Russell City Council Meeting May 13th

The Council approved the following items:

Renewing the cigarette license for the Last Chance and The Southside.  The street in front of the Southside will be closed after the Reunion activities on May 25th, for street dancing.  

Amanda and Aaron Russell's burned house

Vicki Jordan  talked about the benefit for Amanda and Aaron Russell to be held on June 22nd.  This will be a poker run for the motorcycle riders.  She requested that Short Street be blocked off for motorcycle parking.  The street will only be blocked off for about an hour on Saturday for check in at 12:30 p.m.  Then the street will again be blocked off from 6:30-7:00 p.m. for the evenings activities.  The Jordan's will get signed permission from residents on that street and bring documentation to city hall.

Pictured above is the home of Aaron and Amanda Russell two miles south of Oskaloosa that burned down April 26th.  Both Aaron and Amanda are from Lucas County (Russell) and a donations account has been set up for them at Community 1st Credit Union in Chariton.

Luke Rich was approved as part-time police officer for the city.  

Mike Mason will be hired as a part-time city employee.  Maximum hours per week will not exceed 20 hours.

Gene Wright's high bid for renting the hay ground was accepted.

Their was a discussion regarding the go-cart race track near the corner of Smith Street and Chapman Street.   Subjects covered were:  improvements at the track; cover tires; he has a permit to sell soda and the proceeds from those sales and other items will go back into helping maintain the track.  The DNR inspector Amy Buckendahl approved the tires as they all have holes so they will drain properly.  Banners will cover the tires from street view.  Go-karts come on a vehicle and leave on a vehicle.  A permit will be necessary as there are 501 tires and a permit is required at 500 tires.   The hours for the racing are from 1-5p.m on Saturdays.  If noise becomes an issue, changes will be made to remedy this.  Concern was expressed regarding the area not being kept cleaned up.  The Council and the Mayor will go meet with the owners of the property and the race track, to check the appearance of the track and discuss options on what to do.

Buddy Davis and Brant Paige have left the fire department and a new member is Mike Mason.  The fire department received SCICF grant funds for further work on the fire station addition.  A resolution for the fire department to apply for grant money through the USDA was approved.  There is a need to replace the current rescue unit.  The city will get bids for fixing the fire hydrant on the corner of Ames and Maple St.

Ed Elaim will contact Jeremy to see about the cost and possibility of surveying the west end of Short St.

Clayton from the Lucas County road department came down and looked at culverts on South Prairie St. and gave ideas on fixing it.  Fema called about flood damage and the Mayor did indicate the city did have damage.

A motion for Wendy Nickell to attend a workshop sponsored by the Iowa League of Cities in Albia on June 6th was approved.

Council members present were:  Ed Scheel (Mayor), Duane Bedford, Jeremy Blue, and Wayne Riggs.  Jay Pierschbacher and Don Sellers were absent.  Also in attendance were city employee Larry Mitchell, Fire Chief Craig Alexander, Jim Neer, police officer Luke Rich and City Clerk Wendy Nickell.  Visitors were Delores Carroll, Vicki Jordan, Dustin Davis, Susan Beecher, Craig Gooder, Penny Stouwie, Sara White, Larry Templeton, Don Todd.

The next meeting will be on on Monday June 10th.