City of Mechanicsville

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

June 11, 2012

 

The Mechanicsville City Council met in regular session on Monday, June 11, 2012 at City Hall.  Mayor Boyd A. Stine called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.   Council members present for roll call were Rob Davis, Pam Cavey, Calvin Paup, Pam Logue, and Deanna Cook. Others present included Alan Zerbe, Jim Barber, Lonni Koch, Matt Shields, Doug Wolf, Doug Cook, Dan Baker, Doyle Pickering, and Jeff Kaufman.

 

Receive visitors/public comment: Jeff Kaufman updated the council on his perspective of the accomplishments and disappointments of the last session and thanked the council for being supportive during his terms in office.

 

CONSENT AGENDA:  Pam Logue motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to approve the consent agenda including the agenda, minutes from 5/14/12, finance reports, and claims.  Roll call vote: Ayes: Cook, Logue, Paup, Cavey, and Davis. Nays: None. Motion carried.

 

The claims approved were as follows:

ACE HARDWARE                                  GROUNDS MAINTENANCE & REPAIR                  $40.00

AGVANTAGE FS INC                               GROUNDS MAINTENANCE & REPAIR                  $60.63

ALLIANT ENERGY                                  ELECTRIC/GAS EXPENSE                            $4,765.78

AMAZON.COM                                     LIBRARY MATERIALS                                     $59.65

APACHE HOSE & BELTING                        OPERATIONAL EQUIP REPAIR                        $325.00

APPARATUS TESTING SERVICES                OPERATIONAL EQUIP REPAIR                        $550.00

BANYON DATA SYSTEMS INC                    OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE                   $1,735.00

CASEYS GENERAL STORE                        VEHICLE OPERATIONS                               $1,148.09

CEDAR COUNTY SOLID WASTE                 PAYMENTS TO OTHER AGENCIES                     $972.00

CHASE CARD SERVICES                          TRAINING                                                $175.00

CROW, DARRIN                                   OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                $160.00

DANS TIRES & MORE                             VEHICLE REPAIR                                          $48.15

ED M FELD EQUIP CO INC                        ALLOWANCES - UNIFORMS                         $3,981.00

ENTWISLE, ANGIE                                 JANITORIAL EXPENSE                                  $345.00

GRAINGER                                          ALLOWANCES - UNIFORMS                             $25.44

HACH COMPANY                                   CHEMICALS                                              $349.95

HART-FREDERICK CONSULTANTS PC          OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                $340.00

HAWKEYE INTERNATIONAL TRUCKS           VEHICLE REPAIR                                        $207.82

HUSMANN, EMILEE                                      REFUND DEPOSIT                                            $50.00

IEMSA                                               ASSOCIATION DUES                                     $30.00

IOWA PRISON INDUSTRIES                     GROUNDS MAINTENANCE & REPAIR                  $26.00

IWIRELESS                                         TELECOMMUNICATIONS                                 $57.86

JIMS AUTO BODY                                  VEHICLE REPAIR                                        $588.00

JOHN DEERE FINANCIAL                         VEHICLE REPAIR                                          $40.20

JOHNSON COUNTY REFUSE INC                OTHER PROF SERV EXP                              $2,952.50

KEYSTONE LABORATORIES, INC                OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                $935.80

KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE             TRAINING                                                  $30.00

KOCHS SERVICE & SUPPLY LLC                  BLDG MAINT & REPAIR                                 $149.18

LISBON-MT VERNON AMBULANCE              OPERATING SUPPLIES                                  $116.00

LUKE OBERBRECKLING & SONS                 VEHICLE REPAIR & WATER RPRS                  $4,082.00

MECHANICSVILLE TELEPHONE CO              TELECOMMUNICATIONS                               $299.49

MOVIE LICENSING USA                           SUBSCRIPTION & ED MATERIAL                        $75.00

MUELLER SYSTEMS                                OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE                     $500.00

ODD JOBS INC                                     OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                $925.00

P & K MIDWEST                                    VEHICLE REPAIR                                        $113.43

QUILL                                               OFFICE SUPPLIES                                       $643.76

SANDRY FIRE SUPPLY LLC                       MINOR EQUIPMENT                                  $2,737.95

TARGET                                             OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $12.84

TIME                                                 SUBSCRIPTION & ED MATERIAL                        $11.66

TIPTON CONSERVATIVE & ADVERTIS          PRINTING & PUBLISHING EXP                         $462.94

US CELLULAR                                      TELECOMMUNICATIONS                                 $61.29

WALMART                                          OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $13.22

