[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6040221,"mediaKeyId","3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1","parentId",3763955,"title","City engineers outline $131M Catfish Creek sanitary upgrades, Old Mill lift station under construction","audioSeconds",7840,"startMs",8979000,"endMs",16819000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1&start=8979&end=16819","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1/thumbnail_8979000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6040221/Dubuque-City/Dubuque-County/Iowa/City-engineers-outline-131M-Catfish-Creek-sanitary-upgrades-Old-Mill-lift-station-under-construction","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6040221-88612e2059fec3c4cc1162121eeb0f93/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199922&Signature=OmwTyGbyFpI2NQcIUll84lOxnvhNmY5fVkDnhjb3WKtyQjhddsZ7WTPRIDNMcwEGEe-Qgzykej~lKAv8LX-DSPTWakGiGITjxf0~GGgIMiREbAXOY1gN7N0qQBJ~waM7tuOykte0tUy2uuIoqHmB6q9AsryantZ-RTalnZcWUi3gz5j2gwVtLUHemR7x~BuyoACOpguYpzXPcby4~QHBDFBtZHGIsj7Xv9vAx8ctBYtyGWCQvvG1IdDEh8nUL9OTBtk0tWP0tYWaiwakSb6AjFmtHBUwXA7XZ2zRoio5p4M0DrSH974Z801hACNxCUPRmIcSsAfp94F4OT5dNPKDqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Dubuque","date","2025-04-25T00:00:00Z","article","DUBUQUE, Iowa — City engineers described a multi-year capital program Thursday that includes an ongoing Old Mill Road lift-station replacement, planned Catfish Creek interceptor upsizes and other sanitary and stormwater investments intended to reduce infiltration and support growth in the city’s southern service areas.

Why it matters: Engineering staff told the City Council the work is needed to reduce wet‑weather overflows, improve system resiliency and create capacity for future development. The city has combined technical modeling, flow-meter data and capital planning to sequence projects so that improvements come online before new development increases peak loads in the same parts of the system.

Gus Ahoye, city engineer, and Max O’Brien, environmental engineer, said the city’s sanitary system includes roughly 300 miles of gravity main and about 22 lift stations, with approximately 20% of gravity mains older than 100 years. An asset-management effort underway established a hydraulic model, deployed new flow meters and produced risk-based prioritization for repairs and upsizes.

Old Mill lift station and short-term measures: The Old Mill lift station replacement is under construction and will deliver substantially increased pumping capacity when complete; the station includes multiple large pumps and onsite backup generation. Construction started in early 2025 and the contractor expects substantial completion by mid‑2027, with an EDA grant and other federal/state funding comprising a major portion of the project’s financing. City staff and consultants modeled scenarios to estimate how much additional capacity would be available when the new station enters service.

Catfish Creek interceptor program: Staff described planned upsizes in the Catfish Creek system that will add deeper, larger mains to replace 12‑ to 18‑inch lines where those pipes act as bottlenecks. Max O’Brien told the council the planned improvements include roughly four miles of upsized interceptor and associated lift‑station and conveyance work; combined program costs for the Catfish Creek-related sanitary work and associated stormwater investments were presented in the meeting as roughly $131 million over the coming five years.

Staff emphasized phased, data-driven sequencing: engineers said they have used new flow data to distinguish wet‑weather inflow and infiltration from other causes of high flow; the model helped identify the Middle Fork and South Fork reaches as high‑priority areas where flow rates and transient loads exceed existing conveyance capacity. The city has submitted SRF planning/design loan applications for individual interceptor phases and anticipates those funds to appear on the state’s intended use plan in mid‑2025.

Other system work and funding: Engineers listed multiple related sanitary projects — replacements, CCTV inspections, manhole and pipe repairs — and noted that CCTV-driven repair work uncovered roughly $350,000 of defects per year that are cost‑effective to repair proactively rather than as emergencies. Granger Creek lift‑station upgrades, Schmidt Island sanitary repairs and stormwater basin and pump improvements were also described.

Council members praised the department’s planning approach and asked for more details; City Manager Mike Van Milligen told the council the city has already met with the Iowa DNR on connection policy in the affected sewersheds and is working with developers, existing large users and federal and state grant programs to sequence capacity additions and minimize impacts.

