3 4 08 City Council Proceedings Official
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
OFFICIAL
City Council, Special Session, March 4, 2008
Council met in Special Session at 6:30 P.M. in the Historic Federal Building
Present: Mayor Buol, Council Members Braig, Connors, Jones, Lynch, Resnick, Voetberg,
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 Community Development Block Grant Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Action Plan.
The budgets for the following City departments were discussed: Housing and Community
Development Department, Economic Development Department, Parking Division, Transit
Division, Planning Services Department, and Library Department.
Housing and Community Development Department:
Public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2009 (Program Year 2008) Community Development Block
Grant Annual Action Plan. Upon motion the rules were suspended allowing anyone to address
the Council. There were no public comments.
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 David Harris provided a recap of the
department’s successes over the past year, highlighting activities in the Washington
Neighborhood Revitalization project, the purchase of homes associated with the Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project, and the move to the Historic Federal Building.
Penny Ehlinger, AmeriCorps, reviewed activities of the AmeriCorps program.
Eric Schulz, member of the Dubuque Landlord Association, spoke in opposition to the addition
of a full-time inspector in the Housing and Community Development Department and the
increase in the rental dwelling license fee. He stated that housing inspections in Davenport
take an average of 7 ½ minutes compared to the 1 ½ hours it takes in Dubuque. He felt
efficiencies should be made in the Housing Department. Van Milligen explained that the
Inspector position had been approved three months previously and the position has already
been filled. He also stated that the City is meeting on a regular basis with the landlord
association to discuss problems / issues as they arise.
Eric Dregne, Every Child Every Promise, distributed the 2008 Dubuque Community Growth
Chart for Every Child Every Promise and discussed plans for the future of the program.
Economic Development Department: Economic Development Dave Heiar reviewed the past
year’s accomplishments and future initiatives.
Parking Division: Parking Division Manager Tim Horsfield reviewed the enforcement efforts
with regards to parking on the wrong side of the street. He explained the fee increases which
are being recommended. Ann Michalski, 1520 Altura, expressed concern about the rate
increase for the parking ramps and commented that citizens seem to be having problems with
the automated payment system.
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Transit Division: Transit Division Manager Jon Rodocker reviewed the Fiscal Year 2009
budget for the Transit Division. Voetberg commented that the transit system as it currently is
needs to be reviewed and he questioned the use of permanent part-time drivers versus full-
time. Braig expressed the same concern and also that a solution needs to be found regarding
transit. Connors requested regular minutes and updates from First Transit as she feels the City
Council is not kept informed as to what is happening with Keyline.
Braig stated she was very concerned about the practice of putting students off the buses for
misbehaving and not notifying the school and/or parents. She felt it was the City’s
responsibility to make sure the students arrive safely at their destination.
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 that a primarily part-time workforce was not appropriate for the operation. He
questioned why the employees had been told that a part-time transit driver position would
become full-time and then was not recommended in the budget.
Patricia Ralston requested that the City look at extending the hours for Keyline.
Planning Services Department: Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens reviewed the
past and future accomplishments of the department.
Library Department: Library Director Susan Hendricks spoke of the fundraising efforts for the
renovation project and of the various programs being offered at the Library.
There being no further business, upon motion meeting adjourned at 10:21 p.m.
/s/ Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC
City Clerk
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