As of July 1, 2018, the Inflow/Infiltration Inspections will be a Voluntary
Inspection and no longer required when selling your home.

The cost for the initial inspection is $50.00 and if a re-inspection is needed, the cost is $25.00. The purpose of the cost is to cover the staff time and equipment required for the inspection.

If you are a resident of Iowa* and are older than 15 years old, you need a photo id with your current address to sign up for a library card.  If your photo id does not list your current address, you can also bring a piece of mail pre-printed with your current address.

Children under 16 need parental permission.  A parent or guardian can bring a child to the library to sign up for a card.

*In addition to being an Iowa resident, you must live in a community which participants in Iowa's Open Access library program.  Almost all communities in Iowa participate in this program. Communities in Warren County that are not Open Access participants are the incorporated towns of Ackworth, Martensdale, St. Mary's, Sandyville, and Spring Hill.  Residents of rural Warren County are Open Access participants.  

Fingerprinting
The Indianola Police Department staff performs fingerprinting services for the purpose of background checks and employment.

The cost is $10.00 per card. This service is offered 24/7 at the Police station, 110 N. First St. Indianola, Ia. No appointment necessary.

Individuals in need of this service will need a valid identification(driver's license) and can bring their blue applicant cards ( not filled out).

Contact the Patrol Supervisor for any complaints regarding officers. For any other personnel complaints contact the Chief of Police. All contacts maybe made by calling 515-961-9400 or email bsher@indianolaiowa.gov.

Reports are available 24/7 at the Police Station, 110 N. First St.  It might be in your best interest to call ahead 515-961-9400 to see if the report is completed. There is a $5.00 cost per report.

Currently the Police Department has a certified child seat technician CSO Kevin Michels. You may call during normal business hours 515-961-9400 for available time to check your child's safety seat. Shelley Jensen with the Department of Health and Sanitation may also be contact 515-961-1074 for child seat safety checks.

We recommend citizens advise us if they are leaving town and their residence will be unoccupied. Please call or come to Indianola Police Department to fill out vacation check form. Bring to the police station or email to pallsup@indianolaiowa.gov.

Traffic citations are payable at the Clerk of Court office at 115 N Howard St, Indianola, Ia 50125 or online and follow the steps.

Parking tickets are payable at City of Indianola Front desk or the Indianola Police Department. Parking tickets may be paid on line.

When inclement weather is in the area sirens will go off. Sirens are maintained by the Warren County Emergency Management office. Sign up to be notified of siren alerts by clicking this link. 

Deadlines are used as a tool to determine whether there is enough interest in a class/activity to invest time and money. If a class minimum isn't met by the deadline, the activity may be canceled. In fact, the quickest way to kill a program is to wait until after the deadline to try to register! 

Does missing the deadline mean you can't get into the class? In some cases, participants will still be able to register for an activity until the class is filled. Missing a deadline doesn't always mean you have to miss the activity. 

But early registration guarantees you and your family members a spot in your favorite activities, as some classes fill before the deadline.

The Indianola Parks & Recreation Fee Assistance Program focuses on opening doors to recreation for children who could not otherwise afford it. By using this program, the holder is eligible to receive up to $100 per child per year to be applied as a 50% discount for many Parks & Recreation classes, events and programs. Pool passes are also available at a reduced rate. 

Please contact one of these agencies to determine if your family is eligible for the  program:

• Warren County Health Services (515) 690-9190
• IMPACT Community Action Partnership (515) 518-4770

If you qualify, the agency will let us know.  After we receive notice of your eligibility, simply call our office at (515) 961-9420 to register and pay with a debit/credit card, or visit in person to pay with cash/check.

Refunds/credits will gladly be given as long as your refund request is made by 5:00pm on the business day prior to the start of the program, less all costs already incurred.  Any time after that date, a pro-rated refund/credit will only be granted for illness, medical reasons or other unavoidable circumstances.  Physician's written verification required.  Must make request within 7 working days.

Find out information about renting the Buxton Room for large events, or smaller meeting rooms when you click here.

Dogs are allowed in Indianola city parks as long as they are leashed at all times (leash 15’ or shorter), and owners clean up any messes.  This includes the softball complex at Pickard Park.

Indianola’s off-leash dog park is available for residents and non-residents. An annual membership costs $25 per dog.  More about the dog park.

Submit your event information to the IT Department at City Hall or send an e-mail to it@indianolaiowa.gov Only non-profit events are allowed.

The city posts all recorded meetings online typically within 24 hours of their original broadcast. Those meetings can be accessed by clicking the following link: https://cityofindianola.viebit.com/

The City of Indianola City Council members are all reachable by email and phone.  The contact information can be found on the City Council page of the website at the link provided below.

