City of Atkins City Council Meeting Special Session Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
Minutes
Mayor Bruce Visser called the meeting to order at 5:34 PM in the Council Room at City Hall.
Council members Jim Koehn, Samantha Petersen, and Trevor Dursky were present in-person, and EJ Bell and David Fisher were present by phone. Graham Valdes with Specialized Recruiting Group was also present in person.
Dursky moved to enter into closed session pursuant to Iowa Code Section 21.5.(1)(i). Seconded
by Koehn. Ayes: Petersen, Koehn, Fisher, Bell and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried. The Council entered into closed session at 5:35 PM.
Mayor Visser announced that the Council has ended the closed session at 6:24 PM. The Council entered back into open session at 6:24 PM.
Petersen moved to invite the person discussed in closed session to an in-person interview and to reimburse travel expenses in an amount not-to-exceed $2,000.
Koehn moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Petersen. Ayes: Petersen, Koehn, Fisher, Bell and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 6:25 pm.
Sandi Fowler, Interim City Administrator
Bruce Visser, Mayor

City Council Meeting Regular Session
Tuesday, November 12, 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 6:40 pm.
Present were Council members Samantha Petersen, Jim Koehn and Trevor Dursky in person, and David Fisher and EJ Bell by phone. Also present were Interim City Administrator Sandi Fowler and members of the public.
Petersen moved to approve the agenda. Seconded by Dursky. Ayes: Bell, Dursky, Fisher, Petersen, and Koehn. Nays: none. Motion carried.
Dursky moved to approve the consent agenda. Seconded by Petersen. Consent agenda items included Council Minutes for October 22, 28, 29, and 30, 2024, and List of Bills for Approval. Ayes: Bell, Dursky, Fisher, Petersen, and Koehn. Nays: none. Motion carried.
List of Bills:
CITY OF ATKINS – ACCOUNTS PAYABLE RUN
CLAIMS REPORT 11.12.24
VENDOR REFERENCE AMOUNT
EFTPS FED/FICA TAX $ 2,862.26
IPERS IPERS REGULAR $ 3,702.40
AMY BREESE HSA 10/25/24 $ 50.00
TODD DAMON HSA 10/25/24 $ 111.53
MIKE RAMMELSBERG HSA 10/25/24 $ 73.07
Cardmember Service SEPTEMBER TRANSACTIONS $ 665.05
PAYROLL EMPLOYEE CHECKS PAYROLL 10/20/24-11/2/24 $ 9,202.02
USPS – POSTMASTER POSTAGE FOR OCT24 BILLS $ 342.72
RALSTON ECO HOMES, LLC. CDBG-DR GRANT REIMB $ 126,831.62
IPERS FINANCE CHARGES $ 21.89
EFTPS FED/FICA TAX $ 3,285.22
AMY BREESE HSA 11/8/24 $ 50.00
TODD DAMON HSA 11/8/24 $ 111.53
MIKE RAMMELSBERG HSA 11/8/24 $ 73.07
TRIONFO SOLUTIONS, LLC LIFE INS/STD $ 26.95
PAYROLL EMPLOYEE CHECKS PAYROLL 11/3/24-11/16/24 $ 10,364.47
AEROMOD WWTP PARTS $ 255.68
ALLIANT ENERGY UTILITY EXP $ 16,330.43
AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES LIBRARY $ 157.39
AMY BREESE REIMB TRAINING EXPENSES $ 213.56
ATKINS LUMBER CO. INC. SUPPLIES $ 258.89
ATKINS TELEPHONE CO..INC. TELEPHONE $ 584.95
BADGER METER ORION CELLULAR $ 103.68
BAKER & TAYLOR BOOKS $ 178.28
BEHRENS, CINDY PARK RENTAL REFUND $ 55.00
BENTON COUNTY SOLID WASTE COMM 2ND QTR LANDFILL $ 15,065.08
DAKOTA SUPPLY GROUP SUPPLIES $ 381.34
CATERPILLAR FINANCIAL SER LEASE FOR EXCAVATOR $ 3,079.76
CHEM-SULT, INC. CHEMICALS $ 6,583.00
CJ COOPER & ASSOC., INC ANNUAL ADMIN FEE $ 290.00
Creative Technologies SUPPORT FOR DEC,JAN,FEB $ 1,018.00
D P PROPERTIES CLEANING-LIBRARY-OCT 24 $ 708.00
DUBALL, PAMELA MILEAGE-OCT 2024 $ 44.22
ESG PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTA OCT 24 SERVICE $ 528.75
FOWLER PUBLIC SECTOR CONS CONSULTING 101324-110324 $ 9,875.00
GAZETTE COMMUNICATIONS, Inc. ANNUAL LIBRARY SUBSCRIPTION $ 703.60
HAWKEYE FIRE SAFETY EXTINGUISHER INSPECTION $ 136.25
HOLIDAY INN AIRPORT BREESE CONFERENCE EXP $ 356.16
IOWA RURAL WATER ASSOC FY25 MEMBERSHIP DUES $ 355.00
IRON MOUNTAIN INCORPORATED 9/25/24-10/22/24 $ 120.33
JOHN DEERE FINANCIAL SUPPLIES $ 359.96
LYNCH DALLAS, P.C. LEGAL SERVICES SEPT/OCT 2024 $ 536.50
M & D MINI STORAGE DERECHO – COSTS $ 70.00
MARTIN EQUIPMENT VEHICLE REPAIR $ 3,712.20
MENARD’S SUPPLIES $ 315.74
MIDAMERICAN ENERGY UTILITY EXP $ 146.39
QUILL SUPPLIES $ 618.36
SIMPLY GREEN, LLC. VEGETATION CONTROL $ 959.68
SNYDER & ASSOCIATES ENGINEERING $ 2,915.71
SOLUM LANG ARCHITECTS FIRE STATION DESIGN $ 29,374.36
THE DEPOT EXPRESS FUEL-OCT 2024 $ 705.43
THOMPSON TIRE & RETREAD, FIRE TRUCK BULBS $ 139.58
TOMORROW’S SOLUTIONS SEPT/OCT SERVICES 2024 $ 2,763.40
U S CELLULAR CELL PHONES $ 247.80
WM CORPORATE SERVICES, INC. GARBAGE COLLECTION $ 16,627.14
WELLMARK BC/BS OF IOWA NOVEMBER PREMIUM $ 2,438.64
Accounts Payable Total $ 257,520.55
Invoices: Paid $ 138,207.31
Invoices: Scheduled $ 119,313.24
Payroll Checks $ 19,566.49
REPORT TOTAL $ 277,087.04
NO FUND ASSIGNED
OPEN ACCESS $ 73,208.78
ROAD USE TAX $ 12,035.79
FEMA $ 29,444.36
CDBG-DR HOUSING GRANT $ 126,831.62
WATER $ 20,134.84
SEWER $ 15,431.65
TOTAL FUNDS $ 277,087.04
