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FOR THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. I USED TO BE PROJECT MANAGER IN COUNCIL BLUFFS YEARS AGO, SO GLAD TO BE BACK. THE RESULTS OF SALE IS THE DOCUMENT THAT I'LL BE REVIEWING. WE TOOK BIDS AT 10 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING FOR $6,900,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, WHICH IS YOUR CIP SERIES FOR 2026. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT OUR GOAL WITH THE COMPETITIVE SALE IS TO RECEIVE THREE BIDS AND TODAY THE CITY RECEIVED 10 BIDS FROM OVER 35 DIFFERENT BANKS AROUND THE UNITED STATES, AND SO VERY EXCITED TO SEE THOSE RESULTS. THE OFFERING WE TOOK TO MARKET TODAY WAS A 10-YEAR BANK-QUALIFIED ISSUE, WHICH MEANS THE CITY WILL BE ISSUING LESS THAN $10 MILLION IN THE CALENDAR YEAR, AND BANKS RECEIVE A DISCOUNT FOR BEING BANK-QUALIFIED IN THEIR OWN INVESTMENTS AND THINGS. THESE WERE 10-YEAR BONDS PAID FOR BY THE DEBT SERVICE LEVY. THE TRUE INTEREST COST IS THAT AGGREGATED INTEREST RATE THAT WE USE. EVERY MATURITY IN THAT 10-YEAR TERM GETS ITS OWN INTEREST RATE, SO WE USE A TIC, OR TRUE INTEREST COST METHOD, TO TELL YOU THE OVERALL INTEREST RATE FOR THE BONDS.
THE TIC RANGE FROM THE FIRST PLACE BIDDER TO THE 10TH PLACE BIDDER WAS 3.21% TO 3.32%. THAT IS AN EXTREMELY TIGHT RANGE FOR 10 DIFFERENT BIDS TO BE WITHIN 11 BASIS POINTS, OR 0.11% OF EACH OTHER, AND THAT JUST INDICATES THE STRONG COMPETITION TO WIN THE CITY'S BONDS TODAY.
THE WINNING BIDDER IS A BRAND NEW WINNER FOR THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. BROWNSTONE INVESTMENTS GROUPS OUT OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK BOUGHT THE BONDS TODAY, AND MY STAFF CAME TO ME THIS MORNING AND SAID, IS THIS A MISTAKE? THEY ONLY TOOK $1 PER BOND IN UNDERWRITERS DISCOUNT, WHICH IS RIDICULOUSLY, HAPPILY RIDICULOUSLY LOW.
WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO PAY THEM THEIR $1 PER BOND.
WE HAD ESTIMATED $10 PER BOND, SO VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT SAVINGS TODAY. THE SECOND PLACE BIDDER, THE VERY DISAPPOINTED TD FINANCIAL PRODUCTS, THEY CHANGED THEIR NAME ON ME AGAIN, OUT OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK, THEY WERE AT 3.2588%, OR JUST 4.6 BASIS POINTS OVER THE WINNING BIDDER TODAY.
WHEN WE LOOK AT PRICING, THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS IS RATED AA2 BY MOODY'S INVESTOR SERVICE. THAT IS JUST TWO NOTCHES BELOW THE AAA RATING, AAA, AA1, AA2, WHICH IS WHERE COUNCIL BLUFFS IS RATED.
PRICING JUST 0.24%, OR 24 BASIS POINTS OVER AAA, SO EXCELLENT PRICING TODAY FOR THE BONDS. I ALWAYS WANT TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.
THE MARKET OVER THE 20-YEAR TERM IS ESSENTIALLY FLAT, ONE BASIS POINT DOWN, BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS WE HAD A NORMALIZATION OF THE YIELD CURVE. YEARS 1 THROUGH 10 WERE ACTUALLY HIGHER THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR, AND YEARS 10 THROUGH 20 ARE ACTUALLY LOWER THAN LAST YEAR.
WE HAD A NORMALIZATION OF THE YIELD CURVE, WHICH MEANS SINCE YOU'RE BORROWING IN THE 10-YEAR, IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER TIC, UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY.
BUT 3.09% LAST YEAR, JUST 12 BASIS POINTS BELOW WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR, BUT STILL EXCELLENT PRICING, EXCELLENT PARTICIPATION FROM THE MARKET. WE WERE THRILLED TO RECEIVE 10 BIDS TODAY, AND AN AMAZING WINNER WITH BROWNSTONE INVESTMENT GROUP. REGARDING THE B, THAT'S THE TAXABLE SERIES THAT THE CITY DOES EACH YEAR FOR TAXABLE PROJECTS THAT DON'T QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL TAX EXEMPTION.
JUST TWO-YEAR TERM, PAYING BACK IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS, AND THESE, AGAIN, WERE RATED AA2 BY MOODY'S.
WE RECEIVED FIVE BIDS FROM 39 DIFFERENT BANKS. THERE WAS A LARGE SELLING GROUP WITH BAIRD.
THEY HAD OVER, I WANT TO SAY, 34 MEMBERS IN THEIR SELLING GROUP TODAY.
OF THOSE FIVE BIDS, THE TRUE INTEREST COSTS FOR A TAXABLE DEAL RANGE FROM 4.39% TO 4.88%, SO A MUCH WIDER SPREAD IN THE TAXABLE MARKET, WHICH SORT OF IS INDICATIVE OF WHERE THE MARKET IS IN TAXABLE.
THERE'S A LOT OF NOISE IN THE TREASURY MARKET, RIGHT? AND SO IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME TO SEE A LITTLE BIT WIDER SPREAD, BUT PIPER SANDLER REALLY WON THE DAY. THEY WERE AT 4.3915, AND THEY ONLY TOOK $1.67 IN END-TO-WRITERS DISCOUNTS.
SO, I MEAN, EXCELLENT DAY TO BE IN THE MARKET.
I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED WITH WHERE WE WERE TODAY. AND THE SECOND-PLACE BID, WE CALL THAT THE COVER BID, CAME FROM HILLTOP SECURITIES OUT OF DALLAS, TEXAS AT 4.49%, 10 BASIS POINTS OR 0.10% OVER THE WINNING BIDDER. AND PRICING, WHEN COMPARED TO AAABVAL, WHICH IS A TAX-EXEMPT SCALE, 1.78, BUT RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHERE WE WOULD THINK. WE WERE THEN $20,000 OF OUR ESTIMATE FOR THE TAXABLE SALE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THE PAR AMOUNT BY OVER $400,000 BASED ON THE PRICING TODAY FOR THE A SERIES. AND THESE ARE ALL STRUCTURED TO BE PAID FOR BY THE DEBT SERVICE LEVY BASED ON THE PRE-LEVY THAT WAS AUTHORIZED AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS EARLIER THIS
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YEAR. AND SO, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN RESIZED TO FIT WITHIN THE TAX RATES THAT WERE ALREADY DETERMINED IN THE CURRENT TAX RATE FOR FISCAL 27. AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MIGHT HAVE.ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CONGRATULATIONS ON A VERY SUCCESSFUL DAY.
OKAY. NEXT UP, WE HAVE POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY CONSERVATION. BRENDA, CHRIS, AND CHRIS AND JEFF FRANKO TO TALK ABOUT PROPOSED PARK UPGRADES AT IOWA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND HIGHWAY 92.
YES. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THE TEAM HERE TONIGHT, OR TODAY, IS SUPERINTENDENT CHRIS KAFTAN FROM IOWA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, POTTAWATTAMIE CONSERVATION BOARD MEMBER CHRIS RUHAAK, AND POTTAWATTAMIE CONSERVATION DIRECTOR JEFF FRANKO. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS LOCATION SHINE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF YEARS, AT LEAST. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT LOCATION. IT'S HIGHLY VISIBLE. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TRAIL ACCESS. IT'S A KEY PART OF RECREATION, I THINK, ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY.
WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE SECURITY AND SAFETY ON THE ISD CAMPUS IS INTACT WHILE WE ALSO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC. THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT. THE REASON WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT IS BECAUSE THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT HINGES ON THE CITY'S WILLINGNESS TO OWN AND MAINTAIN THE PARKING LOT ON THE EAST SIDE OFF OF THE ISD CAMPUS.
IT'S WHERE THE PARKING LOT CURRENTLY IS. IF YOU WENT STRAIGHT AHEAD ON VALLEY VIEW, YOU'LL SEE A PICTURE OF THAT. WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO MATT COX AND HIS TEAM ABOUT THAT AND NOW COMING TO THE COUNCIL SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND HOPEFULLY GET THE GO-AHEAD TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN.
SO, WITH THAT, I WILL HAND IT OVER TO CHRIS RUHAAK.
WELL, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE PARKING LOT PORTION, BUT LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 36 YEARS. IT STARTED BACK IN 1990. I KIND OF HAVE A ROBUST SLIDESHOW, SO, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF RUSH ALONG, BUT YOU'LL HAVE THE DATA AND INFORMATION TO LOOK AT A LATER TIME. BUT IN SHORT, I KIND OF REVIVED THIS BACK IN 2014. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD PROJECT FOR US TO WORK ON, BUT IT'S TAKEN THAT LONG TO GET TO THE POINT WERE THAT AREA WE CAN KIND OF GET TOGETHER AND MAYBE, LIKE BRENDA SAID, MAKE IT A HIGHLIGHT ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN. IF YOU'VE BEEN OVER IN THAT AREA, PEOPLE USE IT DAILY. YOU USUALLY SEE FIVE TO SIX CARS EVERY MORNING AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND THEN INTO THE EVENING.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF SPRUCE IT UP, AGAIN, REVIVE IT. THE BASIC PORTION OF IT WILL BE THE TRAILS AND EDUCATION.
BUT AS FAR AS THE HISTORY, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO BACK AS FAR AS THE NATIVE AMERICANS OR LEWIS AND CLARK, BUT THEY CERTAINLY WERE HERE.
BUT WE'LL START WITH THE MORMONS, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THAT SITE WAS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE MORMONS CAME THROUGH FROM NAUVOO, STOPPED THERE RIGHT BEFORE WINTER, HAD TO KIND OF BASICALLY, WAIT TO CROSS THE RIVER AT THAT TIME. SO, THERE WAS A SITE THERE AND THERE'S SOME HISTORY THERE. THE NATIONAL PARKS ACTUALLY HAS SOME SIGNAGE THERE AND SOME OTHER THINGS ALONG THAT FOCUS ON THAT HISTORY.
BUT LET'S KIND OF MOVE FORWARD HERE. HERE'S A LITTLE BIT, TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WAS STARTED. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NATURE CENTER. THERE WAS A LOT OF PARTNERS INVOLVED AS FAR AS IN SUPPORT, NOT NECESSARILY FINANCIALLY, BUT IN SUPPORT.
SO, IF YOU WANT TO READ KIND OF WHAT'S HERE, BUT IF WE GO FORWARD HERE, WE TALK ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SCROLL UP ON THAT OR NOT, BUT BASICALLY TELLS YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS MEANT FOR THIS TO START. YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ACCESS, INCLUSION, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, OF COURSE, ON CAMPUS. WE HAVE SCHOOLS. WE WOULD HOPE THAT ALL THE SCHOOLS, WHEN IT'S FINISHED, WOULD BE ABLE TO USE IT.
AGAIN, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER HERE.
INTEGRATION, OBVIOUSLY, WITH ON CAMPUS, WITH ISD BEING SO CLOSE THERE, WITH CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND, BUT FOR EVERYBODY, GENERAL PUBLIC, AND THAT INTERACTION, WE WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. AND
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THEN, OF COURSE, WITH THE TRAIL BEING THERE, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.THESE ARE SOME OF THE PARTNERS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY INVOLVED.
AND SO, YOU CAN SEE IT WAS SIGNIFICANT.
WE HAVE LETTERS OF SUPPORT AT THAT TIME. AND SO, THE DREAM WAS THERE. IT JUST DIDN'T, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT COME TO FRUITION, BUT I'D LIKE TO DO THAT NOW.
AND TO START IT OFF WITH, WE OBVIOUSLY NEED A BETTER PLACE TO ACCESS IT.
OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW WHERE THE TRAIL LINK FROM VALLEY VIEW ALL THE WAY TO THE WABASH, IT DIRECTLY GOES THROUGH THIS AREA AND ISD CAMPUS. SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. OBVIOUSLY, TRAILS ARE TOP OF MIND FOR US, CONSERVATION, AND FOR MANY OTHER AREAS. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE THE SAME THING AND HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT. SO, WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT TODAY, IT'S KIND OF BASICALLY A LITTLE BIT OUT OF HAND AS FAR AS THE FOLIAGE.
IT'S NOT EASY TO MANAGE, BUT JEFF WILL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER HERE. SO, I'M GOING TO KIND OF KEEP MOVING HERE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE VISION. CAN WE SCROLL UP A LITTLE BIT? VISION IS KIND OF HAVE AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM, AN AREA WHERE WE CAN SPLIT OFF AND MANAGE IT BETTER.
BUT AGAIN, I'LL LEAVE THAT TO JEFF.
I'LL KEEP MOVING HERE. AND THEN HERE'S THE ACTUAL PARKING AREA.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT, THAT'S 92 IN VALLEY VIEW ON THE, WOULD BE THE SOUTH WEST CORNER.
RIGHT NOW, THERE'S BASICALLY ROOM FOR MAYBE THREE OR FOUR CARS, AND THAT'S IF IT DOESN'T RAIN.
SO, THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE THERE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF UTILITIES IN THAT CORNER.
BUT THEN THERE'S SOME SPACE AROUND THE CORNER. IF YOU GO FARTHER SOUTH, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THE SMALLER PHOTO, THERE IS SOME PARKING THERE THAT PEOPLE UTILIZE RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THAT BRIDGE USED TO GO ACROSS OR WOULD GO ACROSS TO THE SOUTH. SO, WITH THAT, NO FURTHER ADO, LET'S HAVE JEFF COME ON UP.
I'M GOING TO BACK UP A COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE REAL QUICK. AS BRENDA MENTIONED, THIS AREA HAS BECOME A BIT OF AN EYESORE RIGHT HERE. AND THAT WAS LARGELY DUE TO THE INABILITY OF THE PARTNERS TO MANAGE THIS AREA PROPERLY.
WITH THE NATIVE SPECIES WE HAD IN THERE, WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THAT AREA IS THAT THIS AREA GETS BURNED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
GIVEN THE LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, THAT IT'S BECOME OVERGROWN, THERE'S A LOT OF INVASIVE SPECIES IN THERE.
WHEN IT DOES GET BURNED, THERE'S A LOT OF SMOKE. AND SO WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH IS A PLAN THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE GOING TO USE LOWER VEGETATION WITH PROBABLY MIXED GRASS PER ECOSYSTEM ALONG WITH KIND OF AN OAK SAVANNA SYSTEM AS WELL. THAT'LL BE INTERSPERSED BY CITY PARK-LIKE TRAILS THAT WILL DIVIDE THESE AREAS UP INTO SMALLER UNITS THAT CAN BE BURNED INDIVIDUALLY, REDUCING THE IMPACT OF SMOKE AS EACH ONE OF THOSE AREAS ARE BURNED.
IT'S GOING TO MAKE THIS MUCH MORE SUSTAINABLE AND MANAGEABLE FOR THE LONG TERM. AND AGAIN, AS CHRIS SAID, THAT PARKING AREA REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS AREA TO COME TO FRUITION.
THIS REALLY IS GOING TO BE AN ACCESS POINT. IT'S A JUMPING OFF POINT FOR THE CITIZENS OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO COME AND UTILIZE THIS AREA, ALONG WITH THE IOWA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AS WELL. AND TO TALK ABOUT THEIR USES ON THIS, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO CHRIS KAFTAN RIGHT NOW.
GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. WHEN THE TEAM ORIGINALLY APPROACHED ME TWO YEARS AGO WITH THIS PROJECT, WANTING TO REVITALIZE AND REVIVE THIS PROJECT, I WAS THRILLED. AS A FORMER TEACHER, I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF SETTING UP AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM FOR OUR STUDENTS, NATIVE PRAIRIE GRASSLANDS, AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AT ISD AS WELL AS OTHER STUDENTS IN COUNCIL BLUFFS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LEWIS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO USE THIS AS AN OUTDOOR STEM CLASSROOM. THAT WAS A HUGE POINT OF EXCITEMENT FOR ME.
WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK TO MY LEADERSHIP TEAM, OUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN WAS SAFETY FOR OUR CAMPUS. WE ARE A 24-5 CAMPUS. WE HAVE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM ON CAMPUS WITH STUDENTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF IOWA WHO COME AND LIVE ON OUR CAMPUS IN OUR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THE PRIORITY FOR US AT ISD IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS FEEL SAFE AND THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN KEEP OUR CAMPUS SAFE WHILE OPENING UP CAMPUS AND THE SURROUNDING AREA TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANTED TO PRIORITIZE WAS MAKING SURE THAT THE PUBLIC COULD ENJOY THAT BY
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HAVING A PARKING LOT THAT WAS AVAILABLE THAT WAS SAFE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR CAMPUS AS WELL. SO, WE CAME TODAY TO REQUEST THE SUPPORT FROM YOU TO SUPPORT THE PARKING LOT AT THE INTERSECTION OF 92 AND VALLEY VIEW SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS PROJECT BECOME A REALITY.ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTERS TODAY ON THIS TOPIC? BRENDA? SO JUST TO CLOSE THE LOOP, IOWA WEST HAS SUPPORTED A COUNTY WITH SOME FUNDS SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE ENGINEERING STUDY. WE DON'T HAVE A FINAL COST. WE DON'T HAVE A FINAL DESIGN.
WE WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND THEN PRESUMABLY WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE CITY FOR SOME SORT OF OFFICIAL ACTION. IF YOU TELL US NO, WE WON'T SPEND THAT MONEY AND WASTE IT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MUCH OTHER OPTION.
IF YOU SAY YES, THAT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING WE'RE WILLING TO CONSIDER, THEN WE WILL CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH.
WELL, I FOR ONE HAVE HAD TO PARK THERE WHEN I USE THAT TRAIL SYSTEM. WE'LL COME DOWN AND PARK. AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, CHRIS. IF IT DOESN'T RAIN, YOU MIGHT GET A COUPLE EXTRA SPOTS. IF IT RAINS, GET READY TO GET YOUR SHOES WET WHEN YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE IT'S JUST KIND OF SUNK IN THERE. I LOVE THIS IDEA, KIND OF EXPANDING THAT AND GIVING US A LITTLE BIT MORE ROOM TO MANEUVER THERE. ONE THING I THINK THAT IS A NICE FEATURE OF THAT IS, AND THEY KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH ISD FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, 92 IS PRETTY BUSY. ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO KIND OF BUFFER THAT FROM THE TRAIL SYSTEM ITSELF, WHETHER IT'S THE TREES, BECAUSE THOSE PLANTINGS, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY GOOD TREES ALONG THAT AS WELL RIGHT NOW, I THINK MIGHT BE A NICE FEATURE AS WELL AS IT COMES UP TO THE INTERSECTION.
BUT YOU'VE GOT TO WATCH INTERSECTION TRAFFIC AND THINGS LIKE THAT TOO. SO, NO, BUT GREAT JOB GUYS. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK ON IT.
SO, WE CAN PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA TO VOTE ON FOR THE NEXT MEETING IF THE COUNCIL IS IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.
MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW THAT WE ARE BEING ASKED FOR THE PARKING LOT, BUT WITH THE TRAILS, WHO WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF KEEPING THE UPDATE ON THE TRAILS? WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS. IT WILL BE A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY CONSERVATION AND IOWA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF. PERFECT. THANK YOU.
AND BRENDA, YOU ARE BACK UP FOR ITEM C FOR THE WESTERN HISTORIC TRAILS MUSEUM BUILDING.
OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ON TO THE NEXT ONE. SO, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ASKED, CAN I HAVE THAT WESTERN HISTORIC TRAILS PROPERTY? BUT MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO US WITH THE BEST IDEA EVER. AND THERE IS A LOT OF COMMENTARY, MOST OF IT NOT INFORMED BY FACT ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THAT BUILDING. SO, IN DISCUSSING WITH THE CITY, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO KNOW WHAT THE CONDITION ACTUALLY IS, WE OFFERED TO PAY FOR A STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING STUDY.
THE GOAL OF THIS, WE ACTUALLY GOT INPUT FROM CODY AND FROM MATT WITH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PROVIDING THE INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THE CITY, BECAUSE THE GOAL IS ULTIMATELY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT AS YOU GET REQUESTS FOR USE OF THE BUILDING, YOU CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE SHOULD BE. SO, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR BUILDING EXPERT, TIM GALLIGAN. THANK YOU. SO, THE WAY WE APPROACHED THIS WAS TO REQUEST AN RFP FOR VARIOUS ENGINEERING FIRMS AND SO FORTH TO PRODUCE AN ESTIMATE FOR US TO REVIEW. WITH THAT, I'VE GOT ABOUT A DOZEN SLIDES HERE, A COUPLE ARE INFORMATIONAL, I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PHOTOS TO SHOW YOU TO KIND OF TELL THE STORY A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY SOME COST ESTIMATES AT THE END HERE. SO, THE SCOPE OF THE ANALYSIS THAT WE HAD REQUESTED EVERYBODY TO RESPOND TO WAS FIRST TO VISIT THE FACILITY AND JUST OBSERVE THE CONDITION OF THE FACILITY IN ITS EXISTING STATE, AND THEN CONDUCT A CONDITIONAL ASSESSMENT OF READY, READILY OBSERVABLE PARTS OF THE BUILDING. OF COURSE, TO DOCUMENT THE CONDITION OF EACH SYSTEM, AND THEN TO CITE OBSERVED DEFICIENCIES, PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE DEFICIENCIES, AND THEN FINALLY PREPARE A COST ESTIMATE ON WHAT IT MIGHT TAKE TO BRING THE FACILITY BACK TO ORIGINAL. AND THEN FINALLY PROVIDE AN ANALYSIS OF THAT VIABILITY OF WHETHER IT WOULD BE FEASIBLE
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TO REDEVELOP THE NEW SPACE.INITIALLY, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT CAME BACK IN SUMMARY HERE, I SHOULD SAY, IS BASICALLY, THE BUILDING'S GOT GOOD BONES.
