May 27, 2025 City Council

[00:00:12]

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

[City Council on May 28, 2025.]

I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARTY HAGER WILL BE ABSENT FROM OUR MEETING TODAY.

I'D ALWAYS I ALWAYS LIKE TO WELCOME OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, AND OUR CITY CLERK.

AND AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR BEING HERE AND AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.

SHOULD OUR GUESTS HAVE ANY FOR YOU TODAY? AND A REMINDER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TO PLEASE TURN OFF ANY CELL PHONES OR ELECTRONIC DEVICES THAT MIGHT DISTRACT US FROM OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY. AND NOTE THAT ALL MEETING AGENDAS, MINUTES, AND VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE.

REGULAR SESSIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO WATCH LIVE AND ON REPLAY VIA FACEBOOK LIVE.

SO WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION BY PUBLIC SAFETY CHAPLAIN TODD TUILLE, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

[INAUDIBLE] . PRAISE BE TO GOD ALMIGHTY, THE CREATOR SUSTAINER FOR US ALL, THE ONE AND ONLY. WE PRAISE HIM. WE ASK FOR HIS HELP AND GUIDANCE, AND WE ASK FOR HIS PROTECTION. ALSO, WE GIVE HONOR, LOVE, AND RESPECT TO ALL THE PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS WHO CAME TO GUIDE US AND TO SHOW US THE WAY FOR SALVATION AND SUCCESS.

GOD OF MERCY AND LOVE, WE GIVE THANKS TO YOU FOR EACH AND EVERYONE, WHO IS PRESENT TODAY AT THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING US ON MEDIA.

PLEASE GOD ALMIGHTY, BESTOW YOUR LOVE, MERCY AND BLESSINGS UPON US ALL AND PROTECT OUR HEALTH.

OUR FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY. KEEP US UNDER YOUR CARE, PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE.

GOD ALMIGHTY, WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS UPON OUR MEETING TODAY, UPON OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, UPON OUR MAYOR, CITY MANAGER AND THEIR FAMILIES.

WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS AND LOVE UPON ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IN OUR CITY, STATE, AND THE COUNTRY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLEASE BESTOW YOUR MERCY AND PROTECTION UPON OUR POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS. EDUCATION JUSTICES AND ALL LEADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND ALL WORKERS IN OUR CITY. AND THEIR FAMILIES.

PLEASE GOD ALMIGHTY, PROTECT, GUIDE AND HELP US ALL TO LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY.

GOD ALMIGHTY, BLESS OUR MEETING FOR TODAY AND KEEP US ON THE STRAIGHT PATH, THE PATH OF THOSE WHOM YOU FAVORED, NOT THE PATH OF THOSE WHOM YOU ARE ANGRY FROM OR THOSE WHO GO ASTRAY.

GIVE OUR CITY COUNCIL THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE. GIVE THEM GUIDANCE AND WISDOM.

HELP THEM TO DO THEIR BEST TO TAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL BE FRUITFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY AND CITY.

GOD ALMIGHTY. WE THANK YOU ALL. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS.

FOR ALL THE RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE AND THE FAITHFUL ONES.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE REVELATION AND THE SCRIPTURE THAT YOU REVEALED TO THE PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS.

THANK YOU FOR ABRAHAM AND THE COVENANT. THANK YOU FOR MOSES AND THE TORAH.

THANK YOU FOR JESUS AND THE GOSPEL. AND THANK YOU FOR MUHAMMAD AND THE QURAN.

GOD ALMIGHTY, BLESS OUR CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, OUR STATE OF IOWA AND OUR COUNTRY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL ITS PEOPLE. AMEN.

OF ALLEGIANCE]

[00:05:06]

SO, IF YOU WERE HERE ON BEHALF OF THAT PROCLAMATION, PLEASE JOIN MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON HERE AT THE DAIS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AS THE MAYOR KNOWS, I QUALIFY AS AN OLDER AMERICAN NUMBER ONE.

BUT COME ON UP HERE, HARRISON. BUT ALSO, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OVER THE LAST QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW, BEING A BOARD MEMBER OF THE HERITAGE AGENCY ON AGING THAT SERVES LINN COUNTY AND THE SIX SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND IS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE THROUGH A VARIETY OF MEALS ON WHEELS TO OUR DIFFERENT KITCHENS, TO SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE ELDERLY. AND SO IT'S EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF WHAT THE AGENCY DOES, AS WELL AS FOR THOSE THAT LIVE IN OUR GREAT CITY THAT ARE QUALIFIED THEMSELVES AS OLDER AMERICANS.

WHEREAS MAY IS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH A TIME FOR US TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR IMMENSE INFLUENCE ON EVERY FACET OF AMERICAN SOCIETY. AND WHEREAS, THROUGH THEIR WEALTH OF LIFE, EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM, OLDER IOWANS GUIDE OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS AND CARRY FORWARD ABUNDANT CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE.

AND WHEREAS OLDER IOWANS IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES, AND WHEREAS, COMMUNITIES BENEFIT WHEN PEOPLE OF ALL AGES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SCOTT OLSON, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TIFFANY O'DONNELL MAYOR AND THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE MAY 2025 AS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH AND ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO JOIN US IN RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR OLDER CITIZENS AND PROMOTING PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTER CONNECTIONS, INCLUSION, AND SUPPORT FOR OLDER AMERICANS.

PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME HARRISON. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN OLSON.

AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL, FOR YOUR PROCLAMATION TODAY.

I KNOW THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT WE WORK TOGETHER DIRECTLY IN WAYS I KNOW.

MAYOR O'DONNELL HAD A CHANCE TO COME VISIT WITH SOME OF OUR DINERS AT ENCORE CAFE IN THE PAST, AND WAYS WE ALSO WORK TOGETHER INDIRECTLY THROUGH AGE FRIENDLY INITIATIVES HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

NOT ONLY DO YOU TALK THE TALK, BUT YOU WALK THE WALK.

SO I THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT TODAY. DURING OLDER AMERICANS MONTH AND ALL YEAR ROUND.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW, THOSE OF YOU HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE CORRIDORS, BUSSEY UNIT GRAND OPENING, PLEASE JOIN MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER ANN POE.

WELCOME. COME ON UP. HI. IT'S GREAT SEEING YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. HI, CHARLIE. HI. HOW ARE YOU? GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S MY HONOR TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

WHEREAS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE CORRIDOR EXIST TO INSPIRE AND ENABLE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO NEED US MOST, TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AS PRODUCTIVE, CARING, RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.

AND WHEREAS THE NEW CENTER I'M SORRY UNIT IS THE FIRST STANDALONE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB BUILDING IN CEDAR RAPIDS SINCE THE 2008 FLOOD AND WILL ENABLE THE CLUB TO EXPAND SERVICES TO MORE KIDS AND TEENS.

AND WHEREAS THE NEW UNIT FEATURES A STEM ROOM, RECORDING STUDIO, TEACHING KITCHEN AND A GYMNASIUM, ALL SPACES DESIGNED TO HELP YOUTH EXPLORE DIVERSE INTERESTS AND GROW INTO WELL-ROUNDED, HEALTHIER AND ENGAGED ADULTS.

AND WHEREAS THIS FACILITY WILL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE 300 YOUNG PEOPLE DAILY, PROVIDING THEM WITH SAFE SPACE, WITH CARING MENTORS, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, NUTRITIOUS MEALS, AND LIFE CHANGING PROGRAMS. AND WHEREAS A BUSSEY UNIT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS, PARTNERS AND THE COMMUNITY WHO BELIEVE IN CREATING GREAT FUTURES FOR YOUTH. AND WHEREAS, THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS PROUDLY CELEBRATES THE GRAND OPENING OF THE UNIT AND

[00:10:04]

THEREFORE, I. ANN POE ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TIFFANY O'DONNELL AND THE ENTIRE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL, HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE CORRIDOR WITH THE BUSSEY UNIT GRAND OPENING AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT AND INSPIRE THE YOUTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AS PRODUCTIVE, CARING AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.

THANK YOU. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL.

YOU ARE VERY GENEROUS TO US IN HELPING US BUILD THIS BUILDING AS WELL.

HELPED US GET THROUGH A LOT OF HURDLES. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

THE GRAND OPENING IS JUNE 4TH FROM 4 TO 6 P.M.

YOU'RE ALL WELCOME TO COME. WE HOPE ALL OF YOU CAN COME, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN SUCH BIG SUPPORTERS AND BIG HELPERS OF US.

WE ARE VERY EXCITED. WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO BEING DONE.

I WANT TO THANK PJ COSGROVE AND CHARLIE ROADY, OUR TWO CAMPAIGN CHAIRS, FOR BEING HERE WITH ME TODAY, BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT. SO, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR STRATEGIC PARKING PLAN AND THE PROCESS THAT IS SURROUNDING THAT BILL.

MICHAEL IS JOINING US HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT BILL.

I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. SO WHILE ROBERT IS JOINING ME UP HERE.

QUICK BACKGROUND IN 2017, THERE WAS A PARKING STUDY THAT WAS COMPLETED, AND SINCE THEN, OBVIOUSLY A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE WORLD. COVID IN 2020, OF COURSE INITIATED QUITE A BIT OF CHANGE AND A LOT MORE RESIDENTIAL DOWNTOWN SINCE THEN, IN ADDITION TO NEW DEVELOPMENTS AT FIRST AND FIRST WEST AND A NEW PARKING STRUCTURE GOING IN THERE AS WELL AS SOME SHIFTS IN OFFICE USE AND THAT SORT OF THING.

AND SO IT REALLY MADE SENSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A STRATEGIC PARKING PLAN FOR THE CITY.

AND WE HAVE HIRED KIMLEY-HORN. ROBERT FERRIN IS HERE REPRESENTING KIMLEY-HORN.

HE'S THE PROJECT MANAGER AND EXCITED TO INTRODUCE HIM.

FORMERLY LED PARKING IN COLUMBUS, OHIO. IS THAT ACCURATE? AND ALSO, THEY CURRENTLY MANAGE PARKING IN DENVER AND A NUMBER OF OTHER LARGE METROS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO EXTREMELY EXCITED TO HAVE THEM ON BOARD. AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR AND NEXT STEPS.

WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ROBERT. THANK YOU.

BILL. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING.

I WANT TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE STRATEGIC PARKING PLAN.

KNOW, THERE'S ABOUT TEN TIMES THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY ON.

I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU AGAIN YOU KNOW KIND OF HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT AND THE TIMELINE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS ANALYSIS, AND THEN NEXT STEPS AND WAYS, OF COURSE.

BOTH YOU AS WELL AS THE BROADER COMMUNITY CAN GET INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

OUR STUDY AREA IS DOWNTOWN KINGSTON VILLAGE CZECH VILLAGE AS WELL AS NEW BOHEMIA.

AND REALLY OUR AREAS OF FOCUS ARE ABOUT THE PARKING SYSTEM, PUBLIC PARKING SYSTEM ON AND OFF STREET, AS WELL AS THE BROADER TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

I WON'T TOUCH ON ALL THESE, BUT JUST TO KNOW THAT THIS IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE IN NATURE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR CURRENT AND FUTURE PARKING NEEDS AND ALL OF THE OPERATIONS AND POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT GO INTO CREATING A GOOD CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.

PARKING IS OFTEN THE FIRST AND LAST EXPERIENCE FOR OUR GUESTS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT REFLECTS EVERYTHING THAT CEDAR RAPIDS HAS TO OFFER.

PART OF THE PARKING STUDY IS AN IN DEPTH LOOK AT A CIRCULATOR SHUTTLE IMPLEMENTATION STUDY.

AND SO THAT IS NOT ONLY LOOKING AT PARKING, BUT ALSO HOW DO WE CONNECT PEOPLE IN AND AROUND THE DOWNTOWN AREA, CONNECT PEOPLE TO PARKING AND GIVE FOLKS YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B.

THAT PROJECT IS KICKING OFF IN JUNE. PARALLEL PATH WITH THIS EFFORT.

AND WE'LL WRAP UP IN THE FALL. AND IT INVOLVES ALL THE SCOPE ITEMS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE.

WE KICKED OFF THE PROJECT IN EARLY FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.

IT'S GREAT TO BE ON THE GROUND IN CEDAR RAPIDS WITH THE TEAM.

WE FORMALLY KICKED OFF OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT LAST WEEK.

WE LAUNCHED A PROJECT WEBSITE ON THE CITY WEBSITE.

IT HAS A SURVEY. WE HOPE EVERYONE TAKES THAT SURVEY.

THAT CLOSES IN EARLY JUNE. WE'RE HAVING SEVERAL VIRTUAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AS WELL AS IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT THE NEXT TWO DAYS.

[00:15:05]

BRIEFLY WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS, WE THINK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT MODES OF THE PLAN PROCESS.

THE FIRST IS THE ON STREET SYSTEM. JUST TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL INVENTORY OF WHAT WE THINK ABOUT WITH THE ON STREET SYSTEM.

WE INVENTORIED OVER 2000 ON STREET PARKING SPACES AND LOOKED AT HOW THOSE SPACES ARE PERFORMING.

BOTH THE SPACES THAT WE CHARGE FOR PARKING, AS WELL AS THE SPACES THAT WE DON'T CHARGE FOR PARKING.

SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM OUR ON STREET UTILIZATION.

WERE SO LOOKING AT A THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY APRIL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CURB IS BEING USED.

THE MAP YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT IS THE PEAK CONDITION THAT WE SAW, PEAK UTILIZATION OF PARKING THAT OCCURRED ON A FRIDAY AT 7 P.M.

OVERALL, IN THE STUDY AREA, WE SAW 56% UTILIZATION.

WE LIKE TO SEE ANYWHERE FROM 60 TO 80% UTILIZATION AS YOU GET ABOVE 80% IN THOSE BLOCKS IN RED, YOU START TO EXPERIENCE SOME FRUSTRATION. YOU START TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND NOT SEE PARKING SPACES AVAILABLE.

SO, WE TRY TO LOOK AT SMOOTHING OUT THAT UTILIZATION.

AGAIN, OVERALL, THERE IS AMPLE PARKING AVAILABILITY.

HOWEVER, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP, THERE ARE ACUTE HOTSPOTS.

ACUTE CHALLENGES WITH PARKING DEMANDS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE, WHERE ON THIS FRIDAY EVENING WHEN THERE WAS AN EVENT OCCURRING, WE WERE AT 110% UTILIZATION, WHICH MEANS WE WERE OVER PARKED IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE AT THE SAME TIME, IN THE WHOLE STUDY AREA, WE WERE SITTING AT 56% UTILIZATION.

SAME GOES FOR SATURDAY, WHERE WE EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN CORE AT 93% UTILIZATION.

HOWEVER, THE ENTIRE STUDY AREA WAS AT 41%. SO, WE'RE SEEING TRENDS IN ACUTE HIGH DEMAND PARKING SITUATIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN IN A 1 TO 2 BLOCK AREAS IN EACH OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.

BUT OVERALL AMPLE PARKING AVAILABILITY OF NOTE WHERE WE SEE PEAK PARKING DEMAND, IT IS GENERALLY OUTSIDE THE HOURS IN WHICH WE MANAGE THAT PARKING, WHETHER IT'S WHEN WE ACTIVELY ENFORCE THAT PARKING OR WHERE WE ACTIVELY CHARGE FOR PARKING, WHERE WE CURRENTLY CHARGE FOR PARKING. WE ALSO LOOKED AT YOUR OFF STREET SYSTEM.

SPECIFICALLY, THE PARK CR PUBLIC LOTS AND RAMPS.

AND AGAIN, OVERALL, ACROSS THE PORTFOLIO, WE SAW AMPLE PARKING AVAILABILITY.

NOT TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE ACUTE PARKING CHALLENGES ESPECIALLY DURING SPECIAL EVENTS, BUT IN GENERAL, WE LOOKED AT OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, WE IDENTIFIED THAT AS A PEAK MONTH IN THE MONTH IN WHEN WE LOOKED AT TRANSACTION DATA FOR THE YEAR OF 2024 AND OUR PEAK TIME AROUND NOON, AND WE SAW 34% PARKING OCCUPANCY, MEANING 66% PARKING AVAILABILITY.

SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S AVAILABILITY IN THE RAMPS.

WE KNOW THAT POST-PANDEMIC THERE'S AVAILABILITY IN THE RAMPS ON AVERAGE.

WE ALSO KNOW THE PORTFOLIO IS AGING THE AVERAGE AGE.

THE AGE. THE PORTFOLIO IS ABOUT 35 YEARS OLD, WITH THE OLDEST FACILITY AT 58 YEARS OLD.

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING THIS INFORMATION AS DATA POINTS TO HELP INFORM WAYS THAT, AGAIN, WE CAN ENHANCE AND IMPROVE THE OVERALL PARKING SYSTEM IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

WE'RE LOOKING MORE BROADLY AT MOBILITY, BOTH YOUR FIXED ROUTE SERVICE AS WELL AS ON DEMAND AND YOUR TROLLEY PILOT, AS WELL AS YOUR SCOOTER SYSTEM. AND WE KNOW AGAIN, THERE ARE OTHER MOBILITY OPTIONS TO CONNECT FOLKS TO UNDERUTILIZED PARKING TO THOSE HIGH DEMAND AREAS. AND SO AGAIN, WE'LL BE TAKING A DEEP DIVE ON BOTH CURRENT MOBILITY AS WELL AS FUTURE MOBILITY OPTIONS.

OF NOTE, YOUR SCOOTER SYSTEM IS VERY WELL USED, ESPECIALLY IN JULY.

WE KNOW THAT'S A SEASONAL SERVICE. BUT WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE USING THAT TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE USING BOTH THE FIXED ROUTE AS WELL AS THE ON DEMAND HORIZON NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSPORTATION SERVICE, ESPECIALLY EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS, TO GET TO AND FROM WORK.

AND SO THROUGH THIS ANALYSIS, WE WE CERTAINLY KNOW FOLKS ARE USING THESE SERVICES.

HOW DO WE LEVERAGE THE EXISTING SERVICES. AND THEN HOW DO WE LOOK AT PROVIDING POTENTIALLY NEW SERVICES IN THE FUTURE? LASTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR ENFORCEMENT AND OPERATIONS.

HOW DO WE MAINTAIN AND INCREASE A HIGH LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE WITH OUR PARKING REGULATIONS? INCREASED COMPLIANCE EQUALS INCREASED SAFE OUTCOMES FOR VEHICLES AND CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.

AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT THE OVERALL PARKING SYSTEM AND THE FINANCIAL OVERALL FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE SYSTEM.

[00:20:04]

WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST TWO YEARS SOME STRENGTHENING OF FINANCIALS.

HOWEVER, WE'VE NOT SEEN A RETURN TO THE PRE-PANDEMIC REVENUE GENERATION.

WE KNOW THAT'S IMPACTED THE NUMBER OF TICKETS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BECAUSE THERE'S JUST LESS PARKING DEMAND OVERALL. AND WE KNOW ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE; WE CONTINUE TO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES WITH METER NONCOMPLIANCE.

ONE OF THE THINGS OF MANY THINGS WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT AS PART OF THIS PLAN. HOW MUCH DO WE CHARGE FOR TICKETS.

WHAT IS THE TICKET PROCESS. WHAT IS THE TICKET APPEAL PROCESS.

AND DOES THAT ALIGN WITH MAINTAINING COMPLIANCE? OF NOTE YOUR METER VIOLATION FIND AMOUNT IS $10.

YOUR DOLLAR YOUR PARKING RATE PER HOUR IS A MINIMUM OF $1 PER HOUR.

SO, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THOSE KIND OF THINGS TO UNDERSTAND. ARE THERE IMBALANCES IN THE SYSTEM. SO THAT WE CAN INCREASE COMPLIANCE AND INCREASE SAFE OUTCOMES AND THAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FOR THE PARKING PUBLIC? I RAN THROUGH THAT VERY QUICKLY.

