Posted: July 17, 2026 | Updated: September 8, 2026
NOTICE AND CALL OF PUBLIC MEETING
GOVERNMENTAL BODY: THE CITY COUNCIL OF CRESCO, IOWA
DATE OF MEETING: JULY 20, 2026
TIME AND PLACE OF MEETING: 5:30 P.M. CITY HALL, 130 N PARK PLACE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED
GOVERNMENTAL BODY WILL MEET AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SET OUT ABOVE. THE TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR SAID MEETING IS AS FOLLOWS:
ROLL CALL: CARMAN, WOLFE, FOSAAEN, McCONNELL, KRIENER
ACT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA: All items listed under the consent agenda will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a request is made prior to the time council votes on the motion.
- Approval of the Agenda
- Approval of the Claims
- Minutes from July 6, 2026
- Approval of Street Closing Permit for a Portion of North Elm Street, 1st Avenue West, 2nd Avenue West, North Park Place, South Park Place, and the Cresco Theatre Parking Lot for the Pistons & Patriots Car & Bike Show July 25, 2026
- Approval of Street Closing Permit for a Portion of the Cresco Theatre Parking Lot for a Theatre Party Fundraiser Event on August 29, 2026
STAFF REPORTS: There may be action taken on each of the items listed below.
- Public Works
- Police
- Administration
- Committee Updates
COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCE: (This portion of the agenda is for comments that are not related to one of the items listed on the agenda. Comments can only be received. No formal action by the Council can be taken. Those making public comments will be asked to state their name and address, and to speak from the podium.)
BUSINESS: There may be action taken on each of the items listed below.
- Resolution Ratifying, Confirming, and Approving Change in Deadline for Submission of Bids and Posting of Revised Notice to Bidders
- Public Hearing on the Matter of the Adoption of Plans, Specifications, Form of Contract and Estimate of Cost for the 2026 Beadle Park Train Painting
- Resolution Adopting Plans, Specifications, Form of Contract and Estimate of Costs
- Consideration of Construction Bids for the Beadle Park Train Painting
- Resolution Making Award of Construction Contract.
- Resolution Approving Loan Agreement for Loan of Funds from the CUSB Historic Downtown Revolving Loan Fund and the City of Cresco to Cyle & Adrianne Courtney D/B/A The Blonde, The Beard, and The Brew
- Resolution Designating the Official Public Posting Location for Meeting Notices Pursuant to Iowa Code Section 21.4
- Resolution Approving Wage Agreement for City Clerk Upon Receiving Certified Municipal Clerk Certification
- Motion to Change the September 1st Council Meeting Date to Wednesday, September 9, 2026 due to the Holiday
- Discuss Skidloader Purchase and Possible Motion to Approve Purchase
- Recommendation of the Library Board to Reappoint Kirstin Widell for a Term Expiring 6/30/2029
- Discuss Unfinished Projects & Budget Amendment
- Discuss Junk Vehicle Ordinance
ADJOURN
THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN AT THE DIRECTION OF THE MAYOR PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 21, CODE OF IOWA AND THE LOCAL RULES OF SAID GOVERNMENTAL BODY. POSTED JULY 17, 2026.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE OF COST FOR CONSTRUCTION OF 2026 BEADLE PARK TRAIN PAINTING, IN AND FOR THE CITY OF CRESCO, IOWA, AND THE TAKING OF BIDS FOR SAID IMPROVEMENTS
Sealed proposals for the 2026 Beadle Park Train Painting project, as hereinafter described in general and as described in detail in the plans and specifications now on file in the office of the City Clerk, Cresco, Iowa, subject to the conditions contained herein, must be filed with the City Clerk of the City of Cresco, Iowa, at the City Clerk’s office in City Hall, 130 North Park Place, Cresco, Iowa, 52136 before 2:00 o’clock p.m. on the 20th day of July, 2026.
