The Ames City Council will host a public input meeting to discuss the 2020-21 budget and Capital Improvements Plan.

The Council will vote on amendments to the 2020-2025 Capital Improvements Plan as well as a motion to approve the plan. The Council will also vote on a motion to host a public hearing Feb. 25 to adopt a maximum city property tax levy for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

The Council will vote to set March 10 as the final public hearing for the 2020-21 budget. 

The proposed budget, subject to change in the future, has estimated expenditures of $263,300,236 in order to fund the wide variety of services broken down to 32.3 percent on utilities, 25.1 percent on Capital Improvements Plan, 9 percent on public safety, 8.2 percent on transportation, 8.4 percent on internal services, 7.6 percent on debt service, 6.6 percent on community enrichment and 2.9 percent on general government.

Immediately after the public input meeting, the Council will switch to its regular biweekly meeting. 

The Council will continue its discussion of the Ames 2040 Plan regarding growth scenarios.

The Ames 2040 Plan includes multiple phases of public participation on issues related to new development, growth and sustaining the Ames community. The Ames 2040 plan will include identifying community interests and priorities regarding growth over the next 20 years. The plan will consider how to accommodate 15,000 additional residents as well as the increase in employment.

In January, the Council voted to accommodate projected Ames growth by emphasizing infill development in the south and west areas of the city. There were two interpretations of this plan: the Council will focus on West Ames north of U.S. 30, while others understood it to include West Ames areas both north and south of U.S. 30. They will vote on a motion to decide which interpretation to focus on. 

In the spring, a complete draft of Ames Plan 2040 will be up for public review. More information can be found on the City of Ames website. 

The meeting will take place at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chambers at Ames City Hall.