City of Mechanicsville

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

July 14, 2008

 

The Mechanicsville City Council met in regular session on Monday, July 14, 2008 at City Hall.  Mayor David L. Furry called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  Council members present for roll call were Larry Beck, Carla Barnhart, Gene Brown, and Bryan Lovell.   Jeff Christianson was absent.  Others present included Jim Barber, Alan Zerbe, Rhett Taylor, Sherie Paup, Kelly McCullough, Nicole McCullough, Brad and Jennifer Crandall, Lorraine Polhamus, Doyle Pickering, Doug Weber, and several students of the community.

 

Receive visitors/public comment: None.

 

CONSENT AGENDA: Bryan Lovell motioned, Larry Beck seconded to approve the consent agenda including the minutes from 6/12/08, finance reports, and claims. Roll call vote: Ayes:  Beck and Lovell.  Nays: Barnhart & Brown.  Absent: Christianson.  In order to proceed with the meeting a consensus would need to be arrived at what specific item Barnhart and Brown were disagreeing with.  The financial activity being reported by the Mechanicsville RAGBRAI committee which included private donations and the sale of t-shirts for the purpose of covering expenses associated with the event was further discussed.  Coppess stated that she is required by Iowa Code to include the RAGBRAI activity in the reports in order to show an accurate and detailed statement of all public funds collected, received, or expended for any city purpose and therefore, the activity was reported in the financial statements of the city.  Barnhart and Brown consented to change their vote. A second motion was made by Lovell and seconded by Beck to approve the consent agenda, including the minutes, finance reports, and claims. Roll call:  Ayes:  Barnhart, Brown, Lovell, and Beck.  Nays: None.  Absent:  Christianson.  Motion carried.

 

The claims approved were as follows:

 

PAYROLL

10114.74

WAGES

IRS

4363.09

PAYROLL TAX

IPERS

1647.44

IPERS

TREAS STATE OF IA

1672.72

PAYROLL TAX

RUBNER INKS

535.50

RAGBRAI T SHIRTS

BRIDGE BANK

34.28

ACH FEES

US POSTAL SERVICE

126.10

POSTAGE

WELLMARK

2928.22

INSURANCE

US POSTAL SERVICE

182.62

POSTAGE

PAYROLL

6123.06

WAGES

TREASURER STATE OF IA

949.74

SALES TAX

JUDY HARTMAN

1,279.32

CONTINUE ED

KELLY EBY

1,212.51

CONTINUE ED

PENWORTHY

419.89

BOOKS

STAPLES

397.96

SUPPLIES

AMAZON.COM

204.26

LIB VIDEO

AIRGAS, INC.

71.66

MED SUPPLY

ALLIANT ENERGY

5,368.01

UTILITY

ALL MED

1,089.26

AMB SUPPLY

ARAMARK UNIFORM SERVICE

171.40

CLOTH ALLOW

CEDAR COUNTY AUDITOR

2,346.00

DISAS 28E AGREE

CEDAR COUNTY AUDITOR

4,270.00

SOLID WASTE 28E

CASEY'S GENERAL STORE

217.85

VEH SUPPLY

CCEDCO

2,933.00

DUES

CEDAR CO. SOLID WASTE

1,164.00

FEES LANDFILL

CLARENCE LOWDEN SUN

7.00

AD

DANS TIRES AND MORE

955.65

VEH REPAIR

IA DEPT NAT RESOURCES

142.35

PMTS TO AG

DES MOINES STAMP CO.

4.95

OFFICE SUP

DORSEY AND WHITNEY LLP

2,203.50

ATTY SERVICES

FARM PLAN

245.43

VEH REPAIR

FRIENDS OF THE ANIMALS

50.00

CONTRACT FEES

GRAINGER

111.47

OP SUPPLY

IA EMS ASSOCIATION

25.00

DUES

IA LEAGUE OF CITIES

620.00

DUES/MEMBERSHIP

IA ONE CALL

18.90

PMTS TO AG

IOWA WIRELESS

127.67

TELEPHONE

JOHNSON CO REFUSE INC

2,232.50

RECYCLING

KEYSTONE LAB, INC

333.70

TESTING

KUNDE OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT

117.39

MINOR EQUIP

LISBON-MTVERNON AMB SERV

150.00

MUTUAL AID

MECHANICSVILLE TELE. CO.

