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Home My WebLink About~Master - December 2025 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 DECEMBER 2025 MONTHLY PROJECTHIGHLIGHTS FIRE Building Code Updates: The City of Ames adopts nationally recognized codes that regulate building construction and trade work. Currently adopted are the following: • 2015 International Building Code • 2015 International Residential Code • 2015 International Existing Building Code • 2015 International Fire Code • 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code • 2021 International Mechanical Code • 2020 National Electric Code In September of 2025, the State of Iowa adopted newer editions of the above codes. Historically, the City follows suit with the State so that contractors state-wide can operate under the same regulations. The State of Iowa prohibits local jurisdictions from enforcing plumbing, mechanical, and electrical standards that are less restrictive than the State Code. Therefore, at minimum, the City must adopt the same plumbing, mechanical , and electrical codes as the State. City staff is currently reviewing the new editions and is scheduled to present any significant changes to the Ames Home Builders Association on January 9, 2026. An open house will also be scheduled in January so that contractors have an opportunity to lear n about the changes and ask questions. Feedback from these events and a request to adopt the newest editions will be presented to the City Council in January. 2 LIBRARY Ames Repair Café: The next Ames Repair Café is coming up Saturday, January 17, at Ames Public Library. Drop in between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and volunteers will help repair broken items to give them a longer life cycle. Items for repair must be at the Library by 1:30 p.m. There is no charge for repairs at the Repair Café. Find out more at https://www.amespubliclibrary.org/event/RepairCafe0126 . Dementia Friendly Library: Ames Public Library has been designated as a Dementia Friendly Organization after staff took the training program in November. Starting in January, the Library will host a free Dementia Caregiver Support Group on the 4th Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. The January 22 event will focus on compassionate redirection. Memory Project Exhibit: Ames Public Library is once again displaying portraits created by Ames High School students for the Memory Project. Art students at Ames High School used reference photos of children from Cambodia to create portraits so that they can send a message of kindness, respect, and encouragement. 3 These portraits will be on display in the Library's entryway through January. Then they will be delivered to the children who inspired the artwork. Social Services at the Library: Several local organizations hold regular “office hours” at the Library, giving community members a convenient location to connect with social services. • Community and Family Resources: o 1st Wednesday of each month from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. o 3rd Wednesday of each month from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. • Heartland of Story County: o 1st Tuesday of each month from 10:00 a.m. – 12 p.m. • Iowa Aging and Disability Center: o 2nd Thursday of each month from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. o 4th Thursday of each month from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. • Mary Greeley Medical Center Behavioral Health: o Mondays from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. • Optimae Life Services: o 1st and 3rd Friday of each month from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. • Unity Point Health Community Mental Health Services: o Thursdays from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. 4 PARKS & RECREATION Adult Programs & Activities: The fall indoor volleyball league concluded this month, with 49 teams competing and champions crowned in six divisions. The adult basketball league is halfway through its season, with 13 teams participating. Registration is open for the winter indoor volleyball league, which currently has 60 teams registered. New partnerships have been established with Harvest Pickleball and Bluestem Boulder, with programming set to begin next month. Daley Park Splash Pad Project: TK Concrete, Pella, Iowa, mobilized a crew to start digging and pouring the footings for the mechanical building for the Daley Park Splash Pad. This winter, staff will construct the structure that will house the filters, disinfection equipment, pumps, and pipe manifold for the splash pad. TK Concrete will begin grading the site for the splash pad in April, with completion of the splash pad by June 1, 2026. East River Valley Park Cross Country Ski Trail Grooming: With the snow events that took place in late November and early December, staff groomed the trails for cross country skiing. Trails are groomed for classical and skating styles of skiing. Grooming will continue when snow conditions are favorable for skiing. Sta ff will post on social media and the City’s website when grooming has been completed. Homewood Golf Course: Homewood Clubhouse card leagues concluded in mid- December. The euchre league had 24 participants, morning cribbage had 16 participants, and evening cribbage had 18 participants. A new session of euchre and cribbage will begin in mid-January. On Saturday, December 6, Santa visited Homewood Clubhouse for Homewood for the Holidays. Thirty-one children had the opportunity to take photos and talk with Santa, complete crafts, and enjoy a light breakfast. Homewood Golf Course Hole Nine Improvements: Staff completed a pre-construction meeting with representatives of Con-Struct, Ames Iowa, for this project. The project includes the removal of the pedestrian bridge on hole nine and installing a new crossing 5 that will include a culvert and a concrete path for golf carts and golfers that are walking. Also included as part of the project is stabilization along the banks of the ravine that bisects hole nine. Con-Struct has not identified a start date for the project, but completion will be in mid-March, in time for the 2026 season. Ice Arena: The Ames/ISU Ice Arena is happy to announce several new facility upgrades designed to enhance experience and comfort for spectators and players: As recommended in the City’s facility energy audit, a shade was installed in the stairwell window to decrease localized ice melt on the ice sheet from direct sunlight. This work was completed in early December. A larger three compartment sink with extendable faucet hose was installed in the concession area. This upgrade provides an improved work environment for staff to clean and sanitize equipment used for serving concessions during events and activities. The annual Winter Figure Skating Showcase, organized and conducted by the Ames Figure Skating Club, took place on December 14. The showcase was a wonderful celebration of skill, artistry, and dedication of the skaters. Park Maintenance Facility Expansion Project: King Construction, Iowa Falls, Iowa, is continuing to make progress on the Park Maintenance Facility Expansion Project. The break room renovation in the main park shop is almost complete, as the epoxy floors and painting were recently completed. Yet to be installed and commissioned is the HVAC system. Construction of the walls of the new cold storage building has started and will continue through the middle of January. The goal is to have the project completed by the end of January 2026. 6 Tree Pruning: Staff has started annual tree pruning within the parks. The goal is to prune every tree within the maintained areas of the parks every five years. For FY 2025/26, staff will be pruning the trees in Franklin, Gateway, Lloyd Kurtz, Calhoun, Emma McCarthy Lee, O’Neil, and Old Town Parks. Additionally, staff has been removing volunteer trees along the banks of the lake at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. The goal is to remove the trees along the banks that impede the view of the water. This work will continue over the winter months. Wellness: Free drop-in fitness classes were held at the Community Center and the Sixty Forward Center over the holiday break, December 26–January 4. The classes were open to the public. A total of 44 classes were offered at both facilities, and donations of one to two cans of nonperishable food per participant for the local food bank were accepted. Youth Programs & Activities: The K-2 basketball program concluded its fall session this month. Participation was strong and parent feedback was positive. The third/fourth grade and fifth/sixth grade basketball teams compete in the Central Iowa Recreation League (CIRL) and play games against surrounding communities. The fifth/sixth grade boys team will participate in an end-of-season tournament in Nevada at the end of December. Tennis, dance, and gymnastics sessions also concluded this month, with new sessions beginning in January.