The Ames City Council and Ames residents discussed Campustown fixtures, Eastern Ames Annexation and more law enforcement at the city budget meeting Oct. 7.

The meeting was held by City Manager Steve Schainker to gather input from residents about where they would like to see money appropriated in the city’s budget for next year.

The meeting for next year’s budget served two purposes. The first was to give background on the budget and the second was to get suggestions from residents for what they would like to see in the budget, Schainker said.

Kim Hanna, director of Campustown representing The Campustown Action Association, said that they would like to see an increased and improved amount of streetlights in the Campustown business district.

Hanna also brought up the unofficial crosswalk at Stanton and Lincoln way that has become increasingly unsafe for pedestrians.

“Either create a cross walk so that it is a safe cross walk from Stanton into campus or do something with the medians to make sure that you can’t jaywalk there… It’s a very unsafe pedestrian crossing,” Hanna said.

There is a need to add more money to the Capital Improvement Plan for the Industrial Expansion of Eastern Ames and expanding Grand Avenue to accommodate the amount of traffic in Ames, said Dan Culhane with the Ames Economic Development Commission.

Concerns over having enough inspectors for housing projects, such as Copper Beach, were brought up by Sharon Guber, a resident of Ames.

“Are we able to prevent things that have happened in other college towns in terms of student housing construction that has been poorly done?” Guber asked.

Guber also mentioned the possible need for more police officers in Ames.

“It seems that there is need expressed by people of prioritizing services from police officers that maybe is due to the fact that we have more issues and need more police officers,” Guber said.

Ames resident Joanne Pfeiffer stated concerns over neighborhood deterioration. Pfeiffer expressed the need to look at the exterior appearance of houses within neighborhoods and communities, along with the need for deteriorating sidewalks throughout the city.

The lack of sidewalk expansion on South Duff was another concern brought up by Dinah Kerksieck. She said that the sidewalk near Texas Roadhouse is not wide enough and that the path needs to extend to the Boys and Girls Club to provide a safe route for children.

Also mentioned were the problems of tree removal due to the Emerald Ash Borer and how those trees would be replaced and adding a way to track where snowplows are in the city during the winter.