Hallam appointed to Ward 1 seat

Mark Hallam was selected by the Newton City Council to fill the open Ward 1 seat on Monday. Hallam received the required four votes on the first ballot during the appointment process at the start of the meeting.

“As I’ve grown older I feel a great debt to the city for who I am today,” Hallam said. “With my participation on the various boards and committees, I see this as a way of helping the city and in some small way paying back for what this community has given me.”

Hallam is replacing Jeremy Biondi, who was elected to the position in 2015 before stepping down on Jan. 1. As a part of the appointment, Hallam will fill the seat until the election in 2019, as which point the elected official will take over the seat. Melanie Humphrey was also on the ballot Monday.

Following the appointment, the council held three public hearings on loan agreements that will be a part of a bonding issue. Totaling more than $2 million, the loans were divided into three sections covering different areas of the city.

The Essential Purpose Loan Agreement is set not to exceed $860,000 with funds being used to pay the costs of acquiring vehicles and equipment to be used by the police and fire departments including radios, vehicles and a new ambulance. The funds will also be used to acquire and install fuel tanks at the Newton Municipal Airport and part of the construction costs related to street improvements on Iowa Speedway Drive.

“With the heavy traffic that goes on that particular section it is definitely needed,” councilwoman Evelyn George said.

The second section of loans, named the Urban Renewal Loan Agreement, will be used to pay the costs of undertaking an urban renewal project in the Fairmeadows North Housing Urban Renewal Area. The loan is not to exceed $1.1 million and will be used for the purchase of the Barton addition, a 70 acre property with the potential of creating 155 new housing lots, along with infrastructure costs associated with the expanded housing development.

The final portion of the loans is a General Purpose Loan Agreement at an amount not to exceed $90,000. The funds will be used to pay the costs of improvements at Maytag Pool, most notably a rehabilitation of the water slides.

“It will be a valuable upgrade to the pool,” George said.

At the conclusion of the public hearings, a resolution was passed to combine the loan agreements and enter into the agreements as a part of a future bond.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com