December 19, 2011
City of Walcott
December 19, 2011
The semi-monthly meeting of the City Council of Walcott, Iowa, was held on Monday, the 19th day of December, 2011 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, Jackie Puck, and Jacob Puck. Absent: Larry Koberg. City employees present: John Brockmann, Lisa Rickertsen, Jeff Blake, and Joe Hahn.
Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Consent Agenda. Koehler moved and Kostichek seconded to approve the consent agenda including the invoices and the November 2011 financial reports. Motion carried.
Audience. Brent Puck, Mike Byington, Janice Dawson, Wayne Latimer, Josie Dietz, and Lisa, Brett, & Garrett Mengler.
Minutes. Jackie Puck moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve the minutes from 12/05/2011. Kostichek abstained due to absence at meeting. Motion carried.
Recreational Trail & Park Project.
- Resolution 2011-64, Approving Change Orders #5 & #6. Rickertsen explained that change order #5 was a deduction in the amount of $15,216.32 due to field quantity of line items and change order #6 was a deduction of $7,000 for liquidated damages for overrun in working days. Koehler moved and Kostichek seconded to approve Resolution 2011-64. Roll call ayes: Koehler, Kostichek, Jackie Puck, and Jacob Puck. Motion carried.
- Resolution 2011-65, Accepting Improvements and Authorizing Final Payment. Koehler moved and Jackie Puck seconded to approve Resolution 2011-65. Roll call ayes: Koehler, Jackie Puck, Kostichek, and Jacob Puck. Motion carried. The final payment to McCarthy Improvements is $27,450.82 bringing the total contractor payment to $855,999.21.
North Downey Street Project.
- Resolution 2011-66, Accepting Improvements and Authorizing Final Payment. Jackie Puck moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve Resolution 2011-66. Roll call ayes: Jackie Puck, Jacob Puck, Koehler, and Kostichek. Motion carried. The final payment to Muscatine Bridge Company is $29,611.31 bringing the total contractor payment to $250,959.75.
North Lift Station Improvements Project.
- Resolution 2011-67, Awarding Contract. Rickertsen reported there were twelve bidders and the low bidder was Jim Schroeder Construction. Discussion was held with Brockmann on the bid alternate of a flow meter. Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve Resolution 2011-67 with a contract amount of $371,895 (base bid plus alternate A). Roll call ayes: Koehler, Jacob Puck, Jackie Puck, and Kostichek.
Vision Committee. Committee member Brent Puck explained the committee's planned agenda for the proposed community meeting on January 25th. The meeting's activities should facilitate the committee's goals of obtaining and organizing public input regarding city-owned facilities. Jackie Puck moved and Koehler seconded to approve the proposed flyer and the community meeting on January 25th at 7:00 p.m. at the Walcott Coliseum. Motion carried. The flyer will be included in the next water bill. Discussion was held on whether or not to have some rough financial estimates for the three scenarios during the vision meeting. Koehler offered to obtain estimates. Further discussion was held that the Vision Committee is a committee approved by the City Council and the committee studies and makes recommendations to council on specific issues as assigned by the council. All committee meetings are posted and open to the public.
Sewage Lagoon/Sludge Removal & Disposal. Brockmann presented information from Verbeke-Meyer on engineering and surveying services to remove the existing sludge in the north central lagoon cell and dispose in accordance with state regulations and requirements. Koehler moved and Jackie Puck seconded to obtain bids from at least two engineering firms and bring back to a future meeting. Motion carried.
Approval of Iowa 80 Truckstop TIF Rebate Application. Rickertsen statedthis is for a new commercial building with construction planned for next spring. Jackie Puck moved and Kostichek seconded to approve the TIF rebate application from Iowa 80 Truckstop. Motion carried.
Approval of T & C Storage TIF Rebate Application. Rickertsen explained this is for a storage unit that was constructed a few months ago. Jackie Puck moved and Koehler seconded to approve the TIF rebate application from T & C Storage. Motion carried.
TIF Rebate Program. Discussion was held on the current TIF rebate program that expires December 31, 2011. Rickertsen will prepare a Resolution, extending the current program until December 31, 2012, for the next meeting.
Fire Department Report. Chief Hahn presented his report including the Fire Department officer election results for 2012 : Fire Chief : Joe Hahn, 1st Assistant : Josh Geigle, and 2nd Assistant : Jim Kirkley. Koehler moved and Jackie Puck seconded to appoint Joe Hahn as Fire Chief, term ending 12/31/12. Motion carried.
Appointments by Mayor. Mayor Couper made the following appointments:
Park Board. Bridget Geigle to Park Board with a term ending 12/31/16. Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve the Mayor's appointment. Motion carried.
Council Committees:
Police, Fire, Street Lights, Animal Control, Civil Defense, ZBA, Forever Green : Kostichek & Jacob Puck
Sanitary Sewer, Solid Waste : Koehler & Mengler
Streets, Parks, Equipment Operations : Jacob Puck & Koehler
Policy & Administration, Mayor, Council, Clerk, Treasurer, P&Z, Elections, City Hall & Building : Mengler & Jackie Puck
Water Plant Operations, Distributions & Maintenance : Jackie Puck & Kostichek
Mayor Pro Tem : Kostichek
Appointments by Council. Jackie Puck moved and Koehler seconded to reappoint Mike Byington to the Planning & Zoning Commission, term ending 12/31/16. Motion carried. Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to reappoint David Trees to the Planning & Zoning Commission, term ending 12/31/16. Motion carried. Kostichek moved and Koehler seconded to reappoint Jason Holdorf to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, term ending 12/31/16. Motion carried.
Public Work's Report. Brockmann presented his report including an equipment purchase request for a new Case 570 MXT tractor loader. With a trade-in of the City's 2006 tractor loader, the purchase price would be $49,650. Following discussion regarding the need, uses, cost, and other options available, Jackie Puck moved and Jacob Puck seconded to approve the purchase of a new Case 570 MXT tractor loader from Titan Machinery, not to exceed $49,650. Ayes: Jackie Puck, Jacob Puck, and Kostichek. Nays: Koehler. Motion carried. Two proposals were received for removing an oak tree located in city right-of-way on Cedar Lane Drive. Koehler moved and Jacob Puck seconded to hire Frank's Tree Service to remove the oak tree at a cost not to exceed $1,800. Motion carried. Brockmann also reported the unstable soil condition around the pond has delayed the installation of a temporary fence around the pond at Prairie View Park.
City Clerk's Report. Rickertsen reminded the council that City Hall will be closed December 23rd, 26th, and January 2nd. She stated that garbage collection will be on Tuesdays, December 27th & January 3rd and the next regular council meeting will be on Tuesday, January 3rd. A special council meeting workshop will be held on January 12th at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall to watch an online training session, presented by the Iowa League of Cities.
City Attorney Report. Attorney Schirman updated the council on the recent property purchase of 106 W. Lincoln Street and the upcoming purchase of the Wulf property (lift station project).
Jackie Puck moved and Koehler seconded to adjourn at 7:20 p.m. Motion carried. All votes on motions were unanimous, unless noted.