Engineer Gus Ahoye summarized the program by comparing the project to other transformational infrastructure efforts in Dubuque’s history and said the combined improvements will be crucial to the city’s long‑term growth and resiliency. The meeting transcript records no final funding decisions on the Catfish Creek work on Thursday; staff said SRF and grant-funded steps are imminent and that additional council actions will follow as individual projects reach procurement or contracting stages.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Dubuque FY 2026 Budget Meeting #7 | April 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Engineering staff presented a multiyear schedule of sanitary sewer and stormwater projects, including an underway Old Mill lift station and planned Catfish Creek interceptor upsizes aimed at alleviating wet-weather capacity constraints and supporting future development.","taxTitle","Dubuque City, Dubuque County, Iowa","taxId",4967,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6040226,"Dubuque transportation staff outlines electric bus, ridership gains and smart-parking plans",221,5836000,6057000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1&start=5836&end=6057","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1/thumbnail_5836000.jpg","/articles/6040226/Dubuque-City/Dubuque-County/Iowa/Dubuque-transportation-staff-outlines-electric-bus-ridership-gains-and-smart-parking-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6040226-d203fb193ff7718e252a769ac933ad3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199922&Signature=nFQBzTdSLtRdYTEfarzBXx14RYGf58nuku3Plz7-7FCBLSGdJrnUyDDECp2nJrrJ5UUQ~OIvASfY7WhurF0eFzvXx77EbJXw8HfsLg4PDKnZ1irZ041ZSOcayUzfYpH83hBnWMsrRtvp0uvi8F7WPYeZsfGTALtl1MKBg4dsk-ZDJDum9zcGBzDuesH8zHqd337V0VD7~hQohHyMQl3V4NkS1tnpa3eP0w0DFjliTgabMEG1Wps-WsOeQap-Adr7sR-dra4bFc86vM68Cakif64nbHXqEMyFqM9gv5IOZcGfIzOtIE95niMzFuh6NOwBRpQMx7VhFFxUMc4vGHe6-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","DUBUQUE, Iowa — Transportation Services presented its FY 2026 budget Thursday, telling the Dubuque City Council the department plans to put its first full-size electric bus into service next winter, continue smart-parking and mobility planning, and pursue federal funds to add buses while the system’s ridership recovers.

Why it matters: Transit and parking are revenue-supported services that help residents access jobs and services and influence economic development downtown. Staff asked the council to continue modest property-tax support for transit while the department advances capital lifecycle work and parking-system modernization.

Ryan Nucky, director of transportation services, outlined department priorities and a multi-year capital program. “Our buses run 6 days a week,” Nucky said, noting that the city’s fixed-route and paratransit services cover the city, run transfer locations and maintain shelters and stops. He said the department operates 13 light- and 16 heavy-duty buses, 15 bus shelters and roughly 280 bus stops.

Ridership trends and partnerships: Nucky reported ridership gains of roughly 60,000 rides when comparing FY 2022 to FY 2024 and said paratransit ridership had dipped in recent years but shows signs of rebound. He noted continued partnership with DuRide, a volunteer-based transportation nonprofit; Greg Orwell, DuRide’s executive director, told the council the nonprofit expects about 10,700 rides in the current month and said DuRide’s volunteers have driven nearly 1.5 million miles since their start.

Transit capital and grants: Transportation staff reported a received federal award to add electric buses and said one fully electric bus is on order and expected to arrive in late 2025 or early 2026, with charging infrastructure scheduled for installation. Nucky said two more buses were funded through FTA awards, and he described planning grants the department is pursuing for mobility management.

Smart parking and on-street modernization: Staff described moving to modern pay systems downtown and deploying an RFP for on-street meters, kiosk systems and mobile app options. Nucky said only two of six revenue-producing ramps currently have fully functioning pay equipment and that the city will begin staging upgrades and communications to ramp users. He estimated a parking-rates capital-maintenance package of about $2.8 million for ramp upkeep in FY 2026 and said parking operations are funded largely from TIF and enterprise revenues rather than property tax.

Safety and operations: Nucky said the department is investing in training, de-escalation and camera coverage on buses and in ramps. He highlighted ongoing work to coordinate with schools on bus safety and said the transit team is evaluating adding part-time bus attendants for high-volume periods; a proposed improvement package was not funded this year.

Council questions covered Medicaid-funded rides on minibuses (staff said the city processes eligibility paperwork and that Medicaid can cover qualifying medical rides), credit-card convenience fees for on-street payments, and how transit planning will engage planning and housing departments on new residential developments. Nucky said those conversations are ongoing and that the department plans to use a forthcoming mobility-management plan alongside the East–West Corridor and other infrastructure projects.

