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Council Workshop 12/20/10

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    if we can have your attention we'll get
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    started here welcome to our workshop
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    December twentieth meeting and start off
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    here with responses to the City Council
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    and mr. city manager you had two
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    questions all figures for answers for
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    both and first what question had to do
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    with the municipal service center okay
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    and you were acting service enterprise
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    which the answer is that there's a long
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    narrative essentially the answer is that
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    we've been finding in this area and
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    regardless of what decisions are made
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    about beautiful service center
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    plaintiffs we covered all the doctor's
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    letter remember will suffer inspector
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    generally in that
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    somebody it's an area that's ripe for
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    redevelopment and so the areas along
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    south east 14 along South East connector
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    east to west through the area are
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    appropriate areas for us to target our
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    activity you have on the agenda this
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    evening one of the first purchases of
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    land down there so all of that would be
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    appropriate given our long-term
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    objectives for that area in terms of
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    economic development regardless of what
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    we do with municipal service in our
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    although our intentions are to pursue
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    the service center concept as council
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    has directed the second question had to
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    do with a topographic map of the
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    flooding characteristics of the site
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    that we propose for municipal service
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    center we have or will provide a copy
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    that to the mayor who's the one that
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    asked for it and there are copies
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    available for each of you if you'd like
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    to have it just let me know Eric wrote
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    em that's all we have I think it'd be
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    great to have that I'd like to have a
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    copy of the map adeje like the others
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    would too so if we share it with
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    everybody he'll be be great you know
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    okay next on our agenda bicycle master
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    plan I see mr. Tripp heading to the
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    microphone good morning Thank You mayor
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    pro-tem a halfie numbers of the city
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    council Don trip Park and Recreation
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    Director this will be the first time
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    you've seen this plan it's a
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    collaborative effort of several city
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    departments it will be presented today
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    by Richard Brown who has been at our
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    city parks planner that has been in
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    charge of trail system planning and
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    management development for the last
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    several years and Gary foxit city's
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    traffic engineer the plan seeks to build
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    upon the city's extensive trail network
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    by integrating the bicycle into the
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    city's transportation system just one
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    final note for me at your seats you have
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    a folder looking like this there are
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    several maps with this presentation that
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    are a little bit difficult to read in
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    the PowerPoint format so you want to
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    take a look at those and with that I'll
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    turn it over to Richard Brown
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    mayor pro-tem mahaffey members of the
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    council richard brown park planner 3
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    thank you for the opportunity to be here
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    to talk about a proposed bicycle and
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    trail master plan for the City of Des
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    Moines this plan seeks to build upon the
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    city's extensive trail network and to
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    integrate the bicycle into the city's
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    transportation system as I get started I
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    want to provide you a brief overview of
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    what we're going to discuss today in the
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    past few years a series of council
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    actions and policies has created a
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    paradigm shift in how the bicycle is
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    treated and accommodated in the City of
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    Des Moines this proposed plan builds
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    upon the city's extensive trail network
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    and seeks to integrate the bicycle into
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    its transportation system the focus of
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    the plan is not the trail system but
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    rather the on street bicycle facilities
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    that connect the community to our trail
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    system and finally we'll look at are we
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    hip in the right direction and what are
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    the next steps and where we go from here
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    as I just indicated the city's extensive
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    trail system is how we got to where we
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    are today the roots of the Des Moines
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    Cheryl system date back to nineteen
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    seventy three with the construction of
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    the Bill Riley trail the last 20 years
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    has seen a boom in the number of trails
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    constructed and connected together at
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    since those early beginnings in 1973 the
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    trail system has grown from 1.7 miles to
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    over 41 miles today this map shows trail
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    development in Des Moines up to nineteen
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    ninety the Bill Riley is the purple on
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    the left and the neil smith and Pat
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    dorium are the ones on the right this
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    map shows how the trail system in Des
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    Moines and the surrounding communities
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    has exploded as it was in early 2010
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    trails are clearly important important
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    to the residents of Des Moines a 2007
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    wreck Rachel recreational needs
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    assessment and satisfaction survey
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    revealed that trails where the number
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    one Park facility for the citizens of a
