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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - March 2023 Monthly Project HighlightsHIGHLIGHTS March 2023 MONTHLY PROJECT Contact the City Manager's Office at 515-239-5101 515 Clark Avenue, Ames, IA 50010 Report compiled by Jeramy Neefus, Principal Clerk City Manager's Office FIRE Glove Project with Iowa State University: Dr. Song and his team are leading a project on firefighter hand anthropometric database establishment and development of a smart glove size matching system to assist firefighters for glove selection. They are also collaborating with Oklahoma State University on nanotechnology-based material development for firefighting clothing protection and comfort. We are collaborating with them on size and fit of the different gloves that are available. We also worked with Dr. Eike and her team on a capstone project to help improve gear to protect firefighters. We met with them, answered questions, and gave demonstrations on how firefighters dress (gear layers and order of dressing/undressing), tools commonly used when gloves are worn (and how they grip/use tools), tasks typically performed in gloves and alternative gloves that may be used to do firefighting tasks. We were able to see the finished products and watch their presentations at the Student Innovation Center on March 8. Smoke Detector Giveaway: The smoke detector giveaway occurred this past weekend. We were approached by the Iowa State University (ISU) Chapter of The American Society of Safety Professionals to have a joint effort for a smoke detector giveaway. They were able to secure 160 dual sensor smoke detectors with a 10-year battery from Johnston Supply. Ames Fire identified target areas with lower income, owner-occupied single-family homes. The areas included three different neighborhoods: east of Duff between 13th Street and 10th Street, between South 2nd and South 4th and Sherman and Walnut, and West Ames south of HyVee including Tripp, Marigold, Dotson, and Village. We sent door hangers to those that qualified and instructed them to leave them on their door the weekend of March 25. There were three options to choose on the door 2 hanger: “please leave at the door (contactless delivery),” “I would like help with installation,” and “I do not want a detector.” Fire Department personnel and representatives from the American Society of Safety Professionals went to each home on the list on Saturday, March 25. We were pleased to see that almost half of the homes had the door hanger out on their door. We rang the bell at the homes that did not to make sure that they knew about our program and offered them a detector as well as help with installation. We do not have final numbers, but we anticipate that we gave out over 100 smoke detectors and installed around 20. We also took information from homes that needed additional smoke detectors and will reach out to schedule a time to give them additional detectors. The program was well received, and we enjoyed the opportunity to visit with the citizens of Ames and make their home safer. 3 LIBRARY Author Fair Draws Writers and Readers: Ames Public Library’s first Author Fair, held March 25, was a great success! Presentations about writing and publishing featuring local experts were well received. Local authors also appreciated the chance to host a table to connect with readers and sell their books. Battle of the Books: The Library’s annual Battle of the Books is underway. Over 40 teams of fifth graders took over the Library Thursday afternoon to compete in a trivia contest about specially-selected books, making it the largest Battle the Library has ever held. The Battle of the Books for sixth graders is coming up on April 6. Celebrate Earth Day at Ames Repair Café: Get ready for another Ames Repair Café on April 22! This special Earth Day repair café will include repairs for bicycles and small motors (like lawn mowers), gardening help, and free seeds and native tree saplings. The event aims to reduce waste, share tools and resources, and help build self-reliance skills in our community. First Amendment Days: The ISU Greenlee School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Ames Public Library are teaming up to celebrate this year’s First Amendment Days. The Library has created an exhibit for each of the five freedoms enumerated in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, which will be on display April 1-30. Visitors can earn a prize for visiting all five. Iowa State University will host a set of exhibits on campus April 10-14. National Library Week Scavenger Hunt: In honor of National Library Week, Ames Public Library will offer a scavenger hunt April 24-30 featuring “Novel Ideas.” The Library’s Novel Ideas program, funded by the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation, takes creative solutions and projects dreamed up by staff members from idea to reality. Scavenger hunt participants can earn a prize for finding several of these projects inside the Library, each marked with a light bulb shape. 