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ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED.
MAYOR SHUDAK IS JOINING VIA ZOOM.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH JESTER INSURANCE AND HEATH HOCKENBERRY.
(INAUDIBLE) GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I AM WITH JESTER INSURANCE AND WE HELP THE CITY MANAGE THEIR PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE NEEDS THAT ARE COMING UP FOR RENEWAL ON 7-1.
AND MYSELF IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RON AND THE RISK MANAGER FOR THE CITY HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND WE'RE JUST HERE TO WALK THROUGH IT WITH THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE THIS AFTERNOON.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE A TON OF QUESTIONS.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE.
SO THE DOCUMENT, THOUGH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND OUR TIME ON IS THAT FIRST ONE THAT JUST SAYS INSURANCE RENEWAL OVERVIEW, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE PACKET THAT IF YOU HAVE TIME AS YOU GO FORWARD IN THE EVENING OR IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, REVIEW IT, LET RON KNOW, AND THEN LET ME KNOW.
IF YOU CAN'T FALL ASLEEP TONIGHT, THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL IN THERE.
START READING IT, AND IT'LL PROBABLY PUT YOU TO SLEEP.
AGAIN, HEATH HOCKENBERRY WITH JESTER INSURANCE.
WE HAVE BEEN THE CITY'S PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE BROKER SINCE JANUARY OF 2023.
SOME CHANGES WITHIN OUR OFFICE IN THE LAST YEAR, WE ACTUALLY BECAME PART OF GALLAGHER LAST FALL.
SO THERE'S SOME POSITIVE THINGS WITH THAT TRANSITION FOR US THAT I'LL POINT OUT AS WE GO THROUGH KIND OF THIS OVERVIEW THIS AFTERNOON THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT ADDITIONAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
AS WE CONTINUE TO SERVICE THE CITY'S INSURANCE NEEDS.
SO ON THE REVIEW, QUICKLY JUST KIND OF A GENERAL MARKET OVERVIEW.
IN THE PACKET, YOU ALSO HAVE A SEPARATE STAPLE DOCUMENT LIKE THIS THAT'S FIVE OR SIX PAGES THAT GOES INTO MORE IN-DEPTH OF WHAT THE INSURANCE MARKET IS DOING NATIONALLY AND THEN GEOGRAPHICALLY AS WELL, BUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOU FOLKS RIGHT NOW.
THE CURRENT CONDITIONS, THINGS ARE...
FROM AN UNDERWRITING STANDPOINT, ARE CHANGING DEPENDING ON THE LINE OF COVERAGE.
AND REALLY THE AREA WHERE WE'RE SEEING STABILIZE AND SOME SIGNIFICANT RATE DECREASES IS ON THE PROPERTY SIDE.
AND WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN MORE DEPTH AS WE GO FORWARD.
FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES, AREAS WHERE WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO SEE SOME TIGHTENING AND SOME RATE INCREASES, DEPENDING ON LOSS HISTORY, IS PRIMARILY IN THE EXCESS, CASUALTY, OR LIABILITY.
LANDRY PROPERTY DAMAGE ETC THAT THE CITY IS DEEMED LEGALLY LIABLE FOR BUT OVERALL THE INSURANCE CONDITIONS IN THE MARKETPLACE ARE IMPROVING MORE THAN WHERE THEY TWO YEARS SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND REALLY HAPPY FISCAL YEAR AS FAR AS A PREMIUM OVERVIEW GOES THERE'S SOME TWEAKS IN HERE BECAUSE I RECEIVED AN UPDATED LAST-MINUTE QUOTE PROPOSAL FROM THE CITY'S CURRENT PROPERTY INSURER.
SO I'LL HAVE YOU JOT DOWN SOME DIFFERENT NUMBERS AND WHAT ARE REFLECTED ON THIS OVERVIEW, AND THEN I WILL SEND RON ELECTRONIC COPIES OF ALL THE UPDATED DOCUMENTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THAT REFLECT THAT NEW PROPOSAL.
SO FOR FY27, TOTAL PREMIUM WILL BE $1.67 MILLION.
SO FOR THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE DEFINITELY HAVE NOT BEEN SEEING DECREASES IN TOTAL PREMIUM.
SO VERY, VERY HAPPY, AGAIN, ABOUT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR AT THE RENEWAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RON.
SINCE WE TOOK OVER AS BROKER IN JANUARY OF 2023, THAT 1.67 IS 1% HIGHER THAN WHERE THE CITY'S PREMIUM WAS THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THAT, GIVEN WHERE THE INSURANCE MARKET HAS BEEN.
THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS, REALLY, REALLY SATISFIED WITH WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY,
[00:05:01]
EVEN COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO.THE DECREASE IN PREMIUM IS DRIVEN BY THE IMPROVING PROPERTY MARKET.
AND ONE THING THAT WE DID THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THE PROPERTY INSURANCE MARKET IS IMPROVING, AND YOU MAY NOT SEE IT SPECIFICALLY IN YOUR PERSONAL LIVES YET ON YOUR HOMEOWNERS, BUT IN THE COMMERCIAL INSURANCE SPACE, ESPECIALLY WITH LARGER INSURED VALUES, AND PUBLIC ENTITIES HAVE THAT.
WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN CAPACITY WITH REINSURERS, WHICH IS DRIVING DOWN THE RATES.
THAT INCREASED CAPACITY IS BECAUSE, KNOCK ON WOOD, WE HAVE HAD SOME GOOD WEATHER YEARS THE LAST FEW YEARS, SPECIFICALLY HERE IN THE MIDWEST.
WE ALSO DECIDED BECAUSE THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE MARKET, WHEN THAT OCCURS, IT'S THE PERFECT TIME TO MARKET THAT LINE OF COVERAGE AND GO OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT ELSE IS AVAILABLE.
WITH LARGE PUBLIC ENTITIES, THERE REALLY AREN'T THAT MANY OPTIONS THAT CAN REALLY PROVIDE A COMPETITIVE OPTION FROM A PROPERTY STANDPOINT AS FAR AS PREMIUM, COVERAGES, DEDUCTIBLES, ETC.
SO YOUR CURRENT PROVIDER IS APIP, THE APIP PROGRAM, AND THAT'S THE LARGEST PROPERTY PLACEMENT PROGRAM IN THE WORLD FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES.
NOW THAT WE ARE PART OF GALLAGHER, GALLAGHER HAS ACTUALLY DEVELOPED THEIR OWN EXCLUSIVE AND PROPRIETARY PROPERTY.
PROGRAM SPECIFIC FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES.
SO WE MARKETED THE CITY'S COVERAGE THIS YEAR WITH APIP TO THE GOVPRO PROGRAM.
IF YOU DIG THROUGH THE PROPOSAL, I'LL GIVE SOME SPECIFICS.
WE STILL THINK IT MAKES THE BEST, MOST SENSE FOR THE CITY TO REMAIN WITH APIP FOR THIS YEAR.
THE GOVPRO PROGRAM'S ONLY BEEN AROUND FOR A YEAR, AND I THINK THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE SOME COVERAGE ENHANCEMENTS.
SO ALTHOUGH THE PREMIUM WITH APIP IS ABOUT $30,000 MORE THAN THE GOVPRO PROGRAM JUST FROM A COVERAGE STANDPOINT.
WITH APIP YOU HAVE FULL REPLACEMENT COSTS ON ALL YOUR ROOFS.
WITH THE GOVPRO PROGRAM IT WOULD BE ACTUAL CASH VALUE ONCE THEY EXCEED 20 YEARS OLD.
THERE'S SOME LIMITATIONS ON THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF VEHICLE COVERAGE WITHIN THE GOVPRO PROGRAM.
THOSE DON'T EXIST WITHIN APIP.
SO FOR THAT MINIMAL AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL PREMIUM, WE THINK IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH RON.
TO STAY STEADY WITH THAT THIS YEAR, IF GOVPRO MAKES IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR COVERAGES NEXT YEAR AT THIS TIME, IT MAY MAKE SENSE FOR US TO EVALUATE IT AGAIN SINCE THEY DID PROVIDE A LOWER PREMIUM QUOTE OPTION THIS YEAR.
ALSO, FROM A PREMIUM STANDPOINT, LAST YEAR WE NEGOTIATED A TWO-YEAR RATE LOCK FOR THE CITY ON THE EXCESS LIABILITY AND THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION RATES THAT ARE USED.
SO THAT PLAYED A ROLE IN THAT AS WELL.
SO, AND I'LL TOUCH ON THE WORK COMP.
THE WORK COMP SAW A SMALL INCREASE IN PREMIUM, BUT IT WASN'T DRIVEN BY AN INCREASE IN RATE.
SO THOSE TWO THINGS, HAVING THOSE BOTH LOCKED FOR A TWO-YEAR PERIOD, AGAIN, AIDED IN THAT ABILITY TO SEE A DECREASE THIS YEAR.
AND THE PREMIUM IS COMING IN ABOUT 7% UNDER WHAT WE HAD ESTIMATED.
FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO PROVIDE A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES, AS FAR AS THE COVERAGE OVERVIEW GOES, THE PAGE TWO OF THAT STAPLE DOCUMENT, AGAIN, THE PROPERTY RATE DECREASE IS ACTUALLY DOWN 17%.
AND CONSIDERING THAT IS OVER 50% OF THE TOTAL PREMIUM FOR THE CITY, THAT DEFINITELY MOVES THE NEEDLE.
THEREFORE, THAT'S WHY WE SAW AN OVERALL DECREASE.
TOTAL INSURED VALUES WENT UP BY 3% WHEN THEY FACTOR IN AN INFLATION GUARD TO INCREASE THE BILLING VALUES, CONTENTS, ETC.
NO CHANGES WITH APIP WITHIN THE COVERAGE TERMS OR DEDUCTIBLES OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
ON THE EXCESS LIABILITY, AGAIN, NOW WE'RE ENTERING YEAR TWO OF THAT TWO-YEAR RATE LOCK.
NO CHANGE IN THE COVERAGE TERMS OR THE CITY'S DEDUCTIBLE.
AND ONE THING I WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO.
THERE IS A TAB IN THE BINDED PROPOSAL THAT SAYS BENCHMARKING.
SO NOW THAT WE ARE PART OF GALLAGHER, GALLAGHER IS THE THIRD LARGEST BROKER IN THE WORLD AND ONE OF THE LARGEST WRITERS OF PUBLIC...
SO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT WILL HELP US MOVING FORWARD IN THE EVALUATION OF WHERE THE CITY IS AT ARE THE BENCHMARKING RESOURCES AND TOOLS.
SO TODAY THE CITY CURRENTLY PURCHASES EXCESS LIABILITY, SO LIABILITY COVERAGE ABOVE YOUR SELF-INSURED RETENTION OF 10 MILLION DOLLARS.
[00:10:13]
SO WE RAN THAT THROUGH OUR MODELING FOR BENCHMARKING.AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THERE IS WHEN COMPARED TO YOUR PEER COUNT, SIMILAR PEER COUNT OF 28, AND THAT WAS BASED ON EMPLOYEE BASE AND ANNUAL REVENUE FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, YOUR $10 MILLION LIMIT IS IN THAT 75TH PERCENTILE, WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE I WANT TO SEE IT.
I WANT TO SEE IT AT THAT 75 OR HIGHER.
IF YOU GET LOWER THAN THAT, WHAT THAT'S TELLING ME IS THAT WE MAY BE PURCHASING TOO LOW OF LIABILITY.
NOW, THERE'S A LOT THAT HAS TO GO INTO THAT.
THE IMMUNITY IS AT A STATE LEVEL, ET CETERA.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PRESENTED TO YOU TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT.
THE $10 MILLION LIMIT TODAY, PAR OR SUPERIOR FROM A CYBER PERSPECTIVE, THAT PREMIUM DID GO UP BY 6%.
THERE ACTUALLY WAS A RATE DECREASE, BUT HOW CYBER, HOW THEY CALCULATE THE PREMIUM ON THAT, THE EXPOSURE THEY USE IS REVENUE.
SO THE REVENUE OVERALL YEAR OVER YEAR, SO THEY GAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A RELIEF ON THE RATE AND THE TOTAL PREMIUM ON THAT COMPENSATION.
SIMILAR TO THE EXCESS LIABILITY, WE'RE ENTERING THE SECOND YEAR OF A TWO-YEAR RATE LOCK.
NO CHANGE IN COVERAGE TERMS OR THE RETENTIONS ON THAT EITHER.
ESTIMATED PAYROLL IS UP 2.9%, AND THE REASON THE PREMIUM IS UP ON THIS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THAT RATE LOCK, THE MIX OF PAYROLL BASED ON THE TYPE OF EMPLOYEES SKEWED MORE TO THE HAZARDOUS CLASS CODES OR THE MORE FREQUENTLY CLAIMED CLASS CODES THIS YEAR, SO THAT'S WHY THE PREMIUM WAS UP.
THEY DIDN'T INCREASE THE RATE.
THERE WAS JUST MORE PAYROLL IN THOSE HIGHER HAZARD CLASS CODES WHEN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
WITH THE RETENTION, JOE, THEY DON'T CALCULATE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
THERE'S NO CALCULATION IN THAT.
SO THEY ACTUALLY GIVE, THE INTERESTING THING IS, SO THEY GIVE US A FLAT RATE FOR ALL THE PAYROLL, BUT THEY STILL KIND OF AGGREGATE IT AND THEY BREAK IT OUT BASED ON CLASS CODE TO GIVE THE BEGINNING PREMIUM, AND THEN THEY BREAK IT DOWN TO A FLAT RATE.
OVERALL, I'M EXTREMELY PLEASED WITH WHERE THINGS ARE HEADED.
WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER, RHONDA'S INFORMATION TO US AND HELPING US NAVIGATE THE PROCESS, THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
SO AS THE INSURANCE MARKET HAS BEEN HARD THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS AND WE'VE SEEN INCREASED RATE, THE STEPS THAT THE CITY'S TAKING TO HELP MITIGATE AND TRY TO REDUCE THOSE LOSSES, THE AMOUNT OF DETAILED INFORMATION THAT THE CITY CAN GET US VERY QUICKLY, ALL HELPS THE UNDERWRITING PROCESS THAT MAKES THE CITY A MORE ATTRACTIVE RISK.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO UNDERWRITERS AND THE VARIOUS INSURANCE CARRIERS.
SO RON'S PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN US BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS, AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HE'S PUT IN ON IT.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS FOR ME? THANK YOU FOR COMING.
THANKS TO RON FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER WITH YOU.
CHRIS, ARE YOU GOING TO INTRODUCE SHOCKEY FOR AN UPDATED ACCOUNT PLAN? GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
LAST TIME SHOCKEY WAS HERE, WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF SELECTING AND GETTING THERE COMPLETED.
THROUGHOUT THE SPRINGTIME, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS OUR ENGAGERS.
AND THEN THIS WEEKEND, ME AND MY TEAM WERE OUT AT SUMMERFEST, REALLY KIND OF PROMOTING TO GET THE FEEDBACK.
WE NEEDED TO CREATE THE GOALS AND POLICIES.
THIS ONE SCHEDULE THAT WE'VE BEEN FACED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A SYNOPSIS OF WHERE TO SHEILA SHOCKEY WAS SHOCKING CONSULTING IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY WE HAVE STARTED THE PROCESS.
WE'RE IN THE DATA GATHERING PHASE DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THERE ARE FIVE PHASES OF THIS PROCESS.
JEFFREY'S GOING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
WE DO HAVE SOME SUB-CONSULTANTS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH ON THE PROJECT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN FLIP TO THE NEXT.
SO, YEAH, SO WE HAVE SOME SUB-CONSULTANTS THAT ARE HERE
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AS WELL.TODAY THEY'RE NOT AT THE MEETING RIGHT NOW.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS OUT LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY AND DOING SOME SURVEYING AND HISTORICAL.
FOR THE HISTORIAN PART OF IT, BUT ALSO FOR THE ECONOMY PART AS WELL.
SO I'M YOUR PRINCIPAL IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT.
JEFFREY WILLIAMS WILL SPEAK IN A MOMENT.
ALSO WITH US TODAY IS OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LEAD, KARA ELBERT.
AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW MEETINGS.
SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE AT SOME OF THEM TODAY, SO APPRECIATE THAT.
WE HAVE A GREAT STEERING COMMITTEE THAT'S BEEN PUT TOGETHER, SO WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING TODAY.
AND WE'RE EXCITED REALLY TO CONTINUE TO KEEP GOING WITH THIS PROCESS.
SOME OF THE OTHER EXPERTS THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE AN ENGINEERING FIRM THAT'S WORKING WITH US, MCCLURE ENGINEERING, AND THEY'LL BE WORKING WITH US ON ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION AND ALL OF THE CIVIL NEEDS THAT WE HAVE ON THE PROJECT.
AS I SAID, WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC ANALYST THAT'S HERE TODAY, JASMINE HARPER.
SHE'S VISITING WITH SOME FOLKS AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
SHE'LL BE DOING THE MARKET AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.
RACHEL ALLISON IS HERE AS WELL AS HER CO-WORKER TODAY, AND THEY ARE DOING SOME HISTORIC PRESERVATION SURVEYING AND LOOKING AROUND AND TALKING WITH FOLKS ABOUT YOUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE HAVE STARTED WITH THE BRANDING, THE WAYFINDING, AND SOME VISUAL IDENTITY, AND THAT IS A GROUP CALLED 818.
AND THEN PORCH LIGHT INSIGHTS WILL HELP US WITH ALL OF THE PLAN PRIORITIZATION AND PERFORMANCE METRICS.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY THE WHO INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
AND SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JEFFREY TO KIND OF TELL YOU WHAT TO EXPECT AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AGAIN, I'M JEFFREY WILLIAMS WITH SHOCKEY CONSULTING.
MAY I GIVE THESE TO THE GROUP TO PASS AROUND? SO THAT IS A SCHEDULE.
SHEILA AND CHRIS HAVE GIVEN YOU A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE PROJECT HAS BEEN SET UP, WHAT ENGAGEMENT WE'VE HAD TO DATE, AND WHAT THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON.
I'LL SPEND THE NEXT FEW MINUTES JUST TALKING ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN FOR COUNCIL BLUFFS.
AGAIN, AS WE'VE TALKED TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE, THIS IS AN INTEGRATED EFFORT.
THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE PLANS, WITH A DOWNTOWN PLAN BEING SOMETHING THAT HAS REQUIRED COMPONENTS THROUGH THE STATE.
AND THINGS YOU FIND TRADITIONALLY IN LAND USE PLANS, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, OVERALL RECREATION, ETC., ETC.
THE DOWNTOWN PLAN IS GOING TO BE A BIT MORE FOCUSED AND CONCENTRATED.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE LIST ON THE RIGHT, THE DIFFERENT AREAS WE'LL BE LOOKING AT AS IT RELATES TO DOWNTOWN.
SO NOT ONLY LAND USE, BUT SHEILA MENTIONED ECONOMIC VITALITY, BRANDING AND IDENTITY, PLACEMAKING, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BECAUSE THAT IS...
THOSE ARE THE TWO PLANS TOGETHER, BUT WE WANTED TO BRING TOGETHER THE COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT BOTH PLANS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I WANT TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP SHAPE THE PLANS.
IT IS A BALANCE OF BOTH THAT QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION.
SO IT WAS MENTIONED ALREADY, WE HAVE DONE A FOCUS GROUP MEETING.
WE JUST WRAPPED UP ONE OF OUR FIRST ONES TODAY.
WE'VE SENT OUT BRANDING SURVEYS TO GET AN IMPRESSION FROM STAFF AND OTHERS ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK OF COUNCIL BLUFFS.
AND THAT'S TO KIND OF CAPTURE PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING, THEIR VALUES, AND THEIR REAL ASPIRATIONS FOR THE CITY.
WE MOVE OVER TO THE QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT DATA WILL HELP US CONFIRM SOME THINGS THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE CITY OR THINK ABOUT THE CITY, SOMETIMES EVEN FALSELY, ABOUT TO UNDERSTAND TO REALLY KIND OF SET A COMMON FOUNDATION OF FACTS.
AND THAT HAPPENS TO UNDERSTANDING DEMOGRAPHICS.
OVERALL, BENCHMARKS WHERE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SOMETHING IS AND WHERE WE SET IT TO BE ABLE TO SET SOME GOALS BUT THAT WORK CAPTURES A SCALE AND MAGNITUDE AND HOW THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO LOOK AT THINGS CHANGING THE WAY IT WANTS TO OVER TIME SO AT THE END OF THE DAY WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE WITH THESE DOCUMENTS AND THESE POINTS REALLY FROM A LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE? ARE HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT JUST AN ACTIVITY TO PRODUCE I WAS SAYING IN MY MEETINGS EARLIER TODAY, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT PUTTING THINGS ON SHELVES ANYMORE.
WE TALK ABOUT PUTTING THEM UP ON WEBSITES AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT THE IDEA, THIS IS A WORKING DOCUMENT.
IT'S A DOCUMENT FOR ANYBODY THAT'S LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH GOOD THINGS FOR COUNCIL BLUFFS.
SO IT'S A LIVING PLAN WITH THE GOAL THAT IT HELPS TO GET INTERRATED INTO DAILY OPERATIONS.
THIS IS THE COMMUNITY'S PLAN AND LOOKING AT ENGAGEMENT AND BEING AUTHENTIC ABOUT ENGAGEMENT.
SO THE ROOTS AND THE FOUNDATION IS BASED UPON WHAT WE HEAR THROUGH COMMUNITY.
MAKING SURE THAT WE DISCUSS AND UNDERSTAND FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE IDEAS, GOALS, AND VISIONS, BUT WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM? AND WITH IDEAS, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMENT WAS LET'S NOT LIMIT OURSELVES.
[00:20:03]
STILL NEED AN IMPLEMENTABLE AND ACTIONABLE PLAN TO BE ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE SOME CLEAR GOALS AND ACTION STEPS.AGAIN, THE IDEA THIS IS A COHESIVE STRATEGY.
I WAS SAYING EARLIER TODAY THAT REALLY THESE PLANS IN MANY WAYS ARE UMBRELLAS.
THEY CERTAINLY DO SET AND HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS IN AND OF THEMSELVES, BUT THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE LOTS OF THE GREAT PLANNING WORK AND EFFORT AND REDEVELOPMENT THAT THE CITY HAS DONE.
AND THE IDEA IT'S THE ONE PLACE TO GO TO TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHEN PEOPLE SAY FUTURE AND COUNCIL BLUFFS, WHAT DO THEY MEAN AND HOW DOES THAT GET PHYSICALLY REPRESENTED IN PROJECTS AND POLICY? SO YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A CHART, AND THAT LAYS OUT THE COURSE.
SO IT'S A 14-MONTH PROCESS HERE THROUGH FIVE DIFFERENT PHASES, AND YOU SEE THEM ON THE SCREEN.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE TODAY WILL BE THE LAST STEP OF OUR LAUNCH PHASE IN TERMS OF LETTING YOU KNOW HOW WE KICK THINGS OFF.
WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF DISCOVERY AND VISION AND GOAL SETTING RIGHT NOW.
SO DISCOVERY, IT'S FINDING OUT AS MUCH DATA AS WE CAN ABOUT EXISTING CONDITIONS, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME BEGINNING TO VISION AND TO DREAM AND DEVELOP VISION STATEMENTS.
WE DID THAT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER WITH THE PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO DOING THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER TO THEN MOVE TO SOME SCENARIOS AND STRATEGIES, WHAT ARE SOME RECOMMENDED FUTURE CHANGES POLICY-WISE, DEVELOPMENT-WISE, ORGANIZATION STRUCTURALLY, AND THEN ULTIMATELY GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE A DRAFT PLAN THAT AGAIN COMES BACK TO ALL THOSE SAME GROUPS THAT HELP TO PROVIDE THE BASIS OF THE PLAN, THE INFORMATION, BRING IT BACK TO THEM TO SAY, HEY, DID WE LISTEN? DID WE GET IT RIGHT? HERE'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING, TO GET OURSELVES TO A PLACE WHERE YOU ALL HAVE A DOCUMENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTING IN APRIL OF NEXT YEAR.
WHEN I SAY ENGAGEMENT, I'M BREAKING DOWN TO A SERIES OF DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER, AND THERE'S SOME OVERLAP.
I KNOW SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ON ONE COMMITTEE, MAYBE EVEN ON TWO COMMITTEES, WHICH IS AWESOME.
SO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS THAT BODY THAT IS HELPING.
VISION WORKED TODAY AND GOT LOTS OF FEEDBACK ABOUT DIRECTION AND THEY'LL BE THE SAME GROUP THAT'LL LOOK AT DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY'RE KIND OF THE GATEKEEPER.
THEY'RE THE FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW TELL US WHEN WE'RE ON POINT.
IT WAS GREAT TODAY AT OUR MEETING WE HAD TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM TWO OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS HERE FROM EACH DISTRICT AND IT WAS GREAT WHERE SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM WAS LIKE HEY WE'VE SAID THIS PLANS ABOUT YOU KNOW THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEY WERE HAVING KIND OF A SIDEBAR CONVERSATION SAID LET'S HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT COMMITTEE REALLY DOES IT'S LOOKING AROUND AND LISTENING AS THEY'RE JUST TALKING AND SAYING, HEY, LET'S MAKE SURE WE HAVE ROOM FOR EVERYBODY TO MAKE COMMENTS.
DOWNTOWN, STAKEHOLDER GROUP IS JUST THAT, FOCUSED ON DOWNTOWN.
WE'LL HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THEM TOMORROW.
GROWTH AND REDEVELOPMENT LOOKS AT STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITY THREATS RELATED TO ACHIEVING GREATER CITY DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHILE THEY'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE FUTURE OF THE CITY, THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO DIVE IN DEEPER AND SAY, HEY, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO LOOK AT OR RECOMMEND TO HELP FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT? THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, THAT IS THE GROUP OF FOLKS THAT IS THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT SUPPORTS YOU ALL AS COUNCIL.
SO IT'S DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, IT'S STAFF.
IT'S ALSO AUGMENTED BY FOLKS FROM COUNTY GOVERNMENT, BY THE MPO, BY OTHER PARTNER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS.
THOSE ARE THE DIFFERENT GROUPS, EACH WITH SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ROLES, AS YOU CAN SEE, BUT ULTIMATELY ALL PULLING TOGETHER IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
AND WE'LL ALL BE SET TO LOOK AT THE END OF THE DAY, HELPING TO EITHER PRIORITIZE WHAT'S IN A PLAN.
VALIDATE FINAL PLANS AND TO REALLY BE THE FOLKS THAT ARE CHAMPIONS FOR THE NEW PLAN AS IT'S ADOPTED.
SO, AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THOSE ARE FORMAL MEETINGS.
THERE'S OTHER WAYS, OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, TALKING TO PEOPLE ONE-ON-ONE, LITERARY BUILDING.
WE'LL HAVE SOME COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS HAPPENING HERE IN JULY AND AUGUST.
THE YOUTH OUTREACH, WE BEGAN TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE WITH THAT BUT I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE HEAD OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ABOUT HEY HOW DO WE GET THIS WORK EMBEDDED OR THIS PROCESS UNDERSTOOD BY STUDENTS.
SO ALL THINGS WE HAVE A COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC ENGAGER OR PLAN ENGAGER WORKSHOP HAPPENING TONIGHT AND TOMORROW AT NOONTIME.
SO LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS WE WANT TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE BEGUN THAT PROCESS.
IT'S JUST THOSE 14 MONTHS IN THE PROCESS.
AND THE ONE YOU HAVE ON SCREEN TALKS ABOUT EACH OF THE DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP TEAMS OR SOME OF THE PRODUCTS.
WE'RE GOING TO PRODUCE SOME OF THE WEB INFORMATION.
YOURS IS ANNOTATED BELOW TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF BULLETS ABOUT WHAT EACH OF THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS OR PROJECTS IS FOCUSED ON.
WE'LL BE BACK AND TALKING WITH YOU AT THE END OF EVERY PROJECT PHASE TO GIVE YOU A WRAP-UP.
SO AGAIN, HOW WE PUT THE PLAN TOGETHER, IT'S KIND OF MOVING FROM COMMUNITY PERCEPTION TO COMMUNITY CONDITION.
[00:25:02]
SO WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY.IT HELPS IDENTIFY WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE AND WHAT THEY WORRY ABOUT, BUT REALLY WHAT THEY DREAM ABOUT.
WHAT THE DATA SAYS, IT HELPS US TO TEST THOSE PERCEPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE AND ESTABLISH A BASELINE FOR SOME FUTURE DECISION MAKING.
SO AGAIN, IT'S BRINGING THAT QUALITATIVE, QUANTITATIVE DATA TOGETHER.
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT REALLY SHOULD BE REINFORCED FROM A CITY GROWTH PERSPECTIVE OR KIND OF RECAST OR REFRAMED AND HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? IS IT THROUGH ACTUALLY INVESTMENT THE CITY? IS IT THROUGH POLICY AND IS JUST ABOUT IMPLEMENTING? RECOMMENDED STEPS IN ACTION.
SO PHASE ONE MARCH APRIL WE DID WORK INTO MAY AND YOU'RE SEEING ON THE SCREEN THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT SO WE BREAK OUR WORK INTO THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
SO WE KICKED OFF ON APRIL 13TH WE LAUNCHED A SURVEY MAY 2ND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE TOWN HALL MEETING, LOOKED AT DEVELOPING BRANDING.
CHRIS AND HIS TEAM A GOOD BIT TO REALLY FINALIZE THE OVERALL SCOPE OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING.
YOU CAN SEE MANAGEMENT, THE MEETINGS WE'VE HAD, SO WITH THE MANAGEMENT TEAM CHRIS AND KIM, WE MEET ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
I'M SAYING WHAT'S HAPPENING ONLINE ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE A STRUCTURED WORK PLAN.
YOU'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT IN TRACKING MILESTONES.
WE LAUNCHED A WEBSITE MAY 2ND.
HOPEFULLY PEOPLE HAVE A CHANCE TO GO DO THAT.
THERE'S A STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN, SO IT'S THE IDEA NOT ONLY ABOUT THE TECHNICAL TASKS TO PUT A PLAN TOGETHER, BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO EMBRACE AND ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY.
BRANDING AND STYLE GUIDES, AS YOU SEE THE WORD SAYS TODAY, AND FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE.
STAFF, THIS PROJECT WE LOOK TO CALL ELEVATE CB 2050 AND THE TAGLINE IS COMMUNITIES PATH, LASTING PROSPERITY.
SO YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE ELEVATE CB ON DOCUMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SOMETHING AGAIN I THINK THE IDEA ABOUT ELEVATE I THINK IT'S THE OVERALL THOUGHT ABOUT GREAT BASE HERE HOW DO WE ELEVATE ALL THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING IT'S A NICE PLAY ON THE PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE HERE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE AND WE'LL SEE OVER TIME HOW COLOR REPRESENTS ITSELF RIGHT NOW THOSE COLORS ARE PART OF THE CITY'S BROADER BRANDING SCHEME, BUT THIS PROJECT WILL BE ELEVATE CB 2050 SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE GOOD WE HAD A WHOLE MASSIVE GAVE OUT ACTUALLY STARTING A LITTLE BIT AT SUMMERFEST ABOUT A LITTLE BUT ON THERE IS A QR CODE THAT PEOPLE CAN USE AND WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THINGS WITH YOU ARE PRETTY EASILY GET TO INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLAN.
JUST A ROADMAP ABOUT WHERE WE ARE HEADING AND AGAIN SAME ACTIVITIES MEETINGS AND DELIVERABLES AS WE MOVE INTO PHASE TWO IN DISCOVERY.
