REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
January 17, 2022
The City Council of the City of Fayette, Iowa, met Monday, January 17, 2022, at 6:00 pm in the Community Room at the Fayette Community Library pursuant to law and rules of said council, Mayor Wood presiding.
Roll call: Present - Council members Post, Potratz, Scott, Tenney and Tucker.
Moved Potratz, seconded Post, to approve the consent agenda items consisting of the regular meeting minutes of 1/3/22 and the claims list of 12/31/21 - 1/14/22. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tucker, seconded Tenney, to approve the agenda as presented. All ayes, motion carried.
Mayor Wood advised the council he attended the town hall meeting with Senator Grassley earlier today.
Upon Mayor Wood’s request, moved Tenney, seconded Potratz, to reappoint Benjamin Davis as the Fayette Police Chief. All ayes, motion carried.
Upon Mayor Wood’s request, moved Potratz, seconded Tucker, to reappoint Susan Scott to the Upper Explorerland Regional Housing Authority Board for 3 years. Ayes - Post, Potratz, Tenney and Tucker; Abstained - Scott; motion carried.
Upon Mayor Wood’s request, moved Post, seconded Scott, to appoint Bradley Minger to the Fayette County Community Foundation Board for 3 years. All ayes, motion carried.
Upon Mayor Wood’s request, moved Tucker, seconded Tenney, to reappoint Joshua Crosbie to the Fayette Tree Board for 3 years. All ayes, motion carried.
Upon Mayor Wood’s request, moved Tenney, seconded Potratz, to approve the council committee appointments and representatives: Finance - Potratz (Chair), Tenney, Tucker; Personnel - Tucker (Chair), Potratz, Scott; Public Safety - Post (Chair), Tenney, Tucker; Streets & Sidewalks - Tenney (Chair), Post, Scott; Economic Development - Scott (Chair), Post, Potratz; Mayor Pro-Tem - Patricia Potratz; Fayette County E-911 Board Representative - Primary Benjamin Davis, Alternate Kris McGrane; Fayette County Emergency Management Representative - Primary Mayor Wood, Alternate Patricia Potratz). All ayes, motion carried.
City Administrator/Clerk McGrane provided an update on the CDBG Rehab grant and the Fayette County Board of Supervisors meeting in reference to the dispatching contract. McGrane has went through all the free laptops and will be working on getting them delivered to the departments. Mayor Wood and McGrane attended the new local business/community leaders meeting on 1/12. Letters and invoices have went out to the property owners who need to reimburse the city for the private lines that were installed during the W. Water Street improvements project.
Fayette Police Chief Davis informed the council that he completed the Peer Support Team training and is working on a plan and policy that he hopes can assist all of the emergency responders in Fayette County. It will help emergency responders with debriefings and grief counseling. Davis reviewed prior applicants in hopes to hire a new part-time reserve officer for the department to replace former part-time officer Austin Hall who resigned. Citations from the speed cameras are starting to decrease. Davis advised the cameras are doing their job of slowing vehicles down because there have only been 2 accidents compared to the usual 6 accidents at the intersection of HWY 150 and 93.
Moved Post, seconded Scott, to approve the third and final reading of Ordinance #514, Electric Transmission Franchise with ITC Midwest LLC. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Scott, to discuss and consider contracting with Peters Construction Corp. to assist with preparing the vacant lot for the Homes for Iowa home. McGrane provided the agreement and costs. McGrane advised Peters Constr. informed him they have never done a project like this before and they were unsure how to bid it, so they put in a high estimate of $37,675. Peters Constr. advised they would only charge for the work they complete and do not anticipate the cost to be that high. The council recommended McGrane inquire with the city of Oelwein and research other options and estimates. No formal action was taken.
Moved Tucker, seconded Post, to approve the Fayette Tree Board meeting minutes from 9/15/21 and the discussion notes from 11/30/21. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Scott, to approve the Fayette Community Library Director's report from 1/12/22. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Post, seconded Potratz, to discuss and consider removing Andrew Wenthe from all the city of Fayette bank accounts and safe deposit box and adding Kurt Wood. Moved Tenney, seconded Tucker, to approve removing Andrew Wenthe from all the city of Fayette bank accounts and safe deposit box and adding Kurt Wood. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss and consider adding authorized signatures to the cities CD's. Northeast Security Bank is requesting the council provide them authorized signers to the cities certificate of deposits (CD's). Moved Tucker, seconded Potratz, to approve Kris McGrane, Nancy Creery and Kurt Wood to all the CD's with Northeast Security Bank. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Potratz, seconded Post, to approve Resolution #2022-01 reappointing and approving compensation schedule for the City Attorney. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Potratz, seconded Tucker, to discuss Resolution #2022-02. Moved Tenney, seconded Potratz, to approve Resolution #2022-02 adopting the new home and new commercial construction incentive program from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tucker, seconded Scott, to discuss Resolution #2022-03. Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to approve Resolution #2022-03 adopting a commercial business marketing incentive from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Potratz, to discuss Resolution #2022-04. Moved Tucker, seconded Scott, to approve Resolution #2022-04 amendment #1 to the Linda Shannon housing rehabilitation project. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Post, seconded Potratz, to discuss Resolution #2022-05. Moved Scott, seconded Tucker, to approve Resolution #2022-05 change order #1 to the Linda Shannon housing rehabilitation project. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Scott, seconded Potratz, to discuss Resolution #2022-06. Moved Potratz, seconded Tucker, to approve Resolution #2022-06 change order #2 to the Linda Shannon housing rehabilitation project. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Scott, to discuss Resolution #2022-07. Moved Post, seconded Tenney, to approve Resolution #2022-07 final acceptance and authorizing final payment on the Linda Shannon housing rehabilitation project. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss and consider purchasing cleaning supplies and banners for vacant downtown businesses. Tucker would like the city to work with the vacant downtown businesses to have vinyl pictures or information placed on the windows letting people know they are available. Tucker would also like to get volunteers to help clean the inside of some of them in hopes they can have open houses in the future. Tucker thought if the city would cover costs for the vinyl and cleaning supplies it may help get them sold quicker. Tucker can research costs. Moved Tenney, seconded Potratz, to refer this to the Economic Development committee. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss and consider directing the City Administrator/Clerk to publish the proposed property tax levy and setting a public hearing. Moved Tucker, seconded Potratz, to approve directing the City Administrator/Clerk to publish the proposed property tax levy and setting a public hearing for Monday, February 7, 2022, at 6PM on the Fiscal Year 2023 proposed property tax levy. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Post, seconded Scott, to go into closed session per Iowa Code 21.5(1)(j) to discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the City would have to pay for that property or reduce the price the City would receive that property. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to open regular session. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Post, seconded Scott, to table discussion and consideration in directing the City Administrator/Clerk to publish and set a public hearing on the city to purchase or sell property. All ayes, motion carried.
There being no further business, Wood declared the meeting adjourned at 8:44 pm.
