There is a correction to my last email. In relation to the growth areas in the city, I published a table which indicated the number of students in each area. That table should have been labeled as the number of housing units in each area. The city did not make any projection of school age children. However there is correlation between students and housing (just not one to one). Sorry for the error.

Ames Electric Services is asking Ames residents to attend a meeting, listen to a presentation about power supply options, ask questions, and provide feedback about future plans for providing electricity to the community (see press release). A public input session is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, April 21, at the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 515 Clark Ave.  The presentation will include discussion of the recently completed Burns & McDonnell study titled “Decision Tree Analysis of Power Supply Options.”  The three page cover letter is the shortest summery. The assumptions section is interesting in that they form the basis for the report (invalid assumptions -- invalid results). An explanation is not given on how projected load assumptions were arrived at. Like the school district boundaries, the city utility boundaries do not change as the city grows (they are fixed).  Any growth in load would be through intensification or increased use in our current boundaries. I am interested in understanding how the projected growth was arrived at. 

Power plant is an important topic. Its  impact on the city's "Cool Cities" program is significant (the power plant is the largest carbon dioxide producer in the city). This also impacts the cost to the city and reliability of power. The executive summery is the first section of the report. Your input to the city and council is especially valued on this topic.

Tuesday's agenda includes:

• Item 18 -- First passage of water rate structure ordinance (summer peak reduction measures). See past postings March 4th and  March 25th for more background on the change of rate structure. 
• Item 19 -- Discussion of sanitary sewer rate increases.
• Item 21 -- First passage of  ordinance pertaining to electric rates. 
  As was presented during the budgeting process at the beginning of the year, the city is looking at rate increases for all utilities over the next few years (for reasoning and more info see Feb 4th, 5th, and 6th comments). The above items are the result. 
• Item 25 -- Urban Fringe Plan -- The Urban Fringe plan is an agreement between Story County, Gilbert, and Ames (Boone county may join in this agreement soon). This agreement is to manage development within the two mile zone around the city, measured from the edge of the city limits. By state law the city of Ames can reject the subdivision of land (creation of residential lots) within its two mile zone. The bargain the city is trying to make with the other entities is that the city, by policy, will allow county control of subdivisions in areas Ames does not plan to grow into. In exchange, the counties will cooperate in reserving areas for future expansion as outlined in our current LUPP.
  This policy has direct connection to the current discussion on the direction of residential growth (Southwest, Northwest, and North see April 1st meeting). The urban fringe plan currently allows for the future annexation of North of Ada Hayden about 20 years out. The fridge plan also states that Ames will set the standards (infrastructure and environmental) for development North of Ada Hayden that happens before then.  
  I want to stress that whatever happens (annexation or no annexation) to the area North of Ada Hayden, I support creation of strong environmental regulations to protect Ada Hayden. I believe the city working with the county has the power to protect Ada Hayden regardless of annexation or not. The council just needs to exercise that power.
• Item 29 -- Hearing on Furman Aquatic Center. The bids on this project came in over budget by $1,000,000. The three bids were all in a relatively close range. An anonymous donor is willing to commit $1,000,000 to make sure the Aquatic Center project is completed in accordance with our current plans and time line. I thank that donor for a truly selfless gift.

That is it for now. More in a few weeks.

Jim Popken
City Council At Large

Disclaimer: My intent of this communication is to give you a heads up on items coming to the city council. I may state some of my impressions and leanings here. I will, however, try to avoid staking out a position on issues before the council meeting occurs. I feel that I should avoid committing to any positions until I have heard and considered all the public input at the council meeting before a vote.

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