The Cedar Rapids City Council met on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, to discuss and vote on multiple agenda items including speed limit revisions, infrastructure projects, economic development incentives, and a proclamation for Parks and Recreation Month. The meeting also featured public comments on neighborhood associations, data centers, and police conduct.
Yeah, I think that's it. This meeting of the Cedar Rapids City Council will come to order. I want to welcome everybody for our meeting for today, Tuesday, July 14th, 2026. I'd like to welcome our city manager or city clerk, our city attorney, and thank you as always to city staff for being here and available to us. A reminder for all of you here and you here in attendance to turn off any electronic devices or cell phones that might cause a disruption to the meeting today. And as a reminder, the city council must maintain an orderly meeting. So I'd like to make sure and invite everybody to read the rules of conduct for persons in attendance that are available. That's right. We ask everybody to make sure that they've read all of those rules to make sure we're all on the same page, and we'll make sure that those rules are also projected onto the screen during those public comment periods. Are we already disrupting the meeting? Okay, good. Disruptions to the council meetings will not be tolerated. All right, I note that all of our city council meetings agendas and minutes are also available at all times on our city's website. Regular sessions are also available to watch live and on Facebook live. We will begin as we always do with our invocation. So I'd like to invite public safety chaplain Ken Glandorf to do that for us, and that will be immediately followed by our Pledge of Allegiance. Let us pray. God, we do thank you for our city of Cedar Rapids. We thank you for the city uh the city council and all those that serve the city. We pray for wisdom, clarity, and courage as they make decisions that affect all of us. And Lord, we would also remember our men and women overseas, especially those that are serving in harm's way, we ask for your protective grace. Amen. We'd now like to begin our meeting with a proclamation marking parks and recreation months. So I'd like to invite anybody who's here to mark this to join Councilmember Ann Poe up here at the dais so we can read our proclamation. Thank you so very much. This is a proclamation for the city of Cedar Rapids. Whereas parks and recreation play an integral role in the community in communities across our nation, including Cedar Rapids. And whereas spending time in nature through parks and recreation positively impacts mental health by enhancing cognitive performance, overall well-being, and immun um mitigating conditions such as depression, attention deficit disorders, and Alzheimer's. And whereas park and recreation programs such as out-of-school activities, youth sports, environmental education, nutrition services are essential for childhood development. And whereas parks and recreation contribute significantly to the environmental well-being of our community. And whereas these resources enhance economic prosperity by increasing property values, expanding local tax space, attracting tourism, retaining businesses, and reducing crime. And whereas parks and recreations serve as adaptable infrastructure, making our communities resilient in the face of natural disasters and climate change, while also providing an ecological beauty and opportunities for people of all ages to connect with nature. And whereas Cedar Rapids recognizes the numerous benefits derived from parks and recreation resources. Therefore, I am I and Poe on behalf of Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell and our entire Cedar Rapids City Council hereby recognize the month of July 2026 as parks and recreation month. Thank you all. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council. Thank you, leadership, and thank you, citizens. A couple quick talking points. My name is Jerry Kirk. I'm recreation maintenance manager for this beautiful community up here. Comprehensive plan open house tonight at Jones Lodge in our beautiful down on Jones Park. From 4 30 to 6 30, we're in the development stage of a comprehensive plan. It'll take us in the next uh 10 to 15 years, I believe, director. And um that'll we're doing public input as far as staff, management, everybody. So please come by to tonight from 4:30 to 6 30 to Jones Lodge and see what we have to offer and tell us what you'd like to see. Also, tomorrow picnic in the park from 11 to 1 at Green Square. Uh we'll be free lunch. My supplies less. Come on down, enjoy one another, one of our beautiful parks downtown, and uh meet some of our staff and uh have a fellowship with some other folks.