Setting a Public Hearing - Ham House Lease Third AmendmentCity of Dubuque
City Council
Copyrighted
March 2, 2026
ITEMS SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING # 3.
ITEM TITLE: Setting a Public Hearing - Ham House Lease Third
Amendment
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council set a public
hearing for March 16, 2026, regarding a Third Amendment to
the Lease Agreement between the City of Dubuque and
Dubuque County Historical Society.
RESOLUTION Fixing The Date For A Public Hearing Of The
City Council Of The City Of Dubuque, Iowa On The Third
Amendment To The Lease Agreement By And Between The
City Of Dubuque, Iowa, And Dubuque County Historical
Society And Providing For The Publication Of Notice Thereof
SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Adopt Resolution(s), Set Public Hearing for
DISPOSITION: March 16, 2026
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MVM Memo Setting a Public Hearing - Ham House Third Amendment to Lease
Agreement
2. Staff Memo Setting Public Hearing Ham House Lease 3rd Amendment 2-2026
3. Ham House 3rd Amendment Public Hearing Lease Resolution
4. Public Notice Ham House Lease 3rd Amendment 2-2026
Page 470 of 939
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Setting a Public Hearing - Ham House Third Amendment to Lease
Agreement
DATE: February 23, 2026
Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Kalcevich is recommending City Council set a
public hearing for March 16, 2026, regarding a Third Amendment to the Lease
Agreement between the City of Dubuque and Dubuque County Historical Society.
The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the Third Amendment and
unanimously approved the recommendation at their February 10, 2026, meeting.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Matthew Kalcevich, Parks and Recreation Director
Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager
Jared Charland, Project and Facilities Manager
Kurt Strand, President and CEO Dubuque County Historical Society
Page 471 of 939
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Matthew K. Kalcevich, Parks and Recreation Director
SUBJECT: Setting a Public Hearing - Ham House Third Amendment to Lease
Agreement
DATE: February 20, 2026
INTRODUCTION
This memorandum requests the City Council to set a public hearing for March 16, 2026,
regarding a Third Amendment to the Lease Agreement between the City of Dubuque
and Dubuque County Historical Society.
BACKGROUND
The Second Amendment was brought to the City Council on December 2, 2024. In the
memo stated the following:
Dubuque County Historical Society requested an extension to the Term and
clarifications to the Lease Agreement. This Second Amendment allows grant funders to
approve funding based upon the long-term commitment of the City and Dubuque
County Historical Society to continue its current relationship as outlined in the original
Lease Agreement approved in 2006. The relationship has been beneficial to both
parties. The Historical Society specializes in historic structures and the interpretation of
those assets. The City specializes in capital projects related to facilities owned by the
City. Mathias Ham House and its buildings and grounds are owned by the City of
Dubuque.
The current Lease Agreement has a Term ending on May 31, 2031. The Second
Amendment would extend the Term to May 31, 2054. The Second Amendment also
The second amendment also clarified specifics related to the lease. The Amendment
passed at this Council meeting.
DISCUSSION
The City provided a letter of authorization on behalf of the City of Dubuque in support of
the Dubuque County Historical Society's application to the Iowa Economic Development
and Finance Authority's State Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program for preservation
and restoration work on the Mathias Ham House. Recently, the state provided additional
Page 472 of 939
information in relation to the Iowa Economic Development and Finance Authority's State
Historic Preservation Tax Credit program:
In the case of a long-term lease, without the lessor's election pursuant to Treasury
Regulation § 1.48-4(a)(1), the lessee's expenditures maybe qualified rehabilitation
expenditures and the lessee can claim a rehabilitation credit provided certain
requirements are met. However, if on the date the rehabilitation is completed, the
remaining term of the lease (determined without regard to any renewal periods) is
less than the recovery period determined under section 168(c), then the lessee's
expenditures are not included as qualified rehabilitation expenditures.
• Under I. R. C. � 168(c) the recovery period for residential rental property is 27.5
years and the recovery period for nonresidential real property is 39 years.
