April 21, 2008

                                                                                                              Wellman, Iowa 52356

 

 

          The Wellman City Council met in regular session in the Council Chambers of the Wellman Municipal Building at 7:00pm. Mayor Ryan Miller presided with the City Attorney, City Administrator, City Clerk and following Council Members: Robert Goodrich, Karri Fisher, Marc Pennington, Steve Slaubaugh, and Matt Latcham; absent: no one. Also present were: Mary Coblentz from the news media and twenty citizens.

     The Consent Agenda, including the agenda, minutes of the previous meeting, the bill list and the February financial statement, was approved upon motion by Latcham, second by Pennington, and all aye votes. The claims approved for payment are as follows:

Action Services

 

south park units

 

105.00

AFLAC

 

employee benefit

 

79.50

All Flags

 

US & Iowa flags

 

133.64

Alliant Energy

 

final bill/old senior center

 

72.47

Baker & Taylor Books

 

library books

 

393.19

Baker Paper Company

 

park paper supplies

 

82.50

Bancard Center

 

credit card charges

 

858.39

Kathy Carlson

 

mileage/reimbursements

 

119.69

City of Wellman

 

senior center utilities

 

185.00

Zach Cornwell

 

leaf vac repairs

 

109.61

Cox Sanitation & Recycling

 

supplies

 

1,795.59

Demco

 

library supplies

 

220.95

East Central Iowa Council of Govt

 

administration

 

1,463.50

Eastern Iowa Light and Power

 

street lighting,etc

 

90.44

Farmers Electric CoOp

 

use of bucket truck

 

97.50

Federation Bank

 

fica,medicare,fed wht

 

2,750.62

Freeman Foods

 

supplies

 

33.46

Glenn Guengerich

 

supplies

 

10.00

HACH Company

 

water testing supplies

 

332.76

Hart-Frederick Consultants

 

engineering

 

1,875.30

HD Supply Waterworks

 

repair parts

 

125.52

Iowa Assoc Municipal Utilities

 

newsletter

 

166.11

JWs Foods

 

senior center supplies

 

14.38

KOCH Brothers

 

copier fees

 

145.35

Laboratory Corp of America

 

employee benefit

 

4.80

Teresa Lampe

 

reimbursement/supplies

 

128.02

Linder Electric

 

service call/generator

 

252.00

LL Pelling

 

premix/street patch

 

449.15

Menards

 

supplies,repairs

 

60.24

Municipal Gas System

 

customer deposit refunds

 

154.22

Municipal Water System

 

customer deposit refunds

 

231.71

One Man Electric

 

fire siren repairs

 

1,596.54

Payroll Expenses 

 

transfers

 

13,061.37

Petty Cash Fund

 

supplies&reimbursements

 

9.64

Quill Corporation

 

office supplies

 

146.72

Radiologic Medical Services

 

employee benefit

 

12.35

Reggie Tire

 

fuel,repairs

 

337.91

Schwartz Construction

 

Goodwin Center

 

140,324.12

Standard Pest Control

 

April service

 

20.00

Upstart

 

library supplies

 

174.04

Wash County Hospital&Clinic

 

drug testing

 

37.00

Washington Evening Journal

 

subscription

 

102.00

Wellman Advance

               

publications

 

129.19

Wellman Automotive

 

repairs

 

130.55

Wellmark

 

employee insurance

 

1,540.52

Arlin Yoder

 

senior center supplies

 

137.55

    TOTAL EXPENDITURES

 

 

 

170,300.11

The February financial statement includes revenues as follows:

General Fund

 

 

 

5,552.56

Special Tax Levy Funds

 

 

 

352.49

CDBG Sunrise Childcare Project

 

 

 

3,535.00

Street Assessment Fund

 

 

 

382.76

Local Option Sales Tax

 

 

 

9,625.63

Road Use Tax

 

 

 

9,083.27

Tax Credit Reimbursements

 

 

 

11.93

Tax Increment Financing Fund

 

 

 

67.05

Debt Service Fund

 

 

 

153.42

Library Services Funds

 

 

 

104.01

Parks & Recreation Funds

 

 

 

3,882.30

Cable Channel Fund

 

 

 

32.04

Senior Center Funds

 

 

 

9,327.19

Housing Improvement Fund

 

 

 

8.42

Capital Project Funds

 

 

 

86.86

Municipal Water Funds

 

 

 

15,392.48

Municipal Sewer Funds

 

 

 

15,319.99

Municipal Electric Fund

 

 

 

0.00

Municipal Gas Funds

 

 

 

88,697.65

Solid Waste Funds

 

 

 

4,510.15

    TOTAL REVENUES

 

 

 

166,125.20

     The Public Hearing to received comments on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the Parkside Activities Center was opened at 7:02pm by motion from Goodrich, 2nd from Slaubaugh and all aye votes. There were no comments, therefore the hearing was promptly closed by motion from Goodrich, 2nd from Pennington, and all aye votes.

City Administrator Ross then opened the four bids received for the project with six alternates being deductions. Base bid for Bi-State Construction, Burlington, Iowa, was $4,908,000 with net bid at $4,803,200 and additional overfill if needed, $82/cy. Base bid for SG Construction, Burlington, Iowa, was $4,940,870 with net bid at $4,828,720 and additional overfill if needed, $62.50/cy. Base bid for Frye Builders, Muscatine, Iowa, was $5,140,000 with net bid at $5,072,650 and additional overfill if needed, $70/cy. Base bid for Knutson Construction, Iowa City, Iowa, was $5,193,000 with net bid at $5,110,684 and additional overfill if needed, $78/cy. The bids will be tabulated and reviewed by committee on Tuesday, April 22, 2008.

