DUNKERTON CITY COUNCIL met in regular session, March 11, 2013, in the City Hall
Council Chambers with Mayor Michael Schares presiding. The meeting was called to
order at 7:00 p.m. Council members present: DeLong, Ede, Lichty, Jessen, Manahl.
Absent: None. Quorum present. Lichty led the Pledge of Allegiance.
DeLong moved, Ede seconded, to approve the Consent Agenda by one motion: a)
March 11, 2013 Agenda as listed b) Feb 11, 2013 Regular Mtg. Minutes as written c)
Place Feb 2013 Month Reports on file: Clerk Budget, Clerk Bank Reconciliation, Clerk UB
Receivables, Police, Fire, Ambulance, Building Permits, Library Stats d) Bills Resolution
#2013-5 authorizing payment of bills and transfers as listed. Roll call vote: Ayes-All.
Motion carried.
Mayor Schares opened a public hearing on the proposed FY2014 City Budget at 7:04
p.m.
Written Comments: No written comments or objections were received.
Public Comments:
Dan Steffen, of 301 W. Sycamore St., said that property valuations have gone up, that
being commercial he has to pay 100% of valuation and that it goes up fast on the rate
per thousand (that the City levies), that his has gone up forty percent (40%) in the
past four (4) years. He said that he thought growth from a TIF (Tax Increment
Financing) District would help, that instead of spending a lot more money doing things
he would like to see them (the council) try to cut some costs, that taxes are starting to
hurt.
Mayor Schares said that they did do a lot of cutting, but he’d like to see the General
Fund balance a lot closer than it is, that they’re still off about ten-thousand dollars
($10,000).
DeLong said that the City’s portion hasn’t gone up forty percent (40%), that a lot of his
(Steffen’s) tax increase is not from City taxes. Jessen advised Steffen to get a
commercial appraisal and challenge his valuation. Mayor Schares said that right now
they’re fighting over two-hundred (200) of them in Black Hawk County on commercial
alone. Lichty said that he contested his and they lowered it, and he had no costs
involved.
Manahl/Lichty to close the public hearing at 7:10 p.m. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion
carried.
Extensive discussion ensued regarding cutting the General Fund budget. Lichty moved,
Ede seconded, to adopt Resolution #2013-6 approving the proposed FY2014 City
Budget (as published) with cuts to Public Safety in the General Fund totaling tenthousand, three-hundred ten dollars ($10,310) as follows: $2,310 from Police; $2,000
from Fire; $6,000 from Flood. Roll call vote: Ayes-Lichty, Jessen, DeLong, Ede. NaysManahl. Resolution adopted.
Manahl/Jessen to approve the placement of a Clothing/Household Linens Drop Box as
requested by USAgain, to be collected weekly for the purpose of reuse and recycling
and for a trial period of three (3) months. Roll call vote: Ayes-All. Motion carried.
Department Head Reports:
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City Engineer Haaland of Ament, Inc. said that regarding the Dunkerton Road
project they’re waiting on the weather for an environmental lands review, and
that they have started preparational drafting.
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Public Works Director Pierce said that when it comes to snow removal they
manage their time as honestly as they can, that they haven’t needed to work
overtime on snow removal the past couple of years.
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Clerk Thompson said that an incredible amount of time has been worked during
the past month by the Police Chief, the part-time clerk and herself on open
record requests, that with related attorney fees of six-hundred five dollars
($605) it has cost the City close to two-thousand dollars ($2000) this month and
that she wanted the council to be aware of it. Some discussion regarding this
followed.
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Police Chief Schultz presented three bids to the council for work on the squad car
and said that the best bid was from Etringer Automotive to fix the intake
manifold. Some discussion regarding this followed.
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Ambulance Chief Seamans said that they’re still working on the application for
obtaining Provisional “P” service status.
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Library Director Wheeler said she was glad to see their numbers are up from last
year.
Public Comments: None.
Mayoral & Council Comments:
Ede requested an item on the next agenda regarding snow removal. He said that he’d
like to get some examples from other towns to find out their procedure for snow
emergencies and present it to the council and let the council decide whether they want
to make changes or not, that he feels sorry for the Public Works Director when people
don’t move their cars off the street during snow removal. PWD Pierce said that it’s the
same people who don’t comply on Joseph Rd and E Sycamore, that Joseph Rd is
horrible and he’d like to see NO on-street parking on that road period, that they all
have driveways to park in so there’s no reason they can’t get off the street. Mayor
Schares said that we need to tell them that they can’t park on the street during snow
removal. Police Chief Schultz said that he gives twenty-four (24) hour tow warnings and
citations for second offenders. Jessen said we need to raise the citation fee and tow
them. Lichty asked if we have to wait twenty-four hours to tow. Mayor Schares said no
because they’re not supposed to be on the street. The Police Chief said that some get
caught when they work a different shift, that he gives them that twenty-four hours to
comply but if the council supports him in towing that he can do that. Lichty said that if
somebody is abusing it, he should do it. Mayor Schares said that we should send them
letters to inform them before next winter.
With no further discussion, Manahl/Jessen to adjourn at 8:12 p.m. Ayes-All. Motion
carried.
___________________________________
Michael J. Schares, Mayor
ATTEST:_______________________________
Brenda M. Thompson, CMC, City Clerk