new transit model. Um, I think .... I think a lot of people,
if they don't use public transit, they don't even know that we're doing this whole transit
study necessarily. Um, and that's gonna be significant changes for people who do use
and rely on public transit, and so I think having something in here that kind of calls that
out, that, you know, we're going to be implementing a brand new transit model and we
need to spend some time over the next couple of years — might be a year before we get
implemented — but then we still need to go to that next stage of really, um, assessing and
analyzing those changes and getting feedback, and making sure that it's working in the
ways that we're hoping. So to me it seems, when we're talking about mobility, to have
something in here talking about our transit system makes sense.
Bergus/ Yeah, from what I recall when we were meeting last time about these items, I think the
mobility and the transit part of it, we intended to put together. The transit, um, study and
assessment was under the next item and .... I think our intent was to include it in the
mobility item. I .... I totally agree with you on that, Susan.
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Thomas/ Yeah, I had that shifting from .... that, yeah, that was in our next item, but there was a,
um, previously, you know, undertake a comprehensive assessment of the current public
transit system and so forth. I mean I think it could be changed to say compete the
assessment of. ... the, uh current public transit system and .... and the rest of that language,
um, and show up under the mobility heading.
Mims/ You know, and is there anything wrong of having the same bullet point under two of `em,
I mean just .... I know you don't normally do that, but it....it really kind of emphasizes, if
somebody isn't looking at all of them, or .... or maybe we tweak it a little differently for
each one of `em, because mobility is not just about the economy, I mean it's people going
to church; it's, you know, it's not just people going to work, which is I think what most
people think about in economy is people are either going to work or going to shop. So
either they're earning money or they're spending money as part of the economy, but
there's a lot of issues with mobility that could include public transit that to me are not
related to the economy.
Thomas/ Yeah, that's why I felt it should be moved.
Mims/ Uh huh.
Bergus/ I agree with that. (several talking)
Teague/ The other thing about our transit is that we are lookin' at the possibilities of a zero -fare,
and so I think definitely when we're talkin' about, um, and if that does happen, enhancin'
the .... um, community mobility that for all residents, that is a huge one that I think addin'
this here as, um, that's been suggested, is gonna be, I think, very beneficial to be tracked
and looked at, um, by staff.
Thomas/ Uh, one .... one other.... suggestion I have under this one, which we're.....well, we're
filling it out a little bit now, um.....was one that I .... I tried to, in a sense, create a parallel,
uh, construction, similar to what we had with the form based code, when we initiated
that. We .... we identified, or promoted, the idea of looking at form based coding in two
locations. So in terms of mobility, uh, one .... one thing that we could .... I'd suggest
would be, uh, this one. Urn .... improve street safety in two high -crash corridors.... that
significantly divide the community and impede economic development. So we could try
to focus .... uh.....this question of where, in trying to enhance mobility, we already have
identified serious barriers to that mobility, that affect us not only in terns of our mobility,
but also have significant, um, economic impacts. And, um, I've been promoting, for
example, um .... I think Highway 6 is a major dividing line in Iowa City, um, that I think
would .... we'd benefit from looking at that. And then the other, uh, getting back to the
downtown, I think one of the most serious issues we have in the downtown is Burlington
Street and how we could potentially .... eliminate that divide, which ... which is a barrier
between the downtown and .... and, uh, Riverfront Crossings, and it seemed to me one of
the .... one reason I .... I'm interested in this in addition to just the ... the nature of the
projects is we do have Nelson/Nygaard in town and ... and they are a, uh, like Opticos, an
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outstanding form on issues related to transportation and so I thought there may be an
opportunity to work with them, and draw from their experience, which is nationwide, in
terms of understanding how we might improve areas that we know are .... um, you know,
to use the .... the, urn .... terms we're applying to our .... our.....our, uh, COVID-19 hotspots
for, uh, for safety, for all .... all forms of mobility — drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
Salih/ I also want to go back to the complete implement and assist the new transit model. Yeah,
this .... all this is good, but I ... I really in a way that it meet the need of the community,
which is because I believe right now we might need more ... like buses in a certain area,
uh, because we know like this neighborhood, they use the bus to go to work like on the
evening time. Maybe we need, uh, you know, like we know we have different
communities, and before, and some people work at the evening, some people work at the
morning, some people work on Sunday. That's why I just wanted to reflect that the need
of the community. Susan, you (mumbled) like transit model to meet the need of the
community or something like that. I don't know how, but .... we need to add something
that... assessment that we need to do is to the change that we have in the community.
