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City of Sioux City Council Meeting - March 2 2026

The Sioux City Council tackled wastewater odor control, homelessness coordination, and permit process improvements at their March 3rd meeting. The city spends $662,000 annually on odor control chemicals at lift stations, with a $30-35 million upgrade planned for the wastewater plant. The homeless task force reported 1,054 individuals on the coordinated entry list in 2025, but only 18 were successfully housed due to limited programs. The council also adjusted solid waste rates—leaving the first can flat but raising additional can fees by $1/month—and deferred a decision on allowing UTVs on city streets pending a task force review.

Key Decisions8
  • •Passed amendment to solid waste ordinance: no rate increase on first 95-gallon or 65-gallon cans; additional cans increased by $1/month (from $4.63 to approximately $7). Motion passed 3-2.
  • •Passed solid waste ordinance on third reading with amended rates, 4-1 (Bertrand voted no).
  • •Deferred appointment of Alex Waters to Active Transportation Advisory Committee for one week, 5-0.
  • •Reappointed Jacob to Effective Fiscal and Public Policy Committee, 5-0.
  • •Appointed Brett Washbourne to Effective Fiscal and Public Policy Committee, 3-2.
  • •Appointed Patrick McKinley to Julian Kosovo Sister City Committee, 5-0.
  • •Deleted (deferred indefinitely) motion authorizing staff to draft ordinance legalizing ATVs/UTVs on city streets; council will form 60-day task force instead, 5-0.
  • •Approved consent agenda (items 3-12H) with deferral of 7B (DDR engineering agreement for Pulaski Park project) for further information.
Topics Discussed10
Wastewater treatment plant odor control and $30-35 million Phase One improvementsHomelessness coordinated entry statistics and housing program capacitySolid waste rate structure and additional can fee increaseATV/UTV use on city streets and formation of task forceBuilding permit process improvements and Central Square software implementationHomeless task force update and meeting with judgesProblem Gambling Awareness Month proclamationCommendation for Dick Lindbloom (44 years as Santa Claus)Board and commission appointmentsCitizen complaints about tree limbs and garbage cans on West 5th Street
Public Comments5
  • —Alan McGaffin opposed ATVs/UTVs on city streets, citing safety concerns and calling roads "for transportation, not recreation." Urged council to consider fees if vehicles are permitted. Also advocated against library budget cuts, praising Wilbur Ralfs and Morningside branch usage.
  • —Penny Tobin supported UTVs on city streets but opposed ATVs due to safety (no roll cages or restraints on ATVs). Provided list of Iowa cities allowing UTVs and cited state law safety requirements (insurance, seatbelts, turn signals, no riders under 18).
  • —James Barrett requested city help with tree dropping limbs at 2000 West 5th Street (on easement) and complained about garbage cans left out at 1922 West 5th Street creating unsanitary conditions in alley.
  • —Shannon Ringer (Hard Rock Sioux City) thanked council for Problem Gambling Awareness Month proclamation and highlighted casino's responsible gaming initiatives and partnership with Rosecrance Jackson Center.
  • —Alex Waters thanked Councilmember Bernstein for deferring his appointment due to family loss and asked if there was a reason for the deferral or if a work group was being formed regarding his appointment.

Wastewater Odor Control: A $30 Million Problem

Let's talk about something nobody wants to but everybody notices: Sioux City's wastewater smell problem. Assistant Public Works Director Vicki Baker and Pretreatment Manager Cameron Bell walked the council through the city's odor control challenge, and the numbers are eye-opening.

Right now, the city spends $662,000 annually just dosing chemicals at lift stations to control odors—that's hydrogen peroxide and proprietary solutions pumped into the system at places like Floyd, York, and Highway 75. The Floyd station alone went through nearly 178,000 gallons of hydrogen peroxide in 2025. That's a band-aid, not a fix.

The real solution? Phase One improvements at the wastewater treatment plant, estimated at $30-35 million for odor control systems alone. These systems—biological filters with activated carbon and 30-foot exhaust stacks—are projected to reduce detectable odors from 26% of the time (current state) to just 0.1% after installation. That's a massive improvement, but it's not cheap.

Council also learned about "super oxygenation" systems planned for Floyd and York lift stations, which inject oxygen into wastewater to prevent odor formation downstream. A trial run using hydrogen peroxide proved the concept works. The catch? Monthly chemical costs would jump from $55,000 to $150,000 if fully implemented.

Councilmembers pressed staff on accountability—when the city builds these multimillion-dollar systems, are there performance guarantees? Can contractors be penalized if odor reductions don't materialize? Staff didn't have answers but said they'd look into it. That's the kind of question worth asking before signing contracts.

One more thing: the city takes in septic and hauled waste from across the region—sometimes at the DNR's request—and staff doesn't recommend shutting that down despite it contributing to odor issues. It's a service the community needs, even if it's not glamorous.

Homelessness: The Gap Between Need and Resources

Jill from Neighborhood Services laid out the hard math on homelessness in Sioux City: 1,054 individuals on the coordinated entry list in 2025, spread across 755 households. Of those, 246 were chronically homeless, 655 reported disabilities, and 103 households included children.

Here's where it gets frustrating: the city has only 33 permanent supportive housing units available through programs like Safe Place (22 units) and Family Alliance for Veterans of America (typically 5 or fewer). In calendar year 2025, staff did 565 intake interviews, made 70 referrals, and successfully housed just 18 people. That's 18 out of over a thousand.

