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Salih: Okay. Before we begin the meeting, I would like to say thank you. On behalf of
the City of Iowa City, uh, to the City Manager, Geoff Fruin and on behalf of the
Mayor, uh, Bruce Teague, uh, the Mayor of Iowa City to present the Certificate of
Recognition for 10 years of dedicated service. Your many years of services are
thorough testimony of your hard work, commitment and dedication to the City of
Iowa City. And you are truly valued for all that you do, and it will be my honor to
present you with this certificate.
2. Proclamations
2.a. National Native American Heritage month
Salih: (reads proclamation) Is anyone here to accept?... [no one present]
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2.b. Perioperative Nurses Week
Salih: Okay. Second item is, uh, also proclamation, uh, for the Perioperative Nurse
Week. And this is, will be read by Pauline Taylor.
Taylor: (reads proclamation) And accepting is a dear friend and longtime colleague of
mine, uh, Rhonda Price from, uh, this, uh, Association of Operating Room
Nurses. (Applause)
Price: Um, I just want to say a brief thing about perioperative nurses, operating room
nurses, that just to let you know that we are always there for you caring for you at
all times from the beginning to the very end of your surgery. And to know that we
are always doing our best, even during these trying times and the amount of
nursing shortages that are occurring everywhere, the ones that are here and trying,
we are doing our very best and proud of helping and serving you people. So thank
you so much. (Applause)
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2.c. Transgender Day of Remembrance
Salih: Thank you, item number 2c, Transgender Day of Remembrance, and this is will
be by Councilor Weiner.
Weiner: (reads proclamation) Um, and accepting this declaration, I believe are Talia
Meidlinger and Jamie Ellis.
Salih: If you want to say, If you want,
Meidlinger: Uh, I am just honored and grateful to live in a community that supports all,
uh, identities and walks of life. Um, and we show our young people here who
volunteered to show up to this late at night community meeting that they really
don't know much about. And, and we're honored to accept this award and to live
in a community that supports our young people, uh, and all different identities.
Thank you.
Salih: Thank you.
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2.d. Sudan Proclamation of Support
Salih: (reads proclamation) Here to accept is Ali Ahmed and Bader Kuku from the
Sudanese Community Association. (Applause)
Ahmed: Thank you. Thank you much.
Salih: You can say a few words.
Ahmed: Council. This is a tremendous moment today to come and first of all, to say
congratulations for the previous elections. Now we have a Council and we have a
Mayor. Audience, I am a Sudanese American who flee from Sudan since 1999.
These documents means a lot and will remind me actually since January the first
1863, when Abraham Lincoln issuing for the freedom, I don't have a lot to add for
what Mazahir Salih, Mayor Pro Tem at large, she talked about what's happening
in Sudan. What we all we need, we need to stop the hijacking of the democracy
and let the democracy prevail. Thank you very much.
Salih: Thank you.
Kuku: [mumbled] On behalf of the Sudanese community in Iowa City, I would like to
express our great appreciation for the City Council proclamation on support for
the Sudanese community in Iowa City and our deep concern for the wellbeing of
our families and the people of Sudan. We encourage your efforts to make our
voices heard. Your voice can make a difference, can save life, ensure and safe
guard the right to assembly and peaceful protest as a universal right for all people
and can in no way be compromised. Support the unbreakable will of the Sudanese
people, inspiration for democracy, peace and prosperity. Once again. Thank you.
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3. Special Presentations
3.a. UCI Jingle Cross World Cup Cyclocross Race
Salih: Thank you. Okay. Item number three on the agenda is a special presentation, uh,
from the US UCI Jingle Cross World Cup Cyclecross Race, but unfortunately, uh,
we, uh, receive, uh, you know, not just from the person he's not available, uh,
from Josh is not able to attend tonight and we request to defer this to the next
meeting. So we don't need any vote for that right.
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4 — 9. Consent Calendar
Salih: Now, item number. Now the consent agenda, we're gonna, I would like a notion
to approve the items four to nine, uh, for the consent agenda.
Weiner: So moved.
Salih: Moved by Weiner, seconded by Taylor, uh, public discussion, uh, for the only the
items from four to nine, consent agenda. Is there is anyone want to speak about
these items? Okay, please sign your name and you have three minutes to speak.
Thanks.
Alter: Hi, my name is Megan Alter and I'm a resident, um, 936 Aspen Court in the
South District. And I just wanted to say thank you for, um, setting things in
motion to get the South District, uh, self -supported Municipal Improvement
District going. I think it's a really important step to, um, revitalize that area. And,
uh, I'm extremely pleased that that's in motion.
Salih: Thank you. Okay. Uh, Council discussion about consent agenda. Okay then. Roll
call please. (roll call) Motion passes five to zero. Do I have to say the people who
are absent or hear that?
Goers: I'm sorry?
Salih: When I say motion passed five to zero, do I have to mention people absent?
Goers: No, that's fine. That'll be noted.
Salih: Five to zero.
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10. Community Comment (items not on the agenda) [UNTIL 7 PM]
Salih: Okay. Now it is time for the public comment. Please limit your comments to three
minutes. There is a sign sheet behind the podium. Please make sure to put your
name there. Uh, if you put in your name, the sticker, put the sticker in the basket,
and when you come to the podium, please state your name and where you live
beside. Please make sure to limit your comments to three minutes, and now
anyone can come and speak at this time. Welcome, just please state your name.
Sinwell: Um, I'm Emily, I'll serve as interpreter unless there's one here. And then the first
request is, uh, is it possible to have more time for a non -English-speaking folks?
Salih: I think normally we double the time for you. Okay. Do that.
Campos: (Campos speaking Spanish) Good evening. My name is Ninoska Campos, and I
am one of the leaders of the excluded workers fund. Uh, we're here present, uh,
just like we have been in all of the county meetings and city meetings. But I
remind everyone and, and insist that this has been our fight. And, um, this is our
fight. And as was one of the leaders of the excluded workers fund, I'd like to tell
you all that we want to work directly with the, um, County of Iowa City... excuse
me, County of Johnson -- we want to work directly with the County of Johnson
County. Uh, we don't want to work with any other organization, no matter how
much experience they may have. We do not want to work with a center for
worker justice, but we would prefer to work with Johnson County directly.
Because this is our fight. And we know the needs of the people of Iowa City in
the excluded workers fund, uh, coalition. My question is, um, when we started
this fight, um, why didn't they join us? Right now it's easy to come and, um, get
involved in the fight that we've been doing. Uh, we don't want to face any
discrimination. Uh, we are serious about this and we would like to work directly
with the Johnson, Johnson County. Uh, we don't want that. We don't want it to be
cumbersome. We don't want a lot of things being asked for the application. That
would not be help, that would be putting up more barriers. We have been, um,
very good at, um, lifting up and working, lifting up the economy in Iowa City
during the pandemic . We want this help to reach every person. We don't want to
go to a institution where they say they will call us and they don't and we're still
waiting. Or that the application was lost in the system -- didn't get uploaded and
was lost. We would like to, we would feel, um, more, um, certain if we could
work directly with Johnson County. And none of these organizations asked us
during the pandemic, if we were okay, or if we were doing bad. And we did the
hardest word, um, in the hotels and out in the streets. Have you ever thought about
in your life, if the Latino community just stopped, like throughout the nation Lots
of different, um, companies, factories. They need people to work in them. You all
are very smart, intelligent people. I think you would realize, um, what would
happen if, um, the Latino workers stopped in the country? Um, that's why I come
here in front of you, um, to ask for this help, uh, without fear, because I know that
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we carry, carry this country. So, um, if this money does go through, we would like
to work directly with Johnson County, not with other institutions. Thank you.
(applause)
Salih: Thank you. Next? Please state your name and your address, please.
Sinwell: Sony, can you repeat that?
Salih: The name and the address, please, state his name and his address.
Sinwell: You want him to say it? His name? Okay. Do you want him to say his address as
well?
Salih: Yeah, where you live. Iowa City yeah.
Sinwell: I'm sorry. I didn't --
Salih: Yes, yes. Name and address please. Yeah.
Gonzales: Hi, I'm good afternoon. My name is Lowen [Lionel] ...Angel ...Gonzales. Um,
uh, tres treinta y dos. That's 332 Friendship. Is that it?
