Standing Committee Meeting

MEETING OF STANDING COMMITTEES City Hall, 220 Clay Street November 7, 2022 The meeting of Standing Committees met at City Hall at 5:20 p.m. on November 7, 2022, with the following Committee persons in attendance: Councilmembers Susan deBuhr, Kelly Dunn, Daryl Kruse, Dustin Ganfield, Gil Schultz, and Dave Sires; absent: Simon Harding. Staff members from all City Departments and members of the community attended in person. Finance & Business Operations Committee: Chair Dunn called the meeting to order and introduced the first item on the Finance & Business Operations Committee Agenda, Library Interviews and introduced Kelly Stern, Library Director. Director Stern introduced Michael Graziano and Lindi Roelofse. Mr. Graziano stated he’s a professor at UNI teaching in the religion and philosophy program. Ms. Roelofse stated she works at UNI as the T. Wayne Davis Chair for Entrepreneurship. Chair Dunn introduced the second item on the Finance and Business Operation Committee Agenda, Audit Report and introduced Lisa Roeding, Controller/City Treasurer. Ms. Roeding thanked the Finance Department and stated it takes approximately 800 staff hours to complete this process. Ms. Roeding reviewed the FY2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and stated the City is required to publish a complete set of audited financial statements presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Ms. Roeding stated the auditors reviewed and tested various items and gave an unmodified or clean opinion; the unmodified opinion is the highest audit assurance that you can receive on your financial statements. Ms. Roeding advised of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards, stating the City had 11 federally funded grants totaling just under $3 million in expenditures. Ms. Roeding stated that for FY2021 the City of Cedar Falls received a Certificate of Achievement of Excellence for financial reporting from the Governmental Finance Officers Association. Ms. Roeding explained the FY2022 report will be filed with the State Auditor’s office as required by Iowa Code and it will be posted on the City’s website. Chair Dunn introduced the third item on the Finance and Business Operation Committee Agenda, Review of TIF and Standard Incentive Policies and introduced Shane Graham, Economic Development Coordinator. Mr. Graham gave background information on Chapter 403 State Code of Iowa, slum & blight (no sunset date), economic development and 20-year sunset date. Mr. Graham explained the TIF reimbursement process, TIF Certifications, TIF reporting, an example of TIF and described the TIF districts in Downtown, College Hill, Pinnacle Prairie, South Cedar Falls and Unified Hwy 58. Mr. Graham also explained the development agreement assumptions and current incentives. Councilmembers discussed items pertaining to the boundaries/renewal dates of Unified Hwy 58, description of slum & blighted areas, and TIF revenue. In the absence of Chair Harding, Administrative Supervisor Kerr called the Community Development Committee to order; stating the first item of business is the nomination and election of a temporary chair and called for nominations for a temporary chair. Councilmember Schultz nominated Councilmember Sires. Ms. Kerr called for other nominations, with no other nominations Ms. Kerr asked Councilmembers all those in favor signify by saying aye. Motion carried unanimously. Ms. Kerr declared Councilmember Sires to be temporary chair. Community Development Committee: Chair Sires introduced the first item on the Community Development Committee Agenda, Cedar Falls Economic Development Corp. Update and introduced Jim Brown, Cedar Falls Economic Development Corporation Executive Director. Mr. Brown discussed the benefits of Cedar Falls having an Economic Development Corporation. Mr. Brown gave an overview of Cedar Falls Economic Development Committee (CFEDC) vision statement, what CFEDC is doing, their values and their past success. Mr. Brown showed the public and private investments in the downtown and Cedar Falls industrial park. Mr. Brown introduced Katy Susong, Vice Chair of CFEDC. Ms. Susong gave an overview of the CFEDC board and highlighted CFEDC 2022 activity. Mr. Brown is asking Councilmembers to consider a contract amendment. Option 1: Fund this fiscal year like last year, $75,000 from Economic Development funding. Option 2: Include $300,000 into CIP over the next three years. Councilmembers discussed continued funding, redevelopment projects and housing needs assessment. Chair Sires introduced the second item on the Community Development Committee Agenda, Cedar Falls High School Pool Fundraising - “Jump In” and introduced Jump In Co-Chairs Traci Mallaro and Lorelei Redfern. Ms. Mallaro gave an overview of why Cedar Falls needs a pool and the impacts of a new pool to the community. Ms. Mallaro introduced Lorelei Redfern. Ms. Redfern stated the key elements of the pool design, quality of life opportunities and reviewed the cost, collaborative financing and timing. Cedar Falls School is asking the city contribution to increase by $2.9 million for a total contribution of $8 million. Councilmembers discussed: funding if the city were to install a city pool; capacity of hosting events; events bring in athletes, parents and spectators; number of lanes in design (10 lanes/4 lanes in therapeutic pool); Holmes and Peet pools; security of pool; location of pool excluded from referendum; Western Home pool; 28E agreement; funding ideas; maintenance of pool; percentage of school/city usage of pool; and user fees. Further discussion will take place at goal setting. Meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m. Minutes by Kim Kerr, Administrative Supervisor