City Attorney job description and hiring timeline

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

CALL TO ORDER: 5:15 p.m.

• 1. Public Hearing regarding Proposed Property Tax Levy for Fiscal Year July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027.
  This required public hearing is for input related to our tax levy. The attached document describes the school, city, and county tax rates. The City of Ames levy will be 10.27 for general (non-ag) properties, down slightly from last year's levy of 10.30. The City's total levy of 10.27 goes towards a few different levies, including the general levy, transit levy, and debt service levy. This year, both the general and transit levies will see a small decrease (to land at 6.26 and .59 respectively), while the debt service levy is up slightly from 3.32 to 3.42.

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

This Ames City Council meeting is at 6:00 at City Hall. The council meeting agenda includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 39. Discussion on City Attorney job description and hiring timeline (tabled from March 10, 2026, meeting).
  Copied from the last meeting: The current City Attorney has announced his upcoming retirement. Since this is one of two positions hired and overseen by the City Council (the other being the City Manager), Council is receiving a report from the HR Director about the City's process for filling this position. The application will be available starting on May 1st, with interviews and the selection process hopefully yielding a final candidate by the end of summer.
  
  
• 40.Staff Report on Ironwood Estates request for woodlot restoration of Iowa DOT Property.
  This staff report is in response to a request from the Ironwood Estates Homeowners Association to replant vegetation as a buffer between their properties and Hwy 30. Brush (mostly invasive) had been cleared for needed electrical work, and the neighbors are requesting the City seek grant funding to replant native vegetation in its place.
  
  
• 41. Resolution approving the expansion and/or establishment of Park Boundaries.
  This resolution would bring any greenways and other unspecified natural areas which are City property and right-of-way into the Parks system. Currently, these areas are public property but are not specifically governed by municipal code. 
  
  
• 42. Resolution approving staining or receiving a credit for the Precast Concrete Panels of the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center.
  This agenda item relates to the appearance of the concrete panels adorning the outside of the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center. The concrete panels were supposed to have a uniform color of gray, but instead appear somewhat blotchy. Council is being asked to decide if we should attempt to stain them, or leave them as they are and take a credit of $52,000. 
  
  
• 45. Award of contracts for Resource Recovery and Recycling Campus.
  At our last meeting, Council delayed the award of bids for the R3C to give staff more time to investigate some of the bid amounts compared to the estimates.

Communications to Council: The following items are requests and communications to Council that aren't published on the agenda, so we won't deliberate them substantially. This includes staff reports and communications or requests from constituents and developers. Typically, Council will ask city staff for more information, put the item on a future agenda for deliberation and possible action, or just accept the communication, taking no further action.

Council Packet Summary

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

Creating Tax Increment Financing Districts within the Downtown Reinvestment District Urban Renewal Area

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

This Ames City Council meeting is at 6:00 at City Hall. The council meeting agenda includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 32. Discussion on City Attorney job description and hiring timeline.
  The current City Attorney has announced his upcoming retirement. Since this is one of two positions hired and overseen by the City Council (the other being the City Manager), Council is receiving a report from the HR Director about the City's process for filling this position. The application will be available starting on May 1st, with interviews and the selection process hopefully yielding a final candidate by the end of summer.
  
  
• 33. Discussion on letter to legislators regarding HF 2541.
  Council recently referred a request to submit an opinion on HF 2541 (a proposed law that would limit Municipalities from establishing any civil rights protections beyond the State's). Since the City is not a registered lobbyist, we can't submit any formal stance to the Legislature, but we could send our representative a letter, as was done recently by the City of Urbandale. (This letter is attached to the staff report as an example.)
  
  
• 34. Residential Curbside Recycling Program.
  This proposed program is the result of years of thought and evaluation. Once it became clear that our current system of waste diversion through incineration was no longer sustainable (neither environmentally nor economically), a new method of waste diversion is needed. (You can see a whimsical AI-assisted video I made about the topic HERE, if you are so inclined.) In order to meet our waste-diversion needs (as required by the State), we have been working toward a new R3C (Resource Recovery and Recycling Campus) and Curbside Recycling Program. Staff estimate a monthly cost of $7.75 per household to add recycling service for all single-family homes and apartments with 4 or fewer units. Council is being asked to approve a five-year contract with Aspen to perform this service in Ames.
  
  
• 36. Resolution approving Climate Action Grant Program updates with an allocation of up to $150,000.
  In addition to the existing community grant (up to $10k) for businesses/non-profits/groups and youth mini-grant (up to $500) programs, staff are recommending a residential owner-occupied sustainability grant program. This program would support LMI (low-to-moderate income) households who invest in solar panels or whole-home heat pump systems by providing up to 30% of the funding. 
  
  
• 42. Staff Report regarding Device Delivery Seller Permits.
  The State passed legislation in 2024 that allows cities to restrict the sale of glass and metal pipes (corn cob pipes are still ok for snowman decorating purposes). Council is being asked if we intend to restrict these types of sales. There is a $1500 non-refundable fee for applying for this permit, so if Council does intend to deny these permit applications it would be more considerate to let the businesses know that ahead of time, thus saving them the $1500 application fee.
  
  
• 45. Hearing on Resource Recovery and Recycling Campus.
  Bids are in for the R3C, but costs came in higher than the estimated $16.8 million that Council was presented with in January. Since the bids came in at $19.6 million, staff are requesting more time to meet with the bidders to clarify cost estimates and negotiate project elements to reduce or modify.
  