Salih: Welcome. Yeah.
Gonzalez: (speaking Spanish) Just like my friend here said, um, I'm here to ask you, um,
that, that we would like to work directly with the County. Uh, we don't want other
institutions to get involved in this. Um, we, what we're -- the only thing we're
asking is work to work directly with the County. Uh, we have trust in them. Our
confidence is in them. And, um, that's what we're asking. And that's all I'm going
to ask for tonight in this moment is that, um, you [we?] work directly with
Johnson County. Thank you so much.
Salih: Thank you.
Sinwell: Fatima? Do you want to go next?
Saeed: Good evening.
Salih: Welcome.
Saeed: Fatima Saeed.
Salih: Your address.
Saeed: 2532 Bartell Road. Iowa City Iowa, 52246
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Salih: Welcome.
Saeed: Um, I am here tonight, to thank you, Iowa, for opening your doors for opening
your schools, your hospitals, and give us a second chance to live. I'm here just to
ask a favor because we've been going and making peace around this town for a
long time, we've been making peace for everybody. We sing together. We have
good times together to make this community a better place to live. But tonight I
ask for a favor, can we make peace for Sudan? Can we consider these young
people get shot down and gunned down, because they asking for bread and
democracy? Because they looking for a peaceful place to sing, to play. These
children get gunned down because they just would like to live. We're asking for
dignity, safety, and peace for these people in Sudan, we've been making peace
here in Iowa. Can you help me make peace and stop these people being genocide,
people in there for, for long time, for three, four decades, the same people
bringing this genocide to the capital, Khartoum, and keep killing these young
people. Keep making Sudan a miserable place to live. Can you help me please?
To bring peace to Sudan and the children of Sudan can sing for the rain, for the
peace and for happiness. I just ask you, please. We need to stop this genocide
being going for the kids in Sudan and the same people, the same people, the same
people keep doing the same terrible thing for the people of Sudan. Please, please,
Iowa. In Iowa I have my people. I have my bread, my friends, we sing together.
When we go to school, kind teachers always helped me. When I get sick, kind
doctors always helped me. We sing together. We laugh together. We live in
peace. We live together, Muslim, Christian and Jewish. We live in peace. We live
together. Can you help me carry these values over there to support people? Who's
dying on the streets, asking for bread and democracy.
Saeed: Thank you. (applause)
Salih: Thank you. Welcome, please say your name and your address.
Gudien: (speaking Spanish)My name is Rosella Guiden Morataya 2120A South Riverside
Drive, 52246. I'm here representing the excluded workers. We're here to tell you
that we'd like to work directly with, um, Johnson County, not with other
organizations. It's a fight. Just like my friend said that we've done together. It's
not just, um, that we -- it's not just, justo, that we get the money and then, um,
someone else comes to get the help or, um, que no es justo, excuse me. Oh, it's
not just that we've, you know, fmally got to this point, we've got the money and
that others come and want to come in at this point. We're workers that have
fought during the pandemic and we, that risk our lives and our families, um,
among COVID, we could get contaminated. And we haven't received any kind of
money or stimulus check, um, until today. Right? Um, during this fight. We need
your help so that you help us work directly with the County. Thank you.
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Salih: Thank you.
Ochoa: (speaking Spanish) Um, hi, good evening, my name is Ingris Jacqueline Ochoa.
Salih: Your address, please?
Ochoa: (speaking Spanish) 2482 Lakeside Drive.
Salih: Welcome.
Ochoa: (speaking Spanish) Uh, we're here today, I'm here today, to ask you to support us,
to work with Jo -- directly with the Con -- uh, the, the County, uh, because the
truth is other organizations have not been supporting us. Um, I talk from
experience. Um, I've gotten COVID twice. I've put in applications and I'm still
waiting to this day. And the truth is this fight has been ours. All of ours. And
that's why I'm here tonight to ask you as human beings to look into your heart and
help us. We ask you that we work directly with Johnson County. Thank you.
(applause)
Salih: Welcome. Please will you state your name and your address.
Bowen: Um, my name is Pat Bowen. I live at 1210 Village Road in Iowa City, and I'm
here tonight and I've been here before this public body before. It's been a long six
months since we've realized we're able to get this ARP money. All of us have
been hard, hit hard by the COVID pandemic. These people that have come up
before me have been hit harder than most of us, as you can probably tell why
from their stories. Many of these frontline workers though, have been excluded
and left out of the pandemic relief measures in the past. Together with Johnson
County, Iowa City is getting -- together, they're getting nearly $50 million in
federal funds through this American Rescue Plan to help people recover from the
pandemic. This includes people like these essential workers that have stood here
before you tonight and past nights, these are immigrant workers who've been hurt
the most and who have risked the most to keep our community going. Direct aid
and hazard pay should go directly to the essential frontline workers. And it should
be a streamlined application process so the aid goes directly to the people. They
only need to show proof of residency, proof of identity and self -certification of
need. That is all that is needed. We need to get this money in their hands. We've
had this money for six months and cash payments should go directly from the
government to the people without any third party. There is already a structure in
place and using a third party would only complicate and delay the delivery of the
money that has been sitting idle for months. It would also be ill-advised use of
taxpayer money to pay a third party to do this delivery of money. Thank you.
(applause)
Salih: Next.
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Sinwell: Hi, my name is Emily Sinwell, I live at 35 North Westminster Street here in
Iowa City. Excluded workers want to go down to the County building to get their
check. Before making your decision, I want to remind you of state law and the
City's conflict of interest policy quote, Policy: Iowa law requires that a public
employee have complete loyalty to the public when entering contracts on behalf
of their employer. City employees, therefore, must follow Iowa's conflict of
interest laws when entering contracts on behalf of the City of Iowa City. Iowa
Code section 362.5 says that City employees shall not have a direct or indirect
interest in any contract job or sale that is entered into, or services that are
performed for the City. A City employee has a direct interest in a contract when
either the City employee has an employment interest or an ownership interest in
the business providing the good or service to the City. City employees have a
responsibility to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest, even an
appearance of a conflict of interest. Hang on. I'm not done. According to the U.S.
Census Bureau data, there are 2,500 excluded immigrant men and women and
children in Johnson County, or about 1,250 excluded working adults, not 600.
Even if Iowa City matched dollar for dollar Johnson County's committed pledge
of two million, a four million excluded workers fund would only be enough to
deliver aid of $3,200 to 1,250 excluded adult men and women, a far cry from the
$15,000 most excluded workers lost in unemployment compensation and
completely leaving out excluded children whose counterparts received $2,500 in
stimulus payments since the pandemic began. The Johnson County General
Assistance program is the best available vehicle to effectively and efficiently
distribute the aid to impacted workers, provided that proof of identity, proof of
residency and a self -certification is needed is the only paperwork required to
access the fund. A self -cert should ask simple questions for example, where you
and your spouse laid off, did you and your spouse both receive unemployment
insurance for layoffs? Did you receive all three federal stimulus checks, et cetera?
Our 17 -group coalition stands ready to assist Iowa City and Johnson County in
organizing a series of Sunday clinics to identify and distribute all the available aid
to excluded workers in just a few short weeks. This coordination will increase
trust between the immigration, the immigrant community and local government, if
it is done correctly and in accordance with the repeated demands of the excluded
workers themselves. This method will also prevent even the appearance of a
conflict of interest with any potential third party who may have a vested financial
interest in the distributed distribution of the excluded workers fund.
Salih: Thank you. (Applause) Anyone else? Welcome, please state your name and
address, please?
Petersen: Hello. My name is Noah, I live in Iowa City. Um, uh, so first off, I'm just
gonna, just another person saying fund it to the workers, not the embarrassing low
four, two million amount combined. The actually, I mean like at least like
combined to, at least 15 million is the bare minimum y'all should be doing, not the
current one and a half million proposal from the City and to do it through the
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County, like they are asking to, you know, first off save taxpayers money and not
do a very corrupted, clear (mumbled). It's not (mumble), you know, this corrupt,
uh, there appears to be corrupt transaction, they're going through a third party.
