The Ames City Council begins at 5:30 PM July 14th with Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Committee meeting. The Regular City Council Meeting will immediately follow.  The agenda includes items:
 

• 44. Resolution approving FY 2016-17 ASSET Priorities. The Asset priorities are to guide the funding allocations of the many human services organizations that serve Ames and Story County.

• 45. Status Report on Airport Improvements funding (Terminal and Hangar). The city portion of the cost of the Airport Terminal, has grown from a city contribution of $35,750 dollars all from airport revenue approved by council in 2011...
   

  

   

  ...to a city contribution of $867,000 plus an additional $943,000 anticipated to be abated by an Fixed Base Operator that has not been chosen. 
   

  

  
  Now there is an additional $749,500 overrun on the project, bringing the total cost to over $3,000,000.

   

  A major reason for the increase in costs is the large shift from federal funding to local funding. The airport, however, is not alone in seeing the impacts of such shortfalls. Large road improvement projects such as the Grand Avenue Extension (over $17 million dollars), future CyRide needs  ($500,000/bus plus possible millions in a future facility expansions) and our annual road improvements and repairs amounting to $6-8 million annually all are part of the property tax bill and are all falling more and more on property tax payers. Taking on all of these projects will have an appreciable impact on our tax-payers. 

   

  The Airport is a valuable community asset, but the planning seems more like a user wish list than a well thought out improvement. The way in which we have approached most other large capital expenditures in the Ames community has been based on the cost of the improvement, how it fills a need (not necessarily a want) and the educated development of a long-term financial model to fund the operation of the resulting asset. The Furman Aquatic Center, the Ames Public Library Renewal, and the defeated Scheman expansion project were all evaluated in the context of these ideas. No one has explored what the long term operational costs will be on this new terminal nor do we have a firm commitment from an Fixed Base Operator to know exactly what those costs will be or if we are providing the right resources for those potential operators. With this large increase in project cost and many questions remaining, it is my hope that council will see this shortfall as an opportunity to regroup and implement a well thought path to an improved airport. A valuable airport project will be based on clearly defined goals. It will utilize market expertise determining that those goals can be achieved by the project considered while not becoming a long term burden on the Ames taxpayer. I have great hopes, that this tack will lead to a project, that can be valued by all, even if only used by a few.

• 46. Staff Report on recycling in the community. The City of Ames recently saw the Ames Area Redemption Center close. It is my hope that we may be able to find another way to provide these services.

• 47. 80/20 annexation of Scenic Point at 3599 and 3601 George Washington Carver Avenue. This land to be annexed is near city services and will not create undue burdens on the taxpayer as a result. Such annexations are a necessary part of city planning, and represent the expression of smart growth principles.

• 48. Annexation of 3535 - 530th Avenue. With the research park expansion, a need for housing will arise. Having residential opportunities nearby the new research park land is another example of smart growth principles. Having residents live near where they work allows for a decrease in green house gas emissions, healthier residents and connected community members. Given the street, water and sewer will all be nearby, this development will be a welcomed addition to the Ames community, again at little additional cost to the Ames taxpayer.
  

• 50. Resolution approving Downtown Facade Grants. Historically we have tried to spread the facade grants out to different property owners, while I support the Sheldon Munn project, it would be a large departure from past practice to deliver the entire year of funding to one property owner for one project. 
  

• 52. Hearing on Zoning Text Amendment to Chapter 29 to create Research Park and Innovation Zoning District. This unique zoning effort will enhance the community-based nature of the research park again a manifestation of smart growth principles, and a variation of new urbanism in particular. In addition to nearby residents and employees of research park businesses, commercial areas in the park will be able to serve the community at large. This will be an interesting Ames experiment, one I hope is successful.
  

Thanks for reading

Matthew Goodman

Ames City Council At-Large

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