Jan 27, 2026 City Council

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THIS MEETING IS CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER.

[Call to Order]

I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT MY COLLEAGUES, SCOTT OLSON AND TYLER OLSON, ARE ABSENT FROM TODAY'S MEETING.

I WANT TO WELCOME OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY CLERK, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

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

A REMINDER TO THOSE WHO ARE VISITING TODAY TO TURN OFF ANY CELL PHONES OR ELECTRONIC DEVICES THAT MIGHT DISTRACT US FROM OUR MEETINGS TODAY, AND NOTE THAT ALL OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDAS, MINUTES, AND VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE AS WELL AS VIA FACEBOOK LIVE.

WE'LL BEGIN, AS WE ALWAYS DO HERE, WITH AN INVOCATION BY PUBLIC SAFETY CHAPLAIN, RICK GALE TODAY, AND THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

FATHER, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THE QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR GOT THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES AND OUR DEPARTMENT LEADERS.

GOD, I PRAY THAT YOU WILL HONOR THEM AND GOD GIVE THEM THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY NEED EVERY DAY TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATIONS THAT COME THEIR WAY.

FATHER, WE SAY THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE QUALITY AND GOD WE ASK YOU TO HONOR THEM AS THEY SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.

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

OKAY, BEGINNING WITH PROCLAMATION TODAY FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER DAY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE FOR THAT TO JOIN MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE,

[Proclamations/Presentations]

THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD, GOOD. WELCOME. WELCOME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, YOU GUYS. HI, DALE.

HI, ASHLEY. YOU GUYS ARE MY STUFF. COME ON UP AND TURN AROUND AND FACE THE AUDIENCE.

ARE YOU READY? WELL, THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

THIS IS A REAL HONOR, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.

THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FOR THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

WHEREAS GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER WAS BORN INTO SLAVERY IN MISSOURI AND OVERCAME RACIAL BARRIERS TO PURSUE HIS EDUCATION, EVENTUALLY COMING TO IOWA. AND WHEREAS CARVER WAS A PROLIFIC INVENTOR, ARTIST AND CIVIL RIGHTS CHAMPION WHO DEVISED HUNDREDS OF NOVEL USES FOR CROPS, CHAMPIONED CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AND AS ONE OF AMERICA'S FOREMOST AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, MADE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON CEDAR RAPIDS, SHOWCASING HIS EXTENSIVE ARTWORK IN 1892. AND WHEREAS CARVER'S EDUCATIONAL PATH INCLUDED STUDY IN IOWA, WHERE HE EARNED BOTH A BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S DEGREE AND EVENTUALLY BECAME A MEMBER OF THE IOWA STATE FACULTY GOING ON TO DEDICATE HIMSELF TO ASSISTING THE SOUTH'S MOST IMPOVERISHED FARMERS THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND INFORMATION OUTREACH AT TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY. AND WHEREAS, IN 2003, THE PERMANENT HOME OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF IOWA WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WHERE IT HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO FOSTERING A COMMUNITY THAT UNDERSTANDS, APPRECIATES, AND CELEBRATES IOWA'S AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

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

WHEREAS, AS IN LIGHT OF HIS EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CARVER DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AS IOWA'S AND CEDAR RAPIDS MOST ILLUSTRIOUS CITIZENS. THEREFORE, I ANN POE ON BEHALF OF MAYOR TIFFANY O'DONNELL AND THE ENTIRE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 1ST, 2026 AS GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER DAY AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO COMMEMORATE

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CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU ALL. THANKS TO THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS FOR ITS CURRENT LEADERSHIP. AND VERY SPECIFICALLY, WE WANT TO THANK THE CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ITS PROFESSIONALISM DURING THESE LAST FEW MONTHS OF STRESS THAT'S GOING ON.

SO THANKS FOR HAVING US. MALIK IS A UPCOMING SCHOLAR.

WAS ELECTED TO THE CEDAR RAPIDS SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE STUDENT REPRESENTATION AND THREE YEARS AGO WROTE AN EXCELLENT COMMENTARY ON GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER. LARRY IS ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, AND BILL IS ONE OF OUR OFFICERS FOR VETERANS FOR PEACE.

AND I'M JOSE, PAST PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JOHN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.

OUR FIRST PRESENTATION WILL BE ON OUR FY 2025 ANNUAL AUDIT.

SO BRAD TYSON OF EIDE BAILLY WILL JOINING OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR ABHIJIT DESHPANDE.

GENTLEMEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. ABHI DESHPANDE FOR RECORD.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO EIDE BAILLY IS OUR EXTERNAL FINANCIAL AUDITORS.

THEY RECENTLY COMPLETED FY 25 FINANCIAL AUDIT.

SO WITH THAT TODAY I, THEY ARE GOING TO PRESENT THEIR PRESENT BASICALLY THE SOME OF THE SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS.

WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO BRAD. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS BRAD TYSON.

I'M A SENIOR MANAGER WITH HYDE BAILEY. I HAVE A PRESENTATION, SHORT PRESENTATION HERE.

IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW, OTHERWISE, WE CAN GO OVER THIS AT THE END. THE SLIDES YOU HAVE UP HERE, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A KIND OF A QUICK BACKGROUND AS EIDE BAILEY, AND WHO WE ARE.

I KNOW THIS WAS OUR SECOND YEAR COMPLETING THE AUDIT. WE ARE A TOP 20 CPA FIRM IN THE NATION.

WE HAVE 300 DEDICATED STAFF, DEDICATED SOLELY TO PERFORMING GOVERNMENTAL AUDITS.

AND WE HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER STAFF WITHIN OUR OFFICE THAT HAVE PERFORMED THOSE AUDITS AS WELL TOO, SO. IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'LL JUST KIND OF START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A RECAP.

SO THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT AUDITING STANDARDS SORT OF AT PLAY WITHIN THE AUDIT OF THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

THE FIRST IS GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS, WHICH IS GOVERNED BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS, THE AICPA. THESE ARE STANDARDS THAT YOU'LL SEE IN ANY AUDIT, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, FROM COAST TO COAST.

GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS IS ANOTHER ADDITIONAL SET OF AUDITING STANDARDS, VERY SIMILAR TO GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS, BUT HAS ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF CPA FIRM INDEPENDENCE.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS, IT ALSO HAS ADDITIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'LL TALK THROUGH AS WELL TOO.

AND THEN THERE'S THE THIRD BULLET POINT. THERE IS THE UNIFORM GUIDANCE AUDIT OR SOMETIMES CALLED THE SINGLE AUDIT.

THIS IS AN AUDIT OVER, THIS IS AN AUDIT THAT'S REQUIRED ANYTIME THE CITY SPENDS MORE THAN $750,000 IN FEDERAL AWARDS IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.

AND THEY REQUIRE US TO GO THROUGH AND SELECT MAJOR PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO TEST FOR COMPLIANCE.

SO WE'LL GO OVER THE RESULTS OF THAT AUDIT TOO.

THEN THERE'S ALSO AN AUDIT OVER THE REVENUES RECEIVED BY THE AIRPORT TO THAT WILL GO OVER.

JUST A QUICK RECAP. AUDITS ARE DESIGNED TO OBTAIN REASONABLE, BUT NOT ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES. ONE THING TO BE AWARE OF IS THE CONCEPT OF MATERIALITY WITHIN THAT STATEMENT.

SO WE ARE AUDITING SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNT BALANCES AND TRANSACTION CLASSES, NOT NECESSARILY AUDITING EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT THE CITY RECEIVES OR SPENDS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. SO THE CONCEPT OF MATERIALITY, THERE IS JUST SOMETHING WE KIND OF WANTED TO POINT OUT. A RECAP IN TERMS OF TIMELINE HERE.

WE STARTED OUR PLANNING PROCEDURES IN JULY AND AUGUST WITH SOME INQUIRIES OF MANAGEMENT TO DETERMINE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM THE PRIOR YEAR AND ALSO DETERMINE ANY SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNT BALANCES OR TRANSACTION CLASSES THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO LOOK INTO FOR THE UPCOMING AUDIT.

SINGLE AUDIT COMPLIANCE TESTING STARTED IN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER.

ALONG WITH THOSE PLANNING CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD IN JULY AND AUGUST. WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHICH PROGRAMS WERE GOING TO BE THE, THE MAJOR PROGRAMS OF THE CITY. SO WE WERE ABLE TO START THAT IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER AND WRAP THAT UP SORT OF IN THE OCTOBER ISH TIMELINE.

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THIS IS WHERE WE PERFORMED ALL OF OUR TESTING ON SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNT BALANCES AND TRANSACTION CLASSES.

AND THEN THE REPORTING WAS DONE IN DECEMBER, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH ABHI AND ANDY AND THEIR STAFF THEY PROVIDED ALL INFORMATION VERY TIMELY AND VERY ACCURATELY WHICH ALLOWED US TO HAVE THAT TIMELINE TO COMPLETE OUR REPORTING TIMELINE BY DECEMBER 2ND.

I'LL JUST TALK VERY BRIEFLY HERE ABOUT MANAGEMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR AN AUDIT.

SO MANAGEMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES. SO THEY'RE PREPARING THE REPORT AND WE KIND OF JUST GIVE AN OPINION LIKE, YES, NO, WE AGREE OR WE DO NOT AGREE.

THEY'RE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERNAL CONTROLS AND DESIGNING, IMPLEMENTING AND MAINTAINING THOSE INTERNAL CONTROLS.

ONE OF THE COMMON MISNOMERS WITH AN AUDIT IS WHEN YOU HAVE AN AUDIT PERFORMED, EVERYONE THINKS, WELL, THE AUDITORS HAVE LOOKED AT OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS AND ALL THE INTERNAL CONTROLS ARE OPERATING EFFECTIVELY. THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. WE ARE REVIEWING INTERNAL CONTROLS FROM A HIGHER LEVEL IN ORDER TO ASSESS THE RISK OF MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT WITHIN EACH ACCOUNT, BALANCE OR TRANSACTION CLASS. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

AND AGAIN OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO OBTAIN REASONABLE ASSURANCE THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE FREE FROM MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT. JUST KIND OF WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AGAIN THERE. SO WE'LL GET INTO THE RESULTS HERE.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, WE HAD UNMODIFIED OPINIONS ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE WAY THEY WERE PRESENTED, MEANING WE HAVE A CLEAN OPINION OR WE AGREE WITH THE WAY THE INFORMATION IS PRESENTED.

WE BELIEVE, IS PRESENTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.

WE HAD, ONE OF THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE FOR GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS IS WE'RE REQUIRED AS PART OF OUR PROCESS TO PROVIDE A REPORT IF WE DETERMINE WE HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESSES THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF OUR AUDIT, THAT'S REQUIRED SEPARATELY BY GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS TO MAKE THAT REPORT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. AS PART OF OUR AUDIT PROCEDURES, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS THAT ELEVATED TO THE LEVEL OF A SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESS.

SO A VERY CLEAN AUDIT OPINION AND COMPLIANCE REPORT FROM THAT STANDPOINT, FROM A FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT STANDPOINT.

AS WE MOVE TO THE FEDERAL AUDIT RESULTS. AGAIN, UNMODIFIED OPINIONS ON THE THREE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE LABELED THERE.

THESE THREE PROGRAMS WERE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF A RISK AND SIZE ANALYSIS.

ANYTIME THE CITY HAS MORE THAN $750,000 IN FEDERAL AWARDS AND ANY INDIVIDUAL MAJOR PROGRAM THEY GET ELEVATED INTO A POOL FOR SELECTION.

ESPECIALLY IF THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM HAS NOT BEEN AUDITED AT ANY POINT IN THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS.

SO THESE WERE THE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT WE AUDITED FOR COMPLIANCE THIS YEAR. AGAIN, A CLEAN OPINION THERE.

AND ALSO WE'RE REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY ANY MATERIAL WEAKNESSES OR SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES FROM A FEDERAL STANDPOINT TO AND WE DID NOT HAVE ANY FINDINGS FROM THAT STANDPOINT AS WELL. AND THEN THE USE OF THE AIRPORT REVENUES SAME STORY THERE.

CLEAN AUDIT OPINION ON THE WAY THAT THAT FINANCIAL STATEMENT WAS PRESENTED AND NO INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS NOTED THERE EITHER.

I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY POINT OUT, WE ALSO PROVIDE A LETTER TO GOVERNANCE AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE AUDIT, WHICH SPELLS OUT SOME OF THESE SAME TYPES OF ITEMS, AND THAT'S REQUIRED BY BOTH THE AICPA AND GOVERNMENTAL AUDITING STANDARDS.

IT IDENTIFIES SUCH THINGS AS SIGNIFICANT RISKS, SIGNIFICANT ESTIMATES AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ANY PAST ADJUSTMENTS.

AND JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THERE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ANY PAST ADJUSTMENTS AS PART OF OUR AUDIT PROCESS THERE, TOO. SO VERY CLEAN. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO POINT FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR A LITTLE BIT. WE HAVE TWO NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE ADOPTED FOR 2026.

THERE'S ALSO A NEW ONE THAT WAS JUST ACTUALLY RELEASED HERE IN THE LAST WITHIN THE LAST WEEK.

SO WE HAVE GASB STATEMENT NUMBER 103, WHICH WILL INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF REPORTING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITHIN MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS.

GASB 104 OR. SORRY, I SHOULD GO BACK TO GASB 103.

IT CHANGES THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, AND THEN IT ALSO CHANGES THE DEFINITION OF OPERATING INCOME VERSUS NON-OPERATING INCOME AND EXPENSES TOO. SO BUT IT'S EXPECTED TO HAVE VERY LITTLE IMPACT ON THE CITY.

SAME WITH GASB STATEMENT 104 FOR DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN CAPITAL ASSETS.

