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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - December 12, 2023, Regular Meeting of the Ames City Council, Full Minutes1 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL AMES, IOWA DECEMBER 12, 2023 The Regular Meeting of the Ames City Council was called to order by Mayor John Haila at 5:59 p.m. on the 12th day of December, 2023, in the City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law. Present were Council Members Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Gloria Betcher, Amber Corrieri, Tim Gartin, Rachel Junck, and Anita Rollins. Ex officio Jeff Clark was also present. PROCLAMATION FOR "WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA DAY," DECEMBER 16, 2023: Mayor Haila presented the proclamation to Cliff and Jamie Barker who were accepting on behalf of the American Legion Riders. Mrs. Barker invited the community to attend a ceremony at Ames Municipal Cemetery, Saturday, December 16, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. to honor the memory of veterans in Ames and to participate in the laying of 1,800 wreaths on graves. PRESENTATION OF GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENTATION AWARD: Mayor Haila presented the award to Director of Finance Corey Goodenow and Budget Manager Nancy Mastellar, and shared this was the 38th consecutive year that the City of Ames had earned the award. Director Goodenow thanked the City staff as a whole for all the work that goes into the making the budget process successful. FITCH FAMILY INDOOR AQUATIC CENTER COUNCIL QUESTIONS FOLLOW-UP: Mayor Haila noted that the City Council was working from an amended agenda, and this item had been pulled and moved to the December 19, 2023, meeting of the Ames City Council. CONSENT AGENDA: Council Member Rollins requested to pull Item No. 10. Moved by Betcher, seconded by Corrieri, to approve the consent agenda, less Item No. 10. 3. Motion approving payment of claims 4. Motion approving Summary of Minutes of the Regular Meeting on November 14 and November 28, 2023 5. Motion approving Report of Change Orders for period November 16-30, 2023 6. Motion approving the renewal of the following Beer Permits, Wine Permits, and Liquor Licenses: a. Class C Retail Alcohol License, Cyclone Liquors, 626 Lincoln Way (Back Room Only) b. Class C Retail Alcohol License, Mickey’s Irish Pub, 109 Welch Avenue c. Class C Retail Alcohol License, Café Beau, 2504 Lincoln Way, Pending Dramshop Review d. Class C Retail Alcohol License, Torrent Brewing Co., 504 Burnett Avenue 7. RESOLUTION NO. 23-612 approving the list of individuals authorized to sign documents with the USDA related to the City of Ames Watershed-based Nutrient Reduction Program 8. RESOLUTION NO. 23-613 providing authorization to submit a Certified Local Government (CLG) Grant Application to the Iowa Economic Development Authority, State Historic Preservation Office to fund a National Register Nomination of Chautauqua Park & Ridgewood Historic District 2 9. RESOLUTION NO. 23-614 approving of request from Heartland of Story County to Sublease Office Space to Bethany Life and Central Iowa Retired and Senior Volunteer Program at the City-Owned Property located at 205 S Walnut Avenue 10. RESOLUTION NO. 23-615 approving the Commission on the Arts (COTA) Spring 2024 Special Project Grant Contracts 11. RESOLUTION NO. 23-616 approving amended Health Insurance Administrative Services Contract documents from Wellmark for administrative services, specific and aggregate excess insurance, and access fees for benefits effective from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024 12. RESOLUTION NO. 23-617 approving Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Services Contract with Carelon RX effective January 1, 2024 13. RESOLUTION NO. 23-618 awarding contract to Titan Machinery, of Des Moines, Iowa, for purchase of one 2024 Case 621G-2-XR Wheel Loader for the Street Maintenance Division of the Public Works Department 14. RESOLUTION NO. 23-619 awarding contract to Altorfer Power Systems of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the Caterpillar G379 Methane/Natural Gas Engine Generator Overhaul Project for the base bid plus the bid alternate in a combined total of $167,655.05; and authorizing the transfer of funds from the MG #1 replacement project to the MG2/MG3 Overhaul project 15. RESOLUTION NO. 23-620 approving Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $178,185.97 to Flowserve Corporation, Chicago, IL, for the Unit 7 Boiler Feedwater Pump No. 2 Inspection and Repair Project 16. RESOLUTION NO. 23-621 approving contract and bond for 2022/23 Storm Water Erosion Control (Clear Creek Bank Stabilization) with Iowa Earth Works of Huxley, Iowa 17. RESOLUTION NO. 23-622 accepting CT1 Return to Service project as completed by MMC Contractors National Inc., in the amount of $1,560,232.68 and approving reduction in retainage 18. RESOLUTION NO. 23-623 accepting the 2020/21 Shared Use Path System Expansion - Vet Med Trail (S.16th Street to S. Grand Avenue) as completed by Jasper Construction Services, Inc. of Newton, Iowa in the amount of $331,372.85 19. RESOLUTION NO. 23-624 approving partial completion and reducing financial security for public improvements of North Dayton Subdivision to $423,758.25 Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motions/Resolutions declared carried/adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. COMISSION ON THE ARTS (COTA) SPRING 2024 SPECIAL PROJECT GRANT CONTRACTS: Council Member Rollins clarified that there were $5,228 in available funds, which were all expended by administering the programs. Moved by Rollins, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 23-615 approving the Commission on the Arts (COTA) Spring 2024 Special Project Grant Contracts. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. PUBLIC FORUM: Mayor Haila opened the Public Forum. Richard Deyo, 505 8th Street #102, Ames, wished the City Council a Merry Christmas. Mayor Haila closed the Public Forum when no one else came forward to speak. 3 NEIGHBORHOOD LIQUOR AND SMOKES, 3505 LINCOLN WAY, SUITE 105: Chief of Police Geoff Huff presented the Council Action Form (CAF). He reviewed the history of the item and updated the City Council on the events that had taken place in the last year. Most recently, on November 9, 2023, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) affirmed the previous denial, which the applicant had appealed, and concluded that the City Council acted in its authority and was justified in denying the renewal of the license. Chief Huff shared the latest violation bench trial is scheduled for December 27, 2023, as there has been four failed compliance checks since 2021, which meets Iowa Code Section 123.5(3)(d) standards for revoking a license. The verdict will determine what future options are available, but Chief Huff stated that he would continue to be in contact with the Alcohol Beverages Division (ABD) to determine the responsibilities of each division. He advised the City Council that the business is still able to operate while under the appeal process, as the applicant had appealed the ALJ decision. Mayor Haila opened and closed the Public Input when no one came forward to speak. Council Member Gartin asked if the applicant had been made aware that the license would be on the agenda. Chief Huff responded in the affirmative, stating that the applicant was notified that the license would be on the next agenda’s meeting after the applicant pulled their application from the November 28, 2023, meeting agenda. Moved by Betcher, seconded by Gartin, to deny renewal of 12-month Class E Retail Alcohol License – Neighborhood Liquor and Smokes, 3505 Lincoln Way, Suite 105. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. STAFF REPORT REGARDING SHORT-TERM HOUSING TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS: Mayor Haila noted that the recommendations were for information only and would be placed on a future agenda for action. He noted that input had come in from relevant stakeholders in the community that would need to be considered. Director of Planning and Housing Kelly Diekmann and Director Goodenow presented the Staff Report. Director Diekmann began by noting that the Ames Economic Development Commission and Ames Chamber of Commerce had initiated the request for this Staff Report. City staff had been asked to look at barriers to single family housing, within the priorities listed by the Short- term Housing Task Force. Director Diekmann explained that staff looked at how housing is developed in the City and the growth goals established by City staff to evaluate the priorities listed in the Staff Report. In order to accommodate the anticipated growth in the City, an average of 300 housing units would need to be added each year, explained Director Diekmann. The consideration of costs for development and incentives that may offset those were addressed, with Director Diekmann explaining that new construction costs are high in Ames, with a lack of entry level homes being built. With 60% of housing costs being attributed to materials, Director Diekmann noted that lot costs account for 20% of total costs, which is the portion the City may be able to influence. A lack of diversification in housing being built was a concern, as the lack of differentiation impacts 4 the community. Infrastructure was also identified as a key element to development, as the City wants to manage infrastructure to the benefit of taxpayers. Financial incentives, such as abatement, were examined by Director Diekmann. He referenced smaller towns and the Des Moines Metro as peer communities that City staff evaluated. Director Diekmann stated that incentives in Ames are usually used for a targeted purpose. Therefore, staff would need the City Council to prioritize goals in designing a tax abatement program before staff would be able to design the program and guidelines to bring back to the City Council for approval. He also highlighted how the City, Story County, and DMACC may potentially be impacted as a result of different abatement options and answered questions from the City Council regarding those options. City Manager Steve Schainker stated that single family housing is the priority, as detailed in the Staff Report. He explained that the City Council would have to determine the length of time as well as the desired outcomes before implementation would