Student Government and the Ames City Council discussed Cyclone Welcome Weekend, downtown engagement and issues about parking during their joint bi-annual meeting on Wednesday. 

Mayor John Haila, all of the Ames City Council members, City Manager Steve Schainker and Assistant City Manager Brian Phillips were present.

Cyclone Welcome Weekend

Iowa State Police Chief Michael Newton and Ames Police Chief Geoff Huff shared that both departments received fewer calls and gave fewer citations than in years past during Cyclone Welcome Weekend, which was held Aug. 23 to 25. 

“We certainly had fewer calls for service, about 20 fewer than the year before,” Huff said. “We did have fewer charges, and we also towed fewer vehicles.”

Huff also pointed out that a few properties in Ames become a problem yearly. 

“We are seeing a very few number of properties that have become the source of the issues we’ve had, and those properties are on Wood, Hunt, Hyland and Knapp Street,” Huff said. “Those are all houses, and for the last several years, it’s pretty much been the same houses over and over again with parties of two to five hundred people.”

Newton said that half of the problems during Cyclone Welcome Weekend and 801 Day were people that have no affiliation with Iowa State University. 

“The one trend that continues and is concerning is the behavior that is from people who have no ties to Iowa State,” Newton said. “That’s the continuous theme for the last three years. Over 60% of arrests during our first Cyclone Welcome Weekend were related to non-students who had no affiliation, 45% the second year, and then this last year it was up to 58 or 59% of people who we had contact with.”

Additionally, Huff and Newton expressed concern for next year’s 801 Day on Aug. 23, which will happen the same day as the Iowa State vs. Kansas State football game in Dublin, Ireland. 

When Sen. Noah Kammeyer, a sophomore in political science, asked what considerations the department has for Aug. 23 of next year, Newton said that a team is looking at potential events to hold that day. 

“There is a team, and I’m on that team from the looks of it,” Newton said. “There are some folks from the president’s office as well. A watch party has been discussed, and there are some other activities that have been discussed.”

Downtown engagement

Sen. Hemanthsai Peddasani, a sophomore in software engineering, asked Ames’ mayor if there were any sights of a Raising Cane’s restaurant coming to the Ames area in the near future. 

“I’m not familiar if they have approached the city,” Haila said. “You all can appreciate that businesses are picky about where they go. They’re looking at volume; they’re looking at how many cars pass and people walk through. Location is going to be key.” 

Sen. Lauren Neal, a junior in community and regional planning, asked the city council what events and or businesses they plan to bring to downtown Ames to attract more students who don’t have a car.

Ward 1 Rep. Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen said they encourage retail, restaurants and entertainment to make their home downtown. 

“We try to encourage restaurant, retail, entertainment and things in that area other than uses that aren’t as interesting, such as insurance,” Beatty-Hansen said. 

Sen. Ella Aiono-Dimoff, a junior in political science, raised the question of more accessible public parking downtown. 

Haila said the council should see input from a city planner if parking is a real issue downtown.

“Ames Main Street hired a consultant to do some downtown master planning and visioning, so I think the council will be seeing something here in the next couple of months that kind of presents a synopsis of what input they gathered,” Haila said. “We had a survey that went out in which almost 1000 participated in that, and I’m pleased to say over 200 students also provided feedback on that, so we’ll see if parking is a big issue.”

Senate meeting

TREND Magazine was approved for $6,246.17 in funding. The publication will use the funds to cover the printing costs of its annual 210-page issue. The vote was passed by unanimous consent. 

The Senate passed a resolution with unanimous approval that appreciates university administrators and faculty around the implementation of SF-2435 and continuing the support of on-campus diversity. SF-2435 is a bill passed by the Iowa Legislature that prohibits the maintenance, establishment and funding of DEI offices at state universities, such as Iowa State University. 

Sen. Lilian Shin, a junior in biomedical engineering, was sworn in as an engineering senator with a unanimous vote. 

Sen. Paige Bailey, a sophomore in political science, was seated on the Rules committee with a unanimous vote.

Peddasani was seated on the Local Affairs committee with a vote of 24-0-1.

Sen. Labeeha Rehaman, a senior in interdisciplinary studies, was seated on the IDEA committee with a unanimous vote.

Emily Carr, a freshman in political science, was seated as an at-large on the IDEA committee with a unanimous vote.