Waukon City Council discusses Aveka noise and odor concerns at special session, sets interview date with City Manager candidate
by Joe Moses
The Waukon City Council met in special session Wednesday, June 7 to discuss several items, including the City Manager position, the Reel Core storm sewer project and the Aveka noise and odor. Mayor Duane DeWalle called the meeting to order.
The Council discussed the Reel Core storm sewer project. Senior Project Manager Lyle TeKippe with Fehr-Graham Engineering was contacted by phone and placed on speaker. TeKippe discussed the replacement of the metal pipe and the process involved in connecting a new metal pipe to the existing concrete storm sewer pipe. The Council approved to replace an 80-foot section of storm sewer pipe at the Reel Core location along the southwest edge of Waukon.
Mayor DeWalle indicated that the Aveka noise and odor agenda item was being moved up on the agenda for discussion next. The Council discussed the need for Aveka to monitor the levels relating to odor and noise using electronic monitoring equipment. Councilman Don Steffens discussed the examples of ordinances that were found by City Attorney Jim Garrett in researching the matter. Steffens indicated that most of the examples related to industrial parks.
The Council discussed decibel levels near Aveka and in the residential neighborhoods nearby and the importance of setting standards. Councilman Steve Wiedner discussed the use of walls with sound dampening materials that have worked well for other situations. The Council discussed the need to set baseline decibel levels for Aveka to use as goals in this process.
Branch Manager Bob Hendrickson with Aveka advised that he is looking to the City Council for guidance on the decibel range issue and that there are plans to put up sound dampening panels and sound insulation, but said he needs a goal or acceptable level from the City as a basis in making these decisions. Hendrickson discussed that raising the smokestack 10-20 feet at Aveka may be helpful regarding the odor concerns and that his engineers will need to do an analysis to see what can be done structurally in a safe manner.
Kevin Welsh, a homeowner of 17 years living near the Aveka facility, discussed that he cannot leave his door or windows open due to the odor and noise and, as a result, he will be paying more to run air conditioning throughout the summer. Welsh also discussed that idling trucks at the loading dock are contributing to the noise issue. Hendrickson agreed that signage could be installed to help discourage this from happening and that this is a rare occurrence with an isolated incident involving a vendor's truck left idling over a weekend being brought up frequently.
Councilman Dwight Jones advised that Welsh's concerns are similar to his own with Welsh's experience being more extreme due to his home's proximity to Aveka. City Clerk Al Lyon indicated that following the meeting he would be taking some decibel readings at Welsh's home, both outside and inside.
The Council discussed the debt collection of overdue utility accounts. Lyon discussed the responses received from a couple of companies that provide debt collection services, with City Attorney Jim Garrett advising the Council about court costs involved in this process.
The Council moved into discussion of the City Manager position. Jones advised that one candidate has been at the top of the list throughout the preliminary discussions of the position and during evaluations of applications received. Joe Cunningham provided feedback on the interview process and the merits of conducting a closed interview, which he described as being commonplace for professional positions. Lyon provided a counterpoint describing an open public interview as an opportunity to evaluate public speaking skills and abilities interacting with the public, which are essential to the City Manager position.
Cunningham described the candidate being discussed as being dedicated and having a "full-time attitude" with the part-time City Manager position in mind. The Council agreed to interview the top candidate, with Monday, June 12 at 6 p.m. being scheduled for a special session of the Council to conduct that interview.
