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Council Present: Botchway, Cole, Mims, Salih, Taylor, Thomas, Throgmorton
Staff Present: Fruin, Monroe, Dilkes, Fruehling, Sovers, Andrew, Dulek, Hightshoe,
Bockenstedt, Seydell-Johnson, Craig, Havel
Others Present: Nelson, Stewart (UISG)
Review of Pedestrian Mall plans:
Throgmorton/ Okay, well we can begin the Iowa City City Council work session for Tuesday,
January 20 .... January 16, 2018. First topic is a review of pedestrian mall plans. And
how we gonna do this, Geoff?
Fruin/ Yep, I'll, uh, make a quick introduction here. Scott Sovers from our Engineering
Department, who's the project lead, uh, on this, uh.... uh, project is here to, uh, talk to
you, as well as Angie Coyier from Genus Landscape Architects. Uh, this project is, uh,
several years in the works. Uh, some of you may recall that we embarked upon the
downtown, uh, streetscape plan in 2013 and, uh, since that time have not only adopted the
master plan but completed the Washington Street project. The pedestrian mall, uh,
project is next on the list. We want to walk through those plans with you tonight. Uh, we
do intend to ask you to set the public hearing at your next Council meeting and formally
approve the plans and specs for bidding at your second meeting in February. So with that
I'll turn it over to Scott Sovers.
Sovers/ Thanks, Geoff. Good afternoon and thank you (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Hi, Scott.
Sovers/ ...opportunity to provide you an update on the pedestrian mall improvement project.
Um, the agenda for today's discussion includes, uh, summary of the existing, I'm sorry,
summary of the, uh, planning process that dates back to the master planning phase, which
started in, uh, I think roughly 2013, 2014. Um, next the existing conditions that are
present in the ... the pedestrian mall, a brief, uh, synopsis of the, uh, proposed
improvements, uh, the incorporation of secondary destinations within the pedestrian mall,
the proposed construction phasing and staging, uh, probable cost opinion, and .... and
summary of the .... the budget, the existing budget. Um, and then followed up by, um,
question and answer so .... with that, I'd like to turn over to Angie for, um, starting out
with the planning history.
Coyier/ Good evening and thank you for this opportunity to come and offer an update on the
pedestrian mall improvement project. So just a little bit more detail, um, behind the
planning history, both Geoff and Scott indicated it began really in 2013, um, but I wanted
to just offer a couple more thoughts on the, um, public outreach effort that has occurred.
So it ... during the master planning process, we met, um, with stakeholders, including the
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Downtown District, Summer of the Arts, and the University of Iowa. Um, during the
first planning effort we held three, um, public meetings, um, and also offered, um, folks
to become engaged with our online, um, kind of, uh, virtual townhall with our inspired
Downtown IC web site. The design team, um, came and observed use across the ped
mall at major events, including Iowa Arts Festival, as well as, um, during a home football
weekend, and they can, as Geoff indicated, the, um, pedestrian mall streetscape plan
update was adopted in 2014. We then moved right in to schematic design efforts, which
included Dubuque Street and now the completed Washington Street, and held one public
meeting, um, for that design phase. Our most recent efforts began, um, in December of
2016, um, design development construction documentation. We kicked it off, um, by
again reaching out to stakeholders. We held pre -design and information gathering
workshops. We've gone out to the public two times with this current phase, and also,
um, held preview sessions with business and property owners, and then last December,
um, held individual consults with each of the business and property owners to talk
through the plans with them and to, um, talk more in detail with them about how we can
mitigate construction impacts. We talked with them about access and deliveries and, um,
storefront access and preferred paving days, and all of their input is included within the
CD plans. So just a quick, um, review of existing congi ... conditions and, um, the need
for the project. Always existing conditions begins with all of the great things you all
know that you already have going for you. You have, as shown on the slide, the weather
dance fountain and the fixed play structure al .... already draws on their own. This project
protects the fixed play structure and surfacing in place so that kind of footprint is not
touched, and then improvements are made to the weather dance fountain. You all know,
you already have the great draw with the locally owned independent businesses and
restaurants, and then your .... your great pedestrian scale that .... that we as a design team,
uh, had the great benefit of inheriting. Throughout the whole process over the last four to
five years we consistently heard about the paving and the uneven surfacing and the slick
conditions of the existing clay brick. Um, we .... one of the first things the design team
did was take a look across the whole study area and identify all of the areas which are
shown on the slide, in red, where areas, um, where the sidewalk pavement cross slope is
not currently compliant with Americans With Disabilities Act's, um, current legislation.
Um, as you all know, site furnishings, the kiosks, and light pole bases are showing signs
of deterioration, and then the image on the right shows the crosswalk at Clinton and
College, which also, again, does not meet current accessibility requirements. Um, we are
also, um, addressing the limestone planter walls, um, that are leaning and shown
separating in the two images on the slide. So summary of design, I'll hit on, um, kind of
four broad areas, um, before I offer more detail on the secondary destinations. Our
overall design goal from day one and throughout the whole process was to maintain
that ... that warm character and scale that you already have. Again, important to replace
aging infrastructure. Um, we have tree mitigation plan, which I'll talk about in detail.
Consistent with the, um, very first plan in .... and concept plan in the master plan was
introduce layers of lighting, so we engage users during the evening and nighttime hours.
Full paving replacement is proposed, and the new site furnishings. So the shi... slide
shows the overall, um, proposed plan, um, and beginning with u ..... utility upgrades and
the replacement of aging infrastructure, um, new water main is proposed, a new 12 -inch
water main is proposed along the entire north section of Dubuque, and then a new 8 -inch
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water main on the east section of College. Um, we're bringing in new telecom lines,
enhancing the storm sewer system, and then bringing in all new electrical. The multi-
layered lighting framework includes new pedestrian pole lights. So we're meeting our
functional and security lighting first, and then we're coming in with, uh, other layers at
the ground, play tree up lighting, public art lighting, um, story walls. We've introduced
story walls. You may have heard that concept before in some of the presentations. They
are introduced to terminate a few or to screen a utility transformer, but then they share the
history of. ... of the space.
Throgmorton/ Angie .... I know we have, uh, at least one new Council Member, uh, a lot of this
might be unfamiliar and ... I'd like you to slow down a little bit (both talking)
Coyier/ Okay!
Throgmorton/ ....as you're goin' through the material (both talking)
Coyier/ Okay!
Throgmorton/ ....we have a chance to absorb what you're actually referring to.
Coyier/ Yes. Do you want me to repeat.... anything, or go back, or, urn .... (several talking)
Throgmorton/ .....benefit for all of us. I don't want to be (both talking)
Coyier/ Yes! Yes! Okay. Anything I should repeat so far? No? Okay. So, um, and I'm going
to offer more slides on the multi -layered lighting framework, so a couple more slides will
come about the lighting. I don't have more slides on the utility upgrades. So if there's a
specific question I could answer about utilities now, or at the end when we turn it into Q
and A, but I will.....I will add more images about lighting. Um, so, and I will also offer
more slides. This is ... this slide is kind of an overall, general summary, and then I'll break
it down with subsequent slides. So, um, secondary destinations, um, kind of the real
heart of the project. Um, at the weather dance fountain is the introduction of a new
permanent, um, stage canopy at weather dance fountain, and again I'll have a series of
slides that represent its design intent. And then we also are introducing a shade structure
at Black Hawk Mini Park. I'll follow in the presentation images of the two story walls
that are proposed. Again full paving replacement is proposed, from building face to
building face. And then all new site furnishings, and in a subsequent slide I'll show you
images of.....of what those will be and then counts. Um, limestone planter walls will be
repaired. And then we're enhancing, with the repair of the limestone planter walls, the
planting areas actually kind of grow. So we in .... increase our overall site permeability,
as a result of that. Uh, moving into the tree mitigation plan, um, we have had an urban
arborist, um, Gary Johnson from the University of Minnesota, down on two separate
occasions to review the health of the existing trees. He came as recently as, um, last
September to take a look at how the trees have kind of performed since he was first here
in 2014. So he color -coded, which is reflected on the .... the slide that you're seeing, each
tree, um, green would of course represent appropriate for preservation, um, yellow would
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require more care, and red, um, and I quote from Gary Johnson, "Trees that are simply
not worth the investment and reconstruction projects are a perfect time to replace them."
So the trees with an X through them represent the trees that are slated for removal. So in
addition to health, there are a number of other reasons why trees are being removed, and
that is to introduce program. As an example here at the Sheraton, this existing Linden
tree is shown for removal to accommodate, um, the installation of the new permanent
stage canopy. Other trees are slated for removal to accommodate the installation of
utilities, um, or where a tree is within the designated fire lane. Or to repair leaning
planting wall. So there are 87 existing trees, 42 of the 87 are to be protected, 45 to be
removed, and there will be 49 trees planted, which are shown on this slide. So the darker
green tree, shown here, represents a tree to be planted or proposed tree, and the lighter
green represents an existing tree. We've worked closely with the Parks Department, with
Zac Hall and Tyler on, urn .... trees that they are known to be proven performers here in
Iowa City and along with our expertise, and are really proud of the replacement tree
diversity that's currently proposed. We have at least 18 different (mumbled) that are
coming in to meet our 49, um, new trees. With that I'll move into, um, the proposed
lighting framework and the first place we start with lighting is always how we're meeting
our functional and safety, um, light levels. We are proposing removal of all of the
existing globe lights and multi -globe lights and coming in with a replacement light. This
is the Bega light that we're proposing and this shows the Bega light that was actually
mocked up at Black Hawk Mini Park. I'm hoping many of you saw that, um, but every
yellow dot shown on the plan is the location for a new pedestrian pole light. We're also
enhancing the electrical system, um, for events across the ped mall and there is a power
pedestal that's shown here which you also would have seen installed along Washington
Street being installed in the planting areas. As we move from functional light levels into
kind of layers of accent lighting, we have four different types of accent lights proposed.
We have tree uplights, shown in kind of the purple, and story wall uplights, public art
uplights, and then a wayfinding kiosk lighting. So our two story walls, again, detail on
those will follow, are shown here screening the transformer at Park at 201. And then at
the west section, screening the transformer that's viewed from Clinton Street. Public art
uplights, we're relocating, um, `solar marker' and `balance in place' art pieces that are
currently in Black Hawk Mini Park to this north section, and we have uplighting of. ... of
`tickle my keys' over on the east section and then uplighting of the art piece `jazz.' We
have two wayfinding kiosks proposed, um, one at Clinton and one at Linn. You might be
familiar with the wayfinding kiosk that was installed last fall along Washington Street,
but we take that same vocabulary and welcome folks into the ped mall at....at Clinton
and Linn. And the tree uplights, again, you can see are kind of concentrated where we
have, um, seating or secondary destinations. We're also, um, retrofitting the existing
nozzles at weather dance fountain and we will have fountain lighting now as part of
weather dance fountain, so that represents the kind of red .... dot, right in the heart, and
then our two structures that are proposed .... at Black Hawk Mini Park and the weather
dance fountain are designed with integrated architectural lighting. Um, we have all new
site furnishings as part of the project. Um, the .... this is the proposed Neoliviano bench
that comes at a couple different lengths, um, with intermediate arms. Um, the Plainwell
bench which affords the continuation of the benchmark project, um, fixed table over at
the Public Library, and then movable tables and chairs, which you already have at....at
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Black Hawk Mini Park. So the design proposes a range of seating types, fixed benches of
two different types, movable tables and chairs, fixed tables, and then also, um, the seat
walls. We also can fi... fill seating needs. Um, the wayfinding kiosk I just mentioned at
Clinton and Linn, and again new trash receptacles, the big bellies. The four that you have
are going back in. We have one drinking fountain proposed over at the east section by
the Library, and then, um, bicycle racks. Um, so we are increasing our .... our bike count
by about 13 or so. The, urn .... existing clay pavers or brick clay pavers are being
removed and replaced with a precast concrete unit paver with a .... a higher texture so
there's greater slip .... slip resistance. The bulk of the, um, paving will be in a similar
color range as the existing kind of red clay that you already have, and then we're
breaking up those fields of. ... of the reddish color with three different tones of gray,
precast concrete unit fa ... paver. So now I'd like to offer a little bit more, um, detail on
the secondary destinations and the kind of specialty features that are part of the plan,
beginning with the, um, permanent stage canopy located, um, at Sheraton Hotel. So it's
an enlarged, um, covered performance space with integrated lighting. It's centered on
Dubuque Street, so it terminates that view corridor, um, from the Washington/Dubuque
Street intersection. It's designed to be very flexible, um, with multiple lighting, um, and
banner configurations. As a point of comparison, you can see the existing stage
configuration approximates about 475 -square feet, and the proposed stage configuration
approximates 575 -square feet. So the stage .... but then the canopy, as you can see, is
centered on the Dubuque Street corridor. So here's the center line of Dubuque, and
circulation is still afforded behind, um, the permanent stage canopy. It is, it does offer
protection from the rain. It's not a weather -tight, um, structure, but it does offer
protection from the rain with its design, and there .... has integrated lighting so there is,
um, performance lighting and then there's also the option to ha .... have the lighting on
24/7 so it can serve as a beacon of light in the evening ey.... hours, even when there's not
a performance. It also, we had a number of meetings with Summer of the Arts and
Downtown District, and it has adjustable, uh, or .... multiple banner configuration options
with a single banner option or multiple banner options at varied heights. It recalls the
detailing of the wayfinding kiosks that the glass upper portion of the canopy is detailed
with the same Iowa City pattern that you see in the wayfinding kiosk. So it ries together
all of the kind of vertical elements across the ped mall. Moving to Black Hawk Mini
Park, um, just a .... a slide stepping through our overall design goals, um, create an open
and flexible design to support a varied and diverse program. We currently show outside
of kind of the main circulation about 2,200 square feet of event space. Create a
welcoming and comfortable space, um, provide shade. We repeatedly heard it's really
hot and we did make it more comfortable in the summer months. We want to really
capture and communicate the spirit of Black Hawk Mini Park and celebrate its history,
and create a timeless design, and then also on a more detailed note screen the transformer
at the corner.... at Park at 201. The design team, um.....worked closely with the U of I
Historical Museum and Mary Bennett and, um ..... poured through many kind of historical
documents. Um, we took a look and learned more about the mural that once, uh, covered
the west face of the Paul -Helen Building, where the mural became a powerful, iconic
image of resistance and really was an appropriate backdrop to the demonstrations that
occurred at the space. We also, um, learned more about Project Green's original design
plan, um, for the space, and .... their goal of this becoming an activity center for art,
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music, and theater. We looked at their form, their paving, their paving types, their plant
palate, um, and this slide shows the, um, proposed plan. Um, where you can see this
dashed line represents about 2,200 -square feet of open, flexible space. The white box
represents the proposed 25 -foot by 35 -foot shade structure. We're, um, affording clear
circulation from Washington Street into Paul -Helen Building, as well as Park at 201, and
then clear circulation, you know, from the main corridor to Paul -Helen. We're kind of
framing and defining this space with over -story and under -story trees, offering, um,
limestone block seating and then showing in plan the, uh, proposed story wall. Our
paving is inspired by the mural, and the kind of gradations of color that were shown in
the mural reappear in the gray, um, darker gray up against Paul -Helen and then meeting
up into the light gray as it, um, communicates and interfaces with the larger ped mall.
This slide represents the, uh, proposed shade structure and are, uh, designed in
collaboration with our architectural team on .... on, of Neumann Monson. They felt, um,
that the piece becomes artful on its own and they are proposing a, um, reflective
surfacing, which protects from the rain, but also becomes an interactive, kind of
engagement tool that's part of the structure. It's mirrored in reflective, similar to the
Anish Kapoor piece you're likely familiar with in Chicago. So the underside is, uh, is
meant to be artful and interactive. Accommodates movable tables and chairs, so you
know during an event or program, this whole space really becomes, um, programmable.
The Jeff Koons piece that you're seeing is not really going to be there though (laughs)
(mumbled) This is another view of the shade structure, you know, looking right into the
Paul -Helen Building. We want the story of Black Hawk Mini Park and its history to
reappear in many different forms and not be, um, restricted to any one location. So we
are proposing, um, interpretive panels that can be mounted onto the columns of the shade
structure. They can be changed out so .... different stories can be told and celebrated.
Right now we are looking at, uh, three different panels on the south side of the column.
We can share the history behind the mural. We have a spirit of Black Hawk interpretive
panel. Um, we have a Project Green panel where we talk about the history, um, behind
Project Green and their original design, and then we have a third panel, um, ta... that's
described as `the people's park,' which, um, resulted from a 1977 Council meeting where
citizens came and .... revolted would maybe be a fair word (laughter) and kept the space
as a park instead of. ... of development, and we have a great quote that says the citizens
revolted and the park stays. So, we'd like to celebrate, um, that unique history of the
space. The story wall, um, proposed at Park at 201 is, um, meant to be a timeline that
celebrates residents who have shaped and influenced Iowa City. So it's a timeline, um,
that moves in a similar fashion as the original plan for the park. Um, we've worked
closely with a group of local historical experts, but we also had, um, an online survey
where folks from Iowa City could .... could nominate, um, folks that should be celebrated
on that wall. So we've broken that down into about 19 persons in five different themes.
As you can see, celebrating, um, community contributors, um, discovery, uh, commerce,
education, and culture. And again, these are meant to .... tell many stories. So after this
story is told, the panels, the stainless steel panels can be removed from the limestone
story wall and a new story can be told. So they can be changed out and they're meant to
be, so that we can .... we're not sure if that'll be every couple years or .... we're still
working through that. Um, moving to Clinton Street entry, and I apologize for that extra
Sup therein Clinton Street. So just, um, wanted to share, uh, design .... uh, plan for over
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at Clinton Street and the second story wall. So create a welcoming entry experienced
with a wayfinding kiosk. So inform use and shaded seating areas, again introduce layers
of accent lighting. This is where we can celebrate the City of Literature designation.
