07 31 23 City Council Proceedings Official_Special
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
SPECIAL SESSION
OFFICIAL
The Dubuque City Council met in special session at 5:30 p.m. on July 31, 2023, in the
second-floor Council Chambers of the Historic Federal Building, 350 W. 6th Street.
Present: Mayor Cavanagh; Council Members Farber, Jones, Resnick, Roussell, Sprank,
Wethal; City Manager Van Milligen, City Attorney Brumwell.
Mayor Cavanagh read the call and stated this is a special session of the City Council
called for the purpose of conducting such business that may properly come before the City
Council and conducting work sessions on the Historic Millwork District Master Plan Update
and Inclusive Dubuque and Project HOPE Quarterly Updates
ACTION ITEMS
1. New law in Iowa related to Public Nuisance Bars. Motion by Roussell to receive and file
the documents and listen to presentation. Seconded by Sprank. City Attorney Brumwell and
Police Chief Jeremy Jenson provided information regarding new law signed by the Governor .
This law allows Cities and Counties the ability to file suit if it is believed a public safety
nuisance that constitutes a serious threat to the public safety exists at a retail alcohol license
premise. This information is being present to city council as an educational piece for them
and the public as the Iowa Alcohol Beverage Division has no current educational plan in
place for this code update. Motion carried 7-0.
WORK SESSION 1
Historic Millwork District Master Plan Update
Consultants Andrew Dresdner from Bolton & Menk presented on the current status of the
Historic Millwork District Master Plan Update. This item will need City Council approval and
will be presented at a future City Council meeting. Mr. Dresdner responded to questions from
the City Council following the presentation.
WORK SESSION 2
Inclusive Dubuque and Project HOPE Quarterly Updates
Clara Lopez Ortiz Equity Officer for the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
presented a quarterly report on Inclusive Dubuque. Alex Baum Director of Initiatives for the
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque presented a quarterly report on Project HOPE,
including information from the Immigration Community Assessment. City Council requested
to be sent a copy of the MIT research paper discussed in the presentation. Both presenters
responded to questions from the City Council following the presentations.
CLOSED SESSION
Motion by Jones to convene in closed session at 8:25 p.m. to discuss Purchase or Sale of
Real Estate – Chapter 21.5(1),(j) Code of Iowa. Seconded by Roussell. Mayor Cavanagh
stated for the record that the attorney who will consult with City Council on the issues to be
discussed in the closed session is City Attorney Brumwell and Attorney Connor Wasson of
Ahlers and Cooney, P.C. Motion carried 7-0.
The City Council reconvened in open session at 8:56 p.m. stating that staff had been given
proper direction.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Mayor Cavanagh declared the meeting adjourned at 8:58
p.m.
/s/ Trish L. Gleason, MMC, Assistant City Clerk