Apr 06, 2026 City Council

[00:00:03]

ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET GOING WITH STUDY SESSION TODAY.

FIRST UP WE HAVE OSCAR DURAN WITH THE MUNICIPAL HOUSING AGENCY.

AND HE IS GOING TO DO A SHORT PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT IS NEW IN HIS WORLD AND PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON.

OSCAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY. OSCAR DURAN WITH THE MUNICIPAL HOUSING AGENCY AT COUNCIL BLUFFS.

JUST REALLY EXCITED TO KIND OF SHOW YOU TODAY KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

ONE OF THE BIG THINGS, WE ARRIVED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID.

SO WE LOOKED AT THE AGENCY AND KIND OF WHERE IT WAS IN THE COMMUNITY AND KIND OF MADE A LIST OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO DO.

AND SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE PRESENTATION HERE THAT FIRST THREE YEARS IS WHAT WE CALL KIND OF LIKE THE FOUNDATIONAL PHASE.

AND WE HAD A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE HAD TO DO WAS REENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND PARTNERS.

THE AGENCY HAD BEEN KIND OF IN A SILO FOR A WHILE IN DIFFERENT WAYS, JUST BECAUSE OF THE TYPES OF COMPLIANCE AND RESOURCES.

AND THEN, BUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PARTNERS BECAME REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND PART OF THAT IS ACTUALLY GETTING ON DIFFERENT BOARDS. WE'RE WORKING WITH HSAC AND THEY'RE REALLY STARTING TO REBUILD TRUST ALSO WITH OUR FAMILIES.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE STARTED DOING WITH OUR PHA ANNUAL PLANNING PROCESS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR PUBLIC HOUSING, WE MEET WITH THE ENTIRE FLOOR AT ONE TIME AND REALLY GIVING FAMILIES A REALLY FOCUSED OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE KIND OF WHAT THINGS THEY WANT TO SEE HAPPENING IN OUR PUBLIC HOUSING COMMUNITIES. THE NEXT PART WE TALKED ABOUT, AND WE MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT IS WE WORKED REALLY ACROSS THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND HSAC. AND SO THIS IS WHERE REALLY LIKE A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS ARE ALL TOGETHER AND IT'S A REALLY TIGHT KNIT GROUP. THE BIGGEST THING TOO, THEN, IS ACTUALLY BUILDING UP IN OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE AGENCY JOINED A FEW DIFFERENT ONES, LIKE NARO, FARA.

WE'RE ACTUALLY THE CHAIR FOR THE FARA GROUP FOR THE STATE OF IOWA.

WE WERE INVITED TO PRESENT AT THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE TWO YEARS AGO.

SO OUR AGENCY HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, I'M VERY PROUD.

WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOME BIGGER THINGS OUT OF OUR WEIGHT CLASS. AND THEN THE BIGGEST ONE IS GOING TO BE REALLY FOCUSING ON UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE REAL NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE.

YOU KNOW, IT'D BE EASY TO COME IN EVEN THOUGH YOU THINK YOU'RE YOU HAVE A HOUSING IDEA.

AND I'VE LIVED IN COUNCIL BLUFFS A LONG TIME AS WELL.

BUT EVEN THEN, TO KNOW THE REAL FRONT LINE SIDE, WE STARTED TO SEE PATTERNS IN EVERYTHING WE WANT.

AND SO WHAT THAT LED US TO IS IN 2023, WE BUILT WHAT WAS CALLED THE EXPANDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES INITIATIVE.

AND SO IT PHASED FROM 23 TO 20, I SHOULD SAY 24.

BUT REALITY HERE'S THE BIG PIECES WE DID. WE CREATED ONE NEW MAIN ROLE TO KIND OF START DOING SOME OF THIS WORK TOO.

SO EXPECTED LANDLORD PARTICIPATION. SO FOR OUR HCV PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR SECTION 8, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD IT'S ABOUT 790 VOUCHERS WHAT WE HAVE TOTAL. AND WHEN I GOT HERE, WE HAD LIKE ABOUT 118 LANDLORDS.

WELL, WITH THIS NEW POSITION, WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY WORK AND WE SECURED OVER ALMOST 40 NEW LANDLORDS.

TO DATE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE CURRENTLY RIGHT AT ABOUT 181.

AND THIS IS A REALLY BIG MOVEMENT. HUD'S ACTUALLY ALSO REACHED OUT SEEING HOW WE'VE GROWN OUR NUMBERS.

DAVID HAZEL IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAD THE. OR NOT DAVID.

DAVID MURDOCH, IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH HIM, HE'S JUST FANTASTIC. SO THAT'S A 22% INCREASE IN OUR NUMBER OF LANDLORDS.

SO THEN WE GET TO OUR INCREASED FAMILY PLACEMENT SUCCESS RATE.

I HAD BEEN IN HOUSING A LONG TIME AND I HAD NO IDEA HOW WEIGHTLESS WORKED.

AND I'LL BE HONEST, THEY KIND OF BROKE MY HEART. WHEN I ARRIVED, I WAS JUST LEARNING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT AND I WAS LIKE, HEY, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE WAITLIST WAS OPEN? AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH, LIKE TWO YEARS AGO. I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH.

SO THEN JUST LEARNING ABOUT HOW OFTEN IT'S OPEN.

IT WAS OPEN FOR SIX HOURS, THAT'S ALL. AND BECAUSE THERE'S A REGULATION THAT HUD SAYS THAT WHEN YOU CAN'T SERVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FAMILIES IN TWO YEARS, YOU HAVE TO CLOSE YOUR WAITING LIST. NOW WE GOT TO OPEN IT.

AND AT THE HEIGHT LAST YEAR, WE ACTUALLY HAD.

WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO JUMP AHEAD OF HERE. SO WITH FAMILY SUCCESS THOUGH.

SO TO KIND OF TELL YOU HOW IT WOULD BE IF SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY SUBMITTING A FULL APPLICATION.

THEY'RE JUST KIND OF GETTING THEIR NAME READY FOR THE, FOR THE, THE POOL.

FROM THERE, YOU HAVE LESS THAN A 5% CHANCE IS WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.

AND THEN EVEN ONCE THEY'RE ISSUED THEIR VOUCHER BRIEFED, IT WAS REALLY CLOSER TO ABOUT A 90% FAIL RATE.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A LOT OF RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF HOW TO HELP FAMILY IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL BARRIERS THAT MIGHT BE GOING ON.

AND WHY IS IT SOME FAMILIES ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING PLACED? WELL, THE EXPANDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES COORDINATOR REALLY DID A GREAT JOB OF THAT TOO.

WE STARTED HAVING THAT ROLE SIT AT EVERY BRIEFING.

WE EVEN DO BRIEFINGS ONE ON ONE NOW, AND WE REALLY HELP FAMILIES.

LIKE LAST WEEK WE HAD ONE FAMILY. THEY WERE ON THEIR LAST TWO DAYS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T FIND SOMEONE AND WE GOT THOSE NEW UNITS BUILT.

WE GOT THEM CONNECTED WITH SOMEBODY RIGHT AT THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE THEIR VOUCHER EXPIRED BECAUSE THEY ONLY GET 60 TO 90 DAYS MAX TO FIND HOUSING.

[00:05:02]

SO THEN WE GET INTO THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES ACTUALLY SERVED.

WE HAVE TWO MAIN PROGRAMS IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. IT'S.

AND THE TWO MAIN FEDERAL PROGRAMS IS THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM, SECTION 8.

AND THEN OUR PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM, WHICH WE HAVE TWO COMMUNITIES, REGAL TOWERS AND DUDLEY COURT.

BUT IN THOSE PROGRAMS, WE HAVE ABOUT 295 FAMILIES ON THE HCB, ABOUT 784 ROUGHLY.

NOW, WE HADN'T GROWN AS AN AGENCY IN OUR TOWN IN A LONG TIME.

THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF FEDERAL AWARDS. AND SO ONE OF THE FIRST ONES WE STARTED APPLYING FOR WERE THE MAINSTREAM.

AND THIS IS A SPECIAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE VOUCHER THAT'S FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE A DISABILITY UNDER THE AGE OF 62.

THEN LATER WE STARTED APPLYING FOR FYI FOSTER YOUTH INITIATIVE.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PUTS FORWARD A LOT OF REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS FOR.

IF THE COMMUNITIES HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE CAPACITY TO CHANGE THEM AND UTILIZE THEM.

SO WITH THOSE, THOUGH, AGAIN, WE HADN'T GROWN IN NEW PROGRAMS IN A LONG TIME.

WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO ADD 70 NEW VOUCHERS.

AND THESE ARE PERMANENT VOUCHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. BY OUR ROUGH NUMBERS, THAT'S TRANSLATED TO ABOUT 210 ADDITIONAL COUNCIL BLUFFS FAMILIES WE SERVED.

AND THAT'S HUGE BECAUSE OUR FAMILIES, WE SERVE ALL THE WAY UP TO ABOUT 50% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME, WITH THE MAJORITY BEING AT 30. LOTS OF CHILDREN, LOTS OF LOTS OF ELDERLY, LOTS OF DISABLED.

AND SO BEING ABLE TO GET OUR SUCCESS RATE THAT HIGHER.

FIND GREAT LANDLORDS AND THEN LOOK AT OUR INCREASED LIKE THE NUMBER OF TOTAL WE CAN SERVE IS SO GREAT.

THE LAST ONE I JUST PUT 100%. IT DOESN'T REALLY MEAN ANYTHING BUT THE NEW OUTSIDE FUNDING.

AND THIS IS WHEN I GET REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE THE OTHER I JUST MENTIONED WAS JUST VOUCHERS, RIGHT? AND BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, WITH NEW [INAUDIBLE] FUNDING WE'VE SECURED IN THIS REALLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AN ADDITIONAL $1.08 MILLION FOR COUNCIL BLUFFS.

AND WE'RE PUTTING THAT RIGHT DIRECTLY TO THE FAMILIES.

AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY COMING FROM SIX DIFFERENT COMPETITIVE GRANT AWARDS.

NOW, AGAIN, OUR AGENCY, WE OPERATE ON LIMITED RESOURCES.

AND THOSE DOLLARS ARE ALWAYS CHANGING BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF ALL THIS GOOD, WE STILL SAW THINGS GROWING.

AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE GET TO OUR GROWING NEED.

OUR TOTAL WAITLIST. IT HIT AN ALL TIME HIGH LAST YEAR.

IT'S ACTUALLY CLOSED RIGHT NOW. AND WE'RE HAVING TO WORK THROUGH IT. SO WE HAD A LITTLE WAY AROUND IT.

AT OUR HEIGHT LAST YEAR, WE HAD 2600 FAMILIES.

THAT'S JUST IN COUNCIL BLUFFS THAT WERE WAITING TO GET ASSISTANCE, AND SO MANY OF THEM COULDN'T GET HOUSING.

YOU SAW THE SUCCESS RATES, HOW DIFFICULT THE PROGRAM CAN BE.

THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THERE IS DRASTICALLY SHRINKING FUNDING.

AND I KNOW THAT'S LIKE THAT EVERYWHERE FOR PHAS, PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES.

AND I ADVOCATE ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR THIS, REALLY OUR COMMUNITIES ARE IN A VERY INTERESTING SITUATION BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, LIKE MHA IS 100% FEDERALLY FUNDED, RIGHT? THAT MEANS IT'S A FULL SUBSIDY.

AND THAT REALLY TRANSLATES TO IS OUR FAMILY SPECIFICALLY IN PUBLIC HOUSING, 295 FAMILIES.

AND THESE ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE. THEY, WE THEY ARE BEING PAID STRICTLY WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS.

WELL, THIS LAST YEAR, APPROPRIATION PUBLIC HOUSING, WE GOT CUT 18% AND THAT NUMBER AND THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET.

THEY PROPOSE CUTTING IT AT 100% LAST YEAR. AND SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE THIS INITIATIVE IS, WHERE THE MOVEMENT IS STARTING TO WAVE. WE'VE KNOWN FUNDING IS GOING TO GET HARDER, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE BUILD SOME, SOME, SOME LONGEVITY IN OUR PROGRAM FOR OUR FAMILIES WHO NEED US THE MOST.

NOW, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE. COUNCIL BLUFFS WAS ACTUALLY IN A TOP 10 OF HUD LAST YEAR, THIS YEAR, AND WE ARE IN A TOP 10 LIST FOR THE ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAD THE LARGEST GROWTH IN OUR PER UNIT COST.

SO WE RENT TO ROUGHLY STUDIOS ALL THE WAY TO FIVE BEDROOMS. SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN 2021, OUR AVERAGE RENT WAS RIGHT AROUND $491.

AND THESE FIVE YEARS AND I KNOW THAT GRAPH LOOKS CRAZY.

THAT'S STRAIGHT FROM HUD'S PAGE. WE GREW IT WAS ALMOST 30% INCREASE.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH OUR LANDLORDS AND HOW MUCH RENT HAS WENT UP, COUNCIL BLUFFS SET A RECORD 30% HIGHER.

SO YOU LOOK AT THAT WITH LIMITED FUNDING AND THEN THE WAITING LIST SO LARGE, WE STARTED SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE READY FOR THIS NEXT PHASE. AND SO WE GOT INTO OUR NEXT PHASE OF THE EXPANDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES INITIATIVE.

AND SO I LIKE TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE. THE ONE FIRST PILLAR IS ENHANCING OUR EXISTING MUNICIPAL PROGRAMS. TWO IS ACTUALLY DEVELOPING DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING FOR AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES AT 30 [INAUDIBLE] AND LOWER. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE WANT TO BEGIN DOING COUNTY HOUSING ADVOCACY WORK.

NOW, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON ONE AND TWO.

AND SO HERE'S WHAT YOU SEE. I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE OOPS, SORRY.

THIS IS OVER THREE YEARS AND THIS IS OVER THE POTENTIAL IMPACT.

AND SO BEFORE I CAME HERE, I WAS LEADING NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION INITIATIVES.

SO THIS MODEL IS VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE APPROACHED IT.

IT'S REALLY BUILDING WHAT'S CALLED A HOLISTIC PLAN TO HOUSING.

THERE ARE MANY ENTRY POINTS INTO HOMELESSNESS AND BATTLING HOUSING SECURITY.

AND THE BIGGEST THING IS WE NEED A TON OF IT.

[00:10:01]

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DAVID'S ROLE. BUT ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES WE CAN SEE HERE IS THE PROJECT BASED VOUCHERS.

AND I PUT THIS ONE HIGHER. ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALIZED WHEN WE GOT HERE WITH THE PVBS IS THEY'RE ABLE TO GET AN ADDITIONAL POINT OUT OF THE QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN, WHICH IS LIKE [INAUDIBLE] BIG THING TO GET LIGHTTECH CREDITS.

AND THAT'S A REALLY GOOD COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SOME OF THE DEVELOPERS AND WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS PROMOTING AND ADVOCATING FOR IT, BECAUSE WHAT THIS PROGRAM, WE ACTUALLY DON'T GET ADDITIONAL FAMILY SERVED.

WE CONVERT SOME OF OUR TENANT BASED HCV SECTION INTO TENANT BASED.

BUT IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH LIKE GREAT LANDLORDS AND NEW ONES.

SO THEN WE GET INTO OUR HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM.

HUD HAS THIS CRAZY THING WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE YOUR SECTION 8 TOWARDS MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE.

AND IN OMAHA, TWO YEARS AGO, WE I MET WITH SOMEONE OVER THERE THROUGH U.S.

BANK. THEY'RE ONE OF THE LENDING PARTNERS. THEY HAD A FAMILY, A LADY WHO WAS AT 40% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME THAT IT CLOSED ON HER HOME.

AND HELPING A FAMILY AT THAT 40% IS SUCH. IF YOU ASK ANYBODY WHO'S IN THE MORTGAGE REALM, IT'S ALMOST UNTHINKABLE AND UNHEARD OF.

BUT YOU CAN DO THAT WHEN YOU PAIR IT WITH THINGS LIKE AN HCV HOMEOWNERSHIP.

NOW WE'RE LOOKING BASED ON OUR ROUGH WINDS, IT'S ABOUT 2 TO 5 ADDITIONAL FAMILIES THAT WE CAN CONVERT ALSO OUT OF OUR SOCIAL ASSISTANCE INTO GETTING MORE STABLE.

THE LAST PART IS ADDITIONALLY, WE TALKED ABOUT APPLYING FOR NEW FUNDING. JUST IN A REALLY ROUGH LANDSCAPE.

THERE'S ABOUT $200,000 IN NEW ANNUAL FUNDING THAT I SEE REALLY EASILY.

WE DON'T APPLY FOR AS A COMMUNITY. AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE PERMANENCE, IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 200 TO $600,000 TO $2.5 MILLION, WHICH WE COULD POTENTIALLY BRING IN IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

THE LAST TWO PIECES ARE GOING TO BE LIKE A PHA SPONSORED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S SPECIFIC TO A CERTAIN AREA, MEDIAN INCOME, AND WE NEED SOME OTHERS IN OTHER AREAS.

AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO HELP BE A PART WHERE WE DRIVE 15 TO 18 NEW AFFORDABLE UNITS.

AND THEN AGAIN, THE COMPLIANCE AND REPORTING ALL THIS STUFF TAKES SO MUCH TIME AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

WHEN COUNCIL BLUFFS DECIDED, I THINK THEY DECIDED IN 1974, I SAW THE NOTES IS WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO APPLY FOR THE HCV PROGRAM OR SECTION 8.

THEY DIDN'T GET IT UNTIL 1981. AND IN THAT WHOLE TIME, THEIR BUILDING RESOURCES OF STAFF AND KNOWLEDGE AND ALL THIS.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT ALSO WITH THIS, WE KNOW WE COULD BRING AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 5 NEW TYPES OF HOUSING PROGRAMS TO THE FAMILIES AND COUNCIL BLUFFS.

SO THROUGH YOUR INITIATIVE ALL THESE OTHER PROGRAMS I MENTIONED, RIGHT? THAT ARE POTENTIAL OUT OF THERE. THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE OF THE CORE 2, PUBLIC HOUSING, SECTION 8. THIS MAP RIGHT HERE IS ALL THE HOUSING AGENCIES, THE PHAS IN OUR AREA.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE ONES THAT ARE IN GREEN AND BLUE.

YOU CAN SEE THEIR SERVICE AREAS. BUT THOSE ARE ALL THE ONES IN PHAS UTILIZING ALTERNATIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS. THESE AGENCIES ARE NO LONGER FEDERALLY SUPPORTED.

AND THAT'S WHERE LIKE IN SARPY COUNTY, THEY'RE GETTING GRANTS OF LIKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LITERALLY TO CHURNING OUT NEW HOUSING.

AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH SO MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS. NOW, THERE'S ONE AREA THAT HASN'T HAD ANY GROWTH IN A LONG TIME, AND THAT'S COUNCIL BLUFFS AND THE REST OF POTT COUNTY.

NOW MHA SERVES COUNCIL BLUFFS. AND AGAIN, THIS IS, WASN'T HERE FOR DURING THE TIME.

BUT WE ARE HERE NOW AND WE LEARNED ABOUT IT. I DON'T LIKE THIS MAP.

I'VE MET WITH ALL THE DIRECTORS. I'M LIKE, MAN, TO ME IT'S LIKE WE'RE NOT EVEN PLAYING REALLY YET AND TRYING TO GET MORE FUNDS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO IT'S A GOOD VISUAL OF THE THINGS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE HAVE.

THIS IS A ROUGH BUDGET FOR THE THREE YEARS OF THE WHOLE HOLISTIC PLAN.

AND IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT FOUR STAFF MEMBERS. SO IT'S ABOUT $490,000.

THE TUNE IS ABOUT $640,000 A YEAR. MHA HAS ONLY ABOUT $160,000 OF NONFEDERAL FUNDS.

WE GOT THIS IN A LAWSUIT WHEN HUD TOOK AWAY SOME OF OUR RESERVES AND WE GOT IT BACK.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY FLEXIBILITY WE HAVE. WE HAVEN'T SPENT A PENNY OF THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TRYING TO LEVERAGE THAT INTO ADDITIONAL ONES WITH OUR OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS. SO WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY, THE COUNTY AND THE FOUNDATIONS YEARS AGO.

IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THESE NEW CONCEPTS.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGE.

SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S ABOUT $640,000 A YEAR. ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU CAN SEE MHA HAS ABOUT $132,000.

WE CAN DO IT. WE CAN FUND IT FOR. BUT MHA HAS REALLY LIMITED ABILITY AND WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PAY FOR OR NOT BECAUSE AGAIN, WE ONLY HAVE FEDERAL FUNDS. SO THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO BE REALLY LEAN.

THE LAST ONE IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT ONE IS GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS. ONE OF THOSE COMPETITIVE GRANTS WE'VE ALREADY SECURED.

AGAIN, ABOUT $85,000 FOR OUR FAMILY ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM.

AND THEN THE NEXT ONE, WE'RE HOPING TO TALK TO A COUPLE OF FOUNDATIONS AND THEN THE COUNTY. LAST YEAR, THE COUNTY, WE GAVE THE SAME PRESENTATION. THEY'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US DOING THIS WORK.

ONE OF THE COMMISSIONER BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SAID THAT AS LONG AS WE GET THE CITY ON BOARD, THEY WOULD GET ON BOARD AS WELL.

[00:15:05]

JUST HELP ME OUT ANY QUESTIONS? HOW DO YOU DO? CAN YOU GO BACK A SLIDE? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. MAYBE ONE MORE. ONE MORE MAYBE.

[LAUGHTER] THERE YOU GO. I HAD A QUESTION ONE ABOUT WHAT, HOW DO YOU QUALIFY? THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT OF 18%. WHAT'S THE TOTAL THEN? THE TOTAL IS PROBABLY RIGHT AROUND 33% RIGHT NOW.

AND IN TERMS OF NATIONAL STANDARDS THAT'S EXTREMELY WELL.

IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY FAMILIES CAN'T GET PLACED SPECIFICALLY AVAILABILITY OF UNITS IN THE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE SECTION.

AND THEN CAN YOU TELL ME HOW YOU QUALIFY? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THEY'RE ALL FEDERAL. IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED. YOU PUT IN AN APPLICATION WHEN THE WAITING LIST IS OPEN, RIGHT? AND AS SOON AS YOU GET YOUR APP IN, YOU HAVE TO BE AT A CERTAIN INCOME RANGE.

THEY'RE TRYING. WITH FEDERAL REGULATION WE HAVE TO HELP AS MANY FAMILIES AT 30% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF WHO WE SERVE. AND SO YOU HAVE TO BE A U.S.

CITIZEN. YOU HAVE TO BE. GOSH, THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT.

YOUR CRIMINAL HISTORY HAS TO BE A CERTAIN WAY.

THERE'S A LOT OF SPECIFICS. WE HAVE TEAMS THAT JUST DO THAT.

