Council Meeting Webstream

As I mentioned back in a post in December, Louise From was recognized at her final council meeting for her service to University Heights. Cable Channel 4 in Iowa City is now streaming that meeting. It's worth watching

December 15, 2015 City Council Meeting

A Very Sincere Thank You!

Mayor Louise From presided over her final meeting as mayor tonight and I'd like to say she was sent out in style. Completely unknown to her, various Iowa elected officials and a notable celebrity were asked to submit a letter of thanks to Louise. These were read at the meeting. She received congratulations and thanks from both U.S. Senators, Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, and our U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack. She also received recognition from Governor Branstad, and our state senator, Joe Bolkcom. Our Iowa House rep, Mary Mascher, came in person to thank Louise also. The highlight of the presentation was a letter from Kirk Ferentz, who spoke of how University Heights was his first home in Iowa, and thanking Louise for her service.
Louise was elected to five terms as Mayor, for a total of 10 years. Prior to that she served six terms on council for 12 years. In total she served the City of University Heights for 22 years from January of 1994 through December of 2015. While I don't know Louise's exact age I'm pretty confident in thinking that she has served University Heights for at least one-third of her life.

I have greatly enjoyed working with Louise, and have great admiration for her abilities and the accomplishments she has made for the betterment of our city. I hope that if you see her in the coming days and weeks, that you'll tell her thank you too.

Who I am Supporting in Tuesday's Election

Besides voting for myself, here is who  I will be voting for:

City Council
Jim Lane- Jim is completing his second 2 year term on council, he has served as finance chair for the past 4 years. His experience as a financial planner has paid off in how he has managed city assets in order to maximize returns, he has also made awareness of city budgets and budget planning much easier for the rest of council to follow. Jim's experience as a plant manager for Proctor and Gamble as well as his education as an engineer has been invaluable as the city has worked through the planning stages of the One University Place project. Construction Updates

Carla Aldrich- Carla was appointed to council in June 2014 to fill the seat of Zadok Nampala. She has served as co-chair of the Community Protection Committee. Carla's contributions and insight served the city well in the hiring of our Police Chief last year. Carla has also initiated our Community Watch program, a quarterly meeting of all interested citizens on community protection topics of interest. At the Kickoff Meeting in April, there was a surprise incident where participants suddenly were placed in situation where their "eye witness" recollections were tested. The July meeting featured tips on how to prevent identity theft, and the September meeting featured Iowa City Schools Equity director Kingsley Botchway speaking on cultural competence. Community Protection

Stepheny Gahn- Stepheny has served on the Zoning Commission for the past year. She was active in the amending of our building ordinance. Stepheny has also been a frequent attendee at council meetings, and has worked hard to make herself aware of the many issues that the council faces.

Mayor
Louise From- Louise has been an effective and tireless ambassador for our city. While she does not have a vote, she runs council meetings. Louise spends an incredible amount of time working with neighboring elected officials as well as staff to ensure that U-Heights' interested are represented. Mayor's Report

Ballot Initiative
YES I strongly favor adopting staggered four year terms for council. Being a small community with each council member expected to manage a department of city business (Finance, Building/Zoning/Sanitation, Streets and Sidewalks, Community Protection, eGovernment) it is hard to have continuity and stability when you must run for your seat every other year.

I would hope you would also consider these well qualified people and this reasonable ballot measure.

Thank YOU!

It is with a deep sense of gratitude that I say thanks to the voters of University Heights. To have a turnout that is triple the county average is amazing.

City Council	Early Vote	Nov. 5TH	Total	Percent
Haverkamp	133	221	354	63%
Lane	129	205	334	60%
Quezada	126	198	324	58%
Miller	121	175	296	53%
Nampala	118	165	283	51%
McGrath	123	134	257	46%
Hopson	120	122	242	43%
Leff	116	125	241	43%
Stewart	116	104	220	39%
Write Ins	4	9	13

Top 5 finishers elected to council

MAYOR	Early Vote	Nov. 5TH	Total	Percent
From	151	205	356	90%
Write Ins	26	15	41

Total Voters	Early Vote	Nov. 5TH	Total
	242	317	559

When talking to the Press Citizen Tuesday night I was hoping to express that it is imperative for the new council to work to bring our community back together. It will take effort from all parties to do so.

