Here.

O'Kane.

Here.

Shanner.

Here.

Scott.

Here.

Waters.

Here.

You stand for a moment of silent prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, please.

And to the flag in the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation.

Oh God.

I can't read or writing.

Thank you.

We have a proclamation that reads that whereas in 1988, the United States Congress adopted a resolution designating September 15th to October 15th of each year as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

And whereas the Hispanic community has had a profound influence on our community through strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and services.

And whereas at least 18,000 of our Sioux City population is Hispanic Heritage, which makes up at least 21% of our overall community.

Whereas during National Hispanic Heritage Month, the United States celebrates the culture, the history, the traditions, and the contributions of Hispanic Americans, specifically those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Now, therefore, I Robert E.

Scott, mayor of the city of Sioux City, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim September 15th, October 15, 2025 as National Hispanic Heritage Month in Sioux City and encourage all our citizens to celebrate the con celebrate the contributions that have been made to our community by Hispanic Americans.

Thank you so much.

On behalf of Unity in Action in the Latino and Immigrant Communities of Siouxland, I am truly honored to accept this Heritage Month proclamation.

This recognition is more than a document.

It's a celebration of the stories, culture, and contributions that generations of Latino families have made to our region and to our country.

From our earliest settlers to today's entrepreneurs, educators, essential workers, artists, and leaders, we have helped shape the Siouxland's history and future.

Excuse me, City of Sioux City, for recognizing the importance of this month and for supporting efforts that bring neighbors together.

As we celebrate, I encourage you to continue investing in opportunities for all families, empowering the next generation of leaders and working together so that Siouxland remains a place of belonging.

Thank you so much.

And whereas one in three women and one in nine men will experience violence in their lifetime and domestic violence violates basic human rights by stripping away dignity, security, and self-worth through physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, and economic abuse.

And whereas Safe Place works every day to end those acts of violence and to help survivors rebuild their lives.

Whereas in Siouxland, the safe place is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and last year alone responded to over 1,500 victims of flea fleeing abuse, ensuring despite the high demand, no one in immediate danger was turned away.

Whereas domestic violence affects the entire community, only a coordinated community response can end these crimes and sustain the funding needed for the life-saving services.

Now therefore I Robert E.

Scott, mayor of the City of Sioux City, Iowa, on behalf of the City Council, to hereby proclaim October 2025 as domestic violence awareness month in Sioux City and urge all our citizens to actively participate in the scheduled events and programs and to think about the fact that it's it is someone you know to do.

Thank you.

Domestic violence touches every part of our community, neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family.

This proclamation reminds us that ending abuse takes all of us by sharing resources wearing purple and speaking out.

We send a clear message.

There is no excuse for domestic violence, and everyone deserves to live free from fear.

On behalf of Safe Place and the survivors we serve, thank you for standing with us.

All right, thank you.

We will go to the consent agenda, which is two through twelve after date.

You can consider these items to pass unanimously and as a separate roll call voters requested by a council member.

Anyone wishing to speak on an agenda item may come to the podium at the time the item is being discussed.

Anybody wishing to speak on an item that's not on the agenda can come up under citizen concerns.

Please remember to always stage your name for the record.

I move the consent agenda.

Second.

Two is a reading of the September 27th and September 17th and 22nd council minutes.

Three is a motion accepting the annual evaluation of the museum director.

Mayor?

Yes.

I just want to make a couple of comments to Steve Hanson on your annual evaluation.

It's uh you deserve that evaluation.

And it's high marks, and and you run the museum so well, and you attract the volunteers to make the museum operation successful, and you're always there.

Whenever I've come to the museum, you've always been there.

Of the several meetings that you hold and sponsor, and you make sure everybody has beverages and and snacks and that kind of thing.

It's it's just a great place.

And I just want to I can't thank you enough, Steve.

You've you've had high marks since I've been on the council, and you continue to be those because of the hard work, your great work ethic, and your uh promises that you've made to the citizens.

So thank you very much.

Couldn't have set up better.

Four is a resolution rejecting the bid for the Plaskey Park drainage improvement project.

Five is a resolution adopting the third quarter supplement of the municipal code.

Six is a resolution inviting proposals and setting a hearing for the lease of land at 2403 Aviation Boulevard in the Donner Park Urban Renewal Area, and announcing the intent to accept the proposal of Sky West Airlines.

Seven are actions relating to agreements and contracts.

A is a resolution approving a work order with R S and H for the runway 1331 and 185th Apron Reconstruction Project at the airport.

B is a resolution awarding a service provider agreement to CW Suter for the City Hall Train Condensing Unit Project, need to abstain conflict of interest.

C is a resolution termining the contract with crystallization services for the project to install vertical storage racks at the Art Center.

Mayor, I have a question for our art center director, Todd Barrens.

Good afternoon, Todd.

When I when I read your write-up on this, um I th I think I have an understanding of it, but I'm wondering what impact would this have.

So we're not going to use the company to come into Sioux City and install these um 16.

What was it?

16 vertical storage.

Vertical storage racks.

Uh you're going to do that yourself or someone local.

What will how will that impact our warranty that we have on those racks from the company that actually has built them and will be delivering those?

Sure.

The um the warranty for the equipment extends five years, and they said that as long as we follow the drawings that they will supply, then they will honor that warranty.

Okay.

Have you had uh merchandise from this company previously over the years?

And has it been quality?

Yeah.

Uh we when we uh built the art center back in 96-97.

This was the company we went to for the storage racks.

These are sliding screens basically to hang paintings on.

Um, and so we went back to them oh 2018-2019 when we relocated the uh collection storage room from the first floor to the second room.

They came back to uh oversee that move of the of the racks.

So we went back to them for these additional ones now that we um need more space.

So it's it's been an unusual experience this time.

They just but they have been able to commit to the manufacturing of the racks, but not to the delight, they can oversee the delivery but not come here and oversee the installation as they did before.

Okay, thanks, Todd.