AND THEN ALSO GASB NUMBER 105 FOR SUBSEQUENT EVENTS WAS JUST RELEASED WITHIN THE LAST WEEK, I BELIEVE. NONE ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE CITY'S FINANCIALS, BUT JUST WANTED TO POINT THOSE OUT FOR NEXT YEAR.

AND THEN JUST ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE SOME ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, TOO, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO SPECIALISTS TOO. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT AT ALL? COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT.

NONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

[00:15:03]

SO WE'LL INVITE CAROL TEATOR. CAROL, I RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. CAROL TEATOR, RELEAF PROGRAM MANAGER IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

AND I'M JOINED HERE TODAY BY MOLLY STUCKEY, WHO'S THE LINN COUNTY PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR TREES FOREVER.

NEXT WEEK WILL MARK FOUR YEARS SINCE THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE RELIEF PLAN.

SO MOLLY AND I ARE HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE THE COUNCIL WITH A PROGRESS REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF RELEAF.

THE GOALS OUTLINED FOR THE CITY AND THE RELEAF PLAN, OF COURSE, FOCUS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, SPECIFICALLY PLANTING 42,500 TREES ON CITY STREETS AND IN PARKS AND GOLF COURSES.

THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTED $1 MILLION A YEAR TO THE PUBLIC PLANTING, AND THESE FUNDS HAVE BEEN SUPPLEMENTED BY GOVERNMENT GRANTS, SUCH AS THE $6 MILLION US FOREST SERVICE GRANT, AND $3.5 MILLION FROM THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY THROUGH DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING HAS BEEN RECEIVED THROUGH GRANTS FROM THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AND THROUGH FUNDS RAISED ON BEHALF OF THE RELIEF EFFORT BY THE CEDAR RAPIDS PARKS FOUNDATION AND TREES FOREVER.

O F COURSE, AS DEVASTATING AS THE 2020 DERECHO WAS TO PUBLIC TREES, THE MAJORITY OF THE ESTIMATED 670,000 TREES LOST TO THE DRACO WERE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. CEDAR RAPIDS WAS FORTUNATE AT THE TIME OF THE DERECHO THAT WE HAD AN ORGANIZATION ALREADY ON THE GROUND IN THE COMMUNITY, WITH MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FOCUSED ON URBAN FORESTRY TREES FOREVER STEPPED UP FROM DAY ONE AS A PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS PLAN, AND IS INTEGRAL IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

AS THE CITY'S RELIEF PARTNER TREES FOREVER LEADS VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS AND PROVIDES EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ABOUT TREE PLANTING AND CARE.

IN ADDITION TO DISTRIBUTING LOW COST QUALITY TREES TO RESIDENTS.

TREES FOREVER ALSO LEADS PRIVATE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS ON FOR THE RELEAF PARTNERSHIP.

TO UPDATE YOU ON THE PROGRESS MADE BY THE CITY ON RELEAF GOALS.

TO DATE, THE CITY HAS PLANTED ALMOST 18,400 TREES ALONG CITY STREETS AND IN PARKS AND GOLF COURSES.

WE STILL HAVE MORE THAN 24,000 TREES TO PLANT, BUT WE ARE ALREADY AT THE 43,000%.

WE ALREADY TWO. 43,000. OH, WOW. 40. 43% OF THE GOAL.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. AND OUR HEAD OF THE RELEAF YEARLY PROJECTIONS BY MORE THAN 4500 TREES, WHICH IS ALMOST A FULL YEAR AHEAD OF WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE AT THIS POINT IN THE PLAN. THIS ACCELERATION WAS LARGELY MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FEDERAL GRANTS THAT THE CITY RECEIVED.

NOW, TO UPDATE YOU ON THE PROGRESS MADE ON BEHALF OF RELEAF IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, I WILL NOW TURN THIS OVER TO MOLLY.

THANK YOU, CAROL, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.

SINCE 2022, TREES FOREVER HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTING RELEAF PROGRAMS SERVING RESIDENTS, NONPROFITS, AND INSTITUTIONS ACROSS CEDAR RAPIDS. WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE NUMBER OF TREES PLANTED, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT RESTORING OUR TREE CANOPY ISN'T JUST ABOUT PLANTING TREES, IT'S ABOUT GROWING THEM AND ENSURING THEIR LONGEVITY.

AS OUTLINED IN THE RELEAF PLAN, THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO THAT IS THROUGH EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT.

EDUCATION IS AT THE CORE OF EVERYTHING WE DO HAPPENS THROUGH ONE ON ONES WITH RESIDENTS, WITH LARGE VOLUNTEER GROUPS, HANDS ON LEARNING AND THROUGH VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE IS NO SINGLE APPROACH THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMAIN FLEXIBLE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF ALL CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENTS. AND WHILE TREES FOREVER HAS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION REMAINS A PRIORITY AMONGST OUR STAFF AS WELL.

TWO OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH RELEAF HAVE RECENTLY RECEIVED THEIR CERTIFICATION AS AN ARBORIST, AND A THIRD TEAM MEMBER WILL BE TAKING THEIR EXAM SOON.

WE CURRENTLY OFFER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH OUR RELEAF PROGRAMS AND HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH ROUGHLY 2000 VOLUNTEERS, OR HAVING 2000 VOLUNTEER ENCOUNTERS SINCE RELIEF BEGAN.

WE PARTNERED WITH ROUGHLY 45 LOCAL BUSINESSES, INCLUDING SOME OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE COMMUNITY, WITH 94% OF THEM RETURNING AFTER THEIR FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE WITH US.

WHAT'S MOST MEANINGFUL IS THAT PARTICIPANTS WALK AWAY WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF TREE CARE, A STRONGER CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY, AND A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP TO THE PLAN.

AND THAT OFTEN LEADS TO CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH FUNDING SUPPORT, VOLUNTEERING, OR PARTICIPATING IN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. WE ARE ALSO ACTIVELY SEEKING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK TO HELP GUIDE US TO THE FUTURE.

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AND ON FEBRUARY 19TH, WE WILL BE HOSTING OUR 2026 PLANTING SEASON KICKOFF AT LION BRIDGE.

AND IN THE FALL, WE'LL BE HOSTING ANOTHER PARTY IN THE PARK TO CELEBRATE THE COMMUNITY BEHIND THE WORK.

I APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP HELPING RELIEF GROW, AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT ONE OF THESE EVENTS.

I'LL HAND IT BACK TO YOU, CAROL. SO WHAT'S AHEAD IN 2026? RELEAF SPRING SEASON WILL BEGIN ON FEBRUARY 19TH.

AS MOLLY JUST MENTIONED, THE CITY WILL EXCEED OUR 50% GOAL OF THE RELEAF GOAL TO PLANT 42,500 TREES ALONG STREETS AND IN PARKS AND GOLF COURSES.

AS MOLLY SAID, TREES FOREVER WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS AND IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND THE PARTY, IN THE PARK WILL TAKE PLACE THIS FALL TO CELEBRATE THE CONCLUSION OF OUR COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING THIS YEAR.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THAT BACK OVER TO YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

YEAH, THIS IS A I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY IS DOING.

IT CERTAINLY IS A DAUNTING TASK TO SAY THE LEAST.

I KNOW AT DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE JUST LAST WEEK, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CALIPER SIZE OF TREES AND CHANGING THAT SO THAT WE HAVE A GREATER LONGEVITY OF HOPEFULLY THESE TREES LIVING YEAR OVER YEAR FROM BEING PLANTED.

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A VERY INTENTIONAL CONVERSATION FROM COUNCIL AS WELL, TALKING ABOUT WATERING AND JUST ENSURING THAT BECAUSE MY ASK WOULD BE IS OF THESE 42,500, HOW MANY ARE STILL LIVING, RIGHT? WE ALSO KNOW, ALTHOUGH THAT IS MUCH MORE RARE, THAT SOME RESIDENTS ARE JUST BUCKING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THIS AT ALL.

I KNOW THAT IT IS A BIT PROVOCATIVE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY HAD TREES IN THEIR RIGHT OF WAY TO NOW HAVE TREES IN THEIR RIGHT OF WAY, BUT WE ARE ASKING FOR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION, FOR EVERYBODY TO DO THEIR PART AND TO NOT DO SOMETHING YOU KNOW, NEFARIOUS TO THESE TREES, WHICH I HAVE ABSOLUTELY SEEN HAPPEN.

SO I JUST, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK, OF COURSE, THAT WE NEED TO DO WITH THIS, INCLUDING CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR OUR.

WE LOVE TO TALK ABOUT PRIVATE YOU KNOW, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE SEEN SOME GREAT STRIDES WHERE SOME OF OUR PRIVATE PARTNERS AND LARGE CORPORATIONS HAVE INCLUDED SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF TREES ON THEIR PROPERTY.

BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, PAVEMENT THAT WE CAN BREAK THROUGH AND ADD TREES TO.

THERE STILL IS A LOT OF OVER PARKING IN AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST MY CALL TO ACTION OF ANY CORPORATE SPONSORS WHO HAVE LARGE PARCELS TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO HELP, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE THIS COOPERATIVE TOGETHERNESS THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THIS.

SO JUST CERTAINLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.

COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK THE PROGRESS TO DATE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS, AND CAROL AND I TALKED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND, AND DISCUSS MORTALITY RATES AND THINGS OF WATERING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND WE'RE NOT OUT OF BOUNDS WITH WHAT YOU ORIGINALLY EXPECTED, EVEN THOUGH THE WEATHER SOMETIMES IS CHALLENGING.

AND I HAVE NO WORRIES ABOUT THE PUBLIC SECTOR PORTION, WE'LL GET THAT DONE.

AS WE CROSS 50%, WE'LL GET THE REST OF IT DONE.

BUT ONE THING I'VE OFTEN WONDERED IS, OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU SAID, MAJORITY OF THE TREES ARE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

DO WE HAVE ANY WAY OF ESTIMATING HOW MANY TREES HAVE BEEN PLANTED IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY? YOU KNOW, SOME HOMEOWNERS, LIKE MYSELF, HAVE PROBABLY OVERDONE IT, BUT WE'VE MAXIMIZED CAN'T TAKE ANOTHER TREE.

AND THEN THERE'S OTHER FOLKS THAT WHETHER THEY HAD TREES OR NOT IN THEIR YARD, THEY DON'T PLANT ANYTHING.

AND, SO DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW ON TRACK WE ARE WITH EVENTUALLY GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE THE STORM OCCURRED. AND IF NOT PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING TO TRY TO.

I KNOW YOU'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NEW WAYS TO PUSH THAT, BUT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER THAN 20 YEARS TO REALLY GET BACK THAT 670,000.

BUT I CAN LET MOLLY TALK ABOUT HOW THEY'RE TRACKING THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

I WILL SAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAS PROGRAMS THAT YOU CAN USE LIDAR AND, YOU KNOW, BASIC I DON'T KNOW WHAT LIDAR IS, HONESTLY, BUT IT'S A FLYOVER.

THEY FLY OVER THE COMMUNITY AND CAN ESTIMATE THE CANOPY.

AND I THINK THEY COULD DO THAT AS YOUNG AS TWO.

THE TREES ARE ONLY TWO YEARS IN THE GROUND TOO, SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET SOME GOOD DATA HERE IN THE COMING YEARS ON NOT JUST THE

[00:25:06]

SURE. YEAH. SO THERESA DOES A REALLY NICE JOB AT TRACKING ALL THE TREES THROUGH OUR DISTRIBUTIONS AND OUR PLANTINGS.

SO WE DO HAVE ALL THAT MAPPED. BUT AS CAROL SAID, YOU KNOW, WITH 85% OF THE LOSS BEING ON PRIVATE SIDE, IT WILL BE CLOSER TO THE 20 PLUS YEAR MARK TO GET CLOSE TO WHAT WE LOST.

WE ARE FORTUNATE AS A COMMUNITY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DERECHO, STEPPED UP AND WERE HAVING TREE DISTRIBUTIONS. I CAN THINK OF MULTIPLE BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT DID THAT RIGHT AWAY.

WE DON'T HAVE THEIR NUMBERS TO TRACK. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY HANDED OUT? JUST WHAT WE HAVE DONE AT THIS POINT. BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REALLY AMAZING COMMUNITY SUPPORT.

AND IT CONTINUES EVEN THIS, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS AFTER.

COUNCIL MEMBER POE. THANK YOU, CAROL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

SO WE KNOW THOSE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN YOU, AFTER YOU PLANT A TREE ARE CRITICAL AND THAT THEY HAVE TO BE WATERED.

AND WHAT CAN YOU JUST SHARE WITH US WHAT THE EXISTING WATERING PLAN IS WITH THE TREES THAT YOU WILL BE PLANNING OR HAVE PLANTED.

THANK YOU. SURE. THE TREES THAT ARE PLANTED IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND IN PARKS DO COME WITH A TWO YEAR WATERING REQUIREMENT THAT THE CONTRACTOR DOES. I WILL SAY THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY HELPED OUT QUITE A BIT IN THIS LAST YEAR BY MOTHER NATURE.

THE GOAL IS TO WATER ABOUT 10 TO 20 GALLONS A WEEK, UNLESS WE GET AN INCH OF RAIN.

THERE ARE A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO I KNOW ARE UNDER THE MISTAKEN BELIEF THAT YOU NEED TO WATER EVERY DAY, OR YOU NEED TO WATER, YOU KNOW, THAT AMOUNT EVERY WEEK EVEN IF WE GET RAIN.

YOU CAN KILL TREES BY OVERWATERING JUST LIKE YOU CAN UNDER WATERING.

SO I WILL LET THE COUNCIL KNOW THAT WE MONITOR EVERY SINGLE TREE THAT WE PLANT.

WE MAP THOSE TREES AND WE MONITOR THEM. WE HAVE IN THE FALL, WE HAD THE CONTRACTORS REPLACE ALMOST 650 TREES THAT WERE EITHER NOT OF A QUALITY THAT WE ACCEPTED OR HAD DIED.

