HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Meeting of the Ames City Council 08/03/1999MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA AUGUST 3, 1999
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:00 p.m. on the 3rd day of August, 1999, in the
City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Ted Tedesco
presiding and the following Council members present: Campbell, Hoffman, Parks, Quirmbach, and
Wirth. Council Member Cross was absent.
CALL TO ORDER: 5:00 p.m.
REVIEW OF CITY’S STORM-DAMAGED TREE POLICY: Steve Schainker, City Manager,
stated that City crews had been working diligently over the past four days to restore electricity to
customers and to clean up the debris from the streets to make them passable. Mr. Schainker said that
in terms of damage to street trees, City crews will traverse each street throughout the city and clear
the downed branches and trees that have fallen in the area between the sidewalk and the curb.
Mr. Schainker reminded the Council that they had established a Storm-Damaged Tree Clean-Up
Policy in July 1998. Based on this Policy, City representatives made an assessment of the damage
throughout Ames and attempted to interpret the policy as best they could. Based on their
interpretation of the Policy, a free drop-off site has been designated on S. 16th (across from the Old
Orchard Mobile Home Park) for residents to drop off the debris from their private trees which were
damaged in the most-recent storm.
Based on the interpretation of the Policy, Mr. Schainker explained that staff felt the damage caused
by the storm met the criteria for establishment of a free drop-off site. Council was being asked to
review the Policy at this meeting and give staff direction on whether an additional level of service
should be provided to assist citizens given the magnitude of the most-recent storm.
Director of Public Works Paul Wiegand showed a map outlining the various maintenance districts
included in the Policy. Mayor Ted Tedesco stated that he had driven throughout Ames after the
storm, and it is his opinion that Districts 2 and 3 incurred the most severe damage. He feels that the
City should pick up private tree debris in those areas. Council Member Hoffman asked for the
boundaries of Districts 2 and 3. Mr. Wiegand stated that those districts are bounded by College
Creek, Sheldon, Clear Creek, Lincoln Way, South Dakota, and Elwood Drive.
Mr. Wiegand stated that the Public Works Department is approximately 35% complete with the
street tree pick up. He pointed out the streets which staff feels were hardest hit by the storm in terms
of both street trees and private trees, i.e., Hickory, Oakland, Sheldon, Lincoln Way, Beach,
Mortensen, State. In addition, there was a lot of street tree damage in the Hilltop, Tripp, S. Franklin
areas.
Moved by Parks, seconded by Wirth, directing City crews to pick up private tree debris in the area
outlined by staff with the addition of the area around Hilltop, Wilmoth, Tripp, and S. Franklin and
to keep the free drop-off site open until August 16, 1999. (The area outlined by staff is bounded on
the north by Oakland Street, then west to Wildflower Drive, south to Lincoln Way, east on Lincoln
Way, south to Coy Street, east to State, south on State to Mortensen Road, east on Mortensen Road
to Beach Avenue, north on Beach Avenue to Lincoln Way, west on Lincoln Way to Sheldon
Avenue).
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
It was pointed out that the property owners are responsible for cutting up the branches or trees. The
Public Works Department is requesting that residents stack the debris in piles no higher than 2' high
and no longer than 8' long.
Steve Schainker stated that the City’s first obligation will be to clean up the street tree debris, which
may take up to two weeks. The extra level of service will be provided by crews on regular duty; no
overtime will be incurred. Council Member Wirth asked for a cost estimate for providing the
additional service in the outlined area. Mr. Schainker said that there would be additional costs for
equipment and supplies. He also reminded Council that City workers will be taken off of other
projects to accomplish this task. Council was informed by Mr. Schainker that he has met with
FEMA officials, and if the City’s expenditures exceed $186,000, the City will be eligible for 75%
FEMA reimbursement.
COMMENTS: Moved by Parks, seconded by Hoffman, to refer to staff a letter from Ames Main
Street District asking to close a portion of the CBD parking lot on August 28.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Hoffman, seconded by Campbell, to direct staff to look into the absence of Code
restrictions dealing with parking requirements if people rent rooms in a dwelling.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 5:23 p.m.
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Diane Voss, City Clerk Ted Tedesco, Mayor
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