The Council meeting this past Tuesday, March 22, began with the Mayor administering the oath of office to two new Urbandale Police Officers: Karli Schaefer and Kyla Duckworth. The Mayor thanked these new officers and their families for their service to the community.
The Council also approved the final plat for a development with 47 single-family residential lots in the area generally north of the intersection of Meredith Drive and 164th Street. A site plan was approved for a new location for Premier Credit Union just west of Meredith Drive and NW Urbandale Drive in the Urban Loop development area.
The City Council took several actions related to the Parks & Recreation Department. The low bid for a half-mile pedestrian loop trail in Walnut Creek Regional Park was approved and is expected to be completed in the fall. Second, the Council took another step forward with an Urbandale Dog Park by approving the site plan for the park, which is expected to open in the spring of 2023. Next, the Council directed staff to conduct a survey and prepare preliminary plans for a Community Recreation Complex at Walnut Creek Regional Park near 152nd Street and Meredith Drive. The Council approved a firm to create design and construction plans to repurpose a maintenance building on the south side of the City campus at 86th Street and Douglas Avenue. Finally, the purchase of an electric-powered van was approved to support mobile programming in the City’s public areas.
In public safety items, the Council approved a contract for automatic license plate detection services, the purchase of two new ambulances to replace existing units, and a contract for software that will help the Fire Department create, edit, organize, and distribute content from a secure, cloud-based site.
The City Council will meet again on Tuesday, April 5 for a regular meeting. Read more.
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Mayor's Update: Lowering the Tax Levy and Approving the Budget |
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Mayor Andeweg shares updates about the recently-approved annual budget, which lowers the tax levy for the upcoming fiscal year (which runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023). The total tax levy rate of $10.01 is a 10-cent reduction from the current levy. The budget anticipates spending $60.5 million for municipal operations (like public safety, snow removal, garbage collection, and park maintenance), $59.8 million for capital projects (like the construction of roads and stormwater management), $31.8 million for water utility operations, and $15.7 million to pay down debt. |
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Summer Camp Registration is Open |
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The Parks & Recreation Department has opened registration for summer camps. Register before May 15 and get 15% off your registration costs! Participants will enjoy a "theme of the week" and a variety of activities are offered including crafts, games, sports, board games, guest speakers, and weekly field trips. Learn more and register here.
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Spring Clean-Up and Changes You Need to Know |
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The annual no-charge curbside clean-up allows residents to dispose of almost anything and it’s hard to know what crews will encounter curbside. The city normally rents large trucks, equipment, and employs temporary workers to help collect all the items — but due to supply chain issues, we're making some changes to the event. Read the information here on how to use the free Spring Clean-Up event this year.
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Neighborhood Finance Corporation, a local nonprofit organization that provides unique home loans to facilitate neighborhood revitalization, is now providing lending in specific areas of Urbandale. A forgivable loan of up to $10,000 can be used to help pay for property repairs and improvements on the home you purchase or on a current home. Learn more about NFC programs here.
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Do you have a plan for severe weather? |
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Do all your family members know what to do in the event of a tornado? Now is the time to plan! Learn more at https://www.ready.gov/tornadoes. Remember, outdoor warning sirens are not intended to be heard inside your home. They are intended to alert those who are outside to seek shelter and turn on the TV or radio to learn more about the warning impacting you. Be in the know on why the sirens are going off by texting “UFDAlerts” to 67283 to get these warnings as soon as they are issued.
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Yard Waste Collection Begins March 28 |
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Yard waste collection now begins on March 28. The weather forecast is looking warmer so we're moving up the start-date for yard waste collection. Originally, the start date was April 4, but we're moving it up to March 28. Learn more about yard waste collection here.
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The GREAT egg hunt is on Saturday, April 16 at 10 AM in Walker Johnston Regional Park. Don’t be late, eggs and prizes are found quickly! No registration necessary, for ages 10 and under. |
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April Events at the Library |
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The Library has a lot of activities coming up in April, including National Library Week, a book sale, and the 2022 announcement of the All Urbandale Reads. Learn more about all these events here.
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Cemetery Seasonal Clean-Up Starts April 11 |
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McDivitt Grove Cemetery seasonal clean-up will begin the week of April 11. Individuals are encouraged to remove anything they wish to keep before the clean-up begins. Learn more.
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The Urbandale Police Department's Community Camera Program is an innovative way for citizens to take an active role in keeping our neighborhoods safe. Security camera systems are a great crime deterrent, and they are also helpful for police. Neighborhood canvasses take time, and time can be critical when officers are looking for information quickly and are trying to identify critical investigative leads. Often, security camera systems capture valuable information which increases the efficiency and effectiveness of our investigators. Learn more about UrbandaleEYE here.
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A new natural playscape is coming together in Urbandale… Read more.
Des Moines woman with family still in Ukraine is ice skating in Urbandale to help relieve stress… Read More.
Urbandale students recognized for documentary in C-SPAN StudentCam contest… Read more.
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