HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-08-18 Correspondencer �
CITY OF IOWA CITY
www.icgov.org
August 18, 2020
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Marc Dennis - Let's be real
Item Number: 8.a.
�g Rogan O'Handley
Let's be real -
If the media didn't demonize & censor
hydroxychloroquine
If Dem governors didn't stuff their
nursing homes with infected patients
If we didn't count unrelated deaths as
caused by the virus
Then COVID wouldn't even qualify as
a pandemic
It would be a mild flu
5.16 PM 02 Aug 2Q
2,617 Lweels and comments 6,531 L Ik,
Kellie Fruehling
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Importance:
fi
RISK
Hello Council Members,
Wendland, Rion <rion-wendland@uiowa.edu>
Tuesday, August 18, 2020 10:42 AM
Council
COVID-19 Silent Railroad Crossings
High
�-O
Late, Handouts Distributed
,K'-IR—
(Date)
My name is Rion Wendland. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa and have
returned to continue my education in a graduate program. I have immensely enjoyed my time in Iowa City,
and this will be my sixth year calling the city my home. However, with all of the recent developments in
regards to the current pandemic, I am reaching out to you in hopes that you will continue to keep the interests
of the Iowa City community at the forefront of your decisions.
currently live in the Riverfront Crossings area on S. Dubuque Street, right next to the railroad crossing. With
COVID-19 continuing to affect us into this upcoming school year, and the University as well as the Iowa City
Community School District planning on a hybrid approach to teaching, I am writing in request of making the
railroad crossings on S. Dubuque Street and S. Clinton Street silent railroad crossings.
The train horns have been persistently interrupting many of my important online meetings over the summer,
and with a majority of my classes being moved to an online setting this semester, I am worried that this will
continue to affect my quality of learning. Especially with the railroad yard a little further down the tracks,
many trains cross back and forth to switch cars, leading to an extended period of time where I cannot hear nor
respond to any virtual meetings or classes. With the University strongly recommending students stay off
campus unless they have in-person classes, I do not have other places to go to maintain a quiet environment
conducive to online learning.
The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration has already developed
guidelines and safety factors that must be met to establish a "quiet zone" for railroad crossings (see links
below). I believe that at a minimum, gates would need to be added at each crossing to meet the safety
requirements for a new "quiet zone" to be established. As precedent, Burlington, IA has established "quiet
zones" through the city in 2009 and could be looked to for guidance on the project.
I am hoping that you will take this request seriously and look into changing the S. Dubuque and S. Clinton
Street railroad crossings to a new "quiet zone" and continue to make Iowa City a great place to live, learn, and
work. If needed, I would be very willing to help out with this process. I can also reach out to other residents in
the area to better understand how many people the new "quiet zones" would benefit. Even if this process
would not take affect until later in the school year, I believe the long-term future benefits would be worth it.
Thank you,
Rion Wendland
https://raiIroads.dot.gov/highway-rail-crossing-and-trespasser-programs/train-horn-ruleguiet-zones/train-
horn-rule-and-quiet
https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/how-create-quiet-zone
https://Rlobegazette.com/news/local/quiet-zone-in-iowa-city-becomes-model-for-others/article a0426ca2-872d-11df-
b321-001cc4c03286.html
Kellie Fruehling
From: adam.learnahan@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 18, 2020 4:20 PM
To: Council Late Handouts Distributed
Subject: Iowa City no mask needed
(Date)
Hey all,
This video was uploaded publicly on Snapchat this Monday night. Can anything be done about this? How could a mask
order be enforced for bars and other hot spots? I am very worried that when the school year starts our Covid spread is
going to get worse because of high risk activities by the students and the community.
https://youtu.be/52SMaaRV2KE
Thanks,
Adam
r �
CITY OF IOWA CITY
www.icgov.org
August 18, 2020
ATTACHMENTS:
Item Number: 8.b.
Description
Iowa Freedom Riders - I FR Updates
Palmer Holden - Protesters
James Raymond - protesters
Carol deProsse - Seattle Cuts Police Budget
Carol deProsse - Milwaukee Police Chief
Carol deProsse - [The Washington Post] Their tactics are fascistic Barr slams Black Lives
Matter, accuses the left of 'tearing down the system
Kellie Fruehling
From: Iowa Freedom <iowafreedomriders@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 4, 2020 8:38 PM
To: Council; Laura Bergus; Susan Mims; Mazahir Salih; Pauline Taylor; Bruce Teague; John
Thomas; Janice Weiner
Cc: raneemhamad@gmaiLcom; smith.akia.nyrie@gmaiLcom; sabarali@gmaiLcom;
david.drustrup@gmaii.com
Subject: IFR Updates
RISK
Dear City Council and City Manager Fruin,
We'd first like to thank you for re -visiting the IFR demands around policing this evening during your work
session and we hope that these issues remain in the forefront of future discussions. We are very supportive of
your goals to input as much community feedback as possible with specific attention to BIPOC voices. A central
tenet of community wellness is our ability to self -determine our safety.
We would like to point out that there already exists a vast literature base and collection of community
organizations that have done the work we're discussing. As part of the idea gathering that you discussed
tonight towards compiling a "repository of elements" as Councilor Weiner stated, we are urging you to use two
essential sets of resources at your disposal: 1) IFR organizers who are well -versed in methods and models of
community wellness and accountability outside of police, and 2) University professionals who produce social
science research around these issues.
We have prepared a smaller portion of our demands around policing on which we'd like to work with you in the
near term. We believe that satisfying these three demands are not only reasonable and well -aligned with the
popular feedback we've heard from the broad community, but will put Iowa City on the right path towards
systemic changes in racial equity. The first point is a long-term project that is directly related to the discussion
of Council during tonight's work session. We look forward to collaborating with you on this in the future and
providing much greater detail to the models that are available to us.
