Legislative Correspondence_Omnibus Bill_SF 226_HF 160Office of the Mayor & City Council
THE CITY OF Dubuque City Hall
„~-'', i 50 West 13~ Street
~~~ ~ ; ~ ~ Dubuque, IA 52001-4864
www.cityofdubuque.org
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Masterpiece on the Mississippi Zoos
March 12, 2009
The Honorable Tom Harkin
United State Senate
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Harkin,
On behalf of the citizens of the City of Dubuque and my City Council colleagues please
accept our most sincere thanks for the work you have done and continue to do for the people
of Dubuque, Iowa.
This week's vote by Congress to pass the FY09 Federal Omnibus bill provides for additional
dollars to be directed to our number one priority -the Southwest Arterial. This project
continues to be the top priority of our Council, the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors, the
Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and
ECIA. In our work to advance this project over the past ten years, you stand out as
Dubuque's champion, identifying and securing millions of dollars towards this essential
transportation artery. We continue to be indebted to you and we cannot thank you enough.
Several weeks ago, Mike Blouin of Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and Teri
Goodmann, Assistant City Manager of Dubuque for Government Relations met with
Secretary of Transportation Ray La Hood to discuss the SW Arterial project and to inform him
of our intention to submit a competitive grant to the $1.5 billion federal transportation stimulus
fund to match the dollars you have secured. Secretary La Hood's son attended Loras
College and he is very familiar with Dubuque. He agreed that there is a real need for this
arterial and he described the challenges of driving into and through Dubuque. Hopefully, we
will be successful securing a stimulus grant to match federal dollars you have identified for
Dubuque which would then enable us to pave two lanes and build the interchanges at
Highway 20 and Highways 151/61.
In addition to the funding for the SW Arterial, we are grateful for your efforts to secure funding
for the site location and preliminary design of the Intermodal Transportation facility to be built
at the Port of Dubuque. This facility will serve visitors to the Port as they explore many
modes of transportation whether that is auto, bus or cab or even excursion boat options for
an experience on the Mississippi River! We are working diligently with your staff and our tri-
state neighbors in Wisconsin and Illinois to return passenger rail to Iowa and this new facility
will also be constructed with a platform and ticketing facilities for Amtrak.
Senator Harkin, all these successes are tangible sign of your leadership and service to the
State of Iowa and Dubuque. Please know that we are tremendously grateful for your support
and the dedicated work of your staff to make our community a Masterpiece on the
Mississippi. And we remain ready to assist you in any way we can.
Sincerely,
Roy D. Buol
Mayor
THE CTTY OF Dubuque
DUB E i"` i
I I~
Masterpiece on the Mississippi Zoos
March 12, 2009
The Honorable Bruce Braley
House of Representatives
1019 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Braley,
Office of the Mayor & City Council
City Hall
50 West 13~ Street
Dubuque,IA 52001-4864
www.cityofdubuque.org
On behalf of the citizens of Dubuque and my City Council colleagues, please accept our most
sincere thanks for the work you have done and continue to do for the people of Dubuque,
Iowa.
This week's vote by Congress to pass the FY09 Federal Omnibus bill provides for additional
dollars to be directed to our number one priority -the Southwest Arterial. This project
continues to be the top priority of our Council, the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors, the
Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and
ECIA. We are very grateful for your support of this bill and particularly thankful for your
success in identifying $950,000 for the SW Arterial and $237,000 for the Intermodal
Transportation facility. Congressman, you have made a huge difference for Dubuque in your
few years in Congress. Thank you!
Several weeks ago, Mike Blouin of Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and Teri
Goodmann, Assistant City Manager of Dubuque for Government Relations, met with
Secretary of Transportation Ray La Hood to discuss the SW Arterial project and to inform him
of our intention to submit a competitive grant to the $1.5 billion federal transportation stimulus
fund to match the dollars you have secured. Secretary La Hood's son attended Loras
College and he is very familiar with Dubuque. He agreed that there is a real need for this
arterial and he described the challenges of driving into and through Dubuque. Hopefully, we
will be successful securing a stimulus grant to match federal dollars you have identified for
Dubuque which would then enable us to complete the paving of two lanes and build the
interchanges at Highway 20 and Highways 151/61.
