The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7

The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, January 13, 2009 at City Hall with Mayor John Strain presiding. Members answering roll call: Dustin Vis, Jay Wyatt, Darlene Short, Mark Stephens and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Work’s Director; Doug Beadle, Deputy Marshal; John Carr, Fire Chief; Don Weitzell, Park & Rec. Representative; Lee Brant, Pioneer Heritage Library Director; Shelley Barron, County Line Bar Owner; Susan Fairall, Pioneer Day’s Representatives; Linda Weitzell and Rob & Etta Schrader. Social Director; Amy Weeks. Citizen’s: Renee Ulery, Janine Reed, Linda Thompson, Steve Clay, Cliff Borsch and Dustin Hotchkin.

The Mayor swore in Dusty Vis once again as he had won the special election.

J. Wyatt moved to approve tonight’s agenda, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speakers, Linda Weitzell and Susan Fairall addressed the council regarding the Pioneer Days Street Dance and Beer Garden. Noting that there had been communication issues between the Pioneer Days Committee and Susan Fairall, the Mayor and Council requested the Committee and Susan work together to facilitate the dance and beer garden.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, there were no comments.

John Carr reported for the Town Marshal’s office. There were 6 calls for service, 2 citations written, and 88 hours of service for the month of December. Deputy Marshal Carr introduced himself to the council and public, explained a little of his background, and let everyone know he could be contacted anytime for questions or comments.

During the Public Works Director’s report, Doug Beadle stated that we are waiting for the wastewater permit from the IDNR, and that the water department is doing fine. The A-frame on the snow plow broke, and is at Z-Line currently under repair. Doug then complimented the Fire Department for helping with snow removal.

Shelley Barron reported for the Library. She stated that circulation is down 9% from last year, likely due to weather conditions. Internet use is high and 31 new patrons have signed on since July 1^st. Picturing America; a free resource of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was awarded to the Library. This award includes 40 images on posters for display.

Lee Brant reported for the Park & Recreation Board. Lee stated he had met with the United Way Board to request funding for next fiscal year. He felt the meeting went well. Lee asked if anyone would like to volunteer for the Park & Rec. Board there is openings.

Don Weitzell reported for the Fire Department. The furnace in the fire station broke down when the heat exchanger went out. They received bids for the repairs and will be going with Thomas Company. Don then spoke of solutions to the emergency response issue on Hwy 30 east of the city. Don ended his report asking the Council to request citizens clean snow from around fire hydrants in their yards in order for the Fire Department to better find the hydrants in an emergency.

Social Director Amy Weeks addressed the council regarding Santa’s Visit and the next event which will be the Easter Bunny on April 11^th at the Community Center.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by D. Short, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: The council discussed the removal of Public Audience Comments from the agenda. The council decided not to remove the agenda item but to establish a two minute time limit per person to address the council with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The council will also implement a request form citizens can use to place their business on the agenda pending Mayor approval.

New Business: The council approved the sewer refund for the water leak at 205 North Webster St. with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 1 abstain (D. Vis) 4 ayes. Carried. The council then approved a sewer refund for the water leak at 104 North Webster Street with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The Bill Leytham resignation was approved with a motion by J. Ulery, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The council will discuss replacement or new maintenance position at the budget special meeting. Lastly, the council discussed employee wages for Fiscal Year 09/10. M. Stephens motioned to give a 2% increase across the board for all employees, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 1 abstain (D. Short), 1 Nay (J. Wyatt), 3 ayes. Carried.

Reports from the council: None

The Mayor reported there will be a listing in the post office of the council commissions and phone numbers so citizens may address the council on any concerns they have. Mayor Strain then let the public know we will be entertaining offers from any citizen wanting to purchase the current city hall building. There is a lack of room in the current city hall building for records, and citizens during council meetings and a lack of privacy for our police department, therefore the Mayor and Council would like to construct a new city hall building to the east of the post office. He is hoping to construct the new city hall with volunteer labor.

J. Wyatt moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:10 P.M., second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, February 10, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor John Strain presiding. Members answering roll call: Dustin Vis, Jay Wyatt, Darlene Short, Mark Stephens and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Work’s Director; Doug Beadle, Deputy Sheriff; Burt Tecklenburg, Fire Dept. Representative; Rob Schrader and Park & Rec. Representative; Lee Brant. Citizen’s: Renee Ulery, Joe Overstake, John Freland, Etta Schrader, Victoria Keen, Bob and Julie Vokoun, Linda Weitzell, Linda Thompson, Cathy Underhill, Maren Williams, Lyndon Williams, Steve Clay, Larry Forbes, Jim Lovig, Tara Ulery, Larry Parks and Cody Beach.

Prior to the meeting’s official start, the Mayor explained to the guests how the meeting would be conducted. Address of the council would be no more than 2 minutes per person and during council business; citizens would only be allowed to address the council if called on by the Mayor.

J. Wyatt moved to approve tonight’s agenda, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speakers, there were no guest speakers.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Victoria Keen addressed the council regarding requirement of house numbers. This topic will be researched as soon as possible. She continued her discussion reporting on snow removal. It seems neighbors are pushing their snow across the street onto other people’s property, after the city has removed the snow. This is causing further messes in the streets. This will be looked into. Next, Jim Lovig addressed the council. He had heard a report of the possibility of building a new city hall, and the selling of city owned parking lots. The Mayor explained, currently, a new city hall building is on the city’s goals list and it is just in the research stage. The sale of city owned parking lots was just an idea for looking into other revenue sources and decreasing expenditures. Finally, Bob Vokoun addressed the council regarding annexation, the city’s emergency plan and whether he would be allowed to speak during the police report portion of the agenda. The annexation is still being worked on, as is the city emergency plan.

Burt Tecklenburg reported for the Marshall County Sheriff’s office. He stated that it will be up to the Mayor and Council if they would decide to go with Marshall County for law enforcement. Citizen’s asked several questions of Officer Tecklenburg concerning standard operating procedures. Patrol hours, citations, monthly reports, visibility at school sponsored events, etc… The Mayor and Council will address the Sheriff with all of these concerns during contract proceedings.

During the Public Works Director’s report, Doug Beadle advised the council he is currently working with Fox Engineering to update the water GIS system. He also delivered the dump truck in for service repair, which has been returned and is back in commission.

There was no library report.

Lee Brant reported for the Park & Recreation Board. He stated that there are ongoing problems with vandalism at the band shell which will need to be addressed at the next board meeting. Lee also reported a need for more volunteers on the Park & Rec. Board.

Rob Schrader reported for the Fire Department. He reported one fire call and three EMS calls for the month. The department is now working on an air bottle filling system. They currently have to go either to Gilman or Marshalltown to fill the bottles which is not very efficient. The cost for this system would be approximately $5000, which may be paid for with grant money.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by D. Short, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: The golf cart ordinance was discussed. The council decided to amend the ordinance requiring the following changes: Proof of liability, where the golf carts can travel in town, limiting the number of people on each cart, requiring a $5.00 annual permit to drive golf carts in town, etc… These changes were made with a motion by J. Wyatt, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The fence ordinance was then addressed. The council will be changing the ordinance to allow fences to be erected on property lines with several rules governing the building of said fences. A public hearing will be held at the next regular council meeting regarding the changes to the ordinance.

New Business: The council discussed the appointment of the Marshall County Sheriff’s office to provide police protection to the City. M. Stephens motioned to enter into contract with the Marshall County Sheriff’s department from March 1 to June 30 without turning over any of the police equipment at this time, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The contract will then be revisited for the following fiscal year. A special budget meeting is planned for Thursday, February 19, 2009, at 7:00 P.M. at City Hall. J. Wyatt motioned to roll the C.D. over at 2.98% interest for 15 months, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Reports from the council: M. Stephens expressed his positive opinion on the quality of the streets during snow removal. He also reported he would try to look into finding a company to work on the streets this summer for minor repairs. J. Wyatt reported for the finance committee stating they had met and examined the budget revenues and expenditures.

There was no report from the Mayor.

J. Ulery moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 P.M., second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in special session at 7:00 PM, February 19, 2009 at City Hall with Mayor Pro Tem Jay Wyatt presiding. Members answering roll call: Darlene Short, Mark Stephens, Dusty Vis and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, and Public Works Director; Doug Beadle. Citizens: John Freland, Vern Crookshank, and Larry Forbes.

M. Stephens motioned to approve the agenda for tonight’s meeting, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The first reading was read for Ordinance 201, AN ORDINANCE REPEALING PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 30 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF LE GRAND, IOWA, TO ABOLISH THE OFFICE OF TOWN MARSHAL AND AUTHORIZE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LE GRAND AND THE MARSHALL COUNTY SHERIFF FOR PROVISION OF POLICE PROTECTION. J. Ulery motioned to accept the first reading of the ordinance, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. M. Stephens motioned to waive the second and third reading of Ordinance 201, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Short motioned to approve the final passage of Ordinance 201, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The Council began working on the budget for FY 09/10. Several cuts were made in all of the departments in order to balance the budget. Due to budget constraints the council will not be hiring another full time maintenance person, but advertising for a part-time maintenance position for up to 50 hours per month. Also, the cleaning persons hours will be cut for city hall and those duties will be taken over by city hall staff. The public hearing for the budget will be March 10, 2009.

The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M. with a motion by J. Ulery, second D. Vis. All ayes. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, March 10, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor John Strain presiding. Members answering roll call: Dustin Vis, Jay Wyatt, Darlene Short, Mark Stephens and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Work’s Director; Doug Beadle, Marshall County Deputy; Corby Robbins, Fire Dept. Representative; Rob Schrader, Park & Rec. Representative; Lee Brant, Library Director; Shelley Barron; Pioneer Days Representatives; Etta Schrader and Linda Weitzell. Citizen’s: John Freland, Linda Thompson, Lyle Matney, Mary Strain, Renee Ulery, Robert Vokoun, Vern Crookshank, Chris Weitzell, Victoria Keen, Joe Overstake, Larry Forbes and Steve Clay.