Goal 1: Construction of the Community Wellness & Accountability architecture
City Manager Fruin must immediately prioritize the City Council agenda to begin the construction of the
Community Wellness & Accountability architecture to address public safety, security, accountability,
and self -governance. This new architecture for Community Wellness & Accountability will be based on
empirical evidence and theory offered by experts such as Angela Davis, Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Mariame
Kaba, and others who have successfully fought for the well-being of the most marginalized populations.
o The Community Wellness & Accountability architecture will initially consist of 5 response teams:
Mental Health, Road Safety, Drug & Alcohol, Anti -Homelessness, and Interpersonal Conflict.
These teams will be staffed with mental health professionals, social workers, EMTs, nurses, and
other Peer Professionals who are community members and trained to respond to community
concerns in non -punitive ways. Once implemented, they will respond to emergency and non-
emergency calls for help within their fields of expertise to resolve disputes and ensure the safety
of citizens requiring assistance.
o The Community Wellness & Accountability architecture will also include 4 departments to
address long-term community needs: Affordable Housing, Income Support & Job Preparation,
Immigrant & Refugee Support, and Community Wellness Programs. These departments can
work alongside, or join with, already existing structures within City government.
• By September 30, 2020, there will be 3 paid positions within City government to
construct these aspects of the Community Wellness & Accountability architecture.
• By January 1, 2021 we expect to see The Community Wellness & Accountability
architecture to be funded $5 million annually. This money will come from the city policing
budget for calls that they are no longer required to handle, as well as through the
removal of unnecessary military -grade weaponry, armor, uniforms, and other material
contributing to the oversized budget.
Goal 2: A detailed report of the events of violence against protesters on June 3 in Iowa City.
City Manager Fruin must immediately engage in a more earnest attempt to understand more details
about the violence against protesters that was committed by police on June 3, 2020. The mixed reports
and drawn-out investigation are not aligned with the "deep introspections" that he promised Iowa City in
his letter on June 10. City Manager Fruin must immediately use his relationships within the police
department to get a clear answer about who was responsible for the violence that night, why no one
has come forward yet, and what the repercussions will be.
o This report from City Manager Fruin must be completed and made public by 09/01/20.
Goal 3: A publicly searchable database of complaints made against officers
• City Manager Fruin must immediately prioritize a new agenda item for City Council: creating a public
database for complaints against police officers. This should be easily accessible, browsable, and
searchable by officer name. While we understand the construction of a publicly accessible website may
take some time, we expect a list, publishable as a PDF on the City government's website.
o The public list must be made viewable by 09/01/20.
o The searchable database must be operational on the City government website by 01/01/21.
• City Manager Fruin and City Council should immediately begin discussions with IFR and other
community leaders including BVP and SDNA around repercussions for officers who have caused harm
in the community.
o By 09/01/20, City Councilors and City Manager Fruin will have completed their first meeting with
IFR, BVP, SDNA, and other community stakeholders. They will have jointly constructed a
blueprint for regular meetings and a timeline for action and decision-making.
We look forward to a meeting in the near future to provide you with details and answers around any concerns
you may have.
Black Lives Matter,
IFR
Raneem Hamad
Akia Nyrie Smith
Saba Ali
David Drustrup
Kellie Fruehling
From:
Palmer Holden <Pjholden43@gmail.com>
Sent:
Thursday, August 6, 2020 8:48 AM
To:
Council
Subject:
Protesters
Dear City Council,
Please remember that when you listen to the protesters demands that they speak for a very very small
percentage of the Iowa city community. I hope there's someway that you can pick up the community opinion of
these events rather than listen to a small group of protesters and in some cases rioters.
In my English vocabulary, "demands" are not negotiable. The council should ignore all demands and talk about
topics of disagreement and negotiation.
I still believe that we have a democracy and a small group of people should not overrule the majority.
Palmer Holden
1630 Quincent St.
Iowa City, IA 52245
515-231-5543
This email is from an external source.
Kellie Fruehling
From:
James Raymond ^]mmesr937@klmu|.cnno`
Sent:
Friday, August 7,202O3:40PK4
To:
Council
Subject:
protesters
A&
My name is James R, Daily, I was Mayor of Belle Plaine, Iowa for 8 years and on the Executive Board of the League of
Cities For ashort time.
Regarding the protesters in your city. the "Freedom Riders" have some legitimate concerns, but astocoming tothe City
with DEMANDS, I don't think you should even acknowledge them until The City tells Them get your group back together
and clean upall the graffiti and other damage done. |fagroup wants toorganize aProtest itisthe responsibility ofsaid
group tncontrol all that participants do.
Tell them after they have cleaned the City up. The city will enter into discussions and listen to their suggestions, Not
demands, qnhow tnimprove police actions etc.
Kellie Fruehling
From:
Carol deProsse <lonetreefox@mac.com>
Sent:
Thursday, August 6, 2020 9:11 AM
To:
Council
Subject:
Seattle Cuts Police Budget
R SK
From today's NYT:
The Seattle City Council voted on a number of proposals Wednesday to reduce the city's police force
and trim the department budget.
Up to 32 police patrol positions were cut by unanimous vote. The council also removed funds for
implicit -bias training, eliminated $800,000 in recruitment and retention money, and cut $50,000 in
travel costs. It set a cap on the salaries of high-ranking police officers.
Members of the City Council voted to curb police participation in Seattle's Navigation Team, a group
of outreach workers and officers who aid the city's homeless. Amendments passed Wednesday cut 14
police officers from the team and redirect $1.4 million in funds from policing to outreach efforts.
Overall, the approved amendments would shrink the department by as many as loo police.
A proposal to slash the department's budget by $54 million failed, and council member Teresa
Mosqueda said earlier this week that smaller trims would set the stage for deeper cuts nein year of
more than 40 percent of the budget.