4 PARKS AND RECREATION Adult Basketball Leagues: The Adult Basketball season-ending tournament finished on March 22 and champions for three different leagues (A, C1, & C2) were crowned. The season started in October 2022 with 14 teams and nearly 150 participants. Ames/ISU Ice Arena: The Ames/ISU Ice Arena hosted their last Learn to Curl before the curling league begins. This class was the largest held class with 23 participants. The Ames/ISU Ice Arena also hosted a painting class geared towards children on March 10th which was conducted by Painting with a Twist. 16 participants registered and each one painted an awesome piece of artwork! 5 During Spring Break, the Ames/ISU Ice Arena hosted a five-day day camp which had a total of 75 participants throughout the week. Fun games such as soccer, dodgeball, and broomball were played on the ice, as well as skating, snowball fights and so much more! The Ames/ISU Ice Arena hosted many different private events this month, including but not limited to, the Midwest Youth Hockey League Championship, Danfoss, Team Midwest and ISU Greek Week. Docks Installed at Ada Hayden Heritage Park: Staff installed the boat dock and the accessible canoe/kayak launch at Ada Hayden Heritage Park the week of March 27. If you plan to use your boat on the lake, remember electric motors only. Also, Iowa law requires a life jacket for everyone no matter if you are in a boat, canoe, kayak, paddleboard, etc. Get outdoors this spring and enjoy the park! Emma McCarthy Lee Park Pickleball Project: The City Council awarded a contract to Upper Midwest Athletic Construction of Andover, Minnesota, to convert two tennis courts at Emma McCarthy Lee Park, 3400 Ross Road, to six pickleball courts. The project also includes crack repair on the entire court surface, resurfacing the entire tennis court and pickleball surface with corresponding boundary markings, and installation of posts and nets. The specifications were 6 completed by Snyder and Associates. The project is expected to be completed by the end of September 2023. Homewood Golf Course Opens: Homewood Golf Course, located at 20 Street and Duff Avenue, will open Saturday, April 1, weather permitting. Tee times can be made online at www.amesparkrec.org or by calling the Homewood Clubhouse at 515.239.5363. “We are very excited to begin the 2023 golf season, and the course looks terrific,” said Recreation Manager Nate Pietz. “Some improvements to look for this year include youth tee markers on each hole. Our goal is to help pace of play on the course and encourage youth golfers to enjoy the facility.” To purchase a season pass or punch card, call the clubhouse at 515.239.5363 or the Community Center at 515.239.5350. Weather updates will be posted to the Ames Parks and Recreation Facebook page. Homewood Golf Leagues: Men’s League will be Monday evenings with a shotgun start at 6 p.m. Couples League will be Tuesday evenings with a shotgun start at 6 p.m. Both leagues are scheduled to begin the first week of May. Homewood Clubhouse Rentals: The Homewood Clubhouse is available year-round for private rentals. Those looking for a place to host a birthday party, baby shower, bridal shower, wedding rehearsal, business meeting, holiday party, or graduation party should contact Nate Pietz at nate.pietz@cityofames.org or 515.239.5363. Inis Grove Park Tennis Court Resurfacing Project: The City Council awarded a contract to Tennis Courts Unlimited Inc. of Nebraska City, Nebraska, to complete crack repair, post and net replacement, resurface all four tennis courts, and paint all new boundary lines for tennis and pickleball at Inis Grove Park. Alternate No. 1 was also awarded and includes repainting the pickleball lines at the tennis courts in Brookside Park. Specifications were completed by staff and the project is expected to be completed by the end of September 2023. Parks and Recreation Administration Building Siding Replacement Project: TMJ Construction Services of Ames, Iowa, completed replacing the siding at the Parks and Recreation Administration Building, 1500 Gateway Hills Park Drive. The original board and batten siding was replaced with foam-backed vinyl siding. See the before and after pictures on the next page. 7 Before: After: 8 Summer Job Tailgate: The Parks and Recreation Department hosted its inaugural Summer Job Tailgate at the Homewood Golf Course Clubhouse on Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Staff was available to share information about Parks and Recreation job opportunities and interested candidates could apply onsite. The event provided free food, along with