State of the Art Water Treatment Plant and Laptops for All Ames High School Students Part of 2013

Work on a new state of the art water treatment plant and laptops for all high school students will be seen in 2013, Mayor Ann Campbell and School Board Member Luke Deardorff said during an annual state of the city address sponsored by the League of Women voters.

Campbell touched on many topics during a 10 minute speech Thursday that she said that weren't all headline grabbing. But the new water treatment facility built on property off of 13^th Street in Ames will be the city's largest capital project in history, she said. The city purchased the land for the $64 million plant in December 2011.

“By the year 2017, we can expect to see state of the art LEED Certified water treatment facility destined to serve the needs of residents for many generations to come,” Campbell said.

Improvements to storm sewers and new waste treatments such as gasification of garbage will also be topics of discussion in 2013.

Improving drainage will remain an important topic in a town with so many low lying areas.

But the flood of 2010 taught residents that flooding means more than a river rising out of its banks, Campbell said. The speed and intensity of the rain overwhelmed the city's storm sewers, Campbell said.

Deardorff spoke about construction of new elementary buildings and promised improved access to technology in schools and that the district is looking to provide all high school students with a laptop in the fall of 2013 in a one to one technology initiative.

“As technology continues to evolve and become more ingrained in our culture it is important for our district to provide exposure to these tools,” Deardorff said.

Mary Greeley Medical Center Board of Trustees Chair Sarah Buck, and Story County Supervisor Rick Sanders also spoke during Thursday's State of the City address.