Remarks by Rick Bertrand
190 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 8
Well, in fairness to you, if you go out there with a big number to try to cover the overture so that it doesn't make people up here mad, then they're going to say, okay, you've given us 500,000 of room. Guess how much of the fix is going to be?
No, I'm just saying that the fix is going to be what you're going to authorize. I mean, I'm just saying is that, I mean, we could do it two ways. You could shoot it low and then the actual comes in. We can, you know, squabble about it. Or you can shoot a big number and they're going to say, well, we could have got it done for $180, but they've authorized $400. I guess what the cost is going to be. I mean, so I... I think you're completely appropriate to ask for direction because I think this change order thing, we're beating it to death. I get that there needs to be some guidance, but there's…
Hey, Matt, before you leave. Yeah. Before I get the question, where are we at on the Johnny Rogers?
Guess on that one you just want to say no dan's not here but if he's watching you know he spends a ton of case spending a ton of cash right now I just want to say thanks on behalf of the city and it's a great project and keep spending we'll keep supporting him so yeah we'll keep supporting him and it's economic development done right it's pay for performance
Yeah. What I like is Andrew's a medium-sized player, and he's sticking himself out there again and working through a tough piece of property. And we've had a couple meetings with him. So, again, Andrew, if you're out there, great job. Keep spending money, and thanks for what you're doing. We'll continue to support him.
They permit it. Iowa law. Through the health department? Yeah.
A little giggle out of there, Andrew. I saw that. No one else.
So this was brought to the attention and- Julie you can follow up also on this but so I guess the question I have is is the cap and replace is it is it a paper tiger is it real because if the process is let me about is the process right now that if Paul wanted to bring a sign right now he could bring it to the board adjustments it would go to PNZ and then we go to council approval and he could build a billboard is that how it stands right now in this if we were to pass this today
moving forward if the issue is the staff was approving these billboards and that's why they popped up on 75 they popped up on Floyd because there was no one that on up here that I get nobody had a really saying it other than staff so if that's the case why wouldn't we put the process in place that just says every billboard moving forward not a bunch of money not a bunch of engineering none of that stuff that we need to bog it down but they have to present the process to council and then notice would go out at that point to neighbors which then would create discussion, and then it would be up…
That's what I keep saying. That's why I'm bringing this up. There has to be a hardship.
This would be the case for practical difficulty as well well, so does every Proposal so say Joe Smith wants to build a board are they guaranteed to come in front of the council? Through through
That's what I'm saying. Is the process in place or isn't it in place? Because there's some confusion there at the bench.
I get that. Yeah, I see where they're going. Legislation is given or I know where they're on that, but I'm saying is that so we be better in your opinion, will we be better to put a process in place that just says every billboard like a cell tower, every billboard that comes to. that gets applied to comes in front of the council. Is that a better way of doing it? Because I completely support what Julie's saying, is that I probably wouldn't support a billboard on the new Viadoc. None of that stuff. I think there's places that we just don't need it and don't want it. But I also kind of agree…
Yeah, and I don't want to downplay Julie's passion on this because you've been a champion for this. I don't want to downplay that. I'm just saying is that what is, what's the, I don't trust the variance process is what I'm saying. And to shut this thing out. So What do we do?
I mean, during the period of the moratorium. They put a cap and replace in some of these communities. How many new players came in, were allowed to come in?
No, no, I'm saying post-cap and replace. No, that's what I'm saying. I just answered. That's what I'm saying. None. We're shutting down new players.
It's locking out what you didn't want to proliferate Thanks Dave, thank you Hey Paul real quick too when you look at these stats on the distances they do kind of line up I don't know if we should be that concerned about you know, Cedar Rapids Council Bluffs, Omaha Urban Dale Waterloo they all kind of line up the distances side the new distance. I don't think it get too hung up on that Let's talk about the fee
Yeah, I think we'll staff at a recommendation.
You didn't like my 650, huh? Sounds like your justification lined up with mine out of the blue sky or what?
Well, they're inspecting electrical. They're inspecting washout and foundation. I mean, it's real world. So is the state. Because we have issues with the signs that are there. Now, you guys have done a great job cleaning them up. Thanks. But I'm sure when you were going through all the signs, you realized how many old panels there were, how many people were bootlegging power off of signs for homeless stuff and everything else. So it's not like there's not. And you guys are probably going to do a better, you know, a good job of. Absolutely. There's also a public thing in there.
What happens if this goes down? What's the alternative? Go back to the drawing board?
So I'm not trying to beat this to death, but I just keep going back to why can't we just put the process in that we bring a board? Every board's got to come in front of the council. You can cap replace. You can use all the language you want. Why can't we just put a process in place that every board comes in front of the council? Moving forward.
Julie, are you adamantly opposed to that?
I don't agree with that. You talk about putting out notice is what you're trying to do, and you're basically at that point saying at this point, how does it come into community standards, under our community standards? And if we don't want a board like those boards on 75, if those boards would have came in front of a council, tied into all those power lines and stuff, Somebody would have drove out there and we would have said, no, we're not doing that.
Because it's... Well, yeah, that's exactly what it is. You couldn't have had them signs there because under cap and replace, you cannot have those... Those signs would not be there under cap and replace. The 100 feet spacing would have...