After holding a trio of public hearings on reallocating unspent bonds that have already been issued, the Marshalltown City Council voted to spend them on improvements to sidewalks, trails and the police/fire building during Monday night’s regular meeting.

City Administrator Carol Webb first explained that the city planned to use $26,000 in unspent bond proceeds for sidewalk improvements, and there were no verbal or written public comments on that matter. Councilor Sue Cahill asked Webb which sidewalks would be affected, and she said she didn’t have a list handy could provide one at a later time.

“They’re related to sidewalk gaps in sidewalks. That’s primarily the reason,” Webb said.

Councilor Mark Mitchell noted that the total amount of the bond proceeds they were discussing was $371,000, and he felt they should be put toward street improvements.

“I think it’s time that we stop talking about it and start getting our boots on the ground and walk the walk,” he said.

Cahill asked Mitchell how fixing the roads was affecting the question before the council, and he replied that the emphasis should be on streets and public safety. Webb explained that Mitchell’s concern likely related to funds for sidewalks and trails taking away from streets and also went into more detail about the process of reallocating bond funds.

Mayor Mike Ladehoff noted that historically, sidewalk projects have focused on areas around schools to ensure that children get home safely. The next hearing drew the most public interest of the three, reigniting a familiar debate on whether or not trail projects should be prioritized over streets.

Webb said the $250,000 would specifically go toward Bridges 2-5 between Marshalltown and Albion, where work is already underway, using bond money instead of Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) proceeds, and as the hearing was opened, Leigh Bauder called on Councilor Jeff Schneider, who also serves as the president of the nonprofit organization TRAILS Inc., to abstain from voting due to a perceived conflict of interest.

“In my opinion, if he would recuse himself, his action could help towards restoring public trust with our city leaders,” she said.

Bauder also urged the council to consider its pending acquisition and likely demolition of the former downtown UnityPoint Hospital property. Citing the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the next five years, she said the council only had $778,000 budgeted for the Dangerous and Dilapidated (D&D program over the next five years and estimated that it would cost between $1 and $2 million to knock just the hospital down.

Finally, she said the city’s streets continue to need attention due to crumbling infrastructure and potholes and has heard comments that it’s “insane” the community’s trails are better maintained than streets and sidewalks. Bauder then raised the issue that the bridges in question are outside of city limits in rural Marshall County.

Jim Palmer took the council to task for what he saw as a failure to support youth sports programs like Little League, Marshalltown Girls Softball Association (MGSA) and Marshalltown Football League (MFL).

“We don’t do anything for our kids. You say you do. I watch the Chamber walk up here (at) meetings before and say they help out Little League, MGSA. They don’t,” he said. “Many of you have gone out there and said ‘We’re here to support.’ You are? I can tell you, to this day, the city hasn’t offered one thing to Little League. Not one. And Mr. Mayor, you had a meeting with them, and you didn’t offer anything. But what you did instead is charge them a water bill.”

Ladehoff then interjected and told Palmer to stick to the topic at hand, and he replied that some of the reallocated bond money should go to the infrastructure for the Little League facility, which the organization leases from the city. He also agreed with Bauder’s assessment that the council should not be paying for amenities like the trail bridges located outside of city limits.

“That’s a bonus that goes nowhere and will go nowhere at some point. It goes to our boundaries of Marshall County, and then it stops and you hope somebody picks it up from there. There’s no guarantee of that,” he said. “Are the trails nice? Yes, they are. I’m not saying they’re not used. They are. I see it all the time, but we need to support our youth. And that means all the organizations, so maybe you can find a way in this extra money you’ve got to support those organizations… It’s easy to do the right thing, but do you have the means to do it? Yes, you do.”

Schneider then specifically responded to the conflict of interest accusation and noted that he had “zero financial interest” in TRAILS Inc.

“This is a project for the community,” he said. “I have zero legal, moral or ethical issues with this vote, and I will be voting.”

Addressing the $250,000 figure, Mitchell cited a recent Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Marshalltown Furr Ball fundraiser that raised $125,000 in one night and said TRAILS Inc. should start doing its own fundraising rather than relying on taxpayer money.

The third and final public hearing pertained to $95,000 worth of improvements to the Police/Fire facility, which was opened in 2019. Webb said the improvements will include ventilation systems, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping.

The only public comment came from Joleen Ballard, who said she lives in a house that’s over 100 years old compared to a seven-year-old building.

“And they need improvements already? It must’ve been poorly built. Please, as Mr. Palmer said, and Ms. Bauder said, let’s watch where we’re spending our money,” she said.

A motion to approve the reallocations as outlined in the agenda with no additional borrowing passed by a 6-1 vote with Councilor Gary Thompson opposed.

In other business, the council:

• Approved the consent agenda as listed.

• Honored Nick Juel for five years of service to the Marshalltown Police Department and Patrick Cornwell for 25 total years of service to the city, including the last 18 with the Marshalltown Fire Department.

• Honored Jennifer Hart with the presentation of the Marshalltown Futsal League Award.

• Approved a new FY26 retail alcohol license for Har Shiva Inc. at 613 N. 3rd Ave.

• Approved a resolution to submit a grant application for sanitary sewer improvements at the airport by a 6-1 vote with Councilor Marco Yepez-Gomez opposed.

• Approved the vacation of a portion of an alleyway located between South 12th Street and South 13th Street adjacent to the Miller Middle School practice fields and approving a quit claim deed to the Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD).

• Approved the budget amendment for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2026.

• Approved the FY26-FY30 Capital Improvement Plan.

• Approved the third and final reading of amendment to the code of ordinances regarding traffic schedules, stop intersections and yield intersections, the third reading of an amendment to Chapter 156 regarding accessory structure locations and zoning definitions, the third reading of a radon mitigation requirement for new construction, the third reading of an amendment to Chapter 93 of the city code regarding camping time limits and the second reading of an increase in the storm water rate.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.