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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - October 2023 Monthly Project Highlights 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 OCTOBER 2023 MONTHLY PROJECTHIGHLIGHTS No-Kill Status Recognition: The Ames Animal Shelter was recently recognized by Best Friends Animal Society for reaching no-kill status in 2022. This designation is given to shelters that save 90 percent or more of dogs and cats entering the shelter in the past year. A 90-percent save rate is the nationally recognized benchmark to be considered “no-kill.” The rate acknowledges that approximately 10 percent of animals entering shelters hav medical or behavioral circumstances that warrant humane euthanasia rather than killing for lack of space. The Ames Animal Shelter’s live release rate for all domestic animals in 2022 was nearly 99 percent. 2 Extrication Training: During the month of October, Fire crews refreshed a variety of skills related to vehicle extrication. Over the course of a week, crews practiced vehicle stabilization using wooden cribbing, lifting a vehicle using specialized airbags, glass management, removing vehicle doors, and removing the vehicle roof. These different techniques allow firefighters to practice accessing and removing a patient from a motor vehicle accident. 3 2024 Black Arts Festival Call for Artists: Library staff has begun planning for a Black Arts Festival in April 2024. The Library is currently taking submissions for Black visual and performing artists through an online form at www.AmesPL.org/BlackArtsFestival. Ames Public Library + RAYGUN Collaboration: RAYGUN and the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) are teaming up to create the greatest Ames Public Library shirts in the universe! An online store is in the works that will sell RAYGUN’s locally-printed book- and library-themed shirts with 40% of proceeds benefiting Ames Public Library through the APLFF. Book Sales: Speaking of fundraisers for the Library, APLFF will hold its fall Book Sale November 16-19. There will be great deals on used books for all ages, plus other items like movies and audiobooks. The APLFF will also celebrate Small Business Saturday on November 25 by offering $1 off everything in Literary Grounds Bookstore. Some exclusions apply. Literary Grounds, located in the Library’s lobby, sells gently-used books and other items, with all proceeds benefiting the Library through APLFF. 4 Details about these upcoming book sales and other events can be found at www.AmesPL.org. Destination Storytime at the Ice Arena: The Library is partnering with Parks & Recreation and the Ames/ISU Ice Arena for a new monthly event for families! On the first Friday of each month, library staff will share a free storytime at 10 a.m. at the Ice Arena. After storytime, the Ice Arena will offer skating and children’s activities on the ice for a small fee. 5 Ames/ISU Ice Arena: The Ames/ISU Ice Arena hosted a Halloween skate on October 28. The skate consisted of candy, themed music, and a costume contest! Aquatics: Furman Aquatic Center had a wonderful turnout this summer despite the ups and downs of the weather. A total of 89,129 patrons attended the center, which is higher than the previous four-year average of 82,468. Additionally, lifeguards handled 38 medical and/or water rescues, all of which were handled quickly and professionally and did not require any medical transportation to the hospital. The first session of fall swim lessons at Iowa State University (ISU) Forker Pool finished in October with a total of 128 registrations. Fifteen of the 27 classes were at full capacity. The next session begins in late October with 171 students enrolled and 30 of the 38 classes at full capacity. Staff has been notified by ISU Recreation Services that Forker Pool will be closed permanently at the end of December 2023. This is due to the high cost of repairs and renovations needed to become code compliant. Staff is working on alternative locations to continue to offer swim lessons during the school year until the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center opens in late 2025. Brookside Wading Pool: As a reminder, the Brookside Park Wading Pool has been scheduled to be demolished once the spray pad at the Steven L. Schainker Plaza is operational. When staff started preparations for winterizing the Brookside Wading Pool this fall, a substantial water line leak was discovered in the pump house. Winterizing the wading pool would require repairing the leak. Since the spray pad feature at the Steven L. Schainker Plaza is scheduled to open in summer 2024, staff made the decision to not repair the leak (thus saving on repair costs) and demolish the wading pool later this fall. Community Tree Planting: The City of Ames received a Community Forestry Program Grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in the amount of $5,000. The Ames Foundation also received a grant from Trees Forever in the amount of $5,000. These funds were used to plant 58 trees throughout the community, and over 50 volunteers assisted with planting. In all, 13 trees were planted along Fifth Street, six in Parkview Park, 28 in Ontario Cemetery, and 11 in Sunset Ridge Park. 6 Additionally, 118 trees were planted in the City right-of-ways as part of the Emerald Ash Borer Tree Replacement Program. Country Gables Park Shelter Rennovations: After receiving safety concerns from neighbors of Country Gables Park, staff held a meeting with the neighbors to discuss these concerns and potential solutions. Thinning out vegetation and upgrades to the shelter were the top priorities identified by the neighbors. Some preliminary work has been done with the vegetation with more scheduled for this winter. Staff completed renovations to the shelter, which included roof replacement, adding a sidewalk and grilling slab, and ensuring ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards were met. The picture to the right depicts the completed shelter renovations. Emma McCarthy Lee Tennis Court Rennovation and Pickleball Courts: Upper Midwest Athletic