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    Des Moines refer you to a handout in the
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    folder that shows where trails ranked
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    among the priorities of citizens when
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    they did this survey
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    over the past few years previous council
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    actions and policy have integrated and
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    accommodated the bicycle into the City
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    of Des Moines of the council goals
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    adopted in 2006 this proposed bicycle
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    and trail map trail master plan most
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    directly relates to the city's
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    sustainable green community goal that
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    includes a directive that des moines
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    will offer safe reliable and convenient
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    transportation alternatives that reduce
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    the reliance on automobiles and parking
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    facilities the Complete Streets policy
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    is nearly two years old and has had a
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    huge impact on roads and left in the
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    City of Des Moines several roads now
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    have bicycle facilities including
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    Ingersoll Avenue the newly rebuilt
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    indianola avenue the brand new opened
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    southeast connector urbandale avenue the
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    newly rebuilt south east sixth street
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    and next spring 45th street south of
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    Grand Avenue will have bicycle
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    facilities this represents over 6 miles
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    of Des Moines streets that now have
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    bicycle facilities on them this proposed
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    bicycle master plan has many potential
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    benefits to the City of Des Moines
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    among these benefits more bike riders
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    mean less air pollution and carbon
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    released into our atmosphere people that
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    ride bikes are generally healthier and
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    on street bicycle facilities can connect
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    people to places that our trails cannot
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    creating this plan has been a nearly
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    18-month process that kicked off in July
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    of 2009 the city hired Ulta planning and
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    design on a Portland Oregon to conduct a
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    plan this started with a series of
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    public input sessions at the main
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    library that concluded well over 100
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    people working from that input an
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    advisory committee comprised of a group
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    of citizens city staff and other
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    interested organizations worked with the
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    consultant to draft the proposed plan
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    the heart of this plan is a series of
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    goals that are summarized here they
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    focus on several overarching themes
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    including health and wellness increased
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    bicycle use economic development and
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    fire environmental benefits and
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    bicyclist safety
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    one of the major aspects of the plan is
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    a proposed bicycle and trail on on
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    street bicycle network you'll find a
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    copy of this map in your folder it's a
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    little bit hard to read up above here
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    but this proposed network includes a
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    series of facilities some of which are
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    new to Des Moines and others that are
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    currently widely used around the city
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    the combination of existing and proposed
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    bicycle and trail facilities seeks to
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    integrate the bicycle into the city's
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    transportation network Gary Fox will now
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    take a few minutes to describe each of
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    these new facilities good morning Margot
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    I know it's hard to read this map but
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    the real image I want you to take from
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    this is think back on the map that
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    Richard had about where our trails are
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    and there were a lot of them in the
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    downtown and out to the west and
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    northwest there's a few in the northeast
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    corner and that's about it they're not
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    connected together there's more gaps in
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    there are trails it's a great system but
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    there are many many gaps if you just
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    look at this map without getting into
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    the details of you see that this is
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    represented all over the city there's
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    connections here that will get you from
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    all parts of town connect to those
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    trails that we have and then include
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    some key additional links to the trails
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    so how do we do that again as Richard
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    said this is primarily on street so in
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    some cases it's pretty simple restrike
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    the streets is there you can just put up
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    signs designated so you can do some way
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    finding and find your way on it these
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    are the types of techniques that are
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    used to create the on street bicycles
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    bike facilities of course the first one
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    is the off street trails that's what we
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    have and there's some expansion of that
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    to bring in the key connections but bike
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    lanes bike Boulevard that's a relatively
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    new term and we'll talk about that a
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    little bit what those are cycle tracks
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    that's also very new I don't know that
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    there are any in the state Iowa directly
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    but chair lane markings shoulder
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    bikeways the simple sign bike routes and
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    then as you start to bring these things
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    in that you need some additional
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    amenities bicycle parking and other
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    other amenities like showers
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    just a whole range of things start
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    getting added to the list to really make
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    it work hi doc well for those that
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    commute to work right to work and then
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    you're sweaty so you need to stop a
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    place park your bike take a shower go to
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    work some of them have them in the
