Independence City Council approves code changes, budget amendment and sidewalk assessment; moves to closed session

The Independence City Council met Jan. 26 and approved several measures including changes to city code, an amendment to the fiscal year 2026 budget and a property assessment for sidewalk noncompliance, then voted to enter a closed session to review the city manager.

The council held the third and final reading of an ordinance amending provisions in chapters 76 and 77 of the city code and approved it on a roll-call vote announced as 5-2. Mayor presided over the reading; the ordinance had been through previous readings on Dec. 8, 2025 and Jan. 12, 2026 and was discussed at prior work sessions dating to July 28, 2025.

Council also approved a resolution amending the fiscal year 2026 budget, a routine annual step that staff said was required by state procedures; the council voted unanimously to adopt the budget amendment.

On enforcement, the council approved a resolution to assess the property owner of 3133rd Avenue Southeast for failure to comply with Chapter 136 (sidewalk regulations). The property owner is listed in the staff report as Aras A8 E Grove LLC and the total assessment amount was stated as $6,044. The council called for and approved the assessment on a roll-call vote.

The council approved an agreement with McGrath Human Resources Group to conduct a classification and compensation study and authorized the city manager to sign the contract. The motion passed on a unanimous vote.

During public comment, resident Don (Don/Donald) Coler handed the council a petition of 32 signatures and said he had canvassed homeowners on streets affected by the 2026 road project. "I talked to every homeowner except one ... 90% of the people are totally against that I talked to," Coler said, adding that renters told him they would sign but were not homeowners. Coler urged the council to account for which households were being counted when estimating support for the project.

Council members also received informational briefings: staff described planned pavement markings by the Iowa Department of Transportation on Highway 150 up to US 20 (which will touch a portion of city limits), and Chief Blake presented the Independence Fire Department's 2025 annual report. Council members noted the department logged roughly one medical assist per week (about 52 per year) and expressed concern that calls and EMS demand may increase; Chief Blake said staffing and budget matters would be addressed in upcoming budget discussions and that a meeting with AMR, the county and the local hospital was scheduled to review call volume and funding.

Council members reported on community events: a chili cook-off raised a little over $3,000 for Oakwood Cemetery, and council members flagged that an event noted in the transcript as "Ragbr/ rag ride" is planned for July 23 in Independence. The council also noted an informational meeting hosted by Iowa State Extension on a proposed battery energy storage facility between Independence and Hazelton, to be held the following evening at Heartland Acres.

At the meeting's conclusion, the council voted by roll call to enter a closed session under Iowa Code 21.5(1)(i) for review of the city manager and asked members of the public to leave the room.

Votes at a glance: the ordinance amending chapters 76 and 77 passed by an announced 5-2 vote; the fiscal-year budget amendment and the sidewalk assessment passed unanimously as recorded by the clerk; the classification/compensation study contract passed unanimously.

The council adjourned its open session to conduct the closed-session personnel review.