M. Stephens moved to approve tonight’s agenda with the addition of a public hearing for the fence ordinance to be held immediately after the public hearing for the budget, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The public hearing for discussion on the budget for fiscal year 2009/2010 was called to order by the Mayor at 7:02 p.m. J. Wyatt explained how several cuts to the general fund and the water fund were made to balance the budget without raising property taxes again this year. Tax payer comments were limited to inquiries regarding the police budget. J. Wyatt motioned to close the public hearing at 7:07 pm, D. Short second. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The public hearing for discussion on the Fence Ordinance was called to order by the Mayor at 7:07 pm. J. Ulery then read the fence ordinance in its entirety. Tax payer comments were questions regarding procedures for fences already erected off the property line. The response was all fences would be allowed to remain where they are located and "grandfathered" in. New or replacement fences would be required to be moved to the property line. J. Ulery moved to close the public hearing for the fence ordinance amendment at 7:10 p.m. second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Resolution #03/09, A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2009, was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker was Linda Weitzell of Pioneer Days. Etta Schrader of the Pioneer Days Committee addressed the public prior to Linda. She introduced herself as President of the Pioneer Days Committee, and proceeded to inform the council that the dance originally planned by the Pioneer Days Committee for the Pioneer Days event would now be taken over by the County Line Bar owner Susan Fairall. Linda Weitzell then began her presentation with a map outlining the street closings for the Pioneer Days event. She than finished her presentation with a question asking the availability of a Marshall County Deputy for service during the day of the event. She was reassured the event would be covered with adequate police protection.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Joe Overstake addressed the council regarding the amount of hours worked versus the payroll during 2008. He asked the council if they felt they had gotten their monies worth. J. Wyatt addressed his concern, he informed Mr. Overstake that the council had researched wages throughout the state of Iowa with cities the same population size as we are, finding our wages were comparable to other cities with regard to adequate pay for the job being performed. Victoria Keen addressed the council regarding a certain junk situation and how it was being handled. She does not understand why citizens have to physically sign a complaint before something can be done about said nuisances. The Mayor addressed her concern stating there are lawful procedures that must be followed before the city can just abate a reported nuisance. John Freland and Vern Crookshank also questioned the lawful procedures for nuisance abatements. Dusty Vis addressed Mr. Crookshank’s concern. He reported that he works during the day and attends his children’s activities in the evenings. Therefore he doesn’t always have time to drive around town looking for nuisance violations. Citizens are more likely to see what their neighbors are doing in regards to nuisances and are able to report said nuisances in a timely manner. Then the city must follow lawful procedures to abate reported nuisances. One of the first procedures that the city follows to abate the nuisance is take pictures of the issue for proper records as proof. Citizens in attendance were told that all violations can be reported to the Marshall County Communications Center, to be dealt with by the Marshall County Sheriff’s deputies initially. Robert Vokoun then addressed the council regarding the time limit for presentations, his previous pending cases, evidence, properties that have junk problems, ordinance enforcement, and the city’s emergency plan. Each issue was addressed by a council member or the Mayor.

Deputy Corby Robbins reported for the Marshall County Sheriff’s office. She reported the monthly stats: 4 business stops, 7 traffic stops, 1 welfare check, 5 attempts to serve civil papers, 1 juvenile assault complaint, 2 possible suicide threats, and 1 loud music citation.

During the Public Works Director’s report, Doug Beadle reported to the council that the water project will be completed in the spring. Wastewater is doing fine and various streets in town are in need of repair. He would like the streets and alleys committee to review these needed repairs with him.

Shelley Barron reported for the library. February circulation is up 5.96% over February of last year. Internet use has increased as has in-library use of materials. Jr. Friends of the Library will be paying for a magic class to coincide with L.E.A.P.

Lee Brant reported for the Park & Recreation Board. He stated the log cabin building is starting to show its age, as several repairs have been made to it lately in the form of plumbing, appliance replacement, etc… He is still looking for volunteers to be on the Park and Recreation board.

Rob Schrader reported for the Fire Department. He reported 10 calls for service for last month. Rob also stated there will be several classes held at the fire station for Fire Fighter 1 training for area departments.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by D. Short, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: Ordinance #202, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, ZONING ORDINANCE TO CHANGE THE HEIGHT AND QUALITY REQUIREMENTS, LOCATION UPON THE LOT LINE, AND TO IMPOSE A DUTY TO SURVEY IF NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH THE LOCATION OF THE LOT LINE, was read and a motion by M. Stephens to accept the first reading of the ordinance, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The second reading of this ordinance will be on next month’s agenda. Ordinance #203, AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING CHAPTER 81, OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, CODE OF ORDINANCES, REGULATING THE DRIVING, OPERATING OR CONTROL OF MOTORIZED GOLF CARTS ON CITY STREETS, was read and a motion made by J. Wyatt to accept the first reading of the ordinance with the following changes: adding to Section 4 (B) the lose of a permit if any violations of section 6 are made, change Section 4 (C) to change the year the permit is issued to April 1 current year to March 31 of the following year, add to Section 4 (D) Permits will only be applied for only during normal business hours of City Hall. The motion was second by D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The second reading of this ordinance with the above changes will be on the next agenda. The contract between the City of Le Grand and the Marshall County Sheriff’s office was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

New Business: The first reading for Ordinance #204, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 17 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF LE GRAND, IOWA TO PROVIDE FOR ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS UPON PRESCRIBED NOTIFICATION, was motioned for approval by J. Ulery, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. M. Stephens motioned to waive the second and third readings of Ordinance #204, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. M. Stephens motioned for final passage of Ordinance #204, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The council then discussed Pirc-Tobin request for a reduction of retainage for the water project. After much consideration D. Vis made the motion to not approve the reduction in retainage for the water project, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The new State Electrical Inspection Law was discussed and the council wanted the public to be aware of the law changes. Finally, the council discussed hiring the part-time maintenance person. It was reported that four persons had applied for the job with two withdrawing their applications prior to the interview night. Two persons were interviewed by the Mayor, the Public Works Director, and two council members; Jarrod Ulery and Dusty Vis. D. Vis made the motion to hire Dustin Hotchkins starting at $11.00 per hour and he is required to get a CDL license within the probationary period of 90 days from the date of hire, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Reports from the council: D. Short reported on Victoria Keen’s request from the previous council meeting regarding house numbering. The city does have an ordinance requiring all properties to have house numbers on the main structure of the property. Those numbers must be 2 ½ inches high, minimum height requirement, and must be of contrasting color to the main structure. Doug created a map of all houses and performed preliminary research on which houses in town have numbers and which ones do not. D. Short stated she will be following up on Doug’s report, and then sending letters out to residents in violation of the ordinance for corrective action.

The Mayor reported that Vern Crookshank had resigned from the Marshall County Landfill Commission. Mr. Crookshank was the cities liaison to the Commission. The Mayor is seeking volunteers to take that position. He does however, have specific people in mind to ask.

J. Wyatt moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:05 P.M., second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, April 14, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor John Strain presiding. Members answering roll call: Dustin Vis, Jay Wyatt, Darlene Short, Mark Stephens and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Work’s Director; Doug Beadle, City Attorney; Curt Ward, Marshall County Deputy; Corby Robbins, Fire Dept. Representatives; Rob Schrader & Don Weitzell, Park & Rec. Representative; Lee Brant, and Library Director; Shelley Barron; Citizen’s: Renee Ulery, Randy Price, Mary Strain, Robert Vokoun, Brad Mauseth, Larry Forbes, Steven Clay, John Freland, Joe Overstake, Vern Crookshank, Victoria Keen, Brad Weitzell, Chris Weitzell and Amanda Jones.

The Mayor took a few minutes to introduce the City Attorney; Curt Ward to the public.

M. Stephens moved to approve tonight’s agenda second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker Rev. Pamela Mc Donald did not attend the meeting. The Mayor then moved to the next guest speaker, Victoria Keen. She addressed the council regarding an award that Le Grand Sanitation had received for recycling. She and the Mayor thanked the citizens of Le Grand for there effort in recycling and saving space in the landfill. The final guest speaker was Robert Vokoun. He aired several complaints to the Mayor and Council regarding lack of information in city minutes, law enforcement records, evidence and procedures, nuisance abatement procedures and alleged information received from a gentleman representing Habitat for Humanity and his desire to possibly build in Le Grand. The Mayor and Council addressed each of Mr. Vokoun’s complaints. Law enforcement is, was, and will be handled through the Marshall County Sheriff’s office. Nuisance abatement procedures are being followed appropriately, and the meeting with the gentleman from Habitat for Humanity was not brought to the Council’s attention as there was no available low cost property in town for their use at that time.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Brad Mauseth addressed the council regarding the placement of numbers on his house. The attorney informed him that if the mailbox is attached to the house and the numbers are on the house then he is in compliance. A letter will be sent to him to that affect. Vern Crookshank expressed his opinion on areas where the city could save money. Maintenance of the soccer field and two maintenance vehicles are not needed. The council informed Mr. Crookshank that the soccer field is used by several groups and for snow removal both trucks are needed. Steven Clay mentioned junk vehicles around town and John Freland spoke about dogs running at large. Amanda Jones thanked the Mayor and Council for the current police protection procedures.

Deputy Corby Robbins reported for the Marshall County Sheriff’s office. She reported the monthly stats: 26 business checks, 10 traffic stops, 4 accidents, 1 welfare check, 6 attempts to serve civil papers, 14 complaints, 1 medical assist and 1 tobacco compliance check.

During the Public Works Director’s report, Doug Beadle reported to the council that he and M. Stephens checked city streets and prioritized needed repairs. The council authorized Doug to do two of the most urgent repairs and to get more bids for the other repairs.

Shelley Barron reported for the library. March circulation is equal to February of 2008. The total circulation is down 8.5% from last year. The library will have new computers in July or August from the Gates Grant and will help with the overload currently being experienced. Five programs for the Summer Library Program costing approximately $700 have been scheduled. Library Gift Fund and donations will cover this expense. L.E.A.P. (Le

Grand Enrichment Arts Program will be welcome at these programs. The materials from the "Picturing America" grant have been received.

Lee Brant reported for the Park & Recreation Board. He didn’t have much to report as a board meeting had not been held in March. Board meetings will be held the first Thursday of each month.

Don Weitzell and Rob Schrader reported for the Fire Department. Firefighter 1 classes have been held throughout the last months therefore you may be seeing more activity at the station. Le Grand mutual aided Gilman at a large fire. Water sources or lack of were discussed and misunderstandings resolved.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

New Business: The sidewalk ordinance and cost sharing program was discussed. M. Stephens motioned, D. Vis second to follow Res. 04/01 meaning funding for cost sharing of sidewalk repairs is budgeted until July 1^st. At that time sidewalks will be repaired at the expense of the homeowners. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The sidewalk repair at 207 College Avenue was discussed, permission was granted for sidewalk to not be replaced with a motion by J. Ulery, second D. Short. Roll call. Ayes (Vis, Wyatt, Short, Ulery) Nay (Stephens). Carried. The council then discussed replacement of the copier and printer at City Hall. Premier offered a newer machine that would do the work of both machines at a cost savings over what would need to be spent next year when the lease was up. M. Stephens motioned to replace the machines, second J. Ulery. Roll call. Aye (Vis, Short, Stephens, Ulery) Abstain (Wyatt). Carried. The Mayor appointed the City Clerk to the Marshall County Solid-Waste Commission. The council decided to remove the Gas Permit Ordinance. The attorney will write up an ordinance to remove this law for consideration at the next council meeting. The City Emergency Plan was briefly discussed. A city meeting will be held April 23^rd at 6:30 p.m. at the Monet Center to discuss in detail the plan.

There were no reports from the Council or Mayor.

M. Stephens moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 P.M., second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, May 12, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor John Strain presiding. Members answering roll call: Dustin Vis, Jay Wyatt, Darlene Short, and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: Mark Stephens. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Work’s Director; Doug Beadle, a Marshall County Deputy Fire Dept. Representative; Rob Schrader, Park & Rec. Representative; Lee Brant, and Library Director; Shelley Barron. Citizen’s: Pastor Pamela Mc Donald, Mary Strain, Victoria Keen, Jason Wyatt, Robert Vokoun, Mack German, Jerry Overstake, Joe Overstake, Amy Weeks, Renee Ulery Ascencio, Chris Weitzell, Steve Clay, Larry Forbes, and Don Weitzell.

