[Call to Order]
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THIS MEETING OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER. WELCOME TO THE CEDAR RAPIDS CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 23RD, 2026. COUNCILMEMBER MARTY HAGER IS ABSENT.
THE MAYOR IS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH CITY STAFF TALKING WITH OUR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY CLERK, OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF ATTENDING AND FOR BEING AVAILABLE BY PHONE OR EMAIL. TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT CITIZENS MAY HAVE. PLEASE TURN OFF ANY CELL PHONES OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES THAT MIGHT INTERRUPT THIS MEETING.
PLEASE NOTE THAT CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDAS, MINUTES, AND VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
REGULAR SESSIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO WATCH LIVE AND REPLAY THROUGH FACEBOOK LIVE. WE'LL START WITH AN INVOCATION.
COUNCILMEMBER ANN POE WILL GIVE THE INVOCATION, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
DEAR GOD, WHEN LOUD WORDS FILLED WITH ANGER, HATE, CYNICISM, DISINGENUOUSNESS, AND PETTINESS FILL OUR MINDS AND TAKE AWAY HOPE AND JOY AND REPLACES IT WITH DESPAIR, DOUBT, AND DISCOURAGEMENT. LET YOUR WORDS, GOD, SUSTAIN, TRANSFORM, AND RENEW US WITH KINDNESS, RESPECT, AND COMPASSION. LET US ACKNOWLEDGE THE OPPORTUNITY AT THIS MOMENT NOT TO LOSE FAITH IN EACH OTHER BUT FIND IT AGAIN. GOD, REMIND US TO TAKE TIME TO SEE EACH OTHER, THERE ARE NO ENEMIES HERE.
LET US ALL HOLD CLOSE THE VALUES OF INTEGRITY, HONESTY, AND HONOR THAT MAKE US WORTHY OF BEING YOUR HEAVENLY SERVANTS THROUGH THE COMMUNION OF LOVE. DURING THIS TIME, DEAR GOD OF JUNETEENTH AND PRIDE MONTH, LET US CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSITY AND UNIQUENESS.
AS PART OF OUR HUMAN EXPERIENCE, NOT AS A WEAPON TO DIVIDE US, BUT RATHER TO EMBRACE THE COMPASSION YOU HAVE GIVEN US FOR OUR DIFFERENCES. LET US WELCOME WITH AN OPEN HEART ANY CHALLENGES BEFORE US TO FIND ACCEPTANCE AND LOVE THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENCES, BEING MINDFUL AND WORTHY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR GRACE. WE ASK GOD THAT YOU BLESS AND HOLD CLOSE FIRE CHIEF GREG SMITH AS HE ENJOYS THE NEXT CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE IN HIS RETIREMENT, AND HE CARRIES WITH HIM THE BLESSINGS OF A GRATEFUL COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL FOR HIS SERVICE. WE PRAY AND THANK YOU, GOD, FOR YOUR BLESSINGS AS THIS COUNCIL AND CITY TEAM WORK EVERY DAY FOR YOUR PEOPLE.
[Proclamations/Presentations]
FIRST ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS A PRESENTATION ON AXON. CHIEF DOSTAL AND CAPTAIN DOYLE, YOU ARE IN ORDER FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM AND CITY COUNCIL.
SINCE BEING APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION IN 2024, ONE OF MY GOALS HAS BEEN TO ESTABLISH A REAL-TIME INFORMATION CENTER.
TECHNOLOGY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS ADVANCING EVERY DAY.
TYPICALLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE LAG BEHIND IN KEEPING UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY. THIS INITIATIVE ALLOWS US TO INCORPORATE THE SYSTEMS WE ALREADY UTILIZE WHILE IMPROVING THE TECHNOLOGY EFFICIENCY AND INTEROPERABILITY.
THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR A CITYWIDE INCREASE IN OVERALL PUBLIC SAFETY, OFFICER SAFETY, CRIME REDUCTION, AND CRIME PREVENTION.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO NOW TURN THIS PRESENTATION OVER TO CAPTAIN DOUG DOYLE.
THANK YOU, DIRECTORS, FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS AXON TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE. IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NOT JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL, INCLUDING FIRE AND ANIMAL CONTROL, AND THEN ALSO INCORPORATES OTHER DIVISIONS WITHIN THERE THROUGH SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA PRESENT TODAY.
SO AS PART OF THIS PACKAGE, IT INCORPORATES A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT WE ALREADY UTILIZE.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BODY CAMERAS, TALKING ABOUT FLEET CAMERAS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DRONES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER TECHNOLOGIES, IT'S JUST AN ENHANCEMENT ON THAT TECHNOLOGY ITSELF.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DRONES, WE ALREADY DO PATROL DEPLOYABLE DRONES, BUT THE PROJECT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY AS PART
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OF THIS PACKAGE IS DRONES AS FIRST RESPONDERS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT DRONES AS FIRST RESPONDERS IS NOT JUST A SYSTEM THAT IS JUST FLYING ABOVE OUR CITY, BUT IT'S ONE THAT'S RESPONDING DIRECTLY TO CALLS FOR SERVICE.IT'S JUST MEANT STRICTLY FOR... WE GET A CALL FOR SERVICE... TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY AND GET EYES ON THAT SCENE FOR NOT ONLY FOR OFFICER SAFETY BUT ALSO FOR CITIZEN SAFETY AS WELL, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO THOSE, TO THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICE. AND WITH THIS PACKAGE, THERE'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE INCLUDING AI FEATURES THAT WE'LL SPEAK OF.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN INVESTMENT INTO MEETING CITY COUNCIL GOALS AS WELL. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOSTERING A SAFE COMMUNITY, A CLEAN COMMUNITY, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING OUR CITY CLEAN, REDUCING CRIME, AND IMPROVING OUR OFFICER RESPONSE.
BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO EVERY TOOL WITHIN THE AXON SYSTEM. THE AXON ECOSYSTEM IS A FULLY AUDITABLE SYSTEM. SO EVERY LITTLE CLICK INSIDE THE SYSTEM IS TRACKED, BUT THEN ALSO THE DATA THAT'S PRESENTED FROM IT. SO ANY DATA THAT WE INCORPORATE, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH THE BODY CAMERAS, THROUGH THE DRONES, OR ANY OTHER SYSTEM WITHIN HERE, IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO NOBODY, NO EXTERIOR ENTITIES HAVE ACCESS TO ANY OF THESE SYSTEMS AT ALL.
UNLESS GIVEN PRIVILEGE BY THE CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND THEN AS WE SPOKE OF, AS I SPOKE OF JUST A LITTLE BIT AGO, IT'S MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL.
SO WE DON'T LOOK AT THIS JUST AS A SYSTEM BUILT FOR THE CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO BUILT FOR FIRE, FOR ANIMAL CONTROL, AND OTHER ENTITIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. SO IF WE THINK OF NATURAL DISASTERS, THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS THAT AND LOOK AT THAT FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT FROM ABOVE AND GIVE FASTER RESPONSE FROM ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND IT ALSO GOES BEYOND THAT OF JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE ABILITY TO INCORPORATE OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR CAMPUSES THROUGH, YOU KNOW, A BETTER RESPONSE TO, YOU KNOW, HIGH-RISK SITUATIONS.
SO IF WE CAN INCORPORATE ANY TYPE OF CAMERA SYSTEMS THAT THEY MAY HAVE AND WANT TO SHARE WITH US, WE COULD BRIDGE THAT GAP AND BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO WHATEVER SITUATIONS REPORTED WITHIN THERE. BUT THEN ALSO LOCAL BUSINESSES, THE SAME THING.
IF WE THINK ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWN DISTRICT OR ANY OTHER AREA WITHIN OUR CITY, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO WHATEVER COMPLAINTS THEY HAVE, AND THEN BRING THEM INTO THE LOOP AS WELL TO MAKE THEM PART OF THE SOLUTION IN BEING, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE HAVING WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR AREAS. AND THEN FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD STANDPOINT, HAVING A TRANSPARENCY PORTAL THAT PRESENTS THE DRONE FLIGHTS, GIVES YOU THE FLIGHT PATHS, GIVES YOU THAT, PRESENTS INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OPERATING, THEN GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND AS WELL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT USE OF FORCE DATA, TRAFFIC STOP DATA, OR ANY OF THAT, BEING ABLE TO INCORPORATE ALL THIS DATA INTO ONE PORTAL WHERE THE, THE CITY CAN ACCESS IT. AND THEN FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, THERE'S NOT MANY SYSTEMS THAT CAN STATE THAT THE PAYMENTS WITHIN THIS ARE GOING TO BE THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE 10 YEARS OF THE CONTRACT.
SO THERE IS NO INCREASED COST BASED ON SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY WE GET.
THERE'S NOT A 3% INCREASE EACH YEAR. IT'S A SUSTAINED COST ACROSS AND IT'S PREDICTABLE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE CITY.
SO WHY DID WE LOOK AT AXON? AXON NOT ONLY IS THE LEADER IN THE TECHNOLOGY REALM, BUT THEY ALSO LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY FOR US TO GROW AS A CITY AND STORE THE DATA. SO ON-PREMISE STORAGE IS A LARGE EXPENSE PREVIOUSLY. NOW WE CAN HAVE A CLOUD BASE THAT ALLOWS US, AS WE GAIN OFFICERS OR GAIN OUR TECHNOLOGY, THE DATA SOURCE GETS LARGER, WE CAN GAIN THAT AND WE CAN HOLD THAT A LITTLE FURTHER AND A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT THEN THEY'RE CONTINUOUSLY INNOVATING. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE AI PACKAGES THAT COME WITH THIS, IS THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY AS THEY EVOLVE AND GET NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE CAN EVOLVE WITH THEM AT NO ADDITIONAL COST. AND THEN EVERYTHING OPERATES WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM.
AS CHIEF WAS STATING, WE ALREADY OPERATE A LOT OF THESE SYSTEMS, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S MULTIPLE CLICKS AND MULTIPLE DIFFERENT AREAS.
WELL, THIS IS PUTTING INTO ONE PLATFORM THAT WE CAN QUICKLY AND EASILY ACCESS AND PUTTING AT THE FINGERTIPS OF THE OFFICERS FOR ONCE AGAIN FOR THEIR SAFETY, FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY AND APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS, BUT ALSO THE TRANSPARENCY SIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO ADAPT AND TRAIN OFFICERS IN ALL SITUATIONS, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT FORCE-ON-FORCE SITUATIONS, BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE GROWING MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AND TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE AND DO SO IN AN ENVIRONMENT, A STAGNANT ENVIRONMENT THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE AND BRING INTO AS PART OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM AND OUR MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING. AND THEN AS MENTIONED BEFORE, THE SMARTER SPENDING. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT AXON, IT'S ONE PLATFORM FROM THE START TO THE FINISH.
SO WE TALK ABOUT THE OVERLAY OF THE CAD OR OVER THE 911 SYSTEM. SO SOMEBODY CALLS IN, WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT'S TAKING IT, IT'S TRANSCRIBING THE INFORMATION, IT'S PRESENTING IT IN A FASTER, QUICKER ENVIRONMENT TO THE FUSIS OR THE LIVE CRIME OPERATION OR LIVE OPERATIONS CENTER. OUR INFORMATIONAL CENTER.
SO THAT INFORMATION IS FLOWING FROM THE 911 TO THE OPERATIONS CENTER AND OUT TO THE OFFICERS IN A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT MANNER. AND
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THEN IT'S INCORPORATING CAMERA SYSTEMS THAT CAN BRIDGE THAT GAP AND GIVE THE OFFICERS THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED. AND THEN, AS MENTIONED, THE DRONES AS FIRST RESPONDERS.SO THE RESPOND AND RESOLVE IS THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THE SCENE QUICKER, GATHER INFORMATION QUICKER, GATHER THE EVIDENCE THAT WE NEED A LITTLE FASTER, AND THEN THE INVESTIGATE AND CLOSE. SO MAKING SURE FROM THE RESPONSE STAGE TO THE CLOSE STAGE IS A SEAMLESS PROCESS AND GIVING US ALL THE TOOLS THAT WE CAN DO SO TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PROSECUTABLE CASE OR TO BE ABLE TO CLEAR PEOPLE SOONER BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAVE.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AI, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN AXON PRODUCT IS THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A HUMAN THAT'S PART OF IT.
SO AT NO PART IN ANY OF THESE, THESE PROJECTS DOES THE, THE AI SYSTEM MAKE THE DECISION.
IT'S ALWAYS A HUMAN THAT'S MAKING THAT DECISION. AND IT'S GENERALLY, IF WE TALK ABOUT A REPORT SYSTEM, THE REPORT IS GOING TO BE REVIEWED BY THE OFFICER, BUT IT'S ALL GOING TO ALSO BE REVIEWED BY THE SUPERVISOR AS WELL.
SO THERE'S MULTI-LEVELS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HUMAN IS THE ONE THAT'S APPROVING EVERYTHING THAT'S PART OF THIS. AND THEN, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, EVERY CLICK IN, IN THE SYSTEM IS AI IS LOGGED THROUGH THERE. AND THEN AXON'S TECHNOLOGY HAS AN ETHICS BOARD THAT'S NOT PART OF AXON ITSELF, BUT IT'S AN EXTERIOR GROUP THAT REVIEWS ALL THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LACKS BIAS, FAIRNESS AND DEMOGRAPHIC EQUITY AS PART OF THIS TOO.
AND THEN ALL THE DATA IS STORED IN A CJIS-COMPLIANT MANNER.
AND AS I WAS MENTIONING WITH THE ETHICS AND EQUITY ADVISORY COUNCIL, THIS IS THE GROUP, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE MADE UP OF AND THEY'RE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD AS WELL THAT ARE MAKING SURE THAT AXON'S OPERATING IN A PROPER MANNER. SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULD OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
COUNCIL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORDEN.
YOU KNOW, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, AS YOU'RE AWARE, TO GO TO THE AXON FACILITY WHERE THEY CREATE MOST OF THIS IN PHOENIX OR OUTSIDE OF PHOENIX LAST YEAR, AND I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE PURSUING SOME OF THE TOOLS LIKE THE TASER 10. IT GIVES US A BETTER RELIABILITY WITH NON-LETHAL USE OF FORCE MEASURES THAT PROVIDE A GREATER, A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER DISTANCE WHICH ENSURES THAT WE HAVE A BETTER RELIABILITY OF USING A NON-LETHAL TOOL, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF PRACTICE. ADDITIONALLY, SOME OF THEIR BODY CAMERAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE JUST LIGHT YEARS AHEAD.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH THE CONTRACTS PRIOR WHERE WE HAD GOTTEN A CONTRACT AND THEN NEW TECHNOLOGY CAME OUT RIGHT AGAIN THEN. SO I BELIEVE IN THIS ITERATION WE'VE SOLVED SOME OF THAT SO THAT WE'RE GETTING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY FOR YOU ALL, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I STILL HAVE SOME CONCERNS, THOUGH, ABOUT THE AI TRANSCRIPTION, AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TREAD VERY CAREFULLY ON THAT.
SOME OF THE RULE THAT THEY'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW IS, YOU KNOW, 30%, NO MORE THAN 30% IS TRANSCRIBED, AND THAT 70% IS STILL LEGWORK FOR THE OFFICER DOING THIS.
PART OF THAT REASON IS, OF COURSE, THERE'S THE HARBOR CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CASE WHERE IT PICKED UP ON SOME AMBIENT BACKGROUND NOISE AND IT TURNED THE OFFICER INTO A FROG AND PEOPLE DIDN'T CATCH IT, RIGHT? SO, PART OF THAT AI USE AT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, THERE WAS A PUBLIC SAFETY PRESENTATION WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE DATA IS UNCERTAIN IF IT ACTUALLY SAVES ANY TIME RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH OVERSIGHT, HUMAN OVERSIGHT, HAS TO STILL GO INTO IT TO ENSURE THAT IT'S THE BEST REPORTING AND MOST ACCURATE. SO I'M AT THIS POINT AT BEST AMBIVALENT REALLY UNCONVINCED THAT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED IT TO BE.
I JUST REALLY WANT US TO TREAD CAREFULLY ON THAT, REALLY, YOU KNOW,TYING IN OUR CITY ATTORNEY, VANESSA CHAVEZ, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING WITH IT WOULD STAND UP IN COURT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE USING IT VERY CAREFULLY, BECAUSE AGAIN, IN THE TEST CASES THAT I HAD THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN, IT WAS MISGENDERING PEOPLE AND SAYING THINGS THAT WERE PLAIN LANGUAGE AS NONSENSICAL IN THERE. AND SO IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE VET THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN WE DID SOME OF THE OTHER TOOLS THAT WE'VE RECENTLY GOTTEN. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE A VERY SECURE SYSTEM WITH THIS.
SO IF WE'RE DOING ANYTHING CLOUD-BASED, LIKE PART OF THIS PRESENTATION WAS WE NEED TO PREVENT WHAT WE MISSED WITH THE CAMERAS THAT WENT UP WHERE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THEM FOR A LITTLE BIT THERE BEFORE WE DISCOVERED THAT VULNERABILITY. SO, I'M JUST EXPRESSING THAT, THAT I WANT US TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION HERE.
