Sep 26, 2023 City Council

[00:00:01]

THE MEETING OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.

[Call to Order]

I BELIEVE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE REPRESENTED TODAY, AS IS OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY CLERK AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

AND AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR BEING HERE TODAY IN ATTENDANCE AND AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THOSE HERE AFTER THE MEETING.

A REMINDER TO PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES OR ANYTHING ELECTRONIC THAT MIGHT DISTRACT FROM OUR MEETING TODAY.

AND AS ALWAYS, NOTE THAT THE AGENDAS, MINUTES AND VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE AND OUR REGULAR SESSIONS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON FACEBOOK LIVE FOR REPLAY AS WELL.

WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION BY FATHER DENNIS MILLER, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I. SO OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE PRAYER OF SAINT FRANCIS.

BUT IT ACTUALLY COMES FROM THE 1917 WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES.

LORD, MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE.

WHERE THERE IS HATRED, LET ME SOW LOVE.

WHERE THERE IS INJURY. PARDON? WHERE THERE IS DOUBT. FAITH.

WHERE THERE IS DESPAIR.

HOPE. WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS.

LIGHT. AND WHERE THERE IS SADNESS.

JOY. O DIVINE CREATOR.

GRANT THAT I MAY KNOW.

I MAY NOT SO MUCH SEEK TO BE CONSOLED AS TO CONSOLE, TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS TO UNDERSTAND.

TO BE LOVED. AS TO LOVE.

FOR IT IS IN GIVING THAT WE RECEIVE.

IT IS IN PARDONING THAT WE ARE PARDONED AND IT IS IN DYING THAT WE ARE BORN TO ETERNAL LIFE.

AMEN.

WE'LL BEGIN TODAY'S MEETING WITH A PRESENTATION, A FEW PRESENTATIONS.

[Proclamations/Presentations]

HALEY SEVENING IS HERE.

AND HALEY, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO GET THE PRESENTATION PULLED UP HERE.

ALL RIGHTY. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR HAVING US TODAY.

HALEY SEVENING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AND I AM JOINED BY ARTHUR KIM.

HE IS THE CHAIR OF THE CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD.

AND ARTHUR WILL ACTUALLY BE GIVING THE PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON.

ALL. WELL, I JUST WANT TO REPEAT THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR FOR HAVING US AND LETTING US COME IN AND GIVE OUR ANNUAL REPORT.

THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT WE'VE DONE.

THE GROUP IS STILL VERY NEW AND STILL GETTING OUR FEET UNDER US.

SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL GET TO SEE SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST YEAR.

SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS GOING RIGHT.

AND YOU'LL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME.

I DID NOT BRING MY READERS IN, SO IF I TAKE AN EXTRA SECOND TO LOOK AT THINGS.

SO MOST OF YOU ARE GOING TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE FORMATION OF THE CRB FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T THAT WERE NOT THERE AT THAT TIME OR NEED A REFRESHER, THE CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD OF THE CRB WAS ESTABLISHED IN FEBRUARY OF 2021.

WE'VE BEEN MEETING AS A GROUP SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2021.

NOW, THE FOUR MAIN GOALS THAT WE'VE THAT HAVE BEEN DRIVING WHAT THE CRB HAS BEEN DOING REALLY COME FROM THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD IN THAT FIRST YEAR THAT WE WERE IN EXISTENCE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CITIZEN OVERSIGHT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BETWEEN ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE WITH THE COUNCIL, WE'VE COME UP WITH THESE FOUR KIND OF BIG GOALS THAT DRIVE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND THAT'S TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTABILITY, BOLSTER CONFIDENCE IN POLICE, INCREASE AND IMPROVE PUBLIC COOPERATION AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER FOR EVERYONE.

SO YOU'LL SEE AS A THEME RUNNING THROUGH KIND OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE, IT GOES IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

SO IT'S OUTREACH INTO THE COMMUNITY, OUTREACH INTO THE POLICE FORCE, JUST MAKING SURE THAT CONVERSATIONS ARE BEING HAD, QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED AND THAT WE'RE SETTING OUT TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THE POLICE FORCE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO CURRENTLY BY THE ORDINANCE, WE ARE A NINE MEMBER GROUP.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS MYSELF WAS I WAS JUST RECENTLY VOTED IN AS CHAIR FOR THE 2324 FISCAL YEAR.

AARON EDDY IS OUR VICE CHAIR WHO WAS VOTED IN LAST WEEK AND WE HAVE HAD FOUR MEMBERS THAT HAVE EITHER ROLLED OFF

[00:05:09]

SO THE CEDAR CEDAR RAPIDS CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD HAS CREATED THREE SUBCOMMITTEES THAT KIND OF GUIDE THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING.

ONE IS THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

SO THIS IS THE COMMITTEE THAT IS REALLY LOOKING INTERNALLY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT BOARD PROCEDURES, WHAT ARE REALLY THE LIMITATIONS OF WHAT WE CAN DO AND HOW WE DO IT AND HOW DO WE.

MAKE USE OF THOSE POINTS OF IMPACT THAT WE CAN USE AND MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MOVING IN DIRECTIONS WHERE WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AN IMPACT. SO REALLY LOOKING INTERNALLY AT THE GROUP AND MAKING SURE WE'RE WORKING THE BEST THAT WE CAN, THERE IS A POLICY COMMITTEE WHICH IS GOING TO BE WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL, WITH CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE FORCE, REALLY LOOKING MORE EXTERNALLY WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND MAKING POLICY CHANGE RECOMMENDATIONS, REALLY LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN POLICING IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

AND THEN THERE'S THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE, WHICH IS LOOKING TO WORK WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.

SO THAT IS ALSO A CITY COUNCIL THAT IS ALSO LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT IS ALSO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, NONPROFITS, ANYONE THAT HAS A STAKE IN WHAT THE POLICE DO IN CEDAR RAPIDS, WHICH IS JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY, WHICH MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER THAN YOU WOULD ORIGINALLY THINK.

MUCH OF WHAT WE'VE DONE IN FISCAL YEAR 23, SO THAT WOULD BE JULY 22ND TO JUNE OF THIS YEAR HAS BEEN FOUNDATIONAL WORK. LIKE I SAID, WE'VE ONLY BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS, RELATIVELY SPEAKING.

IT'S SLOW GOING, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DELIBERATE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING, THAT WE'RE LAYING A FOUNDATION FOR THIS GROUP AND THE CITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN PERPETUITY. THERE IS A LOT OF REVIEWING WHAT POLICE ARE DOING, LOOKING AT POLICIES, DOING LEGAL TRAINING, DOING POLICE TRAINING, WORKING WITH NICOLE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OVERSIGHT, TRAINING.

WE'VE ALSO DONE THINGS LIKE GOING TO ROLL CALL FOR THE POLICE.

SO THAT'S GETTING IN FRONT OF EVERY SINGLE POLICE OFFICER IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

AND WE PLAN TO CONTINUE DOING THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE'VE ALSO DONE PROCEDURAL ASPECTS LIKE LOOKING AT CHIEFS REPORTS AND CITIZEN COMPLAINTS, REVIEWING THOSE, WHICH I'LL GO OVER IN A LITTLE BIT.

WE LOOK OVER THE QUARTERLY DATA, LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE REVIEWS.

REALLY JUST REVIEWING AND REFINING WHAT THE CRB HAS BEEN DOING AND HOW WE WILL WORK MOVING INTO THE FUTURE.

SO OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

WE'VE DONE WE'VE BEEN A PRESENCE IN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WITH THE CEDAR VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WESTDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, INTERCULTURAL FESTIVAL, THE FESTIVAL LATINO, RESIDENTS APPRECIATION DAY.

MORE RECENTLY, WE'VE GONE TO ASIAN FEST.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUTREACH INTO AS MANY COMMUNITIES AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

I JUST RECENTLY WENT TO THE MOST RECENT INTERCULTURAL FESTIVAL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT I HEARD SITTING AT THAT TABLE WAS WE DIDN'T KNOW YOU GUYS EXISTED.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CHANGES AS MUCH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

CRB TRAINING. THERE IS A LOT OF CRB TRAINING, SO ANY NEW MEMBER HAS 30 HOURS OF POLICE TRAINING THAT THEY HAVE TO DO TEN HOURS EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, GENERALLY TWO EIGHT HOUR RIDE ALONGS.

GETTING THOSE SCHEDULED WITH ALL THE MEMBERS HAS BEEN A TASK IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT WE'VE BEEN GETTING IT DONE AND THOSE WILL CONTINUE. WE HAVE HAD.

TRAININGS WITH NICOLE.

THE HERE WE GO. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TRAININGS WITH CRPD ON SPECIFIC TOPICS OUTSIDE OF THE FIRST 30 HOURS THAT WE'VE DONE.

ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IS LOOKING AT POLICE CHIEF REPORTS.

SO THESE ARE CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.

AND WE LOOK OVER THE REPORTS THAT THAT AT THE TIME THE POLICE CHIEF HAD BEEN PROVIDING FOR US IN THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE LOOKED OVER 22 REPORTS.

THE MAJORITY OF THEM WE HAVE ACCEPTED WITH MINIMAL QUESTIONS THAT DAY.

I BELIEVE 18 OF THEM HAD NO COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.

AND THEN THE LAST FOUR WERE APPROVED AT THE VERY NEXT MEETING.

MOST OF THE TIME IT WAS PROCEDURAL QUESTIONS OR QUESTIONS ON PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION THAN WAS IN THE REPORT.

[00:10:03]

SO LOOKING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

EACH OF THOSE SUBCOMMITTEES IS WORKING ON AN ANNUAL WORK PLAN ON HOW WE ARE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE SET OUT TO ACCOMPLISH.

AND THE GROUP ITSELF AS A WHOLE IS COMING UP WITH A WORK PLAN AS FAR AS WHEN TRAININGS ARE GOING TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE AND JUST FORMALIZING THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

SO THAT IS THE WHOLE REPORT SO FAR.

THAT'S NOT US.

NO, I'M GOING TO GO BACK.

IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER.

NO, THANK YOU. ARTHUR AND HALEY.

THANK YOU TO THE CITY TEAMS AND THE LET ME EMPHASIZE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE CRB.

NOW, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, I THINK ONE OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE ABOUT THIS IS IT'S MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WORK IS ACTUALLY INVOLVED.

SO WE DO KNOW HOW MUCH WORK IS INVOLVED AND APPRECIATE SOME DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS YOU'VE HAD TO HAVE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PUSH FORWARD. COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

YEAH, I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF HOURS, 30 HOURS OF TRAINING, LET ALONE THE MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, IS IS QUITE A TASK TO INCORPORATE. AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME WELL-INTENTIONED PEOPLE WHO JUST COULDN'T MAKE THAT WORK BECAUSE THERE IS A HIGH UPSTART COST.

BUT YOUR DEDICATION HELPS US ACHIEVE SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ANY INDUSTRY.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN HEALTH CARE, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE HAVE THE BEST DOCTORS, HAVE THE BEST NURSES.

IF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SUPPORTED, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ACCESS OUR HEALTH CARE.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

WE KNOW WE HAVE AN AMAZING POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS ACCREDITED, BUT WE HAVE TO BE THAT THAT BRIDGE BETWEEN OUR CITIZENS SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND CAN HELP COMMUNICATE THAT AND HOW THEY CAN BE USED AND HELPFUL TO OUR CITIZENS.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ROLE TO DO THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

RECENTLY, THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED THEIR ACCREDITATION AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE KEY REASONS FOR IT AND IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS FOR YOUR YOUR BOARD.

BUT I THROUGHOUT THAT COURSE OF BUILDING CONSENSUS AND LEARNING ABOUT THE OPERATIONS, YOU'VE DEVELOPED SOME TRUST AND WE TRUST YOU.