A crowd of protesters gathered Wednesday at the county's juvenile detention center and planned to
march to City Hall in support of the budget cuts, the Seattle Times reported.
Some demonstrators were collecting signatures to recall Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D), who on
Tuesday said that "cuts of loo officers between now and the end of the year is really not the way to
proceed," according to KOMO News.
The city's police chief and the Seattle Police Officers Guild opposed the cuts. The union launched an
online petition to "stop the defunding of the Seattle Police Department" ahead of the full City Council
vote on this legislation on Aug. 10.
Kellie Fruehling
From: Carol deProsse < lonetreefox@mac.com >
Sent: Friday, August 7, 2020 10:05 AM
To: Council; Community Police Review Board; Geoff Fruin
Subject: Milwaukee Police Chief
https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/mtCWCLgGymSDVolHBk2iL?domain=thehill.com
This email is from an external source.
Kellie Fruehling
From: Carol deProsse <lonetreefox@mac.com>
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2020 9:00 AM
To: Council
Subject: [The Washington Post] 'Their tactics are fascistic`: Barr slams Black Lives Matter, accuses
the left of 'tearing down the system'
t
RISK
If you think Bill Barr sounds anything less than a fanatical conspiracy theorists, I suggest
you resign from public office.
'Their tactics are fascistic': Barr slams Black rives Matter, accuses the left of'tearing down
the system'
Barr's comments in the interview on Fox News represent some of his harshest critiques yet of the protest movement and of the
Democratic politicians who have accused the attorney general of subverting the Justice Department to do Trump's bidding.
By Jaclyn Peiser
hftps://www.washi ngtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/10/ba rr-fox-antifa-blmf
Kellie Fruehling
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Dear Mayor and City Council:
Tom Birkenholz <tbirkenholz@hotmail.com>
Monday, August 17, 2020 8:35 PM
Council
Black Lives Matter
Would it be possible to paint "Black Lives Matter" on one of our city streets?
Late,Handouts Distributed
6--i,
(Date)
I feel strongly we need to keep the movement of BLM going forward as we all try to find solutions to systemic
racism.
Thank you for the consideration.
Tom Birkenholz
Iowa City, IA 52246
August 18, 2020
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Bennett Sims - James Alan McPherson
Item Number: 8.c.
John Kenyon, Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature - Support for idea to rename a park for
James Alan McPherson
James Galvin, Professor, Writers' Workshop - naming a park after James Alan McPherson
Bruce Harreld, President, University of Iowa - James Alan McPherson
Kellie Fruehling
From:
Bennett Sims <frank-sims@uiowa.edu>
Sent:
Monday, August 10, 2020 8:00 AM
To:
Council
Subject:
James Alan McPherson
Hi, all, I'm writing to add my voice in support of David Leshtz's beautiful and thoughtful proposal, to name a park after
James Alan McPherson (I am copying David's letter below). Jim was a beloved presence at the Iowa Writers' Workshop
and in Iowa City. His teaching, writing, and mentorship helped create communities among the writers here for years,
and it would be a lovely way of honoring that legacy to dedicate this community -making space, in his neighborhood, in
his name.
I know that many of Jim's students, friends, and colleagues will be writing in as well. In considering all of the people who
are united in their memories of Jim, I hope you will be moved to allow his memory to continue uniting people in this
park. Thank you for reading, and stay safe and be well.
All best,
--Bennett
Dear Council Members,
Larry Baker, in a recent letter to the editor of the PC, suggested consideration of naming a park
after Pulitzer Prize-winning writer James AlanMcPherson.
Mr. McPherson lived on Rundell St. from 1981 until his death on July 27, 2016. Close to where he
lived is a pocket park reachable by an alley off Sheridan Ave. This park was tentatively named
Rogers Green after its previous owner (since deceased) who maintained it for many years, but I
don't think the city ever officially designated it.
If discussions are held regarding park namings, this one would be particularly appropriate for
Mr. McPherson, a popular neighbor who lived just a few blocks from it for 35 years.
Thank you-
Kellie Fruehling
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Attachments:
RISK
To the Council:
John Kenyon <john-kenyon@iowacityofliterature.org>
Thursday, August 6, 2020 3:19 PM
Council
Support for idea to rename a park for James Alan McPherson
McPherson letter.pdf
I would like to endorse wholeheartedly the idea to rename an Iowa City park after the late James
Alan McPherson. While many writers have made a significant contribution to the culture of our
City of Literature, McPherson was a true giant who is well deserving of such ongoing public
recognition.
McPherson's accomplishments are well known: Winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1978 for Elbow
Room (he was the first Black writer to win in fiction), winning Guggenheim and MacArthur
fellowships, winning the inaugural Paul Engle Prize from our organization in 2011, and the list
goes on. Add to that his time as a teacher and mentor over the course of three -plus decades at the
University of Iowa, and it becomes clear his impact on this community and the literary world is
overwhelming.
What a fitting tribute it would be to name a park — a quiet place that can spring to life with color
and possibility and wonder — for him. Imagine a young person playing in the park who wants to
know more about its namesake, who learns about and eventually reads McPherson. Imagine that
child growing to one day follow in McPherson's footsteps because he revealed the presence of that
path.
I would encourage you to rename a park for James Alan McPherson, to permanently remind us of
the work of this remarkable man.
Yours,
John Kenyon
Executive Director
Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature
John Kenyon
Executive Director
Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature
john-kenyon cDiowacitvofliterature.org
www.iomcitvofliterature.oro
httos:dwww.facebook.com/Citvof .itemtum
htto:/1tWtter.wrn/Iow Citvoftit
0:(319)356-524@
C:(319)631-5689
Aug. 6, 2020
Iowa City City Counci
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
To the Council:
I would like to endorse wholeheartedly the idea to rename an
Iowa City park after the late James Alan McPherson. While many
writers have made a significant contribution to the culture of our
City of Literature, McPherson was a true giant who is well
deserving of such ongoing public recognition.