So that's really not your choice that they're not installing them.

They don't offer installation.

Yes, that's yeah, I just heard that a few weeks ago that that's now off the table.

Okay.

Thanks.

Thank you.

See, no, no, you Todd, sorry.

Stan, I wanted to chat about B if I can.

If you don't mind sorry, the CW Suter and Train project.

So I just wanted to ask.

Um, I was recently at a conference, and it was talking just all thinking more holistically about what our systems are doing, how they're efficient with different energy sources and how it's just they're using each other and being able to be more efficient.

And train their company use, I mean they're going through a complete rebranding and restructuring all of that stuff, and one of the biggest things they're doing is investing not only in the supply side of things as far as supplying, you know, whether it's vendors like CWS and those to install their units or work with their units, but they're also going and using artificial intelligence to use more of a consulting side to say, look, this will be the most efficient use of your system and the things we would recommend upgrading at this point, and then kind of working with companies or larger organizations to just make smarter investments for the equipment.

Have you had any interactions with train about that or any discussions or is CW suitor working with that side of it or at all?

I just wanted to ask the question.

I should have called you.

I'm sorry.

Stanley Faye facilities maintenance manager.

Um, no, we have not had any discussions on that.

I talked to I have a the contact and the rep was covered this area, so I'll see if he can at least come out.

I mean, it's good, it's a good company and a good product, and CWS I know will do the right thing.

It's just at this conference, they said look, the money is fine as far as the supply side, but we're trying to think more holistically for companies and larger things that want to work, have everything work better together.

So yeah, I can get him in touch with you.

Okay.

Thank you.

F is a resolution approving a consulting services agreement with J.

E.

O.

Consulting Group for the Seeger Avenue Water Main Replacement Project.

G is a resolution approving a consulting services agreement with McClure Engineering for the undersized water main replacement project.

H is a resolution approving a contract with RP constructors for the Riverside Boulevard and Hornecks Sanitary Sewer Manhole Emergency Project.

I as a resolution approving a contract to CW Suitor for the terminal rooftop unit replacement phase two project.

I need to abstain conflict of interest.

A is a resolution authorizing payment to KNS contracting for the Tyson Events Center Exterior Expansion Joint Installation Project.

B is a resolution authorizing payment to RP constructors for the South Apron Reconstruction Project, Phase 1 at the airport.

C is a resolution approving repair estimates and authorizing payment for the properties at 2825 Sargent Road and 3907 Seeger Avenue.

Purchasing A as a resolution awarding a purchase order to Boundary Medical for eight Cure Surplex Kids.

B is a resolution awarding a purchase order to Murphy tractor and equipment for two John Deere Bacho loaders.

C is a resolution awarding a purchase order to Riverside Technology for Ruckus software and hardware for the Tyson Event Center.

Ten are applications for cigarette tobacco nicotine vapor product permits, 11 is applications for alcohol licenses, 12 are boards and commission and committee minutes.

Anyone to be heard on any of those items?

Mayor, I need to abstain on 11A2A, the Briar Cliff University renewal.

Recommendations of planning and zoning.

13 is a motion acknowledging the Board of Adjustment Actions of September 23rd.

I'll move that.

Second.

Uh to 11 properties.

I think that 11 of those properties were actually owned, owner-occupied.

Some were sent to the owner of the new property, and some were sent to the state of Iowa and to attorney for the petitioner.

When that notice of public hearing was sent out, it was very vague, and what it stated in one sentence, what the intent was.

With the use they would have accessory use, indoor recreation, personal fitness, yoga, sound baths, and leadership retreats.

That's the information that was sent out.

Nothing more than that.

And so being as I share uh 300 foot of property line with the owner, I thought I would meet my new neighbor, find out a little bit about what they're doing.

It didn't really concern me that they were going to have a bed and breakfast.

It was uh that's something that usually is not an everyday occurrence, and but I came to the uh hearing anyway.

When I got to the hearing, uh I listened to staff report, and I heard a couple things in the staff report that uh uh alarmed me a little bit.

The uh one thing that I did not understand were these leadership retreats.

Uh it didn't make a lot of sense to me that uh they were going to do yoga outside of the bed and breakfast or uh any of the other items.

I uh the way I read it, the way I understood it was that it would be a bed and breakfast, and the people that were staying in the house would have the opportunity to uh do yoga or other uh the sound baths, or I uh again didn't really understand where the leadership uh retreat comes in.

After uh discussion, uh I got very early on that uh what they were asking for didn't meet the requirements of uh the code that they had asked for.

It's not a bed and breakfast, and the uh first person to get up and talk about it was uh the city planner, and he specifically made the comment that he said that it did not meet the requirements of a bread and back bed and breakfast.

Uh so then I was trying to figure out what it is exactly is going on.

And as it came out, what it uh what it involved was up to 15 people would use the property on weekends for a retreat.

Uh nobody would live in the house, so when there wasn't a retreat, the house would be locked up, there would be nobody there.

I didn't like that idea very well for obvious reasons.

Um what would if it's a property that's used as a business and there's activity there at two o'clock in the morning.

What am I supposed to assume?

That uh people are there to do yoga at two in the morning, or maybe they don't belong there at all.

Should I call the police or uh should I just forget it and go back to the road?

I'm gonna we're gonna do three minutes and you're over.

So if you can kind of well, I could probably get three minutes from a lot of people, it would be much shorter for you.

Somebody raise their hands gonna give him three minutes because abide by the rules.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

I'll get to the point.

Yeah.

We weren't given the right uh information.

Uh we were told it was going to be a bed and breakfast, and it's not.

Uh so as I ask questions at the planning and zoning meeting or the Board of Adjustments meeting.

Uh I asked about the roads.

We have about 36 blocks, three miles of roads in that area.

You can't uh there are many, many areas where you can't cross traffic.

So there's a ditch on both sides of the road.

When you meet oncoming traffic, the people that live up there understand that, but when you start bringing more people in, they don't understand that.

