[0:10] Here you are. Regular council meeting of August 17th.

[0:15] » I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

[0:20] republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[0:26] justice for all. >> I am a

[0:30] » I am too.

[0:33] » Uh let's do roll call, please. >> Councilperson Sexton?

[0:37] » Here. >> Horne?

[0:38] » Here. >> Dean?

[0:39] » Here. >> Noll?

[0:41] » Here. >> I am here.

[0:43] » No, ma'am. >> No, ma'am.

[0:45] » Uh motion, please, to approve the agenda tonight.

[0:48] » So moved. >> Second.

[0:51] » All those in favor, say I. >> I.

[0:55] » Um the consent agenda consists of the minutes from the August 3rd regular

[1:00] council meeting, um a class C liquor license for Mexico Lindo,

[1:06] and the claims, the most recent claims. Motion to approve.

[1:12] » So moved. >> Second.

[1:16] » Any questions, anyone?

[1:23] Um Okay, hearing none, let's vote.

[1:27] » Councilperson Dean? >> Yes.

[1:29] » Horne? >> Yes.

[1:30] » Sexton? >> Yes.

[1:32] » Noll? >> Yes.

[1:35] » Okay, presentations, open forum. Anyone want to talk to us online or

[1:41] in the crowd? You can say so now.

[1:47] Um Hearing none, we'll move on.

[1:55] Uh all right, resolution 2684 approving an invoice in the amount of

[1:59] 231 dollars and 49 cents to EOC. For the widening project.

[2:07] Motion. >> So

[2:09] » Second that.

[2:13] » They're going to keep This is number like 20 of

[2:16] » We've got I did look it up to see. We have

[2:19] » 10,000 dollars to go? >> 10,824 dollars left.

[2:24] And >> dollars and

[2:25] » times. Several of them have been very small amounts.

[2:28] » I know. >> We'll come back to you in a little time

[2:31] about >> Mhm.

[2:33] » Can you all explain what this one's for? >> Yeah, sure we can.

[2:37] » So >> Uh I believe this is for the sign that

[2:40] went up as part of the funding source and IDEALS. We had to install two signs

[2:46] on the public forum that basically described the project, showed the

[2:50] project financing stuff. I believe that's what this invoice is.

[2:53] » So those two signs That would be delivered to the city.

[3:00] » You've been getting a lot of those invoices.

[3:03] We don't know when my thing will >> Give me a Let's vote, please. Let's

[3:06] vote. >> Councilperson Councilperson Dean?

[3:09] » Yes. >> No.

[3:10] » Yes. >> Horgan?

[3:12] » Yes. >> Starkstedt?

[3:13] » Yes.

[3:16] » All right, resolution 2685 passing by number two in the amount of 496,618

[3:22] dollars 15 cents to Triple B for the West Main

[3:27] Street overlay. This is only number two.

[3:30] » A

[3:34] » Need a motion. >> So moved.

[3:36] » Second.

[3:39] » So Yeah. Uh what we got on our computer it

[3:45] says it's 459 and on the sheet it's 496. Which is correct?

[3:51] » What's the difference? >> What's the sheet say?

[3:56] 699

[4:00] » 496 619 >> 61915 cents

[4:08] Okay. Okay. So, what I read is correct.

[4:15] That's what I mean. The line is not

[4:17] » The staff sheet is not. It is on the resolution but the staff sheet is in

[4:21] third person. >> We all get dyslexic once in a while.

[4:24] » I did not know that. The resolution does say 496. So, if you

[4:28] sign that we're fine and the statement has 496.

[4:32] » All right. Any questions, comments? I think they're doing well. I don't know

[4:35] why they didn't show today though. They're all working today.

[4:39] » They did. >> I think they were cleaning up the office

[4:41] or something. >> I think they're closed.

[4:43] » They should be done by the end of the week.

[4:44] » The school starts Monday.

[4:48] Right? >> Yes. Yes, school starts

[4:50] » Monday, I believe. I believe. >> Will it will it be open?

[4:53] » I believe so. They're shooting for this week is what they're telling me.

[4:56] » So Well

[4:57] » It might be closed. Ceiling and stuff will have to get done

[5:01] probably next week.

[5:04] » Okay. I got a let's vote. We got a motion to approve. So, let's vote,

[5:08] please. >> Councilperson Dean

[5:11] » Yes. >> No. Yes. Sexton

[5:13] » Yes. >> Ortega

[5:15] » Yes.

