HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-04-26 TranscriptionApril 26, 2010 City Council Regular Work Session
Council Present: Bailey, Champion, Dickens, Hayek, Mims, Wilburn, Wright
Staff Present: Helling, Dilkes, Fosse, Karr, Moran, Hightshoe, Morris, Davidson
Others Present: Shipley, UISG
Council Appointments:
Hayek/ Why don't we go ahead and get started. Marian, you wanted to mention something.
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Karr/ Yes. I wanted to just note that, uh, we'll be adding an item to the Consent Calendar setting
a public hearing to approve the purchase agreement, ahh, with the VanMeter Industries
for Lot 10 of the north Airport development. There' 11 be some more information before
you tomorrow night but we wanted to go ahead with setting the public hearing on the
land purchase...on the Consent Calendar. Okay?
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ Thanks!
Hayek/ Okay. Next up is Council appointments. We've got, uh, two vacancies in Planning and
Zoning, as you've (mumbled) the packet.
Wright/ (mumbled) (noise on mic) Sorry! I caught it myself. I'd really like to see us reappoint,
uh, both Wally and Michelle. Um, they both bring a different perspective. Uh, Wally's
that of a... someone in a small business, and uh, Michelle, of course, is, uh, from a larger
business perspective, and they just have a lot I think that they've each added to the
Commission.
Champion/ Ditto!
Bailey/ I'm comfortable with that.
Champion/ (several talking) good candidates. I hope they don't get discouraged.
Wright/ Yeah, we did.
Bailey/ Yeah, I thought it was good -good to see so many people apply.
Mims/ Yeah, I would just comment, I mean, I have nothing against either one of these
(mumbled, noise on mic) but we have five year terms. I have a real concern with
reappointing somebody after five year term and that it... it really starts limiting how many
people can get involved in some of these things, and so given that, I mean, I would
certainly want to see Michelle reappointed because she's just finishing out a term, and
again, this is absolutely no reflection on individual, more kind of a policy and process of
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how long people serve. I'd rather see somebody new appointed, um, in Wally's place.
(several talking) ...serves ten years, we're not giving other people an opportunity.. .
Bailey/ Complexity of this commission, I think at five you're just getting the hang of it.
Wright/ It's also a large enough commission that there is turnover...
Champion/ People drop out because of the length too, don't you think?
Bailey/ Yeah. I mean, that's what happ...I mean, Michelle is...serving an unexpired term.
Hayek/ Well, it sounded like there were four. So...okay, sounds like there's majority support
for, uh, reupping the two current members. Okay, um...agenda items. (several talking)
Agenda items not on tonight's agenda. (mumbled) chance to look at it.
Agenda Items:
Dickens/ Is there going to be time to talk tomorrow on the...the machines, there was going to
be...I don't know if they're coming tonight or tomorrow on the...on the bars, you know,
the little tab machines. Is that going to be...
Karr/ That's tonight. That's on tonight (several talking)
Champion/ It's on, uh...(several talking)
Dickens/ Will there be any discussion tomorrow on it, or is it just...
Karr/ Not...they certainly could come during public discussion...
Dickens/ During public discussion.
Hayek/ It's not on the agenda for tomorrow.
Karr/ It's not on the agenda. You could share that with them, but tonight you're scheduled to
talk about it.
Hayek/ Anything else?
ITEM 26. CONSIDER A MOTION APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF A
STUDENT LIAISON AND ALTERNATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
IOWA GOVERNMENT (UISG) TO THE CITY COUNCIL MAY 1, 2010
UNTIL MAY 1, 2011.
Shipley/ Uh, we...I guess...item 26, um, I guess it's my last meeting. I was just wondering, I
remember last year, uh, I was expected to give a speech (mumbled) and I remember Tyler
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Gunn speaking too. I don't know if we do that in public comment or...I don't know. I
was just wondering what...refresh the, what happens (mumbled) supposed to tell the guy.
Champion/ Oh, I see!
Bailey/ It's a tap dance and...um (laughter) yeah, it's a whole routine!
Karr/ It's an item on your agenda, it's the last item. You certainly have the prerogative to move
it, by motion you can move it up farther to the beginning of the meeting, if you so desire.
It's up to you tomorrow night.
Wright/ And that would be the point where Jeff could give a speech.
Karr/ That would be the time that they would be...you would be acting on his appointment, yes.
Hayek/ Why don't we just do it during the item so (both talking) yeah. I'm not sure it matters,
but...but it'd be a little more efficient I think to keep them both together. Course if you
do really well your replacement's going to (laughter) Is that okay, Jeff?
Shipley/ Yeah, sure, whatever you guys want!
ITEM 5. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
g) Correspondence.
11. Gerald Sorokin and Jeffrey Portman: Speaker sponsored by the
Human Rights Commission
Bailey/ I did have one, uh, it was an item of course (mumbled) trying to find it. It was regarding
the Human Rights Commission.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Bailey/ Um, I think their point was valid about the Human Rights, um, Commission. If they're
going to sponsor...uh, speakers that they have some kind of standards or policies about
how they do that sponsorship.
Dickens/ Is that for the Senior Center you're...or (several talking)
Bailey/ No, this is the Human Rights Commission (several talking)
Wright/ Human Rights Commission, the letter about the speaker.
Bailey/ And, um, and I think their first point is also well taken, that the Human Rights
Commission has a very specific task and call, um, and it has moved outside of that for
sure, and I think that that's something that merits discussion as well.
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Hayek/Yeah, I, uh, I noted that as well. I called, uh, Jerry Sorokin this afternoon, the Director of
Hillel, just to acknowledge that that we'd received it and asked him if he had any new
information. He thinks it may be on Human Rights Commission agenda in May, for
(several talking)
Helling/ Yeah, I think it will be, uh, that letter...they met last Tuesday night, and the letter came
too late for them to put it on their agenda (mumbled)
Hayek/ Okay.
Helling/ My understanding is that they will talk about (mumbled)
Bailey/ Is clarifying the parameters...
Karr/ Excuse me, one second. We're having some audio difficulties and they are taking some
adjustments, but can you all please wear your microphone in a little bit closer. Susan's is
fine, but a little bit higher up. Thank you (several talking) higher toward where you're
speaking. That's it, thank you (several talking and laughing)
Bailey/ Um, would there be an opportunity when we discuss boards and commissions in July
to...to, um, look at...look at these kinds of concerns after they've had a chance to discuss
it on...on the Human Rights' agenda in May. I'd be interested in doing that.
Hayek/ Yeah, I'm open to it as well. I, uh, I'm not interested in...in, you know, by dictating
programming or anything like...
Bailey/ No, not at all, but I want to see what they come up with. There are some clear
parameters for why the commission exists. Do we need to revisit those? Do we need to
have a discussion and clarification? They have been, um, pretty active in the community,
I think in ways that are not the original purpose of the commission. If that's the direction
they're going perhaps we need to clarify and codify that.
Wright/ I think that's appropriate.
Mims/ That's fine!
Bailey/ Okay, so if that could just fold into our boards and commissions discussion, I think that
that would be the thing to do.
Hayek/ I don't know if that's the best timing (mumbled) I have no problem with that.
Helling/ That's fine. We'll make sure...
Bailey/ I mean that's scheduled for July. This will get...
Champion/That will be after their meeting.
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Helling/ (several talking) we'll make sure you have their minutes by then.
Bailey/ Perfect!
Hayek/ Great!
Bailey/ Thank you.
Hayek/ Anything else on the agenda? Hearing none, why don't we pass on to Parks and
Recreation affiliate fees.
Parks & Rec Affiliate Fees (A~enda #15):
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ITEM 15. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A REVISED SCHEDULE
OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES
AND PROGRAMS.
Moran/ Mr. Mayor, Council, thank you. Uh, I sent some information in your packet about, uh, a
new proposal for the Parks and Recreation Commission, uh, something that's probably
never been heard of before and so everybody, um, get fairly excited about it. The process
started with the budget process last year, uh, it was, uh, recommended at that time that we
charge an affiliate fee, uh, we didn't need to do that, but Members of the Commission
and staff wanted to keep pursuing that. Uh, they invited, staff came up with some, uh,
policies to look at and review, uh, the Commission invited a couple of, uh, affiliate
groups to come in at two different locations to have some discussions with the affiliate
fees, and after that we...we came up with the policy that...that we're proposing right
now. It's, uh, 10% of their actual usage of facilities that they don't currently pay for right
now. Uh, the thing that was hanging up a lot of the facilities was, uh, or a lot of the
affiliate groups was the amount of money that they donated. That was a big deal,
especially for Kickers, because they have contributed over $418,000 to us in the last 15 to
20 years. Uh, and Commission felt fairly strongly that they still needed to pay a partial
amount of that service and so what they, uh, came up with that I think I imposed on you
was, if they give us a... a monetary donation on an annual basis, which Kickers still does,
and it's equal to or greater than the amount of their fees, then that fee would be waived.
Champion/ I thought that was a really good compromise, cause there was a lot of concern about
that.
Moran/ Yeah.' And...and Kickers annually has been giving us anywhere between $5,000 and
$10,000 a year, which we just kick back into the facility. We buy player benches or
playground equipment or, you know, new nets, stuff like that. So, uh, that's where it's at
right now. Uh, the other thing that we've talked about is that they were, the Commission
was somewhat interested in maybe looking at a fee getting to 40%, similar to what the
recreation division does with their fees over the course of eight years, every other year.
They decided instead of doing that, because that is sort of a scary figure for...for
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volunteer groups with kids, is that they would just invite the affiliate groups into
Commission meetings once a year and just sit down and have an evaluation with them,
see how things are going, what they want done, what they want us to do, and then we'll
take that and we'll start at 10% and it may stay there. It may go away, or it may increase.
We left the options open so it wouldn't be a mandated increase every other year.
Mims/ I really like that. I think just the increased communication keeps everybody on the same
page and hopefully avoids any problems or dissention down the road.
Moran/ Yeah, there's a little bit of that now going on, but you know, we'll work that out and try
to get so that they understand what the process was and we've been trying to share budget
numbers with them so they really understand how much it actually costs us to take care of
these facilities, and to provide some of the best facilities in the state for `em.
Champion/ Well, I think it's fair that they pay something, um, outside of donations. I mean, the
donations are great, but none of us get to use City facilities without paying for them,
and...cause those are large groups. So I think it sounds fair. Although I was against it
before, but now that you've revised it I'm for it.
Dickens/ Has there been any groups that you've talked with that are...think they're going to have
trouble coming up with that 10%?
Moran/ They're concerned, but I don't think they...they think that it's going to be a problem,
because they all work on sponsorships and they all work on other things. They're just
going to have to increase that. Some of them may have to look at their fee structure.
Some of their fee structures are fairly low too. And we wanted to start this process early
and it won't go into effect until their next season, so it didn't come on `em right away and
then they didn't have to scramble to do that. They knew about it, and now they're going
to have to take that into account so when they plan for next year it'll be...
Champion /Can you give me an approximate number that it would cost most of those
organizations?
Moran/ Uh, running the numbers, uh, Kickers is the largest organization. Of course they have
two seasons, uh, they play in the fall and the spring, and according to their numbers based
on last year, uh, their fee would be $2,670, and that's the largest one. The boys' baseball
and girls' softball and Babe Ruth would pay considerably less, based on their usage.
Hayek/ Are there any groups that are situated similarly to, uh, to the Kickers in that they made a
massive past contribution to infrastructure and...
Moran/ Well, it depends on your definition of mass, uh, because girls' softball has contributed,
give or take, about $65,000, uh, to light fields and to do things. Boys' baseball's
contributed, uh, they all have really contributed, Babe Ruth, but just not to the extent of
Kickers. Uh, Kickers far and away is...is the biggest contributor to our programs.
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Hayek/ And I don't know how you quantify that anyway, I mean, boys' baseball's been around
for probably over half a century, and uh...
Moran/ And that was the problem the Commission had is that they just couldn't come up with a
way to...to really quantify that as...they didn't want to tie it to money and then be held
hostage to that, so they just said, well, everybody needs to pay, and then if you donate
every year, we' 11 waive that fee.
Hayek/ Has this...have you gotten feedback from Kickers on...on the current, uh, proposal?
Moran/ Yes. Yeah, and not many of `em are very happy about it, and I think it's just the initial
trying to raise money and cover that $2,000 to $3,000 initially, and they're...they're hurt
that we would go back to them and ask for a fee after that donation. So I think it's more
of a...a semantic issue than it is just the fee itself.
Hayek/ But in the case of Kickers, they're already doing that, and your proposal essentially
makes it a wash.
Moran/ Right. But they wanted to play for free...forever, for the amount of money that they
donated. So they consider that as a fee, and they consider that going back on... a long
time ago, in 2000, ten years ago, we considered a memorandum of understanding. I think
they sent some of that stuff to (several talking) and even if that would have been
orchestrated, that didn't say that they were going to get it for free forever. The terms of
that would have changed, so I think the mindset of the City at that time was, yes, they
could play for free. Well, now the mindset's changed and so I think that's what they're
having issues with is why ten years ago was it play for free and now all of a sudden we
have to pay...pay to play.
