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City of Muscatine Press Releases

Five presentations are on Council’s in-depth agenda

MUSCATINE, Iowa – City of Muscatine staff will be making five presentations to the Muscatine City Council Thursday during the in-depth council session. City Council meets at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Muscatine City Hall. 

The public is welcomed, and encouraged, to attend the meeting in person. A virtual option is available for citizens who do not want to attend in-person. Information on joining the virtual session through the GoToMeeting portal is listed below. 

The City Council session will also be broadcast live on the City of Muscatine YouTube channel and on Civic-TV (Muscatine Power & Water Cable Channel 2).

The Council will hear from the Parks and Recreation director Rich Klimes and Program Supervisor Kelsie Stafford on the Special Events Process. City staff assist with the coordination of 150-200 special events on public property annually. The public property venues available for hosting events include but are not limited to park shelters and open green spaces, Riverview Center, Pearl City Station, Kent Stein Park, Riverfront, general parks, Muscatine Soccer Complex, Muscatine Municipal Golf Course, Muscatine Aquatic Center, public streets, and the Downtown area.

Water and Resource Recovery Facility Director Jon Koch will be joined by Jay Brady from Stanley Consultants on presenting the Capital Improvement Plan for the Water and Resource Recovery Facility, city owned lift stations, and the gatewells operated among multiple levees in the city. The general condition of the existing facilities was established and a prioritized capital improvement plan developed to guide investments in these assets.

Koch will then introduce Bob Veenstra of Veenstra and Kim who will present the findings of the latest Sewer Rate Study that, if approved by Council, would be used to adjust the Sewer User Rates along with the Collection and Drainage Rates. The current sewer rate structure is expiring on June 30. The last study was conducted in 2018 and set the rates for the next five years. The latest study was initiated in September 2022 and concluded that a continuation of the three percent annual increase to the rates will satisfy inflation-driven cost increases as well as new capital needs at the Water and Resource Recovery Facility and lift stations.

Assistant Community Development Director Andrew Fangman will discuss the impact of changes in state law that directly affect City Code on Home Occupations. Fangman will also address potential updates to the nuisance appeal process.

Information on the other agenda items can be found by clicking AGENDA to download a PDF version of the City Council agenda and/or attachments. 

On-Line Participation

To view or participate virtually, click on the link below or call in to the GoToMeeting. Be sure to mute your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone (press *6 when using phone or mute button on computer). At the appropriate time, you will be able to unmute your device to ask a question or make a comment. The public can also use the “chat” feature on GoToMeeting to pose a question to the Mayor, Council, or staff member. Those wishing to speak should 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.

Muscatine City Council Meeting | Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (CDT)

Join the meeting from your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone by clicking the following link: https://www.gotomeet.me/CityofMuscatine/city-council-meeting

You can also use your phone by dialing +1 (669) 224-3412, follow the prompts, and type in Access Code 970-499-597 when prompted.

New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/970499597

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City of Muscatine Press Releases

Changing batteries part of spring home safety checklist

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Three out of every five home fire deaths are the result of fires in homes that do not have smoke alarms or in homes where smoke alarms are not working according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Smoke alarms should be placed in every bedroom and in every common area on each floor of the home, at least 10 feet from a stove, less than 12 inches from the ceiling, and away from windows, doors, and ducts. 

Worn out or missing batteries are the most commonly cited reason for non-working smoke alarms, but changing smoke alarm batteries at least once a year, testing those alarms, and reminding others to do the same is the simplest and most effective way to reduce injury or death from fire.

If a smoke alarm makes a “chirping” sound it is letting you know that you need to change the battery immediately.

MODERN HOMES BURN QUICKER

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) notes that modern homes contain a large quantity of synthetic furnishings which ignite and burn faster than natural materials such as wood and cotton. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted full scale fire tests and concluded that escape time in flaming fires can be as little as three minutes, as compared to 17 minutes in tests conducted in the 1970s.

Early smoke detection and alarm notification is needed so occupants can escape before conditions become untenable according to the IAFC position paper. Interconnecting smoke alarms allows for faster notification of occupants in areas remote from where initial ignition occurs in the home.

Because working smoke alarms are a critical element of home fire safety, the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) supports any and all efforts to reinforce the importance of working batteries. However, today’s smoke alarms are not all designed the same, making battery messaging more nuanced.

