These are big questions. Some potential solutions were reviewed last night by the City Council of Webster City at its first regularly scheduled meeting of July.

Studies, concepts and plans for projects of this scope, prepared by professional architects and designers, can easily cost millions of dollars. By taking part in the 2025 Iowa Mayor’s Design Workshop, Webster City got a set of ideas for such projects for free.

“It’s amazing what the students did,” Mayor John Hawkins said. Councilman John Marvel, echoing his remarks, also commented.

“There was some great work done here,” he said. “I loved the concepts for developing the industrial park.”

Students from ISU’s Colleges of Design and Engineering visited Webster City in the fall of 2025 and late winter in 2026. Under the direction of Hawkins, they studied five different problems. Four concerned improvements to the Brewer Creek watershed; the fifth dealt with potential designs for Gateway Industrial Park.

Although the council took no specific actions to pursue any of the concepts at present, it was clear there’s a lot of potential for projects in the future.

Hazard Mitigation Plan will go to public meetings

The council voted to support the amended Hamilton County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. The matter is now subject to three readings at the next three council meetings before it becomes law. The first reading is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. July 20.

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA), requires every county in the nation to maintain a Hazard Mitigation Plan. The operative word is “mitigate,” to minimize effects of an emergency before it occurs. FEMA further requires plans to be updated every five years. Failure to do so disqualifies the county from eligibility for federal funds for disaster mitigation.

In adopting the revised plan, the council positions the city to apply for grants to help pay for mitigations of future emergencies. City projects that might benefit from FEMA mitigation funds include placing electric lines underground, expanding storm sewers and re-building both the water treatment and wastewater plants.

As the city’s representative in hazard mitigation planning, Fire Chief Chuck Stansfield explained to the council during the meeting: “These plans concern large loss of life or property. In these meetings, we coordinate all the resources of the county,” he said. “The real value of the formal plan is that it helps most when we need to apply for federal grants through FEMA.”

In other action, the council:

n Approved the first reading of amendments pertaining to Chapter 50-Zoning, of the Code of Ordinances, clarifying that metal shipping containers do not qualify as accessory buildings, and are excluded from “building wall” definitions. It also restricts placement of shipping containers in residential neighborhoods, but allows them in industrial or commercial districts. Finally, it strictly prohibits shipping containers from being used as housing.

n Passed a second reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances re-adopting the 2021 edition of the International Residential Code with local modifications.

One such modification allows construction of a light-frame, detached garage of up to 900 square feet to be built on a floating concrete slab. This avoids the expense of putting in 42-inch deep, frost-resistant concrete footings specified by the present code.

n Agreed the sludge thickener at the water treatment plant should be replaced at a cost of $166,990, as quoted by Electric Pump, Inc., Des Moines, the low bidder. The present equipment has been determined to be subject to failure. The project will be funded with proceeds from the 2024 water bonds, and is part of a longer-term effort to rebuild the existing water treatment plant.