So you either have to pull off into somebody's driveway or back up or stop and put your car halfway in the ditch so they can get by.

So traffic's a concern.

I brought that up at the meeting.

Not one single person on uh planning and zoning board asked a question, not one.

Of the uh 36 blocks or three miles of uh gravel roads that we have up there, you'll find four signs, four twenty-five mile an hour signs, and they're either side of properties on uh Castleman Street, and there's two of them on Amanda.

There are no others, there are no stop signs, there are no yield signs, there are no uh blind intersection signs.

Uh we have a lot of areas up there that are just flat dangerous.

Did anybody from P and Z do any kind of a traffic study or even drive up there and take a look at it?

No, they didn't.

So then there was concern about uh noise, and we were given assurance from the owner that there would that it would be quiet, they weren't gonna be parties, it was gonna everything would be all right.

I guess we just have to assume that that's okay.

Planning and zoning didn't ask a single question about that.

When we asked about uh so planning and zoning didn't ask, didn't answer any questions.

The only thing that they talked about in their whole meeting is whether this was a fit under the municipal code for bread bed and breakfast home or a bed and breakfast in, which they're two different things.

They didn't petition, they didn't ask for bread and breakfast in, so I don't know why there would even be a discussion.

But what they were asking for, they clearly were told that it didn't fit the requirement that came from the city planner.

So first was their attorney, and he got up and he said we're gonna put in a parking lot, we're gonna put up privacy fence, and uh that doesn't fit the use of the property.

None of us have privacy fences, none of us uh have parking lots in our yard, and that's what I saw from the conversation that I had.

They asked if there was a site plan.

There was not a site plan, so nobody ever reviewed any kind of a site plan.

Uh nobody did a traffic study, nobody really cared that there were if there were safety issues as far as uh signage or intersections or uh it just it absolutely didn't talk about any of that.

All they talked about was bed and breakfast the whole time.

So it seemed kind of a waste to me to have gone to the meeting.

They voted five to two in favor of allowing conditional use of the property for these other items with no consideration to the neighborhood.

There are about 55 homes in the Western Hills area.

They're on this map that you see in front of you.

Uh the house that uh because of the way the map sits, the property in question is this one.

These are the houses on West 31st that have signed a petition that I will give you that aren't interested in having this up there.

Every one of these uh orange spots on the paper.

Those people have all signed a petition that uh they're not in favor of what's going on here.

The LaCroix asked that.

They they said that they would not uh these are the copies of the petition.

I brought three.

The LaCroix said that their intent was to operate these uh uh retreats between the month of March and October.

It's October, so they don't intend to do anything until March of next year.

There's no rush to have to push this through.

We're not holding up the sale of a property.

We're not really not putting anybody at a disadvantage or any kind of a hardship by asking that you send it back to planning and zoning so that they can answer some of the questions that we have.

As I talk to all of my neighbors, I give them the information that I have based on conversation that I've had with Nicole about some of the legal issues.

And little by little, I get a little bit more information, but it's not really fair for me to share that information with all of my neighbors.

They should get it firsthand.

They don't need to get my opinion or so.

So anyway, what I'm asking for is I'm asking for the city to the city council to send this back to planning and zoning.

And we're asking in the petition that any correspondence that they send that they send to the addresses to the people that signed the petition.

There was, just so you know, there was nobody, not one single person that was asked to sign that petition that didn't sign it.

There were people that were not asked to sign it for whatever reason.

They might be uh they're just they're not in a position where uh you want to bother them.

One, I didn't want to get bit by a couple big dogs.

So, but so that's uh kind of where it's at.

Now, last night, none of my neighbors know about this, but uh Debbie LaCroix reached out to me last night, and she came up to my house.

I showed her this map.

I didn't try to keep anything from her.

I told her exactly what it was that was uh going on, and I took her for a walk around my property, uh, and I said, This is what I like about living up here.

You don't hear anything, it's quiet, there's no traffic, there's wildlife, uh we have just about everything go through our yard from turkey to coyotes to fox to deer to uh we see it to bald eagles.

We see all of it up there, and uh we don't want we don't want to lose that.

So Debbie came up, we looked at uh we walked around the property, she was concerned about what I see from my house to where she's at, and there's nothing objectionable, it's I see trees.

Uh we talked about a fence.

I told her I don't want a fence, I want to see trees.

I don't want something that stops the wildlife from coming and going where it wants to go, and she was relieved about that.

She said, I didn't want to put a fence up anyway.

Uh she didn't, the privacy wasn't for me, it wasn't for her, it was just to satisfy a neighbor, uh, which was very nice of her to offer, but it's not necessary.

We uh she said, Will you come over and look at what we're what we want to do in our house?

So I did.

We went over and we looked at it, and she explained to me about these uh leadership retreats.

And uh I gotta say everything about it sounded absolutely fine to me.

I didn't see anything that I objected to.

She's looking for a place where people can come and it's quiet, and they can do yoga, they can read a book, they can uh sit and listen to their music, uh, not a loudspeaker, but they can put their earplugs in and they can enjoy nature and they get rid of the hassles of uh of everyday life, and it just gives them an opportunity to chill out a little bit.

I don't have any problem with that.

I think that sounds fine.

We looked at the facility and she said, here's where I want to do uh yoga, or here's what I want to do, and everything looked it.

The house that they purchased is unusual.

Uh it was originally built for family that had foster children, and so it has uh dormitory type rooms uh for people to stay overnight.

Uh I talked to her about uh nobody being in the house, that it uh being turned over to people that uh I don't want to say that they need supervision, but the owner's not around, and so uh if something happens, there's nobody there.

She told me that they have reconsidered uh whether someone should be there when somebody's around.

She said uh a couple things that were not in here.

They wanted to put a library in so that uh people could read, find a book and read if they wanted to.

She said they wanted an area where they could do uh arts and crafts.

They want to they have a pool table if people want to do that.