IT'S STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND IN GOOD SHAPE IN THAT REGARD.
IT DOES, HOWEVER, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, EXHIBIT SIGNIFICANT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND OBVIOUS WEATHER EXPOSURE, AND UNFORTUNATELY HAS BEEN IN VANDALISM. AND JUST OVER AND ABOVE THAT, IT'S A 29-YEAR-OLD BUILDING, SO IT'S GOT SOME AGING EQUIPMENT IN THERE. THERE'S DAMAGE TO THE MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. AGAIN, LARGELY ITS ORIGINAL BUILDING EQUIPMENT HAS MET ITS SERVICE LIFE. WIDESPREAD EVIDENCE OF WATER DAMAGE.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO SAY MORE COSMETIC. I'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL, BUT AS I INDICATED ON THE FIRST SLIDE, THE ANALYSIS, THE OBSERVATION WAS BASICALLY FROM A STANDPOINT OF ACCESSIBILITY. THEY DIDN'T TAKE OFF EVERY CEILING TILE AND SO FORTH AND LOOK IN THERE.
SO, IT'S ANTICIPATED THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO INSULATION AND METAL DECKING AS IT RELATES TO THE ROOF. THE BUILDING HAS POTENTIAL ACTUALLY TO BE UTILIZED AS A SINGLE OR A MULTIPLE OCCUPANT USE. I WOULD SAY WITH SOME RESTRICTIONS, EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE. NOT MANY WINDOWS IN IT RIGHT NOW, SO TAKE THAT AS YOU WILL AS FAR AS WHAT MIGHT BECOME OF IT. A COUPLE OF THE PHOTOS THAT I CAN RUN THROUGH HERE IS JUST YOU CAN INDICATE HERE BY SOME OF THE EXTERIOR PHOTOS THAT THE HEAVY TIMBER TRELLIS STRUCTURE HERE IS BEYOND REPAIRS AND RESTORATION AS INDICATED ON THE UPPER RIGHT THERE.
THERE'S VANDALISM, GRAFFITI, AND IT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE THROUGHOUT THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING SPECIFICALLY.
ON THE GLASS VESTIBULE HERE, THERE'S A PANEL THAT'S BROKEN.
THERE'S A PANEL THAT'S SEAL IS BROKEN, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THE GLASS AT THE VESTIBULE IS SEEMINGLY IN GOOD SHAPE AND WE JUST TAKE A GOOD CLEANING TO BRING IT BACK INTO GOOD CONDITION. THE EXISTING EPDM BALLASTED ROOF, IT'S FAILED IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS. YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE'S THE, ON THE VERTICAL WALL SURFACES, THE ROOF EDGES, AND THEN ALSO THE WALL TRANSITIONS. COPPER CLADDING HAS BEEN, THE COPPER CLADDING AND THE FLASHING HAS ACTUALLY BEEN FORCIBLY REMOVED IN MOST OF THE FACILITY. THE COPPER GUTTER, HOWEVER, IS STILL THERE, BUT IT'S IN BAD CONDITION AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SOMEONE'S GOT SOMETHING AGAINST COPPER GUTTERING, BUT ON THIS PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SOME CORROSION THAT WAS INDICATED FROM THEM PRIOR COMMENTS UNDERNEATH THE METAL DECK ON THE LEFT. YOU CAN JUST SEE SOME CORROSION THERE.
AT THIS TIME, IT'S NOT CONSIDERED ANY TYPE OF STRUCTURAL SIGNIFICANCE REGARDING RISK TO THE INTEGRITY.
THE TWO OTHER PHOTOS THAT YOU CAN SEE THERE, LOOKING THROUGH THE CEILING, THROUGH THE ROOF TRUSSES THERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE ROOF STRUCTURE, THE UNDERNEATH SIDE OF THE ROOF STRUCTURE, THE METAL DECKING IS SEEMINGLY IN PRETTY GOOD CONDITION. SO, IT'S YET TO BE TOLD AFTER DEMOLITION IF THAT TAKES PLACE.
THIS ONE TELLS A LOT OF THE STORY, TOO. THIS IS THE MAIN UNIT, THE 55-TON AIR-COOLED CONDENSING UNIT.
IT'S ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH THIS. IT'S BEEN HEAVILY VANDALIZED AND VIRTUALLY ALL THE COILS AND ELECTRICAL CABLES AND SO FORTH HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM IT.
THEN, JUST THE OTHER TWO PICTURES ARE JUST SHOWING KIND OF THE AGE OF THE EXISTING EQUIPMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE PUMPS AND THE BOILER SYSTEMS AND SO FORTH. AGAIN, BEING IN SERVICE FOR 29 YEARS NOW WITH AN EXPECTED LIFE EXPECTANCY OF 15 YEARS.
ON THE ELECTRICAL SIDE, YOU SEE A LOT OF THE SAME THING. YOU SEE THE MAIN SERVICE CIRCUIT BREAKERS, THE SWITCHBOARD, AND THE ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS WITH THAT MISSING. OTHER COMPONENTS YOU CAN SEE THAT HAVE BEEN STRIPPED FROM VARIOUS OTHER PARTS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE, THE RESTROOMS. THEY'RE IN FAIRLY GOOD CONDITION. THE EXISTING FIXTURES IN THERE, THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY REMAIN, OR AT LEAST THEY'RE USABLE, BUT WITH A HEAVY CLEANING.
FINALLY, ON THE LOWER PICTURE, SOME OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTING. IT ALL APPEARS TO BE ORIGINAL TO THE BUILDING, BUT DUE TO THE AGE AND THE CONDITION OF IT, IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT IT ALSO BE REPLACED.
THE LAST COUPLE SLIDES HERE, THE NEXT SLIDE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HERE IS A COUPLE
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SPREADSHEETS.IT STARTED OUT, IT STILL IS TWO, IT STARTED OUT BEING TWO BECAUSE THE NUMBERS WE GOT BACK FROM THE ENGINEER, WE TOOK EXCEPTION TO A FEW OF THE NUMBERS. WHEN I SAY THAT, IT JUST MEANS WE'RE KIND OF WORKING HAND-IN-HAND AND TRYING TO PROVIDE EACH OTHER INPUT AND SO FORTH. NOT AGAINST EACH OTHER, BUT WITH EACH OTHER.
I'VE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH CODY SMITH IN HERE, AND YOU'LL SEE AS WE GET TO IT, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR A MINUTE, BUT AS WE MASSAGED OUR WAY THROUGH THE NUMBERS HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT TOTAL ESTIMATE ON THE LEFT OF ABOUT 1.7 AND THE SUBTOTAL OF THE NUMBER THAT CODY AND I HAVE KIND OF BEEN WORKING ON.
GENERALLY CAME IN TO ABOUT THE SAME.
THESE WERE VERY RECENT MODIFICATIONS THAT CAME IN. I PROBABLY ONLY HAVE ONE SPREADSHEET, BUT I HAD ALREADY SENT THIS TO THE CITY AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS KIND OF PARALLEL IN OUR CONVERSATION HERE.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE THERE'S A LINE ITEM THERE FOR $320,000.
THAT'S A NUMBER THAT CODY AND I KIND OF WORKED UP.
IT INCLUDES SOME MECHANICAL SYSTEMS THAT WERE FELT NEEDED A LITTLE EXTRA FINANCING TOWARD, AND THEN ALSO SEEMINGLY LOW PERCENTAGES FOR THE PRIME AND THE SUBCONTRACTORS ON THE JOB.
SO THOSE TOGETHER MADE UP THE DIFFERENCE THERE, AND RIGHT NOW YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE BOTTOM NUMBER THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
IT'S BASICALLY TEETERING AROUND THE $2 MILLION MARK IF YOU WANT TO BRING THE FACILITY BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL.
WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT BACK OVER TO BRENDA. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
SO NATIONAL PARKS BUILDS BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SETTING.
IT'S LIKE SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL OLD HOMES THAT WE RESTORE BECAUSE THEY DESERVE IT.
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT MEANT A LOT TO THE COMMUNITY, MEANT A LOT TO PEOPLE WHO HELPED TO FUND IT.
I'M SURE IT COST A LOT MORE THAN $2 MILLION. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT COST TO BUILD IT, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WAS 30 YEARS AGO.
NONETHELESS, IT DOESN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO RESTORE IT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE USE IS GOING TO BE.
IT BELONGS TO THE CITY. IT IS THE CITY'S DECISION.
I THINK THAT I WOULD PERSONALLY SAY I HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND A USE FOR IT THAT PROTECTS THE INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING.
THERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS THERE.
AS ALWAYS, WE ANTICIPATE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO SEE IF WE CAN BRING THIS BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL GLORY FOR A NEW PURPOSE.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS FOR BRENDA? WHAT WOULD IT COST TO KNOCK IT DOWN? I DIDN'T ASK THAT QUESTION, JOE.
IT'S A FORTRESS. IT'S BUILT LIKE A TANK.
IT MIGHT TAKE ALMOST THAT MUCH TO KNOCK IT DOWN.
MY POINT IS IT WOULD COST US PROBABLY, IF NOT MORE, TO TEAR IT OUT, AND THEN WE'D HAVE NOTHING.
IT'S INTEGRATED INTO THE LEVEE, ODDLY, SO IT WOULD BE RECONSTRUCTING THE LEVEE AS WELL.
IF IT'S $4 MILLION TO TAKE OUT, OUR BETTER BET, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY, WOULD BE TO TRY AND RESTORE IT IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
THERE'S SOME BEAUTIFUL MOSAIC TILE IN THERE, OR ORNAMENTAL TILE ENTRYWAY, AND JUST SOME REALLY NICE FEATURES.
SOME OF THE ORIGINAL DISPLAYS ARE STILL INTACT.
WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, DID IT COME UP ABOUT WHAT YOUR GUYS' IDEA MIGHT BE FOR BEST USE? WE HAVE SOME IDEAS.
DO YOU WANT TO SHARE THOSE? NO.
WOULD IT FIT CITY HALL? NO, NOT SO MUCH.
CHIEF DAVIS HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ON THE WEST END.
IT WOULD BE THE NICEST PRECINCT AROUND.
NO, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF ENTITIES THAT HAVE SOME USE FOR IT.
I KNOW THERE ARE SOME STATE RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE, AND SO IT'S A LONG CONVERSATION.
FUNDAMENTALLY, WE NEEDED TO KNOW THAT I HAVE HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE SAY IT'S JUST TERRIBLE.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME MONEY TO PUT IT BACK.
WE WOULD HAVE SPENT THAT ON REPLACING OLD EQUIPMENT ANYWAY.
WHEN YOU DID THE NUMBERS ON REPLACING THINGS, DID YOU DO IT WITH ALL THE COPPER FLASHING AND ALL THAT, OR DID YOU DO MORE OF A MODERN?
[00:30:01]
I THINK WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THE FULL NATIONAL PARKS TREATMENT.I THINK WE'RE GOING TO FIND A MODERATE PATHWAY.
SOMETHING LESS ENTICING FOR FOLKS TO STEAL.
AND NOBODY MENTIONED GUTTERS AGAIN.
WELL, NOW THAT WE'VE MENTIONED THAT THEY'RE COPPER.
ANYTHING ELSE? I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I WAS DOWN THERE MAYBE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO MYSELF, AND I AGREE, BRENDA.
IT'S KIND OF A UNIQUE SETTING DOWN THERE.
IT TAKES QUITE A WHILE TO GET BACK THERE WHEN YOU DRIVE THROUGH THERE.
AND I THOUGHT THE SAME THING WHEN I LOOKED AT THE BUILDING.
I THOUGHT IT'S NOT IN THAT BAD OF SHAPE RIGHT NOW.
MY CONCERN IS THE LONGER WE GO, AND COMING FROM MY BACKGROUND, YOU DON'T WANT ANY BUILDING SITTING EMPTY FOR VERY LONG AT ALL.
WE CAN'T PUT ANYTHING IN THERE UNTIL WE HAVE THE PLAN TO DO IT BECAUSE IT WILL JUST BE GONE.
WELL, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE MUCH WALK-BY OR DRIVE-BY TRAFFIC, AND SO THAT HAS TO BE LAYERED INTO IT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A RESTAURANT.
MANY PEOPLE WOULD SAY WHY IT DIDN'T WORK FOR ITS ORIGINAL INTENDED PURPOSE.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK THROUGH THAT AND TALK THROUGH IT.
BUT MY HOPE IS THAT THE CITY IS ASKING THE COMMUNITY A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
THIS MAY BE ANOTHER THING WE CAN LAYER IN TO SAY WHAT DO YOU THINK AND SEE WHAT KIND OF IDEAS WE GET.
SO, WE WILL START WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING? I HAVE ONE.
THERE'S ONLY ONE THING ON IT, SO IT WOULD BE RESOLUTION INSTEAD OF PUBLIC HEARING.
FOR THE REC COMPLEX STORAGE BUILDING.
I GUESS I WAS JUST CURIOUS, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET THAT ENCLOSED BEFORE THE SNOW HITS, ZACH, FOR THAT BUILDING? IT SAID COMPLETED 2027.
YEAH, BUT THEY WANTED TO GET IT STARTED, I THINK, THIS YEAR, CONSTRUCTION START FALL OF 26.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU GET TO THIS CERTAIN TIME PERIOD, YOU SHOULDN'T BE POURING CONCRETE AND DOING CERTAIN THINGS, RIGHT? YEAH, SO WE HAVE IN THE DETAILS THAT OUR PREFERRED DEADLINE IS BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
THE HARD DEADLINE IS JUNE OF 2027.
SO, IT'S GOING TO BE A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, AVAILABILITY ONCE IT'S AWARDED AND HOW QUICKLY THE CONTRACTOR BELIEVES THEY CAN WORK.
BUT THE HARD DEADLINE ISN'T UNTIL JUNE OF 2027.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? WE HAVE A FEW PUBLIC HEARINGS.
FIRST ONE IS VALLEY VIEW AND GREENWOOD ROAD INTERSECTION TRAFFIC SALE.
SO, THIS PROJECT IS THE SECOND PROJECT OUT OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WE DID TO IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENTS ALONG VALLEY VIEW ROAD.
AND WE'VE GOT THE PLANS READY FOR THIS PROJECT TO GO.
WE SET IT UP SO THAT WE CAN BID IT THIS FALL.
AND THEN THE CONTRACTOR WILL HAVE A LONG LEAD TIME TO GET THE SIGNAL POLES IN AN EFFORT TO TRY AND GET BETTER PRICING.
SO, IT WILL ACTUALLY GO TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE SPRING.
DOES THAT INTERSECTION NEED TO BE CLOSED IN ORDER TO INSTALL THE LIGHTS? WE WILL TRY AND DO IT UNDER TRAFFIC.
ARE YOU THINKING YOU'LL DO IT? THERE WILL BE SOME PHASING.
BECAUSE ONCE SCHOOL'S IN, THAT WILL BE WAY WORSE, TOO, ON IT.
WELL, IT WOULDN'T START UNTIL THE SUMMER OR SPRING OF 2027.
MARCH TIMELINE IS PROBABLY A GOOD TIME TO START.
THAT WOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH ANY OF THE FIRE OR ANYTHING, RIGHT? WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THE FIRE STATION.
WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING AN OPTICON SYSTEM IN AND PUTTING A PUSH-BUTTON SIGNAL INTO THE STATION FOR THEM.
WHICH IS GREAT WHEN IT'S DOWN TO, I'M SAYING, THE CONSTRUCTION.
CAN WE SNEAK OUT THE BACKSIDE THERE? I MEAN, CAN THEY? THAT'S NOT A QUESTION FOR YOU, I GUESS, BUT.
ON THE LOOP, YOU MEAN? YEAH, ON THE BACK.
YOU CAN PULL IN ON THE BACKSIDE.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN PULL THE TRUCKS IN THERE.
BECAUSE IF THEY COULD JUST DUMP OUT, SNEAK OUT THE BACK, MAYBE.
BUT I THINK YOU CAN PULL OUT THE BACK END.
YEAH, THE ONE ON NORTH BROADWAY IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
[00:35:01]
RIGHT AT THAT INTERSECTION RIGHT NOW.AND THAT ONE'S GOING TO BE SEVERAL WEEKS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ISSUES.
SO, THAT'S A MUCH LARGER PROJECT THAN THIS ONE.
THEY ALWAYS PULL UP GREENVIEW AND BACK IN.
BECAUSE IF THEY COULD, THEY'D JUST PULL IN THE BACKSIDE.
PULL STRAIGHT THROUGH, I THINK.
SO, THEIR DRIVEWAY SHOULD REMAIN UNAFFECTED.
I JUST DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE'S GOT A FIRE OR SOMETHING.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET IN AND OUT.
THE TIME FRAME FOR THE APARTMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO OPEN IN WHISPERING OAKS, YOU SHOULD HAVE APARTMENT DWELLERS HITTING THIS FALL, I WOULD THINK.
THAT ONE BUILDING IS ALMOST DONE.
DON'T MEAN TO ADD TO IT, MARK.
BUT JUST WILL BE MORE COMING THROUGH THAT SECTION, UNFORTUNATELY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARK? ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS THE 30TH AVENUE SEWER REHABILITATION PROJECT.
AND WE'RE WANTING TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH EMBRIS FOR THAT PROJECT.
HAVE WE WORKED WITH THEM BEFORE? WE HAVE NOT.
BUT WE HAVE WORKED WITH MEMBERS OF THEIR STAFF.
AND THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND THE TYPE OF PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING.
BECAUSE, I MEAN, I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT NAME BEFORE.
ARE THEY NEW TO TOWN? OR IS IT A NEW FIRM? IT'S A NEWER FIRM.
THEY'VE BEEN IN OMAHA FOR A FEW YEARS.
SOME PEOPLE MOVED FROM OTHER AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH.
IF YOU THINK THEY CAN DO THE WORK, THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.
WE WENT TO RFP ON IT, AND THEY BROUGHT FORWARD A VERY WELL-PREPARED PROPOSAL.
AND SO, YES, WE'RE GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE THEMSELVES.
7B, RESOLUTION 26271, IS FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF THE 28TH STREET STORM SEWER PROJECT.
WE WANT TO APPROVE HTM AS OUR DESIGN CONTRACTORS FOR THAT PROJECT.
THEY WERE ON THE FIRST PROJECT.
AND THEN 7C IS RESOLUTION 26272.
IT'S ACCEPTING LUFF'S UTILITIES BID FOR THE PAVING AT THE RECYCLE CENTER.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MARK ON THOSE THREE? OKAY.
CHRIS, I'M GOING TO JUMP TO DANIELLE REALLY QUICK, BECAUSE DANIELLE HAS...
ACTUALLY, THAT ONE'S BEING CONTINUED.
STAFF'S ASKING FOR THAT TO BE CONTINUED TO SEPTEMBER 14TH.
SO, YOU CAN SKIP IT ALTOGETHER, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
DANIELLE? FOR 5C? THIS IS JUST HOLDING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BOND SALE THAT SUZANNE PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS EARLIER TODAY.
WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE GO WITH THE TWO THAT SHE MENTIONED, HUNTINGTON AND PIPER SANDLER.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR DANIELLE? WERE YOU EXPECTING THOSE TO COME BACK THAT WAY? SHE SEEMED KIND OF SURPRISED AS WELL.
I KIND OF AM, TOO, IN TERMS OF SUCH A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR US AT THIS TIME.
ARE YOU TALKING LIKE THE PERCENTAGES, THE INTEREST RATES, OR...
NO, WE USUALLY GET A LOT OF PARTICIPATION, EVEN ON THE TAXABLE ISSUANCES.
I WAS SURPRISED WITH HOW CLOSE IN RANGE THEY WERE WITH INTEREST RATES FROM TAX EXEMPT TO TAXABLE.
BUT THE RATES ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THE MARKET TODAY, SO I WAS NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING MUCH DIFFERENT.
WITH THE YIELD CURVE NORMALIZING A LITTLE BIT NOW, SO...
A LOT OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS FOR THE TAX EXEMPT WERE...
THEY USED TO BE PART OF BAIRD, AND NOW THEY'RE KIND OF BIDDING ON THEIR OWN.
SO THAT'S WHERE BROWNSTONE CAME FROM, IS THEY WERE ORIGINALLY WITH BAIRD, AND NOW THEY ARE BIDDING ON THEIR OWN.
SO, IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE WE HAD PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE OF THOSE, OF THE PARTICIPANTS.
SO THAT WAS SURPRISING, BUT THE REST OF IT, NO.
[00:40:02]
PERFECT.AND CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN, ON THE RATING.
I DON'T KNOW IF DANIELLE SENT THAT IN HER NOTE, BUT SHE ASKED FOR FEEDBACK.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO IN OUR CONTROL TO BUMP US UP IN THE RATING.
SO, EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, WE ARE DOING.
CHRIS? 5D AND 5E ARE BOTH SIMILAR RESOLUTIONS.
THIS IS A REQUEST TO CONVEY LAND TO MIDWEST ARCHITECTS, AS WELL AS NEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN OUR EAST MANAWA SUBDIVISION.
THE MIDWEST ARCHITECTS ARE GOING TO BE ACQUIRING TWO LOTS ON THE SOUTH END OF OUR MOHAWK STREET SET OF LOTS, AND THEN NEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION NEIGHBOR WORKS ARE GOING TO BE ACQUIRING THE NORTHERLY SIX LOTS, EACH ONE OF THEM REQUIRING THEM FOR $35,000 APIECE.