SO AS IT SAYS EMERGING TRENDS WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WHAT CHALLENGES ACROSS THOSE CATEGORIES THAT ARE PRETTY STANDARD AND AND HAVING THIS INFORMATION WITH ALL THE CONTINUED INFORMATION COMMUNITY HELPS US SET A STAGE TO BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER SOME VERY CLEAR GOALS FOR PLAN.
SO IN THE MIDDLE YOU'RE SEEING MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
THE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING HAPPENED TODAY.
THERE'LL BE ANOTHER STAFF LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP IN MAY.
WE MEET WITH STAFF EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY ONCE A MONTH.
AND SO OUR JOB AT THE END IS THE MVVU AND CONDITION REPORT AND CONSTRAINTS.
BRINGING ALL OF THAT QUALITATIVE, QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION TOGETHER AND NOW PUTTING IT IN FRONT OF YOU.
TODAY'S MEETING, PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE COMMITTEE ALSO BEGAN TO SEE, THINKING ABOUT...
SO AFTER EACH OF THE PHASES, AND THAT'S ON THE CHART THERE, WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND GIVE YOU, MOST IMPORTANTLY, OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF US.
AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND EVERYBODY YOU'VE SEEN.
I'VE ASKED THEM TO BE A PLAN CHAMPION.
I SAW DEBBIE, I'M SORRY I'M GOING TO CALL HER OUT, BUT WE TALKED BEFORE AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, BE A PLAN CHAMPION.
AND THAT'S JUST GETTING PEOPLE TO OUR WEBSITE.
TO BE ABLE TO GO AND TAKE A LOOK AT THINGS.
YOU CAN DROP A PIN, WRITE A LOCATION, SAY THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
ATTEND A WORKSHOP AS THEY'RE COMING UP.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP THERE FOR PEOPLE TO RECEIVE PROJECT INFORMATION AS WE START
[00:30:02]
ROLLING OUT PROJECT NEWSLETTERS.SO WITH THAT, I THANK YOU, AND SEE IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR JEFF OR SHEILA? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO TALK WITH EACH OTHER AND WORK WITH YOU ALL.
WE'VE GOT A PROCLAMATION FOR ALZHEIMER'S AND BRAIN AWARENESS MONTH.
CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS...
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IS A PROGRESSIVE AND DEBILITATING CONDITION THAT CAUSES DETERIORATION OF BRAIN CELLS WHICH RESULTS IN THE SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA INCLUDING MEMORY LOSS, CONFUSION, AND LOSS OF OTHER COGNITIVE ABILITIES THAT SERIOUSLY IMPACT DAILY LIFE AND WHEREAS ACCORDING TO ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION WELL OVER 7 MILLION AMERICANS AND OVER 62,000 IOWANS ARE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH THIS DISEASE IN IOWA IS ONLY EXPECTED TO INCREASE.
AND WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE REMAINS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES, AND WHILE THERE IS CURRENTLY NO CURE, CERTAIN TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE THAT MAY SLOW THE PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE AND HELP AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND WHEREAS, THE IMPACT OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE EXTENDS WAY BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL DIAGNOSED.
THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION ESTIMATES THAT THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 80,000 UNPAID AND FAMILY CAREGIVERS IN IOWA PROVIDING A TOTAL OF 118 MILLION HOURS OF CARE TO THOSE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND OTHER DEMENTIA.
AN APPROXIMATE VALUE OF $2.7 BILLION.
AND WHEREAS RESEARCHERS IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE ARE WORKING TO ADVANCE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING YOU MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS, DEVELOPING EARLIER AND MORE PRECISE DIAGNOSIS TOOLS, INCLUDING SIMPLE BLOOD TESTS, IMPROVING TREATMENTS TO SLOW PROGRESSION AND ACCELERATE THE SEARCH FOR A CURE, ALL WHILE ADVANCING CARE MODELS THAT IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND WHEREAS THE MONTH OF JUNE, COUNCIL BLUFFS JOINS ALL WHO ARE CURRENTLY LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, THEIR LOVED ONES, THEIR CAREGIVERS.
AND THE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE AND ENCOURAGING CONTINUED RESEARCH AND FUNDING EFFORTS AND EMBRACING HOPE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO ADDRESS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND ULTIMATELY FIND A CURE NOW THEREFORE JILL SHUDAK ONLINE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 2026 AS ALZHEIMER'S AND BRAIN AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS AND I COMMEND THIS OBSERVANCE TO ALL OF OUR CITY RESIDENTS AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RETHINK YOUR BRAIN CHALLENGE ON THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOW, STANDING IN.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND THE MAYOR'S SUPPORT AND EMPLOYEES AND ALL VOLUNTEERS HERE FROM THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION.
AND WE APPRECIATE THIS AND WANT YOU ALL TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AND DO THE RETHINK YOUR BRAINS.
AND CAN WE GET A PICTURE? (INAUDIBLE) REMINDED THAT THE WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S WILL BE BACK IN OCTOBER OR SEPTEMBER TO REMIND YOU.
THAT'S COMING UP OCTOBER 10TH AT OUR WESTERN.
SO WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU ALL THERE.
[00:35:09]
ALL RIGHT. WE WILL REVIEW THE AGENDA. FIRST UP, CHRIS, I THINK, FOR ORDINANCE 6684.YES, SO ORDINANCE 6684, THIS IS A REQUEST TO REZONE PROPERTY AT 2231 AVENUE B FROM R-2 TO R-3 RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
THIS IS THE FORMER CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH AND THE HOUSE NEXT TO IT AND THE VACANT LOTS.
THERE'S A NEW OWNERSHIP WHO PURCHASED PROPERTY, AND WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO IS CONVERT IT INTO INDOOR GOLF, SO AN INDOOR RECREATIONAL TYPE USE. IF THE REZONING IS SUCCESSFULLY APPROVED, THEY WILL THEN COME BACK AND SEEK A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FROM THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. THIS IS HOLY FAMILY, NOT CORPUS CHRISTI, RIGHT? ON AVENUE B? YEAH.
OKAY. AND THEN THE RECTORY IS PART OF THIS AS WELL, THE BUILDING NEXT TO THOSE 4 LOTS TOGETHER RIGHT THERE.
YEP. OKAY. WE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHEN WE JUST DID THE HUB, RIGHT? LIKE, WE DON'T LIKE TO START OUT WITH CONDITIONAL USES. IS THIS WHAT WE WANT TO DO FOR THIS SAME TYPE OF REASON? SO THIS IS WELL, THE R-3 ALREADY HAS CONDITIONAL USE ALLOWED FOR INDOOR RECREATION. YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THAT BUILDING THAT OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DEVELOPER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT. IT'S BEEN LOOKED AT MULTIPLE TIMES FOR HOUSING. NO ONE'S JUST BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A GO OF IT. THIS GROUP HAS COME FORWARD WITH SOMETHING NEW AND INNOVATIVE FOR THE SITE. IT WILL BE MEMBERSHIP-BASED. ONE OF THE BIG CONCERNS THAT CAME OUT, OBVIOUSLY, IS, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PARK THIS AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MONITOR IT? IT'S GOING TO BE MEMBERSHIP-BASED.
FOR NOW, THEY ARE GOING TO LEASE PARKING FROM NEIL DRICKY AND CLINT BRUNO TO THE WEST WHERE THE OLD PARKING LOT USED TO BE AT. THEY WILL LEASE THAT SPACE FOR ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO. IF BUSINESS IS SUCCESSFUL, THEY WILL COME BACK AND THEN START BUILDING THEIR OWN PARKING LOT ON THEIR PROPERTY, WHICH WE WILL BUILD INTO THE CONDITIONAL USE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE PURSUING. I MEAN, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT NEW WAYS TO USE EXISTING BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, HOW TO BRING MORE VITALITY AND ACTIVITY IN NEIGHBORHOODS. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE USES THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY MANAGE IT LIKE THEY SAY THEY WILL, I THINK IT'LL GO OVER WELL. I THINK IT'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD PLAN ON THE I MEAN, THE PHASED PARKING, RIGHT? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, LIKE FINDING A WAY TO SAY YES AND GET THIS DONE VERSUS SAYING NO, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING, YOU GOT TO SPEND $100,000 TO CONCRETE TODAY AND SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD PLAN. YOU KNOW, AND YOU'VE HEARD THIS FROM ME A NUMBER OF TIMES THROUGH PLANNING, RIGHT, CHRIS? I ASKED THE QUESTION A LOT OF, IF NOT THIS, THEN WHAT? YOU KNOW, IT SAT THERE NOW FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. CHURCHES ARE NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO REHAB AND DO SOMETHING WITH.
WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT THAT HOLY FAMILY WOULD BE A GOLF SIMULATOR? OF COURSE NOT.
BUT AGAIN, IF IT'S NOT THIS, THEN WHAT DO YOU DO? AND HOW LONG DO YOU SET IT THERE AND NOT HAVE ANYTHING GO? SO I'M KIND OF WITH ROGER THAT AT LEAST IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SOMEWHAT MINIMAL IN MY ESTIMATION THAT IF IT DOESN'T WORK, IT'S NOT A FULL-BLOWN CHANGE HERE. WE CAN KIND OF COME BACK AND MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IF WE HAVE TO. SO I'M WITH ROGER. THANK YOU FOR KIND OF WALKING THROUGH IT AND FINDING WAYS TO MAKE IT WORK AS WE DO IT.
SO I AGREE. AS I UNDERSTOOD, YOU SAID THAT THEY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY ALREADY. THEY HAVE, YES. OKAY. YEP. OKAY.
THE OTHER ITEM OF MINE ON THE AGENDA IS 6A UNDER PUBLIC HEARINGS. THAT'S JUST A FINAL PLAT. THAT IS TO REPLAT 5 LOTS NORTH OF THE LAKEN CAMPUS FOR THE NEW PEER CENTER. THIS WAS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS WHEN THEY WENT THROUGH THEIR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR CLASSIFYING THIS AS A DAYCARE. SO DO WE KNOW HOW MANY KIDS THEY'RE PLANNING ON HAVING THERE? I DON'T KNOW IF I SAW THAT IN ANY OF THE NUMBERS. SO THIS WILL NOT BE FOCUSED ON CHILDREN.
OUR DEFINITION OF A DAYCARE IS RATHER BROAD.
THIS IS MAINLY FOR THEM TO RELOCATE OFF OF 34TH AND WEST BROADWAY TO THIS NOT BEING A PERMANENT LOCATION. UM, AND THEN THEY'LL SERVE INDIVIDUALS WITH, YOU KNOW, VARYING DISABILITIES, VARYING NEEDS, UM, YOU KNOW, SEEKING JOB PLACEMENT, GETTING THEM INTO SPECIAL COUNSELING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THEY HAVE NOT DISCLOSED THE TOTAL NUMBER. I JUST THINK IT KIND OF VARIES FROM DAY TO DAY BASED UPON THEIR CLIENT LIST. BUT THERE'LL BE AN OFFICE COMPONENT HERE AND KIND OF NOW A NEW CENTRALIZED LOCATION FOR THEM TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES. I THINK THEY'VE BEEN KIND OF BOUNCING AROUND THE COMMUNITY FOR A LITTLE BIT TRYING TO FIND A HOME, AND THIS WILL NOW BE THEIR HOME FOR QUITE A WHILE. OKAY. IT'S INTERESTING WE CALL IT A DAYCARE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT I MEAN, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT KIDS AS WELL. YEAH. RIGHT. I MEAN, IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE WE SHOULD I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD SAY IT WOULD BE KIDS TOO.
SO I GUESS HOW DO WE MAKE THAT MORE CLEAR? BECAUSE THIS IS SO
[00:40:01]
BASICALLY THEY'RE JUST RELOCATING THE PEER CENTER BY LIKE SONIC DOWN THERE TO THE LAKEN CAMPUS.BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE EMMANUEL LUTHERAN OFF OF NORTH 16TH STREET, YOU KNOW, THAT'S CONSIDERED DAYCARE WHERE THOSE ARE ADULTS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT A PORTION OF A 24-HOUR PERIOD. DO I THINK THERE SHOULD PERHAPS BE CONSIDERATION FOR MAYBE A DIFFERENT TERM FOR THE PEER CENTER? YES, I DO.
I THINK OUR CODE COULD PROBABLY LOOK AT THAT DIFFERENTLY.
BUT RIGHT NOW, DAYCARE IS THE CLOSEST TERM THAT WE HAVE TO KIND OF MEET WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE DOING. UNDERSTOOD. DO WE ANTICIPATE THEN A SCHEDULE OF KIDS OR ADULTS OR WHOEVER THAT COMING IN AND OUT, YOU KNOW, IN A TYPICAL SETTING, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IT COMING IN THE MORNING AND THEN LEAVING IN THE EVENING. WE THINK THE SAME THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN HERE. IS IT GOING TO BE THROUGHOUT THE DAY? I THINK IT'S THROUGHOUT THE DAY. IT'S LIKE DROP-IN CARE AS YOU NEED IT.
BUT THERE ALSO BE CASEWORKERS ON SITE. SO AS APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MOSTLY JUST PEOPLE KIND OF COMING, GOING THROUGHOUT THE DAY SEEKING VARIOUS SERVICES.
SO SIMILAR TO WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING ON LINCOLN CAMPUS? CORRECT.
SORRY, THIS IS, THIS IS MAYOR SHUDAK. THIS IS THE EXACT PROGRAM THAT'S GOING I THINK, ROGER, YOU MENTIONED IT THAT'S DOWN ON 35TH AND BROADWAY.
THEY'RE RENTING THAT SPACE RIGHT NOW. THE SPACE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY HAD A DONOR THAT'S COMING IN AND BUILDING A SPACE TO THEIR SPECIFICATIONS SO THEY HAVE MORE ROOM, AND IT'S DOWN BY THE LINCOLN CAMPUS. SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS ARE ALL GOING TO BE CENTRALIZED THEN. SO IT'S THE EXACT SAME. THEY HAVE IT'S THE EXACT SAME PROGRAMMING THAT THEY'RE DOING CURRENTLY TODAY.
SO THEY MOVED FROM THE OMNI CENTER, THEN THEY MOVED OUT TO BROADWAY, AND NOW THIS IS THEIR FINAL THIS WILL BE THEIR PERMANENT HOME, RIGHT? OKAY.
PIRATE COVE FILTER REPLACEMENT. 26-202.
YEAH, RESOLUTION 26-202. THIS IS TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR 2 WEEKS FROM, UH, TONIGHT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PIRATE COVE FILTER SYSTEM.
THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT'S NEARING 30 YEARS OLD. SO, UM, PARTS FOR THIS ARE HARD TO GET AHOLD OF. AND SO IT'S IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. SO IT IS FUNCTIONING TODAY THOUGH. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S OPEN. IT IS PROBABLY 80% CAPACITY. WHEN WE FIRST FIRED UP THE POOL THIS SPRING, 2 OF THE 4 BACKWASH TANKS WERE WORKING PROPERLY.
AND SO IT TOOK SOME TIME BUT GOT A THIRD BACKWASH THE THIRD OF THE FOUR BACKWASH TANKS WORKING PROPERLY. AND SO IT'S IF YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, WE'VE HAD TO LIMIT USERS INTO THE POOL FOR THE SYSTEM TO KEEP UP, KEEP THE WATER AT A CLARITY LEVEL THAT IS SAFE.
BUT YEAH. I'VE HEARD WE'VE HIT CAPACITY A FEW TIMES, ACTUALLY. I'VE HEARD THAT.
YEAH. YEAH. ARE THERE ANY OTHER UPGRADES WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT NOW WHILE WE DO THIS, OR IS IT JUST A ONE-OFF? SO AS FAR AS PIRATE COVE, THIS IS KIND OF A ONE-OFF, BUT JUST AS A HEADS UP, YOU KNOW, CATTLEMAN IS GOING TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT FILTER SYSTEM-WISE.
GOTCHA. THANK YOU. SHOULD WE LOOK AT, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THIS IS IN THE CIP. I DON'T THINK THE CATTLEMAN ONE IS, BUT YEAH, CATTLEMAN IS, IS IT NOT TO DO AT THE SAME TIME TO HAVE THE SAME BID? IS THAT, IS THERE ADVANTAGES TO THAT THAT WE SHOULD MAYBE LOOK INTO? I DON'T KNOW. THEY'RE NOT COST.
SAVINGS FOR BOTH. YEAH, TO GRAB ARE THEY SIMILAR? I GUESS OBVIOUSLY ONE'S WAY BIGGER.
PIRATE COVE IS BIGGER, BUT TO BE HONEST, WE'LL BE LOOKING TO PUT A SYSTEM VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO GET TO AT PIRATE COVE AT CATTLEMAN.
OKAY, YOU'D HAVE BOTH OF THEM DOWN POSSIBLY TOO IF YOU DID THEM AT THE SAME TIME. YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT NECESSARILY. AND AS FAR AS THAT GOES, WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THIS POOL SEASON AND TEAR INTO IT. YEAH, AFTER THE POOL CLOSES. OKAY, ZACH, DO YOU HAVE OTHER ONES THAT YOU WANT TO I THINK THAT'S YOUR ONLY ONE TODAY. I THINK THAT WAS MY ONLY ONE. OKAY, PUBLIC LIBRARY AUTOMATION. I MEAN, IT'S RETAINAGE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALLY NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT. YEAH, I WAS I'M JUST GOING THROUGH IT.
YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE RELEASING THE YEAH, YEAH, SAME WITH WESTERN ENGINEERING. YEAH, JUST MAKING SURE. WE DON'T NORMALLY GO THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT I'M JUST KIND OF WALKING THROUGH IT. AT 15TH AND AVENUE J, I WAS GONNA GO AHEAD AND HIT THE OTHER ONES AFTER THE WESTERN ENGINEERING NO, THERE
[00:45:02]
ARE NO ISSUES THERE. THAT TURNED INTO A GOOD PROJECT FOR US. YEP. SO ON 6B, WE WANT TO HIT SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR HILLCREST PHASE 2. WE HAVE COMPLETED PHASE 1 AND WE ARE READY TO GO ON TO PHASE 2. AND THEN UNDER RESOLUTIONS, 9C. WE WANT TO ACCEPT THE BID FROM VLUFFS PAVING FOR THE PHASE 2 OF AVENUE B. IT WAS A FAVORABLE BID FROM THE ENGINEER'S COST ESTIMATE. AND THEN ON 9D, WE HAVE RICHARD DOWNING AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION. WE WANT TO ACCEPT THE BID FROM CARLEY CONSTRUCTION. AGAIN, ANOTHER FAVORABLE BID. YEAH, I KNOW THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.ARE THEY GOING TO TRY AND KEEP ONE SIDE OPEN AT ALL TIMES? HOW'S THAT GOING TO WORK? WHEN BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING ABOUT THIS ONE. I MEAN, AS YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'VE WORKED REALLY CLOSE WITH PARKS ON SCHEDULING THIS ONE OUT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL PHASES THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, AND WE'VE EXTENDED IT FROM A 1-YEAR BUILD TO A 2-YEAR BUILD TO TRY AND ACCOMMODATE ALL THE USES THAT ARE HAPPENING DOWN AT THE REC CENTER. AND WE'VE COME UP WITH WHAT WE THINK IS A PRETTY GOOD PLAN FOR ADDRESSING THE TRAFFIC FLOW. OKAY. BUT WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND HIT SOME MILESTONE DATES SO THAT DRIVEWAYS ARE OPEN TO GET TO ALL THE PARKING LOTS FOR THE DIFFERENT EVENTS DOWN THERE. WE'VE DELAYED THE START OF CONSTRUCTION UNTIL AFTER ZACH'S BIG EVENT. SUMP BUSTER STUFF. SO, BUT BEFORE HALLOWEEN HAVOC, I'M SURE IT'S A JUGGLING ACT. YEAH, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH ALL OF THOSE. AND LIKE I SAID, WE ACTUALLY DID GET A FAVORABLE BID FROM CARLEY CONSTRUCTION ON IT. YEP, IT SAYS START DATE SUMMER. IS THAT MAYBE AUGUST LIKE THE OTHER ONE, OR YOU THINK IT MAY BE LATE SUMMER, UH, FOR COMPLETION? WELL, IT'S JUST FOR CONSTRUCTION START ON THAT ONE, UH, SO WE'LL BE STARTING AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE WITH SLUMP BUSTER. OKAY.
BUT WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THE STATE BASEBALL.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE GONE TO THE EXTENT OF TRYING TO GET A GOOD TRAFFIC CONTROL PLAN FOR ROUTING PEOPLE THROUGH THERE. AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE FIRST YEAR'S BUILD TO BE DONE BEFORE HALLOWEEN HAVOC. GREAT. BECAUSE SLUMP BUSTER ENDS RIGHT AFTER THE WORLD SERIES, RIGHT? YEAH.
22ND. 22ND, YEAH. YEAH, YEAH, FAIRLY QUICK. THANK YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? ALARM SYSTEMS, ORDINANCE 6685.
IT'S JUST, YOU'LL RECALL THAT WE UPDATED THE FALSE ALARM ORDINANCE A FEW MONTHS AGO.
AND JUST AS WE'RE DOING THE ROLLOUT ON IT, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A LOT MORE ADVANTAGEOUS TO, INSTEAD OF HAVING EVERYBODY RENEW ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF WHEN THEY REGISTERED THEIR ALARM SYSTEM, TO HAVE THEM DO THAT ON A CALENDAR RENEWAL YEAR BASIS.
AND SO WE WOULD GIVE THEM THE PORTION OF THE YEAR THEY'D REGISTER, THEY'D GET THE PORTION OF THE YEAR REMAINING, AND THEN A FULL CALENDAR YEAR FOR THEIR REGISTRATION, JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THROUGH THE PD. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT ME TO DO MY OTHER ONES WHILE I'M HERE? YEP, YEP, MIGHT AS WELL. UM, I HAVE 8B ALSO, WHICH IS, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST TIME. THIS IS JUST THE SECOND READING OF THE RECYCLING CENTER ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO ALLOW TONY FIALA AND THE PEOPLE OVER AT THE RECYCLING CENTER TO IMPLEMENT THEIR POLICIES TO BETTER CARE FOR THE RECYCLING CENTER AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THE RULES. AND THEN I ALSO HAVE 9E AND F. 9E IS A RESOLUTION TO CONTINUE THE 2% FRANCHISE FEE ON GROSS RECEIPTS FOR ELECTRIC ENERGY. I KNOW THAT THE DATES LOOK A LITTLE STRANGE. IT'S THROUGH THE DATE OF THE EARLIER OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW FRANCHISE AGREEMENT OR THE END DATE OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY FEBRUARY 2ND OF 2028. THAT'S WHEN OUR CURRENT FRANCHISE ORDINANCE WILL EXPIRE. AND SO THAT'S WHY IT SAYS WHICHEVER ONE OF THOSE HAPPENS FIRST.
OBVIOUSLY FOR F, IT'S THE SAME, BUT WITH REGARD TO THE GAS, IT'S NOT CHANGING THE FEES.
THE FEES ARE STAYING THE SAME.
IT'S JUST THAT WE, IN OUR ORDINANCES BACK WHEN WE ESTABLISHED THE FRANCHISES, WE SAID THAT EVERY 4 YEARS WE SHOULD COME BACK IN AND DO A RENEWAL OF THE FEE. SO IT'S JUST TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO COLLECT THE FEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE PAST THE END OF THIS MONTH WHEN THEY'RE SET TO EXPIRE.
[00:50:01]
WELL, THAT 2% WAS SET A LONG TIME AGO. YES. OKAY. DOES IT DO YOU KNOW, DOES THAT INCLUDE INFLATION FIGURES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THERE? NOPE. THE 2% WAS SET A LONG TIME AGO AND THAT WAS THE JUST BEEN 2%. YEP. THANK YOU. AND THEN COUNCIL CAN WAIVE THIRD ON AB IF THEY WANT.JAKE, ANIMAL CONTROL. SO 7B, WHICH IS ORDINANCE 6686, WHAT THAT IS DOING IS REMOVING REFERENCES TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FROM THE APPEAL PROCEDURE, UM, AND JUST KIND OF UPDATING A LITTLE BIT.
NOTHING IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY PIT BULL RELATED. THE NEXT 3 ORDINANCES ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY PIT BULL RELATED. THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT TONIGHT, RIGHT? THESE ARE REALLY TO PUT IT UNDER POLICE INSTEAD OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
YES, UM, AND THEY'RE JUST PROCEDURAL CHANGES. AND THEN ORDINANCE 6687 MAKES CHANGES TO THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOG DESIGNATION AND DANGEROUS DOG DESIGNATION. UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES IN THERE, BUT ALSO IT'S MOSTLY PROCEDURAL. IT ADDS LIKE IT DEFINES WHAT NOTIFICATION SHOULD BE UM, WITHIN 30 DAYS.
YES, WELL, IT ADDS 30 DAYS TO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOGS.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE PICTURES? YEAH, UNDER, UNDER B, IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES WITHIN 30 DAYS LOOKS LIKE IS THE LANGUAGE WE'RE ADDING.
YES, THAT'S IT DOES ADD THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TIME LIMIT FOR THEM TO GIVE THE DOGS FOR PICTURES, WHICH DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE. UM, SO IT ADDS 30 DAYS FOR THAT, AND THEN IT ALSO SWITCHES.
UM, IT MOVES FINDING THE DOG RUNNING AT LARGE 3 TIMES IN A 12-MONTH PERIOD FROM DANGEROUS DOG DESIGNATION TO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT IN DISCUSSIONS WITH ANIMAL CONTROL, THEY FELT WAS MORE FITTING TO GO ON POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. AND THEN IF IT WAS IF IT GOT CAUGHT RUNNING AT LARGE AGAIN, THEN IT WOULD BE UPGRADED TO DANGEROUS. UM, AND I THINK THAT WAS OH, ON DANGEROUS, IT ALSO ADDS SOME RESTRICTIONS ON WALKING THE DOG AND WHO CAN SUPERVISE IT ON THE PROPERTY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO AGE RESTRICTION ON THAT. SO IT HAS TO BE AT LEAST 18. YEAH. AND IT PREVIOUSLY SAID LIKE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF, SO LIKE THEY COULD HAVE, LIKE IF YOU WERE I WAS STANDING THERE, I COULD HAVE LIKE GIVEN THE LEASH TO LIKE A CHILD AND BEEN LIKE, WELL, I'M UNDER IT'S UNDER THE SUPERVISION. SO IT ADDS IN THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE PERSON OVER 18 BE THE ONE ACTUALLY HOLDING ON TO THE LEASH. AND UNDER THE KENNEL THING, IT MAKES IT TO WHERE IF YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT, YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT AN OUTDOOR KENNEL BECAUSE THAT DIDN'T REALLY MAKE MUCH SENSE. OKAY. THEN THE NEXT ONE, THAT ONE HAS MORE CHANGES.
IT'S UPDATING THE VICIOUS ANIMAL. SECTION AND DELETING A CODE SECTION, BECAUSE UNDER THE EXISTING CODE THERE WAS LIKE UNDER ONE SECTION IT SAID THAT THEY HAD THAT THE OWNER OF THE ANIMAL HAD TO DESTROY THE ANIMAL WITHIN 3 DAYS, BUT THEN IN THE VERY NEXT CODE SECTION IT SAID THEY HAD TO IMMEDIATELY SURRENDER IT TO US, AND THEN WE DESTROYED THE ANIMAL. SO WE IT GETS RID OF THE ORDER FOR THEM TO DESTROY IT AND JUST MAKES IT TO WHERE THEY HAVE TO SURRENDER IT TO ANIMAL CONTROL. THEN THEY CAN APPEAL THROUGH THE APPEAL PROCESS LIKE ALL THE OTHER DESIGNATIONS.
QUESTIONS? THANKS. AND THEN I DID HAVE ONE MORE. 9G, RESOLUTION 26-212. SO THAT IS GOING TO BE THAT'S RELATED TO THE TOBACCO VIOLATION HEARING THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE END OF THIS STUDY SESSION. THERE ARE SOME GENTLEMEN FROM VIP SMOKE HERE. SO WITH THAT ONE, IF AFTER THE HEARING YOU GUYS DECIDE THAT THEY SHOULD BE ASSESSED THE PENALTY, THEN VOTE YES ON APPROVING THE RESOLUTION.
BUT IF YOU DECIDE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE ASSESSED THE PENALTY, THEN VOTE NO ON THAT RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, WE ARE CHIEF DAVIS HERE FOR THE HEARTLAND FAMILY SERVICE SATELLITE OFFICE AT, AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT'S PRETTY, UH, THIS RESOLUTION WOULD AUTHORIZE, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PARTNER WITH HEARTLAND FAMILY SERVICE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. WE'D BASICALLY BE GIVING THEM ACCESS TO AN OFFICE AREA IN THE PUBLIC LOBBY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEIR
[00:55:01]
CRISIS RESPONDERS COULD HOLD OFFICE HOURS, INTERACT WITH OFFICERS. IT'S A SERVICE THAT WE'VE BEEN USING SINCE EVEN BEFORE I GOT HERE.OUR OFFICERS ALREADY CALL THEM TO COME OUT AND ASSIST WITH INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS.
OUR HOPE HERE IS THIS WOULD JUST INCREASE FAMILIARITY AND UTILIZATION OF SERVICES.. AND WE WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND HEARTLAND FAMILY SERVICE TO DRAFT THE AGREEMENT TO ADDRESS PREMISES LIABILITY OR ANYTHING THAT COULD ARISE AS A RESULT OF THEM HAVING AN OFFICE ON LOCATION. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MOU WITH THE TASK FORCE AS WELL? SURE. AND THAT'S BASICALLY JUST A RENEWAL OF AN EXISTING TASK FORCE AGREEMENT THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S HAD WITH THE FBI. IT'S A TRANSNATIONAL TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE WHERE WE FOCUS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING, FIREARMS TRAFFICKING. TWO OF OUR OFFICERS HAVE A PART-TIME DESIGNATION TO THE TASK FORCE. I THINK IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS THE FBI CAME UP WITH A NOMINAL CHANGE TO THE EXISTING TASK FORCE AGREEMENT, BUT ANY, ANY CASE THAT HAS A NEXUS TO COUNCIL BLUFFS, OUR OFFICERS CAN GET INVOLVED WITH, WORK WITH THE FBI, PRESENT CASES TO THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN NEBRASKA OR IOWA. SO THIS WOULD JUST BE A RENEWAL, AN EXTENSION OF THOSE TASK FORCE ABILITIES.
AND I TELL YOU, LEGAL'S BEEN A PART OF THAT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, CORRECT? I SAW YOUR TEAM WORKED WITH THE MARSHALS THIS WEEKEND TO, TO GET SOMEBODY DANGEROUS OFF THE STREETS. SO CONGRATS ON THAT. OH, NO. YEP. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THESE PARTNERSHIPS MATERIALIZE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO HAVING THESE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE REALLY DO HELP KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE. RESTRICTIONS ON PET OWNERSHIP. 6682. YEP.
YEAH, UH, SO THIS IS ON SECOND READING, PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, UH, LAST MEETING.
BUT ROGER, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH THE MINUTES OR IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS. NOPE, NOT CLEAR AT ALL. WATCH. SO, OKAY, WE CAN WAVE THIRD ON THAT TOO. THAT'S FINE.
COUNCIL DECIDES. MY INTENT IS TO WAVE THIRD. FIRST AVENUE FREEZEOUT, RESOLUTION 26-213.
SO THIS RESOLUTION AND THE NEXT ONE WITH SPIN LOFTS ARE BOTH IN THE SAME POSITION. WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT THE CITY AND THE DEVELOPERS BOTH INTEND TO CONTINUE TO EXECUTE, BUT ONE OF THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT WAS THAT WE HAD TO CLOSE ON OR BY JUNE 1ST.