NOTICE COUNCIL HASN'T REALLY DICTATED TO YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DIRECTION YOU'VE SORT OF DEVELOPED THAT ORGANICALLY ON YOUR OWN AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND ALSO THANKS TO THE DEPARTMENT.

THE STAFF HAS PUT IN CERTAINLY AS MUCH TIME AS YOU GUYS AND YOU'RE ALL LEARNING IT TOGETHER.

BUT WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT AND TRUST YOU.

THANK YOU.

MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION ON THE LIGHT LINE LOOP UPDATE.

ADAM LINDENLAUB IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

ADAM WILL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON.

ADAM LINDELOF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING.

AND I'LL BE JOINED BY JESSE HOWARTH, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS A LITTLE PROJECT BACKGROUND ON THE LIGHT LINE LOOP.

SO THIS IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF KEY PORTIONS OF THE CZECH VILLAGE NEW BOHEMIA AREA ACTION PLAN THAT COUNCIL ADOPTED IN 2019.

THOSE ELEMENTS ARE THE ROUNDHOUSE WOONERF PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE AND GATEWAY SIGNAGE.

WE DID RECEIVE $3 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE STATE DESTINATION IOWA GRANT AND WE ALSO WILL BE UTILIZING FUNDS FROM THE CR, THE $8 MILLION THAT THEY HAD RAISED AND AND THE LIGHT LINE BRIDGE.

SO AN OVERHEAD.

JUST TO SHOW YOU THE PROJECT LIMITS.

16TH AVENUE IS ON THE LEFT.

ON THE RIGHT IS 21ST AVENUE.

AND THEN WITH PROJECT OVERVIEW, YOU'LL SEE SOME WHITED OUT AREAS.

THOSE ARE NOT PART OF THE PROJECT, BUT WHAT IS PART OF THE PROJECT.

YOU'LL SEE THE ROUNDHOUSE RIGHT HERE, THE WOONERF AND PROMENADE ADJACENT TO IT.

THE WOONERF GOES FROM 21ST AVENUE TO 16TH AVENUE, AND THE PROMENADE GOES FROM 21ST ALL THE WAY TO 16TH AVENUE.

SO WHAT IS A WOONERF? SO WOONERF IS A SHARED SPACE STREET.

IT CAN LOOK DIFFERENT WAYS, INVOLVES DIFFERENT ITEMS TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHERE ALL THE USERS GO.

[00:15:07]

AND YOU CAN SEE SOME EXAMPLES THERE OF WHAT A WOONERF CAN LOOK LIKE.

SO WE BEGAN BY HOLDING A VISIONING WORKSHOP.

WE HAD SIX MEETINGS OVER TWO DAYS, MET WITH VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS, ABOUT 30 PEOPLE IN TOTAL FROM OUR CZECH VILLAGE, NEW BOHEMIA, SMIDD, THE DISTRICT, CZECH VILLAGE ASSOCIATION AND SOME OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE INTERNAL COORDINATION.

PARKS AND REC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, PUBLIC WORKS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AND TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD.

SO WHAT WE HEARD WAS A DESIRE TO HAVE A REAR YEAR ROUND USE OF THE ROUNDHOUSE.

THEY WANT WHAT WE HEARD IS WANTING A UNIQUE COMMUNITY SPACE.

ALSO IMPORTANT WAS TO HIGHLIGHT CULTURE OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND CEDAR RAPIDS ITSELF AND TO NOT FORGET ABOUT PARKING AND THEN SOME OF THE PREFERRED AMENITIES EVENTS, RENTAL SPACE, PUBLIC RESTROOMS, CATERING KITCHEN, SOME PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES LIKE BENCHES AND ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR ART.

WE HELD AN ONLINE SURVEY, HAD 570 PEOPLE PARTICIPATE WITH THAT.

AND JUST TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THOSE KEY FINDINGS RELATED TO THE ROUNDHOUSE, AGAIN, THAT INDOOR OUTDOOR USE YEAR ROUND.

SOME OF THOSE ACTIVITIES FESTIVALS, MARKETS, RENTALS WITH THE WOONERF HAVING PEDESTRIAN FESTIVAL, PEDESTRIAN SCALE LIGHTING.

ALSO WITH THE PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE AS WELL.

AND LIKE WE HAD MENTIONED BEFORE, SEATING AREAS AND PUBLIC ART.

AND THEN WITH THE GATEWAY SIGNAGE, HAVING SOMETHING THAT REFLECTS THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE AREA AND PROXIMITY TO THE RIVER.

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JESSE.

SO ON AUGUST 8TH THROUGH 10TH, WE HELD A THREE DAY DESIGN WORKSHOP AND IT WAS REALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH THAN IT WAS OUR FIRST REAL OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

WE HAD, AGAIN, 25 PEOPLE FOR THAT, ABOUT 30.

WE HAD A FEW REPEATS, BUT THEN SOME INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

WE HEARD A LOT OF THE SAME COMMONALITY ECHOED THROUGH THAT THREE DAY WORKSHOP AS WE DID THROUGH THE SURVEY AND THE STAKEHOLDER MEETING.

SO THAT WAS REALLY REFRESHING TO SEE.

WE MET FROM 5:30 TO 7:30 IN THE EVENING EACH NIGHT OF THAT THREE DAY DESIGN WORKSHOP.

SOME THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT AS WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, GETTING DRAWINGS AND PUTTING THEM UP ON THE WALL AND TAKING POST-IT NOTES.

SO FOR THE THE WOONERF AND PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE, YOU'LL SEE HERE THE ALIGNMENT OF THAT ROUND HOUSE IN RELATION TO THE PROMENADE.

THE THOUGHT PROCESS FROM MOST OF THE GROUP WAS THAT WE DIDN'T WANT THE ROUND HOUSE NECESSARILY CENTERED ON THE PROMENADE, BUT JUST ENOUGH TO WHERE YOU COULD SEE IT FROM 16TH TO KIND OF DRAW PEOPLE'S ATTENTION TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EXPLORE DOWN THAT DIRECTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS AS YOU PROGRESS TO THE SOUTH THERE IS THAT THE PROMENADE ITSELF IS NOT A STRAIGHT SHOT.

AFTER YOU REACH THE ROUND HOUSE, IT IT KIND OF UNDULATES AS YOU PROGRESS SOUTHWARD TO 21ST AVENUE.

SO THAT OPENS UP SPOTS FOR SEATING YOU KNOW, AND PLANTINGS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THROUGH THAT AREA. WE DISCUSSED PAVING AND MAYBE SOME DIFFERENT PAVING TREATMENTS, WHETHER IT BE PAVERS, COLORED, CONCRETE, THAT TYPE OF THING.

AND OF COURSE I SKIPPED OVER IT HERE, BUT LIGHTING THE FESTIVAL, LIGHTING, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT INDICATED BY THESE BLACK LINES HERE. ESSENTIALLY, THAT FESTIVAL LIGHTING WILL CRISSCROSS PORTIONS OF THE PROMENADE AND AROUND THE ROUND HOUSE.

SO THOSE WERE SOME THINGS THAT CAME OUT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WOONERF AND PROMENADE.

HERE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT PICTURE OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE, ESSENTIALLY A CROSS SECTION.

THIS AREA HERE IS YOUR WINNER.

WE HAVE PLANTING AREAS ON EACH SIDE WHERE WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT GRASSES, FLOWERS, THINGS LIKE THAT, TREES.

AND THEN YOU'LL SEE TWO DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF TRAIL.

AND THAT IS AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THAT UNDULATION THAT I TALKED ABOUT, WHERE THE PROMENADE WILL KIND OF MOVE UP AND DOWN AS YOU PROGRESS TO

[00:20:05]

GATEWAY SIGNAGE.

I BELIEVE WE STARTED THIS ON THE SECOND DAY AND PROGRESSED.

PEOPLE TENDED TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE GATEWAYS YOU COULD WALK UNDER.

WE HAD SOME SMALLER SCALE ONES TO KIND OF MARK THE ENTRANCE TO THE WOONERF AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WHERE SOME OF THESE MIGHT BE PLACED ALONG THE PROMENADE AND AS YOU ENTER THE AREA.

THE ROUNDHOUSE.

SO ON THE FIRST NIGHT, REALLY WE WENT OVER A FEW THINGS.

EVERYBODY WANTS THE ROUNDHOUSE TO BE ROUND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

SO WE ARE STICKING WITH THE ROUND FOOTPRINT.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE ROUND BUILDING IS, YOU KNOW, FROM A SPACE PERSPECTIVE, IT'S HARD TO CREATE ROOMS TO SERVE EVERYTHING.

SO YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS KIND OF ARCHED INTERIOR WALLS THAT WILL HOUSE A CATERING KITCHEN, KITCHEN, INDOOR RESTROOMS AND THEN ALL OF THE BUILDING SYSTEMS TO KEEP THAT AREA COMFORTABLE YEAR ROUND.

WE DISCUSS A LOT OF THE PROGRAMING, WHAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THAT AREA.

AND REALLY IT BOILED DOWN TO FAMILY EVENTS, SMALLER WEDDINGS, IF THAT WERE THE CASE, AND EVENTUALLY EVENTS THAT WOULD TIE IN WITH THE PARKS THAT WILL BE COMING TO THE AREA IN 2 TO 3 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON A TON WITH THE PLAN IS THE PARKING EXPANSION.

YOU CAN KIND OF YOU CAN SEE HERE THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT WITH THE THE PLAN BACK IN 19.

THE ACTUAL APPLICATION WILL BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS EXPAND THE EXISTING PARKING BEHIND 16TH AVENUE BY ABOUT 40 STALLS.

WE WILL ALSO BE INCLUDING SOME PARKING ON THE 18TH AVENUE EXTENSION AND SOME MODEST PARKING THROUGHOUT THE WOONERF AREA. THE IDEA IS TO PROVIDE THAT EXTRA PARKING WITHOUT EMPHASIZING IT OR TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A WALMART PARKING LOT.

SO, UM.

THE NEXT STEPS FOR OUR PROJECT TOMORROW NIGHT.

WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC CONCEPT PRESENTATION AT THE CITY SERVICES CENTER AT 3 P.M.

ESSENTIALLY, WE'LL BE CHECKING BACK IN WITH THE PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDERS WITH SOME OF THE RENDERINGS WE'VE DEVELOPED TO DATE AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. ONCE WE RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THAT, DESIGN WILL REALLY START TO RATCHET UP TO WHERE WE WILL HAVE OUR INTERMEDIATE PLANS IN THE SPRING.

WE'LL DO ANOTHER CHECK IN AT THAT POINT.

THE PLAN CURRENTLY IS TO ADVERTISE FOR BIDS IN FALL OF 24, START WORK IN SPRING OF 25 AND HAVE THINGS COMPLETE IN EARLY 26.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE FOR US.

COUNCIL MEMBER PO. THANK YOU.

I GUESS NOT AS MANY QUESTIONS AS COMMENTS I'VE BEEN WITH YOU GUYS, I THINK OVER THE LAST FIVE MEETINGS ON ON THIS WONDERFUL PROJECT FOR CZECH VILLAGE.

AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, JESSE AND ADAM, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

CAN'T GO WITHOUT SAYING THANK YOU TO JENNIFER FOR HER HARD WORK ON THE DESTINATION IOWA GRANT.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, I HAD HEARD CONSISTENTLY DURING MY TIME AT THE WORKSHOPS AND THE VISIONING, AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET SICK OF HEARING ME SAY IT, BUT I CAN'T RESIST THE OPPORTUNITY WAS THE CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE ELEMENTS THAT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE GATEWAYS, THE LIGHTING, THE BENCHES HAVE A REAL HISTORIC FLAVOR ARE THAT ARE NATURAL TO CZECH VILLAGE.

SO IT'S NOT SO FAR OUT THERE THAT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S IT BELONGS.

AND SO I KNOW THAT THE SCHMID IS PURCHASING BENCHES OR HAS PURCHASED BENCHES FOR NOVAK PLAZA.

