ACKLEY CITY COUNCIL met in special session, November 29, 2017, in the Ackley Civic Center with Mayor Erik Graham presiding. The meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m. Council members present: Al Jones, Joe Wessels, Dale Brass, Robert Harms and Sue Ibeling. Quorum present.
Ibeling moved, Jones seconded, to approve the November 29, 2017 Agenda as listed. Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Harms moved, Brass seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-63 Approving the Annual Urban Renewal Report for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2017. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Jones moved, Ibeling seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-64 Approving the Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2017. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Wessels moved, Harms seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-65 Authorizing Issuance of Quit Claim Deed. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried. This resolution states that Pebworth Homes, LLC has satisfied the terms of their purchase contract for property known as 403 and 422 Lincoln Avenue.
Harms moved, Wessels seconded, to adopt Resolution No. 17-66 Hiring Jordan Cobie as a Reserve Police Officer. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried. Per the Resolution, Cobie was hired at a wage of $10.00 per hour effective immediately.
Lee Gallentine, CGA, presented to the council a background summary on the EPA order and new discharge permit for the sanitary sewer. Gallentine explained that data from 2009-2011 showed that the amount of water treated at the sewer plant far exceeded the amount of water billed to utility customers. This inflow is what started the new EPA order. Several things contributed to this rather than just one big issue, but decades of no maintenance or repairs played a part. In 2013 the EPA approved a plan through 2044. The original estimated cost over time to do the necessary repairs in the City was $4.5 million. Then the new discharge permit came about. This relates to the lagoon only, which is not meeting the ammonia and E. coli limits. Gallentine explained that if the City doesn’t accelerate the needed repairs in town, the DNR will require the City to build a plant based on the high sewage levels in 2010. Some changes were made which reduced the estimated cost for the repairs to $3 million. The DNR has given the City more time to reduce the flow, but they must see a significant reduction. The new discharge permit was amended so that progress reports must now be submitted to the DNR by July 1, 2018 and July 1, 2019, with final plans for the lagoon submitted by April 1, 2020.
With no further discussion, Harms moved, Ibeling seconded, to adjourn at 5:13 p.m. Ayes-All. Motion carried.
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Erik Graham, Mayor
ATTEST: _______________________________
Kelly DeBerg, City Clerk