AND FOR DUE TO REASONS WITH ABSTRACTING, THAT WAS UNABLE WE WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT. WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED A PROVISION TO ALLOW THAT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE WITHOUT HAVING TO COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL, BUT WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU NOW IS OUR TWO SEPARATE RESOLUTIONS THAT BOTH EXTEND THE CLOSING DATE TO JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR BECAUSE BOTH PROJECTS AND CHRIS CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT BOTH PROJECTS HAVE TAX CREDITS THAT REQUIRE THEM TO BEGIN WORK BY JULY 1ST, AND SO THOSE DO HAVE TO BE DONE AND THERE'S DIFFERENT REASONS FOR BOTH, BUT BOTH DEVELOPERS HAVE BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH. I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH BOTH OF THEM. THEY BOTH SIGNED UNILATERAL COVENANTS AGREEING NOT TO SUE THE CITY WHILE WE WERE PENDING BETWEEN JUNE 1ST AND TODAY'S DATE TO ALLOW YOU TO FORMALLY AUTHORIZE THIS THE WAY THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE INSTEAD OF CUTTING CORNERS. RIGHT.
THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING SINCE THAT ENDED. YEAH, CORRECT. I'M JUST SAYING, SOME OF MY PAST EXPERIENCE WITH ABSTRACTING AND SOME OF THAT, MAYBE GIVE IT AS MUCH TIME AS WE CAN. AND AGAIN, I KNOW THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS WE HAVE TO HAVE DONE, BUT IT GETS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, RIGHT? AND THEN WE'RE WAITING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO THEIR JOB, AND THEN SOMETIMES WE WERE THE ONES ON THE HOOK AT THE END OF IT.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT GOING FORWARD, MAYBE AS YOU'RE DOING THAT, LIKE, HEY, MAYBE WE BETTER PUSH THIS THIS IF WE HAVE TO, BECAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS DO IT EARLY, RIGHT? IT CAN GET DONE EARLIER IF YOU WANT, BUT IT GIVES YOU THAT LEEWAY.
SO, UM, I ALSO HAD AN ORDINANCE, UH, IT WAS THE, THE LAST ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, F7F, ORDINANCE 6690. I WAS I KNOW WE WERE BOUNCING AROUND. I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU OR JILL, YEAH, TO TALK ABOUT, UM, WELL MAYOR SHUDAK CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO THE POLICY IMPETUS FOR IT, BUT I WAS ASKED BY MAYOR SHUDAK TO FORMALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL, IS THE ONE THAT'S IN CHARGE OF EITHER CREATING OR ABOLISHING ANY DEPARTMENTS THAT WE HAVE. THE BUILDING DIVISION IS CURRENTLY IN CHARGE OF, WELL, RODNEY, WHO'S OUR CHIEF BUILDING OFFICER, IS CURRENTLY IN CHARGE OF TWO DIVISIONS,
[01:00:03]
ESSENTIALLY INSPECTIONS, THE INSPECTION SIDE FOR BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN HE ALSO IS IN CHARGE OF THE HOUSING DIVISION, WHICH HANDLES ALL OF OUR RENTAL AND HOUSING INSPECTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE CONDUCTED. AND SO IN, IN DOING SO, THE CITY HAS HISTORICALLY EITHER NOT CODIFIED OUR IN FACT, WE REPEALED OUR MAJOR DEPARTMENTS OUT OF OUR CODE FOR SOME REASON IN THE LATE '80S. AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE ADDED DEPARTMENTS LIKE IT AND HUMAN RESOURCES, WE HAVE DONE SO THROUGH RESOLUTION, WHICH MAKES IT INCREDIBLY HARD TO TRACK WHICH DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN CREATED, WHICH HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED, UNLESS YOU KNOW THE SPECIFIC ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. AND SO IN, IN WHAT I DID WITH THE MAYOR'S REQUEST IS TRIED TO PUT IT INTO A FRAMEWORK THAT PROVIDES BASIC RECOGNITION OF ALL OF OUR CURRENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED, AT LEAST AS HOW WE FUNCTION CURRENTLY, TO PUT THOSE INTO THE CODE.THERE ARE RESERVED SECTIONS BECAUSE THE TIMING OF THIS REQUEST DID NOT ALLOW ME TO ACTUALLY MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DISCUSSING HOW THEY WANT THEIR DEPARTMENTS DEFINED AND HOW THEY WANT THEIR DUTIES, YOU KNOW, REFLECTED IN THE CODE. AND SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WROTE IT IN A WAY THAT IF YOU MOVE FORWARD AND WANT TO APPROVE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND MAKE IT ITS OWN THING, IT'S DONE SO IN A FRAMEWORK THAT WILL ALLOW US TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE CURRENTLY EXISTING POSITIONS AND THEN EASILY AMEND INTO THAT FRAMEWORK. IF YOU DO NOT CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CREATING THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, THEN I RATHER THAN TRYING TO SALVAGE THE FRAMEWORK, I'D ASK THAT YOU JUST DENY THE WHOLE THING, ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US ON A LESS URGENT BASIS TO CONSULT WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS TO GET THEIR INPUT ON HOW THEY WANT THEIR SECTIONS TO READ. UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD REALLY BE AN IMPETUS. I THINK YOUR DECISION TODAY SHOULD BE, DO YOU WANT THE BUILDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OR NOT? AND, UM, AND THE REST OF IT'S JUST KIND OF LEGAL TECHNICALITIES. AND THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S CURRENTLY UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
HISTORICALLY, IT'S BOUNCED AROUND FROM DIFFERENT PLACES.
UM, WITH THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S TIME THAT THIS BECOMES ITS OWN DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR THIS IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU GUYS PREVIOUSLY SIGNED OFF ON. AND AS TONY MENTIONED, THE OTHER ONES ARE REALLY JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOCUMENTING PROPERLY ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. I THINK AT ONE POINT IN TIME WE FIGURED OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY DOESN'T EXIST IN OUR CODE. AND SO IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS UP TO DATE AND CLEANING THINGS UP AS WE, AS WE MOVE THROUGH DIFFERENT POLICIES.
SO I GUESS, CAN I TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, CHRIS? THIS IS FALLING UNDER YOUR PURVIEW RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? I MEAN, THE BUILDING GROUP IS UNDERNEATH YOU, RIGHT? SO CAN YOU KIND OF MAYBE FILL ME IN A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THIS? I MEAN, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY WE'RE REMOVING PART OF YOUR DEPARTMENT IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. WITH THIS, CORRECT? AND RODNEY IS HERE TOO. AND RODNEY IS HERE, OKAY. SO YEAH, SO I GUESS, YOU KNOW, JUST BACK TO WHAT MAYOR SAID, HISTORICALLY, YOU KNOW, PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS, THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY UNDER PUBLIC WORKS, YOU KNOW, THEN THERE WAS A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP AND THEY GOT PUT UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THEY HAVEN'T HISTORICALLY BEEN PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, ALTHOUGH WE DO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THEM. I MEAN, A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT COME IN, I MEAN, WE'RE BOTH AT THE FOREFRONT. I JUST THINK AS YOU LOOK FORWARD TO WORK THAT'S COMING IN, THINGS THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, IF THERE IS EVER GOING TO BE A TIME FOR CHANGE TO KIND OF SEPARATE THEM OUT, PROBABLY NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO DO THAT. RODNEY HERE AS WELL. WOULD YOU MAYBE CHIME IN A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE AS YOU BECAUSE IT WILL BE A MAJOR CHANGE FOR YOU, I AM GUESSING THEN, YES? YES AND NO. NO? OKAY. NOT AS MUCH. I MEAN, WE HAVE KIND OF INDEPENDENTLY WORKED UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR A YEAR. WELL, IT WAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THEN WE WERE PUBLIC WORKS FOR A WHILE, AND BEFORE THAT WE WERE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SO THE BUILDING DIVISION HAS KIND OF HOPPED AROUND TO ABOUT ANYBODY THAT WILL TAKE US FOR A WHILE. UM, SO THEN, SO LATELY WE'VE BEEN UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SO HOW WE DO OUR DAY-TO-DAY AND WHAT WE DO WON'T REALLY CHANGE ANYTHING. IT'LL JUST BE WHO I DIRECTLY REPORT TO, WHETHER IT BE CHRIS AND THEN NOW THE MAYOR, IF YOU YOU SHOULD CHOOSE.
GOTCHA. SO JOB FUNCTIONS, ALL THAT STUFF STAYS THE SAME FOR YOU? YEAH. OKAY. STAFF WILL
[01:05:01]
STAY THE SAME. EVERYTHING WILL STAY THE SAME. WE'LL ABSORB A LITTLE BIT MORE TO DO BECAUSE CERTAIN THINGS KIND OF GET DOWN THERE TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NOW, BUT WE'LL JUST ABSORB THAT. SO I GUESS WHENEVER THERE'S ALWAYS CHANGES TO ME IN TERMS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, HIERARCHY, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU GUYS ARE PART OF THIS. ARE WE LOOKING AT EFFICIENCIES HERE THEN? IS THIS AN IMPROVEMENT THEN IN YOUR EYES? AS YOU MAKE THESE CHANGES? I BELIEVE IT WILL HELP PROBABLY CHRIS MOVING FORWARD AS WELL WITH JUST HIS WORKLOAD. YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK IT'LL BE EFFICIENT. I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, ROD AND I WORK WELL TOGETHER AND OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE ALWAYS KIND OF BEEN IN UNISON, HAND IN HAND. SO I DO, I THINK THERE'S SOME EFFICIENCIES THAT CAN BE GAINED FROM IT. OKAY, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'VE JUMPED AROUND QUITE A BIT, SO I DON'T WANT TO MISS ONE HERE. AND THE RESOLUTION FOR THE WAGE INCREASES. SHELL? FOR YOU CAN JUST DO ALL 4, 3, 03, ALL 3.HISTORICALLY, AS YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE WAGE INCREASES HAVE CAME AS ONE RESOLUTION.
WE HAVE MADE THE DECISION THIS YEAR TO BRING THEM SEPARATELY. UM, THEY ARE THE 3 GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES THAT CANNOT BARGAIN FOR THEIR WAGES, SO WE ARE IN, UH, REQUESTING THE INCREASE FOR THE FIRE SUPERVISORY STAFF POLICE SUPERVISORY AND THE NON-UNION STAFF.
AND JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHAT WAS THE REASONING TO BRING THEM SEPARATE VERSUS ALL AS ONE? IN THE EVENT COUNCIL WANTED TO NOT SEPARATE.
YEP. UNDERSTOOD. UH, LIQUOR LICENSES. PERMITS CANCELLATIONS. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, THE TOBACCO VIOLATION HEARING.
MIMI, DO YOU RUN THAT? JAKE, YOU RUN GO AHEAD. YEP, LET'S DO IT. I HAVEN'T HAD ONE OF THESE IN A WHILE. OKAY, WE JUST STAY IN. IT'S OKAY. SO SINCE YOU GUYS HAVEN'T HAD ONE OF THESE, I ASSUME FOR A WHILE. YEAH. HOW THIS IS GOING TO GO, AND FOR THE SAKE OF THE GENTLEMAN FROM VIP SMOKE, JUST SO THEY CAN GET AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THIS IS GOING TO GO, WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL PRESENT THE CITY'S ARGUMENT AS TO WHY THEY SHOULD BE ASSESSED THE PENALTY. THEN THEY'LL GET A CHANCE TO MAKE THEIR ARGUMENT AS TO WHY THEY SHOULDN'T BE ASSESSED THE PENALTY. AND THEN YOU GUYS WILL VOTE LATER TONIGHT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON THAT RESOLUTION, AS I EXPLAINED. OKAY.
OKAY. SO, IOWA CODE CHAPTER 453A.22 AUTHORIZES THE LOCAL LICENSING AUTHORITY, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS YOU GUYS, TO ASSESS CIVIL PENALTIES AGAINST RETAILERS FOR VIOLATIONS OF 453A.2, WHICH IS THE STATE LAW THAT PROHIBITS THE SALE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS OR NICOTINE TO PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 21.
VIP SMOKE SHOP, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 305 EAST BROADWAY AND WHO ARE THE SUBJECT OF THIS HEARING, HAS PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED TO A VIOLATION OF 453A.2, AND I WOULD ASK THAT THE COUNCIL MAKE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION OF THAT. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THERE'S ONE COPY FOR EVERYBODY, JUST ONE PAGE.
SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THAT DOCUMENT IS THAT, UM, THEY ADMITTED TO A VIOLATION OF 453A.2 THAT OCCURRED IN JANUARY ON JANUARY 22ND, 2026.
THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WOULD CONSTITUTE A FIRST OFFENSE UNDER 453A.22, AND THEY, UH, WAIVED THEIR RIGHTS TO A HEARING IN THAT IN THAT CASE. UM, ON APRIL 23RD, 2026, THE, UH, CITY CBPD ALWAYS GET THAT STUCK IN MY MOUTH UM, DID A FOLLOW-UP COMPLIANCE CHECK AND HERE TO TESTIFY TO THE RESULTS OF THAT IS OFFICER ADAM BEMIS. JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE YOU START. ADAM BEMIS WITH THE COUNCIL BLUFFS POLICE DEPARTMENT. UH, JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND, SO WE ARE PART OF THE STATE OF IOWA'S I PLEDGE PROGRAM THAT WE AGREE TO, AND THAT IS ONE ATTEMPTED BUY
[01:10:02]
AT EVERY BUSINESS THAT HAS A LICENSE, UH, DURING THE FIRST PERIOD. AND THEN ANYBODY THAT SELLS AT THAT TIME, THEN THERE'S A SECOND PERIOD IN WHICH WE DO A SUBSEQUENT BUY.SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SUBSEQUENT BUY, UH, ON 4/23 AT 2020 OR 2026 AT APPROXIMATELY HOURS.
OFFICERS ARE CONDUCTING A COMPLIANCE CHECK FOR TOBACCO AND VAPE SALES AT 305 EAST BROADWAY. THAT'S THE VIP SMOKE SHOP. OFFICERS SENT IN AN 18-YEAR-OLD BUYER, THE CI NUMBER 1417, TO ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE A VAPE. HE ENTERED THE BUSINESS, MADE CONTACT WITH THE CASHIER, LATER IDENTIFIED AS THAYER FITEHE, REQUESTED A GEEK BAR VAPE IN SOUR APPLE FLAVOR.
THAYER DID NOT ASK FOR HIS IDENTIFICATION AND DID NOT ASK FOR HIS AGE. THE VAPE WAS SOLD TO THE UNDERAGE BUYER FOR APPROXIMATELY $25. BUYER STATED TO OFFICERS THAT HE GAVE THAYER $40 IN CASH PROVIDED TO HIM BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAYER GAVE HIM BACK $13 IN CHANGE. BUYER THEN RETURNED TO OFFICERS, UH, GIVING A DESCRIPTION OF THE CASHIER AND TURNING OVER THE VAPE AND THE CHANGE.
OFFICERS ENTERED THE BUSINESS, LOCATED THE MALE WHO WAS DESCRIBED, IDENTIFIED AS THAYER FITEHE, AND HE DENIED MAKING THE SALE TO THE UNDERAGE BUYER.
HOWEVER, HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON INSIDE THE STORE MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION GIVEN, AND HE WAS ALSO WORKING THE CASH REGISTER.
UH, THAYER WAS ISSUED A CITATION FOR FIRST OFFENSE 453.21 OF THE IOWA STATE CODE. THAT WAS LATER CHANGED BY THE POTTAWATOMI COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO SECOND OFFENSE AFTER SEEING THAT HE WAS PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR THE JANUARY 22ND OFFENSE.
THE VAPE PACKAGE WAS PLACED INTO PROPERTY.
DURING THE INTERACTION, THE BUSINESS STATED THAT THEY DO HAVE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE. A SUBPOENA WAS ISSUED FOR THAT SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.
UPON ISSUANCE OF THE SUBPOENA, THE BUSINESS STATED THAT THE VIDEO WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO BE TURNED OVER.
OKAY. OKAY. UH, WAIT ONE SECOND. SO JUST TO CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS, YOU WERE ONE OF THE OFFICERS THAT WAS THERE? YES, SIR. AND YOU KNOW THE KID WAS 18 BECAUSE IT'S PART OF A PROGRAM AND YOU ARE PICKING THESE KIDS TO GO IN THERE AND DO THAT, CORRECT? UH, YES. WE HAVE THEM TURN OVER THEIR STATE IDENTIFICATION CARD. WE KEEP A COPY OF THAT, AND THEN WE ASSIGN THEM WITH A CRIMINAL INFORMANT OR WITH A CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT NUMBER. OKAY. AWESOME.
THANKS. OKAY. 453A.22 LAYS OUT SPECIFIC PENALTIES FOR THESE VIOLATIONS THAT CAN BE ASSESSED BY YOU AS THE LOCAL LICENSING AUTHORITY.
FOR A SECOND VIOLATION WITHIN A PERIOD OF 2 YEARS, IT SAYS THE RETAILER SHALL BE ASSESSED A CIVIL PENALTY OF EITHER $1,500 OR A LICENSE SUSPENSION OF 30 DAYS, AND IT ALLOWS THE RETAILER TO PICK WHICH ONE OF THOSE.
THAT THEY WANT. WE PRESENTED EVIDENCE THAT THEY ADMITTED TO A FIRST VIOLATION IN JANUARY OF 2026 AND COMMITTED A SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION ON APRIL 23RD, 2026, WHICH IS WELL WITHIN THE 2-YEAR TIME FRAME TO BE CONSTITUTE A SECOND OFFENSE.
AS SUCH, WE WOULD ASK THAT THE COUNCIL ASSESS THE PENALTY AGAINST THE RETAILER VIP SMOKE AS IT IS LAID OUT IN 453A.22.
SOUNDS GOOD. NOW THESE GENTLEMEN CAN COME UP AND SPEAK. GREAT. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, JAKE, YOU'RE ASKING, YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO PICK EITHER A $1,500 FINE OR A 30-DAY SUSPENSION OF, OH, LIKE CLOSE THE SHOP OR OF SELLING VAPE, OR WHAT'S THE 30-DAY SUSPENSION? OF THEIR LICENSE.
OF THEIR LICENSE. OKAY, SO CLOSE THE STORE FOR 30 DAYS IF THAT'S THE ONLY THING THEY'RE SELLING IN THERE. YEAH, PRETTY MUCH. YEAH, I UNDERSTOOD. AND THAT IS THE THAT'S THE PENALTY UNDER THE STATE STATUTE.
YEAH, THE STATE STATUTE, RIGHT, RIGHT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING.
HI, MY NAME IS, UH, BRYCE STACY. UM, I'M WITH HAYTHAM AL-ADAL. HE'S THE OWNER OF VIP SMOKE SHOP. UM, SO THE STORE MANAGER IS NOT AVAILABLE TODAY, HE'S IN THE HOSPITAL.
BUT, UM, SO I WAS JUST I'M COMING HERE TODAY TO KIND OF CLARIFY THINGS FROM THE STORY I WAS GIVEN AND KIND OF HELP OUT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF EVERYTHING. UM, SO I WAS TOLD WHEN THE OFFICER CAME IN TO THE STORE TO SEE THAYER. HE WAS THAYER DENIED EVERYTHING.
HE SAID, "I DIDN'T SELL ANY, BUT I DIDN'T SELL IT TO ANYBODY." THE OFFICER SAID THAT THERE WAS A RECEIPT, BUT THAYER WAS NOT PRESENTED A RECEIPT. AND SO THAT'S WHY HE DECLINED ANY CLAIMS MADE AGAINST HIM. AND THE OFFICER WE ASKED, WE KEPT, YOU KNOW, ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION OF WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WHAT WAS GOING ON OR HOW THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE WE WERE PRETTY CONFUSED. SO HE GAVE US, UM, ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TIME
[01:15:01]
FRAME TO LOOK AT FOR THE CAMERAS THAT DAY. WE LOOKED THROUGH EVERYTHING ON THE CAMERAS, COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. WE HAD THE SUBPOENA COME TO US LATER ON, AND IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE BY THAT TIME TO PULL BACK THE CAMERA FOOTAGE, AS OUR CAMERA FOOTAGE ONLY GOES BACK ABOUT 2 WEEKS. SO WE THERE WAS NOTHING.WE HAD NO CAMERA FOOTAGE FROM THAT DAY.
BUT UPON REVIEWING IT THAT DAY, WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SO THEN THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, KIND OF TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE, THE WHOLE DEAL WAS. SO THERE'S DENYING COMPLETING THE SALE? YES. YET THEY HAVE THE MATERIALS. THERE SAID HE DID NOT MAKE THE SALE, AND WHEN HE REVIEWED THE CAMERAS WITH THE STORE MANAGER, FERRIS THEY DID NOT SEE ANYTHING. AND WE HAVE THE VAPE IN OUR POSSESSION. WAS A COPY OF THE RECEIPT SCANNED INTO PROPERTY, OR THERE WAS NO RECEIPT.
OKAY, WAS A RECEIPT NOT ISSUED TO THE, UH, WE, WE COULD NOT THERE SAID, THERON FERRIS SAID THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING ON THE CAMERA.
SO WE WERE SUPER CONFUSED WHAT WAS GOING ON. SO WE ASKED FOR THE EVIDENCE, WE ASKED FOR THE RECEIPT, WE ASKED FOR EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD, AND WE JUST WERE KIND OF EMPTY-HANDED. YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO THIS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY TOO.
THIS OBVIOUSLY HAPPENED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS OFFICER, OUR TEAM, HAS DONE THIS. WE HAVE NO REASON NOT TO BELIEVE THEM, RIGHT? AND I'M, I'M NOT SAYING IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, OR I'M NOT SAYING IT DID HAPPEN, BUT WE BELIEVE THESE GUYS AND THAT, SO SO I AM SAYING IT HAPPENED. UH, SO I, I GUESS FOR ME, AND I GUESS I'M JUST ONE OF THE 5 ACTING AS MAYOR PRO TEM TODAY, UH, I WOULD ASK YOU TO PICK EITHER A $1,500 FINE OR A 30-DAY SUSPENSION OF YOUR LICENSE. $1,500 FINE, I ASSUMED, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, RIGHT? UH, I JUST TO CLARIFY, I, I ASSUME SINCE THIS IS THE SECOND VIOLATION, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER SUBSEQUENT SUBSEQUENT. WE WILL BE DOING TESTING. THERE'LL BE A THIRD TIME AT SOME POINT DOWN THE ROAD. I DON'T KNOW THE IOWA LAW AND HOW IT WORKS.
OBVIOUSLY, WHEN THERE'S A FIRST TIME, YOU SAID YOU COME BACK A SECOND TIME. YEAH, IOWA LAW ONLY ALLOWS FOR THE SECOND SUBSEQUENT ONE, SO WE WON'T DO ANOTHER ONE UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR FOR THE I PLEDGE PROGRAM. WE CAN DO THEM AT ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE JUST GET REIMBURSED.
UNDERSTOOD. SO JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE. I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD THAT WE DO THEM AT ALL POINTS IN TIME. I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN AT A PLACE AND THEY HAPPENED WHILE THEY WERE THERE. SO I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN. BUT SO, OKAY, I GUESS A MOTION TO NO, THAT COMES LATER. DEAL WITH THE RESOLUTION TONIGHT.
SO TONIGHT, AND THEN THEY'LL CONTACT YOU AFTER THAT. I WOULD ASSUME, JAKE, YOU'LL MAKE SURE AND ASSESS THE FINE.
AFTER TONIGHT, IF YOU GUYS IF THE VOTE HOW YOU GUYS VOTE.
UNDERSTOOD. THAT'S YOUR PICK? YOU'D PICK $1,500 FINE? YES.
UNDERSTOOD. PERFECT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. AND YOU, UH, CAN STREAM THE VIDEO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO COME BACK ONLINE.
OKAY. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO COME BACK, YOU CAN COME BACK AND WATCH, OR YOU CAN STREAM IT.
THANK YOU, OFFICER BEAMUS, JAKE, FOR COMING. YEP. THANK YOU. UH, I THINK WE'RE THROUGH THE AGENDA, AND WE'LL IS IT TOO LATE TO SPEAK TO ONE OF THE FOR SURE NOT. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE POLICE AND FIRE, THE FIRE SUPERVISORY PAY.
UNDERSTOOD. SINCE 2010, THAT PAY, THOSE INCREASES HAVE ALWAYS MIRRORED WHAT THE CONTRACT IS WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTION. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE THAT IF IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT SEPARATION, BECAUSE IF THEY GOT A HIGHER IF THE UNION GOT A HIGHER RAISE THAN THE SUPERVISORS, YOU HAVE A NARROWING OF THAT GAP, AND THAT DE-INCENTIVIZES, YOU KNOW, CAPTAINS FOR TAKING THE TEST BECAUSE THEY CAN MAKE AS MUCH OR MORE WITH OVERTIME. WE DON'T GET PAID OVERTIME, SO THAT GAP IS IMPORTANT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT. GREAT, THANK YOU. AND IF I COULD JUST SECOND THE MOTION THAT AVOIDING SALARY DISPARITIES FOR YOUR SUPERVISORY STAFF IS CRITICAL BECAUSE THEN WE DISINCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TAKING GREATER RESPONSIBILITY. SO I WOULD JUST ECHO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S SUPPORT. UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. MOTION TO GO TO EXECUTIVE. SECOND.
OH, JOE JUST SECOND. OKAY. SO COLE SUTTON. AYE. JOE DISALVO. AYE. STEVE GORMAN.
AYE. DOUG RUE. AYE. ROGER SANDOW. AYE.
[1) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
[01:20:03]
CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.UH, SHOW ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IN ATTENDANCE, AND MAYOR SCHUDACK IS JOINING US VIA ZOOM. AND I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ACTUALLY, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH CITIZENS' REQUESTS TO BE HEARD. SO IF NOW'S THE TIME, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA, SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY'S HERE FOR THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS WITH THE COUNCIL OR THE MAYOR THAT IS NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO COME FORWARD. I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE IN THE HALLWAY, SO WE'LL WAIT A FEW SECONDS.
[4) CONSENT AGENDA]
ALL RIGHT, SEEING NONE, SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. I HAVE STEVE MOTIONED.JOE MOTIONED. WHO WAS SECOND? STEVE. STEVE SECOND. STEVE SECOND.
OKAY, GOT IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE ONE PROCLAMATION
[5.A) Homeownership Month ]
TONIGHT FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP MONTH. CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS OFFICE OF THE MAYOR PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS HOMEOWNERSHIP IS A CORNERSTONE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM, PROVIDING FAMILIES IN COUNCIL BLUFFS WITH A SENSE OF SECURITY, DIGNITY, AND A PLACE TO GROW. AND WHEREAS OWNING A HOME IS A PRIMARY DRIVER OF LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY, GENERATIONAL WEALTH, AND ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO BUILD EQUITY AND INVEST IN THEIR FUTURE. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS IS COMMITTING COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THESE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH LOCAL INITIATIVES LIKE THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THE EAST MANUEL SUBDIVISION PROJECT, WHICH PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS PROGRAMS SUCH AS SAFE HOUSING PROGRAM AND THE LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION PROGRAM ENSURE THAT OUR EXISTING HOMEOWNERS CAN MAINTAIN SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR THEIR FAMILIES, AND WHEREAS DURING JUNE WE RECOGNIZE THE HARDWORKING INDIVIDUALS, LOCAL LENDERS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HELP MAKE THE DREAM OF HOMEOWNERSHIP A REALITY FOR THE CITIZENS OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. THEREFORE, MAYOR SCHUDACK, THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 2026 AS HOMEOWNERSHIP MONTH IN THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN RECOGNIZING THE VITAL ROLE THAT HOMEOWNERSHIP PLAYS IN STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY AND ENHANCING THE QUALITY ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS. IS MISS HUNTER HERE TONIGHT? YOU'RE WELCOME TO SAY A FEW WORDS IF YOU LIKE.HELLO. WE FAMILY HOUSING ADVISORY SERVICES JUST WANTS TO THANK YOU. WE'VE BEEN SERVING THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND WORKING WITH THE SHELTERS TO HELP PEOPLE BECOME STABLY HOUSED, AS WELL AS HELPING PEOPLE BECOME FINANCIALLY SECURE. WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING HOMEOWNERSHIP, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS.
WHERE THE HABIT I'M RIGHT HERE.
OH, THERE GOES ONE. AND THE CHIC PROGRAM, WHEN IT WAS CHIC, BUT IT'S NOW NEIGHBORWORKS HOME SOLUTIONS, AND JUST HELPING PEOPLE HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT HOMEOWNERSHIP. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR RECOGNITION OF HOMEOWNERSHIP MONTH. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. SHE CALLED ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT SHE WASN'T GOING TO BE HERE.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND TAKE A PICTURE IN FRONT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE THERE IN PERSON.
03, 2, 1. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND YOU GUYS ARE WELCOME TO LEAVE IF YOU WANT. YOU CAN STICK AROUND IF YOU WANT.
YEAH, WE'LL GIVE A FEW MINUTES FOR YOU GUYS TO THERE'LL BE MORE PEOPLE FROM THE HALLWAY COMING IN.
WELCOME HOME, OLIVIA. YEAH, SO WE GOT 5 OR 6 DEPENDING HOW THEY FIT.
[01:25:02]
WE CAN SIT, WE CAN SIT 5 OR 6 IF SOMEONE WANTS TO COME IN.SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU WERE SITTING BACK DOWN.
OH, SHE WENT OUT. YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SQUEEZE
[6.A) Resolution 26-191 (Continued from 5-18-26) Resolution granting final plat approval of a one-lot subdivision to be known as Peer Center Addition, for property legally described as a replat of all of Lots 277 through 281, Belmont Addition. Location: Undeveloped land lying at the northwest corner of the intersection of North 15th Street and Avenue J. SUB-26-009]
TOGETHER AND GET COMFY WITH 6 OF YOU.OKAY, SQUEEZE. MIGHT BE A LITTLE TIGHT. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE.
TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO THESE MATTERS, PLEASE STEP FORWARD TO THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. NOW IS TIME AND PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN REGARDS TO RESOLUTION 26-191. RESOLUTION GRANTING FINAL PLAT APPROVAL OF A ONE-LOT SUBDIVISION TO BE KNOWN AS THE PIER CENTER ADDITION FOR PROPERTY LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS REPLAT OF ALL LOTS 277 THROUGH 281, BELMONT ADDITION. UNDEVELOPED LOCATION IS UNDEVELOPED LAND LYING NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH 15TH STREET AND AVENUE J. IS PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON FILE? YES, IT IS. ANY WRITTEN PROTEST RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED.
ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER? SEEING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE COUNCIL? MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ALL
[6.B) Resolution 26-205 Resolution setting approving the plans and specifications for the Hillcrest Avenue Reconstruction, Phase II. Project # PW26-14 ]
RIGHT, NOW IT'S TIME AND PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN REGARDS TO RESOLUTION 26-205, RESOLUTION SETTING, APPROVING SETTING AND APPROVING THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR HILLCREST AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION PHASE 2, PROJECT PUBLIC WORKS 26-14. IS PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON FILE? YES, IT IS. ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER? IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE[7.A) Ordinance 6685 Ordinance to amend Chapter 3.12 Alarm Systems of the 2025 Municipal Code of Council Bluffs, Iowa, by amending Section 3.12.040 "Registration Application Fee-Termination and Renewal". ]
IN FAVOR? AYE. JODI.OKAY, SO WE HAVE ORDINANCE UNDER FIRST CONSIDERATION, ORDINANCE 6685, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 3.12, ALARM SYSTEMS, OF THE 2025 MUNICIPAL CODE OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, BY AMENDING SECTION 3.12.040, REGISTRATION APPLICATION FEE TERMINATION AND RENEWAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE COUNCIL? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? WE HAVE SEVERAL ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCES. THE IF YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE OF THE PIT BULL ONE, IT'S GOING TO BE THE 4TH ONE.