Dickens/ They had initial contract and then they had a revised contract or something that was
never signed.
Moran/ Right.
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Moran/ Yeah, it was never executed (mumbled)
Bailey/ Do we anticipate having, um, affiliate groups, or other groups join this list, or is this...are
we done with these types of relationships?
Moran/ Uh, I think we're pretty much done with those types of relationships. These, almost all
these relationships were established even before I started some 27 years ago.
Bailey/ Well, some of them are relatively new, I mean, Dog PAC, Riverside Theater.
Moran/ Right, and those are all ones that have an asterisk by `em...
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Bailey/ Right.
Moran/ ...where we've constructed different arrangements than what we had with, uh, anybody
else.
Champion/ And do you take into consideration, like I noticed Project GREEN is on this list, and
they do a tremendous amount of donated work to the City.
Moran/ Right, and that'd be the same way as a donation of anybody else. There's a dollar
attachment to that.
Bailey/ So if there are groups, for example if another sports group wants to have some kind of
relationship with the City, we would...we would enter into that similar to...to the ways
we've entered into agreements with Dog PAC and Riverside Theater, on a case-by-
case...
Moran/ Right.
Bailey/ ...what they need, what the, um, capitol improvement would look like. Okay.
Hayek/ Anything else on this...item? It's up tomorrow night so we'll hear from them then.
Moran/ Yeah. I'll be here tomorrow if you have any questions.
Hayek/ Okay, thanks. Downtown soliciting and smoking regulations.
Downtown Soliciting /Smoking Regulations (Agenda #11 & #12):
ITEM 11. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 8, ENTITLED
"POLICE REGULATIONS," CHAPTER 5, ENTITLED
"MISCELLANEOUS OFFENSES," SECTION 2, ENTITLED
"AGGRESSIVE PANHANDLING," TO PROHIBIT SOLICITING FOR
MONEY IN LIMITED AREAS IN THE DOWNTOWN. (FIRST
CONSIDERATION)
ITEM 12. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 6, ENTITLED
"PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY," CHAPTER 10, ENTITLED "SMOKE
~~
FREE PLACES, TO PROHIBIT SMOKING THROUGHOUT CITY
PLAZA AND NEAR SIDEWALK CAFES AND TO MAKE THE
SMOKING PROHIBITION AT THE FARMERS MARKET CONSISTENT
WITH THE EXPANSION IN HOURS AND LOCATION. (FIRST
CONSIDERATION)
Davidson/ Council.
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Dilkes/ I think the memos that I gave you are fairly self-explanatory, but I'll just run through `em
real quick. Okay. Um...I have reviewed the proposed changes to the ordinance, with the
DTA, and they find them to be acceptable. Um, as I explain in the, uh, in the memo,
we've kind of divided the downtown now into two sections. One the pedestrian mall and
one the, um, area outside the pedestrian mall, and remember for purposes of this
ordinance, downtown is the central downtown, but also is the North Marketside area and
the southside, immediate southside area. Um, so in the pedestrian mall, to kind of
simplify things, we have identified a strip, um...(mumbled) that's attached to the
ordinance. Yeah. In zone 3 ... which will be the allowable area for panhandling, um,
rather than trying to have 10 feet or 15 feet or 20 feet or whatever it is from every
entrance and... and exit. Um, and so that has allowed us to eliminate the, um, distances
from the playground, sidewalk cafes. We've gone through the map downtown and
looked at where the sidewalk cafes are and determined that that restriction will no longer
be necessary, if you go with the strip down the middle. Um, we did leave the ATM, the
20 feet from the ATM in. The 10 feet from the mobile vendor and the 15, and then we
also added a 15 feet from another solicitor in the ped mall. Um...outside the ped mall,
we...you have a map here that we've given you that shows the widths of the...of the
sidewalks in the rest of the immediate downtown area, and um, I was comfortable with
changing it to, instead of 10 feet from the building entrance or exit, 10 feet from the
building face, um, as being the restriction. Um, and then the additional restrictions
remain, 10 feet from sidewalk cafe, 20 feet from ATM, etc. We also added, um, a
restriction on...within 15 feet of a crosswalk. Those seem to be, um, some of the
problem areas. Uh, and we went through a number of ways to measure and...around
crosswalks and...and we came up with this one, and I really hope you don't change it!
(laughter) Or if you do, you can (laughing) take a measurement out there and try to
figure out where it all is. So, it's 15 feet from any...piece of the crosswalk, going any
direction. Um, we had originally had it angling to the buildings, but some crosswalks are
not, there's only going one direction and not the other direction, and that didn't work
very well. So...that's what we ended up with, and then we added a restriction on, um,
the distance, uh, between solicitors. And, we...added an additional aggressive behavior,
and that's using a sign with obscene, profane, or abusive language to solicit. Non-
smoking areas are pretty simple, um, we just made the entire, um, ped mall...excluding
the alleys. The alleys are not really part of the ped mall, but just for clarity we have
excluded those. Um, and then adding the restriction for 10 feet from sidewalk cafes
outside...the ped mall.
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Champion/ It is simple, but I have a few problems with it. Um...I'm wondering what's going to
happen after 10:00 at night when people are in the bars. I mean, are they all going to start
smoking in front of, um, other businesses, like Herteen and Stocker, um, the Steakhouse,
Joseph's, uh, the yoga place. I mean, I...going to move the problem, I think, directly to
somebody else.
Dilkes/ That's a discussion that we had with the DTA. Um, the DTA originally proposed just the
ped mall as non-smoking, and when we met with them we raised the issue of, you know,
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you need to think about the fact that you will likely move smokers to other places. Um,
they talked about that, as I understand it, and um, they decided they just wanted it in the
ped mall, and that's their perspective (both talking)
Dickens/ ...always full anyway. It doesn't matter, you know... they come around the corner
cause they're out of the wind there so, I mean, it's a regular thing we just clean up and
it's going to continue.
Hayek/ Same with us.
Dickens/ Be a little worse.
Champion/ It's terrible, the litter.
Dickens/ Well, we can move some of the, uh, since there's no smoking in the ped mall, we can
move maybe some of those cigarette butt things around, over onto Washington Street or
around those areas that people can at least attempt to use them.
Champion/ No, they don't use them, and that's the problem.
Dilkes/ Remember it was Council that decided you wanted it 24 hour.
Champion/ I know.
Dilkes/ (both talking) DTA only wanted it during...
Champion/ ...till 10:00 wasn't it, at night? I think that's a, uh...
Davidson/ I think it was related to the loitering behavior during the day.
Champion/ Exactly, exactly! And that's why I'm concerned about this after 10:00, is...what's
going to happen? I guess we'll wait and see.
Bailey/ Right. And make adjustments accordingly.
Champion/ Yeah, yeah.
Wright/ I actually have more concerns with the panhandling, uh, restrictions, just from an
enforcement perspective. This gets pretty darned arcane!
Bailey/ It is pretty...
Wright/ How in the world that this can be enforceable. Are we going to paint the sidewalks red
and green?
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Dilkes/ Well, we had a lengthy discussion with the DTA about enforcement, and um, expressed
our concerns about, uh, adding additional restrictions when we...there hasn't been a lot
of enforcement of the existing one, and the reasons for that, that it's just not...the Police
Department was there to express their concerns about having to step up enforcement in
that area, given the limited resources, and the response we got from the DTA was that it
would be self-enforcing, and they would not...they were not worried about enforcement.
Davidson/ They seemed to understand fully that there's not going to be police officers down
there dedicated to the panhandling and no-smoking ordinance, that it'll be done on a
complaint basis, as it is now. You'll recall there's been zero citations issued (several
talking) aggressive solicitation ordinance because generally the people comply with the
request by the officer. Not generally - in all cases, um, so they seem to understand that,
and as Eleanor said, and...and you will note the brochure that...that was attached to the
materials you received from me, and by the way, that's a tri-fold brochure but that's the
way it lays out, um, and we can discuss that in a second, but uh, that was something
specifically that the DTA membership requested, so that they can have them in their
stores, hand them out as needed, or...or if for no other reason than just to educate their
membership too, so that they can tell people, and we've even... a number of the DTA
members said that they've also had relatively good compliance when they've asked
solicitors to, uh, you know, when they've said, `You're scaring people,' or...or `You're
keeping people from my business,' that generally they've had people comply with...with
moving down a ways, and that this would just formalize that (mumbled)
Dilkes/ Mike, I don't think that enforcement really becomes more difficult with these changes.
In fact in the ped mall I think it becomes simpler.
Helling/ I think that's right. I think...probably in terms of how many feet are they from this door
or that door or whatever. You can tell pretty clearly where the fire lane is as soon as you
walk down there and look down the street, and...and...
Wright/ Yeah, the ped mall angle does not...not the one that really was of such concern, but•the
other areas where we had all the different measurements and...
Dilkes/ Well, but they already did. I mean, that's not a change.
Wright/ Well, it is a change in terms of the distances.
Dilkes/ But it actually simplifies it, because it's 10 feet from the building face now. It's not 10
feet from every entrance and exit. So I...I don't think the enforcement becomes more
comp...more complicated with these changes.
Champion/ It's easier maybe.
Dickens/ Yeah, it's already improved a little bit I would day, just because when we put in the
aggressive, or you put in the aggressive, uh, being on a corner, that's very popular, we've
had less and less problems. I mean, there's still people there, but it has gotten better I
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would say, so I think this will help it to the next level, cause it...it is still a problem. We
still have our customers complaining, but I think this will make it easier for us even to go
out and say, you know, move along and if they don't, then we file a complaint.
Davidson/ Any further questions about the proposed ordinance changes?
Shipley/ Is it going to affect street performers at all or is that (mumbled)
Dilkes/ A street performer who is asking for a donation of money, yes, would be covered.
Shipley/ Okay.
Dilkes/ An immediate donation of money. It applies to any solicitor. It would apply to someone
from the dance marathon who has a bucket who they're asking for immediate donations
(mumbled)
Shipley/ If someone's just performing street magic and has a hat on the curb, that's also
soliciting?
Dilkes/ Uh-huh. If they're performing street magic without a hat on the curb it's not.
Champion/ They can wear their hat upside down! (laughter)
Hayek/ Other questions on these, uh, two prohibitions?
Davidson/ By the way, we have had complaints about street performers.
Wilburn/ (mumbled) are some people that are soliciting funds for, um, dance-a-thon and other
things that can be just as aggressive.
Dilkes/ I don't think there's any way that you...in my opinion, that you can distinguish between
someone playing a guitar and asking for money and somebody sitting there asking for
money, constitutionally.
Davidson/Anything else about the proposed ordinance changes, or should we move on to the
meter donation program?
Champion/ I love the parking meters!
Davidson/ Okay, well, let's just talk real briefly about this. We...we just want to make sure that
you're comfortable with all aspects of the program, and that there's nothing you would
like to change (mumbled) we have...this is generated by us so we can do whatever we
want with it. You did ask that we prepare a metered donation program, which some other
cities have in the country have used, uh, they feel successfully in reducing, uh, the
amount of aggressive panhandling. Uh, staff has gotten together, and you have some
materials proposing the program. The notion here is obviously to try and get people to
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not, uh, feel like they need to give to panhandlers, reduce the amount of money the
panhandlers are, uh, receiving, and thereby disperse them, um, and...and instead have
people, uh, donate to, uh, out of service parking meters. It'll basically be drop-boxes.
We've proposed to paint them purple so they stand out a little. They'll obviously not be
located near parking areas so...so there won't be any mistaking that they're, uh, (several
talking and laughing) and...and so, you know, hopefully the public will have a means to
donate funds toward services for homeless and lower-income persons. Uh, you can see
the map of the proposed locations. We did have a couple interns go out and just note
where, uh, panhandling was occurring, uh, most frequently. Terry is quite correct that
that intersection of Washington and Dubuque is the highest, uh, the most frequent
location and so we have, uh, you can see proposed, uh, four meters in that vicinity. Uh,
we've also located some then along the pedestrian mall, as well, and then you see the two
intersections with Clinton Street up there, and again, this is simply based on where we
observed, um...um, folks to be panhandling, uh, most frequently, but we certainly can
augment those. I think...I think we have 15 or 18 out of service meters, so we can
augment it if there's a...if there's a desire to do so. Um, we also had suggested to you at
our last meeting that we discussed this that we might use the public art program to
decorate the meters. Uh, there is at least one city, Chattanooga, that has done that, and
they have some pretty exotic looking meters. Uh, Marcia and I talked about the specifics
of that, and it is still in our intention to at least evaluate doing that, but when we
got...setting out atime-line, we realized it was going to add at least two months to...by
the time we put out a call and...and, not to mention the expense. We did feel there'd
need to be some kind of stipend in order to get people interested in it. So, what we're
suggesting doing is simply painting them all purple, and if a majority of Council has a
favorite color that you favor more than purple (laughter) uh, we don't have blue because
that's a handicap meter color, um, but otherwise we're open to anything that a majority of
Council would be interested in. Um, that...that we will...we will simply paint them all
the same color, and you see the proposal in the materials that you received. We've tried
to keep the message positive, uh, as you asked us to do, as well. Um, and what we will
do then is, uh, we will...we will have a spare that we can, uh, we can change out, and one
at a time have the meters decorated as public art. Uh, we'll figure out the specifics of
doing that, but over the course of hopefully the next fiscal year we could do that
and...and just bring a little more vitality to downtown with it, have them actually be...be
pieces of public art. So that's...that's the plan with that. Uh, in terms of the collection
and distribution of the funds, I'll be honest with you. Based on the experiences that other
communities have had, I don't think we're going to collect a lot of money. I would
expect maybe a couple thousand dollars. Denver has 85 meters, and they collected
$15,000 last year. So, you know, hopefully we can get a thousand, couple thousand
dollars, um...you can see the agencies that we are proposing to distribute the money to.