Um, so yeah. Uh, secondly, um, don't be quiet about your cops doing political
arrests in this city actually do something about it. The bare minimum y'all should
be doing is calling for all officers involved to be fired immediately. It is
unacceptable to have political arrests in this so-called democracy. This that's
disgusting. Like y'all, y'all just gonna be silent about that or give statements about
the optics of it and just only care about that. Not the clearly targeted.... Anyways.
Okay. Uh, thirdly, this is a accessibility which, uh, is not happening in this city.
And I asked you all about this. You always like tell me to ask you to ask you
questions outside of the meeting since you can't public comment. So I do that and
y'all still ignore me mostly besides you and Bergus and Salih, I talked to you
before the meeting. I understand why you did not, but the rest of you have no
excuse. Um, so, uh, why does the City not provide hybrid meetings. So am just
never going to get an answer from the City? ...I can do this all day So no
answer just total silence?
Salih: Thank you now. Thank you.
Noah: I would like an accessible meeting.
Salih: Anyone else? I think now we are in the end of the public comment, I'm going to
move onto agenda item number 11, Planning and Zoning matter.
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11. Planning and Zoning Matters
11.a. Comprehensive Plan Amendment - Fringe Area Agreement -
Resolution to amend the Comprehensive Plan and approve a 28E Fringe
Area Policy Agreement between Johnson County and the City of Iowa City.
(CPA21-0003)
1. Public Hearing
Salih: I'm going to open the public hearing (gavel) and now start the presentation.
Danielle.
Sitzman: Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, Mayor and Council, Danielle Sitzman,
Neighborhood and Development Services. So this agenda item is a combination
of several years of work by staff, uh, and some previous presentations that we've
given you about an update to the area, uh, the fringe area agreement, uh, between
Johnson county and the city of Iowa city. So I'm going to give a brief, uh, re-
fresher on what fringe area is, uh, re remind you how we got here. Uh, the steps
that we've taken to get to this point, uh, for this agenda item tonight, and then a
little bit about what the agreement includes. Included at your seats is a handout,
which will, uh, be part of the presentation. But I realized it was really difficult to
see in here. So I gave you also a copy of that. So what is a fringe area and a fringe
area agreement. Urn, state law establishes a two mile boundary outside of a city's
boundaries in which the city has some control over what kind of development
happens there primarily through the subdivision approval process, the County still
has control over zoning and the designation of uses, but the City essentially has a
veto power when it comes to the actual subdivision of land. Um, alternatively,
governments such as the City of Iowa City and the County can come to some
other agreement in lieu of that baseline, uh, through a 28E agreement in which
they lay out an alternate path of, uh, working through the development, land
development process between the two jurisdictions. Both the City and the County
do have a mutual interest in coming to an agreement such as this, uh, to provide
for the effective and economic and efficient development of land and to respect
sensitive areas and futures within that boundary. So how did we get here? Um, the
City has had a standing Fringe Area Agreement with the County going back to the
early nineties. Um, our current Fringe Area Agreement, uh, has recently expired.
It was in place from October, 2006 to October of 2021. Um, in 2018, the County
formally, ah, requested that we refresh that agreement and staffs have been
working together to do that and bring to, uh, the proposed agreement forward to
you tonight. Um, as a reminder in 2020, uh, January staff did present you with
our build -out analysis, analysis, which was a component of the, uh, analysis that
went into some of the foundational work of this agreement. Um, and to just
refresh a little bit about what was in that build -out analysis when we presented it
to you. Um, basically we looked at the boundaries, um, of the Growth Boundary
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Area that had been established previously in previous documents to determine
whether that boundary was still an accurate reflection of where the City thought
growth would occur and that the City would eventually build out to in the
timeframe that the Fringe Area Agreement is intended to cover. The Fringe Area
Agreement's intended to cover, um, 20 or 30 years' worth of growth. Um, and
based on the previous, um, studies that the City had conducted about the capacity
for providing infrastructure such as sewer and water, um, uh, that leaves the
ground work for that, uh, Growth Area boundary. And then we wanted to make
sure that that was still, um, a reasonable boundary to be working with and to look
at current trends in growth of population and growth of economic areas in and
around the city. The study ultimately confirmed that we do have enough capacity
in that vacant and underutilized land, both within the city for development and
within that, the boundary identified as the growth area outside the city. Um, but
there were five additional areas that we studied and actually, and added into that
growth area. Um, and I'll go through those briefly here as well. Um, a little bit
about what the proposed agreement includes. It kind of reorients the focus to that
growth boundary, being the designation of whether, um, the components of the
process that the City and County will go through are determined by whether the
land under discussion in each individual application falls inside or outside of the
city's Growth Area, and then tailors the appropriate actions, depending on whether
land is located in one of those two areas, essentially it gives authority to the City
for the areas within the Growth Area and gives more control to the County for
areas outside of that growth area, where the City does not anticipate growing in
the Fringe Area horizon. There are some exceptions to that, um, and those are the
subareas that are included in the agreement. Um, basically the areas where the
City's Comprehensive Plan will serve as a basis for making determinations, um, in
those areas. And there are five subareas, as I mentioned, that were explicitly
looked at as the City and the County had talked about these areas. So despite the
build -out analysis, there were still some additional areas that needed to be
scrutinized because they were important areas in and around the city for other
reasons besides basic infrastructure. They tended to function as gateways, uh,
were places where highway adjacency was important. There was still some
considerations about infrastructure and, uh, future growth, and then also sensitive
areas. So those areas were added to the growth area. Now, just a little bit of a
preview again about the inside and outside designation and the City's control
versus the County's control. If something falls within, within or inside the Growth
Boundary, it's subject to the urban design standards, which is essentially the City's
subdivision regulations. So when we talk about, in this agreement, urban design
standards or rural design standards, the urban design standards are really the ones
that are focused on citylike development. And those things include streets', uh,
layouts and circulation, the way stormwater is handled, um, and things like
erosion control and fire safety. So let's get to the map. So this shows the city at the
center surrounded by a ring of a darker and lighter gray areas. The darker gray
areas are those areas that the City anticipates future growth occurring in as the
city. So annexation essentially in the city's boundaries, moving outwards and the
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lighter gray areas are outside of what we anticipate the growth would occur in, in
a citylike manner, and then the hashed areas are those five additional subareas that
I mentioned. Um, starting on the southwest corner side of the city, I'll kind of go
through this briefly, um, in this drawing, you can see the darker gray outline and
then some green highlights, the, uh, far right, uh, rectangle there is what was
already in the previous agreement. And the two uh, lime green areas were what
was added, uh, as part of this additional agreement with the county. This shows
you the zoning, or this shows you what the County's anticipated uses were for
those areas as expressed in their Comprehensive Plan. So you can see here, those
areas in pink and purple and yellow were added into this agreement, basically so
that any development that occurs there occurs to City standards. Moving, uh,
counter -clockwise to the south of the city, this triangle here again was an area that
was added beyond what the inside -outside designation when it added. But again,
this is one of those areas along 218, that functions as a gateway. It's also
designated as for commercial development by the County as a use, and so we
wanted to ensure that City standards were really the rule, uh, when that does, uh,
development there does occur. Continuing to move counter -clockwise, subarea 3
is an industrial, um, an area adjacent to the City's industrial park, and again,
there's no actual development planned here by the County, but it's just ensuring
that an asset of the City is protected, uh, future industrial growth can continue.
And so, again, another kind of unique feature that was incorporated into the
agreement. Subarea 4, as we continue to go counter -clockwise, is now on the
northeast corner of the city. This is an area along um Interstate 80 here that shows
the uses designated again by the County's Comprehensive Plan, primarily
commercial. Um, some things are already zoned there for commercial, so this is
already very well established as a commercial gateway, but again, incorporating it
into the area that the City would have more influence over. And the fifth area is
strictly north of the current city limits along, uh, North Dodge Street. This is a
tiny, very small strip of land, really, as a buffer between City and County rural
development, just to get into, ensure more city influence. Showing it here, kind of
in that larger future land use plan map. So this is the handout that's at your desk.
Um, I wanted to give it to you so you could see it a little bit better, but it's meant
to highlight the process and the inside -outside designation that I've been
mentioning. It lays out on the left-hand side of the screen, the various steps in the
development process for land. So working from the top to the bottom on the left-
hand column, you would see annexation, then rezoning, which is a designation of
use, then the steps in the subdivision process for preliminary and final planning.
