Regular Council Meeting
January 3, 2017
The City Council of the City of Fayette, Iowa, met Monday, January 3, 2017, at 7:30PM in the Fayette City Hall pursuant to law and rules of said council, Mayor Wenthe presiding.
Roll call: Present - Council members Larson, Nefzger, Sandhagen, Wulfekuhle. Absent - Kragnes.
Moved Nefzger, seconded Larson, to approve the consent agenda consisting of the regular meeting minutes of 12/19/16 and the Claims List of 12/20/16 – 1/3/17. On roll call, all ayes, carried. Moved Wulfekuhle, seconded Nefzger, to approve the agenda as presented. All ayes, carried.
Mayor Wenthe scheduled a finance committee meeting for Monday, January 16th at 6PM. It will be the first meeting to start going over the budget for fiscal year 2018. Wenthe also had spoken with City Administrator/Clerk McGrane earlier today about drafting a list of available downtown commercial properties/buildings, either for sale or for rent, with the permission of the owners, that the city may use as a marketing tool. The list will help if anyone hears of anyone looking into starting a business or buying an existing business or store front. We will have Sam Whitehead, the Fayette County Economic Director, provide assistance with the document as well. Wenthe would like to have a draft at the next council meeting, if possible.
City Administrator/Clerk McGrane advised the council that Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) and himself finished completing the CDBG grant applications for the downtown project and submitted them to the state on December 22nd, 2016. McGrane is continuing to work with Convenient Payments and Jayhawk Utility Billing to finish setting up online payments and automatic bank withdrawals. City Hall finished the utility bills a little earlier than normal and were able to mail the bills on December 22nd. On Tuesday, December 27th, McGrane met with Jon Biederman with Fehr-Graham Engineering in reference to the 2017 water system improvements that will take place on Madison Street and Jones Street this summer. We have started seeking bids for the project and the sealed proposals will be opened and bids tabulated at 10AM on January 12th, 2017, at Fayette City Hall for consideration by the City Council at the next council meeting. Work on the project may not start until Monday, May 8th, 2017, and must be completed by July 28th, 2017. On Wednesday, December 28th, a representative from Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield came up and spoke to most of the city employees about Health Insurance Plans. The monthly premium for our current plan will decrease by 11.50% effective March 1st, 2017. If any Fayette citizens had a live Christmas tree, they may set them out on their curb before noon on Wednesday, January 4th, 2017, and the Public Works department will pick them up. The Fayette Cemetery Board will hold its annual meeting on Friday, January 13th, at 1PM in the ICN Room at the Fayette Community Library. The public is invited to attend.
Police Chief Pisanti advised overall the city has been quiet. They had a domestic violence call that led to an arrest, otherwise they have been conducting quite a few house checks. There was also a report of gun shots but after officers investigated, it was discovered someone had shot off fireworks.
Mayor Wenthe wanted to mention to the council that January is a busy time preparing the budget, members of the finance committee and the personnel committee should be prepared for meetings.
There being no further business, moved Nefzger, unanimous, to adjourn at 7:45PM.