SO I'M GOING TO READ 3 FIRST AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE.
[7.B) Ordinance 6686 Ordinance to amend Chapter 4.20 Animal Control of the 2025 Council Bluffs Municipal Code by amending Sections 4.20.010 "Administration and Enforcement", 4.20.020 “Definitions-Animal Control”, and 4.20.132 “Administrative Appeal Procedure”. ]
SO B, C, AND D WILL ALL BE SEPARATE.OKAY. SO ORDINANCE 6686, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 4.20 ANIMAL CONTROL OF THE 2025 MUNICIPAL CODE BY AMENDING SECTION 4.20.010 ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT, 4.20.020 DEFINITIONS ANIMAL CONTROL, AND 4.20.132 ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL PROCEDURES.
IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE COUNCIL? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YOU WANT TO MAYBE JUST CLARIFY EXACTLY? THIS KIND OF MOVES THIS UNDERNEATH.
SO WE MOVED ANIMAL CONTROL UNDER FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO UNDER, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND SO THESE FIRST 3 ORDINANCES ARE CLEANUP OF THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR ORDINANCES READ CORRECTLY.
OKAY, THANK YOU. ONE OF THEM DOWN THE ROAD, THERE'S SOME CONTRADICTORY STUFF TOO. SO IT ALSO PUTS THEM ALL IN LINE TOGETHER, MAKES IT REAL CLEAR, CLEANS IT UP. BUT SO,
[7.C) Ordinance 6687 Ordinance to amend Chapter 4.20 Animal Control by amending Sections 4.20.083 “Potentially Dangerous Dog Designation” and 4.20.084 “Dangerous Dog Designation”.]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.ORDINANCE 6686, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 4.20, ANIMAL CONTROL, BY AMENDING SECTIONS 4.20.083, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOG DESIGNATION, AND 4.20.084, 4.20.084 DANGEROUS DOG DESIGNATION.
DISCUSSION? SAME THING, JUST MOVING AND REPEATING.
[7.D) Ordinance 6688 Ordinance to amend Chapter 4.20 Animal Control by repealing Section 4.20.128 “Seizure/Destruction Of Animal”, by amending Section 4.20.020 “Definitions-Animal Control” and by amending and retitling Section 4.20.120 “Keeping of Vicious Animals Prohibited-Proceedings to Determine-Seizure And/Or Destruction Authorized” to be titled “Keeping of Vicious Animals Prohibited”.]
IN FAVOR? AYE. ORDINANCE 6688, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 4.20 ANIMAL CONTROL BY AMENDING SECTION 4.20 0.128, SEIZURE, DESTRUCTION OF ANIMAL, BY AMENDING SECTION 4.20.020, DEFINITIONS, ANIMAL CONTROL, AND BY AMENDING AND RETITLING SECTION 4.20.102 0.120, KEEPING VICIOUS ANIMALS AND PROHIBITED PROCEEDINGS TO DETERMINE SEIZURE AND/OR DESTRUCTION, AUTHORIZED TO BE TITLED KEEPING VICIOUS ANIMALS PROHIBITED.[01:30:11]
IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE COUNCIL? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. IT'S, IT'S ALL IN THE PACKET. IT'S ALL PUBLIC INFORMATION. IT'S ALL WRITTEN OUT. THIS IS HOW THE ORDINANCE READS, BUT IT'S ALL IN THE PACKET. IT'S ALL PUBLIC INFORMATION. IT'S JUST RETITLING IT. CAN YOU TURN THE VOLUME UP IN THE HALLWAY A LITTLE BIT? IS THAT, IS THAT BETTER? PERFECT. OKAY, THEY CAN HEAR IN THE HALLWAY NOW. YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO, YOU, YOU CAN. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, YOU GET 5 MINUTES IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, I NEED A SECOND FIRST. I HAVE A FIRST BY JOE.
OKAY, SO THIS NEEDS TO BE SPECIFIC TO THIS ORDINANCE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK, YOU GOT TO COME UP TO THE END TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS KELLY. I LIVE AT 1030 HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS.
UM, AND I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE KEEPING TITLED KEEPING OF VICIOUS ANIMALS PROHIBITED.
WHAT SO I NEED CLARIFICATION ON THAT, PLEASE. BECAUSE WHAT IS YOUR WHAT IS YOUR CAN YOU DISCUSS WHY? BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE READ THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT IS WE'RE CLEANING THE LANGUAGE UP. WE HAD NO DEFINITION, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THIS, JAKE, AND THIS IS GIVING US THE ABILITY TO GIVE THE OWNER 30 DAYS AND HOW AND SOME LANGUAGE AROUND THE ADULT SUPERVISION AND LEASH LAW. IT JUST CLEANS UP THE LANGUAGE IN THAT VICIOUS LAW, AND THERE WAS NO VICIOUS ANIMAL DEFINITION BEFORE. BEFORE SO THAT'S NOT TOTALLY CORRECT.
THERE WAS A DEFINITION, BUT IT IS NOT IT'S NOT LIKE BREED OR ANIMAL SPECIFIC, IT'S BEHAVIOR SPECIFIC. SO IT'S LIKE THERE ARE SET THINGS THAT ANIMAL CONTROL CAN DESIGNATE AN ANIMAL AS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IF THEY DO A CERTAIN LIST OF THINGS, THEY CAN THEN DESIGNATE THEM AS DANGEROUS IF THEY DO A DIFFERENT LIST OF THINGS, AND THEY CAN DESIGNATE THEM AS VICIOUS IF THEY THERE'S ANOTHER LIST IN THE CODE. NO, AREN'T WE HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE CONSIDERED VICIOUS REGARDLESS? THIS IS ANY ANIMAL. THIS IS ANY ANIMAL.
SOME RABBIT SQUIRRELS AND SOME RABBIT POSSUMS AND SOME RABBIT EVERYTHING ELSE. CAN I SPEAK MORE THAN ONCE AS WELL? OH, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU'RE DONE FOR THIS ONE. I'M DONE.
BUT YOU CAN AT THIS POINT ON THE NEXT THIS ONE, YOU YEAH, YOU GET 5 MINUTES. YEP. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THAT IS IN THE CODE ALREADY. IT'S NOT
[7.E) Ordinance 6689 Ordinance to amend Chapter 4.20 Animal Control by repealing Section 4.20.112 “Pit Bulls Prohibited”. ]
RIGHT, OR JUST DEFINED. YEAH, RIGHT, THAT'S NOT CHANGING.OKAY, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE ORDINANCE 6689, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 4.20, ANIMAL CONTROL, BY REPEALING SECTIONS 4.20.112 TO PIT BULLS PROHIBITED.
IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE COUNCIL? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. I AGAIN WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT.
SO HOLD ON, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TURNS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE SPEAK ON IT.
SO BEFORE BEFORE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. I'M GOING TO GO OVER THE RULES TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
YES. YOUR COMMENTS MUST BE NOT ARGUMENTATIVE. OKAY.
NON-REPETITIVE. AND, AND, OR CUMULATIVE. I WILL DO MY SO IF YOU HAVE IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE FIRST TO SPEAK, SO YOU'RE SETTING THE RULES FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, JUST SO YOU KNOW. SO I CAN'T SPEAK RIGHT NOW? YOU CAN, YOU CAN, JUST A SECOND, JUST A SECOND. I HAVE A TIMER HERE.
OKAY, SO EVERYBODY GETS 5 MINUTES. IT'S AN ORDINANCE, IT'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING. A PUBLIC HEARING, YOU GET 10 MINUTES. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, SO, UH, NO ONE IS TO SPEAK WHILE THE PERSON AT THE PODIUM IS SPEAKING. WE DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT PEOPLE, WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL. EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS, EVERYBODY'S TIME.
AND SO IF YOU ARE OUT OF TURN SPEAKING, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THINGS FROM THE HALLWAY, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THINGS FROM THE AUDIENCE. I WILL ASK THE OFFICERS TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE.
WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY, NO MATTER WHICH SIDE YOU'RE ON.
EVERYBODY'S OPINION NEEDS TO BE HEARD. SO GO AHEAD, MA'AM.
OKAY, SO AGAIN, MY NAME IS KELLY TOMPKINS. I'M HERE, 1030 6TH AVENUE HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS, OVER HALF MY LIFE.
UM, AND I AM AGAINST THE PIT BULL BAN. I MAY BE REPETITIVE. I'M SORRY. I HAVE A NO, THIS IS THE FIRST
[01:35:01]
TIME YOU'RE SPEAKING, SO YOU'RE FINE.I HAVE A MEDICAL ILLNESS THAT DOES SOMETIMES I WILL REPEAT MYSELF. EXCUSE ME. I DO BELIEVE THAT PIT BULLS ARE THE MOST PRECIOUS ANIMALS THAT ONE COULD HAVE.
I LOVE DOGS. I LOVE ANIMALS MORE THAN I DO HUMANS BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? ANIMALS DON'T DEGRADE US.
THEY DON'T HURT US. AND IF THEY DO, THEY MOST NORMALLY DON'T INTEND TO.
YOU'VE PROBABLY COME ACROSS SOMETHING OF THEIR TERRITORY. THEY IT COMES FROM THE HUMANS THAT RAISE THEM, THAT THEY'RE AROUND. AGAIN, I BELIEVE IT IS NOT THE ANIMAL, IT IS THE HUMAN WHO RAISES THEM, WHO TREAT HOW THEY ARE TREATED.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ANIMAL. JUST LIKE A HUMAN, THEY CAN BE THEIR BRAINS CAN BE, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE WORD AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE CAN BE TRAINED TO DO THINGS OVER TIME, NEW THINGS. YOU CAN TAKE SOMEONE FROM A HORRIBLE SITUATION AND YOU CAN BRING YOU CAN HAVE AN ANGEL AT THE END. I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE YOU STARTED FROM SCRATCH DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE FOREVER. UH, MY WORDS AREN'T ALWAYS GREAT. I'M A LITTLE EMOTIONAL AS THIS IS MEANINGFUL TO ME, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT MAY BE AGAINST ME, AND I'M NOT. I DO I'M HERE FOR THE ANIMAL, THE ANIMALS, NOT THE PEOPLE. AGAIN, I DO BELIEVE IT'S THE PERSON THAT MAKES THE ANIMAL BAD, NOT THE ANIMAL ITSELF. I WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH TIME BECAUSE I WANT OTHER PEOPLE I WANT OTHERS TO SPEAK. AND IF EVERYBODY YEAH, THE MAYOR YEAH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CLAP AFTER EVERYBODY. WE'RE GOING TO BE QUIET AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH.
BUT THE MAYOR DOES WANT TO SPEAK NEXT, SO WE'RE GOING TO LET THE MAYOR TALK. YEP.
JILL SCHUDACK, 1123 EAST WASHINGTON AVENUE. TONIGHT I'M HERE TO SPEAK AS A CITIZEN AND THE REASON WHY I FIRMLY BELIEVE AND ASK THE COUNCIL TO REPEAL THIS LAW. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE OR THE ORDINANCE.
FIRST, I WANT TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THE CITY STAFF, LAW ENFORCEMENT, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS PUT INTO DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THIS BAN MANY YEARS AGO.
AT THE TIME, THOSE INVOLVED WERE RESPONDING TO THE CONCERNS AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THEM WITH THE GOAL OF PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY AND SERVING THE BEST INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, COMMUNITIES EVOLVE, RESEARCH ADVANCES, AND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP HAS CHANGED.
AFTER REVIEWING THE ISSUE, LISTENING TO MANY, MANY RESIDENTS, AND CONSIDERING HOW OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE APPROACHED BREED-SPECIFIC REGULATIONS, I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT'S TIME TO REPEAL THE PIT BULL BAN. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT A DOG'S BEHAVIOR IS MORE ACCURATELY DETERMINED BY FACTORS SUCH AS TRAINING, SOCIALIZATION, AND RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP RATHER THAN A BREED ALONE. BREED-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION PLACES THE FOCUS ON THE APPEARANCE OF THE, UM, APPEARANCE INSTEAD OF THE BEHAVIOR, OFTEN IMPACTING RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS WHILE DOING LITTLE TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF DANGEROUS ANIMAL INCIDENTS.
ONE OF THE PRACTICAL CHALLENGES WITH BREED-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION IS THAT IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY IDENTIFY A DOG'S BREED BASED SOLELY ON APPEARANCE. NUMEROUS STUDIES AND ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE FOUND THAT VISUAL IDENTIFICATION IS OFTEN UNRELIABLE, PARTICULARLY IN MIXED BREEDS. THIS CREATES A CHALLENGE FOR ENFORCEMENT, UNCERTAINTY FOR PET OWNERS, AND INCONSISTENCY ON HOW THE ORDINANCES APPLY. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE REAL-WORLD IMPACT THIS BAN HAS HAD ON OUR COMMUNITY. WE COMMUNITY WE CONTINUE TO SEE THESE ANIMALS LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY DESPITE THE BAN.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE LOST CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE RESIDENTS WHO EITHER CHOOSE NOT TO MOVE HERE OR CHOOSE TO LEAVE BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR BELOVED PETS. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN. AND THEN WE HAVE THOSE WHO ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IS WHY WE SEE SO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME. THE EFFECT IS, IS THAT WE ARE BEARING THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH ENFORCEMENT ENFORCING A BAN WHILE NOT FULLY ACHIEVING THE INTENDED OUTCOME.
OUR GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT MORE EFFECTIVELY THROUGH STRONG BREED-NEUTRAL ANIMAL CONTROL POLICIES THAT HOLD OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS OF THEIR PETS REGARDLESS OF THEIR BREED. SUCH AS AN APPROACH WILL ALLOW US TO ENFORCE THE EFFORTS OF DANGEROUS BEHAVIORS RATHER THAN MAKING AN ASSUMPTION BASED SOLELY ON A DOG'S APPEARANCE.
IT'S NOT A CRITICISM OF DECISIONS MADE IN THE PAST. THOSE DECISIONS WERE MADE BY PEOPLE DOING THE BEST WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES BEFORE THEM. RATHER, IT'S A RECOGNITION THAT TIME HAS CHANGED AND OUR UNDERSTANDING HAS EVOLVED, AND OUR POLICIES SHOULD EVOLVE TOO.
FOR THAT REASON, I ASK THE COUNCIL TO THINK THOUGHTFULLY AND BE IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE BAN. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE HUMANE SOCIETY AMERICAN HUMANE SOCIETY HAS SENT A LETTER TO ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL AS MYSELF STATING THAT THEY WOULD MAKE THEIR LEGAL TEAM WHO SPECIALIZES IN ANIMALS AND ANIMAL LAWS AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO REWRITE ANY OF OUR CURRENT ORDINANCES THAT INVOLVED DANGEROUS ANIMALS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.
[01:40:08]
NIKKI'S NEXT, OR WHOEVER IT IS. WELL, NIKKI WAS UP AND MOVING, SO WE'LL LET HER GO. EVERYBODY WILL GET THEIR TURN. HI EVERYBODY, I'M NIKKI CRUIKSHANK, 19762 HONEYSUCKLE ROAD, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA 51503. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MIDLANDS HUMAN SOCIETY. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE WE DID WE ALREADY DO THE VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE REPEAL? I'M JUST OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST A MOTION. GOT IT. SO NOW YOU CAN TALK.THERE'S NO VOTE. SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO HAVE DISCUSSION AND TO HAVE YOU GUYS TALK. GOT IT.
OKAY, SO OBVIOUSLY HAVE A REALLY FULL ROOM, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK. I THINK BASICALLY THE BIG THING I WANT TO SAY, THAT IF YOU'RE HERE TO REPEAL THE BAN, IF YOU WANT IT TO GO AWAY, PLEASE STAND. SO THAT'S PRETTY POWERFUL. UM, I YEP, THERE'S A LOT OUTSIDE, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY'S GOING TO TALK, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT, AND I THINK MAYOR CHUDOCK JUST REALLY HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD ON A LOT OF, LOT OF STATEMENTS. SO I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT ANYTHING OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S BEST TO LOOK AT BEHAVIOR, NOT BREED. UM, WE HAVE ANIMAL CONTROL, MIDLANDS HUMANE SOCIETY, THAT ARE VERY GOOD AT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT THE ANIMAL ANIMAL'S BEHAVIOR IS, YOU CHANGING SOME OF THE ORDINANCE TO MAKE DANGEROUS, VICIOUS DOGS, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S HOLDING THE OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE THINGS. THAT'S WHY THESE ORDINANCES ARE BEING PUT FORWARD, SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY. SO OVERALL, THAT WAS I JUST WANTED TO IF, IF YOU'RE HERE, I THINK THEY SAW YOU. IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC STORIES, I DEFINITELY THINK YOU SHOULD SPEAK IF YOU NEED TO.
BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A BIG YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY WANTS THIS REPEAL TO HAPPEN. SO WE HAVE OTHER ORDINANCE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I CAN TALK AT THE NEXT ONE TOO, BUT THAT, THAT COUNCILMAN BUTTON PUT FORWARD TO ALSO ENFORCE RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON, NOT THE BREED.
MY NAME IS DALLAS LAPSLEY, 3525 9TH AVENUE. I'M BASICALLY HERE I DO NOT OWN A PIT. I SUPPORT THEM. I HAVE TWO ROTTWEILERS, UM, AND ALL I CAN TELL YOU, IT'S JUST LIKE THE LADIES TALKED ABOUT OVER IT'S THE OWNERS THAT MAKE THE DOG. AND I BELIEVE YOU GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING, THE DOG IS COMES, COMES TOGETHER BASED ON HOW IT'S RAISED AND HOW IT'S RAISED BY THE PEOPLE. EVERY PERSON IS BROUGHT UP AS A CHILD, STARTS OUT, YEAH, FROM, FROM AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD.
YOU LEARN GOOD OR BAD. WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO WITH IT IS WHAT IS DONE.
THERE'S GOOD OWNERS, THERE'S BAD OWNERS. DON'T TAKE IT OUT ON ANY ANIMAL. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A CHIHUAHUA TO A PIT A PIT BULL TO A GREAT DANE. TREAT THEM ALL THE SAME AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. IT WILL BALANCE OUT.
A PRIME EXAMPLE, AND I HAVE ONE OF THE LADIES HERE THAT CAN TESTIFY. MY OWN DOG GOT ME A WHILE BACK. BUT IT WAS BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR'S DOG GOT OUT OF THE YARD.
BUT I GOT MY DOG BACK. SO IT DOES WORK IF YOU SHOW THAT YOUR DOG LEARNED AND IS A LOVING DOG AND A CARING DOG AND IS BROUGHT UP THE RIGHT WAY. AND HE WASN'T AGGRESSIVE, WASN'T VICIOUS. IT WAS JUST A FLUKE ACCIDENT. I GOT MY DOG BACK. ANYBODY HERE THAT OWNS A PIT? THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS. AND THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS WHEN THEY GET THEM AS A PUPPY AND WHEN THEY GET OLDER, THEY GIVE THEM BACK. KEEP THEM FROM YOUNG TO OLD.
BUT I SEE TOO MANY OF THEM GOING TO POUND WHEN, WHEN WE WERE GOING THERE THAT ARE 3 AND 4 YEARS OLD. THEY'RE THERE A YEAR AND SO THAT'S TOO LONG TO LEAVE AN ANIMAL IN THE POUND. THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY ABOUT THE SUBJECT BECAUSE THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL DOGS.
OKAY, I JUST FELT LIKE THE LONGER I SAT THERE, THE MORE NERVOUS I WAS GOING TO GET. NOT REALLY A PUBLIC SPEAKER, BUT MY NAME IS ANDREA JONES AND MY ADDRESS IS 3446 7TH AVENUE.
YOUR NAME AGAIN? SORRY, ANDREA JONES. THANK YOU.
I AM A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER AND I'M ALSO A GRADUATE STUDENT OF COUNSELING, AND I'M OBVIOUSLY HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF LIFTING BREED-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION IN
[01:45:01]
COUNCIL BLUFFS AND STRENGTHENING PENALTIES FOR ANIMAL ABUSE AND DOG FIGHTING.I DO BELIEVE PUBLIC SAFETY MATTERS. I ALSO BELIEVE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP MATTERS, BUT BREED BANS DO NOT SOLVE THE REAL PROBLEM.
BREED-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION TARGETS DOGS BASED ON APPEARANCE RATHER THAN BEHAVIOR. MULTIPLE MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, AND THE NATIONAL CANINE RESEARCH COUNCIL, HAVE ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IDENTIFYING PIT BULL TYPE DOGS EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE. THIS MEANS THAT MANY MIXED BREEDS ARE LABELED AS PIT BULLS BECAUSE OF HOW THEY LOOK, EVEN WHEN DNA LATER PROVES OTHERWISE. THIS MEANS THAT THE BITE STATISTICS OUT THERE FOR PIT BULLS ARE OFTEN EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE, AND THEY ARE ALSO VERY INFLATED. UM, I ALSO DID A SEMESTER-LONG RESEARCH PROJECT FOR MY SENIOR SEMESTER OF MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE, THAT WAS ON BREED-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOMES. THROUGHOUT THE RESEARCH, I FOUND NO AVAILABLE EVIDENCE SHOWING THAT BREED BANS IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHAT I DID FIND WAS EVIDENCE THAT BREED BANS INCREASE SHELTER OVERCROWDING, INCREASE EUTHANASIA RATES, AND SORRY, LOST MY PLACE HERE AND ALSO THAT THERE'S NO RELIABLE EVIDENCE THAT THEY IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AT ALL. WE SHOULD ALMOST REMEMBER ALSO REMEMBER THAT DOG BITES ARE COMPLEX EVENTS. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT NEGLECT, ABUSE, CHAINING, LACK OF TRAINING, IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP, AND FAILURE TO PROPERLY SOCIALIZE DOGS ARE FAR STRONGER PREDICTORS OF DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR THAN THE BREED ALONE. UM, I'M GOING TO SKIP A COUPLE THINGS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ALREADY SAID IT THERE. BUT THIS IS WHY I ALSO BELIEVE THAT COUNCILMAN COLBUN HAS THE RIGHT IDEA WITH HIS PROPOSAL TO PROHIBIT CONVICTED ANIMAL ABUSERS FROM OWNING PETS. THE APPROACH TARGETS A REAL PROBLEM, WHICH IS PEOPLE WHO MISTREAT ANIMALS AND CREATE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. ALSO, WHEN RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP OWNERS ARE PUSHED AWAY FROM OWNING THESE DOGS, WHO IS LEFT TO TAKE THEM? TOO OFTEN IT IS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN NEGLECT ABUSE, BACKYARD BREEDING, INTIMIDATION, AND DOG FIGHTING. AND THE LAWS THAT PREVENT RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP UNINTENTIONALLY LEAVE THESE DOGS IN THE HANDS OF THE WRONG PEOPLE. SO INSTEAD OF BREED BANS, I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER STRONGER ENFORCEMENT AGAINST RECKLESS OWNERS, SEVERE PENALTIES FOR DOG FIGHTING AND ANIMAL CRUELTY, AND PROHIBITING CONVICTED ANIMAL ABUSERS FROM OWNING PETS. AND PRETTY MUCH THE REST OF WHAT I WROTE WAS ALREADY SAID. SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LEAVE IT WITH THAT AND SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. JOEL RYBIN, 2 WALLACE AVENUE, COUNCIL BLUFFS. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY FOR SHOWING UP. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS PUT INTO PLACE, IT WAS NEEDED. EVEN THOUGH I AM, I AM AN ADVOCATE FOR LIFTING IT, I BELIEVE THAT THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED. THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT USED TO OWN PIT BULLS AND USE THEM FOR INTIMIDATION AND THE WAY THAT THEY USED TO PARADE THEM AROUND TOWN WE'RE TALKING A DECADE AGO AND MORE IT WAS NEEDED THEN. NOW WE'RE TREATING RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS THE SAME AS IRRESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS, AND I BELIEVE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. A LOT OF BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE TAKING PEOPLE OWN PIT BULLS IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. THAT'S, THAT'S A FACT. THEY'RE TAKING THEIR DOGS TO NEBRASKA TO GET SEEN. THEY'RE NOT REGISTERING THEIR DOGS. SO IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE RECORD OF IT. AND, AND THEN ALSO, LIKE I SAID, THE DEMOGRAPHIC HAS CHANGED.
IT USED TO BE A CERTAIN TYPE THAT WE TARGETED, AND THAT'S WHY THEY PUT THE ORDINANCE IN PLACE. NOWADAYS, IT'S LOVING, CARING, NURTURING FAMILIES THAT HAVE A PIT BULL IN THEIR HOME, AND THEY DON'T JUST CONSIDER IT A PIT BULL.
IT'S A DOG. ALL DOGS SHOULD, SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS DOGS AND TREATED LIKE FAMILY. SO TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE AND TO SEE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY SKIRTING THE LAW WHEN THEY WOULDN'T NORMALLY BREAK THE LAW, THEY'RE GOING TO SKIRT THE LAW TO KEEP THEIR DOG IN THEIR FAMILY. AND TO ME, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO PUSH THIS SUBJECT ANY FURTHER OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT TIMES HAVE CHANGED. COUNCIL BLUFFS AS A COMMUNITY HAS GOTTEN BETTER AND IT'S IMPROVING. AND NOBODY LIKES THE WORD, BUT IT USED TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL TUCKY TERM. THIS IS COUNCIL BLUFFS. THIS IS A BLUE-COLLAR TOWN FULL OF PEOPLE THAT WORK HARD, TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES, AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR DOGS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS AND, AND SHOWING THAT
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YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR DOG. LEASH LAWS, DANGEROUS DOG LAWS EXIST. YOU KNOW, I KNOW MULTIPLE DOG BREEDS, AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS MULTIPLE DOG BREEDS THAT ARE MORE DANGEROUS OR, YOU KNOW, CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS A VICIOUS DOG. YOU GOT ALL KINDS OF BREEDS GERMAN SHEPHERDS, ROTTWEILERS, DOBERMANS, CANE CORSOS. WE CAN'T JUST WE'RE IN AMERICA.THIS IS COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, IN THE HEARTLAND, AND WE SHOULD NOT BE CRIMINALIZING AND TAKING AWAY FAMILY MEMBERS OUT OF HOMES JUST BECAUSE THEY OWN A PIT BULL. AND I JUST I WANT TO SEE CHANGE. THE COMMUNITY IS GROWING, AND I WANT THE COUNCIL TO AT LEAST RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THESE ARE FAMILY MEMBERS. THIS ISN'T, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL BLUFFS 10, 15, 20 YEARS AGO, THE DOGS AREN'T USED AS INTIMIDATION ANYMORE. AND IF IT IS, THAT'S ON THE DOG OWNER.
AND DANGEROUS LAW, YOU KNOW, DANGEROUS DOG ORDINANCES DO NEED TO BE IN PLACE. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED TO PUT A DOG'S OWNERSHIP AND A FAMILY'S DOG OVER PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T ABOUT FACEBOOK COMMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA HYPE.
THIS IS ABOUT FAMILY. I, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND WHERE DOGS HAVE GOTTEN TAKEN OUT OF HOMES AND HAD TO WITNESS A 6-YEAR-OLD GIRL CRY BECAUSE THEIR DOG WAS GETTING TAKEN AWAY AND SHE KNEW THEY WEREN'T GETTING THAT DOG BACK. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO DO BETTER. THE CITY COUNCIL JUST NEEDS TO SEE THAT TIMES HAVE CHANGED AND WE JUST WANT YOU TO CHANGE WITH IT. THAT'S ALL. THIS IS CARTER SCHOOLING. HE LIVES AT 710 LAURIE LANE.
TODAY WE ARE HERE TO REMOVE THE BAN OF PIT BULLS NOT BEING ABLE TO STAY AT HOMES. THE COUNCIL PLUS AND WE ALL THOUGHT NAMED BRUCEY GOT TAKEN AWAY AND FOR NO REASON, AND WE STILL REMEMBER HIM 6 YEARS LATER. AND WE WANT TO REMOVE THE BAN FOR PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO STAY IN COUNCIL BLUFFS.
SO WHAT HE'S SHOWING HERE IN HIS PICTURE IS THAT HE'S IN A KENNEL WITH A DANGEROUS DOG. THAT'S HE'S IN HIS KENNEL THERE. IF THAT DOG THEM DOGS ARE THAT DANGEROUS, I DON'T THINK THAT BABY SHOULD BE IN THERE.
ON TOP OF IT, THIS DOG RESCUED MY WIFE FROM A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. WE MOVED TO COUNCIL BLUFFS, AND A FEW MONTHS AFTER WE MOVED HERE, SOMEONE KNOCKED ON OUR DOOR AND TOLD US SHE HAD TO TURN THIS IN, REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF IOWA AS A SERVICE DOG. AND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST PACK UP OUR STUFF AND MOVE BACK OUT OF THIS CITY, WE HAD TO GIVE THIS DOG UP.
SIR, CAN YOU TELL ME YOUR NAME? UH, I'M KENNY. OKAY, THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS ANDREA DE SANTIAGO, 2905 AVENUE A. I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SPEECH PROBLEM BECAUSE I WAS IN A BAD ACCIDENT THIS YEAR, SO JUST BEAR WITH ME, AND I'M STILL HEALING. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ANDREA, AND I AM HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO REPEAL THE COUNCIL BLUFFS PIT BULL BANS. THIS BAN HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER 20 YEARS, YET MANY RESIDENTS BELIEVE IT UNFAIRLY JUDGES DOGS BASED ON APPEARANCE AND BREED RATHER THAN BEHAVIOR. THE CITY ALREADY HAS DANGEROUS ANIMAL LAWS THAT ALLOW AUTHORITIES TO ADDRESS AGGRESSIVE DOGS REGARDLESS OF BREED.
SUPPORTERS OF REPILL ARGUE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS BEST SERVED BY FOCUSING ON THE ACTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL DOGS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THEIR OWNERS, NOT BY BANNING THE ENTIRE BREED.
MANY PIT BULLS ARE LOVING FAMILY PETS. LIKE ANY DOG, THEY CAN BE GOOD OR BAD DEPENDING ON TRAINING, SOCIALIZATION, AND RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP. A DOG'S BEHAVIOR IS INFLUENCED BY HOW IT IS RAISED AND MANAGED, AND RESPONSIBLE OWNERS SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED BECAUSE OF STEREOTYPES ABOUT A BREED.
THE CURRENT ORDINANCE CAN ALSO AFFECT MIXED BREED DOGS THAT MERELY RESEMBLE PIT BULLS, MAKING ENFORCEMENT DIFFICULT AT SOMETIMES SEPARATING FAMILIES FROM PETS THAT HAVE NEVER SHOWN AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR. I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME RESIDENTS HAVE LEGIT CONCERNS ABOUT DOG ATTACKS, AND THOSE CONCERNS DESERVE RESPECT.
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NOT MEAN IGNORING SAFETY. IT MEANS HOLDING ALL DOG OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE EQUALLY AND ADDRESSING DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR WHENEVER IT OCCURS. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO REPLACE BREED-SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS WITH POLICIES THAT FOCUS ON RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP, PROPER LICENSING, TRAINING, AND ENFORCEMENT AGAINST TRULY DANGEROUS ANIMALS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.HI, I'M JAMIE GUM. I'M AT 19394 PERRY ROAD. I HAD NO INTENTION OF TALKING TONIGHT, SO BEAR WITH MY VOICE. I'M A COUNTY RESIDENT, THANK GOODNESS.
BECAUSE I AM 4 HOUSES OUT OF THE CITY LIMIT LINE, AND I DO HAVE A PIT BULL. I ALSO VOLUNTEER WITH A SHELTER. WE PREDOMINANTLY HAVE FOSTER PIT BULLS BECAUSE WE CAN. MOST PEOPLE IN THE CITY I MEAN, NOBODY IN THE CITY CAN. SO WE TAKE IN ANY OF THE PIT BULLS THAT HAVE HAD TO HAVE AMPUTATIONS, ANYTHING JUST WHERE THEY NEED SOME EXTRA TIME TO HEAL. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THESE DOGS. THEY HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE BEST FOSTERS WE HAVE HAD. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I'M GONNA GUESS IN TOTAL WE'VE HAD WELL OVER 100 FOSTER DOGS IN OUR HOUSE.