WELLMARK BC BS                                 GROUP INSURANCE                                  $4,007.88

WENDLING QUARRIES INC                      OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $65.33

BAKER, TERA                                      TRAINING                                                $150.00

AREA AMBULANCE SERVICE                     OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                  $75.80

SHEPLEY PHARMACY                              OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $37.82

BOUND TREE MEDICAL                           OPERATING SUPPLIES                                  $229.51

SANDRY FIRE SUPPLY LLC                       ALLOWANCES - UNIFORMS                             $88.00

PAYROLL                                                          WAGES                                                               $13,066.12

 

Total Receipts and Disbursements for month of May by fund

Fund

Receipts

Disbursements

General

32,170.74

18,720.50

Road Use Tax

8,467.73

3,066.27

Employee Benefit

4,300.74

2,008.12

Local Option Sales Tax

5,348.31

 

TIF

(2,648.34)

 

Library Expendable Trust

79.08

 

Ball Park Fund

5,067.26

 

Ambulance Trust

3,237.32

3,484.64

Fire Trust

4.53

 

Gift Trust

 

10.70

Debt Service

 

14,580.00

Perpetual Care

50.00

 

Water Utility

7,311.71

1,293.51

Sewer Utility

8,231.90

5,338.53

Solid Waste

8,350.48

5,497.90

Water Sinking Fund

 

21,286.50

Water Deposits

(100.00)

200.00

 

Public Hearing on proposal to adopt a Storm Water Utility ordinance:  A notice was published indicating the time and place for a public hearing on adopting a storm water utility ordinance.  There being no oral or written comments for or against the proposed ordinance Dee Cook motioned, Rob Davis seconded to close the public hearing at 7:18 p.m.  Ayes all.  Hearing closed.

 

REPORTS:

Administration Report:  Coppess reported receiving correspondence from the city attorney regarding procedures and responsibilities on an obsolete underground fuel tank; a zoning violation regarding a swimming pool in the right of way has been corrected; clerk directed to send a final notice for property owner to correct a permit violation for failure to obtain a permit; the topo drawing from Hart-Frederick was received. A request to attend the IPERS Annual training update in Iowa City, IDOT Road Use Report annual update in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Municipal Professionals Academy in Des Moines @ $175, and the Iowa Rural Water rate setting workshop in Newton @ $25 were approved with a motion from Dee Cook and seconded by Pam Cavey.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Public Works Report: Zerbe requested 4 vacation days which were approved with a motion by Dee Cook and second from Pam Cavey.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.  He also reported spraying weeds, transferring the sand/salt to the new shed, cleaning the lift station, broken curb stop repaired and some discussion about various hydrants needing to be repaired.  Council requested a count and summary report on the fire hydrants and requested a proposal be developed for how to get the water shut off in order to repair the one on Second Street.

 

Police Report:  Police Chief Barber reported the calls for the month which included 5 agency assists, 1 animal case, 11 citizen assist, 1 criminal mischief; 4 – 911, 2 thefts; 3 traffic stops, 3 citations, 9 warnings for code violations for illegal parking, no peddlers license and curfew violation; 6 citations issued for illegal parking, speeding, no peddlers license; and theft.

 

Fire Report:  Lonni Koch reported 7 fire calls 5/16 vehicle fire; 5/21 grass fire; 5/27 grass fire; 5/30 building fire; 6/4 medical assist; 6/5 car fire; 6/11 mutual aid Tipton house fire.  Pam Logue motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to approve the purchase of the apparatus floor grating at $177.86 and the light bar at $3,200 installed.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Three vendors provided pricing for an International chassis and apparatus body for a replacement tanker truck.  Midwest Fire Equipment and Repair Co $176,837.00 & $176,911.00; Danko Emergency Equipment $175,784 for both options, however excluded the rear lower compartment on both sides; Alexis Fire Equipment Company $199,217.00 for the 7400 did not price the 4400 chasis. Dee Cook motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to accept the proposal from Midwest Fire Equipment and Repair for $176,911.00 for the 7400.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Ambulance Report: Lonni Koch reported 19 ambulance calls with 2 being mutual aid for A-4 to Lowden; 2 calls to Stanwood; 2 assisted by Area Ambulance; 5-ALS and 2 BLS.  It was reported that Doug Wolf passed the testing and is now an AEMT.  Lonni reported that the air bag repair was not under warranty and would cost about $250 for repair and the national testing for Doug, Ashley, and Tara cost $100 each.  Pam Cavey motioned, Pam Logue seconded to approve.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Old Business:

