After the Safe Streets Forum

Myself and around 90 other people were at last evening's forum that was moderated by Johnson County District Attorney Janet Lyness at the majestic Englert Theater. Panel members included both ICPD Chief Sam Hargadine and UIPD Chief Chuck Green, Ashley Peterson, and Iowa City Councilor Amy Correia. Current city councilors Bob Elliott and Regenia Bailey were in the audience. Also, candidates Matt Hayek and Mike Wright were there, puzzling were the absences of the other candidates.

A good deal of time was spent addressing audience questions and clearing up some miscommunications about safety. The university is starting up a van shuttle to bring home women who want to avail themselves of the service on Fridays and Saturday nights.

Kudos to the organizers of the event and to Chiefs Green and Hargadine for attending. Also, it was great to see a cross-section of the community at the forum, not ust students. Neighborhood leaders like Tim Weitzel were there, as well as bloggers like John Deeth who was liveblogging.

If you witness suspicious acts, do call the police 358-TIPS (8477). It is up to the community to make Iowa City safe, the police are doing the best they can.

SUV Wins--In a Manner of Speaking

As reported on Iowa Independent and the John Deeth Blog, wily recently re-elected Johnson County Supervisor Sally Stutsman avoided driving the Coralville Strip and beat Senator Joe Bolkcom and Iowa City Council member Amy Correia in the Bike/Car/ Bus race from Coral Ridge Mall to Downtown Iowa City in a--gasp--SUV (not even a hybrid, I understand). I know my Creekside neighbors Del Holland and Joe Bolkcom have got to be taking this poorly (I would say not sitting down, but they are both bike riders) .

Mental Health Day for Iowa Politicos

Today (Cinco de Mayo) the Johnson County Chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness held their NAMI Walk in City Park. The Honorable David Loebsack, State Senator Joe Bolkcom, State Representative Vicki Lensing, County Supervisors Rod Sullivan and Sally Stutsman, County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek , City Council member Amy Correia were in attendence. I missed Dave Loebsack remarks to the crowd, but the Congressman is a supporter of mental health parity.

450 people were there. It was a busy morning for the local dignitaries with the Crisis Center Breakfast down the road and Hillary Clinton's office opening uptown. Apparently Vicki Lensing and Sally Stutsman are planting roots in the Clinton camp which must have be awkward with Mayor Wilburn being the co-chair of the Obama campaign flipping flapjacks at the Crisis Center Breakfast.

Iowa City Council Connections Forum - No Surprises

I was ringside at Iowa City's Connections City Council Kickoff Forum moderated by Carlton Blackburn held last evening at the spectacular urban renewed Hotel Vetro. As expected, three incumbents and one uncontested at-large candidate appeared. Seasoned veterans Mayor Ross Wilburn, Mayor Pro-Tem Regenia Bailey, and three-term council member Dee VanderHoef took the podium with relative political neophyte and hero of the keep electricity a private utility coalition, Terry Smith. Each waxed philosophical (Dee waxing a bit more than the others) about such issues as:

- Opening statements with praise for the GLBT community (we love them, some of our best friends are GLBT...)

- TIF (Tax Incremental Financing = good, with judicious use)

- Affordable Housing (policy wonk VanderHoef enjoyed this one and mesmerized folks with thorough explanations about deed trusts--not)

- The 21 Ordinance ("we'll do what the people decide" was the popular favorite, though Wilburn and VanderHoef said they personally support the ordinance.)

- Health of Downtown ("mixed" answers, extolling the virtues of the "mix" and awaiting the results of a study about how to mix things better. Given the swanky digs we were in, I thought at least one would have gone with "shaken, not stirred". In a shocker, the word "vibrancy" was only used once by Bailey)

- The strangest question was about Wilburn and his former spouse and current councilor Amy Correia's relationship and whether it affected Wilburn's judgment. He gave a great Joe Biden-esque answer-- "no".

Other than a young African-American Obama local organizer being mistaken for the "hired help" at the cash bar, there was no hint of excitement. I left at 8:30.

Amenities: Great pastries and beverages--poor sound engineering

Forum Grade: C -

Winner: The pastries. No candidate hit it out of the park.

Non-winners: Dee VanderHoef - shorter answers are okay, save your policy details for the League of Cities (Moderator Carlton Blackburn - its your show, its okay to cut off a ten minute answer). Mayor Wilburn, for a guy who likes remind citizens that he doesn't address issues (like the anti-war resolution in 2002)that aren't local in nature, its probably not a good idea to sport the Obama button at a city council forum.

Rumor mill: Two other shadow candidates are theoretically hovering out there--if you are one of them, please get in the race, these folks deserve good, clean opposition. Where is Gary Sanders when you need him?

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