WE ARE ALSO MONITORING THERE'S 567 TREES THAT IF THEY DO NOT COME BACK IN THIS NEXT GROWING SEASON WILL BE REPLACED.

AND WE ALREADY HAVE 277 ON THE LIST FOR REPLACEMENT IN THE SPRING.

SO ALTHOUGH THERE IS MORTALITY IN THE TREES, WE ALSO HAVE A TWO YEAR WARRANTY.

AND SO THOSE TREES ARE REPLACED DURING THAT CRITICAL ESTABLISHMENT TIME IF THEY DON'T MAKE IT.

THOSE NUMBERS ALL COME OUT TO ABOUT 8% OF THE TREES THAT WERE PLANTED HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH IS COMPLETELY WITHIN. IT'S GENERALLY 5 TO 15% THAT IS EXPECTED OF TREES THAT ARE PLANTED DO NOT MAKE IT.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE THE TWO-YEAR WARRANTY, SO THAT IS NOT AN EXPENSE TO THE CITY TO REPLACE THOSE TREES.

YEAH. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. I THINK THAT'S VALUABLE INFORMATION.

APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE COLLABORATION LIKE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MONARCH IN TERMS OF THE PRIVATE, DO YOU ALL WORK WITH THEM OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO JUST TO ACCELERATE? SURE. THE REPLANTING. YES. SO MONARCH RESEARCH DOES, OF COURSE, THE TREE DISTRIBUTION, THEY WORK WITH THE CITY TO PROVIDE TREES TO OUR EMPLOYEES. BEYOND THAT, WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH INVOLVEMENT WITH THEM.

AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT TREES FOREVER. YEAH. NO.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE KNOW WE JUST CAN'T GET IT DONE FAST ENOUGH.

SO ALL HANDS ON DECK. CAROL. THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH, MOLLY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY.

[1. A public hearing will be held to consider amending the Cedar Rapids Central Reinvestment District Plan (Bill Micheel). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #CM001-21 ]

REMIND YOU TO STAY AT THE LECTERN IF YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS THAT YOU NEED TO GET TO US, PLEASE GIVE THEM TO THE OFFICER.

HE'LL GET THEM TO US. THERE ARE TWO LIGHTS ON THE CONSOLE.

WHEN IT TURNS YELLOW, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. WHEN IT TURNS RED. WE'LL ASK YOU TO TAKE YOUR SEAT.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL COMMENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THAT WE ASK NO ABUSIVE, OBSCENE, LOUD, THREATENING OR IRRELEVANT COMMENTS BE ALLOWED.

AND FINALLY, WE NEED TO HOLD AN ORDERLY MEETING. SO WE ASK FOR NO APPLAUSE, BOOING, OR OTHER DISTRACTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.

SO 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, THERE ARE NO WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS FILED. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 1, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE CEDAR RAPIDS CENTRAL REINVESTMENT DISTRICT PLAN.

BILL. MICHAEL IS HERE. BILL, I RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. BILL MICHAEL, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

A BIT OF BACKGROUND THE IOWA REINVESTMENT ACT PROVIDED STATE AID FOR TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS SUPPORTING QUALITY OF LIFE AND ENHANCING ASSETS OF PLACE

[00:30:10]

THE PROGRAM PROVIDES REIMBURSEMENT OF THE INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN HOTEL, MOTEL TAX AND STATE SALES TAXES WITHIN A DEFINED GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND IN THIS CASE, THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON 1ST AND 1ST WEST, AND SO THE INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN BOTH HOTEL MOTEL AND STATE SALES TAXES IS GENERATED BY THE HOTEL AND THE SHOPS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE 1ST AND 1ST WEST DEVELOPMENT.

SO THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS FINAL APPLICATION WAS APPROVED BY THE JULY 22ND OF 2022 FOR $9 MILLION.

AND IN 2025 IN TOTAL, THE REINVESTMENT DISTRICT GENERATED APPROXIMATELY $269,000.

IN THAT INITIAL APPROVAL, THERE WERE THREE PROJECTS THE PARKING RAMP AT 1ST AND 1ST WEST.

$6 MILLION. THE 5-1 DAM BYPASS AS PART OF THE WHITEWATER PROJECT.

$1.5 MILLION. AND THEN THE 8TH AVENUE PUMP STATION, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AT 1.5.

AND SO THEN WE RECEIVED THE CITY RECEIVED AN AWARD OF FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH THE PROTECT PROGRAM FOR THE 8TH AVENUE BRIDGE.

$56.4 MILLION AND THAT SUBSEQUENTLY, OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GOING TO RECEIVE THAT OBVIOUSLY FANTASTIC AWARD TO GET THAT PROJECT DONE AS PART OF THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM, BUT IT DID CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH WE NEED THE 8TH AVENUE PUMP STATION AND MIXED-USE AREA FOR CONSTRUCTION, STAGING.

AND WE ALSO NEED TO INSTALL A COFFER DAM TO GET THAT PROJECT DONE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY CAUSES SOME CONFLICTS WITH THE 5-1 DAM PROJECT.

AND SO WE STARTED DOING SOME INTERNAL PLANNING AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND REALIZED THAT WAS GOING TO PUSH THOSE TWO PROJECTS OUT PAST THE 2031 PERFORMANCE PERIOD. AS A RESULT, WE HAD TO REACH OUT TO THE IEDA.

THEY SUGGESTED THE BEST PATH FORWARD WAS TO GO AHEAD AND DO AN AMENDMENT, RETAIN THE $6 MILLION FOR THE 1ST AND 1ST WEST PARKING RAMP.

BUT WE DID RECEIVE SOME ENCOURAGING FEEDBACK FROM THEM TO PLEASE APPLY IN THE FUTURE FOR SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE. FOR THOSE OTHER TWO PROJECTS INDICATING THEY WOULD BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THOSE.

AND SO THE REASON THIS REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING IS BECAUSE THE REINVESTMENT DISTRICT PLAN WAS SET UP VIA AN ORDINANCE AND THAT INCLUDED THE FINANCIALS, WHICH WE ARE AMENDING, HENCE THE NEED TO DO THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AND WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT BACK.

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

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

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

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

ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER APPROVING THE ACQUISITION OF EASEMENTS BY ITC MIDWEST BY EMINENT DOMAIN CONDEMNATION,

[2. A public hearing will be held to consider approving the acquisition of easements by ITC Midwest by eminent domain (condemnation), approving the route of ITC’s transmission line project, and finding that there is a reasonable expectation that ITC will be able to achieve its public purpose (Bill Micheel). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #CM013-2025 ]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO A BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS PROJECT.

THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY TWO PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE AND EXPANSION PROJECTS THAT ARE PROPOSED ON ONE SET OF, OF POLES. AND SO BACK IN JULY OF 2022, MISO, WHICH IS THE MIDCONTINENT INDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATOR, APPROVED THE FIRST OF THESE PROJECTS, STARTING AT THE BEVERLY SUBSTATION IN SOUTHWEST LINN COUNTY.

AND THAT RUNS TO THE SUBSTATION 92, IN NORTHWEST MUSCATINE COUNTY.

AND THAT PROJECT IS ACTUALLY PART OF A BROADER IT'S A SEGMENT OF A BROADER COLLABORATIVE PROJECT TO BUILD NEEDED HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST FOCUSED ON IMPROVING SYSTEM RELIABILITY, RESILIENCE TO EXTREME WEATHER, ACCESS TO GENERATION RESOURCES, AND DISTRIBUTION OF RENEWABLES.

THE SECOND PROJECT APPROVED BY MISO IN 2025 WAS TO ADD A SECOND SET OF 345 KV LINES TO THOSE SAME POLES. AND THE PROJECT WAS PROPOSED TO INCREASE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM CAPACITY TO HELP MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE DEMAND FOR

[00:35:09]

SO ITC HAS BEEN USING PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY WHERE POSSIBLE AND NEGOTIATING EASEMENTS WHERE NECESSARY.

THERE ARE 5.3 MILES OF THIS PROJECT LOCATED WITHIN THE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY LIMITS.

AND TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON LANDOWNERS ALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTE, THOSE LINES, AS I MENTIONED, ARE BUILT IN A DOUBLE CIRCUIT CONFIGURATION, ESSENTIALLY MEANING THEY'RE BUILT ON THE SAME POLES.

SO JUMPING INTO THE ACQUISITION PROCESS ITC MIDWEST HAS HAD SINCE 2010 A LONG TERM FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS TO BUILD TRANSMISSION LINES AS NEEDED TO SUPPORT PUBLIC USE AND RELIABLE ELECTRICAL SERVICE.

THE CURRENT PREFERRED ROUTE INCLUDES 13 LANDOWNERS WITHIN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS CITY LIMITS.

THERE ARE NO EASEMENTS NECESSARY ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

30 PLANNED POLES OR STRUCTURES COVERING. AS I MENTIONED, 5.3 LINEAR MILES.

ITC MIDWEST BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS WITH LANDOWNERS TO SEEK VOLUNTARY EASEMENTS ON THE PARCELS NEEDED FOR THE PROPOSED ROUTE IN NOVEMBER OF 2024.

AND SOMETHING ELSE I'LL MENTION THEY HAVE OFFERED AND ARE PAYING FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THESE EASEMENTS.

HOWEVER, THE LANDOWNERS RETAIN THE DEED. SO ESSENTIALLY PAYING FOR AS IF THEY'RE BUYING THE PROPERTY AS OPPOSED TO JUST PURCHASING A LEASE OR, EXCUSE ME, A AN EASEMENT. SO OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, THE IOWA UTILITY COMMISSION IS THE GOVERNING BODY.

BUT OF COURSE, WITHIN CITY LIMITS, IT DEFERS BACK TO OUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.

AND FOR THOSE LANDOWNERS WHO HAVE NOT AGREED TO A VOLUNTARY EASEMENT ITC MIDWEST FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY PROVIDES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO GRANT ITC MIDWEST EMINENT DOMAIN AUTHORITY TO OBTAIN NECESSARY EASEMENTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECTS THAT ARE SERVING A PUBLIC USE.

AND QUICKLY ON THE MAP OUTSET, ON THE RIGHT OF THE SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE OVERALL EXTENT OF THE PROJECT.

AS I MENTIONED, RUNNING FROM THE BEVERLY SUBSTATION, SOUTHWEST LINN COUNTY DOWN TO MUSCATINE.

AND THEN THAT SECOND PROJECT RUNNING FROM BEVERLY'S AND BEVERLY DOWN TO HILLS LOCATED ON THE MAP, AND THEN AGAIN A BIT DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE 5.3 MILES ON THE YELLOW LINE HERE RUNNING THROUGH THE CITY.

A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THE ACQUISITION PROCESS AS OF YESTERDAY.

WITHIN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS ITC HAD ACQUIRED TEN OF 13 VOLUNTARY EASEMENTS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT NEW LEADER MANUFACTURING AWAITING FINAL REVIEW.

WE EXPECT THAT THEY WILL ALSO SIGN A VOLUNTARY EASEMENT.

SO THAT CREATES A SITUATION IN WHICH YOU HAVE TWO REMAINING LANDOWNERS.

MARTIN EQUIPMENT OF ILLINOIS. THEIR EASEMENT WOULD BE ALONG 6TH STREET FOR 680 LINEAR FEET, ONE POLE WITHIN THAT EASEMENT. AND THEN THE SECOND TORINO ALSO ONE EASEMENT, ABOUT A 1100 FOOT EASEMENT. AND SO THE SITUATION THERE IS THEY HAVE GRANTED SOME OPTIONS ON THE PROPERTY TO A DEVELOPER AND ALONG WITH THOSE OPTIONS YOU KNOW, THEY NEED THE APPROVAL OF THE DEVELOPER HOLDING THOSE OPTIONS TO SIGN, WHICH THEY HAVE NOT, NOT AGREED TO. AND SO AGAIN, IT'S IN FRONT OF COUNCIL AND ITC MIDWEST WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE VOLUNTARY EASEMENTS UNTIL THE COMPENSATION HEARING. THE FINAL THING I'LL MENTION IS THAT REPRESENTATIVES FROM ITC MIDWEST ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK.

THANKS, BILL. THIS IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER. DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? OKAY, JUST PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE. AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GIVING US YOUR NAME AND THE STATE AND THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU LIVE FOR THE RECORD.

OF COURSE. MAYOR O'DONNELL, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

I AM CHERI MONAHAN, THE DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER AND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS AT ITC MIDWEST.

[00:40:03]

I WANT TO START BY THANKING YOU, MAYOR O'DONNELL AND CITY MANAGER JEFF POMERANZ, FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION.

YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING RESPONSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN ENABLING THE GROWTH FOR THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

TO BILL, MICHAEL AND SETH GUNNERSON AND SO MANY OF THE CITY DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH ON THIS PROJECT, WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S PROACTIVE ENGAGEMENT, THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP, AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH US AS WE STRENGTHEN THE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SERVES THIS COMMUNITY. WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND PRODUCTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP THAT WE SHARE.

EMINENT DOMAIN IS NEVER A STEP WE TAKE LIGHTLY.

IT'S A TOOL OF LAST RESORT, USED SPARINGLY AND ONLY AFTER EXHAUSTING EVERY GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATION OPTION WITH LANDOWNERS.

WE UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF OUR REQUEST. ITC MIDWEST HAS A HISTORY OF OBTAINING VOLUNTARY EASEMENTS OF 99%.

WE USE THE PROCESS SPARINGLY, BUT WE ARE AT THE POINT WITH TWO OF THE 13 LANDOWNERS, EACH WILL HAVE ONE STRUCTURE AS BILL OUTLINED AND LESS THAN 2000FT OF EASEMENT. WE MUST MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCEEDINGS, STARTING WITH THIS HEARING TODAY.

