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Muscatine council proclaims Arbor Day, approves grants, contracts and infrastructure projects
Summary
At its April 7 meeting the Muscatine City Council proclaimed Arbor Day, recognized a statewide youth poster contest winner, approved a $42,000 urban forestry grant-backed tree-planting plan, and adopted multiple resolutions and first readings including funding applications for transit, parking lot restoration and sewer separation projects.
The Muscatine City Council on April 7 proclaimed April 24, 2026 as Arbor Day, recognized a statewide poster contest winner and approved a slate of routine resolutions, first readings and contracts covering transit funding, parking-lot restoration, sewer separation and municipal facilities.
Mayor pro tem Angie Lewis read the Arbor Day proclamation and Melissa Baker told the council Muscatine has been a Tree City USA community for 34 years. Baker said the city planted 743 trees over the past five years and that a $42,000 urban forestry grant will fund about 197 additional trees this fall.
The council also recognized 10-year-old Cara Torres of Sunset Park as Iowa’s winner of the 2026 "What Home Means to Me" poster contest and presented her with a certificate and gift cards.
On routine business, the council approved the consent agenda (bills totaling $2,248,854.02) and moved through multiple public hearings with no public comment, approving first readings of ordinances to regulate electric bikes and to rezone 2021 Hauser Street. A first reading to annex approximately 153.5 acres for M2 general industrial zoning passed; Councilwoman Brockert relayed neighborhood concerns about existing road conditions, truck traffic on 25th and 47th Avenues, and asked the city to ensure planned road improvements.
Resolutions adopted included approval of the MuscaBus consolidated state and federal transit funding application, plans and specifications for Parking Lot No. 7 pavement restoration (funded from leftover 2nd Street streetscape funds), and plans for West Hill sewer separation Phase 6E. Staff described a two-week competitive quote process for the parking lot work and said staging will be coordinated to minimize disruption to the farmers market.
Other approvals included a $10,294 Edward Byrne Memorial JAG grant application request, a $245,852 purchase order to Cropper Company for replacement of a rooftop HVAC unit at the Musser Public Library, an airport taxi-lane change order, and several small contracts (each not to exceed $24,999) for the Ignite Vitality Mulberry project funded by a CDBG grant. Change orders for the Muscatine CDF relocation ($32,313) and West Hill Sewer phase 6C ($16,851) were also approved.
In citizen communications, Freda Saego introduced plans for a women’s recovery residence at 1807 Mulberry (Haven 2), and a resident complained about a Hauser Street lane closure in March and about uncollected spring leaves on Mulberry; staff said leaf pickup is underway and that the Hauser lane was closed for a sinkhole/water-line safety repair. The meeting closed with staff recognition of a wastewater employee’s certification and an adjournment motion.
Most motions and resolutions passed by unanimous or near-unanimous voice vote; where items required future action (for example, nuisance abatement scheduling or staged construction plans) staff were directed to prepare follow-up materials for upcoming meetings.
