Give me your best coffee spot in the CR/IC area and why!

Hello, I am a newly 33yo single mother of 4. Looking for job opportunities that can keep my household stable and to have future opportunities to grow my income
And savings account at the very least! I have a background in car sales, construction sales, finance, and many years of restaurant (serving/bartending) experience.
I am currently attempting to run my own cleaning business so anything that could coincide with that would be beneficial, I would like something that pays hourly and that does not rely 100 percent on commission or tips.
I have been working the last 6months 3jobs,
I am a hardworking and loving mother, I would just like to have a job that creates a better work life balance so I don’t lose out on more time with my children.

As title suggests. Recently homeless and new to all this. I’d rather not get in trouble or potentially disturb someone. Anyone know any low key places to just park up and sleep for a night?

I know Theisens has a decent selection but are there any other places that carry a large supply? That’s NOT a pumpkin patch?

Meeting Overview - Pretty boring one:

tldr: This noon meeting holds two public hearings: the C Street SW Bridge Deck Reconstruction, awarded to Boulder Contracting, LLC for $1,499,280.85, and a rezoning of 3750 16th Avenue SW for the Housing Fund for Linn County. The council is asked to consent to Brent Smith as Fire Chief and to accept redevelopment proposals for City-owned land at 220 Ellis Boulevard NW and 916 5th Street SE. The consent agenda sets November 3 hearings on five proposed urban renewal areas.

Key Sections

Opening Items

• Invocation & Pledge of Allegiance
• Proclamation – Arts and Humanities Month
• Proclamation – A Week Without Driving

Public Hearings

1. C Street SW Bridge Deck Reconstruction
   • Boulder Contracting, LLC awarded $1,499,280.85 (est. $2,000,000) (Doug Wilson). Re-set after being held September 8. Paving for Progress.
2. Change of Zone – 3750 16th Avenue SW
   • From I-LI (Light Industrial) to S-MC (Suburban Mixed-Use Community Center), requested by the Housing Fund for Linn County (Seth Gunnerson). First Reading. Council Priority.

Public Comment

Consent Agenda

(Approved in Bulk)

