MINUTES OF THE JOINT INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
OCTOBER 29, 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Discussion: Future Landfill Siting in Linn County
Discussion: New Linn County Juvenile Detention Center
Update of Expansion of Eastern Iowa Airport
Discussion: Regional Planning Issues and Land Use Plans
Discussion: Legislative Issues
Discussion: Regional Planning Issues and Transportation
Discussion: Comprehensive Plans
Discussion from the Public: Veda Higgins Regarding Landfill Siting
Chairperson Stutsman called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Shueyville Junction Restaurant Banquet Room at 1162 Club Road NE, Shueyville, at 11:30 a.m. in joint session with the Linn County Board of Supervisors. Johnson County Board Members present were: Charles Duffy, Jonathan Jordahl, Stephen Lacina, and Sally Stutsman; absent: Joseph Bolkcom. Chairperson Houser called the Linn County Board of Supervisors to order. Linn County Board Members present were: Lu Barron, Lumir Dostal, and James Houser.
DISCUSSION: FUTURE LANDFILL SITING IN LINN COUNTY
Stutsman said Bolkcom was ill today. After introductions were made, Bluestem Solid Waste Agency Executive Director Dave Hogan was asked to give an update on progress towards siting a new Linn County landfill. He said the effort began in 1995 with the development of an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, which included a recommendation to site a new landfill based on the known capacity of the existing landfills. A 23 member Citizens Advisory Committee was charged to identify sites and make a recommendation to the Bluestem Board of Directors. If that recommendation is accepted by the Bluestem Board, it will go to the Linn County Board of Supervisors or the appropriate city council for site approval. The committee began actively looking one year ago. 6 to 8 meetings were spent educating the committee on landfills, site issues, and the development of criteria. In the process of developing criteria, 13 sites announced in May were driven out by the criteria.
There were 3 levels of criteria used. One was to exclude areas that are restricted by State or local regulations, such as around the airport or in floodplains. The next level of criteria were called delineation criteria, which is as far as they got. There were 6 criteria that then drove out the 16 sites that were ultimately listed for consideration. During the process of the committee reviewing those sites, there was a Linn County ordinance developed that updated the County's Land Use Plan and also there was a restriction on landfill siting included based on corn suitability rating. This limited the number of sites available from the original list developed. Hogan said they are restarting the process by creating the delineation criteria and looking at the criteria that would rank the sites. Because there are sites with willing sellers, they have to adjust the process to evaluate those sites for the purpose of making a recommendation. The willing seller makes that a delineation criteria and those sites have to be ranked. Some of the delineation criteria are an acreage minimum, distance from roads, paved surface, single ownership, and so forth. Jordahl mentioned the exclusion of sites within 3 miles of a community water system.
Bluestem Solid Waste Planner Mike Berkshire said the Citizens Advisory Committee decided to work only with willing sellers. He said they are negotiating with property owners and anything reached in writing will be presented to the committee after some preliminary on-site investigations, including some soil borings, to verify information from other government agencies such as the Geological Survey. He said they probably won't have a list of sites until spring. Lacina asked what impact the new transfer station in Linn County would have on their timetable. Hogan said the landfill is designed to provide long-term assured disposal capacity, which the transfer station cannot because of the limited contract lengths the transfer station would have. Lacina asked if diversion to the transfer station would have a negative impact on mandatory reduction requirements. Hogan said it may have an impact. If the tipping fees, which are a funding mechanism, are reduced, then alternative funding will need to be found.
Duffy asked who was on the Citizens' Advisory Committee and if there were any rural residents on the Bluestem Board. Dostal said he is on the Board and he is a farmer. Houser said the Bluestem Board includes the 5 Cedar Rapids Council members, the Cedar Rapids Water Pollution Control Director, 3 County appointees (2 Supervisors and a Council member from Marion). He said the Citizens Advisory Committee is a diverse group. Berkshire said the committee is 60% rural and 40% urban. Berkshire said there will be one more meeting of the committee to develop criteria. He said they will continue the field investigations and negotiations with willing sellers. He said by February or March they should be ready to present a list of sites to the committee.
DISCUSSION: NEW LINN COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER
Dostal reviewed progress on the new Linn County Juvenile Detention Center. He said construction had been started and it was projected to be ready for occupancy March 1, 1999. It will open with 21 beds. City utilities are there for hookup. The facility will be located west of the County Shop south of Cedar Rapids. He pointed out that it should be a convenient location for not only Linn County, but Johnson County as well.
