Mayor Pro Tem Cara McFerren took the helm on Tuesday, May 7, during the West Liberty City Council Meeting in the absence of Mayor Mark Smith.
The council covered a lot of ground during the meeting, including annexation, hotel feasibility, county zoning, its childcare pilot program, and more.
To begin, the city is looking into an annexation request from Wertzbaugher Services northwest of town along Hwy 6, a request it received back in April.
The request comes on the heels of the recent voluntary annexation of Wiele Chevrolet back in September 2023. The automotive dealership is located in the same area.
Annexation is the process by which a city municipality acquires new land, most commonly by expanding its boundaries into adjacent land.
Homes and businesses that are annexed by the city gain access to city utilities, such as water, wastewater, and electric services, while in return, the city receives tax revenue.
"It has been recommended that we proceed with having meetings and conversations with additional property owners surrounding that," said City Manager Lee Geertz.
"[We want] to look and see if they would be willing to come in under the voluntary annexation along with the properties," she said. "I've reached out to set meetings."
They’ll discuss city utilities, connecting with the community's sidewalks, the urban renewal program offered by the city, and a five-year plan to shift taxes from the county to the city.
On a somewhat similar note, Muscatine County is updating its comprehensive plan, which is the county's vision for land use and investments in the future.
Muscatine County Planning, Zoning & Environmental Administrator Eric Furnas is looking to have a conversation with the cities that fall within the county, which include West Liberty.
Specifically, Muscatine County is looking at amending agricultural zoning in such a way as to encourage home building and development in rural areas.
"It has been historically true that zoned agricultural land within Muscatine County cannot be developed for housing, there are some very strict guidelines on what it takes to build a place to live on a zoned Ag lot," explained Ken Brooks.
Brooks, Director of West Liberty Economic Area Development (We Lead), explained that the county is looking into making the process of building a home easier on Ag land.
"They want feedback from the communities within Muscatine County about what that looks like, and is that something that they should consider redefining," he said.
Muscatine County will hold a workshop on May 22, 6-8 p.m. to receive input on the matter, as well as input on alternate energy sources, including wind turbines and solar energy.
The Muscatine County Comprehensive Plan Visioning Workshop will occur at the West Liberty Community Center, and no registration is required.
According to We Lead’s Facebook page, "Muscatine County officials are seeking citizens’ input for the development of a comprehensive land use plan update for the county."
"The plan provides the foundation for future growth and development in Muscatine County for the next 15-20 years," it states.
Citizens will learn about the comprehensive planning process and participate in an interactive session to give input on how land may be developed in the future.
Hotel Feasibility
The city has completed a hotel feasibility study, which was approved by the council back in November 2023.
The hope is to attract a developer to build a hotel in the city. However, before the city can even entertain a hotel organization or franchise to develop in West Liberty, it first needed to complete the study.
City Manager Geertz said one developer is very impressed with the community, stating it "could see what we see for the vision and the opportunity in our community."
"Unfortunately, we had some slow survey turn-around," she said, saying they have the information now. The study will be presented to the council at a future meeting.
The study will give a snapshot of the community and how well it will be able to support a hotel, what size the building should be, what are plausible rates, and more.
Childcare Pilot Program
City Manager Lee Geertz, Council Members Dana Dominguez and Cara McFerren, and We Lead Director Ken Brooks travelled to Washington D.C. May 12-15.
The trip was in regard to West Liberty piloting a childcare program for the U.S. National Guard, similar to how it is already a pilot program for the U.S. Army Reserve.
The program is in partnership with Upwards, a leading childcare provider.
The council approved a resolution to further arrangements between the federal government and itself during its previous meeting in April.
In Other News…
-The council approved meeting minutes from April 16, special meeting minutes from April 23, and the September Clerk/Treasurer Report.
-City Manager Geertz discussed drainage issues that are occurring by Morrison Construction and the mobile home village. The city is starting to look into a permanent fix.
-No updates regarding a 28E agreement between the city, the West Liberty Fire Department, and the Rural Township Trustees. Attorneys are still working on a settlement agreement.
-West Liberty EMS Coordinator Tammy Wigim officially left the role on Monday, May 6, and will be missed by the city.
-City Manager Geertz gave praise to Director of Public Works and Streets Adam Reinhardt for his daily help with construction projects and City Clerk Shari Hoffert for updating the city's financial software and city codification.
-The council approved two vendor voucher claims lists (expenditures), the first totaling $613,161.87 and the second $1,004 for Cardinal Signs and Graphics.
-City Manager Geertz met with Becky Heil, Southeast District Consultant for the State Library of Iowa, about needs in the community and needs for our local library.
-We Lead will hold a State of the City meeting on May 17 from Noon- 2 p.m., during which community members will hear from Mayor Mark Smith and We Lead Director Ken Brooks.
-We Lead will be hosting a First Time Home Buyers Education Course on June 1-2. More information will come out shortly.
-The council discussed upping the wattage on the power pole located at Spencer and Third St. in order to better accommodate events downtown, which often include live music and food carts.
-The council approved an event request for the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre. The 2024 Children's Festival will occur on Sept. 14 at Third and Calhoun St., as per usual.
-Lynch Dallas was approved as the new attorney firm to represent West Liberty in all legal matters, replacing Stanley, Lande & Hunter. Next, the council will need to enter an agreement to transition into the new relationship.
-The council officially designated June 19 as "Juneteenth National Independence Day." This means city services will be closed in observance of the national holiday.
-The city council entered into closed session to "discuss strategy with counsel in matters that are presently in litigation or where litigation is imminent," as per Iowa Code. No action was taken after exiting the closed session.