AND SO YOU MIGHT TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE BENCH BENCHES AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OPPORTUNITIES.

THE ONE THING THAT REALLY CAME ACROSS, I THINK THAT I HAD HEARD AT THOSE WORKSHOPS WAS THAT THEY LOVED THE ARCHES IN THE ROUNDHOUSE AND THAT IT REALLY WAS A NOD TO THE 16TH AVENUE BRIDGE OF LIONS.

AND SO THAT REALLY LOOKS GREAT, YOU GUYS.

[00:25:01]

SO THE ONLY OTHER BIT OF FEEDBACK WAS MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE TREES IN THE PARKING LOT SINCE IT'S GOING TO BE EXPANDED AND BE QUITE BIG.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE BREAK THAT UP WITH SOME TREES.

SO OUTSIDE OF THAT, I'D REALLY LIKE TO THANK THE TEAM.

IT'S REALLY AN EXCITING TIME IN CEDAR RAPIDS BETWEEN CONNECT CR, THE LIGHT LINE BRIDGE AND NOW THE LIGHT LINE LOOP.

I MEAN, WHAT A GREAT TIME TO BE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. THANKS, MAYOR.

YEAH, ANNE WAS VERY RESERVED IN COMPARISON TO OUR VERY RAH RAH SPEECH YESTERDAY AT DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

BUT REALISTICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT'S GREAT ABOUT CEDAR RAPIDS, WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES.

WE HAVE RECOVERED REPEATEDLY FROM VARIOUS DISASTERS.

WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THOSE.

BUT AT THE POINT WHERE WE GET SOME OF THE PROTECTIONS STUFF DONE, WE ACTUALLY GET TO DO PROJECTS LIKE THIS THAT REALLY INVEST IN QUALITY OF LIFE, AND IT'S REALLY REWARDING TO GET TO THAT POINT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE CHALLENGES AHEAD, BUT HAVING A PEDESTRIAN AREA LIKE THIS, HAVING EVERYBODY LEARN A BRAND NEW WORD LIKE WE DID TO DERECHEO BUT WITH WOONERF IS VERY EXCITING.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD THE BENEFIT OF HAVING THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF CITY COUNCIL WITH THE CZECH EMBASSY THEY CALL CEDAR RAPIDS LITTLE CZECHIA, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR HERITAGE AND TO OUR START AND TO THIS AREA.

AND AS A PERSON OF CZECH DESCENT, I KNOW THAT THAT IS VERY MEANINGFUL TO ME AND THOSE WHO HELPED START CEDAR RAPIDS AS WELL.

SO THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE PROJECT AND I'M JUST EXCITED TO SEE IT GET DONE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I THINK IT IS. YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT WHAT ENDURES AND WHAT INNOVATES IN OUR TOWN.

AND THIS IS A REALLY UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE DOING BOTH.

I MEAN, THOSE FROM CEDAR RAPIDS KNOW THE ROUNDHOUSE IS A GATHERING POINT FOREVER FOR FARMERS MARKETS.

AND I'M HOPING WHEN I SAW THOSE DOORS GOING UP, I'M HOPING THAT MEANS WE'LL HAVE AN OUTDOOR IN OPPORTUNITY SO WE CAN HAVE THOSE FARMERS MARKETS AGAIN IN THERE AS WELL.

AND THEN JUST THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OF THIS.

I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE NOD TO OUR HERITAGE AS WELL AS THE SKIN IN THE GAME THAT OUR PRIVATE PARTNERS HAD ALONGSIDE THE CITY AND OTHER PUBLIC PARTNERS IS WHY WE GOT THAT $3 MILLION TO DO THIS.

SO ONCE AGAIN, CEDAR RAPIDS DOESN'T ASK FOR HANDOUTS.

WE WE'RE WILLING TO DO THE WORK AND RAISE THE MONEY OURSELVES ALONGSIDE OUR PUBLIC PARTNERS.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS.

LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING IT DEVELOP EVEN MORE.

NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.

REMIND EVERYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TODAY, WHETHER DURING THIS PUBLIC HEARING OR ONE OF OUR TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS OF JUST A FEW MATTERS TO ENSURE AN ORDERLY MEETING.

A REMINDER TO STAY AT THE LECTERN FOR YOUR REMARKS.

IF YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL.

HAND THEM OVER TO THE POLICE OFFICER ON YOUR RIGHT.

HE'LL GET THEM TO US.

SECOND COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES.

THE YELLOW LIGHT MEANS YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE AND THE RED LIGHT MEANS PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT AGAIN.

AND PLEASE BE AWARE THAT COMMENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THAT ABUSIVE, PERSONAL, LOUD, THREATENING OR IRRELEVANT COMMENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED.

AND FINALLY, WE NEED TO HOLD AN ORDERLY MEETING.

SO PLEASE, NO APPLAUSE.

CHEERING, BOOING.

OTHER DISRUPTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE TODAY.

DOES OUR CLERK HAVE ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS IN REGARD TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS ON OUR AGENDA? YOUR HONOR, THERE WERE NO WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS FILED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER REPEALING CHAPTER 18 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ENACTING A NEW CHAPTER 18 IN ITS PLACE TO

[1. A public hearing will be held to consider repealing Chapter 18 of the Municipal Code, Historic Preservation, and enacting a new Chapter 18 in its place to update several provisions to current best practices; and adopting amended Historic Preservation Design Guidelines (Adam Lindenlaub). CIP/DID #HPC-0001-2017]

AND ADAM, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ONCE AGAIN.

THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR.

SO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND.

CHAPTER 18 IS OUR ORDINANCE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION DESIGN GUIDELINES ARE THE IS THE DOCUMENT THAT GIVES STAFF AND THE COMMISSION INFORMATION TO MAKE DECISIONS.

AND IN 2022, WE DID RECEIVE A GRANT FROM THE STATE, A CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANT TO DO AN UPDATE OF THOSE DOCUMENTS.

AND SO WHY DO THE UPDATES? SO OVER TIME, STAFF AND THE COMMISSION HAVE COME ACROSS SOME THINGS THAT REALLY NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE DERECHO.

WE HAD A LOT OF REPAIR CASES COME TO THE COMMISSION AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT MATERIALS AND SUBSTITUTE MATERIALS.

AND THEN ALSO WITH ANOTHER CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANT THAT WE HAD RECEIVED, WE HAVE A NEW NATIONAL DISTRICT, BEAVER WOODS.

AND AT SOME POINT, IF THAT WERE TO DECIDE TO BECOME A LOCAL DISTRICT, THEN THERE WOULD BE SOME MATERIALS THERE THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN OUR TWO LOCAL ONES.

[00:30:05]

SO CHAPTER 18 GOING THROUGH AND JUST DOING A GENERAL KIND OF CLEANUP AND REFRESHING IN TERMS OF STRUCTURE.

BUT THEN ONE OF THE BIG UPDATES WAS WITH THE DEFINITION.

SO AT THE IN THE MIDDLE THERE IS THE CURRENT DEFINITION FOR STRUCTURE.

AND IT REALLY THE COMMISSION STAFF REALLY HAVE KIND OF HAD ISSUES WITH THAT.

IT'S QUITE VAGUE.

AND SO THE PROPOSED DEFINITION IS WHAT YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM ARE REALLY CLARIFIES FOR AGAIN, NOT ONLY STAFF AND THE COMMISSION BUT ALSO FOR THE PUBLIC.

AND THEN THE OTHER BIG CHANGE WAS ADDING THE ABILITY FOR THE COMMISSION TO DETERMINE WHAT IS CONTRIBUTING AND WHAT IS A NONCONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.

SOMETIMES STRUCTURES THAT ARE IN OUR LOCAL DISTRICTS FOR WHATEVER REASON WERE NOT REVIEWED.

AND SO SOMETIMES THE COMMISSION IS REVIEWING SOMETHING.

HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE A DECISION.

AND SO THIS REALLY GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO TO DO THAT CLEARLY.

YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THERE AT THE BOTTOM ARE TWO LOCAL DISTRICTS.

THAT IS THEIR PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.

AND THEN WITH THE GUIDELINES, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, REALLY GETTING INTO WHAT'S APPROPRIATE FROM SUBSTITUTE AND REPLACEMENT MATERIALS AND THEN ADDING CLARIFICATION AROUND SOME STRUCTURES THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN HOMES SUCH AS CHURCHES, COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES.

WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFRAME HOW THOSE GUIDELINES LOOK AGAIN, TO BE MORE CLEAR.

SO RIGHT NOW IN THE GUIDELINES, THERE ARE ACTIONS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED NOT APPROPRIATE AND THEY GET A RED X.

THERE'S ONES THAT ARE GREEN.

THOSE ARE APPROPRIATE.

AND THEN WE DID HAVE THE CATEGORY OF KIND OF A QUESTION MARK, BUT THOSE REALLY ONLY SHOWED UP THREE TIMES.

AND SO WANTED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR HOMEOWNERS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY DO AN IMPROVEMENT, WHAT CAN THEY DO? WHAT CAN'T THEY DO? WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO ASK THE COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL? AND SO AT THE BOTTOM YOU'LL SEE BEST PRACTICE MAY BE APPROPRIATE AND NOT ACCEPTABLE.

AND THEN JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT LOOKS.

SO AGAIN, REALLY CLARIFYING FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE COMMISSION AND STAFF.

AND SO THIS WAS REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL BY CITY COUNCIL BY OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION, RECEIVED REVIEW AND SUPPORT BY THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

AND THEN TODAY WOULD BE THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE AND THEN ALSO ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION AMENDING HISTORIC PRESERVATION DESIGN GUIDELINES.

AND THEN OCTOBER 10TH FOR A SECOND AND POSSIBLE THIRD READING OF THE ORDINANCE.

SO THE RECOMMENDATION TO PART TO, I GUESS, FINISH THE PUBLIC HEARING AND HAVE THE FIRST READING OF CHAPTER 18 AND THEN PASS A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE AMENDED HISTORIC PRESERVATION DESIGN GUIDELINES.

I'LL GIVE IT BACK TO THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU, ADAM. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD.

THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.

COUNCIL MEMBER. OLSON.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. ADAM, ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE SUBSTITUTE MATERIALS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SO HARD NOW.

WELL, WE LOST A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC MATERIALS BECAUSE OF THE DURATIO AND IT'S HARD TO FIND THOSE REPLACEMENT PARTICLES.

SO HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT IS A SUBSTITUTE THAT WOULD KEEP THE FIELD BUT MAY NOT BE EXACTLY THE SAME MATERIAL? HOW HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? SO THE GUIDELINES REALLY LOOK AT HOW DOES SOMETHING LOOK FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, BUT ALSO HOW DID THAT STRUCTURE COME INTO THE DISTRICT? SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD WAS PROPERTIES THAT HAD ALUMINUM SIDING.

THE DERECHO CAME IN, IT WAS DAMAGED.

AND SO THE QUESTION MARK THAT THE COMMISSION WAS STRUGGLING WITH WAS, WELL, WHEN IT CAME INTO THE DISTRICT, IT WAS A SYNTHETIC MATERIAL.

SO WAS IT REALLY FAIR TO SAY GO AHEAD AND PUT IN WOOD SIDING OF APPROPRIATE STYLE? SO THOSE ARE REALLY THAT'S WHERE THOSE SYNTHETIC MATERIALS COME IN.

AND THEN ALSO JUST NEWER MATERIALS THAT HAVE COME AROUND THAT STILL GIVE THAT LOOK OF THE HISTORIC.

COUNCIL MEMBER TODD AND I DON'T KNOW.

WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SPENT ON THOSE THAT THAT CONSISTENTLY DO NOT ABIDE BY THE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION GUIDELINES IN THE DISTRICT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR PROPERTIES? THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD AROUND THE UPDATES.

