[Call to Order]
[00:00:02]
>> [BACKGROUND] THIS MEETING AT THE CEDAR RAPID CITY COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.
WELCOME, EVERYBODY TO THE CEDAR RAPID CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2024.
ALL ARE PRESENT HERE ON COUNCIL.
I'D 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 AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BEFORE, AS WELL AS AFTER OUR MEETINGS.
A REMINDER TO YOU HERE TODAY, PLEASE TURN OFF ANY CELL PHONES OR ELECTRONIC DEVICES THAT MIGHT DISTRACT US FROM OUR PROCEEDINGS, AND NOTE THAT ALL CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDAS, MINUTES AND VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE.
REGULAR SESSIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO WATCH LIVE AND ON REPLAY ON FACEBOOK LIVE.
WE WILL BEGIN, AS WE ALWAYS DO WITH OUR INVOCATION.
TODAY, PUBLIC SAFETY CHAPLAIN KEN GLANDORF, WILL DO THAT FOR US FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> LET'S PRAY. GOD, WE DO THANK YOU FOR OUR CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.
WE PRAY FOR THIS MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER AND THE BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED.
WE ALSO WOULD REMEMBER OUR MEN AND WOMEN OVERSEAS IN HARM'S WAY.
WE ASK FOR YOUR PROTECTION IN YOUR NAME, AMEN.
[Proclamations/Presentations]
>> WE'LL BEGIN NOW WITH PROCLAMATIONS.
MAYOR PRO TEM ANN POE WILL BE DOING THAT TODAY FROM THE DAIS, BEGINNING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
ANYONE WHO IS HERE ON THEIR BEHALF, PLEASE JOIN US AT THE DAIS.
>> THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FOR THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.
WHEREAS ONE IN THREE WOMEN AND ONE IN FOUR MEN WILL EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DURING THEIR LIFETIME.
WHEREAS INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IMPACTS VICTIMS, CHILDREN, FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
WHEREAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT CONFINED TO ANY GROUP OR GROUPS OF PEOPLE, BUT IS EXPERIENCED IN ALL ECONOMIC, RACIAL, ETHNIC, EDUCATIONAL, SOCIETAL AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS, AND IS SUSTAINED BY SOCIETAL INDIFFERENCE.
WHEREAS PERPETRATORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, AND VICTIMS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO SUPPORT AND SERVICES TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THEIR EXPERIENCE.
WHEREAS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE COMPASSION AND DEDICATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND TO WORK TO INCREASE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THIS SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM.
WHEREAS, A COORDINATED EFFORT FROM ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS NEEDED TO PUT A STOP TO THIS HEINOUS CRIME.
THEREFORE, I ANN POE, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TIFFANY O'DONNELL AND THE ENTIRE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 24TH, AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT WAYPOINT SERVICES IN ENDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
TO JOIN THEIR GENTLEMEN CAMPAIGN ON OCTOBER 24TH, AND TO URGE EVERYONE TO WORK TOGETHER TO ELIMINATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WAYPOINT SERVES OVER 2,000 VICTIMS EVERY YEAR, AND WE CERTAINLY COULD NOT DO THAT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITY IN GENERAL.
WAYPOINT'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
MOVING FORWARD, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MONTH AND ALL YOUR DAYS AHEAD, I WANT TO READ A QUOTE FROM BELL HOOKS.
TO TRULY LOVE YOUR COMMUNITY, WE MUST LEARN TO MIX VARIOUS INGREDIENTS; CARE, AFFECTION, RECOGNITION, RESPECT, COMMITMENT, AND TRUST, AS WELL AS HONEST AND OPEN COMMUNICATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND I HOPE YOU CARRY THAT THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF OCTOBER AND THROUGHOUT ALL YOUR DAYS.
[00:05:03]
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].>> NEXT UP, I'D LIKE TO INVITE THOSE WHO ARE HERE FOR NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH TO JOIN US AT THE DAIS.
THIS IS A PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.
WHEREAS THE MONTH OF OCTOBER HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH BY THOUSANDS OF ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITIES, AND STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS.
WHEREAS ARTS AND HUMANITIES ENHANCE AND ENRICH THE LIVES OF EVERY AMERICAN, INCLUDING THOSE OF US LIVING IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
WHEREAS ARTS AND HUMANITIES SUPPORT JOBS, GENERATE REVENUE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND PROVIDE AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE THAT STRENGTHEN TOURISM.
WHEREAS ARTS AND HUMANITIES BUILD MORE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES, FOSTERING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION, AND INSTILL COMMUNITY PRIDE AND IDENTITY AND MAKE CEDAR RAPIDS UNIQUE.
WHEREAS LINN COUNTY, IOWA, IS A HOME TO NEARLY 500 ARTS RELATED BUSINESSES THAT EMPLOY OVER 2,000 PEOPLE.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS RECOGNIZES THE BENEFITS OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES ON THE COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT, LIVABILITY, AND ECONOMIC VIBRANCY.
THEREFORE, I ANN POE, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TIFFANY O'DONNELL AND THE ENTIRE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE OCTOBER 2024 AS NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH, AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO RECOGNIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M HEATHER WAGNER.
I AM A COMMISSIONER ON THE VISUAL ARTS COMMISSION. I'M SORRY.
IT'S NOT THAT NOW. IT'S THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION. I STILL SAY IT WRONG.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL, AND I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. I WROTE IT DOWN.
THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES ARE A VITAL FORCE IN SHAPING THE CHARACTER AND VIBRANCY OF OUR CEDAR RAPIDS COMMUNITY.
THEY ENRICH OUR SCHOOLS, OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND OUR PUBLIC SPACES WHILE PROVIDING A CREATIVE OUTLET FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES.
MORE THAN THAT, THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES PROVIDE CONNECTIONS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR SHARED CULTURAL IDENTITY, PROMOTING EMPATHY, INCLUSION, AND PUBLIC AND PERSONAL GROWTH.
IN CEDAR RAPIDS, THESE THINGS BRING US TOGETHER.
THEY CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND ENSURE ALL VOICES ARE HEARD WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMIC VITALITY AND WELL BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EASTERN IOWA ARTS ACADEMY, I CAN ATTEST THAT CHILDREN ARE THE HEART OF OUR IMPACT AS THEY REPRESENT THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
EXPERIENCING THE ARTS FROM A YOUNG AGE SPARKS CREATIVITY.
IT BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND DEVELOPS CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THEIR SUCCESS.
BY RECOGNIZING THIS MONTH, WE ARE NOT ONLY VALIDATING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES, BUT WE ARE SHOWING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY JUST HOW INVITAL THEY ARE TO SHAPING A VIBRANT AND THRIVING CEDAR RAPIDS.
>> HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY OF LOCAL ARTISTS TO HIGHLIGHT SOME EXAMPLES, THE BUTTERFLY TRAFFIC BOXES AS PART OF THE WESTAL AREA ACTION PLAN.
WE WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR OUR BUS STOP RAIN ART AND THE COLLECTION TRUCK MURALS, AS WELL AS IN DELANEY PARK, WE WORKED WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE VAN BUREN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN TO BOTH SELECT THE ARTIST AND DESIGN FOR THE BASKETBALL COURTS THERE.
IN ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS, AND MANY MORE, WE WORKED WITH IOWAN ARTISTS AND OFTEN WITH CORRIDOR AND CEDAR RAPIDS ARTISTS.
THROUGHOUT THESE PROCESS, WE INVOLVED THE COMMUNITY IN THE IDEATION, THE SELECTION, AND EVEN OCCASIONALLY, AS IN THE 15TH STREET CURB EXTENSION MURAL, SOMETIMES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR PUBLIC ART PROJECTS.
[00:10:04]
ALL OF THIS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND ARTIST INVOLVEMENT IS GUIDED BY OUR CITY'S PUBLIC ART PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN CONCERT WITH THE COMMUNITY.IN THAT PLAN, REPEATEDLY, IT INVOKES COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AS PART OF OUR PROCESS.
FOR MEMBERS OF OUR CEDAR RAPIDS COMMUNITY, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE CITY AND REACH OUT TO US.
WE HAVE A WEBSITE ON THE CITY WEBSITE IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THERE'S A PUBLIC ART COMMISSION WEB PAGE.
WE HAVE A SHORT URL FOR YOU, CITYOFCR.COM/PAC.
THAT'S THE PUBLIC ART COMMISSION, CITYOFCR.COM/PAC.
ON THAT SITE, YOU CAN SCROLL DOWN.
YOU CAN SEE THE PUBLIC ART PLAN. YOU CAN READ IT.
SEE WHAT RESONATES, SEE WHAT INSPIRES.
THINK ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY IN THE PUBLIC SPACES THAT YOU FREQUENT, AND THEN SCROLL JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH US.
WE HAVE A FORM WHERE YOU CAN BE INVOLVED.
THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY, AND ART AND PUBLIC SPACES IS HOW WE EXPRESS WHO WE ARE.
WHEN YOU AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH US, THAT'S HOW WE EXPRESS WHO WE ARE.
>> THANK YOU ISAAC, AND HEATHER FOR SERVING ON THAT COMMISSION IN ALL OF YOUR SPARE TIME.
I KNOW YOU'RE VERY BUSY PEOPLE, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR US.
STEPHANIE SCHRADER FROM THE CITY STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS TOO.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS WE'LL BEGIN WITH TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE CONNECTCR UPDATE.
JENNIFER PRATT IS HERE FROM THE CITY AND TOM PEFFER.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CONNECTCR PROJECT, WHICH IS, I ALWAYS LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE, THE CITY'S LARGEST PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT WE'VE EVER DONE.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO TOM WHO SERVES AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE CONNECTCR BOARD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TODAY OF REPRESENTING THE GOVERNING BOARD OF CONNECTCR.
MIKE MCGRATH, OUR CHAIR, AND THE GUY WHO USUALLY DOES THIS TYPE OF THING IS IN AN APPOINTMENT IN DES MOINE THAT HE COULDN'T GET OUT OF, SO HERE I AM.
THIS MAY BE MY ONLY OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE MIKE DOES THIS TYPE OF THING, TO THANK ALL OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL FOR PARTNERING WITH CONNECTCR.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
IT NEEDS ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY IT HAS ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.
IT'S TIME CONSUMING, IT'S COMPLICATED.
BUT WHEN WE GET A RESTORED CEDAR LAKE WITH ALL THE AMENITIES, WHEN WE GET ALLIANT LIGHTLINE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTED, WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE DID TOGETHER.
I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK DALE TODD FOR HIS YEARS OF ADVOCACY FOR CEDAR LAKE, WITH FRIENDS OF CEDAR LAKE AND NOW WITH CONNECTCR.
HE'S A STEWARD SUPPORTER OF CEDAR LAKE AND OF THIS PROJECT AS WELL.
I WANT TO THANK JENNIFER, WHO HAS REPRESENTED CEDAR RAPIDS IN BOARD MEETINGS AND DESIGN COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR YEARS NOW AND FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS, WITH SKILL AND DETERMINATION AND PATIENCE.
CERTAINLY TAKES PATIENCE DEALING WITH PEOPLE LIKE US SOMETIMES.
LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK JULIE KRAFT, OUR STAFF PERSON WHO KEEPS US ORGANIZED AND MOVING FORWARD, AND WE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITHOUT HER BEING PART OF THE TEAM.
WHAT DID WE DO WITHOUT POWERPOINT BACK IN THE DAY? I REMEMBER MAGIC MARKERS AND FLIP CHARTS.
IF JULIE WOULDN'T BE PART OF OUR TEAM, YOU'D PROBABLY HAVE A MAGIC MARKER AND A FLIP CHART IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW.
BUT FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A POWERPOINT.
AS JENNIFER SAID, GRASSROOTS EFFORTS, TWO MAJOR PROJECTS, ENHANCE CEDAR LAKE, WHICH HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR A LONG TIME AND DEVELOP A RECREATIONAL BRIDGE CONNECTING NEW BOHEMIA AND CZECH VILLAGE.
THAT WILL BE THE ALLIANT LIGHTLINE BRIDGE.
AS JENNIFER SAID THE LARGEST PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WE'VE EVER HAD.
SHOWING THE CONNECTCR GOVERNING BOARD, MIKE MCGRATH, LEE CLANCEY, MARCIA ROGERS, STEVE SOVERN, DEREK STEPANEK,
[00:15:02]
FELICIA WYRICK, AND DALE TODD AS EX OFFICIO AND MYSELF.JULIE AND TRACY GIVE BOARD SUPPORT.
