REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
February 16, 2021
The City Council of the City of Fayette, Iowa, met Tuesday, February 16, 2021, at 6:00 pm in the Community Room at the Fayette Community Library and via conference call/online 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 able to attend the meeting via conference call/online with basic directions posted on the council agenda and on the city of Fayette’s website, www.fayetteiowa.com.
Roll call: Present - Council members Potratz (via telephone), Tenney, Tucker and Wulfekuhle. Absent - Post.
Moved Wulfekuhle, seconded Tucker, to approve the consent agenda items consisting of the regular meeting minutes of 2/1/21 and the claims list of 1/30/21 - 2/12/21. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Wulfekuhle, to approve the agenda as presented. All ayes, motion carried.
Mayor Wenthe updated the council on the Fayette CDBG HSG Owner-Occupied Program. Two homes are completed, one home is currently being worked on, a contractor was recently awarded the project to another home and an application is being processed for the last home.
City Administrator/Clerk McGrane updated the council on the 9 S. Main Street remodeling project. Magnuson is completed with taking down the wallpaper and painting. McGrane advised the city's utility billing software company (Jayhawk Utility Billing) will soon no longer be working with the online payment software company (Convenient Payments). They have provided McGrane with companies they currently work with and McGrane has started researching the companies. McGrane attended the Finance meetings on 2/3 & 2/10, the CDBG Housing Rehab bid opening on 2/8 and the Recreation Board meeting on 2/8. McGrane also completed all the necessary paperwork for the $500,000 GO Note for the Water Street reconstruction project and we are expecting to receive the money on 2/17. McGrane noted he has also spent quite a bit of time working on the paperwork and changes necessary to switch the employee's health insurance coverage over to the new plan. McGrane plans on attending the Homes for Iowa open house in Oelwein on 2/25 and the bid opening for the Water Street reconstruction project on 2/26.
Police Chief Davis advised another COVID-19 vaccination event was held on 2/12 and the next one is scheduled for 2/26. The speed cameras are up and we are waiting for permission from the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) to get the notification signs up. Once we receive permission, the signs will go up and we will start the warning process.
Moved Tucker, seconded Wulfekuhle, to discuss and receive an update on the Water Street Reconstruction project. Jon Biederman with Fehr Graham was present to update the council. Biederman went through a few of the important project details including: replacing more curb that is in poor condition; adding fiber to the asphalt which is supposed to add 50% to the life of the road; explained the storm sewer pipe being replaced with a larger diameter to help with future expansion of the storm drainage system; explained the trail expansions at Cardinal Park as alternatives, meaning the city doesn't have to accept this part of the project if they do not want to; explained the traffic control during the project; explained the expansion of the sanitary sewer lines; and explained the replacement of the water lines to a 6 inch. Biederman also provided a final opinion of probable cost of $915,731. This is higher than the first estimate mostly because of replacing more curbs and upgrading the storm water drainage system. Bids will be opened a week from Friday.
Moved Wulfekuhle, seconded Tucker, to discuss and approve the Fayette Community Library Board of Trustees meeting minutes from 1/13/21. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Potratz, to discuss and approve the Fayette Finance Committee meeting minutes from 2/3/21. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Wulfekuhle, to discuss and approve the Fayette Housing Committee Hannigan bid opening from 2/8/21. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Wulfekuhle, seconded Tenney, to discuss and approve the Fayette Public Safety meeting minutes from 2/8/21. Discussion included an update on the firemen physicals and the goal was to have them completed by 3/1/21. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Potratz, seconded Tucker, to discuss and approve the Fayette Finance Committee meeting minutes from 2/10/21. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Wulfekuhle, to discuss Resolution 2021-9. McGrane advised he drafted a Resolution in case the council wanted to get something approved immediately and that the draft could be changed. After discussion, it was recommended to be referred to the Personnel committee for further research and to run the subject by our city attorney for additional ideas. Moved Wulfekuhle, seconded Tenney, to refer to the Personnel Committee adding a maternity leave and parental leave to the Personnel Policy. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tucker, seconded Wulfekuhle, to discuss and consider adopting the final proposed FY 2022 budget estimate. McGrane provided the FY2022 Budget, FY2022 Budget at a Glance report and Administrator's Budget Report to the council. Wenthe and McGrane highlighted a few of the budgeted items. Moved Wulfekuhle, seconded Tenney, to adopt the final proposed FY 2022 budget estimate. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tucker, seconded Wulfekuhle, to consider directing the City Administrator/Clerk to publish the budget estimate and setting a public hearing for March 15, 2021, at 6PM in the Fayette Community Library on the FY 2022 budget estimate. All ayes, motion carried.
There being no further business, moved Potratz, unanimous, to adjourn at 7:13 pm.
