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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Cedar Rapids City Council Meeting Summary – February 24, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, February 24, 2026

BodyCedar Rapids, Iowa

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, February 24, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:09:03

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:03

This meeting of the Cedar Rapids City Council will come to order.

0:06

Welcome to the Cedar Rapids City Council meeting for Tuesday, February 24th, 2026.

0:12

I am obviously not Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell.

0:15

Um so I appreciate your grace today while we uh navigate the city council meeting.

0:20

I want to note uh council members uh Hager is absent.

0:25

Mayor O'Donnell's absent.

0:26

I believe we'll be expecting council members Poe and Todd here shortly.

0:31

I'd like to welcome our city manager or city clerk and our city attorney.

0:34

Thank you to city staff also for attending and for being available by phone or email to answer questions of citizens.

0:42

Please turn off any cell phones or other electronic devices that might interrupt this meeting.

0:48

Please note that city council meeting agendas, minutes, and videos are available on the city's website.

0:53

Regular sessions are also available to watch live and on replay through Facebook Live.

0:59

We will now start with our invocation.

1:01

Public safety chaplain Jim Coyle will give the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:06

Please stand if you're able.

1:09

Thank you, City Council and Leaders.

1:11

We are so blessed to have the leadership in our chamber right now.

1:15

God asked that you would uh guide the conversations and the decisions that will be made today and uh preparing decisions that will be made in our near future.

1:26

Thank you for the opportunity for all of us to gather and to use all the assets available for everyone here.

1:33

I just pray a blessing now in this meeting and ask these things in your precious name.

1:38

And we can all say Amen.

1:41

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States.

2:00

All right, it is now time for public hearings.

2:03

I remind everyone who wishes to speak today, whether during a public hearing or during the public comment or public input periods of a few matters to ensure that we have an orderly meeting.

2:12

First, please remain at the lectern.

2:14

If you have any documents you wish to share with the council, please hand them to the police officer to your right as you're walking up.

2:19

The officer will take the documents from you.

2:22

Second, comments will be limited to five minutes per speaker when the light on the console in front of you turns yellow.

2:27

You have one minute to finish your comments.

2:28

When the light turns red, your time is up, and you should leave the lectern.

2:32

Third, please be aware that all comments must be directed to the matter of the public hearing and that abusive, obscene, loud, threatening, or irrelevant comments are not allowed.

2:42

Finally, we need to hold an orderly hearing so that so there should be no applause, cheering, booing, or other noise or disruptive conduct from anyone in the audience.

2:51

Thank you.

2:52

Does the clerk have any written comments or objections in regard to any of the public hearings on today's agenda?

2:58

Your Honor, there were no written comments or objections filed.

3:00

Thank you.

3:01

All right, thank you.

3:03

Agenda item number one, a public hearing will be held to consider the authoration of the authorization of the issuance of not to exceed 45 million dollars general obligation bonds for essential corporate purposes.

3:15

Chad, I'm gonna recognize you.

3:17

Thank you.

3:18

Chad Matan with the finance department.

3:20

Uh I'm gonna combine agenda items one through five into one presentation.

3:24

Uh this will cover series 26A and B general obligation bonds and series 26 C water revenue bonds.

3:33

Uh series 26A general obligation bonds includes 10.2 million for general CIP projects.

3:40

This includes streets, bridges, parks, uh, trails, facilities, and so forth.

3:45

It also includes 36 million for the flood control.

3:48

Issance costs are estimated to be $850,000 for a total par of 47 million dollars.

3:56

Series 26B includes 1 million dollars for ADA repair and upgrades to the Veterans Memorial Building.

4:05

And series 26 C water revenue bonds includes 4 million for general water projects.

4:11

These are for maintenance of the system.

4:13

Uh issuance costs are estimated to be 133,000 for a total par of 4 million 135,000 dollars.

4:23

The future bond sale schedule includes setting the sale date on April 28th.

4:28

We'll also approve the preliminary official statement and electronic bidding on May 12th.

4:34

We'll accept bids and then come before council to award the bonds.

4:38

On May 26th, we'll approve the final documents and the official closing and delivery of funds will be June 18th.

4:45

Finance recommends approving the resolutions, instituting proceedings to take additional action for the issuance of series 26A, B, and C bonds.

4:55

Thank you, Chad.

4:56

This is the time and place for a public hearing on this matter.

5:00

This is the 45 million dollars of general obligation bonds.

5:02

Does anyone in the audience wish to address the council on this matter?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural█████████████████████████████████33%

Parks and Recreation█████████████13%

Engineering And Infrastructure██████████10%

Public Safety██████████10%

Public Engagement████████8%

Affordable Housing██████6%

Economic Development██████6%

Water And Wastewater Management████4%

Pending Litigation███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Cedar Rapids City Council Meeting Summary – February 24, 2026

This meeting of the Cedar Rapids City Council was held on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, with Mayor Pro Tem presiding in the absence of Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell and council member Hager. Council members Poe and Todd arrived later. The meeting included multiple public hearings on bond issuances, code updates, property dispositions, infrastructure projects, and a contract award, followed by public comments and a public input session.

Public Hearings & Consent Calendar (Items 1-5, 7-12)

Series 26A General Obligation Bonds (up to $47M): $10.2M for general CIP (streets, bridges, parks, trails, facilities) and $36M for flood control; issuance costs $850,000. Approved unanimously.
Series 26B General Obligation Bonds ($1M): For ADA repairs and upgrades to the Veterans Memorial Building. Approved unanimously.
Series 26C Water Revenue Bonds ($4.135M): $4M for general water system maintenance; issuance costs $133,000. Approved unanimously.
Additional G.O. Bonds (Items 2-4): Three separate $1.38M, $1.38M, and $1.3M bond issuances for corporate purposes. All approved unanimously.
Building Code Update (Item 6): Adoption of 2024 International Building Code and International Residential Code with amendments, including a uniform residential snow load of 36 pounds per square foot (up from 30) for consistency across the city and with neighboring communities (Linn County, Marion, Hiawatha, Robbins). Commercial snow loads will use the web‑based map tool. Approved on first reading unanimously.
Property Disposition – 1842 Ellis Blvd NW (Item 7): Sale to Hope Community Development Association for $1, with deed restriction requiring renovation. Staff noted the property was acquired for flood control and could not be sold via prior attempts. Approved unanimously.
RFP Initiation – I Ave & Ellis Blvd (Item 8): City‑owned parcels (0.4 acres, five lots) to be released for small‑scale multi‑unit residential development. Proposals due March 24, 2026. Approved unanimously.
RFP Initiation – 4th St SE & 17th Ave SE (Item 9): 0.5‑acre parcel for mixed‑use development (up to 6 stories). Proposals due March 24, 2026. Approved unanimously.
2026 Sanitary Sewer Service Replacement (Item 10): 15 parcels (13 on Benton St NE, one on Kent Dr, one on Liberty Dr) with total preliminary assessment of $168,420. Property owners may fix laterals by May 1, 2026, or face assessment (payable over 10 years). Approved unanimously.
Mount Vernon Rd SE Pavement Improvements (Item 11): Estimated cost $7.19M for pavement patching, curb and gutter, water main, storm/sanitary sewer, sidewalk, ADA ramps, median, and traffic signal replacement. Two‑year construction starting spring 2026, completion fall 2027. Approved unanimously.
Sludge Storage Area Improvements at WPC (Item 12): $480,000 estimated cost for concrete pad and wall repairs/replacement. Bids open March 4, 2026; construction April–August 2026. During the public hearing, a member of the public (Kimberly Donahue) attempted to serve legal documents; after being warned, she was escorted out. The hearing was then concluded with no further objections, and the resolution was approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

40J – Contract with Monarch Research for Tree Planting Educational Services: Councilmember Meyer pulled this item from the consent agenda to discuss concerns raised by Trees Forever (a competing bidder). City staff explained the scoring process: qualifications (60%), cost (10%), responsiveness to RFP (30%). Monarch Research scored slightly higher (13‑point difference) due to a more detailed proposal for outreach to underserved communities. Trees Forever’s bid was $500,000 vs. Monarch’s $750,000. Staff clarified this is separate from the existing $1M US Forest Service grant with Trees Forever. Councilmember Meyer opposed the award, citing Trees Forever’s stronger education background and the $250,000 difference. The resolution was approved 6‑1 (Meyer dissenting).
41 – Financial Incentives for Panache Properties (111 13th St SE): Developer Emily Stokel and partners proposed a $400,000 redevelopment of the former Brood Awakenings building into a European‑style cafe (Cafe LA). They are applying for a community catalyst grant through the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), which requires a local match. The city’s standard incentive is a 10‑year declining tax exemption on the increased value, estimated to exempt $13,000 out of $72,000 in total taxes over the period. Councilmember Meyer recused himself. The resolution was approved unanimously.
Ordinance 42 – Zoning Code Update: Second reading and then a motion to waive the third reading and adopt the ordinance on final passage. Approved unanimously.

Public Comments

First Public Comment Period: Emily Stokel (Southwest Cedar Rapids) spoke in favor of agenda item 41 (Panache Properties), sharing her personal connection to the building as a former Coe College student and detailing the redevelopment challenges and community support.
Second Public Input Period: Two speakers addressed unrelated matters:
- Kim Donahue alleged police refusal to take reports of extortion, mishandling of a service dog incident at the animal shelter, and questioned city contracts awarded to individuals with criminal records. She also attempted to serve legal documents.
- Melissa Duffield alleged defamation by Mayor O’Donnell, collusion with a convicted felon (Chad Pelly), and failure to address child pornography concerns. She claimed to have evidence from Freedom of Information Act requests and stated she won a SLAPP lawsuit. Both speakers exceeded time limits and were warned.

Key Outcomes

All bond issuances, code updates, property dispositions, and infrastructure project specifications were approved unanimously.
The contract with Monarch Research for tree planting education (Item 40J) was approved 6‑1 after debate.
The financial incentive package for Panache Properties (Item 41) was approved unanimously.
The zoning code update (Item 42) was adopted on final reading.
No written objections were filed for any public hearing.
The meeting was adjourned after the public input session.

Meeting Transcript

This meeting of the Cedar Rapids City Council will come to order. Welcome to the Cedar Rapids City Council meeting for Tuesday, February 24th, 2026. I am obviously not Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell. Um so I appreciate your grace today while we uh navigate the city council meeting. I want to note uh council members uh Hager is absent. Mayor O'Donnell's absent. I believe we'll be expecting council members Poe and Todd here shortly. I'd like to welcome our city manager or city clerk and our city attorney. Thank you to city staff also for attending and for being available by phone or email to answer questions of citizens. Please turn off any cell phones or other electronic devices that might interrupt this meeting. Please note that city council meeting agendas, minutes, and videos are available on the city's website. Regular sessions are also available to watch live and on replay through Facebook Live. We will now start with our invocation. Public safety chaplain Jim Coyle will give the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand if you're able. Thank you, City Council and Leaders. We are so blessed to have the leadership in our chamber right now. God asked that you would uh guide the conversations and the decisions that will be made today and uh preparing decisions that will be made in our near future. Thank you for the opportunity for all of us to gather and to use all the assets available for everyone here. I just pray a blessing now in this meeting and ask these things in your precious name. And we can all say Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States. All right, it is now time for public hearings. I remind everyone who wishes to speak today, whether during a public hearing or during the public comment or public input periods of a few matters to ensure that we have an orderly meeting. First, please remain at the lectern. If you have any documents you wish to share with the council, please hand them to the police officer to your right as you're walking up. The officer will take the documents from you. Second, comments will be limited to five minutes per speaker when the light on the console in front of you turns yellow. You have one minute to finish your comments. When the light turns red, your time is up, and you should leave the lectern. Third, please be aware that all comments must be directed to the matter of the public hearing and that abusive, obscene, loud, threatening, or irrelevant comments are not allowed. Finally, we need to hold an orderly hearing so that so there should be no applause, cheering, booing, or other noise or disruptive conduct from anyone in the audience. Thank you. Does the clerk have any written comments or objections in regard to any of the public hearings on today's agenda? Your Honor, there were no written comments or objections filed. Thank you. All right, thank you. Agenda item number one, a public hearing will be held to consider the authoration of the authorization of the issuance of not to exceed 45 million dollars general obligation bonds for essential corporate purposes. Chad, I'm gonna recognize you. Thank you. Chad Matan with the finance department. Uh I'm gonna combine agenda items one through five into one presentation. Uh this will cover series 26A and B general obligation bonds and series 26 C water revenue bonds. Uh series 26A general obligation bonds includes 10.2 million for general CIP projects. This includes streets, bridges, parks, uh, trails, facilities, and so forth. It also includes 36 million for the flood control. Issance costs are estimated to be $850,000 for a total par of 47 million dollars. Series 26B includes 1 million dollars for ADA repair and upgrades to the Veterans Memorial Building. And series 26 C water revenue bonds includes 4 million for general water projects. These are for maintenance of the system.

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