Uh, again, if Council would like to provide us any input, um (mumbled)
Bailey/ How were they chosen?
Davidson/ Pardon me?
Bailey/ How were they chosen?
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Davidson/ Uh, Linda felt that these were the agencies that dealt most directly with the homeless
population and low income population, um, that...that would potentially be folks out
panhandling.
Wilburn/ I think there's, uh, excuse me for interrupting. I think there's another component to
this as we, I mean, this issue came up years ago and one of the concerns I had at the time
was that there's this significant effort at working against, um, Shelter House's attempt to
build a facility designed to address existing homeless needs, and um, and... my concern
was being able to channel and focus an effort, um... cause they also as part of that
have...will have a, my understanding (mumbled) that there would be a drop-in center
component where someone can get counseling, can look for a job, etc., etc. With the
space they currently have, there's no room for that and folks have to get out, uh, when
daytime comes. Um, so although there's still a couple lawsuits out, the building is going
up so I, um...there's a better effort...addressing the community's interest in, um, make
sure that there's resources for, uh, the homeless, and the homeless issue, um, and any
small change that comes from this that would assist with any of the outreach effort
component of it, would make it (both talking)
Davidson/ ...that we did review it with Chrissy Canganelli, and uh, she thinks it's a good...a
good idea.
Champion/ She's been in favor of it for a long time, um, I think also the problem with
panhandlers is they're not all homeless.
Wilburn/ Right, but the...but the, then that's, you know, members of the community want to
see...um, you know, the services and want us to support the services, but not in particular
people that are panhandling that may or may not be homeless, I think that was a part of it
too.
Davidson/ Final thing we just wanted to run by for your approval was the..the brochure that we'll
make available and again, if you have any comments, uh, we welcome those. I'll confess
that we did use, uh, Chattanooga, Tennessee brochure as a pattern. No use reinventing
the wheel and they had a very, very good brochure we thought, so we did use that as an
example. You can see it has a letter from the Mayor, uh, just sort of informing everyone
of what we're trying to do, and um, has the agencies listed also, uh, yeah, has their phone
numbers and...and web addresses, as well, so...
Champion/ I just want to, uh, ask a question. We have one, two, three, four, five different
agencies here. Um, we don't have the Crisis Center down here.
Bailey/ And we don't have Free Med.
Davidson/ (mumbled) Crisis Center.
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Champion/ Um, I mean I...I mean, I'm not saying that these are bad choices, but it seems to me
that the obvious ones are the Shelter House, the Free Medical Clinic, uh, the Free Lunch
program, and the Crisis Center., tat do direct aid. Uh, United Action for Youth, I don't
see how that really fits into the homeless.
Bailey/ Well, when I read the...the meter, um, to fund local human service agencies for food,
medical care, and transportation and other services, those were the ones that I thought of,
because Crisis Center takes care of transportation vouchers, um, Free Med, and then
Crisis Center for food and then naturally Shelter House, but...
Wilburn/ United Action for, um, I would fully support Crisis Center be added, uh, United Action
for Youth does have, uh, a street outreach component and uh, there's...there's several,
uh, 17, 18, 19, 20-year-olds in the ped mall that they do have contact with, and some of
them (mumbled) get involved with, uh, panhandling. Some are doing the music and
asking for money, and dance, etc., etc., etc.
Bailey/ Well, unfortunately my inclination would be to add more, but I mean, we're not
collecting (several talking) part of the problem.
Wilburn/ That was the other...thing I was....
Dickens/ But you're also hoping that if they're listed on here you might get other donations to
`em. That's what they said they, from Chattanooga, they actually got more money
donated because they saw these and money actually came in besides what...
Champion/ I would like to add the Crisis Center. I just think it's...
Bailey/ And I would like to add Free Med.
Davidson/ Crisis Center and Free Med.
Champion/ I mean, I know we're not going to get that much money, but....maybe we can do a
lottery each year or something so somebody gets more than $10.
Davidson/ ...even have a blank panel, so that we can...we can (several talking) we'll add those
two? (several talking) All right. Any other, uh, any other things that you would like to
comment on, or propose to modifying, for the meter donation program?
Champion/ I really like the idea. You did a good job, thank you!
Mims/ Uh-huh!
Hayek/ I commend you guys on...on all the aspects, uh, of this, working with the other
departments and especially the DTA has really streamlined this. Uh, we're done with our
discussion already! (laughter) Proof is in the pudding!
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Dilkes/ Just one more reminder, um, remember that...that we don't have panhandling, or
solicitation, restrictions outside of the downtown generally. Um, that... except for
aggressive, the aggressive behaviors, um, and if there's a safety issue or a interference
with traffic, but we've had some recent calls about folks in the median. Council did look
at that a few years ago, and decided not to prohibit persons from being in the median.
So...
Hayek/ I have to say, that's the thing I hear most about, outside of downtown is...
Dickens/ Riverside Drive...(several talking)
Dilkes/ And...and the way...the way the ordinance is written now, you really have to...just
standing there is...we have to identify and be able to prove in court a safety problem.
Somebody actually going out into the traffic or stopping traffic, that kind of thing, so
there was a proposal by the Police Department a few years ago to actually just prohibit
panhandlers from being in that location and the Council decided against that, so that's
still the status.
Hayek/ Well, at some point we may want to look at that too. Okay. Thanks, we'll move on.
Next is reallocation of $220,000.
Champion/ How soon will this go, these parking meters go in?
Davidson/ Um...
Champion/ How fast can you spray paint them?
Davidson/ (laughter) we're going to do it all in...excuse me! All in-house. Probably the thing
that'll take the longest is getting the...the decals or the signs. You know, hopefully
within a couple weeks, I would hope. Few weeks.
Hayek/ Does this purple look kind of like Ross' shirt purple or Fran Tarkington (laughter) sort of
Vikings purple?
Davidson/ We had (several talking) it's more the deeper purple, the deeper purple.
Wright/ Minnesota Vikings purple.
Bailey/ Yeah! Purple, not lavender.
Davidson/ Yeah, not lavender, more of a purple. But again, again, we looked (several talking
and laughing)
Shipley/ That's a good color (several talking and laughing)
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Dilkes/ One more reminder, remember the ordinance changes don't go into effect till you adopt
them, so we need three readings of that. If you collapse on MaylOth, that would be
(mumbled)
Hayek/ Hi, Tracy!
Reallocation of $220,000 CDBG/Home Funds (5;;(9) & IP2 of 4/22):
Hightshoe/ Hello! Um, there's a staff memo and a letter from the Housing Fellowship in your
packet. Basically, um, the Housing Fellowship was awarded $220,000 in Home and
CDBG funds in our fiscal year 10 allocation round. They have...based on the
unsuccessful or delayed projects policy, they have...if they're applying for outside
funding, such as low income housing tax credits, or state home funds, you have to apply
in the next available round, um, the Housing Fellowship outlined the reasons why they
did not apply for the funds, um, in the memo. This is the same project that, um, they did
a site request on Muscatine that you reviewed, um, a month or so ago. Uh, that location
was denied. The Housing Fellowship is currently looking for another location to
combine for one low income housing tax credit application with, um, units found in
North Liberty, so it'd be a joint Iowa City/North Liberty application. Um, the Housing
Community and Development Commission had it on their agenda in March, um, to
discuss the reuse of these funds. So basically happens is if you don't apply in the next
available round, um, the policy, the Council...the internal City policy is that you
recapture the funds, and then HCDC looks at, um, if to reallocate the reuse of funds. Um,
they look at it. The Housing Fellowship did a presentation, um, the basic reason why
they didn't apply is because the tax credit problem, or the tax credit application, the tax
credits had been devalued, um, they thought it was best because you incur...you incur
thousands of dollars in applying for an application if you're not ready in pre-development
costs, so they're going to wait a year and apply next year when they hope that the market
has stabilized and the tax credit improves. Um, HCDC recommended the reuse of these
funds by retaining it with the Housing Fellowship, allowing them the next year to find a
site, uh, that request has to go before Council.
Champion/ Um... so we're just postponing this a year, basically. Just keeping the money in, for
them.
Hightshoe/ Yes.
Champion/ But it would not be used at the Muscatine site.
Hightshoe/ Yes. (both talking) They will look for another site.
Champion/ And we would approve that site?
Hightshoe/ It would be based on your saying that, uh, (mumbled) encouraged by the, for
affordable housing opportunities, if they find a site within that area, then they don't have
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to come back to Council. If they find a site not within those areas, then they have to
come back for Council approval.
Hayek/ (several talking) as last time.
Wright/ ...and then across the street, they wouldn't have had to come to Council for our
approval.
Bailey/ They would be moving ahead.
Hayek/ (several talking)
Bailey/ I think it makes smart...it's smart for them to hold off, given the market right now.
Hayek/ On some level I...I would have liked to explore other eligible applications from this
round, but my sense is that there just really aren't many eligible ones.
Hightshoe/ ... $220,000 would be difficult. I mean, it's possible if you want to basically fully
fund the most applications.
Champion/ My concern about approving this at this point is that I feel strongly that I don't want
any more of this housing in generally the east side of Iowa City. That's my concern.
Hayek/ Well, there's a...there's an existing criteria that brings certain site selections back to us,
um, but...
Bailey/ But not the entire east side.
Hayek/ Not the entire east side, and that's what's going to be taken up later this year. Or
wouldn't be taken up until the other housing issues we've scheduled for... for discussion
come up.
Dickens/ The inclusionary and...that...(several responding)
Champion/ But if that Muscatine site had been across the street they wouldn't have had to come
to us. (several responding)
Wright/ But that's Council's policy, Connie. (mumbled) We have to go back and revise the
policy, and we're probably not in a position to do that tonight.
Champion/ No, I know we're not.
Hightshoe/ That was also a unique opportunity. That was to redevelop a site. Typically for low
income housing tax credits you need vacant land. So it's abnormal for us to get a site
where demolition is taken care of, cause that adds cost. So what you're looking for, what
probably...what you're going to see, if they find a site, it'll be vacant land, and that's
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probably, um, on your outskirts of town, where there's still developable land instead of
in-fill lots. I mean, I can't guarantee but that's what we typically see.
Hayek/ I'm...I think the majority already is, but I'm also okay with...with, uh, approving the
HCDC, uh, recommendation. Okay.
Champion/ One more question. When we discuss the housing further down the line will we be
able to change our criteria before they go into this project?
Wright/ Wouldn't that kind of be pulling the rug out from under them half-way through? They
may have already found some land by then.
Hightshoe/ If they found a site, and the Council approved, and we enter an agreement, I think
that would be a legal issue, I mean, if we...
Dilkes/ I'm...I can only hear about half of what...everybody's saying.
Hightshoe/ If the Housing Fellowship signs...finds a site, get it approved, and we enter a Home
agreement, uh, even if Council changes policy midstream, that agreement's still valid.
Dilkes/ Well, probably, yeah...yeah. I...I don't know when you would be anticipating entering
into such an agreement.
Hightshoe/ We would enter an agreement once the land is found, it's approved site, um,
environmental review's complete, and we would enter agreement at that point.
Champion/ So there's no guarantee that this won't go into the southeast side of Iowa City.
Bailey/ Right.
Hightshoe/ Actually it can't go in the southeast Iowa City. It can't go census tract 18 because
that's an area that (several talking) come back to you first.
Bailey/ It could go across the street from where you don't, I mean, it could go on the east side.
Champion/ I'm not going to support it.
Wright/ Anything east of the river?
Champion/ Well, no, I think there's some areas.
Wright/ Well you said the whole east side so that's why I need the clarification.
Champion/ I guess I mean east...I mean south of Burlington, and Muscatine.
Hightshoe/ Everything south of Highway 6 would have to come back to you for approval.
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Champion/ Oh, okay. Well, I think there's problems around Horn School too so I just think
we've got some big problems.
