Slater Regular City Council Meeting

December 17, 2007

The regular meeting of the Slater City Council was called to order by Mayor Rick Rewerts at 7:30 P.M. on December 17, 2007 , at City Hall, 105 Greene St. , Slater, Iowa .  The roll being called the following Council members were present as follows: Gene Staples, Dave Cook, and Tim Locker. Electronic connection - Mark Pritchard.  Absent – Louise O’Donnell.  Others in attendance were Mary Beth Chinery, Jennifer Davies Jeremy Schlee (Snyder & Assoc.), Sandra Cox ( DNR ) and approximately 20 citizens.   

It was moved by Staples and seconded by Cook to approve the consent agenda, December 17, 2007 minutes and expenditures totaling $ 14,535.36 as follows:

The motion passed with record vote as follows:  Yes:  Staples, Cook, Locker and Pritchard.  No: none.  Absent: O’Donnell 

Sandra Cox from the DNR attended the meeting to answer questions about the FEMA floodplain and the National Flood Insurance Program.  She stated that the benefit to belonging is making residents eligible for the insurance program and there is no detriment as the floodplain map will become effective February 20, 2008 regardless.  Lending institutions are likely to require insurance for anyone in that area after the effective date.  She will provide city hall with a list of website resources and invited the public to contact her with future questions.  

Jeremy Schlee stated that there are currently 13 homes that do not have a lowest adjacent grade higher than that of the base flood elevation.  He would like to set meetings with those home owners to discuss what/if changes can be made to remove them from the area.  He will bring a proposal to the first meeting in January to amend the contract for the additional homes to survey and the submission of the FEMA forms.  He asked the city to coordinate meetings with home owners during the afternoons of January 7 and 9.

Cook moved for the adoption of Resolution 3 (2007/2008) ADOPTION OF THE SLATER FLOOD PLAIN AREA .  Staples seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes:  Cook, Staples, Locker and Pritchard.  No: none.   Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Cook moved that the proposed ordinance entitled: FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE be considered and approved on first consideration.  Pritchard seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes:  Cook, Pritchard, Staples and Locker.  No: none.  Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Staples asked Schlee if all options had been considered for the water supply discharge equalization system.  Schlee explained that they had studied a variety of options including using the old creamery’s holding tank and that the construction of the new underground tank is the most economically feasible over the expected lifespan of the project.

Staples moved for the adoption of Resolution 4 (2007/2008) ORDERING BIDS , APPROVING PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS AND FORM OF CONTRACT AND NOTICE TO BIDDERS, FIXING AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY, AND ORDERING CLERK TO PUBLISH NOTICE AND FIXING A DATE FOR RECEIVING SAME, AND FOR SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATE OF COSTS ON THE SLATER, IOWA, 2007 water supply discharge equalization system.  Cook seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes: Staples, Cook, Locker and Pritchard.  No:  none.   Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Mayor Rewerts opened the public hearing regarding the proposed Zoning Ordinance.  There was no public input so the hearing was closed. 

Staples moved to waive the second reading of the proposed ordinance entitled: PLANNING AND ZONING, ZONING ORDINANCE.  Locker seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes:  Staples, Locker, Pritchard and Cook.  No: none.  Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Staples moved that the proposed ordinance entitled: PLANNING AND ZONING, ZONING ORDINANCE be considered, approved and adopted on third consideration.  Cook seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes:  Staples, Cook, Locker and Pritchard.  No: none.  Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Cook moved to waive the second reading of the proposed ordinance entitled: PLANNING AND ZONING, SUNDIVISION ORDINANCE.  Locker seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes:  Cook, Locker, Pritchard and Staples.  No: none.  Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Cook moved that the proposed ordinance entitled: PLANNING AND ZONING, SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE be considered, approved and adopted on third consideration.  Locker seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes:  Cook, Locker, Staples and Pritchard.  No: none.  Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Locker stated concern over the lack of description included with “habitable space” in the development fee schedule.  It was determined habitable would mean it to include all of the following: water, sanitary sewer, and electricity.  He also questioned if the size of a project should help determine its classification as major or minor construction.  It was decided construction of a structure over 250 sq feet would also be considered major construction.

Staples moved for the adoption of Resolution 5 (2007/2008) ADOPTION OF DEVELOPMENT FEE SCHEDULE with habitable dwelling space being defined as having all of the following: water, electric, and sanitary sewer, and major construction also being defined as “any structure over 250 Sq Ft”.  Cook seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes:  Staples, Cook, Locker and Pritchard.  No:  none.   Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Staples asked if anything could be done to improve the condition of the streets as they are all covered with ice.  Chinery reported she had talked with the public works department and they noted salt/sand supply was very low.  It has been ordered, but can not be delivered for 3 weeks.  She also presented an email from the City of Kelley asking for assistance with their streets.  Given the diminished supply, the council stated they would be happy to help by sending manpower and equipment, but not sand/salt.

Davies attempted to contact the person who is believed to now own 416 Main to see if she had closed her auction.  She has not returned the call. 

Staples moved for the adoption of Resolution 6 (2007/2008) ABATEMENT OF 319 MAIN STREET.  Cook seconded the motion.  The Council Members voted on the motion as follows:  Yes:  Cook, Staples, Pritchard and Locker.  No:  none.   Absent: O’Donnell.  The Mayor declared the motion carried. 

Dave Cook reminded the council that he was the Mayor’s back up for the Emergency Management Commission.  Since his term expires, the new council will need to select an alternate representative.  Staples asked Chinery to see if the representative is required to be an elected official.

The park board does not yet have a letter from the Friends of the Pool committee stating the amount they are willing to donate toward the purchase of playground equipment for Grimm Park .  The equipment funding request was tabled.

Davies reported on the Slater Business Association she had attended.  There is a lot of interest in the development of Main Street .  City Hall has been contacted by several people looking for locations for new businesses.  The council gave Davies permission to develop economic development packets and an assistance program utilizing TIF .  Davies will contact SBA for input and collaboration. 

Staples asked if he could also be on the hiring committee that was established at the last meeting.  The committee has a meeting planned to begin the review of the candidates.  Due to the item not being on the agenda, it will be revisited at the January 7, 2008 meeting and changes can then be made to the make-up of the committee.  The current committee will proceed with their initial meeting as planned.

It was moved by Staples and seconded by Cook to adjourn at 10:00 P.M. , the motion carried and the meeting adjourned.