Regular City Council Meeting                                                                                         June 17, 2008

City Council Chambers                                                                                                         7:00 p.m.

 

Present:  Mayor –                     Joyce Hudson                           Absent:  Police Chief    Randy Olson

               Council members       Jeff Kennedy                                                                                       

Jim Aden                                                         

                                                Roger Dudley

                                                Jeff Whiting

                City Administrator  Bruce Clymer

                City Clerk                Connie L. Dalrymple

                City Attorney          Mike Bacon

               

Press:  Gothenburg Times - Beth Barrett                                  

 

Also present:  Shane Gruber, J and Pam Buddenberg, Cindy Peyton, Monty Bowman, Charlene Morris, Richard Schwanz, Tim Jordison, Kay Wulf, Karla Ricley, Delvin Siel, Tim Lauer

 

Mayor Hudson opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m.  Advance notice and a copy of the agenda were given to the Council and members of the press.  City Council meetings are conducted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act, a copy of which is available for public inspection on the north wall of the Council Chambers.

 

Kennedy  moved, Aden seconded, to approve the consent agenda that included:

            City Council minutes- June 3, cont’d

            Police report – May

            Planning & Zoning Commission minutes – June 10

Roll call vote: Yea – Dudley, Whiting, Kennedy, Aden.  Nay - none.

 

Dudley moved, Whiting seconded, allowing payment of the claims against the City, $66,323.53, except #1047; Public Works Division $236,312.51; and the June 12 payroll of $35190.40.  Roll call vote: Yea – Aden, Kenney, Dudley, Whiting..    Nay - none.

 

Aden moved, Kennedy seconded, allowing payment of claim #1047 to the Animal Hospital.  Roll call vote: Yea – Whiting, Kennedy, Aden.  Nay – none.

 

Open Forum

-         Monsanto is planning ground breaking on their facility on South Highway 47 on July 8.  Dignitaries will include Monsanto representatives, Governor Dave Heineman, Department of Economic Development representatives and others.  There will be lunch on site.

 

Council member Dudley commented that after the discussion on the cost of the proposed paving on 22nd Street between Avenues G and H as well as apparent support for the project he was struggling with the direction the project should go since he is not in favor of using City funds to offset assessments.  Is there support for the project if there is no assistance from the City?

 

Richard Schwanz, at 705 22nd Street, said he is 110% in favor of the project and feels the majority of area owners are as well, although he has not talked to all of them.  Some may not be aware they might eligible for grant assistance.

 

Administrator Clymer reminded everyone that we will not know the actual cost until specifications and design work are complete and bids received.  If there are more qualified recipients at the 80% of low-to-moderate income level, we can reduce the qualification to the 60% level.  Unfortunately there is no partial assistance.  The terms of the grant specify full or no assistance.  If there is funding left over after the grant is applied to qualified owners, the remainder can be applied to the overall project costs, thereby reducing assessments to those that do not qualify for full assistance.  There are more similar grants available but the Department of Economic Development will not award them to the same city year after year.

 

Two Council members expressed their empathy, having paid assessments themselves, but feel the City cannot subsidize costs beyond the intersections and alley approaches they have always paid.  The Council has tried to keep the tax levy at stable level but that would not be possible if taxes were to cover paving projects.  Assessments can be paid over a ten year period, and Council tries to keep the interest at a level lower than a bank. 

 

Kennedy moved, Aden seconded, to pass and approve Ordinance 832 creating Street Improvement District 115, on third and final reading.  Roll call vote: Yea – Dudley, Whiting, Aden, Kennedy.  Nay – none.

 

Aden moved, Whiting seconded, to pass and approve Ordinance 833 creating Street Improvement District 116, on third and final reading.  Roll call vote: Yea – Kennedy, Dudley, Whiting, Aden.  Nay- none.

 

Aden moved, Kennedy seconded, approving a lease agreement with Shiloh McVay for the depot at Lafayette Park to be used as a pre-school.  The lease will be for one year at $150 / month.  Roll call vote: Yea – Whiting, Dudley, Kennedy, Aden.  Nay – none.

 

Dudley moved, Kennedy seconded, approval of a one day license to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits at the Firemen's Ball on July 19, 2008 and to block the street at the Fire Hall for the duration of the event, 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.  Roll call vote: Yea – Whiting, Dudley, Kennedy, Aden.  Nay - none.

 

Pam Buddenberg spoke to Council about the water and sewer in the basement of their home at 802 11th Street, following the May 22 rain.  Water came from the shower and floor drain.  This also happened in May 2007, at a repair cost of $9000.  Insurance will not cover damage because it came from rain water and they can’t get flood insurance because they are not in a flood plain.  They now have 1000 square feet that cannot be used as living space.  Their property is devalued and if they sell, these incidents have to be disclosed.  The City’s insurance has denied any claims for damages.

 

Monty Bowman, Charlene Morris, Karla Ricley, and Delvin Siel expressed similar concerns and issues.  All are asking for help in some way to insure this does not happen again.  Last year was the first year they had flooding issues and all wondered what had changed.  Maybe the combination of the construction of the 4-plex and the school moving and covering so much ground with concrete creates water shed.  With so many other good projects being considered, such as walking trails, community signage and airport improvements, perhaps some funding could become available to make changes and / or additions to the storm sewer to prevent backed up water.

 

City Services Director Shane Gruber agreed that three inches of rain is not normally an issue but three inches of rain in an hour is an issue, especially on the heels of three to four inches of rain a week prior.  The ground is saturated and the water running from the north end of town and surrounding fields create a flooding situation.  If the streets flood, the sewer will too.  Three days after the rain, the waste water treatment plant was still running at 1.7 million gallons a day, twice the normal rate.  Still, most of the water went to the outfall sewer line east of town that was constructed to take water from the downtown area.  Two years ago the City installed another line to collect water from the north and west side of town and carry it to the waste plant, easing the pressure on the 10th Street line. 

 

Administrator Clymer contacted Miller & Associates the day after the rain and asked them to look at the sanitary sewer and drainage and try to determine the cause and possible answers to flooding in the 11th Street area.  They have been surveying, talking to staff, and trying to determine a cause and course of action.  Today they looked at storm drains with staff, and all were running clear eliminating the possibility of tree roots clogging the lines.  Clymer has asked them to report their findings and suggestions at the July 1 meeting.

 

Dudley moved, Kennedy seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 p.m.  Roll call vote: Yea – Whiting, Kennedy, Aden, Dudley.  Nay – none.  The next regular meeting will be July 1 at 7:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

___________________________________                               _________________________________

Joyce Hudson, Mayor                                                                   Connie L. Dalrymple, City Clerk