McPherson's accomplishments are well known: Winning the
Pulitzer Prize in 1978 for Elbow Room (he was the first Black
writer to win in fiction), winning Guggenheim and MacArthur
fellowships, winning the inaugural Paul Engle Prize from our
organization in 2011, and the list go on. Add to that his time as a
teacher and mentor over the course of three -plus decades at the
University of Iowa, and it becomes clear his impact on this
community and the literary world is overwhelming.
What a fitting tribute it would be to name a park — a quiet place
that can spring to life with color and possibility and wonder — for
him. Imagine a young person playing in the park who wants to
know more about its namesake, who learns about and eventually
reads McPherson. Imagine that child growing to one day follow
in McPherson's footsteps because he revealed the presence of
that path.
I would encourage you to rename a park for James Alan
McPherson, to permanently remind us of the work of this
remarkable man.
Yours,
John Kenyon
Executive Director
rWm
President
Jennie Garner
Vice President
Forrest Meyer
Treasurer
Pat Heiden
Secretary
Elizabeth Schott
Board
Aron Aji
Anna Barker
Laura Bergus
Elsworth Carman
Maeve Clark
John Culshaw
Linda Farkas
Hugh Ferrer
Alison Ames Galstad
Kelly Hayworth
Nick Kaeding
Mary Ellen Lewis
Ashley Monroe
Steve Semken
Jesse Singerman
Rachel Yoder
Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature
123 S. Linn St.
Iowa City, IA 5240
(319)887-6100
www.iowacityofliterature.org
info@iowacityofliterature.org
Kellie Fruehling
From: Galvin, James A <james-galvin@uiowa.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, August 5, 2020 2:32 PM
To: Council; Geoff Fruin
Subject: naming a park after James Alan McPherson
Friends,
I am writing in support of the proposal that a park in Iowa City be named after Writers' Workshop
Graduate, Faculty Member, Pulitzer Prize Winner, and MacArthur Fellow, James Alan McPherson.
Jim McPherson was the first Black American to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. He lived in
Iowa City and taught at the Writers' Workshop from 1981 until his death in 2016. Jim was not only
a great writer, but he was a great citizen, colleague, and neighbor. He loved Iowa City, and wrote,
both in fiction and non-fiction, about the importance of what he called neighboring. His vision was
of an omniAmerica in which races and cultures nourish each other, inform each other, and enrich
American life. For Iowa City to grace a park space with his name and memory is not only a good
idea, it is, I think, imperative. Jim not only touched the lives of his students and fellow citizens, his
writing and thinking are monuments of American Literature. Why is there not already a
commemorative space in this town honoring James Alan McPherson? To acknowledge Jim's life
and work in a civic manner would be an important gesture in these troubled times. There are some
things in life that it is incumbent on us to memorialize. If James Alan McPherson's grace to this
town, this university, and to humanity is not one of those things, I don't know what is.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
James Galvin
Professor, Writers' Workshop
1
�l
THE J1W:
UNIVERSITY
OF IOWA
August 7, 2020
Iowa City City Council
410 E. Washington Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
Dear Members of the City Council:
IOffice of the President
101 Jessup Had
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316
319-33 5-354 IIiLy Fnx 319-335 0807
as
?: Co
I enthusiastically support the proposal by Lan Samantha Chang, director of the Iowa
Writers' Workshop, to name an Iowa City park after distinguished and legendary IWW
faculty member James Alan McPherson. Professor McPherson is deserving of such an
honor regardless of current circumstances, but memorializing his name in our city in this
way right now would come at an especially important moment in our community and
national lives. I very much appreciate and admire the city's efforts to address racial
inequality since the tragic death of George Floyd, and the University of Iowa joins you in
doing all we can to end the trauma of discrimination and violence against Blacks and
other people of color. By honoring James McPherson in a publicly high-profile way, we
can demonstrate through this action our values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and free
expression.
Certainly James McPherson—friend and mentee of Ralph Ellison, the first African
American to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction, one of the first MacArthur "genius grant"
winners, Guggenheim Fellowship awardee, and inductee into the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences—is deserving of prominent recognition in our UNESCO City of
Literature as a significant writer. Aside from his great literary talent, he had major things
to say about race and culture in America, and like his personal demeanor, his trenchant
insights could be simultaneously sharp and quietly stated.
Yet for our community, James McPherson was not just a well-known writer who
happened to work here. He demonstrated a very special devotion to this university,
community, and state as well, and for that, naming a city park after him takes on special
significance. McPherson had wide-ranging experience studying and teaching at places
such as UC Santa Cruz, Morris Brown College, Harvard University, Morgan State
University, the University of Virginia, Yale Law School, Stanford University, and Meiji
University and Chiba University in Japan, but he returned to Iowa to teach and write in
the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he had earned his MFA. Professor McPherson was
a remarkable university citizen, taking on the acting directorship of the Workshop after
the death of Frank Conroy, for example, and mentoring generations of students with
particular devotion, compassion, and generosity. He was generous with his time and
talent with the public as well, and he understood the special nature of our university,
community, and state, calling Iowa "the conscience of democracy." It is no surprise that
McPherson was the recipient of the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization's
inaugural Paul Engle Prize in 2011.
The James Alan McPherson quotation on the Iowa City Literary Walk, from his Pulitzer
Prize—winning collection of short stories Elbow Room, states, "it was one of those
obscene situations, pedestrian to most people, but invested with meaning for a few poor
folk, whose lives are usually spent outside the imaginations of their fellow citizens." Mr.
McPherson's storied career, life, and writing have certainly not been outside the
imaginations of fellow citizens, but naming an Iowa City park in his honor will both
ensure he remains alive in our community's imagination and advances his own purpose
of giving voice in a free society to those fellow citizens whose lives urgently need to be
acknowledged as mattering.
