Now that the Council Packet is being posted on Wednesdays instead of Friday, I can get this write-up to you before the weekend. In Monday night's meeting at 7pm, we'll have a few public hearings, as well as approvals of bids for contracts. We'll also have the second (and possibly final) reading of the new Downtown & College Hill Parking Ordinances. And council will have the opportunity to rescind a resolution regarding remote meeting attendance, since the Governor's Emergency Proclamation no longer addresses electronic meetings (Item 12). We'll also move to executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss litigation and real estate, in accordance with Iowa Code.
Prior to the regular council meeting, at 6:05 the council will have a Committee of the Whole for a presentation on the parking aspects of the proposed Downtown zoning ordinances. I recommend reading the packet for that...there's a lot of information. Please join us in person or online via the links below, and as always, thanks for doing the work to be an informed and engaged citizen!
The City is providing in-person and electronic options for this meeting in accordance with the Governor's Proclamation of Disaster Emergency regarding meetings and hearings. The City encourages in-person attendees to follow the latest CDC guidelines to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The meeting will be accessible via video conference and the public may access/participate in the meeting in the following ways:
a) By dialing the phone number +13126266799 or +19292056099 or +12532158782 or +13017158592 or +13462487799 or +16699006833 and when prompted, enter the meeting ID (access code) 962 7287 1738.
b) iPhone one-tap: +13126266799,,96272871738# or +19292056099,,96272871738#
c) Join via smartphone or computer using this link: https://zoom.us/j/96272871738.
d) View the live stream on Channel 15 YouTube using this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzeig5nIS-dIEYisqah1uQ (view only).
e) Watch on Cedar Falls Cable Channel 15 (view only). To request to speak when allowed on the agenda, participants must click “Raise Hand” if connected by smartphone or computer, or press *9 if connected by telephone. All participants will be muted by the presiding officer when not actually speaking.
Call to Order by the Mayor
Roll Call
Approval of Minutes
1. Regular Meeting of July 19, 2021. This action accepts the minutes into the official record as an accurate representation of what transpired in the meeting. It is not an appropriate time for debating the merits of the items themselves.
Agenda Revisions
Public Forum. (Speakers will have one opportunity to speak for up to 5 minutes on topics germane to City business.)
Special Presentations
2. Proclamation recognizing August 8-14, 2021 as National Health Center Week. I recently received a tour of the Peoples Community Health Clinic, and am happy to promote their work for the community via this proclamation.
Special Order of Business
3. Continuation of the public hearing on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract & estimate of cost for the 2021 CDBG Sidewalk Infill Project. We began this hearing in the last meeting, and were required to continue it this week due to public notification rules; it's a standard approval for replacing broken sidewalk tiles in the city.
a) Receive and file proof of publication of notice of hearing. (Notice published July 23, 2021)
b) Written communications filed with the City Clerk
c) Staff comments.
d) Public comments.
e) Resolution approving and adopting the plans, specifications, form of contract & estimate of cost for the 2021 CDBG Sidewalk Infill Project.
4. Public hearing on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract & estimate of cost for the 2021 Seal Coat Project. Seal coating is used to maintain our city streets; this is another standard approval which occurs annually.
a) Receive and file proof of publication of notice of hearing. (Notice published July 23, 2021)
b) Written communications filed with the City Clerk.
c) Staff comments.
d) Public comments.
e) Resolution approving and adopting the plans, specifications, form of contract & estimate of cost for the 2021 Seal Coat Project.
5. Public hearing on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract & estimate of cost for the 2021 Street Patching Project. Street patching is another means to maintain our city streets; this is another standard approval which occurs annually.
a) Receive and file proof of publication of notice of hearing. (Notice published July 23, 2021)
b) Written communications filed with the City Clerk.
c) Staff comments.
d) Public comments.
e) Resolution approving and adopting the plans, specifications, form of contract & estimate of cost for the 2021 Street Patching Project.
Old Business
6. Pass Ordinance #2992, amending Chapter 23, Traffic and Motor Vehicles, of the Code of Ordinances relative to the speed limit on certain portions of Viking Road, upon its third & final consideration. This sets the new speed limits on Viking Road, and was open for discussion in previous meetings.
7. Pass Ordinance #2993, amending Chapter 23, Traffic and Motor Vehicles, of the Code of Ordinances relative to parking restrictions in municipal parking lots, upon its second consideration, NThis would make official the end of paid parking downtown at all times, and also the end of paid parking on College Hill in June and July. The council has the option doing the final approval at this meeting, so that we can go ahead and officially get it into law.
OR
a) Suspend the rules requiring ordinances to be considered at three separate meetings (requires at least six aye votes), and
b) Pass the ordinance upon its third & final consideration.
New Business
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.)
8. Receive and file the resignation of Craig Schwerdtfeger as a member of the Community Center & Senior Services Board. Our city's great thanks go to Craig for his many years of service on this important board!
