Government Notes: Coralville increases parking fines to deter illegal parking

The fine for parking illegally in Coralville has increased from $10 to $25, effective Jan. 15.

The Coralville City Council unanimously approved three readings of an ordinance to increase parking ticket fees. The third and final reading was Jan. 10.

The $10 parking fine has been unchanged for more than 20 years, according to the city.

City Attorney Kevin Olson told the council last month there has been an increase in parking violations — in neighborhoods and by the Iowa River Landing. The city recommended increasing the fine to $25, which is in line with other Iowa communities, Olson added.

If the ticket is not paid within 30 days, it will increase by $5, which is a state code provision. After three tickets are issued and not paid within 30 days, the owner will be informed their car can be towed if the fines are not paid.

CommUnity hiring second mental health liaison to work with Iowa City police

CommUnity Crisis Services will hire a second law enforcement liaison to work with the Iowa City Police Department.

The Iowa City Council last week unanimously approved the agreement with CommUnity.

The city currently has an agreement with CommUnity for one liaison. The position was created as part of Iowa City’s plan to restructure its police department. Joachim Seelos began his position in August 2021.

The police department requested an additional liaison to expand coverage. The expansion is part of one of the city’s strategic goals, which include 24/7 mental health liaison coverage by 2028, Police Chief Dustin Liston told the council.

“This is a step along that journey,” Liston said.

Council member Laura Bergus said she has been grateful to see the work Seelos has done in the community.

The mental health liaison assists in the field when individuals are experiencing a mental health crisis, as well as provides follow-up services, according to the city.

The city will pay for 75 percent of the costs, and state funds will cover the remainder. The city has $70,000 budgeted to support this partnership with CommUnity.

Marion Independent proposes new special education teaching positions

The Marion Independent School District is proposing two new teaching positions in the special education department for the 2023-24 school year as enrollment in the program continues to increase.

In a presentation to the school board last week, school officials proposed adding a behavior services teacher and behavior services and learning disabilities teacher to the high school next year.

Behavior disabilities describes students with social emotional or behavioral issues that impact their ability to function either academically, socially or both within the school environment, according to board documents.

At Marion High School, about 70 students are currently entitled to special education services. The district projects this number to grow to about 90 by the 2023-24 school year.

This proposal comes after the district expanded its special education program offerings just last year.

The Marion Board of Education approved two new positions for the high school starting in the 2022-23 school year to support the increase in the number of students entitled to special education services — a Transition Alliance Program specialist and transition center teacher coordinator for the 2022-23 school year.

The Transition Alliance Program is a 50-50 cost-share agreement with Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services. It provides individualized attention for students up to age 25 for career and educational opportunities.

The transition center teacher coordinator will provide services to students who continue secondary education past four years of high school. The center will serve students with low incidence disabilities that have intensive needs and unmet goals in the areas of living, learning and working at the end of their high school career. Students will walk at graduation with their classmates and receive their diploma when they have exited the Marion transition center program.

Linn-Mar school board interviewing superintendent search firms

The Linn-Mar school board is interviewing firms to potentially lead the district’s search for a new leader. The school board held a work session Jan. 11, and will hold another one Monday to interview potential search firms.

The board last month approved Superintendent Shannon Bisgard’s retirement at the end of the 2022-23 school year. Bisgard, who has been an educator in the district for 20 years, is ending his contract with the district two years early.

The board approved a three-year contract with Bisgard in June 2022. It would expire June 30, 2025. Separation terms include the district paying Bisgard $35,000 over two years with no benefits.

More developers seek disaster funds for Cedar Rapids housing

The Cedar Rapids City Council last week backed more developers’ applications to the Iowa Economic Development Authority for a share of federal funds to aid in rebuilding the housing stock destroyed in the 2020 derecho.

Applications were due Jan. 12 for multifamily and single-family housing projects that are seeking Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funds.

Linn County will receive 80 percent of the approximately $57.6 million allocation funneled to Iowa communities from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to rebuild damaged or destroyed housing stock. IEDA will award funds, likely in February.

Six additional projects were supported by the council last week from A & Z Autohaus, Gutschmidt Construction, Gutschmidt Properties, Scottsman Properties and two from D Taggart Holdings. Collectively, the projects would add 41 units — 24 of which would be affordable, according to council documents.

The multifamily rental projects would receive a local match from the city — a 10-year, 100 percent tax exemption of increased taxes generated by the project.

The council previously signed off on resolutions of support for 16 multifamily and single-family projects that would add a combined 300 housing units in the community.

Linn County awards ARPA funds

The Linn County Board of Supervisors last week awarded federal COVID-19 relief funds to the cities of Marion and Alburnett.

Alburnett received $141,450 of the county’s share of American Rescue Plan Act funds to repurpose its former fire station, a building at 120 North Main St., into a 2,403-square-foot permanent City Hall.

Marion received $150,000 for a trunk sanitary sewer project to upgrade the existing sanitary sewer trunk line from an 8-inch diameter to a 15-inch diameter pipe.

Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area government bodies. Marissa Payne, Gage Miskimen, Izabela Zaluska and Grace King of The Gazette contribute.