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

Welcome everybody to our council meeting for Tuesday, April 28th, 2026.

I'd like to note that my council colleague Scott Overland will be absent today.

I'd like to welcome our city manager, our city attorney, and our city clerk.

And as always, thank you to city staff for being here and available to answer questions.

A reminder to those of you here with us today to turn off any cell phones or electronic devices that might distract us from our proceedings.

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

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

We'll begin now with our invocation by public safety chaplain Josh Kent, and that will be immediately followed by our Pledge of Allegiance.

Our gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity we have again to serve the great city of Cedar Rapids.

Lord, I pray for the council men and women, Lord, as they represent us.

Lord, I pray for uh Mayor O'Donnell, Lord, as she leads us.

Lord, I pray that uh every day that we seek to honor in you and to make Cedar Rapids a better place than it was before.

Lord, I'm thankful for all those in attendance.

Lord, I pray that you'll be with the meeting.

Lord, that all that we say and do would bring honor to you.

We ask all these things in your name.

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.

All right, we'll begin with proclamations.

First of all, we're going to mark bike month.

So I'd like to invite all who are here for this proclamation to join Councilmember Poe at the dais.

Welcome.

Glad you're here.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for being here.

All right.

We've got a proclamation.

The City of Cedar Rapids proclamation.

Whereas May is recognized nationally as bike month, a time to celebrate the benefits of bicycling and encourage more people to ride bike to ride for transportation, recreation, and health.

And whereas bicycling is an affordable, convenient, and environmentally sound form of transportation and an excellent tool for recreation in Cedar Rapids.

And whereas increased bicycle use strengthens community connections, improves health and well-being, supports local businesses, attracts tourism, and contributes to vibrant livable neighborhoods.

And whereas the city of Cedar Rapids is proud to be designated as a Silver League bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists, reflecting our commitment to creating transportation and recreational bike resources that benefit the residents of all ages and abilities.

Now, therefore, I Anne Poe on behalf of Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell and the entire Cedar Rapids City Council hereby recognize May 2026 as bike month and encourage residents to participate in bike month activities and embrace bicycling for recreation or transportation during the month of May and year around.

Thank you.

And so from the sustainability from our um, you know, the effect on the planet and reducing our uh dependence on cars and you know, every bike on the street is a car not in traffic.

Um, I'm really excited to be part of the Active Transportation Commission, where part of what we can do is build on a lot of the success that we have in the city uh with our trail system, um, really strengthening the bicycle infrastructure that we have, not just the recreational, but also the infrastructure that gets people um kind of from where they live to where they're going so that they can run their errands so that they can uh take uh take part in more active transportation, healthier, those health benefits for our cities, uh turn into opportunities for all of us to live more um kind of fulfilled lives here in Cedar Rapids.

Wow.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Next up, we'd like to honor Coach Kim Moole.

If you're here to honor the coach, please join Councilmember Ashley Van Orney here at the Dice.

That's great.

Everybody's welcome.

All right, this is a pretty fantastic career, so bear with me here.

Whereas Coach Kim Moole has dedicated his career to excellence in collegiate athletics as the head women's basketball coach at Kirkwood Community College, shaping generations of student athletes through leadership, discipline, and a commitment to success both on and off the court.

And whereas his remarkable coaching career is defined by unparalleled achievement, including leading the Kirkwood Eagles to nine NJ CAA national championships in 1999, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2022, 2024, and whereas Coach Moole has established himself as the winningest coach in NJJ CAA women's basketball history, concluding his career with an extraordinary record of 1,108 wins and 178 losses, while sustaining an unprecedented streak of 37 consecutive 20 win seasons.

And whereas his excellence has been recognized through numerous accolades, including being Ray Meet being named Region 11 Coach of the Year 23 times and mentoring 37 all-American student athletes who have excelled at the collegiate and professional levels, and whereas in recognition of his profound impact on the sport of women's basketball, Coach Moole has been selected for the induction into the women's basketball hall of fame as part of the 20 class of 2026, joining the ranks of the game's most celebrated figures.

And whereas his legacy reflects not only competitive success, but also a lasting contribution to the C uh Cedar Rapids community, elevating the city's reputation as a center of athletic excellence and inspiring pride amongst its residents.

Now, therefore, I, Ashley Van Orney, on behalf of Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell of Cedar Rapids and the entire Cedar Rapids City Council don't do hereby proclaim that we honor Coach Kim Moole and urge all residents to join in recognizing and celebrating his historic achievements, his dedication to student athletes, and his lasting impact on the game of basketball and our community.

Thank you.

Wow, I don't know what to say to that.

I mean, I appreciate uh City of Cedar Rapids to uh honor me.

Uh it's it's been a pretty much a whirlwind since uh March hit going to the final four and standing next to Julia Serving was probably the biggest highlight of my maybe my career.

Uh they didn't think so because there was a rapper there, but I did not know who the rapper was.

But I knew who Julia Serving was.

So it was quite an experience there.

It's they've done a great job going to Knoxville in uh June.

That's when the induction actually happens.

And that's with uh Candice Parker, uh Elena Deladon and Doris Burke and uh Carol Reeves from the Link.

So it's it's really uh humbling experience coming from a junior college.

And it's been a heck of a ride, and it was just time for me to be done, so I could do some other things.

So but I spent over half my life at Kirkwood.

So uh I want to thank City of Cedar Rapids or the administration at Kirkwood, it's been uh just a hell of a ride.

Thank you.

Congrats.

Thanks all.

Okay.

Did you get pictures you needed?

Excellent, thank you.

It's now time for a public hearing.

So I'll remind everybody who wishes to speak today, whether during a public hearing or during the public comment or public input periods of a few matters to make sure we have an orderly meeting today.

A reminder to stay at the lectern.

Uh there are a couple of lights on there when the light turns yellow.

That means you have one minute left.

When it's red, we'll ask you to take your seat once again.

Um, second comments um again will be limited and need to be directed to the matter of the public hearing, and that we ask for no abusive, obscene, loud, threatening, or relevant comments.

Uh finally, we need to hold an orderly hearing.

So we ask for no applause, cheering, booing, or other news or disruptive conduct from anyone in the audience uh for the rest of this meeting.

So we thank you in advance.

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

Your honor, there are no written comments or objections filed.

Okay, thank you.

So we'll begin with item number one, which is a public hearing to consider the fiscal year 2027 annual budget.

Abhi Deshbande is here.

Thank you, Mayor.

Good afternoon, Abideshwande Finance Director.

So today we are going to have the fiscal year 2027 budget public hearing.

So I'm going to start with a little overview about the property taxes.

As you know, that the property taxes is a uh depend on three different variables, really, the value of the property, which is the assessed by the city assessor's office, state rollback rate, and the city levy rates.

So out of that, really the only part that is in control of the city is is the city levy rate.

They are really out of city's control.

And I'm happy to report that in fiscal year 2027, the city will keep their levy rate unchanged from the fiscal year 2026.

So there won't be any tax increase from the city side.

So now with that, the property tax revenues on the based on these three different factors, which will generate 136 million uh revenue revenue in FY27.

The assessed property valuations has increased 6.1% to 90, 16.9 billion.

And the residential rollback rate, they were decreased from the last year by 2.9% to 44.5%, uh, which limited the taxable valuation growth for 1.4%.

Um and the total taxable value is $7.9 billion.

As I said, that the city will keep their levy rate uh unchanged from the previous year at 16.66 per thousand of the taxable uh property value.

So as a result of um state rollback rate uh as well as the keeping the the levy rate at the same rate.

Uh this is just an example where basically if a house of 200,000 or a property of 200,000, um the valuation hasn't changed from the previous year, they will see a $97 uh decrease in their property tax, which is 6.1% on the residential property.

And the commercial property, the same thing.

They will they will see a decrease of $72 or a half a percent decrease in the tax rate uh compared to the FY 2026.

Um this chart talks about the history of the the city levy rates.

As you can see that uh since 2028, uh 2018 to 2027, uh we're keeping from FY26 to 27 the same rate.

I want to point out the one fact is that whatever the city levy rate has been increased since 2018 or over last 10 years or maybe more than 10 years, I would say the the city never increased the tax rate for the general government operation.

This levy rate that you've seen, it just increased due to the flood levy increase, which is the basically dollar uh $1.47 has been added in the flood control system for improvement since FY 20 FY19 basically.

So no increase tax increase just for the government operation.

This is only for the flood control system that we have seen the tax increase.

Um this this um talks about the the city's uh FY27 property tax levy compared to the sum of the uh comparable cities in the state.

Uh one thing is the other cities, their levy rate, they uh their tax rate is for the FY26.

We don't know there what their FY27 levy rate is so far, but as you can see that usually we fall in the middle of the pack there compared to the other cities.

Um now going into the more details in the numbered part here, FY27 all funds budget.

Uh the total budget increased by 7% uh to 928 million dollars, um, around 61.2 million dollars increase in all funds.

