REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
March 20, 2023
The City Council of the City of Fayette, Iowa, met Monday, March 20, 2023, at 6:00 pm in the Community Room at the Fayette Community Library pursuant to law and rules of said council, Mayor Wood presiding. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll call: Present - Council members Post, Potratz, Scott, Tenney and Tucker.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to approve the consent agenda items consisting of the regular meeting minutes of 3/6/23, the claims list of 3/4/23-3/17/23 and the September 2022 and October 2022 financial reports. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Treasurer’s Balance for Fund Accounts as of September 30, 2022: Total September Receipts: $205,059.59 (General $96,683.01; 9 S. Main $15; Road Use Tax (RUT) $20,038.35; Employee Benefits $15,460.93; LOST $12,416.28; Revolving Loan $239.44; Bolger $836.80; Library Fund $230.79; Debt $534.20; Water $27,164.69; Water T&A $150; Sewer $26,550.43; Water/Sewer Capital $4,169.86; Storm Water $569.81). Total September Disbursements: $167,896.45 (General $59,089.40; RUT $9,639.46; Employee Benefits $14,892.11; CDBG Grant LMI $52; Bolger $200; Library Fund $1,929.90; Homes for Iowa $43,120.22; Water $15,813.93; Water T&A $1,050; Sewer $22,109.43). Transfers in: Sewer Fund $9,575.50; Transfers out: Sewer $9,575.50. Treasurer’s Balance: $4,304,429.50.
Treasurer’s Balance for Fund Accounts as of October 31, 2022: Total October Receipts: $313,268.76 (General $143,966.06; RUT $14,808.98; Employee Benefits $52,555.28; LOST $7,808.48; TIF $14,977.36; Revolving Loan $242.92; Bolger $798.52; Library Fund $285.34; Debt $1,902.79; Water $33,724.09; Water T&A $450; Sewer $35,937.89; Water/Sewer Capital $5,190.86; Storm Water $620.19). Total October Disbursements: $149,681.17 (General $57,005; RUT $10,506.06; Employee Benefits $8,104.09; Homes for Iowa $2,906.25; Water $24,897.83; Water T&A $708.09; Sewer $45,553.85). Transfers in: Sewer Fund $9,575.50; Transfers out: Sewer $9,575.50. Treasurer’s Balance: $4,468,096.38.
Citizen Comments: Scott Bowen from Fayette, advised he had been told the Fayette Ambulance Service only has about 8 volunteers that are active on the service. Bowen advised there are other distinct differences between the Fayette Fire Department and the Fayette Ambulance Service when comparing the two, including testing requirements. Bowen also expressed his concerns with the outdated equipment and gear at the fire department.
Kevin Lehs from Fayette, expressed his concerns about the councils actions in regards to the fire department. Lehs advised the department not only responds to fire calls but also are dispatched to accidents, gas leaks, and active shooter calls. The fire department is supported by volunteers that feel strong about the organization and are a good team that is well trained and perform their duties safely. Lehs advised when there are distractions, teams are unable to stay 100% focused and safety can be compromised. Lehs is concerned the decisions the council are making are causing a liability to the city.
Moved Tenney, seconded Tucker, to approve the agenda as presented. All ayes, motion carried.
Mayor Wood informed the council the North Fayette Valley Superintendent has provided some of the information the city has requested in regards to the Fayette Elementary school and he will review it.
Upon recommendation from the City Administrator/Clerk to appoint Janell Scott as the Fayette City Treasurer for a 2-year term, expiring 12/31/2024, moved Potratz, seconded Tucker, to approve appointing Janell Scott as the Fayette City Treasurer for a 2-year term, expiring 12/31/2024. All ayes, motion carried.
Upon recommendation from the Fayette Fire Department to appoint Stacey Meyer and Scott Bowen to the Fayette Fire Department, moved Scott, seconded Post, to appoint Stacey Meyer and Scott Bowen to the Fayette Fire Department. All ayes, motion carried.
Upon recommendation from the Fayette Fire Department to reappoint Jason Rohde as Fayette Fire Chief for 2023, moved Tucker, seconded Potratz, to approve reappointing Jason Rohde as Fayette Fire Chief for 2023. Ayes - Potratz and Tucker; Nays - Post, Scott and Tenney; motion failed.
City Administrator/Clerk McGrane updated the council on the budget process and the N. Main Street project. McGrane explained we received all the new recreational trail signs that will be put up later this spring with the help of Upper Iowa University (UIU) staff and students. Public Works Director Hildebrand will check with UIU to see if they have any posts we can use. The city was not awarded the Fayette County Community Foundation grant to help fund the Fayette-Volga River recreation trail.
