Dave Casotti, Boone Mayor, March 17, 2026

Our guest on our program today, we are joined by Mayor Dave Cassati. Good to have you back. Good to be here again, Jim. Thank you. He just came hobbling in here. Well, he told us. We'll be getting used to that for seven more weeks at least. But you don't want to get used to it.

No, I know you don't. Well, you were waiting a long time. By the way, for those that don't know, yeah, I had a little foot surgery and coming along. Coming along. It's, yeah, I won't say what it's a pain in, but it's not my foot.

We'll just say that he's not out doing any running, shoveling, or other things like this right now. No, so if it snows again, anybody wants to come shovel my walk, come on over. Feel free. Feel free. Boone City Council meeting last night.

You know, it actually looked like a fairly light agenda when you were getting ready to start, and then it got a little busy. We did have a lot of different things that you guys were talking about. Let's just go right away.

We set a couple of public hearings, and they're coming up at your next meeting. One has to do with the, you know, I think this will be your first time through it, but the capital improvement plan. Right. Yep. That will be my first one.

And this is, you know, a five-year plan put together, and it kind of lays out all the infrastructure work. Millions of dollars. There's a ton to do, yeah. And again, lays it out, how it's going to be funded, and stuff like that. Council uses a planning document. Yep.

Subject to change. You're correct. The other one is not subject to change. This is a separate meeting that needs to be held. It's mandated for you. And that is maximum tax levy. Yep. And that pretty well looks like it's not going to change. Right. Yep.

That plan is not to change it at all. So that'll be a five o'clock meeting for the meeting, the regular meeting on the 6th of April. Correct. We have those.

And then you had a guest step forward and had heard you guys were looking for, you know, maybe up-doing and upgrading your website. Well, we talked a little bit about it last time. You're going, I didn't know they had to be ADA compliant, you know?

But this is one of the first things he said, ours are all ADA compliant. But from Ames, actually, they've been doing this, their business, been doing it for 30 years.

Yeah, that was a pleasant surprise because when I said, you know, public comments, and we usually don't have much, and this guy stood up, and I didn't know who he was, what he was there for.

And then, so that was a pleasant surprise because he gave a nice little presentation on their company, and it's just what we're looking for. So we'll get with him and get some pricing and make a decision on that. We'll see. It's still work in progress, getting all of the things.

But again, needs to be done by the end of the year. So you do have a short window. Right. Yeah, we'll start, we're looking into it now, and we'll get something set up as quick as possible because, yeah, the timing of what we have to have and the ADA part of it and all that.

So it's, yeah, it's kind of on the front burner. And you have, again, the things that you guys have been able to do right now, the interactive paying bills on, sending out all of the Nixle things and the emails and stuff like that, still want to have those kinds of capabilities.

Right, 100%. So those are some of the challenges that, got to keep working at it. Yeah. And these guys, and I'm sure almost all the others that we'll look at, already do a lot of that stuff, so it's not going to be new to them.

I know these guys pretty much cover everything that we do now, so. Yep. So we'll see. But again, that's just getting started. Again, going to have to move along quicker. Right. Needs to be done fairly fast, too.

Let's see, some of the other things, the utility committee had met a little bit beforehand, did have Waylon Andrews explain a little bit about the issues going on with water meters. And that's something a lot of people don't think about.

You're doing construction, you know that when you have, when you're opening up a new building or something like that, and you got services in there, you got to get that water meter installed. Yep. And the city's got the meters. We're hoping we've got enough meters.

That's the big thing. Yeah, we've got a good supply now. And Waylon bought out what one of our suppliers had, and then he's going to have to switch to a different one. We want to make sure that we keep the same meters in each, like new developments, so that they're all the same.

Yep. And this one, he said right now, for any additional set he'll need, we'll have to order from the manufacturer. Then you get into those supply chain things. Yeah, long lead time. So again, it's all about timing, and then having the budget to do it, too.