Fruin/ Yeah, and... and Ashley and I will work on specific language for these new items. I think
we're just takin' some ... some rough notes here to ... to help us, but we'll come up with the
flowery language, uh, after the meeting.
Salih/ Sure.
Weiner/ Where in this, if at all, does the bike share fit, because there are plenty of people who
really, if they want to get around, um, they .... they aren't gonna use .... they aren't gonna
use public transit. They may not have a vehicle. Um, I haven't..... obviously nobody's
sharing anything right now, but eventually we will .... it will get back to that, uh, and I
know it had been delayed but is that .... is sort of implementing and building out the bike
share appropriate here?
Fruin/ Yeah, that's part of our bicycle -friendly, um, community plan. That's.... that's something
that, urn .... as we strive for gold or a platinum designation that we'll need to do, and uh,
it's still on our radar, but .... but a launch this year, given everything that's happening,
is ... is probably very unlikely. So it's.... it's probably a 21 or 22 type of program now.
As .... as I look at this, um, and I .... I look back at my notes from the March meeting, I
think you've ... I think the .... the bicycle, um .... uh, piece is definitely part of that. Uh, the
transit, um, recommendations that are comin' your way have.... definitely have to be up
there. Um, the only other things that .... that were mentioned were accessibility measures,
and we continue to move forward with curb ramp improvements and sidewalk infilling
and .... and we'll continue to look at those. I'm not sure that needs to be, um, up there.
Um, I'm struggling with that second bullet, and how it fits into this item. I .... I think that
that goes back to that Parks and Rec master plan and the neighborhood activation kind of
piece, um, that's in, um, a previous item. So I would suggest that, um, we take that
neighborhood piece out and if you don't feel like some of the bullets that we've already
talked about cover that sufficiently that we may (mumbled) modify some of that language
but .... but to me that just doesn't quite fit right in the mobility section.
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Mims/ I would agree. It ... it .... I think it's an important piece and we wanna make sure it's
covered, um, somewhere with this language, or other language, but I would agree. I
don't think it quite fits mobility. We ... we want people to be able to get around. Yes, we
want them to have some place to go to, but that place to go to I think is more a part of
making sure that we have the neighborhoods and the park system, etc., developed the
way we want.
Bergus/ I think the place -making part of that in this bullet is important and ... and just looking at
the fostering healthy neighborhoods, um, main goal, I don't know that that is totally
reflected in there. I think, you know, I'm .... I'm sure there's aspects of it that are in the
park master plan, but place -making in the sense of, urn .... you know, wayfinding signage
and connecting people to amenities that may not just be, uh, public parks but including
schools and other, um, places that people need to get to and want to get to. That's just my
two -cents, but that might be a good one to actually add in the neighborhood, uh, fostering
healthy neighborhoods.
Mims/ I think your point on signage, Laura, is a really good one, um, and .... and maybe that does
make sense here in the mobility when you're talking about pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.,
um, so people know where some of those things are. You know, how do you get to the...
the, I don't even know the name now — the Sycamore Greenway, okay? You know, how
do you get to those, maybe hear about `em or read about it, you know, how do I get there
and (garbled) I think some of that signage, um, could potentially be a part of the mobility.
Thomas/ Yeah, I .... I appreciate your.... emphasis on place -making, Laura, and I ... it's another way
of putting, uh, what I was .... what I asked to be added under the foster healthy
neighborhoods of neighborhood improvements, because it's those neighborhood
improvements which .... uh.... lead to place -making, and um, I'm .... I think that's a nice
way of. ... of, uh, being a little bit redundant, but in a sense of introducing ideas with
different, you know, aspects to them.
Weiner/ I also think that ... that in fact it wouldn't hurt us at all, and might be valuable to add,
continuing to expand accessibility. Um .... as .... as a way of reaching out to .... (mumbled)
to people with disabilities, so that they see that we're continuing to see them and
continuing to work on that, even though we already are doing it.
Bergus/ I agree with that.
Taylor/ I .... I still think that, going back to John's comments, that, uh, his point on safe streets is
important and somehow should be included in that, as far as maybe continuing to assess,
uh, safe streets and ... and, uh... the accident ratio on some of the streets.... because that
does affect mobility. If you don't have a safe street, people aren't able to walk across it.