WE HAVE MET AT LEAST MONTHLY, SEEMS LIKE FOREVER.
WE'LL BE CONTINUING UNTIL BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE DONE.
A STEERING COMMITTEE, 20 MEMBERS, THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND HELPED RAISE THE MONEY.
INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEERS BEHIND THE SCENES UNTIL THEY ASK YOU FOR MONEY, AND THEN THEY COME IN YOUR FACE, BUT THAT'S GREAT.
THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS, WE RAISED SUBSTANTIALLY ALL THE MONEY WITHIN 18 MONTHS, WHICH IS AMAZING.
OVER 300 DONORS, ANYWHERE FROM A MILLION TO $1.
OUR FAVORITE IS GRADY SUGGS WHO COLLECTED CANS AND TURNED THEM IN AND DONATED THE MONEY TO CONNECTCR.
99% OF OUR PLEDGES ARE BEING MET.
WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT HONORED THEIR PLEDGE. WE'LL GIVE YOU THEIR NAMES.
[LAUGHTER] NO, WE WON'T. BUT 99% OF PLEDGES BEING MET IS AMAZING.
WE'RE STILL COLLECTING A FEW PLEDGES AS THEY NEED TO COME IN.
BUT WE WILL HAVE RAISED $8.3 MILLION THROUGH THE PRIVATE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WHEN WE'RE DONE.
HALL PERRINE CHIPPED IN FIVE, AMAZINGLY.
IEDA GRANT 0.8 MILLION AND THE CITY IS 5.9.
CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT BY THE CITY, OBVIOUSLY, OF TIME AND MONEY.
WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THAT SUPPORT.
CONNECTCR HAS MADE REGULAR PAYMENTS FOR, I THINK, A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, QUARTERLY PAYMENTS.
WE'RE ALMOST AT $4 MILLION OF THAT 8.3 THAT WE NEED TO TURN OVER.
I THINK I'LL LIKE JENNIFER TALK ABOUT THE AMENITIES TO CEDAR LAKE, WHICH ARE MANY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS THE MOST UPDATED MASTER PLAN FOR CEDAR LAKE.
AGAIN, IT'S ALREADY HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING AS A HUB FOR BIKE AND WALKING TRAILS.
BUT REALLY THESE AMENITIES TAKE IT TO A LOT OF NICE ENHANCEMENTS.
NOT ONLY ADDING THE TRAIL ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE, BUT ALSO FISHING PIERS AND JETTIES, AND ADA KAYAK LAUNCH, A CHALLENGE COURSE AND PLAYGROUND, A BIRD VIEWING PLATFORM, AS WELL AS SHELTER AND RESTROOMS, REALLY DO ADD ALL OF THOSE AMENITIES TO THE LAKE.
>> I THINK THAT THE TRAIL ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM THE DNR.
>> CORRECT. WE HAVE ALL THE DNR PERMITTING WE NEED ON THAT EAST SIDE TRAIL.
THAT WILL BE STARTING ANY DAY NOW.
>> THE THE ALLIANT ENERGY LIGHTLINE BRIDGE IS, I BELIEVE, 90% DESIGNED CURRENTLY.
IT CONNECTS NEW BOHEMIA WITH CZECH VILLAGE AND MOUNT TRASHMORE AND THE CEDAR VALLEY NATURE TRAIL.
IT WILL BE AN 18 FOOT DECK WIDTH, WHICH IS PLENTY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS.
IT HAS A LIGHTED TOWER AND CABLES, AND WE'LL HAVE SOME RENDERINGS TO SHOW YOU IN JUST A SECOND, BUT I CAN REPORT THAT ALLIANT OF ALLIANT LIGHTLINE BRIDGE IS HAPPY WITH THE WIDE SYSTEMS THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH, BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL LIGHTING OF THE TOWER AND ALONG THE BRIDGE ITSELF. GOING TO WALK THROUGH THIS?
>> WE WILL NOW WOW YOU WITH SOME IMAGES.
THESE ARE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE RENDERINGS THAT REALLY SHOW THE IMPACT OF THIS BRIDGE.
IT'S FUN TO SEE IT AS IT'S GOING TO LOOK ESPECIALLY WITH THE REFLECTIONS FROM THE WATER AND REALLY BECOMING A PART OF THIS AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THEN AGAIN, DAZZLING WITH THE LIGHTS.
THE NAME IS THE LIGHTLINE BRIDGE, AND YOU CAN REALLY SEE IN SOME OF THESE NIGHTTIME IMAGES HOW YOU GET THAT LINE OF LIGHT THAT IS GOING TO BE CROSSING THE RIVER, AS WELL AS THAT INTERNAL LIGHTING HERE ON THE TOWER AND THE EXTERNAL REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THAT UNIQUE FEATURE.
AGAIN, AS TOM HAD MENTIONED, WE WERE VERY COGNIZANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD SAFETY IN MIND SO THAT YOU FELT SAFE EXPERIENCING THIS AS A PEDESTRIAN OR AS A BICYCLIST.
BY THE TOWER, WE DO HAVE TWO BIFURCATED DECKS, CYCLISTS CAN BE GOING MORE QUICKLY ON ONE SIDE, AND THEN THE OTHER SIDE HAS AN AREA FOR PEOPLE TO STOP AND TO SIT TO ENJOY THE VIEW AS WELL.
[00:20:04]
THEN AGAIN, ALL OF THESE IMAGES EQUALLY SPECTACULAR IN THE EVENING.AGAIN, HAVING THE LIGHT SET UP THE WAY WE DO, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO DO THE LIGHTS, EXTERNAL ONLY, THE EXTERNAL AND THE INTERNAL, AS WELL AS THE INTERNAL ONLY, AND AGAIN, UNIQUE PIECE OF THIS IS IT WILL BE COLOR-CHANGING.
SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT CERTAIN MONTHS AND CERTAIN EVENTS AND MAKE IT AN EXPERIENCE WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING BY.
>> I THINK WE CAN COORDINATE THAT WITH OTHER BUILDINGS THAT ARE LIT UP IN DOWNTOWN, CEDAR RAPIDS AS WELL.
I'LL GIVE IT A COMMON THEME THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA OUT TO THE BRIDGE. IT'S VERY COOL.
>> ABSOLUTELY. EACH OF THESE PROJECTS IS ICONIC AND AMAZING IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT HOW IMPACTFUL IT IS WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT THESE TWO PROJECTS ARE SO IN ALIGNMENT AND INTERTWINED WITH OTHER COMMUNITY INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY.
FOR CEDAR LAKE SPECIFICALLY, ALL OF THESE AMENITIES ARE REALLY THAT FIRST PHASE OF THE OVERALL LAKE RESTORATION.
THIS INCLUDES A THREE MILLION DOLLAR GRANT WE RECEIVED FROM LINN COUNTY CONSERVATION BOARD, FOR FILTERING THE STORM WATER IN THE SMALLER SOUTH CELL BEFORE IT GETS INTO THE LARGER NORTH CELL.
AGAIN, BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM.
NOTABLY, THE NATURALIZATION OF MCLOUD RUN, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PHOTO, WILL REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT AS IT RUNS ALONGSIDE CEDAR LAKE, BUT THIS IS THE ONLY URBAN TROUT STREAM IN IOWA, IN A VERY IMPRESSIVE WAY THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THIS NOW WITH THE NEW TRAIL GOING ALONGSIDE IT.
AGAIN, THE LIGHTLINE LOOP, WHICH IS THE ROUNDHOUSE IN THE FESTIVAL STREET.
WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO USE THE FUNDING THAT THE CITY AND CONNECTCR RAISED FOR THE BRIDGE AS MATCH FOR THE DESTINATION IOWA GRANT.
AGAIN, LEVERAGING THOSE RESOURCES TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
AGAIN, AS YOU CAN SEE IN BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS, THE TRAIL IS SUCH AN INTRICATE PART OF THEM, AND THESE ARE REALLY CONNECTING US WITH THOSE REGIONAL TRAIL SYSTEMS. IN FACT, JUST LAST WEEK, THE CELEBRATION OF OVER 50 MILES PAVED OF THE CEDAR VALLEY NATURE TRAIL.
AGAIN, JUST BEING IN THE HEART OF THAT HERE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, BEING PART OF THOSE REGIONAL SYSTEMS REALLY DOES HELP WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HAVING THE AMENITIES THAT PEOPLE WANT, THAT ATTRACTS THEM TO WORK HERE AND TO LIVE HERE.
WITH THAT, AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO SHOW THE TIMELINES AND EVERYTHING IS GETTING VERY TIGHT VERY QUICK, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE TRAIL ENHANCEMENTS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE SUMMER OF 2025.
OTHER AMENITY PROJECTS BY THE FALL OF '25 AT CEDAR LAKE.
THEN ON THE ALLIANT ENERGY LIGHTLINE, WE ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE BIDS TO BE ISSUED THIS FALL WITH SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OF THE BRIDGE BY FALL OF 2025.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK TO THE MAYOR.
COUNCIL, THOUGHTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON?
>> AGAIN, WE'VE GOT THREE PRESENTATIONS.
IF WE COULD KEEP IT BRIEF, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
>> JUST REAL QUICK AND DALE, I KNOW I'VE SAID THIS TO YOU PERSONALLY NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND YOU'VE WORKED ON IT FOR YEARS.
BUT REALLY, THIS IS AN AMAZING PROJECT, SO GOOD JOB.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PRO TEM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I JUST WANT TO EXTEND THAT THANKS TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL WHO HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS INITIATIVE FROM DAY 1.
IF ANYTHING WE'VE LEARNED, IS BASED ON THE ENORMITY OF THIS PROJECT.
IT IS CERTAINLY, I WOULD SUGGEST, TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED.
BUT THAT WAS A NAIVETY ON AT LEAST OUR PARTS BECAUSE WHEN YOU FIGURE ALL THE MOVING PIECES THAT JENNIFER JUST POINTED OUT, AND HOW THIS RELATES TO THE ENTIRE SCOPE OF WHAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO DO IN TERMS OF THE TRAIL HUB, THE DOWNTOWN INITIATIVES, THE BRIDGE, ALL OF THE PERMITTING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT AND ALL THE ENGINEERING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
[00:25:01]
THAT'S MORE THAN A LOT OF CITIES DO IN THEIR ENTIRE ENGINEERING SCOPE.THE FLOOD CONTROL WORK THAT IS GOING ON OF WHICH THIS IS SECONDARY TO IT, IT IS HUGE.
MOST PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ME, DON'T REALIZE THE ENORMITY OF WHAT WE ARE DOING OVER THERE ON THE EAST SIDE IN TERMS OF PREVENTING THE RIVER FROM FLOWING BACK INTO THE LAKE AND TO GO INTO ST. LUKE'S, TO ALL THE BUSINESSES ON SHAVER ROAD.
IT IS UNLIKE ANYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN.
WHILE I GOT A LITTLE LOVE FEST HERE, I'VE GOT NOTHING TO DO BUT TO SAY THANKS TO ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS.
MY FOLKS, I SAY FRIENDS ON CONNECTCR, BUT IT'S LIKE FAMILY.
WHEN FELICIA'S NUMBER IS IN MY PHONE AHEAD OF MY WIFE'S, THAT TELLS YOU THAT WE'RE SPENDING WAY TOO MUCH TIME WORKING ON THIS PROJECT TOGETHER.
BUT JENNIFER HAS BEEN THERE FROM DAY 1, AND SHE IS ONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN TERMS OF HAND-HOLDING.
HAND HOLDING IN THE SENSE THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT, AND WE NEED TO DO THOSE THINGS TO MAKE IT WORK.
TOM AND MIKE AND THE LEADERSHIP THERE.
WHEN THIS THING IS SAID AND DONE, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE FACE OF CEDAR RAPIDS IN A WAY THAT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF US REALIZE AT THIS POINT.
OUR CITY MANAGER WHO HAS ALLOWED US TO NAVIGATE IN TERRITORY THAT IS UNKNOWN, I HAVE TO GIVE HIM THANKS FOR ALLOWING US TO PROCEED IN THE MANNER AND THE WAY IN WHICH WE HAVE. THANKS, TEAM.