be possible by City staff. Director Diekmann stated that the only homes built in the $200,00-$250,000 range were facilitated by Habitat for Humanity. He furthered that the last development to be constructed for under $300,000 was several years ago and benefited from small lot development, smaller square footage, and oversizing of infrastructure from another nearby subdivision project. Furthermore, the project was done by a company from the Des Moines Metro specializing in that strategy of development which has not been duplicated by local builders. The City Council engaged in discussions about the value and impact of potential abatement programs. Director Diekmann shared that staff’s recommendation, which would follow later in the Staff Report, would be to invest in Plan 2040 and open up more land with sewer and water infrastructure to be developed so more housing options can be pursued. He stated his belief that infrastructure offers a greater long-term investment than tax abatement. City Manager Schainker articulated that increased housing starts are not the only item that the City Council should consider. To judge the effectiveness of an incentivizing program, the diversity of housing and diversity of price range will need to be considered as well. The next area of focus discussed was pioneer infrastructure, which was defined as “core infrastructure necessary to fill gaps to get to a development site” by Director Diekmann. He gave examples where the City has undertaken that process before. Plan 2040 was recommended to be the guide for where to deploy pioneer infrastructure. Director Diekmann cited examples where this method would be exercised, as well as potential obstacles. This program was emphasized as needing latitude and City Council policies to guide its execution. Director Goodenow noted that with increased costs for borrowing, there is a potential impact to utility rates if the City Council were to prioritize funding of pioneer infrastructure. Oversizing, the concept that certain types of infrastructure need to be built to serve areas beyond the development, was the next concept addressed by Director Diekmann. He noted a potential avenue to incentivize oversizing would be for the City to adopt an affirming policy so the oversizing may be cost neutral to the developer. In the scenario of oversizing, the infrastructure 5 must serve more than the proposed development. Director Diekmann explained that the City would not be able to give the developer direct financial assistance and would likely have to negotiate offsetting projects. He also discussed the potential for a traffic study to assign proportionate costs based on the impact developments have on traffic, instead of the current practice of requiring the development that triggered the change pay for its implementation. The Development Review Committee (DRC) process was highlighted next. Assistant City Manager Brian Phillips would be joining the DRC to open a new relationship channel and give the best customer service to developers. A report on the quarterly permits reviewed by the DRC was suggested as a way for the public to be informed on the activities being processed. Flexibility on zoning was also highlighted as an area where the City Council had already taken action by requesting a Staff Report that may benefit the development process as well. Director Diekmann reviewed available federal funding, and strategies that staff were currently acting on to maximize the impact of that funding. He stated that this was an opportune time to be evaluating funding uses as in the coming months the City Council would be considering a new 5-year plan for the City’s Community Development Block Grant. Due to these items already being scheduled into the City Council work plan, Director Diekmann noted no further action was needed from the City Council at this time. He concluded that opening as much land as possible using Plan 2040 was the best way to assure that growth will be competitive. City Manager Schainker noted that the Municipal Code were being evaluated in terms of barriers to development, and that City staff were looking for changes to the Municipal Code that would allow for “quick wins” for both the City and developers. Mayor Haila concluded by reiterating that this item would be placed on a future agenda for further discussion. HEARING ON TEXT AMENDMENTS TO AMES MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 13, (RENTAL HOUSING CODE), CHAPTER 29 (ZONING ORDINANCE), AND CHAPTER 31 (HISTORIC PRESERVATION) TO ALLOW ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADUS) IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS: Director Diekmann and Planner Eloise Sahlstrom presented the CAF and gave the history of the item. He highlighted the ADU would be limited to one bedroom, and would be required to have a parking space. Furthermore, he stated that ADUs are being treated the same as other accessory buildings regarding size and setbacks. Director Diekmann further reviewed that the proposed ordinance was based on the City Council’s feedback from October 2023. Allowing for ADUs necessitated companion changes to Chapter 13 (Rental Housing Code), Chapter 29 (Zoning Ordinance), and Chapter 31 (Historic Preservation). He also reiterated that the 2018 bedroom cap would be upheld in the Near Campus Neighborhood, with ADUs not increasing the bedroom count for maximum occupancy. Another requirement was that the property must be owner-occupied, and ADU’s would not be able to be registered as a rental unit without the owner being on site. Airbnb eligibility was also addressed, with Director Diekmann clarifying that if the property was registered as a rental, the ADU would be able to be rented as an Airbnb. He then walked the City Council through different options that were currently available to homeowners under the rental code, and what modifications would be made with the addition of ADU’s in residential districts. 