He did say that he's been using up his budget on this. Yep. So he may have to put in a little, ask for a little bit more, just in case. It's not for sure he's going to need it, but just in case. Yeah. When people think back about it.

So, Villa's at Fox Point, you know, all the different, all the different houses up there. Catings now, the most recent one. Hundsucker's down here. That's a lot of water meters. It is. And that's stuff you don't think about. But Waylon's on top of all that, so that's great.

So we have that done. Then one of the other things he brought up is street sweeper. Yeah. So it's five years old. And he did point out, you know, everybody's going, well, you're new street sweeper. Well, it's five years old. And it gets used a lot. Time flies.

But some pretty substantial repairs need to be made. He did say might have to go for a budget amendment here. Right. Yep. That was another one. Yeah, that's. He's had a couple of maintenance things that have kind of eaten up some of the public works repair fund. Correct. Yep.

And that's that's stuff you have to sort of plan for. But some of you don't expect. Yeah. Well, what was it? Oh, they thought they could try to make repairs on it. And it ended up had taken into the manu. Where it was built down in Ankeny. And they're talking 20, 23,000, I think.

Yeah. And it could be more. We don't know. But and we try to do that stuff in house. Like you said, they they looked into it in the in the shop there. But it was a little bit more than that. They could handle. So I had to take it down there. Tricky, tricky stuff. They are. Yeah.

I can imagine. So well, we did have a discussion that went on about and you got a chance to find out a little bit more about water treatment ground storage. You haven't been out there to see that. I have not.

And I talked to Whelan after the utility meetings and said, well, get down. I don't want to go down there in the state I'm in. I know they're beyond both feet. But wait for nicer weather. Yeah. But I do. That's interesting. He showed me pictures of it.

I've never I didn't know for sure where it was. I didn't know it was on site at the treatment plant. But very, very. And it's it's been there since like 1935 or so back in the 30s with that with the old plant. Yeah.

And then just kind of rehabbed and reused when the new plant was built. But it is still kind of the holding bond that they take the water out of and send it to town. Yeah. Except for out of out of the loop right now. So a big part big part in the chain. That's work in progress.

Got a couple of change orders on it. Right. And that's never fun. But it's got to be done. So hopefully they can do it within their budget. But yeah, change orders are are needed. So.

And for those that don't know a slight delay in the beginning because well, we had some colder temperatures and when they got started. So had had a few issues there. But only a day or two. Really.

So they did ask for a little bit of an extension in their completion time and kind of negotiated out there to go just a couple of extra weeks. Yeah. I think they're written. Initially they were asking for about four weeks and we gave them two weeks. And I think we'll be fine.

And so. And they also got in there and Waylon said they find out there's a valve that needs a little bit of work on and then again, it's one of those valves that those hard to find.

And if you find it, it's expensive and it's and but Terry Mormon said he might have a have a little. I had some access to some. So dangerously. Well, we'll see. And again, those are things that a lot of it that we didn't know until they got in there, right. Started doing it.

Yeah. But that project's moving forward. And again, dollars had already been set aside. This is one that was a project that had been set aside. And I think it's a little bit of a problem. But yeah, I think that's a big part of it. And I think that's a big part of it.

But I think that's a big part of it. That's a big part of it. That's a big part of it. But I think that's a big part of it. That's a big part of it project for five years ago. Yeah. Way before me. So so. But moving forward.

Well, we did have another one block grant that they're going to be applying for going forward. And this could be for some housing rehab work. Yep. And Andrea asked for permission to go ahead and do this.

This is the community development block grant and mostly and again, using some of the LMI dollars that are available from the tax tip that's been used on some of the residential areas you have to set aside so much for low to moderate income.

And it fits right in for what this would do. But this would be like getting roof repairs, things like that. Yeah, mainly roof repair. I think this is a this is pretty substantial amount of money. About 180. I think it was 180.