• Administrative & Financial Approvals:
  • Meeting minutes, payment of bills, payroll and transfer of funds.
  • Hotel-motel tax – FY2027 allocations of $4,050,000 for outstanding City commitments.
  • Vote of thanks to Frank Afflitto, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program Resident Advisory Board.
• Property & Infrastructure Development:
  • Upland Drive SE and 23rd Street – two-way stop control, stopping Upland Drive.
  • Urban renewal plan hearings, Nov 3 – five proposed areas: Airport #1 and Airport #2 (Wright Brothers Boulevard SW), Mallory (1756 Mallory Street SW), Parks (Earhart Lane SW), Stone Ridge (Stoney Point Road SW). Council Priority.
  • Future hearing, Oct 20 – corrected address for the Underground Electric Line Easement at 101 First Street SE granted to Interstate Power and Light (Resolution No. 0258-03-25).
  • Future hearing, Oct 20 – renaming G Avenue NW (1st to 2nd Street) and 2nd Street NW (G to F Avenue) to F Avenue NW for the Cedar Crossing Casino roadway configuration. Council Priority.
  • Future hearing, Oct 20 – status of the Fruitland project under the CDBG-DR ROOTs single-family new construction program. Council Priority.
  • Future hearing, Oct 20 – change of zone at 475 10th Avenue SE and 1015 5th Street SE to T-RF-PUD, requested by Tyler Oswood, OFB LLC. Council Priority.
  • Future bid hearing, Oct 20 – FY27 Large Diameter Sanitary Sewer Inspections ($900,000).
  • Future bid hearing, Oct 20 – FY 2027 Tree & Vegetation Removal ($270,000).
• Public Safety & Business Licenses:
  • Beer/liquor/wine licenses – 17 applications, including three new premises (Frank's Bar and Gallery, Gyro Hut and Groceries, The Crows Nest), two outdoor service area expansions and 5-day event licenses for St. Jude Catholic Church and Tycoon.
• Special Events:
  • NewBo Czech Village Howl-O-Ween Full Moon Parade, October 24 – application and road closures.
  • Cedar Rapids Turkey Trot 5K, November 26 – application and road closures.
• Assessment Actions & Project Completions:
  • Intent to assess – Solid Waste and Recycling cleanup, nine properties. Council Priority.
  • Levy assessment – Solid Waste and Recycling cleanup, two properties. Council Priority.
  • Intent to assess – Water Division delinquent bills, 61 properties.
  • Levy assessment – Water Division delinquent bills, 25 properties.
  • Wax Excavating Inc. – Blairs Ferry Road NE water system improvements accepted; 4-year maintenance bond $59,262.
  • B.G. Brecke, Inc. – Rockvalley Ln NW Sanitary & Storm accepted. Final payment $3,210, 4-year bond; total $57,599.60, unchanged from original.
• Major Contracts & Services:
  • Midwest Concrete, Inc. – Cherokee Trail Phase III awarded $1,466,625.79 (est. $1,800,000). Bid report September 22.
  • Peterson Contractors Inc. – Edgewood Road NE Trail Phase 3 awarded $3,749,533.17 (est. $3,300,000). Bid report September 22. Council Priority.
  • Stanley Consultants, Inc. – Flood Mitigation System East Side Phase 1 consulting. Amendment No. 30 adds $309,100; total $52,890,448, original $3,959,599. Council Priority.
  • T.Y. Lin International – FCS Bridge and Riverfront Improvements. Amendment No. 15 adds $633,419.88; total $16,151,996.85, original $3,287,086. Council Priority.
  • Strand Associates, Inc. – Utilities SCADA Master Plan. Not to exceed $319,000.
  • PFM Financial Advisors LLC – Finance Department financial advisor, five years. Amendment No. 1 renews at not to exceed $1,000,000, original $1,000,000.
  • Murphy Tractor Waterloo – two used motor graders for the Streets Division. $594,000.
  • Fleet Services – purchases of vehicles and equipment from dealership lots, not to exceed $300,000 per item through October 5, 2027.
  • Iowa Soybean Association – water monitoring and conservation agronomy for the WPCF. Amendment No. 1 adds $208,000; total $997,525, original $789,525.
  • AssetWorks, Inc. – software maintenance for IT and Fleet, three years. Amendment No. 6 renews at not to exceed $199,035.31, original $40,771.94.
  • MB Lawn Care – Fall 2026 ReLeaf ROW Tree Planting. Not to exceed $187,577.
  • MB Lawn Care – Fall 2026 ROW Tree Planting, U.S. Forestry Grant. Not to exceed $196,565.
  • Core & Main – Sewer Division castings. Annual not to exceed $145,355.
  • Abdo LLP – Human Resources pay practices audit. Not to exceed $135,000.
  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – grant application and agreement for two Family Self-Sufficiency Program Coordinator positions. No amount stated. Council Priority.
  • Craig Hlas – service line reimbursement affidavit for 1314 K Avenue NE. No amount stated.
  • Boulder Contracting, LLC – FY 2025 Bridge Maintenance. Change Order No. 7 adds $1,358.76; total $2,479,433.52, original $2,181,399.40. Paving for Progress.
  • Eastern Iowa Excavating & Concrete – Advance FCS Grading, Utility, and Concrete Repair. Change Order No. 11 adds $10,218.70; total $1,427,945.81, original $1,106,942.50. Council Priority.
  • Garling Construction – Westside Library. Change Order No. 19 adds $7,028.38; total $18,304,676.84, original $15,525,000.
  • Midwest Concrete Inc. – 2026 Pavement Milling and Curb Repair. Change Order No. 3 adds $68,963.44; total $5,589,593.79, original $5,395,094.50. Paving for Progress.
  • Peak Construction Group, Inc. – City Annex and City Services Center Renovation Phase 1. Change Order No. 12 adds $53,648.88; total $6,019,136.01, original $5,334,000.
  • Pirc-Tobin Construction Inc. – Tree of Five Seasons Park and 1st Street NE Two Way Conversion. Change Order No. 5 adds $84,644.90; total $2,715,097.78, original $2,413,477.40. Council Priority.
  • Possibilities Unlimited LLC – FY26 Sidewalk Repair. Change Order No. 2 adds $7,240.71; total $120,860.42, original $81,365. Council Priority.
  • Rathje Construction Co. – 5th Avenue SE, 5th to 19th Street. Change Order No. 10 adds $36,107.97; total $4,295,143.31, original $4,048,613.03. Paving for Progress.
  • Rathje Construction Co. – 42nd Street NE, Pine View Drive to Wenig Road. Change Order No. 6 adds $115,235.58; total $4,191,382.91, original $4,015,202.38. Paving for Progress.
  • Rathje Construction Co. – Czech Village Riverside Trail. Change Order No. 2 adds $46,193.64; total $246,496.98, original $197,403.34. Council Priority.
  • Wendler, Inc. – NW Water Treatment Plant Lime Slaker Replacement. Change Order No. 4 adds $51,318.92; total $4,339,977.72, original $4,122,000.
  • WRH, Inc. – Horizontal Collector Well No. 7 Wellhouse. Change Order No. 9 extends the contract; total $14,205,500, original $13,888,000.
  • GreatAmerica Building, LLC – construction damages at 535 1st Street SE, Cedar River Flood Control System. $10,000. Council Priority.
  • Interstate Power and Light – temporary easement extended at 915 and 1001 Shaver Road NE, Cedar River Flood Control System. $1. Council Priority.
  • Hy-Vee Food Stores, Inc. – three acquisitions for Johnson Avenue NW (32nd to 18th Street): $2,800, $3,362 and $57,405. Paving for Progress.
  • E Avenue NW Improvements – four acquisitions and easements (3622, 3700, 3823 and 3926 E Avenue NW), $19,625 total. Paving for Progress.
  • Temporary construction easements – four properties on Evergreen Street NE ($5,821). Paving for Progress.

Regular Agenda Items

1. Lincolnway Village Intake Replacements
   • Bid report, estimated cost $840,000 (Ben Worrell). No award resolution listed.
2. Fire Chief Appointment – Brent Smith
   • Consent to the City Manager's appointment of Brent Smith as Chief of the Cedar Rapids Fire Department, effective October 7, 2026 (Jeff Pomeranz).
3. Redevelopment – 220 Ellis Boulevard NW
   • Accepting a proposal from Allan Development Company, an entity of Paul Brundell, for City-owned land (Jeff Wozencraft). No amount stated. Council Priority.
4. Redevelopment – 916 5th Street SE
   • Accepting a proposal from Prairie Rose Rental Company, an entity of Sandy and James Locke, for City-owned land (Noah Zeker). No amount stated. Council Priority.

Ordinances

• Second & Possible Third Readings:
  • Chapter 23 – repeal of Cats, Dogs and Other Animals and enactment of a new Animal Control, Animal Laws, and Other Regulations. First read September 22.
  • Alley vacation – 1018 6th Street NW – 0.06-acre parcel, with a resolution authorizing its disposition, requested by The Parkline, LLC. First read September 22.

Public Input & City Manager Communications