YEAH, THANK YOU. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, EVERYBODY GETS NERVOUS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS THE FUTURE OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WHETHER IT'S IN POLICING, FIRE. I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S THE THINGS THAT IT'S BEYOND MY FATHOM, A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
AND SO I ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, LOOK THE SAME WAY. ONE OF THE
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THINGS THAT INTERESTED ME FROM EARLIER INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED, WAS THE WAY THE BODY CAMERAS OPERATE WITH TRANSLATION CAPABILITIES AND THINGS. COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT? BECAUSE THAT WASN'T A PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND THAT, YOU KNOW, HELPS THE OFFICERS AS WELL AS PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THOSE CALLS AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE, AND IF ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A LANGUAGE DIFFERENCE.YEAH, SO, THE BODY CAMERA ITSELF HAS AN AUTO-DETECT FEATURE OF IT. SO AXON HAS CERTIFIED UP TO 60 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT IT WILL TRANSCRIBE FROM. SO IT HAS AN AUTO-DETECT FEATURE THAT THE OFFICER CAN PUSH A BUTTON AND THE SUBJECT OR THE PERSON THAT THEY'RE TALKING TO WOULD SPEAK TO IT, IT WOULD IDENTIFY THAT LANGUAGE AND ALLOW FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OFFICER TO SPEAK IN ENGLISH, TRANSLATE INTO THE LANGUAGE, THE NATIVE LANGUAGE OF THAT PERSON, AND THEN VICE VERSA.
AND THEN THE FLIP SIDE TO THAT IS, AND THEN ALL THAT IS TRANSCRIBED INTO ENGLISH, SO LATER THE OFFICER CAN UTILIZE THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.
AND THEN IT CAN ALSO BE, YOU KNOW, TRANSCRIBED INTO THE NATIVE LANGUAGE THAT IT IS.
SO PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH PARTIES IN THOSE INTERACTIONS TO UNDERSTAND AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE CUT OUT SOME OF THOSE GAPS OF MISINFORMATION OR MISDIRECTION THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT WAS ONE OF THE INTERESTING PARTS FOR SPEEDING UP WHAT WE DO.
BUT SOME OF THE INTEREST THAT WAS COMING OUT OF THIS SYSTEM, PLUS OTHER COMPANIES DOING THE SAME THING, IS THAT IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCIES OF THE OFFICERS SO THEY SPEND MORE TIME ON THE STREET.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DETERMINE IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN OR NOT. BUT JUST GIVE ME A QUICK OVERVIEW, LIKE A TYPICAL REPORT WHEN THERE IS AN INCIDENT OR WHEN AN OFFICER NORMALLY WRITES A REPORT. I'VE SEEN THEM IN THE CARS TYPING AWAY AND BACK AT THE OFFICE.
SO HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE DIFFERENT? WHAT PARTS, AS MENTIONED, WILL THEY BE DOING AND HOW DO THEY SCREEN IT? DO THEY REVIEW IT IN THE CAR? DO THEY GO BACK TO THE STATION? HOW DOES THAT WORK? YEAH, THIS ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM IS ABOUT IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM BACK OUT IN THE STREET TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST ASSIST EVERYBODY.
AND I FULLY HEARD ALL THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH YOUR CONCERNS REGARDS TO SOME OF THIS TECHNOLOGY.
BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT TAKES THE AUDIO RECORDING, NOT THE VIDEO, JUST THE AUDIO RECORDING FROM THE, THE BODY CAMERA, IT UPLOADS IT INTO EVIDENCE.COM, WHICH IS THE PLATFORM THAT STORES ALL THE VIDEOS THAT COME WITH THE BODY CAMERAS.
IT TAKES THAT AUDIO AND IT PUTS IT INTO WHAT IS CALLED A FIRST DRAFT. THAT FIRST DRAFT WILL FORMULATE IT INTO YOU KNOW, WHAT IT BELIEVES THAT THAT POLICE REPORT BASED ON THE TRANSCRIPTION, THE INFORMATION THAT WAS THERE.
AND THEN THE OFFICER IS REQUIRED, WE PUT SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE THAT THE OFFICER IS REQUIRED TO, YOU KNOW, REMOVE. THEY'LL PUT SENTENCES IN THERE SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THE UNICORN WAS GOING DOWN THE STREET ON THE SKATEBOARD. SO THE OFFICER'S GOT TO READ THROUGH THE REPORT TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT.
AND THEN IT HAS INSERTS, IT'S GOT BLANKS THAT REQUIRE THE OFFICERS TO FILL IN, TO FILL IN THERE. RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING A TRIAL PERIOD WITH THE AXON BODY CAMERAS, FLEET CAMERAS. AND SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS, AND THE DRAFT 1 IS PART OF THAT.
SO WE PUT PARAMETERS ON THERE TO START TO BE ABLE TO TEST, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONCERNS AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, IS IT HALLUCINATING PUTTING THINGS IN THERE? BECAUSE IT'S NOT A LEARNING GENERATIVE AI SYSTEM. IT IS ONE THAT'S BUILT WITHIN.
IT'S NOT REACHING OUT TO THE INTERNET AND GATHERING INFORMATION.
SO RIGHT NOW WE PUT IT ON JUST NON-ARREST REPORTS IS THE ONLY TIME OFFICERS CAN UTILIZE IT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IT INTERNALLY TO SEE WHAT THAT IS. AND AS PART OF THAT, THEY HAVE A TRACKING SYSTEM WHERE THEY HAVE TO PUT HOW MUCH TIME IT TOOK THEM TO DO THAT SO WE CAN SEE.
WELL, TRACKING IS HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO DO THE REPORT SO THEN AFTERWARDS WE CAN SEE IS IT EFFICIENT OR IS IT NOT EFFICIENT.
THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, WE ALL KNOW TECHNOLOGIES IN ALL OF OUR PROFESSIONS AND SO IT'S INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, AND WE JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN TESTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IS THE TOP-RATED ONE, I THINK.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IN THE COUNTRY. AND HOPEFULLY IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE US A BETTER AND SAFER CITY.
AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS ON THE BACKGROUND.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR MONTHS TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS, DIFFERENT COMPANIES. AND SO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO STEP INTO THAT FUTURE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS, NUMBER ONE. AND THEN NUMBER TWO, THAT I THINK IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE PERSONALLY, BUT GOING TO SEE, I GUESS. THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. I MUST ADMIT I WAS SOMEWHAT SKEPTICAL IN THE BEGINNING TO A DEGREE, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S THE LARGEST EXPENDITURE FOR PD THAT WE'VE EVER HAD.
BUT I LOOK AT THIS AS PART OF THE SERIES OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE MADE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, WITH THE FIRST BEING THE ACCREDITATION.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE CITY HAS GROWN. I MEAN, TO GET TO THE ROLLER DAM, IT TAKES SOME TIME. AND
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TO GET TO OTHER PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE'S TIMES WHEN OUR RESOURCES ARE SCARCE AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY HELPED ME THROUGH THIS PROCESS WAS THE TERM THAT WAS USED WAS THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE.BY USING THIS TECHNOLOGY, OFTENTIMES WE CAN, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SEND 5, 6 SQUAD CARS TO A CALL, WE CAN GAUGE THAT IN REAL TIME AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES FROM DIFFERENT PLACES. IT ALSO HELPS FOR, YOU KNOW, I THINK OF SITUATIONS LIKE NOT TOO LONG AGO WHEN WE HAD A SITUATION IN CEDAR RIVER AND WE WERE TRYING TO LOCATE WHERE THAT INDIVIDUAL MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO DECREASE A LOT OF THE CRIME, THE QUALITY OF LIFE CRIME, WHETHER IT'S GARAGE BREAK-INS, SHOTS FIRED, OR, YOU KNOW, LARGE-SCALE DISTURBANCES AT NIGHT WHEN THE BARS CLOSE, I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP US, AND NOT JUST BY PROTECTING THE POLICE, BUT BY BEING ABLE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AT THE SAME TIME. AND SO I THINK IT'S A, I'M SUPPORTIVE. IT'S WHAT YOU DO.
I MEAN, MY CONSTITUENTS BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS IMPORTANT. IT'S AN IMPORTANT CORE GROUP IN TERMS OF WHAT IT IS WE DO. IT'S A PRIORITY.
AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO DECREASE CRIME AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYBODY I'M GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF.
AT THE SAME TIME, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO ROLL OUT A CITIZENS COMMITTEE THAT'S GOING TO HELP US WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF THE TECHNOLOGY AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. AND SO IT'LL BE HELPFUL TO GET THEIR INSIGHT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO KEEP US ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF POLICING.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM AND THANKS AGAIN FOR THE UPDATE.
AND FOR FOLKS IN THE CHAMBERS AND FOR FOLKS THAT MAY BE LISTENING IN ON FACEBOOK AND COUNCILMEMBER TODD REFERRED TO IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR MONTHS ABOUT THIS. SO THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, IN MY OPINION, OF TEAMWORK.
SO NOT ONLY HAVE COUNCIL BEEN MEETING WITH CRPD AND SHARING FEEDBACK, BUT ALSO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, WHO'S NOW OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER TODAY. BUT THE FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS WHAT AN EXCELLENT JOB AVI DID. AND HE STEPPED IN AT THE END AND WAS LIKE ACE NEGOTIATOR TO GET MORE COMPONENTS AND A LOWER PRICE.
SO THANK YOU. SO THIS IS ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
AND ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THESE SESSIONS BEFORE TODAY WAS THE POSITIVE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON RECRUITING AND RETENTION, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT RECRUITING TOP TALENT INTO OUR POLICE FORCE, HAVING THE BEST TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE EXCITING FOR THEM. AND THEN TO THE EXTENT AS THE SOFTWARE BECOMES MORE SOPHISTICATED AND WE MASTER IT MORE, LESS ADMIN TIME, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON THE STREET, YOU KNOW, SERVING OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS AND NOT, YOU KNOW, IN THE CAR OR IN THE OFFICE DOING PAPERWORK. SO I'M EXCITED FOR THE NEW TECHNOLOGY. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[1. A public hearing will be held to consider amending Chapter 63 of the Municipal Code, Offenses Against Public Safety, by repealing Section 63.10B, Fireworks, and enacting a new Section 63.10B in its place to conform with Iowa Code (Steve Mast). CIP/DID #FIR0526-0003]
FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.I REMIND EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TODAY, WHETHER DURING A PUBLIC HEARING OR DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT OR PUBLIC INPUT PERIODS OF A FEW MATTERS, TO ENSURE WE HAVE AN ORDERLY MEETING.
FIRST, PLEASE REMAIN AT THE LECTERN. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS YOU WISH TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, PLEASE HAND THEM TO THE POLICE OFFICER TO YOUR RIGHT AS YOU ARE WALKING UP.
THE OFFICER WILL TAKE THE DOCUMENTS FROM YOU. SECOND, COMMENTS WILL BE LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES PER SPEAKER. WHEN THE LIGHT ON THE CONSOLE IN FRONT OF YOU TURNS YELLOW, YOU HAVE 1 MINUTE TO FINISH YOUR COMMENTS.
WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS RED, YOUR TIME IS UP AND YOU SHOULD LEAVE THE LECTERN.
THIRD, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL COMMENTS MUST BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THAT ABUSIVE, OBSCENE, LOUD, THREATENING, OR IRRELEVANT COMMENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED. FINALLY, WE NEED TO HOLD AN ORDERLY HEARING, SO THERE SHOULD BE NO APPLAUSE, BOOING, CHEERING, OR OTHER NOISE OR DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT FROM ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR ABIDING BY THOSE RULES. DOES THE CLERK HAVE ANY WRITTEN
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COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS IN REGARD TO ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON TODAY'S AGENDA? YOUR HONOR, THERE WERE NO WRITTEN COMMENTS OR OBJECTIONS FILED. THANK YOU.ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER 1. A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER AMENDING CHAPTER 63 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE, OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC SAFETY, BY REPEALING SECTION 63.10B FIREWORKS AND ENACTING A NEW SECTION 63.10B IN ITS PLACE TO CONFORM WITH IOWA CODE.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME. THAT'S BETTER. THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UPDATES CHAPTER 63 RELATING TO FIREWORKS IN OUR CITY CODE RELATED TO CHANGES IN STATE LAW.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. 6310B ADDRESSES FIREWORKS USE WITHIN THE CITY. THIS WAS AMENDED IN 2025 WITH THE STATE LAW CHANGING, AND IT PREVENTS THE CITY COUNCIL FROM PROHIBITING OR LIMITING THE USE OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS ON JULY 3RD, JULY 4TH, AND DECEMBER 31ST.
CURRENT MUNICIPAL CODE PROHIBITS THE USE OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS WITHIN THE CORPORATE CITY LIMITS AT ALL TIMES. MUST BE AMENDED TO COMPLY WITH STATE CODE.
ANOTHER BACKGROUND, IOWA CODE ALSO GIVES POWER TO THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS AND APPEALS TO REGULATE THE SALE OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS.
SECTION 6310B OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE SHOULD BE AMENDED TO REFLECT THIS REGULATION OF POWER AND REFER TO IOWA CODE SECTIONS ACCURATELY.
SO, WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF UPDATING THIS ORDINANCE? IT WILL ALIGN THE MUNICIPAL CODE WITH WHAT IS MANDATED UNDER IOWA CODE. THE ORDINANCE STILL PROHIBITS THE USE OF FIREWORKS OUTSIDE OF THE DATES OF JULY 3RD, JULY 4TH AND DECEMBER 31ST.
THE ORDINANCE STILL PROHIBITS THE USE OF FIREWORKS ON CITY PROPERTY AND THE PROPERTY OF ANOTHER PERSON WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. THE CITY WILL STILL REVIEW AND PERMIT DISPLAY FIREWORKS, COMMERCIAL-GRADE FIREWORKS, AND THE ORDINANCE CLARIFIES THAT A SELLER OF CONSUMER FIREWORKS MUST HAVE A CONSUMER FIREWORKS LICENSE ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF IOWA INSPECTIONS AND APPEALS.
THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE RECOMMENDS THAT WE ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU. THIS IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? LET THE RECORD INDICATE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS SHOWN IN THE RECORD. THAT BRINGS US TO ANY COUNCIL COMMENTS OR CONSIDERATION. SEEING NONE. I THINK THIS IS THE 3RD READING OF THE ORDINANCE.
YEAH, 3RD READING OF THE ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 63 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE. THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS 3RD READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TODD.
THOSE OPPOSED, NO. MOTION CARRIES.
[2. A public hearing will be held to review the status of the Catherine McAuley Center and Willis Dady generator projects funded through the Iowa Economic Development Authority (Jennifer Barten and Jay Wilson). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #CDBG-DR-FY22 ]
NUMBER 2. A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO REVIEW THE STATUS OF THE CATHERINE MCCAULEY CENTER AND WILLIS-DADEY GENERATOR PROJECTS FUNDED THROUGH THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.JENNIFER AND JAY ARE HERE TO PRESENT, AND WHEN YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
JENNIFER BARTON AND JAY WILSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE THE STATUS OF FUNDED ACTIVITIES UPDATE FOR THE CDBG DR GENERATOR PROJECTS FOR CATHERINE MCCAULEY CENTER. AND WILLIS-DADY EMERGENCY SHELTER. THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING REQUIRES A MID-PROJECT UPDATE ON ALL PROJECTS, INCLUDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EXPENDITURES TO DATE, REMAINING WORK TO COMPLETE, AND ANY CHANGES TO THE PROJECT.
TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND, THE STATE OF IOWA, IOWA WAS AWARDED $57.5 MILLION IN THE DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING IN RESPONSE TO THE AUGUST 2020 DERECHO.
OF THAT AMOUNT, THE CITY RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $28 MILLION, $15 MILLION FOR THE ROOTS PROGRAM, $9 MILLION IN MULTIFAMILY NEW CONSTRUCTION, $3.5 MILLION FOR TREE REPLANTING, AND $400,000 FOR THE GENERATOR PROGRAM.
THE GENERATOR PROJECTS ARE INSTALLED AT CRITICAL USE FACILITIES DEFINED AS PLACES THAT HELP THE COMMUNITY IN A TIME OF CRISIS. THE 4 FUNDED PROJECTS ARE THE 2 WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, CATHERINE MCCAULEY CENTER AND WILLIS-DADEY EMERGENCY SHELTER, AS WELL AS EASTERN IOWA HEALTH CENTER AND THE SALVATION ARMY.
OKAY, SO COUNCIL, TODAY WE'LL BEGIN BY LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENTS AT CATHERINE MCCAULEY CENTER.
