April 7, 2025 Minutes
twright@cityofwalcott.com
April 10, 2025
The semi-monthly meeting of the City Council of Walcott, Iowa, was held on Monday, April 7, 2025, at Walcott City Hall. Mayor John Kostichek called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Council members present: Everett Bieri, Harry Knutsen, Kirk Koberg, Lisa Mengler, and Jacob Puck. Absent: None. Staff present: Jeff Blake, Lisa Rickertsen, and Paul Stagg.
Approval of Agenda. Knutsen moved and Mengler seconded to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Introduction of Audience/Public Comments. John Brockmann, Mike Sissel, and Joe Hahn. No public comments.
Consent Agenda. Mengler moved and Bieri seconded to approve the consent agenda including the invoices and Resolution 2025-18, Establishing Hourly Wage for New Deputy City Clerk. Roll call ayes: Mengler, Bieri, Puck, Knutsen, and Koberg. Motion carried.
Special Class C License including Outdoor & Sunday Sales for Walcott Unified Fund at Victory Park. Puck moved and Mengler seconded to approve the Special Class C license for Walcott Unified Fund at Victory Park, effective 04/14/2025. Motion carried. Motion carried with Koberg abstaining due to conflict of interest as he is the President of Walcott Unified Fund.
Special Class C License including Outdoor & Sunday Sales for Walcott Unified Fund at Wescott Park. Knutsen moved and Puck seconded to approve the Special Class C license for Walcott Unified Fund at Victory Park, effective 04/14/2025. Motion carried with Koberg abstaining due to conflict of interest as he is the President of Walcott Unified Fund.
Street Light Request at 500 Block of E. James Street. Discussion was held on a request to add street lights across from the school. Bieri moved and Mengler seconded to proceed with adding lights to the three poles on the north side of the 500 block of E. James Street. Motion carried.
Resolution 2025-19, Approving Contract and Bonds for the North Century Street Watermain Replacement Project. Menglermoved and Koberg seconded to approve Resolution 2025-19. Roll call ayes: Mengler, Koberg, Knutsen, Knutsen, and Puck. Motion carried
3rd Reading of Ordinance 554-25, Amending Chapter 92 Pertaining to Water Rates. Each customer shall pay a minimum bill (base rate) of $23.53 per month, which includes usage up to 1,400 gallons and all usage over 1,400 gallons shall be $.00654 for each gallon. Puck moved and Bieri seconded to approve the third and final reading to adopt Ordinance 554-25, Amending Chapter 92 Pertaining to Water Rates, effective with the May 1, 2025 billing. Roll call ayes: Puck, Bieri, Mengler, Koberg, and Knutsen. Motion carried.
3rd Reading of Ordinance 555-25, Amending Chapter 99 Pertaining to Sewer Rates. Each customer shall pay a minimum bill of $20.02 per month and all usage over 1,400 gallons of water used per month shall be $.00671 for each gallon. Bieri moved and Knutsen seconded to approve the third and final reading to adopt Ordinance 555-25, Amending Chapter 99 Pertaining to Sewer Rates, effective with the June 1, 2025 billing. Roll call ayes: Bieri, Knutsen, Koberg, Mengler, and Puck. Motion carried.
3rd Reading of Ordinance 556-25, Amending Chapter 106 Pertaining to Solid Waste Collection Fees (Garbage Rate). This increases the garbage rate to $19.95/month, effective with the July 1, 2025 billing, which is the amount the City will pay to the contracted collector for garbage and recycling. Mengler moved and Koberg seconded to approve the third and final reading to adopt Ordinance 556-25, Amending Chapter 106 Pertaining to Solid Waste Collection Fees. Roll call ayes: Mengler, Koberg, Knutsen, Bieri, and Puck. Motion carried.
2nd Reading of Ordinance 557-25, Amending the Official Zoning Map – 120 W. Bryant Street. This is to change the zoning at 120 W. Bryant Street from M-1 to C2.Puck moved andMengler seconded to adopt the second reading of Ordinance 557-25, Amending the Official Zoning Map – 120 W. Bryant Street. Roll call ayes: Puck, Mengler, Bieri, Knutsen, and Koberg. Motion carried.
2nd Reading of Ordinance 558-25, Amending the Official Zoning Map – 200 W. Bryant Street. This is to change the zoning at 200 W. Bryant Street from R-3 to C-2. Puck moved and Bieri seconded to adopt the second reading of Ordinance 558-25, Amending the Official Zoning Map – 200 W. Bryant Street Roll call ayes: Puck, Bieri, Mengler, Knutsen, and Koberg. Motion carried.
Public Works Department Report.
- Sale of 2013 Z997R Mower. Koberg moved and Mengler seconded to approve the sale of the 2013 Z997 mower to the high bidder on GovDeals for $7,900. Motion carried.
- Sanitary Sewer Cleaning & Televising Contract with Visu-Sewer. Stagg presented a proposed contract with Visu-Sewer to televise and clean sanitary sewer mains. The mains have not been televised since 2018. Mengler moved and Puck seconded to approve the three-year contract with Visu-Sewer for sewer cleaning and televising. Motion carried.
- 2025 Seal Coat Project – LL Pelling. Stagg reported the proposed streets for seal coating are W. Lincoln Street and N. Grove Street between Lincoln and James Streets. Mengler moved and Bieri seconded to approve the 2025 Seal Coat project with LL Pelling as presented. Motion carried.
Stagg reported he received an email from a business located on S. Main Street inquiring about painting parallel parking lines on the street in front of their business. Council did not feel it was necessary and expressed concerns of setting a precedent. Mengler inquired about the status of the installation of the security cameras, speed bumps on W. Otis Street, and painting of tennis and pickleball courts. Stagg responded the cameras have not yet been installed, speed bumps will be installed soon, and the courts cannot be painted until the temperatures are warmer.
City Clerk Report. Puckmoved and Mengler seconded to set the public hearing date for the FYE 2026 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) budget for April 21, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Motion carried.
Koberg moved and Mengler seconded to adjourn at 6:27 p.m. Motion carried. All votes on motions were unanimous, unless noted.