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Mid-Iowa Community News

Ames Voice

Ames Voice

Mid-Iowa Community News

Ames Voice

City Council

The Ames City Council will continue discussions on requiring pet licenses after the first of the year. (Provided by Andrew S via Unsplash)

Ames City Council defers action on requiring pet licenses

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published October 29, 2025
Ames residents may soon need to get licenses for their pets. The city council heard from several residents in opposition to the ordinance and then decided to take up the issue again next year while instructing city staff to launch a public information campaign to explain the program.
The Ames City Council received the results of the annual citizens' satisfaction survey on Tuesday. (Provided by jaker5000 via Canva)

City gets high marks on annual satisfaction survey

by Bill Monroe, Reporter
Published October 29, 2025
Ames residents continue to be highly satisfied with city services, with 98% rating services as either good or very good in 2025, according to an April survey of 1,350 residents and 1,000 Iowa State University students.
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.
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.
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.
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.