8 10 10 City Council Proceedings Official_Work Session
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
OFFICIAL
The Dubuque City Council met in Special Session at 5:30 p.m. on August 10, 2010
In the Historic Federal Building.
Present: Mayor Buol, Council Members, Braig, Connors, Jones, Lynch, Resnick, City
Manager Van Milligen, City Attorney Lindahl
Absent: Council Member Voetberg
Mayor Buol read the call and stated this is a special session of the City Council
called for the purpose of conducting a work session to discuss the recommendations of
the Safe Community Task Force.
WORK SESSION
Safe Community Task Force Recommendations
City Manager Van Milligen provided background information regarding the formation
and purpose of the Safe Community Task Force.
Mayor Buol provided a brief explanation of the goal of the work session and
introduced the recommendations for discussion by City Council. City Manager Van
Milligen, Police Chief Mark Dalsing, Housing and Community Development Director
David Harris, Assistant City Attorney Crenna Brumwell, Information Services Manager
Chris Kohlmann and Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens responded to
questions by City Council.
Recommendations
Enforcement
1. Juvenile Curfew Ordinance: Consensus for staff to review and provide a
recommendation.
2. Provide additional resources for the Community Policing Program: Consensus
for staff to provide information through the Police Department’s budget process.
3. Direct Police Department to enforce noise ordinances more aggressively:
Consensus for staff to provide information through the Police Department’s
budget process if additional resources are needed.
4. Direct Police Department to enforce traffic ordinances more aggressively:
Consensus for staff to provide information through the Police Department’s
budget process if additional resources are needed.
5. Give the Safe Community Task Force and Police Department the opportunity to
respond to the Northern Illinois University crime study report and
recommendations due at the end of September which may result in additional
recommendations: Consensus.
6. The Safe Community Task Force recommends its continued existence to monitor
the implementation and progress of its recommendations through quarterly
progress reports from City staff and special meetings as necessary.
The SCTF further recommends that the City Council consider creation of a Safe
Community Commission: To be discussed at the City Council’s Goal Setting
Session.
Housing Code Enforcement
7. Support Landlords in evicting problem tenants for cause: Consensus
8. Mandate that landlords conduct renter background checks using the City’s free
service: Consensus to keep “mandate” but with the option of using the City’s
service.
9. Establish threshold number of complaint calls that will place a problem property
in priority category. Establish polices and processes for immediate response and
resolution of problems involving those properties: Consensus
10. Tie frequency of property inspections to landlord’s history of cooperation with
Code compliance. Establish a threshold number of problem complaints that will
trigger a meeting among the landlord, the tenant, and representatives of the
Housing and Police Department: Consensus
11. Intensify exterior code enforcement efforts: Encourage city employees across
departments to identify and report property code enforcement problems and
establish ways to reward employees: Consensus
12. Create a data clearing house limited to verifiable and factual information that
landlords and tenants can share and reference when making their rental
decisions: Consensus with limitation to factual information.
13. Develop and offer frequent training programs on code enforcement and property
management for all landlords; require all landlords to attend the program; issue
only temporary occupancy permits/licenses until training has been completed:
Consensus with the consideration of testing out.
Section 8 Program
1. Additional SCTF Recommendations:
Increase public understanding; increase participation in effective self-sufficiency
programs; provide increased training to housing commissioners; implement an
Exception Rent Program to avoid concentrated pockets of poverty; strengthen
the role of the Resident Advisory Board; provide community service credits for
participation in self-sufficiency programs; continue to provide resources to
Family Self-Sufficiency programs based upon evidence of success: Consensus
with emphasis on increasing public knowledge and awareness of the program by
enhancing basic information on the City’s web site and using City Channel 8.
Neighborhood Engagement and Social Capital
1. City-Wide Human Relations Effort with the objectives of increasing tolerance and
mutual understanding among the diverse segments of the population and
implementing appropriate measures that safeguard the rights and opportunities
for all: Consensus
2. Develop a Neighborhood Watch Program: Consensus; consider enhanced
anonymous tips programs for residents
3. Increase resident participation using such vehicles as clean-up campaigns,
neighborhood picnics, new neighbor welcome events, and other strategies
developed by residents: Consensus
4. Cultural Competency Training should be offered periodically to businesses and
the community at-large and mandatory for City board/commission members and
staff: Consensus; on-going for staff; staff to recommend mandating for
board/commission members or adding an entry to the application form.
5. Continued support of Human Rights Department; devote resources to human
relations initiatives that promote respect and understanding among residents:
Consensus
6. Support a welcoming program for all new renters/residents through community-
based organizations: Consensus
Management of Physical Environment
1. Install street lights in the middle of the block to brighten up the streets at night
and increase visibility for residents: Consensus
2. Improve Dubuque neighborhoods by a) encouraging home ownership, b)
encourage mixed-income approach to neighborhood development, c) creating a
sense of place through good design and required to meet the City’s
sustainability goals: Consensus
3. Create an ordinance prohibiting the boarding of windows and doors facing
streets: Consensus
4. Develop and enforce policies consistent with the “preservation briefs” to
maintain historic properties: Consensus
5. Increase the number of trash receptacles on the street: Consensus to consider
through the budget process
6. Increase the number of neighborhood clean-ups and educate the community on
city waste disposal polices in an effort to clarify the purpose of neighborhood
clean-up programs: Consensus
Research and Facts
Results from the crime statistics study currently being conducted by Northern Illinois
University will be available in late September.
Recommendations from staff will be submitted to City Council at subsequent
meetings over the next several months.
There being no further business, upon motion the City Council adjourned at 7:45
p.m.
/s/Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC
City Clerk
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