Sealed proposals will be opened and bids tabulated at 2:00 o’clock p.m. on the20th day of July, 2026, in the City Clerk’s office by the City Clerk or designee for the City Council’s consideration at its meeting at 5:30 o’clock p.m. on the 20th day of July, 2026, and will be acted upon at such time or at such later time as may then be fixed. A public hearing will be held on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract, and estimate of cost for said Improvements at 5:30 o’clock p.m. on the 20th day of July, 2026 in the City Council chambers in City Hall, 130 North Park Place, Cresco, Iowa, 52136, and at said hearing any interested person may appear and file objections thereto.
The extent of the work involved is the furnishing of labor and new materials for the construction of 2026 Beadle Park Train Painting, but not limited to the following:
Remove all existing paint, prepare, prime, and paint the four train cars in Beadle Park. The existing paint color, patterns, symbol’s, text, etc. shall be replicated.
Each bidder shall accompany its bid with bid security as defined in Iowa Code Section 26.8, as security that the successful bidder will enter into a contract for the work bid upon and will furnish after the award of contract a corporate surety bond, in a form acceptable to the City of Cresco, for the faithful performance of the contract, in an amount equal to 100% of the amount of the contract. The bidder’s security shall be in the penal sum of 5% of bid amount and shall be in the form of a cashier’s check or a certified check drawn on an FDIC insured bank in Iowa or on an FDIC insured bank chartered under the laws of the United States; or a certified share draft drawn on a credit union in Iowa or chartered under the laws of the United States; or a bid bond with corporate surety satisfactory to the City of Cresco. The bid shall contain no condition except as provided in the specifications.
The bid security shall be made payable to the Treasurer of the City of Cresco, Iowa.
The bid security shall be forfeited to the Owner in the event the successful bidder fails or refuses to enter into contract within ten (10) days after the award of contract and post bond satisfactory to the Owner insuring the faithful fulfillment of the contract and the maintenance of said work, if required, pursuant to the provisions of this notice and the other contract documents.
Bidders shall not be permitted to withdraw their bids for a period of thirty (30) days after the bids are opened.
By virtue of statutory authority, preference will be given to products and provisions grown and coal produced within the State of Iowa. In accordance with Iowa statutes, a resident bidder shall be allowed a preference as against a nonresident bidder from a state or foreign country if that state or foreign country gives or requires any preference to bidders from that state or foreign country, including but not limited to any preference to bidders, the imposition of any type of labor force preference, or any other form of preferential treatment to bidders or laborers from that state or foreign country. The preference allowed shall be equal to the preference given or required by the state or foreign country in which the nonresident bidder is a resident. In the instance of a resident labor force preference, a nonresident bidder shall apply the same resident labor force preference to a public improvement in this state as would be required in the construction of a public improvement by the state or foreign country in which the nonresident bidder is a resident.
Bidders will be required to complete a Bidder Status Form from the Iowa Department of Labor regarding the Contractor’s resident status within the State of Iowa. Failure to submit a fully completed Bidder Status Form with the bid may result in the bid being deemed nonresponsive and rejected.
The City of Cresco does hereby reserve the right to reject any or all bids, to waive informalities, and to enter into such contract, or contracts, as it shall deem to be in the best interest of the City.
The Contractor shall commence work after the Notice to Proceed is issued and shall finally complete all items, on or before October 1, 2026. The Notice to Proceed is anticipated to be issued in July 2026.
Payment to the Contractor for said Project will be made in cash derived from the proceeds of the issuance of bonds as may be legally used for such purposes, governmental grants and/or from cash on hand. Any combination of the above methods of payment may be used at the discretion of the Owner.
The Contractor will be paid each month ninety‑seven (97) percent of the Engineer’s estimate of the value of acceptable work completed at the end of the preceding month. Final payment will be made in accordance with Iowa Code chapters 26 and 573, as amended. No partial or final payment will be due until the Contractor has certified to the City that the materials, labor and services involved in each estimate have been paid for in accordance with the requirements stated in the specifications.
The successful bidder will be required to furnish a corporate surety bond in an amount equal to 100% of its contract price. Said bond shall be issued by a responsible surety approved by the City of Cresco and shall guarantee the faithful performance of the contract and the terms and conditions therein contained and shall guarantee the prompt payment of all material and labor, and protect and save harmless the City of Cresco from claims and damages of any kind caused by the operations of the contract and shall also guarantee the maintenance of the improvement caused by failures in materials and construction for a period of two years from and after acceptance of the contract.
Plans and specifications governing the construction of the proposed improvements have been prepared by WHKS & Co., Engineers, Planners, and Surveyors, which plans and specifications and the proceedings of the Owner referring to and defining said proposed improvements are hereby made a part of the Notice by reference, and the proposed contract shall be executed in compliance therewith. Copies of said plans and specifications are now on file with the City Clerk and at the offices of WHKS & Co., and may be examined by the bidders.
Plans and specifications are available to download free of charge at www.questcdn.com, please use eBidDoc No. 10238135. Paper copies can be obtained from WHKS & Co., Engineers, Planners, and Surveyors, 2905 South Broadway, Rochester, MN, for a refundable deposit of $100.00. If the plans and specifications are not returned to WHKS & Co. within fourteen (14) days after the award of the project and in reusable condition, the deposit shall be forfeited.
Published upon order of the City Council of the City of Cresco, Iowa.
CITY OF CRESCO, IOWA
Attest: /s/ Niki Hill
City Clerk
4925-6093-3044-1\10349-000
MINUTES
Mayor Fortune called the Cresco City Council meeting to order on July 20, 2026 at 5:30 pm. Council Members Carman, Wolfe, Fosaaen, McConnell, and Kriener were present. No council members were absent.
Carman made the motion to approve the consent agenda which included approval of the: agenda; claims; minutes from the July 6, 2026 meeting; Street Closing Permit for a Portion of North Elm Street, 1st Avenue West, 2nd Avenue West, and North South Park Place, and the Cresco Theatre Parking Lot for the Pistons & Patriots Car & Bike Show on July 25, 2026; Street Closing Permit for the Cresco Theatre Parking Lot for a Theatre Party Fundraiser on August 29, 2026. Fosaaen seconded and it passed all ayes.
Public Works Director Brenno reported: (a) street department is busy with storm sewer repairs and chipsealing; (b) Windstream is doing some underground boring for fiber; (c) two new cameras are being installed at the yard waste site. We have had about 30 violations this spring with materials that are not accepted; (d) had some flooding due to the rain today, but it diminished quickly. There was a large branch that fell during the July 15th storm that caused a power outage.
Police Chief Ruroden reported they are finishing up the application process for the two patrol officer positions.
City Clerk Hill reported: (a) financial statements were included in the Council packet along with an annual report for the CUSB Historic Downtown Revolving Loan Fund. There were no loans in FY26; (b) we finished the FY26 budget with a profit of $289,000. We received $547,000 in interest and had some unfinished projects created the profit. Budgeted expenses came in for each department as follows: Police 96%, Library 91%, Theatre 72%, Parks 87%, Fitness Center 99%, Admin 94%, City Hall 80%, Fire 99%, Street 88%, Water 84%, Sewer 83%; (c) Kwik Star is having an open house on August 12th from 9 – 11 am at their new store. They will have a ribbon cutting at 10 am; (d) auditors are here this week; (e) the draft of the hazard mitigation plan is available online; (f) will be watching the Iowa League of Cities webinar on the new laws along with one from the Iowa Department of Management on the new debt portal we will be required to use.
McConnell reported the Park Board met and the Evans Park Playground will be completed soon. They are hosting a Fit Fest on August 22nd. At their next meeting, they will be discussing the new building project.
Kriener reported on an Economic Development meeting. The Granger Road bridge will be open later this summer.
Fosaaen stated the Theatre Commission is busy with upcoming events and fundraising.
Jason Passmore updated on upcoming community events. The Steve McCarville Memorial Tournament and Family Fun Night is July 24-26th at East Park, there is a ribbon cutting and tours of two new homes on July 22nd in the Webster Addition; Paige Boardwell Alterations ribbon cutting is July 29th. The Fly-in Breakfast is August 2nd; Harvest Fest is August 21-23 along with the All-School Reunion. He stated there were several people from the Boone Train Company who came to tour the Beadle Park Train and they gave information on what was repairable and more information on the history of the train. He is hoping that with the help of some volunteers, tours of the train can resume after it is repaired and painted.
McConnell made the motion to approve the resolution ratifying, confirming, and approving a change in deadline for submission of bids and posting of revised notice to bidders. The new deadline for bids for the Beadle Park Train Painting Project will be August 5th at 2 pm. Kriener seconded and it passed all ayes.
Mayor Fortune opened the Public Hearing on the matter of the adoption of plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the 2026 Beadle Park Train Painting. There were no written or oral comments and the public hearing was closed. Carman made the motion approving the adoption of plans, specifications, form of contract, and estimate of cost for the 2026 Beadle Park Train Painting. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.
Due to the rescheduling of the bid opening, consideration and award of contract will be in August.
Cyle Courtney updated Council on their business The Blonde, The Beard, and the Brew and the new upper story apartment that the funds will be used for. Fosaaen made a motion to approve the resolution approving the Loan Agreement for a loan of $90,000 from the CUSB Historic Downtown Revolving Loan Fund and the City of Cresco to Cyle and Adrianne Courtney dba The Blonde, The Beard, and the Brew. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.
Carman made the motion to approve a resolution designating the official public posting location for meeting notices pursuant to Iowa Code Section 21.4. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.
The resolution approving wage agreement for the City Clerk upon receiving the certified Municipal Clerk certification was tabled to a future meeting.
Kriener made the motion to change the September 7th Council Meeting Date to Wednesday, September 9, 2026 due to the Labor Day Holiday. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.
Council reviewed quotes that were obtained for a new skidloader, forks, brush cutter, and soil conditioner and trade in of the 2021 Farmall 60A tractor with a Case-IH MD73 Discmower. Case (Windridge Cresco) $63,100; Bobcat (Reisers Waukon) $77,542, John Deere Option 1 (Bodensteiner) $88,150; Cat (Zigler) $88,756; Case (Titon Centerpoint) $93.811, John Deere Option 2 (Bodensteiner) $96,350. Fosaaen made a motion to accept the low quote from Case (Windridge Cresco) for $63,100. Wolfe seconded and it passed all ayes.
Kriener made the motion to approve the recommendation of the Library Board of Trustees to appoint Kirstin Widell for a term expiring June 30, 2029 (corrected term ending date). McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.
Council reviewed the list of projects that were not completed in the last fiscal year. Kriener made a motion to do a budget amendment for this current fiscal year 2026 to finish the projects that were not completed last fiscal year for a total of about $800,000. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.
Council discussed the junk vehicle ordinance. When a potential junk vehicle is identified, the City will send out a notice allowing residents 15 days to correct the issue. According to the City Attorney, there are two options for enforcement. Option 1 is to impound the vehicle and follow the required process for handling an abandoned vehicle if the owner does not reclaim it. Option 2 is if the violation is not corrected, proceed with a municipal infraction through the court system. Pursuing the matter through the court system is estimated to cost approximately $500 per vehicle in attorney fees. Council expressed a preference for Option 1, as it would allow the City to continue actively addressing junk vehicles and improving the appearance of the community.
Carman moved to adjourn the Council Meeting at 6:04 pm. Kriener seconded and it passed all ayes. The next regular Cresco City Council meeting will be August 3, 2026, at 5:30 pm at Cresco City Hall.
Mayor Alexander Fortune
City Clerk Nicole Hill