Council - Regular Meeting

Okay, we'll call the meeting to order. Please join me for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, welcome everybody. This is the regular city council meeting for January the 26th, 2026. Start with a roll call. Weber, yes. Hannah, here. Moore is excused. I don't know. I haven't heard from him. Here. Mayor, present. Olaflin,

yes. Applebee here. Um, next I need a motion to approve the agenda as presented. So move. Second. I have a motion and a second. All in favor? I oppose. Passes. 6. My apologies. I uh fell asleep. Well, at least we'll get you wide awake now, right? Yeah, I'm wide awake now. All right. Well, next we move to public comment. Um Mr. Colar, do you want to come up? I pronounced that right? Coler. Coler.

Yes. Don or Donald. Hi. Hi. First I'd like to hand you these sheet here.

Thank you. Thanks, sir. You sir. Thank you. All right. Perfect. Thank you.

First, I want to thank you, mayor and council members, for just giving me the time to talk. Also, I want to thank all the homeowners that I uh We want to hear you microphone. He's saying that he can't. Okay.

Also want to thank all the homeowners that invited me there to their home as I walked in the snow and the frigid weather this last two weeks. I knocked on every door of every street that is involved with the 2026 road project or the project as you're calling it. Actually, I talked to probably over 90% of the public. The only people that I didn't talk to was the big apartment complex that's over there off of Third Street and probably didn't talk to the actually people that rented houses, but I talked to every homeowner except one that actually say that they I own the house. 90% of the people are totally against that I talked to that actually said they're homeowners, not renters. The renters that I talked to said they would love to sign, but they couldn't sign because they are not homeowners. three streets that I've seen that are not actually homeowners. 17th Street is nothing but commercial. So, there's no homeowners there that I could actually get a signature from. One street, Fifth Street has a church has a senior center that I can talk to.

On third or between fourth and fifth street is the Catholic St. John's Church. One half of that is of the street is the church. The other half, two out of the three people that live on that street, signed the petition. The third house, which is closest to the highway, was a renter. So, they said they love to sign, but they couldn't sign. So, as you can see, most of the homeowners that I talked to are against the project. The main thing is the fee that they're are have to get them out and pay. They just don't quite understand the whole nine yards of it. But I don't know what numbers that you come up with, but these are real numbers. I mean, I talked to every person. Only I had one house that actually pulled the curtains, was afraid to come to the door. There's three houses that are in that area working on or up for sale. One lady that didn't sign, she wanted to sign, but that had her house up for sale, but she had to put it in her contract that that if she sells the house that they do the work that, you know, they would, you know, it would be in there. So, as I can as you can see the list there. I mean, I don't know where are we

coming up with the large numbers or something unless we're counting everyone in that complex. You know, you know, a house owner or the five or six rental houses that I come up to. of all the people that I mean I'm gonna say 90% of the people that I talked to are against it. I only talked to there was five or six people that agreed, you know, that they would like to see the work done. I need you to we're beyond the five minutes at this point. Are you can you wrap up? Can you wrap it up for us?

Thank you for your time. Other than that, that's, you know, I just love to, you know, trying to help out all my neighborhoods. You know, 7-year-old guy walking street to street to street, house to house to house, and not one of them are totally agreed with it. So, okay. Thank you very much. Thank you. Appreciate your time. Full of signatures. 32 32 signatures on the sheet. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay. Next, we'll move to uh the consent agenda. I need a motion to accept and approve the consent agenda, which includes the following. The minutes of the January 12th, 2026 um regular meeting, the spot number two, class E retail alcohol license renewal with a tenative effective date of February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027. The Hardic Drug Company Class E retail alcohol ownership amendment. The Walmart class E retail alcohol ownership amendment. The Dollar General class B retail alcohol license renewal with a tenative effective date of March the 1st, 2026 through February 28th, 2027. Do I have that motion?

So moved. I have a motion. I have a second. I have a motion and a second. All in favor? I I oppose. Passes 70. Next, we move to the financials. Um item number six on the agenda. I need a motion to approve the claims for payment. So moved. Second. I have a motion and a second. Uh all in favor?

I oppose. Passes 70. Next we move to item number seven, which is the revenues and expenses to date. This is information only. Anybody have any questions or comments with regard to the revenues and expenses? Hearing none, we'll move to item number eight, which is transfers. Again, this is information only. Anybody have any questions or comments with regard to that? Okay, hearing none, uh, we move to hearing and ordinances, which is item number nine. Uh, I need a motion to approve the third and final reading of an ordinance that amends provisions pertaining to chapter 76 and 77 of the city code of ordinances and to authorize the mayor to sign the ordinance.

