This meeting of the Cedar Rapids City Council will come to order.

Welcome everybody to the City of Cedar Rapids City Council meeting for Tuesday, October 7th, 2025.

I want to welcome our city manager, our city clerk, and our acting city attorney.

And thanks to city staff for attending and being available to us.

Reminder in the audience to please turn off any cell phones or electronic devices that might interrupt this meeting.

Please note that all city council meeting agendas, minutes, and videos are available on our city's website.

Regular sessions are also available to watch live and on replay via our Facebook live.

We'll begin now with an invocation by public safety chaplain Sam Anderson, followed immediately by our Pledge of Allegiance.

And as a note, the council will be facing our American flag, which is now in the back of the gallery.

Thank you, Mayor, City Council members, city staff, and also the citizens of this great place that we call home.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, God, we thank you for this day.

God, we thank you that you have provided us with our life, our breath, and our very being.

God, everything we have and everything we are comes from you.

God, we pray today for safety.

God, we are thankful for the opportunity to voice opinions and freely express ideas.

And Father, we pray for wisdom and discernment to make decisions for the good of all.

Thank God for the flourishing of this place we call home.

Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Hi, team.

Come on over here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

We really appreciate all the work you do every day on behalf of our community.

So thank you very much.

Okay, this is a proclamation, whereas change is constant and affects all cities, towns, suburbs, countries, and other places.

Whereas community planning and plans help manage this change in a way that provides better choices for how people live, work, and play.

And whereas community planning provides an opportunity for all residents to be meaningfully involved in making choices that determine the future of their community.

And whereas the full benefits of planning requires public officials and community members who understand, support, and demand excellence in planning and plan implementation.

And whereas Community Planning Month is an opportunity to highlight how planning is essential for growth, revitalization, and recovery, and how planners can lead communities to a more safe, resilient, equitable, and prosperous outcomes.

Whereas the celebration of community planning month gives us an opportunity to publicly recognize the participation and dedication of members of the planning commissions and other resident planners who have contributed their time and expertise to the improvement of our city.

Therefore, I and Poe, on behalf of Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell, and the entire Cedar Rapids City Council do hereby proclaim October 25th as community planning month and recognize the many valuable contributions, contributions made by planners of the city of Cedar Rapids and to extend our heartfelt thanks for the continued commitment to public service by these professionals.

And yes, you guys do an amazing job.

So thank you.

Um as director of community planning, um, just again, so uh wonderful to be in a community that values planning from our city manager to all of our council members, the support we get, um, as well as all of the volunteers and the people that come to our open houses, people in the community that really have pride and ownership in this community.

So again, um, we are so thankful to be in Cedar Rapids.

Thanks.

Thanks, everybody.

Okay, we'll move on to our public hearings.

I remind everybody who wishes to speak today, whether during a public comment period um or during this public hearing or during our other public comment periods today of a few matters that we need to have to ensure an orderly meeting for all of us.

Um, first a reminder to um remain at the lectern.

If you have any documents you want to share with us, give them to the officer and he'll uh make sure that we get them here at the dais.

Um have five minutes per speaker, and there are a couple of lights on there.

When you see the light turn yellow, that indicates you have one minute.

And when it turns red, we'll invite you to take your seat once again.

And then third, please be aware that all comments must be directed to the matter of the public hearing since this is the public hearing section, and that abusive, obscene, loud, threatening or relevance comments will not be allowed.

And we do need to hold an orderly meeting.

So we're gonna ask of no waving of signs or disruption like that from the audience.

Um, we'll ask ask for no applause, cheering, or booing that might disrupt um from the meeting for the rest of us here.

So we thank you in advance for that.

Does the clerk have any written comments or objections in regard to any of the items on our public hearing or our agenda?

Yeah, your honor, there were no written comments or objections filed.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you.

Moving on, item number one.

This is a public hearing to consider the disposition of city owned property at 1222 20th Avenue Southwest as part of the saving properties and revitalizing communities program.

Jeff Boisencraft is here.

Jeff, I'll recognize you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Coupled resolutions today as a part of the saving properties and revitalizing communities program to authorize uh the disposition and execution of purchase agreements.

Uh this one's for 1222 20th Avenue Southwest.

Um, as a reminder about the SPARC program uh that was adopted by city council in 2023 as a collaboration amongst several departments in the city and then also with the Lynn County Treasurer's Office as well to support the redevelopment of vacant and abandoned properties and put them back to productive use.

Um here is an aerial image of the property at hand here.

Wilson Avenue Southwest would be just to the south of this image here, and then sixth street southwest would be over here to the east.

Uh so some facts on the property is placarded and has been vacant since 2021.

It was acquired using the vacant and abandoned chapter of state code.

Uh the house was demolished after acquisition due to safety hazards.

Uh the disposition as part of the SPARC program.

The disposition is only eligible to uh nonprofit affordable housing developers.

Um we received one proposal from the Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity for the construction of a single new unit home.

And per the purchase agreement, um, if approved, the project should commence within six months.

Here is an image of a proposed home.

This is actually one that they acquired with the SPARC program last year.

And with that, staff would recommend the accepting of the proposal by Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity authorizing the execution of purchase purchase agreement and conveyance of deed.

That'll pass it back to the mayor.

Thank you, Jeff.

This is time and a place for public hearing on this matter.

Does anyone here wish to address council?

All right, let the record show.

Public hearing has been held with no objections for the record.

Council.

Councilman Van Ordy.

Yeah, thanks, Mayor.

