Local Government

The wage enhancement program funded by pandemic relief dollars is intended to boost wages without raising the cost for Johnson County families.

A district court judge has dismissed lawsuits that challenged council votes that advanced Cargill’s construction of a rail yard in Cedar Rapids’ Rompot neighborhood. The rail yard is slated to become fully operational in December.

The program, which helps eligible residents pay for things like rent, utilities and funeral expenses, is on track to spend $1.5 million this year - exceeding its $1 million budget. Johnson County’s social services director attributes the increase to pandemic relief programs ending, and changes that made more people eligible for assistance.

With Thanksgiving 2022 in the rearview mirror, the City of Cedar Rapids — with help from Coonrod Wrecker Service — before 8 a.m. Monday arrived at the Condons to cut its soon-to-be Christmas spruce and take it to Greene Square, where crews were waiting to set it and decorate it.

Wolf Carbon Solutions also holding informational meetings next week

Also in weekly edition of Government Notes: Iowa City Council members hold listening post Monday night.

Cedar Rapids is exploring a pilot program to allow goat grazing to clear invasive species and unwieldy brush in unmaintained areas of city parks. Staff are working with the Bever Park Neighborhood Association to pilot the effort in 2023.

After years of service — in the U.S. Navy, as an assistant Johnson County attorney and always as a community volunteer — Scott Finlayson is taking on a new role as Johnson County’s next treasurer.

Local governments in Eastern Iowa — and throughout the country — were given a “historic” opportunity to invest in their communities through the American Rescue Plan Act. Here’s how the cities of Coralville and North Liberty plan to spend their dollars.

Nonprofit Trees Forever this year piloted Neighborhood Tree Captains and tree voucher programs to empower residents to replant on their private properties. These programs were developed as part of the ReLeaf effort to reforest Cedar Rapids after the derecho.

The city of North Liberty is negotiating with the property owner to acquire the nearly 45 acres of land for a community park on the side’s northwest side.

The supervisors originally