Bronwyn's Council Review

As usual for the review, my comments are red and italicized in the context of the latest Council Preview by David Martin.

The Ames City Council meets on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. on Zoom.  Another light agenda--only 27 items. It includes:

• 4. Motion referring Voluntary Annexation Petition regarding property located at 4514 Hyde Avenue to Planning & Zoning Commission. The owners of 4514 Hyde Ave, Hunziker Development Group (shown in dark crosshatch below), have submitted a petition to voluntarily annex their property to the City. This agenda item would allow the annexation process to be taken up by the Planning and Zoning Commission according to the ordinary process. This Council agenda item is not a public hearing; the required hearings would be separately announced, and actual annexation would not occur unless/until it returns as a separate Council agenda item. Given the city's Land Use Policy Plan, if annexation is ultimately approved, then this property could be rezoned to a residential zone allowing for development and/or conservation subdivision. 
  
  This item was part of the Consent Agenda (items 1-19 of this week's agenda) and passed 6-0 along with the other Consent items.
  
  
   
• 20. Discussion on the direction the Public Art Commission is taking in regards to small arts grants. Council previously agreed to set aside $10,000 for a Small Art Grant pilot program. The discussion as that motion was on the floor included the expression of an intent that this would be used to fund individual artists rather than funding organizations that could apply for the well-established Commission on the Arts funding. In discussion of potential use of the funds, the Public Art Commission is currently evaluating a proposal from the Octagon Art Center to use these funds to increase their available studio space to the benefit of area artists. While their deliberation continues, Council agreed to have a separate discussion as to whether and how well such a use would align with our vision for the Small Art Grant pilot program.
  (video)
  
  The discussion on this item resulted in two motions. First, Councilmember Martin moved to pursue the Octagon's proposal in our upcoming budget regardless of the direction of the Small Art Grant pilot. This motion passed 6-0. Second, Councilmember Betcher made a motion to specify that the funds for the Small Art Grant should be available for individuals or groups who are not already eligible for PAC (Public Art Commission) or COTA (Commission on the Arts) funding. This clarification would mean that a group like the Octagon wouldn't be eligible for the Small Art Grants but rather individuals (including students) or small groups with an idea for public art (visual or performance). This motion also passed 6-0.
  
  (On a related note, our upcoming budget overview and hearings will take place Friday 1/29 at 2 p.m., Tuesday 2/2 at 5:15 p.m., Wednesday 2/3 at 5:15 p.m., Thursday 2/4 at 5:15 p.m., and Tuesday 2/9 at 5:15 p.m. )
• 21. Resolution setting date of public hearing for January 26, 2021, to authorize the potential use of eminent domain authority, if necessary, to obtain easements and acquire land for the Flood Mitigation - River Flooding project. To move forward with this FEMA-funded flood mitigation project, the City needs to make stream bank improvements impacting private property bordering the creek near where it crosses South Duff. The project schedule is tight: it must be completed by June 2022. In this item, Council is being asked to designate January 26 as the date of public hearing for Council's authorization of eminent domain to gain access to this property - if the use of eminent domain turns out to be necessary. Meetings with landowners and other property acquisition activities have already begun; I'm sure the City would rather complete voluntary access agreements than rely on eminent domain authority. But it's important to keep the project on schedule one way or another.
  (video)
  
  This item passed 5-1, with Betcher voting nay. 
  
  
• 22. Update on financial status of CyRide. At Council's request, the Director of Cy-Ride is providing an update on the agency's fiscal status. Of course, ridership has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. Fortunately, Cy-Ride received $7 million from the federal CARES act as part of the national coronavirus financial response. It seems safe to conclude that things would look very different right now without those funds. Future revenues are difficult to predict, given uncertainty about enrollment and student fee changes (part of which go to Cy-Ride). This report envisions a recalibration study to determine service needs post-pandemic and concludes: "While the SG Trust Fund continues to be a concern, staff believe that there are options available to address the fund balance through a combination of cost reductions, service modifications, and student activity fee increases."
  (video)
  
  Council listened to a very thorough presentation from CyRide staff, who detailed this year's financial status, as well as options for the future. While a lot depends on how ridership rebounds after COVID, the options for affecting the budget include asking the students to consider an increase in their fees, or potentially reducing routes/times.

Non-Agenda Packet: The following items are requests and communications to the council that are not on the agenda for full discussion.  This includes staff reports and communications or requests from constituents and developers. Typically the council will ask city staff for more information (a memo), put the item on a future agenda for deliberation and possible action, or just accept the communication, taking no further action. Council generally processes these requests and communications during the agenda portion called "Disposition of Communications to Council."
(video)
 

• Somerset alley parking. Council previously received a neighbor request to change the use of this parking area and asked staff for more information. This is staff's memo describing the situation.
  
  No action was taken on this item.
   

COUNCIL COMMENTS: (video)

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 3

P.S. How about volunteering to serve on a board or commission for the city? This is a great way for residents to help shape the services and policies that we all depend on. Openings are available to people of all backgrounds, including ISU students and non-U.S. citizens. See current vacancies for next year here, the descriptions of each board/commission here, and the online application form here.