Minutes_Resilient Community Advisory Commission 10.30.25City of Dubuque
City Council
CONSENT ITEMS # 1.
Copyrighted
February 16, 2026
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: City Council Proceedings of February 2 and 9, 2026;
Resilient Community Advisory Commission of October 30
and December 4, 2025; Zoning Advisory Commission of
December 3, 2025; Proof of Publication for City Council
Proceedings of January 20, 2026; Proof of Publication for
Expenditure Reports submitted at the January 20, 2026 City
Council meeting.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2 2 26 City Council Minutes
2. 2 9 26 City Council Minutes
3. Resilient Community Advisory Commission Minutes
4. Resilient Community Advisory Commission Minutes - December 2025
5. Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes
6. Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of January 20, 2026
7. Proof of Publication for Expenditure Reports Submitted at the January 20, 2026
City Council Meeting
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CITY OF DUBUQUE - COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
GOVERNMENTAL BODY: Resilient Community Advisory Commission (RCAC)
DATE: 10/30/2025
TIME: 5:00 pm
LOCATION: Jule Operations and Training Center (JOTC) Circle Conference Room, 949 Kerper Blvd.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Robin Kennicker, Jake Kohlhaas, Nolan Bielinski, Dave McDermott, Rachel Schmidt
Boeke, and Lalith Jayawickrama
MEMBERS ABSENT: N/A
STAFF PRESENT: Gina Bell and Michelle Kim
Kohlhaas called the meeting to order at 5:03 pm
TEST AGENDA
MINUTES APPROVAL:
• Kennicker motions to approve, McDermott seconds
o Motion carries.
PUBLIC COMMENT: NA
New Business:
• PFAS & Water quality update from the City of Dubuque Water Department
o In August 2022 the City of Dubuque water department participated in a voluntary sampling
collection and testing with the Iowa DNR.
■ Samples were taken from DWs finished water and two shallow wells
• They detected some PFAS in the shallow wells, but not in the deep wells.
• This resulted in the development of a utilization strategy to prioritize drawing water
from the deep wells and only pull from the shallow wells when needed to meet
water demands.
■ The City stopped drawing water from the two wells, notified the public, and tested the rest
of the wells
■ In 2024 the EPA announced regulations for 6 PFAS for drinking water
• Public water systems must monitor for these 6 PFAS and have 3 years to complete
initial monitoring (2027 deadline)
o The City is has started to budget for a new deep well to be able to meet water demand without
utilizing the shallow wells
■ Currently looking to finalize the location
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■ ETA 2028
o The Water Department is monitoring the levels consistently and matching specific shallow wells
with spikes in PFAS concentration to help make decisions on which shallow wells to use if the need
arises
o Water department to rehab the existing filters and put granular activated carbon to help "absorb"
the PFAS out of the water. This is budget for FY 2028-29
o PFAS is NOT a by product of anything that the Water Department or the WRRC are doing.
Old Business:
• Leases for farmland — next steps
o Commissions consensus: First steps are to figure out where the farmland is and how much
farmland the City has which will help us determine next steps
■ A potential recommendation to council to consolidate all lease agreements in one place
■ Look at what Cedar Rapids did with the farmland and see if any of their practices are
translatable to Dubuque
Commissioner Reports: How Did I Show Up?
• Bielinski — Discussing Al in various groups at LID (storage, data centers, water usage, electricity usage) to
development a preemptive policy (with demands/regulations) for potential businesses that come forward
and ask to build a data center in Dubuque. Expressed that we need to draft a policy to prepare, especially
around energy and water usage.
o Crosswalks are needed on UD campus, what can he do to get this started?
• Kennicker — Parks and Rec was granted money to put into Eagle Point Park
• Kohlhaas — Gathered student volunteers to clean up trees in a prairie
Important Dates
Staff updates
• SD grants have not gone to council because there is some concern with one of the proposals. It will be on
the November 3rd council agenda.
• Gina is going to Brazil to the World Leaders and Local Leaders summit Mayor Cavanaugh will not be
attending.
Next meeting date: The next commission meeting will occur on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 5pm at the Jule
Operations and Training Center (JOTC) in the Circle Conference Room, 949 Kerper Blvd
ADJOURNMENT: The Commission adjourned at 6:39 pm.
Minutes approved by:
Jacob Kohlhaas, Commission Chair
Prepared by:
Michelle Kim, Climate Action Coor inator
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