PROCEEDINGS
OF LOWDEN CITY COUNCIL, REGULAR MEETING, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7,
2005, 7:00 PM
The
regular meeting of the Lowden City Council was called to order by
Mayor Reuben Wenndt. Council members present on roll call: Conrad,
Gottschalk, Hamdorf, Kroemer. Absent: Decker. Visitors: Clint Henning,
Denise Henning, Gene Hamdorf, Pat Kroemer, Dawn York, Vic Young,
Josh Chappell, Larry Nagle, Jim York, Ricky Gottschalk, Raymond Gottschalk,
Bill Norton, Wes Griesbach, Jim Holz, Chad Hintz.
M/S Kroemer, Hamdorf to approve the minutes of the 10-4-05 meeting. Ayes: All.
M/S Hamdorf, Conrad to approve payment of the bills as presented. Ayes: All.
M/S Hamdorf, Conrad to approve payment of Draw #2, CDBG bills: ECIA #3509, 3599,
3662=$2819.65, Sun-News=$6.22, Meardon, Sueppel & Downer=$87.50. Ayes: All.
Josh Chappel told the Council he will be working on his Eagle Scout Award for
Boy Scouts and wanted to know if a Veteran’s memorial sign with a flag
at the Park would be a project he could work on for the City. Council said they
will think
of a project and get back to Chappell.
M/S Conrad, Hamdorf to close the meeting and open the Pubic Hearing concerning
an application for CDBG funding to construct a 150,000 water storage tank. Ayes:
All.
Larry Nagle, ECIA, presented information in support of the CDBG application.
An engineering report prepared by MSA Professional Services documented the need
for construction of a 150,000 storage tank, on the current site, to replace the
existing tank. The City will borrow funds to provide for its portion of the project
costs, estimated to be $389,500. The City requests that IDED provide $300,000
toward the project with the City’s application to be submitted by the November
22, 2005, deadline. Based upon an income survey conducted by the City, 56.9%
of the persons benefiting from the project are of low or moderate income and
there are no plans to displace any persons or businesses because of the project.
IDED will award CDBG funding in March 2006.
M/S Conrad, Hamdorf to close the Public Hearing and open the meeting. Ayes: All.
M/S Kroemer, Gottschalk to authorize the Mayor to sign the application to IDED
for a grant for a new water tower. Ayes: All.
Council also discussed a water rate increase. Larry Nagle suggested an increase
of $4.00/mo. for water and for sewer. Nagle told the Council an increase in water
rates would make the CDBG application more competitive.
M/S Conrad, Kroemer to discuss a water and sewer rate increase at the December
meeting. Ayes: All.
Dawn York, representing the Lowden Fire Dept., told the Council they are having
problems with excessive alcohol consumption in the Department. Large amounts
of beer are being brought into the Fire Station and Fire personnel have been
drinking excessively and driving home afterwards. Other problems include an alarm
being set off in error, doors being left unlocked, and some equipment is missing
or tampered with. York asked the Council if they would stand behind them if they
banned alcohol from the Fire Station. Mayor Wenndt said he contacted City Attorney
Sueppel and was told he would be behind the City 100% if the City chose to ban
alcohol from the Fire Station. Niermeyer-Maurer Insurance said there could be
liability problems if something negative happened after drinking at the Fire
Station. Rev. Young, Lowden Fire Dept., told the Council the Fire Department
wants to provide a high level of service to the community and this problem with
excessive drinking is diverting and distracting from quality service.
After discussion, Council told the Lowden Fire Department it is their decision
to make to eliminate alcohol from the Fire Station.
Bill Norton, Little Home Day Care, presented information to the Council on the
new day care center project. First, the City Attorney and Bonding Attorney must
be engaged for the project, interim financing must be obtained from the local
bank, a separate checking account must be established, and an engineer must be
hired to do a Flood Plain determination where the proposed day care center is
to be built.
M/S Conrad, Hamdorf to pass Resolution #10-05 whereby the City Attorney and Bonding
Attorney will be hired for the Day Care project, interim financing will be obtained,
a separate checking account will be established, and Shoemaker & Haaland
Engineers will be hired, at a cost of $1955, to do a Flood Plain determination
west of the elementary school. Ayes: All.
M/S Kroemer, Hamdorf to specify the local option tax, to be voted on in January,
2006, will be used for infrastructure improvements to include water/sewer/storm
sewer improvements, and street/curb & gutter improvements. Ayes: All.
Council discussed banning burn barrels in City limits due to noxious odors and
inappropriate materials being burned.
Motioned by Hamdorf to eliminate burn barrels in the City limits. No second.
Motion failed.
M/S Hamdorf, Kroemer to have the first reading of Ordinance #768 whereby the
City’s nuisance ordinance is amended. Ayes: All.
M/S Hamdorf, Kroemer to waive the second and have the third reading of Ordinance
#766 establishing a handicapped parking space east of City Hall on election days.
Ayes: All.
Council will look into a small hand railing placed on the street up onto the
sidewalk in front of City Hall.
Council discussed banning sex offenders further than the 2000’ from the
school and day care center in Lowden, to include the churches and golf course
and swimming pool. Clerk will contact the City Attorney to help in writing an
ordinance reflecting this and the item will be placed on the December meeting
agenda.
M/S Conrad, Hamdorf to approve a building permit, pending Zoning Board’s
approval, for a 12 stall storage unit at 105 4th Street for Chad Hintz. Ayes:
All.
M/S Conrad, Gottschalk to approve a building permit for a walk-in cooler for
Good Times LLC. Ayes: All.
Gene Hamdorf reported he will be adding phosphates in the next few days to the
water to help eliminate rust. He is purchasing the phosphates from Water Solutions,
a company that has been quite helpful in answering questions about the rust problems.
M/S Kroemer, Hamdorf to approve the monthly financial report. Ayes: All.
Councilman Hamdorf
submitted his verbal resignation as councilmember, effective 11-7-05.
Council will appoint a new member at the December meeting.
M/S Hamdorf, Gottschalk to adjourn at 9:23 PM. Ayes: All.
Next regular meeting is December 5, 2005, 7:00 PM.