Pro-development sweeps U. Heights
60.3 percent of registered voters cast a ballot,
which set a city record and led county in turnout

Voters turned out in record numbers Tuesday in University Heights, delivering a resounding pro-development message.
With 60 percent of registered voters casting a ballot, residents ousted the three City Council members who have stood in opposition of a developer’s plans to construct the mixed-use project along Melrose Avenue called One University Place.

Incumbents Rosanne Hopson, Jan Leff and Brennan McGrath — who have fought the proposed commercial and condominium project that has been at the center of bitter debate the past five years — each lost their seats. They will be replaced by Virginia Miller,Zadok Nampala and Silvia Quezada, a trio of first-time challengers who ran on pro-development platforms.

“I’m really looking forward to working together with the rest of the group and finally having a green light for the development going forward, the way people in University Heights want to see it,” said Nampala, a 30-year-old master’s student in social work at the University of Iowa.
Pro-development incumbents Mike Haverkamp and Jim Lane retained their council posts with the top two showings, garnering 63 percent and 60 percent, unofficially.

In total, 559 of University Heights’ 927 registered voters cast a ballot, or 60.3 percent. It was by far the highest percentage of any city in Johnson County, and set a new city record for turnout, surpassing the previous high mark of 534 voters in 2011.
Although past elections amid the One University Place debate have been decided by razor-thin margins and resulted in councils with clashing development philosophies, the coalition of pro-development candidates ran away with the race this time around.

Still, rather than touting victory, Haverkamp and others stressed moving on from the contentious and sometimes ugly debates of the past few years and bringing people back together.
“The thing to always remember is we’re a small town where we know everybody, so I think what’s important is to remember the entire community functioning together is the only way we’re going to move forward,” said Haverkamp, a 53-year-old teacher. “I think the responsibility the citizens of our community have entrusted us with is something I take very seriously, and I’ll make sure I’m responsible to everyone in the community.”

Lane, a 68-year-old investment consultant, said the pro-development camp presented “a positive vision” that resonated with voters. However, he said much of the heavy lifting lies ahead, particularity the looming question of how much financial support the city will contribute to One University Place.
“Quite frankly, the work is just beginning,” Lane said. “We have to figure out the right development, especially the financing. I don’t want to see the community get financially strapped.”

Quezada, a 39-year-old attorney, said that even though Tuesday’s five victors campaigned as a “loose coalition,” they each will bring distinct approaches to the council in how they’d like to see the development take shape.
“I think the voters are ready for smart, intelligent growth in our community, and I’m ready to do the people’s business and protect our best interest going forward and setting us up for a bright and fulfilling future in University Heights,” Quezada said.

Miller said that with St. Andrew Presbyterian Church set to finalize the sale of the property to the developer and relocate in the coming years, she’s eager to help University Heights “start trying to move forward.”
“We now have a pretty firm time line of when the church is moving out that we can work around, so there are not as many unknowns as there were in the past,” said Miller, a 31-year-old stay-at-home mother.

Mayor Louise From, who ran uncontested, will serve a fifth term as mayor after collecting 90 percent of the votes.

Press Citizen Coverage of Council Race

Yesterday's Press Citizen featured the University Heights City Council race:

One University Place development is 'a tipping point' in U Heights
A decade ago, a typical city council race in University Heights wasn’t much of a race at all.
In each of the 2003 and 2005 city elections, for instance, just five candidates ran for five seats, meaning the only Election Day decision voters had to make was whether to write in another name.
That’s no longer the case in this enclave of about 1,100 residents, where a high-profile development proposal along Melrose Avenue has stirred up local political passions in recent years. There now are yard signs, websites and candidate forums — big-city campaigning in a small town.

On Tuesday, nine residents will vie for the council’s five spots, including all five incumbents, with the dominant issue remaining One University Place, which for nearly five years has been poised to be built on the property of the outgoing St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.

While the central question in past years was whether developer Jeff Maxwell should be allowed to build a large-scale project at the site, now that the church has voted to finalize the property sale, the remaining questions include just how big One University Place should be, whether there will be a commercial component, and how much, if any, financial assistance the city should provide.

The three council members who have opposed the development — Rosanne Hopson, Jan Leff and Brennan McGrath — say their position has shifted toward compromise now that the church’s move is imminent. Although Maxwell’s vision has been for a two-building development — one five-story residential building and one three-story mixed-use building — the three opposing council members are calling for a scaled-down version.