Dilkes/ I think, I mean, if the Council wants to change that criteria...that we currently have in
place, I mean, it's vague enough as it is and you need to talk about it, sooner rather than
later, and figure out what you're doing with that.
Bailey/ I thought we were going to talk about it sooner rather than later.
Hayek/ Well we are, but...but...
Bailey/ But not tonight.
Hayek/ But not tonight, I mean, the best way to clarify this is to have the conversation, um
(several talking)
Bailey/ ...I would like to enable them to...to move ahead and do this project. I agree with the
recommendation. That's the question we're answering tonight. It's easy enough to
answer.
Helling/ In terms of priorities, if that's something that...your meeting time is limited over the
next few months. If that's priority, high priority, we should know. We can push it out in
front of some of the other things that...
Champion/ It's a high priority for me.
Hayek/ Well it probably is for everyone because there's so much uncertainty. Where is it on the
pending list?
Pendin;; Work Session Issues (IP4):
Dickens/ It doesn't have a date right now. It's the...affordable housing doesn't have...we've got
quite a few things (both talking)
Bailey/ ...on that list cannot be a priority. We'll never get through it all! We'll be...
Helling/ They're all priorities, right?
Bailey/ Yeah, we'll be in meetings all June! (several talking and laughing)
Karr/ IPS in the packet, Matt.
Hayek/ Thanks!
Karr/ IP4
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Wright/ You want to get that on in September? Or not!
Hayek/ We could look at mid to late summer or early fall, probably be the realistic times to...to
do this.
Dickens/ July or August.
Wright/ Not in July or August.
Helling/ Well, I think you have one meeting in July, and then you get back on your schedule
about mid-August.
Bailey/ So are we now talking about pending work...
Hayek/ We might as well...might as well jump! (several talking) Connie, since you raised the
issue, why don't we just, if we can, talk about timing of taking up the housing issues,
which are on the list but don't have a date affixed to them, and while we're on it we'll
talk about...the pending list as it relates to other issues too.
Mims/ Yeah, we just don't have that many meetings. And we've got to find time to hire a city
manager.
Hayek/ Yeah. (mumbled)
Mims/ I'd rather see us start our discussion, cause I think it's going to take us definitely some
time, to...you know, really work through things and get the information we need from
staff, and for us to digest it and talk through it and read some decisions. So yeah, I'd
rather see us start decisions sooner rather than later, but what's realistic, given our
schedule and what we have on our plate?
Davidson/ I apologize, I was talking to a reporter in the hallway, so I'm not up to speed on your
conversation (laughter). I just wanted to make sure Council understood that the only
thing staff has been directed to do was to give, uh, the JCCOG Affordable Housing Task
Force the, it's three or four things, that they were going to discuss and I...I apologize, I
can't, I mean, one of `em was, uh, things that can be done to encourage affordable
housing that are not inclusionary zoning for example, that was one of the items, but that
City staff is not preparing any other information for you on this. You direct us to do so.
Hayek/ Well that would allow us to hold the conversation sooner, since we don't need to wait for
a project to be completed on your end.
Mims/ Well, we might need to have some discussion before we start directing staff...in terms of
what it is we want them to get for us. I mean...
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Bailey/ True! But a staff memo usually guides discussion. A free...a free for all open discussion
is a scary thing, at best, and a horrible thing at worst. So I mean I think we're going to
have to have some parameters to begin the discussion.
Champion/ When does this decision have to be made? For the, um, Housing Fellowship?
Hightshoe/ The Housing Fellowship, it's just if they can retain the funds and keep pursuing the
same project. They do not have a project location right now, um...they would need to
know soon, actually staff needs to know soon because if we take $220,000 we need to
reallocate. We only have a year left to commit. So we are now pressed for time and Dale
just got a letter saying that our Home commitment, um, we need to commit so much
funds by July 31St of this year, so the more, I mean, we're getting return funds of 08, 09,
and 10, so we need to commit funds now. (several talking)
Wright/ We need to take care of that tonight, so that they have something to go with.
Hightshoe/ There is no site location by the Housing Fellowship in front of you tonight.
Champion/ I know that.
Bailey/ Well, I'm supportive of the recommendation that's been made. I think that
they...(several responding) okay. That decision's been made.
Hayek/ We're done, but why, I mean, since we brought it up, why don't we try to identify a time
in 2010 when we can take up the broader issues.
Hightshoe/ I will say that the Housing Fellowship if they don't locate in that, uh, a location by
February, March, then staff gets nervous and then we're bringing it in front of you,
saying they have not committed; now we need other ideas; so we can run through that
annual action plan and then (mumbled) reallocate it to another entity that can commit t he
money fast.
Hayek/ Right, yeah.
Hightshoe/ So if there's any issue there as we...in the months ahead, we'll keep you updated and
we' 11 bring it back.
Hayek/ Okay.
Karr/ If I may, perhaps this'll help. Your meeting schedule is a combined work session and
formal May l Ot", and then a combined work session and formal June 1St because of the
holiday. So, in the absence of a special meeting for this purpose, your next full block of
work session would be the 14t" of June. Of course you can set another date if you'd like,
but I'm just saying with your current schedule that is what you're looking at.
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Helling/ If you look at your, uh, pending list, I added some fine print... at the bottom (several
responding)
Hayek/ Lay over that the city manager, uh, time commitment.
Karr/ Right, but that'll be later than that. It won't be earlier. You're going to discuss that this
evening, but the proposal is for that not to start ti113/4 because May, we just didn't have a
block of time, unless you'd like to revisit May, but that was why we adjusted the
schedule for the other items.
Hayek/ No, what I'm saying is that the summer schedule needs to also anticipate extra work for
city manager search. (several talking)
Wilburn/ Well, I would suggest the 14tH then because even if we can...do a little work on this, it
would behoove us to at least find out where there are areas we are not in agreement, and
also the sooner...uh, if any clarification can be made on the housing policy, that will be
helpful to get done sooner rather than, uh, close to the time when federal funds have to be
applied for and committed. So that, um, applications, funding requests, don't go out with
that issue still up in the air. Clarification for the organizations that might apply (several
talking) housing projects.
Hayek/ You mean June 14tn~
Wilburn/ Yes.
Hayek/ Okay. Is there agreement on that?
Champion/ Yes.
Mims/ That's fine!
Wright/ Sure.
Hayek/ Okay.
Dickens/ (mumbled)
Hayek/ While we've got this...
Wilburn/ Question on that.
Hayek/ Yes, Sir.
Wilburn/ Um, will,..whatever was sent to JCCOG to be discussed, will that be discussed before
the 14tH? Then I would also...maybe if Council could give some thought to, um, past
Councils have addressed, um, how much and what we should wait and look towards the
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other jurisdictions for, uh, around this issue, and um, and there have been no takers on
past concerns, so I guess maybe if Council can give some thought to, um, we have an
identified... group of issues related to housing issues according to a study that we funded,
and shared with the other entities, so maybe just give some thought as to how much
longer you're willing to wait to hear back, whether or not anyone else in JCCOG is going
to ... join the conversation related to housing concerns or not. And so (mumbled) come
up on the 14`n
Wright/ My guess is that JCCOG Affordable Housing group isn't going to meet again until...
Bailey/ I thought they were going to meet before that.
Wright/ They just met...(several talking)
Bailey/ They just met when?
Wright/ April 1St.
Bailey/ Okay.
Davidson/ John did say that the items we requested will be on the next agenda, whenever that
happens to be, and I have to apologize. I don't know when it is either. We...did you say,
Terry, it was the 19cn~
Dickens/ Yeah, that's the next JCCOG meeting.
Davidson/ Is that the Board meeting or.. .
Dickens/ That's a Board meeting.
Davidson/ Okay, that's a Board meeting. (several talking) I'm not sure when the Affordable
Housing (several talking)
Dickens/ ...yeah, they did meet April 1 S`
Wright/ If it's not June I'm guessing that may even go off till September.
Davidson/If there's any other, once you get that meeting scheduled, if there's any other
information you want to have from staff, besides the information that we' 11 receive from
JCCOG, just make sure we know that.
Hayek/ Sounds good.
Helling/ Just so I understand, if it's on the JCCOG agenda...you want, in...May, you want to
wait or you want to wait regardless, even if it's not on until the next meeting after that.
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Hayek/ Well, I think the proposal would be to meet in June so we would at least have...
Helling/ So you want to stay with the June date, regardless.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Helling/ Okay, fine.
Wright/ Linda Severson would probably know when the next Affordable Housing Task Force
Committee is.
Davidson/ Steve Long is actually the representative for the City, I believe, so we'll ask Steve
tomorrow.
Bailey/ Aren't there some memos that initially framed some of the discussion that we didn't
have, I mean, I ... I have concerns about going into a... June 14th without a frame to
discuss on, or at least a couple of questions to consider, I mean, which is what you tried
to present, Ross, but...even more.
Champion/ Somebody was going to make us a map that showed...where the housing is now.
That would be a very useful thing to have.
Mims/ That is done.
Champion/ Yeah, that'd be a very...
Mims/ That's, I saw it last week, I met with Steve Rackis, and it's...very helpful.
Hightshoe/ So we do have a map right now of, um, all the CDBG, Home, low income, tax credit,
Section 202, um, site location map, and then we also have broken by census tract how
many Section 8 vouchers at that point in time within each census tract. So that map
exists right now.
Champion/ Yeah, we probably need to have that before the 14th when we discuss this.
Davidson/ That's already, so that won't be a problem.
Champion/ Okay.
Wilburn/ Is the map that you have inclusive of the one that was presented by the School District
in their similarness in terms of the eligible, free and reduced lunch households? Or not?
Hightshoe/ Our map is simply the zoning map with the census tracts and it...it'll be a dot for
each assisted.
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Wilburn/ Can you download that additional, I think it's still on the District's web page, um,
I'11...I'll show you where it's at. If that could be...
Hightshoe/ We can put a table that says the low income housing, or the free and reduced lunch
percentage at each school. And we can overlay the...the boundary areas on that map. Is
that what you're after?
Wilburn/ I think there was some more specific detail, um, I'11...I'll get with you and show you
where that is on the...on the web page.
Hayek/ While we're still talking about the pending work session issue list, is there any other
input on that or need for clarification?
Wilburn/ Busy summer!
Hayek/ Okay. Thanks, guys, and let's move on to exceptions to legal age requirements.
Exceptions to "Legal Aye" Requirements (Sg(10) & IP3 of 4/22):
Dilkes/ All right, um...I gave you a memo on this topic, and that really just for purposes of kind
of framing the discussion, um, staff doesn't have any recommendations with respect to
either this topic or the gaming devices and alcohol prizes topic, but um...and I think
Council just scheduled it to have a discussion among yourselves so um...I'm here to
answer questions.
Hayek/ Talk amongst yourselves (laughter) well, to set the stage obviously, you know, this is
fresh, uh, on our minds, having just gone through the 21-ordinance, but through the
course of that, there were questions raised about what...possibilities might exist with
respect to preserving entertainment, music type, uh, opportunities for young people, and
uh, we agreed as a group to take this up pretty quickly after enacting the ordinance, which
is what we're doing tonight, but staff...staff is right that, you know, this is here because
we asked it to be here.
Mims/ I mean, I...I, you know, mentioned this in terms of, you know, we had that discussion of,
you know, the importance of music and that in the community and the argument that, you
know, the 21-ordinance was going to destroy that and so at least to have that kind of
conversation of what kinds of exceptions that we might come up with, obviously with the
guidance of...of legal counsel and the police department, of what is realistic and legal
and etc., and (noise on mic) I guess the other thing I would say is not having exceptions
so big that you can drive a Mac truck through that may basically make the 21-ordinance
mute. Um, and...and I had also mentioned the facilities issue where there are some
facilities that could kind of logically be split into two and again, I think that's one that,
you know, kind of a separate discussion if some places have that ability and others don't,
do we want to give that advantage to some, you know, some businesses, while others
can't take advantage of it, simply because the way their physical facility is laid out. Um,
and give them, you know, an advantage over others. I just wanted to bring it up and at
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least have that discussion so the public felt like, you know, we were considering it, that
we're not just trying to shut everything down, and I am interested in trying to come up
with some suggestions and ideas on the music venues...that could be some reasonable,
possible exceptions. And, I don't know what they are, but I, you know, whether it's
tonight or whatever kind of brainstorm some ideas. Do a subcommittee with some bar
owners, I mean, I've had some people say, oh well, if you're going to do an exception for
any you need to do an exception for every single musical performance. To me that's
starting to get the exceptions to the point that you've got no regulation in the first place
so...
Dickens/ We haven't had anybody since this previous ordinance was in, nobody has asked for an
exemption.
Karr/ No.
Mims/ Anon-alcoholic exception.
Karr/ Non-alcoholic, that's the only exemption they would in the present.
Dickens/ How long has this been in place then? (several responding) 2003, so...seven years.
Karr/ About seven years.