WHAT THIS DOES IS ACTUALLY GRANT THE RESOLUTION FOR US TO NOW CONVEY THOSE LOTS TO THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PURCHASE, SALE, AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE TO EXECUTE WITH THEM, BEING THAT THIS IS IN AN URBAN RENEWAL AREA.
IF THIS IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, WE WILL NOW MOVE FORWARD TO ACTUALLY CLOSING ON THOSE LOTS WITH EACH ONE OF THESE ENTITIES.
IS MIDWEST ARCHITECTS NEW, AS WELL? I DON'T KNOW.
DARIAN SCOTT, HE WAS ON OUR PLANNING COMMISSION.
HE BUILT ONE HOUSE ALREADY ON AN INFILL LOT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
IT'S NEW FOR HIM, THIS PART OF IT, BUT BEING THAT HE'S A LOCAL BUILDER, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE NEW PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN OUR PROJECTS, GROW OUR LOCAL CONTRACTOR BASE.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT TO WORK WITH DARIAN ON.
I THINK HIS IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE MORE UPSCALE COMPARED TO WHAT YOU SEE BUILT AROUND LAKE MANAWA.
I THINK HE'S TARGETING HOME PRICES NORTH OF $400,000 ON THESE LOTS.
DO WE HAVE AN ANTICIPATED START DATE FROM EITHER OF THEM ON THESE PROJECTS? WITH DARIAN'S, HE'S LOOKING TO CLOSE BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HE'S GOING TO MOVE FORWARD RATHER QUICKLY WITH NEIGHBORWORKS.
THEY HAVE TO CLOSE BY THE END OF AUGUST.
BUT BOTH OF THESE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE CONSTRUCTED AND BUILT, I BELIEVE, DECEMBER OF 20.
SO, THEY HAVE A YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS TO GET THE WORK DONE.
THEY HAVEN'T SAID, THOUGH, HOW, HEY, WE'VE GOT A PLAN.
LIKE DARIAN, IF HE'S GOING THROUGH THE BANK, HE'S GOT TO GET IT GOING.
SO, HIS TIME FRAME GETS SHORTENED BECAUSE OF THAT.
BUT MAYBE NEIGHBORWORKS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE TWO? OKAY.
ALSO ON THE AGENDA FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS ITEM 7E.
THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO EXTEND OUR CONTRACT FOR CDBG DISASTER RECOVERY GRANT WITH IEDA.
WE'RE LOOKING TO EXTEND THAT OUT TO DECEMBER OF 2027.
SO RIGHT NOW, IF YOU DRIVE OUT THERE, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S FOUR HOMES ACTUALLY FRAMED UP IN VARIOUS STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION.
THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH R. PERRY SAYS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE ALL 40 OF THESE UNITS BUILT BY JANUARY OF 2027.
RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE TRACKING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND ON THAT, NOT REALLY FAULTS OF THEIR OWN.
SOME OF IT DEALS WITH THE CITY BEING AWARDED THE GRANT IN FEBRUARY OF 2025.
WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET UNDER CONTRACT WITH R. PERRY UNTIL MARCH OF 2026.
WE WENT THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT ROUNDS OF RFPS TO FIND A BUILDER TO DO THE PROJECT.
THERE'S BEEN SOME THEFT AND VANDALISM ON THAT SITE THAT THEY'VE HAD TO CONTEND WITH.
SPRING WAS PRETTY WET, SO IT'S CAUSED US TO HAVE TO PUSH OUT THEIR CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE INTO 2027.
SO, WE PROACTIVELY REACHED OUT TO IEDA JUST TO SEE IF THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR AN EXTENSION OF TIME TO FINISH THESE UNITS.
THEY'RE OPEN AND WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO GIVE US UNTIL THE END OF 2027 TO FINISH THE WORK.
WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO BE REMOTELY CLOSE TO THAT.
BUT JUST BASED ON SOME OF THESE UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAVE ARISED, I'D RATHER BE PROACTIVE AND CAUTIOUS AND TAKE THE EXTENSION THAN NOT BE ABLE TO GET IT AND NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH A $6.8 MILLION GRANT.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED WAS THE THEFTS.
WE JUST SAW THAT DOWN AT THE TRAIL CENTER AS WELL.
THAT SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR CONTRACTORS IN THE AREA.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE THE PROBLEM.
IS THERE ANYTHING FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE THAT WE CAN HELP WITH? WE PUT CAMERAS DOWN THERE, VISIBLE CAMERAS AS WELL AS HIDDEN CAMERAS, AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF THEFTS.
WHICH IS GOOD ONCE THEY DO IT.
SOMETIMES IT'S A DETERRENT IF THEY SEE THEM.
BUT ONCE THE STUFF'S GONE, IT'S GONE.
MAYBE YOU CAN GO BACK AND TRACE THEM, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY GOTTEN RID OF IT AND THEY'VE SOLD IT.
AGAIN, I JUST KIND OF BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT A LOT WITH CUSTOMERS.
JOB SITES ARE REALLY NOTORIOUS FOR THAT AROUND HERE, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO ANY OTHER PATROLS DOWN THERE.
[00:45:01]
WITH THAT WHILE THEY'RE BUILDING THOSE OR NOT? WE DID WORK WITH CVPD, AND THEY DO HAVE PATROL GOING OUT THERE.WE ALSO WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO KIND OF BARRICADE OFF THE TWO ENDS OF MALLARD DRIVE.
SINCE RIGHT NOW NOBODY LIVES ON IT, IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION, IT'S STILL OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH.
BUT TO GET VEHICLES AND TRUCKS BACK THERE, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN ON OUR PART TO HELP THE BUILDER OUT.
IT'S JUST VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE THEFT AND VANDALISM THAT THEY DID.
CHRIS, DIDN'T WE HAVE SOME DELAYS AS WELL WITH GETTING THE ROAD IN AND STUFF TOO? THERE WERE.
WITH ALL THE RAIN AND EVERYTHING.
I THINK A LOT OF IT REALLY JUST HAD TO DO WITH JUST THE WET SPRING WE HAD, TRYING TO LET THE SOIL DRY OUT SO THEY CAN GET IN THERE AND DIG THEIR FIRST SET OF FOOTINGS.
REALLY THE THREE ROUNDS OF RFPS KIND OF PUT US BACK SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PROJECT TIMELINE.
I MEAN, HE'S GOING TO HAVE HIS FIRST SET BUILT.
THE FIRST FOUR UNITS SHOULD BE READY TO GO BY EARLY OCTOBER FOR SALE.
WE ALREADY HAVE ALL THE BUYERS LINED UP.
ONCE WE START GETTING COS, IT'S GOING TO REALLY KIND OF FALL ON DOMINOES AS WE START SELLING THESE OFF.
BUT IT'S JUST THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTRACTUALLY MEET ALL 40 UNITS BY JANUARY.
SO, IF THIS EXTENSION IS APPROVED, WE'LL LIKELY COME BACK AND AMEND THEIR CONTRACT WITH US TO GIVE THEM SOME EXTRA TIME TO SATISFY THEIR CONSTRUCTION TIMELINES AS WELL.
BUT HOPEFULLY YOU'VE BEEN DOWN THERE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE IT FROM 275 WHEN YOU GO TO TARGET.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE PROGRESS HAPPENING DOWN THERE.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA ARE ITEMS 7H AND 7I.
SO, THIS IS A REQUEST FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO CREATE TWO NEW POSITIONS IN OUR DEPARTMENT, THE FIRST ONE BEING AN ASSISTANT PLANNER POSITION.
THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING NEW ENTIRELY FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY HAD AN ASSISTANT PLANNER POSITION.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS PERSON HERE WOULD BE HIRED TO DO IS TO ASSIST SENIOR PLANNING STAFF AND THE PLANNING MANAGER WITH KIND OF THOSE KIND OF ROUTINE CASEWORK.
YOU THINK ABOUT RIGHT-OF-WAY VACATIONS.
YOU THINK ABOUT PROCESSING FENCE PERMITS, NEW CONSTRUCTION BUILDING PERMITS, REALLY HAVING THIS PERSON KIND OF ASSISTING IN THOSE ROLES AND HELPING REALLY KIND OF TURN THOSE PERMITS ON A FASTER BASIS.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE HAD SOMEBODY SOLELY DEDICATED OR DOING THOSE TYPE OF PERMITS, WE COULD GET NEW CONSTRUCTION TURNED WITHOUT WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
WE'RE GETTING NEW HOMES BUILT FASTER, GETTING FENCE PERMITS ISSUED FASTER.
AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE A SUPPORT ROLE.
THEY WOULD COME IN AT A LEVEL 18.
RIGHT NOW, OUR CD TECHS ARE AT 16, SO THIS KIND OF PUTS THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOVE A CD TECH BUT NOT AS HIGH AS A PLANNER WHO'S AT A 22.
AND THIS POSITION WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CWA.
SO, THIS IS ONE THAT WE FEEL IS IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE BOTH CAPACITY ON THE PLANNING TEAM BUT ALSO, SOME SPILLOVER CAPACITY FOR OUR HED TEAM AS NEEDED.
I COULD SEE THIS PERSON HERE ASSISTING WITH INCOME VERIFICATIONS, DOING SOME ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS, JUST KIND OF FREEING UP OTHER STAFF SO, THEY CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE IN SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE ADMINISTERING.
THE NEXT ONE, RESOLUTION 26278, THIS IS TO BRING BACK OUR HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER POSITION.
SO, THIS POSITION DID GET ABOLISHED FORMALLY IN 2022 WHEN THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR, COURTNEY HARDER, TOOK OVER.
SHE MAINTAINED THE ROLE AS HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AND THEN CREATED A NEW HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNER POSITION AS WELL AS ANOTHER CD TECH POSITION IN LIEU OF HAVING THE HED MANAGER.
SO, THIS IS A POSITION I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THIS INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE SUPERVISING ALL HED STAFF.
THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING ALL OF OUR FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL HOUSING FEDERAL PROGRAMS. THEY WOULD ALSO BE ASSISTING ME WITH TRYING TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN OUR APPROACH TO RECRUIT BUSINESSES, GO OUT AND WORK WITH BUILDERS.
I WOULD SAY EVEN EXPAND UPON SOME OF THE EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
SO, YOU THINK ABOUT OUR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
YOU THINK ABOUT OUR HOME FUNDS.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE CAPACITY WITHIN THOSE PROGRAMS TO HAVE OTHER PROJECTS COME OUT.
SO, THIS IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT POSITION.
I WOULD SAY IN THAT DIVISION IT'S NEEDED TO KIND OF SEPARATE DUTIES AND TO ALLOW ME AS A DIRECTOR TO KIND OF BE MORE, I WOULD SAY, HIGH LEVEL.
IN THAT DIVISION WHERE I'M FOCUSING MORE ON THE BUDGETING, MORE OF STRATEGIC APPROACH FOR HOW YOU WANT THIS DEPARTMENT TO GO OUT AND BUILD THIS COMMUNITY, QUITE FRANKLY.
HOW WE GO OUT AND DO THE NEXT EAST MANAWA SUBDIVISION.
HOW WE WORK WITH THE CB INDUSTRIAL FOUNDATION TO CREATE THE NEXT SOUTH POINT SUBDIVISION.
SO CRITICAL FOR US, ASK THEM POLITELY IF YOU WOULD PLEASE APPROVE THOSE POSITIONS BECAUSE WE NEED THEM, WE NEED THE CAPACITY, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE US A MUCH BETTER TEAM DOWNSTAIRS.
AND THE FUNDING FOR THIS, IF APPROVED TONIGHT, WE WOULD IN THE NEXT MEETING BE ABOLISHING THEN THE CHIEF OF STAFF POSITION AND WE WOULD BE USING THAT SALARY TO PAY
[00:50:01]
FOR ALMOST THE ENTIRETY OF THESE TWO POSITIONS.SO, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE TALKED A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO ABOUT POSITIONS LIKE THIS, I THINK WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT WE HAD THIS POSITION IN PLACE.
IS IT BUDGETED FOR THEN? IT'S NOT BUDGETED FOR.
WHO WAS IT? WHO WAS THE PERSON THAT DID IT BEFORE COURTNEY? COURTNEY.
NO, WHO WAS IT BEFORE COURTNEY? THE POSITION WAS THERE.
BRENDA CARRICO WAS OUR HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.
AND THEN SHE LEFT AND THEN COURTNEY TOOK OVER THAT POSITION.
AND THEN WHEN COURTNEY BECAME DIRECTOR, SHE ABSORBED THESE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SO THAT SHE COULD BRING ON A HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNER AND CD TECH POSITION.
SO HISTORICALLY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAS ALWAYS HAD A PLANNING MANAGER, A HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, AND A DIRECTOR KIND OF LEADING THAT DEPARTMENT.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT GOES WAY BACK WHEN I STARTED ON PLANNING.
THAT WAS KIND OF THE BREAK OUT OF THAT AT THAT TIME.
BUT I WAS CONFUSED WHEN WE HAD THE MEETING BEFORE WE GOT TALKED ABOUT IT.
I THINK THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT, OH, WE HAVE THIS BUDGETED OR WE HAVE THIS ALREADY IN PLACE.
NO, THE POSITION WAS ABOLISHED, SO WE'RE NOT BRINGING IT BACK.
I MEAN, THE JOB DESCRIPTION WAS ALWAYS OUT THERE, BUT IT WAS NEVER A FUNDED POSITION AFTER 2022 BECAUSE COURTNEY JUST SAID I WILL DO THAT ROLE TO HAVE THESE OTHER POSITIONS.
OKAY, SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN CIP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT OR ANY BUDGETING PROCESS WE'RE LOOKING TO REINSTATE IT FROM WHAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND THESE ARE TWO NEW POSITIONS, AND YOU CURRENTLY HAVE HOW MANY POSITIONS OPEN IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? ONE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE INTERVIEWING NEXT WEEK FOR PLANNING AND CO-COMPLIANCE MANAGERS.
SO, WE WILL BE MAKING A HIRE FROM THIS NEXT GROUP.
SO, THESE ARE TWO NEW COMPLETELY NEW.
THESE ARE NEW POSITIONS THAT DO NOT EXIST.
THE HED MANAGER POSITION USED TO EXIST.
THE ASSISTANT PLANNER IS TRULY A NEW POSITION THAT NEVER EXISTED IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND THE INTERVIEW NEXT WEEK IS FOR YOUR OLD POSITION? THAT IS CORRECT.
I GUESS HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE BUDGET? SO, IF APPROVED TONIGHT, WE'LL JUST MOVE THE MONEY FROM CHIEF OF STAFF TO COVER THESE POSITIONS.
AND THEN WE WILL BRING IT TO ABOLISH.
SO, THE MONEY WILL BE IN THE BUDGET FOR ALMOST ALL OF THEM, PLUS INCLUDING BENEFITS.
SO, THERE'S NOT A LARGE RAISE THERE.
CAN WE JUST MOVE MONEY FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER? YES.
DANIELLE, DOES THAT WORK THAT WAY? OR HOW DOES THAT? I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
WE NEED IT HERE, WE PUT IT THERE.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE TO ABOLISH THAT ONE FIRST? NO.
WE DON'T WANT TO ABOLISH IT UNTIL BECAUSE THEN THAT, YES, WE WANT TO APPROVE THESE.
YEAH, I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION.
IF WE ABOLISH FIRST AND THEN, YEAH.
SO TYPICALLY, HOW WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST IS YOU ABOLISH AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU'RE CREATING A NEW POSITION.
THIS IS, THESE TWO NEW POSITIONS ARE STRICTLY GENERAL FUND, WHICH IN THE PAST, I THINK, THE MANAGER POSITION WAS SPLIT WITH SOME FEDERAL FUNDING.
BUT IT IS JUST GENERAL FUNDED POSITIONS.
SO, CHIEF OF STAFF IS GENERAL FUND, SO IT'S A LOT EASIER TO MOVE BUDGETS ACCORDINGLY.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY WITH THE RECREATION OF THAT POSITION THAT WE COULD FIND FEDERAL FUNDING AGAIN? I WAS GOING TO SAY GO AFTER THE FEDERAL FUNDS.
KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE HAD BEFORE.
WELL, THAT FUNDING CAME OUT OF OUR CDBG BUDGET.
SO, IF WE TRIED TO FUND FOR IT, WE COULD.
BUT THEN WE'RE CAPPED AT HOW MUCH WE CAN PUT TOWARDS ADMIN.
AND THEN THAT WOULD ALSO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WE'D BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THOSE GRANT FUNDS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY KNOWING THAT THE CHIEF OF STAFF'S POSITION WAS, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, WITH FUNDING BUT NOT BEING USED, YOU KNOW, MAYOR SHUDAK AND I TALKED ABOUT WE WOULD JUST USE THAT FUNDING SOURCE FOR THESE TWO POSITIONS AND NOT HAVE TO GET INTO OUR FEDERAL FUNDS.
HOW MUCH CDBG TODAY GOES TO ADMIN? OH, I MEAN, SO WE GET ROUGHLY A MILLION, SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, $250,000 APPROXIMATELY.
PLUS, WE GET OTHER GRANTS THAT COME IN.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE WITH THE GRANT FUNDS THAT WE GET IN.
YOU KNOW, IN THE MANAGER'S POSITION, I FEEL IT'S FAIRLY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMES THROUGH AND SLASHES OUR CDBG BUDGET BY 40 PERCENT, I'D HATE TO LOSE THAT PERSON BECAUSE OF THAT SOLELY.
THERE'S OTHER WORK THAT THEY CAN DO FOR THE CITY THAT WOULD BE JUST AS BENEFICIAL.
WELL, BUT WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR POSITION FOR THIS.
SO, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE MAY BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY COULD DO DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT WHEN WE GO TO FINANCE IT, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WHERE WOULD THE FUNDING COME FROM FOR THIS PARTICULAR SPOT? I DON'T DISAGREE.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING I THINK
[00:55:01]
THAT WE'VE BEEN LACKING.YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE.
OUR LAST HOUSING DEVELOPER WAS JERRY TORSON FROM WHISPERING OAKS.
AND WE'RE CLOSING IN 10 YEARS AT LEAST, RIGHT, SINCE HE WOULD HAVE STARTED CONVERSATIONS, MAYBE EVEN MORE.
FOURTEEN, WE STARTED WORKING WITH HIM IN 2014, YEAH.
SO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, OKAY, OUR LAST HOUSING DEVELOPER THAT CAME TO TOWN TO DO, WHEN I'LL SAY A FULL-FLEDGED DEVELOPMENT, I KNOW WE'VE DONE SOME OF OUR OWN.
I DON'T WANT TO DISCOUNT THAT, I UNDERSTAND.
BUT WHEN YOU BRING IN OUTSIDE PEOPLE, YOU BRING IN MORE JOBS, AND YOU BRING IN MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME OTHER THINGS.
AND WE'VE BEEN WAITING 10 TO 15 YEARS, OR WE'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED.
ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS SAID, THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN ATTRACTING THESE PEOPLE TO COME HERE.
WE'VE GOT TO SELL OURSELVES BETTER, AND WE NEED TO BE OUT IN FRONT OF THEM.
AND I'M HOPING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I READ THE BUSINESS CASE, THANK YOU FOR DOING THOSE, AND KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND IT'S ONE OF THEIR OPTIONS, MAYBE, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT IN TRYING TO ATTRACT THOSE PEOPLE TO COME IN.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS I KNOW THAT WE, A LOT OF TIMES, WE'LL GO BACK TO ADVANCED SOUTHWEST IOWA, AND THEY'RE NOT HOUSING, RIGHT.
AND APOLLO DOES A GOOD JOB, BUT IT'S THROUGH, IT'S FOR BUSINESSES TO COME IN, NOT FOR HOUSING TO SHOW UP.
AND WE CAN'T GROW POPULATION UNLESS WE HAVE PLACES FOR THEM TO LIVE.
SO, WE'VE GOT TO HIT ALL THE GAMUT, FROM THE LOWEST END TO THE HIGHEST END.
WE TALK ABOUT MONEY FROM THE STATE.
IS THERE MONEY THROUGH SOME OF THE NON-PROFITS OR FROM IOWA WEST? HAVE WE GONE DOWN THAT PATH TO SAY, WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO FUND SOME OF THIS? I HAVE NOT APPROACHED ANY OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT FUNDING THIS POSITION, NO.
AND THEY GENERALLY DON'T FUND? A POSITION, I KNOW.
EMPLOYEE POSITIONS, AND BRENDA IS SHAKING HER HEAD, YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FUND AN EMPLOYEE POSITION.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT COULD BE MORE.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH SOME OF THE OTHER POSITIONS IN THE PAST, WHERE YOU GIVE IT A, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE DID WITH THE HOP COORDINATOR, RIGHT.
IT WAS TRIED FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
DID IT WORK? DID IT, THAT TYPE OF THING.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK? BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
I WOULDN'T, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S PROOF THAT THIS MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE WORKS.
I MEAN, OUR DEPARTMENT WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE HAD DIVISION MANAGERS AND A DIRECTOR.
YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT ALL THE WORK OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS THAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, THE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
IT'S TAKEN A THREE-TEAM COORDINATED EFFORT TO GET SOME OF THAT WORK DONE.
I MEAN, KEEP IN MIND, I MEAN, FEDERAL RULES ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING, YOU KNOW, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO CAN LIKE REALLY STAY ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING COMPLIES WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT EASY FOR, YOU KNOW, A DIRECTOR TO TAKE ON SOLELY BY THEMSELVES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT STAFFING IN PLACE TO ADDRESS ALL OF OUR NEEDS HERE, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT IT'S BEING DONE IN A, YOU KNOW, LEGALLY COMPLIANT MANNER I THINK IS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT.
