Jan 23, 2024 City Council

[00:00:07]

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

[Call to Order]

I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ANN POE IS ABSENT FROM TODAY'S MEETING.

ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY CLERK, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

AND THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS, TO CITY STAFF FOR BEING HERE AND BEING AVAILABLE AFTER THE MEETING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM OUR CITIZENS.

A REMINDER TO PLEASE TURN OFF ANY CELL PHONES OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES YOU MAY HAVE THAT WILL DISRUPT FROM OUR MEETING TODAY, AND NOTE THAT ALL OF OUR CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS, MINUTES, AND VIDEOS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE, AS WELL AS REGULAR SESSIONS AVAILABLE TO WATCH LIVE AND ON REPLAY THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK LIVE. WE WILL BEGIN, AS WE ALWAYS DO HERE, WITH AN INVOCATION BY PUBLIC SAFETY CHAPLAIN DENNIS MILLER TODAY, HE'LL DO THAT FOR US, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

ALMIGHTY AND ETERNAL GOD, WE COME TO YOU TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, WISDOM AND SUPPORT DURING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

BLESS THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND HELP THEM TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL AND RESPECTFUL DISCUSSION.

ALLOW THEM TO GROW CLOSER AS A GROUP AND NURTURE THE BONDS OF COMMUNITY.

FILL THEM WITH YOUR GRACE, LORD GOD, AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT THE PEOPLE OF CEDAR RAPIDS AND CONTINUE TO REMIND US THAT ALL THAT WE DO HERE TODAY, ALL THAT WE ACCOMPLISH, IS FOR THE PURSUIT OF TRUTH, FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF YOU, AND FOR THE SERVICE OF ALL HUMANITY.

THESE WE ASK IN YOUR NAME.

AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[Proclamations/Presentations]

WE'LL START OFF WITH AMERICAN HEART MONTH.

COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON WILL BE READING THAT, AND I'LL INVITE ANYBODY WHO'S HERE TO JOIN US UP HERE AT THE DAIS FOR THAT.

WELCOME, WELCOME.

I'M PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

WHEREAS MORE THAN 350,000 PEOPLE EXPERIENCED CARDIAC ARREST OUTSIDE OF A HOSPITAL EACH YEAR, AND ONLY ABOUT 1 IN 10 SURVIVE, AND MORE THAN 23,000 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 EXPERIENCE CARDIAC ARREST OUTSIDE OF A HOSPITAL EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ALMOST 40% OF THOSE ARE SPORTS RELATED.

AND WHEREAS THERE ARE EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM, AWARENESS AND EDUCATION TO HAVE CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS IN PLACE, CPR EDUCATION, AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS AEDS, TRAINING AND ACCESSIBILITY.

AND WHEREAS CPR ESPECIALLY PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY, CAN DOUBLE OR TRIPLE A PERSON'S CHANCE OF SURVIVAL, AND ONLY ABOUT 46% OF PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE CARDIAC CARDIAC ARREST RECEIVE CPR FROM PEOPLE NEARBY WHILE WAITING FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS TO ARRIVE.

AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION HAS SET A GOAL OF DOUBLING THE SURVIVAL FROM CARDIAC ARREST BY 2030, BY TURNING BYSTANDERS INTO LIFE SAVERS SO THAT EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE IS PREPARED AND EMPOWERED TO BECOME A VITAL LINK IN THE CHAIN OF SURVIVAL AND PROVIDE CPR IN RESPONSE TO A CARDIAC EMERGENCY.

AND WHEREAS CURRENTLY, 90% OF THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE CARDIAC ARREST OUTSIDE OF A HOSPITAL DIE IN PART BECAUSE THEY DO NOT RECEIVE CPR M ORE THAN HALF OF THE TIME AND CPR, ESPECIALLY IF PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY, CAN DOUBLE OR TRIPLE A PERSON'S CHANCE OF SURVIVAL.

AND WHEREAS, IN CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN HEART MONTH AND THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S 100TH BIRTHDAY, WE URGE EVERY HOUSEHOLD TO JOIN THE NATION OF LIFESAVERS AND LEARN CPR.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SCOTT OLSON, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TIFFANY O'DONNELL AND THE ENTIRE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ONGOING FIGHT AGAINST HEART DISEASE AND STROKE AND THE EFFORT TO DOUBLE THE SURVIVAL RATE FROM CARDIAC ARREST TO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 2024 TO BE AMERICAN HEART MONTH AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST HEART DISEASE BY INCREASING AWARENESS, SPEAKING OUT ABOUT HEART DISEASE, AND LEARNING CPR, WE CAN SAVE THOUSANDS OF LIVES EACH YEAR.

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION? YEAH. ANY WAY THAT YOU GUYS CAN GET INVOLVED THIS MONTH, PLEASE DO.

SO WE'RE HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU WITH SOME OF OUR LOCAL EVENTS HERE IN, EASTERN IOWA AT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION.

WE'VE HAPPILY GRANTED OVER $7.8 MILLION RIGHT HERE IN EASTERN IOWA TO THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOSPITAL AND CLINICS, TOWARDS ONGOING RESEARCH SO YOU CAN ALL PLAY A PART BY, SUPPORTING OUR MISSION BY GETTING INVOLVED, VOLUNTEERING OR LEARNING CPR.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER TODD WILL NOW MARK A PROCLAMATION FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER DAY.

SO THOSE WHO ARE HERE TO MARK THIS DAY, PLEASE JOIN US AT THE DAIS.

[INAUDIBLE] OKAY. WHEREAS GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER WAS BORN INTO SLAVERY IN MISSOURI AND OVERCAME RACIAL BARRIERS TO PURSUE HIS EDUCATION, EVENTUALLY COMING TO IOWA.

AND WHEREAS CARVER WAS A PROLIFIC INVENTOR, ARTIST, AND CIVIL RIGHTS CHAMPION WHO DEVISED HUNDREDS OF NOVEL USES FOR CROPS, CHAMPIONED THE CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES AS ONE OF AMERICA'S FOREMOST AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND LEFT A MARK ON CEDAR RAPIDS, SHOWCASING HIS EXTENSIVE ARTWORK IN 1892.

AND WHEREAS CARVER'S EDUCATIONAL PATH INCLUDED STUDY IN IOWA, WHERE HE EARNED BOTH BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S DEGREES AND EVENTUALLY BECAME A MEMBER OF THE IOWA STATE FACULTY, GOING ON TO DEDICATE HIMSELF TO ASSISTING THE SOUTH SOUTH'S MOST IMPOVERISHED FARMERS THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND INFORMATION AT TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY.

AND WHEREAS, IN 2003, THE PERMANENT HOME OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF IOWA WAS ESTABLISHED, IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WHERE IT HAS SINCE BEEN DEDICATED TO FOSTERING A COMMUNITY THAT UNDERSTANDS, APPRECIATES, AND CELEBRATES IOWA'S AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

AND WHEREAS, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS CELEBRATES THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH, RECOGNIZING THE RICH HISTORY, ACHIEVEMENTS AND RESILIENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND NATION'S HISTORY.

AND WHEREAS, IN LIGHT OF EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CARVER DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF IOWA'S AND CEDAR RAPIDS MOST ILLUSTRIOUS CITIZENS.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, TIFFANY, DALE TODD, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TIFFANY O'DONNELL AND THE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 1ST, 2024, AS GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER DAY AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO REMEMBER THE THE MANY SCIENTIFIC, CIVIL RIGHTS AND CULINARY ACHIEVEMENTS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER.

JOE, YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? YEAH. EXCUSE ME.

THANK YOU. THANK THE CITY FOR SPONSORING THIS.

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER WAS AN OUTSTANDING AMERICAN LONG BEFORE ENVIRONMENTALIST ENVIRONMENTALISM WAS EVEN CONSIDERED. AND, VETERANS FOR PEACE HAS BEEN TEACHING HIS WORK FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE CITY HAS RECOGNIZED HIS WORK ALSO.

AND THANK YOU.

I WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER THING.

YOU'VE GOT A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE ASKING FOR A PEACE POLICY, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER IT BECAUSE WE NEED MORE PEACE.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].

TAKE CARE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN WITH A PRESENTATION ON OUR MICROMOBILITY PROGRAM.

BETSY BORCHARDT AND ADAM LINDENLAUB ARE HERE AND BETSY AND ADAM, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON.

BEFORE I START, I DID WANT TO INTRODUCE BETSY BORCHARDT, WHO'S IN OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND SHE COORDINATES THE MICROMOBILITY PROGRAM.

SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND SO CITY COUNCIL CREATED THE PROGRAM IN 2019 WITH REALLY TWO PRIMARY GOALS.

SO ONE WAS TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS TO NOT ONLY OUR RESIDENTS BUT ALSO VISITORS TO THE CITY.

AND THEN THE OTHER WAS TO HELP ENHANCE, CREATE SOME VIBRANCY TO THE DOWNTOWN.

SO CEDAR RAPIDS CONTRACTED WITH THE PROVIDER VEO IN 2019, AND THEY OPERATE THE PROGRAM.

AND OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, STAFF HAS REALLY WORKED WITH VEO TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROGRAM, SUCH AS CHANGES TO THE VEHICLES AND INTRODUCING FEATURES SUCH AS

[00:10:08]

AND THE SEASON LASTS FROM APRIL 1ST UNTIL OCTOBER 31ST.

SO HERE IS A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE MONTHLY RIDES.

THE ASTRO VEHICLES ARE THE STAND UP SCOOTERS AND THE COSMOS ARE THE SIT DOWN SCOOTERS.

YOU'LL SEE THE 1.1 RIDES PER VEHICLE PER DAY THAT THE, IN ORDER FOR THE COMPANY TO BE FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL, THEY NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE RIDE PER DAY.

SO WE HAVE SURPASSED THAT THRESHOLD.

GO AHEAD. AND SO HERE ARE THE SUCCESSES FOR THIS LAST SEASON, THERE WERE A LITTLE OVER 108,000 RIDES.

IT WAS A SLIGHT DROP FROM 2022, BUT NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.

THE PROGRAM HAS 16,000 ACTIVE CUSTOMERS IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WHICH IS ABOUT 10% OF THE CITY'S POPULATION.

220,000 MILES WERE TRAVELED, WHICH EQUALS APPROXIMATELY 1,000 TRIPS TO CHICAGO AND BACK.

SO THAT'S QUITE A BIT.

AND THAT EQUALED 1.1 MILLION RIDING MINUTES.

HERE IS WHY I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY.

THEY CAME OUT WITH A SURVEY THIS YEAR, AND 20% OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE SURVEY DO NOT HAVE THEIR OWN VEHICLE.

VEO OFFERS CAR USAGE TO 37%.

EXCUSE ME, 37% OF CEDAR RAPIDS RIDERS WOULD HAVE DRIVEN TO COMPLETE THEIR LAST TRIP, AND INSTEAD USED A VEO, AND OVER 33% OF RIDERS IN CEDAR RAPIDS WERE ABLE TO SHED A CAR OR DECREASE CAR USAGE BECAUSE OF VEO.

NEW IN 2023, THEY EXPANDED THE USE OF VEOVOICE, WHICH TELLS PEOPLE WHEN THEY RIDE ON SIDEWALKS THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT, TO DISCOURAGE THAT.

AND THEN WE ALSO INCREASED ENFORCEMENT FOR IMPROPERLY PARKED VEHICLES.

SO IF SOMEBODY'S IMPROPERLY PARKS A VEHICLE, ONCE THEY GET A WARNING TWICE, THEY GET A FINE.

IF THEY DO IT MORE THAN THAT, THEY GET BANNED FROM THE PROGRAM.

GOING FORWARD.

WE HAVE A VEO HAS A NEW PILOT PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY A MONTHLY FEE AND THEY WON'T HAVE TO PAY THE UNLOCK FEES.

AND IT CAN BE USED IN ANY MARKET ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT VEO PROVIDES FOR.

AND VEO IS WORKING WITH THE CITY TO CREATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

THE MAP THERE ON THE RIGHT SHOWS WHERE THOSE NEW HUB LOCATIONS ARE GOING TO BE, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY W HERE CITY PARKING ON THE STREETS HAPPENS BECAUSE DATA SHOWS THAT PEOPLE TEND TO RIDE THEM ON THE STREETS INSTEAD OF IN THE SIDEWALKS WHEN THEY HAVE PARKING HUB LOCATIONS IN THE STREET RIGHT OF WAY.

OKAY, SO THAT WAS IT. WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. INTERESTING NUMBERS.

COUNCIL THOUGHTS? QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

THANKS, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, I'M SO GLAD THAT WE HAVE THIS.

I KNOW THAT THERE IS A BIT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT, IS THIS THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR US? HOW MANY VENDORS SHOULD WE HAVE? BUT I KNOW THAT NOT ONLY AM I A HAPPY CUSTOMER, MAYBE I'VE BEEN MISPRONOUNCING IT.

I'VE ALWAYS SAID VEO, BUT, NONETHELESS, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ALSO WHO, A CAR JUST FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, WHETHER IT'S TICKETS, COST, INSURANCE, ALL OF THE ABOVE, IS JUST DIFFICULT.

COULD BE THAT THEY LIVE IN AN APARTMENT AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, TOO EXPENSIVE TO HAVE A, A LOT OR ANYTHING TO, TO PARK THEIR VEHICLE. BUT THIS NOT ONLY FOR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING DOWNTOWN IS JUST A REALLY NICE, BENEFIT THAT WE HAVE, PARTICULARLY FOR OUT-OF-TOWNERS THAT ARE COMING HERE AND MAYBE TAKING A RIDESHARE FROM THE AIRPORT.

I'VE HEARD A LOT OF REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK WHERE IT'S JUST REALLY EASY TO BOP AROUND TOWN AND KIND OF EXPLORE IN THAT.

SO IT MAKES FOR A FUN AFTERNOON OR A VERY CONVENIENT WAY TO GET AROUND.

AND I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE IT HERE.

OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

THANK YOU MAYOR. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER THIS.

A LOT OF CITIES PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL FINANCIAL BUYING THE BIKES IN THE SYSTEM.

AND WE DECIDED, I THINK IN 2019 THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANTED TO EXPLORE AND NOT BE INVOLVED, BUT JUST LICENSE THE COMPANY THAT DOES THAT.

ARE THEY MAKING ANY OTHER I MEAN, THESE ARE GOOD CHANGES THEY'RE MAKING IS WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT SYSTEM CONTINUING? YES, WE DO.

AND WE DO CONTINUE ANNUALLY TO JUST WORK WITH THEM AND LISTEN TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC AND OTHERS TO MAKE ANY CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE NECESSARY.

COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE I HAVE TO GIVE MY,

[00:15:07]

I DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS LAST SUMMER.

AND THAT IS CONTRARY TO THE YEARS BEFORE WHERE I WAS AT THE POINT SAYING IT'S TIME TO PULL THEM.

BUT THEY'VE REALLY, I THINK THE CHANGES IN TERMS OF GEO MAPPING AND BEING ABLE TO STOP THEM FROM THE SIDEWALKS AND IN CERTAIN AREAS OF DOWNTOWN, THAT HAS, THAT HAS DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, GOODWILL, THAT IT'S BOUGHT FOR US.

AND PEOPLE ARE STILL USING THEM FOR THE REASONS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY NOTED AND SO CONGRATULATIONS.

ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER MAIER.

THANKS. THANKS, ADAM AND BETSY FOR THAT UPDATE.

AND THOSE NUMBERS WERE SUPER IMPRESSIVE SO.

2023 WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT I TRIED IT, AND I'M HOOKED.

SO, THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS, THE FIRST TIME I TRIED IT, I WAS OUT FOR A JOG AND WAS COMING BACK THROUGH DOWNTOWN, AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE I'LL JUST GET SOME HELP GETTING HOME SO. BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT GOT ME ON IT, AND I'M HOOKED.

I WAS NOT, MY QUESTION, I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THERE IS, SOME DISCOUNTED FARES AVAILABLE OR SLIDING SCALE.

IS THAT ADVERTISED? I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING IT, SO I DON'T KNOW.

IS IT ADVERTISED, AND IF NOT, HOW CAN FOLKS, HOW CAN WE COMMUNICATE TO FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COST MAY BE PROHIBITIVE? WE DO HAVE IT ADVERTISED ON OUR CITY WEBSITE.

AND, VEO ALSO HAS, THAT ON THEIR WEBSITE.

I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE WORK ON MARKETING FOR THE NEXT SEASON, WE WOULD INCLUDE THAT AS WELL.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND AS A AS MUCH A CREDIT IT IS TO STAFF TOO.

I ALSO DO WANT TO CREDIT THE FOLKS AT VEO FOR BEING EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE TO THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY'S CONCERNS ABOUT VEO, BECAUSE THEY TOO, HAVE COME A LONG WAY.

I'M ALSO ENCOURAGED BY THE MONTHLY OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE FOR THOSE OF US, I USE IT SOLELY DOWNTOWN.

BUT I MEAN, FOR THOSE OF US WHO USE IT REGULARLY, I HAVE TO THINK THAT THAT WILL BE A COST SAVINGS FOR PEOPLE.

SO THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE UPDATE TOO.

THANK YOU. IT'S NOW A TIME FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

SO I REMIND EVERYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TODAY, WHETHER DURING A PUBLIC HEARING OR DURING ONE OF OUR TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS, OF A FEW MATTERS, WE NEED TO HAVE TO ENSURE AN ORDERLY MEETING TODAY.

A REMINDER TO STAY AT THE LECTERN.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US, JUST GIVE THEM TO THE OFFICER AND HE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THEM.

SECOND, COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES, SO YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE PODIUM, WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS YELLOW, YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT.

AND WHEN IT TURNS RED, WE'LL INVITE YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT ONCE AGAIN.

