Minutes City of Mechanicsville

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

August 11, 2014

 

The Mechanicsville City Council met in regular session on Monday, August 11, 2014 at City Hall.  Mayor Larry Butler called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  Council members present for roll call were Rob Davis, Dee Taylor, Pam Cavey, and Dee Cook. Pam Logue arrived at 7:20.  Others present included Nick Lange, Tim Horihan, Lonni Koch, Bobby Kaufman, and Barb Smith.

 

Receive visitors/public comment: Barb Smith, who is running for Cedar County Treasurer, introduced herself and provided some background information and previous work experience that qualifies her for the Treasurer position.  Bobby Kaufman also made his annual visit to meet with the city council and provided a brief summary of the past years accomplishments in Des Moines.

 

CONSENT AGENDA:  Dee Cook motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to approve the consent agenda including the agenda, minutes from 7/14/14, finance reports, claims, Casey’s Liquor license renewal, the 2014 Street Finance Report as Resolution 2014-21, and the preview of the Annual Financial report before publication.  Roll call vote: Ayes: Cavey, Taylor, Davis, and Cook.  Nays: None. Logue absent.   Motion carried.

 

The claims approved were as follows:

ABC FIRE PROTECTION INC                     OPERATING SUPPLIES                                  $332.00

AGVANTAGE FS INC                               GROUNDS MAINTENANCE & REPAIR                  $87.20

ALLIANT ENERGY                                  ELECTRIC/GAS EXPENSE                            $6,310.38

AMAZON.COM                                     LIBRARY MATERIALS                                   $783.51

AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS CO                       UTILITY SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES                    $951.50

CASEYS GENERAL STORE                        VEHICLE OPERATIONS                               $1,284.31

CEDAR COUNTY SOLID WASTE                 PAYMENTS TO OTHER AGENCIES                  $1,080.00

CEDAR COUNTY TREASURER                    TAX EXPENSE                                            $574.00

CEDAR RAPIDS PHOTO COPY INC              OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE                       $69.70

CHASE CARD SERVICES                          POSTAGE/SHIPPING                                    $349.88

ED M FELD EQUIP CO INC                        ALLOWANCES - UNIFORMS                            $740.00

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY                       SUBSCRIPTION & ED MATERIAL                        $40.56

ENTWISLE, ANGIE                                 JANITORIAL EXPENSE                                  $330.00

HARDEN LAWN SERVICE                         OTHER PROF SERV EXP                              $3,000.00

HART-FREDERICK CONSULTANTS PC          ENGINEERING EXPENSE                                $425.00

HD SUPPLY WATERWORKS                      OTHER CAPITAL EQUIP                              $1,313.44

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RES        OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                $210.00

IOWA NETWORK SERVICES                     OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE                     $155.88

IOWA ONE CALL                                   OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                  $20.70

JIMS AUTO BODY                                  VEHICLE REPAIR                                          $47.50

JJJ ENTERPRISES, INC                           UTILITY SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES                 $7,769.00

JOHN DEER FINANCIAL                          BLDG MAINT & REPAIR                                  $38.44

JOHNSON COUNTY REFUSE INC                OTHER PROF SERV EXP                              $3,052.50

JONES REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER           OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $45.96

KEYSTONE LABORATORIES, INC                OTHER PROF SERV EXP                                $357.50

KINGDOM GRAPHICS                             ALLOWANCES - UNIFORMS                             $25.00

KUNDE OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT                  VEHICLE REPAIR                                        $197.21

MECHANICSVILLE TELEPHONE CO              TELECOMMUNICATIONS                               $370.64

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY PUMP                       OTHER CAPITAL EQUIP                                $413.00

OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY                    BLDG MAINT & REPAIR                                 $583.50

PEOPLE                                             SUBSCRIPTION & ED MATERIAL                        $44.50

QUILL                                               OPERATING SUPPLIES                                  $382.68

ROTO-ROOTER                                    OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE                   $1,072.40

