Dave Casotti, Boone Mayor, June 16, 2026

On our program today, visiting with Mayor Dave Cassotti. Good to have you back. Good to be back, Jim. Thank you. And a busy meeting last night. It was a pretty busy meeting, yeah. We did a variety of things. We're going to get to the banners a little later. OK, sounds good. Because I know that's one thing yet. You were, I got to finish getting the word out. Yeah. We did have a couple of big things that, again, did take some time. Meeting ago, you had Kim Adams with the president with the Boone Air Humane Society, or the chairman of their board, did come forward and did present the information about their contract. And again, understanding, they know the city's tight with the 2% and the property tax reform that the legislature did. But they came back with a counterproposal when the city said 2%. And they were to reduce some of their expenses. They wanted to cut some of the service. Right. And counsel didn't really want that to happen. No, we can't. I mean, that puts it, that makes it tough on, then we have to send probably police officers to take care of some of that stuff. And if they're not fully trained and equipped to take care of, say, a quote unquote vicious animal, just in case we don't, you know, they aren't equipped to deal with that. So yeah, that was a big concern for us. In the meantime, counsel, it was not unanimous decision. There was a debate back and forth on exactly what could be done to try to balance this. And again, like everybody else, they're encountering the same kind of issues. Again, the increased cost of operation, insurance, they've got things they have to do to their structure. The building needs help, things like that. So it's not an easy solution. No, quite a bit of debate. And part of the problem, not problem necessarily, but makes it a little bit tougher is that the, like after hours calls, the only two people that they have to take care of those, neither one of them live in Boone. So it takes a while to get here if there is something after hours, and that makes it even a little bit tougher. But excuse me, we, yeah, we basically went back to their original proposal. And as long as they'll keep their hours and services the same, then they're going to take it back to their board and come back and we'll see what happens. See what happens with them. But again, that was the, it was a four to three vote amongst the council. They didn't, they didn't even all agree on it. Right. One of the others that took quite a bit of time discussing, and that was the preliminary site plan for the Irby Park in the States, right north of Cap Irby Park, south of the Sunam addition and the middle school. And again, you did have somebody come in and basically a lot of it, about the size of the lots. Again, zoning does suggest a lot size of 11,000 square feet. Yep. Pretty, not very, not very often you get that, except in new subdivisions. We've got a couple that do meet those standards, but a lot of the new ones, that is not something in there. Right. I didn't anticipate that one being as long as it was, but yeah, we had a citizen concerned about those sizes and the, but the developers not going to put something out there that won't sell, so, I mean, yes, they'll find out. If they don't sell, then they can reconfigure it, but I think we'll, I think we'll be fine. It's, it's one of the things they asked for, basically, a blanket variances for their, for the project. And again, Huntsucker Development will be doing this. They've said that they would do what, 13, I think they're planning on building 13 at this time. Yeah, phase one, yep. But they're looking at other developers to be part of it. They've got their guidelines on what they'll, what it's got to have and things like that. So, yeah, they'll build some of their own and then, yeah, they'll sell lots and let other developers, again, it's, they're going to have some parameters on who can build and who can't, but yeah, they'll, they'll, they'll make sure they're, they're nice. All single family homes, and again, they're talking that whole area down there, 50, 50 lots, 20, wouldn't they have 21 acres? I think it was. They have 21 acres yet when there's three different phases to it, so. So that's one of those going on. I know someone else raised some question about drainage in that area. That has been one of those ongoing issues. And again, there is a stormwater plan, but not all of that was brought forward. Right. Once we get that in there, then that should help alleviate those issues. So we got that part going on. And planning and zoning did review this. They went over the same issues, same discussion. And their recommendation was to go ahead. Go ahead with it. So council did approve that. Now we'll go back to the other part of the next meeting. You will have a public hearing on the development agreement with Hunt Sucker. Right. And this ties in again with this particular project. They, similar to what they've done on the south, or on the south side out here at their Prairie Park Place, they'll put in the road, they'll put in the water, the sewer, and everything else. And then basically gets reimbursed through the development agreement and directs it from the financing. So that'll be going on. I think, oh yeah, you had Justin Dodge on, who was with Hunt Sucker. Correct. He likened this to the project they're doing over on the west side of Ames right now. Yep. That's what he mentioned. Yeah. So he said they're getting quite a bit of support for that. That will be going on. Council will be going ahead and getting bids on one of your big infrastructure projects coming up. And that's going to be the Forest Main project. That one is, well, coming up at your next meeting, hopefully we'll get the good bids. And this is going to be basically the sewer for Daisy and anybody else that's developing out in that area. Yeah, hopefully we'll get good bids because we've got to get that rolling. So that is a long Forest Main project. It's going to go along Highway 30. So that's going to get a lot of attention out there. Some of the other things that came up last night, Chief Justin Adams for the fire department, several different grant applications, several different things going on. Once again, they are getting a new emergency response vehicle. But the current one, we're going to sell to Ogden. Yep. Still usable, but it doesn't go out as often with Ogden as it would with the Boon. Right, yep. So that worked out nice that they were needing one. And yeah, so worked out for both of us. Got a grant going in for a new truck. Yep. Here we go again. And it was the good question that was brought up by Councilman Ankstrom, which Terry Mormon would have asked if he didn't, was, well, our current garage or whatever you want to call it, stole it, fit. That was like, yep, that was the main thing. So one of the main things. Not a problem there, but similar to the 94 engine that they've got, they'll, once again, that would require, should they be successful with it, to secure a, what, 5% match from the cities, which 50. When they got it, it's a million-dollar truck, so. Right, it's nice to hear 5%, not 50%. Yeah, especially at a million-dollar truck. Correct, yeah. The other big one, and this is one that a lot of people might be a lot more in tune with. But this is called a safer grant, and this is personnel-wise. And looking to add three full-time individuals to the department. Correct. So see what happens there. Again, the grant covers so much cost the first three years, and then the city has to pick it all up after that. Well, I mean, you get a percentage of it up to. Right, yeah, for those three years. And then at the end of the three years, and hopefully, and that's where it's tough, because it's great for the three years, even though it doesn't pay 100% of it. But at the end of those three years, if you don't have the financing to keep those guys on, then you have tough decisions to make again. So that's so much going on. Back in the hands of the council. Correct, yeah. That's never an easy thing. But the grant's nice. I wish it paid 100% for three years, but it doesn't. So we'll do what we can. On this, we'd put them back to their staffing levels that they had in 06, I think it is, before they reduced some of the staff. They did talk about, again, some of the financing for that down the road, because what they're doing now to get part-time people to come in and fill out some of the shifts, those are dollars that would actually roll into full-time staffing. So again, he did say that it would be roughly about 300,000 or 300, what, yeah, 360,000 that it would require. And again, questions like, what about turnout gear? What about things like that? So there's a lot of things you have to look at. Yeah, and I think Chief Adams said that, gear-wise, the grant would also pay for about 50% of the gear too, so that helps out. Yeah, that's a tricky one, but... Because down the road, you're gonna buy a new gear and it won't be under a grant. Right, exactly. Unless they find another one, they can do. And it's not a done deal because we have to apply for the grant and if we don't get the grant, then we don't move forward with that, so. Council did go ahead and approve an extension of your economic development agreement. Once again, this is with Ames Regional Economic Alliance, had it for a number of years. They're going for a three-year extension, no cost difference. Yeah, that was, I mean, I love those guys. They do a great job and to hear that it's not gonna increase the size, the money part of the contract, that was huge. So again, no problem going ahead with that. I know that one of the other things Andrea Elmkos talked about was the finance officer. She put together the job posting information and again, it is a competitive market out there. Very competitive. And the idea is what kind of salary do you offer for it? That sort of thing because trying to get the right people to come in and be a part of it. Would she say, I think it was, was it Spencer? They've gone through three finance officers. I think it was Spencer, yeah. Like a year or two? Yeah. It's, I don't know why that's a tough position to fill and keep filled, but it is. I mean, there's a lot to it. I mean, Andrea, no, she did it for a long time, so. Unfortunately, she's still got it. Yeah, now she's doing that and her normal job. So. Yeah, plenty going on there. Yep. She did bring up the point that Park Commission does have their 10 year plan. They've completed some of the work on that. Would like to have a work session meeting with the council, but not all the council wants to do it unless they get a chance to see the plan before. Right, which that makes sense. We want to be able to look at it, sit down and look it over before we have a work session. Other that were otherwise that work session turns into a two, three hour meeting and nobody's interested in those right now. Yeah. Longer meetings, but no, we'll get it done. Excuse me. But yeah, that's, they want to do it. They just don't want, they want to make sure they have the information ahead of time, so. So we'll see what happens with it. I know Park Commission talked at length about it before. They knew that the council had been looking for it, but they're, I don't know if they're overly comfortable presenting all of the data, some of the numbers and stuff again before I get there. Anyway, we'll see how that comes together if it comes together. That's going to be going on, so we've got that. Oh, other things happening. Well, we, let's go talk banners because you got, you got a lot of things put in place here. Yeah, my little pet project that I just started three months ago. Which they suggested you start earlier. Yeah, next time, my brain just didn't work that way. I didn't, I don't know why I didn't think of it, but thankfully, and we had a local company reach out and said we can do those banners and we can have them done in five to seven business days. So we brought it up to council to see if they would approve that and what we're looking at right now, excuse me, is just from hand, oh, south story from Hancock to Highway 30 because those polls already have the brackets on them. I don't know if anybody remembers, there used to be, once in a while there'd be banners. There were banners that were hanging out. Yeah, for certain things, there hasn't been for a while, but so that's what we're looking at doing. I put out a feeler on Facebook. I counted 28 polls. Waylon had 26, but we'll figure that out. I counted again last night after the meeting and got 28 again, but not all of them have the brackets. So we would need like five sets of brackets to do the whole thing. But so the council's willing to buy the brackets. Yep, and I had enough feedback off of Facebook that we've got 22 of those banners spoken for, or actually 24 now, two more last night. So 24 to 28. So if anyone out there is interested, we've got spots for four more banners and you buy the banner and once we're done with them, we'll probably keep them up through most of the summer since it's not just a Fourth of July thing, it's a 250th celebration. Excuse me, if you buy the banner or however you wanna put that, you buy the banner. We put it up when we're done, you get to keep the banner if you'd like it. So, and it's a two-sided banner. One side has, if you go on Facebook, you can see this. You gotta look at it. We'll get some, I'll get some pictures and we'll get them posted online so people can see. They're really neat though. I mean, they did a nice job. But they'll be two different, it'll be different on both sides. And then we'll rotate them as we go down the street. One of them has a backing of the flag which most people seem to be interested in. That was the most popular. The other side is red, white and blue color scheme with City of Boone and 250th celebration and they're neat so take a look at them. But yeah, if anyone is interested, we have four more available if anyone liked that. And they're a little spendy. They're 180 dollars each. But it goes to a good cause I think and I think everybody was pretty excited about it. So, but they're 30 by 82 so they're pretty good sized banners. But something cool to hang in your garage afterwards. The big thing will be, again, having enough, getting them done in time. And public works, being able to not get stuck doing something else and be able to come in and get those put up. And again, like you said, some of the brackets are out there. We're assuming they're in good condition. And you'll have some additional that you'd be able to put up to fill in the other spaces. I know you had thought, originally let's go all the way down Story Street, but that would be a lot. That would be a lot and that would take a little more than a month to work on. But I'm just happy to get this cause it's the focal point of people when they come into town, that part of South Story. So we don't want to exclude the rest of town, but that's, yeah, money wise, that was the feasible one to do, money in time wise. All right, so you've got people to go in on. Well, that was the big thing too. Well, will there be enough support? Right, that's why I wanted to know that ahead of time. So I got the okay to do that. Like I said, 24 out of the 28. So four more spots, folks. Got that going. All right, a couple of the other things that came up, again, Jordan Hammer, council member, did ask about lead pipe, lead water lines. And once again, there are some requirements that are going on about having a plan for replacement. Mandated replacement is not right around the corner or anything like that. But he is wondering is the city going to be pursuing funds for this? And obviously we're one of thousands and thousands that are going to be going through this. Right, and we have to qualify to even get some of that state money, or federal money that will be doled out by the state. But I don't know, that's going to be a fun one to try to figure out too. So Andre's going to work on that. Well, we don't. I know. We do know the notices keep going out and everybody kind of gets wound up about it. But the bottom line is when it gets required, how are we going to go about it? How do we go about it? And do you have individuals do their own? Do, does the city cover the cost? And for those that have already done it, why would they want to pay? And you got all of those things in there too. One more thing. Just another thing of trying to figure out what's happening. Other items outside of your banners, you got all of those. Otherwise, just a number of different things going on, a downtown BDIF project, you got the agreement on that. There are a number of agreements, the dollars that are distributed through local option sales tax, the human service app dollars that are distributed. And then they also have the hotel motel tax. So now you've got agreements with all those who have received those things. So those are things that we have to keep working on. All right. Got a lot of it taken care of. Yeah, there was, it was a longer meeting, but it was like two areas took most of the time. So it's, but that's fine. Again, that contract with the Boone Boone area, Humane Society, we'll see what happens there. And again, the site plan for Irby Park Estates and we'll continue to look for updates on that as they go. By the way, yes, folks, they are talking about what, coming down on, what was it, the street? Well, South, is it South Delaware, I think, or South Jack, that comes out onto Southeast Lynn. There is going to be through street through there. Yes, eventually there will. There won't be with phase one, but eventually, I think it's Delaware, I think. South Delaware on the south end, and I think it's on the north end, I think it's Aurora maybe or something like that. So, there will be traffic going through that. But it's not going to be land law. Right, and I don't, but I don't think that takes place till phase three, if I, it'll be a while. Yeah, it'll be quite a while before that, so. Anyway, again, that's a project that we'll watch coming up. I mean, I'm sure they got a few others in there. You're still working on as well. And they moved dirt already. It's just not quite, you know, DNR stuff, they have to get prepped for, but yeah, dirt, most people probably, especially if your property backs up to that, you know they've moved dirt, because the day they were doing it was windy, and I know the people on the north side of that, lot weren't thrilled, because I'm sure they took a lot of dirt that day, but. And they are talking, what, two similar to, like we see on South Marshall Street, they got the big retention basin out there. They'll have two, basically, that they'll be using in this particular project. A lot happening. There's a lot happening. It's fun times. So again, we've got a few other things that are going on, but until the next meeting, and it's going to be a new fiscal year, so you're done with this fiscal year yet. Okay, here we go. Now we're going to be into the new one, and you help get that budget all put together. Yep, that's right. Getting it all figured out. We're getting it, we're getting there. It takes a little while, doesn't it? It does. A lot of projects and things happening to you. Dave Cassotti, our guest on our program today. Thanks for joining us. Thank you, Jim.