**These minutes were prepared by ECICOG**
Minutes of the Public Leadership Group
South Slope Coop Communications Co.
980 N. Front Street
North Liberty, Iowa
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
5:00 p.m.
Co-chair Lehman called the meeting to order at 5:11 p.m.
Present: Linn County Board of Supervisor Linda Langston; Johnson County Board of Supervisors Sally Stutsman, Terrence Neuzil, Mike Lehman, and Pat Harney.
Also present: Ely Mayor Dale Stanek, Hiawatha Mayor Tom Patterson, Marion Mayor John Nieland, Coralville Mayor Jim Fausett, University Heights Mayor Louise From, Robins Mayor Joel Miller.
ECICOG staff present: Doug Elliott, Jennifer Ryan, Mary Rump.
Welcome and Introductions: Attendees were asked to introduce themselves.
Prioritization of Work Group Issues: Elliott referred to the minutes of the November meeting, which had been emailed with the agenda and distributed at the meeting. He summarized the reports on the flip chart:
1) Reorganize Group
2) Expand participation
3) Define regionalism
TRANSPORTATION
1) Complete trail links
2) IDOT program projects
3) Support alternative modes
INFRASTRUCTURE
1) Water and wastewater issues
2) Public communications
INTERGOVERNMENTAL SERVICES
1) Public information campaign
2) Toll free calling
Elliott suggested that the Group accomplish three things at the meeting, keeping in mind the issues as listed:
2. Reorganize the Group around those issues
3. Communicate regularly
The group discussed the issues as outlined, and selected the top three issues as:
1) Define regionalism – this includes determining a consensus definition of regionalism, determining the Group’s accomplishment toward the definition, and determining how to achieve the definition.
2) Complete trail links.
3) Public information campaign.
It was agreed that the Elliott and the Co-chairs would recruit public officials to work on the issues and to determine their own meeting schedule. The Leadership Group would meet on a quarterly basis. A variety of organizations will be encouraged to attend the quarterly meetings.
Legislative Update: Langston raised the issues of eminent domain and the sex offender law. Nieland said there would be a corridor meeting on February 2 to prepare for the trip to Washington DC. Langston said the counties would be at the State Capitol on February 15.
Elliott requested that the Group next address item 7, Next Meeting Date and Location: The new Cedar Raids City Council has set its meeting days for Wednesdays at 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. The Group reviewed a schedule indicating all regular city and county meeting days. The only available day was the fourth Thursday of each month. It was decided to hold quarterly meetings on that day.
The next meeting of the Group will be Thursday, April 27. All meetings will take place at one of two set locations: one in Linn and one in Johnson Counties. April location TBA.
Local Updates: Lehman (Johnson County) discussed the communications study for Iowa City and Johnson County. Stutsman also discussed the previous night’s meeting on the county land use plan.
Coralville had no report.
From (University Heights) said she was glad for opportunities like this to share information.
Langston (Linn County) discussed the availability of excess fiber capacity in Linn County through the City of Cedar Rapids’ traffic engineering and its benefit to public communications. She also discussed the launching of the prescription drug discount card.
Stanek (Ely) announced the community center was nearing completion.
Nieland (Marion) discussed the compromise reached on Landfill Site #2 of the Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency. He commended Langston and Linn County Supervisor Lu Barron for their leadership in the compromise process.
Future Agenda Items: No additional discussion.
Other: None.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 6:10 p.m.