SO AS OF TO DATE, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF ONE GENERATOR, INCLUDING THE ACCOMPANYING SLAB. WE WERE AWARDED $100,000 IN CDBG DR FUNDING
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FOR THIS PROJECT, AND TO DATE OUR EXPENDITURES TOTAL OUT TO $100,000, AND THE REMAINING WORK INCLUDES A FINAL HOOKUP AND INSPECTIONS.SECONDLY, AT WILLIS-DALEY EMERGENCY SHELTER, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF ONE GENERATOR, THE TOTAL AWARD FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT WAS $100,000 IN CDBG DR, AND THE EXPENDITURES TO DATE TOTAL OUT TO $100,000 AS WELL. THE REMAINING WORK AT THIS SITE INCLUDES, AGAIN, JUST FINAL HOOKUPS AND INSPECTION. AND THEN LASTLY, AS FAR AS CHANGES TO THE PROJECTS, WE DID INITIALLY ENCOUNTER A DELAY AS FAR AS JUST SHIPPING, BUT WITH OUR TIMELINE, WE ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER OF 2026. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? SEEING NONE, LET THE RECORD INDICATE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS SHOWN IN THE RECORD. THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORDEN.
THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK REFLECTION AT CHIEF'S GOODBYE CELEBRATION LAST FRIDAY. IT REMINDED ME THAT, AND WAS HUMBLING TO KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MORE PROFOUND EXPERIENCES IN YOUR CAREER WAS ALSO CERTAINLY ONE OF MINE, BUT YOU HAVE A LITTLE MORE TENURE ON ME.
I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE WHEN YOU AND I WENT DOOR-TO-DOOR WITH THE FIRE TRUCKS ILLUMINATING THE 3 BUILDINGS THAT LOST THEIR ROOFS ON 12TH AVENUE, KNOWING THAT WE HAD 9 LANGUAGES, 2 TRANSLATORS GOING WITH US WITH FLASHLIGHTS AND WHATEVER FLOODLIGHTING WE COULD GET FROM THE ENGINES. THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ENDED UP BEING RELOCATED TO CATHERINE MCAULEY, AND AFTER WHICH I GOT TO KNOW THE FAMILIES REALLY WELL.
BECAUSE IT WAS THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE EARNED THEIR TRUST TO MOVE THEM TO A SAFE LOCATION. I CONTINUED TO VISIT THEM FOR, I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY 3 MONTHS, UNTIL THE LAST PERSON, THROUGH A LOT OF HELP WITH SPECIFICALLY JENNIFER PRATT FINDING HOUSING THAT WAS COMPARABLE OR LONG-TERM SHELTER, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO HAD, YOU KNOW, ANY MOBILITY ISSUES AND NEEDED CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS TO THEIR HOMES, WHICH WE WERE CERTAINLY IN SHORT SUPPLY OF HOUSING, PARTICULARLY SHORT SUPPLY OF THAT BUT CATHERINE MCCAULEY, I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A MORE DESERVING PLACE.
I JUST APPRECIATE THE RESILIENCY THAT ALL THE TEAMS HAVE DONE TO SHORE THIS UP.
BOTH WILL ESTADY AND CATHERINE MCCAULEY WERE LIGHTWORKERS DURING THIS.
AND SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE WILL SHORE THIS UP SO THAT SHOULD WE HAVE ANOTHER EVENT, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
THEY'LL JUST BE READY FOR WHATEVER COMES NEXT. SO THANK YOU, AND THANKS, CHIEF.
ALL RIGHT, THERE IS NO VOTE ON THIS.
[3. A public hearing will be held to consider the disposition of City-owned land at 220 Ellis Boulevard NW (Noah Zeker). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #PRD-000293-2026]
SO THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. ITEM NUMBER THREE. A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER THE DISPOSITION OF CITY-OWNED LAND AT 220 ELLIS BOULEVARD NORTHWEST.NOAH ZECKER IS HERE. NOAH, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.
HERE PRESENTING ON THE POTENTIAL PROPERTY DISPOSITION FOR 220 ELLIS BOULEVARD NORTHWEST. YOU CAN SEE THE SITE OVERHEAD HERE OUTLINED IN BLUE WITH THE YELLOW. THE SITE'S ABOUT 0.7 ACRES IS JUST 1 PARCEL, IS CURRENTLY A VACANT LOT WITH NO STRUCTURES, AND IS ZONED UVR, WHICH ALLOWS FOR MULTI-UNIT DEVELOPMENT OF UP TO 3 STORIES IN HEIGHT HAS ACCESS TO ALL CITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND IS LOCATED IN THE 500-YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
THE CITY RECEIVED AN INQUIRY FOR POTENTIAL MULTI-UNIT DEVELOPMENT IN THE LOCATION, AND SINCE IT IS CITY PROPERTY, DISPOSITION MUST GO THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
PROPOSALS WOULD BE EVALUATED THROUGH OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN THE RFP, WHICH ARE ALIGNMENT WITH THE NORTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN.
PREFERENCE FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY HIGHER INTENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, AS SHOWN IN THE NORTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN, AND ZONING COMPLIANCE, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY. AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HERE, AN IMAGE OF THE MAP FROM THE NORTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN WITH THE LOT IN THAT RED CIRCLE. AS FOR TIMELINE, A DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THIS ITEM TO CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 28TH.
CURRENTLY HOLDING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PROPOSALS DUE A MONTH FROM TOMORROW ON JULY 24TH,
[00:35:02]
ANTICIPATING AUGUST 11TH TO COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AND SELECTION. AND THEN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WOULD FOLLOW IN THE SUMMER OR FALL THIS YEAR. IN CONCLUSION, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO INITIATE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? I DO.
GREAT. PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE ON THE LECTERN, STATE YOUR NAME AND THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU LIVE FOR THE RECORD, AND YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES.
MY NAME IS KIMBER. I LIVE IN CEDAR RAPIDS. I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC PLANS ON TODAY'S AGENDA FOR THE DISPOSITION OF CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES.
220 ELLIS BOULEVARD, 1026 ELLIS BOULEVARD, 1221, 1223 ELLIS BOULEVARD, AND 1216 6TH STREET NORTHWEST.
THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU SEEKS TO ADVANCE THESE PROPERTIES THROUGH PROPOSALS PRESENTED BY THE CITY. NOAH ZEKER.
WELL, CITY HALL IS FRAMING THESE DISPOSITIONS AS ROUTINE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION.
THE COMMUNITY SEES RIGHT THROUGH IT. THIS IS A TARGETED BLUEPRINT TO CLEAR THE HISTORICAL WORKING-CLASS TIME-CHECKED NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKE WAY FOR A HANDPICKED DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE. LOOK NO FURTHER THAN SYSTEMIC ATTACKS AGAINST AJ DITTMER AND HER FAMILY.
FOR YEARS, AJ HAS STOOD AT THIS VERY MICROPHONE EXPOSING HOW THIS CITY USES CODE ENFORCEMENT, LOWBALL OFFERS, AND AGGRESSIVE THREAT OF EMINENT DOMAIN TO FORCE LEGACY RESIDENTS OFF THEIR LAND. YOU PUSH FAMILIES OUT WHO HAVE HELD THESE HOMES FOR GENERATIONS, ONLY TO TURN AROUND AND HAVE STAFF, NO OFFENSE, NOAH, LIKE NOAH PRESENT PACKAGES FOR THE VERY PARCELS FOR REDEVELOPMENT. AND AT THE LAST MEETING, WHEN MELISSA AND I STOOD UP TO QUESTION YOUR TRANSPARENCY, YOU TRIED TO WEAPONIZE YOUR GAVELS AND CUT OFF OUR MICROPHONES.
YOU WANTED TO QUIET THE ROOM BECAUSE YOU DID NOT WANT PUBLIC COMMENT AND THE PUBLIC CONNECTING THE DOTS. YOU DIDN'T WANT THEM TO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OUTDATED 9-YEAR-OLD ENVIRONMENTAL DATA IN CEDAR LAKE AND PREDATORY PROPERTY GRABS ALONG ELLIS BOULEVARD, BUT YOU FAILED TO KEEP IT QUIET. THE EXPOSURE OF CITY HALL'S OVERREACH HAS GONE COMPLETELY VIRAL.
WELL OVER 500,000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS FAR OUTPACING THE POPULATION OF OUR ENTIRE GREATER METRO AREA. THE EYES OF THE ENTIRE STATE ARE ON THIS CHAMBER AS WE SPEAK AND HOW YOU HANDLE THIS PUBLIC LAND IS FRONT AND CENTER STAGE.
AS A PROCESS SERVER, MY ENTIRE LIVELIHOOD IS BUILT ON LEGAL COMPLIANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PROTECTING DUE PROCESS.
AND PUSHING RESIDENTS OUT OF TIMECHECK WHILE FAST-TRACKING CORPORATE DISPOSITIONS VIOLATES THE CORE SPIRIT OF THIS COMMUNITY. THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO PUT A FULL STOP ON THE TARGETED ENFORCEMENT AGAINST RESIDENTS LIKE AJ DITTMER AND CEASE USING CITY PLANNING AS A WEAPON FOR DISPLACEMENT AND START PROTECTING THE FAMILIES THAT ACTUALLY BUILT CEDAR RAPIDS.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? LET THE RECORD INDICATE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH 1 OBJECTION SHOWN IN THE RECORD. THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER OLSON? YEAH, NO, AS I REMEMBER, I THINK I DROVE BY THIS PIECE JUST TO CHECK IT OUT. IS IT A VACANT PIECE OF PROPERTY? YES, IT IS.
SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER TODD, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORNY.
[4. A public hearing will be held to consider the disposition of City-owned land at 1026, 1221 and 1223 Ellis Boulevard NW and 1216 6th Street NW (Noah Zeker). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #PRD-000294-2026 ]
CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER 4, A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER THE DISPOSITION OF CITY-OWNED LAND AT 1026, 1221, AND 1223 ELLIS BOULEVARD NORTHWEST AND 1216 6TH STREET NORTHWEST.THANK YOU, COUNCIL. SHOWN HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE PROPERTIES IN QUESTION. 1026, 1221, 1223 ELLIS BOULEVARD NORTHWEST, AS WELL AS 1216 6TH STREET NORTHWEST.
THE SITES ARE EACH APPROXIMATELY HALF OR ABOUT HALF AN ACRE IN TOTAL. SORRY, NOT EACH ALTOGETHER. IT IS 4 CITY-OWNED PARCELS.
EACH ARE CURRENTLY A VACANT LOT. THEY ARE ZONED UVG, UNR, AND UVR. THEY ALL ALLOW MULTI-UNIT AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT OF UP TO 3 TO 4 STORIES IN HEIGHT, DEPENDING ON THE DISTRICT, AND SITES HAVE ACCESS TO CITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND ARE ALL LOCATED IN THE 100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
THE CITY RECEIVED AN INQUIRY FOR SMALL-SCALE MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE CITY-OWNED PROPERTY. THEY MUST GO THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS FOR DISPOSITION AND WILL BE EVALUATED PER THE OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL,
[00:40:01]
WHICH ARE ALIGNMENT WITH THE NORTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN, A PREFERENCE FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY HIGHER-INTENSITY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, AS SHOWN IN THE NORTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN.THE IMAGE SHOWN HERE ON THE RIGHT CIRCLES ROUGHLY THE AREA THAT THE 4 PARCELS ARE IN.
THEY WILL ALSO BE EVALUATED ON ZONING COMPLIANCE AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY. AS FOR TIMELINE, DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THIS ITEM TO CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 28TH. WE ARE CURRENTLY HOLDING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
PROPOSALS WILL BE DUE IN A MONTH FROM TOMORROW ON JULY 24TH, ANTICIPATING AUGUST 11TH TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AND SELECTION. AND THEN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WOULD FOLLOW IN THE SUMMER AND FALL OF THIS YEAR.
IN CONCLUSION, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO INITIATE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
THANKS, NOAH. THIS IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? SIR, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE. STATE YOUR NAME AND COMMUNITY.
MY NAME IS JOSHUA CANDLER, AND I LIVE ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE, BUT I CARE ABOUT ALL OF CEDAR RAPIDS.
BECAUSE I HAVE FAMILY THAT LIVES ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE. THESE PROPERTIES USED TO BE SINGLE PLOT HOMES, CORRECT? WELL, I'M GONNA ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IN THE CITY TO MAYBE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MAKE MULTIFUNCTIONAL MULTI-UNIT SYSTEMS THAT ARE SO EXPENSIVE THAT NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND IN TODAY'S FREAKING ECONOMY CAN AFFORD THEM. AND MAYBE NOW IS THE TIME TO ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENT ONE-HOUSE, MAYBE 2 DUPLEX-TYPE UNITS BEING PUT IN SO THAT MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME OF THIS HOUSING ISSUE THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY SORTED OUT.
A LITTLE BIT OF THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE IN THIS, IN THE ENTIRETY OF OUR COUNTRY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE $15 MILLION TO MAKE AN APARTMENT BUILDING. SOME OF US CAN'T AFFORD $300, $400, $500, $600, $700, $800 IN RENT A MONTH JUST BECAUSE SOME JACKHOLE IN IN CHICAGO THINKS THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS PLACE NEEDS. NO, WE NEED LOCAL.
EVERYTHING NEEDS TO STAY LOCAL AND AFFORDABLE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER INPUT? PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE, STATE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND YOU ON YOUR DECORUM TODAY, MR. OLSON.
THANK YOU. MY NAME IS KIMBER. I LIVE IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
I WANTED TO ALSO PLAY OFF OF WHAT MR. CURRY WAS SAYING, THAT WE DO NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS CITY. I'M NOT AGAINST THE CITY GETTING RID OF CITY LOTS.
I ACTUALLY HAVE ENGAGED IN A DEAL THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TILL IT'S DONE. THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE AN OFFER ON A CITY LOT. HOWEVER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE SELLING THESE TO A PRIVATE DEVELOPER.
WHY CAN'T WE GIVE THEM TO SOMEWHERE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY? SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES HERE THAT ARE AFFORDABLE. I MEAN, WHAT BETTER WAY TO CAUSE A HOMEOWNER TO TAKE PRIDE IN THE PLACE THAT THEY LIVE THAN TO BE PART OF BUILDING THAT HOME? AND IF THIS FLOODPLAIN, WHICH YOU GUYS SAID IT'S A FLOODPLAIN, WASN'T SUITED FOR PEOPLE LIKE AJ DITTMER, WHICH IS WHY YOU WANTED HER OUT, WHY ARE WE PUTTING HIGH RISES DOWN HERE? THE REAL QUESTION IS, WHO'S GETTING THE KICKBACK? SOMEBODY IS. IS IT YOU? YOU? YOU? HOW ABOUT WE START SERVING THE PEOPLE OF CEDAR RAPIDS? AND BY THE WAY, EVERYONE, I'M RUNNING FOR COUNCILWOMAN AT LARGE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND COMMUNITY WHERE YOU LIVE FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS KIRA LITTLE SKY, AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.
I GREW UP ON FIRST AVENUE, LIKE RIGHT THERE ON FIRST AVENUE. IF YOU LIVED HERE A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW WHO I AM BECAUSE YOU'VE DRIVEN UP AND DOWN FIRST AVENUE AND SEEN THAT LITTLE BROWN GIRL RIDING HER LITTLE ORANGE OLLIE THING UP AND DOWN THE SIDEWALK.
YOU GO IN THERE AND YOU TRASH THEM OUT AND, OH, IT'S ALL CLEANED UP NOW. AND YOU WANT TO PUT IN BIG PROJECTS.
THEY'RE NOT CONDOMINIUMS. THESE ARE LOW-RENT HIGH-RISES IN 20 YEARS.
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FROM WHAT I HEAR, THEY'RE ALREADY THAT. THE BRAND NEW ONE BY THE LIBRARY, I HEARD THE SECURITY DOORS ARE BROKEN.PEOPLE, HOMELESS PEOPLE WANDERING THE HALLWAYS, PEEING ON FLOORS, HARASSING PEOPLE.
I LIVE IN JUST A SMALLER BUILDING, WHICH WAS ALL IN THE '40S, MADE INTO A REALLY NICE, YOU KNOW, 5-PLEX. WE HAD A LOT OF THOSE. YOU TORE THOSE DOWN FOR DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT DID WE LOSE DURING THE FLOOD? WE LOST THOUSANDS OF TINY HOMES, SMALL HOMES THAT WERE BUILT HERE IN THE '30S THAT WERE AFFORDABLE, THAT PEOPLE WERE PROUD OF.
THEY HAD THEIR OWN LITTLE SPACE.
