Looking back at 2006, looking ahead for 2007
The New Year is always a time to reflect upon the past 12 months and look ahead for the coming year. Here are a few "positive highlights", which I am supportive of. Hopefully this will lead to more success in 2007.
- The city lowered the operating budget in 2006 and is continuing to look at ways to become more efficient and effective.
- We are positioned for a better round during the budget process this spring, with revenue increased and departments coming in under budget.
- Our city received another AA bond rating for its' financial standing and fiscal responsibility, only a few cities in the state own a higher rating.
- Our neighborhoods are turning a corner in a number of areas of town, thanks to citizen involvement. The DAI has helped us look at the big picture, while strides have been made with a re-energized effort in Goose Creek Hts., continued progress in the Gold Coast, and with the re-invention of the Roosevelt Center - now home to a new Boy's and Girl's Club.
- We have hired a firm to help us with planning on existing commercial corridors, including Brady-Harrison, West Locust, and Rockingham.
- Final steps are being made on a new ownership deal with the Swing, which should breathe more life into JOD.
- We are moving towards a Consolidated Dispatch Center for Davenport and Scott County, this should save dollars and make emergency response more effective and efficient.
- Our NETS program is making neighborhoods safer, while our volunteer policing program (VIPS) is accounting for over 4000 hours of support for the department on an annual basis. Also, the new DPD station will streamline processes and incorporates a "green design."
- Our police department achieved national accreditation for the second time, while public works and the fire department are moving towards their first national accreditations.
- The East Village Business Association is looking at ways to improve streetscapes and re-market the area as a newly designated historic commercial area. Already, plans are in the works for a new meat market and cigar shop.
- We have been working on a Neighborhood Financing Program to improve economic diversity in older historic areas of town. The program would be open to all income levels and operate as a 501 (c) 3 ; the county and local lending institutions are being invited to assist with the forgivable loans.
- River Vision is still on the front burner and plans are in place to re-claim five acres of green-space in LeCalire Park. This effort is coupled with the opening of our popular new skate park.
- Our new amenities are holding their own. The Figge hosts thousands every month, the Redstone Room has had success, and the newly renovated Adler Theatre is now equipped to host more Broadway shows - plus other events.
- Task forces are reviewing the Blackhawk Hotel and River Center. Three developers have expressed interest in helping renovate the Blackhawk.
- We are continually looking at attracting jobs and businesses to the city. Many successes have been realized in 2006, including new developments in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Park and the new Cingular announcement.
- I have met with Davenport One's small business council to form initial plans to make the city more business friendly and to promote more organic growth.
- Uses for a re-invented Freight House are being explored and a new project is currently being reviewed for the space.
- More people are living downtown, especially in lofts around 4th and Iowa.
- Prairie Hts. is moving forward with new home construction, as well as a new park and library. It is my hope that a commercial use and school is formally added to the mix as well.
- The Westside Sewer Tunnel project is moving along with initial funding. A task force is meeting through Davenport One to continue looking at options and to assist with the securing of assistance for funding.
- Some strides have been made to market the QC's as a whole, but we must continue to be persistent on this front to achieve significant results.
posted by Ian Frink @ 9:05 PM
19 comments
19 Comments:
Great signs of progress in Davenport! Keep us moving forward!
Still South of Locust, we can't get garbage from the bad rentals picked up properly and the drug house reported are still in operation. What should be done Ian, we are getting tired of complaining just be beat our brows time and time again. What does Davenport choose drug houses over the tax paying citizens SOLO?
To Anon. 1:41,
FYI, related to your topic.
From Craig Malin's weekly update:
"DAI Rental Subcommittee Meetings Start Next Week - The DAI Rental Subcommittee is planning a series of meetings in January to review the origins and status of their recommendations to the City Council and staff. The meetings are intended to provide an opportunity for public review and input prior to presenting final recommendations to the Council."
Meeting times/dates:
Jan. 9, Fairmount Library, 6:30-8 pm
Jan. 16, Friendly House, 6:30-9 pm
Jan. 23, Friendly House, 6:30-9 pm
Ian - I attended the one meeting at the library. Can you tell me what in that plan will help us address the nuisances associated wit drugs and other crimes occuring at our worst rentals. I undertand the information gathering, but I wasn't clear on how that information will be used to clean up this city of bad rentals. Do youknow? I think we need one entity taking the information and coordinating a response. As it stands we are still dealing with several departments that are not communicating.
