ACKLEY CITY COUNCIL met in regular session, August 9, 2017, in the Ackley Civic Center with Mayor Pro Tem Dale Brass presiding. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Council members present: Sue Ibeling, Al Jones, Joe Wessels and Robert Harms. Absent: None. Quorum present.
Harms moved, Ibeling seconded, to approve the August 9, 2017 Agenda as listed. Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Jones moved, Wessels seconded, to approve the Consent Agenda by one motion: a) July 12, 2017 Regular Mtg; July 24, 2017 Special Mtg; August 3, 2017 Special Mtg Minutes as written b) Bills approval authorizing payment of bills and transfers as listed c) Place Reports on file: July 2017 Clerk Bank Reconciliation/Treasurer Report; July 2017 Clerk Budget Reports; July 2017 Deputy Clerk Utility Billing Reconciliation; July 2017 Ambulance End of Month Report. Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Ibeling moved, Harms seconded, to open the public hearing at 7:02 p.m. on the first reading of proposed Ordinance No. 498 Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ackley, Iowa by Adding New Subsection 92.04(4) Returned Checks and Automatic Clearing House (ACH) Rejects. Ayes-All. Motion carried. No oral or written comments or objections were received.
Wessels moved, Ibeling seconded, to close the public hearing at 7:03 p.m. Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Harms moved, Wessels seconded, to approve the first reading of proposed Ordinance No. 498 Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ackley, Iowa by Adding New Subsection 92.04(4) Returned Checks and Automatic Clearing House (ACH) Rejects. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Harms moved, Ibeling seconded, to waive the second and third readings of said proposed Ordinance No. 498. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Ibeling moved, Harms seconded, to adopt proposed Ordinance No. 498 Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ackley, Iowa by Adding New Subsection 92.04(4) Returned Checks and Automatic Clearing House (ACH) Rejects. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried. This ordinance explains the NSF service fee.
Ibeling moved, Jones seconded, to open the public hearing at 7:06 p.m. on the first reading of proposed ordinance No. 499 Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ackley, Iowa by Amending Section 100.05, Pertaining to the Storm Water Drainage System Payment of Rates. Ayes-All. Motion carried. No oral or written comments or objections were received. Wessels moved, Ibeling seconded, to close the public hearing at 7:07 p.m. Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Harms moved, Ibeling seconded to approve the first reading of proposed ordinance No. 499 Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ackley, Iowa by Amending Section 100.05, Pertaining to the Storm Water Drainage System Payment of Rates. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Jones moved, Wessels seconded, to waive the second and third readings of said proposed Ordinance No. 499. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Wessels moved, Jones seconded, to adopt proposed Ordinance No. 499 Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ackley, Iowa by Amending Section 100.05, Pertaining to the Storm Water Drainage System Payment of Rates. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried. This ordinance makes the billing of storm sewer fees the same as all other utility services. On rental properties the City will no longer bill the property owner this fee and the tenant all other fees. All utility services will be billed on the same account, either all to the property owner or all to the tenant, at the owner’s discretion.
Jason Miller, MSA Professional Services, gave a brief introduction of his firm stating that his firm is a municipal engineering firm, with grant writers on staff, that not only address engineering issues, but also related funding issues with a project.
Ibeling moved, Harms seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-33 Establishing the Fee for Non-Sufficient Funds. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried. This resolution set the NSF fee at $28.00.
Harms moved, Wessels seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-34 Temporarily Closing Certain Street for the 2017 Prairie Bridges Park Fest Burnout Rally. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Wessels moved, Jones seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-35 Settings Wages for Malena Dennis. Roll call vote: Ayes-Harms, Jones, Wessels and Brass. Nays-Ibeling. Motion carried. This resolution sets the wage for Malena Dennis, Deputy City Clerk, at $15.00 per hour.
Harms moved, Ibeling seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-36 Authorizing the Write Off of Bad Debt for Property Address 403 Lincoln Avenue. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried. This resolution authorizes $1,163.97 to be written off of the City’s books.
