Waverly City Council approves ordinances, contracts and bonds; tables riverfront investigation

WAVERLY, Iowa — The Waverly City Council on Monday approved a package of ordinances, resolutions, equipment purchases and bond-sale procedures and set a May 5 public hearing on a zoning change, while agreeing to table additional riverfront design work for further clarification.

The routine but broad slate of actions included the first reading of a revised building code; rezoning and accessory-structure ordinance readings; final adoption of updated parking fines; vendor contracts for streets and utilities work; purchase approval for a heavy-duty truck; and authorization to advertise $10,215,000 in general obligation bonds, series 2025A. Most votes were unanimous.

Taken together, the actions advance several infrastructure and administrative projects the city has been planning this year while deferring expanded riverfront design costs until the council has more detail.

Council members and staff noted the meeting included several items tied to the city's housing and infrastructure priorities: updates to the municipal building code to align with the county's 2024 International Code adoption; a zoning map amendment parcel hearing set for May 5; and multiple public-works contracts intended to improve water main reliability and street surface repairs.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 25-54: Conveyance of real property to Prime Development Properties LLC for $1 (and other buyer obligations). Motion: "I move approval of resolution 25 dash 54." Outcome: approved by roll call, unanimous (6-0). (Public hearing was opened and closed with no public comments.)

- Ordinance 1165 (first reading): Repeal and replacement of Chapter 90 (building code) to align with current county code. Motion: first reading approved. Outcome: roll call approval to move forward (unanimous).

- Ordinance 1166 (first reading and set public hearing): Rezoning parcel ID 1007101027 to R-2 residential; public hearing set for 05/05/2025 at 7:00 p.m. Motion: "Move to approve the first reading...and setting 05/05/2025 ... as the date, time, and place for a public hearing." Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Ordinance 1167 (first reading and set public hearing): Amend accessory building and breezeway requirements (pools and decks). Motion: first reading approved and public hearing set for 05/05/2025. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Ordinance 1163 (third and final reading): Amend parking fines (Section 105.40.11). Motion: "move to approve the third and final reading of ordinance 11 63." Outcome: adopted (unanimous).

- Resolution 25-55: Approve plat of survey for Parcel ZZ at 2203 East Bremer (Crowell Inc.). Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Resolution 25-56: Approve change order #1 with Steggy Construction for City Hall wall project, increase $2,049. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Resolution 25-57: Approve agreement with HRS surveying for parks maintenance building parking/driveway project, not to exceed $8,000. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Resolution 25-58: Approve proposal from HRS surveying to prepare a water main easement along the western boundary of Lenoir Estates, amount $1,500. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Resolution 25-59: Award citywide asphalt patching Spring 2025 to Klussner Construction, bid $14,231.50. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Resolution 25-60: Approve purchase of 2026 Freightliner cab-and-chassis package from Don's Truck Sales for $250,625 less trade-in of $50,000. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Resolution 25-61: Amend design services contract with Slingshot Architecture and Bolton & Menk to investigate riverfront/hydroelectric portion and possibilities upstream and downstream. Council debate focused on scope and cost; council voted to table the amendment to the May 5 meeting for additional scope clarity. Outcome: tabled to May 5 (roll call unanimous in favor of tabling).

- Resolution 25-62: Professional services contract with Martin Gardner Architecture/Bartner Architecture (listed in packet) for assessment of golf course clubhouse facility, $13,200. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Resolution 25-63: Direct advertisement for sale of $10,215,000 general obligation bonds, series 2025A; approve electronic bidding procedures and official statement. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Mayoral appointment: Pete Fuller to the Planning and Zoning Commission, term ending 05/01/2030. Outcome: approved by voice vote (unanimous).

What the votes mean now

Several of the approved items move to implementation steps with department staff: the water-main easement work will allow a future water-main loop to reduce long dead-end runs and improve service reliability for schools and the industrial area; the HRS surveying agreements are small step contracts to support parking and easement documentation; the truck purchase and asphalt patching award cover scheduled fleet and pavement maintenance work; and adoption of updated building and zoning code language pushes forward planning and permitting alignment with Bremer County.

Council directions and next steps

- Staff will return with further scope and cost detail on the Slingshot/Bolton & Menk amendment at the May 5 meeting after council members requested clearer separation of engineering (borings, structural) from additional site-design and visual-concept work.

- The zoning amendment (Ordinance 1166) will have a public hearing on May 5; residents can comment at that hearing.

- Staff noted several contract items will be funded or paired with previously approved bond or project funds (water tower bond proceeds and prior bond allocations were referenced for the water main work).

Speakers listed in this article: Mayor; Carla (city clerk); Paige Yoder (administrator); Councilperson Myers; Councilperson Kangas; Councilperson Jones; Councilperson Bergen; Councilperson Wolf; Councilperson Raffi; Justin (public works/staff). Direct quotes and roll-call outcomes in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript.

Ending

Most items were routine and moved ahead with unanimous council support. The council specifically delayed additional riverfront design and investigation spending to give members time to pin down the precise engineering tasks they want performed before committing to the expanded scope and associated costs.