Boil, Toil, and Loyal

That was the title I gave to my most recent email to U-Heights residents. I live to make bad rhyming jokes. Humor aside I wanted to communicate some important information about the boil advisory the city is under (along with west-side Iowa City) as well as give an update for our council work session held on 2/19. Hearing from former residents was a bonus.

Even better than that was hearing today from a current resident and brand new parent who reported that no less than THREE of her neighbors came over to make sure they had heard about the boil advisory and to ensure they weren't mixing formula or washing baby bottles without treating the water first! That is what community is all about.

Here is what I sent out:

University Heights municipal website View this email in your browser

BOIL TOIL and LOYAL! Boil Advisory I’d like to apologize for incorrectly using the word “order” in my email yesterday, the Iowa City Water Department issued an “advisory.” Today’s Press Citizen had more details than yesterday’s City of Iowa City’s press release, which I copied in full and sent to you. Here is the link to the PC Story Two comments from the story are highlighted here:  “We have not found any bacteria or contamination,” McMahon said. “We just like to err on the side of being conservative with this and just want to make sure everything is safe. We have no reason, though, to believe that there’s any contamination.” A precautionary boil advisory means no contaminants have been identified, but city staff still recommend residents boil their water until testing is complete. If a bacteria contamination is found, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources would issue a boil order. I hope this helps explain our situation better. Toil- Council considers Site Concept Plan Here is the webstream to the 2/11 City Council meeting. The presentation of the concept plan for the St. Andrew site is the 4th item on the timeline. Council heard more details and asked many questions at their work session on 2/19. Citizens also gave their input and suggestions. Illustrations comparing footprints of plans can be found here: St. Andrew Site Plans. Council will discuss the concept plan further at their 3/11 regular meeting to be held at the University Club at 7:00 PM. Loyal- Former residents still interested One nice side note of yesterday’s message about the boil advisory was that I heard from several former U-Heights residents, who even though they no longer live in our fair town, have chosen to stay on my email update list and remain interested in our affairs. I see this as a testament to the residents of our town, and what a special place we are. As always, it is my pleasure to serve you as city councilor. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns. -Mike Haverkamp

St. Andrew Site Concept Design

Kevin Monson presented a site concept drawing at our council meeting last night. He stated that he wanted to get a feeling from council whether this was an avenue to pursue. Here is what he had to show Download PDF.

The major changes as he listed last night:

• The front building will be commercial only, no residential. So essentially a one story building with a taller roof making it look like a two story building. This is shorter than the 3 story building proposed earlier. This eliminates the need for underground residential parking on the first building.
• A community center could be added to the far eastern portion of the front building. This is currently shown as green space. This could be built with the original construction or added later.
• The rear building will contain 6 floors of residential units plus the rooftop meeting space. This is one story taller than the earlier proposed building, but still within zoning limitations.
• The rear building has a smaller East-West length.
• The shape of the front building has been simplified.
• There is no connection between circle parking for rear building and Sunset Street exit. 
• Front building moved 2 feet further back from Melrose.

Council will have a  work session to look further at this concept. This has been scheduled for WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19TH at 7:00 PM in the IOWA ROOM of the UNIVERSITY CLUB. The public is encouraged to attend and to comment on the concept design.

I would have to say my first impression of the concept design is favorable. I think many of the changes proposed are a result of community feedback from the September focus group meetings, and seem to strike a middle ground that would satisfy many of our citizens.

After thinking about this concept today, here are some questions I sent to Mr. Monson tonight that I would like to see addressed either at the work session or soon after:

• How do the the footprints of each building compare to earlier proposals?
• Can we get a comparison overlay of current concept, the 5+/3 and St. Andrew Church?
• What would be estimated height of first building?

 I'm sure I'll have more questions by Wednesday.

February 2014 Council Meeting Summary

U-Heights City Council held their regular February meeting last night, here are some highlights:

New St. Andrew Church Site Concept Plan:
Architect Kevin Monson presented a new site concept for re-development at St. Andrew Church site. Changes include a smaller front building with commercial only and a narrower rear residential building with 6 floors plus a rooftop room. Council will consider this plan further at a work session likely next week. I will post images in the next day or so.

