Bronwyn's Council Review

As usual for the review, my comments are red and italicized in the context of the latest Council Preview by David Martin.
 

The Ames City Council meets on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. on Zoom.  The agenda includes:
 

• 29. Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. The Ames Electric Utility has received grants for three new EV chargers from the Volkswagen Environmental Settlement Trust Fund, covering 80% of the equipment and installation costs. One level 2 charger is to be installed at the Ames Intermodal Facility in Campustown, and two DC fast chargers are to be installed at the Kum & Go on Isaac Newton Drive. 
  
  This item passed as part of the consent agenda, 6-0.
  
  
   
• 38. Resolution awarding contract to Sustainability Solutions Group Workers Cooperative of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for the development of a Climate Action Plan in an amount not to exceed $120,915 USD. City staff received seven proposals to help create a Climate Action Plan and followed up by interviewing the three firms with the highest evaluations. "Sustainability Solutions Group Workers Cooperative (SSG) emerged as a top contender based on their work with other university communities, an emphasis on engaging diverse and disenfranchised participants, and success during the pandemic with non-traditional outreach methods. SSG self-identifies as a large enough firm to tap into a variety of subject matter experts, but small enough to be responsive to the custom needs of the City." The proposed project schedule includes outreach and engagement beginning next month, determination of greenhouse gas reduction goals this year, and drafting of a Climate Action Plan by summer of 2022. The proposal also maps out a number of steps to attract robust community engagement. I expect that in addition to the consultant fees, development of the plan will take a considerable amount of city staff time. This will be a critically import and fascinating project for Ames.
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  Council voted 6-0 to award the Climate Action Plan contract to SSG. Included in the staff presentation was an overview of the timeline to complete this Climate Action Plan. The process of determining our reduction targets will take until October of 2021, with opportunities for input starting as early as May 2021. The actual Climate Action Plan is scheduled to be presented to Council in September of 2022. 
• 39. Mental Health Wellness, Recovery, and Resiliency Initiative. From this agenda item: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health wellness of our residents. Research has shown that the mental health impact of disasters typically outlasts the physical impact, suggesting that today’s mental health needs will continue well beyond the COVID-19 outbreak itself. Recognizing this important issue, Mayor Haila has suggested to the staff that this would be an opportune time for the City to help in raising awareness of this very important topic for National Mental Health Awareness Month. The resulting mental health wellness, recovery, and resiliency initiative would include: 1) Introduction to the issue through a Public Forum/Round Table discussion by subject experts, 2) Mental Health First Aid training which provides skills to identify mental health signs and symptoms as well as tools to support individuals experiencing these problems, 3) Suicide Prevention training, and 4) Resource and Information distribution. 
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  Council voted 6-0 to approve this four-part initiative. The first component is a forum scheduled for 5/20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ames City Auditorium.
• 40. Resolution awarding contract to Enviro-Services & Constructors, Inc., dba RRT Design & Construction of Melville, NY, for a Waste-to-Energy Options Study in an amount not to exceed $239,500. In December, Council approved an RFP for a study of options for long-term adaptation of our solid waste resource recovery system. After reviewing eight proposals and conducting four interviews, staff recommends awarding the contract to RRT Design & Construction, with completion of this work anticipated by the end of 2021. This should provide enough time for next steps to be represented in next year's budget and Capital Improvement Plan and also allow
  appropriate interaction with development of the Climate Action Plan.
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  This item also passed 6-0. The consultant will evaluate several options; our current configuration, a dedicated RDF unit in the power plant, a dedicated unit with 20" RDF sizing, a dedicated RDF unit on a greenfield site, or a municipal solid waste system on a greenfield site. 
• 42. Security Cameras in Campustown. Last December, Council considered a draft policy for use of Campustown security cameras and their recorded footage. Since then, the City has received a resolution from ISU Student Government supporting the project and has updated the draft policy in response to questions and comments. I had a number of questions and particularly wanted to ensure that the city's policy would implement only our current security goals even as video software and its tracking capabilities continue to change over time. The updated policy solves this problem by specifying that Council approval is required for future deployments of video-based analytical systems. Thanks to the other Council members, the City Manager, and the Police Department for taking the time to consider issues such as this. 
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  The motion to move forward with security cameras in Campustown passed 6-0.  A subsequent motion asking staff to report back in a year (on number of open records requests for footage and number of cases assisted with footage) also passed 6-0.
• 43. Resolution approving award of Economic Development Administration Grant Agreement in the amount of $1,500,000 for the Prairie View Industrial Center Utility project. Without water and sewer, the Prairie View Industrial Center will not attract much industry. Unfortunately, the lowest bid received last year for construction of these utilities would have cost $2.5 million more than expected. Since then, the City rejected the bids, revised the project specifications somewhat, and applied for a grant. This agenda item accepts the approved $1.5 million grant from the Economic Development Administration. Staff cautions that accepting this grant will obligate the city to additional wage and reporting requirements, and that might further raise costs when we put the revised project out for bid later this year.
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  This item passed 6-0.

Communications to Council: The following items are requests and communications to Council that aren't published on the agenda, so we won't deliberate them substantially.  This includes staff reports and communications or requests from constituents and developers. Typically, Council will ask city staff for more information, put the item on a future agenda for deliberation and possible action, or just accept the communication, taking no further action. 
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• Requested Waiver of Platting Authority in the Urban Fringe – 229th Place, Boone County. This staff memo explains context and the City's perspective regarding a request to waive its platting authority within 2 miles of the Ames City Limits in the Urban Fringe.
  
  Council voted 6-0 to place this item on a future agenda.

• Request by the property owner at 2359 210th Street in Boone County to amend the Ames Urban Fringe Land Use Map to reclassify portions of the property as Rural Residential. This staff memo explains context and the City's perspective regarding a request to reclassify some Natural Area land that would ultimately allow for construction of an additional home within the Urban Fringe.
  
  Council voted 6-0 to take no action on this request.

• Memo on "Suspending Rules" in Passage of Ordinances. This City Attorney memo explains legal requirements for "suspending rules" to speed up passage of ordinances. Council does this perhaps a few times per year for time-sensitive ordinances.  
  
   No action was taken on this memo. 

• University Blvd. Crosswalk Request and Mixed Use Trail Extension Request. A resident asks the City to consider improving the pedestrian crossing at University Blvd. at S. 16th St. and extending a mixed-use path through the nearby South East Recreation Complex.
  
  Council voted 6-0 to have staff prepare a memo regarding this request.

• Further communications from residents regarding Rose Prairie from Kay Berger and Helen McRoberts.
  
  No action was taken on these items.

COUNCIL COMMENTS:
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Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, At Large