>> IN THE INTEREST OF EXPRESSING GRATITUDE, WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT FLOOD CONTROL, AND WE'VE ASKED PRIOR TO ME, EVEN BEING ON COUNCIL IN '93, IN 2008, IN 2016, IN 2018, IN 2020, WE'VE ASKED FOR SO MUCH FORGIVENESS AND PATIENCE AS WE WORK ON THE FOUNDATIONAL THINGS THAT ALLOW US TO GET TO THIS POINT.
BUT IT'S SO COOL THAT IT'S JUST A SUMMER AWAY.
I'M SO EXCITED THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT YOUR TALENT AND LEADERSHIP ALONG WITH MANY OTHER TALENTED FRIENDS AS WELL, AND EXCELLENT CITY STAFF WHO ARE GOING TO GIVE THIS, AND JUST EXCITED THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE FUN THINGS IN JUST A MOMENT AWAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THANKS. UP NEXT, VENUWORKS FISCAL YEAR 2024 RECAP.
ABHI DESHPANDE IS HERE FROM THE CITY TO BRING US AN UPDATE ON THAT.
>> WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PRESENTATION, MAYOR.
>> HOW ABOUT THIS? I'VE GOT ONE MORE PRESENTATION.
WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE? WE'LL COME BACK.
>> I'LL INVITE BRANDON JENNINGS TO PRESENT ON THE WATER DIVISION'S SERVICE LINE INVENTORY AND NOTIFICATION PROGRAM.
HOPEFULLY, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND YOURS ON HERE.
>> BEFORE WE BEGIN, I MIGHT JUST ASK OUR AV CREW, TECHNICAL CREW TO SUPPORT DIRECTOR DESHPANDE TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF EVEN IF I SAW THAT IN THE QUEUE.
>> AM I WAITING. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMEMBERS.
BRANDON JENNINGS WITH THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT,
[00:30:01]
AND JOINING ME TODAY IS DAVE WALLACE UTILITIES ENGINEERING MANAGER.IN DECEMBER OF 2021, THE EPA FINALIZED REVISIONS TO THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE, AS PART OF THE UPDATED RULE.
PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE LINE INVENTORIES TO IDENTIFY LINES THAT ARE MADE OF LEAD OR UNKNOWN MATERIALS.
UTILITIES ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE INVENTORY TO THE IOWA DNR BY OCTOBER 16TH.
AFTERWARD, UTILITIES MUST SEND OUT NOTIFICATIONS TO ALL RESIDENTS WITH LEAD, UNKNOWN OR CERTAIN GALVANIZED IRON SERVICE LINE MATERIALS.
IN CEDAR RAPIDS, OWNERSHIP OF WATER SERVICE LINES IS TYPICALLY SHARED BETWEEN THE PROPERTY OWNER AND THE CITY.
THIS GRAPHIC SHOWS THE CITY SIDE IN ORANGE, EXTENDING FROM THE WATER MAIN TO THE SHUT OFF VALVE, TYPICALLY LOCATED IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
THE REMAINDER OF THE SERVICE LINE SHOWN IN GRAY, EXTENDING FROM THE SHUT OFF VALVE INTO THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER.
FULLY REPLACING LEAD OR GALVANIZED IRON SERVICE LINES REQUIRES JOINT FUNDING AND COORDINATION BETWEEN HOMEOWNERS AND THE CITY.
CEDAR RAPIDS BANNED THE USE OF LEAD AS A SERVICE LINE MATERIAL IN JUNE OF 1971.
THE US CONGRESS BANNED LEAD AS A SERVICE LINE MATERIAL IN 1988.
HOWEVER, THE PHASE OUT OF LEAD AS A SERVICE LINE MATERIAL IN CEDAR RAPIDS OCCURRED MUCH EARLIER.
GENERALLY, WE FIND THAT PROPERTIES THAT WERE BUILT IN 1950 OR LATER ARE FOUND TO BE NON-LEAD.
TO FURTHER DEVELOP OUR SERVICE LINE INVENTORY, WATER DIVISION STAFF REVIEWED MORE THAN 100,000 HISTORICAL RECORDS FROM 2021.
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THESE RECORDS DID NOT INCLUDE MATERIAL INFORMATION.
SO WATER DIVISION STAFF HAVE TURNED TO ACTIVELY COLLECTING SERVICE LINE INFORMATION FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING METER EXCHANGES, PLUMBING PERMITS, ONGOING SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS BY ENLISTING THE HELP OF HOMEOWNERS THEMSELVES TO SUBMIT SERVICE LINE INVENTORY SURVEYS.
SHOWN HERE TO THE RIGHT IS A SNIP OF THE SERVICE LINE INVENTORY WEBMAP, WHICH INCLUDES INDIVIDUAL POINTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 54,000 SERVICE LINES IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
SERVICE POINTS IN THE WEBMAP ARE BROKEN OUT INTO SEVERAL CLASSIFICATIONS.
DARK-GREEN REPRESENTS VERIFIED NON-LEAD.
LIGHT-GREEN REPRESENTS UNKNOWN BUT NOT LEAD.
ORANGE REPRESENTS UNKNOWN BUT POSSIBLY LEAD, AND DARK-RED REPRESENTS VERIFIED LEAD AND/OR VERIFIED GALVANIZED IRON.
AS YOU CAN SEE, MOST OF THE LEAD GALVANIZED OR LEAD STATUS UNKNOWN SERVICE LINES IN CEDAR RAPIDS ARE CLUSTERED IN THE OLDER RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING DOWNTOWN.
THE REASON THAT SO FEW LEAD LINES HAVE BEEN VERIFIED, IS THAT LEAD LINES TYPICALLY ARE VERY OLD, AND HAVE FEW TO NO RECORDS OF THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE IS THAT GALVANIZED IRON PIPES TYPICALLY CARRY AN OFFICIAL FEDERAL DESIGNATION KNOWN AS GALVANIZED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT, WHICH SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO GALVANIZED IRON PIPES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OR MAY HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY DOWNSTREAM OF LEAD.
MOST GALVANIZED IRON PIPES IN CEDAR RAPIDS FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY.
HOWEVER, IT MUST BE NOTED THAT WHILE THE FEDERAL DESIGNATION IS GALVANIZED REQUIRING REPLACEMENT, THE WATER DIVISION IS NOT REQUIRING HOMEOWNERS TO REPLACE THEIR LEAD OR GALVANIZED IRON SERVICE LINES, IF OTHERWISE IN A USABLE CONDITION.
FEDERAL REGULATIONS ALSO REQUIRE THAT THE SERVICE LINE INVENTORY BE MADE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.
THEREFORE, WE HAVE INCLUDED A LINK TO THE WEBMAP AT CITYOFCR.COM/LEAD.
AFTER THE INVENTORY IS SUBMITTED, WATER DIVISION STAFF WILL SEND NOTIFICATIONS TO RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE A SERVICE LINE OF EITHER VERIFIED LEAD, VERIFIED GALVANIZED, OR UNKNOWN POTENTIALLY LEAD MATERIAL.
NOTIFICATIONS WILL INCLUDE A TRIFOLD BROCHURE WITH PROGRAM-SPECIFIC INFORMATION, AS WELL AS A COVER LETTER WITH THEIR PARTICULAR SERVICE LINE CLASSIFICATION.
>> THE SERVICE LINE INVENTORY FOCUSES SPECIFICALLY ON MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION FOR SERVICE LINES.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE POTENTIAL SOURCES FOR LEAD AND DRINKING WATER EXTEND BEYOND THE BURIED PORTION OF THE SERVICE LINE PIPE.
RESIDENTS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IN ADDITION TO LEAD SERVICE LINES, GALVANIZED IRON SERVICE LINES OR GALVANIZED IRON PLUMBING, LEAD SOLDER AND COPPER PLUMING, OLDER COPPER PLUMBING, AS WELL AS OLDER BRASS AND BRONZE COMPONENTS AND HOUSEHOLD PLUMBING FIXTURES, SUCH AS SPIGOTS, FACETS, VALVES, ETC CAN ALL BE POTENTIAL SOURCES OF LEAD IN DRINKING WATER.
[00:35:01]
CEDAR RAPIDS WATER DIVISION STAFF WORK CONTINUOUSLY TO GUARD AGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF LEAD LEACHING INTO DRINKING WATER FROM THESE POTENTIAL SOURCES.SINCE 1992, THE WATER DIVISION HAS MAINTAINED A PROGRAM OF CORROSION CONTROL, WHICH CONSISTS OF ADDING A FOOD GRADE CORROSION INHIBITOR TO DRINKING WATER, WHICH FORMS A PROTECTIVE COATING ON THE INSIDE OF PIPES.
THIS PROTECTIVE COATING GREATLY REDUCES THE RISK OF LEAD LEACHING INTO DRINKING WATER.
WE ALSO COLLECT SAMPLES TO MONITOR FOR LEAD FROM SOURCE WATER, OUR WELLS THROUGH THE TREATMENT PROCESS AND ALSO ACROSS THE CITY IN OUR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM TO VERIFY THAT SYSTEM WIDE LEAD LEVELS REMAIN WELL BELOW FEDERAL LIMITS.
WE CONTINUOUSLY REPLACE LEAD SERVICE LINES DURING ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE PRIORITIZE FULL LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENTS IN COORDINATION WITH HOMEOWNER SIDE REPLACEMENT.
WATER DIVISION STAFF ROUTINELY ATTEND PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND DISTRIBUTE MAILINGS TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE SERVICE LINE INVENTORY, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT, AND OTHER STEPS RESIDENTS CAN TAKE TO REDUCE THEIR RISK OF LEAD EXPOSURE.
ONGOING EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO IMPROVE EDUCATION, REDUCE UNKNOWNS IN THE SYSTEM, AND EXPAND LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT PROJECTS.
WATER DIVISION STAFF ARE PURSUING FEDERAL FUNDING TO ENABLE US TO INITIATE MORE PROJECTS FOR FULL LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENTS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER IOWA MUNICIPALITIES ON POSSIBLE LEGISLATION FOR TIME OF TRANSFER, PROPERTY DISCLOSURE, OR REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR LEAD SERVICE LINES.
THE REVISED LEAD AND COPPER RULE ALSO DOES REQUIRE THAT RESIDENTS WHO HAVE A LEAD, GALVANIZED OR LEAD STATUS UNKNOWN SERVICE LINE BE NOTIFIED ANNUALLY GOING FORWARD.
WE ARE ALSO AWAITING UPDATED RULES FOR LEAD AND COPPER, WHICH ARE EXPECTED FROM THE EPA BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
THESE FINALIZED FEDERAL RULES MAY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO THE WATER DIVISIONS LEAD AND COPPER PROGRAM.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SERVICE LINE INVENTORY AND NOTIFICATION PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE AT CITYOFCR.COM/LEAD WITH TRANSLATED COPIES OF OUR INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE PROGRAM UPDATES WHEN WE RECEIVE AND REVIEW THE FINALIZED FEDERAL RULES FROM THE EPA.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR.
>> BRANDON, THANK YOU. COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN OLSON.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE A LOT OF CITIES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND THEY HAVE THIS INVENTORY AS FABULOUS THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO BACK AND DO THIS MUCH RESEARCH AND FIND IT.
ONCE YOU GO BACK BECAUSE REALLY, IT'S JUST LIKE HAVING A SEPTIC SYSTEM OR SOMETHING ELSE IN A HOME, YOU HAVE TO DISCLOSE CERTAIN THINGS.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THE FEDERAL RULE IS GOING TO GO BECAUSE THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD, WHEN A HOUSE IS SOLD.
HOW DO THEY FIND OUT TO DISCLOSE SOMETHING THEY MAY NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT? THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER 1 BECAUSE IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THE STATE DOES THAT, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN OLDER HOMES TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT.
THEN NUMBER 2, ARE THERE ANY GOING TO BE ANY PROGRAMS? BECAUSE BESIDES REPLACING A SERVICE LINE, WILL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REQUIRE SOMEBODY IN AN OLDER HOUSE TO GO IN AND REDO THEIR PLUMBING? I'M SURE THERE'S PROGRAMS. WHAT DO YOU SEE COMING DOWN THE HORIZON?
>> WELL, REALLY WHAT THE EPA IS REQUIRING IS THAT WE MAKE OUR SERVICE LINE INVENTORY, AND THE GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY ALL THE SERVICE LINES IN THE SYSTEM.