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    workplace and we actually need some
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    public ones so just those are the extra
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    amenities that will kind of go along and
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    fit in with as people really start using
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    the bike as a primary form of
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    transportation again the off street
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    trails typically they're 8 to 12 feet
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    wide it's paved ad a compliant all that
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    stuff and generally they follow along
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    the rivers creeks and greenways and
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    going back again to that image if we've
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    got a lot of them but we got a lot of
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    gaps the kind of a burning image in my
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    mind as to why we need to do this is for
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    a lot of folks to use that great trail
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    system we have they load their bike on
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    their car drive to a trailhead take
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    their bike off and then get a ride on
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    the wonderful facilities that we have
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    seems to me that makes a lot more sense
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    just get your bike out of the garage or
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    whatever get on it you can ride on your
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    local street and then pick up a
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    collector x boulevard or bike lanes or
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    something and then right and eventually
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    get to that trail and and do the rest
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    you're right or maybe you're going to
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    school or to work or shop and so again
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    the bicycle lanes typically it's a
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    dedicated marked on the pavement the
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    image there is a nice picture that we've
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    taken there on ingersoll shows traffic
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    there's trucks there's parking the bike
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    lanes with a bike using it it really
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    just carves out in the roadway
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    designates the places where the
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    traffic's supposed to be and where the
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    bikes are supposed to be makes it work
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    pretty well as Richard said we have some
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    existing locations here southeast
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    connector indianola east sixth those are
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    new construction relatively easy to
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    build into it takes a little bit extra
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    of money to build the extra width but
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    relatively easy Cottage Grove was a real
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    simple restriping of that ingersoll's
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    will more complicated and controversial
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    with the additional things of parking
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    and buses on there but it can be fit
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    onto those kind of facilities urbandale
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    was a little bit challenging to
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    with residential parking but I think we
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    came to a good solution there east
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    walnut we have them and there hasn't
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    been a lot of discussion about those so
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    we're off to a pretty good start but we
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    got long ways to go to expand at the
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    bike boulevards is kind of a new
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    treatment that really bites have shared
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    the street with vehicles for a long time
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    on bike routes but this really picked
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    something it takes a street that serves
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    as a good bike collector and then
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    enhances it put some traffic calming
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    things in to help slow down traffic less
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    emphasis on the vehicular traffic and
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    more emphasis on the bicycle traffic may
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    one of the main things that may need to
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    happen with a bike Boulevard is as you
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    get to crossing major streets collector
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    and arterial streets there may need to
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    be some additional facilities built or
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    bite detectors just a variety of things
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    to help the bikes easily get across the
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    really busy and heavy streets just a
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    variety of things air enters there's no
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    one-size-fits-all they've got to be
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    really designed particularly to the
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    circumstances of the individual Road
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    cycle tracks it's really it when you see
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    this and it's kind of colored pavement
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    it's in a sidewalk that's one type of
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    cycle track it doesn't really have to be
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    that I think a sense of the the key
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    element that differentiates that from a
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    bike lane is it puts the the bicycle
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    lane on the other side of the park
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    vehicles like on ingersoll the park
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    vehicles are right by the curb where the
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    businesses are the bike lane is between
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    the park vehicles and the moving traffic
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    on a cycle track under certain
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    circumstances kind of makes sense if you
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    can take a lane of traffic out have the
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    park cars adjacent to the moving traffic
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    and then there's a bike lane between the
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    pedestrians and the park cars well bit
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    safer for the bicycles don't know that
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    there's a lot of places that this will
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    apply but again that's one of the
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    techniques and there may be some areas
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    where that's a better solution than
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    simply put in the bike lane on the
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    traffic side of park vehicles and shared
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    lane markings a fairly simple treatment
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    pretty similar to bike lanes but there
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    are some real specific standards that
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    you have to
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    to designate bike lanes on the street
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    sometimes if you have a little bit less
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    width and that rather than just give up
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    and not be able to do anything you can
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    mark it's called shero's is this bike
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    symbol with the chevron arrows in the
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    front of it it's ash arrow indicating
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    that the bikes and the vehicle share the
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    road this is kind of the area that that
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    bike should ride pretty much right over
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    the symbol and through the shero's it
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    positions them far enough away from
