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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - January 21, 2025, Special Meeting of the Ames City Council Minutes, Full1 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL AMES, IOWA JANUARY 21, 2025 The Special Meeting of the Ames City Council was called to order by Mayor John Haila at 5:14 p.m. on the 21st day of January, 2025, 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, and Tim Gartin. Council Members Rachel Junck and Anita Rollins were absent. Ex officio Emily Boland was also absent. WORKSHOP: City Manager Steve Schainker began the staff presentation of the recommended five-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) for fiscal years (FY) 2025-2030. The presentation was divided into five categories: 1) Public Safety, 2) Utilities Program, 3) Transportation Program, 4) Culture and Recreation Programs, and 5) Other. City Manager Schainker stated that staff was not seeking direction on the projects contained within the CIP at this meeting. Direction would be sought at the Budget Wrap-Up meeting on February 11th as public input on the Plan would be received on January 28th. He shared that the proposed projects for FY 2025/26, if approved, would be inlaid into the budget. Staff desired to maintain flexibility for the remaining four years of the Plan to account for ongoing changes at the state level. PUBLIC SAFETY: Fire Fire Chief Rich Higgins shared that the Fire Department had a total of four projects for the FY 2025/26 CIP. He noted that three of the projects had previously been scheduled in the CIP; however, the Station Alerting System had been advanced to the first year of the CIP. He highlighted that it had become increasingly difficult to procure replacement parts for the system and staff had been experiencing system issues and equipment failures at a more frequent rate. Chief Higgins then introduced the replacement of the Department’s Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) in the fifth year of the CIP. He noted that the essential piece of life-saving equipment allows firefighters to enter otherwise hazardous environments. He pinpointed multiple regulatory requirements as the reason for the replacement and highlighted that at the time of replacement the Department’s supplied air respirator system and air compressor would also be replaced. Council Member Betcher inquired about fate of the retired SCBAs. Chief Higgins shared that parts of the SCBA, such as the harness, would be refurbished and donated; otherwise, the units would be disposed of due to regulatory requirements and out of date warranties. Council Member Gartin asked about the security of the Station Alerting System. Chief Higgins noted that the Department had been working with the Information Technology (IT) Division to complete security updates in order to protect the system from potential interference. He highlighted that replacement of the system would help create additional security by creating two more pathways for redundancy. Chief Higgins concluded his presentation by recognizing Iowa State University (ISU) for its partnership and participation in financing the new fire apparatus that were scheduled in the current CIP. 2 Animal Control City Manager Schainker shared that a new animal sheltering facility had been noted as a priority project by the City Council. He highlighted that the project financing was based on prior input to engage in soliciting donations and utilize the City Council Priorities fund for engineering and construction services. Assistant City Manager Brian Phillips noted staff had developed a preliminary budget for the project and anticipated that one third of the total project cost would be funded through donations. He shared that staff had engaged with a consultant to evaluate the building at 2715 Dayton Avenue as a potential location. He highlighted that no issues had been discovered that would dissuade staff from continuing to pursue that location. Cost estimates and conceptual designs would be available for review in early February. Council Member Beatty-Hansen inquired about the location of the dog park. Assistant City Manager Phillips shared that staff anticipates the location of the dog park to remain the same. He noted that staff implemented a remote access system at the park that had helped with the management of park functions. Council Member Gartin asked about the anticipated completion date of the new animal sheltering facility should the Dayton Avenue site be pursued. Assistant City Manager Phillips stated that 2026 was when operations were anticipated to transition to the new facility. UTILITIES PROGRAM: Electric Services Director of Electric Services Donald Kom reviewed that Electric Services was in a transitional period after running off refuse derived fuel for the last 50 years and the utility was still examining what electric generation would look like post Waste-to-Energy. He highlighted that the Department had committed to maintaining a strong and robust utility through the creation of Development Guidelines for the utility. To meet those guidelines, the utility identified CIP projects in the areas of administration, transmission, distribution, and Power Plant activities. Advanced metering infrastructure and electric vehicle infrastructure comprised the area of administration and accounted for 3.6% of the total five-year budget. Director Kom then examined the area of transmission, highlighting the 69 kV transmission reconstruction and Boone Junction 161 kV line improvements as well as the construction of the Prairie View 161 kV substation and Prairie View-Ames Plant 161 kV line. He shared that the Prairie View