Uh there's but it's just a place where people can go and get away, and uh I didn't find anything objectionable about that at all.

We talked about the traffic.

She told me that they have had discussions and they had looked at there are only three ways to get into this property, Castleman, Barry Street, and Amanda.

Uh she said that they had decided that Barrie Street was not a good choice, and I agree it's not a good choice at all.

The other two would be Castleman and Amanda, and Amanda was the one that uh was probably the easiest where there would be the least amount of problem with traffic, and she said we're looking into having somebody oil or put tree sap down on the road, uh, which one of the major concerns of the neighbors, the people that signed on here, uh it's dust.

When they with all the traffic that we get up there, it's uh you're there's a cloud of dust every time a car goes through.

We have people up there while while I was with her last night, one of the neighbors was out with their dogs walking on the road.

That goes on all the time.

There are people out walking on a gravel road, and the traffic just it makes it miserable for what they want to do.

The uh so she uh made the offer that uh they would find a route off of Amanda Street and they would try to encourage all of their uh customers to use that route in and out, and uh that does a couple things.

The people that are concerned about dust, the people that are off of Castleman Street, they're out of that.

They don't have to worry about that.

People that are on Barrie Street, uh they wouldn't use that anyway, but also the people off of Castleman, they won't even see, they won't see any of what's coming and going, or they won't hear anything, it won't be any kind of a distraction.

You could take half of those people off of uh the petition, really.

Uh the others that live there, I have no idea how they feel about having the streets oiled uh to keep the dust down.

I don't think the traffic will be horrible.

Uh Debbie even went so far as to tell me that when people came to check in, they would try to have three people check in at one o'clock and three people at two o'clock, so that there wasn't, but I don't know that that's really important or not.

Once they get there, they do intend to stay there.

So uh it might not be as bad as uh what we think.

I think that there might be a way that we could all get along and that she could get what she wants, and we wouldn't be disturbed.

Um years ago, Charlie Zook lived up in that area.

Charlie was a hero because he took care of the roads.

He put uh crushed asphalt down instead of rock and it eliminated the dust.

They put oil down instead of, and uh that took care of a lot of the uh four ten years.

Those roads were uh needed very little maintenance once they were done right.

Um they seemed to be fine.

But when Charlie left, then uh so did that service because he was kind of in charge of that.

Now you gotta pick it up, John.

Come on.

Yeah, thank you.

Everybody should go together.

Well, you know, I'll tell you what, I've been there 30 years.

I've paid about a quarter of a million dollars in property taxes.

I get no city sewer, no city water, no city garbage, and I still have to pay a runoff fee for rain that never hits a city street.

We don't have a single solitary storm sewer anywhere up there, and the intent of that was it was temporary and it was to accommodate storm drainage.

That's what that whole tax is all about.

So when you say go ahead pick it up, uh great.

Why should I?

I didn't say you have to.

I know.

You're just saying that you're missing it.

Yeah, truly, I'm just saying.

I don't comment.

And all of those things happened before I was on council, so I really can't comment on those decisions.

It was just a comment that if you enjoyed it so much, it's an alternative.

I'm sorry.

It does strike a nerve when people say, well, why don't you do it?

Well, I didn't say it like that.

So anyway, what we are asking for is we're asking that the council will send us back to planning and zoning.

And I think that all of the same people that are here now will probably have to go to a planning and zoning meeting to hear actually what the plans are.

I'm kind of hopeful that Debbie might agree to have a small open house and let people see what it is she's doing and what her intentions are.

And I think that would relieve a lot of questions that people have.

But if it stays the way it is now, it's no good.

So any questions.

First of all, let me just say a couple things.

Council can only remand it back.

We can't reverse the decision.

We can only remand it back and ask them to look at it again.

And then the Board of Adjustment is different than planning and zoning.

The Board of Adjustment is its own body, basically.

It's a quasi-legal body.

And so the I mean, I've done this job a long time, and I can't ever remember.

There's two options.

The neighbors can sue the Board of Adjustment or the City Council can sue the Board of Adjustment.

We've never elected that option that I know of because we've never had one that's been that controversial.

But I just want you to understand.

I think John probably explained it because he's been here, but we just can't tell them they made a wrong decision.

We can only say look at it again.

That's all we can ask them to do so you know.

Let's let their side have a say here.

Well, and before you start John took about everybody's time, which is fine.

If you're in favor of what John is proposing, please raise your hand.

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay.

Go ahead.

Thanks, Council.

Uh, my name's Jake Natwick.

I'm the attorney that's been helping the LaCroix with this application.

So I just wanted to respond to a couple of the legal points, and then I'll get out of the way and let them talk about their retreat center and bed and breakfast.

So, as you know, uh, you know, the the code of ordinance doesn't cover everything.

And so when we are looking at how do we get this in front of planning and zoning as far as what they want to be able to do with this property, we have to fit it into something that fits in the code.

And so that's where we landed on bed and breakfast home, because it also allows an accessory use for private events.

And so uh it does actually meet the the requirements for the bed and breakfast home.

I think that was clear.

I think with respect to Mr.

Fitch, that's misstated that it was it was not met.

I think those requirements are met uh in our application.

Um just for clarity, because I was thinking the same thing is that it seems like it wouldn't be the appropriate name for it or the exact fit for it, just so you all understand.

I mean, if I heard it was going to be labeled a bed and breakfast, I would think, oh well, good, I know what a bed and breakfast is.

Well, just because something fits under that category, it's not exactly what you would think is a traditional bed and breakfast.

So by code, that's what they call it, and it fits under that category, even if it's not the traditional B and B that people might think of.

It still fits the code or under that category, even if it's slightly different.

Yes, that's right.

And we tried in our uh permit application to go through each of the parts of the code to show how we we met that.

Um I mean, that would have been available to anyone who got the notice to ask for a copy of that.

That's that's of record.

So um I'll I'll get out of the way and let them talk about the retreat center.

And Debbie, I'll have you pull the mic down.

Oh, come on.

I'm talking about thank you.

Um so I did have a prepared statement, but first of all, Debbie, first of all, you got to state your name for the record.

I'm sorry, Debbie LaCroix.

Thank you.

Okay.

So first I do want to apologize for to everybody for this coming here because I know how busy you guys are, and I know you have a lot to do.

And I feel like maybe I missed them all.

I I should have looking back, come to the neighbors and explain to them what I was doing.

And I'm so happy, I really enjoyed our conversation last night, John, and I'm really looking forward to getting to know you over the years to come.

There are a lot of things that if you didn't have that application in front of you, you have no way of knowing the answers, but planning and zoning did have all of that.

So when planning and zoning did listen to us, they gave us one year.

Basically, and I think they were doing it, and I might be making an assumption, but for me to get to know you guys and you guys to get to know me, and for us to see um how this can work, and for me to show you that I really am a good neighbor and that I have your best interests in mind.

I know some of you guys know me, um, and I hope that helps a little bit.

But um the reason that I do need this uh to go through tonight, if possible, is just because it's gonna take with construction.

Um if this is uh what I'd like it to be, I do have a lot of work to do.

And we've started some things, but there's some things I have on pause.

Um, because of if it was not to go through, I don't need to spend money on certain certain things, and I won't bore with bore you guys with those details.

But I absolutely love um John's suggestion, and I would like to do an open house and invite everyone over.

I'll provide pizza or banana bread.

I'm not a good cook, so I apologize for that.

Um, but I would provide the opportunity for you guys to really ask questions and for me to work with you to be a good neighbor because I do really, really strongly believe in this project.

And really what it is is it's offering a peaceful space for wellness, growth, and connection.

Um, something that's currently missing in Sioux City.

And it is going to be seasonal because I know I've been on those roads.

I am kind of a nervous driver.

John got to drive with me, and I think he was probably like, please don't ever drive me around again.

Um but um I don't want people out there that don't know the roads in the winter because I feel that it's very important for everybody to be safe.

Um these events are gonna basically be taking place.

Um I did not provide a sample itinerary, but I will do that for you guys so you can see what all that will entail.

Um but we're gonna be using the space a lot like it is.

It's very comfortable, it's welcoming, and it's well suited for these small gatherings.

It's really magical out there for those of you who have been, and you guys will live out there, you know.

It's just an amazing place.

Um it's a place where people can come, rest, recharge, and reconnect.

I promise you there's no weird things going on.

Um it's it really is about the yoga, it is about the connection, it's um about it's about nature.

Um, it's about getting to be the best part of ourselves that we are, and reconnecting and leaving re-energized without having to drive three hours to get home.

Uh these retreats are big in other cities.

Uh, we really do care deeply about the neighborhood and our community, and we're committed to ensuring that our retreats operate in a way that's gonna enhance both um the people that are coming as well as you guys.

And I probably have gone over um, but John hit a lot of the things that I was gonna talk about, and so I'm just gonna say that I'm done.

Thank you.

No one else be heard.

I'm going to uh because I don't think it's yeah, yeah.

Come on.

There's more thank you.

Yep.

Council, my name is Cheryl Hanson, and I am the pro I was the previous property owner of the property that the LaCroix purchased.

I was relieved, if you will, when I knew that they were going to take over that property and and heard of the things that they were going to do with it.

Um, you know, I could talk about like the economic the benefits that the city would would recoup from having such a thing.

Um, you know, they're doing it at the nature lodge in the Raccoon River, and nobody lives there 24-7.

So I mean, this is something that would attract a demographic that I do not believe would cause harm or threat to the area or the neighbors or anybody there.

I think it could only be a benefit in trying to list anything that I would say would be a negative in this situation.

I think John probably brought up a good point.

You know, there might have been some different traffic signage years ago, you know, when we first moved in, so maybe that does need to be taken a look at.

But I think the one thing that you look at, we can agree that it has the economic benefits, and of course the demographics that will be attracted to that, it would enhance the city's reputation and make other opportunities available.

But I think the important thing too is to understand who's gonna be at the helm of this, who's gonna govern this, who's gonna push this forward, who's gonna make sure that it is sustainable, who's gonna make sure that it is friendly to nature and and and the people in the environment.

And I truly believe these are the people that will, these people will.

Um, you know, I would tell you all about them, but you got to meet her just a little bit, and that's real.

So that's who's gonna be managing this project, and I don't think you could go wrong by letting this go forward in any way.

Thank you.

I'd like to speak, please.

My name is Janice Newsom, and I live on the corner of West 30th and Amanda, and this will directly affect us.

We have a lot of dust, like Mr.

Fitch said.

We have people that come rolling down West 31st, flying down that road.

There's no sidewalks anywhere in the neighborhood.

There's kids on this on the roads because there's no sidewalks, there's people walking all the time up there, and it the reason we live we moved there is because it's country living in the city, and I do have a problem with all of the people, all the dust, and the problem is it's gonna bring to the neighborhood, not to mention there's a neighbor up where Mr.

up by where Mr.

Zook lived that has uh semis coming up and down Amanda Street all day long, and they've taken out the fence right there on the corner across the road from us.

It's a mess already.

So I don't see how having extra cars up there are gonna help anybody.

Thank you.

I'd like to speak if I can.

Hey, I was gonna say, I'm not sure John might have taken some of your time.

Yeah, go for it.

Uh, my name is Lewis Engel, and I live at 3021 Panama Street.

Now we own from 30th Street up to 31st Street.

We go up there, we have three acres of woods, we clean a lot of stuff out.

Now, if I take my pickup up there and I'm loading wood from the woods, cleaning up, I have my pickup almost solid against the bank.

A car can barely even get by me.

They have to really watch to even get by me on Panama Street between 30th and 31st Street.

So I have dire um questions about that, how that's even gonna be begin to work out.

Anyway, thank you.

Yeah, thanks.

Well, and I just since it seems like it's dying down and before the mayor makes a motion.

