ELY CITY COUNCIL

SPECIAL MEETING

March 22, 2010

6:30 p.m.

 

Mayor Jim Doyle called a special meeting of the Ely City Council to order at 6:38 p.m. on Monday March 22, 2010 in the Council Chambers at Ely City Hall.   Council Members present:  Stephanie Mai, Bob Ballantyne, Kay Hale, Bill Grove, and Dale Stanek. Also present: Tim Grimm, Stefanie Robinson, Eric Robinson, Dave Rasmussen, Jeff Hilleman and Aaron Anderson, City Administrator/Clerk.

 

The City Council met in special session, pursuant to notice as required by State Code, to conduct business needing timely consideration and action by the City Council and workshop sessions regarding a Downtown Dows Street Improvements Project and the Two & Five Year Plan.

 

Stanek moved to approve the agenda as presented, second by Hale; motion carried – 5 to 0.

 

North Entrance Trail Way-Point and Sign

Status Report.  Tim Grimm, chair of the Ely Living Roadways Committee, reported Ely was awarded a grant of $16,804 through the Trees Forever/Iowa Department of Transportation Living Roadways Project grant program to cover costs for landscaping and plantings for the North Entrance Trail Way-Point and Sign project.  Mr. Grimm reported Ely is required to provide at least 30% of total project cost as local match, and that the total project cost, including installation of a new community sign, is estimated to total $35,935 plus the value of the land approved by Linn County and site preparation performed as part of the Hoover Trail.  Mr. Grimm reported Trees Forever asked Ely to return the signed grant agreement immediately.

 

Resolution No. 10-0322-10, Approving Grant Agreement with Trees Forever and Iowa Department of Transportation.  Grove moved to approve Resolution No. 10-0322-10, Approving Grant Agreement with Trees Forever and Iowa Department of Transportation, second by Mai.  Motion carried – 5 to 0.

 

Schedule Public Hearing re: Request for Annexation and C-2 Highway Commercial Zoning, Brad Mahoney.  Stanek moved to schedule a public hearing regarding a request from Brad Mahoney for voluntary annexation and C-2 Highway Commercial Zoning designation for a roughly 4.64+/- acre parcel of land on the east side of State Street immediately south of existing city limits for 7:00 p.m. Monday, April 12, 2010, second by Ballantyne.  Motion carried – 5 to 0.

 

Workshop Session re: Downtown Dows Street Improvements Project.  Mayor Doyle and the City Council discussed general concepts for a project to improve aesthetics and infrastructure in the downtown Dows Street area between State and Main Streets.  Topics discussed include, but are not limited to: type of improvements to consider, burying existing electric lines, the improvements represented in the 2007 report and the Ely Living Roadways report, estimated costs and how this project connects with others under consideration.  No action was taken on this matter.

 

Workshop Session re: Two & Five Year Planning.  Mayor Doyle and City Council members discussed previously identified projects to be completed in a two-year time frame.  Following discussion it was the general consensus that the following projects should be completed in 2010:

It was the general consensus to work toward a more omnibus plan to identify, place, scope and schedule known projects for consideration of completion in the next five years.  No action was taken on this matter.

 

Resolution No. 10-0322-11, Accepting Proposal for Operating Insurance.  City Administrator Anderson reported receiving the following proposals to provide the City’s general operating insurance per the Request for Proposals distributed in February:

·        True North, Cedar Rapids, IA - $15,343.00

·        Holmes – Murphy, Cedar Rapids, IA - $10,852.00

·        Millhiser Smith, Cedar Rapids, IA - $10,790.00

Mr. Anderson reported all proposals were consistent with the request for proposals and that the proposal submitted by Hillhiser Smith of Cedar Rapids in the amount of $10,790.00 is the low responding proposal.  Resolution No. 10-0322-11 would accept the proposal from Millhiser Smith as set out in the Request for Proposal and proposal as submitted.

 

Stanek moved to approve Resolution No. 10-0322-11, Accepting Proposal for Operating, second by Hale. 

Aye:     Stanek, Grove, Hale, Mai, Ballantyne

Nay:    

Absent:

Mayor Doyle declared the motion carried and the resolution approved - 5 to 0.

 

Grove moved to adjourn, second by Hale; motion carried – 5 to 0.  Mayor Doyle declared the meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                        James E. Doyle Jr., Mayor

 

Attest:

 

 

                                                           

Aaron Anderson, Clerk/Administrator