Local Government

Leveraging the onetime influx of federal funding through the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, here’s how Iowa communities are giving key priorities a boost to promote long-term growth as the nation shakes off the fiscal toll of COVID-19.

Four routes will have adjustments of one to four minutes from current arrival times starting Monday. Adjusting the arrival times will help transit drivers arrive at all destinations on time, the city said.

The Iowa City Council this month unanimously approved installation of a new playground and removal of the old one on the Ped Mall. The goal is to finish the work by July 1.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved a $25,000 grant agreement with the Friends of Coralville Lake to be used toward a preliminary action plan and feasibility study to explore solutions to increasing sedimentation that eventually could close the lake to recreation.

The Cedar Rapids resident announced his run this week

Bermel, a real estate agent, will serve the term on North Liberty City Council through the end of 2023.

Recent testing by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources found “very low” levels of two types of industrial chemicals in Cedar Rapids’ public water supply, but the city reports that its water remains safe to drink.

Cedar Rapids is once again fighting against Iowa lawmakers’ attempts to regulate or ban the use of automated traffic enforcement cameras. Have the devices reduced collisions in the city?

North Liberty voters will elect a new council member on March 15 during a special election. The three candidates running are Robert Strickland, Samantha Gulick and Ashley Bermel.

All three Linn County supervisors said the biggest issue of having only three board members is they can’t talk about policy outside of supervisor meetings without violating Iowa’s open meeting law.

In the first year since the opening of the Linn County Mental Health Access Center, over 70 percent of its patients said in discharge surveys they would not have sought services if not for the new mental health crisis center.

City Manager Geoff Fruin has selected Scott Lyon as the city’s next fire chief. The appointment goes to the Civil Service Commission and City Council for confirmation.