9. Receive and file the Work Session minutes of July 19, 2021 relative to the following items: This action accepts the minutes into the official record as an accurate representation of what transpired in the meeting. It is not an appropriate time for debating the merits of the items themselves.
a) Northern Cedar Falls Drainage.
b) Human Rights Commission-Joint Meeting.
10. Receive and file the Departmental Monthly Reports of June, 2021. This is an excellent update to what the city staff completed in June, and is worth reading.
11. Approve the following applications for beer permits and liquor licenses: The city council is the approving authority for these kinds of licenses.
a) Smokin Oak Wood Fired Pizza, 1525 West Ridgeway Avenue, Class B beer – renewal.
b) Vintage Iron, 104 Main Street, Class B wine – renewal.
c) Kwik Star, 4515 Coneflower Parkway, Class C beer & Class B wine - renewal.
d) The Black Hawk Hotel/Bar Winslow/Carter House Market & Cafe, 115-119 Main Street, Class B liquor, Class B wine & outdoor service - renewal.
e) Octopus, 2205 College Street, Class C liquor & outdoor service - renewal.
f) Texas Roadhouse, 5715 University Avenue, Class C liquor - renewal.
g) Panther Travel Center, 1525 West Ridgeway Avenue, Class E liquor – renewal.
h) Fast Track Racing, 100 Block of Clay Street, Class B beer & outdoor service - 5-day permit.
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.)
12. Resolution rescinding Resolution #22,201, being a resolution approving and adopting public meeting protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.The Governor's Emergency Proclamation for the coronavirus pandemic will likely remain in effect, regardless of the current Covid Spread Risk (since it has provisions for licensing and lots of other governmental regulation modifications). So the city will need to take a new approach in regards to how we determine whether meetings will be held in-person, remotely, or via hybrid. This agenda item will give the council an opportunity to determine how it wishes to proceed.
13. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Professional Service Agreement with Carlson Dettmann Consulting for administration of civil service testing. This would allocate $275 per civil service job testing evaluation for the consultant to prepare and administer entrance and promotional exam. This is a new unfunded mandate by the State of Iowa, as part changes to Iowa Code Chapter 400.
14. Resolution approving and authorizing submission of an application for American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to the National Endowment for the Arts for marketing, artist fees & equipment, and collection registration for the Hearst Center of the Arts. This action would allow the Hearst Center to apply for $100K in NEA grant funding for special projects.
15. Resolution in support of a grant application to the Otto Schoitz Foundation for the Cedar River Recreation Project. This action would allow the City to apply for $50K in grant funding for the project.
16. Resolution in support of a Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) grant application to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for the Cedar River Recreation Project. This would allow the city to apply for a $150K natural resource grant from the State of Iowa.
17. Resolution approving and authorizing an Amendment to an Entitlement Community Development Block Grant COVID-19 Program Contract with the Iowa Economic Development Authority relative to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV2) funding relative to the CARES Act. This action would add about $5K in grant funding requests to the existing approved block grant.
18. Resolution approving and accepting two Temporary Easements for construction, in conjunction with the FFY20-21 CDBG Sidewalk Infill Project. This action would apply $1500 taxpayer funds to temporary easements so that new sidewalks can be installed on West 3rd Street.
19. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) Subrecipient Agreement with Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity for the use of FY2021 federal HOME funds relative to the acquisition and rehabilitation of 913 Bluff Street. This will allow Habitat for Humanity to purchase and rehabilitate this property using federal grant funds. Earlier this year, Habitat for Humanity provided me with an excellent presentation on their efforts in the Cedar Valley, and I'm very glad to see their work to rehabilitate homes in our existing neighborhoods.
20. Resolution receiving and filing the bids, and approving and accepting the low bid of Cobalt Contracting, L.C., in the amount of $157,876.17 for the 2021 Public Sidewalk Repair and Infill Project. This action allows the contractor to move forward with this project.
21. Resolution receiving and filing the bids, and approving and accepting the low bid of Cobalt Contracting, L.C., in the amount of $57,766.37 for the 2021 Sidewalk Assessment Project – Zone 4.This action allows the contractor to move forward with this project.
22. Resolution receiving and filing the bids, and approving and accepting the low bid of Benton's Sand and Gravel, Inc., in the amount of $102,915.60 for the 2021 Permeable Alley Project. This action allows the contractor to move forward with this project.
Allow Bills and Claims
23. Allow Bills and Claims of August 2, 2021. The City Council is the approving authority for all bills and claims made against the city since the last council meeting.
City Council Referrals
City Council Updates
Staff Updates
Executive Session
24. 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; and Property Acquisition per Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(j) to discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the governmental body would have to pay for that property or reduce the price the governmental body would receive for that property.
Adjournment
| Council Packet Link | |
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| Meeting Date | 08/02/21 |