In addition to the funding for the SW Arterial, we are grateful for your efforts to secure funding
for the site location and preliminary design of the Intermodal Transportation facility to be built
at the Port of Dubuque. This facility will serve residents and visitors to the Port as they
explore many modes of transportation, whether auto, bus, cab or even excursion boat options
for an experience on the Mississippi River! We are working diligently with your staff and our
tri-state neighbors in Wisconsin and Illinois to return passenger rail to Iowa and this new
facility will also be constructed with a platform and ticketing facilities for Amtrak.
Congressman Braley, Dubuque's successes are tangible signs of your support. Our
partnership with you is key to future developments. Please know that we are tremendously
grateful for your support and the dedicated work of your staff to make our community a
Masterpiece on the Mississippi. And we remain ready to assist you in any way we can.
Sincerely,
Roy D. Buol
Mayor
March 27, 2009
«CompleteOFFICIALName Address»
Dear Representative «Last»:
Senate File 226 presumes that certain cancers and infectious diseases are
diseases contracted while on active duty as a firefighter or police officer. I urge
you to oppose this legislation. Chapter 411 of the Code of Iowa provides for full
pay and benefits to firefighters and police officers who incur a job related illness
or injury. City tax payers are also responsible for paying 100% of the medical
costs related to the treatment of a job related illness or injury. Chapter 411 of the
Code of Iowa already provides that heart disease or any disease of the lungs or
respiratory tract is presumed to have been contracted while on active duty. The
current law is comprehensive and does not warrant being expanded to include
certain cancers or infectious diseases as a job related presumption.
Under the current law if a particular cancer or infectious disease can be related to
the work performed by a firefighter or police officer, benefits will be provided.
Unless and until there is medical evidence that establishes a causal relationship
between a particular form of cancer or infectious disease and firefighting and law
enforcement activities, this legislation should not be enacted.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:rp
The Honorable Pat Murphy
Speaker of the House
Iowa State Representative
155 N. Grandview Avenue
Dubuque, (A 52001
The Honorable Thomas Schueller
Iowa State Representative
503 W. Platt Street
Maquoketa, IA 52060
The Honorable Ray Zirkelbach
Iowa State Representative
637 W. First Street
Monticello, IA 52310
The Honorable Chuck Isenhart
Iowa State Representative
P.O. Box 3353
Dubuque, IA 52004-3353
The Honorable Steven Lukan
Iowa State Representative
7365 Columbus Street
New Vienna IA 52065
March 31, 2009
«CompleteOFFICIALName Address»
Re: Annexation Bill -House File 160
Dear «Title» «Last»:
We understand that House file 160 will not be considered further this year, but we would
like to offer the following information in case this is considered in a future year.
With some voluntary annexations, a City may need to annex some properties without
the property owners' consent to create more uniform boundaries or avoid creating an
"island" of unincorporated land in the County.
State law allows a voluntary annexation to include property without the consent of the
owner to avoid creating an island or to create more uniform boundaries. This property
must not exceed 20% of the total land area included in the annexation request. These
are called "80/20" annexations because at least 80% of the land is to be annexed
voluntarily, and up to 20% is to be annexed without the owner's consent.
If the City Council approves any voluntary annexation that includes non-consenting
owners, then the 80/20 annexation request is sent to the City Development Board. The
Board then will schedule a public hearing in Dubuque for all the affected property
owners and the County. The Board must approve this type of annexation request by a
4/5 vote of the members.
The public hearings of the City Council and the City Development Board are open
meetings. Comments can be submitted in writing at or before the meeting, and verbally
at the meeting. Property owners are provided opportunity to be heard.
In Dubuque's two most recent voluntary annexations in which we had to include owners
without their consent, we did so for the two reasons allowed under State law: to avoid
creating an island and to create more uniform boundaries.
«Title» «First» « Last»
March 30, 2009
Page 2
In each case, we had voluntary applications from the owners of hundreds of acres that
we would not have been able to submit to the City Development Board for consideration
without the "80/20" provision. Both annexations were on the City's west side along
Middle Road, a County secondary road.
With these large acreages, the boundaries of the annexation areas were not uniform.
The City of Dubuque considered annexing additional properties, without the property
owners' consent if necessary, to: 1) create more uniform boundaries for provision of City
services, and 2) avoid creating an "island" between Dubuque and Asbury. Inclusion of
non-consenting owners allowed the City of Dubuque to have jurisdiction on both sides
of Middle Road, facilitating street maintenance and snow and ice control.
