The Ames City Council joined the Government of the Student Body at its weekly meeting on Wednesday night to discuss Campustown, the Blue Zone project and the future of Ames.

Nate Dobbels, speaker of the Senate, asked what the City Council thought of the possible expansion of Ames.

Tom Wacha, of the City Council, said that a small percentage of people fear that if, for example, Ames were to allow box stores in the western part of town, Ames would look just like Ankeny.

The Council members said if the community does not expand a little each year, the community will shrink and people will start pulling away.

There was also discussion of the future of Campustown at the meeting.

“The Cyclone Cinema talk for us was very exciting because someone from the university was going to take an interest to the community,” said Matthew Goodman, the City Council’s at-large representative. “We couldn’t stay open selling burritos until 4 a.m. without the university.”

Goodman is also the owner of the Fighting Burrito.

Goodman said people have expressed interest in having an ice cream shop and other businesses, but anything that is not night business is not that easy to sell. Because of that, he said, there needs to be a change in Campustown as a whole if people really do want fewer bars.

GSB Senator Eric Harms asked about the status of the lights and security cameras that could possibly be installed in Campustown.

The City Council said that right now the lighting is looking like it will cost over $100,000, so the Council is searching for funding options.

Jeremy Davis, City Council member, said some comments he received from last year’s attempt at a Campustown redevelopment were that students did not want Campustown to change, because it is what they know and love.

Davis said he has lived in Ames since he graduated from Iowa State, and that in reality Campustown changes every four years.

“Don’t look at it as how it is now, look at how it could be in the future,” Davis said.

GSB President Dakota Hoben asked about the Blue Zone initiative that the City of Ames is trying to get involved in.

Steve Schainker, city manager, said that in order for this to be successful, the schools, businesses and everyone else will have to be involved.

“It’s really about improving the lifestyle and wellness of the total community,” Schainker said.

He said that Ames is looking like a contender for the funding for the project, which would come from Blue Cross Blue Shield because Ames is a self-sustained city.

Schainker said West Des Moines and Ankeny have been asked to withdraw their bid for the initiative because the cities have so many people that commute to other places to work.

Schainker said in order for the project to work, the dorms and dining centers on campus will have to be willing to comply.