And then yeah, and then we use that and get the applications in and then we can do a. I don't think it'll be a dollar for dollar match, but we'll be able to do some sort of a match. So. So something that definitely could be a benefit. So yeah, definitely.

Once we get it, I'm pretty sure then the word will be going out if you have or are in need. Yep. This is one to make it apply for it too. We've had a couple of pretty good projects like that. Right. We've had some substantial work being done.

So Andrea kind of ran through a list on the proposed budget of different adjustments. I mean, it's a long list, folks. It is.

But the one that did generate probably the most discussion was the information that Jordan Hammer had brought up made available that some of the money that was going for economic development was coming out of the trust and agency account.

And that had been set up several years ago, right? When we first started with them, with the Ames Regional Economic Alliance. And again, those, the question was is, okay, do we take that out of there?

And that's in Andrea said, we'll move that over into the general fund so it won't come out of trust and agency.

The big question for you guys that the debate got going and took quite a while was, do we reimburse money into that line item or do we at least hold off for the time being? And because the money is available in general. Right. The money's there.

So you didn't lose money, it just came out of a wrong line item. Right. And again, and I said this last night and I'll reiterate, we haven't found an answer that says it was 100% should not have come out of there. Probably shouldn't have, but it doesn't.

And I'm sure they looked into it when they first started doing this four or five years ago and we started with Ames Regional. But just to make clear and for better, better clarity down the road, we did switch it to the general budget.

Now, refunding that entire fund out of the general budget. My point was for those that maybe weren't listening last night or not there, it's like 100 and I forget the number now 100. But 197. Yeah. And we budgeted for that inside trust and agency.

So if we just move money from general to trust and agency, we're putting money in there that wasn't budgeted to begin with. So I don't know, it's a little bit of a touchy subject, but if we leave it in general budget, we can always move it to trust and agency if needed. So.

And that's really, again, you did have Jordan Hammer did want to have the money, the funds transferred back right away. Yep. Balance of the council and you had five. We're willing to let's, if we have to, we can do it later. Correct. But let's not do it right now. Right. Yep.

So it was a five to one vote. And again, council did vote on that. So not that down the road, it won't happen. Right. Yeah. We can always move it if we need to. And then Andrea did a little bit of an explanation, but there's a lot that goes into that trust and agency account.

You got a lot of retirees that are still drawing benefits out of there and stuff like that. And that's part of the law, 411, which is police and fire. So you've got a number of people on that. So we do. There's a bunch and a few more coming up. Yep. Yep.

So that's the good thing that we can always move in, move that money into there if needed. So and it wasn't, there wasn't a shortfall in that account. Correct. So it's always been there, but from now on, it'll come out of a different, different line item. Correct. Let's see.

And several other things I think she was talking about on there. Really the actual budget itself, not, I mean some adjustments within it, but otherwise we'll be getting that coming out. What another meeting in April, I think is when you have your actual budget hearing. Yep. Yep.

April. I think it's April one. Now that'd be the next one. Well, April six is the sixth is the tax levy. Yeah. It's April 20th, I think maybe 20th will be the public hearing. Yep. Yep. You got all I know is it's got to be into the state by the end of April. Correct. Yep.

We'll go with that. We'll get there. Yeah. That's a challenge. Yep. Let me see. There were a lot of other things that talked about, uh, only different things that are opening up and things like that.

Probably let's go with the other one that a lot of discussion about citywide cleanup. Yep. That's right. You put it out there.

Uh, it again, you've, you've gone around and visited with, uh, some of the employees and, uh, again, these are different things that when you were running for mayor, you're hearing these little bits, odds and ends out there.

And so this is one of them that, uh, people said, we need to take a look at this. Yeah. And we do.

And it's, it's, you know, it started, I think 15 years ago under mayor slight and he, he started the program just to clean up, uh, properties, basically the exterior properties of houses, just to make Boone a beautiful, a little more beautiful place, getting rid of some of the stuff that people maybe couldn't have gotten rid of on their own.

Um, but then it's turned into everything, which is somewhat fine, you know, cleaning out your basement, your garage. And, um, but it's also a pretty good expense to the city. So it's, it's something we need to look at.

I hate to take something away, a benefit away from our citizens, but at the same time they have to think about the cost to the city, which then goes into what they pay for taxes as well. Um, it's a touchy subject.

It's one of those things where there's a place we could save money, build a little bit better morale with the city workers. Don't love it. I mean, that's going around and there's some horror stories they've had of some of the garbage they've had to pick up.

And, and I understand that. So we know, yeah, we know last year they did kind of limit the size of a load they would take from each one and still a lot, uh, ended up going out and a lot of people will say, well, it's free. Well, it's not free to the city.

Um, roughly, uh, once you go through, uh, what you've dumped out there and they, I think the landfills giving them like 95 tons, usually gone within two or three days. If it doesn't rain on it, if it rains on it, it's gone in two days.

If it doesn't rain on it, then it's probably three. But then after that, the city's got to pay that tipping fee. Right. And then, and we've got fuel, we've got manpower, we've got, we're in terror, we're in turn all the equipment. Yeah.

So, uh, right now with the calculus, rough calculation was since the beginning. And again, he didn't have all the specific numbers, but he said roughly about $600,000 it's cost in the, on the 15 years.

And, and what we're going to discuss is, and we've got a work session set up for next Wednesday, I believe it is, um, we're just going to discuss different options. I mean, we can scale it back again.

We could take a year off because we do have Rick Raghbride coming through too this summer. So there's a lot going on. So maybe we take a one year hiatus, bring it back. I don't know. Or we bring back some sort of a hybrid of it. I don't know. We're discussing that.

So, so no decisions made folks, no decisions been made, emphasize that. But looking at what are, I know you had a couple of people thought, well, let's do some roll offs and drop off site. Right. And then they would be manned.

So, you know, for certain hours on a Saturday or something like that. I know others have, I think Ogden's done that a couple of times. I think Webster city does something similar too. So again, it's not no, no decision, no final decision. Right. Yeah.

We don't need anybody up in arms yet. I mean, hopefully nobody is when we're done with this, but yeah, no decisions have been made yet. And council was kicking around some different ideas.

So, uh, but you'll do, uh, on the 25th, have a bit of a work session and be able to go ahead and get that make it make some kind of a decision. Yeah. And then we'll vote on it at the, at the April 1st meeting.

So one thing I did want to ask you, and again, you did bring it up last night. You had a couple of appointments for boards, commissions, and, uh, you said my first ones. Yeah. Well, yeah, I think it is.

I mean, we've had council members that have been appointed to different things, but these are citizen appointments and you like to have that.

Uh, and again, I know you can reach out to them, but you like to have them if they are interested, make contact and you can, you can build a list. Yes. And that's kind of what we do.

Cause I don't, there's a lot of these areas that I don't know people that would fit in there real well. So I, I trust the, um, those commission chairs and others that have better idea on who would be a good fit. And then we discuss who should be on it or not.

So, um, but we've had some great volunteers step forward for the airport commission and for the health and human services commission. So I appreciate those people stepping forward and accepting.

And to do that for a while anyway, airport commission, that's a busy, and that's a busy, uh, they're very busy now with all of the things that are happening out there with the national guard and making some changes there too.

So, uh, that's a, that's a, you needed somebody in there who was willing and interested to be a part of that. And the gentleman we got is a actually a full-time guard member.

So it's a, it's a perfect marriage because he's there, you know, we're close by and that's what we were kind of looking for. So, so again, it was Jacob Heinz for those that are wondering again, uh, and, uh, Alexa dairy, uh, yeah, got appointed to the, uh, human service board.

So, and they are going to be sitting down here distributing some of the local option sales tax dollars to, to, uh, applicants. Correct. And say that that'll be coming up. Yep. Chief, we bold visited last night with the council. Good news. My list looks like I'm fully staffed.

Bad news is, uh, not really. Yeah. On paper, he's fully staffed other, but streets or boots on the ground, however you want to say it. It's, he's down, I think he said 13 officers.

So, and a big thing here is, uh, he's got all of a sudden a retirement or a resignation and, uh, he's got a couple others that, uh, for medical reasons, uh, light service and, uh, somebody still in the academy, uh, those kinds of things.

So gotta fight our way through all of that. Yep. That's a, that's another process. Council did give him permission to go ahead and start the process of, uh, trying to find a replacement. So which takes a little time to go through all of that.

And there was discussion whether, uh, we pursue a certified officer. If you offer that it's happened in the past, you've offered an incentive. Yeah. Like a sign on bonus incentive. At this point, he just said, we'll start, start and see what we do.

And there could be some other, uh, retirements or resignations that'll be coming too. So he's looking at, unfortunately, just what he thought he had everything going. There we go. He said, he said that I thought it was interesting. Nine years he's been achieved. Yeah.

And nine months out of those nine years, he's been actually fully boots on ground staffed, which that that's crazy. I mean, he hard to, hard to imagine that they make it work. He makes it work and they do a good job.

So, you know, I did want to pass along also a reminder because I know Mike Cornelis wasn't there, but, uh, Kevin Pearson from the park board was there and he, uh, just threw out a couple of things for you guys.

Uh, he's getting, they're getting close to finishing all the work on their, on their 10 year comprehensive plan. I guess I'll call it that or their 10 year plan. Yeah. Uh, but they are going to have some public input times and they'll be coming up in, in April.

Don't have all the exact dates and everything, but we'll get that. Yep. But you want, you want people to go and participate in it. Definitely do. Yeah. Cause you know, everything's public input on this. It goes back and just like city, city wide cleanup.

If you feel strongly, let your, let your councilman, let me know, and we'll take that into consideration. But same thing. Yeah. With the parks, um, we hope to have good turnout and get good discussion on those.

And they're going to hold different times, uh, about three different ones or three. Yeah. So, uh, morning and some evening and stuff like that. So people will have multiple opportunities to see what they've been talking about.

And again, they've been looking at each park and what could we do and you know, how much would we head? Would you be willing to support a bond issue for it? I mean, those are things, how much do you want to get done?

Still amazing how many parks we have in town and you don't, that's 20 some, I believe 24 maybe 23, 24. And it's like, you don't think about that. A lot of, a lot of maintenance. Yes, there is. So we'll get there. Uh, other things going on for you quickly.

I think that was a lot of the things that came up during the meeting last night. Uh, we do have, again, the public hearing on the maximum levy rate. That's going to be on April 6th. Yep.

Uh, we'll have, uh, that work session meeting again that you guys are going to be doing and, uh, potentially getting some direction on what you want to do on the citywide cleanup. Yep. Uh, again, folks, no final decisions been made.

Just discussion talked about and we'll see what happens. But, otherwise, oh, we're working on the no parking up by Boone and scenic valley. That's the other one. And this is something they've been supportive of too.

Uh, taking it off of the, no parking on one side of the street, uh, where the residents are. Right. Just working on the solar on the more blocking of the driveways and stuff like that. Yep. And, uh, they get pretty busy up there. They do.

It's, I go by there about every day and during, uh, during their busy times, uh, Thomas the tank and all everything else, it gets very busy. So especially when you got rail explorers, yes. All right.

Uh, Dave Cassati, our guest on our program today, it's been busy, been a bit, it turned out to be a pretty busy meeting. I thought it was going to be a little slow, but it turned out busy, which it's, we still got through in a pretty good time slot.

So have a couple of committee meetings that'll be coming up. But again, the next meeting, really for the council coming up on April 6th. Yep. Thanks for joining us. Thank you, Jim.