Wilburn/ I just have a general question for those of you that may be considering the
separation...um, suggestion, uh, the case where, whether it's multiple floors or
something, um, and staff already brought up the fact that, um, you know, um, some
facility things like, uh, location of restroom would be a building/housing thing, but if I
backup from that...if the...if an issue is...um, now and, um, before we pass the 21, 19
came about, if the issue is that people who are not of the legal age have access in the
existing structure; what's the different if... if patrons and/or servers are illegally providing
for someone who's under the age now, what difference does...you know, a wall or a
floor, what difference is that going to make, if there's, you know, if that illegal activity is
going on, and whether a staff member is choosing to, or ignoring, or not aware of, how is
that going to...I'm...
Mims/ I understand what you're saying, yeah, I mean, theoretically, and I'm not saying we want
to do this. I just wanted at least bring it up and have the discussion, I mean, theoretically
to me if you've got two sections of facility that are very separate physically, it's not like
somebody who's 21 going to the bar, getting a drink and bringing it back and setting it
down on the table for their under-2l-aged friend because they can't even bring alcohol,
and it's not served and can't bring it into that section of the facility. So it should be a
whole lot easier to enforce. I think separate from what we're talking about now there's a
whole issue of still enforcing the fact that there's not under-2l-age people in there after
10:00. Um...
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Bailey/ What would it take to...to do the separation? I mean, what would it take to do it legally?
I mean, are we talking separate floors and walls, I mean, give me an example of how it
would work.
Dilkes/ Well, I think as I said in the memo, I can craft, write, anything you want, or write legally.
I think it's your law that says those under 21 cannot go in to such establishments, so I
think you can...you can frame that law however you want to. So it's really a question of,
I mean, I think it's more of an enforcement question for the police. If that's something
that you want to look at, and a...an issue in terms of the physical make-up, I mean,
ideally if you were going to do such a thing, you would want a wall with bathrooms here
and bathrooms here, uh...I suppose if it was the same band you'd want `em in the middle.
If it was, you know...I think the...the practical issues and the enforcement issues
are...are really significant, and you're going to have to get the input from HIS and the
police department, if you want to pursue those possibilities. Um, I mean, it seems to me
that...the...one of the...one of the possibilities is that the potential savings from the
PAULA enforcement is just going to change over into enforcement for making sure the
separation is occurring, and being dealt with, and...and so I'm assuming the police
department won't want to respond to that. So I think for purposes of tonight, if you are
interested in pursuing some kind of separation, then we're going to have to get the PD
and HIS to weigh in on it.
Wright/ Yeah, and I've thought about this one off and on, and...I...maybe I'm not thinking with
an architecturally creative mindset, but I'm picturing the bars that I've been in
downtown, and...I can't see any way to have...a separation that's going to work, without
essentially dividing them into completely separate facilities. Um, if you look at any of
the bars that have two floors, like the Summit, and say you want to have the second
floor...21 and up and the first floor under, how are you going to, realistically, how are we
going to divide that without it becoming an enforcement nightmare?
Champion/ Well I think that'd be an easy one, cause you would have somebody by the stairs,
they'd be checking I.D.'s before they went upstairs.
Wright/ But how are we going to keep... see, then we get right back to where we are now,
with...the illegals going to whichever floor or whichever area you're talking about,
knowing the bouncer, getting in, getting served.
Champion/ Right! I don't think it works for the music scene, cause I don't see how you can put
two separate areas with the band in the middle, I mean, I just don't see how you're...
Bailey/ I was thinking about Third Base and their dance floor, you know, you could
make...(several talking) 21 up and the dance floor, alcohol free and down.
Wright/ Then you have to walk through the whole place though.
Bailey/ Yeah, I know.
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Wright/ Yeah, there'd have to be...both...both (both talking) would have to be completely, uh,
self-contained. (several agreeing)
Hayek/ I suspect that getting into this we would actually find an even greater problem, which
would be ingress, egress, fire code, um...restrooms, building codes, I mean, all of those
code issues.
Bailey/ But...I think it's worth exploring and sitting down with bar owners to see to what degree
they would be willing to invest if we came up with some, what it would take, those kinds
of...that list, at least the discussion should happen. If there's concern...if there's concern
and interest, I think we should discuss what they would be willing to do, or their thoughts
about it. And see, I mean, some...they know their buildings better than we do. They
know their...their traffic better than we do. They could come forward with some
suggestions. We could actually look at some scenarios and see...see exactly if it meets
that or it becomes an enforcement nightmare.
Champion/ I think it's worth exploring. I'm not so sure they'll be interested in exploring it, till
after the November referendum.
Bailey/ That's (mumbled) (several talking)
Champion/ I think they'll be very interested in exploring (laughter)
Wright/ At this point I'm not particularly interested in spending a lot of time on it.
Champion/ (mumbled)
Mims/ Well, and I think maybe to put the ball in their court. If they're interested in it, let them,
you know, put the invitation, if you will, out to them and say if they're interested in
(several talking)
Bailey/ We need to look at some, sort of some proposals or some thoughts, because we don't, I
mean.. .
Mims/ Yeah, why spend our staff s time doing it if they're...if they have no interest in even
trying to (both talking)
Bailey/ Among all of us we probably don't know, I mean, we know a few bars but we don't
know.
Mims/ I...I would just go back to the enforcement issue. I think...I think (several talking) you
know, I think even if we don't do anything like this, I...I think we have to be realistic in
that there still is a significant enforcement issue that needs to take place. Um, because if
we sit here and think that simply because we pass an ordinance that says under 21 cannot
be in the bars after 10:00 and that's automatically going to happen, uh, we're being
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awfully naive! There still, I think, is going to be a significant enforcement issue that
needs to take place.
Dilkes/ Oh, and I think staff understands that. It...it's just...that enforcement effort's going to
have to take place, and then I think (both talking) this as another (both talking)
Mims/ Sure, level to it. I agree.
Wilburn/ Well, and that's...that was part of the staff is aware of that, and that was part of the
response that, uh, one of the concerns that has been brought up is, uh, the, um...uh,
greater numbers or ongoing, um, parties and neighborhood house parties, and disruptions
in neighborhoods, and that's where staff had brought up that, um, the same set of officers
that we added, related to crime in general, will be eligible to start addressing...continue
addressing that issue.
Bailey/ Well why don't we...couldn't we simply...send a letter to bar owners, bar managers and
say we're interested in exploring this. We don't really have an idea of what the details
might look like. If you have thoughts, this came up in the discussion from bar owners. If
you have thoughts about how this could look, we need to discuss some specifics before
we know if we can move ahead, and see if anybody's interested in...coming forward.
Champion/ Yeah, I think that's a good idea, Regenia.
Bailey/ I don't know how else we're going to do it. Because every venue is so different, you
know, an owner might have an idea about how it might work in her place, but it won't
work in every place.
Hayek/ Well, I don't know what alternative there is, I mean, there's no...there's not a unified
organization representing bar interests.
Bailey/ Right!
Hayek/ There's no DTA equivalent for them. Uh...but L..but I agree, we shouldn't be spending
a lot of time on this if there's not the current interest on that end...
Bailey/ Right.
Hayek/ ...doing it in the first place.
Bailey/ Yeah, why create regulations that nobody, I mean, (mumbled)
Mims/ But I think at least to let them know we're willing to have that discussion, if they are;
doesn't mean we're going to get anywhere with it, but at least...
Bailey/ Bring some solid proposals, and...and see what we can do.
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Dilkes/ I think one question that would be interesting to ask as you... as you work through this is,
if you indeed create a solid separation like you're talking about, then what is the
advantage, and I don't know. There may be some from a business perspective, what is
the advantage then of having those two venues occurring on the same night, as opposed
to having them on...different nights, like you can currently do, under the existing
ordinance?
Bailey/ Well, and the Union might have, the Union Bar might have a response to that, since it's
such a large venue, and they do bring entertainment in that probably...a greater expense,
so two nights versus one night (both talking) and that's where we need this input, I think,
from... from managers and owners.
Wilburn/ Well, I agree with Connie that, uh, that may not be their focus right now, um, we've
already seen the posters about the fundraising event they're having on Sunday May
whatever to work towards, uh (several talking) defeating, uh...
Bailey/ Well, I think it's still worth, you know, sending a letter to license holders and perhaps
again, November, I mean, to say we're interested, if we get no takers we...don't add it to
the pending list.
Mims/ Well and I think too...I think so too just from the standpoint to indicate that we...we are
interested in still looking at this, and working with them, simply because we passed the
21 doesn't mean that we're just done and hoping that we're...that our decision is upheld
in November. We still are interested in looking at options that will allow them to do their
business within the rules and regulations, and yet have some flexibility.
Bailey/ Having a cultural district downtown, and having it remain vital is...is significant to all of
us, and I think if this is part of that...they've indicated that that's part of it. Let's see
what the ideas are. I mean, it's going to take everybody to play (mumbled) get some
ideas.
Hayek/ Maybe, um, included in this letter could be, uh, a, uh, an explanation of the...of the
present exemption, which has existed for seven or eight years, but has never been used,
for obvious reasons, um, but there may be an educational opportunity here too.
Bailey/ That's a good point!
Wright/ That is a good point!
Bailey/ Yeah.
Champion/ Okay.
Hayek/ (mumbled) me or whatever we could do that letter together.
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Helling/ Assuming you have bar owners who are interested, somebody mentioned early on about
the, uh, small committee of the Council or whatever, or do you just want staff to meet
with them, assuming that takes place? In the past generally we've done it with staff, you
know, but...
Wilburn/ Actually there's been the combination of staff and Council on...three different
committees, with the bar owners, so...
Helling/ I remember one, but yeah.
Dilkes/ You might want to think too about getting some written responses (both talking)
Bailey/ That's what I had in mind.
Dilkes/ ...because I know from the (several talking) like on the specials when we get questions
about specials, I've gotten to the point where I have to have things in writing because
there's so many different variations of how these work.
Bailey/ And...and that's more what I had in mind, and not architectural drawings so much as
some bullet points of what I'm thinking about for my venue. I have three, you know, it's
on three levels. This is how I would do it. Let's...
Dilkes/ If staff is going to do it, or if a combination of staff, I would like to see those kind of
more concrete proposals than...something just (several talking) yeah. Okay, so I'll draft
the letter and work with the Mayor. Okay.
Hayek/ Sure.
Champion/ I have a question I'm not quite clear on, and I guess I've never been really clear on it.
So...if you're a restaurant, um, you can be in the bar as a minor after 10:00?
Dilkes/ If you're a restaurant under our definition.
Champion/ Okay, all right. I just...
Dilkes/ If your primary sales are not alcohol related and (mumbled) 50%...
Hayek/ Okay. Part 2 of Eleanor's memo was the, uh, alcohol as gaming device prizes.
Alcohol as Gaming Device Prizes (IP3 of 4/22):
Dickens/ How does the ordinance vary from the State, our city ordinance, vary from the State, as
far as...it says it's legal in the State statute, to a certain extent.
Dilkes/ Well, we're kind of talking about two different things.
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Dickens/ Right.
Dilkes/ Um, the city has this, um.. .
Dickens/ Free games (mumbled)
Dilkes/ ...law that says, um, you can't award alcohol as a prize. Um, and our interpretation of
that is that these machines that are...legal gambling devices under the State code, um,
are...it's nothing wrong with the machine.
Dickens/ Right.
Dilkes/ And, tickets that spit out or whatever happens, if they...if there was a redemption for
food or cash, that would not be a problem, but because it's for alcohol...if it's done for
alcohol, it's a problem. Um, under our ordinance, and I gave you a couple possible, um,
ways to deal with that. Obviously you could repeal the whole restriction if you wanted
to. Um...you could exempt those types of machines. Um...or you could look at it
applying only to certain types of establishments, but we're going to have to be very
careful about...what (both talking)
Dickens/ Whether they're just clubs or...groups.
Dilkes/ Yeah, right.
Dickens/ Like the Moose or Elks, things of that nature you get into a little more trouble with the
exemptions in that area.
Dilkes/ Well, I mean, I think if you can articulate what...why you would allow it in that place,
and not allow it in a downtown place, for instance, or that, um, you know, we might be
able to...I mean, get into attaching it to a PAULA rate or some (mumbled) (laughter and
several talking) but um...
Dickens/ But I know it is a...it's a money-maker for the (several talking)
Karr/ I can't...
Hayek/ Do you want to come...(unable to hear person away from mic) we're not really set
up...if you wanted to hand me a, is that the short version over there? (unable to hear
person away from mic) Okay, let me just take this one. You keep the 20-pager!
Mims/ But what you said, Eleanor, is it's legal to...that it's legal for them to give cash for the
tickets, winning tickets? Is that what you...
Dilkes/ Well, I don't know...I don't know what under the State code they can give for the
tickets. But...but...
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Hayek/ Hold on guys, you're not on the microphone. The problem with...that's the problem
with this...this conversation setting.
Dilkes/ All I'm saying, what I'm telling you is, for purposes of our ordinance.