I just want to again celebrate the same team we just got done uh issuing a proclamation for um at the Iowa League of Cities.

We were talking about this exact thing and just how it's it's such a dynamic uh best practice to put more housing and use the spaces that already exist instead of having urban sprawl.

So I really appreciate I know it's quite a bit of effort to go into this and see the project through, but really appreciate um you putting life literally back into these uh abandoned properties.

So thank you.

Anyone else?

All right.

Uh seeing no further questions, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by Councilmember Scott Olson, seconded by uh Councilmember Todd.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

Thank you.

Item number two is a public hearing to consider the disposition of city-owned property at 1238 N Street Southwest as a part of the saving properties and revitalizing communities program.

Jeff, I'll recognize you again.

Thank you, Mayor Jeff Wolzencraft Community Development.

Uh, another resolution here.

Um, so again, this is part of the saving property and revitalizing communities program.

We'll go through all of this again in detail, the aerial image here, just a block um to the east of the city services center and to the west of Interstate 380.

Um so this parcel, 1238 N Street Southwest was placarded in 2024 after fire left the property on inhabitable.

Um, the property owners are any relation to the property owners were unable or unwilling to rehab the structure.

And as a result, uh the city required it using the vacant and abandoned chapter of state code.

Again, the house was demolished after acquisition due to safety hazards.

So again, uh this was issued with through an RFP to affordable housing uh nonprofit developers.

We received one proposal from Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity for the construction of a new single unit home.

Uh and again, if approved, the project should commence within six months.

So again, similar um proposed project.

Uh this is a the same property over on the northwest side.

Um, with that uh city staff would recommend accepting a proposal from Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity and authorizing the execution of a purchase agreement and conveyance of the deed.

With that, I'll pass it back to the mayor.

Thanks, Jeff.

This is the time and a place for a public hearing on this item.

Does anyone here wish to address council?

Let the record show public hearing has been held with no objections for the record.

Council.

Any additional comments?

Councilmember Meyer.

Thank you, Mayor.

Jeff, can you provide any insight as to why only one bid was received for both of these properties?

I just want to understand if there's any obstacles that are in place that would prevent other nonprofits who perform similar work from forbidding on these uh spaces.

So, as part of the saving properties and revitalizing communities program, we've worked with the uh eligible nonprofit affordable housing developers to present the program.

Um and they have well also conveyed that um time is of the essence with this program given that these are uh abandoned and vacant properties.

We want them to be redeveloped as quickly as possible.

Um so uh collaboration on their end has been vital to ensuring that they have the capacity in the next coming year to construct uh properties.

Um, and if for these two uh Cedar Valley uh Habitat for Humanity has said and demonstrated that they have the capacity to uh construct two new properties this coming construction year.

Anyone else?

All right, seeing no nothing further, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by Todd, seconded by Van Orney.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Item number three is a public hearing to consider the proposed plan, specifications, form of a contract, and estimated cost for the reconstruction of Jackland Drive Northwest from Midway Drive Northwest to E Avenue Northwest.

This has an estimated project cost of 1,480,000.

And Doug Wilson is here.

Doug, I'll recognize you.

Thank you, Mayor Doug Wilson, public works department.

This project includes full reconstruction of the pavement, water and sewer service improvements, new storm through throughout the length of the project, a new bus pad, and 80A sidewalk ramp improvements.

A public meeting was held with the neighborhood on December 3rd, 2024.

The engineer's opinion of probable cost for this is 1,480,000.

The bid opening is scheduled for October 22nd, and construction will start in the spring of 2026 with completion in the fall of 2026.

Public works department recommends approval of the resolution.

Thank you.

Thanks, Dad.

This is a time and a place for public hearing on this matter.

Does anyone here wish to address council?

Let the record show public hearing has been held with no objections for the record.

Council.

All right, seeing nothing.

The adoption of this resolution has moved by Van Orney, seconded by Poe.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries thank you.

Item number four is a public hearing to consider the proposed plan specifications, form of contract, and estimated cost for the generators one and five control panel isolation at the CEMS replacement project.

This has an estimated cost of 1,130,000.

Dave Wellis, Cassie Meyer, I'll recognize you both.

Thank you, Mayor.

Dave Wallace with the utilities department.

Um I'm simply here to introduce Casey Meyer, who is the project manager for this project.

Thank you.

This project is for electrical and controls upgrades to the water pollution control facility.

The first is for two medium voltage isolation switches installed on the backup power generation electrical distribution system.

This will allow safe and efficient system isolation in support of generator maintenance activities.

The second is a continuous emissions monitoring system or CEMS for the incinerator effluent stack.

The current monitoring system has reached the end of its useful life and is no longer supported by the manufacturer.

The engineer's opinion of probable cost for this project is $1,130,000.

Bids will be opened on October 22nd with construction expected to begin this December and continue until April of 2027.

The utilities department recommends approval of the resolution for this project.

And with that, I'll turn it back to you, Mayor.

Thank you, Casey.

This is the time and a place for a public hearing on this item.

Does anyone here wish to address council?

All right, let the record show a public hearing has been held with no objections for the record.

Council.

All right.

Seeing no further questions, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by Poe, seconded by Overland.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Here in the city of Cedar Rapids, we have two public comment periods.

This first one is an opportunity for the public to address the city council on any subject pertaining to city council action scheduled for today.

A second public input period comes at the end of our meeting for residents, property owners, and business owners in Cedar Rapids to speak on issues that are germane to the city but may not necessarily be on our agenda today.