Dostal said Ivan Volk wants to know if Johnson County is interested in participating and then determining some costs. He said if Johnson County participates it could be by buying in or a la carte. Houser said a decision will need to be made as to whether to reserve beds for Johnson County. Dostal said other counties in the Sixth Judicial District should be offered an opportunity to participate, but doubts if they have the needs to make a commitment other than to use it on an as-needed basis. Dostal said the current facility has a capacity of 11 beds. The new facility will open with 21 beds and can go to 35; there are 7 beds in each pod or unit. Houser stated it is hard to judge what the current needs are because some arrests are not being made due to the limited space. Stutsman said a decision should be made soon on budgeting. Dostal said the facility will probably be ready for testing and training in December of 1998. He said they may invite the Johnson County Supervisors to spend a night in the Juvenile Detention Center when it's complete.
Brandon Beaudry of Johnson County Juvenile Court Services said Johnson County spent $164,000 for juvenile detention for FY '96, with about $10,000 given to Benton County for children waived to adult court or directly filed on, leaving about $153,000. He said he divided by $170, which he considers to be about the average cost for per detention bed; this amounted to 905 bed days for that year or 2 and a half beds per day. For FY '97 the expenditures were $234,000, with about $20,000 going to the Benton County Jail, leaving about $215,000. That would be 1265 bed days for an average of 3.46 beds per day. The expenditures for 4 months of FY '98 are $64,000, which projects out to $256,000, $14,500 to Benton County, and leaving about $242,000. This would be 1424 bed days or 3.9 beds on average. Beaudry said the Johnson County Sheriff Office has said often a decision is made not to place a child in detention due to lack of space. He said they also point to the expense of transporting to Waterloo, Eldora, and Lee County.
Stutsman asked if they should be talking about reserving 3 beds. Lacina said if they look at the daily average the results may be skewed, because there are times the numbers are much higher. Stutsman said 10 is the highest number that has been needed. Lacina said in previous discussions involving the County Attorney, it was suggested Johnson County would need 5 to 6 beds, because of the number of juveniles currently being left on the streets. There are minors who might not have committed a crime , but need to be detained for their own security, if for example there is gang-related activity. Dostal said in checking with other counties, one county would not place female juveniles in their facility because of the need to bring in female staff. He said, based on the need to detain female juveniles, staffing to house female juveniles in the Linn County Juvenile Detention would be no problem. Lacina suggested Johnson County form a committee to develop cost estimates with representation from Juvenile Detention, the County Attorney, a juvenile prosecutor, the County Sheriff, and the Board of Supervisors. Houser said that would also help Linn County budget for staffing.
Lacina said if Linn County can operate on an average number with some flexibility, Johnson County can guarantee a revenue stream. He said it will save on transportation costs. Houser said Linn County hopes to have video court arraignment at the new facility if the judges will approve it. Dostal said cooperation on the Juvenile Detention Center can be beneficial to all parties. Dostal suggested Beaudry work with Volk on numbers and Stutsman suggested they also work with the committee proposed by Lacina. Lacina said they could bring the Supervisors a draft proposal for a plan. Dostal said that would be one budget year away. Beaudry said they should shoot for 5 beds for Johnson County because usage will increase. Jordahl asked about the potential for increasing space in the new Juvenile Detention Center. Dostal said staff could be increased to open each additional unit up to the maximum. Houser said the capacity could be increased up to 63 beds by adding additional pods of 7 beds.
UPDATE OF EXPANSION OF EASTERN IOWA AIRPORT
Asked for an update on the Eastern Iowa Airport, Houser said the airport continually adds on and modernizes; and the flights are increasing. He said rail traffic also continues to increase. Houser said the multi-county and multi-city Airport Zoning Commission was established to guarantee the airport's flight paths and future expandability. He said there is a lot of new development occurring around the airport. He said a new runway is projected north of Wright Brothers Boulevard, possibly running over a tunnel for the boulevard. There has been discussion of extending Edgewood Road or another road south to the airport. Federal Express has built a new hangar for package transportation. Lacina related that, as Johnson County discovered, involvement in airport zoning can lead to the county being included in litigation against the airport. Lacina was interested in whether the airports designated international free trade zone plans to expand into Johnson County. Houser said the land adjacent to the county border is currently zoned light industrial. Lacina asked for a copy of the zoning maps for the adjacent area. Houser suggested getting the airport's master plan. Lacina said that would help in working on the comp plan so residential development isn't planned across the line from an incompatible use. Houser said that is part of the reason for the Airport Zoning Commission, to bring everybody's plans together and make sure development of the airport isn't stymied.
