HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Regular Meeting of the Ames City Council 11/10/1998MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA NOVEMBER 10, 1998
The Ames City Council met in regular session at 6:30 p.m. on the 10th day of November, 1998, 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, Cross, Hoffman, Quirmbach, and Wirth. Council
member Parks arrived at 6:52 p.m.
JOINT MEETING WITH ELECTRIC UTILITY OPERATIONS REVIEW & ADVISORY BOARD
(EUORAB): Merlin Hove, Director of Electric Department, introduced EUORAB members Steve
Ringlee, Alfred Joensen, John Lamont, Richard Vaughn, and Doug Klokow. Mr. Ringlee gave a
presentation of the Electric Utility Action Plan for the 21st Century. Issues discussed included the
competitive environment, regulation considerations, national issues, Iowa issues, A.M.E.S.’ positives,
and immediate needs. The Board felt that the following items needed to be focused on immediately:
(1) an “unbundling” study must be performed, (2) education/promotion plans need to be developed for
customers and employees to be knowledgeable about the possible changes in service likely to occur, and
(3) a longer-term analysis to allow for modifications to the planning process as some of the issues are
better defined.
Moved by Campbell, seconded by Cross, to authorize staff to proceed with an “unbundling” study.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
PROCLAMATION NAMING NOVEMBER AS “ADOPTION MONTH.” Mayor Tedesco proclaimed
November as “Adoption Month.” Accepting the proclamation were Bambi Schrader of Youth & Shelter
Services and parents of adopted special needs children.
CONSENT AGENDA: Moved by Hoffman, seconded by Parks, to approve the following items on the
Consent Agenda:
1. Motion to approve payment of claims
2. Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of October 27, 1998
3. Motion to approve renewal of the following beer permits:
a.Class E Beer -The Key Shop, 218 Welch, Suite 3
b. Class E Beer -Osco Drug #585, 207 S. Duff Avenue
4.Motion directing City Attorney to draft ordinance regarding parking prohibitions for Dauntless, Somerset,
and Eastgate Subdivisions
5. Motion directing the City Attorney to draft an ordinance adopting the 1999 National Electrical Code
6. RESOLUTION NO. 98-529 approving award of contract for street lighting materials to Fletcher-Reinhardt
Co. in the amount of $70,455.65
7. RESOLUTION NO. 98-530 approving contract and bond for Roof Replacement at Ames Transit Agency
Facility
8. RESOLUTION NO. 98-531 approving contract and bond for Major Inspection of Steam Turbine
Generator, Unit #7
9. RESOLUTION NO. 98-532 authorizing Mayor to execute termination of security interest pertaining to
Kiliper Corporation
10. RESOLUTION NO. 98-533 approving agreement between the Ames City Council and the Ames Hospital
Board of Trustees for bicycle path on the Israel Family Hospice House property
11. RESOLUTION NO. 98-534 approving plans and specifications for Tuckpointing and Related Repairs for
City Hall building; setting November 25, 1998, as bid due date; and December 8, 1998, as the date of
public hearing and award of contract
12. RESOLUTION NO. 98-535 approving allocation from Contingency Fund to assist the Downtown
business and property owners in preparation for the Main Street Improvement Project
13. RESOLUTION NO. 98-536 approving authorization for fleet replacement of a Digger Derrick Truck
14. RESOLUTION NO. 98-537 approving subordination of second mortgage lien for 5401 Schubert Street
in connection with the City’s Phase III Affordable Housing Program in the Bentwood Subdivision
15. RESOLUTION NO. 98-538 approving subordination of second mortgage lien for 708 Grand Avenue in
connection with the City’s Phase IV Affordable Housing Program
16. RESOLUTION NO. 98-539 approving an agreement with Stone Brooke Community Church for use of
Church property for City park purposes
17. RESOLUTION NO. 98-540 approving naming of municipal tennis complex as Ukena Family Tennis
Complex and naming individual tennis courts after significant contributors
18. RESOLUTION 98-541 approving Interagency Agreement between Iowa Department of Inspections and
Appeals and City of Ames
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolutions declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made
a portion of these minutes.
PUBLIC FORUM: No one spoke during this time.
REQUESTS FROM AMES MAIN STREET DISTRICT: Moved by Wirth, seconded by Hoffman, to
approve the requests to utilize the lighting on buildings along Main Street from November 19 through
December 31, 1998, and to suspend parking enforcement on Saturdays for Central Business District
from November 21 through December 19, 1998.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
REQUEST FROM MASTER GARDENERS/LIONS CLUB: Moved by Hoffman, seconded by Cross,
to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 98-542 approving the agreement for Douglas Plaza plantings.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made
a portion of these minutes.
HEARING FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION REFUNDING BONDS: David Dirks, Evensen Dodge,
Inc., reported on the bids received for the sale of $3,205,000 General Obligation Refunding bonds,
Series 1998B, and recommended that the bid be awarded to Nations Bank of St. Louis, MO.
Mayor Tedesco declared the hearing open. There being no one wishing to testify, the hearing was
closed.