Council members and city staff uh are always always available by phone or email, but at this time during public comment, we are here as a council to listen.

Uh remember that all the matters I addressed prior to the first public hearing today apply to these uh public comment periods as well.

Remain at the lectern.

If you have documents you wish to share, get them to the officer who'll get them to us.

Comments are limited to five minutes as speaker, and all comments should be directed to the matter you wish to address.

And abusive, obscene, irrelevant comments uh won't be allowed.

And we also ask for no um participation or disruption from the audience today as well.

If you've signed up to speak, we'll ask you to approach the microphone when called upon.

And I'm just gonna simply call these in the order that they are listed.

And it looks like for this first public comment period, we have one speaker here.

Um, Dimitri.

Um I'm gonna mispronounce your last name.

So Dimitri's here to speak on item number 30.

I'll ask you to come to the podium, please.

Dimitri Nikolev.

Right over here.

Yeah, that tall microphone there.

I I didn't really have anything to say.

I was just here for item number 30.

So I was just told to put my name down in case there was any questions or anything.

So noted.

Yeah, thank you.

All right.

Well, that was all we had for that for that first public comment period.

So that will officially close out that portion of our meeting today.

City Manager Pomerance, do you have any changes to our agenda?

No changes, Your Honor.

Do any council members need to recuse themselves on any agenda items or make changes?

Mayor.

Yes.

Thank you.

I'm gonna recuse myself on consent agenda item number 15.

Okay.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

All right.

That brings us for a motion to approve the agenda.

The approval of the agenda has been moved by Overland, seconded by councilmember Tyler Olson.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

That brings us to our consent agenda.

The approval of the consent agenda has been moved by council member Tyler Olson.

Seconded by Councilmember Hager.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

We'll move on to our uh regular agenda set for today.

Um, item number 30.

Presentation resolution authorizing city financial incentives under the targeted district reinvestment economic development program.

This is for a housing project at 918 8th Street Southeast, as requested by Rosa Holds LLC, an entity of Grace Gutenkop.

Scott Mather is here.

Scott, I'll recognize you.

Thank you, Mayor and Council.

Scott Mather with the city manager's office.

We received a request from Rosa Holds LLC, an entity of Grace Gutenkop for standard financial incentives for housing redevelopment project at 918 8th Street Southeast.

Project qualifies under the targeted district reinvestment economic development program.

The previous home was demolished and the lot is currently vacant.

This is a $730,000 investment for the construction of three market rate rental units, one single family home, one attached uh accessory dwelling unit, and one detached ADU with a two-stall detached garage.

Construction would commence here in December of 2025, complete by June of 26th.

The city standard incentive provides a tenure 100% rebate of the increased taxes generated.

An estimated 77,000 would be generated over a 10-year period, of which 62,000 would be rebate rebated.

Here's a map showing the location of the property.

We got eight street here and then eighth avenue along to the left.

And this is the current status of the property.

And the next couple are just renderings of what it would look like once it's complete.

So today we're here to consider the resolution of support.

If approved uh in November, I would work to amend the urban renewal area and bring a development agreement back to council.

Without a return back to you, Mayor.

All right.

Thank you, Scott.

Council.

Questions?

Councilmember Poe.

Thank you.

Could you go back to the map, Scott, please?

Um so there's an alley.

Is there an alley behind this?

Yes.

Okay, great.

Thank you for clarifying that.

All right.

Thank you.

All right.

Anyone else?

Okay.

If there's nothing further, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by Councilmember Hager, seconded by Councilmember Meyer.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

That brings us to ordinances.

Um item number 31 is an ordinance vacating portions of B Street, 17th Avenue, 19th Avenue, and 20th Avenue, and associated alleys generally bound by A Street and C Street between 18th Avenue and 21st Avenue Southwest.

Uh the adoption of this ordinance on its third reading has been moved by Councilmember Meyer, seconded by Councilmember Scott Olson.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Item number 32 is an ordinance renaming 16th Avenue Southeast from the Fifth Street Southeast, 16th Avenue Southeast Roundabout to 10th Street Southeast to Fifth Street Southeast.

The adoption of this ordinance on its third reading has been moved by Councilmember Scott Olsen, seconded by Councilmember Todd.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Item number 33 is the ordinance renaming the private portion of XL Drive Northeast, which runs east-west between Fountains Drive and North South public portion of XL Drive to Reserveway Northeast as requested by the fountains.

The adoption of this ordinance on its third reading has been moved by Todd, seconded by Van Orney.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you.

Item number 34 is an ordinance amending chapter 5 of the municipal code, city officials, and chapter 6, city administration to permit the use of a digital city seal on official documents.

The approval of this ordinance on its second reading has been moved by Van Orney, seconded by Overland.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

Councilmember Poe.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move the role requiring three readings on three different days be suspended and the ordinance be adopted on its third and final reading.

The adoption of this ordinance on its third and final reading has been moved by Poe, seconded by Councilmember Tyler Olson.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

And that will close out our formal business today and bring us to our final public input period.

This is a chance for Cedar Rapids residents, property owners, and businesses to address the city council on any subject pertaining to council business.

If you're not a resident, a property owner or business owner, you will not be um allowed to speak, but we encourage you to email or call council members and city staff with your comments.

As with the earlier public comment period, at this time we're here as a council to listen.

I'll remind everybody to remain at the lectern.

Comments are limited to five minutes.

And again, we ask for no abusive, obscene, loud, threatening personal comments or uh distractions from the gallery today.