Around $61.2 million increase in all funds.

You can see the largest area is the capital outlay because of the various different capital improvement projects that cities undertaking.

This is the same number, just presented by different fund types.

Again, same 927.5 million dollars, total fund budget, 61 million dollars increase.

You can see the enterprise fund being the largest area, which covers our utilities areas, various different utilities, as well as some of the entertainment venues as an enterprise fund.

On the expense side for the all funds, CETA Rapids, Lane County, and Solid West Agency budget will increase by $3 million.

Eastern Iowa Airport budget will increase by $13 million.

And these two agencies are the component units of the city.

So just wanted to highlight that point.

This is really the component units.

Capital spending increased by 17 million dollars.

Death service increase by $6 million, and majority of those projects are associated with utility system improvements.

Discretionary spending for utility department increased by $7 million, mostly equipment parts, services, and professional services related to the utility billing system.

Just the graphical representation of total revenue where the money comes from for all this all the funds.

As you can see, that the largest bucket here is the charges for services, which include it, which includes the utility system users.

The second largest source of revenue is the taxes.

That includes property taxes, franchise fee, street and local option sales tax or hotel model tax.

And the third largest, I can say is the proceeds from the long-term liabilities, which is basically the various different bonds that city issues.

That means the operating revenue will support operating expenditures, 179 million dollars, which is the increase of 6% or about 10 million dollars compared to the FY26 budget.

And one fact that I would like to highlight is that this balance budget is without use of any kind of fund reserves.

So these are just the operating revenues.

This is kind of representation of the allocation of the general fund budget by various different departments.

As you can see that police and fire, which is the public safety side of the government that covers around 44% of the general fund budget.

The next biggest one is the public say public works, which is around 17.2%.

So all together includes around 61% between police, fire and public works.

Rest of the 40% is divided between different several different departments.

On the general fund, the key expenditure items 7.3%, 7.3 million increase for employee wages and benefits, including 7.44 FTE, 1 million increase for ongoing non-personal service costs, example, software maintenance, 6.1 million increase for one-time for short or one-time or short-term non-personal service cost, non-personal service costs.

For example, operational costs for parks and recreation and IT.

5.9 million of revenue and expense budget was moved from the general fund side to the enterprise side for Cedar Rapids, Tourism Office, and Amphitheater.

Then another 650,000 from utility department will fund 150,000 in recurring uses as well as 500,000 in one-time uses.

Uh there will be a transfer of hotel motel uh revenue uh to the general fund of around 946,000.

Also, there will be transfer of road use tax from road use tax fund to the general fund uh of 19.5 million dollars, which will fund basically the existing public works department operating cost, as well as there will be several revenue uh adjustment based on projections for building permits interest income.

Moving on to the utility department, uh total 5.8% increase in typical residential customer rate uh to fund operating and capital needs.

Uh these rates were already approved in FY26 budget, so there is no need to approve any kind of rate increases in FY27.

Uh WPC water pollution control facility will add uh two FTEs, water side will add two another FTEs, and stormwater will add one FTE to support uh stormwater line inspections.

On the other departments, uh golf will add a new food truck program and some associated operating cost.

Um they will also add 4.5 FT to support operational needs.

Uh fleets budget will increase um by 646,000 uh uh for the vehicle and equipment maintenance uh due to the increased cost of parts and external services.

Joint communications will add two dispatchers, FTEs to support 911 operations.

On the entertainment side, uh the Alliant Powerhouse and Double Dre Bahilton Complex will operate is projected to operate on a net operating deficit of 400,000 uh that will be funded through the city's hotel model revenue.

Um the hotel um operations uh will operate in profit.

However, uh the convention center and arena is projected to operate in deficit for FY27.

Uh ICE Arena will operate on a uh deficit of 265,000.

Uh that will be also funded from the hotel motel tax revenues.

The Paramount Theater also is projected to operate at a deficit of 62,000, and that uh loss will be funded through the previous year shutter venue grant uh revenue.

Amphitheater uh revenues um are projected to support all the expenses, so there is no loss uh in amphitheater operations as well as city will fund uh entertainment venue uh that payments from various different sources.

Um this slides uh just summarizes all the capital improvement projects.

As you can see, 361 million capital improvement improvement projects are budgeted for FY27.

Some of the largest areas in water pollution control improvements, 106 million uh worth CIP projects, uh flood control system is 70.6 million, water improvements 48 million, and state improvements around 40, another 39.2 million dollars.

Um a quick um touch base on the debt capacity.

Uh this the overall the as per the state code, the statutory legal limit is around the 5% of the assess valuation.

The city council has uh adopted a more stricter limit of 4% of assess valuation.

So as per the city's uh debt capacity, uh we will still have a 30% uh debt capacity available uh compared to the what the current death load we have.

Um so overall it's projected on FY27 uh capacity is available around 27 million dollars uh for additional debt.

Uh, if we take this to the the statutory limit, which is the 5%, our available debt capacity goes from 30% to 44%.

So there is enough uh debt capacity available uh for any future uh projects.

With that, uh the staff recommendation is uh approval of the fiscal year 2020 2027 budget.

And with that, uh Mayor, uh I will turn it over back to you.

Abby, thank you.

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

Does anyone here wish to address counsel on this?

Let the record show a public hearing has been held with no objections for the record, council, councilmember Olson.

Well, Abi, uh, thank you for uh this this uh layout uh because I think it is confusing to people on what's happening with taxes because it is a three factor impact.

And uh I'm proud as a part of the finance committee that we've been with all the things happening, increase health costs, insurance costs, uh all the other things, labor costs going up, and we're very with our staff, we're adding a few people, uh, but not very many compared to the city of our size that we're able to do all of these projects and balance with a balanced budget and still have reserves left without touching them, and still have bond capacity that's left without touching it, and uh being able to hold our tax levy straight level, and we'll be in the middle to the bottom after the other cities report what they're gonna have to do.

Sure.

So for a city of our size, uh I'd never fathom that we'd get to this level of work, and of course, capital improvements are a big part of this with the flood protection and all the other things we have going.

So uh I think uh compared to other cities of our size to have a 927 million dollar budget that is uh break-even, no tax levy increase, uh that's something that's special.

So great work on the part of you and your team, and and this was an excellent presentation that we can share online with people so they can stand all the different, see all the different components that go into making a city budget that's really very highly complicated complicated.

So thank you for this quality presentation.

Thank you.

Councilmember Poe.

Yeah, uh, thank you, Mayor.

Um, I'd like to add my congratulations to you on the city manager on seeming, I don't know how many years have we always had a balanced budget, Jeff.

I can't remember ever not having one.

And that's there you go.

And I think ever since I've been on council, we've always had a balanced budget, and and I'm always amazed at that.

Abi, what um what is our reserve?

Where are we at with our reserve level?

It's around 55 million dollars.

Okay, thank you.

And I think that's always important for the community to understand that in the face of disaster, sometimes we need to call on those reserves because we don't well, we if we sat around and waited for FEMA to fund us, sure.

We'd be waiting for a very long time and and services wouldn't get reconnected, et cetera.

So it's always important to have that um reserve fund.

Um in addition to that, Mayor, um, I need to recuse myself from the transfer resolution portion of this budget, uh, agenda items seven and eleven.

Sure.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Councilmember Van Orney.

Yeah, that's a good segue.

Um Abi, how much does FEMA still owe us outstanding?

It's around um six six million dollars still um outstanding.

When we have such a large budget, um it it's hard to put that in perspective.

It's not something that we necessarily lose sleep over, but it's it's not nothing.

Um six million dollars is something that to Councilmember Poe's point um is the difference between us getting our city back and still waiting and still recovering, you know.

So to to be on the verge of six years later from Derecho, let alone the floods of 18 and 16 in 2008 that we're still concurrently recovering from.

Um, that budget capacity has been has made the difference.

Um and I would just say what I really appreciate.

Uh Mayor O'Donnell said something important um conversationally, at least online that I saw about the budget and holding the line.

And there's a lot of importance and and weight on that.

Um, the conversation at uh with colleagues in the Iowa League of Cities on our legislative policy committee is uh while I think a lot of people are always very quick to see how much they can reduce in their budget.

Legislation or the legislative session is still in session because they have not come up with what they're going to do about property taxes.

And there are some people who have finalized their budgets that are set to reduce even slightly that may be in a world of hurt uh if the property taxes uh in some initiatives that people are proposing are implemented.

And so I am really proud that we are always very mindful and conservative fiscally about what we're doing, but it's really important that we are staying the course because there are so many unknowns with that alone that we need to hold the line, as Mayor O'Donnell has said, until we know what comes next.

So just really appreciate your team's efforts.

I know that you pour quite a bit of time and months into this, um, and it doesn't go unnoticed.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Olson.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just want to point out, you know, a lot of the the budget is obviously very well managed, um, Avi, by you and your team, City Manager Manager Pomerance.

