The Pella City Council held a pair of public hearings at their meeting Tuesday evening to review contracts for upcoming construction projects.

A resolution was approved, but a contract award was deferred to August 16th for Pella Municipal Airport Apron Expansion for $778,882.75 to Pella Concrete, while a bid for West Washington Street and Fifield Road Intersection improvements was denied, as it came in more than $200,000 than engineer’s estimates and will instead be rebid late next winter for the upcoming construction season in 2023.

The council approved proposals to change the policy for renaming city-owned land and facilities, a revised personnel policy manual, a 28E agreement with the Pella Community School District for a school resource officer, and to schedule a public hearing on September 6th to extend a fiber transport network to Indianola.

Following regular business, the council discussed a redevelopment proposal for Oskaloosa Street first presented in 2019 by Snyder and Associates during policy and planning, which included a list of development opportunities, geographical area for the corridor, a streetscape master plan, zoning recommendations, and potential economic development incentives. The council will consider steps to take in the next several months, which could include a new Urban Renewal Plan which would allow for incentives and to review guidance in City Code for zoning microbreweries, brewpubs, or bars and discontinuing the allowance of residential uses in most commercial zones.

Discussion was also held about enhanced traffic control at the intersection of Washington and Hazel Streets, removal of parking on the north side of Peace Street on the 700 block, and how to distribute federal money received to offset problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. No formal action was taken for any of those issues.