AND THIS POSITION WILL BE VERY, YOU KNOW, FORWARD-FACING.
AND THEY WILL BE TASKED WITH HELPING US BE MORE PROACTIVE IN OUR APPROACH TO RECRUIT BUSINESSES, RECRUIT HOUSING, HELP BUILD OUR LOCAL CONTRACTOR BASES.
IT WILL BE A PROFESSIONAL POSITION, AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING TO BRING IT BACK AND TO PAY IT SIMILAR TO WHAT OUR PLANNING MANAGER WOULD BE PAID AS WELL.
CAN YOU, ONE, WHEN WE, THIS POSITION, CAN YOU SAY LIKE, HEY, RIGHT NOW OUR AVERAGE, IF THIS IS APPROVED, RIGHT? BOTH OF THESE POSITIONS, I GUESS, KIND OF CROSSING THEM BOTH.
IF THIS IS APPROVED, CAN YOU SAY, HEY, RIGHT NOW OUR AVERAGE TIME FOR PLANS TO GET OUT IS TWO WEEKS.
NOW WE'RE DOWN TO FIVE DAYS, RIGHT? CAN YOU BRING THAT TO US AFTER, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE MEASURABLE OF WHAT THIS POSITION IS DOING AND THEN UNDERSTANDING IF WE HAVE THESE, IS THAT GOING TO FREE YOU UP TO GO OUT AND SELL OUR COMMUNITY? YOU KNOW, LIKE DOUG WAS TALKING ABOUT, GO TALK TO DEVELOPERS IN SIOUX FALLS AND LINCOLN AND NORTH DAKOTA AND, YOU KNOW, THESE PLACES WHERE, YOU KNOW, FARGO IS BOOMING AND SIOUX FALLS IS GOING CRAZY, RIGHT? LIKE, GO TALK TO THESE GUYS AND SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO BUILD IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, AND HERE'S WHY.
SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE OFF YOUR PLATE, AND LIKE YOU SAID, PAULA SELLS THE BUSINESS SIDE, THE HOUSING SIDE.
IS THAT KIND OF MORE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE ON? THAT'S THE ROLE.
I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE ROLE, ABSOLUTELY, GETTING OUT THERE AND WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS, YOU KNOW, GOING TO SOME OF THE TRADE SHOWS, YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, THEY DON'T FOCUS ON RETAIL, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, THAT WE COULD BE OUT THERE REALLY KIND OF PROMOTING THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING, AS FAR AS IT GOES FOR PERMITS, I GUESS I DO WANT TO BE FAIR IN THE APPROACH.
[01:00:01]
PROCESS AS A WHEEL.YEAH, IT GOES AROUND EVERYBODY, YEAH.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS HAVING AN ASSISTANT PLANNER.
ARE YOU SAYING THESE GUYS ARE TAKING TOO LONG? I'M NOT SAYING THAT.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS I JUST COULDN'T SOLELY SAY THAT IF I HAD THIS ASSISTANT PLANNER THAT IT'S GOING TO CAUSE US, YOU KNOW, TO GET PERMITS.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY THAT FOR THE PLANNING SIDE, IT WOULD DEFINITELY SPEED THINGS UP BECAUSE THEN THEY COULD FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS, AND I COULD HAVE MOISES AND NAHAJI DOING MORE HIGHER LEVEL WORK THAT THEY'RE BEING PAID FOR THAN PUTTING THEM ON FENCE PERMITS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I JUST WANT TO, LIKE I SAID, IF YOU CAN SAY, LOOK, HERE'S THE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH FOR THIS, RIGHT? LIKE SOME ARE IN HERE, BUT I WANT TO SEE THE MEASURABLE.
LIKE INSTEAD OF IT TAKING THIS LONG, NOW IT'S TAKING THIS LONG, RIGHT, I THINK? BECAUSE A LOT OF IT SITS WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW IT GOES AROUND EVERYWHERE, BUT A LOT OF IT IS TIED.
AND NOW RODNEY'S TOO, OBVIOUSLY.
WE CAN BRING IT BACK NEXT YEAR WHEN WE DO BUDGET PLANNING TO SAY THIS IS WHERE WE WERE AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S GOOD TO REVIEW, LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE BIG NUMBERS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SALARIES, I KNOW IT'S COMING OUT OF A BUDGET THAT'S ALREADY THERE WITH THE CHIEF OF STAFF POSITION, BUT IT'S STILL JUST GOOD TO CHECK IN WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
FOR THE PLANNING SIDE, I CAN GIVE YOU THOSE NUMBERS, LIKE, ONCE WE HAVE THEM SOMEPLACE, YEAH.
I MEAN, WILL THIS CHANGE? I MEAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION, THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE NOT GOING OUT AND MEETING WITH THOSE GUYS, RIGHT? LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE TIME.
SO, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT YOUR POSITION IS AND, LIKE, THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS ON HOW HE'S GOING TO TAKE HIS APPROACH AS THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IF WE'RE TAKING, YOU KNOW, JUST RESTRUCTURING, REALLY.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT HIS JOB DESCRIPTION AND TITLE AND WHAT HE'S, YOU KNOW, NOT TITLE, BUT WHAT HE'S ACCOMPLISHING ON A, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S MORE YOUR STAFF, BUT JUST IN GENERAL.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU AN IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION, CHRIS, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO SAY BOTH.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE OR THE OTHER, WHICH DO YOU THINK WOULD HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT FOR THE COMMUNITY OVERALL IN TERMS OF GETTING GROWTH AND POPULATION AND TAX BASE? I UNDERSTAND.
TWO NEW POSITIONS IN THIS DEPARTMENT IS A BIG ASK FOR ME.
I'M LEANING AT THE LARGER POSITION BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A BIGGER IMPACT WITH THAT.
MY CAREER, I WISH THERE WAS A LOT OF TIMES I KNOW I ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL HELP, AND I DIDN'T GET IT.
SOMETIMES I DON'T MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, AND THEN YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THE WORK.
WOULD YOU FEEL THAT WE'D HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT WITH THE HOUSING DIRECTOR OR GETTING THE PERMITS OUT? BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT, CHRIS, I MEAN, ONE OF THEM WAS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE YOU ASKED FOR A HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER POSITION.
SO, WE SAT DOWN TOGETHER AND WORKED THROUGH IT.
CAN HE NOT ANSWER FOR HIMSELF? I WANT THEM BOTH.
ULTIMATELY, THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION WHICH ONE THEY FEEL IS THE BEST INVESTMENT FOR THE CITY.
BUT I THINK THEY'RE BOTH IMPORTANT.
WOULD YOU SAY THE PERMIT ONE IS MORE AN INTERNAL ISSUE THAN AN EXTERNAL ISSUE? I MEAN, THE ASSISTANT PLANNER POSITION REALLY IS A KIND OF FREE UP CAPACITY WITH EXISTING STAFF.
AND TO GET SOME OF THESE WHAT I'M CALLING LIKE ROUTINE MUNDANE PERMITS, HELP GET THOSE OUT THE DOOR A LOT QUICKER, WHICH I THINK WILL HELP THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE THE LONGER THEY WAIT FOR PERMITS, I MEAN, THERE'S COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS WELL.
I MEAN, QUITE HONESTLY, I REALLY WISH WE DIDN'T ABOLISH THE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER POSITION BECAUSE IT WAS A POSITION THAT WAS VERY STRATEGIC TO THE WORK THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DID.
AND THAT THREE KIND OF MANAGEMENT APPROACH, I THINK, I MEAN, THE PROOFS AND THE SUCCESS OUT THERE ARE THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
I MEAN, I COULD JUST RUN DOWN A LIST OF THOSE THREE POSITIONS AND WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND I WANT TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING.
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, I WAS THINKING OF ALL THE DIFFERENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS BETWEEN FERNDALE AND CEDAR CREEK AND PORRIS GLEN AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPENED UNDER THAT, WHAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY.
AND THAT'S KIND OF LIKE I SAY, I GET THAT PIECE OF IT.
I'M REALLY STRUGGLING SAYING, WELL, LET'S ADD TWO HERE RIGHT OFF THE BAT, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO FIX ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS. AND I'M LOOKING AT IT SAYING, WELL, MAYBE WE GET THE BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK WITH THE ONE.
[01:05:01]
ON THE SPOT.WELL, WHAT HE WANTS IS WHAT HE WANTS.
I MEAN, THE TRUTH IS THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS.
THIS IS REMOVING THE PREEMPTED POSSESSION OF WEAPONS BAN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS? I AM ALSO ON THE HOOK FOR 7F, WHICH IS THE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY, BUT WE COULD SAVE THAT TO THE END IF YOU WANT, SINCE THERE MIGHT BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS THE SAME AS LAST MEETING WE SPOKE.
IT'S JUST AN EFFORT TO BRING UP THE INDUSTRIAL USERS' RATES TO THAT OF THE EVERYDAY CITIZEN.
SO, WE KIND OF WENT OVER THAT MORE IN DEPTH, I THINK, LAST MEETING.
NOTHING'S REALLY CHANGED SINCE THEN.
THIS IS JUST THE NEXT READING.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS THEY DIDN'T HAVE LAST WEEK, I GUESS.
DO YOU WANT TO HAVE MATT TALK ABOUT THE EMAIL? WHERE'S THAT EMAIL FROM, MATT? YEAH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
I THOUGHT HE HAD SOME GOOD INFORMATION IN THERE.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT? JUST BASED ON OUR DISCUSSION AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT DO OTHER CITIES DO AND HOW DO THEY COMPARE INDUSTRIAL VERSUS RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL.
SO, I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT IT IS THE MAJORITY OF COMMUNITIES DO MATCH THEIR FLOW RATES BASED ON THE SAME NUMBERS, INDEPENDENT OF THE USE TYPE, WHETHER IT'S INDUSTRIAL OR RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES BECAUSE EVERYBODY DOES IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
IT'S SURPRISING HOW DIVERSE THE RATE STRUCTURES ARE ACROSS THE STATE.
BUT I WOULD SAY IT IS EASILY THE MAJORITY, PROBABLY CLOSER TO 75%, USE THE SAME RATE.
I DID FIND THAT SOME LARGER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HIGH INDUSTRIAL CONCENTRATIONS, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE SIOUX CITY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, THEY DO GIVE A VOLUME-BASED LOWER RATE FOR INDUSTRY.
SO, WHAT WE WERE DOING IS NOT UNIQUE.
THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT DO IT, SPECIFICALLY FOR LARGE INDUSTRY.
BUT BY MAJORITY ACROSS THE STATE, IT IS A DISCOUNTED RATE.
OR IT IS NOT A DISCOUNTED RATE, I'M SORRY.
IT'S THE SAME RATE FOR BOTH INDUSTRY AND RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL.
THEN I ALSO JUST SHARED WHERE WE FALL IN COMPARISON WITH THE OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS IOWA.
AND AT ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPARISON NUMBERS, WE FALL BELOW THE MEDIAN.
SO WE ARE IN THE BOTTOM HALF, IF YOU WANT TO CALL THEM OUR COMPETITORS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE RIGHT TERM.
BUT IF AN INDUSTRY OR A BUSINESS WAS LOOKING AT THE STATE OF IOWA, WE WOULD COMPARE FAVORABLY BECAUSE OUR RATES ARE IN THE LOWER HALF TODAY.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS AWESOME, BY THE WAY, THE WAY YOU LAID IT OUT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS TOPIC? THANKS, MATT.
SO, RESOLUTION 26276, I AM REQUESTING THE ABOLISHMENT OF THE PAYROLL MANAGER POSITION, WHICH I SAT IN BEFORE I BECAME THE DIRECTOR, AND OPENING IT UP AND ASKING FOR A NEW POSITION TO BE CREATED OF AN HR GENERALIST.
THE HR DEPARTMENT IS VERY SILOED IN EXPERTISE IN HAVING A RISK MANAGER, A PAYROLL MANAGER.
NOW I HAVE A PAYROLL SPECIALIST AND A TALENT AND ACQUISITION COORDINATOR.
THE GENERALIST POSITION WOULD BE ABLE TO KIND OF BREAK DOWN SOME OF THOSE SILOS, GIVING BACKUP TO ALL OF MY OTHER POSITIONS SO, WE MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE AWAY, HAVE THOSE VACATIONS SO, MY PAYROLL SPECIALIST DOESN'T HAVE TO GO EVERY OTHER WEEK ON VACATION.
IT ALSO HELPS ESTABLISH INTERNAL CONTROLS.
[01:10:02]
IN DOING THIS, I LOOKED OUT ACROSS THE STATE.IT'S VERY CONSISTENT THAT THEY HAVE GENERALISTS OR SPECIALISTS.
AND SO, SINCE THIS POSITION, HR NEVER REALLY HAD OTHER THAN THE HR ASSISTANT, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS ROLE AND SEE WHERE IT GOES TO BE ABLE TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO GIVE THEM MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO CONTACT, TO KNOW WHO TO GO WITH, TO ALLOW ME TO BE OUT AND MEETING WITH OUR EMPLOYEES, SEEING WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES' NEEDS ARE FROM THE HR SIDE.
IN DOING THIS, I'M PROPOSING A NON-UNION GRADE 20, WHICH WOULD BE A SAVINGS OF $60,000.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MICHELLE? THANK YOU. THANKS FOR LOOKING INTO THAT, MICHELLE. I APPRECIATE IT.
AA OR B, APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS AND CANCELLATIONS, ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE? ALL RIGHT. WE WILL JUMP BACK TO JAKE. 7F.
OKAY. SO, YOU GUYS ALL HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER THE PROPOSED SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THE WAY IT IS LAID OUT, IT EXPLAINS THE TWO TYPES OF PAGES, THE FIRST BEING OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS.
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME USE OF THE TERM OFFICIAL WHEN WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.
WHAT THIS IS TALKING ABOUT IS LIKE A LITERAL CITY-RUN OFFICIAL PAGE, LIKE THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS FACEBOOK PAGE OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR SOMETHING.
THIS WOULD APPLY IF, LIKE, THE MAYOR WANTED TO HAVE A MAYOR OF COUNCIL BLUFFS PAGE THAT WOULD BE RETAINED BY THE CITY AND MANAGED BY THE CITY, RUN BY CITY EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S WHAT THOSE STANDARDS ARE IN THAT SECTION.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, NO BLOCKING, OBJECTIVE, NON-VIEWPOINT-BASED MODERATION OF COMMENTS.
THE SECOND GROUP OF ACCOUNTS IS PERSONAL ACCOUNTS.
THERE'S ONE WHICH IS THE PURELY PERSONAL ACCOUNT.
THAT WOULD JUST BE LITERALLY JUST A PAGE WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING PICTURES OF YOUR FAMILY OR WHATEVER.
ON THOSE PAGES, YOU CAN MODERATE IT HOW YOU WANT.
YOU COULD BLOCK WHO YOU WANT, REMOVE COMMENTS, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
THE OTHER TYPE OF PERSONAL PAGE IS A MORE MIXED-USE PAGE, AND THAT'S THE TROUBLESOME ONE.
THAT IS WHERE IT'S A PERSONAL PAGE WHICH CAN INCLUDE, LIKE, CAMPAIGN PAGES OR MAYBE IT'S A PAGE WHERE YOU POST SOME FAMILY STUFF AND THEN PUT SOME STUFF ON THERE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS OR AS THE MAYOR.
WITH THAT, IT BECOMES POST-DEPENDENT.
ON THE POST, WHICH ARE OFFICIAL POSTS, WHICH IS WHEN YOU POSSESS ACTUAL AUTHORITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND ARE PURPORTING TO USE THAT AUTHORITY, IT HAS TO BE MODERATED LIKE AN OFFICIAL ACCOUNT.
YOU CAN, LIKE, IT HAS TO BE NO BLOCKING, OBJECTIVE, NON-VIEWPOINT-BASED MODERATION OF THE COMMENTS, LIKE I SAID ABOUT THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS.
ON THE PERSONAL POSTS, YOU CAN MODERATE IT LIKE A PERSONAL PAGE.
YOU CAN REMOVE WHATEVER COMMENTS YOU WANT, BUT THAT'S ONLY ON PERSONAL POSTS.
IF THERE ARE OFFICIAL POSTS ON PERSONAL PAGES, THEN YOU SHOULD NOT BE BLOCKING ANYBODY ON THERE BECAUSE IF ONE POST IS OFFICIAL AND THEY'RE BLOCKED, THEN YOU'RE VIOLATING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
NOW, I CANNOT GIVE YOU A PERFECT ANSWER OF WHAT CONSTITUTES HAVING AUTHORITY AND PURPORTING TO USE THAT AUTHORITY BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT VERY DEFINED YET.
BUT NONE OF US HAVE AUTHORITY BY OURSELVES.
WELL, THAT'S WITH YOU, WITH THE COUNCIL.
YES, THERE IS AN ARGUMENT THAT NONE OF YOU HAVE AUTHORITY BY YOURSELF.
AGREED. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
WHEN NOT ONE PERSON CAN MAKE AN OFFICIAL POST.
CORRECT. YOUR BODY HAS AUTHORITY.
BUT YOU, LIKE, AS INDIVIDUALS, ARGUABLY DO NOT.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN RULED ON BY COURTS YET, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY POSITION ON THAT.
AS OPPOSED TO WITH THE MAYOR, WITH SOMEBODY WHO HAS EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY, IT'S A LOT EASIER TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE THAT AUTHORITY.
LIKE, SHE HAS AUTHORITY TO DIRECT STAFF, SO IF SHE POSTED, LIKE, I'M DIRECTING THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO DO X, IT'S CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT STAFF, AND SHE'S SPEAKING USING THAT AUTHORITY.
NOW, I WOULD STILL SAY THE SAFEST THING IS IF COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE POSTING AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD BE TO NOT BLOCK PEOPLE, BUT THAT'S JUST ME BEING LIKE, OH, LIABILITY.
SO, I WOULD RECOMMEND NOT BLOCKING PEOPLE.
ANY QUESTIONS? THERE SEEM TO BE.
DIRECTED. I'M NOT A SOCIAL MEDIA GUY, SO MAYBE I'M SCREWED UP.
I'M NOT EITHER, SO I'M PROBABLY THE WORST
[01:15:01]
PERSON FOR THIS JOB.THERE'S OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS THAN FACEBOOK.
FACEBOOK SEEMS TO BE THE POPULAR ONE FOR EVERYBODY STILL, WHICH I THINK THE KIDS ARE OFF OF FACEBOOK, BY THE WAY.
INSTAGRAM, DUDE, IT'S INSTAGRAM.
YEAH, THEY DO, LIKE, THE TIKTOK AND.
YEAH, THEY'RE ALL THE OTHER STUFF, RIGHT? SO, BUT THIS SEEMED TO BE MORE FOR THAT, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE, MAYBE I'M WRONG, AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT, YOU HAVE TO.
YOU CAN DO ALL THE SAME THINGS.
SO, DO YOU ALLOW PEOPLE TO FOLLOW YOU ON THERE? YES.
SO, WHAT IF YOU JUST DON'T ALLOW THEM TO GET ON YOUR PAGE? NO, THEY JUST FOLLOW YOU.
I SHOULD ASK MY KIDS, I GUESS.
WELL, IF NOBODY FOLLOWS YOU, YOU DON'T ALLOW THEM, THEN NOBODY GETS TO SEE WHAT YOU POST ANYWAY.
THAT'D BE MY PAGE, PROBABLY, I SUPPOSE.
YOU CAN DO YOURSELF ON THE INTERNET.
RIGHT? LIKE JOE HAS A CAMPAIGN PAGE.
I THINK YOU HAVE A CAMPAIGN PAGE.
BUT IF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ON THE CITY OR REPOST, THEN YOU.
CAMPAIGN PAGES ARE PERSONAL PAGES STILL.
BECAUSE YOU, I MEAN, AS A CANDIDATE, YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING WITH.
BUT THERE COULD STILL BE AN OFFICIAL POST, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT.
LET ME ASK THIS BECAUSE THIS IS NO FUNDRAISING, NO CAMPAIGNING.
YOU COULD DO THAT ON AN ELECTION PAGE.
YOU COULD DO THAT ON AN ELECTION PAGE.
WELL, YOUR COUNSEL PAGES ARE THE OFFICIAL PAGE.
SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? I ONLY HAVE AN ELECTION PAGE, YEAH, FOR ELECTIONS.
CAMPAIGN ON, LIKE, A CITY OF CB.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MONEY ON THE COUNCIL'S PAGE.
I'M SAYING FROM THIS, FROM THIS MOMENT FORWARD, THE TERM OFFICIAL ACCOUNT LITERALLY MEANS A CITY CONTROLLED.
MEANS THE CITY OWNS THE ACCOUNT.
SO, IF THE CITY SAID, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE INDIVIDUAL FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS FOR EVERY ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, SEATS ONE THROUGH FIVE, AND THEN THE CITY, AND THEN ASHLEY'S CONTROL OF ALL THE POSTS IN THAT CAPACITY, THAT WOULD BE A CITY THING.
AND THEN WE COULD SAY, HEY, ASHLEY, I'M COUNCIL NUMBER THREE.
NUMBER THREE, PUT ON THAT SITE, HEY, COME TO THIS EVENT FOR THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IS YOURS OFFICIAL NOW? SO, HER, YEAH, THAT WOULD, NO, IT'S A PERSONAL ONE.
BUT THERE ARE SOME POSTS THAT WOULD BE OFFICIAL.
BUT WHEN SHE POSTS, SHE ACTS IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY.
SO, IF YOU, EVEN IF ON YOUR PERSONAL PAGE, YOU PUT PICTURES OF YOUR KIDS GOING ON VACATION, FISHING, WHATEVER, AND THEN YOU SAY, HEY, CITY COUNCIL BLUFFS, WE'RE DOING THIS, OR WHATEVER, YEAH.