Um, a lot of the credit here goes to the residents and businesses of the community that are um investing their time and talent here.

They're growing job uh creating jobs here and growing here.

You know, every two weeks, basically, we make a lot of big picture decisions that put the conditions in place, though, for that kind of growth.

We make long-term plans and we stick to them.

Uh, we make long-term investments and we stick to them.

We um invest in our infrastructure, our roads, um, our water infrastructure, our wastewater infrastructure.

Um, we um put a criteria in place for economic and development incentives, and we stick to it.

Um, we have criteria for for zoning, um, and and we stick to that.

And so when the people that live that live here, people that are looking to looking to move and live here, the businesses that are investing here, when when they see that they can rely on the decisions that the city has made and that we're gonna stick to our plans, this is the kind of growth um that you get.

You get um a significant amount of capital improvement project projects, you get a uh one plus billion dollar infrastructure project uh through the through the middle of town flood control, um, and and you get it all without raising the levy rate.

Um, and so um just you know, hats off to the community uh for the for the growth that it's shown and to your team, um Abi and uh Jeff, for putting the conditions in place so that people have the confidence uh that the city is gonna live up to its word and can make those decisions and investments here.

Yeah, excellent points.

Thank you.

Um I'll just add a thank you to to taxpayers too.

Anytime anybody questions who's driving our region's economy, just look at that budget.

Um, you know, we get asked to contribute to projects in cities around us, and sometimes we have to say no.

Um, because if you look at that budget, we have the ice arena, we have the amphitheater, we have the Paramount.

Um, you know, we have we have projects that unfortunately are operating at a deficit, and we figure it out.

And hats off to you and the team for making sure that we have room for those types of amenities here and for holding the line.

Um, that doesn't happen on accident, it doesn't happen without a lot of work by you and your team.

So I think if anything, we're showing that we can grow and still hold the line.

We can innovate and yet still be fiscally sound, predictable.

Um, and again, these are the these are the things that don't always make headlines, but they are why this city has you know remained strong and will remain strong.

So thank you.

Okay, if there's no other comments on that, we'll go ahead and uh have the adoption of the resolution moved by councilmember Scott Olson and seconded by Councilmember Todd.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

Two is a public hearing to consider the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract, and estimated cost for the city annex renovation project, Cedar Rapids Police Department Regional Academy project.

And this has an estimated cost of $4,377,000.

Jason Stancliff, I will recognize you.

Thank you, and good afternoon, Mayor and Council members.

Jason Sanko, Facility Maintenance Services, and we're here to talk about the city annex renovation, Cedar Rapids Regional Police Academy project.

This is a rendering of what the lobby will look like on their side.

Uh at the city annex, the work generally consists of remodeling the eastern half of the first and second floors as well as the entire basement.

The bids were issued on April 15th.

The previous meeting was held on site on April 23rd.

The question deadline is today at 5 p.m.

Bids are due on May 6th by 11 a.m.

The estimated cost is 4.377 million, and we recommend adoption of plans, specifications, form a contract, and estimated costs is in the resolution.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Jason.

Time and a place now for a public hearing.

Anyone wish to address council?

Okay, I'll ask you to please approach the dais and just say your name and your city.

My name is Kimber Donahue, and I am from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Well, I live here now.

And I wanted to get up and speak about the bonds that we're wanting to pull out for improvement programs like this.

I think it's very important that we have clean, safe, effective facilities for our public servants where they can learn and be trained, not only on our local policies, but the law.

And ultimately, as I've asked around the state who's in charge of our police and making sure they're accountable, it's the people sitting here right here in front of me, right?

Because we don't have the oversight board.

We're going to talk about that later, obviously.

I'm not against having a nice facility for our officers and our officers in training.

What I what I would like to say is this.

There needs just like you want a business plan to redevelop Trans America, there needs to be a plan put in place that the public can see.

What kind of training is going to be offered there?

How many officers are going to be trained a year?

Who's in charge?

Is there an oversight committee?

How do we know that we're having quality control?

Constitutional compliance, right?

Because ultimately, like I've said numerous times when your officers violate the U.S.

constitution and they engage in behaviors that should have been avoided with proper training, it becomes a huge liability for the city.

So if you're going to push this through, all I ask, and I think that's all many of us want, is to make sure if we're investing and funding this facility, that it's something that's going to be effective to where we're turning out officers that know the law and are out here serving the people paying for their department.

And that is us, the citizens that live here.

Pay your sales tax, our hospitality tax, our property tax.

So with that, I close.

Thank you.

Is that an objection?

I am asking the city to further consider what activities are going to be going on in this facility to ensure that they are turning out officers that are compliant.

That's a nice budget for a new building when they technically have a building here downtown that they could be training at.

So if we're gonna spend four plus million dollars, we need to make sure that those actions are items.

Thank you.

That's all I needed to know.

I appreciate your candor and your polite necessity.

Anyone else need to address counsel on this issue.

If not, let the record show we have one objection for the record, council.

Councilmember Todd.

Mayor, I just like to say that it's it's it's reaffirming to know that uh uh other communities, especially in eastern Iowa, uh, have confidence and faith in the department.

Uh those of you that have attended the graduation ceremonies that we have, when you've got departments from Dubuque, uh Cedar Falls, Waterloo.

Uh it it it says a lot in terms of uh uh the city of Cedar Rapids ability to reinforce many of the values that our department strives for in departments across eastern Iowa.

And uh that's that's a that's a nice ceremony to see.

But the fact that uh communities come back year after year, uh has can created this this need and an opportunity for us to continue what we're doing.

So thank you.

Councilmember Van Ordy.

Yeah, thanks, Mayor.

Um, you know, as you know, um, not only do we have one of the few academic or academies here for um for the state, but also um we don't get into the business of operations, we get into the business of policy making.

So it's really important just to clarify that you know what our role actually is.

Now we can set ordinances that we are asking people to follow, but really there are uh local um ordinances that we can set.

There are state policies that we have to follow, there are national standards that we also have to follow.

Um, a lot of that is not anything that in my nine years we've ever come across.

There are some small things with ordinances, but uh those are very few and far between.

What I do know, having been through uh the Citizen Police Academy, um, which was which was very interesting to see.

I mean, I I've been on public safety uh new services for all of nine years.

I wanted to go inside and see what I could learn.

Um I thought it was really fascinating just to see what kind of training did exist.

And I would say that um in the course of that I learned that they are out of room.

It may not seem like it, but if you're not taking the effort to take those classes or ask those questions, then you know you may make assumptions.

Um that being said, you know, it's important to know that uh our officers, just like our fire department, public safety, again, we just went over that 44.1% of our role.

It's one of the most important things that we do in this city.

And so it is important that we do have the facilities and the appropriate space that we need, and that's why I'm supporting this today.

Councilmore Olson.

Thank you, Mayor.

I I, you know, I totally agree with the point that was made that uh we need to have a well-trained police fire department, other departments.

And you can't do that, unfortunately, without the latest state-of-the-art techniques, which this facility will include.

And I think uh that's important to know.

Uh, you know, having sat through different training sessions or one yesterday uh with the police department that we train on a regular basis uh to do things uh that make us all safe, and they're training all the time.

It's hard to do, they have to borrow buildings, get different places to train.

Uh, I think the simulators and things that are in this, because I originally uh uh Amanda isn't here, but she knows that I was a was concerned about the dollars we were spending on both the building and the other part.

But as I've learned uh over what the needs are for the assessor and economic development, but also the police department, uh, that for us to continue to have we have a certified police department, 19th safest city in America for medium-sized cities, we're doing a good job.

And the only way to continue to do that good job is we got to train our officers.

And to do that, we have to have a state-of-the-art facility and these new technologies that occur.

And so four four million dollars, that's a lot of money.

But uh having uh issues with safety and other things costs a lot more than four million dollars.

And we do not want to have our city known for being unsafe.

And so I'm proud of our police department.

We have a limited budget, we can't hire as many officers as we'd probably like.

We just uh we add things, we're trying to do replacements.

Uh, but uh when I look around and listen to other cities, national news, uh I'll put Cedar Rapids up against any other city in the country.

And so uh we just need to make sure that we are trained, and that is the good point that we're not wasting this money.

And I firmly believe that with these state-of-the-art facilities, we will do that.

Plus, all the other cities that can't afford to do what we're doing, we're gonna share that facility.

And I think that's pretty cool.

And so uh this is an exciting project.

It's gonna be good to see it done.

We need the space, we need the training, and uh so let's keep moving forward.

Anyone else?

Okay, all right.

So if there's no further questions, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by Todd, seconded by Van Orney.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, opposed say no.

And the motion passes.

Thank you, council.

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

The first is a chance for the public to address the city on any any subject pertaining to council action that we may have scheduled for today.

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

So council members and city staff make themselves available by phone and email.