I just wanted to say uh just a couple things that I would just address.

I John, I appreciate the way you laid everything out.

I thought that was important, especially I think we as individuals have a fear of the unknown and make assumptions about people's intentions, and sometimes that can put people on edge.

And I think that if I would have read that and not had details, and then I would have been nervous, and I probably would have been in the same situation.

And so I appreciate you doing your due diligence of going and talking to your neighbors to say if we don't know what this is, you know, we should be opposed or at least gain more clarity.

Because I read the language, you know, of the petition, and it says we would just want our questions answered, you know, before moving forward, and then commend you for the fact that you were willing to meet with Debbie and have that conversation, I think, to answer those questions.

Um, and I think once you did at least hear them out, I think you too realized that this is probably the best thing that could happen to that property, um, uh, if anything was going to happen to it.

Um because one of the things that I would worry about if I was a neighbor, if I was thinking about this property, is I would think, okay, who who might want the property if it wasn't this family, right?

If it wasn't Debbie, and I would think that would be like a large family, right?

Like maybe a large family with a lot of kids or something wouldn't want to move out there, who knows.

And then I was thinking, gosh, well, a family could build a big Morton building and have a party barn, and it would never come before planning and zona.

It would never come before the city council because it's a private dwelling, and they have uh uh a building that they could keep farm implements and throw parties in.

And that would really frustrate me as a neighbor because those parties would go all hours of the night or what have you.

And I'm just thinking hypothetically, right?

Like that is that would be a concern I would have.

But what I will say is that I've known Debbie for years now.

And as you can tell, perhaps by her testimony today, she might be in running for about the quietest person I know.

Um I could be in a room talking with her, and sometimes I have to have her to speak up because I'm not sure if she's just being so kind and considerate and quiet, or just speaks at that volume.

But she is one of the sweetest, most considerate people that I know, and even going into her current shop and current location, that's what you're filled with.

You know, she has a shop on 4th Street.

I've been in it numerous times, and I think that the goal of this project is really to offer as she put it, and I think as her attorney put it, a place for people to relax and recharge in a quiet environment and be able to appreciate all that you folks appreciate.

And I think the thing to remember is as well is I they don't want large groups.

Move up there with multiple kids that are of driving age, there would probably be more traffic than what she's considering, or if you had a farmer that's similar to the gentleman that was talking about a trucking company.

And so while I understand the confusion, the concern, the worry for me, it's it's the same situation we were in, however long ago with Sarges are not Sarges, it's Philly time on the corner in Morningside Avenue.

Is we have these fears that let us run wild, and so then we put stipulations and and if it gives people it makes them sleep better at night, then that's fine.

But we did the same thing on Morningside Avenue where we said, okay, the neighbors have right concern have concerns and the right to be concerned, but this person meets the letter of all this intent, and we understand what they're trying to do.

Let's give them a year to see how it goes.

And if at the end of that year, people are saying, Oh my gosh, this is the worst thing that's ever happened to this neighborhood.

I can't believe you would let this go through.

Then the council will redecide.

The council will get to hear and be able to see that again and make a decision, or it will go before actually the board of adjustment, and they can make that decision.

And so she's just asking for that year to be able to try that, and it sounds like to keep the project moving forward, she would at least answer your questions ahead of time, but allow her to continue the project rather than delaying things.

So I just wanted at least say from my perspective, knowing her, but also knowing what the alternative could be for a property like that.

I think you'd be pleasantly surprised that at least she's going through these steps to try to educate or at least make sure that your concerns are met.

I don't I'm gonna make a motion to remand it back and die, but I don't understand why that's a problem if you're not starting till October.

I mean, if you're not if you're shutting down in October, you're not gonna be open anyway.

So sending it back to Board of Adjustment only allows the opportunity for you to spell out some of these things.

And I have not I don't have any problem with your project.

I don't think it's gonna be as bad.

We all have fear of things, I get it, but but I think that by what I'm not picking on your attorney, I'm not, but by the way it came to the neighbors, I would have you know, I would have had a view.

Well, bread and bed and breakfast isn't all that bad, but then when it's added elements that they don't know about, that's fear, and they have a right to be fearful, in my opinion, and they have a right to have a chance to come and have you tell them exactly at the Board of Adjustment what's gonna happen.

I think that's only fair.

I'm not sure the council's gonna agree with me, but I'm gonna move to to remand it back to the Board of Adjustment.

And if there's not a second, then it'll die.

Well, and just for clarity, they did have an opportunity at the Board of Adjustment.

They did have an opportunity at the Board of Adjustment.

I mean, it went out right now on the end of my block.

Nobody knew what that was gonna be.

They didn't know it was gonna be a church.

Once they found out it was a church, they were very comfortable with it.

Yeah.

Well, they thought it was a board of adjustment.

It's you or a bed and breakfast.

Because that's what you're voted, but your own staff says it's tough to make it that's as close as you get.

Correct.

So what what does it hurt?

She's not opening until the spring anyway.

But she said that there's work that she's doing on the property, like you would be doing stuff inside.

I made a motion if there isn't a second, we'll move forward.

I don't I don't see where anybody's harmed by that.

So that's why I'm making the motion.

Well, and I'm just going off of what she said is they need to make improvements to the property.

Obviously, they're not open.

Can I just say well, there's a motion, so not second it's it's too late.

Well, nobody's gonna second it, so it'll die, and and uh we'll vote on the regular motion then you probably live out yeah, that that's a state law that is a needs a little correction, but just so you know the mayor was saying, and maybe you didn't hear it.

That's a state law that determines the circumference of how far out we send that letter.

It's in our code as well.

Or in the and in the code as well, that we follow.

It doesn't matter how far it it goes by your house.

What is the term determination is how far your property is from that property?

That that's why you might not have got a note.

Like the circle.

Did I come back to the audio?

It's already voted.

Um I mean, it's we're voting now, is the problem.

Is there a motion made to acknowledge that?