I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THOSE REBUILT. I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD REBUILT. THAT TELLS ME YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
THAT TELLS ME YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE. YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT BRINGING IN. THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
MELISSA DUFFIELD, FIRST AMENDMENT RESERVATION.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE FROM CHICAGO AND YOU'RE NOT AROUND HERE, AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU DON'T CARE BECAUSE I HAVE YOU ON RECORDING SAYING YOU DON'T CARE, BUT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE SKY, PEOPLE THAT COME IN AND SPEND THEIR TIME TO SPEAK ON THIS. YOU GUYS HAVE CREATED A PAPER TRAIL AND A VIDEO TRAIL ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FLOOD. AND IF YOU THINK THERE IS NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON FRAUD AND DEFRAUDING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND TELLING SOMEONE LIKE AJ THAT SHE HAS TO SELL HER HOUSE BECAUSE IT'S IN A FLOODPLAIN, AND THE BULLYING AND HARASSMENT THAT IS HAPPENING WITH ELDERLY CITIZENS WHO HAVE THOSE HOMES THAT ARE THEIR LIVES ALONG THIS RIVER SO YOU CAN PUT UP AS SKY WAS SAYING, PRETTY LITTLE PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE EVERYBODY DESERVES TO HAVE GRASS AND SAFETY AND NOT BE PUT IN A PINE BOX TO DIE, WHICH IS WHAT THESE ARE. OUR RENT IS ALSO DOUBLING IN THIS TOWN BECAUSE OF THE DATA CENTERS THAT YOU ALL CLAIM ARE SO GOOD FOR US.
SO THESE ARE NOT GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT WILL BE HANDLED. YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE LAWSUIT.
THERE ARE MORE THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING.
AND I DON'T TRUST YOU IN YOUR FOIAS, AS LAST TIME YOU GUYS SAID YOU WERE GOING TO FOIA AND WE GOT CHAVEZ OVER HERE CHARGING $350 ON THE MAYOR'S BASEBALL BAT INCIDENT TO GET EVEN A NAME OR AN ACTUAL REPORT NUMBER BECAUSE YOU GAVE ME A FAKE ONE. SO WE HAVE SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THESE PROJECTS, AND WE DO HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS, AS I SPOKE BEFORE, ABOUT THESE COOKIE-CUTTER PROJECTS GOING TO THE SAME DEVELOPERS AND SOME OF THESE DEVELOPERS HAVING CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS. THAT'S VERY SERIOUS TO US BECAUSE I WOULDN'T PUT IT PAST THEM ON WHO THEY'RE PUTTING IN THERE.
AND I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE MORTGAGE FRAUD AND EMBEZZLING AND ALL KINDS OF LOVELY LITTLE ORGANIZED CRIME SYNDICATES GOING ON HERE.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU GUYS DON'T WANT TO LISTEN.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE'RE GOING TO START GETTING LOUDER.
AND SIMPLE THINGS LIKE THIS, TAKING A HOME LOT TO PUT A LITTLE BUDDY ON TO MAKE A BUNCH OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND MAKE CRAPPY COMPLEXES THAT THEY ARE NOW SELLING BY THE WAY, DON'T THINK WE'RE NOT STUPID, WE CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. THEY GET ALL THE TIF MONEY AND THEN THEY SELL THEM, AND THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR BUILDING PIECES OF CRAP. AND A LOT OF THEM, LIKE VAN ORNY'S LITTLE FRIEND AND WHAT HE'S DOING, THEY'RE NOT EVEN SHOULD BE PASSING PERMIT OR CODE, BUT YET THEY ARE BECAUSE OF IT'S ALL WHO YOU KNOW.
SO NUMBER ONE, PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. BUILD COMMUNITIES, NOT PROFIT. AND YOU GUYS DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THAT, AND THE TYPES OF CRIMES THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED ARE GOING TO BE CALLED OUT. THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? LET THE RECORD INDICATE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH 4 OBJECTIONS SHOWN IN THE RECORD. THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS CONSIDERATION.
SO, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY WHEN WE SAY WE'RE AUTHORIZING THE DISPOSITION OF THIS LAND? SO THAT BASICALLY OPENS UP THE RFP PROCESS? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THEN, ANY DEVELOPER OR INDIVIDUAL WHO'S, WHO'S INTERESTED IN BUILDING ON THAT PROPERTY CAN SUBMIT A PROPOSAL? YEAH, ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANIZATION COULD SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN, I ALSO HAVE TO SAY, TO THINK THAT ANYONE ON CITY COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF IS TRYING TO BULLY AND MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR A RESIDENT IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY TOO, THIS REALLY SURPRISED ME.
I KNOW THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, RECENTLY I WENT ON A TOUR WITH CEDAR VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY MORE HOMES THAN DEMAND FOR THOSE HOUSES. VERY SURPRISING. I JUST THOUGHT I
[00:50:05]
WOULD SHARE THAT NOTE.THANK YOU. NOAH, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT PART OF THIS RFP CAN, CAN ALLOW FOR SOME SMALL UNIT MULTI-RESIDENTIAL. IS THAT CORRECT? OH, YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND TO CLARIFY, YOU SAID THAT UP TO 3, WAS IT 3 OR 4 STORIES? YES, 3 OF THE LOTS ARE UP TO 3 STORIES AND THE ONE ON 6TH STREET IS UP TO 4.
OKAY. AND DUPLEXES ARE CONSIDERED MULTI-RESIDENTIAL, CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. I THINK THERE WAS JUST SOME CONFUSION BEFORE. TO COUNCILMEMBER MEYER'S POINT, IF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WOULD LIKE TO BID ON THESE LIKE THEY HAVE ON MANY OTHER PROJECTS, WOULD THEY BE ELIGIBLE TO DO SO? CERTAINLY.
GREAT. AND ALSO JUST TO FURTHER A POINT THAT COUNCILMEMBER MEYER BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, DIRECTOR PRATT HAD SHARED THAT WE DO HAVE MANY UNITS AVAILABLE STILL FOR PURCHASE. IT'S A CITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN CO-SHARE THE COST OF THAT, BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF APPLICANTS THAT ARE APPLYING FOR THOSE.
SO THERE ARE UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THAT THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE CHEAPER THAN MOST RENTS ARE, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THOSE HOMES. WE'D LIKE TO PUT THEM IN HOMES AND JUST LASTLY, IF YOU CAN HELP ME CLARIFY AS WELL, WHAT WAS THE REASON THAT THESE PROPERTIES BECAME VACANT? WERE THESE FEMA BUYOUTS? I CANNOT SPEAK TO THAT.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
YEAH, IF WE CAN FOLLOW UP THE NEXT TIME THAT THIS COMES TO COUNCIL, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO, YOU KNOW, SPENT THEIR CHILDHOOD IN TIMECHECK, SO IT'S CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO US. WE UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF THIS AREA.
WE'RE SENSITIVE TO, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT FLOODS THAT THIS AREA HAS HAD TO WEATHER. AND WHAT CITY STAFF HAS DONE A REALLY NICE JOB OF IS EXACTLY THAT, BUILDING UP COMMUNITIES.
THIS COMMUNITY, THIS PART OF THE COMMUNITY, THE NORTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AREA, HAS BEEN HIT REPEATEDLY AND PROBABLY THE MOST FEROCIOUSLY THROUGH ALL OF OUR VARIOUS FLOODS AND FURTHER EXACERBATED BY THE DERECHO.
BUT IT IS REBUILDING. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE GREENWAY PROJECT IS GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY INVEST IN THIS AREA, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS MUCH NEEDED.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND A LOT OF PATIENCE ON THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE HOMES THAT ARE THERE ARE VERY WELL BUILT. THEY'RE BUILT WITH INTEGRITY, AND CERTAINLY IT'S, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD COME BACK ALIVE. SO THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF.
ALL RIGHT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER GOOD POINT HERE, KIND OF JUMPING OFF FROM COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORDEN'S COMMENTS, IS THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. IT'S A VERY ACTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. AND AS YOU POINTED OUT IN THE PRESENTATION, I THINK IT'S A GREAT, KUDOS TO YOU AND THE CITY TEAM THAT ONE OF THE CRITERIA IS COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN.
THAT HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WILL BE INVOLVED IN SCORING AND EVALUATING THOSE APPLICATIONS AS WELL.
IT IS A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT'S A LOT OF ENERGY THERE.
I THINK IT'S REALLY ONE OF THE JEWELS OF CEDAR RAPIDS AND A LOT OF ENERGY THERE. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORDEN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER PO.
[5. A public hearing will be held to consider a change of zone for property at 2400 37th Avenue SW from A-AG, Agricultural District, to S-RL1, Suburban Residential Low Single Unit District, as requested by Curtis and Calleen Banes (Seth Gunnerson). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #RZNE 000234-2026]
THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. THE MOTION CARRIES.THANKS, NOAH. ITEM NUMBER 05, A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER A CHANGE OF ZONE FOR PROPERTY AT 2400 37TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST FROM AAG AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO SRL-1 SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL LOW SINGLE UNIT DISTRICT, AS REQUESTED BY CURTIS AND COLLEEN BAINES.
THANK YOU. SETH GUNNARSSON, ZONING ADMINISTRATOR. AS MENTIONED IN THE AGENDA, THE REQUEST IS FOR A CHANGE OF ZONE FROM THE AG DISTRICT TO THE SINGLE RESIDENTIAL LOW SINGLE UNIT DISTRICT FOR PROPERTY, THAT'S LOCATED BETWEEN 33RD AND 37TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST.
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATELY JUST UNDER 6-ACRE LOT. THE REZONING REQUEST IS BEING MADE TO ALLOW FOR A LOT SPLIT. THE APPLICANT, WHO'S THE PROPERTY OWNER, IS WISHING TO BUILD A NEW SINGLE UNIT DETACHED HOME ON THE PROPERTY.
HERE'S A MAP SHOWING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP. THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS OUTLINED IN BLUE HERE. THERE'S AN EXISTING HOME KIND OF IN THE CENTER OF THE PARCEL ACCESSED OFF OF 37TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST.
BEVERLY PARK IS LOCATED TO THE SOUTH HERE, 33RD AVENUE TO THE NORTH. THIS IS IN THE URBAN LOW-INTENSITY LAND USE AREA. AND HERE'S THE ZONING SHOWING THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
MOST OF THE LARGER LOT HOMES THAT EXIST IN THIS AREA SOUTH OF 33RD ARE ZONED AAG AGRICULTURE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY, LAND THAT COMES INTO THE CITY
[00:55:02]
IS ZONED AGRICULTURAL, AND THIS LAND HAS NOT REALLY BEEN DEVELOPED WITHIN THE CITY SINCE ANNEXATION. SO, SINCE THEY'RE REQUESTING TO DO THE LOT SPLIT, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO A ZONE DISTRICT THAT CONFORMS WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.THE SRL-1 DISTRICT THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING MATCHES, SOME OF THE EXISTING SINGLE-UNIT RESIDENTIAL HOMES IN THE AREA AROUND IT.
HERE'S AN AERIAL SHOWING THE PROPERTY WHERE THE NEW LOT THEY'RE REQUESTING IS ROUGHLY IN THIS GREEN AREA HERE.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO BUILD A NEW HOME ACCESSED OFF OF 37TH AVENUE SOUTHWEST.
AND THEN HERE'S A STREET VIEW FROM 37TH AVENUE SHOWING THE AREA WHERE THE HOME WILL BE BUILT. IN TERMS OF REZONING CRITERIA, THE REQUESTED ZONE DISTRICT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IT'S ONE OF THE ZONE DISTRICTS THAT'S PERMITTED IN THAT LAND USE AREA.
THE CITY HAS NO CONCERNS WITH THE ABILITY OF THE LAND TO BE SERVED BY CITY SERVICES. THERE IS WATER AND SEWER AVAILABLE IN THE VICINITY OF THE PROPERTY, AND THE REQUESTED ZONE DISTRICT OF A SIMILAR CHARACTER TO OTHER DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST 10-15 YEARS.
THIS WENT TO THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION ON JUNE 4TH AND WAS UNANIMOUSLY SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL.
STAFF AND THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST PENDING TODAY'S DECISION BY CITY COUNCIL. THE 2ND AND 3RD ORDINANCE READING COULD OCCUR ON JULY 14TH. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO THE MAYOR.
THANKS, SETH. THIS IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER. DOES ANYONE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, LET THE RECORD INDICATE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS SHOWN IN THE RECORD.
THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
SETH, THIS WILL BE QUICK BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE ZONE. CAN YOU GO TO THE... OKAY, THANK YOU. I GREW UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA BEFORE 33RD CONNECTED.
YOU KNOW, IT USED TO JUST ONLY TURN OFF INTO 18TH. AND FAMILIAR WITH THIS PLOT OF LAND AS WELL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT I THINK WE SHOULD ADDRESS AS PART OF THIS ZONING OR ADJACENT TO IT IS HOW IT WAS BUILT BY A DEVELOPER AND NOW IT'S BECOMING MAINTAINED BY THE CITY.
AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME STOP SIGNS IN BETWEEN SOME OF THE THROUGHPUTS. SO AS LIKE ROYAL DRIVE, I MEAN, THAT WAS YEARS AFTER, YOU KNOW, I HAD LIVED IN THIS AREA, IT WAS BUILT AND CONNECTED TO 33RD AND THEN 33RD CONNECTED ALL THE WAY DOWN. IT'S BECOME FULL ENOUGH THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT STREETS WHERE THERE ARE NOT STOP SIGNS AT THE END OF THEM, AND PEOPLE JUST ANECDOTALLY HAVE EXPLAINED THAT, YOU KNOW, CARS ARE FLYING THROUGH THERE.
SO, IF WE'RE GOING TO ADD MORE HOUSING, I THINK WE DO NEED TO DO A TRAFFIC STUDY AS PART OF THIS AND JUST LOOK FOR THAT. I HAVE SPECIFICALLY ON ROYAL DRIVE BEEN REQUESTED, I BELIEVE, AT THAT INTERSECTION OF 37TH AND ROYAL DRIVE TO HAVE A STOP SIGN THERE.
SO IF WE COULD JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORS ARE AWARE AGAIN, AS WE INTEND TO, YOU KNOW, PUT MORE HOMES THERE.
YEAH, I'LL PASS ALONG TO TRAFFIC ENGINEERING.
SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS FIRST READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND.
[6. A public hearing will be held to consider a change of zone for property at 205 Wright Brothers Boulevard SW from A-AG, Agricultural District, to S-MC-PUD, Suburban Mixed Use Community Center District with a Planned Unit Development Overlay, as requested by Hunter Companies LLC. (Council Priority) CIP/DID #RZNE-000106-2026 CANCELLED AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT]
AYE.PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER 6 HAS BEEN CANCELED AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT, SO THERE WILL BE NO STAFF PRESENTATION OR VOTE. HOWEVER, DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL
[7. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the FY26 Downtown Sidewalk Repair project (estimated cost is $110,000) (Erik Turnquist). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #3017026-02 ]
ON THIS MATTER? OKAY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM NUMBER 7. A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLAN SPECIFICATIONS FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE FY26 DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK REPAIR PROJECT ESTIMATED COST IS $110,000. ERIC IS HERE.ERIC TURNQUIST WITH PUBLIC WORKS. THE DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK REPAIR PROJECT THAT THE CITY IS BIDDING AS PART OF THE CITYWIDE PROGRAM TO REPAIR DAMAGED AND DEFECTIVE SIDEWALK PANELS, THIS CONTRACT WILL HAVE 19 PROPERTIES IN DOWNTOWN AREA THAT ARE BEING REPLACED AND REPAIRED.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS MET WITH AND SENT OUT NOTICES TO THE PROPERTIES IMPACTED.
WE'VE MET WITH PROPERTY OWNERS TO DISCUSS THEIR OPTIONS TO REPAIR THE PANELS ON THEIR OWN OR TO BE INCLUDED WITH THIS CONTRACT THAT THE CITY HAS FOR THE REPAIR WORK AND TO BE ASSESSED. THIS PROJECT IS TO MATCH THE CITY COUNCIL'S PRIORITY FOR STRENGTHENING AND STABILIZING NEIGHBORHOODS BY MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY SIDEWALK FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL SAFELY AND HAVE FULL ACCESSIBILITY.
ENGINEER'S OPINION OF COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT IS $110,000.
BID OPEN IS JUNE 24TH WITH CONSTRUCTION OCCURRING THIS FALL. AS NOTED ALREADY, PUBLIC WORKS HAS COORDINATED THESE SITES WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AS WELL AS REACHING OUT TO LIKE THE DOWNTOWN SMIDT AND OTHERS TO COORDINATE ON THE CONSTRUCTION TIMING AND TO WORK AROUND PLANNED EVENTS.
PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION
[01:00:01]
TO ADOPT THE PLAN SPECS FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROJECT.THANKS, ERIC. THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.
DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? SEEING, SEEING NONE, LET THE RECORD INDICATE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS SHOWN IN THE RECORD. THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MEYER.
[8. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the Railroad Surface Crossing Improvements for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Avenues SE at 4th Street SE project (estimated cost is $290,000) (Erik Turnquist). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #3018024-02]
OPPOSED, NO. AND THE MOTION CARRIES.ITEM NUMBER 8 IS A PUBLIC HEARING. PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER THE PLAN SPECIFICATIONS FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE RAILROAD SURFACE CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS FOR 1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD AVENUE SOUTHEAST AT 4TH STREET SOUTHEAST PROJECT. ESTIMATED COST, $290,000. ERIC, YOU'RE UP AGAIN.
THIS RAILROAD SURFACE CROSSING IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IS FOR 1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD AVENUE SOUTHEAST AT 4TH STREET SOUTHEAST. JUST SOME BACKGROUND ON CITY GEOGRAPHY FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH 4TH STREET. IT'S THE RIGHT-OF-WAY BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH WHERE THE EXISTING RAILROAD TRACKS ARE AS LONG AS EXISTING TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS. THIS PROJECT HAS REPLACED THE APPROACH TO THOSE RAILROAD CROSSINGS AS WELL AS INSTALLED SUBDRAIN FOR IMPROVED DRAINAGE ALONG THE TRACK AREA.
THIS PROJECT IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH UNION PACIFIC RAILWAY TO DO THE REPAIR AT THE APPROACHES TO THE CROSSING THERE AT THE SAME TIME THE RAILROAD IS REPLACING THE CROSSING PANELS. THESE PANELS HAVE REACHED THEIR LIFE EXPECTANCY, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE RAILWAY CROSSINGS HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSVERSABLE SURFACE. THE CITY'S BEEN WORKING HARD TO COORDINATE THIS PROJECT WITH UP, IOWA DOT, FARMERS MARKET, AND OTHER DOWNTOWN EVENTS.
JUST KIND OF GOING BACK TO THAT MAP, 2ND AND 3RD AVE HAS BEEN DEFINITELY A KEY AREA THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN WORKING TO COORDINATE WITH THE FARMERS MARKET SINCE THAT IS WITHIN THEIR AREA OF OPERATION. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS PROJECT IS $290,000 WITH A BID OPENING ON JULY 1ST. CONSTRUCTION IS STARTING AUGUST 17TH.
CONSTRUCTION WILL START ON 2ND AND 3RD, CROSSING 1ST. THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN COORDINATED WITH UNION PACIFIC. AND THEN DUE TO ADDITIONAL PROJECTS IN THE AREA, 1ST AVENUE WILL OCCUR IN OCTOBER.
THIS IS ALSO TO COORDINATE AROUND THE, ESPECIALLY FOR U-RACE LATER AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER, JUST TO MAKE SURE CONSTRUCTION FOR THAT 1ST AVENUE CROSSING DOES NOT IMPACT THAT. AND WITH THAT, PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE PLAN SPECS, FOREIGN CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROJECT.
THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER. DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? YES, MISS DONAHUE.
SO MY FATHER WORKED FOR THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS, AND SPECIFICALLY IN PLANNING AND SAFETY.
I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING CARE OF THESE RAILROAD CROSSING ARMS BEFORE THEY REACH THE END OF THEIR LIFE CYCLE.
HOWEVER, I THINK $300,000 TO REPLACE BASICALLY 6 RAMPS LEADING UP TO THESE RAILROAD TRACKS IN CONCRETE IS AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY. AND I WAS ACTUALLY JUST DOWN NEAR THE TRAIN TRACKS ON SATURDAY AT CEDAR LAKE, AND I SAW AN AWFUL LOT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT LATER.
I WOULD HIGHLY ADVISE THAT THIS COUNCIL REDIRECT THOSE FUNDS TO CLEANING UP WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE IN THE TRAIN YARD. AND WITH THAT, I LAND MY PLANE.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S AN OBJECTION.
OKAY, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, LET THE RECORD INDICATE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH ONE OBJECTION FOR THE RECORD. THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY TOO, RIGHT, SO THE $290,000 IS AN ESTIMATE, AND WE OFTEN SEE ACTUAL BIDS COME IN LESS OR SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THOSE BIDS AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE OVER, AND WHEN THEY'RE OVER, SOMETIMES WE'LL REVISIT THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT AND, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS GO BACK OUT FOR BID LIKE WE DID, I BELIEVE, FOR THE ROUNDHOUSE. SO, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE ACTUAL BIDS COMING IN AND SEE WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE WORK IS AND IF WE CAN FIND A QUALIFIED BIDDER FOR THIS WORK THAT'S NEEDED TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
ERIC, HOW DO WE COME UP WITH THESE COST ESTIMATES? ARE THEY EXPERTS? ARE THEY LAYPEOPLE TAKING A WILD GUESS? WHAT'S THE ANSWER? SO, I MEAN, EVERY COST ESTIMATE IS BROKEN OUT BY BID ITEM. SO, I MEAN, YOU HAVE A LENGTHY LIST OF BID ITEMS, AND THEN EACH
[01:05:01]
BID ITEM IS BASED OFF OF BID HISTORY THAT THE CITY HAS.IF WE DON'T HAVE A BID ITEM HISTORY, WE CAN ALSO REFERENCE DOT.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF THOUGHT THAT GOES INTO CREATING THESE ESTIMATES.
WE'RE JUST NOT PULLING NUMBERS OUT OF THIN AIR TO COME UP WITH A COST. AS KIND OF MENTIONED EARLIER, IT ALSO INCLUDES DRAINAGE, NOT JUST THE CONCRETE APPROACHES TO THOSE CROSSINGS AS WELL.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T ALWAYS SEE WHEN COMING UP WITH THESE PROJECTS. BUT WITH THESE ESTIMATES, THE ENGINEERS THAT DEVELOP THEM DEFINITELY TAKE SOME TIME AND CONSIDERATION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RELATIVELY CLOSE AS WE CAN. BUT IT IS HARD WITH DIFFERENT ECONOMIC MOVEMENTS OF EITHER MATERIALS OR LABOR IF A CONTRACTOR IS BUSY OR NOT TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW IT'S GOING TO BE BID.
JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION. DO WE HAVE ANY INDICATION UPON COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WHEN THE QUIET ZONE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE EFFECT? THAT'S THE QUESTION WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR YEARS. THANK YOU.
UNDERSTOOD. AND THAT QUESTION'S WITH THESE 3 BEING PART OF THAT PHASE A, UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
RIGHT NOW THE CITY JUST FINISHED UP RECENTLY SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO STICKELL DRIVE, INCLUDING INSTALLATION CURB AND SOME CONCRETE THERE.
THE CITY IS COORDINATING WITH THE RAILROAD THERE TO INSTALL THE HARDWARE FOR THE CROSSING. THAT INCLUDES LIKE THE SAFETY GATES AND FLASHERS. AND ONCE THAT IS INSTALLED, THE CITY IS ABLE THEN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT NOTICE TO ESTABLISH A QUIET ZONE.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN IN COORDINATION WITH THE RAILROAD TO GET THAT COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
YOUR HONOR, YEAH, JUST ONE COMMENT. INCREDIBLE JOB ON THE 8TH AVENUE WORK THAT WAS DONE IN A RELATIVELY, IT WAS A COMPLICATED PROJECT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU WERE ABLE TO GET THAT ROAD OPEN RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER MEYER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER OLSON.
[9. A public hearing will be held to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the 7th Avenue at Cedar River Water Main Improvements project (estimated cost is $2,560,000) (Grace Gudenkauf). CIP/DID #6255001-02 ]
THOSE OPPOSED, NO.AND THE MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER 9, A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED PLAN SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATED COST FOR THE 7TH AVENUE AT CEDAR RIVER WATER MAIN IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
ESTIMATED COST, $6 MILLION. GRACE GOODENKOPF IS HERE. GRACE.
THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL.
GRACE GOODENKOPF WITH THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED AT THE CEDAR RIVER IN THE 7TH AVENUE CORRIDOR BETWEEN VALOR WAY SOUTHWEST AND 1ST STREET SOUTHEAST, NORTH OF THE 8TH AVENUE BRIDGE.
THIS PROJECT INCLUDES THE INSTALLATION OF 1,000 FEET OF 16-INCH WATER MAIN ACROSS THE CEDAR RIVER.
CONSTRUCTION WILL INCLUDE OPEN-CUT TRENCHING OF THE WATER MAIN WITH A COFFERDAM IN MULTIPLE STAGES WHILE MAINTAINING RIVER FLOW. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO REPLACE THE EXISTING WATER MAIN ATTACHED TO THE 8TH AVENUE BRIDGE IN ADVANCE OF THE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
THE ENGINEER'S OPINION OF PROBABLE COST IS $2.56 MILLION, WITH A BID OPENING SCHEDULED JULY 8TH. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO START IN THE FALL OF 2026, WITH COMPLETION IN THE SPRING OF 2027. THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.
THAT 6 LOOKED A LOT LIKE AN I NEEDED THE GLASSES FOR SOME REASON. THIS IS THE TIME AND THE PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER. DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, LET THE RECORD INDICATE THAT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER HAS BEEN HELD WITH NO OBJECTIONS SHOWN IN THE RECORD.
THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS. SEEING NONE, THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TODD.
[PUBLIC COMMENT ]
MOTION CARRIES.THANKS, GRACE. HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS, WE HAVE 2 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.
THE FIRST PERIOD IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO COUNCIL ACTION SCHEDULED FOR TODAY.
A SECOND PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD WILL COME AT THE END OF THE MEETING FOR RESIDENTS, PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO SPEAK ON ISSUES THAT ARE GERMANE TO THE CITY, BUT NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE BY PHONE OR EMAIL, BUT AT THIS TIME DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL OF THE MATTERS I ADDRESSED PRIOR TO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TODAY APPLY TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS AS WELL.
AND I THINK, MS. DONNA HUE, DID YOU, DID YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT PUBLIC HEARING THAT YOU ALREADY DID, OR DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER ITEM THAT YOU WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT? OKAY, SO PLEASE REMAIN AT THE LECTERN. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOCUMENTS YOU WISH TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL, PLEASE HAND THEM TO THE POLICE OFFICER
[01:10:01]
TO YOUR RIGHT.PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES. ALL COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE MATTERS YOU WISH TO ADDRESS, AND ABUSIVE, OBSCENE, OR IRRELEVANT COMMENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED.
THERE SHOULD BE NO PARTICIPATION OR DISRUPTION FROM THE AUDIENCE.
TODAY THERE'S ONE PERSON WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK DURING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
MS. DONNA HUE, IF YOU'D PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE AND BEGIN.
IF YOU COULD ALSO LET US KNOW WHICH AGENDA ITEM YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED TOO.
SO I'M HERE TO JUST SPEAK ON THE OVERALL ITEMS BEING PASSED TODAY, WHICH IS ALLOWED ON THE PACKET.
I'M GOING TO NEED YOU TO IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.
IT SAYS THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ANYTHING REGARDING COUNCIL ACTION TODAY.
YEAH, IF YOU COULD PLEASE IDENTIFY AN ACTION THAT WE'RE TAKING TODAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT.
RIGHT. SO I AM SPEAKING ABOUT THE ACTION THAT YOU JUST TOOK, WHICH WAS TO PASS THE PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PROPERTIES ALONG ELLIS BOULEVARD AND IN THE TIME CHECK AREA.
WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING AND YOU WERE ABLE TO SPEAK DURING THAT TIME. THIS IS JUST FOR AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE NOT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN AGENDA ITEM, WE'RE HAPPY TO LISTEN, BUT I NEED YOU TO IDENTIFY AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO WHICH YOU'RE SPEAKING.
ALL RIGHT, SO I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT YOUR RESOLUTIONS FOR PAYROLL, TRANSFER OF FUNDS, AND PAYMENT OF BILLS. THANK YOU.
YEP. ALL RIGHT, SO IF YOU'VE WATCHED MY VIDEOS OR SEE ME AT THIS MICROPHONE BEFORE, YOU KNOW I DON'T SUGARCOAT THINGS, AND I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN THIS CITY, AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR PAYROLL THAT YOU'RE PROCESSING TODAY. YOU HAVE SEVERAL CITY EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING YOUR UNION NEGOTIATIONS MANAGER, EDWARD HERMAN, THAT ARE ATTACKING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND CITIZENS IN THIS CITY.
MR. MEYER, I KNOW YOU SAID EARLIER THAT YOU FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ANY MEMBER OF THIS CITY STAFF OR COUNCIL WOULD BE HARASSING OR TRYING TO MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE HERE IN THIS CITY. BUT I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THE REASON THAT I COME BACK AND BACK AND BACK IS BECAUSE I LIVE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT I HAVE ABOUT MR. HERMAN AND WHAT HE'S DONE, BY THE WAY, ON YOUR CLOCK, ON COMPANY TIME, WHILE CLOCKED IN HERE AT CITY HALL, IT WOULD MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN. THERE ARE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF, NUMBER ONE, YOUR W-2 STAFF, AND NUMBER TWO, YOUR ELECTED STAFF THAT REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT WITH A MICROSCOPE.
AND AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS A HUMAN RESOURCES DEGREE AND HAS WORKED IN GLOBAL HR, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT IT DOES NOT LOOK GOOD WHEN WE'RE PAYING MARKET LEAD SALARIES TO PEOPLE LIKE MR. HERMAN, WHO ATTACKS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN THIS CITY, AND HE'S NEGOTIATING UNION CONTRACTS.
SO THAT MEANS THAT HE'S ATTACKING A UNION FAMILY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS WHILE ON COMPANY TIME FOR THE CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS. NOW, I'M NOT GOING TO CHARGE YOU FOR THIS, BUT IT IS MY PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION AS A HIGHLY RESPECTED INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER ON THE SUBJECT, MULTI-AWARD-WINNING, THANK YOU, THAT MR. HERMAN'S POSITION SHOULD BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY, AND THIS SHOULD BE HIS LAST CHECK.
BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, MR. OLSON, YOU'RE AN ATTORNEY.
THIS IS A HUGE LIABILITY, AND I HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE.
LAND MY PLANE. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA]
THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.ACTING CITY MANAGER DESHPANDE, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, YOUR HONOR.
DO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES ON ANY AGENDA ITEMS OR MAKE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? COUNCILMEMBER POE? YEAH, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECUSE MYSELF ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 21C, LINE ITEMS 47 AND 35, AND ON 22I.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE RECUSE THEMSELVES OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? COUNCILMEMBER MEYER.
ONE OF THESE MEETINGS, I'M GOING TO REMEMBER HOW TO DO THIS.
YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. AS PREVIOUSLY COMMUNICATED, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE AGENDA ITEM 2I, NO, I THINK I SIGNED THE WRONG
[01:15:01]
THING. 28J, YEAH, INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT WITH GOOGLE LLC FOR ITS USE AND OPERATION OF BUILDING 1 OF THE DATA CENTER CAMPUS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
ALL RIGHT, SEEING NONE, THAT BRINGS US TO THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS AMENDED HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER TODD, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORNY.
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
IN FAVOR SAY AYE.THOSE OPPOSED, NO. THE MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORNY, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER POE.
[28.j. Indemnification Agreement with Google, LLC for its use and operation of Building 1 of the data center campus. CIP/DID #ATT000095]
THOSE OPPOSED, NO. THIS MOTION CARRIES.THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THAT BRINGS US TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.
FIRST ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER 28J.
THEN IF YOU GUYS JUST WANT TO HOLD ON JUST 1 SECOND, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ITEM NUMBER 28J. MS. CHAVEZ, IF YOU WOULD ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
YES, SIR. SO THIS IS AN AGREEMENT THAT BOTH THE CITY AND THE AIRPORT COMMISSION ARE SIGNATORIES TO THE AIRPORT COMMISSION IS THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR BASED ON THE PROXIMITY TO THE AIRPORT. THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE AIRPORT COMMISSION AT YESTERDAY'S MEETING. THE AGREEMENT ALLOWS GOOGLE TO OCCUPY THE BUILDING WHILE ENSURING THE COMMISSION RETAINS FULL AUTHORITY TO TAKE ANY ACTION NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN ITS OPERATIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. SO I HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AND THE ONE POINT THAT TROUBLES ME THE MOST IS WHERE THE SENTENCE THAT READS THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF BUILDING 1 THROUGH 6 HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY IDENTIFIED. AND WHEN I, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND VISITORS, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S PREMATURE TO ISSUE AN OCCUPANCY PERMIT, EVEN IF IT'S A TEMPORARY PERMIT.
I THINK WE SHOULD BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RISKS, IDENTIFY THE LIKELY IMPACT AND CONSEQUENCES IF A RISK EVENT WERE TO OCCUR, AND REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MITIGATE THOSE RISKS. I BELIEVE IT IS MORALLY WRONG TO SAY, IN EFFECT, THAT WE ARE OKAY MOVING FORWARD WITH A DATA CENTER TO GO LIVE, EVEN THOUGH THOSE OPERATIONS MAY HARM OUR COMMUNITY, AS LONG AS WE SAY YOU CAN'T COME BACK AND HOLD THE CITY RESPONSIBLE. SO, BASED ON THAT, I AM VOTING, NOT IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION.
FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I JUST POINT OUT, I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE IN THE INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT REALLY LED BY THE AIRPORT, WHICH HAS THE SUBJECT MATTER AND EXPERT JURISDICTION.
THIS PROCESS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY OF THE SITE TO THE AIRPORT, IN THAT THE ZONING CODE, THE CITY ZONING CODE, SPECIFICALLY CALLS OUT THE AIRPORT AS THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THESE KINDS OF QUESTIONS.