And then we want to improve accessibility at....at Clinton and College with new curb
ramps, uh, crosswalk paving, and traffic signalization. This shows a rendering kind of
looking from the west into the pedestrian mall. Um, you can see the wayfinding kiosk.
We have shaded seating, urn ..... new crosswalk paving, new truncated domes at the curb
ramps, and this is a rendering of the second of the two story walls, entitled `writers in a
cafe.' And it celebrates, um, a poem written by Marvin Bell, uh, `writers in a cafe' will
actually be engraved, uh, by sandblasting into this limestone, and it's a poem that was
written on the even of Iowa City's, uh, designation as a City of Literature. Construction
phasing .... um, it's a two-year, um, construction period. Um, the north phase one in
2018, um, east and west phases ... or portions of College, um, in 2019. Um .... this slide
breaks down some of the detail, um, with phase one, um, beginning likely mid-April
2018, um, with substantial completion end of October 2018. So we are similar to what
was done along, uh, Washington Street, we're, um, showing a minimum 8 -foot wide, um,
pedestrian walkway up against the building on the west side of Dubuque and 11 -feet in
width along the east side of Dubuque, um, which will also function as the fire lane, um,
during the construction period. So it's anticipated that the contractors will kind of begin
at the heart, um, with the canopy, and uh, work themselves out, um, to the north with the
water main installation to Dubuque. Um, and then.... similar to, uh, along the east and
we ... west sides of sect .... or sections of, excuse me, of College, um, beginning in April
and then complete again in October. So starting again with demo and utilities and, uh,
ordering limestone veneer for the story walls, um.....pour the PCC sub -slab under
the .... all of the new, uh, unit pavers, and then at the very end come in with the plantings
and site furnishings. Summary of probable cost, and with that I'll tum it over to, um,
Scott.
Sovers/ Okay, so the, uh, summary of probably cost or the engineer's estimate for the base bid is
7.5 million roughly and the base bid is, um, basically the entire project with the exception
of the stage canopy and the Black Hawk Mini Park structure, which is shown as Alt 1 and
Alt 2 there. Um, the stage canopy is roughly about 900,000 and then the, uh, Black
Hawk Mini Park, uh, shade structure is .... uh, roughly about 150,000. The budget for the
project, we have about $6.8 million in, uh, GO bonds funding the project, with the
balance, uh, coming from, uh, utility accounts. So as you can see, we .... we're fully
funded for the .... the base bid and .... with the hope that, uh, we, um, receive, uh, favorable
bids and can fund either one or all of the alternative bids. Except ... I think Geoff kind of
hit on this earlier, but the, uh..... the plan is to, uh, set the public hearing, uh, for the next
Council meeting on the 61, with the intent of having the public hearing at the February
206' meeting. Um, bids'd be then due at the March 27b meeting, and then award at the,
uh, February, I'm sorry, the April Yd Council meeting. With that we'd like to open up to
any questions you guys may have.
Throgmorton/ Scott, could you go back two slides please?
Sovers/ Sure!
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Throgmorton/ Yeah, that one. I .... I want to linger on it (both talking)
Sovers/ Sure! Yeah, absolutely!
Fruin/ While you're lookin' at that, I think I'd ... just offer a comment. Um, this is the type of
project that we don't want to be doing again in 10 or 15 years. I know we've had a
couple of, uh, ped mall projects over the last few decades, um, but they haven't
sufficiently or ... or, um, in a comprehensive manner, addressed all the underground needs,
and all the, uh, kind of the .... the sub -base needs of the, um, of the roadway itself. So, uh,
what I've really, uh, stressed to Scott and the design team is that you've gotta take care of
the underground stuff and you've gotta do it right so that we don't have to, uh, get into
this again and again in another decade or two. Um, you know the above ground stuff, the
....the stage canopy and the, uh, Black Hawk Mini Park structure, things like that. Those
are a little bit easier to come back in and add without a whole lot of disruption to the
downtown, but .... but you can't really go in and upsize a water main without rippin'
things up again. So, I think what .... what this approach does right now, it....it gives us a
very, very strong foundation underground, um, that, uh, should serve the community well
for .... for many years, and .... and again, sets us up to allow for the evolution of the above
ground stuff without a whole lot of disruption going forward. As Scott mentioned, we're
kinda crossin' our fingers on the bids. Uh, we've had some, uh, major projects that have
come in well under bid, and we're hopin' that, uh.... uh, that streak continues and ... and
we're able to .... to grab the canopy or the .... the Black Hawk Mini Park structure, or
maybe both, uh, with this, but .... we're gonna bid `em separately just so we understand
what.....exactly what those costs are.
Sovers/ Think along..... (clears throat) excuse me, along those same lines I guess I want to note
that with the base bid we are also putting in the foundations for both the stage canopy and
the Black Hawk Mini Park structure. So those foundations will be there so we won't
have to tear out the new brick paving that we're putting down.
Mims/ What's the plan during 2018 when you're working on Dubuque Street, okay, the
north/south part, in terms of, um.....pedestrian access along there to get to the east/west
parts, cause I've already started hearing (laughs) from, you know, restaurant owners and
business owners along.... particularly along the east/west part that they're gonna be
impacted for two years and so making sure that, um, a lot of that foot traffic does come
down Dubuque Street.
Sovers/ Sure. So the plan is to, up against the buildings, have an 8 -foot, basically on the west
side, an 8 -foot walkway. So ... the idea, at least as far as when we're doing the internal
work of the ped mall, or in the interior part putting in the utilities, getting, uh, pedestrians
up against the buildings so they can access the, um, businesses, on both .... that would be
for both phases.
Mims/ Okay. Okay. Thank you.
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Throgmorton/ You said you would... the.... the concept is to begin at the stage and work north?
Sovers/ Correct! (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ....in 2018? So what's the construction schedule for the former Sheraton, and you
know, are you taking that into account (both talking)
Sovers/ Right, that .... that's kind of the reason why we're starting at the .... at the stage and ... and
fountain areas is to try to get that done before they open back up or .... kind of maybe not
necessarily before they open up, but on a similar timeline.
Fruin/ They're targeting June for reopening. So ... the sooner we get in there, the sooner we can
get out and hopefully not have a huge mess at their front door when they reopen.
Nelson/ When considering the .... the light, the lamp posts that were made, were there .... was
there any thought going into it based off of the 2016 tragedy that happened the night the
Cubs won the World Series, when the student fell off. Um, so what's the safety of those
lamp posts look like and, um, maybe what ... what if any consideration went into that?
Sovers/ So I do know that these .... these poles and fixtures are a lot more sturdy. Um, I believe
the .... the globe fixtures that you're referring to, the .... the globe itself is just plastic and
they're... over time they get very brittle and so I think what happened is, um, that broke
and then that.... particular person had fallen off, so I don't think we'll have that problem
cause these are solid, um, steel posts with, uh... um, some solid fixtures on `em.
Botchway/ (both talking) ...oh, go ahead, John!
Thomas/ Is there .... is there still, uh, special paving in, uh, Clinton Street? Meaning the .... the
unit pavers?
Coyier/ There's, uh, unit pavers proposed at the crosswalks.
Fruin/ Currently that's an all brick intersection.
Thomas/ Right.
Fruin/ So we're scalin' back. We would not replace all the brick. We'd just do the intersections.
Like we did on Clinton and like we did, uh, Clinton and Washington, and then Dubuque
and Washington as well. (several talking in background)
Coyier/ So here's the proposed precast concrete unit paver in plan.
Thomas/ Okay.
Botchway/ So I missed the conversation, cause I stepped out for a little bit as I was coughing
profusely, around, um, kind of the electrical piece that you talked about here with the
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power (mumbled) power pedestals, excuse me, in planting areas. My question I .... is kind
of for Geoff, um, as well. You know, what's the .... what's the change in kind of
the.... utility rate as it, I mean, as we think about this and also the lighting and other
things that are affixed to the canopy, what changes .... what will change from a City cost
standpoint in regards to the use of those areas?
Frain/ I think from a City cost standpoint, although we're increasing the amount of lighting, I
think, you know, the costs we're payin' for that would .... would be reduced, because
what ... what you see out there now is not LED lighting. (several talking) This would all
be LED lighting. So, you'll see a cost savings and a ..... and a reduction in over ... in our
overall consumption. The, um, the electrical system downtown, particularly in this area,
is woefully inadequate. We constantly have problems, urn.... with.... cart vendors and,
uh, musicians, struggling to .... to, uh..... uh, use the existing system. We also are limited
in the types of accent lighting. So think holiday lighting that we can do because the
system gets overloaded. It can't handle it. So, uh, what we did on Washington Street
seems to work very well. It provides that, uh, power opportunity at each .... each planter,
which, uh, made for some nice holiday lights this year, uh, but also gives a lot of
flexibility to event organizers and where they can set things up.
Botchway/ So to that point, that's my next question or actually probably was my first question.
Um, is not saying this is a possibility, so I'm thinking of it as a hypothetical, but as we
were talking about the food trucks, and the conversation we had months ago, we would
have the electrical capacity to allow for, you know, food trucks all along Clinton Street
and/or Dubuque Street, cause I know that one of the concerns was that the power grid
was .... wasn't where it needed to be to support, uh, many of the food trucks on the ped
mall, and there's other reasons, but that was one of the reasons. Would we be able to do
that with expanded capacity?
Sovers/ I think what we've .... we planned for is just what the, I can't remember how many food
trucks we have down there, but uh, just with the existing number of food trucks that we
have the....at the intersection. (several talking)
Frain/ ...you're talkin..... just wanna make sure we're on the same page. We have the carts that
are down there (several talking) you're talkin' the actual trucks (several talking)
Sovers/ ...vendor carts, sorry! My apologies. Um, yeah, I think we'd be able to, you know, add
....have power for .... for those folks.
Botchway/ The other question is in relation to the Black Hawk Mini Park. So, and again I'm just
looking on it based on what you showed, it looks like we've reduced the amount of
usable space .... with the.....uh.....whatever it's called, reflective....
Sovers/ The structure?
Botchway/ Yeah.
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Sovers/ That canopy.
Botchway/ I guess you know I know you've been talking with Nancy. I know Nancy's here with
the Downtown District, I mean I've been interested in a lot of the different things that
have happened within that space so my question is, and maybe Nancy could answer it as
well, what .... how does that change the current programming, whether nor not it's going
to continue? I know that you know obviously the ... the current winter pop-up occurred
there. I think that would ... may hit that reflective mirror there if that was the case, and so
just interested in how that would change or be incorporated or what. Sorry to put you on
the spot.
Bird/ We've worked with Angie and Scott to look at those elements and our general guidance
has been we'll work with anything the City wants to do. We'll work around it. However,
the pop -ups do fit under the canopy as it is now.
Botchway/ Okay.
Bird/ So....
Sovers/ So I guess one thing we forgot to mention is the canopy's fairly.... fairly high. So ... that's
just to make it as .... as Angie had shown, um, more flexible, usable so you can put tents,
um, the pop -ups underneath it.
Botchway/ So I mean are we looking at a .... a relative..... size to what it's going to look like or is
it going to be a lot larger in comparison to the building to the right? Or higher, excuse
me.
Coyier/ Um .... this rendering is true to the proposed design, and there were ... have been grade
studies of its overall height and tying it back to .... so that it talks to not only the Paul -
Helen Building as well as Park at 201. So I think that the kind of top of (mumbled)
remember correctly is complements, I think, the top of where... what your prairie, uh, art
work was recently. So we've .... we've studied it considerably, you know, to
accommodate the events that have been occurring over the past year.
Sovers/ Which I believe is ... (both talking) basically the second floor of the Paul -Helen
Building .... is the top of the structure, just for a reference.
Throgmorton/ I don't remember the details of the canopy as it was proposed several months ago,
but this looks a little bit different. Is it different?
Coyier/ It does look different because of the introduction also of the reflective surfacing.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I definitely (both talking) and the previous one.
Coyier/ ....has evolved.... again, the hopes that this becomes an art piece on its own as well and
invites engagement and interaction.
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Botchway/ And the mysterious dog is new. (several talking and laughing)
Coyier/ And also protection from the rain too. Before it was a .... a metal grate, um, which was
similar to the materials proposed at the permanent stage canopy.
Taylor/ So similar to the purple dog there would be space to continue like with our public art, to
have art work displayed in there? Probably not the canopy that we had recently but,
uh.... other art works, other forms of art work could be displayed there yet?
Coyier/ Yes, so this .... this whole footprint is open, you know, flexible space. Um, but also it's
hoped that underneath the .... the canopy is .... is programmed as well.
Throgmorton/ It looks to me like one could creatively design around the canopy, and (both
talking)
Coyier/ That's certainly the intention and .... has driven all the work of the design thus far.
Sovers/ Yeah, I think there's been some discussion about actually hanging some art off of the top
of the canopy as well. So we've sized the structure to be able to handle that.
Thomas/ I've been trying to track the budget on this project over .... at least the last two years.
Uh, and what I .... what I've seen last year was 6.2 million for construction and now we
have budgeted 7.8. You're right around that figure. Um, is that due to the.... pavement
replacement? What's driving the, uh (both talking)
Sovers/ Yeah so .... let me go back to the budget slide. Yeah, I think the initial estimate we
weren't including full pavement replacement, and as we got into the design we realized
and just looked at the existing pavement conditions that it'd be pretty hard to kind of
piecemeal, uh, the pavement replacement and make it look like a uniform surface. And
then also take care of the, um, ADA non-compliant cross slopes.
Fruin/ Yeah, the other .... (both talking)
Coyier/ You're also getting that sub -base in completely under the .... the new paving. Right now
you have a couple of different sub -base issues, some without, um, a .... a concrete base,
but in the new conditions you'll have an 8 -inch thick, uh, PCC sub -base under all of the
pavement. Or under all the pavers.
Fruin/ We're essentially treatin' it like we would a brick street replacement. If you're puttin' a
concrete street down with the bricks on top and that all ... that'll last for a long time.
Um...
Coyier/ And fixing the .... the grades, as well.
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Fruin/ Right. The other expansion of the scope that, um, wasn't always anticipated was the
College Street intersection. We always anticipated ending at the ped mall, kind of at the
sidewalk there on College Street. And then the more we analyzed the condition of that
College Street intersection we realized that we need to address that as well. So if you go
out and you look at the bricks, uh, in the street there, pretty poor shape, uh....
Thomas/ On the west end there?
Fruin/ On the west end. So we ... we brought that into the project, which .... which certainly
pushed the budget.
Sovers/ Tryin' to pull up a photo of the brick crosswalk.....
Coyier/ There you go! This is...
Sovers/ Yeah, so you can kind of see the .... the brick is fairly uneven. Some of that brick is
actually starting to deteriorate in the intersection.
Nelson/ I was also wondering, what was the rationale behind the .... the three -armed Plainwell
benches as opposed to more traditional two -armed benches?
Coyier/ The introduction of the center arm?
Nelson/ Uh huh.
Fruin/ Just defining space, um.....uh.....making people comfortable. Say that, you know, if you
....if you were sittin' on a bench right there, with one person on a bench without an arm,
some people would not be necessarily comfortable sitting next to somebody else, but the
introduction of a visual cue there actually makes it a little bit more inviting for two
people that may not know each other to sit down. I know that was part of the discussion
early on.
Salih/ I just would like to ask if there is any breakdown for the budget? I just would like to see
like different item, how much it cost.
Sovers/ Sure, we do have that, we have a break .... uh, itemized engineer's estimate that we can
provide. Definitely!
Cole/ On the Black Hawk structure, was there any public process, um, where this was vetted
through the public? Did it go through any committees? Um, has it come to Council
before today, uh, in terms of this proposed structure? I guess I don't remember ever
seeing this or seeing other alternative proposals. What ... what was the process like to get
to that particular structure?
Fruin/ I'll jump in on that real quick, Scott. So you'll recall a couple of years ago, uh, we
presented plans to the Council with the, uh, Balmond art project.
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Cole/ Yes.
Fruin/ At that time the Council, uh, decided not to move forward with that project. Um, we had
a work session that followed to .... to talk about where to go next, what ... what the next
step should be, and um, we, uh, as .... as a group decided that there would not be another,
uh, kind of large art project proposal that we would seek. Uh, the Council guidance at
that time was try to keep the space open and flexible, and urn .... uh, yet still meeting
some of the design objectives, and .... and one thing we've heard loud .... loud and clear is,
um, the need for shade in that area, that we continue to hear that. So, this was an attempt
to .... to meet that, um, design guideline, to provide some shade, and yet, uh, keep the
flexibility of the space. In terms of committees, we did not assemble a committee, uh,
but Scott and Angie have held a couple of public meetings, uh, downtown where this
structure has been, um, introduced in the plans and we've received feedback on that and
adjusted accordingly going forward.
Cole/ Okay.
Thomas/ I think ..... one of my main concerns, we're in the midst of budget consideration, and,
uh, I think the City, the staff, the Council have done a great job developing a number of
mandates on a whole range of issues, which each have their own budget demands, and so
I'm looking at the project and I'm seeing it increase in cost, uh.... so we have opportunity
cost issues. What .... what are we spending the money on, how do we prioritize, and so
forth. I mean I like the project in general. I think it's .... I think the key issue, uh,
in .... there're two key issues in my mind. One would .... one would be the pavement. I
think that clearly was something that ... this question of safety, and I know that in terms of
prioritizing projects in the downtown, the idea was safety and infrastructure. So I think
....I think that's true to the .... to the master plan. Um, but at the same time I feel if. ... if
we're gonna do all the paving and try to stay within budget, given the budget that had
been established and even the .... the 6.2 million was quite a bit more than was estimated
in the master plan. So we're..... we're seeing escalation of costs and .... and so .... at this
point, you know, I know we're, given the schedule, my ..... my thought is .... uh, and I
hadn't known what the bid alternate structure would be, uh, you know. I would of. ... I
would certainly support the idea of the bid alternate for the shade structure. Um, I think
there are other ways of providing shade that actually may be more welcoming in some
respects in terms of, uh.... you know, the space, trees, colorful canvas, uh, canopies over
the .... the tables and so forth, urn .... I think there are other ways of doing that. That
might.... give it a little bit more flexibility in terms of how the (mumbled) Um, but that's
a bid alternate anyway. I'm just not as interested in the long-term awarding it. Um, the
....there's still a little bit of special paving in Clinton. I don't know that there ... I thought
it was going to be the whole deal, um, that we have now. It's been reduced. I ... I frankly
don't see any value in that at all, you know, given the needs we have in the city. I
noticed even the work on Washington , uh, it may have been the contractor's crews but
there were crews going in and repairing what we just put in. So I'm....you know (laughs)
1, uh, what's the public benefit there? I'm not sure that there is one. Um .... and then I
would... I really did feel from a programmatic standpoint the stage was worth pursuing.
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I mean the existing design did not really, um .... it's not well adapted, uh, as a.....as a
setting for performances. Um, and I hadn't realized that was going to be a bid alternate.
So I mean, see that seemed to me programmatically to be the big change, um ..... so my
feeling is is there are a number of other things, uh, site furnishings, um.....the kiosks, the
story walls, um.....the screens around the utilities, uh... you know, to give ourselves a
little bit more flexibility in terms of awarding the project while still trying to reach what I
would consider, I'm not sure how the other Councilors feel, but, uh, the goal of...of the
stage. Um, I .... I would, you know, and again .... not revising the project, just pulling
things out of the base bid (both talking) putting them into an alternate, um, that can be,
um, bridged financially, perhaps by fundraising. You know, we .... we didn't do the art
piece so there's, and in fact many of these art elements, these..... these site furnishings
have an artful aspect to them, so .... um, we're going to fund them through fundraising
efforts, to try to create enough room to bring the project costs down while still awarding
the stage. Um, that's the way I feel about, you know, the project in terms of trying to
capture what are the key elements, uh, and at the same time tryin' to bring the cost down.
Throgmorton/ So I understand the general thrust of what you're suggesting, John, but it's not
clear to me exactly what you're suggesting. Are you proposing a different base bid....
Thomas/ Different base bid....
Throgmorton/ Of what? Do you have an id .... a number in mind?
Thomas/ You mean for the cost?
Throgmorton/ A different base bid (both talking)
Thomas/ ....scope?
Throgmorton/ A different base bid instead of the, uh, current.... what is the base bid now? Seven
or whatever (both talking)
Mims/ Can I ask a question before you even try and answer that?
Throgmorton/ Sure.
Mims/ What does that do to ... if we were to try and change the base bid and put some of these
things in as alternates, whatever they are. Like John is suggesting. What does that do us
logistically in terms of a timeframe?
Fruin/ Depends on what kind of changes you wanna make. I mean if you wanna just....pull 15
benches out, we can give ya a .... a cost in what you're going to save there. If you wanna
take the brick crosswalks out on ... on College, that's not too difficult. Um .... if you want
to get into.... lighting and some of the story walls and things like that, that can get a little
bit more complicated. Um .... Scott, Angie, do you have any .... thoughts on.....
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Mims/ Cause my concern, I.....I appreciate what John is saying, and I don't necessarily disagree
with him, but I'm also concerned timeframe wise, if we're gonna try and get this done so
we're actually in there constructing....
Thomas/ I'm trying to identify things which.... are.... are kind of stand-alone elements that could
be easily, uh, bracketed out on the base bid. Uh, so that we're not changing the drawings.
We're just saying either this is gonna be in or it's gonna be out. Now some of those
things may have minor modifications required if. ... if they are taken out. Um, but 1, you
know, and maybe I .... I would open up the question to see what things could be easily...
you know, changed in the contract so that we could reduce the base bid cost. There's a
lot of complexity to the lighting. It's interesting, um, again.....you know, trying to
measure the public benefit of that is .... is a challenge, I think, for me. Um, and my .... my
principle concern is this project has just.... significantly increased in cost and.....the
lessons I learned from the block party and from our discussions about Black Hawk Mini
Park is...you know, the .... the ped mall is the frame, the picture is the planning, you know,
the ... and the programming. That's what's important. Not so much the .... the, um, the
....the elements going into the project. It's about how we program spaces more than the
physical elements that we may add to it.
Throgmorton/ John, you're makin' a strong point, but it's not clear to me yet....
Thomas/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ ....whether other people agree. Okay? So the base ... basic point I hear you
making (mumbled) claim I hear you making is that you believe we should receive a base
bid, a revised statement containing a base bid, and then identifying several other elements
that could be treated as alternates basically, and that you..... you'd want us to make
judgments about whether to include the alternates or not, I mean I think that's what I'm
hearing.
Thomas/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ So .... if that can feasibly be provided, uh, we could do that.
Thomas/ Uh huh.
Throgmorton/ The .... the big question, I think, is whether we like what's being proposed in, you
know, and if. ... if we do like it, then we can make judgments about whether there are any
parts that we want to scale back and have done a little bit later or somethin' like that.
Cole/ Do we have time to do that, I mean...
Frain/ The plans and specs have to be ready for the public hearing (mumbled) February .... was it
6`h Council meeting? Um, so ... if you can't make that decision tonight, if you need more
time to consider the plans, it is going to set things back, whether that's two weeks or a
month it just depends on how ... how long the discussion is, but if you can identify some...
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some things tonight that you think you want to strip out then there's the possibility we
could stay on schedule and just adjust the plans and specs before we set the public
hearing on the 6a'.
Botchway/ My other question is, Geoff, you kind of alluded to this earlier is looking at it you
were talking about are we .... is it three separate bids where we have alternate I, alternate
2?
Fruin/ Yeah, so the contractors will bid the base bid, and then they'll separately price each of the
alternates, and then we'll have the option, depending on how the numbers come in,
whether to grab .... we could .... we could say base bid plus alternate 1, base bid plus
alternate 2, or base bid plus both.
Botchway/ Okay. The reason why I asked that question as well is I think, again, you kind of
alluded to in your introduction that there could be some wiggle room. Will we have an
opportunity to come back before us, if for example you said if it was a lot lower, to your
point, John. You know, it's substantially gone up. If it was to say, you know, be at that
6.5 range, uh, what that .... what it would come back at. Is there any type of conversation
that comes back to us or do we need to make a decision based on what we get at that
particular time?
Fruin/ Yeah, you would .... you would make a decision at that particular time, uh, the one thing I
would say, if you were really.... really wanting to do say the Black Hawk Mini Park
structure, but you didn't feel comfortable doing that, um, because of financial reasons or
however the bids came in, again as.....as Scott mentioned, the foundation work to support
that structure's going to be done. The idea is that you could come back in in two years,
three years, 10 years and layer that improvement on with minimal disruption. So keep in
mind, this is a two-year project. Um, we could, um, come back in .... in year, you know,
go out .... go back and rebid that structure and actually install it at the tail end of the
project as opposed to the first year of the project. So you .... you'll have some flexibility.
Dilkes/ You also .... you have to identify it as an alternate at the front end.
Botchway/ Okay.
Dilkes/ You can't say, okay our base bid came in at....at.....7 and we wanna see if we can
negotiate down to whatever by gettin' rid of some stuff. You can't do it that way. You
have to identify those things that you want to have flexibility on as an alternate.
Botchway/ Okay. So I guess I'll start first. I mean I'm supportive of this project moving
forward. Uh, I am, you know, I would .... I'm glad you articulated, Jim, that the change in
the Black Hawk Mini Park piece, um, because that was a little bit different, or maybe a
lot different, from what we had seen beforehand. I ... I would say, to Geoff's comment, I
think it does speak to some of the issues we have heard. Um, you know I was ... I had
some issue with the programming piece and, you know, hearing Nancy say that they'll
work around it and be creative around it, I feel differently. It presents an artful element
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as far as whatever you're doing, kind of below there. Um, the piece that I'm, I guess the
only concern I have, and I think this is something that could change with the story wall
and some other things, is just the diverse element, and so you showed me a really, you
know, amazing picture, if you want to go back to it, um, in relation to, um, kind of the
protests that have happened there and some of the other things that have happened there,
um, but to me, when I looked at Black Hawk Mini Park based on your renderings
afterwards, I didn't see that. And so if I'm thinking about, you know, I'll be honest with
you, outside of this conversation, I had .... I didn't know a lot of the history of Black
Hawk Mini Park. It'd be very interesting to me as a new resident, or even a resident
who's been here a .... a long time, to know what this place is about, to know the historical
implications, see that in the story wall, and see the diversity, I mean, spoken into the story
wall as well. So that would be my only I wouldn't say major concern, because to me it's
an open programmatic place when I feel like there's a .... there's a diverse, there's a
history there, (mumbled) rich in history that can be brought out a little bit more
effectively, and it could be in the story wall. It could be some of the things already
shown here. I just wanted to give my two -cents in regards to that, but I'm .... I'm okay
with moving forward currently as, uh, it's being proposed.
Throgmorton/ Like to make a quick comment about the design for Black Hawk Mini Park.
That .... that was a major topic of conversation with regard to, when we were doing the
streetscape design, and then later on with regard to the art piece for the Black Hawk Mini
Park. And ... I've always believed that that site needs to recall the history of Black Hawk
Mini Park, why it was created, what's taken place there, the fact that so many speakers
have spoken there, demonstrations have been held there, and I think this design does re...
a really good job of evoking that history, so long as there continues to be space for people
to do the same kind of thing (laughs) if they want to. Right. Uh, so, yeah, I .... I like what
I see here with regard to Black Hawk Mini Park. I .... I think it goes in the right direction.
Mims/ Yeah, I'm comfortable. My .... my biggest concern is if we pull anything out, and I .... I
hear what John's saying in terms of the cost, then I think that needs to be decided tonight
with input from staff and making sure that we can still stay on schedule, cause I don't
want this to get pushed back. I think, you know, trying to get started in April, and get
some of those things done so when the Graduate Hotel, is that the new name of it? Okay,
when they open that we're roughly in the same timeframe in terms of the area around the
fountain and everything, and .... can kind of be .... I don't wanna see this pushed back a
month or two and not .... not break ground till May or June.
Severs/ Yeah, I think the other challenge we'll have with pushing it back is contractors get busy,
and so we'll see inflated prices, which is counterproductive to what we're trying to do.
So....
Mims/ Right.
Throgmorton/ So, Scott, you did say the base bid would be $7.505 million?
Sovers/ That's correct.
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Throgmorton/ And the alter.... alternates would be in addition to that, is that correct?
Sovers/ That's correct. Yep.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so are there any other ... is it possible for the staff to identify tonight any
other key elements that would make a meaningful financial difference in the base bid if
they were pulled out of the base bid?
Sovers/ Pull up the overall view here and maybe we can take a look at that real quick.
Throgmorton/ I mean I think just for information sake. I'm not just saying I really want us to do
that, because that may be too complicated, but I think we need to know.
Cole/ I was just gonna ask that.
Sovers/ I think we could pull out the .... the brick crosswalks on Clinton. I think that's somethin'
that'd be fairly easy to do.
Throgmorton/ Do you have an estimated cost of that?
Sovers/ Um....
Mims/ That's an unfair question on the spot! (laughter)
Throgmorton/ ....have to make a decision on the spot.
Mims/ No, I know!
Fruin/ I would venture a guess, and I may be completely off, but I would say somewhere in the
ballpark of 20,000 to 30,000.
Sovers/ That's what I was thinking, about 20,000 is what I would (several talking)
Mims/ ....not even worth pulling really.....
Throgmorton/ ....not worth doin'.
Mims/ ....given the scope.
Thomas/ Well (laughs) I would disagree but, uh.
putting unit pavers in a roadway. The re.
existing (both talking)
..um, and then you got operating costs. You're
.look at the slide that we just showed, of the
Throgmorton/ Let's see if they can identify other particular elements. So there's one that could
be pulled out anyhow.
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Sovers/ And I think we could pull out the story walls, but I think that's gonna take some work
just identifying how we do that and probably some significant changes to the plan.
Throgmorton/ (both talking) I think they're both very valuable (mumbled) City of Literature, the
quote.... the.... the, what is it, cafe? `Writers in cafd,' it's a wonderful poem by Marvin
Bell and ... and the other one tells that history. (several talking) ...very abbreviated form.
And you already pulled one story wall out, didn't you, the one down by the weather
dance.
Sovers/ Yep, there was one there too.
Coyier/ And one kiosk, you know, has already been pulled.
Fruin/ We've had this conversation, uh (laughter) a lot over the last few months because we ... we
knew .... we knew we were gettin' to a point where we were pushin' the limit, so we have
scaled back as much as we can, without, again, sacrificing the underground
improvements. Um, it's hard for me to look at this and say there's much, you know, tree
uplighting, um .... but you get into the whole electrical system. I don't know that we can,
you know.....
Mims/ I say go with it!
Botchway/ Yeah, I mean I guess I have concerns about the changing from brick pavers that you
have there, because I actually enjoy the fact that that entire intersection, um, is all brick,
but you know, I understand scaling back a little bit because... correct me if I'm wrong on
that corridor, or the .... the, not the intersection to the south?
Throgmorton/ You mean the Clinton Street?
Botchway/ Yeah, the Clinton Street, uh (several talking) Washington Street intersection, that's
proposed as being all brick, right?
Fruin/ No, that .... that's just the crosswalks. As you go up to Iowa that's all brick, um, but
Clinton is just (both talking) Washington is just the brick sidewalks.
Dilkes/ That's probably something you could eliminate by change order if you wanted to, I mean
it's such a minor piece of the entire project. It wouldn't (mumbled)
Taylor/ In the Black Hawk Mini Park, that paving that you talked about reflected the colors in
the mural. Does that add quite a bit of an expense, cause I hadn't .... I don't see that that, I
mean that caused quite an uproar when that mural disappeared. And I don't know that
people, newer people to the community, would really realize that those colors reflected,
uh, the colors from the mural. Does it add in cost to it to do that?
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Coyier/ It's the same paver as we're doing throughout the ped mall. It's just a different color,
and a different pattern.
Taylor/ Okay.
Coyier/ So it's not a different size or different thickness. Every paver is 8 -centimeters thick.
Um, but we're just bringing in different color and different pattern, which we highly
recommend to break up that expanse and make it feel more pedestrian scale.
Throgmorton/ So what fraction of the cost is contributed, or comes from the pavers, the new
pavers, and the underground work with regard to water, electrical, and .... storm water
runoff and so on? It's gotta be a large percentage, but I don't know what.
Sovers/ So the paving is basically 1.8 million.
Coyier/ That includes some slab, steps (mumbled) you know granite replacement.
Sovers/ So yeah, that's one thing we didn't really mention in the ... in the presentation. There's,
um, some work that we're doin' on the, urn .... the fountain itself, and some of the granite
pieces are broken. So we're replacing those, regrouting, all of that. Um, replacing a
trench drainer on the outside and just kind of cleaning that up while we have the
opportunity. So yeah, we're talkin' about 1.8 million in the paving. Um, let's see, the
lighting, let's see what the lighting is just for reference (mumbled) (talking in
background) I guess I can just kind of run through the major parts of the project to give
you just an overall idea what, where the costs are coming from. So site clearing and
demolition is .... 1.3 million. Earth work is about 60,000. I'm sorry, 210,000. The
paving is 1.8. Uh, the exterior improvements, which includes like the planter walls,
the ... uh... all the site f imishings.....is 1.4 million, roughly.
Coyier/ (unable to hear, away from mic)
Sovers/ (mumbled).... Black Hawk Mini Park footing is about 10,000. (mumbled) canopies,
33,000 for the footing. Uh, irrigation system is 35,000. Maybe that's where we could
save some money if we didn't want to do an irrigation system. Planting is 222,000. The
water, um, water main improvements is 250,000. Storm... drainage or the storm sewer
improvements would 208,000. The electrical is 522,000, which that includes all the
lighting. And then, uh, telecommunication network in terms of the ... it's all in the
conduits, uh, for use by other utility companies for .... for lease is about 193,000.
Throgmorton/ Well I counted like 5.5 million in maybe five separate categories. The land
clearing, the paving, uh, the water..... storm water, electrical, and one other thing
that ... oh, the, uh.... yeah, the exterior installations.
Sovers/ Right.
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Throgmorton/ Well.....all right. So .... we, uh, we can't just talk about this forever. So,
uh.... what, do y'all have a preference? I .... my, l like what I see, and I .... am persuaded
by John that may .... maybe there are some other elements that could be identified, if staff
could do that. You could come back to us with those identified, but in general I like what
I see. I think we should move ahead, and I don't know how the rest of y'all think.
Cole/ I think we should move ahead, given where we are timewise. I guess the only general
comment is is that in the future, especially for major projects like this, I would like to be
able to get the work session, you know, three months ago, um, cause I feel like our hands
are tied in terms of making substantive review to save the taxpayer money. I think there
are a lot of changes that we potentially could be .... could be made, um, but we're in a
situation where we don't have the time to do the review without delaying the project, and
I don't wanna delay the project. So I will support it moving forward, with one exception.
I do not like the Black Hawk Mini Park, um, structure. I don't like the fact that the public
has not had an opportunity to weigh in in terms of a committee. Um, I don't like the
design. Um, I don't like the cost. I do like the fact that there's shade, um, but I would ... I
would like to basically erase that from the, uh, plan and, um, move forward with an
alternate, either this year or the following year, cause it's my understanding the structural
work can be done either, you know, this year or at another time. Is that .... is that correct,
Geoff, that we could do that at a later time, if. ... if we chose to do that? In terms of a new
structure?
Fruin/ Potentially. It depends on what size structure you want, I mean we would anticipate
putting the footing in for, you know, if you don't accept the bid alternate, um, we would
put the footings in for this type of structure. If you fundamentally change the design of
the structure, the footings that we install aren't gonna match up. So, um, but if you .... if
you disregarded those foundations, yeah, you could come back in and layer somethin' in.
You just might have to disrupt the bricks a little bit to build a foundation.
Um .... depending on what else you may need, if you need electricity or if you need water
or sewer to whatever you're.... build in the future, you'd have to accommodate that.
