Committee of the Whole Meeting

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE City Hall – Council Chambers January 18, 2022 The Committee of the Whole met at City Hall at 6:11 p.m. on January 18, 2022, with the following Committee persons in attendance: Mayor Robert Green and Councilmembers Susan deBuhr, Kelly Dunn, Dustin Ganfield, Simon Harding, Daryl Kruse, Gil Schultz and Dave Sires. Staff members from all City Departments and members of the community attended in person and teleconferenced in. Mayor Green called the meeting to order and introduced the first item on the agenda, Main Street Reconstruction, and introduced Chase Schrage, Director of Public Works. Mr. Schrage stated this information is an update to the November 15, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting with refinements that reduce the impacts to the parking stalls at the Library, requested by Council. Mr. Schrage introduced Aaron Moniza, Foth Senior Client Manager. Mr. Moniza gave a comparison of the two options for the new Councilmembers: a traffic signal vs. a roundabout located at 6th & Main Street. Mr. Moniza stated after making some refinements the estimated loss of parking stalls at the Library would be around 5, instead of the previously stated 10-13. Mr. Moniza gave an overview of the construction schedule with construction beginning in spring of 2023. Councilmember Schultz recommended shutting down a section of 6th Street (Main to State Street) and replacing with parking stalls. Councilmember Kruse motioned to add an option three for review: design a three leg roundabout and pursue a dead-end at the end of the 6th Street intersection before State Street and add additional parking; Councilmember Schultz seconded; Mr. Moniza stated Foth can review and gather costs. Mr. Schrage stated he is concerned with the federal funding timeline that starts in July and also Library parking lot circulation. Councilmembers Dunn and Harding are in favor of a signal at the 6th & Main Street intersection. Councilmember Kruse asked about the entrance monument; Mr. Schrage stated this monument would possibly be located between 6th and 7th. Councilmember Kruse asked about the difference in price from a three leg roundabout to a four; Mr. Moniza stated because of additional parking it could potentially be around the same as a four-legged roundabout. Councilmember Kruse asked to amend the motion to have Foth design, study, and gather costs of a three leg roundabout with a dead-end at 6th Street and bring back this as option three for the February 7, 2022 City Council meeting for Council consideration and Councilmember Schultz seconded. Mayor called for a voice vote on the motion. Aye: Ganfield, Kruse and Schultz. Nay: Dunn, Harding, deBuhr and Sires. Motion failed. Mayor Green stated the original motion is back on the floor (design a three leg roundabout and pursue a dead-end at the end of 6th Street intersection before State Street). Mayor called a voice vote, Motion failed. Councilmember deBuhr made a motion to proceed into final design of the traffic signal and Councilmember Harding seconded. Mayor Green called for a voice vote on the motion. Motion carried. Mayor Green moved to the second item on the agenda, Annual Report of Cedar Falls Public Library and introduced Kelly Stern, Library Director. Ms. Stern gave an update on the FY21 Annual Library report which included the following highlights: 121,756 physical items and 13,198 downloadable items checked out; patron visits have decreased, but patrons are checking out more books per visit, E-circulation has increased and the Library has 38,878 cardholders. Ms. Stern gave an overview of the various libraries community relationships (UNI, MercyOne, UnityPoint Heath, Cedar Valley Arboretum, Cedar Falls Schools, Iowa Workforce, just to recognize a few). Ms. Stern stated the library uses these value statements: Diversity and Inclusion, the Library respects difference and welcomes everyone; Intellectual Freedom, upholding personal rights to confidentiality and to access information freely; Discovery, Education & Learning, Enriching Lives through the pursuit of knowledge. Ms. Stern gave an overview of a few programs offered during FY21: book clubs, writing programs, take-and-make crafts and activities, weather ambassador training, NASA program, and gardening and seed saving programs; 475 programs offered with a total of 15,444 people attending. Ms. Stern stated the Library gets support from Friends of the Cedar Falls Library, Cedar Falls Community Foundation, City of Cedar Falls, and ARPA/STEM grants to name a few. Coming soon to the Library will be a Book Bike, branding of the Library, browsing bins, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for Black Hawk County to name a few. Mayor Green moved to the third item on the agenda, Library Board of Trustees Interview – Joan Bessman Taylor and introduced Dr. Joan Taylor. Dr. Taylor gave a brief introduction: Dr. Taylor is a school library studies professor at UNI and has been educating people over the last 20 years about libraries and she’s taught in the library school at the University of Iowa so she has a deep professional and personal interest in being civically engaged in the City of Cedar Falls. Mayor opened for questions from Council; no questions. There being no further discussion, Mayor Green adjourned the meeting at 7:04 p.m. Minutes by Kim Kerr, Administrative Supervisor