AND THE AGREEMENT INCLUDES A NUMBER OF THINGS, THE MAIN ITEM OF WHICH IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE AIRPORT IS GOING TO GO ABOUT DETERMINING THE ANSWER TO THAT VERY QUESTION. AND SO THE AGREEMENT ACTUALLY PUTS IN PLACE THAT PROCESS THAT THE AIRPORT WILL USE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS AN IMPACT ON OPERATIONS. AND SO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MOVE THE AGREEMENT FORWARD SO THAT THE AIRPORT CAN GO AHEAD AND GET ABOUT THAT BUSINESS.
SINCE THE CONVERSATION'S BEEN OPEN, I DO SUPPORT EXACTLY THAT.
I DO THINK THAT AS A COUNCIL THOUGH, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE SAME REASONS I SAID CAUTIONING ABOUT, GETTING TOO EXCITED ABOUT AI TOOLS AND GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES WITHOUT FULLY VETTING THEM. I THINK THE CITY STAFF HAS WITH GREAT CARE, WHILE INTEREST HAS EXPLODED IN JUST THIS YEAR WITH DATA CENTERS, THE CITY STAFF HAS TAKEN GREAT CARE FOR THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS NEGOTIATING A LOT OF THESE TERMS AND CONTRACTS.
AND I FIND THAT THEY DID THAT WITH THIS AGREEMENT AS WELL.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT ACTUALLY PUTS US IN A BETTER POSITION TO ANSWER AND GET THE RESULTS THAT RESIDENTS HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKING FOR ABOUT, EFFICIENCY, REDUCING WATER CONSUMPTION, YOU KNOW, HAVING A LESS LOWER ENERGY STRAIN ON OUR RESIDENTS BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT,
[01:20:03]
AND I HAVE MADE THIS KNOWN TO CITY MANAGER POMERANTZ, THAT I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY HOLD. I'M NOT A POKER PLAYER, SO IF I'M USING THE TERMS WRONG, I DON'T GAMBLE.BUT JUST ANECDOTALLY, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE OUTSIDE OF THESE 2 CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT ADDING MORE DATA CENTERS. I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE HAS DONE A REALLY NICE JOB OF, YOU KNOW, MONITORING THESE.
BUT I DO THINK, AS WE'RE ALL LEARNING, THERE'S A LOT TO BE STUDIED WITH DATA CENTERS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE US IN A SEPARATE CONVERSATION TO PURSUE PERHAPS A MORATORIUM AND HOLD WITH THESE 2 PROJECTS AND SEE HOW THEY HOLD UP, ENSURE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY THAT THEY DO WHAT THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO FOR US. SO OTHERWISE, WITH REGARD TO THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT, I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT.
COUNCILMEMBER MEYER, YOU POSE A GOOD QUESTION. AND ONE THAT'S FAIR TO AT LEAST ENTERTAIN. I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ONE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE OPERATOR IN TERMS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITY.
AND THAT HAS INCLUDED THE AIRPORT. AND IT COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THESE DATA CENTERS HAS BEEN FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORMED IN HOW THEY'RE DOING THESE THINGS. AND I WOULD SUSPECT THAT BY THE TIME THE WHOLE PROCESS IS DONE. THEY'LL ACTUALLY BE DOING THEM EVEN DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW, ALL IN THE HOPE TO PUT LESS STRAIN ON THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED THE GRID, THE WATER IN THE AREA AND TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON THE AIRPORT.
AND SO, I SUPPORT THIS AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND WELCOME THE DISCUSSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON OTHERS.
THANK YOU. I THINK THAT IT'S A GREAT QUESTION THAT DAVID RAISED AND WHAT I DID SOME RESEARCH MYSELF ON LOOKING AT WHY IT'S HERE. WELL, WE'RE IN A UNIQUE POSITION IN THAT THESE DATA CENTERS ARE LOCATED NEXT TO AN AIRPORT.
SO WHAT IT DOES IS IT PUTS AN EXTRA REGULATION ON THE DATA CENTERS BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S AIR REQUIREMENTS FOR FLIGHTS.
SO WHAT WE'RE GETTING, BESIDES US WATCHING THINGS, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SEPARATE PROCESS DOING THE SAME THING. THAT MEANS THEY'RE GETTING DOUBLE-WATCHED. AND SO, THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THE FACT THAT WE WANT THEM TO DO THAT AND TO HELP US AND HELP THEM DETERMINE THAT WE'RE HEADING THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO IT'S NICE HAVING AN EXTRA EYE ON IT BESIDES US. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT AIRPORT COMMISSION, OUR AIRPORT'S DOING WELL AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE IMPACTED.
AND SO I'M PLEASED WITH THIS AGREEMENT IN THE SENSE THAT THEY WERE WORKING AS A TEAM TO DOUBLE WATCH THEM. AND SO THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT.
ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE RESOLUTION IS MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND.
[29. Report on bids for the Cedar Lake Amenities Bid Package 3: Recreational Amenities project (estimated cost is $3,950,000) (Ben Worrell). (Council Priority) CIP/DID #327010-02]
AYE.OPPOSED, NO. AND THE MOTION CARRIES.
AGENDA ITEM 29, REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE CEDAR LAKE AMENITIES BID PACKAGE 3 RECREATIONAL AMENITIES PROJECT. ESTIMATED COST IS $3.95 MILLION.
BEN WORRELL AND MATT JOHNSON WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THIS BID PACKAGE INCLUDED HABITAT AND WETLAND RESTORATION ON THE NORTH END OF THE LAKE, AS WELL AS A VIEWING PLATFORM FOR WILDLIFE, WHICH WE'RE CALLING A BIRD WALK OVERLOOKING THAT HABITAT, AS WELL AS SOME VEGETATED FLOATING ISLANDS. THE PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDED TRAIL RECONSTRUCTION AND ACCESSIBLE KAYAK LAUNCH ADA ACCESSIBLE, SOME OF THE SITE WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHALLENGE COURSE THAT WAS BID AS A SEPARATE BID PACKAGE AND RESTROOM SHELTERS WITH PICNIC BENCHES AND SOME FISHING PIERS.
HERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF THE HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE INCLUDED ON THE BID PACKAGE WITH NATIVE VEGETATION AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE NATURE VIEWING PLATFORM WHICH IS A PIER AND FLOATING ISLANDS, WHICH AGAIN INCLUDE NATIVE
[01:25:02]
VEGETATION.AND HERE'S JUST PICTURES OF A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF ADA-ACCESSIBLE KAYAK LAUNCHES THAT CAN BE USED BY ALL PEOPLE. THIS PROJECT BID ON JUNE 17TH. WE ONLY RECEIVED ONE BIDDER, AND THE BID CAME IN OVER THE ESTIMATE.
THE BID WAS $5,796,654 AND 0 CENTS. WE ARE CURRENTLY RECOMMENDING THAT THIS BE REJECTED, AND THAT WILL GIVE US TIME TO DISCUSS WITH THE INTERESTED CONTRACTORS THAT DIDN'T SUBMIT A BID, SOME VALUE ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES, HOW WE CAN CUT COSTS, AND ALSO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO REPACKAGE THIS WORK AND GET MORE INTEREST FOR MORE CONTRACTORS ON A FUTURE BID.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER MEYER.
THANKS, MAYOR PRO TEM. CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE 1ST SLIDE? IT HAD THE PICTURE AND THIS ONE.
SO I HAVE TO BE GROUNDED BY WHERE THE SAG WAGON IS.
CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME, IS IT LIKE BELOW THAT ACCESSIBLE DOCK AND KAYAK LAUNCH? YEAH, SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE RIGHT HERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO THEN THE HABITAT WETLAND RESTORATION, AND MY APOLOGIES IF YOU HAD SHARED DETAIL ABOUT THIS IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, CAN YOU SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT LIKE THE SCOPE OF THAT PROJECT AND THE NATURE OF THAT PROJECT AND HOW MUCH OF THIS? YEAH, JUST IF YOU CAN JUST PROVIDE SOME DETAIL THERE.
SO IT INCLUDES SOME WETLAND PLANTINGS AND WOULD BASICALLY RE-ESTABLISH A WETLAND AREA THAT WOULD BE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE, ESPECIALLY WATERFOWL IN MIND. WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING WITH THE AUDUBON SOCIETY AND SOME FOLKS ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN SEEING THIS AREA WITH TREES IN THE WETLAND PLANTINGS BE RESTORED.
THAT WAS HELPFUL. SO THIS DOESN'T REALLY INCLUDE ANY CEDAR LAKE CLEANUP PER SE, RIGHT? NO.
SO, ERIC, ONE REAL QUICK QUESTION. I WAS DOWN THERE YESTERDAY AND I LIKE REESTABLISHING, THE IDEA OF REESTABLISHING THESE WETLANDS. I THINK IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST SOME OF THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO MANAGE SOME OF OUR WATERFOWL.
MY QUESTION, I GUESS, MAYBE GOES TO CARRIE AS WELL, IN THAT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO MAINTAIN THAT AREA AS WE'RE ATTRACTING MORE WATERFOWL THERE? AND EVERYBODY HAS KIND OF A GIGGLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DODGE A LOT OF THE BIRD FECES, JUST TO GET A WALK AROUND THE, AROUND THE LAKE AND ON THE TRAIL. SO, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS IN THE FUTURE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT NOW, BUT IF YOU COULD GET THAT OUT TO COUNCIL. HOW ARE WE WITH ADDING THESE WONDERFUL AMENITIES, WHICH I THINK ARE GREAT? I ALSO WANT TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT CLEAN SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BE DOWN THERE TO ENJOY IT, NOT FEEL LIKE THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THE GOOSE STUFF.
YEAH, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. CAN YOU GO BACK A SLIDE? OKAY.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT, FOR EXAMPLE, GOOGLE MAPS, IT'S ACTUALLY INCLUDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHICAGO CENTRAL AND PACIFIC RAILROAD LINE AS CEDAR RIVER OR SORRY, CEDAR LAKE. WHAT PART DO WE OWN AND WHAT PART DOES, FOR EXAMPLE, CARGILL OWN? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY OWN THE SOUTH PART? NO, IT'S ALL OURS.
OKAY. SO FOR THIS PROJECT THAT WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NORTHERN PART.
YEAH, AND THIS IS AN AMENITIES PROJECT, MOSTLY AROUND THE LAKE, MAJORITY OF IT.
THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. THIS PIECE SIMPLY HANDLES THE...
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WATER. IT HANDLES THE RECREATIONAL AMENITIES ON THE SHORE.
NO ONE WAS MORE DISAPPOINTED AT THE BIDS THAN PROBABLY ME AND THE REST OF STAFF WHEN THEY CAME BACK HIGHER THAN
[01:30:01]
WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED. AND THE LESSON WE LEARNED WAS A COUPLE THINGS. WE BID IT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUSIEST SEASON.AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE BID, IT'S A COMPLICATED BID.
THERE'S 78 SEPARATE ITEMS. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE CONTRACTORS, THAT'S PRETTY LABOR-INTENSIVE FOR GUYS THAT JUST MOVE DIRT.
ALL THE TIME. AND SO, WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BREAK IT OUT INTO SMALLER PACKAGES TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRESS THAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE.
COUNCILWOMAN POE MAKES A GOOD OBSERVATION.
NOW, IF YOU NOTICE THAT SOME OF THE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS THERE, THERE IS A LOT OF RIPRAP GEESE DON'T LIKE RIPRAP. BUT UNTIL THE ENTIRE LAKE, UNTIL THIS PROJECT'S DONE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE GEESE ON ONE SIDE. THEY'RE NOT DUMB.
THEY'RE GOING WHERE THERE'S NO RIPRAP. AND THEN THEY GO OVER WHERE PEOPLE FEED 'EM.
AND SO THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE THEY GET A LOT OF FOOD DOWN THERE.
AND WE USED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN AGGRESSIVE STRATEGY FOR GEESE MITIGATION, AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE'LL PROBABLY SEE THAT AGAIN, BUT WE'LL BID IT BACK OUT.
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP ON ALL THIS AND WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
ALL RIGHT, SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION REJECTING THE BID HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MEYER.
[30. Report on bids for the Tower Terrace Road NE Interchange with I-380 West Median Landscaping project (estimated cost is $380,000) (Erik Turnquist). CIP/DID #3018044-02 ]
THOSE OPPOSED, NO. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANKS, GENTLEMEN.ITEM NUMBER 30 IS REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE TOWER TERRACE ROAD NORTHEAST INTERCHANGE WITH I-380 WEST MEDIAN LANDSCAPING PROJECT.
JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THIS PROJECT.
THIS IS TO IMPROVE THE MEDIANS ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWER TERRACE ROAD AND THE I-380 INTERCHANGE. THIS PROJECT WILL INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF PAVERS, CONCRETE SPLASH GUARD, TREES, SHRUBS, AND ORNAMENTAL GRASS. THE CITY WORKS TO ENSURE THE VEGETATION SELECTED IS NATIVE AND ALSO TO PRIORITIZE SPECIES THAT WOULD BE DURABLE FOR THESE AREAS.
THE PROJECT LATE START DATE IS AUGUST 17TH. WITH CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION DATE OF OCTOBER 12TH. THE BID OPENING WAS ON JUNE 17TH WITH 3 BIDS RECEIVED.
THESE BIDS RANGED FROM $369,480 TO $396,984.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO THE APPARENT LOW BID OF ARACHI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT OF $369,480.65.
ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER
[31. Report on bids for the Jordan Well No. 1 – ASR System project (estimated cost is $3,700,000) (Brandon Jennings). CIP/DID #6250158-02]
TODD.THOSE OPPOSED, NO. THE MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER 31, REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE JORDAN WELL NUMBER 1 ASR SYSTEM PROJECT, ESTIMATED COST IS $3.7 MILLION. BRANDON JENNINGS IS HERE. BRANDON, GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCIL. BRANDON JENNINGS WITH THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. TO RECAP, THIS PROJECT WILL DRILL A NEW WELL APPROXIMATELY 1,500 FEET DEEP INTO THE JORDAN AQUIFER FOR A NEW AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY, ALSO KNOWN AS AN ASR SYSTEM, AT THE NORTHWEST WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
THIS PROJECT IS LIMITED TO THE DRILLING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE WELL ONLY. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WELLHOUSE BUILDING, CHEMICAL FEED SYSTEM, PROCESS PIPING, AND OTHER SITE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE PERFORMED AS PART OF THE NORTHWEST TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION PROJECT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN DESIGN. THE WELL IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY 2027, AND THE OVERALL WELLHOUSE AND ASR SYSTEM IS EXPECTED FOR OPERATION IN LATE 2028.
THE ENGINEER'S OPINION OF PROBABLE CONSTRUCTION COST WAS $3,700,000. 3 BIDS WERE RECEIVED FOR THIS PROJECT ON JUNE 10TH. 2 BID ALTERNATES WERE INCLUDED.
ALTERNATE 1 WAS FOR A DIFFERENT GRADE OF STEEL FOR THE WELL CASING.
ALTERNATE 2 WAS FOR OFFSITE HAULING AND DISPOSAL OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE. THE BIDS, INCLUDING ALTERNATES 1 AND 2, RANGED FROM $5,193,500 TO $7,821,100.
GINGERICH WELL AND PUMP SERVICE WAS THE LOW BIDDER.
[01:35:02]
NOTE, THAT THE BIDS CAME IN HIGHER THAN ESTIMATE BECAUSE OF SEVERAL FACTORS, INCLUDING COST UNCERTAINTY RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL MARKET AND FUEL CURRENTLY, AS WELL AS SEVERAL UNAVOIDABLE SITE-SPECIFIC RISK FACTORS THAT WERE DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE. WE HAD ALSO BUDGETED $6 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT BASED OFF OF BID RESULTS OF NEARBY PROJECTS.SO THIS BID RESULT STILL FALLS WITHIN OUR BUDGET. THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS AWARDING THE CONTRACT FOR THIS PROJECT.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
THANKS, BRANDON. I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION ON THE BUDGET NUMBER AS WELL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER OLSON? YEAH, I KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THESE UNIQUE PROJECTS.
IT'S HARD TO FIND YOU KNOW, IT'S A SPECIFIC BIDDER. I DON'T KNOW WHO THE ENGINEER WAS, THAT IF THERE WAS THAT RANGE, I THINK THAT SHOULD SHOW ON YOUR PRESENTATIONS, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GOING TO BE A RANGE. BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THESE HAPPEN BEFORE AT THE PUBLIC, THE WASTE FACILITY, WHERE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S SO UNIQUE OR JUST ONE BIDDER, AND THE ENGINEER, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST ALL TIMING AND HOW BUSY ARE THEY AND WITH ALL THESE THINGS.
BUT I THINK YOU KNOW, THIS NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED BECAUSE IT'S HARD FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. AND WE KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT PROJECT.
AND SO I THINK THE CLARIFICATION IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE DID HAVE A RANGE BEFORE WHICH HAS BEEN BUDGETED.
