City Council Minutes | January 2, 2024

City Council
Council Chambers
Tuesday
January 2, 2024 7:00 pm

 

The City Council of the City of New Hampton met in regular session in the Council Chambers at 112 East Spring Street, New Hampton Iowa at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 2, 2024. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Geerts at 7:00 p.m. Council members present were Denner, Fisher, Humpal, Larsen, Porath and Speltz. Also in attendance were Casey Mai, Tammy Robinson, City Attorney Todd Prichard, Kelly O’Donnell and Mary & Bill Prouty.

Approve meeting agenda:
1. Approve meeting agenda
2. Approve City Council Minutes of December 18, 2023
3. Approve Special Council Minutes of December 27, 2023
4. Approve City Claims of $170,262.31
5. Park & Rec Board Minutes of December 13, 2023
6. Cemetery Board Minutes of December 19, 2023

2023 Organizational items

Resolution setting guidelines for Council meetings

Moved by Porath, seconded by Denner; That Resolution No. 6608 A RESOLUTION SETTING GUIDELINES FOR COUNCIL MEETINGS (as follows), be approved:

All regular Council meetings shall be held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m. as set by City Code, and if such day shall fall on a legal holiday, identified as Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day or Labor Day, the meeting shall be held on the next succeeding day at the same time unless a different day or time is determined by the council. The conduct of all regular and special meetings of the Council shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order. Special meetings of the City Council may be called by the Mayor of the City at any time, as stated in the City Code, with notice in compliance with the open meetings law, and said special meeting shall take up, consider, and act upon any such business as the Mayor shall place on the agenda subject to Council approval. Any business to be transacted at any regular Council meeting shall be in the hands of the City Clerk by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the Council meeting. The Mayor sets up the agenda for the City Clerk to prepare and post to the City of New Hampton website on the Friday prior to the meeting. Emergency items shall be in the hands of the City Clerk by Friday at 10:00 a.m. Ayes – Denner, Fisher, Humpal, Larsen, Porath, Speltz. Nays – None. Absent – None. Resolution approved.

Attorney Todd Prichard suggested that the Code of Conduct be included in the ‘Resolution setting guidelines for council meetings’. Moved by Denner, seconded by Speltz; to amend the Resolution #6608 with the inclusion of the Code of Conduct, be approved. Ayes – Denner, Fisher, Humpal, Larsen, Porath, Speltz. Nays – None. Absent – None. Amended Resolution #6608 approved.

Setting order for roll call
Moved by Speltz, seconded by Fisher; That the order for roll call vote shall be as follows: the first meeting shall be alphabetical and thereafter each meeting the roll call vote shall be rotated so that the first vote becomes the last and the rest remain alphabetical. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

City Attorney Todd Prichard discussed the Open Meeting Laws and how business is conducted at meetings which benefit both citizens and the council. Prichard also discussed the issue of ‘conflict of interest’ and how it should be avoided for the mayor and council members.

Mayor Geerts appointed Deb Larsen as Mayor Pro-tem and asked for council approval. Moved by Denner, seconded by Porath; that Mayor Geerts’ appointment of Deb Larsen as Mayor Pro-tem, be approved. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Mayor Geerts appointed the following Standing Committees and asked for Council approval:

Committee Chair Committee Members
Finance Humpal Porath, Larsen
Street and Sanitation Denner Speltz, Larsen
Water Fisher Denner, Speltz
Wastewater Denner Fisher, Porath
Hotel/Motel Humpal
Safety Porath Tim Pederson, Casey Mai, Toby Schwickerath

Moved by Larsen, seconded by Humpal; That the Mayor’s appointments to the Standing Committees be approved. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Designating Signatures for Community Development Block Grants and Economic Development Grants
Moved by Porath, seconded by Larsen; That Resolution No. 6609 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SIGNATURES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION GRANTS (Steve Geerts, Mayor, and in his absence, Larsen Mayor Pro-tem), be approved. Ayes – Denner, Fisher, Humpal, Larsen, Porath, Speltz. Nays – None. Absent – None. Resolution approved.

Mayor’s appointments – Department heads
Mayor Geerts made the following appointments and asked for Council approval:
City Clerk – Karen Clemens
Deputy City Clerk – Courtney Lechtenberg
Chief of Police – Tim Pederson
Public Works Director – Casey Mai
Economic Development Director – Tammy Robinson
City Attorney – Todd Prichard
Fire Chief – Toby Schwickerath
City Health Physician – New Hampton Clinic staff
Zoning Administrators – Karen Clemens and Casey Mai
Street Supervisor/Wastewater 2 – Eric Kuehn

Moved by Speltz, seconded by Larsen; That the Mayor’s appointments be approved. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Mayor’s appointments to Community Boards
Mayor Geerts made the following appointments and asked for Council approval:
Floyd-Mitchell-Chickasaw Solid Waste Agency – Mayor Geerts, Clemens – alternate
Economic Development Advisory Board–Mayor Geerts, Humpal, Clemens – alternate
Communication Commission – Mayor Geerts, Police Chief Pederson
E-911 Board – Mayor Geerts, Police Chief Pederson
Emergency Management Board – Mayor Geerts, Clemens – Alternate

INRCOG Voting Officials:
Regional Transit Commission (Buses) – Mayor or Council
Regional Transit Authority Technical Board (Streets, Road, Trails Bridges) – Mayor or Council
Regional Transit Authority Policy Board – Mayor or Council
Housing Council – Tammy Robinson

Moved by Porath, seconded by Humpal; that the Mayor’s appointments to Community Boards, be approved. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Moved by Denner, seconded by Larsen; That the New Hampton Tribune be named the official newspaper for the publication of Council proceedings and notices. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Moved by Speltz, seconded by Larsen; To appoint SEH Engineering as the engineering firm for City Subdivision review and storm water management review and all other City engineering business will be done on a project by project basis. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

PWD Mai recommended hiring Jordan Holthaus to fill the newly created position of Part Time Snow Removal Equipment Operator, effective immediately, at a rate of pay of $21.00/hour. Holthaus will be a back up to drive dump trucks during snow removal. Moved by Denner, seconded by Porath; That Resolution #6610 A RESOLUTION HIRING JORDAN HOLTHAUS AS PART TIME SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT OPERATOR be approved. Ayes – Denner, Fisher, Humpal, Larsen, Porath, Speltz. Nays – None. Absent – None. Resolution approved.

PWD Mai discussed the option of vacating Gardner Street, east of North Locust Avenue; Mai is not inclined to have Gardner Street be developed any further east. Adjoining property owners, Kelly O’Donnell and Mary & Bill Prouty, are both interested in obtaining part of the 66’ Right of Way as they would like to utilize the property for development. The City would maintain the ROW of Gardner Street east of North Locust, which is approximately 150’. The remaining property to Spring Creek could be split evenly to the adjoining owners; the ROW East of Spring Creek to North Foley Ave will be maintained by the Park & Recreation Department. Denner moved, Porath seconded; that City Staff proceed with a surveying company to determine lot lines of the proposed vacated land, and determine the location for a 33’ division; Staff will request input from Ray Armel to determine the value of the land. Staff will report back to the Council.
Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Moved by Speltz, seconded by Larsen; that the meeting adjourn at 7:48 p.m. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent –. Motion carried.

 

 

ATTEST: Karen Clemens, City Clerk

Steve Geerts, Mayor