Minutes City of Mechanicsville

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

December 9, 2013

 

The Mechanicsville City Council met in regular session on Monday, December 9, 2013 at City Hall.  Mayor Boyd Stine called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  Council members present for roll call were Rob Davis, Calvin Paup, Pam Cavey, and Dee Cook.  Pam Logue arrived at 7:05 p.m. Others present included Lonni Koch, Dee Taylor, and Larry Butler. 

 

Receive visitors/public comment:   None.

 

CONSENT AGENDA:  Dee Cook motioned, Rob Davis seconded to approve the consent agenda including the agenda, minutes from 11/12/13, finance reports, claims, abstract of votes which listed Larry Butler receiving 106 votes, Boyd Stine 25 votes, therefore declaring Larry Butler duly elected Mayor and Deanna Cook 98 votes; DeAnna Taylor, 110 votes; therefore declaring both elected Council persons, and setting the date for the public hearing for the Budget Amendment on January 13, 2014.  Roll call vote: Ayes: Paup, Cook, Cavey, and Davis.  Nays: None.  Logue absent. Motion carried.

 

The claims approved were as follows:

IRS                                                             PAYROLL TAXES                                           $4,842.25

BRIDGE COMMUNITY BANK                      INTEREST PAYMENTS                               $11,880.00

ACCO                                               OTHER EQUIPMENT                                     $650.69

AGVANTAGE FS INC                               VEHICLE OPERATIONS                                 $699.03

AIRGAS NORTH CENTRAL                        OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE                       $46.35

ALLIANT ENERGY                                  ELECTRIC/GAS EXPENSE                            $6,534.60

AMAZON.COM                                     LIBRARY MATERIALS                                   $427.75

CAR QUEST AUTO PARTS                        VEHICLE REPAIR                                          $90.84

CARUS CORPORATION                           CHEMICALS                                              $280.05

CASEYS GENERAL STORE                        VEHICLE OPERATIONS                                 $644.57

CEDAR COUNTY AUDITOR                       STREETS                                                  $550.15

CEDAR COUNTY SOLID WASTE                 PAYMENTS TO OTHER AGENCIES                  $1,044.00

CHASE CARD SERVICES                          PRINTING & PUBLISHING EXP                         $429.29

CJ COOPER & ASSOCIATES INC                MEDICAL/WELLNESS EXPENSE                        $104.00

DANS TIRES & MORE                             VEHICLE REPAIR                                        $137.23

DAWN BRUS                                        OPERATING SUPPLIES                               $2,000.00

ECIA                                                 TRAINING                                                  $12.00

ENTWISLE, ANGIE                                 JANITORIAL EXPENSE                                  $360.00

HART-FREDERICK CONSULTANTS PC          ENGINEERING EXPENSE                             $1,636.25

JJJ ENTERPRISES, INC                           UTILITY SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES                    $980.00

JOHNSON COUNTY REFUSE INC                OTHER PROF SERV EXP                              $9,227.50

KEYSTONE LABORATORIES, INC                OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                $286.00

KNUTH LAW OFFICE                              LEGAL EXPENSE                                         $173.40

KOCHS SERVICE & SUPPLY LLC                  OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $61.77

LINDA MCCANN                                    LIBRARY MATERIALS                                     $20.00

MARTIN GARDNER ARCHITECTURE            ENGINEERING EXPENSE                             $1,369.41

MECHANICSVILLE TELEPHONE CO              TELECOMMUNICATIONS                               $335.37

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY PUMP                       OTHER PROF SERV EXP                              $4,876.00

OPTUM                                                       REFUND PAYMENT                                           $410.44

QUILL                                               OFFICE SUPPLIES                                       $259.97

ROTO-ROOTER                                    OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                $400.00

SANDRY FIRE SUPPLY LLC                       MINOR EQUIPMENT                                     $910.25

SCHIMBERG CO                                    OTHER CAPITAL EQUIP                                $482.27

SHEPLEY PHARMACY                              OPERATING SUPPLIES                                  $121.50

TARGET                                             OPERATING SUPPLIES                                  $607.45

TIPTON CONSERVATIVE & ADVERTIS          PRINTING & PUBLISHING EXP                         $226.52

US CELLULAR                                      TELECOMMUNICATIONS                                 $59.47

USA BLUEBOOK                                    OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $88.95

WALMART                                          OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $44.88

WELLMARK BC BS                                 GROUP INSURANCE                                  $3,480.54

WENDLING QUARRIES INC                      UTILITY SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES                     $76.68

UTILITY EQUIPMENT COMPANY                 OPERATING SUPPLIES                                  $100.51

PAYROLL                                                          WAGES                                                               $12,088.59

 

Total Receipts and Disbursements for month of November by fund

Fund

Receipts

Disbursements

General

36571.68

16544.05

Road Use Tax

8665.54

2736.11

Employee Benefit

4947.49

1579.72

Local Option Sales Tax

7826.82

 

Library Expendable Trust

153.66

 

Ball Park Fund

73.79

244.53

Ambulance Trust

946.28

3192.62

Debt Service

5029.65

 

Perpetual Care

100.00

 

Water Utility

7932.03

1192.53

Sewer Utility

6474.74

4533.73

Solid Waste

8214.03

5389.16

Storm Water Utility

990.08

 

Water Deposit

10.53

103.71

 

REPORTS:

 

Fire Report:  Lonnie Koch reported 2 fire calls including an apartment fire on 11/27 and a machine shed fire on 11/29. The meeting with the trustees will be February 11 at 6:30 p.m. 