WE WERE HOPING FOR THE LOWER END, I ASSUME.
ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER TODD, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORNY.
[32. Report on bids for the 2026 J Avenue Water Treatment Plant Roof Replacements and Repairs project (estimated cost is $2,100,000) (Terry Tiedemann). CIP/DID #6250138-02 ]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.THE MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER 32, REPORT ON BIDS FOR THE 2026 JAY AVENUE WATER TREATMENT PLANT ROOF REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIR PROJECT, ESTIMATED COST OF $2.1 MILLION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM.
TERRY TIEDEMANN WITH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT HAS 9 STRUCTURES THAT REQUIRE ROOF REHABILITATION.
THE ENGINEER'S OPINION OF PROBABLE CONSTRUCTION COST WAS $2,100,000. THE WORK IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN IN JULY OF THIS YEAR AND TO BE COMPLETED IN AUGUST OF 2027.
DURING THE BIDDING PROCESS, THE 1949 BUILDING, WHICH WAS TO HAVE A ROOF REPLACEMENT, WAS REMOVED FROM THE CONTRACT DUE TO CONSIDERABLE STRUCTURAL REPAIRS THAT WERE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE WERE BIDDING OUT AT THE TIME.
HENCE, THE MUCH LOWER LOW BID THAN OUR ORIGINAL ITEM. THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS AWARDING THIS CONTRACT OF THE 2026 JAY AVENUE WATER TREATMENT ROOF REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIRS TO BLACKHAWK ROOF COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,267,140.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
THANKS, TERRY. QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER VAN ORNEY, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER POE.
[33. Ordinance vacating a 0.053-acre parcel of street right of way adjacent to 5th Street SE, between 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue SE, as requested by OFB LLC. CIP/DID #ROWV-032970-2021 ]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.THOSE OPPOSED, NO. THE MOTION CARRIES.
THANKS, TERRY. THAT NOW BRINGS US TO THE ORDINANCES. ITEM NUMBER 33, AN ORDINANCE VACATING A 0.053-ACRE PARCEL OF STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY ADJACENT TO 5TH STREET SOUTHEAST. EAST BETWEEN 10TH AVENUE AND 11TH AVENUE SOUTHEAST, AS REQUESTED BY OFB LLC.
THE APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS SECOND READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OVERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MEYER.
MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER POE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I MOVE THE RULE REQUIRING 3 READINGS ON 3 DIFFERENT DAYS BE SUSPENDED AND THE ORDINANCE BE ADOPTED ON ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING.
THE ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE ON ITS 3RD AND FINAL READING HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER POE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MEYER.
BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION
[01:40:01]
FOR THIS ITEM, DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER OLSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TODD.[PUBLIC INPUT ]
THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO, AND THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT CLOSES OUT OUR FORMAL BUSINESS TODAY AND BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD.THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENTS, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT PERTAINING TO COUNCIL BUSINESS. IF YOU ARE NOT A RESIDENT, PROPERTY OWNER, OR BUSINESS OWNER, YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO SPEAK, BUT WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO EMAIL OR CALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF WITH YOUR COMMENTS. AS WITH THE EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AT THIS TIME WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN.
I WILL REMIND EVERYONE TO REMAIN AT THE LECTERN.
COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES, AND THERE SHOULD BE NO ABUSIVE, OBSCENE, LOUD, THREATENING, OR PERSONAL COMMENTS. IF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, APPROACH THE MICROPHONE WHEN CALLED UPON.
THE FIRST PERSON SIGNED UP IS THOMAS PEAK, HERE TO SPEAK TO US ABOUT TRAILS.
HI, I'M A CITIZEN OF CEDAR RAPIDS. AND MAYOR PRO TEM OLSON, CITY COUNCILMEMBERS, CITIZENS OF CEDAR RAPIDS, I WANT TO GIVE YOU 5 SECONDS ON A CEDAR RAPIDS TRAIL.
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND A YOUNG MOTHER IS WITH HEADPHONES ON IS TAKING HER 3-MONTH-OLD CHILD AND LABRADOR RETRIEVER FOR A STROLL. SECOND 1. A 25-YEAR-OLD E-BIKE RIDER WITH NO HELMET, SHIRT, OR SHOES COMES OVER THE TOP OF THE HILL DOING A WHEELIE AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. SECOND 2. THE DOG HEARS THE E-BIKE, THEN SEES THE E-BIKE. THE DOG IS SMART. HE HAS SEEN THIS SCENARIO BEFORE. HE IMMEDIATELY EXITS THE TRAIL.
SECOND 3. THE MOM DOES NOT HEAR THE E-BIKE AND IS PULLED DOWN ON THE TRAIL BY THE DOG'S LEAD. SECOND 4.
THE MOM PULLS DOWN THE STROLLER. AS SHE FALLS, THE 3-YEAR-OLD CHILD SPILLS OUT ONTO THE TRAIL. SECOND 5. THE E-BIKE RIDER IS STILL DOING A WHEELIE AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. HE TRIES TO AVOID THE CHILD, BUT JUST AS HE LEANS TO THE RIGHT, HE HITS A LARGE CRACK IN THE TRAIL AND GOES AIRBORNE.
THEN I WOKE UP IN A COLD SWEAT.
I'VE HAD THIS NIGHTMARE BEFORE. SO I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MAINTAINING A TRAIL.
I CAN ONLY GIVE YOU AN OPINION OF WHAT I SEE. I GET ON THE TRAIL EVERY OTHER DAY AND RIDE MY BIKE. OKAY, THE FIRST THING IS CHILD HELMETS, CHILD HELMETS, AND CHILD HELMETS.
THE FIRST 3 THINGS. CHILDREN SHOULD BE WEARING HELMETS ON THE TRAIL, AND I HAVE PASSIONS ABOUT THAT. IF CEDAR RAPIDS EVER WANTS TO GIVE AWAY HELMETS TO CHILDREN ON THE TRAIL, I'LL DONATE THE FIRST 100 HELMETS. OKAY? IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND I RODE TODAY, BUT THERE WERE ABOUT A THIRD OF THE CHILDREN HAD HELMETS ON. THE OTHERS DIDN'T. A NEW BRIDGE COMING ACROSS THE CEDAR RIVER.
I NEVER DID HEAR THAT WE HAD A BOAT OR BIKE ACCIDENTS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW BRIDGE. I WOULD SUGGEST IF YOU GET ANY MORE BRIDGE MONEY THAT YOU MIGHT SPEND IT ON THE 380 AND 42ND STREET CROSSING. I ALMOST GOT KILLED THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES, SO THAT'S ALL.
MY TIME'S UP. OR DO I HAVE ANOTHER MINUTE? IT IS UP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
NEXT IS DANIEL FRANKLIN TALKING ABOUT POLICE REPORTS.
I'VE BEEN HERE BACK IN CEDAR RAPIDS. FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS.
I CAME FROM LAS VEGAS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THEY CLOSED THE STRIP DOWN. I CAME BACK, I MOVED INTO WESTDALE APARTMENTS.
I TOOK AN 85-YEAR-OLD TO GET A FREE PHONE IN FRONT OF THE WESTDALE OFFICE. A MAN ATTACKED HIM BECAUSE HE HAD AN AMERICAN HAT ON, VIETNAM VET. HE WAS EXTORTING MONEY
[01:45:01]
FROM HIM.I'M AN ALPHA MALE, AND WE NEED MORE ALPHA MALES IN THIS CITY, AND THEY ARE EXTINCT. I SAW HIM ATTACKING THIS MAN, RAISING HIS HAND, CALLING HIM ALL KINDS OF NAMES, TRYING TO GET MONEY FROM HIM. SO I WENT OVER THERE AND TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE? HE'S A VIETNAM VET.
WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE? HE TURNED HIS AGGRESSION TOWARDS ME, THREW A PUNCH, NICKED ME IN THE JAW. I PICKED HIM UP AND SLAMMED HIM TO THE GROUND. I WALKED BACKWARDS.
HE GOT UP, PULLED A KNIFE ON ME, CAME AT ME. WHEN THE POLICE GOT THERE, THEY TOLD THE OLD MAN TO SHUT UP. THEY TOLD ME TO SHUT UP AND STAND THERE.
WHEN SOMEONE PULLS A KNIFE ON YOU, YOUR ADRENALINE IS UP TO HERE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THAT POLICE REPORT. I FINALLY GOT IT.
IT WAS A GENERIC CRIME, HAD NO MENTION OF THE KNIFE. I SAW IT THE DAY OF IT. THEY HAD A MENTION OF THE KNIFE, BUT IT WAS AT THE VERY BOTTOM.
THAT'S ONE INCIDENT. A DRUNK DRIVER HITS ME AND I SAW HIM SWITCH DRIVERS. AND THE COPS THAT WERE THERE, I SAID THEY SWITCHED DRIVERS.
THE GUY CAME BACK IN HIS TRUCK. I SHOULD SAY, THERE HE IS RIGHT THERE. AND THAT MAN SAID TO ME, SOMETIMES AN EYEWITNESS ISN'T THE BEST WITNESS.
THE FAR-LEFT POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FAR-LEFT CITY COUNCIL. I'M ANGRY.
IT MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET MY MONEY BECAUSE MY INSURANCE AGENCY, I CAN'T THINK OF HIS NAME. I'M SORRY. HE WAS IN CAHOOTS.
THESE FAR-LEFT PEOPLE DO THINGS IN CAHOOTS WITH EACH OTHER. ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE. THERE'S 7 OTHER INCIDENCES.
I WAS AT A HOUSE RENTING A ROOM. A MAN CAME IN AND WHILE I WAS SLEEPING AND WAS WANTING TO ASSAULT ME, IT WAS CHRISTINE DOOLIN'S EX-BOYFRIEND. I JUMPED ON THE BED TO BUY TIME BECAUSE I JUST WOKE UP.
I PUT HIM ON THE GROUND. I WAITED. HE BIT ME ON MY CHIN.
WHEN THE COPS GOT THERE, THEY BACKED ME UP 25 FEET TO TAKE A PICTURE OF MY BITE MARK ON MY CHIN.
ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE. I ALSO PLAY POKER AT RIVERSIDE CASINO.
I WORE A TRUMP HAT IN THERE AND GOT SO MUCH ACTION AND SO MUCH MONEY. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE BECAUSE OF THE FAR LEFT. D&D HOLDINGS, SPECIAL PEOPLE.
REAL SPECIAL PEOPLE. GOT ME KICKED OUT FOR A YEAR. I MOVED INTO ONE OF THEIR RESIDENCES AT 1834 FIRST AVENUE.
WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT I WAS THERE, THEY MOVED ME INTO A GARAGE WITH A HOLE IN THE ROOF. I TOOK PICTURES, ALL... EVERY ONE OF THE GARAGES.
TIME IS UP? IS THAT 3 MINUTES? THAT'S 3 MINUTES.
WELL, YOU CAN'T, SIR. YOU CAN COME BACK.
YOU CAN COME BACK AND SAY THEY ALREADY INSPECTED THE PLACE. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS KIRA.
IS KIRA LITTLE SKY SPEAKING ABOUT POLICING? WHO ARE THEY? I KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
MR. FRANKLIN, PLEASE SIT DOWN.
YOUR 3 MINUTES ARE UP. THANK YOU.
I'M HERE TO BACK HIM UP ON POLICING. THE POLICE HERE ARE CROOKED. I'M SORRY.
I DROVE ALL THE WAY TO NEW JERSEY SHORE LAST YEAR, VISIT A FRIEND, SPENT SOME GREAT TIME.
BEFORE I LOST MY OLD DOG, SHE GOT A RUN ON THE BEACH OF THE OCEAN, SO WE HAD A GOOD TIME. I COME HOME, YOU KNOW, I'M 50 YEARS OLD.
I DO NOT DRINK. I DO NOT DO DRUGS. SO I DECIDE I'M GOING TO TAKE MY FRIEND OUT TO GET SOME DINNER.
THAT'S FINE. HE FOLLOWS ME PROBABLY 10 BLOCKS.
TURN, TURN, TURN, TURN. WHEN I FINALLY GO TO TURN INTO JIM'S FOODS, HIS LAST CHANCE TO PULL ME OVER, HE PULLS ME OVER. NOT ONLY ARE THEY RUDE AND AGGRESSIVE, THE GUY SCREAMED AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS, SHUT UP, TO MY PASSENGER WHEN MY PASSENGER WAS TRYING TO ASK A QUESTION.
THIS MAN WAS THE MOST RUDE, AGGRESSIVE PERSON I HAVE EVER MET, AND HE WAS HALF MY AGE. HE ACCUSED ME OF HAVING NO LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, CROSSING THE YELLOW LINE, AND THE CAR REEKING OF MARIJUANA. WELL, NONE OF THAT HAPPENED.
I HAVE A DASH CAM, AND I GAVE HIM MY LICENSE.
HE FINALLY GOES BACK TO THE CAR. HE COMES BACK LATER MADDER THAN HE WAS WHEN HE CAME UP, STARTED YELLING AT ME.
[01:50:04]
PULLED ME OVER BECAUSE I'M BROWN.THOSE WERE ALL 3 LIES. HE GAVE ME THE LICENSE BACK, AND THEN HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, YOU SHOULDN'T BE OUT TOOLING AROUND WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
YOU WANT RESPECT? YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE RESPECT. ESPECIALLY THE LEADERS. YOU WONDER WHY THE THINGS ARE COMING BACK ON THE OFFICERS.
IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TOO MANY BAD ONES OUT THERE.
FOR EVERY TIME THAT HAPPENS TO ONE OF US, WE GO HOME AND TELL OUR FRIENDS, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T TRUST THE COPS.
NEXT UP IS KIMBERLY DONAHUE TALKING ABOUT CEDAR LAKE.
GOOD JOB, GIRL. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
THE LAST TIME I STOOD AT THIS MICROPHONE, I DIDN'T GET TO FINISH MY 3 MINUTES BECAUSE I DARED TO LOOK YOU IN THE EYES AND DEMAND TRANSPARENCY ON DEVELOPER DEALS. I WAS FORCIBLY ESCORTED OUT OF THIS ROOM. YOU THOUGHT EJECTING ME WOULD QUIET THINGS DOWN.
YOU THOUGHT CUTTING MY MICROPHONE WOULD MAKE THE TRUTH DISAPPEAR, BUT YOU FORGOT ONE SIMPLE RULE. YOU CAN'T LOCK THE TRUTH OUT OF THIS BUILDING. WHEN YOU KICKED ME OUT, I DIDN'T STOP. I WENT STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE COMMUNITY TO DIG DEEPER.
AND WHAT I FOUND ISN'T JUST A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, AND IT'S AN ACTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO COVER IT UP WITH A $4 MILLION MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
WHILE YOU WERE SILENCING ME, THIS COUNCIL VOTED TO ADVANCE THE CONNECT CR CEDAR LAKE REVITALIZATION PROGRAM PROJECT, PUSHING FORWARD AMENITIES PACKAGE NUMBER 3. YOU ARE PREPARING TO BREAK GROUND ON A PLAYGROUND, A NATURE WALKWAY, AND A KAYAK LAUNCH TO INVITE FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND PETS DIRECTLY INTO A HIGHLY CONTAMINATED INDUSTRIAL SHORELINE.
WE RAN INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY TESTING ON THE WATER, AND BY THE WAY, I HAVE A NURSING DEGREE, SO I KNOW HOW TO DO NO CROSS-CONTAMINATION IN A STERILE TEST, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID.
WE TESTED THE WATER AT CEDAR LAKE AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE WATERSHED RUNOFF BY THE SAG WAGON AND ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION.
BY THE WAY, THE WATER CONNECTS UNDER THE TRAIN BRIDGE.
EVERYONE, IT'S ALL THE SAME WATER. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY CLEAN UP THE NORTH SIDE, IT'S DIRTY. YOUR PR CAMPAIGN SAYS THAT THE LAKE IS STABLE, BUT THE CHEMISTRY SAYS THAT YOU ARE LYING.
OUR TESTING FOUND A LEAD RATING OF 50 PARTS PER MILLION IN THE RUNOFF ZONE.
THAT IS 3,000 333 TIMES HIGHER THAN THE EPA SAFETY THRESHOLD. THE LEAD IS A PERMANENT NEUROTOXIN, AND YOU'RE BUILDING A CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND NEXT TO A CATASTROPHIC HEAVY METAL HAZARD.
FURTHERMORE, OUR TESTS DETECTED HIGH LEVELS OF QACS AND CHLORINE. THIS DEFINITIVE CHEMICAL PROOF SHOWS INDUSTRIAL WASH-OFF WATER AND HEAVY, HEAVY FACTORY SANITIZERS.
YOUR DEFENSE WILL LIKELY BE THAT A PH OF 9 IS LEGAL, BUT YOUR DATA IS ARTIFICIAL, OVER 11 YEARS OLD.