[5:17] » All right. Resolution 2686 change order number three in the amount of $3,629

[5:23] and 73 cents for the overlay project.

[5:28] Must be extending a storm sewer 6 ft or something.

[5:33] That what that is? >> Yeah, I brought some pictures. I didn't

[5:37] know if Dave shared with you. So, we went and asked to Matt and Matt agreed

[5:41] and approved it that this needed to be done. I didn't plan on

[5:46] copies but you'll have to shoot it. >> That's right. It's um

[5:51] » So, basically it's a little short. It just need to be

[5:54] extended a little bit to get a width in the road. So, we just plan to put a bend

[5:57] on it and extend it out just for safety reasons. It just drops off pretty quick

[6:02] right there. So, >> Do I hear a motion for that?

[6:06] » So moved. >> Second.

[6:10] » Thank you.

[6:12] All right. A little minor adjustment. It happens.

[6:18] Any questions? Let's go ahead and vote.

[6:21] » Councilperson Noble? >> Yes.

[6:23] » Assistant? >> Yes.

[6:24] » Morgan? >> Yes.

[6:25] » Dean? >> Yes.

[6:29] » All right. Solid waste. 20 resolution 2687 approving a agreement for solid

[6:35] waste and recycling services with Smith Sanitation.

[6:40] » So moved. >> Second.

[6:46] » Let's get this done. Move on.

[6:52] Um any questions? I I kind of breezed through the contract. I didn't really

[6:56] study it a whole lot. >> Just for the public

[7:01] notice, what's what's the timeline going to be tonight

[7:05] » We've got probably 75% of our carts down here ready to to deliver in North City

[7:09] Park. We're going to go Thursday, Friday full days delivering and then it might

[7:14] bleed into Saturday if we don't I get it done.

[7:17] So, it'll be it'll be this week. >> So, is everybody getting the same cart

[7:20] that they they have now or is everybody getting a new one? Okay.

[7:25] » It'll be on Facebook tomorrow. >> What's that?

[7:29] » It'll be on Facebook tomorrow for the residents about drop the dropping it off

[7:32] this week later this week. >> All right.

[7:35] » I think the biggest thing too for the residents to notice in this contract is

[7:39] it is a 6:00 a.m. start time rather than 7:00.

[7:41] » Yeah, I saw that. >> We'll be

[7:44] We're going to be getting in and out of town fairly quickly. We'll have either

[7:48] four or five trucks over here, but we'll have a carrier load that is going to be

[7:51] here later in the day if there are people that are

[7:54] setting out late as they're getting used to things. So.

[7:57] » You're going to try to be consistent, say start at one end of town to the

[8:01] other? >> Same Same Same route every week.

[8:03] » Got that figured out. >> We don't quite have it figured out yet.

[8:06] It'll be consistent every week, but with three trucks starting on garbage, we

[8:11] can't necessarily start them all in the same place.

[8:14] » Correct. >> So, it's probably going to be something

[8:15] like one starting up by the golf course, one

[8:18] starting on like Scott, and one starting on Downey maybe, and then they all just

[8:22] work towards towards the

[8:25] » The messages, have them out Thursday night

[8:28] before 6:00 a.m. >> That'd be best, yes.

[8:31] 6:00 a.m. to guarantee service. >> And this started when again? When does

[8:36] it start? First Friday in September?

[8:39] » Yeah, the Yeah, the 4th will be our first service day.

[8:45] » A couple weeks ago you had talked about you do appliance disposal.

[8:51] » Yes, we'll have a scheduled fee that will have There will be stickers that

[8:54] are sold in town. >> Uh-huh.

[8:55] » Um a lot like we did with Johnson County Refuse, you know,

[8:59] a washer is 15 stickers say I'm just throwing it out there. They'll put those

[9:03] 15 stickers on it and just set it out at the curb. Our guys will let us know when

[9:07] they go by and see it that it needs to be picked up and they'll get it done.

[9:10] » Perfect. >> So, I don't have to call you ahead of

[9:12] time then. >> If you want to, you can, just but no,

[9:15] you don't have to. >> Where do the stickers get purchased here

[9:18] here in the city office? >> You need to check

[9:21] » Here at Jack and Jill. Yeah. >> Oh, Jack and Jill?

