A recent photo looking north from Brewer Street shows the size of the construction project now underway on Willson Avenue. Six proposed additions to the project scope are on the agenda for tonight's meeting of the City Council of Webster City.

The City Council of Webster City will consider a proposal to enlarge the city’s first urban renewal district during its meeting this evening.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers of City Hall, 400 Second Street, Webster City.

Webster City’s first urban renewal district, officially the Riverview-Central Business District Urban Renewal Area, was created by the City Council on March 3, 1986. By that date, A.B. Electrolux, of Sweden, had acquired Webster City Products Co. and was planning to spend almost $90 million to expand and modernize the company’s Webster City plant. It was clear to city officials a boom unprecedented in the city’s history was about to begin. In response, the city created the urban renewal district to use tax-increment financing — TIF — for several local projects.

If the proposed larger district is approved, three separate accounts will be established to address future needs of downtown Webster City.

A Nuisance Abatement fund would accrue and spend up to $150,000 in fiscal year 2026 to “proactively address building failure.” This could see the city acquire and demolish buildings deemed beyond repair.

A second account would focus on downtown revitalization. Its mission would be to “support structural initiatives directed toward resolving structural issues present on several properties in the 400, 500, 600 & 700 blocks of Second Street.”

The third account, Urban Renewal Administration & Professional Support, would help pay for

services needed to revitalize downtown, including planning, staffing and accounting, legal and engineering services, among others. This would allow the city the discretion and flexibility needed when dealing with a wide variety of projects.

Also on tonight’s Council agenda are change orders for street reconstruction projects under way on Fair Meadow Drive, Willson Avenue and Brewer Street.

Both the Fair Meadow Drive 2 and Brewer Street/Willson Avenue reconstruction projects remain unfinished. Both have recently grown in scope. City staff and consultant Snyder & Associates agree that, in the interest of better service to residents and longer-life of the improvements, the additional work should be done now while streets are open and accessible.

Specifically, six additional items with a total projected cost of $30,457 would be added to the Brewer/Willson project. The project is funded entirely with Local Option Sales Tax dollars. There are sufficient revenues and reserves in the fund to pay for this change order.

A second change order would allow an amendment to the city’s contract with Snyder & Associates for an on-call paving specialist. This professional oversight is required to finish the Fair Meadow Dr. 2 project. The added work is estimated to cost $25,750 and will be funded from proceeds from the 2025 general obligation bond issue.

The city has not projected a final completion date for either project at present.