Belle Plaine, Iowa
April 15, 2020
The Belle Plaine City Council met on April 15, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. in the council chambers with Mayor Dave Fish presiding. Present: Mary Pech, Judy Schlesselman, Garrett Landuyt, and Mark Tegeler. Mitch Malcolm attended by telephone. Also present: City Administrator Stephen Beck, City Clerk Jacki McDermott, Assistant City Attorney Gage Kensler, and Morgan Mitchell from Belle Plaine Community Development Corporation who was present video the meeting for Facebook. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Motion by Pech, seconded by Schlesselman to approve the Consent Agenda, the Council Minutes of April 1, 2020, and bills received. On roll call vote, all voted Aye, motion carried.
Resident Comments: none.
The mayor presented three nuisance abatement extension requests. Pech made a motion, seconded by Tegeler to do a 30-day extension because of bad health to the resident at 910 7th Avenue. On roll call vote, all voted Aye; motion carried. Landuyt made a motion, seconded by Malcolm to do a 30-day extension because of a licensing situation on a car to the resident at 1005 6th Avenue. On roll call vote, all voted Aye; motion carried. Schlesselman made a motion, seconded by Pech to do a 30-day extension to the resident at 1008 9th Avenue. The cars are all gone and the rest is ready to go to the landfill but the landfill is not open to the public at this time. On roll call vote, all voted Aye; motion carried.
City Council Video … https://www.facebook.com/BPCDC/videos/222153765721497/
Morgan Mitchell from Belle Plaine Community Development Corporation gave the council a written report on her activities. The mayor remarked that BPCDC and Benton Development Group have been doing a good job on finding out what is available for businesses and having lots of computer time and making lots of phone calls.
Police Chief Kris Hudson left a report for the Council that the new police vehicle is being readied at Karl Chevrolet. Officers Ben Eden and Austin Wille are at the police academy and are about half done with their studies. The police and ambulance have been busy. The emergency services teams have been participating in drive-by birthday parades for children in town.
The City Administrator gave an overview of the Housing 360 program. Potentially four to six houses could be built this year. They have eight floor plans and could use a city owned lot or another lot to build on. Steve from Housing 360 will be coming to City Hall on April 30th. If council members are interested in meeting Steve, they should come to the office then. There is an annual charge of $3,600 to coordinate between the city and the housing customers. Tegeler made a motion, seconded by Malcolm to approve Resolution 20-04-02 a Resolution of Support and Financial Commitment for the Rural Housing 360 Program. On roll call vote, all voted Aye; motion carried.
The Council discussed Ordinance #69: a 15-minute parking spot for prescription customers by taking parking spots on 8th Avenue south of 12th Street and remarking them. Permanent signs will be placed reserving the spot for 15-minute parking from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Schlesselman made a motion, seconded by Pech to approve the second reading of Ordinance #69. On roll call vote, all voted Aye; motion carried. Tegeler made a motion, seconded by Pech to waive the third reading of Ordinance #69. On roll call vote, all voted Aye; motion carried.
The Council and Assistant City Attorney Gage Kensler discussed a proposed ordinance #158 which is a property maintenance code similar to the nuisance property code of Vinton, Iowa. Mayor will put this on future council agendas for the start of readings.
Tegeler made a motion, seconded by Landuyt to approve a contract with Mosquito Control of Iowa for five sprayings this year at a price of $5400. On roll call vote, all voted Aye; motion carried.
The Treasurer’s Report and the Profit and Loss vs. Budget Report and the Solar Report were given to the Council for their information.
City Administrator Stephen Beck told the Council about the well house #3 has been tripping breakers and pulling high amperage. They found sand and gravel in the well and are working on repairing it. There was a fire yesterday and a hydrant test today and that most likely caused brown water today. Work will begin soon on flushing all the hydrants.
The owner of the vacant lot at 9th Avenue and 13th Street contacted the city and will donate the lot to the city. Mowing of city owned property will be discussed this week in a team meeting, with all of the mowing this year being done by city employees.
Test plots for hemp will also be investigated by the city administrator’s office.
The City is wearing masks tonight to lead the way. It is recommended to us by medical people in the community, as well as the Governor and we do have masks available. Mitch Malcolm mentioned that possibly he might be receiving some masks from South Korea. Stephen Beck told the Council about Frontier Herbs donating one thousand N95 masks to Benton County Emergency groups.
Mayor Dave Fish told the council that the Benton landfill meeting was to be held by phone conference on Thursday April 16, 2020. The landfill is trying to figure out how to reopen to the general public again. He also mentioned that Benton Development Group and East Central Iowa Council of Governments will probably only be having executive council sessions in the immediate future. City Administrator Stephen Beck will be looking into options for microphones and remote access for future council meetings.
