Review: Naming the Indoor Aquatic Center
Meeting Date:
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
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Rachel's Council Review |
As usual for the review, my comments are red and italicized in the context of the latest Council Preview by Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen.
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12
Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)
The Ames City Council meets on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. The agenda includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.
- 17 Downtown Electrical Transformer Box Art .
As part of a pilot project initiated last year, the Public Art Commission reviewed and is recommending these 7 designs for electrical transformer box art downtown.
This item passed as part of the consent agenda (6-0). - 30 Update on Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Development Options for Multi-Family Housing in the Baker Subdivision (321 State Avenue).
This update from staff details CDBG and HOME funding still available for this project ($1.8 million), and Council is being asked whether to proceed or whether to start over with new bids.
After some discussion, we moved to pursue a partnership with Prairie Fire as a 4% LIHTC project with local assistance of approximately $1.8 Million of HOME funds. The motion passed 5-1, Gartin voting nay. - 31. Discussion on Tax-Increment Financing request for a Small Lot Industrial Development Subdivision located at 2105 & 2421 Dayton Avenue.
This item was on our agenda recently, and is back with a recommendation from staff to proceed without an "annual appropriation clause" in this particular case. TIFs come in several formats, and staff are cautioning Council that some future TIF formats might still require this clause.
We directed staff to prepare a development agreement that includes these terms for approval in early fall (6-0). We also asked staff for a memo on how these sorts of TIF agreements could affect our bond rating as a city. This motion also passed 6-0. - 32. Resolution approving naming the Indoor Aquatic Center as the “Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center;” naming the Therapeutic Pool as the “Mary Greeley Medical Center Therapeutic Pool;” and naming the Zero-Depth Entry Pool and Play Structure as the “Fareway Fun Zone”.
The naming of this facility and features is guided by the Parks & Rec Naming Policy, which allows naming of city facilities for large donations as well as historic or notable individuals.
Council moved to approve the naming requests for the Indoor Aquatic Center, Therapeutic Pool, and Zero-Depth Entry Pool and Play Structure, 6-0. - 33. Resolution authorizing Mayor to sign the Water Infrastructure Fund Grant Agreement with the Iowa Finance Authority providing $61,500 towards the cost of retiring 40 acres of land west of Moore Memorial Park and restoring it to native vegetation.
This is an exciting project that will convert row-crop land to native vegetation just west of Moore Memorial Park (across Ioway Creek). The state's Iowa Finance Authority is contributing $61,500.
This item passed 6-0. - 34. Hearing on rezoning of 3210 Cedar Lane from Agricultural (A) to Floating Suburban - Residential Low Density (FS-RL) with a Planned Unit Development Overlay (PUD) and Master Plan.
This rezoning is for the Ansley development, a pursuit of Burgason Enterprises, LLC. The proposed development will consist of 170 dwelling units and a small neighborhood commercial area on 58 acres off of Cedar Lane in south Ames.
Council approved the request on first reading for rezoning with a PUD Overlay based on the Master Plan and requirements outlined in the staff report, 6-0.
- 35. Hearing on conveyance of City-owned land commonly known as 241 Village Drive.
This property, purchased in 2018 with CDBG funds for the purposes of supporting low to moderate income housing. The City is selling the property to Habitat for Humanity, who will rehab the home and arrange its sale to a low/moderate income qualifying family.
This resolution approving the sale to Habitat for Humanity passed 5-0-1, with Gartin abstaining for conflict of interest. - 36. Hearing on Ada Hayden Heritage Park Dredging of Wetland G (Cell 1).
According to analysis done last year, Wetland G is at capacity for sediment, so to prevent overflow of sediment to subsequent wetlands, it needs to be dredged. This Council item recommends awarding the bid to Nagel Construction of Allerton, IA, for $118,323.
This resolution 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.
- Mediacom letter regarding participation in affordable connectivity program .
This item was for our information only, and required no council action at this time.
Thanks for reading,
Rachel Junck
Ames City Council, 4th Ward