FY 2015 Budget Planning
Council deliberated on the FY15 budget. A public hearing will be held on March 11th at 7:00 PM. Regular council meeting will follow.

Community Comment Guidelines
Council started to discuss guidelines for community comment at meetings. A draft guideline was presented by Jim Lane, council and community members responded. Suggestions will be incorporated and discussed in March.

City Committees:
Check the link below for agenda and attachments to read Streets and Sidewalks report on Emerald Ash Borer, Building/Zoning/Sanitation report for current rental property numbers and more.

February 11 Agenda and Attachments

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Stay on top of official city announcements by following the City of University Heights on Twitter

Council Meetings are rebroadcast every Thursday at 9:00 PM on City Channel 4
Webcasts can be viewed at Streaming Video from City Channel 4
(Look under the "Government" tab for University Heights)

What's Up in Other Small Towns

I happened to run across two news stories today that made me go hmmm.... Tiffin and Riverside at population 1,900 and 1,040 respectively are similar to U-Heights in size and in the issues they face.

The first story is about Tiffin's new city hall which will open in two weeks. This is from the North Liberty Leader/Solon Economist. The new city hall sounds similar in size to a proposed city facility that could be part of  a U-Heights One University Place project. The article mentions that this site would also be available to rent for private functions, or as a meeting site for groups such as scouts. The print edition of the paper has a photo, but the web version doesn't.

New City Hall to Open in Tiffin

The second story is much more cautionary. This one ran in yesterday's Cedar Rapids Gazette:

Distrust and Tension Continue to Plague Riverside

Since the opening of the Riverside Casino in 2006 city government has had to respond to major changes in city revenue and operation. This had led to a lot of tension among residents and has played out in city government and council meetings. The proposed One University Heights development would significantly increase U-Heights tax revenue. While any increase would not be as dramatic as Riverside's, we would do well to think about how changes would need to be handled.

January Council Meeting Summary

U-Heights City Council held their regular January meeting January 14th, here are some highlights:

Streets and Sidewalks news:
Committee Chair  Virginia Miller announced that residents with concerns about unshoveled sidewalks can email her at virginia@university-heights.org
Miller also announced she has secured $1000 in tree planting grant funds from Mid American Energy for new street trees. That amount has  been matched by HILLS BANK (correction from email) and Midwest One Bank for a total of $2000 toward new trees. High pedestrian traffic areas with little shade would be prime places to begin planting in the spring.

MVP's of 2013 
As is her tradition, Mayor From recognized volunteers' outstanding service to U-Heights in 2013. Honorees were:
Carol Christiansen and Pat Yeggy for the city garden club work on the plantings next to Stella.
Chris Luzzie the founder and Chair of the University Heights Community Fund.
John McLure city videographer who has filmed city council and other important meetings as a volunteer.
Al Wells who has cared for the Triangle Park and shelter area. This has included mowing and planting flowers.

FY2015 Budget Planning
Finance Chair Jim Lane has begun to gather department budget information. Council will discuss this further at their February meeting. By state law an adopted FY15 Budget must be submitted to the Johnson County Auditor no later than March 15, 2014. FY 15 begins July 1, 2014.

Boards and Comissions:
Mayor Louise From announced new members appointed to the following:
Board of Adjustment: Randall Aitchison
Zoning Commission: Stuart Rosebrook, Pat Yeggy

Mayor From and the council thanked outgoing members Michael Flaum from Board of Adjustment and Pat Bauer from Zoning for their faithful service to the city.

 Council members being sworn into office.