AS FAR AS THE PRIVATE SIDE OF THE REPLACEMENTS, THEY CAN'T REQUIRE IT.
THAT'S THE GOAL, BUT THEY CAN'T REQUIRE THAT THE QUAGMIRE, SO TO SPEAK, IS THEIR GOAL IS TO GET ALL THE LEAD OUT OF THE SYSTEM, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY THAT IT'S REQUIRED BUT THEY CAN'T REQUIRE IT BECAUSE OF THE PRIVATE SIDE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SORT OUT AS OUR LEAD AND SERVICE LINE PROGRAM DEVELOPS IS HOW CAN WE MAXIMIZE GETTING THAT STUFF OUT OF THE SYSTEM, AND HOW DO WE PAY FOR THAT AS A CITY OR AS A PROPERTY OWNER OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDING AVAILABLE.
THERE IS THROUGH THE SRF LOAN PROGRAM, AND SOME OF THAT WILL BE FORGIVABLE LOANS THAT WE APPLIED FOR, BUT THAT WILL GO TOWARDS OUR REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
I DON'T KNOW, BRANDON, IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANY MORE TO THAT.
>> NO BUT I THINK YOU COVERED IT.
>> IT'S A COMPLICATED SUBJECT.
>> WELL, I MIGHT JUST BE SPEAKING FOR COUNCIL MEMBER TODD AND MYSELF, BUT SEEING AS WE QUICKLY LOOKED UP, WE'LL BE INTERESTED IN HOW THIS PROGRAM GOES BECAUSE OUR HOMES ARE POSSIBLY UNKNOWN.
[00:40:06]
WE'LL BE ROLE MODELING THIS IN REAL TIME WITH YOU ALL.>> OUR INCENTIVE TO REDUCE THOSE NUMBER OF UNKNOWNS IS EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE TO SEND OUT THE NOTIFICATIONS.
WE GOT 9,500 NOTIFICATIONS READY TO GO OUT OVER THIS NEXT MONTH.
YOU WANT TO REDUCE THAT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, AND PROPERTY OWNERS ARE SURE TO WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR MATERIALS ARE.
>> I WILL ADD THAT I BELIEVE THAT OUR INVENTORY IS SOMEWHAT OF A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF POTENTIAL LEAD OR UNKNOWN POTENTIAL LEAD LINES.
WE DO EXPECT THAT A GOOD FRACTION OF THAT, WILL DETERMINE TO BE NON LEAD, BUT WE NEED SPECIFIC MATERIAL CONFIRMATION BEFORE WE CAN MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO ACTIVELY GATHER THIS INFORMATION AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
>> COUNCILMAN OLSON ONE LAST TIME.
>> THANK YOU. JUST TO FOLLOW UP, THEN, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PEOPLE? MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE TYPE OF PIPE THEY MIGHT HAVE.
IS IT LEAD? ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PEOPLE THEY CAN CONTACT THAT COULD QUICKLY AND INEXPENSIVELY GO IN AND SAY, HEY, YOU'RE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAS LEAD OR DOES NOT? HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S A BIG COMPONENT OF OUR PROGRAM.
OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE DEVELOPED WHAT'S CALLED A SERVICE LINE INVENTORY SURVEY ON OUR WEBSITE, WHERE WE HAVE A VIDEO THAT WALKS RESIDENTS THROUGH HOW TO IDENTIFY THEIR SERVICE LINE MATERIAL.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF EASY TESTS.
ONE IS CALLED A SCRATCH TEST, WHERE YOU JUST GO, IF YOU SCRATCH AND UNCOVER A COPPER PIPE, IT'LL SHINE LIKE A PENNY.
TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN LEAD OR GALVANIZED IRON PIPE ON THE PRIVATE SIDE, GALVANIZED IRON PIPE IS MAGNETIC.
YOU DO JUST YOU TAKE A MAGNET, YOU SEE IF IT STICKS TO THE PIKE, THE PIPE, IF IT SCRATCHES GRAY, THEN IT'S GALVANIZED IRON.
WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE STEPS LAID OUT ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM TO BE ABLE TO FLAG THE ADDRESSES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS UNKNOWN IN THE INVENTORY, SO THEY CAN HELP WALK CUSTOMERS THROUGH THAT PROCESS IF THEY NEED ANY ASSISTANCE.
>> THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN OTHER CITIES.
IT'S NO SECRET THAT BASED ON THE AGE OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU GET INTO ISSUES OF ECONOMICS AND THE ISSUES THAT GO HAND IN HAND WITH THAT.
THIS WILL BE PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.
ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONES THAT WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS A CITY IN THE FUTURE.
IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH IT, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT UNLESS WE HAVE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE, SIMPLY BECAUSE A LOT OF PLACES WHERE WE KNOW THAT WE WILL NEED TO REPLACE PIPES, THEY SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO DO IT.
I TRUST THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS SENSITIVE TO THOSE CONCERNS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALL KNOW THE RESULT WHAT LEAD CAN DO TO BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT.
THIS WILL TAKE MANY, MANY YEARS TO RESOLVE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
>> I'M GOING TO ALLOW YOU ONE MORE CHANCE TO REINFORCE THE EFFORTS THAT YOU DO RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WATER WE'RE DRINKING DOESN'T HAVE DANGEROUS AMOUNTS OF LEAD IN THAT.
IF YOU CAN JUST BE CRYSTAL CLEAR WITH THE PEOPLE PAYING ATTENTION, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WATER IS SAFE? THANK YOU.
WE EXCEED THE THRESHOLDS THAT EPA SETS FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER.
WE ADD THE ZINC ORTHOPHOSPHATE, WHICH BRANDON MENTIONED EARLIER COATS THE PIPE, WHICH INHIBITS THE LEACHING OF LEAD INTO THE WATER.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO TEST DO 53 TESTS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING OUT, WHAT'S IN OUR SYSTEM WITH LEAD SERVICE LINES.
TO EMPHASIZE, OUR WATER MEETS THE EPA STANDARDS RIGHT NOW IN A SAFE TO DRINK.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON NOW TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
DIRECTOR DISH BOND, HOW COULD I FORGET? THANK YOU.
[00:45:04]
I'M HOPING IT'S THERE.IF NOT, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY MOVE IT TO THE END OF THE MEETING.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
>> EVERYBODY, VENUWORKS FY '24 RECAP.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. SORRY FOR THE DELAY ABOUT MISMANAGEMENT THERE.
BUT, ABEAND, FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND I HAVE SHORN MOLAE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF VENUE WORKS HERE WITH ME AND VENUWORKS MANAGES OUR CITY'S ALL ENTERTAINMENT VENUES, AND HE'S GOING TO PROVIDE US THE FINANCIAL RECAP TO THE COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU, ABY. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH THE CEDAR RAPIDS TOURISM OFFICE.
I WANT TO REITERATE TOURISMS MISSION IS THAT WE MARKET CEDAR RAPIDS AS A DESTINATION BY WAY OF CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS, AND SPORTING EVENTS.
OUR GOAL IS TO ATTRACT EVENTS TO THE CEDAR RAPIDS AREA THAT DRIVES AN ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR HOTELS, ATTRACTIONS, RESTAURANTS, AND LOCAL BUSINESSES.
OUR MISSION FULFILLMENT IS REALIZED BY WAY OF US ATTENDING TRADE SHOWS TO PROMOTE AND SELL OUR CITY, PROVIDING FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR GROUPS TO BRING THEIR EVENTS HERE, GIVING PERSONALIZED TOURS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT BRING THEIR BUSINESSES TO TOWN, AND PROVIDING OUTLETS FOR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING, INCLUDING OUR ANNUAL VISITOR GUIDE, AND MUCH MORE.
ALTHOUGH THE TOURISM OFFICE IS DIRECTLY SUBSIDIZED WITH HOTEL MOTEL TAX DOLLARS, WE ALSO EARN ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM HOUSING REIMBURSEMENTS, REIMBURSE DESTINATION, MARKETING FEES, AS WELL AS ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIPS.
IN FY '24, OUR SALES STAFF WON 73 OUT OF THE 127 RFPS AND BIDS WE RESPONDED TO, WHICH RESULTED IN BOOKING OVER 29,000 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS.
THIS WAS A 6% INCREASE OVER FY '23.
WE ALSO HOSTED A TOTAL OF 17 MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
ON THE SPORTS SIDE, WE HOSTED 65 SPORTING EVENTS.
AMONG THOSE WE BROUGHT TO THE AREA WERE THE USA WRESTLING KIDS NATIONAL, WHICH WAS HOSTED IN CEDAR RAPIDS IN JUNE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THIS WAS HELD AT THE IMAN ICE ARENA, INCLUDED OVER 1,200 REGISTRATIONS FROM 41 DIFFERENT STATES.
ALSO THE XCEL REGIONAL GYMNASTICS MET, FEATURED OVER 3,000 ATHLETES FROM THE MIDWEST THIS PAST APRIL AND WAS HELD AT THE ALLAN ENERGY POWERHOUSE.
THE NAIA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WAS HOSTED IN CEDAR RAPIDS, ALSO AT THE ALLAN ENERGY POWERHOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THE CEDAR RAPIDS TOURISM AND OUR PARTNER HOST TO MOUNT MERCY UNIVERSITY WERE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO BRING IN THIS NATIONAL EVENT.
ON THE MARKETING SIDE, WE WERE EXCITED TO BE THE RECIPIENTS OF TWO IOWA TOURISM AWARDS PRESENTED BY THE TRAVEL IOWA INDUSTRY PARTNERS, THE OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY AWARD, HONORING AN IOWA COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS SUPPORTED TOURISM GROWTH, OVERCOME CHALLENGES AND REACH NEW MARKETS WITH INNOVATIVE APPROACHES, AND THE OUTSTANDING PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL AWARD FOR THE CEDAR RAPIDS VISITOR GUIDE, HONORING A TOURISM ATTRACTION AND COMMUNITY FOR EXCELLENCE IN PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS.
BACK UP. OUR SEASONAL DIGITAL AD CAMPAIGNS ARE TARGETED TO POTENTIAL LEISURE VISITORS IN THE 4-5 HOUR DRIVE MARKETS, AND OUR EFFORTS EXCEEDED OUR FY '24 GOAL OF 13 MILLION IMPRESSIONS.
WE ALSO STARTED A PROJECT FOR A NEW WEBSITE.
THE TOURISM WEBSITE WILL UNDERGO A FACE LIFT WITH A TARGET LAUNCH OF FEBRUARY 2025.
>> OUR HOUSING AND GROUP SERVICES DEPARTMENT OFFERS DIRECT ASSISTANCE IN RESERVING HOTEL BLOCKS FOR MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS, AND SPORTS TOURNAMENTS, AS WELL AS BOOKING TRANSPORTATION.
ALSO, CREATING AND COORDINATING VENUE SIGNAGE AND PROMOTIONAL ITEMS FOR THE EVENTS WHICH TOURISM BRINGS TO CEDAR RAPIDS.
THIS YEAR WE PROVIDED HOUSING SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 35 EVENTS, AND SERVICE SUCH GROUPS AS THE LEAGUE OF CITIES.
THE FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA AND THE FAMILY CAREER AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF AMERICA JUST TO NAME A FEW,
[00:50:05]
ALL HOLDING THEIR ANNUAL CONFERENCES IN CEDAR RAPIDS.LASTLY, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION THE SMALL MARKET MEETINGS.
CEDAR RAPIDS PLAYED HOST TO THE ANNUAL SMALL MARKET MEETINGS CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
THIS IS A NATIONAL EVENT WHICH WELCOME 300 ATTENDEES, INCLUDED 56 MEETING PLANNERS FROM 25 STATES.
THE CONFERENCE SECURED OVER 574 ROOM NIGHTS AS WELL AS HOLDING EVENTS AT EIGHT LOCAL ATTRACTIONS OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR DAYS.
FROM THIS CONFERENCE TOURISM HAS ALREADY SECURED FOUR RFPS FOR A POTENTIAL $750,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT AND 2,100 ROOM NIGHTS.
SWITCHING GEARS TO THE ENTERTAINMENT VENUES.
WE DO TAKE OUR MISSION SERIOUSLY TO BE IN LINE WITH THE CITY'S AND VISION CR PLAN FOCUSING ON PROVIDING A DIVERSE ARRAY OF ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS AND TO PROVIDE A DESIRABLE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IN FY 24, WE DREW 434,000 PATRONS TO ALL FOUR ENTERTAINMENT VENUES.
