Council approves using Downtown reconstruction funds for alley repairs amid residents' push for street priorities

Marshalltown City Council on March 9 approved a resolution authorizing the use of remaining Downtown East Main Street (STR22002) funds for alley repairs in the project area, after a council debate in which some members and residents urged prioritizing street repairs.

The resolution was pulled from the consent agenda for discussion. One councilmember said she opposed paving alleys before streets because residents "want and expect their streets to be repaired," and stated she would vote no. Another councilmember likewise said leftover funds should remain in street projects. Public comments were mixed: Lane Perry suggested bundling alley work with crews already on site could save money in the long run; Jolene Ballard and other residents argued every dime spent on alleys is money not available for main streets with potholes and safety concerns.

After public comment and council remarks, a roll-call vote recorded a majority in favor (yeas from Cahill, Fonseca, Schneider and Yepes‑Gomez; no votes from Mitchell, Nichols and Thompson), and the resolution advanced. Staff said the approach uses remaining project funds to repair alleys in the vicinity of the Downtown East Main Street Center Street Reconstruction project.

The council did not adopt a new policy reallocating street funds citywide; instead, it approved the specific use of STR22002 funds for alley work near the ongoing reconstruction project. Councilmembers who opposed the move said they remain committed to prioritizing main-street repairs and asked for further clarity on funding sources and reporting back on pavement conditions.

Next steps: staff will coordinate alley repairs with the existing project scope and report on cost-savings realized by bundling the work, and council members asked for continued transparency on broader street-repair funding and timelines.