Remodeling of a municipal facility in Keokuk, Iowa. Design plans call for the remodel of a municipal facility.

https://khqa.com/news/local/keokuks-89-million-capitol-improvement-plan-pinpoints-citys-most-dire-projects Keokuk's $89 Million Capital Improvement plan pinpoints city's most dire projects The City of Keokuk has created a Capital Improvement Plan, (or CIP), adding up to almost $89 million for public work projects in the Southeast Iowa city. With Keokuk's first five-year plan in place to help improve city works, residents can begin to see improved roadways, sewer systems, flood relief, and a new public safety building. KHQA spoke with city official Cole O'Donnell to get the specifics. "The CIP is good for the city because we can now look into the future, see where we might have shortfalls, and plan for those shortfalls, so we can meet our operational needs and still plan for capital projects," said O'Donnell. City administrator Cole O'Donnell said a five-year plan in place reduces the chance the city enters a negative balance in funds. The CIP estimates how much each project will cost. The biggest expense on the list $60 million for sewer separation projects. "In certain parts of the city, we have combined sewers, both storm and sanitary," O'Donnell explained. "And the EPA has mandated that we have to separate that so that we are not discharging sewer water into the river." Other projects include $6 million for a new public safety building, $1.3 million for a new city hall, and $1.1 million for flood damage repairs. "Due to the floods over the last couple of years, we have had significant damage to the riverfront, including the levee so we have to get and do some repairs to the levee and get in and do some repairs down there," O'Donnell said. The plan also includes needed equipment purchases and certain annual projects including major road repairs. "We have a hill below a road along the park that is unstable," O'Donnell said. "That hill is unstable and has created a landslide, and then we have a bridge over a creek that needs to be repaired, and that's going to take up quite a bit of funds." Keokuk officials said that the current plans for the distribution of the funds are a playbook, and not a bible, meaning that plans could change over the next five years. Revenue for these projects would come from property taxes, local sales taxes, gas taxes, hotel motel tax and road use taxes, as well as using proceeds from debt collections, potential grants, and loans. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ https://khqa.com/news/local/keokuk-city-council-approves-architect-firm-to-design-new-city-hall-building September 6th 2019 Updated KEOKUK, IA -- The Keokuk City Council unanimously voted Thursday night to hire Iowa City's, Horizon Architects to remodel and design its new city hall. The city hall committee submitted the recommendation for Horizon Architects last week. The building was given to the city by Connections Bank after the former city hall burnt down in February. Connections Bank will build at a new location west of town. Two other firms also showed interest in the project. Those were Poepping, Stone, Bach & Associates, Inc. and Bracke. Hayes. Miller. Mahon., Architects. The city can spend up to $1.5 million of insurance money for the project. The new city hall could be complete by early 2021. The council also passed a resolution opposing the proposed Alliant Energy electric rate increase, awarded a contract to All Weather Courts, Inc for the pickle ball courts, and passed a resolution in support of a grant application for the River Front Trail project. This according to City Administrator Cole O'Donnell. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ City Hall Remodeling of Connections Bank. Connections Bank will be donating their bank and insurance buildings, including select furnishings, for the city to use as their city hall. The council approved a motion at Thursday night's meeting authorizing the staff to begin negotiations for the acquisition of the property. This project is in the conceptual phase. As of June 10, 2019, has plans to select an architect in the near future. Although a firm timeline for construction has not been determined, construction is not expected to begin before March 2020. As of March 9, 2020 no new information available at this time