Local Government

Iowa City Public Works Director Ron Knoche has worked in the city’s public works department for 25 years. This year he was named one of the national top ten public works leaders of the year by the American Public Works Association.

The Cedar Rapids Water Pollution Control Facility in the coming years will see $277.5 million in improvements that enhance its capacity to treat wastewater and reduce its environmental impact with new technologies. Here’s what the project will do.

Cedar Rapids doesn’t require large companies, such as manufacturing plants and food processors, to pretreat industrial wastewater. This system — popular with companies because they don’t have to maintain their own treatment facilities — is unique in Iowa and unusual for mid-size cities across the United States.

Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert said there have been election workers who have decided not to return to the practice amid increased scrutiny.

To fuel downtown Cedar Rapids’ revitalization as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, a local panel is looking to hire an executive director, occupy a physical storefront and raise private dollars to fund initiatives that make the urban core more vibrant.

The city waited more than a decade to build a new city hall. In addition to city offices, the $10 million building features expanded conference rooms, an indoor community space and a public plaza.

The current Johnson County Jail, which opened in 1981, is in “very poor” condition, according to a 2022 facility condition audit. The building has numerous structural deficiencies, including cracks and deterioration in walls, ceilings, and portions of the roof.

The street, in the heart of downtown Iowa City, has been under construction since March 11. The work is expected to continue until September, affecting foot traffic to the businesses along the street and interfering with some downtown summer event plans.

The city of Cedar Rapids is now armed with a plan to seek funding for amenities on the west side of the Cedar River that officials hope could turn the space into a community attraction that drives new development.

The city of Cedar Rapids this summer is piloting its new Block ‘n Roll trailer with neighborhood associations. The community block party trailer aims to bring residents together and activate neighborhoods by making it easier for the groups to hold events.

Also, roads near Cedar River underneath I-380 in Cedar Rapids to close for construction

Meet Meredith Crawford, who the Library Journal recognized in its annual list of 50 “Movers & Shakers: The People Shaping the Future of Libraries.” With relentless passion and energy, she has “connected the library to parts of the community that we’ve never been able to connect with.”