BUT WHAT I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THEN IS LIKE WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING THOUGH, IT'S IT'S HOW YOU GET MATCHED UP TO THE HOUSING IS WHERE IT REALLY BECOMES A BREAKING POINT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PLAY WITH THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AT ALL.

RIGHT? IT'S PRETTY CUT AND CLEAR. BUT WHERE WE DO GET IT IS WHEN WE GET THEM TO ISSUE THAT VOUCHER AND WE CAN GET THE INITIAL THING.

WELL, NOW WE CAN ACTUALLY WORK WITH LANDLORDS, WITH OTHER PARTNERS.

WE HAD SOME LADY JUST TODAY, SHE WAS ABOUT TO LOSE ASSISTANCE, BUT ONE OF THE PARTNERS GOT INVOLVED AND SHE WAS ELDERLY, WAS ABLE TO GET SOMETHING. WE WERE ABLE TO STABILIZE HER FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS. SO YOU MENTIONED THE GRANTS BEFORE.

DO YOU HAVE A GRANT WRITER ON STAFF OR DO YOU HIRE THAT OUT? THAT'S ME. THAT'S YOU? OKAY. SO YOU MENTIONED THERE'S SOME GRANTS THERE THAT YOU PICKED UP ON THAT YOU COULD MAYBE GO AFTER? ABSOLUTELY. MOVING FORWARD? BUT AND PART OF THE INITIATIVE IS ACTUALLY BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS MORE REGULARLY.

SO ONE OF THE MAIN FOUR ROLES IS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, WHICH IS REALLY GOING TO BE MORE OF A BACK, BACK HOUSE END POSITION THAT'S HELPING US APPLY FOR AS MANY RESOURCES.

SO LIKE EVEN IN THE COUNTY, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO PHA FOR TO GET CDBG IN THE CITY, BUT WE ARE IN THE COUNTY.

AND SO THIS IS WHERE IT BECOMES DIFFERENT THINGS OF WHERE WE CAN GET MORE FLEXIBLE.

AND REALLY, AS LONG AS WE'RE WORKING AS A WHOLE TEAM. SO WHEN YOU ARE, IT LOOKS LIKE ON YOUR WEBSITE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF MAYBE STAFF OPENINGS. ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE HIRING FOR PEOPLE IN CERTAIN ONES, OR ARE THEY JUST NOT, MAYBE NOT UPDATED ON THE WEBSITE? NO, WE HAVE TWO. ONE OF THEM WAS JUST SHE GOT, SHE GOT A BIG PROMOTION AT A BIG COMPANY.

WE COULDN'T COMPETE WITH THAT. WE'RE REALLY HAPPY FOR HER. SHE LEFT SOME FANTASTIC TERMS. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS A NEW POSITION THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

OKAY. BUT OUR TURNOVER HAS BEEN A LOT BETTER SINCE WE GOT THERE.

BUT YEAH. THAT'S TRUE YEAH. THAT INCREASE OF 30% JUST DOESN'T WORK, RIGHT? FOR LANDLORDS AND FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED. I GUESS YOU SHOWED THE ONE GRAPH WHERE POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY AND BASICALLY THE COMMUNITIES THERE.

HOW DO WE FIX THAT? I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THERE'S AN ISSUE.

HOW DO WE MAYBE GET THAT TO BE A LITTLE BETTER? THE, THE NUMBER WE HAVE THE PER UNIT COST. AND IT'S A REALLY GREAT NUMBER BECAUSE IT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S A SAMPLE SIZE, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT EVERY UNIT, BUT IT'S PRETTY CLOSE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO IS ONE OF THE CHARTERS FOR THE PHA TO SET FAIR MARKET RENTS, FMRS. AND SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOWER THOSE BELOW WHAT HUD GIVES EVERY YEAR HUD WILL GIVE US NUMBERS.

FMR IS RIGHT AROUND AUGUST SEPTEMBER ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ZIP CODES. LAST YEAR THEY PUT COUNCIL BLUFFS INTO A SMALL AREA FMR, WHICH WAS TERRIBLE. AND WE ADVOCATED APPLIED A PETITION TO IT ESSENTIALLY DROPPED $100 OF SUBSIDY FROM EVERYBODY IN OUR FAMILY BY MOVING US INTO THIS NEW ONE.

SO WE'RE IN WHAT'S CALLED A SMALL AFMR NOW. YEAH.

I GUESS YOU SEE THE HOUSING MORE THAN MOST DEALING WITH THIS.

WHAT'S YOUR OUTLOOK FOR HOUSING WITHIN COUNCIL BLUFFS?

[00:20:03]

BUT I MEAN WE'RE THE REAL BIG GAME IS GOING TO BE COMING ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE INFILL.

INFILL IS GOING TO BE HUGE BECAUSE, BECAUSE WE'RE SO HIGH IN THE RENTAL MARKET, IT'S IT'S GOING TO CORRECT JUST BECAUSE VACANCY IS GOING TO BE CREEPING UP A LOT MORE.

AND SO THOSE NUMBERS WILL GO DOWN. BUT LIKE THE BIGGEST THING, I WAS JUST ON A NATIONAL CALL RIGHT NOW.

A LOT OF FOLKS COUNTIES HAD TO RAISE THEIR TAXES AND THEN AS A RESULT, WITH THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, INSURANCE WAS CRAZY. OUR AGENCY, WE WERE PAYING ABOUT $58,000 THREE YEARS AGO.

WE'RE PAYING $158,000 NOW A YEAR. AND IT'S LIKE ALL THAT.

OUR LANDLORDS HAVE TO RAISE THEIR PRICES. SO IT'S GOING TO BE IN SOMETHING.

BUT I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE WE HAVE SO MANY.

BECAUSE THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM IS IT PARTNERS WITH THE EXISTING MARKET. AND SO LIKE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, WE INVEST ABOUT $520,000 EVERY MONTH INTO HOUSING ASSISTANCE.

AND THAT'S DIRECTLY MONEY, RIGHT, TO LANDLORDS.

AND SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO CHANGE A LITTLE BIT GOING DOWN.

SO AGAIN, INFILL IS GOING TO BE A PIECE. BUT THEN REALLY FAMILY STABILITY.

HOW CAN WE KEEP FAMILIES HOUSED? AND SO THAT'S WHERE A ROLE LIKE I MENTIONED, DAVID BECOMES SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY TALKING TO THEM BEFORE IT GOES BAD.

IT'S THE HARDEST WHEN WE HAVE A FAMILY COME TO US FIVE DAYS OUT WHEN THEY'RE LOSING AND THEY HAVEN'T COMMUNICATED BECAUSE OUR HANDS ARE REALLY TIED AND WE HAVE A REALLY PASSIONATE TEAM TRYING TO HELP.

THE OTHER FACILITY AGAIN? DUDLEY COURT? YEAH.

THAT'S RIGHT. YES, YES. WHAT'S YOUR GUYS'S? SO YOU RUN BOTH THOSE FACILITIES, RIGHT? I'VE JUST I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS AS OF LATE WITH THE FACILITIES THERE AND KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON OVER THE YEARS.

IT'S BEEN A, I GUESS, A POINT OF CONTENTION FOR ME WHERE I'VE HAD FOLKS SAY, WELL, THERE'S JUST SOME ISSUES THERE.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE, WHEN YOU SAID THESE ARE THE MOST AT NEED FOLKS, YOU'RE 100% CORRECT.

THEY'D RATHER LIVE IN A SUBPAR SITUATION THAN BE PUSHED OUT OF WHERE THEY'RE AT.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO? I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY ANYMORE, BUT ANYTHING WE COULD DO ON OUR SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THERE IS GOING WELL I GUESS.

IT'S, PUBLIC HOUSING IS REALLY CHALLENGING BECAUSE IT'S REALLY CONCENTRATED POVERTY.

SO IT REALLY SHOWS US A LOT OF VULNERABILITIES OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS ISN'T AN EXCUSE AT ALL. IT'S WE MAXIMIZE AS MANY OF THOSE DOLLARS.

AND THAT'S WHY ALL, ALL THE OTHER HOUSING AGENCIES THINK WE'RE CRAZY TO MEET WITH OUR FAMILIES FLOOR BY FLOOR EVERY YEAR.

WE ONLY HAVE TO DO IT TWICE A YEAR. BUT I CARE THAT MUCH.

AND IT'S A MATTER OF HOW MUCH WE GET IN CAPITAL FUNDS OF HOW WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.

I WILL TELL YOU, WE'VE BEEN SLOWLY INVESTING.

WE GOT ALL THE STACKS FIXED THIS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND THAT WAS ALMOST A $2 MILLION TOTAL PROJECT.

AND SO IT'S A LOT TO GET THESE 8 STORIES RUNNING.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ELEVATOR DOWN. AND SO IT'S REALLY HOW DO WE USE IT? HOW DO WE USE OUR CAPITAL FUNDS? AND THEN ALL THE DIFFERENT ROLES THE HOUSING AGENCY HAS.

WE HAVE NOW SECTION 3, WE HAVE BABA. WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

BUT WHAT THAT DOES IS IT RAISES THE COST OF EVERYTHING WE GET DONE.

SO OUR DOLLARS ARE REALLY STRETCH LIMITED. AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THERE WERE ONLY FEDERALLY SUPPORTED, THERE'S JUST NOT A LOT WE CAN GET. LUCKILY THOUGH, I WILL SAY WE WORK WITH THE HOUSING TRUST FUND WE APPLY FOR COMPETITIVELY WHENEVER WE HAVE THAT. AND WE'VE RENOVATED 16 UNITS TO DATE AT REGAL.

I KNOW THAT'S NOT A LOT, BUT IT'S A BALANCING ACT BETWEEN DOING THAT AND LEAVING ENOUGH MONEY TO FIX OUR CHILLER.

AND WHEN A UNIT GOES BAD, I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

JOE, I THINK A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE, ESPECIALLY REGAL, IS PRETTY OLD.

SURE, IT DOESN'T.

TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL FOR WHATEVER HE DIES IN HIS APARTMENT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

LIKE IT'S IRRELEVANT IF YOU CAN'T GET IN OR OUT.

FUNDING? SO. ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING PROJECTS THAT JUST DON'T EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. LIKE THE 504 ACCESSIBLE UNIT OR AN 811 PROJECT, THEY CALL THEM.

HOUSEHOLDS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. BY HUD STANDARDS, WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN PEOPLE AT REGAL WE SHOULD EVICT, BUT THEY'RE ELDERLY. THEY'VE KIND OF STARTED DEMENTIA.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT A IN-HOME CARE PLACE. WE'RE REALLY PROPERTY MANAGERS WITH BIG HEARTS AND TRYING TO CONNECT THEM TO AS MANY RESOURCES.

BUT THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING WE CAN DO WITH A PBV.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO SOME OF THE DEVELOPERS IS, HEY, WE NEED THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 55.

[00:25:06]

AND AS THOSE DEVELOPERS GET THEIR BUSINESS MODEL DOWN, THEY'RE TALKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

A LOT OF THEM DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE ADJUSTING IT. THAT'S WHERE AN ENTITY LIKE OUR PHA BECOMES SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

AND TO ME, IT BECOMES A TOOL THAT WE CAN UTILIZE TO DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

AND SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IT'S A BONDABLE ENTITY.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW THAT TRANSLATES, BUT I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO TWO DIFFERENT MAYORS IN OTHER CITIES AND THEY ARE DOING INCREDIBLE THINGS WITH BONDING.

AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THOUGH, WE GOT TO GET OUR HOUSING AGENCY OUT OF ITS SMALL SHOES, YOU KNOW? YEAH. HOW DO THINGS LIKE ANAWIM AFFECT YOU GUYS? RIGHT. LIKE, I WAS PRETTY CRITICAL WHEN ANAWIM CAME IN HERE.

GO LIVE IN THE HOUSE AS LONG AS YOU WANT. NO REQUIREMENTS.

LIKE, DOES THAT AFFECT YOU GUYS AT ALL? ONLY IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS THAT? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH ANAWIM? I'M VERY FAMILIAR, ABSOLUTELY. IT ONLY AFFECTS US IN TERMS OF A REVOLVING DOOR OF FAMILIES COMING BACK.

AND THAT'S THE HARDEST THING TO SEE. RIGHT NOW, PART OF OUR INITIATIVE.

WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME OF THE EXISTING SHELTERS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD NEW PROTOCOL BECAUSE SOME FAMILIES COME IN AND THEY LOSE.

AND AS SOON AS YOU LOSE ASSISTANCE, IF YOU OWE A LOT OF MONEY, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY A NET FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW? AND SO IT BECOMES A REALLY IMPORTANT JUGGLING ACT OF HELPING THE FAMILIES WITH THE GREATEST NEED, BUT ALSO TRYING TO KEEP THEM STABILIZED BECAUSE SOMEBODY LIKE ANAWIM AND I DON'T KNOW THEIR WHOLE MODEL, IF SOMEBODY FALLS OUT, IT'LL BE MORE JUST THEY'RE COMING BACK TO APPLY FOR HOUSING WITH US.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES THE FAMILIES LIKE THAT AREN'T ELIGIBLE ANYMORE BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT RULES, LIKE THEY OWE TOO MUCH. THAT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THE CRITERIA SOMEBODY WAS ASKING ABOUT.

THERE'S A NATIONAL SYSTEM, BUT. OWE TOO MUCH WHAT? ON CREDIT CARD DEBT OR? AND SO ANY. HUD HAS TWO SIDES OF IT PIH, PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING AND MULTIFAMILY.

AND THIS IS WHERE IT'S REALLY WILD. ALL THE PROGRAMS ACROSS THE BOARD.

IT'S A NATIONAL SYSTEM IF ANYBODY OWNS $100. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING OUT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE HARDEST, THEY'RE REALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE IN TERMS OF HAVING A BIG, LARGER LOAD OF MONEY BACK TO PAID, BECAUSE SOME OF THE RULES THAT WERE IN PLAY, ONE OF THEM JUST WENT AWAY.

WE COULDN'T EVICT ANYBODY REALLY, FOR A LONG TIME.

IT WAS VERY COMPLICATED BECAUSE THE STATE OF IOWA HAD A RULE BACKWARDS OF THE FEDS.

WE HAD LIKE A ONE-DAY WINDOW AND IT JUST WASN'T WORKING.

AND SO WE TRY TO BE AS PROACTIVE AS POSSIBLE TO MANAGE THE PROPERTY AS GOOD AS WE CAN.

BUT THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY UNIQUE IS THAT EVERY TIME WE THINK WE GOT A GOOD IDEA, THE FEDS WILL DO A NEW THING.

AND SO LIKE, AGAIN, I TALKED TO THE MAYOR AND THIS IS GOING TO BE CRAZY.

THEY WANT ALL OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES IN THE COUNTRY TO OPERATE ON THREE DAYS OF RESERVES. SO THEY'RE TELLING US TO SPEND ALL OF OUR MONEY.

WE ONLY HAD TWO MONTHS OF RESERVES, THREE MONTHS OF RESERVES, ROUGHLY, AND WE'RE AT ABOUT 13 NOW.

AND IT'S HARD TO WANT TO SPEND THAT BECAUSE WE NEED IT FOR THE CHILLER GOING OUT A BOILER, THOSE THINGS ARE HUGE. AND SO THIS IS WHERE IT BECOMES A BIGGER CONVERSATION.

AND SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE ONLY TALK ABOUT PHAS, IT'S JUST ABOUT THE STATE OF THE BUILDINGS SOMETIMES, RIGHT? AND REALLY, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETIMES ALSO THE FAMILIES WHO ARE IN THEM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE ALL CARE ABOUT MORE, RIGHT? BUT WE CAN UNINTENTIONALLY START TALKING OURSELVES JUST ABOUT A BUILDING.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR OSCAR? OSCAR, CAN YOU SEND THIS POWERPOINT TO ME AND WE CAN OR? OH, PERFECT. JODI HAS IT, SO SHE'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU.

IS 185 COMMITTED? IT IS NOT NO. I WAS GOING TO SAY I DIDN'T.

I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THAT IN THE BUDGET. I JUST. NO, THIS IS AN ASSET THAT OSCAR MADE WHEN WE MET TWO WEEKS AGO.

SO I WANTED TO GET HIM IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TO HEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND THEN AS WE START TALKING ABOUT THE FY 27 BUDGET, WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS ASK.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, I'M A I'M A LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD FOR SURE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ROUNDABOUT, WE DIDN'T GET ANY FUNDING AND WE STILL WENT TO WORK AND DID AS MUCH AS WE COULD. AND THAT'S WHERE WE DID ALL THAT OTHER WORK.

THAT'S WHERE WE GOT THIS APPROVED. AND SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, REGARDLESS IF WE GET FUNDING FROM YOU ALL THIS TIME, WE'RE STILL GOING TO PUSH ON AS MUCH OF THIS AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE FUNDING IS DWINDLING AWAY PRETTY FAST.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO LOSE IT, WE'RE GOING TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN RIGHT NOW. THANKS.

THANK YOU OSCAR.

DISCUSS THE IOWA WEST CYCLE 1 GRANTS FOR THE YEAR.

HELLO. I'M GOING TO BE REALLY BRIEF. THIS WAS POSTED A WEEK OR SO AGO, BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO COME AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

[00:30:01]

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE RECIPIENTS TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY WANT TO COORDINATE THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

SO THOSE WILL COME OUT AT SOME POINT. A LOT OF THE GRANTS THIS TIME ADDRESS HOUSING AND FINANCIAL STABILITY AND ALSO WORKFORCE TRAINING IN PARTICULAR.

IT'S THIS FIRST CYCLE THAT WE MAKE THE GRANTS TO OUR, WHAT WE REFER TO AS ASPIRE, WHICH IS OUR WORKFORCE TRAINING.

WE SUPPORT ALL THE DISTRICTS IN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. YOU SEE ALL OF THEM LISTED THERE.

$325,000 TO COUNCIL BLUFFS SCHOOLS, $100,000 TO LEWIS CENTRAL, $126,000 TO IOWA WESTERN.

AND THEN GENERALLY SPEAKING, $25,000 TO EACH OF THE RURAL DISTRICTS, $200,000 TO CAREER ADVANTAGE.

ALL OF THOSE ARE WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT WHEN STUDENTS LEAVE THEIR HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF MARKETABLE SKILL THAT THEY HAVE DECIDED EITHER THEY'RE GOING TO GO ON TO COLLEGE, THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, OR THEY'RE GOING TO GO STRAIGHT INTO THE WORKFORCE. THE DISTRICT SEEMED TO REALLY LIKE IT.

IT GIVES THEM A LOT MORE LATITUDE ON HOW THEY FRAME THOSE PROGRAMS. IOWA LEGAL AID FOR EVICTION PREVENTION THAT'S BEEN GOING ON NOW, I THINK 3 OR 4 YEARS.

IT REALLY STARTED BECAUSE LANDLORDS WEREN'T GETTING PAID AND LANDLORDS NEED TO GET PAID.

AND SO BY SETTING UP IOWA LEGAL AID AT THE COURTHOUSE, THEY CAN DO A DIRECT INTERVENTION.

AND PART OF WHAT HAPPENS AT THAT TABLE IS THE LANDLORD GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME COMPENSATION AND ALSO, LIKE GRANT, AN EXTRA MONTH OR WHATEVER TIME IT IS TO HOPEFULLY LET THE RESIDENT GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.

THE JENNIE EDMUNDSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, THAT FIRST RESPONDER COMMUNITY COACH, IT'S A TINY LITTLE NUMBER THAT BRIDGES TO YOUR FISCAL YEAR. PACE $200,000 AS, AS IS TYPICAL FOR OUR WARDS TO PACE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT IS SPARK CAPITAL ON THE LAST PAGE.

WHEN WE FIRST FUNDED THE COUNCIL BLUFFS HOUSING PROGRAM WITH THE $4 MILLION, ONE OF THE THINGS WE URGED THE CITY TO CONSIDER WAS HOW TO GET MORE DEVELOPERS. SO WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE NOT RELIANT ON JUST A HANDFUL OF DEVELOPERS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

AND SO THIS SPARK CAPITAL WILL, WILL SORT OF SEED A DEVELOPER ACADEMY WITHIN COUNCIL BLUFFS.

THEY HAVE IT VERY ACTIVE. IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL IN OMAHA, BUT THIS WILL BE SPECIFIC FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL FOLKS WHO WANT TO GET INTO DEVELOPMENT, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND SO THAT BRINGS US THIS PROGRAM INTO COUNCIL BLUFFS, WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH CHRIS AND HIS TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT MEETS THE CITY'S NEEDS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WANT FOR DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN TOGETHER INC DOING A HOUSING STABILITY FUND.

WE'VE SAID ALL ALONG, THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS IS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOUSES. AND SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR A TRANSMISSION IN A CAR BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET TO WORK SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR JOB. AND SO WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH TOGETHER, THEY'RE MANAGING THE PROGRAM THAT USUALLY LESS THAN $1,500 ONE TIME FOR A FAMILY CAN BRIDGE THAT GAP TO KEEP THEM IN THEIR HOUSE.

AND SO IT'S A WHOLE LOT LESS EXPENSIVE THAN DEALING WITH THE FALLOUT OF PEOPLE WHO MOVE INTO HOMELESSNESS.

SO THAT'S QUICK REVIEW. ANY QUESTIONS? AS. TO THE $250,000 FOR HUD TOGETHER.

HEARTLAND FAMILY SERVICES SIMILAR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING $200,000.

IN HOMELESSNESS WHO ARE IN MOST WAYS NOT CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING A RESIDENCE.

AND SO THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD, REGARDLESS OF THE CONDITIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO STAY IN HOUSING OR NOT.

THAT'S WHAT THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS. THE TOGETHER INC MONEY FOR STABILITY FUND IS ESSENTIALLY TOGETHER INC WORKING WITH ALL OF THE PROVIDERS TO FOLKS WHO ARE AT RISK OF LOSING HOUSING TO IDENTIFY THINGS THAT AREN'T OTHERWISE COVERED BY WHATEVER STIPEND MIGHT BE AVAILABLE THROUGH TAXPAYER FUNDS. REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION IS A REALLY EASY THING THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

IF YOU CAN'T GET TO WORK, YOU LOSE YOUR JOB, YOU LOSE YOUR HOUSE, OTHER BAD THINGS.

IF ALL YOU NEED IS A TRANSMISSION, THEN THEY CAN GO TO WHOEVER THEY'RE WORKING WITH AND SAY, HEY, I JUST NEED SOME MONEY TO COVER THIS COST.

AND IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT. IT'S ABOUT $1,200 TO $1,400 ONE TIME.

AND, AND IT, WHAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING THIS AS A PILOT FOR ABOUT NINE MONTHS.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IS IT'S SERVED ABOUT, I'M GOING TO SAY, ABOUT 100 FAMILIES.

AND IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS FAMILIES. IT'S NOT AN INDIVIDUAL.