DISCUSSION: REGIONAL PLANNING ISSUES AND LAND USE PLANS
Jordahl said Cedar Rapids has expanded to near the Johnson County line and wondered how close it was. Houser said the city limits is 200 feet north of Walford Road. Jordahl said there clearly will be growth in this area. He said the City of Swisher has indicated they wish to leave the area on their northwest side as an agricultural area and it appears Cedar Rapids may continue to expand south to the county line. Houser said Linn County is working on a new comprehensive land use plan. He said a citizens focus group has studied the plan and they want to bring in the incorporated cities to program out the development of land out from the cities so pockets of land aren't jumped over. He said a provision that has been presented, which is in use in the East, is to sell development rights which would block further expansion into an unincorporated area. He said this would take enabling legislation to be able to do that. Houser said rural residents from unincorporated areas attending the focus groups have expressed their desire to stop expansion of Cedar Rapids. Once an area is annexed, he said they no longer have control.
Lu Barron said she is on a statewide commission on urban sprawl and farmland protection as a representative of the Iowa State Association of Counties. She said they meet monthly and the commission will present their findings to the Legislature next November or December. She mentioned the purchase of development rights as one issue they might study. She suggested anyone wanting to give input for the commission to contact her. Houser mentioned the disagreement between Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha over annexation of some land. Jordahl asked if giving the counties some say on annexations might be a topic for the commission and Barron said it could be discussed. Barron asked if ISAC has that on their list of legislative priorities and Lacina said he thought it was not on the list. Houser suggested they might bring that up and Lacina said they would have to move quickly.
DISCUSSION: LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
There was general agreement that Johnson County and Linn County should work together on lobbying the Legislature when they have a common interest. Stutsman said the Johnson County Board will meet with their legislators in December and if the Linn County Supervisors have any issues to bring up they should let the Johnson County Supervisors know. Barron said livestock confinement should receive more attention in the upcoming session. She said there is one large confinement operation in Linn County, with 2 more coming, that she characterized as family farm operations. Dostal said the confinement operations currently in operation in Linn County are not a problem because they aren't too big.
Lacina said proposed utility property tax legislation would impact on counties. He also heard there might be proposals to revamp property taxes. Discussing the impact of railroads on the counties, Dostal mentioned the higher rail traffic and Houser mentioned a storage facility proposed in Fairfax. Dostal said their biggest concern was what trains are carrying. Stutsman asked if there were any concerns about the Iowa Plan. Dostal said they discussed it in Decat meetings and that would be taking away a good local program. Stutsman said they should watch it. Dostal said the legislators are working on a new plan to deal with runaways. He related that Mary Lundby had said there would be no legislation without funding. Dostal questioned legislation which would be funded through drunk drivers' fines. Dostal said there needs to be intervention before juveniles become habitual runaways. Lacina said there should be concern for children who have run away for their safety and are being returned to a situation that their life is endangered. Lacina said another minor who is harboring a runaway, for example a college student, would be subject to arrest even though they are unaware the other is a runaway.
Lacina asked Linn County's if there is pressure from Hazmat teams for more adequate preparation. Houser said there is a levy for Hazmat, and there is good cooperation and backup between the Linn County and the Cedar Rapids Hazmat teams. He said they receive reports on the hazardous materials that pass through the County Stutsman asked if there is prior notification of hazardous materials being transmitted across the county and was told there is not.
When asked about performance-based budgeting, Houser said they are just starting to get useful information from past history. Dostal said managers have learned a lot about their own departments. He said he uses the information. Lacina said he wants a useable document that is not just a thick data dump and wanted to know what are meaningful ratios to use. Dostal said the Johnson County Supervisors might be able to give Linn County some information as to what is meaningful also. Dostal and Houser discussed the extensive budgeting information produced by their Human Services. Houser said they will get together with department heads November 12th to brainstorm about the results of a public survey, input on what is done well and what may need attention, and use that to develop the next budget in a way to meet the public needs. Houser said one concern was about Secondary Roads, but they are at their maximum levy for a transfer into Secondary Roads.