The City of Indianola offers many options for our residents to pay their utility bills. All methods are free of charge to our customers. Customers can make payments by cash, credit, debit, or check at the IMU Customer Service Center located at 210 West 2nd Avenue. You can also sign up to have payments automatically deducted from your checking or savings account by filling out a short form at the IMU Customer Service Center. A drop box is also conveniently located in the IMU Customer Service Center parking lot. Customers can also pay by phone by calling 515-961-9444 or online by visiting the link provided below. Both options allow payment by credit, debit, checking or savings.

Pay Online by visiting Indianola Municipal Utilities at www.indianola.com

Indianola residents’ recycling schedule is based on their location. Recycling is picked up by Waste Management on one of four days, every other week. To view and determine your recycling pick-up day or the schedule, please click on the link provided.

Most residents living within the city limits (and limited areas outside the city limits) have electric, recycling, sanitary sewer, water, and stormwater services through Indianola Municipal Utilities and City of Indianola. Application for utility service must be filed in person at the IMU Customer Service Center, 210 West 2^nd Avenue. For more information please visit the link below.

3 Ways to Purchase Season Passes

• Click here to purchase online.
• Call (515) 961-9420.
• Visit the Parks & Recreation office at 2204 W. 2nd Avenue (Hwy 92 West).

Season Passes are not sold at the Aquatic Center.

You can find out about pool closings three ways

• By calling the pool at 961-9422, where we will leave a message.
• By checking the Aquatic Center Facebook page 
• By signing up to receive automatic texts.  Join the group called Aquatics - VMAC Closing and Event Info, and any other groups that interest you at
  http://tinyurl.com/y5e389lp

Be sure to register for text notifications for your child's session of Swim lessons.  

Sign up for Indianola Parks & Recreation Text Alerts here.

The Aquatic Center may close because of cool temperatures, thunder or lightning, low attendance or murky water. 

• If at 12:30 pm the temperature is 72 degrees or cooler, the pool will not open. Weather will be monitored; if conditions improve the pool may open later. 
• If lightning is spotted or thunder is heard, the pool will be cleared of all patrons for at least 30 minutes.
• If attendance is 15 patrons or less for more than 30 minutes, the pool reserves the right to close. 
• If the main drain in the deep end cannot be seen or the water is cloudy, the pool reserves the right to close.
• It also may become necessary to close the pool to sanitize it after a swimmer becomes ill and has an incident.

Rental properties will be inspected every 2 years by may be more or less frequent depending on factors including the condition and age of the rental property, inspection history, tenant/management complaints, and natural disasters such as flooding.

The City of Indianola provides a rental housing inspection checklist for property owners and landlords to utilize prior to rental inspections. Though this checklist is not all encompassing of all local, state, and federal laws, it will be utilized to determine if a rental meets the housing quality standards established by the City of Indianola.

If you are purchasing a rental property, please notify the Code Enforcement Officer to complete a transfer of ownership. A notice is required ninety-six (96) hours after a rental property is sold, transferred, conveyed, or otherwise disposed of ownership, interest or control. This notice should include the name and address of the person that is purchasing or gaining control of the property. Additionally, you will need to re-register the property under your name and contact information. The rental inspection certificate will continue to be in good standing until the date of its original expiration, if approved. 

Failure to re-register and/or notify the Code Enforcement Officer within thirty (30) days will result in the revocation and suspension of a rental certificate.

Yes - Smoke detectors are required for rental properties. A smoke detector will be required for each sleeping room. 

If the rental property is a single-family dwelling, a tenant is responsible for interior conditions of the rental. The property owner/landlord will be responsible for exterior conditions such as holes and gaps that may be allowing insects and rodents to enter into the home. If the rental property is a multi-family dwelling and affects two or more units, the property owner/landlord is responsible for addressing the issue.

If you are concerned about a non-emergency issue, you will need to first contact your landlord. Your landlord should have seven (7) days to address the complaint upon notification. If left unresolved, please file a formal complaint utilizing the City’s GeoPermits software.

Complaint-based inspections are of no charge to landlords or tenants. To learn more about how to file a complaint, please visit our website.

Submit Complaint Form

Certificates must be readily available to prospective tenants and current residing tenants by the property owner and/or landlord at all times. If you are unable to receive or view a certificate by a landlord or leasing agent, please contact the Community & Economic Development Department.

Property owners and landlords are responsible for ensuring that all tenants are notified at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to an inspection. Notices must be complaint with those methods outlined in the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law (Iowa Code 562A.8).

Smoke free housing can be found on the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services' website.

• The OWSS will be activated upon receipt of a tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) in Polk County.
• Severe Thunderstorm Warnings where forecasted or actual wind speeds reach or exceed 70mph (61kts)
• Sirens will sound in a cycle of 3-5 minutes, followed by a 10-15-minute break for the duration of the threat (warning period).

Please note that cities do perform a monthly siren test to ensure all sirens are functioning. The entire system is tested at 1 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month unless severe weather is imminent. 

When the sirens are heard, go inside and tune in to local media to get more information.

Sirens are an outdoor warning system designed only to alert those who are outside that something dangerous is approaching.