6 The impacts to Chapter 31 (Historic Preservation) were addressed next, with the Historic Preservation Commission’s role being outlined as facilitating the design reviews that look at ADU’s. The changes to the code allowed for ease of the review process, while also maintaining the historic integrity of any future structure in the Old Town areas. In response to questions from the City Council, Director Diekmann elaborated that the ADU square footage was capped at 900 square feet but would not be allowed to exceed the size of the principal dwelling on the property. The Public Hearing was opened and closed by Mayor Haila when no one came forward to speak. Mayor Haila extended his thanks to staff for the work that had been done to develop the ordinance to best serve the community. Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Junck, to approve on first reading an Ordinance on Text Amendments to Ames Municipal Code Chapter 13, (Rental Housing Code), Chapter 29 (Zoning Ordinance), and Chapter 31 (Historic Preservation) to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Residential Districts. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. STAFF REPORT REGARDING THE USE OF TESLA POWER WALLS IN THE AMES ELECTRIC SERVICES’ SYSTEM: Director of Electric Services Don Kom presented the Staff Report and provided the history of the request to install a Tesla Power Wall. He shared that usually a homeowner and installer will fill out an interconnection agreement that is reviewed by Electric Services, Planning and Housing, and Inspections. In this case, the Tesla Power Walls have not been historically approved as the Tesla Power Walls have not demonstrated a 300 second pause before powering back on after a shutdown. Previously models have also not been able to meet the setting requirements for the California Rule of 21, which require a way to locally display and verify setting compliance in advance. Director Kom stated that these are the standards adopted by Ames in the interest of safe operation of the electrical grid for both citizens and the equipment involved. For these reasons, the 3511 Oakland Street interconnection request was denied and the decision and reasons for the denial were communicated to the customer and to his consultant. After the City Council meeting on November 28, 2023, City staff met with the applicant again to discuss a resolution. Staff proposed a conditional interconnection agreement, which would allow the new Power Wall to be installed, then subjected to a commissioning test. If the Tesla Power Wall meets the standards and requirements set forth by Electric Services, the equipment will be allowed to be placed in service, and all future requests to install Tesla Power Walls will be approved. If it does not meet the criteria, it will not be allowed to be placed in service. Director Kom stated that there is no industry standard yet to govern this equipment, as different systems and different communities have varying needs that makes it too difficult to put a broad set of standards into practice across the county. He highlighted safety considerations staff were evaluating and reiterated the interconnectedness of the electrical distribution grid. Mayor Haila thanked Director Kom for all the efforts staff were making to look out for public safety as well as the safety of Ames residents. 7 Mayor Haila opened the Public Input. Jim Bernau, 3511 Oakland Street, Ames, thanked City staff for their help in finding a solution and providing the chance to give proof of concept with Tesla Power Walls as advancements are made. He shared his desire to help reach the Climate Action Plan (CAP) goals and encouraged the City Council to prioritize hiring a Sustainability Coordinator. Mr. Bernau stated that changes and implementation take time and requested that an update on CAP goals and statistics would be made available to citizens. Mayor Haila closed the Public Input when no one else came forward to speak. Director Kom shared that staff is working on a report about the CAP coming soon and there is a cost-of-service study in the works. He anticipated the report being available in the second quarter of 2024. BUDGET ISSUES/GUIDELINES: Director Goodenow and Budget Manager Mastellar presented the CAF. Director Goodenow shared an overview of the factors that would be impacting the City’s budget, such as state legislation that limited the City’s ability to collect taxes. Senate File 718 from the Iowa Legislature modified the tax system. This resulted in a 2% reduction