Cole/ The other minor thing is, and this really isn't a budget issue just a comment. The chairs
that are used in the ped mall, for someone like me, those are not usable. Um, there may
be some other people that have my, um .... uh, size, shall we say, uh, so just something to
keep in mind because I look at those. They seem totally uncomfortable and I don't know
why anyone would want to sit in those unless you're not my size. (laughs) Um, but other
than that, other than that one item, I would like, uh, I think we move forward with it just
as a pragmatic step but I would like to get that Black Hawk Mini structure removed.
Throgmorton/ So that one item is alternate one, right? That's the way I understood it. So .... we
don't have to commit ourselves to it.
Taylor/ I would agree with that. I'm not really happy with that structure either, for that area, as
far as that being a, historically a public gathering space. It just doesn't seem to fit in with
that, except for the shade part of it.
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Throgmorton/ (mumbled) a quick comment on that, uh, there's a deep.... deeper history to what
should go in to Black Hawk Mini Park, and it's been tremendously controversial, as some
people in the audience know. Uh, Nancy in particular, I know she's been involved in
this. So .... there have been extensive discussions in the past about what could go in there.
It .... I'm not saying you're wrong (both talking)
Cole/ But I think the point is on that is that I know we had the controversy with the Lens, but my
recollection is that we were going to get feedback as to a possible proposal and a concept,
but that would come to us not we're on the eve of having to decide the project, at least ... I
could be wrong on that. Um, but it doesn't seem like we've seen that concept, or even
any alternatives until now, unless I'm wrong about that.
Fruin/ I would say the concept has been out in multiple public meetings at this time. The
reflective surfacing was new between the last public meeting and this, but the .... the
structure itself has been shown, and I'd also point out that, uh.... um, prior to the
construction of the Park at 201, there was a shade structure in Black Hawk Mini Park,
um, certainly not to this scale, but towards the southern end of the (several talking)
Cole/ And I want a shade structure, just not that one.
Botchway/ Again I think that's why I asked the question is just to be clear about the bid process
because this'll come back before us and, you know, if we have an issue with this, which I
think .... I think you're .... made a good point, Rockne. Then we just need to vote
accordingly as far as which particular bid that we'd like to move forward on. I think that
this is the time, you know, again from a....um, a media standpoint and also how we
communicate with the community, get out there and talk about this particular project, I
mean and again, to Jim's point, this is a controversial space. I .... I would be interested to
see nobody speak up about this particular project that had an issue with it.
Thomas/ You know I had three items in mind coming to this meeting, not knowing how the bids
were structured. One was seeing if, you know, the crosswalks on Clinton.... take those
out. To some degree they've already been taken out, so the remainder isn't a minor
budget item. The ... the Black Hawk Mini ... uh, Park's shade structure and then some of
these stand-alone site furnishings, so .... so they, the shade structure is an alternate.
This ... this will give us, as a community, an opportunity, uh, to weigh in on this, uh, so
there is that value, um, and ... you know, but if you add the costs of the two alternates to
the base bid, we're talking, um, you know, close to $9 million if I'm....
Throgmorton/ Less than that.
Thomas/ Yeah, 8 point, uh, 7 or something. So it's .... it's become a very expensive project, and
that, you know I think as a general comment following on what Rockne said, when....
when we, you know, we can talk about scope and look at design and everyone's going,
yeah, you know, cause you don't have a price assigned to it. You know, this is .... this is
an ongoing issue. You walk into a showroom, I like that car, and then you look at the
cost and, oh my god (laughs) you know, I like it but not that much. So .... I .... I think we
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do need to be much more, given all the mandates we have, they're expanding on our
budget, to be very careful how we analyze costs on any given project.
Throgmorton/ All right. Maz... go ahead!
Salih/ Yeah, for me I really like the design and look great and the time that people put on this. I
see a little bit (unable to understand) is really high, uh, and I kind of agree with John
about it, but you know, after I ask you about taking down of the cost and looking at it
because I was trying to see if we can like reduce some costs, like (unable to understand)
benefit the public or you know how ... if it's important really for the (unable to understand)
but after you give us (unable to understand) all of them are important, like infrastructure
element and (unable to understand) and .... I guess there's something important we need
`em. That's why I would say go ahead with this project.
Throgmorton/ It looks to me like we should pro.... direct you to proceed with the base bid and
two alternates that, uh, we definitely want to weigh in on. We may decide not to proceed
with the alternates or want to revise them in some fashion, but otherwise ..... (both talking)
Mims/ The only thing I would add to Council is be .... we saw the calendar of when this would be
coming back to us for various decisions. If you don't like that structure in Black Hawk
Mini Park, I would encourage you to start gettin' the word out and talking to people and
getting input, because otherwise I don't think .... I don't think as individuals we can sit
here and say we don't want this. Staff has certainly had that out there. It's been out there
in public meetings. Um, I don't wanna come to our very last meeting and .... at that point
then have people say, `We haven't had enough public input.' So if you've got concerns
about it, I would just really encourage Council Members to start reaching out to the
public and asking for their feedback on that structure.
Botchway/ Will we send out like the .... can we specifically send out a note or a communication
to our media networks about, you know, obviously the ... the, this particular slide
presentation just weigh in (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Sure!
Botchway/ ...calendar, um, and Susan noted as well so we can, you know, not necessarily just us
but also generate some of the same communication channels we have (mumbled) use.
Throgmorton/ All right. Scott, Angie, thank you so much for your presentation and ... come up
with numbers on the spur of the moment like that.
Sovers/ Any other questions?
Throgmorton/ I don't think so. No. Thank you.
Sovers/ All right, thank you!
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Coyier/ Thank you very much.
Throgmorton/ ...have what you need, right, Geoff, for (both talking)
Fruin/ Yes we do!
Clarification of Agenda Items:
Item 3a(1) January 2, Special Formal (Organizational) Official & Complete
Throgmorton/ Okay. All right. We have about eight minutes here. Why don't we do
clarification of agenda items instead of the, uh, the operating and capital budget? We'll
have to continue the meeting till after the formal meeting. (several talking) So with, uh,
regard to clarification of agenda items. I want to mention one thing to begin this
conversation, with regard to Item 3a(1), the minutes of the January tad organizational
meeting. Do .... during that meeting you might remember that we had, uh, we assigned
people to various committees, and one of the topics had to do with the Economic
Development Committee, and we tentatively assigned Susan, Maz, and me to that
Committee, but we acknowledged that Rockne was not present and did not have a chance
to ... to express his views or opinion or anything like that, and that we would make that
assignment tentative, depending on subsequent conversation. So I think we need to do
that and this is a good moment to do it. So, I know that Maz and Rockne have talked
about it. They know their conversation in a way that I don't, so perhaps they could....
speak about it and .... give us some advice about what .... Maz and Rockne discussed.
Then we could .... (both talking)
Cole/ Well I .... I indicated to Maz .... Mazahir that I would like to serve on the Economic
Development Committee because of sort of some of the processes we've had over the last
two years. That said, if she really wanted to be on it, I wouldn't have any objection to
that. So I don't know if that's told the way Mazahir feels, um, but I would like to serve if
I have that opportunity.
Throgmorton/ Maz, did you have a view?
Salih/ Okay, no problem. You can serve. I will come and watch, so for next time (laughter)
Throgmorton/ Any objection to, uh, appointing Rockne to that committee?
Botchway/ I thought it was going to be a little more contentious (laughter) that it wasn't, so, you
know (mumbled) I'm supportive.
Mims/ That's fine!
Throgmorton/ Okay! So, uh, thank you, Maz, and thank you, Rockne, for having that
conversation. Any other, uh, agenda items that you want clarification on?
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Item 5b Rezoning Sensitive Areas Plan for Lincoln School — Ordinance rezoning
approximately 3.6 acres of property from Neighborhood Public (P-1) to Planned
Development Overlay Neighborhood Public (OPD/Pl) zone located at 300 Teeters
Court. (REZ17-00016) (Second Consideration)
Item 7. Theme Semester Joint Declaration - Resolution to approve a joint declaration
kicking off the University of Iowa's "Climate for Change" Sustainability Theme
Semester
Botchway/ Uh, just again 5b. Um, I'll make a statement at the time about recusing myself.
There's no conflict of interest but I don't want there to be any perceived conflict of
interest. Uh, 5b. And then the other question, uh, is in regard to Item 7. Um, and, Jim, I
don't know how much you may know about this. You may have spoken about it at the
previous meeting when we were discussing the themed semesters. But is this kind of the
start to continually doing it, or .... is this just something that was the focus for this
particular theme? Like is it, my question was what type of themed semesters have there
been in the last couple of years? Maybe, Ben, you could answer that as well, but .... I was
just interested, is this going to be a continual partnership that we work on (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, there have been others. I can't tell you what they were, and I don't know
that anybody on staff has that immediately in mind. Uh, but they've been good ones. ]
just know that .... Dave Gould, who, uh, is a, you know, works in the University,
approached me and asked if I would be willing to sign a joint declaration about this
coming semester being the sustainability, having a sustainability theme. And I eagerly
hopped on board that, and worked with President Harreld about it, and.....uh, but there
have been other themes prior to this. Any other items? To be clarified?
Item 3e(3) Rezoning Herbert Hoover Highway — Motion setting a public hearing for
February 6 on an ordinance rezoning approximately 7.9 acres from County
Commercial (C) and County Multifamily Residential (RMF) to Interim
Development Multifamily (ID -RM) for approximately 5.27 acres and Interim
Development Single Family for approximately 2.76 acres located at 4643 Herbert
Hoover Highway SE. (REZ17-00020)
Thomas/ I just had one, uh, on 3e(3), rezoning Herbert Hoover Highway from .... the, uh, the 5.27
acres to, urn ...... Interim Development Multi -Family and my understanding that does not
require the land to all be zoned multi -family, is that correct?
Throgmorton/ Correct. Only the northern part of it.
Fruin/ (mumbled) correct. We can .... we can confirm that for ya, but I believe that's correct.
Throgmorton/ And of course all we're doin' tonight is setting a public hearing for it.
Thomas/ Right. I just thought I might as well ask the question.
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Item 3f(I) Lorraine Bowans: Thank you for your concern
Throgmorton/ I .... I think I want to mention Item 3f. ... I'm sorry, 3f(1), which is an email from
Lorraine Bowans, who used .... along with her husband, owned a house at 510 South
Governor. She's pretty upset, they are pretty upset, about how our rental cap affects
them. I don't know that we can do anything about it, but I wanted to acknowledge it
and .... I'm pretty sure there are some other residents, property owners, who are affected
in similar ways. Uh, but I don't have any creative solutions to the problem. I don't know
if staff has had a chance to look at it, if there's anything in particular that could be done
in response, but....
Fruin/ Unless you want to consider some sort of financial.... it's not even a hardship, I mean I
think that .... was kind of the intention of the rental cap, right?
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
Fruin/ So, um, I think that's just one of the consequences that we have to accept with that policy.
Throgmorton/ Yep!
Thomas/ Have you looked into that at all, consider.....had any conversations about that?
Fruin/ No. No, we haven't.
Dilkes/ As I understand it, that home is in the .... is in the same area where we've had a lot of
UniverCity homes. Um .... the take on my office was that would be exactly the kind of
home we wouldn't want to convert to rental.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. All right.
Taylor/ She said consider converting to rental or (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Would not.
Taylor/ ....would not consider. Yeah.
Item 3f(9) Adil Adams: The Sudanese farm at Tiffin
Throgmorton/ I also want to mention Item 3f(9), which is, um, an e .... uh, a note from Adil
Adams, asking us to.....asking the City Clerk to have the Sudanese farm at Tiffin placed
on the agenda. Uh, could somebody talk with Adil? About how to get items on the
agenda?
Fruehling/ I know he is coming tonight and wanted to .... to speak regarding that item.
Throgmorton/ Yeah and what do we have to do with that? Do you have any idea?
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Cole/ Did he maybe mean the Poor Farm maybe?
Throgmorton/ Eh, he says at Tiffin. (several talking in background) The Sudanese farm at
Tiffin. (several talking)
Cole/ ...is over at the Poor Farm but....
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Well, I .... I guess he'll speak to us about it. Yeah, okay. Any other agenda
items?
Item 3d(5) Hilton Garden Inn TIF Agreement - Resolution authorizing the Mayor to
sign and the City Clerk to attest the First Amendment to Agreement for Private
Development by and between the City of Iowa City and Iowa City Hotel Associates,
L.L.C.
Cole/ I guess I'm just a little bit confused on ... is it 3d(5), the Harden ... the Hilton Garden TIF
agreement. Why does develop ... why does the developer want to make that change?
Fruin/ The Hilton Garden Inn TIF agreement, so the original agreement that we had with the
Hilton Garden Inn was made at the time that the University was planning to locate their
museum on that site, and that would have been a, uh, property tax generating, um,
operation there, because it was built on private property. Uh, the plan at the time was to
take increment from the museum site to pay down the Hilton Garden Inn, uh, to pay that
off quicker. Uh, after the University decided to move their art museum to a new location,
um, and the Hieronymus project was introduced, uh, we have to change it because now
Hieronymus is taking the TIF from their project. So Hieronymus is using the TIF for the
Element and the mixed-use building, which means, you know, the TIF can't .... can't go to
both parties. So this just amends the Hilton Garden Inn TIF agreement to say that they do
not get TIF from the Hieronymus site any more. So the Hilton Garden Inn TIF is gonna
take a little bit longer than we anticipated to pay off because they can't take a...
advantage of the ... the adjacent TIF.
Cole/ That makes sense, thanks, Geoff.
Throgmorton/ Okay, given the time I think we should probably stop, take a break, uh, for our
formal meeting. We'll come, when we get back together, uh, after the formal meeting,
we'll discuss the operating and capital budget discussion. We'll do that. (BREAK FOR
FORMAL)
Operating and Capital Budget Discussion [I1`4 & IP5 of 1/11 Info Packet]:
Throgmorton/ So we're gonna resume our work session of January 16, 2018. We need to return
to the topic of operating and capital budget discussion. So, what I was thinking, Geoff, is
that we could.... basically work our way through the specific items you identified in your
memo. I can state `em if you want, I have `em all written down in front of me. Yeah.
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And just go through them one at a time to see where the Council is with regard to these.
All right, so the first, and these ... one of the first ones we're gonna discuss have to do with
the operating budget. It's my understanding that these are topics that Geoff heard us
individual Council Members bring up and recommend that we include in the budget, but
we need to find out whether the Council as a whole is supportive, but we don't need to
make firm decisions about these tonight, but we need to have a discussion to give us
some guidance about, and staff guidance, about .... where we're headed. Okay, so the first
is increase affordable housing contribution from 650,000 to 1 million for the coming
fiscal year. So I ... I, who.... Kingsley, you made that suggestion or Maz?
Salih/ I did.
Throgmorton/ Maz did. Okay. So what do the rest of you think?
Botchway/ Well, Maz, I guess ... do you want quick.... justification or some type of statement in
regards to (both talking)
Throgmorton/ That'd be okay, sure.
Salih/ Yeah, I .... I think like, uh, from experience, I think really (unable to understand) guess Mr.
Theisen said about affordable housing. We really have a crisis in Iowa City (unable to
understand) affordable housing. (unable to understand) talking about this and they are
really passionate about it. They show like a lot of passion about affordable housing and I
know that we have affordable housing action plan. It very good and like good step to
move forward, but we .... we need to do something so we can like try to solve this crisis.
By just talking to Geoff I find out this is something can be done and we can ... our city's
really in a good position of reserve and we can use that money from the reserve to try it
for one year and see how much we can accomplish during this, by this like amount of
money, and uh, I don't mean like (unable to understand) reserve because I know that's
not possible, but if we really can accomplish something with this money and is this
something like really useful, and we can (unable to understand) ways to ... to find another
way to provide the same amount of money for this.
Throgmorton/ Okay, I .... I'd like to provide a fact that would help our discussion, or at least
inform our discussion. Uh, ask Geoff, or actually ask Dennis initially and Geoff also,
what each additional penny in our tax levy would generate. Remember we're cutting the
tax levy by 15 -cents.
Salih/ Uh huh.
Throgmorton/ So each additional penny would generate about $36,000 per year, roughly.
Salih/ Yes.
Throgmorton/ So if we increased it by say 10 -cents, I mean if we .... limit our reduction in the tax
levy to only 5 -cents instead of 15 -cents, that would result in, that would generate roughly
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$360,000. Uh, but it's a little more complicated than that. As I understand there's some
movement with regard to .... categories. Geoff, you'd have to explain that. I can't.
Fruin/ Well there's.....multiple levies that make up the total tax rate. Um, and each of those
levies have certain constraints on them. So for example, you have a transit levy, which is
fully maxed out. You have a general fund la ... levy, which is often referred to as the 8.10
levy. That's fully maxed out. So we can't ... take the general fund levy from 8.10 to 8.20.
State law does not allow us to go any higher than we are right now. What .... the tax rate
reductions that we've been achieving the last seven years .... are on the debt service levy.
So as we've reduced our .... our, uh, bonded indebtedness and we've refinanced our loans,
we don't require as much money coming in from the taxpayers to pay off those debts.
That's how we've lowered our .... our tax rate. Um, in this particular budget, what we're
proposing is that you drop the, um, debt service levy 25 -cents and yet you increase the
employee benefits levy 10 -cents. So when you net those two out, you get the 15 -cent
reduction that probably most people are focused on. What we're doing with the, um,
increase in the employee benefits levy is we're freeing up general fund dollars that we're
paying for employee benefits and we're sending some of those general fund dollars over
to the capital plan to meet some of the Council objectives with the parks master plan and
the bicycle master plan. So if you wanted to have dollars, um.....if you wanted to raise
your discretionary spending dollars, um, you'd have to do something similar. You'd
have to, um, look at one of the levies that are not maxed out and .... uh, increase one of
those levies, um, to .... to pay for that, and really you have two options, and depending on
what you want to do, we would give you a recommendation on what levy to use. There's
the employee benefits levy, um, so we would go in and see what .... what, uh, what
amount of general fund dollars are currently paying for employee benefits, that we could
free up by raising the employee benefits levy, and then you can repurpose those general
fund dollars. Or there's an emergency tax levy that we have not used, um, that is at 27 -
cents, is that correct, Dennis? So 27 -cents is available, and that's really discretionary
dollars. So you could raise the emergency tax levy and....anywhere from a penny to 27
pennies, um, and deploy those dollars however you'd like. You just have to understand,
you know, the employee benefits levy can only pay for employee benefits. So once you
reach that cap, you can't come back down. The .... the emergency levy can only go up to
27 -cents. So as you make those incremental steps up, you're just.... you're just narrowing
that capacity to raise taxes in the future for whatever needs you may have.
