The Hastings City Council met Monday night and opened the meeting by proclaiming June as LGBTQIA+ Pride
Month.
Council members then approved consent agenda items that included routine city business, licensing approvals, donations, contracts, and project payments. Among the items approved were donations to the Parks and Recreation Department, permits related to Rivertown Days, annual bridge safety inspection services, and a payment of more than $477,000 for work at the city’s Central Water Treatment Plant.
One of Monday night’s most significant actions involved the proposed Pleasant Valley Farms development on the edge of Hastings. The council unanimously approved an orderly annexation agreement with Nininger Township covering approximately 166 acres owned by Conzemius Family Limited Partnership.
Community Development Director John Hinzman said the annexation is the first step toward a proposed Tradition Homes development that could bring roughly 400 homes to the area within County Road 42, Featherstone Road, and 140th Street.
Hinzman noted the annexation is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan and that utility infrastructure is already available near the site. The proposal has received initial support from Nininger Township, and revised language in the agreement ensures the property will not officially enter the city until ownership transfers to the developer.
The council also received an update on Hastings’ efforts to address PFAS contamination and improve the city’s drinking water.
City Administrator Dan Wietecha reported that construction of the Central Water Treatment Plant remains on schedule, with major structural work, including installation of the facility’s tip-up walls, is expected this month.
Wietecha also announced that funding for the Eastern Water Treatment Plant is now fully in place. Lawmakers recently approved $17.5 million in state bonding support, which, combined with an anticipated $5 million Emerging Contaminants Grant, will fully fund the project.
Here’s a soundbite of Wietecha delivering the news at Monday nights city council meeting.
(Actuality)
That funding announcement led directly to another council action. With updated financial projections showing that the city no longer needed additional water rate increases this year, the council unanimously approved a measure eliminating any further water rate hikes for the remainder of 2026.
Wietecha reported that additional state funding will also help reduce the size of future rate increases and spread those increases over a longer period of time.
Council members also approved annual tobacco license renewals for local businesses. However, the council unanimously denied a renewal application for Speedway West on South Frontage Road.
Assistant City Administrator Kelly Murtaugh said Speedway West has failed tobacco compliance checks each year for the past four years. Under city ordinance, Speedway West has the option to request a hearing before the council.
The next regular Hastings City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 15, at 7 p.m.
[Click the soundbite to listen to the full broadcast.]