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City of Muscatine Press Releases

Time to review etiquette for refuse/recycling bin use

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Muscatine refuse truck drivers would like residents to know that there is a right way and a wrong way to place their bins curbside, and what can and cannot be placed in the bins for collection.

CloseToCar“We are seeing a lot of contaminants in the recycling container, refuse and recycling carts that are too full, and carts placed too close to poles, cars, mail boxes, and other carts,” David Popp, Solid Waste Manager for the City of Muscatine, said. We are also seeing carts that are facing the wrong way.”

Another problem is loose trash being placed into the refuse and recycling bins prior to collection.

“When the trucks dump the bins, loose trash will invariably be blown away from the trucks and back onto residents’ yards,” Popp said. “That would not happen if the trash was contained in plastic or paper bags when placed in the bins, and the carts were not overfilled.”

Refuse and recycling bins are to be placed curbside for City collection no later than 5 a.m. the day of collection nor no earlier than 4 p.m. the day before collection. The bins are to be placed with three-feet between them, and three-feet between the bins and any poles, cars, or mail boxes.

The placement rules are for the safety of the resident’s property.

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“The trucks that we use for most residential collections have an arm that extends out to lift the bin up, dump the contents into the truck, and then return the bin to its original position,” Popp said. “If a bin is too close to an obstacle it makes it very difficult for the operator to reach out and snag the bin to lift it and place it back.”

Popp also noted that it is important that the resident place the bin(s) with the handle away from the street.

The trucks that utilize the extended arm to pick up the bins usually have just one operator and leaving the truck to reset a bin so that it can be picked up while the truck is running is not permitted by the safety protocols.

To prepare refuse for collection, garbage should be thoroughly drained and wrapped or placed into appropriate trash bags or containers before being placed into a bin. Recycling material for collection should also be cleaned before being placed in the recycling bin.

Household hazardous waste not permitted to be placed into refuse or recycling containers include toxic and/or corrosive products (e.g., oil based paints, insecticides, thinners, solvents, cleaners, turpentine, furniture stripper, nail polish remover, rechargeable batteries, etc.).

Household hazardous materials can be defined as household products that contain one or more of the following characteristics: capable of being easily set on fire; capable of burning or destroying living tissues and materials by means of a chemical reaction; capable of exploding if exposed to heat or extreme pressure; may react violently when exposed to incompatible materials; and the ability to cause severe injury or death in inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin.

City of Muscatine residents and Louisa County residents can dispose of their household hazardous waste at the Muscatine Transfer Station for no cost during regular business hours. A list of items that are accepted and items that are not accepted can be found at Household Hazardous Waste on the City of Muscatine web site.

What Our Drivers See …

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For a list of items collected, view the recycling guide (PDF).

Hablo Espanol? – View Spanish version of the recycling guide (PDF).

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City of Muscatine Press Releases

Grants available to help Southend residents with projects

MUSCATINE, Iowa – The City of Muscatine is extending a helping hand to those who would like to promote neighborhood activities or develop other projects that would build on community pride and develop connections in the south end of Muscatine.

The Grandview Neighborhood Grant Program was established earlier this year by the City of Muscatine to assist with neighborhood revitalization in the Grandview Corridor. The program is funded with $50,000 in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds.

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 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. Individuals or groups will be able to apply for up to $1,000 to help offset the costs for these projects.

Applications for the Tier I Mini Grants will be accepted through October 31 with one of the requirements being that the proposed project be completed within 90 days of the grant award. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. 

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. Proposed improvement projects must include at least four properties, must be on the properties exterior, and be 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

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City of Muscatine Press Releases

Historic Preservation seeks to fill two openings

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Are you someone who would like to help safeguard Muscatine’s historical features, help preserve its history, and ensure that generations to come will have the opportunity to see and learn about Muscatine’s history? 

The Historic Preservation Commission currently has two openings and is seeking applications from residents of the City of Muscatine to join in the effort to preserve Muscatine’s history. All candidates will be considered equally based on their qualifications to serve on the commission. 

The Commission meets at 5:15 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. The commission safeguards the city’s historic, aesthetic, and cultural heritage by preserving sites and districts of history and cultural significance. Members serve five-year terms with a maximum of two full terms. 

Those interested are asked to fill out an application and return the form to Boards & Commissions, Muscatine City Hall, 215 Sycamore Street, Muscatine, IA, 52761, by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 19. A Nominating Committee meeting will be scheduled to select the nominees for presentation to City Council.

The City of Muscatine has 12 different boards and commissions that support and advise different departments and different aspects of life within Muscatine, and applications are available by clicking on the following link: Board/Committee/Commission Application.

How can I apply to volunteer my time?

Those interested in becoming a member of a board or commission can complete an application and either email the form to the administrative secretary or mail the form to Boards & Commissions, c/o Administrative Secretary, Muscatine City Hall, 215 Sycamore, Muscatine, IA 52761. The City keeps applications on file in case vacancies occur. If you are interested and available in volunteering your time, please submit your application for a future term of office.