AND THIRD, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL COMMENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THAT ABUSIVE, PERSONAL, LOUD, THREATENING, OR IRRELEVANT COMMENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. AND FINALLY, WE NEED TO HOLD AN ORDERLY MEETING.

SO A REMINDER THAT NO APPLAUSE, CHEERING, BOOING OR OTHER DISRUPTION FROM THE AUDIENCE IS APPRECIATED.

SO WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR THAT.

DOES THE CLERK HAVE ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS IN REGARD TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON TODAY'S AGENDA? YOUR HONOR, THERE WERE NO WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS FILED.

THANK YOU. NONE.

THANK YOU.

ITEM NUMBER ONE, THEN, IS A PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO CONSIDER A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH MATTHEW 25 FOR A HOUSING REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT 1021 TO 1033 8TH

[1. A public hearing will be held to consider a Development Agreement with Matthew 25 for a housing redevelopment project at 1021-1033 8th Street NW under the City’s Above Standard Economic Development Program (Scott Mather). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #DISP-0035-2020]

AND SCOTT MATHER IS HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT.

SCOTT, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL SCOTT MATHER WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.

AS STATED, THIS IS REGARDING A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH MATTHEW 25.

THIS PROJECT IS A $2.5 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT.

INVOLVES THE CONSTRUCTION OF NINE UNITS ON THREE CITY OWNED PARCELS.

EACH PARCEL CONSISTS OF THREE UNITS WITH A SINGLE FAMILY UNIT, TWO ADU UNITS, THREE GARAGE STALLS, AND A TOTAL OF SIX OFF STREET PARKING SPACES.

THE CITY IS TO DISPOSE 1021 AND 1027 8TH STREET NORTHWEST FOR FAIR MARKET VALUE AND 1033, TO DISPOSE FOR $1 DUE TO THE PROJECT MEETING A GOAL FROM THE COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.

HOMES ARE TO ACHIEVE [INAUDIBLE].

I'M SORRY, NET ZERO RATING WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.

AND IT INVOLVES AN EQUITY SHARE MODEL WITH MATTHEW 25 AND WHERE THEY ARE TARGETING BUYERS WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGES, AND THEY ALSO REQUIRE A REDUCED DOWN PAYMENT.

CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE FOR THIS PROJECT.

THIS IS A TWO PHASE PROJECT.

THE FIRST PHASE IS TO COMMENCE MAY BY MAY 1ST OF 2024 AND COMPLETE BY THE END OF 2024, WITH PHASE TWO COMMENCING NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1ST OF 2024 AND COMPLETING BY DECEMBER 1ST OF 2025.

[00:20:01]

MATTHEW 25 IS ALSO TO APPLY FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING TAX CREDITS FOR PHASE 2 IN 2024, AND IF THEY'RE AWARDED, WE WILL PERFORM A GAP ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF WE SHOULD ADJUST OUR INCENTIVE LEVEL.

SO HERE IS AN AERIAL REMINDING ALL OF OF THE PROJECT LOCATION.

AND A COUPLE OF RENDERINGS.

SO STAFF RECOMMENDS AUTHORIZATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH MATTHEW 25.

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

SCOTT, THANK YOU.

THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? OKAY. JUST WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.

MY NAME IS ALAN MURDOCH.

I LIVE AT 930 26TH STREET SOUTHEAST.

I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT, I THINK.

I THINK IT IS AN EXCELLENT PROJECT THAT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED, AND IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF IN OUR, COMMUNITY.

IT, IT SUPPORTS, HOUSING AND IT SUPPORTS, LIVABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

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

THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT.

OH, COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

THANKS. THANKS MAYOR.

YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE, MATTHEW 25 AND ALL THEIR WORK.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 15 MINUTE COMMUNITIES AND BUILDING COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE, THAT ARE THRIVING, THIS IS A SEVEN MINUTE WALK FROM THE CULTIVATE HOPE.

WHICH IS ANOTHER ENTITY THAT THEY OWN.

THIS HELPS WITH THAT INFILL IN AN AREA THAT WAS, DEVASTATED OVER, WHAT 16 YEARS AGO NOW? AND SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO PUT NOT JUST HOUSING BACK IN THERE, BUT HIGH QUALITY HOUSING THAT IS VERY EFFICIENT IN ITS RESOURCES, AND THAT JUST HELPS TO COMPLETE THAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PROJECT.

COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

MAYOR I JUST I THINK IT'S A POLICY, DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, IN PARTICULAR PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES, BECAUSE YOU PUT THE TOP VIEW OF THE SITE UP.

AND WHAT'S WHAT WE RAN INTO THIS LAST SNOW EVENT IS THAT THESE, THESE, THESE PROPERTIES WITH THE GARAGES, NO ON STREET PARKING, BUT THE GARAGES, WHEN THERE'S A SNOW EVENT CURRENTLY, OUR POLICY IS WE DON'T PLOW ALLEYS.

AND SO IT ENDS UP BEING SORT OF A CATCH 22.

WE DO PLOW PRIOR THE PICKUP OF SOLID WASTE, BUT IN SOME OCCASIONS THAT COULD BE A WEEK OR MORE, MAYBE NOT MUCH MORE, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PROBABLY TAKE A LOOK AT, TO DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, EITHER WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT OR WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, OR WE'LL FIGURE OUT SOME TYPE OF COMPROMISE, BUT JUST TO GET IT ON THE TABLE.

EXCELLENT POINT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

SCOTT, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT WHERE WE SEE THE ADUS? YEAH. AND IS THAT IS THAT IN FACT THE ALLEY THAT THAT'S SO THAT'S WHAT IS THAT RIGHT NOW.

IS IT JUST GRAVEL OR IS IT PAVED? IT'S GRAVEL. IT'S GRAVEL OKAY.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE GROUP? OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY TODD, SECONDED BY OVERLAND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE, THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU COUNCIL, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE VACATION AND DISPOSITION OF A 0.03 ACRE PORTION OF THE ALLEY ADJACENT TO 526 AND

[2. A public hearing will be held to consider the vacation and disposition of a 0.03-acre portion of the alley adjacent to 526 and 528 1st Avenue NW as requested by St. Patrick Church (Rob Davis). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #ROWV-030840-2020]

AND ROB DAVIS IS HERE TO TELL US ABOUT THAT.

ROB I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

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

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS MAP HERE, THESE TWO PARCELS THE MAYOR MENTIONED ARE AT THE NORTHWEST, SORRY, NORTHEAST CORNER OF ELLIS BOULEVARD NORTHWEST AND 1ST AVENUE WEST.

THIS, FORMER ALLEY BETWEEN 5TH STREET NORTHWEST AND ELLIS BOULEVARD APPROXIMATELY 80% OF IT WAS PREVIOUSLY VACATED IN 2004, A ND SAINT PATRICK'S IS LOOKING AT, EXPANDING THE PARKING LOT THAT THEY HAVE THERE AND THEREFORE HAVE INTEREST IN VACATING THE, REMAINING PART OF THAT ALLEY. THAT WILL BE FOR THE, YOU KNOW, SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE OF THEIR PARISHIONERS.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE A SANITARY SEWER THROUGH THAT AREA.

[00:25:01]

AND WITH THAT SAID, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE READING ON THE FIRST ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ROB.

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 SHOW A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL.

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

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER THREE IS A PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO CONSIDER A CHANGE OF ZONE FOR PROPERTY 8205 6TH STREET, SOUTHWEST FROM GENERAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT TO LIGHT

[3. A public hearing will be held to consider a change of zone for property at 8205 6th Street SW from I-GI, General Industrial District, to I-LI, Light Industrial District, as requested by 380 Commerce Park, LLC (William Micheel). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #RZNE-034526-2023]

AND WILLIAM BILL MICHEEL IS HERE.

BILL I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

BILL MICHEEL ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

THE REZONING REQUEST IS, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, REQUEST FROM, GENERAL INDUSTRIAL TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, PROPOSAL INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 24 ACRES.

AND THE INTENT IS TO TO LIMIT THE DEVELOPMENT TO LESS INTENSE USES.

SO GENERAL INDUSTRIAL IS OUR MOST INTENSIVE ZONING DISTRICT.

AND THE IDEA HERE IS TO, TO LIMIT THOSE, TO BETTER REFLECT THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.

AND AS A SIDE BENEFIT, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, HERE AS WELL.

WE REQUIRE, FOR HEAVY INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIAL USERS, DUCTILE IRON PIPE, FOR, FOR WATER CONNECTIONS.

AND IN THIS CASE, WITH THE, DECREASE TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, AND THE, THE USES THERE, IT SAVES MONEY ON THE, THE USE OF PVC AS OPPOSED TO DUCTILE IRON PIPE, WHICH, UTILITIES WILL CONSIDER BASED ON THE, THE INTENSITY OF USES.

SO SIDE BENEFIT THERE, LOCATION MAP, OBVIOUSLY THERE BY WRIGHT BROTHERS BOULEVARD AND I-380.

ZOOMED IN A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, AND THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT HERE IS IN LINE WITH OUR STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WAREHOUSING USES ON THE SITE.

THEY'RE PROPOSING FOUR 60,000 SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSES TO SERVE INDUSTRY AND OTHER COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES IN THE AREA.

FUTURE LAND USE IS INDUSTRIAL AND CURRENT ZONING, AS MENTIONED, IS GENERAL INDUSTRIAL.

REZONING CRITERIA.

THE PROPOSAL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

UTILITY EXTENSIONS, OF COURSE, WILL BE REQUIRED AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE WATER AND WASTEWATER TO THE AREA.

AND, PREVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT CHARACTER AND THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.

SO STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

AND THIS WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CPC AT THEIR LAST MEETING.

I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE MAYOR.

ALL RIGHT. THANKS, BILL.

THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

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

FOR THE RECORD COUNCIL COMMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.

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

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

[4. A public hearing will be held to consider a change of zone for property at 4301 6th Street SW from I-GI, General Industrial District, to P-IN, Public – Institutional District, as requested by the Grant Wood Area Education Agency (William Micheel). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #RZNE-034395-2023]

AND BILL I WILL ONCE AGAIN RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU.

4301 6TH STREET SOUTHWEST.

REQUEST FOR A REZONING, TO PUBLIC INSTITUTIONAL, INCLUDES TWO ACRES.

THE PROPOSAL IS FOR A SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION FACILITY.

THIS FACILITY WOULD SERVE EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN TEN STUDENTS.

AND IT WOULD OPERATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AREA EDUCATION AGENCY BUILDING TO THE SOUTH.

AND I'LL, PUT UP A LOCATION MAP HERE.

JUST WEST OF I-380 AND SOUTH OF 33RD.

AND ZOOMING IN A LITTLE BIT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE, GRANT WOOD AREA EDUCATION AGENCY IS LOCATED TO THE SOUTH.

[00:30:04]

THEY ARE GOING TO, DO AN ADAPTIVE REUSE OF AN EXISTING BUILDING ON THE SITE.

THE REMAINDER OF THOSE, OLD COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS WILL BE DEMOLISHED.

FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

CURRENTLY URBAN HIGH INTENSITY AND CURRENTLY ZONED GENERAL INDUSTRIAL.

IN TERMS OF REZONING CRITERIA.

IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE URBAN HIGH INTENSITY FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATION AND THEREFORE WITH PLAN THIS LOT AND DEVELOPMENT ADJACENT TO THE SITE ARE CURRENTLY SERVED BY ALL SERVICES AND NO ISSUES CONTINUING TO DO SO.

AND THE PROPOSED ZONE FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS FACILITY ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE WITH THE AREA.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, AS DID THE CPC UNANIMOUSLY AT THEIR MEETING ON JANUARY 4TH.

AND I'LL TURN IT BACK TO THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU BILL.

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 SHOW A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

THANKS MAYOR. BILL, I FULLY SUPPORT WHAT THE PROGRAMING THAT THE AEA OFFERS.

I JUST THINK IN CONTEXT OF SOME OF THE OTHER DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING, INCLUDING, CUTS TO FUNDING, PRETTY BIG CUTS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WILL IMPACT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROJECT? SO TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT WILL NOT IMPACT THAT THIS HAS BEEN, IN THE WORKS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SOME, SOME NEEDS WERE IDENTIFIED, IN COOPERATION WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AEA WAS IN THE BEST POSITION TO PROVIDE THOSE.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT THE FUNDING SPLIT IS BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICT AEA, BUT THEY DO HAVE THE, THE FUNDING AVAILABLE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANY MORE OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY OVERLAND, SECONDED BY MAIER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO CONSIDER A CHANGE OF ZONE FOR PROPERTY NORTH OF 76 AVENUE SOUTHWEST AND WEST OF TISSEL HOLLOW ROAD, FROM AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO

[5. A public hearing will be held to consider a change of zone for property north of 76th Avenue SW and west of Tissel Hollow Road from A-AG, Agricultural District, to I-GI, General Industrial District, as requested by Iowa Growth & Development LLC and Iowa Land and Building Co. (William Micheel). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #RZNE-034400-2023]

BILL, I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU ONCE AGAIN.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THIS PROPERTY WAS RECENTLY ANNEXED.

IT'S A PART OF THE BIG CEDAR INDUSTRIAL CENTER.

WHEN WE ANNEXED PROPERTY IT COMES IN, PER STATE CODE, AUTOMATICALLY ZONED AS AGRICULTURAL.

THIS, REZONING IS, REQUEST TO REZONE IT TO GENERAL INDUSTRIAL, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE REST OF THE BIG CEDAR, INDUSTRIAL CENTER, MAKING IT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND SITE READY FOR POTENTIAL USERS.

AND AS WE SEE INCREASED INTEREST IN THAT AREA DOWN THERE, IT MAKES SENSE TO TO GO AHEAD AND REZONE IT.

INTENDED FOR LARGE INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS, HEAVY UTILITY USAGE IS WHAT THAT AREA IS.

SO, SUBJECT PROPERTY IS ON THE LOCATION MAP.

AND THEN YOU SAW THIS EARLIER, BUT THE BIG CEDAR INDUSTRIAL CENTER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SITE A4 ON THE WEST END THERE THAT JUST RECENTLY CAME INTO THE CITY.

FUTURE LAND USE MAP, OBVIOUSLY, Y YOU KNOW, A PART OF THIS DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE, A FUTURE LAND USE MAP AS IT WAS RECENTLY ANNEXED.

IT WILL BE, IT WILL RECEIVE A DESIGNATION OF INDUSTRIAL, THROUGH A MAP AMENDMENT.

WE TYPICALLY DO THOSE ANNUALLY.

CURRENTLY AG GOING TO, INDUSTRIAL.

IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PLAN.

PUBLIC FACILITIES, ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE.

UTILITY EXTENSIONS WILL BE REQUIRED.

BUT WE DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE THE AREA.

AND IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE, THE CHARACTER AND PROPOSED USES IN THE AREA.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, AS DID THE CPC.

AND I WILL TURN IT BACK TO THE MAYOR.

THANK YOU BILL.

THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

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

SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY VANORNY, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER SIX IS A PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY PROPOSED FOR THE TAFT AND WEST WILLOW SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT.

[6. A public hearing will be held to consider the Resolution of Necessity (Proposed) for the Taft and West Willow Safe Routes to School project (Ken DeKeyser). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #301948-00]

KEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, KEN DEKEYSER, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

SO FOR BACKGROUND, THIS CONTAINS TWO SIDEWALK OR TRAIL EXTENSIONS.

[00:35:05]

THE WE HAVE A CROSSING, PROPOSED AT F AVENUE NORTHWEST, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A, A MEDIAN AND A REFUGE ISLAND AND A RECTANGULAR RAPID FLASHING BEACON . THE PROJECT INCLUDES SOME TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM FUNDING THROUGH THE IOWA DOT.

AND IT WILL BE LET THE PROJECT WILL BE LET BY THE DOT.

AND IN GENERAL THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS ENVISION CR FOR OUR COMPLETE STREETS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE PROJECT LOCATIONS.

THIS IS A SIDEWALK ON THE WEST SIDE OF STONEY POINT ROAD.

THIS, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE MAP HERE, WEST WILL WILLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS NEARBY, AND THIS SIDEWALK IS SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED IN OUR PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN AS A AS A HIGH DEMAND AREA.

THE OTHER PROJECT LOCATION IS F AVENUE NORTHWEST.

YOU CAN SEE THE CROSSING HERE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE NORTH.

THESE ARE FAIRLY RECENT SUBDIVISIONS.

THERE'S OVER 200 LOTS THEY ARE SERVED BY SIDEWALK, AS WELL AS IF YOU GO FURTHER EAST, THERE ARE SOME OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE SIDEWALK, BUT THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WALKABILITY NORTH OF F AVENUE.

SO THIS PROJECT DOES COMPLETE A WALKABILITY GAP ACROSS F AVENUE, LEADING US OVER TO TAFT MIDDLE SCHOOL, JUST TO THE SOUTHWEST THERE. YOU WILL NOTICE HERE FROM THE GRAPHIC THAT THE THE ALIGNMENT TAKES US A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE CITY LIMITS.

THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS, NUMBER ONE, IT LINES US UP WITH A PARCEL BOUNDARY FOR THE TRAIL SECTION.

AND NUMBER TWO, IT ALSO BETTER LINES US UP WITH THE THE SIDEWALK AT THE STREET DEAD END CONNECTION.

THIS IS NOT TERRIBLY UNUSUAL FOR TRAILS.

WE HAVE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THOSE, DOWN AT ELY ROAD, THE HOOVER NATURE TRAIL, THAT IS A CITY TRAIL THAT RUNS OFF, OFF OF A CITY, LAND.

IT'S IN THE COUNTY AS WELL AS, SAC AND FOX TRAIL BY MOUNT VERNON ROAD.

