Unofficial Newton City Council Minutes for July 5th

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UNOFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE NEWTON CITY COUNCIL 

July 5, 2022 

  1. *CALL TO ORDER: Joshua J. Kuhl, Mayor 

Mayor Joshua J. Kuhl called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM 

  1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Alderman Marlene Harris. 

Pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Alderman Marlene Harris. 

  1. ROLL CALL: Rosetta York, City Clerk 

Physically present: Gayle Glumac, Larry Brooks, RJ Lindemann and Marlene Harris 

Also present: Attorney William Heap and Clerk Rosetta York 

Not Present: David Brown, Eric Blake and Treasurer Melissa Brooks 

  1. ADOPT OR AMEND AGENDA: 

Motion was made by Lindemann, seconded by Harris, to adopt the proposed agenda. 

Ayes: Glumac, Brooks, Lindemann, Harris 

Nays: None 

  1. APPROVAL OF COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES of June 21, 2022. Motion was made by Glumac, seconded by Harris, to approve the minutes of the June 21, 2022 of the Newton City Council. 

Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Harris, Glumac 

Nays: None 

  1. PUBLIC COMMENTS/COMMUNICATIONS: Fire Chief Gary Lindemann Fire Chief Gary Lindemann: 

Asked about the disabled/broken fire hydrant by Charles Schackmann’s place on 810th Ave. That is the only source of water in that area for the Fire Department. Tyler  Weber said he has finally received the parts to repair it and will get it scheduled soon.  The parts were on backorder.  

Fire Chief said he used the hydrant out by Frank Ayers during the fair. He had to fill a  truck. He cranked the hydrant open in about seven turns and I couldn’t get any water and closed it back up. He opened it and a bunch of scale and rust, rusty water coming  out of it. He wants to know if the City is still following a flushing schedule. Tyler said  the City tries to flush the hydrants at least once a year. The Mayor requested the  Water department Committee Chairman follow up on developing a routine schedule to  flush the hydrants. 

Gary also asked if the boat ramp is still in the plans by the Eagle Trail Riverwalk. The  Mayor asked Marlene and Gayle to have Milano & Grunloh Engineer to draw plans for  the ramp. 

  1. COMMITTEE REPORTS OR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS:  Mayor Kuhl: Personnel Committee Monday, June 27, 2022 at 5:30 PM  Present: Gayle Glumac, Rosetta M. York, Joshua J. Kuhl, Marlene Harris, RJ  Lindemann, Melissa Brooks, Larry Brooks, David Brown and Brad Benefiel  • Personnel Committee Meeting called to order at 5:30 PM. 
  • The committee went into executive session to discuss personnel.  • Came out of executive session at 5:48 PM. 
  • Gayle asked if there could be quarterly meeting with Department Heads to  improve communications. The Mayor asked her to contact Eric and organize it.  The meeting adjourned at 5:52 PM. 

Lindemann: Finance/Audit Committee Meeting Monday, June 27, 2022 at 6:00 PM  Present: Joshua Kuhl, Rosetta M. York, Gayle Glumac, Marlene Harris, Melissa  Brooks, Larry Brooks, David Brown, Matt Tarr and RJ Lindemann 

  • Meeting was called to order at 5:57 p.m.
  • Appropriations were put in front of the committee and opened for discussion.  They will be available to the public from July 5 – July 18.  
  • A discussion was had as to whether or not the city would contract out its fuel  supply across several months to keep prices consistent. It was decided to  disregard this and proceed on a month-to-month basis, playing the market and  searching for the lowest price each month. 
  • Fees for environmental inspections regarding the riverwalk may be coming up.  These fees should be reimbursable through the grant we have with the state. Meeting was adjourned at 6:17 p.m. 
  1. OLD BUSINESS:  
  2. Open Bids for the sale of the used 2009 Chevy Impala. The bids were opened in  the order they were received. 
  3. Joseph Moore- $400.00 
  4. Emergency Remarketing, Brett Patti – $669.18 
  5. Randy Urfer – $1,175.00 
  6. David Benney – $3,500.00 
  7. Consider and act on awarding the bid to purchase the 2009 Chevy Impala. Motion was made by Lindemann, seconded by Harris, authorize awarding the  bid to David Benney for $3,500.00 for the NPD 2009 Impala Chevy. Ayes: Lindemann, Harris, Glumac, Brooks  

Nays: None 

  1. Consider and act on the Mayor’s appointment of Department Heads, effective May  1, 2022. (The present Department Heads remain in their positions.) 

Water Treatment Plant & Water Tyler Weber 

Waste Water Treatment Facility Brent Benefiel 

Electric Department Matt Tarr 

Streets& Alleys Josh Ochs 

Parks & Cemetery Brad Benefiel 

Police Department Riley Britton 

Utility Collections Brenda Phillips 

Motion was made by Glumac, seconded by Brooks, authorize the Mayor’s  appointment of Department Heads, effective May 1, 2022. 

