New mayor uses veto power to reverse approved change in Waukon City Council meeting time during 2018's first regular and re-organizational session

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Tuesday, January 2 due to the New Year's holiday falling on the council's usual meeting day of Monday. The meeting's full agenda of items including the appointment of City employees and Council Committees, a Water and Sewer Department vacancy and the WW Homestead Dairy forgivable loan.

Prior to Tuesday's meeting, newly-elected Waukon Mayor Pat Stone and Waukon City Council members Gayle Decker and Arvid Hatlan were all sworn in for their first terms in office after being elected in the November City Election. Councilman Ben Rausch was absent from the meeting.

The Public Hearing on the designation of the expanded Southeast Urban Renewal Area and on proposed Urban Renewal Plan amendment #20 for the Waste Water System with an amount not to exceed $3,500,000.00 was opened and closed without written or verbal comment. The Public Hearing on the designation of the expanded Southeast Urban Renewal Area and on the proposed Urban Renewal Plan amendment #21 for Reel Core with an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 was also opened and closed without written or verbal comment.

During Public Comment, Kevin Welsh, a home owner living 245 feet from the Aveka Nutra Processing facility in Waukon, discussed his dissatisfaction with the progress being made to decrease noise and odor concerns caused by Aveka's operations. Welsh reviewed his own earlier expression of concerns about the noise and odor during the March 20, 2017 City Council meeting and further discussed other specific updates on these matters from City Council meetings throughout 2017. He also acknowledged that the smokestack extension at Aveka, which was to be installed in November, is not yet in place and that the odor problem still exists and recent noise readings were above 100 decibels at his home. Council member Dwight Jones commented that the council was in a holding pattern waiting on progress with the smokestack extension and that Aveka will be added to the next meeting agenda.

Under Departmental Reports, Water and Sewer Superintendent Bob Campbell discussed repair work on a broken water main. Waukon Police Chief Phil Young thanked the council for approving the purchase of evidence lockers and said he would like to add an agenda item to the next council meeting agenda regarding the possibility of adding an additional officer to the department. Street Superintendent Keith Burrett discussed a street light by the City Park that is not functioning after being struck.

Park and Rec Wellness Director Jeremy Strub said that Youth Basketball is beginning and that an engineer's report regarding the tennis court project will be received later in January. Strub indicated that a public meeting is scheduled for the tennis court project at the Wellness Center January 9 at 2:15 p.m.

Strub further discussed that the Wellness Center's heating system has a total of eight burners with only six being in operation at the moment and the two non-functioning burners needing to be repaired. Decker and Strub discussed the life span of the heating unit with the Wellness Center being in operation for ten years now and budgeting for these repair expenses moving forward.

City Manager Dean Hilgerson was not in attendance at the meeting but provided a report by conference call, discussing that budget preparation will continue after his return with the wastewater treatment facility and street lighting projects as priorities. Hilgerson indicated that he will be available by phone and e-mail for questions during his absence.

Moving on to Regular Business, Mayor Stone appointed Decker as Mayor Pro-Tem, Young as Police Chief, Paul Wagner as Assistant Police Chief and Chris McCartney, Chad Dugan, David Burrett, Jeremy Wicks and Devon Baumgartner as Police Officers, Danielle McNally and Luke Inglett as Permanent Part-time Officers and Samantha Hancock and Eric Van Horn as Reserve Officers.

Stone also appointed city council members to certain Council Committees, including Jones and Rausch to Street and Fairgrounds, John Lydon and Hatlan to Water and Sewer, Hatlan and Lydon to Fire and Health, Decker and Rausch to Finance and Budget, and Jones and Decker to Ordinances.

City Clerk Allen Lyon read aloud the remaining City Employee appointments with Hilgerson as City Manager, Lyon as City Clerk, Rita Swenson, Cindy Leikvold and Anna Hoins as City Clerk's Office, Campbell as Water and Sewer Superintendent, Brian Deeny, Coady Heiderscheit and Tyler Thesing as Water and Sewer Department, Burrett as Street Superintendent, Pat Egan, Brent Johnson, Cory Huinker and Brian Cota as Street Department, and Hilgerson as Zoning Administrator.

City Attorney James Garrett discussed his recommendation of Nicole Winke Gentes as Assistant City Attorney, as well as his appointment as City Attorney. The remaining City Appointment included Dr. Steve Perkins as City Health Officer. All of the appointments were approved by the council.

