Minutes_Joint Meeting Human Rights, Transit Board, Housing Commission 8 15 11CITY OF DUBUQUE
Human Rights Commission, Transit Advisory Board and Housing Commission
MEETING MINUTES OF
August 15, 2011
Commissioner Stewart called the joint meeting of the Dubuque Human Rights Commission, Transit
Advisory Board and Housing Commission to order at 5:05 p.m. on Monday, August 15, 2011, at
Comiskey Park, 255 E. 24th Street, Dubuque, Iowa.
Roll Call:
Present:
Human Rights Commission
Andrea Beacham
Mike Elliott
RRS Stewart
Regine Ronek
Judie Root
Absent: Anthony Allen, Chair Kurt Hansen
Megan Gloss Mitzi Krey
Staff: Kelly Larson
Roll Call:
Present:
Transit Advisory Board
Matt Esser
R.R.S. Stewart
Absent: Joel Lightcap
Staff: Barbara Morck
Roll Call: Housing Commission
Present: Jim Holz
Amy Eudaley
Regine Ronek
Absent: Dorothy Culbertson
Ricardo Woods
Staff: David Harris
Molly Menster
Rhonda Knight
George Enderson
Gail Kuhle
Dave Kapler
Judie Root
Dorothy Schwendinger
Lisa McAllister
Chris Neyens
Human Rights Commission Report on Response to 2010 Forums:
Commissioner Stewart stated that in April 2010, the DHRC had a Fair Housing Forum where
attendees expressed concerns about disability discrimination; therefore, the DHRC asked the Iowa
Civil Rights Commission to conduct housing testing. The commission is now collaborating with the
Housing Commission on topics. Also last year, in commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the
ADA, the commission held an ADA Forum. Some of the issues addressed at that forum were transit
related. Thus, the Commission partnered with Transit to organize this forum.
Transit Report on Current Events:
Barbara Morck, Jule Manager, expressed appreciation for their participation here today. She stated
that as of August 1 all of the buses in service are new, and that all of them are ADA accessible.
There are two Para transit or minibus service types and 2 fixed route service types. Within the next
week or so the buses will have bike racks again. As of December of last year the Orange route was
taken away and now there is a Med Loop route to take people to the clinic areas, hospitals, YMCA,
DMV in Key West; places they haven't gone in the past. Around October 1 they will receive a grant
for a shopping circulator on the Westside which goes in a figure 8 pattern that allows a rider to shop
at several different places on the route. They are working with the colleges to possibly start up some
night services for at least Friday and Saturday nights. That is still in the planning stages. If it works
out it is going to allow additional service with no cost to the city. They also applied for a grant for
night service to run a route Monday through Saturday beginning next year, depending on when the
grant is received. So they continue to look for creative ideas and input on how to increase services
without increasing the cost to the City.
Public Input:
Staff members Molly Menster and Kelly Larson facilitated the public input and voting. Attendees
were provided information on the following ideas that were collected by the August 8 deadline.
Ideas related to routes:
1. Travel to NICC in Peosta (6 votes)
2. Eliminate stops with minimal usage (0 votes) (comments: don't decrease stops! Increase
them!)
3. Extend route into the City of Asbury (3 votes) (comments: and Rockdale /Cedar
Cross /Radford)
4. Add destinations based on demand (2 votes)
5. Decrease travel time on routes (7 votes)
6. Decrease transfer time between buses (0 votes)
7. Add route on Kane St. from Kaufman to Carter (1 vote)
8. Add stops for zoo, Ham House, Ride on the River, Swimming, Camping, Fishing (3 votes)
(comments: HOT idea — several ways to do this; use trolley)
9. Shorten route from west end to Clarke Drive (0 votes) (comments: Point area to downtown)
10. Add routes in more residential areas (1 vote)
11. Add routes in the Cedar Cross Area (3 votes)
Ideas related to hours:
12. Extend Saturday hours into evening (4 votes) (comments: also Friday evenings)
13. Add Sunday service during church hours (7 votes) (comments: also shopping hours; nights)
14. Add buses after 6:00 p.m. (12 votes) (comments: great resource for employment
transportation)
15. Extend morning hours for 7:00 a.m. work arrival (1 vote)
16. Extend Mall service until after closing time (1 vote)
17. Add Sunday service (3 votes) (comments: all day)
18. Staff phones for public until last bus returns (1 vote)
peak Extend eak a.m. and p.m. hours for work and cover cost by reducing midday service (22
votes) comments: this is most feasible — it will incorporate #14 and #15; decreasing stops will
hurt in the end) WINNER!!!
