City Council – April 1, 2024 Agenda & Minutes

Posted: March 29, 2024 | Updated: April 16, 2024

AGENDA

NOTICE AND CALL OF PUBLIC MEETING

 

GOVERNMENTAL BODY:                         THE CITY COUNCIL OF CRESCO, IOWA

DATE OF MEETING:                                   APRIL 1, 2024

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:  CARMAN, BOUSKA, FOSAAEN, McCONNELL, KRIENER

 

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.

  1. Approval of the Agenda
  2. Approval of the Claims
  3. Minutes from March 18, 2024
  1. Approval of Tree Surgeon License for Andera Tree Services LLC

 

STAFF REPORTS: There may be action taken on each of the items listed below.

  1. Public Works
  2. Police
  3. Administration
  4. Committee Updates

 

COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCE: (This portion of the agenda is for comments that are not related to one of the items listed on the agenda.  Comments can only be received. No formal action by the Council can be taken.    Those making public comments will be asked to state their name and address, and to speak from the podium.)

 

BUSINESS:  There may be action taken on each of the items listed below.

  1. Set Public Hearing for Budget for FY24/25 Budget Adoption
  2. Set Public Hearing for Budget Amendment #3 for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2024
  3. Resolution Approving Loan Agreement for Loan of Funds from the CUSB Historic Downtown Revolving Loan Fund and the City of Cresco to Steve and Mimi Stone D/B/A Stoltz, LLC and Atomic Pizza
  4. Discussion on Snow Removal Ordinance
  5. Discussion on 2nd Avenue West Storm Sewer Project
  6. Review Stump Grinding Quotes and Possible Award of Contract
  7. Review Applications and Cresco Tourism Advisory Committee Recommendations and Award of Hotel/Motel Tax Grants
  8. Discuss Personnel Committee
  9. Review Water Shut Off Notice Fees and Reconnection Fees

 

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 MARCH 29, 2024.

MINUTES

Mayor Fortune called the Cresco City Council meeting to order on April 1, 2024 at 5:30 pm. Council Members Carman, Fosaaen, Bouska, McConnell, and Kriener were present. No council members were absent.

Kriener made the motion to approve the consent agenda which included approval of the: agenda; claims; minutes from the March 18, 2024 meeting; Tree Surgeon License for Andera Tree Service, LLC. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.

Public Works Director Brenno reported: (a) new signs are up at the yard waste site. Looking at moving the yard waste site to the airport. Will work with the Airport Commission to see what options would be available; (b) working with Alliant on installing street lights on 4th Ave SW and 5th Ave SW; (b) Generation X will be resuming work on 7th St W this week.

Police Chief Ruroden submitted the March Police report. A K-9 has been selected, but training with Sergeant Welper will not be completed until this summer.

City Clerk Hill reported: (a) busy with training, month-end, and the lead service line inventory; (b) gambling license has been received. The police will start promoting the raffle and tickets will be sold thru mid-May. The drawing will be held around May 15th. Tickets can be purchased from the police officers or at City Hall; (c) all boards and commissions have openings for 3-year terms beginning July 1, 2024; (d) ribbon cutting for the 24/7 project has been moved to April 22nd at 12 pm; (e) Root River Jam will be April 14th at 2 pm. Mitchell Hall and the Tennessee Trio was well attended; (f) yard waste pickup resumes April 15th. Calendars are available at City Hall or online. All yard waste bags need to be biodegradable; (g) the public is invited to call City Hall to request a free tree to be planted in their boulevard by April 15th; (h) Water department will be flushing fire hydrants April 17-19.

Mayor Fortune asked for comments from the audience and there were none.

Carman reported on several upcoming Chamber events: the HCBT banquet is April 16th; Staff Appreciation luncheon is April 23rd; Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame banquet is April 8th; Wildlife Club is hosting a fish and chicken fry on April 6th.

Mayor Fortune recognized Niki Hill on her service anniversary in April and thanked her for her 12 years of dedication and service to the City and residents.

Bouska made the motion to set the Public Hearing on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 for April 15th. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.

Bouska made a motion to set a Public Hearing for April 15th, 2024 for budget amendment #3 for fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. Kriener seconded and it passed all ayes.

Kriener made a motion to approve the resolution approving the Loan Agreement for a loan of $90,000 from the CUSB Historic Downtown Revolving Loan Fund and the City of Cresco to Steve and Mimi Stone dba Stoltz, LLC and Atomic Pizza. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.

Discussion was held on changing the current snow removal and parking ordinance. Current snow removal code is in effect from November 15th to April 15th regardless of snow. Concern is that the current ordinance is confusing and frustrating to residents. The proposed ordinance would be for a snow emergency be in effect for alternate street parking when at least 2 inches of snow if forecasted. Council would like to review a draft ordinance. Hill will work with the Ruroden and Brenno to draw up a revised ordinance to present to Council.

Brenno explained the storm sewer that was repaired on 2nd Avenue West last summer will be concreted this summer. There are several areas around the repaired area that have cracking and busted up concrete. McConnell made a motion to fix the broken areas around the repaired area when the new concrete is being poured. Fosaaen seconded and it passed all ayes.

Brenno updated council on the storm sewer on 2nd Ave W from 4th St to 7th St W. The storm sewer needs to be repaired and it is in the FY25 budget. The estimated cost will be over $100,000 and will need to work with WHKS to obtain bids due to the cost. Due to the 7th Street W Reconstruction Project, it would be better to stub the storm sewer in now to avoid having to dig up new concrete to tie in at a later date. Brenno will work with WHKS to get pricing on the total project. Fosaaen made a motion to stub new storm sewer into the 7th Street West storm sewer now and to have WHKS draw up plans to replace the remaining damaged storm sewer. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.

Brenno reported two quotes for stump grinding were received: Wilson Custom Tree Service $.85 per inch; Walton Tree Service $.86 per inch. McConnell made a motion to award the contract to Wilson Custom Tree Service. Bouska seconded and it passed all ayes.

Hotel/Motel Tax of $8,650.79 was received this quarter with three applications received for $8,250. Kriener made the motion to approve the recommendation of the Tourism Committee and award Hotel/Motel Tax Grants to: Cresco Area Chamber $2,000 for family fun nights, Howard County Agricultural Society $4,250 for 2024 advertising for the Howard County Fair, and $2,000 for the Steve McCarville Memorial Softball Tournament. McConnell seconded and it passed all ayes.

Discussion was held on the Personnel Committee. Fortune will work with Hill and Brenno to draft up a list of items that the Personnel Committee is authorized to handle and bring back to council to review.

Discussion was held on the water shut off and reconnection fees. Carman would like to raise the after-hours reconnection rate. Several other options were discussed to reduce the number of shut off’s due to non-payment. Council would like some more information on numbers of shut off’s each month, after hours reconnections, and to review the deposit ordinance. No action was taken.

McConnell moved to adjourn the Council Meeting at 6:49 pm. Carman seconded and it passed all ayes. The next regular Cresco City Council meeting will be April 15, 2024, at 5:30 pm at Cresco City Hall.

 

Mayor Alexander Fortune
City Clerk Nicole Hill

Documents

2024 City Council Agendas, Minutes