Regular Council Meeting
October 5, 2015
The City Council of the City of Fayette, Iowa, met in the Fayette City Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 5, 2015, Mayor Pro-Tempore Patty Nefzger presiding.
Roll call: Present - Council members Boberg, McGrane, Nefzger, Sorensen. Absent: Patrick.
Moved Boberg, seconded McGrane, to approve the consent agenda consisting of the regular meeting minutes of 09/21/15, Claims List of 09/22/15 – 10/05/15. McGrane explained that the expenditure of $3,069.90 to 247 Security Inc. is for a camera system for one of the police vehicles that was purchased through the sTEP grant program and the city will be reimbursed for the total amount. On roll call, all voted aye, carried.
Moved Sorensen, seconded Boberg, to approve the agenda as presented. All ayes, carried.
Mayor’s Report: Nefzger said they were still waiting on the background information before they could hire the new police chief, but they are getting close to being finished. ~ Halloween Trick or Treating will be held in Fayette on Saturday night, October 31st, from 5 pm to 7 pm. Citizens wishing to hand out treats should turn on their porch lights. ~ Several committee positions are vacant that need to be filled.
Administrator/Clerk Dennis reported that Roger Shaffer, auditor, came to her office and started the annual exam. ~ Mailed 473 city utility bills on Sept. 29th. ~ Dennis will be retiring next year on October 28th, 2016.
Mayor Pro-Tem Nefzger asked Bobby Larson, Watermelon Days Co-Chair, if she would like to add anything to the letters the council had received with concerns about Fayette Fire Chief, Jason Rohde, not allowing the Watermelon Days Committee to use the Fire Station for the Watermelon Days community dinner. Larson said the actions that happened the afternoon/evening of September 11th were unacceptable by the Fire Chief. She added that now she and Linda Tenney (Co-Chair) have no trust or respect for a man of his status and they are concerned whether Rohde will put past issues aside in order to save their families if they ever have an emergency. Larson said someone of that status in the community should stand up for the community and were very disappointed that they weren’t allowed to use the fire station or the tables and chairs stored there, when Rohde had given them permission months before to use them for the event. In Larson’s letter she said the fire chief complained that the committee didn’t list the Firemen’s supper on the Watermelon Day poster. Larson said if Rohde had an issue with the supper not being on the poster, he should have come to the committee sooner rather than having a confrontation in front of the committee and volunteers. Mayor Pro-Tem Nefzger apologized to Larson and the committee and suggested that the new building use policy would eliminate future problems, although Larson wasn’t so sure. Larson suggested that Fire Chief Rohde should be reprimanded and that others in the community feel the same, but hadn’t voiced their opinions. Boberg suggested that Nefzger consult with Mayor Wenthe about referring the matter to the Personnel Committee or have the Mayor talk to Rohde. Rohde was present at the council meeting but did not comment on the matter.
Moved McGrane, seconded Boberg, to introduce and approve Resolution #2015-18: City Building Use Policy. The City Administrator/Clerk is responsible for scheduling City Hall, the Library Director for the Library and the Fire Chief for the Fire Station, but the Mayor has the final authority approving the use of a city building. A written request should be submitted to the City Administrator/Clerk fifteen days in advance of the usage date. On roll call, all ayes, carried.
Moved Sorensen, seconded McGrane, to approve the final reading of Ordinance 488: Rescinding Ordinance 487, reinstating Lien Exemptions, and adding language to the ordinance for a mailing address and phone number from a landlord. On roll call, all ayes, final reading approved.
Moved Boberg, seconded McGrane, to introduce and approve the final reading of Ordinance 489: Amending Chapters 90.10, Tapping Mains; Chapter 92.09, Customer Deposits; Chapter 92.10, Temporary Vacancy and adding Chapter 99.16, Customer Deposits for sewer, landfill, recycling, yard waste and storm water drainage utility service. On roll call, all ayes, final reading approved.
Moved Sorensen, seconded McGrane, to introduce and approve Resolution #2015-19: Five Year Sewer Maintenance Contract with Municipal Pipe Tool Company. The city has used this company for over thirty years for televising, jet cleaning and smoke testing the city’s sewer mains. On roll call, all ayes, carried.
Moved McGrane, seconded Boberg, to approve Resolution #2015-20: Bridge Inspection Agreement with Fayette County. Dennis explained that this isn’t anything new and the inspection fees are the same as the city was charged by the Fayette County Engineers office two years ago. The county hires an outside engineering firm to inspect the city’s bridges and Fayette County provides their engineering services at no charge to be Faytte’s Custodian and Program Manager. On roll call, all ayes, carried.
Moved Boberg, seconded Sorensen, to go into closed session at 7:59 pm, allowed under Iowa Code Chapter 21.5(1)C for a litigation matter. All ayes, carried.
The council came out of closed session at 8:14 pm. Moved Boberg, seconded Sorensen, to authorize City Attorney Hofmeyer to prepare the documentation to sue Sierra Fox for her police training costs in the amount of $7,199.67 which was due August 30, 2015 (sixty days from the date she resigned, as stated in the agreement that Fox signed). Three voted aye, McGrane voted nay, motion carried.
There being no further business, moved Boberg, unanimous, to adjourn at 8:18 p.m.