Jordahl wondered if the options presented by performance-based budgeting removes some of the decision-making by the Board and Houser said it does not remove the Board's need to prioritize how money is being spent. Barron said it helped her as a new Supervisor to understand what a department is doing. Houser said performance indicators must support increases requested and Dostal said it keeps people from padding the budget. Houser said projections must meet the end result at the end of the fiscal year. He said what performance-based budgeting does is in effect allow multi-year budgeting, allowing budgeting for future needs, and Dostal agreed that they do some of that. Houser said they put $800,000 each year into capital improvements and Barron said $180,000 was put into a technology fund; their total expenditure budget is about $64,000,000.
Dostal asked, how do you know where you're going if you don't know where you've been? Lacina asked about Linn County's phone system upgrade and they discussed the services and equipment purchased. Jordahl asked if Linn County has looked at slack times for departments and the potential for cooperation. Houser said they have not looked at slack time, but he sees cooperation as very good. Jordahl asked what advice the Linn County Supervisors would give for implementing performance-based budgeting. Houser suggested letting everyone know that performance-based budgeting is mandatory. Dostal suggested letting managers set their own goals. Stutsman asked if the budget director hired must be experienced with performance-based budgeting and Houser said that is what they looked for. Dostal said, if many counties go to performance-based budgeting, it will give them credibility with the Legislature.
DISCUSSION: REGIONAL PLANNING ISSUES AND TRANSPORTATION
Jordahl said they have discussed the pressure of growth in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor and wanted to know what planning processes they can coordinate. Houser said they need to work with the Legislature in order to get more say in what land gets incorporated into cities. Dostal said there is a problem of hopscotching in development; they need more orderly development. Barron said that will be discussed on the state commission she is on. Houser said the comprehensive land use plan will address where development occurs. Dostal said some property owners annexed into a city may continue farming the land which will be taxed at a lower rate and development will bypass it. Lacina cited the example of Windsor Ridge, which was annexed with a narrow attachment to the City, and the rural residents between wanting to stay out of the City.
Lacina said the development being encouraged by the University of Iowa on Highway 965 and the Avenue of the Saints will lead to pressure on both counties. Jordahl wondered how to become proactive in guiding this development. Stutsman asked about any joint planning efforts between the counties. Dostal said they have needed to focus on working on planning efforts with the urban portion of Linn County Houser said the Chamber of Commerce with Priority One has been very active. Lacina said Mike Blouin has shown good leadership. Barron suggested the next time the 2 boards meet they talk about the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor and bring in some other players. Lacina suggested North Liberty City Manager Tom Doerman; Bruce Wheaton, in charge of the Oakdale Research Facility; Coralville City Manager Kelly Hayworth; as well as representation from Iowa City and their airport industrial park. Barron suggested Mike Blouin and Todd Bergen of Priority One. Representation from Kirkwood was also suggested.
DISCUSSION: COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
The Linn County Supervisors reviewed their Comp Plan process. Houser said they hope to be done next summer. He said Karen Countryman was working with them on the plan. Barron said input was received through a Citizens Focus Committee. Dostal said Linn County was divided into 6 areas for the plan, grass roots meetings were held in all 6 areas, and representatives elected from the each of the 6 areas. Those representatives and the Linn County Planning and Zoning Commission will start to meet on the plan. Houser said people from different areas of the County have different perspectives on how they want to see development occur.
The next meeting was scheduled for January 28, 1998. Linn County will serve as host. It was suggested to continue meeting at the Shueyville Junction Restaurant.
DISCUSSION FROM THE PUBLIC: VEDA HIGGINS REGARDING LANDFILL SITING
Veda Higgins discussed the previous Citizens Advisory Committee meeting. She said the Bluestem Solid Waste Board members were very negative about the possibility of expanding Landfill #2, which Higgins supports looking into rather than siting a new one. Dostal replied that expansion would not be good due to the proximity to the County Farm and the additional exposure to dust and odors it would cause to the 300 residents. He said it would be undesirable to have expansion of the landfill along Highway 13. Houser said the reason that landfill was originally sited there was because of the availability of the land at the County Farm. He said the working conditions at the Linn County Maintenance Facility are at times unbearable due to the nearby landfill.
Adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor
By Mark Kistler, Deputy Auditor