SCHIMBERG CO                                    OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE                     $512.00

SEEHUSEN INSURANCE AGENCY                INSURANCE EXPENSE                                  $294.00

SELECT SERVICE                                  OTHER CONTRACTUAL SERVICE                       $85.00

SHEPLEY PHARMACY                              OPERATING SUPPLIES                                   $58.39

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS                       OPERATIONAL EQUIP REPAIR                          $70.00

TIME                                                 SUBSCRIPTION & ED MATERIAL                        $35.00

TIPTON CONSERVATIVE & ADVERTIS          PRINTING & PUBLISHING EXP                         $281.26

UNITED LABORATORIES                         CHEMICALS                                              $595.80

US CELLULAR                                      TELECOMMUNICATIONS                                 $61.41

USA BLUEBOOK                                    MINOR EQUIPMENT                                     $924.75

WALMART                                          OFFICE SUPPLIES                                        $17.92

WELLMARK BC BS                                 GROUP INSURANCE                                  $2,474.50

WENDLING QUARRIES INC                      UTILITY SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES                     $61.70

PAYROLL                                                          WAGES                                                               $11,126.94

Total Receipts and Disbursements for month of July by fund

Fund

Receipts

Disbursements

General

6161.14

27423.81

Road Use Tax

8841.80

10425.57

Employee Benefit

503.83

1093.90

Local Option Sales Tax

7260.50

 

Library Expendable Trust

153.94

 

Ball Park Fund

850.73

941.59

Ambulance Trust

236.77

3071.16

Capital Project

9.43

 

Debt Service

521.65

 

Perpetual Care

 

 

Water Utility

8781.96

7225.88

Sewer Utility

6666.76

2576.78

Solid Waste

8377.59

12238.62

Storm Water Utility

1040.24

2101.51

Water Sinking Fund

 

 

Water Deposit

100.00

200.00

 

REPORTS:

Administration Report:  Coppess reported completing the Debt Obligation report, Street Finance Report, Annual Finance report, received notice that FCC license needs to be renewed; Cedar County was declared a disaster area for the storms that occurred 6/27/14-7/3/14 and an application for FEMA disaster funds will be made; several notices were mailed out including bushes needing to be trimmed, a nuisance abated regarding an unlicensed motor home; and for garbage bags being stacked on top of the container (not permitted); Odd Jobber donated time and use of boom truck to reinstall the flag at the cemetery and the one at city hall; Coppess Farms mowed the ditch along X-40 and 125th at no charge; there are 26 tickets sold for the Community Night with the Kernels; Koch’s were contacted Saturday to fix a toilet at the park as the water was continuously running.  Coppess, Butler and Horihan attended the Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation planning meeting on August 5 in Tipton.  Council members were provided with a website to review the draft of the risk assessment and information was provided to the County for the Resource Management project that is being worked on by the EMA office.  Council was also asked if there were any additional consideration for any storm sewer work that may be needed at East First Street to be included with the grinding and paving of First Street.  The engineer also wanted to remind council that this project will require the installation of the ADA ramps at each of the intersections that cross First Street in the project area.

 

Fire Report:  Lonni Koch reported 2 calls with one being an EMS assist and the other a mutual aid with Tipton. Truck 168 (4wheel drive pickup) needed some repair work done at Bud’s Auto in Lisbon.  Requested permission to upgrade the 6 volt battery to a 12 volt on the 1947 parade truck which will be paid from donation money that the fire department has received.  This is primarily for safety reasons for the wiring and lights.  Sunday there will be a house burn at Lisbon for members to voluntarily participate in.  