Throgmorton/ Thanks, so I brought this up mainly because we have to be conscious of the fact
that if....if we want to increase spending somehow, we've got to increase revenues,
somehow, and .... and.....I just thought this fact would be helpful as we go through our
other, this particular topic and other topics that we want to discuss today.
Fruin/ I think the other relevant fact, you know, what I really encourage you to look at is you
have a couple of different types of spending here. You have, uh, what could be certainly
classified as a one-time use with an increase in the affordable housing contribution versus
the second item, which is a wage increase, which is an ongoing commitment in perpetuity
really. Um, those require much different approaches. The, uh, budget anticipates an
ending surplus of about 36%, or ending reserve level in the general fund of about 36%.
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Our target balance is 25 to 35%. Um, so that 36% is a little bit above our target, but we
set it there and if the State does pull the backfill, we'll come back down to that 35% level.
So, you're at the top end of that reserve. I feel comfortable, you know, if you want to....
to use, uh, funds, um, you know, $350,000 funds one time. You're still gonna be at the
very top end of our reserve level. You should feel comfortable about that. But you also
need to know you can't continue to fund it at that level, um, going forward. Uh, we don't
have the revenue stream to support that. As I tried to indicate, um, in the memo, right
now we don't even have the funding stream, uh.... uh, solidified for $650,000 going
forward. We were able to provide that because we're payin' off a .... uh, an internal loan
that's created some one-time money in the .... in the general fund as a loan repayment. So
....my message was yes, you can do it. You're not jeopardizing our reserves this first
year, but it's gonna be.....you're probably gonna have to see that number come down
over time. We won't be able to sustain it, unless you identify other things to cut in the
budget going forward.
Botchway/ Yeah, so I talked to Geoff (mumbled) Jim, I didn't know if you had somethin' else.
Oh, go ahead. Okay, so I talked to Geoff about this point as well, um, somewhat based
on the .... the, um, proposal that Mazahir brought up, uh, during our Council deliberation
sometime ago. So I'm .... I'm.....and to say this, I'm focused specifically on this year, in
relation to Geoff s statement. I do think, you know, for this year we can look at a .... a
funding increase to $1 million. I think that some of the concerns or some of the kind of
back and forth that we just discussed as far as looking at it in the future, uh, to me, uh,
needs more planning and should be discussed, for me, in the strategic planning process,
as we're looking or projecting out, and so if we're thinking about, um, you know, I know
we've had these conversations before about additional funding resources and other things
that we need to have a conversation about, so it's not necessarily incumbent on Geoff to
look at the different levies that may need to go up or whatever the case may be. Um, I
think that we can have the conversation at that time. In particular for this fiscal year, I do
think we can .... we should move forward. Um, the extra 300, I mean Geoff kind of made
a lot of the points that I definitely agree with. The extra $350,000, um, would, you know,
include an additional, I think, four homes is what .... what Geoff had mentioned. Um, or
four .... four to eight units of additional affordable housing. I would say, and this is the
tough part in ... in, as we have this conversation related to the budget and strategic
planning, I would say that there's some.... there's some thoughts and some feelings from
different community members that I've talked with about our current, um, equation, as it
relates to what we use our money towards. Um, you know, I think we've talked about
land banking in the.....in the past. Um, I think that, you know, the gentleman that came
up before us, I think that if you talked to him about land banking a little bit and what that
would mean from, um, City possibly acquiring property later on down the road and what
that would mean towards seriously making a dent as we talk about affordable housing.
And so, there's a lot of different, I guess, questions and things that I think need to be
worked out as it relates to the additional monies, or even the monies that we currently
have for the 650,000, but I guess for me in thinking about this particular FYI budget,
and based on, you know, Geoff s analysis, I feel comfortable moving forward, not saying
that I would feel the same way for FY20, but I would be comfortable moving forward in
FYI and then having a conversation about what this looks like or what this, uh, what the
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revenue stream would be later on, and having a deliberative conversation about it, I mean
literally stating in a work session, you know, what is our plan, um, for moving forward.
Mims/ I would come at it a little bit differently, um .... I think ..... I think it's really important
when we're setting a budget and .... and setting tax rates, etc., um, and just setting
our .... our.... our fund levels and .... and lines in the budget that there is .... is a reasonable
amount of consistency and predictability as you go forward. And .... to, we've put this,
this'll be our second fiscal year of putting in this line item for affordable housing. So if
we go with the 650, it'll be the second year, uh, in a row that we've gone at 650. Um,
the .... we assigned that money over to the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County and we
had their memo from Tracey Achenbach in one of our, um, info packets and while they
have allocated that money, um, it is not even spent yet because it depends on other
monies and, you know, whether it's tax credits or other agreements, etc., in terms of how
that's used. So one.... that money isn't even for sure spent. We don't have, nor have we
had that discussion, of what are we really looking at in terms of the metrics of what we
are trying to do in terms of affordable housing? Um, while I don't mean to diminish the
importance, um, or ... or the issue in this community, I do get concerned when people
stand up and talk about 58% of the community, uh, of renters are .... are, uh..... can't think
of the word I want, but housing (several talking) yeah, our hardship in terms of housing,
cost for .... housing cost burden, because, and again, not to diminish the importance of the
students in our community, but .... those students many of whom do have other financial
resources because of their parents are being included in those numbers. And so it gives
a ... uh, a rather inflated perception of how bad it is. Now, again, it is bad for people who
can't afford it and I don't mean to diminish that, that severity. Um, but we don't have
metrics. I don't like the idea of let's increase it by over 50% this year and then maybe
next year we've gotta drop it back down to the 650, or even lower. I think as we're
trying.... particularly as ... as a city, as we're trying to institute new programs, I think it's
important that we do things in a very methodical way that allow us to hopefully have
longevity and ... and gradually grow these things as, uh, we know the need is there and we
know it is, but as we know that we actually have the revenue sources, um, so you have
that predictability for people in the community, and I think that's really important. So I'd
like to see us stay at the 650. I want to see where that backfill is gonna end up, what kind
of commitment we're gonna get, um, from the State, a little bit more in terms of
longevity, um, otherwise I'm concerned we're gonna be out here in two or three years
and we're just gonna be finding ourselves having to ratchet our debt way back up, um, to
pay these things.
Thomas/ I think there's something.... to be said for what might be considered to be a reliable
funding level year in and year out, unless there's some.... opportunity that may be
presenting itself now that would suggest going, you know, with a .... a little bit higher
funding level. The other thing I would just mention is this is the first item (laughs) and
so I (both talking)
Throgmorton/ ...others to consider....
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Thomas/ Uh, yeah, that I've .... based on my conversations, uh, would cost around $100,000.
That's for the Safe Streets initiative. So in my mind, I want .... I hope we can all kinda
keep some of these things in mind. I certainly support.....raising the affordable housing,
uh, budget if we .... if, when we consider all of these other issues that, you know, some of
us may have, that, um ... they can be satisfied as well. Uh, cause I do feel very strongly
about Safe Streets initiative. It's something I've been concerned with for years and I
think I finally have identified something which is action -oriented, which I think is really
important with respect to virtually everything we do. Um, so.....it, you know, I certainly
am .... am interested in seeing if we can raise it a little bit. Uh, how much I think is kind
of contingent on, you know, what else we agree to. Uh, you know, in terms of changes to
the budget.
Cole/ I guess as far as I'm concerned with affordable housing, um, I think the one time quality of
this does really appeal to me. Um, one concern I do have is about clarification on the
backfill issue. So, my proposal would be is that it sounds like, Geoff, you indicated that
by July I" obviously we know where the legislature is for backfill. I am all .... if the
backfill is not reduced or in this legislative session, um, I would support revisiting this in
July, and between now and July, um, I think it would be good to touch base with the
affordable housing community. Is it possible to do, like if. ... this is a one-time funding
source, can we do like an 1105 project where we would say, okay, this is a one-time
thing, it's an addition, but we will match dollar for dollar fundraising efforts. Is .... is that
something that would be possible to do or is that not practicable. I know we did it with
1105. Was that just sort of ad hoc for that program? Cause that would hopefully allow
us to (mumbled) non-profit agencies to .... to build their capital reserves and hopefully
catalyze additional fundraising for them.
Fruin/ I think I'd want to talk with some of the providers. I'm not sure that they're.... they're
really, um, they have a whole lot of experience with kind of the .... the individual
fundraising, you know, a .... an organization like Habitat maybe, but certainly the .... the
Trust Fund probably.... maybe not even the Fellowship are really geared up for those
individual matches which you really need for that type of challenge type of grant. Um, so
I .... I'd wanna.....I'd wanna talk to them, cause I really don't know what their capacity is
to raise funds, uh.... to ...... to be that match.
Throgmorton/ So let me toss a few, uh, cents worth in here. With regard to the affordable
housing proposal, I think before we make any decision about that we need to consider
what the other.... proposals are, uh, because as John indicated, we can't do `em all. So
we've gotta make.... exercise some judgment there. We also, I agree with Susan here, we
need .... we need ways of measuring trends in affordability. We need metrics that really
help us figure out whether we're .... over -accomplishing and whether it's .... good enough.
And lastly, I think we really need to understand that affordability of housing is very much
a function of the interaction of supply and demand in the mar .... in the housing
marketplace. And we do not control that. Except in a tiny, tiny bit. Uh, what we do
know is that the supply is increasing and has been increasing, pretty dramatically, in the
last two years. And will increase at least for the next year or whatever. We know that,
and that oughta have some effect on rents. In fact Casey Cook recently wrote a short
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piece in the, uh, Corridor Business Journal in which Casey said to, uh, landlords vacancy
rates are going up. You'd better spruce up your properties and lower your rents. That's
my language, not him (laughter) not his, but that's what he said, or that's what he wrote.
So we .... we need to realize that, and ... and if we.....I..... I think with all due respect to
Nick Theisen, uh, if we think we're gonna be able to solve the affordable housing
problem in Iowa City by ourselves with the limited amount of money we have, we're
whistlin' in the dark. We're not gonna be able to do it. So we just need to hold that in
mind, which is not to say we shouldn't do what Mazahir suggests. So .... that's what I
wanted to say.
Taylor/ I was kind of thinking along those lines too, Jim, as far as, you know, we've got the
resources of Tracey Achenbach and Tracy Hightshoe, uh, with Neighborhood
Development and Mary Ann Dennis certainly has a finger on it with the Housing
Fellowship. Uh, and even Chrissy over at the Shelter House, you know, bringing those
folks in and having a really serious discussion about, uh, you know, what the need is out
there, what the market is, and .... and how we could potentially solve it. I think doing
baby ske.... steps, you know, two houses here, four houses there at a time, I mean I'm all
in favor of, yeah, we .... we need more affordable housing in here, but dangling this carrot
of we're gonna give you a million dollars this year but we don't know what we're going
to be able to give you in the future, I .... I think that's a little bit sketchy.
Salih/ I understand what you are saying but I really need to put the money aside first, and after
that we can go to the people who are experienced, just like the folks that you just
mentioned, and sit down with them and ask how we can do this, how we can spend this
money, if we have the money, but you know always we have ideas and like .... three or
four years ago I've been hearing many ideas about affordable housing but the money is a
problem, but right now I'm just .... while we are doing budget, we are doing budget here
(unable to understand) money and it is not, the money is not there, we have to use the
reserve then and that's why I'm asking money from the reserve. This is not gonna affect
this budget this year at all, next year, and uh, I know .... I understand people concern
about the backfill, you know (unable to understand) but this is .... this is really something
need to be done and I believe in it. I would like to see it happening, and you know, this
is, even after ... if something happen with the backfill, maybe we can sit down and talk
about it again, but I really would like to see this money (unable to understand) not taking
out (unable to understand) We takin' it out .... we takin' it out from the reserve, and uh,
City (unable to understand) uh... advise us. I just wanna see that's been happening really.
Throgmorton/ Okay, good. We have a preliminary indication about what we think concerning
that proposal. Let's get the other proposals on the table and ..... I think in this instance
I'm just gonna state the proposals so that we have a sense of what's at stake. So the next
one is to increase wages for all City employees to a minimum of $15 an hour within two
years. And we could elaborate on that in a few minutes. The third is to increase funding
for social justice and.....for the social justice and racial equity grant program, from
25,000 to $75,000 per year. Uh, the fourth is to create a Council -appointed committee to
discuss enhanced.... enhancing apprenticeships and job training opportunities, and
provide a modest budget allocation of something like 5,000 to 15,000 per year for the
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group to consider a pilot program or public event. The fifth, determine interest in
keeping consulting firms in the budget for retail attraction consultant. $50,000 per year
for the next three years. All right, so those are specific budgetary suggestions. John has
indicated he has at least one proposal that should be in the mix. I have a couple small
ones that I was gonna bring up, would like to. So, um.....John, can you very briefly just
state, I mean really briefly, just state .... what it is you had in mind. You said the Safe
Streets.... plan? You wanna.... you want to allocate money for that, is that correct?
Thomas/ Yeah, it's a .... it's a, um, program that addresses street safety for all, for drivers,
bicyclists, and pedestrians. Its.....its principles are based on the Vision Zero, which is
something you .... if you're interested in the background on that, there's a lot of. ... a lot of
available information online, but it's essentially developing an action plan to reduce the
incidents of collisions. As I mentioned a couple of times, we .... the data we see in our
budget is there are over 2,500 per year, uh, in Iowa City at a estimated value of I believe
$13 million. So.....so the action plan would be coming up with a strategy for addressing
those corridors, typically, where you see high levels of collision — Gilbert Street for
example. That....that in part is going to be addressed through our.....our road diet there.
Throgmorton/ Okay, I just wanted to get the topic. You're thinkin', you're suggesting $100,000?
(both talking)
Thomas/ I've talked to, uh, you know, someone with NelsonWygaard is the firm that Jeff Speck
works with, collaborates with, and he estimated that the, urn .... you know, the cost of
such a study would be around $100,000. Uh, it's very.....he was very supportive of it.
He.... he really likes action -oriented plans. You know, we talk a lot about metrics. This
is what this would do. You know, it's aimed at reducing, improving safety by
redozing... reducing it, the incidents of collisions, as well as, I would add, just the .... the,
you know, we..... we're now introducing into the conversation of traffic safety the idea
of comfortability.... for bicyclists, as well as pedestrians, and that, you know,
that .... that's another factor that this kind of plan would address.
Throgmorton/ Okay. Does anybody else have particular budget items they wanted to propose, or
want to propose?
Taylor/ I just had the topic of transit. I don't have a dollar amount though. I .... I couldn't
remember if we'd actually budgeted for a consultant, but I think that would be (both
talking)
Throgmorton/ There's (both talking)
Fruin/ We have $200,000 (several talking)
Taylor/ ...and I think whatever comes from that consultant, I think we need to have some money
set aside to do, you know, whether it's add a route, buy a new bus, add staff, new drivers,
transit drivers or whatever it would take, uh, I'd like to see that.
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Mims/ That's gonna be another year out at least (both talking)
Fruin/ Yeah, that's a little bit more difficult to anticipate (several talking) but we'd have another
budget cycle (several talking)
Throgmorton/ So ... (several talking) I ... I'd like to connect with that very briefly (clears throat)
cause I'm very conscious that many residents would like to see us start providing Sunday
service. So I ... you know, I don't know if it's even remotely possible for the staff to
identify some.... highest priority route in which Sunday service could be started and if so,
what it would cost, and you know, therefore, possibly be in the budget. I don't know.
Fruin/ About $600,000 to mimic the Saturday, which is what we would do.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Okay, so it's really important to know that, you know, can we .... can we
(mumbled) $600,000? Probably not!
Fruin/ I .... I would say on that topic, I'd be very cautious to get into expanding transit service
before you complete the study. I know that that's where we want to get, but one of the....
one of the most disruptive things you can do is start a service only to modify that service
a year down the road, cause people build their lives around that. Um .... uh, whatever you
start to provide. So, um, I know there's an urgency and there's a desire to really want to
get those buses on the street on Sundays but, urn .... I .... I'd .... (laughs) I'd probably, you
know, pretty hard — hold off on that! For us, um, you're talkin' about hiring staff and
work.....you know, having them work on Sundays, hiring a Sunday supervisor, which
we .... we don't have right now. So, you're not only talkin' about.... impacting the people
who are depending on those rides, but you're talking staffing models now, and that could
change, uh, because at the end of this study, while we set out to achieve Sunday service,
you may decide that .... the resources that we have, the ability to raise, are .... are better
deployed (mumbled) through.... through enhanced services Monday through Saturday.
And, until we get that information it's hard to .... hard to know.
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Excellent point! Did anybody else have any specific items (both talking)
Botchway/ I ... I had one more. Um, outside of the list that was already, um, articulated above.
Um, cause the rest of mine are I think more strategic planning initiatives. Um, is discuss
support for an emerging interest in a local food incubator project downtown. And so
again, you know with our .... kind of our discussion around strategic planning and some of
the things, and I know they've had conversations with City staff, um .... uh, I know they
were supposed to reach out to Rockne and Mazahir, as well, and some other Council
Members, but basically what we're talking about is ..... looking at the space at RAD, um,
as a local food incubator. Um, there's been discussions as .... as far as not necessarily
having the ability to have, um, local fresh food in a .... in a place that can be easily
accessed. Um, and this particular location is being touted out as one of the locations it
can be in, and what it would present is, uh, a step in between, um, the Farmers Market
and, uh, brick and mortar businesses, and I'll tell you why this particular project is
important to me is really focused on .... the, um, em .... empowerment, really focused on
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how we can .... how can we.....how can we ensure a .... a vibrant, um, community around
local food, around the different businesses that we have downtown, but also throughout
the corridor in the area, and uh, it's .... the way it's been presented is a very interesting
way of, again, tying in the Farmers Market appeal, tying in the conversation around brick
and mortar, um, brick and mortar businesses, and really trying to find that sweet spot.
