City of Mechanicsville

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

May 11, 2009

 

The Mechanicsville City Council met in regular session on Monday, May11, 2009 at the Memorial Building.  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, Jeff Christianson and Bryan Lovell.  Others present included Jim Barber, Tom Albaugh, Lonni Koch, Sherie Paup, Rob Davis, Luella Scott, Nancy Haesemeyer, Linda Walker, Kerri Poduska, Amy Heinen, Dan Paidar, Connie Knutsen, Joe and Kim Smith, Scott and Amy Bishop, Travis Galloway, Doug Cook, and Lorraine Polhamus.

 

Receive visitors/public comment:  Luella Scott made the council aware of some broken off Veterans markers at the cemetery.  Linda Walker requested a solution for an occasional one time extra bag of garbage due to some spring cleaning and asked the council to consider a program making tags available to purchase.  The council will look into establishing a price for renting an extra container for a one time situation. 

 

CONSENT AGENDA: Bryan Lovell motioned, Larry Beck seconded to approve all items under the consent agenda including the agenda, finance reports, claims, and the minutes from 4/11/09, with a request to strike the information printed under the Ambulance Billing policy as it was determined that not all members of the council received a copy of the information that was provided by the city attorney until April 22.  The information printed was part of the documentation that the Mayor handed to Gene Brown for the committee to use in reviewing the issue about whether or not insurance co-pays and deductibles are required to be paid.  Roll call vote: Ayes:  Beck, Brown, Christianson, Barnhart, and Lovell. Nays: None.  Motion carried.

 

The claims approved were as follows:

IA EMS ASSOCIATION

TRAINING

125.00

IA LEAGUE OF CITIES

TRAINING

170.00

PAYROLL

WAGES

6,216.24

WELLMARK

INSURANCE

3,261.63

BRIDGE COMMUNITY BANK

PETTY CASH

70.70

US POSTMASTER

POSTAGE

129.60

BRIDGE COMMUNITY BANK

MISC CONTRACT

21.31

INTL REVENUE SERVICE

FICA/MC

3,433.31

I P E R S

IPERS

1,732.60

CRAIG ROBINSON

REFUND DEP

11.50

CODY MILLER

REFUND DEP

14.75

BRETT KOHOUT

REFUND DEP

50.00

FARM & HOME PUBLISHERS

LIB BOOKS

38.10

BARNES & NOBLE

LIB BOOKS

39.06

PEOPLE

LIB SUBSCRIPTION

49.95

AMAZON.COM

LIB BOOKS

460.74

ACS FIREHOUSE SOLUTIONS

FD SOFTWARE

210.00

ALLIANT ENERGY

UTILITIES

5,723.33

APACHE HOSE & BELTING

MINOR EQUIP

117.38

ANGIE ENTWISLE

BLDG MAINT

300.00

CASEY'S GENERAL STORE

VEH SUPPLY

184.47

CR PHOTO COPY

MNT/EQUIPMENT

37.18

CEDAR CO. SOLID WASTE

LANDFILL FEES

1,650.00

DOUG COOK

MINOR EQUIP

74.63

EAST CENTRAL LIBRARY SER

OP SUPPLY

8.00

GATEWAY CENTER

LODGING

79.00

GENE KNUTSEN

MEET/CONF

265.50

IOWA FINANCE AUTHORITY

PRINCIPAL/INTEREST

22,682.70

GREEN VALLEY AG & TURF

VEH REPAIR

160.00

HOLIDAY INN

LODGING

150.00

IA DEPT NAT RESOURCES

PROF SERVICES

60.00

IOWA WIRELESS

TELEPHONE

134.16

JAKE KOCH

MEET/CONF

117.00

JOHNSON CO REFUSE INC

RECYCLING

2,937.50

KEYSTONE LAB, INC

PROF SERVICES

344.30

L E DENDINGER

ATTY SERVICES

980.00

LINDA COPPESS

MILEAGE

325.35

LISBON-MTVERNON AMB SERV

MUTUAL AID

75.00

MECHANICSVILLE TELE. CO.

TELEPHONE

319.81

ODD JOBS INC-JERRY DAKE

BURIALS

1,050.00

POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEM

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT

1,584.00

THE TIPTON CONSERVATOR

PUBLICATION

329.36

QUARTERMASTER

UNIFORM

164.96

USA BLUE BOOK

OTHER EQUIP

155.96

AGVANTAGE FS INC.

VEH SUPPLY

877.57

BRIDGE COMMUNITY BANK

PRINCIPAL/INTEREST

13,360.01

CITY OF MECHANICSVILLE

PRINCIPAL/INTEREST

18,300.00

THOMAS ALBAUGH

MILEAGE

82.35

ODD JOBBER

REIM GRAPPLE FORK

700.00

BUYWELD.COM

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT

58.27

IA ONE CALL

PROF SERVICES

22.50

SHEPLEY SNYDER PHARMACY

MED SUPPLY

28.00

ALL MED

MED SUPPLY

377.63

AIRGAS, INC.