fun games and prizes. The event saw approximately 50 job seekers. The Department anticipates this becoming an annual event to kick-off the summer staff recruitment effort. To view current job openings, go to www.cityofames.org/jobs. Trout Stocking is Saturday, April 1: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be stocking approximately 2,000 rainbow trout into the north lake of Ada Hayden Heritage Park around noon on Saturday, April 1. The stocking will take place near the boat ramp on the north side of the park. Anglers need a valid fishing license and must pay the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of ten. Children under 16 may possess or fish for trout without having paid the Trout Fee if they fish with a properly licensed adult who has paid the Trout Fee and together they limit their catch to the one person daily limit of five trout. Children under 16 can pay their own Trout Fee, which allows them to fish without a properly licensed adult and keep their own daily limit. Go to www.iowadnr.gov/trout for more information regarding State of Iowa fishing regulations. Wellness: Free drop-in fitness classes were held over spring break, March 12-18, with a total of 317 participants (277 in-person & 40 virtual). Participants were asked to bring one to two cans of non-perishable goods for the local food bank. 9 West Coast Swing Dance class for adults began Monday, March 27 with 14 participants and Belly Dance class began Thursday, March 30. A new session of Taekwondo started Tuesday, March 7 with 99 registrations. 10 PUBLIC WORKS Green Hills Eco-Earth Fair: Green Hills’ Green Team sponsored their own Eco-Earth Fair Tuesday, March 21, in their Community Room. Lorrie Hanson and Bill Schmitt represented Resource Recovery Plant and their services; Jake Moore and Liz Calhoun represented the Stormwater Program; Shelby Nechkash represented Electric Services; and Kristy Marnin and Deb Schildroth represented the City Manager’s Office. The Eco-Earth Fair was held to encourage and put into practice the Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, and to learn about ideas and tips to minimize waste and to hear about people and organizations doing meaningful work. Resource Recovery Plant: The Iowa Society of Solid Waste Operations (ISOSWO) Spring Conference is an event where individuals working within the solid waste industry meet to learn how to protect groundwater, improve operations, collect, process, and market recyclable materials, share best practices with message outreach, and discuss solid waste policies that affect our communities and occupational safety practices. It attracts a variety of individual occupations from policy makers, engineers, planners, scientists, managers, marketing, and other environmental science fields. Ames and Resource Recovery Plant are hosting the conference at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott on S. Dayton. Tours for the group on March 30 include the City’s Resource Recovery Plant, Iowa State Polymer and Food Protection Consortium, and Iowa State Recycling and Sustainability Projects. Peopleworks founder and president Kathy Peterson shared important and indispensable people skills as well as how to work with difficult people during a jam-packed session on March 31. 11 WATER AND POLLUTION CONTROL Future Well Field/Source Water Protection/Non-Point Source Nutrient Reduction: Staff is working in close partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Story County Conservation, and several private conservation organizations to secure land that would achieve a number of important goals for the Water and Pollution Control Department. Two specific tracts of land are currently under discussion. •The Water Plant currently owns the parcels shown in green. The ground is currently being leased, with eventual plans to construct a new well field. •The area shown in blue is also being considered for a future well field. Test drilling has been performed to confirm that the geological formation would yield sufficient quantities of water for a well field, and water quality testing has been done to verify the water quality is appropriate (including confirmation that the formation is free of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances). In cooperation with other partners, the land would be taken out of row crops and restored to a more naturalized grass. •The orange parcels are being considered for acquisition as well. Retiring the ground from row crop production and placing it in a naturalized grass would provide important source water protection for the future well field shown in green. It would amplify the water quality protections already implemented in this immediate area (note all of the naturalized areas in adjacent parcels in the map below that have already been restored to grassland). Both the blue and the orange parcels would be eligible to earn “banked” nutrient reduction credits that can be put towards any future tightening of the nutrient limitations at the Water Pollution Control Facility. Funding for the purchases would come from the funds currently available as carryover in the Capital Improvements Plan in the South Skunk Well Field Land Acquisition Project, and from the Watershed-based Nutrient Reduction Project. It is anticipated that the prairie restoration would be performed by Story County Conservation using funds from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. 