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    parked vehicles that they're a little
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    bit out of the door opening zone and
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    rather than wander all over the street
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    in front of traffic it's again sort of
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    designates the preferred area for the
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    bicyclists of the bikes and the motorist
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    can share the road a little bit easier
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    shoulder bike way it's really kind of
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    the rural version of bike lanes pretty
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    simple to do we don't have a lot of
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    applications for that in an urban area
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    but where there's the open ditch
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    drainage a four foot paved shoulders
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    adequate with them for bicycles to ride
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    on an area that's outside the normal
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    traffic lanes we do have a couple of
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    them with Paige shoulders they're not
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    designated bikeways yet but they're
  • 16:47 - 16:52
    proposed to being corporated into the
  • 16:49 - 16:55
    plan on East Army Post Road and in
  • 16:52 - 16:57
    Broadway Avenue and again under certain
  • 16:55 - 16:59
    circumstances that may be a real simple
  • 16:57 - 17:02
    and cost-effective solution to put the
  • 16:59 - 17:04
    bike facility on the roadway the
  • 17:02 - 17:07
    simplest and lowest level of treatment
  • 17:04 - 17:10
    is assigned bike routes we've had signed
  • 17:07 - 17:11
    bike routes around the city for longer
  • 17:10 - 17:13
    than I've been with the city so I know
  • 17:11 - 17:15
    that's quite a long time more than 30
  • 17:13 - 17:17
    years they've not had a lot of attention
  • 17:15 - 17:20
    it's really simple and basic probably
  • 17:17 - 17:22
    some signs missing the thing that the
  • 17:20 - 17:24
    that the master plan talks about adding
  • 17:22 - 17:26
    on us some additional wayfinding
  • 17:24 - 17:28
    information how far is it to some
  • 17:26 - 17:29
    destinations where our destinations on
  • 17:28 - 17:32
    this other than there's just being a
  • 17:29 - 17:34
    bike route and follow along some
  • 17:32 - 17:36
    additional information has shown an
  • 17:34 - 17:38
    example the waterfront park or Community
  • 17:36 - 17:41
    College those kind of things so very
  • 17:38 - 17:44
    helpful we have some of the routes that
  • 17:41 - 17:45
    are currently bike routes or appropriate
  • 17:44 - 17:48
    that way that signing just needs to be
  • 17:45 - 17:50
    improved and adds some of this to it so
  • 17:48 - 17:54
    that's a very simple and low-cost way to
  • 17:50 - 17:57
    have the bikes in the vehicle share the
  • 17:54 - 17:58
    street and again as we mentioned bicycle
  • 17:57 - 17:59
    park
  • 17:58 - 18:01
    as you start to have this and
  • 17:59 - 18:03
    particularly people use it for shopping
  • 18:01 - 18:06
    and commuter trips to work you need a
  • 18:03 - 18:09
    place to park your bicycle when you get
  • 18:06 - 18:10
    there and both short and long term if
  • 18:09 - 18:12
    somebody's riding to work they need a
  • 18:10 - 18:15
    place to park their bike all day long
  • 18:12 - 18:17
    and if they're just going short time to
  • 18:15 - 18:21
    shopping a little bit they may need part
  • 18:17 - 18:22
    for 15 or 20 minutes location style is
  • 18:21 - 18:25
    really a key to success there's a
  • 18:22 - 18:30
    variety of things you can attach it to
  • 18:25 - 18:31
    posts different things what some people
  • 18:30 - 18:33
    have very expensive bikes and they
  • 18:31 - 18:34
    really want to put it in a secure Locker
  • 18:33 - 18:36
    protect it from the elements protect it
  • 18:34 - 18:38
    from somebody vandalizing or stealing
  • 18:36 - 18:41
    their bike so you need a variety of
  • 18:38 - 18:44
    things in the downtown area now we've
  • 18:41 - 18:45
    installed about 600 racks not just in
  • 18:44 - 18:47
    the downtown a lot of it in the downtown
  • 18:45 - 18:49
    but also starting to spread out
  • 18:47 - 18:51
    ingersoll one of the follow-ups as we
  • 18:49 - 18:53
    got the bike lanes on there and the
  • 18:51 - 18:55
    acceptance of bicyclists out there some
  • 18:53 - 18:56
    of the businesses were asking for some
  • 18:55 - 18:58
    help and getting some bike parking
  • 18:56 - 19:00
    doesn't need to be a whole lot of it but
  • 18:58 - 19:01
    they recognize they've got bicycle
  • 19:00 - 19:04
    customers and so they want that amenity
  • 19:01 - 19:09
    have a few bike parking spaces right by
  • 19:04 - 19:11
    their business think that was is that
  • 19:09 - 19:14
    the last one ature do yep now back to
  • 19:11 - 19:14
    Richard
  • 19:15 - 19:19
    thanks Gary as you see with so many
  • 19:18 - 19:21
    different bicycle facilities proposed
  • 19:19 - 19:23
    for areas across the city the advisory
  • 19:21 - 19:26
    committee felt was important to
  • 19:23 - 19:27
    highlight three priority projects for
  • 19:26 - 19:29
    implementation that could have the
  • 19:27 - 19:31
    biggest implement or have the biggest
  • 19:29 - 19:33
    impact coming out of the gate for
  • 19:31 - 19:34
    implementation of this plan I will
  • 19:33 - 19:36
    briefly describe each of these three
  • 19:34 - 19:38
    projects to you and I will refer you to
  • 19:36 - 19:43
    maps in your folder that has a little
  • 19:38 - 19:45
    bit more detail in each one of them the
  • 19:43 - 19:47
    first priority is a series of proposed
  • 19:45 - 19:49
    bicycle facilities in downtown Des
  • 19:47 - 19:52
    Moines some of these facilities include
  • 19:49 - 19:55
    bike lanes shared lane markings also
  • 19:52 - 19:58
    known as the cheryl cycle tracks and
  • 19:55 - 20:00
    bicycle boulevards this combination of
  • 19:58 - 20:02
    the on street bicycle facility seeks to
  • 20:00 - 20:03
    connect the downtown to the existing
  • 20:02 - 20:06
    trail and bicycle facilities on the edge
  • 20:03 - 20:09
    of downtown currently most of our trails
  • 20:06 - 20:12
    connect to the edges of downtown but do
  • 20:09 - 20:14
    not penetrate into the downtown area it
  • 20:12 - 20:16
    also proposes to connect these on street
  • 20:14 - 20:20
    bicycle facilities to the new transit
  • 20:16 - 20:20
    hub being constructed for dart buses
  • 20:30 - 20:33
    the second priority facility is a
  • 20:32 - 20:35
    bicycle bowl of our proposed for
  • 20:33 - 20:38
    Southwest fourteenth Street on des
  • 20:35 - 20:39
    moines southwest side southwest
  • 20:38 - 20:42
    fourteenth Street parallels both fluer
  • 20:39 - 20:43
    and Southwest ninth street but only
  • 20:42 - 20:46
    carries a fraction of the traffic that
  • 20:43 - 20:47
    these two arterial streets do it makes
  • 20:46 - 20:50
    it a perfect an ideal candidate for a
  • 20:47 - 20:53
    bicycle Boulevard this Boulevard will
  • 20:50 - 20:57
    connect grayslake park to the blank Park
  • 20:53 - 20:58
    Zoo Fort Des Moines the superblock it
  • 20:57 - 21:00
    will also provide connections to the
  • 20:58 - 21:02
    newly annexed areas of South Des Moines
  • 21:00 - 21:03
    as well as all the residential and
  • 21:02 - 21:06
    commercial neighborhoods and schools
  • 21:03 - 21:06
    along this corridor
  • 21:13 - 21:18
    the final proposed priority project is
  • 21:16 - 21:21
    called the Northeast bicycle connector
  • 21:18 - 21:23
    currently there is not a good connection
  • 21:21 - 21:25
    from the very popular gayley Wilson
  • 21:23 - 21:27
    trail on the city's northeast side to
  • 21:25 - 21:29
    downtown Des Moines the heart of this
  • 21:27 - 21:31
    proposal is a series of bike lanes on
  • 21:29 - 21:33
    Hubble Avenue from East eighteenth
  • 21:31 - 21:36
    Street to each thirty-third Street
  • 21:33 - 21:38
    preliminary analysis has indicated that
  • 21:36 - 21:39
    traffic counts on this stretch of road
  • 21:38 - 21:41
    could handle a change from four lanes to
  • 21:39 - 21:44
    three lanes which would be a needed to
  • 21:41 - 21:45
    allow the bike lanes further study and
  • 21:44 - 21:47
    public input would be needed before
  • 21:45 - 21:56
    bringing any proposal like this forward
  • 21:47 - 21:58
    for approval finally I'd like to wrap up
  • 21:56 - 22:00
    where we've been and where we go from
  • 21:58 - 22:03
    here the proposed next steps for this
  • 22:00 - 22:05
    plan include the following you see here
  • 22:03 - 22:06
    they'll be important to get the public's
  • 22:05 - 22:08
    input on the proposed plan before
  • 22:06 - 22:11
    finalizing it and bring it through the
  • 22:08 - 22:15
    public improve public approval process
  • 22:11 - 22:16
    as I stated earlier this plan seeks to
  • 22:15 - 22:18
    build on the city's extensive trail
  • 22:16 - 22:21
    network and integrate the bicycle into
  • 22:18 - 22:22
    the city's transportation network thank
  • 22:21 - 22:23
    you for allowing me to spend a little
  • 22:22 - 22:25
    bit of time introducing this proposed
  • 22:23 - 22:29
    plan and we'd be happy to take any
  • 22:25 - 22:36
    questions that you might have go ahead
  • 22:29 - 22:38
    Christine can I have an update we know
  • 22:36 - 22:41
    maybe I need to talk with Don about this
  • 22:38 - 22:42
    what do we need to be doing on that to
  • 22:41 - 22:47
    get that forward because there been some
  • 22:42 - 22:49
    contacts made on that yes councilmember
  • 22:47 - 22:50
    Hensley this connection actually would
  • 22:49 - 22:53
    go all the way to grayslake it's a
  • 22:50 - 22:58
    project that would connect an off street
  • 22:53 - 23:00
    facility along Thomas Beck road
  • 22:58 - 23:03
    Pomerance services and through the
  • 23:00 - 23:05
    railroad marshalling yards we are
  • 23:03 - 23:07
    working with the neighborhood to
  • 23:05 - 23:09
    fundraise for that connection as you
  • 23:07 - 23:11
    know we've talked with the neighborhood
  • 23:09 - 23:13
    about this connection and either coming
  • 23:11 - 23:15
    up Druid Hill driver cassidy drive so
  • 23:13 - 23:18
    really the approval of this plan and
  • 23:15 - 23:20
    this particular step in the process is
  • 23:18 - 23:21
    important because the next step for us
  • 23:20 - 23:22
    is to get out to the neighborhood and
  • 23:21 - 23:25
    talk about the design at Southwest
  • 23:22 - 23:28
    fourteenth Street okay
  • 23:25 - 23:31
    Don what's timetable from the gate I
  • 23:28 - 23:36
    will someday I'll tuna I'll let me
  • 23:31 - 23:38
    talked about that currently the gay Lee
  • 23:36 - 23:40
    Wilson trail does connect through
  • 23:38 - 23:41
    pleasant hill to Altoona there's another
  • 23:40 - 23:43
    segment that polk county conservation is
  • 23:41 - 23:46
    working on to connect up to the city of
  • 23:43 - 23:48
    Ankeny and over to the Neil Smith trail
  • 23:46 - 23:50
    I believe they have all the property
  • 23:48 - 23:53
    acquired for that section up to ankeny
  • 23:50 - 23:54
    but are just waiting on the remaining
  • 23:53 - 23:57
    funds for krista's just to start
  • 23:54 - 23:58
    construction I misspoke i'm at ankeny i
  • 23:57 - 24:00
    knew it was on to help doing already
  • 23:58 - 24:01
    yeah yeah i know they have been able to
  • 24:00 - 24:03
    acquire all that property but i just
  • 24:01 - 24:06
    waiting on some final funding okay so
  • 24:03 - 24:07
    that's pretty near future you think we
  • 24:06 - 24:08
    can find out the exact answer but i
  • 24:07 - 24:12
    would guess in the next year or two is
  • 24:08 - 24:14
    probably appropriate yeah richard that
  • 24:12 - 24:18
    proposed section that runs along the
  • 24:14 - 24:21
    south edge of Waveland golf course where
  • 24:18 - 24:23
    we at with that currently well we do not
  • 24:21 - 24:25
    have any money to fund the section of
  • 24:23 - 24:27
    trail councilman more is referring to is
  • 24:25 - 24:30
    a section of trail that would parallel I
  • 24:27 - 24:33
    235 as well as the south end of Waveland
  • 24:30 - 24:35
    golf course we just completed a section
  • 24:33 - 24:37
    that goes north along there along the
  • 24:35 - 24:39
    west side of the cemetery do the
  • 24:37 - 24:40
    complexity of design we are estimating
  • 24:39 - 24:41
    be probably the neighborhood of a
  • 24:40 - 24:44
    million-dollar so we're looking for
  • 24:41 - 24:46
    grants and ability to design then get a
  • 24:44 - 24:48
    struct constructed I just made it's at
  • 24:46 - 24:50
    least five years out at this time Thank
  • 24:48 - 24:54
    You Don do you feel we're getting our
  • 24:50 - 24:54
    fair share of mpo dollars for trails
  • 24:54 - 25:00
    councilmember mahaffey will take more I
  • 24:57 - 25:02
    guess we always will but you've done a
  • 25:00 - 25:04
    great job through the NPO and our
  • 25:02 - 25:07
    representatives there to direct money
  • 25:04 - 25:07
    towards trails in central Iowa and in
  • 25:07 - 25:10
    Des Moines I think we've done pretty
  • 25:07 - 25:12
    well when I checked a couple years ago
  • 25:10 - 25:14
    our trail construction since the early
  • 25:12 - 25:16
    1990s had been somewhere in the range of
  • 25:14 - 25:19
    about forty percent funded outside Des
  • 25:16 - 25:23
    Moines either federal or state grants
  • 25:19 - 25:25
    good how will Mac is discussing a bike
  • 25:23 - 25:27
    ordinance as well and will that be part
  • 25:25 - 25:29
    of the are we going to bring that
  • 25:27 - 25:31
    forward and have it part of this master
  • 25:29 - 25:34
    plan yeah I don't know that I'm familiar
  • 25:31 - 25:35
    that have you been who's from the city
  • 25:34 - 25:37
    has been involved in the discussions on
  • 25:35 - 25:39
    that well I haven't been directly but
  • 25:37 - 25:40
    I've seen some of the things they're
  • 25:39 - 25:42
    doing and I think it's important
  • 25:40 - 25:43
    especially as you start to do some
  • 25:42 - 25:45
    things on the street because the
  • 25:43 - 25:47
    different communities have slightly
  • 25:45 - 25:48
    different bicycle laws I know in some
  • 25:47 - 25:50
    places it's actually illegal to ride on
  • 25:48 - 25:51
    the sidewalk des moines it's legal to
  • 25:50 - 25:54
    ride on the sidewalk but there are
  • 25:51 - 25:56
    certain restrictions so as you start to
  • 25:54 - 25:58
    get more facilities and and people in
  • 25:56 - 26:00
    the metropolitan area don't particularly
  • 25:58 - 26:02
    care when they cross a you know some
  • 26:00 - 26:04
    kind of a political boundary they just
  • 26:02 - 26:05
    are going on a ride from here to there
  • 26:04 - 26:07
    they may live in one community in the
  • 26:05 - 26:08
    park third 12 or whatever is in a
  • 26:07 - 26:09
    different one or they're going on a
  • 26:08 - 26:11
    longer ride through several so it really
  • 26:09 - 26:13
    be helpful if there's consistent
  • 26:11 - 26:15
    ordinance instantly so that's what the
  • 26:13 - 26:17
    that effort is about is to look at at
  • 26:15 - 26:19
    the different ordinances they've
  • 26:17 - 26:20
    compared all of them and seeing what's
  • 26:19 - 26:22
    in common and what some of the
  • 26:20 - 26:24
    differences are it looks to me like the
  • 26:22 - 26:25
    differences are pretty minor and it
  • 26:24 - 26:28
    wouldn't be a huge effort to get that
  • 26:25 - 26:30
    and have pretty consistent bike
  • 26:28 - 26:32
    ordinances across the whole metro area
  • 26:30 - 26:33
    just make it easier so they you know if
  • 26:32 - 26:34
    you're writing your bike you're trying
  • 26:33 - 26:36
    to be a good citizen and and all of a
  • 26:34 - 26:37
    sudden you go from one community your
  • 26:36 - 26:38
    illegal you go the next community you do
  • 26:37 - 26:40
    the same thing and it's suddenly it's
  • 26:38 - 26:42
    against their ordinances that's not a
  • 26:40 - 26:44
    good situation so close I don't think
  • 26:42 - 26:46
    that's coming along and it is and it was
  • 26:44 - 26:49
    presented at Mac last week so I guess my
  • 26:46 - 26:51
    question is can we have that before this
  • 26:49 - 26:52
    group so that we can incorporate that
  • 26:51 - 26:55
    because we were trying to get it in
  • 26:52 - 26:57
    place to eliminate the problems of going
  • 26:55 - 26:58
    from one jurisdiction to another where
  • 26:57 - 26:59
    there are different rules I don't I
  • 26:58 - 27:01
    don't know quite where they are with all
  • 26:59 - 27:03
    the communities if everybody's agreed to
  • 27:01 - 27:05
    the changes that would needed to be made
  • 27:03 - 27:07
    and we're suppose we're gonna add on
  • 27:05 - 27:09
    plankton yeah but I don't know if
  • 27:07 - 27:11
    they've really brought it up exactly
  • 27:09 - 27:12
    who's gonna change what but they've done
  • 27:11 - 27:15
    a lot of work on it shouldn't take too
  • 27:12 - 27:19
    much more to get it to the finish line
  • 27:15 - 27:20
    but just a final I found uh you're sort
  • 27:19 - 27:22
    of in mid process here you've got a
  • 27:20 - 27:23
    draft plan you're gonna go out and get
  • 27:22 - 27:25
    more public input you go through a
  • 27:23 - 27:26
    review process with boards and
  • 27:25 - 27:29
    commissions before it gets back to this
  • 27:26 - 27:30
    table but i would encourage council
  • 27:29 - 27:33
    members if you have comments or
  • 27:30 - 27:34
    suggestions the suggestion that
  • 27:33 - 27:37
    Christine just made is a great one and
  • 27:34 - 27:39
    now it's the time if you have those kind
  • 27:37 - 27:42
    of thoughts and neft be today but
  • 27:39 - 27:44
    anytime in the next I suppose a few
  • 27:42 - 27:45
    months right right probably about 90
  • 27:44 - 27:47
    days
  • 27:45 - 27:48
    there's a very comprehensive plan here
  • 27:47 - 27:50
    we can get you a copy of that it talks
  • 27:48 - 27:53
    to the specific locations in some of
  • 27:50 - 27:54
    these facilities and the next step for
  • 27:53 - 27:56
    us will be to get you a copy of this so
  • 27:54 - 27:58
    you can review this I'd also like to
  • 27:56 - 27:59
    recognize we had a citizen member here
  • 27:58 - 28:01
    today of the committee Carl boss is here
  • 27:59 - 28:03
    thanks Carl for coming and park board
  • 28:01 - 28:05
    president joe galloway the park board
  • 28:03 - 28:07
    has also been involved and want to thank
  • 28:05 - 28:08
    the rest of the city departments good
  • 28:07 - 28:11
    economic development and Public Works
  • 28:08 - 28:12
    engineering for their support on this so
  • 28:11 - 28:13
    we'll be back with you probably in the
  • 28:12 - 28:16
    next 90 days with a policy
  • 28:13 - 28:18
    recommendation I'm glad to see dart
  • 28:16 - 28:20
    continue to add more bicycle racks to
  • 28:18 - 28:22
    their variety of vehicles so that they
  • 28:20 - 28:24
    can help out and using of the bicycles
  • 28:22 - 28:30
    from that right now the usage of those
  • 28:24 - 28:30
    bike racks has been amazing as amazing
  • 28:31 - 28:44
    thank you very nice Thank You mr. mayor
  • 28:43 - 28:49
    councilmembers some would have a low
  • 28:44 - 28:51
    McKinley do the introductions here mayor
  • 28:49 - 28:53
    members of council al McKinley finance
  • 28:51 - 28:56
    director typically we do a workshop
  • 28:53 - 28:58
    presentation to you on the comprehensive
  • 28:56 - 29:01
    annual financial report in January this
  • 28:58 - 29:04
    year were able to have this present to
  • 29:01 - 29:07
    you today in December we have a
  • 29:04 - 29:09
    representative from mcgladrey are
  • 29:07 - 29:11
    outside audit firm sherry Myers she'll
  • 29:09 - 29:15
    be coming to make a brief presentation
  • 29:11 - 29:18
    to you the cafard document will be out
  • 29:15 - 29:22
    to you very shortly with a council
  • 29:18 - 29:25
    action scheduled in January just as a
  • 29:22 - 29:27
    reminder to you the audit process is not
  • 29:25 - 29:30
    something that simply happens within the
  • 29:27 - 29:32
    finance department but it really is
  • 29:30 - 29:35
    obviously a citywide review of our
  • 29:32 - 29:38
    financial actions and with millions of
  • 29:35 - 29:42
    dollars of grant funds that are flowing
  • 29:38 - 29:44
    through various departments primarily
  • 29:42 - 29:48
    airport engineering community
  • 29:44 - 29:50
    development and police department the
  • 29:48 - 29:51
    audit process touches all of those
  • 29:50 - 29:54
    people in all those departments and
  • 29:51 - 29:56
    without their assistance we couldn't
  • 29:54 - 29:59
    complete an audit that we're able to
  • 29:56 - 30:02
    complete and with that I'll introduce to
  • 29:59 - 30:03
    you sherry Myers from mcgladrey you're
  • 30:02 - 30:06
    used to seeing probably Mia frommel
  • 30:03 - 30:07
    they've had reorganizations and
  • 30:06 - 30:13
    reassignments and so this year we have
  • 30:07 - 30:18
    sherry with this council thank you for
  • 30:13 - 30:22
    letting me be here today as you know I
  • 30:18 - 30:25
    really want echo what Alan said everyone
  • 30:22 - 30:28
    across the entire city is very
  • 30:25 - 30:30
    responsive to us this is on top of their
  • 30:28 - 30:32
    normal work day of course we're in
  • 30:30 - 30:34