But at this time during public comment, we are here uh to take it in and listen.

Please remember that all the matters I addressed prior to the first public hearing apply to our public comment periods as well.

Remain at the lector, and if you have documents, give them to the officer, he will get them to us.

Comments need to be directed to the matter you wish to address, and no obscene um abusive, irrelevant comments will be allowed.

And there should be no participation or disruption from the audience.

If you sign up to speak, we ask you to approach the microphone when called upon.

And today we have uh looks like two people signed up to speak, so I will just call in order.

First, we have Kim here to speak on topic number four.

Hello, thank you for having me up here again.

Nice to see all of you.

So I was actually really shocked and surprised to hear that we are operating on a balanced budget.

I think that that is wonderful, and that we're not having to tap into our reserves.

I came out here tonight, obviously, as you know, to talk about the um oversight committee.

However, this morning I was made aware that you guys are trying to get some bonds pulled here under the consent agenda, uh, 47 million 70,000 dollars, um, and then another six almost seven million dollars, and then finally another almost four, yeah, 4.1 million.

Um, my question is this a bond is a loan, right?

And you guys are gonna have to pay it back.

And I understand you have a right to pull the bonds and everything, but like if we're operating at a balanced budget and we have plenty in the reserves, why are we pulling out debt?

Why are we pulling out debt?

Why make our taxpayers pay back a debt?

I get it, these projects are important.

You guys are doing a great job.

I I love the roundhouse.

I love that you guys move the little tree.

I don't know what you guys call it.

Um, the positioning looks nice, especially as you come around that S curve.

And I understand that these things cost money.

My father was one of the head planners for economics and safety for the US Iowa DOT for more than 35 years.

Okay.

Jeff Stratton, I'm sure you guys heard him come in here and talk once or twice.

Might not have been up here, you know, at that time.

But what I'm saying is I get these expenditures are necessary.

But why go over and owe somebody money when we've got it?

We've got it.

Why pull the money out from somewhere else?

And I understand it brings in investors and there's benefits and relationships formed.

But I personally, as a taxpayer, as you know, haven't been super happy about the way my money's being spent.

And I really don't want to pay off the debt for this stuff.

So I know I've got almost three minutes left.

What I'm gonna say is this one thing that my father taught me is running a clean budget is super important.

And if you guys are running a balanced one, you're doing a great job, so just keep doing that.

Don't take yourselves into a hole.

We could end up going into a surplus.

And you know, I see that you got some agenda items here that you want to stimulate some economic growth.

We got lots of new businesses here in this city that score failed them, they're now closed, they don't have anywhere to go.

Why not dump some money into a program to help startups?

And I know we already have one.

I know we do, but why not more?

It's only more tax revenue.

So only more employment, you know, income taxes when they create jobs.

So just some to think about, you know.

Uh I am firmly against any bonds being sold, especially if we have money in reserves.

And with that, I close.

Thanks.

All right.

Um, next person is Sophia Joseph, and it says citizen I'm at the end, right?

Yeah, well, I'll I'll move you to the other one.

Okay, thank you.

That will then close out our first public comment period.

Uh City Manager Pomrance, do you have any changes to the agenda?

No change.

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

Yes, Councilmember Poe.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I'm going to recuse myself on consent agenda item 18 C item number 47.

18 C number 47.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Councilmember Hager.

Thank you, Mayor.

I need to recuse myself from uh regular agenda item number 29.

Councilmember Hager.

29.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

All right.

Uh, then that brings us to a motion to approve the agenda as amended.

The approving of the agenda as amended has boom been moved by council member Van Orney, seconded by Poe.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed saying no.

And the motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

That brings us to consent agenda.

The approval of the consent consent agenda has been moved by Poe, seconded by Councilmember Tyler Olson.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed saying no.

Thank you, Council.

The motion carries.

Moving on now to our regular agenda.

Item number 24 is a report on bids for the Fourth Street Southeast Cedar River Trail Extension.

Segment number one project has an estimated cost of $1,904,000.

Eric Turnquist is here.

Eric, I'll recognize you.

Oh, thank you, Mayor.

You city council.

Uh so agenda item number 24, the Fourth Street Trail, uh Southeast Sierra Valley, C or River Trail Extension segment number one.

Uh, this was bid um on April 21st.

This is for a completion of a uh eight-tenth of a paid trail section um where uh Cedar Valley Nutrient Trail dead ends at Sun Theb and connects with the line loop trail and bridge.

Uh this is a major component of the city's Connect CR initiative, um, connecting the community through these regional trail systems uh meets um all the priorities of the council for uh improving recreational um opportunities for the city as noted the bid uh was received on April 21st.

There are five bids.

Uh these bids ranged from 1,83,000 uh 41.87 cents to uh 2,752,254 90 cents.

Uh the low bidder was Midwest construction concrete inc.

Um, this contract will be for 110 working days with a late start date of May 26th.

All right.

Is that all?

That is all excellent.

Thank you, Eric.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

There's nothing to vote on this item, so we'll go ahead and move along to item number 25.

This is a report on bids for the fuel dispensing system replacement project with an estimated cost of 240,000.

Tina Wickman is here.

Tina, I'll recognize you.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

So today I am going to recap on the uh bid.

The bid for the fuel dispensing system uh to replace that at City Service Center.

So the current fuel dispensing system has reached the end of its useful life.

Um so far we've had increased maintenance costs, declining reliability, a higher downtime period, shared mission critical assets for Lynn County and for fleet.

The city of Cedar Rapids.

The scope of this project is uh nine dispensers, including 18 houses, underground electrical system, fuel tank refinishing, and automatic an automated reporting system.

Um it's to be completed in three phases, always leaving six dispensers operational for the use of emergency vehicles in the rest of the city of Cedar Rapids Vehicles and Lynn County.

We had one bidder, Actara Group, and their total bid came in at 289,425.

The bids were due on April 15th.

The estimated cost was 240,000.

The estimated project completion would be September 1st of 2026.

Um currently we're um still evaluating the bid that was received, and we will provide a recommendation to the council in a future date.

I was gonna ask if you're gonna go back since it exceeded your estimates.

Council, anything else on that?

Okay, there's no vote, so we'll move ahead.

Thank you so much.

Um 26 is a report on bids for the 2026 pavement milling and curb repair project with an estimated cost of five million eight hundred and thirty thousand dollars.

Doug Wilson, I'll recognize you.

Thank you, Mayor Doug Wilson, Public Works Department.

This project includes pavement resurfacing and milling by uh the city forces, curb and gutter replacement, water main storm sewer and sanitary sewer improvements along with ADA ramp improvements.

Construction is expected to start in uh the spring of this year and completed in the fall this year.

This is on 17 different roadway segments throughout the city.

A letter was sent out to uh area residents uh within the project limits on March 9th.

Bids were opened on April 15th.

We had three bidders ranging from 5,395,094 and 50 cents to 7,294,372.40.

Public works department recommends award of the contract to Midwest concrete.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council.

Any questions?

All right.

Then if there's nothing further, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by Councilmember Tyler Olson, seconded by Hager.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

27 is a report on bids for the old bridge road to 76 Avenue Southwest Sanitary Sewer Extension, the phase one project with an estimated cost of 1,490,000 dollars.

Ben Warrell, I'll recognize you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Ben Warrell with the Public Works Department.

This project is to extend 24-inch sanitary sewer through the Google and QTS data center sites.

This is being done with a previous agreement with Google.

Uh future phase will continue that extension down to 76th Avenue and will eventually serve the CID superpark.

This project bid on April 22nd.

We received a lot of bids, 10 bids, uh ranging from 938,650 and two cents all the way up to 1,830,776.20 cents.

Low bidder was boomerang corporation.

Public works department recommends approval of the resolution.

Thank you.

Thanks, Ben.

Council.

Any questions?

All right.

Seeing nothing, the adoption.

This resolution has been moved by Hager, seconded by Meyer.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries 28 is a report on bids for the 2026 sanitary sewer service replacement project with an estimated cost of 140,000 dollars.

Ben, I'll recognize you again.

Thank you.

This is an annual project to replace Orangeburg or otherwise failing sanitary sewer services to the edge of the right-of-way ahead of our upcoming roadway projects.

We have a lot of uh roadway paving planned, mostly through paving for progress, and uh this will take care of those issues ahead of the projects.

Intent is to extend the useful life of the new pavements.

Property owners have the option to fix it themselves uh before May 1st.

If it's not repaired by that date, then uh it's fixed with this project, and the city assesses the property owner for that cost.

So we originally bid the project with 13 properties on Benton Street, and uh a few of those got done by the property owners while we were out to bid, so those were removed from the contract via addendum, and we still have one on Kent Drive and one on Liberty Drive.

And we still have one on Kent Drive and one on Liberty Drive.

This project bid on April 22nd.

We received two bids.

Uh the low bid was 79,460 and 30 cents.

