Data Center Study Committee, Recycling in Alleys, and Property Tax & TIF Changes

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

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.

• 29. Building and Fire Code Discussion.
  Most of proposed changes to building and fire code are based on periodic State-mandated updates, though staff outline a few for further discussion. These include; fire protection for floors over unfinished basements, stair rise and run, outdoor guardrails, and smoke & CO2 detectors.
  
  
• 31. Resolution approving City Council Data Center Study Committee Plan.
  This proposal outlines the process for forming and guiding a study committee related to environmental impacts of data centers. The next step would be seeking applications for committee members that might be experts or have experience in fields related to this topic. This might range from those in ecology-based fields to those in the technical trades such as mechanical or electrical. The committee members will work to find, summarize, and present factual evidence and studies to Council. 
  
  
• 32. Resolution appointing an interim City Attorney for the City of Ames.
  The current City Attorney is nearing his date of retirement, and the City recently opted to go with a search firm to help in recruiting applicants. Since this is still underway, an interim City Attorney will need to be named.
  
  
• 33. Staff Report on Impacts of SF 2472 related to Property Taxes and Development Incentives.
  This staff report outlines impacts of recent change at the State level regarding property tax and also TIF development incentives, as well as how these might relate to the City of Ames budget.
  
  
• 34. Staff Report on FY 2025/26 Climate Action Plan Update.
  Council gets a report annually on the progress toward our Climate Action Plan, and every two years the greenhouse gas inventory is updated. The staff report details progress toward the "six big moves" and out lines next steps. The big moves include; Renewable Energy Generation, Municipal Building Retrofits, Net-Zero Ready Construction, Green Transportation, and Reducing Waste Emissions. 
  
  
• 37. Staff Report on Residential Curbside Recycling Collection in Alleys.
  The curbside recycling program is still being worked out for a number of properties that are adjacent to certain alleys in Ames. Staff outline four options that range from serving alley residents at a slightly greater cost to allowing those residents whose alleys can not be serviced to opt out of the program. 
  
  

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 Communications  

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

Mid-Year Review of Council Goals

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

This Ames City Council meeting is at the Ames Water Treatment Plant Conference Room, 1800 E 13th St, Ames, IA 50010. The meeting is Tuesday the 18th, starting at 5:15 p.m. 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.

The following agenda will guide Council through our mid-year goal-setting check in. While we don't typically add or subtract goals mid year, we check in on progress made toward current goals and check if any realignment is needed.

Mid-Year Review of Council Goals – August 18, 2026
January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027

5:15 p.m. Call to Order (Mayor)

5:15 – 5:20 p.m. Welcome and Opening Comments (Mayor)

5:20 – 5:25 p.m. Affirming Values (Council)

5:25 – 5:40 p.m. Mid-Year Review (Pa)

        a. What has gone well so far this year? (Council)

        b. What could we improve upon? (Council)

5:40 – 6:00 p.m. Staff Review of Goals and Task Items – A, B, D, C (Assistant City Managers). See staff housing report for item B.

1. What should be dropped or continued?

2. Are any adjustments to the goals needed?

6:00 – 6:45 p.m. Prioritization of Major Projects as of January 2026 (City Manager)

1. Indoor Recreation Center (focusing on serving local participants, focusing on attracting regional participants and visitors for tournaments, or both) - $20 million, excludes operating subsidies and capital replacement costs

2. Downtown Ramp - $20 million, assumes no operating subsidy, but excludes capital replacement costs

3. Ontario Park - $12 million, excludes operating subsidies and capital replacement costs

4. Event Center - $12.5 million, excludes operating subsidies and capital replacement

5. Corridor Beautification (University Boulevard) – primarily operational costs for maintenance

Key Questions:

• What is the timing of each of these projects?

• How will each of these projects be financed?

• What’s the approval process?

6:45 – 7:20 p.m. Communications and Engagement Check in (Mayor)

• What has gone well so far this year?

• What could we improve upon?

1. Residents

2. Other Government Entities

3. Internal among City Council

4. City Staff

7:20 – 7:25 p.m. Effective Council Meetings

1. Length of Council Meetings: Data from the Past Years (Pa)

2. How are we doing so far? (Council)

7:25 – 7:30 p.m. Wrap Up and Next Steps 

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

Study committee to evaluate environmental impacts of data centers

Bronwyn's Council Preview

 

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.

• 25. Update on Roundabout Improvements at G.W. Carver and Cameron School Road
• This intersection is being considered for a roundabout. The staff report shows support for a roundabout due to overall safety and traffic flow measurements but the decision to proceed with a roundabout or a traffic signal will still depend on a few factors like future funding and partnership with the County.

• 26. Council discussion of study committee to evaluate environmental impacts of data centers.
• This was one of the methods Council proceeded with in order to gather more input on data centers and potential environmental impacts.
  
  
• 29. Ames Animal Services Facility Project.
• The low bid for this project was higher than the estimates, and staff are asking for more time (one week) before awarding the bid to crunch some numbers and see if any savings can be achieved. 
  
  
• 30. Resolution approving request from Interfraternity Council to use golf carts on designated City streets for formal recruitment on August 14-20, 2026.

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 Communications  

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