THE FISHING, LITTLE KIDS' DERBY, THAT NOW IS AN OFFICIAL POST.
I'LL SAY, I THINK THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S NOT USING YOUR AUTHORITY.
THAT'S SHARING SOMETHING THE CITY IS DOING.
IF YOU'RE SHARING INFORMATION, THAT'S FINE.
SO, LIKE WHEN YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, POST A VIDEO ON YOURS THAT'S LIKE, I'M AT SUMMERFEST, COME DOWN.
IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE THE ACTUAL AUTHORITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY FOR.
SO, LIKE, RAJ, IF YOU GOT ON YOUR PERSONAL PAGE AND SAID, I AM DIRECTING LEGAL TO DO THIS, AND THIS, AND THIS, BECAUSE YOU CAN DO THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE THEIR BOSS.
PART OF THAT IS JUST ONE PERSON.
BUT YES, THAT IS NOT DECIDED BY THE COURT, AS JAKE SAID BEFORE.
SO, WHAT AUTHORITY EACH OF YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALLY IS A GRAY AREA.
BUT WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY, AS HE'S SAYING, WANT TO STEER AWAY FROM ANYTHING WHERE YOU'RE SAYING, I'M DIRECTING SO-AND-SO TO DO THIS.
I'M USING MY AUTHORITY AS COUNCIL MEMBER TO DO X.
TO BE SAFE, WE WANT TO NOT HAVE THOSE BE ON PERSONAL PAGES, OR YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE IS BLOCKED AND THAT YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES.
WE'RE NOT SAYING ANYONE'S EVER MADE THOSE KIND OF POSTS ON THEIR PAGES OR TRIED TO EXERCISE THEIR AUTHORITY.
SOMETHING COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC.
WE TALK ABOUT THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
BUT WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT IF YOU DON'T DO THAT.
OR WHAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO.
WELL, IT DOES SAY AVOID, YEAH.
WHAT IF YOU DO THOSE THINGS? WHAT'S THE CONSEQUENCE, THEN, IF YOU DO THOSE THINGS WHILE WE HAVE THIS IN PLACE? I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE UP PUNISHMENTS BY MYSELF.
[01:20:01]
OK.YOU'VE BEEN HERE FIVE MINUTES.
I MEAN, I SUPPOSE THAT WOULD BE, LIKE, AGAIN, COULD YOU, CAN THEY PUNISH EACH OTHER FOR? IT'S MORE OF AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL.
YOU WOULD HAVE THE REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO YOU BY LAW AGAINST PUBLIC OFFICIALS WHO ACT AGAINST POLICY.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO.
IF YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT WHAT, LIKE, LEGAL IS GOING TO DO TO YOU, WE DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY.
AND SO, IT'S DIFFICULT IN DRAFTING A POLICY TO SAY THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU WHEN THAT, IN FACT, REQUIRES A VOTE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A VOICE IN OR THE AUTHORITY.
DO WE NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES THAT IF THESE ARE VIOLATED, THIS KICKS IN OR THIS PROCESS KICKS IN, OR DO WE JUST LEAVE IT? I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE IT'S KIND OF IMPLIED, BUT.
I THINK THAT IT IS ULTIMATELY YOUR DECISION IF YOU WANT TO HAVE, I MEAN, IT'S LIKE PASSING ANY OTHER POLICY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WANT YOU TO FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF BOTH THE COUNCIL THAT WE HIRED TO LOOK INTO THIS SPECIFICALLY AND THEN ADVISE US ON A REASONABLE POLICY HERE.
SO, WHEN WE ASKED OUTSIDE COUNCIL TO DRAFT A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY BECAUSE IT IS NOT OUR AREA OF EXPERTISE, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH JAKE AND THEN COME UP WITH A POLICY.
AND SO, WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THEIR ADVICE AND FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THEIR POLICY, BUT IN TERMS OF ADDING ADDITIONAL THINGS OR IF YOU WANT TO IMPLEMENT SORT OF CONSEQUENCES, THOSE ARE CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK FOR.
IF YOU WERE WANTING TO HAVE THOSE IN, WE COULD RESEARCH THAT FOR YOU AND COME BACK.
OR YOU CAN PROPOSE CHANGES, KEEPING IN MIND THE CASE LAW AND THE STATUTORY LAW THAT IS AVAILABLE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW.
SO OUTSIDE COUNCIL DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING AS FAR AS IF THESE RULES AREN'T FOLLOWED.
THERE WAS NO CONSEQUENCES? NO.
I ASSUME THIS IS SIMILAR TO OTHER CITIES, HAVE THESE SIMILAR ORDINANCES IN PLACE.
YEAH, AND I MEAN, I THINK ALSO WITH PUNISHMENTS, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL OF YOU DO HAVE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS STILL.
SO, YOU CAN'T BE PUNISHING EACH OTHER FOR USING YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO, I WOULD RECOMMEND AGAINST THAT.
SO, NONE OF US HAVE OFFICIAL CITY PAGES EXCEPT THE CITY COUNCIL'S PAGE? CORRECT.
IT'S MORE A QUESTION OF WHETHER THERE ARE OFFICIAL POSTS ON A PERSONAL PAGE.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT'S NOT CLEAR AT ALL.
BUT IF YOU'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE LINE OF OFFICIAL POSTS, WHICH I AGREE WITH YOUR POINT THAT I THINK THERE'S AN ARGUMENT THAT YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY DO THAT.
I THINK THERE'S AN ARGUMENT FOR THAT.
BUT IF YOU'RE CLOSE, I WOULD STILL RECOMMEND NOT BLOCKING PEOPLE FROM THE PAGE.
NOW, IF I TAKE A VIDEO WITH JOE AND COLE, AND THE THREE OF US SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, THEN I THINK THAT'S RIDICULOUS IN A QUALM.
AND A VIOLATION OF OPEN MEETINGS.
WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, JOE AND COLE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
TONY, WHAT DO YOU GOT? TONY, YOU GOT A QUESTION? LIKE I UNDERSTAND, I GUESS I WANT TO KNOW WHY.
DOES IT JUSTIFY YOUR MAYOR? IT APPLIES TO ME.
BECAUSE THE CASE HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED BY A COURT YET.
SO, UNTIL A COURT SAYS IT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT THAT OUR INTERPRETATION THAT YOU CAN'T EXERCISE AUTHORITY UNLESS IT SAYS A BODY IS CORRECT, WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU ADVICE THAT YOU'RE FINE, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, BECAUSE YOU'RE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF A BODY.
BECAUSE WE WANT TO ALWAYS HAVE A BEST PRACTICE AND CAUTIOUS APPROACH, BECAUSE WE WANT TO PROTECT THE CITY.
AND SO, THE ADVICE IS, IF YOU'RE POSTING IN A WAY THAT COULD BE PERCEIVED AS EXECUTING YOUR AUTHORITY, DON'T BLOCK PEOPLE.
JUST USE YOUR BEST PRACTICE AS IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO ACT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AS A PART OF COUNCIL, IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE CITY.
THAT'S WHAT THE POLICY IS INTENDED TO DO.
IT'S NOT DISREGARDING THE FACT THAT WE AGREE.
WE DO NOT THINK THAT A SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER HAS THE ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING ON THEIR OWN, BECAUSE THAT IS THE RULE, IN FACT.
AND I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF A COURT DECIDED AGAINST THAT.
BUT THEY HAVEN'T MADE THAT DECISION YET.
AND SO, WE DON'T WANT TO COME DOWN FIRMLY AND SAY, GO AHEAD AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
AND THEN HAVE A COURT DECIDE, WELL, ACTUALLY, WE THINK IT DOES.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, THEY SURPRISE US WITH BAD DECISIONS.
SO, THEY DON'T ALWAYS JUST ASK WHAT THE LAW IS ACCORDING TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND I JUST WANT TO CHIME IN THAT THIS POLICY IS WRITTEN BECAUSE YOU, YOURSELVES, WOULD BE PUTTING YOURSELF OR THE CITY
[01:25:02]
AT RISK OF LIABILITY IF YOU ARE VIOLATING A CITIZEN'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.SO, IT IS A DELICATE BALANCING ACT BETWEEN YOU GUYS AS, OBVIOUSLY, CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO YOU AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU CAN INFRINGE ON OTHER PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.
AND TAKE SOMETHING, ROGER, AS SIMPLE AS SAYING, YOU'RE GOING TO GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, I'M PUTTING X ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
BECAUSE THIS IS, I AGREE WITH THIS OR I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS.
THERE ARE STILL WAYS FOR YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER TO HAVE THE AUTHORITY OR APPEAR TO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO A REGULAR MEMBER OF SOCIETY IN A WAY THAT IT APPEARS THAT YOU'RE DIRECTING SOMETHING.
AND ONE OF THE BIG CONCERNS IS VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION.
AND SO, IF IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE YOU'VE BLOCKED SOME PEOPLE AND THEN YOU'RE POSTING SOMETHING THAT YOU ONLY WANT ONE SIDE OF THE PEOPLE TO HEAR SOMETHING, YOU GET YOURSELF INTO TROUBLE THAT WAY AS WELL.
AND SO, IT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL PAGE THAT'S SUBJECT TO THESE RULES WHERE YOU ALWAYS POST ANYTHING CITY RELATED.
AND YOU HAVE A SEPARATE ACCOUNT THAT IS JUST TRULY A PERSONAL FAMILY ACCOUNT WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT, I'M EXCITED FOR THE GAME THIS WEEKEND, OR THIS IS MY KID'S BIRTHDAY.
BUT THERE ARE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS WHERE YOU CAN STILL TALK ABOUT CITY STUFF.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO FOCUS ON IS, WHERE ELSE IS THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE? IF YOU ARE DIRECTING SOMETHING OR YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING AND THE ONLY PLACE THAT'S WRITTEN, THE ONLY PLACE THAT'S SAID IS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU'VE BLOCKED SOMEONE OF THE PUBLIC, WELL, THEN THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SEE CITY BUSINESS.
THAT'S THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT.
AND OF COURSE, I DON'T THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE IN THE POLICY.
BUT IF ANY OF YOU ARE EVER ON THE LINE AND YOU'RE NOT SURE, PLEASE REFER TO US BECAUSE THERE ARE LIABILITY IMPLICATIONS.
AND IT IS, AS THEY BOTH SAID, KIND OF A MUDDY AREA RIGHT NOW.
AND IF YOU WANT, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT PROHIBITS YOU FROM HAVING A PAGE WHERE YOU'RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
AND YOU'RE SAYING, I'M GOING TO DO, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU COULD HAVE, SO JUST AS A ROGER EXAMPLE, YOU CAN HAVE A ROGER SANDOW PAGE WHERE YOUR KIDS ARE ON THERE, YOUR FAMILY'S ON THERE, IT'S ALL YOUR PERSONAL STUFF.
AND YOU COULD ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PAGE WHERE YOU'RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
AND AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT BLOCKING SOMEONE AND YOU'RE MAKING ANY POST RELATED TO YOUR CAPACITY AS A CITY MEMBER, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T USE SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE'RE JUST SAYING, IF YOU'RE DOING IT IN A POST, THAT POST CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE BLOCKED.
IT CAN'T HAVE VIEWPOINT RESTRICTION.
SO, YOU CAN STILL, IF YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, I WANT TO HAVE JOE FOR GOVERNOR, WHATEVER, I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT PAGE, YOU CAN HAVE THAT PAGE.
AND YOU CAN PUT ALL OF THE THINGS ABOUT WHAT YOU'D WANT TO DO OR YOU'RE GOING TO, I'M COUNCIL MEMBER, I WANT TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
YOU JUST CAN'T BLOCK ANYONE ON THAT.
IT'S NOT THAT YOU CANNOT DO THAT.
IT'S THAT IF YOU HAVE A POST WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO BE DOING THAT, ANY POST ON EITHER ONE OF THOSE PAGES, THEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NO ONE BLOCKED AND YOU'RE NOT VIEWPOINT RESTRICTING.
AND IF IT MAKES SENSE TO YOU TO SAY, WELL, I'M GOING TO HAVE JUST MY PERSONAL PAGE AND THEN I'M GOING TO HAVE THIS PAGE WHERE IT'S ME FOR SUCH AND SUCH, YOU CAN HAVE THOSE TWO PAGES.
AND ONE OF THEM DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN OFFICIAL CITY PAGE.
AND THEN YOU COULD SAY, WELL, IN THIS PAGE, I BLOCK NO ONE.
I NEVER RESTRICT OR REMOVE COMMENTS.
AND IF THAT HELPS KEEP IT MORE SINGULAR IN YOUR MIND, THAT'S A PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE WAY TO DO IT.
NO ONE'S SAYING THAT YOU CANNOT DO IT.
AND ALSO, I THINK THAT AT THE LAST MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT SHARING ANYTHING THAT THE CITY DOES, ANY POST THAT THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS PAGE MAKES.
IF YOU WANT TO SHARE THAT 100 TIMES ON YOUR PERSONAL PAGE, THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT A TROUBLESOME POST.
IT DOES NOT MAKE IT A POST THAT'S SUBJECT TO THIS.
IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, I LOVE KRISPY KREME.
I LOVE, YOU CAN WRITE WHATEVER YOU WANT ABOUT, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE MENTIONING THE CITY DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT IS A POST THAT IS PROBLEMATIC.
IT IS ONLY WHEN, AS JAKE SAID, YOU ARE USING YOUR OFFICIAL CAPACITY AND PUTTING OUT INFORMATION IN YOUR OFFICIAL POSITION.
YOU COULD EVEN PUT YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT CITY BUSINESS.
AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE AN OFFICIAL POST.
LIKE, IF ONE OF YOU WANTED TO SAY, LIKE, I DISAGREE WITH THE WAY THIS HAPPENED, YOU'RE NOT EXERCISING AUTHORITY.
YOU'RE EXPRESSING YOUR OPINION.
[01:30:05]
IT'S REALLY MORE OF A, IT'S A QUESTION OF MODERATION, NOT A QUESTION OF WHAT YOU'RE POSTING.IT'S A QUESTION OF HOW YOU CAN MODERATE THE PAGE AFTER POSTING.
AND YOU'RE SAYING IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER POLICY, WHERE IF IT'S NOT FOLLOWED, THEN THE OTHER CONSEQUENCES OR RULES KICK IN TO SAY, THIS IS HOW YOU WOULD ADDRESS IT.
WITH ANY EMPLOYEE, IF AN EMPLOYEE DID SOMETHING.
WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S THE PROBLEM THERE IS THAT YOU GUYS AREN'T LIKE ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FIRE EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, YOU'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO HAVE A SIMILAR PUNISHMENT AS OTHER EMPLOYEES.
IT'S HARD TO THINK OF WHAT A CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE THAT THE CITY COULD IMPOSE.
I MEAN, COUNCIL CAN IMPOSE CONSEQUENCES.
BUT WE, AS CITY EMPLOYEES, WE HAVEN'T RESEARCHED IT AND WE COULD LOOK INTO IT.
BUT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, IT'S DIFFICULT TO THINK OF HOW WE COULD POSSIBLY IMPOSE A CONSEQUENCE AS THE CITY.
I WAS JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE ANYTHING.
YOU GO TO THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, RIGHT? AND YOU SAY, OK, WE PUT THESE RULES IN PLACE.
YOU CAN'T DO THIS, CAN'T DO THAT, CAN'T DO THIS, CAN'T DO THAT.
OK, THEN THEY DON'T GET FOLLOWED.
OK, THE STUDENT'S NOT DOING WHAT THE TEACHER ASKED TO DO.
WHAT'S THE CONSEQUENCE FOR THE STUDENT? AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S LIKE, WELL, WE DON'T REALLY SPECIFY THAT.
WE SAY IT'S STILL KIND OF UP TO THE TEACHER TO DECIDE, IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
RIGHT, MR. KNOTT? DOUG, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT IS KIND OF LIABILITY LIMITATION.
AND SO, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHETHER THIS POLICY IS ADOPTED OR NOT, RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY ADOPTED.
AND SO, IT MAKES IT HARD FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE TO RESPOND TO ANY KIND OF CLAIM THAT MIGHT COME FORWARD AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT'S EXPECTED OR THIS IS WHAT'S NOT EXPECTED.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST KIND OF UNWRITTEN.
BUT LET'S SAY THAT WE ADOPT THIS POLICY.
AND LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, THE WORST CASE SCENARIO COMES ABOUT.
I THINK, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY, IT'S KIND OF GETTING TO THE POINT OF, HOW CAN WE LIMIT OUR LIABILITY? AND TO THAT END, WE COULD INVESTIGATE OR RESEARCH A WAY WHERE IT'S LIKE, IF THERE'S A QUESTIONABLE POST OR THERE IS A CONCERN THAT A POST IS POTENTIALLY GOING TO PUT THE CITY IN A PLACE OF LIABILITY, WHAT IS THAT PROCESS? WHAT'S THAT PROCEDURE? IS THE CITY ATTORNEY DIRECTED TO DO A REVIEW OF IT? AND IF SO, BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL IN WHAT FORMAT? AND I DON'T HAVE SPECIFICS.
I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? IS SOME KIND OF LIMIT LIABILITY? RIGHT.
YEAH, WHERE DO WHAT? AGAIN, YES.
FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, YEAH.
WHERE WOULD WE END UP IN THAT SITUATION? IT'S TRICKY, THOUGH, BECAUSE I GET WHERE JAKE'S COMING FROM, FROM THE MUDDY.
YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S A VERY INNOCUOUS POST, THAT IT DIDN'T MEAN MUCH.
IT'S TAKEN COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT CREATES A HUGE FIRESTORM.
AND NOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH THIS.
IT IS HARD TO KIND OF PUT THOSE IN PLACE UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO KNOW WHERE DID THIS PUT US WITH LIABILITY.
YEAH, AND JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING IS CLEARLY NOT AN OFFICIAL POST TO ME DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOMEBODY THAT WOULD SUE THE CITY IS GOING TO SAY THAT.
IN FACT, I WOULD SAY THAT'S EXTREMELY UNLIKELY.
AND I THINK THE ISSUE FIRST SHOWED UP ON PEOPLE'S RADAR WHEN THE CITY OF OMAHA, AS PEOPLE ARE AWARE, THERE'S A JUDGMENT FOR A SOCIAL MEDIA POST PROBLEM AND THAT THERE WAS A RECENT COURT CASE AGAINST THAT.
AND SO, IN TERMS OF COMING UP WITH A POLICY, WE OBVIOUSLY ARE TRYING TO AVOID ANY KIND OF LIABILITY FOR THE CITY.
BUT ALTHOUGH WE ARE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO ANY POSSIBLE POLICY CONSEQUENCES, HAVING IT BE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS SUPPOSED TO TELL THE COUNCIL, WHO ARE THEIR DIRECT SUPERVISORS, THAT THEY CAN DO X, Y, OR Z, OR INSTITUTE THE PROCEEDING, I THINK IT MIGHT BE PROBLEMATIC.
SO, IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT US TO LOOK AT, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
BUT WE'D NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I DON'T THINK I'D BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON IT BY COUNCIL TONIGHT, UNLESS WE HAVE A VERY LONG BREAK.
I THINK REALLY IT MIGHT BE GOOD JUST TO LOOK AT IT AS A WAY TO PUT ALL OF YOU ON NOTICE AS TO WHAT WOULD CAUSE LIABILITY FOR THE CITY, AND NOT NECESSARILY LIKE A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT ONE? OUR LAST ONE UP, THEN, IS 7D.
ROB, IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD.
THIS IS RESOLUTION 26-273, CONFIRMING MY APPOINTMENT OF
[01:35:05]
CHIEF SCHOENING TO THE FIRE CHIEF OF THE CITY OF KANSAS.SO, WE HAD 11 CANDIDATES APPLY.
SEVEN QUALIFIED FOR INTERVIEWS.
FIVE COMPLETED THE INTERVIEWS.
AND ROB SCORED THE HIGHEST THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
IT WAS A TWO-DAY ASSESSMENT CENTER, AND THEN FINAL INTERVIEWS.
FINAL INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED BY MYSELF, CHIEF DAVIS, AND MICHELLE.
AND SO, I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
SO, ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING FOR ROB? WE WILL BE DOING HIS BELL CEREMONY ON THE 28TH AT 330 AT THE FIRE STATION.
WE HAD TO MAKE SOME MOVES AROUND FOR SCHEDULES.
I'M GOING TO PUT IT IN NOW SO I DON'T MESS IT UP.
WOULD YOU MIND JUST GIVING US THE ELEVATOR VERSION, BACKGROUND, AND? SO, I'VE BEEN WITH COUNCIL BLUFF SINCE 2002.
I WAS BORN AT MERCY, HERE IN CB.
BUT I NEVER LIVED IN CB UNTIL ABOUT 2006.
I GOT HIRED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN 2002.
WAS HIRED AS AN EMTB FIREFIGHTER.
2007, I WENT TO A PARAMEDIC SCHOOL AT OFD.
STILL EMPLOYED HERE THAT WHOLE TIME.
WAS WORKING ON THE WEST END AS COMPANY OFFICER ON ENGINE 21 UP UNTIL THIS WHOLE PROCESS CAME OUT.
SO THAT'S A VERY BRIEF ELEVATOR SPEECH.
THAT IS EVERYTHING FOR STUDY SESSION.
SO, WE WILL SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT AT 7 O'CLOCK.
[1) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
IF YOU CAN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
[2) CALL TO ORDER]
INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.GO AHEAD AND CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
[3) CITIZENS REQUEST TO BE HEARD]
COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HERE EXCEPT FOR COUNCILMAN GORMAN.FIRST UP IS CITIZENS REQUEST TO BE HEARD.
THIS IS YOUR TIME IN THE MEETING THAT IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THIS COMING AGENDA, YOU CAN GO AHEAD OR COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE EXCEPT FOR A WHILE IN THE MILITARY.