[9:23] » Yeah.

[9:26] » All right, I'm excited. >> They also They also showed they sent to

[9:31] us uh kind of a flyer that had

[9:34] » Yeah. >> some information on it as well that

[9:36] we're going to be with the cards when you deliver them.

[9:38] » Yeah, it's actually I was just telling her we're changing the wires so we moved

[9:42] the deliveries up a week. It's going to say in there in bold not to use the

[9:47] cards next week. Originally we were going to deliver them

[9:50] next week, but weather plays in and they could

[9:53] I'm waiting for you. So

[9:56] So we'll get them. >> Okay.

[9:59] But it it looked like it had a lot of information on it. It was good. So the

[10:01] residents will will know kind of what they can and can't put in there and what

[10:05] to do. So >> So knowing that

[10:07] what do we do with the L and R's

[10:12] cardboard cans? When do they pick them? You know?

[10:17] Nobody cares.

[10:24] Yeah. >> We delivered uh Riverside on Thursday.

[10:28] And they were in Riverside today picking up and they kind of had the same thing

[10:32] going into it. So simple for you.

[10:42] » What's that? >> We're going to start picking on them if

[10:43] they aren't here in a week. >> Well

[10:47] I think the residents need to know when they're going to come pick them up. Like

[10:50] it says we put ours inside. So >> Yeah, they need to stay out until we

[10:56] disappear. That's those. >> Okay. Okay.

[10:59] » I'm on it.

[11:01] » Okay, let's vote to approve this service.

[11:05] With Smith. >> Council person Dean?

[11:08] » Yes. >> Noel? Yes.

[11:10] » Forehand? >> Yes.

[11:11] » Sexton? >> Yes.

[11:15] » All right, resolution 2688 approving the Cedar County Hazard Mitigation Plan with

[11:20] the city. Motion to approve.

[11:22] » Thank you. >> Thanks, guys.

[11:24] » Thank you.

[11:28] » Need a second on that. >> Second.

[11:31] » So I go to this um EMA 911 meetings every quarter, I think it is in Tipton,

[11:37] and every 5 years the

[11:40] they have to rewrite we have to rewrite our hazard mitigation plan.

[11:45] And this is I didn't even read through it this time.

[11:52] » It helps to feed them. >> Yeah.

[11:54] » So, good to hear. Yeah. >> That's great.

[11:56] » Pretty much the same. >> Yeah. I agree.

[11:58] » Yeah. >> We have to adopt this, otherwise

[12:02] FEMA may not >> I'll approve.

[12:06] » Dean. >> Do I hear a motion?

[12:09] » Yes. >> Let's vote.

[12:11] » Councilperson Noel? Yes. Dean? >> Yes.

[12:14] » Sexton? >> Yes.

[12:15] » Worthington? >> Yes.

[12:18] » All right, ordinance, first reading, uh water rates, chapter 92.

[12:24] This will add the uh

[12:26] 2% annual increase from now on.

[12:33] » And that really just matches it up with the sewer. So, now we don't have to

[12:36] change it every time. This one didn't. This one just had the

[12:40] effective rates for the for the different years on it, but it didn't say

[12:43] anything for after 2027. The sewer does say we have that 2% for

[12:48] every year, for every July 1st after, so this will match it up.

[12:52] » I need a motion first. >> So moved.

[12:55] » Second. >> And then let's vote.

[13:00] Go ahead, Alicia. >> Um

[13:03] Councilperson Dean? >> Yes.

[13:05] » Sexton? >> Yes.

[13:06] » Worthington? >> Yes.

[13:08] » Noel? Yes.

[13:11] » All right, resolution 2689 approving a general agreement between the United

[13:15] States Department of the Interior and city

[13:19] uh regarding snow removal, road striping, uh brine production, and

[13:24] some other minor things. So, this is what we do every year.

[13:31] Some of I got

[13:35] I have a question for you. Is Is this more than This is an increase?

[13:40] » Yes, so we saw you there. >> Yeah, so we have to So we would get more

[13:44] money. >> Yeah, it was 8,500.

[13:47] » That's the last time. >> Yeah.

[13:49] » Okay. >> And they did what we were just talking

[13:51] about today. The last one they did because they were looking at budget

[13:55] constraints and it was right after the shutdown and everything. They only did a

[13:59] 6-month term. That's why we're doing this so quick again.