EVEN WHEN EMINENT DOMAIN AUTHORITY IS REQUIRED, AS BILL MENTIONED, PROPERTY OWNERS RETAIN OWNERSHIP AND ARE COMPENSATED AT FAIR MARKET VALUE THROUGH AN INDEPENDENT, WELL ESTABLISHED PROCESS.

BILL OUTLINED THAT YOU ARE THE AUTHORITY THAT ALLOWS EMINENT DOMAIN WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS THE IOWA UTILITY COMMISSION IS THAT GOVERNING AUTHORITY.

TODAY YOU'RE APPROVING THE FINAL ROUTE. COUNCIL MEMBER ACTION ENDS AT THAT POINT ENDS AT THE POINT OF PASSING THE RESOLUTION.

THE PROCESS IS THEN TURNED OVER TO THE CHIEF JUDGE OF THE LINN COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.

THE CHIEF JUDGE WILL APPOINT COMPENSATION COMMISSIONERS, AND THE LINN COUNTY SHERIFF SCHEDULES THE COMPENSATION COMMISSION HEARINGS.

THE COMPENSATION COMMISSION HEARING WILL ONLY DETERMINE THE MARKET COMPENSATION BECAUSE YOU HAVE DETERMINED THE ROUTE COLLABORATIVELY WITH US.

THIS COMPENSATION COMMISSION PROCESS GENERALLY TAKES ABOUT 3 TO 6 MONTHS.

ITC MIDWEST WILL CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS UP TO THE COMPENSATION COMMISSION HEARING, IN EVERY EFFORT TO SECURE VOLUNTARY EASEMENTS FOR THE REMAINING PARCELS.

ITC MIDWEST HAS AN OBLIGATION TO SERVE THE REQUESTED AND APPROVED PROJECTS THAT ARE FOR PUBLIC USE.

WHILE THIS INCLUDES THE TRANSFORMATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE'VE, AT BIG CEDAR, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE'RE ADVANCING BENEFITS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BY ENSURING A DEPENDABLE, RESILIENT AND RESILIENT GRID PREPARED FOR LONG TERM GROWTH.

IT IS FOR PUBLIC USE FOR THE GREATER GRID. WE DO, ALONG WITH MYSELF, I HAVE SEVERAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS HERE TODAY WITH ME TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE REGARDING THE PROJECT OR THE PROCESS.

WE RECOGNIZE THE COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTERESTS, AND WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP AND THOUGHTFUL ENGAGEMENT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO THIS PROCESS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROCESS IS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.

COUNCIL, MEMBERS, LANDOWNERS AND THE COMMUNITY.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONDUCTING IT WITH TRANSPARENCY, FAIRNESS AND RESPECT.

AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

FOR THE RECORD, THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. THANKS, MAYOR. I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT BILL AND THE TEAMS HAVE GONE INTO THIS AND APPRECIATE THE 77% VOLUNTARY MARK THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED TO DATE.

SOME OF THAT INCREASE IS BECAUSE OF SOME INTENTIONAL WORK ON THE CITY TO ENCOURAGE MORE TIME TO BE HAD FROM WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED AS A HEARING. BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT THIS CONVERSATION HAS ACTUALLY STARTED BACK IN JUNE.

AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD JUST GOTTEN DONE TALKING OR CELEBRATING THE KICKOFF FOR GOOGLE, WHICH IS SUCH A BIG WIN FOR CEDAR RAPIDS. AND ALL THIS DEVELOPMENT IS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THIS SURGE HAPPENING IN THE BIG CEDAR AREA.

BUT I REMEMBER TALKING WITH SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM ITC THERE ABOUT HOW MUCH I VERY MUCH WANT TO BURY THE LINES FROM THE EXTREMELY LARGE POLES THAT ARE VERY VISIBLE ON THE

[00:45:10]

AND SO IT'S INTERESTING THAT THIS WASN'T BROUGHT UP THEN, BUT LATER WE HAD A COUNCIL MEETING IN SMALL GROUPS WHERE THIS WAS REALLY PRESENTED TO ME AT LEAST. MY EMOTIONAL FEELINGS ABOUT IT, SOMEWHAT AUDACIOUSLY THAT THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING COUNCIL HAD TO DO AND IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL. AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO THIS AND I FRANKLY DISAGREE.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF REALLY INCREDIBLE CONVERSATIONS THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE HAD TO FACE AN EMINENT DOMAIN IS JUST ONE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU USE INCREDIBLY SPARINGLY, AND I UNDERSTAND THE UTILITY OF WHY THIS NEEDS TO BE ACHIEVED.

I DO THIS IS IN MY DISTRICT, I UNDERSTAND THIS, I APPRECIATE THAT THIS ISN'T ABOUT ANY RESIDENTIAL OWNERS.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, MOST OF THAT AREA IS MANUFACTURING, AND I DO NOT WANT TO ENCOURAGE SPECULATORS AS WELL, TO WASTE ANY OF OUR TIME TO FORCE OUR HAND IN ACHIEVING EMINENT DOMAIN AS THE ONLY MEANS TO SOLVE THIS.

YOU KNOW, THIS OBJECTIVE THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED.

BUT IT DOES CONCERN ME THAT SPECIFICALLY NEW LEADER MANUFACTURING HAS NOT YET BEEN SIGNED OFF ON.

AND SO I WILL BE A NO VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMEMBER TODD. THANK YOU. BILL, JUST A QUESTION.

THE LAND THAT IS BEING THAT IS HELD OUT CENTURY FARMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? NO. EXCUSE ME, NO, THERE ARE NOT. YOU SAID. OR.

YOU SAID NO RESIDENTIAL? CORRECT. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR COMMENTS THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME ADDITIONAL TIME PUT INTO THIS, AND I THINK THAT THAT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR ALL PARTIES.

AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD SUGGEST I THINK ITC HAS DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN TERMS OF MAKING A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO SECURE THIS PROPERTY.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO A MEETING I HAD AND PROBABLY 2009.

THIS WAS WITH SECRETARY VILSACK, WHO WAS THE USDA CHAIR AT THE TIME ADMINISTRATOR.

AND IT WAS A SMALL BUSINESS GROUP OF BUSINESSES HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS, LARGE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES INCLUDING ALLIANT ENERGY.

AND IN THAT MEETING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IF ANYBODY HERE WAS THERE, IT WAS AT LEGION ARTS.

THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING WAS THE THE THE DANGER AND THE FRAGILITY IN TERMS OF THE GRID. THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVED IN, IN HAVING A GRID THAT WAS OLD THAT WAS FALLING APART AT TOM OWLER ONCE AGAIN POUNDING ON THE TABLE. AND I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER THAT AND HOW EVERYBODY AT THAT POINT IN TIME CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GRID IS NOT JUST IMPORTANT FOR CEDAR RAPIDS, BUT FOR ALL OF EASTERN IOWA. AND WE LEARNED THAT WAY TOO SOON IN AUGUST 10TH, 2021, THE DERECHO HEAD.

AND IF WE ALL REMEMBER THAT THERE WERE EIGHT DAYS WHEN THE COMMUNITY WAS OFF THE GRID, COMPLETELY OFF OF THE GRID, THERE WAS NO POWER. AND I REMEMBER THE CREWS FROM ITC THAT CAME IN PROBABLY ABOUT 800 PEOPLE.

THEY WORKED 17 HOUR DAYS TO GET US BACK ON THAT GRID.

AND I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS ISN'T A UTILITY THAT'S COMING IN FROM OUT OF STATE OR OUT OF THE OUT OF TOWN. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN THEIR CHARACTER AND HOW THEY AGAIN, NONE OF US TAKE EMINENT DOMAIN. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HAD TO DO IT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE TERMS. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SIMPLY DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY.

BUT THERE COMES A POINT IN TIME WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

AND IN THIS CASE, I'LL BE VOTING AFFIRMATIVE FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD.

COUNCIL MEMBER POE. YEAH. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I, I, I DON'T THINK I CAN REMEMBER EITHER COUNCIL MEMBER TODD EVER HAVING TO HAVE AN

[00:50:01]

SO THIS IS UNIQUE. AND I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU DO USE IT SPARINGLY.

THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE UP FRONT.

AND WHILE I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY THAT I'D LOVE TO SEE EVERY UTILITY LINE BURIED AND WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE ENCOURAGE THAT WHEN WE CAN. BUT THESE LINES ARE AWFULLY BIG.

AND THEY WOULD REQUIRE I'M SURE, A GREAT DEAL OF EXPENSE AND TO BURY SOMETHING THAT BIG.

AND SO THAT I'M ASSUMING, BILL, THAT MONEY THAT IT WOULD COST TO BURY THESE BIG LINES WOULD THEN BE PASSED ON TO THE END USER. AM I CORRECT? YOU KNOW, I CAN'T COMMENT ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT ITC WOULD DO IN TERMS OF END USER, BUT IN OUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT THE CITY WOULD ALSO, WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THAT UNDERGROUND.

YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT BECAUSE THAT IS ANOTHER THAT IS ANOTHER CONSIDERATION.

SO I WILL BE VOTING FOR THIS IN FAVOR TO MAYOR.

AND AS IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT, THIS IS THIS HAS BEEN WORKED ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND IT'S FAR BEYOND JUST THE THE DATA CENTERS.

I THINK IT WAS UNDER COUNCIL OR MAYOR CORBETT.

WE STARTED WORKING ON SOME OF THIS. AND SO IT'S BEEN IN PROCESS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND NOW WE'VE REACHED THAT TIPPING POINT THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO I WILL BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS MAYOR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

NOT TO GRAB ON TO WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID, BUT MY OBSERVATIONS ARE IF WE GO BACK 15 YEARS AND WE LOOK AT ALL THE DEVELOPMENT AS OCCURRED SINCE THAT TIME, AS WELL AS WHAT IS POWERING A LOT OF THAT DEVELOPMENT? AND IT'S ELECTRICITY. AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WE'RE SEEING TREMENDOUS 5%, 6% ANNUAL GROWTH IN ELECTRIC USAGE.

AND FOR A LONG TIME, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF REINVESTMENT IN THE UTILITY SECTOR, SIMPLY BECAUSE FUTURE GROWTH DIDN'T LOOK TO BE JUSTIFYING THE EXPENSE. BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN AROUND HERE, ESPECIALLY, IS AND AS CONGRESS OR AS NOT CONGRESSMAN, BUT AS COUNCILMAN TODD MENTIONED SINCE THE DERECHO, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REINVESTMENT, NOT ONLY IN THE LONG LINES THAT FEED CEDAR RAPIDS, BUT ALSO ON A LOCAL LEVEL. AND I CONSIDER IT TO BE KIND OF A FORM OF SECURITY, TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR GRID AND CONNECTIONS AND THE BIG LINES.

AND AS WE'VE MENTIONED TODAY, ITC HAS WORKED WITH LANDOWNERS FOR THE LAST 14, 13, 14 MONTHS.

AND WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE, THOSE REMAINING LANDOWNERS NEED TO BE SETTLED AND WE NEED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS.

SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE MEASURE.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER HAGER. I THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR ITC'S REPUTATION OF SETTLING 99% OF THESE GOES A LONG WAYS. I MEAN, YOU GUYS GO TO THE ULTIMATE END SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS.

THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU STRIVE TO DO, IS TO GO SEE A CIRCUIT JUDGE, TO SEE IF YOU COULD TAKE SOMEBODY'S LAND.

THE OTHER THING THAT, THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT I THINK EMINENT DOMAIN HAS, HAS A REPUTATION OF IS ITS TAKING OF LAND.

AND THIS IS AN EASEMENT. WE ARE NOT TAKING THEIR LAND.

WE'RE GOING THROUGH THEIR LAND. WE HAVE EASEMENTS ALL OVER THIS COMMUNITY. THE PROPERTY OWNERS STILL OWN THEIR LAND.

THEY CAN STILL FARM THEIR LAND. THEY CAN STILL DO THINGS IN THEIR LAND THAT THEY WANT TO.

WE'RE JUST PUTTING AN EASEMENT THROUGH THEIR LAND FOR THESE POWER POLES.

SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS AS WELL. ALL RIGHT COUNCIL, THANKS SO MUCH.

AND I TOO WANT TO ECHO MY SUPPORT FOR THIS. AFTER MUCH I'LL BE HONEST, HEARTBURN.

BECAUSE I THINK YOU KNOW, I HAD A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAN COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

IT REALLY NEVER WAS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION OR REALLY A DEMAND FROM ITC THAT THIS WAS AN INEVITABLE OUTCOME.

I FELT THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY COLLABORATIVE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE WILLINGNESS OF ITC AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT, TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY TO FIND TO PARTNER WITH THESE, YOU KNOW, THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THIS IS DIRECTLY AFFECTING.

FRANKLY, IT REALLY SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT YOUR INTENT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU TAKE LIGHTLY.

SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE FLEXIBILITY IN WHERE POLLS ARE PLACED SO THAT, YOU KNOW, MAXIMIZING THE USE, WHATEVER THOSE PROPERTIES WERE DESIGNED OR BY THE DEVELOPER TO BEFORE.

I JUST APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND YEAH, UNDERSTANDING WHAT A BIG DEAL THIS IS FOR US.

[00:55:03]

SO TODAY IS WHERE WE WHERE WE GET OFFICIAL WITH THINGS.

SO IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

SO MOVED. COUNCIL MEMBER TODD, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER POE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NO. AND THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 3. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE DISPOSITION OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY AT 413 5TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST AS PART OF THE SPARC PROGRAM.

[3. A public hearing will be held to consider the disposition of City-owned property at 413 5th Avenue SW as part of the SPARC program (Jeff Wozencraft). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #PRD-000579 2025 ]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. JEFF WOZENCRAFT, WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AS MENTIONED, THIS IS A PROPERTY DISPOSITION THROUGH THE SPARC PROGRAM. JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND HERE ON THE SPARC PROGRAM AND SAVING PROPERTY AND REVITALIZING COMMUNITIES WAS ADOPTED IN 2023.

