Newton meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Newton council approves police, fire and teamster wage pacts; $7M softball loan on Monday agenda

Newton City Council members approved FY2028 and FY2029 wage agreements for police, fire and Teamsters Local 120 employees, one of a series of items that passed 6-0 at the council's Oct. 5 meeting, according to official minutes.

Wage pacts and agreements clear council 6-0

The wage agreements were among several items the council approved by identical 6-0 votes on Oct. 5. The council adopted the 2026-2028 City Council Goals and approved the 2027 Westwood Golf Course fee schedule, which includes a 10% citizen discount.

It also approved professional services agreements with Bolton & Menk for watershed delineation and Memorial Park Cemetery platting; authorized a 28E Agreement for EMS Transportation with Jasper County EMA; and approved Highway 14 Reconstruction agreements with the Iowa DOT and Key Cooperative, Inc.

Property tax rebates were approved for CRH Properties LLC, Jasper Point Plaza LLC and Nehring Auto. The council also approved the Pool Pavilion flooring project by Accents in Concrete, Inc.

Sidewalk and street lights top priority ranking for spring bonding

At the same Oct. 5 meeting, the council held a budget workshop to review the Comprehensive Plan and rank 11 priority goals for funding. The top six goals are to be incorporated into spring bonding, while the remaining five are slated for future funding discussions, according to the summary.

Ranked first was the E 12th St S sidewalk, $210,000, with 13 votes. Second was Maytag Street Light Replacement, $35,000, with 11 votes. Third was Police Handheld Emergency Radios, $165,500, with 10 votes. Fourth was the Citywide PCC Patching Project, $500,000, and E 7th St S concrete/curb/gutter, $250,000, at 9 votes each. Sixth was Paint Maytag Bowl, $50,000, with 8 votes.

Downtown and zoning agendas await minutes

Several boards had agendas in the past two weeks that listed discussion items, but minutes have not been published, so no outcomes are established in the record provided.

The Downtown Newton SSMID Board was scheduled Oct. 13 to hear a feasibility and cost report on a downtown music system and wi-fi, compare city maintenance employee duties with a previous cleaning and maintenance contract, and consider Main Street recommendations for high-priority SSMID projects.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment scheduled an Oct. 14 public hearing on variance V26-10, an 8-foot privacy fence in a front yard at 808 W. 3rd St. S.

A Downtown Grant Review Board meeting listed for Oct. 14 — filed in the city's records under the Historic Preservation Commission — was to review facade improvements at 212 - 214 1st Ave W and signage at 109-111 W 3rd St. N, 104 1st St N, 211 N 2nd Ave W and 208 N 2nd Ave W, along with possible changes to eligible activities for grant funds in the Restaurant Program Area.

The Historic Preservation Commission's Oct. 5 agenda was procedural, listing review of minutes from the Aug. 3, 2026 meeting, open time for items from city staff, commissioners and citizens, and communications from SHPO and the Department of Public Affairs. No action items were listed.

Coming up

The City Council meets Oct. 19 with two listings. A budget workshop covers FY26 Expenditures by Function & Revenue by Source, FY26 My Tax Dollars at Work and FY26 Newton Property Tax Distribution, FY28 Employee Compensation Costs, and Water, Wastewater and Utility Billing Budgets.

The same day's agenda includes a proposed $7,000,000.00 forgivable loan to The Circle Development, LLC for Project Fastpitch, a softball complex development agreement; a public hearing on a W 8th St Traffic Signal Upgrades contract with Iowa Signal, Inc. for $212,284.62; proposed parking restrictions on the west side of E. 25th St. S. (500-700 blocks); property tax rebates for Theisen's (3021 1st Ave E) and Van Maanen Electric, Inc (500 Iowa Speedway Drive); and liquor license approvals for Alta House Event Center, Capitol II Theatre and Gray Moon Public Market.