OKAY. AND JUST TO REFRESH MY MEMORY, FOR THOSE THAT VIOLATE THE GUIDELINES AND DO

[00:35:10]

IS THERE A PENALTY FOR THEM? SO IT DEPENDS ON.

SO WE HAVE HAD SOME WHERE THEY'VE DONE WORK WITHOUT A PERMIT.

AND SO THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF A GOOD OPPORTUNITY.

BUILDING SERVICES CAN GET INVOLVED AND HELP REMEDY THAT.

THANKS. OR ANYTHING ELSE.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? THOSE SAY NO.

OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT ON TO THE RESOLUTION, ADOPTING THE AMENDED GUIDELINES.

AND WITH NO FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER VANORNY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES, RESOLUTION CARRIES, RATHER.

ITEM NUMBER TWO, A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD NOW TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE SECTION EIGHT HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY, ADMINISTRATIVE

[2. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed amendments to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Public Housing Agency Administrative Plan (Sara Buck). CIP/DID #OB363680]

SARAH, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

SARAH BECKWITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

SO TO GIVE A PROGRAM OVERVIEW, THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS HUD.

THE CITY SERVES AS A PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY OR THE CHA TO BOTH LINN AND BENTON COUNTIES, AND WE'VE BEEN ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM FOR APPROXIMATELY 47 YEARS.

WE PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO VERY LOW INCOME, VERY LOW INCOME FAMILIES.

WE ENSURE DECENT, SAFE AND SANITARY HOUSING.

HOUSING IS PROVIDED BY PRIVATE OWNERS AND RENTAL AGENTS.

AND APPROXIMATELY $7 MILLION OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE GOES RIGHT TO THOSE LANDLORDS AND LINN IN BENTON COUNTY.

SO WHO BENEFITS FROM THE PROGRAM? APPROXIMATELY 22% OF OUR FAMILIES ARE OVER THE AGE OF 62.

53% OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE A HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD OR A MEMBER HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD WITH A DISABILITY THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE OTHER HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS THAT HAVE DISABILITIES.

WE KNOW THOSE ARE HIGH AS WELL.

66% HAVE ACTIVE HOUSEHOLDS WITH ANNUAL INCOME LESS THAN $15,000.

AND THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TIME FOR A FAMILY ON THE PROGRAM IS EIGHT YEARS.

SO OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE SAFE, DECENT AND SANITARY HOUSING OPTIONS FOR VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND TO MANAGE RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY TO PROMOTE PERSONAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL UPWARD MOBILITY, TO PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS TRANSITION FROM SUBSIDIZED TO NON SUBSIDIZED HOUSING.

AND SO THE BACKGROUND WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.

THE CITY WAS AWARDED FIVE STABILITY VOUCHERS TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.

HUD DOES REQUIRE THAT WE MAKE THESE AMENDMENTS TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN IN ORDER TO INCLUDE THAT SUPPLEMENT POLICY TO ADMINISTER THESE VOUCHERS.

AND HUD ALSO REQUIRES AN MOU MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, AS WELL AS WAYPOINT SERVICES, WHO'S THE COORDINATED ENTRY ORGANIZATION FOR THOSE REFERRALS TO COME TO THE CITY? SO THIS IS A DISCRETIONARY POLICY WE WERE NOT REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR OR ACCEPT THESE VOUCHERS, WHICH WE ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE CAN.

SO AGAIN, THIS POLICY SUPPLEMENT FOR THESE VOUCHERS JUST REALLY DESCRIBES THE HUD REGULATIONS, ANY MANDATORY POLICIES AND ANY DISCRETIONARY WAIVERS THAT REGULATE THE UTILIZATION OF THESE VOUCHERS.

IT ALSO INCLUDES THOSE MOUS WITH THE COC AS WELL AS WAYPOINT FOR THOSE REFERRALS AND HOW THOSE REFERRALS WORK COMING FROM THOSE AGENCIES INTO THE CITY.

AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THOSE CERTIFICATION FORMS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE FOR ELIGIBILITY.

AND THEN IN CHAPTER FOUR, THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL UPDATES THAT JUST ADD IN THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT STABILITY VOUCHERS AND HOW THOSE PROCESSES WORK.

SO NEXT STEPS. SO THE SECTION EIGHT RESIDENT ADVISORY BOARD DID REVIEW THESE CHANGES AND APPROVED THEM.

THEY SAID VERY NICE THINGS ABOUT US CONTINUALLY LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR SERVING HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

AUGUST 11TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 25TH WAS OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

TODAY WE'RE AT CITY COUNCIL FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RESOLUTION AND THERE IS A TYPO THERE.

I APOLOGIZE TODAY IF THE COUNCIL SEES FIT.

THIS WOULD BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THOSE APPROVED CHANGES AND WE WOULD MAKE THOSE VOUCHERS AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, SARAH. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

FOR THE RECORD, THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.

WHAT DOES THAT BRING? OUR TOTAL VOUCHERS THAT WE RECEIVE TO JUST BALLPARK OR WHATEVER.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN SECONDLY, ARE WE FINDING ENOUGH LANDLORDS THAT WILL TAKE THE VOUCHERS? QUESTION NUMBER TWO AND THE FINAL QUICK QUESTION IS WE HAD THE WAITING LIST ISSUE.

[00:40:01]

WE USUALLY ARE ONLY ABLE TO SERVE ABOUT 1100 OF THOSE JUST BECAUSE OF THE THE BUDGET AUTHORITY THAT WE RECEIVE EVERY YEAR.

SO WE CAN NEVER QUITE GET UP TO THAT FULL TOTAL AMOUNT.

WE HAVE 24 VETERANS ASSOCIATION VOUCHERS.

WE HAVE 25 FOSTER YOUTH TO INDEPENDENCE VOUCHERS.

WE HAVE 100 NON ELDERLY DISABLED VOUCHERS.

AND NOW THE FIVE STABILITY VOUCHERS.

IN TOTAL, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 800 INDIVIDUALS WAITING FOR ASSISTANCE ON OUR ON OUR WAITING LIST, WHICH USUALLY TAKES ABOUT 2 TO 3 YEARS TO GET THROUGH THAT WAITING LIST BEFORE WE CAN OPEN AGAIN.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY APPLICATIONS.

SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE VOUCHERS.

DID I ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARAH, FOR THAT.

SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TYLER OLSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER THREE IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ANNEXATION OF LAND NORTH OF 76 AVENUE, SOUTHWEST AND WEST OF THISTLE HOLLOW ROAD, AS REQUESTED BY IOWA LAND AND BUILDING COMPANY.

[3. A public hearing will be held to consider annexation of land north of 76th Avenue SW and west of Tissel Hollow Road as requested by Iowa Land and Building Company (Jeff Wozencraft). CIP/DID #ANNX-033843-2023]

JEFF, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR JEFF WOZENCRAFT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AS STATED, THIS IS A RESOLUTION FOR ANNEXATION NORTH OF 76TH AVENUE AND WEST OF THISTLE HALL ROAD.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW. IT IS 100% VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION OF TEN PARCELS OF AROUND 245 ACRES.

IT IS WITHIN AN URBANIZED AREA, MEANING THAT IT IS WITHIN TWO MILES OF FAIRFAX.

THE APPLICANT IS APPLYING FOR ANNEXATION TO DEVELOP THE CITY, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS STANDARDS.

THIS IS PART OF THE BIG CEDAR INDUSTRIAL PARK WHICH WAS STATE APPROVED AND IT IS ALSO INCLUDING THE ADJACENT FULL RIGHT OF WAY OF 76 AVENUE SOUTHWEST.

SOME MAPS TO CONTEXTUALIZE THE ANNEXATION.

ON THE LEFT, WE HAVE THE CITY MAP WHERE WE'RE LOCATING THE ANNEXATION HERE ON THE FAR SOUTHWEST ALONG THE CRANDIC RAILROAD.

THE ENLARGED IMAGE SHOWING THE ANNEXATION PROPOSALS, CEDAR RAPIDS BOUNDARIES HERE TYSSUL HOLLOW ROAD RUNNING ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE IMAGE, 76 AVENUE SOUTHWEST ALONG THE BOTTOM, AND THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION IN GREEN.

SO STAFF REVIEW, SEWER, WATER AND OTHER SERVICES ARE WILL BE AVAILABLE AND ARE CURRENTLY BEING EXTENDED TO THE AREA AS A PART OF THE MEGA PARK DESIGNATION FROM THE STATE, WE WERE COMMITTING TO PROVIDE 7 MILLION GALLONS DAILY OF WATER TO THE SITE.

THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION DOES NOT CREATE AN ISLAND OF COUNTY OR IRREGULAR BOUNDARIES AND WITH THAT, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION, THE TIMELINE.

SO TODAY WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RESOLUTION.

IF APPROVED, THIS WOULD THEN MOVE TO THE STATE CITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD AT THEIR OCTOBER 11TH MEETING AND THEN, IF APPROVED, THERE WOULD BE RECORDED 30 DAYS LATER.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU, JEFF. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? JUST PLEASE APPROACH THE LECTERN AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.

MY NAME IS ALAN MURDOCH.

MY ADDRESS IS 903 26TH STREET SOUTHEAST.

AND I JUST GENERALLY OPPOSE EXPANDING.

CEDAR RAPIDS IS DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY TO MANAGE WHAT IT ALREADY HAS, AND I DON'T RECOMMEND MAKING ANY FURTHER EXTENSIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH ONE OBJECTION FOR THE RECORD.

THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER HAGER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE VACATION OF A 50 FOOT ACCESS EASEMENT AT 1025 KIRKWOOD PARKWAY SOUTHWEST, AS REQUESTED BY COTTONWOOD APARTMENTS,

[4. A public hearing will be held to consider the vacation of a 50-foot access easement at 1025 Kirkwood Parkway SW as requested by Cottonwood Apartments, LLC; JRM Prairie, LLC; LFB Prairie, LLC; RFM Prairie, LLC; and SG Prairie, LLC (Rob Davis). CIP/DID #EASE-033854-2023]

ROB DAVIS IS HERE. ROB, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL ROB DAVIS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD REQUEST AS SHOWN ON THE MAP.

THERE IS A ACCESS EASEMENT 50FT WIDE.

THE PETITIONER WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE SITE AND THEN IS REQUESTING TO MOVE THE ACCESS EASEMENT THROUGH ONE OF THE AISLES OF THE ALREADY PAVED PARKING LOT.

THEIR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT APPROVAL IS THAT VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, JUST MOVING ACCESS FROM ONE PART OF THE PROPERTY TO THE OTHER SO IT CAN BE DEVELOPED.

[00:45:07]

THANK YOU, ROB. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEFFLER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

[5. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the Repair of City Hall East Stairs project (estimated cost is $350,000) (Jeff Koffron). CIP/DID #PUR0823-050]

JEFF COFFRIN IS HERE.

JEFF, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M JEFF KAUFMAN.

FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE SERVICES.

AND THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR THE REPAIR OF THE CITY HALL.

FIRST STREET, EAST STAIRWAY, FIRST STREET.

STAIRS ARE IN DISREPAIR AND HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY OUT OF CODE COMPLIANCE.

THE REPAIR AND RESETTING OF THE SUBSTRATE NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MARBLE STAIRS ONCE AGAIN.

WE WANT TO DO THIS VIA FULL REMOVAL.

WE'LL POLISH THE MARBLE AND THEN REPLACE THE STAIRS BACK IN AS THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY.

PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT WERE COMPLETED BY WILLETT, HOFFMAN AND ASSOCIATES, INC.

HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS, AS THE CITY HALL BUILDING IS ON THE STATE HISTORIC REGISTRY.

THE PLANS WERE SUBMITTED TO SHIPPO, WHICH IS THE STATE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION ORGANIZATION OFFICE, AND WERE FULLY APPROVED TO BE COMPLETED AS DESIGNED.

BIDS FOR THIS PROJECT WERE ISSUED ON SEPTEMBER 13TH.

