City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. I call to order this meeting of the Jefferson City Council. At this time is the open forum. This is the time for any resident of Jefferson to speak to the council on an item that is not on the agenda. Um we didn't have anyone sign up for that part. Does anyone Okay. Uh next item is uh consent items. Move to approve consent. Is there a second? Erin Hul. Hi. Wetrick. I Winkkelman I.

All right, going on to new business. Item A is a proposal to open a public hearing regarding a uh potential ordinance allowing Jackson. I potential ordinance allowing hunting on certain land inside the Jackson city limits.

Just just a real real brief on that. that the city had received a request from Dan Paulie. Dan Paulie, a pro property owner, owns some land the very southwest corner of of town. The request was was he'd like to enroll this parcel of land in in the IHAP program through through the DNR. Um 70 acre parcel, but this straddles the corporate limit lines about 20 limit 20 acres in or inside the city limit. So, you know, you want to look at this as allowing hunting on that land. Okay. The the city has a city-wide prohibition then on the discharge of firearms. So, in order for for this to to happen, this would require uh special ordinance change then to to allow this to happen in that area. Um so, the the action for tonight is truly just simply to hold a public hearing. Okay. there there's no there's been no ordinance drafted about about what any potential changes would be. So, the intent is to just hold public hearing, seek uh seek public input on this topic, and then based upon the uh the direction of the council, we we could proceed to uh drafting something.

So, first we need a motion to open a public hearing. Motion. Second. Aaron Holtz. Hi. We wman. Hi. Wait. Hi. Jackson. Hi. All right. Um and then uh we have several people that are signed up. Uh beginning with uh Zet uh Hilenberry Hilenberg. My apologies.

No problem. unzip that telephone number. Um, my husband Brian and I live just outside of city limits next to this property. If you look at your little map here where it says Poly IHOP, our house is right under that white square. Um, my husband and I found out recently about this proposal. Um, and we are glad we did find out um through the grapevine because we're very much against this. Um, obviously we live close to Nepali property and we're less than a quarter mile from the city limits. Um, so we're uh, you know, allowing hunting in this area really creates a sub substantial sta safety risk for the people in our community. Um, you know, we have residents that like to use the park. Um, drivers traveling in the adjacent heavily travel traveled road. Um the uh property in question is not only close to our property, but it also borders, like I said, the busy road. We have walkers, runners, bicycles. Um not to mention all the cars and the traffic that go by. A lot of people use that for walking even through the winter months where there's hunting allowed. Um the introduction of hunting in this area would significantly increase the potential for accidents involving both hunters and members of the public. Our family, including our grandchildren, frequently enjoy activities such as sledding, ATV riding, uh taking walks on our land, which is adjacent to this property. Um we have about 14 acres, um adjacent to the Poly property, which that would all be at risk if this was open to the public for hunting. Um, additionally, um we had always planned to keep some livestock, maybe a horse for the grandkids in our past pasture behind our house. Um, now we're deeply concerned that that's going to be jeopardized because if we open up the

city limits and everything, you know, that's all going to be um be endangered um and the welfare of our our animals. Um, approving this proposal could set precedents for allowing hunting on other properties within city limits uh if this is approved, potentially leading to a broader expansion of hunting and activities in areas that are neither nor safe for such use. While a county DNR agent who faces multiple counties um around this in this area may be tasked with monitoring this property at some point, um our primary point of contact is going to be the city law enforcement. Um so if we have any see any issues or see any um activity that's questionable, that's going to be our first line of defense is to call them and I'm sure they have plenty of other things to do rather than come out and check hunting licenses. um and and they are the most familiar with the community and its unique circumstances. Um I I'm concerned about loss of revenue for the city. Um I don't see any benefits for the city. Um there potentially could suffer loss due to um fewer visitors to Dobind. I know the city has really tried to put a lot into Dob and Deck and improve improvements and and have a lot of people come in there and spend money in the community. um if this is opened up for public hunting, I'm concerned that that is going to deter people from coming into that park. Um so, um for all of these reasons, we urge you guys to really reconsider this and to strike this down and not approve uh hunting and property.

Thank you. Your property adjoins our property adjoins Dan Pauliey's property. We're about a we're less than a quarter mile from the city limits. Were you Were you contacted before? No. Okay. No. All right. Thank you. Uh Brian Hilenberg, is there an opportunity for us? Is there an opportunity for us to have whoever is representing this project to speak and let us understand a little bit more in general of what is actually hunting and what qualifies under hunting in this, you know, property?

Yeah, we certainly could. Is is Mr. Paulie here tonight? Okay. Um would you would you want do you want to wait till everyone else or would you want to speak? Probably no give you explain explain proposal.

My name is Dan Paulie and I am the land owner that asked for this. I um was in contact with the DNR, the biologist. She came out and looked at my property. Um, if you guys have a map there, it's 20 my property. 20 acres of it is in the city limits. The other 50 is not. The other 50 already, which actually is goes, that's the 50 that goes around Brian's that we can already hunt because it's out of the city limits. We can't the public cannot shoot within 200 yards of their house. And they would post that because that's the state law. Will you hang on for just a moment, Mr. Paul, excuse me. I don't I just wanted to get the phone situation.

I I just let I can't shut it was mine. I shut it off. Oh, okay. All right. Thank you. Go continue, please.

The the state law re prohibits anybody from firing a gun within 200 yards of anybody's resident, no matter where it's at. So, nobody can shoot within 200 yards of their resident, no matter what. And and except me. I am the landowner, so I can hunt wherever I want to on that property. And me and the gal, we checked it's about around 150 yards from my fence line to their residence. So they would go in 50 yards and post it that there's no no hunting allowed within that 200 yard range cuz that's out in the county. The the 20 acres which is in the city is further east and that's what's in the city limits. And on the east side of that of of my 20 acres is a whole bunch of timber, tall timber. And then the next home, which is Terry Sims, which is in the city limits, is about 450 yards away. And and I talked to Terry and he's excited about it because he said he would have more hunting opportunities. You know, he he they hunt deer over there anyway in the timber part of it. What I own now is just natural grassland or CRP. And they own they they hunt that, but they right now they can't hunt mine. They have to walk around. And so they said it would be he'd be be nice if they could actually go through mine to get to the timber to hunt. Nobody would still be able to allow be able to allowed to drive into my property with any type of ATVs or UTVs or anything except me because I am the owner. But um but state law says nobody can discharge a firearm within 200 yards of anybody's resident without their permission except the landowner themselves, which would be me. I me and my family would be the only ones that could. And If the if I get it into this program, which when I talked to the biologist, she said Missouri Valley, Iowa has has something like this in their city limits and a couple other communities. I think she talked to Scott and gave him the information on Missouri Valley. And so far, they have not had any complaints or problems with any of

