March 2, 2026 City Council Minutes

The Waukon City Council met in regular session on March 2, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the Community Center at Robey Memorial Library 401 1st Ave. NW and via Zoom technology. Mayor Arvid Hatlan presided. Council members present: Steve Wiedner, Tim Smedsrud, Cassie Handke, John Lydon, and Nick Engrav. Others present: City Manager Grayson Rowlet; Finance Director Lana Snitker; Water and Sewer Superintendent Jim Cooper; Police Chief Paul Wagner; Interim Street Superintendent Pat Egan; MSA Jake Huck; The Standard- Joe Moses; and citizens.

 

The mayor called the meeting to order. The Construction Easement Agreement with Kwik Trip will be pulled for discussion and the adjournment and exempt session items will be rotated on the agenda.

 

Moved by: Wiedner | Seconded by: Engrav

  • To approve the consent agenda with those changes.
  • Approval of February 19, 2026 minutes
  • Resolution setting the date of March 16, 2026 @ 5:30PM for public hearing amending the current budget for the city of Waukon for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. The clerk assigned number 26-18 to the resolution.
  • Resolution establishing the 1st Ave. SE Street Reconstruction Fund. The Clerk assigned number 26-19 to the resolution.
  • Resolution agreeing to the transfer of $360,000 from the Street Improvement/LOST Fund to the 1st Ave. SE Street Reconstruction Fund for partial funding for street project. The clerk assigned number 26-20 to the resolution.
  • Resolution agreeing to the transfer of $56,200 from the General Fund to the City Hall Building Fund for city hall building and city space assessments costs. The clerk assigned number 26-21 to the resolution.
  • Resolution agreeing to the transfer of $61,116.75 from the Sewer Revenue Fund to the Sewer Revenue Bond Sinking Fund for the principal/interest payments on the Sewer Revenue Improvement and Refunding Bond, Series 2022 ($52,305.04) and Series 2023 ($5,154.63) and Series 2021 ($3,657.08). The clerk assigned number 26-22 to the resolution.
  • Approval of urban revitalization program property tax exemption – 301 Park Place Ct. SW
  • Approving sidewalk easement agreement with Kwik Trip
  • Approving the public hearing date for April 6, 2026 at 5:15 for the proposed property tax levy.
  • Approval of Alcohol License for WW Homestead Dairy and White Haus Social
  • Approval of claims
Payment of Claims for: March 2, 2026
Acentek Internet                      99.90
Adam’s Concrete Construction Snow Removal                    680.00
Agvantage FS Fuel                 2,351.88
Allamakee County Agriculture Society Property Exchange                        1.00
Allamakee County Sheriff Answering Services                    750.00
Benjegerdes Machine Repairs                    363.29
Blake Excavating Snow Removal                 1,360.00
Compass Minerals Supplies                 6,679.01
Cunningham Hardware Supplies                      25.76
Des Moines Stamp Supplies                    109.00
Epic Wear Business Cards                      30.60
Hawkins Supplies                      90.00
Matt Hawkins Southside Rentals Rent                 1,100.00
Ken Kerr Electric Repairs                    195.00
Light Source Central Led Lights                 2,119.20
Mediacom Telephone/Internet                      81.28
Midwest Patch Supplies                    919.50
MSA Engineering General Engineering                 5,041.52
MSA Engineering Bresnahan / 4th Avenue NW                    180.91
Otting Water Treatment Services                    111.50
Brairy Proulx Services                    595.00
Alyssa Rostad Hotel – Conference                    366.64
Luke Schulte Hotel – Conference                    366.24
Sarah Snitker Computer                      50.00
Stop Stick Supplies                    999.99
TASC COBRA Admin & Renewal Fees                    317.56
Test America Sewer Testing                    949.00
Tri-State Business Machines Maint. Agreement                    161.10
Tri-State Business Machines Maint. Agreement                    175.12
Verizon Telephone                    156.98
Viking Pest Control Services                      45.00
Paul Wagner Adobe for 2025                    206.55
Paul Wagner Simplisafe Security                    209.91
Waukon Chamber 2026 Membership                    150.00
Kayla Walter Refund Parking Tickets                      50.00
Wrightway Technologies Monitor Stand / Printer                    429.98
 