for any growth over 3% in the City. These changes would impact the general fund, he explained, before highlighting two property tax credits that would also be influential to collectible income. Increases in the military exemption as well as the 65+ exemption, as well as the State no longer providing funding for theses exemptions, would lead to greater burden on local governments. Director Goodenow stated that there were significant carryover expenses, which left a balance of roughly $1.2 million dollars in the general fund, which staff’s recommendation is to utilize to fund one-time expenses. City Manager Schainker added that dollar amount may change as departments finalize their end of year budgets, and that staff would have a list of potential projects that would be able to utilize one-time funding. The Alternative Responses for Community Health (ARCH) program, which was a new expense in FY 2023/24, had requested funding from the City, as well as Analysis of Social Services Evaluation Team (ASSET). City Manager Schainker stated ARCH had proven to be a successful program. Due to the success of the program, the City had encouraged Mary Greeley Medical Center to apply for grants to alleviate funding requests on local partnerships but would still allow for the service to be provided to the community. Pursuing these grants would be a priority for both organizations in the coming year to secure multi-year funding. City Manager Schainker explained that staff would report back on how this program could be funded for the next fiscal year so that ASSET did not bear the burden of funding the program. Director Goodenow walked through the proposed funding changes for CyRide, water/wastewater rates, Electric Services, tipping fees at the Resource Recovery Plant, and stormwater rates. City Manager Schainker stated that the goal of City staff was to keep rates and rate increases reasonable for customers. Director Goodenow concluded by reviewing the projected revenues for the City, and how those funds were allocated. He reviewed the projections for the Hotel/Motel Tax fund, 8 Road Conditions and Road Use Tax Fund, Local Option Sales Tax as well as Interest Rate Revenue. Pension systems and increased health insurance costs were cited as being driving factors in the City’s budget as well. ASSET volunteer Deb Schildroth, as well as Vice Chair Becky Harker, presented on behalf of the board. Ms. Schildroth reminded the City Council that priorities for ASSET funding were determined in June 2023. These priorities inform the allocated funding of programs throughout the community. Meeting mental health and substance abuse disorder needs, meeting basic needs, and providing youth development services were the three top priorities identified, as well as strategies to address those goals. She also stated that all funding allocated to ASSET will be utilized to the participating programs, but some funds may be set aside to address needs that come up throughout the year. Three new services, one new agency in the process, and increased wages were contributing factors to the increase in requests for funding. Loss of state funding for YSS also increased the request from local agencies, Ms. Schildroth noted. She provided a summary of services and agency requests for the upcoming fiscal year as well as highlighting notable changes in programs and requests. City Manager Schainker inquired if Ms. Schildroth had any knowledge of the contributions other local partners were pursuing. She responded in the affirmative, stating that the United Way had increased funding by 3% and Story County would be determining their funding amount at the end of the month. City Manager Schainker noted that the previous year the City Council had authorized a 6% increase in funding and City Staff were comfortable with a 5-6% increase for the next fiscal year as well. Ms. Schildroth discussed the scoreboard metrics used by ASSET with the Clear Impact Scorecard to measure the success of programs. She shared that there was enough data now to be able to show trend lines for services, and that the City Council would be able to develop their own scorecard based on their specific goals. Council Member Betcher inquired if ARCH could be pulled out of the ASSET requests to be funded in a different manner. City Manager Schainker stated that staff would bring back recommendations on how to fund the program. Mayor Haila asked if the needs of the community had increased substantially, or if inflation was a key factor in these increases. Ms. Schildroth stated that needs continued to grow around housing, food security, childcare, transportation, and mental health. Greater staff time is spent on addressing the complicated and complex situations, and individuals are needing to utilize multiple agencies in order to address the needs of the individual. Council Member Corrieri noted that ASSET has historically done a great job of allocating funding to the most effective services for the greatest value, and not feeling they must allocate all funds if it will not help move the needle on the issues ASSET is trying to address. Ms. Harker shared that a key component of success is on staff, and shared it is hard to get staff who have high levels of commitment