the programs that that that's they've been into. And the benefit to me is they um will take care of the maintenance of my CRP for me. I don't have to maintain it anymore. And as I get older, I don't find it as enjoyable as I used to. And my kids, if I would pass away, my kids will inherit it. And then I wouldn't have to worry about them trying to take care of it. They can just hire someone to to do the maintenance of it. But um originally, I asked for a four-year contract with the DNR, and my my CRP is 14 more year contract, and I said we'll see if there's a lot of problems and complaints after four years, then I would extend it out 10 more years till the end of my CRP contract. Any questions on that?

I did. So, a portion of your property is outside city limits. That already meets the criteria for IHAP, correct? Yes. The portion inside the city limits should uh this encounter resistance and should this not go through. Do you still intend to enroll the portion that is outside city limits in IHAP? If if they'll let me, I'm going to. Yes. Mhm. Because I don't have to maintain that part of at least I'd only have to maintain the other 20 acres. And uh your proposal is uh for hunting, not um I guess we had heard target shooting or something like that.

It's only open for would be open for hunting. Um now I don't know that if a person went out there in target practice. I don't I haven't asked the DNR about that. I don't know if that would be legal or not. I'm not allowing that. I'm allowing for people to go in there and hunt. Not for target practicing, not for partying, nothing like that. And uh once again, the kind of hunting is uh birds or deer or both.

Well, it the round the timber around the part that's not in the city limits already gets deer hunted and turkey hunted. Um there there's actually 4 acres of the CRP 4.9 that goes on the edge of the timber that they can hunt for feeasants or turkeys cuz that was a border around it. I originally owned that timber and I sold it to the DNRs for public hunting and I owned a little strip along it 4.9 acres so I could drive along it when I bought it originally if originally I wasn't going to buy the farm ground. So they could still go in there and hunt those few feeasants but mostly this would be pheasant hunting. Uh and I don't know how many feeasants are out there. I only hunted twice in my life for feeasants and I've shot one. Um it has a lot of predators of coyotes and coons. Now, that would be open for that. Also, if somebody wanted to hunt coyotes and coons or trap coons, they could do that. Any any recreation, outdoor recreation like um hunting or trapping, they'd be able to do. I don't I don't believe they'd be able to trap shoot. I could check into that um or target shoot. I don't that's none of our other areas, wildlife areas, state wildlife areas, can they do that? And I'm not giving anybody permission to do that. I'm only giving them permission to to trap and hunt. Dave,

can you talk a little bit, Dan, about uh difference between shotgun and rifle hunting and and you know any not just legal setbacks, but practical setbacks about uh how far you should be away from any structure? Well, the DNR said 200 yards was a safety, but I think that's mostly I I mean, I'm just when I was working, I thought in my mind that was mostly for shotgun hunting. And a slug will go more than 200 yards. A rifle will obviously go more than 200 yards. But, um, in the timber is where people are mostly going to be doing the deer hunting. and they can use slugs and they right now they can use it handguns, they can use 351 legend guns, they can use 450s. They they're opening it up a little bit more, but right now there is no rifle hunting allowed. Um it's just now I don't know what'll if they'll change that down the road or not, but there hasn't been since I've been on when I when I worked with the DNR. That wasn't any. But so the legal range of a slug, I I personally think it depends on how far you're aiming it uphill and how far you know there's what if there's anything in the way to stop it. Um but the pheasant they they that's what the shotgun that's why they say 200 yards with shotguns for pheasant is is illegal and safe distance.

Sure. Yeah. Dave, would you mind looking up the I hat policy on target hunting on a property? Thank you. You bet. So, um, in your experience as a DNR, uh, officer, did you find that hunters were, uh, very well-versed in what sorts of guns they could use and that were, you know, did you have problems? I'm just saying in general, not on your property, not on anything. No, with

I hardly ever had any problem with that. If if it if it was, it would been a nighttime poacher. And if they're going to poach at night, they're going to do it no matter you allow it or not. You know, they're going to be out there at night. If they want to go and poach deer, they're going to do it at night. They're going to do it anywhere. If they're if they're doing the illegal stuff, but Well, I I just meant, you know, even if it was inadvertent that um Oh, I I didn't know I couldn't use slugs here or I couldn't, you know, or where 200 yards was. I didn't hardly ever have any issues with that. I see. Okay. you'll be if we have uh you know if something comes up you'll be available to answer.

I'll stay back here and anything comes up I'll be glad to answer it. All right. Uh thank you.

Yes. Thank you. Uh Brian Hilenberg. So my name is Brian Hilenberg. Zette is my wife. She was one spoke earlier. One of the biggest concerns that I have and Dan alluded to that uh is u shotguns and center file rifles used for coyotes. Okay. Um so if this property is opened up to that type of hunting, these people will be shooting center fire rifles which carry much further than 200 yards. Some of them carry much further than that. Most of this property that we're looking at is flat. It's open. So, there's nothing to really when he talks about hunting timber, there's things that could potentially stop some bullets, some things from carrying. Um, another real concern of mine is in the winter time the ground gets froze, things will ricochet. So, we are positioned on top of this property potential. Um, and if depending on which way these people are hunting, north or south, east or west, if somebody turns to do some type of potential shot, the ricochet could take place, up it comes. So, and another thing I'd like to mention that I think would definitely need to be concerned, coyote hunting. There is a a big presence of night hunting. So people are getting uh night vision to go out and hunt these potential animals at night. So you're looking at hunters going out at night, which they do, but you're talking basically most times to take a a raccoon is a 22. Now if you're going to

go out at night to shoot a coyote and using night vision, you're shooting a high powered rifle at night. So potentially there's going to be people down in this particular area that are going to be hunting at night and we have no indication of who they are, where they from, what their purpose is. Um, and as a homeowner that adjacent, I'm very concerned of what could happen from there. Also, one last point, uh, access to this property at this point. Right now, the only access to that property is between Paul Claude and myself. There's a little sliver that they use for access to walk down to get to this particular area of timber or um the opening in which Dan is talking about. I'm concerned of what other access would be, where it would be put, would it need to be? It's just points I'd like to bring up to that would need to be considered. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. Uh Keith Conroy. Oh, do you have other Dan? Oh, Dan. Sorry. I'm just going to address that a little bit. Will you Keith, can you hang on just a second? And okay, Mr. Conroy.