There was an original motion on the floor by the mayor.

And the motion to I have a conflict of interest it passes three to two, and I vote no, and Mr.

Moore abstains, so it stays that way for a year.

I would hope you have you're under no obligation to do anything as of now, but I would hope that you would meet with the neighbors and do everything you can to make sure that they're comfortable with where you're going.

So that's and just hold that on the obviously gone had talked about, yeah.

I I'm only speaking for myself.

I don't I'm not speaking for the council, just so you know.

14 is a hearing and ordinance vacating portions of Floyd Boulevard P and Z recommends approval of petitioner is the city of Sioux City.

I'll move that.

Second.

Public hearings now open.

Anyone to be heard?

Seeing none, the hearing is closed.

Yeah, I move that passes five zero.

Is there anybody opposed to waiving the statutory rule?

No.

No.

I'll move that.

Second.

O'Kane.

I Chener.

I Scott.

Waters.

Aye.

More.

Aye.

I'll move second, third, second.

Chainer.

Aye.

Scott.

Aye.

Waters.

Aye.

Moore.

Aye.

O'Kain.

Aye.

15's an ordinance dedicating and naming tracts of land as Floyd Boulevard.

PNZ recommends approval.

The petitioners of the city of Sioux City.

I'll move that.

Second.

Passes five zero.

Anybody opposed waiving statutory rule?

Nope.

Move it.

Second.

Scott.

I waters.

Aye.

More.

Aye.

O'Kane.

Aye.

Aye.

Second, third, second.

Waters.

Aye.

More.

Aye.

O'Kane.

Aye.

Shanner.

I.

Scott.

Aye.

16's an ordinance amending chapter 5.20 and title Solid Waste of the Municipal Code.

I'll move that.

Second.

Mayor, I have a question for Tom.

Era.

For both of you.

Can you please just describe what we're doing here and why we're doing it?

Yeah.

Please.

Tom Pingle, you tell uh public works director.

Era's more up to speed on this, so sh I'll have Airabout Bag.

Thank you.

Aramontane Environmental.

This is just um we're taking what was already in the ordinance for residential properties and adding it to commercial.

This is if they do not pay to have their trash emptied and it starts overflowing and going out and littering onto the streets.

We can call a contractor to go out and empty that and bail them back for it.

That's been a that's been an issue.

It's becoming an issue.

Okay.

Yep.

Some of them are vacated properties that nobody's living at, but they have to have a container there because they have their water on, and then they don't empty it or they don't pay their bill, so then it becomes a nuisance.

And so this will just help us be able to enforce that.

When we looked back at the code, it was in the residential portion, but it really wasn't in that commercial portion, or not to where I felt like it was good enough to really send somebody out there.

So we're just adding that verbiage.

Just generally speaking, has it been enforced really well for the residential?

Yes.

It has been.

Okay.

This will help keep the area clean too.

Yes, flowing all over the place.

Yep.

All those lids are open if it's overflowing.

So it's gonna help with a lot of the litter and a lot of those plastic bags floating in the air and well, we just have some uh companies that they won't pay their bill, so then they'll just shut service off with one contractor and go to the next contractor.

Start bro, have that service for like three months, stop paying it, and then nothing gets picked up.

So I appreciate that.

This will help with that.

Who you got just passes five zero.

Anybody opposed waiving statutory rule?

No, nope.

Move it, second more.

Aye, o'cane, aye, chainer, aye.

Scott, aye, waters, aye.

I'll move second, third, second.

Okane, aye, chainer, aye.

Scott, aye, waters, aye, more.

Aye.

17's an ordinance amending chapter number 2025 0794 to correct descriptors there relating to the dedication and naming of a tract of land as old Lake Port Road.

I'll move it.

Second passes five zero.

Anybody oppose waiving statutory rule?

No.

I'll move it.

Second.

Shanner.

Aye.

Scott?

Aye.

Waters.

Aye.

Moore.

Aye.

O'Kane.

Aye.

Second and third.

Second.

Scott.

Waters.

Aye.

Moore.

Aye.

O'Kane.

Aye.

Shayner.

Aye.

Citizen concerns.

Any citizen to be heard?

Seeing none, we'll go to council, Mr.

O'Kane.

Well, this is a busy weekend.

Not sure what it's like for everybody else, but uh well.

Sorry.

I'm up here.

Come on up.

State your name, please, ma'am.

Susanna Lang.

Okay.

I've been a citizen.

I've been born and raised here.

I'm sorry, I thought I could keep myself.

I have um a disability.

I have a traumatic brain injury and um PTSD.

Um there's no guy it's so hard to shorten it, but I do see here that you guys are kind about disabilities.

Now I have never collected any money from the government state.

I just retired early.

I got myself in a predicament with a past, I thought, drug dealer, because he was my girlfriend's older boyfriend, and I had lived for him with him since 2020.

I didn't realize that my counselor told me that I was under narcissistic, and that what this man was doing to me financially, physically, emotionally, sexually.

So he files a ridiculous order to I'm sorry, please.

He files a ridiculous order to the courts over there that he needs a protection order.

Well, I can't get an attorney because Friggies, Wootons, Buellers, Rooneys have all.

I mean, I have proof that they have like 90% maybe of the lawyers.

But they have 90% of the lawyers, you know, wrapped up, so nobody can help me because it's a conflict of interest.

But what I had, and to the first judge, what I had to show and read.

Oh, you he promised I could as to how ridiculous this order was and to get, you know, it said and done.

Well, he gave me three options.

Am I guilty?

No.

Um, there was another one I don't remember, but there was a consent.

Would I take that?

And it's like, no, I don't consent here.

I didn't do anything, you know.

So he got mad, ordered me a guardian alumni, no, it's guardian an attorney.

And when talking to her, she was only supposed to make me, I was supposed to pay $3,000 to get her to get her, and she is to make me to can take this consent deal.

Ma'am, what exactly do you think the council can do?

