Waukon City Council discusses Wellness Center and street improvements; Police Chief Bollman to retire

by Dwight Jones

The Waukon City Council met in regular session the evening of Monday, July 2 with the full Council in attendance. Under Public Comments, Bruce ReVoir, who lives at 615 Taylor Street in Waukon, had some questions for the Council regarding work that was done in his neighborhood and safety concerns regarding cell phone towers.
Moving on to Regular Business, the Council approved and adopted the ordinance expanding the Southeast Urban Renewal (TIF) district to include the Robey Memorial Library. The change will allow TIF dollars to be used to help fund the City’s portion of the upcoming library expansion project.
Dani Bucknell, Dennis Lyons and Patty Fosaaen were in attendance representing the Waukon Wellness Center to begin discussions regarding a possible “capital expense fund” to be established to help with large, unforeseen expenditures for maintenance-related issues at the facility.
Within the 28-E agreement that the Wellness Center operates under, the City is responsible for upkeep of the building, but a gray area exists between normal building upkeep, routine maintenance and what would be deemed major repairs (heating, cooling, etc.).
All Council members showed support for the Center itself but appeared to have mixed feelings about the City’s responsibility to pay for the additional expenses, should they arise. It was determined that a sub-committee will be formed to allow further discussions to take place between the two parties to help form a suggested agreement that will then be brought back to the entire Council for review.
Next, the Council approved a lease agreement with Verizon Wireless and ACE Telephone, both regarding wireless telephone and/or internet antennas to be placed within the city.

STREET IMPROVEMENT
The Council then held a lengthy discussion with City Attorney Jim Garrett and City Engineer Lyle TeKippe on what is needed to move forward with the 2012 Street Improvements Project, which involves the repaving of Third Street NE and which would be partially funded by assessments to property owners. Garrett stated that the City had received legal advice from an outside firm to move ahead with meetings with property owners that wished to review their specific situation, though it was not decided when/where the meetings would take place.
It was also determined that a traffic count be conducted on the street in question along with other streets to better determine if the improvements being made, for the most part, benefited those who lived within the neighborhood or the public as a whole. TeKippe was instructed to work with the Iowa Department of Transportation on scheduling the traffic counts.
Councilman Joe Cunningham then spoke on behalf of Sara Berges, who is administering the REAP Grant that is being used to establish a trail system throughout the Waukon City Park area. He stated that Berges was asking that a request be submitted to REAP asking for a re-allocation of funds that would allow for the final stretch of the trail to be completed that would subsequently “loop” it back to the park. This was not a request for additional funds but rather an allocation, as the overall project expenses were coming in under budget. The Council approved the request.
Mayor Loren Beneke then announced that Chief of Police Clark Bollman had notified him that he would be retiring at the end of the year. It was determined that a committee should be formed to establish the criteria/requirements for hiring his replacement. Additional action will be taken at the next meeting to finalize the committee and its duties.
To close the meeting, the Council established a budget line item for the General Fund portion of the funds generated via the newly-established hotel/motel tax.