I'm Keith Conroy. My property also joins right next to this. I live across the road from Brian and Zevette. We're in a pasture out of about 10 acres every year. I have cattle running in there. And I just am not comfortable with the way public hunting is, you know, like you can't police it. Before Brian or before Dan owned the property, there was a group of de moine pulled in down there on a different access and proceeded wanted to hunt feeasants. I pulled in and told them they were in the city limits. So they packed up and left. They went to dock park. You can't control the mentality. But I I'll agree with everything Brian and Sevet have said so far. I'm just not comfortable with that being opened right to the city limits and inside the city limits. That's all I have to say. Thank you.

Thank you,

Mr. Paul. Maybe it'll be best if we let uh the rest of the people speak and then have you go last again then. Uh Paul Claude. I'm Dr. Paul Claw. I'm a retired dentist here in Jefferson. I live next to uh Brian and the vet to the let's see it' be to the west. So I'm really not going to get too much shooting. I mean, it's really going to have to carry quite a ways to get to me. I do walk down through here, uh, three times a week, at night, during the day, whenever. I really don't want to get shot. Why? It just makes no sense to me why you'd possibly allow hunting in the city limits. It It And as a city council, you guys need to go down there and look over the place where the gates are. Yes. Okay. There's a gate there. It's going to be locked. But you look at you talk to anybody that's that's uh has to do with county parks and public access areas. It's a constant battle. The gates are getting cut. People are driving in. So I see people cutting this gate, cutting the gate, driving in there. There's a pond back there. Granted, it's not in this area, but people are gonna people are going to drive back there. Oh, gee, there's a pond. Let's party. Um, the it you you need to go down there and see what you're opening up here. It it it makes absolutely no sense. the land, the hunting, there really is no hunting on

this grass because deer aren't deer aren't living there. Feeasant hunting, the grass is too close to predators that hang out in the timber, raccoons, coyotes. I walk there all the time along the road. I never see pheasant. It's it's a rarity if I see a pheasant. So there's really no hunting there in my mind. Who's this whole thing benefiting? Well, it's not benefiting me. It's surely not benefiting you. It's benefiting one person, and that's the property owner. Thank you. When you walk that property, then I I walk I mean, I don't walk

or Well, I mean, nearby. I walk on the road. I

Sure. Sure. But you said uh so you there are a lot of predators you see then. Well, I don't see My point is that I never see feeasants. Okay. There's nothing on this property to hunt. You're opening this up to parters, druggies going back in there. It's just gotten cleaned up here. When I first came to town in the 80s and 90s, that was that was party central. Again, I I I wish you would go down there and look and see what you're what you're opening yourselves and the property owners up to. It's it's not if the public did the right thing all the time and behaved well and watched the signs and whatnot, Dan wouldn't need, you know, we we wouldn't have needed Dan. His job wouldn't have been necessary. We wouldn't need police. You know as well as I do, the public is not going to pay attention. If they want to do something, if it's open to the public, they get back in there, they're going to do what they darn well please.

Okay. Kyle Kenny. Oh, well, let's go all the way through everyone and then come back around.

Hi, I'm Kyle Kenny. I live at 10 uh 80 240th Street. I own the property that's straight east of the proposed area um that's in city limits pretty much that pond all the way from Terry Simky's house uh pretty much to Paulie. So I think I have the most land within city limits that butts up against Mr. uh Mr. Paulie. Um I'll just kind of echo some of the stuff that everybody else kind of said. Um we're talking about that piece. Um as Dan kind of Mr. Paulie pointed out there's nothing stopping him from having public hunting. I feel bad for for Brian and his wife u because you know high high powered rifles at night are going to be legal and there's nothing you guys could do about them and they have to sleep knowing that anytime a gun would go off um down there um because it's very popular right now. Um, I know that Dan Paulie talked about um the carrying of shotguns, but um and how they're not, but I I think it'd be really tough to to sleep knowing at night you might hear some shots down there and I guarantee you people would be down there hunting coyotes. Um I I heard about this from um Green County News online and it said that um he had talked to all land owners around and it it sounds like he might have just talked to Terry. He did not talk to me. Um I didn't know about this until I read about it. So I don't know where the the breakdown in um communication was, but um having um kind of what Dr. Claude said. Um it's a whole different ballgame from being able to hunt it yourself and opening it to up to public. The best way I could say that is everybody in here has a car. You drive your car. Would you open it up for everybody in the community to use it? No, you you wouldn't. And you can't control different things. So, as a land owner right next to it, um my dreams of having maybe a shelter house on my my property, I won't do it. Not with people shooting

around it. Um I don't want to fix holes. Um if you guys around any public hunting, um or have to replace all the street signs around public hunting. Um you know that people like to use those kind of things for target practice. So um again, you can I you know, not to tell you guys how to do your job, but the stuff that's outside of city limits um Mr. Now, uh, Paulie can do pretty much what he wants. There's already public hunting down there. I feel bad. I mean, I I hunted this whole area. I think I'm I'm not one of the oldest here, but I used to hunt this when it was all one property. Um, so I spent a lot of time there when I was 17, 18, 19 before everybody broke this up. Um, hunting and we never had any problems. So, they they can be done. There's public hunting there. Um, but inside city limits, I think it would affect my my property value. Um, I I wish that um me personally, I'd love to have that conversation about public hunting or not public hunting, but me being able to hunt my pond. Uh, but I would h definitely have that conversation with uh Jack uh Murphy and and Terry and probably Brian and his wife uh before I'd even come to you guys and talk to you guys about it. So, I wish I would have known everybody was going to be here. I would have told everybody to bring some food and could have had a neighborhood potluck, but thank you.