AS WAS REQUIRED BY BILL HERE. AND SO OUR NEXT STEP, AGAIN, WE ARE KNEE DEEP IN STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.

THE SURVEY IS ONLINE ON THE CITY WEBSITE. WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED OVER 300 RESPONSES IN JUST A SHORT WEEK.

WE HAVE A GOAL TO GO AT LEAST PAST 1000. I HAVE NO DOUBT WE'LL DO THAT.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THAT FEEDBACK AND INCORPORATING THAT INTO OUR PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS LATER IN THE SUMMER.

THAT'S THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. CAN YOU JUST REMIND PEOPLE AGAIN WHERE THEY CAN FIND THAT SURVEY? YEAH. YOU CAN GO TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND IN THE SEARCH BAR, YOU CAN JUST TYPE PARKING, AND IT'LL COME UP.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON? THANK YOU. MAYOR. I THINK IT'S INTERESTING BEING A DOWNTOWN OFFICE PERSON AND WATCHING THE CHANGES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES DOWNTOWN.

I THINK IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE PEOPLE WHAT I SEE MAINLY HOPEFULLY WE CAN LOOK AT IN YOUR STUDY IS BECAUSE WE'VE GONE MORE ELECTRONIC AND THE FRUSTRATIONS OF OLDER PEOPLE THAT DON'T HANDLE THAT.

AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING I'M SEEING. AND I'M KIND OF INTERESTED OUT OF THE STUDY OF WHAT YOU FOUND IN OTHER CITIES TO ADDRESS THAT.

AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING I HEAR FROM PEOPLE AS AN OLDER AMERICAN.

THAT THAT THEY'RE, THEY DON'T COME DOWNTOWN ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S.

THEY JUST DON'T THEY DON'T USE THE TECHNOLOGY ON A REGULAR BASIS AND CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT.

AND SO WE WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES COMING DOWNTOWN, AND A LOT OF THEM DO.

OF COURSE, FOR THE EVENTS, ESPECIALLY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE IN TODAY'S WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY.

SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN BE LOOKING AT THAT AS YOU STUDY.

AND THAT'S THE MAJOR COMPLAINT I HEAR. THEY JUST DON'T LIKE THE SYSTEM OF ELECTRONICS TODAY VERSUS PUTTING COINS IN A PARKING METER.

AND IT'S IT'S ALSO SHOCKING. MOST PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE.

AND I TELL PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING TO LOCATE BUSINESSES OR THINGS DOWNTOWN, THEY THINK THERE'S NO PARKING.

AND I SAID THERE'S TONS OF PARKING IN OUR RAMPS, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PARK IN THE RAMP.

THEY WANT TO PARK OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

AND OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. AND SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND DIFFERENT WAYS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE THE RAMPS MORE.

THAT'S A REMINDER, TOO. SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HERITAGE AND BILL, MAYBE YOU CAN ASSIST AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THOSE PEOPLE, THOSE STAKEHOLDERS AT THE TABLE. GOOD POINT. YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR . YEAH. SO, I THINK THAT'S JUST ONE THING. I HEAR THAT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN LOOK AT IT DURING YOUR STUDY.

SO, THANK YOU. EXCELLENT INFORMATION. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER .

YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU KNOW I DON'T I DON'T JUST FYI, I DON'T THINK THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE TROLLEY GO BACK TO GO BACK A SLIDE OR TWO.

BILL, I WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. TROLLEY PILOT IS NECESSARILY A REAL GOOD INDICATION OF WHAT A STRONG TROLLEY LOOP COULD LOOK LIKE. THIS WAS A VERY KIND OF SCALED DOWN VERSION.

I DON'T THINK IT HIT THE TIMES WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT UTILIZE IT.

MY BELIEF IS AND IT'S JUST MY LAYMAN'S BELIEF, BUT MY BELIEF IS THAT PEOPLE WOULD PARK ONCE IN A RAMP, OR THEY'D PARK ONCE OVER IN KINGSTON VILLAGE.

THEY'D HOP ON A TROLLEY, THEY'D GO TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, THEY'D ENJOY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

PERHAPS IF THEY PARKED AND THEY'D HAD DINNER AT THE PICKLE PALACE, THEN THEY'D GO DOWN TO ROCK THE BLOCK AT THE NEWBO CITY MARKET.

OR THEY MIGHT DO THE OPPOSITE. THEY MIGHT PARK DOWN THERE AND THEN AND THEN HAVE DINNER DOWN THERE AND COME UP TO THE PARAMOUNT THEATER.

SO THAT KIND OF BROADER CIRCULATION, FREE WITH ESTABLISHED TIMES, I THINK IF WE HAVE ANY KIND OF ISSUE WITH PARKING, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON, I DON'T THINK THERE IS ONE.

[00:25:03]

I THINK DURING THIS PILOT THEY DID NOT THEY DIDN'T EVEN COVER THE HOURS OF THE MUSEUM THAT THE MUSEUM WAS OPEN.

AND YET IT STOPPED RIGHT OUTSIDE THEIR FRONT DOOR.

SO, WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL AND VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHEN WE SIT DOWN AND DO THAT, THAT WORK WITH THAT STAKEHOLDER GROUP AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE BUSINESSPEOPLE AT THE TABLE WHO WILL BE IMPACTED BY A CIRCULAR I JUST THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF FUN AND INTERESTING WORK.

AND IT COULD REALLY TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, IT COULD BE AN ATTRACTION.

I MEAN, YOU COULD GET GRANDPARENTS LIKE ME, TAKE MY GRANDKIDS ON A TROLLEY AND REALLY ENJOY THE ENTIRE CITY AND WHAT EACH ONE OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE TO OFFER, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO OFFER AND THEY'RE ALL UNIQUE.

AND SO IT'S I THINK IT'S A REAL EXCITING TIME, BUT I'M GOING TO PAY REALLY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT CIRCULATOR, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE CORE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND GETTING PEOPLE TO INVEST.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT'S A HUGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL.

GETTING PEOPLE TO INVEST IN THE CORE OF OUR COMMUNITY, IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOT A WAY TO GET AROUND.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

AND I AGREE 100%. PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO. YEAH, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF AVAILABILITY IN OUR RAMPS, BUT PEOPLE WANT TO PARK OUTSIDE FRONT AND RIGHT OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.

THEY DON'T WANT TO WALK ANYMORE. AND WE'VE SEEN THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN NEW BOHEMIA AND CZECH VILLAGE.

THEY WANT TO BE RIGHT IN FRONT AND THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

THAT'S OUR ONLY RETAIL SPACE. ARE THOSE TWO THOSE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND SO, IT'S NOT LIKE DOWNTOWN THAT PROBABLY SERVICES A LITTLE MORE OFFICES THAN IT DOES THERE.

SO I WANT REAL THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE DYNAMICS AND THE DIFFERENCES AMONG THESE CORE NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO THAT'S MAYOR THAT'S MY $0.02 FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO MORE INFORMATION COMING.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND LISTENING.

AND YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER TODD ARE ON THAT TASK FORCE FOR THE TROLLEY.

RIGHT. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SO I THINK THAT THERE'S REALLY GREAT INFORMATION HERE.

I HOPE EVERYBODY TAKES THE SURVEYS. SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I REGULARLY HEAR.

ONE I'LL JUST TOUCH ON THE TROLLEY SYSTEM. I'VE HAD THE FORTUNE OF, THROUGH THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES SEEING DIFFERENT EXAMPLES.

SO, DC HAS THE VERY LIFELIKE TROLLEYS THAT ARE BUSSES BUT LOOK LIKE TROLLEYS, GIVE THAT FEEL OF TROLLEYS IS REALLY MUCH MORE WHAT WE'VE HEARD OUR COUNCIL TALK ABOUT, WHAT WE WANT TO GO TOWARDS. AND I THINK IF WE HAD SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT THEN MARRIES THE NOSTALGIA OF RIGHTING A TROLLEY INSTEAD OF BEING IN A VAN.

IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE THAT'S NOT HOW WE SHOULD HAVE STARTED THE PILOT PROGRAM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. BUT I THINK YOU NEVER YOU HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN THE FULL USE OF IT, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE THING THAT PEOPLE NOW SEE AS A TREAT, WHICH ALSO HELPS WITH SOMETHING.

WE DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR OVER TO, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT TO BE OVER PARKED. WE DON'T WANT TO, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DO WANT TO HAVE THAT, THAT FRONT OF STORE PARKING. WE ALSO CAN'T YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO THAT FOR EVERYTHING.

THERE'S ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF SPACE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE TROLLEY SYSTEM AND REALLY LEVERAGING INTO THAT BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT.

TEMPE RECENTLY HAS A PRETTY STRONG TROLLEY SYSTEM AS WELL, AND THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THING AS DC HAS WHERE IT'S THAT THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A TROLLEY SYSTEM, IT'S REALLY A BUS DOES NOT HAVE THE LINE LIKE YOU WOULD IN SAN FRANCISCO OR SOMETHING.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THAT. IN ADDITION, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THE WAYFINDING FOR PARKING, HAVING IT BEING VERY AWARE SO THAT WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN, YOU CAN SEE TWO BLOCKS THIS WAY, THAT WAY, I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE, UNLESS YOU HAVE A REAL MOBILITY.

YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF? I DON'T THINK ANY AMBULATORY PERSON IS CONCERNED ABOUT WALKING A COUPLE OF BLOCKS.

RIGHT? BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN TERMS OF CAN YOU EVEN.

DO YOU EVEN KNOW THAT THERE'S PARKING THERE? IT'S NOT ADVERTISED ENOUGH HERE TO REALLY EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHERE EXISTING PARKING IS IN THE PARKING STRUCTURE.

SO WE NEED TO IMPROVE THAT. ONE OF THE TO THE, THE MUCH TO MY CHAGRIN WHEN I HAVE MY HOSPITAL COLLEAGUES AND WE GO OUT FOR LUNCH OR DO SOMETHING AFTER WORK A LOT OF THEM DON'T LIVE IN CITIES THAT HAVE PARKING THAT THEY PAY FOR.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS WHERE IF WE ARE TRYING TO COORDINATE SOMETHING, THEY KIND OF GRIMACE AT THE FACT OF GOING TO CEDAR RAPIDS BECAUSE.

BECAUSE THEY'VE GOTTEN THE TICKETS SO MANY TIMES. WHY? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB OF SIGNING WHAT PARK, WHAT SPACES ARE ONES YOU PAY FOR, AND WHICH ONES ARE STREET PARKING. SO WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF THAT.

[00:30:04]

THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD SYSTEM IN THEIR DOWNTOWN OF BEING A LOW PROFILE KIND OF LITTLE STAKE IN FRONT OF EACH OF THE SPOTS.

SO THAT PROMPTS YOU, RIGHT? IF WE'RE JUST TELLING SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE ON THIS BLOCK, THERE'S GOING TO BE A SPACE THAT YOU HAVE TO GO AND FIND A STATION.

IT'S NOT WORKING. THAT'S HOW PEOPLE END UP WITH TICKETS. THAT'S HOW PEOPLE END UP FRUSTRATED. THAT'S HOW PEOPLE END UP NOT GOING DOWNTOWN AND PATRONIZING OUR REALLY FABULOUS BUSINESSES. SO WE HAVE TO IMPROVE THAT TOO.

ADDITIONALLY, THE CREDIT CARD AND CASHLESS PAYMENT SYSTEMS, WHILE ADVANTAGEOUS AND KIND OF AS A CONSEQUENCE OF COVID, THEY HAVE THEIR UTILITY. BUT THIS ISN'T AN AGE THING.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE CREDIT CARDS.

MAYBE FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY'RE MORE CASH BASED THAN THEY ARE ON ON A CARD SYSTEM.

AND SO IT REALLY IS AN ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A CAR BUT ARE NOT USING DEBIT TRANSACTIONS LIKE THAT.

OR, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF THEIR CARD IS OVERDRAWN, THAT HAPPENS TO LOTS OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOTS OF PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BE A SMALL AMOUNT AWAY FROM BEING IN A BAD FINANCIAL SITUATION. SO, WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS THAT STILL MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND HAVE THAT.

IF WE TALK ABOUT WELCOME AS OUR LANGUAGE, BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE FEELING LIKE I'M NEVER GOING TO DO THAT BECAUSE MAYBE FOR PRIVACY ISSUES OR WHATEVER IT IS, THEY DON'T WANT TO REGISTER WITH THE SYSTEM AND USE A CASHLESS SYSTEM.

WE HAVE TO JUST UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY REPORTED TO US IN TERMS OF, LIKE BEING A BARRIER TO THEM IN WANTING TO USE OUR SYSTEM.

AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE SUCCESS OF OUR MICRO MOBILITY PROGRAM.

WE'VE HAD LOTS OF VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONS. WHEN I TALK WITH OTHER CITY COLLEAGUES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR HORROR STORIES VERSUS OUR SUCCESS STORIES.

THEY ALWAYS ARE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE CHOSE ONE COMPANY.

RIGHT? THAT'S WHEN IT'S WORKS REALLY WELL FOR US, BUT NOT FOR THEM.

IT'S BECAUSE THEY WENT WITH MULTIPLE COMPANIES.

WE DID IT. A VERY GOOD WAY. AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL IT HAS BEEN.

I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND THEN LASTLY, AS WE DO ALL OF THIS, WE REALLY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT AND HAVE GOOD CONTRACTING TIMELINE PARAMETERS. BECAUSE IF YOU'VE EVER LEARNED ABOUT THE HORROR STORIES OF CHICAGO IN MY LIFETIME AS THE YOUNGEST PERSON ON COUNCIL IN MY LIFETIME, THEY WILL NEVER BE OUT OF THAT CONTRACT.

IT IS SO BAD AND THEY HAVE TO PAY A COMPANY IN ABU DHABI WHEN THEY CLOSE THE STREET.

SO WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THESE CONTRACTS RIGHT AND HAVE THE RIGHT COMPANY THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR IN THE RIGHT PARAMETERS. BUT I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY. COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, I ASK MYSELF, WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO BE A PARKING CONSULTANT SOMETIMES.

BUT ON A SIDE NOTE, WHEN WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION A LOT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS PART OF THE SCOPE OF YOUR CONTRACT OR NOT? I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

COUNCIL MEMBER POE MENTIONED AT THE RAMPS THE CONDITION THE DEBT SERVICE, ALL OF THOSE PIECES SO THAT WE CAN DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF SHORT TERM, LONG TERM PLAN WE WILL HAVE IN TERMS OF REPLACING OR MAINTAINING WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY. SO THAT'S PART OF IT. COUNCIL MEMBER.

YES. YES, THAT IS PART OF THE CURRENT SCOPE. GREAT.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANKS. GOOD CONVERSATION.

APPRECIATE IT. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN THE SURVEY YET, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND DO SO. NEXT UP WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE CEDAR RAPIDS MUSIC ECOSYSTEM ACTION PLAN.

SO DON PITTS IS HERE OF SOUND MUSIC CITIES, JOINED BY OUR DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, JENNIFER PRATT. I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU.

JUST A QUICK INTRODUCTION. YES. WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE THE FINAL REPORT ON THE MUSIC CENSUS.

AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE COUNCIL'S INTEREST AND EXCITEMENT ABOUT MUSIC, WHICH IS A VERY YOU KNOW, A VERY AMAZING PIECE OF VIBRANCY IN THE CORE OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS JUST OUR COMMUNITY IDENTITY OVERALL.

SO WE ARE SO GLAD TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DON PITTS, WHO IS WITH SOUND MUSIC CITIES.

THANK YOU. JENNIFER. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS. CEDAR RAPIDS MUSIC CENSUS ACTION PLAN.

SO THE REPORT AND DASHBOARD AND ACTION PLAN IS ON CEDAR RAPIDS MUSIC.COM.

CEDAR RAPIDS MUSIC CENSUS WAS HELD LAST YEAR.

WE CAPTURED THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MUSICIANS, VENUES AND PRESENTERS AND INDUSTRY AND A MUSIC ECOSYSTEM.

SO THE FINAL REPORT IS THERE. AND WE ALSO HAVE AN INTERACTIVE DASHBOARD THAT'S LAID OUT.

[00:35:06]

AND THEN OF COURSE, THE CEDAR RAPIDS ACTION PLAN IS SET UP NOW I THINK SO.

SO, WE DID THE PHASES. THE OVERVIEW IS. TWO PHASES, THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDATION AND ACTIVATING AND STRENGTHENING THE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM. SO WE'VE DESIGNED IT IN TWO PHASES.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY THE PHASE ONE STRUCTURE AND THEN THE PHASE THE PHASE ONE IS IN TWO PLACES TWO CATEGORIES STRUCTURE AND ACTIONS.

AND THEN PHASE TWO IS ACTIVATING AND STRENGTHENING THE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM.

SO, PHASE ONE STRUCTURE IS BUILDING THE FOUNDATION.

IT'S. IDENTIFY A LEAD CITY DEPARTMENT. CONVENE A MUSIC TASK FORCE.

IT WOULD SAY IT'S THE TIME LIMITED MUSIC TASK FORCE.

AND THEN IDENTIFY LIKE A STAFF LIAISON OR COORDINATOR THAT CAN HELP CONTINUE UPDATE LEAD PARTNERS AS A STANDING ADVISORY COALITION SUPPORTING THE LEAD CITY DEPARTMENT AND TASK FORCE.

THE COMMUNITY, THE LEAD PARTNERS OF THE MUSIC CENSUS WAS THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, VENUWORKS, CEDAR RAPIDS, METRO ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, AND CEDAR RAPIDS TOURISM.

I THINK PART OF THIS PHASE THAT WE WOULD REFRESH AND CONFIRM PARTICIPATION AND ADD NEW PARTNERS.

I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAD OVER 40 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PARTNERS IN THE MUSIC CENSUS.

WE ALWAYS SAY IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO REACH THE VILLAGE BECAUSE THEY ARE IN SO MANY SILOS.

AND OF COURSE, AND ESTABLISH THE TIME LIMITED CEDAR RAPIDS MUSIC TASK FORCE TO GUIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN, SERVING AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN CITY AND THE BROADER MUSIC ECOSYSTEM.

9 TO 12 MONTHS WITH CLEAR CHARGE AND A SUNSET DATE CROSS SECTOR MEMBERSHIP.

AND THEN DATA INFORMED TO GUIDE THE PRIORITIES.

THE PHASE ONE ACTIONS IS CONNECTING THE CEDAR RAPIDS MUSIC COMMUNITY LAUNCHED.

LAUNCH A NEWSLETTER. I MEAN, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A NEWSLETTER WE'VE SEEN IN CITIES.

JUST STARTING A MUSIC NEWSLETTER ONCE A MONTH.

THE MUSIC COMMUNITY REALLY DOES A LOT TO ORGANIZE THE COMMUNITY.

IT DECENTRALIZES THE CREATIVE ECOSYSTEM SHOWING UP IN INBOXES.

IT JUST, IT'S AMAZING HOW SOMETHING THAT SMALL CAN, CAN HAVE THAT MUCH OF AN IMPACT.

HIGHLIGHT COMMUNITY FOCUSED EVENTS, WORKSHOPS AND OPPORTUNITIES, LOCAL MUSIC NEWS AND THEN UPDATES FROM THE MUSIC TASK FORCE AND WORKING GROUPS HELPING CONNECT PLANNING TO ACTION. PHASE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.

BY CONTINUING THIS PLANNING PROCESS, THE TASK FORCE CAN HELP ENSURE THAT THE PHASE TWO ROLLOUT IS NOT ONLY STRATEGIC BUT GROUNDED IN LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND RELATIONSHIPS.

SO, PART OF THE TASK FORCE RESPONSIBILITY IS THE PHASE TWO SEQUENCE.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND RESOURCES.

