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Department: Board of Supervisors
Date: Nov 2, 2009 at 9:00 AM
| This meeting will be held in the Board Room on the lower level at Linn County West, 2500 Edgewood Road SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
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Review tax abatement forms presented by County Treasurer.
Discuss relocation of Freeway Lounge structure.
Dawn Jindrich, Budget Director, Discuss and decide Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Initiatives.
Public Hearing and First Consideration for Case R-02-09, rezoning property located at 2358 Mabie Road from AG to RR3, Millicent and James Cozzie, property owners.
Discuss bid award for Property Boundary Surveys.
Discuss bid award for Title Opinion Services.
Discuss purchasing a vacuum truck for leaf pick-up in the unincorporated area surrounding the metro area.
Resolution approving permission for Cedar Rapids Police Department to hold police training at the flooded Options Building, 1019 – 7th Street SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on November 2, 2009 and Wednesday, November 4, 2009.
Approve Ced-Rel Supper Club Liquor license renewal.
Approve Native Wine Permit Renewal Application for Culver Lawn & Landscape.
Discuss and decide on approval of Exhibits B and C to the I-JOBS Program Grant Award Agreement for the Juvenile Law Center & Courthouse.
Garth Fagerbakke, Construction Services Manager --
1) Administrative Office Building – Discuss wider 1st St right of way as required by City of CR.
2) Juvenile Courts – Discuss pursuing parking under Interstate 380.
PUBLIC COMMENT
This is an opportunity for the public to address the Board on any subject pertaining to Board business.
APPROVE PAYROLL AUTHORIZATIONS
CORRESPONDENCE
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
APPOINTMENTS
ADJOURNMENT
Associated File:
 11-02.doc, 461k
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LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2009 9:00 A.M.
The Board met in session at Linn County West. Present: Chairperson Barron, Vice Chairperson Langston, Supervisors Houser, Oleson & Rogers. Board members voting “AYE” unless otherwise noted
Vickie Dippel, Deputy Treasurer, presented late filed tax abatement forms for 10 Linn County residents. Discussion continued regarding valuation breakdown (residential, industrial or commercial).
Supervisor Langston stated that she would like to have a conversation with legal staff regarding how the taxation is done for utilities to prevent any issues going forward.
This issue will be discussed again on Wednesday, November 4th.
Dippel stated that a customer was in her office this morning that stated they received a letter from the Board giving them another 30 days (until Nov. 30th) for delinquent taxes. The Board discussed the content of the letter and thought there had to be a typo, noting that it should be Oct. 30t. The consensus of the Board was to resend the letters out clarifying the typo.
Supervisor Langston stated that she is concerned with the application filed by Dick Parsons noting that he is appealing his tax abatement as he disagrees with the date the Assessor’s Office had as to the date of occupation.
Supervisor Oleson asked about an appeal process and clarified that process stops with the Board of Supervisors.
Supervisor Barron restated that legal should review the applications and then come back to the Board on Wednesday, November 4th.
Michael Richards met with the Board and asked to move the old Freeway Lounge to the 3rd Street area. He stated that his organization would pay for the building the same cost as it would be to demolish it. Richards would hire Jeremy Patterson to move the building. He will follow up with a written proposal.
Dawn Jindrich, Budget Dir., met with the Board to discuss Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Initiatives. She stated that there are three decisions to be made before she can send out budget packets: 1) Wages for non-bargaining unit employees; 2) Budget approach – zero based or incremental; and 3) do they put all automobile purchases under the direct control of the Board.
Discussion continued regarding the 135 management (non-bargaining unit) employees and what number will be put into the budgets until such time that the Compensation Board meets. Jindrich stated that she would like the budget packet instructions to be as close as possible to what the Board intends to do.
Supervisor Oleson advocated for a zero based budget, meaning that every department is reviewed with detailed justification starting from a zero base.
Steve Tucker, Financial Advisor, stated that currently, if a department comes in over guidelines, he will normally get them down to the guidelines. If they come in close to the guidelines then he would look for anything blatantly wrong.
Supervisor Houser stated that he is happy with the current budgeting process.
Supervisor Langston stated that the bargaining unit received an increase last year and the manager’s did not. She stated that from a wage perspective, she thinks there are things that need to be addressed and at least, for now, they set a 3% increase in wages. Langston stated that she is not opposed to a zero based budget but proposed a targeted budget approach, however, at the conclusion of this year, they take a look at zero based budgeting.
Chairperson Barron stated that she agrees with Supervisor Langston’s suggestion of a 3% increase in wages, then after they are done with budgets this year, get a 4 year cycle together and go through them in a systematic way so that they are not trying to do this all in January and February.
Discussion continued regarding whether or not the Board would begin to review budgets in early fall.
Supervisor Langston stated that they would need to do some training because some department heads are used to doing budgets in a particular way. She also commended Supervisor Oleson for taking this on.
Supervisor Rogers asked for clarification of the process.
Jindrich handed out a proposed schedule of budget sessions.
Page 2
November 2, 2009
Tucker asked for consistent methodology and stated that he does not want drastic changes at the end of the budget process.
Supervisor Oleson asked for unanimous consent to delay this decision until Wednesday, November 4th.
The Board agreed to place the following for debate and decision on the Board’s agenda for Wednesday: Wages for management and labor; Budget approach of zero based or autopilot/targeting; and address where to budget for automobiles.