     Ordinance No. 204 was introduced and caused to be read to amend the official zoning map of the City of Wellman for property at the NW corner at the intersection of 2nd Street and 10th Avenue purchased by Rodney Dumont. The zoning request is changing the property from R1 (Residential) to C-1B (Peripheral Business District Commercial). Goodrich moved to approve the first reading of Ordinance No. 204, Slaubaugh seconded and upon roll call the vote was unanimous ayes.

     Resolution No. 08-22 to approve the plans specifications, form of contract, and estimate of cost for the Parkside Activity Center and Sunrise Childcare Project was introduced and caused to be read. Pennington moved to adopt Resolution No. 08-22, Goodrich seconded and upon roll call the vote was unanimous ayes. The Mayor affixed his signature.

     Resolution No. 08-23 to approve a 28E agreement with the Wellman Volunteer Fire Department for fire services in and for the City of Wellman was introduced and caused to be read. Ross explained the changes involve payments to the department. Currently the City pays the department $10,000 annually plus pays all the utility and fuel bills as well as the insurance coverage. With this agreement the department will receive $20,000 annually from the City and pay all of their bills except the City will continue to pay the insurance. Slaubaugh moved to adopt Resolution No. 08-23, Pennington seconded and upon roll call the vote was four ayes, Latcham abstaining. The Mayor affixed his signature.

     Resolution No. 08-24 to set a date for the public hearing regarding providing TIF incentives for the medical clinic was introduced and caused to be read. The hearing will take place on May 5 to provide up to $66,000 to Allen Leichty for development of the clinic. Ross reported the TIF attorney has recommended Leichty pay for half of the legal fees up front for the development agreement. Therefore, Ross suggested adding $2,000 to the limit to reimburse Leichty at the end of the agreement for legal fees. The Council agreed this would be appropriate. With that Goodrich moved to adopt Resolution No. 08-24 changing the limit amount to $68,000. Fisher seconded the motion and upon roll call the vote was unanimous ayes.  The Mayor affixed his signature.

     Ross presented a bid from LL Pelling for repairs to city streets damaged by the severe winter conditions. The city parking lot renovations had been estimated at $60,000. Since so many streets are in need of repair the parking lot will only receive chip and seal so that those funds can be used elsewhere. Pellings have indicated they will be starting up in mid-May and can come here first or at the end of the summer. The Council agreed it would be best to have it done first. Fisher moved to approve the bid asking Pellings to come in May. Pennington seconded the motion and all voted aye.

     As the city’s weather siren did not function during a recent tornado warning, Ross has been researching the possibilities of repairs or replacing the siren. The radio equipment on the old siren would cost approximately $5,000 to repair. A new siren with more coverage and functionality would be $11,070 plus $5,800 for installation depending on whether the existing pole will be used or a new one erected. Ross indicated this would be the most cost effective way to go using Riverboat funds and some reimbursements received from FEMA for disaster aid. The company has stated they will put a rush on this to have it up and running by the end of May. In addition, Ross reported the south fire siren is not operational. Cost for these repairs has been reduced to just over $1500 from an earlier estimate. After further discussion Pennington moved to purchase the new weather siren and repair the south fire siren. Goodrich seconded the motion and all voted aye.

     Three parking concerns were addressed with the Council deciding to place a “no parking here to corner” sign on the south side of 11th Street as it intersects with 8th Avenue; paint the curbing/street on west side of 9th Avenue at the stop sign where it intersects with Highway 22 to prevent parking in this area; and to ask residents parking in the city easement at 9th Avenue and 7th Street to parallel park rather than diagonal park to aid in visibility at that intersection.

     Ross stated there are enough TIF funds available to pay Schwartz Construction the full development agreement amount of just over $17,000 rather than making three year payments of $6,000 per year. Pennington moved to make the full payment, Fisher seconded and all voted aye.

     Four property nuisance abatement projects were reviewed by the Council. They authorized Ross to move forward with the abatement procedure.

     During the Public Forum Max Lewis commented on the weather siren and voiced concerns on a flooding issue on 8th Street.

     In General Administrative discussion Fisher commented on the 8th Street flooding; Goodrich asked about tree waste and where it can be disposed of. He was informed the old city brush site can no longer be used. Contractors will need to make their own arrangements for tree disposal; Miller reminded everyone of the upcoming cleanup days on May 9 and May 10. He announced the city will be doing an income survey in early May as part of requirements to apply for a CDBG grant to fund some water and/or wastewater projects. The Friends of the Library are holding an open house in the Library on Wednesday, April 23, 7pm to 9pm.

     As discussed earlier in the meeting a date needs to be set for a special session to award contract on the Parkside Activity Center. Goodrich moved to set Wednesday, April 23 at 6:30pm for the special session. Slaubaugh seconded the motion and all voted aye.

     At 8:22pm Goodrich moved to adjourn, have a ten minute recess and enter into work session. Slaubaugh seconded the motion and all voted aye.

     At 8:31pm the council reconvened in work session to discuss infiltration problems with the city’s wastewater system. The DNR has required a plan of action to be implemented by July 1 as the snow melting and recent heavy rains have flooded the wastewater plant. The City of West Liberty has offered their camera equipment to inspect the mains. It is also recommended to smoke test all the services to identify illegal storm water hookups. Council agreed to call West Liberty in to start the camera work as soon as they can come.

     With no further business at 8:50pm Latcham moved to adjourn the work session, Pennington seconded and all voted aye. Pennington moved to adjourn the council meeting, Slaubaugh seconded and all voted aye. The next regular City Council meeting will be Monday, May 5, 2008, 7:00pm in the Council Chambers of the Wellman Municipal Building.

  

 

Minutes transcribed by the City Clerk subject to Council approval.