329.33

TELEPHONE

BOB MORAVEK

292.50

MILEAGE

WENDY & AARON MORTENSEN

7.69

REFUND DEP

MT. VERNON SUN

14.00

AD

NFPA

150.00

DUES/MEMBE

ODD JOBS INC-JERRY DAKE

3,085.00

BURIALS

KERRI PODUSKA

40.00

TRAINING

QUILL CORPORATION

152.98

OFFICE SUP

SEEHUSEN INS. AGENCY,INC

525.00

INSURANCE

SHEPLEY SNYDER PHARMACY

53.82

MED SUPPLY

SIGNIFICANT DIGITS

550.00

LICENSE AGREEMENT

SUMMIT SUPPLY CORP.

169.00

PARK SUPPLY

CONSERVATIVE PUBLISHING

529.02

PUBLICATION

ZOLL MEDICAL CORPORATION

98.61

AMB SUPPLY

WALMART

84.36

SUPPLIES

AGVANTAGE FS INC.

1,450.95

VEH SUPPLY

KOCH'S PAINT & LUMBER

238.47

SUPPLIES

IOWA ONE CALL

8.10

LOCATES

IIMC

115.00

DUES

ALAN ZERBE

50.00

REIMBURSE MOWER

MATT PARROTT

42.86

SUPPLIES

ZOLL MEDICAL

269.57

AMB SUPPLY

NETINS

155.88

ANNUAL FEE

 

 

Total Receipts and Disbursements for month of June by fund

Fund

Receipts

Disbursements

Agency-Water

154.67

50.00

Ambulance Trust

4,881.97

2,591.31

Fire Trust

2.53

 

General

18,685.18

23,033.20

Gift Tree Trust

215.59

 

Gift Trust

 

50.00

Library Expendable Trust

10.96

 

Park Trust

 

18.00

Perpetual Care

225.00

 

RAGBRAI

2,212.00

535.50

Road Use Tax

8,443.17

23,826.29

Sewer Utility

5,686.63

3,480.46

Solid Waste

13,104.89

5,528.11

Special Revenue LOST

6,028.53

0

Employee Benefit

449.41

1,443.64

Water Utility

7,170.74

2,141.12

Water Sinking Fund

2,500.00

 

 

REPORTS:

Ambulance Report: Paup reported a total of 26 calls with 21 being medical, 5 traumas, and 1 mutual aid with A-4; 1 with A-5, and 2 refusals. The ambulance transported 2 patients for Stanwood & 1 for Mt. Vernon, tiered with Area Ambulance 1 time, Mt. Vernon 2 times, Johnson County once and used A-9 4 times. 

 

Fire Department Report:  The Fire Department reported training on extrication on June 16, sandbagging June 11-13, 2 storm watch calls and one call for a toxic odor.

 

Police Report:  Police Chief Jim Barber reported 2 accidents; 8 agency assists;1 animal case;2 animal cases; 1 arrest; 1 building check; 1 found unsecured; 2 burglary; 21 citizen assist; 2 criminal mischief; 1 fire department assist;  9-911, 3 theft; 8 traffic stops, 6 citations and 5 warnings, 7 abatements filed, 6 warnings included illegal parking,  abandoned vehicle, curfew  violation, 1 bad check notice served and 13 citations issued for illegal parking, expired tax, no valid drivers license, fail to abate nuisance, no peddlers license, open container alcohol, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

 

Public Works Report: Zerbe reported completing the water consumer confidence report, spraying weeds, installing more meters, replaced a broken push mower, and an increase in algae bloom at the lagoon which required the purchase of additional chemical.  Vacation requested for Albaugh August 1-8 was approved with a motion by Beck and second by Barnhart.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Administration Report:  Coppess reported completing the Outstanding Obligations report for the city and compiling the data for the Annual Street Finance Report. The data from the traffic counter received back from the IDOT showed an average daily count of 272 vehicles, with 116 going into the school and 156 passing by.

 

Old Business:

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON:

Ordinance on Fire Service Fees and Charges & Resolution establishing the fees for the use of the fire service: Tabled until Fire Chief is able to send communication to the township trustees and provide an opportunity for feedback.

 

Policy Statement resolution: Mayor Furry reported back on his meeting with City Attorney Dendinger indicating that Mr. Dendinger’s recommendation is that the council adopt the policy as prepared with the council to set and revise fees as necessary.  Council went through adjusting the fee schedule, and then a motion was made by Beck, and seconded by Lovell to adopt the policy resolution.  Roll Call:  Ayes: Beck & Lovell.  Nays:  Barnhart & Brown.  Absent:  Christianson.  Motion did not pass.

