The Pella City Council met in regular session last night.

Mayor James Mueller swore in new Reserve Police Officer Sebastian Sikora. The council approved a resolution regarding the Pella Corporation hangar lease. The council extended the term of the lease to December 31, 2027. Rent will be increased from $1,000 a year to $2,000.

They approved a resolution to close streets for Thursdays in Pella, and approved a special event permit for The Cellar Peanut Pub for Tulip Time. They set May 15 as the public hearing date for amending the FY17-18 budget to adjust timing differences for capital improvement projects and to adjust accounts that may be over or under funded.

They approved a date of June 5 as the public hearing date regarding bids for the Sunken Gardens Windmill Renovation Project.

A consideration amending a zoning ordinance defining brewpub as a use permitted in the Central Business District and community commercial zoning districts was tabled until planning and zoning considers the issue at their meeting Monday.

They approved increasing water rates by 7%, and wastewater rates by 8%.

After going into closed session to consider litigation, they considered a downtown streetscape plan. The purpose of the plan is to develop a unified and consistent streetscape design that will be implemented as underground water and sanitary sewer infrastructure nearing 100 years of age must be replaced.

The Pella Wellness Consortium presented a bike share program, where residents and visitors may share bikes that can be unlocked using a smartphone app at the cost of $2.00 per hour. The company Veoride will initially supply 50 bikes, and the program will likely begin this summer. There will be no cost to the city.

The council moved forward with a plan to build a trail to Vermeer on the west side of 240th at the cost of $563,000, with the support of a $100,000 grant by Vermeer.