Housing Commission Recommendation to Hold Quarterly MeetingsCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Action Items # 4.
Copyrighted
November 1, 2021
ITEM TITLE: Housing Commission Recommendation to Hold Quarterly Meetings
SUMMARY: City Council approval to move Housing Commission meeting frequency
from monthly to quarterly, beginning with the October 2021 meeting.
ORDINANCE Amending City of Dubuque Code of Ordinances Title 2
Boards and Commissions, Chapter 5 Housing Agency and Community
Development Commissions, Article B Housing Commissions, Section 2-
5B-10 Meetings
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Motion B; Motion
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Housing Commission Recommendation to hold
Quarterly Meetings-MVM Memo
Memo - Housing Commission - Quarterly Meeting
Request
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
Ordinance Amendment Ordinance
THE CITY OF
Dubuque
DUB TEE
All -America City
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
� pp
zoo�•*o 13
zoi720zoi9
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Housing Commission Recommendation to Hold Quarterly Meetings
DATE: October 27, 2021
The Housing Commission has historically held monthly meetings. City Staff has
proposed to hold the Housing Commission meetings on a quarterly basis versus a
monthly basis beginning in October 2021. The Housing Commission approved this
proposal at the September 28, 2021 meeting and has recommended it advance to City
Council for approval.
Housing and Community Development Director Alexis Steger recommends City Council
approval to move Housing Commission meeting frequency from monthly to quarterly,
beginning with the October 2021 meeting.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
CC' Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Alexis Steger, Housing and Community Development Director
THE C
Dubuque
DUUB--'&.--FE�M
All-America C ft
,
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
2°°7`7*2009
2012-
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Alexis Steger, Housing and Community Development Dept. Director
SUBJECT: Housing Commission Recommendation to Hold Quarterly Meetings
DATE: October 27, 2021
Introduction
The Housing Commission has historically held monthly meetings the fourth Tuesday of
each month. City Staff has proposed to hold the Housing Commission meetings on a
quarterly basis versus a monthly basis beginning in October 2021. The Housing
Commission approved this proposal at the September 28, 2021 meeting and has
recommended it advance to City Council for approval through an amendment to Section
2-5B-10 of the City of Dubuque Code of Ordinances.
Background
The Housing Commission was established to advise & guide City Staff in order to help
meet the needs of the community through efforts pertaining to housing policy, strategy,
and resources in the City of Dubuque. The purpose of the Housing Commission
consists of the following elements:
o To undertake and carry out studies and analysis of housing needs and the
meeting of such needs
o To recommend proposed projects in the area of low- and moderate -income
housing for the citizens of the City
o To monitor the City's housing programs
o To conduct grievances regarding the Rental Assistance Program, except in the
area of Housing Code enforcement
Discussion
Historically the Housing Commission has held meetings monthly. City Staff submitted a
proposal at the September 28, 2021 Housing Commission meeting to move the Housing
Commission meeting frequency to occur on a quarterly basis instead of holding a
monthly meeting. Staff proposed that Housing Commission meetings be held on the
fourth Tuesday in the months of October, January, April & July, with the possibility of
scheduling special meetings if priority work is identified as needing attention before a
regularly scheduled quarterly meeting.
City Staff identified a need to streamline efforts to help reduce repetitive demands on
staff in order to allow them more time to attend to their required priorities. Housing
Commission meetings do not always have a full agenda, many times the meeting only
serves to provide updates and review monthly report statistics. Meetings held just for
review still demand a lot of staff time to schedule, post, create agendas, attend
meetings, and post minutes. In many cases, that review could have waited and been
paired with a full content agenda. City Staff believes moving to a quarterly meeting will
ensure a purposeful and directed agenda that makes good use of all attendees' time.
The Housing Commission reviewed the request and approved the proposal. Housing
Commission members requested that in place of the monthly meeting, Housing Staff
send out a monthly email update to disseminate statistical reports and share update
information with the Commission. If policy needs arise or deadlines for grants or studies,
etc. need to be reviewed and approved, City Staff or Housing Commission members
may, at any time, make a request to hold a meeting outside of the regularly scheduled
quarterly meetings.
Recommendation
It is my recommendation that the City Council approves the amendment to Section 2-
5I3-10 of the City of Dubuque Code of Ordinances granting that Housing Commission
meeting frequency changes from monthly to quarterly, beginning with the October 2021
meeting.
Prepared by: Crenna M. Brumwell, Esq. 300 Main Street Suite 330 Dubuque IA 52001 563 589-4381
ORDINANCE NO. 38-21
AMENDING CITY OF DUBUQUE CODE OF ORDINANCES TITLE 2 BOARDS AND
COMMISSIONS, CHAPTER 5 HOUSING AGENCY AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS, ARTICLE B HOUSING COMMISSIONS, SECTION
2-56-10 MEETINGS
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. Section 2-513-10 of the City of Dubuque Code of Ordinances is amended
to read as follows:
2-513-10: MEETINGS:
A. Regular Meetings: The commission must meet quarterly.
B. Special Meetings: Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or at the
written request of a majority of the commissioners.
