The semi-monthly meeting of the City Council of Walcott, Iowa, was held on Monday, the 15^th day of April, 2013, at Walcott City Hall. Mayor Jim Couper called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Council members present were: Tim Koehler, John Kostichek, Jacob Puck, and Jackie Puck. Absent: Lisa Mengler. City employees present: Jeff Blake, John Brockmann, Lisa Rickertsen, and Joe Hahn.

Rickertsen stated the request for a rain garden was withdrawn after the agenda was posted. Jacob Puck moved and Koehler seconded to approve the agenda, with the deletion of the rain garden request. Motion carried.

Consent Agenda. Koehler moved and Kostichek seconded to approve the consent agenda including the invoices, March 2013 financial reports, and Resolution 2013-14, Transfer of Funds. Roll call ayes: Koehler, Kostichek, Jacob Puck, and Jackie Puck. Motion carried.

Audience. Mike Arp, Bridget Geigle, and Rusty Holzworth.

Minutes from 04/01/13. Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve the minutes from 04/01/13. Jackie Puck abstained due to absence from meeting. Motion carried.

Minutes from 04/10/13. Jackie Puck moved and Koehler seconded to approve the minutes from 04/10/13. Kostichek abstained due to absence from meeting. Motion carried.

Approval of Beer Permit & Sunday License for Walcott Unified Fund (W.U.F.) at Victory Park. Jacob Puck moved and Kostichek seconded to approve the six month beer permit & Sunday license for W.U.F. at Victory Park. Motion carried.

Approval of Beer Permit & Sunday License for Walcott Unified Fund (W.U.F.) at Wescott Park. Jacob Puck moved and Kostichek seconded to approve the six month beer permit & Sunday license for W.U.F. at Wescott Park. Motion carried.

Skilled Iowa Program. Rickertsen reported on a program sponsored by Iowa Workforce Development regarding assessment tests that measure individual worker's skills. Council consensus was to not sign the proposed agreement promoting the program since it doesn't align with the City's hiring process.

Fire Department Electrical Wiring Labor Costs. Jackie Puck moved and Koehler seconded to approve the bid from Central City to provide labor for the electrical wiring for the Fire Department, not to exceed $1,500. Motion carried.

W. Bryant & Powers Streets Improvements Project. Discussion was held on the proposed preliminary sidewalk assessment plat, sidewalk placement, and letter to residents that do not currently have sidewalks on their lots. Kostichek moved and Koehler seconded to approve the letter to affected residents, inviting them to the May 6^th meeting at 6:00 p.m. Motion carried. Further discussion is needed with the City Engineer regarding sidewalk placement.

Prairie View Park Spring Burn. Brockmann stated with the recent growth and upcoming rain it's getting too late this year for a burn so it will be postponed until next spring.

Police Department Report. K-9 Proposal. Chief Blake presented a proposal to purchase a narcotics detection dog. He stated the dog would be paid for with donated funds and the food and regular vet care would also be donated. A new squad has been budgeted for purchase this year and instead of trading in the Ford Expedition, it would be kept and dedicated to the K-9. Discussion was held on the estimated $7,500 for equipping a third squad and approximately $1,000/year for insurance on the dog and additional squad. The police vehicle fund balance should cover the purchase of a new squad and the additional costs for equipping a third squad. Blake also presented a sample K-9 policy and discussion was also held on forfeited funds/property obtained from convictions resulting from assistance with the K-9. Some felt the additional costs to the City would be recouped with forfeiture funds seized. Following further discussion, Jackie Puck moved and Kostichek seconded to proceed with the proposal of purchasing a K-9 as presented by Chief Blake. Motion carried.

Fire Department Report.

• Daytime Responders Proposal. Discussion was held on the proposal regarding hiring temporary part-time staff to assist the Fire Department due to shortage of personnel during daytime hours. Discussion was held on the preference that any staff hired should have be trained in both EMS and Fire and current department volunteers should not be hired for the positions. Fire Department Member Rusty Holzworth stated they are working on getting an EMS class started soon. Holzworth will meet with Rickertsen to format a job description for this position. A special council meeting was scheduled for Monday, April 22^nd at 5:30 p.m. to review the proposed job description and discuss the issue further.
• FCC License. Chief Hahn reported on the status of the FCC license for the Fire Department. Jackie Puck moved and Kostichek seconded to sign the proposal with Communications Engineering Company (CEC) to complete the process at a cost of $1,434.50. Motion carried.

