LOWDEN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES

PROCEEDINGS OF LOWDEN CITY COUNCIL, REGULAR MEETING, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8,  2003, 7:00 PM

The regular meeting of the Lowden City Council was called to order by Mayor Reuben Wenndt.  Councilmembers present on roll call:  Conrad, Clark, Kroemer, Hamdorf.  Absent:  Hintz.  Visitors:  Steve Laughlin, Gene Hamdorf, Jan Olsen, Ginger Pruess, Ken Laursen, Aaron Horman, Nadine Schwarz, Wes Griesbach, Bill Norton.

M/S Conrad, Hamdorf to approve the minutes of the 8/4/03 meeting.  Ayes: All.

M/S Kroemer, Conrad to approve payment of the bills as presented.  Ayes: All.

M/S Conrad, Kroemer to close the meeting and open the Public Hearing on the Alliant easement agreement for the Roosevelt Avenue substation.  Ayes:  All. Council questioned how many feet were being extended on each side of the substation in the new agreement.  Council wasn’t sure what the new agreement was specifying.  Clerk will call Alliant for clarification of the agreement and the item will be placed on the October agenda. M/S Hamdorf, Kroemer to close the Public Hearing and open the meeting. Ayes:  All.

Steve Laughlin, Shoemaker & Haaland Engineers, was present to discuss the second phase of the Schwarz Addition extension relating to sewer, water, and curb on 5th St. Place. M/S Kroemer, Conrad to approve the plans as revised for the Schwarz Addition- Phase 2, subject to a bonding agreement similar to Phase 1.  Ayes:  Conrad, Clark, Kroemer.  Abstain:  Hamdorf.

Ken Laursen, General Manager for F&B Communications, was present to inform the council Mediacom will be ending its cable franchise agreement with the City. Approval is needed from the Council to terminate the Mediacom franchise agreement.  F&B will be purchasing the aerial system from Mediacom. M/S Hamdorf, Kroemer to approve Resolution #02-03 whereby Mediacom is terminating its cable franchise agreement with Lowden, pending the City Attorney’s approval.   Ayes:  All.

Council discussed the bill from Alliant for $1400 for wiring and transformer work at Lowden Memorial Park when the baseball lights were installed.  Conversations with Alliant prior to installation indicated the Alliant work would be no charge.  Gene Hamdorf and Clerk Peggy Kedley had a meeting in August with Jeff Azeltine, Alliant account manager, and he said there had been miscommunications and, therefore, would drop the charges to $700.  Council said the City was told the work would be no charge and to contact Alliant to attend the October council meeting.

Bill Norton, Little Home Day Care Center, asked the council if the City would consider helping the day care center financially.  Norton said it is a non-profit organization and thinks the City could help fund the day care with a contribution of $2400/year.  Kroemer felt it was not the responsibility of the City to fund the day care.  Dan Hamdorf said the day care center is a great benefit to the community. After discussion, M/S Conrad, Hamdorf to assist the Little Home Day Care Center financially with a contribution of $2400/year.  Ayes:  Conrad, Hamdorf.  Nays: Clark, Kroemer.  Motion not passed. M/S Clark, Conrad to make a $600 contribution to Little Home Day Care Center and review the funding request every 4 months from now for future contributions. Ayes:  Conrad, Clark, Hamdorf.  Nays:  Kroemer.  Motion passed.

M/S Hamdorf, Conrad to permit Lowden Commercial Club to close off Main Street from Washington to McKinley on Oct. 12 in the afternoon for a fall festival. Ayes:  All.

Council discussed police protection in Lowden.  Councilman Clark will look into repairing the used police car he owns. Council will discuss the police issue further at the October meeting.

Mayor will send a letter to Mike Blake requesting he replace the sidewalks at Blake apartments within a reasonable time frame or the City will replace the sidewalks and bill Blake.  It has been over a year since the sidewalks were torn out.  Gene Hamdorf will check on specifications from the State regarding the slope of the sidewalk.

M/S Kroemer, Hamdorf to approve Resolution #03-03 for the FY03 Road Use Report.  Ayes:  All.

Jeff Licht and Denise Wood will be sent letters informing them of a 100% sewer charge increase at their residences.  They were notified in March to install water meters for monitoring sewer usage at their homes and have not done so.

Council acknowledged the resignation of Brian Fairfield as Lowden’s representative to CEDCO.  LEDCO will be asked to appoint a replacement to represent Lowden.

M/S Kroemer, Conrad to approve the monthly financial report.  Ayes:  All.

M/S Kroemer, Hamdorf to approve the following permits: sidewalk-Correen Tobey, curb & gutter-American Trust & Savings Bank, Charles Ryan, Steve Jackson, Ray Meier, Dennis Mostaert, Justin Alden, building permits-Rodney Fredericks-shed, Edgar Hintz-shed, Howard Kroemer-deck, Richard Dooley-shed.  Ayes:  All.

Clark felt the ditch along 1st Street at 100 Hall Avenue was too deep and close to the street and could be dangerous.  The City had dug out the ditch to allow for better drainage into a new culvert at Hall Ave. and 1st Street.  Clark said the City should install a new culvert.  Council directed Gene Hamdorf to look at the area and make an assessment.

Clark also discussed boundary lines for the City of Lowden and would like to de-annex the area including the bridge south of Lowden.  Mayor Wenndt will contact the City Attorney regarding this.

M/S Conrad, Hamdorf to adjourn at 9:30 PM.  Ayes:  All. 

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