City Council begins discussion on Third Street NE assessments

by Dwight Jones

The Waukon City Council met in regular session the evening of Tuesday, February 21, delayed one day due to the President’s Day holiday.
Under Regular Business, Mayor Loren Beneke announced that Joe Kroack had resigned his position on the Waukon Area Fire District board due to a schedule conflict. Glenn Mathis was then appointed to fill the position.
Next, Rachelle Howe with Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission provided a review of the many services that organization’s office has available to the City, including assistance with planning, housing and much more. She encouraged the Council to visit their newly revamped website for more information.
Al Lyon then gave the Council an update on an event currently under discussion proposed to be held within the Waukon City Park in June 2013. Lyon gave a review of events scheduled for the weekend, including Civil War battle re-enactments, rendezvous, a Civil War period dance, weapon demonstration and a variety of other activities. Lyon also discussed costs needed to make the event happen, and then asked for $1,000 from the City to help get the project off the ground, which was approved.
The Council next approved the payment of $540 to pay the property taxes on the “Hansmeier Farm”, now known as the Industrial Park.
Next, the Mayor and Council discussed the possibility of buying used police cars from the State of Kansas. They have a program where cars used by their State Patrol are sold once reaching 49,000 miles. Due to the fact that they are sold based on mileage rather than age, they currently have cars ranging from 2008-2010 for sale with costs between $12,000-$15,000. The Waukon Police Department is in desperate need of replacement equipment, and the Council agreed to purchase two of the vehicles.

THIRD STREET NE
The Council then had a lengthy discussion involving the 2012 Street Improvement Project. City Engineer Lyle TeKippe discussed the project for Third Street NE that would cover from East Main Street to Sixth Avenue NE. Having been previously advised by the Council that an early spring bid letting was desired, the engineer provided a schedule that would call for bids to be awarded at a special council meeting April 23 leading to a construction completion date of approximately September 28, 2012.
The Council intends to follow the financing arrangement utilized for Third Avenue NW whereby the City would cover 60% of the cost, with 40% being assessed to property owners. As with the Third Street project last year, the Council intends to “buy down” the cost of the project by utilizing other City resources to cover costs that are unique to the project prior to setting the assessed costs of the project.
With an estimated cost of over $1.1 million, and with the City adjustment for certain costs deemed unique to this project of about $137,000, the remaining cost of about $969,700 will be covered approximately 60% with City sales tax funds and 40% assessed to adjoining property owners. A public hearing on the assessment has been tentatively set for April 2. In the weeks prior to that hearing, the Council hopes to hold an informal meeting with property owners to explain the project and how assessments can be paid and what these assessments might be.
Because few improvements have been made to this street and significant infrastructure and grading improvements need to be addressed, the new street will be cement rather than asphalt. Costs associated with necessary sidewalk replacement and new sidewalk additions will be part of the project. Water service line and sanitary service line hook-ups necessitated by replacement of obsolete water and sewer mains will be covered under the “buy down” costs of the City. Cost to replace obsolete residential water lines, such as old lead water lines or dilapidated residential sanitary sewer lines, will rest with the property owner. Funds previously identified for manhole refurbishment will be utilized to cover costs associated with this aspect of the project. Project assessments will affect about 49 property owners.
The Council then discussed its garbage collection contract, which is due for renewal. The Council has received interest from other companies for bidding it and is considering what direction to take with the renewal. No action was taken.
The Council then approved a property tax exemption application for Quality Properties. On the final agenda item, the Council moved to appoint Beth Shafer to the Waukon Wellness Center Board to replace Stefanie Perkins, who resigned following a change in residence to outside the city limits.