Thank you for your consideration of this important and timely naming opportunity.
Sincerely,
Bruce arreld
President
r �
CITY OF IOWA CITY
www.icgov.org
August 18, 2020
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Jessica Melkus - Thank you
Bob Welsh - Housing
Item Number: 8.d.
Kellie Fruehling
From:
Jessica Melkus <jgmelkus@gmail.com>
Sent:
Friday, August 7, 2020 1:53 PM
To:
Council
Subject:
Thank you!
RISK
Hi there,
I wanted to say how much it meant that I was able to share my concerns and situation with Johnson County Affordable
Housing Coalition. Thank you and well done for supporting affordable housing and listening to the people.
jessica melkus
Kellie Fruehling
From: welshbob@aol.com
Sent: Friday, August 7, 2020 1:50 PM
To: Council
Subject: Housing
RISK
Thank for providing funding and lowering barriers for local rental assistance. Thanks - your focus on
affordable housing MATTERS.
Bob Welsh
84 Penfro Drive
Iowa City, Iowa
318-354-4618
r �
CITY OF IOWA CITY
www.icgov.org
August 18, 2020
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Sara Meierotto - Happy Hollow Ballfield
Item Number: 8.e.
Kellie Fruehling
From: Sara Meierotto <sbmeierotto@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 4, 2020 8:36 PM
To: Council
Subject: Happy Hollow Ballfield
I think the lesson to be learned is that it's better to ask for a broader sampling of community input before
making changes to the dynamics of a neighborhood.
Before changing it back I would encourage more reaching out. It sounds to me like the community input so far
is to restore it back the way it was.
I don't think returning it to the way it was will increase the use beyond what it was before it was changed.
Also if weeds and maintenance were one of the concerns before. Is it possible to take care of that by creating it
as an option for community service or open it up to volunteer work?
Thanks for your work and consideration
Sara Beth Meierotto
Sent from my Whone
This email is from an external source.
Item Number: 8.f.
r �
CITY OF IOWA CITY
www.icgov.org
August 18, 2020
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Remove (1) "Disabled Parking" space in front of 1103 Pickard Street
_Ir _4 CITY OF IOWA CITY
10-1 * V03,;Lao� COUNCIL ACTION REPORT
August 18, 2020
Remove (1) "Disabled Parking" space in front of 1103 Pickard Street.
Prepared By:
Sarah Walz, Associate Transportation Planner
Reviewed By:
Kent Ralston, Transportation Planner
Tracy Hightshoe, Neighborhood and Development Services Director
Ashley Monroe, Assistant City Manager
Fiscal Impact:
None
Recommendations:
Staff: Approval
Commission: N/A
Attachments:
None.
Executive Summary:
As directed by Title 9, Chapter 1, Section 3B of the City Code, this is to advise the City Council of the following action. Pursuant to
Section 9-1-3A (14); Remove (1) "Disabled Parking" space in front of 1103 Pickard Street.
Background /Analysis:
This action is being taken because the resident who requested the disabled parking space no longer resides at this address.
81
Kellie Fruehling
From: Don Spellman <dspellman@iceels.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 15, 2020 12:39 AM
To: Council; Geoff Fruin
Cc: ICE Board of Directors; James Davis; Juli Seydell Johnson; Brad Barker; Kate Connell; Kate
Connell; Matt Eidahl; thedpspellman@gmail.com � ate,Handouts Distributed
Subject: Improvements and Ideas for Mercer Park Aquatic Cente
&
8 --)7-a4D
(Date)
Hello All: Later today I will end my 25 plus years of employment as a coach affiliated with the Iowa City Eels swim club.
This will be the last communication I send from this account. It is bittersweet for me and my family as the Eels have been
a large segment of all our lives in various ways. My daughters were athletes with the club while growing up, my wife was
a long-time volunteer, and I moved from being an hourly assistant coach in 1995 to the Head Coach in the fall of 1998.
Mercer Park Aquatic Center has been the main training site of the Iowa City Swim Club (rebranded as the Iowa City Eels
in the winter of 1996) since it was built in 1988. The swim club was a major force in helping campaign for the venue and
engaged the community with fundraising efforts for over 3 years to help get the pool built. The club membership
numbers had outgrown the Robert A. Lee pool and the community growth required more space for expanding Red Cross
swim lessons, aquacise classes, and the school and club related competitive opportunities during that time. Credit
should be given at that time for the local swim community, Iowa City Parks & Recreation leadership, and city council to
see how a vibrant indoor 50m pool could change the aquatic culture and make Iowa City a destination for training and
competition in swimming and diving for years to come. My first trips to Iowa City were for USA -Swimming competitions
at the Univ. of Iowa Fieldhouse pool (winter meets and high school championships) and Mercer Park (for club
championship events and indoor 50m long course meets in the spring and summer months). My first Iowa Swimming
Inc. Championship medals and first time qualifying for higher level regional USA Swimming sanctioned competitions
(Central Zone Championships) as an athlete were done at races in Mercer Park Aquatic Center.
The recent lighting project has improved the venue and was needed given the age of the old system. One can really see
the difference in the deep end section of the pool just standing on deck! There are a few other key items that need
attention at Mercer Park soon to keep it a relevant destination for high school and club meets and to attract more
patrons who wish to train and exercise there once the pandemic has subsided. I am worried that City High and Iowa City
Eels will continue to have problems obtaining enough votes needed to run viable swim meets at Mercer if some the
following problems are not addressed while a few also concern normal day to day operations of the pool too.
1. DEEP END BULKHEAD - The deep end bulkhead is aging poorly and became very difficult to move around 13 years
ago. The wheels on the Lane 1 side of the pool tend to lock-up or slip often which can cause those moving it to slip on
the deck and get injured. My lower back and knees have been victims of this before (especially as I got into my late 30's).