[14:02] » This is for one more year. >> So the last one would have went through

[14:04] July 28th. Now this one will start August 3rd.

[14:08] » Yeah, so how long is it? >> A year.

[14:10] » Yeah. >> It's one year.

[14:12] » And they And what was it? 4,200, I think, the other one. So it would have

[14:15] been half of what we got last time. So >> Good.

[14:20] Anybody else is >> Yeah, cost of salt should Turkey

[14:25] trucking in here is fine. So we're we'll get our

[14:29] We'll get our dollar. This might be a bad year.

[14:32] » You don't know that. >> I don't know what they're talking about.

[14:35] Could be bad. >> A wise uh vote, please.

[14:39] » Uh Councilperson Sexton. >> Yes.

[14:41] » Ingram. >> Yes.

[14:43] » No. >> Yes.

[14:44] » Or again. >> Yes.

[14:48] » All right, so on the corner of 5th Street and College, a uh sidewalk

[14:56] and I broken up because of a tree that the city took down.

[15:01] » Yes. >> This happened several years ago before

[15:06] right before I started. Um

[15:10] then the East Side phase one and two happened

[15:15] and there was some disagreements

[15:20] that we didn't do our drainage correctly. We had Eric and his guys

[15:26] come shoot elevations and they matched the specs

[15:33] that we put out. Um but the individual still won't let us on his property to

[15:40] fix it. But I thought the best way to take care

[15:43] of this would be to just give him a quote and a check.

[15:47] Um I don't know how you guys feel about it, but

[15:51] we did kind of do a wrong four or five years ago and feel like we need to

[15:56] correct that and that's there's a quote right there with it. Um so he doesn't

[16:01] All he has to do is call Hatfield and they'll get them.

[16:06] » So we would give him $2,400 >> You got to make sure he does the work

[16:11] though. >> Yes, correct. We would give him half and

[16:15] a half probably. >> So it'd be held in escrow?

[16:18] » No, you just have an agreement says he doesn't do it and there has to be a way

[16:20] to do it. So I think we could do it or we could say the check's waiting for you

[16:24] when the work is done. >> Good.

[16:27] » So that's good with me. >> Yeah. You pretty much Or do we pay

[16:30] Hatfield directly? >> Once the work's done.

[16:35] » We need a vote. >> Wouldn't that be the simplest way?

[16:38] » Maybe. We got to close though. >> Always call Brian and see which side

[16:44] » Danny would be the one because he doesn't want people on his property. Let

[16:46] him get the people off the property first.

[16:49] » Yeah, he won't let us on the property. >> So I would say let him

[16:53] do it. But I totally agree with holding off at least some of the payment till

[16:56] it's completed because >> So we don't do the attic again.

[16:59] » Yeah. No attic or attic. >> We don't want to pay him and then

[17:02] nothing gets done. So he's got to get the work done first.

[17:06] » Even if he lines it up they can invoice us.

[17:09] They can pay for it if you're if you're not wanting to give it directly to them.

[17:13] » Well, we need Hatfield to get paid, too. We don't want them to

[17:16] » That's what I mean. If he lines it up, you know, it's then you got you won't

[17:20] get a 1099 from us if we keep paying directly you get the 1099

[17:24] from so let's figure out

[17:28] I'm also just kind of curious how many feet was this we know right off the

[17:32] it does I don't know how many feet but it does say in the quote how many panels

[17:37] in that piece of paper next to your three squares would be about 12 feet

[17:43] soon I mean five square feet

[17:49] and stands 20 feet and so stands yes pretty good progress

[17:54] I don't know concrete is expensive

[17:58] oh so that's normal you need that big one

[18:03] I thought it was five nothing

[18:07] nothing

[18:10] okay so where we at let's this needs to go away let's do this

[18:16] okay we're going to agree on that we got a

[18:20] consensus we're going to agree on that

[18:24] all right Adam anything no that is it I just wanted to cover

[18:29] that issue it's been been trying to get it over with

[18:34] nothing for me

[18:39] I'm Eric

[18:42] I'm pretty good bolts and miss the shortest

[18:44] we know we can get five way for eight one

[18:48] you can tell me you can tell Cole and we can do extra gravel let's do that

[18:53] you got a drill uh staff anybody

[18:58] Jessica um I thought I was going to get in the

[19:02] discussion but for the email that went out

[19:07] um in regards to landlords and us calling them right um

[19:13] just so you guys kind of know where that is. We currently have almost 300

[19:20] rentals. Um

[19:22] so for me to stop and call every landlord every time somebody moves in or

[19:28] moves out is not feasible. Um August 1st alone, we had 21 move-ins.

