City Council

CITY OF BRITT – BRITT IOWA – APRIL 20th , 2021 The City Council of the City of Britt, Iowa met in pursuant to law and the rules of said Council in regular session at 7:00 o’clock P.M. the 20th day of April 2021. 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. It was moved by Verbrugge and seconded by Wallen to approve the agenda as presented. A roll call vote was had which was as follows: Ayes: Swenson, Gast, Wallen, Verbrugge & Luecht Nays: None The motion carried. It was moved by Luecht and seconded by Swenson that the following items contained in the Consent Agenda be approved and adopted: All items listed under the Consent Agenda will be enacted by one motion with a roll call vote. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a request is made prior to the time Council votes on the motion. Consent Agenda items may include any non-controversial subjects. a. Approve Minutes of the 4/6/2021 Regular Council Meeting b. Claim list in the amount of $195,578.71. A roll call vote was had which was as follows: Ayes: Swenson, Gast, Wallen, Verbrugge & Luecht. Nays: None The motion carried, and the Consent Agenda items were approved. The City Administrator presented her report. Sawyer presented the renewal of our Commercial Property/Liability Insurance with EMC Insurance. The renewal came back less than we actually estimated it to be. We estimated the renewal to be $59,285 but the actual figure is $54,733. It was moved by Verbrugge and seconded by Luecht to approve the renewal of the City’s Commercial Property/Liability Insurance with EMC Insurance in the amount of $54,733. Motion carried by unanimous vote. Next, Sawyer spoke to Council about the response to us from the State Historical Preservation Office. After the last meeting, Wes Brown of Bolton & Menk sent an email to the individuals we have been working with from Iowa DNR and the State Historical Preservation Office. He informed them that the relocation of the tank would be too costly and informed them that the City would like to instead pursue an option to memorialize the tank by creating a historical shadowbox or other type of display at City Hall or at the new water treatment facility. It is envisioned this would include historical stories and/or photos of the tower, and potentially some significant pieces salvaged form the tower during its demolition, such as rivets or a section of a lattice leg, The architectural historian assigned to our case responded with alternative ideas, none that seem feasible. Sawyer then instructed Brown to request another meeting with them to ask what exactly it will take to get this settled. The options they suggested will not work and they seemed to not like our suggestion. We need to get something in place and move forward. Sawyer will keep the Council in the loop as we progress forward. Next Sawyer updated the Council where we stood on the new ticket tracking process. Elizabeth Ibarra, Deputy City Clerk, Police Chief Anderson have set up a system in which a copy of the tickets are dropped off to her once a week. She will then organize them and input the tickets in an excel format. Once the tickets are deemed overdue, a reminder letter will go out to the ticket holder. They will be given ten (10) days to pay the outstanding fine. If payment is not received the city will seek out a court order to obtain the funds. This will be at the expense of the ticket holder. Finally, Sawyer presented a request for tax abatement request from Angela (Gauden) Lemmon for an addition being built onto her home. She qualifies for the tax exemption that allows for all qualified real estate assessed as residential shall receive an exemption on the first seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) of actual value added by the improvements for a period of five (5) years. The estimated/actual cost of improvement was submitted at $60,000 so the exemption will be based on the $60,000. It was moved by Luecht and seconded by Gast to approve the request for a tax exemption of sixty-thousand dollars of the actual value added by the improvements for the period of five (5) years. Motion carried by unanimous vote. Mayor Arndorfer presented his report. Arndorfer presented ORDINANCE NO. 509 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BRITT, IOWA, 2021, BY DELETING SECTION 4-1-5(5) AND SUBSTITUTING A NEW SECTION 4-1-5(1) PERTAINING TO ANIMALS FOUND AT LARGE. This is in reference to the changes in fines for Dogs at Large. The change would be 1st Offense $50, 2nd Offense $100 and 3rd Offense – treated as a municipal infraction and punished by a civil penalty as provided in Section 1-3-2. It was moved by Luecht and seconded by Wallen to approve ORDINANCE NO. 509 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BRITT, IOWA, 2021, BY DELETING SECTION 4-1-5(5) AND SUBSTITUTING A NEW SECTION 4-1- 5(1) PERTAINING TO ANIMALS FOUND AT LARGE. A roll call vote was had which was as follows: Ayes: Swenson, Gast, Wallen, Verbrugge & Luecht Nays: None The motion carried. The second reading will be read at the May 4th, 2021 council meeting. Arndorfer presented the bids received for the roof repair on city hall. We received 3 estimates for the roof. Midwest Roofing Company was discussed at the last meeting on April 6th, 2021. They offered two options. The first option: Ballasted Membrane Roof Replacement -Remove the ballast stone, roof membrane and roof flashing down to existing insulation and remove all material from job site. They will