It is VERY difficult to move the deep end (east) bulkhead with people of average to lower strength. The shallow end
bulkhead is in much better shape since it is not moved as often or as far to set up for the 50m format. My main worry is
that without someone as experienced as I am you will see technical problems and more injuries moving the east
bulkhead. It should have been replaced 9 to 10 years ago given the amount of use it has seen with swim meets, lap
swimming, and swim practices. The fact that both bulkheads, built in 1988, are still functioning is pretty remarkable
under any circumstances. The 2 bulkheads currently in use at Mercer are also no longer in regular production so any
time they need repaired getting the correct parts is problematic and expensive. Many times I have jokingly compared
the current bulkheads to Navy F-14 airplanes in the movie Top Gun. They were excellent in the 1980's but have been
replaced by the more agile and faster F -18A models on actual US Navy aircraft carriers (and in the Top Gun sequel).
There should be a plan in place to replace the deep end bulkhead in the next 3 years. New versions of bulkheads are
lighter and better produced (with less internal welded structures). Examples of these can be seen in our area at the
Grinnell College pool, Linn -Mar Aquatic Center, Coe College, the U of I / CRWC, and the new Dubuque High School
venue. I would suggest someone at the City contact Mike Mintenko who works with Myrtha Pools. Mike is a former
UNLV All-American, Canadian National Swimming Team member, and a two-time Olympian (2000 & 2004). 1 first met
Mike when I co -hosted him on his recruiting trip to UNLV in 1994. Mike is married to USA Olympic swimming Gold
medalist (2000 & 2004) and current USA -Swimming National Team Manager Lindsay Mintenko (who raced to a bunch of
medals at a Central Zones Championship meet at Mercer Park in 1989 as part of Team Indiana). Mr. Mintenko was part
of helping update the indoor pool in Rochester, MN four years ago and is helping Ames, IA move forward with their new
aquatic center. Next summer Mike will again help get the two Myrtha pools ready for the USA -Swimming Olympic Trials
in Omaha (like he did in 2012 and 2016). 1 have discussed the bulkhead problems with Mr. Mintenko in the past because
of my lingering concerns. Most of the bulkheads that would fit the current pool structure (gutters & walls) at Mercer
Park would cost between $160,000 to $220,000 based on the most recent information Mike has relayed to me. The
recent work done on the bulkhead panels and internal structures should buy 1 to 2 years of use but being able to
properly move the deep end (east) bulkhead to set up for 50 meters will continue to be a big risk.
2. LANE ROPES - Over the past 20 years I have done almost all the repairs on the lane ropes used at Mercer Park, City
Park, and Robert A. Lee pools with the aid of my assistant coaching staff. I did a few hours of work on the lane ropes at
Mercer Park this spring and summer but I did not update or repair any of the extensions for 50m use. I was trying to
limit my time at Mercer so I put off redoing the long course extensions since I was not certain we would be running any
50m competitions given the Covid19 pandemic. I also worked on the ropes this season by myself since I was concerned
about having extra people around / social distancing during the day time hours.
I sent Iowa City Recreation Department staff an update on the status of the lane ropes at both City Park and Mercer
along with my suggestions on future repair projects and purchases. Redoing the extensions will be the next big project
requiring hours of labor (most likely by Eels Coach James Davis with some IC staff). That can be put off until after the
high school and winter club seasons take place. Right now City High should be fine running meets with the lane ropes
that are available for the fall.
Chipped plastic float segments should be recycled once any repairs do take place. I made it a point to not throw out
large amounts of plastic pieces into the trash bins. It is my hope that this practice continues so the impact on our
environment is minimized.
3. PULL-OUT BLEACHER SEATING - Mercer Park had pull-out bleachers that helped with deck space at meets and
allowed for more spectators to be seated near the middle to deep end of the pool. They were seven rows deep and
went up to the blue section near the top of the walls. The area where they were located included the space where ALL
short course competitions took place and was near the start / finish area for most of the long course racing (except for
the 50m sprint races which finish at the bulkhead). It made Mercer more spectator friendly for all meets.
The older bleachers had plastic seats, metal frames, and wooden floors (similar to what one would see in many high
school / junior high gyms). The wooden floors in the chlorinated pool air started to deteriorate after a number of years
and became unsafe in the early 2000's. The bleachers were eventually removed and the metal roller style bleachers
were brought in from the gym area as a temporary measure.
Between changes in personnel, lack of communication, and other factors new pull out style bleachers were never
purchased and installed in the pool area. There were plans made over a decade ago (according to old email
communications and Iowa City Eels Board of Directors meeting minutes) to explore the purchasing of pull out style
bleachers similar to those that are in place at the Coralville Rec. Center pool. These newer style bleachers have plastic
floors which hold up much better in the humid air conditions present on pool decks. This would be a huge benefit in
terms of weekly cleaning plans and for hosting home meets (with City High, SEJH, and Iowa City Eels). The increased
spectator capacity alone would alleviate a lot of hurdles that City High is encountering with recent attempts to host
Regionals and MVC Conference championship meets. It would also help with the spectator flow in and out of the pool
for all meets which in turn would make it easier for the lifeguarding staff to control the deck space and maintain better
lines of sight on the east half (deep end) of the pool.
F)
4. ADDING A SECOND AED TO MERCER PARK AQUATIC CENTER- This has become a more recent concern of mine given
some of the health issues of people I coached with the Eels club (including both Masters swimmers and age -group kids)
plus the way that Mercer is now frequently used for multiple activities (since the addition of the gymnasium). I would
suggest adding an additional AED unit in the lifeguard office, the classroom in the deep end, or in the City storage room
adjacent to the pool deck. In the case that there is basketball, soccer, gymnastics, or volleyball competitions being
conducted in the gym while a large swim practice or meet is also taking place it would be safer to have that extra device.