Construction, Clearwater, Minnesota, completed its portion of the Emma McCarthy Lee Park Pickleball and Tennis Court Renovation Project, completing post installation, crack repair, court resurfacing, and boundary line installation for ten pickleball courts and two tennis courts. Des Moines Steel Fence Co, Inc, Des Moines, completed fence installation in mid-October to complete the project. Forestry Grant: City Forester Gabbi Edwards submitted a grant application to the United States Forest Service (USFS) to assist with timber stand improvements within the parks, complete a new tree inventory, construct a gravel bed nursery, increase the number of trees planted in the City, and hire additional seasonal staff. The City recently received notification that it has been awarded a grant in the amount of $813,000 to be used over the next five years. The City Council will have an opportunity to review 7 the grant agreement language and determine if the City will accept the grant once staff receives the contract from the USFS. Furman Aquatic Center Pool Painting Update: Amusement Restoration Companies, Burnet, Texas, was awarded the contract to complete the Furman Aquatic Center Pool Basin Repainting Project. Work was scheduled to be completed this fall, but due to unforeseen circumstances with staffing, it was unable to start the project this fall. Work is scheduled to take place prior to the facility opening in May 2024, weather permitting. Homewood Golf Course: The course opened April 1, and business has been good. As of October 26, there have been 22,953 rounds played, compared to 18,637 rounds played during the same time period in 2022. Steven L. Schainker Plaza: Henkel Constructions, LLC., Ames, Iowa, is continuing to make progress on the water and ice amenities at the Steven L. Schainker Plaza. Work completed in October included the pouring of concrete for the balance tank, which is part of the spray pad. Work completed for the ice rink included the installation of the sub surface heating system, concrete border for the ice rink, and the transmission coolant lines that will keep the ice frozen. The pictures below depict the installation of the lines for the sub surface heating system. Turf Maintenance: Park Maintenance staff completed spraying approximately 200 acres of park turf for broadleaf weeds in mid-October. Also, preparation for colder weather has begun with winterization of all irrigation lines on the athletic fields at Brookside and North River Valley Parks, as well the turf area to the north of the bandshell at Bandshell Park. Lastly, with the very dry conditions this past summer, staff has been busy aerifying and overseeding multiple turf areas in the parks, especially the soccer fields at North River Valley Park. Wellness: Staff recorded a presentation for the CWA (Cat Writers Association) Conference on Fun in Fitness. The conference was held October 14. 8 Several wellness classes began in October with the following registrations: Program Registrations Group Fitness 396* Taekwondo 135 Aqua Classes at Forker 81 Yoga Basics 5 West Coast Swing Dance 18 Line Dance 27 *Includes 15 virtual registrations A new session of Balance, Strength and Stretch began October 23 at the Vintage Co-op with 11 registrations. Pictured to the right is a Yoga class featuring new flooring that was installed in the Aerobics Room from October 4 – 18. Winterizing Restrooms and Drinking Fountains: Staff started preparing the park restrooms and water fountains for the winter months in mid-October, as the restrooms are not insulated or heated. Park restrooms and fountains will be open to the public again in the spring once weather allows, typically around April 15. 9 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance: The City Council reviewed public input on October 10 and directed staff proceed with finalizing an ordinance to adopt new standards. The tentative schedule is Historic Preservation Commission review November 13, Planning and Zoning Commission review December 6, and first reading of an ordinance with the City Council on December 12. Background information and updates are available at www.cityofames.org/addhousing. ISU Research Park: The ISU Research Park has approached the City about considering a change of land use along University Boulevard at the Cottonwood Road roundabout to allow for a small apartment development of approximately 25 units in lieu of industrial development. The site will abut the bike trail for the Tedesco Environmental Learning Corridor. The proposal will likely include a Land Use Map amendment and rezoning to medium density with a Planned Unit Development Overlay (PUD). Importantly, the site is within the RISE Grant reporting area for the Research Park, and an amendment to exclude the site from reporting is needed between the Iowa Department of Transportation and the City to allow for residential uses. South Growth: South Growth east of Hwy 69 is a priority area for expansion of the city within Ames Plan 2040. A sanitary sewer trunkline extension to this area in the vicinity of 265th Street is needed to make the area developable. The City Council included the design and construction of the sewer extension within the current CIP. The Public Works Department will begin design work this winter with a planned bid letting in the fall of 2024. The Planning Division will reach out during November to property owners in this area to review the City’s land use plan and answer questions they might have about development. 10 Biodiesel B100 Pilot Project: At its October board meeting, the Ames Transit Agency Board of Trustees approved moving forward with a Biodiesel B100 Pilot Project, which would equip five 40’ heavy-duty buses to run on 100% biodiesel year-round. The pilot project will be implemented in partnership with Chevron Renewable Energy Group (CREG) and Optimus Technologies. CREG is a world leader in biodiesel production, and Optimus Technologies has designated its biodiesel conversion kit, known as the Vector System, to be implemented on heavy-duty buses. In 2019, Fleet Services conducted a similar pilot project with REG and Optimus Technologies.