Uh high bid was 198,742.80 cents.

The uh low bid is below the estimate, but uh that's partially due to the fact that some of the locations were removed, and uh Brecky has a lot of experience doing this kind of work.

So uh we're recommending approval of the resolution.

All right, thanks, Ben.

Council.

All right, seeing nothing.

The adoption of this resolution has been moved by Meyer, seconded by Councilmember Scott Olson.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

29 is a presentation and resolution of support authorizing city financial incentives under the targeted district economic development program for an adaptive reuse project at the former principal building on the corner of uh second avenue and second street southeast, as requested by second and second LC, an entity of Steve Emerson.

Scott Mather, I'll recognize you.

Thank you, Mayor Council.

Scott Mather with the city manager's office.

Uh we received uh requests from second and second LC, an entity of Steve Emerson for city incentives under the targeted district economic development program for the redevelopment of the former principal building on the corner of 2nd Street and 2nd Avenue Southeast.

The developer is in the process of applying for state historic tax credits.

Um there is significant portion of the building that has been vacant for several years due to the reduced demand for office space.

This is a 16.3 million dollar investment of the former principal building, main floor commercial space, upper floor, 26 market rate rental apartments.

It's a mix of studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom.

The project will retain its historical features and architecture of the building as required by SHIPO.

Construction is to commence later this summer and complete by summer of 2027.

The city would provide the standard incentive, which is a tenure 100% rebate of the housing portion and tenure 50% for the commercial.

Based on the uh investment and post-development value, we're estimating $2.4 million in total taxes over 10 years with $1 million being rebated back to the developer.

So here's a street view of the uh former principal building in its current state.

So today we're here for a resolution of support.

If approved, uh, I would bring back an amendment to the central consolidated urban renewal area and development agreement for council to consider at that point.

With that, I'll return it back for any questions.

Thank you.

Thanks so much.

Council.

Councilmember Van Orney.

Yeah, thanks, Mayor.

First off, Scott, it's good to see you.

You did great.

Thank you.

Just wanted to tell you that.

Oh, great.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Um, secondly, uh, you know, this is exactly what um what we've been talking about.

You know, we we have a lot of buildings uh with extra space.

COVID changed a lot of things for a lot of people, and and this is a long-time consequence.

And so, as we work our plans, uh, as previously discussed by councilmember Tyler Olson.

We have a lot of long-term plans, including our downtown Schmid projects.

This will help put more people downtown, which is what we want, which helps all the businesses, which helps create that density, and we know that we have housing shortages.

So the all of these reuses really helps uh accomplish all those concurrent missions that we have.

So it's a really great use of uh our tools.

Thank you for your work on this.

Anyone else?

Councilmember Olson.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, I agree uh that uh we need to reuse these buildings, and there are a lot of empty office buildings downtown.

And Steve tried to find tenants and worked hard at it and uh kept going and kept the building in good shape on the outside, so people didn't know it was vacant, but it was.

And so I'm proud of him for doing that.

And and the good news is uh very few cities have a developer like Steve that's willing to take the risk on these type of units and continue to operate them, could which he to get his abatement, he has to make the project work, get it done, make it you know, make it a good place that people want to live.

And uh very few cities have developers like him uh that have done numerous buildings.

The state loves him because he does it like he promises.

And so uh it's exciting to see him taking another building.

I know he'd rather he would hope to find an office tenant and never has in the last two years, a little over two years.

And so uh I think it's great that he's stepping forward and uh continuing his efforts to redevelop our downtown as mentioned.

And uh it makes all the difference in the world compared to other cities that have vacant buildings sitting there and not used.

And it's kind of fun having more people living downtown.

Um, it just continues the vitality of what we're trying to do.

So I appreciate his effort and I'm proud that he's back here again.

All right, anything else?

Okay, if not, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by Councilmember Scott Olson, seconded by Councilmember Todd.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

30 is a presentation and resolution authorizing city financial incentives under the above standard economic development program for a housing redevelopment project.

This one is at the southwest corner of 10th Avenue and Fifth Street Southwest, Southeast, as requested by OFB LLC, which is an entity of Tyler Oswood.

Scott, I'll recognize you again.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh OFB LLC, an entity of Tyler Oswood, uh requested city incentives under the above standard economic development program for the housing redevelopment, the corner of 10th Avenue Southeast and Fifth Fifth Street Southeast.

The developer was awarded Brownfield Greyfield tax credits in 2025.

The project has several development challenges due to its triangle shape, location within a hundred year floodplain, and significant remediation costs due to being a brownfield site.

So as with any request for above standard incentives, uh a financial gap analysis was performed, verifying construction and operational costs, and ensuring equity exceeded um present value of the city incentives.

So this is a 2.45 million dollar investment for the construction of two three-story townhomes, one four-plex, one threeplex, all three bedroom, two and a half bath units with rear load garages, uh, market rates, uh construction to commence August of 26, complete August of 27.

The city would provide a 15-year, 100% rebate of the increased taxes based on the uh investment and post-development value estimation.

We uh expect to uh generate about 725 in new taxes over 15 year period, of which 600,000 would be rebated back to the developer.

So here is an aerial showing the location of this triangle piece, 10th Avenue here, 5th Street here, and just for reference, we have 12th Avenue Southeast over here to the right.

Here's the current uh um street level view of of the condition of the property today.

And here's a site plan showing the layout.

We have 10th Avenue here, 5th Street over here to the right, so four units facing 10th, three facing away.

Next couple renderings are the of what the building will look like.

This is what the two rear buildings would look like, as well as from the front.

And a bird's eye view.

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

If approved, uh, this would be included in an amendment of the central consolidated urban renewal area and a development agreement would also be brought back to council for consideration.

With that, I'll return it to Mayor.

Thank you.

Thanks, Scott.

Council.

Councilman Van Orney.

Thanks, Mayor.

Again, um, just increasing that density and working the plan.

Um, we it's also important to know that within walking distance, because we have been successfully doing that.

Um, you know, Nubo City Market is set to open a grocery store.

That is one of the key drivers that we've been hearing consistently from the Oakell Jackson neighborhood.

Um, so to have that in there to know that those other buildings are being filled, um, that again helps to you know add density in a space that is so vibrant is just a win across the board.

So great project.

Councilmember Todd.

We are I I I just want to ask you, I mean, not necessarily Scott, but council sort of the public policy question.

Okay, in this case, we're subsidizing market rate housing.

And in my world where we come from, market rate housing should theoretically subsidize itself.

So I have to ask myself, what's the compelling reason here?

I would suggest in this case that that triangle, that piece of property has been incredibly tough to develop for 20 years.

And and because of the proximity to the railroad tracks, he's unable to utilize most traditional state and federal tax credit programs.

So you're sort of left with no other option there.

And uh, and and so, you know, and my that's the question I asked myself.

Can I make the public policy question for support in this case?

Yes, because of those reasons.

Really appreciate that context.

Yeah, thank you.

Anyone else?

All right.

If there's nothing further adoption of this resolution, has been moved by Van Orney, seconded by Poe.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

31 is a presentation and resolution approving a project term sheet with Sub-Zero Group Incorporated and Cedar Rapids Real Estate LLC and authorizing sponsorship of a business financial assistance application for state incentives for the expansion of a light manufacturing facility at 10015 6th Street Southwest.

Scott, I'll recognize you again.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um so for a little bit of background here, uh, February of this year, uh, site selector submitted a confidential request for information regarding a potential expansion project in Cedar Rapids.

Uh in March, uh, the city provided an incentive package uh to the site selector uh contingent upon approval of the state's business incentive for growth or big program.

In April, we found out that Cedar Rapids was in fact selected for the expansion project.

So today we're here to review and discuss and hopefully approve the project term sheet, followed by the May 15th IEDA board consideration for those site or the for those state incentives.

So here are the terms included with this project term sheet.

So the entities include Sub Zero Group Incorporated as the tenant and Cedar Rapids Real Estate LLC as a property owner.

This is a 196 million point three, 196.3 million dollar investment, of which 70 million is real property and improvements.

The other 126.3 is machinery and equipment.

Minimum improvements include a new addition of a 225,000 square foot light industrial building that should take about 24 months to construct and should begin in August and complete in August of 28.

This uh should create up to 320, I'm sorry, 312 new full-time employees, approximately 115 of which are at or above the big uh wage rate of $30.41 cents per hour.

I have to distinguish this is in addition to the 192 full-time jobs that were created under the high quality jobs program with the initial project, bringing our total to over 500 new jobs.

The incentives with this portion bring a 10-year 100% tax exemption, which is available through the state big program.

An estimated 13 million in new taxes would be generated over 10 years with 7 million being exempted.

The tax abatement is subject to maintaining employee thresholds.

So here's a map, just kind of uh giving everyone a reference again for where this is located.

At the south is uh Walford Road to the north is Wright Brothers.

So this sits along 6th Street and 380.