line would give the utility a continual direct interconnection to Mid-American Energy while also bringing another source of transmission deliverability to the City. Overall, transmission accounted for 11% of the five-year budget. Distribution included key project areas of streetlight and line relocation, reliability improvements, fiber optic replacement, and implementation of a distribution management system. Director Kom shared that 5% of the five-year budget was allocated to distribution related projects. Power Plant activities were discussed next by Director Kom. He noted that these activities encompassed a major overhaul to the Unit #8 turbine, improvements to the combustion turbine generator, and upgrades to the distributed control system as well as generation related items. Power Plant activities comprised 4.1% of the total five-year budget as did the generation related items. 3 Director Kom highlighted that the majority of the project budget was dedicated to new generation of thermal and renewable energy, which accounted for 47.9% and 28.5% of the budget respectively. He reviewed the energy mix for 2024 compared to the anticipated mix for 2030, emphasizing the reduction of energy generated from natural gas. Council Member Beatty- Hansen inquired about the driving factor for increasing generation. Director Kom noted that both peak energy usage and the projected increase in electric customers were driving the utility to expand generation capacity. Council Member Gartin inquired about the integrity of the security systems used by the utility. Director Kom noted that the utility had little vulnerability to security issues as it utilizes a closed fiber system to maintain grid resilience. Assistant Electric Services Director Curtis Spence added that the utility works and maintains compliance with the National Electric Regulatory Commission (NERC), who proactively communicates security issues experienced by utilities nationwide. Mayor Haila noted the funding allocation for the coal yard reclamation that was proposed under generation related activities. Assistant Director Spence highlighted that equipment needed to be removed from the coal yard followed by the cleanup of any remaining coal that still exists on the site. He added the utility had not yet hired an engineer to consult on the project and the numbers in the plan were projections. Mayor Haila then inquired about the growth of residential customers and the impact on peak demand. Director Kom reiterated that the projected increase in customers impacted the utility’s decision to expand generation; however, the utility was also examining the use of time-of-use rates to encourage behavioral changes when it came to electric consumption that would help mitigate demand. He also noted that the utility was a summer peaking utility, but staff would be monitoring the extent of residential changes in energy-saving technologies such as heat pumps that may redirect the utility to peak in the winter. Water Production/Treatment Assistant Director of Water and Pollution Control (W&PC) Parul Baranwal presented the projects detailed in the 2025-2030 CIP. She noted that the projects would help the Department maintain and enhance the water and wastewater infrastructure for the City’s future growth, as the main goal of the utility was to improve resilience. She highlighted facility improvements including an addition on the technical services complex, water plant improvements that encompassed major maintenance activities, well field standby power, and physical and cyber security improvements. Various other activities were reviewed by Assistant Director Baranwal, which included: the Ada Hayden Water Quality Study; SAM Pump Station Improvements; Prairie View Industrial Center Elevated Tank construction that was necessary to maintain pressure and ensure proper fire protection; Wellhead Rehabilitation that would segregate the low and high voltage components; new Water Treatment Plant Pumps and Drives to add additional pumping capacity and variable frequency drives; and repainting the MAC Water Tower that was constructed in 2003. She highlighted that the proposed projects could be delayed depending on urban development or equipment conditions. 4 Water Pollution Control Assistant Director Baranwal shifted the presentation to focus on the other component of the municipal water cycle: the Water Pollution Control Facility. She highlighted that the major project at the facility, the Nutrient Reduction Modifications, was underway and in the first phase, which included the construction of half of the aeration basin capacity, bar screens, grit removal systems, and the relocation of the administration building. The second phase of the project was anticipated for FY 2035/36. Facility improvements were then reviewed by Assistant Director Baranwal, which included Cogeneration System maintenance, Lift Station improvements, Clarifier maintenance, and assorted equipment repairs, maintenance, replacement, and upgrades for areas not impacted by the Nutrient Reduction Modifications project. Council Member Beatty-Hansen inquired about lime sludge operations, citing national concerns over per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the sludge. Water and Pollution Control Director John Dunn shared that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had released a risk assessment concerning PFAS in lime sludge, emphasizing that the assessment was not based upon a regulator standard, nor did it examine exposures to the general public. He shared that the other available option aside from dewatering the sludge for use as a fertilizer was to incinerate it as a means of disposal. He noted his