J. Wyatt moved to approve the tentative agenda second J. Ulery. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

The Public Hearing on the budget amendment was opened by the Mayor at 7:01 P.M. He explained the reason for the budget amendment; and increase in revenue from CDBG and SRF Loan for the water project and an increase in expenditures due to construction, engineering fees, and administrative fees for the water project. The hearing was opened to the tax payers. J. Overstake asked if the grant was free. The Mayor explained the grant money was free but required matching funds, hence the SRF Loan. The public hearing was closed with a motion by D. Short, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Resolution #06/09, A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2009, was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

The Public Hearing on the status of the CDBG for the Water Project was opened by the Mayor at 7:04 P.M. The status of the CDBG was read aloud by the City Clerk, the Mayor opened the hearing to the taxpayers. Hearing no comments the council closed the public hearing with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker Rev. Pamela Mc Donald addressed the council regarding camping out in the park to conduct a fund raiser. J. Wyatt motioned to allow the group to camp out and raise funds with ½ of the funds to go to the Joe Aldrich need and the other ½ to be distributed with final council approval. Then J. Wyatt amended his motion to state 100% of the proceeds to go to Joe Aldrich. The motion died for lack of a second. After much discussion the council tabled the request until the June council meeting. Mack German, the next guest speaker, than addressed the council regarding the condition of the city. He spoke of areas where maintenance or clean up is required in order to improve the looks of the community. J. Ulery addressed Mr. German’s issues, stating he is the nuisance abatement officer for the council and would look into Mr. German’s concerns.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Bob Vokoun addressed the Mayor and Council regarding lies the Mayor had told regarding the handling of police files and evidence. The Mayor reported he had not lied and if Mr. Vokoun would like to file a grievance he is welcome to. After more discussion the issue was dropped. Jerry Overstake addressed the council, reporting on a diseased tree on the terrace by his home. He would like this issue to be looked into.

The Deputy Sheriff handed in a written report on the Sheriff’s office activities for the month of April.

During the Public Works Director’s report, Doug Beadle reported that all his departments are doing fine. The council had no questions for him.

Shelley Barron reported for the library. April circulation was down about 10.4%. She reported that since going automated the library just reached their 100,000 check out. Lastly, she stated, she had been chosen out of 80 other participants to be on a board for the Central Iowa Library Service Area to conduct employee review procedures.

Lee Brant reported for the Park & Recreation Board. He discussed several issues. Receiving help from LEAP participants for park clean up, placing a door across the band shell to help prevent vandalism, recovering of Community/Monet Center chairs, possibility of raising the rent slightly on the building rentals and changing the hours to allow more time between rentals for cleaning, talking to the cleaning and maintenance personnel regarding new checklists for their jobs, aqua turf sprayed behind the Monet Center where the bank was dug back, and the need for more people on the Park & Rec. Board.

Rob Schrader reported for the Fire Department. There were 3 EMS calls and 1 Fire call this previous month. All Firefighter 1 classes are complete. Lastly, the grant has been submitted and should hear back from them in 3 to 4 months.

The consent agenda was approved after removing the bills from the list for separate consideration, with a motion by J. Ulery, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

The bills were briefly discussed; J. Ulery motioned to approve payment of the bills, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

New Business: Ordinance #205, AN ORDINANCE REPEALING PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 147 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF LE GRAND, IOWA, TO ABOLISH THE GAS PIPING INSPECTION AND PERMITTING PROCESS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL was read. Motion by J. Ulery to approve the first reading of the ordinance second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. J. Ulery motioned to waive the second and third reading, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. Final passage of Ordinance 205 was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Short. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. Resolution #08/09 A RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE THE REGION SIX HOUSING TRUST FUND was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. Resolution #09/09 A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE CITY OF MARSHALLTOWN’S HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO ADMINISTER THE LEAD HAZARD CONTROL GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. After some discussion the council decided to advertise for an on call person to fill the deputy clerk position. The council discussed the street repair at 300 S. Webster St. J. Ulery motioned to approve a payment from the previous property owner in lieu of them doing the repair themselves, second D. Short. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. Crack sealing of the streets was discussed. D. Vis motioned to accept Fort Dodge Asphalt’s bid for the work, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. The water leak sewer relief request from 203 W. Clinton was approved with a motion by J. Ulery, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. There were no reports from the Council or Mayor. J. Wyatt moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:10 P.M., second D. Short. Roll call.4-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, June 9, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor John Strain presiding. Members answering roll call: Dustin Vis, Jay Wyatt, Mark Stephens, and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: Darlene Short. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Work’s Director; Doug Beadle, Marshall County Sheriff; Ted Kamatchus, Marshall County Deputy; Corby Robbins, Fire Department Representatives; Don Weitzell and Rob Schrader, Park & Rec. Representative; Lee Brant, and Fox Engineering Representative; Les Wolfe. Citizen’s: Etta Schrader, Linda Weitzell, Steven Clay, Brad Weitzell, Jason Marquardt, and Robert Vokoun.

J. Wyatt moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Guest Speakers: There were no guest speakers.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Linda Weitzell addressed the council regarding cars driving down Main Street in the bicycle lane and dogs running loose. The Council and Sheriff’s department agreed to look into her concerns.

The Deputy Sheriff handed in a written report on the Sheriff’s office activities for the month of May. Bob Vokoun reported to the Sheriff that he has seen people drinking while driving their golf carts on public streets. Golf carts are under the same rules as motor vehicles. Drinking while driving a golf cart will be prosecuted as an OWI.

During the Public Works Director’s report, Doug Beadle reported that all of his departments are doing fine. The street repairs for this fiscal year are progressing and will be completed by the end of next week.

There was no report for the library.

Lee Brant reported for the Park & Recreation Board. The board will be meeting the first Thursday of each month at the Monet Center at 7:00 PM. everyone is welcome. At the June meeting the board discussed cleaning of the building with the cleaning team and the maintenance man.

Don Weitzell and Rob Schrader reported for the Fire Department. The driveway repairs are completed and the department thanked Doug for the expediency of the project. The department made it through the first wave of the grant they applied for and now are asking permission to apply for another grant gendered by the stimulus package from President Obama for protective services. This grant will be for an addition to the fire department building.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Old Business: The council discussed hiring Mary Strain as the new deputy clerk. She was the only applicant for the job. M. Stephens motion to hire Mary as on-call deputy clerk starting at $9.00 an hour with a possible wage increase after 60 days, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

New Business: The Council discussed change order number 6 of the 2007 Water Distribution Improvement Project. Les Wolfe; Fox Engineering explained that this change order is a formality to reconcile the bookwork for the project. The change order was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. Resolution 11/09, A RESOLUTION OF ACCEPTANCE OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE 2007 WATER DISTRIBUTION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, was approved with a motion by J. Ulery, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. The street dance for Pioneer Days hosted by the County Line Bar was approved with the requirement that two certified reserve officers must be in attendance to provide security. The motion was made by J. Ulery, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. The request for on street parking during a private event by 404 W. Main Street was approved with the instructions of parking only on the north side of the street. Signage must be erected to indicate that the bicycle lane is temporarily closed that day. The clerk will place notice to that affect at the post office. Motion was made by D. Vis approving the request, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. Council discussed the offer of purchasing IT services from Premier. M. Stephens motioned to not purchase the service, second D. Vis. Roll call. 3 nays, 1 abstain (J. Wyatt). Carried. The contract for the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office was discussed. The current contract is up as of June 30, 2009. The council agreed to extend the contract for the next fiscal year with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. Mosquito prevention services were discussed. A bid was presented by Mosquito Control of Iowa, and Schendel Pest Control. D. Vis motioned to approve the bid form Mosquito Control of Iowa for the next fiscal year, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. Resolution 12/09, A RESOLUTION APPROVING BUDGETARY TRANSFERS, was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Council Reports: M. Stephens reported for Streets and Alleys. He indicated a citizen had approached him concerned about the street level or drop off on Dawn Street. D. Beadle agreed to look into this issue. The Finance Committee will need to meet as the rural water price has increased yet again. Finances will need to be examined due to this increase.

Mayor’s Report: The Mayor stated a citizen has approached him with the desire to plant flowers inside a tree stump that is on city right away. The council agreed this is not an issue and the citizen is approved to plant the flowers.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:30 P.M. with a motion by J. Wyatt, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, July 14, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor Pro Tem Jay Wyatt presiding. Members answering roll call: Dustin Vis, Mark Stephens, Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Work’s Director; Doug Beadle, Marshall County Deputy; Corby Robbins, Fire Department Representatives; Don Weitzell and Rob Schrader and Pioneer Days Representative; Linda Weitzell. Citizen’s: Etta Schrader, Brad Weitzell, Chris Weitzell, Renee Ulery-Ascencio, Amy Weeks, Steve Clay, Larry Forbes, Joe Overstake, Dustin Hotchkins, Bruce Patterson, and Victoria Keen.

Before the meeting began, Jay Wyatt read Mayor John Strain’s resignation letter. He resigned due to health reasons.

D. Short moved to approve the tentative agenda second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speakers: Linda Weitzell addressed the council concerning Pioneer Days events. She was asked to inquire about the check to J & M Displays for fireworks purchase by Bob Vokoun. The clerk hadn’t received an invoice yet therefore the check hadn’t been written. The council agreed to allow the clerk to write the check between council meetings once she had received the invoice. Linda then addressed the council regarding the Le Grand Leisure Homes. Bob Vokoun had agreed to be a liaison between the Leisure Home and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office. The council would like this issue to be discussed between the Marshall County Sheriff, the Leisure Home Board and Bob Vokoun.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Chris Weitzell put a bag of weeds picked from the park on the council chamber table. She is requesting that the park be weeded and trimming done on a regular basis. Bruce Patterson addressed the council regarding the parking laws on Drury Lane. His neighbor is parking almost directly across the street from his driveway making it very difficult for him to back out of his driveway. Bruce would like to see a possible ordinance change. Joe Overstake addressed the council regarding golf cart permits and ATV’s. The council reported that golf carts are allowed as long as they have permits from the city. ATV’s are not allowed on public streets with the exception of farm use reasons and a special permit from the Mayor for Little League ball field maintenance.

Marshall County Deputy Robbins submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of June.

During the Public Works Director’s report, Doug Beadle addressed the council regarding a complaint about the intersection of Julian and Vine Streets. He had dug out the asphalt and rocked in the area as a temporary repair. He then received a bid from KB Underground for the permanent repair in the amount of $1,450, as the cities equipment cannot perform the necessary repairs. Doug then spoke about a complaint from the Leisure Homes about an area being constantly too wet to mow. Doug has found a sump pump constantly running discharging water to this area. The area is within the cities right of way but the homeowner is responsible. The council felt it was the responsibility of the city to correct this issue before it becomes a liability, as it is the cities ditch not draining properly. The council instructed Doug to fix the problem. Lastly, Doug talked with the council about Part Time Maintenance person; Dustin Hotchkins availability. Dustin explained that he had a new job working from 8:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday. He would be available in the evenings or on weekends. He did explain that he has his CDL License but if the council wished for his resignation he would comply. The Council didn’t want his resignation as he could still do snow removal if needed. The Council approved the hiring of another person for day time hours. The notice will go up soon for taking applications to fill that position.