UM, THE MAIN ISSUE I HAVE ONE TIME WE GOT ASKED TO FOSTER A DOG NAMED FARRAH BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN IN THE SHELTER ALMOST A YEAR.
WHEN WE GOT THIS DOG, THEY ASKED US TO FOSTER HER.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T FOSTER PERFECTLY HEALTHY ADULT DOGS.
LIKE, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. WE NEED THE ONES THAT NEED MORE TIME FOR MEDICAL REASONS BECAUSE THEY'RE PUPPIES. SO THIS DOG CAME TO US. THEY ASKED US, SHE NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE SHELTER. SHE IS DEPRESSED. SO WE TOOK THIS DOG JUST TO GIVE HER A LITTLE BIT OF FAMILY LIFE. AND GET OUT OF THE SHELTER. WHEN WE GOT HER, THE FIRST THING I SAW AND LOOKED AT HER, I WAS LIKE, THIS IS NOT A PIT BULL. NOT AT ALL. WELL, THE SHELTER UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T GET TO MAKE THAT DECISION OF WHAT IS A PIT BULL AND WHAT ISN'T.
WE ALL KNOW IT'S BASED ON VISUAL POINTS, AND THAT IS IT. THESE VISUAL POINTS MAKE NO SENSE BECAUSE WHEN WE KNEW SHE WAS NOT A PIT BULL, WE ENDED UP BUYING THE, LIKE, THOSE WISDOM PANELS TO DO THE DNA TESTING. CAME BACK, SHE WAS 40% BOXER AND LIKE 26% STAFFORDSHIRE, WHICH IS NOT A PIT BULL. SO THE LABELING OF PIT BULL I TAKE ISSUE WITH IN GENERAL BECAUSE THAT IS NOT A BREED. UM, THIS DOG WASN'T EVEN THE 50%. SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 50% IN ORDER TO BE BANNED FROM THE CITY.
NOW, AT THAT TIME, YOU GUYS HAD GALEN THAT WAS, UM, IN CONTROL OF ANIMAL CONTROL, SO THEY MADE THE DECISIONS ON THAT. GALEN, WE PRESENTED THE DNA KIT TO HIM, AND HE OKAYED HER BEING REMOVED AS A PIT BULL, WHICH WAS GREAT. SHE WAS ADOPTED LIKE 2 WEEKS LATER.
SO SHE STAYED IN THE SHELTER FOR ALMOST A YEAR BECAUSE SHE WAS LABELED A PIT BULL. SHE GETS UNLABELED A PIT BULL AND IS ADOPTED. NOW GALEN IS RETIRED, SO MY MAIN CONCERN IS THIS FALLS ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CORRECT, TO LABEL THESE DOGS.
FIRST, YOU HAVE AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER WHO KNOWS ANIMALS AND KNOWS BREEDS AND KNOWS AT LEAST SOME OF THE PINPOINTS OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR. NOW YOU'RE ASKING OFFICERS TO DO THIS. THAT DON'T HAVE THE BACKGROUND OR TRAINING IN THIS. I'M JUST HOPING YOU SOMEWHAT SEE THE DISCREPANCIES IN THIS. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY MORE ANYBODY'S TIME. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT LABELING A DOG A PIT BULL SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE CITY.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, WE, WE DO STILL HAVE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS. THEY JUST NOW ARE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO THERE ISN'T AN OFFICER THAT'S MAKING THAT DETERMINATION.
THERE STILL IS AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, JUST SO YOU KNOW. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. THAT'S FAIR.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND. UH, JEFF SCHUDEK, 120 IVY DRIVE. I'M HERE TO, UH,
[02:00:02]
TO SPEAK IN, IN FAVOR OF LIFTING THE PIT BULL BAN. I THINK IT JUST MAKES SENSE. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND A BUNCH OF TIME, BUT I MEAN, I WATCH A GOOD SHARE OF THESE MEETINGS AND I SEE THAT AT TIMES, UH, MAYBE THE STATE LEGISLATIONS TOOK SOME MONEY AWAY FROM YOU. WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE RESOURCES TO ENFORCE THIS. IT'S NOT NEEDED. AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE KIND OF MISSING THE BOAT ON REGISTRATION FEES. UM, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF PIT BULLS HERE IN THIS TOWN. PEOPLE DON'T GET PIT BULLS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT LEGAL HERE. VERY FEW. THEY'RE JUST NOT BEING REGISTERED. YOU GUYS AREN'T GETTING YOUR MONEY.A LOT OF THESE ANIMALS ARE HERE NO MATTER WHAT. I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE.
THE OTHER THING I HEAR ABOUT RETENTION ALL THE TIME.
I KNOW 10 PEOPLE AT LEAST THAT HAVE MOVED TO OMAHA, NEBRASKA BECAUSE THEY CAN'T HAVE THEIR DOG. IS THAT, IS THAT HOW WE, IS THAT, DOES THAT SOUND IT JUST DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A GOOD WAY OF A GOOD RETENTION PLAN. AND THEN THE LAST THING, AND TO BE QUITE FRANK WITH ALL OF YOU, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN FAVOR OF THIS AND WHO'S NOT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I WAS ON 04,000 DOORS THIS LAST FALL, AND THIS IS A PRETTY UNPOPULAR THING, IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED THIS OUT. THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN EVEN COMPARE IT TO WOULD BE WHEN THE GOLF COURSE THING.
ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DOOR, 04,000 DOORS, YOU KNOW, EITHER TALKED ABOUT SAVING THE GOLF COURSE OR REPEALING THE PIT BULL BAN. I'M SURE THERE MIGHT BE A COUPLE PEOPLE IN HERE THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE BAN. I RESPECT THEIR OPINIONS. I RESPECT THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR RIGHT TO SPEAK.
BUT IF YOU THINK THAT THE OTHER 42 PEOPLE OUTSIDE ARE A BUNCH OF THEM ARE HERE IN FAVOR, I'M JUST GOING TO BREAK THE NEWS. THERE'S NOT.
SO I APPRECIATE IT. AND LIKE I SAID, I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS TO, YOU KNOW, TO GET AWAY FROM THIS BAN. THE OTHER THING, I GUESS ONE MORE THING IS, AND I'M A DOG PERSON, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THINK THAT I'VE BEEN BIT BY SEVERAL DOGS KNOCKING ON ALL THESE DOORS TOO.
I AIN'T NEVER BEEN BIT BY A PIT BULL.
BEEN BIT BY A GERMAN SHEPHERD. BEEN BIT BY A DOBERMAN PINSCHER.
I DON'T WANT A BAN ON THOSE DOGS EITHER, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING.
BUT I THE ONE THAT I'M SCARED OF MORE THAN ANY OF THEM ARE THE CHOW CHOWS.
MY NAME IS MONICA ANDERSON, AND I LIVE AT 1238 MILITARY AVENUE HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS. I'VE BEEN BITTEN BY A PIT BULL BEFORE, AND I HAD PIT BULLS, AND I WAS FORCED TO GET RID OF THEM AS WELL. NOT MY PIT BULL THAT BIT ME, BUT THE PIT BULL THAT DID BITE ME WAS IN FACT ADOPTED OUT BY MIDLANDS HUMANE SOCIETY UNDER THE CONDITIONS THAT THE PERSON THAT ADOPTED THE DOG HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING NOT ALLOWED TO BE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, HAD TO LIVE IN OMAHA. SHE LIED.
SHE PRODUCED A FALSE ID, A FALSE LEASE, AND WAS ALLOWED TO ADOPT THE DOG AND IN FACT LIVED NEXT DOOR TO ME.
ON NOVEMBER 14TH, 2023 WAS THE FIRST ATTACK. THE SECOND ONE WAS THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, 2 DAYS, 2 WEEKS LATER. THE POLICE CAME THE FIRST TIME. MIND YOU, I DO WANT TO PREFACE THIS ALSO THAT THE DOG WAS NOT TRYING TO ATTACK ME. THE DOG, UNFORTUNATELY, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE OWNER WAS THAT THE DOG WAS USED OR TAUGHT IN INAPPROPRIATE WAYS AS A PUPPY AND WAS SCARED OF OTHER DOGS. AND I HAD TWO PIT BULLS AT THAT TIME. WE DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE PITS YET.
UM, AND ROTTWEILERS. AND I HAD A ROTTWEILER WHO HAD JUST HAD PUPPIES. AND SO I BELIEVE THE SMELL, 'CAUSE DOGS' SENSE OF SMELL, AND BEING RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO ME IS WHAT PROVOKED THAT.
FIRST INCIDENT, THERE WAS NO INJURY. SECOND INCIDENT, THERE WAS INJURY TO MY DOGS AND TO MYSELF, AND IT WAS UGLY WITH ALL OF THOSE DOGS, BUT EVERYONE'S OKAY. UM, BUT THERE WE EXPECT WE HAVE THIS BAN IN PLACE, BUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WITH THIS BAN BECAUSE HE WAS ADOPTED
[02:05:03]
HERE BUT NOT FOLLOWED UP ON.THE POLICE WERE THERE ON NOVEMBER 14TH. ON NOVEMBER 22ND, IT WAS ANIMAL CONTROL, AND THE GIRL LEFT WITH THE DOG, AND SHE STILL OWNS THE DOG, AND SHE RESIDES IN COLORADO, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. SHE WAS A RENTER. I AM FOR LIFTING THE PIT BULL BAN BECAUSE I STILL, EVEN BEING ON BOTH ENDS, BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS WHAT THE OWNER DOES, BECAUSE SHE DID NOTHING BOTH TIMES TO GET HER DOG. FIRST TIME IT TOOK THE POLICE, THE SECOND TIME IT IT WAS MY DOGS GETTING INVOLVED THAT GOT THAT DOG OFF OF ME AND SAVED ME. I ALSO, AS SOMEONE SPOKE ABOUT THE RESOURCES FOR THIS THAT ARE UTILIZED AND SPENT ON THIS BAN, AND HOW LONG PIT BULLS STAY IN THE SHELTER TRYING TO FIND HOMES, I THINK IS NOT COST-EFFECTIVE.
THEY STAY FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE WE CAN'T ADOPT THEM OUT HERE. ALSO, THE TIME SPENT SEARCHING FOR THEM, INVESTIGATIONS, WHATNOT.
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT SOMEONE BROUGHT UP WAS LICENSING. IF YOU THINK PIT BULLS AREN'T IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, THAT IS SO WRONG. THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
PEOPLE HIDE THEM, AND SO YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY ARE HERE.
WHEN YOU COME TO THEIR HOME TO TRY TO CHECK ON THEM, THEY SAY THEY LIVE HERE OR HERE.
PEOPLE FALSIFY ALL KINDS OF STUFF TODAY, AND PEOPLE HAVE TOUCHED ON BREAKING THE LAWS JUST TO HAVE PIT BULLS. THEY DO DO THAT. I THINK YOU COULD HAVE BETTER CONTROL IF THEY WERE LEGAL AND PEOPLE COULD LICENSE THEM. THEN YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. THEN YOU CAN TRACK THEM BETTER. LASTLY, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS DNA TESTING. SO IT IS LEFT UP TO PEOPLE WHO DO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH DOGS.
HOWEVER, THEY'RE NOT VETERINARIANS, THEY'RE NOT DOCTORS, THEY JUST HAVE SOME TRAINING.
AND EVEN THOUGH THE DNA SHOWS THAT THEY ARE LESS THAN 50% PIT BULL, IF THEY HAVE DOMINANT FEATURES OF A PIT BULL, YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THEM, AND THAT IS ON ANIMAL CONTROL, NOT SCIENCE. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I'M NOT MUCH FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING, BUT I THINK THIS SUBJECT WARRANTED ME GETTING A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE.
MY ADDRESS IS 24353 195TH STREET, CRESCENT, IOWA. UM, THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S LONG OVERDUE, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM PIT BULL, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION. PIT BULL IS A BROAD, COMMONLY OR IS A COMMONLY USED TERM TO DESCRIBE SEVERAL DIFFERENT BREEDS, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER, AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER, AMERICAN BULLY, AND STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER.
TONIGHT, I'M NOT JUST SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO SIMPLY OWNS THESE DOGS. I'M SPEAKING AS A VETERINARY ANESTHESIOLOGIST WHO WORKS WITH THESE DOGS PROFESSIONALLY EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY JOB. UM, I WORK WITH PIT BULLS, AMERICAN BULLIES, LABRADORS, CHIHUAHUAS, GERMAN SHEPHERDS, ROTTWEILERS, A PLETHORA OF OTHER BREEDS. AND MY EXPERIENCE IN THIS CAREER FIELD HAS TAUGHT ME ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING. AGGRESSION IS NOT DETERMINED BY BREED.
IN MY 8 YEARS OF WORKING IN VETERINARY MEDICINE, I'VE HANDLED MY FAIR SHARE OF AGGRESSIVE DOGS, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE BEEN CORNERED BY GIANT DOGS, BY LITTLE DOGS, BUT I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT PIT BULLS ARE NOT EVEN IN THE TOP AMOUNT OF BREEDS THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED FOR AGGRESSION-RELATED CONCERNS. I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE A PERSONAL STORY AS TO WHY THIS ISSUE SO MATTERS SO MUCH TO ME. ONE OF MY OWN DOGS, MUNCHIE, IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS BREED BAN. MUNCHIE WAS AT MIDLANDS HUMANE SOCIETY AND REQUIRED ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.
RECOVERING IN THE SHELTER WAS NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION, SO THE SHELTER REACHED OUT FOR A FOSTER HOME OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. BECAUSE HE WAS AN AMERICAN BULLY, HE COULD NOT BE LEGALLY FOSTERED WITHIN CITY LIMITS. I DECIDED TO OPEN MY HOME TO HIM. WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A TEMPORARY SITUATION BECAME ONE OF THE GREATEST BLESSINGS OF MY LIFE. I OFTEN SAY THAT MY OTHER DOG NUGGET, AN AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER MIX AND FELLOW MIDLANDS ALUMNI, IS MY HEART DOG. I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD LOVE ANOTHER DOG AS DEEPLY AS I LOVE HIM, BUT MUNCHIE WALKED INTO MY LIFE. I WATCHED AND HELPED MUNCHIE RECOVER. I WATCHED HIM LEARN TO TRUST PEOPLE AGAIN. I WATCHED HIS PERSONALITY SHINE. WHAT BEGAN AS A FOSTER ARRANGEMENT BECAME A PERMANENT SITUATION BECAUSE I WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY
[02:10:03]
SMITTEN WITH HIM AND HIS BREED AND HIS PERSONALITY. WHEN I LOOK AT MUNCHIE, NUGGET, OR THE BULLY BREED PATIENTS THAT I DEAL WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY IN MY MY JOB, I DO NOT SEE A DANGEROUS DOG. I SEE I DON'T SEE LABELS. I SEE LOVING COMPANIONS THAT ARE RESILIENT ANIMALS WHO HAVE OVERCOME HARDSHIP, AND THEY'RE CHERISHED MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY. I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND IN MY PROFESSION THAT ANY DOG HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME AGGRESSIVE, ESPECIALLY UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES: PAIN, FEAR, ANXIETY, STARVATION, TRAUMA, OR ANY OTHER UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THESE LAWS ALSO PLACE A FINANCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BURDEN BURDEN ON SHELTERS AND RESCUES THAT ARE TRYING TO HELP GOOD DOGS JUST FIND GOOD HOMES.DOGS THAT COULD THRIVE WITH LOVING FAMILIES IN THIS COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF LOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SIMPLY RIGHT UNDER THEIR NOSE JUST BECAUSE OF HOW THEY LOOK.
ADDITIONALLY, I ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND RESPONSIBLE OWNERS FACE CHALLENGES SOCIALIZING AND INTEGRATING THEIR DOGS INTO THE COMMUNITY WHEN RESTRICTIONS PREVENT THEM FROM PARTICIPATING IN NORMAL ACTIVITIES. I TRY TO HAVE A GOOD DOG. I TRY TO I TRY TO SOCIALIZE HIM, BUT I CAN'T TAKE HIM HERE. I COME TO COUNCIL BLUFFS EVERY DAY, WORK IN OMAHA. I CAN'T, I CAN'T TAKE HIM ANYWHERE HERE.
IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SOCIALIZE THEM. AND WELL-SOCIALIZED DOGS ARE CREATED THROUGH RESPONSIBLE EXPOSURE, TRAINING, AND INTERACTION, NOT ISOLATION. THIS BAN IS ESSENTIALLY RACISM IN DOG FORM. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE HAS THEIR BREED PREFERENCES. SOME PEOPLE LOVE LABS, OTHER PEOPLE LOVE GOLDEN SHEPHERDS. DOODLES, ROTTIES, WHAT HAVE YOU. MY BREED OF CHOICE HAPPENS TO BE BULLY BREEDS. I KNOW THESE BREEDS. I WORK WITH THEM. I LIVE WITH THEM, AND I LOVE THEM. I'VE SEEN THEIR LOYALTY, AFFECTION, RESILIENCE, AND CAPACITY TO LOVE SOMEBODY. PIT BULLS ARE NOT ASKING FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT. THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE SAME OPPORTUNITY WE GIVE EVERY OTHER BREED, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE JUDGED AS AN INDIVIDUAL. A LABRADOR SHOULD BE JUDGED AS AN INDIVIDUAL. A GERMAN SHEPHERD SHOULD BE JUDGED AS AN INDIVIDUAL. PIT BULLS DESERVE THE SAME FAIRNESS. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO LOVE THESE DOGS AS MUCH AS I DO, OR MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. I'M ASKING YOU TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE LIKE YOU WOULD ANY OTHER DOG.
TONIGHT, I'M ASKING YOU TO GIVE DOGS LIKE MINE, NUGGET AND MUNCHIE, AND MANY OF, MANY, MANY OF MY PATIENTS THAT I WORK WITH EVERY DAY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE JUDGED AS INDIVIDUALS.
I'M ASKING YOU TO GIVE THE RESPONSIBLE OWNERS A FAIR CHANCE, AND I'M ASKING YOU TO REPEAL THE BULLY BREED BAN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DANIELLE FOLLETT, 3535 NORTH 152ND CIRCLE IN OMAHA. UM, I AM THE PROUD OWNER OF AN 8-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER, AND I'M ALSO A VOLUNTEER FOR BULLIES AND BEYOND RESCUE. RESCUE. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE COUNCIL BLUFFS IS PART OF A SHARED COMMUNITY.
POLICIES HERE AFFECT SHELTERS, RESCUES, AND PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS THE RIVER. THE ISSUES IMPACT THE BROADER COMMUNITY. I BETTER PUT MY GLASSES ON. I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE DATA, UM, AND THE FACTS ABOUT THE BREED LEGISLATION.
DECADES OF DATA FROM CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY SHOW THAT BREED BANS DO NOT REDUCE DOG BITES OR IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
EVERY CITY THAT HAS ENACTED A BAN STILL EXPERIENCES SEVERE BITE INCIDENCES. CDC, THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, AND THE NATIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL ASSOCIATION ALL AGREE BSL IS AN INEFFECTIVE POLICY. ONE MAJOR REASON IS MISIDENTIFICATION.
AS YOU KNOW, AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE PIT BULL IS NOT A BAN. BUT THE INTERESTING THING IS STUDIES SHOW THAT EVEN TRAINED PROFESSIONALS MISIDENTIFY THIS BREED BY MORE THAN 50% OF THE TIME.
THE SECOND REASON IS THAT THE BEHAVIOR IS DRIVEN BY OWNERSHIP, NOT THE BREED.
THE FACTORS THAT ACTUALLY PREDICT RISK ARE THINGS LIKE LACK OF TRAINING, ROAMING, NEGLECT, AND IRRESPONSIBLE CONTAINMENT.
WHEN WE TARGET A DOG'S APPEARANCE INSTEAD OF AN OWNER'S BEHAVIOR, WE MISS THE REAL CAUSES OF DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE TEMPERAMENT DATA. PIT BULLS THE LARGER DEFINITION OF PIT BULLS ACTUALLY SCORE HIGHER ON THE BREED TEMPERAMENT TESTS THAN THE MAJORITY OF OTHER BREEDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, INCLUDING GOLDEN RETRIEVERS.
THESE TEMPERAMENT TESTS ARE DONE THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATIONS, AND THEY'VE SHOWN THAT THEY ARE TOLERANT OF PEOPLE. THEY SCORE STABLE, AND THEY OUTPERFORM MANY OF THE POPULAR BREEDS. SO CITIES, AS YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THESE BREED BANS BECAUSE
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BREED-NEUTRAL LAWS WORK BETTER.THEY HOLD ALL OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE, THEY'RE ENFORCEABLE, AND THEY ACTUALLY IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY. SO TONIGHT, SO TONIGHT I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO FOLLOW THE DATA. REPLACE THIS OUTDATED BAN WITH A MODERN BREED-NEUTRAL APPROACH THAT FOCUSES ON RESPONSIBLE BREED OWNERSHIP AND THAT FOCUSES ON PROVEN SAFETY MEASUREMENTS.
LET'S PROTECT PEOPLE WITH POLICIES THAT WORK, NOT WITH POLICIES THAT SIMPLY LOOK LIKE THEY SHOULD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO, UH, SARAH BARRA, 18050 BUNGIE AVE. UM, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SARAH BARRA. I AM THE MANAGER OF S&B COUNTRY KENNEL, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TONIGHT.
LIKE, CAN YOU GIVE YOUR ADDRESS FIRST? THANK YOU.
LIKE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.. WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE SAFE, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE, AND RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP ENCOURAGED. THOSE GOALS ARE NOT UP FOR DEBATE. HOWEVER, BREED-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION, INCLUDING PIT BULL BANS, IS NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL. WHAT I AM ASKING TONIGHT IS THAT WE RECONSIDER THE PIT BULL BAN AS THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS. THE CURRENT BAN FOCUSES ON WHAT A DOG LOOKS LIKE RATHER THAN HOW IT BEHAVES. YET A WELL-TRAINED, WELL-SOCIALIZED DOG CAN BE A WONDERFUL FAMILY COMPANION WHILE ANY BREED CAN BECOME DANGEROUS IF NEGLECTED, ABUSED, OR IRRESPONSIBLY OWNED, WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR LESS ACCOUNTABILITY. WE'RE ASKING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY THAT APPLIES TO ALL DOGS EQUALLY. IF A DOG DEMONSTRATES DANGEROUS BEHAVIORS, THAT COMMUNITY DESERVES PROTECTION REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THAT DOG IS A PIT BULL, GERMAN SHEPHERD, HUSKY, LABRADOR RETRIEVER, OR ANY OTHER BREED. PUBLIC SAFETY IS BEST SERVED BY FOCUSING ON BEHAVIOR AND ACCOUNTABILITY RATHER THAN APPEARANCE. MAJOR VETERINARY AND ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICINE ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN VETERINARY SOCIETY OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, AND THE ASPCA OPPOSE BREED-SPECIFIC LAWS BECAUSE RESEARCH, RESEARCH HAS NOT SHOWN THEM TO BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING DOG BITES. STUDIES REVIEWED BY THE AVMA FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT BREED BANS REDUCE EITHER NUMBER OF SEVERITY OR DOG BITE INJURIES. I WORK IN A BOARDING AND TRAINING KENNEL WHERE WE INTERACT WITH ALL DOGS OF ALL BREEDS, SIZES, ALL AGES, AND TEMPERAMENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF DOGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE DO NOT DETERMINE RISK BASED ON BREED. WE DETERMINE RISK BASED ON BEHAVIOR. OUR LOCAL LAWS SHOULD DO THE SAME. BASED ON OUR FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE, PIT BULL TYPE DOGS ARE NOT THE BREED WE ENCOUNTER THE MOST WITH BEHAVIOR CONCERNS.
IN FACT, MOST BEHAVIOR ISSUES WE MANAGE MOST FREQUENTLY COME FROM OUR LITTLE FRIENDS.
AGGRESSION, REACTIVITY, ANXIETY, POOR SOCIALIZATION, RESOURCE GUARDING, AND NOT BREED-SPECIFIC PROBLEMS. THEY CAN OCCUR IN ANY DOG WHILE TRAINING AND SOCIALIZATION AND MANAGEMENT IS LACKING. WHAT WE SEE EVERY DAY REINFORCES WHAT ANIMAL BEHAVIOR EXPERTS HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS: BEHAVIOR IS A PRODUCT OF THE INDIVIDUAL DOG AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER, NOT SIMPLY A BREED LISTED ON PAPER. IN RURAL IOWA, WE UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN MOST THAT DOG BEHAVIOR IS SHAPED BY HOW IT IS RAISED, TRAINED, CONTAINED, AND CARED FOR. WE WOULD NEVER JUDGE A LIVESTOCK OPERATION, A HORSE, OR A HUNTING DOG SOLELY BY ITS BREED WITHOUT CONSIDERING HOW IT'S BEEN MANAGED. THE SAME PRINCIPLE SHOULD APPLY TO PET DOGS.
AT THE SAME TIME, BREED BANS DO NOT ADDRESS THE REAL SOURCE OF DANGEROUS DOG INCIDENTS IRRESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP.
SINCE WE STARTED HEARTLAND RESCUE AT S&B COUNTRY KENNEL, WE FIRSTHAND SEEN HOW BREED RESTRICTIONS AFFECT ADOPTION OPPORTUNITIES. MANY OF OUR LONGEST STAYING DOGS ARE PIT BULL TYPE DOGS, OR WHAT WOULD BE DECLARED AS PIT BULLS, AND THEY HAVE NEVER SHOWN ANY TYPE OF AGGRESSION, BUT THEY ARE OVERLOOKED BECAUSE OF HOUSING RESTRICTIONS AND LOCAL BANS. I SEE THE IMPACT OF THIS POLICY FIRSTHAND EVERY DAY. MANY GOOD DOGS SPEND MONTHS WAITING FOR HOMES AND NEVER FIND HOMES AT ALL, NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE SHOWN AGGRESSION, BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR APPEARANCE. FAMILIES ARE FORCED TO SURRENDER THEIR BELOVED PETS WHEN MOVING BETWEEN COMMUNITIES. SHELTERS AND RESCUES ARE OVERCROWDED, AND LOCAL RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED THIN. THESE ARE OFTEN DOGS THAT HAVE PASSED BEHAVIORAL EVALUATIONS, LIVED SUCCESSFULLY WITH FAMILIES, AND SHOW NO HISTORY OF AGGRESSION EVER. YET THEY FACE BARRIERS THAT OTHER DOGS DO NOT. MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM BREED-SPECIFIC LAWS AND INSTEAD ADOPTED MORE BREED-NEUTRAL DANGEROUS DOG ORDINANCES. THESE POLICIES, POLICIES FOCUS ON BEHAVIOR, STRENGTHENING PENALTIES FOR IRRESPONSIBLE OWNERS, AND ALLOWING ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS MEASURES TO ADDRESS ACTUAL THREATS RATHER THAN SPENDING TIME DETERMINING A DOG'S BREED. THAT APPROACH PROTECTS THE PUBLIC WHILE TREATING RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS FAIRLY. ONE MAJOR CHALLENGE IN BREED IDENTIFICATION RESEARCH HAS REPEATEDLY SHOWN THAT VISUAL IDENTIFICATION OF DOGS IS OFTEN INACCURATE, ESPECIALLY WITH MIXED BREED DOGS. EVEN TRAINED PROFESSIONALS FREQUENTLY DISAGREE ON WHETHER A DOG IS ACTUAL PIT BULL, OF A MIX, OR ANOTHER BREED.
THAT TAKES AND MAKES ENFORCEMENT DIFFICULT AND OFTEN UNFAIR. I AM NOT ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO LOWER YOUR STANDARDS OR TO COMPROMISE SAFETY. I AM ASKING THAT WE ADOPT POLICIES THAT ARE FAIR, EFFECTIVE, AND BASED ON ACTUAL BEHAVIOR RATHER THAN BREED STEREOTYPES. TONIGHT, I'M
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ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER TO REPEAL THE PIT BULL BAN AND PLACE THAT FOCUS ON BEHAVIOR, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE CAN PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS WITHOUT PENALIZING RESPONSIBLE FAMILIES AND WELL-BEHAVED DOGS.FROM BOTH MY EXPERIENCE IN THE RESCUE, AND MY DAILY WORK IN THE KENNEL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT GOOD DOGS COME IN EVERY BREED, AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS COME IN EVERY BREED ALSO. THE DOGS THAT DESERVE ATTENTION ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR, NOT THE ONES THAT CERTAINLY JUST LOOK A CERTAIN WAY. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER REPEALING THE PIT BULL BAN AND REPLACING IT WITH MORE OF A BROOD BREED-NEUTRAL DANGEROUS DOG ORDINANCE THAT HOLDS ALL OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE AND EQUALLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
CONSIDERATION. ALSO, THIS IS MY NEPHEW OR THIS IS ACTUALLY MY GRANDSON. MY DAUGHTER MADE THIS. UM, HE'S NOT A MONSTER BY ANY MEANS. MY SON WAS GOING TO MOVE TO COUNCIL BLUFFS, BUT HE COULD NOT BECAUSE OF THIS GUY. UM, HE ACTUALLY GOES TO DOGGY DAYCARE EVERY DAY.
HE'S VERY WELL SOCIALIZED. HE CAN YOU CAN TAKE HIM TO A PARTY IF YOU WANT. HE'S VERY FRIENDLY WITH CHILDREN AND JUST A REALLY GOOD OVERALL DOG.
HELLO, MY NAME IS TIM, TIM SPATE, 301 STUTESMAN. I REALLY WASN'T GOING TO SAY MUCH, BUT I HEARD A FEW THINGS A LADY BACK THERE WAS SAYING. IT WAS KIND OF A, KIND OF A FORM OF RACISM WITH CANINES, AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF FUNNY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DID THE SAME THING, WHAT, 150 YEARS AGO? WE SAID A CERTAIN RACE COULDN'T BE COMING TO BATHROOMS, THEY WERE BANDED. ACTUALLY, I THINK WE PUT THEM IN CAGES OURSELVES. SO LET'S GO, LET'S COME BACK 150 YEARS TO NOW AND HOW, HOW WRONG WERE WE, RIGHT? SO CANINES SHOULDN'T BE SEEN AS DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE WAS ON THE COUNCIL 20 YEARS AGO.
SO I THINK WE HAVE A LOT BIGGER PROBLEMS THAN WHAT DOGS ARE ALLOWED AND WHAT AREN'T, YOU KNOW, AND THE OTHER THING THAT JUST I JUST DON'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME IS I, AND I MIGHT BE WRONG, BUT I THINK YOU GUYS ARE SAYING THAT YOU WERE TAKING THE, THE, UM, THE HUMANE SOCIETY OR THE ANIMAL CONTROL, SO NOW IT'S GOING TO GET PUSHED ON TO THE OFFICERS. IS THAT KIND OF WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THE PREVIOUS, OR AM I WRONG ON THAT? WE PREVIOUSLY, THE ANIMAL CONTROL REPORTED TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR NOW THE ANIMAL CONTROL WILL BE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? SO IT'S JUST CHANGED WHO THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS REPORT TO. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE EVERYDAY STREET OFFICER IS GOING TO HAVE ANY ROLE IN FACILITATING THAT? I WOULD, I WOULD GUESS PROBABLY NOT.
THAT'S STILL UNDER ANIMAL CONTROL. OKAY, RIGHT, JAKE? CORRECT. SO YEAH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE OFFICERS, IT'S STILL ANIMAL CONTROLS.
