Standing Committee Meeting

MEETING OF STANDING COMMITTEES City Hall, 220 Clay Street January 17, 2023 The meeting of Standing Committees met at City Hall at 5:45 p.m. on January 17, 2023, with the following Committee persons in attendance: Councilmembers Gil Schultz, Susan deBuhr, Kelly Dunn, Simon Harding, Daryl Kruse, Dustin Ganfield, and Dave Sires. 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 only item on the Finance & Business Operations Committee Agenda, Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and introduced City Administrator Ron Gaines. Mr. Gaines gave a brief introduction to establish proposed changes. Mr. Gaines introduced Director of Finance and Business Operations, Jennifer Rodenbeck. Ms. Rodenbeck referenced slides outlining the proposed changes and gave a brief overview of each item: #35 – Downtown Parking Ramp Study; #36 – Downtown Parking Structure; #53 – UNI Dome Renovation; #70 – High School Pool; #57 – Cedar Valley Placemaking; #59 – Comp Plan and Zoning Code Updates; #64 – Resilience Initiatives; and #204 – SCBA Replacement. Ms. Rodenbeck provided clarification for items: #56 – Cedar River Recreation Project; #119 – Aldrich School Connections; #121 – Annual Street Repair; and #135 – Union Road. Chair Dunn opened for Council discussion on Item #35 – Downtown Parking Ramp Study. Councilmembers discussed the need for a parking structure, and should the need be determined by a study. Councilmember Ganfield motioned to move $100,000 funding for the study from FY23 to FY24; Councilmember deBuhr seconded. Chair Dunn asked for public comment; there was none. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to move the funding for the study from FY23 to FY24; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield, Sires, Dunn; Nay: none; motion passed. Chair Dunn opened for Council discussion on Item #36 – Downtown Parking Structure. Councilmembers discussed moving the item to the “unfunded” list or pushing the item back to a later fiscal year; the need for a study before discussing funding for the structure; that leaving it in the CIP shows that Council is looking toward the future of downtown; how moving it from the budget to the unfunded list affects the budget by subtracting that amount from the total. Ms. Rodenbeck and Mr. Gaines clarified moving the funds to a different fiscal year versus the unfunded list. Councilmember Harding motioned to move the item to the unfunded list; Councilmember Kruse seconded. Chair Dunn opened for public comment. Jim Brown, on behalf of the Cedar Falls Economic Development Corporation at 200 State Street, spoke in favor of the feasibility study and the future structure as a sign of growth and it should be left in the plan. Kim Bear, on behalf of Community Main Street, spoke in favor of the feasibility study and that leaving it in the CIP, not unfunded, shows Council is looking toward the future vision of downtown. Rosemary Beach, 5018 Sage Road, spoke in favor of adding public restrooms and the parking ramp. Councilmembers further discussed moving funding to a different fiscal year versus the unfunded list; the importance of doing the feasibility study first. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to move the project to the Unfunded List: Aye: deBuhr, Harding, Kruse, Ganfield, Sires; Nay: Dunn, Schultz; motion passed. Chair Dunn opened for Council discussion in Item #53 – UNI Dome Renovation. Councilmembers discussed reducing the funding by $500,000 to $1,000,000; the potential of a 28E agreement with UNI for public utilization of facilities; the revenue currently brought to the community by events held at UNI. Councilmember Ganfield moved to reduce EDF by $1,000,000; Councilmember deBuhr asked if that included the 28E agreement; yes; Councilmember deBuhr seconded. Chair Dunn opened for public comment. Mark Nook, President of UNI, spoke regarding UNI’s history in the community, the revenue generated in the community by events held there, and the importance of renovation to continue to bring events to the Dome in the future; UNI is raising funds privately. David Harris, UNI Athletic Director, spoke to the Dome’s history in the community, what modernizing it will mean for the facility and community, and asks Council to show support with the investment. Councilmembers asked Mr. Nook and Mr. Harris about the community revenue generated by Dome events and what could be offered in the 28E agreement; community revenue numbers are solely revenue in community, not revenue generated by UNI events, and the 28E agreement will need more discussion but the facility is currently open to the public. Councilmembers further discussed the impact on the tax rate increase for GO funding with the change. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to decrease funding from $3,000,000 to $2,000,000; Aye: deBuhr, Ganfield, Sires; Nay: Schultz, Kruse, Harding, Dunn; motion failed. Councilmember deBuhr motioned to reduce funding from $3,000,000 to $2,500,000; Councilmember Kruse seconded. Jim Jermier, VP of University Advancement, 4329 Wild Horse Drive, asked Council to consider the full $3,000,000 and to think ahead to what that investment would mean for the community in the future. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to reduce the EDF funding for the UNI Dome from $3,000,000 to $2,500,000 including a 28E agreement: Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield; Nay: Sires, Dunn; motion passed. Chair Dunn opened for Council discussion on item #70 – High School Pool. Councilmember Harding motioned to take the $500,000 EDF now available and shift to the Pool funding in place of $500,000 of GO funding; Councilmember Ganfield seconded. Councilmember deBuhr asked if the remaining $200,000 of GO funding could be replaced by a different type of funding; after responses by Ms. Rodenbeck and discussion from Council about remaining funding from the previous year’s general fund savings, it was determined there are sufficient funds to replace this year’s remaining $200,000 with the balance from last year. Councilmember Harding motioned and amendment to his previous motion to add replacing $200,000 of this year’s GO funding with $200,000 of last year’s remaining general fund savings; Councilmember Kruse seconded; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield, Sires, Dunn; Nay: none; motion to amend passed. Chair Dunn opened for public comment. Mike Molero, on behalf of Jump In, 1007 Carriage Lane, stated the two current school pools are in disrepair and a pool is needed in the community; he praised the collaboration between the community, City, and school district; he thanked Council for their support of the project. Laura Wilson, 2604 Covey Court, spoke in support of the natatorium and emphasized the importance of water safety/swim lessons; she stated the new pool will allow larger meets and events to be hosted. Councilmember deBuhr clarified that the 28E agreement will be in effect with the motion on the table; Councilmember Harding stated yes. Chair Dunn spoke in support of the pool and importance of water safety. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to allocate the now available $500,000 in EDF funding to the Pool and to allocate $200,000 of the previous year’s general fund savings to replace $700,000 of the current year’s GO funding, bringing current year GO funding to $0 including a 28E agreement; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield, Sires, Dunn; Nay: none; motion passed. Chair Dunn opened for Council discussion on Item #57 – Cedar Valley Placemaking. There was no Council discussion. Councilmember Harding moved to remove $191,510 in GO funding from the project; Councilmember Ganfield seconded. Chair Dunn opened to public comments. Jim Brown, for Cedar Valley Economic Development Corporation, 200 State Street, spoke about different types of funding, specifically GO (tax) funding; spoke in favor of funding this and other projects that will bring revenue in to the City. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to remove $191,510 in GO funding from the project; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield, Sires, Dunn; Nay: none; motion passed. Chair Dunn opened for Council discussion on Item #59 – Comp Plan and Zoning Code Updates. Councilmember Harding motioned to lower funding to $75,000/year for FY24-28; Chair Dunn seconded. Councilmembers discussed redoing the comp plan; ability to address amount of funding needed after the comp plan is completed; internal ordinance drafting ability versus outside consulting, considering staff resources; other funding sources; and removing the College Hill TIF as it would require funds utilized specifically for the College Hill district. Councilmember Ganfield motioned to amend FY26-FY28 from $75,000/year to $25,000/year; Chair Dunn seconded. Chair Dunn opened for public discussion; there was none. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the amendment to the motion to lower funding from $75,000/year to $25,000/year for FY26-28; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Ganfield, Sires; Nay: Harding, Dunn. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the amended motion to lower funding to $75,000/year for FY24-25 and $25,000/year for FY26-28; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield, Sires, Dunn; Nay: none; motion passed. Chair Dunn opened for Council discussion on Item #64 – Resilience Initiatives. Councilmembers asked why some projects were listed as separate line items and what money is being saved; Director of Public Works Chase Schrage and Ms. Rodenbeck responded that some items were bigger, planned, and required specific funding and this item is more general as needed, and that numbers on specific rebate or savings would need to be reviewed. Councilmember deBuhr motioned to change the name to Energy Efficiency Projects; Councilmember Harding seconded. Chair Dunn opened for public comment; there was none. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to change the name from Resilience Initiatives to Energy Efficiency Projects; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield, Sires, Dunn; Nay: none; motion passed. Chair Dunn opened for Council discussion on Item #204 – SCBA Replacement. Ms. Rodenbeck noted that this was a staff proposed change based on the 15-year life of the equipment. Councilmember Ganfield motioned to move the funding from FY24 GO bonds to FY26 GO bonds in FY27; Councilmember Kruse seconded. Chair Dunn opened for public comment; there was none. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to move the funding from FY24 GO bonds to FY26 GO bonds in FY27; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield, Sires, Dunn; Nay: none; motion passed. Ms. Rodenbeck provided a brief summary: GO funding will be reduced by just under $900,000; GR funding will be reduced by $500,000. She stated the next step is for Council to motion to put forward before Council for approval as amended today. Councilmember Ganfield motioned to recommend to Council the CIP be approved as amended today; Councilmember Schultz seconded. Councilmember Kruse asked about Main Street project funding; Chair Dunn and Mr. Gaines advised that topic would require a Council referral as it isn’t a change to the CIP but an already established project. Chair Dunn called for a vote on the motion to recommend to Council approval of the CIP as amended tonight; Aye: Schultz, deBuhr, Kruse, Harding, Ganfield, Dunn; Nay: Sires; motion passed. Councilmember Kruse asked what the next step after approving the CIP will be. Ms. Rodenbeck stated that the column for FY24 will be placed in the budget under appropriate categories; the CIP gives a starting point but the numbers will be reviewed and discussed again during budget discussions. Mr. Gaines reminded Council there are four meetings, and two public hearings must be held, between now and when the budget is due, so scheduling is tight. Councilmember Kruse motioned to adjourn; Councilmember Ganfield seconded; motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m. Minutes by Katie Terhune, Administrative Assistant