Then finally, um, the, um, excuse me, site, site planning. And then I may have
skipped this step at the top, which is actually the development of those plans that
I've been mentioning, like the Comprehensive Plan and the future land use
[mumbled] by the County. So in the peachish-orangish, orange color is the rules
that would be adopted in this Fringe Area Agreement for the treatment of those
steps of the development process when land falls within that boundary that's been
established as the city's Growth Area. So along the next set of columns, it shows
you the level of review and the timing of that review, starting with typically staff,
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urn, then proceeding through the City's Planning and Zoning Commissions, then
onto this body of City Council. And then also including the County's similar
processes, where their staff reviews something, their Planning and Zoning
Commission makes recommendations. And the Board of County Supervisors
makes decisions. Soboxes that are lightly colored are stages in which those groups
are making recommendations and kind of spiraling, spiraling those
recommendations up to the final deciders. The darker color boxes are where the
fmal decision gets made. So in pretty much everything except annexation, where
we have the final say in whether something comes into or out of the city, these
processes for flow from left to right and include for the most part, a final
determination by the County. However, you can see there are some stages where
the City then has more control, and those are at the subdivision stages where
unless the City also is approving a subdivision, it cannot proceed on to the
County. So that's pretty standard and similar to what the County or sorry with the
state enabling legislation would say. However, there are some things that have
been added here to this process, into this version of the form Fringe Area
Agreement, and those are those boxes, shaded or bounded in yellow. And that's
meant to represent things that are new in this agreement. And they're essentially
adding to what the city has control and comment over. So what they're really
showing here is that the City has become more involved upfront in a lot of these
decisions. So essentially having more say in how the County formulates its -- or
more involvement, really in how the County formulates its long range plans and
making sure that we're plugged into that process. And then also, um, clarifying
the difference between, um, the City and the County's definitions of how large a
subdivision is. And the County used a different -- uses a different defmition of a
smaller subdivision when it's three or less lots. Um, so this is actually bringing
those smaller subdivisions into, um, review and recommendation and final
decision by the City, uh, when they fall within the City's Growth Area. If you
shift to the right hand side of this table, the blue area, very similar color coding
for when something is a recommendation, when something's a fmal decision. Um,
the things that are bounded in red are the, uh, processes that the City has taken a
step back from being involved in. So we would no longer be involved in some of
these stages of development when they fall outside the area that the City is
concerned primarily about, the weight and style of growth. So in these cases, and
there might be still some, um, notification that the City receives that these actions
are occurring at the County, but for the large part, the City is not making a
recommendation at the Planning and Zoning Commission, and those cases would
no longer be corning to City Council. So that's a lot of information, but this was
something that I found really helpful as we started to talk about all this and think
about how this would work in the future. So I wanted to share that with you.
Salih: Thank you. Any question for Danielle from the Council?
Sitzman: Okay. Because this is a 28E agreement as adopted as part of the City's
Comprehensive Plan, um, it gets used to review applications and the comp plan
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gets referenced. So in order to adopt this new Fringe Area Agreement, and then,
uh, therefore there would need to be a change to the Comprehensive Plan, which
is why this agenda item is presented in this way. Whenever we view -- review
something for a Comprehensive Plan amendment, we go through a review of
certain criteria, um, two criteria, in fact, um, whether circumstances have changed
to warrant this, uh, change to the comp plan and whether the proposed
amendment will be compatible with other policies and provisions of the plan itself
in any district plans or amendments thereto. Um, staff worked very hard to craft
this agreement to uphold the ideals of our Comprehensive Plan to ensure that the
City's style of development is, um, the, uh, primary way that the city can grow
within those boundaries closest to our current city limits and the anticipated
Growth Boundary. So we do feel that these criteria have been met. As far as next
steps, again, I show this to you most times, this is a little complicated because this
is a mutual agreement. So the County is going through this process as well. They
have already reviewed the proposed Fringe Area Agreement, both at their
Planning and Zoning Commission and at their County Board of Supervisors in
October, it is coming to you from our Planning and Zoning Commission with the
recommendation of approval. Um, P&Z, um, did review this October 7th with a
vote of five to zero. They are recommending approval to you tonight. I'm happy
to answer questions.
Salih: Yes. A lot information. I said, you don't have (mumbled). Any questions for the
staff?
Weiner: Just thank you for laying it out so clearly. Appreciate it.
Salih: Okay. Now is public discussion, would anyone from the public would like to
discuss this item. If you do, please come to the podium and state your
comment....I see no one, I'm going to close the public hearing. (gavel)
2. Consider a Resolution
Salih: Now I would like to, if somebody can give me a motion to approve?
Thomas: So moved, Thomas.
Salih: Moved by Thomas.
Taylor: Seconded by Taylor.
Salih: Seconded by Taylor. Discussion, Council discussion?
Thomas: Well, this reminds me of our earlier conversation this evening with the County
on the American Rescue Plan. You know, anytime we can, we have areas of
concern that are of importance to both of us, uh, you know, it's certainly to each
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of our benefits to try to work out an agreement between the two entities. And as
Danielle mentioned, this took some time; it's a complicated, uh, it's a complicated
matter how to address these fringe areas. And, you know, the, the emphasis here
has been more on process and trying to identify areas of where we anticipate
growth to occur and to try to better control those outcomes from the city
standpoint, so that they are consistent with our comp plan. So, um, you know, I
just want to thank staff. This was a, you know, a real labor to get through this, uh,
process and, and apply it --to identify and apply it to the various areas around the
edges of Iowa City. Uh, so I will be supporting this.
Salih: Any other discussion?
Bergus: I think this is a pretty technical and very staff -intensive process, so thank you for
that, but I certainly will have more confidence when we look at things where the
Fringe Area Agreement comes into play, uh, and seeing how a project aligns with
that. It will -- I'll -- I'll feel better about how that came to be knowing that this was
so carefully worked on for a long time to get us here. Thank you.
Weiner: Yeah. I really appreciate that the focus of this, of this new proposed agreement
on the areas that are actually of interest to the City with respect to, uh, growth
areas and areas in which we really do have an interest. It seemed that that under
the old agreement, we were spending some time looking at things over which we
literally had no, no voice at all. So this really seems to split the responsibilities
fairly and equitably.
Salih: Yeah. I echo what you said, but, uh, also the, the good thing is like for the
identifying like city growth area, that sometime we have like some kind of
control, we don't have like the control for the other, but at least we have, uh, you
know, some control where the builds, the builds there, I will be up for, you know,
um, like complying with the City standard. Uh, if there is no further discussion,
roll call, please? [roll call] Motion passes five to zero.
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11.b. Comprehensive Plan Amendment - Southwest District - Resolution to
amend the Southwest District Plan and IC2030 Comprehensive Plan to allow
intensive commercial and open space land uses for the property south of
IWV Road SW and west of Slothower Road. (CPA21-0002)
1. Public Hearing
Salih: And I will open the applicant request, defer. I will open the public hearing. (gavel)
And can I get a motion to defer.
Weiner: So moved.
Taylor: Second.
Salih: Moved by, uh, Taylor, well move by Weiner and second by Taylor, any Council
discussion, then voice vote all in favor. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero.
Item --
Goers: You should probably ask if there are any opposed. I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if there
were any --
Salih: Go ahead. What's that?
Goers: Uh, could you ask if there were any opposed I want to make sure that that's clear
Salih: Oh!
Taylor: It's for the record.
Salih: Is there is any opposed... okay.
Goers: Thank you.
Fruin: Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem may -- if I jump in just for clarification in the audience, if
you didn't, um, catch that the applicant has asked that this item be deferred, uh,
one meeting, um, so the -- the Council is in the process of deferring the
consideration, meaning it will appear on the next agenda for the first vote.
Goers: And to be clear, I assume the motion was to defer to the next meeting on
November 30th.
Salih: Yes. The motions is to defer to the next meeting, like, in the 30th.
Goers: Thank you.
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Salih: Yeah. So we're going to discuss all of this again, next meeting. We received the
deferral late. That's why.
Goers: Right. And, and for the further benefit of the public, there of course are two
subsequent items that are related. They've asked the same thing, uh, for those. So
we'll be opening public comment, then I assume Council will again be moving to
defer.
