I've been hoping to have some excuse to use a screenshot from The Simpsons -- today is that day. *Check off the list* Last week I didn't have any concerns or questions about the agenda items (!) but seem to have made up for it this week. I think most of my concerns can be answered by via e-mail (staff has been great about getting back quickly with answers). I hope you can see from my notes what my overall political philosophy looks like...transparency is critical in government; you see something you disagree with, or think I'm missing info or have the wrong perspective, I'm very open to ideas and love thinking about other perspectives. Let me know via social media or email (rgreencf@gmail.com).
Before the council meeting, we're having a work session in the conference room at 5:00 to discuss Form Based Code (the public is invited to attend, but it won't be televised). At 5:50 is our Committee of the Whole in the council chambers, where we'll discuss Rental Paving and an update on the levee project, and then City Council is scheduled for 7pm. Hope you can join us in person or on Channel 15.
A. Call to Order by the Mayor.
B. Roll Call.
C. Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of July 9, 2018. This simply adds this document to the city's record as an accurate reflection of what transpired at that meeting. No concerns.
D. Agenda Revisions.
E. New Business:
1. Consent Calendar: (The following items will be acted upon by voice vote on a single motion without separate discussion, unless someone from the Council or public requests that a specific item be considered separately.)
b. Receive and file the Committee of the Whole minutes of July 9, 2018 relative to the following items: This simply adds this document to the city's record as an accurate reflection of what transpired at that meeting. No concerns.
(1) Library Board of Trustees Interview - Michael Sulentic.
(2) Recycling Facility Update.
(3) Floodplain Ordinance.
(4) Bills & Payroll.
c. Receive and file a communication from the Civil Service Commission relative to a certified list for the position of Accountant. No concerns.
d. Receive and file the plans, specifications, form of contract & estimate of cost for the 2018 Sidewalk Assessment Project, Zone 9. No concerns, but I wonder about the associated costs. If the city fixes your sidewalk, are the costs meant to be punitive? Meaning, is city really eager to have people do their own sidewalks, or is it "okay" to just have the city's assigned contractor do it? Should we look at approaching how we handle sidewalk repair differently. to where it's kind of a "given" that the city will do the work, unless you *really* want to do it yourself? Just curious.
e. Approve the following applications for beer permits and liquor licenses: No concerns.
(1) Cypress Lounge, 209 A State Street, Class C liquor & outdoor service - renewal.
(2) Prime Mart, 2323 Main Street, Class E liquor - adding Class C beer.
(3) Community Main Street (FondoFest), 100 and 200 block of Main Street, Special Class C liquor & outdoor service - 5-day permit.
2. Resolution Calendar: (The following items will be acted upon by roll call vote on a single motion without separate discussion, unless someone from the Council or public requests that a specific item be considered separately.)
a. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Affiliate TV Agreement with Hawkeye Sports Properties, LLC relative to rights to broadcast certain programs on Channel 15. This will spend $1352 of taxpayer money for 26 programs on Channel 15. How do we know these programs are being watched? What kinds of programs are they? I'm not opposed to it, just would like to know more about the value of the service.
b. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the Beau's Beautiful Blessings, Inc. relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $5,000 of taxpayer funds to go toward playground equipment for the new inclusive park. No concerns about approving this, but I do find it odd that it's designed to increase "the 'playability' for people of diverse abilities, age, race, gender, ethnicity, culture, and socioeconomic status in order to benefit the City of Cedar Falls". Are our other playgrounds not doing this? If not, how are they missing the mark, and what can we do to improve those other parks. I wouldn't want to see our residents forced to go to only one park because the other parks are deficient in some way which could be remedied.
c. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the Cedar Falls Community Theatre, Inc. relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $1K for new wireless microphones for actors and singers, and sound equipment. I have a concern about this proposed grant, as it benefits the attendees of CFCT's performances, which typically are paid for, not generally free for the people of Cedar Falls (like these other community betterment grants are). I support the CFCT, but wonder if this grant is an appropriate use of your money as taxpayers.
d. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the Cedar Falls Historical Society relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $2K of taxpayer funds for bike racks outside the Victorian Home and Ice House Museum, and benches/furniture outside the Victorian House. The current benches and nearby racks are frequently used during events at & near Overman Park and I believe is a worthwhile use of taxpayer funds. I'll ask how this connects in with Community Main Street's streetscaping initiative...will the design of the benches match what CMS is doing elsewhere?
e. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the Cedar Falls Woman's Club relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $580 of taxpayer funds to repair the concrete steps outside the Woman's Club. I could see if it was for the sidewalk (which the public uses), but I'm not sure how this grant would be "in order to benefit the City of Cedar Falls" as stated in the attached agreement. I'll need more info.
f. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the Cedar Falls College Hills Partnership relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $1000 in taxpayer funds to replace torn and worn light post banners in the College Hill area. These banners aid in placemaking in College Hill and benefit the city by improving the overall brand and aesthetic of College Hill. No concerns.
g. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the Eagle View Partners (on behalf of River Place Plaza) relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $10,000 in taxpayer funds for AV equipment for the new plaza downtown. I'm not sure what this project is; the application is very general. I'll ask to see the actual application prior to the council meeting.
h. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the George Wyth State Park, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $2,800 of taxpayer funds to purchase a small tractor and attachments, justified as maintaining a 'pollinator plot' for bees, along with an educational outreach on prairies. No concerns.
i. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the North Cedar Neighborhood Association relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $1,000 of taxpayer funds to purchase signage and banners for branding. Like in Item 2.f above, I believe these branding efforts improve the aesthetics in our neighborhoods, to the benefit of the city. No concerns.
j. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the Volunteer Center of the Cedar Valley relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $1,000 in taxpayer funds to support VCCV's marketing efforts to recruit volunteers for community activities. My only concern is the accountability that these funds actually go to efforts in Cedar Falls only, for Cedar Falls related projects. While I certainly support other worthy projects in other places in the Cedar Valley, I believe it would be inappropriate to direct your Cedar Falls tax dollars to those efforts. So I'd like to know how VCCV will ensure that happens.
k. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Agreement in Support of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra Association relative to an FY19 Community Betterment Grant. $1K in taxpayer funds for musical educational outreach to youth. I believe instrumental music is an important cultural component that we as a community should support, and that this activity benefits the city. The performances are free, inclusive, and held in very accessible locations. No concerns.
l. Resolution approving and authorizing the expenditure of funds for the purchase of an automated side load body for a refuse vehicle from Kilburg Equipment. $108,298 for a body for a new refuse truck for a total cost (chassis & body) of $204,006. No concerns - it's really interesting that you buy whatever chassis you want, and then the body separate!
m. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Professional Service Agreement with Foth Infrastructure & Environment, LLC for the Henry Property Traffic Impact Study Peer Review. $7,975 for a traffic study for proposed development in the Southwest corner of 58 and Ridgeway. I've got some questions about this....would the re-routing of traffic from 58 skew the results? How will that be accounted for? Also, this peer review is for a traffic study done by the developer, and I thought in my conversations with the City Engineer that the City would be switching to contracting the traffic study directly, rather than having developers do it (thereby causing a perception that the studies are biased in favor of what the developers want the results to say). I'll ask why we haven't switched over to the new process yet.
n. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of Supplemental Agreement No. 1 with Clapsaddle-Garber Associates, Inc. relative to the Center Street Recreational Trail Project. No concerns, but I'm a little surprised that designing a change to the traffic signal at Green Avenue will require 55 hours -- more than a full work week. I'd love to know what goes into that.
o. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of Amendment Number One to the Project Subaward Agreement with Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Department relative to the Northern Cedar Falls Flood Buyout Program. This allows us to extend our flood buyout, because the buyouts so far came in a little under budget, and so we have extra funds remaining for one additional property.
p. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Purchase Offer with Craig and Kathleen Olmstead, in conjunction with the Northern Cedar Falls Flood Buyout Program. (Contingent upon approval of Item E-2.o.) My only concern with this is the buyout amount is $120,000, but the property was assessed for 2018 at $96,000. I'll ask about the reason(s) for this $24K difference.
q. Resolution approving and accepting a Lien Notice and Special Promissory Note for property located at 1122 Clay Street relative to the Rental to Single Family Owner Conversion Incentive Program. This is the first application I've seen for the $10K forgivable loan program...I support the program and these kinds of projects are what this incentive was meant for. I do have a question about how the memo says the property was purchased by the applicants, but the deed holder is "Christine Streed Trust". I'm not sure how that works, but I'll ask.
r. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of Supplemental Agreement No. 1 with Riverwise Engineering, LLC relative to the Cedar River Recreational Improvement Project. $169,279 of taxpayer funds for final design of the proposed riverbank/whitewater improvements for the downtown section of the Cedar River. I support the riverbank improvements but am not yet decided on the whitewater aspects, because I'm not convinced that this "upgrade" to allow for kayakers and tubers would provide enough benefit to Cedar Falls taxpayers to justify the multi-million dollar expense. I'm concerned about the popular 'new and shiny' aspect of this proposal, when we have a whole lot of city infrastructure and quality of life improvements (parks, sidewalk infill, demolition of decrepit houses, etc. etc) that we could be investing in. Remember the Simpsons episode about the monorail?
s. Resolution setting August 6, 2018 as the date of public hearing on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract & estimate of cost for the 2018 Sidewalk Assessment Project, Zone 9. This just sets the date for the hearing. No concerns.
t. Resolution setting August 6, 2018 as the date of public hearing on the proposed rezoning from R-3, Multiple Unit Residential, to C-3, High Density Commercial, of property located at 1015 & 1021 West 22nd Street, and also on an associated amendment to the Schematic Land Use Map by changing the designation from High Density Residential to Neighborhood Commercial/Mixed Use. This just sets the date for the hearing. No concerns.
u. Resolution setting August 6, 2018 as the date of public hearing on proposed amendments to Chapter 29, Zoning, and Chapter 27, Utilities, of the Code of Ordinances relative to the City's floodplain regulations. This just sets the date for the hearing. No concerns.
v. Resolution setting August 6, 2018 as the date of public hearing on proposed amendments to the Zoning Agreement relative to conditions of the R-4 Residential Zoning District for property described as Lots 7 & 8 of Midway Business Park. This just sets the date for the hearing. No concerns.
3. Pass an ordinance amending Chapter 6, Animals, of the Code of Ordinances relative to butchering and disposal of dead animals, upon its first consideration. No concerns - I'm glad to see this change move ahead, for the deer management zones. I'll ask if DNR has been consulted on this change to ensure it meets their needs for culling the deer populations to safe limits.
F. Allow Bills. No concerns.
G. City Council Referrals. No referrals this time.
H. City Council Updates. No updates.
I. Executive Session to discuss Legal Matters per Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(c) to discuss strategy with counsel in matters that are presently in litigation or where litigation is imminent where its disclosure would be likely to prejudice or disadvantage the position of the governmental body in that litigation, following Public Forum
J. Public Forum. (Speakers will have one opportunity to speak for up to 5 minutes on topics germane to City business.)
K. Adjournment.
| Council Packet Link | |
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| Meeting Date | 07/14/18 |
