The Waterloo City Council Finance Committee approved travel requests, multiple preauthorizations for city purchases and three budget amendments and voted to forward two bills-payment batches to the full council during a Jan. 6 meeting.

The committee approved travel for public-safety and public-works staff, including lab officer Hegeman to Cedar Falls May 12–13, 2025 (not to exceed $425); an officer to advanced vehicle contraband concealment training in Johnston, Iowa, April 7–8, 2025 (not to exceed $297); Sergeant Ludwig to a Des Moines meeting May 5–9, 2025 (not to exceed $1,892); two officers for a tactical explosive breacher certification in Joliet, Illinois, June 8–14, 2025 (not to exceed $5,202); multiple wastewater and water-staff trips to the Iowa Water Environmental Association maintenance conference in Ankeny, Iowa, Jan. 7–8, 2025 (amounts listed ranged from $15.95 to $1,300); hostage negotiator and firearms instructor trainings (amounts not to exceed $1,760 and $1,575, respectively); and turfgrass conferences for parks and golf staff in Des Moines (amounts $215–$285). The committee approved the full package of travel requests without recorded discussion.

Council member Mr. Childs moved to approve a set of preauthorizations for capital and maintenance work and city software renewals. Major items approved included $35,855 for Hanger 3 structural repair at the airport; two central-garage snow-control equipment packages at $86,090 each (truck numbers cited in the packet); an $86,090 down-body snow plow and spreader with electronics; $5,522.60 for annual engineering design software renewal with DLT Solutions; a $33,241.80 upgrade to the parking license-plate-recognition (LPR) system (new computer and camera); $3,600 for annual fire-investigation software renewal with Blaze Stack; $40,679 for phase 1 kitchen remodels at Ridgeway Towers (Housing Authority); $2,500 treekeeper software renewal for leisure services; a $6,550 porch removal at 408 Vermont Street tied to a development agreement; sanitation purchases of 403 refuse carts and 390 yard-waste carts totaling $41,315.30 plus $2,129 shipping and handling; a sewer repair TV camera assembly for $9,597.71 plus $95 shipping; a main lift-station satellite pump for $108,870; an emergency sewer repair for $20,980.27; and a replacement wet well door for $16,500. The committee confirmed a transcribed correction to the TV camera assembly amount during the meeting.

The committee approved three budget amendments: a $15,000 increase in donations-restricted revenue and expense lines to support junior art gallery exhibit development (Cultural and Arts Department); a $30,000 increase in donations-restricted revenue and trees-and-shrub expense lines submitted by Leisure Services; and a $33,300 increase to interest revenue and various expense lines to fund the finance department's LPR system update. Committee members voted “Aye” on each amendment and each motion carried.

On bills payment, the committee received and voted to forward two payment batches to the full council: $6,093,292.97 for Dec. 30, 2024, and $1,625,488.47 for Jan. 6, 2025. A motion to receive, file and forward those payments passed unanimously in the meeting record.

There was limited discussion during the session. A council member asked why a porch at 408 Vermont Street was being removed; a response noted that the action was tied to a development agreement for Portraitree Mobile. The meeting included a brief clarification about a transcribed extra digit in a sewer-camera line item; staff confirmed the correct amount as $9,597.71 plus $95 shipping.

The committee adjourned after completing the listed actions.