The Muscatine City Council will conduct five public hearings during their meeting this evening, Thursday, April 18, while also having a long list of action items awaiting their discussion and decisions. The Council will also receive an update on current and upcoming public improvements projects.
The first public hearing, and subsequent resolutions later in the meeting, has two parts. The first part is on the application by Public Transit (MuscaBus) for Federal Fiscal Year 2025 Consolidated Funding to help fund the public transit City of Muscatine Public Transit system and to purchase one new bus for FFY2025. The application also applies for a State operating grant. The City anticipates it will receive $506,207 from Federal Funding and $312,646 in State Funding. The purchase of a new mini-bus is also included in the application with 85 percent federally funded ($166,855) and 15 percent locally funded ($29,445).
The second part is on the application for a Low-No program 5339c Grant that will fund the purchase of two electric buses, one to replace a gas bus and the other as an expansion bus. One electric bus does not have enough battery life to run a typical route (around 135 miles). The second bus will take over for the first bus to complete the full day using an electric bus on a route.
The grant also includes requests for funds for charging stations and installation, a heated garage to house the overflow of buses displaced by the electric buses (or could be used just for electric buses), and for workforce development to educate on the maintenance of electric vehicles.
The Low-No application requests $600,000.00 for two electric buses and $415,000.00 for the construction of an additional garage and two charging stations. Plus $55,000.00 for workforce training. The total request is $1,070,000.00 (83.5% federally funded or $893,500.00, 16.5% locally funded or $176,500.00).
The second public hearing, and subsequent resolution of approval, is on Phase II of the West Fulliam Avenue Reconstruction Project. West Fulliam Avenue from Kindler to West Acre Drive was completed in 2023 for Phase I of this project. This is the second phase of the three-year project. Phase II has been designed and will include reconstruction of pavement, installation of sidewalk, and replacement and installation of ADA-compliant pedestrian crossings from West Acre Drive to approximately 2716 W. Fulliam Avenue.
The third public hearing, and subsequent resolution of approval, is on the Weed Park Lagoon Project. Weed Park is a 64-acre park that was donated to the citizens of Muscatine by Dr. James and Mary Weed in 1899 with two lagoons located on the north side of the park that are in need of repair. The project involves renovating the two lagoons and repairing and or replacing some of the existing amenities. This will include bank stabilization, observation deck replacement and or evaluation, lagoon dredging, trail development, lighting and bench pods, duck island stabilization, repairing lagoon leaks, and addressing the drainage flow into the lagoons.
The fourth public hearing, and subsequent resolution to approve, is on Amendment #1 to the City of Muscatine budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. The City Council recently completed the budget review process for the fiscal year 2024/2025 budget, and, as part of that review, revised estimated revenue and expenditure amounts for the current year (2023/2024) were also reviewed. Each year, these revised estimate amounts become Amendment #1 to the current year budget.
The final public hearing, and subsequent resolution to approve, is on the City of Muscatine budget for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2025. The proposed budget for 2024/2025 totals $82,112,587. This includes $46,626,847 in governmental fund expenditures and $35,485,740 in business-type/enterprise funds expenditures. Of the total proposed budget, $20,393,100 is for capital projects in both governmental and business-type funds.
In other action items, the City Council be asked to:
- Award a $6.3 million contract to Langman Construction, inc., for Phase 6C of the West Hill Sanitary and Storm Sewer Separation Project;
- Award a $718,473 contract to Kimrey Electric for the Airport Lighting Project;
- Set public hearing on May 2 for zoning changes to 910 East 2nd Street;
- Set public hearing on May 2 on an amendment to Section 1, Chapter 12, Title 10 of City Code concerning residential purposes in C2 Zoning District;
- Set public hearing on May 2 for the repeal of Title 1-10-2.E (1)(b) of Muscatine City Code regarding communication between elected officials and City staff;
- Approve a $43,000 agreement with the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Economic Development Services;
- Approve a $135,000 agreement with the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Tourism and Marketing Services; and,
- Approve a $30,000 agreement with Senior Resources to support senior resident services in Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
Details and additional information on these agenda items can be found by clicking AGENDA and clicking on the April 18 City Council Agenda link to view the agenda and/or attachments, or to download a PDF version of the City Council agenda and/or attachments.
The Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. and the public is welcomed, and encouraged, to attend the session in person and participate in the public hearings or to speak during Communications from Citizens on topics that are not on the meeting agenda.
Muscatine City Council meetings are open to all individuals regardless of language spoken or disability. Any person requiring a reasonable accommodation to participate should contact the City Clerk’s office at 563-264-1500. To view City Council agendas and minutes, visit Agenda & Minutes.
Several options are available for those who cannot attend in person but would like to watch the proceedings. The City Council meeting will be broadcast live on the City of Muscatine YouTube channel and on Civic-TV (Muscatine Power & Water Cable Channel 2). A virtual option is also available for those who want to watch the proceedings on their desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Information on joining the virtual session is listed below.
Muscatine City Council Meeting | Thursday, April 18, 2024
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (CDT)
Join the virtual Zoom meeting from your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone by clicking the following link: Muscatine City Council Meeting.
Meeting ID: 825 5169 1259
Passcode: 927879