There was no report for the library or the Park and Recreation Board.

Rob Schrader reported for the Fire Department. He indicated there was not much going on. The department had poured a concrete slab for the generator done by the Boy Scouts as an Eagle project.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: Resolution #14/09, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE TRANSFER OF GENERAL FUND TO CAPITAL RESERVE FUND FOR ENDING DEPARTMENT BALANCES AND TRANSFER FROM LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX TO GENERAL FUND FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, was approved with a motion by J. Ulery, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The sale of the police car was discussed. The council agreed to sell the police car and equipment to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office for the price of ¼ of the payment for annual police protection and only after the Sheriff met with the Fire Advisory Committee to see what equipment the Fire Dept might like to have from the car.

New Business: M. Stephens motion to fill the Mayor’s vacancy by appointment, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Interested persons are to submit their letter of intent to city hall. The appointment will take place at the August Council meeting. The annual contract for the maintenance of the lift stations pumps was discussed. The contract price would be $604.00 which covers pulling and servicing the pumps, the trip charge and labor fees. D. Short made the motion to approve the contract, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Amy Weeks addressed the council regarding the purpose for the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Inc grant. With the LEAP Program serving 72 children this year with possible increases next year due to the program serving more of the school district, fees will increase. Writing this grant will help fund some of those increases. M. Stephens motioned to approve Resolution 15/09, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF LE GRAND, IOWA APPROVING THE APPLICATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECEIVING COMMUNITY BETTERMENT GRANT AWARDS FROM PRAIRIE MEADOWS RACETRACK AND CASINO, INC., second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Ulery motioned to approve council receiving their packets via email, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Council Reports: There were no council reports.

Mayor’s Report: There was no Mayor’s report.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:30 P.M. with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in special session at 5:30 PM, July 28, 2009 at City Hall with Mayor Pro Tem Jay Wyatt presiding. Members answering roll call: Darlene Short, Mark Stephens, Dusty Vis and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, and Public Works Director; Doug Beadle. Citizens: John Freland, Victoria Keen, Steve Clay, Larry Forbes, Loren Vis, and Lee Brant.

D. Short motioned to approve the agenda for tonight’s meeting, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The discussion of Public Works job responsibilities began with Council asking the Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, why he wrote the letter to them. The Council thought the meaning of the letter was hard to understand which led them to believe that Doug may have resigned his position. Doug stated the letter was meant to let the council know he did not want the responsibilities or wage that came with the title of Public Works Director. He felt that the Council is not giving him feedback on how to do his job and isn’t getting the appropriate help from part-time maintenance employees that was expected when they were hired. The Council asked that Doug never write a letter like that again. When he has issues, the Council would like him to come and talk with them directly. This led the Council into discussing Doug’s attitude. Doug admitted that he had an attitude problem. It is being brought on by public comments, lack of help from council and inability to take vacation time due to unreliable part-time help. The Council then expressed their apologies for not responding to Doug when he asks for their input. They assumed Doug knew his job responsibilities and would not want the Council micro-managing him, knowing they are not his direct supervisors. The Council will attempt to respond in a timelier manner when Doug requires help. The Council told Doug it was unfortunate that the part-time help is not working out the way they anticipated when the hiring was done. This was no one’s fault. The council agreed to allow Doug more input into who is hired from now on and asked Doug to work with Cheryl to word the job advertisement for hiring the next part-time maintenance person. The Council expressed concerns regarding Doug’s public image. Several of Doug’s actions are causing misunderstandings and council are receiving phone calls asking what Doug is doing all day, especially since obvious tasks are not getting done. Potholes are one of the big concerns. Doug thought the slurry mix that will be put on the streets later this fall would correct some of the pothole issues. M. Stephens told Doug the slurry mix would not fix that problem, and that he needed to fix those with cold patch. Doug also told the council that sometimes what may be an obvious task to them or the public may not be to him. After you have driven the streets so many times you get used to them and don’t notice imperfections as much. Doug stated it would be helpful if the Council reported to him citizen concerns so that he may address the problem sooner. After more discussion the council concluded the meeting asking Doug to: 1) Keep a log of daily activities to be filed at City Hall, 2) Work on the attitude and public image problem, and 3) Work on time management and work organization.

The meeting adjourned at 7:40 P.M. with a motion by J. Ulery, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, August 11, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor Pro Tem Jay Wyatt presiding. Members answering roll call: Dustin Vis, Mark Stephens, Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Marshall County Deputy; Corby Robbins, Fire Department Representatives; Don Weitzell and Rob Schrader, Library Director; Shelley Barron and Social Director; Amy Weeks. Citizen’s: Loran Vis, Renee Ulery-Ascencio, Kayla Ascencio, Chris Weitzell, Brad Weitzell, Etta Schrader, Dustin Hotchkins, Kaci Hoskey, Connie Hoskey, John Freland, Bruce Patterson, Terry Franksain, Joe Overstake, Steven Clay, Bob Vokoun, Victoria Keen, and Mack German.

D. Short moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The Council filled the Mayor’s vacant position with Loran Vis, the only interested party, with a motion by J. Ulery, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 4 Aye (J. Wyatt, D. Short, M. Stephens and J. Ulery), 1 abstain (D. Vis). Carried. Mayor Vis took the seat immediately.

Guest Speaker: Amy Weeks addressed the council regarding a budget amendment of $4,700 she would like from the City for the LEAP Program. The LEAP Committee has worked diligently on applying for grants, requesting donations, and fund raisers, however those activities don’t meet total budget requirements. The Council agreed to review the budget and respond to this request at the next council meeting. Amy then discussed Pioneer Days. She asked the council to review the conduct of the Pioneer Days Committee as there seems to be some discord regarding the exclusion of citizens from the Committee. M. Stephens remarked on the Pioneer Days Committee and how there seem to be "growing pains" as more people are volunteering for the Committee and was sure this would be corrected eventually. Etta Schrader, Pioneer Days President, stated the Committee had been advised by the attorney to not include more people on the Committee until their November meeting.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Dustin Hotchkins addressed the council regarding his role as part time maintenance. He asked if he is still working for the city as he was locked out of the maintenance truck when he thought it was his turn to do weekend chores. The council felt that the open council meeting was not the appropriate place to discuss this issue and would discuss it at a later date. Terry Franksain addressed the council regarding tree limbs hanging low around the Prairie Street/College Avenue intersection. The council agreed to look into this issue. Mack German addressed Mayor Vis regarding his handling of nuisance issues and sidewalks. The Mayor responded by stating he was just new to the position and would need to look into these issues. Bob Vokoun reported that he personally would like to see the police capital reserve be used for security issues and community protection. He would like to see this item discussed at a later time. Chris Weitzell reported to the council about weeds growing in the park. These had not been taken care of since the last meeting in July. Kieth Osborn concurred with Chris in regards to weeds growing in the park horseshoe pit area. Renee Ulery Ascencio stated the Park & Rec. Board is aware of these concerns. The may need to re-evaluate the maintenance position.

Marshall County Deputy Robbins submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of July.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle submitted a written report on activities in the water, wastewater and road departments.

The Library Director; Shelley Barron reported for the Library. May circulation was down 13.6% over May of last year but the June circulation was up 6.4% from last year. July circulation was down 21.9% due to no LEAP in July. The Summer Library Program went well. 97 children registered. The Library will have an open house at Pioneer Days.

Renee Ulery Ascensio reported for the Park & Recreation Board. She stated they will be working on painting the Band Shell, fixing Band Shell outlets and installing park benches before the Pioneer Days event.

Don Weitzell reported for the Fire Department. He said there was not much to report. The Fire department was not very busy with calls but the First Responders were. He then stated the department is still waiting to hear from the grant applications.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: The parking ordinance discussion was tabled for further research.

New Business: The council discussed the outdoor warning system (siren testing) policy. They felt there was no need for change at this time. Resolution 17/09, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION STREET FINANCE REPORT, FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2009, was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Resolution 18/09, A RESOLUTION APPROVING A BUDGETARY TRANSFER OF DEPARTMENTAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FROM CAPITAL RESERVE TO THE GENERAL FUND, was approved with a motion be J. Ulery, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The sidewalk issue was tabled. The request for sewer relief from 508 E. Dawn St. was approved allowing $80.60 to be credited to the utility account, with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Resolution 19/09, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DESTRUCTION OF GENERAL CITY RECORDS, was approved with a motion be M. Stephens, second J, Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The discussion on the Public Works Director’s daily log was tabled for a special meeting to be held on Thursday, August 20^th at 7 P.M.

Council Reports: Streets and Alleys reported the slurry work on the streets should commence later this month. Fire Advisory reported he had spoken with fire, first responder, and township representatives about it being important to keep the township in the loop of fire department business.

Mayor’s Report: There was no Mayor’s report.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:50 P.M. with a motion by J. Ulery, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in special session at 7:00 PM, August 20, 2009 at City Hall with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Mark Stephens, Dusty Vis and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: Darlene Short. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, and Public Works Director; Doug Beadle. Citizen: Victoria Keen.

J. Wyatt motioned to approve the agenda for tonight’s meeting, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

J. Wyatt swore in the Mayor Vis.

The discussion of Public Works job responsibilities began with Council asking the Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, if he has had an attitude change. His response was no. The council then went on to discuss the reasoning why Part-Time Maintenance person; Dustin Hotchkin addressed the council at the last council meeting regarding his inability to do his weekend chores. Doug responded saying there had been no communication between them regarding who was doing the chores. Dustin hadn’t contacted Doug to let him know when he was available for work. However, this issue has been resolved since that time. After much debate the council decided to require Doug to fill out a daily log using one sheet per day. The council also asked Doug to not discuss his attitude towards council members while working on the clock. Lastly, the part-time maintenance position will be placed on the next council meeting agenda for discussion.

Doug then addressed the council regarding a request from the Fire Department to use cones rather that barricades to block off the street for the car show during Pioneer Days. The Council agreed to allow the cones to be used as long as the Fire Department placed a sign stating (Street closed for Car Show).

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 P.M. with a motion by J. Ulery, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, September 8, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor Pro Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: Dusty Vis and Mark Stephens. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Marshall County Deputy; Corby Robbins, and Fire Department Representative; Rob Schrader. Citizen’s: Larry Forbes, Linda Weitzell, Vern Crookshank, Steven Clay and Beth Tow.

J. Ulery moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Short. Roll call. 3-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker: There were no guest speakers.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Linda Weitzell addressed the Council regarding Pioneer Days events. She thanked the Council for the provisions the city granted Pioneer Days. She also indicated there had been trouble with one vendor but the issue had been dealt with during the event. She then asked the council to have the cement slab in the park removed as it presented a trip hazard. Linda commented on the flu shot posting and inquired about information pertaining to the occurrence.

Marshall County Deputy Robbins gave a verbal report on their department’s activities for the month of August. The written report will be submitted at a later date.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle submitted a written report on activities in the water, wastewater and road departments.

