Approval of contracts for city mowing projects and seasonal park and pool personnel and public input concerning the city garbage collection service were among agenda items at the Monday, April 15 meeting of the Mount Ayr city council.
Mowing contract
The council approved the low bid from Mark Budach and Joe Catanzareti for mowing city-owned property the season.
City superintendent Brent Wise had created a bid package in which he had designated three different locations for mowing: the airport, the old lake and a collection of sites including the sewer plant, the city shed and the two water towers. In addition, the airport and old lake locations were divided into two different sections to designate the frequency of the mowing needed. Those sections were termed “yellow” and “blue” in the bidding instructions.
Budach and Catanzareti bid $110 per time for the airport yellow section and $60 per time for the airport blue section. Tanner Rinehart bid $149 for airport yellow and $99 for airport blue, and Greg Cannon bid $160 for airport yellow and $110 for airport blue.
Budach and Catanzareti bid $160 per time for the old lake yellow section and $240 per time for the old lake blue section. Rinehart bid $215 for lake yellow and $330 for lake blue. Cannon bid $250 for lake yellow and $370 for lake blue.
For the collective sites Budach and Catanzareti bid $98 per time, Rinehart bid $98 and Chris Ambrose bid $95. Cannon did not submit a bid for the collective sites.
Park and pool contracts
The council approved the recommendations provided by the Mount Ayr park board for swimming pool employees and Little League coaches for the coming season.
Hired as swimming pool manager is Daniel Showalter, and Chandra Poore was hired as swim lesson coordinator. Hired as lifeguards were Rhett Murphy, Hannah Glendenning, Jesse Ricker, Logan Wimer, Becca Pennington, Kylee Klommhaus, Trevor Shelley, Jordyn Grose, Lew Knapp, Megan Doubleday and Amanda Cannon.
Those approved as little league coaches are David Greene, Mark Gregg, Bill Schaefer, Beth Larsen, Jill Ehlen, Tyler Hosfield, Matt Henle, Matt West, Radonda Gregg, Thad Streit, Pat McAlexander, Angela Reynolds, Cory Fleharty, Renae Still, Jody and Skip Rushing and Jordyn Grose.
Divine Waste support
Tim Newton, owner of Divine Waste, briefly appeared before the council in reference to the discussion at the last council meeting pertaining to the city’s garbage service contract. “First I’d like to apologize for the last meeting,” he said. “I’m very passionate about this subject as you guys know, and sometimes that might not always come off right. I did not mean to offend anybody, but I want you guys to know that my intention is the same as yours, and that is for the best for the city of Mount Ayr and the county. That is what I truly care about.”
Also in attendance at the meeting were three city residents who sp Approval of contracts for city mowing projects and seasonal park and pool personnel and public input concerning the city garbage collection service were among agenda items at the Monday, April 15 meeting of the Mount Ayr city council.
Mowing contract
The council approved the low bid from Mark Budach and Joe Catanzareti for mowing city-owned property the season.
City superintendent Brent Wise had created a bid package in which he had designated three different locations for mowing: the airport, the old lake and a collection of sites including the sewer plant, the city shed and the two water towers. In addition, the airport and old lake locations were divided into two different sections to designate the frequency of the mowing needed. Those sections were termed “yellow” and “blue” in the bidding instructions.
Budach and Catanzareti bid $110 per time for the airport yellow section and $60 per time for the airport blue section. Tanner Rinehart bid $149 for airport yellow and $99 for airport blue, and Greg Cannon bid $160 for airport yellow and $110 for airport blue.
Budach and Catanzareti bid $160 per time for the old lake yellow section and $240 per time for the old lake blue section. Rinehart bid $215 for lake yellow and $330 for lake blue. Cannon bid $250 for lake yellow and $370 for lake blue.
For the collective sites Budach and Catanzareti bid $98 per time, Rinehart bid $98 and Chris Ambrose bid $95. Cannon did not submit a bid for the collective sites.
Park and pool contracts
The council approved the recommendations provided by the Mount Ayr park board for swimming pool employees and Little League coaches for the coming season.
Hired as swimming pool manager is Daniel Showalter, and Chandra Poore was hired as swim lesson coordinator. Hired as lifeguards were Rhett Murphy, Hannah Glendenning, Jesse Ricker, Logan Wimer, Becca Pennington, Kylee Klommhaus, Trevor Shelley, Jordyn Grose, Lew Knapp, Megan Doubleday and Amanda Cannon.
