Urbandale Council Approves Capital Improvements Project List

The Urbandale City Council unanimously approved the latest Capital Improvement Project list Tuesday night, but not before one committee member made the case for changes.

The council approved more than $213 million in improvements that would be made ore the next five years.

John Hollebrands, a CIP committee member, addressed the council asking for revisions to the $213 million list of city projects to be completed over the next five year.

Hollebrands, one of nine members on the committee, voted against the list of projects at the committee's final meeting on the list in January.

"We've spent too much money on non-essentials and not enough on the basics," he told the council.

The projects Hollebrand asked to have removed or tabled include:

• a pedestrian plaza at 86th Street and Douglas Ave.
• parks and public works satellite filled maintenance facility
• third fire station
• an aquatic facility
• cemetery west of Interstate 35

The council thanked Hollebrands for his input and time serving on the committee.

"We all respect youvery much for that," councilman Tom Gayman, said of Hollebrands' ability to look to the future.