Posted: July 30, 2021 | Updated: August 29, 2023
AGENDA
NOTICE AND CALL OF PUBLIC MEETING
GOVERNMENTAL BODY: THE CITY COUNCIL OF CRESCO, IOWA
DATE OF MEETING: AUGUST 2, 2021
TIME AND PLACE OF MEETING: 5:30 P.M. CITY HALL, 130 N PARK PLACE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED
GOVERNMENTAL BODY WILL MEET AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SET OUT ABOVE. THE TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR SAID MEETING IS AS FOLLOWS:
ROLL CALL: BRENNO, McCONNELL, FORTUNE, BOUSKA, CARMAN
ACT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA: All items listed under the consent agenda will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a request is made prior to the time council votes on the motion.
- Approval of the Agenda
- Approval of the Claims
- Approval of Minutes from July 19, 2021
- Approval of Minutes from July 19, 2021 Worksession
- Approval of Class C Beer Permit with Sunday Sales to Kwik Trip, Inc. d/b/a Kwik Star #428
STAFF REPORTS: There may be action taken on each of the items listed below.
- Public Works
- Police
- Administration
- Committee Updates
COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCE:
BUSINESS: There may be action taken on each of the items listed below.
- Public Hearing for Vacating a Portion of Fourth Avenue Southwest
- Second Reading of Ordinance No. 491 Vacating a Portion of Fourth Avenue Southwest
- Derrick Okine of the Cresco First United Methodist Church to Discuss the African Festival on August 28, 2021 and the International Festival of Diversity & Culture in September/October 2021
- Request for Sewer Adjustment for Water not Entering the Sanitary Sewer System from Ron Downing
- Discuss Police Part-Time Wages and Possible Motion to Increase
- Resolution Authorizing Transfer of Funds for FY2022 (August Transfers)
- Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Sign an Agreement for an Iowa’s Volkswagon Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust Project with Iowa Department of Transportation for a Grant to Install Community Charging Sites
- Discuss Development Agreement for the IEDA Community Catalyst and Building Remediation Grant for Vernon Springs Brewery Company
- Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Sign the Agreement for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant with U.S. Small Business Administration
- Resolution Authorizing the City Clerk to Sign Documents and File Necessary Paperwork for the Buy IT Grant from the State of Iowa under the CARES Act
- Motion to Approve the Outstanding Obligation Report and Reveiw Long Term Debt Balances and Amortization Schedules
- Discuss Airport Runway Grant
ADJOURN:
THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN AT THE DIRECTION OF THE MAYOR PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 21, CODE OF IOWA AND THE LOCAL RULES OF SAID GOVERNMENTAL BODY. POSTED JULY 30, 2021.
MINUTES
Mayor Bohle called the Cresco City Council meeting to order on August 2, 2021, at 5:30 pm. Council Members Brenno, McConnell, Fortune, and Carman were present. Council Member Bouska was absent.
Carman made the motion to approve the consent agenda which included approval of the: agenda; claims; minutes from July 19, 2021 council meeting and the worksession; Class C Beer Permit with Sunday sales to Kwik Trip, Inc. d/b/a Kwik Star #428. Brenno seconded and it passed all ayes.
Public Works Director Widell reported (a) the stoplight was damaged in the storm and will need to install new anchor bolts; (b) a special yardwaste pick up will be done this week for all the branches and brush. Council will consider burning the pile of trees at the yardwaste dump with proper notification and weather conditions this winter. It would be very expensive to chip it all plus all of the time and cost spent on disposing the chips.
Police Chief Ruroden submitted the July report. Hawkeye Community College student ride-along finished their two-month training with us. A few applicants also performed ride-alongs. We are grateful that the Howard County Sheriff’s Department donated two used AED Plus units for the City’s Police cars. The City just needs one more unit for the police cars.
City Clerk Elton reported it has been very busy with grant compliance and agreements, CIP, and filing reports.
Mayor Bohle opened the Public Hearing for vacating a portion of Fourth Avenue Southwest. No oral or written comments were received. Elton performed the second reading of Ordinance No. 491 Vacating a Portion of Fourth Avenue Southwest. Carman made a motion to approve the second reading. Fortune seconded and it passed all ayes.
Derrick Okine, Pastor of the Cresco First United Methodist Church (“FUMC”), discussed the importance of diversity in our community. He comes from Ghana in West Africa and has experienced many cultures while in Africa, Russia, South Korea, and the United States. He has been helping students at the schools and hopes to work with the School, Police, and community to encourage diversity and treating everyone fairly. He invited everyone to the African Festival on August 28, 2021 at the FUMC from 11 am – 4 pm.
Council reviewed a letter from Ron Downing to credit the sewer charges of $110.81 for an outside hose that sprang a leak. In the past, credits have been granted if there is an incident out of the control of the homeowner and the water did not enter the sanitary sewer system. However, negligence or forgetting to turn off outside water has been denied in the past. Council requested that Mr. Downing come in person to explain what happened in more detail at the next Council meeting.
Carman made the motion to approve raises for Part-Time Police Officer Grant Doeppke to $22/hour and Anthony Throndson to $20/hour effective July 17, 2021. Brenno seconded and it passed all ayes.
Carman made the motion to approve the resolution authorizing transfer of funds for FY2022 (August transfers). Fortune seconded and it passed all ayes.
The City was approved for a grant of $15,000 for two EV Charging Stations. Fareway is donating two parking stalls on the northeast corner of their parking lot. The City’s cost will be about $3,700. It needs to be completed by December 2022. Fortune made the motion to approve the resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an Agreement for an Iowa’s Volkswagon Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust Project with Iowa Department of Transportation for a grant to install Community charging sites. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.
Council discussed the IEDA Community Catalyst and Building Remediation Grant requirements for a Development Agreement between the City and Vernon Springs Brewery Company. The City Clerk was instructed to discuss this with Ahlers and Cooney but to wait to draft the agreement until everything is ready to proceed with signing the Grant Agreement.
The City of Cresco was awarded $44,556 by the U.S. Small Business Administration for the Cresco Theatre. Carman made the motion to approve the resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an Agreement for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant with the SBA. Fortune seconded and it passed all ayes.
All cities and counties in Iowa have been granted $9,500 to purchase pre-approved laptops and accessories by the State of Iowa. Carman made the motion to approve the resolution authorizing the City Clerk to sign documents and file necessary paperwork for the Buy IT Grant from the State of Iowa under the CARES Act. Fortune seconded and it passed all ayes.
Council reviewed the current amortization schedules for $2,528,000 outstanding debt. The City has about $8.6 million available before reaching our G.O. Debt Limit. Carman made the motion to approve the Outstanding Obligation Report as filed with the Treasurer State of Iowa. Brenno seconded and it passed all ayes.
Elton informed the Council that one of the two grant applications for the airport was approved. The City was approved for $110,500 which is 85% of the $130,000 Runway Drainage Project. The official paperwork will be received in October at which time the City will need to decide if they will commit to their match of $19,500 and accept the terms for the grant. We are trying to determine if the denied grant may be approved in the future if we apply again next year.
Mayor Bohle asked for comments from the audience. Jason Passmore reported about 600 people and about 40 airplanes attended the Fly-In breakfast. The 100 Year Wrestling banquet and reception were very successful. The Circus will be in Cresco on August 10th during the Cresco Police Night Out and Family Fun Night. Harvest Fest will be the weekend of August 28th including a parade.
Carman moved to adjourn the Council Meeting at 6:10 pm. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes. The next regular Cresco City Council meeting will be August 16, 2021, at 5:30 pm at Cresco City Hall.
Mayor: Mark Bohle
City Clerk: Michelle Elton