opinion that incineration was not the best environmental swap and would pose a higher risk to the general public. Council Member Gartin asked about the standby power capacity in the event of a prolonged power outage. Director Dunn noted that the Department was undergoing multiple projects to extend power, highlighting that in the case of a prolonged power outage, the Department was more concerned with the source of water, which was being addressed by a current wellfield project. He stated that after the projects were complete, the Department would have seven high- capacity wells that are backed up under emergency power. Council Member Gartin noted the Ada Hayden Water Quality study, observing that it would fit better within the operating budget for the Department. City Manager Schainker concurred. Council Member Betcher highlighted that changes were recently made to the conservation overlay that protects the Ada Hayden watershed, inquiring if the City Council could expect to see the impacts of those changes in the water quality study. Director Dunn did not believe that a negative impact would be seen and advised against increasing the frequency of the study in order to ensure a meaningful data set. Mayor Haila highlighted the HVAC control upgrade scheduled for the Water Treatment Plant. Director Dunn shared that advanced technology lifecycles necessitated upgrades. Water Distribution Public Works Operations Manager Justin Clausen reviewed the Water Distribution improvements scheduled in the CIP after presenting a video that highlighted the Department’s completed projects from the previous fiscal year. He noted that the Department was focused on replacing aging water infrastructure as well as infrastructure in areas of frequent water main breaks. 5 Sanitary Sewer System Operations Manager Clausen noted that the Sanitary Sewer improvement projects would target the sanitary collection system with an emphasis on reconstruction and rehabilitation to keep clean water out of the sanitary sewers. Stormwater Management There were a number of initiatives included in the Stormwater Management program, including stormwater quality improvements, low point drainage improvements, South Skunk River improvements, and stormwater detention/retention maintenance. Operations Manager Clausen directed attention to the Storm Water Erosion Control program, highlighting that Canterbury Court and Mortensen Parkway were selected as the project locations for FY 2025/26. Council Member Gartin noted that significant improvements have been made to the stormwater system and inquired if there was a metric available to quantify those improvements. Operations Manager Clausen replied in the negative. He noted that internally, the Department examines flash flood or aerial flood events to measure the impact of the improvements made. Resource Recovery The budget for the Resource Recovery Plant (RRP) was divided to account for the current resource recovery system and the future resource recovery and recycling campus. Operations Manager Clausen highlighted that staff reduced preventative maintenance at the current facility in preparation to retire the facility. He then discussed the goals of the future campus, highlighting services for both garbage haulers and the general public. He noted that staff intended to continue hazardous waste collection and organics composting and start new programs such as yard waste collection. He shared that the details of these programs were still in development but would factor into the site design. TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM: Street Improvements Operations Manager Clausen presented the map of all five years of the transportation projects, which included pavement improvements, alley improvements, right-of-way restoration, and Campustown public improvements. He discussed asphalt street improvements, which typically target residential streets, and concrete pavement improvements, which rehabilitate or reconstruct concrete street sections that have deteriorated to prevent premature breakdown of the pavement. Council Member Gartin noted the duration of street projects, inquiring about contractually required completion dates. Operations Manager Clausen shared that all contracts specify a completion date. He furthered that tighter construction timelines drive up bid timelines, so in order to obtain the best price for the project, staff had extended construction timelines to allow contractors flexibility for competing labor demands. Council Member Gartin then asked about the investment from ISU for improvements on institutional roads. Operations Manager Clausen shared that staff coordinates quarterly with ISU staff on projects, but he could not speak to the level of investment. Mayor Haila highlighted South 16th Street as an institutional road, noting that ISU appreciates the investment from the City to expand that roadway. Operations Manager Clausen concurred, noting that the South 16th Street Widening project was being put out for bid. 6 Shared Use Paths The shared use path locations were presented by Operations Manager Clausen, which included system expansion, multi-modal roadway improvements, and path maintenance. Council Member Gartin inquired about the division on dollars to fund shared use path activities and multi -modal roadway improvements. Operations Manager Clausen explained that should a shared use path or multi-modal roadway improvement be completed in coordination with a street improvement, dollars from the shared use path allocations were used to pay for that portion of the project. Traffic Improvements Operations Manager Clausen reviewed the Traffic Improvements that encompassed