Public Works Department Report. Brockmann reported he is obtaining estimates if property owners were to install sump pump services lines on S. Downey Street. He also reported that there would be no drainage problems if the council decides to install sidewalks across from the school on James Street. Discussion was held on location of the sidewalk and council consensus was that it should adhere to the current city code specifications.

City Clerk's Department Report. Rickertsen reported she received notice from Mediacom that their rates are increasing May 1^st. She also reported on information from Witts regarding their new asking prices on their property located on the NW corner of Lincoln and Main Streets. Rickertsen also reported that our Building Official, Linda Rivers, will also be working for the City of Eldridge part-time.

Mayor's Report. Mayor Couper reported he will be moving out of Walcott, therefore resigning his position, effective May 31^st. Kostichek moved and Koehler seconded to regretfully accept Mayor Couper's resignation. Ayes: Kostichek, Couper, and Jacob Puck. Nays: Jackie Puck. Motion carried. Jacob Puck moved and Koehler seconded to proceed with an appointment process to fill the vacancy. Motion carried. The council will make the appointment during the regular meeting on June 6^th at 6:00 p.m. Couper reported he has enjoyed his eleven years of service with the City of Walcott, both as the Mayor and City Council member and thanked everyone for their support during his tenure.

Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to adjourn at 7:39 p.m. Motion carried. All votes on motions were unanimous, unless noted.

A special meeting of the City Council of the City of Walcott, Iowa was held on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, with Mayor Couper calling the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Council members present were: Tim Koehler, Lisa Mengler, Jackie Puck, and Jacob Puck. Vision Committee members present were: Mike Byington, Josie Dietz, Larry Koberg, Brent Puck, and Kristal Schaefer. Absent: John Kostichek and Kris Burt. City Clerk, Lisa Rickertsen and residents Carol Snay and Mike Engler were also present.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the community development projects and goals.

The following priorities were discussed:

• Combining Walcott First, Chamber of Commerce and Vision Committee as a non-profit entity. Discussion was held on sending out letters to businesses and committee members to discuss the advantages of forming an entity, which would be separate from the City.
• New Welcome Sign. Discussion was held on acquiring a parcel, preferably at the entrance of Main Street and Walcott Road, to locate a sign. Council supports the project however would want to limit expenses by purchasing only the size of lot needed for the sign. Kristal Schaefer will continue working to pursue land.
• Organization board by Casey's was an Eagle Scout project several years ago and is in need of repairs and updates. Larry Koberg will obtain costs and designs for a new sign. Discussion was held that the organizations listed on the sign may contribute towards the project.
• Utilization of the chamber newsletter as a communication tool was discussed and encouraged.
• Splash Pad/Skatepark. Carol Snay was present to report that she and her two siblings own lots adjacent to the tennis courts and questioned if the City had any interest in purchasing two of the lots. She felt these lots would be a great location for a splash pad (an area that has water play with no standing water). Following discussion, council consensus was to have the property owners determine their asking price for the two lots. Further discussion was held on the need for more activities for the youth, including a splash pad and a skatepark. Consensus was that a splash pad would cover a broader age range and it was one of the desires from the teens interviewed for the Downtown Assessment report last summer. Rickertsen will gather costs for purchase and maintenance of a splash pad and skatepark.
• Discussion was held on how to promote greater volunteer participation. Some ideas stated were to utilize the newsletter more, coordinate with other volunteer organizations, and be more specific with volunteer activities.
• Discussed visiting Central City to obtain information regarding their success in promoting their community as an attractive residential center.
• Hanging baskets. Josie Dietz reported on the costs for the hanging baskets for the City of Davenport. She reported the flowers need to be watered daily and twice a day in hot weather. She will obtain costs for the brackets, baskets, flowers, and proposed locations for a future meeting. Jackie Puck stated she has a 250 gallon container that she would donate to the City to aid in watering the flowers.
• Decorative lighting and property clean-up were briefly discussed.

Individuals will bring back their findings to future council meetings.

Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to adjourn at 7:32 p.m. Ayes: All. Motion carried.

The semi-monthly meeting of the City Council of Walcott, Iowa, was held on Monday, the 1^st day of April, 2013, at Walcott City Hall. Mayor Jim Couper called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Council members present were: Tim Koehler, John Kostichek, Lisa Mengler, and Jacob Puck. Absent: Jackie Puck. City employees present: Jeff Blake, John Brockmann, Lisa Rickertsen, Tom Schirman, and Joe Hahn.

Rickertsen stated she was still waiting for required documentation regarding the beer permits for Walcott Unified Fund. Mengler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve the agenda, with the deletion of the beer permits for Walcott Unified Fund. Motion carried.

