April 7, 2025 City Council Minutes

The Waukon City Council met in regular session on April 7, 2025, at 5:30 P.M. in the council room of City Hall, 101 Allamakee Street and via Zoom technology. Mayor Arvid Hatlan presided. Council members present: Steve Wiedner, Dave Blocker, Nick Engrav and John Lydon. Council members absent: None. Others present: City Manager Gary Boden; Police Chief Paul Wagner; Water/Sewer Superintendent Jim Cooper; Parks, Rec and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub; Finance Director Lana Snitker; Assistant Street Superintendent Pat Egan; Allamakee County Emergency Coordinator Corey Snitker; Standard – Joe Moses; and citizens.

 

The mayor called the meeting to order.

 

Moved by: Lydon | Seconded by:  Wiedner

To approve the consent agenda

Approval of Agenda

Minutes of March 24, 2025, special and regular meeting

Liquor license approval of Class C Retail Alcohol License for the Green Valley Getaway and Special Class B Retail Native Wine License for Hartig Drug

Resolutions – agreeing to the transfer of $880 from the Water Fund to the Sewer Fund to correct advance payback made November 2024 from TIF Fund. The clerk assigned number 25-20 to the resolution.

Resolution – agreeing to the transfer of $73,166 from the West Street SW Improvement Fund to the Water Fund, Sewer Fund and Storm Water Utility Fund in the following amounts, respectively, $30,284, $29,676, and $13,206. These amounts are being returned to the above funds because the project is complete. The clerk assigned number 25-21 to the resolution.

Approval to update safe deposit box signers at Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank in Waukon, IA. One signature is required – Shana Breasure and Lana Snitker are authorized to sign on the box.

Approval of Audit Services with Hacker Nelson & Co, CPA’s for FYE June 30, 2025, June 30, 2026, and June 30, 2027

Approval of Public Works Union Contract

Approval of City Clerk/Treasurer’s Reports March 2025

Approval of claims

Payment of Claims for: April 7, 2025
Acentek Internet                      99.90
AC Skyways Internet                      99.99
AC Skyways Internet                      99.99
Allamakee Clayton Electric Electricity-March                    120.29
Allamakee Economic Development Contribution 4 Qtr 2024/2025                 3,098.25
Allamakee County Recorder Services – Bresnahan                      77.00
Allamakee County Sheriff Answering Services – March                    750.00
Alliant Energy Electricity – March               19,182.58
Badger Meter Network Fees                    597.90
Bieber Insurance Annual Cyber Policy                 4,175.89
Bieber Insurance Annual Airport Policy                 3,647.00
Black Hills Energy Services – March                 2,772.64
Blake Excavating Repairs                 3,075.00
Bodensteiner Implement Repairs                    123.48
Carquest Repairs                      86.40
City Laundry Uniforms – March                 1,251.19
Clark Tire Pros Repairs                    312.61
Cunningham Hardware Supplies                      98.44
Dusty’s Cleaning Service Services                    435.00
Finger Publishing Services                    315.25
Freedom Bank Gund-Prin/Int                 4,550.00
Hacker Nelson CPA Annual Audit               17,225.00
Matt Hawkins Southside Rentals Rent – March                 1,000.00
Hawk’s Full Service Fuel                 1,627.64
Iowa Assn of Municipal Utilities NISA/ISEP – 2nd Qtr 2025                 1,497.00
Kerr Electric Repairs                    285.29
Keystone Laboratories Water Testing                    114.75
LNM Truck Repair Repairs                        7.40
MARC – Mid American Research Supplies                    187.84
Mediacom Telephone/Internet 80.49
Ness Pumping Repairs 3570.00
Olsgard Auto Repairs                    336.82
Otting Water Treatment Services                    352.48
Palmer Abstract Services – Bresnahan                 1,081.00
Reel-Core Franchise Fees                 7,257.75
Mary Regan Repairs                    322.80
RW Pladsen Repairs                 1,337.64
Stericycle/Shred It Services                      55.13
Storey Kenworthy Supplies                    164.16
Test America Sewer Testing                 1,390.00
Tilson Defense Supplies                      38.99
Tri-State Business Machines Maint. Agreement                    216.45
Tri-State Business Machines Maint. Agreement                      62.00
Truck Equipment Repairs                 2,268.88
USA Bluebook Repairs / Supplies                    762.68
Verizon Telephone                    162.96
Viking Pest Control Services                      45.00
Village Farm & Home Supplies & Repairs                 1,221.51
Waukon Area Fire Protection District 28E Agreement – Quarterly               21,250.00
Waukon State Bank Gund-Prin/Int                 4,550.00
Wright Way Computers IT Services – March                 2,274.80
Wright Way Computers IT Services                    150.00
 