Why so few? Because there simply aren't enough housing programs. Most of the people on the list are literally homeless—staying in shelters, cars, or outside—and while Sioux City has strong service providers, housing units are scarce. The city spent about $25,000 last year relocating 135 people via the bus ticket program (funded by local dollars, not grants), and another $5,800 so far this year on 32 relocations.

There's progress on the horizon: Midtown Terrace will add 24 units (17 for permanent supportive housing), and projects like the Webb Apartments (152 affordable units), the former Lamb Theater, and the old Jewish Community Center are in development. Still, the gap is massive.

One promising development: Homeless Court, a pilot program where people with fines related to homelessness (trespassing, public intox) can work with a case manager and graduate to have those fines dismissed. Same-day service fairs are also helping remove barriers—things like getting state IDs issued on-site by the DOT.

Council emphasized the need to advertise the bus relocation program better—put up signs at the transit center, warming shelter, anywhere people might see them. If someone's stuck here and just wants to go home, let's make it easy for them to find out how.

Homeless Task Force: Judges Are Listening

Captain Chris Groves gave an update on the homeless task force, which has been moving faster than the old system. In the past three weeks, they located 14 encampments and conducted five cleanups. The speed is the point—having public works staff embedded in the task force means no more waiting days for tags and cleanup.

One big takeaway: the judges are paying attention. Captain Groves met with them to discuss repeat offenders, and the judges clarified something important: people arrested for trespassing don't stay in jail because it's a civil fine, not a criminal charge. But if someone's arrested for public intox, interference, or has a warrant, they can be held. The judges want better affidavits from officers—more detail, more context—and they're willing to impose longer sentences for habitual offenders if the paperwork supports it.

The city also apologized for some miscommunication about people "getting out in two hours." That's true for trespassing, but not for criminal charges. Perception matters, and it's good to see everyone getting on the same page.

Solid Waste Rates: A User Fee Approach

The council made a significant change to the proposed solid waste rate increase. Originally, staff recommended a 3% increase on first cans and additional cans to shore up the fund. Councilmember Berenstein proposed an alternative: leave the first can rate flat (no increase) and raise additional can fees by $1 per month, from $4.63 to around $7.

The logic: everyone has to have a first can, but a second can is optional. If you're generating enough waste to need a second (or third, or eighth) can, you're putting more tonnage on the truck and should pay accordingly. It's a user fee.

Finance Director Teresa confirmed the numbers: holding the first can flat costs about $150,000 in revenue, but raising the additional can fee by $1 generates over $250,000 annually (with 21,500 additional cans in the city). That more than covers the shortfall and builds a reserve.

The motion passed 3-2 after some back-and-forth. Councilmembers Shaner and Scott initially voted no on the amendment, concerned about raising rates. But the final ordinance passed 4-1, with only Councilmember Bertrand voting against.

Other rate increases tied to CPI (3% for glass recycling, drop-off fees, etc.) remain in place. The second-can increase is the compromise that protects most residents—especially seniors and those on fixed incomes—while still funding the service.

UTVs on City Streets: Task Force Incoming

The council pulled the ordinance authorizing UTVs (and ATVs) on city streets and instead opted to form a task force to study the issue over the next 60 days. Councilmember Shaner requested the delay to allow for input from law enforcement, legal staff, and citizens.

One resident, Penny Tobin, urged the council to approve UTVs but not ATVs, arguing that UTVs have roll cages, seatbelts, and doors, making them far safer. She provided examples of other Iowa cities that allow UTVs and emphasized the safety features required under state law (insurance, turn signals, no riders under 18, etc.).

Councilmember Berenstein noted that UTVs are the focus—not ATVs—and the task force will likely look at what communities like Council Bluffs are doing right. The goal is to get it done by Memorial Day weekend. Expect more on this in April.

Building Permits: Progress, But Stay Vigilant

Marty Dougherty and Darryl Wieland gave a brief update on the permit process. Central Square (the software provider) assigned a new project manager, and the city is in the technical installation phase for the next two weeks. After that comes configuration, then staff training.

Darryl reported 14-16 permits came in last week, and the team is working to clear them before an upcoming vacation. Councilmember Berenstein noted he's hearing positive feedback from developers—"an element of excitement"—but urged staff not to get complacent. The goal is to be the fastest and friendliest permitting process in the region. Keep it moving.

Other Business

  • Problem Gambling Awareness Month: Mayor Scott issued a proclamation recognizing March, with Hard Rock Sioux City highlighting their responsible gaming initiatives.
  • Santa Claus Commendation: Dick Lindbloom was honored for 44 years of service as Santa, volunteering at no cost and bringing joy to generations of Sioux City kids. (Yes, that's 44 years. Let that sink in.)
  • Active Transportation Appointment: Alex Waters' appointment was deferred for one week at his request due to a family matter. Several other board appointments were approved.
  • Tree Complaint: A West 5th Street resident asked for help with a tree dropping limbs on an easement and ongoing garbage can issues. Mike will follow up.

What's Next

The wastewater odor control bid is coming soon, and the city needs to make sure performance guarantees are baked into the contract. The homeless task force is making progress, but housing remains the bottleneck. Solid waste rates are settled for now. And the UTV task force has 60 days to figure out what's possible.

Also: Councilmember Berenstein floated the idea of a new city logo. Mike will follow up with council to gauge interest. And yes, the new council is taking full credit for the lack of snow this winter. You're welcome.

— SUX

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Recap generated by SUX, the Siouxland AI Assistant.

This recap is AI-generated from the official meeting transcript. While we strive for accuracy, please verify important details before acting on them.

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