Consent Agenda. Kostichek moved and Koehler seconded to approve the consent agenda including the invoices, minutes from March 18, 2013, and the Lampliter Class C Liquor License renewal. Motion carried.

Audience. Wayne Latimer, Larry Koberg, Kirk Koberg, Verlyn and Josie Dietz, Mike Arp, Bridget Geigle, and Rusty Holzworth.

Park Fencing. Larry Koberg was present and reported that there will be two fast-pitch softball tournaments this summer. The fast-pitch invitational tournament will be held from May 24^th : May 26^th and the Iowa Area ISC men's fast-pitch tournament will be from June 6^th : June 9^th. Koberg requested fencing both Wescott and Victory Parks for the tournaments, beginning on Wednesday, May 22^nd. Discussion was held on fencing needed for Walcott Day. Mengler moved and Koehler seconded to allow the fences to be installed at Wescott and Victory Parks on May 22^nd and be removed on June 10^th at Wescott Park and partial removal at Victory Park, if determined fencing is needed for Walcott Day. Motion carried. Any remaining fence at Victory Park will not be removed until July 21^st, the day after Walcott Day. Chief Blake will check with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverage Division on fencing requirements for outdoor areas.

Street Closure. Mengler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve closing a portion of E. Bryant Street, adjacent to the Walcott Coliseum, on April 6^th until Midnight for a wedding reception. Motion carried. Rickertsen reported two 10' canopies will be placed on the sidewalk sometime after noon and will be moved onto the street later that day, following the wedding ceremony. The street closure is only within property lines and the outdoor service area as shown on the liquor license for the establishment.

Proposed Municipal Building Mailing. Discussion was held on the documents to be mailed to residents and businesses regarding a municipal building. Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve the mailing as presented with changes as discussed. Motion carried.

Fire Department Report.

• New Vehicle Update. Chief Hahn presented pictures and discussed the need to replace Engine #3. Hahn stated he had received three bids for a new truck and expects the purchase to be between $500,000 – $600,000. Mayor Couper expressed his disappointment that the Fire Department truck committee was not involved in the truck design and stated he visited Durant Fire Department to look at their new truck, which would be similar to our needs, which was purchased for just under $300,000. Following further discussion, Mayor Couper requested the truck committee meet and proceed with the process of designing a truck to meet the department's needs at the best value.
• Purchases. Rusty Holzworth presented project worksheets for the following purchases:
  • Air Pack Masks. Mengler moved Jacob Puck seconded to approve the purchase of air pack masks from Feld Fire Equipment for $1,940. Motion carried. The purchase will be made with grant funds from Iowa 80 Endowment Fund.
  • Firefighting Gloves. Kostichek moved and Koehler seconded to approve the purchase of 20 pairs of gloves from Sandry Fire at a cost of $961. Motion carried.
  • Fire Boots. Mengler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve the purchase of 6 pairs of structural fire boots from Sandry Fire at a cost of $888. Motion carried.
  • Recruiting Banners. Holzworth requested permission to place two recruiting banners at the city-owned property at 1113 N. Main Street. Council members had no objections to the request.
  • Bylaws Resolution. Holzworth reported on the proposed changes to the Fire Department Bylaws & Constitution. The last update was approved by City Council in January, 2006. Koehler moved and Mengler seconded to approve Resolution 2013-12, Approval of the Walcott Volunteer Fire Department Bylaws. Roll call ayes: Koehler, Mengler, Kostichek, and Jacob Puck. Motion carried.
  • Constitution Resolution. Kostichek moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve Resolution 2013-13, Approval of the Walcott Volunteer Fire Department Constitution. Roll call ayes: Kostichek, Jacob Puck, Mengler, and Koehler. Motion carried.

Discussion was held on the shortage of daytime responders. The Fire Committee, Jackie Puck & Koehler, will meet with Fire Department officers/members to discuss the issue on April 3, 2013, at 5:30 p.m.

Police Department Report. Chief Blake gave an update on a recent grant submission and the need to replace a taser.

Public Work's Department Report. Brockmann presented his report including the dump truck repairs and the need to proceed with the S. Downey Street watermain project.

City Clerk's Department Report. Rickertsen reported on the building department activities for the month of March and a recent grant submission. She updated the Council on the status of the dangerous buildings abatement procedure located at 780 E. James Street and questioned if the Building Official should proceed with the abatement. Council consensus was to continue proceeding with the necessary actions.

Koehler moved and Mengler seconded to adjourn at 7:12 p.m. Motion carried. All votes on motions were unanimous, unless noted.