Regular Council Meeting January 28, 2002 – 5:30 P.M.
The West Burlington City Council met in Regular Session at 118 W. Wheeler Street with Mayor Trousil presiding. Council Members Johnson, Lees, Crowner, Hockett and Pilger were present. City Administrator Mandsager, Public Works Director Fry, Police Chief Walters 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 Pilger, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
A. Minutes Regular Council Meeting January 14, 2002
B. Training – Forensic Science - for Police Officer Bonar
C. Training – Reserve Police Officer Training School - Barnett
D. Payment to American Test Center – Annual Inspection of Ladders at Fire Station - $1,205
E. Payment to Beik Engineering for Underground Storage Project - $4,120.37
F. Payment of Claims as Presented
PUBLIC HEARING: Industrial Tax Abatement for Property on W. Mt. Pleasant Street – Mayor Trousil opened the Public Hearing concerning the request from Rod Wittkamp for industrial tax abatement for a 22,500 square foot addition to his building located at 2610 W. Mt. Pleasant Street. Mayor Trousil said Mr. Wittkamp meets the qualifications. Council Member Johnson said he is not in favor of granting tax abatements. There were no other comments. Mayor Trousil said the first reading of the ordinance approving the abatement will be presented at the March 11 Council Meeting.
PRESENTATION: West Burlington School Board – Superintendent Sleister and Members of the School Board told the Council there is a state formula that determines how much the district is entitled to for the basic education of the students and determines what portion will be from state aid and what portion will come from local property taxes. He said having TIF property valuation in a district impacts the mix of state aid and property tax. It also impacts the tax rate needed to raise the property tax portion. He said because of the severe economic problems facing the state, schools have been told not to expect the level of funding in the current law and that it may be some time before schools will know what level of funding will be available for 2003. Currently the allowable growth is 4%. He said he does not expect more than 1% for 2003, if that.
Superintendent Sleister told the Council without continued assistance this year from the City the school’s tax rate may increase by as much as $2.00 over last year. Last year the City contributed $70,000 to the school to help fund roof improvements.
The Council told Sleister they will consider the request during preparation of the 2003 Fiscal Budget.
CITIZEN’S INQUIRIES: - None.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
UTILITIES – There was nothing to report.
PUBLIC SAFETY – Police Department Annual Report – Police Chief Walters presented his Annual Report for 2001. The Council Members agreed the report contained valuable information.
FINANCE – Administrator Mandsager said we need another Budget Work Session. The Council agreed to meet on Monday, February 4, at 5:30 p.m. Mayor Trousil said since there are quite a few items that the Council needs to consider they might want to consider holding monthly work sessions. These work sessions will be held on the first Monday of each month. These meetings will be at 5:30 also. Notices will be posted.
Council Member Pilger said the school was getting rid of an old concession stand and asked if the Little League Association would be interested in it. He said since they were throwing it away it was moved to Community Park near the baseball diamonds where it can now be determined if it can be refurbished and used during the season.
STREETS – Mayor Trousil said a decision needs to be made concerning the placement of a traffic signal at the GRMC/SCC site and also at Mt. Pleasant Street and Gear Avenue. He said Shive-Hattery Engineers will be at the Work Session on Monday to discuss these projects as they relate to the budget for Capital Projects.
SANITATION – There was nothing to report.
NEW BUSINESS:
Consider Change Order for the Wastewater Treatment Improvement Project – Re: Blower Piping Changes – Crowner moved, second by Johnson, to approve a Change Order for the Wastewater Treatment Improvements Project. The Change Order is in the amount of $1,392 for several feet of pipe to provide the proper distance of air flow up and down stream of the flow measuring equipment. Chad Lambi with Shive-Hattery recommended the Council approve the Change Order. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
Mr. Lambi also explained he met with City staff, Council Members Johnson and Hockett, and Bill Resnik from IDNR to discuss the operation of the wastewater treatment plant. The primary discussion topic of the meeting was the control of flows into the plant.
He said in the recent past, the operational scenario at the plant was causing a small volume of flow (approximately 15% of the daily flow) to bypass to the lagoon. Although this was not the intent, the plant has and could continue to meet effluent requirements when operated in this manner. He said the City is allowed discharge from the lagoons in our NPDES permit. The volume of the existing lagoons is very large, approximately 36 million gallons. A typical aerated lagoon plant is designed to provide 31 days detention of flow that enters the lagoon. The average amount of flow that was entering the lagoons results in a detention time of 720 days, a significant amount of time to allow treatment of that flow in the lagoons.
Lambi said, although the plant can operate in this manner, he agreed that it would be beneficial to the plant if City staff could better control the amount of flow that is bypassed to the lagoons in normal operation. He said a surge tank is one option that would help the City staff accomplish this. However, one suggestion from IDNR has proven very beneficial to the control of flows at the plant. By changing the duration of each cycle from the West lift station (the primary lift station to the plant), the volume of the existing pretreatment structure can now be effectively utilized to help control the flows. The result has been very little bypass on a daily basis.