ALSO, IN PHASE ONE IS STREAMLINING REGULATORY PROCESSES.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL ACTIONS CITIES CAN TAKE IS STREAMLINING THE PROCESS.

I KNOW EVEN IN A PLACE LIKE AUSTIN, WHERE I WAS EMPLOYED FOR TEN MONTHS WITH THE CITY OR TEN YEARS FOR THE CITY, IT FELT LIKE TEN MONTHS SOMETIMES. BUT WE DID A MUSIC CENSUS IN 2014 FOR A CITY THAT TOUTS LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE NOT VERY MUSIC FRIENDLY POLICY.

OUR SOUND ORDINANCE WAS AMBIGUOUS, OUR PERMITTING PROCESS WAS AMBIGUOUS AND SO FORTH.

SO THAT THIS CAME UP AS 56% OF THE VENUES AND PRESENTERS IN THE CENSUS SEE THAT REGULATORY BURDEN IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE.

THE TOP CONCERNS WERE UNCLEAR, PERMITTING ZONING FRUSTRATIONS, OUTDATED ENFORCEMENT, LACK OF CITY STAFF WITH MUSIC EXPERTISE.

I WILL SAY A SIDE NOTE THAT THAT MUSIC EXPERTISE ALSO I FOUND, IS THAT CITY NEEDS TO TRANSLATE CITY.

SOME PEOPLE CALL IT GOBBLEDYGOOK, BUT IT'S TRANSLATED THAT TO MUSIC IN LAYMAN TERMS. WHAT VENUES PRESENTERS SAID THEY NEEDED WAS CLEAR GUIDES ON PERMITTING AND REGULATIONS.

EASIER ACCESS TO CITY CONTACTS, FLEXIBILITY, FLEXIBILITY AND SOUND AND EVENT RULES.

AND THEN WORKSHOPS OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. I THINK ONE OF THE ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL THINGS WE DID WAS CONNECT THE VENUES AND PRESENTERS WITH THE REGULATORY AGENCIES. JUST LET THEM BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. STREAMLINE REGULATIONS IN CENTRAL IS CENTRAL TO THE VIBRANT MUSIC ECOSYSTEMS A

[00:40:07]

ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL VALUE. STREAMLINING REGULATIONS CAN BOOST LIVE MUSIC, STRENGTHEN SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENHANCE CEDAR RAPIDS AS A CREATIVE HUB AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION. COLLABORATION ALIGNS WITH GOALS FOR INCLUSIVITY, STRONGER BUSINESS, ECOSYSTEMS AND VIBRANCY.

PHASE TWO OF THE ACTIONS DEVELOP THE LEADERS IN CEDAR RAPIDS MUSIC PROGRAM AND INVEST IN MID-CAREER AND EMERGING LEADERS.

I MODELED AFTER PROGRAMS IN NASHVILLE AND AUSTIN.

IT BUILDS CROSS-SECTOR TRUST. SHARED LEARNING AND KNOCKS DOWN THOSE SILOS BETWEEN IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUILD A PIPELINE OF CIVIC MINDED MUSIC ECOSYSTEM LEADERS.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES, IS BUILDING A PIPELINE OF CIVIC MINDED, MUSIC MINDED FOLKS.

STRENGTHENS ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION AND POLICY UNDERSTANDING.

I THINK A LOT OF THE STUFF WE FIND OUT IN THE POLICY STUFF IS IT'S REALLY IS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING.

BUILD AWARENESS THROUGH LOCAL MUSIC JOURNALISM.

I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST NEEDS IN EVERY CITY.

AND WE'VE SEEN SOME VERY INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT CITIES ARE DOING.

BUT IT DOES STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT THROUGH MUSIC JOURNALISM. IT ELEVATES UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES AND FILLS GAPS IN COVERAGE.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT IT IS IT PARTNERS WITH LOCAL REGIONAL MEDIA, JOURNALISM AND JOURNALISM PROGRAMS AT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, AS WE'RE SEEING UNIVERSITIES AND SEVERAL CITIES BUILDING THEIR OWN STUDENT RUN AGENCIES, HELPING VENUES AND ARTISTS.

AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING MENTORED BY THE JOURNALISM PROFESSIONALS.

AND IT ALSO DEEPENS COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF CEDAR RAPIDS MUSIC ECOSYSTEM.

MOST COMMUNITIES WE GO IN, PEOPLE WANT TO OWN A CALENDAR OF EVENTS, BUT I SAY IT'S YOU'RE JUST PUTTING NAMES ON THE CALENDAR THAT NO ONE KNOWS.

SO, WE'VE DONE SOME AUDIENCE RESEARCH AND SEVERAL CITIES THE PUBLIC AND THE AUDIENCE WANTS TO KNOW THE ARTIST ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

INVEST IN ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY AND SHARED STRUCTURE IS PHASE TWO.

ALSO FOCUSED ON PROVIDING TOOLS, SHARED SPACES AND INCOME BUILDING PATHWAYS FOR CREATIVES.

SUPPORTS COLLABORATION OVER COMPETITION, REDUCES OVERHEAD, AND POSITION THE CITY AS A FACILITATOR, NOT AN OWNER OF SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU'RE MAKING MONEY WITH MAKING MONEY WITH MUSIC WORKSHOPS.

THERE'S OVER 300 REVENUE STREAMS FOR INDEPENDENT ARTISTS THAT I HAVE BEEN IN SO MANY DIFFERENT DEBATES THAT THEY DON'T THINK THERE'S MORE THAN 4 OR 5, BUT THERE'S OVER 320 THAT WE'RE STILL COUNTING UP.

LOCAL SERVICE DIRECTORY BUSINESS TOOLS FOR CREATIVES.

COMMUNITY RUN STUDIO ACCESS AND SUPPORT FOR EXISTING VENUES.

PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IS THE NEXT ONE. THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT.

I THINK WE HAVE WE CAN BUILD ON THE STRONG LOCAL EFFORTS.

I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATED AS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PARTNER IN THE MUSIC CENSUS THAT ARE PHENOMENAL, THAT WE CAN BUILD ON SOME OF THEIR SUCCESS, GET THEM TO THE TABLE TO KIND OF HELP TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A COMMUNITY.

93% OF THE RESPONDENTS IDENTIFIED AS WHITE, DESPITE BROADER COMMUNITY DIVERSITY, AND 67% OF THE RESPONDENTS IDENTIFY AS MALE, WITH 31% AS FEMALE AND 1% USING ANOTHER GENDER DESCRIPTOR.

I WILL SAY THAT WE'RE SEEING IN OTHER CITIES PRE-PANDEMIC, WE WERE LIKE AT 26% FEMALE IN EVERY CENSUS WE DID. POST-PANDEMIC, WE'RE SEEING THAT NUMBER FINALLY RISING.

WE HAD SOME CITIES THAT WERE THERE WERE MORE FEMALE INDUSTRY PEOPLE AND MORE FEMALE VENUE PRESENTERS.

EVEN IN NASHVILLE, IT WAS MORE VENUE PRESENTERS.

FEMALE ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN WITH REGULAR PROGRAMING THAT WAS PART OF THE.

THE CENSUS QUESTIONS. AND IT WAS PART OF A COUPLE OTHER STUDIES THAT THAT THE CITY HAS DONE.

LIVE MUSIC AND CULTURAL EVENTS, CREATE SHARED RITUALS, STRENGTHEN SOCIAL FABRIC AND BUILD A SENSE OF BELONGING.

I THINK WE OFTEN, AS CITY GOVERNMENTS, OFTEN UNDERESTIMATE THE SMALL SCALE PERFORMANCE ACTIVATION BETWEEN THE 103 HUNDRED CAPACITIES, BUT THEY ARE THE ONES THAT INCREASE FOOT TRAFFIC AND POSITION DOWNTOWN AS A VIBRANT THIRD PLACE.

SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND INDEPENDENT ARTISTS.

CRAZY IDEA THAT I'VE HAD. WE'VE WE'VE DONE IT IN AUSTIN AND WE'VE DONE IT IN SEVERAL OTHER CITIES.

[00:45:01]

SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY IN A IN A DOWNTOWN AREA OR A SPECIFIC AREA OF TOWN.

TO TRY TO PROTOTYPE THAT, THAT PROCESS, WHATEVER THAT IS.

AND I'M RECOMMENDING PROCESS BETWEEN 100 AND 350 ATTENDEES EVENTS.

AND THAT'S THOSE ARE THE SPOTS THAT THAT'S THE AREA IN THE SIZE OF EVENTS THAT REALLY ACTUALLY HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES. IN DOWNTOWN AREAS, SOME ARE IN THE SQUARE IS A GREAT START, BUT IF YOU PAIR THAT WITH SMALLER SIDEWALK COURTYARD SHOWS TO AMPLIFY THE IMPACT SIMPLIFIED PERMITTING ALSO UNLOCKS CREATIVE ENERGY AND REDUCES FRICTION FOR SMALLER ORGANIZERS.

I THINK THAT'S THE KEY IS TO SMALLER ORGANIZERS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO THE TABLE.

INCLUSIVE DESIGN CENTER FAMILY FRIENDLY, UNDERREPRESENTED AND MULTI-GENRE PROGRAMING TO REFLECT CEDAR RAPIDS IDENTITY.

THERE'S A LOT OF COMMENTS IN THE MUSIC CENSUS ABOUT UNDERREPRESENTED GENRES.

THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PERFORM LOCALLY.

AND THEN CLOSING AS A FORMER CITY STAFFER I WILL SAY THAT THE CITY, THE ROLE THAT I SEE IT PLAY IS THE CONVENER, WHICH BRINGS STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER.

A FACILITATOR SUPPORTS COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND A CONNECTOR AND REMOVES BARRIERS TO GROWTH AND CREATIVITY.

BUT BY TAKING THESE ROLES, THE CITY CAN STRENGTHEN THE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM AND MOVE CEDAR RAPIDS FORWARD.

AND THAT CONCLUDES IT. THANK YOU. THANKS VERY MUCH, COUNCIL.

FIRST OF ALL, COUNCILMEMBER TODD, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS EFFORT. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. I WOULD IT WOULD BEHOOVE ME TO THANK MY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO DECIDED LAST YEAR, DURING OUR PRIORITIES, THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO TAKE ON.

AND CERTAINLY, THE CITY MANAGER WAS VERY HELPFUL IN GIVING US THE GREEN LIGHT, BUT WE APPRECIATE THE HELP.

AND ALSO, DARREN STEARNS AND DIANE SMITH FROM VENUWORKS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, DOUG NEWMAN FROM THE ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, WHO ALSO HELPED FUND IT, NOAH ZECHER FROM PLANNING AND JULIE STOWE WERE ALSO MEMBERS OF THE EFFORT.

BUT, DON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. WE ALL AMONGST US ALL, WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT OUR MUSIC ECOSYSTEM WAS OR WASN'T, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DATA.

AND DON PAINSTAKINGLY INTERVIEWED MANY OF THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE MUSIC COMMUNITY HERE.

MANY OF THE ONES THAT ARE UP AND COMING. AND SO, I THINK YOU'VE GOT A REAL GOOD CROSS-SECTION OF WHAT'S THERE.

I THINK IT WAS ON THE ON THE TAIL OF OUR PARKING STUDY.

THIS SHOULD GO HAND IN HAND WITH HOW WE ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN, ESPECIALLY EFFORTS LIKE THE MAYOR'S EFFORT TO ACTIVATE GREEN SQUARE PARK THIS SUMMER.

I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL WHAT WE FOUND, AND DON CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO IT IN MORE DETAIL, IS THAT WE HAVE A VERY TALENTED COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS HERE.

BUT WHAT WE FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF THEM WEREN'T CONNECTING.

THEY WEREN'T TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER, AND THEY WEREN'T TALKING TO US, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS, BECAUSE WE LIKE TO THINK, WE TRY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

BUT IF YOU ASK THEM, IT'S LIKE WE'RE THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE ROAD.

WE'RE THE ONES THAT TRY TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE ONES THAT TRY TO THROW WATER ON EVERYTHING.

AND SO WE SO THERE'S A DISCONNECT THERE THAT WE CAN WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK ON.

BUT THE KEY IS HOW DO WE MOVE THE COMMUNITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL? AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US A CALL TO ACTION THAT WE CAN DISCUSS MORE.

YOUR HONOR DURING THE THE, YOU KNOW, OUR PRIORITY PLANNING SESSION, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT STEP.

AND I THINK YOU ARE THE PERFECT PERSON, DON, TO DO THIS, BECAUSE IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE'S A LOT OF EGOS AND EVERYBODY'S AN EXPERT. BUT YOU WERE YOU WERE ABLE TO SYNTHESIZE THAT AND PUT IT IN A FORMAT THAT I THINK THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE PROUD OF AND CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. THANKS, MAYOR. WELL, DON, I'M I'M HAPPY THAT WE GOT TO BORROW YOU FOR THIS.

[00:50:01]

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

I MEAN, I CAN REMEMBER EVEN, YOU KNOW, 20 SOME YEARS AGO, LIKE SEEING STICKS OUT ON MAY'S ISLAND, RIGHT? AND GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE THAT AGAIN, WHERE WE ARE IN THE STREETS LIKE THEY ARE IN LOUISVILLE, WHERE THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN SECTIONED OFF AND YOU'RE JUST YOU'RE BRINGING PEOPLE OUT.

WE REGULARLY HEAR THAT PEOPLE LOVE OUR FARMERS MARKETS.

THEY LOVE OUR MARKET AFTER DARK. AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, BUT WHY? BUT WE NEED WE WANT THAT REGULARLY.

WE WANT MORE OF THAT; RIGHT? OUR TALENT HERE IS PHENOMENAL.

WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY BEAUTIFUL REHABBED OLD SPACES BETWEEN CSPS, BETWEEN PARAMOUNT, BETWEEN THEATER, CEDAR RAPIDS, IDEAL THEATER. THERE'S SO MANY GREAT SPACES HERE.

EVEN NEWBO CITY MARKET IS LIKE, USED REGULARLY, BUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

SO EVEN AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS OF JUST LIKE HAVING A NEWSLETTER, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TALENT THAT IS COMING FROM THE EASTERN IOWA ARTS ACADEMY, AND THEN THERE IS TALENT THAT IS BEING CULTIVATED AT KIRKWOOD, AND THEY'RE OUT THERE.

RIGHT? BUT PEOPLE AREN'T SHOWING UP FOR THEM, NOT BECAUSE OF THE TALENT OR QUALITY OF THAT.

IT'S BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S THERE. AND NOT EVERY, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS OWNER WHO HAS A SPACE HAS THE SKILLS OR THE WHEREWITHAL OF HOW TO GET THE WORD OUT. SO LIKE WHEN WE CAN CONNECT ALL OF THAT TOGETHER AND JUST HAVE MORE LIVE MUSIC.

NOT ONLY DOES MUSIC HAVE PLENTY OF EVIDENCE IN TERMS OF HOW IT ADVANCES QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT ALSO HEALTH.

IT'S JUST IT'S GOING TO BE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO WITH OUR DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, OUTWARD. SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT, COUNCILMEMBER.

YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. REALLY GOOD COMMENTS BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.

I THINK MY SON IS A MUSICIAN AND A SONGWRITER, AND HE KIND OF PUT THAT TO THE SIDE BECAUSE OF AVAILABILITY OF PLACES WHERE HE COULD GO PLAY, WHERE HE WASN'T SCREAMING OVER THE TOP OF A BAR CROWD.

RIGHT. SO THAT CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN PERFORMING ARTISTS WITH VENUES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE I THINK THAT'S REALLY KEY, GETTING THESE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS INTO VENUES WHERE THEY CAN AFFORD TO GO IN AND, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE THEIR SOUND SYSTEM.

A LOT OF THEM DO. BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT GETTING SOME KIND OF SYNERGY BUILT AROUND CERTAIN AREAS WHERE YOUNG PERFORMERS CAN AFFORD TO GO IN, GET IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, I THINK IS REALLY GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.

SO, I REALLY LOVE THIS CONCEPT, AND I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BUILDING THAT SYNERGY.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS ON JENNIFER AND YOUR TEAM ON THIS WORK.

AND TO THOSE WHO STEPPED UP, AND DON, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO CEDAR RAPIDS AND HELPING US PUT SOME OF THIS TOGETHER.

APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. THANK YOU. THANKS. THANKS, EVERYBODY.

AND IN CLOSING DON, I WANT TO THANK YOU, TOO.

IT'S AWESOME THAT YOU'RE FROM AUSTIN, TOO. AND YOU'VE BEEN IN THIS BEEN IN THIS WORLD A LOT LONGER THAN ANY OF US.

SO, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING OR ONLINE OR HERE TO THE WORDS CONVENER, FACILITATOR, CONNECTOR. YOU KNOW, NONE OF THOSE THINGS SAY, WE'RE GOING TO RUN THIS.

AND WHENEVER YOU TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE CITY IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WE GET SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.

AND THAT'S, IT'S OUR JOB. YOU KNOW, WE LIKE WE LIKE TO LIGHT THE SPARK.

WE LIKE TO BE THE SPARK THAT GETS THE FIRE GOING.

WE REALLY CAN'T BE THE ONES THAT MAKE THIS AS AWESOME AS IT CAN BE.

IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE UP TO OUR CITIZENS OUT THERE IN THE MUSIC COMMUNITY AND AS WELL AS OUT IN THE MUSIC COMMUNITY.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL COMING UP AND OUR GOAL SETTING, AND TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS FOR US AND HOW WE CAN HELP THIS CITY REACH, YOU KNOW, THESE AUDACIOUS GOALS. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE BUSINESS OF COUNCIL AND OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.

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

FIRST, REMAIN AT THE LECTERN. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US, GIVE THEM TO THE OFFICER.

HE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE THEIR COMMENTS ARE LIMITED.

OUR FIVE MINUTES. SO, WHEN YOU'RE AT THE PODIUM, IF YOU SEE THE LIGHT TURN YELLOW, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT. AND WHEN IT'S RED, WE'LL ASK YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT AND BE AWARE THAT ALL COMMENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THAT ABUSIVE, LOUD, THREATENING, IRRELEVANT COMMENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED.

WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE AN ORDERLY MEETING, SO WE ASK FOR NO PARTICIPATION.

APPLAUSE. CHEERING, BOOING OR OTHER DISRUPTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.

AND WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR THAT. DOES THE CLERK HAVE ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS IN REGARD TO ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, YOUR HONOR, FOR PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER SEVEN, THERE WERE THREE OBJECTIONS FILED.

PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER SEVEN, I HAVE NOTED THREE OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD.

[00:55:06]

LIEUTENANT MICHELLE OMAR IS HERE ALONG WITH CAPTAIN FIELDS.

I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. SO THERE WAS TWO COMMITTEES THAT WERE CONVENED BACK OVER THE WINTER MONTHS TO KIND OF LOOK AT SOME OF OUR CITY ORDINANCES AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO CLEAN THEM UP, IMPROVE THEM, MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR ON THE LANGUAGE.

SO THE ORDINANCES THAT WE KIND OF FOCUSED IN ON ARE CHAPTER 4242 AND 62.19.

AND BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, YOU ARE YOU HAVE ASKED TO COMBINE THE ITEMS NUMBERS ONE THROUGH THREE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. WE WILL DO THAT. THANK YOU.

SO CHAPTER 42 IS OUR CHAPTER ON SOLICITORS AND TRANSIENT MERCHANTS.

SO WE LOOKED AT THAT CODE AND WE IDENTIFIED SOME GAPS IN THAT CODE.

PRIMARILY SOME OF THE DEFINITIONS WERE PRETTY OUTDATED AS AS TIMES HAVE PROGRESSED.

SOMETIMES OUR LANGUAGE IN OUR CODE GETS A LITTLE OUT OF DATE.