THAT IS UP 9% FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SPORTING EVENTS CONTINUE TO BE OUR HIGHEST-ATTENDED TYPE.
WHEN YOU FACTOR IN ALL OF THE HOME ROUGH RIDER GAMES, PLUS THE MANY WRESTLING, VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, AND GYMNASTICS TOURNAMENTS WE HOLD AS WELL.
BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE GATHER THROUGH THE TICKET BUYING PROCESS WE HAVE ESTIMATED THAT OF THESE 400,000 PLUS PATRONS THEY CONTRIBUTE OVER $20 MILLION IN DOWNTOWN CONSUMER SPENDING TO CEDAR RAPIDS.
NOT ONLY AT THE VENUES BUT ALSO PARKING, RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, AND OTHER RETAIL SPEND.
STARTING WITH THE ALLIANT ENERGY POWERHOUSE, WE PRODUCED OVER 60 EVENTS WITH 97 INDIVIDUAL EVENT DAYS DURING THE FY 24 PERIOD INCLUDING A VERY NEARLY SOLD-OUT COMEDY SHOW IN JUNE, FEATURING THE COMEDIAN NATE BARGATZE.
WE ALSO HOSTED A BRAND NEW RODEO EVENT CALLED BULLS BANDS AND BARRELS, WHICH FEATURED A FULLY SANCTIONED RODEO PLUS A COUNTRY MUSIC CONCERT FROM AN UP-AND-COMING ARTIST.
THIS EVENT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL FOR US AND HAS BEEN CONFIRMED ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS COMING FEBRUARY.
FROM A SPORTING PERSPECTIVE WE ARE CAPITALIZING ON ALL OF THE EXCITEMENT SURROUNDING WOMEN'S WRESTLING, HOSTING TWO MAJOR EVENTS THIS PAST YEAR, THE AAU GIRLS JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TOURNAMENT AND THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE WOMEN'S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP.
THE PARAMOUNT THEATER HAD A GREAT YEAR AS WELL.
THIS YEAR, FEATURING 84 EVENTS OVER 105 DAYS INCLUDING 44 COMMERCIAL TOURING SHOWS, 14 ORCHESTRA IOWA PERFORMANCES, AND THREE BROADWAY TITLES.
THEN, OF COURSE, A VARIETY OF OTHER EVENTS INCLUDING DANCE RECITALS, MEETINGS, AND LOCAL PERFORMANCES.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW BUT WE EVEN HOST WEDDINGS AND WEDDING RECEPTIONS AT THE PARAMOUNT THEATER AS WELL.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF NATIONALLY KNOWN COMEDIANS THIS PAST YEAR, MATT RIFE, WHO HAD TWO SOLD-OUT SHOWS, AND PETE DAVIDSON FROM SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE FAME WASN'T QUITE SOLD OUT BUT ALSO HAD TWO VERY HEAVILY ATTENDED SHOWS.
THEN WE HAD ONE OF OUR BROADWAY SHOWS, WHICH WAS SOLD OUT AS WELL AND THAT WAS THE BOOK OF MORMON.
WE JUST WRAPPED UP ANOTHER SEASON.
IN FACT, THIS YEAR, WE CELEBRATED OUR TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMPHITHEATER BY OFFERING SOME SPECIAL PROMOTIONS AND TICKET GIVEAWAYS.
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR WE PROGRAM 28 TOTAL EVENTS AT ALL-TIME HIGH 18 COMMERCIAL TOURING SHOWS, INCLUDING THE BAND CAKE THIS PAST MAY WHERE WE SET A RECORD OF HAVING THE MOST PAID TICKETS IN VENUE HISTORY.
ALSO RECENTLY THE POPULAR TRADE PUBLICATION POLL STAR HAS RANKED MCGRATH AMPHITHEATER, NUMBER 92 WORLDWIDE IN GROSS TICKET SALES AND NUMBER 82 WORLDWIDE IN TICKETS SOLD.
WE ALSO CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL GROUPS FOR ANNUAL COMMUNITY EVENTS AS WELL.
THE FREEDOM FESTIVAL FIREWORKS IS ALWAYS A POPULAR EVENT.
[00:55:01]
WE PARTNER WITH CRBT TO PUT ON THEIR SUMMER OUTDOOR MOVIE SERIES, OF COURSE, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LATINOS UNIDOS FOR COMMUNITY INCLUSION ORGANIZATION, WHICH PUTS ON THE POPULAR FESTIVAL LATINO.THEN LAST YEAR, WE STARTED A NEW ANNUAL EVENT FOR CEDAR RAPIDS CALLED FIVE SEASONS LIGHTS.
DESIGNED AS A WALK-THROUGH HOLIDAY LIGHTS DISPLAY, COMPLETE WITH MUSIC, SANTA, AND HOT COCOA.
WE HAVE INVESTED IN PURCHASING SEVERAL LIGHT DISPLAYS WHICH WILL BE USED YEAR OVER YEAR AND PLAN TO CONTINUALLY DESIGN AND PURCHASE NEW DISPLAYS TO KEEP THE EVENT FRESH.
THIS EVENT IS A WAY FOR VENUWORKS TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BY INVITING NONPROFIT GROUPS EACH NIGHT TO COLLECT DONATIONS FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS.
LAST YEAR, OVER $13,000 WAS COLLECTED BY THE VARIOUS GROUPS.
WITH OVER 20,000 PEOPLE COMING TO VIEW THE DISPLAYS LAST YEAR WE FEEL IT WILL ONLY CONTINUE AND GROW YEAR OVER YEAR.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE VARIOUS SPONSORSHIPS WHICH HELPS US OFFSET THE COSTS.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE IMON ICE ARENA.
THIS BUILDING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ALMOST EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR AND WE PRODUCED OVER 2,600 HOURS OF PROGRAMMING.
SOME OF THE REGULAR GROUPS WHO RENT ICE TIME ARE THE CORRIDOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION, EASTERN IOWA FIGURE SKATING CLUB, CEDAR RAPIDS CURLING CLUB, AND THE ROUGHRIDER YOUTH HOCKEY CLUB.
WE HOSTED A NUMBER OF STATE AND NATIONAL YOUTH TOURNAMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
PLUS THIS YEAR WE STARTED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM TO PLAY THEIR GAMES IN THE ARENA.
THEN, OF COURSE, THERE IS OUR BELOVED CEDAR RAPIDS ROUGHRIDERS WHO WILL BE CELEBRATING THEIR 25TH SEASON IN CEDAR RAPIDS THIS YEAR AND WE HOSTED 30 OF THEIR HOME GAMES WITH A TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF OVER 45,000 PATRONS.
ALSO, THIS PAST YEAR WE MADE A COUPLE OF SIGNIFICANT BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS.
WE INSTALLED A LARGE PARTY DECK OVER THE BLEACHERS ON THE WEST END OF THE HOCKEY ARENA WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN SOLD TO CORTA CREDIT UNION FOR THE SEASON.
WE ALSO COMPLETED A PROJECT TO REPLACE ALL OF THE FIXED SEATS IN THE MAIN HOCKEY ARENA AS WELL.
THEN BRIEFLY, JUST TO LOOK AHEAD, JUST A QUICK UPDATE.
AT THE POWERHOUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE CONFIGURING OUR EXISTING CLUB FIVE SETUP TO ADD BALCONY SEATING IN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING STANDING ROOM ONLY SETUP.
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO ACCOMMODATE MORE SHOWS WHICH ARE RIGHT AROUND THAT 2,500 SEAT CAPACITY WHICH IS WHAT IS DRIVING THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.
AT THE PARAMOUNT WE ARE INTRODUCING A LOUNGE SUITE ALONG THE HOUSE RIGHT BALCONY AREA WHICH WE ARE MARKETING TO BUSINESSES AS PREMIUM VIP SEATING.
WE WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCING A MOVIE SERIES AND BEGIN TO SHOW CLASSIC FILMS IN THE THEATER ONCE AGAIN.
WE ARE WORKING ON SHOWING THE ORIGINAL BEETLE JUICE MOVIE IN OCTOBER COMING UP.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE SHOWING THE CHRISTMAS VACATION MOVIE IN DECEMBER.
AT THE AMPHITHEATER WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF NEW DISPLAYS READY TO GO FOR FIVE SEASONS LIGHTS THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE AN 18 FOOT WALK-THROUGH ORNAMENT WHICH WILL BE PLACED ON CENTER STAGE AND ALSO A 12-FOOT TALL LIGHTED DIAMOND RING DISPLAY.
A COUPLE OF ITEMS FOR TOURISM.
WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE NJCAA HAS AWARDED CEDAR RAPIDS AS ITS HOST FOR THE 2025, '26, AND '27 DIVISION 2 VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
THIS IS A FOUR-DAY NATIONAL TOURNAMENT HELD AT THE ALLAN ENERGY POWERHOUSE.
ALSO TWO NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE AWARDED TO CEDAR RAPIDS IN 2027.
THE DIVISION 2 MEN'S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP AND DIVISION 3 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS ALSO HELD AT THE ALLIANT ENERGY POWER HOUSE.
I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF, MANY OF WHICH ARE RIGHT BEHIND ME HERE FOR PRODUCING THIS HARD WORK.
THANK YOU TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT US.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR DESHPANDE.
ANY THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS? COUNCILOR MAIER.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A REQUEST REGARDING LOOKING FORWARD.
IF THE CASINO GOES THROUGH IN CEDAR RAPIDS I JUST ASK THAT YOU DO SOME TYPE OF COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS WITH THE PARAMOUNT TO SEE WHAT CANNIBALIZATION IF ANY YOU'LL SEE WITH THEIR
[01:00:02]
01,700 CAPACITY THEATER VERSUS THE PARAMOUNT'S 1,500 THEATER.THEN ALSO THE IMPACT ON REVENUE AS WELL AS MARGIN.
I'M ASSUMING THE PARAMOUNT IS PROBABLY A HIGHER MARGIN SPACE THAN SOME OF THE SPORTS ACTIVITIES BUT JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILOR MAIER, WE MAY HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU ALREADY.
THE CITY'S DONE SOME PROACTIVE WORK ON THAT.
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK THE TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN TERMS OF TOURISM AND ENTERTAINMENT.
THIS IS STILL A POST-PANDEMIC ECONOMY, AND FOR A COMMUNITY LIKE CEDAR RAPIDS, TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT LEVEL OF ENTERTAINMENT TO THIS MARKET IN THIS TIME IS A TESTAMENT TO THE TEAM AND THE RESPECT THAT WE HAVE FOR VENUWORKS AND YOUR STAFF.
I WOULD ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN TERMS OF THE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT MARKET STUDY IS HELPING TO PULL A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ALLUDED TO EARLIER TOGETHER.
THERE'S STILL TIME TO COMPLETE THAT SURVEY.
IN FACT, YOU'VE GOT A MEETING RIGHT NOW AT 1:00 O'CLOCK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MISS.
BUT IN HINDSIGHT YOU'RE COMING OFF OF A STRING OF I WOULD SAY SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS AND BEING ABLE TO ACTIVATE THESE PLACES.
ALL I CAN SAY AND I WOULD SUGGEST MY COLLEAGUES SAY IS KEEP HEADING IN THAT DIRECTION.
HOPEFULLY, THINGS WILL TURN A LOT BETTER HERE SOON.
>> THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH, GENTLEMEN.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[1. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the 8th Avenue SE between 5th and 7th Streets Streetscape Improvements project (estimated cost is $220,000) (Ken DeKeyser).]
I REMIND EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TODAY WHETHER DURING A PUBLIC HEARING OR DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT OR PUBLIC INPUT PERIODS OF A FEW MATTERS TO ASSURE WE HAVE AN ORDERLY MEETING.FIRST, REMAIN AT THE LECTERN, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS, YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL I'LL INVITE YOU TO HAND THEM TO THE POLICE OFFICER ON YOUR RIGHT.
HE WILL MAKE SURE TO GET THEM TO US.
SECOND, A REMINDER THAT OUR COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES TODAY.
WHEN THE LIGHT IN THE CONSOLE IN FRONT OF YOU TURNS YELLOW YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, WHEN IT TURNS RED WE ASK YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT AND BE AWARE THAT ALL COMMENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT ABUSIVE, OBSCENE, LOUD, THREATENING OR IRRELEVANT COMMENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED.
