Recommendations for each of the three properties are the work of a new group, the Downtown Revitalization Committee, which has met monthly since January. A recent letter to the city says, “The committee consists of downtown building owners, business representatives, a local realtor, a city staff representative, and a member of City Council.”

The committee considers the three buildings to be “immediate priorities.” A fourth, 608 Second St., the former Bettis Appliance store, has also been studied, but the committee had no plan for its future at press time.

How to pay for rehabilitation of the deteriorated brick buildings is a major question. One proposal, expected to be brought to the council tonight by Development Director Ariel Bertran, is merging the 2016 industrial urban renewal area, home to Mary Ann’s Specialty Foods and Webster City Custom Meats, into the Riverview Central Business District urban renewal area.

Tax increment financing (TIF) funds from the combined areas would be used to finance the revitalization plans proposed by the Downtown Revitalization Committee, if the council concurs.

Some of that money would also be used to support the recently-announced rebuilding of 404 Des Moines St. into a high-capacity protein beverage factory for Edible Gardens A.G.

Council will hear a second reading of an ordinance to delete Section 46-211, parking limited to two hours, Section 46-212, parking limited to four hours, and Section 213, parking lmited to eight hours of the Code of Webster City. Long-term parking downtown has not been a major problem, and this measure allows the street department to use a single sign for parking enforcement.

A public hearing is scheduled to dispose of city-owned property at 128 Apple Ave. Becky and Brent Holdgraffer have submitted a bid of $20,000 for this parcel.

Responding to a proposal from Origin Homes, of West Des Moines, which is proposing to buy lots 1-5 in Brewer Creek Estates 5th addition for new single-family homes, the council will decide whether to set a public hearing on the matter. Origin is seeking the city council’s backing of its application for State of Iowa Workforce housing tax credits.

Workforce housing in Iowa is housing that’s affordable for a household whose incomes don’t exceed 120% of median income for the area. For 2023-2024, the latest year for which U.S. Census Bureau data is available, 120% of median income in Webster City is family income of $76,116 per year.

Finally, the council will hear two matters involving AW.some Mowing of Webster City. The first item is to consider their bid for mowing and removing snow from city property, including nuisance properties. AW.some submitted the low bid for a contract that runs through Nov. 1, 2029.

Separately, AW.some submitted a bid of $10,000 to buy two city-owned lots east of the new Kwik Star on the west side. Aw.some wants to use the land to consolidate its operations, and, would ultimately build a shop to house its trucks, commercial mowers and snowplows.