MED SUPPLY

90.81

ARAMARK UNIFORM

UNIFORM

192.35

PAYROLL

WAGES

5,833.88

 

 

 

Total Receipts and Disbursements for month of April by fund

Fund

Receipts

Disbursements

Agency-Water

82.51

171.01

Ambulance Trust

10,275.17

882.09

Fire Trust

.38

 

General

84,338.12

17,578.10

Library Expendable Trust

3.15

 

Perpetual Care

150.00

 

Road Use Tax

7,432.02

4,088.10

Sewer Utility

4,971.88

4,947.71

Solid Waste

7,520.82

6,697.22

Special Revenue LOST

5,463.88

 

Employee Benefit

12,393.43

2,907.48

TIF

8,960.27

 

Water Utility

8,854.85

9,159.89

 

 

REPORTS:

Ambulance Report: Sherie Paup presented the ambulance report which included 16 medical calls and 3 trauma, and 1 search for lost child, for a total of 20 calls.  A-9 was used 1 time.  Mandatory Hazardous Material training will be May 12 & 13.

 

Fire Department Report:  Fire Chief Lonni Koch reported 6 calls for the month with 4 of them being grass/cornfield fires, 1 being a search for missing child, and 1 lightning strike on Country View Drive.  A request to purchase items totaling $4,296 included 9 - $50 ft hose ($1,026); 5 helmets $150 each ($750); a case of flares $150; 5 radios $350 each ($1750); 2 batteries for 162 $90 each ($180); 4 saber light $50 each ($200); 12 helmet lights $20 each ($240) were approved with a motion by Larry Beck and second by Bryan Lovell.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Request for training summer fire school June 19 & 20 2 days @$85 and 1 day @ $60 plus overnight lodging in Ames for up to 4 participants was approved with a motion by Bryan Lovell, and seconded by Larry Beck.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Additional requests:  Resolution for leftover budget money to go to truck payment or fire trust fund.  Will discuss further in July after a determination can be made if any remains.

 

Building Maintenance needs exceed $200/year: Request that the funds not come out of fire budget for fire roof leak, weather stripping bay doors, and furnace replacement costs.

 

Request the purchase of the Safety basket be done with some other departments funds, not the fire budget:  Motion by Jeff Christianson, seconded by Gene Brown to make the purchase from the Furniture and Fixtures line item within the park budget.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Police Report:  Police Chief Jim Barber provided a summary of the calls for the month which included 7 agency assists; 3 animal cases; 1 assault, 13 citizen assist,   7 - 911; 1 theft; 4 traffic stops, 2 citations, 2  warnings, 2 bad check notices served; 6 warnings for code violations including illegal parking; fail to abate nuisance; 12 citations issued for livestock violation, electric fence violation, illegal parking, curfew violation, careless driving, and theft.

 

Iowa Health System Think First Iowa program:  Motion was made by Larry Beck, seconded by Carla Barnhart to participate in the program that initiates focus on rewarding safe behavior among children between the ages of 2-13.  The program, is endorsed by the Department of Public Safety, has been successfully implemented by Iowa communities since 2006.  The purpose of the “I Got Caught” program is to reward children for wearing helmets and exhibiting other safe behaviors.

 

Public Works Report: Albaugh reported that they have been busy mowing and trimming, garbage pick up is going better, and the 1998 pickup has a bad cylinder in the engine.

 

Administration Report: The P&Z Commission is scheduled to meet Tuesday, May 19; 1 cigarette permit application received, City Attorney is working with the Treasurer’s office on the transfer of the Live Wire property, met with the Census Bureau rep and they have requested that the city help promote the census any way that it can; information on the H1N1 Flu virus was distributed around town, the ECICA Spring meeting will be 5/13/09 in Dubuque.  A $2000 Disaster Grant fund was received from FEMA, and a request to proceed with the purchase of the fire proof filing cabinet and include information on public awareness for the identified hazard mitigation items was approved with a motion by Larry Beck and seconded by Gene Brown.  Ayes all. Motion carried.

 

The council requested that a survey be prepared in an attempt to gather public input on whether or not additional restrictions should be added to the burning ordinance.  The survey questions will be printed in the next newsletter.

 

Old Business:

Resolution Setting the salaries for fiscal year 2010: Discussion included raises for the full and part-time employees and the insurance benefits that the city provides for all the full-time employees:  Motion was made by Jeff Christianson, seconded by Larry Beck to approve the 3.5% increase as budgeted and to continue paying 100% of the insurance premium as provided for in the existing personnel policy.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Burning:  No additional information.