If you've signed up to speak, please approach the microphone when called upon.

And I'm just gonna once again call in the order that I have here in front of me.

And our first speaker is Frank Knighty.

And this is on ICE.

It is.

Uh good afternoon, Frank Knighty here.

Thank you for having this open forum.

Um I'm a retired attorney.

I practiced here in Cedar Rapids from 1983 to 2002, and I was actually city attorney in Mount Vernon uh for 10 years.

And the meetings were had many fewer items on them, and uh, but I do have some familiarity with the with city law and uh city councils.

So I'm here today to permit I understand that there may be there may have been an application for there may be an application for a permit to obstruct uh public right-of-way territory in front of the ICE office on Square D Avenue Southwest.

If that is being considered, I want to speak in opposition to it.

Um I oppose it because uh I think that any well I was out there this morning, and I think I saw a uh council member uh David Meyer out there, maybe this morning and and also another day.

Um it appears that there's some uh tape put up at the possible location of a fence.

Um I oppose granting that uh because I think it would be in violation of the First Amendment.

The first amendment requires before any speech can be restricted by a government, including the city.

There are three things have to be considered.

One is any regulation has to be content neutral.

I don't think that's an issue here.

The second thing is it has to be a significant public interest.

I don't think that's an issue here.

In fact, I appreciate very much the Department of Human or of uh not human services, but um homeland, homeland security.

Um apparently following procedure and applying for a permit.

I appreciate that.

I appreciate the concern that they probably have or no doubt have for public safety and and um order.

And I know you all have a concern for public safety and order, and that's motivating all of you, I'm very sure.

Um I don't think there's any real issue there.

But the question then is whether the proposed regulation is narrowly tailored to meet the purpose.

I was out there a week ago and I spoke with Agent Maddox of the Department of Homeland Security.

He told me that the reason that they want to put uh they wanted to keep us back away from the building was that two months prior to that, so now two and a half months ago, a couple of vehicles attempted to block the exit of a vehicle from the rear.

Now a fence in the front of the building doesn't have anything to do with what happened in the past in the rear.

To my knowledge, there have been no incidents in the front of the building that involved any real disruption.

So I don't think a fence is really needed there.

The demonstrations that I've been to, which have been four or five of them, have all been very peaceful.

I don't think there have been any confrontations of any kind that I know of.

So I would urge you to consider all of that.

So the reason that they're applying for it, I I would just ask you to push them on what is what is your reason and why isn't the current situation sufficient.

I believe also that the two organizations that have been involved in in helping to organize these um protests, the Scuchami Vos from Iowa City and the Catholic Worker House have been very diligent about contact with the federal authorities and perhaps with the city authorities as well.

So I'm just here to urge really, I mean, the bottom line for me is that I noted this down, the proposed fence would be a semi-permanent solution to something that is not even a temporary problem.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Eileen Chang Mattis.

Again, feel free to correct my pronunciation here to speak on ICE.

Yeah.

That was very good.

Thank you very much.

Uh I appreciate and want to say thank you for this opportunity to address you all, and I um some of you may not have been out there in the mornings when we've had these supportive presences, but I I do appreciate, I believe that council member Meyer was, and thank you for that.

For taking the time to look.

I uh I'm very concerned about the proposed fence for a couple of reasons.

One, which I think is the one I hear most commonly stated is that it seems to be an attempt to uh uh minimize or or push back against or to curtail free expression by keeping people away from the publicly owned right of way.

And I I too would really affirm that free expression is is a constitutional right of all citizens, but I would hate to have it just stop there.

We talk about the right to information, freedom of information.

It really does seem as though the yellow tape, the refusal to allow uh uh an individual or a uh translator, uh an interpreter into the building, that what we're also seeing, and now a fence to hold people as far back as possible.

It also really seems like an attempt not to have people fully able to observe what is happening.

And I would say that it's not only a citizen's right, it's our obligation to be paying attention.

And a fence that is whether it is opaque or whether it is just positioned so that so that there is far less ability to fulfill that obligation is very much a concern to me.

Another concern is that it goes further than what's already been done to broadcast a message that somehow the people who are required to enter this building are evil or dangerous, are a threat.

And I I don't think that that's a fair characterization.

And I think that it's not only it, it's it's a grievously unfair characterization, and it's deeply hurtful.

And so I think to put up a fence like that, it's not like a fence.

I I heard someone say, well, there are fences around here.

It's a semi-industrial area.

It's not a fence that's like designed to keep people away from where there are strong electrical currents or something like that.

It's I don't see how it's really keeping anybody safer inside that building.

They've been peaceful.

I don't even like to call them process, they've been supportive presence statements.

It's not there, it's not needed for safety, and I think it's incendiary.

If if you don't want people responding to something as though it were the best deal, don't build up that kind of a visual presence either.

So those are my reasons for being deeply concerned about this fence.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Nell Marie Bar uh Murray Barrios here to speak on ICE.

Hello, my name is Nell Marie Barrios.

I live on Franklin Avenue in Cedar Rapids, and I'm here today as an increasingly concerned citizen, and I'm seeking clarification and reassurance from the mayor and members of city council regarding your relationship with ICE and your commitment to protecting the Cedar Rapids community.

Every time I visit the Department of Homeland Security office here in Cedar Rapids, there is a long line of people anxiously awaiting their appointments with their necessary documents in hand and oftentimes with their family there in support.

These people are doing what they're told to do in the hopes that they will be allowed to remain in their neighborhood among the community they have familiarized themselves with and grown to support and rely on.

