PROCEEDINGS
OF LOWDEN CITY COUNCIL, REGULAR MEETING, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2006,
7:00 PM
The
regular meeting of the Lowden City Council was called to order
by Mayor Reuben
Wenndt. Councilmembers present on roll call: Ryan, Olsen, Decker, Madden.
Visitors:
Pat Kroemer, Gene Hamdorf, Brad Norton, Bill Norton, Josh
Chappell, Troy Stender, Rob Hunter, Jan Olsen, Shaun Stender, Heather Goddard,
Kay Stender, Liz Norton, Randy Millam, Wes Stender.
M/S Ryan, Decker to approve the minutes of the 5-1-06 meeting. Ayes: Ryan, Olsen,
Decker, Madden.
M/S Olsen, Ryan to seat councilman Conrad at 7:02 PM. Ayes: Ryan, Olsen, Decker,
Madden.
M/S Decker, Olsen to approve payment of the bills as presented. Ayes: All.
Josh Chappell was present to tell the council he is ready to do his Eagle Scout
project. He will paint crosswalk lines on certain intersections in Lowden. He
asked if he could use the City’s line painter and also if the City would
consider donating the paint. M/S Madden, Conrad to allow Josh Chappell to use
the City’s line painter
and have the City donate the paint for painting the intersections for Josh Chappell’s
project. Ayes: All.
Mayor Wenndt opened the Public Hearing on the FY06 budget amendment.
There being no oral or written comments concerning the budget amendment, Mayor
Wenndt closed the Public Hearing.
M/S Ryan, Decker to pass Resolution #04-06 approving the FY06 budget amendment.
Ayes: All.
City Clerk stated the Zoning Board had met and approved a zoning change from
Residential 1 to Commercial 1 for property at 702 Main Street.
M/S Conrad, Decker to hold a Public Hearing on the zoning change at 702 Main
Street at the July city council meeting. Ayes: All.
Wes Stender, Walcott, who has owned a building on 1st Street since 1996, was
present to discuss his car restoration business. Through the years, Stender has
received letters from the City asking him to remove junk vehicles or mow weeds
at the property. Stender said he is now moving all his business to Lowden. He
also stated sometimes vehicles have to sit outside temporarily in the middle
of the car restoration process. Council asked Stender to clean up the property
and he said he would.
Randy Millam was present to discuss the skateboard project discussed at the May
meeting. According to the City’s insurance carrier, they would provide
coverage for a properly designed and controlled skateboard park. A certified
engineer or architect would be needed to plan it out and the park would have
to be fenced in. Millam said the HAF Club (Hunting & Fishing Club) has committed
to exploring the construction of a skateboard park. Councilmen Ryan and Madden
said they will check with Maquoketa and Eldridge on the costs of their skateboard
parks and report back to the July meeting.
M/S Ryan, Olsen to accept the only bid received from Power Enterprises, Eldridge,
for replacing the north side of the City Hall roof and some other minor repairs
on the remaining portion of the roof, cost $6595. Ayes: Ryan, Olsen,
Decker. Nays: Conrad, Madden. City will supply the materials for the project
and new gutters will be installed after the roof is finished.
The Fire Dept.
sent a letter to the City indicating the eavespouts were plugged and water had
flooded into the Fire Station.
Council discussed curb and gutter for Washington Avenue north of Main Street
to south of 5th Street. Brad and Liz Norton were present and said they do not
want to lose any parking places west of the Lincoln Hotel if curb and gutter
were to be put in. Council said the curb could be placed close enough to the
sidewalk whereby no parking spaces would be lost. The Street Committee, Olsen
and Ryan, and Gene Hamdorf will be in charge of deciding where the curb will
be placed on Washington Avenue, at the recommendation of Shoemaker & Haaland
Engineers. Jim Leeper will do the curb and gutter work.
M/S Decker, Madden to approve Resolution #05-06 designating NIMS (National Incident
Management System) as the basis for all incident management in the City of Lowden.
Ayes: All.
M/S Decker, Olsen to approve the Management and Land Use Agreement between the
City of Lowden and Little Home Day Care Center. Ayes: All.
M/S Ryan, Decker to approve the 28E Agreement with the North Cedar Community
School, Little Home Day Care Center, and the City of Lowden. Ayes: All.
M/S Olsen, Madden to approve the lease agreement between North Cedar Community
School and the City of Lowden. Ayes: All.
M/S Olsen, Ryan to amend the agenda to add: “approve final drawings and
specifications for the Little Home Day Care project”. Ayes: All.
M/S Olsen, Madden to approve the final drawings and specifications for the Little
Home Day Care Center project. Ayes: All.
Jan Olsen reported new planters were purchased for Main Street, with the cost
of $1500 being shared by Lowden Garden Club, LEDCO, and a grant written by the
Lowden Garden Club. Flowers in the City Park were planted by the Garden Club
and paid by the City’s Beautification fund. Old cement steps east of City
Hall were removed and dirt brought in by the City men and the Garden Club will
plant new bushes there. Jan said Stephanie Williams has been watering all the
planters and flowers several times a week and asked for her to be compensated
for her work. M/S Decker, Madden to pay Stephanie Williams $15/week to water flowers
in the
City Park and on Main Street. Ayes: All.
Clerk will prepare an ordinance for the July meeting on limiting pets in the
City limits, 4 per household.
M/s Madden, Conrad to waive the second, have the third reading, and adopt Ordinance
#771 which states anyone tampering with the City’s waterworks system will
be fined $500. Ayes: All.
M/S Olsen, Decker to have the City pledge $500 toward the study for a 4-lane
Highway 30 through Cedar County, if the other Cedar County towns along
Hwy. 30 also pledge to pay that amount. Ayes: Ryan, Olsen, Madden, Decker.
Nays: Conrad.
M/S Ryan, Conrad to authorize Clerk to pay end of FY06 bills. Ayes: All.
Gene reported he had flushed hydrants on May 19 and there was a very minimal
amount of rust.
Gene said they will grade and gravel the alleys behind Kim Steinke and
C.M. Bixler before June 24.
M/S Decker, Olsen to approve the monthly financial report. Ayes: All.
Mayor read a letter from Lowden Rescue stating they are in dire need of more
Rescue personnel. Currently, they only have two people that are available during
daytime hours.
M/S Decker, Olsen to approve the following permits: Matt Curley-metal shed,
3-30 Club-liquor license, Lowden Fast Stop-Sunday Sales, American Legion-liquor
license. Ayes: All.
Council will discuss a jake brake ordinance at the July meeting.
Councilman Olsen will speak to Sam Tika about semi trucks parking west of the
Arrow Café to keep them off the streets of Lowden. Mayor Wenndt will
speak to Kirk Hein about his property at the old Rex Feed site.
Council directed Gene Hamdorf to get the price of a culvert for along the north
side of 1st Street east of Roosevelt Avenue to allow for better mowing. Gene
also is to haul dirt in north of Gary Oster’s to level off the area.
Next regular meeting will be July 10, 2006, 7:00 PM.
M/S Ryan, Decker to adjourn @ 9:25 PM. Ayes: All.
