March 29, 2024

Council to discuss rezoning, receive finance and coalition updates

Tasked with a very light meeting agenda Monday, the Newton City Council will continue with its second consideration of an ordiance amending the zoning map for property located near the Jasper County Engineering offices.

Randy Ray, owner of Randy’s Lawn Care, requested a rezoning of his property and the surrounding properties along the 800 to 1100 blocks of North 11th Avenue East and the 1000 blocks of East 10th Street North and East Ninth Street North.

The properties are currently designated as a mix of one- and two-family dwelling district (R-2) and neighborhood commercial district (C-N) classifications. Ray requested they all be rezoned to light industrial (I-L) statuses. After third consideration, all but one property will be rezoned to I-L. Delores Durant asked that her real estate not change to I-L. If adopted, the city would accommodate Durant’s request and rezone her property to R-2 instead.

Coalition presentation

Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess and Strategic Prevention Framework for Prescription Drugs (SPF Rx) grant coordinator Hayley Nemmers will kick off the council meeting with a presentation about the Jasper County Substance Abuse Coalition. In September, the coalition developed a plan to combat opioids and perscription drug abuse.

Hometown Pride

For its consent agenda, the Newton City Council is scheduled approve the 2018 partnership Hometown Pride agreement with other Jasper County in order to “further the economic and cultural vitality of the county,” according to documents in the agenda packet.

Towns involved in Hometown Pride throughout the county must pay a community coach to stay in the program, a portion of which is paid by program starter Keep Iowa Beautiful. The cost of Jasper County’s community coach, Jeff Davidson, is $80,000. Newton’s portion of the 2018 funding is $12,680.49, which will be parid through the Community Betterment Fund.

Cancel public hearing

The city is also scheudled to rescind prior council action. In September, the council passed a resolution ordering bids, approving plans and specifications, forming a contact and other actions involved for a hot mix asphalt (HMA) resurfacing project.

Because of development delays and a small construction window, staff felit it necessary to rescind the recent council action and rebid the project in late winter to be constructed in spring 2019.

Finance update

Lisa Frasier, financial officer for the City of Newton, will close the Monday afternoon meeting with a staff report.