[00:35:03]

NOW THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT 100%, BUT IT'S GENERALLY WE SEE REALLY SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES FROM THIS OF ALL THESE ITEMS. BRENDA, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY ARE GRANT RELATED AND HOW MANY ARE INITIATIVE RELATED IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OR IN TERMS OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT? SO ASPIRE IS OUR INITIATIVE, MEANING WE DON'T MAKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS APPLY FOR IT IN A TRADITIONAL WAY.

WE WORK WITH THEM EVERY YEAR. BUT THAT THAT'S $850,000 FOR AN INITIATIVE.

I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY INITIATIVE ON HERE. I THINK THE OTHERS ARE ALL GRANT REQUESTS.

SO THE FAMILY INC AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER ONES WERE LARGER GRANT YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT THIS, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND TRYING TO KIND OF MAYBE DIRECT THIS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WOULD YOU SAY THAT ARE YOU SEEING SOME, I GUESS, IMPROVEMENT IN THAT DIRECTION CHANGE, OR DO YOU FEEL THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE DIRECTION CHANGE TO THIS? WE FOCUS A LOT NOW ON HOUSING, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT.

THESE SEEM TO BE GOING AFTER WHAT I WILL TERM MAYBE NOT NEWER HOUSING INITIATIVES, EXCEPT FOR THE SPARK, MAYBE WHERE THERE'S SOME OF THESE. BUT TO ME, WE STILL HAVE A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR FULL BLOWN, WHAT I'LL CALL DEVELOPMENT SINGLE FAMILY.

BASIS. THERE'S STILL THE $4 MILLION OUT THERE THAT WE PLEDGED TO THE CITY OVER TEN YEARS.

RIGHT. WE PAID OUT TWO.

THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT. OKAY. SO IF THERE'S A DEVELOPER THAT'S DEVELOPED PREVIOUSLY, MAYBE AND THEY SAY, HEY, I CAN'T MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK, BUT I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

MAYBE IF THEY WORKED WITH CHRIS TO GET A PLAN TOGETHER, COME TO YOU AND SAY.

AND PICKING WINNERS IS NEVER LOOKED UNFAVORABLY WHEN BY THE LOSER, BY THE GUY WHO DIDN'T GET THE MONEY RIGHT.

I GET IT TO BE DONE, SUCH AS, LET'S GET SOME MORE DEVELOPERS, SUCH AS, LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE. THE WEBSITE IS MEETING EVERYBODY'S NEEDS AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN USE THIS MONEY IN ANY OF THESE WAYS, INCLUDING THE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS.

AND SO CHRIS IS ENTIRELY IN CONTROL. AND THEN ONCE A YEAR, WHENEVER HE'S SAYING, HEY, I'M READY FOR ANOTHER MILLION, HE COMES AND SAYS, HERE'S ALL THE THINGS WE'VE DONE WITH IT. WE MAKE WE AGREE THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE QUALIFIED, AND THEN WE WRITE ANOTHER CHECK. OKAY. AND YOU KNOW, IN MY CONVERSATIONS IN MY PAST, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE BIGGEST HICCUP FOR A LOT OF THESE FOLKS. THEY CAN'T CHARGE ENOUGH IN A DEVELOPMENT FOR A LOT TO MAKE IT WORK.

AND SO NOBODY BUYS IT, RIGHT? AND THEN WE DON'T GET THE DEVELOPMENT DONE BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ARE ON THEIR DIME.

AND SO THOSE, THOSE THINGS ARE SO IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT.

IOWA WEST HAS BEEN IN THE HOUSING CREATION OF HOUSING FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, AND WE HAVE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

AND UNTIL WE STARTED WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY, THE NUMBER OF UNITS WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT WAS NEVER GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.

IT'S GOT TO IT'S GOT TO BE THE WHOLE GAMUT OF NEED, RIGHT? AND THAT THE ONLY, THE BEST WAY FOR US TO DO THAT IS TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY.

SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT. AND I HOPEFULLY THE CITY HAS AS WELL.

I HAD SOMEBODY ASK ME, BRENDA ABOUT. I DIDN'T COUNT THEM, BUT LET'S SAY THERE'S 20 GRANTS ON HERE.

HOW MANY DO YOU RECEIVE? HOW MANY REQUESTS DO YOU RECEIVE VERSUS HOW MANY ARE AWARDED? YEAH, OR WILL YOU SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO DO THIS MANY THIS ROUND, BUT WE'LL PUT YOU IN THE SECOND ROUND? NO, THERE'S NO LIMIT ON HOW MANY QUALIFIED THEY HAVE TO.

THEY HAVE TO MEET GEOGRAPHIC. SO WE GET ANYWHERE FROM 40 TO 60 APPLICATIONS IN ANY GIVEN CYCLE. A LOT MORE THAN WE USED TO.

PEOPLE ARE A LOT MORE. THEY, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO BE GIVEN MORE CONSIDERATION NOW.

WE'RE TRYING TO BE. TO ADDRESS MORE NEEDS INSTEAD OF MORE INITIATIVES.

TO YOUR POINT, DOUG A LOT OF THEM GET KICKED OUT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T READ THE REQUIREMENTS.

THEY'RE NOT WITHIN OUR GEOGRAPHIC LIMITATIONS.

[00:40:03]

SOME OF THEM MAY BE ASKING FOR SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T SUPPORT, AND WE'LL LET THEM KNOW THE REASON THAT IT ISN'T WORKING.

WE DON'T DO MEDICAL, FOR EXAMPLE. SO SOMEBODY COMING TO US FOR MEDICAL SUPPORT IS NOT GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE, BUT WE WORK WITH THOSE ENTITIES TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE? WE DO CONSIDER THEY CAN ONLY APPLY, THEY CAN ONLY APPLY ONCE A YEAR FOR THE SAME PROGRAM.

BUT IF THEY HAVE MULTIPLE PROGRAMS, THEY CAN APPLY MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR.

AND THAT'S WHY THAT GRANT WRITING IS SO IMPORTANT, ISN'T IT? BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ARE TRAINED IN THAT TO GET IT DONE IN SOME RESPECTS AND MAKE SURE THEY COVERED ALL THE BASES.

I WOULD SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS ACTUALLY READING THE RULES.

YEAH, TRUE. [LAUGHTER] SO I HOPE THEY DO THAT. YEAH. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR BRENDA OR COMMENTS? BRENDA, JUST THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE EFFORT AND THE AWARDS THAT YOU GUYS GIVE.

AND I KNOW IT'S A CHALLENGING TO DETERMINE WHO GETS AND WHO DOESN'T.

AND WE APPRECIATE THE MONEY THAT'S GOING BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND REVIEW THE AGENDA.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT? OKAY. MOVING ON TO PUBLIC HEARINGS. 5.A CHRIS IS ON HIS WAY.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. 5.A SO THAT'S ORDINANCE 6670 AN ORDINANCE 6671.

THIS IS RELATIVE TO REZONING PROPERTY THAT LOCKWOOD INTENDS TO ACQUIRE FROM THE CITY.

THE 3100 BLOCK OF SECOND AVENUE REZONING FROM C-2 TO R-4, HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, AND THEN APPLYING A PR-1 PLANNED RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY TO THAT PROPERTY TO GIVE THEM SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH DESIGN, BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THAT WHAT GETS BUILT OUT THERE MEETS THE VISION OF THE CITY.

RESOLUTION 26-129 IS ALSO TIED TO THAT PROJECT.

THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE FINAL PLAT TO REPLAT BOTH THOSE BLOCKS INTO TWO LARGE TRACTS OF LAND.

SO BASICALLY WE'RE GETTING RID OF ALL THOSE UNDERLYING PROPERTY LINES AND CREATING TWO TRACTS OF LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT.

ALSO MY ITEMS ON PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE RESOLUTE.

SO 5.E RESOLUTION 26-132. WE ARE ASKING FOR THAT TO BE CONTINUED TO THE MAY 4TH MEETING.

THAT'S ESSENTIALLY TO AMEND OUR URBAN REVITALIZATION PLAN TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENTS BY JASON JAMES AND ANDY RAYMOND ON NORTH BROADWAY.

SO WE NEED TO TAKE THAT. WE NEED TO TAKE THAT TO PLANNING COMMISSION FIRST, AND THEN GET THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES OUT AND COMMENTS RECEIVED BEFORE WE BRING THAT BACK TO YOU ON MAY 4TH. AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER ITEM OF MINE ON THIS AGENDA WOULD BE 7.F, WHICH REALLY KIND OF DOVETAILS WELL INTO WHAT BRENDA TALKED ABOUT. THAT'S A REQUEST FOR HDP MONEY FROM A DEVELOPER WHO WANTS TO BUILD A TRIPLEX AT THE CORNER OF SOUTH 29TH AND SECOND AVENUE.

SO IT'S A $750,000 INVESTMENT. THEY PAID $89,500 FOR THE LOT.

THEY HAVE APPROACHED THE CITY TO JUST GET A GRANT TO KIND OF HELP OFFSET THEIR ACQUISITION COSTS FOR THAT PROJECT.

MEETS THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THE PROGRAM PROVIDING ADDITIONAL UNITS.

IT'S IN, IT'S CLOSE TO ONE OF OUR TARGET AREAS BEING THAT WEST BROADWAY CORRIDOR.

THE DESIGN OF THE OF THAT TRIPLEX WILL BE COMPATIBLE WITH OUR WEST BROADWAY OVERLAY.

AND THEN ALSO THE. THE COST PER DOOR FALLS IN LINE WITH WHAT THAT PROGRAM ALLOWS.

SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF. WE THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC PROJECT AND JUST KIND OF SHOWS THE DIFFERENT SCALES THAT THIS PROGRAM IS ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE, WHETHER IT BE A 220 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING DOWN TO A THREE-UNIT TRIPLEX.

SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THE PROPOSAL. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHRIS ON HIS ITEMS? DID YOU SAY THAT WAS 7.F? YES. YES. SO CAN YOU MAYBE WALK ME THROUGH HOW THE FUNDING WORKS ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? LIKE JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO SEE BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY DO, BUT WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST.

SO THIS IS A REALLY KIND OF THAT LAST GAP FUNDING IS KIND OF HOW I'VE ALWAYS VIEWED IT.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH GETTING URBAN REVITALIZATION OR URBAN RENEWAL, WHICH IS TIF. SOME PROJECTS MAY NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT.

SOME PROJECTS MIGHT. THIS HDP MONEY IS KIND OF THAT LAST ATTEMPT TO KIND OF FILL THAT GAP FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

IT REALLY WAS JUST HELPING THEM OFFSET THE ACQUISITION, WHICH TO ME, $89,500 AND A $750,000 INVESTMENT.

RIGHT. I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH THEM TO ACHIEVE THAT.

SOME OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE APPROVED WOULD BE LIKE HOPPE DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, A MUCH BIGGER PROJECT.

[00:45:05]

TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN THEY COME IN TO MEET WITH US, THEY BEING DEVELOPERS, WE FIRST KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, HOW MANY UNITS LIKE WHAT'S YOUR KIND OF PER UNIT DOOR COST? THEY USUALLY ASK ABOUT TIF OR URBAN REVITALIZATION FIRST.

AND IF THE NUMBERS CAN'T WORK ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THEN WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

DO WE, DO WE INITIATE THIS OR DO THEY BRING, THEY HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS? LIKE, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU OFFER UPFRONT OR IT'S LIKE YOU SAID AT THE VERY END? IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT WE NEVER LEAD WITH THIS PROGRAM.

YOU KNOW THAT MOST DEVELOPERS COME IN KIND OF KNOWING WHAT THEY NEED.

YOU KNOW, IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T DO IT EVERY DAY.

YOU KNOW, THEY TEND TO PROBABLY NEED A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE, IN WHICH CASE WE TALK ABOUT THIS. BUT MOST DEVELOPERS ARE COMING INTO A MULTIFAMILY, LIKE THEY HAVE AN IDEA OF THE TIF. THEY ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS. WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE PROMOTING IT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, EXPLAINING TO THE METRO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM AVAILABLE. BUT NO, WE NEVER REALLY LEAD WITH THIS PROGRAM.

YEAH IT'S A REALLY NICE LIKE SOMETHING FOR THIS WHERE OF THE OVERALL COST OF THE PROGRAM.

THIS IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT, BUT BOY, IT GETS THEM TO THE FINISH LINE FOR THAT LITTLE GAP FUNDING.

AND EVERY DEVELOPER IS LOOKING AT EVERY DOLLAR.

AND WE LIKE TO SAY, YEAH, JUST THEY CAN COVER IT.

BUT BOY, THESE THINGS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE END FOR A LOT OF THESE FOLKS.

SO APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, IF THIS MONEY CAN BE TARGETED IN AREAS THAT HAVE URBAN RENEWAL, WE CAN ACTUALLY RECOUP THAT BACK IN THE TIF AND KEEP RECYCLING THOSE FUNDS TO HELP MORE AND MORE PEOPLE.

SO YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW MY BRAIN WAS WORKING AND MY BRAIN, LIKE IF WE, WE AWARD $2 MILLION.

WELL, CAN THEY CAN, IT'S LIKE A LICENSING AGREEMENT, RIGHT? EVERY, RIGHT? $10 BUCKS A UNIT FOR TEN YEARS, WHATEVER THAT IS, TO RECYCLE THAT MONEY BACK THROUGH.

BUT YEAH, WE'LL GET THE $2 MILLION BACK JUST BY THROUGH THE TIF.

YEP. SO WHICH. YEAH, I KNOW THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR, BUT SO ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANKS, CHRIS.

NEXT UP WOULD BE 5.C ZACH.

THE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS FOR BIG LAKE PARK IMPROVE, REPLACING THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND THAT WAS INSTALLED IN 1997.

THE NEW PLAYGROUND WILL BE EXPANDED ABOUT HALF AGAIN THE SIZE OF THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND TO COMPENSATE FOR THE ABSENCE OF THE PLAYGROUND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LEVEE THAT WAS REMOVED AFTER THE 2019 FLOOD.

SO CONSISTENT WITH OUR OTHER RECENT PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS, THE GRAVEL SURFACING WILL BE REPLACED WITH RESILIENT RUBBER SURFACING TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY. WE EXPECT CONSTRUCTION TO START IN THE FALL AND BE COMPLETED IN THE SPRING OF 2027. IS THE EXPECTATION. DO WE HAVE ANY NUMBERS ON USAGE HERE AT BIG LAKE? I KNOW EVERY PARK. OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T HAVE PEOPLE DOWN THERE CLICKING OFF A CLICKER SAYING, OH, WE HAD TEN PEOPLE HERE, BUT DO WE KNOW DOWN THERE? WHAT WE GET IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC FLOW? SO UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE ANY NUMBERS FOR BIG LAKE.

WE KNOW THAT IT'S IT GETS A LOT OF USAGE. WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME NUMBERS BASED ON CELL PHONE DATA THAT WAS JUST LIKE SAMPLES TRYING TO SELL US, YOU KNOW THE DATA, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY COUNTERS AT BIG LAKE LIKE WE DO AT THE DOG PARK AND AT COCHRANE.

SO YEAH, WE, ALTHOUGH WE KNOW THE USAGE IS, IS REALLY HIGH AT BIG LAKE.

I DON'T KNOW THE, THE NUMBERS. ARE WE CONCERNED WITH THE HOMELESS SITUATION IN THAT AREA? OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN, I KNOW HOMELESS ARE UP ALONG THE RAILROAD TRACKS FURTHER NORTH.

THAT'S KIND OF A CAMPING AREA OR PLACE THAT THEY'LL STAY SOMETIMES.

I KNOW WHEN I USED TO RIDE BIKES AND STUFF, BUT THEY'RE COMING FROM 16TH CORRIDOR UP THROUGH THERE.

HAVE WE HAD ISSUES THERE? IS THERE? YOU KNOW, YOU HAD YOU HAD KIND OF OR I, YOU KNOW, HAVE EXPECTED THAT THAT WILL BECOME A PROBLEM.

BIG LAKE REALLY HASN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, A PROBLEM.

AND EVEN OUR PORTA POTS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE AT BIG LAKE HAVE STAYED IN IN GOOD SHAPE AS COMPARED TO OTHER LOCATIONS THAT YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE BEEN VANDALIZED OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SIDES HAVE BEEN MELTED OUT TO STEAL THE TOILET PAPER AND THE DISPENSERS OUT OF. SO BIG LAKE IS NOT ON, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR HOTTEST SPOTS FOR, FOR HOMELESS, I'M SURE [INAUDIBLE]

[00:50:04]

AND JUST THE LAST THING AND THIS IS KIND OF MORE OF A GENERAL YOU KNOW AS I WENT THROUGH THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO SPEND QUITE A BIT OF MONEY HERE AT BIG LAKE. WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY ON COCHRANE.

WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY JUST IN THE RIVERFRONT OVERALL WITH A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT AMENITIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WILL FALL UNDER YOUR PURVIEW AS WELL.

THE SPLASH PAD AT FAIRMONT PARK. WELL, THAT WAS SIZABLE DEAL.

WE DID THE DOG PARK AT VALLEY VIEW, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING.

I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME. A FULL PARK ON THE EAST SIDE.

AGAIN, WE KEEP SPENDING MONEY. WE KEEP DOING LARGE PROJECTS, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET ANYTHING INTO CIP OR ANYTHING ON THE REST OF THAT.

SO I KNOW MY PLANNING FOLKS. THEY HEARD ME COMPLAIN ABOUT IT ENOUGH AS WELL, AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS WILL BE THE TIME IN STUDY SESSION JUST TO BRING THAT UP. I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON IT. I PROBABLY CAN'T.

WE'RE MY TAKE. WE'RE ADDING HUNDREDS OF APARTMENTS AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE FAMILIES.

AND WE HAVE ONE TRAILHEAD PARK WITH A SWING SET BASICALLY, OR A LITTLE PLAYGROUND AREA.

THOSE FAMILIES HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE. AND SO WHEN THE PARENT SAYS GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY IN THE YARD, THERE IS NO YARD, RIGHT? THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE STREETS OR ON THE TRAIL OR WHATEVER, MAYBE.

BUT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF MONEY SPENT IN OTHER AREAS.

NOT SAYING IT'S BAD, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOT THIS KIND OF STARING US IN THE FACE SAYING, WE WANT MORE DENSITY, WE WANT MORE FAMILIES, WE WANT MORE PEOPLE, BUT THEN WE'RE MISSING THAT PIECE OF IT.

SO I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON IT. YEAH SO FOR THE EASTSIDE SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE ACTUALLY ACTIVELY WORKING ON A PLAN.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO ANNOUNCE ANYTHING UNTIL THE LAND IS ACQUIRED. PERFECT GOT IT. SO PERFECT. THANK YOU. YEAH. ALONG WITH WHAT DOUG SAID, I MEAN, IT'S $1 MILLION, RIGHT? AND IF WE TALK ABOUT ACQUIRING THE LAND ON THE EAST END, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO COST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY AS WELL.

I GUESS I HAVEN'T BEEN TO BIG LAKE TO LOOK AT HOW BAD IT IS.

I MEAN, IF PEOPLE ARE STILL USING IT TODAY, IS THIS NECESSARY? I GUESS I WOULD ASK. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU PUT IT IN THE CIP.

IT'S NECESSARY FOR YOUR IN YOUR THOUGHTS, BUT I'M JUST.

IT IS $1 MILLION [LAUGHTER]. YEAH. IT IS. IT'S A IT'S A BIG SPEND.

AND, AND IT'S A 30-YEAR-OLD PLAYGROUND. AND WE HAVE MADE A HUGE DENT IN THE PLAYGROUNDS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN THE 80S.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS ONE WILL BE DOWN TO, I BELIEVE, A LIST OF SIX PLAYGROUNDS, YOU KNOW, IN THE 90S, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE 30 YEARS OLDER OR OLDER.

SO YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, MY APPROACH IS THAT IN SOME OF THESE IN BIG LAKE ISN'T, ISN'T TERRIBLE. THERE ARE WORSE, YOU KNOW, PLAYGROUNDS THAT WE'RE GETTING DIALED IN ON.

BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE USEFUL.

IT'S GOING TO BE COSTING US MORE TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, REPLACE PARTS AND PIECES OF THE EQUIPMENT.

AND AND SO, AND WE ALREADY LOST A FULL PLAYGROUND ON THE NORTH SIDE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NEVER FUN TO TAKE AN ASSET, YOU KNOW, OUT OF, OF OUR PARKS INVENTORY THAT FOLKS WERE, WERE ENJOYING.

BUT YEAH, IT, THIS PARTICULAR PLAYGROUND. YEAH, IS APPROACHING THE POINT WHERE IT'S YEAH, COSTING US MONEY AND NOT GOING TO BE USEFUL OR, OR IS ENJOYABLE FOR, FOR OUR WHAT IS THE LIKE. WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE WERE DOING TREE TOP, RIGHT? WHAT'S THE WARRANTY SITUATION ON STUFF LIKE THIS? AND LIKE, BECAUSE COCHRANE, EVEN I WENT DOWN THERE AND SOME OF THAT STUFF'S ALREADY PRETTY TORN UP, LIKE THE NEW LIKE, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, ASPHALT OR WHATEVER IT IS? THE RESILIENT SURFACING? IT'S I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY DAMN NEW. AND IT'S TORN UP PRETTY BAD ALREADY.

YEAH AND WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE SOME WARRANTY WORK DONE ON, ON THE RESILIENT RUBBER SURFACING.

AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME MORE TO DO ON THAT, BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE ITEM.

THE RESILIENT RUBBER SURFACING. YOU KNOW? THEY GENERALLY WARRANTY IT FOR THREE YEARS.

AND THEN YEAH, DEPENDING ON THE VENDORS FOR SOME OF THE, THE PLAY STRUCTURE FEATURES, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE VENDOR. YEAH IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, BUT I WAS, WE WERE AT BIG LAKE PARK A COUPLE MONTHS AGO BEFORE IT GOT COLD OBVIOUSLY.

IT WAS STARTING TO GET COLD, [LAUGHTER] BUT THE KIDS WERE RUNNING AROUND USING EVERYTHING.

[00:55:03]

I NEED YOU TO FIX THIS. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT.

BUT YOU'VE BEEN MADE AWARE NOW, LIKE SO FLIPPING THINGS OVER TO THIS RESILIENT SURFACE IS A IS A LOT BETTER.

AND MY MAN FOR, FOR OUR SELF, YOU KNOW, LONG TERM ASSUMING IT HOLDS UP OBVIOUSLY.

SO BECAUSE KIDS FALL STUFF HAPPENS. I MEAN, JUNIOR WAS ON THE MONKEY BARS AND GOT CAUGHT UP WITH HIS FEET AND FELL.

IT JUST HAPPENS. IT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT WHEN HE HIT THE GROUND, IT WAS HARD AS CONCRETE.

