Johnston City Council approves SRF loan authorization, adopts utility ordinances and signs off on FY26 staffing changes
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Summary
At its meeting, the Johnston City Council authorized up to $11 million in SRF financing for a waterworks asset transfer, adopted two utility ordinances, approved FY26 staffing restructures including new HR and IT roles, and approved claims totaling $2,000,660.55.
The Johnston City Council approved a series of financial and personnel actions at its meeting, including authorization to pursue a State Revolving Fund loan of up to $11,000,000, adoption of two utility ordinances, and a package of FY26 staffing changes.
City staff member David described the loan item as "This action would, authorize the city to move forward with an SRF loan, for up to $11,000,000 that would, fund the asset buy in costs, that are due to CIWW as of January 1 as part of our, 20 degree 28 e agreement, for Central Iowa Water Works." The public hearing on that resolution drew no public comments and council members voted to approve resolution 25-238.
The council also completed third and final readings and adopted Ordinance No. 11-41, amending sewer user charges, and Ordinance No. 11-42, updating water rates. Staff reported no changes since second reading and no additional public comment before the votes carried.
On nonconsent business, the council approved Ordinance No. 11-43 on its second reading to remove a designated area from the Beavercreek urban renewal TIF area; staff provided maps and noted a waiver of the third reading could not be taken at this meeting because there were not enough members present.
Council members approved a set of FY26 staffing changes advanced by staff to address investigative capacity in police, reclassifications in public safety supervision, and two new administrative roles to support an upcoming retirement. The staffing proposal included moving one planned police officer from FY26 to FY27, accelerating a detective position into FY26, reclassifying an investigation-unit sergeant to lieutenant and a field operations lieutenant to captain, converting a public safety-support specialist to a manager and creating a new specialist split between fire and police, and adding an HR director and an enterprise applications/IT coordinator to the organization. Staff presented cost estimates and noted available resources (an FY25 general fund surplus and projected returns from the fire district) that would provide flexibility to implement the changes.
Council also approved Resolution 25-202 to designate two private properties for the 2025-26 urban bow deer hunt map, and approved claims in the amount of $2,000,660.55.
Votes at a glance — items approved at the meeting: resolution 25-238 (SRF loan authorization, approved), ordinance 11-41 (sewer user charge amendment, adopted), ordinance 11-42 (water rates amendment, adopted), ordinance 11-43 (TIF area removal, second reading approved), resolution 25-202 (urban bow deer hunt private areas, approved), FY26 staffing changes (approved), and claims approval $2,000,660.55 (approved). The transcript records the outcomes as approved; specific vote tallies were not consistently recorded in the public transcript for every item.