Newton City Council sets goals for 2021-2023

Rather than setting close to 30 goals like they have in the past, members of the Newton City Council significantly downsized their annual priorities list to nine, and voted overwhelmingly in favor of a long-awaited community services project taking over the No. 1 spot: a new clubhouse at Westwood Golf Course.

On Oct. 18, the council approved its 2021-2023 goals for the City of Newton.

Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler said council feedback suggested the city’s list of goals be more prioritized and more focused. For instance, the 2020-2022 list was made up of 25 goals. In addition to being difficult to complete each year, some goals were already being conducted by city staff regardless.

Although the D&D program has been a goal of the council’s for the past few years, it is unlikely the city will neglect its property demolition and rehabilitation duties. It may not be listed in this year’s goals, but Muckler said it doesn’t mean D&D projects aren’t taking place. It’s now part of what the city does.

Other projects, like the purchase of two new squad cars, which not only occur every year but would have been listed as goals in the previous goal setting sessions, are now assumed as the status quo or typical city business. Muckler said city staff and the council understand there are ongoing goals.

Even if they’re not considered for the official city council goals list.

“We have a thousand great ideas we can do as a city government, but we have limited funding, limited people and resources and everything,” Muckler said. “We were able to get to a much smaller list. I always kind of thought 12 was the sweet spot. We got to nine, which is even better.”

Council members had their goal setting meeting on Oct. 11. During these sessions, city administration and department heads often compile a list of projects or services they would like to see added to the list. Individually, council members can “vote” on those specific projects, which are then tallied at the end.

Construction of a new clubhouse at Westwood Golf Course received 25 votes (council members can vote multiple times on a specific item, up to a cap); the next highest goal, construction of addition infrastructure at Arbor Estates, received 18 votes.

In the past year, the city has shown off rendered images of what a new clubhouse may look like and has shared its downsized designs, which include an open-air shelter and an outdoor patio allowing more room for tournaments. With the design relatively settled on, all that’s left is the financing.

But that still remains a challenge for the city. Earlier this year, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors blocked the city’s request to create an Urban Renewal Area for the clubhouse. The two parcels to be utilized technically reside outside city limits on county territory, prompting the city needing county authorization.

Muckler said the city has several options to finance the clubhouse construction, one of which would be bonding like the county supervisors suggested.

“One of the things that I’m going to be asking city staff to do is articulating those options during the budget process,” he said. “So I’m hoping we’re able to have some conversation as early as January — the first part of January — on what those options are. I think all of those options could include private fundraising.”

The 2021-2023 city council goals (and approximate city costs) include:

1. Westwood Clubhouse ($1 million)

2. Construction additional infrastructure in Arbor Estates ($2.5 million)

3. Hire additional finance employee ($79,000/year)

4. W. Fourth St. S. Reconstruction ($900,000)

5. Maytag Pool mechanical upgrades ($212,215)

6. City hall skylight replacement ($200,000)

7. Joint police/fire training and storage facility ($80,000)

8. Sunset Park improvements ($400,000)

9. Splash pad ($200,000)

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com