THERE WAS NO GRAVEL. THERE WAS NO GIVE. THERE WAS NO ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S A VERY LITIGIOUS SOCIETY ANYMORE, I GUESS. SO ANOTHER PERSON MIGHT HAVE APPROACHED THAT VASTLY DIFFERENTLY.

OH, YEAH SO IF WE CAN SLOWLY GET ALL OF THAT OLD. THOSE OLD PARKS BROUGHT UP TO MORE OF A SAFER STANDARD, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. THANKS, ZACH. DANIELLE 5.D.

OKAY. SO 5.D IS THE APPROVAL OF THE FISCAL 27 BUDGET.

WE SAT DOWN OVER THE LAST WEEK AND TALKED THROUGH THE PACKET ADDRESSED ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAD.

BUT ULTIMATELY THE SAME THING THAT IS BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT IS THE SAME THING THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS.

FOR OUR DISCUSSION, WHICH INCLUDES THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY THAT WAS PROPOSED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND APPROVED.

IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET.

I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THAT.

I THOUGHT YOU DID A GREAT JOB KIND OF OUTLINING THAT.

OBVIOUSLY I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS JUST BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND AND WHERE I'M COMING FROM.

AND BELIEVE ME, I PUSHED PRETTY HARD TO SAY, HEY, WHAT ELSE CAN WE LOOK AT HERE? WHAT ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT MAYBE WE COULD DO? AND I THINK WE'RE TAKING A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, WHICH IS OKAY WITH ME.

SOMETIMES THAT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'D ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE MORE. I THINK LIKE I SAY, WE'RE KIND OF AT A HIGH END OF THIS RIGHT NOW, WHICH I THINK WILL PROBABLY TREND DOWNWARD AS WE DO THAT.

BUT WE'LL SEE NEXT YEAR WILL BE ANOTHER DEAL AND WE'LL HAVE SOME MORE DATA AS IT COMES IN.

BUT I DID WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU DID A NICE JOB PUTTING ALL THAT TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU.

THANKS, DANIELLE. I ALSO HAVE 7.A. SO 7.A IS JUST SETTING THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT ANNUAL ASSESSMENT.

SO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THOSE DISTRICTS, WE ASSESS ON THEIR PROPERTY TAXES TO HELP COVER THE COSTS OF THE MAINTENANCE IN THOSE DISTRICTS.

SO THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH EVERY OTHER YEAR.

WE ARE ASSESSING AT THE 75% VERSUS THE 100%. QUESTIONS ON THAT ONE FOR DANIELLE? NO? THANK YOU DANIELLE. ALL RIGHT. JUMPING TO 6.A SECOND READING.

MATT COX. NOT OURS ALRIGHT. JAKE. THIS IS THIS IS JUST AMENDING THE SOLID WASTE COLLECTION ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR PEOPLE TO PICK UP LITTER, ESSENTIALLY. SO WE HAVE THE FIRST READING THE LAST TIME ON THAT ONE. AND IF YOU GUYS SAW THERE WAS A NICE ARTICLE FROM NEW VISIONS, HOW THEY'RE LAUNCHING THAT. SO HOPEFULLY WE HAVE NO QUESTIONS ON THAT ONE.

FANTASTIC. WHILE I'M UP HERE, I COULD ALSO DO 7.D.

I DON'T KNOW IF MATT WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS OR NOT. YES MAINTENANCE OF SMALL ENGINE VEHICLES AND FUELING SERVICES.

THE TERMS ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. WE JUST CHANGED IT A LITTLE BIT TO MORE ACCURATELY COMPENSATE US FOR THE LABOR COSTS.

IS THIS KIND OF A BREAK EVEN ENDEAVOR FOR US WITH THEM?

[01:00:01]

OKAY. YEAH, ACTUALLY, IT WAS A MONEY LOSER.

THIS ONE THAT REPLACES IT COMPENSATES US FOR OUR LABOR, WHICH MAKES IT A BREAK EVEN.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. AND ALSO THE PARTS AND EVERYTHING, BUT BEFORE WE, WE WERE PROVIDING A SERVICE BEYOND WHAT THE COST WE WERE RECEIVING. AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. 6.B IS THE SECOND READING WHEN HE'S NOT HERE ON THIS ONE, BUT THIS IS THE UPDATING THE LANGUAGE FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CARRYING THAT THEIR LICENSE ENSURED THAT THEY ARE USING THE ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM FOR THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

DID WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THIS THAT KIND OF PRECIPITATED THIS, OR IS IT JUST TRYING TO CATCH UP ON SOME THINGS THAT WE WE NOTICED? YES. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THIS THE LAST TIME. SO WE HAD A CONTRACTOR THAT WAS HERE THAT WAS HAD 51 DAILY REOCCURRING VIOLATIONS OF NOT HAVING THE CORRECT. THEY WERE LICENSED IN ANOTHER STATE, NOT IN OUR STATE.

AND SO THIS [LAUGHTER] ALLOWS US TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES.

IT ALSO GIVES RODNEY THE OPPORTUNITY AND HIS TEAM TO BE ABLE TO GO IN AND FIND THE PEOPLE OR HAVE THEM REMOVED FROM THE SITE OR SHUT THE SITE DOWN.

SO JUST CLEANING UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GIVE OUR TEAMS AS MUCH SUPPORT AS POSSIBLE AS WE HAVE ALL THESE AWESOME PROJECTS COMING INTO TOWN.

YOU SAID EARLIER BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY KNOW WHEN WE'RE COMING OR WE'RE SCHEDULED, LIKE, HEY, WE NEED YOU TO COME LOOK AT THIS CURB CUT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE IT'S APPROPRIATE.

RIGHT. 7.B. I THINK THIS IS CHIEF DAVIS.

HEY, GOOD EVENING. THE PD HAS TWO RESOLUTIONS ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.

THE FIRST 7.B IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXTENSION OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS AND POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY ON AN EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE JAG PROGRAM AWARD. THIS IS BASICALLY A RINSE AND REPEAT OF A MULTIPLE YEAR AWARD THAT WE GET.

IT'S FEDERAL MONEY THAT PASSES DOWN THROUGH THE STATE, THROUGH THE DPS. THE STATE WILL ONLY DO 99 AWARDS TO THE COUNTIES, SO THEN THE COUNTIES HAVE TO SPLIT THEM EQUALLY. SO THIS JUST ALLOWS US TO DO A 50/50 SPLIT ON THE, I THINK, $32,600 THAT WE GET. THE FUNDS ARE SPENT ON MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT TO SUPPORT THE SD OR SWAT TEAM AND OUR TRAFFIC UNIT.

SO THAT'S RESOLUTION 7.B. WE GET 32 OR 32 SPLIT BETWEEN BOTH? 32 SPLIT. SO THAT'S THE TOTAL. WE'LL CUT IT IN HALF.

AND THEN IF THERE'S NO QUESTION 7.G. THIS IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FOR REPAIRS TO THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM AND PHYSICAL SECURITY SYSTEM AT THE SOUTHWEST IOWA TRAINING FACILITY. SO BACK IN 2000, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY EXECUTED A 20/80 AGREEMENT TO BUILD THAT FACILITY.

IT'S NOW 26 YEARS OLD. IN 2020, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY EXECUTED AN AMENDMENT TO THAT 20/80 THAT OUTLINED HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT FUNDING THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THAT FACILITY. AND ONE OF THE PROVISIONS WAS THAT WHEN THERE'D BE A CAPITAL EXPENDITURE OVER $10,000, THAT WE WOULD BRING IT TO THE COUNCIL IF IT WASN'T ALREADY ENUMERATED IN OUR BUDGET.

THE GOOD NEWS HERE IS SHERIFF BROWN HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER.

I'M NOT SURE HISTORICALLY THERE'S BEEN THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, BUT HE'S WILLINGLY COMING TO THE TABLE TO DO A 50/50 SPLIT FOR US ON THESE ITEMS. SO THIS WOULD JUST ALLOW US TO PROCEED WITH THOSE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF? GO AHEAD. OKAY. 7.C THE KANESVILLE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.

IT'S EXPENSIVE BRIDGE.

THEY WERE FAVORABLE. SO WE DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT.

THE ONE THING THAT WAS ASKED ABOUT WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS TO YOU WAS THE TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION.

WE DO HAVE IT IN THE CONTRACT TO COMPLETE AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.

PERFECT. GOOD. HEY, MARK, CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR BRIDGE? SIGNAGE. PEOPLE KEEP PUTTING SIGNS ON THIS THING.

HOW DO WE GET. YOU JUST GOT TO TAKE THEM DOWN.

[LAUGHTER] GOT IT. THEY COME DOWN. GOT IT. THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE I SHOULD CALL? IF SOMEBODY SEES IT AND?

[01:05:02]

I CALLED CHRIS FOR MINE. YEARS AND YEARS AGO A LOT OF PEOPLE APPLIED AND WE PUT LIKE COMMUNITY EVENTS UP THERE, LIKE THE D.A.R.E. WEEK AND THINGS LIKE THAT UP ON THAT BRIDGE WHEN IT HAD THE FENCE OVER TOP.

YEAH. THESE ARE NOT THAT. THESE ARE NOT.

THE PROPER ON MAYOR [INAUDIBLE] 311. WHEN WE ROLL THAT OUT, THAT'LL BE AN OPTION FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CLICK THAT BUTTON AND GET IT ROUTED PROPERLY BUT. I'M SURPRISED MARK DIDN'T JUST GIVE HIS CELL PHONE. [LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE THE QUICKEST, BUT THERE WE GO. 7.E THE EXTERIOR. I THINK THIS IS CODY.

WE DID RECEIVE OUR THEY DO HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION FOR DOING GOOD WORK.

OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO GO WITH THEIR BID. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE, GUYS? ALL RIGHT. THANKS, CODY. IT'S INTERESTING THE BIG DIFFERENCE THOUGH, LIKE IN THE BIDS, RIGHT FROM $300,000 TO LESS THAN TWO.

YEAH. IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO GAUGE WHAT THEY'RE SEEING WHEN IT COMES TO MASONRY WORK VERSUS WHAT WE SEE.

THEY WERE, MCGILL WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE ON IT.

SO I FEEL THAT IT'S A.

THEY'RE REPUTABLE CONTRACTOR IN TOWN. I HAVE ZERO ISSUES.

ZERO RESERVATIONS ABOUT THEM DOING THE WORK. YEAH.

AND AS YOU SAID, THE WESTERN THAT PAID $324,000 MIGHT BE SUPER BUSY.

AND THEY GET IT. THEY GET IT. YEAH. YEAH, YEAH I USED TO ASK MY CLIENTS, WHAT, WHY IS THERE SUCH A DISCREPANCY SOMETIMES? AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE WANT TO STAY ON THE LIST, BUT WE DON'T NEED THE JOB RIGHT NOW.

[LAUGHTER] SO WE'RE GOING TO BID IT UP. IF WE GET IT, IT'LL BE GREAT FOR US.

BUT IF WE DON'T, IT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL. WE'LL GO SOMEWHERE ELSE SO.

MAKES SENSE.

YES, SO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS ASKING FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF A NEW ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY II POSITION.

WE REALLY SEE THIS AS AN INVESTMENT IN THE CITY AS OPPOSED TO A COST.

I'VE SHARED SOME NUMBERS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IN TERMS OF DOLLARS SAVED FROM HAVING THE CURRENT LEGAL TEAM.

WE HAVE IN-HOUSE COUNSEL FOR TRIAL, IN-HOUSE COUNSEL FOR APPELLATE WORK.

AND A BIG REASON FOR THE ASK IS THE SCOPE OF OUR LEGAL WORK HAS CHANGED.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING THROUGH AN INCREDIBLE TRANSITION HERE IN THE CITY. AND ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE CHANGE IN SCOPE IS REPRESENTING CITY COUNCIL EARLIER IN NEGOTIATION STAGES. SO BRINGING THINGS TO YOU AT AN EARLIER STAGE RATHER THAN AT A LATER STAGE WHEN YOU'RE FRUSTRATED THAT YOU'RE REALLY JUST BEING ASKED TO SIGN OFF ON SOMETHING AT THE LAST MOMENT. SO WE'RE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S MEANINGFUL LEGAL REVIEW AT AN EARLIER STAGE. AND WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THAT CONSISTENTLY IS SAVING THE CITY HUGE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.

THE EXAMPLE FROM JUST LAST WEEK IS AN EXAMPLE THAT WHITNEY REVIEWED THAT SHE NOTICED $220,000 THAT WAS BEING OVERPAID.

SO THAT ONE CONTRACT REVIEW ALONE WOULD MORE THAN MORE THAN PAY THE SALARY, ALMOST PAY TWICE THE SALARY OF THIS POSITION.

I KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL IS CONCERNED WITH, YOU KNOW, THE DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU HAD AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT THE TAX LEVY.

AND I UNDERSTAND THOSE CONCERNS. I'M A TAXPAYER.

I'M A RESIDENT OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. I DON'T TAKE THOSE THINGS LIGHTLY, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THIS IS AN INVESTMENT AND THAT YOU WILL GET A GOOD RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT, AND THAT WE HAVE SHOWN THAT I HAVE SHARED NUMBERS WHERE WE'VE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED LEGAL SETTLEMENTS, CONSULTANT EXPENSES, PROFESSIONAL FEES. AND I THINK THAT THIS, THIS TEAM HAS REALLY PROVEN THAT WE CAN SAVE THE CITY MONEY AND THAT THIS WOULD BE A SMART INVESTMENT FOR THE CITY.

AND WHEN, WHEN WE MET, YOU KNOW, WE HAD JUST FILLED JAKE'S POSITION I SAID THAT TO YOU.

JAKE'S REALLY A BACKFILL. WE'VE ALWAYS HAD FOUR IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? BECAUSE. SURE. FOR THE LONGEST TIME, I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS JUST DICK, GRAHAM AND SARAH. OR BEFORE HER, IT WAS I FORGET THE GIRL'S NAME, BUT.

RIGHT SO WE'VE HAD FOUR FOR AS LONG AS I KNOW OF THE FOURTH ATTORNEY WAS OUTSIDE COUNSEL, MICHAEL OBRADOVICH.

BUT ON RETAINER. BUT ON RETAINER. ALL THE TIME.

CONSISTENTLY. HE GOT PAID EVERY SINGLE MONTH, AND HE WAS IN CHARGE OF PROSECUTING OUR CITY SAMPLES,

[01:10:06]

AND THAT WAS A SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION FOR SOME FOLKS IN CITY HALL BECAUSE HE OFFICES OUT OF OMAHA.

SO HAVING JAKE IN THE OFFICE HAS BEEN REALLY NICE FOR THE DEPARTMENTS HERE THAT NEED TO VISIT WITH HIM.

AND ALSO HE'S ABLE TO HANDLE OTHER TYPES OF WORK AND BE AN ASSET TO THE CITY IN THAT WAY.

SO YES, IT WAS FOUR BEFORE. IT'S FOUR NOW. THIS WOULD BE A CHANGE.

BUT AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S A REFLECTION OF THE SCOPE OF THE LEGAL WORK.

WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN I MET WITH JILL, MORE THINGS ARE COMING TO YOU THAT WEREN'T IN THE PAST AND SHOULD BE COMING TO YOU. I MEAN, CITY LEGAL SHOULD BE REVIEWING THINGS THAT THEY WEREN'T, RIGHT.

WE HAD PEOPLE NEGOTIATING CONTRACTS. WE HAD PEOPLE DOING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.

WE HAD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS THAT WEREN'T COMING TO YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT JILL THINKS SHOULD AND YOU KNOW.

AND COST US MONEY IN THE PAST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE LEGAL INVOLVED.

YEAH. SO I THINK AS I EXPRESSED THE SAME THING YOU SAID, RIGHT, THE BUDGET AND HIRING ANOTHER ATTORNEY IS A CONCERN, BUT HOW YOU PRESENT IT TO ME WITH THE SIDE BY SIDE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THAT.

WHEN WE MET, YOU SHOWED IT TO ME, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THESE GUYS.

I ASSUME YOU SHOWED IT TO THESE GUYS, TOO. SO WITH THE SAVINGS, WITH BRINGING MONEY IN, I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT MOVE AT THIS TIME. I WOULD AGREE WITH ROGER.

IT IS CONCERNING. SO, ROGER, I THINK WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS MAYBE WHERE YOU SAID MAYBE YOU'RE DOING SOME THINGS IN THE PAST THAT YOU HADN'T DONE PREVIOUSLY, BUT THOSE THINGS WERE BEING DONE.

THEY WERE BEING DONE BY SOMEBODY ELSE OR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OR ANOTHER AREA, MAYBE.

NOT NECESSARILY. OKAY. SO YES, IN SOME WAYS AND NOT NECESSARILY IN OTHERS.

SO HAVING LEGAL AT THE TABLE EARLIER IN TERMS OF AT, YOU KNOW, SITTING WITH CHRIS GIBBONS AT THE MAYOR FOR DEVELOPMENT TALKS, THAT DIDN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS HAPPEN THIS EARLY.

RIGHT. SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF BEING THERE EARLIER, I THINK IS VALUABLE TO THE CITY.

AND WE'RE REALLY AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE ENTERING INTO SOME VERY IMPACTFUL NEGOTIATIONS IN THE COMING MONTHS THAT REALLY WILL SET THE TRAJECTORY FOR THIS CITY, PROBABLY FOR A GENERATION.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH IN OUR OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO BE AT THAT TABLE AND NOT JUST BE CONSUMED WITH OUR DAILY WORK.

YES. WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO COUNCILMAN REW IS OUTSIDE COUNCIL HANDLING THINGS LIKE TRIALS OR APPELLATE WORK OR EVEN JUST THE SIMPLE MISDEMEANORS. AND WE DO PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING TRIAL ATTORNEYS.

I MEAN TONY IS A FORMER TRIAL ATTORNEY. I'M A FORMER TRIAL ATTORNEY AND A APPELLATE ATTORNEY.

SO YES, WE ARE BRINGING THOSE THINGS IN-HOUSE AND SAVING THE CITY MONEY IN THAT WAY.

I GUESS AS WE LOOK AT IT, AND I AGREE WITH ROGER, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WENT THROUGH WITH DANIELLE AND WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'LL BE HONEST, I FEEL BAD BECAUSE I GRILLED HER PRETTY GOOD ABOUT NUMBERS, RIGHT? AND SAYING, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE TELLING THE PUBLIC.

WE GOT ALL THIS REVENUE. WE'RE GOING GIVING THIS BACK.

HEY, WE GOT NO ROOM DOUG, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT.

THESE ARE THE EXPENSES GOING UP. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE.

IS THERE A WAY WHERE WE CAN GET IF WE'RE GOING TO FUND THIS, IF WE'RE DOING OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK CAN WE GRAB IT FROM THERE AND MAYBE MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS WITH THAT? OR I GUESS ONE THING IN MY PAST, IF YOU WANTED TO ADD TO STAFF OR IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING, I CONSIDER THIS A PRETTY LARGE ADJUSTMENT WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT.

I MEAN, YOU'RE ADDING 20% OF YOUR STAFF. IS THERE A BUSINESS CASE OR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT TO SAY, YEP. AND I SEE THIS HERE YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, WE'VE GOT THESE LEGAL SETTLEMENTS AND CONSULTING EXPENSES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT IF WE'RE GOING DOWN THIS PATH, HOW DO WE SHOW THAT, YES, THIS IS A GOOD MOVE FOR THE TAXPAYERS. WE'RE GOING TO COVER X AMOUNT MORE CASES.

WE'RE GOING TO COVER, YOU KNOW, THIS TYPE OF THEY'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THIS WHERE WE GOT THIS SAVINGS.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE THAT SHOWS THAT OR? WELL, THE MAYOR AND I JUST SAT DOWN WITH DANIELLE AT AN AMENDED BUDGET TIME, AND WE HAD A $450,000 SETTLEMENT LINE ITEM IN

[01:15:04]

AND THAT WAS EVEN JUST TO HAVE A BIG CUSHION, BECAUSE WE EXPECT TO BE AT LESS THAN 5% OF OUR EXPENDITURES, ALLOWED EXPENDITURES FOR SETTLEMENTS. AND THAT'S A RESULT OF APPELLATE ADVOCACY WINNING AT THE COURT OF APPEALS.

GREAT. GETTING CASES DISMISSED AT THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT.

SO IT'S A DIRECT RESULT OF OUR IN-HOUSE WORK.

AND WE REDUCE THAT LINE ITEM BY $350,000. SO I MEAN THAT RIGHT THERE.

AGAIN. RIGHT? WOULD COUNT FOR THAT. WOULD DO THAT. OKAY. WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THAT WAS ALREADY LEVIED AGAINST THE RESIDENTS VIA PROPERTY TAXES.

SO NOT TECHNICALLY A SAVINGS. WE DIDN'T SPEND THAT MONEY, BUT WE'VE ALREADY LEVIED THE TAXPAYERS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. OH THANK YOU.

UNDERSTOOD. I WOULD ALSO GO BACK TO THE EXAMPLE THAT MIMI GAVE.

AND WHEN YOU SAY, CAN WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING OTHER OR THEY'RE DOING OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK, THEY'RE NOT DOING OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK. THERE WAS WORK THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT QUALIFIED FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE WERE DOING THE WORK. AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE $220,000 THAT WAS FOUND BECAUSE WE HAD AN ATTORNEY LOOK AT THE AGREEMENT, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TAKING WORK FROM SOMEBODY ELSE AND SAYING, MIMI AND HER TEAM ARE GOING TO DO IT.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OTHER WORK OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING.

IN ADDITION TO AS WELL. OKAY. TONY. YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, TONY, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? HE WANTS TO POINT OUT THAT HE SAVED THE CITY MONEY, TOO. [LAUGHTER] PERFECT.

THEY ALL DO IT. I LOVE ALL OF YOU TO DO THAT.

IF YOU COULD, THAT'D BE AWESOME. WE ALL HAVE. IF ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WANTS TO.

I SAVED YOU MONEY. LET'S DO IT. I JUST KIND OF WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TAUGHT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE YOU NUMBERS FROM OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ALSO PUT IN THEIR BUDGETS OUTSIDE COUNCIL AND SPENDING IN THOSE AREAS, WHICH I HOPE THAT OVER TIME THEY'LL BE ABLE TO REDUCE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I THOUGHT MAYBE I SHOULD RECONSIDER MY EMPLOYMENT.

YOU KNOW, I MAKE ABOUT $61 AN HOUR, WHICH IS VERY GOOD FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

AND I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT IT. BUT WHEN WE PAY A BILL, WHEN WE LOOK AT SHOULD WE DO THIS IN-HOUSE OR SHOULD WE DO IT? SHOULD WE REFER THIS TO OUTSIDE COUNSEL? RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRMS THAT WE REGULARLY USE, THEY CHARGE $400, $500, UP TO $700 AN HOUR.

RIGHT? SO ANY HOUR WHERE WE'RE KEEPING SOMETHING IN-HOUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, NOT THAT'S MORE THAN THREE TIMES WHAT I MAKE.