THANK YOU FOR REMODELING THE GRAHAM AREA.
NO THANK YOU, BECAUSE THE STOP SIGNS DON'T STOP ANYBODY.
THEY START AT GRAHAM AND HIGH STREET, AND THEY PUNCH IT.
AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN GO AROUND THE CIRCLE.
THEY PLANTED WEEDS, NOT GRASS.
LOOK AT MY LAWN AT 1605 HIGH STREET NEXT TO MY HOUSE.
WHAT THEY'VE GOT DOWN THERE ON THE PARKING AND ANYWHERE THEY DID IT ON THE OTHER SIDE WHERE THE SIDEWALK WAS IS WEEDS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN THOSE.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE IT KILLED AND THEN HAVE SOME GRASS PUT IN IT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT.
UP AND DOWN HIGH STREET, NOW UP AND DOWN GRAHAM AS WELL.
THEY JUST CRAM TWO PEOPLE ON THERE AND TAKE OFF.
I JUST DON'T LIKE THE NO STOPPING FOR THE STOP SIGNS BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET HURT.
A KID THREE YEARS AGO, A LADY, OVER 75 MILE AN HOUR ACCORDING TO POLICE, WENT AROUND A VEHICLE, OVERCORRECTED, HIT MY WALL, ROLLED FIVE TIMES, AND LANDED NEXT TO A HOUSE.
BEFORE THE POLICE EVEN GOT THERE, LPL BAR HAD EVERYBODY OUT THERE HELPING TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT, THE KIDS.
I HAD A GUY, I WAS JUST COME OFF HARRY LANGDON, STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN.
GUY ON THE MOTORCYCLE, HE'S REVVING.
FINALLY, ONE CAR COMES STRAIGHT FORWARD.
AND AS SOON AS HE CLEARED ME, THE MOTORCYCLE WENT BEFORE I COULD EVEN THINK TO GO STRAIGHT.
[01:40:09]
SO, THE ONLY OTHER ONE THAT I HAD BESIDES THE HOMELESS, 10 YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T HAVE IT.WHERE THEY CAME FROM, I DON'T KNOW.
MY THOUGHT BEHIND IT IS, IF THEY DON'T HAVE ROOTS HERE, IF THEY DIDN'T COME FROM HERE, IF THEY'RE JUST TRANSPLANTED, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHO, AND THEY DON'T KNOW ANYBODY.
AND THEY'RE ALL OVER THE STREETS.
AND THAT NICE NEW ROAD THAT YOU'VE GOT BETWEEN FIRST AVENUE AND BROADWAY, WHERE THE TRACKS USED TO BE, THEY'RE JUST LIVING THERE ALL OVER.
I THINK I'VE GOT THEM IN MY TREES.
GUY HAS A PROPERTY UP AT THE BLUFF, THE OLD HOSPITAL.
HE OWNS TWO PROPERTIES ACROSS THE STREET, UP THE STREET FROM ME.
I THINK THEY'RE IN THERE SLEEPING AND DOING THINGS.
BUT I'VE ALSO HAD BIKES LEFT IN THE ALLEY.
WHOSE ARE THEY? I HAVE NO IDEA.
I CALL THE POLICE TO HAVE THEM COME GET THEM.
SOMETIMES SOMEBODY ELSE COMES AND GETS THEM.
AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING IS, I JUST SAW IT JUST TWO DAYS AGO.
IS IT LEGAL FOR PEOPLE TO ONLY HAVE THAT SHOWING, DRIVING A CAR? THEY'RE JUST TOTALLY COVERED IN BLACK.
ANYWAY, TO ME, THAT WOULD BE A BIG, BIG DANGER ZONE.
CAN'T GIVE ANY DESCRIPTION EXCEPT THE CAR.
AND I IMPLORE THE COUNCIL TO, I'D LIKE TO BRING IT BACK WHEN IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO, 20 YEARS AGO.
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GET HURT ON RANDOM.
VINCE, CAN I ASK YOU A CLARIFICATION? ARE YOU SAYING YOU SAW PEOPLE COMPLETELY COVERED UP WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING IN THEIR VEHICLE? YES.
I JUST PASSED THE FIRE STATION.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THEY'RE HITTING THE BRAKE.
AND AS I PASSED, THEY PULLED OUT.
AND THEY WERE RIGHT BEHIND ME.
WE GOT UP TO 4TH STREET, 9TH AVENUE.
AND I STOPPED AND I LOOKED IN MY MIRROR.
AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT.
I COULD SEE THEY WEREN'T BLACK.
BUT OTHERWISE, TOTALLY COVERED.
I JUST WAS LIKE; I'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.
I THOUGHT I ASKED FOR MORE CLARIFICATION.
ANYWAY, AND THEN I HOPE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LET A MOSQUE BE BUILT HERE LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE DOES.
IS THAT IT THEN? I DIDN'T MEAN TO WALK OFF ON YOU.
AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I'VE NOTICED.
POSSIBLY, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF MAYBE IF THERE'S A WAY YOU GUYS CAN MAIL OUT SOME KIND OF FLYERS ABOUT MAYBE CLEANING UP THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN GENERAL.
AND HAVE LIKE A CLEANUP DAY FOR COUNCIL BLUFFS IN GENERAL.
AND MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME OF THAT SITUATIONS IN GENERAL, IN COUNCIL BLUFFS ALL DONE AT ONCE.
BECAUSE TO WHERE YOU CAN HAVE LIKE THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN, THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, A LITTLE BIT OUT OF EACH INDIVIDUAL AND KIND OF CLEAN UP DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND KIND OF GET THE CITY CREW PEOPLE, WHATEVER, INVOLVED TO HELP CLEAN UP.
AND HAVE A WAY TO WHERE PEOPLE CAN BRING THEIR STUFF TO A CERTAIN LOCATION AND HAVE IT GET DUMPED, OR WEEDS, OR WHATEVER.
LIKE FOR INSTANCE, I WAS DRIVING AROUND, MY OTHER ISSUES, I NOTICED WHEN I WAS GOING AROUND THE DIFFERENT ALLEYS TO LOOK AROUND, I NOTICED THAT SOME ALLEYS HAVE BLACK TOPS, SOME ARE CONCRETE, SOME ARE DIRT, AND SOME ARE ROCK.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN LIKE IN OUR ALLEYWAY, WE HAVE ROCK.
AND I ALWAYS HAVE TO CALL AND ASK ABOUT HAVING THEM COME OUT TO GRADE IT, TO TRY TO GET MORE PUT BACK IN.
BECAUSE AFTER IT RAINS, WE GET THE BIG OLD, WHOOP, POTHOLES IN THERE, AND IT FILLS UP WITH WATER.
AND ALSO, I WAS TALKING WITH THAT ISSUE IN GENERAL TO TRY TO GET A LOT OF THE DEAD CARS THAT ARE UP AND DOWN THE ALLEYS THAT I'VE NOTICED WHEN I WAS DRIVING AROUND.
WHEN I CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ASK ABOUT IT, I GUESS SINCE THEY'RE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, IT'S NOT A POLICE ISSUE, IT'S A PRIVATE PROPERTY ISSUE.
[01:45:02]
311 ISSUES.SO, UNTIL, I MEAN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DRIVE UP AND DOWN EVERY ALLEY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CARS? I MEAN, BECAUSE THE ONE AREA I WENT, MOST OF THEM WERE EVEN OMAHA, KANSAS, ILLINOIS, ARKANSAS, THAT WERE EXPIRED LICENSE PLATES THAT ARE HERE IN YOUR TOWN.
AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING PICKED UP.
AND THE OTHER THING, TOO, THAT I'VE NOTICED THAT THE BIGGEST THING THAT GOT ME HERE INITIALLY WAS ON THE HIGH GRASS AND WEED STUFF.
I'M STILL TRYING TO WORK ON THAT.
I WILL HAVE TO SAY, THE GAL NEXT DOOR TO ME DID BEAT IT AND GOT IT DONE BEFORE THE NOTICE CAME OUT THIS TIME.
BUT I MEAN, IT WAS AT LEAST 10 INCHES.
AND I MEAN, IT WASN'T 18 INCHES TIME.
I'M STILL WATCHING THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT I STILL SEE WHEN I'M WATCHING THE 311 STUFFS.
BUT I KNOW YOU POINTED OUT TO ME, DOUGLAS, WHEN WE WERE TALKING THE LAST TIME, THAT YOU GUYS ARE WATCHING HIM, LOOKING AROUND.
SO, I DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
NOW, I SPOKE WITH ANOTHER GENTLEMAN EARLIER, ACTUALLY, THIS AFTERNOON, THAT BROUGHT UP A VERY SIMILAR POINT ON A NEIGHBORHOOD OR A CITYWIDE CLEANUP TYPE OF DAY.
AND HE HAD SUGGESTED IN SOME COMMUNITIES THEY HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN TAKE ANYTHING TO THE CURB TYPE OF DEAL TO HELP CLEAN UP.
NOW, HOW LOGISTICALLY POSSIBLE THAT WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT PERHAPS IF WE COULD TRY AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO SOMETHING WHERE WE HAD A DROP POINT OR SOMETHING LIKE YOU SUGGESTED, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING I'D BE INTERESTED IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
I CAN TALK TO JILL OR STAFF AND SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE A WAY, WE COULD FIGURE OUT A MEANS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FEASIBLE IT WOULD BE.
BUT I THOUGHT YEARS AGO, WHEN WE USED TO CALL IT THE PRIDE PARADE, SURE, THEY WOULD DO A CLEANUP AT THAT TIME.
I THOUGHT WE USED TO BE ABLE TO DO BIGGER ITEMS, I THOUGHT.
YOU HAVE THOSE NEW TIRES? YEAH.
BUT IT'D BE NICE IF THEY'D, OMAHA DID ONE.
YOU GET TWO BULK PICKUPS FREE PER YEAR.
YOU GET TWO BULK PICKUPS FREE PER YEAR? TIRES, NO.
YEAH, BUT I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD AT OMAHA.
IF THAT'S HOW YOU WANT TO USE YOUR BULK, YOU CAN.
BUT AT OMAHA, THERE WERE APPLIANCES.
I CAN'T JUST HAVE PEOPLE TALKING TO ME ALL DAY.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I THOUGHT WE HAD SOMETHING AROUND THAT.
WE DO HAVE A CLEANUP DAY WHERE WE KIND OF CLEAN UP.
THEY USED TO BE A LITTLE MORE, I THOUGHT, BACK THEN.
SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FEASIBLE.
LIKE YOU SAY, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOUGHER.
BUT I DON'T THINK, WITH THE CLEANUP NOW, IT'S MORE LIKE WE'LL GO IN GROUPS IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN AND WE'LL KIND OF CLEAN UP THE PARKS AND STUFF.
AND I MEAN, I'VE DONE IT DOWN AT THE PARK.
I'VE DONE IT A COUPLE DIFFERENT PLACES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO, LIKE A DROP OFF DAY OR SOMETHING.
WE GOT AWAY FROM IT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE HAD RESTRICTIONS AND PEOPLE WERE JUST LEAVING THINGS THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO PICK UP ON THE CURB.
AND I THINK THAT WAS THE REASON WHY SOME OF THAT WENT AWAY.
BUT I MEAN, ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.
AND WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY VENDOR THAT DOES THE PICKUP.
SO, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR THAT.
WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOME GOOD PARAMETERS IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND EXECUTE ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MAYBE IT'S A- OR SOMETHING WE CAN MAYBE TRY AND WORK WITH RECYCLING.
YEAH, YOU HAVE TO WORK AROUND, TYPE AROUND.
I GUESS TO YOUR POINT, I DID HAVE SOMEONE ELSE I SPOKE TO ABOUT IT TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT WITHOUT EXORBITANT SUMS BEING SPENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
[4) CONSENT AGENDA]
TAKE A LOOK.ALL RIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON AN ITEM THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? OKAY, SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BEFORE I TAKE A MOTION? SEEING NONE,
[5.A) Resolution 26-264 Resolution approving the plans and specifications for the Valley View Drive and Greenview Road Intersection Traffic Signal. Project # PW26-08A]
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE HAVE A FEW PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS EVENING.
RESOLUTION 26-264, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR VALLEY VIEW DRIVE AND GREENVIEW ROAD INTERSECTION TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
IS PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON RECORD? YES, IT IS.
ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED.
ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? AND JUST COME ON UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
GOOD EVENING, MY NAME'S MICHAEL DANCESACK, 2617 EAGLE RIDGE DRIVE.
SO, MY CONCERN IS I'VE GOT DECADES OF EXPERIENCE WITH PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TYPES OF SAFETY ISSUES AND SO ON, AND ONE OF THE BIG THINGS FOR ME, I'M VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING
[01:50:02]
PUTTING A LIGHT THERE.BUT THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS I'M STILL A VERY AVID CYCLIST.
I USE THE TRAIL, WHICH I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR AS WELL.
BUT WHAT I NOTICE AS WELL IS THAT 92 IN VALLEY VIEW IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T STOP.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE AN ALL-WAY STOP.
BUT I WOULD BE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF SEEING SOME KIND OF MODIFICATION.
AND I DON'T SEE WHAT THE DRAWINGS ARE, AND I DON'T, NOT SURE, I'M FAIRLY NEW TO COUNCIL BLUFFS, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHERE I CAN FIND THAT, THE DRAWINGS.
FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT A MILE NORTH OF WHERE YOU'RE TALKING.
SO, IT'S AT THE INTERSECTION OF VALLEY VIEW AND GREEN BAY DRIVE.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS I'M TRYING TO LIKEN IT TO THAT INTERSECTION AS WELL, WHICH IS WHERE THE BIKE PATH IS.
YOU'RE SAYING WE HAVE LIGHTS THERE, BUT THEY DON'T STOP AT THAT LIGHT THERE.
WHEN YOU PUSH THE BUTTON, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE AN ALL-WAY STOP.
HOWEVER, PEOPLE, AS YOU WELL KNOW, STILL WANT TO MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN ON RED.
SO, WHAT I'M HOPING AND WHAT I'M SUGGESTING TO THE COUNCIL IS IF THERE'S A WAY TO ACTUALLY HAVE EITHER BETTER SIGNAGE OR SOME SORT OF FLASHING INDICATOR THAT SAYS WHEN THAT BUTTON IS PUSHED FOR PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE THIS WONDERFUL PATHWAY THROUGH THERE.
WE CAN USE IT TO GO TO THE GYM.
WE CAN USE IT TO GO TO THE MARKETS AND SO ON.
SO, KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU FOR PUTTING THAT IN THERE.
HOWEVER, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GET HIT AS THE CARS KEEP WANTING TO TURN RIGHT.
AND AS YOU WELL KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE BEING BUILT UP THROUGH THERE.
SO THAT TRAFFIC IS INCREASING.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME SORT OF INFORMATION ON THAT AS WELL.
ALSO AT THAT CORNER IS THE FIRE STATION.
AND WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO GET OUT.
AND SO, IS THAT CONSIDERED IN THIS PLAN AS WELL? SO THOSE ARE MY BIGGEST CONCERNS IS THAT IT'S USUALLY THAT RIGHT-HAND TURN.
I'M AFRAID THAT PEOPLE WILL GET HIT.
IS IT GOING TO BE A LONG ENOUGH LIGHT FOR ACTUALLY OLDER ADULTS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO MAKE THAT CROSSING SAFELY? SO, I CAN TALK TO OUR TRAFFIC TEAM TO SEE WHAT WE CAN ADD TO HIGHWAY 92 AND VALLEY VIEW.
SO, I'LL NEED TO TALK TO THEM.
IN TERMS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY ARE ADDING THE BUTTON THAT WILL ACTUALLY CHANGE THE LIGHT FOR THEM.
SO, IF THEY NEED TO TAKE OFF FOR A FIRE, IT WILL CHANGE THE LIGHT FOR THEM.
AND AGAIN, THE OTHER PIECE WOULD BE SPEED.
I DID ALSO ASK EARLIER TODAY, THAT BUTTON WILL BE AT THE END, BUT IF THEY WOULD BE DOING IT IN A WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THAT WOULD MAKE SURE THEY'D STILL BE ABLE TO GET OUT DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
AND THEY SAID, YEP, WE'LL MAKE SURE THE FIRE EMS CAN STILL GET OUT WHILE THE PROJECT'S IN ORDER.
AND THE CROSSWALKS, THE SIGNAGE IS ALWAYS A BIG ISSUE WITH ANY BICYCLE OR PEDESTRIAN ISSUE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OFTEN SEE, AND YOU PROBABLY SEE THIS YOURSELF, WE HAVE THE BIG, SOLID WHITE LINE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO STAND BEHIND, BUT I'LL GUARANTEE YOU THAT, I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER, SEVEN OUT OF 10 PEOPLE DO NOT STAY BEHIND THE WHITE LINE.
AND ON THAT INTERSECTION, IT'S REALLY TOUGH, ISN'T IT? BECAUSE THEY'RE SNEAKING UP ON THE LEFT.
TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GET THEIR LEFT HAND TURN TO SOUTH.
AND THEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET RIGHT, BUT YOU CAN'T GET OUT AHEAD OF THEM UNLESS YOU SNEAK AHEAD OF THEM BEFOREHAND.
AND THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR ANY PEDESTRIANS TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AS WELL.
SO, I'M JUST ASKING THAT YOU LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY, LIKE I SAID, I'VE GOT DECADES OF EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP OUT.
ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? YEAH, I'M STEVE SHIPP, 3604 EAGLE RIDGE.
I HAVE TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT MICHAEL SAID, THAT INTERSECTION, PEOPLE WILL LOOK DIRECTLY AT YOU WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GO ACROSS.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THE BIKE PATH, TRYING TO GO UP GREENVIEW, YOU'RE SEEING THE RACETRACK, THAT'S VALLEYVIEW, COMING AT YOU FOR 50 MILES AN HOUR BOTH DIRECTIONS.
SO, PEOPLE ARE, AGAIN, TRYING TO JUMP OUT AS MUCH AS THEY CAN, BUT IT'S THAT RIGHT HAND TURN.
YOU START ACROSS BECAUSE IT'S CLEAR, THEY DON'T CARE, THEY'RE GOING.
AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE STARE RIGHT AT ME AND ABOUT RUN INTO ME COMING ACROSS THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY INCLUDED IN ALL THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO GET EVERYBODY TO STOP.
SO, WE'RE NOT RUNNING INTO WHAT WE RUN INTO AT ALL THE INTERSECTIONS, AND THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE LIGHT OR WHATEVER THE STOP SIGN SAYS, THEY'LL JUST, THEY'LL COME THROUGH.
PEOPLE LOOK RIGHT AT YOU, AND MY WIFE ALMOST GOT HIT THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY ON A PERSON TURNING LEFT, RIGHT INTO WHERE SHE WAS AT WITH THE CROSSWALK.
SO AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THE TRAIL SYSTEM, WE LOVE THE TRAIL SYSTEM, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND I HOPE WE CAN GET THIS ALL AT GREENVIEW, BECAUSE ONCE THOSE APARTMENTS OPEN, THE TRAFFIC'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ROOF, AND THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN A HURRY, EVERYBODY'S GOTTA GET TO WORK, AND IT'S JUST GOING TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE DANGEROUS DOWN THERE.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS AND LOOKING INTO IT.
[01:55:01]
WE SHOULD LOOK AT EXTENDING THE TRAIL ALL THE WAY OUT AS STOPS AT THE TOP OF, WHAT'S THIS FIRST ROAD BEFORE? YEAH, IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP OF THE SECOND, WHAT'S THE SECOND STREET UP THERE, I'M TAKING A LOOK.I DON'T THINK, BUT IT'S NOT A SIDEWALK ALL THE WAY FROM, LIKE, IF I WALK THE TOP OF MY HILL, TOP OF, JESUS, LIKE.
YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE A SIDEWALK COMING BACK TO THE WEST, DO YOU? CORRECT.
NO, CORRECT, IT STOPS AT THAT FOUR-WAY STOP WHERE WE START TO GO, ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD'S COUNTY, ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD'S CITY, RIGHT? YEAH.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'D DO SOMETHING ON THE COUNTY SIDE, MAYBE WE COULD ON THE CITY SIDE.
STEVE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT, PROBABLY MAINLY BECAUSE IT'S A STOP SIGN, YOU DON'T HAVE THE LIGHTS THERE, BUT PEOPLE JUST CUT ACROSS AND THEY ARE NOT LOOKING EVEN RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, IT'S REALLY, DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS KIND OF COME OUT DIFFERENTLY, AND THIS ONE KIND OF CAME OUT THAT WAY WHERE IT'S A VERY, I DON'T KNOW, I AGREE WITH YOU, IT'S LIKE THEY JUST DON'T SEE IT, THEY'RE GOING TO GO NO MATTER WHAT, IT'S VERY ODD, SO.
SIDEWALK STOPS AT LIKE DELMAR, I THINK.
DELMAR RIDGE, IT DOESN'T GO ALL THE WAY UP, YEAH.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL TAKE A MOTION.
[5.B) Resolution 26-265 Resolution to vacate and dispose of east/west alley abutting Lots 1 through 4 and Lots 11 through 14, Block 4, Park Addition. Location: Unimproved alley section abutting properties commonly addressed as 212, 214 and 222 11th Avenue; and 1010 and 1014 High Street; and 211, 217 and 221 10th Avenue. Case #26-0001-PZASV]
MOTION TO APPROVE.RESOLUTION 26265, A RESOLUTION TO VACATE AND DISPOSE OF THE EAST-WEST VALLEY ABUTTING LOTS ONE THROUGH FOUR AND LOTS 11 THROUGH 14 OF BLOCK FOUR PARK ADDITION, COMMONLY KNOWN AS 212, 214 AND 222 11TH AVENUE AND 1010 AND 1014 HIGH STREET AND 211, 217 AND 221 10TH AVENUE.