All applications are reviewed by the Nominating Committee to ensure applicants meet the qualifications to serve on a specific board or commission, to ensure there is no potential conflicts of interests, and to ensure that each board or commission has a gender balance as prescribed by Iowa Code. Those that meet the requirements are submitted to the full Council for approval. The nominating committee includes the Mayor, two Council representatives, and the City Administrator or a representative from city staff.

The City of Muscatine welcomes all residents to submit their names and resumes for a specific board or commission or a general submission for any board or commission. Most boards or commissions require some knowledge of the subject matter and the responsibilities for the specific board of commission.

Details on the various Boards, Commissions, and Committees of the City of Muscatine is available by clicking HERE.

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City of Muscatine Press Releases

Homeowners may still see savings despite proposed tax rate increase

MUSCATINE, Iowa – The City of Muscatine, like most of us, will be facing a challenging budget year according to a presentation provided by City Administrator Carol Webb and Finance Director Nancy Lueck to City Council Thursday. The presentation provided an overview of the work that has gone on behind the scenes in preparation for the budget discussions with City Council.

 

“One of the central budget goals was to maintain service levels and to provide departments the resources they need to continue to provide those services to our residents,” Webb said. 

 

Other goals through the budget preparation process were to provide funding for continued capital improvements, propose reasonable tax rates or other funding options, balance department budget requests with funding that is available, and further the city’s strategic plan and City Council priorities.

 

To meet these goals, City staff had several considerations to deal with including the increasing cost of providing current services, valuations that were essentially flat from the previous year, the first year of the phasing out of the State backfill reimbursement, a reduction of the estimated utility franchise fee revenue, and the change in the State property tax residential rollback factor (from 56.4094 percent to 54.1302 percent). 

 

“We were able to maintain current service levels with the budget that we will be presenting,” Webb said. 

 

Staff and City Council established five strategic priorities through strategic planning and goal setting sessions in October and November last year that include:

  • Providing excellent customer service to residents, businesses, and visitors through effective citizen outreach and engagement, employee training, and improved organizational processes;
  • Support a healthy community through the availability of quality affordable housing, outstanding recreational and cultural amenities, collaboration with community and healthcare partners, and opportunities for lifelong learning;
  • Provide reliable (and safe) public infrastructure that meets the community needs by continuing to update and implement the city’s Capital Improvement Plan;
  • Provide for a safe community that residents may live, work, and play in with exceptional public safety and community services; and,
  • Creating a vibrant community by enhancing and improving the vitality of the community core and gateways including the Grandview Avenue Corridor, Park Avenue Corridor, Riverfront, and Downtown areas to support a thriving economy, vibrant neighborhoods, and a high quality of life and place.

 

City department staff used these goals and priorities as they developed their department budgets in November and December. These preliminary budgets were reviewed with the City Administrator and Finance Director in December and January to form a budget proposal to be presented to the City Council over the next two weeks.

 

“I am very proud of the hard work from staff as we worked to present a balanced budget to the City Council,” Webb said.

 

With property valuations essentially flat, the City had to look for other revenue resources to meet the rising costs of providing essential services to the citizens of Muscatine. Use of one-time funds such as the State COVID Relief Funds and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to assist in balancing both the Revised Estimate and the FY 2022/2023 budget are included in the revenue recommendations.

 

“However, the use of these funds to help balance the budget are not sustainable,” Webb said.

 

Other revenue recommendations in the proposed budget include spending down the Emergency Levy balance from prior years and levy the maximum Emergency Tax Levy rate.

 

There are eight levies that are included in the property tax rate implemented by the City of Muscatine. The FY 2021-2022 rate of 15,67209 per $1,000 of assessed valuation has been the city property tax rate for the past 10 years. A slight increase is anticipated for FY 2022-2023 (1.90 percent) that will raise the rate to 15.97054 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

 

However, that does not mean that the portion of a homeowner’s property tax that is paid to the city will go up. In fact, due to the rollbacks from the State some residential property owners will be paying two percent less this year.

 

“It is a little complicated to understand but if a residential property owner’s valuation is virtually unchanged from a year ago, the rollback will reduce their taxable valuation four percent,” Lueck said. “With the proposed 1.9 percent tax rate increase, the actual savings to residential homeowners will be about two percent of the amount they paid to the city a year ago.”

 

While seeking out additional revenue options, City staff also are making several expense recommendations to the City Council. Among them are funding capital projects through Road Use Tax, Local Option Sales Tax, and other outside sources as appropriate, reviewing and reducing budget line items where possible, and funding only critical vehicle and equipment requests from various departments.

 

“We do want to provide departments with the resources to maintain service levels,” Webb said. “And that has been a key goal throughout the development of this proposed budget.”

 

The information presented to the City Council Thursday was a high-level preview of the proposed fiscal year 2022/2023 general fund budget. The proposed budget will be reviewed by the City Council starting Saturday (see meeting schedule). The finalized version will be presented during a public hearing in March.

 

Budget Overview Presentation

 

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