April 2
CITY OF HIAWATHA
CITY COMMISSION MINUTES
MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2007
at 5:35 P.M.
HIAWATHA CITY HALL
723 OREGON ST.
1. Pledge of Allegiance/ Call to Order
The Hiawatha City Commission met in regular session on Monday, April 2, 2007, at 5:35 p.m., at City Hall, with Mayor Gernon, Commissioner Shamburg, Commissioner Collins, Commissioner Schmitt, and Commission Gamble present.
2. CONSENT AGENDA
a. Approval of minutes of the March 26, 2007, City Commission meeting.
b. Payroll appropriation #1080 in the amount of $35,445.28.
c. Approval of payment to Pinnacle Electric for the installation of the traffic signals at Sixth and Seventh Streets on Oregon Street in the amount of $6,100.
d. Approval of Plumber License Renewal for Ron Merchant, Jr.
Mayor Gernon pointed out an error on the minutes of March 26, 2007 on page three, paragraph six, the RHS building should be 18,000 square feet instead of 1800 square feet.
Commissioner Gamble pointed out an error on page two, towards the bottom of the page concerning Hemisphere GPS, the word “employee” should be “employ.”
Commissioner Schmitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to approve the Consent Agenda with the corrections to the minutes of the March 26, 2007, City Commission meeting. Motion carried. 5 ayes.
3. Presentation of petitions, public comments, memorials.
Brian Grier, 1107 Delaware St., Hiawatha, approached the Commission to request permission to burn a large brush pile that is located in a pit on Lot D on 12th Street. He said that he was in the process of cleaning up a large lot there that was overgrown with brush.
Mayor Gernon asked Mr. Grier if he had spoken with Fire Chief Gary Shear. Grier indicated that he had.
City Administrator Lynne Ladner said that currently burning is prohibited within the City unless approved by the Commission.
Mayor Gernon, Commissioner Shamburg, and Commissioner Collins agreed that since this was a step towards cleaning up the lot, it would be a good idea.
Commissioner Collins made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to approve a burn permit for Brian Grier. Commissioner Collins amended the motion, seconded by Commissioner Shamburg, to approve a burn permit for Brian Grier for Lot D on Twelfth Street. Motion carried. 4 ayes. Commissioner Schmitt voted nay.
Commissioner Gamble asked that Grier burn the pile when there was an easterly or southeasterly wind so that [the smoke] wouldn’t bother anyone [in town.]
Grier said that he would make sure that the conditions were right with the Fire Chief before he burned it.
Old Business
4. Review Bids on Turf Tires and Finish Mower.
Administrator Ladner explained that the Street Department had requested and received bids for a new finish mower. The lowest bid was from Henry Bros. Implement, Inc. for a 13.5 foot finish mower in the amount of $8,850. This mower is larger than the specification mower of 11.5 feet and is a new, but previous year model mower.
She said that the City had only received one bid for the purchase of the turf tires for the tractor. That bid was from Henry Bros. Implement, Inc. in the amount of $1,260.
Commissioner Collins asked if the other mower was worn out.
Administrator Ladner reminded him that this had been discussed at a prior meeting. She said that the City would be either selling or trading in two of the smaller mowers and replacing them with this one larger mower, which would allow the Street Department to hire fewer summer help and still be able to keep the City properties mowed.
Commissioner Collins asked if there was any trade-in value on the smaller mowers. He asked Donnie Howard, Street Department employee, if he thought we really needed it. Howard replied that we did.
Commissioner Gamble asked why there were wheels listed on the turf tire bids. Howard replied that it was because they needed a different size wheel than the existing ones for the use of the turf tires.
Commissioner Gamble asked why there was only one bid on the turf tires.
Administrator Ladner said that although bids were solicited from four other businesses, Henry Bros. was the only one to respond with a bid.
Commissioner Gamble said that while he agreed that the City needed to purchase the larger finish mower, he had understood that the City was going to trade in two smaller mowers on the new mower.
Administrator Ladner explained that the Street Department Superintendent, Dennis Hartter, had not yet decided which mowers he was going to trade in or if they were going to just sell them outright.