     PAID CLAIMS:
Regular Payroll February 1-14, 2026               50,673.53
EFTPS Federal Withholding                 4,800.17
EFTPS SS/ Medicare Withholding               10,165.14
EBS – Employee Benefits Systems Admin Fees – March                    244.80
EBS – Employee Benefits Systems SafeT Fund – February part 2                 2,056.20
Republic Service Services – Sewer               20,119.25
Waukon Postmaster Postage – Section 4 & 7                    473.15
Waukon State Bank-CC-Iowa Rural Summit Conference – Mayor, City Manager & Clerk                    375.32
Waukon State Bank-CC-Iowa League Conference = Council & City Manager                    100.00
Waukon State Bank-CC-State of Iowa Notary Renewal – Clerk                      30.00
Waukon State Bank-CC-Iowa League IaCAM Membership – City Manager                    150.00
Waukon State Bank-CC-Amazon Amazon – Supplies                    231.19
Waukon State Bank-CC-IAMU Utility Billing Conference                    250.00
Wellmark BCBS Insurance – March               28,466.48
YSF CLAIM:
Epic Wear Coaches Sweatshirts & Awards                    741.00
    WELLNESS CLAIMS:
Casper Plumbing & Heating Repairs                 1,204.00
CapSan Supplies                      57.00
Crexendo Telephone                    169.69
     PARK & REC CLAIMS:
Bodensteiner Body Werks Repairs                 2,407.70
Vaughn Stegan Basketball Program                 1,500.00
General: 77,785.27   Bresnahan / 4th Avenue NW: 180.91
Library: 5,998.65   YSF Football: 741.00
RUT: 21,979.73   Wellness: 1,531.42
Employee Benefits: 19,635.79   Water: 12,114.48
T & A Insurance: 2,022.34   Sewer: 9,743.45
      FUND TOTALS: 151,733.04

 

Yes: Lydon, Handke, Smedsrud, Wiedner, Engrav

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Under Public Comments: A resident asked about the city putting up a no semi sign on West Street SW.

 

Under department reports, Strub noted that summer rec applications are due in two weeks. Cooper mentioned work on well #5 is still underway and they anticipate that could last over a month. Egan stated that with warmer temperatures they are hoping to get the street sweeper out. Wagner mentioned they received a donation from a Gemini employee. L. Snitker reminded the council of a couple of upcoming public hearings that will be held. Council Member Smedsrud noted that he enjoys seeing officer Rostad at youth events for DARE.

 

Rowlet noted they are waiting for the construction easement agreement form Kwik Trip to arrive but wanted to check if the council were willing to allow that to be approved after City Manager, City Attorney and City Engineer review.

Moved by: Lydon | Seconded by: Smedsrud

To approve the construction easement agreement with Kwik Trip.

Yes: 5

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

There was discussion on the variance that was approved at 807 1st Ave. NW.

Moved by: Engrav | Seconded by: Handke

To send the application for 807 1st Ave. NW back to the Board of Adjustment for justification of how they determined the variance.

Yes: 5

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Moved by: Smedsrud | Seconded by: Lydon

To approve the NEIRHTF demo application and transfer agreement for 502 5th Ave. NW

Yes: 5

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Moved by: Smedsrud | Seconded by: Engrav

To approve the second reading of the ordinance amending the code by changing the City Elections procedure.

Yes: Handke, Lydon, Smedsrud, Wiedner, Engrav

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Rowlet gave a presentation on fiscal year 27 budget.

No action taken.

 

Moved by: Handke | Seconded by: Lydon

To approve the Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal years 2027-2031.

Yes: 5

The mayor declared the motion carried.

 

Moved by: Lydon | Seconded by: Wiedner

To adjourn the meeting.

Yes: 5

The mayor declared the motion carried.