There were no Library or Park & Recreation reports.

Rob Schrader reported for the Fire Department. He stated there were a couple of fire calls and 6 EMS calls for the month of August. The Department is now working on a Junior Firefighters organization for 16 yrs and older.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by D. Short, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 3-0. Carried.

Old Business: The parking ordinance discussion was tabled for further research. The sidewalk repairs discussion was tabled until next month. Also, the Part-Time Maintenance Position was tabled until next month.

New Business: The Animal Rescue League Contract was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 3-0. Carried. The discussion regarding the I-Jobs Stimulus money was tabled until next month. J. Ulery motioned to approve the following legislative changes to be codified to the City’s Ordinances: Changes to Standard Penalties, Municipal Infractions, Parking Violations, Hazardous Substance Cleanup Costs, Sex Offenders regulations, abandon vehicle regulations, Off-Road Utility Vehicle regulations, Utility Services and Hotel/Motel Tax, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 3-0. Carried. After several minutes of discussion the council asked the employees to fill out duty logs daily for a month, then this issue will be placed on the next agenda. Trick or Treat night was set for Saturday, October 31, 2009 from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M.

Council Reports: J. Wyatt reported that Beth Tow (who left the meeting earlier) had a complaint regarding the condition of her yard after it had been torn up during the water project. After several minutes of discussion the subject was dropped. There were no other council reports. There was no Mayor’s report.

Council adjourned the meeting at 7:45 P.M. with a motion by J. Ulery, second D. Short. Roll call. 3-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Le Grand City Council met in special session at 7:00 PM, September 24, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Mark Stephens, Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: Dusty Vis. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver.

M. Stephens motioned to approve the agenda for tonight’s meeting, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

M. Stephens motioned to approve the alcohol permit for Good Luck, Inc. second D. Short. Vote was taken. All ayes.

J. Wyatt motioned to approve the Cigarette permit for Good Luck, Inc. with an expiration date correction to 2010 rather than 2009, second M. Stephens. Vote was taken. All ayes.

The meeting adjourned at 7:25 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, October 13, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Dusty Vis, Jay Wyatt, Darlene Short, Mark Stephens and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Fire Department Representative; Rob Schrader and Library Director; Shelley Barron. Citizen’s: Linda Weitzell, Larry Forbes, Steven Clay and Don Weitzell.

J. Wyatt moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker: There were no guest speakers.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Linda Weitzell addressed the Council regarding a message she received from KDAO wanting to know City activities throughout the months of November-December.

A written report was submitted by the Marshall County Sheriff’s office regarding activities in the City for the month of September.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle submitted a written report on activities in the water, wastewater and road departments.

A written report was submitted from Shelley Barron for the Library for the month of September. Circulation was up 2.2%. Total circulation for the year was down 13.3% over last year.

There was no report from the Park & Recreation Board or the Fire Department.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: The parking ordinance was discussed but the council declined to make changes at this time. Sidewalk repairs were discussed and tabled until spring. The Part-Time Maintenance position was discussed. It was decided to have the Mayor and Council Finance Committee look into determining the number of hours and rate of pay then advertise again for the position. The I-Jobs Stimulus money was discussed and approved to be spent on Cessford’s bid for street repairs. Employee’s daily logs were discussed. It was a stated that the Council will still require the Maintenance personnel to fill out the logs but the Clerk is exempt. Requiring her to fill out the log detracts too much from her job. The request for sewer relief for the leak at 508 E. Dawn Street was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

New Business: The Council discussed clean-up day and approved a date to be announced in the spring. The clerk will contact Marshall County Solid Waste to make the arrangements. The Nuisance Reversal from 300 S. Webster Street was tabled until the next meeting. Resolution 22/09 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE STATE OF IOWA ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2009 was approved with a motion by J, Wyatt second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The tree at 504 S. Jeffrey Street, the council instructed the clerk to approach Alliant as a power line is running through the tree. The tree at 104 E. Clinton Street was approved to be taken down immediately. Bids are to be gotten for this purpose. The trees at 107 W. Benton Street are to be inspected by the Forester for determination on them. M. Stephens motion to approve Aaron Mitchell’s appointment to the Park & Recreation Board second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Wyatt motioned to approved Mike Whitmore’s appointment to the Planning and Zoning Commission second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Short motioned to approve Carol Stanford’s re-appointment to the Planning and Zoning Commission second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Sewer relief for the water leak at 605 Crestview Drive was approved with a motion by M. Stephens second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. After some discussion a motion was made by J. Wyatt to approve moving the C.D money to the Savings account, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. A motion was made by M. Stephens to approve paying off the SRF Loan and to move the money from the Savings account to the Checking account to facilitate the payoff second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The libraries request for a drop box to be placed by the post office drop box at 101 E. Main Street was approved with a motion by M. Stephens second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The drop box will be installed by City Maintenance Personnel when the box is ready and when weather permits. The drop box will be emptied by Library Personnel according their rules. The first reading of Ordinance 206 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, 2006, BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO THE STANDARD PENALTY was approved with a motion by M. Stephens second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Wyatt motioned to waive the second and third readings of Ordinance 206 second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Vis motioned to approve final passage of Ordinance 206 second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The first reading of Ordinance 207 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, 2006, BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO THE MUNICIPAL INTRACTIONS was approved with a motion by J. Ulery second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Wyatt motioned to waive the second and third readings of Ordinance 207 second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Vis motioned to approve final passage of Ordinance 207 second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. M. Stephens motioned to approve the first reading of Ordinance 208 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, 2006, BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO PARKING VIOLATIONS: ALTERNATE second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. M. Stephens moved to waive the second and third readings of Ordinance 208 second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Wyatt moved to approve final passage of Ordinance 208 second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Short motioned to approve the first reading of Ordinance 209 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, 2006 BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE CLEANUP COSTS second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Wyatt moved to waive the second and third readings of Ordinance 209 second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Short moved to approve final passage of Ordinance 209 second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Ulery motioned to approve the first reading of Ordinance 210 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, 2006, BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO ABANDON VEHICLES second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. M. Stephens motioned to place Ordinance 210 on the next agenda for the second reading second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. M. Stephens motioned to approve the first reading of Ordinance 211 AN ORDINANCED AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, 2006, BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO OFF-ROAD UTILITY VEHICLES second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Wyatt moved to waive the second and third readings of Ordinance 211 second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Vis motioned to approve final passage of Ordinance 211 second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. M. Stephens moved to approve the first reading of Ordinance 212 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, 2006, BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO UTILITY SERVICE second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Vis moved to waive the second and third readings of Ordinance 212 second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. D. Short moved to approve final passage of Ordinance 212 second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Council Reports: M. Stephens reported that the trees are looking much better and the Street in front of Gary Cooling’s house looks very good after his hard work of cleaning up. Then M. Stephens reported on a couple of Fire Department issues. One, the conduct of a First Responder is being corrected by the Fire Department and First Responder Departments. The departments further intend to create a new code of conduct which will be adhered to by department members. The Chief feels that the department needs to maintain a particular code in order to have the public trust. Second, the Fire Department is starting a Junior Firefighters group for 16 to 18 year olds. This is with the full cooperation of the school and Principal Kozak. The department feels involving these youths would give them an understanding of firefighter obligations and prepare them for eventual full firefighter status when they come of age. The youths will not be allowed to enter burning buildings, run "hot" to the fire department during a call and the youth’s parents must sign off for permission for the youths to participate. J. Ulery, asked to have Central Iowa Rural Water Association attend the next meeting to discuss water rates and there continual rise. There were no further reports from council. There was no Mayor’s report.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:55 P.M. with a motion by J. Ulery, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, November 10, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor Pro Tem Jay Wyatt presiding. Members answering roll call: Dusty Vis, Darlene Short, and Mark Stephens. Absent: Mayor Loran Vis and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Fire Department Representative; Rob Schrader and Central Iowa Water Association Representative; Jim La Plant. Citizen’s: Larry Forbes, Steven Clay, Mack German and Chris Weitzell.

M. Stephens moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Short. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker: Jim La Plant from Central Iowa Water Association was asked by the Council to attend and explain the reasoning behind their annual rate increases. When the city signed onto rural water it was explained to the Council at that time there had been no rate increases in 15 years. Mr. La Plant began his explanation with handouts showing rates of other cities served by Central Iowa Water Association, Central Iowa Water Association’s annual report and a list of other cities served by the Association. He then stated due to cost increases of materials to lay water lines, and other contributing factors the Association had to look into increasing rates to just keep the system from running down. He assured the Council that the increases would taper off now and the next increase would not possibly happen until 2011. Doug Beadle, Public Works Director addressed Mr. La Plant about the new ground water rule and how Central Iowa Water Association would handle this as they provide water to us from three possible sources. Mr. La Plant explained this would be difficult and he would discuss this issue with people at his company more knowledgeable on the subject, and then get back to Doug.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Larry Forbes told the Council it isn’t right for landlords to be responsible for their tenant’s water bill. Doug responded to him saying it isn’t right for the city to be responsible when the landlord collects a deposit from the tenant, doesn’t contact the city when the tenant moves out and expects the city to absorb the bill when the city wasn’t the one responsible for renting the property in the first place. M. Stephen’s agrees with Mr. Forbes; however the city must follow the ordinances. M. Stephens says the Council will look into this ordinance.

A written report was submitted by the Marshall County Sheriff’s office regarding activities in the City for the month of October.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle reported for his department. He reported the water project on Drury Lane is the cities responsibility rather than the homeowners due to errors when the water main was originally installed. The bills for this project will be presented at the next council meeting.

There was no report from the Park & Recreation Board or the Library.

The Fire Department and EMS responded to several calls during the month of October.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Old Business: The nuisance reversal at 300 S. Webster Street was discussed. Mack German was allowed to address the council regarding his views on the subject. He would like the council to consider not allowing the nuisance to be reversed. The nuisance was actually a water bill that had not been paid and was submitted to the treasurer for collection in the same manner as property taxes. Mr. German contended that the new property owner’s lawyer is responsible for looking into the property to make sure there were no liens before submitting final approval of the sale. He states the party should discuss this oversight with their attorney. The nuisance will not be reversed the council has decided and the clerk is instructed to write a letter to the complainant to let them know of the Council’s decision. M. Stephens motioned to approve the second reading of Ordinance 210, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, 2006, BY AMENDING PROVISIONS PERTAINING TO ABANDON VEHICLES second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. D. Short moved to waive the third reading of Ordinance 210 second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. D. Vis moved to approve final passage of Ordinance 210 second M. Stephens. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. M. Stephens moved to approve the removal of the trees at 107 W. Benton Street by Ledford Tree and Lawn Service, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

New Business: Changes to the employee manual and credit card policy were tabled for further research until the next council meeting.

Council Reports: Dusty Vis and Mark Stephens will conduct the interviews for the part time maintenance position some time during the week of November 16 – 20^th. The council will then convene to make the final decision on whom to hire.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:55 P.M. with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in special session at 7:00 PM, November 19, 2009 at City Hall with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Mark Stephens, Dusty Vis, Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, and Public Works Director; Doug Beadle.

