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Home My Public Portal AboutMinutes_CCWorkMeeting_09252018CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK MEETING IONA COMMUNITY CENTER SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 6:00 P.M. PRESENT: Mayor Dan Gubler, Council President Rob Geray, Council Member Michael Thompson, Council Member Kathy McNamara, Council Member John Price, City Attorney Andrew Rawlings, Public Works Director Zech Prouse, Chief of Police Karl Bowcutt, Treasurer Amy Sullivan and City Clerk Keri West. ABSENT: None. VISITORS: Dave Noel, Greg Hansen, Sally Price. ITEMS OF BUSINESS: Discussion of new ICCU Investment Account: Treasurer Sullivan introduced the options for the CD rates and terms at ICCU. Mayor Gubler mentioned the 60 Month CD is an option as Treasurer Sullivan confirmed with an AIC representative, it is legal. However, Mayor Gubler expressed his hesitation to tie up funds for that long. Council President Geray inquired about specific conditions regarding availability and early withdrawal penalties. Treasurer Sullivan confirmed the City currently only has one CD, and it is with Westmark Credit Union. The account with Key Bank that would be closed upon opening this new account is a money market account and is earning approximately $2.62/month. Council Member Thompson suggested splitting the money among CDs with varying terms. Council President Geray requested clarification on special conditions of CDs prior to opening accounts. Treasurer Sullivan stated she will get information from ICCU representative and will report back in October. Mayor Gubler suggested tabling the discussion until October. All Council Members agreed. Discussion of Code Enforcement Officer: Council Member Thompson stated he has received concerns from neighbors and other residents regarding City Code not being enforced. Chief Bowcutt explained the necessity for residents to call and file a formal complaint. He also expressed that they work diligently to take care of code enforcement concerns as they receive them. He continued by saying many things that get complained about are not actual violations, or have no penalty associated with them. He encouraged all residents to read and understand the City Code. Council Member Thompson suggested having a specific person that handles all code enforcement violations. Chief Bowcutt agreed it would be a good idea, but he feels the police department currently handles violations in an efficient manner. He also stated it is better for complaints to come in through dispatch, to create a record. Mayor Gubler advised Clerk West to add a section in the monthly newsletter on the appropriate ways to contact the City and to file complaints. Discussion of Water Connection Fee- Rockwell Homes: Greg Hansen, Vice President of Rockwell Homes, stated his concern for the proposed increase in the Water Connection Fee that is on the Regular City Council Meeting tonight. When Rockwell began discussions with the City of Iona to build Freedom Field Estates, the connection fee was $3,000. The City then raised the connection fee to $4,859, and Rockwell agreed to that amount. He continued by saying Rockwell was unaware of the City's desire to further increase the connection fee, prior to having Division I approved. He stated that he understands the reason Iona is higher than surrounding, larger cities. 1 However, the cost increase is too much for them to absorb in the selling price of the homes. He continued by saying that Rockwell would not be able to continue with either division of Freedom Field Estates if Division II is not grandfathered in under the current Water Connection Fee of $4,859. He also explained the loss of revenue for the City if Rockwell Homes backs out of the Freedom Field Estates Subdivision. Attorney Rawlings informed the Council the option to have strings attached to a grandfathering agreement, such as a sunset clause on Division II. Mr. Hansen said he believes a sunset clause is a reasonable agreement. Mayor Gubler voiced his approval to allow Division II of Freedom Field Estates remain at the current water connection fee of $4,859, due to the fact this entire subdivision has been discussed and agreed upon with that fee in mind. Any new construction that comes in after it is passed will be subject to the new water connection fee. All Council Members agreed to allow Rockwell Homes remain under the current water connection fee of $4,859 for Division II of Freedom Field Estates. Council President Geray suggested incorporating this allowance in the Resolution to raise the water connection fee. Attorney Rawlings also suggested that to include this in the Resolution, it needs to be more generalized and not specific to Rockwell Homes. He stated he will draft a new Resolution to present at the next City Council Meeting. General Water System Update: Dave Noel distributed preliminary plans for the transmission line of the water system project. The original plan was to put the transmission line right along the pavement on the south side of the road. However, they have found two gas lines along the south side of the road that are preventing the water line from being far enough off the pavement. The County has informed him that if we are more than one foot into the road, we will be required to replace the entire south lane and chip seal the whole road. Mayor Gubler stated the two options are to either have the gas company move the gas lines, which we will need to cover the associated costs. We are still waiting to hear what that cost would be. The other option is to asphalt half the lane, which would cost about $100,000. Council President Geray asked where the gas company will be moving the gas line and why the City can't put the water line there instead. Mr. Noel answered by saying the gas company can move the lines further south and we cannot because the gas line is much smaller and does not need to be very deep. The water line is much bigger and requires trench boxes deep in the ground. There is an irrigation canal that would not allow the water line. He also stated the gas company was up there today and has everything marked. They will be contacting us within the next week. Discussion of Country Haven Park: Mayor Gubler stated the status of the Country Haven Park has been unresolved since February. A homeowner volunteer had submitted plans, but his plans were $12,000 over the allotted budget for the project. Clerk West stated she spoke with this volunteer yesterday and he had said the City was requiring them to also have a sidewalk, fence and a parking area. The costs associated with those requirements alone would put them over the $20,000 budget. That was where the proposal got left in February, but now there are more residents in Country Haven inquiring about the park. Director Prouse suggested the City take ownership of the design and installation of the whole project, rather than having volunteers involved. Council President Geray suggested we look over the proposal and pick at least one key item to implement into our new design. Director Prouse stated it is a small space and it will likely only draw residents from Country Haven, unless we add something like a basketball court. If we have an element like that, it would draw the public and then it would require a parking area. Mayor Gubler suggested having the residents pick one key item they would like to see in the park. Director Prouse agreed, if it is the City giving the options. Clerk West said she has the 2 original proposal design and will send it to Director Prouse to review. Mayor Gubler asked Director Prouse to come up with 3-4 designs we can present to Country Haven residents. Director Prouse agreed and stated this fall would be the best time to have them come to a work meeting to decide which design they prefer. Meeting Adjourned: 6:58 p.m. COUNCIL APPROVED: October 16th, 2018 ATTEST: /(/( Keri est, Ci y Clerk Dan Gubler, Mayor 3