Iowa City City Council votes to pay temporary employees until May 16
Rachel Schilke, News Reporter
April 7, 2020
The Iowa City City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday to approve continued pay for city employees until May 16. After that date, the roughly 260 employees with temporary status would be furloughed unless the council approves an extension. Iowa City City Manager Geoff Fruin provided the council with three...
Iowa City City Council spikes solar energy project in Waterworks Prairie Park
Rachel Schilke and Riley Davis
April 7, 2020
Iowa City residents' strong opposition to a solar-energy project at Waterworks Prairie Park prompted the Iowa City City Council on Tuesday to vote unanimously against a lease agreement with MidAmerican which would have advanced the project. Several community members advocated for the city counc...
Local governments hold first virtual meetings, provide access for public participation
Riley Davis, News Reporter
March 25, 2020
The Iowa City City Council and Johnson County Board of Supervisors are transitioning their regular meetings to a virtual format in an effort to allow for public access and participation amid the COVID-19 outbreak, which has closed public buildings for staff and community safety. The city counc...
Iowa City City Council defers conversation on solar-energy project to next meeting
Annie Fitzpatrick and Rachel Schilke
March 24, 2020
Iowa City and MidAmerican Energy plan to expand the use of renewable energy in Iowa City through a joint solar-energy project at the Iowa City Water Plant. MidAmerican’s request to lease the land went before the Iowa City City Council on March 24 and the council voted to continue the discussion April...
Iowa City City Council approves Prentiss St. bridge-replacement budget of $1.37 million
Riley Davis and Rachel Schilke
March 4, 2020
The Iowa City City Council approved the $1.37 million budget for the Prentiss Street bridge replacement project over Ralston Creek on Tuesday night, which will involve the removal and replacement of metal culverts with concrete box culverts, as well as additional roadway and utility improvements. Improvements will ...
New electric-vehicle charging stations open in Iowa City’s Court Street Transportation Center
Annie Fitzpatrick, News Reporter
March 3, 2020
An electric-vehicle charging station is now open for use at the Court Street Transportation Center in Iowa City. The station opened to address the needs of energy-saving drivers, as well as to reduce the city’s greenhouse-gas emissions. Iowa City Associate Director of Transportation Services Mark ...
New Mayor Bruce Teague takes helm in a historic year for Iowa City City Council
Hannah Rovner, News Reporter
February 19, 2020
Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague leans forward in his seat in the center of the table during Iowa City City Council meetings, making eye contact with each person as they speak. He waits patiently until it’s time for discussion, then dives in with passion. How Teague sits at the City Council table r...
Iowa City City Council passes additional height bonus to building at 12 E. Court St.
Hannah Rovner and Rachel Schilke
February 19, 2020
After a failed motion to defer the decision once again, the Iowa City City Council passed an additional seven-story height bonus to a new luxury apartment complex at 12 E. Court St. in a 5-2 vote. The building will now reach a proposed height of 15 stories, despite opposition from UI student-government...
Iowa City City Council seeks input from UI student governments before vote on luxury-apartment development
Hannah Rovner and Eleanor Hildebrandt
February 12, 2020
At the inaugural joint session between University of Iowa Student Government, Graduate and Professional Student Government, and Iowa City City Council, all three groups were focused on housing developments and affordability in Iowa City. The housing affordability conversation revolved around a newly...
Iowa City resident proposes dog community center
Kelsey Harrell, News Reporter
January 23, 2020
As the snow falls and temperatures drop, dog owners in Iowa City may struggle to find ways to keep their dog active in the winter months, a problem one area resident is attempting to solve. Phil O’Brien, dog owner and Iowa City real-estate agent, has proposed the building of a canine community cente...
Iowa City City Council unanimously votes to repeal rental moratorium
Hannah Rovner, News Reporter
January 22, 2020
Iowa City City Councilors unanimously voted Tuesday to lift a controversial 10-month moratorium on new rental permits. The council implemented the moratorium in May 2019 to give city staff time to come up with alternative solutions to manage areas with a high concentration of rental properties after...
Iowa City deer management continues to draw controversy among residents
Rylee Wilson, Politics Reporter
January 21, 2020
Contracted sharpshooters will begin killing deer this winter as part of a plan to mitigate traffic accidents and property damage caused by Iowa City’s rising deer population — though the solution is not without its critics. After two years of contentious debate, the Iowa City City Council appro...