HERE'S A REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE OF THE NORTH F AVENUE NORTHWEST CROSSING WITH THE THE PEDESTRIAN REFUGE AND MEDIAN AND FLASHING BEACON.

ONE OF THESE, SITES, THE, STONEY POINT ROAD HAS AN ASSESSMENT AGREEMENT, SO THAT WAS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITE DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT BACK IN 2003.

WE HAVE FILED THE PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT WITH THE CITY CLERK.

WE'VE SENT NOTICES AND CONTACTED THE PROPERTY OWNER.

WHEN THAT CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE, THEY WILL BE LEVIED A FINAL ASSESSMENT.

THE RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY HAS FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

YOU CAN ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY WITHOUT AMENDMENTS, AND WE'LL JUST PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT.

YOU CAN AMEND THE PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT BASED ON ANY FEEDBACK YOU HAVE.

WE CAN, DEFER IT OR ABANDON THE PROJECT.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NECESSITY WITHOUT AMENDMENT.

THANK YOU.

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

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

COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN UNDER STUDY FOR, WHAT, 2 OR 3 YEARS? AND AND WE RECEIVED EXTRA FUNDING JUST BECAUSE I THINK A GOOD PIECE OF THIS FUNDING IS COMING FROM OTHER SOURCES THAN CEDAR RAPIDS TO DO THE PROJECT. BESIDES THE ASSESSMENT AND THE FACT THAT THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE GROWN DRAMATICALLY.

AND I SEE THE KIDS OUT IN THIS AREA, I LIVE NEAR THERE, AND THEY ACTUALLY WALK DOWN THE F AVENUE DITCH, AND THEY CROSS THE ROAD AND WALK THROUGH THE FARM FIELD TO GET TO TAFT.

AND SO I THINK THIS, THIS NEW CONNECTION IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENT FOR THOSE SEVERAL HUNDRED HOMES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF F AVENUE.

SO IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO SEE IT DONE.

AND THE STONEY POINT ONE IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST STREETS AROUND AND NEVER HAD A SIDEWALK ON THAT ONE SIDE.

AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD TO SEE THAT COMPLETED.

AND THAT'S ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE.

SO I'M PROUD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT SAFE SCHOOL FUNDING.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

YEAH. THANKS, MAYOR. I JUST ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THIS.

I KNOW THAT THE MY FORMER EDUCATOR, WHO'S NOW THE PRINCIPAL OF TAFT, HAD ALSO PERSONALLY REQUESTED THIS.

AND SO JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE CAN DO THIS TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NOTHING FURTHER, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE FY 2024 BRIDGE MAINTENANCE PROJECT.

[7. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the FY 2024 Bridge Maintenance project (estimated cost is $2,670,000) (Ken DeKeyser). CIP/DID #305150-04]

KEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU. THIS PROJECT ENTAILS MAINTENANCE ON THREE OF OUR BRIDGES.

F AVENUE, NORTHWEST D AVENUE, NORTHWEST BRIDGE, WHICH ARE TIED TOGETHER, AS WELL AS THE 16TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST BRIDGE ALL OVER THE CEDAR RIVER.

[00:40:02]

AS STATED, $2.67 MILLION, OPINION OF PROBABLE COST.

WE INTEND ON BIDDING THIS PROJECT FEBRUARY 7TH, WITH A LATE START IN APRIL, WITH A SPECIFIED COMPLETION ON NOVEMBER 27TH.

AND BOTH OF THESE SITES, HAVE COORDINATION WITH THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM, WHICH I'LL EXPLAIN HERE.

SO HERE'S ONE OF THE SITES.

THIS IS A 16TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST BRIDGE, NOTED HERE THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WORK UNDER TRAFFIC IN TWO STAGES.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO CLOSE THE BRIDGE OFF FULLY FOR THIS WORK.

THIS WILL ALSO BE DONE, TIMED IN CONNECTION WITH SOME OF OUR FLOOD CONTROL WORK, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE REMOVING, THE FAÇADE OFF THE UPSTREAM END OF THE 16TH AVENUE BRIDGE, FOR THAT PROJECT.

AND THEN HERE'S THE F AVENUE, NORTHWEST SIDE.

JUST PUT THIS GRAPHIC UP HERE IN THE IN THE UPPER CORNER HERE SHOWING THIS IS A 5 IN 1 DAM.

SO BELOW THE F AVENUE AND E AVENUE BRIDGES, THIS IS A FIVE AND ONE ACTUAL DAM STRUCTURE AND THEN OVERPASSES I-380.

SO THIS SHOWS, THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WILL HAPPEN ON F AVENUE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT LANE AND ROAD CLOSURE STAGES, WHICH WILL BE COORDINATED WITH OUR FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT HERE.

IT'S IN THE IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER SHADED THERE.

SO THAT IS THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS PARK WORK THERE.

AND THEN THE E AVENUE SIDE OF THAT BRIDGE WILL HAVE, SIMILAR REPAIR WORK DONE ON IT.

THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO ADOPT PLANS AND SPECS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU KEN.

THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD SHOW A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. THANKS MAYOR.

KEN, I KNOW THAT WE HAD.

I MEAN, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW NEEDS TO BRING THIS BRIDGE UP TO, GOOD CONDITIONS, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE 501 DAM IN RELATION TO THE RIVER RECREATION THAT WE ANTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE. IS THAT ALSO PART OF THIS PLAN TO START PREPPING FOR THAT? THE RIVER RECREATION PROJECT IS A SEPARATE PROJECT.

THIS IS STRICTLY BRIDGE DECK REPAIR.

OKAY. JUST TRYING TO GET THE TRAFFIC SURFACE REPAIRED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

ANYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL? OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MAIER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER HOEGER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

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

THE FIRST COMMENT PERIOD IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO CITY ACTION SCHEDULED TODAY.

AND WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

SO WE WILL MOVE ALONG.

CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANGES TO OUR AGENDA?

[MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA]

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

THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY TODD, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE, THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THAT BRINGS US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES AS WELL.

THANK YOU COUNCIL.

MOVING ON TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER 33 IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE 9TH STREET SOUTHWEST RAILROAD CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS.

[33. Report on bids for the 9th Street SW Railroad Crossing Improvements between 10th Avenue SW and 14th Avenue SW project (estimated cost is $120,000) (Ken DeKeyser). CIP/DID #301994-18]

THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $120,000.

KEN DEKEYSER IS HERE AGAIN.

KEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

HELLO AGAIN. SO THIS IS A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CROSSING SURFACE AND PAVED APPROACHES AT 9TH STREET SOUTHWEST.

WE ARE COST SHARING WITH THE IOWA DOT AND CRANDIC RAILWAY.

IT'S A 20% COST SHARE ON OUR PART, $120,000 WAS THE OPINION OF PROBABLE COST.

WE RECEIVED NINE BIDS ON JANUARY 10TH AND WE HAVE A LATE START IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR.

THIS IS THE LOCATION OF THE CROSSING, AS YOU CAN SEE DIRECTLY EAST IS THE CITY SERVICES CENTER.

AND THEN JUST OFF TO THE NORTHWEST IS CARGILL.

WE RECEIVED THE NINE BIDS.

IT'S A GOOD GROUP OF BIDS THAT, VARIED FROM $83,214.15, UP TO THE HIGHEST BID OF $115,668.50.

SO ALL THE BIDS WERE LOWER THAN OUR COST OPINION.

THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AND AWARD THIS CONTRACT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU KEN.

COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY MAIER, SECONDED BY OVERLAND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

[00:45:01]

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER 34 IS PRESENTATION AND RESOLUTION, ADOPTING THE ROCKFORD ROAD MICRO AREA ACTION PLAN AND INCORPORATING IT INTO ENVISION CR, AND HALEY

[34. Presentation and resolution adopting the Rockford Road Micro-Area Action Plan and incorporating it into EnvisionCR (Haley Sevening). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #CD-0094-2024]

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON.

HALEY SEVENING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PLANNING PROCESS IN GENERAL, AND THEN SPECIFIC TO THIS PLAN.

ENVISION CR DOES SET OUT A VISION FOR AREA PLANNING.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT INCLUDES THREE TYPES OF PLAN DOCUMENTS.

SO NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLANS, AREA ACTION PLANS AND CORRIDOR ACTION PLANS.

AND SO WE ARE LOOKING TO AMEND ENVISION CR TO INCLUDE A FOURTH TYPE, WHICH WE ARE CALLING THE MICRO AREA ACTION PLAN, VERY SIMILAR YOU'LL FIND TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR AREA ACTION PLANS FOLLOWS A SIMILAR PROCESS, BUT GENERALLY INCLUDES A MUCH SMALLER PROJECT BOUNDARY AREA.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN A RECENT PLAN FOR THE WEST AREA ACTION PLAN, IT WAS ABOUT THREE SQUARE MILES.

THIS ONE IS NOT EVEN ONE SQUARE MILE, SO REALLY FOCUSED IN AND TARGETING SPECIFIC AREAS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THE PLAN AREA BOUNDARIES FOR THIS PLAN, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE IMAGE KIND OF OUTLINED IN RED THERE, INCLUDE ALL THE MAJOR SPORT FACILITIES IN THE AREA AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY FOUND ALONG ROCKFORD ROAD.

SO JUST TO KIND OF REITERATE HERE IS THAT EXAMPLE, WHERE THIS AREA IS MUCH SMALLER AND MORE TARGETED AND AS A RESULT, REALLY FOCUSING ON OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO USERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, BUSINESSES.

IN THIS CASE, OF COURSE, THE SPORTS FACILITIES WITHIN THIS AREA.

SO WHY ROCKFORD ROAD? FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT IS A REGIONAL DESTINATION.

OF COURSE WE HAVE THE MAJOR SPORTS FACILITIES SUCH AS VETS MEMORIAL STADIUM, KINGSTON STADIUM AND THE ICE ARENA.

BUT I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S EASY TO FORGET THAT THERE IS ALSO THE TENNIS CENTER THERE, AS WELL AS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL'S BASEBALL FIELD.

SO A LOT OF SPORTS REALLY FOCUSED IN THIS, THIS SMALL AREA.

IN ADDITION, THERE IS A HISTORY OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES.

SO REALLY LOCALIZED FLOODING IN THIS AREA AS RECENT AS 2014.

AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME WORK AND EFFORTS SINCE THEN TO IMPROVE THAT.

AND THEN FINALLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK, IN THIS AREA FOR TRANSITIONAL LAND USES.

RIGHT NOW IT'S, IT'S ZONED TO A TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIAL MIXED USE DISTRICT.

WHICH IS ACTUALLY PRETTY FLEXIBLE.

SO IT ALLOWS A MIX OF MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL, LIGHT KIND OF INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE MANUFACTURING, AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL AND LIKE SERVICE USES.

SO A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE ALONG THAT CORRIDOR.

SO IN TERMS OF PLAN GOALS FOR ALL OF OUR PLANNING PROCESSES, REALLY WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND STAKEHOLDERS VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

WE DO TRULY ENGAGE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT THIS WILL IMPACT IN THIS AREA.

AND WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM DIRECTLY.

IN ADDITION, THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS, WE HOPE TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO AND FEASIBILITY OF PRIVATE REDEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS USES.

SO OF COURSE, THE RESIDENTIAL SERVICE, DINING, ENTERTAINMENT, ANYTHING REALLY PERMITTED WITHIN THAT ZONE DISTRICT.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, ULTIMATELY WE IDENTIFY THE GOALS AND THE ACTION STEPS WHICH MAKE UP THE BULK OF THE PLAN DOCUMENT TO ADDRESS THAT STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, ALLEVIATE ANY OF THOSE BARRIERS IDENTIFIED, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THROUGH PUBLIC INVESTMENT, SPURRING THE PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

SO REALLY QUICKLY HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS COMPLETED.

THE PROJECT STARTED OUT WITH IN-PERSON STAKEHOLDER EVENTS AGAIN, THAT INCLUDED SOME OF THE SPORT FACILITY OPERATORS AND USERS, BUSINESS AND PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE AREA, AS WELL AS AN INVITATION TO THE FEW RESIDENTS THAT ARE WITHIN THAT STUDY AREA.

AND ALSO DID INCLUDE THE TAYLOR AREA AND CLEVELAND AREA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.

ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROCESS, ONCE THOSE GOALS AND ACTION STEPS HAD KIND OF BEEN DRAFTED AND DEVELOPED, REENGAGE WITH THOSE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS BECAUSE THEY WILL SERVE AS OUR PARTNERS THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION.

SO MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE AND THERE'S BUY IN REALLY COMMUNITY WIDE FOR SOME OF THESE GOALS AND ACTION STEPS.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE ENDED THE PROCESS WITH A PLAN OPEN HOUSE TO KIND OF REALLY SHARE OUT THOSE FINAL DRAFT GOALS AND ACTION STEPS.

AND WE ALSO ASKED FOR ATTENDEES TO HELP PRIORITIZE THOSE ACTION STEPS AS WELL.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, HERE YOU'RE SEEING ON THE LEFT, THE FIRST QUESTION WE ASKED DURING OUR IN-PERSON WORKSHOP WAS, TO GIVE US THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE THE AREA AS IT EXISTS TODAY.

SO IN THAT WORD CLOUD, THE BIGGER WORDS REPRESENT THE MORE COMMON RESPONSES.

SO SPORTS, INDUSTRIAL, BUSY AGED.

AND THEN ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, WE ASKED TO GIVE US THREE WORDS AGAIN TO DESCRIBE THEIR VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

[00:50:01]

AND WE HEARD INVITING EVENTS SAFE, MORE TREES AND CLOSED STADIUM THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.

AND THEN BY NO MEANS IS THIS ALL OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD.

BUT I THINK SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT OR REPEATED INFORMATION THAT WE GOT FROM STAKEHOLDERS IN TERMS OF STRENGTHS FOR THE AREA.

IT'S AN ENTERTAINMENT AREA.

IT'S PROXIMAL TO DOWNTOWN.

A LOT OF HISTORY EXISTS HERE ALREADY WITH SPORTS AND VETERANS MILITARY.

IT IS QUITE ACCESSIBLE AND WALKABLE.

AND THEN OF COURSE THE SPORTS COMPLEXES.

IN TERMS OF WEAKNESSES, CONCERNS ABOUT BUILDING MAINTENANCE, FEW PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES ALONG THOSE LINES, LACK OF STREET LIGHTING, SAFETY IN GENERAL AT INTERSECTION CROSSINGS.

AND THEN WE DID ALSO HEAR LACK OF NON SPORTS RELATED ENTERTAINMENT.

SO OTHER TYPES OF USES THAT COULD SUPPORT THE SPORTS THAT EXIST THERE TODAY.

AND THEN SOME CONCERNS ABOUT NOISE.

SO THEN, IN ADDITION TO THOSE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, WE WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU SEE FOR THIS AREA.

AND I THINK WE HEARD PRETTY CLEARLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE AND ENHANCE THE NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY THAT ALREADY EXISTS THERE.

OF COURSE, AGAIN, THOSE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY IN TERMS OF ALL MODES.

SO, IT'S A FACT THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL DRIVE TO GET THERE, BUT PROVIDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO WALK OR BIKE OR TAKE A VEO.

AND THEN IMPROVED STREETSCAPE AS AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.

SO ON THE NEXT THREE SLIDES I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE KEY ACTION STEPS.

THESE ARE I THINK THE TOP SEVEN I WILL SHOW YOU THAT WERE PRIORITIZED DURING THE OPEN HOUSE.

AGAIN THIS IS BY NO MEANS ALL OF THEM.

THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE FULL PLAN DOCUMENT, BUT DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THE KEY ONES BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS.

SO FIRST INVESTIGATE DEVELOPING A SPORTS FACILITIES INSPIRED NAMING STRATEGY FOR THE STUDY AREA.

EXPLORE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE SPACE AROUND THE T-33A AIRCRAFT AND IDENTIFY POSSIBLE LOCATIONS AND RESPONSIBLE PARTIES FOR INSTALLATION OF PEDESTRIAN COMFORT AMENITIES. AND YOU'LL SEE A THEME THROUGHOUT AS I PRESENT THESE AS THEY ARE REALLY BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD.

SO CONTINUING ON WITH THE KEY ACTION STEPS, COMPLETE A PARKING STUDY FOR THE SPORT FACILITY PROPERTIES AND ADJACENT STREETS.

A COMPLETED ENGINEERING STUDY TO DETERMINE IF PEDESTRIAN CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED AT THE 8TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST CROSSING AT ROCKFORD ROAD.

AND EXPLORE USE OF 380 EXPRESS, CR TRANSIT, OR OTHER TRANSIT SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE SPORTING EVENTS.

AND THEN I DID ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE PLAN DOCUMENT OR THE FORMAT THIS YEAR IS IN TWO FORMS. ONE IS A STORY MAP, WHICH YOU'LL SEE KIND OF SCROLLING THROUGH IN THIS VIDEO ON THE SCREEN.

IT'S REALLY JUST AN ONLINE INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE WHERE FOLKS CAN INTERACT, AS YOU SAW THERE WITH THE MAPS.

THEY CAN REALLY ENGAGE WITH THE INFORMATION.

THEY CAN CLICK ON, YOU KNOW, ATTRIBUTES OR DATA WITHIN THOSE MAPS TO EXPLORE NOT ONLY THIS AREA, BUT THE AREAS SURROUNDING THE STUDY AREA.

BUT THEN ACKNOWLEDGING, OF COURSE, FOR SOME PEOPLE, JUST A PRINTED DOCUMENT IS, YOU KNOW, GOOD TOO.

SO AS PART OF THIS, THERE IS A COMPANION PDF EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND BOTH IN DRAFT FORM RIGHT NOW ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.

