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Further Explanation of Some Issues raised at Council Meetings


QUESTIONS

  1. The City paid $80 for meals at a Council brown bag. See answer.
  2. The City shouldn’t pay for club memberships. See answer.
  3. Water Department ordered pizza for lunch. See answer.
  4. The City paid a $4,000 late fee. See answer.
  5. Can PUD zoning use change without review by the City?See answer.


ANSWERS


  1. Q:   The City paid $80 for meals at a Council brown bag.
    A:       This was not a brown bag; it was a Legislative Issues box lunch meeting with the cities of Dubuque, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids was reimbursed by the City of Dubuque and the City of Des Moines for their portion of the catering invoice; the balance of the invoice was paid by Jim Prosser. The cities had agreed prior to the meeting that each would pay for their meals; we paid the invoice and invoiced the two cities for their portion.

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  2. Q:   The City shouldn’t pay for club memberships.
    A:       Library is paying for Lori Barkema’s Rotary membership.

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  3. Q:   Water Department ordered pizza for lunch.
    A:       No specific date mentioned. Pat Ball reports that they held a working lunch with a consultant at the Water Department. The Department would have reimbursed for the consultant’s lunch whether they ate in or out – they decided it was more efficient to order pizza and work through the lunch hour.

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  4. Q:   The City paid a $4,000 late fee.
    A:       Response from Sue Vavroch: On June 30 a CD was purchased from Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust (IPAIT) in the amount of $10 million in a competitive bid process. The funds did not get wired in a timely manner and usually the investment purchase is delivery versus payment, meaning that no investment is made until funds are received. Despite the wire not arriving to their bank, IPAIT created a CD investment which resulted in an overdraft situation for three days. Wanting this to be as transparent as possible, rather than having the charge net through the CD interest I had IPAIT bill the City for the interest. Interest was being earned on the funds at all times during this period.

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  5. Q:   Can PUD zoning use change without review by the City?
    A:       No. The process for changing PUD-O is similar to a typical rezoning meaning that to change to a different type of development the developer would need to make an application to the City, which would include public notice, City Planning Commission review, and City Council review and action.

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