A community pancake breakfast is planned for this year’s Fourth of July celebration.

At the Ames City Council’s regular meeting Tuesday night, the council approved hosting and funding the community pancake breakfast July 4 to kick off the celebrations. The breakfast would be held in front of City Hall from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., prior to the Fourth of July parade on Main Street.

“We thought it could bring the one community concept together,” Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco said. “Then people can stay and enjoy the celebration and the parade.”

A plan to rehabilitate taxi-way “A” at the Ames Municipal Airport was also approved during the meeting, and the contract was awarded to Manatts Inc., 2120 E. 13th St., in the amount of $295,987.25.

“A lot of air traffic comes into Ames, we are like the ninth or 10th busiest airport in the state,” Tedesco said. “The runways and taxi-strips are just like highways. They need rehabilitation every now and then.”

An East Lincoln Way bicycle bridge over the Skunk River was also approved, and the contract was awarded to United Contractors Inc., of Johnston, in the amount of $329,031.98.

The bike path will be on the north side of East Lincoln Way and extend out to the interstate bridge, Tedesco said.

Other items discussed during the meeting include approving beer permits and liquor license renewals for Appu’s, 326 Lincoln Way, The Boheme Bistro, 2900 West St. and the Hotel at Gateway Center, 2100 Green Hills Drive.

New area businesses also applied for beer permits and liquor licenses. Fuel Right, 4510 Mortensen Road, Old Chicago, 1610 South Kellogg Ave. and Guadalajara, 327 Lincoln Way were all approved pending certificate of occupancy and background checks.