Or ride bikes! Not quite sure how you'd wanna word it to fit in there though. John stated
it pretty well.
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Thomas/ Yeah, I'll just try to expand on it a little bit. I .... I know I've talked to some of you
about this, but I feel in certain aspects of our... quality of life, uh, for example, uh, the...
our schools, our cultural venues, there have been extraordinary advancements, uh, over
the last 10 years. Um, the improvement of the school system with the capital bond, uh,
the creation of Hancher, Film Scene, PSI, uh, the Englert, uh, you know.... truly
remarkable advancements on ... on certain areas of our quality of life, but as someone
who's interested in streets, I can't say that I've seen ... things that I can really point to, um,
that reflect.... because I think a key issue in .... in climate change and on advancing
anything is to have an understanding of where we're going by having something we can
point to as kind of a .... a.....a concrete example, and um, actually I .... (laughs) I'll use this
opportunity to say I'm really pleased with the extension of Foster Road. I think that, um,
is .... is one of the nicer, new streets I've seen in Iowa City. So ... so the more examples we
have of how we're taking the issue of safety and mobility seriously, as seriously as we've
taken education, um, I can .... I think can help accelerate, uh, what it is we're trying to
achieve, and I do overall still feel our streetscapes in Iowa City are, um, very strongly
auto oriented, and of course I don't mean to say that they should not still serve as means
of getting around town by automobile, but there is a pretty significant imbalance overall,
and I would say ...and 1, you know, if Highway 6 or Burlington are not the right choices,
can we identify sites which can be used as a way of, uh, providing an example of the
direction we would like to see our mobility going.
Teague/ On this item are we .... do you have what you need, Ashley?
Monroe/ I was waiting to hear if there was additional feedback from Council Members to add it
kind of as a majority, um .... for us to work out some kind of wording. We can certainly
add it now if you'd like.
Bergus/ I think something relating to .... to street safety and ... I mean we have our... complete
streets plan that, you know .... is implemented with new development, but I think having
something that just acknowledges that street construction and configuration and safety is
an important part of mobility, and that we're .... I mean I think we are being proactive in
pushing that, and that is a goal. That's not something that we're ... we're ignoring.
Fruin/ (garbled) distinction that Council needs to make with this item is ... um, whether you wanna
pick out corridors and actually direct staff to work on a specific corridor, because we...
our MPO staff, our transportation planning staff ..... works on street safety year round. I
mean they're constantly looking at accident corridors and suggesting improvements and a
lot of those go unnoticed, but they could be as simple as changing locations of no parking
signs to improve visibility, or changing signal timing. It's something that they, again,
they .... they focus on year round, um, and they will continue to do that going forward. So
I would say that we already have a focus on that, but if there are particular corridors that
are .... that are, uh, concerning, if you wanna call out Burlington, if you wanna call out
Highway 6 and direct staff to work on that, that's a .... that's a big undertaking and we
need to be able to prioritize that over the next couple of years to begin that process,
particularly those two corridors because they're State roads and there's extra coordination
with the State that would have to take place. On the flip side, if you wanted to look at
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upcoming, if you wanna look at the capital plan and understand better where we're going
to be investing in roads with pavement enhancements and....and other improvements,
um, and .... and kind of zero in on those corridors that are in the works already, we can...
we could figure out how best to do that. So, you know, one example might be the .... the
....the Jefferson, uh, one-way. Um, that's in our budget, I think a couple of years out,
and, you know, the question of whether to convert the, uh, Jefferson, Market to two-way
and .... and how does that impact bikes and pedestrians. Um, you know, that's a corridor
that's already in the works that will get this type of analysis. So I think.....I think before
we kind of sign off on this item, we need to know from Council, um, whether you wanna
direct specific corridors or just kind of ...direct staff in general to continue to put street
safety at a.....at a high priority.
Mims/ I would say I'm concerned about.... starting some new project by .... by picking out certain
corridors, and there's a couple of reasons, and one of `em quite frankly comes back to the
situation we find ourself in right now with this pandemic. Um, I think we have an awful
lot of uncertainty about what our City budget may look like, um, going forward, as
potentially property values decline, um, as we find .... we have so many people that are
out of work and we have no idea of how many bankruptcies there are going to be in our
businesses and what that may mean in terms of some of the employment and what does
that mean then in terms of home owners, etc. Um, and so what does that mean in terms
of, um, adding the staff that we had hoped to add, um, and, you know, those sorts of
things. So I would rather keep it along the line of, you know, we're looking at....at street
safety, road safety, you know, as we do new development or as .... as we do new
construction or as we are, um, making changes in certain areas, rather than ... going out
and taking on something that .... to do it right is going to be a really, really big project, and
I just don't think this is quite the right time to do that.
