Government Notes: What do you envision for the future of downtown Cedar Rapids?

Residents can play a role in shaping the future of downtown Cedar Rapids.

The city of Cedar Rapids has shared an online survey to gather public input on the Downtown Vision Plan at surveymonkey.com/r/DowntownCedarRapids.

Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell recently said in her State of the City address that Cedar Rapids must adapt to the changes brought by COVID-19, which has left the urban core with fewer people working downtown.

Denver-based consultant Progressive Urban Management Associates is working with the city to update its downtown plan.

To date, O’Donnell said, the consultant has identified an opportunity to increase housing downtown, lean into green space and public art and amenities such as dog parks and other gathering spaces.

The planning process is led by the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance in partnership with the city, Linn County and the 2001 Development Corp.

Linn County supervisors to discuss resiliency coordinator

The Linn County Board of Supervisors is slated to discuss hiring a resiliency coordinator this morning.

The supervisors have been looking for money to fund the job, within the county’s Sustainability Department, after deciding not to use COVID-19 relief dollars to fund the position.

The supervisors have wrestled with uncertainty in the fiscal 2024 budget after having to reduce spending by $1.74 million because of a state error on the property tax rollback that left local governments receiving less in revenue than expected.

That situation left no immediately clear path to funding the resiliency coordinator.

The sustainability coordinator is to work with other government and nonprofit entities to focus on the marginalized and vulnerable communities most affected by natural disasters.

The individual would partner with the county’s Emergency Management Agency on disaster response and sustainable solutions.

Supervisors Kirsten Running-Marquardt, a Democrat, and Louie Zumbach, a Republican, in January voted to keep federal American Rescue Plan Act money with the Sustainability Department but restricted it from being used to hire a new employee.

When former Supervisor Stacey Walker was in Running-Marquardt’s seat, the county board directed $363,389 to the Sustainability Department for its operations and for the hiring of a resiliency coordinator for three years.

“I believed it was a better idea at the time to move it to the general budgeting process for the long term,” Running-Marquardt said in March.

According to a form included in the supervisors’ meeting packet, funding for the position in fiscal 2024 would include money carried forward from the current budget year.

For fiscal 2025 — the budget year spanning July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025 — funding would come from the general fund using property tax revenue.

Anyone wishing to offer input on the position can attend the supervisors’ work session at 10 a.m. today at the Jean Oxley Public Service Center, 935 Second St. SW, or contact supervisors individually by going to linncountyiowa.gov/123/Board-of-Supervisors.

Cedar Rapids scores high Moody bond ratings

Cedar Rapids has achieved a Aa1 rating from Moody’s Investors Service on the $64 million in general obligation bonds the city is borrowing.

The high rating indicates the bonds are of high quality with little credit risk. Only the Aaa rating is higher in the two dozen creditworthiness ratings awarded by Moody’s.

Moody’s rating system assists investors in evaluating credit risk through an analysis of a city’s finances and general management of operations. Moody’s also takes into account the overall economic health of a city.

The rating, the city said in a news release, recognizes the “strong local economy that serves as a regional economic hub for Eastern Iowa and its strong financial position with healthy reserves and liquidity.”

Additionally, Moody’s assigned an Aa2 rating — Moody’s third highest — to the city’s $11 million water revenue bonds and maintained the Aa2 rating on the city’s previously issued water revenue debt. The debt is paid from the water department’s revenues.

To view the full report, visit Moodys.com.

Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control seeking public input

Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control will host two public input sessions to discuss proposed changes to city ordinances.

The sessions will be 2 to 4 p.m. today at the Ellis Event Center (at Ellis Golf Course) and noon to 2 p.m. Friday at the Ladd Library, 3750 Williams Blvd. SW.

Linn County increases size allowed for accessory dwelling units

Linn County supervisors recently amended county code for accessory dwelling units in unincorporated Linn County to boost the maximum allowable size from 800 square feet to 1,200 square feet.

In addition to the size change, new language clarifies how floor area is calculated for ADUs, which are independent dwelling units on the same lot as an owner-occupied dwelling.

For information, go to the Planning & Development website, linncountyiowa.gov, or contact the department by calling (319) 892-5130 or emailing Plan_Dev@LinnCountyIowa.gov.

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Iowa City Transit changes begin today

Iowa City Transit is beginning changes today it says will offer faster, more frequent and more reliable transit service.

The changes include earlier start times on select routes, more frequent bus service and route realignments, the city said in a news release. These changes are in addition to standard summer transit service changes.

Eight routes will have earlier start times: Routes 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11 and 13. The first pickups for these routes vary and start time can be found at the Iowa City Transit website at icgov.org/transit.

Towncrest and Court Street — Routes 9 and 2, respectively — will see more buses, with frequency moving to every 20 minutes from every 30 minutes. On evenings and Saturdays, bus service will be every 40 minutes instead of every hour.

Route 7 North Dodge will have route alignment changes and bus stop adjustments on all daily trips.

The NCS Pearson bus stops will be decommissioned and new bus stops will be established to serve the east side of Northgate Park at the Highlander Hotel and on Highlander Place. The route no longer will serve the ACT campus and instead will provide service on Scott Boulevard between Dodge Street and First Avenue.

New bus stops on Route 7 will be added on Scott Boulevard near Oaknoll East and at the intersection with North Dubuque Road. Updated bus arrival and departure times can be found online at Iowa City Transit.

City Park Pool and Iowa City splash pads opening on Memorial Day weekend

The City Park swimming pool and Iowa City’s three splash pads are opening on Memorial Day weekend.

The weekend will have open swim from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May 27 to May 29. The pool schedule for the rest of the season can be found online at icgov.org/pools.

The three splash pads will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. beginning May 27. There is no fee to use the splash pads.

Splash pads are at Wetherby Park, 2400 Taylor Dr.; Fairmeadows Park, 2500 Miami Dr.; and Tower Court Park, 1124 Tower Court.

Xavier High School names new principal

Lynn Holverson, principal of All Saints Catholic Elementary in Cedar Rapids, has been named the next principal of Xavier High School, the school board announced recently.

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Holverson will succeed Angela Olson, who is leaving to head the Regina Catholic Education Center in Iowa City.

“I am excited to work with the Xavier students, parents, teachers, staff and community to continue seeking out new and exciting opportunities for growth, while first and foremost keeping the focus on building our Catholic faith,” Holverson said in a news release from the school.

Holverson will begin her new job July 1. Her hiring coincides with Xavier celebrating its 25th anniversary this fall.

Holverson taught at All Saints Elementary from 2010 through 2021, when she was named the school’s principal. She led All Saints’ strategic planning committee and served on other Catholic school planning committees.

“To say our interview committee was thoroughly impressed with Lynn would be an understatement,” Xavier school board President Chris McCarville said. “What stood out immediately is not only Lynn’s love for the Catholic Church, but her desire to help the church grow within our students, faculty and staff at Xavier High School.

“Not only am I confident in Lynn’s ability to maintain Xavier’s strong academic reputation, she clearly expressed her desire to see this grow through expanded course offerings and opportunities for students,” McCarville said.

Holverson earned a master’s degree in education from Western Illinois University in 2003 and a master’s in educational leadership, with a Catholic school leader certification, from Creighton University in 2021.

Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Gazette reporters Marissa Payne, Izabela Zaluska and Grace King contribute.