IS PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON FILE? YES, IT IS.
ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED.
ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 14TH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? SORRY, REAL QUICK.
SORRY, THIS IS A REQUEST BY STAFF BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL VACATED ALLEYWAYS WHERE NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO GRAB THEIR PORTION OF THE VACATED ALLEYWAY AND SO THE CITY HAS MANY LITTLE TINY PARCELS OF LAND THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR FROM EVERYBODY BEFORE WE DO THIS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE A BUNCH OF LITTLE TINY PIECES THAT WE DON'T WANT.
[5.C) Resolutions 26-266 and 26-267 Resolution 26-266, receipt of bids and directing the sale of $6,900,000 (Subject to Adjustment per Terms of Offering) General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026A Resolution 26-267, receipt of bids directing the sale of $3,000,000 (Subject to Adjustment per Terms of Offering) General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026B ]
SO, OKAY.OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES TO POSTPONE THIS ONE.
RESOLUTION 26-266 AND RESOLUTION 26-267.
RESOLUTION, SORRY, MY CURSOR JUST MOVED.
THE RECEIPT AND BIDS DIRECTING THE SALE OF $6.9 MILLION IN GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2026A AND $3 MILLION OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS 26B.
THEY WILL HAVE TO BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY.
OKAY, IT'S PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON RECORD.
ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED.
ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? SEEING NONE, I'LL TAKE A MOTION ON THE FIRST ONE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION WHERE WE AWARD, THIS IS ON 26-266, AWARDING GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2026A TO BROWNSTONE INVESTMENT GROUP OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
OPPOSED? THE AMENDMENT CARRIES.
THEY HAVE TO VOTE ON IT AS AMENDED NOW.
ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
AND NOW I'LL TAKE A RESOLUTION ON 26-267.
MOTION TO AMEND, FOR 26-267, MOTION TO AMEND RESOLUTION AWARDING GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND SERIES 2026B TO PIPER SANDLER AND COMPANY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
IS THAT RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, OKAY.
CAN WE HAVE A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
OPPOSED? THE AMENDMENT CARRIES.
THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.
SO, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? MOTION AND A SECOND, YEP.
JOE MOTIONED AGAIN AND COLE SECONDED.
[5.D) Resolution 26-268 Resolution to dispose of city-owned real property and approving and authorizing execution of a Purchase, Sale, and Development Agreement by and between the City of Council Bluffs and Midwest Architects and Development, LLC within the East Manawa Drive Housing Urban Renewal Area]
GOTCHA.ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
RESOLUTION 26-268, A RESOLUTION TO DISPOSE THE CITY-OWNED REAL PROPERTY AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF PURCHASE, SALE, AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF CONSUELOS AND MIDWEST ARCHITECTS AND DEVELOPMENT, LLC
[02:00:02]
WITHIN THE EAST MANOA DRIVE HOUSING URBAN RENEWAL AREA AS PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON RECORD.ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED.
ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? SEEING NONE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHIN THE COUNCIL?
[5.E) Resolution 26-269 Resolution to dispose of city-owned real property and approving and authorizing execution of a Purchase, Sale, and Development Agreement by and between the City of Council Bluffs and the New Community Development Corporation d/b/a Neighborworks Home Solutions within the East Manawa Drive Housing Urban Renewal Area]
MOTION TO APPROVE.RESOLUTION 26-269, A RESOLUTION TO DISPOSE OF CITY-OWNED REAL PROPERTY AND APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF PURCHASE, SALE, AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS AND NEW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, DBA NETWORKS HOME SOLUTIONS WITHIN THE EAST MANAWA DRIVE HOUSING URBAN RENEWAL AREA AS PROOF OF PUBLICATION ON RECORD.
ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS RECEIVED? NONE RECEIVED.
ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER? SEEING NONE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION
[6.A) Ordinance 6693 Ordinance to amend Title 8, Public Safety and Morals of the 2025 Council Bluffs Municipal Code by repealing Chapter 8.75 "Possession of Weapons" in its entirety. ]
FROM THE COUNCIL? MOTION TO APPROVE.ORDINANCE IS ON SECOND READING, ORDINANCE 6693, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TITLE VIII PUBLIC SAFETY AND MORALS BY REPEALING CHAPTER 8.75, POSSESSION OF WEAPONS.
[6.B) Ordinance 6694 Ordinance to amend Title 5 Sewers by amending Chapter 5.22 Service Charges of the 2025 Council Bluffs Municipal Code by amending Section 5.22.060 "Special Rates" and by amending the prevailing City Schedule of Fees adopted pursuant to Chapter 2.08. ]
ANY DISCUSSION ON WAIVING? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.OPPOSED? ORDINANCE 6694, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TITLE V SEWERS BY AMENDING CHAPTER 5.22, SERVICE CHARGES BY AMENDING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 2.08.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? JUST THAT MATT COX'S EMAIL LAID IT OUT PRETTY SIMPLE TO US.
APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION, JOE, BRINGING THIS UP.
[7.A) Resolution 26-270 Resolution authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute an agreement with Embris Group, LLC for the 30th Avenue Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation. Project #PW27-08]
SECOND.OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES TO WAIVE THIRD.
RESOLUTION 26-270, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH EMBRIS GROUP, LLC FOR THE 30TH AVENUE SANITARY SEWER REHABILITATION.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANYBODY HERE FROM EMBRIS? NO.
[7.B) Resolution 26-271 Resolution authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute an agreement with HGM Associates Inc. for the N. 28th Street Storm Sewer Rehab, Phase V . Project #PW27-11]
MOTION.RESOLUTION 26-271, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH HGM ASSOCIATING FOR THE NORTH 28TH STREET STORM SEWER REHAB BASE 5.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'LL TAKE A MOTION.
[7.C) Resolution 26-272 Resolution accepting the bid of Bluffs Paving & Utility Co. Inc. for the Council Bluffs Recycling Center South Yard Concrete Expansion. City Project #PW27-20]
MOTION TO APPROVE.RESOLUTION 26-272, A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE BID OF BLUFFS PAVING AND UTILITY COMPANY, INC.
FOR THE COUNCIL BLUFFS RECYCLING CENTER SOUTH YARD CONCRETE EXPANSION.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? JUST A REHASH ON THIS ONE, WE GOT FOUR BIDS BACK AND THEY WERE THE LOWEST BID BY A LITTLE BIT, SO THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION BY STAFF, SO, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
[7.D) Resolution 26-273 Resolution confirming the Mayor's appointment of Robert Schoening as Fire Chief for the City of Council Bluffs]
SECOND.RESOLUTION 26-273, A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING MAYOR'S APPOINTMENT OF ROB SCHOENING AS THE FIRE CHIEF FOR THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS.
ROB, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? I JUMPED THE GUN THERE ON THAT.
PAUL REALLY WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION.
I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO BE THE ONE THAT SAID, HEY, MAN.
I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO CONFIRM HIM.
CHIEF SCHOENING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? IF SO, YOU CAN STEP UP.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE? DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS AT ALL,
[7.E) Resolution 26-274 Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a contract extension with the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR) for the East Manawa Phase I Housing Project (19-DHR-020) in the amount of $6,873,501.]
OR OKAY? ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.CONGRATULATIONS, CHIEF SCHOENING.
RESOLUTION 26-274, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR THE EAST MANOA PHASE I HOUSING PROJECT.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? I THINK IT'S A GOOD JOB ON
[02:05:02]
CHRIS TO GET AHEAD OF THIS, MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS.THERE'S A LOT GOING ON DOWN THERE.
IF YOU'VE SEEN IT, THAT'S GOING TO BE NICE.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WITH WETNESS, WATER THIS SPRING, THERE WAS ISSUES WITH COMPACTION OF THE LAND, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BEHIND, AND I THINK WE'LL HAVE A GOOD PROJECT WHEN IT'S ALL DONE, EVEN WITH THE EXTENSION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
I DON'T HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
APOLOGIES, THIS NEW FORMAT HAS THROWN ME OFF.
I THOUGHT WE MOTIONED AND SECONDED, AND THEN WE HAD DISCUSSION.
WE CHANGED THE COUNCIL RULES TO DISCUSSION.
THAT WAY, THERE WAS A FEW TIMES WHERE WE HAD ISSUES THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT.
WE HAD MOTIONS OR A SECOND, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE AGAINST IT, OR MAKE THEM, RIGHT? SO, WE DON'T HAVE A DISCUSSION.
IN MY MIND, I'M LIKE, NO, WE GOTTA MAKE A MOTION FIRST.
[7.F) Resolution 26-275 Resolution adopting a social media policy for elected officials]
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, WE CAN TALK.RESOLUTION 26-275, A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD POSTPONE THIS ONE AND PUT IT BACK ON FOR SEPTEMBER 14TH.
SO, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE IT TO SEPTEMBER 14TH.
I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT MORE DISCUSSION TO BE HAD.
[7.G) Resolution 26-276 Resolution abolishing the Payroll Manager position and adding Human Resources Generalist position within the Human Resources Department]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES TO POSTPONE.
RESOLUTION 26-276, A RESOLUTION ABOLISHING THE PAYROLL MANAGER POSITION AND ADDING A HUMAN RESOURCES GENERALIST POSITION WITHIN THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'LL TAKE A MOTION.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THIS IS, WHEN MICHELLE TALKED ABOUT IT, THIS IS EIGHT GRADES LOWER THAN THE POSITION WE'RE ABOLISHING.
SO, IT'S A MOVING, YEAH, IT'S ABOUT A $60,000 SAVINGS.
AND IT'S HOW SHE WANTS HER DEPARTMENT SET UP.
[7.H) Resolution 26-277 Resolution creating one new full-time Assistant Planner Position within the Community Development Department.]
MOTION TO APPROVE.RESOLUTION 26-277, A RESOLUTION CREATING ONE NEW FULL-TIME ASSISTANT PLANNER POSITION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS, LIKE I ASKED YOU ABOUT ABOLISHING AT THE STUDY SESSION, AND DANIELLE SAID, TYPICALLY IT'S AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, AND LIKE THE ONE RIGHT ABOVE IT, WE ABOLISHED ONE AND DID ONE.
SO, I JUST WONDER IF WE SHOULD DO THAT AT THE SAME TIME.
ABOLISH THE CHIEF OF STAFF POSITION AT THE SAME TIME AS WE'RE DOING THE TWO NEW ONES.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDING'S COMING FROM.
SO, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.
AND WHITNEY, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO TELL ME IF WE, SO, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THESE TWO WILL BOTH BE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, IF THEY'RE BOTH APPROVED, OR IF ONE'S APPROVED, OR HOW THAT WORKS.
BECAUSE THE FUNDING WILL COME FROM THERE, BUT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
THEY'RE BOTH COMING FROM THE SAME SPOT.
PURPOSELY, I DIDN'T ABOLISH, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO APPROVE, THEN THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO STAY AS A RESERVE UNTIL WE FIND A POSITION FOR THEM.
SO, THERE'S $60,000 THAT WE'RE SAVING FROM MICHELLE'S, SO BASED OFF OF THAT, WITH THAT AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF POSITION, IT WOULD PAY FOR BOTH OF THESE, ALL THREE OF THESE TOGETHER, SO.
YEAH, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS.
LIKE I SAID, NORMALLY WE JUST ABOLISH THE OTHER ONE AT THE SAME TIME, SO I DON'T.
I THINK YOU CAN AMEND IT THAT WAY, IF YOU WANTED, IF THAT WAS THE MOTION YOU WERE GOING TO GO.
ALTHOUGH THAT DANIELLE DID TESTIFY THAT THAT IS TYPICALLY HOW WE'VE DONE IT, WHERE YOU ABOLISH, BECAUSE THESE ARE DIFFERENT POSITIONS, THERE'S NOTHING THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM MOVING FORWARD ON THESE AND ABOLISHING NEXT TIME, BUT IF YOUR PREFERENCE IS TO DO IT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT IS CERTAINLY THE.
I THINK SHE ALSO SAID, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, THAT IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE ON THE SAME.
BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH GENERAL-FUNDED POSITIONS, THE POSITIONS ARE FUNDED BY THE SAME MONEY, SO, IT IS JUST, IT MAKES IT EASIER TO SORT OF COORDINATE IT THAT WAY, IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S NOT LIKE, IT WASN'T LIKE CDBG FUNDS, WHERE YOU COULDN'T USE THEM FOR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, THIS COULD BE.
YOU COULD DO IT AT THE SAME TIME, OR YOU COULD DO IT SEPARATELY.
SHE DID SAY TRADITIONALLY, WE HAVE DONE IT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT ALSO.
YEAH, I JUST, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.
I MEAN, THAT PROHIBITS US LEGALLY FROM DOING IT.
[02:10:02]
WOULD HE PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO DO THAT? I BELIEVE HE COULD PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT, AT THIS TIME, TO ABOLISH THE POSITION, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENT, AND IT WOULD BE A RESOLUTION.TONY, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU THINK I'M WRONG.
IF YOU THINK I'M WRONG, PLEASE COME UP AND SAY.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE, I'M NOT TRYING TO GET A GOTCHA MOMENT, I DON'T KNOW.
LIKE, I REALIZE YOU MIGHT, IT'S, I'M PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT, SO I UNDERSTAND.
YEAH, SO YOU COULD AMEND IT TO ADD THAT IN TO ONE OR THE OTHER OF THEM, BUT I GUESS MY CONCERN WOULD BE THAT, AS FAR AS NOTICE REQUIREMENTS GO, THAT ISSUE WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.
SO, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A RESOLUTION, I THINK THAT IF YOU WERE TO BRING IT TO A VOTE TONIGHT, I WOULD BE CONCERNED THAT THAT ADDITION WOULD SUBSTANTIVELY CHANGE KIND OF THE NATURE OF WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON TONIGHT, WHICH ISN'T TO SAY YOU CAN'T DO IT.
I MEAN, WHITNEY'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
YOU CAN DO IT OR NOT DO IT, HOWEVER, YOU WANT TO DO IT.
BUT WITH THAT CAVEAT, THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY OPEN MEETING LAWS AND NOTICE WORKS, I THINK THAT THAT'S SUBSTANTIVE ENOUGH THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE LAID OVER PROBABLY UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.
SO, EVEN IF YOU WERE GOING TO WAIT AND TAKE OFFICIAL ACTION TO ABOLISH NEXT TIME, I THINK THE AMENDMENT AT THIS TIME WOULD BE THAT CONDITIONAL UPON THAT POSITION BEING ABOLISHED, THAT IT'S APPROVED, SO YOU WOULDN'T, IT WOULD BE A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL AT THIS TIME FOR THIS AND THEN HAVE THE ABOLISHED POSITION AT THE NEXT COUNCIL.
OR YOU COULD JUST CONTINUE THIS IF THAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PROCEED WITHOUT THE ABOLISHMENT BEING AT THE SAME TIME.
YEAH, I JUST WAS ASKING THE QUESTION.
I THINK, LIKE I SAID, JUST DISCUSSING, WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THE ABOLISHMENT AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDING'S COMING FROM FOR THESE TWO.
SO, IT'S REALLY A WASH, I GUESS, ON THE DOLLARS.
IT'S A WASH ON THE DOLLARS AND NORMALLY WE'RE DOING A SWITCH ONE FOR ONE.
WELL, I GUESS, AND THAT'S THE OTHER, I GUESS THE DISCUSSION WHEN I WAS AT THE COUNCIL WAS, RIGHT, IT'S LIKE, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? I KNOW AT THE STUDY SESSION, DOUG SAID HE WAS THINKING MORE ONE VERSUS BOTH.
I GUESS I ASKED THAT QUESTION OF THE COUNCIL.
DO YOU THINK A FULL-TIME ASSISTANT PLANNER POSITION OR A FULL-TIME HOUSING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POSITION WOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT OR DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD HAVE BOTH? OR I GUESS, REALLY, THAT'S THE DISCUSSION I WANT TO HAVE, RIGHT, WHICH WE KIND OF HALF HAD THIS AFTERNOON, BUT.
THE ASSISTANT PLANNER POSITION, I CAN SEE THE USE OF IT IN THAT THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT I GET FROM FOLKS IS THAT WHEN DEALING WITH THE CITY AND TRYING TO GET THEIR PERMITS AND STUFF DONE, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME.
IT'S GOT TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND THAT PROCESS AND IF THAT COULD HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE WOES OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS AND CONTRACTORS AND STUFF THAT ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE AND MAKE OUR CITY BETTER, THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
IF YOU HAD TO GIVE WEIGHT, AND THIS IS JUST JOE'S OPINION, WHAT DO I KNOW, RIGHT, TO THE TWO OF THEM, WE FACILITATE THAT PROCESS NOW.
IT MAY NOT BE AS FAST AS WE'D LIKE, BUT WE FACILITATE IT CURRENTLY.
THE HOUSING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POSITION, IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TASKING CURRENTLY WITH OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD ON TOP OF ALL OF THE OTHER TASKS AND I'VE SAID THIS TO MANY FOLKS OUT OF COUNCIL THAT IN LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE TASKED WITH THAT POSITION BEFORE, MAYBE WHEN HE TOOK OVER, IT WAS, IT'S THIS, HIS REGULAR, YOU KNOW, CHRIS'S REGULAR JOB, AND WHEN COURTNEY CAME ON, SHE ABSORBED THE HOUSING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POSITION WITHIN HERSELF, WHICH MAYBE WASN'T THE BEST IDEA, BUT I GUESS WE WERE ON COUNCIL THEN, SO THAT'S PARTIALLY OUR FAULT TOO FOR NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS.
I MEAN, YOU WERE ON COUNCIL TOO AT THE TIME.
COURTNEY WAS THERE BEFORE YOU GOT ON COUNCIL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE HAD THE DOG CATCHER AND THE PERMITS GUYS UPSTAIRS, LIKE IF WE'RE TRYING TO RUN A VERY HIGH POWER AND EFFICIENT UNIT DOWN THERE, I THINK REINSTATING OR RECREATING, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, THAT HOUSING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER POSITION IS A GOOD OPTION AND WAY TO GO.
I GUESS THE FULL SUITE WOULD THEN BE TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS POSITION BACK IN MANAGEMENT AND THEN A SUPPORT STAFF TO HELP WITH ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO AGAIN, IF IT'S ONE VERSUS THE OTHER, I THINK OBVIOUSLY THE HED POSITION WOULD BE BETTER OFF, BUT I MEAN, IF HE THINKS WE NEED TO DO BOTH AND WE CAN ASK, WHICH YOU'VE ASKED FOR, HEY, I WANT SOMETHING OUT
[02:15:01]
INTO THE FUTURE THAT SAYS, HEY, THIS IS THE MEASURABLES, THIS IS HOW WE'VE SAVED; I MEAN, TIME IS MONEY.IF WE CAN SAVE FOR CONTRACTORS, FOR PEOPLE DOING STUFF, I MEAN, LOOK AT THE, AND JUST LIKE THE PROJECT WE'RE DOING DOWN IN MANAWA WHERE THOSE GUYS WERE RUNNING A BIT BEHIND, SOME OF THAT'S BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET THE STREET STUFF IN, THAT'S WHY I'D ASK THAT QUESTION TODAY, OR PERHAPS THEY'RE TRYING TO GET PERMITS OR SOMETHING, AND I'M NOT SAYING THEY SPECIFICALLY HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS, BUT IF THEY'RE DELAYED IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT COULD CAUSE US REAL ISSUE AS A CITY AND COST US REAL DOLLARS.
I UNDERSTAND DOUG'S POSITION IN THAT, ARE WE GETTING LABOR HEAVY OR NOT LABOR HEAVY, BUT PAYROLL HEAVY HERE IN CITY HALL, I DON'T KNOW.
IN THIS INSTANCE, THE WAY IT'S PROPOSED, WITH SOME CHANGES NEXT WEEK, THE NET RESULT IS ABOUT A WASH, RIGHT? THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION, LIKE FOR ME, BECAUSE IT'S A WASH, IT'S NOT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE TAXPAYERS, TO THE BUDGET, REALLY, IT'S JUST A REALLOCATION OF FUNDS, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I THINK I'M GOING TO BE OKAY WITH BOTH OF THEM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T, I THINK I'D PROBABLY JUST PICK THE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR POSITION, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T WATCH THIS AFTERNOON, WHEN TAKING SOME OF THESE DUTIES AS DESCRIBED IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR BOTH OF THESE, THE ASSISTANT PLANNER AND THE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POSITION, THAT'S GOING TO FREE CHRIS UP, AND I SAID WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OF HIS JOB TITLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO GO OUT AND SELL OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANT DEVELOPERS HERE, WE WANT PEOPLE COMING IN, WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME IN AND INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT THEM, WHEN THEY DO, TO HAVE A SMOOTH PROCESS AND GOING THROUGH CITY HALL TO DO THAT, SO.
AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S DISCUSSION, I MEAN, AND THIS WOULD BE THE DISCUSSION FOR MAYBE NEXT WEEK, WE HAVE TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, DO WE NOT WANT TO HAVE A CHIEF OF STAFF, AND THAT PERSON SERVES AT THE MAYOR'S PURVIEW, SO, I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, IF JILL DOESN'T WANT THAT POSITION IN HER CHAIN OF COMMAND, THERE'S NO POINT IN US CONTINUALLY EARMARKING 150 GRAND TO JUST SIT THERE TO DO NOTHING.
WELL, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT'S, BOTH THESE POSITIONS, CHRIS'S SPOT, WHATEVER IT IS, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION.
BUT IT REORGANIZES, AND I SPOKE TO CHRIS ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BRIEFLY, AND IT KIND OF REORGANIZES HIS DEPARTMENT A BIT IN A WAY THAT, AGAIN, IF WE WANT TO HAVE A HIGH POWER, FAST MOVING, IF THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR GOAL, THEN I COULD SEE WHERE THIS COULD BE USEFUL.