for lower rates of pay. She noted that this is a trend across the state, but Ames is fortunate to be a college town, which allows for more resources than many rural communities. Ms. Harker stated that the ASSET board had been making decisions based on data and would not fund an organization at the level requested if there was not data on the impact of the program. Fiduciary responsibility was a high priority for the ASSET board, explained Ms. Harker, as the board is committed to paying for impact and outcomes, not just activities. She also explained that the 9 ASSET Leadership Team works with organizations who are not producing to the level needed for their funding requests to help them improve outcomes to reach their goals. Council Member Corrieri highlighted the education efforts that have taken place in recent years to address issues with performance or agencies relying solely on ASSET for funding. Ms. Schildroth expressed that ASSET was intended to fund services and was purchasing those services with the allocated funding. Making agencies whole is not the goal of the program, which helps the municipality stay in the good graces with auditors. Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Betcher, to approve a 5% increase in the City’s ASSET funding. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Mayor Haila noted that the City would be looking to fill the vacant position on the ASSET board in April, as the orientation process is lengthy and would not be able to be completed before budget reviews began. The discussion of Commission on the Arts and Outside Funding Requests were postponed until the December 19, 2023, meeting. SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 28, DIVISION 1 FOR ELIGIBILITY OF CUSTOMERS FOR TIME-OF-USE BASED ON ELECTRICAL DEMAND: Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to pass on second reading an ordinance amending Chapter 28, Division 1 for Eligibility of Customers for Time-of-Use based on Electrical Demand. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. THIRD READING AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 4513 ON AMENDING THE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT FOR REDUCED AFFORDABLE HOUSING PARKING REQUIREMENT: Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Betcher, to pass on third reading and adopt ORDINANCE NO. 4513 on amending the Zoning Text Amendment for Reduced Affordable Housing Parking Requirement. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. THIRD READING AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 4514 TO AMEND THE URBAN REVITALIZATION AREA BOUNDARY: Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Junck, to pass on third reading and adopt ORDINANCE NO. 4514 to amend the Urban Revitalization Area Boundary. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. DISPOSITIONS OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL: Mayor Haila noted that there were four items to be considered. The first item evaluated was an email from Naomi Lovin regarding a Truck Route for an Industrial Zone. Moved by Junck, seconded by Betcher, to forward to Traffic Engineer Damion Pregitzer to reply after consulting with a Story County Engineer to determine what could be done as the area is outside of the City’s jurisdiction. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. 10 An email from Jan Wallace about Public Pathway along George W. Carver Avenue was highlighted next. Mayor Haila stated that this item had already been addressed by staff, as the pathway was already City property. Then, an email and petition from Valerie Stallbaumer regarding Brick Pillars was considered. Mayor Haila noted that this item was for information only, as the topic would be on an upcoming agenda. A memo from Damion Pregitzer on a Speed Limit Reduction on 6th Street was the final item. Mayor Haila noted that it was for information only. COUNCIL COMMENTS: Council Member Betcher questioned whether a motion was needed to address Mr. Bernau’s request for a report on alternative energies in the community. Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to request staff report on, and highlight the use of, alternative energy by power customers in the way most efficient for staff in order to inform the public of the scope of those efforts. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Council Member Gartin noted the City would be saying goodbye to Iowa State seniors at graduation the upcoming weekend, one of whom was his son. Ex-Officio Clark shared that it was finals week for Iowa State students, and that Iowa State Student Government had selected a representative to serve as an ASSET volunteer. Mayor Haila shared his experience with the Wreaths across America program, sharing that it is a memorable experience with an amazing ceremony. He urged all to attend Saturday, December 16, 2023. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Betcher, seconded by Corrieri, to adjourn at 9:15 p.m. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. __________________________________ ____________________________________ Grace A. Bandstra, Deputy City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor __________________________________ Renee Hall, City Clerk