AND IF ADOPTED, THE FINAL VERSIONS WOULD BE ADDED THERE AS WELL.

SO THEN TO CONCLUDE IT'S STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, ADOPTING THIS PLAN AND INCORPORATING IT INTO ENVISION CR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU HALEY.

COUNCIL QUESTIONS.

COMMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

THANKS, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, HALEY, I'M JUST SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FULL COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS.

AND AFFORDING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.

SOMEWHAT SADLY, THIS IS NO LONGER IN MY, IN MY DISTRICT ANYMORE.

BUT IT IS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE.

WE WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE THE MIDWEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS HERE.

PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE A SOUTH SIDER.

YOU ARE. THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE SPENDING ALL YOUR TIME.

YOU'RE EITHER AT KINGSTON OR YOU'RE AT THE BASEBALL DIAMONDS FOR JEFF, OR YOU'RE AT THE KERNELS, OR YOU'RE AT THE ICE ARENA.

THIS IS WHERE IT'S ALL HAPPENING.

BUT THE MISSING PIECE THAT, WAS, LIKE, HUMBLY PRESENTED IN THIS REALLY IS THAT WALKABILITY.

BECAUSE I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT TANA, BUT I USED TO HAVE BOTH TANA AND CANA, CLEVELAND AREA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN MY DISTRICT, AND BOTH OF THEM BROUGHT UP AGAINST THIS. AND THEY ARE BOTH WALKING TO THESE, TO THESE FACILITIES.

BUT SOME OF IT IS WALKING IN THE STREET BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE DISCONNECTED SIDEWALKS.

SO WHEN WE IMPROVE THAT, IMPROVE THOSE SIDEWALKS AND THAT WALKABILITY AROUND HERE, WHEN WE PUT IN MORE THINGS TO KIND OF STAY IN PLAY.

[00:55:03]

I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER AREAS WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TALKING ABOUT AND IDENTIFYING THROUGHOUT CEDAR RAPIDS, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS BE THE PILOT AND SEE WHERE WE GO FROM HERE, BUT APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FOR THIS.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.

AND I THINK I JUST WANTED TO MENTION TO ASHLEY THAT THIS SLID INTO MY DISTRICT, AND IT WAS NOW AS PART OF DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR, I THINK, JUST AROUND THE LINE.

AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS REDEVELOPMENT.

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING? HEALTHY COMPETITION THE YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT'S EXCITING IS THAT OF THE FOUR SPORTS FACILITIES THAT YOU NAMED OR FIVE ACTUALLY ALL HAVE BEEN IMPROVED.

THE SPORTS FACILITIES ARE IN GOOD SHAPE, THE BEST THEY'VE EVER BEEN IN.

WHAT'S NOT BEEN IMPROVED IS THE AREA SURROUNDING IT FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO THAT, AND MAKING IT A MORE OF AN AMENITY.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IF YOU GO TO ALL THE NEW BASEBALL PARKS, ALL THE NEW PARKS, YOU GO THROUGH HOUSING, YOU GO THROUGH RESTAURANTS, YOU GO THROUGH OTHER AREAS TO ON YOUR WAY TO THESE FACILITIES.

AND I THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH SOME BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN REDONE ALONG THERE, THERE'S A LONG WAYS TO GO.

IT'S A TIGHT SPACE, BUT I THINK SIDEWALKS, AMENITIES, TREES, LIGHTING WILL MAKE THE EXPERIENCE.

AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO THIS AREA BECAUSE OF OUR VARYING SPORTS TEAMS. AND THIS AREA IS ALL THEY DRIVE TO AND THEN THEY LEAVE.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I THINK THAT WE UPGRADE AND SO THAT WE MAKE THIS AREA SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKES AN IMPRESSION SAYING THIS IS NICE.

AND WHAT'S AS ASHLEY MENTIONED, WHAT'S EXCITING IS THAT IF THIS AREA IS IMPROVED, IT IMPROVES THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH ARE VERY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OTHER TYPES OF THINGS. AND I THINK IF WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE THE AREA ASSOCIATIONS, EVERYBODY WINS.

AND SO I AGREE WITH ASHLEY.

THIS IS EXCITING. THIS HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE.

AND I'M REALLY I'M THRILLED WITH HOW THIS HAS COME TOGETHER IN THIS ONE PART.

AND I DIDN'T.

WHEN WERE THE OPEN HOUSES? BECAUSE IT JUST CAME INTO MY DISTRICT HERE LAST, LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IS, WHEN WERE THE OPEN HOUSES? I MISSED THOSE. YEAH SO WE STARTED THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS EARLY LAST YEAR.

FEBRUARY TIME FRAME ISH.

OPEN HOUSE WAS IN NOVEMBER.

BECAUSE IT JUST CAME IN. YEAH. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING THERE, BUT I'VE BEEN A LONG TERM USER OF ESPECIALLY THE KERNELS FACILITY AND REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS WHOLE AREA CHANGE. AND SO, GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

I WON'T GET INTO THE HEALTHY COMPETITION THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE NOTED, BUT APPRECIATE THE WORK.

A COUPLE THINGS.

HAVE TO GIVE A KUDOS TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, WHO GOT 8TH AVENUE DONE, NEXT TO THE KERNEL STADIUM.

I WANT TO SAY PRIOR BASEBALL SEASON, BUT JUST SORT OF CLOSE.

BUT IT MADE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC ACCESS.

IT WAS VERY, VERY, SPEAKING OF COMPETITION IN THE EARLY DAYS BETWEEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE CITY TO GET THAT SITE DEVELOPED.

AND WHAT HAS EVOLVED, WHICH IS NICE UNTO ITS OWN, IS IT'S SORT OF HAS EVOLVED INTO A CAMPUS.

WE DON'T THINK OF IT AS A CAMPUS.

BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE AMENITIES THAT ARE MISSING, THAT'S WHAT'S MISSING, THAT CAMPUS FEEL, BECAUSE CERTAINLY THAT'S THAT'S THE CASE.

IT WAS PART OF THE ANY YOU GUYS REMEMBER THE 15 AND 5? THIS WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS ON IT AND IT NEVER GOT TO THE NEXT STEP BECAUSE THERE WAS NEVER ANY FUNDING FOR IT.

AND SO DID YOU INVESTIGATE ANY, FUNDING STREAMS IN TERMS OF, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY TO CHARACTERIZE THIS AS AN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT OR TIF UNTO ITSELF, OR THOSE KIND OF ITEMS? YES, I WOULD SAY STILL KIND OF TO COME THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.

EARLY DISCUSSIONS OR ONE OF THE ACTION STEPS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS KIND OF RELATED TO THAT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY AND BRANDING AND HOW TO SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AREA.

SO DEFINITELY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AS IMPLEMENTATION OCCURS.

BRANDING IS EASY. THE BRANDING IS DONE, YOU GOT ICE ARENA, A BALLPARK, A FOOTBALL STADIUM.

I MEAN, IT'S THAT'S THE THAT PIECE IS DONE, BUT IT'S REALLY IT'S THE FUNDING PIECE.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A GREAT CITY MANAGER TO FINISH FIGURE THOSE THINGS OUT.

YOU KNOW AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

AND I THINK IT REALLY SAYS A LOT THIS THE VISION FOR THIS AREA HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE YOU SAID 15 AND 5.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE ADVOCATING FOR THIS.

AND AND WHAT I THINK MIGHT BE MOST RELEVANT FOR, FOR THOSE OF US HERE TODAY, I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPERS,

[01:00:05]

IT'S INCREDIBLE THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC WE ALREADY HAVE OVER THERE.

AND, WHAT'S HEARTENING TO ME IS THIS IS REALLY DRIVEN BY DEMAND.

THIS IS, THIS IS HAPPENING VERY ORGANICALLY.

SO IT'S IT'S PROBABLY PAST TIME, HONESTLY, JUDGING BY THE INTEREST THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THAT AREA FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON THIS.

THANKS SO MUCH, STAFF.

IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER 35 IS A PRESENTATION REGARDING A HOUSING PROJECT AT 1319, 1323, 1327 AND 1333 ELLIS

[35. Presentation regarding a housing project at 1319, 1323, 1327 and 1333 Ellis Boulevard NW as proposed by Mods Enterprises (Jeff Wozencraft and Scott Mather). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #PRD-034057-2023]

JEFF WOZENCRAFT JOINS SCOTT MATHER.

GENTLEMEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR JEFF WOZENCRAFT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AND I HAVE SCOTT MATHER HERE, WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM.

SO SOME BACKGROUND, THE CITY RECEIVED AN INITIAL INQUIRY TO, FOR THE DISPOSITION OF THESE PROPERTIES FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

SOME CHARACTERISTICS.

THERE ARE FOUR CONTIGUOUS PARCELS.

THREE OF THEM WERE ACQUIRED AFTER THE FLOOD, AND ONE WAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED VIA TAX SALE, APPROXIMATELY A HALF ACRE IN SIZE.

THEY'RE CURRENTLY ZONED URBAN VILLAGE RESIDENTIAL.

ALL OF THE PARCELS ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN, SO IT WOULD NEED TO MEET OUR FLOODPLAIN ORDINANCE.

AND THEY ALL HAVE ACCESS TO CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE RFP WAS ISSUED ON OCTOBER 10TH AND PROPOSALS WERE DUE ON DECEMBER 1ST.

SO, AERIAL HERE WE HAVE ON THE LEFT, ELLIS BOULEVARD RUNNING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE IMAGE, M AVENUE NORTHWEST TO THE NORTH, THE PARCELS HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN YELLOW TIME CHECK PARK WOULD BE THE LOWER RIGHT HAND OF THIS IMAGE.

THE STREET VIEW HERE, FOUR VACANT PARCELS TOGETHER.

SO THE CITY RECEIVED ONE PROPOSAL, ON THE DEADLINE FOR TWO TOWNHOME BUILDINGS, ONE WOULD BE A THREE UNIT, OWNER OCCUPIED BUILDING AND ONE WOULD BE A FOUR UNIT RENTAL.

THEY WOULD BE 1,500 SQUARE FEET OR SO.

TWO BEDROOM AND TWO AND A HALF BATH WITH TWO STALL DETACHED GARAGES TOTALING OF $1.5 MILLION IN INVESTMENT.

THIS WOULD BE THE THREE UNIT, OWNER OCCUPIED PROPOSAL.

SO THERE WOULD BE HIGHER END FINISHES HERE.

THERE IS A PORCH AT THE REAR, SECOND FLOOR OF THE TOWNHOMES.

AND THEN THIS IS THE FOUR UNIT, RENTAL PROPERTY.

AND THEN HERE THEY WOULD TOGETHER ALONG THE STREET.

AND SO, AS A PART OF THE RESOLUTIONS BEFORE YOU TODAY, WE HAVE THE LOCAL MATCH, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THE WORKFORCE HOUSING TAX CREDIT APPLICATION.

THIS PROJECT, IF AWARDED HERE, WOULD BE QUALIFY FOR OUR LOCAL MATCH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE STANDARD INCENTIVE, A TEN YEAR AND 100% REBATE OF THE NEW VALUE IN TAXES.

BASED ON THE POST CONSTRUCTION VALUE, THIS WOULD GENERATE AROUND $192,000 OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD IN TAXES, WITH $149,000 ABLE TO BE REBATED.

THE TIMELINE OVER FOR THIS.

THE PROJECT WAS ISSUED ON OCTOBER 10TH, DEADLINE WAS DECEMBER 1ST.

WE HELD A STAKEHOLDER REVIEW GROUP ON DECEMBER 11TH WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES, A LENDER, AND A NON COMPETING DEVELOPER, ALL RECOMMENDING THE AWARD OF THIS PROPOSAL.

TODAY WE HAVE THE RESOLUTIONS BEFORE YOU.

AND THEN IF AWARDED HERE, THE WORKFORCE HOUSING TAX CREDIT APPLICATION IS DUE JUNE 10TH.

AND WITH THAT STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL OF BOTH RESOLUTIONS TO AWARD THE PROPOSAL AND TO APPROVE THE LOCAL MATCH.

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

THANK YOU.

THAT'S RIGHT. COUNCIL, WE HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS ON THIS.

SO ON THE FIRST RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE PROPOSAL AND AUTHORIZING NEGOTIATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH MODS ENTERPRISES, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? COUNCIL MEMBER MAIER.

THANKS, JEFF. ACTUALLY, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

THE FIRST IS THERE WAS ONE, RESPONSE THAT YOU RECEIVED TO THE RFP.

IS THAT UNUSUAL TO HAVE SO FEW RESPONSES? AND DO YOU KNOW WHY THERE WAS ONLY ONE? IT IS DEPENDENT UPON THE PROJECT AND THE DISPOSITION.

OUR NORMAL PROCESS FOR OUTREACH.

SO WE MAINTAIN A LIST OF ALL OF OUR PROSPECTIVE DEVELOPERS IN OUR PERMIT DATABASE.

THE LIST AND THE DISPOSITION GOES OUT TO ALL OF THEM.

SOMETIMES WE RECEIVE INTEREST, BUT ONLY ONE PROPOSAL.

[01:05:01]

THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES OF DEVELOPING IN THIS AREA THAT I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE OF SO.

OKAY. THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

AND THE SECOND, QUESTION I HAD IS YOU YOU SHOWED, A SKETCHING OF THE OUTLINE OF WHAT THE PROPERTIES LOOK LIKE.

IN PROJECTS LIKE THIS DO YOU TYPICALLY ALSO GET INFORMATION ABOUT MATERIALS TO BE USED OR MORE OF A COLOR SCHEME? SOMETIMES, THIS.

AS PROPOSED.

WE GET RENDERINGS SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES NOT.

ALL OF THESE PROJECTS NEED TO MEET OUR DESIGN REQUIREMENTS WITHIN OUR ZONING CODE.

HERE, THEY'RE A LITTLE LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN IN OUR DOWNTOWN AND MORE CENTRAL AREAS.

BUT WE DON'T GET SPECIFIC DETAILS, PER SE.

OKAY. THANK YOU MAYOR.

SO IN TERMS OF A.

COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

THANK YOU. WHERE'S THE PARKING FOR THIS? BEHIND YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE'S A DETACHED GARAGE IN THE REAR.

OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

THANKS. I WAS JUST GOING TO POINT OUT, ON THE AGENDA.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO CIRCLE BACK EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING, TO PRIORITIES OR TO STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.

SO, BOTH THE LAST ITEM AND THIS ITEM ARE BOTH HIGHLIGHTED AS COUNCIL PRIORITIES.

WHICH JUST HELPS TO EXPLAIN THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE PRIORITIZED IN OUR GOAL SETTING SESSION.

AND IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, AGREED UPON IN THOSE PRIORITIES.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, AND PRIORITIZE IN OUR, IN OUR WORK.

THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.

YEAH. AND AGAIN, I LIKE THE MIX THAT THERE'S AN OWNERSHIP COMPONENT AND A RENTAL COMPONENT.

SO THAT GIVES MORE FLEXIBILITY TO WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE.

AND WHICH IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL, BUT I LIKE SOME OF THESE NEW CONCEPTS WHERE WE GET BOTH AND HAVE THEM INTERMIXED.

SO IT'S GOOD. WHICH WOULD GIVE US A TOTAL OF SEVEN UNITS UNDER THIS PROGRAM.

SO THAT WOULD BE A NICE ADDITION TO THAT AREA.

ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL, ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THIS RESOLUTION? HOEGER. JUST ONE.

JUST A LAST THING TO ECHO WHAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, BECAUSE IT IS A MIX OF OWNERSHIP AND RENTAL.

THE ACCESS TO THESE WILL BE IN THE ALLEY.

SO WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.

THANK YOU. I SMELL HOMEWORK REGARDING ALLIES.

THANKS SO MUCH. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, SO LET'S GO AHEAD ON THIS THIS RESOLUTION.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE NEXT RESOLUTION FOR THIS ITEM.

DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS.

AND THIS IS THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT OF THE WORKFORCE HOUSING TAX CREDIT AGAIN HUGE PRIORITY FOR THIS COUNCIL OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ALONG.

THE ADOPTION OF THAT RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER HOEGER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU COUNCIL.

AND THAT DOES CLOSE OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS FOR TODAY.

AND BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.

[PUBLIC INPUT]

AS WITH THE EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT THIS TIME, WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN.

SO I WILL JUST REMIND EVERYONE WHO IS SPEAKING TODAY TO REMAIN AT THE LECTERN.

COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES.

NO ABUSIVE, LOUD, THREATENING OR PERSONAL COMMENTS.

AND IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON, AND I WILL JUST MERELY CALL THESE IN ORDER THAT ARE LISTED HERE ON THE SIGN UP SHEET. SO WE BEGIN WITH MELISSA DUFFIELD, WHO'S HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MURAL.

I ALSO WANT TO ECHO A SENTIMENT TO THESE PEOPLE FOR A CEASE FIRE.

THAT SHOULD BE OUR GOVERNMENT'S PRIORITY FOR PEACE.

SO WHY ARE WE HERE? MARTIN LUTHER KING SAID, LET ME START MY TIMER.

WE NEED LEADERS NOT IN LOVE WITH MONEY.

WE NEED LEADERS THAT ARE IN LOVE WITH JUSTICE, NOT IN LOVE WITH PUBLICITY, BUT IN LOVE WITH HUMANITY.

SEEMS THAT WE'VE FORGOTTEN THIS AS A CITY COUNCIL.

WE HAVE IGNORED ENDANGERING OUR CHILDREN, INJUSTICES AND PUBLIC DUTIES BROUGHT BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.

NO JUSTICE, NO HUMANITY.

I AM SPEAKING TODAY ON OUR MURAL THAT YOU GUYS CHOSE TO UNCOVER.

THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT YOU GUYS FORGET TO OUTLINE IN HERE AND SEVERAL PARTS OF THE IMAGERY THAT YOU FORGET TO EXPLAIN.

