Local Government

Iowa City collaborating on relief spending, affordable housing, child care

Marking a shift in tone from previous forums where partisan divides emerged, the two remaining candidates for Cedar Rapids mayor, Amara Andrews and Tiffany O’Donnell, focused on their visions for improving the city in the last forum before the Nov. 30 runoff.

The Linn County Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to take up the project Nov. 29 at the county fairgrounds

Cedar Rapids mayoral hopefuls Amara Andrews and Tiffany O’Donnell are participating in a Nov. 16 forum from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Cedar Rapids Public Library’s Whipple Auditorium ahead of the Nov. 30 runoff.

Linn County voters on Nov. 2 approved the gaming referendum by a slimmer margin compared with 2013, but the likely developer says he and other investors are pressing forward with Cedar Rapids on identifying a casino location and preparing a license application for the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

An initial plan for a mixed-use development at the former Transamerica site that sparked widespread concerns among residents is back on the Cedar Rapids City Planning Commission agenda for consideration Nov. 18. Proposed developer Hunter Companies tabled it last month to gather more input before bringing the plan to the panel.

ITC Midwest has given $200,000 to the ReLeaf Program, a partnership between nonprofit Trees Forever and the city of Cedar Rapids, to support tree replanting in Cedar Rapids after the 2020 derecho.

The Cedar Rapids City Council on Tuesday agreed to $1.9 million in public incentives for a $20 million Alro Steel Corp. regional distribution facility, which is expected to create 40 jobs. The council also approved development agreements for the nearly $109.5 million FedEx warehouse and for the $32.6 million Terex site redevelopment.

After his narrow loss on Election Day Nov. 2, Mayor Brad Hart has endorsed Women Lead Change Chief Executive Officer Tiffany O’Donnell to assume the city’s top elected role. O’Donnell faces Amara Andrews in the Nov. 30 runoff.

Eric Bradley, an environmental health manager at Scott County Public Health, will take on a new role at Linn County Public Health as the deputy director later this month.

The Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously supported a proposal to establish a self-supported municipal improvement district in the south side of the city.

After counting provisional ballots increased Amara Andrews’ margin over Brad Hart by 40 votes, the mayor shared he will not seek a recount. Tiffany O’Donnell and Andrews will face off in a Nov. 30 runoff.