And rightfully so.

They know they hold no power in that building, and their lives can be uprooted at any moment.

We know that ICE has been lying to people.

They're legally allowed to.

They are giving people two options self-deport or prison time.

It used to be that those who entered had supports, as they could invite a trusted family or a friend who could translate for them, but that has greatly changed in recent months.

Did you know that the DHS office no longer allows any translators or accompaniments?

The only entry allowed other than the appointment attendee is their lawyer.

I am here to tell you that not everyone has guaranteed access to a lawyer in time for their appointments.

It is also the case that most lawyers are not skilled translators.

Since the denial of accompaniments, I have personally seen more people get detained at their appointments.

Perhaps their lawyer didn't show up and they were tricked into signing away their rights because we know that ICE lies to people, or perhaps they did not understand orders given to them.

We do not have any idea because nobody is allowed inside with them.

We are watching people disappear right in front of us, and this is deplorable.

I have personally asked an officer on what grounds the facility has the jurisdiction to deny individuals these rights, to which he replied that because it is a private building, not public, that the building owner has a right to deny additional entry if they wish.

So I have to ask to do private building rights override human rights, or was I lied to?

Do you intend to address this issue?

This is happening in your community, and these are your residents who are suffering.

To make matters worse, these people are then transported to the Lynn County jail where they are still confused and unsure of what to do as there are no translators available, and their families are too fearful to even visit or make contact, because in many cases they are now a single parent living in fear.

This is not acceptable to me, and it should not be to you.

We are one in six counties in the whole state of Iowa that rents out cells to ICE.

So why are we obligated to cooperate with them?

The county receives around 140 dollars a day for each inmate house, whether or not you're in agreement with the actions of ICE.

There's a lack of transparency from the council.

For example, one member of this council has personally reassured I and other members of this community that CRPD in Cedar Rapids itself does not cooperate with ICE.

But how can this be true when Cedar Rabbids allows ICE to continue their activity inside city limits?

How can this be true if you are silent in times of injustice?

I ask that you please remember the commitment you have made to your community, the people who have elected you, especially if you're reconsidering re-election, and do your part to protect us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I asked for no disruption from the audience.

Thank you so much.

Moving on now to Jesse Lent here to speak on ICE.

I'm Pastor Jesse Lint.

I'm the pastor of Hope United Church of Christ in Hiawatha, and I live on 29th Street North in Cedar Rapids.

I have attended many of the ICE accompaniments, and our main concern is about uh the proposed fence, and we're afraid that it's going to block off access for those there to be in solidarity with the immigrants that are checking in.

And we want to ensure people's First Amendment rights are not violated.

We're also concerned uh with the public right-of-way, public uh the lawn.

We've have a portion of the lawn, but my understanding is there's a bigger portion of the lawn that's still considered uh public right away that uh the protesters should have.

And so we asked that you reopen the public law, uh, protect our community's constitutional and freedom rights, and we call on the council to reject any fence on a public right-of-way, hold a public hearing before approving any permits.

And we invite you to attend a protective accompaniment to see firsthand what's happening in our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Brittany Henry.

This is a severe issue and dare I say, crisis that we are experiencing.

We are up a s up against a system that is trying to silence whistleblowers, those that are being systematically oppressed by the same systems that were established to help them.

It is retaliation against those speaking out against all the things they want to keep hidden behind closed doors, from illegally removing children from their parents, to tampering and withholding evidence, to lack of adequate adequate legal representation, to the right to a fair and speedy trial, to gang stalking.

There has been lengths taken and strategically placed to deny the citizens their freedoms and liberties, their rights given to them as citizens of the United States of America.

Every city, state, government, and federal official, when they are sworn in has to take an oath of office that swears to faithfully uphold, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.

The Constitution was shaped and drafted by God-oriented worldview by a God-oriented worldview based on inconsistent with the Bible.

In fact, the Bible itself was a strong direct influence on founding era Americans who drafted and ratified the Constitution.

The Constitution opens with, we the people of the United States of America.

We, the people means all the people of the United States of America.

It should not be based on social and or financial status, criminal history, current circumstances, or anything except them being a citizen of the United States of America.

Romans 13 calls for obedience to legitimate authority, but that doesn't mean Christians should passively accept injustice.

They should strive to obey the law, be good citizens, and actively seek to influence influence the government to act justly, but not at the expense of God's commands.

Micah 6.8 states, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.

Amos 515 states, hate evil, love good, maintain justice in the courts.

Isaiah 61.8 states, for I the Lord love justice.

I hate robbery and wrongdoing.

Justice at its core is the concept of moral rightness and fairness, encompassing how individuals and societies are treated.

It involves ensuring that everyone is treated equally and that the law is applied consistency and that the consequences for actions are appropriate and deserved.

This includes both legal and moral dimensions.

Leviticus 1915 says do not pervert justice, do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

Instead of maintaining justice, mercy, and faithfulness, we have removed the Ten Commandments from courthouses and city halls.

We have encouraged and supported false witness testimonies, have acquitted the guilty, have wrongfully convicted the innocent and denied them justice.

We oppress the innocent while promoting the guilty.

We have gone against God's law, which our Constitution was designed and drafted by, and have made laws that give immunity to judicial and city officials of being held accountable and charged for violating the constitutional rights of its citizens, laws that aren't even backed by the Constitution itself, which is going against the very thing our nation, its laws, its principles, and its morals were drafted on.

The Constitution.

Edward Snowden said, there can be no faith in government if our highest offices are excused from scrutiny.