Moved by Cross, seconded by Wirth, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 98-543 approving the sale and
issuance of $3,205,000 of General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 1998B, to Nations Bank of St.
Louis, MO.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made
a portion of these minutes.
HEARING ON ALLEY PAVEMENT (BOUNDED BY 10TH STREET, 11TH STREET, WILSON
AVENUE, AND GRAND AVENUE): Mayor Tedesco declared the hearing open. There being no one
wishing to testify, the hearing was closed.
Moved by Cross, seconded by Wirth, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 98-544 approving award of contract
to Con-Struct, Inc., of Ames, Iowa, in the amount of $26,758 for Alley Pavement (bounded by 10th
Street, 11th Street, Wilson Avenue, and Grand Avenue).
2
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made
a portion of these minutes.
CONCEPT PLAN FOR MAIN STREET STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS. Ray Anderson,
City Planner, introduced Paul Popelka and Randy Lueth from Engineering Plus. Mr. Popelka showed
a slide presentation on the Concept Plan for Main Street Streetscape Improvements which included the
project description, existing conditions, design issues, streetscape design elements, and the project
schedule. Mr. Lueth explained various aspects of the Concept Plan in detail such as pedestrian
crossings, the Main and Kellogg intersection, and the recommended art work.
Council Member Wirth would like to see the replacement of street lights on the north/south streets up
to the railroad tracks included in this project.
The 1998-99 adopted budget for the streetscape portion of the Main Street Improvement Project is
$1,050,000 in General Obligation Bond funding. The design consultant’s estimates for the streetscape
portion of this project total $1,593,000. Council member Cross asked for an explanation of the disparity
in costs now being estimated and the original figures. Paul Wiegand, Director of Public Works,
explained that the costs increased as the staff looked at steps to minimize the amount of time the street
would be impassable and impacting businesses. Staff now believes that the Plan needs to include
measures to prevent business interruptions as much as possible; these alternative methods cost more.
Moved by Campbell, seconded by Parks, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 98-545 approving the Concept
Plan for the Main Street Streetscape Improvement Project from Grand to Duff; authorizing the
consultants to proceed with the preparation of design, construction, and bidding documents, factoring
in streetlights on the north/south streets; and instructing the consultants to design the bid package to
include “deducts.”
Council member Parks indicated that he would like an analysis for each of the “deducts” on when the
improvements need to be made.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of
these minutes.
GRANT APPLICATION TO IOWA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN
CONNECTION WITH AMES/STORY COUNTY PHASE V AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROGRAMS: Moved by Parks, seconded by Wirth, to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 98-546 approving
the submittal of a grant application for $300,000 of Local Housing Assistant Program funds to the Iowa
Department of Economic Development in connection with Ames/Story Phase V Affordable Housing
Programs and authorizing the Mayor to send a letter of support and local match commitment of
$116,385 for a three-year period, subject to annual appropriation.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made
a portion of these minutes.
SALE OF POLICE CANINE AND RELATED EQUIPMENT: Moved by Hoffman, seconded by Cross,
to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 98-547 approving waiver of City’s purchasing requirements for the sale
of surplus property and authorizing sale of police canine and related equipment to Corporal Jerry
Spencer for the fee of $10.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Resolution declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made
3
a portion of these minutes.
REPORT ON CHANGES TO SNOW PLOWING POLICIES: Director of Public Works Paul Wiegand
stated complaints aired to staff, Council, and via the Resident Satisfaction Survey prompted a review
of the City’s snow plowing policies. As a result of citizen focus group meetings, it was decided to
establish an intermediate level of service where virtually all areas of the community would be within
approximately two blocks of a plowed street. The increase in cost to plow these routes would be
approximately $2,000 per snow event or $20,000 to $25,000/year (5% of the snow/ice control budget).
Two other changes reported by Mr. Wiegand concerning snow removal efforts are that plow operators
will be dumping the snow around cul-de-sacs into the island areas and the operators will be working 12-
hour shifts instead of the traditional 16 hours they have worked during major snowstorms.
Moved by Parks, seconded by Cross, to retain the policy of initiating plowing of major streets (red
routes) when 2" of snow has fallen, establish a new system of secondary routes (blue routes) that are
plowed immediately following the red routes on each storm, and plow all other residential streets when
snow accumulates to a depth of 3".
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
ORDINANCE REGARDING SNOW REMOVAL IN DOWNTOWN AND CAMPUSTOWN: Moved
by Hoffman, seconded by Parks, to pass on second reading an ordinance proposing changes which
clarify the snow ordinance implementation and creating a new section dealing with specific times for
snow removal in the Downtown and Campustown commercial areas.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Parks, seconded by Campbell, to suspend the rules necessary for the adoption of an
ordinance.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Moved by Parks, seconded by Campbell, to pass on third reading and adopt ORDINANCE NO. 3505
clarifying the snow ordinance implementation and creating a new section dealing with specific times
for snow removal in the Downtown and Campustown commercial areas.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Ordinance declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made
a portion of these minutes.
ORDINANCE PROHIBITING “SPIDER LEG” SIGNS: Moved by Parks, seconded by Cross, to pass
on second reading an ordinance prohibiting “spider leg” signs.
