Residents press Grimes council over Waterworks Park site; council approves ISG contract to scope park improvements

Public comment at the Grimes City Council’s Feb. 24 meeting centered on the city’s plan to place a new administration building in Waterworks Park, with multiple residents challenging the process and asking for more transparency.

"This park belongs to residents. Listen to them," Brian Hansen said, presenting a petition he said has more than 400 signatures opposing the site and questioning how the project moved forward without broader notice. Kristen Hansen told the council she reviewed agendas and minutes and could not find a clearly noticed vote selecting Waterworks Park; she asked councilors to identify the date when the location was lawfully chosen and pointed to two different cost figures being circulated — $8.5 million on public materials and an $11,880,000 design-development estimate in internal documents.

Other public speakers asked why a central, visible location would be chosen for the building, pressed for answers about Highway 44 timing and park revenues, and urged the council to consider alternative sites such as Wallace Farms.

City staff and councilors acknowledged public concern but said public engagement on the park work would continue. "This is to help scope out what could be. This doesn't mean XYZ is going to absolutely happen," a staff member said while presenting a proposal to hire ISG to do neighborhood engagement and design scoping for Waterworks Park Phase 2. Staff described the ISG contract as focused on replacing aging playground equipment, improving trail connectivity and sheltering, and testing design options that would preserve or restore green space where possible.

Council members voted to approve Resolution 02-3726, authorizing the professional services agreement with ISG to begin scoping and neighborhood engagement for the park improvements. Council also affirmed that, per staff, contracts related to the administration building site selection have already been executed and the building is planned for the site — a central point of friction with residents who said they had not seen an explicit, noticed selection vote recorded in the minutes.

Why it matters: Residents say the project will replace a much-used green space and have accused the city of insufficient transparency; city staff say the ISG engagement is intended to hear resident preferences for park replacement amenities while construction of the administration building moves forward. The ISG work is intended to inform what park features can be provided alongside the building and how to maximize open space within the constraints of the site and previously executed contracts.

What’s next: ISG will begin neighborhood engagement and design scoping as funded by park capital funds; staff said larger construction budgets and decisions for park features would be evaluated in future budget cycles and public meetings. The city also plans to post meeting and engagement opportunities on its website and social media.

Quote highlights: "When a resident calls 911, there are sufficient resources available to respond without delay," Alex Aubbert, president of the Johnson Grimes Firefighters Union, said while urging the council to consider a 3% franchise fee to fund additional firefighters. "This park belongs to residents. Listen to them," Hansen said about Waterworks Park. Council members invited residents to remain after the meeting and said staff would continue outreach about park scoping.

Vote: Resolution 02-3726 (ISG professional services) passed on roll call (affirmative votes recorded).