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11.e. Zoning Code Amendment - Form -Based Zones and Standards
Ordinance amending Title 14, Zoning Code and Title 15, Land Subdivision,
to create form -based zones and standards consistent with the South District
Plan. (REZ21-0005) (Pass & Adopt)
Salih: Can I get a motion to adopt pass and adopt?
Weiner: So moved.
Bergus: Seconded.
Salih: Moved by Weiner, second by Bergus. Public discussion? Is anyone in the public
would like to speak on this item?...Council discussion?
Taylor: I just think it's, it's really great to, to finally see something like this that, uh,
seems to me like it has all the elements of, of a balanced community for that, um,
South District Plan. So I'm really happy to see this.
Weiner: It's been a long time coming.
Bergus: Agreed.
Salih: Roll call please. [roll call vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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12. Influent Rake and Screen Replacement - Resolution approving project
manual and estimate of cost for the construction of the Influent Rake and
Screen Replacement Project, establishing amount of bid security to
accompany each bid, directing City Clerk to post notice to bidders, and
fixing time and place for receipt of bids.
1. Public Hearing
Salih: I am going to open the public hearing (gavel). And we will start with staff
presentation. Ben Clark, welcome.
Clark: Good evening, everyone. My name is Ben Clark. I work in the Engineering
Division of the Public Works Department, and I'm here to talk about the influent
rake and screen replacement project. So, this project is located at our wastewater
treatment facility. It's on the far south edge of town next to Kickers soccer park, if
you haven't been there. And I don't know if you can see this image very well. I --
I found this today, I thought it was kind of interesting. Um, this image actually
shows the entire plant, but, um, the areas in orange were, were, um, upgraded
during the 2012 project when we demolished the north plant and moved all those
facilities to the south plant. And you'll notice there's some areas, um, that aren't
shaded in orange. So those, those areas didn't really have any work. They haven't
had any major work done in them. Um, since really, since this plant was built 20
years ago. And the two areas I have circled, um, the first one on the north end is
where this project is going to take place. And the other circle, the area is the
digester complex. And you'll probably be hearing a lot more about that. You
know, as the year progresses here, we're going to have a major project there. So
treating wastewater is basically a series of processes that takes, you know, dirty
water and makes it clean. Um, this is a diagram of sort of our pretreatment phase,
and this is kind of where we get the debris and grit out of the wastewater that
flows into the plant. And if you can see that the area that's got a red square around
it, that's, that is the very first process. That's the screening process. And that's
what we're gonna replace in this project. This is a, an image of what a screen and
rake looks like. It's, it's a little hard to get a picture of ours because it's, uh, it goes
straight down about three stories, but you can see on the left, that wastewater
comes in from the sewer pipes. It's got a lot of sticks, larger debris, towels, things
of that nature, those get hung up in the screen, and then they get, they get lifted up
by a rake to the surface where we then dispose of them. We send, send that debris
to the landfill. This is a picture of a, these are our actual screens. This is the top
of them right here. So those, those rakes lift the debris up and they dump it in
these handcarts, um, staff then have to take these handcarts year-round, they have
to push them to the, the grit building, where they dump them out, put lime in
them. And then about once a week, they load it with the front-end loader into a
dump truck, take it to the landfill. It's a very labor-intensive process. Um, so this,
this project will actually replace those with, uh, with a roll -off container. And
that's what this is a picture of. So it'll just take one person to hook it on. They can
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pull it up on the back of a truck and drive it to the landfill. Um, here's a, here's a
picture of the influent pump station. So there'll be a small building addition off
this that'll hold that roll -off container that I just showed you, um, also be replacing
some of this worn out pavement and you can see it's in pretty bad shape. It's --
some of it's been replaced with gravel. Um, just an overhead view of the project.
So, um, on the, in the blue square off the left of the building is going to be the
addition for the, the roll off. And then we'll also have another, uh, uh, sort of a
dump station for, uh, septic haulers, if they bring in, uh, a load that's heavy in grit,
they can dump it there, it'll pre-screen it, don't have to send it through the pumps.
So that's pretty much it for the project, if anybody has any questions.
Salih: Any question to the staff. Thank you. Public discussion. Anyone would, in the
public would like to address this matter....If none, I'm going to close the public
hearing. (Gavel)
2. Consider a Resolution
Salih: Can I get a motion to approve?
Bergus: So moved, Bergus
Salih: Moved by Bergus. Second?
Weiner: Second.
Salih: Second by Weiner. Council discussion....If not, roll call please. [roll call vote]
Motion passes five to zero.
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13. Muscatine Avenue/American Legion Road Speed Limit - Ordinance
amending Title 9, entitled "Motor Vehicles and Traffic," Chapter 3, entitled
"Rules of the Road," Section 6, entitled "Speed Restrictions," Subsection B,
entitled "Exceptions," to modify the 35 MPH speed zone for American
Legion Road and Muscatine Avenue. (First Consideration)
Salih: And this is a first consideration. Can I get a motion to get first consideration?
Thomas: So moved, Thomas
Taylor: Second.
Salih: Moved by Thomas, second?
Taylor: Taylor.
Salih: Second by Taylor. And now it's staff. You have Kent here to give us, yes.
Ralston: Good evening, Mayor and Council, Kent Ralston, transportation planner. Uh,
real quickly, the ordinance before you is simply to modify the existing 35 mile per
hour speed limit to 25 mile per hour for a portion of American Legion Road, as
well as Muscatine Avenue. Uh, currently the existing 35 mile per hour speed limit
extends, uh, roughly from Juniper, uh, through the new roundabout at Scott
Boulevard and then east, uh, to Buckingham, um, Buckingham Lane, excuse me.
Um, as the project was completed for that section of roadway, uh, it's now just a
little bit of code cleanup to try and get that speed limit down to 25 mile per hour.
And it's important to note that during the design of the project, uh, elements were
incorporated to convert the roadway, of course, from a rural to urban cross-section
with curb and gutter. Uh, but there were also some elements, uh, offered to
increase the amount of multimodal travel in that corridor. Uh, some buffered bike
lanes, uh, 10 foot wide travel lanes, which are narrow, they're narrower than we're
used to as well as a 10 foot wide sidewalk on the north side of American Legion
Road. And then a six foot sidewalk on the south side of American Legion Road.
Uh, this is the first of course, phase of the project, uh, that we're talking about
tonight. And then next year after the next phase from Buckingham Lane out to
Taft Avenue is completed, then we would come back and ask for that speed limit
to be lowered as well. I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have.
Salih: There is a school zoning speed anyway on that street, right? It will be just
consistent from Scott Boulevard until....
Ralston: Correct. So this would be, this would make it consistent all the way. Once, once
we get through the project next year, consistent all the way, essentially from the
new roundabout at Scott Boulevard, all the way to Taft Avenue, except for the
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school speed limit zone, which is 20 mile per hour during school hours there, if
the new elementary school.
Salih: Any question, to staff.
Weiner: No, but I mean, but it sounds like it's in line with what you've been talking about,
Counc-- Councilor Thomas, and trying to, trying to align the, make, make the
streets such that they are conducive to going the speed that we, that it's safe to go.
Thomas: Correct.
Salih: Okay. Thank you, Kent.
Ralston: Thank you.
Salih: Now, public discussion. Is there anyone who would like to address this matter
from the public?....Council discussion?
Thomas: Well, as Councilor Weiner mentioned this, you know, this is a project where,
where some of the design standards that are associated with reducing traffic speed
have been implemented. So I'd like to thank staff for, uh, doing that on this
project. Um, I hope it's successful. You know, there are a lot of moving parts, so
to speak that go into, you know, how drivers perceive, what speed it is, is, it is
safe to drive at. Um, and the ones that Kent referenced, you know, the traffic lane
widths, having the bike lanes and so on, I think points speeds in that direction, and
I hope it's successful. Again, uh, why, why is it important that it's successful?
We're, we're trying to, uh, develop our, our streets so that they are safe for
everyone. You know, we have the bike lanes, we have pedestrians and it's, it's
clear from a lot of evidence that in order for that to work well, the traffic speeds
need to be in that 20 to 25 mile an hour speed limit, um, so that these, these
different modes of travel can co -habit that right of way. Um, so, you know, it's an
important goal since we're trying to move, move our transportation alternatives
into the picture. Uh, so I hope it's successful.
