City of Russell
Council Meeting
August 5, 2019
Present: Duane Bedford (Mayor), Council members: Chris Feehan, Terry Newcomb and Casey DeHoedt,
Jay Pierschbacher, City Maintenance Jim Larrington, and City Clerk Cindy Smith.
Guests:
Randy and Johanna Lenger and Susie Cohen.
Mayor
Bedford called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
The Mayor
then called on Susie Cohen, who is with the Chariton Valley Regional Housing
Trust Fund, Inc. Susie presented that in
the past the City of Russell had donated $1,000.00 to the fund that assists in
safe and affordable housing to low/moderate income residents located in
Appanoose, Lucas, Monroe and Wayne counties.
She also stated that some families here in Russell had benefited from
this funding. She did leave information
packets and applications here at the office for people to apply for the
funding. The council stated that they
would vote on it and let her know the decision on donating for 2019/2020 fiscal
budget. Susie Cohen at this time left
the meeting.
Mayor then
asked Randy and Johanna Lenger to present their request. They are looking into purchasing the building
formerly known as Harley Haven and what do they need to do to open a business
in the City of Russell. They will be
applying for a liquor license and Cindy Smith will forward all information that
she has to them to proceed with the application. The council will vote after the application
has been submitted and presented to the City of Russell for approval. The council then asked if they would require
a Tobacco permit, at this time no. More
questions were asked about anything that the city would require from them and
at this time there is nothing that they would need from the City of Russell to
proceed with the purchase of the building.
The Lenger’s then left the meeting.
The minutes
from the July 1st and July 8th meeting were reviewed and
Chris Feehan motioned to approve the minutes from the July 1, 2019 meeting and
this motion was seconded by Casey DeHoedt.
Ayes – All
Approved
Nay’s – None
Chris Feehan
the motioned to approve the July 8th meeting notes and this was
seconded by Casey DeHoedt.
Ayes – All
Approved
Nay’s – None
The second
reading of Ordinance 151 was read and Chris Feehan motioned to approve the
passing of Ordinance 151 and this motion was seconded by Jay Pierschbacher.
Aye’s – All
Approved
Nay’s – None
Terry
Newcomb then motioned to waive the 3rd reading of ordinance 151 and
this motion was seconded by Casey DeHoedt.
Aye’s – All
approved
Nay’s – None
Ordinance
151, which increases the monthly charge for trash collection by $2.00, will be
in effect for the August billing, after publication.
Resolution
2019-08, Sign Replacement Program for Cities and Counties was motioned for
approval to apply for funding by Jay Pierschbacher and this motion was seconded
by Chris Feehan. Mayor Bedford will now
apply for replacement of qualifying traffic signs and posts from the Iowa
Department of Transportation.
Expenses and
income were then reviewed and Casey DeHoedt motioned to approve expenses and
income and this motion was seconded by Terry Newcomb.
Tyler
Jeffrey was unable to attend the meeting but provided a monthly report on
progress that has been made and that several improvements have been made on
junk and debris cleanup. He also
questioned the council of having the clerk become a notary as some items may be
sensitive for privacy and the council approved Cindy Smith to become a
notary. He has also been patrolling and
watching stop signs and running the radar, he has made several stops for
speeding but has not given any tickets out at this time but he feels it is
making a difference just making himself known and that he is watching. Officer Tyler is also working with Mayor
Bedford, City Supervisor Jim Larrington and the city attorney on alley way
obstructions as Alliant had difficulty getting into an alley during a recent
storm that took out power lines.
Fire
Department – Chris Feehan on behalf of the fire department would like the city
to again pay for rental of one of the two port-a-potties for the fall festival on
September 14th. Casey DeHoedt motioned
that the city pay for the cost of one port-a-potty and this motion was seconded
by Jay Pierschbacher.
Ayes – All
Approved
Nay’s - None
Chris Feehan
then requested that they be allowed to use the city bandstand park for the
cookoff. Jay Pierschbacher motioned for
approval for the fire department to be allowed to use the park during the fall
festival in September to hold the cookoff in.
This motion was seconded by Terry Newcomb.
Ayes – All
Approved
Nay’s –
None.
Water/Wastewater
department report was presented by Jim Larrington. This tower is being cleaned and painted on
the inside. During the inspection prior
to the start of this work it was told to Mr. Larrington that the tower is in
really good shape, there are no pinholes or pitting on the inside of the
tower. This is an event that must take
place about every 10 years to keep the tower in good working order. The final coat was being applied today
(8/5/19) and they will also be cleaning the outside of the tower.