Following is information to help make sure all smoke alarms have working batteries, accounting for the multiple types of smoke alarms on the market and their varying battery requirements:

  • Smoke alarms with non-replaceable 10-year batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
  • Smoke alarms with any other type of battery need a new battery at least once a year. If that alarm chirps, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
  • When replacing a battery, follow the manufacturer’s list of batteries on the back of the alarm or manufacturer’s instructions. Manufacturer’s instructions are specific to the batteries (brand and model) that must be used. The smoke alarm may not work properly if a different kind of battery is used.

USE NATURAL GAS – YOU NEED A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR

Carbon monoxide detectors are required in Iowa homes, apartment buildings, and new construction projects. They should be replaced every seven to eight years according to the IAFC.

“Basically, every residence that has a fuel-fired heater or appliance, fireplace, or attached garage will be required to have CO detectors,” Hartman said.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that is harmful when breathed because it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain, and other vital organs of oxygen. Carbon monoxide poisoning (breathing in large amounts of CO) can cause serious tissue damage, loss of consciousness, or suffocation in minutes without any warning.

The NFPA provides additional information on carbon monoxide safety (Carbon Monoxide Alarms) and also provides a Safety Tip Sheet (PDF). United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers additional information about carbon monoxide and detector placement (Carbon Monoxide Detector).

LIFE SAVING DEVICES

The death rate per 1,000 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms (12.3 deaths per 1,000 fires), either because no smoke alarm was present or an alarm was present but did not operate, as it was in homes with working smoke alarms (5.7 per 1,000 fires). 

Smoke & carbon monoxide alarms are life saving devices, and having working smoke & carbon monoxide alarms dramatically increases your chance of survival from a fire or carbon monoxide emergency.

Although it seems like a hassle, it’s better to get into the practice of changing your smoke/carbon monoxide detector batteries when you change your clocks, than to wait until the telltale beeping of a dying battery at two in the morning. Many times, this beeping ends up in the removal of the battery or the detector all together, thus rendering the detector useless.

Fires & carbon monoxide emergencies are real and very scary. A working smoke detector performs its functions around the clock and alerts you and your loved ones to a fire or carbon monoxide emergency even while you are asleep. 

When the alarm sounds you should “Get out & Stay Out”, then call “911” and advise the MUSCOM dispatcher of the problem.

If you need assistance changing or testing your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, please contact the Muscatine Fire Department.

Read article on Carbon Monoxide Detector requirements.

Read the IAFC position paper on the use of residential smoke alarm

Continue reading “Changing batteries part of spring home safety checklist”
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City of Muscatine Press Releases

Five presentations on Thursdays City Council agenda

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Five presentations are on the agenda for Thursday’s Muscatine City Council meeting including the draft of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2024 through 2028.

The City Council meets for their in-depth session Thursday (September 8) in the Council Chambers at Muscatine City Hall, 215 Sycamore Street, Muscatine, Iowa. A virtual session 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 attending in person. Instructions for joining the virtual session are listed below.

Capital improvement planning is the planning, coordination, and scheduling of public physical improvements for a community over a period of years, with scheduling developed according to priorities based on need, desire, and importance of such improvements to the community as well as the constraints of the city’s ability to finance, implement, and administer the projects. A five-year CIP is required of all Iowa cities by state law.

The initial draft was presented to the City Council at their July 14, 2022, in-depth session.

In other presentations Thursday, the Council will hear:

  • An overview of the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce Live Muscatine Program;
  • Discussion on potential revisions to the Rules of Council;
  • An overview of the proposed Muscatine School District Baseball/Softball Complex at Kent-Stein Park; and
  • Discussion on possible SolSmart Designation, a program designed to help facilitate the expansion of solar energy within a community. 

Information on the presentations and other agenda items can be found by clicking AGENDA to download a PDF version of the City Council agenda and/or attachments. 

Thursday’s City Council meeting is open to the public. 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.

On-Line Participation

To view or participate virtually, click on the link below or call in to the GoToMeeting. Be sure to mute your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone (press *6 when using phone or mute button on computer). At the appropriate time, you will be able to unmute your device to ask a question or make a comment. The public can also use the “chat” feature on GoToMeeting to pose a question to the Mayor, Council, or staff member. Those wishing to speak should 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.

Muscatine City Council Meeting | Thursday, September 8, 2022 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (CDT)

Join the meeting from your computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone by clicking the following link: https://www.gotomeet.me/CityofMuscatine/city-council-meeting

You can also use your phone by dialing +1 (669) 224-3412, follow the prompts, and type in Access Code 970-499-597 when prompted.

 The link, phone number, and access code are the same for both meetings. You can remain logged on between meetings or exit and re-enter at the appropriate time.
 
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/970499597

Continue reading “Five presentations on Thursdays City Council agenda”