Sioux City City Council Meeting - August 17, 2026

The Sioux City City Council met on August 17, 2026, with Mayor Barronstein and Council Members Bertram, Rayford, Shanner, and Scott present. The meeting began with a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance. The council unanimously approved the consent agenda (items 2 through 10D) and passed all rezoning ordinances. A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to discussing the police chief selection process, downtown recycling container problems, and improvements to the Citizens Convenience Center (CCC).

Consent Calendar

• Item 2: Reading of the August 10th City Council minutes. Item 3: Resolution appointing Sean Streck as Airport Director, amending the authorized personnel compliment and salary schedule. The salary component was clarified: an $82,000 decrease offset by a $45,000 increase due to restructuring after the previous director's departure, resulting in a net negative impact of approximately $46,000 when fully maxed. Mr. Streck introduced himself, noting his 30+ years with the 185th Air Wing and his work on the Siouxland Nexus project. Council approved the appointment.
• Items 4A-4E: Grant-related actions: (A) Partnership with Siouxland Human Investment Partnership for West Side Promise Grant; (B) Police Department BJA Edward Byrne Memorial JAG grant; (C) Methamphetamine Drug Hot Spots grant; (D) Anti-Heroin Task Force grant. Captain Bertram confirmed heroin remains an issue and these grants target mid-to-high level investigations. Council approved.
• Items 5A-5E: Street closure resolutions for various events (dueling pianos, homecoming parades, Alley Art Festival). Approved.
• Items 6A-6B: Agreements: (A) Odor control services with USP Technologies (single bidder, justified by specialized equipment); (B) School transportation services with Sioux City Community School District. Approved.
• Items 7A-7C: Property actions: (A) Accepting county deed for 401 7th Street, with environmental cleanup completed; (B & C) Inviting proposals for sale of and temporary easement on 200 South Court Street (Lechner site) to the DOT. Council Member expressed frustration that the state does not pay rent for using city property but acknowledged the sale is at appraised value. Approved.
• Items 8A-8B: Purchasing: (A) Awarding purchase order to CDW Government for Veronas data security platform; (B) Approving subscription agreement with Veronas. Discussion noted two bids (CDW and Southern Computer), with CDW recommended. Legal staff noted limited liability language was negotiated. Approved.
• Item 8C: Amendment to purchase order for Tyson Events Center basketball flooring, including artwork for two panels. Approved.
• Items 9-10: Not detailed in transcript but part of consent agenda. All consent items passed 5-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Watson Campbell: Addressed the council about an active threat to his home, a custody dispute, and alleged failure by police to act. He requested removal of a police officer from his case and asked for assistance. Council referred him to Officer Head for one-on-one follow-up.

Discussion Items

• Rezoning - 1308 South Cleveland Street (Item 11): The petition sought to rezone from Public/Institutional to General Commercial. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended Mixed Use due to concerns about potential intensive uses. Petitioner Joe Protexter (Sioux Land Golf Lessons) spoke in favor, explaining his business focuses on golf lessons, plans to serve beer/wine (conditional use permit already approved by Board of Adjustment), and intends to clean up the property. Neighbor Ron Smith raised concerns about traffic, billboards, property taxes, and the lack of input from the current owner. Council voted to amend the petition to Mixed Use, then passed the ordinance 5-0.
• Rezoning - Grandview Boulevard Properties (Items 12 & 13): Item 12 rezoned 1414-1418 Grandview from Neighborhood Conservation to Urban Residential to facilitate financing and allow rebuilding after more than 50% destruction. No public comments. Passed 5-0. Item 13 rezoned 1100-1122 Grandview from Neighborhood Conservation to Public/Institutional for Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools. Passed 5-0.
• Reimbursement to F3 Marina (Item 14): Resolution authorizing reimbursement for fuel systems, B dock repairs, and dredging, deferred from August 10th. Approved.
• Police Chief Selection Process: Council Member expressed strong concerns about the two remaining candidates, calling one a poor fit and the other having significant baggage that would be a “PR nightmare.” He argued for restarting the search, emphasizing that these are not finalists but merely survivors of a process. The City Manager (Mike) stated no final selection has been made; he will conduct further due diligence and present a recommendation by September 14th. The Human Resources Director explained the civil service process, the waiver allowing more flexibility, and noted that an internal candidate application was not limited. Council discussed the integrity of the process and agreed to await the City Manager’s recommendation before deciding.
• Change Orders Explanation: City Engineer Gordon Fair explained the reasons for change orders: mistakes/omissions, unforeseen conditions (e.g., soil issues, old utilities), owner-directed changes, quantity adjustments, and value engineering. The administrative limit is 10% of the contract amount; anything over requires council approval. He cited examples, including the ongoing Seager Avenue water main project where large voids under the road will necessitate a change order.
• Downtown Recycling Containers and CCC Improvements: ERA Monting Services presented options for handling construction and demolition (C&D) debris at the CCC. Option 1: Retrofit existing solid waste building ($145,000) for tipping trailers. Option 2: Build new building (approximately $500,000) with Gill providing capital and managing for 10 years at a negotiated rate. The proposal includes a minimum tonnage guarantee of 5,700 tons/year at $80/ton (currently $63/ton). Council discussed user fees, a sticker system, and potential rates. Regarding downtown recycling: since Siouxland Recovery closed in April, the large container at Tyson Center has been consistently overflowing, costing $78,000/year. Council directed moving the large Tyson container and possibly the smaller ones to the CCC, with a new asphalt pad and cameras to prevent illegal dumping. The decision was to remove the Tyson container immediately, keep smaller downtown containers with monitoring, and gather more data on costs and rates before deciding on the CCC retrofit vs. new build.
• Council Member Reports: Rick reported on meetings with the county and Burlington Northern regarding a homeless encampment behind Bombgars. The county agreed to fund $100,000-$200,000 for cleanup and a service road, to be completed this fall. He noted progress on the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) route, with the county possibly contributing 25-30%. He also highlighted weed issues on Floyd Boulevard, successful UTV ordinance implementation, and P&Z reviewing outdated ordinances. Craig requested a comprehensive explanation of all fees on water bills alongside the stormwater fee presentation. He also asked about a diner on 7th Street, which was clarified as only open weekends. Mike noted that the warming shelter meeting with Mt. Zion Church is scheduled for August 24th.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: All items (2-10D) passed unanimously (5-0).
• Rezoning 1308 South Cleveland Street (Item 11): Amended to Mixed Use and passed (5-0).
• Rezoning 1414-1418 Grandview Blvd (Item 12): Passed (5-0).
• Rezoning 1100-1122 Grandview Blvd (Item 13): Passed (5-0).
• Reimbursement to F3 Marina (Item 14): Approved.
• Downtown Recycling Container: Directed removal of the large container at Tyson Center immediately; retain smaller downtown containers pending observation. City staff to prepare cost estimates for an asphalt pad and camera installation at the CCC for relocated recycling.
• CCC C&D Improvements: Staff to provide cost analysis on retrofit ($145,000) vs. new build options, including various fee structures and a sticker program, for future council decision.
• Police Chief Selection: City Manager to continue due diligence and bring a recommendation to the September 14th meeting.
• Homeless Encampment: County to fund cleanup; work to begin this fall.
• Future Meetings: Stormwater fee and fee explanation presentation scheduled for August 24th; warming shelter meeting on August 24th.