    digging out having them dig out support
  • 30:32 - 30:36
    for transactions and responding to
  • 30:34 - 30:40
    questions and everybody is extremely
  • 30:36 - 30:42
    responsive there's a communication that
  • 30:40 - 30:43
    we issue to the council and I'm just
  • 30:42 - 30:44
    going to kind of walk through the
  • 30:43 - 30:46
    highlight
  • 30:44 - 30:49
    of that probably the most important I
  • 30:46 - 30:51
    guess if I'm a council member is what
  • 30:49 - 30:55
    kind of opinion did we get we there is a
  • 30:51 - 30:56
    clean and unqualified opinion on the
  • 30:55 - 31:00
    financial statements we do believe that
  • 30:56 - 31:06
    the financial statements are materially
  • 31:00 - 31:08
    accurate that's probably the most
  • 31:06 - 31:10
    important the one-page actually well
  • 31:08 - 31:12
    there's a few pages but in the financial
  • 31:10 - 31:14
    section the one-page it's ours is that
  • 31:12 - 31:18
    opinion the rest is they are the city's
  • 31:14 - 31:20
    financial statements and Alan and his
  • 31:18 - 31:22
    group really do take ownership of that
  • 31:20 - 31:25
    process of drafting those financial
  • 31:22 - 31:27
    statements of questioning how things
  • 31:25 - 31:30
    should look how transactions should be
  • 31:27 - 31:37
    recorded so I'm very happy to report
  • 31:30 - 31:42
    that to you as well whoops they're too
  • 31:37 - 31:45
    many papers soon there were a few new
  • 31:42 - 31:46
    accounting standards applicable to the
  • 31:45 - 31:54
    city this year they did not have any
  • 31:46 - 31:56
    impact on the city there's also another
  • 31:54 - 31:57
    statement that will be effective in the
  • 31:56 - 31:59
    future you'll see that in the footnotes
  • 31:57 - 32:02
    and again the city is evaluating the
  • 31:59 - 32:04
    impact of that there were no significant
  • 32:02 - 32:07
    or unusual transactions no transactions
  • 32:04 - 32:09
    which are kind of in that gray area that
  • 32:07 - 32:11
    we had discussions with management about
  • 32:09 - 32:14
    that they're trying to you know record
  • 32:11 - 32:17
    one way or another no audit adjustments
  • 32:14 - 32:21
    to dust the trial balance presented to
  • 32:17 - 32:23
    us no disagreements with management
  • 32:21 - 32:24
    we're not aware of any consultations
  • 32:23 - 32:27
    management may have had with other
  • 32:24 - 32:30
    accounting firms to you know receive a
  • 32:27 - 32:32
    preferential accounting treatment that
  • 32:30 - 32:34
    we have open discussions with management
  • 32:32 - 32:39
    and are comfortable that we had full
  • 32:34 - 32:42
    responses to our inquiries I urge you as
  • 32:39 - 32:44
    a council to when you do get that kapor
  • 32:42 - 32:46
    read through note 1 understand those
  • 32:44 - 32:48
    accounting policies and how things are
  • 32:46 - 32:50
    accounted for the other thing that
  • 32:48 - 32:52
    that's key when we do a lot it we really
  • 32:50 - 32:54
    look at what are the risk areas and then
  • 32:52 - 32:56
    we look at those areas one area of risk
  • 32:54 - 32:59
    obviously is revenue recognition
  • 32:56 - 33:02
    the second is significant estimates and
  • 32:59 - 33:04
    the of the significant estimates to the
  • 33:02 - 33:09
    city some mosey allowance for doubtful
  • 33:04 - 33:11
    accounts post employment benefits
  • 33:09 - 33:13
    depreciation what are the lives that
  • 33:11 - 33:14
    have been assigned in all those cases we
  • 33:13 - 33:16
    obtained an understanding of
  • 33:14 - 33:18
    management's process and we concurred
  • 33:16 - 33:24
    not only with that process but what the
  • 33:18 - 33:26
    estimates as well very clean compliance
  • 33:24 - 33:30
    report the compliance report is required
  • 33:26 - 33:32
    because of a level of federal funding as
  • 33:30 - 33:34
    decentralized as the city can be a
  • 33:32 - 33:36
    special literal funding it's always
  • 33:34 - 33:40
    that's kind of a risk area as well and
  • 33:36 - 33:44
    we had good results there as well any
  • 33:40 - 33:46
    questions any question on how do you how
  • 33:44 - 33:48
    did you go about dealing with the amount
  • 33:46 - 33:50
    of cash that we have within the city
  • 33:48 - 33:53
    system what type of procedures are used
  • 33:50 - 33:55
    you go in and do I guess if you could
  • 33:53 - 33:58
    just describe that well we will confirm
  • 33:55 - 34:00
    cash with the you know the banks or
  • 33:58 - 34:04
    whoever they happen to be held with will
  • 34:00 - 34:06
    also test those reconciliations from the
  • 34:04 - 34:08
    bank to the book to see that if there's
  • 34:06 - 34:10
    outstanding checks that they're all
  • 34:08 - 34:13
    recorded or recognized in that
  • 34:10 - 34:15
    reconciliation that if there's transfers
  • 34:13 - 34:17
    between that our city accounts that are
  • 34:15 - 34:19
    significant we're looking at those as
  • 34:17 - 34:23
    well and we obtain an understanding of
  • 34:19 - 34:24
    the controls over cash processes and
  • 34:23 - 34:28
    we'll do a walk-through of those as well
  • 34:24 - 34:31
    so we're within the city structure do we
  • 34:28 - 34:33
    have cash in a lot of different areas or
  • 34:31 - 34:34
    is it just more centralized the most
  • 34:33 - 34:36
    part it's centralized the material
  • 34:34 - 34:38
    amounts of cash is obviously some
  • 34:36 - 34:43
    imagery lands but most of the cash is
  • 34:38 - 34:46
    centralized and really in a pooled basis
  • 34:43 - 34:47
    which is actually what I would from an
  • 34:46 - 34:52
    accounting standpoint what you like to
  • 34:47 - 34:54
    see ya better control okay thank you
  • 34:52 - 34:56
    anybody have anything else mr. Merrick
  • 34:54 - 34:59
    hey just make a couple companies but
  • 34:56 - 35:01
    first I'm very pleased with us resolved
  • 34:59 - 35:03
    a great testament not only the finance
  • 35:01 - 35:04
    department but all of our departments
  • 35:03 - 35:06
    that that keep the accounts and make
  • 35:04 - 35:09
    sure that we pay things and spend money
  • 35:06 - 35:11
    appropriately the other observation and
  • 35:09 - 35:14
    sherry perhaps you'd like to add to this
  • 35:11 - 35:16
    this year and in the years in the recent
  • 35:14 - 35:18
    past we've received a lot of federal
  • 35:16 - 35:21
    dollars and state dollars stimulus
  • 35:18 - 35:22
    dollars or other grant funds it has been
  • 35:21 - 35:24
    quite a challenge for the organization
  • 35:22 - 35:26
    to keep track of that spend it
  • 35:24 - 35:29
    appropriately in fact there were times
  • 35:26 - 35:32
    when the federal dollars would come yet
  • 35:29 - 35:35
    the regulations and requirements that
  • 35:32 - 35:40
    were part of those dollars we're not
  • 35:35 - 35:41
    always so easy for us to get and there's
  • 35:40 - 35:43
    always some apprehension at least on my
  • 35:41 - 35:45
    part about how we're able to manage
  • 35:43 - 35:46
    through all that and I'm really pleased
  • 35:45 - 35:48
    that this result because I think you've
  • 35:46 - 35:50
    essentially confirmed the fact that
  • 35:48 - 35:52
    we've done well in spending those
  • 35:50 - 35:53
    dollars anything you'd like to add about
  • 35:52 - 35:56
    tax effort for me that's one of the big
  • 35:53 - 35:58
    issues that we've had the last year or
  • 35:56 - 36:00
    two on finances I I agree with what you
  • 35:58 - 36:03
    say and you know as I said when you have
  • 36:00 - 36:06
    more federal dollars it does raise the
  • 36:03 - 36:09
    risk it's very rare to not have issues
  • 36:06 - 36:11
    because you've got you know if you look
  • 36:09 - 36:13
    at the city's obviously moving parts
  • 36:11 - 36:15
    you've got people transitioning and none
  • 36:13 - 36:17
    out of roles which may or in those
  • 36:15 - 36:19
    individuals may or may not understand
  • 36:17 - 36:22
    those requirements I have in the past
  • 36:19 - 36:24
    counsel clients in some cases not to
  • 36:22 - 36:26
    take federal funds because the strings
  • 36:24 - 36:29
    are are too large but certainly you need
  • 36:26 - 36:31
    to continue and I had a discussion with
  • 36:29 - 36:33
    my ear County about those well you need
  • 36:31 - 36:34
    to continue to look for those funds but
  • 36:33 - 36:36
    you need to be cognizant of what those
  • 36:34 - 36:38
    requirements are and I think the city
  • 36:36 - 36:42
    does a good job of saying what are those
  • 36:38 - 36:45
    requirements and what do we need to do
  • 36:42 - 36:47
    up front to be ready to comply with
  • 36:45 - 36:49
    those requirements sometimes that
  • 36:47 - 36:52
    results in a bit of a delay in spending
  • 36:49 - 36:54
    those funds but I think clearly came out
  • 36:52 - 36:56
    and good results and we did have an
  • 36:54 - 36:59
    additional what we call major program
  • 36:56 - 37:00
    which means we needed to test additional
  • 36:59 - 37:02
    programs this year
  • 37:00 - 37:04
    primarily because of those era funds
  • 37:02 - 37:06
    coming in they're presumed to be high
  • 37:04 - 37:09
    risk and see really need to if you've
  • 37:06 - 37:11
    got significant air dollars coming in
  • 37:09 - 37:13
    and spend time looking at those was
  • 37:11 - 37:15
    there an opportunity for you to have a
  • 37:13 - 37:18
    discussion with the mayor without staff
  • 37:15 - 37:21
    yes thank you which is their importance
  • 37:18 - 37:23
    yeah I think it's great we had an
  • 37:21 - 37:25
    unqualified opinion it yeah no journal
  • 37:23 - 37:28
    entries with always do to do from
  • 37:25 - 37:30
    accounts but I mean their hub seating
  • 37:28 - 37:34
    accounts it's a it's great to have a
  • 37:30 - 37:43
    report absolutely and kudos to honesty
  • 37:34 - 37:46
    okay good job thank you thank you all
  • 37:43 - 37:48
    right let's move on to our long-term
  • 37:46 - 37:50
    financial outlook mr. Merrick council
  • 37:48 - 37:53
    members Alan's gonna handle this we have
  • 37:50 - 37:54
    as some of you know with the legislative
  • 37:53 - 37:57
    meeting we had last week there was
  • 37:54 - 38:00
    discussion about preparation made for an
  • 37:57 - 38:03
    overview of our long-term financial
  • 38:00 - 38:04
    situation but we thought the information
  • 38:03 - 38:06
    that was gathered for that was so
  • 38:04 - 38:09
    pertinent that we wanted to review it
  • 38:06 - 38:11
    and share it with counsel here today as
  • 38:09 - 38:13
    well and I just make you aware of some
  • 38:11 - 38:16
    of the issues that we're looking at
  • 38:13 - 38:19
    going forward particularly for the next
  • 38:16 - 38:22
    year but clearly beyond that so with
  • 38:19 - 38:26
    that Alan please thank you Rick just as
  • 38:22 - 38:28
    a side comment the our audit
  • 38:26 - 38:30
    relationship with our auditor is an
  • 38:28 - 38:34
    ongoing relationship so throughout the