J. Wyatt motioned to approve the agenda for tonight’s meeting, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The Mayor began the discussion asking for clarification on the job duties of the part time maintenance position. The Council and Doug responded saying the position performed basically the same duties as Doug’s; reading water meters, and taking daily readings. Along with those duties he is to help Doug when a two man team is required for the task, mowing, snow removal and maintenance at the Community Center and Park.

M. Stephens made the motion to hire Mack German for 20 hours per week starting at $10.00 per hour, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4 ayes (D. Vis, M. Stephens, J. Ulery, and J. Wyatt), 1 nay (D. Short). Motion Carried. Mr. German is required to obtain his CDL within thirty (30) days. He will receive a wage increase once he has acquired the CDL. Another raise may be implemented after 90 days dependent upon job performance.

The meeting adjourned at 7:15 P.M. with a motion by D. Short, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 5:15 PM, December 10, 2009 at the Monet Center with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Dusty Vis, Darlene Short, Jarrod Ulery and Mark Stephens. Absent: None. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Part-Time Maintenance; Mack German. Citizen: Deb Wolf.

Mayor Loran Vis, and Council members Jay Wyatt and Dusty Vis were sworn in.

D. Short moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker: There were no guest speakers.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, there were no comments.

There was no report from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle reported for his department. He reported the tire on the skid loader had to be repaired and he had to have Kim Keen help move some of the snow. City equipment was unable to keep up with the heavy snow fall. The Mayor and Council praised the Maintenance Department for their fine job of snow removal from city streets.

There was no report from the Park & Recreation Board.

The Library submitted a written report. September circulation was up 2.2% over September of last year, October circulation was down 6.4% over last year and November circulation was up 6.1% over last year. The library has applied for a grant to purchase a movie license to show movies without copyright infringements. Junior Friends will hold a book sale on January 9, 2010 to raise money to purchase a T.V. with DVD/Video player. Currently the library has three used computers with Windows XP, monitor, and wireless cards for sale.

The Fire Department and EMS had no report.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: The changes to the credit card policy were approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Collecting water bills from rental places was discussed. It was decided to send out the 30 day notice of non payment of utility bills the day after the water is shut off for non payment. A larger deposit will be charged to renters where landlords have submitted written letters indicating non responsibility for remaining water bills when tenants move out.

New Business: Resolution 23/09, A RESOLUTION APPROVING A BUDGETARY TRANSFER was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The audit for FY 08/09 was reviewed. After some discussion regarding the Flood Plain Insurance Program, the council decided to approve the ordinance and have the City re-instated to the program. The ordinance will be submitted for first reading at the next council meeting.

Council Reports: There were no Mayor or Council reports.

Council adjourned the meeting at 6:15 P.M. with a motion by J. Wyatt, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By: Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, January 12, 2010 at City Hall with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Dusty Vis, Darlene Short, Jarrod Ulery and Mark Stephens. Absent: None. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Fire Department Representative; Robert Schrader, Marshall County Deputy Beane and Cissy’s Owners/Managers; Paramvir Singh, Jamil Manhani and Shamir Manhani. Citizens: Lyndon and Maren Williams, Larry Forbes, Steven Clay, Victoria Keen, Renee Ulery-Ascencio, Florence Vis, Alison Vis, Amanda Jones, Chris Weitzell and Lee Brant.

Mayor Loran Vis, swore in Clerk/Treasurer; Cheryl Culver. This action is to be done every two years according to the Ordinance for the City of Le Grand.

J. Wyatt moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker: There were no guest speakers.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, several citizens addressed the Council regarding the Pioneer Days Committee. These citizens have been trying to volunteer to join the committee to help with the Pioneer Days Event. They have met with resistance and censure over the last several months. A meeting of the Committee had been scheduled for January at which no Pioneer Days Committee Officer attended. The officers were called and both declined to participate in the meeting that night. The citizens wished for the Council to withdraw City resource and financial support from the Pioneer Days Committee until such time as the Pioneer Days Committee began following their bylaws and allowing more citizens to participate in this endeavor. The Council asked the citizens to try and schedule another meeting to work out differences with the Pioneer Days Committee members. If a resolution to this conflict could not be reached in that meeting then the citizens are to communicate with the Mayor and this topic will be added to the agenda at the next regular council meeting in February.

Marshall County Deputy Beane submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of December.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle reported for his department. He reported the Water and Sewer Departments are fine. Two of the plows for snow removal went down but since have been repaired. The injector on the old pickup is in need of repair and will be taken in Thursday. M. Stephens commented on a couple of complaints he had received. The dump truck needs to be used more often and several curves need to be widened specifically the Dawn Street “S” curves. Overall, though, he has heard good reports on snow removal on the streets.

There was no report from the Library or Park & Recreation Board.

The Fire Department had no report and the EMS reported a total of 86 calls throughout the calendar year of 2009.

The consent agenda was approved after the removal of the bills item with a motion by J. Wyatt, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The bills list was discussed, specifically the bill for Kim Keen on snow removal. Doug Beadle explained that a city vehicle had gotten stuck and Kim pulled it out with the tractor. Also, Mr. Keen used the tractor to plow out areas due to very deep snow drifts that City equipment was unable to maintain. The payment of bills was approved with a motion by D. Vis, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: The council discussed the water main break at 605 Drury Lane. An additional bill (Thomas Company) was presented at this time for further plumbing work at this site. This water main break was determined to be on the city’s main. J. Ulery made the motion to pay the bills from KB Underground and Thomas Company, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

New Business: The liquor license for Good Luck, Inc. (Cissy’s) was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The Social Committee was established by the council with a motion by D. Vis, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Citizens will be appointed to this committee at the next regular council meeting in February. Appointments by the Mayor for the Mayor Pro Tem and Council Committees were tabled. A motion was made be M. Stephens to approve the refund of Campbell Oil Companies alcohol permit fee, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The first reading of Ordinance 213, AN ORDINANCE CREATING AND ADOPTING NEW CHAPTER 160 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, ENTITLED “FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA” was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. J. Wyatt motioned to waive the second and third readings of Ordinance 213, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4 ayes, 1 nay (M. Stephens), carried. Final passage of Ordinance 213 was approved with a motion by D. Vis, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Discussion of employee wages for FY 2010/2011 was tabled until the budget workshop meeting set for Tuesday, January 26^th at 6:00 P.M.

There was no report from the Mayor. Jarrod Ulery reported a complaint he had received regarding snow be piled in front of the County Line Bar’s back emergency exit door by the neighboring business. Council determined this was a civil matter between the two businesses.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:20 P.M. with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By: Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, February 9, 2010 at City Hall with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Dusty Vis, Darlene Short, Jarrod Ulery and Mark Stephens. Absent: None. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Fire Chief; Brad Weitzell, and Marshall County Deputy Beane. Citizens: Lyndon and Maren Williams, Larry Forbes, Steven Clay, Victoria Keen, Alison Vis, Chris Weitzell, and Bruce Patterson.

J. Wyatt moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The Public Hearing approving the budget for FY 10/11 was opened by the Mayor at 7:01. The Council had no discussion on the budget. The public asked what cuts we made to balance the budget. The council cut expenditures in two funds and did not increase wages due to the economy. The public hearing was closed at 7:03 pm with a motion by D. Short, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. Resolution 01/10, A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2011, was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

There were no guest speakers.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Bruce Patterson asked about the snow ordinance. He was interested in emergency snow routes were cars are to be removed from the street in order for snow plows to get through. The council agreed to look into this ordinance and place the topic on the next agenda. Victoria Keen complimented the maintenance guys on their excellent work. She stated the roads have been the best in recent years. Mrs. Keen then addressed the council regarding the parking of the mail trucks in the city parking lot. They are blocking the view of traffic, the Mayor agreed to look into this issue. Chris Weitzell asked the council who is responsible for digging out Fire Hydrants. This job is the butting property owners responsibility, a notice will be placed in the post office reminding citizens of this task. Larry Forbes asked the council why the council meetings have been moved back to City Hall. The Mayor stated in previous meetings only one or two people would attend and felt it was more expedient to have the meetings back at City Hall. Mr. Forbes also reported the chairs in the Community and Monet Centers are in need of cleaning. The Park & Recreation Board will address this problem.

Marshall County Deputy Beane submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of January.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle reported for his department. He reported the new Water Permit has been received and doesn’t appear to have changes in it. Wastewater is doing fine. Roads are being cleared of snow and all equipment is holding up. He did report that he had asked for a snow thrower for the skid loader and a wing for the dump truck but due to budget constraints, understands why that equipment cannot be purchased at this time.

There was no report from the Library or Park & Recreation Board.

The Fire Department report was given by Chief Weitzell. He stated there had been three calls in the last month. He also reported that the Fire Department received a portion of their grant. They would not be able to purchase the cascade system but would be able to purchase air bottle packs. Brad then went on to address the council about certain statements made about him stemming from the public works director; Doug Beadle. An argument then ensued; the council felt this matter should be handled in a grievance committee meeting.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: The Mayor re-appointed Jay Wyatt as the Mayor Pro-Tem. The Council Committees remained the same. Streets and Alleys is Mark Stephens and Dusty Vis, Water and Sewer is Jay Wyatt and Jarrod Ulery, Finance is Darlene Short and Dusty Vis, Park and Recreation Board liaison is Darlene Short, Library Board liaison is Dusty Vis, Fire Advisory Board is Mark Stephens and Planning and Zoning is Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. The new position added to the council committees is liaison to the Social Committee which is Mark Stephens. Resolution 02/10, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING APPLICATION FOR FLOOD INSURANCE USING HOME RULE AUTHORITY, was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

New Business: After some discussion the council agreed to renew the agricultural land lease with Kim Keen for five years with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The Stream Use Assessment and Use Attainability Analysis provided to the city by the IDNR, was discussed. This analysis is the result of the stream study completed by the IDNR to determine that restrictions that will be placed on the city for wastewater discharge. The stream has been assessed as aquatic and recreational. The restrictions will be implemented on the new wastewater permit once it is received. The permit is expected to be renewed in the next year or two. The Council wishes to be proactive on addressing this issue and will be contacting Fox Engineering to provide contractual costs and information to help the city with changes needed to the wastewater treatment plant to meet the new guidelines. Resolution 03/10, A RESOLUTION APPROVING FOR PUBLICATION THE ANNUAL WAGES OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF LE GRAND, IOWA, was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The following is a list of the gross annual wages of City of Le Grand employees for 2009:

Mc Bain, Brandi Part-Time Library Assistant $ 4663.86

Brant, James On-Call Maintenance $ 375.70

Thompson, Linda On-Call Library Assistant $ 366.18

Stephens, Mark Councilmember $ 502.84

Hoskey, Kaci LEAP Student Helper $ 585.00

Barron, Elizabeth Library Director $ 17262.22

Vis, Loran Mayor $ 400.00

Beadle, Doug Public Works Director $ 36862.51

Wyatt, Jay Councilmember $ 625.00

Hotchkin, Dustin Part-Time Maintenance $ 2244.00

Ulery, Jarrod Councilmember $ 560.00

Ulery-Ascencio, Renee LEAP Adult Aide $ 836.00

Leytham, William Park & Rec. Maintenance $ 2475.00

Beard, Nicholas LEAP Director $ 737.00

Short, Darlene S. Councilmember $ 525.00

Culver, Cheryl Clerk/Treasurer $ 31768.01

Weese, Judy LEAP Adult Aide $ 576.00

Hedum, Hannah Library Student Aide $ 1504.70

Strain, John Mayor $ 350.00

Stephens, Courtney LEAP Student Aide $ 456.75

German, Mack Part-Time Maintenance $ 2356.25

Strain, Mary Deputy Clerk $ 976.50

Bottema, Bob Deputy Clerk $ 1211.74

Carr, John Deputy Marshal $ 140.00

Perry, Kathie Custodial $ 5785.56

Patterson, Lucinda LEAP Adult Aide $ 18.00

Vis, Dusty Councilmember $ 525.00

Vis, Tiffany LEAP Student Aide $ 94.25

Rangel, David Town Marshal $ 1162.00

Resolution 04/10, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DESTRUCTION OF GENERAL CITY RECORDS, was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

During the Mayor’s report, Mayor Vis asked the Public Works Director where the meter for incoming water is located. The meter pit is housed in the Polyphosphate Shed was the response from Doug. During Council reports, J. Wyatt asked what the ordinance is regarding pushing snow from private property onto public streets. This topic will be placed on the next agenda.