So moved. Second. Have a motion and a second. Um, since this is the third reading, uh, the first reading was on December the 8th of 2025. The second reading was held on January 12th, 2026. And we've also had other conversations regarding this during [clears throat] work sessions back going back as far as July 28th of 2025. Is there any further discussion with regard to this? Okay. Hearing none, this will be a roll call vote then. Hannah, yes. Moore, no. Yes. Maynor, yes. Olaflin, yes. Applebee, no. Weber,

yes. Yeah, that passes 52. Uh, next we do move to item number 10, which is the uh I need a motion to approve and authorize the mayor to sign the resolution that amends the fiscal year the fiscal year 2026 budget. First, I need a motion. Motion. So moved. Second. I have a motion and a second. If you'll recall, um we had a public hearing on this at the last meeting. Uh and this is um something that's required of us every year to to do. So we're doing what we're required by the state to do. Is there any discussion with regard to this? [clears throat]

Okay. Hearing none, this would be a roll call vote. Moore, yes. Yes. Maynor, yes. Olaflin, yes. Applebee, yes. Weber, yes. Hannah, yes. Okay, that passes 70. Uh, next we move to item number 11. Uh, I need a motion to approve and authorize the mayor to sign a resolution to assess property owner for chapter 136, sidewalk regulations, failure to comply. First, I need the motion. So, move. Second.

I have a motion in a second. Um, this is snow removal and it's uh 3133rd Avenue Southeast. The owner is um Aras A8 E Grove LLC. Total amount is $6044. Is there any discussion with regard to this hearing? None. This will be a roll call vote also. Preser. Yes. Mayor, yes. Olaflin, yes. Applebee, yes. Weber, yes. Hannah, yes. Moore, yes. That passes 70. Next, we move to item number 12. Right. Yeah. Yeah.

Item number 12. Uh, I need a motion to approve the agreement with McGrath Human Resources Group for the classification and compensation study and to authorize the city manager to sign the agreement. So moved. Second. I have a motion and a second. We've had quite a bit of discussion about this. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none. This will be a roll call vote also then. Mayor, yes. Olaflin, yes. Applebee, yes. Weber, yes. Hannah, yes. Moore, yes. Yes. Okay, that passes 70. Um, next we move to item number 13.

13. Um this is for information only this but this is dealing with the um Iowa Department of Transportation project and Matt my understanding is that there there's a part of city limits that that fits within the work that the uh the state is going to perform and it's the area just on the other side of highway 20. So, it's where city limits are where you come to highway 20 itself. That's a area that um this would apply to. You want to go ahead?

And that's the reason that they wanted us to include this so that the general public could hear about it and the council would know about it. They wanted they asked specifically asked for it to be on a council meeting for you guys to be informed about it. Um they're planning on doing pavement markings on uh Iowa. It's 150 highway from 380 all the way up to US 20. And since the city limits extend south of US 20 down to approximately 240th or 20th 27th street southeast, that's the part that would be within the city limits. So it's basically from where Kusner bought the building that was on the corner up to US Highway 20.

I would request that they offer at least two days of notification prior to doing it. It's been a mess on that road where they've done it in the past and they just fly in, fly out. I understand they need a brief time frame, but so does so does the city. We can request that they notify us ahead of time. Thank you. Sorry, where are you talking? I don't know where the clers are. Um where where Bowers Best used to be? Uh out there to the south of 20 the bridge and DOT road south of town. Okay. So, they just want to put markings is what they're asking for approval for.

They're not asking for any approval. This is just information informing you that they're going to do this project. Okay. It's their road. They pay to maintain it. They pay for everything on it. So, it's letting us know, right, that just informing us, letting us know that they're going to come through there and do that, right? Yep. And what directions they're going, right? So if we wanted to do something or we felt like it wasn't good enough like that whoever said it then we could or not. We can always make requests. Okay. All right. There's the question. Yeah. Okay. Next we move to

14. I don't have 14. Can you help me? Oh, 14 is the Independence Fire Department annual report for 2025. Blake, did do you want to say something about it or do you want Okay, question. Anybody have any questions with regard to that report? Yeah, it seems like we're doing a lot more medical assists, one per week, 52 per year. Um, unfortunately, probably will increase and uh this puts a bigger strain on the department too. Um any changes necessary to meet this upcoming obligation?

I mean there he's shaking his head. We I mean to know sort of I guess would be the answer. We've got some stuff we're going to talk about when we start talking about budget. Blake, do you want to elaborate on anything or talk any further about it? Um, obviously that's just a lot of it coming out from um AMR. I I agree with um Councilman Olaflin. I think it's going to put more of a strain on us as well just as we get closer to um their term. But um they call, we help, we have no issues with it. So this might be different um when the um once the county takes over

the county takes over on the funding. I I do have a meeting um with AMR on Wednesday on Wednesday, which would be us, the county, and the hospital. So, we can talk to them then and look at the numbers a little bit more too then ask some questions about it as well. Yeah, I know they they've struggled with staffing. So, just everyone is so Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Chief. Thanks, Blake. Thanks, Blake. Okay. Okay. So, then we move to item number 15, which is Right. Yes. which is council member reports. Um, I have nothing, mayor.