BUT THE RETAINER THAT WE WERE USING WOULDN'T CHARGE THAT AMOUNT.

RIGHT? I MEAN, WE JUST HAVE A RETAINER OF. THEY CHARGE THAT EVEN IF WE PAY THEM A RETAINER, IT'S COMING OUT AT THAT RATE.

RIGHT? SO HE'S CHARGING THAT RATE. WELL, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR FORMER PROSECUTOR.

RIGHT. THAT'S WE HAD A PRE-NEGOTIATED RATE, WHICH IS DIFFERENT.

OKAY. BUT WHEN I'M TALKING, YOU KNOW OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, OUR BONDS THERE ARE AREAS THAT REQUIRE OUTSIDE COUNSEL THAT ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL EXPENDITURES IN THE CITY THAT ARE JUST, I THINK, BUILT INTO BUDGETS BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF STUFF THAT WAS GOING OUT THAT DIDN'T NEED TO WOULD BE MY OPINION. OKAY. AND WHEN YOU REPLACE A CITY ATTORNEY RATE WITH OUTSIDE COUNSEL RATE, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF OF WHAT THAT MEANS HOUR PER HOUR DIFFERENCE.

OKAY. AND WE'LL STILL NEED TO LIKE CONTRACT WITH [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY FOR LIKE OUR BONDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YES. THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT THIS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE CLARIFY, I GUESS.

YEAH. AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO A BIG DIFFERENCE IN SOMETIMES WE CAN JUST CONSULT WITH AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY TO GET US UP TO SPEED ON AN ISSUE, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO SEND THE WHOLE PROJECT OUT FROM START TO FINISH.

BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF BROAD EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE OFFICE.

AND SO GETTING SPECIALIZED ADVICE MIGHT BE NECESSARY AS OPPOSED TO GIVING THE WHOLE PROJECT OVER BECAUSE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND ONE ASPECT.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BALANCE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IN HOUSE AS WELL.

AND EACH OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE COMING IN FOR THE PROJECT THEMSELVES AS TO WHETHER WE NEED TO USE THEM.

RIGHT. IT'S NOT A SET. HEY, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE THEM FOR X AMOUNT.

IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT PROJECT WE MIGHT HAVE.

CORRECT. OKAY. AND I SPOKE WITH MIMI ABOUT THIS BEFORE SHE BROUGHT IT UP.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD ASKED WAS, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON NOW, BUT IN THE LONG TERM,

[01:20:01]

AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD HAD, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT REQUIRE LEGALIZED THAT MAYBE WEREN'T GETTING LEGALIZED, PUT ON THEM PRIOR. THAT OVER THE LONG HAUL THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH WORKLOAD TO FACILITATE THIS POSITION. BUT TO SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS BEFORE THAT, THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, BEING OUTSOURCED AND HE'S ENTIRELY RIGHT? WHERE THERE'S SOME OF THEM ARE 430 SOME ARE MORE, YOU KNOW, SOME FIRMS, IT'S, A 10TH WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR IN-HOUSE.

SO I JUST LOOK AT IT AS A LARGE, A LARGE SAVINGS FOR THE CITY AS AN OVERALL AND IT GIVES US MORE OF A MULTIFACETED, YOU KNOW, LEGAL TEAM VERSUS WHEN WE HIRE SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE TO HER POINT EARLIER, NOW WE CAN HAVE THEM DOING MORE THAN ONE THING.

YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT SPEND 30 HOURS OF YOUR WEEK ON X, BUT NOW YOU CAN SPEND TEN HOURS ON Y REDUCING THE BANDWIDTH OR REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON ALL THE OTHER ATTORNEYS.

I CALLED MIMI THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION. IT WAS 6:30 AND I SAID, HEY, I KNOW YOU'RE AT HOME.

SHE WAS LIKE, ACTUALLY, I'M JUST LEAVING. I SAID, OKAY, WELL, YOU CAN TELL ME TO FLY A KITE.

SHE DID NOT. THEN WE SPOKE FOR AN HOUR. AND I APPRECIATE THAT SHE TOOK MY CALL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I SAID, THIS IS SILLY. WE'RE JUST NOW 7:30 AT NIGHT.

WE ALL HAVE KIDS. LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING IF WE CAN'T GET EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DONE WITHIN A REGULAR WORK WEEK, ARE WE? AND NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING THINGS DONE BY ANY MEANS.

THEY ARE. BUT DO WE WANT TO BURN OUT OUR GOOD EMPLOYEES WHILE WE HAVE THEM? AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT. AND AGAIN, I HOPE YOU DON'T TAKE MY QUESTIONS AS I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS ISN'T HAPPENING.

I GET IT, THEY ALL WORK EXTREMELY HARD. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY'RE GETTING LOADED DOWN BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A LOT ON THEIR PLATE RIGHT NOW.

YOU WEIGH THAT WITH TAXPAYERS SAYING, OKAY, NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER COST OR EXPENSE.

AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ALREADY SAYING, OKAY, WELL, WE'VE SAVED X AMOUNT ON THIS.

TO ME, AGAIN, HAVING THAT BUSINESS CASE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, YEP, HERE'S WHAT I, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT OUT.

I'M JUST, SO YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE EXPENSE. THIS IS WHAT'S GOING WITH IT.

HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK. SURE. KIND OF ME THAT'S JUST KIND OF STANDARD FOR ADDING BODIES OR MAKING SOME CHANGES LIKE THAT.

NOT THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S HAPPENING. I BELIEVE THAT IT DOES. BUT BOY, IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER. AND IT'S A LOT EASIER FOR THE TAXPAYER TO LOOK AT AND SAY, YEP, WE GOT A SAVINGS HERE. THIS MAKES SENSE.

WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE IN THE END BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET. THE $200 IS JUST TIP OF THE ICEBERG TO ME WHEN WE ADD THAT BODY.

I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD SHOW TO SAY.

YEP, DOUG, YOU HAVE IT. AND AGAIN, YOU'RE ALREADY LOADED DOWN.

SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL BAD SAYING, HEY DO A BUSINESS CASE ON TOP OF ALL THIS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S LIKE, OKAY WHAT DO WE GOT. WELL, TO DANIELLE'S POINT, A LOT OF IT HAS ALREADY BEEN BONDED OUT. SO IT'S NOT A TRUE SAVINGS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS OF A DEBT. IT'S ALREADY BONDED.

SURE. SO IT'S, FORECASTING FOR NEXT YEAR YEAH, IT HELPS US BETTER GET A TRUE YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

I WILL SAY THERE IS SOME PROJECTS THAT DUE TO LEGAL ERROR IN THE PAST, WOULD HAVE PAID FOR THIS POSITION MANY TIMES OVER.

YEAH. ON A CONSISTENT YEARLY BASIS. YOU KNOW, WHERE WE HAD SOME DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAME UP AND WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING SHORT HANDED AND TRYING TO PEOPLE GETTING PULLED IN MANY DIRECTIONS AND FOLKS MAYBE JUST TRYING TO KEEP EVERYTHING GOING AS, AS BEST THEY CAN. OUT OF THEIR WHEELHOUSE WE WILL SAY WE SOMETIMES DIDN'T ALWAYS GET THE BEST SHAKE IN SOME OF OUR ENDEAVORS. AND AGAIN, I LIKE TO TRY AND TREAT THEM ALL EQUALLY.

RIGHT. SO IF I GET CHRIS UP HERE FROM PLANNING, SAYING, HEY, I COULD REALLY KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK.

YOU LET ME HAVE ANOTHER BODY OR TWO, GIVE ME THIS.

AND THEN ZACH COMES UP AND SAYS, WELL, YOU WANT THAT EAST END PARK.

JUST GIVE ME ANOTHER BODY OVER HERE AND I'LL GET THIS.

SO I GET IT. AGAIN, I JUST I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ANSWER IS OTHER THAN JUST BEING ABLE TO PUT THOSE NUMBERS TO PAPER AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT ONE? OKAY. 7I. MIMI, ARE YOU CONTINUING WITH THAT ONE OR.

TONY, ARE YOU THAT ONE? TONI'S GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT. THANK YOU.

[01:25:01]

AND THEN WE'VE FURTHER CODIFIED THAT IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE.

AND SPECIFIC TO THIS IS THAT ONE OF THE POWERS OR DUTIES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY RESERVED TO THE MAYOR IS THAT THE MAYOR IS THE ONE WHO IS CHARGED WITH LEADING PERSONALLY ANY NEGOTIATIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

SO LONG AS THEY ARE PROPERLY ENTERED INTO HOWEVER, OUR CODE DOESN'T REALLY DEFINE WHAT THAT MEANS.

AND FREQUENTLY I THINK THAT IN THE PAST THE MAYOR AS A POSITION HAS JUST ASSUMED THAT ALL NEGOTIATIONS ARE PROPERLY AUTHORIZED AND THEREFORE KIND OF ENTER INTO THEM ON THEIR OWN ACCORD.

THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, IF THINGS WERE NOT BEING BROUGHT TO YOU, AND THEN IT WOULD COME TO A HEAD BECAUSE YOU'RE KIND OF PRESENTED WITH A YES OR NO AT A FINAL AGREEMENT. AND SO WE HAVE BEEN COGNIZANT ABOUT MEETING WITH EACH OF YOU TO KIND OF DESCRIBE WHAT YOUR AUTHORITY REALLY IS AND HOW THAT SHOULD BE ROUTED, I GUESS, THROUGH OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, SO THAT YOU, AS THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, ARE PROPERLY AUTHORIZING THE DEALINGS AND THE MONEY AND THE COMPENSATION AND THE WHATEVER EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAVE OF THE CITY.

ONE AREA WHERE THAT'S DIFFICULT TO DO THAT IS WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS WITH A POTENTIAL DEVELOPER WHO MAY BE REQUESTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES. WHEN IT IS CITY OWNED PROPERTY AND WE CAN CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, THE PRICE OF THE PROPERTY AND WE CAN HAVE A CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL PROJECTS.

WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT NEGOTIATING AGAINST OURSELVES IN PUBLIC.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT SAME BENEFIT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

THAT BEING SAID, I THINK THAT OUR CODE STILL REQUIRES THE MAYOR TO BE PROPERLY AUTHORIZED TO ENTER INTO A PROJECT.

AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO MAKE PARTICULARLY CLEAR, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE IT THIS WAY BEFORE, IS THAT THIS IS NOT EXPLICITLY NOT A FINAL ACTION ON THIS CONTRACT.

IT'S SAYING IT'S THE MAYOR'S IDENTIFIED THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL DEVELOPER WHO IS NOT YET COMMITTED TO BUILDING THEIR PROJECT IN THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. THEY WANT TO HAVE SOME PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, WHAT THAT MIGHT BE.

AND SO BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A PRELIMINARY STAGE, THERE REALLY ISN'T ANYTHING FOR THE MAYOR TO BRING TO YOU.

BUT I THINK THAT IT'S BETTER TO HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER THOSE DISCUSSIONS SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A DEVELOPER WHO'S COMING HERE, WHO, A DEVELOPER WHO DOES WANT TO TALK ECONOMIC INCENTIVES.

AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU GUYS WANT TO PROVIDE ANY GUARDRAILS, IF ANY.

YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK AT THE SAME TIME, THE MAYOR WAS ALSO AN ELECTED POSITION.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A LEVEL OF TRUST THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE CONFERRED TO THE MAYOR.

AND I THINK I SAY APPROPRIATE CITY STAFF, BUT I CLEARLY MEAN CHRIS GIBBONS IN TERMS OF IN TERMS OF BRINGING, PUTTING TOGETHER A DEAL THAT CAN BE BROUGHT FOR COUNCIL FOR OPEN CONSIDERATION.

RIGHT? WE CERTAINLY WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT IN GOVERNMENT AND WE WANT ALL OF THESE THINGS TO BE DECIDED IN THE PUBLIC.

AND SO THIS CURRENT RESOLUTION THAT'S BEFORE YOU IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S BEEN APPROACHED BY A DEVELOPER AND THAT WE WANT TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN BRING A DEAL FOR YOU TO CONSIDER YOU KNOW, SO THAT YOU'RE NOT PUT IN A PLACE OF YES OR NO, BUT THAT WE CAN START HAVING, YOU KNOW, PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT'S AT LEAST A STARTING POINT FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.

THAT'S HOW I VIEW IT. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS OR WHY WE'RE DOING IT THIS WAY, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO US.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. JOE, WHEN YOU GOT ELECTED, I SAID, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER TO BRING US INTO THE FOLD A LOT QUICKER THAN IN THE PAST, RIGHT? WE WANT TO BE UNDERSTAND? I'VE BEEN AT THE BAR AND BEEN ASKED, HEY, YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS? AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I AGREE, I WAS LIKE, I WOULD THINK I WOULD KNOW THAT AND WE DIDN'T.

AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

THIS IS AUTHORITY JUST TO NEGOTIATE ON THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT.

THIS ISN'T. CORRECT. RIGHT. SO AND IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN OR SOMETHING, IT WOULD BE ANOTHER AUTHORIZATION FOR SPECIFIC OR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT LIKE THAT.

OKAY. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE, WHEN, A POTENTIAL DEVELOPER EITHER OWNS OR WILL OWN PRIVATE

[01:30:03]

I KNOW THAT THIS MAYOR'S PREFERENCE THAT SHE'S EXPRESSED TO ME HAS BEEN TO GET THAT INDIVIDUAL AUTHORIZATION ON A PROJECT BY PROJECT BASIS.

AND I THINK THAT RECOGNIZING THAT WE WILL BE BACK MORE THAN ONCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BRINGING COUNCIL INTO THE FOLD.

IT'S JUST THAT WITH THIS PARTICULAR DEAL WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A PROPOSED INITIAL AGREEMENT FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.

AND BUT I THINK THAT PART OF THAT IS JUST SITTING DOWN AT THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATING WHAT IS THE STARTING POINT? AND IT MIGHT BE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR COULD COME BACK AND SAY THERE WAS NO WAY THAT WE WERE EVER GOING TO AGREE TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU GUYS WOULD EVER APPROVE, YOU KNOW. [LAUGHTER]. OR IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE COME BACK AND IT'S SOMETHING YOU THINK IT'S IT'S TOO MUCH OR IT'S TOO LITTLE. BUT THAT'S A CONVERSATION TO HAVE IN PUBLIC WHEN WE HAVE, I THINK, A REAL, YOU KNOW, A REAL DOCUMENT TO CONSIDER.

TONY, HOW DOES THIS WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT ADVANCE, ADVANCE SOUTHWEST IOWA? BECAUSE THEY BRING A LOT OF PROJECTS IN. AND HISTORICALLY, THEY HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME CAPACITY OF WORKING, HOLDING HANDS AND TRYING TO WORKING EFFECTIVELY ALMOST AS LIKE AN AGENT FOR, YOU KNOW, BOTH SIDES TRYING TO GET US TO WORK TOGETHER. WILL THEY STILL OR ARE WE STILL WORKING? IS THERE STILL A PLACE FOR THAT, I GUESS? YEAH, THEY'RE STILL IN THAT PROCESS JOE.

AND SO THAT PROCESS ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE. IT'S JUST PRIOR.

I THINK WE SOME OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE DONE BEFORE IT CAME TO COUNCIL, AND THEN IT WAS JUST PRESENTED THAT THIS IS THE ONLY THING, RIGHT. THIS IS ALL WE GOT. SO THIS JUST GIVES ME THE AUTHORITY TO WORK WITH CHRIS AND SOMEBODY FROM LEGAL TO REPRESENT THE CITY AS THOSE NEGOTIATIONS OPEN UP.

ADVANCE SOUTHWEST IOWA CONTINUES TO HAVE THEIR ROLE.

THEY CONTINUE TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY.

IT'S JUST IT BRINGS YOU GUYS INTO THE PROCESS QUICKER, FASTER TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING THROUGH.

BUT I THINK TONY MENTIONED IT, BUT JUST TO SAY OUT LOUD, LIKE THE CITY DOESN'T OWN THESE PROPERTIES, SO WE CAN'T GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. IT WOULD NEED TO BE NEGOTIATED IN PUBLIC IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY WHERE THESE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE LAND CONTRACTS.

SO IT COULD AFFECT THE PRICE OF THEIR LAND OR THEIR BUSINESS.

AND SO IT'S THESE HIGH LEVEL CONVERSATIONS THAT START BEFORE THEY SAY, YEP, WE'RE GOING TO COMMIT TO COUNCIL BLUFFS.

WELL, AND I JUST AND I KNOW SOME OF THESE CONTRACT SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES COMING TO TOWN AND THEY GET VERY WEIRD ABOUT IT.

YES. SO WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO WE WANT TO YEAH.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET ANYTHING OVER. BUT IF WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERY CONVERSATION IN COMPLETE PUBLIC VIEW, THESE MAJOR, YOU KNOW, COMPANIES ARE GOING TO GO, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.

THAT'S CRAZY. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T MADE THEIR SITE SELECTION YET.

SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO DON'T WANT TO GET THE PUBLIC'S HOPE UP ON SOMETHING OR AND THEN THEY DON'T SELECT US.

SO. WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WANT LIKE, IS THERE A WAY I UNDERSTAND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT LIKE PER PROJECT, BUT MAYBE IS THERE SOMETHING ON A SUPER HIGH LEVEL THAT WE SHOULD DO TO EMPOWER YOU GUYS TO KIND OF SAY, OKAY, FOR YOU CAN EMAIL BACK AND FORTH AND WHEN THEY'RE SERIOUS AND WANT TO COME DOWN TO A VISIT, THEN WE NEED TO MAYBE LIKE, YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH, WE CAN WORK THAT INTO THE MAYOR'S ORDINANCE, WHICH WE ARE STILL WORKING ON AS TO WHAT AUTHORITIES THEY HAVE.

SO WE CAN PUT THAT INTO THAT. THIS IS ONE, THOUGH, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO START THE CONVERSATION SOONER.

THEY WANT TO GET GOING NOW YEAH I SEE. THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD. WELL, I THINK AS JOE SAID, ADVANCE, PAULA HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, HOWEVER LONG SHE'S BEEN IN THAT ROLE A LONG TIME.

I THINK AT SOME POINT, MAYBE CONSULTING WITH HER ON HER UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THESE BIG PROJECTS LIKE HAVING HER INVOLVED, WHETHER IT'S THIS ONE OR ANOTHER ONE OR THE ONES SHE BRINGS TO THE TABLE, HOW THAT EXACTLY WORKS, I THINK. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE WORKING WITH HER BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, SHE'S AND I DON'T THINK YOU'RE EXCLUDING HER.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE HAS VERY EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE.

SHE'S THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT. SHE IS, BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

NO CORRECT I UNDERSTAND THAT, AGAIN, HER ROLE IS NOT CHANGING IN THE PROCESS. YEAH. THIS IS JUST YOU GUYS GIVING ME AND CHRIS THE AUTHORITY TO START THESE CONVERSATIONS SO WE CAN.

YEAH. LET THE COUNCIL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. I JUST AND THIS IS NEW.

THAT'S WHY

[01:35:05]

AND IT'S, HARD FOR PAULA TO BALANCE THAT WITH COMMUNICATING IT TO US AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE BEING INCLUDED.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON ALL OF THE ABOVE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT ITEM? OKAY. GREAT. THANKS. MAY JUST WANT TO CORRECT THE RECORD.

I THINK ROGER WAS AT CHURCH WHEN THEY TALKED TO HIM AND NOT AT THE BAR.

MAYBE. DOES THAT SOUND MORE ACCURATE? NO. WE KNOW ROGER.

[LAUGHTER] YOU FOUND A BAR CALLED CHURCH. THEY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.

NOT ON SUNDAYS. [LAUGHTER] 8A APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS AND CANCELLATIONS.

I BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST FROM COUNCIL TO PULL A4 WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS AS A SEPARATE CONVERSATION.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THE OWNER, ONE OF THE OWNERS, PLANS TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS.

THE OWNER THAT SAYS HE'S THE ONLY OWNER, BUT AFTER SEEING SOME THINGS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S MORE THAN JUST THAT. YEAH. IF THERE'S OTHER OWNERS THAT ARE ON THE LEASE, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE LEASE HE POSTED ON FACEBOOK OR THE LEASE THAT HE GAVE TO US IS THE ACTUAL TRUE LEASE, BECAUSE ALL THE OWNERS WOULD NEED TO BE ON THE LIQUOR LICENSE AND IT'S JUST HIM.

SHOULDN'T THE LLC HAVE? THEIR IT'S NOT AN LLC, IT'S SOLE PROPRIETORS.

OKAY. SO WE'LL PULL THAT ONE OUT SEPARATELY. DANIEL DOES.

IS HE THE ONLY. OKAY, SO IT IS AN LLC. IT'S JUST HE'S THE ONLY PERSON ON IT.

OKAY. WE'LL HAVE TOBACCO LICENSE RENEWAL ONE RENEWAL OR EXCUSE ME, ONE NEW SIX RENEWALS.

AND THEN WE HAVE A NOISE VARIANCE REQUEST FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY FROM FIVE TO MIDNIGHT.

THE NOISE VARIANCE, IT SAID. IN DRAFT DID ANYONE ELSE'S SAY THAT? LIKE. DID IT SAY WHAT? LIKE EVERYTHING SAYS APPROVED ON MY THING. AND THAT ONE SAYS IN DRAFT.

NO. NO. NO. NO. SEE. YEAH. RIGHT THERE. OH, YEAH.

LIKE CITY HALL STILL WORKING ON IT TYPE OF THING OR SOMETHING.

YEAH, I DON'T THINK SO. OKAY. I OPEN THAT PART UP, BUT.

ALL RIGHT. NEVER MIND. DISREGARD. DO WE NEED TO NOTIFY ANYONE AROUND THAT AREA OR ARE WE JUST.

NO. WE DON'T. EITHER YOU APPROVE IT OR YOU DON'T.

IN THE PAST, YOU'VE COUNCIL HAS MODIFIED IT. IF THEY THINK IT'S TOO LATE, IT'S.

YEAH, IT'S WHAT YOU GUYS DECIDE TO DO. OKAY. IS IT LIKE A TUESDAY? I FORGOT THE DATE. IT'S A SATURDAY NIGHT. IT IS SATURDAY, APRIL 11TH.

IT'S NEXT SATURDAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON PERMITS OR.

YEAH. PERMITS AND CANCELLATIONS. OKAY, GREAT.

SO NEXT, THEN WE NEED TO GO INTO. I THINK THAT WITH THIS ONE REAL QUICK.

THE STATE WILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SIGN THE LEASE AS THE LLC, HE SIGNED IT AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

SO THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK ANYWAY.

OKAY. WE CAN TELL THEM THAT TONIGHT. MOTION TO GO TO EXECUTIVE.

SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU ALL. YES.

[1) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

[2) CALL TO ORDER]

[01:40:15]

THE FIRST THING WE HAVE IS THE CITIZENS REQUEST TO BE HEARD.