PRE-BID MEETING WAS HELD ON SEPTEMBER 18TH AND THE BID QUESTIONS DEADLINE WAS THE NEXT DAY ON THE 19TH AND ADDENDUM ANSWERING ALL QUESTIONS RAISED WAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING DAY.

BIDS ARE DUE IN TOMORROW, SEPTEMBER 27TH AT 11:00 IN THE MORNING.

AGAIN, THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROJECT IS $350,000.

FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SERVICES RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST AS IN THE RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. RETURN TO YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, JEFF. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

AT NUMBER SIX IS A PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE FY 24 REPLACEMENT

[6. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the FY24 Replacement of Hydrants, Valves, Blow-Offs and Mains project (estimated cost is $325,000) (Cheyanne Wiegenstein). CIP/DID #PUR0823-060]

THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $325,000.

CHEYENNE WEGENSTEIN IS HERE.

CHEYENNE, I RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON.

COUNCIL CHEYENNE, WEGENSTEIN WITH THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.

THIS PROJECT INCLUDES INSTALLING OR REPLACING FIRE HYDRANT ASSEMBLIES AND SYSTEM VALVES WITHIN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY OR UTILITY EASEMENTS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CEDAR RAPIDS. NEW HYDRANT INSTALLATIONS WILL IMPROVE EFFICIENCY WITH DIVISION, VALVE FLUSHING, VALVE AND HYDRANT REPLACEMENTS WILL REPLACE FACILITIES WITH MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS AND WORK WILL HELP ALLEVIATE WATER DISTRIBUTION'S WORKLOAD.

THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES TWO WATER MAIN LOOP CLOSURES, ONE ON JACKSON DRIVE NORTHWEST AND ONE ON 29TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST.

THE LOOP CLOSURES WILL IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND SYSTEM RESILIENCE BY CONNECTING DEAD END WATER MAINS.

THE ENGINEER'S OPINION OF PROBABLE COST IS $325,000.

BIDS WILL BE OPENED TOMORROW, SEPTEMBER 27TH, WITH CONSTRUCTION STARTING IN OCTOBER 2023 AND COMPLETING IN JUNE 2024.

THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WATER DIVISION STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE PROJECT.

WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.

DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

FOR THE RECORD, THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.

[PUBLIC COMMENT]

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA.

CITY MANAGER POMERANZ ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA?

[MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA]

THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAS REQUESTED TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER.

12 F FROM THE AGENDA.

[00:50:01]

DO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES ON ANY AGENDA ITEMS OR MAKE ANY CHANGES? ALL RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US TO A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LEFFLER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THAT BRINGS US TO CONSENT.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM 21, WHICH BEGINS OUR REGULAR AGENDA.

[21. Report on bids for the Package 5 – Drainageway Derecho Cleanup project (estimated cost is $510,000) (Ben Worrell). (Derecho) CIP/DID #333671000-06]

AND THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $510,000.

BEN MOREELL IS HERE.

BEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GLENN PUBLIC. CHECK YOUR MIC.

THANKS. BEN WORRELL, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS THE FIFTH AND FINAL PACKAGE OF THE DEBRIS WATERWAY CLEANUP PROJECTS.

AS WITH THE OTHER PACKAGES, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO RESTORE CONVEYANCE CAPACITY FOR THE WATERWAYS.

THIS PACKAGE IS FOR MCLEOD RUN FROM J AVENUE NORTHEAST TO WARNER AVENUE, AND THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 75% FUNDING FROM NRCS AND 25% FROM THE CITY. AND HERE'S A MAP OF THE LOCATIONS FOR THIS PACKAGE.

THIS PROJECT BID ON SEPTEMBER 20TH.

THE BIDS RANGED FROM $257,065 TO $905,551.54.

THE APPARENT LOW BIDDER IS BILL MILLER LOGGING.

THEY WERE THE CONTRACTOR THAT DID OUR PACKAGE TWO PROJECT AND THEY DID A GOOD JOB WITH THAT.

SO WE RECOMMEND AWARDING THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BEN.

ANY EXPLANATION FOR THE HUGE DISPARITY IN THOSE BIDS? THIS PACKAGE IS A BIT UNIQUE COMPARED TO THE OTHER ONES.

THERE WERE SOME SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS.

DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS PROBABLY HAD DIFFERENT COMFORT LEVELS WITH THAT.

AND ONE EXAMPLE BEING THE TRAIL AND NEEDING TO PROTECT THE TRAIL DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT THEY PLAN TO USE AND HOW THEY WANT TO GO ABOUT DOING THE WORK. THERE'S ALSO A LARGE WATER MAIN IN THAT AREA THAT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.

SOME OTHER THINGS GOING ON.

SO WE HAD A MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING FOR THIS PROJECT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE CONTRACTORS KNEW ALL OF THAT AND THAT WE WERE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.

SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT IS.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MAYOR I JUST LIKE TO ADD THERE, THERE IS A SENSITIVITY TO THE THIS PROJECT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE TRAIL STREAM THERE.

AND I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM TO TO SPEAK WITH PAUL SCHLIEPER AT DNR.

IN TERMS OF FISHERIES, WHEN YOU REMOVE SOME OF THAT HABITAT, IT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE TEMPERATURE OF THE STREAM, AND THE BYPRODUCT WOULD BE YOU'D GET AN INCREASED LEVEL OF OF FISH KILLS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEED TO GO IN TO MCLEOD, RUN AT SOME POINT IN TIME TO, TO CREATE SOME POOLS SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS FILLED IN OVER THE YEARS, THE LAST 20, 30 YEARS.

AND SO IF YOU CAN INCORPORATE THAT DISCUSSION.

AND YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS THERE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

YEAH. AND WE DID COORDINATE WITH THE DNR FOR THIS PROJECT.

SO. WHO DID YOU TALK TO AT THE DNR? I COULDN'T TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

OKAY. COUNCIL.

ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES 22.

[22. Presentation and resolution authorizing the use of $683,515 in American Rescue Plan Act funding for two projects serving residents disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (Jennifer Pratt). CIP/DID #CD-0074-2021]

JENNIFER PRATT IS HERE ON THAT.

JENNIFER, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

CITY COUNCIL AGAIN.

JUST A QUICK REMINDER OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.

THE CITY WAS AWARDED JUST OVER $28 MILLION.

THE PURPOSE WAS TO ENABLE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR A STRONG AND EQUITABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

[00:55:03]

AGAIN, AS WE EMBARKED ON THIS, WE REALLY WERE ALIGNING THESE FUNDS WITH THE LOCAL NEEDS THAT WE KNEW WERE OUT THERE.

AND THE REASON WE KNEW THEY WERE OUT THERE IS BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH LAPID AND OUR COORDINATED INTAKE DONE BY WAYPOINT SERVICES WITH THE JOINT COMMUNITY IMPACT SURVEY THAT WE DID WITH THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS OVER A THOUSAND DOOR TO DOOR SURVEYS TO LOW AND MODERATE INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS AFTER THE DURATIO. SO AGAIN, TO DATE WE HAVE ALLOCATED JUST UNDER $16 MILLION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SOCIAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES.

SO THROUGH TO COMPETITIVE PROPOSAL ROUNDS, THE ALLOCATION TO THE WEST SIDE LIBRARY AND PARK THE HEIGHTS, THE FORMER COLONIAL BUILDING, AS WELL AS THE PATCH PROGRAM THAT WE HELPED GET COMPLETED WITH THIS ARPA MONEY.

THE SECOND MAIN AREA WAS WITH THE WEST SIDE FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION, THAT $10 MILLION THAT HELPED US TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT SIDE OF THE RIVER AS WELL AS WORKFORCE.

SO THE HOTEL MOTEL LOST REVENUE GRANTS, WORKFORCE INITIATIVES IN ROUND ONE, AS WELL AS PROJECTS LIKE THE CHANDLER PUMP STATION FOR WORKFORCE. SO TODAY, BEFORE YOU THE FIRST PROJECT IS THE SECOND ROUND OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS COLLEGE CAREER CONNECTION PROGRAM.

SO THAT IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH KIRKWOOD THAT PROVIDES UP TO 6000 IN GRANT PER YEAR FOR STUDENTS IN A CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

AGAIN, THEY MUST BE A RESIDENT OF CEDAR RAPIDS, AND THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE STATE'S LAST DOLLAR SCHOLAR PROGRAM.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE SECOND ROUND OF FUNDING.

COUNCIL DID AWARD 500,000 LAST YEAR OF ARPA FUNDING AND THAT WAS USED IN KIRKWOOD IS TRACKING ALL OF THIS.

SO IT ASSISTED 135 STUDENTS AND PROVIDED SKILLS NEEDED BY OUR EMPLOYERS.

SO AGAIN, WE ARE LOOKING TO USE THE RESULTS OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM TO REALLY DEMONSTRATE THE DIRECT BENEFIT TO EMPLOYERS.

AND OUR LONG TERM GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO SECURE ONGOING FUNDING, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY POSITIVE WAY TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

THE SECOND PROJECT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD ART INITIATIVE, AND WE HAVE BEEN PREVIEWING THIS AS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO DO WITH THE LAST OF THE ARPA FUNDS. SO AGAIN, THE CITY'S PUBLIC ART PLAN STRIVES TO ENHANCE AND BROADEN PUBLIC ART THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

IT REALLY DOES POINT OUT THAT ENGAGING WITH NEIGHBORHOODS SO THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ON PUBLIC ART DOES A LOT TO BRING VIBRANCY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, CREATE THAT COMMUNITY IDENTITY AND ALSO HELP US ESTABLISH THOSE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILD THAT THAT SOCIAL CAPITAL.

SO ONE OF THE IDENTIFIED NEIGHBORHOOD ART INITIATIVES WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE DELANEY PARK.

THIS WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE WEST DALE AREA ACTION PLAN SPECIFICALLY.

SO THERE IS AN EXISTING BASKETBALL COURT AND THE IDEA WITH THIS ART INITIATIVE WOULD BE TO DO A MURAL ON THE ENTIRE BASKETBALL COURT.

SO HERE'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT IS.

WE ALSO DO LIKE THE IDEA OF THE COLLABORATION WITH NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH.

SO HAVING THEM BE PART OF THIS, WHEN WE BRING AN ARTIST IN TO AGAIN, TO CREATE THAT COMMUNITY IDENTITY.

AND THEN THE SECOND NEIGHBORHOOD ART INITIATIVE IN THE WELLINGTON HEIGHTS AREA.

15TH STREET REALLY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A SIGNATURE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY.

SO THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING AN ART TO MAKE THAT TO DO THAT PLACEMAKING AND ALSO JUST TO GENERALLY IMPROVE THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE IN THAT SENSE OF SAFETY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO HERE ARE JUST SOME FUN EXAMPLES OF HOW COLOR OR DIMENSION CAN BE USED TO MAKE SOME FUN, INTERESTING, PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCES. SO AGAIN, THE ACTION TODAY IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS.

THE THE SECOND ROUND OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS COLLEGE CAREER CONNECTION, AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ART INITIATIVE.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO THE MAYOR.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. JENNIFER COUNCIL.

ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.

THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER HAGER.

[01:00:01]

AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY AND BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.

[PUBLIC INPUT]

AS IS THE CASE WITH EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AT THIS TIME AS A COUNCIL, WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN AND I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY TO REMAIN AT THE LECTERN.

AND WHEN YOU SEE THE YELLOW LIGHT, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE AND RED.

TAKE YOUR SEAT, PLEASE.

IF YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON.

AND I WILL NOTE THAT I SEE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS HERE TO SPEAK ON TNR AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE AS A COUNCIL GATHER THIS INFORMATION.

AND I KNOW WE'VE SLATED THIS FOR DISCUSSION IN SOME UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND I'LL JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE DECIDING TO PUSH THAT OFF A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM, I'M GUESSING SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HEAR FROM TODAY AS WELL AS OTHERS.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.