Randy Krutzfield, Storm sewer project:  Randy left information for the council regarding working on the preparation of the easements for the storm sewer project and the council would need to set the date for the public hearing and publish the notice giving a 4-20 day notice.    Pam Logue motioned Dee Cook seconded to set the date for public hearing and the bid letting on the plans and specifications for the storm sewer for July 9, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Dead possum in yard:  Doyle Pickering reported that Cedar County Conservation discarded the dead possum; no testing for rabies was done.  Council discussed alternatives on what could possibly be done about the increase in wild animals being reported as spotted near and around this residence. Calvin Paup motioned, Rob Davis seconded that the clerk contact the city attorney regarding the possibility of drafting a letter of concern. Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

First reading of Storm Water Utility Ordinance 246:  Rob Davis motioned to approve the first reading of the Storm Water Utility Ordinance and Pam Cavey seconded as printed below.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Section 1.  New Section.  The Code of Ordinances of the City of Mechanicsville, Iowa, 2009 is hereby amended by adding a new Chapter 100, entitled Storm Water Utility, which is hereby adopted to read as follows:

100.01 PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to establish a Storm Water Utility and provide a means of funding the construction, operation and maintenance of storm water management facilities including, but not limited to, detention and retention basins, storm water sewers, inlets, ditches and drains, and cleaning of streets. The Council finds that the construction, operation and maintenance of the City’s storm and surface water drainage system should be funded through charging users of property which may connect or discharge directly, or indirectly, into the storm and surface water drainage system.

 

100.02 DEFINITIONS. For use in this chapter, unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the following terms are defined:

1. “Connection” means the physical act or process of tapping a public storm water sewer or drainage line, or joining onto an existing side sewer, for the purpose of connecting private impervious surface or other storm and surface water sources or systems to the public storm and surface water system. It also includes creation or maintenance of impervious surface that causes or is likely to cause an increase in the quantity or decrease in quality or both from the natural state of storm water runoff, and which drains, directly or indirectly, to the storm and surface water system.

2. “Customer” means, in addition to any person receiving storm water service from the City, the owner of the property served, and as between such parties the duties, responsibilities, liabilities and obligations hereinafter imposed shall be joint and several.

3. “Storm and surface water drainage system” means any combination of publicly owned storm and surface water quantity and quality facilities, pumping, or lift facilities, storm and secondary drain pipes and culverts, open channels, creeks and ditches, force mains, laterals, manholes, catch basins and inlets, including the grates and covers thereof, detention and retention facilities, laboratory facilities and equipment, and any other publicly owned facilities for the collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal of storm and surface water system within the City, to which sanitary sewage flows are not intentionally admitted.

4. “User” means any person who uses property that maintains connection to, discharges to, or otherwise receives services from the City for storm water management. The occupant of occupied property is deemed the user. If the property is not occupied, the person who has the right to occupy it shall be deemed the user.

100.03 STORM WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM DISTRICT ESTABLISHED. Pursuant to the authority of Section 384.84[5] of the Code of Iowa, the entire City is hereby declared a Storm Water Drainage System District for the purpose of establishing, imposing, adjusting and providing for the collection of rates for the operation and maintenance of storm water management facilities. The entire City, as increased from time to time by annexation, shall constitute a single Storm Water Drainage System District. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)

 

100.04 RATES. Each customer shall pay for storm and surface water drainage system service provided by the City. The rates for the operation and maintenance of the storm water management facilities shall be collected by imposing a monthly rate on each residential, commercial and industrial user within the City. The Council may adopt rules, charges, rates, and fees for the use of the City’s storm and surface water system, and for services provided by the City relating to that system. Such rules may include delinquency and interest charges and penalties. Such charges and fees shall be just and equitable based upon the actual costs of operation, maintenance, acquisition, extension and replacement of the City’s system, the costs of bond repayment, regulation, administration, and services of the City. A fee of two dollars ($2.00) shall be charged to each residential utility customer each billing cycle and a fee of three dollars ($3.00) shall be charged to each commercial utility customer each billing cycle.  

