The Ames City Council will discuss a year-end sustainability report with Iowa State University on Tuesday. 

The report includes the option to approve the city’s contract with Iowa State University, which began in July 2010, to utilize the services of the Director of Sustainability — Merry Rankin. It covers a maximum of 480 hours per year, or 25 percent of her time, according to city documents. 

The report includes the Initial Scope of Services, which initially focuses on reducing electric consumption. Since then, five priority areas were added relating to a reduction of energy consumption and waste reduction and diversion: 

1. Continue to work with Public Works Department and Water and Pollution Control Department on reuse and diversion programs related to the waste stream, including – but not limited to – the exploration of a composting and food waste program.

2. Continue to support and strengthen the Smart Business Challenge through outreach and recruitment of participants, oversight of Challenge interns and marketing of outcomes and accomplishments of Challenge participants.

3. Continue to represent the City at events that educate residents about ongoing City sustainability efforts, rebates and waste opportunities.

4. Coordinate the new Rummage RAMPage at the Ames Intermodal Facility in partnership with the Resource Recovery Plant, Public Relations, CyRide and Iowa State University to address concerns that usable housewares and furniture are being needlessly discarded and hard-to-process materials are being sent to the Resource Recovery Plant. 

5. Serve as a City contact with consultants to complete a Climate Action Plan. Help lead the committee of City employees in collaboration with the selected consultant to complete and present the Climate Action Plan to Council. 

In addition to the sustainability report, the Council will have a public hearing on the submission of round two for the COVID-19 Cares Grant application to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). This hearing is from the Council’s meeting in March, in which they directed staff to proceed with hosting a grant application workshop to request funding proposals from area agencies that provide services such as food distribution, meal delivery for the elderly and facility-based daycare services. 

According to city documents, Council will have the option to either: 

• ​​Approve the submittal of the attached Round 2 CV-CARES (COVID-19) grant application to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). 

• Approve the submittal of a Round 2 CV-CARES (COVID-19) grant application to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), with modifications.

•  Do not submit a grant application to IEDA for these funds.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Ames City Hall. A live stream of the meeting is available on YouTube and the city of Ames website.