FINALLY WE NEED TO HOLD AN ORDERLY MEETING, SO WE ASK FOR NO APPLAUSE, BOOING, OR OTHER NOISE OR DISRUPTION FROM ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE.
DOES THE CLERK HAVE ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS IN REGARD TO ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON TODAY'S AGENDA?
>> YOUR HONOR, THERE WERE NO WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS FILED. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER 1 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLAN, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COSTS FOR THE EIGHTH AVENUE, SOUTHEAST BETWEEN FIFTH AND SEVENTH STREET STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $220,000.
KENDI KAISER IS HERE. KEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.
>> [INAUDIBLE] MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, KENDI KAISER WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
THIS PROJECT TAILS IS WE'RE GOING TO BE REPLACING SOME STRIPS OF ASPHALT BETWEEN THE CURBS AND SIDEWALKS WITH DECORATIVE BRICKED PAVERS ON EIGHTH AVENUE BETWEEN FIFTH AND SEVENTH STREET, AS WELL AS RECONSTRUCT THE CURB RAMPS AT SIXTH STREET, SOUTHEAST INTERSECTION WITH ACCESSIBLE RAMPS.
WE TEND TO COMPLETE THIS BY THE END OF THE YEAR WITH A $220,000 COST OPINION AND THIS FITS THE COUNCIL PRIORITY FOR STRENGTH AND STABILIZED NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS IS THE LOCATION MAP SHOWN BETWEEN EIGHTH AVENUE BETWEEN FIFTH AND SEVENTH.
NOTING THAT EIGHTH AVENUE TO THE EAST THERE IS DECORATIVE WORK BEING HANDLED WITH EIGHTH AVENUE AND MOUNT VERNON ROAD PROJECTS AND EIGHTH AVENUE TO THE WEST OF THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE HANDLED WITH A COUPLE OF PROJECTS WHEN WE GET TO THE GRADE CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS ON FOURTH STREET IN CONNECTION WITH QUIET ZONES AND THEN FURTHER ON WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EIGHTH AVENUE BRIDGE.
THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE WOULD ADD SOME AESTHETIC ELEMENTS THERE AS WELL.
THIS IS THE EXISTING CONDITION OUT THERE AT THE SIXTH STREET INTERSECTION.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THIS IS A STRIP OF ASPHALT AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING THAT WE WANT TO REPLACE AND THAT THIS IS AN ARTERIAL STREET AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOME AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS MADE ALONG THIS CORRIDOR.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF PART OF THE AREA UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WOULD BE THE RAMP REPLACEMENTS AS WELL AS THESE ARE THE ASPHALTS DRIFTS BEING REPLACED BY BRICK PAVERS.
WITH THAT PUBLIC WORK DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVING THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, KEN. THIS IS THE TIME AND TO PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? I'LL ASK YOU TO PLEASE APPROACH THE DIAS AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND THE CITY WHERE YOU LIVE, PLEASE.
>> MY NAME IS DOROTHY DE SOUZA GUEDES AND I LIVE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
[01:05:03]
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF OAK HILL JACKSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.THIS SEEMS LIKE A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
AT THE QUARTERLY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LEADERS MEETING, WE WERE INTRODUCED TO THE EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY GUIDE, WHICH IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT AT ALL, DETAILS WHAT CITY DEPARTMENT SHOULD DO TO REACH OUT TO VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, WHICH INCLUDE NEIGHBORS FOR PROJECTS AND WHAT THOSE COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD INCLUDE.
YOU'RE VOTING ON THIS NOT A BIG DEAL, THIS CHANGE ON 8TH AVENUE, WHICH DISSECTS OAK HILL JACKSON.
YET TONIGHT AT MCKINLEY, THERE'S A PUBLIC MEETING WHERE NEIGHBORS AND OTHERS CAN GO AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING ON 8TH AVENUE AND 10TH STREET.
IT SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PART OF TONIGHT'S MEETING SO THAT NEIGHBORS WOULD HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON ONE OF OUR BUSIEST STREETS THAT WE CROSS ALL THE TIME.
IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BETTER COORDINATION.
INSTEAD OF THINKING OF A PROJECT AS MOUNT VERNON, 8TH AND 10TH AND 8TH AVENUE.
THINK OF HOW THAT AFFECTS WELLINGTON HEIGHTS AND OAK HILL JACKSON RESIDENTS, THAT'S WHERE WE LIVE, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO CROSS, PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE WE GO.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THIS, I'M JUST SAYING IT'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE THIS IN COMMUNICATION AT A MEETING WITH RESIDENTS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH CHANGE AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH SO MUCH CONSTRUCTION.
ALL OF IT WILL END UP GOOD, I'M SURE.
BUT IT'S JUST A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON THIS? LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD.
THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
SEEING NONE, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.
>> THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. THIS MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.
ITEM NUMBER 2 IS A PUBLIC HEARING HELD NOW TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED SPECIFICATIONS,
[2. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the Truss Building project (estimated cost is $360,000) (Jason Stancliffe). CIP/DID #PUR0924-072]
FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE TRUSS BUILDING PROJECT, WHICH HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $360.>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M JASON STANCLIFFE, FACILITIES.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE TRUSS BUILDING PROJECT.
THE WORK WILL CONSIST OF CONSTRUCTING A 100 BY 73 FOOT TRUSS BUILDING LOCATED AT OUR CURRENT BOWLING STREET SITE RIGHT NEXT TO THE CURRENT SALT DOME THAT'S THERE.
THIS STRUCTURE IS NEEDED TO HOUSE AT THIS POINT, SOLID WASTE LEAF TRUCKS.
THEY CAN ONLY BE STORED AT THE AIRPORT DUE TO SOME AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING THERE.
THE LEAF TRUCKS CANNOT BE STORED OUTSIDE FOR ANY EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, OR IT WILL DAMAGE A BUNCH OF THE DIFFERENT HOSES AND OTHER COMPONENTS ON THEM.
BIDS WERE ISSUED ON SEPTEMBER 25TH.
A PREBID MEETING WAS HELD ON SITE ON OCTOBER 2ND.
THE BIDS ARE DUE TOMORROW BY 11:00 AM.
THE ESTIMATED COST IS 360,000.
FMS RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF PLAN, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACTS, AND ESTIMATED COSTS AS IN THE RESOLUTION. THAT'S ALL I HAVE MAYOR.
>> JASON, THANK YOU. THIS IS THE TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.
DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD.
THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS OR CONSIDERATION. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. WILL THIS BECOME THEIR PERMANENT STRUCTURE THEN FOR THE FUTURE OR IS THIS SOMETHING TEMPORARY? THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I HAD A QUESTION ON.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE TEMPORARY.
IN THE FUTURE, WE MAY DO A MORE PERMANENT STRUCTURE, AND AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD USE IT FOR STORING OTHER OFF-SEASON.
>> ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN VAN HORNE.
>> THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. THIS MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL. ANYONE SIGNED UP?
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.THE FIRST IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO OUR BUSINESS TODAY.
A SECOND PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD COMES AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR RESIDENTS, PROPERTY OWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS TO SPEAK ON ISSUES THAT ARE GERMANE TO THE CITY, BUT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE ON THE AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF, AS WE MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE BEFORE AND AFTER THE MEETING SHOULD YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
AT THIS TIME DURING PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE AS A COUNCIL ARE HERE TO LISTEN.
REMEMBER THAT ALL MATTERS I ADDRESSED PRIOR TO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING APPLY TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS AS WELL.
[01:10:03]
REMINDER TO STAY AT THE LECTERN.IF YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS, GIVE THEM THE OFFICER.
WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS YELLOW, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT, WHEN IT'S RED, WE ASK YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT.
ALL COMMENTS WE ASK BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTERS YOU WISH TO ADDRESS AND SO NO ABUSIVE, IRRELEVANT, OBSCENE COMMENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED AND NO PARTICIPATION OR DISRUPTION FROM THE AUDIENCE.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO I'LL ASK YOU TO APPROACH WHEN CALLED UPON OUR FIRST.
I BELIEVE HE'S ALREADY SPOKEN.
I DON'T SEE TOM PEFFER HERE ANYMORE.
I'LL INVITE DOROTHY DE SOUZA GUEDES HERE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON 10TH STREET, SOUTHEAST. ITEM NUMBER 35.
>> HI, DOROTHY DE SOUZA GUEDES, PRESIDENT OF OAK HILL JACKSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND ADVOCATE FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
THIS IS GREAT, THIS INTERSECTION BECOMING MORE SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS, WONDERFUL, GOOD INVESTMENT OF OUR FUNDS.
BUT WHAT IS FRUSTRATING IS THAT THE SAME CONSIDERATION FOR PEDESTRIANS AND NON SMID RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF THE CITY CAN'T, SO MUCH IS GET A STOP SIGN OR FOUR WAY STOP WHERE WE HAVE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ISSUES, OR INSTALLED IN A NEW PLAN FOR 16TH AVENUE AND 3RD STREET.
WHAT HARM DOES IT DO TO PUT A FOUR WAY STOP WHERE PEDESTRIANS ARE GOING TO BE CROSSING? YOU'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE PEDESTRIANS IN THE MDQ. THAT'S WONDERFUL.
BUT ALSO THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PEDESTRIANS WHO ARE VISITORS TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY, OR WHO LIVE THERE AND WHO WALK REGULARLY FOR TRANSPORTATION, NOT JUST FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
KUDOS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, CONSIDER MORE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY FOR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE REQUEST REPEATEDLY AND ALWAYS GET SHOT DOWN.
I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ON NUMBER 5.
IT'S UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS ALWAYS A GREAT READ IF YOU WANT TO SEE HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY.
THE DISPOSITION OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY GENERALLY THERE.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS IS IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF MONEY, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION, AND YET IT JUST GETS LUMPED IN WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU SAY YES TO.
THAT IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME.
IT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCUSSION ON SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT A NEIGHBORHOOD AND HAS A LOT OF INCENTIVES THAT, LET'S FACE IT END UP COSTING THE TAXPAYERS.
THOSE ARE MY TWO COMMENTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA, AND I'LL SEE YOU AT THE END OF THE MEETING, TOO.
>> THANK YOU. THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA?
[MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA]
WE'RE ASKING THAT ITEM 34A BE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA AT THIS TIME.
>> 34A REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA.
LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I HAVE [NOISE] THAT IDENTIFIED CORRECTLY HERE.
THAT'S THE REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE LIGHT LINE LOOP PROJECT.
>> EXCELLENT. DO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES ON ANY AGENDA ITEMS OR MAKE CHANGES? THAT BRINGS US A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.
THIS MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.SOMEONE WHO WISHES TO A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I'LL TAKE THAT. SO MOVED.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON. A SECOND? COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.
THAT MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.
[34. Report on bids for the LightLine Loop project (estimated cost is $12,320,000) (Ken DeKeyser). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #3018030-02]
SKIPPING ITEM NUMBER 34.>> JUST REMOVING A. JUST THE REPORT ON BIDS. [OVERLAPPING]
[01:15:04]
WE'LL MOVE ON ITEM 35. IS THAT RIGHT? [BACKGROUND] WE'RE GOING TO SKIP THE RESOLUTION.>> WE'RE GOING TO SKIP THE DECISION MADE TODAY AND JUST REPORT ON THE RESULTS.
>> WE WILL HAVE A REPORT ON BIDS, ITEM NUMBER 34 FOR THE LIGHT LINE LOOP PROJECT WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF 12 MILLION, $320,000.
KEN DEKAISER IS HERE. KEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU?
>> THANK YOU. TO RECAP THE PROJECT.
THE LIGHT LINE LOOP COMPRISE OF FOUR MAIN ELEMENTS CONSISTING OF THE ROUNDHOUSE BUILDING, GATEWAYS, PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE, PARKING LOTS AND THEN THE B STREET AND 18TH AVENUE, SOUTHWEST ROAD RECONSTRUCTIONS.
WE ANTICIPATE CONSTRUCTION IN SPRING 2025 CONCLUDING IN JULY OF 2026, STATED THE COST OPINION WAS 12.32 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDES THE THREE MILLION DESTINATION, IOWA PLUS FISCAL YEAR 2024-26 TIFF FUNDING.
THERE ARE SIX BIDS RECEIVED RANGING FROM THE LOW BID OF $13,840,000 TO THE HIGH BID OF $15,589,283.36.