They should be setting the example of transparency.

Iowa's motto is our liberties we prize, our rights we will maintain.

The freedoms and liberties this state so prizes are the same freedoms and liberties that are being denied to its citizens.

The rights the state so proudly claims to maintain are the same rights that are being violated against its citizens.

How can we, with honesty, integrity, and impartiality fly those flags above every government building in Iowa while repeatedly not upholding those standards the state so proudly boasts?

We, the people of the United States of America, citizens of Cedar Rapids in the beautiful state of Iowa, refuse to allow these injustices to continue to happen without our voices, without letting our voices be heard and our testimonies be shared.

Jesus said, whoever puts their hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for service.

We, the people, will continue standing firm in the truth, and we will not shrink back.

We the people are calling for reform.

God will not leave the guilty unpunished, but he put you in positions to advocate for righteousness, fairness, and truth, to stand for justice, to hold those who are actually guilty accountable for their actions and crimes, and to defend your citizens, especially those who cannot speak for themselves.

And that's time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Reverend Jonathan Hafner.

Thank you, Mayor.

And close Hefner.

I am Reverend Jonathan Hefner.

I'm a citizen of Cedar Rapids.

I'm here to speak on the right-of-way issue at 3351 Square D Drive, the Homeland Security Investigations Office from which ICE works.

I do want to say thank you to a lot of the people at the front of this room.

You've shown signs of your intentions to serve your citizens.

Seen it from CRPD, seen it from the city manager's office, seen it from the city attorney, members of this council, and from you as well.

Mayor, thank you.

I appreciate that, and I know that there is going to be a need for a whole lot more of that as time goes on.

But yet it isn't enough.

A lot of us are here.

You've heard from several, uh, probably some more after me as well.

And we're concerned by the actions of Department of Homeland Security.

Because we don't have signs, I wonder if folks could show a hand if this is why you're here today.

Yeah.

Several of these folks have spent the whole day with me out in front of the ICE office as well.

DHS has taken over right of way access before any permits were granted.

They've pushed us into the danger of the road.

They've pinned us into a corner of their lot, all in the name of public safety.

None of that made us safe.

So we're here with concerns and a call to action.

As of this morning, there's not a fence up yet.

I understand there's a permit for one that the city granted.

That's troubling to me, but there's not a fence up yet.

They can put a fence on their own property.

They might have to move a planter or two, but I understand that they've come into a fair amount of money lately, and they could probably afford to put a fence on their own property.

There's no need for them to obstruct the public right of way.

And also, we've had four public hearings in the last 45 minutes.

Is there ever a time that a public hearing would be more important than this?

This is about the First Amendment.

This is about our right, your citizens' rights to be safe, to have our voices heard.

I would suspect you would want the perspective of your citizens on a matter that important.

And I don't want to hand out gold stars here today, but if I were going to, David, thank you for the last three times that you've been there.

Councilmember Meyer.

Thank you for the last three times you please in the gallery.

I know that you all have been invited by someone who wants me to be a lot nicer to all of you.

I think I've been fairly nice.

Come out and see what people are experiencing in this city.

Come out and see what your citizens are experiencing week after week.

There's a lot at stake in this matter.

And as I've thought about it, I think about welcome a lot for the congregation I serve for how I try to be a good neighbor to my neighbors.

The largest threat to the sentiment of welcome is our language is the presence of ice terrorizing our communities and tearing families apart in this city.

Welcome is only our language insofar as we speak it.

That means welcome is our language, is a call to action for us.

We need resolve, clarity, and creativity from this council to assert the rights of the people who put you in those seats.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, next up.

Okay.

That's an last warning.

Thank you.

We've got people, a list of people who still want to speak.

Abby Long Williams here to speak on ice.

Hi, counsel.

Can you hear me?

Okay.

Thanks for being here.

My name's Abby Long.

I live at Sixth Street, 6276th Street Southeast, and I'm here today to ask you all to use the power you have to protect people, to protect immigrants, our constitutional rights, and not to stand with ICE or DHS who have consistently overreached and enforced injustice on your constituents by allowing them to build a fence or continue blocking off public property without permits.

I haven't seen any of you at the weekly check-ins to witness immigrants showing up for their appointments other than David Meyer, and we really appreciate your presence in those spaces.

So I'll give you a little bit of insight and perspective as to how things have been escalating as of late.

Escucha me voss has been accompanying in this space since 2018 with full range to assemble on public property, and all families have been allowed one translator.

At the beginning of September 2025, after eight years of organizing in this space, DHS decided to block off public property to protesters without a permit to do so.

In mid-September, members of Scucha Me Vos and Catholic workers were kicked out of the building for the first time in eight years.

We then receive news that people showing up to their check-ins can no longer have access to a translator.

Every week they detain people and deny them due process.

They drive cars with tinted windows and no license plates.

On September 2nd, ICE detained someone, and as they drove them away instead of exiting out of the driveway like a normal civilized driver.

And now they want to build a fence to hide their unjust discriminatory actions and keep organizers from connecting with immigrants.

Do you see what they're doing?

Are these the folks that you want to support?

I'm asking you today as a preventative measure to do everything you can to keep them from building this fence.

We watch as couples go in and only one person comes out with tears running down their faces.

We watch families go in and come out as we applaud for them with relief on their face.

We get their contact information and give them resources.

That is what we show up to do.

It is not threatening.

It is not violent, and it is the absolute least we can do for these families.

I want to be clear that we understand the intention of their police tape.