Ayes: Harris, Glumac, Brooks, Lindemann,  

Nays: None 

  1. Consider and act on a $ .90 per hour raise for Department Heads effective May 1,  2022. 

Motion was made by Harris, seconded by Glumac, authorize a $ .90 per hour  raise for Department Heads effective May 1, 2022. 

Ayes: Glumac, Brooks, Lindemann, Harris 

Nays: None 

  1. Consider and act on a $.50 per hour raise for part-time clerical employees effective  May 1, 2022. 

Motion was made by Lindemann, seconded by Glumac, authorize a $.50 per  hour raise for part-time clerical employees effective May 1, 2022. Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Harris, Glumac 

Nays: None 

  1. Consider and act on 22-13 City Ordinance – Repeal Sections 6-1-1 Through 6-1-3  of Chapter 6 Building Regulations and to Substitute therefor the International  Residential Code, 2015 Edition. (A copy of the 2015 International Resident Code is  in the City Clerk’s office.)

Motion was made by Harris, seconded by Lindemann, to pass 22-13 City  Ordinance – Repeal Sections 6-1-1 Through 6-1-3 of Chapter 6 Building  Regulations and to Substitute therefor the International Residential Code,  2015 Edition. (A copy of the 2015 International Resident Code is in the City  Clerk’s office.) 

Ayes: Lindemann, Harris, Glumac, Brooks  

Nays: None 

Shannon Woodard: “Essentially, the Sludge building is complete. Brent and I did a  final inspection of that today. He’s using it. It’s working out well. There’s a piece of  quarter trim that was bent during construction. They had reorder it and it finally  came in. They got that on. It still needs aluminum gutters that they were waiting on  because the corner piece wasn’t on. The chain link fence around the open storage  area for fall protection which is on backorder. So as soon as that gets here, he’ll be  ready to install it. But essentially, it’s complete and he’s using it and we’re still  withholding about $12,000 until it is complete.” 

  1. Consider and act on Sludge Storage Building – Pay Estimate #1 due Grunloh Building, Inc in the amount of $200,535.81.

Motion was made by Brooks, seconded by Lindemann, authorize payment for  Sludge Storage Building – Pay Estimate #1 due Grunloh Building, Inc in the  amount of $200,535.81. 

Ayes: Harris, Glumac, Brooks. Lindemann  

Nays: None 

  1. Consider and act on authorizing the City Hall renovations for material and labor in the amount of $24,128.58.

Motion was made by Harris, seconded by Glumac, to authorize City Hall  renovations for material and labor in the amount of $24,128.58. 

Ayes: Glumac, Brooks. Lindemann, Harris 

Nays: None 

  1. NEW BUSINESS: None 

10.STATEMENTS:  

Council Members: 

Glumac: “Just appreciate all the city workers working during all this heat and having  the pool open.” 

Brooks: “The Flowers around town look good.” 

RJ Lindemann: “Happy 4th of July. America is awesome. I think you should all think  that as well. That’s all I have to say.” 

Harris: “I had a complaint about the new senior complex. One of the surrounding  people. It’s getting water backed up into their yard, almost into their garage, she said. I  did address that with Josh. He said that he’s going to try to keep an eye on it. She’s  supposed to call him whenever it starts to back up so they could go out and actually  see what’s going on. But he said that the contractors out there have no control over it.  It basically is the engineers and it’s like, you know.” 

City Attorney: No comments 

City Clerk: 1 Police Department PO #2022-04 

Motion was made by Harris, seconded by Glumac, to authorize Police  Department PO #2022-04 for $48,190.00.00 to Morrow Brothers Ford INC. Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Harris, Glumac 

Nays: None 

Mayor Kuhl: “Thank you to all the city employees. First and foremost, Matt and his team for  the flags. There was a great scene, you guys out first thing this morning, getting those back  down. I want to extend a large thank you to Tyler and the water department for being able to give up a guy and help out the park. We’re short staffed currently out there and I do  appreciate that. I know Brad did, too. So, thank you very much for doing that. Other than that,  stay safe during the heat.” 

  1. NEXT REGULAR MEETING: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at 6:00 PM 

SCHEDULED COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Public Hearing for Appropriations before  the July 19, 2022 council meeting at 5:45 P.M. 

  1. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Litigation and Potential Litigation 

Motion was made by Lindemann, seconded by Glumac, to go out of open  session and into closed session to discuss litigation and potential litigation  pursuant to the exceptions section of the Open Meetings Act pertaining to those  areas of discussion. 

Ayes: Lindemann, Harris, Glumac, Brooks 

Nays: None 

Open session suspended at 6:30 PM. 

Motion was made by Harris, seconded by Lindemann, to go out of closed  session and back into open session. 

Ayes: Harris, Glumac, Brooks, Lindemann 

Nays: None 

Open session resumed at 6:59 PM. 

Mayor Kuhl announced that during closed session the council discussed litigation and  potential litigation. 

13.ADJOURNMENT 

Motion was made by Lindemann, seconded by Glumac, to adjourn the meeting. Ayes: Glumac, Brooks, Lindemann, Harris 

Nays: None  

Meeting adjourned at 7:00 PM. 

Submitted by Rosetta M. York