NOTHING REALLY CHANGED OTHER THAN WHO, WHO THE ANIMAL CONTROL DEPARTMENT REPORTS TO.
SO WHEN I LET'S JUST SAY THERE'S AN INSTANCE, UM, THERE'S A WHERE I HAVE TO CALL SOMEBODY. LET'S SAY A K-9 GETS OUT OF HAND. GOD FORBID IT'S A PIT BULL, MAYBE IT'S A GERMAN SHEPHERD, I DON'T REALLY KNOW. CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH THAT PROCEDURE? I GUESS DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, I WOULD GUESS YOU DIAL 911, LIKE IF THERE WAS, IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE, RIGHT? UNLESS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A THE HUMANE SOCIETY, OR YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ANIMAL CONTROL, I'M SURE THERE'S A NON-EMERGENCY LINE YOU COULD CALL. OKAY. AND THEN THAT WOULD GET DIRECTED TO EITHER THE ANIMAL CONTROL OR OFFICERS, DEPENDING ON, DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF WHAT YOU SAID TO THEM, I'M SURE. RIGHT. SO I THINK, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, UH, THIS, THIS BAN'S JUST SILLY, YOU KNOW. I WAS BORN IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, MOVED AWAY, I WAS ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I JUST MOVED BACK. 4 MONTHS AGO. I HONESTLY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS A BAN. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD A FEW PIT BULLS, OBVIOUSLY MOVED BACK IN TOWN, SO COULDN'T BRING THEM. I HAD A 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER. SHE'S SHE HATES ME RIGHT NOW. SO I CAN'T REALLY BLAME YOU GUYS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THE LAW. UM, BUT I JUST THINK THERE'S SO MANY MORE PROBLEMS AND PRESSING ISSUES TO CONCERN OURSELVES WITH.
THAN WHAT DOGS ARE RUNNING AROUND IN THE STREETS, YOU KNOW. IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE OWNERS, YOU KNOW. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S JUST THE EASY WAY OUT. IT WAS EASY WAY OUT 20 YEARS AGO. THERE WAS 20 YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THAT BIG, THAT BIG, EVERYBODY'S DOING THE DOG FIGHTING THING. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE BIG THING 20 YEARS AGO. AND A LOT OF IT WAS PIT BULLS. AND I CAN'T SAY IT WAS A CERTAIN CROWD, BUT WE ALL KNOW. AND SO WHAT'S THE EASIEST THING TO DO? OH, WE'LL JUST BAN IT INSTEAD OF REALLY DIVING INTO IT, THAT IT WAS AN ACTUAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS MONEY BEING MADE,
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THERE WAS BETS BEING MADE. IT WAS, IT WAS MORE THAN JUST THAT. SO THERE'S A LOT INTO IT. BUT FROM A GOVERNMENT STANDPOINT, THE EASY THING TO DO IS JUST PUT A BAN ON IT. LET'S JUST PUT A BAND-AID OVER IT AND WE'LL MOVE ON.YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET UNCOMFORTABLE OR GET OFF TOPIC, BUT JUST REAL QUICK, IT'S KIND OF LIKE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE SECOND AMENDMENT. IT'S KIND OF LIKE GUN RIGHTS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. WHAT DO WE DO? OH, WE'RE JUST GOING TO BAN ASSAULT RIFLES. NO, THAT'S JUST PUTTING A BAND-AID OVER IT BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT, THERE'S INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED HELP THAT DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THEMSELVES IN SOCIETY, WHETHER IT'S WITH CANINES OR WEAPONS. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS. UM, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. BRIAN WEEKS, 907 AVENUE F. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A PIT BULL. UM, I HAVE HAD FRIENDS THAT HAD PIT BULLS. UM, I HAVE I WORK AT DOLLAR TREE, SO I SEE KING CORSICOS COMING INTO MY STORE.
I SEE PIT BULLS COMING TO MY THEY'RE NOT AGGRESSIVE DOGS. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE PUSHED ON TO THE OWNERS, NOT THE DOGS. I WANT TO OWN A PIT BULL. ACCORDING TO THE BAN, I'M NOT ABLE TO.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I HAD TO SAY. AND I USED TO WORK FOR MIDLAND HUMANE SOCIETY WHERE THEY'RE OVER ON THE INTERSTATE, AND I WORKED THERE AND I WALKED THOSE DOGS.
THEY JUST GET A BAD NAME, AND THEN PEOPLE TAKE IT AS A THREAT. AND THEN THAT'S BASICALLY IT. THANK YOU. HI GUYS, MY NAME IS JOE HUNTUN AND I OWN S&B COUNTRY KENNEL, 18050 BUNGIE AVENUE. HEARD A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TONIGHT.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO FOLLOW THAT, BUT I WOULD IMPLORE EVERY ONE OF YOU TO COME OUT TO THE KENNEL AND TAKE A TOUR, UM, AND SEE WHAT WE GOT GOING ON OUT THERE. UM, I OPENED AN 8.35-ACRE KENNEL RESCUE DAYCARE FOR DOGS OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL BLUFFS IN 2023. I SEARCHED A LONG TIME FOR A PROPERTY THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE MY BUSINESS AND ADHERE TO THE BREED-SPECIFIC BAN ON PIT BULLS IN PLACE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, AS WE REGULARLY RESCUE ALL BREEDS ALONG WITH TRAINING, SOCIALIZING, AND CARING FOR PEOPLE'S PETS.
THE CITY MISSED OUT ON THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A GREAT BUSINESS THAT CONTINUES TO GROW AS PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, EMPLOYS DOZENS OF AREA RESIDENTS, AND THE INCOME DERIVED FROM ALL THE TAXES DUE TO THIS ORDINANCE. HOPE YOU DO THE RIGHT THING WITH THIS VOTE AND REPEAL THE PIT BULL BAN CURRENTLY IN PLACE. THANKS, GUYS.
SHAWNA ANDERSON, 19377 340TH STREET. I ACTUALLY LIVE IN OAKLAND, OUT IN THE COUNTY, WHICH IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE AS SOMEONE THAT FOSTERS DOGS, I HAPPEN TO FOSTER FOR A BREED-SPECIFIC RESCUE. I DO NOT, OR HAVE NOT SO FAR, FOSTER PIT BULLS. I FOSTER MOSTLY BULLDOGS, BUT THE MIDLANDS HUMANE SOCIETY AND OTHER ENTITIES WILL CALL US TO COME PICK UP A DOG THAT IS A BULLDOG SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE ROOM FOR OTHER DOGS TO COME IN.
RESCUE WORKS IN THE SENSE OF THAT ONE DOG OUT MEANS A NEW DOG CAN COME IN. UM, THE ISSUE IS WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY FOSTERS. THIS IS TRUE ACROSS ALL AREAS OF RESCUES.
FOSTERS ARE DIFFICULT TO FIND. IF WE HAVE A DOG WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS, THAT REMAINS THAT DOG WILL REMAIN WITH US UNTIL IT IS MEDICALLY CLEARED TO BE ADOPTED. I ONCE HAD A FOSTER WITH ME FOR 9 MONTHS.
SHE WENT THROUGH SOME SERIOUS MEDICAL THINGS. SHE WAS VERY BADLY BRED. SHE WAS BRED BY PEOPLE THAT DON'T CARE ABOUT BREED STANDARD, AND SHE WAS IN AWFUL SHAPE WHEN SHE CAME TO US. BUT AFTER 9 MONTHS, WE WERE FINALLY MEDICALLY ABLE TO CLEAR HER FOR ADOPTION.
WHEN SHE WAS HEALTHY, SHE WAS ADOPTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
RESCUES, BUT LIKE THE ONE THAT I RESCUE WITH, ARE BEYOND CAPACITY. TAKING 9 MONTHS TO GET A DOG THROUGH HER MEDICAL ISSUES MEANT THAT I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE ANOTHER DOG FOR THAT TIME IN ORDER TO FREE UP MORE SPACE. A LOT OF THE DOGS THAT NEED THAT SPACE ARE BULLY BREEDS, AND I SAY BULLY BREEDS BECAUSE, AS OTHERS BEFORE ME HAVE MENTIONED, A PIT BULL IS DETERMINED BY WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY, MAYBE SOMEBODY FROM MIDLANS CAN SAY, I DOUBT IT. THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO BE DOING DNA TESTING ON THESE DOGS. I'VE DNA TESTED DOGS THAT HAVE COME INTO MY RESCUE BEFORE. IT'S NOT CHEAP. THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT PIT BULLS TO BE ABLE TO BE ADOPTED OUT.
ANYTHING THAT EVEN LOOKS LIKE A PIT BULL CANNOT BE ADOPTED INTO CITY LIMITS. THIS BAN MEANS THAT SHELTERS AND FOSTER HOMES THAT ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO HELP KEEP
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ANIMALS CANNOT HELP MORE BECAUSE PERFECTLY GOOD DOGS CANNOT BE ADOPTED OUT. THE SYSTEM OF SHELTERS AND VOLUNTEER FOSTER HOMES WORKS BY AN ADOPTION AN ADOPTION SPOT OPENING UP ANOTHER SPOT FOR ANOTHER DOG IN NEED.PERFECTLY FRIENDLY, TRAINED, HEALTHY DOGS CANNOT BE ADOPTED OUT, AND THAT'S A SHAME THAT THE CITY HAS CARRIED FOR FAR TOO LONG. I HAVE HAD PLENTY OF DOGS COME INTO MY CARE THROUGH THE YEARS, BOTH MY OWN AND FOSTER DOGS. I HAVE SCARS FROM STITCHES AND BITES, AND ALL OF THOSE SCARS WERE BROUGHT TO ME BY A BOSTON TERRIER, MY OWN DOG, THAT I WENT AND DROVE TO OKLAHOMA TO PICK UP TO ADOPT AFTER SHE WAS A BREEDER MALE MAMA THAT IT WAS NOT PROPERLY SOCIALIZED. THAT LEADS ME TO THIS. WHEN DOGS ARE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF COUNCIL BLUFFS AND THEY LOOK LIKE A PIT BULL, THOSE DOGS ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY SOCIALIZED.
THEY CREATE ANXIETY ISSUES FOR THOSE DOGS, JUST AS THE SAME AS MY BOSTON HAD. PEOPLE HIDE THOSE DOGS.
THEY DEFINITELY BELONG. THEY DEFINITELY LIVE HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, BUT THEY GET HIDDEN. I ALSO VOLUNTEER AT A VACCINATION CLINIC WHERE I'VE SEEN MULTIPLE BIG BLOCKHEADED PIT BULLS SMILE AS I GIVE THEM A SHOT, AND I HAVE NEVER ONCE FEARED A SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
SPEAKING OF THOSE SHOTS, MANY PEOPLE STILL OWN PIT BULLS OR A DOG THAT LOOKS LIKE ONE, SO THEY ARE MISTAKENLY BANNED, AND THOSE PEOPLE DO NOT GET THEIR DOGS THE VACCINES THEY NEED TO STAY HEALTHY OUT OF FEAR OF LOSING THEIR BELOVED FAMILY MEMBER. PARVOVIRUS IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS AND A HORRIBLE DEATH FOR MANY DOGS.
IT COSTS A LOT TO BE ABLE TO TREAT, AND MOST OWNERS HAVE TO SURRENDER THEIR DOGS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT. THE VIRUS ITSELF CAN LAST OVER A YEAR IN THE SOIL.
PEOPLE BEING AFRAID TO GET THEIR DOGS THE NEEDED VACCINES DUE TO A BAN MEANS THAT OTHER DOGS ALSO GET SICK. IF THE BAN IS FOR THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, HOW IS THIS HEALTHY? ARE THERE DANGEROUS DOGS? ABSOLUTELY.
BUT A BREED IS NOT WHAT SHOULD BE LABELED THEM AS DANGEROUS.
SOME WOULD ARGUE THAT IT IS THE STRENGTH OF THE BITE OF A PIT BULL, WHICH CLOCKS IN AROUND 235 PSI. THE BELOVED LAB IS JUST BELOW THAT AT 230, AND AKITA INU CLOCKS IN BETWEEN 350 TO 400 PSI. AN ENGLISH MASTIFF, WHICH WHEN MY KIDS WENT TO RIVERSIDE, RIVERSIDE SCHOOL OUT IN OAKLAND, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR HAD A THERAPY DOG THAT WAS AN ENGLISH MASTIFF THAT MY KIDS WENT TO SCHOOL WITH ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DAY, THEY CLOCK IN AT 552 PSI.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE AND THEIR ANALYSIS OF PEDIATRIC FACIAL DOG BITES, THE LAB IS THE NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST. THE LAB. I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS TO SINGLE OUT LABS BY ANY MEANS BECAUSE THEY ARE INCREDIBLE DOGS AND THEY ARE BELOVED FAMILY MEMBERS, BUT THEY, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ANIMAL, ARE UNPREDICTABLE. WE ALL TAKE A RISK WHEN BRINGING HOME A DOG, NO MATTER WHAT THE BREED.
UNFORTUNATELY, COUNCIL BLUFFS IS ALIENATING POTENTIAL RESIDENTS, KEEPING OUR SHELTERS FULL, AND MAKING PEOPLE NOT GET PROPER VETERINARY CARE OUT OF FEAR OF KEEPING THIS BAN IN PLACE.
CB DOES HAVE A DANGEROUS ANIMAL ORDINANCE WHICH ENCOMPASSES ANY I'LL LET YOU FINISH UP, BUT REAL QUICK, ANY ANIMAL THAT IS A THREAT.
COUNCIL BLUFFS MUNICIPAL CODE, TO ANSWER SOMEONE WHO ASKED EARLIER, CURRENTLY AT CHAPTER 4.20, REGULATES DANGEROUS AND VICIOUS ANIMALS BASED ON SPECIFIC BEHAVIOR RATHER THAN BREED. THE ORDINANCE CLASSIFIES AS ANIMAL IS DANGEROUS IF IT BITES, ATTACKS, OR MENACES HUMANS OR DOMESTIC ANIMALS WITHOUT PROVOCATION. IF SO DESIGNATED, OWNERS MUST FOLLOW STRICT CONTAINMENT RULES AND CARRY LIABILITY INSURANCE.
THANK YOU. UH, MY NAME IS DUSTIN HARRIS. I LIVE AT 85 OPAL DRIVE. A LOT OF YOU KNOW THAT I WAS A POLICE OFFICER FOR ALMOST 24 YEARS. WE DID HAVE SOME PIT BULL BITES BEFORE THE BAN HERE IN TOWN. I CAN REMEMBER 2.
WE'VE HAD COUNTLESS BITES SINCE THEN OF OTHER BREEDS.
WE HAD JACK RUSSELLS THAT BIT 3 INFANTS IN THE FACE HERE IN TOWN. A LOT OF HUNTING BREEDS. ONE OFFICER IN ALL THAT TIME THAT I CAN REMEMBER WAS EVER BIT BY A PIT BULL. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF OFFICERS BIT BY OTHER DOGS, HUNTING DOGS AND SUCH. YOU KNOW, 22 STATES IN THE NATION HAVE ACTUALLY BANNED OR PUT SEVERE RESTRICTIONS ON HAVING A BREED BAN. SO 22 STATES ARE GETTING RID OF THEM. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE ONE OF THE CITIES THAT'S ALSO GETTING RID OF THEM. A LOT OF THE MAJOR CITIES HAVE ALREADY GOT RID OF THEM. YOU KNOW, ME PERSONALLY,
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I'VE HAD MY DOG TURNED IN AS A PIT BULL AND HAD TO DEAL WITH ANIMAL CONTROL. I HAVE PAPERS. I'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS TRY TO GET IT IN TROUBLE EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A PIT BULL. I'VE HAD PEOPLE YELL AT ME AT THE VETERINARY CLINIC BECAUSE I HAVE PIT BULL.I DON'T, AND HE WASN'T BARKING AT ANYBODY. I THINK THAT PART OF IT IS HAVING THE LAW ITSELF IS, IS CREATED A STIGMA ON THE BREED ITSELF. I'VE HAD A PIT COME AT ME. I'VE HAD A ROCK COME AT ME. I'VE HAD A LOT OF OTHER TYPES OF DOGS THAT HAVE COME AT ME, PARTICULARLY SMALL DOGS, TERRIERS, CHIHUAHUAS, STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT, UM, I JUST THINK THAT OVERALL, UH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH, IF WE GET RID OF IT, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET HURT. WELL, THE WORST DOG BITE I EVER SAW IN THE CITY WAS A PIT, BUT IT WAS DURING THE PIT BULL BAN. THE BAN DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO PREVENT THAT. SO I'VE TALKED TO ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, MAINLY RETIRED ONES. THEY AGREE THAT IT NEEDS TO GO. THE SHELTER AGREES THAT IT NEEDS TO GO. I HAVEN'T TALKED TO ONE PERSON CITIZEN-WISE THAT SUPPORTED IT WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL LAST YEAR.
HERE, AND I JUST THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO GO. THANK YOU. HI, BABY.
HI. OKAY, HI. I MIGHT BE THE FIRST ONE TO CRY. MY NAME IS KELLY MCATEE. I LIVE AT 224653 BRIDGE ROAD IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. UM, HELLO, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I WROTE THIS DOWN SO THAT I COULD STAY ON TRACK. UM, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY, ME AND THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. I EMAILED THIS AS WELL TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO READ IT. UM, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE THAT'S AFFECTED MY LIFE OH MAN AND SO MANY OTHERS OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. I KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
WHEW. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M A RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNER BECAUSE DOGS ARE STILL CONSIDERED PROPERTY UNDER THE LAW.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M A DOG MOM WHOSE DOGS ARE FAMILY TO ME. I'M ALSO A PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINER WHO CRIES. I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR THE BULLY BREED, WHICH HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE IN MORE WAYS THAN I CAN COUNT. I'M SOMEONE WHO HAS COUNTLESS HOURS WORKING WITH DOGS THAT OTHERS HAD GIVEN UP ON, HELPING THEM BECOME SAFE, STABLE COMPANIONS AND HELPING FAMILIES STAY TOGETHER.
OVER THE PAST DECADE ALONE, MY DOGS, WHO HAPPEN TO ALL BE BULLY BREEDS, MIXES, OR FULL PITS, I HAVE WE'VE HELPED REHABILITATE THOUSANDS OF DOGS AND TOUCH THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS OWNERS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOU CAN SEE THIS ALL ON OUR WEBSITE IN SOCIAL MEDIA. UM, THESE ARE ALL RESCUE DOGS AND ALL, UH, BULLY BREEDS. UM, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN HOME TO ME. YET BECAUSE OF THE PIT BULL BREED BAN, UH, MYSELF AND MANY OF MY CLIENTS DON'T FEEL WELCOME HERE. I MOVED OUT OF THE CITY, UM, TO OMAHA AFTER THE BAN WAS PUT IN PLACE. I MOVED BACK 10 YEARS AGO. UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T LIVE IN THE CITY BECAUSE OF THIS, NOR CAN I BRING MY DOG TRAINING CLIENTS TO AND I CAN'T HOLD EVENTS IN THIS CITY WITHOUT A MILLION-DOLLAR INSURANCE POLICY, WHICH I DID GET. AND SO IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT, WHICH WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO BRING OUR DOGS INTO EVENTS, UM, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THAT.
AND THAT WAS A MILLION-DOLLAR POLICY TO COVER THE ENTIRE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. UM, THIS IS A REALITY I'VE LIVED WITH FOR YEARS AND WHEN I REPEATEDLY HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE THAT FACE SIMILAR CHALLENGES WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS FIRST PROPOSED IN 2004, I WAS ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF IOWANS AGAINST BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION. FOR 2 YEARS, WE ATTENDED MEETINGS, MET WITH CITY COUNCIL OFFICIALS, WORKED WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, AND TRIED TO EDUCATE DECISION MAKERS ABOUT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF ENFORCING BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION. WE BELIEVE THEN, AND I STILL BELIEVE TODAY, THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS BEST ACHIEVED BY ADDRESSING DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR THROUGH DANGEROUS DOG LAWS ORDINANCES, NOT BY TARGETING A DOG'S APPEARANCE.
ALTHOUGH WE LOST THE VOTE AT THAT TIME, WE NEVER STOPPED WORKING FOR DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY. SINCE THEN, OUR NONPROFIT SO MIDWEST ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY WE WORKED ON THE GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO GET SHELTERS UP AND RUNNING IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WORK AT THE POTT COUNTY SHELTER, MIDLANDS HUMANE SOCIETY. WE HELPED DEVELOP THE PIT BULL ADOPTION APPLICATION WHEN IT FIRST OPENED SO PIT BULLS COULD BE ADOPTED OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. OUR DOG TRAINING ORGANIZATION HAS WORKED WITH SHELTERS, RESCUE GROUPS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST IOWA, THE OMAHA METRO AREA, AND MIDWEST REGION. WE HAVE EVALUATED DOGS, CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS, UM,
[02:40:01]
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, UM, DESIGNED TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP, BECAUSE I AM ALL ABOUT THAT.WE EVEN DEVELOPED AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE GET INTO THE ANIMAL INDUSTRY, AND MOST OF OUR APPRENTICES HAD BULLY BREEDS., AND THOSE DOGS WERE TRAINED UP TO BE TEACHER DOGS TO HELP OTHER DOGS. I HAVE SEEN DOGS AT THEIR BEST, AND I'VE SEEN THEM AT THEIR WORST. I'VE WORKED WITH FEARFUL DOGS, REACTIVE DOGS, NEGLECTED DOGS, ABUSED DOGS, AGGRESSIVE DOGS, AND THROUGH ALL THOSE EXPERIENCES, ONE THING HAS REMAINED CLEAR: DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR IS NOT DETERMINED BY THE BREED. I COULD TELL YOU STORY AFTER STORY ABOUT AGGRESSION CASES INVOLVING MANY DIFFERENT BREEDS I HAVE WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS, AT ONE TIME, REHABBING THOSE CASES WERE MY SPECIALTY, AND OUR DOG TRAINING PROGRAM HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST SUCCESS RATES IN THE AREA FOR THIS. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT WAS THE BULLY BREED DOGS THAT WE USE TO HELP REHABILITATE ALL THOSE OTHER DOGS. WHAT CONCERNS ME MOST ABOUT THE ONGOING IMPACT OF THIS ORDINANCE IS HOW IT HAS ON ANIMALS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG.
TODAY, DOGS CONTINUE TO SIT IN OUR LOCAL SHELTER FOR MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY RESEMBLE A CERTAIN BREED.
NOT BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE ANYTHING WRONG, NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE AGGRESSIVE, NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE DANGEROUS.
THEY WAIT BECAUSE JUST THE WAY THEY LOOK. MANY OF THESE DOGS ARE FRIENDLY, TRAINABLE, DESERVING OF HOMES. SOME HAVE EVEN HELPED SHELTER STAFF, VOLUNTEERS. WE DID VOLUNTEER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THERE USING THE BULLY BREEDS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO EASY TO WORK WITH AND, YOU KNOW, LOVE PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM, YOU KNOW. VOLUNTEERS EVALUATE, SOCIALIZE, AND WORK WITH OTHER DOGS. YET THEY REMAIN BEHIND KENNEL DOORS WHILE POTENTIAL ADOPTERS, I THINK COUNCILMEMBER BUSS, ARE TURNED AWAY. EVERY DAY SPENT IN A SHELTER AFFECTS A DOG'S QUALITY OF LIFE. EVERY KENNEL OCCUPIED BY A DOG RESTRICTED UNDER THIS ORDINANCE IS A KENNEL UNAVAILABLE TO ANOTHER ANIMAL IN NEED. AND SO THEN OUR SHELTERS GET OVERFULL. THESE ARE REAL CONSEQUENCES THAT AFFECT OUR SHELTER AND RESOURCES, OUR TAX DOLLARS, AND THE LIVES. I JUST ASK YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT THIS. YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL CHANGE A LOT OF LIVES. BECAUSE THAT WAS MY BEEP, RIGHT? THAT I'M CUT OFF.
MAN. WELL, I EMAILED IT TO YOU GUYS SO YOU COULD READ THE FULL THING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MELANIE MILNER, 20307 MUD HOLLOW ROAD. AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FANCY WRITTEN UP. I DID, BUT EVERYBODY STOLE MY THUNDER.
SO I HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT JUST KIND OF CAME TO MIND WHILE I WAS LISTENING.
UM, I HAVE BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT MIDLANDS HUMANE SOCIETY.
I'VE SAT ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN THE PAST, AND SO I'VE GOT TO WITNESS A LOT OUT OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S SO WONDERFUL OUT THERE IS THE VOLUNTEERS, AND THAT'S WHAT KEEPS THE PLACE GOING. OBVIOUSLY THE STAFF, THE FUNDING, ALL THE PROGRAMS, BUT THE VOLUNTEERS ARE REALLY A GOOD BACKBONE OF THE SHELTER.
SO I SEE THEM COME IN AND WALK DOGS. WE USED TO WALK DOGS. I HAD A WHOLE GROUP THAT WOULD WALK, AND WE DID IT FOR A FEW YEARS. ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS FOR ME PERSONALLY WAS WALKING THE PIT BULLS BECAUSE THEY JUST KEPT GROWING, AND EVERY KENNEL IS JUST KENNEL AFTER KENNEL AFTER KENNEL, AND WE GO IN, WE'RE LIKE, OH MY GOD. WHEN ARE THESE EVER GOING TO GET ANY HOMES? AND IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS RESTRICTED, OBVIOUSLY, WHERE THEY COULD BE ADOPTED OUT. SO IT BECAME TOO HARD ON A COUPLE THAT WALKED WITH US. WE EVENTUALLY JUST SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE BECAUSE THE SAME DOGS ARE HERE ALL THE TIME. SO I'LL SHIFT TO ANOTHER STORY. I WAS CONTACTED BY THE DIRECTOR TO FOSTER A PIT BULL THAT WAS TAKEN FROM A HOTEL. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS, BUT THE GENTLEMAN HAD PASSED AWAY. THE DOG WAS IN THE HOTEL FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS, HAD TO BE CONFISCATED BY THE POLICE. THEY I THINK THEY ALSO ENGAGED IN ANIMAL CONTROL TO HELP. AND HE WAS A LITTLE TERRIFYING LOOKING, I'LL ADMIT. AND SHE AND NIKKI CONTACTED ME A FEW MONTHS LATER AND SAID, KARMA NEEDS TO GET OUT OF THE SHELTER. SHE'S GONE STIR CRAZY. SHE'S AN AMAZING DOG.
AND I'M LIKE, I'VE NEVER HAD A PIT BULL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS. SO WE ENDED UP GOING OUT AND TAKING HER. I HAD THEM PUT ON A MUZZLE BECAUSE I WAS NERVOUS, BUT I WATCHED WHAT SHE WAS DOING WITH THE OTHER DOGS, AND THEY SAID, WE USE HER TO TRAIN ALL THE OTHER DOGS BECAUSE SHE'S SO SMART. SHE'S VERY GOOD WITH BEHAVIOR. SO WE ENDED UP TAKING HER HOME, HAD HER FOR A FEW WEEKS, MET A COUPLE IN OMAHA. THEY CAME TO MEET HER. SOMEBODY ELSE CAME TO MEET HER. I'M LIKE, NOT A GOOD FIT. THE OTHER GUY CAME TO MEET HER AND HE LUNGED AT HER WITHIN A MINUTE OF MEETING HER. AND I ABOUT LOST MY MIND. AND SHE BARKED IN THE AIR AND HE GOES, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SEE.
IS SHE AGGRESSIVE OR IS SHE REACTIVE? SHE'S FEAR-BASED.
SHE'S REACTIVE. SHE DIDN'T HURT
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ME. I'M GOOD. THE DOG'S IN THE BEST HOME EVER IN OMAHA.BUT I GUESS MY POINT WAS I HAD TO OVERCOME MY OWN THINGS IN MY BRAIN JUST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TRAINED PIT BULLS ARE MEAN, PIT BULLS ARE MEAN, RIGHT? BUT I WALKED SO MANY OF THEM THERE, I'M LIKE, WELL, THEY DON'T SEEM LIKE THEY'RE MEAN. SOME OF THE OTHER DOGS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED TONIGHT SEEM LIKE IT. WE HAVE SINCE ADOPTED A PIT BULL THAT I WAS ALSO CONTACTED BY NIKKI AND SAID, COULD YOU TAKE THIS DOG IN YOUR HOME? YOU HAVE A CRAZY DOG AND IT WILL TOLERATE THIS PIT BULL. I SAID, OKAY, BROUGHT HER HOME. I HAVE A 92-YEAR-OLD MOTHER LIVING WITH US. ANOTHER FAMILY THAT HAS DEMENTIA THAT COMES OFTEN, AND THIS DOG IS LIKE THE THERAPY DOG IN THE HOUSE. EVERYBODY GRAVITATES TO THIS DOG. OUR OTHER DOG IS CRAZY AND NOT SO MUCH, LOOKS LIKE A GERMAN SHEPHERD MIX. BUT IT JUST, IT JUST REALLY SETS ON ME THAT YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF POWER AND DECISION-MAKING TO MAKE, AND WE RELY ON YOU GUYS TO MAKE VERY GOOD DECISIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT AT STAKE STAKE IN THIS. WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT YOU'LL OPEN YOUR MINDS TO REALLY CONSIDER THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THERE'S A LOT MORE TO CONSIDER NOW THAN WHAT WE USED TO KNOW. WE'RE EMPOWERED WITH INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH, AND WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED A LOT OF THAT TONIGHT. MUCH MORE IS OUT THERE, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS TONIGHT, LETTING PEOPLE COME FORWARD AND TALK ABOUT IT AND BEING OPEN TO LISTENING TO THEM AND WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO INVITE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS BEFORE DECISIONS ARE ACTUALLY MADE WITH PEOPLE IF THEY WOULD REACH OUT TO YOU. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT.
TIM BRUMMER, 29 COOPER AVENUE. UM, AGAIN, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE TO REMOVE OR SUPPORT THE REMOVAL? RAISE YOUR HANDS. HOW MANY ARE PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS, HAVE TRAINED, HAVE DOGS TRAINED? SO VERY FEW. I DID A QUICK INTERWEB SEARCH MOST DANGEROUS DOGS IN THE U.S. PIT BULLS, NUMBER ONE, ARE THE BREED OF BULLIES. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE COME UP TO SPEAK TO YOU KIND FOLKS THAT DON'T RESIDE IN THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. THEY'RE OUTSIDE. THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT RESIDENTS. THEY DON'T PAY CITY TAXES. SO I FIND THAT A LITTLE BIT DISCOURAGING THAT, THAT THEY'RE HERE VOICING THEIR OPINIONS WHEN THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR ANY OF YOU GUYS. UM, AND YOU THE CITY HAS SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT THAT WAS JUST UPHELD 4 YEARS AGO THAT SUPPORTED THE CITY'S DECISION TO BAN A PARTICULAR BREED OF DOG. IT WAS IN THE PURVIEW OF CITY SAFETY, RESIDENT SAFETY. I, I'M SURE IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO DEFEND THE CITY'S POSITION IN FEDERAL COURT, AND I'D HATE TO SEE THOSE THAT DECISION JUST PUSHED AWAY AT THE WHIM OF A FEW PEOPLE. IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT THEY ARE IT'S NOT THE BREED, IT'S THE, THE DANGER FACTOR. YOU KNOW, UM, I'M SURE YOUR WEAPON IS PROBABLY LOADED, BUT IT'S DANGEROUS, BUT IT'S SAFE. I DON'T THINK I'D LET MY KID GO TO VISIT A NEIGHBOR THAT HAD A LOADED HANDGUN IN THEIR HOME. IT'S DANGEROUS.