The tape is put up because it keeps us from connecting with immigrants.

Because when we are close to them, we can get their contact information, support their families if they're detained, and provide them with resources and translators.

The fence is just another way to deny immigrants resources and translators and support.

Let us witness because it's the least we can do.

Do not let them build a fence and reopen the public lawn that your constituents have freedom to assemble on.

Do not overcomply by allowing DHS and ICE to continue blocking off public property.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next up, uh Courtney Ball.

Most of you on this council.

And I received warm welcome here when I came here in 2006 to Cedar Rapids to help start an organization with my brother called Matthew 25.

I've thought a lot about that scripture over the years, the last 19 years.

And in case you don't know it, there's this story in the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus is nearing the end of his time on earth, nearing the end of his ministry.

He's about to go into Jerusalem and cause some disruption before they execute him.

And he tells his followers that they need to welcome strangers, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those people who are in prison.

He says this is what you'll be judged on.

He doesn't talk about belief.

He doesn't talk about whether you're in the club or out of the club of Christianity.

He says you have to do these things if you want to be accepted into the kingdom of heaven.

I don't know any of your beliefs.

I don't know if you care about Christianity, if you believe in heaven or hell.

But I do think that this measure is important.

How we treat the most vulnerable people in our community should be at the bedrock of how we are measured as human beings.

You all are in a position as decision makers of this community where you have a special privilege to do everything you can to make our city welcoming to strangers, to allowing us to visit with people who might be detained and imprisoned.

Don't let them put up barriers that don't need to be there.

Let us connect with our neighbors and show them solidarity and love and care.

That's what we have to do as human beings.

Right?

Like what can you do and what can't we do in the face of this type of work that Homeland Security and ICE are bringing to our community?

And I don't, I personally don't know all the legal strategies.

I think there are a lot of great minds in this room and outside this room that can say more about that than I can.

But I do know that you can adopt an attitude and a position and a set of values that puts you in a position to be caring and welcoming to our neighbors.

And you can do whatever you can to push the boundaries instead of stepping back and saying, whatever you want, we'll get out of your way.

Don't get out of their way.

Cause that good trouble that we're called to cause for the side of justice for the people that live with us who we love.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to this group of people here today.

Thank you for the jobs that you do to ensure that our community is a safe and loving place to be.

Please be the kind of people that create that space and protect that space instead of giving way to the ones who want to take it away.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Sarah Mason.

Hello, my name is Sarah Mason.

I reside off of Sixth Street, Southwest.

Um I'm gonna read this because I think it's important and then I will add my thoughts.

I'm sorry if I'm all over the place.

I'm not the best public speaker, but here we go.

My name is Sarah Mason.

I live in Cedar Rapids.

I've been to the ICE check-ins, I've seen workers denied due process families torn apart.

Ice doesn't want the public to see what's happening, so they're trying to build a fence to hide it.

I'm asking the city council to stand for transparency, justice, and human dignity.

No fences, reopen the public lawn, and protect our communities, constitutional and religious freedoms, freedom rights.

They walk into that area scared, terrified.

An example of that is two weeks ago, maybe three, we had a young 18-year-old male from Vietnam that had to come and retrieve his passport from the ICE office.

I don't know what happened, but that that was the situation.

ICE has created fear for all immigrants, and this boy was terrified.

When he came out, he got his passport.

And when he came out, I was standing in the back, and he came, saw me as a safe person, and stood next to me for 30 minutes.

And the more we spoke, the closer he got to me until he was pressed up against the side of my body.

He was seeking comfort, and he knew that I was a safe person for him in that moment.

And I am glad that I was able to be there for him.

It was an honor to be his mother in it figure in that moment because his mother is not here with him.

Over the last month, ICE has taken away the public access lawn from us, have pushed us further and further back into the street, which is not only a safety risk to us, but also people trying to use that street to um get to where they need to go.

Not allow them to take that public access from us.

We are nonviolent, we are not causing problems for ice.

It will take away our rights, and it will keep us from making sure that these immigrants are getting treated as they should.

Today I stayed until 11, and after most of the protesters had left ice as vehicles were coming through their fence, started playing a new message to the public stating that they had a vehicle coming.

And if we didn't disperse and start making our way to 33rd, they had every right to deploy chemical weapons, sound weapons against us.

We were peaceful, we were not blocking them.

These threats are uncalled for.

That's time.

Thank you.

Please, Doug Anderson, do what we voted you guys in to do.

Doug Anderson.

Feel free to use that uh microphone on the lower level there.

That's easier access, yes.

We can make sure that it gets to you too.

There you go.

Thank you.

My name is Doug Anderson.

It's just 50 years ago that I moved to Cedar Rapids.

Uh and I have been increasingly concerned about what I observed of our government's actions in recent years, uh, to the point where I was finally moved to attend uh an accompaniment.

And I was very glad to have been there.

Uh I remember hearing the phrase right of assembly in grade school as one of the rights that uh constitution cares guarantees us, and that the meaning of that phrase didn't hit home for me until I was standing in the street uh a couple of weeks ago attending my first demonstration, and realized the importance of that right of citizens to gather and make their views known.

So that's both the right of assembly and the right of free speech.

And it seems to me that those rights for the people who are not in favor of the actions and methods of ICE are losing that right, those rights.

Um I ask you to weigh carefully the decision you will need to make about granting a permit for offense.

I have been some of the demonstrations.

I have been impressed with how non-violent they are.

It seems to me that the group of people who are there to make their views known are willing to talk about what needs to be done.