Teague/ I would agree. I think when we're talkin' about a strategic plan, and we have quite a lot
of lofty goals already here. Um, I would say that now probably isn't the right opportune
time to add that. Any other thoughts .... on this? We are at about 15 minutes before we
need to take a break, before our formal meeting, uh, but wanted to at least finish this and
then we'll have to put the remainder of the ... um, of the site.... strategic plan on our next
work session, is .... is the thought process. Any other items for the strategic plan, um,
what we just finished discussing? If not then we're gonna continue with our clarification
of agenda items for the formal meeting.
Clarification of Agenda Items:
Taylor/ (garbled) consent calendar, I wondered on the, uh, correspondence 7.h., about the utility
relief, if we could pull that out of, um, the other items and discuss that (garbled)
discussion on that separately? Would that be possible, or would others agree on that?
Teague/ 7.h.?
Mims/ We don't need to pull it out though to do a discussion, correct?
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Taylor/ Okay!
Teague/ So ... so we'll just discuss it at that time.
Taylor/ Okay, sounds good.
Teague/ Okay. Any other item for the .... from the formal agenda?
Weiner/ My only question had to do with the Harrison Street parking garage and whether, uh,
proposing to .... to pay .... pay a chunk of that lease down is in any way related to the item
that got taken off the agenda the last time, the .... the possibility of, um, the possibility of,
um, paying back people for their, uh, parking .... for their parking.
Fruin/ Yeah, um, it .... it, we, um .... uh, we have the ability to do pre -payments on that lease a...
arrangement. Uh, it's currently maxed out at $2 million per year and we have been doing
that in past years, uh, with the sales' proceeds from, uh, property that we have sell that
was being held by the parking funds, uh, specifically the Rise building and the, uh,
property here at City Hall, uh, that were formerly parking lots. So, um, we would ... we
would normally be coming to you at this time seeking authorization for that $2 million
pre -payment. What's different about this resolution is that it gives the Finance Director
the ability, um, to negotiate a greater pre -payment amount, uh, if that's .... if that's deemed
to be in our best interest. So we feel like we have the cash reserves in our parking funds,
uh, to pay more, um, and ... and save more, uh, from an interest standpoint, um, but our
current lease agreement caps pre -payments at...at two million. So what we'd like to do is
have a discussion with, uh, Capitol One, which is, urn .... uh, which is who is holding
the .... the.....the debt, and uh, see if they would allow greater, um .... uh, a greater pre-
payment amount, potentially up to paying the entire thing off if we feel like that is a .... if
we feel like that is a good deal for the City. Again, um, we .... we have the cash reserves
to be able to do that, um, and if. ... if we did that it would give the Council more flexibility
to offer rebates. It certainly wouldn't commit you to that, but, um .... we don't have that
ability now because of some of the net revenue coverage, uh, issues, coverage ratio issues
that we .... we talked about at the last meeting. So, um, we are asking for some additional
authority to ... to enter into those negotiations, which we normally wouldn't, but otherwise
that $2 million would be a standard request of you.
Weiner/ Thanks!
Salih/ (garbled) I wanna talk about (both talking)
Mims/ No, go ahead, Maz!
Salih/ Okay! I wanna talk about Th. I don't know, if Sara Barron, Johnson County Affordable
Housing, uh, you know, Coalition (mumbled) relief, do (both talking) now or...or later?
Fruin/ That's up to you all. You can (both talking)
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Teague/ ...you can do either.
Taylor/ That... that's the question I brought up and (both talking) talk about it later.
Salih/ Be ... because, oh, you was talking about h or a?
Taylor/ H, the... utility relief.
Salih/ Okay (both talking) All right! Okay! I ... I don't know, I heard a from you, that's why.
Okay.
Taylor /No, h! (laughs)
Salih/ Okay.
Taylor/ Sorry!
Salih/ Yeah, that's fine! We can talk about it later.
Teague/ All right!