AND PEOPLE TODAY, UH, TAKE THEIR DOGS EVERYWHERE GROCERY STORES, LUMBERYARD, RESTAURANTS. I, AS THAT'S JUST MY LITTLE ON MY SOAPBOX THAT YOUR DOG BELONGS AT HOME. IT DOESN'T BELONG AT A RESTAURANT WHEN I'M EATING A MEAL, OR YOU YOUR DOG SITTING IN THE SHOPPING CART WITH HIS DERRIERE WHERE I PUT MY GROCERIES. I, I THINK PEOPLE HAVE BECOME TOO ATTACHED TO HUMANIZING OF ANIMALS.
THEY'RE A PET, THEY'RE AN ANIMAL, THEY'RE NOT A, THEY'RE NOT A PERSON. MY, MY KIDS, MY GRANDKIDS, WHEN THEY COME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GO TO THE PARK AND PLAY WITHOUT HAVING WORRY ABOUT SOMEBODY'S BULLY GETTING OFF LEASH, HAVING A VICIOUS ATTACK. AND,
[02:50:02]
UH, AND I THINK I MEAN, I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS A, UH, CITY STAT, BUT SINCE THE BAN TOOK EFFECT, BITE DOG BITES BEEN DOWN 25%. I, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN ARGUE WITH WITH STATISTICS OF IF IT'S SAFER FOR OUR RESIDENTS, WHY WOULD YOU REMOVE THAT, THAT, THAT BAN? SO I'M JUST ASKING THE, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP THINGS AS IS, KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. AND IF YOU DO DECIDE TO REMOVE THE BAN, AND WE'VE JUST SETTLED A LAWSUIT 4 YEARS AGO. DOES THIS OPEN UP THE CITY TO LAWSUIT IF SOMEBODY DOES GET INJURED BECAUSE OF THE BAN BEING REMOVED? THAT'S SOMETHING YOU GUYS NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL.UM, YOU KNOW, DOES THAT OPEN UP YOUR LIABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY? I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
SORRY, YOU CAN'T SPEAK TWICE, SO YOU'LL HAVE TO SIT DOWN.
YOU, YOU COULD SPEAK ABOUT DIFFERENT TOPICS.
YOU SPOKE ON THE FIRST ORDINANCE, NOW IT'S THE SECOND ORDINANCE.
MY NAME IS DANIELLA FINNEGAN, 30 LINWOOD DRIVE. UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE HERE HERE, BUT I GET MORE WORRIED TAKING MY SON TO THE PARK LOOKING FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE, SEX OFFENDERS, NOT A BULLY DOG, WHICH BY THE WAY, PIT BULL IS NOT A BREED. UM, I DID SEND THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR SCHUDACK AN EMAIL, AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK COLE BUTTON FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF HIS DAY TO RESPOND. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE. UM, ON TOP OF WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID HERE TONIGHT, I I JUST HAVE ONE THING TO ADD. WE ARE ALL, MOST OF US, CITIZENS OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. I PAY MY TAXES. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO OWN WHATEVER DOG WE WANT. I'M GETTING KIND OF ANXIOUS. I KNOW A FEW OF YOU, DOUGLAS, I THINK YOU WERE APPOINTED HERE. YOU DIDN'T RUN, IF I'M CORRECT. COLE IS FOR LIFTING IT. BE A FAN FAVORITE. LIFT THE BAN. IT'S OUTDATED, IT'S UNNECESSARY, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANOTHER TERM, WE ALL WILL REMEMBER HOW YOU VOTED. THANK YOU. HI, TRISHA SHINOS, 1314 18TH AVENUE, COUNCIL I JUST WANTED TO COME UP REAL QUICK AND SAY I HAVE LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE. I'M A FORMER MAGISTRATE JUDGE HERE IN POTAWATOMI COUNTY. I HAVE PRACTICED LAW IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I DIDN'T PLAN TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT THE GENTLEMAN THAT CAME UP SUPPORTING THE BAN STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME. DURING MY TENURE AS A MAGISTRATE, I WAS IN CHARGE OF OVERSEEING ANY OUT-COUNTY DANGEROUS DOG ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS. I ALSO, OF COURSE, OVERSAW ANYTHING HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. WHY I DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THOSE TWO IS THIS: I OUR OUT I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I SAID OUT-COUNTY, THE TOWNS THAT LIE AROUND OR THROUGH POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. SO CARSON, OAKLAND, AVOCA, THOSE TOWNS. THEY CAME IN QUITE OFTEN, UM, TRAINER, UM, TRYING TO REMOVE DOGS FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEY HAVE DESIGNATED AS DANGEROUS DOGS.
ZERO OF THEM IN THE 3 YEARS I SAT ON THE BENCH WERE PIT BULLS OR BULLY BREEDS. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GO THROUGH, UM, WHAT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID HERE TONIGHT IS WE DON'T HAVE TO YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY PINPOINT ONE BREED WHEN WE HAVE A DANGEROUS DOG ORDINANCE THAT WORKS. WE SEE IN OUR COURTROOMS, YOU CAN ALL SIT THERE, AND, AND I THINK THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE SAT AND WATCHED SOME OF OUR ANIMAL CONTROL HEARINGS AND TALLY UP WHEN YOU SEE THOSE DOGS BEING A BULLY BREED, BECAUSE IN POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY, WE STILL SEE THOSE TOWNS THAT ALLOW BULLY BREEDS TO LIVE IN THEIR TOWNS. LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T PLAN TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT THE GENTLEMAN THAT CAME UP HERE JUST BEFORE SUPPORTING THIS BAN STRUCK A CHORD. I HAVE TWO DOBERMANS. PEOPLE THINK THOSE DOGS ARE SCARY. I RUN THIS TOWN EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH MY DOG,
[02:55:03]
AND PEOPLE CROSS THE STREET BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID OF THEM COMING DOWN.AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN WE'RE ON THE TRAIL, AND THERE'S A DOG THAT'S NOT ON A LEASH, IT'S USUALLY A LAB OR A SMALL, YOU KNOW, LITTLE GUY. THOSE ARE THE DOGS COMING UP AND TRYING TO START FIGHTS AND ATTACK ME OR MY DOG WHO'S ALWAYS ON A LEASH. AND I AM A RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNER. THE DOBERMANS ARE ALWAYS IN THE LIST, YOU KNOW, WITH ROTTWEILERS, BULLY BREEDS, GERMAN SHEPHERDS, WHATEVER.
AND, AND I JUST REALLY FEEL LIKE WE'RE TARGETING SOMETHING AND MISSING THE POINT COMPLETELY. SO TONIGHT I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU REPEAL THIS ORDINANCE AND STILL CONTINUE TO PROTECT ALL OF US THAT ARE EITHER RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS OR JUST COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THANK YOU. YEAH, YOU CAN SPEAK.
MY NAME IS JUSTIN MOORE, 3620 AVENUE G. HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, I THINK EVERYBODY'S PRETTY MUCH MADE THE POINT.
WELL, WE ALL FEEL THE MAJORITY OF US FEEL THE SAME. I APPRECIATE THE GENTLEMAN WHO DID SPEAK UP AGAINST IT, AS I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY. I THINK THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT IS FOR REPEALING THE BAN. UM, AS HE SAID, THE DOG BITES HAVE WENT DOWN 25%. I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT STAT.
I'M NOT ARGUING THAT STAT, BUT THE NUMBER OF PIT BULLS IN THIS TOWN HAS NOT WENT DOWN.
SO HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE. I'M SURE YOU GUYS DRIVE AROUND TOWN, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE. HOMELESS PEOPLE HAVE THEM. SOME OF THE HOMELESS PEOPLE TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR DOGS THAN SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN HOMES. SO I'M NOT BASHING THEM ON OWNING THEM AS WELL. I HAD TO GIVE UP MY DOG. SORRY, I'LL BE THE FIRST GUY TO CRY. UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO, IT'S MY FAMILY DOG. YOU HURT, YOU HURT. ALL BECAUSE THE LADY OF THE ANIMAL CONTROL SAID SHE LOOKED LIKE A PIT BULL. THERE WAS NO FACTS. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN ARREST SOMEBODY JUST ON YOUR OPINION, CORRECT? YOU CAN'T JUST COME UP AND SAY, HEY, I THINK YOU'RE DRUNK, I'M TAKING YOU TO JAIL. YOU GOT TO HAVE SOME FACTS. THERE'S NO FACTS. THERE'S NO FACTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DID SPEND THE $100.
LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE HAD SAID, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO DO TESTING, DNA TESTING. IT DIDN'T COME BACK IN MY FAVOR.
MY DOG'S NOW IN OMAHA. I VISITED EVERY DAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T BRING IT OVER HERE TO VISIT MY KID. I CAN'T BRING IT OVER HERE TO THE VET. BY LAW, I CAN'T BRING MY DOG THROUGH THE CITY TO TAKE IT TO THE VET, CORRECT? BY THE, BY THE ORDINANCE, HOW THE ORDINANCE READS, I CAN'T EVEN BRING MY DOG IN MY CAR TO GO TO THE VET TO SPEND MONEY AT THE VET IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. IS THIS NECESSARY? AGAIN, THE NUMBER OF PIT BULLS IN THIS TOWN DID NOT GO DOWN.
THEY DIDN'T. THEY'RE EVERYWHERE. THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
WHEN THE ANIMAL CONTROL LADY CAME TO MY HOUSE, I SAID, PLEASE COME TO MY BACKYARD, MEET MY DOG. MY DOG WALKED UP, SNIFFED HER, WALKED AWAY.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS.
WE NEED TO TARGET RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS AND I'M SORRY, NOT TARGET THE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS. IF SOMEBODY'S DOG IF YOU PAY ATTENTION, I'M A SOCIAL MEDIA JUNKIE. IF YOU'VE HEARD MY NAME, IT'S PROBABLY ON FACEBOOK. YOU PROBABLY DON'T LIKE ME, OR LIKE ME FROM THAT ALONE, I CAN IMAGINE. IT'S JUST, IT'S THERE'S THESE DOGS ARE LOOSE, OF ALL, ALL KINDS OF DOGS ARE LOOSE EVERY DAY.
AND IF THEY WERE THAT MEAN, EVEN, EVEN THE BULLY BREED BAN BRANDS OR BREEDS ARE LOOSE EVERY DAY. AND IF THEY WERE THAT BAD, WOULDN'T THEY BE MAULING AND KILLING PEOPLE? AS A FORMER COUNCILMAN THE OTHER DAY SAID ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT YOU'RE SAVING LIVES NO, YOU'RE NOT. YOU'RE NOT SAVING LIVES. DO THESE DOGS DO DAMAGE WHEN THEY BITE? YES. IT'S JUST LIKE A SEMI HITTING A SMART CAR. WHAT'S GOING TO DO MORE DAMAGE? IT'S COMMON SENSE. YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS BAN, THIS, THIS, THE, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, ALL THREE ALIGN WITH THE CDC.
ON THIS TOPIC, AND THAT'S NOT IN FAVOR OF BANS. I WANT TO THANK ALL YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME AND ALL YOU DO FOR OUR CITY. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.
HI, MY NAME IS KYLIE. I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE HERE. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN ILLINOIS, 7 HOURS AWAY, BUT I GREW UP HERE. I WENT TO
[03:00:02]
HIGH SCHOOL HERE AND SCHOOL HERE ALL MY LIFE. PERSONALLY SUPPORTED QUITE A FEW OF YOUR GUYS' CAMPAIGNS WHILE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WITH ALL MY FRIENDS. SO EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIVE HERE, I DON'T PAY CITY TAXES, I HAVE A PART OF THIS LIFE HERE, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK HERE, AND I CAN'T DO THAT IF I OWN A PIT BULL. I OWN A PIT BULL IN ILLINOIS THAT IS HE IS THE SWEETEST LITTLE GUY EVER. HE'S TRAINED IN MANY SERVICE DOG TASKS. HE HAS NEVER HAD ANOTHER ISSUE WITH ANOTHER DOG, AND I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MOVE BACK HERE AND CONTRIBUTE TO MY TOWN BECAUSE OF THAT ONE SIMPLE THING. SO I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS TO HEAR US OUT, THOSE OF US THAT EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T LIVE HERE, WE WANT TO MOVE HERE AND WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.I WASN'T REALLY PLANNING THAT.
MY NAME IS BARB GALLAGHER, AND I MY ADDRESS IS 21236 MUD HOLLOW ROAD. I WAS ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS AT THE SHELTER YEARS AGO, UM, WALKING DOGS. AND, UM, I'VE HAD FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS ROTTWEILERS, SHEPHERDS, HEELERS. AND THE, THE LAST ONE RIGHT NOW THAT I HAVE IS BRUNO. HE'S A BULLDOG PIT MIX, AND I WAS ABLE TO ADOPT HIM, BUT I WAS STRUGGLING WITH THE FACT BECAUSE WE HAD 4 OTHER DOGS AND I DIDN'T NEED 5 DOGS. BUT LOOKING AT HIM IN THE SHELTER FOR 4 MONTHS BEHIND THOSE BARS. I JUST HE HAD GOT MY HEART, AND HE'S ONE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS DOGS TO ME. I'M A DOG MOM, I GUESS, IN THE SENSE OF THAT HE'S JUST SO SWEET. WE JUST HAD RESCUED SOME KITTENS IN OUR BARN THAT WE BROUGHT INTO THE HOUSE, AND HE'S JUST THE SWEETEST DOG.
AND I AGREE, THEY'RE JUST THE MOST I'VE NEVER REALLY HAD MUCH LIKE I SAID, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD OTHER KIND OF AGGRESSIVE DOGS, BUT YET AS FAR AS WORKING DOGS THAT THEY SAY ARE AGGRESSIVE, BUT WE'VE TRAINED THEM WELL.
THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN WELL SOCIALIZED. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SPEAK ON BEHALF OF BRUNO AND OUR FAMILY THAT HE'S BEEN A TRULY, TRULY BIG BLESSING TO US. SO THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? IT'S YOUR TURN.
JAMIE AUGUSTINE, 3500 AVENUE E. OH, I'M NERVOUS. SORRY.
FIRST, I WANT TO SAY I WAS BORN, RAISED HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, AND I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS STATISTICS, THE DATA, OR THE NUMBERS. I'M HERE TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE AND ASK THAT MY VOICE BE HEARD.
SORRY. YOU'RE OKAY. MY MOTHER HAD A DOG NAMED GEMMA, A DOG THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A PIT BULL OVER THE YEARS GEMMA HAS BEEN A PART OF COUNTLESS FAMILY COOKOUTS, HOLIDAYS, AND GATHERINGS SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CHILDREN, GRANDPARENTS, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, AND EVEN SOME OF MY COWORKERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF DROPPING THIS BAN. EVERYONE WHO HAS MET GEMMA KNOWS THE TRUTH ABOUT HER. SHE WASN'T DANGEROUS. SHE WASN'T AGGRESSIVE. THE ONLY THING SHE WAS GUILTY OF WAS STEALING YOUR SPOT ON THE COUCH WHEN YOU GOT UP.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT PIT BULLS, I DON'T THINK ABOUT LABELS OR STEREOTYPES. I THINK ABOUT GEMMA. I THINK ABOUT A LOVING FAMILY DOG WHO BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER AND WAS TRUSTED AROUND THE PEOPLE WE CARED ABOUT THE MOST. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCE OF RESPONSIBLE OWNERS AND THE INDIVIDUAL DOGS BEHIND THE BREED LABEL. I HOPE YOU'LL CHOOSE TO DROP THIS BAN AND JUDGE DOGS BY THEIR BEHAVIOR AND THE CARE THEY RECEIVE, NOT SIMPLY BY HOW THEY LOOK. THANK YOU.
COLTON FINNEGAN, 30 LINWOOD DRIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE KNOWN THAT MY WIFE STOLE MY THING I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT WE'LL DEFINITELY REMEMBER HOW THIS VOTE GOES WHEN WE'RE NEXT ELECTION, YOU KNOW. I THINK WE COULD HAVE EVERYBODY STAND UP FOR WHETHER THEY'D SUPPORT YOU
[03:05:02]
IF YOU STRIKE THIS BACK, OR IF YOU STRIKE THIS DOWN, OR IF YOU UPHOLD THE BAN. BUT NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE MADE THE POINT THAT THIS IS NOT A DOG ISSUE. THIS IS A GOVERNMENT OVERREACH ISSUE. SO THIS IS YOU GUYS TELLING US WHAT DOGS WE CAN OWN. NEXT, YOU'LL BE TELLING US WHAT CARS WE CAN OWN. WHAT LAWNMOWER WE CAN OWN.SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS MY MAIN POINT IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN TELL US THAT, THEN YOU CAN TELL US ANYTHING.
SO YEAH, BUT I KNOW EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTS LIFTING THIS BAN WILL REMEMBER THIS NEXT ELECTION, AND WE'LL SHARE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA HOW IT WENT.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS REELECTED, GO AHEAD AND STRIKE THIS THING DOWN.
ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK? THIS IS THE LAST CALL.
PAUL GALLIS, ONEZRA JACKSON WAY. I DIDN'T PLAN ON SPEAKING.
I PROBABLY WOULDN'T WEAR FLIP-FLOPS, BUT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAID A LOT OF GREAT THINGS. I'VE BEEN A POLICE OFFICER FOR 26 YEARS, ALMOST 27 YEARS, IN THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. TROY AND I HAVE DEALT WITH DOG BITES, DOG ATTACKS FROM EVERY SINGLE BREED THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
THE WORST BITE THAT I SAW WAS FROM A COCKER SPANIEL.
DANIEL. SO JUST SAYING, UM, GREAT KIDS COME FROM GREAT FAMILIES. TROUBLED KIDS COME FROM TROUBLED HOMES. DOGS ARE NO DIFFERENT. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY ALMOST 27 YEARS. UM, IF THIS MEETING HAD PROBABLY HAPPENED A YEAR PRIOR TO NOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE THE SAME OPINION THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
BUT NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, I HAD TO GO TO THE AMERICAN INN, WHICH IS DOWN ON SOUTH 24TH STREET. IT'S A PRETTY HORRIBLE HOTEL, AND SOMEBODY HAD THREATENED TO SHOOT THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER AND THEN THREATENED TO SHOOT ME. AND HE HAD BEAT HIS DOG PRETTY BAD, VERY BADLY. SO AFTER HE WENT TO JAIL, THE DOG WENT TO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY, AND THEN AFTER HE LOST THE RIGHTS TO HIS DOG, I END UP ADOPTING THAT DOG.
AND SHE'S A PIT BULL, AND SHE'S THE BEST DOG THAT I'VE EVER OWNED. SO I'VE HAD LABS, RETRIEVERS, UH, VIZSLA, SHAR-PEI. THEY'RE ALL GREAT DOGS. HANDS DOWN, THIS IS THE SMARTEST DOG THAT I'VE EVER HAD. SHE IS AMAZING. AND SHE BECAUSE I ADOPTED HER FROM A CRIMINAL DOESN'T MEAN THAT SHE SHOULD BE ONE WHEN I PUT HER INTO MY TRUCK. THAT'S IT.
LET'S HOLD OUR APPLAUSE, PLEASE. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE HALLWAY? THAT THERE'S MORE SEATS IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME IN, IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK. THERE'S SOME IN THE BACK STILL. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL? SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME HERE AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US. SO THE QUESTION TONIGHT IS, DO WE BELIEVE THAT A BLANKET BREED BAN ON PIT BULLS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM DANGEROUS DOGS? I THINK EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL, AND I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM AND IN THE HALLWAY, WANTS THE SAME THING. WE ALL WANT COUNCIL BLUFFS TO BE SAFE. WE WANT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE SAFE. WE WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE SAFE. WE WANT OUR FAMILIES TO BE SAFE.
AND WHEN A DOG IS DANGEROUS, AGGRESSIVE, RUNNING LOOSE, OR ATTACKING PEOPLE OR ANIMALS, THE CITY SHOULD RESPOND QUICKLY AND SERIOUSLY. ABSOLUTELY.
WHERE WE DISAGREE IS NOT ON THE GOAL, IT'S JUST HOW DO WE GET THERE. I UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PEOPLE SUPPORT THE BAN.
SERIOUS DOG ATTACKS ARE TERRIFYING, AND I DO NOT DISMISS THAT AT ALL. BUT AFTER LOOKING AT THE FACTS AND LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS, LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH ANIMALS EVERY DAY VETERINARIANS, MIDLANDS ANIMAL CONTROL, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO PEOPLE ALL OVER AND LOOKING AT THE DATA, I DON'T THINK THAT THE BREED BAN IS THE MOST
[03:10:01]
EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT. I THINK THE STRONGER PUBLIC SAFETY OUR APPROACH IS NOT A BREED BAN.IT'S A BREED-NEUTRAL POLICY THAT TARGETS DANGEROUS CONDUCT, RECKLESS OWNERS, AND ACTUAL RISK. THAT MEANS STRICT LEASH ENFORCEMENT. THAT MEANS HOLDING OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEIR DOG RUNS LOOSE. THAT MEANS STRONG DANGEROUS DOG RULES BASED ON BEHAVIOR, NOT APPEARANCE.
IT MEANS ESCALATING PENALTIES FOR REPEAT VIOLATORS. IT MEANS SECURE CONFINEMENT FOR DOGS THAT HAVE DISPLAYED AGGRESSION AND REQUIRE IT. AND IT MEANS AGGRESSIVE ENFORCEMENT AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ABUSE, MISTREAT, OR NEGLECT THEIR ANIMALS, OR TRAIN THEM TO BE VICIOUS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FACTS, BREED BANS HAVE NOT CONSISTENTLY SHOWN THAT THEY ARE EFFICIENT AT IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHEN VETERINARIANS WERE SURVEYED. 85% OF THEM SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT A BREED BAN. 89% OF THEM SAID THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS EFFECTIVE AT IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WORK ' WITH ANIMALS EVERY DAY, AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY EVEN SAID THEY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME IDENTIFYING THE BREED OF A DOG BASED ON APPEARANCE ALONE. IT'S NOT REPEALING THE BREED BAN IS NOT ABOUT BEING SAFE ON DANGEROUS DOGS. IT'S THE OPPOSITE. IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR LAWS ARE TARGETED, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE ENFORCEABLE AND FAIR AND FOCUSED ON THE REAL DANGER. SO TONIGHT I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO JOIN ME IN REPEALING THE BREED BAN AND MOVING FORWARD TOWARDS A STRONG BREED-NEUTRAL APPROACH, ONE THAT PROTECTS THE PUBLIC, ONE THAT HOLDS BAD OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE, AND ONE THAT JUDGES DOGS BY BEHAVIOR, NOT THEIR APPEARANCE. THANK YOU. A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. WE'VE SAID IT A COUPLE TIMES. AYE, AYE.
GO AHEAD. I'LL ECHO COLE'S COMMENTS. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING OUT TO SPEAK ABOUT IT. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. YOU'RE ALL HERE TONIGHT FOR THIS ONE REASON, RIGHT? AND A LOT OF YOU HAVE NEVER PROBABLY BEEN HERE BEFORE IN YOUR LIVES TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING, RIGHT? SO I GET IT. IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS CAME UP EARLIER THIS YEAR, I HAD HEARD RUMBLINGS ABOUT IT AND, UH, LOOKED INTO IT MYSELF LIKE I DO WITH ANY ISSUE THAT COMES UP.
TO ME, I DON'T FEEL I'M DOING ANYBODY ANY JUSTICE UNLESS WE RESEARCH THE ISSUE AND WE TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THE ISSUE AS IT DOES THIS.
UM, MY FIRST THING WAS TO RESEARCH WHAT WHY'D WE PUT THE BAN IN PLACE, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, WELL, LET'S GET RID OF THE BAN. SO WHY DID WE PUT THE BAN IN PLACE? SO I WENT BACK, RESEARCHED WHY WE HAD DONE THAT, RIGHT? AND IT WAS 20-SOME YEARS AGO, AND THOSE OF US THAT ARE OLDER REMEMBER THIS. THAT WE HAD A RASH OF BITES THAT HAD OCCURRED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WERE COMING FROM THAT BREED. UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THE TIME. UM, AND I WILL SHARE A STAT WITH YOU THAT AT THE TIME, PIT BULLS WERE 2.3% OF THE REGISTERED DOGS. IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, YET THEY WERE 23% OF THE NUMBER OF BITES THAT WERE REPORTED IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. OKAY, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT A NUMBER, OBVIOUSLY THE FOLKS IN COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND EVERYBODY SAID, HEY, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS OUT OF WHACK. SO THEY WENT, THEY WENT THROUGH THEIR PROCESS. I WENT BACK, READ THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES FROM THAT TIME PERIOD. I LOOKED AT THE COMMENTS, THE VOTES THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE, COUNCIL, MAYOR. IT WAS A 3-2 VOTE AT THAT TIME, GUYS. IT WAS VERY CLOSE. THERE WAS ACTUALLY DISCUSSION FROM THE PREVIOUS MAYOR, UH, MAYOR HANNAFIN, THAT HE MAY VETO THAT PARTICULAR VOTE. IT WAS 3-2, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.
I DO BELIEVE THAT MAYBE ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD A VERY, UH, I'LL SAY A BIG STAKE IN IT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE PERSON HE WAS WITH AT THE TIME HAD A BITE FROM A PIT BULL AT THE TIME.
UM, I ALSO LOOKED AT OTHER COMMUNITIES. WHAT ARE THEY DOING? ONE THING I WILL SAY THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE AWARE OF IS THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS LOOKED AT THIS, RIGHT? AND THE HOUSE AT THE STATE DID PASS, UH, UH, RESOLUTION, I BELIEVE, TO SAY IT WAS 80-SOMETHING TO
[03:15:02]
16, I THINK, IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE BAN. OKAY, THEY'RE LOOKING TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHANGES. I UNDERSTAND THAT.I'VE GOT TO LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN COUNCIL BLUFFS AND WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE OUR HAND MIGHT GET FORCED. I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY. IF THE STATE COMES DOWN AND SAYS, HEY, WE AGREE TO THIS, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT FORWARD. NOW, IT THIS YEAR, WE MAY NOT HAVE A SAY. THEY'RE GONNA TELL US ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. BUT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I DID WAS I SPOKE TO PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION AT THE TIME THAT THEY MADE IT, OKAY? AND I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS. THIS IS DIFFERENT, THAT'S DIFFERENT, WHATEVER. BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC BREEDS, I'M NOT SURE BREEDS HAVE CHANGED IN 20 YEARS. THEY'RE STILL BREEDS. THEY, THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME INNATE CHARACTERISTICS THAT THEY'VE HAD FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. SO I GET THAT MAYBE THE SOCIETY HAS CHANGED, MAYBE SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT WHEN WE START THINKING ABOUT A BREED-SPECIFIC, I'M NOT SURE THE BREED HAS CHANGED.
THAT'S STILL THE SAME. AND ONE OF MY MOST IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS WAS WITH OUR PREVIOUS ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER WHO WAS HERE WHEN THE BAN WENT INTO EFFECT EXCUSE ME INTO EFFECT AND HAD TO ALSO REGISTER ALL THE DOGS AND THEN TELL EVERYBODY, HEY, WE'VE GOT A BAN NOW IN EFFECT AND YOU CAN'T HAVE THOSE, OKAY? AND SO I TAKE A LOT OF CREDENCE INTO WHAT HE HAD TO SAY BECAUSE HE LIVED THROUGH IT. I'LL BE HONEST, I KNOW IT WAS THERE AND I KNOW IT WAS HAPPENING, BUT I DIDN'T LIVE THROUGH IT. I WASN'T PART OF THAT AT THE TIME. OKAY, SO I'VE GOT TO GO TO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE.
AND HE HAD SOME INTERESTING COMMENTS ABOUT IT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, HE BROUGHT FORWARD WERE THINGS THAT I HADN'T REALLY CONSIDERED MYSELF AS I STARTED TO LOOK AT IT. AND A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HE'S DEALT WITH AGAIN, HE, HE'S DEALT WITH THIS FAR MORE THAN I HAVE, SO I'VE GOT TO GO TO THE EXPERTS THAT DO SOME OF THESE THINGS. WE TALK ABOUT DOG BITES, RIGHT? AND I'VE HEARD A NUMBER TODAY.
LABS BITE, RIGHT? ALL DOGS BITE. CHOW CHOWS, I THINK JEFF SAID THAT AS WELL, RIGHT? I GET THAT.
BUT IT'S THE SEVERITY OF THE BITE WITH THE PARTICULAR BREED THAT CAUSES THE DANGER AND THAT CAUSES THE PROBLEM. I GET WE CAN ALL HAVE DOGS. I LOVE DOGS. I'VE HAD DOGS MY ENTIRE LIFE. BUT OF ALL THE DOGS THAT WE'VE HAD, AND MY WIFE IS A HUGE DOG LOVER AS WELL. WE WATCH CESAR MILLAN, RIGHT? WE DO THE SAME THING. HE'S GOT THE PIT BULLS.
THEY DO THE THERAPY. HE DOES ALL THE STUFF. I GET IT. I SEE IT. BUT A BORDER COLLIE HAS HERDING INSTINCTS BECAUSE IT'S INNATE INTO THE DOG. AND HOUNDS HAVE A SENSE OF SMELL INNATE INTO THEIR BREED, JUST LIKE A GERMAN SHEPHERD. WHAT'S THE PRIMARY DOG THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS USE? THEY USE A CERTAIN TYPE OF DOG, RIGHT? THEY DON'T USE A SHIH TZU OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO TRY AND DO THAT. THEY USE A CERTAIN BREED BECAUSE THOSE BREEDS DO CERTAIN THINGS. AND SO THAT TO ME IS INNATE IN THE DOG. AND I, I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY IS OUT HERE SAYING, BUT IT'S THE OWNER, IT'S THE OWNER. UNDERSTOOD.
BAD PEOPLE COME FROM BAD ENVIRONMENTS AND WHATEVER THE SITUATION MIGHT BE, AND DOGS ARE VERY SIMILAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT WHEN IT GOES BAD IN THIS PARTICULAR BREED, IT'S BEEN SHOWN THAT IT GOES VERY BAD, AND THEY DON'T GENERALLY TERM IT A BITE ANY LONGER. IT CAN BE TERMED A MAULING BECAUSE OF HOW THEY DO IT. AND WE SEE THAT AGAIN. WE KNOW THAT CERTAIN DOGS DO CERTAIN THINGS, AND THAT IS IN THE BREED.
HOUNDS ARE SMELL. TERRIERS DIG.
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE BRED FOR.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WITHIN THIS BREED THAT CAN GO VERY BAD. AND AGAIN, I TAKE SOME OF THESE THINGS FROM THE EXPERTS. I'VE DONE MY OWN RESEARCH, BUT I HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, OKAY, IF THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING CERTAIN THINGS, THEN I GOT TO KIND
[03:20:01]
OF TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. ONE THING THAT WAS MENTIONED TONIGHT, WE DID HAVE A LAWSUIT IN 2022 FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. WE WERE SUED BY A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THAT SAID THIS IS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL. YOU CANNOT HAVE A BREED-SPECIFIC BAN. I THINK MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT WE WON THE COURT CASE. SO FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE ABILITY TO KEEP THE BAN IN PLACE.BUT FROM, I GUESS I'M GOING TO SAY, A COMMON SENSE STANDPOINT, WOULD YOU EVER SAY LET'S WIN A COURT CASE AND THEN DISREGARD IT 2 YEARS LATER? AND ACT LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED? NO, I DON'T WANT NO, NO, NO, THAT WAS A RHETORICAL QUESTION.
CORRECT, RHETORICAL. YOU GUYS KNOW THAT IT WAS RHETORICAL.
SO FROM MY STANDPOINT, IF YOU WIN A COURT CASE, YOU'RE SETTING YOURSELF UP TO DISREGARD WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE. IT DID COST US MONEY.