Anon. 12:31,
Thanks for the post. The information gathering discussed last week was presented as a central registry. This central registry would be an extranet of sorts and would be web-based. The registry would function as the "heart" of a system to help departments share information and use the database as a tool to fight crime, track licenses, landlord properties, tenants, nuisance problems, and so forth.
Information entered in the system would be available to be accessed at different levels. For example, certain city employees would be able to view the entire contents, landlords would be able to view and enter information on a more limited basis, while the general public would be able to access the system at a more basic level.
Employees could enter/view the information in the field or in an office setting. Thanks to advances by our IT department NEO, police, fire, and other employees would use our wireless capabilities in the field. This should make efforts more efficient and effective with regard to problem properties, fighting crime, and tracking others.
The meeting at the library was the first of three presentations by a citizen committee that has researched our processes. Tonight's meeting, which I was not able to attend, laid out the second phase of the presentation. I will be at the third meeting next week that will round out the solicitation of public input and the process in general.
From this point the citizen committee will take the public input and tweak the process before coming before the council with a final plan. I hope this helps, let me know of any other questions. Thanks, Ian
We need one entity that people can call about problems that can get this information to take the lecense of a bad LL or nuisance abate or both. I love the info gathering, but I am afraid I don't see a tie on yet to how it will be effectively used. Maybe that has yet to be presented.
Anon. 3:35,
I think we are headed down the right path -- a lot of this still needs to play out at this point, but I do agree we need to effectively use the information. Thanks - Ian
Ian, I've been to both meetings and I have noticed that most of the changes seem to be revised from the old ways of doing business, except for the registry. One question I have is how will the city get landlords to comply with the registry when they won't license they're properties in the first place? Unregistred properties are popping up everywhere and Dist. Chief Ryan says there is no program in place to find them. Is'nt this registry "putting the cart before the horse?" I believe the fire department is trying to their best but is faced with a manpower shortage. What does the council plan to do to prevent the new housing department from failing? Do you plan to support any and all recommdations from the DAI and the fire department?
It seems that we need to come up with a way to hold people more accountable here. We have landlords I am told who are totally ignoring the city and actually when they are tagged, they take the tag down and rent the place anyway. There needs to be active enforcement. That will take manpower and brains. We need both down there.
Ian, the next issue is the lady who takes the calls at the fire department NEO. I think her name is Kathy. SHe is very rude and acts like the citizens are bothering her when they call in a complaint. I am very serious. Can you look into this employee and find out what is happening with her. She has been rude to a lot of citizens when they call to reports code violations. She is unhelpful and makes you feel dumb for even calling. What is her deal and why is she in the position she is in. If she is the gatekeeper of the NEO, we are in trouble.
We need someone in that position with people skills and problem solving abilities who is nice and helpful.
Anon. 6:19,
Thanks for the post. I am supportive, for the most part, of the direction brought forward by DAI and DFD. We will have to see what the final proposal will be, but I think they are headed down the right path.
The unregistered property issue is a challenge, but the registry will (at least) allow a city employee in the field determine if the property is unregistered - especially if they are visiting the residence due to a complaint. I think the registry will also motivate some to move forward on a rental license. The functionality built into this registry will be a real tool to not only track what is taking place, but for steering landlords in the right direction.
No matter what direction we go - our departments need a database they can all utilize in the field or in an office setting. This will allow for information sharing and a more efficient process.
Thanks for the post, Ian
Anon. 6:46, 6:48 -
We, as a city, need to strive for effective and efficient service and a very high level of customer service. In these regards, city government is much like a private business. Our citizens spend millions with us every year -- we need to be sure customer service is at the highlest level.
Okay then, so what will you do to gte a remedy for those of us citizens having trouble with the lady who answers the NEO commplaint line and answers the web complaints?
Anon. 11:52,
I'll look into the situation. Thanks, Ian
Citizens are not customers. We own the store.
Ian, Katey is not as bad as this person claims. There is an axe grinding here. Call yourself before you move to the next step. The Ph # is 326-7746. Press 1 for enviro complaints.
Yes - Ian call and say you are the alderman at large and see if she is stupid enough to be rude to you.
Have a regular citizen call in some garbage or something.
No - have that person call in two properties in one call and see her lose it.
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