 

New Business:

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON:

Presentation on proposal for Skate Park:  Student Nick McCullough addressed the council on reasons why Mechanicsville should have a skate park and suggested having the current tennis courts resurfaced and that area be used for the location of the skate park equipment.  The cost of 7 pieces of equipment would be approximately $36,000.  This would have to be added to the cost for the removal and replacement of the tennis courts which had been estimated a few years ago at $40,000.  The students and their parents were informed about the city’s obligation to first obtain permission from the IDNR to remove the tennis courts as they were originally installed with a grant with restrictions placed on it.  The council indicated that a letter should be sent from the city to request the removal of the existing courts due to the severe cracking in the surfaces as a first step.

 

Request to ad beer garden to liquor license/block First Street & fence around front door at Bubba’s Sports Bar for a motorcycle ride on the afternoon of Saturday, July 26, 2008:  Doug Weber addressed the council about adding a temporary outdoor service area to his liquor license.  Gene Brown motioned, Bryan Lovell seconded to approve adding an outdoor service area to his license as long as the area was fenced and the dram shop insurance was updated to include the fenced area.  The IABD indicated that the entire street would need to be blocked off so that traffic could not drive past the fence.   Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Re-appoint Jim Meyer to Board of Adjustments 5 year term:  Larry Beck motioned, Bryan Lovell seconded to approve.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Re-appoint Rob Yost and Michele Finnegan to Library Board 3 year term:  Bryan Lovell motioned, Carla Barnhart seconded to approve.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Re-appoint Andrew Oberbreckling to Planning & Zoning Commission 5 year term:  Larry Beck motioned, Carla Barnhart seconded to approve. Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Appoint treasurer to fill vacancy:  Gene Brown motioned to appoint Carol Lamont to fill the vacancy of treasurer, seconded by Larry Beck.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Appoint Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority Board 2 year term:  One more volunteer is needed.

 

Request to purchase vinyl cling on no smoking signs $160 was approved with a motion by Bryan Lovell, seconded by Larry Beck.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Request to purchase 2 mats $64+ shipping was approved with a motion by Bryan Lovell, seconded by Carla Barnhart.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Citizen’s petition requesting an audit for year end 6/30/08 including an audit of MAC funds for fiscal years 06 & 07; select auditor of state or a certified public accountant to perform the audit.  Carla Barnhart motioned, Gene Brown seconded to hire the State Auditor to perform the audit.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Proposal for replacing fire hydrant, water valves, storm sewer and digging ditch:  Council reviewed proposal from JJJ Enterprises and a motion to accept the proposal was made by Bryan Lovell seconded by Carla Barnhart.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Request to purchase materials for grapple not to exceed $700: Larry Beck motioned, Bryan Lovell seconded to approve the purchase of materials.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Post Office Painting & flooring:  Bryan Lovell motioned to accept the bid from Keller’s Home Furnishing’s for replacing the flooring in the post office lobby area at a cost not to exceed $1000 and to publish a notice for accepting bids on the painting of the lobby and the office area.  Carla Barnhart seconded.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Ordinance to set solid waste rates for various size containers:  The first reading of the ordinance amending the rates for solid waste service charges with the 35 gallon container remaining at the current price of $8.75; the 64 gallon container at $12; and the 96 gallon container at $15.  The dumpster rate was proposed at $60 for a 2 yard; $75 for a 3 yard and $140 for a 6 yard dumpster.  The reading was approved with a motion by Larry Beck, seconded by Carla Barnhart.  Ayes all.  A letter will be prepared to inform customers of the requirement to separate garbage from recyclables, new rates, and request the property owner to select which size of container they need.  The containers will be provided by the city.

 

Discussion on new water meter system and how system is working: Zerbe indicated he was still working on installing meters and has approximately 200 completed.

 

Parking on First Street:  Council discussed ideas on how to address Doug Kamberling’s request regarding the parking on First Street as there is not an easy way to put a time limit on parking and be able to reasonably enforce it.  Possibly could install a handicapped spot but that may not help. 

 

Committee Reports: None.

Correspondence:  None.

Mayor’s Comments: None.

 

Set next regular meeting date: 8-11-08 at 7:00 p.m.

 

ADJOURN:  There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, council member Larry Beck motioned, Gene Brown seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 9:55 p.m. Ayes all.  Meeting adjourned.

 

ATTEST:

 

____________________________                     _______________________________

Linda K. Coppess, CMC                                         David L. Furry, Mayor

City Clerk/Finance Officer