The Ames City Council discussed the residential satisfaction survey and new municipal codes for vendors at last night’s council meeting.

Each year the City of Ames administers a resident satisfaction survey to determine the opinion of residents and students about the city of Ames.

The city received 530 returned surveys. Students make up 48 percent of those returned surveys.

The city saw drops in satisfaction in law enforcement and Cyride services this year. They will look into these numbers and what the cause in these drops could potentially be.

Overall, there was a 98 percent satisfaction rate. 

The city is currently looking at changing the municipal codes for food vendors, including student favorites on Welch Ave. These changes include displaying of permit at all times. Other changes included not allowing “those with a felony in the last five years” to own a permit and permits may be used for a year with a renewal needed every year.

Gartin moved to make the appeal process for a vendor permit 20 days, as opposed to 14, in order to give permit holders more time to appeal a denial of a permit. The motion was moved unanimously with Goodman abstaining due to conflicts of interest.

Tim Gartin, a member of the city council, also made a motion to remove the background check on permit holders in order to allow an individual with a felony to own any type of vending cart, vehicle or person. Concerns were raised by many council members about removing this background check due to problems with registered sex offenders and vending vehicles in residential areas.

Other concerns were raised about the workers of the vendor carts. It was discussed that a code may need to be put into place to ensure that felons, especially those on the sex offender registry, cannot work at vendor carts. The new code will prohibit those with felonies in the past five years to hold permits, but does not place restrictions on those physically working the carts.

The motion was denied three to one. Matthew Goodman, at large representative, abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest.

Amber Corrieri, at large representative, discussed allowing vendors the opportunity to move locations. This would give vendors the chance to move locations on a possible lottery system.

Lissa Villa, ex-officio student representative, stated concerns over this motion. Students would not want to see different locations of their favorite vendors on places like Welch Ave. Student “favorites” could potentially be moved if this lottery was put in place. The idea was discussed but no motion was put into place.

Voting on the ordinance will be brought back at another time to vote on the ordinance with the changes.