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Indianola council adopts 10-year CIP, approves McVey Trail change order and site plan, and directs sale steps for downtown property
Summary
At its June 15 meeting the Indianola City Council approved a $3,100 change order for McVey Trail repairs, adopted the FY2027–2036 Capital Improvement Plan, approved several insurance and shared-service measures, signed off on a Picker Commerce Park storage facility site plan, and authorized staff to begin sale steps for 110 North Howard Street.
Indianola’s City Council on June 15 approved a mix of capital, planning and administrative measures that city leaders said keep routine projects moving while they weigh longer-term policy questions.
Among the votes, councilors approved a $3,100 change order for the McVey Trail Repair Project so contractors could repair a separated culvert cover and pour the trail; staff said the trail should reopen next week. The motion passed by roll call 6–0.
The council also adopted a 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (FY2027–2036) after a public hearing. The plan lists street reconstruction targets, equipment and vehicle replacement schedules for public safety and parks, and identifies potential borrowing for multi-year projects. Staff said the CIP is a planning document that must be funded through annual budgets or bond issuances before projects proceed.
Courtney Sllamon, HR and Risk Management, presented the city and Indian Municipal Utilities (IMU) insurance renewals, noting a modest net increase in premiums overall and a transition of equipment-breakdown coverage into a CNA-underwritten program through the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities. The renewals and recommended carriers were approved by the council.
Council approved a renewed shared-services agreement with IMU: IMU will provide utility-billing services and the city will provide HR services. For FY27 the agreement sets the fee paid to IMU at $231,999 and the fee paid to the city for HR services at $39,159.
On land-use decisions, the council approved a site plan for Apex Storage Solutions LLC to build an 11,000-square-foot mini-warehouse at 413 South 21st Street in Picker Commerce Park Plat 1. Planning staff said the applicant met landscape, buffer and lighting requirements; the applicant, Andrew Hart, told councilors the design will emphasize berms and plantings to reduce light spill to adjacent houses.
Jason (city staff) asked the council to authorize staff to proceed with steps to dispose of 110 North Howard Street, a roughly 0.39-acre downtown parcel acquired in 2023. The council approved a resolution directing staff to obtain an MAI appraisal, issue an RFQ for a broker, perform title work, and notify existing tenants.
Other business included discussion of donation and naming-rights policies, proposed amendments to the parkland-dedication ordinance, and adoption of City Manager Jake Meshki’s performance goals. Council also received committee reports, including an IMU outage update; IMU staff said a fire in older switchgear caused recent west-side outages and that phased replacement work is planned.
Public comment at the start of the meeting came from Tate Felton, who raised concerns about a water easement behind his North 8th Street house. Felton said grading and vegetation removal during development have increased flows and erosion that have damaged fences and made yards unusable in places; he asked the council what remedies are available.
The council adjourned the open session and moved into an exempt session at the end of the meeting.
