Muscatine council adopts special assessments, pay-plan changes, infrastructure contracts and sets two public hearings

The Muscatine City Council on Jan. 16 approved a series of resolutions and procurement actions affecting code enforcement, personnel pay, infrastructure repair and upcoming zoning decisions.

The council unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing special assessments for unpaid abatement service fees and rental-housing fees on private properties; later the council adopted a separate resolution amending the nonunion pay plan. Both items passed on voice votes with all members voting aye.

The council also approved a string of infrastructure and contractor requests. Members voted to issue a purchase order for asbestos removal at the Islet lift station to Abatement Specialist Specialties for $30,500, and to issue a purchase order to Davenport Electric Contract Company for $55,317 to replace electrical equipment at the Hauser lift station. Council members approved three change orders for the downtown revitalization project that produce a net reduction of $223,925 and approved a proposal for audit services from the firms identified in the staff report for fiscal years 2024–2029. All of those items passed on motions recorded as unanimous votes.

Council members and staff discussed the Hauser lift station purchase before the vote. Jeremy Paulsey, maintenance manager at the treatment plant, said the equipment dates to the 1960s and “it needs to be done” because the existing electrical system is “extremely outdated” and unsafe. Paulsey was the on-record respondent to council questions about inspection and oversight of lift-station wiring.

The council set two public hearings. It adopted a resolution to set a public hearing on an amendment to Title 10 of the City Code to create a CF (Community Facility) zoning district. That procedural motion to set the hearing passed 6–1, with Council Member Osborne voting nay. Several council members raised a related concern at the meeting that the council packet or board portal did not show the full proposed code attachment; Jerry Royall, Goodwin Community Development Director, said the council was only voting to set the hearing and that the full code text and staff report would be provided at the public hearing.

Separately, the council set a public hearing to consider rezoning an approximately 2.5-acre undeveloped portion of the Muscatine Community College campus (southwest corner of the campus) from R-3 (single-family residence) to C-1 (neighborhood and general commercial). That resolution passed unanimously.

Council discussion on the downtown revitalization project included an explanation from a staff member identified as Jody about why some business owners withdrew from the grant-eligible program. According to staff, project costs increased between preliminary estimates and final bid results: the grant program allows up to $650,000 if at least eight participating properties are included; when bids returned, the construction estimate was about $1.2 million, which increased the private property owners’ share from the high 20s percentage range to closer to 37 percent. After withdrawals and reallocation of committed funds, the private share was reported to be about 32 percent.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution authorizing special assessments for unpaid abatement service and rental-housing fees — Mover: Council Member Gordon; Second: Council Member Gingerich; Outcome: adopted (all ayes). - Resolution amending the nonunion pay plan — Mover: Council Member Lewis; Second: Council Member Conard; Outcome: adopted (all ayes). - Resolution setting public hearing on amendment to Title 10 (CF Community Facility District) — Mover: Council Member Lewis; Second: Council Member Gordon; Outcome: adopted 6–1 (Osborne nay). - Resolution setting public hearing to rezone ~2.5 acres of Muscatine Community College from R-3 to C-1 — Mover: Council Member Gordon; Second: Council Member Lampi; Outcome: adopted (all ayes). - Purchase order: Abatement Specialist Specialties, $30,500 (asbestos removal at Islet lift station) — Mover: Council Member Lewis; Second: Council Member Gordon; Outcome: approved (all ayes). - Purchase order: Davenport Electric Contract Company, $55,317 (replacement electrical equipment at Hauser lift station) — Mover: Council Member Lewis; Second: Council Member Connor; Outcome: approved (all ayes). - Change orders 1–3, downtown revitalization, net reduction $223,925 — Mover: Council Member Brockert; Second: Council Member Lewis; Outcome: approved (all ayes). - Audit services proposal (firms as listed in staff report) for fiscal years 2024–2029 — Mover: Council Member Lewis; Second: Council Member Conard; Outcome: approved (all ayes).

Why it matters: The actions finalize billing collections via assessments, adjust the city’s nonunion pay structure, authorize immediate infrastructure repairs at two lift stations, and advance a long-running downtown revitalization project—each of which affects city budgets, property owners and the public’s utility infrastructure. The scheduled public hearings will give residents a formal opportunity to review the proposed CF zoning district language and the campus rezoning when staff provides the full materials.

What’s next: The CF district and the MCC campus rezoning will return to the council after public hearings with the staff reports and proposed code language. Infrastructure work at the lift stations will proceed per the approved purchase orders and contract documents.