The Waterloo City Council held a work session prior to its regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10, to discuss plans for a grant-funded expansion of City Hall.
According to City Recorder Grace Reed, the council talked about building a restroom on half of the southeast end of the building and questioned how to spend the remaining funds.
In past meetings, ideas of building a community room were tossed around, but there was a question whether there would be enough funding. At the recent meeting, they suggested adding a hallway next to the restroom that could be utilized in any future expansions, and questioned whether they could afford a 10-foot by 10-foot storage room across from the restroom.
Having a storage room, Reed said, could free up space in the current council chambers room, which in turn could create opportunity for residents to use the chamber as a community space.
“Then, in the future with another grant, there could be an addition on the east side for another community type room,” she said.
The council asked staff to get bids for the restroom and hallway, and separate bids that would include the storage room.
Council decided to use their own labor to fix the front porch rather than spend grant funds for that project.
In other business:
- The council appointed Reed as budget officer.
- Reed announced her decision to resign, due to her other full-time job. Council voted to post the job opening immediately and close application acceptance by Tuesday, March 3. Interviews will be held Tuesday, March 10.
- Angela Storkson, who appeared on her mother’s behalf (Earlene Little), asked the council if a resolution could be created allowing permission for a groundskeeper to live in his travel trailer behind their house on a three-acre parcel off 7th Street. This request comes after the city sent them a notice of ordinance violation regarding the living situation. She said her mother is no longer able to keep up on all the maintenance of the property, so the resident in the trailer does the work for them. The council decided to look at the property during their city walk-through, which will be Saturday, Feb. 21.