TheSacNews.com: Sunday, February 21, 2010

February 11, 2010 East Sac County claims and financial report

The Sac School board approved the following claims and financial reports on February 11, 2010. The hand written numbers on each page correspond to the explanations that follow.

1. Registration fee for two custodians that undergo annual training.

2. Membership renewal for teachers that use their membership in ASCD as professional development. (What ASCD is was not discussed)

3. Claim aid is the agency that the school does business with for Medicaid claims for 2 special Ed students that have reimbursable services. Claim Aid collects the Medicaid for the school and the school pays part of that back to the Iowa Department of human Services, and a percentage of it to Claim Aid for their work.

For this billing period, the school had claimed $6,300 in services, and this was Claim Aid's portion of that.

4. This was for work on the school's loader and snow blower that had become damaged due to heavy use.

5. For ice melt.

6. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Professional development money used by three teachers to join that organization.

7. This is a new fee for participation in the ISCAP program. In the past there was not a fee

8. The policy is, the shared teacher has to get to the first place of work in the morning and back home in the evening on their own dime, and then they are reimbursed for the miles they drive during the day to travel between buildings. They are reimbursed at a rate of $0.44 1/2 per mile.

1. This item is not normally there. This is the repayment from the PPEL fund to the General fund. It finished paying off the track project and the balance went on the bus barn project.

February 8, 2010 Sac City claims

For the second month in a row, Councilperson Nich Frohardt didn't let the Sac City Council approve the claims without saying anything.

There is a bill to Hostengs that Mr. Frohardt wanted the public to know was due in May of 2009 and that $132.00 of the $1,593.26 is interest.

Sac Community Center       $15,000.00      YTD $15,000.00
Kid's World                        $10,000.00      YTD $10,000.00
Sac Sun for Publications     $325.97            YTD $742.17
Tellinghuisen for cleaning     $225.00            YTD $450.00
Terry Duffy reimbursement $322.50            YTD $322.50
Roger Jensen                       $0.00             YTD $50.00

First payments for the waste water treatment plant made

The city council approved the payment of these two bills from the Region XII Council of Governments on February 8, 2010. One hundred percent of the money used to pay these bills came from a Community Development Block Grant.

Sac County Traffic Court: February 11, 2010 - February 17, 2010

All of the following were either found guilty or admitted guilt

20+ OVER IN A 55 MPH ZONE
Danny L Rothchild, Neligh NE

OPERATION BY UNQUALIFIED DRIVER
Eric Richard Ranschau, Rock Valley IA

16-20 OVER IN A 55 MPH ZONE
Aaron Matthew Hazen, Newell IA
Casey Ryan Hanson, Smithland IA

OPEN CONTAINER- PASSENGER
Tyson James Kromminga, Shell Rock IA

6-10 OVER IN A 55 MPH ZONE
Jherlou Banaay Gempero, Manchester IA
Korey Allan Krieg, Kingsley IA
Scott B Buchanan, Omaha NE
Brett Alan Meyer, Lytton IA
William Frederick Thomsen, Lake View IA
Terry Joe Schaeuble, Odebolt IA

FAILURE TO CARRY/EXHIBIT PERMIT
Kevin Guy Devore, Dexter MN

MAX HOURS OF SERVICE VIOLATION
Elvis Analides Villatoro-Ventura, Early IA
Arthur Eugene Hardman, Jefferson IA
Randy Ronald Gebhardt, Guttenberg IA

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SAFETY REG.RULES
Arthur Eugene Hardman, Jefferson IA
Paul Michael Reckker, Vassar MN

11-15 OVER IN A 55 MPH ZONE
Mary Katheryn Boggs, Aragon GA
Jeannette Carol Myers, Spencer IA
Marlin Lee Just, Sac City IA

11-15 OVER IN A 35 MPH ZONE
Joshua Monroe Jordan, Sac City IA

VIOLATION - MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS
Barbara Ann Babe, Lake View IA

FIRST OFFENSE - EMPLOYEE PROVIDING TOBACCO TO MINOR
Vickie J Pelsor, Early IA

1-5 OVER IN A 25 MPH ZONE
Nathan Patrick Harris, Harlan IA

Sac City Council extends the length of the Oakland caretaker contract

Last year Sac City entered into a 1 year agreement for the care of Oakland Cemetery. The reason for this, according to City Administrator Adam Ledford, is because the city has experienced a "lowered degree of quality of service" in the second and third years of multi-year contracts.