Ideas related to shelters:
20. Fix broken bench at Eagle on Elm (0 votes) (comments: who do you call for prompt repair ?)
21. Add shelter or bench at Kerper & Fengler (3 votes) (comments: shelters at all major stops)
22. Keep cement pads at stops clear of ice and snow (1 vote) (comments: and have cement pads
at front and back entrances and exits of buses)
23. Stop at JFK and Marywood needs sidewalks (1 vote) (comments: who do you call about
sidewalks? Does City code require sidewalks in new subdivisions? Passengers could carry
large, white shiny card to flag bus driver to stop in areas where sidewalks limited)
24. Encourage property owners next to bus stops to clear ice and snow from the pedestrian area
near the stop so there is "safe and dry" boarding (4 votes) (comments: kind of "adopt your
stop" emphasis; encourage neighborhood to do this)
Ideas related to marketing:
25. Designate routes by district instead of color (6 votes) (comments: shapes instead of colors —
colors not good for color - blindness; when all done making changes, mail to residents with
pictures of bus; have three description names for routes — color, number, name; directional
arrows on maps would help; put store names above bus map directions so people know
where the stops are for times it arrives)
26. Provide City tours using the buses (0 votes) (comments: maybe Sunday afternoons —
introduction to community)
27. Feature one route each week in the Sunday paper (7 votes) (comments:
Miscellaneous Ideas:
28. Improve bus maintenance (3 votes) (comments: air conditioner sprays passengers; have up
to date maintenance)
29. Offer reduced cost or free rides to medical facilities /appointments (1 vote) (comments: reduce
costs; Medicare is 1/2 fare)
Attendees generated the following additional ideas throughout the evening:
• Add a route to Arboretum for concert Sundays
• Make City Council Members ride the bus so they really understand
• For marketing — have everything on internet, flyers, put but routes in phone book, have a
dedicated sole website for routes
• Add stops at Staples, Walgreens
• Add seat belts for younger kids
• Flip out to board and unboard — steps too high and harder to get on the bus.
• Have a pull cord to stop on demand
• Fix Delhi — broken glass shelter and sweep the glass up
• More shelters — some people need to stay out of the sun
• Need buses for sales — 4 to midnight times for holiday shopping
• Put maps at major bus stops (laminate it onto glass like in other cities) and hours of routes
• Have additional service during high school sporting events
• Have route maps available at schools
• Have buses run special routes for community events
• Advertise stops with bigger signs
• Taxing district
• Increase public /private partnerships
• App to follow buses
• Two bus garages — East side and West side (full last routes)
• Executive decision - makers must ride the bus — each of them alone without help and ride
every route once in summer and once in winter
• Availability of monthly passes all over town
• Rides to Eagle Point, Murphy parks — weekends and special events like lights at night at
Murphy
• Stops for Menards, Theisen's and Hobby Lobby
• Do public relations outreach to baby boomers to get them riding (environment, connection,*
etc.)
• Rides to Dyersville, Farley, Epworth
• Have all buses for each direction at same time at each trans. point
Attendees then proceeded to a vote. Kelly Larson explained that all ideas collected, whether the
evening of the forum or previously, will be provided to Transit staff for consideration as they work to
create the best ways to meet public need within the resources allocated.
Final Action on Public Submissions:
The winning entry, with 22 votes, was submitted by Kelli Miller. Commissioner Elliott moved to award
the one month transit pass to Kelli Miller. Seconded by Commissioner Beacham. All in favor.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Commissioner Elliott. Second by Commissioner Root. All in favor. The
meeting of the Human Rights Commission adjourned at 6:40 PM.
Minutes approved as submitted:
Minutes approved as corrected: