Sioux City Council Meeting - July 28, 2025

The Sioux City Council met on July 28, 2025, for a regular meeting. The agenda included an interview for the Historic Preservation Commission, a consent agenda with numerous routine items, a public hearing for a lease agreement at Hubbard Park, and council member reports covering a range of topics from economic development to public safety.

Consent Calendar

• Items 3 through 11F were approved unanimously. These included the reappointment of Lexa Alman to the Library Board of Trustees; resolutions for plans and specs for the MLK Transportation Center heat pump and piping replacement; contracts for the MLK Transportation Center retail space HVAC replacement, snow removal equipment for the airport, legal services for the digestion and high-strength waste receiving improvement project, a three-lane conversion project on Dace and Leech Avenues, consulting services for Hamilton Boulevard and Triview Avenue intersection improvements, permits for fiber optic installations, sanitary sewer repair, tower lease agreements with Pegasus Towers, and a tax advisory agreement for potential tax savings on renewable natural gas production. Also included were personnel actions (updated job descriptions for communications training operator, GIS manager, and assistant library director), payments for various construction projects, purchase orders for de-icer, phosphate, conveyor, pump, valves, fire hydrants, and road gravel (replacing a previous purchase order with Knife River Midwest), and approval of alcohol licenses and committee minutes.

Discussion Items

• Historic Preservation Commission Interview: Larry Obermeyer was interviewed for reappointment to the Historic Preservation Commission. He expressed his passion for historic preservation and his desire to continue serving, noting upcoming exciting projects. Council members praised his service.
• Consent Agenda Clarifications: Mayor asked about the legal opinion requirement for the SRF funding; Tom Pingle (Utilities Director) explained the new rules require an opinion letter. On the tax advisory agreement, the mayor asked about impact on the wastewater treatment plant; Pingle clarified it was a separate effort for tax credits from 2024 to 2008, with a specialized firm taking 18% the first year and 15% the second year.
• Public Hearing: A hearing was held for a resolution approving the lease of property at Hubbard Park for managing softball programs to the Sioux City Fast Pitch Association and Briar Cliff University, with a concurrent use agreement. No public comments were heard; the mayor abstained due to a conflict of interest. The resolution passed.
• Council Member Reports:
  • Council Member O'Kane thanked the Winnebago Comprehensive Health Care System for hosting a powwow, noting challenges with patient transport due to lack of heart specialists in Sioux City, forcing flights to Omaha. He also thanked the three city manager candidates (Eric Swanson, Craig Clark, and Drew Barden) for their interviews.
  • Council Member Waters reported that over 50 candidates applied for the city manager position, narrowed to three after one withdrew. She also raised two issues: 1) The economic development team does not use a CRM platform for business retention visits; she suggested looking into software options, and City Manager Marty noted a previous system fell into disuse after COVID. 2) A citizen reported close calls at the farmers market due to traffic on the main roadway; Waters suggested exploring traffic calming measures or possibly closing the road between two entrances, and will discuss with the farmers market committee.
  • Council Member Channer (Dan) requested updates on two topics:
    • Lead Pipe Replacement: Utilities Director Brad Pitts reported that the lead service line inventory was submitted to the DNR last October. The compliance deadline is November 1, 2027, with a 10-year replacement plan ending in 2037. The city is applying for a $7 million project to replace 100 lead service lines, with 49% forgiveness due to Sioux City being considered disadvantaged. The total project cost is estimated at $35–50 million. Homeowner permission is required; if a homeowner refuses three times, the city does not yet know the next steps. The rule is mandated by the EPA.
    • Water Park Update: City Manager Marty confirmed the city portion (street, sewer, stormwater) is complete. The developer experienced unavoidable delays due to key equipment but has received some and aims to resume construction later this summer, with a target opening in spring 2026. An amendment will be brought to council to extend the completion date from end of 2025.
  • Channer also highlighted a presentation by Jacob Wanderscheid of the Food Bank of Siouxland, noting that one in five children and one in nine adults face food insecurity, and encouraged support.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved unanimously.
• Resolution for Hubbard Park lease approved (mayor abstained).
• Council directed staff to explore CRM software for economic development and to discuss traffic safety at the farmers market with the committee.
• Staff will bring back an amendment to push the water park completion date to 2026.
• The meeting adjourned unanimously.