July 7, 2008

                                                                                                              Wellman, Iowa 52356

 

 

 

     The Wellman City Council met in regular session in the Council Chambers of the Wellman Municipal Building at 6:30pm. Mayor Ryan Miller presided with the, City Administrator, City Clerk and following Council Members: Robert Goodrich, Karri Fisher, Marc Pennington, and Steve Slaubaugh; absent: Matt Latcham. Also present were: Mary Coblentz from the news media, Sheriff Jerry Dunbar and eleven citizens and engineers.

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

Action Services

 

South Park units

 

160.00

Advanced Water Technology

 

treatment chemicals

 

313.66

AFLAC

 

employee benefit

 

528.51

Alliant Energy

 

electric/all departments

 

5,981.78

American Library Assn

 

membership

 

175.00

Baker & Taylor Books

 

library books

 

153.19

Bancard

 

credit card charges

 

183.63

Bluefield Trust

 

paint bandshell

 

1,765.00

Kathy Carlson

 

reimburse for supplies

 

7.22

City of Wellman

 

May utilities&reimbrsmt

 

603.22

Clayton Energy

 

Jun natural gas

 

8,091.65

Duane Covington

 

operator service fee

 

1,500.00

Cox Sanitation & Recycling

 

Jun recycling  & stickers

 

2,886.25

Davidson Titles Inc

 

library books

 

1,152.66

DEMCO

 

library supplies

 

69.59

Diamond Vogel

 

band shell paint

 

828.45

Energy Economics Inc

 

gas meters

 

1,605.23

Federation Bank

 

federal wht,fica,medicare

 

3,714.28

Fessler's Inc

 

new weather siren

 

11,070.00

Freeman Foods

 

supplies

 

313.42

Gambles Hardware

 

supplies

 

53.94

General Fund

 

transfer

 

7,000.00

Don Gingerich

 

permit inspections

 

140.00

Gingerich Well & Pump

 

repair parts

 

94.71

Groebner & Associates

 

gas parts,supplies

 

164.79

HACH Company

 

water testing supplies

 

71.04

Hawkeye Foodservice

 

supplies

 

1,891.12

History Education

 

library DVDs

 

250.00

Chris Huston

 

medical reimbursement

 

2,031.47

Iowa Assn Municipal Utilities

 

newsletters

 

426.03

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

 

annual water supply fee

 

168.76

Iowa League of Cities

 

annual membership dues

 

696.00

Iowa Prison Industries

 

signs

 

106.92

IPERS

 

employee retirement

 

2,358.10

I Wireless

 

cell phone

 

33.88

J&B Repair

 

dump truck repairs

 

323.87

Kalona Machine Shop

 

oxygen exchange

 

21.51

Teresa Lampe

 

medical reimbursement

 

504.77

LL Window Cleaning

 

bldg window cleaning

 

210.00

Mahaska Bottling

 

concessions

 

192.20

Menards

 

supplies,repairs

 

113.70

Steve Miller

 

medical reimbursement,etc

169.85

Municipal Gas System

 

refund customer deposits

 

152.19

Municipal Water System

 

refund customer deposits

 

152.19

William Nickell

 

Jul lease payment

 

150.00

Payroll expense

 

transfers

 

13,625.48

Paws & More

 

Jun contribution

 

200.00

Petty Cash Fund

 

supplies, postage

 

15.00

Pitney Bowes

 

quarterly meter rental

 

390.00

Plumb Supply co

 

repair parts

 

284.72

Plumbers Supply Co

 

repair parts

 

46.01

Quill Corporation

 

office supplies

 

26.90

Reggie Tire

 

fuel

 

814.00

Dave Ross

 

medical reimburs&mileage

481.93

Southeast Iowa Insurance Service

 

additional premium

 

101.00

Standard Pest Control

 

Jul service

 

20.00

Staples

 

library supplies

 

294.95

State Historical Society

 

annual membership dues

 

24.95

TERRA Enterprises

 

gas meter barricade

 

905.23

TestAmerica

 

wastewater testing

 

316.11

Thrapp Electric

 

water plant repairs

 

211.00

Treasurer State of Iowa

 

state wht & sales tax

 

2,859.00

Trio Gas & Hardware

 

supplies, repairs

 

528.10

Upstart

 

summer rdg materials

 

175.64

Vacstar

 

gas line work

 

300.00

Various Vendors

 

employee benefit

 

50.00

Vittetoe Inc

 

storm water grate

 

47.00

Washington County Auditor

 

Jul law contract

 

6,237.50

Washington County Auditor

 

special election

 

1,314.60

Washington Co Emergency Mngmt

 

annual assessment

 

1,908.41

Wellman Advance

 

publications

 

21.36

Wellman Auto Supply

 

parts & supplies

 

15.48

Wellman Farm Center

 

weed spray

 

298.20

Wellman Telephone Company

 

phone services

 

515.26

Mildred Whetstine

 

reimburse for supplies

 

18.53

Rory White

 

medical reimbursement

 

389.52

    TOTAL EXPENDITURES

 

 

 

91,015.66

     At 6:38pm Goodrich moved to enter into closed session for the purpose of discussion and review of the City Administrator’s annual evaluation. Fisher seconded the motion and all voted aye.

     At 7:04pm Fisher moved to enter back into open session after a five minute recess. Slaubaugh seconded and all voted aye.