A public hearing was called to order for Rezoning Case R-02-09, property located at 2358 Mabie Road from AG to RR3 as requested by Millicent and James Cozzie, property owners. Proof of publication was presented.
Bill Micheel, Planning & Development, explained that this is a minor boundary change. The City of Ely has approved the case as well.
Millicent Cozzie explained that the original flag lot was 3.95 acres and they are trying to include more land in order to make the property more appealing to potential buyers.
There were no oral or written objections.
Motion by Houser, seconded by Langston to close public hearing.
Motion by Langston, seconded by Rogers to approve upon first consideration Rezoning Case R-02-09, property located at 2358 Mabie Road from AG to RR3 as requested by Millicent and James Cozzie, property owners.
Britt Hutchins, Purchasing Mgr., presented bids from four surveyors to do property boundary surveys on 16 flooded building demolitions. The low bid was received from Brain Engineering in the amount $13,320.00.
Hutchins also stated that he received only one bid to perform title opinion services on those same 16 properties. The bid was received from Ackley, Kopecky & Kingery. He stated that he asked four firms for bids (suggested by the County Attorney’s Office).
Discussion continued regarding the removal of the Freeway Lounge. Les Beck, Planning & Development, stated that it has been determined that the building is an imminent threat because of mold and the demolition will be bid separately.
Supervisor Houser led the discussion regarding the possible purchase of a vacuum truck for leaf pick-up in the unincorporated area surrounding the metro area. Jim Hodina of the Health Dept. was also present.
Houser stated that the Board has been receiving calls from folks that can no longer burn their leaves due to a 2008 regulation that prohibits burning within a quarter-mile buffer zone just outside Cedar Rapids, Marion and Hiawatha city limits.
Chairperson Barron stated that she has asked Darrin Gage to look into this issue as well noting that perhaps there would be some haulers interested in providing a service.
Darrin Gage stated that the haulers that he contacted were not interested in doing the work, however, the City of Cedar Rapids would be willing to look at it next year on a fee basis.
Enforcement issues were addressed by Hodina and Supervisor Langston stated that they need to look into properties on Sylvan Lane.
Supervisor Oleson stated that the folks in Robins are the most upset about the ordinance.
Joi Bergman was instructed to compile a list of options and forward that information to residents on what they can do to get rid of their leaves.
Motion by Langston, seconded by Oleson to adopt Resolution 2009-11-159, authorizing the Cedar Rapids Police Department to hold police training at the flooded Options Building, 1019 – 7th Street SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on November 2, 2009 and Wednesday, November 4, 2009.
Motion by Langston, seconded by Houser to approve Ced-Rel Supper Club Liquor license renewal.
Motion by Houser, seconded by Oleson to approve Native Wine Permit Renewal Application for Culver Lawn & Landscape.
Page 3
November 2, 2009
Darrin Gage presented Exhibits B (grantee legal description) and C (sources of funding) to attach to the I-JOBS Program Grant Award Agreement for the Juvenile Law Center & Courthouse
Motion by Oleson, seconded by Rogers to approve Exhibits B (grantee legal description) and C (sources of funding) to attach to the I-JOBS Program Grant Award Agreement for the Juvenile Law Center & Courthouse
Garth Fagerbakke, Const. Serv. Manager, met with the Board regarding the Adm. Office Building extending 2 feet into the right of way of 1st St. SW.
Eric Shepley of Hall & Hall stated that the City of Cedar Rapids requires a 50 ft. half street right of way. He stated that the Board will need to file a formal application that they are encroaching and due to the structure remaining, ask the City for an allowance.
Fagerbakke met with the Board regarding a request to pursue parking under Interstate 380.
Supervisor Oleson stated that he keeps hearing it will be “overflow” parking and he wants it to look like the whole campus. He also stated that they need to look at the parking situation at the Election Depot noting that the Election Depot parking spaces are being counted for the Admin. Office Building and Juvenile Courts. Oleson stated that they can’t double and triple count the Election Depot parking spaces. He also asked about the possibility of not laying concrete under the interstate.
Supervisor Houser addressed the budget issue discussed earlier in the meeting. He stated that the HR Director put together a good presentation of wage increases and steps and he’d like to have her recommendation on the salaries for management discussed again on Wednesday. Houser stated that there needs to be further discussions regarding wages, noting that they have not had enough time to consider everything before making a decision.
Lisa Powell stated that the reason she gave them the information was to help with the budget guidelines process. She usually comes to the Board with a recommendation in February.
Public Comment:
Auditor Miller addressed the parking for the Admin. Office Bldg. He stated that he has always had concerns about parking at the Admin. Office Bldg. He suggested that they close off 2nd street and make a full contiguous parking lot and requested that the Board take that into consideration.
Supervisor Langston stated that she made reference to a veteran who was evicted from his residence last week, however, she found out that this person was in fact able to keep his housing. She stated that she appreciates all the work done by the Auditor’s Office.
Supervisor Rogers stated that he wanted to take this opportunity to personally thank the staff who assisted during the public open houses and is very appreciative of their time and assistance.
Adjournment at 10:40 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
JOEL D. MILLER, Linn County Auditor &
Secretary to the Board of Supervisors
By Karen Nesheim, Auditor’s Office
And Rebecca Shoop, Deputy Auditor
Approved by:
LU BARRON, Chairperson
Board of Supervisors
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