AND PLEASE KNOW THAT THE DIALOG WILL WILL CONTINUE.

ANGELA BRECHT IS OUR FIRST SPEAKER TODAY HERE TO SPEAK ON COMMUNITY CATS AND TNR.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ANGELA BRECHT AND I'M A CITIZEN HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN, TNR AND COMMUNITY CATS.

I SAW I WATCHED MANAGER KELLY'S PRESENTATION LAST WEEK ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE LANGUAGE.

ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT RIGHT AWAY IS THAT SHE REFERRED TO COMMUNITY CATS AS FERAL CATS THROUGHOUT HER PRESENTATION, AND THAT IS INCORRECT.

CATS ARE NOT ALL FERAL COMMUNITY.

CATS ARE FREE ROAMING CATS, STRAY CATS, ABANDONED CATS, BARN CATS AND FERAL CATS.

SOMETHING WE TEACH IN OUR WORKSHOPS.

SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND ONE OF THOSE.

AND ANOTHER THING IS I COULD COUNTER ALMOST EVERY POINT THAT MANAGER KELLY MADE LAST WEEK REGARDING TNR, BUT I THINK I'VE COVERED MOST OF THAT IN THE LETTERS THAT I'VE SENT TO THE MAYOR AND OTHERS.

ALMOST ALL OF THE CONCERNS SHE PRESENTED OR OUTLINED WOULD BE FIXED BY TNR.

YOU COULD CORRECT IT BY DOING TNR.

MANAGER KELLY IS PUTTING UP EVERY BARRIER SHE CAN THINK OF TO PREVENT TNR, AND I FEEL THAT THE PUBLIC INPUT WAS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION LIKE IT SHOULD.

BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TABLING IT AND AND BEING ABLE TO LET US TALK SOME MORE ABOUT THAT.

BEST PRACTICES, THE NATIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND ACTUAL ANIMAL CONTROL AND CARE CARE AND CONTROL ASSOCIATION BEST PRACTICES PROMOTE TNR.

THEY JUST RIGHT HERE.

I'M GOING TO PASS THESE OUT, IF I COULD HAVE YOU DO THAT.

THIS IS THE NATIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL POLICIES.

AND I HIGHLIGHTED A SECTION THAT IT'S IT'S VERY CLEAR IF YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

AND I ALSO HAVE A CHART IN THERE THAT IS ACTUALLY ON THE LOW END.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT LOOKS ASTOUNDING, BUT IT'S ON THE LOW END.

THAT'S ONLY IF 2.8 KITTENS SURVIVE PER LITTER.

FROM MY EXPERIENCE, APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 6 CATS PER LITTER LIVE.

SO THIS THE CHART THAT SHOWS THE HOW MANY CATS CAN REPRODUCE IS ON THE LOW END.

SEE HERE.

LET'S SEE. I'M WONDERING WHY OUR LOCAL ANIMAL CONTROL ISN'T FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL'S BEST PRACTICES.

OVER 75% OF AMERICANS DON'T WANT COMMUNITY CATS KILLED.

THEY JUST WANT THEM TO STOP REPRODUCING AND CONTINUE TO MULTIPLY.

THE AVERAGE PERSON ISN'T GOING TO JUMP THROUGH ALL THESE HOOPS.

THEY JUST WANT TO FIX THE COUPLE OF CATS THAT SHOWED UP IN THEIR BACKYARD THAT THEIR NEIGHBOR THREW OUT WHEN THEY MOVED AND PREVENT THEM FROM MAKING MORE BABIES.

SO IF THIS LANGUAGE OR SIMILAR LANGUAGE PASSES, IT WILL CREATE A LOT MORE WORK FOR ANIMAL CONTROL.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE APPROVING PERMITS.

WHO'S GOING TO DO THAT? MAINTAINING THE SPREADSHEET, RESEARCHING THE SPREADSHEET WHEN EVERY NEW CAT COMES IN TO SEE IF THEY CAN LOCATE AN OWNER.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A TON, A TON MORE NUISANCE COMPLAINTS BECAUSE OF THE THOUSANDS.

I'M NOT KIDDING.

THOUSANDS MORE CATS THAT WILL BE BORN BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL STOP DOING TNR BECAUSE OF ALL THE HOOPS THEY HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH.

LET'S SEE HERE ARE AND THEN HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF FERAL CATS WILL BE OUR COMMUNITY.

CATS WILL BE EUTHANIZED AND THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS HUMANELY EUTHANIZING.

THEY STRUGGLE. THEY'RE SCARED AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING KILLED USUALLY.

SO THERE'S NOTHING HUMANE ABOUT IT.

IT'S CLEAR WHOEVER WROTE THIS LANGUAGE DOESN'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HOW TNR WORKS.

AND WHY NOT TALK TO PEOPLE WHO DO? TNR AND THE EXPERTS SUCH AS ALLEY CAT ALLIES AND BEST FRIENDS, OR EVEN THE NATIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL ASSOCIATION? THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO TALK TO THEM.

I THINK THIS LANGUAGE IS ABOUT CONTROL AND NOT LOGICAL OR COMPASSIONATE.

WE COULD PREVENT A LOT OF DEATHS BY DOING JUST DOING TNR AND NOT HAVING TO EUTHANIZE THEM.

[01:05:04]

IT SOLVES THE COMMUNITY CAT PROBLEM.

IF YOU HAVE COMMON SENSE USER FRIENDLY LANGUAGE.

I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.

I'VE SEEN COLONIES GO TO ZERO.

I MEAN COLONIES OF 50 CATS.

I ACTUALLY JUST TRAPPED NUMBER 46 OF A COLONY.

THAT'S OVER. OFF OF, OFF OF.

I CAN'T EVEN THINK EAST COAST ROAD.

SO I'M WORKING WITH AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN THERE THAT IS JUST TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM IRRESPONSIBLE OWNERS THAT DUMPED THEIR CATS.

UM, LET'S SEE HERE.

AND WHEN I SPOKE TO MANAGER KELLY, SHE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT SHE'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIND PEOPLE, FIND US UNTIL THIS ORDINANCE IS UPDATED.

SO I WOULD THINK I HOPE THAT MAYBE WE CAN STOP FINDING PEOPLE.

THE GENTLEMAN THAT I'M HELPING JUST GOT FINED $1,400 FOR BEING COMPASSIONATE AND HE'S PAYING OUT OF HIS POCKET TO GET ALL OF THESE COMMUNITY CATS FIXED.

AND HE'S ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE HOSPITAL THIS WEEK.

HE CAN'T WALK VERY WELL.

HE'S IN HIS 80S AND HE'S HAVING MEDICAL ISSUES.

AND THEN HE'S GOT TO GO TO COURT IN DECEMBER TO FIGHT THIS FINE BECAUSE HE'S FEEDING AND TRAPPING AND NEUTERING CATS.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND INTO CONSIDERATION.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO ANYBODY WHO MORE ABOUT IT IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

AMY HOLCOMB HERE TO SPEAK ON COMMUNITY CATS AND TNR.

HI, MY NAME IS AMY HOLCOMB.

I LIVE IN NORTH LIBERTY.

I'M A VOLUNTEER FOR THE IOWA HUMANE ALLIANCE HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

AND I'M PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY CAT TEAM.

AND I'VE TAUGHT MANY TNR WORKSHOPS HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

I'M ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY.

I'VE BEEN DOING TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN FOR 14 YEARS, SO I'M VERY EXPERIENCED AND COMMITTED TO HELPING COMMUNITY CATS.

I DO MOST OF MY R&R IN JOHNSON COUNTY, AND I HAVE VERY STRONG CONCERNS THAT THE PROPOSED REQUIREMENTS IN CHAPTER 23 FOR PEOPLE WHO DO TNR ARE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO ACHIEVING THE GOAL OF TNR, WHICH I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE UPON, IS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CATS BORN ON THE STREETS.

AS SOMEONE WHO HAS TNR AND MORE THAN 200 CATS AND IS VERY COMMITTED TO REDUCING THE FREE ROAMING CAT POPULATION, I FIND THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, SUCH AS REDUCING THE SUCH AS MANDATING REPORTS, INSURANCE, FERAL CAT MANAGER REGISTRY MANDATE AND A BAN ON FEEDING AFTER 90% TNR COMPLETION AS UNWORKABLE.

AND IF I HAD TO LIVE BY THESE RULES, I WOULD NO LONGER DO TNR AND THAT'S SAYING A LOT BECAUSE TNR IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

THE UNFORTUNATE OUTCOME OF THESE RULES WILL BE AN EXPLOSION OF THE FREE ROAMING CAT POPULATION, WHICH IS EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE GOAL IS.

IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF FREE ROAMING CATS IN CEDAR RAPIDS, PLEASE DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO SUPPORT TNR AND TO COMMIT TO PASSING SOLUTION FOCUSED ORDINANCES THAT ALLOW RESIDENTS TO DO TNR RATHER THAN TO PUNISH THEM.

IF CITIZENS ARE ALLOWED TO DO TNR WITHOUT ALL THESE REQUIREMENTS, YOU WILL SEE FEWER CATS GOING INTO THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND THERE WILL BE FEWER CATS BORN ON THE STREETS, WHICH SHOULD BE EVERYONE'S GOAL.

AND I FEEL LIKE I'M FORTUNATE.

FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN JOHNSON COUNTY, WHERE I DO MOST OF MY NER.

NORTH LIBERTY, IOWA CITY, TIFFIN AND CORALVILLE HAVE COMMON SENSE ORDINANCES REGARDING FREE ROAMING CATS THAT ALLOW US TO DO TNR WITHOUT ALL THE RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS IN THE PROPOSED CHAPTER 23 OF THE CITY CODE HERE, THOSE OF US WHO DO TNR IN JOHNSON COUNTY HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN THE CATS AND THE COLONIES WHERE WE DO TNR SO JUST LIKE ANGELA SAID, WE KNOW TNR WORKS.

WE HAVE SEEN IT OVER AND OVER THAT IT WORKS.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN FINED OR THREATENED WITH A FINE FOR DOING TNR AND FOR FEEDING FREE ROAMING COMMUNITY CATS.

THESE CATS THAT ARE BORN ON THE STREETS DON'T BELONG TO ME.

I AM JUST ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO IS TRYING TO HELP THEM.

THEY. JUST SO THEY ARE BORN IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO I'M WORKING HARD TO REDUCE THE POPULATION OF CATS BORN ON THE STREETS, AS ARE SO MANY OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENTS LIKE ANGELA.

PLEASE ENACT A SIMILAR ORDINANCE TO THE ORDINANCES IN JOHNSON AND JOHNSON COUNTY REGARDING COMMUNITY CATS IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

SO THE HARD WORKING VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO REDUCING THE FREE ROAMING CAT POPULATION CAN DO SO WITHOUT THE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND PUNITIVE VERSION OF THE PROPOSED PROPOSED CHAPTER 23.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

THANK YOU. SAM WILSON HERE TO SPEAK ON TNR.

[01:10:01]

MY NAME IS SAM WILSON, AND I HAVE OVER NEARLY TEN YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE EXPERIENCE.

I LIVE HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

I RESIDE CLOSE TO NOELRIDGE PARK ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE.

I ALSO HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ANIMAL ECOLOGY AND A MINOR IN ANIMAL SCIENCE.

MY ANIMAL KNOWLEDGE IS IS THERE, SO I AM FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU.

I SENT AN EMAIL TO MOST IF NOT ALL THE FOLKS SITTING IN THE CIRCLE HERE.

AND SO I'M HERE TO FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE OF POINTS, JUST HIGHLIGHTING AS THE MY FELLOW FOLKS HAVE DONE THAT TRAP NEUTER RETURN IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE, HUMANE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO CONTINUE TO CONTROL THE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY CAT POPULATION AND TO EFFECTIVELY HAVE THAT HAPPEN IN A TARGETED, EFFICIENT FASHION.

