Although half of the Ames City Council is expected to be physically absent, the council meeting scheduled for Tuesday night will proceed as planned.

Council members Russ Cross, Sharon Wirth and Daryle Vegge will not be able to attend the meeting, Cross said.

Items on the agenda must receive four votes to be approved, but only three members will be present in the City Chambers.

To meet quorum, Cross will participate in the meeting via telephone, said Diane Voss, city clerk. He will vote electronically, she said.

The sale and development of 623 Ninth St. will be discussed at the meeting. The Council will vote on a resolution approving a contract with Amellen Construction and Sales, Inc.

“The only reason we’re dealing with it is because [the house] changed from a one story to a two story structure,” said Councilwoman Judie Hoffman.

Hoffman said the property was originally going to be used for low income housing but, due to the condition of the property, that is no longer the case.

“The property was used as a daycare center. Unfortunately, the daycare center let the property go downhill,” Hoffman said. “The city felt it was in such bad shape it would not be feasible to fix up.”

Asbestos and fire code concerns were among problems with the property, she said.

Amellen Construction and Sales, Inc. will pay the city $5,000 for the property and will be in charge of demolishing structures on the property and removing hazardous materials.

Vanessa Baker-Latimer, housing coordinator for the Ames Department of Planning and Housing, said the money will go into the housing fund, but it has not been determined what it will be specifically used for.

“It will go into the housing fund where we do various types of affordable housing projects,” Baker-Latimer said.

The Council will also do the final read and vote to pass an increase in illegal parking fines from $5 to $10. The ordinance was approved unanimously during the first two reads.

The purpose of the parking fines is to offset the decreased funding from the Iowa Legislature, Hoffman said. “The legislature took away a lot of money formerly given to cities and counties,” she said. “One concession made to cities was we could raise the cost of parking fines.”

Previously, parking fines were controlled by the legislature, Hoffman added. If not paid after 30 days, the fine will increase to $15.

Other cities around the state are also raising their parking fines, Hoffman said.

“The city of Des Moines has raised theirs a lot,” Hoffman said. “It is at least $15, if not more.”

The council meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Ave.