     Sheriff Dunbar reported on calls of service for Wellman. He stated the biggest issue at the street dance was the new no smoking laws that required smokers to leave the fenced-in dance area to smoke. He said the Babe Ruth tournament would fall under the same restrictions as that will be fenced in as well.

     Resolution No. 08-43 to approve a member’s certificate and a base contract for sale and purchase of natural gas, supplemented and amended by special provisions and a transaction confirmation, approving entry into said certificate and contract, authorizing execution of said certificate of contract, amending and restating a 28E agreement, and authorizing and approving certain other actions was introduced and caused to be read. Goodrich moved to adopt Resolution No. 08-43, Fisher seconded and upon roll call the vote was four ayes, Latcham absent. The Mayor affixed his signature.

     Resolution No. 08-44 to approve the plans, specifications, and form of contract for the 3rd Street water main replacement project was introduced and caused to be read. Ross explained the purpose of the project was to replace the water main which has had several breaks in recent years. It was to be done without an engineer for under $40,000 with the IDNR approval. Resurfacing the street shot the price up requiring engineering and bid letting. The bids came in substantially higher than expected. Ross met with a local contractor today about changing the scope of the project and bringing the cost back down under $40,000. The main would be installed essentially according to the engineer’s plans using the same material and actually added another valve. There would be less curb replacement and chip and seal on the street rather than concrete. The contractor assured Ross the project could be kept under $40,000. After a brief discussion Goodrich moved to adopt Resolution No. 08-44, Pennington seconded and upon roll call the vote was four ayes; Latcham, absent. The Mayor affixed his signature.

     Resolution No. 08-45 to award the 3rd Street water main replacement project to the lowest responsible bidder was introduced and caused to be read. As the scope of the project has changed, Pennington moved to reject all bids and not adopt Resolution No. 08-45. Goodrich seconded the motion and upon roll call the vote was four ayes; Latcham, absent.

     Resolution No. 08-40 to set fiscal year 09 employee salaries and wages was introduced and caused to be read. Discussion was held on the percentage of raises employees received. Ross explained he was attempting to move some of the lower paid employees into a salary range consistent with wages of communities our size and in our area. The resolution also provided for bonuses for certain employees based on annual evaluations. After further discussion, Pennington moved to Adopt Resolution 08-40, Goodrich seconded and upon roll call the vote was four ayes; Latcham, absent. The Mayor affixed his signature.

     Resolution No. 08-42 approving the downtown business incentive grants was introduced and caused to be read. Each grant application was reviewed to include: 1. Renovation of the soda fountain at the Wellman Advance building to provide a coffee shop for the downtown area; 2. Freeman Foods installing new windows and façade to include a canopy similar to the Rediger building; 3. The Longwell Realty building now owned by Robert Runciman will have a new façade as well as interior work; 4. The Wellman Advance building owners plan to remove the canopy and signage and install a burgundy awning similar to the Rediger building and attached signage to the building.  The maximum city grant for each of these projects will be $2,500. Slaubaugh moved to approve all applications and adopt Resolution No. 08-40. Fisher seconded, and upon roll call the vote was four ayes; Latcham, absent. The Mayor affixed his signature.

     Resolution No. 08-46 to appoint Brenda Christiansen to the position of Senior Dining Site Manager was introduced and caused to be read. Current site manager, Mildred Whetstine has turned in a letter of resignation as of July 10. Goodrich moved to adopt Resolution No. 08-46, Slaubaugh seconded and upon roll call, there were four aye votes; Latcham, absent. The Mayor affixed his signature.       

     Resolution No. 08-47 authorizing and approving a loan agreement and providing for the issuance of $1,185,000 General Obligation Corporate Purpose Bonds, Series 2008 and providing for the levy of taxes to pay the same was introduced and caused to be read. Goodrich moved to adopt Resolution No. 08-47, Fisher seconded and upon roll call the vote was four ayes; Latcham, absent. The Mayor affixed his signature.

     The fiscal year 2009 Washington County Law Enforcement contract was presented. Fisher moved to approve the fy09 contract, Pennington seconded and all present voted aye.

     Ross reported seven engineering companies filed proposals for services to conduct a water quality study for Wellman. He recommended meeting with four finalists on Thursday to interview and select the firm. Ross recommended asking Howard R. Green Company, French-Reneker-Associates, Fox Engineering, and MSA Professional Services. Pennington moved to set Thursday, July 10, 2008, 6:00pm as a special session to interview these four firms. Slaubaugh seconded the motion and all present voted aye. 

     As Brenda Christiansen has been appointed to the site manager position, Ross asked for authorization to advertise for the cook’s position. It was council consensus to advertise and have the Commission do the interviews with Ross, who will bring their recommendation to the council.

     Annual appointments to commissions were presented to include: Senior Center Commission: Henry Miller, Alberta Walker, Gary Nafziger, and Laverta Yoder; Planning and Zoning Commssion: Dennis Nygaard. Goodrich moved to approve these appointments, Fisher seconded and all present voted aye. Vacancies yet to fill are two Planning and Zoning members and one Board of Adjustment member.

      No one spoke in the Public Forum.

     During General Administrative discussion the July 4th events were discussed and ways to keep the many parade attendees in town for the day. The volunteers who made all the events and the street dance possible were thanked.

     With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 8:12pm upon motion by Pennington, second by Slaubaugh and all aye votes. The next regular City Council meeting will be Monday, July 7, 2008, 7:00pm in the Council Chambers of the Wellman Municipal Building.

 

 

The minutes transcribed by the City Clerk subject to Council approval.