Dickens/ The way oar's is set up currently.
Dilkes/ Yeah. The State does not have a prohibition on giving alcohol as a prize, like we do.
That's the problem. Right? (laughter)
Dickens/ I have heard that...when people called me, they said the ticket is the prize. And then
what you do with the ticket...that gets to be a fine line there too.
Dilkes/ Well, and you know, if...that's what I'm saying! You want it...it would be a...a, it
would be a completely legal reaction to say, okay, we're going to say in our ordinance
that the ticket is the prize, and it's not an alcohol prize, and therefore they're not covered.
And you have the authority to do that. And that would be the simplest...frankly an
exemption for those gaming devices and that kind of situation, under our ordinance,
would be the simplest way to do it.
Hayek/ Do...do we know if this occurs downtown in the areas where we've generally focused
our... our concerns?
Karr/ Yes.
Dilkes/ I think it does (both talking)
Hayek/ What is the answer to that?
Karr/ Yes!
Dilkes/ Because you know this came to our attention from our intern (laughter) we often get
good information from (several talking)
Karr/ For instance...for instance, an example if I may would be like a, um, a Halloween costume
contest, and the first prize was X amount of tickets to be used to purchase at a bar.
Dilkes/ What about the gaming devices themselves? These gaming devices? My understanding
is that they are (both talking) although we got right after this letter went out, I got
a...email from One-Eyed Jake's, I believe, the manager at One-Eyed Jake's saying that
they were removing theirs.
Wilburn/ If I remember right, I think the example that, uh, Marian was bringing up goes back to
when the Council first considered this, and it was the issues around, uh, the access and
the binge drinking was...was the concern. Now the more recent devices are another, and
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awarding of a ticket and exchange, is a more recent (mumbled) but the foundation of that
is, uh, the concerns related to the ease of access for those not of legal age, and the
overconsumption issue that was what originally came, as part of the Council's
discussions back when this, um...part of the ordinance came into being.
Wright/ Yeah, given the notion of overconsumption, the problems we've had with
that... somehow rewarding somebody in a bar with a free drink does not seem like the
type of thing we necessarily want to do, at the same time...um, this is just going to be a
very, very difficult thing to ever keep track of.
Dickens/ I don't know what the payout is on these machines. How much, you know, you might
put $20 in and get one ticket. It could technically it could reduce how much you drink
(laughter) I mean, more of your money in there. I don't know what the payout is, so I,
you know.
Dilkes/ I think $5 is the limit on (unable to hear person away from mic) oh, that's right, they
changed it to 50.
Champion/ $50! That's an expensive glass of wine! (laughter) (unable to hear person away
from mic) (several talking)
Wilburn/ No offense to the gentleman here, but anyone who may be in support of this would
(both talking) it was posted, but they would need to know that Council is allowing
comments from the public, and that is not (both talking)
Hayek/ See, the way these work sessions work is we don't generally...provide anopportunity for
public input. When it goes to the formal meeting, like we're going to have tomorrow
night, um, then there is an opportunity (several talking)
Wilburn/ And...and those present now would have an opportunity tomorrow night during the
public comment to make any comments about the work session tonight, so...
Dickens/ I don't know, is there any support to even looking at changing this? I just know it's a
money-maker for a lot of the...these smaller, not just downtown. I think it's the ones that
are on the fringe. I'm not...
Wright/ (mumbled)
Hayek/ Well, you're right, this, you know, I've...uh, I've heard from a few entities, including for
example The Hilltop, and full disclosure, I do some legal work for them from time to
time, um, but...you know, their Saturday Euchre tournaments are part of the fabric of that
neighborhood pub, um...and they're concerned about this. I don't know. I mean, the
problem is crafting something that applies equally, and when you have very different
outcomes, depending on what part of town you're in.
Wright/ The Hilltop never (mumbled)
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Hayek/ Yeah. What do you think?
Champion/ I don't know what to think about it. I haven't made up my mind yet. (laughter) I
have to mull it over! I'm wondering how much you get for a wet t-shirt contest!
(laughter)
Wright/ Okay, moving right along!
Hayek/ Well, we...hold on, we need to finish or cut bait on this, in some respects, because it's an
existing ordinance, and now the letter from the City Attorney's office has gone out, fair
notice, etc. What's the group want to do? (several talking)
Mims/ Yeah, I think my thought is to leave it alone. Like you said, I mean, on the one hand
we're trying t address binge drinking and overconsumption, and then, you know, if you
get rid of this then theoretically you're...encouraging more of it, and again, you know, as
Terry said, maybe you're putting more money in that's not being spent on alcohol. I
don't know. But I guess without more specific information I'm not ready to pitch it.
Champion/ Let me just...throw out why I'm mulling this over in my mind. Um...we've gone to
21 now. We're addressing a problem that we have, that is not just new to Iowa City,
um... so someone who's of legal age can't win a free beer, I mean, it seems kind of small
potatoes to me.
Bailey/ Right, but our, um, our (both talking)
Champion/ We're not prohibitionists! We're not...we can't control everybody's drinking! (both
talking)
Bailey/ ...irresponsible drinking problem is not age specific, which...you're heard me say that a
million times, and so if...we're truly interested in...in addressing the culture that is here,
which I think all of us are in one way or another, to get rid of this seems...well, quite
frankly hypocritical.
Wright/ That's the exact word!
Bailey/ I don't...I don't get it. I mean...it's the same discussion. You can't...you can't
target...the problem is not the age. We haven't taken care of it. We haven't checked it
off our list.
Dickens/ So these machines could continue to be used, but they would have to be used for food?
Or... any (several talking) anything other than (several talking)
Bailey/ Get creative! (several talking)
Wright/ C-h-i-t! (laughter) Fake money for a taxi ride. (several talking and laughing)
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Dilkes/ I mean, it...the gentleman's right, they can't be redeemed for cash. I mean, I think the
idea is they get spent on the premises. I mean, that's the whole rationale, the...
Wilburn/ Let me think too, just out loud, um, on a different aspect of this, uh...as you were
talking, Regenia, I was kind of thinking about this. Um, there are multiple issues that
Council has tried to address through many revisions to the ordinance. And, not all of
them are related to the legal age. Uh, for example, State law I believe says that it's uh,
illegal to serve someone who is intoxicated or words to that effect, is that correct? State
and City code. Um, so there is practice and precedent at trying to focus on some different
aspects, not just the legal age. Um, Council's also tried to show that we are trying to be
reasonable for, um... effort and some may disagree with this, but responsible use. Uh,
and trying to show some flexibility. For example, we show the flexibility in allowing,
um, at the Shakespeare Theater, liquor to be served essentially in a city park. Controlled
environment, they have to enforce the, um, they have to follow the law, um, another
example with, um...I believe in the public space, anon-profit, um, have some type of tent
area, correct, beer tent...we, anon-profit can apply for a permit to, or did we not go
forward with that one, to have a...
Karr/ We did, similar to the Riverside. They can apply (both talking) yes.
Dilkes/ ...public areas, yeah.
Wilburn/ So I'm just thinking of areas where we've tried to say, okay, here's a specific activity.
You're going to regulate, you're responsible for... for the outcome. Um, more recently
with the Farmers Market. We just allowed, um, now this is a (mumbled) for a taste.
They're subject to sting. They have to follow; they can't serve someone who is, uh,
under the legal age now. Um...in this particular area, the question I guess for me just in
kind of thinking through those areas where we've tried to, um, show some flexibility, but
trying to address the issues related to serving under the legal age and overconsumption,
um, this area of the gaming, I'm going back between the different...the distinction of
some of the issues that came up when this was proposed, related to...what was happening
and uh, any staff member, any individual, please feel free to help me out. Um, some of
the gaming that were alcohol was to be providing...provided, and uh, encouraging the
overconsumption on this side, so other types of games and not necessary to this electronic
gaming, was what had come up at the time. Now that those have come up and...what
they're doing with that ticket, um, the question I guess...a question, if you're looking at
trying to be flexible, but address the issues...is...how could...um, if the electronic
gaming were allowed, how could that be addressed by modifying the existing ordinance,
in such a way that the other...the original areas where this had come up, um, do you see
where I'm going with this, um...
Bailey/ Uh-uh.
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Mims/ (several talking) electric gaming is a different... is occurring in different locations and
maybe with a different clientele with a different outcome than some of the other kinds of
contests (both talking)
Wilburn/ ...not necessarily the clientele. It's, um...well, of the legal age now, but also is it such
that, um, you know, whether it's cost or, you know, if it ends up being a...a $50 glass of
wine, is that...would allowing that and focusing on that in such a way not work against
the idea of the ease of access, contributing to overconsumption? You're...were you
going to add something there, Marian?
Karr/ I thought also perhaps you were making the distinction between "playing" a game that
resulted in the tickets, and the tickets then, um, allowing you to "purchase" versus
winning a... contest with no gaming device involved. Um, that distinction, but also
noting that... in either situation redeeming your prize would still not deter you from
adhering to the legal age of drinking. So if the winner of the prize is under legal age,
then they should get a hamburger or something else...versus, I mean, that's also the law.
Wilburn/ Right. Right.
Karr/ So I mean, that would govern myself as far as that is concerned.
Wilburn/ Right.
Dilkes/ I think this...this particular...prohibition is not directed not at underage persons,
but...but the overconsumption.
Wilburn/ Overconsumption, okay.
Dilkes/ I think that was the intent... intent behind this provision, is more overconsumption rather
than (both talking)
Champion/ Is it up to us to control overconsumption? Or when there are laws against over-
serving, and this has been a problem I've had is the over-serving. And we have no way
to put any `umpf in that. I mean, cause somebody wins a ticket doesn't mean they're
going to be intoxicated.
Bailey/ So you want to (several talking) you're okay with changing this?
Wright/ We've talked repeatedly about...a problem that we have with a culture surrounding the
promotion of alcoholic consumption. And if we're agreed that that's a problem, and I
think Council was, why then do we want to reward somebody with a drink?
Champion/ I don't mind having a drink!
Wright/ I don't mind having a drink either! (both talking)
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Champion/ Having a drink is not the (both talking)
Wright/ It's exactly the same thing, Connie. We're talking about a problem we've got with a
culture of alcohol. Do we want policies that say, oh, yeah, we have a problem with
people overconsuming, but here, you wanted the machine, have a drink on us.
Dickens/ Well, the ticket can be used for multiple things, other than you know...
Wright/ And that's what we're saying!
Dickens/ If they want to use it for something else, they can, or they can use it for that drink.
That's...that's very (both talking) I understand where you're coming from. You think
that the drink is...is contributing to...
Champion/ But all these laws we're made, all these ordinances, all these discussions we've
had...I don't know how many, five million or so, about overconsumption and over-
serving of alcohol downtown Iowa City. That's where the alcohol culture is. And that's
what we've tried to correct now with the 21, which should be 24/7 as far as I'm
concerned. But at least it's a start. But it seems strange to me, now that we've made all
these laws and regulations, because we weren't 21, we were 19, that now we're saying all
those regulations should still be in place. We were talking about a very select area of the
city.
Wright/ You can overconsume if you're 29.
Champion/ I know that!
Wright/ That's not the point! We're not talking about an age-specific law!
Bailey/ And our zoning law is not (mumbled)
Dilkes/ Have you gotten any feedback from folks who want to continue to use these machines
about limiting the tickets to being redeemed for food? I mean...
Dickens/ Most that I heard from said that...generally when they win the ticket they like to use it
for whatever they want. They do...some use it for food, some use it for things, but a
majority would use it for alcohol.
Dilkes/ Cause that would be an option. (several talking)
Hayek/ You know we wouldn't even be having this conversation if, um, if... if we could
distinguish between the downtown scene and everywhere else, because it's everywhere
else and I'm overly stereotyping here where we presume there isn't an issue, whether it's
the American Legion or The Hilltop or someplace like that, um, I don't...but I don't see a
way...the challenge I see is...is in distinguishing, because I don't think you can do that.
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You can't say bars in this geographic area can have this; bars in that geographic area
cannot.
Shipley/ I just want to say I agree with Connie. This whole thing seems kind ofnit-picky.
Bailey/ So let's count -who wants to change it, who doesn't.
Wright/ That's where we are right now.
Mims/ I would be...again, I think just the whole...focus that we've tried to do in terms of age
and overconsumption, and I, you know, I would assume most of these establishments
have food and they can use it for that, um, is it nit-picking? Yeah, it probably is, but
again, I think it's in place. I don't see any overriding reason to change it.
Wright/ Agreed.
Bailey/ Agreed.
Wilburn/ Would any of the ones that have the gaming (mumbled) be willing to work against
repealing the (mumbled) (laughter)
Mims/ That sounds like bribery! (laughter)
Bailey/ Sounds...
Wright/ Okay, nobody really said that, did they? (laughter)
Hayek/ Well, I mean, it's unfortunate because places where we don't associate problems
are...are affected by this. But I don't see a way to distinguish. Which is so often the
case with the issues that come before us.