Council adjourned the meeting at 7:55 P.M. with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By: Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, March 9, 2010 at City Hall with Mayor Pro Tem Jay Wyatt presiding. Members answering roll call: Dusty Vis, Darlene Short, and Mark Stephens. Absent: Mayor Loran Vis and Jarrod Ulery. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Fire Department Representative; Rob Schrader, Marshall County Deputy Beane and Library Director; Shelley Barron. Citizens: Lyndon and Maren Williams, Larry Forbes, Steven Clay, Victoria Keen, Steven Hook and Greg and Dorian Twedt.

D. Vis moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Short. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Guest Speakers; Greg and Dorian Twedt addressed the Council about a citizenship Webelos project they are required to do. The Webelos asked the Council if there are any projects in Le Grand that could be done by them. The Council announced several ideas and would address this with the Webelos when the weather permits.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Steven Hook related to the Council an article in the paper concerning the selling of liquor in convenience stores. He was concerned the City might be liable if Cissy’s was not in compliance. The Council assured Mr. Hook that Cissy’s had a separate room with a closed door and separate cash register within the store for the selling of liquor. The store is fully in compliance with the law.

Marshall County Deputy Beane submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of February.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle reported for his department. He reported the flags are down temporarily for needed repairs. Pot holes around the city will be repaired when the weather permits and the part time maintenance person has gotten his written CDL permit and will be training for the driving portion as weather allows.

Library Director; Shelley Barron reported for the Library. Circulation is down from last year. The Library has a total of 1,233 patrons, a total collection of 14,104 materials and $2,681.41 in fines.

There was no report from the Park & Recreation Board.

The Fire Department report was given by Rob Schrader. The grant for the air tanks was received. Rob discussed a meeting he and the Mayor had attended at Marshall County EMA regarding narrow banding for the radios. The department will be looking into grants for this fix to be compliant by 2013. This is a requirement for all radios including the cities. Lastly, Mr. Schrader asked permission from the Council to replace the batteries in the outdoor warning system and to test the system on April 3, between 1 – 3 P.M. A notice will be posted for citizen’s to be aware.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Short. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Old Business: The emergency snow ordinance was discussed. The Council decided to amend the ordinance by removing the Town Marshall from contacting the media concerning the snow emergency in effect and replace him with the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem. The clerk is to post the snow emergency ordinance in early November of each year. The parking ordinance was discussed. The Council doesn’t see a need to change it at this time. Ordinance 135.12 referring to pushing snow from private property to public property was reviewed. The Council saw no need to change it as this time. The Clerk is to post this notice in early November each year.

New Business: The Council discussed the sewer relief request from 605 West Main Street. They approved the request in the amount of $265.11 with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried. New garage doors for the maintenance building were discussed and tabled until next month.

There were no reports from the Mayor Pro-Tem or the Council

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:06 P.M. with a motion by M. Stephens, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Respectfully Submitted By: Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, April 13, 2010 at the Monet Center with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Dusty Vis, Darlene Short, Mark Stephens and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: None. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Fox Engineering Representatives; Les Wolfe and Matt Kasper, Township Representative; Gene Hoover, Fire Department Representatives; Don Weitzell, Robert Schrader, Jacob Weitzell, Brad Weitzell, Jacob Oetker, Lisa Thompson, Danielle Hotchkin, Robert Vokoun, Brandon Jones and Mike Weeks, Marshall County Deputy Beane, Park & Rec. Board Representatives; Lyndon and Maren Williams, Part-Time Public Works Representative; Mack German and Library Director; Shelley Barron. Citizens: Bill Leytham, Florence Vis, Lyle Thayer, Vern Crookshank, Darrel Baker, Carole Baker, Roger Benda, Victoria Keen, Steven Clay, Larry Forbes, Susie Oetker, Christine Weitzell, and Amanda Jones.

J. Wyatt moved to approve the tentative agenda second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speakers; Les Wolfe addressed the council regarding the improvements needed for the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The system will need to be evaluated for extraneous water to minimize the flow to the lagoons. This may require smoke test of the collection pipes to identify areas of infiltration. The engineer will then need to look at the monthly operating reports to identify treatment needs. This check will need to be completed for wet and dry years both. When these items are completed an initial project meeting will need to be conducted with the IDNR. Lastly, actual changes to the facility will not be completed until the new permit is handed down from the IDNR.

The Council discussed the agreement for engineering services. Fox Engineering agreed to a preliminary wastewater treatment evaluation for and estimated 6,000 and an I/I reduction plan for an estimated 7,000. M. Stephens made the motion to approve the engineering agreement, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The Mayor did not address the council but moved on to Guest Speaker Don Weitzell. Don acknowledged the fact that he did not solicit any moral support from the fire department in presenting his issues this night. Mr. Weitzell asked the Mayor and Council why the letter was received asking questions of the fire department regarding resignation letters, voting procedures and qualifications for the new fire chief when the EMS. Library and Park & Rec. were not. He then stated questions of this nature should have gone through the Fire Council, the appropriate chain of command. Don explained he did not submit a resignation letter because he did not resign. His term of office was up and due to several reasons chose to not retain his position as chief. He went on to explain the election procedures in the fire department are very informal due to the same officers keeping their positions until someone absolutely refuses to continue. Then the department is forced to choose someone else for the position somewhat reluctantly. Don went on to explain that Brad is the first chief in the history of the fire department who is certified in Fire Fighter 1 and EMT on the onset of his tenure. He stated the department members are happy with their choice of chief’s to why would the Mayor and Council question this issue. He then brought up the fact that the Fire Department is not mentioned anywhere in the cities emergency plan, yet when an emergency, like the ice storm, does actually happen the city expects the fire department to respond. Next, Don stated that someone on council reported the fire department was turning into the “Weitzell Fire Department” because four members are related. Don said he would be very happy to step down from the department if only three members of the Weitzell family on the department was an acceptable number. Lastly, Don stated the monthly fire department meetings are the third Thursday of each month and anyone wishing to know more regarding the fire department is welcome to attend. The Mayor explained that he is new to his position and was just trying to understand department procedures. He meant no offense by the letter. The Mayor also stated he didn’t have a problem with how every many “Weitzells” wanted to be on the department. Any volunteers willing to be on the department are more than welcome no matter what their last name is. He will also be working with the Fire Chief regarding emergency procedures along with the council and other departments.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda Robert Vokoun questioned the inclusion of department reports in the minutes. The council agreed to discuss this issue at the next council meeting. Several citizens asked if moving the meeting back to the Monet Center was a permanent move. The Mayor stated the meeting would be held at the Monet Center one more month. If many citizens continue to attend the meeting then it will be held at the Monet Center. If only one or two citizens attend then it will be moved back to City Hall. Vern Crookshank stated that it is hard for citizens in the back of the room to hear the procedures and would like the council to consider a PA system. Amanda Jones asked the Council if a “Children at Play” sign could be installed in her neighborhood to slow down traffic. The cars go through there quickly and she is afraid some child will eventually be hurt. Council agreed to place this issue on the next agenda.

Marshall County Deputy Beane submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of March.

The Mayor excused himself from the meeting at this time for health reasons.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle reported for his department. He reported the wastewater and water are fine. For RUT there is a place on Julian/Prairie Streets intersection where the culvert is heaving up and creating a water drainage problem. The council instructed him to get estimates on repairs.

Library Director; Shelley Barron reported for the Library. Circulation for March 2010 was 1204 materials and March 2009 was 1212 materials. Total circulation is down only 3-96% from last year. She reported that city participation in the return of census materials if 73% as of April 12^th. A notice has been placed on the city bulletin board notifying 22 patrons (using bar code numbers) that their borrowing privileges have been revoked due to nonpayment of fines.

Maren Williams reported for the Park & Recreation Board. She stated that half of the chairs have been cleaned thanks to Robert Vokoun’s help. Maren also reported that a big thank you goes out to Al Stephens for sweeping leaves and twigs from the park. The area looks great!

The Fire Department report was given by Chief Brad Weitzell. The Fire Department had 7 calls and the EMS Department had 6 calls in March. The fire department will be coordinating a car accident scenario at the High School demonstrating what happens when you drink and drive.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by D. Short, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: After some discussion regarding replacement of the maintenance building garage doors, M. Stephens made the motion to accept Adams Doors bid of $6,850.00 to be taken from Sewer Reserves, second D. Vis. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

New Business: J. Ulery motioned to approve the letter presented by the Public Works Director to them in response to a Wastewater monitoring violation, second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The parking issue at the Monet Center and 302 North Webster Street was tabled until the next council meeting.

The council reported that one nuisance abatement for property clean up has been mailed. M. Stephens reported for the Social Committee stating that the Easter egg hunt and activities had went well and was well attended.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:30 P.M. with a motion by J. Ulery, second D. Short. Votes: All Ayes.

Respectfully Submitted By: Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, May 11, 2010 at the Monet Center with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Dusty Vis, Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: Mark Stephens. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Roy Bradbury; Candidate for Marshall County Supervisor, Park & Rec. Board Representatives; Lyndon and Maren Williams and Renee Ulery-Ascencio, and Library Director; Shelley Barron. Citizens: Bill Leytham, Victoria Keen, Steven Clay, and Robert Vokoun.

D. Short moved to approve the tentative agenda second J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker; Roy Bradbury addressed the council regarding his candidacy for Marshall County Supervisor. He believes the name supervisor should be changed to representative as the people in this county don’t need supervisors they need representatives. His goals are to reduce taxes, freeze salary increases or spending that may impact or result in reducing existing work force incomes, reject government mandates that may impact our ability to work within our budgets, support capital growth, represent all Marshall County residents, maintain our elected representative form of government and work smarter within our budget.