So this is a current photo of the existing footprint of Sub Zero as it stands today.

And so this expansion is this easterly portion that's facing 380.

Um, so that's the 225,000 square foot portion.

And then from another view here.

So today um uh we're here to consider a resolution approving the term sheet and sponsorship of an application for state incentives, followed by IDA board consideration of state incentives, uh, and then a development agreement would be brought back to council through public hearing in June or July.

With that, I'll return it back for any questions.

Scott, thanks.

Council.

Councilmember Meyer.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, can you go back to the term sheet?

I had a question about the job.

So it says creation of up to 312 jobs, but then the last bullet you have is the tax abatement subject to maintaining employee thresholds.

So what's the threshold?

Well, currently um 312 is what's in the term sheet.

Um, so that's unless something changes, that's the number that we'll be going with.

Um, we don't have um the entire development agreement completed at this point, but there will be in thresholds just like there were in the first development agreement that really lays out if you fall below this threshold, this is how your exemption would be reduced by.

Great, thanks.

And of course, this is a super exciting project, right?

Um, to have a new business moving into Cedar Rapids um already expanding and with 500 new jobs at a really good wage is is great news for the community.

So great job.

Thank you.

Councilman Van Orney.

Well, it's uh always great in D5.

Um I'm not ashamed to say that.

But um look, it this is really an attestation to how great the city team has been able to uh is to work with.

And I say that because what's happening in this area, there's so many family-owned companies.

And you know, one has talked to another, has talked to another, and they've affirmed this is the place you want to do business with.

These are great people, they are shovel ready, they know what they're talking about, they know how to work through that.

So to it's not just getting this expansion, it's attracting a family-owned business, generationally family-owned, that took a chance on Iowa.

They they had not been outside of, I believe, Wisconsin ever.

And they are the industry standard for these exceptional appliances, which maybe at some point I'll work my way up to owning.

But beside that, now they already want to create that.

And and this is really important at this point in time because we have lost hundreds of jobs in manufacturing in eastern Iowa alone.

And this helps to retain those IONs and that talent, uh, those manufacturing jobs that we've lost from Whirlpool right here.

And these are good union paying jobs.

So uh not only getting to bring them back into Cedar Rapids uh closer to us, but having such a great reliable company that has been steadfast.

I mean, again, it's just an addestation to how great our city team is to work with, and and this is a real celebration.

So thank you all.

Councilmember Poe.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Well, uh, once again, um, I think um Councilmember Olson, you had mentioned what this kind of um investment, reinvestment over and over again, and um what we're able to do when we're reinvesting in our community.

So, congratulations, Scott, Jeff, and certainly I want to give credit to Mayor O'Donnell, because I know you're you're always in the thick of it.

And um, this really is a pretty big deal.

This is to think that these people are gonna come and reinvest again once they've already done this initial investment.

We must be doing something right.

So, congratulations to you all.

Thank you for your work.

Councilmember Olson.

Thank you, Mayor.

I think I need to recuse myself from this item.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um, it and it is exciting.

Um, thank you for those kind words, uh, Councilmember Poe, and and everyone.

I think it's a real tribute to this council and this city for its commitment to being open for business.

Um, I will also say it's a tribute to our community because when Sub Zero first came here, they said they felt like they were at home.

And you're right, Wisconsin is headquarters, and I think they're only other facilities in Phoenix.

So they align very well with our advanced manufacturing identity here.

And Cedar Rapids, you're a really easy city to sell.

When we sit across the table from them in Madison, and they say, What do we tell our people?

Why our people should move to Cedar Rapids?

Well, rest assured, we've got a really great list.

So it's a real tribute to you know the this community, um, the businesses who are already here that are willing to speak on our behalf, and in a council for being committed to being open for business, and then of course, staff for all the details in the middle.

City manager Pomranz, thank you for your leadership on this.

We're doubling a facility and employment before it's even officially opened its doors.

That's a win.

Okay, if there's nothing else on this, the adoption of this resolution has been moved by Poe, seconded by Hager.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

Thank you.

That brings us now to ordinances.

Um 32 is an ordinance related to the collection of tax increments within the Edgewood Point Urban Renewal Area, generally bounded by Edgewood Road Northeast, 42nd Street Northeast, and North River Boulevard Northeast.

The adoption of this ordinance on its third reading has been moved by councilmember Tyler Olson, seconded by Councilmember Meyer.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

I am a no.

Uh and that motion carries.

33 is an ordinance amending chapter six of the municipal code city administration to modify the roles and responsibilities of the parks, waterways, and recreation commission as described in section 6.05.

The approval of this ordinance on its second reading has been moved by Meyer, seconded by council member Scott Olson.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

Councilmember Poe.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move the rule 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 and its third and final reading has been moved by Poe, seconded by Todd.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

34 is an ordinance amending chapter 13 of the municipal code wastewater facilities by adding a new group six user group to address service charges for contributing cities with new contractual agreements.

The approval of this ordinance on its second 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, Council.

Councilmember Poe.

Thank you, Mayor.

I move the rule 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.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

35 is an ordinance establishing the Garfield Urban Revitalization Area at 1201 Maplewood Drive Northeast.

The approval of this ordinance on its second reading has been moved by Councilmember Tyler Olsen, seconded by Hager.

All those in favor say aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

Councilmember Poe.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

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

This adoption on his third and final reading has been moved by Poe, seconded by Hager.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries 36 is an ordinance establishing the Mount Vernon Road Urban Revitalization Area for eligible property generally along Mount Vernon Road Southeast.

The approval of this ordinance on its second reading has been moved by Hager or moved by Hager, seconded by Meyer.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

Councilmember Poe.

Thank you, Mayor.

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

Adoption of this ordinance on his third and final reading moved by Poe, seconded by Meyer.

All those in favor say aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

37 is an ordinance vacating the alley between 2nd Street Southeast and the previously vacated Osbourne Park.

The approval of this ordinance on its second reading has been moved by Councilmember Scott Olson, seconded by Todd.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Councilmember Poe.

Thank you, Mayor.

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

The adoption on its third and final reading has been moved by Poe, seconded by Van Orney.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

38 is an ordinance vacating 17th Avenue Southeast.

All of the cross alley in adjacent alley between 2nd Street Southeast and the Cedar River.

The approval of this ordinance on its second reading has been moved by Councilmember Tyler Olson, seconded by Hager.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And the motion carries.

Councilmember Poe.

Thank you, Mayor.

And for the last time, I move that the rule requiring three readings on three different days be suspended and the ordinance be adopted on its third and final reading.

Thank you.

The adoption of this ordinance on its third and final has been moved by Poe, seconded by Hager.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And this motion carries.

Thank you, Council.

And now that closes out our formal business today and brings us to our final public input period.

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

If you're not a resident, a property owner or business owner, you will not be permitted to speak.

But we encourage you to email or call council members and staff with your comments.

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

So we'll remind everybody to remain at the lectern.

If the light turns yellow, you have one minute.

If it's red, we'll ask you to take your seat again.

And we ask for no abusive, obscene, loud, threatening, or personal comments.

If you sign up to speak, approach the microphone when called upon.

And because we're switched, we've switched over to a new system.

I'm gonna go ahead and um call people that had signed up to speak on the citizens review board and our prior um, you know, the first the first public comment period is really for items that are on our agenda.

Um, but we'll go ahead and allow that this meeting as we transition over, and then we'll move on to the the rest of you on that list.

So going back to um uh that last list, I'll invite um Sophia Joseph to speak on the citizen uh review board.

And then next up will be Nick Alderman.

Good day.

Um I haven't been here for a while, so I actually have a few things I want to talk about.

Um, because I'm sure you guys care what I have to say.

I'm sure of it.

Okay, so first um I wanted to give credit where it's due.

So the group violence intervention program.

I was very close in proximity to it when it was created, and I watched um very unfortunate events come about as people, you know, kind of uh I would say Jimmied for credit and for image, and the rates um skyrocketed in crime.

Tons of kids were arrested, kids were dying.

Um, and I made very, very charged public comments about the blood on the hands of various people.

And so um, I have seen that since then.

I mean, a complete reversal, and um I'm not close to it any longer, but I can guarantee that the city council had something to do with that.

Um, period.

And I'm sure that you guys don't deserve the you know all the credit.

You're certainly not the ones out doing the work and whatnot, but I do want to like publicly say that I see that.

I see a huge difference.

Um, I know some of the kids in the program.

And anyways, I can all around say I'm not close to it, but there is no question that something changed within this council to change that impact.

And that literally changed, you know, saves lives, and it's saved children's lives.

And um, and and I want to just really like from the bottom of my heart, like that's incredibly close subject to me.

So um, I'm very, very, very proud to see people put the lives of children before the politics and the image and the other things that so often come up.

So that is the credit.

Um, number two.

I am hoping I'm looking through and I'm seeing this budget of all of this upgrades for the water facility.