the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), Traffic System Capacity improvements, Traffic Signal program, Accessibility Enhancements program, Regional Transportation Count program, and Metropolitan Plan update. He highlighted planned traffic improvements at the intersection of Grand Avenue and 13th Street as well as multi-modal traffic improvements planned for Wilder Boulevard. Mayor Haila inquired about Wilder Boulevard. Operations Manager Clausen highlighted that staff was exploring the implementation of mini roundabouts to help ease traffic concerns and excessive speeds on the street. He noted that the mini roundabouts would fit within the existing roadway and curblines. Council Member Beatty-Hansen asked about the capabilities of the ITS. Traffic Engineer Damion Pregitzer noted that the ITS was designed to optimize traffic and staff was able to alter traffic patterns based on preference to different transportation modes. He detailed situational examples before highlighting that the first phase of the ITS would be put into operation in the spring. Operations Manager Clausen ended the traffic improvements presentation with discussion of the replacement of the Lincoln Way Bridge over Ioway Creek, which was programmed for FY 2029/2030. He shared that parts of the bridge are over one hundred years old and biannual inspections of the bridge had indicated that a full replacement was needed. He discussed with the City Council members the key nature of the corridor, highlighting that staff would bring construction strategies to the City Council for consideration once the plans and specifications have been completed. Airport The Airport Improvement projects concluded the Transportation Program for the Public Works Department. Operations Manager Clausen shared that these projects included Airside Improvements, Airport Entryway Improvements, and Airport Facility Improvements. The City Council discussed dollars received from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to help fund the project and anticipated future funding needs. Mayor Haila inquired about the airside improvements and the anticipated impacts to jet traffic. Operations Manager Clausen explained that project would be a full reconstruction of the runway and there would be jets that would not be able to land during construction due to the available length of the runway. Traffic Engineer Pregitzer concurred, highlighting that initial discussions 7 indicate that the project would take 18 months to complete. He shared that the Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) had preliminarily indicated the preference to have a full closure of the runway during construction, which would shift jet traffic to neighboring airports. Mayor Haila also asked about the entryway improvements. Traffic Engineer Pregitzer shared that the goal of the project was to make improvements to the main access road, expand paved parking availability, and enhance the central entryway landscaping. He reviewed project details, noting that the project would be completed over three fiscal years. Transit System Transit Director Barbara Neal presented the Transit System CIP, which was approved by the Transit Agency Board of Trustees at its December 2024 meeting. She noted that staff developed the CIP under a conservative approach to ensure adequate funding for critical projects . She shared that the transit portion of the CIP relies heavily on securing federal and state funding, which accounts for 75% of budgeted dollars. Director Neal explained that the two areas of priority are vehicle replacement and rehabilitation and building improvements and expansion. Over the five-year CIP, the Department programmed to replace twenty-five large vehicles. Replacement would include twenty 40-foot heavy duty buses that would be replaced with newer fuel-efficient models in addition to five battery electric buses and one support vehicle. Facility improvements included the installation of a fire suppression system and fueling system upgrade. Director Neal highlighted that the Transit Department was awarded a state grant for a fire safety enhancement project to mitigate battery fire risks, which would help support the cost of the fire suppression system. The Department also had planned a facility expansion that was dependent upon securing discretionary grant funding. Other activities scheduled were bus stop and technology improvements that were designed to enhance the rider experience. Director Neal also detailed shop and office equipment improvements that would better equip staff and improve efficiency and safety. Council Member Gartin inquired if staff had heard from peers regarding funding concerns from the federal or state level. Director Neal shared her uncertainty about the future of federal and state funding, noting that the Transit Department had cash reserves and opportunities for funding through different pathways. She stated that the loss of federal or state funding would greatly impact the decision-making process for staff as certain spending was driven by federal requirements. Mayor Haila noted the fuel system upgrade project. Director Neal explained that the project had been programmed in a previous CIP but was carried forward due to the Department not being able to attain a facility grant. She noted that staff would be pursuing a facility grant again in the next fiscal year to close the funding gap for the project. 