WE NEED TO BE BUILDING POSITIVE, TRUSTWORTHY OR TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING CARETAKERS AND PROVIDING RESOURCES RATHER THAN PENALTIES FOR THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH CATS WHO ARE LIVING OUTDOORS.

SO I SUGGESTED IN THE EMAIL THAT WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE BASED ORDINANCE OR MAYBE JUST A PROGRAM.

BUT MARION IS ANOTHER LOCAL CITY THAT HAS TNR FRIENDLY ORDINANCES THAT EMPOWER CITIZENS RATHER THAN PUNISH THEM.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I'M ASKING, IS THAT WE EMPOWER OUR CITIZENS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF OUTDOOR COMMUNITY CATS INSTEAD OF PUNISHING THEM FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OF TRAP NEUTER.

RETURN THE HANDOUT THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU GUYS FROM THE NATIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL ASSOCIATION.

I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WELL.

I SENT A LINK FOR THAT DOCUMENT TO YOU ALL ON SATURDAY FOR YOUR REVIEW.

JUST SOMETHING INCREDIBLY POIGNANT AT THE BEGINNING.

IT IS THE POSITION OF NACA THAT THE INDISCRIMINATE CAT OF OR ADMISSION OF HEALTHY, FREE ROAMING CATS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR TEMPERAMENT, FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN TRAP, NEUTER, RETURN OR SPAY NEUTER RETURN, FAILS TO SERVE COMMONLY HELD GOALS OF COMMUNITY ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION PROGRAMS, AND AS SUCH IS A MISUSE OF TIME AND PUBLIC FUNDS AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

AND SO THEY DO GO ON TO RECOMMEND A COMBINATION OF HUMANE DETERRENCE TO HELP PROPERTY OWNERS PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR AS WELL.

THERE ARE EASY, AFFORDABLE WAYS TO KEEP CATS OFF YOUR LAWNS AND YOUR CARS, AND ALSO WHILE SUPPORTING NEIGHBORS WHO ARE CONTROLLING THE OUTDOOR CAT POPULATION.

WE WANT TO INCREASE ACCESS, INCREASE AFFORDABILITY.

WE WANT TO REMOVE BARRIERS AND AGAIN, EMPOWER OUR RESIDENCY TO SOLVE THE OUTDOOR CAT COMMUNITY.

OUTDOOR COMMUNITY CAT CRISIS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

VICKIE NEWBURN HERE TO.

SPEAK ABOUT A NONPROFIT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

THE LAST TIME I CAME HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU, I WAS ADVOCATING ON THE BEHALF OF A CAT NAMED DIFFERENCE 19.

SADLY ENOUGH, HE WAS UNABLE TO SURVIVE THE WHOLE TIME THAT WE HAD HIM.

AND HE WAS RAN OVER BY A CAR, WHICH IS NATURALLY, YOU KNOW, TO THE FERAL CATS THAT RUN OUT THERE.

BUT I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT JUST GOT THROUGH SPEAKING ABOUT SAM AND ANOTHER LADY THAT'S GOING TO COME UP HERE SHORTLY.

HER NAME IS PEGGY AND SHE IS FROM SAINTS RESCUE.

NOW, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THESE NONPROFITS.

AND I REALLY BELIEVE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO TNR.

BUT THE OTHER THINGS THEY GIVE THIS COMMUNITY IS FAR BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN EVEN COMPREHEND TONIGHT.

EARLIER THIS SUMMER, I WAS BACKING OUT MY CAR, AND WHEN I DID, I RAN OVER A KITTEN'S LEG AND BROKE IT.

AND IT WAS A FERAL CAT.

AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE THE EXTRA $1500 TO $2000 THAT WOULD COST TO GO AHEAD AND HELP THAT LITTLE KITTEN THAT I RAN OVER.

SO I REACHED OUT TO SAM FROM MY AND I REACHED OUT TO PEGGY FROM SAINTS RESCUE IN PEGGY CAME FORWARD AND SHE SAYS, BRING THAT KITTEN TO ME. I WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE VETERINARIAN WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.

WE'LL FIND IT A FOREVER HOME.

GOD BLESS HER. THE KINDNESS WENT BEYOND TNR.

TODAY. I HAD TO REACH OUT TO BOTH OF THEM ONCE AGAIN.

[01:15:03]

MY BEST FRIEND'S HUSBAND IS DYING OF BRAIN CANCER AND HE HAS HOSPICE AT HOME RIGHT NOW WITH HIM.

BESIDES THAT, SHE HAS TWO CATS AND ONE IS DIABETIC.

AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND VISIT WITH EACH OTHER.

SHE MENTIONED TO ME, I CAN HELP MY HUSBAND WITH HIS MEDS RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD THE INSULIN FOR MY SECOND CAT.

THAT'S A DIABETIC.

SO ONCE AGAIN, I REACHED OUT TO AYA AND I REACHED OUT TO SAINTS RESCUE AND GOT INFORMATION FROM THEM.

AND PEGGY CAME FORWARD AND SAYS, I CAN HELP YOU, I CAN HELP YOU WITH SYRINGES, AND WE'LL LOOK INTO THE OTHER PART THAT GOES ALONG THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP HER IN HER TIME OF NEED, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT AT THIS TIME.

SO I'M JUST ASKING YOU, THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY, VERY COMMITTED TO THE RESIDENTS OF CEDAR RAPIDS TO HELP THEM NOT ONLY BEYOND DNR, BUT TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR PERSONAL NEEDS WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE TO TURN TO.

I COULDN'T TURN TO ANIMAL CONTROL.

THERE WOULD BE NO EXCEPTION EXCEPT TO PUT THE CAT DOWN.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE CAN TELL YOU.

SO THEY'RE HERE WITH A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND A LOT OF STRENGTH.

PLEASE GIVE THEM THE CONSIDERATION THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR ON THE TNR.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU, VICKY. MARNIE YONKE HERE FOR COMMUNITY CATS.

DONK. DONK.

DONK DONK. OKAY.

MARNIE. HI.

THANK YOU. I AM A RELATIVELY NEW PERSON AT TNR AND COMMUNITY CATS.

I FOUND A BUNCH OF KITTENS LAST FALL, AND ALL I HAD TO DO WAS REACH OUT.

I LIVE IN CORALVILLE.

I REALLY THINK THAT CEDAR RAPIDS NEEDS TO GET A PROGRAM LIKE CORALVILLE HAS WON THEIR CITY ORDINANCE, AND I DO HAVE THE NUMBER FOR YOU 2021, DASH 1008. AND IT'S SO AWESOME BECAUSE I IMMEDIATELY HAD HELP.

I HAD TRAPS, I HAD FOSTERS FOR THE KITTENS.

IT WAS LIKE AMAZING.

UM, I HAVE A LETTER FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY CAREGIVER THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

SHE WRITES I RECENTLY BECAME AWARE OF YOUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF FERAL CATS IN YOUR CITY.

I AM SHOCKED THAT THIS PROPOSAL IS TO IMPLEMENT IMPOSSIBLE EXPECTATIONS AND PUNISHMENTS ON BOTH THE CATS AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.

I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE.

AS MY HUSBAND AND I RECENTLY MOVED INTO A SMALL RURAL COMMUNITY WHERE WE WERE SURPRISED TO FIND THAT ALONG WITH OUR PROPERTY CAME A VERY LARGE COLONY OF CATS. NOT ONLY ARE THESE ANIMALS DEPENDENT UPON THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS TO FEED THEM, BUT THEY OFTEN NEED HEALTH CARE TOO.

LIKE THE RUN OVER LEG, THEY GET COLDS.

MOST OF THE COMMUNITY WORKS TOGETHER TO GIVE THEM FOOD AND COMFORT IN THE FORMS OF VARIOUS KINDS OF SHELTER FROM THE COLD WINTERS.

WE EVEN BURY THEM WHEN THEY DIE IN OUR YARDS.

JOHNSON COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, IOWA HUMANE ALLIANCE AND SEVERAL CONCERNED, CARING INDIVIDUALS ARE HELPING US TO GET THESE CATS SPAYED AND NEUTERED, VACCINATED AND TREATED FOR SOME OF THOSE HEALTH CONDITIONS.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE NUMBERS OF FELINES ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY ESTIMATE AND THEIR REPRODUCTION IS DIFFICULT TO MANAGE.

HOWEVER, THEIR EXISTENCE IS A FACT OF LIFE AND DEFINITELY NOT AN UNPLEASANT ONE TO EXPERIENCE.

YOU SHOULD SEE PICTURES OF THOSE KITTIES EATING ON HER FRONT YARD.

IT'S REALLY CUTE, SHE CONCLUDES.

FERAL CAT COLONIES BEGAN WITH THE ACTS OF IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE PUNISHING THOSE WHOSE INTENT IS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS AND HELP THESE ANIMALS IS NOT THE WAY TO HANDLE IT.

OFFERING PROVEN STRATEGIES TO MANAGE THESE COLONIES MAKES MUCH MORE SENSE THAN IMPOSING RULES THAT NEITHER CATS NOR HUMANS CAN FOLLOW.

I HOPE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT THE PHENOMENON OF FERAL CAT COLONIES AND AS A CITY COUNCIL OFFERS SOLUTIONS AND NOT PUNISHMENTS.

SINCERELY YOURS. JANINE REDLINGER OF LONETREE.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND PROBLEM SOLVE RATHER THAN PUNISH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

RJ DITTMER. HERE TO SPEAK ON FLOOD CONTROL AND RIVER BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT.

MAYOR YOU SAID THAT THE CEDAR RAPIDS DOESN'T WORK ON HANDOUTS.

OR DOESN'T RUN ON HANDOUTS.

BUT I'VE BEEN PAYING PAYING FOR YOUR HANDOUTS FOR A LONG TIME THROUGH MY TAXES.

[01:20:04]

CEDAR RAPIDS COMPLETELY RUNS ON HANDOUTS.

THEY RUN ON FINDING PEOPLE.

THEY RUN ON TAXES.

GRANTS. COVID RELIEF FUNDS.

IN FACT, THERE'S A LEVY ON OUR TAXES RIGHT NOW THAT'S INCREASING $0.22 PER YEAR FOR TEN YEARS TO PAY FOR THIS PROJECT.

SO CEDAR RAPIDS DOES TAKE HANDOUTS.

THAT'S ALL IT DOES.

IT'S NOT A BUSINESS.

YOU GUYS.

OUR SERVICE.

I WANT EVERYONE TO NOTICE THEY DON'T CALL IT FLOOD PROTECTION ANYMORE.

THEY CALL IT FLOOD CONTROL.

IT'S BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT CONTROL.

THIS IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2016 FLOOD WHERE YOU GUYS PUT A LEVEE IN FRONT OF A BAR AND ALMOST KILLED SOMEBODY.

YOU ALSO DID THAT ON ELLIS BOULEVARD.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELLIS BOULEVARD AND TORNADOES IS THAT ELLIS BOULEVARD DIDN'T FLOOD.

YOU GUYS DIDN'T ALMOST KILL SOMEBODY.

YOU DON'T NEED OUR HOUSES FOR YOUR PROJECT.

AND I'M GOING TO STICK TO MY GUNS UNTIL THE VERY END.

I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP BECAUSE I THINK YOU GUYS CAN GO AROUND US.

YOU CAN PLAN AROUND US.

WE'VE BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME.

YOU GUYS HAVE KNOWN WE'VE BEEN HERE.

BECAUSE THE CITY DOESN'T THE RIVER DOESN'T NEED TO SPREAD.

IT'S DRYING UP.

IT'S CALLED CONTROL BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT PROTECTION.

ROGER SLADE HERE TO SPEAK ON CONSTITUTION CREEK.

DID I GET THAT RIGHT? SORRY. CONSTITUTION WEEK.

OKAY. ROGER SLADE.

