Residents urge Grimes council to pause plan to put administration building in Waterworks Park

Residents filled the public forum at the Jan. 13 Grimes City Council meeting to press the council to halt plans to site a new administration building in Waterworks Park and to disclose related records.

Brian Hansen told the council the project lacked adequate public notice and that minutes and video for key decisions were missing, saying, “we don’t know what we don’t know if you guys don’t tell us.” Kristen Hansen said contracts related to the project were signed as early as March 2024 but that the public was not broadly informed until December 2025 and only to residents within a 250-foot notice radius; she said she had been quoted a $14,000 fee to obtain records and declared, “Silence is not compliance,” before asking the council to release contracts, alternative-site records and to pause further action until legal compliance and transparency are addressed.

Other speakers echoed that view. Joe Herman thanked city staff for past service but said the selection process appeared rushed and urged a proper site analysis. Travis Simpson and Vernon Adams said putting an administration building and parking near established backyards would degrade neighborhood character and green space. Alan May questioned whether recently renovated municipal facilities were being considered for demolition and said agenda language has at times obscured major proposed actions.

City staff did not offer a point-by-point rebuttal during public forum; staff later continued with the evening’s agenda, including multiple rezoning items. No formal council action to pause the administration building was recorded in the meeting minutes or on the council floor during the session.

Why it matters: The public’s concern centers on whether the city complied with Iowa open-meetings (Iowa Code ch. 21) and public-records (Iowa Code ch. 22) requirements during site selection and contracting. Residents say early contract signatures, limited neighborhood notice and perceived gaps in published minutes or video have deprived the broader community of meaningful input on converting parkland to a municipal facility.

What residents asked for: Release of all contracts and approval dates tied to the administration building; disclosure of records showing alternative sites and the criteria used to evaluate them; and a temporary pause on site work and approvals until the records are produced and legal compliance can be verified.

What the record shows: At the meeting, residents repeatedly requested disclosure and a pause; the transcript records those requests but shows no council vote or staff commitment during the session to provide the items or halt work. Kristen Hansen specifically stated the contracts were signed as early as March 2024 and that initial public notice in December 2025 had been limited to a 250-foot mailing radius. Brian Hansen told the council that the city had authorized more than “half a million dollars” in site-development payments before broad public notice.

Next steps: The council did not take formal action to pause the project during the Jan. 13 meeting. Residents who spoke said they may pursue remedies available under state law and seek assistance from relevant state or county offices if records remain unavailable.

Sources: Public comments recorded at the Jan. 13 Grimes City Council meeting (speakers include Brian Hansen, Kristen Hansen, Joe Herman, Travis Simpson, Vernon Adams, Alan May and Terry Gollightly).