Salih: Any another discussion...if not, roll call please. [roll call vote] Motion passes five
to zero.
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14. Annual TIF certification filing -Resolution directing the filing of TIF
certification under Iowa Code Section 403.19 for the 2021 end of year
certification of urban renewal projects.
Salih: Can I get motion to approve?
Weiner: So moved.
Salih: Moved by Weiner. Second?
Bergus: Second, Bergus.
Salih: Second by Bergus. Staff comment and presentation or...? Yeah, Wendy Ford,
welcome.
Ford: Hi, I'm Wendy Ford, Economic Development Coordinator. Um, and tonight you
have actually two items related to TIFF, and I'll just use this time here to
reference, uh, make reference to both of them. This first one is the resolution that
authorizes the certification of debts and obligations for our tax increment
fmancing, uh, projects that you've, uh, voted on prior. So this just ensures that you
are onboard with the, uh, funding amounts, reduction of funding amounts, or the
stopping of funding amounts of TIF coming into the city for those projects. Um,
and in order to do that, you saw in your packet, a set of forms, there are basically
three forms, one that would, uh, uh, initiate collection of tax increment for a
project. And we have a couple of those. Um, for example, the, uh, TIF -funded
industrial energy efficiency, uh, grants that we'll be giving would be included in a
Form 1. A Form 2 requests a specific dollar amount less than the full amount of
available increment, and that happens on occasion, um, such as with the Hilton
Garden Inn project, where a portion of their incentive was the hotel -motel tax.
Well, we don't want to, uh, provide the amount in TIF that was provided by hotel -
motel tax. So we reduce the amount of TIF required for that. And Form 3 actually
ends the collection of tax increment. The, uh, I guess the main takeaway is, that I
would say, is that these tax increment, uh, financed projects have been very
valuable to the city over time. I also had a, a chart, or a table I should say, in your
packet that illustrated that the base value of all of the projects that, that the City
has funded with tax increment fmancing was $30 million. And if you compare
that base value with today's value of $254 million, you can see that through TIF
and the use of TIF leveraging projects that might not otherwise happen in Iowa
City, we now have new taxable value of $223 million in Iowa City. Uh, the, uh,
the other or the next item is actually the annual Urban Renewal Report to the
state. And that is essentially a look back at how the sources of tax increment
financing funding and the uses have, uh, been, uh, been used basically. So those
are essentially my comments for the night on those two reports. If you had any
questions, I'd be happy to answer them. And I see Dennis over there and he might
be able to pinch hit if I didn't have an answer for you.
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Salih: Any question for Wendy or Dennis?
Weiner: No, just thanks for, especially for the energy efficiency ones, but the, uh, my, my
perception is that Iowa City does TIF well.
Salih: Thank you. Now, public discussion, would anyone from the public would like to
address this matter. I see none, Council discussion...Any further discussion?
Okay, roll call, please. [roll call vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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15. Annual Urban Renewal Report to the State - Resolution approving
the Fiscal Year Ending 2021 Annual Urban Renewal Report (AURR).
Salih: Can I get a motion to approve?
Thomas: So moved. Thomas
Salih: Moved by Thomas. Second?
Weiner: Second.
Salih: Second by Weiner and we get the presentation. Now I will open it to the public.
Anyone would like to discuss this item? I see none, Council discussion? Roll call,
please. [roll call vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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16. Council Appointments
16.a. Board of Adjustment
Salih: Council discussion.
Thomas: Well that position, um, the, the term expired from Mark Russo, Mark, Mark, I
think had been appointed just a few months ago. Um, so I would support, uh,
appointing him again for a full term
Bergus: I agree.
Weiner: He also happens to be the only applicant, but it seems like a good fit. (People
talking over each other in agreement)
Salih: Okay. Then we need a motion to appoint Mark Russo again,
Thomas: I move that Mark Russo be appointed.
Bergus? He just moved that -- Second.
Salih: Because it seems like a lot people are saying the same thing. So we're going to go
right through it. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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16.a. Board of Appeals (Licensed Electrician)
Salih: Discussion, Council discussion.
Weiner: It appears that GT Karr? is the only current applicant.
Taylor: And he does in his history does have some electrical experience. He's not
licensed electrician, but he has the electrical knowledge.
Weiner: I don't know if he might resign in the future, but he says he's willing to serve
until essentially until a licensed electrician can be found to serve.
Bergus: Are we required to leave it open for three months for an electrician to potentially
come forward? Or can we go ahead and appoint?
Goers: Yeah. Right, I think three months, I was about to lean over and ask Kellie how
long this position has been advertised. Cause I did - I didn't check.
Weiner: It says at the top Council announcement date was 10/6/2020.
Goers: Oh yeah. Then we're good. Yeah.
Bergus: Thank you. I was thinking 21.
Goers: Thanks for catching that.
Bergus: I moved to appoint GT Karr.
Weiner: Second.
Salih: Moved by Bergus, Second by Weiner. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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16.c. Climate Action Commission
Salih: And on this item, I just would like to everybody, I guess, received the email from
John. And I think we need to discuss that. Or do you have not, you have it on the
late hand out, right, right for. We can move on this.
Weiner: Also, also the three we have at the gender balance required of two male and one
none.
Salih: Two male and one none.
Taylor: I agree that we do need to talk about, um, John Fraser's application before we, uh,
talk about any of the other applicants. I, it sounds as though he's been a very
strong member for that commission and I myself have forgotten things, or, uh,
missed times on things. So, uh, I think we should give him the benefit of the
doubt and I would approve his application.
Salih: And can I ask a question, Kellie? Is John, has like a full term or was like....
Fruehling: You mean initially?
Salih: Uh huh.
Fruehling:...[mumbled] Late handouts. He probably stated on his application that he was
serving a full....
Fruin: As Kellie's looking at that the, the Climate Action Commission is, is so new that it
would be, he would have been one of the first appointments, but we staggered
those terms. So, um, that's probably what we need to, that's probably the answer
you're seeking is whether his initial term was two, three or four years. However,
we staggered that.
Taylor: Are we moving on to other, other applicants since we're filling two spots?
Salih: Yes. But the first one, I think I want to do like one by one.
Taylor: Oh yeah. That's okay. Yeah. (people talking over each other)
Salih: Anyone would like to...
Taylor: So, I nominate John Frazier.
Salih: Okay. Motion to fill one of the --
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Bergus: I just had a comment about that. Are we going to discuss each one individually?
I'm sorry.
Salih: Yes. Yes. That's for me it will be easy. Each one individually. Now we are
starting with John, if everybody agree. And I guess, so, Councilor Taylor, she
already put a motion.
Bergus: I just had a comment about it. Um, just recall that we had a very similar situation
with the chair of the HCDC Commission, who was, uh, the, at the time who came
and let us know that they also had just missed the deadline of, uh, submitting the
application. So I don't know if that case is distinguishable from this one, but at
that time we did not give them the opportunity to serve again.
Salih: I believe some of the council here was in favor of that. I, myself, I was in favor on
that. And I guess Councilor Taylor also was in favor that, but the rest of the
committee, the Council wasn't.
Goers: Uh, for what it's worth, uh, Kellie and I spent a good deal of time looking back
and forth its application and so forth. And because the, the date of the application
compared to the, uh, advertising date, actually it was within a year and thus the
application was, was valid. Am I remembering that right?
Fruehling: Because he had, um, thought his term was ending last year. And so he applied
and when we realized his term wasn't ending, we emailed him, notified him that it
wasn't ending and that he should reapply coming this October when it's
announced. Um, but the date of that initial application, um, was October,
November 3rd. Um, and so the Council announcement date on this one was
October --
Goers: 3rd.
Fruehling: So he'd be within that 12 month period from last year's application.
Bergus: Okay.
Fruehling: Um, he also did submit one late. So all of that was in your late handouts on
Monday. So, I mean, I could make an argument either way. It's totally up to you
guys. Um, whether, you know, you base it off of last year's application, um, or
consider it.
Goers: My point is to answer or to address, uh, Council member Bergus's point, I think
it's distinguishable. I'm not as familiar with the facts of, V's his application, but
this one is within one year, it, it was, you know, almost a year ago, uh, and
inadvertent in that way, but it was still within 12 months. And so you could act on
that application.