SO DATE, SO WE DECIDED WE NEEDED TO. WE NEEDED TO.

IT WENT DEAD. OH, THERE. IT'S BACK. SO WE NEEDED TO UPDATE THOSE DEFINITIONS.

AND ONCE WE STARTED UPDATING THOSE DEFINITIONS, WE FOUND THAT SOME OF THE OTHER DEFINITIONS THEN ALSO NEED TO BE UPDATED.

JUST TO KEEP THE TERMINOLOGY SIMILAR. ANOTHER THING THAT WE SAW IS PARKING REGULATIONS AND PAYMENT METHODS WERE OUT OF DATE.

A LOT OF IT REFERENCED THE COIN FED METERS, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY HEARD A PRESENTATION THAT KIND OF COVERED PARKING DOWNTOWN.

WE WANTED TO UPDATE THAT LANGUAGE. SO IT ADDRESSED THE APP OR THE KIOSKS THAT ARE NOW DOWNTOWN.

ANOTHER IDENTIFIED ISSUE WE SAW IS IT WASN'T CLEAR THAT A SOLICITOR IS REQUIRED TO SHOW THEIR ORIGINAL SOLICITOR PERMIT UPON REQUEST.

OFTENTIMES, WHEN CITY STAFF WAS ASKING A SOLICITOR TO SHOW THEIR CITY ISSUED PERMIT, THEY WOULD EITHER HAVE A COPY OF IT, A PHOTOCOPY OR SHOW A PICTURE OF IT ON THEIR PHONE.

SO WE WANTED TO CLEAN UP THAT LANGUAGE. THERE WAS NO PROVISION TO ALLOW RETAIL STORES IN REFERENCE TO THE TRANSIENT MERCHANTS TO WAIVE THE 100 FOOT BUFFER.

AND WE WANTED TO KIND OF UNITE CHAPTERS 42 AND 42, IN SOME OF THEIR REGULATIONS AND THEIR LANGUAGE.

SO IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THAT, SORRY, MY HEAD IS WRONG ON THE TOP OF THIS.

SO. I'M GOING TO GO BACK. THERE'S A SLIDE MISSING.

SO WE UPDATED THOSE DEFINITIONS. AND THEN WE UPDATED THE LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS THE APP BASED SYSTEM.

AND ALSO THE KIOSKS. AND WE CLEANED UP THE LANGUAGE IN REFERENCE TO THE SOLICITOR PERMIT AND PUT SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT ALLOWS RETAIL STORES TO WAIVE THE 100 FOOT BUFFER. AND THEN ALSO STARTED REALLY UNITING THAT LANGUAGE BETWEEN 42 AND 42.

FOR THE GAPS IN 42, WHICH REFERENCED THE MOBILE FOOD VENDORS.

SAME THING. THERE WAS SOME OUTDATED DEFINITIONS, AND ONCE WE STARTED LOOKING AT THOSE DEFINITIONS AND UPDATING THOSE DEFINITIONS, WE OBVIOUSLY HAD TO UPDATE OTHER DEFINITIONS THAT USED SOME OF THAT WORDING.

WE HAD TO UPDATE THE PARKING REGULATIONS AS REFERENCED IN 42.

AND HERE'S WHERE I GOT TO GIVE MY FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS SOME CREDIT.

THEY ACTUALLY FORMED UP A COALITION OF SOME OF THE CORRIDOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND MADE IT.

SO, IF YOU GET A FIRE INSPECTION DONE ON YOUR FOOD TRUCK AND MARION, THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME STANDARDS.

SO THAT SAME FIRE INSPECTION CAN ALSO BE USED IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

AND THEN WE ALSO SAW THAT THE SIGNAGE REGULATIONS DIDN'T ALIGN WITH CHAPTER 32 OF OUR OWN CODE AND ZONING.

SO WE STARTED UPDATING ALL THOSE ISSUES IN THE CHAPTER 42 ADDING SOME DEFINITIONS.

ONE OF THE GAPS WE SAW IS NEWBO MARKET. THE DEFINITION OF MARKET WASN'T THERE.

IT KIND OF FELL UNDER THE DEFINITION OF MALL, BUT IT WASN'T A PERFECT FIT.

SO WE WANTED TO UPDATE THAT. AND ALSO CLEANED UP WHAT THE DEFINITION OF A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY IS AND ALSO ADDRESSED WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR VENDING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. UPDATED THE PARKING DEFINITIONS. I KIND OF ALREADY TOUCHED ON THE FIRE INSPECTION APPROVAL PROCESS.

ONCE AGAIN WAIVING THE 100 FOOT BUFFER REQUIREMENT IF A BUSINESS IS OKAY WITH THAT, ALIGNING THE SIGNAGE REGULATIONS WITH THE CHAPTER 32 ZONING AND CLARIFY THE EXEMPTION FROM THE LICENSE REQUIREMENT WHEN A MARKET IS OPEN.

LASTLY, 62.19 WAS OBSTRUCTING SIDEWALKS OR OTHER PUBLIC WAYS.

[01:00:02]

SO WE WANTED TO KIND OF ADD SOME LANGUAGE THAT PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS IN THAT CODE SAID THAT WE HAD TO SHOW AN INTENT TO PREVENT OR HINDER.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO READ PEOPLE'S MINDS. AND SO WE WANTED TO CLEAN UP THAT LANGUAGE TO, TO DEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO OBSTRUCT A SIDEWALK OR OTHER PUBLIC WAY.

AS IT READ, WE'RE LACKING LEGAL AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS SAFETY CONCERNS, SPECIFICALLY IN CITY RIGHT OF WAY BIKE TRAILS, DRAINAGE DITCHES, CULVERTS, THOSE PUBLIC SPACES THAT THAT WE WORRY ABOUT EITHER, YOU KNOW, A CAR RAMPING UP AND STRIKING A PEDESTRIAN OR BICYCLE OR OTHER DEVICE BEING USED ON OUR TRAILS AND COMING ACROSS SOMEBODY MAYBE BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK. AND LASTLY, THE CURRENT CHARGING OPTIONS THAT OFFICERS HAVE, BECAUSE THIS CODE, AS IT WAS WRITTEN, WAS MORE OR LESS UNENFORCEABLE.

THE CURRENT CHARGING OPTIONS, THE FINES WERE UP OVER $600 PER INFRACTION SET BY A MAGISTRATE, AND ALSO REQUIRED A COURT APPEARANCE, WHICH THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR OFFICERS TO ISSUE THAT, KNOWING THAT OFTENTIMES THESE PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE MEANS TO TO PAY FOR THAT.

SO WHEN WE STARTED DOING THE UPDATES WE ADDRESSED IMPROVING SAFETY CONCERNS ON THOSE SIDEWALKS, PATHWAYS AND RIGHT OF WAYS FOR PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS AND THE MOTORING PUBLIC.

WITH A CITY RIGHT OF WAY. WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE VOLUME OF STUFF THAT THEY MAY HAVE IN THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY, AND EVEN CARS COMING UP TO THAT INTERSECTION, NOT BEING ABLE TO CLEAR THE INTERSECTION PRIOR TO PROCEEDING THROUGH.

WE IMPROVE SAFETY CONCERNS AND POTENTIAL FLASH FLOOD AREAS, ADDRESSING THOSE CULVERTS, DRAINAGE DITCHES, RETENTION BASINS. THIS ALSO ALLOWS LAW ENFORCEMENT TO LEGALLY AND MORE EFFICIENTLY ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS.

WE CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE OF WHAT THEIR BEHAVIOR IS AND HOW IT'S IMPACTING EITHER THEIR SAFETY OR OTHER PEOPLE'S SAFETY.

IT ALSO POTENTIALLY COULD REDUCE LOITERING AND VANDALISM CONCERNS.

AND AS A PART OF THIS, WE WROTE IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THE FINE AMOUNT WOULD BE $10, WHICH WITH COURT COSTS, THAT MAKES IT TO ABOUT $70, WHICH IS MUCH MORE PALATABLE THAN THE $600 THAT THAT THE OFFICERS CURRENTLY HAD THE OPTION OF.

AND IT ALSO REDUCES THAT COURT APPEARANCE, MAKES IT SO THAT'S NOT A HAVE TO WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE MISS COURT DATES AND THAT JUST DIGS THEM FURTHER INTO A HOLE. AND SO, WE'RE TRYING TO REMOVE THAT BARRIER TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, THE BEHAVIORS THAT WE'RE SEEING.

SO, THESE THREE ORDINANCE CHANGES, THE TWO COMMITTEES THAT GOT TOGETHER, WE RECOMMEND ACCEPTING THESE ON THE FIRST READING.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THESE ITEMS. DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON ITEM NUMBER ONE? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

FOR THE RECORD, THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TODD. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

NOW WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. THAT WAS ITEM NUMBER TWO. THAT WAS REPEALING THE VERSION OF CHAPTER 42A.

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

DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT.

LET THE RECORD SHOW A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

FOR THE RECORD. COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. THANKS, MAYOR.

I JUST THINK THAT IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT CALL OUT TO TALK ABOUT THAT REGIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE INTRA CITY FIRE INSPECTIONS OF MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS, JUST MAKING IT EVEN MORE WELCOMING SO THAT SOMEBODY ISN'T HAVING TO GET UNIQUE ONES IN EACH CITY.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NOTHING FURTHER.

THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY TODD, SECONDED BY VANORNY.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. NOW ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.

THIS WAS AMENDING CHAPTER 62. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

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

FOR THE RECORD. COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. THANKS, MAYOR.

I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT WE WORKED REALLY INTENSELY WITH THE HOMELESS SYSTEMS MANAGER ON THIS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T MISSING ANYTHING THAT COULD IMPACT ANY PERSONS WHO MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN THIS SPACE.

ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NOTHING FURTHER, THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY VANORNY, SECONDED BY POE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO.

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER FOUR. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025.

[01:05:01]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. MAYOR. AND THE COUNCIL.

OKAY. ABHAY DESHPANDE, FINANCE DIRECTOR. FOR THE RECORD, I WILL IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL KEEP MY PRESENTATION SHORT AND AT A VERY BROADER LEVEL. AS PER THE STATE OF OUR REQUIREMENT TODAY, WE ARE HOLDING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND FY 24 BUDGET.

THIS IS THE SECOND AND THE LAST AMENDMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET.

IT INCLUDES UNANTICIPATED REVENUE AND EXPENSES AS WELL AS TRANSFER OF FUNDS.

THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT DOES NOT IMPACT ON PROPERTY TAX LEVIES, REFLECT CHANGES TO REVENUE AND EXPENSES PROJECTIONS AND INCLUDES TRANSFER OF FUNDS. AND THIS PRESENTATION PROVIDES THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE CHANGES.

THE KEY REVENUE CHANGES INCLUDE DECREASE IN EIGHT REVENUE, FRANCHISE FEE REVENUE, AND INCREASE IN BUILDING AND PERMIT REVENUE.

ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, THE UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES INCLUDE FIRE HEALTH EXPENSES BY $1.2 MILLION.

FLEET MAINTENANCE AND PARTS BY 572,000, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC WORKS FOR SALT AND SAND USAGE FOR 225,000.

THOSE ARE THE. SOME OF THE KEY EXPENSES INCLUDE EXPENSE INCREASES FOR FY 24 25 BUDGET.

SOME OF THE OTHER KEY ITEMS ALSO INCLUDES CURRENT YEAR REVENUE AND YEAR END ALLOWANCE OF $6 MILLION, AS WELL AS THE MAJORITY OF IT INCLUDES THE REVENUE RELATED TO EIGHT, AS WELL AS FIRE INSPECTION.

FIRE INSPECTIONS. THIS ALSO INCLUDES DEPARTMENT SUBMITTED SEVERAL SPENDING REDUCTIONS AS WELL AS TIMING OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS. CHART OF ACCOUNT CHANGES AS WELL AS YEAR END ACCRUALS AND POTENTIAL TRANSFERS.

MOVING ON TO THE RISK FUND OR INTERNAL SERVICES FUND AMENDMENTS.

RISK FUND CHANGES. RISK FUND CHANGES INCLUDES 2 MILLION REVENUE AND EXPENSE INCREASE IN HEALTH FUND, AS WELL AS 750,000 REVENUE AND EXPENSE INCREASE IN THE WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION FUND.

FLEET CHANGES. FLEET CHANGES ARE RELATED TO INCREASE IN COST AND EXTERNAL SERVICE AND PARTS, AS WELL AS TIMING OF VEHICLE PURCHASES DUE TO VENDOR DELAYS.

FACILITY CHANGES INCLUDES INCREASE OF 662,000 FOR TIMING OF FACILITY PROJECTS AS WELL AS JOINT COMMUNICATION. CHANGES INCLUDE INCREASE IN 910,000 EXPENSES FOR TIMING OF PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO REPLACEMENT PROJECTS.

BASED ON TIMING OF TIMING AND PROJECTIONS, THERE ARE REVENUE AND EXPENSE CHANGES IN SOLID WASTE AGENCY AND AS WELL AS AIRPORT BUDGET.

MOVING ON TO THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS. ENTERTAINMENT VENUES.

CHANGES INCLUDE REVENUE AND EXPENSE INCREASE IN ALIGNED POWERHOUSE.

COMPLEX. THAT PAYMENT SHORTFALL IS PROJECTED AS A PART OF THE ALIGNED POWERHOUSE.

COMPLEX NET OPERATING INCOME DEBT PAYMENT SHORTFALL WILL BE FUNDED BY TIF REVENUE.

DECREASE IN PARAMOUNT THEATER OPERATING REVENUE IS PROJECTED THE PROJECTED LOSS IN PARAMOUNT THEATER OPERATIONS IS AROUND 840,000, WHICH WILL BE FUNDED BY PRIOR YEAR SHUTTERED VENUE GRANT FUNDS.

ALSO, THIS AMENDMENT INCLUDES INCREASE ON I'M ON I'M ON ICE ARENA OPERATING LOSS TO 511,000, WHICH WILL BE FUNDED BY HOTEL AND MOTEL FUND.

[01:10:03]

ALSO, LARGE CHANGES DUE TO TIMING OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

AT WPC, WHICH IS FUNDED BY SRF LOAN.

CHANGES IN UTILITY DEPARTMENT ALSO INCLUDE INCREASE IN WATER OPERATING REVENUE AND EXPENSES BY 2.1 MILLION AND INCREASE IN CAPITAL PROJECTS DUE TO TIMING OF PROJECTS. EXPENSES BY 6.3 MILLION.

MOVING ON TO THE SPECIAL REVENUE CHANGES. SPECIAL REVENUE? CHANGES. THAT INCLUDES REVENUE AND EXPENSE.

INCREASE IN REVENUE AND EXPENSES IN ARPA AS WELL AS 7.5 MILLION INCREASE IN TIF EXPENSES, WHICH WILL BE FUNDED FROM FUTURE TIF PROCEEDS. TAX SUPPORTED CAPITAL PROJECTS AMENDMENTS INCREASE IN INCREASE OF 5 MILLION TIF BONDS. FOR CONNECT CR LIGHT LINE LOOP PROJECTS VARIOUS AS WELL AS VARIOUS REVENUE AND EXPENSES. AND TRANSFER ADJUSTMENT FOR TIMING OF GRANTS AND PROJECTS ALSO INCREASE IN REVENUE AND EXPENSES OF 1.5 MILLION FOR THAT DEBT ISSUANCE EXPENSE.

THE SUMMARY YOU CAN SEE THAT OVERALL INCREASE IN TRANSFERS IN AND OUT BY 23 MILLION DUE TO TIMING OF ACTIVITY, INCREASE IN REVENUE BY 79 MILLION. 63% OF THAT 79 MILLION IS DUE TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OR EQUIPMENTS.

30% IS RELATED TO OPERATIONS AS WELL AS INCREASE IN EXPENSES BY 116 MILLION.

69% OF THAT IS RELATED TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, AND 22% IS RELATED TO OPERATIONS OR ACCRUALS AND ALLOWANCE ADJUSTMENTS.

IN TERMS OF THE EXPENSE HISTORY INCLUDING EXCLUDING TRANSFERS.

AS A IMPACT OF THIS AMENDMENT, FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET WILL BE INCREASED FROM 852.2 MILLION TO $973,000,000.9 MILLION. ABOUT 4,214% INCREASE FOR 25.

IT INCLUDES THE LARGER AMENDMENT THAN THE RECENT YEARS AND THAT DUE TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, MAINLY AT THE WATER POLLUTION AND CONTROL FACILITY.

WITH THE RECOMMENDATION IS APPROVAL OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET AMENDMENT.

WITH THAT MAYOR, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR DESHPANDE, THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

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

FOR THE RECORD. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THAT THIS IS A STATE REQUIREMENT THAT HAPPENS TO THE DIFFERENT ENTERPRISE FUNDS, THAT BECAUSE OF TIMING OF PROJECTS, TIMING OF FUNDING, TIMING OF REVENUE, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS LITTLE ADJUSTMENT AT THE END.

THAT'S RIGHT. TO BEAT JUNE 30TH OR THE END OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.

SO, IT SEEMS COMPLICATED, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE IT'S BEEN REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO.

BUT THAT'S RIGHT. WE STILL DID NOT CHANGE ANY OF THE LEVIES OR THE BALANCE.

AND SO THAT'S RIGHT. IT DOESN'T IMPACT ANY KIND OF PROPERTY TAX LEVIES FOR WE'RE MATCHING STATE LAW TO MAKE SURE THEY LIKE US.

ALL RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.

IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY SECONDED BY OVERLAND.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN APPLICATION TO THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, CORONAVIRUS, CORONAVIRUS FUNDS FOR WILLIS CITY HOMELESS SERVICES, HOMELESSNESS OPERATIONS LAURA SHAW AND CRYSTAL COLE ARE HERE.

I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU. HELLO, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

[01:15:02]

THEY ARE PART OF THEIR 2020 CDBG CV ALLOCATION.

THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY UNSPENT FUNDS. THEY ARE NOW BEING REALLOCATED.

AIDA HAS IDENTIFIED THE ELIGIBLE AGENCIES AND THE AWARD AMOUNTS.

THIS IS A NONCOMPETITIVE FUNDING ROUND AND ALL FUNDS MUST BE EXPENDED BY THE END OF MAY 2026.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT. THIS IS FUNDING FOR HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS OPERATIONS, AND THIS WILL COVER ITEMS LIKE FACILITY COSTS, MAINTENANCE WAGES AND STAFF EXPENSES WITH NO OTHER FUNDING SOURCE.

THE FUNDING AMOUNTS WOULD BE 75,000 FOR REAL ESTATE AND 1500 FOR THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

ONE OF THE PRIMARY NATIONAL OBJECTIVES FOR CDBG FUNDS IS THAT THEY BENEFIT LOW AND MODERATE INCOME.

PERSONS IN THIS ACTIVITY WOULD DO THAT AT 100%.

THE LOCATION WOULD BE AT WILLIS DADY'S EMERGENCY SHELTER, AND THIS ACTIVITY WILL NOT RETURN, WILL NOT TRIGGER ANY REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE UNIFORM RELOCATION ACT.

ALL CONCERNS CAN BE ADDRESSED TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING SERVICES.

ASSISTANCE TO THOSE THAT ARE HOMELESS OR NEARLY HOMELESS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CDBG PRIORITY THROUGH THE CITY'S CDBG AND HOME CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS.

HISTORICALLY, THE CITY HAS PROVIDED CDBG FUNDING FOR SHELTER STAFF COSTS, BUT NOT FOR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.

WHICH WILL BE PROPOSED, WHICH ARE PROPOSED THROUGH THIS GRANT.

OTHER CDBG AND HOME GOALS INCLUDE AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING STOCK, AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNER HOUSING STOCK.

DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HOMEBUYERS, EXISTING HOMEOWNER OCCUPIED HOUSING, REHAB, PUBLIC SERVICE FACILITY.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND PARKS. PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES.