  
• 49.Hearing on Rezoning of Property located at 1323 Northwestern Avenue from Residential Low Density (RL) to Government/Airport District (S-GA) with a Master Plan
  The subject property was purchased by the Ames School District, and they are requesting a change of zoning from RL (low-density residential) to S-GA, which would allow a wider range of school-related uses with only administrative approval rather than going through the Zoning Board of Adjustments. The School District plans to renovate the existing three buildings and potentially add two more. 
  
  
  
  
  
• 50. First reading of ordinance to amend the Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa by enacting a new Section 24.21 thereof, for the purpose of creating Tax Increment Financing Districts within the Downtown Reinvestment District Urban Renewal Area.
  Council is being asked to approve two TIF districts in the area of the Linc development. These districts would then allow the use of TIF as an incentive in this area. Establishing the districts is the first step, and does not yet commit the City to any specific funding arrangement for the Linc. (That would come later as part of a development agreement, which Council has not yet seen.)
  
  

Communications to Council: The following items are requests and communications to Council that aren't published on the agenda, so we won't deliberate them substantially. This includes staff reports and communications or requests from constituents and developers. Typically, Council will ask city staff for more information, put the item on a future agenda for deliberation and possible action, or just accept the communication, taking no further action.

Council Packet Summary

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

City Budget Hearings Feb 3, 4th and 5th

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

This Ames City Council budget hearings for 2026-27 budget year are on Feb 3rd, 4th and 5th starting at 5:15 p.m. at City Hall. 

• February 3rd agenda.
• February 4th agenda.
• February 5th agenda.
  

You can follow along in the draft program  budget 2026-27 as each city department gives it presentation. 

Typical Ames property tax payer's funds are distributed this way:

You might find the State of Iowa's property tax dashboard informative. 

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

Budget Overview 2026/27

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

This Ames City Council meeting is at 2:00 p.m. at City Hall. The council meeting agenda includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 1. Budget Overview for recommended 2026/27 Fiscal Year.  The draft budget is available here. 
  
  As part of the City's annual budget process, staff presents the budget overview for City Council consideration. Public input is welcome at the City Council meeting on February 10, 2026. 

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

Civil rights protection for gender identity

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

This Ames City Council meeting is at 6:00 at City Hall. The council meeting agenda includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 26. 2026-2031 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) public input. The Draft CIP is available to here.
  Council heard a report of the draft '26-'31 CIP at last week's meeting. Now is the time for public input on this document. 
  
  
• 27. Staff Report on Ontario Workforce Housing Subdivision.
  In an effort to encourage infill housing, Council is being asked to consider a TIF incentive to assist with the repaving of a section Scholl Rd in order to facilitate a housing development between the railroad tracks and Ontario Street on either side of Scholl Rd.) 
  
  
• 28. Discussion on elements for Draft Municipal Code Chapter 14, Human Relations regarding civil rights protection for gender identity 
  At a recent meeting, Council voted 5-1 to direct staff to begin work on updating our municipal code to include gender identity as a protected class as it relates to civil rights. Staff are asking for Council's guidance on the level of fine as well as who would investigate and mediate discrimination claims. 
  
  
• 29. Hearing on Rezoning of Property West of the Intersection of Harrison Road and Welbeck Drive with a Major Site Development Plan and Preliminary Plat.
  For awhile now, Council has been pursuing a small housing development on some vacant City-owned property at the intersection of Harrison Road and Welbeck Drive. At this stage, Council is being asked to approve the proposed Major Site Development Plan and the Preliminary Plat, and to rezone the property as low-density residential with a planned urban development overlay.
  
  
• 30. Resolution approving preliminary plans and specifications for the Resource Recovery & Recycling Campus (R3C), setting March 3, 2026, as the bid due date and March 10, 2026, as the date of Public Hearing.
  The Resource Recovery and Recycling Campus (R3C) is an important step in our transition from waste-to-energy to diversion, recycling, and landfilling our refuse. 
  
  
• 31. Modifications to Municipal Code Chapter 10, Garbage and Refuse.
  These modifications will add definitions and clarification related to recycling to our municipal code, in preparation for a residential curbside recycling program and the opening of the R3C.
  
  

Communications to Council: The following items are requests and communications to Council that aren't published on the agenda, so we won't deliberate them substantially. This includes staff reports and communications or requests from constituents and developers. Typically, Council will ask city staff for more information, put the item on a future agenda for deliberation and possible action, or just accept the communication, taking no further action.

Council Packet Summary

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

Five-year Capital Improvements Plan

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

YOU MAY VIEW THE MEETING ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING SITES:
https://www.youtube.com/ameschannel12
https://www.cityofames.org/channel12
or watch the meeting live on Mediacom Channel 12

Usually some of the agenda items will have a period where members of the public may briefly speak to Council.
TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

This Ames City Council meeting is at 5:15 p.m. at City Hall. The council meeting agenda includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation.

• 1. Staff presentation of recommended five-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP).  The City Managers CIP letter to council gives a good overview the plan. The draft CIP is available here.

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1

City Council Values, Goals and Tasks Update

Bronwyn's Council Preview

TO REACH THE MAYOR AND ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL:
Send email to MayorCouncil@AmesCityCouncil.org
(Note that emails to elected officials are generally subject to Iowa Open Records requests)

MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL

The Ames City Council meeting is at the Ames Water Treatment Plant, 1800 E. 13th Street, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday January 17th. The public is invited to attend. The council meeting agenda includes the following. Note that you can generally click on individual agenda items below to get the full staff report or other explanation. 

• 1. City Council Values, Goals and Tasks Update. 
  The City Council members meet annually with staff for a strategic session to discuss City Council values, goals and tasks. 
  
  The City Council Values, Goals, and Tasks January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025 can be found here. 

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen
Ames City Council, Ward 1