Okay. Thank you. Uh Jack Murphy and then I think what we'll do after he speaks who he's the last one on the list is very very briefly if anyone else and then we'll end with uh Dan Paulie. My name is Jack Murphy. I own land will join this hunting area to the north of it. My property runs from the river bridge west to the public hunting. I also have a trailer that I store equipment in down there that I have an issue with people shooting and using that for a target if they open this up this much of it up to public hunting. I've not had too much issue the last three or four years, but I've had people go in there dump garbage on my property. I've had people at at the gate that goes into that property dump garbage. I've usually clean it up myself and I really don't want to have that issue and I feel if we open that up and join my property and Kyle's property, we're going to in we're going to have more people back in there and then pressure for people to go in damage our properties. I've spent a lot of time cleaning that property up. I would like to build a shelter house. My family camps down there and we spend a lot of time in that property. I'm not real comfortable with people shooting down there. I don't know why the city, it has no benefit to the city of Jefferson to open this up to public hunting. I don't even understand why it was ever allowed for public hunting on the north side near the river when you have houses up on the other side of it. But I'm also concerned with what these people are talking about. People go in with guns, they don't they're not going to care what kind of gun they've got. They're going to go in there to shoot because

they think that this is public. It's opened up for rifles or whatever. But I really feel that you guys are going to open up a can of worms for me, for Kyle to try and keep our properties from people just using it for jump. And I don't know if they're going to open up a public uh access or public parking near that land on the east side. If they are, then you're going to have I'm going to have more problems with people than I ever have. And that's my issue. I've lived in this community all my life. My family's had this property in the in their possession for years. And I probably I and Kyle and Brian are the three groups that's going to be mostly impacted by this hunting. And I'm opposed to it. So I hope you consider that when you guys decide. It's not very far from Delvin Deck Park. Um sometimes things go on back there that should have never went on years ago. I have another concern. if it's opened up to public hunting, who's going to police that area? Because right now, the DNR doesn't do a very good job of policing the land that's down there anyway. I have never since, and Danny Dan has retired, I've never seen a DNR officer down there checking anybody. I also know there's been a tree stand sitting there for almost three years on public hunting that's not supposed to be allowed for that. So that tells me the DNR is not doing their job of checking and protecting people's rights. So my concern is is Jefferson Police Department going to be responsible

for policing that the Green County going to be responsible because obviously the DNR is not doing a good job of it. So those are my concerns and I hope you guys consider not doing this. I can't understand why you would want to allow any hunting inside the city limits of Jefferson. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, Zet, you had you wanted to say?

Yeah, just one quick thing. Um, he you had asked a question about predators. Um, if we see predators, well, we live there. We hear them every night. And the the difficult part is so we have a on the southeast corner of our property, we have some a little grove of trees, pretty goodized grove of trees. The coyotes love hiding in there. It's a good safe place for them. So, they are in there, but they're on our property most of the time when we hear them or see signs of them. So, the the predators are out there. Paul's right. We don't see very many feeasants, deer walk through, but the coyotes shooting them at night, that's a big concern of ours. So, thank you.

All right. Uh let's end with uh Dan Paul then. All right. Um, I first I'd like to address Brian, some of Brian's concerns. Um, he is right. The the the land that would go into this program is basically all down on the bottom, but Brian lives up on a hill. So, to me, that puts him up on a safer spot because everybody's going to be shooting down low, not up on the hill. the predators. There are definitely coyotes and raccoons out there, but my switch grass is anywhere from four to six feet tall. So, there isn't hardly anybody's going to call a coyote out of that grass because you you could if you could call them out of them, but you're not going to see them cuz they're just not open. Now, it might happen if we get a ton of snow and pile there's all it's all snow covered, then you could call some out maybe where you'd get to see them, but even then the a little bit of my property goes up a hill. you'd probably be setting up on there looking aim aiming down because you're gonna want to be able to be up at a high advantage to see um Dr. Claude he already basically all the ground the property around his property already is public hunting and this would just add more to it and and actually quite a bit more before he even got to the county or the city property. Um, the other gentleman that owns the property next to mine on the east side with the pond, I did not talk to him because I actually, if you look at the deed on that property, I actually own the hunting and trapping rights to to that property.

That's a I own it. It's in the deed. No, you don't. Yeah. All right. Anyway, go on. Um, and if the access that Brian brought up, it is just on the east side or west side of Brian's house. That's where they have to access now. And where I'm going to give them access to get it is down at the gate going in to into my property on the very east side. So, they would actually have to walk a lot further to get all the way back there. If they were going to hunt it, if they're going to hunt at all, they're going to probably just start hunting right at the gate and walk all the way back. But, it' actually be a lot further access for them to get back there. But, uh, that's all I know.

Okay. Well, thank you to everyone. Um, as always, if you something if you think of something later, our uh email is on the city website and things like that and I'm sure we would appreciate that. Got one more. Oh, yes. What? But come up, please. You said that you have a few more comments. I didn't sign up. Oh, sure. Speak.

Right. Um, my name is Scott Shrivever and live on M Avenue. I'm a little further away than some of these other people, but uh it's getting to be a neighborhood out there and there's lots of people that live around there. And just because there's public hunting already probably doesn't make it right. But that's just creating a lot of that kind of hunting activity that you don't want really want in your neighborhood. I mean, you want to go out in the country and hunt, not in the city. And I don't know why the city would even entertain hunting on city land. It just I mean you you don't allow shooting firearms for a reason and you're actually inviting a lot of you know shooting around the city. I mean if you've been up you know M Avenue from Grimmel Road uh there's four or five houses now along there. Um there's there's lots of houses going west. Um just the noise I mean and during hunting season it's going to be in the mornings when they're shooting pheasant it's just bang bang bang. if they're in the nighttime, uh, 9 10:00, midnight, they're hunting coyotes, um, you know, you you're outside on your porch and you're hearing guns go off. It's kind of it's a little disturbing. So, um, anyway, that's all I have to say. I agree with everything else and everybody in opposition to this, but I just wanted to bring up something different. Thank you.

Thanks. Thank you. Anyone else, Mark, or anyone else that you want? Okay. Yes. Okay. But but you have to come up otherwise.

I apologize. I'm not an expert on your ways how how how you do things. Where does this whole thing go? How does how is this going to proceed? Could you get into some of that for us, please? Sure. Because we're really concerned about this. I understand.

