MINUTES OF THE ROLAND CITY COUNCIL

REGULAR SESSION

JUNE 27, 2005

 

The Roland City Council met in regular session on Monday, June 27, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall with Mayor Pro-tem Roger Fritz presiding.  Council members present at roll call were:  Larry Esk, Roger Fritz, John Lee, and Terry Rasmusson.  Absent was mayor Jeri Neely and council member Bob Hanson.  Also present were 12 visitors and members of the community.

 

Motion by Lee, second by Rasmusson to approve the consent agenda containing the following items: agenda, minutes from the June 13, 2005, meeting as written, clerk’s reports, and claims as submitted with the addition of the claim for Dean Uitermark.  All in favor.

 

There was public input at this time from Wayne Peterson.  He was just wondering if Harold got a price on asphalting the parking along the north side of Maple Street between his alley and Main Street.  Street Superintendent Harold Hovick reported the cost will be approximately $4,080.00.  Harold said he has visited with Phil Leeman, owner of Roland Service Center, about the asphalting plans and Phil is worried that the run-off will flow through his drive.  Manatt’s has looked at the drainage issue and will shape it so it will drain properly.

 

The Department Heads report were as follows: 

 

Streets - Street Superintendent Harold Hovick reported he also has prices to asphalt Vine Street, Linn Street and Maple Street beginning at Birch Street and going south where there is curb and gutter.  Total cost for all the projects including the parking on the north side of Maple Street is approximately $72,216.00.  This will still leave between $11, 000.00 -$13,000.00 for seal coating a couple of streets.  He also reported that City Attorney Tom Wynia sent a letter stating that the City is responsible for the sidewalk area in the alley.  Harold will repair the sidewalk on the alleys where both abutting property owners have put in new sidewalk.

 

Water/Wastewater - Water/Wastewater Superintendent Dean Uitermark had nothing to report at this time.

 

City Clerk- City Clerk Deneen Frost reported she is still playing catch up.

 

Dave Stone of Stone Sanitation was present to ask for a $.50 increase in the garbage pick up fee to cover the increase in fuel costs.  The garbage rate has not been increased since July 2002.  He is hoping that the Resource Center will not have a big increase in their dumping fees this year, otherwise he may have to come back and ask for another increase in the garbage pick up fee.  City Clerk Frost will draft an ordinance for the $.50 garbage rate increase for the next council meeting.

 

There was also discussion on some of the receptacles that residents are using to dispose of their garbage.  Some of the residents are using the 40 - 55 gallon drum type barrels to dispose of their garbage.  These cans are very heavy, especially if it rains and there is water in the bottom, and are very awkward to dump.  Due to the safety of the employees, they would like the council to issue a notice to the residents that they will no longer be dumping the barrel type drums effective the 1^st of August.  City Clerk Frost will type up a notice for the paper and will get it to Laura at the Library.

 

Jan Stole, representing the Park Board, was present to ask the council to start considering the purchase of green space on the west side of town.  The Park Board would like to place their left over Capital Improvement funds from the Park budget into a savings account for the development of the park.  She would like to have the left over funds from the previous budget year also included in the savings account.  Motion by Esk, second by Rasmusson to have City Clerk Frost set up a savings account for the Park Board, using the unused portion of the Capital Improvements fund for the FY 2003-2004 and FY 2004-2005, for the establishment of a park on the west side of town.  All in favor.

 

Loren Larson and Keith Lyman, representing the Board of Adjustments, were present to discussion Chapter 165.07(3) of the City Code.  This pertains to the amount of square footage an accessory building can be.  The code reads:  no accessory building shall be erected in any front yard and it shall occupy less than 30% of the required rear yard.  The required rear yard for the purpose of this section shall be defined as the required rear yard depth as set forth in each zoning district multiplied by the width of the property.  Due to the numerous requests for variances on garages, the Board of Adjustments would like the council to change the code back to what is was previously.  The previous code did not include the sentence restricting the rear yard to the rear yard depth for that zoning district.  In most cases, the current code section won’t allow a resident to build a double car garage.  There was a consensus between the council and the Board of Adjustment to change the code to read 30% of the rear yard, not to exceed 800 square feet.  City Clerk Frost will draft an ordinance for the next council with the changes.

 

The City Council received a variance notice for Dennis McCabe.  Denny is asking the Board of Adjustments for a variance to build a 24’ x 24’ garage.  The city owns property within 200’ of Denny’s property and they have the right to provide written or oral comments for or against the variance request.  These comments will be heard and/or read by the Board of Adjustments at the public hearing.  Council members reviewed the request.  Motion by Lee, second by Rasmusson to accept the variance being requested by Dennis McCabe.  All in favor.

 

There was discussion on the payment of comp time for Harold Hovick and Dean Uitermark.  Council members inquired on why the 30 hours.  City Clerk Frost explained that employees must bank 60 hours before they are eligible for overtime pay.  At the end of the fiscal year, employees are allowed to carry over 20 of the 60 hours, receive payment for 30 of the 60 hours, and must use the remaining 10 of the 60 hours.  Council member Rasmusson stated he thinks it should be paid in full with no carry over to the next year.  Motion by Lee, second by Esk to approve the payment of the 30 hours of comp time for Harold Hovick and Dean Uitermark.  AYE:  Esk, Fritz, Lee;  NAY:  Rasmusson.  Motion carried.

 

There was discussion on the salary resolution which would give the employees a 3% wage increase.  Council member Rasmusson thinks the 3% increase is to high.  He thinks it should only be 2%.  Motion by Lee, second by Fritz to approve Resolution No. 05-04 entitled, A RESOLUTION SETTING THE SALARIES FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF ROLAND, IOWA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2005/2006.  AYE:  Esk, Fritz, Lee;  NAY:  Rasmusson.  Motion carried.

 

Water/Wastewater Superintendent Dean Uitermark and Street Superintendent Harold Hovick explained the change order for the Industrial Park expansion.  Motion by Esk, second by Lee to approve Change Order No. 2 for the Industrial Park expansion.  All in favor

 

Motion by Lee, second by Rasmusson to approve Mayor Pro-tem’s appointment of the following to the Library Board for a term of three years:

                                Lori Carr                                               Term Expires  June 30, 2008

                                Lisa Kasper                                         Term Expires  June 30, 2008

                                Kristy Anderson                                Term Expires  June 30, 2008

All in favor.

 

City Clerk Frost requested to attend the Annual League Conference in Des Moines, September 14^th through the 16^th.  She also requested the council to approve lodging for two nights.  Motion by Lee, second by Esk to approve City Clerk Frost’s request to attend the Annual League Conference and two nights lodging.  AYE:  Esk, Fritz, Lee;  NAY:  Rasmusson.  Motion carried.

 

Council/Mayor comments consisted of the following:  Council member Rasmusson commented that if he did what the employees did here, he wouldn’t have a job.  Council member Fritz inquired if anything is happening with an option on Bill Boyd’s building.

 

There was no public input at this time.

 

With no further business at this time, Rasmusson moved adjournment of the meeting at 8:18 p.m., second by Lee.  All in favor.  The next regular Council meeting will be Monday, July 11, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall.