establishment – Discover Muscatine WPematico Content

MUSCATINE, Iowa – The City of Muscatine has announced the establishment of the Grandview Neighborhood Grant Program. The goal of the program is to promote neighborhood activities and other projects that build on community pride and connection in the south end of Muscatine. The program will be the subject of two neighborhood meetings with the first scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Community Room at the Musser Public Library and HNI Community Center.

The second neighborhood meeting will be at 6 p.m. on August 17 at the Musserville United Methodist Church, 1001 Oregon Street, Muscatine. City of Muscatine staff and members of the committee overseeing the program will also be available to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 13) at the Muscatine Area Farmers Market in the 3rd Street parking lot, and from 5-7 p.m. on August 16 at the Muscatine Southend Farmers Market in the Dollar General parking lot (807 Grandview).

“The Grandview Neighborhood Grant Program will be funded from $50,000 in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds that were allocated by the City Council during the budget process for neighborhood revitalization in the Grandview Corridor,” Jodi Royal-Goodwin, Community Development Director for the City of Muscatine, said.

The Grandview Neighborhood Grant Program would encompass neighborhoods from Hershey Avenue to the Mississippi River and from Carver Corner to the U.S. Hwy 61 Bypass.

A total of $10,000 will be earmarked for Tier I Mini Grants with individuals being able to apply for up to $1,000 for projects such as neighborhood cleanups, community gardens, community spaces (e.g., benches, gardens, etc.), neighborhood events (e.g., picnics, outdoor movie nights, ice cream socials, neighborhood tool library or food pantry, or other similar projects that would instill sense of community.

Applications for the Tier I Mini Grants will be accepted from September 1 through October 31. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis, and projects should be completed within 90 days of the award. More details on the application process can be found at Neighborhood Grants.

A total of $40,000 will be awarded in Tier II property improvement grants. Applicants may apply for up to $10,000 but there is a 50 percent match requirement for the grant award. These improvements must include at least four properties, must be on the properties exterior, and visible from the street (e.g., facades, roofs, landscaping, windows, front entry doors, sidewalks, steps, retaining walls, etc.).

Applications for the Tier II Property Improvement Grants will be accepted February 1 to April 30, 2023. Grants will be awarded based on a defined scoring criteria. More details on the application process can be found at Neighborhood Grants.

The Grandview Corridor Revitalization Project was launched in March 2021 with the goal of improving neighborhoods and enhancing Muscatine’s southern gateway. The Project includes five pillars: Grandview Avenue Reconstruction Project, Economic Development, Business Support, Recreational Amenities, and Residential Support.

As part of the Residential Support Pillar, the City of Muscatine conducted neighborhood outreach meetings utilizing the Muscatine Heart and Soul engagement model. This model focuses on identifying what residents appreciate about living in Muscatine, what they like about living in their neighborhood, and what opportunities exist to strengthen those connections.

A key theme that emerged in these community discussions was that residents would like to feel more connected to their neighbors and to feel more engaged with their community. In addition, the 2022 Muscatine Community Survey Results support neighborhood initiatives as a priority.

While 72 percent of survey respondents stated they would like to feel more connected and engaged with their community, only 33 percent responded that the quality of those connections were excellent or good. The gap between importance and quality suggests that an initiative supporting neighborhood connections will be a good investment of ARPA funds.

Grandview Neighborhood Grant Program Flyer

Grandview Neighborhood Grant Program website

MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine City Council will consider the establishment of a small business forgivable loan program for businesses along the Grandview Avenue corridor when they meet Thursday (Jan. 20) in the Council Chambers at Muscatine City Hall.

A virtual meeting will be held in conjunction with the in-person meeting for those who want to view the proceedings or make a comment but do not feel comfortable in attending in person. Details for joining that meeting are listed below.

The loan program, once approved and funded, will support businesses that have been affected by both the pandemic and traffic restrictions due to the reconstruction of Grandview Avenue. The proposed program would provide up to $10,000 as a forgivable loan to businesses that were operating prior to the onset of the pandemic (March 1,2020), that were located at an eligible site prior to the start of the Grandview Avenue reconstruction (April 1, 2021), and can illustrate financial losses since March 1, 2020.

The program would be funded with $200,000 in tax increment financing to support forgivable loans for up to 20 small businesses that meet the parameters of the program.

The proposed program is similar to the program implemented by the City of Muscatine in 2020 that provided up to $2,500 to cover certain expenses if a business could demonstrate a loss of revenue or increase in expenses as a result of compliance with state mandates issued due to the pandemic. City Council approved using up to $400,000 in tax increment financing for the program that ultimately awarded 94 loans ($231,267) in two rounds of applications.

The first step in creating the program is the approval of an amendment to the Muscatine Urban Renewal Plan. A public hearing on the amendment will be held at the start of Thursday’s meeting with the resolution approving the amendment scheduled later in the meeting.

Also on the agenda is a request from the Muscatine Public Art Advisory Commission to approve the recommendation for public art in the Mulberry Avenue and East 2nd Street roundabout. The Commission conducted a public vote on four potential pieces of public art with Zenith by Nathan Pierce garnering the largest percentage of votes. The bulk of the cost associated with the creation and installation of the public art will be covered through grants and donations.

Thursday’s City Council meeting is open to the public. Citizens attending the meeting are asked to follow current CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommendations for wearing a mask indoors whether vaccinated or not. The City of Muscatine does not require wearing a mask, but does urge the public to follow Public Health and CDC recommendations.

Citizens who do not want to attend the in-person meeting can watch and/or participate through the GoToMeeting virtual meeting portal. Information on joining the session and how to make a comment during the meeting is listed below. The session will also be broadcast live on the City of Muscatine YouTube channel and on Muscatine Power & Water Cable Channel 2.

Information on the presentations and other agenda items can be found by clicking AGENDA to download the January 6, 2022, City Council agenda and/or attachments.

The best way for the public to participate is to dial in to the GoToMeeting session, mute your device, watch the session on YouTube or Cable Channel 2, and, at the appropriate time, unmute your device to ask a question or make a comment. The public can also use the “chat” feature on the GoToMeeting virtual meeting to pose a question to the Mayor, Council, or staff member.

Muscatine City Council Regular Meeting | Thu, Jan. 20, 2021 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (CDT)

Join the meeting from your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone by clicking the following link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/603588661

You can also use your phone by dialing +1 (646) 749-3122, follow the prompts, and type in Access Code 603-588-661 when prompted.

New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/603588661

Please mute your computer or phone while listening to the proceedings (press *6 when using phone or mute button on computer). A chat window is available when you use your computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Those wishing to speak or to ask a question are asked to use the chat box to post a message that will be seen by the Mayor who will address the questions or call on the speaker in turn. Those using their phones must wait until the Mayor asks for additional comments. The Mayor will recognize you prior to you addressing the Council.