Uh, the only thing I have to report is the uh chili cook off uh took place Saturday night and uh we ended up when it was all said and done, we ended up raising a little over $3,000 for Oakwood Cemetery in the Chile Cook off. with the weather being cold and everything, it still was okay. And greatly want to appreciate and thank all the businesses that contributed items and citizens for the silent auction and all the people that showed up and donated and helped make it worthwhile. So, thank you to everyone involved. Deb, we kind of skipped you. Did you have anything?

Thanks, Rob, for that. And then uh Mac, could you send me the copy of those signatures? Yeah, we'll distribute the copy to everybody. Okay, thank you. That's it. Okay, thank you. I've got it. Just like I say, I'm looking very forward to riding in rag ride this year, even more so than last year. I'm not biased or nothing, but Mike, do you have anything?

Yeah, I'd like to echo Matt Matt's sentiments on right. I think it's a real feather under her cap and it's also in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of the US and being we're independents should hold special significance. So, um we get more people come around and should be a great fundraising time [clears throat] and just a great time in general. Thank you. You said no. Well, I mean, I guess I'm really happy about Rigby. No, no, I meant [laughter] No, I meant Did you have anything else to No. Um, no, I don't think so.

Okay, Matt. Um, the only thing I mean, like everybody's talked about, if you haven't heard about it already, Ragbr is coming to Independence July 23rd. Um, we'll talk more about that as we get a little closer to to things, but uh, excited to see them coming. Uh, KWWL came in and did an interview with myself and Nikki this morning about it. So, probably on the news this evening, I would expect. Um, happy to see that coming. Um, we'll be talking about budget stuff starting next week on the 2nd. Uh, our operating budget things. Um, I will be out of the office Thursday and Friday this week because I'll be I'm on the planning commission or the planning committee for the National City Managers Association conference. So, I'm going to spend a couple days with them putting together all the educational sessions. We have I don't know 700 or so that we've got to go through. So, we'll have a couple days of uh myself and study managers from all across the United States going through that stuff to get things set up.

How many people are you going to attend that ICMA conference? No, I couldn't tell you off the top of my head. There's And how many cities or what do you what is it? I I'd have to look it up. I couldn't tell you off the top of my head, but it's a it's International City County Management Association. So, it's city managers, county managers. There's um people from Canada that attend. I mean, it's there's people that come from overseas. It's it's it's a big conference. Yeah. Last year, it was the conference that I went to in October last year was in Tampa. This year it's in Long Beach in California. So, um, so I'll be out of the office Thursday and Friday doing stuff with that. Um, and I don't think I've got anything else.

Okay. The only thing that I have is, um, um, tomorrow, tomorrow night, the best the battery energy um, forgot what the other initials are. Storage systems. Storage systems. They're having aformational, um, discussion that's put on by Iowa State, uh, extension. Um, and this this it's from 6:00 to 8 tomorrow night. Um, it's at the heart it's at H Heartland Acres and the battery storage facility that the people are talking about putting in would be in the area between Independence and um

Hazelton, sorry, Hazelton. Um, and this is there's nothing that um, the city of independence is directly involved with at this point in time and the county itself hasn't even approved anything for it. But this is anformational uh, meeting for anybody that has questions or they'll put on the presentation and talk to about what it's about and how what it does and doesn't do. And I'm sure there'll be a lot of people there um, both for and against it. So, will that be Mayor? Have you heard anything about that being live streamed at all? whether it be YouTube or I have not. Do we know of anybody locally who would be the contact for that to find out if there is a live feed?

Well, I had a conversation with um John Klutzba about it and he said that he that he was not planning on doing anything and he didn't know whether the whether Iowa State or anybody else was going to be doing it. So, I don't know the answer to that. That's tomorrow night, right? It is. I was planning on going. I'm not sure. I don't live stream anything, but I mean I don't, right? Maybe I could record it or something and then be able to play it somewhere. I don't know. Okay. I'm pretty sure you probably just click a few buttons or whatever. I don't know. I don't know. I Okay. Um then move to other department heads. Um Chief, anything from you? Nothing tonight, Mayor. And and nothing else, Blake, either.

Thank you. Okay, then. Um, I need a um I need a motion to enter into close session per Iowa code 21.5 sub one sub I for review of the city manager. So moved. Second. So I have a motion and a second. Uh this would be a roll call vote. Olaflin, yes. Applebee, [clears throat] yes. Weber, yes. Anna, yes. Moore, yes. Yes. Mayor, yes.

Okay, we need to ask everybody to leave and then once you've left, we'll we'll we'll start the uh the close session itself. Here we go.