City Council Meeting Regular Session
Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.
City Hall Council Room, 480 Third Avenue, Atkins, Iowa, 52206
Minutes
Mayor Bruce Visser called the meeting to order at 6:31 pm.
Present were Council members David Fisher and Samantha Petersen in-person and EJ Bell and Trevor Dursky by phone. Absent: Jim Koehn. Also present were Interim City Administrator Sandi Fowler, City Engineer Nick Eisenbacher and members of the public.
Fisher moved to approve the agenda. Petersen seconded. Council member Fisher requested that items number 7 and 8 be reversed and the Mayor agreed. Ayes:
Petersen, Fisher, Bell, and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried.
Fisher moved to approve the consent agenda. Dursky seconded. Consent agenda items included Council Minutes for August 13 and 19, 2024, List of Bills for Approval, Resolution 2024-08-07 authorizing payment of contractor’s pay request 7 in the amount of $6,712.50 to Ralston Eco Homes LLC of Shellsburg, Iowa per IEDA CONTRACT 20-DRH-013, and Resolution 2024-08-08 approving Atkins Friends of the Library Book Sale and Vendor Fair on November 15-16, 2024. Ayes: Fisher, Petersen, Bell, and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried.
List of Bills
CLAIMS REPORT
VENDOR REFERENCE AMOUNT
EFTPS FED/FICA TAX 3,063.70
AMY BREESE HSA 8/16/24 50.00
TODD DAMON HSA 8/16/24 111.53
MIKE RAMMELSBERG HSA 8/16/24 73.07
PAYROLL EMPLOYEE CHECKS PAYROLL 7/28/24-8/10/24 9,520.48
BENTON COUNTY EXTENSION SCIENCE DISCOVERY CAMP 300.00
ACCESS SYSTEMS NETWORK SUPPORT 980.38
ACCESS SYSTEMS LEASING EQUIP LEASES/COPIERS 861.98
ACME TOOLS SUPPLIES 243.94
ALTORFER INC. GOLF CART RENTAL 611.00
ATKINS AUTO REPAIR TRUCK REPAIR 448.52
BENTON CO SOLID WASTE COMM TIPPING FEES 2,022.16
CHEM-SULT, INC. CHEMICALS 1,862.60
CROELL INC STREET MAINT 440.00
CUSTOM HOSE AND SUPPLIES, INC HOSE ASSEMBLY 89.42
DELTA INDUSTRIES INC. AIR COMPRESSOR WORK 2,164.43
ESG PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTA JULY SERVICE 1,933.00
FASTENAL SUPPLIES 33.21
FOWLER PUBLIC SECTOR CONS CONSULT 080324-081824 8,250.00
GAZETTE COMMUNICATIONS, Inc. MINUTES 8/6 36.66
ION ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIO LABS 1,554.00
IOWA DNR NPDES WWTP PERMIT FY25 210.00
JARROD TOMILNSON JULY 24 MILEAGE 101.17
JOHN DEERE FINANCIAL SUPPLIES 323.68
JOHNS LOCK & KEY LIFT STATION KEYS 33.94
M & D MINI STORAGE Derecho – costs 70.00
MENARD’S SUPPLIES 262.26
MIDWEST ALARM FIRE ALARM MONITORING 488.52
P & K MIDWEST SUPPLIES 323.72
PER MAR SECURITY SERVICES SECURITY 177.45
QUILL SUPPLIES 724.51
STATE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS WWTP SUPPLIES 789.89
TITAN MACHINERY PARKS 835.25
WELLMARK BC/BS OF IOWA SEPTEMBER PREMIUM 2,438.64
Accounts Payable Total 31,908.63
Invoices: Paid ,598.30
Invoices: Scheduled 8,310.33
Payroll Checks 9,520.48
REPORT TOTAL 41,429.11
NO FUND ASSIGNED
OPEN ACCESS 24,680.00
ROAD USE TAX 3,424.59
FEMA 70.00
WATER 6,145.73
SEWER 7,108.79
TOTAL FUNDS 41,429.11
Fisher moved Resolution 2024-08-09 approving the Law Enforcement Agreement with the County of Benton for the Benton County Sheriff to provide police protection for FY25 for a total amount of $30,420. Bell seconded. Dursky asked that the Sheriff’s Department be invited to a future meeting to provide a report on services. Ayes: Fisher, Petersen, Bell, and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried.
City engineer Nick Eisenbacher and Ctiy staff Todd Damon presented information regarding the City’s upcoming capital improvement plans and maintenance projects.
Dursky moved Resolution 2024-08-10 setting a public hearing on the proposed contract documents for the Atkins Sludge Removal Project. Fisher seconded. Ayes: Fisher, Petersen, Bell, and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried.
Petersen made a motion to designate Fire Chief Dan Rammelsberg to act as the owner’s representative for the construction phase of the Fire Department Project and be provided $5,000 authority to effect change orders within the Plans & Specifications documents for the project. Fisher seconded. Ayes: Fisher, Petersen, Bell, and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried.
Representatives of the firms of MGT/GovHR and Express Employment Professionals made presentations regarding proposals for Executive Search Services for a City Administrator. Council members agreed to discuss further at an upcoming meeting.
Petersen moved Resolution 2024-08-11 approving an agreement with Express Employment Professionals for flexible temporary office staffing. Dursky seconded. Ayes: Fisher, Petersen, Bell, and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried.
Mayor Visser reported that a City employee was injured on the job on August 23, 2024 and that we are expecting a full recovery. He further reported that he has attended both a Benton County Landfill Commission meeting and a Benton County Trails Committee meeting. Interim City Administrator Sandi Fowler reported that there is a public meeting scheduled for the late afternoon of September 5 for a tour of City facilities for Council members. Discussion of the search firms will be scheduled just prior at City Hall. A list of city-owned trees that need removal have been submitted to City Council for comments, and economic development information related to the City’s zoning classification has been posted on the City’s website and provided to City Council.
Further, applications for the City’s open position of Utility Billing Clerk are being received and reviewed.
Teresa Rotschafer joined the meeting by phone to review the City’s financial information provided in the Council packet and invited feedback from Council members.
City Council reports included Council member Bell asking that the City draw down FEMA reimbursement related to derecho tree removals, and Dursky requested the review of Interim City Administrator Fowler be scheduled for October.
There was no public input, and no written correspondence received.
The next regular City Council meeting will be held on September 10, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. City Hall/Library, Council Room, 480 3rd Avenue, Atkins, IA.
Fisher moved to adjourn the meeting. Petersen seconded. Ayes: Fisher, Petersen, Bell, and Dursky. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 9:18 pm.
Sandi Fowler, Interim City Administrator
Bruce Visser, Mayor