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January City Council Meetings

With the start of a new term for the city council and mayor there are two regularly scheduled meetings this month. On Tuesday, January 7th, at 7:00 PM, the council will hold an orientation session in the city office at 1004 Melrose Ave. The agenda for that meeting can be found here:

Council Orientation Agenda

Mayor Louise From has announced the following council assignments:

• Mayor Pro Tem- Silvia Quezada
• Building/Zoning/Sanitation Chair- Silvia Quezada
• Community Protection Co-Chairs- Mike Haverkamp & Zadok Nampala
• eGovernment Chairs- Mike Haverkamp
• Finance Chair- Jim Lane
• Streets and Sidewalks Chair- Virginia Miller
• Community Relations contact- Virginia Miller

The regular 2nd Tuesday of the month council meeting will be held at 7:00 PM on January 14th, at a location to be determined.

Both meeting are open to the public.

Year End U-Heights in the News

As the Press Citizen does each December, they named their "10 To Watch in 2014" list last week. These are typically younger members of the area who have been caught the eye of the PC staff for their contributions to the local community. Included this year was incoming city councilor Zadok Nampala.

Here is what the Press Citizen story had to say:
Zadok Nampala
It was a bellwether year in University Heights, where a trio of pro-development city council candidates swept from office an old guard that had opposed a controversial project along Melrose Avenue.
Among those newly elected council members is Zadok Nampala, a 30-year-old father of three who came to the U.S. from Kenya in 2006. When he joins the council next month, Nampala will become one of the youngest elected officials in the area and represent the influx of younger families to the small enclave this past decade.
And families like his, he says, will benefit from the amenities that could come with the mixed-use commercial and residential project being proposed for the current St. Andrew Presbyterian Church site.
“It was an overwhelming win for us, and I think this will really bring people together,” said Nampala, who is eager to get to work on the project with the council. “Especially when we have a lot of young folks moving in, and they need a place to get together, and we don’t have that. I think the development will bring us together closer than ever.”
Nampala came to the U.S. from Kenya in 2006 when his wife, Erin Schmidt, was accepted to medical school at UI. The two had met when Schmidt was working in Nampala’s village for two years as a member of the Peace Corps. Today, the couple have three children — a 5-year-old son, a 2-year-old daughter and a newborn daughter.
Nampala is in his final year of graduate school at UI, where he’s pursuing his master’s in social work. He’s conducting his practicum with the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission, where he assists with investigations and community outreach and is collecting data on racial disparities.
He also works as an interpreter at the Johnson County and Linn County courthouses, and helps connect African immigrants in the community with social services. He also volunteers with local African churches and helps refurbish salvaged items to donate to people in need.

The Press Citizen also reviewed their stories to watch for 2013 and University Heights figured in to one of those as well. Here is what that article had to say:

Diversity/Equity:

• What we said 12 months ago: “Iowa City has created an Ad Hoc Diversity Committee to study the ways the local minority and immigrant communities interact with public transportation and law enforcement. ... The results of those discussions will have significant impact on city and school policy decisions.”
• What we said six months ago: Local leaders “would do well to read through the report recently released by the Coalition for Racial Justice. The report, titled ‘Racial Equity in Iowa City and Johnson County,’ doesn’t take long to read — it’s only 18 pages — but the numbers and graph within show a stark contrast between the small percentage that people of color make up in Johnson County’s broader population and the large percentage they make up in arrest, incarceration, drop out, unemployment and other statistics.”
• What we say now: November’s city elections have changed at least one disturbing observation

made in the report released by the Coalition for Racial Justice this summer: “None of Iowa City’s, Coralville’s, or Johnson County’s current elected leaders are people of color. The Iowa City School Board includes one person of color.”
On Nov. 5, Iowa City voters elected Kingsley Botchway to become the council’s first black member since councilor and former mayor Ross Wilburn retired in 2011. That means, in terms of the diversity of local elected officials, Botchway now joins Tuyet Dorau (who was re-elected in September to the Iowa City Community School Board) along with Zadok Nampala and Silvia Quezada, who were just elected to the University Heights City Council.

As 2013 draws to a close I'd like to wish all of our community members a very happy and healthy 2014!
Since New Year's Eve is on a Tuesday, we WILL HAVE REGULAR GARBAGE AND RECYCLING PICK UP. Christmas Tree pick up will occur on January 7th and 14th.