Union Council Meeting March 9th 2021
There are timecodes (00:00:00) showing when discussion of topics happened. To read the timecode it is Hours:Minutes:Seconds. These times are a rough estimate.
Italicized text - Union City Council original agenda sheet.
Bold text - Main points within the video from the Original Agenda Sheet
Bold and Italicized text - imported dates of meetings
Regular Text - Sub-categories or points of interest within the main points.
NOTES - A few Categories only have ‘NOTES’ with them. It gives a summary of the discussion.
AGENDA
UNION CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING CITY HALL UNION, IOWA
6:30pm Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Call to order
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call: Tom Bays, Alan Donaldson, Andy Clemons, Cindy Clemons, Candy Wait.
Public Comments
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Consent Agenda: February Regular and Special Meeting Minutes and Claims Paid.
Reports
Discuss and Action:
1. Budget Hearing 5:00pm Friday March 12
2. Radio Read Update
3. J&K and JEO split the cost of Electric Pump to correct it at 50/50
4. Liquor License SHRA
5. FEMA/Derecho Update
6. Plan to eliminate Ash Pile
7. Resolution 21-02 Borrowing Funds due to Derecho Expense
8. Future of Pool
9. Dump Truck
10. Take down Christmas decorations
11. North Well Roof
12. 207 Center Street issues concerning water and trucks parked on frontage and visibility.
13. Placing rock on the parking across the street from school on Commercial Street.
14. Personnel
15. Hazardous Waste Drop Off Friday April 23, 2021
16. Taking Delinquent Water bill to small claims court
17. Utility Rate changes
00:00:00 Call to order
00:00:05 Pledge of Allegiance
00:00:20 Roll Call: Tom Bays, Alan Donaldson, Andy Clemons, Cindy Clemons, Candy Wait.
00:00:30 Public Comments
00:00:30 NOTES: Resident talks about their water bill being too high. It was about 84ish dollars then this one is over 500. She has someone check out the meter and toilets. Says the meter isn't wrong and doesnt need a new one. Council asks: How does he know you don't need a new meter? Resident: Explained what he did. City: The meter could still be bad. The internal part could still be bad. You can run a gallon but the meter can say 10 gallons. City: Confirms she used 200 gallons in the last week or so and that is accurate (normal) But last month's total sounds wrong. City: If the meter is no longer working do to normal wear and tear then the city will provide a new meter (they do not install new meters)
09:30 Approval of Agenda
09:50 Approval of Consent Agenda: February Regular and Special Meeting Minutes and Claims Paid.
Motion to approve: 11:10
00:11:30 Reports
NOTES: 11:30 Sheriff Report and Rhondas Report. 12:00 There were 2 water leaks. One was fixed last week.
13:00 Clerk Report: Talks about budget and transferring of funds for Derecho damage.
00:14:10 Vicap wants to talk to council member(s)
15:15 Fire Department: Things are working again. Can burn the crick soon.
16:00. Fire last week. It could've been a lot worse. That house/location something needs to be done. It is a safety hazard. Resident asks about maybe involving the Fire marshal? Fire Dept: Its possible.
18:00 Andy Benefit: - Starting about 4:30pm on the 20th. Residents asks if they can send a noticed to the library they will send through their email list also.
20:05 Discuss and Action:
20:15 1. Budget Hearing 5:00pm Friday March 12
20:40 2. Radio Read Update
NOTES: Spoke with Dan and Colleen. About ready to get it into the computer system. Looking to do about 10 a day weather permitting
21:20 Some homes will be a challenge but ready to go.
23:25 3. J&K and JEO split the cost of Electric Pump to correct it at 50/50
NOTES: J&K messed up the wiring at the lagoon. JEO decided not to go to court and they are going to split the cost to get a pump in. The pump is coming from des moines.
24:30 4. Liquor License SHRA
NOTES: Motioned and Approved
24:40 5. FEMA/Derecho Update
NOTES: Still in the process. They had a good meeting this morning. They got enough pictures via contractors and other. Stump grinding might be a possibility. Had to get a measurement and gps locations for stumps and thats why residents were not allowed to grind stumps yet. They are just dotting all their i's and crossing their t's now.
27:15 6. Plan to eliminate Ash Pile
NOTES: Have to remove the ash pile. Will have to transport to the landfill.