12 North River Valley Well Field: Bids were received for the planned North River Valley Well Field and Pipeline Project. This project would construct three new potable supply wells in the flood plain area north of E. 13th Street and west of Stagecoach Road. The work was previously bid in 2019, but the low bid was considerably above the estimate and the bids were rejected. Staff redesigned the electrical portion of the project to delete an emergency back-up generator and instead provide emergency power to the wells using the existing emergency generator at the Water Plant. Bids were opened on the redesigned work in mid-March 2023, and unfortunately the bids were again significantly higher than the estimate. Staff is currently evaluating options that could include either funding strategies that would allow the work to proceed with the bids already in hand or the possibility of rejecting the second round of bids and bidding for a third time with a redesigned project. Old Water Plant Demolition: Work on the Old Water Plant is scheduled to resume in mid- April. The contractor focused on the old Ames High School demolition during the winter, but expects to be back on-site around April 13. Left: the start of demolition. Right: current site conditions. Webcam is viewable from the City website at: www.CityOfAmes.org/oldwaterplantdemo PFAS Regulations: On January 14, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced significant new regulations that establish for the first time federally enforceable drinking water standards for a class of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to by the acronym “PFAS.” The Water Plant has been exceptionally proactive in preparing for the anticipated PFAS regulation. As a result of those preparations, the department 13 can confirm that Ames drinking water fully meets the new proposed standards. The City has more than a year of detailed sampling data that backs that assertion. Results for samples taken on March 15, 2023, April 12, 2022, April 26, 2022, August 9, 2022, and December 15, 2022, are summarized in the table below. The proposed regulation still must undergo a public comment period before it can be finalized. It is reasonable to expect significant legal challenges to the rule, which the American Water Works Association estimates will cost consumers in excess of $2.7 billion nationally. Staff will continue posting information and monitoring data for PFAS at: www.cityofames.org/PFAS. Well Rehabilitation: The annual well rehabilitation project is underway. The project involves cleaning and inspecting every well on a five-year rotation. Well No. 14 was found to have a bad pump and motor that needed to be replaced, and Well No. 23 had three sections of drop pipe that needed to be replaced. Proactive maintenance reduces the likelihood of an unexpected well failure during a critical high demand time of the year. The picture on the right shows Well No. 14 column piping being removed for rehabilitation. Compound Ames “Running Annual Regulatory Standard Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) 0.17 (unitless ratio) < 1.0 (unitless ratio) Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) Hexafluoropropylene dimer acid (HFPO-DA) 14 WPCF Nutrient Reduction Modifications: Work on the Water Pollution Control Facility Nutrient Reduction Modifications Project is moving into the final design phase. The conceptual design phase made a number of key decisions for the project, including: •The treatment process to be implemented is the “Simultaneous Nitrification – Denitrification” (SNDN) process. •The project will proceed in two distinct construction phases. •The Administration Building will be relocated to allow for the placement of the new aeration basins. WPCF Open House: A public open house will be held at the Ames Water Pollution Control Facility on Saturday, April 22 (Earth Day) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will feature tours, displays by City Departments, and of course treats. This will be the last open house for the facility prior to undergoing a substantial transformation with Phase 1 of the Nutrient Reduction Modification Project. The photos below show the 2016 Water Pollution Control Facility Open House. 15