AGAIN, I'VE HAD DOGS MY WHOLE LIFE. I LOVE DOGS. I UNDERSTAND THAT. I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. WE ALSO JUST SAW RECENTLY IN FLORIDA THERE WAS A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY WITH SOMEBODY THAT GOT MAULED BY TWO DOGS. I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN IN COUNCIL BLUFFS. I'M NOT SAYING A BAN IS GOING TO COMPLETELY DISREGARD THAT AND THAT IT'S GOING TO STOP, BUT I WILL SAY THAT IF WE DO HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT GIVES US ANOTHER LAYER OF PROTECTION TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
THE BAN THAT WE PUT IN PLACE 20 YEARS AGO DID WORK. THE NUMBERS SHOW IT. WE DO HAVE THE NUMBERS FROM ANIMAL CONTROL.
YOU MIGHT SAY THAT WE DON'T, BUT WE DO. THE NUMBER OF BITES WENT DOWN, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PARTICULAR BREED. SO IT DID WORK. I MYSELF THEY MAY DISAGREE I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CHANGE RIGHT NOW. I THINK IT'S WORKING FOR WHAT WE DESIGNED IT TO DO. I'M GOING TO BE A NO VOTE ON WHETHER WE REPEAL THE BAN, BUT AT LEAST EVERYBODY WILL KNOW WHERE I'M AT. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE COUNCIL. THIS HAS BEEN OUT IN THE PUBLIC SINCE THE END OF JANUARY, 1ST OF FEBRUARY. CONVERSATIONS AND NEWS ARTICLES, THEN OUT THERE. I RAN IN THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE. I WAS AT EVERY VENUE THAT WAS PROVIDED, EVERY DEBATE OR WHATEVER, WHERE WE WERE QUESTIONED AT LARGE. NOT ONE SINGLE QUESTION WAS EVER BROUGHT TO ME DURING THOSE EVENTS THAT I WAS INVITED TO, DURING THE EVENTS I WENT TO.
AND DOOR-TO-DOOR, WHICH I'VE TALKED KNOCKED ON THOUSANDS OF DOORS IN THIS COMMUNITY, THOUSANDS. I COULD PUT IT CLOSE TO THE MARK OF 30,000, AND NOT ONCE WAS I ASKED ABOUT A PIT BULL AND RETURNING THIS PIT BULL BAN OR DOING AWAY WITH THE PIT BULL BAN. AND SO IF I WAS ASKED BEFORE, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU AT WHEREVER I WAS AND PUBLICLY AND IN THE NEWSPAPER, IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE FOR ME TO SAY THAT WE WOULD REPEAL THE PIT BULL BAN WHEN WE HAVE FOUGHT IN COURTS FOR YEARS FROM PREVIOUS DECISIONS OF THE COUNCIL TO THE CURRENT COUNCIL THAT WAS STILL IN PLACE AND VOTED TO GO TO THE SUPREME COURT TO DEFEND IT. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY ANSWER PUBLICLY SO THAT YOU WOULD NOT YOU WOULD HAVE THE INFORMATION OF WHERE I STOOD.
BUT THAT WAS NEVER ASKED OF ME. AND FOR 6 MONTHS I'VE BEEN RECEIVING EMAILS BOTH FOR AND AGAINST I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE BOTH FOR AND AGAINST, AND MY ANSWER HAS BEEN THE SAME ON ALL OF THEM. AND IT'S I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, YOU'RE A LARGE PRESENCE HERE TONIGHT.
YOU WERE RALLIED TO BE HERE TONIGHT. NONE OF THE OTHER 50-SOME THOUSAND PEOPLE, 60,000 PEOPLE WERE RALLIED TO COME IN HERE TO TALK ABOUT KEEPING THE BAN. ONE PERSON DID. BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT ONE MORE TIME.
SORRY, GUYS. IF YOU KEEP INTERRUPTING, I DON'T WANT
[03:25:01]
TO BE THE GUY, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE. YOU GUYS HAD YOUR WORD.THANK YOU. AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY ONE MORE THING.
STRAIGHT AND CUT TO THE CHASE. HEARD A LOT OF STATISTICS, A LOT OF THINGS. ONE OF THE LARGEST STATISTICS NO ONE EVER SPOKE ABOUT: THE MAJORITY OF DOG BITE DEATHS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE DONE BY PIT BULLS, BY A LONG RANGE. AND IT IS A BREED. IT WAS A BREED THAT WAS, THAT WAS BRED OUT OF EUROPE.
IT WAS BRED OUT OF EUROPE, A BULLY AND A TERRIER MIX, BRED SPECIFICALLY FOR HERDING, PROTECTION, AND FIGHTING. THEY USED IT, THEY BROUGHT IT OVER FROM ENGLAND HERE TO THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1800S. VERY GOOD GUARD DOG, VERY WELL LIKED AMONGST THE FARM ANIMAL, THE FARMS AND THE FARMERS BECAUSE THEY WERE GOOD GUARD DOGS.
BUT THEY'RE GENETICALLY BRED TO HAVE A VICIOUS BITE. NOT THE STRONGEST BITE, BUT A BITE THAT GOES AFTER, THAT DOESN'T STOP UNTIL THE ANIMAL IS DOWN. AND THAT IS WHAT THEY WERE BRED FOR. NO DIFFERENT THAN A POINTER HUNTING DOG. YOU CANNOT TRAIN THAT DOG NOT TO POINT.
HE'S GOING TO POINT AT A BIRD. AND SO TOO WILL A DOG THAT IF IT'S PRESSED. AND ALSO, ONE LAST THING. I WAS THERE 20 YEARS AGO. I DID 30 YEARS ON THE BACK OF A FIRE TRUCK.
I'VE SEEN EVERY BITE THERE IS IN THE FROM EVERY DOG. I OWN A LITTLE 6-POUND MALTESE THAT I WARN EVERYBODY THAT COMES IN THE HOUSE, THAT DOG WILL BITE YOU.
SHE'S BEEN ON THE DANGEROUS DOG LIST.
BUT I'VE SEEN THE PIT BULL BITES IN THE '90S. GOOD DOGS.
5-YEAR-OLD KID JUMPED ON THE COUCH WITH A PIT BULL, STARTLED IT, GOT HIS EAR RIPPED OFF, SIDE OF HIS HEAD. GOOD DOG. FAMILY DOG, BUT STARTLED. AND HE BIT.
AND HE BIT FEROCIOUSLY. THAT WAS ONLY ONE CALL. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. A LOT OF YOU GUYS WELL, FIRST, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING, BEING INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY. GENERAL IN ALL. A LOT OF YOU FOLKS ARE PROBABLY GOOD DOG OWNERS. MOST OF YOU ARE. ALL OF YOU AREN'T. THERE'S ALWAYS THAT ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THAT THINK THEY ARE, AND THAT, THAT'S REALLY USUALLY THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT THINK THEY'RE GREAT DOG OWNERS AND THEY'RE REALLY NOT.
AGAIN, FOR THE MOST PART, YOU FOLKS ARE ALL VESTED.
YOU'RE ALL VESTED IN YOUR ANIMALS. YOU'RE ALL VESTED IN YOUR DIFFERENT REASONS FOR COMING HERE TONIGHT. AS STEVE SAID, WE'VE BEEN GETTING EMAILS, PHONE CALLS, TEXT MESSAGES, MESSAGES ON ONLINE, SOCIAL MEDIA, ALL KINDS OF THINGS AS OF LATE FROM BOTH SIDES. SO MANY OF YOU SPOKE ON HOW WE SHOULD REPLACE OUR CURRENT BAN WITH, WITH DANGEROUS DOG ORDINANCES.
AND, AND IT'S KIND OF HARD AS WE WERE MOVING THINGS AROUND TO LINE THEM UP BETTER WITH THE NEW DEPARTMENT THEY'LL BE UNDER, WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT STUFF ON THE BOOKS. SO IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A REACTIONARY LAW ON THE BOOKS TO DEAL WITH ALL ANIMALS THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER, POST AN EVENT.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE THIS IS ONE THAT WE HAVEN'T ON THE BOOKS THAT IT WAS PUT IN PLACE AS A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE. FOR SOME OF THE REASONS THAT DOUG POINTED OUT. I'VE GOT STORIES FROM, FROM BOTH SIDES, PEOPLE WITH GREAT, AGAIN, GREAT PIT BULLS. I HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE SOME THAT ARE, THAT ARE GOOD DOGS. THAT IS TRUE. BUT THEN I ALSO HAVE FOLKS THAT REACHED OUT TO ME THAT WERE AFRAID TO EVEN COME HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY'D BE OUTNUMBERED AND THEY KNEW THAT THEY WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE OF THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. I'M SURPRISED MR. BREMER GOT UP AND SPOKE.
JUST, IT IS A DAUNTING THING TO LOOK OUT AT 50 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND BE THE ONLY PERSON IN OPPOSITION. BUT THOSE PEOPLE HAVE THEIR STORIES TOO. THEY HAVE THEIR SIDE AND THEIR REASONING FOR THINGS. I THINK
[03:30:01]
WE'RE DOING A LOT RIGHT NOW WITH THE DIFFERENT LAWS ON THE BOOKS WITH IN REGARDS TO ALL OF OUR ANIMALS. WE SPOKE AT LENGTH PREVIOUSLY ABOUT CATS. WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT UP AGAIN NEXT TIME. WE'RE SPEAKING ON DOGS NOW. WE'RE MOVING OVER ALL OF THE ANIMAL CONTROL UNDER PD, JUST TRYING TO REORGANIZE EVERYTHING. I DON'T WANT TO DISCREDIT WHAT YOU'VE ALL DONE AND SPOKE YOUR PIECE HERE TODAY. BUT I WAS ON COUNCIL WHEN WE WENT TO COURT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND AT THAT TIME I VOTED TO KEEP THE BAN IN PLACE AND GO TO COURT, AND WE WON AT THE IOWA SUPREME COURT. UM, WHERE THE YEAH, THE CERT YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT, SORRY. AND AT THE TIME WE AUTHORIZED TO GO TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. IT IS A TIGHT ISSUE. I HAVE HAD DOGS MOST OF MY LIFE. I HAD A PERIOD THERE WHERE I DIDN'T, AND I HAD KIDS AND I CAVED. SO IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A TIGHT ISSUE FOR, FOR ALL OF US. WE CAN ALL SEE THE GOOD THAT YOU ALL SPEAK OF, BUT WE ALSO CAN ALSO SEE THE THINGS THAT THE OTHER SIDE SPEAKS UP TO, I GUESS. SO I WILL NOT BE IN FAVOR TONIGHT OF REPEALING THE BAN AT THIS TIME. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO RESPOND TO, IF I MAY, ROGER, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP. SO FIRST, REGARDING THE COURT CASE AND HOW WE TOOK THIS UP TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS.EIGHTH CIRCUIT. EIGHTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS, AND YEAH, WE PUT ALL THIS EFFORT AND MONEY INTO IT, AND WE WON, SO WHY REPEAL IT SINCE WE WENT THROUGH ALL THAT TROUBLE? I WOULD SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE A COURT TELLS US THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD DO IT. SO THAT WOULD BE MY ARGUMENT ON THAT IS, AND WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR WE HAD TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR COUNCIL BLUFFS. WHAT IS THE BEST POLICY FOR OUR CITY TODAY, NOT WHAT WE BELIEVED IT WAS 20 YEARS AGO. UM, SECONDLY, ON THE SEVERITY OF DOG BITES, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU ON, ON THAT. LIKE, I AGREE THAT DOG BITES CAN BE VERY DEADLY, AND OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE CHIHUAHUA IS NOT GOING TO BE AS SEVERE AS A PIT BULL, BUT I BELIEVE THAT EVERY SERIOUS DOG INJURY, REGARDLESS OF BREED, SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, WHETHER IT IS A BITE FROM A PIT BULL OR FROM A MASTIFF OR FROM A GERMAN SHEP GERMAN SHEPHERD OR FROM A ROTTWEILER. I THINK POLICIES THAT FOCUS ON THE SEVERITY OF THE BITES, THE FREQUENCY OF INCIDENTS, AND THE DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR REGARDLESS OF BREED, IS MORE EFFECTIVE AT KEEPING THE PUBLIC SAFE THAN JUST A BLANKET BAN ON PIT BULLS. AND THEN THIRDLY, WHEN IT COMES TO GENETICS, OF COURSE GENETICS DEFINITELY PLAY A ROLE IN BEHAVIOR. I'M NOT JUST I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS SAYING THAT IT HAS NOTHING TO THAT'S ALL NURTURE AND NO NATURE. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S SAYING THAT, BUT I THINK THAT WHILE GENETICS CAN INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR, IT DOESN'T JUSTIFY TREATING EVERY DOG GUILTY JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE THESE GENETICS WHEN THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG. I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE STRATEGIC AND CAREFUL ABOUT OUR ORDINANCES SO THAT WE KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE. I JUST THINK WE NEED TO DO IT IN A MORE DIRECT TARGETED WAY ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL. AND IF THERE IS A DOG BEING AGGRESSIVE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT BREED IT IS, ANY BREED AT ALL, IF IT'S BEING AGGRESSIVE AND IT'S GETTING LOOSE AND BITING PEOPLE AND CAUSING A PUBLIC SAFETY, WE NEED TO ACT AND WE NEED TO ACT QUICKLY. THANK YOU. SO NORMALLY I SPEAK UP RIGHT AWAY, BUT AS I'M RUNNING THE MEETING TONIGHT AS MAYOR PRO TEM WITH JILL OUT OF TOWN, UH, I'M GONNA STICK WITH COUNCIL RULES AND TRY TO NOT BE ARGUMENTATIVE OR CUMULATIVE, REPETITIVE. WE ALL GOT THE INFORMATION THAT DOUG SPOKE ABOUT WITH THE 2.3% OF LICENSED DOGS AND THE 23% OF DOG BITES. UM, I ASKED LEGAL TO BE READY TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT 1 REVIEW. I MEAN AND JAKE, I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU GET UP AND TALK ABOUT IT REAL QUICK. BUT FOR ME,
[03:35:01]
IN THE BASICALLY WHAT THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT SAID IS EVEN IF SOME EXPERTS DISAGREE, THE CITY WOULD REASONABLY CONCLUDE THAT RESTRICTING PIT BULLS WOULD PROMOTE HEALTH AND SAFETY WITH THE ORDINANCE. AND SO THE ORDINANCE WAS UPHELD WITH A CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW.YES, THAT'S THAT'S BASICALLY CORRECT, YEAH. SINCE, UM, THE ORDINANCE DOESN'T GO AFTER A PROTECTED CLASS OR A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT, IT ONLY HAD TO SATISFY RATIONAL BASIS, WHICH IS A LEGAL STANDARD, NOT THE LITERAL MEANING OF THE WORDS RATIONAL BASIS TO SOME PEOPLE. UM, AND SINCE THE CITY PRESENTED EVIDENCE THAT DOG BITES WERE IN HAD INCREASED AND WERE DISPROPORTIONATE FOR THE BREED THEY SAID THAT IT WAS RATIONALLY RELATED TO THE CITY'S INTEREST IN PROTECTING THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE CITY. SO IT WAS UPHELD. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. AND THAT WAS, IF I REMEMBER, WHEN MY NOTES, IT SAID NOVEMBER '22. WAS THAT ABOUT THE TIME? CORRECT.
YEAH. THE FIRST, THE INITIAL IN DISTRICT COURT WAS FILED, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS IN OCTOBER OF 2001 OR NO, 2000.
AND THEN, YEAH, THE FINAL ORDER FROM THE COURT OF APPEALS WAS NOVEMBER '22.
OKAY. SO WHEN WE SAY, HEY, THIS BAN WAS PUT IN PLACE 20 YEARS AGO, YES, BUT WE ALSO HAD A CHANCE 3 YEARS AGO OR 4 YEARS AGO TO REMOVE IT. CORRECT. AND WE CHOSE NOT TO AT THAT TIME. AND SOME OF THESE FOLKS WERE ON THERE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND A LOT OF THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE BAN WERE A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, WHICH WHILE THAT ALL THAT IS STILL VALID POLICY REASONS FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR DECISION ON, THEY'RE NOT LEGAL REASONS AS TO WHY THEY'RE IT'S AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL BAN.
UNDERSTOOD. RIGHT, IT WAS NOVEMBER 2ND OR NOVEMBER 10TH, 2022 IS WHEN IT WAS FILED.
THAT SOUNDS RIGHT. YEAH. AND SO, UH, I, LIKE JOE, WAS, WAS ON THE COUNCIL WHEN WE, UH, DECIDED TO MOVE BOARD WITH THAT. UM, YEAH, STEVE WAS IT, RIGHT? YEAH, THERE WAS 3 OF US UP THERE. AND SO, UH, I GUESS WE I GUESS MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY KNEW WHERE WE STOOD, UH, PRIOR TO THIS COMING UP TONIGHT.
UM, BUT YEAH, TODAY YOU HEAR US A LOT SAY LIKE WE ALL HAVE DAY JOBS, AND SO WE RELY ON THE POLICE OFFICERS, WE RELY ON THE FIREFIGHTERS, WE RELY ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CITY LEGAL, FINANCE DIRECTORS. WE REPLY WE RELY ON THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, RIGHT? DOUG WAS A FORMER BANKER. STEVE WAS A FIREFIGHTER. JOE SELLS HAMBURGERS AND DOES INSURANCE.
COLE'S IN CORRECTIONS, RIGHT, AT THE JAIL. I SELL MEAT AND MAKE SIGNS. WE'RE NOT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON, ON THESE THINGS, BUT WE ALL CONSULT THE EXPERTS AND TALK TO THESE FOLKS WHO ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. AND SO FOR TONIGHT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF REPEALING THE BAN. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, ROLL CALL.
COLE BENTON. AYE. JOE DISALVO. NAY. STEVE GORMAN.
NAY. DOUG RUE. NAY. ROGER SANDOZ. NAY. SO THAT ORDINANCE FAILS TO PASS.
[7.F) Ordinance 6690 Ordinance to amend Chapter 1.09 "Chief Executive Officer" of the Municipal Code of Council Bluffs by renaming Chapter 1.09 to “City Administration and Organization,” renaming Sections 1.09.010 and 1.09.020 within Chapter 1.09, relocating without amending or altering the substantive language of Sections 1.09.010 and 1.09.020 to Section 1.09.030(A), and expanding Chapter 1.09 by adding new sections to better delineate the administrative organization of the city. ]
[03:40:02]
WE GOT WE GOT THEY'VE GOT SO ORDINANCE 6691, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND 1.09, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE. COUNCIL BLESS FOR RENAMING CHAPTER 1.09 TO CITY ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANIZATION, RENAMING SECTIONS 1.09.010 AND 1.09.020 WITHIN CHAPTER 1.09, RELOCATING WITH WITHOUT AMENDING OR ALTERING THE SUBSTANTIVE LANGUAGE OF SECTIONS 1.09.010 AND 1.09.020. AND SECTION 1.09.030A, AND EXPANDING CHAPTER 1.09 BY ADDING NEW SECTIONS TO BETTER DELINEATE AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION OF THE CITY.[8.A) Ordinance 6682 Ordinance to amend Chapter 4.20 Animal Control by enacting a new Section 4.20.031 to be entitled "Restrictions on Pet Ownership"]
DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.ORDINANCE 6682, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 4.20 ANIMAL CONTROL BY ENACTING A NEW SECTION 4.20.031 TO BE ENTITLED RESTRICTIONS ON PET OWNERSHIP.
MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? NOT THAT ANYONE'S HERE TO HEAR IT, BUT THIS IS PART OF WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHY SOME OF THESE THINGS WERE STILL HEAR IT. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO, UM, ONE OF THE MANY THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT, HOW WE HANDLE ANIMALS. THIS IS ALSO COLE'S DEAL, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE'VE SPOKE WITH PD AND IT SEEMS TO BE ONE THAT EVERYONE'S IN FAVOR OF. SO YEAH, I THINK IT'S, IT'S AS WE TALKED, COLE, IT'S I AGREE WITH THE ORDINANCE. IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO ENFORCE. I'LL BE HONEST. I MEAN, I DO, I DO THINK THAT, BUT I AGREE WITH IT, AND I THINK HAVING IT IN PLACE IS GOING TO BE BETTER THAN NOT HAVING IT IN PLACE. YES, WE DISCUSSED THAT IN THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING.
YEAH, THE POLICE SAY, YOU KNOW, AND CHIEF SAID THAT THERE IS A WAY TO DO IT, AND HE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM IN THEORY. IT SHOULD HELP TO DETER FROM THE BAD OWNERS.
AGREED. SO, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[8.B) Ordinance 6683 Ordinance to amend Chapter 4.12 Solid Waste Collection and Disposal of the Municipal Code of the City of Council Bluffs, Iowa, by amending Section 4.12.060 "Collection and Disposal-Rules and Regulations" and enacting a new Section 4.12.170 to be entitled "Recycling Center Use and Enforcement" ]
MOTION TO WAIVE THIRD.SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
ORDINANCE 6683, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 4.12, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF CITY COUNCIL OF IOWA BY AMENDING SECTION 4.12.060, COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND ENACTING A NEW SECTION 4.12.170 TO BE ENTITLED RECYCLING CENTER USE AND ENFORCEMENT.
MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY
[9.A) Resolution 26-206 Resolution authorizing execution of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Federal Bureau of Investigation related to participation in the Homeland Security Task Force - Omaha (HSTF-OM). ]
DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. MOTION TO WAIVE. THIRD? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.RESOLUTION 26-206, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THE FEDERAL PARTICIPATION IN THE HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE OMAHA.
MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE CHIEF TALKED ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON, AND THEN I DID SEE THAT WE WORKED WITH THE FEDERAL MARSHALS AND REMOVED A PERSON OF INTEREST THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN OUR COMMUNITY RECENTLY. AND SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF US TO WORK WITH ALL
[9.B) Resolution 26-207 Resolution authorizing execution of an operational services contract with Heartland Family Service for the purpose of providing a satellite office at the Council Bluffs Police Department. ]
HOMELAND SECURITY AND TASK FORCE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. RESOLUTION 26-207, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF OPERATIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH HEARTLAND FAMILY SERVICES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A SATELLITE OFFICE AT THE COUNCIL BLUFFS POLICE DEPARTMENT. MOTION TO APPROVE.[9.C) Resolution 26-208 Resolution accepting the bid of Bluffs Paving & Utility Co. Inc. for the Avenue B Reconstruction, Phase 2. Project # PW26-13 ]
SECOND. AGAIN, CHIEF DAVIS TALKED ABOUT THIS. IT IS ALREADY HAPPENING. THIS IS JUST GIVING THEM A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE. AN OFFICIAL SPOT AT THE CBPD.RESOLUTION 26-208, A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE BID OF BLUFFS PAVING AND UTILITY COMPANY, INC. FOR THE AVENUE B RECONSTRUCTION PHASE 2. MOTION TO APPROVE.
[9.D) Resolution 26-209 Resolution accepting the bid of Carley Construction, LLC for the Richard Downing Avenue Reconstruction. Project #PW26-07]
SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. RESOLUTION 26-209, A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE BID OF CARLEY CONSTRUCTION LLC FOR THE RICHARD DOWNING AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION.MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST SAY IT'S NICE TO GET SOME BIDS THAT ARE
[03:45:01]
FAVORABLE. YES, IT'D BE NICE TO GET THAT ROAD DONE BECAUSE WE ALL TAKE IT TO SOCCER AND BASEBALL AND T-BALL AND FOOTBALL AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY. A LITTLE ROUGH OVER THERE AFTER ALL THE WORK ON THE LEVEE. AND IF THEY'RE WE HAD DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS TODAY WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO TRY AND WORK AROUND SOME OF THE EVENTS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DOWN THERE SO THAT IT'S NOT A[9.E) Resolution 26-210 Resolution authorizing the continuation of a two percent (2%) franchise fee on the gross receipts from the sale of electric energy, as authorized in Ordinance No. 5880, through the earlier of the date of implementation of a new electric franchise ordinance or February 2, 2028. ]
COMPLETE MESS FOR EVERYBODY.SO BEFORE WE GET THE CALLS, JUST KNOW THEY'RE TRYING TO ARRANGE THAT AS BEST THEY CAN.
BUT WHETHER IT SOMETIMES DOES IT RIGHT YEAH, BE PATIENT.
IT'S, IT'S TOUGH DOWN THERE AS IT IS.
BUT WE DID DISCUSS, AS DOUG SAID, THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL START AFTER SLUM BUSTER, AND HOPEFULLY THE FIRST PHASE WILL BE DONE BEFORE HALLOWEEN HAVOC. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. RESOLUTION 26-210, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONTINUATION OF A 2% FRANCHISE FEE
[9.F) Resolution 26-211 Resolution authorizing the continuation of the two percent (2%) franchise fee on the gross receipts from the sale of natural gas, as authorized in Ordinance No. 5176, as amended by Ordinance No. 5881, through the earlier of the date of implementation of a new natural gas franchise fee ordinance or June 1, 2030. ]
ON THE GROSS RECEIPTS OF THE SALES OF ELECTRIC ENERGY AS AUTHORIZED IN ORDINANCE 5880 THROUGH THE EARLIER OF THE DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW ELECTRIC FRANCHISE FRANCHISE ORDINANCE, OR FEBRUARY 2ND, 2028. MOTION TO APPROVE.SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
[9.G) Resolution 26-212 Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute the Order Assessing a civil penalty of $1,500.00 or a 30-day suspension to retailer, VIP Smoke Shop, 305 E. Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51503, for a second violation of Iowa Code Section 453A.2 on April 23, 2026. ]
AYE. RESOLUTION 26-211, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONTINUATION OF A 2% FRANCHISE FEE ON THE GROSS RECEIPTS FOR THE SALE OF NATURAL GAS, AS AUTHORIZED IN ORDINANCE 5176, AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE 5881. THROUGH THE EARLIER DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW GAS FRANCHISE ORDINANCE, OR JUNE 1ST, 2030. MOTION TO APPROVE.SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. RESOLUTION 26-212, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN ORDER ASSESSING A CIVIL PENALTY OF $1,500 OR A 30-DAY SUSPENSION TO RETAILER VIP SMOKE SHOP AT 305 EAST BROADWAY, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA 51503 FOR A SECOND VIOLATION OF IOWA CODE SECTION 453A.2 ON APRIL 23RD, 2026.
MOTION TO IMPOSE A $1,500 FINE TO VIP SMOKE SHOP. SECOND. WE HAD A HEARING AT OH YEAH. I GOTTA SAY, I'M GONNA SPEAK ON THIS, BUT THE, THE ORDER SHOULD SAY $1,500 OR IT SAYS THAT, AND THEN IT SAYS LIKE THEY HAVE UNTIL IT GIVES THEM UNTIL JUNE SOMETHING TO MAKE THEIR CHOICE. SO, OH, SO WE DON'T NEED TO DO IT RIGHT NOW? WE'RE NOT MAKING THE CHOICE FOR THEM RIGHT NOW. OKAY, OKAY.
UNDERSTAND. SO THEY NEED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH US. AND I GUESS I THOUGHT I JUST WANT
[9.H) Resolution 26-213 Resolution approving the First Amendment to the Purchase, Sale, and Development Agreement with First Avenue Freeze Out, LLC. ]
TO MAKE SURE, JAKE, THAT WE CLARIFY WITH THEM BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY MADE THE CHOICE TODAY AND WE WOULD DO THAT. SO JUST CLARIFY WITH THEM.OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE HERE, SO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.
YEAH. UH, LET'S JUST GET SENT A COPY OF THE ORDER ONCE IT GETS EXECUTED. AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE.
CAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THEY PICKED THIS. IT'D BE DONE.
THAT WAS WHAT THEY PICKED, RIGHT? YEAH. SO JUST MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE THEY'RE IN VIOLATION. YEAH. THEY'RE, YEAH, THEY'RE IN VIOLATION.
[9.I) Resolution 26-214 Resolution approving the Second Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Purchase, Sale, and Development Agreement with Spin Lofts, LLC. ]
MAKE SURE IT I WAS MISUNDERSTOOD. SO I, I'M ASSUMING THEY WERE TOO.JUST CLARIFY, PLEASE. THANK YOU. SO, UH, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE $1,500 OR 30-DAY SUSPENSION. SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
RESOLUTION 26-213, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE PURCHASE, SALE, AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH FIRST AVENUE FREEZEOUT LLC.
SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. RESOLUTION 26-214, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED PURCHASE, SALE, AND
[9.J) Resolution 26-215 Resolution authorizing wage increases for the Council Bluffs Fire Supervisory employees for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.]
DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH SPIN LOFT LLC.JUST REAL QUICK DISCUSSION. WE HAD DISCUSSION IN STUDY SESSION ABOUT THESE.
THEY JUST TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER COMING FROM THE ABSTRACTS. COMPANY, AND WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS GOING FORWARD TO KIND OF GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME SO THAT WE DON'T RUN INTO SOME OF THESE DEADLINES THAT WE'RE HITTING ON THESE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
RESOLUTION 26-215, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING WAGE INCREASES FOR THE COUNCIL BLUFFS FIRE SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY 1, 2026, THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027.
TO THE NEXT MEETING, TO JUNE 22ND, OR WELL, YEAH, WE'LL GO TO JUNE 22ND. OKAY, I DON'T THINK WE NEED
[9.K) Resolution 26-216 Resolution authorizing wage increases for the Council Bluffs Police Supervisory employees for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.]
TO DISCUSS IT ANYMORE.IT EXPIRES, AND SO THEY NEED TO BE DONE BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, RIGHT? YEAH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. RESOLUTION 26-216, A
[03:50:04]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING WAGE INCREASES FOR THE COUNCIL BLUFFS POLICE SUPERVISOR EMPLOYEES FOR THE PERIOD OF[9.L) Resolution 26-217 Resolution authorizing wage increases for Non-Union employees for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.]
JULY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027. MOTION TO TABLE TILL JUNE 22ND.SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
RESOLUTION 26-217, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING WAGE INCREASES FOR NON-UNION EMPLOYEES FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2027.
[10.A) Liquor Licenses 1. 100 Block Events (6/18/26, 7/3 & 7/16/26, 8/20/26, 9/17 & 9/19/26), 114 W. Broadway2. Dollar General, 2731 E. Kanesville Blvd.3. Hy-Vee Food Store, 1745 Madison Ave.4. Latino Market, 1535 Ave. G5. Mid America Center, 1 Arena Way6. Sugar's Restaurant & Lounge, 2725 E Kanesville Blvd.7. The Black Rabbit by MJ]
[10.B) Retail Tobacco License - Renewal (6)]
[10.C) Retail Device Permit - Renewal (3)]
[10.D) Special Event Applications1. America 250 Celebration, 100 Block2. 100 Block Annual Car Show, 100 Block ]
MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS AND CANCELLATIONS, LIQUOR LICENSES 10A, 1 THROUGH 7, 10B, 10C, 10D, 1 AND 2. MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE APPLICATIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. REAL QUICK, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY ON THESE EVENTS. AND THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING AND HELPING GET THESE SET UP, BECAUSE A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO THIS STUFF. AND WHEN THEY'RE PUTTING ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER AND ALL THE STUFF THAT GOES BEHIND THE SCENES, I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD AND SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THIS AND PART OF THESE EVENTS, BECAUSE THEY ARE A GREAT THING FOR THE COMMUNITY. THEY ARE.
AND I MEAN, PUTTING ON THE CELEBRATION AND THEN CITY STAFF THAT DOES A A LOT OF THE PREPARING THE BARRICADES, THE ROADS, THE EXTRA TIME. SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. AND THEN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PUTTING ON THE EVENTS OBVIOUSLY IS GREAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL, RIGHT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY CITY COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS? ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS BY THE COUNCIL? MOTION TO ADJOURN. UH, I WAS JILL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I KNOW YOU'RE ON.
NO, I DO NOT. HEY, DID YOU? OKAY, I'LL SECOND COLE'S MOTION TO ADJOURN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.
WE ARE ADJOURN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.