This is not a big concern right now with the Covid-19 restrictions in place but under normal circumstances (and given the
some of the lingering after effects of those who are recovering from coronavirus) it is a prudent equipment update that
should be explored to make the entire venue more safe. Speaking as someone over 40, a former swim parent, a coach
who has seen cardiac emergencies at competitions twice, and someone who had heard accounts of cardiac events
taking place at swim workouts from my peers, it would be money well spent. I've met three coaches that have lost team
members due to cardiac events. Decreasing the factors of those kinds of deaths taking place at Mercer Park should be a
focal point. My wife and I feel so strongly about this that we would be willing to donate $200 of our own money towards
the purchase of another AED for Mercer Park Aquatic Center.
Mercer Park was the only indoor 50 meter pool venue in Iowa until 2009. It saw a lot of extremely fast swimming over
the years which included multiple Iowa Swimming Inc. club records and 5 former USA -Swimming national age -group
records. It is now being surpassed by other newer venues across the state for season ending and higher level
competitions. The items I mentioned above should help with the efforts of the Eels and City High programs to update
the pool and make it a viable venue for future events and day to day operations. Many of these future competitions
should draw between 250 to 400 athletes. While Mercer may not be the ideal venue any longer for some of the larger
Iowa club and high school championship style meets (some of which draw 600 athletes or more) it should be updated so
medium to large regular ("in season") competitions are attractive for other clubs in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and
Minnesota would consider attending. This is especially true for 14 & Under athletes who still frequently post
extremely fast times (some of them earning national rankings) given the depth and width dimensions of the Mercer
competition pool under both 25 yard and 50 meter formats.
Since the departure of IC Parks & Recreation employee Chad Dyson my concerns about the venue have increased while
the lines of communication have become inconsistent and problematic. Over the past 11 years there was a lot of
personnel turnover with the Iowa City Department of P & R as well. There needs to be concrete and consistent plans in
place on the future use and maintenance of the Iowa City pools. The Eels need to be a direct part of that process again.
This process should always include the Head Coach of the Eels program to ensure that all safety and competitive
concerns are properly addressed. This is especially true for getting future competitions sanctioned / approved for the
next year and after the Covid-19 restrictions finally expire.
There should be more efforts in the future to increase the participation of at -risk and low-income area youth in swim
lessons since the ICCSD is no longer running lessons through Southeast Junior High. Worthwhile goals would be to make
Iowa City a "drown proof" community while also getting some of those same kids into competitive swimming
opportunities at reduced costs. Swimming is a great sport for teaching healthier choices and enhancing positive life
skills. The ICDPR and Eels have already done some of this work in the past and could explore partnerships to do so again
in the future once the Covid19 pandemic ends. Eels Coach James Davis was directly involved in setting up free swim
lessons with area youth groups as recently as two summers ago and can help lead the way on those fronts.
I loved coaching and running meets at MPAC as much as I loved racing there in my teenage years. I was fortunate
enough to see the direct impact it had on hundreds of kids in my two and a half decades coaching here. Some of those
13 plus hour days running big meets and setting the pool up didn't even seem like work. The days fixing the lane ropes
were another story. Since I will still live part time in the area and pay taxes here I would ask that future budgets make
Mercer Park Aquatic Center a little higher priority while more of the Parks & Rec. foundation money be set aside for
some of the purchases outlined above. The citizens and youth of Iowa City deserve to have viable, cost effective,
community based competitive swimming and swim lessons opportunities in updated, clean, and safe venues.
Feel free to contact me by phone with any questions.
3
Donald P. Spellman
Head Coach - Iowa City Eels (Oct. 1st 1998 to Aug. 15th 2020)
1920 Hannah Jo Court
Iowa City, Iowa
Cell: 319-541-2062
Kellie Fruehling
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Kent Ralston
Monday, August 17, 2020 11:24 AM
'david-weldon@uiowa.edu'
Council; Geoff Fruin
380 express
Late Handouts Distributed
e--I-1-ZC
(Date)
Hello Mr. Weldon — Your correspondence was forwarded to me for reply. While Iowa City is not involved with the daily
operations of the 380 Express bus service, our recollection is that a stop in North Liberty was originally going to be
included but was eliminated in order to reduce the route time between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids — making the service
more viable.
Brock Grenis is the Transit Administrator for the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG). ECICOG was
heavily involved with planning the service and Mr. Grenis will be able to provide you with additional information. He
can be contacted directly at brock.grenis@ecicog.org or at 319.365.9941.
Best Regards,
Kent Ralston, AICP
Executive Director I Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County
Transportation Planner I City of Iowa City
410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240
319.356.5253
From: Weldon, David <david-weldon@uiowa.edu>
Sent: Saturday, August 15, 2020 10:24 AM
To: Council <Council@iowa-citv.ore>
Subject: 380 express
A
RISE{
Why doesn't, and never did, the 380 express make stops in North Liberty? That is where many many UIHC
workers live who now have to drive. I thought the 380 was supposed to relieve traffic on roads between CR
and IC. North Liberty is a major contributor to that traffic.
Kellie Fruehling
From: Audrey Haught <audreyhaught@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2020 2:25 PM
To: Council Late Handouts Distributed
Subject: Olde Towne Village
—(— Z.0
1 (Date)
City Council:
I live in Olde Towne Village on the corner of Rochester Ave and Scott Boulevard. In the construction of this Business
and Residential sub -division the Developer was to install a storm water/wetland detention area. This plan had the City of
IC responsible for construction of berms and ponds, the COE (Corp of Engineers) responsible for the trees and grasses. The
permit was effective May 4, 2005 — the expiration December 31, 2010, at that time if approved it would transfer to the
Homeowners Assoc. and Business Assoc. for maintenance and up keep.