[3) CITIZENS REQUEST TO BE HEARD]

IF ANYBODY WISHES TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK TO SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE AGENDA, YOU CAN COME UP TO THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NO ONE. I FEEL LIKE JUST REAL QUICK BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT USED TO BE AT THE END, IF ANYBODY'S HERE TO NOT TALK ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA. WE HAD SOME PEOPLE SIT THROUGH. THIS IS LIKE THE FOURTH OR FIFTH MEETING. WE'VE DONE THIS. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY IT ONE MORE TIME. NORMALLY THIS IS AT THE END. SO IF YOU WANT TO COME UP NOW AT THE BEGINNING THEN YOU SHOULD.

YEAH. YEP. I KNOW YOU'VE MADE THE CHANGE AND IT'S HAPPENED A BUNCH, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW.

PRESS THE BUTTON. YOU CAN PULL THE MIC DOWN TO YOU AND PRESS THE BUTTON. THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO. HI, I'M GRACE FOX FROM 122 HUNTER AVENUE.

AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX TO THE EAST OF ME, 1200 EAST WASHINGTON.

THEY HAVE MAILBOX ATTACHED TO THE ELECTRIC POLE.

THE THERE'S NOT EVEN A THING THAT SHUTS ANYMORE.

IT'S JUST STUFF BLOWS AROUND SOMETIMES. AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN REMEMBER BEING YOUNG AND THEY PUT A BASKETBALL HOOP UP ON A, YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC POLE. I WAS ALWAYS ASSUMING THAT THAT WAS ILLEGAL.

PLUS, IT'S VERY TACKY. IT JUST LOOKS AWFUL. THEY BROKE OUT A WINDOW WHEN THEY WERE WEEDEATING BEHIND THE GARAGE.

THEY APOLOGIZED. THAT WAS IT. I SENT A COMPLAINT FROM WHAT I COULD SEE THEY'RE IN MISSOURI, BUT I SENT SOMETHING AND IT SAID THEY GOT MY RESPONSE, AND NOTHING'S HAPPENED.

I'M WORRIED FOR WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO START WEEDEATING.

THEY'VE PUT SEVERAL HOLES IN MY SIDING, WHICH IT'S TRASHED ANYWAY, BUT I CANNOT FIX MY HOUSE.

I CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE RESOLVED.

FINALLY, THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I'VE BEEN THERE TEN YEARS NOW THE CITY, WHEN THEY WERE DOING ALL THE STREET WORK, DID SOMETHING TO MAKE IT SO THE ALLEY WASN'T SO DUSTY AND SO THE ROCKS WEREN'T CONSTANTLY RUNNING OUT.

AND I TREAT THE WEEDS BECAUSE THERE'S CONSTANTLY STUFF THERE, BUT THAT'S HELPING WITH THAT.

I KNOW I HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN THIS SPRING BECAUSE I HAVE, YOU KNOW, WILDFLOWERS ON WHAT'S LEFT OF MY PROPERTY.

AND OF COURSE, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ME IS THE OTHER PEOPLE WHOSE WALLS COLLAPSED.

BUT THAT'S NOT ONLY IT, IT'S THE DRAINAGE. I'M AFRAID TO TURN ON MY AIR CONDITIONER.

I'VE BEEN CHANGING MY FILTER LAST YEAR, ONCE A MONTH.

THERE'S NOXIOUS WEEDS STARTING TO GROW AGAIN.

IT KEEPS WASHING OUT MY SOIL. YOU CAN TELL THAT MY BULBS WERE ALREADY WASHED OUT, BUT I DUG SOMETHING TO CONTROL THE RUSH OF THE WATER A LITTLE BIT. I BASICALLY DUG OUT, OH, 4 TO 5FT IN FRONT OF IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON MY PROPERTY OR AT LEAST THE CITY PROPERTY, AND THERE'S NOTHING BUT GLASS AND NAILS AND IT JUST KEEPS GOING.

IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ME WHERE THE APARTMENT IS.

IT'S WASHED OUT. THE ROOT SYSTEM ON THE TREES.

ONE OF THEM IS AN OLD LILAC THAT'S ON CITY PROPERTY.

IT'S JUST NORTH OF MY PROPERTY LINE AND IT'S JUST FALLING.

I'VE HAD TREES FROM THE OTHER SIDE HIT MY FENCE.

MID-AMERICA CAME OUT AND LOOKED AT THEM. I EVEN HAVE THE WORK ORDER AT HOME.

THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO CUT SOME OF THAT STUFF DOWN.

THEY DID NOT. I DID WHAT I COULD. BUT WHAT WAS YOUR ADDRESS AGAIN REAL QUICK? 122 HUNTER AVENUE. OKAY. YOU BET. I'M TRYING TO LOOK IT UP.

THANK YOU. I'M JUST OVERWHELMED WHEN IT. I'VE BEEN CALLING THE CITY AND WHEN I'VE CALLED IN THE PAST, THEY SAID, WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR PROPERTY'S OVER THE LINE, TOO.

WELL, MY EVE IS, LIKE, THIS WIDE. I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN TO FIX WHAT THEY'VE DONE.

IT IS AS IF MY ROOF IS UNDULATED WHICH I NEED A NEW ROOF.

I KNOW THAT, BUT IT DOES ME NO GOOD TO DO ANYTHING.

I EVEN GOT NEW GUTTERS, ALL NEW GUTTERS. IT'S AS IF MY HOUSE IS AN ACCORDION.

THRASHER CAME BEFORE I MOVED THERE AND BUILT UP ONE SIDE OF THE WALL.

[01:45:02]

THE OLD FASHIONED CLAY TILES ALREADY ROLLED OUT INTO MY YARD.

IT'S JUST I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND THEY KEEP SAYING IT'S A CIVIL ISSUE.

I'VE HAD TO REPLACE MY BROKEN STORM DOOR. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE MY MOWER, WHICH IS STILL UNDER THEIR WALL.

I'VE AND I COULDN'T AFFORD A NEW ONE, OF COURSE, SO I GOT TO USE ONE THAT DOESN'T EVEN MULCH.

IT'S JUST I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY IT. IT'S SO UNFAIR AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY OWN OR RENT THE PEOPLE BEFORE RENTED.

I TOLD HER AND SHE SAID I DON'T CARE, WHICH WASN'T VERY NICE.

IT'S JUST I'M AT MY WIT'S END. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO MOVE BECAUSE OF THIS.

AND THEY WERE TELLING ME NEXT DOOR IN BROKEN ENGLISH, JUST MOVE, JUST MOVE.

AND THE KIDS WERE EVEN IN ON IT. I JUST CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE.

I STAY AWAY FROM THEM. THEY STAY AWAY FROM ME.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. LET ME TAKE A LOOK AND I WILL GET A COUPLE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER.

WE WILL TAKE A LOOK. WE LIVE A FEW HOUSES FROM EACH OTHER, SO I WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

BUT LET ME TALK TO BUILDINGS. LET ME TALK TO PERMITS, AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TONIGHT? SURE. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

I LIVE DOWN IN MELMORE ACRES. LIVED THERE FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS NOW.

THERE'S SEVERAL HOMES DOWN THERE THAT ARE ABANDONED, TAGGED, SITTING VACANT THEY'RE FIRE HAZARDS.

[INAUDIBLE] ALONE KIDS PLAYING AROUND WITH THEM, IN THEM AND AROUND THEM.

IT'S A HAZARD THERE AS WELL. JUST WONDERING IF THE CITY OR ANYBODY COULD STEP IN AND DO ANYTHING ABOUT ANY OF THAT.

I CAN TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHO'S IF WE'VE TAGGED THEM OR WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR IT.

AND I CAN SEND YOU AN EMAIL OR GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.

A LOT OF THE HOMES DOWN THERE HAVE BEEN TAGGED BY THE CITY.

SO AT LEAST 5 OR 6 OF THEM I CAN THINK OF RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

IF YOU CAN STICK AROUND, I'LL GET YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AFTER THIS, YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS, AND THEN I CAN GIVE YOU A CALL BACK LATER THIS WEEK.

OKAY. THANK YOU. OR YOU CAN REACH OUT TO HER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO STICK AROUND.

YEAH. JODI, DO YOU HAVE MY CARD? EITHER WAY, YOU CAN CALL THE CITY. YOU GET. YOU'LL GET AHOLD OF HER. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO STICK AROUND, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO. BUT. YES.

THANK YOU. YEP. THANK YOU ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL THIS EVENING? OKAY, NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION?

[4) CONSENT AGENDA]

[5.A) Ordinance 6670 & Ordinance 6671Ordinance to amend the zoning map as adopted by reference in section 15.27.020 of the 2025 municipal code to rezone property legally described as Lots 1 through 16, Block 10, Bryant and Clark’s Subdivision and the vacated east/west alley adjacent; and Lots 5 through 12, Block 11, Bryant and Clark’s Subdivision and the vacated east/west alley adjacent and the entire vacated section of South 30th Street right-of-way between said blocks, from R-3/Low Density Multi-Family Residential District to R-4/High Density Multi-Family Residential District; and to rezone properties legally described as Lots 1 through 8, Block 3, Bryant and Clark’s Subdivision and Lots 7 and 8, Block 2, Bryant and Clark’s Subdivision together the entire section of vacated South 30th Street right-of-way between said blocks,  from C-2/Commercial District to R-4/High Density Multi-Family Residential District. And to append a PR-1/Planned Residential Overlay onto said property legally described above. Location: Undeveloped land lying east of South 31st Street between 1st & 2nd Avenues. Cases #ZC-26-001 & PR-26-001]

RIGHT OF WAY BETWEEN SAID BLOCKS FROM R-3 TO LOW DENSITY.

EXCUSE ME, FROM R-3 LOW DENSITY MULTIFAMILY RES TO R4, HIGH DENSITY MULTIFAMILY RES AND TO REZONE THE PROPERTIES LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LOTS ONE THROUGH THREE. EXCUSE ME. LOTS ONE THROUGH EIGHT, BLOCK THREE BRYANT, SUB BRYANT AND CLARK SUBDIVISION AND LOTS SEVEN AND EIGHT BLOCK TWO.

BRYANT AND CLARK SUBDIVISION DIVISION TOGETHER THE ENTIRE SECTION OF THE VACATED SOUTH 30TH STREET RIGHT OF WAY BETWEEN SAID BLOCKS FROM C2 COMMERCIAL DISTRICT TO R4, HIGH RISE MULTIFAMILY, HIGH DENSITY MULTIFAMILY RES DISTRICT.

AND TO APPEND THE PR 1 PLANNED RESIDENTIAL OVERLAY ONTO SAID PROPERTY LEGALLY DESCRIBED ABOVE.

[01:50:07]

IS PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON FILE? YES IT IS. ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER.

IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. RESOLUTION 26-129 A RESOLUTION GRANTING FINAL PLOT APPROVAL OF THE TWO LOT

[5.B) Resolution 26-129 Resolution granting final plat approval of a two-lot subdivision to be known as 30th & 2nd Avenue Development and being legally described as a replat of Lots 1 through 16, Block 10, Bryant and Clark’s Subdivision and the vacated east/west alley adjacent; and Lots 5 through 12, Block 11, Bryant and Clark’s Subdivision and the vacated east/west alley adjacent and the entire vacated section of South 30th Street right-of-way between said Blocks; along with a replat of Lots 1 through 8, Block 3, Bryant and Clark’s Subdivision and Lots 7 and 8, Block 2, Bryant and Clark’s Subdivision together with the entire section of vacated South 30th Street right-of-way between said blocks.  Location: 3036 2nd Avenue & vacated lot north of 3036 2nd Avenue. SUB-26-003]

SOUTH 30TH STREET, RIGHT OF WAY BETWEEN SAID BLOCKS ALONG THE REPLAT OF.

ALONG THE REPLAT OF LOTS ONE THROUGH EIGHT BLOCK THREE BRYANT AND CLARK SUBDIVISION AND LOTS SEVEN AND EIGHT.

BLOCK TWO. BRYANT AND CLARK SUBDIVISION, TOGETHER WITH THE ENTIRETY SECTION OF THE VACATED SOUTH 30TH STREET, RIGHT OF WAY BETWEEN SAID BLOCK'S LOCATION, 3036 SECOND AVENUE AND THE VACATED LOT NORTH OF 3036 2ND AVENUE.

IS PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON FILE. YES, IT IS. ANY WRITTEN PROTEST RECEIVED.

NONE RECEIVED. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER.

SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT PROJECT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF VISIONING FOR THIS CORRIDOR FOR A LOT OF YEARS, SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE IT FINALLY COME TO FRUITION WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.

YEP. ABSOLUTELY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES. CAN I GO BACK TO 5A ORDINANCE 6670 AND 6671 AND WAIVE THIRD.

MOTION TO WAIVE THIRD. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES TO WAIVE 3RD.

[5.C) Resolution 26-130 Resolution authorizing the Mayor to initiate the Big Lake Park Playground Improvements, Phase II, Project R27-01 by issuing a bid for the project.]

PHASE TWO PROJECT R 27-01 BY ISSUING A BID FOR THE PROJECT.

IS THERE PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON FILE? YES. IF THERE IS ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED.

NONE RECEIVED. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER.

SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST RECAP BECAUSE I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS AT STUDY SESSION ABOUT THIS, THAT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PARK REHABS FOR DIFFERENT AREAS AROUND TOWN.

AND SO I BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF MAYBE SOME PARKS OR SOMETHING ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN WHERE WE COULD GET SOME DIFFERENT PLACES TO BE.

AND I SEE SOME PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT ARE IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE OF IT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ON THEIR AGENDA AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THOSE IN THE FUTURE.

SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES RESOLUTION 26-131. A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING

[5.D) Resolution 26-131 Resolution approving the City of Council Bluffs budget for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2027]

YES. IT IS. ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED.

ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES RESOLUTION 26-132 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE AMENDED AND RESTATED CONSOLIDATED

[5.E) Resolution 26-132 Resolution approving the amended and restated consolidated Urban Revitalization Plan Amendment 4. URV-26-009]

YES IT IS. ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED.

ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER.

SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION. MOTION TO TABLE TO MAY 4, 2026.

SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.

MOTION CARRIES. MADAM CLERK. ORDINANCE 6672, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 4.12 SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL BY

[6.A) Ordinance 6672Ordinance to amend Chapter 4.12 Solid Waste Collection and Disposal by amending Section 4.12.080 "Solid Waste-Persons Permitted to Collect."          ]

IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND.

SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? THIS ALLOWS US TO PICK OUR OWN TRASH UP, WHICH APPARENTLY WAS ILLEGAL BEFORE.

[01:55:03]

WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT TO DO. WE DO, WE DO, WE DO.

ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

MOTION TO WAIVE. THIRD. SECOND. ALL. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.

[6.B) Ordinance 6673Ordinance to amend Chapter 13.07 "General Contractor's Licensing" of the Council Bluffs Municipal Code by amending Sections 13.07.030 "General Contractor's License Required,", 13.07.040 “General Contractor Defined,” 13.07.070 “License-Suspension,” 13.07.075 “Procedure of Violation Notification,” 13.07.080 “License-Revocation,” 13.07.120 “License-Generally,” 13.07.170 “Insurance Required,” and 13.07.190 “Violation-Penalty,” to add contractor compliance requirements relating to state licensure, Worker's compensation, Iowa Workforce Development registration, and Federal employment eligibility verification.]

13.07.040 GENERAL CONTRACTOR DEFINED. 13.07.070 LICENSE SUSPENSION. 13.07.075 PROCEDURE OF VIOLATION NOTIFICATION.

13.07.080 LICENSE REVOCATION. 13.07.120 LICENSE GENERALLY. 13.07.170 INSURANCE REQUIRED AND 13.07.190 VIOLATION PENALTY TO ADD CONTRACTOR COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO STATE.

ENSURE WORKERS COMP, IOWA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT REGISTRATION AND FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION.

MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION.

THIS JUST. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND KIND OF SAY.

SURE. THIS REALLY JUST PEOPLE ARE MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE DOING WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

YEAH. SO THIS JUST HELPS US TO MAKE SURE THAT A CONTRACTOR IS TAKING GENERAL CONTRACTOR IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THE JOB SITE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE LICENSED, REGISTERED THAT THEY HAVE E-VERIFY COMPLETED.

IT ALSO GIVES OUR STAFF THE ABILITY, ALL OF THOSE ARE REQUIREMENTS BY THE STATE.

IT GIVES OUR STAFF THE ABILITY THEN SINCE WE'RE PUTTING THIS INTO CITY CODE TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND ENFORCE THOSE LAWS TO GIVE A CITATION, IF NOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY LEAVE THE WORK JOB SITE OR EVEN SHUT DOWN THE JOB SITE IF NEEDED.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. MOTION TO WAIVE THIRD ON ORDINANCE 6673.

SECOND. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES TO WAIVE THIRD. RESOLUTION 26-133 IS A RESOLUTION

[7.A) Resolution 26-133 Resolution authorizing and setting the Drainage District annual assessment for Mosquito Creek # 22, Sieck # 32, and West Lewis # 35 for fiscal year 2027.]

MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? I THINK IT'S SIECK. SIECK. OKAY. SEEING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[7.B) Resolution 26-134 Resolution authorizing the extension of the interlocal agreement between the City of Council Bluffs and the County of Pottawattamie, Iowa on the local solicitation, Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance JAG Program Award, O-BJA-2025-172542.]

MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES RESOLUTION 26-135.

[7.C) Resolution 26-135 Resolution accepting the bid of Cramer and Associates, Inc. for the Kanesville Pedestrian Bridge Repairs. Project # PW26-10]

MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES RESOLUTION 26-136.

[7.D) Resolution 26-136 Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance Agreement between the City of Council Bluffs and the Council Bluffs Community School District.]

THIS IS A AGREEMENT WITH THE SCHOOLS TO DO MAINTENANCE ON THEIR VEHICLES.

THIS IS A COST NEUTRAL TO US. WE REALLY RAISED JUST TO COVER OUR WAGES AND OUR LABOR.

AND SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO TAXING ENTITIES TO SAVE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

ABSOLUTELY. YEP. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES RESOLUTION 26-137 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE BID OF MCGILL RESTORATION FOR THE CITY HALL.

[7.E) Resolution 26-137 Resolution approving the bid of McGill Restoration for the City Hall Exterior Repairs. Project # BM-26-03]

[02:00:03]

[7.F) Resolution 26-138 Resolution awarding Housing Development Program (HDP) funds to support CBLB Investment Group for acquisition costs associated with property located at 2nd Avenue and S. 29th Street for rental purposes in Council Bluffs.]

MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

[7.G) Resolution 26-139 Resolution authorizing capital expenditures for repairs to the fire alarm system and the physical security system at the Southwest Iowa Training Facility. ]

MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[7.H) Resolution 26-140 Resolution authorizing the creation of a new Assistant City Attorney II position with the Legal Department. ]

MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION EARLIER ON THIS, AND I GUESS I WAS LOOKING FOR A LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE OR NUMBERS RELATED TO THIS, AND I BELIEVE SOME ARE MAYBE COMING UP. NOT AGAINST WHERE WE'RE GOING.

I UNDERSTAND THE IDEA OF IT JUST WOULD MAYBE LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE NUMBERS.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE WOULD MAKE SENSE TO CONTINUE THIS OR IF WE NEED TO GO WITH THE FINAL VOTE TONIGHT. IT'S KIND OF BEEN STANDARD PROCEDURE.

YES. HISTORICALLY. PREVIOUS COUNCILS AND HOPEFULLY THIS COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE THIS IN THE EVENT ONE OR MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS REQUEST THAT WE HAVE MORE TIME TO REVIEW SOMETHING OR THAT WE TABLE SOMETHING FOR POSSIBLY UP TO THE NEXT MEETING.

IN AN EFFORT TO, GET MORE INFORMATION. WE'VE HISTORICALLY ALLOWED THE RESPECTIVE MEMBER TO DO THAT AND HAVE BEEN ACCEPTING OF IT.

SO CAN I WITHDRAW MY MOTION TO APPROVE? IS IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN GET YOU TO TONIGHT.

IF THERE. YEAH, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING I COULD GET TONIGHT TO AT LEAST TAKE A LOOK AT, THEN I'D BE WILLING TO.

YEAH. THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M ASKING THAT IS BECAUSE SOME OF THESE ARE PRESSING, AND THEY WILL BE COMING FORWARD BEFORE YOU GUYS MEET.

OKAY, SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M ASKING IF THAT'S WHAT YOU IF YOU GUYS DECIDE TO TABLE IT, THAT'S FINE. I JUST WANTED TO ASK. I'M OKAY WITH TABLING IT AS WELL.

IF AGAIN, I WOULD WANT MIMI'S INTAKE. I THINK LIKE YOU SAID, YOU LIKE THE DIRECTION, BUT YOU JUST WANT A LITTLE MORE NUMBERS THAT I AM.

I WOULD VOTE YES TONIGHT AS WELL IN SUPPORT OF IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHERE IT'S COMING FROM AND RESPECT.

HE'S A NUMBERS GUY AND THAT'S AS A BANKER I YOU KNOW, WOULD EXPECT THAT.

SO ASKING FOR MORE TIME DOESN'T MAKE ME. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT.

BUT I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, AM I ABLE TO WITHDRAW A MOTION TO APPROVE AND MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE IT TILL THE FOLLOWING MEETING? YES. OR WE ALSO COULD HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING IF IT'S PRESSING, IF WE NEEDED TO.

AFTER YOU HAD SOME TIME TO LOOK AT MORE NUMBERS.

TONY, YOU STOOD UP, I IMAGINE, FOR A REASON, RIGHT? I WAS WORKING ON. OF COURSE. IT'S THE MEETING WHERE YOU GUYS ARE MOVING SUPER FAST.

YEAH, EXACTLY. [LAUGHTER] I THOUGHT THE SAME THING, BUT I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH LEGAL DEPARTMENTS, PRIOR YEAR'S BUDGETS TO TRY TO GET THE NUMBERS THAT I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE A PATH TO SHOW YOU WHY AND WHERE WE CAN MAKE SOME OF THESE SAVINGS.

AND SO I'LL PROVIDE THAT TO COUNCIL AND WOULD DEFER TO WHATEVER MIMI HAS TO SAY.

WHAT'S THAT? NO, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE TO GO. IF WE CAN GO THROUGH YOU JUST GO ONE.

BECAUSE. YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT AS PART OF THE OTHER RESOLUTION THAT'S ON HERE.

THE NEXT ONE AFTER THIS. SO I THINK. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING ANOTHER SPECIAL MEETING AFTER DOUG HAS SOME TIME TO REVIEW, BUT GIVING YOU SOME MORE TIME IS, I THINK IS APPROPRIATE.

I DON'T THINK WE NEED MUCH TIME. WE HAVE ALL THE NUMBERS GATHERED.