AND IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S COLLABORATIVE AMONGST SEVERAL CITY DEPARTMENTS LISTED HERE AND THE LINN COUNTY AS WELL TO REDEVELOP VACANT AND ABANDONED PARCELS AND PUT THEM BACK INTO PRODUCTIVE USE. THE PARCEL IN QUESTION TODAY IS LOCATED HERE ON THE MAP.

INTERSTATE 380 IS RUNNING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE IMAGE.

CEDAR RIVER ACADEMY IS OFF TO THE LEFT, AND THIS IS 6TH STREET SOUTHWEST.

SO SOME MORE BACKGROUND ON THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN VACANT SINCE THE FLOOD OF 2008.

SINCE 2015, IT HAD 41 CODE CASES ON IT. IT WAS ACQUIRED USING A VACANT AND ABANDONED CHAPTER OF STATE CODE, AND WAS DEMOLISHED AFTER ACQUISITION IN2025 DUE TO SAFETY HAZARDS.

FOR THE DISPOSITION THIS WAS INCLUDED IN AN RFP ON NOVEMBER 21ST FOR NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS.

ONE PROPOSAL WAS RECEIVED FROM CEDAR VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SINGLE UNIT HOME.

AND WITH ALL OF THESE DISPOSITIONS, THERE WOULD BE A PURCHASE AGREEMENT THAT THE PROJECT SHOULD COMMENCE WITHIN SIX MONTHS AFTER CLOSING.

SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF CURRENT SPARC PROPERTY THAT CEDAR VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HAS DONE ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE.

AND WITH THAT, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND ACCEPTING THE PROPOSAL AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND THE CONVEYANCE OF DEED. I'LL PASS IT BACK TO THE MAYOR. THANKS, JEFF. THIS IS TIME AND PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER. DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT, LET THE RECORD SHOW. PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS FOR THE RECORD. COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. YEAH. THANKS, MAYOR. JEFF, THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE JUST A TERRIFIC ONE.

FROM START TO FINISH. WE TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT ON DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO SEE THESE PROPERTIES GO VACANT AND BE ABANDONED AND THEN TIE UP TIME. OF COURSE, UNDERSTANDABLY, THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS TAKE PROPERTY FROM SOMEBODY.

BUT THESE OFTENTIMES SOMEBODY PASSED AND THERE'S NOBODY TO LEAVE IT TO OR THERE'S BEEN A FIRE AND SOMEBODY JUST DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY WHETHER THEY WERE FULLY INSURED OR NOT.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE INTENTIONALITY BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS AND ALLOWING US TO PUT NEIGHBORS BACK INTO THESE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SAT VACANT FOR SUCH AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME. REALLY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU.

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

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

ITEM NUMBER 4 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS PARK AND

[4. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the Tree of Five Seasons Park and 1st Street NE Two Way Conversion project (estimated cost is $2,790,000) (Rob Davis). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #3315557-01 ]

THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $2,790,000. ROB DAVIS, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, ROB DAVIS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS PROJECT HAS A GOOD TITLE, ONE OF OUR SHORTER ONES.

IT'S REALLY IN THIS AREA AND JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL AND NORTH OF CITY HALL, BOUNDED BY INTERSTATE 380, 1ST AVENUE, NORTH AND SOUTH, AND THEN THE CEDAR RIVER AND THE CEDAR RIVER TOWER THIS AREA BOUNDED IN YELLOW.

THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM IS PRETTY WELL TAKEN OUT THE ENTIRE, TREE OF FIVE SEASONS PARK SO FAR.

AND NOW THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF FOUR PROJECTS IN THE AREA.

IT'S GOING TO PUT THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS BACK, BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE TRANSFORMATIONAL AND THAT IT WILL CONVERT FIRST STREET NORTHEAST TO TWO WAY. RIGHT NOW THAT'S ONLY ONE WAY COMING.

SOUTHBOUND FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM TOOK SOME OF THE CAPACITY AWAY ON FIRST STREET NORTHWEST WHEN THAT WAS CONVERTED FROM FIVE LANES TO THREE LANES.

SO THIS WILL RESTORE SOME OF THAT NORTHBOUND CAPACITY.

THE OPINION OF PROBABLE COST AT $2,790,000. AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM HAS 1,980,000 OF

[01:00:03]

AND THEN THERE'S SOME MISCELLANEOUS FUNDS FOR STREET LIGHTING UPGRADES.

THE BID OPENING IS ON FEBRUARY 4TH, AND CONSTRUCTION IS ANTICIPATED TO START IN SPRING, WITH COMPLETION IN OCTOBER.

LET ME SHOW YOU SOME OF THE RENDERINGS HERE. THIS IS WHAT THE TWO WAY CONVERSION LOOK LIKE.

THERE'LL BE ONE LANE NORTHBOUND AND THEN ONE LANE SOUTHBOUND, TURNING INTO A LEFT AND RIGHT TURN LANE TO FIRST AVENUE.

I SAID THERE'S SEVERAL PROJECTS HERE, THIS AREA BY THE CEDAR RIVER TOWER, THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THEIR PROJECTS THAT SUPPORTS THE NEW BANK COMING TO THEIR BUILDING. THE OTHER PROJECTS ARE THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS WILL CLEAR THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS PARK.

THE END OF MARCH IS OUR CURRENT SCHEDULE. AND THEN THE FOURTH PROJECT THE CITY WILL HAVE A PROJECT TO PAINT A MURAL ON THE PUMP STATION THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST STREET CONVERSION. THIS IS RENDERING OF WHAT THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS PARK WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN IT'S DONE.

IT'LL HAVE, THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS, AS YOU KNOW, WAS MOVED AND WAS ALSO RAISED UP.

SO THERE'LL BE A CODE COMPLIANCE SIDEWALK THAT COMES UP FROM FIRST AVENUE.

KIND OF RAMPS UP AROUND IT AND THEN ABOVE THE HEIGHT OF THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS AND COMES OUT OVER TO AN OVERLOOK OVER THE CEDAR RIVER.

THIS IS ANOTHER KIND OF LOOK OF THAT SHOWING THE OVERLOOK OUT OVER THE TOP OF THE FLOOD WALL.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUR BEST SO YOU DON'T REALLY FEEL AND SEE THE FLOOD WALL THERE.

YOU SEE THE PARK. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING INTERSTATE 380, THEY CAN GET THERE ANOTHER WAY TO NORTHBOUND AS WELL.

AND THIS WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT SOME LIGHTING TO IMPROVE THE LIGHTING OF THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS SCULPTURE AS WELL.

AND WITH THAT, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. THANK YOU.

THANKS, ROB. THIS TIME TO PLACE FOR PUBLIC HEARING. DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD SHOW PUBLIC HEARINGS HAVE BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS.

COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER POE. THAT'S COOL. I REALLY LIKE THAT.

ROB WAY TO GO. I'VE NEVER I'VE NOT SEEN THAT OVERLOOKED BEFORE.

AND CONVERSION. THE CONVERSION OF THE STREET IS NECESSARY TO.

SO GOOD JOB. THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

THANK YOU. ROB, YOU MAKE THIS LOOK SO EASY. I LOVE USING THESE EXAMS. CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE PHOTO? BECAUSE I THINK WE JUST LIKED THAT A LOT.

ONE MORE. THERE YOU GO. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE, I LOVE THAT WE HAVE A FISHING COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH I DON'T EAT FISH, SO.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I EAT FISH OUT OF THE CEDAR RIVER, BUT NONETHELESS, NONETHELESS, I KNOW PEOPLE DO.

I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE IT. IT'S PROBABLY JUST BECAUSE I DON'T EAT FISH. BUT ALL THAT BEING SAID THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SOME ADA ACCOMMODATIONS IN HERE IS, IS IMPORTANT IN THE FACT THAT PEOPLE CAN NOT HAVE TO, LIKE, STAND IN THE ROCKS THAT THEY ARE TODAY AS DILIGENT FISHERS.

BUT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING THEM DOWN THERE WITH MUCH GREATER EASE, EVEN IF THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO ENJOY THE WATER'S EDGE.

THE FACT THAT THIS IS SO SEAMLESS IN THERE. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, NOT EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO KEEP ALONG WITH ALL THE FLOOD PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SPECULATING, HOW DO THESE WALLS WORK? WHAT IS THAT HAPPENING? AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME, AND PEOPLE ARE STILL COMING TO THE COMING TO TERMS OR COMING TO THE TABLE WITH WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING HERE.

BUT THIS IS THIS IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL. I MEAN, I LOVE THE FLAGS.

I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT AT COUNCIL OF LIKE, HAVING THIS BE ALLOW FOR MORE CEREMONY AND KIND OF INTENTIONALITY THERE.

AND CERTAINLY KEEPING UP WITH THE UPLIGHTING AND EVERYTHING THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING IN THIS PARK.

YOU JUST MAKE IT LOOK EASY TO DO THESE PROJECTS, AND I KNOW THAT THEY ARE ANYTHING BUT.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR INTENTIONALITY WITH HOW WELL YOU ARE MASTERING THIS.

THANK YOU. COUNCILOR TODD MAYOR. THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PROJECT IN THE CITY THAT HAS BEEN MONITORED SO CLOSELY FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE THAN THIS PROJECT, AND WHAT STARTED OUT IS, I THINK IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF IT, A SIMPLE GESTURE MOVING THE TREE OF FIVE SEASONS, PUTTING THE PUMP STATION IN IS REALLY AN INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM.

THERE'S BEEN NUMEROUS VARIATIONS OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY HERE.

MY QUESTION TO YOU IS SIMPLY WHAT WEEK WILL THE STREET CONVERSION HAPPEN? BECAUSE I WANT TO BE OUT OF TOWN, FAR AWAY THE DAY THAT HAPPENS.

TURN YOUR EMAIL OFF TO. YEAH. AND SO, BUT ROB GOOD LUCK.

OKAY. THANK YOU. WOW. AND WHAT DO WE ALWAYS SAY, ROB? FLOOD PROTECTION. HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT.

[01:05:03]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WE CALL THEM THE FLOOD GURU ON PURPOSE.

IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY OVERLAND, SECONDED BY HAGER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

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

NUMBER 5 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE CEDAR LAKE AMENITIES

[5. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the Cedar Lake Amenities Playground Equipment Package project (estimated cost is $600,000) (Ben Worrell). CIP/DID #PUR1225-179 ]

BEN WORRELL IS HERE. BEN, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. BEN WORRELL, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A PROJECT TO INSTALL PLAYGROUND NEAR CEDAR LAKE NEXT TO SHAVER ROAD NORTHEAST. I'VE PUT A STAR ON THE MAP FOR THE LOCATION.

PROJECT INCLUDES SYNTHETIC TURF SURFACING WITH FALL ATTENUATION, PADDING AND DRAINAGE AGGREGATE.

SITE WORK INCLUDING GRADING, CONCRETE SHELTER AND PARKING LOT ARE INCLUDED ON OTHER PACKAGES.

THE PLAYGROUND WILL BE DESIGNED FOR ADA COMPLIANCE AND THIS BID WILL BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT REALLY.

THE BIDDERS WILL BE SUBMITTING PROPOSALS. THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY ON WHAT THE BIDDERS PROPOSED.

AND SO COST IS A FACTOR IN SELECTION, BUT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPED A SCORING SYSTEM, AND THE PROPOSALS WILL BE SCORED BY OUR PARKS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS BEFORE SELECTION.

HERE'S A CONCEPT OF WHAT THE PLAYGROUND WILL LOOK LIKE.

THERE'S A VARIETY OF AGE INTENTIONS HERE. THERE'S A PRESCHOOL TENT CLIMBER, AND THEN FOR A LITTLE BIT OLDER KIDS, THERE'S A PLAY STRUCTURE. AND THEN FOR TEENAGERS AND ADULTS, THERE'S A CHALLENGE COURSE THAT WILL HAVE A TIMER BOARD.

AND THAT WILL BE THE FIRST CHALLENGE COURSE IN THE CITY FOR CITY PARKS.

ENGINEERS OPINION PROBABLE COST IS 600,000. THE BID LETTING IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 4TH AND CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED SUMMER THROUGH NOVEMBER.

AND AGAIN, THIS WORK WILL NEED TO BE COORDINATED WITH THE SITE WORK CONTRACTOR.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.

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

DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNCIL? SEEING NONE.

LET THE RECORD SHOW. PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS. COUNCIL? COUNCILMEMBER TODD. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE SAY PLAYGROUND, BECAUSE, I MEAN, WHILE THERE'S STRUCTURES THERE, THIS IS MEANT TO BE MORE SORT OF AN EXTREME CHALLENGE COURSE, AN AMENITY THAT PEOPLE WHO UTILIZE THE TRAIL LOOP WHETHER YOU KNOW, YOUNGER OR OLDER, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE ON THIS, THIS SPACE. AND SO THE DESIGN, IT'S GOING TO BE A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT IN TERMS OF PLAYGROUND CONSTRUCTION DESIGN, THE LARGEST SEGMENT OF GROWTH IS THIS EXTREME PLAY.

YOU KNOW WHAT? AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR OR WHAT.

I MEAN, ALONG THOSE LINES, THE PEOPLE CAN COME AND EXERCISE AND, YOU KNOW.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON HERE. THERE'S ANOTHER PLAYGROUND THAT'LL BE ALONG, YOU KNOW, IN THE AREA OF THE LIGHT LINE LOOP AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

BUT THIS IS SIMPLY A SPACE THAT WILL BE IN THE CEDAR LAKE AREA.