Water loss for
the month of July was at 28%.
There have
been issues with shutting off residents and past due accounts we will no longer
allow to go beyond the extended dates.
Bill go out on the 1st of the month with payment due by the
10th. Late invoices will go
out with a penalty charge that is due no later then the 20th of the month with a shut off date of the 28th. There is a $50.00 reconnect fee that will
also be added to the invoice when water is shut off.
Wastewater –
Mayor Bedford will be in contact with Garden and Associates to find out what
the status is of their report so that the work that needs to be completed on
the sewer can get started.
Jim
Larrington provided the pricing that he has been quoted for a trench box. Chris Feehan motioned for approval for Jim
Larrington to purchase a trench/ditch box of his choice up to $7,000.00, this
motion was seconded by Casey DeHoedt.
Aye’s – All
Approved
Nay’s – None
Chris Feehan
received a fire call and left the meeting at approximately 8:15.
Jim
Larrington has also been working on the old Jordan Well and has requested that
we cap the liner to the filters as they are leaking. The Iowa Water Association does not feel that
capping would create any problems.
Jim
Larrington then gave the report on the street repairs. L & L Pelling has been here and completed
all the work that we had scheduled for this year. All other streets will be reworked/crowned so
that we can proceed with seal coating them next summer. The county came down and inspected the bridge
on Main Street. Todd Folkers stated that
it is not in too bad of shape. He will
have the bridge inspectors come in next time they are in the area. The cost for
this will be approximately $250.00 for the inspection. We do need to install new guard rails, replace
an abutment on the upstream side, and install a weight limit sign to the
bridge. We are also going to try and get
the street/street parking lines painted prior to the fall festival. We have had a few people volunteer to help
with this project. We will have the fire
department wash the streets prior to painting.
Culverts
were then discussed on which one’s should be completed. It was decided that the culvert that is next
to the fire station will be replaced as this is to the point of damaging the
fire truck driveway and we do not want any of their equipment damaged. This one will be approximately $4,000.00 to
replace and we will also be fixing the one on Main and Shaw that will be
approximately 1500.00.
Duane
Bedford then discussed that he is working with Dale Housch and the city
attorney on the contract for the tower to be placed on the water tower for
their internet service.
Casey
DeHoedt motioned for the meeting to continue as it was 9:00 and this motion was
seconded by Terry Newcomb.
Aye’s – All
Approved
Nay’s – non
Elections: There will be 2 council member openings and
mayor seat open for elections in November.
Cindy will contact County Auditor to be sure that all aspects of the
elections are covered.
Next council
meeting will be held on Wednesday September 11, 2019 due to the holiday falling
on the first Monday of the month and to accommodate everyone’s schedule. Fall Festival is September the 14th.
Jay
Pierschbacher then motioned to approve the donation of $1,000.00 to the
Chariton Valley Housing and this motion was seconded by Casey DeHoedt.
Aye’s – All
Approved
Nay’s – None
Emergency
planning was then discussed on better ways to handle different situations,
Casey DeHoedt has done some research and there was one program available that
we could combine with some of the other smaller towns in the area to be on an
emergency broadcast system. She will do
further research and reach out to some other towns to see if they would be
interested as the cost of this program is $3800.00 for texting and $6,000.00 to
notify via landline. With several cities
dividing the cost would be more cost effective.
Mayor Bedford will also see if emergency monies would be available from
the County Board of Supervisors.
Casey
DeHoedt also questioned about putting up some kind of a can redemption recycle
bin in which the city would have a place to put redemption cans and then take
to Corydon and any monies collected when then go into the city funds for
additional park upgrades, additional new Christmas decoration etc. She will do additional research to see what
our costs would entail and then see if we could get volunteers to take cans to
Corydon.
The council
then discussed having another clean up day in the fall to help with the junk
and debris clean up and they are looking at doing this on October 12th.
It had been
mentioned to possibly convert the horseshoe court into a splash pad. Council will look at the cost and liability
of doing this.
Mayor
Bedford also discussed that we are still working on who owns 2 properties that
are unsafe and need to be demolished.
Jay
Pierschbacher motioned to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 and this was seconded by
Terry Newcomb.
Aye’s – All
Approved
Nay’s - None
________________________________
Mayor Duane
Bedford
Attest:
_________________________________
City Clerk
Cindy A Smith
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