Belle Plaine, Iowa
July 7, 2021
The Belle Plaine City Council met on July 7, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. at the Belle Plaine Community Center to allow for social distancing, with Mayor Dave Fish presiding. Present: Mary Pech, Judy Schlesselman, Mitch Malcolm and Garrett Landuyt. Mark Tegeler was absent. Also present: City Administrator Stephen Beck and City Clerk Jacki McDermott.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Motion by Landuyt to approve the consent agenda consisting of the council minutes of June 16, 2021, council minutes of June 29, 2021, receiving and filing of the minutes from the June 22, 2021, meeting of the Belle Plaine Community Library Board of Trustees and bills received, seconded by Schlesselman. On roll call, all voted aye. Motion carried.
Residents Comments: None.
Motion by Malcolm, seconded by Pech to approve giving the mayor power to sign an objective/policy statement for the City of Belle Plaine to establish a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) program in accordance with regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 49 CFR Part 26, regarding airport projects. On roll call vote, all voted aye, motion carried.
Motion by Schlesselman, seconded by Landuyt to approve a Belle Plaine Business Incentive Grant in the amount of $4,500.00 for The Deranged Haunted Attraction, LLC at 102 8th Street in Belle Plaine. On roll call vote, all voted aye, motion carried.
Motion by Malcolm, seconded by Landuyt to approve the second reading of Ordinance 87, an ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Belle Plaine, Iowa, by amending provisions pertaining to water rates. The raise is $.20 per thousand gallons in town and a raise of $.25 per thousand gallons out of town. Rates are based on the bond closing rate study by Northland Securities. On roll call vote, all voted aye, motion carried.
Motion by Schlesselman, seconded by Pech to approve the second reading of Ordinance 99, an ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Belle Plaine, Iowa, by amending provisions pertaining to sewer rates. The raise is $.33 per thousand gallons. Rates are based on the bond closing rate study by Northland Securities. On roll call vote, all voted aye, motion carried.
The City Administrator, Stephen Beck, reported that he has contacted Wilford Stone, a legal negotiator, to review the police salaries and take this information to the union. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed and sent to the Union. He reported that all known water leaks have been fixed. He has also contacted a worker concerning repairs to Well #5. The well levels have crept up, but water restrictions are still in place.
He also advised the council that he is very pleased about the meetings he has had with FEMA and the engineering firm and they are currently working on projects on 21st Street, and culverts by Gene Severson’s, by the golf course and on 10th Avenue by the bus barn.
He has called the DOT about routing traffic around the Highway 30 construction. Traffic flows will increase because Highway 21 will be shut down. The DOT said the Highway 21 Interchange will take 1 ½ years and that it will be three more years before Highway 30 is converted to a four lane.
He told the council there will be five more home inspections tomorrow. The police department will be helping with search warrants and two of the buildings are inhabited.
He told the council about developing a possible 28-E agreement with Williamsburg concerning such items as a backhoe operator, a sewer line jetter and a concrete cutter. Williamsburg is in need of a water/sewer operator and we are in need of a heavy equipment operator. He is to also look into purchasing a used generator from Williamsburg.
The Mayor told the council that the Benton Development Group met with Iowa County Development and decided to extend their agreement with Kate Robertson for another 90 days. Their next meeting will be back in Van Horne. They are also planning a luncheon for city clerks in the county so that they will be able to meet and exchange ideas.
Mayor Dave Fish told the council about problems with the recently installed school traffic signals. He believes that the lights need to be red flashing lights or flashing strobes, not flashing yellow lights. He will continue talks with the DOT and the engineering firm.
Correspondence: The Mayor presented a thank you note from Trish and Matt Miller for the police department. Also, the city has been announced as a recipient of a $100,000 Community Catalyst grant for a project at 712 12th Street.
Old Business: None.
Resident Comments: None
Motion by Landuyt to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Malcolm. On roll call, all voted aye. Meeting adjourned at 7:01 p.m.
Dave Fish, Mayor
Attest: Jacki McDermott, City Clerk
Transcribed by the City Clerk subject to Council approval
Jim Magdefrau 