Those approved as little league coaches are David Greene, Mark Gregg, Bill Schaefer, Beth Larsen, Jill Ehlen, Tyler Hosfield, Matt Henle, Matt West, Radonda Gregg, Thad Streit, Pat McAlexander, Angela Reynolds, Cory Fleharty, Renae Still, Jody and Skip Rushing and Jordyn Grose.
Divine Waste support
Tim Newton, owner of Divine Waste, briefly appeared before the council in reference to the discussion at the last council meeting pertaining to the city’s garbage service contract. “First I’d like to apologize for the last meeting,” he said. “I’m very passionate about this subject as you guys know, and sometimes that might not always come off right. I did not mean to offend anybody, but I want you guys to know that my intention is the same as yours, and that is for the best for the city of Mount Ayr and the county. That is what I truly care about.”
Also in attendance at the meeting were three city residents who Approval of contracts for city mowing projects and seasonal park and pool personnel and public input concerning the city garbage collection service were among agenda items at the Monday, April 15 meeting of the Mount Ayr city council.
Mowing contract
The council approved the low bid from Mark Budach and Joe Catanzareti for mowing city-owned property the season.
City superintendent Brent Wise had created a bid package in which he had designated three different locations for mowing: the airport, the old lake and a collection of sites including the sewer plant, the city shed and the two water towers. In addition, the airport and old lake locations were divided into two different sections to designate the frequency of the mowing needed. Those sections were termed “yellow” and “blue” in the bidding instructions.
Budach and Catanzareti bid $110 per time for the airport yellow section and $60 per time for the airport blue section. Tanner Rinehart bid $149 for airport yellow and $99 for airport blue, and Greg Cannon bid $160 for airport yellow and $110 for airport blue.
Budach and Catanzareti bid $160 per time for the old lake yellow section and $240 per time for the old lake blue section. Rinehart bid $215 for lake yellow and $330 for lake blue. Cannon bid $250 for lake yellow and $370 for lake blue.
For the collective sites Budach and Catanzareti bid $98 per time, Rinehart bid $98 and Chris Ambrose bid $95. Cannon did not submit a bid for the collective sites.
Park and pool contracts
The council approved the recommendations provided by the Mount Ayr park board for swimming pool employees and Little League coaches for the coming season.
Hired as swimming pool manager is Daniel Showalter, and Chandra Poore was hired as swim lesson coordinator. Hired as lifeguards were Rhett Murphy, Hannah Glendenning, Jesse Ricker, Logan Wimer, Becca Pennington, Kylee Klommhaus, Trevor Shelley, Jordyn Grose, Lew Knapp, Megan Doubleday and Amanda Cannon.
Those approved as little league coaches are David Greene, Mark Gregg, Bill Schaefer, Beth Larsen, Jill Ehlen, Tyler Hosfield, Matt Henle, Matt West, Radonda Gregg, Thad Streit, Pat McAlexander, Angela Reynolds, Cory Fleharty, Renae Still, Jody and Skip Rushing and Jordyn Grose.
Divine Waste support
Tim Newton, owner of Divine Waste, briefly appeared before the council in reference to the discussion at the last council meeting pertaining to the city’s garbage service contract. “First I’d like to apologize for the last meeting,” he said. “I’m very passionate about this subject as you guys know, and sometimes that might not always come off right. I did not mean to offend anybody, but I want you guys to know that my intention is the same as yours, and that is for the best for the city of Mount Ayr and the county. That is what I truly care about.”
Also in attendance at the meeting were three city residents who spoke in support of Newton and his company.
Iona Triggs was first to speak. “I am here to ask the city not to take the job of garbage disposal,” she began. “I feel we should hire Divine Waste to be the garbage carrier. They already do a lot of work here in Mount Ayr and the county, and they are set up for that job and the city is not set up for it. I don’t think it’s financially wise for the city to take this on.” As a local business, Triggs added, Divine Waste is more responsive to customer needs than is a large corporation like Waste Management. She related a story about how Waste Management had refused her request to remove some items left behind in a rental property. She said she then called Tim Newton for assistance, and he came right away. “We are encouraged to shop here at Mount Ayr,” she continued, “and you [the council] don’t seem to take this advice. Tim gives back to this community by hiring local people who live in and support this county. He buys his gas for its trucks here, and he supports our local businesses. Does Waste Management give back to help our county?” She went on to cite Newton’s involvement in community organizations and events.
Vera Moore echoed many of Triggs’ sentiments. She added she had quit her efforts to recycle because Waste Management had just thrown her recyclable materials in with the rest of the garbage. In addition, she pointed out that many recent major projects have been awarded to outside contractors rather than to local people who she claims could have done the work. She said she would like to see Divine Waste receive the garbage contract rather than outsource it.
