Sirovy Sworn In As Oskaloosa’s Newest Police Officer
Alex Sirovy was sworn in as Oskaloosa’s newest police officer during Monday night’s council meeting.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – You’ve probably seen him around town, or at the front desk at the Oskaloosa Police Department. Alex Sirovy fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams to become a police officer.
On Monday evening, that dream became a reality when his wife Heather pinned his badge on him at a swearing-in ceremony.
This marks the first time in almost a decade that the Oskaloosa Police Department has been fully staffed.
The council approved a payment of $37,131.75 and accepted the completion of the Division 2 of the Phase 1 Sanitary Sewer System Improvements Project by Visu-Sewer, Inc.
Also approved was the payment to Visu-Sewer, Inc for the completion of work on Division 2 of the Phase 2 Sanitary Sewer System Improvements Project in the amount of $56,870.93.
The council approved a resolution setting a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Oskaloosa Amended and Restated Urban Renewal Plan.
The original urban renewal plan for Oskaloosa dates back to 1978. Since then, it has been amended several times, with the most recent amendment coming in 2014.
According to the resolution, “The general scope of the urban renewal activities under consideration in the Amendment is to promote the growth and retention of qualified industries and businesses in the Urban Renewal Area and to rehabilitate, conserve and redevelop land, buildings and other improvements within such area through the elimination and containment of conditions of blight so as to improve the community through the establishment of effective land use controls, through use of an effective program of rehabilitation of existing buildings and elimination of those structures which cannot be economically rehabilitated, with a limited amount of acquisition, clearance, resale and improvement of land for various purposes specified in the Amendment. ”
To help facilitate the amended urban renewal plan to encourage further economic development, special financing activities may include the making of loans or grants of public funds to private entities under Chapter 15A, Code of Iowa.
It also states that the city may also reimburse or directly undertake the installation, construction and reconstruction of substantial public improvements, including, but not limited to, street, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer or other public improvements.
The council then set a date for a public hearing on the proposal to enter into a development agreement with Oskaloosa Gateway Hotel, LLC.
The agreement would be between the City and Gateway Hotel, LLC in which the developer would agree to construct certain minimum improvements on real property located within the Oskaloosa Urban Renewal Area which would consist of building a hotel with approximately 76 guest rooms, 28 which shall be suites, and a 1016 square foot meeting room, an indoor pool, among other amenities.
The estimated construction cost for the hotel is 11.3 million dollars, with an assessed value of at least $5,000,000.00.
The tax rebate will be upwards of $850,000.00 over ten years.
The public hearing is set for July 1, 2019, during the Oskaloosa City Council meeting.
The next scheduled meeting of the Oskaloosa City Council is Monday, June 17, 2019, at 6 pm inside the city council chambers of city hall.