People should be indoors and monitoring local media for updates on the storm.

Sirens are typically activated by city or county officials, usually a police or fire department or emergency management personnel.  Check with your city or county officials to learn more.

When thunderstorm winds exceed 70 mph, trees can be uprooted or snapped. Hail that is golf ball sized or larger can break windows. Both of these things pose a direct risk to life if people are caught outdoors.

The safest approach is to be proactive and use all of the information available to protect yourself and your family from threatening weather. Nothing can replace common sense. If a storm is approaching, the lightning alone is a threat. Sirens are only one part of a warning system that includes preparation, emergency and severe weather alerts, NOAA Weather Radio, and local media.

In the event of an emergency or severe weather, it’s important to stay informed. Warren County Emergency Management utilizes “Alert Iowa” – State of Iowa’s official emergency notification system. Alerts can provide valuable seconds for you to seek shelter and can help keep you safe during an emergency.

Register Here

The National Weather Service also says every home and business should have a NOAA Weather Radio All-Hazards. NOAA Weather Radio is like a smoke detector for severe weather, and it can wake you up when a warning is issued for your area so you can take appropriate action.

A Tornado WATCH means Be Prepared. A Tornado WARNING means Take Action! weather.gov/safety/tornado-ww

 Don’t underestimate the power of water. It only takes 6 inches of fast-moving water to knock over and carry away an adult, and 12 inches to carry away a small car. Turn Around Don’t Drown! 

FOG refers to fats, oils and grease that are generated from normal business operations of food service establishments (FSEs). Grease is commonly washed into the plumbing system during cleanup through the kitchen skink. As it cools, it congeals and decreases pipe capacity both inside the FSE and in the main sewer system. FOG can block your drain, your neighbors' drain and main collection lines, potentially becoming an environmental and public health risk.

Eliminating FOG-related sanitary sewer overflows is the goal of the new FOG program, led by the Water Resource Recovery Facility. Inspectors will routinely inspect kitchens and FSEs to ensure compliance with regulations. It is the responsibility of each business to develop an effective FOG waste management plan and properly dispose of FOG waste on a consistent basis.

All commercial and institutional cooking establishments as well as some non-cooking FSEs will be required to meet the regulations set forth in the ordinance. This includes, but is not limited to, restaurants, bars, schools, daycares, churches, nursing homes, bakeries, grocery stores, caterers and other food preparation operations.

A grease trap that is properly sized and installed to remove the FOG at your FSE is important. Following the suggested best management practices and routine maintenance of the trap will increase the probability of meeting the discharge limits of the ordinance. Indoor grease traps are much smaller in design and therefore need more maintenance to prevent the FOG from reaching the sanitary sewers. Make sure baffles and deflector shields are installed properly. 

The Water Resource Recovery Facility also recommends that dishwashers and garbage disposals bypass small, indoor grease traps as the FOG is emulsified by detergents, sending it on down the sanitary sewers.

If the trap is not cleaned frequently or correctly, it will not perform well and could put your FSE at risk of violating FOG discharge limits.

There is a 25% rule that applies to both grease interceptors and grease traps that states the FOG (floats to the top) and solids (settles to the bottom) content of the device should not be in excess of 25% of the grease interceptor/trap depth. Typically, cleaning frequencies for grease traps may be in the range of daily to weekly. Cleaning frequencies for grease interceptors can be expected to be monthly or quarterly.

This 25% rule allows the wastewater enough residence time inside the device to effectively remove the FOG and solids from the wastewater before it reaches the sanitary sewer system.

The single most important thing you can do to help extend the length of time between maintenance and saving your facility in maintenance expense is to use diligence in dry cleanup prior to wet cleanup. Scrape food debris in the garbage and dry-wipe the dishes prior to immersion in hot water (sink or dishwasher).

The City ordinance prohibits the use of enzymes, emulsifying chemicals, hot water or other agents as a grease abatement method to grease removal devices or drains. These chemicals keep the FOG emulsified long enough to become a serious problem downstream as dilution of the chemical allows for the FOG to congeal and decrease pipe capacity having the potential to cause a serious blockage and sanitary sewer overflow.

Please contact the Water Resource Recovery Facility for more information.

The Water Resource Recovery Facility will be performing unscheduled compliance inspections. The important items the Water Resource Recovery Facility will be checking are:

1. The grease removal device (interior grease trap or exterior grease interceptor) is under 25% full of FOG and solids. This will be done via physical inspection by the Water Resource Recovery Facility staff.
2. Maintenance records, including accurate measurements, are on-site and available at the request of the inspector. Records must be kept for a period of three years.
3. Any additional requirements from the official inspection report.

Enforcement actions could include, but not limited to, the following:

• Notice of violation without fine;
• Notice of violation with fines of up to $1,000;
• Civil penalties;
• Submission of a compliance plan;
• Installation of a properly sized, exterior grease interceptor; and
• Cleanup costs for sewer blockages.