Wessels moved, Harms seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-37 Authorizing the Write Off of Bad Debt for Property Addresses 602 Main Street and 616 Main Street. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried. This resolution authorizes $1,054.14 to be written off of the City’s books.
Ibeling moved, Jones seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-38 Authorizing the Write Off of Bad Debt for Property Address 521 Mitchell Street. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried. This resolution authorizes $192.43 to be written off of the City’s books.
Lee Gallentine, Ryken Engineering, informed the Council that work is complete on the water tower and that the contractor is required to have it inspected. Gallentine explained to the Council that the County Engineer was needing to know if the City wanted a bike trail or sidewalk on the new North Franklin Street Bridge. This would add $250,000 to the cost of which $50,000 the City would be responsible for. Council did not feel it was necessary. Gallentine also informed the Council that the waterway in the Industrial Park is complete as well as the final plat except for easements. Gallentine presented a bid of $9,530 for the battery powered flow meter installation for the 2017 Sanitary Sewer Lining Project. The original bid, which was pulled out of the contract, was for $16,686.22. The Water/Sanitation Council Committee agreed to move forward with the new less expensive option. Gallentine received an update from CGA on the South Butler Street Project. CGA stated that the paving should be completed at the end of the month with the rock shoulder and seeding to follow.
Wessels shared with the Council information regarding the demolition of the elevator. Fire Training Consultants, Inc. estimated that it would cost less than $8,000 for them to burn it down. There would be other things the City would need to do that would have some costs, but total cost was estimated at $14,000 max. Wessels has a couple of other options he is still looking into.
Wessels moved, Ibeling seconded, to put the two CD’s at approximately $45,000 each maturing September 16, 2017 into a Prime Money Market Account upon maturity. Ayes-All. Motion carried. This will eliminate the need for the Council to address what to do with this money every three months, while making the funds available as needed, and continuing to earn the same rate of interest.
Council discussed the allocation of the Local Option Sales Tax. Currently the ballot states that 75% is for Capital Improvements in the form of street projects and 25% is for City Maintenance and Debt Service. Due to the City’s current tight financial situation, City Clerk DeBerg suggested removing the restrictions and letting the Council vote as needed as to how to spend it. Jones moved, Harms seconded, to place a public measure on the ballot of the upcoming city election which would change the allocation of the Local Option Sales Tax so that it could be used for any governmental purpose at the discretion of the Council. Ayes-Jones, Wessels, Brass and Harms. Nays-Ibeling. Motion carried.
Harms moved, Jones seconded, to change the date of the next regular council meeting to the third Wednesday of the month, September 20, 2017, to accommodate the City Clerk’s schedule.
DeBerg explained to the Council that the 0% Planning and Design Loan for the Sewer Improvement Project could not only be for future engineering fees, but for engineering fees already paid for this project. Considering the Sewer Fund currently has a negative balance, DeBerg suggested the City request a loan in the amount of $155,000, which would pay back in to the Sewer Fund the engineering fees of $104,500 already paid in FY17, as well as pay for the estimated upcoming fees of $50,000. Harms moved, Wessels seconded, to apply for a Planning and Design Loan for the Sewer Improvement Project in the amount of $155,000. Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Wessels gave an update on the City Hall improvements. The floor in the main floor bathroom is complete and everything else for that bathroom remodel is purchased, as well as a faucet for the upstairs bathroom, and is waiting to be installed. Wessels has obtained a bid for the heating and cooling on the main floor. Council discussed whether or not to update the heating and cooling upstairs. Wessels will continue to look into costs for heating and cooling as well as electrical. Police Chief Shimon asked about relocating the police department. The Public Safety Council Committee will look into the options and what is feasible.
DeBerg gave updates on other old business. Habitat for Humanity has received the title opinion on the lot that they want to donate to the City, and are supposed to be drawing up the deed. DeBerg has not yet received from City Attorney Smith the new ordinance regarding damage to landscaping in the right-of-way.
Public Comments: Dustin Ingram introduced himself to the Council as the new Ackley Development Director.
With no further discussion, Harms moved, Jones seconded, to adjourn at 8:17 p.m. Ayes-All. Motion carried.
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