AS YOU WOULD NOT IT'S, THESE ARE ALL HIGHER THAN THE 12.3 MILLION ESTIMATED COST.
LOOKING AT THESE BIDS, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT PARTICULARLY THE FOUR BIDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GROUP ARE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER, SO WE BELIEVE THAT THE BID ITSELF IS A REASONABLE BID.
THE AVERAGE IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE ROUNDHOUSE BUILDING.
THE OTHER ELEMENTS WERE ALL UNDER THE ESTIMATED COST, BUT THE BUILDING WITH ITS UNIQUENESS WAS CHANGED THE ESTIMATE QUITE A BIT.
WE FELT THE BIDS WERE REASONABLE, BUT THE ESTIMATE DIDN'T MISSED THE MARK ON THAT.
I'M JUST LEAVING YOU WITH THAT REPORT WITH THE ROUNDHOUSE AND BASICALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF UNIQUE ELEMENTS HERE THAT WENT INTO THE COST OF THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO BRING THIS BACK TO COUNCIL PROBABLY THE NEXT MEETING TO GO OVER THE FUNDING AND JUST GET YOUR DECISION OR RECOMMENDATION THEN WHEN WE CAN GET THE FUNDING FIRMED UP FOR THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, KEN.
[35. Report on bids for the 3rd Avenue SE at 10th Street Intersection Improvements project (estimated cost is $170,000) (Ken DeKeyser). CIP/DID #3016016-24]
ONCE AGAIN, MR. DEKAISER, REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE 3RD AVENUE, SOUTHEAST AT 10TH STREET INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $170,000.KEN, ONCE AGAIN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THIS PROJECT COMPRISE OF THE ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AT 3RD AVENUE AND TENTH STREET.
IT WILL HAVE A LATE START DATE THIS NOVEMBER AND SHOULD FINISH UP THIS YEAR WITH $170,000 COST OPINION.
WE DID RECEIVE EIGHT BIDS FOR THAT, RANGING FROM $159,456.60-$229,906.78.
GOOD BIDS THERE. WITH THAT, WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO AWARD THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AS NOTED. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, KEN. COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAGER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE AYE.
>> THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. THIS MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US NOW TO ORDINANCES.
[36. Ordinance establishing the Grey Hawk Urban Revitalization Area for property along Prairie View Lane SW. (Council Priority) CIP/DID #URTE-0057-2024]
ITEM NUMBER 36 IS AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE GRAY HAWK URBAN REVITALIZATION AREA FOR PROPERTY ALONG PRAIRIE VIEW LANE, SOUTHWEST.THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON A SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MAYER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.
THIS MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER POE.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I MOVE THE RULE REQUIRING THREE READINGS ON THREE DIFFERENT DAYS BE SUSPENDED, AND THE ORDINANCE BE ADOPTED ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING.
>> THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD.
>> THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THIS MOTION CARRIES, THANK YOU.
THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY.
[PUBLIC INPUT]
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? WE HAVE ONE MORE FINAL PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD, AND THIS IS A CHANCE FOR RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO COUNCIL BUSINESS.AS WITH THE EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE DO HAVE A TIME LIMIT.
WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS YELLOW, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE WHEN IT'S RED, WE ASK YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT, AND NO ABUSE OF LOUD THREATENING OR PERSONAL COMMENTS WILL BE ALLOWED.
IF YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON.
I'LL JUST CALL THE NAMES IN THE ORDER THAT WE HAVE THEM.
THANK YOU. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS CAMDEN LEONARD HERE TO SPEAK ON CITY RELATED WORK ISSUES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. I'M A PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE.
THAT FRIDAY MORNING AFTER PUNCHING IN MY FILLING SUPERVISOR HAD ASKED,
[01:20:03]
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE EARLY, I JUMPED ON THE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT WHEN HE ASKED.WHILE FILLING MY TIME SLIP OUT, WE GOT CALLED IN THE HALLWAY FOR SEVERE WEATHER.
MYSELF AND ANOTHER EMPLOYEE PROCEEDED TO THE TIME CLOCK AFTER DOUBLE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE WE WERE GOOD TO GO.
WE THEN BOTH PUNCHED OUT AND LEFT.
MY CO-WORKER WENT TO THE LOCK ROOM, AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT FOLLOWED HIM IN THERE AND PROCEEDED TO CURSE HIM OUT FOR HIS ACTIONS.
THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS YELLING SO LOUD THAT MULTIPLE EMPLOYEES IN THE LARGE VEHICLE BAY AND EVEN SOME IN THE HALLWAY COULD HEAR.
THIS IS ALL ON RECORD, BY THE WAY.
THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS SO MAD HE GRABBED OUR TIME SLIPS OFF THE SUPERVISOR'S DESK WHERE WE WERE TOLD TO PUT THEM AND HE DENIED THEM.
HE HELD ONTO THEM AFTER THE PAY PERIOD DEADLINE SO WE WOULD NOT GET OUR PAY.
WHEN SPEAKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT THE FOLLOWING WEEK, HE WAS VERY VOCAL AND UNPROFESSIONAL WHEN COMMUNICATING TOWARDS ME.
I TOOK THE MATTER TO HR TO DISCUSS HOW UNPROFESSIONAL IT WAS.
THIS INCIDENT IS WHAT BEGAN HIS RETALIATION AGAINST ME.
IT WAS THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST OR FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER.
I WAS POURING CONCRETE ON AN ASPHALT OVERLAY PROJECT.
AFTER FINISHING THE POUR, I WROTE WITH MY FINGER A MESSAGE IN THE CONCRETE.
IT CONTAINED NO EXPLICIT IMAGES OR PROFANITY, A NOTE THAT WOULD NO LONGER BE SEEN ONCE COVERED UP IN ASPHALT.
ONCE I FOUND OUT I WAS BEING INVESTIGATED, I IMMEDIATELY OWNED UP TO THE SUPERVISOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT AND APOLOGIZED.
IN MY HR MEETING, THEY HAD SAT ME DOWN AND I ADMITTED I DID IT AND THAT I WAS SORRY.
REGARDLESS OF THAT SUPERINTENDENT, HAD TOLD ME IT WAS DESTRUCTION OF CITY PROPERTY BECAUSE WRITING IN CONCRETE BREAKS THE SEAL.
NOW I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH HOW CONCRETE WORKS, BUT IT IN FACT DOES NOT BREAK THE SEAL.
EVERY TIME WE POUR, WE FINISH BY DRAGGING A BRISTLE BROOM ACROSS THE SURFACE TO FINISH IT.
WE EVEN HAVE A CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS LOGO STAMP THAT WE PUT INTO THE CONCRETE AND WE BEAT INTO THE SURFACE OF THE CONCRETE TO LEAVE AN ETCHING BEHIND.
>> THOSE, IN FACT, DO NOT BREAK THE SEAL.
THE ANSWER THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR WAS JUST ANOTHER REASON TO GET BACK AT ME.
MY FIRST OFFENSE WAS GIVEN TO ME AS I'M NOT ONE TO BEND OR BREAK THE RULES.
OCTOBER 3 MARKS THE DAY OF THE SNOWPLOW ROADEO.
FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, THE EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN A SHEET OF PAPER.
THIS YEAR, OUR SUPERVISORS DID NOT GIVE US THE OPTION.
THEY SIMPLY SIGNED ALL OF US UP WITHOUT A CHOICE AND SAID WE HAD TO COMPETE.
I WAS THE SECOND PERSON TO DRIVE IN THE EVENT AND BEGAN ONCE MY TIME AROSE.
I SOON WAS DISQUALIFIED FOR DRIVING TOO FAST.
NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT A SPEED LIMIT, SIMPLY TO HAVE FUN.
UPON GETTING DISQUALIFIED, I WALKED AROUND AND SPOKE TO VENDORS AND MET NEW PEOPLE FROM OTHER CITIES.
A FEW HOURS AFTER MY DISQUALIFICATION, MY SUPERINTENDENT ARRIVED AND APPROACHED WHILE TALKING TO FELLOW CITY EMPLOYEES.
IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, HE YELLED AT THE SUPERVISOR I WAS SPEAKING TO, TO TAKE ME BACK TO THE SHOP AS I DID NOT BELONG HERE AND DID NOT DESERVE TO BE HERE.
I ASKED HIM WHY AS PEOPLE GET DISQUALIFIED EVERY YEAR AND THAT I HAD NO ILL OR MALICIOUS INTENT BEHIND MY ACTIONS.
HE STATED WE WERE NOT GOING TO GET INTO THAT AND ESCORTED ME OUT IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.
FOLLOWING THIS EVENT, I CONTACTED HR IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVING HOME.
I KINDLY ASKED TO SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THE HR DIRECTOR AS THEY DID NOT WANT TO MEET WITH THE BUSINESS PARTNER. WHY YOU MAY ASK? I HAD MET WITH THE BUSINESS PARTNER A MONTH PRIOR ABOUT HARASSMENT HAPPENING IN OUR WORKPLACE.
LATER THAT DAY AFTER MEETING WITH HER, A FELLOW EMPLOYEE CALLED ME AND SAID, "HEY, I HEAR YOU SPOKE WITH THE BUSINESS PARTNER ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE AND WHAT HE WAS DOING." NOW I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ALL HR MATTERS WERE CONFIDENTIAL.
THE MEETING I SCHEDULED WAS SUPPOSED TO BE YESTERDAY, MONDAY THE EIGHTH.
THEY THEN CANCEL IT AND SET IT FOR TODAY AT 7:45 AM.
FINDING THIS OUT, I CALLED THE HR DIRECTOR TO ASK IF I CAN MEET WITH HER INSTEAD, BECAUSE INFORMATION WAS NOT KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.
SHE THEN TOLD ME, "IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL UNLESS YOU TELL US TO KEEP IT THAT WAY." OUR CITY POLICY STATES CHAPTER 2, SECTION 13, ALL COMPLAINTS WILL BE HANDLED IN A TIMELY AND CONFIDENTIAL MATTER.
IN NO EVENT, WILL INFORMATION CONCERNING A COMPLAINT BE RELEASED BY THE CITY TO THIRD PARTIES OR TO ANYONE WITHIN THE CITY WHO IS NOT INVOLVED.
I READ THAT OFF TO THE HR DIRECTOR AND SHE LAUGHED AT ME AND SAID, "CAMDEN, ARE YOU DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE MAD ABOUT YOUR ACTIONS PERTAINING TO THE SNOWPLOW ROADEO?" I WAS APPALLED BY HER RESPONSE AND HER LAUGHTER AND ASKED IF WHAT SHE IS SAYING IS SHE DOES NOT UPHOLD, ACKNOWLEDGE, OR STAND BEHIND THIS POLICY.
SHE THEN SAID, "I AM NO LONGER GOING TO ENTERTAIN THIS AS I HAVE ANOTHER PHONE CALL COMING IN," AND ENDED THE CALL.
THE MEETING I HAD SCHEDULED WAS SWEPT UNDER THE RUG AND ALL OF MY CONCERNS BROUGHT TO HR WERE OVERLOOKED.
MY MEETING THIS MORNING WAS FILLED WITH NOTHING OTHER THAN A SUPERVISOR YELLING AT ME FOR THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
I HAD TOLD THE BUSINESS PARTNER AT THE END OF MY MEETING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO HER PRIVATELY BECAUSE THAT IS HOW I SET THIS MEETING UP.
SHE SAID, "NO, THAT'S NOT HOW THIS WORKS.
WE WILL CONTINUE AND CALL YOU WITH OUR DECISION." WHAT I'M HEARING FROM OUR HR OFFICIALS IS HARASSMENT MEANS NOTHING TO THEM.
NOW AS A CITY EMPLOYEE, WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO REACH OUT TO WITH QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS IF THIS IS HOW OUR SUPERINTENDENTS TREAT US AND HOW OUR HR DEPARTMENT HANDLES SERIOUS MATTERS? THAT'S WHY WE ARE ALL HERE TODAY.
I'M NOT ONLY HERE SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, BUT ALSO ALL THE GENTLEMEN BEHIND ME.
YOU CAN ASK ANY OF THESE GENTLEMEN ABOUT MY CHARACTER AS A MAN AND AS A CO-WORKER.
I CONFIDENTLY SIT UP HERE AND TELL YOU I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING TO.
I WILL NOT STAND TO ALLOW THESE MEN AND MYSELF TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THIS TREATMENT DAILY.