We've been dealing with this eye sore since 2008 when the City & COE didn't hold the developer to the Agreements of
Development. Myself, other Board Members, as well as residents of Old Towne Village have spoken to many with the City
of IC. I've was also contacting the COE. In 2019, the Developer bought out of the wetland project.
I met with Mayor Teague and Mazahir Salih at my home to discuss these matters in December, 2019. In March, 2020
Bruce Teague and Mazahir Salih told me they were discussing with departments what to do. June, 2020 Mayor Teague
told me he would get back to me in July with a plan. It is now the 17th of August and we've heard nothing. I called Mazahir
on August 7th; she said she would call me back. That didn't happen.
I left a group message to the City Council months ago for someone to call or meet me to access the situation, but no
callers. What's aggravating is Our PROBLEM out here doesn't seem to matter to ANYONE with the City Council. Residents
of Olde Towne Village have had to endure flooded streets, flooded basements, sump pumps continually running and other
problems. I again, invite anyone on the Council to come and look at this and explain why we have been forgotten.
Russell Haught
Iowa City
Kellie Fruehlin
From: Rod Sullivan <rsullivan@co johnson.ia.us>
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2020 3:40 PM
To: jlundell@coralville.org'; 'jdodds@coralville.org'; 'mfoster@coralville.org';
'lgoodrich @coralville.org'; 'mgross@coralville.org'; Council;
'brent.smith@northlibertyiowa.org'; 'chris.hoffman@northlibertyiowa.org';
'brian.wayson@north Iibertyiowa.org'; 'annie.pollock@northlibertyiowa.org';
'raquishia.harrington@north Iibertyiowa.org'; 'mayor@ north Iibertyiowa.org'
Subject: CAREN law
Late Handouts Distributed
M
This message was sent securely using Zix
Dear Councilors and Mayors:
Greetings. Rod Sullivan here. I wanted to share these links with you:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/caren-act-san-francisco-racially-motivated-911-calls-karen/
https://globalnews.ca/news/7153151/karen-law-caren-act-911-san-francisco/
Some of you responded when I sent this (below) earlier; others did not. Whatever the case, I really hope you will
consider something along these lines. I still believe this is a good idea.
In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, I thought it might be worth resurrecting
an idea I had back in 2014.
I was working with LaTasha DeLoach. You may know LaTasha as the Director of the
Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center. You may recall that she was a member of the
ICCSD Board of Directors (elected 2015). You may know her as a founder of G World.
Well, at the time, she worked for Johnson County Social Services. And one of her duties
at Johnson County was serving as the Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC)
Coordinator for Johnson County. Several counties (Johnson being one) were under a
federal consent decree to do something about the disproportionate numbers of people of
color in the juvenile justice system. It was a long slog of building trust, creating data
sets that did not exist previously, and slowly adopting policies. But over LaTasha's time
at Johnson County, we made measurable progress toward our DMC goals. We did not fix
everything, mind you. But we made measurable progress.
I was impressed by her work, but the consent decree was limited. I wanted to do
something about DMC in our adult systems. While LaTasha could not work on adult
issues per her grant, she volunteered to help me dig into our DMC issues. This was
magnificent, because she is possessed of knowledge and skills I simply do not have.
1
We knew DMC was bad in our adult system. It still is. So we began looking at where
disparities come from. As it turned out, we found a common theme. Officers and
command staff from every law enforcement agency in Johnson County had some
variation of the same response: "We go where we are told." The single biggest problem
we had in dispatch was what we can now call the "Amy Cooper" problem.
You remember Amy Cooper? She is the white woman who threatened a black man that
she would call the cops and falsely accuse him. In fairness, most of the calls in Johnson
County were not as egregious as Amy Cooper. But the calls were things like, "A black
man is loitering outside my house." "Black kids appear to be up to no good." "'I don't like
the looks of this guy."
It is not hard to see how this creates more DMC. If cops are always being called on you,
you are going to have ramifications. Maybe you are just a bit intoxicated. Maybe you
have a small amount of weed. Maybe you missed a court date. Maybe you owe the
courts some money. Maybe you simply push back against what you rightfully view as
harassment. There are a million things that can turn an otherwise -innocuous stop into
charges and/or an arrest. An arrest that frankly, didn't need to happen.
Once dispatch orders a car to check a situation out, the cops are on their way. It is
already too late. So we began looking at dispatch.
In Johnson County, law enforcement is dispatched by the Joint Emergency
Communications Center (JECC). JECC runs out of a building behind Chatham Oaks on
ground that was part of the Historic County Poor Farm. JECC is overseen by a 7 -person
board that includes the Sheriff, the Emergency Management Director, a County
Supervisor, two Iowa City representatives, a rep from Coralville, and a rep from North
Liberty. That group hires a Director (Tom Jones), who then hires staff.
LaTasha and I met with Tom. He shared some of the challenges of doing dispatch. Yes,
the dispatchers could start asking more questions, but every extra question takes
valuable time. And dispatch is all about quick responses. It was also interesting to hear
Tom say that JECC sometimes got racist complaints. Callers sometimes said things like,
"There is a (N -word) in my neighborhood." He estimated that there might be a dozen or
more 911 calls every year that were explicitly racist. Granted, that is a very small
percentage of the thousands of calls they receive. But I still found it shocking.
So, what to do? LaTasha and I presented to the JECC Board, and requested that they
come up with some type of response. I was thinking along the lines of the way in which
fire departments deal with false alarms. You get one free, and after that, you are
charged a fee for wasting public resources. Perhaps we could have law enforcement
officers follow back up with people who made sketchy complaints. Explain to them that
they were wasting public resources, and warn them that if they did so again, they would
be getting a ticket for interference with official acts, filing a false report, or some other
charge.
z
I asked that the JECC Board, individual cities, and County consider this policy. It went
nowhere. I think the time for an "Amy Cooper" law might be right now. I am going to
send this to the various entities involved in JECC. What are your thoughts?
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