YOUR TOURS OF THE SUPPOSED GRANT WOOD ERA AMERICAN GOTHIC PIECE IS LAUGHABLE.

THIS ARTWORK WAS DEEMED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE GROTESQUE, NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE AND POORLY DONE, AND THEY DEMANDED IT TO BE COVERED IN 1950.

[01:10:05]

AND THE CITIZENS SUCH AS MYSELF COULD NOT AGREE MORE.

BUT FOR SOME REASON THIS COUNCIL, INCLUDING SCOTT OLSON WALKING AWAY, AND ANN POE, THEY CHOSE TO VOTE TO UNCOVER IT.

SO LET'S BREAK DOWN WHAT YOU APPROVED TO SHINE BRIGHT AND SPEAK TO OUR CITIZENS THAT WALK INTO THIS ROOM.

AND HOW AM I QUALIFIED ALSO TO SPEAK ON THIS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN? I ACTUALLY AM AN ART MAJOR FROM A FOUR YEAR INSTITUTION THAT WAS RECRUITED TO MAJOR ART INSTITUTIONS WHEN I WAS 12.

SO LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU SOME SIMPLE THINGS.

OUR BRAVE AND HONORABLE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE TRIBES OF NATIONS DESERVE NOT TO BE PORTRAYED AS DEMONS WITH POSSESSED EYES AND RED HORNS. GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

IT IS A DISGRACE THAT THEY ARE PORTRAYED WITH GLOWING HORNS, TAILS, SATANIC SYMBOLISM, AND A NAZI SWASTIKA ON THEIR TEEPEE.

WELL, THE ONE BEFORE THAT.

AND A SWASTIKA, BY THE WAY, IN 1939, VANORNY IS IN THE HEIGHT OF THE NAZI REGIME.

OUR BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN AMERICANS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE DISGRACED BY BEING PORTRAYED AS CRIMINALS.

BEING SHOWN HERE ACTUALLY BEING PERP WALKED IN FRONT OF A CROWD IN CHAINS.

IS THIS HOW HUMAN BEINGS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE SEEN BY OUR CITY? QUITE CURIOUS.

AND FURTHERMORE, IN THIS SECTION, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WOMAN THAT HAS A SHOTGUN TO HER HEAD BY OUR POLICE FORCE.

I THINK OUR POLICE FORCE SHOULD BE ASHAMED WITH IMAGES LIKE THIS.

IS THAT YOUR DUTY TO PUT SHOTGUNS TO THE CITIZENS HEADS BEHIND THEIR BACK? QUITE CONCERNING.

AND NUMBER THREE, WE HAVE A CHILD ON A TABLE THAT ALSO HAS HORNS.

AND THIS, GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT ONE.

THANK YOU TO MY BEAUTIFUL ASSISTANT.

IS A ABSOLUTELY 100% AN EXPERIMENT IN WHICH WE HAVE NEWS ARTICLES AND SCENES THAT SAY SWEDEN HAS CURED SYPHILIS AND PLAY BALL.

GREAT JOB CR, SHOWING CHILD EXPERIMENTS AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES NEXT TO A CHILD THAT ALSO SAY PLAY BALL.

I BET THE PEDOPHILES LOVE THIS ONE, PLAY BALL, SEX WITH KIDS MAKES SENSE.

NOT SURPRISED THAT YOU WOULD APPROVE THIS MURAL AND THINK THAT THIS IS GREAT.

I MEAN, YOU'VE PUT $150 MILLION INTO A PUBLIC PRIVATE PROJECT WITH A GIANT SIGN FOR MY INTERSTATE THAT SAYS PICKLE PALACE.

HOW WONDERFUL.

WHICH IS NOW THE NUMBER ONE TIKTOK AND PEDOPHILE PICTURES FOR PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THAT AS WELL.

A STERLING EXAMPLE OF HOW WE PUT OUR CITIZENS FIRST IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND OUR FOURTH, BUT NOT LEAST, AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, IS HERE YOU HAVE A HANGING MAN WITH NO FACE, AND ON THE BACK YOU ACTUALLY CAN TELL THAT IT IS A RITUAL. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT UNDERSTAND SATANISM AND YOU HAVE THE WORD THAT IS [INAUDIBLE], WHAT IS [INAUDIBLE] AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN THE ORIGIN OF ITS NAME? IT'S NOWHERE THAT YOU CAN CLAIM THAT YOU DON'T KNOW OR UNDERSTAND THIS, BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] ACTUALLY CAN MEAN, THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER EXISTING.

IT COULD ALSO MEAN THAT YOUR SOUL DOES NO LONGER BELONG TO YOU.

IT ALSO CAN MEAN WOMEN ON THE COUNCIL I HAVE BEEN RAPED, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'D WANT TO UNCOVER THAT.

AND LET'S PRETEND PERHAPS IT'S A LAST NAME OF ANGLO-SAXON ORIGIN.

IT ACTUALLY WOULD MEAN THAT YOU'RE A LEADER AND A PERSON OF SUPERIOR CLOUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT SO WHAT WE SHOULD HANG THOSE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, PEOPLE THAT COME FORWARD, OR PEOPLE THAT ARE OLD WITH WHITE HAIR OR PEOPLE THAT ARE CHILLING, WHICH IS THE ENGLISH VERSION OF THE WORD.

THAT'S QUITE INTERESTING.

MY FAVORITE IS THAT YOU NEVER EXISTED.

HOWEVER, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR YOUR ART LESSON TODAY IS THAT THIS IS ALSO CALLED A BACK FIGURE, AND A BACK FIGURE IS REPRESENTING THAT THE VIEWER SHOULD PUT THEMSELVES IN THAT POSITION. SO PEOPLE SHOULD WALK INTO THIS HOUSE OF JUSTICE AND ACTUALLY PUT THEMSELVES IN THE POSITION OF BEING PERP WALKED AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN CHAINS, A PERSON THAT IS BEING HUNG, A PERSON THAT IS WHAT I AM RAPED, A PERSON THAT IS BEING USED FOR EXPERIMENTS BECAUSE WHY? $300,000 COST WELL WORTH MONEY SPENT WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE COULD PUT IT IN FRONT OF, YOU KNOW, I GUESS YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE HUNG AS CITIZENS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT BACK FIGURE MEANS.

WE SHOULD PUT OURSELVES IN THAT POSITION.

YOU WORK FOR US, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

AND THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT CEDAR RAPIDS.

AND YOUR TIME IS UP.

CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT UP, JOE [INAUDIBLE] HERE TO SPEAK ON THE SAFETY OF RESIDENTS.

IS JOE STILL HERE? OKAY. NEXT UP, MIRIAM DOWD HERE ON THE SAFETY OF RESIDENTS.

AND FEEL FREE TO CORRECT MY PRONUNCIATION TOO.

MAKE SURE I GOT THAT RIGHT.

HELLO. YOU WERE CLOSE.

IT IS MARIAM DAOUD.

[INAUDIBLE] PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON YOU ALL.

MY NAME IS MARIAM DAOUD.

MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME AS MIMI, AND I AM ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND A RESIDENT OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

[01:15:04]

I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO STAND ALONGSIDE THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND DEMANDING A CEASE FIRE.

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT FOREIGN AFFAIRS SHOULD BE DISCUSSED ON THE FLOOR OF A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

NEED I REMIND YOU THAT AFTER OCTOBER 7TH, MAYOR TIFFANY O'DONNELL HERSELF READ A PRAYER FOR ISRAEL AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

SOME CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ALSO RELEASED STATEMENTS CONDEMNING HAMAS AND EXPRESSED THEIR HEARTBREAK OVER THE ISRAELI LIVES LOST ON OCTOBER 7TH.

THOSE SAME INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN EERILY SILENT FOR THE 30,000 LIVES LOST IN GAZA IN THE 107 DAYS SINCE THEN.

MY QUESTION TO YOU IS THIS WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? WHAT ABOUT OCTOBER 7TH LED YOU TO FEEL SO COMPELLED TO RECITE PRAYERS AND POST STATEMENTS WHEN YOU'VE CHOSEN SILENCE FOR THE PALESTINIANS? WHAT FACTORS LED YOU TO DECIDE THE LIVES LOST ON OCTOBER 7TH WERE MORE WORTH YOUR TIME THAN EVERY LIFE LOST SINCE THEN? FURTHERMORE, THE IOWA HOUSE PASSED RESOLUTION 101, EMPHASIZING THE STATE SUPPORT FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND THEIR RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE WITHOUT CONDEMNATION.

IT WENT ON TO URGE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES TO PROTECT ISRAELI CITIZENS OF IOWA AND THOSE IN IOWA WHO ARE PRO-ISRAELI, NOT A MENTION OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GAZANS KILLED, WOUNDED AND MILLIONS DISPLACED.

NOT A MENTION OF THE SEVERAL PALESTINIAN AND PRO-PALESTINIAN CITIZENS OF IOWA WHO ALSO NEED YOUR PROTECTION.

I MYSELF HAVE BEEN NEARLY ATTACKED AT A PEACEFUL LEGAL PROTEST FOR PALESTINE BY A DRUNK MAN.

WE FOUND OUT SHORTLY AFTER, WHEN THE MAN CHOSE TO FLASH HIS GUN AT ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, THAT THAT MAN WAS NOT ONLY INTOXICATED, BUT ARMED.

I HAVE BEEN CURSED AT, SCREAMED AT, SPIT AT, AND I HAVE HAD COLLEAGUES BEEN THREATENED TO BE KILLED, HURT AND RAPED.

A PALESTINIAN FAMILY WHO GIFTED ME THE KEFFIYEH I'M WEARING TODAY, WHOSE DAUGHTER I TAUGHT AT THE SUNDAY SCHOOL IN THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WHO WERE WELL RESPECTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HAD STRONG ROOTS IN CEDAR RAPIDS, NOW NO LONGER LIVE HERE, THEY LEFT EVERYTHING BEHIND THEIR COMMUNITY, THEIR HOME, AND MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTRY . NOT ONLY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T BEAR THE THOUGHT THAT THEIR OWN TAX DOLLARS WERE FUNDING THE GENOCIDE AGAINST THEIR PEOPLE, BUT BECAUSE THEY FELT NO SUPPORT FROM THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THAT IS WHAT YOUR SILENCE IS DOING.

YOUR SILENCE IS ISOLATING THE PALESTINIANS IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

YOUR SILENCE, YOUR CONVENIENCE AND YOUR COMFORT IS AT THE EXPENSE OF OVER 30,000 LIVES LOST IN GAZA.

WHEN OUR STATE GOVERNMENT IS SO CLEARLY PUSHING AN AGENDA THAT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE WANTS AND NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WHO ARE WE SUPPOSED TO RELY ON? WHO ARE WE SUPPOSED TO COME TO? AND IF IT ISN'T THIS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, THEN WHO IS IT? WHETHER OR NOT YOU BELIEVE THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAVE A PLACE IN CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS, YOU MUST BELIEVE IN FAIRNESS AND YOU MUST BELIEVE IN BALANCE.

IT IS UNFAIR AND IT IS UNBALANCED FOR THE CEDAR RAPIDS MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE VOCAL FOR ISRAEL, BUT BE SILENT FOR PALESTINE.

YOU MUST CORRECT THE IMBALANCE AND YOU MUST BE FAIR.

YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE WATCHING AND WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION.

SO WHAT WILL YOU DO MOVING FORWARD? WILL YOU TEST THE BOUNDS OF YOUR OWN COMFORTABILITY, STAND ALONGSIDE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND CHOOSE SOLIDARITY? OR WILL YOU CONTINUE TO COWER AWAY IN SILENCE? AND I WILL END THIS WITH A PRAYER FOR PALESTINE, WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] OH, ALLAH, HELP AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE.

OH ALLAH, EASE THEIR PAIN AND SUFFERING.

OH ALLAH BESTOWER OF MERCY, BESTOW YOUR MERCY ON THOSE IN PALESTINE.

RELIEVE THEIR CONCERNS.

REMOVE THEIR ANGUISH.

HEALED OR SICK, HEALED OR AFFLICTED, HAVE MERCY ON THEIR DEAD AND ACCEPT THEIR DEAD AS MARTYRS.

YA ALLAH, WE WORRY NOT ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY AS MARTYRS, FOR WE KNOW THEY ARE IN THE COMPANY OF THE GREATEST CREATIONS IN THE HIGHEST RANKS OF HEAVEN RIGHT NOW. WE KNOW THAT THEY WERE TAKEN AS YOU PROMISED, PAINLESSLY AND RISEN TO THE HEAVENS BY YOUR ANGELS.

YA ALLAH, WE ASK YOU TO BE WITH THOSE STRUGGLING IN PALESTINE.

YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN PROVIDE RELIEF FOR THEM.

SO RELIEVE THEM.

YA ALLAH, THE OPPRESSED ARE SERVING AS OUR INSPIRATION.

THEY ARE SHOWING US WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE UNWAVERING FAITH.

THEY ARE SHOWING US WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE PATIENCE.

THEY ARE SHOWING US WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE EACH OTHER.

ALLOW THEM TO SERVE AS A LIGHT TO THIS COMMUNITY, AS A MEANS OF UNITY FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

YA ALLAH BE WITH THEM ALL AND AMPLIFY OUR VOICES AND EFFORTS AS WE ATTEMPT TO TURN THE TIDES OF JUSTICE IN THEIR FAVOR.

SEVERAL OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WILL BE UP TO DISCUSS A CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION THAT WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER.

AT THE VERY LEAST, WE HOPE YOU WILL HEAR US OUT.

YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE WORRIED FOR THEIR SAFETY.

[01:20:02]

IT IS NOT A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WANT.

SO IF WE CANNOT TURN TO OUR STATE GOVERNMENT, WE ARE TURNING TO YOU.

HEAR US OUT. THANK YOU.

ALAN MURDOCH HERE TO TALK ON COMPETING CONCEPTS OF CITY DEVELOPMENT.

I THINK THE OTHER COMMENTATORS ARE WONDERFUL PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.

TONIGHT I WANT TO.

I RECENTLY PUBLISHED A LONG FORMAT RESPONSE TO THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN ON MY BLOG AT MURDOCH MEDIA PRODUCTION.COM AND A TWO HOUR VIDEO ON YOUTUBE THAT RESPONDS TO EACH OF YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

TONIGHT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES IN APPROACH BETWEEN MATTHEW 25S PROPOSAL THAT WAS PROPOSED, APPROVED TODAY.

AND MANY OF THE MAINSTREAM DEVELOPMENT CONCEPTS THAT WE SEE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

TWO MONTHS AGO, WELL, WHEN YOU ORIGINALLY, LOOKED AT THAT PLAN, I POINTED OUT THAT MATTHEW 25, THEIR PROJECT IS CONTRARY TO THE PRIMARY THRUST OF DEVELOPMENT IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

IN 2019 WHEN I MOVED HERE, CARGILL, CARGILL AND ECONOMIC ALLIANCE WERE HYPING THE WE FEED THE WORLD SLOGAN, FOCUSING ON IOWA'S ABILITY TO GROW AND MANUFACTURE INGREDIENTS.

THEY TAKE A TRADITIONALLY COMMODITY FOCUSED APPROACH TO AGRICULTURE AND BUSINESS.

I HAD BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO AGRICULTURE AND FOOD BRANDING IN PORTLAND, OREGON AND BOULDER, COLORADO, BOTH PLACES THAT ARE HEAVILY PRODUCE GROWERS BERRIES, GREENS, AS WELL AS HEALTHY, PREPACKAGED MEALS.

HEALTHY FOOD ISN'T AN INGREDIENT, AND WHEN MANAGED RIGHT, IT ISN'T THE COMMODITY.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT, TASTES GOOD, AND DIFFERENTIATES ITSELF FROM FOODS THAT ARE FOCUSED MORE ON THE PRODUCER'S BOTTOM LINE THAN THE PERSON WHO IS INGESTING A MEAL.

I TOLD FOLKS AT MATTHEW 25 THAT THEIR WORK WAS LIKE RESPONDING TO CARGILL'S STATEMENT, WE FEED THE WORLD WITH, BUT YOU FORGOT SOME PEOPLE HERE ON THE ON THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER.

AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE USED THAT EXACT PHRASE IN GRANT PROPOSALS.

MATTHEW 25S FOOD PRODUCTION IS THE CLOSEST THING TO THE KIND OF FOOD CULTURE I HAD BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO IN BETTER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

AND YOU CAN SEE CARGILL IN THE QUAKER OATS SIGN FROM THE MATTHEW 25 URBAN FARM.

I STARTED FILMING DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE CITY AND ECONOMIC ALLIANCE HAD A VISION OF UPLIFTING THE NORTHWEST COMMUNITY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CASINO THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BLOCK THE VIEW BETWEEN THE URBAN FARM AND THOSE SIGNS.

IN INTERPERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS CLOSE TO MATTHEW 25, I FOUND THAT IT IS CLEAR THAT THE THAT THE CULTURE THAT'S THERE, IS IS EXPRESSES EXTREME DOUBT ABOUT THE WAY THE CITY AND ECONOMIC ALLIANCE WANT TO GAMBLE WITH OUR FUTURE IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

WHILE THE CITY AND EA TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY OUT OF ONE SIDE OF THEIR MOUTH, OUT OF THE OTHER, THEY SAY, WE CAN'T RELY ON THE PEOPLE HERE.

WE NEED TO SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON DERIVATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS TO GET PEOPLE NOT FROM HERE TO COME HERE AND SPEND.

MATTHEW 25 SAYS WITH SMART, CAPABLE PEOPLE RIGHT HERE, WE CAN DEVELOP LOCAL CIRCULAR, CIRCULAR ECONOMIES THAT PROVIDE PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED.