A water project was just finished on 14th Street. The old water main had not been disconnected when new mains were put in many years ago and our crews had to run lines to the newer water main and demolish the old main.
Old Business: None
Motion by Tegeler to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Landuyt. On roll call vote, all voted Aye. Meeting adjourned at 7:23 p.m.
____________________________
Dave Fish, Mayor
Attest: _____________________________
Jacki McDermott, City Clerk
Transcribed by the City Clerk subject to Council approval
| Claims Approved by the City Council on April 15, 2020 | |
| $14,410.01 | Alliant (all bills) |
| $673.00 | Anderson-Bogert Engineers (map) |
| $671.49 | Austin Wille (mileage and meals at police academy) |
| $1,075.90 | Belle Plaine Hardware (supplies all depts) |
| $739.99 | Ben Eden (mileage and meals at police academy) |
| $138.14 | Brandon Pierce (clothing) |
| $317.71 | Carquest (supplies all depts) |
| $22.00 | Countryside Vet Clinic (boarding strays) |
| $1,320.00 | Cronbaugh Excavating (watermain repair) |
| $175.00 | Dennis Wiese (tree trimming) |
| $3,417.91 | East Side Body Shop (vehicle repair) |
| $28.50 | Fresh Scents of Iowa (bathroom deodorizer) |
| $1,312.01 | Grieder’s Standard (fuel all depts) |
| $103.40 | Group Services (premiums) |
| $1,070.50 | Hamilton Construction & Concrete (water repairs) |
| $175.00 | Hawkeye Fire & Safety (fire dept extinguisher) |
| $9.00 | Iowa Dept of Agriculture & Land Stewardship (Comm Meter License) |
| $159.13 | John Grieder Motor (Tahoe battery relay) |
| $75.00 | Lon Weber (community center reimbursement) |
| $1,109.43 | Kollmorgen, Schlue & Zahradnik (legals) |
| $1,425.53 | KMDE (solar electricity) |
| $914.55 | Koch Office Group (copy machine contract) |
| $229.62 | Manatt’s (sand) |
| $149.41 | National Processing Center (credit card fees) |
| $9,975.57 | Northway Corp (pump repair) |
| $1,219.25 | Overhead Door of Cedar Rapids (fix door) |
| $31.70 | Petty Cash (police postage and soap) |
| $200.00 | Pitney Bowes (postage meter leasing) |
| $237.34 | Precision Sheet Metal (box for truck) |
| $402.91 | Register Media (legals) |
| $12,138.16 | Republic Services (garbage, recycling March & sewer plant April) |
| $2,103.86 | Schimberg (water parts) |
| $1,064.00 | Thomas Company (COVID-19 air purifiers) |
| $59.37 | Town & Country Wholesale Co (towels and pine cleaner) |
| $46.61 | U.S. Cellular (police cell) |
| $132.50 | VGM Forbin (COVID-19 remote computer setup) |
| $1,349.67 | Visa (Call Em All, pandemic supplies, training) |
| $767.02 | USA Communications (telephone and internet all bldgs) |
| $1,026.63 | Wendling Quarries (rock) |
| $58,683.17 | |
| March 2020 SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS | |
| Revenues by Fund | |
| General | $35,164.49 |
| Road Use | $12,844.89 |
| Special Revenue (exc Road Use) | $31,558.58 |
| Capital Projects | $162.68 |
| Debt Service (proceeds of debt) | $12,125.67 |
| Airport | $660.00 |
| Water Project 2019 | $0.00 |
| Water | $26,990.85 |
| Sewer Capital Project | $0.00 |
| Sewer | $36,850.28 |
| Landfill/Garbage | $19,753.60 |
| Storm Water | $4,840.00 |
| Yard Waste | $2,306.00 |
| $183,257.04 | |
| Disbursements by Fund | |
| General | $50,492.03 |
| Prairie Park | $0.00 |
| Partners for Beautification | $0.00 |
| Road Use | $25,776.71 |
| Donovan Spending | $0.00 |
| Equipment | $0.00 |
| Economic Development | $633.33 |
| Housing & Urban Development | $0.00 |
| Employee Benefits | $11,834.13 |
| Emergency Fund | $0.00 |
| Police Forfeiture | $0.00 |
| LOST | $47.50 |
| TIF | $0.00 |
| Medical Bldg | $0.00 |
| Community Center | $1,156.24 |
| Library Improvement | $624.96 |
| Capital Projects | $441.00 |
| Debt Service | $0.00 |
| Airport | $8,800.77 |
| Water Project 2019 | $0.00 |
| Water | $25,671.18 |
| Sewer Project | $0.00 |
| Sewer | $17,981.87 |
| Landfill/Garbage | $15,110.75 |
| Storm Water | $64.99 |
| Yard Waste | $64.99 |
| $158,700.45 |
