Council Meeting Minutes 5-3-2021

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

May 3, 2021

     The City Council of the City of Fayette, Iowa, met Monday, May 3, 2021, at 6:00 pm in the Community Room at the Fayette Community Library and via conference call/online using www.freeconferencecall.com due to COVID-19, per Iowa Code 21.8, pursuant to law and rules of said council, Mayor Wenthe presiding. The public was able to attend the meeting in person or via conference call/online with basic directions posted on the council agenda and on the city of Fayette’s website, www.fayetteiowa.com.

     Roll call: Present - Council members Post, Potratz (via telephone), Tenney and Tucker. Absent - Wulfekuhle.

     Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to approve the consent agenda items consisting of the regular meeting minutes of 4/19/21, the claims list of 4/17/21 - 4/30/21 and the March 2021 financial reports. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.

     Treasurer’s Balance for Fund Accounts as of March 31, 2021: Total March Receipts: $133,453.14 (General $24,925.26; Streets $6,261.26; Employee Benefits $2,373.66; Local Option Sales Tax $15,976.46; TIF $14,549.72; Revolving Loan $231.93; Bolger $4,848.10; Library Fund $181; Water $23,702.26; Water T&A $600; Sewer $34,478.96; Water/Sewer Capital $4,695.53; Storm Water $629). Total March Disbursements: $102,598.93 (General $28,313.25; 9 S. Main $535.80; Streets $9,292.11; Employee Benefits $9,500.28; CDBG $591.17; Revolving Loan $64.15; Bolger $104.07; Water Street Project $28,702.55; Water $9,229.27; Water T&A $51.58; Sewer $16,214.70). Transfers in: CDBG Downtown Project $30,468.04; FY17 Water Impr Project $79,495.86; FY17 Sewer Lining Project $43,841.80; Sewer Fund $9,575.50; Transfers out: Water $94,729.88; Sewer $68,651.32. Treasurer’s Balance: $4,742,226.28.

     Moved Tucker, seconded Post, to approve the agenda as presented. All ayes, motion carried.

     Upon Mayor Wenthe’s request, moved Tenney, seconded Tucker, to reappoint Sue Runyon to the Fayette Board of Adjustment for a five year term and Mark Danker to the Fayette Planning and Zoning Commission for a five year term. All ayes, motion carried.

     Mayor Wenthe advised the discrimination, harassment and retaliation training is scheduled for all employees and volunteers to attend in May. The training will be recorded for those unable to attend so they may watch it at a later date. Wenthe will start meeting monthly with the city supervisors to help open communication channels between departments. The first supervisor meeting is scheduled for May 10.

     City Administrator/Clerk McGrane informed the council about the American Rescue Plan that President Biden signed to help cities and their communities recover from the fiscal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fayette is estimated to receive $200,000 and McGrane explained the council will need to start discussing on how to spend it because it can only be used for specific things. The W. Water Street improvements project has officially started, and part of the road closed on 4/29. McGrane attended the Iowa Municipal Finance Office Association conference on 4/22 and 4/23. Fayette spring clean-up is scheduled for 5/12.

     Police Chief Davis advised the motorcycle that was seized about two years ago is now officially the cities due to a forfeiture and the department will soon sell it. The dept. should know soon if we are granted the Governor Traffic Safety Bureaus grant. There is one more week of warnings for the speed cameras before citations will be issued.

     Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss and receive a donation from Jim Opperman from the can drive. Opperman was present and advised he made a verbal agreement with Nancy Wulfekuhle to have a can redemption drop off site on her property along the alley at 201 S. Main Street. Opperman and some of his helpers would manage the site to make sure it doesn't get out of hand and keep it clean. Most of the money would be donated to the city and other community organizations, such as for the Police, Fire, EMS, Watermelon Days, Community Garden and Main Street Flowers. He presented the first check to the city for $205.13 to be used for the Main Street Flowers. The council discussed drafting a monthly schedule designated to certain organizations for receiving the donations. Moved Tenney, seconded Tucker, to accept the contribution and to continue to use the proceeds to benefit Fayette organizations and fundraisers. All ayes, motion carried.

     Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss and consider donating $500 to the Community Garden and allow a community board to be installed. Andrea Scott was present and explained the garden would like to place a community board at the garden to help communicate with volunteers and anyone interested in the produce. Scott found some boards that costs around $650. The council discussed moving one of the boards from the recreational trails over but it was unsure what kind of shape they are in. Moved Post, seconded Tenney, to approve donating up to $500 out of the Bolger Fund to the Community Garden for the purchase of a community board and to look into moving a community board from the trail to the Garden at 4 S. Main Street, if that works better and to consult with Andrea Scott to make the final decision. All ayes, motion carried.

     Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss Ordinance 513, first reading. Moved Tucker, seconded Post, to approve the first reading of Ordinance 512, amending Chapter 63, Speed Regulations, to the Fayette City Code by changing section 1.7, Failure to Timely Pay or Appeal. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.

     Moved Tenney, seconded Tucker, to discuss and consider hiring Austin Hall as a part-time/reserve police officer at an hourly wage of $15. Davis explained that Hall would take the Reserve modules and would work for the city part-time. The modules cost just under $1,000 and the total cost would be about $300 for uniforms. Hall would work this summer and help with coverage next fall when Officers Ball and Hake are away at the police academy. Moved Post, seconded Potratz, to approve hiring Austin Hall as a part-time, reserve police officer at an hourly wage of $15. All ayes, motion carried.

     Moved Tenney, seconded Tucker, to discuss and consider purchasing new body cameras for the police department for approximately $2,800. Davis explained that he has some body cameras that need repairs, and they are four years old and outdated. It is an upgrade from the older ones. Moved Tucker, seconded Post, to approve purchasing new body cameras from Pro-Vision for $2,676 out of the police budget. All ayes, motion carried.

     Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss partial pay estimate number 1 to Heartland Asphalt, Inc. for the Water Street Improvements project. Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to approve partial pay estimate 1 to Heartland Asphalt, Inc. for the Water Street Improvements project in the amount of $1,140. All ayes, motion carried.

     Moved Tenney, seconded Post, to discuss and consider requesting that the imposition of a local sales and service tax be put on the November 2, 2021 ballot. McGrane explained this is a request from the Fayette County Auditor to try and pass the local option sales and service tax this fall, giving us an extra year if it doesn't pass. Moved Tucker, seconded Tenney, to request that the imposition of a local sales and service tax be put on the November 2, 2021 ballot. All ayes, motion carried.

     There being no further business, moved Potratz, unanimous, to adjourn at 6:52 pm.

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