So, this is basically um you know, a public hearing for input. You know, no decisions have been made. Far from it. there's not even an ordinance drafted. So, this is just a proposal that was brought to the city by Dan Pauly and that the council basically said, "Well, let's hear from the public rather than start moving forward with anything." And so, that's what tonight is. Uh in addition to any other public comment, you know, that the council would have received via phone call, in person, email, you know, so the council can then decide, well, should an ordinance be drafted and then reviewed? and then we'd have to have readings of that 1, two, and three or do we table it and have further investigation or we don't have any appetite for that at all. We're going to do away with it right now. So that's basically what the council is going to direct the city administrative staff, Scott, myself, um to look into in addition to Mark Klouse. Um so there that's really the process of where things are at right now.

And then but but there would be no action tonight. Yeah, there's no formal there's no action, but I mean I, you know, wanting to this this totally caught me by surprise. Nobody's, you know, Dan didn't talk to us as a neighborhood or he just boom, here it is. I I I just happen to hear about it from one of the neighbors. So, I I want to follow this and, you know, make sure I'm being informed as this goes forward. So, um, how do I do that?

Yeah. So at at depending on what the council directs administrative staff to do tonight will be kind of the tell. But let's just say for example that something did move forward. Hey let's see what an ordinance would look like. Um at whatever future uh council meeting there would be an initial reading the first one where public could come and comment on it and change things if need be and then if there things are changed then we'd need to start over with our first reading again. Um, so no no ordinance, nothing can be passed or agreed to without doing so in the light of a uh council meeting. Okay. And typically there would have to be three readings. Okay. Go back there and look and see what you guys are getting into here.

This is the one and the one and only public comment uh forum for tonight for now. There there's not three of these. There's one of these and then we decide where to go from. Now, of course, council can at your own discretion hold another one of these if you want to have more input. You know, if you if you look into things, you research things, you come up with more, you know, ideas, input. Um, you could certainly have another one of these in the future. You can have as many of these as you want. You know, it's just when it actually comes time for the rubber to hit the road with ordinances, that's when you have your requirement to have the three three readings.

Okay. What if what if nothing comes of this and it just is okay. Yeah. I mean, the council's not forced to take any action. This has been a proposal that's been brought by a private citizen. So, you guys don't have to do anything if you don't want to. Is there any other comments? I I think uh you know just as a social studies teacher I like to see democracy in action. So thank you for everyone that came on every side. Um I guess the next step would be to close this public hearing.

Yeah. If if you're done with your discussion because once you've closed your public hearing you're pretty much done talking about but if you had any more so this would be the moment for this public hearing if any other comments. I just have a couple real quick. Um the people will you come all the way over so that

the towns that have initiated it they did it mainly because they were having um some problems with Canada geese and deer and rabbits on the city the people that live in the city and they were they help they wanted to help reduce those number of animals and that was one way of doing it. Um, and then the second benefit to the city was that it was bringing more people into town that would eat at the restaurants and buy fuel and just spend money in the local community. Um, I do agree with the general doc claw that there's not I don't think there's a lot of animals out there to hunt. So, I don't know how many people it would draw in. I don't know if it would draw a lot of people in, but if it doesn't draw many people in, we're not going to have many people shooting bullets. If it draws a lot of people in, we're going to have a lot more people spending money in the city, you know, in town on on food and gas. I don't know that answer because I have I haven't experienced it firsthand.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'd move close public hearing. I'll second Winklman. I Jackson I Eron Hold I. All right. The next item is uh letter B, resolution approving an amendment to the 28e agreement with Green County.

Yes. So should the uh so our 280 agreement with with Green County, the the county had opted to uh terminate that agreement. The if if no action were taken, the the agreement would terminate on February 13th. Okay. To we have been in in discussion with with the county about continuing uh to serve. Uh so what uh the proposal is before you is that we would just extend the 280 agreement as is until the end of March. Okay. for this allows allows time to be able to uh finish up the negotiations, get contracts in place, but the other fact of the matter is the county's already paid their

guys. Could you like head down and then you can talk downstairs and and this was presented to the board of supervisors yesterday. They had approved the extension until March uh March 31st and we would propose to extend it during that time and get new new agreements in place in the interim. I'll move to approve. I'll second Hold I. Jackson I Went. Hi.

Item C, which is uh for fiscal year 2026 27 budget, set a public hearing date for proposed property tax levy. Yeah, this this would just set the public hearing date for the special uh city council meeting in regards to that uh to the property tax hearing. Okay. So, this would propose that it would set March 31st as a as the public hearing date. So, this would be a special city council meeting. It is it would does it cannot occur during during any other activities of the council. It needs to be a special council meeting. So this would be proposed for for uh March 31st. Again, just just recap on that. We had discussed this at the last council meeting about the property tax rate that the tax levy would remain the same. So we've been at 1488 for for this would be at least the third year in a row that'd be proposed at 1488. um total valuation had had gone up uh a little bit 5.17%. Okay. So so total dollars would go up also. Um residential roll back went down though. So talk with the with the residents about that. You know the roll back went down just under 3%. So the the amount of taxable value on a residence is that much lower. So, um, just you can't really say, you know, what's going to happen to your property taxes personally, whether they will be the same or go up a little bit, but it just has to do with your personal circumstances about the roll back and and how that affected you and whether you saw any increase in value. But, uh, the action before the council tonight is to is to establish March 31st as a public hearing date.

I'll move that. Second. Winkleman. Hi Jackson. Hi Waitri. Hi Aaron Holtz. Hi. All right. Item D is to approve a tenative agreement with uh ask me. Is that the acronym? Okay. 3949 the union city union.

So we did negotiate then with with ASME and there is a tenative agreement for what is technically a three-year contract. So, it's three-year contract if that establishes a wage increase of 3.5% in year 1. Okay. There is no designated wage increase in years two and three. So, the the contract opens but only for wages in years 2 and three. Uh the other minor changes to this and the number of vacation hours which could be carried over increases from 24 to 36 and that it implemented some time limits about notification back and forth between the city about potential changes in health insurance. So we had we had worked through potential changes before and did not get timely response back from the union. It it implements a 10 a 10day uh response period to to asssure that we would get response back if we have inquiries of health insurance.