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Salih: Which is the application is really still good to be used.
Goers: That's right.
Salih: Yes.
Bergus: Thank you for that clarification.
Weiner: Yeah. That's, that's very helpful.
Salih: Okay. Okay. Then I need a motion to appoint John. Move by Taylor, right?
Second, please.
Thomas: I'll second that, Thomas.
Salih: Second by Thomas. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero and oh, okay. That's
the first male. We still have another male and one female, right, am I right?
Goers: One, either gender, if I recall correctly.
Salih: Oh, it doesn't matter. Okay.
Goers: I'm sorry. One male, and then one of either gender.
Salih: Okay. Sure, sure. Then?
Taylor: I was impressed with, um, Gabriel Sturdevents application, he had been a Climate
Action Ambassador and is in Environmental Studies at the U. Um, I would
recommend him.
Salih: Who?
Taylor: Gabrielle -- Gabriel Sturdevant. S T U R D E V A N T.
Salih: Okay.
Thomas: Yeah. I liked his application as well.
Salih: All right. Weiner and Bergus?
Bergus: Yeah, that's fine. Yeah.
Salih: Okay, then, I would like a motion to approve Gabriel.
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Bergus: So moved.
Salih: Second? Who is seconding?
Thomas: Thomas.
Salih: Thomas. Okay. [voice vote]. Motion passes five to zero to appoint Gabriel. So we
have one more.
Weiner: With respect to the third one, um, I, she currently resides in Cedar rapids, but it's
supposed to be, said she's moving to Iowa City by, by January, which is when I
believe this appointment begins. That's um, Elena Swanson. I know that she
applied once before in the summer for an, when there was an opening in this and,
and, and, and it's, and she, she struck me as really, really well qualified plus I'm
really interested in getting some of the younger generation onto this, onto this
commission. Um, so I mean, I, on -- on -- based -- on -- with the requirement that
she would be here in Iowa City by that time I would be interested in appointing
her. I don't know if there's any way to ensure that. She states that in her
application.
Goers: Yeah. My, my only concern about that is, is, I don't know if you can make an
appointment contingent upon follow through of a change of residence like that.
Um, the might put the council in an awkward position come January 1, if she
doesn't live here, of having to remove her.
Salih: And also like at the time of the appointment, she's not....
Goers: Not presently a resident as I understand it. Yes.
Thomas: Well, I also, uh, I also liked, um, uh, Michal, uh, Eynon Lynch, her application
was, she was someone that I was, um, would suggest.
Bergus: I agree with that.
Weiner: That's fine.
Salih: You do?
Weiner: Agree.
Salih: Good. Can I have a motion to approve?
Thomas: Uh, I move Michal Eynon, Eynon Lynch be appointed.
Taylor: She's a female.
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Salih: Okay. Moved by Thomas
Bergus: P11 second.
Salih: Second by Bergus. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero. Can I get a motion to
accept correspondence?
Weiner: So moved.
Salih: Moved by Weiner, second by Taylor. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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16.d. Human Rights Commission
Salih: Council discussion.
Weiner: Gender balance requirement, two fam-- two female, one, none
Salih: Two female and we need one none. Okay.
Weiner: Yeah. I, for this one, I would propose that we reappoint Siri Bruhn, who's only
been whose, um, would it be one of the females, she's been, we appointed her
several months ago. She appears to have been working very hard, uh, on it. And I
thought wrote a very compelling, um, request to be reappointed to a full term.
Taylor: I agree.
Bergus: I agree.
Thomas: I support that.
Salih: I agree too. And the second female?
Taylor: All right. I don't have a strong- Did you want to take these one by one as we
have?
Salih: No, this is I'm going to do it the whole of them together for the Human Rights
Commission. Okay.
Weiner: So we got two women and one. No, I don't. I mean, there's a number of people I
like, but I -- go, let somebody else go.
Taylor: 30 something candidates. (people talking over each other) They're all very good.
Very well-qualified. Um, I wasn't sure about Ali Ahmed, A H M E D, said that he
had served before on the HSE, which apparently was quite some time ago, but
he's president of the Sudanese American community. And it would be great to, to
have a member from the, uh, Muslim and Sudanese community on there.
Salih: I was worried that because, not because I'm Sudanese, but because Adil Adams,
he was Sudanese too, the one that, uh, his term, his experience. And I would like
really to see continue of, uh, representatives of immigrants' community on the
Board.
Weiner: Right. You see, the other, all the, all the alternative for that is also is the, is the,
actually the second person in the packet, Asma Ali, who, um, seemed quite well
qualified. So I don't, I don't, it's hard for me to differentiate between whether one
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is more qualified, one person, but they both seem to have substantial
qualifications.
Salih: I guess [mumbled] Ali because like, for example, last time ah, Adil applied again
and we said, oh yeah, he had went in and we can give him second term. And Ali, I
don't think he have like, uh, another full term, maybe? If I can recall. Very good. I
don't...Kellie, uh, when he, it was long time ago, but I think he joined to take
somebody else...
Fruehling: Previous.
Salih: Yeah. Previous term. And he hasn't had any like full complete, and since we been
giving people second terms, I think we can appoint him.
Thomas: I would support that....I move, um, appointing, uh, Ali Ahmad to the Human
Rights Commission.
Salih We're going to do it all of them together. I guess we need, yeah, we need one
more female, I think.
Taylor: Or one none (people talking over each other)-- two female, another female. Yes.
Salih One more females.
Bergus: Sylvia Johns....
Salih: Um, who is in favor of Sylvia Johns?
Taylor: I -I had circled her as a possibility. She said, she's a member of the, she's a BIPOC
woman and been in Iowa City for a couple of years. And she's dedicated her
career to human rights for all. And, uh, and that it would be an honor to serve. So
I, I liked what she had to say.
Weiner: Global education and rescuing scholars.
Salih: Okay. Now we have all of them. We have Sylvia Johns and Ali Ahmed with the
third woman in the beginning with Siri, Siri Bruhns. Yeah. Can I have a motion to
approve the three of them?
Taylor: So moved.
Salih Moved by Taylor.
Weiner: Second.
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Salih: Second by Weiner. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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16.e. Parks and Recreation Commission
Salih: Council discussion. Do you have anyone in mind?
Weiner: One female, one male and one none.
Salih: One female. That's easy. One female, one male, one none. Anyone in mind.
Thomas: Well, I would, uh, I'm supportive of Brian Morelli for one of the male.
Salih: Brian?
Thomas: Brian Morelli.
Weiner: Yeah, I agree.
Taylor: I agree.
Salih: Good. And the second, um, female or none,
Weiner: Michelle Wiegand? (mumble) pronouncing his name, focused on youth
development, social work and outdoor ed.
Taylor: She said some really good things about Parks and Rec. Okay.
Thomas: I had heard as well.
Salih: One more?
Bergus: Missie Forbes? (people talking over each other in agreement)
Salih: Great. Uh, yes. I need a motion to approve Brian. Michelle, and Missy.
Weiner: I move that we appoint Missie Forbes, Brian Marelli, and Michelle Wiegand to
the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Salih: Okay. Move by Weiner.
Bergus: I'll second.
Salih: Second by Bergus. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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16.f. Public Art Advisory Committee
Salih: Any...is this gender balance or anything, Councilor Weiner?
Taylor: And this was just a one, one man, right? I think is one man. Just one man, and
Edward Boyken is serving his first term. Uh, I would approve him.
Weiner: He seemed like, like -- the current applicant seemed like the only one who was a
good, who would be a good fit right now.
Taylor: Right. The other ones listed several commissions they wanted to be on, but his --
Weiner: -- we already appointed Gabriel Sturdevant to the climate --
Taylor: Right, right. Uh, I would say I would move, um, we appoint Edward Boyken, B
O Y K E N to Public Art.
Salih: Okay. Moved by Taylor.
Bergus: I'll second.
Salih: Second by Bergus. [voice vote] Motion passes five to zero.
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16.g. Senior Center Commission
Salih: And, Councilor Weiner, is there a gender balance here.
Weiner: The two males, but we only have, like, I think there's only one applicant. Yeah.
Happens to be a male.
Fruehling: So we'll just re -advertise the other, keep advertising the other vacancy until
filled.
