Downtown Vision Process facilititatorCITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
February 15, 2001
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
ConfLrmation of Facilitator for Downtown Vision Process
Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens is recommending that the City accept an offer from
the Iowa Department of Economic Development to provide Patrick Callahan as the Facilitator
for the Downtown Vision Process. This will save the City about $7,500 in this project.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval.
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Tim Moerman, Assistant City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
CiTY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
February 14, 2001
TO:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
SUBJECT: Confirmation of Facilitator for Downtown Vision process
Attached for consideration by fl~e City Council is a draft letter from the City of Dubuque and
Dubuque Main Street Ltd. to the Main Street Iowa Office of the Iowa Department of
Economic Development (IDED). This letter serves as confirmation of the facilitator that
IDED has agreed to provide for our Downtown Vision process.
The Downtown Vision process is the first step in creating a comprehensive downtown plan.
The idea of creating of a comprehensive downtown plan originated at the February, 2000
"Housing Action Conference". The concept has subsequently been carried forward by the
Downtown Planning Committee of the Long Range Planning Advisory Commission, at the
direction of the City Council.
The anticipated budget for the Downtown Vision process is $50,000, with $30,000
recommended to come from City funds, and $20,000 to be raised from state and private
sources.
IDED has agreed to provide the services of Patrick Callahan, who is under contract with
the Main Street Iowa Office to assist ci~s with economic development, as the facilitator
for the Downtown Vision process. Pat's services would be provided without a fee, which
is about a $7,500 in-kind contribution by the State. Pat is the former city manager of
Maquoketa, and has worked with several members of the Downtown Planning Committee.
We believe that he will be an excellent facilitator for the Downtown Vision process.
On behalf of the Downtown Planning Committee, I recommend that the City Council
authorize the Mayor to sign the joint letter to IDED for the City and Dubuque Main Street,
confirming the facilitator to be provided by IDED for the Downtown Vision process.
Attachment Icarsten~p/CounciFIDED.mem.doc
February 19, 2001
Sue Lambertz and Jane Seaton
Main Street iowa Office
Iowa Department of Economic Development
200 East Grand
Des Moines, IA 50309
Dear Ms. Lambertz and Ms. Seaton,
On behalf of the City of Dubuque and Dubuque Main ~t, Ltd., we would like to jointly.
thank the Main Street Iowa Office of the Iowa Department of Economic Development for
approving our use of Patdck Callahan as a facilitator for our new initiative to create a
shared community vision for a Comprehensive Downtown Plan. We would also like to
vedfy with you our proposed use of Pat's assistance.
Specifically, we will use Pat's support to facilitate two community meetings; to help
create a draft vision statement, elements and goals/objectives by analyzing existing
planning documents and input from the first community meeting, as well as a citizen
survey; to test and modify the draft vision at the second community meeting; and to
coordinate a reactor group validation process. This process should commence in the
late summer/early fall 2001.
Dubuque has conducted a number of Studies and visioning plans in individual downtown
districts and for specific issues; however, with this concept originating at a community-
wide 'Housing Action Conference" in February 2000, it is time to assess a total Vision
with reality and relative to these existing plans. We look to author a shared vision for
Downtown Dubuque - "Vision Downtown," and ultimately create a comprehensive
master plan based on the Vision and the assessments.
We want to draw a strong cross-section of citizens for this participation-oriented, all-
inclusive program. The Iowa Department of Economic Development's involvement
immediately gives the process credibility, and will assist us in making this visioning
effort a highly participatory event.
To complement the assistance we will receive from the Main Street Iowa Office, wa
have garnered financial, in-kind and/or voluntary commitments from the City of
Dubuque, Dubuque Main Street, the National Main Street Center, the Dubuque Area
Chamber of Commerce, several local utilities and the City's Long Range Planning
Commission and Downtown Planning Committee.
Page 2 of 2
Should you have any questions or need additional information about this process or
request, please contact Dan LoBianco, Dubuque Main Street, at (319) 588-4400 or
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Department, City of Dubuque, at (319) 589-4210.
Sincerely,
Terrance M. Duggan, Mayor
City of Dubuque
Linda Herbst, President
Dubuque Main Street
Dubuque City Council
Dubuque Main Street Ltd. Board of Directors
Downtown Planning Committee
Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Depadsnent
Dan LoBianco, Dubuque Main Street
Icarst~n/wplCounciFIDED Jt r, doc