00:29:35 Motion- Have knights (The waste Management Company) load the ash pile and dispose of it - Approved
29:50 7. Resolution 21-02 Borrowing Funds due to Derecho Expense:
NOTES: 00:30:15 Reading of agreement
Bank is ready to go. just need the signatures and approval of council
00:31:25 reading continue
00:33:00 Motion and approved
00:33:20 8. Future of Pool:
NOTES: Got to see if they can get guard. Resident asks Can we afford the pool? City: Not really.
00:35:00 If the city closes the pool for good they have to fill it. Resident asks should the city offer it to the rec center? City: Possible. Clerk: They have to go to the state to get proper removal procedure.
00:36:00 It first has to go to public vote. This is a voting year. Cindy Clemons' seat is up for vote this year. The city can't do anything until the public vote.
Mayor: The city is borrowing the pool funds for the derecho damage so when the city is paying it back and if pool funds move to another account, when the city pays the loan back does the funds go back into the pool fund or go to the other account the funds move to?
00:39:40 - Close it? Choose after to see if they can get guards? Attendee mentions that they will get guards. Union has the best pay. Another resident mentions that the city needs to keep in mind that there will probably be things breaking since it went a year without use. It will probably take a lot of effort to open.
00:42:00 Attendee mentions that they helps other citys about how to keep a pool going and uses Union as a reference and he just wants to know if the pool is closing or not. City: its doesnt make much money from the pool and it needs that funds for other things.
Attendee gives an example of times he filled pools and ordinances he's come across. City: We will go through the state. Maybe ask the DNR also.
Residents brings up if it's tabled for a month. it probably will be closed (not enough time to set things up).
00:45:00 Trying to get info from state by friday to discuss about it - Motion approved
00:45:50 9. Dump Truck: Tabled
00:46:10 10. Take down Christmas decorations
NOTES: Hire someone? (The one in the room was hit down by a truck) Alan will see if his forklift will reach.
00:48:00 11. North Well Roof
NOTES: Tin it? John pickup supplies and fix it? Premessure? John will look into it.
00:49:50 12. 207 Center Street issues concerning water and trucks parked on frontage and visibility
NOTES: City has sent letter about the trucks before? In the past they were just talked to and the resident would move their trucks for a short time.
Water: DT are providing water to a citizen who hasn't paid for it. City: They say that they will shut of DT's water if they keep doing this. (the guy is not paying his own bill)
Sending out letters Friday.
54:00 13. Placing rock on the parking across the street from school on Commercial Street
NOTES: That whole block needs it. Theres about 6-8" drop off. City's rock pile is frozen. John will contact Kim to bring in rock and spread it out.
55:30 Motion to purchase rock - Approved
00:55:50 14. Personnel
NOTES: Need to do something about the seat not being filled. The city could run into an issue that if one more council member can make it they can't have meetings or approve of things. Mayor will talk with Andy about his plans. He needs to either start coming or resign. City asks Nathan if he wants to become a member if Andy resigns. Nathan asks/suggests for the city to post about it to see if anyone else wants it first, otherwise he is willing.
Rebecka asks: what is the process on something like this? City can appoint someone to fill the spot based on the volunteers. If residents do not like the choice then they can force a special election, but that usually costs a lot of money and is rarely done.
01:00:30 15. Hazardous Waste Drop Off Friday April 23, 2021
NOTES: South side of the fire station? Where it was in the past. There's usually not enough volunteers to go door to door. Suggestion to have a roll off in a location for residents to drop things off. Alan will ask mark (Knights) if one roll off will work. Will also ask about appliances.
01:03:10 16. Taking Delinquent Water bill to small claims court:
Clerk: The guy came in and asked how its possible and also asked about making payment.
City: Can they lien? (Note why the city didnt turn the water off: It was during covid and by law they couldn't not turn utility off. The Resident moved before they could turn it off)
Nathen: Have to send a letter to the landlord about the water bill and the landlord then has to reply stating they are not responsible then they can lean.
City: let the kid do a payment plan? Council Mem: afraid of other residents wanting the payment plan and making extra work for the clerk.
Council Member: go to court?
Resident says from his experiences you'll get a judgment but no money.
1:09:10 Member: How do you want to handle it? The city will try to get payments.
1:10:30 17. Utility Rate changes
NOTES: Has previously decided for it up by 2%. Decision does not have to make tonight but think about it.
Clerk will put figures together for next month's meeting.
1:12:20 Adjourn - approved.