I ... I've also talked about as far as like a NewBo, not in the same construction of a
NewBo, because that's an entire building. There's different other costs associated with it,
but merely looking at this location as an opportunity at the ... at the top level, the actual
entry level, and also the basement, as an opportunity for different programs of various
interest to be able to use as a low-cost space, um .... um, in a way, uh, to ensure that they
can, you know, experiment on their business models and move forward on some, uh,
interesting programming. I know that I was there with `em, Iowa... gonna mess up some
of the names so I apologize, um, headed to the community. The Iowa Valley Local Food
Project as far as an interesting space. I know that, Rockne, there's an organization that
was out here. There's another organization that I think you, um, have worked for, like
the Global Food Project that's another space, um, that could be particularly focused on
this area. Uh, the funding request I .... didn't have here because I think it was before I was
giving Geoff the notes on a call before I had the chance to meet with him, so I ... I knew it
was coming but I didn't have the request, uh, right now it's looking at, uh, you know,
$200,000 and so that would be $50,000, um, each year for four years.
Throgmorton/ Could you say that again please?
Botchway/ $200,000, $50,000 .... so I look at it from a four-year agreement standpoint. $50,000
each year, breakin' it down. And what that would provide would be, um, the .... it would
subsidize the cost of the spaces that individuals would be able to use, uh, again at a low
cost so they can build their business, ultimately, um .... uh, and.....and provide for, again,
local food, um, in an avenue that isn't currently, um, happening, uh, in the area.
Cole/ Geoff, don't normally these sorts of requests come through Economic Development
Committee? I mean ... cause I guess that, I love local foods. I love what they're doin'
down there, um, but it seems like normally those are channeled through the Economic
Development Committee, vetted and the .... the (mumbled) recommendation.
Fruin/ Typically yes they would, but if it was a smaller dollar amount. Keep in mind that we
budget $100,000 for City Manager, uh, discretionary funds. Um, this would .... this would
be something that is probably beyond that scope. Um, but yeah, we typically go to the
EDC. Um, if ya know it goin' into the budget it's always better just to plug that number
in the budget. That's what we do with Riverside and Englert and those, kind of the
known, uh, investments that we're gonna make, um .... but if you felt, you know, what .... I
think what you'd want to do if you ... if you wanted to support this is you'd put the money
in the budget, but not necessarily agree to dole it out until you, you know, knew their
business plan and their metrics, and .... you know, how they're gonna sustain themselves.
We hear from a lot of groups that have great ideas that want to, urn .... provide something
that we would all support, you know, ArtiFactory is one you're all very familiar with,
they talked to you and we've just keep pushin' `em, you know, show us a business model
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that shows that you can be sustainable after the City investment is .... is through, and um, I
think that .... that'd be the same type of questioning we would have for the folks doing this
is .... you wanna make sure that there's... there's kind of an end game, where they're
sustainable after the City's investment, that this is truly seed money to get them started
and then they're good on their own after that.
Throgmorton/ Think I'd elaborate just a little bit and tell me if I'm wrong about this, Geoff, if
it ... if it's a proposal coming from someone outside of City .... City government, yeah, it
should go to the EDC. If it's a Council Member suggesting spending money in a certain
kind of way, this is .... this is the time to do it.
Fruin/ That was my (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah. Okay. Uh, I have two small items to mention. To put into the pot, so to
speak. Uh, we just did this resolution concerning the, uh.... uh, working with the
University with regard to the sustainability theme semester and it contains a .... a river -
oriented project. So, uh, what .... I'd love to see is some modest amount of money,
probably less than $20,000, maybe less... well, less than that, uh, to .... produce a
conceptual design for public art and wayfare.... wayfaring along the Iowa River corridor.
From ... the water plant park down to Terry Trueblood Park. That .... that's part of what
was embedded in that resolution. And ... you know, I think it'd be good to have a little bit
of money there to further that along. The other thing is (clears throat) probably more of a
strategic plan point, so I don't want to emphasize this too much, but when we went
through the tax increment, uh, the.....the TIF policy, uh.... debate, uh, I .... I said
repeatedly to the public I would be, uh, eager to support hiring a consultant to develop an
urban design plan or a form based code for the Downtown District. And I think that
probably would cost a fair amount of money, so I don't wanna say let's put $350,000
aside for the .... for this fiscal year to do that. But I want to set the thinking in motion. So
that's probably really more of a strategic plan point than anything else. All right. So as
far as I know those are the items we have on, for us to consider. One is the affordable
housing proposal. Uh, increasing the budget from 650 to 1 million. The other, the
second is increase wages for all City employees to a minimum of $15 an hour within two
years, and Geoff provided substantial amount of information about what that would
probably cost. It's not cheap. The third, increase funding for social justice and racial
equity grant program from 25 to 75,000. Create the Council -appointed committee, uh,
determine whether we want to, uh, continue the, uh, funding, or whether we really want t
fund the retail attraction consultant. Uh, safe streets action plan for $100,000, this year.
Uh.... a possible local foods service incubator downtown on the order of 50,000 per year
for four years. Some amount of money to, less than $20,000, for this conceptual design
pertaining to the river. That's what I know.
Salih/ But I just want to know really .... (unable to understand) like for future, how do you guys
decide something to be for this (unable to understand) or future work session? Who
decide that?
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Throgmorton/ You gotta .... you gotta have, uh, well .... to get an item on the work session
agenda....
Salih/ Uh huh.
Throgmorton/ ....either the Mayor or the City Manager or, what is the number, three? (several
talking) Three Council Members (both talking)
Salih/ ....I don't know, last time I said we .... I talk about public transportation on Sunday and I
talk about considering a policy to limit (unable to understand) um, employees wage of
10.10 or higher. None of those are not on the work session now. I don't understand.
Botchway/ (both talking) ...cause this has been a little bit of a different, you know, uh, change a
little bit in a sense where I think that anything that's impacting the budget right now, I'm
not saying those things wouldn't impact the budget but they seem like things that we
need to have a more strategic plan conversation about.
Salih/ Uh huh.
Botchway/ That's where it's pushed into that kind of cadre, and I think that the expectation is, or
at least for me, was .... our January 30`h meeting, right? We have a strategic planning
session on January 30`h? (several responding) Okay! Our January 30°i meeting we could
have a more kind of in-depth conversation as it relates to some of those items. Now if
you had items that you felt like needed to be impacted in the budget right now, which I
just did, I'd pull it out and put it on our list to be discussed right now.
Throgmorton /Strategic plan pertains to the next two years.
Salili/ I understand that.
Throgmorton/ ....2018 and 2019, and the budget applies to the coming fiscal year, from July 151,
2018, to June 300', 2019. Plus the capital imro.... improvements plan. Yeah, it's
complicated for sure but.... that.... that's the gist of it.
Mims/ And those budget items, we have to decide like within the next month or less, so they can,
staff can get the budget ready to be certified. So that's the timeframe.
Salih/ Okay.
Thomas/ One comment I would make, and it sort of speaks to the, uh, our work.... earlier work
session discussion of the ped mall, and that is, uh, you know, I had really hoped .... that
whether it be, had been the ped mall project or all the capital projects that are on our, that
were scheduled for this .... this fiscal year, uh, you know, could be looked at critically in
terms of seeing if the cost of those projects could come down and to see if that could
create some room for .... you know, what we're considering now in terms of. ... uh, some
changes to the budget. Um.....so I, you know, in terms of the big picture that seems to
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me to be another potential way of creating room for additional projects, uh, particularly
of a one, you know, one-time base, you know, with a basis ... but this budget (both talking)
Cole/ ....does that create money in our operating budget though, because aren't most of those
funded by GO bonds anyway? I mean that wouldn't neces.... like if we lowered the ped
mall two million bucks, that doesn't free up money in the operating, correct? (both
talking)
Fruin/ ....most of the capital plan would be general obligation bonds or the utility accounts or
whatnot, but there is a general fund transfer to the .... to the capital improvement plan,
about 800, $900,000 a year gets transferred from the general fund to the, um .... uh, capital
improvement plan. So .... it's just.... shifting, you know, if you were to cut .... you wanna
cut some of the projects, it may free up some general fund dollars.
Tlurogmorton/ Yeah.
Mims/ I .... I guess I .... I was going to be quiet, but I can't. (laughs) I mean I guess I look at that,
John, and I....where's that line .... we don't, I don't see us as having the expertise in terms
of looking at those costs. I, after eight years on this Council, have an incredible amount
of trust in our staff to, um, you know, come up with reasonable estimates on what they
think these projects are going to cost, and of course as years go by and .... and prices
escalate or the scope of a project changes, then, you know, prices change. Um, you know
we've had projects we've had to not fund, I mean the fust bid that we did with what
capital, or uh, Burlington and Clinton, we had to throw out, correct? Because those came
in way too high. So we .... we had to rebid that. I ... I guess I'm not sure what you mean in
terms of having Council look at these costs critically (both talking)
Thomas/ I'm not asking Council to. I'm asking staff to evaluate project costs.
Mims/ I guess ... I would have to believe they're already doing that. I mean .... to me ... the ... the
difference maybe comes if. ... if we're not satisfied with those costs, do we need to be
having then maybe more of a detailed discussion on the scope of the project? I mean I
guess I believe that our staff looks at those with great....
Throgmorton/ (both talking) yeah, I think that's a reasonable point but I think we need to focus
our attention on the budget items (both talking) that are before us. And ... I'm not sure
we're gonna be able to make this decision tonight, but .... maybe we can winnow the list,
that I just described, just mentioned. So we've already talked about affordable housing.
It's clear there's substantial interest in possibly doing that. I don't know if there are four
people. I don't warm make that decision tonight, I personally don't. But we need to
make it at our.....no later than our next meeting, is that correct in terms of timing?
Fruin/ Uh, you're lookin' at your February 6°i meeting.
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
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Fruin/ Yeah, I .... we have to set the public hearing on the 20a', is that correct, Dennis, so we
really need to know a week, a week and a half in adv ... February 6' would probably be
your last meeting, unless you want to schedule a special (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so we have to decide no later than that.
Cole/ I wouldn't mind doin' a special if the Council'd want to do it, so we could spend two
hours .... on this topic.
Throgmorton/ Maybe we want to do that. Let's .... let's see how the rest of this goes. So....
maybe we can winnow a little bit here with regard to the five or six proposals before us.
Botchway/ So I, I mean I guess I'll throw this. I'm not sure, Jim, how you want to do this, I
mean some of the things .... I don't know if my list is accurate as I'm tryin' to write some
things down.
Throgmorton/ (mumbled) Go ahead.
Botchway/ Um, so .... you know .... I think that you already mentioned your particular proposal,
we kicked to strategic planning on January 30a', and I .... I feel comfortable with that. I
think that for the .... the wayfinding and public art, it's not, you didn't say public art, did
you?
Throgmorton /I did.
Botchway/ Oh, okay! Public art and wayfinding on the river. Um, I ... I think I'm comfortable
with that, um, whatever that amount would be, uh, just to kind of throw it out there and
get us rolling on some of these topics. I think I'm comfortable with ... I mean, less than
20,000, I mean my only question here is, you know, where is the University on this? I'd
be interested in some type of cost-sharing, similar to how we did the speaker series,
where multiple, um, groups or municipalities came .... kinda came in and helped with the
overall cost, um, but I would be supportive of that. I mean the only .... the only problem I
have with it is, you know, we kind of had the resolution beforehand and (mumbled) in the
bag already, but I'd be supportive of...of this particular proposal.
Mims/ I would say I want to keep the retail attraction consultant in the mix. Um, I think staff
looked at that very carefully in terms of proposing that. I think ... we look at Kmart having
closed, the lack of retail on the east, southeast side of Iowa City, um, and I think the....
the memo in terms of what .... that consultant could do for us, depending on how we
frame that RFP, um, I think that's really important.
Botchway/ My bad, I thought we were gonna .... I wanted us to focus on kind of ... my ..... my
point for Jim and then saying whether or not we supported moving forward. Um, but I
guess we can switch it up and talk about the retail consur... consultant. (both talking)
And I didn't explain that well either! But for the retail consultant, I'd be in favor for it. I
mean I've been a part of these conversations previously. I think I've articulated my point
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as far as, you know, the need for it. Um, so, you know, I'd be supportive. I just want us
to kind of, if we have consensus let's move the .... let's move the train a little bit.
Cole/ Are we gonna go in sequence on the memo (several talking) Jim?
Throgmorton/ Sorry?
Cole/ Aren't we gonna go in sequence on the memo?
Throgmorton/ Ah, that's what I intended to do. Yeah (several talking) So....
Botchway/ I just threw it out! I just (laughs)
Mims/ Kingsley started from the back end (several laughing and talking) so I just jumped to the
(several laughing and talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay, so let's .... let's get the second item that was on the memo, which is increase
the.... increase wages for all City employees to a minimum of $15 an hour within two
years. Geoff, you indicated in your memo that the lowest starting wage for permanent
employees will be $17.52 as of July 2018.
Fruin/ Correct.
Throgmorton/ So we're already above the $15 limit there for, uh, permanent employees. Uh,
you indicate we have approximately 370 temporary hou... hourly employees making
between 10.10 and $15 an hour. Raising the wage for only those .... for only employees
making less than $15 .... would equate to about 600 to 7,000....$700,00 annually.
Fruin/ That's correct.
Throgmorton/ And .... yeah, and so, and so on. There's more detail that appears in your memo.
Uh, I'm gonna say, and Maz and I talked about this briefly on the phone. I don't think
we can do this and there are a couple reasons why. Partly it's because.....the max,
the .... the minimum wage the County has established by, uh, ordinance, uh, a couple
years ago was 10.10 an hour after, you know, three .... a three-step increment kind of
thing. So I don't think it's reasonable for us to leap ahead of the County, and say we're
gonna pay 10...$15 an hour for temporary employees, when the last proposal on the
books was 10.10 an hour, which in itself was pushing the envelope. Moreover, uh.....I
don't know, I don't have any facts about this, but I think it's very likely that most of the
temporary employees, tell me if I'm wrong, Geoff, most of the temporary employees do
not have families. Are not in ... in the business, if you will, of maintaining families. So
we're talkin' about their own income and it helps them in their situations. Maybe I'm
completely wrong. If I am, it's important for me to know that.
Mims/ I would phrase that a little bit differently, Jim. I think maybe you're getting at the same
thing. I think an off ..cause whether people have families or not should not be relevant,
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in my opinion, to how we pay. What I would say, and I asked Geoff about this earlier
and... and he didn't necessarily have numbers off the top of his head and I didn't expect
him to, but we have an awful lot of temporary employees that are high school and college
students who are working, you know, refereeing soccer games or umpiring baseball or
softball games. I do not feel as a city that we can take taxpayer money and pay those
temporary, seasonal workers that are doing that sort of thing the equivalent of $30,000 a
year.
Throgmorton/ That's what I meant to say. Thank you.
Botchway/ I .... I think .... so.....so.... I'm gonna agree and disagree. I'm gonna say not
necessarily toward Susan, I'm just ... on this particular point. I ... I think that's when
we .... when we talk about the $30,000 a year, and I was gonna mention that, I think that
the problem with it is that's not actually an accurate accounting as far as what we're
actually paying out. I don't think we're paying every temp employee $30,000. I think
for me there's some questions on the ... I mean, Maz and I talked about this briefly, there's
some questions on the timeline, um, there's some questions .... I have some just questions
about the benefit structure and whether or not it may be more .... um.....it may be more
beneficial to think about more from a benefit standpoint, um .... looking at the different,
um, positions we are talking about. I do agree, you know, as we're thinking about .... I'm
not necessarily inclined to, you know, uh, kind of equivocate between, um, you know,
students getting paid or .... paid in relation to soccer games, or students getting paid, or
high school students getting paid. I .... I am more concerned about.... whether or not, um,
you know, we're looking at, again, the benefit structure, whether or not we're looking at
maybe different types, uh, of work in relation to what the City does, I mean, snow....
would snow removal be different than we're talking about refereeing a soccer game? To
me I think I just need more information. My suggestion and I haven't talked to Maz
about this particular part, is, you know, I think a lot more conversation, discussion, and
planning needs to go into this, and this is why I feel like this may be more of a strategic
planning point, um, because I do think it .... I do think there is, I understand the County
point, Jim, but I do think there .... there may be a need here to .... to step up in the only way
that we have control over. I mean there's a lot of things we don't have control over in
relation to businesses and other things. This would be the one that we do, however,
based on Geoff's memo, um, and some concerns and considerations I think that have
already been articulated, but I also have as well, I would like to see this as a strategic
planning item, because of just some .... just some issues I have with some of the .... the
dollar amounts and what we're looking at. I think you brought it up, 600, $700,000
annually, I mean that's a .... that's a whopping amount of change. I ... I'd like to have a
conversation about that, more than a month.
Throgmorton/ I ... I'm definitely willing to consider it as a strategic plan topic.
Taylor/ I.....I kind of question that also, Kingsley, cause it says they're temporary and hourly
and my experience with hourly is they don't receive the benefits, so that's not the
expense. So I was kind of a little bit, uh, questioning that amount.
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Fruin/ What .... what amount were you questioning?
Taylor/ The 6 .... uh, 600,000. Yeah, 600 to 700,000......
Fruin/ That's just wages.
Taylor/ ....dollars annually.
Fruin/ It doesn't include any .... it includes your FICA and things like that, but it's .... it's not.
Salih/ (unable to understand) increase.
Taylor/ If it increased to $15 an hour, it would equate out to $600,000.