AND ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN GET MEASURABLES DOWN THE ROAD TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHERE WE SAVED THIS MUCH TIME, THIS IS WHERE WE CAN NOW BRING IN THIS, THAT WE CAN DO MORE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE MEASURABLES, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE CHRIS TO PRESENT TO US, LIKE, HERE'S WHO WE'RE MEETING WITH, LIKE, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IN HIS DISCUSSION OF HIS JOB TITLES, AFTER WE'VE KIND OF REARRANGED, OBVIOUSLY, HE DOESN'T NECESSARILY REPORT ENTIRELY TO US, BECAUSE HE REPORTS TO JILL, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS WE CAN, I THINK, LOOK AT AND SAY, OKAY, LOOK, SIR, YOU'RE THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THAT THIS ARE NOW GONE.
YEAH, I'D LIKE YOU TO DO THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT BETWEEN EVERYTHING THAT CHRIS IS DOING, THERE ARE DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE NEVER DEVELOPED IN CONSTABULOUS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT AND ARE ALREADY SEEKING OUT BECAUSE OF WHAT CHRIS IS DOING IN THAT ROLE.
AND WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HIM NOT ONLY GOING OUT AND PITCHING OUR COMMUNITY, BUT GOING AFTER THOSE AMENITIES THAT WE ALL TALK ABOUT THAT WE WANT.
AND THAT'S JUST, HE CAN'T DO ALL OF THAT AND WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE.
SO THAT IS THE GOAL, IS THAT CHRIS WILL BE OUT ACTIVELY WORKING TO PROMOTE OUR COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY FOR HOUSING, BUT FOR BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES, STARTUPS, ENTREPRENEURS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
COLTON, DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING BEFORE I JUMPED IN? NO, I MEAN, I'M KIND OF ON THE SAME BOAT AS ROGER.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, SINCE IT'S A WASH EFFECTIVELY ON THE COST, I'M MORE COMFORTABLE WITH APPROVING BOTH THAN I WOULD BE IF IT WAS AN INCREASE IN OPERATING EXPENSES.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK HE NEEDS THE EXTRA MANPOWER.
AND SINCE IT'S NOT REALLY ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL EXPENSES, TO OUR TAXPAYERS,
[02:20:01]
I'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH APPROVING BOTH UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.AND I MIGHT BE THE OUTLIER ON THIS, BUT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE EVERYBODY'S COMING FROM.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S EASY WHEN YOU HAVE THE MONEY ALREADY ALLOCATED TO SAY, OH, WE ALREADY GOT IT OUT THERE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND USE IT.
I'M A LITTLE MORE CONSERVATIVE SAYING, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO SPEND IT.
I KNOW IT'S THERE, I KNOW WE HAVE IT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THE TAXPAYERS WORK HARD FOR THAT AND THEY PAY FOR IT.
THAT'S OKAY, I MEAN, IF WE CAN SAVE THEM MONEY AND MAYBE USE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, OKAY, THEN THAT FITS FOR ME.
I GET WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM WITH CHRIS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TALKED WITH, THAT DEPARTMENT'S HAD A TON OF CHANGES HERE WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.
WE TOOK THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT FROM THEM, RIGHT, MADE IT ITS OWN DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, I THINK, ALREADY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, I THINK, ALREADY WITHIN THAT AREA, MAYBE WHERE THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS.
IT BECAME KIND OF A CATCH-ALL IN MY MIND.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE SAW IT AS WELL, THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ENDED UP KIND OF JUST BEING WHERE THINGS WENT WHEN YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO PUT THEM.
IT WAS THERE IN CITY HALL, JUST PUT IT OVER THERE.
CORRECT, WE GET RID OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WELL, LET'S JUST HAVE THEM TAKE CARE OF THIS.
AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, THAT'S NOT THEIR DEAL.
AND SO, WE'VE KIND OF MADE THOSE CHANGES, WE'VE ADJUSTED TO SOME OF THOSE THINGS, WHICH I THINK ARE ALL REALLY GOOD.
I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE STUDY SESSION.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT THE CITY HASN'T BEEN BEHIND WITH AN OUTSIDE DEVELOPER SINCE WE DID WHISPERING OAKS.
AND THAT STARTED IN 2015 TO 2016.
SO, WE'VE SAT HERE FOR 10 YEARS, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NEW OUTSIDE HOUSING DEVELOPERS COME IN, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND WHEN I WORKED WITH DEVELOPERS, I HEARD ALL THE REASONS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT PARTICULAR POSITION, I GET IT.
WE NEED SOME OOMPH BEHIND THIS, AND WE NEED SOMEBODY TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND GET THIS THING MOVING.
I KIND OF SEE THE POSITIONS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY FROM MY WORLD, WHERE ONE, YOU KIND OF HIT ON IT A LITTLE BIT, JOE, ONE SEEMS MORE, I'LL SAY A LITTLE MORE OUTSIDE FACING.
I KNOW THEY'RE BOTH GOING TO BE WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS, BUT TO ME, THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THING, WE AREN'T REALLY DOING IT ALL RIGHT NOW.
IT WAS DONE BY SOMEBODY WHO WAS ALREADY GONE, AND NOW IT'S KIND OF BEEN THROWN ON TO CHRIS'S AGENDA OR HIS PLATE TO SAY, HEY, CAN YOU DO THIS TOO ON TOP OF ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO? AND IT'S LIKE, I'M DOING WHAT I CAN, AND I GET THAT.
I FEEL SO BAD, BECAUSE HE'S GOT A LOT OF STUFF THAT HE'S TRYING TO UNDERTAKE.
BUT THE OTHER POSITION TO ME SEEMS A LITTLE BIT, YOU TOUCHED ON IT A TOUCH; WE ARE DOING IT.
WE'RE JUST MAYBE NOT DOING AS WELL AS WE COULD.
AND I SEE THAT MORE SOMETIMES AS AN INTERNAL PIECE, WHERE, YEAH, MAYBE WE'RE DOING THE JOB, BUT WE NEED TO BE BETTER AT THE JOB.
IN MY WORLD, MONEY DOESN'T ALWAYS FIX THAT SOMETIMES.
SOMETIMES THEY NEED TO MAKE SOME OTHER ADJUSTMENTS.
I GUESS THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS, I SEE WHY HE WOULD WANT BOTH POSITIONS.
I'M NOT SAYING IT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT IN MY OWN MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, LET'S GO FULL HOG ON THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, AND LET'S GET THAT UP AND GOING.
AND LET'S SEE WHERE WE'RE AT MAYBE NEXT YEAR, WHETHER WE REALLY NEED THAT ASSISTANCE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
MAYBE SOME TWEAKS THAT WE MAKE INTERNALLY, MAYBE US DOING THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE BY MOVING THINGS OFF OF HIS PLATE AND CLEANING SOME THINGS UP HERE AND THERE WILL MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR HIM TO DO HIS JOB WITHOUT HAVING TO DO BOTH.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE JUST SAVED HOW MUCH MONEY FOR THE TAXPAYER.
WE'RE GOING TO, SHE TOUCHED ON, JILL SAID IT, IT'S $200 AND SOME THOUSAND BETWEEN THESE TWO POSITIONS, GUYS.
WE FREAKED OUT WHEN WE WANTED TO ADD TO LEGAL.
NOW WE'RE SAYING, WELL, WE GOT THE MONEY, LET'S JUST SPEND IT.
YEAH, WE HAD IT BACK IN 22, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD IT FOR A WHILE.
SO, WE ARE ADDING THAT IN THERE.
I GET IT, IT WAS ALLOCATED, BUT I'D STILL LIKE TO SEE US FROM A TAXPAYER PERSPECTIVE, MAYBE BE A LITTLE MORE COGNIZANT OF THAT AND SAY, HEY, LET'S SEE WHERE WE'RE AT NEXT YEAR.
I MIGHT BE COMPLETELY WRONG; I TOTALLY GET IT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE STEP TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT AND THEN GO AFTER THAT HOUSING THING FIRST AND SAY, LET'S GET THAT BALL ROLLING AND LET'S GET THOSE DEVELOPERS IN HERE.
GET SIOUX FALLS PEOPLE IN HERE, GET FARGO, LIKE ROGER SAID, GET KANSAS CITY, GET DES MOINES.
THEY'RE BUILDING, ALL THOSE PLACES ARE BUILDING.
LET'S SEE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN COMING HERE.
AND MAYBE CHRIS WILL HAVE TIME
[02:25:01]
FOR THAT AS WELL.I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, DOUG.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, ROGER, YOU TALKED TO ME ABOUT HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A CALL BACK AND PERMITS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IF YOU WANT TO GO AFTER THESE BIG GUYS THAT ARE DOING IT, SLOW PERMITS AREN'T GOING TO HELP ANYTHING.
PROCESSING THINGS AT A SLOWER TIME IS NOT GOING TO HELP ANYTHING.
WE NEED TO GO AFTER THIS AND DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
I DON'T BELIEVE THROWING MONEY AT EVERY PROBLEM IS THE FIX EVERY TIME.
WE NEED TO ADJUST WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT IN ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
JOE, IF YOUR PLACE IS STRUGGLING, DO YOU JUST GO HIRE MORE PEOPLE? YOU GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
YEAH, I TRY AND GET THE RIGHT FOLKS.
OR YOU MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.
THE CUSTOMERS ARE COMPLAINING, YOU DO SOMETHING TO FIX IT.
THAT'S WHY I SEE IT SOMEWHAT OF AN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PIECE.
BUT THERE'S A BACKLOG, SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY CAN DO THE PROCESS QUICKER AND FASTER.
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO WORK IT, RIGHT? WE HAD GENTLEMEN EARLIER TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
ORIGINALLY, THIS MONEY WAS EARMARKED FOR THAT POSITION.
WE DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD ON THAT POSITION.
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT WAS THE COUNCIL'S DECISION.
BUT OKAY, SO NOW YOU SAID TO FOCUS ON BUSINESS.
WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON BUSINESS.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BRING IN NOT ONLY NEW DEVELOPERS, BUT MAKE IT AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.
SO, I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE BOTH OF THEM.
SO, IT WOULD STILL BE UNDER OUR RULES, WE WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THE 24-HOUR NOTICE.
SO, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A CHANGE.
YOU CAN STILL MAKE IT, RIGHT, YOU COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, UPON THE POSITION OF CHIEF OF STAFF.
YES, BUT YOU COULD NOT AT THIS TIME ACTUALLY, SEEK TO ABOLISH TODAY.
YEAH, IT'S, I GET WHAT DOUG'S SAYING TOO, BECAUSE CHRIS IS, HE'S GOT A, HE'S INTERVIEWING NEXT WEEK FOR HIS OLD POSITION, RIGHT? RIGHT, WHICH DON'T DO EITHER ONE OF THESE.
THOSE ARE FEDERAL FUND POSITIONS, RIGHT? SO FEDERAL GRANTS AND THE CBG AND ALL THAT STUFF.
SO THAT'S A VERY DEDICATED THING THAT WILL NOT TOUCH EITHER ONE OF THESE TWO.
CHRIS'S OLD POSITION DEALT A LOT WITH THE CBG.
WE WENT THROUGH MUCH OF STRUGGLES THIS SPRING WITH THE AUDITOR COMING IN.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED SOMEBODY SPECIFIC THAT KNOWS ALL THE FEDERAL FUNDING AND THE PROGRAMS. SO THAT IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE THAN THESE TWO.
THAT'S WHY CHRIS WAS SAYING THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT VERTICALS AND THEN HIM.
I GUESS, LIKE I SAID, I'M OKAY WITH BOTH BECAUSE OF THE, I'M GOING TO MAKE A CONTINGENT ON ABOLISHING THE OTHER POSITION.
BUT IT'S, AS I SAID, I WOULD ASK YOU, IT'S YOUR EMPLOYEE.
I WANT, AND THE CONTRACTORS WILL CALL US.
THEY'LL CALL AND SAY, HEY, IT'S GOING MORE SMOOTH OR IT'S NOT, IT'S ACTUALLY STILL TERRIBLE, RIGHT? AND I DON'T SAY IT'S TERRIBLE.
I'M JUST SAYING THEY STRUGGLE, RIGHT? LIKE I TOLD YOU, IT TOOK THREE WEEKS TO GET A CALL BACK.
THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO ME, RIGHT? I UNDERSTAND 24, 48 HOURS, BUT IT'S TWO, THREE WEEKS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO GET BACK TO A DEVELOPER OR SOMEBODY INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY OR SOMEBODY EVEN GETTING A PERMIT TO REDO THEIR DRIVEWAY OR A FENCE, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
I'VE HAD MUCH THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH FOLKS SAYING, JOE, I'VE REACHED OUT TO HIS OFFICE AND I HAVEN'T EVEN GOT A CALL BACK AND I DON'T THINK I WILL BECAUSE AT THIS POINT IT'S BEEN X AMOUNT OF WEEKS, WHICH, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO FAULT HIM IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, BUT THERE'S JUST A LOT COMING INTO THAT OFFICE BECAUSE AGAIN, IT WAS KIND OF THE CATCH-ALL FOR THE LONGEST TIME.
AND SO, AS WE'RE TRYING TO UNWIND AND GET EVERYTHING INTO THE POSITIONS THEY NEED TO KIND OF BE IN, AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IF WE WANT TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE AND HIGH POWER PLANNING DEPARTMENT THAT IS WORKING AND DOING, I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER GIVING IT THE RESOURCES THAT IT NEEDS TO THRIVE.
YEAH, I JUST, I REALLY WANT THE MEASURABLES AND WHAT THOSE ARE, I THINK YOU AND CHRIS CAN WORK THAT OUT, BUT I WANT THEM, I WOULD LIKE THEM BROUGHT TO US QUARTERLY MAYBE, RIGHT, OR EVERY SIX MONTHS.
LIKE, HEY, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
HERE'S WHAT, IT TALKS ABOUT OPPORTUNITY SAVINGS, RIGHT? LIKE HERE'S THE VALUE THAT THIS POSITION, IT COSTS 80 GRAND FOR SALARY, BUT IT'S BRINGING IN THIS MUCH.
BY THE TIME WE GET SOMEBODY IN AND GET THEM UP TO SPEED,
[02:30:02]
I THINK.NO, FROM HIRE, FROM HIRE, NOT FROM TODAY, YEAH.
RIGHT, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY WE'RE LOOKING AT BEGINNING OF NEXT SUMMER.
IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE NINE MONTHS BEFORE WE GET SOMEBODY IN UP TO SPEED FULLY WHERE CHRIS IS, WHERE WE HAVE THOSE DEVELOPMENT AND WE'RE SIDE OUT.
I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU SIX MONTHS AND WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THINGS, RIGHT? SO, BUT IT WILL, THERE WILL BE DELIVERABLES AND I, YEAH.
YOU HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.
YEAH, I WANT DELIVERABLES AND WE'RE HIRING SOMEBODY WITH AT A, YOU KNOW, GRADE, I MEAN IT'S 80 GRAND.
THEY HAVE A LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE THAT SHOULD BRING THEM UP TO SPEED PRETTY QUICK IN MY OPINION.
THERE'S QUALIFICATIONS THAT ARE HERE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 26277 CONTINGENT ON ABOLISHING CHIEF OF STAFF POSITION IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AND REALLY, I'M DOING IT ON THIS ONE BECAUSE THE SECOND ONE IS, I THINK, MORE IMPORTANT.
WELL, YOU GOT A VOTE ON, YOU GOT A VOTE ON BOTH.
[7.I) Resolution 26-278 Resolution creating one new full-time Housing & Economic Development Manager Position within the Community Development Department.]
YEAH, BUT THIS ONE'S CONTINGENT ON THAT GOING AWAY.RESOLUTION 26-278, A RESOLUTION CREATING ONE NEW FULL-TIME HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER POSITION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I ALMOST DID IT.
I ALMOST, I WENT, WELL, THIS IS, I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
WE NEED SOMEBODY OUT SELLING OUR COMMUNITY AND IF IT'S GOING TO BE CHRIS AND THIS PERSON IS GOING TO TAKE ALL THESE OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED OFF OF HIM, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'LL WORK TOGETHER, HAND IN HAND, HOPEFULLY.
AND WE, AS DOUG SAID, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYBODY COME IN HERE IN NON-FEDERALLY FUNDED, CITY-BACKED DEVELOPMENT SINCE 2014.
I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW WHAT OUR POPULATION'S DONE AND HOW.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF SMALL, LITTLE THINGS HERE AND THERE, BUT NOTHING OF MAJOR, NOTHING HUGE.
I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB ON INFILL HOUSING.
WE'RE DOING SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE GOOD, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE, I MEAN, THIS HAS GOTTA BE SUCCESSFUL.
WELL, AND THIS PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH, I MEAN, REMEMBER WE HAD ALL THAT STUFF A WHILE BACK WITH THE STATE CHANGED THE RULES AND THEN WE HAD TO WADE THROUGH IT AND FIGURE OUT WHO WE'RE SUBMITTING AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING AND LEARN.
I MEAN, THEN WE'RE CALLING UP TO THE STATE TO ASK.
WELL, THEN WE SUBMITTED THREE AND ONLY ONE.
AND THEN THEY, YEAH, THEY CHANGED THE RULES.
WE'D ALREADY SUBMITTED ONE BECAUSE THAT WAS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE UNTIL THEY CHANGED IT IN FEBRUARY AND BACKDATED IT TO JANUARY, PLAYING A BUNCH OF DIRTY POKER UP THERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I SEE WITH THIS POSITION IS IT'S GOING TO RUN THE GAMUT FROM THE LOWEST INCOME LEVEL HOUSING TO THE HIGHEST.
AND I KNOW WE HAD THE DISCUSSIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH THE HOMELESS SITUATION.
WELL, HOMELESS MEANS THEY DON'T HAVE A HOME.
AND IF WE CAN GET SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS, THEY CAN GET SOME MAYBE SOME LOWER INCOME HOMES OR SOME GRANT HOMES THAT MAYBE HELP SOME OF THESE PEOPLE GET TO SOMEWHERE, THEN THAT FREES UP SOME OTHER THINGS.
OR GET THEM INTO SOME TYPE OF HOUSING THAT THEY CAN MOVE IN.
I THINK WE FORGET THERE CAN BE STAIR STEPS OF THIS STUFF.
BUT THEN THEY'LL ALSO GO AFTER THE LARGE DEVELOPERS THAT'LL DO 400, 500 HOMES IF THEY CAN.
BUT THAT'S WHY I'M MORE EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
AND WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY WITH THAT.
WE HAVE NOT, WE STRUGGLED HERE, I'LL BE HONEST.
COMING FROM THIS WORLD THAT I DID PREVIOUSLY WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS, WE HAVE STRUGGLED.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE LIKE WE SHOULD.
AND ALL WE'VE GOT TO DO IS LOOK ACROSS THE RIVER OR LOOK TO DES MOINES AND SAY, HOW ARE THEY BEATING US SO BADLY? WHAT IS GOING ON? BECAUSE WE ARE.
YOU GO TO BENNINGTON, TO ELKHORN, I SAY THIS ALL TIME.
BENNINGTON, ELKHORN, WEST OAK, RETINA, PAPILLION, BELLEVUE.
YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE AND GET HOUSING.
WE HAVE TWO HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS GOING RIGHT NOW.
AND THE ONE, HE SAYS IT'S BEEN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ONE HE'S HAD.
AND HE DID ALL THE STUFF AT WARNER PARK AND SHADOW LAKE.
WHO'S TALKING TO HIM SAYING, HEY, JERRY, LET'S DO ANOTHER? SO, TO ME, THIS NEED IS, WE DO NEED IT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I SEE THEM WORKING ON THAT LOWER END STUFF TO TRY AND HELP THAT AS WELL.
[02:35:02]
AND IT HAS TO BE, BECAUSE WE DON'T JUST NEED HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOMES.UNFORTUNATELY, WE NEED A $250,000 HOME, BECAUSE THAT IS THE NEW $150,000.
I WOULD SAY, OR $150,000 TO $200,000.
WE NEED A $250,000 HOME, BECAUSE THAT'S THE NEW $150,000.
YOU CAN'T BUILD IT WITHOUT HELP ON INFRASTRUCTURE OR WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE A REAL GOOD LOOK AT HOW TO GET CREATIVE ON THOSE OPTIONS.
BUT THEN YOU SAY SOMEBODY BUILDS $100,000, $250,000 HOMES, RIGHT? AND NOW PEOPLE, MAYBE, THAT WE'RE RENTING MOVE INTO THERE.
AND NOW MAYBE WE HAVE TO FREEZE UP THE SHARE, POSSIBLY, RIGHT? IF WE CAN DO THAT.
AGAIN, I JUST LOOK AROUND AND SAY, EVERYWHERE ELSE HAS GROWN ACROSS THE RIVER BETWEEN 15%, 20%.
THIS IS SOMETHING, IN MY MIND, THAT HOPEFULLY CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET DONE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE,
[8.A) Liquor Licenses1. Hy-Vee #2, 10 Hy-Vee Dr. (Special Event)2. Jonesy's Taco House, 1117 16th Ave.3. Nova Nails, 1851 Madison Ave. Ste 714 (New)4. Sam's Club, 3221 Manawa Centre Dr.5. The Quarthouse, 107 Pearl St.]
[8.B) Retail Tobacco Permit (1 New)]
I'LL TAKE A MOTION.APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS AND CANCELLATIONS, 8A, 1 THROUGH 5, AND 8B.
MOTION TO APPROVE 8A, 1 THROUGH 5, AND 8B.
ANY OTHER CITY COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS? MADAM CLERK, ANY OTHER BUSINESS? I HAVE NONE.
I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.