Police Chief Davis updated the council on a recent police call. The police are working with the city attorney's office on issuing citations for nuisance abatement. The department also just completed a volunteer project last week.
Public Works Director Hildebrand advised the council one of the water wells was repaired today.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to approve the third and final reading of Ordinance 517. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Scott, to approve the third and final reading of Ordinance 518. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to approve City Administrator McGrane to hire a company to perform asbestos testing for the two condemned homes without exceeding $4,000. All ayes, motion carried.
McGrane provided updates to the current certificate of deposits (CD's) and interest rates. McGrane did reach out to the department supervisors and they recommended the council re-invest their CD's at the higher interest rates. Moved Tenney, seconded Scott, to approve the City Administrator to invest $250,000 of the RUT fund into a 9 month CD at Northeast Security Bank (NSB) at 4.6%, to re-invest Bolger CD#84 in the amount of $254,406.23 at Farmers Savings Bank in Arlington for 17 months at 4.8%, and to re-invest the following CD's at NSB at 4.6%: Flooding Sports Complex for 9 months, Bolger #81 for 9 months, Bolger #82 for 12 months, Bolger #83 for 12 months, Sewer for 12 months, Water for 9 months, Fire for 9 months, Ambulance #95 for 9 months, Ambulance #49 for 12 months and the Library for 12 months, and if any of the CD's from the departments were from donations, then the interest rate should roll back into the CD and accrue. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Scott, to acknowledge receipt of the Fayette Finance Committee meeting minutes from 3/14/23. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Post, seconded Tenney, to acknowledge receipt of the Fayette Fire Department meeting minutes from 3/7/23 and Fayette Safety meeting minutes from 3/15/23. All ayes, motion carried.
Maggie Burger with Speer Financial, Inc. spoke to the council via telephone in reference to the receipt of bids for the General Obligation Capital Loan Notes, Series 2023. Burger provided information and explained that three bids were received earlier in the day. The three bids included: Bankers' Bank, Madison, Wisconsin - 3.4883%; D.A. Davidson & Co., Denver, Colorado - 4.3883%; and Northland Securities, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota - 4.3994%. Burger advised in her opinion, the bid of Bankers' Bank, Madison, Wisconsin, is the best bid and is favorable to the city and should be accepted. Burger recommended the Notes be awarded to Bankers' Bank at a price of $398,900 at a true interest rate of 3.4883%.
Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to approve Resolution 2023-18, directing the sale of $400,000 (or $398,900 per terms of offering) General Obligation Capital Loan Notes, Series 2023. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Tucker, to approve Resolution 2023-19, approving the agreement between the city of Fayette, Iowa, and Fehr Graham Engineering to provide professional services for the Fayette Volga River multi-use trail surfacing. Roll call, Ayes - Scott, Tenney and Tucker; Nays - Post and Potratz; motion carried.
McGrane and Hildebrand advised the council to defer the monthly reimbursement for cell phone charges Resolution. No formal action was taken.
Moved Scott, seconded Tucker, to defer Resolution 2023-21, employee salaries, to the Personnel Committee for further review. All ayes, motion carried.
Chief Davis advised the current tasers were purchased about 5 years ago and he is having concerns with the current body cameras. Davis provided a quote from Axon Enterprise, Inc. for approximately $10,234.17 per year for 5 years for new, updated tasers and body cameras for all the officers. The agreement includes online data storage for all the video, which would save the officers time and make it convenient to share the video with the city and county attorneys. If we went into an agreement, there would be a wait on the body cameras, but we would not be charged until we received them. Moved Tucker, seconded Tenney, to approve the purchase agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. for new police body cameras and tasers as presented. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tucker, seconded Tenney, to approve suspending the rules and extend the council meeting by the time required to complete business. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tucker, seconded Tenney, to approve the reimbursement to Scott Luchsinger for the Sidewalk Program incentive. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Potratz, to approve the reimbursement to Crawford Creations for the Marketing incentive for $526.13. All ayes, motion carried.
McGrane highlighted some of the items in the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) proposed budget estimate the Finance Committee is recommending. Moved Tenney, seconded Tucker, to approve directing the City Administrator to publish the Budget Estimate and setting a Public Hearing for April 17, 2023, at 6PM in the Fayette Community Library on the FY24 Budget Estimate. All ayes, motion carried.
McGrane explained the findings and recommendations that were in the fiscal year 2022 (FY22) city examination. Moved Potratz, seconded Scott, to acknowledge receipt of the FY22 city examination. All ayes, motion carried.
Moved Tenney, seconded Potratz, 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 Potratz, to open regular session. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.
There being no further business, Wood declared the meeting adjourned at 8:51 pm.
