Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group held a forum with city administrator Chris Nosbisch where he outlined the next five years for the community.
Nosbisch highlighted the accomplishments of the city in the past 20 years, including an investment of $22.5 million in capital investments.
He also outlined two of the bigger items on the horizon within the next five years – a potential streetscape project in Mount Vernon’s uptown and the consideration of a new pool or aquatic center.
“The costs for the new aquatic center range from $7 to $16 million,” Nosbisch said. “A streetscape project, depending on the scope of the project, could be between $500,000 to $2 million. The city’s borrowing capacity in that time frame is under $17 million.”
Nosbisch said that a committee is currently reviewing the proposal made by Waters Edge and will provide a recommendation to the city council in the future, but the soonest he feels the city would be able to borrow enough for a new pool would be by 2026.
The streetscape could be as simple as resurfacing the road, similar to what is occurring at Palisades Road right now, to give that road a longer lease on life or it could be tearing the entire span of road down to dirt, addressing infrastructure underneath and then putting new concrete and tar over top.
Nosbisch said the latter type of streetscape project would take roughly a year to year and a half to complete, and would impact a lot of the uptown Mount Vernon businesses as well as festivals in the community. The city will be having six public input sessions as part of any exploration as to what route goes for a streetscape project when the request for proposals returns and the recommendations are provided.
“We are cognizant as staff that the downtown businesses are getting out of one of the roughest business periods we’ve had in several years, with the pandemic and derecho, and that the streetscape project will impact those businesses on that street, depending how far we go with it,” Nosbisch said. “If we do a full streetscape project, it could mean roughly a year with no festivals on the Main Street.”
Nosbisch did note that putting a band aid on the existing streetscape is a possibility, but when roads start to deteriorate, they do so very quickly. He pointed at Fourth Street as one of those roads that looked fine two years ago when an inspection was completed, but is now looking like it should be moved to the top of the list for improvements.
The city will also need to complete the second phase of the Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements required by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to help reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater. That project will be roughly $1.5 million, but is covered by water and sewer costs from citizens.
There’s also a request for the city to complete their portion of the recreational bike trail that could connect to Cedar Rapids. That trail would connect at city limits and proceed towards Bryant Park.
Nosbisch also noted that the city is willing to give $2 million in tax incentives for the creation or expansion of a daycare in the Mount Vernon community, noting that is still an ongoing issue.
“That project may take longer to get to, as the school will have three to four school board members coming on this fall as well as the activities complex construction ongoing and beginning the search for a new superintendent,” Nosbisch said.
Mount Vernon does continue to see growth, especially in subdivisions, which adds to the tax revenues. He also praised the work that went into merging the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department as a boon for both communities and that partnerships like those will continue moving forward as they can. He also commended the community funds started by the Garners as a way to help non-profit organizations in the community in the future.
Les Garner asked about if sales tax revenue would be safe for the city to borrow from. Nosbisch said that this past legislative session they had been told they would see action taken against sales tax, but the legislators conducted reform of property tax instead. There is concern that sales tax will be impacted next legislative session.
Guy Booth asked about what the city could do to encourage more affordable senior housing.
Nosbisch said that they were working on a low-to moderate income housing structure east of the car wash, but the state has dampened portions of that project by rejecting additional funding for that type of housing, citing no need.
Olivia Randall asked what the city could be doing for childcare. Nosbisch explained that in order for childcare centers to be successful in the community, they should be subsidized, in his opinion, noting the costs for centers for items like food and employee staffing make any new daycares harder to get to profitability without being tied to an entity like the schools.