THE PH OF 9 IS CAUSTIC ENOUGH TO FORCE HEAVY METALS TO SETTLE. YOU'RE RUNNING A CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENT ON A PUBLIC LAKE AND PASSING IT OFF AS SAFETY. YOU CHOSE TO PROTECT MUNICIPAL MARKETING OVER THE PEOPLE HERE, AND WE'RE DEMANDING THAT YOU ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE HALT MORATORIUM ON ALL OF YOUR PROJECTS.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR MONEY AND SPEND IT SOMEWHERE, HOW ABOUT MANHATTAN PARK AND ELLIS HARBOR AND INSTEAD OF A TOXIC LAKE. THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS JOHN LEE, MORGAN VALLEY POWER PLANT.
HI, MY NAME IS JOHN LEE WITH SAVE MORGAN VALLEY. I'M HERE ABOUT THE MORGAN VALLEY ENERGY CENTER.
THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THAT I'VE STOOD HERE ASKING FOR ONE THING. A PUBLIC CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CITY'S ROLE IN WATER AND SEWER FOR THE PROJECT. WHEN I ASKED WHETHER THE CITY HAD ANY CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS WITH THE MORGAN VALLEY PLANT, THE ANSWER WAS NO.
WHEN I ASKED THE SAME THING ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, THE QTS AND GOOGLE, THE CITY DIDN'T ANSWER NO. THEY SAID THEY NEEDED TIME TO GATHER THEM. SO IT DOES SEEM THE CITY HOLDS CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS.
JUST ON THE DATA CENTERS ON THAT SIDE OF A VERY THIN LINE. AND THE DATA CENTERS PLANNED OUT HERE NEXT TO THE PLANT, RUMOR HAS IT, IS QTS, THE SAME QTS. SO THE CITY'S PLANNING TO SEND CEDAR RAPIDS WATER PAST THE CITY LIMITS TO SERVE THIS BUILD-OUT.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GUESS, MAYOR O'DONNELL A MONTH AGO AT THE STATE OF THE CITY, SHE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT DATA CENTERS AND THE CITY'S FUTURE. SHE SAID THAT PEOPLE WHO QUESTION THEM COULD BE ACTING OUT OF FEAR OR MAINLY MISINFORMATION, AND THAT LEADERSHIP MEANS DECISIONS GROUNDED IN FACTS. I AGREE WITH THAT LAST PART, SO LET'S HAVE THE FACTS.
[01:55:02]
RELEASE THE WATER REPORT ALLIANCE STAMPED CONFIDENTIAL. TELL US WHAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY COMMITTED, BECAUSE RUMOR HAS IT THE DATA CENTERS ARE MOVING TO PERMIT BY YEAR'S END, WHETHER THIS PLANT HAPPENS OR NOT. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME I'VE ASKED.IF MISINFORMATION IS THE WORRY, A CURE IS A PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE FACTS ON THE TABLE. MY NEIGHBORS AND I WOULD LIVE WITH THE RESULTS, AND MOST OF US LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, SO UNDER YOUR RULES, WE DON'T GET TO STAND HERE I GET 3 MINUTES. THEY GET NONE.
SO FOR THE 4TH TIME, PUT A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE SCHEDULE FOR WATER, THIS PLANT, THE DEVELOPMENT AROUND IT. ANNOUNCE IT WITHIN 7 DAYS AND HOLD A SPECIAL SESSION AFTER 5 P.M. SO WORKING PEOPLE AND RURAL NEIGHBORS CAN BE THERE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN IN 7 DAYS, JUST ON THE CALENDAR WITH PUBLIC NOTICE WITHIN 7.
ON THE SCHEDULE WITHIN 30, PLEASE. IF YOU WON'T, OUR GROUP, SAVE MORGAN VALLEY, WILL HOLD IT OURSELVES IN CEDAR RAPIDS.
EVERYONE SPEAKS, CITY LIMITS OR NOT. NO 3-MINUTE CLOCK. YOU'RE ALL INVITED, THE MAYOR ESPECIALLY.
THE PUBLIC WILL NOTICE WHO SHOWS UP. YOU SAY YOU WANT FACTS. SO DO WE IN PUBLIC.
NEXT ITEM, OR NEXT SPEAKER, IS ROBERT HOGUE TALKING ABOUT SLUDGE ON PROPERTY.
YOU HAVE NEW RULES AND YOU SAY DOCUMENTS. I'M WONDERING IF I CAN PASS AROUND MY CONTAINERS HERE.
THESE ARE NOT PEANUT BUTTER AND POTATO SALAD.
THEY ARE SLUDGE, BROWN MUDDY SLUDGE THAT POURED DOWN TO OUR PROPERTY, 2750 OTIS ROAD SOUTHEAST, AND SETTLED ON OUR PROPERTY DURING THE RECENT RAINSTORMS ON JUNE 10TH, 11TH, AND 17TH. THIS IS FROM 3 SQUARE FEET BEHIND OUR GARAGE, AND THE SLUDGE COVERED THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET IN AND AROUND OUR GARAGE IN OUR VEGETABLES AND DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. AND OUR NEIGHBORS, THE OHLERS AND THE OTHERS, GOT IT WORSE.
THIS IS FROM KESTREL HEIGHTS DEVELOPMENT THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED OVER THE OBJECTIONS OF NEIGHBORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHO TOLD YOU THAT THE LANESHKA FARM WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR THE STYLE AND DENSITY OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF TOPOGRAPHY AND SOILS. AND WHO TOLD YOU, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THERE WOULD BE RUNOFF PROBLEMS. AND GUESS WHAT? THERE HAVE BEEN RUNOFF PROBLEMS. WE HAVE HAD WATER BEFORE, SO WE KNEW THERE WOULD BE PROBLEMS. BUT THIS COUNCIL DISMISSED THOSE CONCERNS. WE'VE HAD WATER BEFORE, BUT NEVER BROWN, MUDDY SLUDGE POURING OVER AND ONTO OUR PROPERTY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL DISMISSES THE CONCERNS OF NEIGHBORS AND ALLOWS DEVELOPMENT TO DESTROY ALL THE VEGETATION AND REMOVE ALL THE TOPSOIL AND LEAVE BARE CLAY WITHOUT A BUFFER, WITHOUT DETENTION, AND WITHOUT ADEQUATE SILT FENCING. AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE COUNCIL HAS DISMISSED THE CONCERNS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. I COULD GET INTO THAT.
SO WHEN YOU DISMISS THE NEIGHBORS AND THE RESIDENTS, HARM RESULTS. SOME OF IT IS IRREPARABLE HARM.
WE CERTAINLY HOPE THE CITY WILL MAKE SURE THE DEVELOPER IS ACTING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
BUT AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, WE'RE STUCK WITH THOUSANDS OF SQUARE FEET OF SLUDGE ON OUR PROPERTY. PLEASE START LISTENING TO RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS AND STOP CAUSING HARM. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA DUFFIELD TALKING ABOUT CORRUPTION.
I'M GOING TO ASK THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE OBSERVE THE RULES OF NO APPLAUDING SO EVERYONE GETS THEIR CHANCE TO SPEAK.
TRANSPARENCY IS NOT A SLOGAN, COUNCIL. WE ARE NOT MISINFORMATION.
TRANSPARENCY MEANS SUBPOENAS ARE ANSWERED. OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS ARE ANSWERED WITHOUT GIANT FEES.
EXEMPTIONS ARE PUBLIC. WATER DATA IS PUBLISHED. BLOCK CAMAS, AUDIT TRAILS, TIF DEVELOPMENT INCREMENT PAYMENTS.
IT'S ALL PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENT, BUT YOU GUYS SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS. THE IOWA CONSTITUTION SAYS ALL MEN AND
[02:00:01]
WOMEN ARE FREE AND EQUAL WITH THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY, PROPERTY, SAFETY, AND HAPPINESS. IT ALSO SAYS ALL POLITICAL POWER IS INHERENT IN THE PEOPLE, AND THE GOVERNMENT EXISTS, MEANING YOU, FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR SECURITY AND PROPERTY AND BENEFITS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.THAT MEANS YOU WORK FOR US, NOT FOR DATA CENTERS, NOT FOR DEVELOPERS, NOT FOR CAMERA VENDORS, NOT FOR CONSULTANTS, NOT FOR CORPORATE DONORS, NOT FOR YOURSELVES, FOR US. AND WE ARE DONE BEING TOLD TO TRUST YOU BECAUSE WE'VE CAUGHT YOU IN MULTIPLE LIES AND WE ARE DONE, INCLUDING YOUR PREACHING LECTURE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS.
YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF.
YOU WANT TO PUSH DATA CENTERS, POWER PLANTS, AND WELLS WHILE RESIDENTS FACE RISING RENTS, RISING UTILITY BILLS, RISING DEBT PER RESIDENT, AND ALMOST $1 BILLION IN TAX REBATES AND ABATEMENTS. YOU TELL US THIS IS GOOD FOR US, BUT WE CAN READ. AND SEE THE TRUTH.
IF THESE DEALS ARE SO GOOD, RELEASE EVERY NUMBER, EVERY WATER USE ANALYSIS, EVERY SEWER CAPACITY ANALYSIS, EVERY WELL RECORD, EVERY REBATE PROJECTION, AND EVERY PUBLIC COST IN DETAIL. ALSO ACCEPT THE LIABILITY OF YOUR DECISIONS. DALE TODD, DO NOT CALL WATER CONCERNS MISINFORMATION.
BY THE WAY, WE CAN READ ACTUAL DATA REPORTS THAT, YES, SUPERFUNDS GO INTO OUR WATER. BOOM. YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT IF YOU WANT TO.
AND CEDAR RAPIDS DOWNTOWN IS A DOCUMENTED CONTAMINATED SITE, THE ENTIRE SOIL SYSTEM OF NON-BIODEGRADABLE DIRT.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT TOO AND IGNORING IT.
AND RESIDENTS LIKE ME JUST TESTED THEIR WATER AND WE HAVE A NITRATE LEVEL OVER 10 OUT OF OUR TAP WATER.
YET THE CITY ADVERTISES WE HAVE THE BEST WATER EVER AND IT TASTES SO GREAT. THE MAYOR TELLS US IT'S SAFE AND SHE EVEN WENT STALKING ON ONE OF MY PAGES TO TRY TO PRETEND IT'S SAFE.
AND WE REJECT RETALIATION AS, GO AHEAD AND SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY, MEYER, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE THESE TO YOU BECAUSE THIS IS THE MAYOR DIRECTLY TELLING A GANG RAPIST TO SUE ME. AND THIS IS A MAYOR EMAIL I'VE RECEIVED THAT SAID I SHOULD BE RAPED AND THAT I SHOULD BE SANCTIONED AND THROWN IN JAIL FOR ASKING QUESTIONS. SO CLEARLY THIS GENERATIONAL TARGETING OF CEDAR RAPIDNIANS. I'M SURE SKY AND MANY OTHER SPEAKERS THAT HAVE BEEN SPEAKING FOR DECADES, IS WELL DOCUMENTED, WELL ORGANIZED.
AND WHILE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS GO UNANSWERED, WELL, WE WILL CONTINUE AND WE'LL START THE LAWSUITS. WE WILL ALSO PURSUE EVERY LAWFUL REMEDY AVAILABLE, INCLUDING CHAPTER 66 REMOVAL AGAINST ANY OFFICIAL, INCLUDING ALL OF YOU, OKAY, WHERE THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS WILLFUL NEGLECT, MISCONDUCT, CORRUPTION, AND ABUSE OF OFFICE. DO I HAVE 5 PEOPLE WILLING TO STAND? THANK YOU.
ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY EVIDENCE, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT LIVE LAUGH LOVE 003. 7 AT PROTONMAIL.COM. LISTEN, DUFFIELD, WITH THE BLOWER.
THE CITY BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE.
MISS DUFFIELD, I'M ASKING YOU ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE SIT DOWN.
MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CHRIST IS KING.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSHUA CANDLER SPEAKING ABOUT CEDAR LAKE AND LGBT.
DUDLEY, HOW YOU DOING? CEDAR LAKE HAS BEEN CALLED ONE THING FOR YEARS. IT'S BEEN CALLED THE SLOUGH.
WHY IS IT CALLED THE SLOUGH? BECAUSE IT'S FREAKING DISGUSTING. WHY ARE WE PUTTING MORE RECREATIONAL ACCESS THERE WHEN PEOPLE CAN DIE IN THAT WATER? BUT THAT'S NOT MY MAIN POINT TODAY. MY MAIN POINT, I JUST AM VOICING SUPPORT WITH THE REST OF THE GROUP BECAUSE I AGREE WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN.
IN FACT, I'D SAY PUMP THE BRAKES UNTIL WE COMPLETELY CLEAN OUT THE WATER AT CEDAR LAKE, PUMP IT OUT, CLEAN IT OUT, GET IT DONE. BE THAT AS IT MAY, MY MAIN ISSUE IS 2 COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO, WE HAD A GENTLEMAN, THE LAST GENTLEMAN ON PUBLIC COMMENTS, COME UP AND RALLY AGAINST THE PRIDE CELEBRATIONS COMING INTO CEDAR RAPIDS. ONE THING THAT CEDAR RAPIDS HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND I AM PROUD TO SAY IT, IS OPEN TO EVERYBODY.
NOT OPEN TO JUST A SELECT GROUP OF PEOPLE, NOT OPEN TO JUST STRAIGHT PEOPLE.
IN FACT, ON THIS COUNCIL, WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THE LGBT SPECTRUM.
SO GUESS WHAT? I CELEBRATE THAT. FOR THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS HERE LAST ON THE 2ND MOST RECENT COUNCIL MEETING, HE ASKED THE CITY TO BRING AND ALLOW THE APPEAL TO HEAVEN FLAG TO BE USED IN OFFICIAL CITY METHODS. I AM HERE TO SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY, AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY WHEN I SAY THIS, WE DO NOT SUPPORT ANY WHITE SUPREMACIST BULL
[02:05:01]
IN OUR CITY.THE FLAG OF THE APPEAL TO HEAVEN IS NOW BEING USED AS A DOG WHISTLE TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT WHITE SUPREMACY NEEDS TO STAY. WE HAVE FOUGHT 2 WARS. THE CIVIL WAR AND WORLD WAR II ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT WHITE PEOPLE ARE SUPREME TO OTHERS.
NO, IT IS NOT TRUE. IT IS NOT A FACT. AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WE AS A CITY REJECT IT.
I WILL CONGRATULATE MAYOR O'DONNELL IN THE FACT THAT SHE TOLD THE GENTLEMAN NO TO THE APPEAL TO HEAVEN FLAG.
NOW I NEED YOU GUYS TO OFFICIALLY SAY THAT CEDAR RAPIDS IS NOT FRIENDLY TO WHITE SUPREMACISTS.
THANK YOU, MR. CANDLER. OUR LAST SPEAKER TODAY IS JULIE WHITTING TALKING ABOUT DATA.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JULIE WHITTING.
LIVE RURAL CEDAR RAPIDS, AND I'M NOT COMFORTABLE BEHIND THIS MICROPHONE AT ALL, BUT JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE BRINGING A LOT OF FARMERS OUT OF THE WOODWORK WITH THIS DATA CENTER, WORRYING ABOUT OUR ANIMALS, OUR FAMILY, KIDS, NEIGHBORS, EVERYTHING. THIS AI IS NONSENSE. WE DON'T NEED THAT.
PEOPLE ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WON'T HAVE OUR CELL PHONES, WON'T BE ABLE TO USE WI-FI, ALL THAT. ALL IT IS PUSHING THROUGH QUICK TO MAKE BIG MONEY FOR THESE PREDATORY AI CENTERS USING UP OUR FARMLAND. IT'S GOING TO HARM HEALTH.
THERE'S SO MANY SITES ON THAT WE CAN SEE IN REAL TIME PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING THIS AND THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING IT FOR THE LAST YEAR, THE DEVASTATION. AND ONCE THAT FARM GROUND'S GONE, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. AND THESE WILL BE DECOMMISSIONED AT SOME POINT, AND WE'LL BE STUCK LOOKING AT THEM.
YOU'LL NEVER GET THAT FARMLAND BACK. AND THE IMPACTS ARE WAY TOO GREAT.
SO I HOPE YOU GUYS REALLY STOP AND THINK.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GO AWAY. AND IF YOU DON'T DO THE TESTING, WE'RE GONNA GET IT DONE. SO JUST SO YOU KNOW.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THAT'S THE LAST ITEM I HAVE. MARISSA, ARE YOU A CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENT? YEP, HE IS.
ARE YOU A CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENT, SIR? YEAH, I'M A HUMAN.
OKAY, ONLY CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENTS ARE ALLOWED.
THAT WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT, YOU FASCIST BASTARD.
WOULD YOU PLEASE SIT DOWN SO WE CAN CLOSE OUT OUR MEETING? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[CITY MANAGER COMMUNICATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ]
THAT CLOSES OUR 2ND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE FIRE CHIEF.
OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER MEYER, WE'RE GOING TO WRAP UP OUR MEETING.
ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, COUNCILMEMBER MEYER MOVES TO ADJOURN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER POE.
WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.