Minutes City Council 2 27 07
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
OFFICIAL
City Council, Special Session, February 27, 2007
Council met in Special Session at 6:30 P.M. in the Library Auditorium
Present: Mayor Buol, Council Members Braig, Cline, Connors, Jones, Lynch, Michalski, City
Manager Van Milligen
Mayor Buol read the call and stated this is a special session of the City Council called for the
purpose of discussing various City departmental budgets and conducting a public hearing on
the CDBG Fiscal Year 2008 Annual Action Plan.
The budgets for the following City departments were discussed: Economic Development
Department, Parking Division, Transit Division, Planning Services Department, and Housing
and Community Development Department.
Economic Development Department: Michalski questioned how the Downtown Rehabilitation
Loan Program pool would be recapitalized. Economic Development Dave Heiar explained that
additional Greater Downtown TIF revenues were added to recapitalize this pool of funds over
four years Fiscal Year 2009 – 2011).
Transit Division: Braig inquired as to the seating capacity on the City’s larger buses, the cost
per passenger to the City and why mini buses were not used on the fixed routes. Transit
Manager Jon Rodocker explained that the large buses have a capacity of 35 with each
passenger trip costing the City approximately $5.00. He further explained that the average fare
paid to the City by passengers is approximately $.65. He stated that mini buses are not used
on fixed routes as the life expectancy of the smaller buses is much shorter and the City
receives more federal/state funding for the larger buses. Michalski commented she was
pleased to see the continued commitment to ADA and the need to continue fixed route service.
She also commented on the marketing approach for the Port of Dubuque and whether more
needed to be done in this area.
Dave Baker, 3055 Castlewood Lane and President of the Teamsters Union, gave a brief
history of how the City has been filling vacant full-time bus operator positions with part-time
employees and requested that the City reverse this policy and return to hiring full-time drivers.
City Manager Van Milligen replied that the City intends to form a labor/management committee
in the Transit area but that he was not ready to commit to transitioning to full-time positions at
this time. Bus Operator Pat Healy spoke of problems in the dispatch area at Keyline and
requested that drivers be used in this office. Bus Operator Wayne Strohmeyer spoke in
support of transitioning to full-time drivers.
Parking Division: Michalski questioned whether the Parking Disability Committee still existed
and requested that Parking Division Manager Tim Horsfield contact the Human Rights
Department for assistance in this area. Jones commented that he was impressed by the
friendly enforcement personnel in the Division.
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Planning Services Department: Connors commented that the past and future
accomplishments of the department were very impressive.
Housing and Community Development Department:
Public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2008 (Program Year 2007) Community Development Block
Grant Annual Action Plan.
Dave Stewart, Vice Chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission, and Keisha
Wainwright, Historic Preservation Commission Member, spoke in support of restoring funds to
the Historic Preservation Rehab Grant Program. Michalski moved to restore funding of the
Historic Preservation Rehab Grant Program to $20,000. Motion died for lack of a second.
Upon motion the public hearing was closed. The remainder of the Housing and Community
Development Department budget was then presented.
Housing and Community Development Manager Davis Harris provided a recap of the
department’s successes over the past year. Michalski stated that although the additional part-
time inspector position had not been recommended for funding that this position should
continue to be looked at for funding in the future.
Joseph Noel, 315 West Locust, thanked the City Council for the assistance received from the
Neighborhood Development Specialist and expressed his concern about the need for additional
inspectors and COP’s in the area.
There being no further business, upon motion meeting adjourned at 9:34 p.m.
/s/ Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC
City Clerk
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