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Last night, the City Council of Webster City voted unanimously to spend $574,000 to demolish four brick buildings downtown. Council has debated the fate of the buildings since late 2024, when it acquired the former Coulter's paint and drapery store at 547 Second St. The building next door, 545 Second, once Kelly's Bar & Grill, was acquired by the city this summer, as were two buildings owned by Chris McNeil at 518 & 520 Second.
The demolition contract was awarded to Capital Demolition & Environmental Services LLC of Des Moines, and includes asbestos abatement, which alone accounts for $65,000 of the total. Two other bids were received, but later disqualified.
One, from Dore & Associates, Bay City, Michigan, was invalidated when no one from the company came to Webster City for a required site visit as specified in the bid packet. The other, from EIS Holdings, Westlake, Texas, was submitted by email, violating the requirement that only sealed bids sent by U.S. Mail, Special Delivery would be considered.
Demolition is a last resort. Development Director Ariel Bertran tried to interest salvage firms in saving the historic iron work of 547 Second, and second-floor bay window of 545 Second. There were no takers. All that remains now is to tear the buildings down, stabilize the sites, and put the empty lots up for sale.
Explaining the issue before Council voted, Bertran said she hoped all demolition could be complete by December 31. Under a timetable submitted by the successful bidder, Capitol Demolition & Environmental Services, LLC, 547 and 545 Second St. and 612 Willson Ave. should be completely demolished by year's end. The other two buildings would follow sometime early in the new year.
Bertran said asbestos abatement, the first step in demolition, could start yet this week.
Mayor John Hawkins seemed happy and relieved when he said, "We're finally getting some movement downtown." Councilman John Marvel concurred, adding, "It's too bad from the preservation perspective, but a step in the right direction."
2027 hot melt asphalt paving plan approved
After pausing the city's ongoing hot melt asphalt (HMA) paving program in 2026, to focus on concrete street repairs, Street Department Supervisor Brandon Bahrenfuss was directed by Council to proceed with a nearly $1 million program to repair several city streets next summer.
The largest new stretch of HMA paving will be applied to Division Street from Beach to Seneca St. Also slated for repair; Elm St., from Willson Ave. to Superior St., and Locust St. from Lynx Avenue to Beach St.
Council also approved two bid alternatives. Bid alternative A would pave Water St., from Superior to River St. and bid alternative B would pave remaining gravel roads in Graceland Cemetery with HMA.
The successful supplier for the 2027 HMA work is Blacktop Services Co. of Humboldt, with a bid of $974,380.59. Fort Dodge Asphalt bid $999,897.00. Bahrenfuss noted both firms "have successfully completed projects for the city in the last few years, and have great to work with."
Depending on weather, the project could begin as early as June 1, 2027, and should be completed by August 31. In addition to paving, the project also includes some grass seeding.
Minimal Rental Housing Code
Hearing no objections or revisions to the Development Department's proposed code to establish and regulate minimum health and safety standards in rental housing in the city, Council passed a third reading of the measure, and adopted it into the Code of Webster City. It provides registration and inspection of every residential rental unit in the city. The laws became necessary when substandard living conditions were discovered in rentals earlier this year.
Bertran explained how a collaborative process that considered the needs of both landlords and tenants was used to arrive at the final, compromise package of regulations. She stated a number of cities in Iowa, some smaller in size than Webster City, have already adopted similar codes.
Councilman Marvel said, "this is a good example of how our system of three readings works." He congratulated Bertran for involving all stakeholders in finalizing the adopted regulations.