Hannah Bell

The meeting addressed resolutions necessary for finalizing the Stoddard Place II Redevelopment Projects. Specifically, Resolution Number 26-5 pertains to the Stoddard Place II LIHTC Redevelopment Project, anticipated to have a final valuation near $3 million and generate approximately $480,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenue, with an effective date set for January 1, 2027. Resolution Number 26-6 concerns the workforce housing portion of the project, with an anticipated valuation of $850,000 expected to generate around $130,000 in TIF revenue. Both redevelopment agreements are subject to future amendments upon property replatting.

The regular meeting addressed items on the consent agenda, which were approved. The primary focus involved a public hearing concerning the rezoning request for Parcel No. 004342100, located in the Northeast Quarter of Section 29, from "AG" Agricultural District to "GI" General Industrial District, for the purpose of equipment storage. Following the hearing closure, Resolution Number 26-4, recommending this rezoning to the City Council, was introduced. Discussion included assurances regarding utility easements, after which the Commission passed and adopted the resolution.

The meeting commenced with a presentation from the Beatrice Sertoma Club, which donated $75,000 for improvements to Sertoma-Astro Park, including a splash pad and playground. The City Council approved a comprehensive consent agenda covering various financial reports, claims, and service agreement amendments with Olsson, Inc., including updating labor rates and addressing the 2025 Air Emissions Inventory Report. Additionally, farm and hay leases were approved. An ordinance (Number 26-4) was passed and approved for replatting 24.01 acres of land being sold to Landmark Snacks for expansion. A significant portion of the meeting involved a presentation by Waters Edge regarding the aquatic park study, detailing three concept design tiers for repair or replacement of the existing 1998 water park, ranging in estimated cost from $1.5 million for repairs to $9-$11 million for a full replacement (Tier 3). The Council discussed the merits of each tier, with committee members leaning towards Tier 3 due to its comprehensive features aligned with public feedback. Finally, the Council reviewed and expressed positive affirmation regarding the recent evaluation results for the City Administrator/General Manager, Tobias J. Tempelmeyer.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the consent agenda, which included the agenda itself, receipt of notices and materials, approval of the minutes from the February 2nd, 2026 meeting, and approval of several reports of claims totaling over $1.8 million. Key discussions focused on the proposed electrical generation facility, including two technology options: reciprocating internal combustion engines (rice units) and combustion turbines. The presentation detailed the advantages of a larger project size (200 MW) for economy of scale and discussed how dual-fuel units could hedge against high natural gas prices during cold snaps, referencing the February 2021 event. The council also discussed the SP requirement for accredited capacity, noting that dual-fuel capability ensures availability during critical cold weather periods. Finally, there was a discussion regarding the cost comparison between self-generation capacity and current market capacity rates, which are trending upward.

The meeting began with a note of an absent Councilman. A donation was presented by three gentlemen from the Sertoma Club for the installation of new playground equipment at Sertoma Astro Park, an effort for which $85,000 was raised. The council then moved to the consent agenda, which included approval of the agenda, receipt of notices and meeting materials, approval of the minutes from the January 19th, 2026, regular meeting, approval of various reports of claims (Treasury, Boswell, BPW), and approval of pay requests for the WPC grit improvements project. Resolutions were passed concerning the update of a labor rate schedule with Olsson Incorporated and executing a professional services agreement with the same firm for the 2025 air emissions inventory report. Other resolutions involved entering into farm and H leases and releasing a previous party from a real estate donation contract. The council then addressed an ordinance approving the plot for the Landmark addition to the city, which was read three times and passed. The session concluded with an update on the aquatic park study presented by W's Edge Aquatic Design, detailing the facility's condition assessment (noting deterioration in the concrete basin and rust on the original water slide structure) and public engagement results, which indicated strong support and a desire for features like a lazy river and zero-depth entry in any new facility.