MATTHEW 25 SAYS WITH INCREASING WITH INCREASING COSTS, WE NEED TO FIND WAYS OF DEVELOPING HOUSING THAT STARTS AT MARKET RATE BUT COSTS LESS TO THE BUYER OVER TIME WHILE MAINTAINING A POOL OF FUNDS TO FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.

MATTHEW, 25, SAYS TO BE SUSTAINABLE, WE NEED TO GROW MORE PRODUCE, NOT JUST GRAINS, NOT JUST EXTRACTS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T NEED TO TRAVEL THE GLOBE TO GET TO OUR TABLES.

THE EA HAS BEEN ATTRACTING BUSINESSES THAT MOVE HERE AS EXTRACTION BUSINESSES.

THEIR HEADQUARTERS ARE ELSEWHERE.

THEIR WORK IS ROTE, THEIR PROFIT MARGINS HIGH.

THE THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY THAT IS EARNED JUST FLIES OUT OF IOWA AND LARGELY BACK TO FLORIDA, WHERE I UNDERSTAND THE EA HAS OUT OF STATE OFFICES TO NEGOTIATE DEALS.

IT'S TIME THAT WE GET BACK TO A CONSTRUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH THAT STARTS WITH EMPOWERING LOCAL PEOPLE TO DO AMAZING THINGS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

KIRA LITTLE SKY HERE TO SPEAK ON COMMUNITY, INDIVIDUAL REQUEST AND HOUSING.

AND ARTISTIC DIFFERENCE.

HI, MY NAME IS KIRA LITTLE SKY.

I WANT TO WELCOME DAVID TO THE COUNCIL TODAY.

LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON NOW IN OUR CITY.

I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE HOUSING RIGHT NOW.

MY BIGGEST WORRY THIS MONTH IS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE LOOKING FOR HOUSING.

I WAS WORRIED.

[01:25:01]

I DIDN'T HAVE TO MOVE.

I WAS WARM IN MY LITTLE APARTMENT ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

BUT AS I LOOKED OUT IN THE STREET WITH THE BLIZZARD SNOWING DOWN, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE APARTMENTS ON THE WEST SIDE THAT WERE OF NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, HAVING TO FIND NEW APARTMENTS.

THEY PAID THEIR RENT AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING THEIR DEPOSIT BACK, AND THEY HAD NOT PLANNED TO MOVE, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE THIS MONTH.

AND IT WAS AN ENTIRE BUILDING.

AND IT WASN'T JUST THEIR BUILDING BECAUSE ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE.

THE CHALET CAUGHT ON FIRE.

AND SO THAT BUILDING BURNED UP AND THERE'S THAT WHOLE BUILDING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR APARTMENTS AS WELL THIS MONTH.

AND SO YOU HAVE TWO WHOLE BUILDINGS OF PEOPLE WHO DID NOT WANT TO MOVE AND ARE HAVING TO MOVE IN THE SNOW AFTER THE HOLIDAYS WITH NO MONEY.

SO AFFORDABLE HOUSING THIS MONTH I'M SURE THAT THAT WAS CRAZY.

I CANNOT FEEL MORE FOR THOSE PEOPLE TRYING TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO LIVE.

AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT EVERY ONE OF THEM HAD TO MOVE INTO AN APARTMENT.

BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ONE TINY HOUSE OUT THERE, IS THERE? BECAUSE THE SMALL HOUSES ARE VERY LIMITED NOW BECAUSE WE LOST HUNDREDS OF THEM, HUNDREDS OF THEM IN THE FLOODS.

WE LOST [INAUDIBLE] WE LOST TIME CHECK.

AND YEAH, YOU'RE BUILDING BACK A FEW OF THESE THINGS.

AND I LOVE MATTHEW 25 FOR DOING THAT.

BUT THERE'S NO INDIVIDUAL HOUSES AGAIN.

AND YOUR FUTURE THE PEOPLE.

THE KIDS ARE NOT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE AND MORE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE AND INDIVIDUALS WANT FREEDOMS AND INDIVIDUALITY TOO.

WE DON'T NEED THREE, FOUR BEDROOM HOUSES.

WE DON'T NEED $1 MILLION LOT.

THERE ARE TONS AND TONS OF SINGLE PEOPLE OUT THERE, OR COUPLES THAT WANT JUST A TINY LITTLE PIECE, JUST A TINY LITTLE PIECE.

THEY DON'T EVEN NEED A YARD AS BIG AS THE YARDS UP AND DOWN THE BLOCK.

THEY JUST WANT A TINY LITTLE PIECE.

AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE CAN'T FUNCTION IN THESE APARTMENTS.

THERE'S PEOPLE THAT CAN'T MENTALLY FUNCTION WHEN YOU LAY THEM IN THERE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

AND THAT'S WHY A LOT OF THIS VIOLENCE BREAKS OUT.

PEOPLE CAN'T FUNCTION WHEN THEY'RE CROWDED LIKE THAT ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

AND I FEEL FOR THESE PEOPLE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE.

AND I THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AND JUST BECAUSE YOU, HAVE A DIFFERENT NEED, AND YOU CAN'T ACCEPT LIVING IN A TINY APARTMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK HARD AND FIND AND KEEP WORKING HARD AND FIND THAT LITTLE HOUSE WITH THAT TINY LITTLE YARD.

SO THEN YOU CAN HAVE THAT TINY LITTLE SPACE.

AND WHY IN GOD'S NAME IS CEDAR RAPIDS NOT ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN? THIS IS NOT JAPAN.

THIS IS NOT NEW YORK CITY.

WE'RE NOT LANDLOCKED.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PILE US ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

YOU BRING SOMEBODY IN FROM LA AND YOU DRIVE THEM BETWEEN CEDAR RAPIDS AND MARION, AND THEY LOOK AROUND AND SAY, THERE'S NOTHING HERE BECAUSE ALL WE HAVE IS LAND IN THEIR EYES.

SO WHY IS IT SO HARD TO BUILD TINY HOUSES THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ENOUGH PROFIT ENOUGH NOT ENOUGH PROFIT.

A LITTLE BIT OF PROFIT IS ENOUGH.

AND JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER CONSTITUENTS HERE, WANTING PEACE AND WANTING YOU TO LISTEN AND QUIT LISTENING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT YOU SENDING MY TAX DOLLARS AND MONEY TO ANY, ANY COUNTRY FOR WAR EITHER.

NOT ANY OF THEM. NONE OF THEM.

YOU KNOW, START LISTENING TO YOUR PEOPLE AND STOP LISTENING TO THE BUSINESSES.

IT'S THE SAME THING ABOUT THESE ARTISTS ON THE WALLS.

YOU LISTEN TO THE BUSINESSES THAT WANTED TO BRING THEM BACK AND THE MONEY AND THINGS.

THESE ARTISTS DIDN'T GET TO DO WHAT THEY WANTED.

I'M AN ART STUDENT.

THEY GOT PAID TO PUT THIS ON THE WALLS.

THINK ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU.

CHRIS LARSON HERE TO SPEAK ON SAFETY OF RESIDENTS.

HELLO, CHRIS LARSON 306 E AVE NORTHEAST.

AS OF 1/21/24 THE RESOLUTION THIS CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY VETERANS FOR PEACE, ARTISTS OF IOWA, JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE, EASTERN IOWA, IOWANS FOR PALESTINE, PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION, CEDAR RAPIDS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA, STUDENTS

[01:30:09]

ALL OF THESE ORGS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR SUPPORT WITH ONLY A FEW DAYS OF NOTICE WE EXPECT MORE ENDORSEMENTS IN THE COMING WEEKS.

FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO READ THE RESOLUTION.

A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A PERMANENT CEASE FIRE IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL, THE RETURN OF ALL CAPTIVES AND THE DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN AID, AND AFFIRMING OPPOSITION TO ANTI-SEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA AND ANTI-ARAB BIGOTRY, WITH THE AIM OF ACHIEVING A JUSTICE AND LASTING POLITICAL SOLUTION.

WHEREAS ALL HUMAN LIFE IS PRECIOUS AND THE TARGETING OF CIVILIANS IS A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW.

AND WHEREAS OVER 1,200 ISRAELIS WERE KILLED ON OCTOBER 7TH, OVER 25,000 PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE OCTOBER 7TH, 2023, AS OF JANUARY 2ND, 2024, AND PEOPLE OF OTHER NATIONALITIES HAVE BEEN KILLED.

AND WHEREAS CONTINUED HOSTILITIES HAVE FORCED 85% OF PALESTINIANS IN GAZA AND 5 TO 10% OF ISRAELIS TO FLEE THEIR HOMES.

AND WHEREAS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES ARE AT IMMINENT RISK WITHOUT AN IMMEDIATE PERMANENT CEASEFIRE, RESTORATION OF BASIC NECESSITIES, AND DELIVERY OF ADEQUATE AND UNCONDITIONAL HUMANITARIAN AID WITHOUT DELAY TO THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

AND WHEREAS MORE THAN 100 ISRAELI CAPTIVES ARE HELD BY HAMAS, AND MORE THAN 8,000 PALESTINIAN CAPTIVES ARE HELD WITHOUT DUE PROCESS UNDER ISRAELI MARTIAL LAW.

AND WHEREAS, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HOLD IMMENSE DIPLOMATIC POWER TO SAVE PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI LIVES, AND US LAW REQUIRES THAT FOREIGN MILITARY AID NOT BE USED IN THE CONTRAVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

AND WHEREAS THE UNITED STATES PROVIDES ONGOING MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL, OF WHICH APPROXIMATELY $1,358,000 ANNUALLY COME FROM TAXPAYERS IN CEDAR RAPIDS, AS WELL AS HUMANITARIAN AID TO PALESTINE, OF WHICH APPROXIMATELY $56,000 ANNUALLY CAME FROM CEDAR RAPIDS TAXPAYERS DURING THE PERIOD FROM 2017 TO 2022. AND WHEREAS THE MAJORITY OF NATIONS IN THE UN HAVE VOTED IN FAVOR OF A CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION, AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING RESIDENTS OF CEDAR RAPIDS, HAVE JOINED IN PEACEFUL PROTESTS SINCE OCTOBER 7TH TO AMPLIFY THIS CALL.

AND WHEREAS ISLAMOPHOBIA, ANTI-PALESTINIAN, ANTI-ARAB BIGOTRY AND ANTI-SEMITISM HAVE RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD, WITH DIRECT IMPACTS ON COMMUNITIES FROM SYNAGOGUES AND MOSQUES TO SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, HOMES, OFFICES AND PLACES WHERE COMMUNITIES GATHER, AS WELL AS AT PROTESTS AND RALLIES.

AND WHEREAS ALL OF THESE FORMS OF BIGOTRY, VIOLENCE AND OPPRESSION SERVE TO DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITIES AND WEAKEN OUR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE COLLECTIVE SAFETY, JUSTICE, AND TRUE MULTIETHNIC, MULTIRACIAL, MULTI-RELIGIOUS DEMOCRACY HERE AND EVERYWHERE.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF CEDAR RAPIDS, THAT ONE, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, UNEQUIVOCALLY CONDEMNS BOTH THE ATTACKS ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2023 BY HAMAS AND THE KILLINGS OF CIVILIANS IN GAZA AND WEST BANK BY THE STATE OF ISRAEL, AND TWO THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, AFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO COMBAT ANTI-PALESTINIAN ANTI-ARAB BIGOTRY, ANTI-SEMITISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA.

AND NUMBER THREE, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS AFFIRMS ITS SUPPORT FOR ALL PEOPLE IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL TO LIVE IN PEACE, JUSTICE AND SECURITY.

FOUR, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS AFFIRMS ITS SUPPORT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING RESIDENTS OF CEDAR RAPIDS, TO LIVE, LEARN, WORK, PLAY, WORSHIP, AND ENGAGE IN PEACEFUL PROTEST, ALL WITHOUT INTIMIDATION, COERCION, OR THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE.

FIVE, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS ASKS OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SUPPORT ALL RESOLUTIONS AND LEGISLATION THAT MATCH THE VALUES STATED THROUGHOUT THE CEDAR RAPIDS RESOLUTION, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT AIM TO ALLEVIATE THE URGENT HUMANITARIAN DISASTER IN GAZA, SUCH AS US HOUSE RESOLUTION NUMBER 786.

SIX, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS AFFIRMS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF CITIZENS TO CRITICIZE GOVERNMENT OR GOVERNMENT POLICY, AND AFFIRMS THAT CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENTS IN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE IS NOT INHERENTLY ANTI-SEMITIC OR ANTI-ARAB.

SEVEN, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS SUPPORTS AND THE DELIVERY OF IMMEDIATE, UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND SUFFICIENT HUMANITARIAN AID TO THE PEOPLE OF GAZA.

EIGHT, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS AFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO US LAW REQUIRING THE ARMS TRANSFER BE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW.

NINE, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS RESOLVE THAT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WILL PROVIDE A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE MEMBERS OF THE IOWA STATE LEGISLATURE, THE IOWA STATE GOVERNOR, AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.

YOUR TIME IS UP, MR. LARSON. THANK YOU.

ELSA GUSTAFSON HERE TO SPEAK ON SAFETY.

[01:35:03]

MY NAME IS ELSA.

I LIVE IN NORTHEAST CEDAR RAPIDS, AND I'M ALSO SPEAKING FOR ARTISTS OF IOWA.

AS A TAXPAYER AND CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENT, I AM HERE TO CALL ON OUR CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION TO PROMOTE THE SAFETY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORS BY SUPPORTING A RESOLUTION FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE IN GAZA.

THUS FAR, OUR CITY COUNCIL HAS DECLINED TO CONSIDER THE CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION THAT IS ENDORSED BY A DIVERSE GROUP OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

I HOPE MY STATEMENT WILL INSPIRE THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER.

IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS, OVER 30,000 INNOCENT PEOPLE IN PALESTINE HAVE BEEN KILLED, AND THAT NUMBER IS STILL GROWING.

AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE MORE STILL MISSING.

WHEN HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, PLACES OF WORSHIP, AND AREAS THAT WERE DEEMED SAFE ZONES ARE TARGETED AND DESTROYED.

IT IS NOT SELF-DEFENSE, IT IS A WAR CRIME.

IT CAN BE EASY TO THINK THAT THERE'S NOTHING WE HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS CAN DO, BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING.

WE CAN USE OUR VOICES AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO ADVOCATE FOR PEACE.

THE MISSILES THAT BOMBARD THE CHILDREN OF GAZA USE TECHNOLOGY PRODUCED RIGHT HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

WILL WE SILENTLY STAND BY WHILE A GENOCIDE IS HAPPENING? HISTORY IS WATCHING.

THE WORLD IS WATCHING.

DO THE RIGHT THING AND STAND FOR PEACE.

PLEASE CONSIDER THE CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANNE CARTER HERE TO SPEAK ON WELCOME IS OUR LANGUAGE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ANNE HARRIS CARTER AND MY ADDRESS IS 3626 BEAVER AVENUE SOUTHEAST.

TODAY I AM REPRESENTING ADVOCATES FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.

WE ARE A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 2020 AND SOON THEREAFTER SECURED 501C3 DESIGNATION.

THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO EVOLVE WHILE THE MISSION REMAINS FIRM TO CREATE SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE WITHIN GREATER CEDAR RAPIDS.

I'M HERE BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED OUR CITY COUNCIL MIGHT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT IT MEANS TO SAY WELCOME IS OUR LANGUAGE, AND CEDAR RAPIDS IS A PLACE WHERE YOU BELONG.

WE PROMOTE OUR CITY AS AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY WHERE CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENTS COME TOGETHER TO SHARE IDEAS, GET INVOLVED, AND IMPACT THE MOMENTUM AND GROWTH OF THEIR BELOVED CITY. WE PROMOTE OUR CITY AS CEDAR RAPIDS HAS A HISTORY OF INCLUSION, WELCOMING IMMIGRANTS FOR MORE THAN 150 YEARS.

WE PROMOTE OUR CITY AS THERE IS A DEEP ROOTED PRIDE IN CULTURAL DIVERSITY SEEN AND FELT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

CEDAR RAPIDS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO GET PLUGGED INTO THE COMMUNITY.

NEIGHBORS COME TOGETHER IN TIMES OF NEED DESPITE DIFFERENCES.

THAT'S HOW WE PROMOTE CEDAR RAPIDS.

BUT THUS FAR, CITY COUNCIL HAS DECLINED TO SUPPORT A RESOLUTION FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE IN GAZA, AND I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL JUSTIFY THE STANCE BY SAYING, ESSENTIALLY, COUNCIL DOES NOT VOTE ON MATTERS OUTSIDE OUR JURISDICTION.

BUT THEN I CONSIDER THE LANGUAGE OF THE RESOLUTION THAT A DIVERSE GROUP OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ENDORSED, THAT WE JUST HEARD CHRIS LARSON READ. AND THERE IS A CLEAR DISSONANCE FOR ME.

NEIGHBORS COME TOGETHER IN TIMES OF NEED DESPITE DIFFERENCES.

AND WHEN I CONSIDER THE LANGUAGE OF THE RESOLUTION MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN IOWA, I AM MORTIFIED.

THAT IS NOT THE LANGUAGE OF WELCOME.

HAVING GROWN UP IN THIS TOWN, I LEARNED FROM AN EARLY AGE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE NOT EVERYBODY ENJOYS YOUR PRESENCE, HOW TO LIVE WITH NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE VISIBLY AND OR VOCALLY OBJECTED TO YOUR VERY PRESENCE.

LEARNING HOW TO AGREE TO DISAGREE OR WORK THROUGH DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND PERSPECTIVES OVER THE YEARS.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN I GET TO STOP TRYING.