That policy paid off. In the last year the city received one single complaint about long grass between headstones. On a normal year it is estimated that the city receives 20 to 30 complaints related to the care of the cemetery.

Unfortunately, this policy has also led to a drop in interest from area contractors who want a contract of more than one year. Without a multi-year contract, they are unable to finance equipment in the event of a break down. With mowers running to $15,000 that's a pretty big issue.

City council members Brian Muska and Nich Frohardt both expressed the desire for a two year contract so that the city could attract competitive bids. Muska stipulated that he would like to see a two year agreement with the right to terminate after one year if deemed necessary.

Outlined in the section of the agreement on page three entitled, "TERMINATION" is the procedure for termination of the contract should the caretaker fail to meet the terms of the contract.

On February 8, 2010, the Sac City Council approved the wording of the instructions to bidders and the wording of the agreement itself.

Sac City Council to take bids for new gas department pick-up

Currently, the Sac City Water Department is driving around in an 18 year old pickup. At the March 8, 2010 Sac City Council meeting, bids for a new vehicle will be opened.

At the February 8 2010 city council meeting the city council learned that there was $41,000 built into the budget for just such an event. Estimates for a new pick-up with the specs that the council approved, (see spec sheet below,) can run into the high twenty thousand dollar range so it is likely to come in well under budget.

The last time a truck was purchased, (for the police department) the city council approved the purchase of a vehicle from an in town firm, despite lower bids submitted by out of town companies. As a result, bids from within the usual 50 mile radius are not being actively sought this time out, except insofar as companies who happen to see the notice in the legal section of the paper are still welcome to attempt to bid.

The new vehicle will replace the current gas department vehicle. Whether the current gas department vehicle will be given directly to the water department was not clear at the February 8, 2010 Sac City Council meeting, where the specifications were approved.

According to Sac City Administrator, Adam Ledford, the old vehicle is likely to be sold through auction.

It will be interesting to see if any city council members put up their own money to make up the difference in the cost between the in town price, and the out of town price this time around as is rumored happened last time the city purchased a vehicle in town. If true, thank you anonymous (for now) donor.

February 8, 2010 Sac City Administrator's report

Sac City Administrator Adam Ledford had several minor items on which to report at the February 8, 2010 Sac City Council meeting.

First, he reported that Mike Davis from the Environmental Protection Agency was in town. He will be doing the last sampling at Sunwise later this spring.

The preconstruction meeting was held for the sewer projects and both projects are expected to begin in March, 2010. Based on the planned projections, the lining of the sewers will be complete by august of 2010, but the WWTP will not be complete.

Barb Powel, Jim Frederick, and Adam Ledford attended Transportation Day at the capitol to gauge the legislators interest in Iowa Governor Chet Culver's recommendation that road use tax be diverted away from road use into the Iowa State Patrol.

According to Ledford, most legislators told them that they were not in support of that plan. According to Mr. Ledford, "it was somewhat of a comforting feeling coming out of our meeting that day."

February 16, 2010 Sac County Claims approved

The following claims were approved without comment by the Sac County Supervisors on February 16, 2010

Sac City housing rehab contract clause highlighted

The following bill from the Region XII Council of Government for Sac City's housing rehab program was presented to and approved for payment by the Sac City Council on February 8, 2010.

Councilperson Nich Frohardt asked if the original contract contained a clause allowing the city to get their money back if the owner decides to sell the home as soon as it is fixed up.

According to City Administrator Adam Ledford, there is a pro-rated system in place allowing the city to have returned it a portion of the money should the owners sell the home before 20 years pass.

020810scc region xii cog housing rehab bill

Sac City Council continues to consider a community garden

The water tower, the plot of land north of what is known as the Catholic area in Oakland Cemetery, the field north of Kid's World, East Sac County Middle School next to what was known as the greenhouse, and Lion's park.

What do they have in common?

They are all sites that were recommended by John Kline of the Missouri & Mississippi Divide Resource Conservation & Development Inc. (M&M Divide RC&D Inc.) as areas that would be suitable for the proposed Sac City Community Garden.

A community garden, as proposed would be a lot like a personal garden. It's simply a plot of land, possibly 12 feet by 15 feet in size that would be provided at minimal cost to people with either too little land on their property, or to people that are not allowed to create a garden on the property they lease.

In larger cities, abandoned lots are typically targeted for this kind of transformation, but here in Sac City, the council doesn't have that kind of easy go-to location for this kind of project. They have therefore spent the last few council meetings discussing the possibilities.

When Sac City Administrator Adam Ledford brought Mr. Kline's recommendations before the council on February 8, 2010, the council dismissed Lion's Park out of hand as too prone to flooding. This logically led them to rule out City Park for the same reason.

Mr. Kline's interest in the middle school was based on its proximity to the disused greenhouse. Ledford reminded the council that if it was their judgment that the middle school was the ideal location, then it would be out of their hands and up to the school to initiate a community garden in that location. Therefore the middle school was ruled out.

Ledford also reminded the council that the farmland north of Kid's World was leased out for farming and that there would have to be some negotiation in order to utilize that location. Maintenance Department Head Bob Schaffer’s suggested that the council consider the Kirby Vest Industrial Park but that land too, is leased out for farming.

Scheffler also suggested the triangle shaped plot on North 5th Street near the north gate of Oakland Cemetery. It's major merits are that it would be good for Sac City's Image, considering that it would be one of the first things people see when entering town from the north, and that there is plenty of parking. The city council didn't consider this suggestion for longer than a few moments, though. The main reason seemed to be that they were unsure if the property owners would allow them to start tilling it up.

This left the water tower and the cemetery.

Councilperson Nich Frohardt suggested just putting out the sign up information with refundable fee. Saying, "If there's five [people] Fine, throw [the garden] up by the water tower, if we get 20, [people] we're going to have to go north of the cemetery"

Councilperson Jim Johnston objected to locating the garden at the water tower claiming that it would be a security risk... he said, "You're just drawing attention to the water tower, people breaking into it, vandalism."

Frohardt asked him, "Gardeners?"

Johnston answered "Most water towers are fenced in anymore so people can't even get onto the properties. In fact, with the rural water system, it's a law that they have too. You have to fence them off"

Both Frohardt and Mayor Barb Powell agreed that they should just step back and see how many people are interested before worrying about where to locate the garden. According to Ledford, Tom Duncan, of the ISU Extension has already expressed interest in a plot for the Master Gardeners.

If the community garden becomes a reality, M&M Divide RC&D Inc. will prepare the ground and keep a nearby water trough full. They will also take care of abandoned plots until the end of the season. Gardeners will be responsible for providing their own fence if they want one, and the city will handle disputes between gardeners.

The proposed price of one plot is $20.00 per season.

_____

CONNECTIONS:
According to http://www.mmdividercd.org/off-staff.asp Sac City Councilperson Jim Frederick, who brought this project to the council, is an M&M Divide RC & D council member.

According to http://www.mmdividercd.org/off-staff.asp Person interesting in getting the first plot, Tom Duncan, is an M&M Divide RC & D council member.

http://www.mmdividercd.org/projects.asp

This item is not on the February 22, 2010 Sac City Council agenda