Bailey/ Well, and we're naive to think that people don't drink at those establishments, get in their
cars, and drive places, I mean, it's...
Mims/ You get overconsumption there too.
Wilburn /And again (several talking) there are a wide area of issues related to this that include
people who are over (several talking) who are over 21 (several talking) that's been
(mumbled)
Champion/ This allows them to have one drink, and to me...
Wright/ Can we not start this all over again?
Champion/ No, I'm done! (laughter) It's just...
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Hayek/ All right, to confirm there is not interest in...
Bailey/ Three of us who weren't interested.
Wright/ Three? Is there a fourth?
Hayek/ I...I am not interested in changing this.
Wright/ So there's four! (several talking)
Hayek/ Okay. Okay, why don't we take a break, five minutes, and then come back and wrap up.
(BREAK)
City Manager Search:
Hayek/ All right. (mumbled) Okay, next up is city manager search, which is item 25 in the
agenda. Initially we have the contract...proposed to be entered into. Any questions
about that?
Bailey/ No.
Hayek/ Okay, all right.
Dickens/ It went very smooth.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Dickens/ Us working together on it.
Champion/ Sorry I was out of town. (several talking)
Hayek/ Um...all right, and then I think...I was talking to Marian about this, that the next thing
we need to decide on on the search really goes to, uh, Mr. Slavin's letter, which is there.
Uh, asking us to, uh, discuss whether we feel like we need community involvement on
the front end with the profile. Remember we have a profile that's three years old that was
a result of a lot of input...at that time.
Bailey/ I thought our intent to have community input was when we were bringing in finalists. So
it wasn't on the front end.
Hayek/ Right and, but that's the confirmation that (both talking)
Bailey/ That's what I'm trying to throw on the table to affirm or argue with. That was my
assumption.
Wright/ That was...mine as well.
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Champion/ Mine too.
Hayek/ Okay. Think we're...I think we're clear on that.
Karr/ What we'll do then, unless you have some questions of Eleanor about the contract, we
would then ask you to set aside the 3rd and 4t" as, uh, Bob had outlined in his letter, and
we will get back to you possibly the next meeting with some, uh, tentative meeting times.
He'd like to meet with each of you individually...at that time and then next time you can
also decide if you would like to meet with him jointly.
Hayek/ On the 3rd or 4t" of June.
Karr/ That's correct.
Hayek/ Yeah.
Karr/ But you can decide that the next time.
Bailey/ So we're setting aside two full days? At this point?
Karr/ At this point. Again, unless you wish to talk tonight about whether you'd like to meet
jointly with him, and if not, then we can set up a time with each of you individually.
Bailey/ Are we going to meet jointly with him?
Champion/ I think so.
Hayek/ I think we ought to maybe decide tonight whether we think we should meet with (several
talking)
Karr/ ... it will be individually, that will be seven hours, plus then if you're going to meet with
him. That's why I said two days.
Hayek/ What if we, um, try to schedule a meeting on the 4t" with him, after... after he's had a
chance to meet with all seven individually for...
Bailey/ What time does Arts Fest start? That...that's the weekend of Arts Fest. So...
Wilburn/ Isn't it usually around 6:00?
Dickens/ It's late on that evening.
Bailey/ It's the evening, right? It doesn't start during the day.
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Karr/ My guess would be he'd be coming in like...like probably late the 2nd, be here the 3rd and
the 4`h, so possibly do it...do you want to do it earlier in the day the 4`h? Mid-day?
Champion/ Like early morning?
Wright/ First thing in the morning or later in the afternoon.
Bailey/ First thing in the morning.
Champion/ First thing in the morning.
Karr/ On the 4`"? (several talking) because then that way it'll allow him to be back home by the
weekend as well. Okay. Fourth...we'll set aside the 4`h and then please reserve then, and
while I'll be back in touch with you as soon as I confirm this with Bob, um, to set up
individual times with you around the 3rd, so...because he's going to be in town the 3rd,
meet with all of you the 4`h then. Okay?
Champion/ Right.
Bailey/ Fourth in the morning.
Champion/ What time in the morning? Are we going to set a time now? 8:00? (several talking)
Bailey/ First thing is at least 8:00. Not 7:00.
Wright/ Seven would be wonderful!
Karr/ Between 7 and 8?
Hayek/ Let's do 8:00.
Karr/ 8:00 on Friday the 4`h
Hayek/ Yeah.
Karr/ Okay. And then we'll be back in touch with you, uh, regarding your meetings privately
with him, one-on-one, on the 3ra
Dickens/ That would just be an hour basically or...
Karr/ That's what he's suggested, an hour with each of you. (several talking) Terry will go last
apparently! (laughter)
Hayek/ Okay.
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Karr/ And if there is any special times, I think, Ross, you had given me some time on the 3rd you
weren't available.
Wilburn/ Yes.
Karr/ Let me know and then we can set it up around those dates individually.
Champion/What day of the week is that?
Karr/ Thurs...Thursday.
Bailey/ Thursday.
Karr/ Thursday the 3rd
Champion/ I can go any time so you can just save me till last.
Mims/ I can too.
Dickens/ I'm an any time.
Wright/ I can't go any time so I'll have to check.
Karr/ Okay, and just, yeah, let me know and we'll set it up that way. Thank you.
Champion/ (several talking) (mumbled)
Hayek/ Okay, uh, Info Packets. Starting with April 8.
Info Packets (4/8 & 4/22):
Bailey/ I did meet...did you meet too with the Eco Iowa City grant, uh, evaluator?
Wright/ Oh yes, I did.
Bailey/ That went very well. I think she was very impressed...
Wright/ Extremely impressed with (both talking) the whole operation.
Champion/ What was that?
Bailey/ The Eco Iowa City.
Champion/ Right, okay, uh-huh.
Bailey/ The grant evaluator was in town, so...
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Wright/ Yeah, really, uh, seemed very pleased with, uh, just the way it's operated from the get-
go.
Bailey/ And I think Maeve and Jen brought a...brought her in at a good time, because there was
the Earth Day celebration, so she got to see that in action. So, it really showed off the
project.
Hayek/ Anything else from the 8th? Hearing none, how about Apri122?
Bailey/ I do want to talk about IP8.
Wright/ That's the exact one I want to talk about as well (several talking)
Hayek/ Northside streetscape.
Wright/ I've heard a number of concerns about the...decrease in sidewalk size on the west side
of the street, in particular; it's pretty dramatic. Um...
Bailey/ But, the one thing I just learned is this is just north of Market Street.
Wright/ Right.
Bailey/ I don't, I mean, and you're concern about the decrease in the sidewalk on the west side
north of Market Street is, what?
Wright/ The decrease in the sidewalk size.
Mims/ How do they go from 20 to 12 feet? I couldn't figure out where they're measuring from
to get 20 feet.
Bailey/ I don't know that the sidewalk is that wide, is it?
Mims/ That's my question. How'd they go from 20 to 12? Where's the 20 feet?
Davidson/ Um, I think that's from the back of curb or the front of curb to the building face.
Bailey/ That's 20?
Wright/ It's not going to be very wide.
Bailey/ Well I had concerns about the reduction of sidewalk space as well in a heavily pedestrian
area, but since, I mean, I also found it interesting that...that it was kind of...I mean, that
there wasn't a strong opinion, or they...or that they wanted the angle parking.
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Wright/ I'd be curious if the businesses that were concerned about the angle parking were also
the ones on that side of the street.
Davidson/ And I don't have the information stratified that way for you.
Wright/ I know the bookstore is concerned about it...on the corner. .
Davidson/ Sure. Sure. Yeah, it's a concern, I mean, obviously that's why we're, you know,
we're raising it for your discussion. I mean, you know we put the recommendation in
there because that seemed to be the will of the community (coughing, unable to hear)
based on the...the business survey, and we got a fairly good response rate to it. So, but
we can... it is absolutely your decision, and if you feel that the trade-off of gaining the
parking, you know, I mean, that's the trade-off. Gaining the parking versus, um, well,
gaining the parking and generally there is a...there is more fondness for angle parking
than parallel parking anyway, so that's another added benefit I guess that...converting a
number of spaces to angle parking, but the...the downside is obviously the decrease in
the sidewalk.
Bailey/ But isn't angle parking also more challenging for bicyclists. Am I getting that right?
Davidson/ Um, can be. You know, a lot of the...a lot of the things, the issues that are raised
about angle parking, the other one being, you know, increased crash rate because
of...there's a backing movement rather than backing into a space, you're backing out into
the traffic, so you know quite frankly we haven't found to really be manifest itself in
our...we've converted a lot of parking downtown to angle parking, just hasn't been a big
concern honestly. Uh, we haven't had complaints from bicyclists, you know, the traffic's
moving very, very slowly and generally when that's the case you don't have a huge issue,
so I...I can't say that there have been issues with converting parallel parking to angle
parking.
Bailey/ I like angle parking quite a lot, but the...but there are a lot of people who use that
sidewalk (several talking)
Dickens/ Yeah, but currently you can't use most of that sidewalk, it's in such bad repair. From
what I remember (several talking) the traffic seems to...pedestrian traffic seems to have
been going all right in a smaller area because there's a lot of that sidewalk that you
couldn't use anyway.
Wright/ But when you've got the cars coming in that much closer at an angle, people are not
going to be walking inches from the car. They're going to be quite a ways in then. I
think it's really going to end up being a pretty dramatic (both talking)
Davidson/ The other issue with the sidewalk there that I didn't raise specifically but for your
discussion I will raise, is...is, there's a lot of smoking that goes on now out on that
sidewalk, when you go by there, cause there's a lot of smokers out on the sidewalk that
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didn't used to be there. So, I mean, that's another use of the sidewalk that has increased
recently with the (several talking) east side of the street, yes.
Champion/ But what about, uh, sidewalk cafes and things, that would really affect them
dramatically.
Davidson/ There's no sidewalk cafes north of...of, uh, but there has been some, you know, just
sort of informal discussions of hey, I wouldn't mind having a few tables out here, and it
does look like it would still, at least hypothetically, be possible uh, but the details would
have to be worked out and you do have to keep the 8-foot...8-foot clear is the minimum.
Mims/ There's not even (both talking) that sidewalk's narrow on the east side as it is.
Hayek/ Do you...is this addition of four spaces, uh, does that take into account both sides? So a
total of four spaces?
Davidson/ The angle parking is only on the east side of the street, Matt. There's not enough
width in the street to have it on both sides.
Hayek/ Yeah, I'm sorry, I misread that. And that would get you four on the east side.
Wright/ For $10,000 a space.
Davidson/ Well, I...I just put that number in there what it costs us to provide, uh, you know,
when we build structured parking it's between 20 and 30,000 a space, just to give you a
little reference.
Mims/ Is there any data that shows like what percentage of time those spots, parking spots are all
full (both talking)
Davidson/ They're set up for short term use for the businesses in the area, and I would...I would
say they're heavily used, um, but there's good turnover, which is when you have an hour
meter. I think they're hour meters or two hours at the most, um, you get a good turnover
then. So it...it I think fairly common to be able to find a place, but that's because they
turn over a lot.
Wright/ Yeah, I'm...I'm, when I have (mumbled) I've usually been able to find something.
Bailey/ Yeah, I have too.
Hayek/ It's tighter though. (several talking) Two, three, four years ago.
Bailey/ Sure. That's good.
Hayek/ Because we have expanding and growing businesses.
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Wright/ But it's also very heavily pedestrian.
Hayek/ It is.
Bailey/ See, and I think of that place as more pedestrian than car, so to...to take away from the
pedestrian aspect of it to benefit four parking spaces, I...I don't know. I mean, but that's
how I use it.
Wright/ Well, and that's the concern that I've gotten are from people who do use it.
Bailey/ That way, yeah, of course.
Champion/ If you were gaining 12 parking spaces, that'd be one thing. Four is...
Bailey/ More bike parking would be good!
Davidson/ You will have more bike parking.
Bailey/ That would be good! Cause...
Mims/Now I'm inclined to stay with parallel parking. I don't...I don't like the narrowing of the
pedestrian way that much. (several talking) I mean, that on the west side is really...
Davidson/ Regenia, were you a second vgte...in favor of retaining parallel, and Mike were you
retaining (both talking)
Bailey/ Although I would like to, I mean, if there's a lot of concern, I do want to be responsive to
the businesses in this area, so if...
Davidson/ The business...the biggest concern of the businesses is getting the area reconstructed
and spruced up. So I think they'll be delighted, even if you go back to parallel, they'll
still be delighted with the project.
Bailey/ I'm for sprucing!
Wright/ Yeah, I'm all for sprucing.
Champion/ I want to spruce too, but I don't want to...do parallel parking, or what do you call it?
Wright/ Angle parking.
Davidson/ You do not, Connie? Okay. So that's four.
Champion/ I don't think it's worth it for four to narrow the sidewalks that much.
Mims/ I don't either.
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Hayek/ That's fine.