THAT'S THE VALUE MY PARENTS MODELED THROUGH THEIR BEHAVIOR, AND THAT'S THE BEHAVIOR MY SIBLINGS AND I CONTINUE TO SHARE HOW THAT SHOWS UP FOR US TODAY.

I AM CERTAIN MANY IN THIS ROOM AND THOSE WATCHING THIS VIDEO HAVE VISITED THE EASTERN IOWA AIRPORT.

IF YOU'VE BEEN DELAYED THERE OR LINGERED FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE VOICE OF OUR MAYOR WELCOME IS OUR LANGUAGE.

IN FACT, OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON, WE HEARD A REIMAGINED RECORDING THAT EMPHASIZED COMING TOGETHER DURING A SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, ACCORDING TO THE SCIENCE OF BELONGINGNESS, PEOPLE WHO FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING ARE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR

[01:40:07]

I CAN SPEAK FOR ASJ.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY DIALOG AND WE REMAIN AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH CITY LEADERSHIP.

THOUGH CITY COUNCIL HAS DECLINED THUS FAR TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION.

I WILL NOTE AGAIN THAT IT IS ENDORSED BY A DIVERSE GROUP OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, MEMBERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS MANY KNOW FROM LIVED EXPERIENCE HO W DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO FEEL WELCOMED.

I HOPE OUR STATEMENTS WILL INSPIRE THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE STANCE.

LET'S NOT MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE WELCOME IS OUR LANGUAGE.

THANK YOU ANNE.

NEXT UP, AYLA BOYLAN HERE TO SPEAK ON SAFETY.

HELLO, I'M AYLA BOYLAN, I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

AND AS A TAXPAYER AND CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENT, I'M HERE TO CALL ON YOU, OUR CITY COUNCIL, TO TAKE ACTION TO PROMOTE THE SAFETY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORS BY SUPPORTING A RESOLUTION FOR IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE IN GAZA.

I HOPE MY STATEMENT WILL INFLUENCE THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE DECLINING TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PROPOSED.

I HONESTLY REALLY STRUGGLED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO SAY FOR THIS MEETING.

DESPITE MY RAGE, GRIEF, FEAR, DESPAIR AND PASSION AGAINST THIS INJUSTICE AND SO MUCH MORE, I STRUGGLED TO FIND THE THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT.

I STRUGGLE BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING AN ACTIVE GENOCIDE UNFOLD AT AN UNPRECEDENTED PACE FOR MORE THAN 100 DAYS.

YOU HAVE HAD MORE THAN 100 DAYS AND 75 YEARS OF OCCUPATION TO BECOME EDUCATED ON PALESTINE AND THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE INJUSTICES FACING THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO MAKE YOU CARE AT THIS POINT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW I HOW YOU, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HOLD MORE POWER THAN THE AVERAGE RESIDENT OF CEDAR RAPIDS, COULD NOT DO SOMETHING.

AT THIS POINT, YOU MUST HAVE SEEN THE NUMBERS, THE TENS OF THOUSANDS MURDERED AND MISSING.

YOU MUST HAVE SEEN THE JOURNALISTS BEGGING THE WORLD TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE SO MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN KILLED AS WELL.

YOU MUST HAVE SEEN THE CHILDREN IN THE RUBBLE, COVERED IN BLOOD AND DUST, CRYING OUT FOR THEIR FAMILIES.

YOU MUST HAVE SEEN THE BUILDINGS LEVELED AND THE TRAUMA IN THE EYES OF THOSE PEOPLE STILL STANDING.

YOU MUST HAVE SEEN IT.

OR YOU CHOOSE NOT TO.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO MAKE YOU DO SOMETHING.

IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY SEE WHY YOU SHOULD.

BUT STILL, I MUST SAY SOMETHING.

WE ALL MUST SAY SOMETHING.

SOMETHING TO HONOR THE MARTYRS AND TO FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO STILL LIVE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU THAT IT IS YOUR DUTY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS IN ANY PLACE OF POWER, BUT ALSO AS A HUMAN, TO CALL FOR THE END TO VIOLENCE AND END TO THE GENOCIDE.

IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT CONTENT WITH DOING NOTHING.

I CAN'T.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU THAT THIS PERTAINS TO EACH OF US, NO MATTER HOW PHYSICALLY FAR WE ARE FROM IT, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL HUMAN, AND BECAUSE WE AS AMERICANS AND WE AS IOWANS AND AS CEDAR RAPIDIANS ARE ALL ACTIVELY FUNDING THIS GENOCIDE WITH OUR TAX MONEY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASK YOU TO CHOOSE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASK HOW CLOSE TO HOME A GENOCIDE NEEDS TO BE FOR YOU, TO CARE FOR YOU, TO TAKE A STANCE AGAINST IT.

I, OF COURSE, ALSO DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT BETTER THAN MARTIN LUTHER KING JR, SO I WILL USE HIS WORDS.

BUT AN INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE.

YOU ARE CAUGHT IN AN INESCAPABLE NETWORK OF MUTUALITY, TIED TO A SINGLE GARMENT OF DESTINY.

WHATEVER AFFECTS ONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS ALL OF US INDIRECTLY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE TO SAY OTHER THAN THAT I ECHO THE PLEAS AND DEMANDS OF THOSE HERE TODAY, AND THAT I AM BEGGING YOU TO TAKE A SMALL STEP IN PASSING A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING A GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AJ DITMAR HERE TO SPEAK ON THE BOND REFERENDUM AND FLOOD CONTROL.

HELLO. I THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM TODAY.

IN 2012, THE CITY PUSHED FOR A LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX TO FUND FLOOD PROTECTION AND IT WAS LOST.

[01:45:02]

MY BAD. THAT'S $0.22 PER THOUSAND DOLLARS ON OUR PROPERTY TAXES.

YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR PLAN AND THEN I JUST HEAR YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT BUILDING NEW HOUSES AND TOWNHOUSES JUST EIGHT BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE. RIGHT BEHIND ME.

RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE FLOOD CONTROL IS GOING TO GO.

SO I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT'S WRONG WITH US BEING WHERE WE'RE AT BUT YOU'RE READY TO REBUILD ALREADY ON ELLIS BOULEVARD.

YOU GUYS AREN'T EVEN DONE DECLARING EMINENT DOMAIN DOWN THE STREET ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND YOU'RE ALREADY BUILDING TOWNHOUSES.

TO WHAT? MAKE MAKE MORE MONEY.

YOU'RE NOT EVEN DONE KICKING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES.

AND YOU'RE ALREADY GETTING READY TO BUILD NEW ONES.

IN 2016 EVERYBODY ELSE ALREADY KNOWS THIS, BUT DAVID DOESN'T.

IN 2016, THE CITY PUT BARRIERS UP IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE AND IN FRONT OF THE HOUSES ON ELLIS BOULEVARD, LEAVING THEM IN THE WEST SIDE OF THE LEVEE.

THEY DID NOT FLOOD.

WE FLOODED ONE TIME AND THAT WAS IN 2008.

AND SO I'M ASKING YOU AGAIN, PLEASE GO AROUND THOSE OF US ON THE WEST BANK.

WE ARE BEGGING YOU TO GO AROUND US.

GO AHEAD AND BUILD YOUR TOWNHOUSES AND MAKE YOUR PROFIT.

BUT LET US LIVE OUR LIVES.

QUIT DESTROYING OUR LIVES FOR YOUR BIG, BIG PLANS OVER ONE FLOOD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ANTHONY ARRINGTON HERE TO TALK ON WELCOME IS OUR LANGUAGE.

HELLO, COUNCIL. ANTHONY ARRINGTON, 1311 34TH STREET SOUTHEAST IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO SPEAK.

I NORMALLY DON'T WRITE THINGS DOWN.

I JUST SAY HOW I FEEL, SO I HAVE NO NO NOTES.

I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I THINK.

I'M A BIG ROOT CAUSE GUY IN MY BUSINESS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION.

WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH COMPANIES TALKING THROUGH ROOT CAUSE, BECAUSE SYMPTOMATIC ISSUES ARE EASY TO DESCRIBE.

AND SO I'LL USE I'LL USE ROOT CAUSE AS WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE AND ASK THAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS.

IT'S EASY A FIFTH GRADER A THIRD GRADER CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 7TH WAS HORRIBLE.

HORRIBLE. NOBODY OVER THERE CONDEMNS THAT.

I MEAN, NOBODY OVER THERE AGREES WITH THAT.

WE ALL KNOW THAT WAS HORRIBLE.

THAT'S EASY. THAT'S EASY.

I'M ALSO NOT.

I'M NOT A TURN THE OTHER CHEEK GUY.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK.

I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF.

ABSOLUTELY. SOMEBODY PUNCHES ME I'M PUNCHING BACK.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK.

I BELIEVE IN THE RIGHT TO DEFENSE.

BUT AT SOME POINT WHEN YOU PUMMEL THE HELL OUT OF SOMEBODY.

WHEN YOU PUMMEL THE HELL OUT OF SOMEBODY.

AND I BOXED FOR 15 YEARS, AND I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO PUMMEL AND BE PUMMELED.

AT SOME POINT, THE WHITE FLAG GOES UP.

AT SOME POINT, THE FIGHT IS OVER.

AT SOME POINT THE FIGHT IS OVER.

SO MY QUESTION IS, AS WE THINK ABOUT ROOT CAUSE, WHY DID THE ATTACKS HAPPEN ON OCTOBER 7TH? WE ALL HAVE TO DIG INTO THAT.

I HAD TO DIG INTO THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ENOUGH.

THERE WERE PLENTY OF CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THIS THAT I DIDN'T AGREE WITH, LITERALLY DID NOT AGREE WITH.

BUT I HAD TO LISTEN AND I HAD TO LEARN.

AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS DIGGING INTO AS I WAS LEARNING ABOUT THIS WITH AN OPEN MIND, BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ENOUGH.

BUT I FOUND WHAT THE ROOT CAUSES WERE.

I DUG INTO THE ROOT CAUSES OF WHY OCTOBER 7TH HAPPENED.

I DUG INTO THE 75 YEARS OF HISTORY AND I UNDERSTOOD, I BELIEVE I UNDERSTAND WHY IT HAPPENED.

NOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT OVER 30,000 PEOPLE ARE DEAD VS.

1,200. NONE OF THEM SHOULD HAVE DIED.

BUT WHEN IS PUMMELING SOMEBODY ENOUGH? WHEN IS SHOOTING ENOUGH? WHEN IS DROPPING 2,000 1,000 POUND BOMBS THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR ENOUGH? WHEN THE FIGHTING IS NOT GOING TO END.

LIKE BULLIES DON'T STOP BEING BULLIES.

SO IF YOU THINK THAT HAMAS IS BEING A BULLY, LET'S FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY, BECAUSE KILLING 30,000 PEOPLE IS NOT HELPING.

[01:50:05]

WE LIVE IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY.

THERE'S NO SEPARATION OF US WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD.

SO WE CAN TAKE IMMIGRANTS HERE.

WE CARE ABOUT IMMIGRANTS, WE CARE ABOUT A WELCOMING PLACE.

AND WE CAN BRING IMMIGRANTS HERE TO WORK, LIVE AND PLAY.

BUT WE DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD TO SOME OF THOSE IMMIGRANTS THAT COME HERE.

THIS IS A GLOBAL SOCIETY THAT WE'RE LIVING IN.

WE DON'T THINK THIS IS LOCALIZED.

WE CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO US WITH PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT THEIR FEAR.

I KNOW MIMI TOLD YOU ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT'S MOVING.

THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ONE.

SO THESE ISSUES ARE ABSOLUTELY LOCAL.

THEY AFFECT OUR RECRUITING.

THEY AFFECT THE VISION OF OUR CITY.

AND IF WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING THERE COUNTER TO WHAT MISS CARTER SAID, AND THAT THIS IS A CITY WHERE WE WELCOME EVERYONE.

IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO DO A RESOLUTION.

NO ONE'S ASKING YOU TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH WHETHER WHAT, ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.

THAT'S NOT OUR JOB.

BUT AS CITIZENS, OUR JOB TO STOP THE VIOLENCE, STOP THE SHOOTING, STOP THE 2,000 BOMB DROPS AND KILLING, WE CAN AT MINIMUM, AT MINIMUM, SAY, STOP THE FIGHTING.

AND LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT ANOTHER WAY, BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] IT'S NOT EVEN IT'S NOT EVEN A FAIR FIGHT ANYMORE, RIGHT? SO YOU GOT YOUR REVENGE BACK, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.

I JUST USE SIMPLE WORDS.

WHATEVER ISRAEL GOT THEIR REVENGE BACK FOR WHATEVER HAPPENED, RIGHT? BUT NONE OF IT'S RIGHT.

SO LET'S FIGURE THAT OUT.

WE HAVE A VOICE.

WE'RE THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF IOWA.

WE GOT IOWA CITY DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE PROCLAMATION.

WE GOT CORALVILLE DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE PROCLAMATION.

RIGHT AROUND US.

PEOPLE WHO CARE.

ARE WE AGREEING WITH THE STATE? ARE WE OKAY WITH THAT? ARE WE OKAY WITH UNEQUIVOCAL SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL BUT NOT THE OTHER SUFFERING PARTY? ARE WE OKAY WITH THAT? I THINK EITHER ONE OF THEM SAID, CAN YOU CAN YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT? I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN SELF-REFLECTION.

I TALK TO MYSELF AND YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS IF YOU KNOW ME, I TALK TO MYSELF EVERY DAY IN THE MIRROR.

SO WHEN YOU LAY YOUR HEAD DOWN TONIGHT, OR WHEN YOU'RE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH OR WHEREVER YOUR PRIVATE MOMENTS ARE, I'M ASKING YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

PUT YOURSELF IN THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MIMI.

PUT YOURSELF IN THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AYLA.

PUT YOURSELF IN THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE PERSONALLY AFFECTED ME, I DON'T HAVE ANY, I DON'T HAVE ANY PALESTINIAN RELATIVES.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MEL ANDRINGA HERE TO TALK ABOUT MURALS.

MEL ANDRINGA 329 10TH AVENUE SOUTHEAST, CEDAR RAPIDS.

I'M I'M HERE TO I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THESE MURALS.

I, I HAVE AN ART BACKGROUND, AND I'VE WORKED IN ART BUSINESS FOR OVER 50 YEARS.

BUT, WHEN I CAME TO CEDAR RAPIDS, I WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ART ASSETS OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

AND I DID SOME STUDY.

AND, MY PARTNER JOHN WENT TO THE GENERAL SERVER TO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THESE MURALS AND, AND THE STORY BEHIND, BEHIND THEM AND THEIR ERASURE AND THEN THEIR RESTORATION AND THEN THEIR WHITEWASHING, AND THEN, I MADE A PERFORMANCE CALL, JURY DUTY ABOUT, ABOUT THESE MURALS, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH LOOKED AT IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN ARTIST.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS WE GET WE GET KIND OF, CONFUSED BY LOOKING AT THE DETAILS OF THE MURALS TO NOT SEE THE THE STORY OF THE CYCLE OF MURALS THAT WAS ATTENDED TO TO DO SO.

I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF WALK YOU THROUGH IT JUST A BIT.

THERE'S THIS WAS DONE IN 1936.

IT'S BETWEEN THE WARS. AND THIS IS AND THIS IS THE STORY OF OF THE WESTERN WESTWARD DEVELOPMENT, THE NATIVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE REPLACED BY BY SETTLERS AND FORCE, FORTS, THE THE THE EXPANSION OF WESTWARD EXPANSION, AND WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF OF ENSLAVED PEOPLES FROM BOTH ASIA AND AFRICA, THE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE OF THE FAMILY FARM WITH INDUSTRIALIZATION, POLLUTION, SMOKESTACKS

[01:55:01]

THE THE REPLACEMENT OF VIGILANTISM WITH THE PROTECTING OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.

THE REPLACEMENT OF OF WITCHCRAFT AND SUPERSTITION WITH MEDICINE AND SCIENCE.

WITH RESPECT FOR THE, FOR FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE FROM THE AMERICAS, BOTH IN AGRICULTURE AND IN AND IN ART, THAT THAT THAT WE ARE INDEBTED TO AND THE THE ROLE THAT THE CITIZENRY PLAYS IN, COOPERATIVE, COOPERATIVE, THINGS THESE WERE ALL IMPORTANT TO THE, TO THE PEOPLE IN 1936, AS THEY WERE COMING OUT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND PEOPLE LINING UP FOR JOBS, PEOPLE WORKING AND FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND FOR FIRE PROTECTION.

THESE MURALS WERE COVERED UP BECAUSE THEY WERE SEEN AS INAPPROPRIATE FOR A COURTROOM.

THAT MAY BE THE CASE.

I MEAN, IT CERTAINLY WAS PREJUDICIAL IN, YOU KNOW, AND AND BOTH SIDES COMPLAINED ABOUT THEM, BUT WHEN IT WAS NO LONGER THAT PURPOSE, IT SERVES A PURPOSE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND THE PURPOSE THAT IT SERVES FOR THE COMMUNITY WAS, WAS, INSISTED ON BY THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AND BY THE HISTORICAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.

AND THEY REQUIRED THE CITY IN GETTING THE EXCHANGE FOR THIS BUILDING.

THEY REQUIRED THAT THIS CITY RESTORE THOSE MURALS AS A PART OF THAT COMPACT.

AND, SO AND IT WAS DONE WITHOUT WELL, I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO WHAT DEGREE THE CITY PUT INTO THIS TAX MAYOR MONEY WENT INTO IT.

BUT I KNOW THAT THE CITY GOT CONTRIBUTIONS, SIZABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ALL THE RESTORATION OF ALL FOUR WALLS OF THIS OF THIS BUILDING.

PHILANTHROPISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS REVEALED THESE MURALS TO PRESENT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

THE PICTURE OF A PICTURE THAT WASN'T JUST GRANT WOOD'S REAR VIEW MIRROR.