AND SO, BEN, THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY HOEGER, SECONDED BY MAIER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

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

6 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE WEST SIDE LIBRARY FF&E

[6. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the Westside Library FF&E project (estimated cost is $1,500,000) (Jason Stancliffe). CIP/DID #PUR1225-180]

JASON STANCLIFFE IS HERE. JASON, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. JASON STANCLIFF, FACILITIES AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE WEST SIDE LIBRARY FF&E PROJECT. THE WORK GENERALLY CONSISTS OF FURNITURE, FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE BRANCH NEW LIBRARY ON SANDBURG LANE.

BID DOCUMENTS WERE ISSUED ON JANUARY 14TH. THE QUESTION DEADLINE WAS JANUARY 21ST.

THE BIDS ARE DUE TOMORROW. THE ESTIMATED COST IS 1.5 MILLION AND IT'S FUNDED BY THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION.

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

WITH THAT, I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU. THANKS, JASON.

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.

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

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

[01:10:01]

AND THIS MOTION CARRIES. HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.

[PUBLIC COMMENT ]

A SECOND PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD COMES AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR RESIDENTS, PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO SPEAK TO ISSUES THAT ARE GERMANE TO THE CITY BUT MAY NOT BE ON THE AGENDA TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF THEMSELVES MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE FOR BY PHONE OR EMAIL, BUT AT THIS TIME, WE ARE HERE AS A BODY TO LISTEN.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL THE MATTERS I ADDRESSED PRIOR TO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TODAY APPLY TO THESE PUBLIC COMMENT HEARINGS AS WELL.

REMAIN AT THE LECTERN IF YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS, GIVEN THE DOCUMENTS, GIVEN THE OFFICER FIVE MINUTES TOTAL YELLOW LIGHT, ONE MINUTE READ SIT DOWN. ALL COMMENTS ARE DIRECTED TO THE MATTERS YOU WISH TO ADDRESS.

ABUSIVE, OBSCENE, IRRELEVANT COMMENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED AND WE ASK FOR NO PARTICIPATION FROM THE AUDIENCE.

IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON AND IT LOOKS AS THOUGH WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS HERE, AND THEY'VE PROBABLY ALREADY SPOKEN. CHERI MONAHAN HAS SPOKEN.

DUSKY TERRY. DUSKY, DO YOU STILL WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY, THEN THAT WILL OFFICIALLY CLOSE OUT OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

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

[MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA ]

24.R. 24.R, IT'S A PAVING FOR PROGRESS ITEM. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'LL BRING US TO A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, AS AMENDED.

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

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

AND THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO CONSENT.

[CONSENT AGENDA ]

I WOULD LIKE TO RECUSE MYSELF ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 18.C, ID NUMBER 49 AND 195.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO REPEAT THAT ONE. YOU'RE MOVING TOO QUICK. QUICK FOR ME.

WHAT WAS IT AGAIN? I'M SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. I'D LIKE TO RECUSE MYSELF ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 18.C, ID NUMBER 49 AND 195. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY OVERLAND, SECONDED BY HOEGER.

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

AND THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. ON TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.

[25. Report on bids for the 42nd Street NE from Pine View Drive NE to Wenig Road Pavement Improvements project (estimated cost is $4,600,000) (Doug Wilson). (Paving for Progress) CIP/DID #3012188-04]

THIS HAS AN ESTIMATED COST OF $4,600,000. DOUG WILSON IS HERE.

DOUG, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. DOUG WILSON, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS PROJECT INCLUDES FULL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PAVEMENT, NEW SIDEWALK AND ADA COMPLIANT CURB RAMPS, WATER MAIN STORM AND SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, ALONG WITH A MID-BLOCK RECTANGULAR RAPID FLASHING BEACON CROSSING FOR PEDESTRIANS NEAR KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL, ALONG WITH TRAFFIC SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS AT WENIG ROAD.

THERE WERE TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS HELD FOR THIS PROJECT PRIOR TO THE BIDDING.

AND THERE WILL BE SIGNAGE ON ALL ON THE DETOURS FOR ALL NON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, AS WAS IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE 42ND STREET PROJECT DONE THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR.

EXCUSE ME. PRE-BID CONFERENCE WAS HELD JANUARY 14TH.

A BID OPENING IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY WAS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 21ST, WITH CONSTRUCTION TO START THIS SPRING AND COMPLETION IN THE LATE FALL OR EARLY IN 2027. WE RECEIVED NINE BIDS FOR THIS PROJECT, RANGING FROM $3,970,202.38 TO $5,333,865.76. THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO AWARD TO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.

THANK YOU. THANKS, DOUG. COUNCIL, QUESTIONS? OTHER THAN AMEN, PRAISE THE LORD.

42ND STREET. THANKS, DOUG. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY MAIERS, SECONDED BY TODD. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

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

26 IS A REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE MT. VERNON ROAD TANK AND WILSON AVENUE TANK RECONDITIONING PROJECT.

[26. Report on bids for the Mt. Vernon Road Tank and Wilson Avenue Tank Reconditioning project (estimated cost is $1,935,000) (Casie Meyer). CIP/DID #T26001-02 ]

CASEY, I RECOGNIZE YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.

CASEY MEYER WITH THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. THIS PROJECT IS FOR THE RECONDITIONING AND REHABILITATION OF BOTH THE MT.

VERNON ROAD AND THE WILSON AVENUE WATER TOWERS, AND THE CITY'S NAME AND LOGO WILL BE PAINTED ON THE SIDES OF BOTH TANKS.

[01:15:05]

THE ENGINEER'S OPINION OF PROBABLE CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THIS PROJECT IS $1,935,000.

CONSTRUCTION FOR THE MT. VERNON ROAD TANK IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN APRIL OF 2026, AND CONSTRUCTION FOR THE WILSON AVENUE TANK IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2026. THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS AWARDING THIS CONTRACT TO O&J COATINGS.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR. SO IT'S CLEAR NO ONE IN THESE PARTS DO TANKS, RIGHT? THOSE ARE ALL CRAZY OUT OF STATE. YEAH, I CAN GO BACK.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH O&J COATINGS IN THE PAST.

BUT WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF LOCATIONS. YEAH. INTERESTING.

OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT. COUNCIL, QUESTIONS? OKAY. IF THERE'S 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 THIS MOTION CARRIES.

27 IS A PRESENTATION AND RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING REVISION NUMBER 11 TO THE CEDAR RIVER FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM PLAN.

[27. Presentation and resolution authorizing Revision No. 11 to the Cedar River Flood Control System Plan (Rob Davis and Abhi Deshpande). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #331001-00]

I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU BOTH. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

I'LL START OFF WITH JUST BASICALLY EXPLAINING WHAT THE PLAN IS SINCE IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A LITTLE REMINDER.

THIS WAS ORIGINALLY ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE OF 2015.

IT'S BASICALLY A GUIDE THAT WE USE FOR THE PLANNING AND DESIGN ACTIVITIES FOR THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM.

IT'LL INCLUDE THE WHAT WE'RE BUILDING, WHERE, WHAT DESIGN STANDARDS, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, HOW IT'S FINANCED, WHEN IT'S WHAT'S PRIORITIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT WAS ALWAYS INTENDED TO BE UPDATED PERIODICALLY FOR THESE PURPOSES AS CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSES, AS WE MIGHT GET GRANTS AS NEEDS MIGHT CHANGE THAT DESIGN STANDARDS ARE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS MIGHT CHANGE.

AND SO IT'S THERE, IT'S A FLUID DOCUMENT. THE LAST REVISION THAT WAS DONE WAS REVISION NUMBER 10, AND THAT WAS IN JANUARY 2025. SO JUST A YEAR AGO.

SO WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING ABOUT ONE A YEAR. THIS IS THE ALIGNMENT.

AS I SAID, IT SHOWS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD AND WHERE SO THIS IS THE 7.4 MILES ALONG THE CEDAR RIVER.

THE MAGENTA COLOR IS THE LEVEES. THE SOLID BLUE IS THE WALLS, THE GREEN DOTS ARE THE PUMP STATIONS.

AND THOSE RED ARE THE COMBINATION OF SHORTER FLOOD WALLS WITH RENEWABLES ON TOP OF THEM.

AND THE YELLOW DASHED OUT OF THE PUMP STATION DETENTION BASINS NEXT TO THEM.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE THIS IS THE OVERALL PLAN.

AND THEN WE REALLY JUST HAVE TWO THINGS FOR THIS ANNUAL UPDATE.

FIRST ONE, WHICH ABHI WILL TALK ABOUT IS CHAPTER V, THE FINANCIAL PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED NEXT NINE FISCAL YEARS.

AND THEN, IF YOU LIKE, SOME OF THE RENDERINGS I SHOWED YOU BEFORE, I GOT SOME GOOD RENDERINGS THAT WE'RE ADDING TO THE PLAN FOR THE 8TH AVENUE BRIDGE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO, AS PER THE TOTAL FINANCIAL PLAN FOR THE COST OF OPINION IS NOW AROUND 1.25 BILLION THROUGH FY 2035. AS ROB MENTIONED ABOUT HOW THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS FUNDED THROUGH THE FEDERAL FUNDS STATE FUND, AS WELL AS THE LOCAL FUND IS KIND OF A THREE LEGGED STOOL, AND THE FEDERAL FUNDS ARE AROUND 199,000,000 MILLION SO FAR.

THE STATE OF IOWA FUNDS, WHICH IS THE IOWA FLOOD MITIGATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS AROUND 269 MILLION.

AND THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS LOCAL FUNDS, WHICH IS THE LARGEST SHARE SO FAR, IS 297 MILLION.

OUT OF THAT, THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AS PER THE FCS PLAN WAS ABOUT 264 MILLION, AS WELL AS SOME MISCELLANEOUS LOCAL REVENUE OR LOCAL SOURCE OF REVENUE IS AROUND $33 MILLION.

AND THERE ARE MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS, SUCH AS THE PROJECT GRANT OF 58, 56 MILLION THAT SO TOTAL MISCELLANEOUS GRANT IS AROUND 81.1 MILLION. SO THE AT THIS POINT THE OVERALL THE 65% OF THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE FINANCIAL PLAN HAS BEEN FUNDED. SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN FUND THE NEXT AROUND 35% REMAINING OF

[01:20:03]

IT WAS ADOPTED IN, AROUND FY 2029. THAT WAS THE NINE YEAR PLAN.

THE TOTAL APPROVAL WAS 264 MILLION FOR THE BONDING PROGRAM.

AND THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE DEBT LEVY INCREASE OF FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM FROM FY 2022, FY 29 FOR NINE YEARS, $1.5, BASICALLY ON THE AT. THE CURRENT STATUS IS THE BONDS ARE SOLD A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE. AS PER THE, TO, AS PER TO ACCELERATE THE PROGRESS OF THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM, THE BONDS SOLD OUT OF THAT, FROM, OUT OF THAT 264 MILLION AUTHORIZATION THROUGH FROM FY 20 TO FY 26 IS AROUND 247.8 MILLION. THAT INCLUDES THE 36 MILLION THAT WILL BE SOLD IN JUNE 2026 THIS YEAR.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE DEBT LEVY INCREASE FOR THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM FROM FY 20 TO FY 26 IS $1.47.

YOU MAY REMEMBER THE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED AROUND $0.22 EVERY YEAR, BUT IN FY 23 IT WAS $0.15.

SO OUT OF THAT ORIGINAL $1.50 AUTHORIZATION. ONLY $0.03 ARE REMAINING AT THIS POINT.

GOING FORWARD, NOW, AS FOR THE PROPOSED FINANCIAL PLAN.

SO THIS FINANCIAL PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO BOTH COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEES FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM COMMITTEE AS WELL, WHICH THEY RECOMMENDED FOR FULL COUNCIL CONSIDERATION TODAY.

SO BASICALLY, AS FOR THIS FINANCIAL PLAN FROM STARTING FROM FY 27 TO 35 THIS WILL EXTEND THE TIME FRAME FOR FCS, AND THAT WILL MATCH TO THE TIME FRAME. WHAT THE STATE AFM PROGRAM IS OR US ARMY CORPS PLANS ARE UNTIL FY 35. FORECASTED TO GENERATE AROUND UP TO 300 MILLION LOCAL FUNDING THROUGH G.O BONDING.

THE LOCAL SHARE OF FUNDS WILL BE DECREASED IN RELATION TO STATE, FEDERAL OR GRANT FUNDING MATCHES.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE REQUESTS OR AUTHORIZATION COULD BE AROUND 300 MILLION, WILL, WE WILL DECREASE THAT AS PER THE STATE, FEDERAL OR GRANT FUNDING MATCHES WILL EMERGE IN FUTURE.

THIS PLAN ALSO OUTLINES THE NEED TO INCREASE THE CURRENT DEBT LEVY FOR FCS CONSTRUCTION BY UP TO $2.

SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE DOLLAR 47 THAT WILL INCREASE AUTHORIZATION TO $3.47 OVER THE NEXT NINE FISCAL YEARS FROM FY 27 THROUGH FY 35.

THE ANNUAL INCREASE WILL BE VARIED. THEY MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS YOU SEE SEEN IN THE PAST, LIKE $0.22 EVERY YEAR.

WILL ADJUST THE ANNUAL INCREASE BASED ON THE CITY'S TAXABLE VALUATION EACH YEAR.

FINANCE DEPARTMENT WILL MONITOR, ANALYZE, AND DETERMINE THE REQUIRED ANNUAL INCREASE AS PER THE HOW MUCH THE NEED THE PROJECT HAS OR INTEREST RATES OR TAXABLE VALUATION AS PER THAT A COMBINATION OF VARIOUS DIFFERENT FACTS.

THE OVERALL BASICALLY THIS PLAN PROVIDES MORE FLEXIBILITY TO THE TO ADJUST THE BOND SALE AS PER AS PER THE NEED OF THAT PROJECT. DOESN'T SPECIFY THE SPECIFIC BOND AMOUNT SALES PER YEAR, WHICH WAS IN THE PAST AS I SAID, THAT ANNUAL INCREASE WOULD BE ADJUSTED AS PER THE, THE SCHEDULE PROJECTS TAXABLE VALUATION AND INTEREST RATES CALCULATIONS.

