At 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Ames City Council addressed gender identity as a protected class, the Schainker Plaza concrete subcontractors, Jordinson Construction, the curbside recycling and R3C program and device delivery permits.
Gender identity
On Feb. 10, the Ames City Council adopted an ordinance modifying Municipal Code 14 to define gender identity as a protected class. The council suspended rules and passed the ordinance through three readings and adoption in one meeting, a process that typically takes weeks.
On March 10, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Senate File 579, banning local governments from expanding on the civil rights protections beyond those allotted by the state. The council initially planned on issuing a letter stating their stance on the legislation, but congress progressed the legislation at a rapid pace.
“Instead of considering House File 2541, they attached that language as an amendment to a senate bill, Senate File 579. So yesterday Senate File 579 passed the senate… about 4 p.m. today the governor signed the bill,” Mark Lambert, Ames city attorney, said. “After years of working around the legislature, I worked there as a staff member and lobbyist, it’s intentional that they moved it this fast. It takes usually three or four days to get down to the governor’s office.”
The city of Ames can no longer define gender identity as a protected class.
“I wish that the legislature would allow municipal governments to occur at the local level and that they not preempt our ability to exercise homerule,” Ward 3 Rep. Gloria Betcher said. “That is, in essence, our ability to do what we think is best for our community.”
By the next city council meeting Lambert will have a memo detailing next steps regarding the legislation prepared.
Jordison Concrete Inc.
At 4:30 p.m. Feb. 27, the city council held a special meeting to discuss the agreement between Henkel Construction and Ames. The council concluded that Henkel Construction will remove and replace the ice skating ribbon and correct the deficiencies in the splash pad at Schainker Plaza with no cost to the city.
To initially lay the concrete Henkel Construction brought on a sub-contractor, Jordison Construction, Inc. The work of Jordinson failed to meet the standards of high quality and safe concrete. On March 24 the council will discuss labeling Jordison a “non-responsible bidder for the purpose of bidding on city projects.”
Curbside recycling
The Ames City Council approved a five-year contract for Aspen Waste Systems to manage the city wide recycling program, effective July 1.
Additionally, council approved a resolution to Appendix F allowing the city to charge all eligible customers a fee of $7.75 monthly for the recycling services. This fee applies regardless of whether residents utilize recycling services.
Device delivery seller permit
The council declined to take action, allowing the state to handle permit applications for a device delivery seller permit from the Iowa Department of Revenue. Devices include metal or glass based smoking devices, e.g., vapes. Permit application fees cost $1,500 and retailers selling devices will face a 40% excise tax on the sales price.
R3C bidding
The City of Ames estimated the bidding cost for the Resource, Recovery and Recycling Campus at $16.8 million. The city estimated the bid with the advice of Nebraska-based HDR and Iowa-based Story Construction. The actual bid overshoots the proposal by $3 million, reaching $19.6 million. The city only received only one bid on several bid packages.
The Public Works Department will review the project and decide what to cut to get back on track with the budget. Ames City Council will accept awards on the bid March 24.
For more information on the Ames City Council meetings visit the webpage.