[19:35] I did call eight other cities that ranged from, you know, the same size to

[19:42] larger and there was only one city out of those

[19:46] eight that called their landlords because they had to.

[19:51] Um water is sanctioned different than electric.

[19:56] Tipton has electric with theirs, so they have to call in order to switch things

[20:02] over. That's the only reason they do it and they are also the only one that has

[20:06] two people doing utility billing. Um just so you kind of know where where

[20:11] we are on that. Plus, Iowa code uh 348.844E

[20:18] um we're not required to let landlords know

[20:24] when they're late. They can submit a letter.

[20:28] Uh like Roger, if you wanted to know every time your landlord was late, he

[20:31] just write you one time letter and every time they're late, you would get the

[20:35] notice. >> So a landlord has to sign up for that.

[20:39] » A landlord has to sign up. >> That's how Iowa City does also.

[20:42] » Yep. Yep. And just like the lien

[20:46] exemption there is a form on our website that they

[20:51] can fill out so that if their um tenant doesn't pay

[20:56] the landlord is not held liable. We do go after them through the setoff

[21:02] program. >> So the issue

[21:04] of resident owes

[21:08] something entails >> Yeah.

[21:09] » the tenant >> The tenant called in and moved out. Told

[21:14] me they were moving out at one date. They stayed there a month later. So, it

[21:18] was already switched over at that time. >> to the landlord

[21:21] » Yes. >> Yeah.

[21:23] » Yeah. So, he is requiring phone calls. He did bring up Alliant in his email,

[21:29] which obviously, like I said, Alliant Electric has different sanctions than

[21:34] water. Therefore, they have to. So, I just want to want to choose the

[21:39] other side of things as >> Yeah.

[21:41] » So, I have a quick question. >> Yeah.

[21:45] » Wouldn't it be a deal where when a tenant signs up for water,

[21:51] they have to give the landlord's

[21:54] email and

[21:57] when they have their water shut, um, when

[22:01] they stop service,

[22:04] that you can just send it email

[22:09] so-and-so >> to every landlord each time somebody

[22:13] moves out? >> I mean, it's like it's already attached

[22:16] to it. If you just send it, it'd be No, I don't need I mean, just an email.

[22:22] quick email >> Yeah, but she doesn't want to write an

[22:23] email every time. It needs to be like a It would have to be a

[22:27] pretty terminal wording and verbage and all that

[22:30] that she would send to the landlord. But, we're going to have 6

[22:34] or 800 landlords or tenants here pretty soon.

[22:37] » Yeah. We are.

[22:41] » And all of them are going to be under one landlord.

[22:43] That's true. And then >> He knows the same.

[22:46] » I know how to He's used to working or working with in that system.

[22:52] » So, what do they >> What I'm saying instead of a phone call,

[22:54] an attachment to an email, >> call

[22:57] » just >> But

[22:59] » so-and-so address >> So, why why are we responsible for that

[23:04] then and not the landlords? Because if the landlord wants that

[23:07] » customer service. >> Yeah.

[23:08] » I understand that, but but you see all the other things that I do.

[23:13] » Yeah. >> And then you see the amount of

[23:16] turnaround. I would be doing nothing but answering

[23:20] phones and sending out emails to landlords all the time.

[23:24] » Especially when they're as big as this one. They have like property management

[23:28] companies that help to like they can employ their

[23:33] like super staff in there. >> The other part is that if we do that,

[23:38] have to give notice, for some reason we miss it.

[23:42] You you know, now we're responsible since we had an obligation to

[23:46] » Well, it all comes expected. >> Expected, so

[23:51] um

[23:54] I guess I see it as it's it stops somebody from coming in doing exactly

[23:58] what they did there. >> And this

[24:00] » And >> In the 3 years that we're here, that was

[24:02] the one time it happened.

[24:09] » Have the other cities said how they handle it?