Davidson/ We will go with parallel on both sides. Thank you.
Hayek/ Parallel both sides.
Bailey/ Thank you.
Hayek/ Thanks, Jeff. Anything else on the Apri122 (several talking)I
Mims/ Um, yes...
Dickens/ Hamburg Inn's always too busy to eat there (laughter)
Mims/ On, uh...IP9 we were asked about the delaying the deer management, there was a deer
management recommendation, and I guess I would support delaying another harvesting.
It sounds like they're recommending.
Bailey/ It sounds like we can. Yeah.
Wright/ Sounds...it's really been successful.
Hayek/ Okay.
Helling/ The recommendation is to pick it up again in 11 and 12. Skip a year. (several talking)
Wright/ That's fine.
Hayek/ Save us a little coin.
Mims/ That's all I had.
Hayek/ Um, with respect to cooperatives, which is IP6. Do I understand your office's position
that we...we need to wait until the Supreme Court resolves this issue, uh, you know what
I'm talking about the...
Dilkes/ Yeah, yeah. No, there's nothing for you to do. It was just...it was purely just for your
information, um, Supreme Court did grant further review just last week, and um, I'm
going to be submitting a brief, or asking for permission to submit a brief on
behalf of, um, the League probably and Iowa City if not the League.
Wright/ Good!
Mims/ Those are scary numbers!
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Bailey/ Have our legislators gotten a copy of that? That information? Those are scary numbers!
I mean that's something we've been talking to them about for a long time. I think, I
mean, just because it's within the court, I don't...I don't know.
Helling/ I'm sorry. Did you ask the legislators got...
Bailey/ Yeah...
Helling/ They've gotten the information in terms of the dollar amount, but I think it's a good idea
to keep, you know, keep (both talking)
Bailey/ ...keep them in the loop about what we're doing regarding that, cause we've talked about
it for so long.
Mims/ Well, and depending upon what the Supreme Court rules, we may have to really go after
our legislators to try and get some legislation changed, um...it helps us in that regard.
Bailey/ Or, it makes the case for more alternative revenue sources, I mean, one way or the other,
we're going to be talking to them about it.
Mims/ Right.
Dilkes/ I think there were arguments that were not made in the Court of Appeals that if
made...could be persuasive, so I'm optimistic.
Bailey/ I just think...
Hayek/ How does the cooperative number compare to the condominiumized apartment number?
If I'm making myself at all clear. In terms of...we know what, what uh, what the number
is for this, but...and, but I also think we've got an estimate of how much money we lose
because apartment complexes are condominiumized to get the residential tax treatment.
Champion/ Oh yeah.
Dilkes/ Well, but...but the legislature slowed that process up by requiring that in order to convert
to a condominium you have to comply with the current building codes. And, so
that...that has slowed up those conversions.
Hayek/ Well, I guess I'm talking about just the...the treatment of obviously commercial
apartment enterprises as residential, ones that are constructed from the beginning to be
condominiumized.
Dilkes/ I don't know. I don't have those...you mean instead of constructing them as apartments
they construct them as condominiums?
Hayek/ Right.
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Dilkes/ Yeah. I don't have those figures.
Mims/ Are we seeing more of that in Iowa City?
Champion/ Yeah, a lot (several talking)
Hayek/ It's incredible! It's incredible, and they all get residential tax treatment.
Champion/ And they're not passing it on to the renters, I'll tell ya that!
Dilkes/ Yeah, and...and that debate was had at the legis...I'm sure Dale remembers it, that
whole debate was had and kind of the compromised position ended up to prevent the
conversions they required compliance with the building code, but that hasn't changed, the
ones that are being built originally as being built as condominiums.
Hayek/ Yeah, see the difference is where you've got an existing building that's an apartment
complex, taxed commercially, you can go...you can condominimize it, but then you have
to bring it up to building codes, or you can go the cooperative route and you don't. So
it's a potentially easier route to follow.
Dilkes/ Yeah.
Hayek/ Okay.
Dilkes/ Des Moines is having, um, has actually put in place a local, cause there the...Polk
County Assessor has not been denying the residential classification for these co-ops, and
so, um, Des Moines has realized that they're having a lot of conversions going on, so
they've put in place a local requirement that to do that you have to comply with the
building code. Um, I think that approach...there's some pitfalls in that approach. So...
Wright/ Keep our fingers crossed for the Supreme Court.
Hayek/ Anything else on the April 22 packet? Council time.
Council Time:
Wright/ Anybody want to pinch hit for me at the radio program Wednesday morning?
Bailey/ Can't...serving 360 people breakfast.
Hayek/ Mike needs somebody to fill in Wednesday, um...
Wright/ I can do it, but it's become a lot trickier, so if somebody could, that would be great.
Otherwise I can still fill it in.
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Hayek/ Why don't you and I talk tomorrow. I may be able to...maybe we'd swap, whatever my
next one is.
Wright/ Yeah, that's fine.
Champion/ Or give me a call. I just don't have...I can't remember. I think I have a dental
appointment, but if I don't I'll be happy to do it. So I'll be at the store.
Dickens/ What time (mumbled) (several talking)
Karr/ They ask you to be there at 8:45. I do need to confirm with Steve Grace tomorrow so...let
me know as soon as you...
Wright/ I'll call Matt and see if we can work it out, and if that doesn't work I'll call Connie.
Karr/ Thanks.
Dickens/ And if that doesn't work, call me.
Wright/ (several talking)
Bailey/ Were you going to say anything about JECC?
Wright/ Were you going to say anything about JECC?
Wright/ Oh, JECC, yes! You may have noticed that (mumbled) has been in the news.
Champion/No!
Wright/ Gosh, I don't even know where to begin, other than to say that we're looking for a time.
I think we've probably do have a time for the JECC board to be meeting later this week
to discuss what the next steps need to be, um...and there, obviously no decisions have
been made in terms of the direction of the...the executive director's position right now,
but...they will be.
Bailey/ And the policy board is firmly committed to...to opening the facility on July 1St, on
schedule.
Wright/ Absolutely!
Bailey/ If we have to be, I don't know, dispatching ourselves...no, but...
Wright/ There's a scary thought!
Bailey/ Yeah, there is, but...that's...that's the plan that we will create.
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Wright/ And I think actually everybody I've spoken to, uh, either on the staff or amongst the law
enforcement folks, they're pretty confident it's still going to stay on track for July 1St
So...
Champion/ I'm glad to hear that.
Bailey/ We've got consultants on board and...yeah.
Hayek/ Well, thanks for your leadership on...on JECC. Other Council time?
Shipley/ Uh, I had something. Uh, I'll try and make it quick cause I want to go home (laughter)
but...I just thought it was appropriate, um, I'm not (mumbled) come up to the report. I
just highlighted two things that I kind of learned here, uh, just some parting advice or
whatever my thoughts or whatever, um, the first thing which really stuck out in my mind
serving the past year and hanging out with you all, um, was...comes from a meeting in, I
think it was January, where uh, we were going over the financial plans or whatever and
uh, Dale mentioned that the City has a policy, uh, which is, you pay as you go financing
whenever possible, uh, but in recent years it's being shifted away from that and being
more focused on debt. Um, and really I think that the minimization, elimination of debt
is a very worthy goal, uh, capital accumulation and savings is always the, um, always
leads to economic growth. Uh, interest is burdensome, it's...I would call it a waste of
money. It's easily avoidable. Um, so yeah, I guess that all I have to say about that, and
again, I'll probably, uh, just address these briefly tomorrow too. Um, and then again,
adopting sensible drug and alcohol policies. This is, um, certainly on a lot of the
students' minds, um, another thing I really...another moment during my little stint here
that stuck out was essentially, um, everyone I talked to, very few people disputed that the
21-only drinking age has a lot of unintended consequences that go along with it. I know
even the Chief, uh, alcohol administrator, former chief in the state, went on at length of
the unintended consequences, um, essentially you know, a binge drinking culture has
emerged. A lot of students are coming out of college with criminal records. A lot of
things of that nature, and I guess, uh, regardless of what's happening with the 21 issue or
the vote goes, uh, I mean, there's things like, uh, a medical amnesty policy that the UI
administration's adopting. Uh, I know there's been other push for that in the community.
I know the Police Chief thinks it's a bad idea, but I think it is worth exploring. Uh,
another thing just for kicks, um, the...recently in the news there's lots of focus on, uh,
marijuana abuse and possession and charging people for that, uh, it was a big story on
campus when 12 kids, um, were arrested for possession and distribution, uh, and took 18
police officers to, uh, you know, arrest 12 kids, serve these warrants, and I talked to a lot
of people who were in the dorm that day, uh, they described it as overkill. A lot of
people were very upset, that the police were rude to them, um, and I know I'm not
criticizing the police force or what they did, but it does seem to me, um, and I'm not very
familiar with the substance, but I'm sure Connie Champion can tell you (laughter) uh, it's
all...it's kind of on the scale of things, a lot of people think it's less harmful than alcohol,
and again, it seems to be a social and health problem, uh, rather than a criminal matter,
and again, when you have a lot of officers, and resources devoted to this, um, it just
makes you think. So I think a lot of these kinds of things, there's reason to reexamine
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Apri126, 2010 City Council Regular Work Session Page 54
these types of policies, uh, frequently and um...yeah, I guess that's it. Um, I know they
reappointed a new guy, Elliot Higgins, he should be here tomorrow. He's very nice,
qualified.
Hayek/ Elliot Higgins?
Shipley/ Yes.
Hayek/ Okay.
Champion/ Will tomorrow be your last meeting?
Shipley/ Yeah. Well, I'll probably be around to see you, Connie, but (laughter) yeah, so I'll just
come a few minutes early, introduce him to you all and then go from there.
Hayek/ Great! Thanks.
Shipley/ Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys!
Hayek/ Absolutely!
Wright/ Kept us on our toes!
Hayek/ Other Council time? I just wanted to commend staff for the Public Works' letter that
went out to area residents about what we're doing and where we are with the Dubuque
Street and Park Road Bridge, uh, project. I think that's a great way to...to, uh, engender
more goodwill in that area. Okay. Budget priorities. As they say, the budget is a
priority. (laughter) Uh, upcoming community events, Council invitations. Okay.
Upcoming Community Events/ Council Invitations:
Wilburn/ Um, the NAMI walk, I believe I have replied to those folks at the same time as the, uh,
the other one that you had asked me about, that I should be there, um (mumbled)
Hayek/ I don't know why the NAMI person contacted me.
Wilburn/ Yeah, there were two that you mentioned, well, one was the...meet the Mayor thing at
the, for older American's month, uh, I replied to them at the same time as the NAMI
folks, but I said I'll be there but...cause the NAMI is, the older American's month is the
30th and when was the, uh, and then May 8th, uh, the NAMI fundraising walk at 8:00
A.M. so (mumbled)
Hayek/ Okay. I'll respond then. Anything else?
Champion/ Marian asked us to give her times for the radio show. Did you want those (mumbled)
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April 26, 2010 City Council Regular Work Session Page 55
Karr/ That'd be great. I'd like to go out because I know summer's going to get very busy for all
of you. So yeah, if you could do that, that'd be great.
Wright/ I was sneezing and hacking. What did...what was this?
Karr/ The radio show for May.
Champion/ The other dates.
Hayek/ What dates do you need, uh...
Champion/ She gave us a sheet, but I don't know where it's at now.
Mims/ It was in the packet somewhere.
Champion/ It was in the packet somewhere. (several talking)
Bailey/ IP7.
Champion/ Oh! Oh, there it is right there!
Karr/ I knew it would be difficult, but I didn't think it'd be silent.
Hayek/ (laughter) I'll take June...I'll take June 2na
Karr/ June 2na, thank you.
Mims/ I' 11 take May 19tH
Karr/ Thank you.
Champion/ I can, um, take one, I don't care which one.
Dickens/ May 12tH for me.
Karr/ Thank you. (several talking)
Wright/ I should be able to do June 2na
Karr/ June 2na, thanks. (several talking and laughing) Matt has June 2na
Wright/ Oh, then I should be able to do the Stn
Karr/ June Stn
Wright/ I don't pay any attention to what you say! (laughter)
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April 26, 2010 City Council Regular Work Session Page 56
Karr/ That would leave, uh, next Wednesday, May Stn
Champion/ I can do that.
Karr/ Um, okay, do you want to do them back-to-back if you get to do this Wednesday too?
Champion/ I think...
Dickens/ Matt or I can...
Champion/ They're going to work it out. They're not ever going to find me tomorrow. I'm
going to hide in my office.
Karr/ Okay, May 5th, okay. Well, 19th...May 26th? (several talking)
Hayek/ Maybe staff? Someone from staff?
Karr/ Okay, I can...okay. That'll take us through the 9th. We can come back then after that.
Hayek/ Okay. Any meeting schedule issues with, uh, the present schedule? Okay, that's it. I'll
see you tomorrow night.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council special
work session meeting of Apri126, 2010.