Government Notes: Monarch Research Project nets $750K to develop tree education materials

The Monarch Research Project has been selected to provide educational materials about the planting and care of trees, as Cedar Rapids continues its recovery from the August 2020 derecho.

The Cedar Rapids City Council last week approved a five-year, $750,000 contract with the Monarch Research Project to create educational materials, programs and events about planting and caring for trees.

With the partnership, “we can really do a comprehensive look at the city and move the needle on the community engagement piece,” Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Director Carrie Mardorf said.

The derecho’s straight-line winds of up to 145 mph destroyed 50 percent to 65 percent of the tree canopy in Cedar Rapids and Marion.

The educational materials and outreach will be in addition to the city’s and Trees Forever ReLeaf program, which has planted more than 18,000 trees in city parks and public land, with another 24,000 still to come.

Marion, Linn County and Cedar Rapids also are involved in efforts to encourage individuals to replant trees on their private property.

Linn-Mar interviewing superintendent finalists

The Linn-Mar Community school board has named three finalists in its search for the district’s next superintendent:

The school board and three stakeholder interview teams — members of the community, administrators, staff and students — will interview each finalist Monday.

The school board anticipates making a hiring decision soon after the interviews are completed. The next superintendent will start work July 1.

Linn-Mar Superintendent Amy Kortemeyer announced in December she would retire June 30 after leading the district for three years.

The search for a new superintendent was conducted with help from Grundmeyer Leader Services. As part of the process, the school board reviewed 15 applications, comparing them against survey data collected from students, staff, parents and members of the community. Four semifinalists were interviewed last month.

Marion ice loop closing for season

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The city of Marion has closed its ice loop for the year, completing the first operating season for the newest Uptown amenity.

The ice loop opened for ice skating in December in Marion’s City Square Park as part of a larger $8.5 million Central Plaza renovation. Visitors could rent skates from the city or bring their own.

As of today, the ice loop is closed for the season, with parks and rec workers now preparing the park for warmer weather.

The concrete loop was built as an all-seasons amenity that serves as a meeting and gathering area in the warmer months and includes a water feature in the summer.

Other improvements included as part of the broader renovation include an interactive play sculpture, extra seating, public art and more. Work on the project began in early 2024 with substantial completion last year.

Linn Conservation goes after invasive species

Linn County Conservation this spring will use more than $200,000 in state funding to support the removal of invasive species at three county parks.

The county conservation board last week approved three separate contracts for invasive species removal at the Bird Preserve, Morgan Creek Park and the northern portion of Wickiup Hill Natural Area.

The work will be supported using a $209,000 allocation through the Iowa Forest Resiliency Program, run through the state Department of Natural Resources.

County Conservation Director Dennis Goemaat said the funds support three years of work to cover both initial removal and subsequent follow-up.

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Invasive species are those that are non-native to a given ecosystem and threaten to out-compete native species. Each of the three sites in the county have slightly different removal needs, although there is some overlap.

“Some of the big ones in the area are Oriental bittersweet, which is a vine that actually grows up and completely overtakes a tree. Then we get a lot of honeysuckle and autumn olive, which are more like shrubs,” Goemaat said.

Removal at the Bird Preserve will be conducted by Hunter Quality Contracting. Larkspur Ecological Restoration will handle removal at Wickiup Hill and Morgan Creek, pending final approval from the Iowa DNR.

Cedar Rapids warehouse project hits pause

At the request of the developer, the city of Cedar Rapids has terminated financial incentives for a warehouse development in the southwest quadrant.

The Cedar Rapids City Council last week approved the termination of a development agreement, initially approved in February 2025, with 1145 Industrial Ave. LLC. The developer requested the termination since the project is not moving ahead.

The original $21.5 million project called for construction of nine new warehouses along 64th Avenue and 26th Street SW.

The council had approved standard city economic development incentives to provide a 10-year, 50 percent rebate of increased taxes generated by the project.

No development has occurred at the site since the agreement was signed, so the city has not provided the company with any tax rebates.

Vinton-Shellsburg seeks new leader

The Vinton-Shellsburg school board will be reviewing applications and interviewing candidates this month to become the district’s next superintendent.

Superintendent Kyle Koeppen is leaving the district to become superintendent of the Pella Community School District on July 1. The Pella district worked with Grundmeyer Leader Services in its superintendent search.

In a Jan. 28 letter published in Vinton Today, Koeppen said the decision to leave the Vinton-Shellsburg district “was not an easy one.”

“It has been a true privilege to serve this community. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together, strengthening academic programs, supporting students and staff, investing in facilities and continuing to build a district grounded in care, high expectations and community pride,” Koeppen said.

During Koeppen’s tenure, Vinton-Shellsburg district has secured more than $2 million in competitive grants, including statewide workforce and childcare initiatives.

There are about 1,600 students and 320 staff in the Vinton-Shellsburg district.

Coralville to build $1.2 million roundabout near Costco

The city of Coralville is looking to build a $1.2 million, single-lane roundabout at the Heartland Drive and Commerce Drive intersection, near the Costco store.

Construction is slated to begin later this month, with an estimated completion date around the end of August. The city is in the process of accepting bids from contractors.

The intersection has one of the highest crash rates in Coralville, according to city staff.

The city received a $500,000 Transportation Safety Improvement grant to put toward the project.

New rental housing for homeless vets in Iowa City

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A collaboration between Johnson County, Iowa City and Veterans Affairs has been finalists to bring about the first project-based HUD-Veterans Assisted Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) development in Iowa.

Iowa City will pay Johnson County $1 for a 15-unit property, at 1102 Hollywood Blvd. in Iowa City, as part of a deal finalized last week.

The property will be used as a project-based development, where a HUD-VASH voucher is attached to a unit, rather than a tenant. The vouchers provide rental assistance to homeless veterans. The Iowa City Housing Authority administers the vouchers in partnership with the Iowa City VA Health Care System.

The city plans to complete some upgrades to the Hollywood Boulevard property, including adding a fence and replacing some plumbing, that will take around two months to complete. The city hopes to have tenants moving in shortly after that.

The county purchased the property in 2024 for $1.7 million, marking the first time the county has directly owned housing stock. However, the long-term future of the property of the was unknown at the time.

The county and the city had verbally agreed to move forward with the project in June 2025 after the county requested proposals for the property.

Climate grants open in Iowa City

Iowa City has opened applications for its annual climate action grants. The program provides eligible nonprofits and businesses up to $10,000 grants.

The application deadline for the grants is 5 p.m. April 1. Applications are on the city website.

Grants are to be used for projects that “advance energy efficiency, support the use of renewable energy, encourage low or no-emissions transportation, support sustainable lifestyle choices, and promote climate preparedness and resilience.”

The program typically awards eight to 10 grants. Grants awarded this year must be spent between July 1 and June 30, 2027.

Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. The Gazette’s Grace King, Grace Nieland and Megan Woolard contributed.