Council meeting minutes 4-18-16

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

April 18, 2016

     The City Council of the City of Fayette, Iowa, met Monday, April 18, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fayette City Hall pursuant to law and rules of said council, Mayor Wenthe presiding.

     Roll call: Present - Council members Kragnes, McGrane, Nefzger 7:34, Sorensen, Wulfekuhle.

     Moved Sorensen, seconded McGrane, to approve the consent agenda consisting of the regular meeting minutes of 04/04/16, Claims List of 04/05–18/16 and the March 2016 Treasurer’s/Clerk’s Report. Roll call, all ayes, carried.

     Treasurer's Balance for Fund Accounts as of March 31, 2016: General $277,296.08; Streets $417,683.57; Debt Service $6,952.11; Water Utility $228,028.22; Water T&A $22,744.51; Sewer Utility $411,078.23; CDBG Sewer ($320,899.07); Landfill/Recycling ($11.43); Yard Waste $13,874.54; Bolger Fund $150,688.54; TIF $39,990.15; Local Option Sales Tax $74,241.18; Storm Water $2,555.97; Downtown Project ($24,926.26); Franchise Fees $27,602.59. March Receipts by Fund: General $19,676.98; Streets $14,665.20; Debt Service $130.30; Water Utility $1,372.94; Sewer Utility $2,084.29; Lf/Recycling $400.84; Yard Waste $88; Bolger $2,503.52; TIF $47.83; Local Option $7,243.59; Storm Water $63. Total Receipts $48,276.49. March Disbursements by Fund: General $32,511.20; Streets $4,856.51; Water Utility $30,131.52; Water T&A $616.16; Sewer Utility $5,074.10; CDBG Sewer $8,284.15; LF/Recycling $15; Bolger $25.67. Total Disbursements: $81,514.31. Investments: $1,282,467.57. Bank Balance $2,609,366.50. Balance with Library Funds $2,704,180.38.

     Moved Kragnes, seconded Wulfekuhle, to approve the agenda as presented. McGrane asked that “Draft Rental Housing Code” be added to the agenda for discussion under old business. All ayes to approve the agenda with the amendment, carried.

     Upon Mayor Wenthe’s request, moved Kragnes, seconded Wulfekuhle, to approve the appointments of Chris Varzavand to the Fire Department and Tony Reinking (EMT) to the Ambulance Service. All ayes, carried.

     Administrator/Clerk Dennis reported that Floyd Alber donated $500 to be used for Main Street flowers and plants. ~ The new Jayhawk Utility Billing Suite software will be installed in July or August, which will have features for ACH & credit card payments, remote reading downloads and more detailed history and screen views. ~ The public works department has turned on the water at the city parks. ~ New business in town: Last Stand Tatoo. ~ Board of Adjustment meeting will be April 26th at 7:15 pm. ~ The Big Rock Road Asphalting Project will start April 22nd and be finished near the end of May 2016. ~ Forwarded Municipal Derivatives Settlement Claim Form to Davis Brown Law Firm, UIU’s Bonding Attorney, relating to a refund on the college bonds that UIU ran through the City of Fayette in 2004 and 2009.

   Police Chief Pisanti reported interviews of police officer candidates would be the first or second weeks of May. ~ Chuck Rodas is back to work.

     Moved Kragnes, seconded McGrane, to introduce Resolution 2016-05: Iowa DOT Road Maintenance Agreement (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2021). Dennis said this is the same agreement that is approved every five years. Moved Sorensen, seconded Kragnes, to approve the agreement. On roll call, all ayes, carried.

     Moved Nefzger, seconded Wulfekuhle, to introduce for discussion the Gary Goodell nuisance matter. All ayes to discuss. Mayor Wenthe said Chris Kragnes and his students were planning to clean up Goodell’s property, 101 King Street, on UIU Fayette Appreciation Days, and thanked Kragnes for working to get the property cleaned up. Mayor Wenthe said Kragnes has asked to move Goodell’s items to Kragnes’ property at 622 Mechanic Street as a temporary holding place. Nefzger said she would rather see the items taken out of town. Wulfekuhle said she would think UIU would be complaining about the old TV sets and items being piled up by the baseball field on Mechanic Street. Kragnes said he plans to move the items from his Mechanic Street property within six months. Sorensen and Wulfekuhle said if it’s a temporary arrangement and it will get the Water Street property cleaned up then they agree. McGrane said he agrees 100% and said the city has tried numerous things to resolve the nuisance on Goodell’s property, but nothing has worked. McGrane also thanked Kragnes for helping to get the property cleaned up. Citizens Pat Whelan and Dan Boberg were present regarding the Goodell matter. Whelan said he noticed Goodell’s brake lights on his trailer don’t work and the trailer isn’t licensed so maybe that would be a way to stop him from going and picking up stuff and bringing it back into Fayette. Tiffany Kragnes said that would be a law enforcement issue and we couldn’t take his trailer away. Whelan questioned if the city still owns the property. Wenthe explained that we do, but we’re working through that as was noted in the newspaper. McGrane asked Kragnes if his big white building at 622 Mechanic is available to put Goodell’s items inside. Kragnes said it isn’t free presently, but he has thought about constructing another building behind that building that maybe Goodell could use. Mayor Wenthe said he is also looking into a couple of places for Goodell to take his stuff to. He added that the main goal now is to get the Water Street property cleaned up and then keep on top of it and with Kragnes’ help we hope to do that. Kragnes said he thinks Goodell is ok with the cleanup. Again, Mayor Wenthe thanked Kragnes for his help with this.

     Moved McGrane, seconded Sorensen, to discuss the Draft Rental Housing Code. All ayes. Dennis handed out hard copies of the Code that was last discussed in August 2015. McGrane said he wanted to get this information to our two new council members so they may review and study it. He added that the council had thought about doing the town in sections so a landlord with multiple properties wouldn’t have to make repairs on all their properties at one time. Another work session will be needed to continue fine tuning the code. McGrane said we don’t want to end up like some towns who allow landlords to let their properties deteriorate so much that the city ends up having to buy them and tear them down.      

   There being no further business, moved Nefzger, unanimous, to adjourn at 8:24 pm.

There is no place like home. And there is no place like Fayette.

11 S. Main Street

563.425.4316

info@fayetteiowa.com

Pay Your Utility Bill

Pay Now2

Pay your Fayette Parking Ticket

Pay Now2