Roll Call Vote: 5-1. Voting aye: Campbell, Cross, Hoffman, Parks, Wirth. Voting nay: Quirmbach.
Motion declared carried.
ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR RIGHTS-OF-WAY MANAGEMENT: Moved by Hoffman,
seconded by Cross, to pass on third reading and adopt ORDINANCE NO. 3504 providing for the
management of the City’s rights-of-way.
Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Ordinance declared adopted unanimously, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made
a portion of these minutes.
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET GUIDELINES: City Manager Steve Schainker stated that the City is
beginning the budget process for 1999-2000. Input had been requested from the public via the Resident
Satisfaction Survey and the Town Budget Meeting so as to avert radical changes late in the process.
Written copies of the comments generated from the Town Budget Meeting were provided to the Council.
4
The following issues were discussed in detail:
Local Option Sales Tax Revenues. Alice Carroll, Director of Finance, stated that the Iowa Department
of Revenue had prepared estimates for the City involving the Local Option Tax receipts which were
significantly less than we had projected. It is now known that actual receipts for all of FY 97/98
exceeded the Department of Revenue distribution by approximately $78,000. The Department of
Revenue will be asked to recalculate the distribution. Based on actual receipts for 97/98 and a 3%
projection rate, the most favorable re-estimate would still be approximately $276,815 below the 98/99
budgeted revenue. Regardless of the estimate, Mr. Schainker requested direction from the Council as
to what percentage they wanted allocated to various projects, and in particular, the arts and human
service agencies. Usage of Local Option Sales Tax funds for 1999/2000 was proposed to Council as
follows:
60% Property Tax Relief 2,735,491
Community Betterment:
Public Art 15,000
Human Services 686,951
Arts Council 80,150
Partner Cities 2,000
Neighborhood Improvement Projects 50,000
Leased Housing 61,684
Affordable Housing 116,000
City Projects 1,102,400
General Fund Balance. The ending balance for 1997/98 was $537,000 higher than projected in the
98/99 budget. The estimated ending balance for 98/99 will also be higher than budgeted, but that
amount is dependent on the local option sales tax distribution. If a balance of 15% of expenditures is
maintained, the 98/99 ending balance will exceed that by $1.2 to $1.5 million.
Capital Improvements Projects. Over the years, the City’s annual commitment in General Obligation
Bond funding has increased from $2,000,000 to $4,000,000. A preliminary review of the projects
submitted by the department heads for consideration by the City Manager increases that commitment
to approximately $7,500,000/year. It was emphasized by Mr. Schainker that this total does not include
projects associated with the completion of the Transportation Plan, Emergency Response Plan, or the
Recreation Facilities Plan. The major issues facing Council will be: (1) to commit to this additional
level of capital improvements, (2) to finance these projects from G.O. Bond debt, or (3) to utilize other
sources to fund these projects such as the General Fund, Road Use Fund, or Local Option Sales Tax
Fund balances. A brief review of the larger prospective capital improvement projects was given by Mr.
Schainker.
Council member Wirth pointed out that the additional new train whistles for other major intersections
were not included in the improvements listed.
Debt Issue. The requests in the 1999/2004 Capital Improvements Plan for new general obligation debt
average $7.5 million. The past average new debt has been $4-5 million. Based on the requests, the
1999/2000 levy would mean an increase of $0.32035/1,000 over 1998/99.
Solid Waste Issue. Recent developments in private sector waste collection have posed a potential major
financial challenge to the Resource Recovery System. The current per capita charge of $10.50 covers
5
the System’s debt service and the $47/ton tipping fee covers ongoing system costs. The community’s
largest solid waste hauler (collects 60% of the waste brought to the Resource Recovery Plant) has
requested that the City cut its tipping fee to the statewide average of $32-33/ton; if this reduction is not
made, the hauler indicated that it will consider shipping its waste to an out-of-state landfill. A key
budget issue will be if and to what extent the City Council desires to lower the tipping fee to retain that
hauler’s waste. A decision to reduce the tipping fee will result in a corresponding increase in the
property taxes for the residents of Ames and of the other communities who are partners in an agreement
requiring them to haul their waste to Ames.
Council member Parks urged the Council to look into the legislative initiative concerning the Solid
Waste issue.
Year 2000 Issue. Steve Schainker advised that different software systems have been upgraded, the
City’s mainframe computer will be upgraded in December of this year, and PC’s which are not Year 2K
compliant will be replaced. A city-wide team of department representatives under the leadership of
Sheila Lundt has been formed and submitted reports regarding any project-specific hardware/software
or potential imbedded chip problems.
Moved by Campbell, seconded by Parks, to accept the proposed guidelines for use of the Local Option
Sales Tax in FY 1999-2000.
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
COMMENTS: Mayor Tedesco polled the Council as to whom would be present for their next regular
meeting to be held on November 24 due to the Thanksgiving holiday. All Council members will be
available; the Mayor will be out of town.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:37 p.m.
_________________________________ ________________________________________
Diane Voss, City Clerk Ted Tedesco, Mayor
6