Tonight's regular City Council meeting at 7pm will include consideration of a proposed new Ward Map based on the results of the 2020 census (item #2). The council will also vote on the proposed contract with Petersen Contractors for the $3.34M Greenhill & South Main Intersection Improvement Project (Item #23).
Previous to this meeting, a reception will be held beginning at 4:30 in the City Hall lobby to honor outgoing council members Frank Darrah and Mark Miller, and to thank them for their public service.
I hope you can join us at 7pm in person or online via the links below. And thanks as always for doing the work to be an informed and engaged resident.
The City is providing in-person and electronic options for this meeting. The City encourages in-person attendees to follow the latest CDC guidelines to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The meeting will be accessible via video conference and the public may access/participate in the meeting in the following ways:
a) By dialing the phone number +13126266799 or +19292056099 or +12532158782 or +13017158592 or +13462487799 or +16699006833 and when prompted, enter the meeting ID (access code) 962 7287 1738.
b) iPhone one-tap: +13126266799,,96272871738# or +19292056099,,96272871738#
c) Join via smartphone or computer using this link: https://zoom.us/j/96272871738.
d) View the live stream on Channel 15 YouTube using this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzeig5nIS-dIEYisqah1uQ (view only).
e) Watch on Cedar Falls Cable Channel 15 (view only).
To request to speak when allowed on the agenda, participants must click “Raise Hand” if connected by smartphone or computer, or press *9 if connected by telephone. All participants will be muted by the presiding officer when not actually speaking.
Call to Order by the Mayor
Roll Call
Approval of Minutes
1. Regular Meeting of December 6, 2021.
Agenda Revision
Public Forum. (Speakers will have one opportunity to speak for up to 5 minutes on topics germane to City business.)
Special Order of Business
2. Public hearing on a proposed ordinance establishing new boundaries for wards and precincts as a result of the 2020 Census. New ward maps are generated every ten years, based on criteria published by the State of Iowa. Three options will be presented by Staff, each with different boundary lines for each.
a.) Receive and file proof of publication of notice of hearing. (Notice published December 14, 2021)
b) Written communications filed with the City Clerk.
c) Staff comments.
d) Public comments.
e) Pass an ordinance amending Chapter 8, Elections, of the Code of Ordinances relative to establishing new boundaries for wards and precincts within the City of Cedar Falls, to become effective January 15, 2022, upon its first consideration,
OR
Suspend the rules requiring ordinances to be considered at three separate meetings (requires at least six aye votes), and pass the ordinance upon its third & final consideration.
3. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Letter of Agreement with the Black Hawk County Supervisors relative to establishing a Joint Precinct consisting of a portion of Cedar Falls Ward 2 Precinct 3 and a portion of Cedar Falls Township Precinct. As I understand it, the city and county are required to have a joint precinct in this case due to the fact that the property was annexed after the census. I have no concerns about this joint agreement.
Old Business
4. Pass Ordinance #3000, granting a partial property tax exemption to The Vault, LLC for construction of a storage/office facility at 6100 Production Drive, upon its third & final consideration. This was discussed in a previous meeting. No concerns about this property tax exemption.
5. Pass Ordinance #3001, amending Chapter 24, Utilities, of the Code of Ordinances, relative to sanitary sewer rates, upon its third & final consideration. No concerns about the change in sewer rates.
6. Pass Ordinance #3002, amending Chapter 2, Administration of the Code of Ordinances relative to reestablishing the Downtown Cedar Falls Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID), upon its second consideration. No concerns about the renewal of this five-year SSMID.
New Business
Consent Calendar: (The following items will be acted upon by voice vote on a single motion without separate discussion, unless someone from the Council or public requests that a specific item be considered separately.)
7. Receive and file the Committee of the Whole minutes of December 6, 2021 relative to the Grow Cedar Valley Update.
8. Receive and file the Abstract of Votes for the November 2, 2021 Municipal Election and the November 30, 2021 Municipal Runoff Election. This simply enters the certified official results of the November 2021 city elections into the city record.
9. Approve the following applications for liquor licenses:
a) Huhot Mongolian Grill, 6301 University Avenue, Special Class C liquor - renewal.
b) Rancho Chico, 618 Brandilynn Boulevard, Class C Liquor - renewal.
Resolution Calendar: (The following items will be acted upon by roll call vote on a single motion without separate discussion, unless someone from the Council or public requests that a specific item be considered separately.)
10. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Subdivision Distributor Settlement Participation Form, a Subdivision Janssen Settlement Participation Form, and an Iowa Opioid Allocation Memorandum of Understanding, all relative to a national opioid settlement. Council approval would provide Cedar Falls with the option of receiving funds from a court case against opoid manufacturers. Joining in the suit will allow Iowa to receive a greater share of the settlement, but doesn't commit the city to taking the funds. The money must be spent on ways to decrease the harm from opoids in the community.
11. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of Contract Amendment #1 to the Office Supply & Copy Paper Product Agreement with Laser Tech., USA, Inc. d/b/a Office Express/Office Products. Office Express has requested to amend copy paper prices with a $9 increase to cover current global supply chain price increases. All other office product items remain at the same price.
12. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of fourteen (14) Leases relative to properties vacated by the 2008 flood buyout program. This is a standard agreement that leases vacant city-owned land to nearby property owners for upkeep. No concerns.
13. Resolution approving a College Hill Neighborhood (CHN) Overlay Zoning District site plan for façade and signage improvements at 2019 College Street. This action would approve Kwik Star's plan to enhance its College Hill convenience store to match its newer stores. P&Z at first recommend denial based on a red LED light band that was proposed around the gas canopy (which would be a nuisance to nearby residents). But then P&Z recommended approval if that LED band is removed.
14. Resolution approving and authorizing submission of an application to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration American Rescue Plan Act Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Funding Opportunity relative to the Cedar River Recreational River Area and Riverbank Improvements Project, designating the Mayor as the official representative of the City, and authorizing the Mayor to sign said application and certain assurances in conjunction with the same. This allows the city to proceed with a grant request for $1.5M in ARPA funds to help cover the cost of the Cedar River Recreational River Area and Riverbank Improvements Project.
15. Resolution approving commitment of local funding, in conjunction with a U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) Disaster Recovery Grant relative to Instream and Upland Improvements of Phase 1 of the Cedar River Recreational River Area and Riverbank Improvements Project. This is a federal requirement, to reiterate the city's commitment to fund the River Recreation project if grant funding is approved.
16. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments (INRCOG) for administration of a U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) Disaster Recovery Grant relative to the Cedar River Recreational River Area and Riverbank Improvements Project. This would allow INRCOG to administer the grant in Item #14, owing to their expertise.
17. Resolution approving and authorizing submission of a grant application to Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEMD), under the U.S. Department of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Scoping Project relative to a Stormwater Master Plan, designating the Mayor as the official representative of the City, and authorizing the Mayor to sign said application and certain assurances in conjunction with the same. This would allow the Citty to apply for a federal grant for $360K to cover the majority of the cost of stormwater study for the Downtown, Sartori Park, Fairview, and College Hill neighborhoods. These areas are prone to flash flooding, and new master plan will help determine where new pipes are needed.
18. Resolution approving commitment of local funding, in conjunction with a U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Scoping Project relative to a Stormwater Master Plan. This is a commitment by council to fund $60K for the project described in #17 above. This resolution is required for submitting the grant.
19. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments (INRCOG) for administration of an Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEMD), U.S. Department of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Scoping Project grant relative to a Stormwater Master Plan. This would designate INRCOG as the grant administrator for the project in #17.
20. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Extension of a Yard Waste Management Service Agreement with T&W Grinding relative to management of the City’s compost facility. This gives a one-year extension to the original contract for private management of the city's compost facility, for about $73K.
21. Resolution approving the Certificate of Completion and accepting the work of ASTECH Corp. for the 2020 Seal Coat Project, and approving and authorizing the transfer of funds from the Street Construction Fund to the Street Repair Fund. This action would close out this $220K project and allow the contractor to receive final payment.
22. Resolution approving the Certificate of Completion and accepting the work of Blacktop Service Company for the 2021 Seal Coat Project, and approving and authorizing the transfer of funds from the Street Construction Fund to the Street Repair Fund. This action would close out this $160K project and allow the contractor to receive final payment.
23. Resolution approving and accepting the contract and bond of Peterson Contractors, Inc. for the Greenhill Road and South Main Street Intersection Improvement Project. Approval would formally select Peterson as the construction firm for this $3.34M project, and allow it to proceed with the work.
24. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of an Owner Purchase Agreement, and approving and accepting a Temporary Construction Easement, in conjunction with the Greenhill Road & South Main Street Intersection Improvements Project. This action is with Fareway for the new roundabout on Greenhill and South Main, for use of their property for $2055.00.
25. Resolution approving and authorizing execution of a Professional Service Agreement with Snyder & Associates, Inc. for design services relative to various intersection improvements. This would commit $377K in taxpayer funds to the design of four intersections, including landscaping and a new traffic signal for Hudson Road & Ridgeway.
26. Resolution setting January 3, 2022 as the date of public hearing on the proposed FY2022-FY2027 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). No concerns about the hearing date.
27. Resolution setting January 18, 2022 as the date of public hearing on a proposal to undertake a public improvement project for the Main Street Reconstruction Project, and to authorize acquisition of private property for said project. No concerns about the hearing date. I've expressed my intent to veto any design which would demolish the home at 1124 Main Street; eminent domain would not be appropriate for installing a roundabout, since a signalized intersection could continue to serve 12th and Main if needed. I understand from staff that the consultant has designed a roundabout which answers my concerns, and we should see that design soon.
Allow Bills and Claims
28. Allow Bills and Claims for December 20, 2021. The City Council is the approving authority for all bills and claims made against the city since the previous council meeting. No concerns.
City Council Referrals
City Council Updates
Staff Updates
Adjournment
| Council Packet Link | |
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| Meeting Date | 12/20/21 |