The current Lease Agreement has a Term ending on May 31, 2054. This does not meet
the 39-year requirement. The Third Amendment would extend the Term to May 31,
2066. This will meet the requirements of the State and provide an additional two years
in case the process of approval in the second step of the application for tax credits
takes more than a year.
The Third Amendment to the Lease Agreement was reviewed and approved by Senior
Counsel Barry Lindahl. The Third Amendment was reviewed, approved, and signed by
the Dubuque County Historical Society.
The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the Third Amendment and
unanimously approved the recommendation at their February 10, 2026, meeting.
BUDGETIMPACT
There is no budgetary impact related to this Third Amendment to the Lease Agreement.
ACTION REQUESTED
I respectfully request the City Council set a public hearing for March 16, 2026, regarding
a Third Amendment to the Lease Agreement between the City of Dubuque and
Dubuque County Historical Society.
Prepared by: Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager
CC: Jared Charland, Project and Facilities Manager
Kurt Strand, President and CEO
2
Page 473 of 939
Prepared by Matthew Kalcevich, Parks and Recreation, 2200 Bunker Hill Road, Dubuque, IA 52001, (563) 589-4263
Return to Adrienne N. Breitfelder, City Clerk, 50 W. 13"' St., Dubuque, IA 52001, (563) 589-4100
RESOLUTION NO. 66-26
FIXING THE DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA ON THE THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT
BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, AND DUBUQUE COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION OF NOTICE
THEREOF
WHEREAS, City is the owner of a public facility known as Mathias Ham House
(the Ham House) which is leased to Dubuque County Historical Society with a legal
description of Lots 530, 1 of 531, 2 of 531 and 532 all in Hams Addition, in the City of
Dubuque; and
WHEREAS, Dubuque County Historic Society desires to extend the current lease
period and continue to operate the Ham House; and
WHEREAS, it is deemed to be in the best interest of both parties to the Lease
Agreement and to the public in general that the Dubuque County Historical Society lease
and operate the Ham House as a historic site.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Dubuque, Iowa, proposes to approve
the Third Amendment of the Lease Agreement to Dubuque County Historical Society.
Section 2. That the City Council shall conduct a public hearing on the proposed
Third Amendment to the Lease Agreement in the City Council Chambers at the Historic
Federal Building, 350 W. 6th Street, Dubuque, Iowa on the 16th day of March 2026,
beginning at 6:30 PM.
Section 3. That the City Clerk be and is hereby authorized and directed to publish
notice of the public hearing in the form attached hereto, according to law.
Passed, approved, and adopted this 2nd day of March 2026.
-_--Cavanagh, Mayor
Attest:
Adrienne N. Breitfelder"'City Clerk
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
OFFICIAL NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Dubuque, Iowa, will
hold a public hearing on the 16th day of March, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in the Historic Federal
Building, 350 West 6th Street, second floor, Dubuque, Iowa, at which meeting the City
Council proposes to approve a Third Amendment to Lease Agreement between the City
of Dubuque, Iowa and the Dubuque County Historical Society for the Ham House property
legal described as follows: Lots 530, 1 of 531, 2 of 531 and 532 all in Hams Addition, in
the City of Dubuque..
At the meeting, the City Council will receive oral and written comments from any resident
or property owner of said City to the above action. The official City Council agenda will
be posted the Friday before the meeting and will contain public input options. The agenda
can be accessed at https://dubugueia.portal.civicclerk.com/ or by contacting the City
Clerk's Office at 563-589-4100, ctyclerk@cityofdubuque.org.
Written comments on the public hearing may be submitted to the City Clerk's Office by
email at ctyclerk@cityofdubuque.org or by mail to City Hall, 50 W. 13t" St., Dubuque, IA
52001, before the scheduled hearing. The City Council will review all written comments
at the time of the hearing.
Documents related to the public hearing are on file in the City Clerk's Office and may be
viewed Monday through Friday between 8.00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Individuals requiring special assistance should contact the City Clerk's Office as soon as
feasible. Deaf or hard -of -hearing individuals can use Relay Iowa by dialing 711 or (800)
735-2942.
Published by order of the City Council given on the 2nd day of March, 2026.
Adrienne N. Breitfelder, CIVIC, City Clerk
Page 475 of 939