NORTHEAST SIDE. SO IN HONOR OF THIS PAST CONSTITUTION WEEK, SINCE THERE WAS NO ACTUAL CITY EVENTS OR MENTION OF IT, BESIDES TELLING US A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THAT IT'S A DATE ON THE CALENDAR, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A SIMPLE REQUEST TO THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR, AND THAT'S TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION.

MAYBE READ IT.

THAT WILL BE HELPFUL.

MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT YOU DON'T YOU DON'T WANT TO SHINE A LIGHT ON IT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VIOLATED SO OFTEN.

I'VE SPOKEN HERE EVERY MONTH SINCE FEBRUARY ABOUT THE CAMERA EQUIPMENT THAT SPYING ON US WITHOUT A WARRANT.

BUT I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A SINGLE RESPONSE FROM ANYONE HERE.

I EVEN EMAILED THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY GAVE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION AND THEY ALSO STATED THEY WOULD NEED TO INVOICE ME FOR THEIR TIME.

I ALSO ASKED WHAT DATA IS BEING COLLECTED AND ACTUALLY WHAT DATA IS BEING STOLEN FROM EACH ONE OF US.

AND THEY REFUSED TO ANSWER.

SO THIS IS A CLEAR VIOLATION OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO PRIVACY.

I KNOW YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR 15 MINUTE CITIES WITHOUT SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND REMOVING AND REDUCING THE ROADS.

I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY A WEEK OR SO AGO, ROAD, DIET, STREET DIET.

RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE CITIZENS IN OTHER COUNTIES OR OTHER COUNTRIES THAT ARE RIPPING DOWN THE CAMERAS BY THE THOUSANDS AND NOT PAYING THE MANDATORY FINES.

THEY SEE THIS AS A COMPLETE SCAM AND JUST ANOTHER WAY TO REDUCE THEIR FREEDOMS AND LOWER THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS.

ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, IT WAS READ HERE IN THE PROCLAMATION FOR LATINO HERITAGE MONTH, IT WAS STATED THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS CONTINUES TO SEEK WAYS TO MAKE THE PROMISE OF OUR NATION REAL IN THE LIVES OF ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE AMERICANS IN EVERY WAY EXCEPT FOR A PIECE OF PAPER.

THAT STATEMENT IS ANOTHER CLEAR VIOLATION OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

I HAVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO ARE FROM CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THEY COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT.

LET ME TRANSLATE WHAT THAT DECLARATION JUST SAID.

YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND HOUSE THEM IN THE CITY.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHAT COUNTRY THEY CAME FROM, WHAT BACKGROUND THEY HAVE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PAPERS, WHICH MEANS THEY BROKE THE LAW TO GET HERE.

YOU'RE NOT AMERICAN. IF YOU DON'T HAVE PAPERWORK, YOU CAN'T SELF-IDENTIFY AS AN AMERICAN AND BE LEGAL.

YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR PRONOUNS AND IT BECOME A REALITY.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM SAYS.

THERE'S A LEGAL PROCESS.

MAYOR YOU WERE QUOTED IN KCRG, I THINK IT WAS LAST FRIDAY STATING THAT HOMELESSNESS IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE CONCERNS OF THE CITY.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY CONCERN WHATSOEVER WHEN YOU'RE PUSHING THE EMINENT DOMAIN.

YOU JUST SPOKE ON THAT.

YOU'RE PUSHING THAT ON THE LOCALS AND INVITING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO INVADE THE CITY.

ANOTHER CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION WHERE THE MASK MANDATES HE PUSHED ON EVERYONE IN RECENT YEARS.

THAT'S PROVEN TO BE A COMPLETE THEATER.

[01:25:02]

IT'S BEEN A LOT OF CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS MADE EVEN IN THIS ROOM.

WE SAW THE FIRST AMENDMENT VIOLATION WHEN KATHY POTTS SPOKE HERE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.

AND I HOPE SHE GOT A GOT AN APOLOGY.

I DO SUPPORT THE FIRST AMENDMENT FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT DOES COME WITH RESPONSIBILITY.

I WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED SEPTEMBER 4TH.

MAYOR YOU CELEBRATED LABOR DAY BY SHARING A POST ONLINE WITH THE HASHTAG BLACK LIVES MATTER.

BLM. BURN, LOOT.

MURDER. WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

I HOPE YOU READ THEIR MARXIST MANIFESTO AND THEIR SEVEN DEMANDS.

IT'S RIGHT ON THEIR WEBSITE.

THEY ALSO BELIEVE IN OPEN BORDERS, DESTROYING THE NUCLEAR FAMILY.

WE SAW THE GROUP PICTURE OUT FRONT JUNE.

WOULD YOU SUPPORT REPARATIONS, ENDING THE PRISON SYSTEM AND DEFUNDING THE POLICE? WHICH IS CONCERNING AS WELL, SINCE THE CITY IS IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A POLICE CHIEF.

SO PROMOTING THE NUMBER ONE DEFUND THE POLICE ORGANIZATION IS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST TIMING.

SO AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT SURE IF THE CITY IS ACTUALLY HIRING OR DEFUNDING.

I KNOW THE CAMERAS HELP WITH THE REPLACE THE POLICE OFFICERS.

SO I THINK WE NEED SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE THE LAW AND ORDER SHOULD BE A PRIORITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BORDER IS OPEN AND INVASIONS ARE BEING ENCOURAGED.

EVERY PROJECT YOU HAVE PLANS FOR RIGHT NOW IS COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT IF THAT ONE THING ISN'T TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

ANYWAY, IT'D BE GREAT IF YOU COULD JUST SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME STUDYING THE CONSTITUTION AND LESS TIME ON THE CLIMATE ACTION SCAM.

PERSONALLY, I'M NOT FEARFUL OF RISING CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS.

I AM MORE FEARFUL OF RISING HOME CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY, WAY MORE THAN RISING WATERS FROM THE CEDAR CREEK OUT THERE. SO THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, ROGER.

ALAN MURDOCH HERE TO TALK ON THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE.

IN THE USER EXPERIENCE LITERATURE, THERE'S A THEORY OR PRINCIPLE THAT'S CALLED CAMPBELL'S LAW.

IT'S THE IDEA THAT THE MORE IMPORTANT A METRIC IS IN SOCIAL DECISION MAKING, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS TO BE MANIPULATED IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING IN SOCIAL SITUATIONS.

AND I SEE SEE THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE DOING A LOT OF THIS.

I LOOKED AT THE DOWNTOWN VISION PLAN RECENTLY AND LOOKED AT THE ONLINE SURVEY AND THE PROCESS THAT THEY USED IN EACH QUESTION AND CATEGORY.

THEY TOOK THE TOP THREE RESPONSE GETTERS AND TOOK THOSE THREE CONCEPTS AND ROLLED THEM INTO THE WAY THAT THEY DEVELOPED THE DOWNTOWN VISION PLAN.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MOST IMPORTANT SERVICE INCREASE RESTAURANT BAR OFFERINGS, 19% MORE SERVICES TO THE UNHOUSED WAS 19% AND MORE FAMILY AND KID FEATURES WAS 11%.

BUT THE TOPIC MORE DOWNTOWN, MAKE THE DOWNTOWN MORE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE.

ONLY GOT 7%, SO IT GOT LEFT OUT OF THE OVERARCHING PLAN FOR THE DOWNTOWN VISION WORK.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED, 55% OF RESPONDENTS WERE IN THE GREATER KR AREA, SO THEY WEREN'T FROM DOWNTOWN.

3,036% ARE DOWNTOWN EMPLOYEES, AND THE OVERALL DEMOGRAPHIC WAS WHITE BY 95% IN A IN A REGION THAT IS 82-83% WHITE.

IT SEEMS LIKE AND ALSO, GIVEN THAT THE CITY WAS VERY PROUD OF GETTING A HIGHER DIVERSITY RESPONSE IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND REBUILDING THE CITY AND SO FORTH, MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE, IT SEEMS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE METRICS COMING TO YOU FROM THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH MY SPOUSE ON THE LOG PROJECT, WHICH WAS AN ART PROJECT PRESENTED AT CSPS HALL ABOUT THE IOWA DERECHO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID IS I INVITED PEOPLE, I INVITED ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS TO COME, AND I TALKED TO AND I AND I TALKED TO PEOPLE THAT CAME INTO THE EXHIBIT.

AND I ASKED THEM TO TELL ME A STORY ABOUT A TREE THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT THEY LOST.

IT COULD BE A TREE IN A PARK.

IT COULD BE A TREE IN THEIR YARD.

IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING DOWN THE STREET OR OUTSIDE OF THEIR WORK.

AND I TALKED TO ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, AND HE TOLD ME A STORY ABOUT HIS TREE.

BUT HE ALSO TOLD ME A STORY ABOUT ANOTHER PREVIOUS LOSS.

AND IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FLOOD AND IT HAD TO DO WITH HOW THE WATERS CAME IN, THE WATERS WENT OUT, THE MONEY CAME IN AND THE DIVERSITY ALONG THE ALONG THE CEDAR RIVER WENT

[01:30:01]

HE WAS ABLE TO POINT OUT PARTICULAR HOUSES AND TELL ME WHO LIVED THERE AND LIKE WHAT THE STREET WAS LIKE WHEN IT WAS HIGH DIVERSITY.

I TALKED WITH MEL ANDRINGA, WHO IS CEDAR RAPIDS, LONG TIME RESIDENT ARTIST, AND HE CONFIRMED ALSO THE SAME NARRATIVE OF REDUCTION IN DIVERSITY. SO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, IS IS NOT ASKING THESE THESE QUESTIONS.

AND AND THEY'RE THEY'RE FOCUSED ON AN AREA THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO WELLINGTON HEIGHTS WHICH IS A 40% PLUS DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND SO WHY WOULDN'T THEY DRAW FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET LOCAL? YOU KNOW, THE CLOSEST RESIDENTS, WHY WOULDN'T THEY GET THE DATA FROM THOSE INDIVIDUALS ABOUT WHAT THEY SEE GOING ON? WHILE I WAS WORKING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION THAT'S UPCOMING IN NOVEMBER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT CAME OUT OF A LOT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS IS PEOPLE SEE RIVER TO 19TH STREET AS A HISTORICALLY HIGH, DIVERSE, HIGH, HIGHLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY SEE INCURSIONS ON THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEY SEE THE NEWBO AREA, THEY SEE THE THE MED QUEUE.

AND NOW WE'VE IDENTIFIED A NEW COLLEGE DISTRICT OR UNIVERSITY DISTRICT THAT IS ALSO MOVING UP FIRST AVENUE AND IS GOING TO IDENTIFY A NEW DEVELOPMENT REGION.

AND SO AND IN THE RECENT WORK ON THE MED QUEUE, I SAW THE SAME PROCESS HAPPENING AGAIN.

IT WAS WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO THE DOCTORS.

WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK AND AND COME DOWN TO THE MED QUEUE AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK.

AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE.

I SEE IT AS A MANIPULATION OF THE AVAILABLE DATA TO MAKE A MESSAGE THAT THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE WANTS TO PRESENT, BUT THAT DOESN'T TRULY REPRESENT WHAT PEOPLE IN THE DOWNTOWN REGION REALLY WANT.

AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER PUTTING MORE PRESSURE.

THIS IS REALLY ABOUT YOU AND HOW YOU RESPOND TO THESE KINDS OF PROPOSALS THAT COME FROM THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE TO THE CITY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THAT DOES CLOSE OUT OUR SECOND PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.

CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS TODAY?

[CITY MANAGER COMMUNICATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS]

SO HE'S VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING PART OF THIS COUNCIL MEETING.

SO WE'RE PLEASED WITH THAT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THRILLED THAT BILL HAS JOINED THE TEAM.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU. WELCOME, BILL.

SEEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND MOVES TO ADJOURN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER HAGER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.