[24:12] » They switch it over instantly. Um I did ask

[24:17] um along the lines of do you contact your

[24:20] landlord? No, some of some people actually give them 5 days after they

[24:24] move out until they give them 5 days and if nobody

[24:28] calls in then it goes back to the landlord's name.

[24:31] Um they never call except for Tipton. Um and then it just keeps

[24:37] going on. >> Give me a list of those cities.

[24:39] » Yeah, I called Tipton, Tiffany, Wilton, uh DeWitt, Walcott, Mount Vernon, Solon.

[24:47] I did call Blue Grass, but they don't do water and Wheatland. So, just trying to

[24:51] get different different um

[24:55] not just ones that fit ours. And none of them called our landlords to

[25:00] let them know, "Hey, your tenant moved out. Is this right? What is the date?"

[25:05] » Is there something we can have the tenant sign that says that that they

[25:09] must when they move out they also must notify their tenant their landlord of

[25:15] them moving out. And that'd be hard to enforce.

[25:20] » I don't get them to come into the office all the time. I have to take their

[25:24] payments over the phone like their um deposit over the phone. They don't

[25:28] typically come in to fill out a

[25:33] » Okay, so status quo is it reverts to the tenant's name when the

[25:38] the landlord's name >> when the tenant moves out unless there's

[25:41] somebody moving in right afterwards. Yeah.

[25:46] » So in other words a landlord knowing that the tenant is

[25:50] moving out could actually call you say, "I got a tenant moving out.

[25:55] Well, we're moving out this date. And I got a new tenant coming in

[26:01] the first." >> Yeah.

[26:03] » Okay, so there again, that's time on your phone.

[26:08] » But that puts the ownership on the landlord.

[26:11] » It's also what the damage deposit is for. If

[26:14] as a as a landlord you make sure that water meter is water

[26:18] bill paid. You can wait 30 days. You got 45 days. I

[26:22] know. I think. You have 30 days. You charge the You

[26:26] don't give the full

[26:29] Yeah. It's on damage deposit for that.

[26:32] Especially with the amount of doors, you know. Especially with the amount of

[26:35] doors, you know, like you said we're adding the

[26:39] hundreds and hundreds of more doors. I mean

[26:43] you know, and the each apartment is going to be handled individually with

[26:46] those the same culprit. >> Right.

[26:49] » So I I I would say status quo is people would have me before. So I'm

[26:58] » Just to kind of ask kind of over what the office is thinking with the

[27:04] » All right. Thank you. >> Um I also have something.

[27:07] » Go ahead. >> So, we were

[27:10] discussing the like West Branch Village and and with our standard increases that

[27:17] we have every year, the water and sewer. Um

[27:21] the agreement that we have with them currently for the sewer for the new site

[27:25] of the trailer

[27:28] » Yeah. >> area.

[27:30] We have we charge them $50 a month per unit.

[27:36] That has not increased the entire time. It has been done this for 3 years. So,

[27:41] the discussion was should that also be a 2% increase every July like we do at

[27:46] Castle Board and like with everything else.

[27:49] That's not >> We started doing that

[27:51] never No, there was vacant lots there. We were charging people

[27:54] » Yeah, but we never charged them until they had the trailer on that lot. So,

[27:58] they they didn't get charged for every lot. They just got charged for the

[28:01] trailer. >> Okay. The trailer was good.

[28:05] But yeah, it's

[28:08] We don't have any way of knowing how much

[28:11] they're using.

[28:16] » I might be just the question if $50 is enough.

[28:19] » We had actually talked about it and no. I mean, of course they're under the

[28:23] impression that we're overcharging and when we looked at it,

[28:27] I think they'll be very surprised when we when the meter is

[28:31] actually installed, which still is not installed. We've been talk working on

[28:36] for how long? >> So,

[28:37] » I think they'll see how much they're truly

[28:39] » That's equivalent almost to a $50 water bill cuz they're about equal.

[28:43] Sewer water. >> Sewer is $18.92.

[28:47] » What's 18? There's 7000 loads. >> Water is 10.

[28:51] » 11. >> 10 3 or yeah, I just went up. I'm sorry.

[28:55] I don't have the rates. >> It's way under what

[28:59] » Yeah. >> It's way under what it should be.

[29:00] » It is. >> So then we have no way of knowing how

[29:03] much water they've used. >> No, we don't.

[29:07] » Are they charging that to the the tenant? The tenant the water?