 

Memorial Building:  Tuck point proposal was received and the weight of the flag pole and legion sign seem to be cracking the cement.  Mayor Furry will discuss the legion sign with Tom Strickler and Gene Brown will discuss the flag pole with the post office.  The two options in the proposal were $4,229 for repairing only the west entrance and an additional option to add $12,110 for the E, W, and N walls.

 

Waxing floor proposal:  Dick Meyer volunteered to provide the labor to strip and wax the floor in the Memorial Building with the Senior Dining paying half the cost of the materials and the equipment will be borrowed from the school for a total cost of supplies being $400.  Cedar Rapids Janitorial did the floor in 2001 and provided a cost estimate of $1170 if they were to be hired to do it again.  A motion was made by Gene Brown and seconded by Jeff Christianson to authorize Dick Meyer to strip and wax the floors at a cost of $200 for the materials.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

New Business:

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON:

 

Resident request for trash cans to be installed in park:  Council directed that two cans be purchased similar to what is currently up town and be placed in Cruse Park.

 

Select Lettering for garbage truck:   Motion was made by Gene Brown, seconded by Jeff Christianson to select the black lettering with the green outline for the garbage truck and the dump truck.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

2009 Seal coat proposal (Pelling) Council reviewed the proposal totaling $18,768.25 for seal coating and a motion was made by Jeff Christianson to approve, seconded by Bryan Lovell.  It was also added that a list of spots that needed to be repaired including the one on Oak Street and at the intersection of Jackson and Second Street be compiled for repair.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Bridge Club requested use of MB 1st Monday of each month from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m at no charge:  Request was approved with a motion by Jeff Christianson and seconded by Bryan Lovell, with the assumption that if the building was rented or needed for a funeral that would take priority.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Proposal from Safety Committee:  A proposal was drafted by the appointed committee of Gene Brown, Bryan Lovell, Sherie Paup, Lonni Koch, and Connie Knutsen.  Bryan Lovell motioned and Larry Beck seconded to have the Mayor take to the City attorney for comment before having the council review.  Carla Barnhart requested to look it over before it goes to the city attorney.   Ayes all.

 

Ambulance billing issues and rectification:  Outstanding ambulance billing balances have been submitted to the Income Offset program under the agreement that the city has in place with the State of Iowa.  This agreement is established by the Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the State of Iowa of which the city became an accepted agency in February 2008.  Some residents “didn’t know” they had to pay the balance of their bill when it consisted of a co-pay and deductible, even though they had been sent multiple bills requesting payment be made to the City, made no response to the billings or any attempt to make payment arrangements.  In addition they had been told that they didn’t need to pay them.  Lovell stated he wants to come up with a solution to “fix” and review the process.  For the time being, Bryan Lovell motioned, Carla Barnhart seconded to refund the amounts received from the State of Iowa which were withheld from Iowa Tax refunds and applied to past due Ambulance bills, but not to forgive the debt. Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Garbage service issues:  No correspondence received.  Table until received.

 

Interpretation of donation policy/fee for service:  Resident recently requested assistance from the fire department for completing a CRP burn and existing policy states any payment received by any City department, whether fire, ambulance, or otherwise, after a service has been provided, shall be deemed a fee for service and shall be deposited into the General Fund and designated in such a way that it may be put toward the budget of the respective department that generated the revenue. Fire Chief stated that service provided was a fund raiser for the “volunteers” and should be put in the “private account.” Carla Barnhart motioned, Jeff Christianson seconded to put $600 into the City General Fund and $3,250 in the Mechanicsville Fire & Ambulance Volunteers Inc private account.  Ayes all.  Motion carried. 

 

Filling swimming pools/watering lawns:  The question was posed to the council regarding whether it was acceptable to waive any applicable sewer charges on the gallons of water that is used to fill swimming pools.  Motioned by Bryan Lovell, seconded by Jeff Christianson to waive the sewer fees on the gallons used for filling a swimming pool but not on watering grass.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

SRTS First Step selecting consultant:  The council reviewed the information received from the IDOT regarding the first steps to implementing the SRTS program.  Engineers identified off from the pre-qualified list included Hart-Frederick, IIW Engineers, Ament Engineering; Howard R. Green, Hall & Hall; and Snyder and Associations and then directed that the sidewalk committee identify what needs to be in the request for qualifications, sent out, interviewed, and return with a recommendation to the council.

 

Committee Reports:  None

 

Correspondence: was received from the Dynamic Broadband, Thank you from Living Hope Bible Church and Friends of the Animals, Information on 2010 Census and a notice of Temporary Shut down at the Transfer Station in Tipton.  Scott County is ½ the rate of Clinton County so will be utilized in the interim.

 

Set next regular meeting date: 6-8-09 

 

ADJOURN:  There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, council member Larry Beck motioned, Bryan Lovell seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m. Ayes all.  Meeting adjourned.

 

ATTEST:

 

____________________________                     _______________________________

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

City Clerk/Finance Officer