Wide variety of topics addressed at regular Waukon City Council session

by Dwight Jones
 
The Waukon City Council met in regular session the evening of Monday, November 16. The full Council was in attendance to address a lengthy, 15-item Regular Business agenda.
To get things started, the Council approved the resolution amending the current City Budget for fiscal year ending June 30, 2010. This was a follow-up from a previous meeting.
Next, Jane Regan with Leschensky Insurance addressed the Council on the liability insurance renewal for the airport. The situation regarding fuel tanks on-site was again reviewed. The tanks are not owned by the City, thus cannot be insured by the City. Once it was determined that, at this time, the City was not interested in taking them over from the Allamakee Flying Club, the discussion turned to what level of liability insurance the City wanted to maintain. The current coverage is $4 million. Regan gave the costs to increase up to $6 million, but the Council declined the offer to change and approved a renewal at the $4 million limit.
Verle Fish was in attendance and explained his interest in hooking into the city’s sanitary sewer system from his property on the southeast edge of Waukon near G&S Machine. In order to do so, he may need an easement from G&S Machine, as the line could run across that property to make the hook-up. G&S owner Gil Hunsted expressed some questions he had regarding the routing of the line. City Engineer Lyle TeKippe explained that the easement was not necessarily needed if the line was re-routed, but the cost would likely be higher and would produce some less than ideal angles for the line. TeKippe agreed to take a look at the project and what it would take to route the line along the road versus through Hunstad’s property and will report back. Fish explained that there was no great urgency in getting the work done.
The Council then revisited the issue of mobile stop signs at school cross walks. The Council has been trying to determine who would be available to place and then remove them on a daily basis during the school year. Options were discussed including whether the City would hire a private individual or attempt to use a City employee. Things get complicated if a non-employee is used due to insurance reasons. After more discussion, the issue was tabled to allow council members to speak with members of the Allamakee Community School Board to see if they had any suggestions and/or ideas.
Curb and gutter was next on the agenda. Some time ago, Councilman Joe Cunningham had put together some “specs” to implement a plan to address curb and gutter throughout the city, but nothing had been acted on. In revisiting the idea, Cunningham expressed that he was “satisfied with the intent of what was put together”, though he was unsure if it should be implemented as an ordinance or an administrative rule. Cunningham was encouraged to meet with City Attorney Jim Garrett to review the plan to move towards getting it implemented.
Proposed work in the area near First Street SE, near the hospital and Waukon Golf and Country Club, was again discussed. Mayor Keith Schroeder explained that it had been addressed some time ago, and he was asking the Council to revisit it. There is some storm sewer work that needs to be done in the area, and it was Schroeder’s suggestion that in the process of doing the work that the street should be widened due to safety concerns. He explained that he had talked to several individuals from the hospital who wanted it widened. However, Cunningham expressed that he had talked earlier in the day with Mike Myers, hospital administrator, and though he knew things were tight in the area, he hadn’t seemed overly concerned.
Cunningham then addressed additional concerns on whether or not the City had enough “real estate” to allow for the proposed four-foot widening, and if it was widened, would the City be intruding on someone else’s property, where would they put snow when it was plowed, etc… According to Cunningham, “I’m interested in the project, but we need to be a good neighbor.” It was agreed that a survey was needed to see exactly how much land was available for the City to use, and to give members from the golf board a chance to review the plan as well.
Moving on, the Council was presented a copy of a contractual service agreement between the City of Waukon and Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) for work done by the ACED office. This had apparently been overlooked since the “agreement” started back in July, and was scheduled to run through next June.
Cunningham expressed that though the work that had initially been done was good, he had some concerns since ACED Director Rachelle Howe had taken other employment some time ago and has not yet been replaced. Cunningham asked, “Who’s doing the work we’re paying to have done?” Schroeder explained that the secretary at ACED was handling Howe’s work in the interim. Cunningham explained that the agreement with ACED, which he had concerns with back when it was originally discussed due to vagueness, was done with the understanding that Howe, including her experience and education, would be working with the City. He then expressed a wish to change the dates on the contract, as-is, to read July through the end of December, and between now and then the City could revisit the idea with ACED and form a new contract based on who is hired as a replacement, what their interests are in continuing the work with the City, etc.
Schroeder strongly disagreed, stating that he thought the City should stand behind its original agreement of $12,000 a year, even though things had obviously changed. Councilman Trent Mitchell made the motion to approve the agreement, and Dave Sanderson seconded it. Cunningham was the sole “no” vote and the agreement was approved.
The Council then approved two payments, the first in the amount of $301,239.94 to Skyline Construction for the Ninth Street SW Street Improvements Project and the other for $75,095.44, also to Skyline, for work on the Wellness Center Parking Lot Expansion.
The Council then agreed to $675,000 in TIF debt certification, up $25,000 from the previous year. In final closing business, the Council approved the annual City Financial Report for FYE June 30, 2009, and re-appointed Ken West to the Board of Adjustment for a five-year term ending December 31, 2014.