Regular Council Meeting March 27, 2001 – 7:00 P.M. The West Burlington City Council met in Regular Session at 122 Broadway Street with Mayor Trousil presiding. Council Members Hockett, Crowner, Lees, Johnson and Pilger were present. City Administrator Mandsager, Fire Chief Astfalk and Police Chief Walters, Public Works Director Fry and Building Inspector Hoy were also present. Lees moved, second by Pilger, to approve the Agenda as presented. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.

Lees moved, second by Johnson, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.

A. Minutes Regular Council Meeting March 13, 2001

B. Purchase of Personal Alert Safety Devices for Fire Department - $2,537.25

C. Purchase of Respiratory Protection Program - $1,092.80

D. Computer Training for Leslie Sattler, City Accountant

E. Spring Iowa Municipal Finance Officer’s Association for City Clerk

F. Liquor License Renewal and Sunday Sales for Costello’s, Inc.

G. Payment of Claims as Presented.

CITIZEN’S INQUIRIES: There were none.

PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Changing the Zoning Code by Reducing the Rear Yard Depth in a B-1 District from 35 feet to 20 feet when Adjoining a Residential District – Mayor Trousil opened the Public Hearing on the Zoning Code amendment that would reduce the rear yard depth in a B-1 District from 35 feet to 20 feet when adjoining a Residential District. There were no comments from the public nor from the Council. Mayor Trousil closed the Public Hearing.

Consider an Ordinance on First Reading Amending the Zoning Code by Reducing the Rear Yard Depth in a B-1 District – Hockett moved, second by Crowner, to approve the first reading of an ordinance amending the Zoning Code by reducing the rear yard depth in a B-1 District from 35 feet to 20 feet when adjoining a residential district. Roll call. Ayes: Lees, Crowner, Hockett, Pilger and Johnson. Nays: None. Motion carried.

PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Disposing of Interest in real Property Which Consists of All of Lots 2, 3 and 4 in Pleasant Meadow Subdivision by Sale and Exchange – Mayor Trousil explained the City Council has been negotiating with the Derby family who owns the Derby Furniture Store on Wheeler Street plus two lots next to City Hall on Broadway Street. The City wants to build a new City Hall utilizing the current location plus the two lots north of City Hall. The Derby’s want to build a new furniture store on three lots the City owns in Pleasant Meadow Subdivision. Before the City can dispose of an interest in real property they must first hold a Public Hearing. Mayor Trousil said the Derby’s have agreed to trade their property on Wheeler plus the two lots on Broadway in exchange for lots 2, 3 and 4 in Pleasant Meadow Subdivision plus $210,000. In addition the City agrees to provide tax installment payments to the Derby’s as follows: $8,500 on March 28, and $5,000 per year for four (4) years thereafter.

Mayor Trousil read a letter from Mick Fletcher, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Fletcher said it was the general consensus (not unanimous) of the commission that City Hall should stay in a downtown location. Fletcher said on a personal level that it is not necessary that City Hall be limited to a downtown location. The Pleasant Meadow site might be less expensive and allow for future growth where the downtown site does not. There was no other written correspondence. Clerk Simonson replied that Richard Koenig, 2501 Mt. Pleasant Street in Burlington stopped in City Hall today to say he agreed with Dan Hockett’s article in the Hawkeye.

The following people were present at the meeting and voiced their opinion:

· Sandy Gault, 704 Meadow – City Hall need not remain downtown, does not need to be located in the center of town.

· Joe Shannon, 530 Spring - City Hall should remain downtown, the Derby buildings downtown are not conducive to a growing City.

· Jim Payne, 602 Ramsey, City Hall should remain downtown. Raxing the old furniture store and keeping City Hall downtown will add life to the Broadway business district.

· Pauline Swafford, 501 West Aire Drive – Not usually in favor of spending money, but feels City Hall should be downtown.

· Jim Mesler, 212 Broadway, City Hall should remain downtown. It should not be a problem selling the Derby building.

· Pauline Rein, 417 W. Burlington Avenue – Objects to building City Hall downtown. The Mt. Pleasant Street site will allow for expansion and parking. She said she is pessimistic about success of selling Derby Building.

· Roger Gault, 704 Meadow – City should not consider purchasing the Derby building. Should not have made the deal before going public. Could have saved money to use elsewhere.

· Ed Hockett, 914 W. Mt. Pleasant Street – Thought City should have made intentions public before closing the deal. The City owns the property in Pleasant Meadow, building on the present site will cost more.

· Therese Lees, Council Member – City Hall has been a big issue for the City for sometime. The Council has worked very hard to find the right location. The Council did not receive a lot of input from residents. Thinks the commercial lots in Pleasant Meadow will make an excellent place for the Derby furniture store.

· John Johnson, Council Member – The Council looked at different locations and actually chose the Swan Street site as first choice (not his first choice) but could not make the deal. The Derby site was the Council’s second choice and feels it was a fair deal for everyone. More downtown parking will be created on the Swan Street property purchased earlier.

· Dan Hockett, Council Member – After months and months of discussion everyone agreed they wanted City Hall downtown until the cost became 1/4 million more than the Pleasant Meadow site. He said he objected to spending that on one third of an acre, which is the size of the Derby property on Broadway Street.

Mayor Trousil closed the Public Hearing.