We're I'll say we uh we're not wanting to be violent.

We want to make sure that people know what's going on, and as other speakers have mentioned, there are some despicable activities that are happening inside that building, and we feel it's important that the people be allowed to assemble there to observe what's going on and to state their preferences.

So we would ask that you reject any fence on that property that's going to restrict the public's access to the space to which we're entitled.

We ask that there be public hearings held before that action is taken by the council.

And I also want to invite you to attend one of those demonstrations and see what's going on.

So thank you very much for this opportunity to speak.

And please consider your decision carefully.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Eileen Chang.

Already done?

Okay.

Joshua Candler.

Or candle.

Before I speak, I just want to make sure you know it's candlelur.

Okay.

Thank you, Candler.

Thank you.

To start with, I'm gonna go and say I agree with everyone here who sets that that fence at the ICE office is unneeded.

It is absolutely unneeded.

We do not need to have a fence in that area because the citizenry of this city has the absolute inalienable and undeniable right as per the uh Bill of Rights that was that was ratified in this country 233 years ago that we have the right to redress our grievances with the government, no matter what level of government agency that is.

It doesn't matter if it's the president directly, it doesn't matter if it's the Congress, it doesn't matter if it's police officers or the city council, okay.

What I am going to do though, because I do not see the reason to call that organization by their actual name, which is the immigration and customs enforcement agency.

For the duration of my speech right now, I'm gonna call them what they essentially are.

They are the American Gestapo.

These people are being put on this job to sow fear, so hatred, so division into this country.

Do we want this country was founded by immigrants for immigrants?

Me myself, I come from Spanish descent and English descent, and I think some German descent too, but let's just not go there.

I've been in this country for 40 years, I've seen the greatness this country has.

So we have the Bill of Rights that's been in existence and active for 233 years, and then we've got people in the past like Mr.

Hitler, who decided Main Conf was his great idea.

But what I am saying is that what is going on in this country is the definition of mean conf in its entirety.

Hate of the people who come wanting a better life, immigrants, hatred of the press, because the press is the enemy of the people.

Make blank great again.

This is all from the World War II, Gestapo level playbook, and the fact that me being someone who studied World War II and what led up to World War II, and what led up to the Holocaust, everything that is going on in this country right now is following that blueprint, and this American Gestapo that we have right now is exactly part of that.

It's them versus us, it's us versus them.

No, no, it is not.

The only locations where in the Constitution, citizenry is required is being a representative, a senator, or being a natural born citizen to be the president.

Everything else applies to every single man, woman, and child that steps foot in this country.

Deny ICE's attempts to strip our First Amendment rights and deny them the ability to keep us from seeing what they're doing.

Thank you very much, Council.

Thank you, Mr.

Candler.

Mimi Dowd.

Hello, everybody.

My name is Mimi Daud, and I live in Cedar Rapids 52404.

I don't really have any specific prepared speech for today, but wanted to fill in some gaps of information.

Not sure if you're aware, but ICE is currently arresting black American citizens in Chicago.

Black American citizens, people of the African diaspora, who were stolen from their homeland, brought under slave trades, and now live in Chicago and are being arrested by immigration and customs.

Chicago PD is being tear gassed by ICE.

What we allow to happen to other people will soon happen to us.

We've been saying that time and time again.

We've come to city council, we've pleaded.

We've let you know that what we happen what we allow happened to our most vulnerable will soon happen to those even with privilege.

And now we're seeing that citizens and law enforcement are no different.

They are not immune to harmful fascist structures.

And so when we say we must protect the all vulnerable, we are also letting you know that we must protect every person in America from the ongoing collapse of our government, from the ongoing disrespect of our liberties and our unalienable rights.

This has never been about legality.

It's never been about citizenship for our administration and for ICE.

It's always been about fascism, about control and about white supremacy.

Chicago has signed an executive order to protect their citizens and prohibit ICE activity in Chicago.

That is a demonstration of municipal power used to protect the citizens within city limits.

So when I hear concerns from different Cedar Rapids municipal leaders about things not being in our jurisdiction or city leaders not having certain powers, I have to push back.

Cedar Rapids isn't all that different from Chicago when it comes to municipal power.

Cedar Rapids has the chance to be proactive before our community members are attacked further.

I was at a protest last week where ICE officers brought up brought out a sound cannon meant to produce frequencies that induces vomiting at the protesters, at unarmed, nonviolent young protesters.

I saw them shove my friends and community members back who are standing there doing nothing.

I know that we've heard from certain council members or from certain leaders that that seems really unbelievable.

It's hard to believe these things when you don't see it for themselves for yourselves.

But I have to ask you to consider why else would every person in here show up about this issue if they truly did not believe that our rights were being violated.

ICE had no right to put that police tape across the lawn the way that they did.

That was a violation of our First Amendment rights.

And the city let that happen.

We are pleading with you to use the power we have elected you to use to protect our right to assemble, to protect our right to free speech, and to protect your community members from assaults, from unnecessary violence, and from the white supremacist structures exhibited by ICE.

I'll also end on this.

If you're more concerned about a few snaps and claps in the crowd rather than listening to your constituents, you misunderstand your role as a public servant.

Thanks.

Understood.

That's gonna close out our public input period.

City Manager Pomerance, do you have any communications today?

No communications today, Your Honor.

All right.

If there's no further business to come before council, Councilmember Tyler Olsen moves to adjourn, seconded by Councilmember Overland.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries, we are adjourned.