Community Updates 2022

  1. January 7, 2022

Community Update – January 7, 2022


City Council Update

The Indianola City Council met in regular session on Monday, January 3, 2022.   The meeting can be viewed on the City’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCwqdy2irWQILB_1QzcVrdw

 During this meeting, Council unanimously approved:

  • A payment application for the Influent Trunk Sewer and Outfall Sewer Project in the amount of $327,624.64
  • The second consideration of two ordinances pertaining to noise ordinances and mobile food vendors
  • The final completion and payment on the 2019 Drainage Improvement Project by T.K. Concrete
  • Setting a public hearing for a FY22 budget amendment to be held on February 7, 2022
  • Appointing representation to MPO and CIRTPA (Councilman Richardson, Mayor Erickson, Interim City Manager Charlie Dissell and Public Works Director Akhilesh Pal)
  • Membership to the newly-formed Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance for Community Development
  • Salaries
  • The referral of rezoning applications to the Planning and Zoning Commission for the commission to review and send a recommendation back to the Council.
  • An extension to the operating agreement with Bird Rides through December 31, 2022. Bird Rides plans to place the scooters around the community after winter. The City has no financial obligations with this agreement.
  • A Hold Harmless Agreement between the City of Indianola and Warren County Conservation Board regarding the Middleswart Lodge, located at 15875 118th Avenue

Charlie Dissell, Interim City Manager reported the Square was opened to all traffic on December 30; the Streetscape Project engineer will give an update on the project at a future council meeting and has put together a guide for business owners on how to care for new sidewalks; compared 2020 and 2021 building permit applications and valuations; and thanked City staff for their work plowing snow during the first significant snowfall event.

After the regular meeting, the Council heard a presentation by Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Andrew Lent on the Fiscal Year 23 Budget in their study session.  Key points of the presentation were:

  1. Proposed personnel changes: Community and Economic Development adding an associate planner; Police Dept moving an employee from part-time to full-time; Fire/EMS promoting 3 employees to captain and pursuing a grant for 3 additional fulltime employees; Public Works adding 2 full-time employees and promoting one employee to Crew Leader.
  2. Other Significant Changes: WCEDC requests a $25,000 increase in contribution; IMU Shared Services will decrease due to IMU taking over their payroll and some IT services; other anticipated requests (HIRTA, Des Moines Airport)
  3. FY23 Civic Organization Requests
  4. Impact Items: Valuations from County; GEMT Funding; IMU Franchise Fees/PILOT Payments; Health Insurance Increase; IMU Utility Fee Increases, if any.
  5. Next Steps: Finalize proposed budget after valuations are received; budget briefings with Council Members; Budget Presentation on February 7; Maximum Property Tax Dollar Hearing on February 22; Budget Hearing on March 14; Budget filed with the state by March 31st.

The FY23 CIP Presentation, along with budget information from previous years, can be viewed on the City’s website at http://www.indianolaiowa.gov/512/City-Clerk-Finance-Department.

Upcoming Council Meetings

Draft agendas for the upcoming Council meetings can be found at the link below.  These are working drafts and are subject to change. Agendas are published on the City's website the Thursday prior to a scheduled City Council meeting. Due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the next Council meeting will be on Tuesday, January 18, 2022.

January 18, 2022

February 7, 2022