[29:10] » That's on them. >> Or they are.

[29:11] » There's I mean >> They're probably charging them more.

[29:15] They're making money. They're making money off you. All right, so let's we

[29:18] got to change that. >> Okay, so I'll bring something next time.

[29:21] » 100 or something. Yeah.

[29:24] Let's wait. >> We got We got to discuss that. Maybe

[29:26] it's a deal where we make it so it hurts.

[29:29] » Yeah. So they get the >> Till they get get that meter fixed.

[29:32] » Yeah, I agree.

[29:36] » More than that, okay.

[29:38] » Okay. >> You and Adam?

[29:39] » Okay. >> Yeah.

[29:40] » I'll bring it I'll bring it back next time. Um one of the thing and this one

[29:43] just more more for information. You were talking about like the emergency

[29:46] management plan and stuff. I did uh last week do a training

[29:51] with the other area clerks and uh the Cedar

[29:57] County EMA and and now set up to where when we have

[30:01] like a water main break, we'll order so emergency

[30:05] um I can go into the rave system and be able to shoot out like a text message to

[30:10] our residents so that they know. >> That's cool.

[30:14] » And it can we can even narrow it down

[30:17] » Everybody with a cell phone? >> Yep.

[30:19] If they're on a cell phone, but I mean if it goes through a cell tower and it

[30:23] would go to each go to cell phones. So and we can even narrow it down so like

[30:28] let's say it's the west side of town but not the east side, we could try to get

[30:32] it into that area. So

[30:36] just so you know, FYI. >> That's pretty cool.

[30:38] » It is pretty cool. Yeah, and then the system is pretty user-friendly.

[30:42] » Mhm. >> Good thought. Yeah.

[30:44] Yeah.

[30:46] » All right. Thank you. Any other staff?

[30:51] Mayor and council, I got two things. I learned just an hour ago that the

[30:55] library has achieved a

[31:00] level three >> Yes.

[31:03] » accolade status from the state library board.

[31:08] Not turning it library, but it's a very high uh

[31:13] kudos to the library. And they have a record number of people going in and

[31:18] doing kids, adults. It's a good library.

[31:23] So, hats off to Jessica and the staff of the library.

[31:26] » Yeah. Yeah, we just um received our

[31:30] accreditation from the State Library of Iowa. And we're accredited at tier

[31:35] three, which is the highest level in the state that they award.

[31:39] Um and it's in a three-year cycle. So,

[31:42] we've uh managed to maintain it for the last three years.

[31:47] » All right. Congratulations. Good job. >> Thank you.

[31:52] » Um last thing I have, Hoover Hometown Days went off

[31:56] extremely well, perfect weather.

[32:00] More people than I've ever seen in town. >> Sorry.

[32:03] » So, um it went off really well. The The library

[32:07] opening is a big success. Um that drew a lot of people. I got a

[32:13] letter from a a team from Tennessee played Hoover Ball. They'd never even

[32:16] been there before. They just showed up.

[32:20] Couple old guys and 12-year-old They got beat up pretty good, but they

[32:25] were thrilled to death.

[32:29] He wrote me a nice letter. He's actually a judge in Tennessee.

[32:33] Um um

[32:35] congratulating me on our little small West Branch, so it felt good. So.

[32:42] Um, that's all I got. Anybody anything else?

[32:46] » I got a couple things. Uh, during Hoover Days, there's an

[32:49] incident where the e-bike ran into a pedestrian, and

[32:54] the rider of the e-bike was under 16. Um,

[33:01] I've had come up with a couple ideas

[33:05] that may help out this. Number one, I see a

[33:08] lot of these kids riding around without a helmet on.

[33:12] Can we make

[33:15] 15 and under wear a helmet on the e-bike?

