Minutes_Safe Community Advisory Committee 12 14 11Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
W07
MINUTES
CITY OF DUBUQUE SAFE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REGULAR SESSION
6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Bunker Hill Golf Course, 2200 Bunker Hill Road
Committee Members Present: Chairperson Doug Stilling; Committee Members
Amanda Elkins, Ann Ernst, Anthony Allen, Rachel Daack, Diane Callahan and Susan
Stork.
Committee Members Excused: Committee Members Mary Rae Bragg, Jonathan
Cheatham.
Staff Members Present: Michael Van Milligen, Jerelyn O'Connor, Crenna Brumwell,
Mark Dalsing, David Harris and Kelly Larson.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Doug Stilling at
6:00 p.m.
CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE: Staff verified that the meeting was being held in
compliance with the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Ann Ernst recommended correction of the November 9,
2011 minutes as follows: instead of stating committee will recommend continuation for
one more year, it will state "Committee will continue discussion about their continuation
at their December meeting." Motion by Amanda Elkins, seconded by Susan Stork, to
approve the minutes of November 9, 2011, as corrected, passed unanimously.
ACTION ITEMS
Presentation on Status of Landlord Accountability and Landlord/Tenant Issues
By Crenna Brumwell and David Harris
® Support in evicting for cause: two provisions added to City Code regarding clear
and present danger or disorderly house under public nuisance ordinance.
® Background checks in place as of July 1 — takes only about five minutes to get
the report and Landlords happy with that. Currently free to landlords if use City
service. Doing check is mandatory, but they can choose another service within
certain parameters.
® Forms and release for tenant database up and running since last week and
landlord can choose to provide factual and verifiable information to City. Asking
landlords to also provide positive information on good tenants. This information
stored at Police Department and released to Landlords in conjunction with
Minutes — Safe Community Advisory Committee
December 14, 2011
Page 2
background checks. If tenants want to view background check, they can - cannot
get copy. Tenants also permitted to dispute what is in tenant database.
Crime free multihousing, also mandatory, now being offered to all Landlords.
Should be completed within three years. Training has been expanded and
updated. Also, over lunch, various agencies /resources for Landlords and their
tenants available. Some legal research is being done by Crenna regarding the
requirement to publish information on Landlords with code violations.
David Harris provided written summary of Housing Department progress on
recommendations. We now have assisted living options for Section 8 recipients,
which was not available in Dubuque before.
Rachel Daack asked how worried we are about displacement of individuals who,
for example, cannot get a Section 8 voucher or who have a criminal history of
any sort — whether any concern about that.
Crenna Brumwell explained City teaches Landlords how to create reasonable
policies on criminal checks and clarified Landlords get to choose what the policy
will be for their properties and how it is applied. City does not dictate the policy
for any Landlord.
Regarding homelessness, David Harris indicated there are two programs that
exist through Project Concern. Rachel Daack indicated there are more children
homeless this year in the schools according to information she has received.
Status of Section 8 HUD Audit
® Nothing has been received on the HUD audit.
Telegraph Herald "I'm a DBQer" Series
® Doug Stillings met with team from Telegraph Herald and they provided concepts.
Ultimately, what it comes down to is where the funding will come from.
Telegraph Herald has agreed to one -to -one match for each ad purchased. One -
third of a page is $1,320 and that is needed to run one, so need approximately
$8,000 to run six paid ads matched by six free from Telegraph Herald. Doug
asked for funding ideas.
® Suggestions Included: Mike Van Milligen suggested writing letter to Greater
Dubuque Development Corporation, Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce,
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and the City of Dubuque seeking
funds. Susan Stork suggested adding Women's Giving Circle. Amanda Elkins
indicated could ask businesses to sponsor, but keep that on back burner
Minutes — Safe Community Advisory Committee
December 14, 2011
Page 3
because of negative fallout on businesses in the past for getting involved in
diversity issues.
Discussion of Presentation to City Council
® Rachel Daack and Doug Stillings developed draft report to City Council and it had
to be turned in this week, but there is still time to amend or withdraw it. Opened
for discussion. Mike indicated Barry drafted an ordinance to continue for another
year with current people being reappointed.
® Ann Ernst expressed concern about time and expense to City with staff member
presence. Also City has taken the recommendations in hand and is moving
forward. She suggested committee be clear on goals and expectations for
selves for another year. Discussion followed, noting that some
recommendations have not been enacted yet, so continuation makes sense and
the issues continue to be sensitive in the community.
® Susan Storck suggested amendments to the draft include adding details of
number of meetings and specific locations where held; also add each place a
member spoke. Second, specify degree to which crime rate has decreased.
Mark Dalsing will update the crime rate summary sheet with statistics to attach.
® Examples of speaking engagements by members: Lions, Sertoma, Point
Neighborhood, Rotary Club.
® Draft should also include an attachment of the two -sided sheet with list of
recommendations and sheet from Mark Dalsing on crime statistics.
® City staff will make changes requested.
® Amanda Elkins moved to present the draft and attachments, as amended by
staff, to City Council at the December 19, 2011 meeting. Anthony Allen
seconded. All in favor.
Review Point -by -Point the Recommendations from the Task Force and Vote If
Appropriate Action Has Been Taken
® Ann Ernst deferred her point -by -point discussion to a future meeting, if there is
one.
Formal Vote if Committee Should Request Continuation for Another Year
® This agenda item was resolved by approval of the report discussed above, in
which this recommendation is explicitly made
Minutes — Safe Community Advisory Committee
December 14, 2011
Page 4
ADJOURNMENT: Motion to Adjourn made by Diane Callahan and seconded by Rachel
Daack. All in favor
Respectfully submitted,
F: \USERS \ctymgrs \Safe Community Advisory Committee \Minutes \SCAC Minutes December 14 2011.doc