THE CITY CURRENTLY FUNDS ACTIVITIES TO ASSIST REACHING ALL OF THESE GOALS.

SO NEXT STEPS. IS THE PUBLIC HEARING PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENTS? AND THEN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION TO IEDA ON JUNE 1ST.

I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU.

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

DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD SHOW.

PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS. FOR THE RECORD.

COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON. ONE QUICK QUESTION. YOU SAID NONCOMPETITIVE.

DOES THAT MEAN THE FUNDING IS THERE AND WE HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THIS, OR IS THERE LIMITED FUNDING? WE WILL BE RECEIVING THIS FUNDING. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED.

EXCELLENT. THANKS SO MUCH. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER SIX IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN ANNEXATION MORATORIUM AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF FAIRFAX.

JEFF WOZENCRAFT IS HERE. JEFF, I WILL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. AS STATED, THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH AN ANNEXATION MORATORIUM AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF FAIRFAX.

BRIEF OVERVIEW. THESE AGREEMENTS EXIST TO SUPPORT ORDERLY AND EFFICIENT GROWTH BETWEEN TWO COMMUNITIES.

THEY DEFINE GROWTH AREAS BETWEEN MUNICIPALITIES WHERE NEITHER LOCALITY CAN OBJECT TO AN ANNEXATION.

AND THEY ARE VALID FOR A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS, AT WHICH POINT THEY CAN BE EXTENDED THROUGH A RESOLUTION WITH A SIMILAR PROCESS.

SO HERE IS THE ANNEXATION BOUNDARIES OUTLINED IN THIS AGREEMENT.

STARTING AT HIGHWAY 30 NEAR THE INTERSECTION WITH HIGHWAY 100, GOING DOWN FROM MORGAN RIDGE ROAD, AND THEN SORT OF ZIGZAGGING TO 80TH STREET. WITH THE CITY OF FAIRFAX MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY LINES THERE.

AND THEN UP TO HIGHWAY 151 AND THEN AGAIN, A CIRCUITOUS SORT OF ROUTE AROUND CEMETERY ROAD AND AROUND WHERE THE BIG CEDAR INDUSTRIAL PARK IS. AGAIN, ZIGZAGGING TO WRIGHT BROTHERS BOULEVARD.

EVERYTHING IN LIGHT RED HERE WOULD BE FAIRFAX'S GROWTH AREA.

AND EVERYTHING IN LIGHT BLUE IS INDICATED AS AREA A WOULD BE CEDAR RAPIDS GROWTH AREA.

SO THE PREVIOUS AGREEMENT EXPIRED IN 2011. THE BOUNDARY LINES HERE PRIMARILY ADHERE TO TOPOGRAPHY TO SUPPORT MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE DELIVERY.

AND THEN THE AGREEMENT WOULD BE VALID FOR TEN YEARS AND COULD BE EXTENDED AT THAT POINT BY RESOLUTION.

FAIRFAX HAS ALREADY ADOPTED THEIR AGREEMENT ON MAY 13TH.

WE'RE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY. IF APPROVED, THIS WOULD THEN BE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE CITY DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR CATALOGING THERE.

AND WITH THAT, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.

THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER. DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD SHOW A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NOTHING, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON,

[01:20:05]

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A CHANGE OF ZONE FOR PROPERTY AT 4051 RIVER CENTER COURT, NORTHEAST FROM TRADITIONAL MIXED USE, LIMITED DISTRICT TO SUBURBAN MIXED USE COMMUNITY CENTER DISTRICT.

AS REQUESTED BY ZONE UP, LLC. SETH GUNNERSON IS HERE.

SETH. I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. SETH GUNNERSON ZONING ADMINISTRATOR WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA ITEM. THIS IS A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE ZONE FOR PROPERTY ON RIVER CENTER COURT NORTHEAST.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CHANGE FROM THE TRADITIONAL MIXED USE LIMITED DISTRICT TO SUBURBAN MIXED USE COMMUNITY CENTER DISTRICT FOR A RESIDENTIAL INFILL DEVELOPMENT.

THE PARCEL IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF ACRES IN SIZE.

THE PROPOSED USE IS UP TO 28 RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNITS ON THE PROPERTY.

HERE'S OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHOWING THE AREA THAT THIS IS IN AS URBAN MEDIUM INTENSITY.

THIS IS THE RIVER RIDGE. DRIVE IS RIGHT HERE.

LARGELY OFFICE AND SOME RETAIL IN THIS AREA ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE SITE.

A TOWNHOME DEVELOPMENT TO THE EAST OVER THERE.

HERE IS THE ZONING MAP SHOWING THE REQUESTED SUBURBAN MIXED USE COMMUNITY CENTER DISTRICT IS FOUND ON THE WEST SIDE OF RIVER RIDGE DRIVE.

AND A COUPLE PROPERTIES AT THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.

THE TRADITIONAL MIXED USE LIMITED DISTRICT WAS PREVIOUSLY OFFICE SERVICE UNDER THE OLD ZONING CODE HERE, EAST OF RIVER RIDGE AND THEN SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL LOW FLEX, WHICH IS A MULTIFAMILY ZONED DISTRICT TO THE EAST.

HERE'S AN AERIAL SHOWING THE PROPERTY. THIS PROPERTY IS UNDEVELOPED.

A PORTION OF IT HAS BEEN A WAS PREVIOUSLY USED AS A PARKING LOT FOR THIS OFFICE BUILDING TO THE NORTH HERE.

HERE'S A STREET VIEW SHOWN FROM THE CUL-DE-SAC OF THE PROPERTY.

HERE'S A SITE PLAN THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT, SHOWING KIND OF HOW THEY INTEND TO DEVELOP THE SITE.

THEY'LL SEPARATELY BE COMING TO THE CITY. THEY'RE SEEKING WORKFORCE HOUSING OR.

YEAH, WORKFORCE HOUSING, TAX CREDITS FOR THIS PROJECT.

GENERALLY, THEY'RE LOOKING TO DEVELOP A TOWNHOME BUILDINGS.

OVER HERE ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THIS SITE WILL BE A DETENTION BASIN.

GENERALLY, HOW THE SITE FLOWS IN TERMS OF TOPOGRAPHY THIS IS A SIMILAR PROJECT ON NORTH RIVER BOULEVARD NORTHEAST, SHOWING THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT WOULD BE BUILT HERE, WHICH WOULD BE INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOMES IN TERMS OF WHY THE REZONING IS BEING REQUESTED HERE. THE EXISTING ZONING DISTRICT DOES ALLOW FOR RESIDENTIAL INFILL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, THE TYPE OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS PROPOSED.

THE EXISTING HTML ZONING DISTRICT LIMITS THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL USAGE OR UNITS BY THE AMOUNT OF STREET FRONTAGE ALONG THE SITE, WHICH WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 12 UNITS UNDER THE CURRENT ZONING DISTRICT.

THE PARCEL IS AT THE END OF A CUL-DE-SAC, SO THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY TO FEASIBLY EXTEND THE STREET IN A WAY THAT WOULD CREATE ADDITIONAL STREET FRONTAGE BY APPROVING A REZONING. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT TO HAVE UP TO 28 UNITS, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE GOING TO A ZONE DISTRICT THAT DOES NOT HAVE THIS STANDARD.

WHEN THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION HEARD THIS ON MAY 1ST, THERE WERE CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT IN GENERAL ABOUT THE LOSS OF OPEN SPACE SPECIFICALLY FROM AN OFFICE TENANT TO THE SOUTH. SOME OF THEIR USERS ENJOY USING THE OPEN SPACE ON THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.

CONCERNS ABOUT STORMWATER MITIGATION AND JUST THE GENERAL IMPACT ON THE MEDICAL AND THERAPY USES TO THE SOUTH.

AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED A CONDITION ON THE ORDINANCE THAT ADDS SCREENING ON THE SOUTH PROPERTY LINE THAT WOULD BE ALONG THIS AREA HERE.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS SITE WILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TREE MITIGATION REQUIRED.

THERE ARE IF YOU GO BACK TO THE AERIAL HERE, A FEW TREES WHICH MAY NEED TO BE CLEARED IN ORDER TO ENLARGE THE BASIN AND GRADE THE SITE THAT WILL REQUIRE TREE MITIGATION UNDER OUR ORDINANCE, AND THE CITY WILL REQUEST THAT ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING BE PUT ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE SITE TO CREATE A BUFFER BETWEEN THE ADJACENT PROPERTY.

IN TERMS OF CRITERIA FOR CONSIDERING THE REZONING, THE REQUESTED ZONING DISTRICTS ALLOWED BY THE URBAN MEDIUM INTENSITY DESIGNATION IN THE CITY'S FUTURE LAND USE MAP. THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE ABILITY TO SERVE THE SITE, AND THERE WON'T BE ANY IMPACT ON CITY SERVICES AT THIS LOCATION.

IN TERMS OF CHARACTER, THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT IS LARGELY IN LINE WITH WHAT'S ALLOWED WITHIN THE EXISTING ZONING.

[01:25:03]

BUT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS GENERALLY FITS THE GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES, ESSENTIALLY, THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WE WOULD ALLOW IN A MIXED USE DISTRICT THAT WOULD ALLOW OFFICE, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL INFILL DEVELOPMENT.

ELEMENT. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST.

AS NOTED, THIS WENT TO THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION, WHO RECOMMENDED APPROVAL ON MAY 1ST.

PENDING TODAY'S OUTCOME. SECOND AND THIRD READINGS OF THE ORDINANCE WILL OCCUR NEXT MONTH.

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

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

DOES ANYONE HERE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT, WELL, A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

HERE IN PERSON. LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT WE HAVE THREE OBJECTIONS SHOWN ON THE RECORD.

COUNCIL COMMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBER OLSON. JUST QUICKLY, THIS HAS BEEN, LIKE YOU SAY, VACANT FOR A LONG TIME.

IT MUST NOT BE OWNED THEN BY EITHER PERSON ON EITHER SIDE.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE. IT'S JUST IT WAS A LOT THAT WAS UNDEVELOPED BESIDES A PARKING LOT.

YES. I KNOW IT'S NOT OWNED BY THE PROPERTIES TO THE SOUTH.

I'M UNSURE IF IT'S A SEPARATE OWNER FROM THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH.

I BELIEVE IT WAS. I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE SELLING IT OR IF IT'S SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN SOLD OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, I THINK RIGHT NOW, AS I REMEMBER, THAT'S, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT THERE. I'VE BEEN TO THE OTHER BUILDING RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO WATER DETENTION ON THE SITE. RIGHT.

SO THIS WILL BE WE HAVE THE AS I REMEMBER, THERE'S NO DETENTION POND.

OR IS THAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE? I THINK THERE'S ON THEIR SITE PLAN.

THEY NOTED EXPANDING THE EXISTING BASIN. I BELIEVE THERE'S A SMALL AREA HERE.

AS A RESULT OF THE DEVELOPMENT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'LL BE ADDING IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, SO THEY'LL HAVE TO ADD STORMWATER.

AND ONE FINAL QUESTION. IN THE OTHER PARTS OF THE LOT WHERE THEY'RE DEVELOPING THE HOUSING, WHAT'S OUR LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENT THERE. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO LANDSCAPING THERE. IN GENERAL, WE'LL REQUIRE LANDSCAPING BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE WILL REQUIRE STREET FRONT LANDSCAPING, AND THEY WILL OWE US TREES BECAUSE OF THAT BACK CORNER.

YEAH, BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'LL BE CLEARING. WE'VE GOT SIMILAR ZONE DISTRICT AGAINST.

I DON'T BELIEVE I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK. THERE MIGHT BE A SMALL AMOUNT OF LANDSCAPING REQUIRED BETWEEN SUBURBAN MIXED USE AND TRADITIONAL MIXED USE, BUT IN GENERAL, YOU'RE GOING BETWEEN TWO MIXED USE DISTRICTS, SO WE DON'T REQUIRE BUFFERING BETWEEN THE TWO.

OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND? THANK YOU.

MAYOR. JUST TO CLARIFY, THE OWNER OF THE OFFICE BUILDING IN THE CENTER TO THE NORTH.

THEIR OWNERSHIP IS JUST A FEW YEARS. ANDERSON, BOGERT OFFICES OUT OF THERE NOW.

OKAY. AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS SITE WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNERSHIP AND OCCUPATION HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH, LIKE, OVERFLOW PARKING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S A GOOD INFILL DEVELOPMENT. AND WITH THE BERM TO THE SOUTH AND THE KIND OF THE NATURAL WOODS TO THE EAST, THIS SHOULD WORK VERY WELL IN MY ESTIMATION. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NOTHING ELSE, THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MEYER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE VACATION AND DISPOSITION OF PUBLIC WAYS AND GROUNDS IN AND TO A 0.39 ACRE PARCEL OF RIGHT OF WAY WEST AND ADJACENT TO 2825 PRAIRIE RIDGE DRIVE, SOUTHWEST, AS REQUESTED BY PRAIRIE PINE PROPERTIES, LLC.

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

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

THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP HERE.

GENERALLY, JUST TO THE WEST OF 29TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST AND 12TH STREET SOUTHWEST.

THIS IS A AREA THAT WAS PLATTED 20 SOME ODD YEARS AGO.

THE PRAIRIE RIDGE DRIVE ACTUALLY HAS NOT BEEN BUILT.

IT ABUTS TWO PROPERTIES. THE WESTERN PROPERTY IS PRAIRIE PINE PROPERTIES THAT HAS REQUESTED THE VACATION AS THEY HAVE A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

THE EASTERN PROPERTY, OWNED BY AREA AMBULANCE AUTHORITY, HAS ACCESS OFF OF 29TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST AND 12TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST AND HAS CONSENTED TO VACATING THE ENTIRE PRAIRIE RIDGE DRIVE RIGHT OF WAY TO THE WESTERN PROPERTY BY PRAIRIE PINE.

SINCE THIS WAS DEDICATED AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLAT THE CITY DID NOT PAY FOR THIS LAND.

WE'RE PROPOSING THAT IT BE VACATED BACK FOR A DOLLAR OR TWO.

PRAIRIE PINE, ALONG WITH WHATEVER PROCESSING FEES WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TRANSACTION.

AND WITH THAT PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDS CONVEYANCE TO PRAIRIE PINE PROPERTIES AS REQUESTED.

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

[01:30:02]

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

MAYOR, I NEED TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS ISSUE. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

OKAY. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. YOU MEAN. YES. OKAY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR. SO, COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON RECUSING FROM THIS ITEM.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. SEEING NONE. THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE AND ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER NINE IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PARTIAL VACATION OF A TEN FOOT UTILITY EASEMENT AT 5915 AND 5955 FOURTH STREET SOUTHWEST, AS REQUESTED BY CORRIDOR DEVELOPERS, LLC. ROB, WE'LL RECOGNIZE YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. THIS AREA IS LOCATED BETWEEN FOURTH STREET SOUTHWEST AND THE I-380 RIGHT OF WAY BETWEEN 60TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST AND 58TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST. YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP HERE WHERE THE ORIGINAL ORANGE EASEMENT LINE IS.

THAT USED TO BE THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF THE PROPERTY.

AND ALONG THAT BOUNDARY WAS A UTILITY EASEMENT.

LATER ON, AFTER THAT WAS A LOT WAS THERE? THE DEVELOPER PROPERTY OWNER, PURCHASED EXCESS RIGHT OF WAY FROM THE IOWA DOT.

A TRIANGLE HERE TO THE EAST OF THAT, WHICH ALSO HAD A UTILITY EASEMENT ALONG ITS OUTER LINE THERE.

SO NOW WE HAVE A UTILITY EASEMENT ON THE OUTER BOUNDARY AND THE FORMER OUTER BOUNDARY, WHICH BISECTS THE PROPERTY.

THERE IS NO THERE ARE NO UTILITIES IN THAT FORMER EASEMENT OR EASEMENT.

AND SINCE WE'VE GOT A DUPLICATION OF EASEMENTS NOW, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE EASEMENT AS REQUESTED BE VACATED.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ROB. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.

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

ALL RIGHT. WITH NOTHING FURTHER THIS HAS THIS ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY OVERLAND, SECONDED BY POE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER TEN IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE BLAIRS FERRY ROAD NORTHEAST FROM NORTHTOWN PLACE TO SAMMY DRIVE.

SIDEWALK INFILL BID PACKAGE. ONE NORTH SIDE PROJECT WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $700,000.

DOUG WILSON IS HERE. DOUG, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR DOUG WILSON, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THIS PROJECT INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BLAIRS FERRY ROAD, FROM CENTER POINT ROAD TO EAST OF DRY CREEK LANE.

IT ALSO INCLUDES RECONSTRUCTION OF DRIVEWAY ENTRANCES AND IMPROVED BUS STOPS AT THREE LOCATIONS.

THE SOUTH SIDE WILL BE COMPLETED AS FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE, AND IT WILL CONNECT SIDEWALKS NEAR CENTER POINT ROAD AND DRY CREEK LANE IN A HIGH PEDESTRIAN DEMAND AREA. THIS IS A MAP SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE SIDEWALK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BLAIRS FERRY ROAD, BETWEEN CENTER POINT ROAD AND EAST OF DRY CREEK LANE.

THIS PROJECT IS WHERE ROUTE I'D MOST LIKE TO WALK WAS ADDED TO THE PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN IT SUPPORTS ENVISION, ENVISION, ENVISION CR. IT IMPROVES PEDESTRIAN SAFETY TO PROVIDE AN OFF STREET ROUTE FOR PEDESTRIANS ALONG A BUSY CORRIDOR AND IS IN LINE WITH COUNCIL PRIORITIES FOR RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL AMENITIES.

AND THE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT SHOWS A BEATEN PATH ALONG BLAIRS FERRY ROAD, EAST OF SYDNEY DRIVE.

ENGINEER'S OPINION OF PROBABLE COST IS $700,000.

BID OPENING IS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW, MAY 28TH, WITH CONSTRUCTION BETWEEN JULY AND DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AND THERE WILL BE A MAXIMUM OF 14 CALENDAR DAYS ALLOWED FOR CLOSURE OF C AVENUE IN BLAIRS FERRY ROAD IN HIAWATHA.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DOUG. THIS IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS. DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD SHOW.

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

COUNCILOR. OVERLAND. THANK YOU. MAYOR. ARE THERE ANY ASSESSMENTS INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? NO, THERE ARE NO ASSESSMENTS. THANKS. ALL RIGHT.

IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY SECONDED BY VANORNY.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES 11 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE REPAIR OF WATER SERVICES LINE LINES FY 26 PROJECT WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $1 MILLION.

BRANDON SCHMALL IS HERE. BRANDON, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. BRANDON SCHMOLL, UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.

[01:35:01]

THIS SERVICE IS NEEDED FOR EMERGENCY WATER MAIN AND WATER SERVICE LINE REPAIRS AND HYDRANTS OR VALVES BECOME INOPERABLE AND NEED REPLACEMENT.

WORK INCLUDES RELATED SERVICE RESTORATION. THERE IS $1 MILLION BUDGETED, AND THE BID OPENING IS TOMORROW, MAY 28TH. THIS IS A ONE YEAR ON CALL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW.

THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. THIS IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER. DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD SHOW A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD COUNCIL.

SEEING NOTHING, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY VANORNY, SECONDED BY TODD.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. AND ITEM NUMBER 12, AS A NOTE, HAS BEEN CANCELED AT THE REQUEST OF THE PURCHASING SERVICES DIVISION, SO THERE WILL BE NO STAFF PRESENTATION OR VOTE ON THIS.

HOWEVER, DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.

THE FIRST IS A CHANCE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO COUNCIL ACTIONS SET FOR TODAY.

A SECOND PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD WILL COME AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR RESIDENTS TO SPEAK ON ISSUES THAT ARE GERMANE TO THE CITY, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ON OUR AGENDA. TODAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE BEFORE AND AFTER COUNCIL MEETINGS AT THIS TIME DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE ARE HERE AS A COUNCIL TO LISTEN. REMEMBER THAT ALL THE MATTERS I ADDRESSED PRIOR TO OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING APPLY TO THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AS WELL.

STAY AT THE LECTERN. IF YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS, GIVE THEM THE OFFICER.

HE'LL GET THEM TO US AND COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES.

ALL COMMENTS NEED TO BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTER YOU WISH TO ADDRESS, AND SO WE ASK FOR NO ABUSIVE, PERSONAL IRRELEVANT COMMENTS AND NO PARTICIPATION FROM THE AUDIENCE.

I HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, AND I'LL JUST CALL IN THE ORDER.

FIRST. IS DAN SCHMIDT HERE TO SPEAK? I CAN'T TELL WHAT ITEM THAT IS, BUT, DAN, I'LL INVITE YOU TO COME TO THE DAIS. OKAY? DAN IS NOT HERE.

OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO A MEYER IS THE LAST NAME.

ALL RIGHT. IS HE OUT THERE? NOBODY HERE? NOBODY HERE.

OKAY. SCOTT, ARE YOU CHECKING? NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THEN THAT'S GOING TO WRAP UP THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY. CITY MANAGER POMERANTZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANGES TO OUR AGENDA? NO CHANGES, YOUR HONOR. OKAY. DO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES ON ANY AGENDA ITEMS OR MAKE ANY CHANGES? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE. THAT BRINGS US A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY VANORNY, SECONDED BY TODD.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY TODD, SECONDED BY VANORNY.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.

BEGINNING WITH ITEM NUMBER 35. AND THIS IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE 2025 CURB RAMP REPAIRS PROJECT.

WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $600,000. DOUG WILSON IS HERE.

DOUG, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. THIS PROJECT INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF 100 CURB RAMPS AT 25 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

THESE LOCATIONS WERE ALL IDENTIFIED THROUGH RESIDENT COMPLAINTS, AND ALL NEW RAMPS WILL BE ADA COMPLIANT.

THIS PROJECT DOES NOT INCLUDE ASSESSMENTS. HERE IS A LIST OF THE 25 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE WE WILL BE DOING THE RAMP IMPROVEMENTS. BID OPENING WAS MAY 14TH AND WE RECEIVED SIX BIDS RANGING FROM $470,000 TO $857,200. THIS IS A REPORT ON BIDS ONLY. WE EXPECT A RECOMMENDATION ON AWARD ON THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOUG. THERE'S NO RESOLUTION ON THIS ITEM, SO WE'LL MOVE ON IF COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 36. THIS IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE FIRST AVENUE WEST AND I-380 SOUTHBOUND OFF RAMP INTERSECTION REALIGNMENT PROJECT, WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $640,000. DOUG, ONCE AGAIN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. THIS IS FOR RECONSTRUCTION REALIGNMENT OF THE I-380 EXIT RAMP OFF OF SOUTHBOUND I-380 AT FIRST AVENUE WEST.

THE PROJECT INCLUDES STORM SEWER REPLACEMENT, SIDEWALK RECONSTRUCTION, AND TRAFFIC SIGNAL MODIFICATIONS.

[01:40:05]

THE DATE WAS MAY 21ST AND RECEIVED FIVE BIDS, RANGING FROM $439,989.70 TO $517,832.50. THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION AWARD OF THE CONTRACT TO EASTERN IOWA.

EXCAVATING CONCRETE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOUG.

COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

I JUST WANT TO CALL OUT THAT THIS IS BOTH OF THESE.

WHILE WE DIDN'T AWARD IN ITEM NUMBER 35, THIS IS REALLY FAVORABLE BECAUSE AS FAR AS I'M HEARING FROM CONTRACTORS, CONCRETE IS REALLY QUITE EXPENSIVE RIGHT NOW.

SO TO COME THIS FAR UNDER FOR BOTH BIDS AND TO HAVE SOME FAVORABLE OUTCOMES IS REALLY GREAT.

ANYONE OLSON COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY VANORNY, SECONDED BY POE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THE MOTION CARRIES.

37 IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE EIGHTH STREET NORTHEAST FROM FIRST AVENUE EAST TO AVENUE NORTHEAST PAVEMENT REHABILITATION PROJECT, WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $320,000. DOUG, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. THIS PROJECT INCLUDES ASPHALT REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT, CURB AND GUTTER REPLACEMENT, ALONG WITH ALLEY ENTRANCE RECONSTRUCTION. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO START IN AUGUST AND BE COMPLETED IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.

THE DATE WAS MAY 14TH AND WE RECEIVED SEVEN BIDS, RANGING FROM $284,322.60 TO $347,400.50. THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION AWARD TO EASTERN IOWA EXCAVATING AND CONCRETE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOUG. COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NOTHING FROM THE COUNCIL. THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY POST, SECONDED BY OVERLAND.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER 38 IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE TUMOR SPORTS COMPLEX ADA COMPLIANCE PROJECT.

THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $1,492,000. JEFF KAUFMAN IS HERE.

JEFF, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'M JEFF KAUFMAN WITH FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SERVICES. THIS REPORT ON BIDS IS FOR THE TOMB OF SPORTS COMPLEX ADA COMPLIANCE PROJECT.

THIS PROJECT WILL BRING TUMOR SPORTS COMPLEX INTO FULL ADA COMPLIANCE.

TUMOR IS THE MOST FREQUENTLY VISITED VENUE IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS PARK SYSTEM, WITH ABOUT 260,000 VISITORS UTILIZING THE SPORTS COMPLEX EACH YEAR.

BIDS WERE ISSUED ON APRIL 23RD. PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD AT THE LAST MEETING ON MAY 13TH.

THE BIDS WERE RECEIVED AND OPENED ON MAY 14TH AT 11 A.M.

ESTIMATED COST FOR THE PROJECT WAS $1,492,000, AND THE PROJECT IS SET FOR COMPLETION IN FALL OF THIS YEAR.

WE RECEIVED FOUR COMPETITIVE BIDS FOR THIS WORK, RANGING FROM $1,089,000 TO $1,477,007.47. FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SERVICES IS IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING ALL THE BIDS SUBMITTED AND RECEIVED, AND WE WILL REQUEST AWARD AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

THANK YOU, JEFF. COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

THANKS. NO RESOLUTION ON THIS. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO 39.

THIS IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE SKYHAWKS PARK ADA COMPLIANCE PROJECT.

THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $260,000. ONCE AGAIN, JEFF, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. AGAIN, JEFF KAUFMAN WITH FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SERVICES.

THIS IS FOR THE SKYHAWKS PARK ADA COMPLIANCE PROJECT.

EXCUSE ME. THIS PROJECT WILL BRING THE SKYHAWKS RC AIRFIELD INTO FULL ADA COMPLIANCE.

THE AIRFIELD IS LOCATED ON C AVENUE EXTENSION NORTHEAST AND IS THE SECOND OF TWO RC AIRFIELDS IN THE CITY, BOTH OF WHICH WILL NOW BE FULLY ADA COMPLIANT, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF TOWN.

THE BIDS WERE ISSUED ON APRIL 23RD. PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON MAY 13TH.

BIDS WERE RECEIVED AND OPENED ON MAY 14TH AT 11:00 IN THE MORNING.

ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS PROJECT WAS $260,000, AND THE PROJECT COMPLETION IS SET FOR FALL OF THIS YEAR.

WE RECEIVED FIVE COMPETITIVE BIDS ON THIS PROJECT, RANGING FROM $111,869.30 TO $242,720.

FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SERVICES RECOMMENDS AWARD TO EASTERN IOWA EXCAVATING AND CONCRETE AS THE LOWEST, RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, AND RECOMMENDS THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE THE CONTRACT AS DESCRIBED.

MAYOR JEFF, THANK YOU. COUNCIL QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NONE, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM NUMBER 40 IS A PRESENTATION AND RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE LINN COUNTY AND CEDAR RAPIDS TRAILS AND BIKEWAY PLAN AND INCORPORATING IT INTO OUR ENVISION CR PLAN. RON GRIFFITH AND HALEY SEVENING ARE HERE.

[01:45:03]

SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE LINN COUNTY AND CEDAR RAPIDS TRAILS AND BIKEWAYS PLAN. THIS IS SERVING AS AN UPDATE TO THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE TRAIL PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2012 AND THEN LATER AMENDED IN 2015.

SINCE ADOPTION IN 2012, OVER 67 MILES OF TRAILS AND BIKEWAYS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED, SO THIS UPDATE IS REALLY SERVING IN RESPONSE TO THAT EXPANDED NETWORK AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO BUILDING OUT OUR SYSTEM.

IN ADDITION, THE PLAN, AS ALWAYS, CONTINUES TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS OF BECOMING A HIGHER LEVEL, BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY. IN TERMS OF THE PLAN ITSELF, THERE ARE TWO REALLY MAJOR PLAN COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH TODAY.

THE GOALS, STRATEGIES AND ACTION STEPS, AS WELL AS THE FUTURE TRAIL AND BIKEWAY FACILITIES.

SO WHILE THE PLAN MAP AND KIND OF THE IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK COVERS THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL BE EXPANDING THE SYSTEM, THE GOALS, STRATEGIES AND ACTION STEPS KIND OF FOCUS ON POLICY AND PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN ALSO HELP SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND TRAILS AND BIKEWAYS.

IN TERMS OF THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT, A LOT OF IT WAS INFORMED BASED ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO, AS WE TALK THROUGH SOME OF THESE ITEMS IN TERMS OF THE LOCATION, TYPE OF FUTURE TRAIL AND BIKEWAY FACILITIES, THE PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA USED FOR IMPLEMENTATION, OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT THROUGH GOALS AND ACTION STEPS.

ALL OF THOSE WERE INFORMED BY THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY.

A NUMBER OF ENGAGEMENT EVENTS WERE HELD DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS COVERING IN PERSON, ONLINE, POP UP, SMALL FOCUS GROUPS. AND THIS DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE THE STEERING AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES THAT WE HAD THAT WAS MADE UP OF LOCAL TRAIL AND BIKEWAY ORGANIZATIONS AND A CROSS SECTION OF DEPARTMENT STAFF. SO IN TERMS OF WHAT WE HEARD, THERE ARE FOUR KIND OF KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT INFORMED A LOT OF THE PLAN. THAT IS, TRAIL AND BIKEWAY CONNECTIVITY IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.

RESPONDENTS FAVOR TRAIL AND BIKEWAY FACILITY TYPES THAT PROVIDE GREATER SEPARATION BETWEEN MOTORISTS AND TRAIL AND BIKEWAY USERS, REALLY GETTING AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF COMFORT FOR THE TRAIL.

USERS CONNECTIONS TO REGIONAL TRAILS AND DESTINATIONS IS ALSO A HIGH PRIORITY.

AND THEN FINALLY, ADDITIONAL TRAIL AND BIKEWAY AMENITIES ARE HIGHLY DESIRED.

SO WHEN WE SAY AMENITIES, WE'RE THINKING OF OUR TRAILHEAD PARKING LOTS, RESTROOM WATER EVEN DESTINATIONS SUCH AS PUBLIC ART THAT PEOPLE CAN BIKE TO AND THEN SEE ALONG THE SYSTEM. SO, DIVING INTO THE GOALS, ACTIONS, THE GOALS, STRATEGIES AND ACTION STEPS.

THERE ARE TWO GOALS ONE TO EXPAND THE EXTENT AND USE OF THE TRAIL AND BIKEWAY NETWORK, AND TWO TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING TRAIL AND BIKEWAY NETWORK.

AND THEN THOSE ARE FURTHER SUBDIVIDED INTO EIGHT STRATEGIES AND THEN ARE MOST SPECIFIC 34 ACTION STEPS.

SO WITH ALL OF THE ACTION STEPS LIKE YOU'LL SEE IN A LOT OF OUR OTHER LONG RANGE PLANNING DOCUMENTS THEY ARE SPLIT INTO TIME FRAMES WITH THE LEAD DEPARTMENT AND THEN SUPPORT. IN MANY CASES YOU'LL SEE THE DISTINCTION, FOR EXAMPLE, HERE BETWEEN THE CITY AND LINN COUNTY, BECAUSE WE DID PARTNER WITH THEM ON THIS PLAN.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO WALK THROUGH ALL OF THEM TODAY. BUT THE ACTION STEPS DO COVER A VARIETY OF TOPICS, INCLUDING NETWORK EXPANSION, SAFETY, THE AMENITY ENHANCEMENTS, MAINTENANCE, AND THEN OF COURSE, ADVOCACY, PROMOTION AND EDUCATION AS WELL. SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS THE SECOND HALF OF THE PLAN.

AND BEING AN ENGINEER, I GET TO FOCUS ON THE PLAN MAP AND IMPLEMENTATION.

SO THAT'S THE EXCITING PART FOR ME. AS OPPOSED TO THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, CERTAINLY.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE PLAN MAP IS FOCUSED ON.

SO REALLY THE PLAN MAP IS THERE TO IDENTIFY THE EXISTING AND FUTURE FACILITIES.

IT'S ALSO AGAIN, BASED ON THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK, WE'RE LOOKING AT REGIONAL VERSUS LOCAL FACILITY TYPE AND THEN PRIORITIZING THOSE PROJECTS.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING, TOO, THAT WE COORDINATED WITH LINN COUNTY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AS IT'S ALSO A REGIONAL PLAN IN ADDITION TO A CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS PLAN.

SO THIS IS KIND OF JUST AN EXAMPLE TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE PLAN.

SO ON THE LEFT YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S THE LINN COUNTY REGIONAL FACILITY.

SO, THIS SHOWS THE LINN COUNTY MAP SHOWS THE CONNECTIONS THROUGH CEDAR RAPIDS OF THOSE REGIONAL TRAILS.

AND THEN ON THE RIGHT IT'S SHOWING YOU THE EXISTING AND FUTURE FACILITIES FOR SPECIFICALLY CEDAR RAPIDS AND THOSE NUMBERS THAT ARE SHOWN THERE, THOSE ARE ACTUALLY THE SEGMENTS THAT WE LOOKED AT IN MORE DETAIL.

ANYTHING THAT'S DASHED ON THE PLAN, THAT'S THE FUTURE FACILITIES, ANYTHING THAT'S SOLID, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY EXISTING AND IN PLACE.

ANOTHER AREA OF EMPHASIS THAT WASN'T IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN IS WE ALSO FOCUSED ON MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS.

THAT'S CERTAINLY A KEY COMPONENT OF CEDAR RAPIDS BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AS PART OF THIS PLAN AS WELL.

[01:50:11]

THERE WAS A MAP UPDATE IN 2015. THE FOCUS WAS REALLY ON OFF STREET AND ON STREET.

THAT WAS IT. WHEREAS THE 2025 PLAN IS LOOKING AT SEPARATED VERSUS ON SEPARATED, REALLY TRYING TO LOOK AT WHAT CAN WE DO TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF COMFORT AND SAFETY FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THESE FACILITIES, SO THAT WE CAN INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF RIDERSHIP AND USE OF OUR FACILITIES.

THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SEPARATED VERSUS UNSEPARATED.

SOME OF THESE ARE FROM LOCAL TO CEDAR RAPIDS.

SO, ON THE TOP LEFT IS COTTAGE GROVE. YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT FIRST AVENUE IN FOREST.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THIRD AVENUE THAT'S SHOWN ON THERE.

TO THE RIGHT IS KIND OF THE UNSEPARATED. SO THAT'S TRADITIONALLY A BIKE LANE.

SO THAT'S NOT CONSIDERED SEPARATED. YOU NEED SOMETHING PHYSICAL BETWEEN THE, THE TRAVEL LANE AND THE, THE CYCLIST. AND THEN DOWN AT THE BOTTOM IS KIND OF OUR SHARROWS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE A FEW OF THOSE IN CEDAR RAPIDS AS WELL.

SO IN TERMS OF THE PROJECTS, WE ALSO DEVELOPED AN IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK.

SO THAT'S REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECTS THAT WERE ON THE MAP.

AND IT'S BASED OFF OF CRITERIA. SO A LOT OF THE CRITERIA CAME FROM THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.

SO WE HAVE EXISTING GAPS IS GIVEN A HIGH PRIORITY.

DESTINATIONS EQUITY. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT STAGE AS AS KEY TO BUILDING A GOOD SYSTEM. AND THEN FROM THERE THE PROJECTS WERE WEIGHTED.

AND SO WE HAVE A HIGH PRIORITY, MEDIUM PRIORITY, LOW PRIORITY. AND IT JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA IN TERMS OF THE PROJECTS WITHIN THE HIGH PRIORITY THERE. MOST OF THOSE ARE LISTED AS LOCAL.

SO ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WE HEARD IS WE HAVE A GREAT TRAIL SYSTEM, BUT WE CAN'T GET THERE FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO HOW DO WE BUILD THAT OUT TO WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GET TO USE THOSE TRAIL SYSTEM WITHOUT HAVING TO DRIVE? AND THAT'S WHY THOSE WERE LISTED AS HIGH PRIORITY.

AND THEN UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST KIND OF A PLANNING LEVEL ATTEMPT AT TRYING TO PRIORITIZE.

BUT THINGS CAN CHANGE IN TERMS OF BUDGET CITY PROJECTS THAT MAY BECOME AVAILABLE.

SO, THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES TO BUILD A SEGMENT OR, YOU KNOW, FUNDING SOURCES MAY COME AVAILABLE THAT MAKE OTHER SEGMENTS MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN OTHERS. SO, THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF, OF SEGMENT.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE PLAN. SO, IT SHOWS A PROJECT ID, WHICH WAS THE NUMBERS ON THE MAP SHOWS THE SEGMENT, THE EXTENTS, THE LENGTH WHETHER IT'S REGIONAL OR LOCAL, SEPARATED UNSEPARATED WHO'S THE LEAD AGENCY.

AND THEN THE PRIORITY LEVELS, A REALLY HIGH LEVEL COST OPINION AND THEN A RANKING SCORE.

SO THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, FROM, I THINK IT WAS 1 TO 100 HOW PROJECTS RANKED COMPARED TO EACH OTHER.

AND THEN THERE'S THE, AGAIN, THE PROJECT ID, WHICH IS THAT NUMBER ON THE MAP AND OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES.

SO, THIS IS SOMETHING WE WENT A LITTLE BIT ABOVE AND BEYOND. THE LAST PLAN IS REALLY TRY TO DIVE DOWN INTO THESE PROJECTS AND IDENTIFY MAYBE WHICH SIDE OF THE ROAD OR IS THERE CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF RIGHT OF WAY, EXISTING STRUCTURES, ACCESSES THOSE THINGS.

SO THAT'S IN THAT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES HOPEFULLY TO HELP THE DESIGNER FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW WHAT TO LOOK AT SPECIFICALLY WHEN THEY'RE DESIGNING THE PROJECT.

SO, OUR RECOMMENDATION TODAY IS, IS THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING.

LINN COUNTY CEDAR RAPIDS TRAILS AND BIKEWAY PLAN AND INCORPORATING IT TO ENVISION CR.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL QUESTIONS COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

THANKS, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY CELEBRATE JUST THE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE OVER THE YEARS.

THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT INCREASING THE BIKE ABILITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

AND I HAD A MOMENT WHERE I VISUALLY SAW IT JUST THE OTHER WEEKEND.

AND IT REMINDED ME OF, OF WHEN I FELT LIKE I SAW A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE.

AND THAT'S MADISON AND VERONA AROUND THERE. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH BIKING.

IT IS. IT IS A HEAVY, HEAVY BIKING COMMUNITY WHERE NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO, YOU ARE SEEING PEOPLE ON BIKES.

AND I SAW THAT COMING THROUGH TO GO SHOP IN THE OAK HILL JACKSON NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THERE WERE TONS OF, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF BIKES.

AND THIS WAS REALLY BEFORE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE KIND OF GETTING READY FOR YOU KNOW, THE RAGBRAI AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO, THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY ORGANIC, AND IT WAS VERY CEDAR RAPIDS. BUT THERE WERE FAMILIES AND ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT AGES BIKING. AND I JUST FELT LIKE WE'RE THIS IS REALLY TAKING OFF.

I WILL SAY TOO, AS WE PURSUE THIS, CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS, THIS EFFORTS, WE TALK ABOUT IT ON CAMPUS A LOT, TOO, ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ALL OF THIS WORK.

WE STILL HAVE SOME EDUCATION TO DO IN TERMS OF MAKING PEOPLE FEEL SAFE ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE NOT USING SIDEWALKS THAT REALLY ARE MEANT FOR PEDESTRIANS.

[01:55:07]

THERE IS A VERY BIG FEELING DIFFERENCE IN HAVING A SEPARATED AND PROTECTED BIKE LANE THAN JUST HAVING ONE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST SCOOTCHING TO THE SIDE OF CARS, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE LESS EXPERIENCED AS A BICYCLIST.

SO CERTAINLY, MORE THAT WE CAN DO TOWARDS THAT.

AND THOSE PROTECTED BOULEVARDS. I DIDN'T SEE A PICTURE OF THAT WHERE FOR EXAMPLE, IN DC YOU HAVE SOME BOULEVARDS WHERE THERE IS SHRUBBERY ON BOTH SIDES, REALLY NOT JUST THE CONCRETE, BUT MORE THAT WE CAN DO THAT AND RETROFIT OUR SPACES.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT OVER BY WHERE THE FORMER HY-VEE WAS ON FIRST AVENUE.

BUT THE MORE THAT WE CAN DO THAT, THE MORE PEOPLE WILL USE IT.

AND JUST INCREASE ALL OF THE PARKING CONVERSATIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY AS WELL.

SO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON ALL OF THIS, COUNCILMEMBER TODD.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK RON. RON HAS BEEN BEHIND ALL OF OUR TRAIL PROJECTS FOR 20, 25 YEARS. I MEAN, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE SINCE ABOUT 2008.

SO NOT QUITE, BUT. OKAY. MY ONE QUESTION THOUGH IS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS PLAN AND THE MPO PLAN THAT WE THAT IS THEORETICALLY IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW.

SO, SO THE PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED IN THIS PLAN ARE WHAT GETS SUBMITTED TO THE MPO PLAN.

SO, REALLY THIS THIS PLAN IS NECESSARY SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY PROJECTS TO SUBMIT TO THE MPO PLAN.

IF THAT'S THE CASE. I'M ANSWERING MY OWN QUESTION.

I SIMPLY QUESTION THE LOGIC BEHIND RECREATING WHAT WE'VE SUBMITTED AND A PLAN AND SORT OF PAYING FOR IT, I GET IT.

IT MIGHT NOT INCLUDE SOME OF THE SMALLER TOWNS THAT ARE IN THE COUNTY, BUT I TAKE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR LOGIC FOR WHAT IT IS, AND I ASSUME IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SIMPLY HAVE TO DO.

YEAH. AND SO BECAUSE WE HAVE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE THE PLAN ON A MUCH MORE DETAILED LEVEL THAN WHAT THE MPO CAN LOOK AT. SO, THEY RELY ON OUR EXPERTISE TO SAY THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON.

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE INVESTING OUR TIME AND EFFORT INTO, BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.

AND WE'RE HEARING FROM, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THROUGH THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, WE'RE KIND OF GAUGING WHAT THE PUBLIC RESPONSE IS, WHERE THEIR PRIORITIES ARE. AND WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND WE CAN LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC PERSPECTIVE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF LOCAL KNOWLEDGE THAT GOES INTO OUR PLAN THAT THE MPO JUST DOESN'T HAVE, BECAUSE THEY'RE FOCUSED MORE ON A REGIONAL PLAN BASIS.

I HAVE A QUESTION. THE SEPARATED IN THE NON SEPARATED.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT ONES ARE SEPARATED. I GET A LOT OF COMMENTS AND NOT SO GREAT ONES.

I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY IS COMPLIMENTARY OF THE THE SEPARATED ONES.

I HEAR FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHY WE HAVE SO MANY DOWNTOWN AS OPPOSED TO THE JUST THE LANES, THE ARROWS. HOW DO YOU DECIDE THAT? SO GOING INTO THIS PLAN AND THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S COMING OUT OF MORE OF A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE.

SO, THE CONSULTANTS THAT WE HAD ON BOARD HAVE WORKED ON MANY NATIONAL PLANS.

THEY'VE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE KIND OF THE STANDARDS OR THE GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING BICYCLE FACILITIES.

SO, WE'RE REALLY ABLE TO RELY ON THEIR EXPERTISE.

BUT THE BIGGEST FOCUS, LIKE I SAID, IS, IS REALLY TO START WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FACILITY.

SO, IF ANYTHING, WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO PUT IN A TRAIL IS DEFINITELY THE MOST FAVORED TYPE OF FACILITY IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND PEOPLE WANTING TO USE THEM.

AND THEN IT MIGHT BE A TRAIL NEXT TO THE SIDE OF A ROAD, WHICH IS NOT AS DESIRABLE, BUT STILL MAY BE BETTER THAN SOMEBODY RIDING IN THE STREET.

AND THEN YOU LOOK AT YOU KNOW, A BIKE LANE, BUT THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT A BARRIER BETWEEN IT, WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW, PLANTERS OR PARKED CAR OR JUST TUBULAR MARKERS.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH WITH.

THE ACTION PLAN IS ESTABLISHING THAT CRITERIA IN TERMS OF STARTING WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL FACILITY.

AND THEN AS YOU GET INTO THE DESIGN PHASE, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY CHANGE BECAUSE YOU HAVE CONSTRAINTS FROM THE DESIGN PHASE.

[02:00:04]

YOU NEED YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER FACTORS HOW MANY INTERSECTIONS YOU HAVE, HOW MANY ACCESSES YOU HAVE GO INTO THAT DESIGN.

SO, I THINK THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE THE MOST SAFE AS IS COMFORTABLE.

YOU KNOW, THE COMFORTABLE FACILITY, WHICH MEANS SEPARATED.

BUT THEN THERE MAY BE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE MAY HAVE TO SCALE BACK AND BUILD SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT BE SEPARATED.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MEYER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. THAT NOW BRINGS US TO THE ORDINANCES.

ORDINANCE NUMBER 41 IS AN ORDINANCE REPEALING CHAPTER 32B OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND ENACTING A NEW CHAPTER 32B IN ITS PLACE TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM, QUALIFY FOR INCREASED PREMIUM DISCOUNTS FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, AND ADOPT HIGHER PROTECTION STANDARDS WITH THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS AND FOR CRITICAL FACILITIES IN SHADED FLOOD ZONES.

THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MEYER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND 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 THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY POE, SECONDED BY OVERLAND.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER 42 IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 33D OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE STREET ADDRESSES BY DEFINING STREET NAMING CRITERIA IN SECTION 33.07. THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY OVERLAND, SECONDED BY TODD. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THIS MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. 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 THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY POE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. 43 IS AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE COLLECTION OF TAX INCREMENTS WITHIN THE DC TAYLOR COMPANY URBAN RENEWAL AREA ALONG 12TH STREET AND 29TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST. THE APPROVAL. I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF ON THIS ONE.

OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT OLSON RECUSING HIMSELF.

SO THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY TODD, SECONDED BY OVERLAND.

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

AND 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 SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES 44 IS AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE COLLECTION OF TAX INCREMENTS WITHIN THE GINKGO RIDGE URBAN RENEWAL AREA ALONG SUMMIT AVENUE AND QUARRY AVENUE SOUTHWEST. THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ITS SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MEYER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND 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 PO, SECONDED BY MEYER.

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

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. AND THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY.

AND BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.

THIS IS A CHANCE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS.

AS WITH THE EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, THIS IS A TIME WHEN WE ARE HERE AS A COUNCIL TO LISTEN.

I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY TO STAY AT THE LECTERN. COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES AND NO ABUSIVE, LOUD, THREATENING OR PERSONAL COMMENTS. IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON.

AND THE FIRST PERSON TO SPEAK OR SIGNED UP IS ERIC GOODSCHMIDT HERE TO SPEAK ON PARKING METERS? I DO NOT SEE MR. GOODSCHMIDT ANYMORE. OKAY. OUR SECOND SPEAKER SIGNED UP.

IS RANDY WALKER HERE TO SPEAK ON THE CITY FLAG FLYING? THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TIME UP HERE ON THIS TOPIC, SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND BE BRIEF, BUT MY QUESTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS WHO AUTHORIZES WHAT FLAGS ARE FLOWN OVER OUR CITY BUILDINGS? DO THE PEOPLE GET A VOTE, OR DO WE JUST HAVE NON-ELECTED OFFICIALS DECLARING WHAT IS FLOWN OVER OUR CITY BUILDINGS AND WHEN?

[02:05:07]

ROUGHLY 2500 FOLKS PER WEEK VOLUNTEER IN CHURCHES, SOME LARGER, SOME SMALLER.

WE HAVE MANY BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT OFFER FREE MEDICAL CARE, FREE FOOD RENTAL ASSISTANCE, PROVIDE MEDICAL FREE MEDICAL OR RENTAL DEVICES, MEDICAL DEVICES FOR FREE OR FOR RENT.

OFFER FREE OR REDUCED COSTS FOR DAYCARE FACILITIES.

FREE TUITION AND MENTORING CLASSES FOR CHILDREN STRUGGLING IN SCHOOL.

FREE CLOTHING AND MANY MORE SERVICES. UNTOLD VOLUNTEERS WITH HEARTS OF GOLD.

THE LIST IS ENDLESS. MANY OF OUR PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES OFFER MATCHING FUNDS AND EVEN MATERIALS TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDY THROUGH VOLUNTEERS AND VAST EFFORTS TO SEND AND LEND A HELPING HAND IN OUR COMMUNITY.

HOW IS OUR CITY RECOGNIZING ANY OF THESE EFFORTS? WE SEEM TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE AN ENTIRE MONTH OR MORE FOR WHAT PEOPLE DO IN THE PRIVACY OF THEIR BEDROOMS, BUT STUMBLE OVER CELEBRATING WHAT PEOPLE DO TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY AND CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.

I BELIEVE IN THE GOLDEN RULE AND I HATE NO ONE.

I TRY TO SHOW RESPECT TO ALL THOSE AROUND ME.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO FLY A FLAG THAT CELEBRATES OR ADVOCATES FOR ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO EMBRACE A CULTURE OF LOSS AND DESTRUCTION AND FAMILY TIES. TRANSFORMATION. PEOPLE GOING THROUGH TRANSITION LEAVES A PERSON WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO FEEL.

TRUE INTIMACY A LIFE OF ENDLESS DRUGS, SURGERIES, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE PEOPLE ARE LEFT.

MUTILATED IN DEBT AND UNABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN, OR TO RECEIVE THE UTMOST IN INTIMACY.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE NEED. SURE, WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR SUCH PAIN FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH.

THIS. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE PROCEDURES HAVE A 100% FAILURE RATE, AND NO CHILDREN WILL BE BORN TO A COUPLE.

WHO HAVE TRANSITIONED. I PROPOSE A RESOLUTION TO CELEBRATE A MONTH OF CIVIC PRIDE AND VOLUNTEERISM.

ONE THAT CELEBRATES LIFE, CIVIC PRIDE, NONPROFITS, BENEVOLENCE, AND ALL VOLUNTEERS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, MARGARET SCOTT OLSON, I'LL ASK YOU TO YOUR. I DON'T HAVE YOUR SPECIFIC ISSUE.

ARE YOU HERE, MARGARET? AND OUR MEETING WENT LONG TODAY.

GARY SHULKIN. ALSO, NOT HERE. RACHEL HAPPEL HERE TO SPEAK ON THE CITY FLAG.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. I BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REMAIN NEUTRAL, THAT OUR CITY GOVERNMENT SHOULD STRIVE TO TREAT ALL RESIDENTS EQUALLY BY REMAINING NEUTRAL IN CULTURAL AND POLITICAL MATTERS.

FLYING THE PRIDE FLAG, OR ANY FLAG THAT REPRESENTS A SPECIFIC SOCIAL OR POLITICAL MOVEMENT, GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CITY OFFICIALLY ENDORSES THAT MOVEMENT, WHICH CAN BE DIVISIVE.

PUBLIC SPACES SHOULD REPRESENT ALL, NOT SOME CITY HALL AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS ARE SHARED BY ALL RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR VIEWS, DISPLAYING ANY FLAG BEYOND OFFICIAL ONES.

NATIONAL, STATE OR CITY RISK MAKING SOME PEOPLE FEEL EXCLUDED OR UNREPRESENTED.

WE ARE SETTING A PRECEDENT WE CAN'T MAINTAIN IF WE FLY ONE COMMUNITY'S FLAG.

WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE? OTHER GROUPS MAY REQUEST EQUAL TREATMENT FROM RELIGIOUS GROUPS TO POLITICAL MOVEMENTS.

ARE WE PREPARED TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THEM OR FACE ACCUSATIONS OF FAVORITISM? WE CAN AFFIRM THE DIGNITY AND RIGHT OF ALL CITIZENS, INCLUDING LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER RESIDENTS, THROUGH POLICIES, PROTECTIONS AND INCLUSIVE SERVICES WITHOUT ENGAGING IN SYMBOLIC GESTURES THAT MAY ALIENATE OTHERS.

PRIDE FLAGS ARE WELCOME ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, AT EVENTS AND IN COMMUNITY SPACES.

[02:10:03]

HERE TO SPEAK ON THE CITY FLAG.

OH, I THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING THIS TO BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON ANYTHING LIKE YOUR FLAG, BUT I'M NOT APPROVING ON THIS. FLYING THE FLAG.

FLAG OVER THE CITY. IT'S. I AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS COMMENTS.

I FOR YOU TO WANT TO DO THIS, I FEEL THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF PERSONAL REASONS OR SOMETHING GOING ON, AND THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THIS DIRECTION. I KIND OF JUST TELLS ME THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON THERE.

I THINK THE THINKING OF THE [INAUDIBLE] HAS TO DO WITH TRANSSEXUAL STUFF.

IT'S LIKE WAS SAID EARLIER, THIS IS A VERY UNFORTUNATE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST THAT ARE RUINING THEIR OWN BODIES FOR A LIFETIME OF UNPLEASANTNESS.

UNFULFILLMENT. THEY HAVE TO HAVE A LIFETIME OF DRUGS THAT THEY DON'T WOULDN'T HAVE ORDINARILY NEEDED. THEY'RE BEING SHOWN THAT THEY COULD DO THIS, BUT THEY AND OR TALKED INTO DOING THINGS THAT THAT. WITH THEIR OWN BODY THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT THEM FOR THEIR WHOLE LIFE.

NOW THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT SITUATION OTHER THAN THE FLYING THE PRIDE FLAG.

BUT ALL OF WHAT IS BEING SAID IS, BY THE WAY, ARE THINGS THAT IN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT IS AN ABOMINATION TO GOD. BUT MAYBE I'M WRONG IN ALL SOME OF THIS STUFF.

MAYBE THERE'S BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID.

MAYBE YOU'RE AFRAID OF ABOUT 1.5% OF THE POPULATION THAT CLAIMS THAT THAT THAT BEING WHICH IS AN ABOMINATION TO GOD. AND THAT'S WHAT'S SADDER, IS THAT YOU'RE NOT AFRAID OF GOD. AND YOU DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHAT THIS CITY WANTS OR CARES ABOUT, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT A VOTING.

IF THERE WAS OR MAYBE IT WAS DONE HAPHAZARDLY OR QUICK DISBURSEMENT OF WHATEVER.

I DON'T KNOW WHY. IT HAS TO BE. A DECISION MADE ON YOUR OWN.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ANYBODY ELSE HAD ANY VOTING RIGHTS IN THIS, BUT MAY EVEN IF SO, MAYBE YOU'RE THINKING, WELL, WELL, WE HAD A VOTING, BUT AND PEOPLE VOTED ON IT.

WELL, IF IT HAPPENED, I DON'T KNOW. I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT IT.

IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO ASK THE INDIVIDUALS ONE BY ONE OUT IN THE CITY.

WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT, THE AMERICAN FLAG, WHICH STANDS FOR JUST WHAT WE JUST GOT DONE CELEBRATING.

FOR MEMORIAL DAY, PEOPLE THAT DIED FIGHTING FOR THIS COUNTRY AND ITS FREEDOMS THAT WE ENJOY.

OR A FLAG THAT 1.5% OF THE POPULATION SCREAMS AND YELLS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE, THAT THEY'RE VASTLY DIFFERENT AND THEY HAVE TO BE RECOGNIZED.

NEEDS TO, THEY NEED TO IMPOSE THEIR LACK OF MORALS AND BELIEFS ON THE REST OF THE SOCIETY.

I THINK YOU'LL GET A RESOUNDING VOTE TO LEAVE THE ALPHABET SOUP FLAG OFF OF THE CITY.

OF THE CITY FLAGPOLES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MICHAEL ELMORE HERE TO SPEAK ON THE FLAG.

[02:15:19]

CLOSE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FLAG ISSUE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CHURCHES.

I'VE BEEN A PASTOR FOR 40 YEARS. I HAVE SERVED IN TWO OF THE LARGEST DENOMINATIONS IN THE STATE OF IOWA.

I'VE ALSO SERVED ON CONFERENCE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, AND ALONG THE WAY I WAS ABLE TO SERVE ON THE CITY LIQUOR COMMISSIONER.

AT ONE POINT. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT IF THERE'S ANY FLAG THAT I THINK SHOULD BE FLYING ABOVE THE FLAG OF CEDAR RAPIDS IS THE CHRISTIAN FLAG. SO MANY OF OUR DEAR PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WORSHIP AT CHURCHES EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I SAY THAT TONGUE IN CHEEK, RECOGNIZING THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE ONLY TWO FLAGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ABOVE OUR COUNTY AND I'M SORRY, OUR CITY BUILDINGS AND SCHOOLS AND THOSE THINGS WOULD BE THE UNITED STATES FLAG OF AMERICA AND THE IOWA FLAG. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. KIRA LITTLE SKY.

HERE TO SPEAK ON SYSTEMIC RACISM AND PRIORITY LAWS.

THE PRIORITIES OF THIS TOWN ARE MESSED UP. AND IF TODAY'S MEETING IN OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD DIDN'T SHOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WILL. I'M THE ONLY PERSON OF COLOR IN HERE TODAY.

THE REASON WHY NONE OF THESE PEOPLE FEARED COMING UP HERE AND TALKING ABOUT THE FLAGS THAT THEY WANTED, IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A FEAR GOING INTO A PUBLIC BUILDING.

I BROUGHT FRIENDS DOWN HERE OTHER TIMES TO LEARN ABOUT THE COUNCIL AND TO GET THEM INVOLVED.

BUT HAVE YOU SEEN ME BRING ANOTHER COLORED PERSON? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? DO YOU THINK I DON'T TRY TO GET THEM TO COME? THEY'RE TERRIFIED. THERE'S PLACES IN THE CITY THEY WILL NOT GO.

CITY HALL AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE TWO OF THEM.

AND THAT IS DISGUSTING. THERE SHOULD BE NO ONE THAT'S A HUMAN RIGHT.

A HUMAN RIGHT, TO COME INTO CITY HALL AND TO SPEAK YOUR MIND.