Consider a Resolution to Dispose of Interest in Real Property Which Consists of All of Lots 2, 3 and 4 in Pleasant Meadow Subdivision – Crowner moved, second by Johnson, to approve a Resolution to dispose of interest in real property which consists of all of Lots 2, 3, and 4 in the Pleasant Meadow Subdivision by sale and exchange to Juanita M. Derby, John R. Derby and Jesse L. Derby. In addition to the three lots the City will pay $210,000 and tax installment payments in the amount of $28,500 over the next four (4) years. In exchange the Derby’s will deed to the City Lots No. 9, 10, and 11 (property next to City Hall on Broadway Street) and Lots 13 and 14 on Wheeler Street. Roll call. Ayes: Crowner, Lees, Johnson and Pilger. Nays: Hockett.

PRESENTATION: Brian Tapp, Southeast Iowa Regional Planning – Report on Hwy 34 Corridor Study – Brian Tapp with Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission explained he intends to apply to the Iowa Department of Economic Development for a grant for the Highway 34 Corridor Study. The analysis would examine the land use impacts the Hwy 34 improvements have made and determine a proper land use strategy to combine city and county efforts. Tapp said he had commitments from Des Moines and Henry County for $2,000; Mt. Pleasant $2,500; and Danville, Middletown $500 each. He asked the City to commit $500. The Council agreed to consider the request at the next Council Meeting.

PRESENTATION: Chad Lambi, Shive-Hattery Engineers – Update on Wastewater Treatment Plant – Chad Lambi, with Shive-Hattery explained said there has been problems calibrating the flow meters at the new wastewater treatment plant. He is working with city crews as well as well as the company Aero-Mod who manufactured the meters to fix the problem.

NEW BUSINESS:

Consider IDED Rural/Community Grant Application for Market Analysis – The Council discussed participating in a Iowa Department of Economic Development Rural/Community Grant Application for a market analysis that would include the Danielson property but also focus on other areas of development. John Danielson attended the meeting to discuss funding for the grant match. The Council agreed a Developers Agreement is needed before they will participate in the grant application.

Crowner moved, second by Johnson, to deny a motion to apply for a IDED Rural/Community Grant Application for a Market Analysis until a development agreement can be agreed upon by both the City and Danielson’s. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.

Consider Engineering Services Agreement – Wheeler and Glasgow Streets – French-Reneker Associates – Administrator Mandsager presented a proposed engineering services agreement for street reconstruction of Wheeler and Glasgow Streets. These streets were identified in the City’s storm water master plan. He said the project is a 2-3 year project a third of which is budgeted for FY 2002. He said the project intends to grade, drain, and pave Wheeler Street between Schwartz Street and Ramsey Street, and Glasgow Street between Schwartz Street and Broadway Street as a part of a multi-year program. Phase I engineering services covered by this agreement is to include preliminary services for the eight-block area, and final design services and engineering services during construction for the west two blocks on Wheeler, plus outfall storm sewer. The estimated engineering budget for this phase of the contract is $54,200.

Hockett moved, second by Lees, to approve the Engineering Services Agreement with French-Reneker Associates for the Wheeler and Glasgow Streets Project. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.

Consider Request from Richard Broeg for Extension of Building Deadline in Pleasant Meadow Subdivision – Administrator Mandsager said he received a request from Richard Broeg for an extension of the building deadline in Pleasant Meadow Subdivision. Mr. Broeg purchased two lots in the Subdivision, a residential lot and a commercial lot. According to the restrictive covenants for the subdivision, building must commence within the first year. Mr. Broeg bought the residential lot first then the commercial. He plans to build on the commercial lot first.

Pilger moved, second by Lees, to table the consideration of the request until the next Council Meeting. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS:

Approve an Ordinance on First Consideration adding Definition of "Durable Hard Surface" to the Zoning Code - Hockett moved, second by Johnson, to approve the second consideration of an ordinance adding the definition to "Durable Hard Surface" to the Zoning Code. Roll call. All ayes. Motion carried.

Consider an Ordinance on Second Reading Setting the Speed Limit on Division Street – Hockett moved, second by Lees, to approve the second reading of an ordinance setting the speed limit on Division Street at 35 MPH. Roll call. Ayes: Lees, Crowner, Hockett, Johnson and Pilger. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Hockett moved, second by Pilger, to waive the third reading of an ordinance setting the speed limit on Division Street at 35 MPH. Roll call. Ayes: Hockett, Johnson, Pilger, Crowner, and Lees. Nays: None. Motion carried.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

UTILITIES – Public Works Director Fry reported the water meter replacement program is going well. He also said he thinks they have found the leak on the line on Hwy 34 in the area of the highway construction. He said he thinks they will be able to repair the leak without having to shut off the Beaverdale area.

Administrator Mandsager said Troy Cline has passed his Grade I Water Certification and Bill Schurk has passed his Grade II Wastewater Certification. He also said he is working with Alliant on the placement of lights on Agency Street.

PUBLIC SAFETY – Police Chief Walters said two of his police units are down, both are Dodges. He said they are being worked on now.

Fire Chief said the aerial truck is being tested at Alexis. Mayor Trousil said the Fire Department volunteers have done a great job on the meeting room at the fire station.

FINANCE – The Council decided to hold a Work Session at 6:00 on the 10^th of April before the Council Meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Dan Hockett’s budget plan.

STREETS – Public Works Director said public works personnel is beginning work in the parks. He said they have trenched water lines for the new vegetation that will be planted soon.

SANITATION – There was nothing to report.

PROCLAMATION – YWCA SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH – The Council approved a Proclamation proclaiming the month of April, 2001 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Char Blodgett, Director of the YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter and Sexual Assault Center was present at the meeting to accept the Proclamation.

CITIZEN’S INQUIRIES: There were none.

ADJOURN: There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. upon motion by Lees and second by Pilger. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.

 

______________________________ ______________________________

Approved Terrie L. Simonson, City Clerk

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