 

100.05 PAYMENT OF BILLS. All Storm Water Drainage System District charges shall be due and payable under the same terms and conditions provided for payment of a combined service account as contained in Section 92.04 of this Code of Ordinances. All City services may be discontinued in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 92.05 if the combined service account becomes delinquent, and the provisions contained in Section 92.08 relating to lien notices shall also apply in the event of a delinquent account. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)

 

100.06 LIEN FOR NONPAYMENT. The owner of the premises served and any lessee or tenant thereof shall be jointly and severally liable for charges for the operation and maintenance of the storm water management facilities. Any such charges remaining unpaid and delinquent shall constitute a lien upon the premises served and shall be certified by the Clerk to the County Treasurer for collection in the same manner as property taxes. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.84)

Section 2.  Repealer.  All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed.

Section 3.  Severability Clause.  If any section, provision or part of this ordinance shall be adjudged invalid or unconstitutional such adjudication shall not affect the validity of the ordinance as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof not adjudged invalid or unconstitutional.

Section 4.  When effective.  This ordinance shall be in effect from and after its final passage, approval and publication as provided by law.

 

Calvin Paup motioned and Rob Davis seconded to dispense with the second and third readings.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Dee Cook motioned and Pam Logue seconded to adopt the ordinance. Roll call vote: Ayes: Cook, Logue, Paup, Cavey, and Davis. Nays: None. Ordinance adopted.

 

Second reading on the Ordinance 247 concerning the franchise agreement with IP&L for electric service: Rob Davis motioned and Pam Logue seconded to approve the second reading of the ordinance.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

Rob Davis motioned and Calvin Paup seconded to dispense with the third reading of the ordinance.  Pam Cavey motioned and Dee Cook seconded to adopt the ordinance for electric service as published in the notice for public hearing.  Roll call vote: Ayes: Cook, Logue, Paup, Cavey, and Davis. Nays: None. Ordinance adopted.

 

Second reading on Ordinance 248 concerning the franchise agreement with IP&L for gas service: Dee Cook motioned and Calvin Paup seconded to approve the second reading for the franchise agreement with IP&L gas service. 

Dee Cook motioned and Rob Davis seconded to dispense with the third reading.

Dee Cook motioned and Calvin Paup seconded to adopt the ordinance for gas service as published in the notice for public hearing. Roll call vote: Ayes: Cook, Logue, Paup, Cavey, and Davis. Nays: None. Motion carried.

 

New business

Sealed bids on removal of dead trees: Calvin Paup motioned, Pam Logue seconded to accept the sealed bid on the removal of 5 dead trees for $1600 from Odd Jobber.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Kluesner Construction crack seal $3944.68  Pam Cavey motioned Rob Davis seconded to approve the proposal from Kluesner to do crack sealing on W Second between Washington and Fayette and on W South Street.  Ayes all. Motion carried.

 

Request for city to consider applying for Housing rehab grant: Pam Cavey motioned, Dee Cook seconded to begin gathering information necessary to apply for the Housing rehab grant.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Request for removal of underground fuel tank:  Calvin Paup motioned, Pam Logue seconded to send a copy of the letter from the attorney to the property owner summarizing the responsibilities and procedures for the underground fuel tank that was discovered.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Northland Securities:  Information was provided on alternative sources of financing.  Council is not interested at this time.

 

Resolution to transfer LOST funds to the Capital Project fund:  Resolution 2012-8 was introduced by Pam Logue and seconded by Dee Cook to transfer $32,357.42 to the Capital Project Fund from the LOST fund.  Roll call vote: Ayes: Cook, Logue, Paup, Cavey, and Davis.  Nays:  None.  Resolution adopted.

 

Clean carpets at library:  Calvin Paup motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to authorize having the carpets cleaned at the library following the installation of the reading garden.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Adoption of record retention guidelines:  Pam Cavey motioned, Dee Cook seconded to adopt the manual from the Iowa League of Cities as a reference for destruction of documents.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Appointment to Library Board:  Gary Doerman and Ann Canfield terms are expiring on the library board.  Gary Doerman and Adam Eby were appointed to a 3 year term.  Many thanks to Ann Canfield for the years of service she provided to the board.  Dee Cook motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to approve the appointments.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Committee Reports: None.

 

Correspondence:  MMS Consultants provided company information.

 

Set next regular meeting date: Monday, July 9, 2012

 

Mayor Comments: None.

 

ADJOURN:  There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, council member Rob Davis motioned, Calvin Paup seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 8:54 p.m. Ayes all.  Meeting adjourned.

 

ATTEST:

 

____________________________                   ___________________________

Linda K. Coppess, CMC                                    Boyd A. Stine, Mayor

City Clerk/Finance Officer