REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
May 18, 2020
The City Council of the City of Fayette, Iowa, met Monday, May 18, 2020, at 6:00 pm via conference call/online meeting using www.freeconferencecall.com due to COVID-19, per Iowa Code 21.8, pursuant to law and rules of said council, Mayor Wenthe presiding. The public was also able to access the meeting with basic directions posted on the council agenda and on the city of Fayette’s website, www.fayetteiowa.com.
Roll call: Present - Council members Post, Potratz, Tenney and Tucker; Absent - Wulfekuhle.
Moved Potratz, seconded Tucker, to approve the consent agenda items consisting of the regular meeting minutes of 5/4/20, the claims list of 5/5/20 - 5/18/20 and the April 2020 financial reports. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Treasurer’s Balance for Fund Accounts as of April 30, 2020: Total April Receipts: $197,951.70 (General $79,115.04; 9 S. Main -$96.84; Streets $15,582.51; Employee Benefits $29,214.65; Local Option Sales Tax $7,364.34; TIF $15,079.87; CDBG LMI Housing $3,019; Revolving Loan $44.35; Bolger $144.43; Library Fund $33.15; Water $17,579.65; Water T&A $225; Sewer $26,126.07; Water/Sewer Capital $3,943.46; Storm Water $577.02). Total April Disbursements: $116,112.42 (General $48,292.78; 9 S. Main $157.37; Streets $6,798.23; Employee Benefits $9,421.99; CDBG LMI Housing $1,453.54; Water $16,712.78; Water T&A $1,859.89; Sewer $30,322.19; Storm Water $1,093.65). Transfers in: Sewer Fund $9,575.50; Transfers out: Sewer $9,575.50. Treasurer’s Balance: $3,893,767.52.
Moved Potratz, seconded Post, to approve the agenda as presented. All ayes, motion carried.
Upon the Fayette Fire Department and Mayor Wenthe’s recommendation, moved Potratz, seconded Post, to appoint Owen Henry to the Fayette Fire Department. All ayes, motion carried.
Upon the Fayette EMS/Ambulance Service and Mayor Wenthe’s recommendation, moved Tucker, seconded Tenney, to appoint Kristen Schrandt to the Fayette EMS/Ambulance Service. All ayes, motion carried.
Upon Mayor Wenthe’s recommendation, moved Post, seconded Tucker, to reappoint Don McComb to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a 5 year term. All ayes, motion carried.
City Administrator/Clerk McGrane advised the council he completed the annual Revolving Loan Fund grant conference, an Iowa League of Cities/Senator Ernst telephone conference, and annual meeting with Black Hills Energy over the last few weeks. McGrane also sent out the RFP's to auditors and has started to receive proposals. McGrane advised Public Works Director Jerry Hildebrand has set a Spring Clean-up Day for June 4th. After brief discussion, the council requested Mayor Wenthe to ask Hildebrand if he feels comfortable moving forward with a Spring Clean-up Day before advertising to the public.
Police Chief Davis updated the council on the hiring process for a new police officer. Davis advised he has already held one applicant physical testing day and is hoping to hold another one this week. Davis advised the council they have started making contact with residence on nuisance abatement issues.
Moved Tucker, seconded Potratz, to discuss and consider accepting the application for Bird Friendly Iowa. Dr. Paul Skrade, Assistant Professor of Wildlife Biology at Upper Iowa University, updated the council on the process and presented the information since first approaching the city council on 11/19/18. Dr. Skrade advised that Jake Dale completed his part of the process for his Masters program to prepare the City of Fayette to become Bird Friendly Iowa. The Upper Iowa Audubon Society provided a Donald C. Larsen grant to this program to pay for the $100 application cost and to cover the annual fees for another year or two of the program. The Fayette Lions Club donated funds that were used to purchase binoculars, field guides, and birding checklists that are available for people to check-out at the Fayette Community Library. After discussion, moved Potratz, seconded Post, to support the City of Fayette applying for the Bird Friendly Iowa initiative and to have City Administrator/Clerk McGrane submit the application. All ayes, motion carried.
This being the time and place published for a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Amendment, Mayor Wenthe opened the hearing and asked for comments. There being no comments, Mayor Wenthe closed the hearing.
Moved Potratz, seconded Tucker, to approve and adopt Resolution 2020-08, a Resolution adopting the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Amendment. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
This being the time and place published for a public hearing on the proposed loan for a police vehicle, Mayor Wenthe opened the hearing and asked for comments. There being no comments, Mayor Wenthe closed the hearing.
Moved Post, seconded Tenney, to approve and adopt Resolution 2020-09, a Resolution approving a loan for a police vehicle. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss continual preparations for the city during coronavirus/COVID-19. Wenthe and McGrane provided an update on the developments, proclamations and changes since the last council meeting. Council directed McGrane to gather more information about having porta-potties at the parks. No action was taken.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to approve the Fayette Fire Department meeting minutes from 5/5/2020. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Post, seconded Tucker, to discuss and consider accepting the donation from the Fayette County Tourism Council, Inc. Moved Potratz, seconded Tucker, to accept the donation of the real estate located at 606 W. Water Street and approve the Warranty Deed. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Post, seconded Potratz, to discuss and consider approving a quote from GovConnection, Inc. in the amount of $8,200 for equipment for the Fayette Police Department vehicles. Police Chief Davis advised he had budgeted around $4,000 in fiscal year 2021 for the equipment needed for the police vehicles to use the donated in-car computers. Davis discovered the estimate was for equipment that was not as good quality as expected and he would like to purchase the better quality equipment at an estimated price of $8,200. Davis also advised he will be under budget for the current Fiscal Year 2020 and would like to purchase the equipment out of the current fiscal years budget. Moved Potratz, seconded Post, to go ahead with the purchase of the new equipment quoted at $8,200 and to use money from the police department for this fiscal year 2020. All ayes, motion carried.
There being no further business, moved Potratz, unanimous, to adjourn at 6:46 pm.