Lambi said he would not proceed with the surge tank at this time; he would wait and see if the changes made to date are sufficient. He did say if the City decides to proceed with the surge tank Shive-Hattery will pay for engineering if needed.
Consider Sharing Expenses with Des Moines County, City of Burlington and Chamber of Commerce – Alliant Energy’s Bidders Forum – Administrator Mandsager said Mike Brouwer with the Chamber asked the City to share expenses for the air charter to Chicago to attend the Alliant Energy’s Bidders Forum. This was a meeting, members of the Chamber along with representatives of Burlington and Des Moines County, attended in order to invite Alliant’s business to the area. The Council agreed they would have liked to have been made aware of the trip in advance rather than after the fact.
Johnson moved, second by Crowner, to pay $300 of the $1,201.95 for the air charter, along with a letter telling them the City would like to be notified in advance next time. Voice vote. All ayes except Hockett who voted nay. Motion carried.
Consider Engineering Services Agreement for Street Resurfacing Project – Administrator Mandsager presented an engineering services agreement with French-Reneker for design and construction engineering for resurfacing of Winter and Wheeler Streets. These two streets mark the end of year one under the Five-Year Street Improvement Plan. Mandsager said he intends to be able to budget engineering on an annual basis so that we may bid our projects in February or March each year in order to get the best price available.
Johnson moved, second by Crowner, to approve the Engineering Services Agreement with French-Reneker for the Winter and Wheeler Street Project in the amount of $12,500. The total cost of the double life overlay is estimated to be $86,000 including engineering. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
Consider Payment for Capital Equipment Replacement for Ambulance Service – Mayor Trousil explained officials from the City Township Ambulance Association met with City of Burlington Officials on Tuesday, January 8, to discuss Ambulance Responses for 2001. Burlington also presented a Capital Equipment Replacement Schedule for the next ten years. They estimate annual payments for the CTAA in the amount of $54,600 for the next ten years however; they will re-estimate the budget amount after five years.
According to the CTAA Contract, proration of the contract price for ambulance service among the member agencies shall be based on the average number of ambulance calls within each jurisdiction during the previous three years. This is the first year the Burlington Fire Department documented fire call destinations. Therefore we used the percents in the existing contract for the first year and the actual average for 2001. These two years were then averaged and used to document the cost per entity for the $54,600. The City’s share is $31,018.26.
Lees moved, second by Pilger, to approve payment to the CTAA in the amount of $31,018.26 for the City’s share of equipment replacement. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
Consider Board of Adjustment Minutes – Mayor Trousil explained at the last Council Meeting the Council reviewed the Board of Adjustment’s decision concerning lights on the Lighthouse Christian Book Store building. Richard and Jan Broeg had asked the board to grant a variance to the sign code that would allow them to use strip lighting on their building. The Board found no hardship and therefore denied the request giving the Broeg’s until January 23rd to remove the lights from their building. The Council asked the Board to consider an extension on the removal of the lights until they had an opportunity to review and possibly make changes to the sign code.
The Board met on January 24 to consider the Council’s request. According to the Board of Adjustment’s Minutes the Board agreed to grant a ninety day extension to Richard and Jan Broeg which will allow them to leave the strip lighting on their building while the City Council reviews the sign code. The extension shall begin February 1, 2002.
Crowner moved, second by Pilger, to approve Board of Adjustment minutes dated January 24, 2002. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
Consider Reappointment to Board of Adjustment – Lees moved, second by Pilger, to approve the appointment of Harmon Dochterman to the Board of Adjustment. Mr. Dochterman has agreed to fill another five year term which will expire February 28, 2007. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
Consider Payment to French-Reneker for Engineering Services – Lees moved, second by Pilger, to approve payment to French-Reneker Associates in the amount of $8,410.27 for work related to the Shottenkirk development and Glasgow Reconstruction Project. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
Consider Payment to Shive-Hattery for Engineering Services – Johnson moved, second by Crowner, to approve payment to Shive-Hattery in the amount of $5,447.80 for work related to the Mall Traffic Signal Project. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
Consider Cell Phone Plans for Various Departments – Administrator Mandsager said the City has 14 cell phones and the phone plans either have expired or are expiring soon. He and City Accountant Leslie Sattler have reviewed the various plans provided in this area. They recommend staying with US Cellular, raising the minutes on the share talk plans and purchasing new phones.
After discussion Johnson moved, second by Pilger, to purchase new cellular phones and plans from US Cellular and to increase the minutes from 300 to 500 minutes. Voice vote. All ayes. Motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS:
Consider Ordinance on Third Reading Rezoning Property Located Behind Target and Farm King from B-2 to R-4 and from B-2 to R-1 – Lees moved, second by Crowner, to approve the third consideration of an Ordinance rezoning property located behind Target and Farm King from B-2 to R-4 and from B-2 to R-1. Roll call. Ayes: Lees, Crowner, and Pilger. Nays: Johnson and Hockett. Motion carried.
ADJOURN: There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m. upon motion by Lees, second by Johnson. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion carried.
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Approved Terrie L. Simonson, City Clerk