Muscatine City Council to hear presentations on snow emergency, ABLE Project on Thursday

Two presentations highlight the in-depth meeting of the Muscatine City Council on Thursday (Dec. 9) as the Council will hear about the current snow emergency policy and the Muscatine Police ABLE Project.

The Council meets at 7 p.m. Thursday 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 attending in person. Details for joining that meeting are listed below.

Public Works Director Brian Stineman will lead a discussion on the current snow emergency policy while Assistant Police Chief Steve Snider will provide a presentation on the ABLE Project.

Before the presentations, however, the Council will conduct a public hearing on reducing the Utility Franchise Fee from five to three percent. The hearing will be followed by the first reading of the amended ordinance that sets the fee. Three readings of the proposed ordinance change is needed before being adopted by the City and sent to Alliant Energy and the State of Iowa for their approval.

The Muscatine Police Department was one of the first 30 agencies accepted into the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project during the national rollout in September 2020. The project was developed from the principles of EPIC (Ethical Policing Is Courageous) through the Georgetown University Law Center’s national training and support initiative for U.S. law enforcement agencies. The project is committed to building a culture of peer intervention that prevents harm, promotes community safety, and officer wellness with a higher degree of job satisfaction.

Snider will highlight the development and implementation of the program in Muscatine, and the success of the program within the department.

The current snow emergency policy is not as functional as it could be according to Stineman who will lead the discussion on where we are and where we could be in the future. The current snow emergency ordinance was implemented around 2013 allowing for an alternate side of the street parking policy when a snow emergency was declared.

The previous ordinance essentially consisted of posted snow emergency routes that, when a snow emergency was declared, would become no parking areas so that plows could more easily remove snow from the street to the curb line.

Stineman will highlight the current policies and procedures and the proposed changes to current policy that would create a more easily understood policy for citizens and staff.

More on the current policy can be found at SNOW & ICE CONTROL or by downloaded the attachments to the City Council agenda.

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 November 18, 2021, 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 In-Depth Meeting | Thu, Dec. 9, 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/338521701.

You can also use your phone by dialing +1 (571) 317-3122, follow the prompts, and type in Access Code 338-521-701 when prompted.

New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/338521701.

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.

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