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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA003 - Excerpt from minutes 18. RESOLUTION NO.01-439 waiving formal bidding procedures and authorizing staff to negotiate the purchase and delivery of a replacement tractor/loader/backhoe 19. RESOLUTION NO. 01-440 approving release and satisfaction of Development Agreement for South Duff Community Park Subdivision 20. RESOLUTION NO. 01-441 approving change order for Ames/ISU Wastewater Flow Meter Project 2-1. RESOLUTION NO. 01-442 approving change order for 2001/02 Water System Improvements Project 22. RESOLUTION NO. 01-443 approving change order for Rehabilitation of Taxiway 13/31 and South Apron and Taxiway to East Hangar Area 23. RESOLUTION NO. 01-444 approving contract and bond for Dayton Avenue Reconstruction (Culvert) Project 24. RESOLUTION NO. 01-445 accepting completion of the 2001/02 Public Parking Lot Rehabilitation Project (CBD Lot) 25. RESOLUTION NO. 01-446 accepting completion of utilities and paving and modifying amount of financial security for Windsor Oaks Subdivision Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolutions declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these minutes. 2001 RESIDENT SATISFACTION SURVEY: Public Relations Officer Clare Bills explained that 510 questionnaires were mailed to randomly selected addresses on March 8,2001;275 addresses were chosen from the utility bill listing and 235 were taken from the list of students who live on campus, in dorms, or in the Greek system housing. Of the 510 questionnaires, six were returned with insufficient addresses, so of the 504 that reached their destination, 167 were completed and returned by the April 13 deadline, which is a 30% response rate. Ms. Bills presented the results of the 19th Annual Resident Satisfaction Survey. In summary, Ms. Bills indicated that 36% ranked the City services as very good, 62% as good, and 2% as poor; combining the ratings for very good and good, 98% of those surveyed indicated that they were satisfied. Council Member Quirmbach recommended that information on the City's current level of spending on the various programs be included with the Survey to better inform the respondents. AMENDMENT TO MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS RELATING TO THE DUTIES OF THE CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, AND CITY CLERK: City Manager Steve Schainker explained that the Code of Iowa requires that cigarette permits be issued by the City Clerk. When Council brought the City Clerk's position under the City Manager's position three years ago,the authority to issue cigarette permits was inadvertently removed from the Code. He said that as staff reviewed Chapter 2 of the Code, it became apparent that there were other provisions that are antiquated or no longer reflect how the City is organized and operated. Mr. Schainker recommended that the following wording be included as a new Paragraph 19: "Direct disaster services for the City of Ames and perform other such duties as the Council shall direct." Moved by Hoffman, seconded by Wirth,to pass on first reading an ordinance amending Municipal Code sections relating to the duties of the City Manager,City Attorney,and City Clerk,including 3 the wording, "Direct disaster services for the City of Ames and perform other such duties as the Council shall direct,"under a new Paragraph 19. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. PUBLIC FORUM: Ery Klaas, 1405 Grand,Ames, advised the Council that he was a co-chair of the Friends of Hallett's Quarry campaign. Mr. Klaas said that this organization has been created to support the bond issue and funds have been established to provide materials to educate the public on this important issue. He asked any groups or agencies that would like a presentation to call him at 294-7990 or 233-3327. Merlin Pfannkuch, 1413 Kellogg Avenue,Ames, said that he was upset over the lack of tolerance and respect for varying viewpoints that is consistently displayed by City staff and the City Council. He expressed his disappointment in the Council's proposal to pledge $1/citizen to be sent to the mayors of New York City,NY, Washington, DC, and Summerset County, PA,being contingent upon the State of Iowa's 15 most-populated cities pledging the same type of monetary support. Mr. Pfannkuch expressed his dismay that Mike King,City Auditorium Manager,was told that he must resign from the Ames Community on the Arts Council (ACAC) due to a conflict of interest. He asked to be informed of the person responsible for requesting Mr. King's ACAC resignation. Mr. Pfannkuch said that he prefers that members of the City staff not be assigned to investigate this matter, as he does not have confidence in them. Mr. Pfannkuch feels that this is another example of the lack of tolerance and respect displayed by City Management. He called for the dismissal of the City Manager because Mr. Pfannkuch has been told by City employees that Mr. Schainker does not allow them to speak their opinions on City-related matters. Mr. Pfannkuch also addressed the City's granting of tax abatement to the Somerset Village development and felt that it was premature to allow changes to their Urban Revitalization Area Plan when the consultant's final report has not yet been received. REQUEST FROM PRISM FIREWORKS TO SHOOT FIREWORKS ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2001: Moved by Goodhue, seconded by Hoffman, to approve the request from Prism Fireworks to shoot fireworks from The Hotel at Gateway Center's property at 10:00 p.m. for the Engineers' Ball on September 29, 2001, at approximately 10 PM. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. CYNTHIA DUFF PLAZA: Nancy Polster, Chairperson of the Public Art Commission, introduced Steve Goltry, Chair of the Committee for the Cynthia Duff Plaza. Mr. Goltry shared information on the proposal from sculptor Tom Stancliffe and a design rendering of the Plaza submitted by Craig Ritland, consultant to this project. He explained the design proposal and gave information on the artist, Thomas R. Stancliffe of New Hartford, Iowa. Mr. Goltry advised that the adjacent business owners have not given their concurrence;however,the managers of those establishments have been contacted and given their approval. Ms. Polster explained that the Commission was seeking the City Council's approval of the design concept,the artist,and the use of the FY01/02 Public Art Commission funding of$10,000 toward 4