I believe there was a special meeting just because of that delay. Correct. Well, we we did we ended up including that at a special meeting. Yeah. To uh and and did not make a change because of it. Correct. And these changes become effective July one. These would be July one. So again, so it's uh for for the next three fiscal years, the all of the terms of the contract apply for the next three fiscal years, just that we would open up wages only in years two and three. I'd move to approve. Second, we hold I WLman I Jackson

I item E is to consider an engagement letter for the state auditor. So within your packet there is a proposed engagement letter then for the state auditor. This would have the the state auditor come in and do those special tests in regards to the situation with their former employee. Okay. So it is recommended that that we would engage the the state auditor. They are coming here whether we would choose to engage them or not. But in in best practice we would we would engage them. Okay. And and uh have the proper letter of engagement. cannot tell you what the the costs are because it's it is just going to be based on ours based upon the amount of work and they would not did not give a ballpark estimate on that but it is recommended we would do this.

So approving this essentially demonstrates we're cooperating fully. Yeah, completely. So move second I Wow. Hi, Erin Holtz. Hi, Jackson. Hi. On the on the timing on that, just anticipate things would move forward quickly on this one. All right. Item F, uh, the quarterly report by the GCDC.

Good evening, Mayor, Mayor Pro Tim, and council. Uh, thank you for your time tonight. Uh, two items just to get things going. My name is Greg Plap. I am with the AS Regional Economic Alliance serving as the executive director of uh Green County Development Corporation or GCDC. Uh two items just to kick things off. I will not take it personally that everyone left before my presentation. So I I thank you for the the due diligence. And then also uh behind me is also the president of the Ames Regional Economic Alliance, Mr. Dan Cohane. Please make me look good tonight. I would appreciate it as well. So thank you for that. um before you as part of our contract quarterly reports. We want to keep you informed as one of our investors at GCDC and also our work here in Green County. I wanted to give you an update of what things are going. Seems like I was just here before the holidays with Christmas, but this is quarterly and I wanted to go through our list and get you all caught up for 2025 and then also what we got planned for the first part of 2026. Uh going down at the bottom left corner of the 2025 project list, our new website was at our board meeting in January. That was uh given some board input and some additional uh efficiencies and some corrections we're going to do to that. That is going to go live here at the end of February. That will be new streamlined photography, uh, location services for economic development, investor data, and then also economic de data as well like the new labor shed that the state is putting out through our workforce development connections to the AS regional economic alliance and then also additional data that we're going to be connecting to uh, what we call Lois, which I'll get to here shortly, but it's going to be more of an updated website and also streamline connections to Jefferson Matters, the city, the county, and all government services as well. So, it's just another tool that we have out there to broaden the appeal of Green County to the bigger market, if you will. Uh 2025 workforce development leadership update that is coming to fruition. We expect that here later in March, if not sooner, hopefully, but that will be new updated information that was done at the end of last year. Uh Jefferson Matters released a push to get the data for the Iowa workforce development and so did GCDC.

They were very appreciative of it. Our response rate was higher than the state average. So that is going to be good data for us to have for the upcoming year as well. Uh these usually last two to three years, sometimes go quicker. I expect a lot of good data to be used on this and also use it to kick off 2026 for some future economic development work. Uh Highway 30 traffic study, oh I'm sorry, Midwest Missions building sale that has been finalized. That is off our books. That is serving a need and I have been informed that they have an increase for additional space already. So uh myself and Matt have already been talking about options to help them. Again, that is not property tax revenue generated for the city, but that is local optimum sales tax generation for the city, additional foot traffic for the county, and then additional people coming into Green County to look at the site and work with missions. So, that is a positive. Uh, Highway 30 traffic study, DOT is being the DOT. So, we are working with the DOT on the traffic study and going to going to take another crack at them on some economic development work that we got focused in the corridor. Uh I will be reaching out here shortly and uh set up a meeting for some future discussions because the highway study verified what we already know. That is prime commercial development territory for Green County and Jefferson. If we don't have access to it, that is something that we can't use. So it's just wasted space.

Is there any appeal from DOT decisions? Uh there is a process they go through and with any entity, yourselves included as as the city of Jefferson, there's a process you go through to work through it. So we did the traffic study, the business prospect is involved in that as well. Now we work with the DOT to say okay why did you come to this conclusion here are our needs and then we start the process. In your experience does does the DOT often like begin by denying everything and then go or maybe that's not something we want. I would prefer not to answer um the DOT has their own process.

Sure. So what the process in response is is that we have their initial response to us and it does not fit our needs as a local county or city entity for economic development. My my approach is going to be is I I believe your needs are this. It's it's four-lane. That's that's my my target for the discussion. Yes, that is your target. That is what I understand. However, we cannot put economic development on hold for Jefferson and Green County for that time frame while four lane is being done along the 30 corridor. What can we do in the meantime to to mitigate that and give us access because we have willing business prospects? We need access to this territory. Absolutely. Yep. Uh

how can members of our community best uh express their pleasure or displeasure with a ruling from the DOT?

Um I would say the the ruling is it's part of the process. We we we contributed 50% of the study cost. the business prospect contributed 50% and then there was an additional overage that the city of Jefferson contributed as well. Uh the data is good regardless because remember we did a two-m radius. We needed to get it done. The next steps are going to be working with the DOT and then site selectors as our rebrand that I'll cover later. But one of aerial shots, drone footage, things along the corridor is going to be part of our marketing campaign in 26. I'll be honest, it's part of my plan to emphasize that we are moving forward on this planning. We need assistance and cooperation. Got

I think Luke's question is are are there arenas or or avenues that the you local folks can can go to help provide feedback to to help back you? Yeah, I appreciate that. Thank you. Is that Or is it too soon for that just right now? I would say it's too soon for that. Our our next step is going to be an inerson meeting with the DOT, sit down with them and work through the process. Uh us in the alliance or area, if you will, have done this before. We we've done it with the Daisy site in Boone. We've done it numerous sites along the 30 corridor. It's just part of the process. Again, not commenting one way or the other, but the DOT process is the DOT process and right now we are cooperating with that process. I suppose a better way to propose it was how soon do you expect a public hearing to occur? Um, one and all.