     PAID CLAIMS:
Regular Payroll March 16 – March 29, 2025               49,678.14
EFTPS Federal Withholding                 5,010.40
EFTPS SS/ Medicare Withholding                 9,982.10
EBS – Employee Benefits Systems Admin Fees – April                    236.64
EBS – Employee Benefits Systems Safe-T Fund – April part #1 of 2                    518.51
Paymentech Credit Card Processing – March                    217.31
Town & Country Sanitation Services               19,740.00
Waukon Postmaster Postage – Section 8                    329.73
WSB-CC – Amazon Supplies- Uniforms                    204.49
Wellmark BCBS Insurance – April               28,803.64
 
    WELLNESS CLAIMS:
Casper Plumbing & Heating Repairs                 1,909.34
Crexendo Telephone                    165.93
Cunningham Hardware Supplies                      14.28
Decorah Mobile Glass Repairs                 2,400.00
Ken Kerr Electric Repairs                    364.11
     PARK & REC CLAIMS:
Bodensteiner Implement Repairs                    120.12
Carrico Aquatic Resources Chemical Agreement                 3,575.00
Jeremy Strub Telephone                    270.00
The Driftless League Baseball League                    200.00
Village Farm & Home Supplies                    377.81

 

General: 132,868.81   Bresnahan/4th St NW:: 1,158.00
Library: 5,936.78   Wellness: 4,932.84
RUT: 17,720.17   Water: 20,014.20
Employee Benefits: 21,296.47   Sewer: 26,437.03
T&A Insurance: 518.51   Debt – Gundersen: 9,100.00
      FUND TOTALS: 239,982.81

 

 

 

 

Yes: Wiedner, Lydon, Blocker, Engrav | Vacancy: 1 | No: 0

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Under Public Comments: Resident wanted to thank the city for the street signs being put up on West Street SW and to thank Sam at Fehr Graham for his work.

 

Strub noted they hope to have the pool open the last day of school. Egan stated depending on wind conditions they will be burning up at the Bresnahan property soon. Cooper stated there hasn’t been water main issues to report. Wagner stated the new vehicle has arrived in Ankeny. Clerk Snitker noted there were businesses interested in the CAT grant but will bring that forward later as an agenda discussion item. Boden noted he will be meeting with UERPC tomorrow to discuss planning.

 

The mayor proclaimed April Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

 

There were six interest forms completed by residents for the current vacant council seat.

Moved by: Wiedner | Seconded by: Lydon

To approve the appointment of Tim Smedsrud for the vacant at-large council seat.

Yes: Blocker, Wiedner, Lydon, Engrav | No: 0

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Tim Smedsrud took the oath of office.

 

Blocker wanted to discuss the line items on the utility bill with relation to cost centers, the fees, which items are taxed and not taxed and transparency of increases. There was a lot of discussion. Hatlan requested numbers on the billing to be brought back for further discussion.

No action taken.

 

Blocker wanted the outdoor warning sirens discussed due to possible government liability.  There was a lot of discussion. Corey Snitker was available to answer the council’s questions. Hatlan will provide the council with topography information and have additional discussion at a later date.

No action taken.

 

Boden noted he and Hatlan met with a few Fair board members regarding a portion of the property at the southern edge that the City owns that the Fair board would like to purchase for ease of insurance and improvement planning. It was noted that if the council accepts, then there would be the public hearing and clerk affidavit proceedings that need to be done.

Moved by: Engrav | Seconded by: Lydon

To accept the purchase offer and move forward with the real estate proceedings.

Yes: 5 | No: 0

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Hatlan gave an update on the ownership of 9 Allamakee Street.

No action taken.

 

Strub discussed the 04 Chevy park and rec truck that they would like to put out for bid.

Moved by: Lydon | Seconded by: Engrav

To move forward with taking bids.

Yes: 5 | No: 0

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Boden discussed a tower and site lease agreement with T-Mobile. Hatlan asked about cost comparison with other lease agreements. Boden will bring forward information and this will be discussed at a future agenda.

No action taken.

 

Under Public Comments: none

 

Moved by: Engrav | Seconded by: Blocker

To enter Closed Session: Per Iowa Code Chapter 21.5 (1)(j) to discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the governmental body would have to pay for that property or reduce the price the governmental body would receive for that property.

Yes: Lydon, Blocker, Engrav, Smedsrud, Wiedner | No: 0

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Moved by: Blocker | Seconded by: Smedsrud

To exit closed session.

Yes: Lydon, Blocker, Engrav, Smedsrud, Wiedner | No: 0

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Moved by: Engrav | Seconded by: Blocker

To enter open session.

Yes: Lydon, Blocker, Smedsrud, Engrav, Wiedner | No: 0

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

The council moved into exempt session regarding strategy on employee union contract negotiations – exempt from Iowa open meetings law by Iowa Code Chapter 20.17 (3).

 

Moved by: Engrav | Seconded by: Blocker

To adjourn the meeting.

Yes: 5 | No: 0

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

City Council

2025

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