“The three of us began our journey on this council feeling strongly that we did not want any development there, and if we did, it should be very minimal,” said Leff, who is seeking a second term. “I think over time we’ve evolved, understanding this (as) an opportunity to oversee a development that would really enhance our community both financially and aesthetically, as well. I think we’re ready to compromise with whomever else (is) on the council.”

Hopson, who has served on the council since winning a special election in January 2011 and earning re-election later that year, has taken a hard stance against the $6.5 million in tax-increment financing assistance the developer has said he would require for the project.
“When you ask for a $6.5 million TIF, that leaves us with zero bonding capacity,” Hopson said. “I really wouldn’t feel comfortable with that as a councilor. What do you do in case of an emergency?”

McGrath, who has served eight years on the council, said he would like to see the council find middle ground with a project that would be “the least disruptive” to University Heights.
“It seems like in this process it’s been what’s best for the developer or what’s best for the community — not both,” McGrath said. “That’s what I’m trying to get back to — an ‘and’ in there and not an ‘or.’ That’s the biggest challenge.”

On the other side of the issue stand incumbents Mike Haverkamp and Jim Lane, who have backed the Maxwell project during their time on the council. Haverkamp says public perception of the project has shifted in recent years, with more people — particularly younger residents — favoring walkable neighborhoods close to their workplace and amenities.

“I’m encouraged as I walk around and talk to people,” said Haverkamp, who is seeking a third term. “I think in 2008 and 2009, a five-story residential building and a three-story, mixed-use commercial building seemed pretty big. I think what’s happened in the greater Iowa City-Coralville area in those intervening years has also shaped perception in terms of other projects that people are seeing.”

Lane, who narrowly edged Rachel Stewart for the fifth and final seat in the 2011 election, said that with the church’s decision behind it, this is a key moment for University Heights. He said many longtime residents are recognizing the benefits the development could bring in the form of new amenities, as well.

“It’s young and old folks who are saying, ‘We have this opportunity, so let’s take it,’ ” Lane said. “I think the majority are speaking out and saying we want some things in there. This is a tipping point.”

Stewart, who missed winning a spot on the council by just one vote two years ago, favors a scaled-down version of the development that would require no TIF incentive from the city.
“My main concern has always been that I don’t like TIF being used for inappropriate developments,” Stewart said. “They were traditionally developed for areas of large cities that were blighted, where no one would do anything there unless they got some incentive. I can’t say the corner of Melrose and Sunset is a blighted spot.”

The other challengers are voicing support for a larger version of One University Place more in line with Maxwell’s original vision.

Zadok Nampala, a father of two young children who is running for the first time, says he and others are excited about the possibility of a market within walking distance. Local businessman Jim Mondanaro has expressed interest in opening up a location similar to downtown Iowa City’s Bread Garden in One University Place.

“I would be one of those people who would say a mixed commercial property would be ideal for us so that the young community, young families, can walk here and have that little corner store,” Nampala, a Kenya native, said at a candidate’s forum earlier this month. “I just imagine those small towns where I come from where we have a store in the corner, and everybody walks there in the evening.”

Virginia Miller, who is challenging for a council seat, also has vowed to bring a voice for younger families to the council and is stressing the importance of including a public space in the developer’s plans, be it a park or a community center.

“To me, St. Andrew functioned as a public space for our community where we’ve had our picnics, farmers markets and community meetings for a long time, so I think it’s important for us to retain that public space in our community rather than losing it to strictly residential development,” Miller said.

Silvia Quezada, who is making her first bid for the council, backs the developer’s “five-and-three” vision for One University Place. She said there are concerns that still need to be worked out, “but nothing that a city council couldn’t overcome and work together to close a chapter on a very long journey.”

“I think the vision is coming from the residents; the vision is not being driven by the developer,” Quezada said. “The developer is proposing an idea, and folks are improving on that idea. People are seeing an opportunity for adding more convenience to the quality of life in University Heights.”

Mayor Louise From, who served a dozen years on the council beginning in 1994 before taking over as mayor in 2006, also is up for re-election. Though she is running uncontested for the non-voting mayor’s seat, From said she doesn’t want to take residents’ support for granted.
“I’ve always tried to tackle the issues with honesty and respect for all,” From said.