NOW, I SAY TO YOU ALL, IF YOU TRULY CARE ABOUT THE WORKERS WHO ARE HERE DAY IN AND DAY OUT KEEPING THIS CITY RUNNING, YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND FIX IT BECAUSE IN
[01:25:02]
NO WAY ARE THESE THE CORE VALUES THE CITY SO STRONGLY HOLDS. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU. JAMIE HUFF, CITY-RELATED WORK ISSUE.
>> EXCUSE ME, SORRY FOR MY VOICE.
I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF LARYNGITIS HERE, BUT I'M SPEAKING UP.
I WORK IN THE SEWER DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY SERVICES BUILDING.
I TRY TO PRIDE MYSELF ON GETTING INVOLVED.
I'VE BEEN IN THE LISTENING POSTS, BEEN INVOLVED WITH ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH WITH OUR SURVEYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I'LL SAY I'VE BEEN IN THE WORKFORCE SINCE I WAS 16 YEARS OLD IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
I STARTED HERE SEVEN YEARS AGO IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND I'LL SAY THIS IS THE MOST REWARDING JOB I'VE EVER HAD.
I WISH I COULD PUT MYSELF IN THESE YOUNG MAN'S SHOES BACK WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, AND TO START WORK HERE BECAUSE THIS IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO WORK.
THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS IS A WONDERFUL CITY.
WE DO RESPECT OUR MANAGEMENT, OUR SUPERINTENDENTS.
YOU GUYS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR ALL OF YOU AND IT'S SAD THAT A SITUATION LIKE THIS HAS HAD TO COME TO HERE.
THAT'S USUALLY SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED IN-HOUSE, BUT I THINK THAT SHOWS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AGAIN, US WORKERS ARE HERE, BUT THERE'S MANY OTHER WORKERS THAT WANTED TO COME, BUT WERE TOLD THEY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T TAKE THE TIME OFF, WHICH I THINK IS TRAGIC BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE THEIR OWN TIME OFF TO COME TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING DURING THE DAY, THAT SHOWS THAT THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED.
I THINK THAT'S A PLUS FOR OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR WORKERS, OUR ADMINISTRATION, EVERYBODY.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS SUNSHINE AND ROSES, AND I SEE THAT.
I TRY TO COME TO ALL THE MEETINGS AND JUST LISTEN, AND I SEE WHAT YOU GUYS GO THROUGH AND I RESPECT THE DECISIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE.
IT'S EASY FOR PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC TO SIT THERE AND MAKE ACCUSATIONS AND THINGS ABOUT THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE, BUT YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO BETTER THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WHICH I TRULY BELIEVE HAS GONE IN A MAJOR POSITIVE ROLE THAT I'VE NOTICED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS A SITUATION WITHIN OUR ADMINISTRATION WHERE OUR WORKERS ARE SCARED, THEY'RE AFRAID TO COME FORWARD WITH THEIR MANAGEMENT, THEIR SUPERINTENDENTS.
IT IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
I WOULD ASK SINCE I WAS WORKED ON WITH [INAUDIBLE] ON ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH, THIS IS THE MONTH WE DO OUR SURVEYS.
I ASK YOU ALL TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE SURVEYS.
I'LL SAY THAT I WORKED ON IT LAST YEAR, AND OUR SURVEYS ARE WAY DOWN FOR PEOPLE TO FILL THEM OUT JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE HURT ANYMORE AND THEY'RE SCARED TO SAY HOW THEY TRULY FEEL.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE, A LOT OF POSITIVE WORK, BUT AGAIN, BUDGETS ARE TIGHT.
WE TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE GOT TO REALIZE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC WORK, WE'RE HERE TO BETTER THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO MAKE MONEY AS A BUSINESS.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO CALL THIS A BUSINESS, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
THAT'S WHY IT'S REWARDING FOR ME BECAUSE I'M NOT HERE TO PER SE MAKE MONEY.
I'VE PASSED UP OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE UP.
I HOPE I CAN RETIRE IN 10 YEARS OR SO, BUT IT'S A LOT OF PRIDE TO SEE YOUNG GUYS LIKE THIS COME IN AND TAKE A LOT OF VALUE IN THEIR WORK AND WANT TO DO BETTER AND TRY TO MAKE THIS CITY BETTER, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR FUTURE AS OUR YOUNG WORKERS, AND WE NEED TO SHOW THEM THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE AND THAT IT'S NOT ALWAYS SUNSHINE AND ROSES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC WORK, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN DOING PRIVATE WORK.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, JAMIE. OUR FINAL PERSON IS DOROTHY DE SOUZA GUEDES ONCE AGAIN, HERE TO SPEAK ON DEVELOPMENT. YOU CAN TELL US.
[01:30:02]
>> I'M NOT SHY. I'LL TELL YOU.
MY NAME IS DOROTHY DE SOUZA GUEDES, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF OAK HILL JACKSON NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE.
LAST YEAR, MEMBERS OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOT KUDOS FOR OUR PERSISTENT MONITORING AND REPORTING OF PROPERTIES, NUISANCE PROPERTIES, ABANDONED PROPERTIES, NOT JUST TALL WEEDS, BUT SOME PRETTY SERIOUS ISSUES THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING RESOLVED AND WE TAKE PRIDE IN THAT.
WE'VE CHAMPIONED SAFE-CR AND THE MOBILE CR APP AS WAYS TO FILTER THOSE COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS TO THE CITY, BUT BASED ON SOME THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, WE'RE NOT REALLY ACTIVELY DOING THAT ANYMORE BECAUSE WE ARE FRUSTRATED.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT ONE PROPERTY.
FORGIVE ME, I CAME HERE WITHOUT BRINGING MY REGULAR NOTES.
THE PROPERTY IS 907 NINTH STREET, SOUTHEAST. IT'S A RENTAL.
IT'S OWNED BY CN SQUARED, CHASE NAUMAN AND CASEY NAUMAN, THEY HAVE OTHER COMPANIES THAT HAVE OTHER RENTALS AS WELL.
FOR MANY MONTHS, NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO EACH OTHER, AND TO ME ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
I'LL JUST LIST SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS. THEY COMPLAIN TO ME.
THEY POST THE CR MOBILE APP ANONYMOUSLY OR WITH THEIR NAMES, THEY EMAIL, SAFE-CR.
THEY TALK ABOUT IT AT A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS.
THEY KNOCKED ON MY DOOR ABOUT NOISE, PETS, OVERFLOWING GARBAGE IN THE ALLEY, BUT MOLY ABOUT PARKING WHERE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE PARKED, ON THEIR LAWN, ON THEIR NEIGHBORS LAWN, IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, IN THE STREET.
WELL, THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM, DOES IT? EXCEPT FOR WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JET SKIS, NUMEROUS, CAMPERS AND RVS, NUMEROUS; VEHICLES AND TRUCKS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN WORKING ORDER, NUMEROUS.
THIS IS OUR FAVORITE, A PONTOON BOAT.
I'M SURE I'VE LEFT A FEW THINGS OUT, BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE THEIR WAY ON AND OFF THE STREET HANGING IN THE ALLEY.
THE CITY DID STOP AFTER I REPORTED IT.
THE INSTALLATION OF A PARKING PAD THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THIS PARTICULAR TENANT DRIVING OVER THE SIDEWALK AND THE CURB INSTEAD OF INSTALLING A DRIVEWAY.
THERE HAVE BEEN INSPECTIONS, AND I CAN TELL YOU I GOT AN EMAIL TODAY FROM SAFE-CR, AND SO I APOLOGIZE FOR LOOKING AT MY PHONE, BUT LET'S SEE.
THE LAST POLICE CALL FOR SERVICE WAS 57 FOR AN ANNUAL ANIMAL PROBLEM.
IT WAS DEEMED A NUISANCE PROBLEM ON 719.
THE OCCUPANT REQUESTED A HEARING.
IT WAS STILL DESIGNATED AS A NUISANCE PROPERTY.
IT'S AN ACTIVE NUISANCE PROPERTY.
THE SAFE-CR TEAM PROACTIVELY DROVE BY 726 AND 910, AND REQUESTED THAT GARBAGE ON THE PORCH AND A PONTOON BOAT ON THE STREET BE REMOVED.
YOU CAN GO BY THIS PROPERTY ANY DAY.
DRIVE ON THE STREET ANY DAY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO RESULT IN SOME NEIGHBOR COMPLAINING TO ME, THE CITY OR SOMEBODY ELSE.
IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT THESE RESIDENTS KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE GAME.
THEY MOVE IT JUST OFTEN ENOUGH.
IMAGINE, JUST THINK OF YOUR STREET IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE, A PONTOON BOAT, AND I'M NOT TALKING A NICE ONE, AND A SPEED BOAT PARKED THERE.
NOW, WHAT'S ALSO CONCERNING, THIS IS AT NINTH AVENUE AND NINTH STREET AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION IN THAT AREA AND A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH THAT AREA WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR, SO NOT ONLY IS IT UNSIGHTLY, IT'S ALSO SE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.
PLEASE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE TENANT, WHOEVER THEY MAY BE.
THERE ARE SOME REPORTING THAT IT'S NOT QUITE CLEAR WHO ALL LIVES THERE.
THE LANDLORDS, WHO I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE NEIGHBORS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT CREATES LONG-TERM CHANGE RATHER THAN TEMPORARY CHANGE IN BETWEEN DRIVE-BYS AND INSPECTIONS. THANK YOU.
[01:35:06]
>> THANK YOU. THAT CLOSES OUT OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, ANY COMMUNICATIONS TODAY?
[CITY MANAGER COMMUNICATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS]
>> I DO HAVE ONE ITEM, YOUR HONOR.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, AND I THINK THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE SAW THIS ARTICLE, BUT AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY DID A STUDY OF THE SAVES CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND WE WERE NUMBER SEVEN ON THAT LIST OF 182.
WE ALL DO AND THE ISSUES OF THE DAY AND CONCERNS THAT COME UP, PARTICULARLY FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, WHICH IS OF SUCH HIGH PRIORITY TO OUR MARIN CITY COUNCIL, BUT I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THIS INDEPENDENT STUDY.
AGAIN, IT WAS 182 CITIES, INCLUDING THE MOST POPULATED CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, 150, AND THEY LOOKED ACROSS THREE KEY DIMENSIONS, HOME AND COMMUNITY SAFETY, NATURAL DISASTER RISK, AND FINANCIAL SAFETY.
AGAIN, WE WERE NUMBER SEVEN, SO I WAS JUST PROUD OF THAT.
I KNEW THAT MARIN COUNCIL WOULD BE AS WELL.
WE HAVE, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHIEF DOSTAL AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF SMITH AT FIRE, AND KEVIN CIABATTI AT BUILDING SERVICES.
WE HAVE GREAT TEAMS OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MARIN CITY COUNCIL, BUT IT'S GREAT WHEN YOU HAVE THAT GOOD NEWS, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES NOT FROM US SAYING WE ARE A SAFE CITY, BUT AN OUTSIDE ENTITY, AND AS YOU READ THE ARTICLE, WHICH IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, AND HAS BEEN IN A VARIETY OF PUBLICATIONS RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, ALL THE RESEARCH THAT IS PUT INTO THIS.
THIS IS NOT JUST SOMEBODY VISITED AND SAY THIS FEELS LIKE A SAFE CITY.
THIS IS TREMENDOUS RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS THAT GOES INTO THESE CONCLUSIONS.
I JUST THOUGHT I'D POINT THAT OUT.
>> THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THAT AND STAFF'S COMMITMENT TO THAT AND ALSO TO THE COUNCIL FOR CONTINUING TO REINFORCE THAT SAFETY IS ONE OF OUR PRIMARY JOBS AS A CITY, WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CHECK ALL THOSE BOXES.
I THINK IF ANYONE'S WANTING TO LOOK THAT UP, IT'S ACTUALLY WALLETHUB IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT DID THAT.
>> IT WAS WALLETHUB. AGAIN, CREDIBLE OUTSIDE ENTITY THAT LOOKED AT SOME PRETTY TOUGH METRICS, SO CONGRATULATIONS [OVERLAPPING] TO EVERYONE AND THAT.
IF THERE'S NO MORE MORE BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL, WHAT DO YOU SAY WE ADJOURN? COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON MOVES TO ADJOURN.
SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND.
>> THOSE OPPOSED, NO. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.