ARBOR DAY BUCOLIC, BUCOLICISM, BUT ALSO THE STRUGGLES THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

AND WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THOSE STRUGGLES IN THIS MEETING TODAY.

AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WHEN WE SIT HERE, AS, AS SPECTATORS OR AS MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, WE SIT HERE AND WE SEE THE COMPLEXITY AND THE DIVERSITY OF OPINION THAT MAKES CEDAR RAPIDS GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ROGER SLADE HERE TO TALK ABOUT MURALS.

MY NAME IS ROGER SLADE.

I'M ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MURALS IN THIS ROOM.

BUT FIRST I WANT TO MENTION A NEWS STORY HERE THAT RELATES TO THE MURAL.

DES MOINES REGISTER ARTICLE FROM DECEMBER 15TH, 2023.

IT READ A FORMER CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE, MICHAEL CASSIDY, FROM MISSISSIPPI, CHARGED WITH VANDALIZING THE SATANIC TEMPLE OF IOWA'S DISPLAY AT THE IOWA STATE CAPITOL, DEPICTING THE PAGAN IDOL BAPHOMET.

JUST LIKE THAT IMAGE ON THE WALL RIGHT THERE.

THAT DEMON. HE SAW THE BLASPHEMOUS STATUE, AND HE WAS OUTRAGED.

HE WAS NOT WILLING TO SEE GOD ABUSED, ESPECIALLY IN A BUILDING WHERE LAWMAKERS ARE SUPPOSED TO HONOR JESUS CHRIST AS KING AND LOOK TO HIS LAW FOR WISDOM AS LEGISLATE WITH JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.

THE ARTICLE STATES HE PUSHED OVER AND DECAPITATED THE SATANIC STATUE BEFORE HE THREW THE HEAD IN THE TRASH CAN.

HE STATED HE DESTROYED THE DISPLAY TO AWAKEN CHRISTIANS TO THE ANTI-CHRISTIAN ACTS PROMOTED BY OUR GOVERNMENT.

HE'S BEEN GETTING A TON OF SUPPORT BECAUSE HE'S FIGHTING A SPIRITUAL BATTLE, JUST LIKE WE FACE IN THIS CITY AND IN THIS ROOM.

THAT'S OBVIOUS HERE TODAY, RIGHT? IF YOU SELL THE DISPLAY AT THE IOWA STATE CAPITOL, YOU RECOGNIZE A LOT OF THE SAME SYMBOLISM IS IN HERE.

HONESTLY, I CAN'T STAND BEING IN THIS ROOM.

I CAN'T. WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE TO SPEAK A YEAR AGO WAS BECAUSE I SENT LETTERS TO YOU, MAYOR, AND THE PAST CHIEF OF POLICE, ABOUT MY CONCERNS WITH ALL THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE AND THE IN THE CITY AND THE PURPLE STREETLIGHTS.

AND I KNOW THE AGENDA.

I WANTED TO WARN YOU, BUT I GOT NO RESPONSE.

THEN WHEN I STEPPED IN THIS ROOM, I KNEW EXACTLY WHY I DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE, AND I STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN A RESPONSE.

IT'S OBVIOUS THIS ROOM IS THE MOST DEMONIC ROOM I'VE EVER BEEN IN IN MY LIFE.

[02:00:01]

I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET INTO EVERYTHING, BUT THERE'S EVEN AN IMAGE OF A CITIZEN WITH A NOOSE AROUND THEIR NECK.

YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT? OF COURSE. YOU'LL NEVER SHOW THAT ON CAMERA.

BUT IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT IN 2024 THAT THAT IS STILL ACCEPTABLE.

THERE'S PROBABLY A REALLY GOOD REASON THAT THIS MURAL WAS BURIED FOR SO MANY YEARS.

I'M SURE YOU NEVER NOTICED, BUT I'M NEVER IN THIS ROOM BEFORE YOU BEGIN A MEETING OR AS YOU BEGIN A MEETING, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN DOING A PRAYER IN A ROOM THAT'S PAINTED WITH DEMONS. IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE DEVIL WORSHIP.

THAT'S JUST MY BELIEF AND I'VE HEARD OTHERS WALK OUTSIDE THIS ROOM AND MAKE THE SAME EXACT COMMENT.

AND I KNOW THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF THINGS TO COME.

JUST RECENTLY IN RENO, NEVADA THEIR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JUST VOTED TO HAVE A SATANIC INVOCATION TO START ALL THEIR MEETINGS.

AND THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

YOU CAN LOOK THAT UP. I'M SURE YOU KNOW ABOUT THE STUDY DONE A FEW YEARS AGO THAT SHOWED CEDAR RAPIDS IS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE LEAST BIBLE MINDED CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE ACTUALLY RANKED LOWER THAN LAS VEGAS.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT CASINO NOW.

YOU DON'T HAVE THE CASINO YET? I'M SURE YOU'RE PUSHING FOR THAT.

I'M SURE OUR RANKING IS EVEN LOWER NOW, BECAUSE THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER THIS PAST YEAR, I SAW DEMONIC HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS ALL OVER THE CITY AND A LOT DARKER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS. WE HAD HALLOWEEN FOR TWO MONTHS.

IT USED TO BE TWO HOURS.

A COUPLE YARDS I SAW DECORATED WITH NOTHING LESS THAN A HUMAN BLOOD SACRIFICE.

CITY'S FACEBOOK PAGE ALSO PROMOTED HALLOWEEN EVENTS NINE TIMES IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO HALLOWEEN.

THERE IS NOT A SINGLE MENTION OF THE WORD CHRISTMAS ON THE CEDAR RAPIDS FACEBOOK PAGE, EXCEPT ONE POST WHICH MENTIONED NO GARBAGE PICKUP ON CHRISTMAS DAY, AND THEN A POST EXPLAINING HOW TO DISCARD YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE.

THAT'S ALL THE CITY HAD TO SAY ABOUT CHRISTMAS, NOT HOLIDAY.

CHRISTMAS, THAT'S THE WORD.

IF YOU WANT THE CITY TO THRIVE, THEN IT'S TIME TO FOCUS ON REMOVING THE DEMONIC IMAGERY IN THIS ROOM, OR JUST MOVE CITY COUNCIL OUT OF THE BUILDING MAKE THIS AN ART MUSEUM.

I UNDERSTAND THE CITY IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING A [INAUDIBLE] SCORE THAN ACTUALLY HAVING A HIGH BIBLE LITERACY IN THE CITY, BUT YOU CAN'T THRIVE BY PROMOTING RACISM AND HATRED TOWARDS CHRISTIAN VALUES.

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO BLESSING IN THAT.

THERE WAS A REQUEST SENT OUT FROM THE CITY A FEW WEEKS BACK ASKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW YOU PAINT THE GARBAGE TRUCKS IN THE CITY.

I LIKE TO GIVE YOU MY FEEDBACK ON THAT.

I LIKE THAT YOU START YOU START JUST STRIPPING THE WALLS HERE.

AND GET THE TRASH OFF THESE WALLS BEFORE YOU START WASTING OUR TAXPAYER MONEY ON GARBAGE TRUCKS.

IT'S A COMPLETE WASTE.

NOTHING PERSONAL BUT WHEN THE CITY LEADERSHIP MAKES DECISIONS LITERALLY AT THE FEET OF DEMONS.

FATHER OF LIES.

I'LL NEVER TRUST DECISIONS TO BE IN THE BEST OF OUR OUR INTERESTS AT ALL.

IT CAN'T HAPPEN.

IN CLOSING, MAYOR ALSO BROUGHT A COPY OF MY TALK FROM DECEMBER 19TH FOR YOU TO REVIEW.

SINCE YOU'RE ABSENT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU STILL HEAR FROM EVERY ONE OF US BECAUSE THE CITY IS IN DECLINE AND IT OBVIOUSLY MATTERS TO US.

AND I HOPE IT MATTERS TO TO ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU. ANGELINA RAMIREZ HERE TO TALK ABOUT SAFETY.

HELLO AND THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS ANGELINA RAMIREZ AND MY ADDRESS IS 1751 C AVENUE NORTHEAST.

AS A TAXPAYER AND CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENT, I'M HERE TO CALL ON OUR CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION TO PROMOTE SAFETY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORS BY BY SUPPORTING A RESOLUTION FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE IN GAZA.

THUS FAR, OUR CITY COUNCIL HAS DECLINED TO CONSIDER THE CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY A NUMBER OF DIVERSE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

I HOPE MY STATEMENT WILL INSPIRE THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER.

THERE IS A CHILD I KNOW WHO IS A STUDENT IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SHE'S INTELLIGENT, CREATIVE, KIND, AND EXTREMELY EMPATHETIC.

SHE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE MUSLIM, WEARS A HIJAB TO SCHOOL, AND ENGLISH IS HER SECOND LANGUAGE.

IN EARLY NOVEMBER, I LEARNED THAT THE CHILD HAD BEEN CALLED NUMEROUS SLURS WHEN I FIRST SPOKE TO HER AND ASKED HER WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO SAT ACROSS FROM ME, NO OLDER THAN 11 YEARS OLD, BEGAN TO CRY.

SHE TOLD ME THE NAMES THAT SHE HAD BEEN CALLED NAMES, INCLUDING TERRORIST, NAZI AND HAMAS, ALL BECAUSE SHE WAS MUSLIM.

THEN, BEFORE I COULD REALLY OFFER HER ANY CONSOLATION, SHE FRANTICALLY STARTED TO JUSTIFY WHY SHE WAS HURT BY THIS.

SHE, AS AN 11 YEAR OLD, STARTED TELLING ME ABOUT THE ATTACKS IN GAZA.

SHE SHARED THAT SHE AND HER FAMILY RECENTLY MOVED TO CEDAR RAPIDS AS REFUGEES, AFTER LIVING IN THE MIDDLE EAST HER WHOLE LIFE.

[02:05:01]

SHE SAID THAT HER HER MOM HAS A FRIEND FROM THE MOSQUE HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS WHOSE BROTHER DIED IN GAZA.

SHE THEN ASKED ME IF I HAD SEEN THE BABIES WHO HAD BEEN BURNT ALIVE IN GAZA, OR THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE LEGS ANYMORE.

SHE TRIED DESPERATELY TO EXPLAIN THAT SHE LOVES ALL PEOPLE, AND SHE LOVES CHRISTIANS AND JEWISH PEOPLE AND MUSLIMS ALL THE SAME.

AND SHE WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHY SHE WAS BEING CALLED A NAZI.

SHE TOLD ME SHE DIDN'T KNOW SHE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS TO ANYONE, BECAUSE HER DAD HAD TOLD HER THAT SHE NEEDS TO BE CAREFUL WHEN TALKING ABOUT PALESTINE.

HE FEARED FOR HER SAFETY.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AS I WAS SITTING ACROSS FROM THIS BABY WITH TEARS POURING OUT OF HER EYES, I WAS ANGRY, I WAS HEARTBROKEN, AND I WANTED TO PROTECT HER.

I WANTED TO PROTECT HER FAMILY.

AN INNOCENT CHILD WAS BEING TARGETED HERE IN MY CITY BECAUSE OF HER RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND HOW IT RELATES BACK TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GAZA.

YOU SEE, A CHILD DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS HAPPENING ABROAD OR EVEN THE STATEWIDE POSITIONS, STATESIDE POSITIONS THAT IOWA STATE LEGISLATURE ARE HOLDING IN REGARDS TO ISRAEL.

BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, AS A PERSON OF COLOR, AS A MIGRANT, AND AS A RELIGIOUS MINORITY.

SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT HER PARENTS WERE SCARED TO PUBLICLY MOURN FOR PALESTINIAN LIVES LOST.

OUR CITY HAS MADE COUNTLESS CLAIMS TO CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING OF ALL RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF IDENTITY.

WHAT THE IOWA HOUSE ADOPTING H.R.

101, A HARMFUL AND INFLAMMATORY MEASURE.

I BELIEVE IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE FOR MY LOCAL COMMUNITY TO STEP UP AND AFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT TO COMBAT ANTI-PALESTINIAN, ANTI-ARAB BIGOTRY, ANTI-SEMITISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA, AND FOR THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS TO AFFIRM ITS SUPPORT FOR ALL PEOPLE IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL TO LIVE IN PEACE, JUSTICE AND SECURITY, AS QUOTED BY ASJS PRESENTED RESOLUTION.

IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS WORKFORCE RETENTION PROJECT, COMMUNITY BASED DATA FOUND THAT RESIDENTS QUESTIONED THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN PROMOTING DIVERSITY.

THE REPORT'S FINDING ALSO INCLUDED THAT RESIDENTS FEEL THAT CEDAR RAPIDS IS NOT WELCOMING TO IMMIGRANTS OR RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES.

AN ADOPTION FOR A CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION IS A TANGIBLE AND POWERFUL WAY FOR OUR CITY TO DELIVER ON PROMISES TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND ACTIVELY WORK TOWARDS BEING A MORE WELCOMING CITY TOWARDS MARGINALIZED GROUPS.

I URGE OUR CITY OFFICIALS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH URGENCY AND CONVICTION IN THIS PROCESS, AND TO REMEMBER THE CHILDREN IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY WHO FEEL FEAR AND DISCRIMINATION WITH EACH PASSING DAY THAT THEIR COMMUNITY FAILS THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].

NEXT UP, RIMA AFIF.

AND AGAIN, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CORRECT MY PRONUNCIATION.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

MY NAME IS RIMA AFIFI.

I AM A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN RESIDENT OF IOWA CITY AND A MEMBER OF IOWANS FOR PALESTINE.

I WANT TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN ABOUT WHY A CITY COUNCIL IN CEDAR RAPIDS SHOULD MAKE A STATEMENT ON THE VIOLENCE IN PALESTINE.

JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, WE CELEBRATED THE BIRTHDAY OF REVEREND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

IN ONE OF HIS SPEECHES, HE SAID, AND THIS HAS ALREADY ALSO BEEN THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL QUOTE THAT I THINK SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY ELSE HAS SAID IT BEFORE ME.

WE ARE CAUGHT IN AN INESCAPABLE NETWORK OF MUTUALITY, TIED IN A SINGLE GARMENT OF DESTINY.

WHATEVER AFFECTS ONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS ALL, INDIRECTLY CONFIRMING THIS IDEA, ANGELA DAVIS, WHO IS A RENOWNED BLACK POET AND AUTHOR, WROTE THIS BOOK IN 2016.

ITS TITLE IS FREEDOM IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE FERGUSON, PALESTINE AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF A MOVEMENT.

IN THIS BOOK, SHE SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF UPLIFTING THE INTERSECTIONALITY'S OF MOVEMENTS, AS IS EVIDENT IN HER TITLE, ALL STRUCTURAL STATE VIOLENCE'S ARE INTERCONNECTED.

I NOTE THAT IN 2020, THIS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PRIORITIES.

IF WE'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE ENACTED ON BLACK BODIES, THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND STRUCTURAL COLONIAL VIOLENCE ENACTED ON PALESTINIAN BODIES.

SOMETIMES SOMETHING HAPPENING FAR AWAY SEEMS LESS RELEVANT TO COMMENT ON AND SPEAK UP AGAINST.

I JUST WANT TO NOTE AND REMIND YOU THAT OVER THE LAST 108 DAYS, APPROXIMATELY 300,000 PALESTINIANS AND 1,000 ISRAELIS HAVE BEEN KILLED. THAT'S MORE THAN ABOUT 3,000 PERSONS EACH DAY.

[02:10:04]

AND YOU SHOULD EXPECT AN OUTCRY ACROSS THE US AND GLOBALLY.

VIOLENCE'S ARE INTERCONNECTED, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CHOOSE JUSTICE AND YOU CONSIDER THE CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MELANIE [INAUDIBLE].

PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME FOR ME MELANIE.

MELANIE HERE. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NO FURTHER NAMES THAT WILL CLOSE OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY.

I THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING TIME TO BE HERE AND TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS AND POSITIONS.

CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS FOR US TODAY?

[CITY MANAGER COMMUNICATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS]

MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND PUBLIC.

I WANTED TO INTRODUCE AND WELCOME ABHI DESHPANDE, ABHI HAS BEEN ON THE JOB A WEEK NOW, AND ABHI IS OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR.

AND WHEN WE, SOUGHT TO FIND A NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR, WE DID A NATIONAL SEARCH IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

AND WE LOOKED AT A VARIETY OF INDIVIDUALS AND, ABHI WAS ONE OF THOSE APPLICANTS.

AND I'M JUST VERY PLEASED THAT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND ABHI.

AND AND HE WAS ABLE TO FIND US.

AND HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE NOW JOINED THE COMMUNITY OF, OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

SO EVEN IN JUST A WEEK, HE'S DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, JUST ATTEMPTING TO WORK WITH THE STAFF OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE CITY ORGANIZATION.

AND ABHI ALSO HAS WORKED HARD JUST IN THIS ONE WEEK TO GAIN A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND OUR OUR CITY BUDGET. ABHI IS, VERY WELL EDUCATED.

AND SO HE HAS A DEGREE IN, IN ACCOUNTING FROM BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS A VERY FINE INSTITUTION.

HE HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM BABSON COLLEGE UNIVERSITY, WHICH HAS A GREAT, GREAT BUSINESS REPUTATION.

AND I'M JUST SO PLEASED TO HAVE ABHI JOIN US AND BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY TEAM.

SO THANK YOU, ABHI [APPLAUSE].

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

AND BUCKLE UP, ABHI, IT'S BUDGET TIME.

IT'S GOING TO BE TIGHT, MY FRIEND.

HIS TIMING'S PRETTY GOOD.

IT'S PRETTY GOOD SO, ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL? IF NOT, COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON MOVES TO ADJOURN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.