SO I THINK WE COULD HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING RATHER SOON.

PERFECT. I WOULD MOVE TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION. THANK YOU.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO IF HE WANTS TO WITHDRAW. SECOND. THE SECOND. CONCUR.

I DON'T THINK HE NEEDS TO YEAH, HE CAN WITHDRAW HIS MOTION. SO DO WE NEED TO TABLE UNTIL DO WE NEED TO SET THE DATE NOW THOUGH? LIKE DO WE NEED TO SET A DATE FOR, SAY, WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY OR SOMETHING. WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SET A DATE FOR.

[02:05:03]

AND THEN PUSH IT OUT. DOUG I MEAN I WOULD PREFER THURSDAY. THURSDAY MEETING. I'M GOING TO BE GONE WEDNESDAY.

I'LL BE AT WORK WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. SOLID.

FRIDAY. HOW ABOUT FRIDAY? EARLY MORNING. 8:30.

FRIDAY. FRIDAY AND YOU'RE OFF FRIDAY. I'M OFF FRIDAY.

COULD YOU JOIN VIA PHONE STEVE FRIDAY. NO, NO.

THURSDAY IS GOOD? ANY DAY BUT FRIDAY. I WORK WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHTS, SO THURSDAY BEFORE WORK.

YEAH. I MEAN, YOU GET UP AT? WHAT TIME THE NEXT MEETING. WHATEVER TIME YOU GUYS WANT. WE'LL JUST HAVE WE'LL PUT IT ON THE NEXT MEETING.

TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING. WELL, LET'S PUT IT ON THE NEXT MEETING.

OKAY. WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING THAT POSITION. I MEAN, WHAT'S THIS? WHAT'S THE NEXT MEETING GOING TO HURT? I MEAN, WHAT'S PRESSING SO BAD THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TO DO IT.

I DON'T KNOW. I THINK THAT'S FINE. OKAY. IF YOU GUYS.

THEN WE'LL JUST TABLE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING. MOTION TO TABLE TO THE FOLLOWING MEETING. WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS LET ME LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT. WE DO HAVE SOME MEETINGS.

BEFORE THEN. I GUESS I TAKE IT BACK. WE DO HAVE SOME MEETINGS WITH PAULA HAZELWOOD.

SO WE HAVE SOME SORT OF ON THIS TOPIC, SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO MAKE PROGRESS.

WE CAN ALL DO THURSDAY. YOU CAN DO THURSDAY. RIGHT, STEVE? YOU CANNOT. NO. I CAN RUN THE MEETING. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I CAN DO THURSDAY. YOU CAN DO THURSDAY BEFORE WORK.

RIGHT? I MEAN, I KNOW YOU WORK NIGHTS. WHAT TIME ARE YOU THINKING? LIKE, LATE AFTERNOON IS WHAT YOU WANT? MAYBE 3:45 OR 4:00? 04:00. WHAT? YOU TELL ME. I DON'T, SLEEP DURING THE DAY.

I KNOW YOU WORK OVERNIGHT, SO YOU SLEEP DURING THE DAY. NO, NO. THAT'S FINE. I DON'T KNOW. 4:00 WILL WORK. OKAY. 4:00 THURSDAY.

LET ME PUT IT IN THE BRAIN. THAT WAY WE CAN SET PUBLIC HEARING AND GIVE NOTICE.

PERFECT. CALL MOTION TO SET. YEAH. I MOTION TO TABLE THIS UNTIL SPECIAL MEETING ON THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH AT 4 P.M.. SURE. IF THAT WORKS FOR YOU.

IF THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, THAT'S GOOD WITH ME. FINE ON MY END. AND I APPRECIATE IT. AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT WITH IT. I APPRECIATE THE UNDERSTANDING ON THAT.

AND JOE, YOU SECONDED THAT. THANK YOU. CORRECT. YES, THAT'S THAT'S RIGHT.

IT'S NOT BEING DIFFICULT. I THINK YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU KNOW. CORRECT. AND WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT.

SO SOMEBODY NEEDS MORE TIME. WE GIVE THEM MORE TIME. AND I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.

YEAH. AND ANY OTHER. MAYOR I'LL RUN THE MEETING ON THURSDAY.

YEP. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YOU GUYS ARE SEEING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE AYE. OPPOSED PASSES. WE ARE TABLED UNTIL THURSDAY ON THAT ONE.

THANK YOU. OKAY. RESOLUTION 26-141. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY STAFF TO NEGOTIATE THE TERMS OF A POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH PROJECT TETRA.

[7.I) Resolution 26-141 Resolution authorizing City staff to negotiate the terms of a potential development agreement with Project Tetra.    ]

THIS GIVES YOU THE POWER TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND INITIAL NEGOTIATIONS.

YEAH. INITIAL? YEAH. IT WOULD ALL COME TO THE COUNCIL FOR. YEAH.

INITIAL NEGOTIATIONS TO BRING. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOTHING. SO IT GIVES YOU A START. AND I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO BRING HERE AND ASK US ASK THE LEGISLATIVE BODY TOO.

EVERYONE ELSE AUTHORITY TOO. YES. SO THAT'S GOOD.

PLUS IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD. YES. THANK YOU. THANKS, TONY, FOR PUTTING IN.

ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. SO WE HAVE APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS AND CANCELLATIONS.

[8.A) Liquor Licenses 1. Bluff Grocery, 701 16th Ave. (New)2. Hy-Vee, 10 Hy-Vee Dr. (Temp)3. Lansky's, 1131 N. Broadway4. Levels Bar and Grill, 164 W. Broadway (New)5. Railway Inn, 1115 1st Ave.6. St. Albert School, 400 Gleason Ave. (Temp)7. Tish's Restaurant, 1207 S. 35th St.        8. Whispering Woods GC, 3001 Macineery Dr. ]

[8.B)  Retail Tobacco License - (1) New, (6) Renewal]

[8.C) Noise Variance Request - Birthday Party with music from 5:00pm - 12:00am]

MOTION APPROVED 8A 1 THROUGH 3, 5, 6, 7, 8B AND C.

SECOND. IS THERE A DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. SORRY. I WAS JUST GONNA SAY DO WE WANT TO HAVE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT THE TIME ON THE C.

I WAS OKAY WITH IT, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO AMEND.

I'M OKAY WITH THAT AS WELL. NO, I JUST WE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE MAY HAVE CONVERSATION.

IT'S A WEEKEND. SO I MEAN, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE CRAZY.

OKAY. IF IT WAS A TUESDAY, I WOULD NOT BE OKAY WITH IT.

WELL, I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE. MOHAWK DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF HOUSES AS WELL ON THE STREET.

OKAY. YET. YET. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS AND CANCELLATIONS.

LIQUOR LICENSES 8A 4. THIS IS FOR LEVELS BAR AND GRILL.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. DANIEL MARTIN, 1009 FOURTH AVE COUNCIL BLUFFS,

[02:10:04]

WE KNOW THERE'S PROBLEMS A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT THE COUNCIL HAS CONCERNS WITH, AND I ERADICATED THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT, I DIDN'T. I WAS AT HOME WITH KIDS AT 3 P.M., HAD A FRIEND THAT I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST TO RENOVATE MY PLACE LIKE I DO EVERY NIGHT I WORK, I HAVE A LANDSCAPING COMPANY, I'M ON CONTRACT WITH NEBRASKA, SO I WORK ALL DAY LONG, PUT ALL MY MONEY AND TIME IN THIS PLACE. WHEN I HEARD IT WAS CLOSING, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN AROUND, HASN'T BEEN IN COUNCIL BLUFFS A LONG TIME, A VENUE AND A BAR AND GRILL WHERE EVERYONE CAN COME TO KIDS, FAMILY, GRANDPARENTS, A COFFEE SHOP IN THE MORNINGS, AN ACTUAL FOOD PLACE PEOPLE CAN COME ENJOY.

WE HAVE BARLEY'S. THAT'S THE ONLY THING ON THE BLOCK, BUT IT'S NOT AN ACTUAL MORNING SPOT ON THE BLOCK PEOPLE CAN COME TO AND ENJOY COFFEE AND HAVE DONUTS AND PASTRIES. I GOT PAMELA WHITE'S BAKERY COMING.

THEY'RE DOING A VENDOR LOCATION AT MY SPOT. WE WANT TO HAVE MUSIC STREET PERFORMERS ON THE CORNERS.

YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE A WHOLE NEW ASPECT TO THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT.

I'VE BEEN IN MUSIC AND BARS AND GRILLS ALL OVER THE US.

I USED TO BE A TRAVELING IRONWORKER FOR WATER TOWERS, LIKE MY BEST MEMORIES OF PEOPLE ARE IN THE SITUATIONS MAKING NEW FRIENDS.

AND WE KNOW THE RODEO HAS HAD A LONG ISSUE WITH FIGHTS AND VIOLENCE AND POLICE INTERACTIONS.

I SPOKE WITH LIEUTENANT WAKES AND HE TOLD ME CONCERNS LIKE THAT, AND I ASSURED HIM THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN EVER AGAIN. BUT MY FRIEND VIOLATED HIS RIGHTS TO NOT DOING HIS JOB WHEN I HIRED HIM AND GO PAINT AND RENOVATE MY PLACE.

HE'S NOT MY FRIEND NO MORE, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THAT'S MY LIVELIHOOD. SO I HAVE MY ENTIRE LIFE INVESTED IN THIS PLACE TO BRING A WHOLE NEW VISION TO THE COMMUNITY.

I'VE BEEN HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. SO TO BRING SOME OF THAT THAT'S NOT HERE NO MORE.

THAT HASN'T BEEN IN COUNCIL BLUFFS IN A LONG TIME. WE WANT TO BRING THAT BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND PARTICIPATE IN BIKE NIGHT AND BRING LAUGHS AND GAMES.

WE WANT TO HAVE GAME NIGHTS THERE BINGO ADULT NIGHTS JUST LIVE MUSIC.

JUST WANT TO JUST HAVE A GOOD ENVIRONMENT AND HAVE NO VIOLENCE.

I HAVE MY HEAD OF SECURITY HERE, JAKE. HE'S A MARINE VETERAN.

I'M A VETERAN. SO OUR POINT OF SECURITY IS NOT AN ISSUE.

I HAVE THREE FULL TIME SECURITY GUARDS IN HOUSE, ALL VETERANS.

THAT CAMERA'S FRONT DOOR, BACK DOOR, SIDE DOOR.

EVERY BAR TOP HAS DOUBLE CAMERAS THAT'S GET INSTALLED.

WE RENOVATED THE ENTIRE PLACE. I RECOMMEND YOU GUYS COME DOWN AND CHECK IT OUT. WHAT WE'RE DOING DOWN THERE. UPDATE IN THE KITCHEN, NEW PAINT, NEW COLORS, NEW BAR TOPS, NEW LIGHTS. WE'RE CHANGING THE WHOLE VENUE OF IT AND JUST TRYING TO GET RID OF THE BAD JUJU THAT WAS THERE OVER THE YEARS AND REDO THE WHOLE THING BECAUSE I DON'T I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE MY WHOLE LIFE GOING DOWN THERE SINCE I WAS 21, AND THERE'S A BAD BUNCH OF PROBLEMS DOWN THERE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE THAT ISSUE STOP AT OUR FRONT DOOR WITH ID CHECKS.

EVENTS WILL HAVE SCANNERS FOR FIREARMS, WEAPONS.

WE'RE NOT TOLERATING NONE OF THAT. COMING TO OUR AREA.

WE DON'T WANT NONE OF THAT HAPPENING. JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU GUYS THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN EVER AGAIN TO HAVE THAT KIND OF PROBLEMS OCCUR IN OUR AREA.

AND I HOPE YOU GUYS APPROVE MY LIQUOR LICENSE BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT APPROVED, I'M KIND OF LIKE LITERALLY SCREWED.

[LAUGHTER] SO I'M NERVOUS. REALLY NERVOUS. MY WHOLE LIFE'S IN THIS THING INVESTED.

SO LIKE THIS IS A DREAM OF MINE TO HAVE A RESTAURANT STYLE BAR AND GRILL OF MINE.

MY FAMILY USED TO OWN DUNCAN'S CAFE, SO MY GRANDMA SAW THE FAMILY OWNED THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

THERE'S NO DUNCAN'S CAFE IS AND I'M TRYING TO BRING MY OWN STYLE FOOD AND NOW TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE SOMETHING TO LEAVE MY KIDS DOWN THE ROAD.

WANT TO EXPAND. HAVE THE BAR FOR THREE YEARS.

HOPEFULLY BUY THE BUILDING UPSTAIRS. NEEDS RENOVATED.

WE WON'T TURN THAT INTO AN ACTUAL WALK IN RESTAURANT. UPSTAIRS IS OUR GOAL.

SO I'VE BEEN TALKING, YOU KNOW, INVESTORS AND THEY WANT TO SEE THE DREAM COME TRUE AND HOPE YOU GUYS SEE MY IMAGE TOO, AND GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU THAT THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE WITH WHAT HAPPENED.

AND I HAVE IT ALL. I HAVE IT ALL UNDER CONTROL AND GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU GUYS I CAN DO THIS.

QUESTIONS FOR DANIEL. JUST SO I'M AWARE, YOU WERE NOT THERE ON MARCH 27TH OR MARCH 31ST.

NO, I WAS NOT. NO, I WAS AT HOME WITH MY KIDS.

I GET MY KIDS EVERY TWO WEEKS. I WORKED SO MANY HOURS.

MY LANDSCAPING BUSINESS, I'M STILL GROWING. SO I DO ALL MY OWN WORK.

AND I'VE BEEN THERE EVERY OTHER NIGHT DOING THE WORK WITH THEM.

AND THEN THE ONE NIGHT I WASN'T THIS HAPPENS.

THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF MY FRIENDSHIP AND MY ABILITY TO GIVE HIM A KEY TO GET IN THERE AND DO THE WORK TO IT. AND NO ONE EVEN CALLED ME.

I FOUND OUT FROM ANOTHER FRIEND ON THE BLOCK THAT CALLED ME. HEY, THERE'S A PROBLEM DOWN HERE I DIDN'T FIND OUT TILL 3 A.M., SO AS SOON AS I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, I MADE A STATEMENT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED HIM, GOT HIS KEYS FROM HIM THE NEXT DAY, AND SHUT THIS COMPLETELY DOWN LIKE I WENT THERE, PULLED THE MAIN FUZE BOX POWER TILL I FIGURED OUT HOW TO LOCK THE PLACE DOWN BETTER THE

[02:15:01]

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SHOW HIM THAT'S NOT WHAT I PRESENT.

I'M A FAMILY MAN FIRST, AND HE'S MY FRIEND STEPPED ON MY TOES I WAS TRYING TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.

AND SO WE'RE NO LONGER WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT REALLY FRIENDS RIGHT NOW.

HE HAS A LONG, LONG TIME TO MAKE UP FOR THAT.

SO BECAUSE I TRUSTED HIM AND HE RUINED ALL THAT.

SO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR DANIEL. I HAVE A QUESTION? YES, MA'AM. THE LEASE THAT WAS PROVIDED INTO THE CITY CLERK, I BELIEVE YOU POSTED A COPY ONLINE AND IT HAD MULTIPLE PEOPLE LISTED ON THE LIST. YES, BUT THE ONE THAT WAS PROVIDED AND SIGNED OFF TO THE CITY CLERK ONLY HAD ONE PERSON.

YES. WHICH ONE IS THE PROPER ONE? THE ONE I TURNED IN.

SO I IMMEDIATELY, WHEN I SAT DOWN WITH FRANK AND CINDY SEPARATELY MY I DECIDED TO BREAK AWAY FROM ANY BAD IMAGERY. LIKE LITERALLY DAYS LATER, WE CHANGED EVERYTHING.

AND BECAUSE I HAD DOUBTS ALL OF A SUDDEN ENTRUSTING THESE SUPPOSED FRIENDS JUST BECAUSE ONE WORKED FOR ME FOR LANDSCAPING.

BUT IF YOU CAN'T GET UP TO GO TO 9 TO 5 IN THE MORNING AND HELP ME WORK MY COMPANY, I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE YOU KEPT NOT COMING TO WORK.

I'M LIKE, HOW CAN I TRUST YOU TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO COME IN AND DO THIS FOR THREE HOURS A NIGHT, FOUR DAYS A WEEK TO HELP ME MANAGE IT WHEN I HAVE TO FOCUS ON THIS OTHER STUFF.

AND SO THEN I SEPARATED FROM THOSE TWO. AND THE ASPECT WAS I HAVE ONE FRIEND DO PROMOTIONS IN MUSIC AND HAVE BRING THAT VENUE INTO IT. AND THEN ONE PERSON WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MONEY MANAGEMENT AND ALL THIS FUN STUFF.

LET ME DO ALL THIS. BUT I HAD I HIRED MY OWN ACCOUNTANT, MY BUDDY'S WIFE, SHE'S HANDLING IT NOW.

I HIRED MY OWN MOTHER TO HELP ME BANK AND DO STUFF.

WHO CAN I TRUST MORE THAN MY OWN MOM, YOU KNOW? SO I SEPARATED FROM MY FRIENDS, AND IT'S ALL BY MYSELF NOW.

EVERYTHING'S ON MY OWN. MY COMPANY IS LLC BACK IN THIS ENTIRE BAR.

I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. WHY WOULD I TRUST THESE TWO PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SHOW THIS DURING THE DAY AND PROVIDE SECURITY? AND MENTALLY FOR ME, WITH MY ENTIRE COMPANY, I BUILT FROM NOTHING.

I HAVE NO BANK LOANS, NO FAMILY, NO HELP. IT'S ALL BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS.

I'VE BUILT MY LANDSCAPING COMPANY UP, AND I'M NOT LETTING THEM TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SINK THIS BECAUSE THIS SINKS, MY LANDSCAPING COMPANY SINKS. SO AND THAT'S MY BACKBONE.

MADAM CLERK. OR MAYBE MIMI THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION TO YOU.

THE APPLICATION HAS HIS NAME DIRECTLY AND NOT AN LLC.

IS THAT AN ISSUE? NO, IT HAS THE LLC. THE LEASE JUST WAS SIGNED BY HIM.

OKAY, BUT IT ALSO LISTS THE LLC. OKAY, PERFECT.

AND YOU'RE THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS? YES. I'M THE SOLE OWNER OF OLYMPIC HARDSCAPE AND FENCING.

YES I AM. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. COMMENTS. NOT ONLY FOR DANIEL, BUT COUNCIL.

THE WAY IT SEEMS HERE. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.

ONE WHEN DO YOU PLAN ON OPENING? TWO AM I READING THIS CORRECTLY THAT.

MR. WAKE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. YES. YES, LIEUTENANT.

SO, YEAH. YOU ARE READING IT CORRECTLY. YES. I'M HOPING TO OPEN HERE SOON COUNCIL. LIKE, JUST LIKE I SAID, I HAVE EVERYTHING POURED INTO IT EVERY WEEK I'M DUMPING MY OWN FUNDS INTO IT.

YOU KNOW, I PUT OFF BUYING A HOME FOR MY KIDS THIS YEAR MY FAMILY TO INVEST IN THIS, TO HOPEFULLY DO BETTER THINGS FOR MY FAMILY LATER ON.

AND IT'S AS SOON AS I HEARD THEY WERE SELLING IT, I JUMPED ON THIS OPPORTUNITY, NOT THINKING I HAD A FRIEND WHO TRIED TO SCREW ME FROM BEHIND. YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S MY BIGGEST MISTAKE IN LIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRUSTING MY FRIENDS. AND WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CUT FREE, I DID SO JUST BECAUSE I CAN'T TRUST THEM. AND I JUST NEED TO TRUST MYSELF AND THAT ASPECT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO. I'LL BE HONEST, IT'S A TOUGH ONE FOR ME.

WE DON'T GET MANY OF THESE IN WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF GIVE YOU DIFFERENT LEVELS, RIGHT? AND THIS ONE HAS MAJOR ISSUES. I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS NOT WHEN YOU HAD IT.

THOSE PEOPLE ARE STILL SOMEWHAT ASSOCIATED THOUGH I GUESS AS I LOOK AT IT.

NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. THEY'RE GONE. THERE LITERALLY IS NO PART OF ME AT ALL.

[02:20:02]

CORRECT? YES. SO THEY'RE STILL PART OF IT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THEY'RE STILL THERE. THEY HAD THE ISSUES BEFORE AS THEY OWN THE BUILDING.

YES. YEAH, IT'S A TOUGH ONE. I'LL BE HONEST. I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.

I REALLY DO. AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU RECOGNIZE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

YOU RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEMS YOU'RE WILLING TO TRY AND FIX, THE PROBLEMS WHICH, LIKE YOU SAY, IF THAT MEANS GET SOMEBODY OUT OF YOUR LIFE, THEN THAT MEANS WE GOT TO MOVE ALONG AND LET'S GET THIS RIGHT.

MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, WHICH ARE MAJOR PROBLEMS, ACCORDING TO THE POLICE, NOT JUST US. THAT'S WHY.

SO THAT BAR HAS NEVER HAD REAL SECURITY. I WON'T LIE TO YOU GUYS. I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 21.

THEY DIDN'T DO ID CHECKS, MAN. THEY NEVER DID. WE ARE HE RUNS MY HEAD IS JAKE RUNS HE'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM FOR THE MARINE CORPS.

THERE'S NOT AN ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO SECURITY. I WAS I'M 11 BRAVO INFANTRY WHEN IT COMES TO SECURITY DETAIL I USED TO BE A FORMER CORRECTIONS OFFICER TWO AT LCC IN NEBRASKA.

WHEN IT COMES TO FOLLOWING THE LAW AND AGREEING TO FOLLOW THE LAW AND MAKING THINGS RIGHT AND MAKING THINGS HAPPEN, WE DON'T PLAY WITH THAT BECAUSE IF I PLAY WITH THAT, GUESS WHAT HAPPENS? I GET SHUT DOWN. I LOSE ALL THE MONEY I INVESTED INTO IT.

I'M IN DEBT FOR THE NEXT 3 TO 4 YEARS. I'M SCREWED FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. FOR THE NEXT TEN. I HAVE TO SELL MY TRUCKS, MY EQUIPMENT, EVERYTHING I WORKED HARD TO DO. ID CHECKS AT THE FRONT DOOR. THEY DON'T COME IN OUR FRONT DOOR. ONE POINT OF ENTRY IN TWO POINTS OF EXIT.

FOR ANY ISSUES HAPPEN, THERE'S TWO WAYS OUT. ONE WAY IN ONLY.

OUR ID CHECKS START AT THE FRONT DOOR BEFORE THEY COME INTO IT. WE HAVE A GUARD OUTSIDE WITH THE CAMERA POINTING AT THE DOOR.

I HAVE MONITORS GETTING BUILT SET UP. I'M GOING TO BE DOING IT MYSELF.

I'LL BE WATCHING AS I HAVE BARTENDERS WORKING.