We have the worst cancer rates in the United States.

Iowa is doing awful.

Um, I've lost multiple friends that are in my age group in the last couple years.

And I think it's pretty well thought that it's related to the water.

I think we can like pretty well grasp that idea.

Um, and so while you guys are doing this project, I would hope that we are truly, truly, I mean, this is popular too.

If you want to talk about something popular, I posted about the cancer rates.

That was a really high performing post.

People care about cancer.

You guys want to get popular and reelected, focus on this.

This is this is good stuff here.

Advanced nutrient reduction, target PFAs.

Listen, I don't know.

I tried to ask AI, what should I recommend?

Wetlands, natural things upstream to nature-based solutions.

Anyhow, I'm sure you guys can ask AI, ask the experts.

I'm not an expert, but like really, we got to do something about our water.

Um, and I don't know who to blame or who to talk to, but the city does have a water treatment facility here.

You're putting a bunch of money into it.

Let's go ahead and like upgrade that and save lives.

I mean, popular.

This is popular subject, you guys.

I don't know any downside other than maybe like the people polluting our water.

Um, but anyhow, and then so NAST one, of course, the CRB board.

Um, and so I was a part of ASJ when you know the CRB board was originally brought about.

I was not directly involved in really any way with those negotiations, but I did go to multiple meetings and listen in, and it was very close to some people where that were on that board.

And as much as a board needs to be brought back, I can say that that board was like the least effective thing in the entire world.

Um, and what the demands that were on those volunteers is insane.

The amount of hours, the commitment, um, they were drained, it's a non-paying job.

And what was unfortunate is the police were leading the meetings, the police were deciding what data to bring to the meetings, and um my brain, sorry.

And yeah, it anyways, they was all one sided.

It was all understand the police's point of view, understand what the police are going through.

Meanwhile, these officers have not seen the documentaries that are out.

Do they know when policing was invented, what it was invented to do?

Do they know the root of these laws and of these biases?

Um, additionally, just to flash back on some things that were said earlier about the police policing and you would hold it against any, you know, whatever.

Anyways, we have our discrepancy rates have gotten worse since I last did my research.

Statewide, we have 7.7 disparity um rates and marijuana arrests.

Don't worry, Lynn County, we have 11 times the rates.

Our racial disparities are worse than 80% of states.

Um, what was it?

4.4 more times more likely in Lynn County to be arrested if you're a black person for a low-level nonviolent offense than a white person.

I mean, the list goes on and on.

And so you can have a lot to brag about, but when it comes to racial disparities, we are at the freaking bottom of the barrel list.

And the idea that it's not even not even a concern that we're sitting here investing in a regional center, our rates are humiliating.

The last time I did the research, it was nine times.

We're now at 11 times.

We are going the opposite direction.

We need a CRB board.

Have a lovely day.

And thank you.

Um, I have Nick Alderman up here.

And Nick, it says you live in Mount Vernon.

Do you own a business in Cedar Rapids?

I do not.

Okay.

Okay, I'm gonna have to just ask you to have a conversation after.

This this one is limited to, as we mentioned, um, we need residents, property owners, and business owners.

The first public comment period, you would, which is what you were signed up for, but it said CRB, so I thought you could speak here, so we can chat offline after.

Since I was signed up for this one, you move into here, I can't speak.

You were citizens review board is not an agenda item, so you would not have been permitted to speak in the first time, anyway.

So um anyway, so no, we can speak offline.

Um, I'm gonna go ahead and move on to those here speaking on city-related issues, Paradox Elam here to speak on Citizen Review Board.

Thank you very much.

My name is Paradox, and I live in Northwest Cedar Rapids, and I am here today speaking on behalf of 5051 Iowa Coalition in partnership with ASJ.

Our organization is active with ASJ and coalition of organizations and individuals discussing how to promote community needs and interests.

We are thankful that ASJ has been taking the lead both in compiling the needs expressed by our communities and in representing all of us in the meetings with the city on the design reboot for the Citizen Review Board.

I am here to make sure that you understand that we stand with ASJ in this work.

It is very important that the city understands that the call for re-establishing the Citizen Review Board is not just coming from certain parts of the city or certain demographics.

The choice to end the board was a decision that was made, despite the assurances given that affects everyone in Cedar Rapids.

5051 Iowa Coalition will continue to follow updates on the city's progress or lack thereof.

Most of the previous ordinance was still within what is allowable by law.

We are disappointed that the council made the decision to scrap the board entirely rather than revising the existing ordinance to bring it into allowable parameters.

At the time, the council assured the board members, ASJ, and the public that the action was only temporary.

You claimed you were proud of what the city had created, and he promised a replacement.

5051 Iowa Coalition are not the ones at the redesign table.

But we are excited to hear the ASJ has begun discussions with city staff shortly after the repeal.

We have been following updates and were hopeful the city would not go back on its assurances.

However, it has been five months since the last meeting, and until a few days ago, it was unclear if that work would be continued at all.

Please understand our organization has been relatively quiet while the work was underway.

But that does not mean that we haven't been paying attention.

It has become increasingly difficult to trust the process and the promises made by this council.

We have been deferring to the leadership of ASJ, and we stand beside them.

We expect you to carry through with your commitment to replace the Citizens Review Board.

We will be following the progress closely.

We hope to come back in early summer to celebrate the results of the collaborative work between the City Council, the police department, and the community.

Really quick, could everyone who is behind me who is here to make sure that the redesign process with ASJ continues, please raise your hands.

Please look to see these are the people who represent the community.

We want you to do everything you can to ensure that the work continues and that we have something to celebrate.

Because while our organization may not be seated at the redesign table, we are deeply invested in this for the future and safety of our community.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mimi Dowd here to speak on the CRB.

Hello, everybody.

My name is Mimi Daoud, I live in Cedar Rapids, and I'm here representing myself and the advocates for social justice.

When you repealed the entirety of our Citizens Review Board last August in response to the change in state law, you solemnly promised that you were not just going to repeal the board, you promised that you would be replacing it with something that we can all be proud of.

We trusted you when you said that there would be nine champions of justice in this council.

Shortly thereafter, ASJ went to the drawing table with city staff to help determine how to pull together a new board, while staff also reached out to other community members to learn about their experiences and their needs.

And our progress was really strong in those first few months.

Indeed, we were nearly finished.

And then the work stalled.

That was five months ago.

We were patient over the winter holidays and the new year.

We gave grace, but it has now taken far too long to reconvene.

We now anticipate meeting with staff next week, but we are concerned about the five-month gap, which happened despite our efforts to resume long before now.

Reenvisioning a board for citizen involvement in defining and reviewing our public safety practices is critical for many reasons.

The existence of a new board will help to build public trust, provide an authentic conduit to learn about our community's experiences with law enforcement, investigate what research tells us is best practice in public safety, and envision meaningful investments in public safety that support both the community and law enforcement while ensuring we overcome problematic trends and the ways justice has been served historically.

This is critically important because we are not immune to national trends.

We have not suddenly overcome the problems that looks that took center stage in our nation's attention after the murder of George Floyd.

Problems that have existed in Cedar Rapids and continue to exist today.

In 2016, Jeremy Mitchell was paralyzed after being shot by a police officer during a traffic stop.

In 2022, William Isaac Rich was shot and killed by police, and CRPD delayed the release of body cam footage.

In 2023, Devonna Walker was stabbed and murdered by Shane Teslick, a bigoted man who called her the N-word, and police then failed to arrest him.

Even though some would rather these avoid these conversations, the reality is that disparities in policing persist, and we continue to ask police officers to respond to situations that they are not adequately trained in.

In Marion, Saber Jonathan Bernard, a young man experiencing a mental health crisis, was shot and killed by Marion police officers.

And while the full conversations surrounding his death are still ongoing, the aftermath and the impact of this death remains to be true.

It remains to be a profound impact that his killing has had across Cedar Rapids and Marion and his family.

We are experiencing a deep breakdown of trust and are questioning whether those charged with protecting public safety are truly equipped to do so safely.

This is why ordinances that invest in empirical research are critical.

Data driven policies and procedures can help inform city leadership and staff, strengthen accountability, and begin the necessary work of restoring the public trust.

While we did not ask for the redesign of our existing board, we see this as an opportunity to deepen our community's commitment to evidence and research as well as to citizen engagement.

We believe that the original Citizens Review Board was innovative, and we are confident that what we were in the midst of redesigning only makes those innovative components more compelling.

Further, at the heart of ASJ's approach is an understanding that all residents of Cedar Rapids need and deserve opportunities to weigh in on how our public institutions are being run.

Citizen engagement and discussions about public safety is especially vital.

We need this new board to be established by our elected officials, you as our city council, and to include community in its membership.

We need you to understand that we were we were designing a board that will help to build public trust, which as I mentioned is lacking.

However, having such a delay in the redesign process further embeds that distrust in our community members and what they have of law enforcement.

