RIVERSIDE

A 10-year renewal of a 1% sales and service tax will appear on the city’s November 2 election as a referendum.

If approved by voters, the tax’s new 10-year period would begin July 1, 2022.

The Riverside City Council passed a resolution at its regular meeting on Monday, August 2, to place the referendum on the ballot.

Revenue from the tax is used to hold down property taxes and to help fund capital projects and infrastructure improvements for streets, sewer and water projects and other needs. The referendum calls for 40% of tax revenue to be used for property tax relief.

The City Council also approved engineering contracts with Axiom Consultants of Iowa City for Third Street and Railroad Park capital-improvement projects. Combined, the projects are expected to cost $170,500, although additional contracts may be needed for intersection work in the Third Street project.

The Third Street project involves installing a new water main from Highway 22 to Washington Street, and reconstruction and reconfiguration of Third Street from Highway 22 to Greene Street.

The Railroad Park project includes replacing the playground’s sand material with soft fall material, and installing additional playground equipment and ADA-compliant connections. Parking spaces will be added along River and Hickory Streets.

Riverside and Axiom agreed to a master services contract in July.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the council awarded sidewalk work on the corner of Cherry Lane and Kleopfer Avenue to English River Concrete of Riverside. The project proposal of $5,507 includes installing a sidewalk that is five feet wide and five inches thick, and installing a new ADA-compliant drop ramp.

A long discussion focusing on a proposed amendment of City Administrator Christine Yancey’s contract ended the meeting. Council members disagreed on whether residency requirements should be the same for the city administrator as employees holding other city jobs.

Yancey has an apartment in the Riverside area, but also has a weekend home in Mechanicsville, a small city located southeast of Cedar Rapids. She works weekdays in Riverside for the city, but told the board there are some Saturdays and Sundays that she is also in the city offices working.

Yancey told council members that she has attempted to look for a house in Riverside, per current terms of her contract, but has not found something affordable.

The discussion centered on whether a city administrator should live within the corporate limits of the city, in Washington County paying city and county taxes, or within 10 miles of the city.

“I think this is such overkill,” said council member Edgar McGuire.

No action was taken on the contract.

Following a closed session of the board on July 19, the council approved a salary increase of $1,520 for Yancey.