The war in Iraq may prompt the City of Ames to upgrade its disaster plan — ahead of schedule.

The City Council will vote on a resolution Tuesday to fund the Emergency Operations Center, three months ahead of schedule.

The center is where the city manager and heads of city departments gather to decide actions in the face of local emergencies.

“The decision to fund the EOC early was made in light of the military conflict in Iraq and the increased threat of terrorist attacks,” said Cmdr. Jim Robinson, Ames Police. “We also decided to act due to the increased alert status implemented by Homeland Security.”

The increased funding of $17,920 will be used to add additional telephone and PC network capability, provide additional emergency power, install keypad access and update furnishings.

In addition to emergency preparation plans, the council will discuss plans for a new city park.

A resolution will be presented calling for a collaboration between Story County and Ames to transform a former rock quarry into the new park.

Over the next six months, the former Hallett’s Quarry will be turned into the Ada Hayden Heritage Park.

The county will provide planting and management plans and the city will provide $42,000 to purchase seeds, plants and other supplies necessary to establish native plant communities.

Contractors will be carting out rocks and bringing in plants from May through November. The total construction time is estimated at five years, with 30 to 50 acres planted annually.

After the first five-year phase, the park will include a two mile crushed-stone path, a mixture of 12 common native prairie plants and 250 acres of prairie and wetlands.

The purpose of the plants is to filter the water in the surrounding lakes, which act as the city’s secondary water supply source during drought conditions.

The decision to place the park around an abandoned rock quarry was to filter the water and provide a haven for wildlife.

The decision to name the park after Hayden came after the site was chosen, said Nancy Carroll, director of the Ames Parks and Recreation Department.

“It made perfect sense to name the park after Ada Hayden,” she said. “When we found out the park site was her old backyard, we almost couldn’t believe it.”

The council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the City Hall Council Chambers, 515 Clark Ave.