Newton City Council approves police, fire and Teamsters wage agreements; budget workshop, library and downtown items also ahead

Newton City Council members approved FY2028 and FY2029 wage agreements for police, fire and Teamsters Local 120 employees at their Oct. 5 meeting, according to official minutes. The vote was 6-0. No dollar figures for the agreements appear in the meeting summary provided.

The wage agreements were among a series of 6-0 votes recorded that evening. Most other recent and upcoming meetings listed in the city's agendas have not yet produced published minutes, so several items below are proposals or discussion topics rather than decisions.

Council approves goals, contracts and rebates

In the same Oct. 5 session, the council, by 6-0 votes:

• Adopted the 2026-2028 City Council Goals.
• Approved the 2027 Westwood Golf Course fee schedule with a 10% citizen discount.
• Approved professional services with Bolton & Menk for Watershed Delination and Memorial Park Cemetery platting.
• Authorized a 28E Agreement for EMS Transportation with Jasper County EMA.
• Approved Highway 14 Reconstruction agreements with the Iowa DOT and Key Cooperative, Inc.
• Approved property tax rebates for CRH Properties LLC, Jasper Point Plaza LLC, and Nehring Auto.
• Approved the Pool Pavilion flooring project by Accents in Concrete, Inc.

Budget workshop was discussion only

Also on Oct. 5, the council held a budget workshop at City Hall, 101 W 4th St S, starting at 6:00 PM or immediately after the regular council meeting. Staff presentations covered the comprehensive plan (Community Development Director Erin Chambers), City Council goals (Administrative Services Manager/City Clerk Katrina Davis), the proposed budget schedule and ending fund balance projections for FY26/27 (Finance Officer Candace Streeter), and the landfill, road use tax and stormwater budgets (Public Works Director Joe Grife). The agenda listed no votes or public hearings.

Library board takes up handbook, entry lock, FY28 budget

The Newton Public Library Board of Trustees met Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. in the Library Conference Room. Agenda items included review and approval of the Library Employee Handbook, options and quotes for a north entry lock, old business on CIP security measures and a franchise fee, and preparation for the FY28 budget. The board was also set to discuss a board vacancy, agenda posting locations, and patron types and level of service. Only the agenda has been published; minutes are not yet available.

Main Street accreditation presentation

On Oct. 1, the City Council hosted a presentation by Marcela Uribe of Main Street America as part of the 2026 Standard Accreditation Visit. The meeting was held at the Main Street Office, 100 N 2nd Ave W, 2nd Floor. The agenda was informational only, with no decisions or votes scheduled.

Historic Preservation Commission: procedural agenda

The Historic Preservation Commission met Oct. 5 at 3:00 PM at the City Offices, Building 18, Legacy Plaza, 303 W 4th St N, Suite 501. The agenda covered roll call, review of minutes from the Aug. 3, 2026 meeting, open time for items from city staff, commissioners and citizens, and communications from the State Historic Preservation Office and the Department of Public Affairs. No decisions, contracts or public hearings were listed.

Coming up

• **Oct. 13 — SSMID Board:** Discussion of the feasibility and cost of a downtown music system and wi-fi, a comparison of city maintenance employee duties against a previous cleaning and maintenance contract, and Main Street recommendations for high-priority SSMID projects.
• **Oct. 14 — Zoning Board of Adjustment:** A public hearing on variance V26-10, an 8ft privacy fence in the front yard at 808 W. 3rd St. S. The board will also review minutes from its Sept. 2, 2026 meeting.
• **Oct. 14 — Downtown Grant Review Board (listed under Historic Preservation Commission):** Requests for facade improvements at 212 - 214 1st Ave W and signage at 109-111 W 3rd St. N, 104 1st St N, 211 N 2nd Ave W and 208 N 2nd Ave W. The board is also considering changes to eligible activities for grant funds in the Restaurant Program Area.

All items above are drawn from official agendas and minutes as published. Where only an agenda is available, no outcome has been reported.