Koehn moved Resolution 2024-11-01 approving the purchase of a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD Crew Cab 172” Work Truck from McGrath Fleet and Commercial for $66,700, and outfitting with safety lights and plow mount from Future Line Truck Bodies for $6,747.06 for a total purchase price of $73,447.06. Seconded by Petersen. Ayes: Dursky, Petersen and Koehn. Nays: Fisher and Bell. Motion carried.
Koehn moved Resolution 2024-11-02 approving Contract Amendment No. 1 with ECICOG to provide FEMA grant administration support for debris removal for a not-to-exceed amount of $4,500. Seconded by Dursky. Ayes: Bell, Dursky, Fisher, Petersen, and Koehn. Nays: none. Motion carried.
Dave Vanous of Stone Ridge Developing, LLC addressed the City Council and expressed his appreciation for the Council’s consideration of a partnership through TIF to develop infrastructure supporting new housing in Atkins. Council members discussed the item. Fisher moved to table the Resolution, and the motion died for lack of a second.
Petersen moved Resolution 2024-11-03 expressing intent to provide economic development support to Stone Ridge Developing, LLC. Seconded by Koehn. Ayes: Dursky, Petersen and Koehn. Nays: Fisher and Bell. Motion carried.
Mayor Visser reported that Interim City Administrator Sandi Fowler will be completing her contracted work with the City on Friday, November 15 and expressed appreciation for her service to the community and City of Atkins. He also reported that the Benton County Burn Ban has been lifted, and that he attended the East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund meeting in Vinton, the ECICOG Board meeting, and Emergency Management training in Des Moines. He expressed the City’s condolences to the family of Cathy Becker, long-time Library Director, on her passing.
Interim City Administrator Sandi Fowler reported that the removal of dead and dying trees has been rescheduled to the week of November 18, that 263 water customers with unknown material water service lines in their homes or businesses will be receiving a notice with a request to identify their service lines, and that the requested work session for the Water System will be set within the next two weeks. Fowler also expressed her appreciation to the City Council, City staff and community for the opportunity to serve these past several months and her hope to have put the City in a positive position on a number of projects, and for the benefit of a new city administrator.
In Council reports, Council member Jim Koehn provided a statement regarding comments from an earlier meeting about the existing water tower. Koehn stated that the south water tower project was started in 1996, and in 1998 the Council initiated an engineering change order to lower the height of the tower and it was completed in 1999.
The Engineering firm was Ament of Cedar Rapids and the construction was done by Phoenix Fabricators of Indianapolis, Indiana. Brian Cruise was elected to the Council in 2005 and served 2006-2012.
Future agenda items mentioned were the water system work session, preparing a budget work plan, and continued interviewing for the city administrator position.
Public input was received expressing appreciation to Interim City Administrator Fowler for her positive contribution to the City. There was no written correspondence received.
The next regular City Council meeting will be held on November 26, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.
City Hall/Library, Council Room, 480 3rd Avenue, Atkins, IA.
Koehn moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Dursky. Ayes: Bell, Dursky, Fisher, Petersen, and Koehn. Nays: none. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.
Sandi Fowler, Interim City Administrator
Bruce Visser, Mayor

City of Atkins City Council Meeting Special Session Tuesday,
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 6:45 p.m.
Mayor Bruce Visser called the meeting to order at 6:52 PM in the Council Room at City Hall.
Council members Jim Koehn, Samantha Petersen, David Fisher, EJ Bell and Trevor Dursky were present via Microsoft Teams. Graham Valdes with Specialized Recruiting Group and City Attorney Holly Corkery were also present via Microsoft Teams.
Koehn moved to enter into closed session pursuant to Iowa Code Section 21.5.(1)(i). Seconded by Bell. Ayes: Petersen, Koehn, Fisher, Bell and Dursky. Nays: none. Motion carried. The Council entered into closed session at 6:55 PM.
Mayor Visser announced that the Council has ended the closed session at 8:00 PM. The Council entered back into open session at 8:00 PM.
Dursky moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Koehn. Ayes: Petersen, Koehn, Bell and
Dursky. Nays: none. Fisher was absent. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:01 pm.
Sandi Fowler, Interim City Administrator
Bruce Visser, Mayor