Please Vote

U-H Polling Site:

St. Andrew Church
1300 Melrose Ave.

Polls open at 7:00 a.m.

Polls close at 8:00 p.m.

This is a request for you to participate in the greatest privilege in a democracy, and vote in our city election.

University Heights is at a crossroads and your vote is critical. In the 2009 election the margin of victory for the final seat on council was 2 VOTES. To say that your vote is important is not idle chatter.

One of the important things that makes University Heights great is that we participate in our local government to a degree unparalleled by our neighbors. A total election turnout of 60% of registered voters would not be surprising to any of us. Please do your part to contribute to our community.

And also remember that ALL NINE CANDIDATES for office in this election SUPPORT THE LIBRARY LEVY. VOTE YES TO SUPPORT LIBRARY SERVICES!

A "Right Sized" Campaign for U-Heights

Until the 2011 special election no candidate in University Heights had ever had to file a finance report with the Iowa Campaign and Ethics Board, because no one had ever had spent over the state regulated $750 limit.



In a report filed today, November 3, 2011, WeR4UH has raised $3,290.00 for the 2011 campaign and through October 19th had  spent $1,593.00. Their major expenditure was for 300 yard signs.

In addition to the above, four separate committees for Hopson, Leff, Stewart, and McGrath have also been created. These individual groups, will not have to report if they EACH stay under the $750 limit. 

To see all contributors and expenses so far, download the filed
We Are For UH Election Report

For the 2011 Special Election the Committee to Elect Rosanne Hopson raised $2,535 and spent $2,500

To see all contributors and expenses, download the filed Hopson Special Election Report

We believe that spending  $5,825 dollars for two elections, plus potentially up to $3,000 more ( from the 4 individual candidates) in a single year is too much.

As this blog shows, the candidates of "We Are University Heights Moving Forward" have tried to be informative and creative in explaining the complicated issues in this city election to members of our community.

What may not be quite so obvious is that we have also made a conscious effort to be frugal.

The decision for the five of us to work together in this election was not taken lightly. When it became apparent that we were faced with an organized, well funded campaign, we made a commitment to form a single group and not exceed the $750 expense limit that would require documenting expenditures and donations. We did this, not because we didn't want to disclose this information, but because our belief was that spending the equivalent of no more than 75 cents per resident was appropriate. We also consciously limited contributors to University Heights residents.

Our biggest expense has been 50 yard signs at $6 each.

However, the cornerstone of our campaign effort costs nothing. We have been going out door to door to residents and talking with them, as campaigns in a small town should. When demand for yard signs exceeded what was available, we took and re-made old signs left over from earlier elections. We have printed our own materials.  We have used "free" media such as this blog to express, expand and illuminate upon the ideas and facts behind the issues. Through these efforts we have tried to give as much detail as possible in order for U-H citizens to make informed decisions.

We have tried to campaign in a cost-conscious way. These skills should come in handy as we govern in the future, given the city's tight budget. We hope that you appreciate those efforts.

Why I am running- Louise

It has been my privilege to serve the City of University Heights for 18 years. I would be honored to continue serving our community as we move forward.

As Mayor I have collaborated and built relationships with state and local governments, business, agencies, institutions and associations to give University Heights better exposure and inclusion in the community at large. I have the experience, expertise and a vision that can lead University Heights to thrive and flourish for many years to come.

Who ARE the Candidates?

EXPERIENCE EXPERTISE VISION

Louise From Mayor since 2006, council member from 1994-2005. Louise has served as president of the Johnson County Council of Governments and is active in county-wide governmental organizations




Mike Haverkamp on council since 2010. Chair of the eGovernment Department. Former president of Friends of Historic Preservation, Iowa City Arts Festival, Iowa Friends of Old Time Music, Iowa City Education Association.


 Jim Lane on council 2010. Former Plant manager at Proctor & Gamble, President of United Way of Johnson County Board, Chairman of Construction Consulting Committee of Iowa City School District.


Amanda F. Whitmer Licensed CPA, with 9 years experience in public accounting. Currently in Treasury Operations at UI. Treasurer of the Iowa City Downtown Association.



Pat Yeggy on council 2006-2007, and since 2010. Pat is chair of the Streets and Sidewalks Department. She served  formerly as the UH city clerk. Pat is also the city historian.