City Council

CITY OF BRITT – BRITT IOWA – MARCH 9TH, 2020 The City Council of the City of Britt, Iowa met in pursuant to law and the rules of said Council in special session in the Britt Council Chambers in in the Britt Municipal Building at 7:00 o’clock P.M. the 9th day of March 2020. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Arndorfer, and the following Council members were: PRESENT: Stacy Swenson, Curt Gast, Karrie Wallen, Paul Verbrugge and Chad Luecht ABSENT: None The Mayor presented the agenda for approval with the change of moving item 4 to the top of the agenda. It was moved by Luecht and seconded by Swenson to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried by unanimous vote. Arndorfer requested the council move to go into closed session to discuss possible litigation case. It was moved by Gast and seconded by Swenson to go into closed session to discuss possible litigation case. A roll call vote was had which was as follows: Ayes: Swenson, Gast, Wallen, Verbrugge and Luecht Nays: None The motion carried. It was moved by Gast and seconded by Verbrugge to return to open session. A roll call vote was had which was as follows: Ayes: Swenson, Gast, Wallen, Verbrugge and Luecht Nays: None The motion carried. The proposed FY2020/2021 budget was discussed. The amounts budgeted for each department were carefully estimated. A majority of the increases for FY2020/2021are due to insurance premiums, bond payments and upcoming capital projects. Mayor Arndorfer stressed he was not in favor of raising the tax levy as the water treatment plant project is going to cause water rates to go up. The City Administrator informed him the only two areas where we could decrease the tax levy was the capital improvement levy and the emergency levy. Councilpersons Gast and Luecht feel we should leave the request for a capital improvement levy in the budget. They felt it was important enough to put the issue to a public vote so we should not take it out of the proposed budget. Mayor Arndorfer recommended we not levy for capital improvements and reduce the emergency levy to 0.20579. With the changes made the new proposed levy for FY2020/2021 will be $18.38434. The levy is currently at $18.38484. The public hearing to adopt the new budget will be on Monday, March 30th, 2020 at 7pm. It was moved by Verbrugge and seconded by Wallen to approve the new proposed levy for FY2020/2021 will be $18.38434. The public hearing to adopt the new budget will be on Monday, March 30th, 2020 at 7pm. Ayes: Swenson, Verbrugge, and Wallen. Nays: Gast and Luecht. Motion carried. The next item to be discussed is the offer given for Lot 9 in the Burgardt Commercial Park. The interested party countered the offer from the council with a price of $15,000 for the land and a tax abatement of 100% for the first year and 50% for years two and three. This offer is also contingent with the sale of his current home. It was moved by Luecht and seconded by Gast to accept the offer for Lot 9 in the Burgardt Commercial Park at the price of $15,000 with a tax abatement of 100% for the first year and 50% for years two and three. We further accept the offer being contingent with the sale of his current home. Construction must begin within one year of the sale. Motion carried by unanimous vote. With no further business it was moved by Luecht and seconded by Verbrugge to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried by unanimous vote. Debra R. Sawyer, City Administrator/Clerk Ryan L. Arndorfer, Mayor “These minutes are as recorded by the Clerk and are subject to Council approval at the next regular meeting.”