 

Ambulance Report: A total of 21 ambulance calls were reported for the month with a year to date total at 199.  Dee Cook motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to reimburse Koch $31.20 for meals for others, since no overnight travel was required.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Pam Cavey motioned, and Pam Logue seconded to approve the schedule itemizing the ambulance incentive pay totaling $12,935 which included meeting attendance, signing up for holiday call time, and responding to calls.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Police Report:  Coppess submitted the written report prepared by former Chief Donald Strong reporting 12 speeding citations, 11 warnings, 1 insurance, 3 warnings, 1 no seat belt, 1 child restraint warnings, 2 no registration, 4 obstructed window, 1 other equipment violations; 1 stop sign; 1 unsafe tread; 1 no plates, 1 parking warning; 2 animal and a dog bite; 3 other agency assist. Pam Logue motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to approve the report.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Public Works Report: Nick Lange submitted a request for clarification on the replacement of the larger meters and the city code 91.06 regarding who is responsible for the cost of upgrading the larger meters to the radio read meter.  Council reviewed and Calvin Paup motioned, Pam Logue seconded to have the city incur the cost of the replacement since the city was the one initiating the upgrade.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.  It was also reported that the 2 security lights at the lagoon had been looked at for repair with one needing to be replaced as it had been shot at with a BB gun and will cost approximately $400.

 

Administration Report:  Coppess reported researching the market value on land sales using the assessors web site and an average of $1.855/ square foot was calculated or a total of $3,895.50 for 2100 sf (50x42); Nims 100 and 700 has not been scheduled yet, 12/12 workshop on how local communities & citizens can help prepare for a disaster; 12/13 IDOT Transportation Funding Concepts at 11:30 at ECIA in Dubuque, Amy Bishop resigned from the library board and CJ Cooper training on 12/11 in Hiawatha per State Code 730.5(3)(h).  Pam Logue motioned, Rob Davis seconded, to approve the report.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Old business discussion and possible action on:

Storm Sewer Punch list:  Council reviewed the outstanding list which included removing silt fence and other erosion control devices, remove debris, fill in erosion channels, and roll out rough spots in seeded disturbed areas in backyards; replace badly cracked and displaced pavement in SW quadrant of Elm and Cedar, route and seal pavement cracks in several areas, grind a channel in pavement to alleviate significant water ponding between intakes at Jackson and Cedar, Plans called for pavement to be warped to drain to intakes at this location, remove Styrofoam packing left on detectable sidewalk warning panels, grind off edge of curb drop at the 1-2” offset between top of curb drop  and the edge of sidewalk on NE side of Cherry and Cedar, backfill settlement area behind back of curb on south side of street at Cedar and Walnut; grade around uphill side of MHs 1&2 so soil is not above MH lid at edge of MH frame, provide as-built information, including tile locations, submit lien waivers.  Correspondence was received from Horsefield indicating they would be here in the Spring of 2014 to finish the project.

 

Follow up on Nuisance Abatement(s):  Upon review of the notices, council requests an update from the property owner and make sure fence is secure as council will most likely delay taking additional action to correct until spring.

 

Sludge removal:  Council reviewed information from Engineer indicating that removing sludge might help show the IDNR field office that the City is doing what it can to keep the system running at the best of its ability.  There would be no benefit in doing one cell and not the other.  If the sludge is removed in spring of 2014, it shouldn’t have to be done again when the system is upgraded.  Nick contacted the DNR and received a list of items that need to be tested prior to applying and that list has been forwarded to Keystone Labs to verify that they can perform and at what costs.  Will continue to plan and prepare for being able to remove the sludge in the Spring when the weather is fit.

 

New Business discussion and possible action on:

Police Items:

Letter of Resignation from Police Chief:  Dee Cook motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to accept the letter of resignation from Donald Strong.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Set date to interview applicants:  January 4, 2014 at 9:00 a.m.

 

In car Camera:  Will wait and let new police chief have input on type of camera.

 

U of I Request for Proposals on Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities:  Pam Cavey provided information on this topic and will visit with Brenda Rouse for additional information.

 

Consideration on a request for a guardrail on East side of X-40:  Council discussed and indicated this had been previously reviewed during the Safe Route to School planning session.  It would be difficult to do snow removal as well as the volume of water that goes through the ditch, determined that it would not allow enough room for the installation.

 

LL Pelling proposal:  Pam Logue motioned, Rob Davis seconded to approve the proposal. Inquire if there are any others that may also be available.

 

Committee Reports: None.

  

Correspondence : None

 

Set next regular meeting date: Special meeting for interviewing applicants at 9:00 a.m. 1/4/14 and next regular meeting will be 1/13/2014.

 

Mayor Comments: Mayor Stine indicated that he has enjoyed the time he spent serving as Mayor and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a successful New Year.

 

ADJOURN:  There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, council member Calvin Paup motioned, Pam Cavey seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 8:05 p.m. Ayes all.  Meeting adjourned.

 

ATTEST:

 

____________________________                   ___________________________

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

City Clerk/Finance Officer