The council moved into discussion of setting the council meeting time and place with various options being discussed. The council approved the first and third Mondays of each month at 6 p.m. as the meeting dates and time. Due to the meeting time change, an ordinance was approved with the second and third readings being waived. Following the meeting, The Standard was notified that Mayor Stone vetoed the ordinance, which will be published with an explanation for the veto (Pages 10A-11A in this week's edition of The Standard). As a result, City Council meetings will continue at 7 p.m. the first and third Mondays of each month.

The council discussed the City Investment Policy, which was approved as presented. The Resolution designating Official Depositories of the City was also approved.

The council also approved the Resolution for Commercial Tax Rebate. Garrett provided some background on this matter discussing the application procedure and requirements. Decker discussed the importance of holding applicants accountable and verifying that applicants follow through with adding the number of jobs and other requirements included in their application.

The council discussed the Catalyst Grant for the former Tierney building located on the southwest corner of the Main Street stoplight intersection, with Hilgerson indicating that a representative of Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) will present at the January 15 council meeting a draft of the written grant. Hilgerson indicated that this will be an opportunity to discuss the City's involvement and matching funds necessary to qualify. No action was taken on this item.

Garrett provided an overview of the Ordinance terminating the division of taxes levied on taxable property in the Quandahl Industrial Park Urban Renewal Area pursuant to Iowa Code Section 403.19. Garrett indicated that this measure repeals the Quandahl Industrial Park Urban Renewal Area and adds this area to the Southeast Urban Renewal Area. The first reading of the ordinance was approved with the second and third readings waived with adoption.

The council moved on to the WW Homestead Dairy forgivable loan, with Garrett providing an overview of the agreement and terms that have been satisfied. The council approved the forgiveness of the loan per the terms of the economic development agreement between the City and WW Homestead Dairy, LLC.

The Resolution involving the First 2018 Amendment to the Southeast Urban Renewal Area - Amendment #20 was discussed by Garrett, indicating that this is a necessary step under state law when a new project is developed within an urban renewal area. The amendment was approved by the council.

Garrett discussed the Resolution to declare necessity and establish an Urban Renewal Area, pursuant to Iowa Code Section 403.4, and approve the Urban Renewal Plan Amendment for the 2018 Addition to the Southeast Urban Renewal Area - Amendment #21. Garrett indicated this measure is necessary to expand the Southeast Urban Renewal Area to include the Quandahl and Reel Core Industrial Park area with approval of the plan necessary to provide the agreed upon rebate to Reel Core. The council approved the resolution.

Garrett discussed the next agenda item involving the Ordinance providing for the division of taxes levied on taxable property in the 2018 Addition to the Southeast Urban Renewal Area, Pursuant to Iowa Code 403.19 – Amendment #21. Garrett indicated that this measure will replace the ordinance repealed earlier in the meeting under agenda item #12, involving terminating the division of taxes levied on taxable property in the Quandahl Industrial Park Urban Renewal Area. The first reading was approved with the second and third readings being waived with adoption.

The Resolution authorizing the Economic Development Grant to Real Core Inc. and the Resolution to issue Urban Renewal Tax Increment Revenue Debt Obligation not to exceed $100,000.00 were combined and approved with a single vote by the council.

Campbell discussed the Water and Sewer Department vacancy and that six applications have been received. Decker and Campbell discussed succession planning for Campbell's position with the opportunity to train and work with a successor at the new wastewater treatment facility in the coming years as Campbell approaches retirement. The council returned to discussion of the open position at hand, agreeing to have the Water and Sewer Committee meet and evaluate applications.

Lyon opened six sealed bids for the 1995 Jeep that was advertised, with the council accepting the high bid of $652.00 from Darrel Troendle. Lyon also discussed the wage increase recommendation for Anna Hoins, a City Clerk's office employee, from $12.05 to $12.55 effective January 1, 2018 with the council approving.

As routine financial matters, the next two agenda items were combined and approved with a single vote. Those items included $43,111.52 being  transferred from the 2016 Capital Improvements Fund to the Storm Sewer Improvements Fund for project construction costs of the trenched storm sewer improvements and $25,000.00 from the Special Revenue Employment Benefit Fund being transferred to the Library Fund.

Under Other Matters, Lyon discussed the budget process. Jones recommended that Department Heads provide a prioritized list to aid in decision making regarding equipment needs. Hilgerson discussed that he is putting together budget numbers for a suitable-sized police station facility and looking at options for a new Street Department shop.