Mims/ I wanted to bring up number 17, the hiring (mumbled) Um, I don't have any problem
approving this tonight to hire for the prairie, but I am really concerned with the number
of letters we have gotten, uh, people in the Orchard -Miller area who do not, um, want that
much prairie put in that park, um, they .... I was just, there was a lot of letters, and I think
they really feel like they have not been, whether accurate or not, they feel like they have
not been consulted, um, and really feel like this is taking away an awful lot of green
space that is, they say, used. I haven't been in there so I don't know. Some people said it
was used for garden.... community gardens. Others were just saying green space for
people to play, but .... we know from our history the numbers of letters we tend to get on
issues, and I thought this was an awful lot of letters, um, from people very much opposed
to that particular prairie installation. So I will vote in favor of....of the hire for this, but I
would like to have more discussion, whether it's tonight or at another meeting, um, with
staff on the importance, and whether or not we move forward with this particular one.
Fruin/ (mumbled) Tyler Baird from our .... our, uh, Parks Department, who oversees our natural
areas effort, um, will ..... will address that, um, item tonight and, um, would be able to...
to speak directly to the, um, the park, uh, that was raised in those letters, Benton Hill
Park. Um .... uh, we would ... if..if we don't get approval of the contract, we're gonna get
into a period where we could miss some prairie planting windows this year, so we'd like
to move ahead with that. If you warm pull that item out, it's .... it's .2 acres of the 86
acres. You could pull that item out to direct staff to .... to.....to, um, work with, uh, our
consultant to ... to not do that project or .... or to maybe shrink that down a little bit. Um,
but we definitely want to be able to move forward. The thing that I will say is, um .... if,
you know, if...if Council wants us to go and conduct meetings about all these public
spaces, then you shouldn't probably approve the contract, because I .... I would venture to
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guess that, um, a lot of people will object to adding more prairies in the park or adding
more prairie to the neighborhood. Aesthetically it may not, um, it....it may not meet
folks' expectations of what they wanna see in their park. So, um, I don't expect that the
natural areas will be widely embraced in all the other areas, uh.... uh, as well, and if there
needs to be a longer discussion on that then there needs to be a longer discussion, um, but
you can certainly.... after hearing from Tyler tonight, if you feel like you wanna take out
the one, uh, that's okay, we can work around that but if, again, if there's an expectation
that we're gonna have in-depth discussion on all these, then we probably don't want to
enter into that contract because my guess is, um, there'll be a lot other .... a lot of other
concerns at the 17 other sites potentially.
Mims/ I think for me one of the big things that hit on this one is .... and some of the letters alluded
to this. There have been a lot of changes in that park, um, with the co -housing going in
and a lot of trees coming out and the sidewalk and the big retaining wall, and so I think
for people around this park in particular, it feels like they've just gotten kind of
hammered over and over, and so, um ... that's I think why I would at least (mumbled)
happy to hear what Tyler has to say at the formal tonight, um, and then we can discuss
whether we want to pull this one or not. I'm not .... I'm not in favor of, um, voting the
contract down. I think we should go ahead so we can get things done this year, um, but
there was just an awful lot of, um, public comment on this particular one.
Teague/ Any other item on the formal agenda?
Salih/ Yeah. This item, the formal agenda, right, 17?
Teague/ Yes. Yes.
Salih/ But as Geoff said .... you know, I agree with Susan Mims completely, because (garbled) a
lot of attention, but if we can let ... if we can just take that piece out of the (mumbled)
Geoff said will be great. I just propose to do that so we can talk about it separately.
Teague/ And we'll be able to have that discussion durin' our formal, uh... agenda when that item
comes up.
Salih/ Okay!
Teague/ Any other thing for the formal agenda.... clarification? Hearing (both talking)
Salih/ ...where is the letter .... when we gonna talk about the .... (mumbled) letter?
Teague/ April 16th. That's info packet April 16a'.
Salih/ Oh, okay!
Information Packet Discussion (4/9, 4/16):
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Teague/ All right, so .... we'll go to info packet April 9a'.
Mims/ Geoff, thank you for the letter on, uh, `When Will Your City Feel the Fiscal Impact of
COVID-19.' I hope everybody's a little bit scared (laughs) This is gonna be a tough one
to know what's coming.
Weiner/ Yeah, really appreciate both the articles that ... that (several talking) in the packets,
because I've been thinking a lot about finances and what the way forward is going to look
like, which of course none of us know.
Mims/ Right.