Commissioner Gamble asked that the trade-in values be added to the bids before the Commission approved the bid.
Commissioner Schmitt agreed with that idea.
Action was tabled until trade-in values were received on the bids.
5. Review Bids on Dump Truck.
Administrator Ladner explained that if they decided to go ahead with a purchase, it would have to be a lease/puchase agreement. The bids were from Kansas City Freightliner in the amount of $68,300, MHC Kenworth in the amount of $68,995, Knapheide Truck Equipment in the amount of $71,726 for a 2008 International, and Kansas City Peterbilt in the amount of $75,669.
Commissioner Collins said that he originally had suggested that we should look into a lease-puchase agreement. He said that the City could not fund any of these options at the present. He suggested spreading the payment out over a four or five-year period.
Mayor Gernon questioned whether we should look into trading in the old truck. Administrator Ladner said that we probably wouldn’t get anything out of the old one.
Commissioner Gamble was still of the opinion that the City should purchase a used truck.
Commissioner Collins asked if the old truck had been repaired.
Administrator Laden explained that the truck had been repaired and was back in use.
Commissioner Schmitt asked if all of the bids were from Kansas City for servicing reasons. Administrator Ladner said that they were.
Commissioner Collins said that they could look at this again some time in the future.
Mayor Gernon told the Commission that Administrator Ladner had brought this before them to see what action the Commission wanted to take concerning the purchase of a dump truck.
Administrator Ladner reminded the Commission that they had authorized her to go ahead and put the purchase of new dump truck out for bid, and that they now had the bids. She said that the Commission could either go with the low bidder and negotiate a lease-purchase with them, or choose not to move forward with purchasing a new dump truck.
Mayor Gernon said that the lease-purchase terms needed to be a part of the bid. He said that if the Commission is not in agreement about purchasing a truck, there is no purpose in getting the lease-purchase terms.
Commissioner Collins said he had wanted the lease-purchase terms out front so that they could look at all the options on each bid. Since this information was not included, he was no longer interested.
Commissioner Gamble said that he was not interested in purchasing a new truck, regardless of the lease-purchase terms.
Mayor Gernon said that the question remained on whether the City still needed a truck or not.
Administrator Ladner explained that the urgency is no longer there, but that the need still remains.
Mayor Gernon questioned the Commission whether they wanted to go ahead and pursue the purchase of a new truck, or do we want to wait until it breaks down again and then “be scrambling” for a vehicle to use.
Administrator Ladner said she could go back to the four bidders and get the information from them on a lease-purchase agreement.
Commissioner Schmitt said that she was in favor of getting that information.
Commissioner Shamburg said that he felt that there was still a need and that we should still pursue that need. He also said that another option was to look at quality used vehicles.
Mayor Gernon advised Administrator Ladner to check with the bidders to see what they may have in used trucks.
No further action was taken.
6. Discuss Bids on Sale of Real Estate.
Commissioner Collins made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to go into Executive Session to discuss the bids on the sale of real estate for a period of five minutes and to include Administrator Lynne Ladner. Motion carried. 5 ayes. The Commission went into Executive Session at 6:00 p.m.
Commissioner Gamble made a motion at 6:05 p.m., seconded by Commissioner Shamburg, to return to regular session. Motion carried. 5 ayes.
Commissioner Schmitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to reject the bid on the property on South First Street. Motion carried. 5 ayes.
Commissioner Collins made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to accept the bid from Moorhous on the property at 909 Shawnee Street in the amount of $350 for the property currently vacant, off the tax role and owned by the City. Motion carried. 5 ayes.
New Business
7. Consider Authorizing a Change of Signatures on the Morrill and Janes Bank, Fisher Center Account, to add the Assistant City Clerk, with One Signature Required for Withdrawal.
Administrator Ladner explained it had been brought to her attention last week that when the most recent signature cards were signed, the signature of the Assistant City Clerk had been left off. It was her understanding that in the past, the Assistant City Clerk had been able to sign the checks on the Fisher Center account for deposit return and rent refund checks. The City Clerk is not always available to sign the checks. The other signatures on this account are the Mayor and the City Treasurer.
