HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - June 16, 2026, Special Meeting of the Ames City Council1
MINUTES OF THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA JUNE 16, 2026
The Ames Special City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor John Haila at 6:00
p.m. on the 16th day of June 2026, 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 and Anita Rollins. Council Member Rachel Junck joined
the meeting electronically.
SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE ON ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT FOR
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADU)(UPDATED ORDINANCE LANGUAGE
REFLECTING MOTION MADE ON JUNE 9, 2026): Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Junck,
to pass on second reading an ordinance on Zoning Text Amendment for Accessory Dwelling
Units (ADU) (updated ordinance language reflecting Motion made on June 9, 2026).
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
WORKSHOP ON CONSTRUCTION DELIVERY METHODS: Assistant City Manager Brian
Phillips introduced the workshop, explaining that representatives from three construction
firms had been invited to present their expertise on different construction delivery methods
applicable to public vertical infrastructure projects. He emphasized that no action was being
requested; the session was purely informational to help the City Council become better
informed as the City prepares for several significant upcoming projects. The Mayor noted
that no public input would be taken during the workshop.
The following panelists presented:
• Brandon Griffin, De Novo Construction Solutions — Owner's Representative /
Construction Advisor Model
• Mike Espeset, Story Construction — Construction Manager as Agent (CMa) Model
• Art Baumgartner and Grant Reimers, Woodruff Construction — Construction
Manager at Risk (CMaR) Model
Brandon Griffin, Denovo Construction Solutions, described the Owner's Representative,
Construction Advisor as an independent professional retained by the owner to assist
throughout the project delivery process — from design and procurement through construction
and closeout. Key functions included constructability and procurement input, support budget
and schedule management, and assistance with change management and project closeout.
Mike Espeset, Story Construction, provided a comparative overview of design-bid-build
(DBB) versus the Construction Manager as Agent model, noting that CMa has been available
in Iowa for decades and was well understood in the public sector. A key distinction of CMa
was that the construction manager was brought on during the design phase — not after plans
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were complete — enabling early preconstruction services such as budgeting, estimating,
value engineering, and constructability review.
Art Baumgartner and Grant Reimers, Woodruff Construction, presented the CMaR model,
noting that it was authorized in Iowa through the passage of Chapter 26A of the Iowa Code
in 2022 and remained relatively new in the state. Like CMa, the CMaR was engaged early in
the design phase to provide preconstruction services. The key distinctions were that: (1) the
CMaR held a single contract with the owner and held all subcontracts, meaning the owner
held only one contractual point of contact; (2) the CMaR delivers a Guaranteed Maximum
Price (GMP) contract, which included allowances and contingencies and establishes both a
price ceiling and a substantial completion date; and (3) the CMaR managed a formal
subcontractor pre-qualification process governed by Iowa Code, allowing subcontractors to
be evaluated on objective criteria such as safety ratings, financial capacity, and project
experience before being permitted to bid.
The City Council Members engaged in robust discussion with presenters.
DISPOSITIONS OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL: Mayor Haila noted that there was
one item for consideration, Staff Report request from Lightedge to consider Data Center
Development on Airport Property.
Moved by Betcher, seconded by Rollins, to ask staff for a memo as soon as possible,
evaluating whether there are any legal means available to limit the construction or operation
of data centers in designated zones.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Rollins, to place Lightedge data center proposal on June 23,
2026, City Council agenda as an informational staff presentation on the airport site, with no
public input and no action taken.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Gartin, to schedule a special meeting to let the public
speak on data center concerns.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
COUNCIL COMMENTS: The Mayor and City Council Members reported on various events
attended, upcoming meetings, community events, and items of interest.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Betcher, seconded by Corrieri, to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 p.m.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Renee Hall, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor