August 15, 2005

Wellman, Iowa 52356

The Wellman City Council met in regular session in the Council Chambers of the Wellman Municipal Building at 7:00pm. Mayor Max Lewis presided with the City Attorney, City Clerk and following Council Members: Robert Goodrich, Robert Swartz-endruber, Richard Oldfield, George Kisner, and James Seward; absent: no one. Also present were Mary Coblentz from the news media, County Engineer David Patterson, Washington County Deputy Sheriff Tim Smit and eleven citizens, plus the arrival of Justin Meade at 7:30pm.

The Agenda was approved upon motion by Oldfield, second by Seward and all aye votes.

Mayor Lewis opened the Public Hearing to receive comments on the proposed loan agreement in the amount of $200,000 for the 9^th Avenue South Watermain Improvement Project at 7:03pm. As there were no oral or written comments the hearing was promptly closed. Resolution No. 05-32 to enter into the loan agreement was introduced and caused to be read. Goodrich moved to adopt Resolution No. 05-32, Seward seconded and upon roll call the ayes were unanimous.

At 7:05pm Mayor Lewis opened the Public Hearing to receive comments on the proposed property sell of City property on 1^st Avenue South. With no written or oral comments, the hearing was promptly closed. Attorney Kitchen explained the transaction will give the City ownership of the triangle of property south of the wastewater treatment plant on 1^st Avenue in exchange for the old city dump site on the east side of 1^st Avenue across from the triangle lot which includes the bridge on 1^st Avenue. The property exchange is with Jeff and James Bohr. Resolution No. 05-33 to sell real estate located in the City of Wellman was introduced and caused to be read. Swartzendruber moved to adopt Resolution No. 05-33, Oldfield seconded and upon roll call the vote was unanimous ayes.

Minutes of the previous meeting were presented. With no additions or corrections the minutes stand approved as read.

The list of bills for payment were reviewed. Oldfield moved, Seward seconded and all voted aye to pay the following:

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

FIRE PROTECTION:

Reggie Tire – fuel 312.80

LIBRARY SERVICES:

Payroll expense 2,301.31

Baker & Taylor Books – library books 269.25

Demco – library supplies 124.22

Steven Miller – mileage to Johnston/director class 99.23

PARKS & RECREATION:

Payroll expense 1,476.10

Action Services – South park portable units/service 150.00

Cox Sanitation – ball park trash 48.00

Ebert Supply – 1 case 50gal trash bags 44.45

Glenn Guengerich – repairs 122.50

Iowa Park & Recreation – Lampe registration/fall workshop 75.00

Sunrise Childcare – summer rec program 1,400.00

Trio Gas & Hardware – supplies, repairs 9.76

SENIOR DINING:

Payroll expense 310.56

LEGAL SERVICES:

Tindal and Kitchen – city attorney fees 457.50

CITY HALL:

Payroll expense 125.03

Aramark Uniform Services – mop,towel,airfresh,mats 36.71

Ebert Supply – 1 case trash bags 50.66

Freeman Foods – cleaning supplies, etc 33.68

LL Window Cleaning – building windows 25.00

Trio Gas & Hardware – supplies 5.29

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION:

Payroll expense 492.78

Slagle Pharmacy – Polaroid films 23.97

Wellmark – Wade insurance 413.63

OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:

ASI – desk bar 49.47

ComputerDesign – work on web page 200.00

Quill Corporation – office supplies 50.67

PAYROLL TAXES:

Federation Bank – Fed wht, FICA, Medicare 2,999.05

EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFIT:

Dr Doug Campbell 31.20

Riverside Family Dental Practice 851.40

Slagle Pharmacy 206.69

CDBG HOUSING REHAB PROJECT:

ECICOG – administration 900.00

LIBRARY SPECIAL FUNDS:

Freeman Foods – summer reading snacks 25.13

STREETS/GENERAL FUND:

Trio Gas & Hardware – supplies,repairs 69.37

PARKS DONATION FUND:

Graber Supply – pergola material 29.40

Trio Gas & Hardware – supplies 19.94

RECREATION CENTER FUND:

Payroll expense 452.02

Aramark Uniform Services – mops,etc 22.78

Cox Sanitation & Recycling – 4 stops/July 48.00

Farner-Bocken Company – concessions 258.09

Freeman Foods – bottled water 108.00

Mahaska Bottling – pepsi products 64.00

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FUND:

Freeman Foods – concession supplies/July 4th fund raiser 32.14

LOCAL CABLE CHANNEL:

Bancard – power conversion 149.00

TOTAL 14,973.78

MAINTENANCE SHED CAPITAL PROJECT

Hart-Frederick Consultants – engineer design & construction 10,141.67

ROAD USE TAX FUND

Payroll expense 347.09

Calhoun-Burns & Associates – bridge inspection x 3 585.00

Eastern Iowa Light & Power – Deer Meadows street lighting 45.45

Farmers Supply Sales/Farm Plan – oil filter for backhoe 25.50

Hart-Frederick Consultants – engineering fees 660.90

Schnoebelen Inc – parts for tractor 77.04

TOTAL 1,740.98

9^TH AVENUE NORTH STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Hart-Frederick Consultants – 9^th Ave curb & gutter engineering 18,547.97

GAS SYSTEM FUND

Payroll expense 2,706.19

CJ Cooper & Assoc – 2 random drug tests 60.00

*Clayton Energy – July natural gas purchase 7,867.37

Greobner & Associates – parts 696.85

Glenn Guengerich – repair underground street light in Stone Gate Est 25.00

Home Gas Inc – trencher rental/9^th Avenue gas lines 200.00

Metal Works – 3” pipe 13.00

Reggie Tire – fuel 372.30

Trio Gas & Hardware – supplies, repairs 115.26

Wellman Auto Parts – 5gal hyd fluid,filters 81.05

Wellmark – Slaubaugh health insurance 676.55

TOTAL 12,813.67

WATER SYSTEM FUND

Payroll expense 2,596.64

Douds Stone – roadstone/9^th Avenue water 131.95

Ideal Ready Mix – cement work 423.63

Iowa Section AWWA – registration for water fall short course 75.00

Max Lewis – mileage 22.68

Trio Gas & Hardware – supplies, repairs 22.95

Donna Wade – mileage 45.77

Wellman Farm Center – couplers 16.21

Wellmark – Farrier health insurance 198.84

TOTAL 3,533.67

9^TH AVENUE NORTH WATER & SEWER MAIN IMPROVEMENTS

Hart-Frederick Consultants – engineering 431.68

9^th AVENUE SOUTH WATERMAIN IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT

Hart-Frederick Consultants – engineering 3,916.24

WASTEWATER SYSTEM FUND

Payroll expense 1,572.36

Aramark Uniform Services – shirt buyout to close contract 80.15

Eastern Iowa Light & Power – lift station 28.83

Freeman Foods – ice for wastewater samplesx2 6.58

Christine Huston – reimburse for air-conditioner/wastewater plant 123.47

Iowa Section AWWA – registration for wastewater fall short course 75.00

TestAmerica – wastewater testing 200.70

Trio Gas & Hardware – supplies, repairs 8.38

Wellmark – Oldfield insurance 218.88

TOTAL 2,314.35

SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FUND

Cox Sanitation & Recycling – trash bags 1,593.75

SENIOR DINING HAA FUND

Payroll expense 996.05

Mildred Whetstine – mileage 23.90

TOTAL 1,019.95

SENIOR CENTER COMMISSION FUND

Payroll expense 79.93

GRAND TOTAL 71,107.64

The July financial statement was reviewed. Goodrich moved, Oldfield seconded and all voted aye to approve the statement with July revenues as follows:

JULY REVENUES

General Fund 2,986.20

Employee Benefit Tax Fund 520.80

Support Public Library Fund 153.93

Community Development Block Grant 0.00

Liability/Property Insurance 612.80

Local Option Sales Tax 6,852.95

Road Use Tax Fund 9,110.19

Tax Credit Reimbursement Fund 1,869.78

Tax Increment Financing Fund 563.38

Debt Service Fund 99.28

Library Services Fund 305.74

Recreation Center 1,059.50

Trust & Agency Funds 695.72

Capital Reserve Fund 81,230.77

Municipal Gas System Fund 34,118.47

Municipal Gas System CD 409.87

Municipal Water System Fund 17,262.29

Municipal Water Sinking Fund 6.48

Municipal Water System CD 0.00

Water Utility Capital Project 0.00

Municipal Sewer System Fund 12,717.12

Sewer Sinking Fund 1.33

Solid Waste Disposal Fund 4,973.28

Senior Dining HAA Fund 3,012.84

Senior Center Donation Fund 150.96

Senior Center CD 0.00

TOTAL JULY REVENUES 178,713.68

David Patterson, Washington County Engineer was present to update the Council on the 1^st Avenue/Ginkgo Avenue resurfacing project. Work began this week on the shoulders and surveying. The project is expected to take four to six weeks with access to residents living along the stretch being opened for most of the project. Patterson encouraged citizens and city officials to contact him if questions or problems arose.

Items 9 and 10 were postponed until the arrival of the project engineer. Tarin Allen was asked to discuss her concerns in regard to speed limits along Highway 22 through town. Allen reported she had received a speeding ticket for going thirty-four mph in a twenty-five mile zone. She was concerned that in this section of the Highway it is unclear what the speed limit is. She contacted the Iowa Department of Transportation and was told a survey was done and that a recommendation had been made to the City but it was rejected. Deputy Smit stated the IDOT recommendation was to increase the speed through town to thirty-five the full length and that was unacceptable to the Council. They have asked to slow it down and that is why the Sheriff’s Department is patrolling. Allen stated she lives on 9^th Avenue and concerned about speed on that street but deputies are sitting on Highway 22. Deputy Smit reported that there has been ongoing concerns about the highway speed and that was where they were instructed to patrol. In response to Allen’s statement that speed traps were set along there, Smit stated the County does not conduct speed traps but conducts enforcement in areas where they are asked to do so. Allen will contact the IDOT again and repeated her request to make this area more transitional going from twenty-five to thirty-five before entering the forty-five mph zone.

Project Engineer Justin Meade presented an update on various City projects. He indicated DeLongs are making every effort to maintain driveway accesses but will notify property owners when access to the drives must be temporarily closed. The under drains are being installed on the east side of 9^th Avenue North before the curbing is formed and poured.

He noted a Change Order is needed to allow for the new hydrant at the corner of 2^nd Street and 8^th Avenue adding to the 9^th Avenue South Watermain Improvement Project. The amount of the Change Order is $4,537.80. The cement has been removed in preparation for this changeout. When this was done it was discovered there is some undermining of the street in the area that might have to be filled with flowable grout. Goodrich moved to approve the Change Order, Swartzendruber seconded and all voted aye.

In regards to the cement breakup at the entrance to Reggie Tire, Meade referred to several water main breaks in that area that may have contributed to the problem along with the poor condition of the storm sewer inlet at that corner. He indicated it might cost about $2,915 to repair the concrete work and $1,500 to reconstruct the storm sewer or more if it is replaced. After further discussion, Swartzendruber moved to repair the area as a Change Order to the 9^th Avenue South project. Oldfield seconded the motion and all voted aye.

Steve and Cindy Duwa were not present to further discuss their concerns of material storage on their property on 9^th Avenue. Meade indicated everything had been removed from the property and he has asked contractors not to store any material or equipment on private property.

Meade asked if the Council wanted regular progress reports from him on these projects. It was indicated weekly reports would help keep the council and citizens informed. Meade stated the 9^th Avenue North project should go quickly now. The 8^th Avenue LUST project will be done when 9^th Avenue South watermain is completed, perhaps in two weeks.

The residents at 5^th Street and 7^th Avenue, across from the funeral home has had ongoing complaints of funeral parking blocking their driveway. They asked the Council to find a solution to this problem. After some discussion it was decided the Mayor should talk to the funeral director and see if pylons/parking cones could be placed at the drive to indicate to funeral home visitors where parking spaces were available.

Larry Thurman, WATV18 coordinator, reported they are working at expanding programming with more movies. Their website is up with nearly three-fourths completed. They will be filming school events and working on an agreement with the Kalona channel to share programming. They have scheduled a Mediacom review session for September 8. The Council and public were invited.

Tarin Allen, as director of Sunrise Childcare and the Summer Recreation Program for the City, asked for more funding for the program. She indicated they had nearly twice as many children participate than what they had budgeted for. Her report showed they had already received $4,700 from the City but that another $1,433.52 is needed. Goodrich moved to provide the additional funding, Kisner seconded and all voted aye.

Teresa Lampe was to present estimates for renovating the restrooms at the skate rink and to refinish the rink floor. She was not in attendance so this item was tabled until the next meeting.

The Policy Statement for Utility Payments was reviewed and discussed. There were no changes as presented. Swartzendruber moved to adopt the Policy, Oldfield seconded and four members voted aye, Kisner voted no.

In the matter of changing Wellman’s form of government, Goodrich stated he had asked to place this on the agenda and wanted to elect the Council members and then the council elects the Mayor. There would also be a City Manager. He indicated this could be placed on the November ballot. It was pointed out that to change the form of government, citizens must petition for it and a special election held. It can not be voted on at a regular election.

A Subordination Agreement was presented for a property involved in the city’s housing rehab project. The property owner is refinancing and in doing so the City is asked to allow the bank to be first lien holder on the property and the City secondary. Oldfield moved to approve the Subordination Agreement, Goodrich seconded with votes as follows: Kisner, no; Goodrich, aye; Seward, abstain; Swartzendruber, aye; Oldfield, aye.

Kinder Morgan requested a new delegation form be completed for Natural Gas Pipeline services. Swartzendruber moved to approve the execution of the form, Oldfield seconded and all voted aye.

In General Discussion commented on various projects that had been completed and asked about the welder in need of repair.

Rob Rosenberger thanked the volunteer ambulance service for their assistance recently.

Larry Thurman voiced concerns about his access to the basement cable TV room when there were private parties being held in the basement.

Ryan Miller gave a brief report on the community center project in North Park. The DNR is close to having the land conversion completed. Drawings for the childcare center are at the daycare downtown if anyone would like to review them. It was suggested a copy be placed at City Hall also.

Angela Wasson reported on the Taste of Wellman event and presented $85 to the City for vendor table fees.

Goodrich reported the Senior Center brunch was a success also, with 165 people being served and donations totaling $900.

With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 8:50pm. The next meeting will be a City Code Work Session on Monday, August 29, 7:00pm. The next regular City Council meeting will be Tuesday, September 6, 2005, 7:00pm in the Council Chambers of the Wellman Municipal Building.

Minutes transcribed by the City Clerk from written notes and/or audio tape subject to Council approval.