Salih/ That what you saying? How much is (several talking) How much is now?
Fruin/ I'm not following.
Salih/ How much you .... like the 300, wherever how much, 300 (mumbled)
Mims/ I think what Geoff is saying is if they increased it to the 15, the increase in cost is ... the
600 to 700,000.
Fruin/ Right. (several talking)
Mims/ It's an additional.
Salih/ Right.
Throgmorton/ Dennis, you warm add something?
Bockenstedt/ Last year we spent about $2.2 million in temporary wages, and we're currently
budgeting about 2.5, uh, not including, uh, FICA and IPERS.
Botchway/ Why is that .... oh, go ahead (both talking)
Throgmorton/ So this would increase that amount by whatever, 600,000 (both talking)
Bockenstedt/ .....to 700,000.
Botchway/ And why that change?
Bockenstedt/ Well I mean it's just a, you talk about 600,000 out of 2.5 million, so when you're
lookin' at a $5 increase versus a $10 wage, you're lookin' at a 50% increase, just in that
individual.
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Botchway/ I apologize, I .... I know you're talking about the proposal. I meant from you said it
was 2.2 prior to 2.5 now (both talking)
Bockenstedt/ ...if you increase $2.2 million by 50%, it's $1.1 million.
Salih/ .....after increase.
Fruin/ We still ..... we have a temporary employee wage scale. So employees move up. It's....
you may start at 10.10 and then after six months you're at 10.80 and after a year you're at
11.50. There's.... and.... and it's not one scale for all employees. So different types of
operations have different wage scales. So that's why you might see (both talking)
Thomas/ ...10.10 is the entry level?
Salih/ But this is seasonal, like is the entry level would be the same every year
Fruin/ Cor.... correct, unless we .... unless we (both talking)
Thomas/ New employees... with the new employees.
Salih/ Because new employees.... anyway I really believe that the City of Iowa City should
increase the part-time wages for all City position, with a goal of, or for ... I mean that
temporary, for the goal of reaching $15 an hour in two year. The City should set the
standard for our community by paying a livable wage to the seasonable/part-time
employees. Uh (unable to understand) many of you Councils Members (unable to
understand) livable wage before and I know we cannot force the local businesses to pay
livable wage, but if we have the power to change our own employees, to pay them a
livable wage, why not? This is something could be in our hand. I understand there is
cost, but just by .... by looking at the .... tax levy, if we can just increase the tax levy. It
been increased before on the year of, uh, I have my notes here.....in 2000 .... 2012 they
increase the levy like 9 .... 9 -cent I guess, and this is .... and now is, uh, and just last year
and this year it been reduced by 25 ...... point 25, and this is the most I guess (unable to
understand) much reduce of the tax levy. We need to really to pay our employees, you
know, livable wage. We been advocate for this and I hear some of you saying that we
paying 10.10 just like County minimum wage. Johnson County minimum wage is not
reflecting the data showing that how much the person can live on (unable to understand)
$15 an hour is the minimum to live at, and the County minimum wage was (unable to
understand) forward, and it ... have increase, and I'm not saying you have to do this in one
year because now all the (unable to understand) 600 to like ..... 600 to 700, this could be
like one year. I said we could stretch it in two year, or maybe we can talk about that a
little bit. But .... that what I see and that what I'm going to continue advocate for.
Throgmorton/ So, I .... I am willing to have this a part of our strategic plan discussion. I think it'd
be important to do. I'm not willing to put it on our budget for this fiscal year. We have
to discuss it first in the strategic plan .... venue, I think. That ... that's my view.
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Taylor/ When we have that discussion, could .... could we ask Geos... Geoff to, those 370
positions, what kind of positions are they? I've heard like the soccer coaches. There's,
uh, lifeguards, those kinds of seasonal things. Can you like list those out (both talking)
talking, uh.... uh, something to live on, are these high school students? Are .... so this is
(both talking) or .... it varies? Okay. That would be something we .... it would be helpful
to know (several talking) and if they come back year-to-year, do they stay three months,
three weeks, six weeks. (both talking)
Fruin/ All over the board. I think the best thing I could do for ya is give ya the .... the, um, job
title and if that's not intuitive, the job description that goes along with it, and then the
wage scale for that (both talking)
Taylor/ That would be helpful I think (several talking)
Cole/ Can we list age, I mean we've discussed age and, I mean .... I just want us to be careful
about getting into age (several talking) familial status (both talking)
Dilkes/ ....whether they're supporting a family or whether, yeah, that's not (several talking) that
information.
Cole/ No.
Taylor/ We wouldn't know that (several talking)
Cole/ I guess I would just like to quick jump in on this topic, I mean I think one of the things
Geoff has talked about is our ability to support our full-time staff that are receiving living
wages, and I think it's very important when we talk about expanding the budget that we
ensure adequate funding streams for our full-time employees as well, that are union, um,
workers. We want to lift all the workers as much as we can, but I'm not comfortable, uh,
making this sort of budget commitment, at least at this point, until we get more
information, um, especially with big ticket items of this size. I .... I think of like, for
example, Susan's work on the CIT. That was a $2.8 million commitment and that was
the end product of over a year of advocacy and work by a variety of people. So as part of
our strategic plan discussion, if we have that level of advocacy, that level of input, that
level of work (mumbled) labor organizing our temp workers, and we come to a consensus
as a community that we want to move the wages forward for our temp workers, um, I
would strongly look at that, but I'm not comfortable for these big ticket items for making
that sort of change, um, without engaging that very similar process that has borne fruit, in
part due to Susan's leadership and others, uh, that we need that sort of commitment. So I
don't want to minimize what we have achieved, as far as that goes, so that's my position
on that.
Throgmorton/ Do the rest of you have a view about this?
Thomas/ I .... I ..... I do feel that this .... this has major cost implications and ... and I think we do
need more time to .... to understand all the factors that would go into..... you know, going
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from 10. 10, although from what I'm hearing it's actually a range of, uh, wage. You
know, to .... to implement this I think is .... is too complicated to....to include it in this
year's fiscal budget. Uh, but I .... I agree that I think it's a worthwhile strategic planning
topic.
Throgmorton/ Kingsley, do you agree with that? Did you (both talking)
Botchway/ Yeah (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Pauline, do you? I think that's where we're headed. So, Geoff, can you make
sure that this goes on our strategic plan agenda? All right. Next topic was.... increase
funding for the social justice and racial equity grant program from 25 to 75,000. We
already know that, uh, the Human Rights Commission has received something like 28
applications and they, I don't know, I gather they're pretty good applications. Seems to
me that there's a lot of interest in this, and I'm pretty interested myself in supporting an
increase in the amount of money goin' into this grant program.
Cole/ I support that as well, and I think ... this ticket item in terms of 25, 50, these are the sorts of
changes I'm looking at in terms of this process, and I think this particular one meets our
strategic plan. It is consistent with the budget. I think we should support it.
Taylor/ I agree.
Throgmorton/ I'm seein' four heads, five. Five heads nodding.
Mims/ Yeah, I'm willing to support it. I think it's important that we look at, um, the outcomes
that we're getting from these. So that it's not just an automatic annual increase. We, I
think we've gotta be .... and it's something ..... Rockne and I talked about earlier today,
and just in general, and I think whether it's looking at transit or any of these other things,
we've gotta be looking at metrics. Um, what are we really getting out of things?
Because there's lots of people with lots of good ideas who can easily spend lots of
money, but then when you really look back you haven't gotten anything except a whole
lot of conversation and a whole lot of meetings. So, um, I think .... we need to make it
clear and the stuff that the Human Rights Commission is looking at, as they're awarding
these, I think metrics is really important.
Throgmorton/ I agree to a point, Susan, but I don't think we can specify the metrics ahead of
time. Seems to me (both talking)
Mims/ No!
Throgmorton/ .....what we're doing is creating opportunities, enabling people to invent various
things.
Mims/ They should have the metrics (both talking)
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Throgmorton/ It's experimental. Yeah, and you know, if we find out it's just not .... doin'
anything worthwhile, we have to stop it, but otherwise.... we should, uh, support it.
Okay, I think we have support for that item. Council -appointed committee to discuss
enhancing apprenticeship and job training opportunities, provide 5 to $15,000 for the
group to consider a pilot program or a public event. Strikes me as fairly vague.
Cole/ Whose request was this?
Throgmorton/ Eh, I don't know.
Botchway/ Tryin' to be quiet on my request (laughter) my request (laughter) so I wasn't gonna
say anything. Um, but this is my request. This, uh, this particular proposal, um, you
know, I've been doing some research as far as, uh, related to how we can .... how we can
help spur the conversation around, um, apprenticeship programs, um, working with
different, uh, unions within the city, um, you know, there's some stuff out of Seattle, but
Tacoma was the one that, uh, particul.... particularly interested me in regards to a LEAP
program, um, and .... and basically what I'm trying to do, and .... and I know that,
I .... Geoff, I appreciate you adding the point around the staff support open meeting
notifications in the minutes, because that's a part of it that I think is even more important
outside of the modest budget allocation, but what I'm looking for, we ... somewhat have
talked about articulating our strategic plan prior. I know, Rockne, you'd mentioned the
Maker Spaces and some other things. What I'm looking for is an avenue or an
opportunity to .... to sit down with the committee and discuss the applications, similar to
what Tacoma, Washington has done, of how we can help support apprenticeship
programs to ensure that our residents can move into .... better positions, better paying
positions across our city. I mean it's a conversation I feel like I have over and over again,
or it's brought up over and over again in many of the union meetings that I'm a part of,
you ]mow, well we need more apprenticeship programs, we need more apprenticeship
programs, and there doesn't seem to be anybody kind of stepping .... I mean there's other
work, I think Director Hemingway was here and discussed some things that are
happening maybe at the school level, but not necessarily, you know, having the
conversation and sitting down and creating a committee, um, to really kind of move this
conversation forward. Um, this is how it started, um, in Tacoma was, um, it was actually
not city initia... or city council initiative. It was a staff initiative, uh, to work with the
different unions and other organizations, um, to move this conversation forward, but you
know, I want it .... I want it to be one of our initiatives, and so, um, again, they have about
$200,000 that they're working with. I'm not asking for that at all. I'm asking for again a
modest amount so we can start the conversation, to something that I think is .... is very
important to, um .... I would say creating opportunities for jobs down the road. We have
Mark coming here and I think he's probably going to come again, where we have a lack
of, um, workforce as it relates to electricians and other things. Um, we've had projects
that have gone where we've bidded them out and they've gone .... they.....we haven't
received any bids from `em because I believe there's a lack of a workforce. There's data
to support that. And so I .... I really believe that we need to work with, um, get a
committee together with the different stakeholders — ICAD, um, the union groups, um,
having .... I actually do think that I would like to be on this committee in particular cause
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this a .... a very, very important project for me, from a, um, from a ... a job opportunity
standpoint. Um, to really move this conversation forward and do something that I think
all of our residents can, uh, get around and support.
Mims/ Conceptually I really agree with that. Here's .... my concern. I think.....we.... we've got,
uh, workforce development through the State, and we've got regional, and we've got
representation on that. Um, a lot of those union activities, and I've talked with Geoff
about this, and I've .... I think I've talked with some of you about it in terms of even
trying to look like it.....if.... if there are apprenticeship opportunities, most of those seem
to be in Cedar Rapids and maybe trying to find a way for transportation. Um, I'd heard
they had a lot of openings. I was talking to somebody not too long ago and I .... can't
remember if it was electrician or the plumbing one, and they said they had like dozens
more apply than they .... than they actually had openings. Um .... so I'm concerned about
that and the other thing I'm really concerned about is .... we have ..... we've stretched,
strapped .... we have stretched staff significantly over the last two years, and I think as we
look at our strategic plan at the end of this month, we've gotta find a way to really focus
and make sure that we're gonna really kind of knock some things out of the park, you
know, so to speak over the next two years, really wrap up some of these major, major
initiatives that we've started, and while this is important, I'm not sure that the.....the City
leadership in this form is necessarily the right way to go, and I'm concerned about the
time it's gonna take for an already stressed and overworked staff.
Throgmorton/ So I'd like to see this brought up in the strategic plan process. It's very similar to
the social justice and racial equity com.... Council committee that I proposed two years
ago, and at that time, we pretty much decided it was not a good idea because that would
mean three .... the three committee members would not be able to talk to one another
except during the .... the committee meetings, and that.....like it would really inhibit us a
lot, but like Susan, I .... I really like the idea of tryin' to figure out some way to move
ahead on this. I really wanna do it! (laughs) So .... but I think I don't wanna toss money
into the budget at this point. I .... I do wanna have a .... a focused conversation during our
strategic plan discussion.
Cole/ And even though it's a relatively, I mean 5 and 15 is still a lot of money, but it's relatively
tiny compared to the other budget.... other budget items. I would like to see a proposal
that's more concrete before we authorize, and before we reconsider, so maybe it could
come through one of our other committees or Economic Development or through Geoff,
with his discretionary authority, um, but I think until we get more details, I would .... I
wouldn't support it unless it was through a .... the strategic planning process.
Taylor/ I agree with that, Rockne. I think it's an excellent idea and I .... I have many friends in
the building trades and my husband was a union plumber and went through an
apprenticeship program and it's a wonderful thing but I think, uh, you can't think if you
build it they will come, I mean we need to look at and focus on how to.....how to get
people into these trades and I .... I think having, forming yet another committee is not the
best route to take for that, but (mumbled) talked about having space, actually having a
space to train folks or .... or talking with the School District to encourage them, and it
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sounds like, uh, from, uh, Board Member Hemingway that ... that the schools are starting
to look at that as far as, uh, those kinds of trainings in the schools now. So, I .... I think
that's, uh, we need to partner with them maybe too, but .... but not necessarily have a
committee.
Throgmorton/ Yeah so I think that's the direction we ought to (several talking)
Fruin/ And I'd just stress real quick, when you're talking 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, it's not like
we're gonna have to wait another budget cycle. We can .... we can figure out that amount,
if Council can, you know, coalesce around a .... an idea here.
Botchway/ I'll come prepared more for some of these topics. There's already some folks that
I've been talkin' with and they can come into the conversation as well. (several talking)
Throgmorton/ Okay. Good. Okay, uh, you know I'm conscious of the time, and I .... I want to be
respectable... respectful of our staff and respectful of us, so I .... I don't think we should go
on much longer. But maybe we can finish at least the budget part of this. All right, so
the next topic was determine interest in consulting fund, putting.... assigning consulting
funds in the budget for a retail attraction consultant.
Botchway/ (mumbled) supportive of this.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, you know I had a .... a quick reaction to it. Um, I gotta find my notes.
They're here somewhere. Um .... yeah, I think there .... it seems to me there might be
merit in conducting a .... a market analysis of the type described, but it seems to be, if I'm
understanding it correctly based on Wendy's memo, it seems to be oriented toward
attracting.... outside firms. And ... if. ... i£....if I had to choose between spending 50,000 to
attract outside firms versus 50,000 to help local firms grow, I'd do the latter. So I ... I'd
like to have a better sense of whether there might be a, whether there is a way to
incorporate growing local firms into this market assessment and whatever recruitment is
involved. So....
Cole/ Along those lines, Jim, if I could speak, and I guess I've been for lack of a better term, a
little bit of the negative Nellie on the consultant. I haven't been a big fan on it before.
But I've also heard what Kingsley had to say in terms of the social justice component. I,
I mean I think of our southeast side. Susan has mentioned that. So if that is the goal, um,
I would like more clarity in our RFP, or request for proposal, to look at addressing under-
served areas. Um, I do not want this to be a situa.... I mean in particular, maybe even that
Kmart area, I don't want to get maybe to that level of detail, um, because I agree with
you, Jim, um, that if we're talking about increasing retail, I wanna increase the home-
grown retail, and I think one of the .... and entrepreneurship, and I think one of the best
presentations that I went to was last spring at the Library. It was `entrepreneurship for
under -served communities,' and there was some really grassroots entrepreneurship small
businesses that are really starting to emerge, and so I wanna try to accelerate those, and
the fact a consultant can help us accelerate the grassroots, I would support that, but if it's
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just sort of how do we bring in high-end retail to .... I'm .... I'm not interested in that. Um,
as far as that goes. So....
Taylor/ Has anybody been to the new rolled ice cream shop in Sycamore? Talk about something
new and different and exciting. It just opened recently and I guess it had throngs of
people there and (several talking) bringing the Sycamore Mall back, although it's not
called Sycamore Mall, uh, Lucky's, uh, Marketplace back to life again and so things like
that, if this consultant could .... could help with that, that'd be wonderful.
Botchway/ Pauline, this is information that has to be, um, provided to me immediately (several
talking and laughing) 10:15 at night (several talking and laughing)
Taylor/ ....probably not open now but we'll go sometime!
Throgmorton/ (mumbled) suggestion, uh, ties together pretty well with your local food incubator
idea. So, I don't know, maybe there are connections that could be built upon there.
Botchway/ It's .... I .... I would say, I mean to me it's a little bit separate. I ... I would .... I would
agree that I think we need to look at the RFP. I'm not opposed to looking at under -served
populations, because that's particularly why I'm interested and it's partic.... this retail
study. I would say however that while I do think that maybe the study could be tailored
or tweaked in a way that incorporates, um, kind of homegrown talent, for lack of a better
word. I .... I'm not in favor of not necessarily looking at outside, um, entities or firms,
just because they pre .... they do sometimes present options that affect our under -served
populations, and I .... I don't wanna not have that a part of the conversation or the study. I
mean it's a study. I mean basically whatever we decide from that is a different
conversation, but I don't wanna limit it in that way. Do we wanna maybe expand a little
bit or tweak it a little bit to incorporate what you were talking about, Jim, for sure. Do
we want to make sure the RFP maybe speaks to under -served areas, totally on board. I
do not want to take out the .... the outside retail piece. I think it....it could .... it could
change the game and we could have a situation....I mean I'm gonna use Kmart, but
Kmart's leaving, I mean if there was another Kmart or somethin' that came in, I .... I'd
wanna be able as a Council Member to make an informed decision to say, okay, I'm
making a decision on Kmart based on maybe some other proposal and feel comfortable in
that sense.