ANNUAL INCREMENT INCREASE CAN CONSIDER ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE FUNDING SECURED FROM THE STATE, FEDERAL OR SOME OTHER GRANTS.

IF THE STATE AND FEDERAL SHARE INCREASES, THAT WILL DECREASE THE LOCAL SHARE.

[01:25:03]

THANK YOU ABHI. SO AS ABHI MENTIONED, WE TOOK THE CHAPTER FIVE FINANCIAL SECTION TO BOTH COUNCIL COMMITTEES ON DECEMBER 1ST AND THEN DECEMBER 11TH. SO AS YOU SAID, THOSE HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED.

THE OTHER THING WE WANTED TO ADD WAS THE RENDERINGS OF THE EIGHTH AVENUE BRIDGE, WHICH ALSO WENT TO BOTH COMMITTEES. THE BRIDGE HAS BEEN SHOWN ON THERE IN A VERY GENERIC FORM FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WE DO WANT TO SHOW EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING TO BE BUILT.

WE ARE AT THIS POINT NOW SITTING ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AWAY FROM BIDDING THIS PROJECT.

SO THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE SHOULD BE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE TO GETTING STARTED WITH CONSTRUCTION.

IT'S, YOU CAN SEE THE RENDERING HERE. IT'S A FOUR-LANE BRIDGE.

IT'S GOT AN A FRAME TOWER, CENTERED IN THE BRIDGE.

ITS SETTING IN THE RIVER SITS A 700-FOOT-LONG BRIDGE.

IT'S GOT TWO SIDE PATHS ON THE OUTSIDE. THERE ARE 14 FOOT WIDE ON EACH SIDE.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BRIDGE IS, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO SAY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT, THE, YOU CAN SEE THE BRIDGE IN THE BACK. IT'S GOT A LOT OF PIERS IN THE RIVER, AND THAT ACTUALLY CAN SLOW UP AND CREATE FRICTION AND RAISE THE WATER SURFACE. WE LITERALLY ARE WORKING WITH THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ON HUNDREDTHS OF A FOOT.

AND SO WE HAD TO FIND THE MOST HYDRAULIC BRIDGE WE WE COULD.

AND THAT'S SINGLE PIER IN THE RIVER. THESE ARE VERY LARGE PIERS ARE LIKE 16 FOOT DIAMETER, BUT IT'S A MUCH MORE YOU CAN JUST SEE THE WIDE OPENING THERE.

SO IT IS A FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM ITEM. THE BRIDGE ALSO GOES OVER THE TOP OF THE FLOOD WALL.

SO DURING A FLOOD THERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO GET ACROSS THE RIVER BESIDES INTERSTATE 380.

HERE'S KIND OF A VIEW LOOKING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH.

YOU CAN KIND OF SEE AGAIN THE CABLES THERE. THIS IS KIND OF A SHOT ON THE BRIDGE.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT'S KIND OF A NICE VIEW WHERE THE CABLES COME DOWN BETWEEN THE TRAVEL LANES AND THE SIDE PATHS.

SO IF YOU'RE ON THE SIDEWALK, YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT ALL THROUGH THE CABLES.

YOU GET TO SEE A CLEAR VIEW OF DOWNTOWN. HERE'S WHAT YOU WOULD SEE, YOU KNOW, YOU WILL SEE THIS FROM QUITE A DISTANCE.

THIS TOWER IS 175FT ABOVE THE DECK, SO IT'S PRETTY TALL.

IT WILL HAVE LIGHTING. WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE LIGHTING PLANS FOR NOW.

WE KNOW THAT IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A CENTERPIECE OF THE SYSTEM.

WE WILL COME UP WITH HOW THAT IS MAINTAINABLE TO LIGHT IT, BECAUSE REPLACING ALL THE LIGHT BULBS UNDER 75FT IN THE AIR IS NOT SOMETHING I WANT TO CLIMB UP AND DO. SO WE'LL COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR THAT GOING FORWARD.

AGAIN, A COUPLE OF OTHER RENDERINGS HERE. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL TURN IT BACK TO COUNCIL.

THANK YOU, ROB. OKAY. COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY.

CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE PHOTO? PERFECT. SO THERE'S A LOT IN THIS.

WE'VE BEEN. I MEAN, I DRIVE PAST THIS, IF NOT ON THIS BRIDGE RIGHT NOW.

MOST DAYS, IF NOT EVERY DAY. AND IT'S IN DIRE REPAIR.

I MEAN, IT IS JUST SO APPARENT THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO EXTEND THE USEFUL LIFE OF IT.

SO I KNOW THAT WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF DOING THIS.

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHT AND CARE THAT'S GONE INTO FIGURING OUT WHAT IS THE BEST USE OF FUNDS AND GRANTS AND COMBINATIONS THEREOF TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL AND IT REALLY IS A CENTERPIECE.

AND CAN YOU GO TO THE ONE WITH THE SIDEWALKS ON IT.

RIGHT THERE. YOU REALLY CAN'T DO THIS NOW. SO NOT ONLY SHOULD THIS HELP WITH ANYBODY JUST COMMUTING, BUT IF YOU WERE TO WALK THERE, WHICH A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY AND I WILL GO AND EAT AND THEN WE'LL TRY AND CUT ACROSS TO GO TO AN EVENT AT MCGRATH. AND IT'S TIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE A CROWD THERE ANYWAY, LET ALONE GETTING LIKE TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE PASSING BY EACH OTHER, LET ALONE ON BOTH SIDES. SO THIS, THE UTILITY BEHIND THIS AND ALL THE FUNCTION, THE FORM IS GREAT,

[01:30:01]

BUT THE THE FORM BEHIND THAT OR SORRY, THE FUNCTION BEHIND THIS IS ACTUALLY REALLY INCREDIBLE IN THE FACT THAT IT DOES LIFT IT UP, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLE FEAT TO LIFT THAT ROADWAY HIGHER THAN IT IS SO THAT WE CAN STILL USE IT.

AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS COME ABOUT, SO I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN IT CLOSES FOR SOME TIME.

BUT IT IS. WE'VE HAD THOSE SIGNS UP FOR PROBABLY 15 YEARS SAYING IT'S COMING.

AND I THINK PEOPLE STOPPED BELIEVING US A LONG TIME AGO, BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY REALLY CLOSE TO SETTING SAIL ON THIS.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INCREDULOUS WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS.

COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A FEW COMMENTS AND AS IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GONE FAIRLY FAST TO WHERE NOW WE'RE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH CONSTRUCTION FAIRLY SOON.

AND DEFINITELY THIS IS A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION AS WE'VE BEEN GOING ALONG.

BUT AS I SEE THIS WITH ALL THE DELICATE PLANNING THAT HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE YEARS AND GOING FORWARD, IT COMES AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET TO ENSURING THAT WE GET THIS PROJECT DONE IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.

WE'VE BEEN VERY EFFICIENT IN ACQUIRING OUTSIDE RESOURCES BRIDGE OBVIOUSLY BEING ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES.

BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS AS WE GO FORWARD IS EACH YEAR DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, FUTURE COUNCILS WILL FIGURE OUT, ALONG WITH YOUR ADVICE AND CONSENT ON WHAT ADDITIONAL BONDING SHOULD BE OCCURRING AT THAT TIME.

SO WE KEEP THE MOMENTUM UP AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE ASK ME, WELL, HOW COME WE'RE NOT GOING FASTER? AND I SAID, WELL, WE PROBABLY COULD GO FASTER, EXCEPT IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH DISRUPTION YOU WANT TO HAVE IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.

SO PEOPLE STILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE THE CITY.

BUT WE'RE ROLLING ALONG AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN THEY START BUILDING THIS BRIDGE.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER TODD. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I JUST WANTED TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND'S COMMENTS.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER TYLER OLSON IS NOT HERE, BUT I HAVE TO GIVE HIM AND THE FLOOD TEAM, ALONG WITH THE CITY MANAGER, A SHOUT OUT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THIS.

IT WAS LAST WEEK THAT MAJOR GENERAL PEEBLES WAS HERE ALONG WITH HER TEAM AND COUNCIL SHOULD REALLY BE AWARE THAT THIS IS WHILE I'M TRYING TO THINK OF A DELICATE WAY TO SAY THIS, WHILE OUR COUNTRY IS IN THE MIDDLE OF SIGNIFICANT CHAOS RIGHT NOW THIS PROJECT HAS MANAGED TO WEATHER THE STORM OF POLITICS, AND IT IS SUPPORTED IN A BIPARTISAN WAY. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CITIZENS OF CEDAR RAPIDS HAVE REALLY PROVIDED US WITH THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF THE TIMING AND THE COST.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THEIR CONFIDENCE AND TRUST AND, THE PROCESS SO FAR.

AND ROB AND ABHI, YOU GUYS YOU REALLY SHOULD FEEL GOOD WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN TERMS OF TRANSFORMING THE HEART OF THE CITY WITH OUR FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM. YOU'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF DOING IT AND SHEPHERDING IT ALONG THE WAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN IT'S COMPLETED.

I ASSUME OUR CITY MANAGER WILL STILL BE HERE THEN, BUT YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THAT IT GETS DONE, WE'LL ALL BE AROUND. BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER POE. YEAH. THANK YOU. SO I'M, YOU KNOW, IN 2008, THIS BRIDGE IS SO EXTREMELY CRITICAL FOR CONNECTING THE EAST SIDE AND THE WEST SIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND GETTING INTO THE CORE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

NOW, WITH SOME FLOOD CONTROL IN PLACE IN 2008, YOU GOING ACROSS I-380 WOULD JUST TAKE YOU WHERE AT THAT POINT, WE HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY UP TO WATERLOO TO EVEN GO TO IOWA CITY.

AND SO I CAN'T UNDERESTIMATE HOW IMPORTANT OR OVERESTIMATE HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS BECAUSE THIS REALLY? I DON'T THINK. SO WE STARTED THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM WAS IT 2010.

YOU FIRST STARTED WORKING ON IT OR WAS IT NINE? WELL, WE WE FIRST CITY COUNCIL FIRST PASSED ITS RESOLUTION OF THE PLAN IN NOVEMBER OF 2008 FOR WHAT THE PLAN WOULD BE.

AND THEN WE STARTED WITH THE AMPHITHEATER IN 2010.

OKAY. SO THAT WAS THE ALIGNMENT BACK THEN. OKAY.

SO WAS THIS EVEN WAS THE BRIDGE EVEN PART OF THAT CONVERSATION AT THAT POINT? IT WAS NOT THAT WAS ADDED IN 2016. YEAH. AND SO THIS WHOLE PLAN HAS HAS EVOLVED.

[01:35:03]

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. DO YOU REMEMBER, ROB, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS, WHAT THE ESTIMATE WAS FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE WERE GOING TO, WE THOUGHT WE'D HAVE TO SPEND AT THAT TIME ON OUR FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM.

IT WAS IN THE ORDER OF MAGNITUDE GOING BACK A DECADE OR 11 YEARS AGO, ABOUT $600 MILLION.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE DRAMATIC INCREASE AND WHY WE'VE HAD TO MAKE THESE MOVES.

SO THANK YOU BOTH. THANK YOU ABHI, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ROB AGAIN, WHAT CAN I SAY? WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

AS YOU'RE COMPLIMENTING US, I THINK IT WOULD SHOULD GO WITH UNDERSTANDING THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS CITY COUNCIL AND PREVIOUS CITY COUNCILS OVER THE LAST DECADE.

THIS IS A REVISION NUMBER 11. THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER AS WELL.

THIS IS A LONG TERM PROJECT AND IT'S GOT ANOTHER DECADE TO GO.

SO THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL AS WELL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, JEFF. AND I JUST MIGHT ADD TO YOU GUYS ARE PRETTY SMART IN HOW YOU ORDERED THIS PRESENTATION.

TELL US HOW MUCH MORE IT'S GOING TO COST AND THEN SHOW US THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURE.

THAT WAS REALLY SMART. BUT ALL KIDDING ASIDE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL, I, DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYONE'S VOTE IS GOING TO BE, BUT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO INCREASE THAT CONTRIBUTION, YOU KNOW, FROM THE WELL MEANING AND WELL PAYING TAXPAYERS OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

ONE THING I'VE EXPERIENCED IS LEADERSHIP. ROB, YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR TRIPS TO WASHINGTON, DC, AND YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE MORE MONEY WE CAN BRING IN FROM OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, THE LESS THAT WE HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE AS A CITY.

SO YOU KNOW, I CAN CERTAINLY PLEDGE THAT OUR EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE TO EVEN MOVE JUST BY, YOU KNOW, BASIS POINTS TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO OUR TAXPAYERS.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT AS RELATES TO THIS BRIDGE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S ALSO A TESTAMENT TO COUNCILMEMBER TODD MENTIONED WE'VE WORKED WITH TWO ADMINISTRATIONS ON THIS BRIDGE.

YEAH, THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD, BUT I JUST DID.

SO IT REALLY HAS BEEN YOU KNOW, A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT GROUPS.

AND, YOU KNOW, ROB, ONCE AGAIN, KUDOS TO YOU FOR BEING FLEXIBLE.

AND I KNOW MAKING ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY TO MAKE IT WORK FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.

SO THANK YOU. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY OVERLAND, SECONDED BY HOEGER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

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

28 IS A PRESENTATION AND RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY FINANCIAL INCENTIVES UNDER THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW COMMERCIAL

[28. Presentation and resolution authorizing City financial incentives under the Community Benefit Economic Development Program for the construction of a new commercial logistics building at 4690 Bowling Street SW as proposed by Plumb Supply, LLC (Scott Mather). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #URTE-0063-2026 ]

SO SCOTT MATHER IS HERE. SCOTT, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

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

WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM PLUMB SUPPLY LLC FOR STANDARD CITY FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW COMMERCIAL LOGISTICS BUILDING AT 4690 BOWLING STREET SOUTHWEST.