install new Firestone 60-mil EPDM membrane loose laid over the existing insulation and resurfaced with ballast stone. This option comes with a 15-year warranty on defects in the material and workmanship for $33,850. Option 2: Remove all roofing and insulation down to existing concrete roof deck and install a new tapered roof insulation set-in-low-rise adhesive and install new membrane roof system. This option also has a 15-year warranty on defects in the material and workmanship for $64,800. The second quote came from Grell Roofing, LLC. The first option was to “Recover” – provide and install the Duro Last Roofing System with a 20-year manufacturers material and labor warranty for $38,000. The second option was to “Tear Off” – provide and install the Duro Last Roofing System with a 20-year manufacturers material and labor warranty in the amount of $55,000.  The third quote was from Schwartz Commercial Roofing. They also offered 2 options. Option 1: To install a 1-½” ISO Board & Outpost Membrane roof system. This roof will have a 15-year warranty which covers materials and labor for $26,470. Option 2: To install a 1-½” ISO Board & Flexion XL Membrane roof system. This roof will have a 20-year warranty which covers materials and labor for $33,650. After careful discussion it was decided we accept option #1 from Midwest Roofing Company in the amount of $33,850. We have experience with Midwest Roofing and know their work. It was moved by Luecht and seconded by Gast to accept the quote from Midwest Roofing Company in the amount of $33,850. Motion carried by unanimous vote. Next, Arndorfer discussed road repairs and alleyway overlay quotes. At the last meeting Public Works Director Vance Hagen brought a bid from The Pavement Doctor to fill in potholes in the city. Hagen recommends we utilize his service to handle 4 designated blocks in town (1st St NW & areas East/West of pool). It was moved by Gast and seconded by Verbrugge to approve the quote from The Pavement Doctor to fill in potholes on the 4 blocks areas in town with the most need. Work is not to exceed $5,000 and Hagen will supply the areas to the contractor. Motion carried by unanimous vote. We received two quotes to perform mill and overlays on the alley(s) between 1st Ave NW and Main Street and 1st Ave NW to 1st St NW and mill and overlay on 3rd St SE. The first quote is from Heartland Asphalt in the amount $172,364.71 and Blacktop Service Co. in the amount of $167,233. It was moved by Gast and seconded by Verbrugge to accept the quote from Heartland Asphalt to do the alley(s) between 1 st Ave NW and Main Street and 1st Ave NW to 1st St NW and mill and overlay on 3rd St SE. Motion carried by unanimous vote. Arndorfer stated the original choice for the public works department rescinded his interest in the position. Public Works Director Vance Hagen would like to offer the position to the 2nd preferred applicant. The salary would be $ 15/hr. It was moved by Verbrugge and seconded by Luecht to approve the offer to Applicant B with a salary of $15/hr. Motion carried by unanimous vote. Finally, Arndorfer presented a Proclamation Recognizing the Week of May 2nd through May 8th as Professional Municipal Clerks Week and further extended his appreciation to our Professional Municipal Clerk, Debra Sawyer and Elizabeth Ibarra and to all Professional Municipal Clerks for the vital service they perform and their exemplary dedication to the communities they represent. With no further business it was moved by Luecht and seconded by Swenson to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried by unanimous vote. __________________________________ ______________________________________ Debra R. Sawyer, City Administrator/Clerk Ryan L. Arndorfer, Mayor VENDOR DESCRIPTION AMOUNT A P CLEANING SERVICES CLEANING OF BUILDING $650.00 AGSOURCE LABORATORIES TESTING $1,689.50 ALLIANT ENERGY ELECTRIC $8,937.08 BADGER METER SERVICE FOR MARCH $56.82 BOLTON & MENK WATER SYSTEM IMPROV PREMLIM $6,275.00 BRITT-WOODEN INS AGENCY UNDERWRITING/ LIABILITY $55,933.00 DEBRA SAWYER MILEAGE TO IMFOA $140.00 DOLLAR GENERAL-CHARGED SA CLEANING SUPPLIES $55.25 EFTPS FED/FICA TAX $4,834.69 ELIZABETH IBARRA MILEAGE TO IMFOA $140.00 FORT & SCHLEGEL AUDIT $4,940.00 GREAT AMERICA FINANCIAL COPIER LEASE $244.35 HANCOCK CO HEALTH SYSTEM PHYSICAL/ DRUG TEST $227.00 HANCOCK COUNTY ECON DEVEL ANNUAL DINNER $150.00 HAWKINS INC. CHEMICALS $935.81 HISCOCKS EXCAVATING SERVICE CALL/ REPAIR TILE LINE $442.50 IOWA FIRE CONTROL FIRE SUPPRESSION $611.00 IOWA ONE CALL IOWA ONE CALL $18.90 IOWA PARK & REC ASSN CPO MANUALS $100.00 IOWA PUMP WORKS SUNSET RIDGE REPAIR/SEWER $40,901.41 JOHNSTON HY-VEE BEN MEHMEN ACADEMY MEALS $2,018.50 JOSH DOUGLAS POLICE TRAINING $150.00 MAXYIELD COOPERATIVE GAS $1,142.33 MURPHY TRACTOR & EQUIP FITTING AND SHIPPING $465.11 NIACC WASTEWATER CONFERENCE $120.00 PAUL KELLY TRUST ABSTRACT/ REAL ESTATE FEE $988.00 PAYROLL CHECKS PAYROLL CHECKS ON 04/07/2021 $14,905.44 PAYROLL CHECKS PAYROLL CHECKS ON 04/20/2021 $36.64 PSI BILLS $398.21 SANDRY FIRE SUPPLY BATTERY PACK $1,146.50 SWENSON'S HARDWARE SUPPLIES $746.49 U S POSTMASTER UB POSTAGE $379.18 WIGEN WATER TECHNOLOGIES PILOT STUDY $45,800.00 CLAIMS TOTAL $195,578.71 GENERAL FUND $77,651.19 LIBRARY FUND $2,481.78 FIRE DEPARTMENT FUND $1,405.40 ROAD USE FUND $6,431.91 LOST-ECO DEV/MISC REV FUND $150.00 CAPITAL PROJ-WTP PROJECT FUND $51,793.09 CAP PROJ - SUNSET RIDGE FUND $4,778.96 WATER FUND $7,557.71 SEWER FUND $43,036.17 STORM WATER FUND $292.50