The Northwest Park shelter house, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget, and a downtown art and culture plan are all on the agenda for Monday’s Carroll City Council meeting. According to City Manager Aaron Kooiker, it has been nearly two years since a lightning strike and resultant fire severely damaged the shelter house, and the city and its insurer have finally reached an agreement.
With the insurance benefit settled, the council will consider a $74,500 contract with JEO Consulting Group, Inc. to design the replacement shelter house and assist with bidding and construction administration. Depending on contractor availability, it is possible Northwest Park could have its replacement constructed yet this year. About midway through the meeting, city officials will open the public hearing on the city’s FY27 budget, which includes a total tax rate of $11.25108 per $1,000 of taxable assessed valuation. The council will consider final approval of the budget following the public hearing. Kooiker says a familiar topic, a downtown art and culture plan, will be back before the council on Monday. About a month ago, city staff issued a request for proposals (RFP) to designers and received strong interest.
The city received contract proposals ranging from $36,000 to $40,000, and the chosen firm will maintain consistent themes and designs as revitalization work is completed throughout the downtown over the next several years. Areas currently being looked at by city officials include the green space between the library and courthouse, the open lot west of the theatre, and the Adams Street sidewalks. Speaking of downtown, Kooiker says the council will consider continuing the façade improvement grant program.
Kooiker is referring to Carroll’s downtown urban renewal area, as tax-increment financing (TIF) funds from the district are the source funds for the grants. Other items of note on Monday’s agenda include the city’s FY27 health insurance renewal, code cleanup related to Kuemper Catholic’s campus consolidation, and the purchase of a new police vehicle. The April 13 meeting begins at 5:15 p.m. at Carroll City Hall and is open to the public. Links to the agenda and live-stream video are included below.
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https://towncloud.io/go/carroll-ia/agendas/385
