West Branch council backs Parkside Partners' workforce housing tax credit application, pledges $1,000 per unit

The West Branch City Council on June 9 unanimously approved a resolution supporting Parkside Partners LLC’s application to the Iowa Workforce Housing Tax Credit program and pledged $1,000 per housing unit to be turned over to Main Street West Branch for future economic development initiatives.

Mayor Roger Laughlin called the special meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and recorded Council members Tom Dean, Colton Miller, Mike Horihan and Jerry Sexton present; Council member Jodee Stoolman was absent. City Administrator Adam Kofoed attended.

Cobe Hershberger, representing Parkside Partners LLC, told the council the city’s pledged amount — one thousand dollars per unit — would be given to Main Street West Branch to support local economic development related to the project. The minutes record Hershberger’s verbal commitment to that effect.

Council member Colton Miller moved to approve Resolution 2025-75, which expresses the city’s support for Parkside Partners’ application for Workforce Housing Tax Credits and pledges city funds at the stated per-unit level; Jerry Sexton seconded. The motion carried on a roll call vote with four ayes (Miller, Sexton, Horihan, Dean), no nays and one absence (Stoolman). The minutes list the outcome as "Motion carried."

The council made no additional comments and adjourned at 6:35 p.m.

What happens next: Resolution 2025-75 is a council expression of support and a pledge of city funds conditioned on the developer’s application; the minutes do not specify a timetable, implementation steps, funding source within the city budget, or an effective date for the pledge. Those details were not specified in the minutes and would need to be provided in subsequent staff reports or formal agreements before funds are disbursed.