 

Ambulance Report: Lonni Koch reported 14 ambulance calls including a mutual aid to Tipton and to Clarence a couple times.  She has requested information from Clarence in the form of how many runs, time of day.  In looking at Mechanicsville calls YTD the number of calls is down by 27 in comparison to last year and this is most likely due to fewer residents at the MNRC.  Dee Cook motioned, Rob Davis seconded to authorize the Mayor to sign the Business Associate Agreement with MedMedia for compliance with HIPAA.  Ayes all.  (2014-22)

 

Public Works Report:  Nick Lange reported that the repair and upgrade of the storm sewer at the end of East First Street has been completed; the storm sewer on S Cherry Street has been dug up and replaced between South Street and Cedar Street; Cherry Street was televised and found that the rock washed out of the alley and filled storm sewer along Cherry, replacing 100 foot of gravel with seal coating to try to hold rock in place; a 12” storm sewer and an additional catch basin was replaced on Cherry.  The DNR inspection report was also received today, and council reviewed.  Pam Cavey motioned, Dee Cook seconded to install the additional rip rap to the lagoon and to get the 3 aerators back on line. Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Police report:  Chief Tim Horihan presented a summary of activity from 7/14/14-8/11/14 which included 3 animals cases; 2 burglaries; 6 business checks w/0 unsecured; 1 parking violation; 2 background checks; 1 adoption scam; 4 traffic stops with 6 warnings for headlight out, improper mounted plate, fail to carry DL, fail to obey stop sign, 1 violation of sound ordinance and 1 speeding.

 

Tim also presented various scenarios and ideas for implementing a reserve PD with training costs, uniform costs, badges, weapons, etc. and he potentially becoming a certified training instructor.  Council requested that he work on preparing a draft of a policy for the program and further discussion will be held at that time.  Discussion was also held regarding the request to purchase a rifle at a cost of $1,220-$1,300.  Additional pricing will be checked out and the policy from the Anamosa PD for a possible buy back program.  Action tabled until next month.

 

Old business discussion and possible action on:

Bids for tree removal:  Coppess reported receiving 3 requests for the list of identified trees with 2 proposals being received; however, the one proposal did not provide insurance information or proof of being registered with the State of Iowa. Dee Cook motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to accept the proposal from Odd Jobber at a total cost of $21,000 for 22 trees to be removed.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

New business discussion and possible action on:

Correspondence from the Cedar County Board of Supervisors regarding Veteran graves/mowing at cemetery:  The city will no longer be able to submit a list of Veteran’s in the cemetery to be entitled to receive a $3 payment per grave from the County.  The city will have to submit specific Veteran marker project details in order to be considered for payment and this will only be if the Pioneer Cemetery Commission makes a positive recommendation to the Board of Supervisors towards the project.

 

Discussion regarding possible closing of Unity Point Medical Clinic in Mechanicsville at the end of the year:  Council is disappointed with the idea that the clinic maybe closed.  Clerk was asked to attempt to reach out to other hospitals to see if they may have any interest in renting the facility.

 

VXT 9’2” Boss with Smart locks $6024.64 (plow)/purchase of 2nd pickup:

Council reviewed the state bids for a Ford F250 at $26,000 or Chevy 2500HD at $26,500.  Dee Cook motioned, Pam Logue seconded to purchase the F250 at $26,000 from Lynch and the plow from Future Line Truck Equipment for $6,024.64.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

2014 Legislative Changes affecting city codes from Iowa Codification:  Pam Logue motioned, Pam Cavey seconded to purchase the ordinances that will update the City Code book.  Ayes all.  Motion carried.

 

Committee Reports:  Dee Taylor and Pam Cavey wrote a letter of support for a $500 grant for the library.

 

Correspondence:  The USDA sent correspondence regarding the Agricultural Act of 2014 which provides owners with an option to reallocate base acres and update yields for “covered commodities”.

 

Set next regular meeting date: 9-8-14

 

Mayor Comments:  Mayor Butler informed council about the basement hole being filled with dirt from the boring of the fiber optic wiring and exploring other options for mowing of the cemetery for next year. 

 

ADJOURN:  There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, council member Pam Logue motioned, Rob Davis seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 9:06 p.m. Ayes all.  Meeting adjourned.

 

ATTEST:

 

____________________________                   ___________________________

Linda K. Coppess, MMC                                    Larry Butler, Mayor

City Clerk/Finance Officer