Fruin/ The difficult thing with retail and targeting is that retail operations are looking at a
cachement area that's much bigger than any given neighborhood typically, uh, especially
when you're talkin' about national chains, who these consultants will specialize in having
relationships with and bringin' in, so when you're recruiting your favorite national chain,
um, it's really hard to say well we're only interested in this neighborhood, because
they're looking at demographics that not only stretch the entire city, but probably that
stretch multiple cities, and then, you know, so what you're really trying to do is you're
trying to do one of two things. You're trying to identify for your retail .... for your
brokers and your property owners who they should go after, or they consultant sayin',
hey, retailer A, you should be looking at this city. Once they start lookin' at the city,
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they're not just gonna say, okay, we're lookin' at this half .... half -mile area. They're
gonna look at the whole thing, for most retailers. So, we can try to narrow it down, but
the reality is unless we're financially incenting them to be in a particular location, they're
gonna.... their interest is gonna span even beyond our borders.
Botchway/ (mumbled) that particular piece is, I mean I .... I get what you're saying about areas,
but adding that, uh, encompassing piece to have some type of. ... similar to how we did
like the racial impact statement or whatever the case may be, that we are particularly
looking at how this could affect under -served populations. I mean that may not
necessarily, um, close it in the scope that I'm thinking of. I think Rockne brought up the
point that it's .... you know there's a couple areas I'm thinking in particular that I'd love to
see something different and so I .... I .... obviously I know that the retail, um, study
couldn't do that, but at least have that under -served population focus as an important part
for them to consider.
Throgmorton/ I agree! Seems like we have a general sentiment there. All right, let's see what's
next... what's next, um.....well there was your suggestion about a local .... oh, I'm
skipping one. John suggested a safe streets action plan for $100,000. Incidentally just so
you know we have one, two, three .... well, we really have two more topics (mumbled)
after safe streets action plan .... to touch on.
Thomas/ Well you wanted me to speak again or....
Throgmorton/ Well ... no, you proposed it ... what, what's that, Rock?
Cole/ Do we want to do a special budget meeting so we're not....
Throgmorton/ Getting tired?
Cole/ Tired, yeah. (laughter)
Mims/ If we've only got a couple more I think (both talking)
Cole/ Okay. Should plow through (both talking)
Mims/ ...at least get a first run.
Cole/ Okay.
Mims/ ....through these maybe?
Throgmorton/ That's what I was thinking.
Cole/ Okay.
Throgmorton/ Yeah.
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Thomas/ Well I'll just add a few additional thoughts on that (clears throat) and .... as I .... as I said
previously, it....it seems to me, um, it fills a gap in our analysis. We have a, um, a bike
master plan. But we have no overarching .... way in which to .... to frame the question of
safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists, uh, you know, I .... I remember when we
approved the bike master plan I asked if there would be a pedestrian safety component in
that and the ... the answer was no. So .... so the .... the safe streets plan, I think, would be
beneficial with respect to our bike master plan to ensure that it functions in the way that
we hope it will. Um, in terms of addressing traffic -related issues, pertaining to a
successful bike network, uh, and as I mentioned earlier, the idea that, you know, in my
view, our .... our straits... our streets are not safe, particularly certain corridors, uh.... these
....these action plans address that in a way, uh, which would (clears throat) it would .... it
would amplify the .... the effort that the Police Department has in its strategic plan, which
is to reduce collisions. Their .... their end of it is enforcement. But there .... there is more
to the .... the fact that our streets are not safe than enforcement. It's their physical design.
It's a range of factors that come into play. So .... so what I found, and I, you know, I sent
this information to .... to Jim and to Pauline, it ... it's, the Vision Zero concept is .... is
developing and we're seeing it take root in a number of cities across the country, uh, and
it....it seems to be the most acost.... cost efficient way of addressing traffic safety that's
out there. And, um, Minneapolis just adopted it, an ordinance with respect to that, couple
of months ago, urn .... so it seem ... for me it....it really, after .... being concerned with this
thing (laughs) since I moved here eight years ago, it seemed to be an answer, provided a
clear direct path toward improving traffic safety for Iowa City.
Throgmorton/ Okay. Do the rest of you have any thoughts about this? Geoff, please weigh in
if. ... when you think it's appropriate.
Cole/ My .... my sense is, you know, a lot of times we need to go to outside for outside expertise,
but ..... my sense is isn't this something where the expertise is sufficient in-house and that
we should be focusing the resources on particular slow streets improvements, or ... or .... or
not.
Throgmorton/ You know usually you .... you go to a consultant when you think your staff has too
much to do already. (both talking) Or when your expertise (both talking) simply lacking.
Cole/. Yeah.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I don't think we're lacking the expertise, but .... I think our staff's pretty
busy.
Botchway/ Rockne, I'll step in. To me .... I'm .... I'm supportive of the safe streets, um, project
and I'm tryin' to, you know, read up on the Vision Zero network right now as we're
talking about it. I .... I think for me this is more of a policy consideration, that as I think
about kind of our .... our work on the afor .... affordable action plan ... uh, we thought about
the different, we asked our staff to come back and provide for us, you know, different
elements, uh, across the board that we could attack affordable housing, so to speak.
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Cause I ... the reason why I'm bringing this up too is because I, I mean I've been hearing
you bring up the safe streets in relation to a lot of different projects. It's not just one. I
mean I think you've been pretty .... pretty compelling in providing an argument as far as
where.... where we've had issue, where .... where there could be some needed
improvements, but for me I don't necessarily know that we have articulated clearly to
staff that that is the .... the direction that we want to go, and so I almost .... I almost think
we're taking a ... I wouldn't say a leap, but we're taking a step forward before we .... a step
ahead before we have the conversation and talk with our staff as far as if our policy is to
incorporate some of these elements as far as the Vision Zero network or .... if our policy is
to have a .... a .... a safe street network throughout our city, I want to give our staff a little
bit of opportunity to kind of weigh in and... and discuss, I know that the time constraints is
a consideration, so I ... I understand the consultant implications, um, but have a
conversation and discuss, you know, the elements to what they're recommending, um,
compared to, you know, what we as a Council may propose a particular policy around
safe streets. I don't think we've had that conversation. That's where I ... I've seen the
disconnect, where you may have asked a question and I think you even mentioned the
fact that it was a pedestrian walkway. Well the answer was no. My only .... my issue is
(mumbled) did we .... did we prepare or prep staff ahead of time that that's what we were
looking for? And I don't know that we have. And so I .... I kind of want to have that
conversation first with staff before we move forward in this way. That's my .... that's my
two -cents.
Mims/ Yeah, I would.....I guess I would agree with Kingsley, just having more of that discussion
and the other thing is .... hiring consultants does not .... mean that it doesn't take more staff
time. Um .... and staff has articulated that numerous times, that, you know, every time we
hire a consultant, we've got staff, and sometimes multiple staff, very much involved with
those consultants, and again, I....I, while I think this is really important, I think we need
to look at it. I'd like to have more of that discussion as part of the strategic plan and
figure out how we move forward with it in conjunction with trying to focus down our
strategic plan to make sure that we're really.....knockin' some things off the list in the
next couple of years.
Taylor/ I think it is something though that .... that shouldn't fall off of the list. It's something
very important because even one accident is one accident too many, and I think John has
been talking about this over and over again, and we need to look at that and we need to
have the safe streets, for bicyclists, pedestrians, and for other automobiles. So, I don't
want it to get swept under the rug or get forgotten. It needs to be out there to be talked
about.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, I'd say based on what I know at the moment, I support the idea of doing a
safe.... preparing a safe streets action plan, but I'm confident also there's a lot I don't
know, uh, so I'd like to have an opportunity to learn. Uh, it seems to me we oughta put
this in the strategic plan, make sure it's discussed, that we .... decide whether as a Council
we .... we agree we want to proceed with the sta... safe street (both talking)
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Thomas/ So that would still leave open the opportunity of adding to ... to the budget or are you
talking about that being in a future....
Fruin/ You can always amend the budget mid -year, particularly, again, I'll stress, you know, a
one-time study expense like this, we .... we have large enough reserves. We have
contingency funds to be able to amend the budget to be able to pursue somethin' that the
Council identifies as a strategic priority. The more challenging aspect are those ongoing
operational that have to be funded year after year after year. So, to ... to get to your point,
John, I think if the Council during strategic planning identifies safe streets as a priority of
theirs, then we can come back and find .... we don't have to wait a whole other budget
cycle to get started on that. We'll find a way to .... fund the study.
Throgmorton /Okay, sounds to me (mumbled) wanna go. Kingsley, you proposed a local foods
service incubator downtown. You thought it might cost 50,000 a year for four years to
subsidize the cost of space, is that what you said?
Botchway/ Correct.
Throgmorton/ I .... I, Geoff, I don't know if staff has any view about this, you know, I don't know
if you've had a chance to think about it (both talking)
Fruin/ We've had some conversations. I ... I, not personally but I know Wendy has been in
contact with this group a little bit, um, and I think we .... were encouraged by the concept,
but there's really no details that we've seen yet. Um, no business plan that, again,
that .... that I'm aware of. I .... I'd have.....I'd have....I have a lot of questions before I
could say yes, this is ... this is something we should fund. Um .... in theory, yes. I mean it
sounds like a great idea. Sounds like something that aligns with a lot of our .... a lot of
our, uh, hopes and strategic plan goals but.....just.... just a lot of questions right now.
Botchway/ So, um, because of that comment, Geoff, um, what ... so where are we at with, we have
a local foods budget, right? Where are we at as far as funding with regards to that?
Fruin/ Uh, it's $30,000 a year, and um .... we've used those funds for, um .... a variety of things,
ranging from double -up food bucks at the Farmers Market to, um, the, uh.... beginner
gardener's program, um, through the Parks and Rec program, that, uh, RaQuishia
administered last year. I, you know, going forward I think we intend to keep the double -
up food bucks program and the gardener program and .... and there's some, you know, I
don't know, 10 or 15,000 more, but again, I .... I would stress that .... you know.... the....
the City Manager has $100,000 per budget year for .... for allocations and while it's not,
um, enough to fund all four years, if. ... if a project, if they came forward with their
business plan, it completely knocked your socks off, we could get it started, much like we
do at the EDC level with a number of things and then say, well we .... without makin' a
firm commitment to `em say we'll start ya off with 50 or 20 or whatever number you
guys decide, through.... through the funding that I have and then we'll have the intent to
budget in years forward based on whatever you think's appropriate.
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Botchway/ Yeah, I don't wanna.... I don't wanna mess with your City Manager budget, cause I
have already plans for that, but (laughter) joke, kind of, urn .... so, uh, is there .... I'm
gonna switch (mumbled) little bit because, you know, when Geoff makes a statement like
that it's a pretty damaging statement (laughter) um, to a sta... uh, City staff approval
standpoint, but um, can we look at increasing it for $20,000? I mean ultimately... the
local foods budget, um, by $20,000. Currently it's at $30,000. I understand that there's
additional money, uh, that's going to the double -bucks.... double .... (both talking) double -
up food bucks, which I can apprec.... which I want to continue as well, because I think
it's .... it's, um, done some good work. Um .... but that increase to 20,000, um, could be a
potential avenue, um, for this organization to apply for, urn .... um, for funding, um, and
additionally for the other organizations that I mentioned and I was with when we were
talking about it, the Iowa Global Food Project, um, there's other opportunities for people
to, um to engage.
Cole/ Yeah, I ... I would support that, I mean .... I think to Geoff's point in terms of that larger
budget request for an outside group, I'm always leery of getting those until that's vetted
through that decision-making process of staff and so I think if they could get that
proposal, get it vetted by staff, have staff apply some standard criteria. I'm a huge local
foods guy. I love it. Um, but I .... I just think we've got to honor that process and honor
their expertise as far as that goes, but I think in terms of your view of increasing that
modest amount, I think it really will help accelerate a lot of the good hunger programs
that we need, and I think also for like for example, community barbecue. I think we're
gonna do that again this year. Um, so I think we'll be able to effectively use that,
especially with putting other new community gardens online. Think we can use that to
really catalyze, and it's a relatively modest amount. So I think that .... that additional
20,00 I think does make a lot of sense, Kingsley.
Throgmorton/ I ... I'd support it as well and I'd like to note also that we received in our last
information packet a lengthy report about a consumption based, carbon emission
inventory, and it...it argues that food's really important. I .... I haven't read the whole
thing. I can't elaborate, but....
Mims/ Don't eat meat, that's the biggest thing.
Taylor/ Meat or dairy!
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so .... I.....
Botchway/ I didn't agree with all those points (several talking and laughing)
Throgmorton/ Yeah, so uh.....(several talking) Do we have enough support for that particular
idea? (several responding) Okay, looks like we do. The last item, uh, we're gonna stop
after this is that idea I had about having some modest amount of funds set aside for a
conceptual design of public art and wayfinding along the Iowa River corridor.
Taylor/ Yes! (several responding)
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Mims/ Who's gonna do this? I ... again, I'm comin' back to staff time. Who .... who's this gettin'
dumped on?
Cole/ Well, who has the opportunity (laughs)
Throgmorton/ Let me tell you about two (several talking and laughing) let me tell you about two
conversations I've had, well three actually. One is with President Harreld, and I, you
know, the interest that he's expressed, and the fact that there's a .... uh, a class that is
focusing its attention, as a part of the sustainability theme semester, soc... focusing its
attention on the Iowa River corridor, the river in particular.
Mims/ Right.
Throgmorton/ Second is I'm goin' to Iowa State University next Monday and I'm gonna be
speaking to .... um, a group of design students about this specific idea, and getting
feedback from them. We're gonna do a two-hour workshop pertaining to it. The third is
that, uh, I recently talked with two people who applied for the .... I think the Public Arts
Advisory Committee, uh, last time we .... we did that, and both of `em have considerable
ability with regard to public art and the use of public space for all sorts of things like this.
So they're both gonna be providing we ... me with feedback in terms of ideas they have
about how this kind of thing could be articulated. So .... I'm just thinkin' at some point a
little bit of money (laughs) would be needed and .... and I .... definitely not over 20,000,
probably considerably less.
Fruin/ I think the University's interested in continuing those discussions. I wouldn't be surprised
if, you know, several months down the road we naturally find ourselves wanting to ... to do
this in .... in concert with the University.
Nelson/ And if I may, uh, this is like University government also like kind of influence and so
we have, um, some funds that would be available for future discussions, just kind of keep
us in the loop. We've allocated I think a couple thousand dollars of funds in the past for
public art and the river is definitely under -used so .... we'd be interested in the future,
so....
Botchway/ $100,000. (laughter)
Nelson/ We have like a $200,000, like .... like discretionary budget total.
Throgmorton/ Okay, I think we've done .... thank you, Ben, uh, I mean it's really helpful to hear
that. Yeah, sorry, I was glad you said that. Um .... okay, time's fleeting. We made some
decisions winnowing things out, directing some topics to the strategic plan process, uh,
expressing support for some other items. I'm sure staff has written this all down! Uh, we
have not gotten to the capital budget item that was proposed, havin' to do with the Lee
Recreation Center. I don't wanna get into that right now. I think we're tired. I think
staff needs to go home. Rockne has suggested possibly having a special, I think you
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meant work session (both talking) focused on, uh, the budget and CIP. That might be a
very good thing. I'm wondering .... we don't have to decide this right now, but maybe
Kellie can help us figure this out, if we could have a special work session, sometime
during the week of the 29d' through February the 2"d. And the purpose would be to
complete our winnowing.... finish the dis.... well do the discussion about the CIP.....uh,
end of story. Just to complete that effort. (several talking) Well I think every week's
really busy and if we can't do it we can't do it. We'll have to .... just have another long
meeting on the 6'". So, Kellie, can you look into that, uh, you know, possibilities and
check with the Council (both talking)
Fruehling/ ...same week as the strategic plan. (mumbled)
Throgmorton/ Yep! (several talking)
Fruin/ I don't believe we have a work session topic on the 6d' slated, so we can reserve the entire
work session, uh, on the 6' and .... one option would be to start that meeting earlier.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, and there's merit in that idea. All right, let's....let's do that. So .... we want
to make sure we finish it. Uh, let's see if we can start it at 4:30, the work session.....on,
on that date.
Fruin/ We'll keep this memo. We'll just update it. We'll highlight with colors or whatnot where
we are on each of the issues and what issues have been added. So hopefully we can all
keep track of. ... what's left to be decided.
Throgmorton/ Okay.
Botchway/ Do you think we'll have enough time, at 4:30?
Throgmorton/ Oh, I would think so. That's (several talking) Yeah. We .... we've done most of
the work (several talking) Okay!
Botchway/ Before we close, I just wanted to make sure, um, for the info packet, can we move
the, um, the discussion on the food and .... goods consumption, the UniverCity, and the
finance and operating report to the next ... um, to the next meeting?
Throgmorton/ Which topic, say it again?
Botchway/ The, I didn't put it right on my ... uh, the one .... the one that we just discussed as far as
the foods and goods consumption (both talking)
Throgmorton/ Oh, consumption based (both talking)
Botchway/ ....report, the UniverCity conversation, and the finance and operating reporting.
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Mims/ Well if we just put those two info packets on the next agenda (both talking) Yeah. Since
we didn't discuss `em tonight.
Botchway/ Yeah.
Throgmorton/ Yeah, we can do that. But I ... I, there are a couple things I need to say about
the ... um, the info packet. One has to do with .... um, January 11`h packet, uh, IP #1, the
tentative Council meeting schedule. I need to tell you I will not be able to attend the joint
entities meeting on the 22"a. Cause I'm gonna be at Iowa State. And .... think that was all
I really needed to say. Let's see.....yeah, that's what I absolutely needed to say, but....
beyond that I think we're good to go, unless y'all need to say somethin' else. Okay.
We'll call the work session concluded. Thank you all, appreciate your patience.
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