Premeeting comments on Ames City Council agenda March 24th, 2009

The council meeting this Tuesday starts at 7:00 pm.  The agenda includes:

Regular Meeting of Ames City Council

• Item 9 -- Resolution approving Agreement with Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) for Stimulus Program project: Skunk River Trail - South River Valley Park to Carr Pool.   Some of the stimulus money being used on the city's shovel ready Skunk River Trail project.
• Item 29 -- Hearing on General Obligation Refunding Loan Agreement. If there is a silver lining to the current economic problems it is low interest rates. The city is taking advantage of the low interest rate to refinance some of its debt - saving the city (tax payers) money. 
• Item 30 -- Iowa Main Street application. The Main Street Cultural District (MSCD) is applying for the Iowa Main Street program. This program would allow the MSCD and the city to receive on-site training and technical assistance from the state by outside experts. The Iowa Main Street program has been very successful in other communities and certainly is desirable to have here.
• Item 31 -- Downtown Facade Grant for 101 Main Street. The city has a grant program for frontage improvements in the downtown area. This application is for a high profile entrance to downtown (Duff Ave and Main Street). The image below is the current location.
  

  This is a computer rendering of proposed facade improvement. This is a worthwhile improvement to a downtown entrance.
  

• Item 35 -- Presentation of options for implementing 2009/2010 water rate increase (summary).  Due to growth in water consumption, Ames' current water treatment plant will need to be updated and expanded. This staff report recommends a $0.0018 increase per cubic foot (see full report) as one in a series of increases to address the expense of the update and expansion.

Jim Popken
City Council At Large

Disclaimer: My intent of this communication is to give you a heads up on items coming to the city council. I may state some of my impressions and leanings here. I will, however, try to avoid staking out a position on issues before the council meeting occurs. I feel that I should avoid committing to any positions until I have heard and considered all the public input at the council meeting before a vote.

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