No votes on the Transportation Services budget were recorded in the transcript. Staff said they will bring RFPs and specific capital projects back to the council as they develop.","Transportation Services presented FY 2026 budget highlights including one incoming electric bus, federal grants for two additional buses, a smart-parking RFP, rising ridership and continued partnership with volunteer transit provider DoRide.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6040230,"Multicultural Family Center cites rising attendance, new director and paid staff requests in FY 2026 presentation",1556,3641000,5197000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1&start=3641&end=5197","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1/thumbnail_3641000.jpg","/articles/6040230/Dubuque-City/Dubuque-County/Iowa/Multicultural-Family-Center-cites-rising-attendance-new-director-and-paid-staff-requests-in-FY-2026-presentation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6040230-894b425fc3194ab7fb6c7c8dfdb3c3df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199922&Signature=AxGmOoK4WktiBsax58drJ-ZTB5NsYv69X0rCVCQuoH46QwyAIvjuKeTFViwdZDab5Cis8FfM2hc-n52a1RnXRA6jPt~70eTlcsjutl-I2Wvnn7vEdE3cuwYBMfRSYuJh6a06Brjpj4HBwtjtn0IafH8t0yATkvzTsBVYNCDgOjuCRLk~sOLM-cvL289Ath555BEaWSuJ4dRDqoE~VhyqWpfLIpJO-yzxoiPdInb-PfNVvi9rp2FAZWV9nVa7MSKkXSSjDHgxKHQTv4rumwoiTrl3~E9a~BVhae6Xfjpg8c5Avimrx6b3k6KMW2-Jc0k2PsgMSnw7f-pt-q9wUpg~fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Multicultural Family Center told the Dubuque City Council Thursday that attendance and community programming have increased since the center’s reorganization, and the center’s executive director outlined program growth and a request for additional staff.

LaMetra Murdock, the MFC’s executive director, described the center as a nonprofit partner that the city supports with building space and management services. “We are a community where everyone is valued and supported,” Murdock said, and repeatedly framed the center’s work around four pillars: adult programs, cultural celebrations, youth programming and family activities.

Why it matters: Council members said the MFC is a visible point of contact between the city and diverse communities and praised the center’s role in connecting residents to services, education and volunteer opportunities.

Murdock described programs ranging from line-dancing and workforce-readiness classes to an expanded teen empowerment curriculum. She told the council the center distributed about 10,050 toys to 3,500 children during a December “Toys for Tots” effort that relied on roughly 150 volunteers. The center also reported serving 5,168 participants across 20 events in 2024 and aims to host 25 events and reach 5,200 participants in 2025.

Murdock said programming has broadened to include entrepreneurship support, culturally focused events (including a recent master cooking class) and community safety work that brings officers of color together with residents. “People may not remember what you said… but they remember how you made them feel,” Murdock quoted Maya Angelou and used that phrase to emphasize the center’s role as a welcoming space.

Several board members spoke in favor of the center during the public hearing. Marlene Waller, a board member, told the council she had prioritized expanding adult programming and praised the center’s increase in adult offerings, including line-dancing and financial literacy. Longtime board member Claudette Beese urged neighborhood participation and invited residents to the center’s free classes.

Council members praised the center’s growth and asked about needs. The center requested a part-time summer teen empowerment supervisor and a full-time staff addition to manage higher attendance and program planning; Councilmember Farber specifically asked staff to follow up on a requested position tied to teen programming. Councilmember Jones noted the jump in program participation and urged continued support.

Murdock said the MFC is a nonprofit that partners with the city for facilities and with many community organizations for programming. She also said the center continues to pursue funding, ramps up volunteer recruitment and expects the key hotel and amphitheater projects on Schmidt Island to increase regional visitation and demand for MFC services.

The council held a public hearing on the MFC FY 2026 budget during the session; no appropriation vote was recorded in the meeting transcript. Councilmembers said they would track the center’s staffing needs and metrics as the council finalizes budget decisions.

Transcript evidence for the MFC presentation appears where LaMetra Murdock introduced the center’s mission and again at the public hearing and council Q&A.","The Multicultural Family Center (MFC) told the Dubuque City Council that attendance and program participation rose in 2024, and staff requested continued city support and an additional staff position to meet growing demand.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6040234,"Dubuque council hears details of new Office of Community Impact, including AmeriCorps, volunteer and fine-and-fee pilot programs",2587,109000,2696000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1&start=109&end=2696","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3763955-eb8b9110463e60323142f025a990abd1/thumbnail_109000.jpg","/articles/6040234/Dubuque-City/Dubuque-County/Iowa/Dubuque-council-hears-details-of-new-Office-of-Community-Impact-including-AmeriCorps-volunteer-and-fine-and-fee-pilot-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6040234-775b385d2fe687de2ccd4fd52a3aef95/orig.mp4?Expires=1771199922&Signature=hXEd5g2L25ISKZRxf1Fy1uREfz4DVO~XjkEOhdUAiTODIUUnW81YzrYM6ni1AZHwzMfGRCgSm~DM5WQJH8jUd5plFtQ5jL1Xpv9rCgS8Ft9ZbcjzMgDZN63zPmTsCHl1FnHiUDj-4czZs7RwCQeU6rYgFJMlMfEimeQ36fPxJgNYBBHAlWNibKKfMgRMn9vAabQuMuEJEK8okj8mvykilIWHfWZ8FO5vq1szHSXXei34-Kp1QfghvayBOwJIPpG9gzmojIZgETLOUu6yuF5OeLr29GOdkGcUxuvuHMDzo8b0TlbcKhHPxxFpZO-zgG33~orHtwI-i2SeJ~OYvE9ciA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","DUBUQUE, Iowa — City staff described the Office of Community Impact’s FY 2026 budget and first-year results Thursday, telling the Dubuque City Council the new department has launched an AmeriCorps program, a volunteer-matching platform and a pilot program that helps residents reduce city utility fines and fees through approved service.

