RIVERSIDE

A Riverside church wants to turn a downtown property into a building that would be home to a café, a daycare center, a seniors dining and community center, and a place of worship.

The River City Church Leadership Team has proposed a bid of $10,000 for a downtown property at 40 W. First Street that the city has been attempting to sell since it was given the property in recent months.

Nate King, a member of the church’s team, made the proposal to the Riverside City Council at its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, Oct. 2.

“We’re here to work with you,” King told the Council.

A public hearing on the sale has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 16 at City Hall.

River City Church intends to use the property, which will likely involve the demolition of the current building and replaced by a new one, as a worship and spiritual gathering for its congregation.

“Our desire is not to just build a building that is only used on Sundays, but used by and for the community seven days a week,” River City Church’s leadership team said in a proposal statement.

The church plans to spend up to $3 million on the project.

“I feel real positive about all this,” Councilperson Edgar McGuire said.

River City Church, which is nondenominational, began services in April 2019 and holds them at Highland Elementary School in Riverside. The church’s leadership group includes other downtown owners on First Street, including Rodney and Jodi Gehman, Imagine Therapies, 71 W. First; Steve and Kiff Hall, who are renovating a building at 21 W. First and plan to put in a children’s second-hand clothing store; and Nate and Janene King, who are renovating a building at 31 W. First and plan to put in office spaces.

The proposal also includes the possibility of the closure of Railroad Street.

City Attorney Search

The city is beginning a search for a new attorney or firm that would represent Riverside in legal issues, beginning January 2024.

William J. Sueppel, of Iowa City-based Meardon, Sueppel & Downer P.L.C., is the current city attorney serving a six-month term.

A timeline, which was recommended by City Administrator Cole Smith and approved Monday night by the City Council, calls for a Nov. 9 application deadline, Nov. 27 interviews and a Dec. 4 City Council decision.

Third Street Project

Multiple requests by property owners who live on Third Street were discussed during Monday’s meeting.

The Council approved a reimbursement of up to $815 for a fence that an owner wants to install, but other requests for an additional row of blocks on a retaining wall, and a process for filling in a gap between a wall and stairs were deferred pending more design options that will be presented by Axiom Consultants at the Oct. 16 City Council meeting.

The Third Street requests are the final steps in a water and sewer main project, which cost more than $3 million and began last April. In addition to installing new water and sewer lines, the project included the lowering of Third Street in some areas to, in part, deal with drainage issues.

Speed Bumps

The Council discussed installing a series of speed bumps in the Hall Park area to slow down traffic.

Brian Boelk of Axiom Consultants, the city engineer, said he would provide cost options at the Council’s next meeting.

Council Actions

The Council approved a payment of 67,210.91 to Streb Construction for work completed on the Third Street project.

The Council approved a payment of $11,673.07 to Spectra Build for work completed on the city’s wastewater plant.

The Council awarded a construction contract to All American Concrete of West Liberty for the ADA ramp and project at the James T. Kirk/Star Trek birthplace monument just south of City Hall. The bid is for $35,022, pending a grant request made to the Washington County Riverboat Foundation program.

The Council approved a bid of $3,750 from Gingerich Well & Pump Service of Kalona to plug a well and remove a pump.

The Council approved a five-year lease, at $500 per month, with MMC Iowa LLC (Mediacom) to rent space inside a lift station at Hall Park.

Next board meeting: The City Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting is at 6 p.m. Oct. 16.