Salih: But we can appoint this now. Right?
Fruehling: You can. Yeah.
Weiner: It sounds like someone, Douglas Korty is his name. It sounds like someone who
has taken a number of classes at the Senior Center, um, and has some expertise to
offer when it comes to website development, educational website development.
Taylor: Um, I'm usually a little reluctant to appoint someone that lists several boards and
commissions, but he did mention his interest in the Senior Center more than the
others. Uh, and this commission really needs members.
Weiner: Yes they do.
Taylor: So I, I would agree.
Salih: All right, can I have a motion to appoint him?
Weiner: So moved to appoint Douglas Korty to the Senior Center Commission.
Salih: Okay.
Taylor: Second.
Salih: Moved by Weiner, Second by Taylor [voice vote]. Motion passes five to zero.
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19. Community Comment [IF NECESSARY] (ITEMS NOT ON THE
AGENDA)
Van Heukelom: Hi council. Oh, um, we have a few, um, announcements tonight. So I'm
just going to send an email after I finish reading them off so you all have them.
Um, the first is RGR director, senior governments, GR director, and the president,
and a few other execs are going to DC this week to advocate for a few issues,
including affordable housing title for college affordability and Pell grants,
increased DACA programming, especially for graduate students, um, SNAP and
other basic -needs funding and voting rights. And they're talking to a few different
U.S. Congress members. That's a really cool opportunity. Um, the airport shuttle,
um, going between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City is going to be up and running
during Thanksgiving and winter break. All the riders just have to pay a $10 fee
and all the information for that is on the, on the undergraduate student
government website or on any of our social media channels. And then the USG
Director of Health and Safety is looking to compile off -campus mental health
resources for the University cous -- Counseling Services website. So we would
like to talk to, like any City staff, um, that knows more about these resources, so
we're able to send those over to them.
Miglin: Um, we also have a couple of or affordable housing recommendations that, uh,
Sara Barron, uh, had presented to the Affordable Housing Commission, uh, these
policies last week that we came up with and we want to advocate for them to
Council as well. Um, the first being to spread out annual inspections of houses to
allow adequate time for complaints, uh, updating the safety codes to encourage by
annual auditing, um, educating renters, especially students where, uh, report
safety concerns and concerns with landlords, uh, accountability is also of a
priority and was mentioned previously as well. Um, similarly, uh, we want to
make sure that the audit includes checking for recycling and updated recycling
signage, um, making this is to help, uh, make renters aware of who is in charge of
landlord accountability and where to go. Um, uh, we would like to also create a
City, uh, magnet that goes on fridges, uh, with this information as a possible
option. Um, and we want to reinforce that landlords could possibly lose permits if
they failed to meet safety, accountability, and sustainability standards. Um, from a
renter's guide, we found that it was very easy for landlords to get away with a lot
of these standards, um, as well as just advocate to make them less so. Um, our
second recommendation is, uh, to ensure, or is to create a community solar farm
where renters can opt in to participate, uh, and pay a tax, but receive benefits with
sustainable energy, as well as reducing utility costs in consequence. Um, third, uh,
we would like to make sure students are able to qualify in affordable housing
efforts downtown through City channels, including opportunities for rent
abatement and subsidies, especially to low-income students and, uh, less
traditional students, including undocumented students. Um, we would do this by
increasing the threshold to 20% of housing is affordable for students and
community members. Um, and then fmally we would hope to, um, create a rent -
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abatement program during homeless week, um, that has, uh, opportunities for
students to stay in City housing if they have nowhere else to go. Um, I'm sure you
all are familiar with, uh, homeless week and how that's a endemic issue that we
need to address. Um, and as Anna had mentioned earlier, these will all be emailed
out to you as well. Um, we're excited to meet with a Councilor Weiner, um, at the
start of December to talk about affordable housing. And we'll be following up
with you all to hopefully discuss this as well. Thank you.
Salih: Thank you, USG. Any question to them or comment --
Weiner: What a great report. I'm going to really -- a lot of, a lot of very detailed thinking
thought has gone into it. We should --
Salih: I agree.
Weiner: -- take a look at what you've, what you send us. Thank you.
Van Heukelom: I just sent the email out. So all of you should have it.
Salih: Sure. Thank you. Okay.
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20. City Council Information
Salih: And this is your could report on any meeting you attend or upcoming meeting or
any, uh, you know, item of interest.
Bergus: Um, Mayor Pro Tem, I'll jump in. I have some comments that I wanted to make,
um, relating back to what Councilor Weiner and you had mentioned during the
work session, um, that stemmed from the arrest of our Truth and Reconciliation
Commission chair. But really what I want to speak on is thinking about the
systems involved because systemically -- in this case, I want to presume good
intent. I bel -- I don't believe this was a political head. I don't want to believe it
was anything targeted. And so as a system, what happened was what was
supposed to happen. It was a viable and reasonable outcome to have someone
pulled off the street in a non -emergency to be put in handcuffs and put in a cage
for seven days. Systemically we think that that was an appropriate reaction to that
circumstance. And if we agree that this particular case was wrong and should
have been handled differently, it should not be because it looked bad, but because
that should not happen to any person, not because it was one particular person
who is closer to us or who we care more about, or who happens to be in the
spotlight. And the choices that led up to that incident were many layers of
discretion. And like the events of June 3rd, 2020, which I believe were lawful
exercises of discretion to use tear gas and pepper balls against children and young
adults in our community. The system relies on discretion to be humane, to not
make those choices or to have different outcomes. So I really challenge us to
think, is that a system that is sustainable and safe for our entire community, or can
we work together to look for alternatives to that system?
Salih: I agree. Well said, Councilor Bergus.
Thomas: Um, I, it appears, you know, this is, I think really at the root of one of the things
we're challenged with is how, what happened seems to have been normalized.
And, um, that's a concern, right? We've been, we've been working on, on this, or
have been engaged in the issue of trying to address, uh, you know, how we, how
we make sure that the community is safe. So it was a little bit startling to see that
we, you know, that, that something happened and it seemed to kind of be, you
know, normalized on some level. So I think it is an important issue. We, we
clearly, you know, there's, there needs to be some discussion of, of procedurally,
how do we move forward? So that, that, that doesn't happen. Um, it does, you
know, Councilor Weiner, you had mentioned, you know, it does seem like there
in my mind, it could be a relatively simple process of how we try to assess what a
situation is and what's the appropriate action. Um --
Weiner: It is somewhat from, from my side, but it wasn't, it's not at all about optic. This is
about, is this an issue of public safety?
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Thomas: Yeah.
Weiner: Is someone a danger to public safety, if not, then there are other ways to address
that that are much more appropriate, humane and, and decent for helping to build
community and trust.
Salih: Okay...any on those other boards.
Weiner: Yeah. So both, um, on, what was the day, November 6, both, um, the Mayor and
I were invited to participate in a Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition
event that took place at Parkview Church. It was Phase 2 of the South District
Affordable Housing Advocacy Initiative, sponsored by the Johnson County
Affordable Housing Coalition. Um, uh, the City <indistinct> planning Habitat for
Humanity and, and funded by a Human Rights Commission grant. Um, and it
was, it was, um, I -- from, from my perspective is a really impressive process
because they had engaged. They, they went to community members where they
were outside their, uh, uh, an apartment residence. They engaged them, um,
explained to some of them what their, what their rights were and what they were
about and asked them if they wanted to participate in this process. So by the time
the, the hour that the, the Mayor and I participated was essentially, um, having the
discussion with them about what, um, how, how you approach the City, how, how
you get on a commission, how, what some of the other modalities are. It just, it is,
um, I it's, if you have a chance to participate in one, I highly recommend it. It's,
uh, I think they're, what they've launched is a, um, a really productive educational
process that can, um, bring, you know, sort of literally more effective probably
than listening posts can really bring the Council to the people and allow them to
people and allow them to understand what rights are and how they can exercise
them.
Salih: Thanks. Anyone else? Okay. Before we move on, I really would like to
acknowledge Mary Mascher and Joe Bolkcom, who both announced that they are
not running for reelection next year and their 20 -plus years of service to Iowa City
in the statehouse. You know, they really work hard for the residents of Iowa City.
So this is just to acknowledge them.
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