Okay, that was just so I am in the court system now, right?

Right, but we're not the court system.

That's why I'm trying to figure out what we I don't I need because like I've spoken out and spoken out, and I've found no help, and I have a target on my back, I am sure, because what the police, detectives, sheriffs, county attorney Loomis, uh Whittison, judges like Dan or Dean have deemed me basically, and excuse this word, but you know, retarded.

So I am being drugged through the system because coming up before people, I'm like this.

So I have been drugged through this system for their amusement, and the cameras, the cameras from every person, every place will verify.

You don't have to listen to me, but so our legal system is pretty damn corrupt to take an old lady, drag her through, not giving her a protection order, um, not taking um a police, a police order of you know how things this person did to me and so forth, and only to have another warrant, have a warrant now.

Okay, ma'am.

I'm gonna stop you right there.

This we don't we're not we don't have any, we don't have any control over what you're asking us to do, but I am gonna have the city attorney step outside with you and see if there's something that she and the human rights commission might be able to assist to.

That's why I'm suggesting she goes.

Oh honey, I have I have called everybody, but I just want our city attorney will have a little private conversation with you then.

City attorney right here.

Yeah, I'm the city attorney Nicole Du Bois.

Okay, maybe I've tried to reach you too.

But all I'm saying, and I want it on camera, is that I was arrested for violating an order that no longer existed.

Um I was thrown in jail just because I drove down a public street, and not and I was told the police told me about this warrant, and that I'll bring it, I'll sum it up.

The police told me about this warrant, and they said just go down at a certain time in the alley of the jail house, and you can go before the judge.

I didn't ma'am, ma'am.

No, please.

No, please.

There's nothing we can do today.

No, but you can listen, you can be aware.

Well, uh, we've listened, but I'm trying to tell you that there's not anything that this council can do for you today.

I'm I'm not asking, all I'm asking is that you just listen.

I will wind it up right now.

But I am thrown in jail instead of going before the judge.

I am stripped naked to lie to sit on feces, everybody's feces everywhere, and I have a seizure, okay.

I wake up in my own body fluids, and no one had come to help me to assist me medically in any way.

I know you can't help with that, but the more people I tell, the more protected I feel because somebody knows they have used intimidation and so forth, and I have tried everywhere, all the way up to the governor's office, and not one person has bothered to listen.

Ma'am, we're we're listening and we hear you.

Okay.

And I appreciate and I appreciate you sharing and coming and and that had to be tough.

I understand, okay.

And so what I would say is just take a breath and and we made it through.

Um, and we listened, and what we'll do is now if the city attorney can visit with you and hear you more out here and be able to answer, and maybe we can get to the bottom of that, okay.

Is that okay?

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Yeah, you're welcome.

Her name's Nicole, she'll visit with you for a little while and try to get your information.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Any other citizens to be heard?

There being none council concerns, Mr.

O'Kane.

Um it was a very busy weekend.

Um River Sans uh was very well attended.

Um the vendors that were there, everybody had a great time.

The weather was perfect for it.

Um, but there was a lot going on this weekend, so it was it was nice to see people out.

Uh, this week is a busy week as well for all of us.

Um we've got the employee appreciation pancake breakfast on Wednesday that I'm looking forward to.

Um, and Thursday, I'm gonna be late to it, but our volunteer appreciation event, which is always one thing that I look forward to every year because we have great people that help volunteer for a lot of our boards and commissions and and really keep this city running.

So I'm I'm looking forward to that as well.

And that is that is all member Shanner.

All right, I want to say one word vote.

Tomorrow's the day.

I want to see everybody with their sticker on their Facebook page, do a selfie and go vote.

It may seem like it's only city council.

And just to be clear, it's the primary of it.

It's the yes, it's the primary, but you're choosing who's going to run for these three open positions.

We're narrowing it down.

So please take five minutes is all it takes.

Go to your poll, go in, mark the three circles that you want, turn it in, you're good to go.

I went today, it took me two minutes.

So please vote.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Waters.

Yeah, no, the um only thing I wanted to bring up is it was brought to my attention uh of a program that is out of Cedar Rapids.

I know I've spoke with some members of city staff about this already, and I brought it up in our public works team meeting just about the potential of trying to partner uh volunteers or organizations with individuals maybe with mobility impairments, such as myself or as of elderly or individuals that are unable to clear the snow on their sidewalk themselves, um, and having uh kind of a buddy program where we would be able to partner volunteers that do that um in the community with people that maybe are unable to do so themselves.

And so kind of modeling it after what Cedar Rapids has, but I I know that I talked after talking at a public works team meeting.

I think we're gonna go go forward and just kind of troubleshoot what avenues we'd be able to do, how we'd be able to implement such a program, because I know it is um it's certainly something that I worry about, you know.

If I'm not able to get out there and clear the sidewalk away, I don't want anyone slipping or not able to get to the bus stop in time, and and then unfortunately, you know, if I can't get to it, and then um people make complaints or something, you know, that we we have to enforce that.

And so it's something that none of us want to do for people that are unable to do so, and so if we can maybe offer an opportunity where we have volunteers that are willing to do it, that would be a win-win.

And so um I just wanted to bring the rest of the council up to speed on that.

So I'm just trying to have some of those conversations and see what it would take to be able to do something similar.

But that's all I have.

Thank you.

Um we have a council retreat on Wednesday at 12 noon at Seaboard Tramp Foods Expo Center from 12 till 2.

Um The other thing I wanted to bring up, Mr.

Collette, how soon do you want the uh United Way of Sioux Land donations turned back in by council members and mayor?

Yeah, I'll check with Gabby, but I think by the end of October.

By oh, by the end of October, okay.

So everybody has one of these.

Please fill them out.

Please support United Way of Siouxland.

That's all I have.

I move to adjourn.

Second.

Third Waters.

Aye.

More.

Aye.

Okay.

I'm sorry, I can't hear myself.

See what you've started.

Shamer.

Aye.

All right.