Cindy Dugan said she had enclosed a letter to the city council with her water bill that expressed her opinion on the garbage issue. She related an incident concerning a discarded vanity top she had set out for garbage collection. She said she had attached the required tags, but the item remained untouched for two weeks. She said she received no communication from Waste Management on why they would not pick it up. She said she finally had to break up the vanity into pieces and put them in the dumpster for pick up. She also complained that Waste Management workers often did not completely empty dumpsters, and items left at the bottom of dumpsters would begin to create an odor, especially in the summer. “I just don’t think they’re doing us the service we’re paying for,” she said, “and I don’t want to pay an increase” if the city would choose to stay with the Waste Management for the garbage collection service. “I would rather see it [the contract] come local where if there is a problem, a complaint, a question, you have somebody you can get ahold of.”
Water system project
The council approved a series of resolutions associated with the water system improvement project. The first resolution set the wheels in motion for a public hearing on the plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the project as well as the taking of bids. Carl Ehlers from MSA, the project management firm, reported advertisements seeking bids will be published in newspapers, plan rooms, the MSA website and other locations this week. Bids will be opened at May 16 and a public hearing on the project will be held May 20.
The council also approved other resolutions and policies that are legal formalities typically associated with projects using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
SICOG
Two representatives from the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) were on hand to handle two different pieces of business.
Andrew Collings explained a grant opportunity from the Iowa Department of Transportation that would pay 85 percent of the cost to create zoning ordinances for the city airport. Collings explained that, beginning in the next fiscal year, updated ordinances will be required in order to receive state funding for airport improvement projects such as resurfacing of the runway. Currently Mount Ayr has no such ordinances. The zoning project will cost $15,000, but if the grant application is approved, the cost to the city would be limited to $2,250. The council gave Collings the go-ahead to seek the grant and, if approved, begin the ordinance project.
Lucas Young reported progress on current housing rehabilitation projects in Mount Ayr. One project has been completed, and Young brought a payment request to the council. Total cost of the project was $41,175, over 90 percent of which will be paid for through a Community Development Block Grant. The city’s share of the project is $3,000.
Young asked council approval for the awarding of contracts for two projects already enrolled in the rehabilitation program. One crontract was approved for DWB Construction in the amount of $41,919 for work on a residence at 307 W. Maple. A second contract went to Fredericksen Construction in the amount of $29,700 for work on a residence at 305 W. Walnut. Young also said he was seeking one additional house project to be included in the program.
Superintendent’s report
Brent Wise was not present at Monday’s meeting, but a printed copy of his report was reviewed by the council.
Wise wrote that he was in the process of reviewing city streets to achieve their longer life expectency. His first priority will be Columbus Street from the Bennett lift station west to the Fillmore and Tyler/Van Buren street area.
Wise also included mention of at least two water leaks, including the leak he was working on during Monday’s meeting. He said the city crew was able to use recently purchased shoring equipment during work on the leak.
During the fire at Heartland Energy Solutions last week it was discovered that a fire hydrant at the site was not operational. Prior to the beginning of Wise’s tenure as city superintendent, the city crew had been told not to repair the faulty hydrant. Wise stressed the hydrant will be repaired or replaced, and he will investigate whether other hyrdrants in town may also be faulty.
Randy Gregg has approached the city about purchasing or obtaining an easement on two platted but unused city streets that run through his property. At the council meeting, city attorney Richard Wilson recommended the city officially vacate and dispose of the property to put it back on the tax rolls.
Wise reported he had received information from City Carton about a recycling program should the city decide to take over the garbage collection service. He also had an inquiry from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources if the city was interested in applying for a SWAP grant that could partially fund a garbage truck, recycling bins and other items. Wise said he would bring a formal proposal pertaining to the garbage collection issue at the first council meeting in May.
Other business
The council received a resignation from city worker Ben Graham. “We’re losing a very good employee in my estimation,” said Mayor Don Solliday, and council members agreed. The mayor appointed a committee consisting of councilwoman Deloris Stutzman, city superintendent Wise and the mayor to review applications for a new city worker, conduct interviews and bring a hiring recommendation to the council.
The council approved a request from the entry sign committee for the construction of two additional signs, one on Highway 169 north and a second sign advertising the city’s historic square to be erected on property owned by David Cunning on Highway 2. The $3,300 cost for the signs will be split between the Mount Ayr Chamber of Commerce and the city. It is estimated the signs will be in place by fall.
A Class C liquor license was approved for American Legion Post # 172.
The council also decided not to change property insurance coverage for the old water treatment plant until the new water system was up and running.