2 24 10 City Council Proceedings Official_Special
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
OFFICIAL
The Dubuque City Council met in special session at 6:30 p.m. on February 24, 2010
in the Historic Federal Building.
Present: Mayor Buol, Council Members Braig, Connors, Jones, Resnick, Voetberg,
City Manager Van Milligen
Absent: Council Member Lynch
Mayor Buol read the call and stated this is a special session of the City Council called
for the purpose of discussing various City departmental budgets.
Fiscal Year 2011 Departmental Budgets were presented by staff from the following
Agencies and City departments: Purchase of Services, Library, Health Services, and the
Fire Department.
Purchase of Services
America’s River Corporation: Speaking on behalf of the Corporation, Convention
and Visitors Bureau Director Keith Rahe reviewed the America’s River Festival and
spoke in favor of continued support. Responding to questions from City Council,
Rahe stated that the America’s River Festival has made a profit the last two years.
Helping Services for Northeast Iowa: Prevention Supervisor Claire Jones, 2728
Asbury Road, thanked the City Council for continued support of the agency and
described its purpose and budget.
Hills and Dales: Executive Director Marilyn Althof, 1011 Davis Street, thanked the
City Council for continued support of the agency and described its purpose.
Opening Doors: Executive Director Michelle Brown, 1561 Jackson Street, thanked
the City Council for continued support of the agency and described its purpose.
Operation: New View: Community Action Agency: Communication from Operation:
New View Executive Director Tom Stovall submitting the agency’s work plan,
description of programs, and budget information, and thanking the City Council for
their support.
Project Concern: Executive Director Nancy Lewis, 1789 Elm Street, thanked the
City Council for continued support for its three programs: Child Care Referral, Foster
Grandparent Program, and Information and Referral. Ms. Lewis described each
program’s purpose and budget.
Retired Senior Volunteer Program: Director Deb Bell, 350 North Grandview
Avenue, thanked the City Council for continued support of the program and
described its purpose, statistics and budget.
Substance Abuse Services Center, Executive Director Diane Thomas, thanked the
City Council for continued support and described the Center’s purpose, statistics and
th
budget adding that the Center is celebrating its 35 anniversary.
Washington Neighborhood Tool Library: President Tom Oberhoffer, thanked the
City Council for continued support stating that the Tool Library is 100 percent non-
profit.
Carnegie-Stout Public Library: Library Director Susan Henricks introduced the Library
Board of Trustees and staff and presented the Fiscal Year 2011 budget for this
department. Responding to questions from Mayor Buol, Henricks stated that minimally
improvement packages 1 and 2 are the most critical.
Except for the reduction in Section 8 Vouchers and two police officer positions,
Voetberg supported elimination of several General Fund recurring improvement
packages as recommended by the City Manager in order to fund Library requests 1b, 2,
and 7. He added that he is in favor of funding some of the Library staffing issues and is
willing to discuss other cuts to avoid a property tax increase. Mayor Buol stated that he
could not see where any cuts could be made as all packages relate to and support City
Council priorities.
Braig stated that she was in favor of fully funding the Library’s staffing needs and
supported a property tax increase in order to do so citing the reality of rising costs.
Connors agreed with Braig stating that Library staffing was a specific goal of the City
Council.
Resnick stated that he supports the Library but is against a tax increase, hard
choices need to be made and questioned how essential some programs are. Resnick
also questioned the need for several programs and requests and whether the cost of
expanding programs is more important than staffing the Library. Jones stated that
should an additional one percent tax increase be agreed upon, the budget is still to the
citizens’ benefit. He stated that generally rising costs have resulted in a complicated
budget, and he is not in favor of cutting other programs.
Van Milligen stated the he will provide information on the effect of the Library’s
request on the budget at the March 9 City Council meeting.
Ann Michalski, 1520 Altura Street, spoke in favor of the Library’s staffing request
stating that Library services have always been a Council priority and expressed concern
over cutting programs that seem to only impact low-income residents. Ms. Michalski
stated she was in favor of a property tax increase.
Tom Welu, 2609 Broadway, spoke in favor of fully funding the Library comparing it to
the importance of staffing the Police or Fire Departments. Welu stated he was in favor
of a property tax increase to help with all City services.
Library Board of Trustees President Diann Guns, 1715 Diane Court, spoke in favor of
the staffing request on behalf of the Library Board. Ms. Guns stated that while the
Library has been creative in meeting its staffing needs, the issue has been placed too
low on the priority list for too long. Ms. Guns stated that the Library Board does not want
the perception that a possible property tax increase is the direct result of the Library’s
budget request. Guns added that she believes public funding of a historically free facility
is an essential responsibility.
Dana Livingston, 808 Lacey Court, stated he is not in favor of moving staff from other
city areas to assist the Library as noted in a recent Telegraph Herald article. Mr.
Livingston suggested exploring successful public/private collaboration as evidenced
elsewhere in the city. He added that there are no alternatives in the private sector to
compare with the quality of materials and services as provided by the Library. He
suggested applying user fees and alternative revenue sources. Buol noted that charging
fees for Library services is prohibited by the accreditation process.
Budget Director Jenny Larson stated that the proposal of an additional 1% property
tax increase would result in a $4.60/per year increase to the average homeowner.
When added to the original proposed property tax increase of 2.47% it would result in a
total tax increase of $18.22 for the average homeowner with a home valued at
$130,000.
Health Services: Public Health Specialist Mary Rose Corrgian presented the Fiscal
Year 2011 budget for this department. Responding to a question from City Council,
Corrigan stated that the increase in coyote management costs is due to increased
helicopter expenses coupled with the differences in reimbursement tags for harvested
coyote.
Fire Department: Fire Chief Dan Brown introduced staff and presented the Fiscal
Year 2011 budget for this department. There were no comments from City Council.
There being no further business, upon motion the City Council adjourned at 8:46 p.m.
/s/Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC
City Clerk
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