The current annexation law provides a balance between non-consenting owners and
voluntary applicants, and the needs of the community, based on the amount of land
area involved. Furthermore, a 4/5 majority vote is required by the City Development
Board for approval of "80/20" voluntary annexations. The current code ensures that the
minority view of the 20% non-consenting owners is heard and carries weight.
The proposed changes in House File 160 would make voluntary annexations extremely
difficult.
I would hope that you would oppose the change from 20% of the land to 20% of the
owners.
Please contact me if you have questions or would like to discuss this matter further.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:Ic
The Honorable Pat Murphy
Speaker of the House
Iowa State Representative
155 N. Grandview Avenue
Dubuque,lA 52001
The Honorable Tom Hancock
Iowa State Senator
310 E. Main Street
Epworth, IA, 52045
The Honorable Thomas Schueller
Iowa State Representative
503 W. Platt Street
Maquoketa, IA 52060
The Honorable Ray Zirkelbach
Iowa State Representative
637 W. First Street
Monticello, IA 52310
The Honorable Pam Jochum
Iowa State Senator
2368 Jackson
Dubuque,lA 52001
The Honorable Roger Stewart
Iowa State Senator
3936 317 Avenue
Preston, IA 52069
The Honorable Steven Lukan
Iowa State Representative
7365 Columbus Street
New Vienna IA 52065
City Manager's Office
City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
(563) 589-4110 phone
(563) 589-4149 fax
(563) 690-6678 TDD
ctymgrC~?cityofdubuque.org
March 30, 2009
The Honorable Chuck Isenhart
Iowa State Representative
P.O. Box 3353
Dubuque, IA 52004-3353
Re: Annexation Bill -House File 160
Dear Representative Isenhart:
THE CITY OF ~ / ...~,
Thank you for forwarding House File 160 for our review and input concerning the
implications this proposed legislation would have on current and future annexations.
We understand that House file 160 will not be considered further this year, but we would
like to offer the following information in case this is considered in a future year.
With some voluntary annexations, a City may need to annex some properties without
the property owners' consent to create more uniform boundaries or avoid creating an
"island" of unincorporated land in the County.
State law allows a voluntary annexation to include property without the consent of the
owner to avoid creating an island or to create more uniform boundaries. This property
must not exceed 20% of the total land area included in the annexation request. These
are called "80/20" annexations because at least 80% of the land is to be annexed
voluntarily, and up to 20% is to be annexed without the owner's consent.
If the City Council approves any voluntary annexation that includes non-consenting
owners, then the 80/20 annexation request is sent to~the City Development Board. The
Board then will schedule a public hearing in Dubuque for all the affected property
owners and the County. The Board must approve this type of annexation request by a
4/5 vote of the members.
The public hearings of the City Council and the City Development Board are open
meetings. Comments can be submitted in writing at or before the meeting, and verbally
at the meeting. Property owners are provided opportunity to be heard.
Service People Litegrity Responsibility Innovation Teanlwork
The Honorable Chuck Isenhart
March 30, 2009
Page 2
In Dubuque's two most recent voluntary annexations in which we had to include owners
without their consent, we did so for the two reasons allowed under State law: to avoid
creating an island and to create more uniform boundaries.
In each case, we had voluntary applications from the owners of hundreds of acres that
we would not have been able to submit to the City Development Board for consideration
without the "80/20" provision. Both annexations were on the City's west side along
Middle Road, a County secondary road.
With these large acreages, the boundaries of the annexation areas were not uniform.
The City of Dubuque considered annexing additional properties, without the property
owners' consent if necessary, to: 1) create more uniform boundaries for provision of City
services, and 2) avoid creating an "island" between Dubuque and Asbury. Inclusion of
non-consenting owners allowed the City of Dubuque to have jurisdiction on both sides
of Middle Road, facilitating street maintenance and snow and ice control.
The current annexation law provides a balance between non-consenting owners and
voluntary applicants, and the needs of the community, based on the amount of land
area involved. Furthermore, a 4/5 majority vote is required by the City Development
Board for approval of "80/20" voluntary annexations. The current code ensures that the
minority view of the 20% non-consenting owners is heard and carries weight.
The proposed changes in House File 160 would make voluntary annexations extremely
difficult.
I would hope that you would oppose the change from 20% of the land to 20% of the
owners.
Please contact me if you have questions or would like to discuss this matter further.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
n ~.,
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM:Ic