IT'S A HUMAN RIGHT TO COME INTO THE POLICE OFFICE AND ASK FOR HELP.

THAT'S A HUMAN RIGHT. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THAT.

AND ONLY CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE THAT.

AND YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES IN THIS ROOM THAT NEED TO SEE THAT.

YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM. I'VE BEEN TALKING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A SITUATION I HAD WITH A SCAMMER, WHICH I FIGURED AFTER THE FLOODS AND AFTER THE SHOW, MAYBE YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE STARTED LAWS ON THESE SCAMMERS BY NOW $900. I CAN'T DO ANYTHING. ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR GO THROUGH HOOPS.

GO THROUGH LAW. CIVIL LAW, FILE LAWSUITS, ALL OF THAT.

BUT IF A HUNGRY BLACK MAN STOLE A CANDY BAR AT THE KWIK TRIP, HE'LL BE TACKLED AND ARRESTED.

THAT HAPPENS. I WATCH IT EVERY DAY. I GREW UP HERE, BORN AND RAISED.

I WAS AN LP STUDENT. I'M A GREAT STUDENT. I WENT TO COLLEGE.

I GOT MY MASTER'S DEGREE. I HAVE FRIENDS THAT I'VE BEEN FRIENDS WITH AND GREW UP WITH.

THEIR FAMILIES THAT ARE MORE RECOGNIZED IN THIS TOWN.

THEY LISTEN TO ME. THEY TRUST ME. THEY KNOW ME.

THEY'VE KNOWN ME FOR 30, 40 YEARS. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT DECIDES IT'S THAT THEY DON'T LIKE YOU AND THEY BAND TOGETHER WITH OTHER PEOPLE INTO WHAT IS NOW I HAVE LEARNED IS GANG STALKING, WHICH HAS HAPPENED HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

[02:20:02]

THE WOMAN COP AT THE DESK, MORROW WAS SNOTTY, WAS SNIDE, AND HALFWAY GIGGLED AT ME BECAUSE I WAS SCAMMED. WELL, YOU GAVE HER YOUR MONEY AND YOU KNOW YOU GAVE HER YOUR MONEY.

IF I HAD AN EMPLOYEE AT THE FIRST AVENUE MCDONALD'S IN THE 90S WHERE I RAN THAT DRIVE THRU, IF I HAD AN EMPLOYEE TALK TO ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS, WHICH WERE A LOT OF YOU GUYS COMING THROUGH THAT DRIVE THROUGH.

THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED ON THE SPOT, AND THAT'S THE KIND OF PROFESSIONALISM WE ACCEPT AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THEY TELL THEIR FRIENDS. I HAD I WAS A TEENAGER AT WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL.

MY FIRST CAR, I BOUGHT IT WORKING OVERNIGHTS AT HARDEE'S.

I HAD MY BEST FRIEND STEPHANIE IN THE CAR. I WAS STOPPED EVERY DAY BY A POLICE OFFICER WOULD WAIT OUTSIDE THE HIGH SCHOOL.

HE FOLLOWED ME. I HAD GOOD 15 TICKETS, ALL WITH HIS NAME, BUT NOBODY WOULD BELIEVE ME UNTIL MY MOM WALKED OUT AND CAUGHT HIM RED HANDED ONE DAY. 13 YEARS LATER, HE GOT KICKED OUT OF CITY HALL FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

AND THEN HE TRIED TO SUE THE VICTIM. BUT YOU KNOW WHO PUT A STOP TO THAT? I DID BECAUSE HE HAD A LONG REPUTATION. MY CAR GETS TICKETED OUTSIDE MY APARTMENT I'VE LIVED IN FOR 17 YEARS.

IT'S REGISTERED TO THAT APARTMENT, BUT IT GETS TICKETED FOR BEING ABANDONED.

THEY SEE THAT. GOODBYE. OH, ONE LAST THING, A RAINBOW.

THE RAINBOW COALITION FIRST WAS FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

MINORITIES, ASIANS, EVERYONE. THE GAYS ONLY ADOPTED THAT BECAUSE IT MEANT LOVE AND INCLUSION.

YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. KEITH COLTON HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FLAG.

LOVE AND INCLUSION.

YES, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN REFERENCE TO THE CITY PUTTING UP THE LGBTQ PRIDE FLAG OVER OUR COMMUNITY.

AND AS I OPPOSE THAT. AND I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD RECONSIDER SUCH A DECISION.

AND THE REASONING IS THAT THE FLAG IS THERE TO INDICATE A FORM OF SOLIDARITY FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN OPPRESSED.

AND BUT WHAT I THINK IT ACTUALLY DOES; IT CAN CAUSE UNFURLS A LARGER DIVIDE AMONG US.

THERE ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, LGBTQ PLUS FESTIVALS TAKING PLACE, AND THEY ARE NOT INHIBITED WITH THEIR RIGHT TO DO THAT.

THEY ARE FREE TO DO SO. BUT WHY DO WE NEED TO WAVE A FLAG FOR THIS PEOPLE? I MEAN, A WORLD LEADER SUCH AS THE POPE HAS RECENTLY ENDORSED THE FACT THAT MAN AND WOMAN WERE CREATED FOR ONE ANOTHER AND MARRIAGE WAS MADE FOR THEM. AND YOU WERE ENFORCING OR REINFORCING SOMETHING THAT THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO.

THERE ARE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AND GROUPS WHO DO NOT AGREE WITH THE LIBERTINE EXPRESSION OF SEXUALITY AND UNIONS AS ESPOUSED BY THE LGBTQ PLUS INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND MOVEMENT. AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, TO THESE OTHER GROUPS WHO WANT TO SPEAK OUT? WILL THEY BE OPPRESSED IF THEY DO SO? WILL THEY FIND IT IF THEY ARE SEEKING TO GET SOME MENTION OF THEIR OWN CAUSE PUT OUT THERE, WILL THEY BE TURNED BACK? I THINK THAT WE ENTER A DANGEROUS AREA WHEN WE PICK OUT AND CHOOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS OR OTHER GROUPS AND ALLOW THE FLY THE FLAGS.

AND PARTICULARLY THEY SHOULD NOT BE EVER BE FLOWN OVER THE FEDERAL AND STATE PROPERTIES.

AND I THINK THAT THE GOVERNMENT HERE SHOULD JUST PUT THE NATION, STATE AND CITY FLAGS.

EITHER THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT EACH MONTH AND FLY A DIFFERENT FLAG EACH MONTH FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS, GROUPS, AND BY DOING SO, WE DO NOT UNITE PEOPLE.

WE DIVIDE PEOPLE UP INTO MORE AND MORE GROUPS WHO EACH THEN WILL START TO FEEL THAT THEY ARE BEING MISTREATED.

WE HAVE A. EXCUSE ME. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL FLAG, RED, WHITE AND BLUE.

AND I THINK IT HAS STOOD FOR NEARLY 250 YEARS FOR ALL OF US SHOWING PREFERENCE FOR ONE GROUP VERSUS ANOTHER.

[02:25:07]

I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN LET THE STARS AND STRIPES SPEAK FOR ALL OF US, 365 DAYS PER YEAR, AS WE ARE ALL CREATED EQUAL UNDER GOD CREATED IN HIS IMAGE. AND IT ALSO SAYS SO THAT WE ARE PROTECTED EQUALLY UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BERNIE HAYES HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT FLAGS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

A YEAR AGO TOMORROW I WOULD BE HERE SPEAKING ON THE SAME ISSUE.

THINK OF THE GAME. CAPTURE THE FLAG. ANYTIME YOUR FLAG IS DISPLAYED, IT CAN BE TAKEN AS A STATEMENT OF DOMINION, DOMINANCE, CONTROL OR VICTORY. BUT WHEN YOUR FLAG IS CAPTURED, TAKEN DOWN, REPLACED BY, OR POSITIONED TO SHARE THE STAGE WITH ANOTHER, IT CAN MEAN CAPITULATION, ACQUIESCENCE, FEIGNED OR BEGRUDGING AGREEMENT, EVEN ENDORSEMENT.

CERTAINLY, THERE ARE FLAGS THAT REPRESENT POSITIONS AND CAUSES THAT THE VAST MAJORITY IN OUR COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE NO QUALMS ABOUT GETTING BEHIND.

LIKE OUR OWN AMERICAN AND IOWA STATE FLAGS. BUT OTHERS ARE FRAUGHT WITH CONTROVERSY FOR THE SAKE OF BEING NONDISCRIMINATORY AND IMPARTIAL.

SHOULD WE HONOR REQUESTS TO FLY AN ANTIFA FLAG OR A BLM FLAG, HAMAS, ISIS OR SATANIC FLAGS.

ALSO, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, REPRESENTATIVES AND MILITARY PERSONNEL HAVE UNIVERSALLY TAKEN AN OATH TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND TO ABIDE BY THE JUST LAWS AND ENTITIES THAT DERIVE THEIR AUTHORITY FROM THAT ONE DOCUMENT UNDER GOD.

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY GOOD ORGANIZATIONS AND CAUSES WHOSE FLAGS COULD DESERVEDLY BE FLOWN ALONG WITH THE STARS AND STRIPES, IT WOULD BE UTTERLY NAIVE TO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE ALSO THOSE THAT ARE COERCIVE, DIVISIVE AND ULTIMATELY DESTRUCTIVE.

KING SOLOMON WROTE THAT A RIGHTEOUS MAN IS A GUIDE TO HIS NEIGHBOR, HIS NEIGHBORS, AND CIVIC LEADERS.

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION NOT TO LEAD OR MISLEAD OUR FELLOW RESIDENTS INTO DETRIMENTAL AND DAMAGING POTHOLES.

EVERY TWO MONTHS, WHEN GIVING A BLOOD DONATION, I'M ASKED THE SAME SERIES OF QUESTIONS, TWO OF WHICH ARE HAVE YOU HAD SEX? HAVE YOU PAID FOR SEX? NUMBER ONE AND HAVE YOU HAD SEX WITH A MAN? WHY ARE THESE TWO CHOICES OR BEHAVIORS SINGLED OUT AS DISQUALIFIERS FOR BLOOD DONATING.

BECAUSE THERE ARE REAL WORLD DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES TO THESE LIFESTYLE ACTIONS, ONE THAT IS SADLY SYMBOLIZED BY THE GAY PRIDE FLAG, I SHARE THIS TRUTH NOT BECAUSE I HAVE SOME FUNDAMENTALIST ANIMUS AGAINST PEOPLE OF THAT PERSUASION.

I HAVE RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND HAD COWORKERS WHO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS POSITION.

I LOVE THEM ALL I KNOW, AND LIFE DEMONSTRATES THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES TO THEIR CHOICE.

SO AS THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS PUTTING ITS APPROVAL AND ENDORSEMENT ON THIS ONE LIFESTYLE BY PROMOTING THE DISPLAY OF THE PRIDE FLAG, JUST FOR THE RECORD, KNOW THAT SEVERAL NEWS OUTLETS CNN, FOX NEWS, REDSTATE, GRAVITY RESEARCH ARE REPORTING THAT MAJOR SPONSORS OF PRIDE FESTIVALS ARE DECLINING OR HAVE DROPPED THEIR SPONSORSHIP OF SUCH EVENTS.

ANHEUSER-BUSCH IN ST. LOUIS IS DECLINING TO SUPPORT THE PRIDE EVENT AFTER 30 YEARS OF SUPPORT.

CALIFORNIA, COLORADO. FLORIDA. MISSOURI. NEW YORK, OHIO.

TEXAS, CNN REPORTS HAVE ALL HAD THESE STATES HAVE PULLED OR REDUCED SUPPORT FOR PRIDE.

PRIDE EVENTS. SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE, THE NATION'S LARGEST CITYWIDE GAY FOCUSED EVENT, HAS HAD A LOSS OF $300,000 OF THEIR PRIDE EVENT.

GRAVITY RESEARCH REPORTS THAT 60% A 60% DECREASE IN MAJOR CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT WITH PRIDE EVENTS BETWEEN 2023 AND 2024.

OUR GOAL SHOULD NOT BE TO FOLLOW THE POPULAR LEAD OF EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT ON PRINCIPLE, EVEN IF WE'RE THE ONLY ONE. OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM BEGINS WITH THE QUESTION, AND WE STILL NEED AN ANSWER.

OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE YESTERDAY? EVEN LAST YEAR, MEMORIAL DAY, I DROVE DOWN FOREST DRIVE ACROSS PARK TERRACE, GRAND AVENUE, BLAKE BOULEVARD. NOTHING BUT AMERICAN FLAGS.

MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO STICK TO WHAT HAS WORKED FOR US FOR 238 YEARS AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STATE, AND OUR NATION UNITED UNDER ONE BANNER THAT SYMBOLIZES LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU. Q THANK YOU, ROGER SLADE. HERE TO SPEAK ON FLAGS.

WELL, ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, I ALSO SPOKE AT THIS MEETING, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS, REGARDING OUR CONCERNS FOR THE PLANS TO FLY THE PRIDE FLAG OUTSIDE CITY HALL, WHICH CELEBRATES A LIFESTYLE THAT VERY FEW RESIDENTS HERE REPRESENT.

[02:30:03]

THE EMAIL STATED, IN OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACE AND WITH THE CONTRIBUTION OF EMPLOYEES VOICES, NOT VOTERS, WE HAVE DECIDED TO FLY THE PRIDE FLAG AT ADDITIONAL CITY BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT JUNE.

THIS CALL OF ACTION AND RETALIATION WAS THE FIRST TIME IN CEDAR RAPIDS HISTORY.

IT GOES ON TO SAY, BY RAISING THE PRIDE FLAG, WE AFFIRM OUR DEDICATION TO CREATING A SAFE, RESPECTFUL AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.

I'LL COME BACK TO THAT. ON MAY 31ST, YOU BEGAN YOUR MONTHS LONG FREE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN FOR PRIDE.

YOU EVEN FLEW THE PRIDE FLAG ON INDEPENDENCE DAY.

NOT ONLY DID YOU DISRESPECT EVERY VETERAN PATRIOT AND BEYOND.

LAST YEAR I GOT CONFIRMATION THAT YOU PLANNED TO FLY THE PRIDE FLAG ON THE 4TH OF JULY THIS YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THE FREEDOM FESTIVAL UNTIL AT LEAST JULY 14TH. I EXPLAINED LAST YEAR THAT SAN FRANCISCO IS IN THE HEADLINES DUE TO THEIR FESTIVALS, INCLUDING SEX ON THE STREET AND NUDITY IN FRONT OF CHILDREN.

THIS WAS A MARDI GRAS STYLE CELEBRATION, WHICH OF COURSE IS THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S PRIDE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.

ALSO, I MENTIONED THE SATANIC TEMPLE OF IOWA WAS HERE LAST YEAR AT BOTH EVENTS.

BOTH ADVERTISED AS FAMILY FRIENDLY. THEY HAD A GOAT WITH THEM AS THEY PERFORMED BAPTISMS. I READ THE TESTIMONY OF A WOMAN WHO HAD HER WRISTS WRAPPED IN A RED CHAIN, WAS BLINDFOLDED, REPEATED SOME SATANIC CHANTS, WALKED AWAY IN TEARS.

A FEW DAYS LATER, SHE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. REMEMBER, THE LETTER FROM YOUR MANAGER STATED THAT YOU'RE DEDICATED TO CREATING A SAFE, RESPECTFUL AND ENVIRONMENT THAT'S WELCOMING TO ALL.

SEE OUR PRIDE. EMAIL ME. CONFIRMING THAT THE SATANIC TEMPLE IS COMING BACK THIS YEAR AND STATED, WE DO NOT PLACE RESTRICTIONS ON PERSONAL VIEWS EXPRESSED BY VENDORS SO LONG AS THEIR CONDUCT DOES NOT CROSS INTO HATE SPEECH.

WELL, LAST YEAR I DESCRIBED SOMEONE STANDING WITH THE SATANIC TEMPLE AT NEWBO YELLING IN A MEGAPHONE, HAIL SATAN! HAIL, PRIDE, REJECT GOD! I'D SAY THAT'S HATE SPEECH PURPOSELY DIRECTED AT THE CHURCH AND THE BODY OF CHRIST.

MANY OF YOU WERE THERE. I'M SURE YOU WITNESSED THIS.

SEE, OUR PRIDE KNOWS THIS. THEY ALSO EMAIL ME STATING THAT OTHER VENDORS MAY NOT SELL OR DISPLAY INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL AT THEIR BOOTH.

YET. THEY POSTED ONLINE RECENTLY THAT THEY WERE VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO HAND OUT BANNED BOOKS FOR FREE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

THEY HAVE AN AGENDA. THE CHILDREN ARE THE TARGET MARKET.

THIS YEAR, THE FAMILY FRIENDLY FESTIVAL HAS A COUPLE HEADLINERS.

ONE PERFORMER, AUNTIE HEROINE, STATES ON HIS WEBSITE THAT HE'S BEEN RUINING CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY PARTIES SINCE 2015.

PERFECT. IF YOU GO TO A SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S CLEAR BY THE IMAGES, SYMBOLISM, BLASPHEMY, AND THE AMOUNT OF BLOOD.

HE'S INFESTED BY MULTIPLE DEMONS. CR PRIDE KNOWS THIS AS WELL.

SO IT'S CLEAR IN THIS CITY, MEN WHO PERFORM AS DEMONS AND DRESSES IS HOW YOU CREATE A SAFE, RESPECTFUL AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT. I HAVE A FLIER HERE TO PASS OUT TO YOU OF MR. HEROINE WITH THOSE IMAGES. THEY'LL GIVE YOU NIGHTMARES, BUT YOU NEED TO SEE THIS.

SINCE YOUR FLAG ENDORSES THIS 100%. THE SATANIC RITUALS DO NOT DESERVE FREE ADVERTISING OR FREE ENDORSEMENTS FROM THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES.

PRIDE HAS TRANSITIONED INTO CHILD GROOMING, NORMALIZING PEDOPHILIA, AND THE DE-CHRISTIANIZATION OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE YOUTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS DON'T DESERVE TO BE SACRIFICED BY YOUR IGNORANCE AND YOUR SOCIAL AGENDA.

IN CLOSING, I HAVE A FEW REQUESTS. ONE, OBVIOUSLY NO MORE PRIDE FLAGS PROMOTING A DANGEROUS, DISRESPECTFUL, AND DIVISIVE AGENDA THAT BENEFITS ABSOLUTELY NOBODY TO THE US FLAG SHOULD BE THE ONLY FLAG FLOWN ON THE 4TH OF JULY AND THROUGHOUT THE FREEDOM FESTIVAL AT ALL CITY BUILDINGS. THIS IS AMERICA, ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

YOU SAID THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, POLICE CHIEF DASSEL REQUEST.

JUST ALERT THE PUBLIC. THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.

THE SATANIC CULT WITHIN PRIDE MUST BE EXPOSED.

THE FAMILIES WILL THANK YOU. AND I HAVE A FLIER FOR YOU AS WELL.

AND I ASK THAT ALL OF YOU HERE IN FRONT OF ME TAKE TIME TO ATTEND.

ON JULY 12TH, ATTEND EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE LATE SHOW.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU EXPERIENCE THESE RITUALS THAT YOU'VE ENDORSED IN THE PAST. SO YOU ARE EDUCATED.

AND IF YOU WATCH AN UNBAPTISM, REMEMBER, REMEMBER LAST YEAR, IT MAY BE SOME OF THE LAST TIME SOME OF THOSE SOULS WILL EVER BE SEEN ALIVE AGAIN.

IF THESE DEMONS GET THEIR WAY. THANK YOU. AND THAT WILL CLOSE OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THESE DOCUMENTS FROM THE OFFICER.

THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMUNICATIONS FOR TODAY?

[02:35:01]

TYLER OLSON MOVES TO ADJOURN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND.

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

THE MOTION CARRIES AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.