The presentation outlined three main program areas: AmeriCorps members who deliver social-emotional programming and other youth supports; Volunteer DBQ, a city–United Way platform to match volunteers with nonprofits; and the Community Impact Service Program, a pilot that converts unpaid municipal fines and utility fees into verified service hours.

Why it matters: Council members emphasized that the programs address basic needs, boost volunteer capacity for nonprofits and reduce financial instability that can lead to larger problems. Staff said the pilot program and volunteer investments are meant to be preventive and to expand the city’s capacity to serve residents who face short-term financial crises.

Antonio, who introduced the department and its mission, framed the work as “data driven, outcome focused” and said the department is built on a collective-impact model that ties AmeriCorps, community volunteering and diversion services together. Sarah Burna, who presented AmeriCorps performance data, said, “AmeriCorps members serve boots on the ground every day,” and pointed to pre/post assessments showing improvements on several social-emotional competencies after AmeriCorps interventions.

Staff displayed financial and program metrics for the AmeriCorps program: local partner investment reported at $177,000 last program year leveraged federal resources and produced an estimated community impact valued at roughly $679,000 when hours and professional development are included. Program-year-to-date local investment was $81,000 with roughly $200,000 of leveraged hours and services reported so far; staff said the numbers will rise as the summer portion of the program begins.

On volunteer management, Britney (Bridal/“Britney”) Hayes, community service and outreach coordinator, highlighted Volunteer DBQ’s growth: more than 5,500 registered users and 175 organizations on the platform, with 8,098 total community service hours submitted across several coordinated events last year. Hayes said the site also helped organizers record a spike in submitted hours when a local tax-assistance program reported volunteer time.

The Community Impact Service Program — described by Miranda Nolfre, community diversion prevention coordinator — is a pilot focused on City of Dubuque utility-billing accounts. Miranda said the program launched in January and, as of April, had received 50 applications, approved 35 households for participation, had 17 active households and 10 program completions. The city converts a household’s outstanding balance into service-hours using a standard hourly valuation ($28.88 per service hour), requires participants to perform a minimum of two service hours per week while enrolled, and connects residents to wraparound services such as financial coaching, discount utility billing and other city programs.

A resident who used the pilot, Kainde Tariq, told the council he had been connected to grief counseling and other supports while enrolled after a family tragedy led to missed bills: “They introduced me to so many different opportunities and, like, grief counseling and mental health counseling,” Tariq said during public comment.

Council members praised the department’s approach. Councilmember Rochelle called volunteering “an investment in your community and in yourself,” and Councilmember Farber said the “ripple effect” of stabilizing one household can have broad benefits for employment, childcare and neighborhood safety. Several members asked about scaling the pilot and whether similar programs exist elsewhere; Miranda said the team researched other communities and believes Dubuque’s proactive service-for-fines model is uncommon.

What’s next: Staff asked the council to consider modest FY 2026 funding for program expansion and administrative support — items that program leads said would help increase reach, support AmeriCorps member retention and add an administrative assistant to manage intake and operations. Miranda and program staff said they plan to scale outreach into Census Tract 5 and other areas with high delinquencies and to continue evaluating the pilot’s outcomes, including referrals to the discount utility billing program.

The council opened a public hearing on the Office of Community Impact budget during the same meeting; the city did not make a formal funding decision at the session, and no votes on the budget were recorded in the transcript. Council members asked staff to return with follow-up information on metrics and expansion plans.

Evidence of presentation and public comment for this topic appears in the meeting transcript beginning with the Office of Community Impact handoff to staff and ending after the public hearing and council discussion of the Office’s budget.","City staff described the Office of Community Impact’s first-year work and budget request for FY 2026, highlighting an AmeriCorps program, a volunteer-matching platform and a pilot Community Impact Service Program that lets residents perform service hours to reduce city utility fines and fees.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City engineers outline $131M Catfish Creek sanitary upgrades, Old Mill lift station under construction

Dubuque transportation staff outlines electric bus, ridership gains and smart-parking plans

Multicultural Family Center cites rising attendance, new director and paid staff requests in FY 2026 presentation

Dubuque council hears details of new Office of Community Impact, including AmeriCorps, volunteer and fine-and-fee pilot programs