January 5, 2026 Sioux City City Council Meeting

This meeting marked the first session for the newly elected City Council of Sioux City, featuring appointments to various boards, routine legislative actions, and extensive deliberation on personnel restructuring within the fire and EMS departments. The council also established new agendas for weekly reporting on transparency, economic development, and housing initiatives.

Consent Calendar

• Item 3: Resolution adopting the fourth quarter supplement to the municipal code.
• Item 4: Resolution approving a consulting services agreement with HDR Engineering for a grant application regarding the Bacon Creek conduit project (stormwater only, distinct from the wastewater treatment grant awarded previously).
• Item 5: Resolution adopting plans and specs for the central maintenance garage vehicle and CO/NO2 project.
• Item 6: Appointments to boards, commissions, and committees (reappointing Robert DeSmitt, Jamie Bell, Samantha Daly, Steve Warren, and Nathan Swartz; appointing Eric Colma, Todd Evans, Bob Fitzmeyer, Tim Clark, Joe Craig, and Brett Myers).
• Item 7: Resolutions authorizing grant applications and agreements (FAA airport terminal improvement grant and IDOT surface transportation block grant for Hamilton Boulevard).
• Item 8A: Resolution amending the authorized personnel complement to reclassify one administrative assistance/risk manager coordinator position.
• Item 8B: Resolution amending the firefighters' MOU to correct the certification pay calculation for EMTA and Paramedic officers, reverting to the previous budget-neutral calculation method.
• Item 9A: Resolution awarding a purchase order to Converge One for extreme network switches.
• Item 9B: Resolution awarding a purchase order to Faro Technologies for a laser scanner for the police department.
• Item 9C: Resolution awarding a purchase order to Woodhouse Ford Chrysler for one Chevrolet Trailblazer.
  Note: Items 8C (EMS Training Officer), 9D (Liquor licenses), and 11 (Commission minutes) were discussed separately or pulled for further review.
• Item 12: Resolution approving plans and specs for the Isabella Square and Lyons Park area HMA resurfacing project (passed unanimously after public hearing).
• Item 11: Minutes of the Beer Commission and Committee meetings.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Brett Watchhorn: Welcomed the new council and requested a revision of meeting times to improve community interaction due to scheduling conflicts. He suggested allowing YouTube comments without blocking users to First Amendment concerns.

Discussion Items

Personnel: Firefighters Union (Item 8B)

• Neil Paulson (Local 7 President): Explained that while the MOU was previously signed with the understanding that certification pay was calculated correctly, the final review revealed a discrepancy in how ad hoc pay interacted with overtime and deferred comp. He clarified that the new MOU restores the original, budget-neutral calculation method that was in place prior to the negotiation error.
• City Staff (Human Resources & Finance): Acknowledged the misunderstanding. The intent was to streamline salary schedules, but they failed to realize the ad hoc pay calculation would reduce the budget if not applied to overtime/deferred comp components. Staff confirmed the MOU brings the process back to the previously budgeted method.

Personnel: EMS Training Officer (Item 8C)

• Ryan Collins (Fire Chief): Presented a recruitment crisis where the current EMS Training Officer position is vacant because the salary offered ($30k) is significantly lower than the operational Lead Medic positions ($52k), causing a 32% pay disparity due to FLSA overtime rules. He proposed splitting the role or creating a "Fire Deputy Training Officer" to allow cross-training and reduce overtime costs.
• Neil Paulson (Local 7 President): Expressed support for the "Alternative Option" (Fire Deputy Training Officer) but argued that the proposed conversion to a single-role EMS provider does not address deficiencies or allow the position to benefit the department's full training capabilities. He noted the alternative costs an additional $22,000 annually but could negate overtime costs (estimated at $10,000+ for live fire training alone) and improve capacity.
• Mayor Scott: Expressed strong concern about moving the position outside the normal budget cycle, viewing it as picking "winners and losers" against other departments. He stated a commitment to finding $22,000 elsewhere in the operating budget if the new position is approved, emphasizing fiscal efficiency.
• Cindy Hansen: Noted that the Fire Captain currently manages 30,000 hours of fire training and the interim 2,500 hours of EMS training, creating a workload issue. She highlighted that the Fire Department is currently at 1 training officer per 120 firefighters, compared to a state average of 1 per 56, and supported the need for immediate filling to maintain compliance.
• Rick (Council Member): Expressed skepticism regarding the cost increase without immediate proof of taxpayer benefit, requesting to see the alternative option before voting.

Council Concerns & New Initiatives (Council Member Bertrand)

• Transparency & Reporting: Requested weekly updates on: 1) The Homeless Task Force (Chief Mueller), 2) Permitting queues and delays (Hebert and Brian), 3) Retaliation complaints within the business community, 4) Property tax/levy education (Teresa), 5) Wastewater treatment design and budget status, 6) Inventory of public-owned lots for potential sale or leasing, and 7) Parks and Recreation data regarding the system's age and potential for affordable housing/economic development.
• Council Feedback: Mayor Scott and new Council Members (Greg, Mike, Ike) agreed with the need for increased transparency and citizen engagement, with a willingness to revisit meeting times and locations if it increases attendance.
• Housing & Economic Development: Discussion on converting non-conforming public lots to affordable housing (400 sq ft cottages), noting zoning changes have already been made. Council Member Greg emphasized the need to maximize revenue-generating properties rather than maintaining 60 parks in a city of 87,000, as parks do not generate tax revenue.

Key Outcomes

• Adjournment: The council voted to adjourn after agreeing to "work on these items" regarding the EMS Training Officer position (Item 8C).
• Item 8C Deferred: A motion was made to pull Item 8C (EMS Training Officer) and bring it back next week to consider the "Fire Deputy Training Officer" alternative option with both proposals available for deliberation.
• New Agenda Protocols: The Council formally requested City Manager Mike to implement weekly reporting on the specific topics outlined by Council Member Bertrand (Homelessness, Permitting, Retaliation, Tax Education, Wastewater, Public Property, and Parks).
• Appointments Approved: All nominations and reappointments listed in Item 6 were approved as part of the consent calendar.
• Wastewater Context: Council members expressed strong desire to oversight the Wastewater Treatment Plant project to avoid cost overruns similar to other municipalities, demanding regular design budget updates.

Note: The transcript contains a discrepancy where the Mayor states, "We did not eliminate any positions. We added the fire capability to 15 of those positions," while Council Member Scott notes, "I remember it was just a reclassification of job positions. The same number of people still do those jobs." The summary reflects the Council's consensus that positions were reclassified to add fire capability to existing EMS roles, not eliminated.