Commissioner Gamble made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Shamburg, to authorize the addition of the Assistant City Clerk to the Signature Card for the Fisher Center Account. Motion carried. 4 ayes. 1 nay. Commissioner Collins voted nay.
8. Consider Authorizing the Change of Signatures on the Morrill and Janes Bank, Petty Cash Account, to add the Assistant City Clerk, with One Signature Required for Withdrawal.
Administrator Ladner explained that this was the same situation as with the Fisher Center account, along with the fact that there were times when there were checks made out to the City Clerk for reimbursement, and that it was improper for her to sign those checks herself. Just in the last week, the Mayor has had to sign two checks for her.
Commissioner Gamble made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Shamburg, to authorize the addition of the Assistant City Clerk to the Petty Cash account. Motion carried. 4 ayes. 1 nay. Commissioner Collins voted nay.
9. Lynne Ladner, City Administrator.
Administrator Ladner explained that the City had received a letter on the Public Water Supply Loan asking for the City to close out the unused portion of the loan. She wanted to bring this to the Commission’s attention to let them know that they could not add to this loan with a new project. She said that this was the loan that the Commission had discussed using to finance a water extension project for West Iowa Street. The City will now be required to put in a new application.
She also reminded the Commission about the city-wide cleanup on Saturday, April 21. She said that within the City, there is only one clean-up site located at 11th and Pottawatomie. She noted that there are several residents who do not have access to take items to that site. She asked for authorization from the Commission to have these residents contact City Hall to have city staff or volunteers pick up those items. This would aid in the cleanup of property within the City.
Mayor Gernon said that the City should help out with this.
Commissioner Gamble asked how many City employees she planned to have working that day.
Administrator Ladner said that she would like to limit it to two employees and one city vehicle and suggested that the individuals contact City Hall by the 18th to have the items picked up during the week on Thursday or Friday so that they would not have to pay overtime.
Administrator Ladner also asked the Commission how they would feel about a plan to pick up brush and leaves on one Monday a month by City workers as a service to the community. This would help maintain the property in Hiawatha.
Commissioner Collins said this was a contractual service that is already being offered in the City of Hiawatha, and that the City should not get into this situation where the City is hauling trash. He said that the City staff should be more involved in streets and repairs, and not in picking up refuse. He said that the City staff is too busy to get involved in this.
Commissioner Shamburg liked the idea to do this in the fall when the leaves are falling. Since the City is pushing to get everything cleaned up, he said it would be a nice service.
Mayor Gernon said that he could understand giving some assistance, but that we do not want to be in the trash business as Commissioner Collins suggested. He would like to see the City attempt to do something to assist in the clean up. He suggested that we see how the clean-up day goes first.
10. Mayor Crosby Gernon.
Mayor Gernon reminded the Commission and the two new incoming Commissioners that next week is the deadline to complete the prioritization of the Capital Improvement Plan in order to put together a matrix. He reminded them that the Fourth and Pottawatomie drainage problem was not on the original plan, and needed to be listed on it.
He asked Administrator Ladner if she had found out any information concerning whether the State would allow the use of private signs for the advertising of Hiawatha being the hometown of former Governor Morrill. Administrator Ladner said that she had not yet had time to do so.
Dean Tollefson told the Commission that he was having a hard time hearing what was going on. Other individuals agreed that they were speaking pretty softly.
11. Com. William Collins.
12. Com. Curtis Gamble.
13. Com. Marianne Schmitt.
Commissioner Schmitt said that she had brought up several weeks ago the National League of Cities annual dues renewal. Administrator Ladner said that it had been renewed approximately six weeks prior Commissioner Schmitt’s comment. Administrator Ladner said that she would bring it before the Commissioner before it was renewed next year.
14. Com. Steffen Shamburg.
15. Adjourn.
Commissioner Shamburg made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to adjourn. Motion carried. 5 ayes. Meeting adjourned at 6:22 p.m.