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Ames Voice

Mid-Iowa Community News

Ames Voice

City Council

Ames City Hall

Ames to grant engineering firm $6.8 million contract

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published October 22, 2025
Ames is moving forward with hiring a Chicago-based engineering firm to design new power generating units and a building to house them.
Ames' 2025 city election candidates, from left, Mayor John Haila, councilperson Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, councilperson Gloria Betcher and councilperson Amber Corrieri.

Ames mayoral, city council candidates weigh in on election issues

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published October 21, 2025
The names for the Ames mayor and city council seats on this year's election ballot are familiar ones. The Ames Voice sent out a questionnaire to all candidates in the Ames City Council election to find out who they are and what they want to accomplish on the city council. All of the candidates are running unopposed.
Some residents around Munn Woods and Emma McCarthy Lee Park wanted the city to allow deer hunting to control the population. Photo: Mel M from Pexels via Canva.com

Ames City Council overrides commission, allows deer hunting in city

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published October 15, 2025
The Ames City Council voted to allow deer hunting in Munn Woods despite the fact that a city commission had recommended against the idea. The new hunting season would start later this fall, pending approval by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.
The Ames City Council passed the first of three readings of an ordinance on Tuesday to increase city electric rates beginning later this year.

City council clears first hurdle to increase electric rates

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published October 15, 2025
The Ames City Council took the first step toward raising electric rates by 1.5% for all residents and businesses on Tuesday. It also altered a landscaping rule after a request from ISU Research Park.
Ames residents may be soon seeing an increase in their electric utility bills.

Ames electric rates may be going up 1.5% soon

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published September 24, 2025
The Ames City Council voted on Tuesday to have the city attorney draft language to change the city code to enable Ames Electric Services to raise electricity rates by 1.5% for all customers starting after the summer season this year, then bring the matter to the council for future consideration.
The Ames City Council hired a project manager to oversee the development of the city’s new recycling center when it met at city hall on Sept. 23.

City council awards $1.25 million contract to manage recycling center project

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published September 24, 2025
A complicated project has a new manager to oversee things and the city hopes management costs will be offset by engineering savings. The Ames City Council gave Story Construction Co. a $1.25 million contract to help manage the building of a new recycling center.
Ames voters will be asked to approve a $10.5 million bond issue to build a new fire station to replace the station on Welch Avenue in November.

$10.5 million Ames fire station bond issue on November ballot

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published September 17, 2025
Ames residents will vote in November on spending up to $10.5 million to build a new fire station for the city’s west side. The city wants to replace Fire Station No. 2 with a bigger station on land at 601 State Ave. that Iowa State University will let the city use for free. The Ames City Council voted to place the matter on the November ballot during a special meeting on Tuesday.
Municipal bonds will be issued Sept. 23 to enable the city of Ames to borrow $13.6 million to pay for a variety of city improvement projects.

Ames council borrows $13.6 million for city projects

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published September 10, 2025

The Ames City Council voted Tuesday to borrow $13.6 million to pay for improvements around the city. The city will sell bonds on Sept. 23 to get the money. What the money is for: The city plans to use...

Ames residents could save money on their home heating and cooling bills if the city is successful in obtaining up to $15 million from the federal government in a special loan program.

Ames could get $15 million to help residents save on energy bills

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published September 10, 2025
The city of Ames might receive up to $15 million from the federal government to help residents make their homes more energy efficient. This money would let homeowners upgrade their heating, cooling and electrical systems without paying huge costs up front.
Work on the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center, located on Lincoln Way across from the Iowa Department of Transportation headquarters, is on schedule for a grand opening in March 2026.

Aquatic center construction moving along swimmingly

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published August 27, 2025
Ames area residents can look forward to swimming indoors next spring as construction of the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center is on schedule. Work on the project, located on Lincoln Way across from the Iowa DOT headquarters, is projected to be substantially completed by January with a grand opening in March.
After attending training and making changes, the Ames City Council gave a liquor license to La Casa Maya after it was not renewed in July.

La Casa Maya gets second chance with new liquor license

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published August 27, 2025
After the management at La Casa Maya made necessary changes when its liquor license was not renewed in July, the Ames City Council gave the restaurant a new liquor license on Aug. 26.
The Ames City Council discussed curbside recycling at its August 12 meeting.

Ames may require curbside recycling for all homes

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published August 13, 2025
Every Ames household may need curbside recycling to go alongside its regular trash pickup. The Ames City Council discussed the possibility at its Tuesday meeting.