The Belle Plaine City Council met on July 15, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers with Mayor Dave Fish presiding. Present: Judy Schlesselman, Mitch Malcolm and Andy Neuhaus. Mary Pech was present by phone. Mark Tegeler was absent. Also present City Administrator Jeff Horne, City Clerk Jacki McDermott, and City Attorney Jennifer Zahradnik.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Motion by Schlesselman to approve the consent agenda consisting of council minutes from July 1, 2019, council minutes of the Special Council Meeting of July 11, 2019, receiving and filing of the minutes from the June 2, 2019 meeting of the Belle Plaine Community Library Board of Trustees meeting and bills received, second was by Neuhaus. On roll call, all voted aye. Motion carried.
Residents Comments: Laurie Breja commented that it costs the City $187 to hold animals and also $187 if someone chooses to adopt and the last three animals held have been put down. The Mayor commented that the City is open for suggestions. The City does have an agreement with Countryside Vet Clinic to house animals for seven days. The City pays a daily rate and paid the last two organized groups $60 per animal + a rabies shot before transporting them to a shelter. The Mayor said that he would speak with the vet, but that is a private business. What the City needs is a new group that has an agreement with the City. Laurie said she just wanted to bring the subject to the council’s attention.
Morgan Mitchell and Greg Johnson from Belle Plaine Community Development Corporation were present to report that the car show and street dance on July 3rd was the successful, in spite of the weather, and that the local vendors had good nights. They gave a big thanks to the city workers for their help in making this event a success. Morgan, Kate Robertson and three others have been attending a class on Leading Communities for three months and their last day is July 24, 2019. They recently toured Frontier Herbs. The Sound Park is open for play and the Dedication and Celebration of Larry Schlue Memorial Sound Park will be held at 10:00 a.m. on September 21, 2019. Duronda Schlue and John Schlue will be present for the grand opening. Landscaping for the area is yet to be done and will consist of prairie grass and flowers. Governor Kim Reynolds will be in town on Thursday and will meet first at City Hall and then go down to the Sound Park. The BPCDC Golf Outing will be on August 2, 2019. Brandon Pierce is in charge of the city team. The Main Street Iowa Fall Workshop will be held in Dubuque on August 27th-29th. They also invited to the public to view the new website called growbelleplaine.com.
Lyle Morrow had asked for the elimination of a city tax assessment of $1,679.42 for unpaid water, sewer and garbage utilities on the property at 702 15th Street. The assessment was all for utility charges at the residence by the previous owner, which the city could attempt to recoup through Income Offset. Andy Neuhaus noted that in the interest of getting the house refurbished and back on the market, possibly fees could be forgiven. For example, some assessments have been released because they were for mowing or snow removal only. Pech was opposed if the City has out-of-pocket costs for utility bills. Lyle Morrow had said before that he would agree with 50% of the assessment being forgiven. City Administrator Jeff Horne said that research should be done on what assessments have already been forgiven by the city and possibly the city should make a policy on releasing assessments. Motion by Malcolm, seconded by Schlesselman to table the matter until the next meeting so that administration can investigate this matter further. All voted Aye; the motion was approved.
Janice Gammon from the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway gave a presentation outlining their programming. There will be a Military Vehicle Preservation Association parade of old military vehicles going from coast to coast stopping in Belle Plaine on August 23rd from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They will be having lunch at the Legion and want to stop all the vehicles and block off 12th Street from 9th Avenue to 11th Avenue. They also want police to control traffic on 13th Street when they approach onto 12th Street. Mary Preston also gave information about the progress on renovating Preston’s Station. They received a paint grant and will be doing a structural review of all the buildings on the lot, cataloging all the artifacts and working on a HRDP grant to get on the National Registry of Historic Places.
The Committee of the Whole also discussed a proposed neighborhood block party to be held in the south end of town in August. The person who is interested did not attend the meeting, so at this time the council is not considering the matter.
Motion by Schlesselman, seconded by Malcolm to approve Resolution 19-07-02 Approving the Transfer of $619.83 from the General Fund and Closing the Franklin Field Capital Project Fund. On roll call, all voted Aye. Motion carried. Neuhaus remarked that Richard Sankot was willing to donate block but nobody came to him for a donation. Mayor Fish said that would be up to the Park Board. Neuhaus said it is still the City. The Mayor said they are a separate elected board but that he will give the information to Lance Hinschberger, Parks and Rec Director.
Motion by Malcolm, seconded by Neuhaus to approve Resolution 19-07-03 Approving Opening the Park Bathrooms Capital Project Fund. On roll call, all voted Aye. Motion carried.
Motion by Malcolm, seconded by Schlesselman to not approve the Vinton newspapers as the official city newspapers. On roll call vote, all voted Aye, motion carried.
The City Clerk gave the Council the City Treasurer’s Report for June and the June City Budget report.
Chief Hudson left a written report of calls for the month of June.
Kirkwood Community College has a tower north of town on the City of Belle Plaine water tower site. Kirkwood had renewed the lease with the City and then sold the tower, now they want to assign the lease (not for educational purposes). Motion by Malcolm, seconded by Schlesselman, to send an offer to the new company with a lease agreement proposal. Since they are offering the City $500 a year for 20 years, the City’s proposal is to make it $1,000 per year for five years only without automatic renewal and free city use. On roll call vote, all voted Aye, motion carried. The City Attorney will draw up Resolution 19-08-01 for the next council meeting to finalize the lease agreement with SWIF-Iowa for use of the water tower property for a communications tower.
