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Ames council actions, contract awards and appointments at Feb. 25 meeting
Summary
At the Feb. 25 meeting the Ames City Council and the AIMS conference board approved publication of the proposed assessor budget, conducted multiple construction-contract awards, certified tax-abatement eligibility for 24 single-family applications under the URA program and made appointments and procedural changes.
At its Feb. 25 meeting the Ames City Council and AIMS conference board recorded multiple procedural motions, contract awards and appointments. Key outcomes:
- Assessor budget: The conference board received and approved publication of the proposed FY2025-26 assessor budget and set the public hearing for March 11, 2025. (See separate article for the assessor's report.)
- Reappointment: Gail Johnston was reappointed to the Board of Review (term effective Jan. 1, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2031).
- Mini conference board: The conference board voted to discontinue the mini conference board following staff recommendation.
- Tax-abatement eligibility (citywide URA): Staff recommended 24 of 25 property-tax-statement applications meet eligibility for the citywide urban-revitalization-area (URA) single-family incentives; the council certified 24 properties as eligible and directed the one outlier (purchaser not owner by Feb. 1) to reapply in 2026.
- Contracts and construction awards: The council approved multiple project contracts after public hearings on bids, including: * Jackson Contracting LLC awarded the College Creek bank stabilization contract (~$95,143.17). * All Star Concrete LLC awarded the Arterial Street pavement improvement project (Highland Ave) contract (~$1,696,869.05). * Howe Reconstruction awarded the Skunk River shared-use path expansion contract (~$249,649.25).
- Planning and zoning: The council advanced, on first consideration with condition, the rezoning and master plan for an 18.6-acre West Ames site proposed for a church campus (applicant must submit a revised traffic analysis for phased access before final approval). The public hearing on a townhouse-building-type zoning amendment was continued to March 11 for staff language revisions.
- Other routine items: Several easement vacations and minor ordinances (manager duties/delegations) moved through the reading process as listed on the agenda. Staff was asked to prepare memos on notice/courtesy-notice practices and on barriers to enforcing existing camping/obstruction ordinances; the council also asked staff to provide updates on federal funding disruptions affecting city programs.
Ending: The meeting concluded after a closed session that authorized selected settlement and acquisition follow-ups (motions approved in closed session were recorded publicly on return to open session). Council adjourned following additional roll-call votes to implement those closed-session directions.