COMPANY HAS BEEN HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS SINCE 1979, AND THEY DESIRE TO EXPAND OPERATIONS HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS RATHER THAN CONSTRUCTING SMALLER HUBS IN OTHER NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. PROJECT QUALIFIES UNDER THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS IN A TARGETED INDUSTRY, AND THIS PARCEL IS CURRENTLY VACANT.

THIS IS A $15.2 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 92,000 SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSE AND LOGISTICS BUILDING.

THE CONSTRUCTION IS PLANNED TO BEGIN HERE IN APRIL OF 26 AND COMPLETE IN MAY OF 27.

THIS WOULD MAINTAIN 30 JOBS AND CREATE SEVEN NEW JOBS.

THE CITY INCENTIVE PROVIDES A TEN YEAR DECLINING SCALE EXEMPTION OF THE INCREASED VALUE GENERATED BY THE PROJECT, ESTIMATED AT, TO GENERATE 3.1 MILLION IN TOTAL TAXES OVER TEN YEARS, OF WHICH 1.2 MILLION WOULD BE EXEMPTED.

HERE'S A MAP SHOWING THE PROJECT LOCATION WITH I-380 OVER HERE TO THE LEFT.

AND I-30 IS JUST OUT OF VIEW HERE TO THE SOUTH.

THERE'S A PICTURE OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE VACANT LOT.

AND HERE IS A SITE PLAN AGAIN BOWLING STREET OVER HERE TO THE RIGHT.

I-380 OVER HERE TO THE LEFT. AND A COUPLE OF RENDERINGS.

SO TODAY WE'RE HERE TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT IF APPROVED, NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TO ESTABLISH AN URBAN REVITALIZATION AREA.

WITH THAT WILL RETURN BACK TO YOU, MAYOR. THANKS, SCOTT. COUNCIL.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANORNY. THANKS, MAYOR. JUST WELCOME THEN, TO DISTRICT FIVE, AND HOPEFULLY THOSE RENDERINGS WILL INCLUDE SOME TREES.

JUST PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER. DEFINITELY. SITE PLAN SHOWS, SOME TREES, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THERE'S PLENTY OF TREES.

[01:40:06]

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

THAT BRINGS US TO ORDINANCES. 29 IS AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE ROSE COTTAGE 2 URBAN REVITALIZATION AREA FOR PROPERTY ALONG PRAIRIE VIEW LANE SOUTHWEST,

[29. Ordinance establishing the Rose Cottage 2 Urban Revitalization Area for property along Prairie View Lane SW as requested by Rose Cottage 2 LLC. (Council Priority) CIP/DID #URTE-0061 2025]

AYE. THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. AND THE 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 THIRD AND FINAL READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY POE, SECONDED BY HOEGER.

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

AND THE MOTION CARRIES. AND THAT'S GOING TO CLOSE OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY, BRINGING US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.

[PUBLIC INPUT ]

COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES. YELLOW LIGHT, ONE MINUTE. RED LIGHT, SIT DOWN.

IF YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON. AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER, JOSHUA CANDLER, HERE TO SPEAK ON RENTAL PROPERTY ISSUES.

HELLO AGAIN COUNCIL. WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER HOW MANY TIMES NOW? BUT LET'S GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS. WE HAVE IN THIS CITY PROPERTIES THAT ARE BEING OWNED BY COMPANIES OUT OF STATE.

A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE FORMER HARDWICK APARTMENTS AT ON OAKLAND ROAD, WHICH ARE NOW KNOWN AS FIVE SEASONS APARTMENTS.

THEY ARE OWNED BY A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY CALLED ARROW MIDWEST OUT OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

AND THAT POSES A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR THE CITIZENS IN THOSE PROPERTIES.

THEREFORE, I'M GOING TO PROPOSE AN ORDINANCE OR WHATEVER YOU GUYS CAN DO TO FORCE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THAT HAVE ANY PRESENCE IN THIS CITY. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S WORKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE, I DON'T CARE.

BUT I PROPOSE THAT AN ORDINANCE IS PASSED THAT REQUIRES THERE TO BE AN END POINT CONTACT FOR THAT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN THE CITY THAT A PERSON THAT A RENTER OR SOMEONE UTILIZING THAT PROPERTY CAN CONTACT. I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WHERE MY OVEN HASN'T BEEN WORKING FOR PROBABLY ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS. IT I MEAN, I CAN USE IT ONCE AND THEN THE PILOT LIGHT GOES OUT AND IT NEVER COMES BACK UNLESS I RELIGHT IT.

AND IT'S SO FAR BACK IN MY OVEN I CAN'T REACH IT.

SO IT'S NOT EASY. AND THEN I HAVE AN UPSTAIRS NEIGHBOR WHO TODAY IS DEALING WITH SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR PLUMBING. THEIR TUB IS CURRENTLY BACKED UP AND FLOODING THEIR BATHROOM.

THEY HAVE NO BATHROOM DOOR. THEY HAVE. THERE'S NO BARRIER BETWEEN THE FLOODING BATHROOM AND THE REST OF THE PROPERTY, THEIR APARTMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE SINCE WE DON'T AS PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE APARTMENTS OWNED BY THIS PROPERTY COMPANY, WE DON'T HAVE A CONTACT. NOTHING. THE ONLY MEANS WE HAVE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH OUR LANDLORD IS THROUGH THE RESIDENT PORTAL ON AN APP FOLIO APP ON OUR PHONES? YEAH, THEY HAVE A PHONE NUMBER, BUT TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF THEM IS LIKE TRYING TO PLAY PICK UP STICKS WITH A PILE OF STICKS 17 MILES TALL. YOU CAN'T DO IT.

IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. AND IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THIS PROPERTY, IN THIS CITY WHO RUN OUR PROPERTIES AND MAKE IT SO THAT WE CAN'T GET AHOLD OF THE RESOURCES WE NEED.

YEAH, THEY CONTRACT WITH COMPANIES HERE IN CEDAR RAPIDS TO DO MAINTENANCE.

BUT WHAT IF WE NEED TO TALK TO THEM? WHAT IF, GOD FORBID, THE APARTMENT IS COLLAPSING? WHAT IF, GOD FORBID, YOU KNOW, OUR BATHTUB, OUR TOILET, OUR SINK IS JETTING WATER FROM THE

[01:45:01]

SOMEONE IN THIS CITY HELPS MANAGE THAT COMPANY FOR THEM, FOR EVERY RESIDENT, FOR EVERY PERSON WHO RENTS IN THIS CITY. I BELIEVE IT'S ESSENTIAL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CANDLER. IN THE MEANTIME I'M HOPING THAT SOMEONE FROM STAFF CAN HELP MR. CANDLER. THANK YOU. MR. [INAUDIBLE]. NEXT ON OUR LIST IS BRONSON BEALS HERE TO SPEAK ON TRAFFIC DELINEATORS.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR O'DONNELL AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO MY PRESENTATION ON 13TH JANUARY AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AGAIN TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER MAIER, ESPECIALLY FOR TAKING TIME TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH ME AFTER THE LAST MEETING.

SIR, I WAS HEARTENED BY YOUR RESEARCH INTO THIS MATTER AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.

I THINK YOU WILL FIND MY COMMENTS TODAY SHED FURTHER LIGHT ON THE SITUATION.

MY NAME IS BRONSON BEALS AND I HAVE RETURNED TO DISCUSS FURTHER THE ISSUE OF TRAFFIC DELINEATORS INSTALLED BY THE STREETS DEPARTMENT IN EARLY DECEMBER TO SEQUESTER TRAFFIC FROM EAST ROBINS ROAD AND MARQUETTE DRIVE NORTHEAST.

BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME HANDOUTS.

AS YOU KNOW, I LIVE AT ONE OF THE 410 HOUSEHOLDS ON EAST ROBINS ROAD AFFECTED BY THIS TRAFFIC DIVERSION FROM MARQUETTE.

I PREVIOUSLY MADE THE CASE TO THIS BODY THAT THE CONSENSUS GATHERING PROCESS USED TO JUSTIFY INSTALLATION OF THIS FIXTURE WAS MOTIVATED, EXCUSE ME, MOTIVATED BY CONVENIENCE AND EXCLUDED THE VAST MAJORITY OF INTERESTED PARTIES.

WHILE I MAINTAIN THIS ARGUMENT, I SUBMIT TO YOU NOW NOT ONLY THAT THIS ACTION IS AN INCONVENIENCE TO CITY RESIDENTS, BUT THAT IT IS A HAZARD. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE SUNDAY MORNING AS I WAS DRIVING UP EAST ROBINS TO FIND SEVERAL DELINEATORS SCATTERED ABOUT THE STREET AND DITCHES SURROUNDING THE INSTALLATION SITE IN A FASHION SIMILAR TO THAT PICTURED ON PAGE SEVEN OF YOUR HANDOUT ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

MY BROTHER AND I WERE SURPRISED TO FIND 14 DELINEATORS SIMILAR TO THE SITE ACQUIRED SAMPLES HERE, SEPARATED FROM THEIR BASE, SURROUNDED BY SHARP FRAGMENTS OF BROKEN PLASTIC FROM THE BASE AND PIECES OF CAR BUMPER.

OUR SURVEY, SHOWN ON PAGE FOUR, INDICATED THAT FRAGMENTS FROM WHAT CAN ONLY BE ASSUMED TO BE SUCCESSIVE AUTOMOTIVE COLLISIONS WERE STREWN ACROSS EAST ROBINS ROAD AND SURROUNDING PROPERTIES AS FAR AS PRINCETON AND NORMANDY DRIVES.

OVER 3/10 OF A MILE EAST OF MARQUETTE DRIVE. ALMOST TWO WEEKS AFTER THE INITIAL COLLISION, THE STREETS DEPARTMENT HAD NOT REMOVED THESE FRAGMENTS FROM THE ROAD OR FROM THE DITCHES WHEN WE BEGAN TO GATHER THIS LITTER FROM THE AREA.

EVERY CAR PASSING ALONG THE WESTWARD PORTION OF EAST ROBINS ROAD CONTINUED TO DRIVE OVER THIS DEBRIS.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR TOTAL COLLECTION, WHICH COMPRISES ALMOST 30% OF THE ORIGINAL NUMBER OF DELINEATORS INSTALLED BY THE STREETS DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS LARGE PIECES OF PLASTIC DEBRIS THEREFROM AND CAR PARTS ARE PRESENTED ON PAGE SIX.

OF THIS COLLECTION, I TOOK INTO CUSTODY THREE DELINEATORS AND SELECT FRAGMENTS FOR EXHIBIT PURPOSES, AND AM PLEASED TO COMMEND THEM INTO THE CARE OF THE CITY SHOULD IT SO DESIRE. THESE DELINEATORS WERE INSTALLED LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AGO AND ALREADY DECREASED IN EFFICACY BY 30%. CONSIDER THE DANGER THAT THEY POSE TO THE DRIVERS OF CEDAR RAPIDS HAVING ALREADY CAUSED TWO COLLISIONS.

IT IS CLEAR THAT THESE CRASHES CAME AT THE COST OF DAMAGE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY, THOUGH THE DANGER THAT THESE ACCIDENTS POSED TO THE DRIVERS AND OCCUPANTS OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC CANNOT BE IGNORED.

EVEN TODAY, SMALL PLASTIC FRAGMENTS THREATEN HARM TO TIRES THAT ROLL ALONG EAST ROBINS ROAD INTO ANIMALS CROSSING.

THEY DEFACE PROPERTY AS LITTER. HOW DID ONE OF THE DELINEATORS COME TO REST NEARLY HALF A MILE DOWN THE ROAD? IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS SOLUTION BY THE STREETS DEPARTMENT, ASIDE FROM BEING INCONVENIENT, WAS TEMPORARY AND DID NOT CONSIDER DURABILITY.

WHAT EXPENSE WILL COME TO THE CITY IN ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO CLEAN UP THIS MESS AND TO REPAIR THE DELINEATORS? WHAT OF THE TIME AND ATTENTION OF DISPATCH POLICE OFFICERS MAKING CRASH REPORTS FOR THE COLLISIONS THAT WILL INEVITABLY FOLLOW THESE? WHAT INCONVENIENCE DOES THIS CAUSE TO THE PLOWMAN AS HE ALTERS HIS RHYTHM OF STREET CLEARING? THIS SOLUTION WAS UNDERTAKEN HASTILY, WITH THE GOAL OF QUIETING A SMALL GROUP OF DISSENTERS OBJECTING TO A CONTRIVED ISSUE.

THE SOLUTION NOW ENDANGERS AND INCONVENIENCES A MUCH LARGER CONTINGENT OF CEDAR RAPIDS.

WE WERE HAPPY TO ASSIST THE CITY IN CLEANING UP THIS MESS.

THE CITY WILL HAVE, HOWEVER, TO CLEAN UP THE MESS ITSELF AND TO MODIFY THE DELINEATORS.

THIS PROJECT IS QUICKLY SPIRALING INTO AN UNCHECKED EXPENSE AND A SUNK COST WITH LITTLE BENEFIT TO STAKEHOLDERS.

[01:50:03]

INSTEAD OF SQUANDERING FURTHER RESOURCES AND PERPETUATING THIS FANCIFUL EFFORT, DIRECT THIS INEFFICACIOUS OBSTRUCTION BE REMOVED TO THE TUNE OF ACCOLADE FROM OVER A THOUSAND AFFECTED RESIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN ADDRESSING THIS IMPORTANT CONCERN.

I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE FURTHER WITH ANY OF YOU. THANK YOU.

AND THAT WILL CLOSE OUT OUR SECOND PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.

CITY MANAGER POMERANZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS TODAY?

[CITY MANAGER COMMUNICATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ]

COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND MOVES TO ADJOURN, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POE.

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

AND THE MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.