The Council directed the Mayor to inquire from Callahan Municipal Consultants how much the charge would be to collect resumes and pick out the top five candidates in the search for a new city administrator.
The Council is considering changing meeting times to the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. Malcolm will conduct a poll on the Belle Plaine Sesquicentennial site.
City Administrator, Jeff Horne, shared information about the STIP grant for a new school stop light on 7th Avenue that has been submitted. The city may have to come up with a local match. He also thanked the City Council for the opportunity to work in Belle Plaine. He will be leaving the mayor and employees lists about ongoing projects.
Mayor Dave Fish reported that Airport Commission want to discontinue the use of the PAPI lights on the runway. They have to be disassembled when there is high water because they can’t be sealed, so the Commission wants to stop using them. He also told the Council about a Rotary Bus Stop on the parking by the old school on 9th avenue. They will be seeking permission to put it near the entrance. The council agreed to approve a resolution allowing that at the next meeting.
Resident comments: None.
Correspondence: None.
Old Business: The Herring Hotel court date will be July 26, 2019. The ruling could be in a few weeks.
Motion by Neuhaus to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Malcolm. On roll call vote, all voted Aye, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:02 p.m.
Transcribed by the City Clerk subject to Council approval
BILLS
Claims Approved by the City Council on July 15, 2019
$63.85 Alliant (all bills)
$1,518.10 ACCO (pool maintenance)
$3,545.00 Anderson Bogert (engineering)
$1,072.40 Belle Plaine Hardware (supplies all depts)
$49.00 Countryside Vet Clinic (boarding strays)
$910.00 Cronbaugh Lawn Care and Snow Removal (mowing)
$420.00 Dennis Wiese (trimming trees)
$333.50 Ehlen Plumbing & Heating (city hall labor & sleep center)
$36.91 Elizabeth Wade (water deposit refund)
$154.50 Friedman Farm Supply (mower belt)
$292.51 Gall’s (police equipment)
$1,329.00 Grieder Standard (fuel all depts)
$94.00 Group Services (premiums)
$45.00 H&L Repair (tire repair)
$71.64 Harris Flowers (flowers for flag pole)
$8,360.94 Hamilton Construction Concrete (concrete)
$1,055.60 Keystone Labs (sewer testing)
$2,105.03 Kluesner Construction (striping and stenciling streets)
$613.00 Koch Brothers (copy machine contract)
$1,416.55 Kollmorgen, Schlue & Zahradnik (legals)
$80.00 Midwest Radar & Equipment (radar certification)
$56.43 National Processing Company (credit card fees)
$435.00 Northland Securities (disclosure report)
$4.39 Petty Cash (postage)
$273.00 Port O Jonny (portable restrooms)
$24.60 Quill (binders)
$175.97 Rabe Hardware (thermostat repair)
$484.22 Register Media (legals & job ad)
$11,674.00 Republic Services (garbage, recycling June & sewer plant July)
$47.50 Rite Way Pest Control (community center)
$376.41 Schimberg (water parts)
$13.00 State Hygienic Lab (water testing pool)
$238.10 Storey Kenworthy (office supplies)
$1,033.30 Town & Country Wholesale (supplies all depts)
$300.00 Trinity Schnoor (lifeguard training)
$992.69 USA Communications (phone and internet all depts)
$45.79 U.S. Cellular (police cell)
$460.84 Visa (Call-Em-All, pool supplies)
$546.00 Wittrock T-Shirts (pool & ball shirts, police uniforms)
$40,201.77
June 2019 SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS
Revenues by Fund
General $1,421.81
Road Use $26,521.76
Special Revenue (exc Road Use) $24,106.38
Capital Projects $2,129.82
Debt Service (proceeds of debt) $9,688.97
Airport Runway 18/36 $0.00
Airport $1,065.00
Water $16,376.81
Sewer Capital Project $0.00
Sewer $25,338.14
Landfill/Garbage $15,569.34
Storm Water $4,820.82
Yard Waste $1,611.40
Other Proprietary Funds -$700.00
$127,950.25
Disbursements by Fund
General $85,156.91
Prairie Park $182.00
Partners for Beautification $131.35
Road Use $29,577.79
Donovan Spending $1,130.00
Equipment $22,943.00
Economic Development $97.80
Housing & Urban Development $0.00
Employee Benefits -$1,506.41
Emergency Fund $0.00
Police Forfeiture $0.00
LOST $77.10
TIF $0.00
Medical Bldg $0.00
Community Center $2,861.26
Library Improvement $699.39
Capital Projects $6,115.00
Debt Service $0.12
Airport Runway 18/36 $0.00
Airport $836.52
Water $88,590.31
Sewer Project $0.00
Sewer Sinking Fund $160,302.57
Sewer $18,409.54
Landfill/Garbage $16,883.11
Storm Water $8,367.29
Yard Waste $0.00
$440,854.65
Jim Magdefrau 