Teague/ Yeah, those long-term effects is what we have to try to get a grasp on. If there's nothin'
else from April 9h, we'll go to info packet April 16'b. And, Maz, this is (both talking)
Salih/ Yes, uh, yes but if there is (mumbled) Okay! Yeah, I really would like to talk about the
letter that the Johnson County, uh, sended to Muscatine County, and uh, what I would
like to propose, since, uh, Johnson County is using that Muscatine County jail, uh, you
know, to house some of, uh, people who are from Johnson County and they could be
Iowa City resident as well, I ... and I just really don't like the ... those comment from
somebody who deal in the daily business with, uh, people from different religion and hear
comment about Muslim, and I just think that if we can write something in support of the
County letter, as City of Iowa City, will be great. And I would like to see what you guys
think.
Teague/ Yeah, I guess from my perspective, certainly the, you know, the things that were ... was
included in their letter, at least I personally do share, urn .... their sentiments there, and as
we look at the, um, kind of the .... there was an article or a picture that was taken in, um,
and the things that were described there, um, that's certainly nothing that we would want
for, um, our individuals that go there to experience, understand that that was on his
personal page, um, but .... that thought process tome is just ludicrous. So I personally
would be in support of a letter, um, in ... are you askin' that we send a letter just to state
that we agree with, um, kinda what the Board of Supervisors sent?
Salih/ Yes, just to make it simple. Yes, that's what I'm saying. Instead of like writing another
letter, just agree with the letter. I think Geoff proposed something like this as an option.
If. ... Geoff, if you can weigh in and tell us exactly what you meant, when I talked to you
about it. It would be great so you can help the rest of the people make a decision.
Frain/ I ... I think if you wanted to you could simply have your own letter that supported the
position of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. I don't ... you know, they .... their
letter was well written and I'm not sure we need to write anything different, just indicate
that, uh, we're supportive of their letter and I think that would carry the message.
Taylor/ I agree with that and I think we could cc the Board of Supervisors then to let them know
of our support behind them.
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Mims/ Yeah, I think that's fine, I mean I .... I would agree with what, you know, Maz and Bruce
have said. The views are reprehensible and obviously we wanna make sure that anybody
from Iowa City or Johnson County, or any prisoner there, is, uh, being treated with full
regard to their human rights.
Thomas/ Yeah, I agree.
Bergus/ I agree.
Teague/ All right, so that sounds like we have agreement there. Any other items from April 161 ?
Hearing none .... um, as far as Council updates on (garbled) we can probably get this done
in two minutes. So, uh, what are thoughts, uh, maybe we'll just have people just speak
out, um, any of the things that they've done, um....
Mims/ We had an executive committee meeting yesterday for the access center. Um, looks like
we're probably going to push the open date, um, in terms of when we would start
accepting patients, back to early January, um, concern with, uh, potential disruptions with
construction, which haven't.... there's been a little bit but not too much so far. Um, just
also gives us a little more flexibility, um, if anything did come up with disruptions, given
the pandemic situation, and also concerns about trying to open right before the holidays,
um, in terms of staffing and those kinds of patterns. So, uh, that was the decision of the
executive committee on Monday, that we'll push that back to I believe the 4' of January.
Teague/ Okay.
Bergus/ I'll just report on, um, Iowa City Area Development Group has a new president, uh, Kate
Moreland was appointed by the board, um, recently. So that's big news, and I think we're
good for that important, uh, entity in our community. Um, and Iowa City Area
Development is working hard to ... to just figure out financially where it can be and where
it can make, you know, the most positive impacts in terms of all of the economic, um,
ramifications of the .... the pandemic and they're working with the Business Partnership
and the Downtown District and, uh, other organizations to help get information out on,
um, you know whether it's the SBA loans and the, um, Paycheck Protection Program, that
kind of thing. So a lot of activity happening there. Um, also the UNESCO City of
Literature is considering, um, delaying the, uh, Music I See Festival, which is slated for
June. They'll make a final determination about that soon, but just kind of looking at
retooling that in-person, um, event, which happens every year.
Taylor/ Mazahir and I are awaiting word on a date and time soon for, uh, a Rules Committee
meeting. We don't .... meet very often but I believe it has something to do with the Public
Arts Committee and their bylaws, so we're waiting to hear on that soon.
Teague/ Hearing nothin' else .... then I think we are gonna adjourn until 7:00 P.M. And I ... I
believe that we need to sign out of here and sign back in to the 7:00 P.M. Zoom, with
another user name and password, if I'm understanding correctly. All right, see ya soon!
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