It is our expectation that we will return to you at the end of May or early June with a new proposal co-created with city staff.

And here are some ways that you can help to make sure that this happens.

Over the next few weeks, please continue to ask questions about how that work is developing.

Please ensure that we are not about to scrap what ASJ and the city came to the table and worked on for months and replace it with something that is much less innovative and engaging.

And please ensure that we are on your agendas in late May or early June to present a new redesigned and improved ordinance.

Personally, I was concerned that despite your sentiments of being champions of justice, that your words would fall empty, that without the pressure of a national tragedy and thousands of people on the street, that we would go months with no communication.

So far you've proved me right.

I hope that changes.

I want to be wrong.

We truly hope that we will be able to be here soon en masse in support of a new ordinance.

Thank you.

We ask that you consider making changes if needed, but not to dissolve it, because we did not trust you would hold true to your word, nor make it happen in a timely manner.

Unfortunately, you are proving us right.

Last year you asked us to trust in you again to make this happen.

And instead of maintaining any transparency or communication on the matter, you have let five months of silence go by.

No meetings, no discussions.

That can only leave me to assume that this is not a priority of yours.

I ask that if you do not intend to help create a new board, that you stop calling yourselves the nine champions of justice as you do not have any current existing work to show for it.

I can appreciate maybe two champions, but not nine.

Please remember your commitment to serving your constituents and listen to our concerns, even if they are not your own.

You owe your city an answer.

Thank you.

Next up, Melissa, or I'm sorry, Kim here to speak on leadership.

Tonight you have or I'm sorry, Mayor O'Donnell and the members of the city council.

Tonight you'll move forward with a massive investment in police infrastructure.

4.38 million dollars for a new regional academy.

As a business owner in the city, I know the numbers, how the numbers work.

I see how quickly you can move when the goal is expansion.

But as a citizen, I'm forced to ask where is that same speed and urgency and leadership when it comes to the citizens review board you promised us.

It has been over eight months since you dissolved the CRB.

You told us that your hands were tied by Senate file 311, but you also looked us in the eye and pledged on public record that oversight would not die.

And by the way, I did not know that you were calling yourselves the nine champions of justice.

That is rich.

Oh my God.

I'm sorry.

It has been over eight months.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Okay.

Um true leadership is about integrity.

Doing what you said you would do even when it's no longer convenient, and definitely not doing the popular thing.

That's that's not, we don't do status quo.

We do what's right, okay.

Um telling this community you value transparency while providing zero independent oversight for eight months isn't transparency, it's gaslighting.

You're training new officers in a vacuum.

You're building a state-of-the-art academy to teach them how, but you've dismantled the board that was supposed to ensure that they follow the why, the legal obligation to respect the rights of every citizen without a replacement for the CRB.

You're sending these new recruits into a system where they are the only ones investing in themselves or and investigating themselves.

Just wanted to say that uh the professional standards officer wanted to tell me the other day that we should have a difference of opinion on whether or not obstruction of justice and first degree harassment of a process server is a crime.

Polk County arrested somebody for false reporting just this last week.

Imagine that it is an arrestable offense.

Anyway, let's talk about who really pays the price for this delay.

The victims.

When an officer violates the law, when they perform an illegal search or use excessive force because they haven't been held to the law, there's a human being on the other side of that badge who is left with the trauma.

By stalling the replacement of the CRB, you're telling every victim of misconduct that their story doesn't matter as much as the construction project.

Disgusting.

You're telling them that their constitutional safety is too complicated to figure out.

While a 58 billion in total bond issuances, including the academy funding, was simple enough to prove right away.

Justice delayed is justice denied.

And for eight months, this council has been an obstacle to justice, a barricade, a roadblock for so many people here in Cedar Rapids.

You guys are well aware of the misconduct.

You look it right in the eye and turn away and say, nothing to see here.

You have the funding for your academy.

You have your infrastructure.

And now we are demanding the oversight that was promised on public record.

Stop with the excuses about state law, our other cities are finding ways to engage with their citizens on policing.

Stop the surveys, nobody wants to fill those out.

They only lead to nowhere.

Bringing a legally compliant ordinance for a new oversight board to this floor is the only option.

We are not going to be quieted by your budget approvals.

We are here to hold you to your word.

If you have the integrity to spend our tax dollars on police expansion, then maybe you need to have the leadership to ensure that those officers are actually held accountable to the law for the people that they serve.

And with that, I close.

Yeah, I believe I mean among the groups that we're talking about talking with is ASJ, and they finally accepted, I think, a May 6th date to meet.

And then I have on my docket that will be having a look at that, the new board either at the May 26th or June 9th meeting.

So just to help allay some of those fears.

And they're encouraging people to file complaints.

That was a First Amendment and 14th Amendment violation, ladies and gentlemen.

Absolutely, the citizen review board simply disappears for however long you want it to while you push things through, and that's what is convenient about it.

And I encourage citizens to know that they're not alone.

And you guys might think that I haven't accomplished much, but in the last three years, since I originally started speaking, I had a very powerful person tell me to do so so they could watch what you guys do or don't do.

And it's lovely that I have videos of CRPD sitting outside of my home.

And it's lovely that your guys' internal investigations is not existent.

And it's lovely that we can say we're getting death threats and nothing is done.

And it is lovely that people like Tyler Olson and Tiffany O'Donnell want to interrupt people while they're speaking, and that's already on the record.

And you can't delete anything.

And it's so lovely that you guys actually now are adding names to your projects as if we're not smart enough to go back through and see who is actually associated with those projects.

And you know, it's not normal for every city council meeting for there to be a recusal.

That means that your fingers are in too much of our projects.

And the public um public private projects of the 47 million dollars and the 85 million dollars.

Well, you know what?

This little cookie has figured out a lot of stuff, and I like to do work for the feds and everybody else.

And I understand as a Christian, and I understand all religions, but there's one thing that we can find common ground on, and that is fighting good and evil.

And I'm gonna tell you what, you're evil.

You attacked me online.

You have sit here and lied about me.

I am a federal safe sport whistleblower that was speaking with someone today that actually is fighting this battle and willing to speak for me, and she's on the International Ethics Committee, and she knows these patterns of corruption and gang stalking, and how we are putting money into gang rapists, and we're putting money into people that steal from menards, and we're putting money into people that have no background whatsoever.

But if you're a qualified woman or you're somebody coming to the table that actually knows your stuff and can spy evil a mile away, we don't want anything to do with you.

But we'll cry, won't we, Ann Poe, and say that we care about our grandbabies, but we don't care about the people that are actually fighting.

Good people that are in this room that I already know are being targeted.

I know.

I personally live it.

There is nowhere for me to go in this city because your hands are in everything, and our major law firms are in everything.

And I got you on recording and the bartender's history, and I got her hiding in her house claiming that she's transparent.

I got you crying saying you give a crap about your grandkids.

I got you and your cookie jar back to Bradley and Riley.

I got Meyer sitting here after I come in and talk about a convicted gang rapist hitting me with a slap suit, going online and talking about what a great person he is.

And I got Dostel that wants to keep his head down when we got sex trafficking happening on 33rd.

Oh, wait, and we had a gentleman taking pictures of a babies, and you did nothing.

I am not surprised that we have devil pictures in this place.

I am not surprised at all.

But what I do know is that three years of waiting and watching, and Chavez wants to quash your subpoenas, not one of you had the balls to answer one of those questions, and that is because you all are dirty.

Congratulations.

I've said that many times, but I don't think it really quite hits, right, Van Orney.

You want to sit here and say that life investors left because they were hit by Dracho, but everybody knew that they left in 2016.

You want to talk about these people as upstanding citizens that get all the free money in town so they can buy all their friends, and then meanwhile target women like me and football coaches, and you think nobody notices?

You don't think we're not noticing that the gal that is against me is connected, her husband is connected to the AG's office.

You don't think we don't notice?

You don't think we can't do math on your budgets?

You don't think that I don't have you guys giving millions of dollars to shell companies?

Because trust me, I do.

And go ahead and try and burn my house down because it's gotten all to the correct people that told me go public and let's see what they do.

And the last time that I spoke, actually the first time about a woman that is a convicted safe sport banned sex offender.

You all did nothing.

And do you know what that's called?

Aiding and abetting child pornography.

She was making videos online with a minor child and still walks every day into the I'm on uh hockey ice arena.

Your day is coming.

We will vote you out.

And you think the lawsuit with Mr.

Chad Pelle is just the beginning.

Well, I won.

I'm coming for every single one of you legally, and I will expose you.

This is my hometown.

That's and this is disgusting.

And that's gonna officially close out our public input, period.

City Manager Pomerance, do you have any communications?

No communications.

All right, seeing no further business to come before the council.

Councilmember Tyler Olson moves to adjourn, seconded by Hager.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Those opposed say no.

And we are adjourned.

Lovely.

Your guys are cowards.