The public hearing for the budget amendment was opened by the Mayor at 7:40 P.M. The Mayor read the explanation for the budget amendment and assured the citizen’s there was no raise in taxes. There were no comments from the citizens. The public meeting closed at 7:43 P.M. with a motion by J. Wyatt, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Resolution 05/10, A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2010 was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Short. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda Victoria Keen thanked the Council for bringing the council meeting back to the Monet Center.

Marshall County Deputy Hunter submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of April. There were 28 business checks, 14 traffic stops, several theft, burglary, harassment and parking complaints, a bike rodeo, SADD meeting at the High School, Prom security and a couple of juvenile incidents.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle submitted a written report for his department. He indicated that Part-Time worker; Mack German’s 90-day job review is here. He suggested a raise but give him ½ now and ½ after he has attained his CDL. The Mayor will look into this suggestion. Doug also asked if the Leisure Homes could put a sign up showing emergency personnel exactly where they are located on College Street. The council approved this request. Lastly, Doug reported that the work on Julian/Prairie Streets is in urgent need of repair. He will be discussing this issue with KB Underground.

Library Director; Shelley Barron reported for the Library. Circulation for April 2010 was 1116 materials, up 3.62% from last year. Total circulation is down 3.96% from last year. The Hosta Gardening program has an attendance of 39 and the Travel program on canoeing to Hudson Bay is scheduled for June 22. She reported the City participation in return of census forms is at 81% as of May 11^th. Also, the Library will be purchasing time limit software for public Internet use. Summer reading logs will be available on May 26^th. Lastly, Shelley reported there are 1241 current patron card holders of which 54% are city residents and 21% are residents of Marshall County.

There was no report from the Park and Recreation Board.

The Fire Department report was a written report submitted by Rob Schrader. There was one fire call and three EMS calls for the month of April. He also requested permission to write a couple of grants. One for Turnout Gear for the Fire Department and one for the EMS Department to replace outdated equipment.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt, second D. Short. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

Old Business: The parking issue by the Monet Center and the Property at 302 N. Webster Street was discussed. The council has determined there is nothing to be done at this time. The sidewalk repairs were discussed. J. Ulery motioned to have the city sidewalks repaired by the lesser of the two bidders and limit repairs costs to $2,000 or less, second by J. Wyatt. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

New Business: The “Children At Play” signs requested by Amanda Jones was discussed. The Council determined that these signs would not slow down traffic. They will be looking at possibly replacing the stop signs at the Jeffrey and Julian Streets intersection. This topic will be placed on the next agenda. The council discussed what items were to be placed in the minutes for publication. This discussion was requested by Robert Vokoun. The council made the determination to publish only an outline and items the law requires to be published and post the full council minutes at the Post Office and have them available online. Citizens are also welcome to come to City Hall for a copy of the reports or minutes. The CD was discussed and with a motion by J. Wyatt rolled over for another 18 months, second D. Vis. Roll call. 4-0. Carried.

There were no reports from the Mayor or Council.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:15 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted By: Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, June 8, 2010 at the Monet Center with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Dusty Vis, Mark Stephens, Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: None Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Pioneer Days Representative; Linda Weitzell, Park & Rec. Board Representatives; Lyndon and Maren Williams and Fire Department Representatives; Brad Weitzell and Rob Schrader. Citizens: Vern Crookshank, Lyle Matney, Bruce Patterson, Travis Hassen, and Victoria Keen.

D. Short moved to approve the tentative agenda second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speaker; Linda Weitzell addressed the Mayor and Council regarding events for the upcoming Pioneer Days festival. She presented a map with instructions on what streets to close off and when for the day’s events. Ms. Weitzell then asked the Mayor and Council members to ride in the parade. She told the council that Robert Vokoun will be getting in touch with the clerk regarding the check to J & M for the fire works. The council instructed her to let Mr. Vokoun know to do this in a timely manner so that all paperwork may be completed in plenty of time for the next council meeting. Linda then went on to describe two fund raisers the Committee is having to support the event.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda Lyle Matney addressed the council regarding storm sewer issues along the cemetery driveway at the Friends Cemetery along Highway 146. This topic will be reviewed. Linda Weitzell addressed the council regarding parking issues along Main Street and children skateboarding in the center of Main Street. This topic will be reported to deputies at the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.

Marshall County Deputy Hunter submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of May. There were 32 business checks, 14 traffic stops, several civil issues, criminal mischief, domestic disturbance, assistance calls for other departments, complaints and miscellaneous calls or stops.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle reported for his departments. He stated that the Water and Rut departments are doing fine. For Sewer, the drainage problem at Julian and Prairie Streets is fixed. The sewer lift station has a seal failure light on and was checked. It was found that valves are not working. He presented two bids for correction of this issue. The council elected to have Doug rework the bids to include all phases of the task and what the total cost would be.

There was no report from the Library.

Maren Williams reported for the Park and Recreation Board. She stated a wheel chair ramp and been installed for the Monet Center and all smoke detectors are operating. Currently, holes in the park are being filled with dirt. The Mayor gave “kudos” to the Park & Recreation Board for all their hard work.

The Fire Department report was given by Rob Schrader and Brad Weitzell. There was one fire call for the month of May; Toyne will be out to test the pumper truck tomorrow and the Mayor asked about the length of time it will be before radios are programmed for the new system. At this time, as the procedure is somewhat complicated it is unknown how long the programming will take.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by J. Wyatt after pulling the Tyler Technologies bill, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

The Tyler Technologies bill was discussed. This bill is an expense for software annual fees. J. Wyatt motion to pay the bill at the end of the month only after the Mayor has researched into why the fees are so high, second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: None.

New Business: The contract renewal with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office was discussed and a motion was made to renew the contract for another year by M. Stephens, second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The contract to have Nuisance Animal Removal at the Lagoons was tabled for review by the City Attorney. This item will be placed on the next agenda. Employee Health Insurance discussed and renewed with a motion by J. Ulery second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The premiums increased by 10%. Resolution 6/10 A RESOLUTION APPROVING BUDGETARY TRANSFERS was approved with a motion by J. Ulery second M. Stephens. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

There were no reports from the Mayor. The Council reported that the city sidewalk bids had come back and work on them will begin soon.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:15 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted By: Cheryl R. Culver, CMC

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The Le Grand City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM, July 13, 2010 at the Monet Center with Mayor Loran Vis presiding. Members answering roll call: Jay Wyatt, Dusty Vis, Mark Stephens, Darlene Short and Jarrod Ulery. Absent: None. Also attending: City Clerk; Cheryl R. Culver, Public Works Director; Doug Beadle, Park & Rec. Board Representatives; Lyndon and Maren Williams and Fire Department Representative; Rob Schrader. Rich & Tina Westphal; R & T Critter Control. Citizens: Chris Weitzell, Bruce Patterson, Robert Vokoun, Victoria Keen, Linda Weitzell, Steve Clay and Mike Meling.

J. Wyatt moved to approve the tentative agenda second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Guest Speakers: None.

During the Public Audience comments on items not on the agenda, Bruce Patterson addressed Jarrod Ulery. He asked why Council member J. Ulery hadn’t gotten back to him regarding his inquiry about parking issues. J. Ulery apologized for the oversight stating he didn’t see an ordinance violation. There is no ordinance against parking across the street from someone’s driveway. Furthermore, the Mayor stated he had been in contact with the Sheriff’s Department who stated the same information regarding the parking ordinance restrictions. Victoria Keen asked the council about solicitors selling to business’s in town. The solicitor did not have a permit. Council stated a permit is not necessary unless the solicitor is selling to residence. Mrs. Keen then went on to ask about golf cart rules. Someone is not stopping at the stop signs and don’t appear to have a permit. Council responded it is the Sheriff’s office that regulates these violations. Robert Vokoun spoke about the Sheriff’s office lack of patrol hours in town. Chris Weitzell complimented the Park & Recreation Committee for all their hard work in making the parks look nice.

Marshall County Deputy Beane submitted a written report on their department’s activities for the month of June.

Public Works Director; Doug Beadle reported for his departments. He stated there is a possible leak on Drury Lane. He will be posting notice and shutting water down on Friday of this week to help in detecting if there is a leak and where it may be coming from. The Lift Station pump is being repaired and next the check valves will need to be fixed. Streets are being checked and cold patch will be placed in areas sunken in from the previous water project.

Shelley Barron from the Library reported via written report. The report stated that total circulation for FY 09/10 was 15,807 or an average of 1,317 materials circulated each month. The Hosta Gardening program was held April 20 with an attendance of 31 and the Canoeing to Hudson Bay program was held June 22 with an attendance of 24. One hundred children are registered for the Summer Library Program and in June alone the children read over 1,140 books. The LEAP Program went very well and the interaction with the library was very successful.

Maren Williams reported for the Park and Recreation Board. She stated the “Fix It” list was almost complete. All smoke detectors within the building are fully operational. The Board has contracted for weed spraying so expect to see some improvements over the next few weeks. The board thanked Doug and Mack (City Maintenance Personnel) for their wonderful job of fixing the flag pole. The last issue Maren had is questioning what the evacuation criteria is for the building in the event of a tornado. The council had no response to this question but will have Councilmember M. Stephens research the answer.

The Fire Department report was given by Rob Schrader. He reported everything has been relatively quiet. The junk cars in the park lot where for an extraction training program that was documented by the Mason City Fire Department. This fire department had earned the money to purchase their own set of jaws and looked to our department to provide them with training on how to do this procedure. The cars will be removed by the end of the week. M. Stephens asked about new helmets. Rob stated the helmets were on order. The need to purchase new helmets is critical as parts cannot be found for the current 21 year old helmets that are in need of repair. These helmets will be paid for out of capital reserve.

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by D. Short, second by J. Wyatt Roll call. 5-0. Carried.

Old Business: The possibility of replacing two stop signs at Julian/Jeffrey Streets to make it a four way stop was discussed. It was decided due to winter driving conditions the stop signs would not be replaced. The council did discuss the possibility of doing a speed study along that particular area of road. The Sheriff’s office will need to be contacted regarding this suggestion. The contract for animal nuisance abatement with Rich Westphal was discussed and approved with a motion by J. Wyatt second D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The parking issues was discussed and tabled until next month.

New Business: The contract with the Animal Rescue League for FY 10/11 was approved with a motion by M. Stephens second J. Ulery. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The request for water leak relief at 204 S. Prairie was discussed and the council stated there would be no reimbursement as the water bill didn’t appear to register any leaks. A letter will be sent to the customer stating the reasons for the refusal. J. Wyatt motioned to approve Resolution 7/10 A RESOLUTION APPROVING BUDGETARY TRANSFERS, second by D. Short. Roll call. 5-0. Carried. The Marquardt bankruptcy issue was discussed. The matter was dropped as the Council can do nothing about this case at the present time.

The Mayor requested a copy of budget comparisons from FY 09/10 to 10/11. Councilmember D. Short reported that City sidewalks have been repaired. Councilmember M. Stephens expressed concern about spraying in the park and children playing there. The Park & Rec. Board noted that signs are posted when the spraying is done. Lastly, council members discussed spraying for mosquitoes. They instructed the maintenance department to check into this and set up a spray date.

Council adjourned the meeting at 8:15 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted By: Cheryl R. Culver, CMC