  • 38:30 - 38:38
    year as transactions or grants come up
  • 38:34 - 38:40
    that you know we need some advice on how
  • 38:38 - 38:42
    to handle or or what would be the best
  • 38:40 - 38:45
    treatment we can certainly go to them
  • 38:42 - 38:47
    and ask for their opinion and for us to
  • 38:45 - 38:49
    move forward and they like to be aware
  • 38:47 - 38:51
    of what's going on with the city
  • 38:49 - 38:55
    financially so that they don't come in
  • 38:51 - 38:57
    and have to be brought up to speed so a
  • 38:55 - 38:59
    comment that sherry just made to me is
  • 38:57 - 39:01
    I'm going to stay and listen to this
  • 38:59 - 39:04
    about our long-term financial outlook
  • 39:01 - 39:05
    gives her a better idea of what's going
  • 39:04 - 39:07
    on with the City of Des Moines a
  • 39:05 - 39:09
    long-term basis so that's just a good
  • 39:07 - 39:10
    example of their interest in wanting to
  • 39:09 - 39:12
    be involved in
  • 39:10 - 39:13
    and understanding what our financial
  • 39:12 - 39:17
    position is and especially looking
  • 39:13 - 39:23
    forward as well as Rick mentioned last
  • 39:17 - 39:27
    week we staff and some of the council
  • 39:23 - 39:30
    met with some of the local legislators
  • 39:27 - 39:32
    in anticipation of this year's session
  • 39:30 - 39:33
    and to just provide them a little bit of
  • 39:32 - 39:36
    information about the City of Des Moines
  • 39:33 - 39:37
    long-term financial outlook just wanted
  • 39:36 - 39:40
    to share some of that information with
  • 39:37 - 39:43
    you and some of the most of this you've
  • 39:40 - 39:45
    you've seen before we've talked about a
  • 39:43 - 39:47
    structural deficit that we have looking
  • 39:45 - 39:51
    forward we are balanced through FY 12
  • 39:47 - 39:54
    and working very hard on balancing in
  • 39:51 - 39:57
    fy13 and and getting very close but even
  • 39:54 - 40:01
    accomplishing that task you can see that
  • 39:57 - 40:04
    FY 14 15 16 and it just continues beyond
  • 40:01 - 40:07
    is a structural deficit we've listed
  • 40:04 - 40:10
    there the assumptions to arrive at those
  • 40:07 - 40:16
    numbers based on best information that
  • 40:10 - 40:17
    we have just to look back quickly what
  • 40:16 - 40:21
    have we been doing what have you been
  • 40:17 - 40:25
    doing 95 million dollars in reductions
  • 40:21 - 40:28
    it's a putting some of the information
  • 40:25 - 40:31
    that we've provided to you kind of in
  • 40:28 - 40:32
    bits and pieces into into one place 95
  • 40:31 - 40:35
    million dollar sound is a lot of money
  • 40:32 - 40:37
    and if you think that that's all you
  • 40:35 - 40:39
    know in our general Road use tax fund of
  • 40:37 - 40:40
    about 160 million obviously those
  • 40:39 - 40:44
    numbers aren't going to work that you
  • 40:40 - 40:47
    didn't cut your budget directly there by
  • 40:44 - 40:49
    you know seventy or eighty percent but
  • 40:47 - 40:50
    about 27 million dollars you'll see
  • 40:49 - 40:52
    they're listed on the left are the
  • 40:50 - 40:56
    actions that you've taken that our
  • 40:52 - 40:57
    savings annually about 24 of that is on
  • 40:56 - 40:59
    the expense side there's two or three
  • 40:57 - 41:04
    million that are related to revenue
  • 40:59 - 41:06
    reallocations but you've reduced we've
  • 41:04 - 41:08
    had to reduce staff we've looked at
  • 41:06 - 41:11
    contracting out we reduced the budgets
  • 41:08 - 41:13
    and contracts and supplies and travel
  • 41:11 - 41:16
    we've looked at privatization we
  • 41:13 - 41:19
    reviewed health insurance plans those
  • 41:16 - 41:21
    are all operating actions
  • 41:19 - 41:26
    actions that impact our operating budget
  • 41:21 - 41:28
    we've also done several debt refunding
  • 41:26 - 41:30
    zor refinancings that have generated 13
  • 41:28 - 41:33
    million dollars in net present value
  • 41:30 - 41:37
    savings that helps us to reduce our debt
  • 41:33 - 41:39
    service levy that allows us to increase
  • 41:37 - 41:42
    levies elsewhere to assist us in our
  • 41:39 - 41:45
    operations without raising the overall
  • 41:42 - 41:48
    levy and related to that again in
  • 41:45 - 41:51
    impacting the debt levy was we reduced
  • 41:48 - 41:53
    our capital financing of geo bonds you
  • 41:51 - 41:55
    may remember about five years ago we
  • 41:53 - 41:59
    were projecting a debt service levy
  • 41:55 - 42:03
    breaching five dollars we will most
  • 41:59 - 42:06
    likely be under four dollars for the
  • 42:03 - 42:09
    budget that will come to you and next
  • 42:06 - 42:20
    month what's the time period for this
  • 42:09 - 42:22
    Alan January first two thousand six so
  • 42:20 - 42:26
    about a four to five year period four or
  • 42:22 - 42:30
    five okay and all of this with no tax
  • 42:26 - 42:30
    rate increase so we're still at 1657
  • 42:32 - 42:38
    this is just a graphic presentation the
  • 42:35 - 42:41
    black line is is where we are today the
  • 42:38 - 42:43
    red line is where we would have been I
  • 42:41 - 42:46
    had none of those actions taken place
  • 42:43 - 42:48
    obviously we would not have never have
  • 42:46 - 42:50
    adopted a budget at 186 million because
  • 42:48 - 42:52
    you would have been in a deficit
  • 42:50 - 42:53
    position but it does show you the
  • 42:52 - 43:00
    magnitude of the actions that you've
  • 42:53 - 43:02
    taken one of the things that you may
  • 43:00 - 43:05
    have been reading about in the paper is
  • 43:02 - 43:08
    some proposals at the state as it
  • 43:05 - 43:10
    relates to implementing some sort of
  • 43:08 - 43:13
    commercial rollback similar to the
  • 43:10 - 43:15
    residential rollback this provide you
  • 43:13 - 43:18
    some statistics here the most recent
  • 43:15 - 43:19
    information that we have about fifty
  • 43:18 - 43:21
    three percent of the city's taxable
  • 43:19 - 43:23
    value is associated with commercial
  • 43:21 - 43:27
    that's not assessed value but that's
  • 43:23 - 43:30
    taxable value 93% of the city's
  • 43:27 - 43:33
    valuation in tif districts is commercial
  • 43:30 - 43:37
    that's not surprising sixty sixty
  • 43:33 - 43:41
    percent roll back and that should really
  • 43:37 - 43:42
    be understood as a roll back to set
  • 43:41 - 43:47
    values at sixty percent of assessed
  • 43:42 - 43:51
    value impacts the city to the tune of 26
  • 43:47 - 43:53
    million dollars and if you were to try
  • 43:51 - 43:56
    to make that 26 million dollars up by
  • 43:53 - 44:00
    raising your tax rate the tax rate would
  • 43:56 - 44:03
    have to go up twenty-seven percent and
  • 44:00 - 44:06
    then just some other things for you to
  • 44:03 - 44:10
    remember as you are hearing discussions
  • 44:06 - 44:12
    about this it has extremely complex
  • 44:10 - 44:14
    consequences we have tax increment grant
  • 44:12 - 44:16
    agreements in place we have bond
  • 44:14 - 44:19
    commitments that are to be funded with
  • 44:16 - 44:21
    tax increment valuations would those be
  • 44:19 - 44:24
    grandfathered in all I mean for example
  • 44:21 - 44:27
    of say a nationwide Allied where we've
  • 44:24 - 44:29
    got a pretty significant tiff
  • 44:27 - 44:32
    arrangement with would that be
  • 44:29 - 44:35
    grandfathered in or how would I think
  • 44:32 - 44:37
    that's part of the title of extremely
  • 44:35 - 44:38
    complex consequences we want to be sure
  • 44:37 - 44:41
    that we're at the Canadians on the
  • 44:38 - 44:43
    legislation Chris I think being able to
  • 44:41 - 44:44
    understand and to have the legislators
  • 44:43 - 44:46
    understand what the potential
  • 44:44 - 44:48
    impact of any decision that they make is
  • 44:46 - 44:50
    to protect us from that in the
  • 44:48 - 44:52
    worst-case scenario you could keep in
  • 44:50 - 44:54
    mind with tiff you've got you've got
  • 44:52 - 44:56
    outstanding debt that you've issued that
  • 44:54 - 44:59
    is being retired with tiff revenues and
  • 44:56 - 45:00
    you have contracts with the ones that
  • 44:59 - 45:04
    you just mentioned with allied well mark
  • 45:00 - 45:06
    and others those obligations certainly
  • 45:04 - 45:08
    on the bonds and on the other would
  • 45:06 - 45:10
    continue on into the extent they
  • 45:08 - 45:12
    continue on and you lose the TIF revenue
  • 45:10 - 45:14
    then those obligations have to be picked
  • 45:12 - 45:16
    up someplace else and if they have to be
  • 45:14 - 45:19
    picked up out of the general fund then
  • 45:16 - 45:21
    you have sort of a secondary but
  • 45:19 - 45:23
    extremely significant adverse impact on
  • 45:21 - 45:26
    those revenues and expenses as well and
  • 45:23 - 45:27
    that's a reason we're talking about it
  • 45:26 - 45:29
    here it's a it's an issue in this
  • 45:27 - 45:31
    discussion about commercial rollback
  • 45:29 - 45:34
    that people often overlook and that's
  • 45:31 - 45:37
    the impact on our tip one other thing
  • 45:34 - 45:40
    that I think that I'd like to pick up on
  • 45:37 - 45:42
    in this is there are constitutional
  • 45:40 - 45:48
    limitations against the impairment of
  • 45:42 - 45:49
    existing contracts that have made some
  • 45:48 - 45:53
    proposals I mean we've been looking at
  • 45:49 - 45:57
    this Chris for many years and some
  • 45:53 - 45:59
    proposals will not make it on that on
  • 45:57 - 46:04
    that basis because they they cannot be
  • 45:59 - 46:04
    set up to breach existing contracts
  • 46:05 - 46:13
    the analogy I like to make with touching
  • 46:09 - 46:16
    valuations in local government finances
  • 46:13 - 46:18
    whether it's cities or school districts
  • 46:16 - 46:21
    or the county the analogy is that you
  • 46:18 - 46:24
    know the trails of what impacts what are
  • 46:21 - 46:26
    amazing sometimes where what happens
  • 46:24 - 46:27
    when you do something over here it's
  • 46:26 - 46:31
    almost like turning off the light switch
  • 46:27 - 46:32
    and your kitchen faucet starts to run I
  • 46:31 - 46:36
    mean they seem like they're completely
  • 46:32 - 46:37
    unrelated but somehow it happens so we
  • 46:36 - 46:38
    just need to be careful that we
  • 46:37 - 46:40
    understand what all those relationships
  • 46:38 - 46:43
    are and that we are able to communicate
  • 46:40 - 46:44
    those to the policymakers we have a
  • 46:43 - 46:47
    concern obviously that it could affect
  • 46:44 - 46:49
    our bond ratings as the rating agencies
  • 46:47 - 46:54
    look at what happens to taxable
  • 46:49 - 46:57
    valuations and what what any possible
  • 46:54 - 46:59
    solution may be provided as it relates
  • 46:57 - 47:02
    to reduction in commercial taxable
  • 46:59 - 47:04
    property for cities across the state
  • 47:02 - 47:08
    this could have a huge impact on their
  • 47:04 - 47:10
    tax levy caps if they're if the text if
  • 47:08 - 47:14
    they happen to be operating within their
  • 47:10 - 47:16
    general fund 810 levy and the value goes
  • 47:14 - 47:19
    down and they are not provide any other
  • 47:16 - 47:22
    recourse they can lose lots of money
  • 47:19 - 47:23
    directly into their general fund so it's
  • 47:22 - 47:25
    not just the City of Des Moines issue
  • 47:23 - 47:29
    that this will impact all local
  • 47:25 - 47:32
    governments in the past we've heard of
  • 47:29 - 47:36
    replacement revenue proposals they're
  • 47:32 - 47:39
    just not a guarantee on on future
  • 47:36 - 47:43
    legislatures that those will continue
  • 47:39 - 47:45
    would continue on forever we've had some
  • 47:43 - 47:47
    past experiences and we've lost several
  • 47:45 - 47:50
    million dollars over the course of time
  • 47:47 - 47:53
    compared to where we were say 15 or 20
  • 47:50 - 47:58
    years ago and there are other funding
  • 47:53 - 48:03
    solutions or mechanisms or tactical ways
  • 47:58 - 48:05
    to address high property taxes for
  • 48:03 - 48:08
    commercial property owners and
  • 48:05 - 48:12
    and our encouragement is let us be at
  • 48:08 - 48:14
    the table let us provide some input and
  • 48:12 - 48:17
    provide some response to any of the
  • 48:14 - 48:17
    proposals that they may be making
  • 48:19 - 48:28
    another issue that's being raised in the
  • 48:23 - 48:32
    league of Iowa has taken a lead in this
  • 48:28 - 48:35
    and is supplied information these are to
  • 48:32 - 48:38
    the 49 basically larger cities and in
  • 48:35 - 48:41
    iowa and thats related to our chapter 4
  • 48:38 - 48:47
    11 pension contributions this came from
  • 48:41 - 48:49
    the actuary that is used by music fire
  • 48:47 - 48:51
    and police Retirement System of Iowa
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    that projects out city contribution
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    rates over the next actually the charts
  • 48:55 - 49:01
    go out for 20 or 20 plus years I've just
  • 48:59 - 49:04
    reported to you what with projected here
  • 49:01 - 49:08
    for fiscal year 11 through fiscal 16
  • 49:04 - 49:11
    fiscal 11 you'll see the 19.9 rate
  • 49:08 - 49:13
    that's what we're contributing today the
  • 49:11 - 49:16
    twenty four point seven six percent rate
  • 49:13 - 49:20
    is was adopted by the board and will be
  • 49:16 - 49:22
    the city contribution rate starting next
  • 49:20 - 49:24
    fiscal year next July first and then
  • 49:22 - 49:26
    you'll see the projections going out for
  • 49:24 - 49:28
    four years beyond that and then I've
  • 49:26 - 49:31
    also provided for you information on
  • 49:28 - 49:33
    total City dollars the 49 cities how
  • 49:31 - 49:34
    much that would equate to in
  • 49:33 - 49:37
    contributions to the system and then the
  • 49:34 - 49:38
    Des Moines impact as well it just to
  • 49:37 - 49:41
    interrupt for a second here that this is
  • 49:38 - 49:43
    an incredibly important slide the
  • 49:41 - 49:45
    information on here is critical to us
  • 49:43 - 49:47
    and it's really summarized in terms of
  • 49:45 - 49:50
    the impact on the city and the far right
  • 49:47 - 49:52
    column this year we're looking at about
  • 49:50 - 49:55
    9 million hours and 4 11 pinching costs
  • 49:52 - 49:57
    but you can see over the course of the
  • 49:55 - 49:59
    six years that are displayed here that
  • 49:57 - 50:00
    amount more than doubles to over 20
  • 49:59 - 50:04
    million dollars based on the current
  • 50:00 - 50:06
    estimate the the formula the method or
  • 50:04 - 50:08
    the amounts of funds that are paid here
  • 50:06 - 50:11
    are not within your discretion you
  • 50:08 - 50:13
    simply pay the bill it is entirely a
  • 50:11 - 50:16
    matter of legislative action that
  • 50:13 - 50:18
    controls these numbers but these are
  • 50:16 - 50:19
    these are terribly critical numbers for
  • 50:18 - 50:23
    us
  • 50:19 - 50:26
    and combined with other impacts it is a
  • 50:23 - 50:27
    very significant issue for the city if
  • 50:26 - 50:29
    you combine this with what we just
  • 50:27 - 50:32
    talked about on the property tax issues
  • 50:29 - 50:38
    the 26 million dollars plus the it's
  • 50:32 - 50:42
    huge absolutely major finally one of the
  • 50:38 - 50:45
    things that we wanted to make sure that
  • 50:42 - 50:48
    legislators and you know the general
  • 50:45 - 50:50
    public understands some of just what our
  • 50:48 - 50:52
    financial outlook is and how the City
  • 50:50 - 50:54
    Council has adopted in the past and and
  • 50:52 - 50:56
    that is that you have and you will
  • 50:54 - 50:58
    maintain a balanced budget that's the
  • 50:56 - 51:02
    policy that you've adopted and that we
  • 50:58 - 51:03
    have followed a year after year and some
  • 51:02 - 51:05
    of the things that that means in a
  • 51:03 - 51:08
    balanced budget is is that we don't
  • 51:05 - 51:12
    anticipate and bank on one-time revenues
  • 51:08 - 51:15
    but that we utilize ongoing revenues to
  • 51:12 - 51:17
    finance ongoing expenses that's an
  • 51:15 - 51:19
    excellent policy to follow but that does
  • 51:17 - 51:22
    mean that the council has and may reduce
  • 51:19 - 51:25
    costs and services it also means that
  • 51:22 - 51:30
    the council may increase the property
  • 51:25 - 51:33
    tax rate and then finally you know given
  • 51:30 - 51:36
    those first two items of those first two
  • 51:33 - 51:39
    issues and what our long-term projection
  • 51:36 - 51:40
    is we're always looking and and wanting
  • 51:39 - 51:43
    assistance to pursue alternative
  • 51:40 - 51:46
    revenues and that's also been a policy
  • 51:43 - 51:48
    that the council was has encouraged
  • 51:46 - 51:52
    staff to pursue the last two or three
  • 51:48 - 51:54
    years and we continue to do so Rick if
  • 51:52 - 51:58
    you had any comments on that well I
  • 51:54 - 52:00
    think just just a couple over all things
  • 51:58 - 52:03
    that you can derive from the information
  • 52:00 - 52:06
    in this presentation the first thing is
  • 52:03 - 52:08
    that the council has displayed just
  • 52:06 - 52:11
    incredible fiscal discipline over the
  • 52:08 - 52:14
    last four or five years you've done a
  • 52:11 - 52:16
    great job of modifying expenses they're
  • 52:14 - 52:18
    clearly has been an impact on the
  • 52:16 - 52:21
    services that we provide it's it's
  • 52:18 - 52:23
    stress the organization there's some
  • 52:21 - 52:25
    areas where perhaps we've cut too much
  • 52:23 - 52:28
    but we have to go back and make
  • 52:25 - 52:30
    adjustments on those things but
  • 52:28 - 52:31
    nonetheless the essential services by
  • 52:30 - 52:34
    large are
  • 52:31 - 52:36
    are being met with the budget we have
  • 52:34 - 52:37
    today but you've done a great job with
  • 52:36 - 52:39
    your fiscal doesn't blend that I think
  • 52:37 - 52:41
    people need to know that we've tried to
  • 52:39 - 52:43
    summarize that thing here the other
  • 52:41 - 52:47
    thing from a broader perspective to say
  • 52:43 - 52:49
    about the situation is that the fiscal
  • 52:47 - 52:52
    difficulties that we have here in the
  • 52:49 - 52:54
    city are to a large extent shared with
  • 52:52 - 52:56
    the state of Iowa the state of Iowa
  • 52:54 - 52:58
    continues to have fiscal challenges not
  • 52:56 - 53:01
    because somebody did something good or
  • 52:58 - 53:03
    bad it is simply the fact of it at state
  • 53:01 - 53:06
    level that they have extreme challenges
  • 53:03 - 53:07
    as well and what that means is it's not
  • 53:06 - 53:09
    going to be easy for them to come back
  • 53:07 - 53:12
    and do things that that help the city
  • 53:09 - 53:14
    with their own revenue so the state has
  • 53:12 - 53:15
    their own issues and my fear is that
  • 53:14 - 53:18
    there will be a tendency to want to push
  • 53:15 - 53:20
    obligations from state back to city and
  • 53:18 - 53:22
    we're just gonna have to be very
  • 53:20 - 53:25
    watchful of that if you look at that
  • 53:22 - 53:27
    nationally you say the same picture is
  • 53:25 - 53:30
    probably worse in a lot of other states
  • 53:27 - 53:32
    across country but in Iowa we have that
  • 53:30 - 53:33
    issue as well so as we go forward in
  • 53:32 - 53:36
    this session and probably in the
  • 53:33 - 53:37
    sessions in the next few years it's
  • 53:36 - 53:40
    going to continue to be a very urgent
  • 53:37 - 53:43
    situation the state to a large extent
  • 53:40 - 53:46
    will take action that will have profound
  • 53:43 - 53:48
    effect on our ability to continue
  • 53:46 - 53:51
    services either by things that they do
  • 53:48 - 53:52
    or don't do and it's not because they're
  • 53:51 - 53:55
    good or bad they're struggling with
  • 53:52 - 53:56
    their own financial situation but we're
  • 53:55 - 53:58
    gonna have to be very diligent and
  • 53:56 - 54:00
    monitoring all that we've talked about
  • 53:58 - 54:01
    some of the things here the pension
  • 54:00 - 54:04
    costs is extremely important to us
  • 54:01 - 54:07
    health costs are important but in terms
  • 54:04 - 54:09
    of health costs were impacted to a large
  • 54:07 - 54:11
    extent extent by the federal legislation
  • 54:09 - 54:13
    which is a little bit at least for me a
  • 54:11 - 54:15
    bit of a black box in terms of what's
  • 54:13 - 54:17
    gonna happen so we're gonna have to
  • 54:15 - 54:19
    monitor that very carefully as well so
  • 54:17 - 54:22
    we have we have big issues just as we've
  • 54:19 - 54:25
    had in the past but that situation isn't
  • 54:22 - 54:27
    abating in terms of the uncertainty and
  • 54:25 - 54:29
    the risk going forward but I will say if
  • 54:27 - 54:32
    you look back over their recent past
  • 54:29 - 54:34
    this council is done just I think in a
  • 54:32 - 54:37
    miraculous job of managing the situation
  • 54:34 - 54:40
    with the decisions that you've made
  • 54:37 - 54:43
    which have really helped the city keep
  • 54:40 - 54:44
    its head above water pay the bills keep
  • 54:43 - 54:49
    the organization going
  • 54:44 - 54:53
    so kudos to all of you sit anybody have
  • 54:49 - 54:59
    any other questions of Alan Ellen thank
  • 54:53 - 54:59
    you again then good pre-holiday work sir
  • 55:00 - 55:08
    let's open it up for public comment
  • 55:04 - 55:08
    anyone the audience have any comments
  • 55:10 - 55:15
    mundus her last meeting in the year I
  • 55:12 - 55:18
    mean somebody's got to have something
  • 55:15 - 55:22
    all right seeing none hopefully we'll
  • 55:18 - 55:22
    see our back here this evening thank you
  • 55:49 - 55:51
    you
Title:
Council Workshop 12/20/10
Description:

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Duration:
56:01

English subtitles

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