Waterloo council adopts housing plans, awards multiple contracts and orders ballpark feasibility study

The Waterloo City Council approved a package of plans, contracts and funding measures at its regular meeting, adopting the Waterloo Housing Authority’s five‑year plan and administrative rules, awarding multiple local contracts for abatement, janitorial and maintenance services, authorizing development incentives for infill housing, and directing a feasibility study on whether to renovate Riverfront Stadium or build a new ballpark.

The housing action was a formal adoption of the Waterloo Housing Authority’s five‑year annual plan, the 2025 administrative plan and the 2025–2029 Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP). Lakeisha Beasley, executive director of the Waterloo Housing Authority, said the plans govern how the agency administers programs such as the Housing Choice Voucher program and manages Ridgeway Towers, the authority’s public housing for older adults. “These plans cover the programs that we provide…the administrative plan outlines what we will be doing,” Beasley said.

Council members also authorized several construction and service contracts. The council awarded an asbestos‑abatement contract to All Star Environmental of Dubuque for $26,883 for work at three properties identified in the bid packet (listed in the vote record). City planner Eric Schroeder told council All Star is a newer contractor but that the city had used them on multiple projects and that prior project issues were not determined to be All Star’s fault. Two of the properties to be abated are owned by Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity; the council will use nuisance‑abatement funds for those, Schroeder said, while one property identified for abatement is city‑owned and will be paid from TIF funds.

The council approved a janitorial contract for the Waterloo Regional Airport with Perfection PWS of Hopkins, Minn., at $6,500 per month for regular service plus alternates for window washing and carpet/tile cleaning. It also awarded a levy riprap spraying contract to Landmark Turf Services for $54,208 and approved additional professional and equipment purchases: a GIS digitization contract with the University of Northern Iowa GeoTree Center not to exceed $9,585; HDPE liner materials and repair work with Clean Air and Water Systems not to exceed $19,950; and engineering services with Strand Associates for $40,000 for a collection‑systems operation project.

Council approval included two development agreements with Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity to build single‑family infill homes. The agreements include $5,000 infill incentives for each lot and acquisition or reimbursement fees of $4,900 and $5,850 respectively. Noel Anderson, community planning and development director, said the infill incentives are an ARPA‑funded program to help acquire empty lots for affordable home construction.

Council members approved a city‑state funding agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation for RISE funding of $2,272,935 toward the Dakota Drive extension project, with a city local match of $1,515,290; and they approved a funding agreement with Black Hawk County for the Donald Street resurfacing project in the approximate amount of $612,984.11. The council also authorized steps to offer general obligation bonds (a proposed $5,315,000 issue and a taxable $685,000 issue) and approved a sewer revenue reissuance and related loan forgiveness arrangement, which includes $162,532 of loan forgiveness under state programs.

On a separate item, the council authorized a professional services agreement with AECOM, not to exceed $59,700, to perform a feasibility study comparing renovation of Riverfront Stadium to construction of a new ballpark. Todd Deerfield, interim leisure‑services director, said Riverfront Stadium — built in 1946 — needs structural repairs estimated at about $5.4 million and that the study will help determine whether rebuilding outside the flood plain is fiscally prudent. “Before we would want to put anything like that amount of money back into a flood plain, we certainly would want to make sure we’re making the fiscally right decision,” Deerfield said.

The meeting also confirmed several appointments to boards and city positions, received and filed a series of public hearings (including those for asbestos abatement and airport janitorial services), and approved routine consent items and three bills‑payment batches included in the consent agenda.

Votes at a glance

- Adopted: Resolution approving the Waterloo Housing Authority five‑year annual plan, 2025 administrative plan and 2025–2029 ACOP — outcome: approved (roll call recorded as affirmative by council). Funding: primarily HUD federal funds, as stated by the housing authority executive director.

- Approved: Award asbestos abatement contract AB2025‑03‑03P to All Star Environmental (Dubuque) — amount: $26,883 — outcome: approved. Funding sources: nuisance abatement funds for two Habitat properties; TIF funds for one city‑owned property.

- Approved: Award janitorial services contract for Waterloo Regional Airport to Perfection PWS (Hopkins, Minn.) — regular service $6,500/month; alternates: window washing and carpet/tile cleaning as bid — outcome: approved.

- Approved: Levy riprap spraying contract to Landmark Turf Services LLC — amount: $54,208 — outcome: approved.

- Approved: Professional GIS digitization services with University of Northern Iowa (GeoTree Center) — not to exceed $9,585 — outcome: approved.

- Approved: Purchase agreement with Clean Air and Water Systems for HDPE liner materials/repairs — not to exceed $19,950 — outcome: approved.

- Approved: Professional services agreement with Strand Associates for collection‑systems operations — $40,000 — outcome: approved.

- Approved: Two development agreements with Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity for infill single‑family homes — incentives: $5,000 per lot; acquisition/reimbursement fees: $4,900 and $5,850 — outcome: approved. Funding source: ARPA‑dedicated infill acquisitions, per city staff.

- Approved: City–state RISE funding agreement with Iowa DOT for Dakota Drive extension — RISE amount: $2,272,935; city local contribution: $1,515,290 — outcome: approved.

- Approved: Agreement with Black Hawk County for Donald Street resurfacing — estimated amount: $612,984.11 — outcome: approved.

- Authorized: Advertisement and related procedures for sale of general obligation bonds — proposed series 2025C ($5,315,000 subject to adjustment) and series 2025D (taxable $685,000 subject to adjustment) — outcome: approved.

- Authorized: Reissuance of sewer revenue capital loan note series 2022D and related loan forgiveness measures (sewer RSRF) including $162,532 in loan forgiveness — outcome: approved.

- Authorized: Professional services agreement with AECOM for a ballpark feasibility study — not to exceed $59,700 — outcome: approved.

- Approved: Personnel action — notice of conclusion of employment for Beverly Cosby, housing coordinating coordinator, effective 03/12/2025, and payout of $711.48 for unused benefits as recommended — outcome: approved. Council discussion clarified that a vote of “no” on the item would have withheld the payout and not confirmed the employment conclusion; staff indicated HR follow‑up is available for personnel concerns.

What council discussed beyond votes

- Housing: Lakeisha Beasley said the housing authority’s plans ensure compliance with HUD and align the authority’s work with citywide housing priorities; she described the ACOP as the policy for public housing leasing and operations.

- Asbestos abatement: City planner Eric Schroeder noted the low successful bid ($26,883) and said two properties are owned by Habitat and one is city‑owned; funding will come from nuisance‑abatement funds and TIF respectively.

- Infill housing: Noel Anderson said the $5,000 infill incentive is a new ARPA‑funded initiative to acquire empty lots for affordable houses and that the acquisition amounts align with assessed values for the properties Habitat proposes to develop.

- Ballpark feasibility: Todd Deerfield explained that needed repairs at Riverfront Stadium were estimated at roughly $5.4 million and that the AECOM study will evaluate whether renovating in a flood plain is prudent compared with building a new facility at an alternate site.

What happens next

City staff will execute contracts and return for any required follow‑up approvals and contract signatures. The AECOM study will proceed under the authorized professional services agreement, and staff indicated further public updates will follow as study work and project development progress. The personnel payout and any related HR matters may receive separate review per staff guidance in the meeting.

(See the meeting record for full roll calls, bid tabulations and contract identifiers.)