C. Open Meetings: All meetings must be called and held in conformance with the
Iowa open meetings law.
D. Attendance:
1. In the event a commissioner has been absent for three (3) or more
consecutive meetings of the commission, without being excused by the
chairperson, such absence will be grounds for the commission to recommend to
the city council that the position be declared vacant and a replacement appointed.
2. Attendance must be entered upon the minutes of all meetings.
E. Minutes: A copy of the minutes of all regular and special meetings of the
commission must be filed with the city council within ten (10) working days after each
meeting, or by the next regularly scheduled city council meeting, whichever is later.
F. Quorum: Six (6) commissioners constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business. The affirmative vote of a majority of the commissioners present and voting is
necessary for the adoption of any motion or resolution.
Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect upon publication.
Passed, approved, and adopted this 1st day of November, 2021.
Roy D. W-6I, Mayor
Attest:
Q c�in�rc /I 4 'a")4'
Adrienne Breitfelder, City Clerk
EFFECT OF AMENDMENT
2-513-10: MEETINGS:
A. Regular Meetings: The commission must meet quarterly.
B. Special Meetings: Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or at the
written request of a majority of the commissioners.
C. Open Meetings: All meetings must be called and held in conformance with the
Iowa open meetings law.
D. Attendance:
1. In the event a commissioner has been absent for three (3) or more
consecutive meetings of the commission, without being excused by the
chairperson, such absence will be grounds for the commission to recommend to
the city council that the position be declared vacant and a replacement appointed.
2. Attendance must be entered upon the minutes of all meetings.
E. Minutes: A copy of the minutes of all regular and special meetings of the
commission must be filed with the city council within ten (10) working days after each
meeting, or by the next regularly scheduled city council meeting, whichever is later.
F. Quorum: Six (6) commissioners constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business. The affirmative vote of a majority of the commissioners present and voting is
necessary for the adoption of any motion or resolution.
STATE OF IOWA SS:
DUBUQUE COUNTY
CERTIFICATE OF PUBLICATION
I, Kathy Goetzinger, a Billing Clerk for Woodward
Communications, Inc., an Iowa corporation, publisher
of the Telegraph Herald, a newspaper of general
circulation published in the City of Dubuque, County
of Dubuque and State of Iowa; hereby certify that the
attached notice was published in said newspaper on the
following dates:
11/05/2021
and for which the charge is 25.19
Subscribed to be ore me, a Notary c in and for
Dubuque County, Iowa,
this 5th day of November, 2021
\Q
Notary P6
is in and for Dubuque County, Iowa.
JANET K. PAPE
L
-A' Commiesi on Wum6er 159859
`c"x �,y Comm, Exp. DEC 11, 2022
Ad text : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
ORDINANCE NO. 38-21
AMENDING CITY OF DUBUQUE CODE OF ORDINANCES TITLE 2 BOARDS
AND COMMISSIONS, CHAPTER 5 HOUSING AGENCY AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS, ARTICLE B HOUSING COMMISSIONS,
SECTION 2-5B-10 MEETINGS
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. Section 2-513-10 of the City of Dubuque Code of
Ordinances is amended to read as follows:
2-5B-10: MEETINGS:
A. "Regular Meetings: The commission must meet quarterly.
B. "Special Meetings: Special meetings may be called by the
chairperson or at the written request of a majority of the
commissioners.
C."Open Meetings: All meetings must be called and held in
conformance with the Iowa open meetings law.
D."Attendance:
1. "In the event a commissioner has been absent for three (3)
or more consecutive meetings of the commission, without being
excused by the chairperson, such absence will be grounds for
the commission to recommend to the city council that the
position be declared vacant and a replacement appointed.
2. "Attendance must be entered upon the minutes of all
meetings.
E. "Minutes: A copy of the minutes of all regular and special
meetings of the commission must be filed with the city council
within ten (10) working days after each meeting, or by the
next regularly scheduled city council meeting, whichever is
later.
F."Quorum: Six (6) commissioners constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business. The affirmative vote of a majority of
the commissioners present and voting is necessary for the
adoption of any motion or resolution.
Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect upon
publication.
Passed, approved, and adopted this 1st day of November,
2021.
/s/Roy D. Buol, Mayor
Attest: /&/Adrienne N. Breitfelder,
City Clerk
Published officially in the Telegraph Herald newspaper on
the 5th day of November, 2021.
/s/Adrienne N. Breitfelder, City Clerk
It 11/5