City hires Deputy City Clerk
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The Mount Ayr city council appointed Cassie Noble as Deputy City Clerk and two people to share the summer recreation director role at their regular meeting Wednesday, February 19.
Deputy Clerk/Utility Clerk
At a special meeting held on Tuesday, January 28 at 5:15 p.m., the city council approved Resolution 2025-874, hiring Cassie Noble as a Deputy Clerk/Utility Clerk.
Deputy City Clerks Niccole Swank and Cassie Noble
Noble attended her first regular meeting Wednesday, February 19, listening in to council discussion, as she would record meeting minutes if Niccole Swank would be unable to attend a future meeting.
The council approved adding Cassie Noble as a signer to checking accounts held at City State Bank during the course of the meeting.
Resolution 2025-7 was also approved, appointing:
- Brent Wise to fulfill the remainder of a 2-year term as City Clerk at his current pay rate of $1,938.10 per week;
- Cassie Noble for a 2-year term as Treasurer at a rate of $20 per hour;
- Niccole Swank for a 2-year term serving as Deputy City Clerk at her current rate of $20.80 per hour, and Cassie Noble for a two-year term as Deputy City Clerk at $20 per hour.
Recreation Directors
The council approved Resolution 2025-02, hiring two summer recreation directors, Sarah Schafer and Kristen Graham, who will each receive $2,500 for the 2025 season. Few details were shared regarding how the two would delineate their duties.
Administrator Wise noted they are still seeking help with maintaining Judge Lewis park and ball fields during the summer season.
2025 Pool Season
Resolution 2025-06 was approved by the council, setting pool pass rates for the 2025 summer season as recommended by the park board:
$160 for a family pass;
$80 for a single member pass;
$25 for a sitter pass, which will be added to the associated family pass;
$5 daily pass;
$3 evening pass.
Additionally, the council approved Resolution 2025-08, setting summer pool wages at a minimum of $15 per hour for the pool manager, $12 starting hourly wage for an assistant pool manager, $9 minimum hourly wage for experienced lifeguards, and $8 an hour for first year lifeguards.
Fire Department Roster
Council members also approved Resolution 2025-01, updating the fire department roster for 2025 as presented, which named the following members:
Hunter Brown, Douglas Gooding, Vera Hunt, Cody Jay, Bill Jones, Kurt Larsen, Robert Mason, Ed McCreary, Jerry McGill, Brandon ONeil, Ed Rotert, Jeremy Shelley, Mike Wimer, Mike Wik, and Trevor Henry.
Committee Appointments
Resolution 2025-03, naming all persons appointed to various committees was also approved last Wednesday. The roster included a new rental housing board in compliance with the recently established rental housing code. Administrator Wise noted Dennis Dugan reached out to each individual appointed to the rental housing board, and all agreed to serve staggered 5-year terms. Renda Smith and Wiley Main will serve through 2030, and Eric Friedrich, Al Rusk, and Erica Shields will be eligible to renew their 5-year terms in 2028.
While there are presently two vacant seats on the zoning commission, all other committees are fully appointed, with current members agreeing to renew their appointments as needed. A full list of all committee appointments is available at Mount Ayr City Hall.
Other business
In other regular business, the council approved:
- Setting a budget workshop meeting on Tuesday, March 4 at 6 p.m.;
- Retrospectively donating two family pool passes to the Wimer Benefit;
- Resolution 2025-04, appointing Brent Wise to serve as of Commissioner of the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority representative for the city;
- Job Descriptions for City Employees;
- Four alcohol licenses renewals:
Dollar General Class B Retail Alcohol License
Hy-Vee Class E Retail Alcohol License
Still Smokin Class C Retail Alcohol License
American Legion Post #172 Class C Retail Alcohol License
The council also discussed the codification of zoning codes, options for leachate and meter system upgrades, with decisions deferred until more information is obtained for each.
Administrator Update
Administrator Wise updated the council about the Madison Street project, and presented written communication from V&K engineering firm regarding the proposed plan moving forward with revisions on March 3. The council also discussed whether to pay an outstanding invoice totaling $1,080 received from V&K in November of last year. Council member Matt Henle made a motion to approve payment to V&K, council member Jessica Murphy seconded the motion, and the council unanimously agreed.
Wise also presented an invoice received from the sesquicentennial committee in the amount of $1,750 for the creation/use of an app. He noted the sesquicentennial committee only has roughly $180 in their fund. Council members Mike Wik and Chandra Poore motioned to approve payment, and the council unanimously approved payment of the invoice.
The council also learned the tax abatement request for the Minnick family was denied, and reviewed an email from Ringgold County Assessor Melinda England, explaining the request does not meet the requirements.
Administrator Wise asked Dennis Dugan to present his findings after conducting a city-wide housing set-back review. Dugan noted the current zoning set back came into effect in 1995, although many homes were erected prior to that time.
The council was presented a summary showing average housing set backs from 13 different streets across Mount Ayr. While the average set back along each street varied between 9.37’ to 39.25’, the total average set back distance was shown to be 20.5 feet. Dugan and Wise stated they would like to be as congruent as possible and they are going to ask the zoning board provide a recommendation to the council.
Wise also reported that Jodie Geist is working on an AARP park grant application to add pickleball courts and another shade structure to Judge Lewis Park.
Wise noted he plans to send three people to the upcoming IA Rural Summit in Ames April 10-11 as housing is one of the main topics on the event agenda. He also let the council know that the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association (IMFOA) conference is scheduled for April 9-11, although he has not seen an agenda for that event yet.
The council plans to meet next for a budget workshop on Tuesday, March 4 at 6 p.m. Their next regular council meeting is set for Wednesday, March 19 at 6 p.m.