I would say that we can get a we're going to have a meeting relatively soon at the DOT. The next step is going to be the next steps after they review what we brought to them. Very good. Yep. Uh, East Business Park commercial flex base. I'm going to ask to table this just because council member Sloan asked more in depth as part of this as my quarterly. I will be at your next council meeting. I've already talked to uh the city administrator on this. I will review the east business park, the flex space, go through the photos and and the options and and if that is okay at this time. Okay. Thank you. That's fine.

Uh West Business Park car wash is proceeding. It would be nice if mother nature made up its mind if it's going to be frozen tundra, melting snow, sunny one, some in between, but the the car wash is proceeding with the private business owner. Um GCDC still owns a little land over there, but we are working to fill that lot as well. So that is additional progress. MFRC meeting, I was at the board meeting in December with them. Uh good communication. We're going to cooperate with them, but just a reminder that we are two separate business entities now. They have their own fundraising and board. We have our own fundraising and board. uh structure if you will and we are cooperating and working together but we're each on our own path which is a good thing to have. Uh Gro Green County uh GCDC will be submitting a Gro Green County app coming up here uh later this week for the pre-application and then the the full application process. Excuse me. Uh IDM strategic visioning that is still on track for spring of this year with uh you and I. That is something that was put on hold before area came in the picture when uh interimm director Michelle was still here but it's something that we made a high priority for 2026 for strategic visioning. So that is going to be something I'm going to ask participation from you as elected officials also the county business community and the public at large.

Can you elaborate on the acronym IDM? um Institute for Decision-M.

Yeah, it's a premier state organization through the University of Northern Iowa and it's something they do. It's it's part of their portfolio with the institute, but they come in and do these things across the state and they're going to give us a 3 to 5 year plan to kick things off. They asked us if we wanted to go longer. I declined it because our area contract is for three years. I want us to match expectations so we can show progress. uh new investor structure that was approved in December of last year. I can tell you that so far we our new investor structure has been met a positive response from our business community. We have almost matched what GCDC was bringing in with onethird of the contributions. So our our levels are up, our contributions are up, our investor levels are up and onethird of our membership has only responded so far. I I count that as a positive for 2026. Uh the next thing uh GCDC calendar is set. Our business meetings are set. We are on a set rotation for exec and our general board meetings. That is something that's going to be on the calendar as well. I will always willing to meet with you as elected officials anytime you have a question or want to meet up for coffee or lunch to talk and update yourselves. But if you be aware of it, I will be asking you to come as well. Harry, council member, uh Harry, I'm not going to do your last name. I'm sorry. I don't know.

Erons. Uh but I I want participation. I want communication and we're going to have some guest speakers start rotating through as well. So that is something I it's good information to have. Uh USDA MFRC grant is officially closed. That is not coming uh ongoing. There's no further communications are needed with USDA. So that is a finalized product between us and we have signed a confirmation from USDA. So that is no longer any contributions or needs for for the organization. And then of course this is not really Jefferson but it impacts you because it is your labor shed and it is within your orbit as the main community in Green County. New waist Scranton um and then Bowerbuilt and Payton acquisitions that has kept me busy. Those were unforeseen things here for the past 60 days. We are in contact with both companies. We are working through the process with both of them. I can tell you they're stable right now. There's there's no issues going on locally as part of the process, but it is a process. expect uh the Worthington Steel which is now Bowerbuilt's new proposed acquisition provider uh that is second quarter of 2026. So that is before we're going to have a a detailed timeline of what they're expecting to do until the shareholder meetings happen. Uh new ways in the process they're going through their their timeline as well, but it's work in progress as well. So I am in contact with both organizations of both communities to keep in touch with them. Uh just one more thing on the 2026 project list at the on the middle right. I know it's a lot but I want to show you what you're getting for your investment. Area was given a task to come in with GCDC and work with you as a city of Jefferson to revamp prioritize and move forward in 2026. Our 2026 target list is just the first half our audit is done. This is the first audit in GCD's history on record. We will have them yearly from this point forward and that will be available to our investors as well. So that way you have those so you know where our financials are at every given year. Uh city Jefferson uh county housing trust discussion been working

with the city administrator on that. That is something I'm working with region 12 on on options. That is something that's been a high priority of my board and also the city of Jefferson. I know uh build your own business partnership event. This is a partnership between us. Uh we are participating in it with Jefferson Matters, SBDC, Hub 712 and Carol, any number of organizations are participating in this. It's build your own business. It's not what you thought it was when I said BYOB, but it's something that we're going to do quarterly and it's going to be startup businesses in the community in Green County. So our focus is one in Jefferson and one in Green County continuously rotating through so we can continue to provide growth throughout the region. And then lastly to uh Shedron, I am in contact with the new owners on uh his business proposals. I'm going to take a tour there probably early next week if we can lock down a time. He's excited. Business is up and things are moving forward. Again, I know it's a lot, but I wanted to make sure you knew exactly what you were getting for your investment in the community itself. So, I'll open it up to any questions. I

think we asked him in the middle. Again, if you need to get a hold of me, please get a hold of me. Uh, all of you have my cell phone and text messages are always welcome. And then if you have any questions as well, I'm always you could Greg. Yeah. Just really hit the high points of what the heck a Bitcoin facility is.

Uh, yeah. So, the the data center Bitcoin project, Bitcoin is a set code in a finite amount. So it's it's the virtual representation of gold. There's only so much of it out there in the digital world. So it's it's it's not lying around. It's computer power. It's going out and finding it and mining it and creating it and creating a commerce option, if you will, monetary on a digital side that's being recognized in different quarters of the world as value. So it's not like creating fake diamonds in a lab that you see now. Whereas before they had to find them naturally, now they create fake diamonds and it looks just like the real thing and there's some value there, but it's not as good as the originals. Bitcoining and data centers and those the entire concept, there's only so much of it out there. There's only so much to find and there's a race to find it, which is why these Bitcoin data center operations are are jumping up across the country in the world to go find it and create the value so they can be traded as a commodity.

Were you asking specifically about the proposed project? A little update on that' be great.

Uh the permitting process has started with the county um GCDC and myself and worked with county staff and supervisors to create the language for the permitting process on the county code side. Uh it was a give and take. It provided protections to local residents and setbacks and also water protections as well. It's an air cooled system. It's not going to draw uh mega water out of there as proposed some older data center sites. It's going to provide 10 new jobs, starting wage of about 28 bucks an hour. Um, on-site local job hires. So, this is the people they're going to bring in. And it's going to be located about almost halfway between uh Scranton and Jefferson in the rural unincorporated areas. Uh, Midland Power has the capacity. It's not going to impact any of our industrial economic development work. And also, well, it's a $12 million investment in Green County is being proposed. So, the permitting process is being started right now with the county to go to their uh planning and adjustment and zoning. So that way they can go through and decide what they want to do and how they want to go through the process. But 10 new jobs, $12 million investment. And we have uh also included in the code to provide I want to say clawbacks. So that way if the project ever gets decommissioned, then they have to provide an option to clean up the site to its original structure. And also too, there's no local incentives. I I cannot emphasize that enough. There's no tiff, there's no abatements, there's nothing else being provided on it. All right. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, Greg. Do we need to consider the quarterly approve payment? Yeah. Yeah. I move to to approve that quarterly payment to GCDC. Second. Wow. Iron Holtz. I Jackson. I Wait. I

All right. On to reports. Jim. Uh for the wastewater plant, punch list items have been completed. Uh still working uh we're still monitoring a few warranty items. Uh grit pump and the cyclone performance. Uh the bioolids, HVAC. Um and then we're waiting on final paperwork from the contractor to get that processed. Uh so we're hoping that uh final pay, release of retainage would be the next meeting or maybe the first meeting in March, but then that project would be completed and then it would just be working through any of the warranty work that we have. Um Doc's Alley project, we are getting the survey work started on that and um we're going to meet with the uh property owner for the building on the north side tomorrow just to look at what he's got. um Westwood sidewalk area project. Uh we sent out the survey notice and have started that work. Uh I've gotten calls from several property owners about work on their property. Um and I told them all at this time we just don't have the information to get into details on each property. So once we get the survey in, we start getting into design, then we'll go back and touch base with all them property owners again to uh make sure they understand what we're doing and what it looks like. Uh water and tower inspection uh will be something that we'll schedule when we're sure that the weather's going to be solid and that will dictate the schedule. Um DD57 uh we're continuing to review the uh existing conditions and have done some field investigation and had some discussions with city staff on some of the work that's been done in the past. Um and the high school east shared use path. Nothing currently as we're waiting for I think the grant decision. So submit it. So, yeah,

that's all. All right, great. Roxan, no report. Dave, no report. Scott, just that uh as far as our solar installation go, things are progressing forward with the solar installation. The electrician then was was here today looking at all of the sites and and what the specific installs would look like. So, um that's another needed step in the process. and then they're work work the paperwork with Alliant and really that's where it is right now. Great Chad

Mark. Just a couple quick things. Uh I dropped everybody a copy of our 25 annual report uh for your reading later. Um, I just want to take a couple seconds and go over some of the 2025 highlights. Um, probably the greatest one was we are fully staffed with eight officers. Um, that's been a process in the last uh, six years to get to that point and everyone sitting in this room and sat in this room before um, played a huge part in that and we thank all of you for giving us the tools to achieve that. Is that how long it's been? Six years since we were fully staffed.

Uh, yes. Yes. And struggles in between there. Sure. Um,

we were for like a month once. So, um, but anyway, obviously we all know we still have some work to do in the retention area, but we're on a a much more stable ground now. Uh once again, the officers remained very proactive this year. They answered 30 over three 3,300 calls for service. This is about an average number for a year. Uh they performed 2100 traffic stops in the city. Uh numerous stops resulted in OWIs and narcotics being removed from the street. They executed numerous search warrants resulting in quantities of narcotics being removed from the city. Over 800 traffic citations were issued. They performed over 350 arrests last year and uh served numerous arrest warrants. Uh I just wanted to throw in that uh Green County E911 um helped us out this year. They had some money left over from their tower project out to the park there, our new ISS tower. Um so they some of the E91 funds uh provided us five new incar radios with a cost savings of 32,500. E91 funds provided uh the department with new portable radios with a cost savings of 49,500. Um, we were able to replace three of our desktop computer systems uh at the PE Police Department. What very needed uh last year through budget monies and other other funding sources. Uh Green County Attorney's Office. Uh we received a grant through the opio opioid settlement money and uh we purchased a new incar computer with that

with a savings of over $400,000. Not only did did that provide savings to to us, but our old equipment will now be handed out to local fire departments so that they can get on board the state radio system with without a a huge cost effort. So, um enjoy your fireside reading later and I uh I can be reached at any time if anyone has any questions. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um Ary, no report.

Matt, couple quick things. Uh the city today learned that the uh catalyst pre-application that we voted on in the last meeting. Um we moved through that process accepted to then be invited to apply for an actual full-on catalyst the catalyst grant which will be due midappril. So, uh it'll be a good partnership, um for the city to be a part of and hopefully that building will be will win that and it'll be a big boost to help another uh building downtown have a full renovation. Um and just on that note of partnerships and compliments to Scott on on that project, but also um navigating the u path forward with the county on the recycling um agreement and uh the these these these partnerships can be complicated and multiaceted and lots of levels and uh so compliments to Scott and kind of trying to keep that going as best we can for both parties and and Dave Morland also for helping me kind of provide data and things to have a very objective path forward and um try try to keep that going and keep everybody being able to um financially make it work and everybody to have recycling opportunities. So that's it.

Luke,

no reports this time. So on February 3rd, I believe it was, we met with the library architects again and this melee is um very very responsive to what we want and what they have proposed I think will be the if it comes to fruition will be quite a structure quite something that will be both uh functional and also aesthetically pleasing, beautiful um and also So, thank you to Scott for acting as our border collie to kind of keep us herded into the budget paddic. God, we're kind of close as much as he can. That's all I have.

So, this project is moving into the non-fiction segment now, right? We have one more meeting March with the architects March 3rd and then it goes into the fundraising nice um the finalization of what they have proposed which has we do have a uh a active fundraising board in place. Yes.

That I just anticipate really good things from they will they will uh jump in with both both feet and really get going. already from you know we have discussed this that uh we've already from the initial way back way back way back when this project has been h haved already find um for what the initial cost was sure okay good job I haven't done anything but thank you we are adjourned okay