8 CULTURE AND RECREATION PROGRAM: Parks and Recreation Director of Parks and Recreation Keith Abraham examined the CIP for Parks and Recreation related activities. He highlighted the funding dedicated to the construction of the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center (FFIAC), detailing the project costs and funding sources. He then provided a brief synopsis of the following projects also included in the CIP: • Ames City Auditorium Sound System Replacement • Parking construction at North River Valley Park • Canoe/kayak renovations at the River Valley Park and South 16th Street access points • Parking lot improvements at various locations • Shelter replacement at various parks • Playground equipment improvements at various parks • Path reconstruction at Ada Hayden Heritage Park • Pond renovation at Ada Hayden Heritage Park • ADA transition plan improvements • Pedestrian bridge installation at Moore Memorial Park • Bridge replacement at Homewood Golf Course • Water heater replacement at Furman Aquatic Center Council Member Gartin inquired about improvements to fishing environments at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. Director Abraham noted that project was undertaken by staff outside of the CIP in conjunction with the Ames Anglers Club. The club had worked closely with staff and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to sink cedar trees in the lake. He noted that staff planned to continue working with the Ames Anglers and already secured cedar trees for placement in the spring. Council Member Betcher noted planned playground equipment improvements, highlighting the improvement to Stuart Smith Park that was scheduled in a previous CIP. Director Abraham shared that the equipment for Stuart Smith Park had arrived and been delivered to the site; however, the contractor had failed to install the equipment. He noted that Parks and Facilities Superintendent Joshua Thompson was working diligently with the contractor to resolve the issue. Council Member Gartin then asked for input on the priority level for the construction of a fieldhouse. Director Abraham explained that the need for recreational facilities contained within the fieldhouse have been evident since discussions of the Healthy Life Center five years ago. He shared that many of the amenities of the Healthy Life Center had been included in other facilities such as the FFIAC and 60Forward Center. He furthered that the vital missing piece was an indoor gym space, as the gym at the Community Center does not meet the community demand. Council Member Gartin shared his desire to accelerate the construction of a fieldhouse in the CIP and Council Member Corrieri concurred. City Manager Schainker noted that staff would need a motion from the City Council at the Budget Wrap-up meeting after Public Input had been received. 9 Cemetery Director Abraham noted two CIP projects scheduled for cemetery activities, which included new fencing for the Ontario Cemetery and a new columbarium at the Municipal Cemetery. Mayor Haila inquired about improvements to the façade at the Ontario Cemetery that could be done in conjunction with the fencing project. Director Abraham reviewed that there were dollars set aside in the current CIP to address façade concerns. OTHER: Downtown and Campustown Façade Program and Neighborhood Improvement Program Program funding for the Downtown and Campustown Façade programs and Neighborhood Improvement Program was presented by City Manager Schainker. He emphasized that it was the recommendation of staff to maintain funding levels for each activity. City Hall Improvements Assistant City Manager Pa Vang Goldbeck then provided a summary of funding for City Hall Improvements. Mayor Haila asked if the funding would help cover the cost of the LED lighting replacement project planned for the corridors of City Hall. Assistant City Manager Vang Goldbeck replied in the affirmative, noting that the project was already underway. Finance Information Finance Director Corey Goodenow concluded with a review of the City’s debt limit, projection of debt capacity, and debt capacity comparison. Mayor Haila inquired about Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and the impact on the City’s debt limit. Director Goodenow highlighted that TIF debt was not a factor for the debt capacity. He noted that should TIF be used to finance City projects, it would factor in as outstanding or proposed debt. City Manager Schainker concluded by reiterating that Public Input on the CIP would begin at the next regular City Council meeting with the Budget Wrap-Up meeting scheduled for the first regular meeting in February. DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL: Mayor Haila noted that there were no items for consideration. COUNCIL COMMENTS: Council Member Betcher shared her condolences after the recent passing of Dr. Barbara Woods, who was known to be a highly contributing member of the Ames community and former recipient of the Ames Humanitarian Award. Council Member Beatty-Hansen shared that attendance at the Ames/Story County Community Martin Luther King Day Celebration was great despite the cold weather, highlighting her gratitude to the organizing committee that coordinated the event. Council Member Gartin echoed that sentiment, giving special recognition to Housing Coordinator Vanessa Baker-Latimer for her leadership in putting the event together. Council Member Gartin also shared his gratitude for staff in preparing the CIP, thanking City Manager Schainker for his management of the process. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Betcher, seconded by Gartin, to adjourn the meeting at 8:59 p.m. Vote on Motion: 4-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. 10 __________________________________ ____________________________________ Carly M. Watson, Deputy City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor __________________________________ Renee Hall, City Clerk