I'LL BE WATCHING MY MONITORS. I ALREADY HAVE A BAND LIST BUILT. I HAVE 27 PEOPLE HEARING A BAND FULL TIME FROM THAT BAR BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THEY.

I KNOW WHO THEY ARE. I KNOW THEY HAD ISSUES ON THE BLOCK AND ORIGINALLY I'M NOT ALLOWING THAT.

I'M NOT ALLOWING EXCUSE ME, TRASH BACK IN THIS PLACE.

I JUST DON'T WANT IT BECAUSE IT WILL BE CAUSED CHAOS AND PROBLEMS. AND I WANT TO HAVE A FAMILY ENVIRONMENT DURING THE DAY AND AFTERNOONS AND A FAMILY ORIENTED ENVIRONMENT AT NIGHT.

EVEN THEN TOO, I WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE COME IN HERE. THE OLDER CROWD DON'T WANT TO SEE A BUNCH OF YOUNG PUNKS STARTING PROBLEMS AND CAUSING HAYWIRE.

THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF OLDER PEOPLE THAT GO THERE THAT ARE HOPING THIS HAPPENS, YOU KNOW? AND I KEEP TELLING THEM, I GOT THIS. TRUST ME.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I'M CHANGING THE COLORS, THE PAINT, THE FLOORS NEW, DIFFERENT LIGHTS, NEW LED LIGHTS. IT'S TRYING TO CHANGE THE WHOLE MOOD.

WE HAVE A DOWNSTAIRS BAR BEING OPENED UP. SECURITY DOWN THERE.

SECURITY UPSTAIRS. SECURITY IN MIDDLE FLOOR. LIKE I'M NOT PLAYING AROUND WITH IT AT ALL.

JUST. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU COME IN THERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A WHOLE DIFFERENT ASPECT OF IT, AND IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT VIBE. I'M BRINGING BACK A GM THAT WAS THERE WHO CAN HELP ME MANAGE THIS PROPERLY.

HOPING SHE STAYS ON BOARD AND HELPS ME GET THIS GOING.

I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER BAR MANAGERS AT MAPLE WOODLANDS WHO I HAVE NOW SUPPORT FROM TOO.

HE ACTUALLY WORKS THERE, SECURITY FOR THEM AND BARTENDS UP THERE GIVING ME ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO.

SUCCESSFUL BARS AND BUSINESSES. WE'RE TRYING TO JUST. I'M TAKING ALL THIS ADVICE NOW FROM OLDER PEOPLE WHO I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO WHEN I SIGNED THIS LEASE.

SO. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, MAN. I'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF BARS.

YES, SIR. NOT A LOT OF THEM HAVE SECURITY OR NEED SECURITY.

I MEAN, COUNCILMAN DISALVO OWNS A BAR. HE DOES NOT HAVE SECURITY AT HIS BAR AND GRILL.

AND SO WHILE I APPRECIATE IT, I GUESS WHY DO YOU THINK YOU NEED SO MUCH SECURITY? IT'S 100 BLOCK IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. THERE'S ALWAYS FIGHTS IN EVERY BAR ON THE BLOCK, ALMOST.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT'S THE PROBLEM. NO OTHER BAR ON 100 BLOCK HAS SECURITY. AND FIGHTS HAPPENING, RIGHT? IT HAPPENS INSIDE THE BARS. BLACK SQUIRREL, THE B SIDE, THEY ALL HAVE FIGHTS INSIDE HAPPEN INSIDE.

SO IF WE HAVE SECURITY AT THE FRONT DOOR, ID CHECK IN.

I CAN'T ALLOW MINORS IN, RIGHT? I CAN'T I ELIMINATE THE ISSUE AT THE FRONT DOOR.

AND IF THEY SEE SECURITY WORKING THE FRONT DOOR, THE PEOPLE THAT CAUSE PROBLEMS ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO COME IN AND TRY TO FIGHT SOMEONE THEY DON'T LIKE OR HAVE A OUR SPACE EVEN IN THE RODEO WAS SUPER SMALL, RIGHT? THEY HAD A VERY NARROW SPACE THAT CAUSED SHORTER BUMP IN FIGHTS, ARGUMENTS, DRINKS GETTING THROWN.

I EXPANDED THAT SPACE BY 6.5FT. SO SHORTER BUMPS DON'T GET HAPPEN NO MORE.

NO MORE DRINKS ARE TOSSED. SHOULD BE NO MORE FIGHTS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF A SIMPLE I'M SORRY. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GET DRUNK, FISTS FLY SOMETIMES IT WILL HAPPEN.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE BAR. EVERY BAR HAS IT HAPPEN, RIGHT? BUT WE HAVE SECURITY INSIDE.

JUST MONITORING IT. INTERACT WITH PEOPLE. NOT GOING TO BE STIFF BOARDS. THEY'RE GOING TO LAUGH AT OUR CUSTOMERS AND HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.

JUST MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S SAFE. NOW I'M DOING THAT TO THE POINT TO WHERE OVER TIME, I CAN ELIMINATE HAVING THREE GUARDS AND GO TO ONE ONE FULL TIME GUY OVER TIME.

ON EVENT NIGHTS, WE HAVE LIKE ACTUAL BANDS PLAYING. WE'RE GOING TO NEED SECURITY TO CONTROL THE CROWD, RIGHT? ON BIKE NIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, FROM THE WHOLE BLOCK, THEY'RE GOING TO FUNNEL IN AND OUT. I CAN'T MONITOR IT ALL BY MYSELF WITHOUT PROPER HELP.

AND IF I HAVE FEMALE BARTENDERS GETTING SECURITY TO KEEP THEM SAFE TOO, YOU KNOW? SO THAT'S, A WHOLE ASPECT. IT'S KEEPING CUSTOMERS SAFE.

[02:25:01]

I CAN KEEP IT OUT IMMEDIATELY. SO WHEN THEY START SEEING IT, THEY AT FIRST ISSUE IS KEEPING IT DETERRED.

ONCE THE DETERRENT HAPPENS, THE ISSUES RESOLVE THEMSELVES OVER TIME.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? CAN I ASK A QUESTION OF LEGAL.

SO IF WE WERE TO APPROVE IT. IT'S APPROVED FOR A CERTAIN LENGTH OF TIME.

BUT IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM. ONE YEAR. IS THERE ANY WAY TO REPEAL IT? I THINK WE CAN REVOKE AT ANY TIME. WITHIN THAT YEAR. I THINK WE CAN REVOKE IT ANYTIME BECAUSE WE PULLED BEFORE.

AND THEN THE STATE WILL GO THROUGH THEIR PROCESS AFTER IT'S APPROVED.

SO THEY'LL GO THROUGH A VETTING PROCESS OF EVERYTHING.

BECAUSE THE LICENSE ACTUALLY COMES FROM THE STATE.

RIGHT? I WANT TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ENSURE YOU GUYS, I CAN DO THIS.

IF YOU GUYS WANT TO MONITOR ME AND PROBATION PERIOD OR WHATEVER, I'M NOT WORRIED.

I GOT THIS. THE LIQUOR LICENSE IS FOR ONE YEAR.

AND SO WHEN HE WOULD APPLY FOR A RENEWAL, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL GET THE SAME REPORT YOU GOT TODAY.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING. NEW BUT WE CAN REVOKE AT ANY POINT IN TIME.

CORRECT. NEXT QUESTION FOR LEGAL. YEAH. I'M NOT SURE.

MUNICIPAL CODE 3.08.210 SO WE DO HAVE AN AVENUE AVAILABLE TO TAKE ACTION IF THERE'S MISREPRESENTATION OF ANY VIOLATION OF ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE IOWA BEER AND LIQUOR CONTROL ACT.

ANY EVENT WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN DISQUALIFICATION FROM RECEIVING THE LICENSE OR PERMIT WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED.

ALL RIGHT. I THINK THE DISQUALIFICATION WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WOULD IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN, THEN THEY WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN IT TO BEGIN WITH.

YES, SIR. AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU GUYS CAN COME IN AND ENJOY A MEAL, TOO, WHEN I GET THE KITCHEN OPEN. YOU KNOW, HELPING MAKE US HAPPY. I MEAN.

I'M WITH THEM. IT'S TOUGH, MAN. I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, BUT I DON'T KNOW YOU.

YOU DON'T KNOW ME. YOU DON'T. I KNOW, IT'S JUST.

IT'S THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES. AND THEN, AS YOU KNOW, WE GET THE REPORT FROM THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT HAPPENED ON THE 27TH, 31ST. IT'S. YOU WON'T REGRET IT, COUNCILMAN. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. IT'D BE A GOOD PLACE TO GO. UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE.

YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT. [LAUGHTER] I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT I HAVE A LOT OF WEIGHT ON MY SHOULDERS FROM JUST IN THE PAST OF THE PLACE, TOO. WEIGHING DOWN FOR YOU GUYS. IT'S NOT EASY, BUT I CAN CHANGE THAT ENTIRE ATMOSPHERE COMPLETELY.

SO THE COMMENTS ON THE 31ST ARE FROM LIEUTENANT WAKE FROM THE CBPD, CORRECT? YEAH. OKAY. SO LIKE I SHARE A LOT OF THE SAME CONCERNS THEY DO.

I, YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW, I WORK AT PUBLIC SAFETY.

I'M OVER AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE NOW AS A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER AT THE JAIL.

SO PUBLIC SAFETY IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY BIGGEST PRIORITIES.

YES SIR. ABSOLUTELY. AND I. THOSE GUYS PROBABLY CAME TO THE JAIL WHILE I WAS WORKING THERE THOSE DAYS.

BUT I WILL SAY THAT. GO AHEAD. I WILL SAY THAT READING THE COMMENT FROM THE 31ST FROM LIEUTENANT WAKE, I MEAN, I KNOW BO, HE'S A VERY GOOD OFFICER.

I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN HIM. I TRAINED WITH HIM DOWN AT THE RANGE.

I MEAN, HE'S SAYING HE'S COMFORTABLE WITH LEAVING HIS VOTE AS IS IN FAVOR OF GIVING HIM THIS CHANCE AND THAT HE BELIEVES IN SECOND CHANCES.

SO, I MEAN, IF HE IF BO IS SAYING THAT HE WOULD BE AGAINST IT, I WOULD PROBABLY BE A NO.

BUT I WITH LIEUTENANT WAKE SOUNDING LIKE HE IS IN FAVOR OF GIVING HIM A CHANCE.

AND I DO LIKE A LOT OF THE SECURITY MEASURES I'M HEARING.

YOU KNOW, I DO TRUST WAKE'S JUDGMENT. I MEAN, HE IS A VERY CAPABLE OFFICER, AND I DO TRUST HIS JUDGMENT ON A LOT OF THINGS.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? I TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S KIND OF A TOUGH ONE FOR ME ALSO.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PRETTY MAJOR VIOLATION RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

THEY HAVEN'T EVEN OPENED. AND SO, I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN DOWN THE PATH OF TRYING TO GET A LICENSE BACK. AND IT'S NOT AS EASY AS JUST REVOKING IT.

[02:30:04]

YEAH. I MEAN, EVEN IF WE APPROVE IT OR DENY IT, THE STATE WILL ACTUALLY ISSUE IT.

YES. AND MAKE THE FINAL DECISION. WE LOOKED AT THIS, THIS AFTERNOON.

RIGHT. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. ON ITS FACE, IT'S TOUGH, I AGREE.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. I WANT TO I DO BELIEVE IN SECOND CHANCES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S. I GUESS FOR ME. I'M GOING TO ASK LIEUTENANT WAKE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GIVE US REGULAR UPDATES. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.

WHICH IS. YEAH, NOT TO BE RUDE, BUT EVEN IF YOU DID HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, I'M STILL GOING TO ASK FOR IT.

YEAH, JUST SO YOU KNOW. BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW. I DON'T WANT A BUILDING TO SIT EMPTY ON 100 BLOCK EITHER.

RIGHT. I WOULD JUST TELL YOU ANY HINT OF ISSUES.

I WOULD ASK THIS COUNCIL TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING AND REVOKE THE LICENSE AND CONTACT THE STATE IMMEDIATELY, JUST SO YOU KNOW, AND IT'S. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.

IT'S HARD. I AGREE WITH YOU, STEVE. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON, BUT.

I WOULD ECHO THAT AS WELL. I WANT YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

I MEAN, I DO WE WANT ALL THE BUSINESSES IN TOWN TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I APPRECIATE YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE BUILDING AND DOING THESE THINGS.

LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW YOU, YOU DON'T KNOW ME.

WE DON'T TRUST EACH OTHER. WE DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER. BUT LET ME I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.

LIEUTENANT WAKE, IF HE'D HAVE SAID NO, IT'D BE A HARD NO FOR ME, JUST SO YOU KNOW.

YES, SIR SAME. SO I YOU KNOW. I KNOW YOU BELIEVE IN SECOND CHANCES, STEVE.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'M NOT. I'M NOT SAYING AS A I'M A DEAD NO ON IT.

IT'S JUST IT'S TOUGH TO REVOKE. YOU KNOW, WE REPRESENT 60,000 PEOPLE ALSO.

AND SO YOU GOT TO KIND OF CONSIDER THE TROUBLE WE'VE HAD ON THAT CORNER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND SO I WANT HIM TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I WANT THAT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO WALK DOWNTOWN AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THAT HUNDRED BLOCK.

AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOUR COOPERATION.

YES, SIR. IT'S EASY TO SAY, OH, WELL, I JUST PUT THESE PEOPLE OUT OF MY LIVES.

BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING SIMPLE. IT'S NOT. BUT BUSINESS AND FRIENDSHIP ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND I'M A SLASHER. YOU MESS WITH MY BUSINESS, YOU'RE GONE.

I MEAN, I FIRED MY OWN DAD FOR MY OWN LANDSCAPING COMPANY BECAUSE HE COULDN'T MAINTAIN PROPER HOURS AND SHOW UP ON TIME.

WELL, I THINK EVERYTHING'S EVERYTHING TO ME. THERE'S STILL 100 BLOCK COALITION OR GROUP THAT I THINK MEETS REGULARLY AND HAS MEETINGS.

I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT. YES. I'M TRYING TO TAKE ADVICE FROM EVERYBODY AND GET REAL FUNDING. WITH THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.

I MEAN, NOT JUST TO I THINK BESIDES RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THE CHAMBER ACROSS THE STREET.

MY NEIGHBORHOOD'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR. STEVE'S. YEAH, STEVE LIVES CLOSE BY.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO, YOU KNOW.

I KNOW YOU'RE IN A LANDSCAPING COMPANY, BUT THAT'S NOT A BRICK AND MORTAR, RIGHT? YEAH. YOU GO TO PEOPLE'S PLACES. THIS IS I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO. IT'S A HEAVY ISSUE. IT IS. AND BEING A BUSINESS OWNER IN TOWN, A BRICK AND MORTAR PLACE, BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR, BEING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY IS NOT SOMETHING I TAKE LIGHTLY, NOR I DON'T THINK THE COUNCIL THE MAYOR TAKES LIGHTLY.

I DO FOOD DRIVES AND FEED THE HOMELESS ONCE EVERY MONTH DOWNTOWN OMAHA TOO.

WE PLAN ON RUNNING EVENTS AT MY BAR. WE PLAN ON DOING FOOD DRIVES AND HOMELESS FEEDS ONCE WE GET OUR KITCHEN UP AND GOING.

LIKE I JUST IT'S A I'VE BEEN HERE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SELL ANYMORE.

YEAH. SO YOU'RE GOOD. I JUST, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, LIKE, THIS IS NOT YOU CAN SEE US UP HERE.

THIS IS YEAH, I UNDERSTAND. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO FEEL THE PRESSURE.

THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SAYING HAVE TO HAPPEN ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

YES, SIR. THE THINGS THAT WE'RE READING ARE ALL THINGS THAT I'VE SPENT THREE HOURS TODAY ON THE PHONE TELLING, LISTENING TO PEOPLE TELL ME HOW AFRAID THEY ARE FOR THEIR OWN BUSINESSES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOUR ACTIONS AND THE ACTIONS DOWN THERE NOT ONLY AFFECT THE HUNTER BLOC, THEY AFFECT OUR CITY AS A WHOLE.

WHEN IT'S BLASTED ALL OVER FACEBOOK. DO WE HAVE THINGS LIKE THIS? PEOPLE IN OMAHA SEE IT. AND I UNDERSTAND, I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THIS SITUATION BECAUSE WE'VE ALL TALKED AND MADE MENTION OF IT NOW, BUT IT IS A LARGE PROBLEM.

IT IS YOU KNOW, AND STEVE'S RIGHT. REVOKING IS IS MUCH HARDER TO DO THAN DENIAL.

[02:35:07]

WE HAD A ROUGH GO TRYING TO TO PULL THINGS BACK IN THE PAST.

AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE ALL HAVE SO MUCH RESERVATION WITH THIS.

IF IT WAS EASY WHERE WE COULD SAY, LOOK, WE'LL PULL IT TOMORROW, THEN WE KNOW.

OKAY. WELL, WE TOLD HIM IF HE MESSES UP, WE'LL JUST PULL IT TOMORROW. IT'S NOT HOW IT TRULY WORKS OUT.

FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE STATE, THEN THERE'S APPEALS AND THINGS GET PUSHED OUT, AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY GET RENEWED BECAUSE THE TIME RAN OUT.

BUT AGAIN, I WHAT YOU'RE SAYING YOU WANT TO DO, I GREATLY IDENTIFY WITH THAT, THAT VISION, AS YOU COULD PROBABLY CLEARLY SEE FROM MY OWN ENDEAVORS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME I SIT UP HERE AND AS STEVE SAYS, WE REPRESENT 62 OR 61,999 OTHER FOLKS IN TOWN THAT ARE SAYING, HEY, WE'RE OVER ALL THIS STUFF AND THESE GUYS AREN'T EVEN OPEN AND THEY'RE HAVING AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW? SO IT DOES BECOME A VERY ROUGH DISCUSSION FOR US AND A ROUGH DECISION.

I DON'T KNOW. AGAIN, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT, BUT SOME WOULD SAY THAT THAT, THAT SHOWS THAT THE DECISIONS YOU'VE MADE ARE TO BE AROUND THESE FOLKS. SO IT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE MAKING A SEPARATION FROM THEM AND REACHING OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AREA FOR IDEAS.

AND THAT I DID SPEAK TO SOME OF THE FOLKS DOWN THERE, AND NONE OF THEM HAD REALLY MENTIONED THAT THEY'D SPOKE WITH YOU YET.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT FOLKS IT IS YOU'VE BEEN KIND OF WORKING WITH JUST YET DOWN THERE.

WHAT OLDER GUIDING HANDS YOU'VE SOUGHT OUT FOR GUIDANCE, I GUESS.

AGAIN. I STRUGGLE WITH IT BOTH WAYS. I UNDERSTAND.

YOU KNOW LEGAL ON YOUR SIDE OF THINGS IN THE EVENT WE APPROVE AND WE HAVE AN ISSUE, WE HAVE A LENGTHY PROCESS IN THE EVENT WE DENY IT GOES TO THE STATE AND THEY CAN OVERRIDE US EITHER WAY.

CORRECT. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. AND I'M LOOKING AT THE RIGHT TO APPEAL TO THE HEARING BOARD.

AND AGAIN, TONY DOES DO MORE WITH THIS SPECIFIC SECTION OF THE CODE.

SO TONY, YOU CAN INTERRUPT AT ANY TIME, BUT WITH THIS PROCESS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE, IF WE DO REVOKE, THEN THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPEAL FIRST TO THE BOARD AND IF THEY LOSE THEIR THEN TO THE DISTRICT COURT OF, IN HERE IN POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY. AND SO OBVIOUSLY WE'D BE HAPPY TO REPRESENT THE CITY AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE IF THERE WAS CAUSE FOR REVOKING IT. THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD HANDLE WITH EASE.

MIMI, WOULD THEY RETAIN WHILE GOING THROUGH THE APPEALS, OR WOULD THEY LOSE IT WHILE GOING THROUGH THE APPEALS? NO. IT STAYS. IT STAYS ACTIVE. IT MAINTAINS AT LEAST THE LAST ONE DID.

I DON'T KNOW IF STATES MADE ANY CHANGES. AND WHEN THEY'RE APPEALING THEY GET TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE.

WE HAVE NOT DEALT WITH ONE SINCE I'VE BEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY.

BUT THAT DOES THAT TRACKS. YEAH IT DOES. TONY SLASH MIMI.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO SAY, HEY LOOK, WE'LL GIVE YOU A SHOT IN THE EVENT WE DECIDE TO REVOKE SIGN DOCUMENT SIX IT SAYS YOU WILL WAIT UNTIL THE APPEAL PROCESS IS FINISHED. NO. NO WE CAN NOT.

WE CANNOT OVERRIDE THE CODE.

IT'S NOT A CITY LICENSE. CORRECT.

FURTHER DISCUSSION? I MEAN, IS IT A POTENTIAL OPTION, JODI, THAT THEY COULD TABLE THIS WHILE, THEY THINK ABOUT IT LONGER. IS THAT ISN'T THAT.

THEY COULD CONTINUE IT. YES. THEY DON'T HAVE TO APPROVE IT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THEM, BUT IN THE PAST, I MEAN IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S BEEN AN OPTION.

IT JUST HOLDS THE PROCESS, THE WHOLE PROCESS UP.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO YOU OR NOT. I MEAN, AS WE ALL KNOW IT'S GOING TO THE STATE WHETHER WE APPROVE IT OR DENY IT.

THE STATE WILL MAKE THE FINAL APPROVE IT OR NOT. IT'S GOING TO THE STATE. AND AS JOE SAID, THEY WANT THEIR MONEY AND. I'M WILLING TO GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT TONIGHT, IN MY OPINION.

BUT IT'S IT'S AS I SAID, I THINK IT'S A SHORT LEASH, I GUESS I WOULD SAY.

[02:40:05]

IT'S NOT PERSONAL. IT'S NOT PERSONAL. I KNOW, SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.

GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOU GUYS. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I DON'T HAVE ANY MOTION ON THE TABLE YET. IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GIVE LIEUTENANT WADE A LOT OF TRUST ON THIS. AND I'M GOING TO.

HE MET WITH YOU? YES. HE DID. GREAT, GENTLEMEN.

HE PUT HIS NOTES IN HERE. HE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

I TRUST THEM. THEY DO A GREAT JOB. HE DOES A GREAT JOB.

ALL OF OUR STAFF DOES A GREAT JOB. THEY DO THEIR HOMEWORK.

THEY HAVE THEIR STUFF TOGETHER. HE'S WILLING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE.

I WOULD AGREE WITH ROGER. THE LEASH IS SHORT.

I AGREE THE PROCESS PROBABLY ISN'T AS GREAT AS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH A FEW HOOPS, BUT GOSH, I'LL SECOND. OKAY. I KNOW IT'S. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU COUNCIL. IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE, I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL RIGHT.

WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.