[33:18] » Well, this goes back a long history. If you remember Carolyn Found's injury or

[33:25] tragedy or bill, after that, they tried to push to have under 18 have helmets,

[33:29] and the legislature pushed back and said freedom. So, they didn't want to So, the

[33:34] question is if we do something. There's There's nothing in the state law, so in

[33:38] theory, home rule you should be able to do it. The question what the

[33:42] legislature's been doing lately is if you try to do something they don't like,

[33:45] they just outlaw it the next session. But, that is

[33:48] an idea. If I remember correctly, the planning organization in Johnson

[33:53] County is looking at rules that apply to everybody, and there I think the Des

[33:58] Moines planning agency has passed some rules. I got I can take a

[34:01] look at those and see what they've got in place for those

[34:05] scooters, bikes, you know, you name it. The The problem is the state law

[34:09] definitions are not keeping up with the technology, so you know, some of these

[34:13] things can go too fast, so they're not a moped or whatever, but some of them

[34:17] don't have seats, so they're not a motorcycle or or even a motor vehicle

[34:20] cuz they don't have a seat, but they're is the the definitions

[34:25] the definitions that probably a motor vehicle cuz it's taking

[34:29] a human somewhere, but there's definitions and the regulations but

[34:32] state law are not keeping up right now. >> Well, they they actually had a bill last

[34:37] session but I don't think it went through.

[34:39] » So, I can I can pull those up and see what their other people are doing but we

[34:43] can try it and see what you know >> Can we make at least can we make an

[34:46] ordinance and only one rider per bike? >> Yeah, they

[34:52] I'd have to look at that cuz there's state law that says you know, bikes can

[34:55] big bikes can do pretty much anything that a cop you know, you can't tell a

[34:58] bike to go off the street. >> But these aren't licensed, right?

[35:01] » I understand that but like I said, the the state law does not does not keeping

[35:06] up with what's going on. So, I So, I can I'll look into I'll look

[35:10] into that. What was Did you have another idea? Just the number of riders? They

[35:14] don't have more than one on

[35:16] » More than one on on bike. >> I you have to look into that

[35:20] too. That one might be a little more problematic.

[35:22] » I think you're going to have problems with that, you know, anything that

[35:25] conflicts with Iowa law and that's I think that's a problem with

[35:28] local police departments. We're kind of wait for the Iowa legislature to catch

[35:32] up right now. You know, that's the trouble with helmets and stuff. I you

[35:36] know, it'd be definitely be an experiment. It

[35:39] would. But

[35:41] I might we're we're trying. In fact, I think there was a bicycle

[35:44] accident here um

[35:47] this to someone who got run by uh Herbalife somewhere I heard but uh

[35:52] fortunately very minor injuries but >> But there were two people killed in

[35:56] Cedar Rapids last week. >> I think we need to get serious and I I

[36:01] would really think I mean, for instance, I've heard from a business person

[36:05] there's e-bike going down the sidewalk uh in the business district. Now, that

[36:10] is illegal. >> That is illegal and it would be a

[36:12] current ordinance I would assume. >> And I know we had a bike rodeo or the

[36:16] last club I think had a bike rodeo in the summer and that was that was a good

[36:19] start, I believe but I you know, I would like to task police department in doing

[36:24] some more education uh in the community in whether it's

[36:27] newspaper articles or uh giving programs to schools or something like that.

[36:33] Uh it's almost a daily occurrence out there when you see a bicycle break in

[36:38] the law and oh it's just It is getting frightening and it's just

[36:42] a matter of time before somebody gets hurt.

[36:45] Um so I just I just And also it's called classified e-bike cuz it bike that goes

[36:51] under 20 mile hour. And my my bike goes

[36:56] I stop stop sign by the way but

[37:00] Yes. All right. Yeah, I do mostly night actually.

[37:04] Uh but I think we need to do some education as well that I'm afraid and

[37:08] and I know the police department doesn't want to give an 8-year-old ticket but I

[37:12] think if I was on the police department I think and give a break law I think I

[37:16] call the parent and have the parent come pick the kid.

[37:19] » Haven't some cities gone to to the parents responsible

[37:24] » That's a That's a That's a

[37:27] Yeah, I think some of the quad cities have that

[37:30] parental responsibility ordinance Davenport maybe?

[37:34] » I think so. >> Yeah.

[37:35] » Isn't there a community over by Des Moines maybe Waukee that recently did an

[37:39] ordinance for e-bikes? >> I think Waukee I think they Yeah, I

[37:43] think probably Waukee. >> Was it Waukee? I thought it was

[37:46] South. >> Cuz well cuz the

[37:48] the planning organization in Des Moines has has gotten uh

[37:53] I can pull those cuz I think I saw one of those ordinances just uh I'll send it

[37:56] around I'll send it around to everybody so you can take a look at it and see

[37:59] what you'll see what you think cuz obviously

[38:02] I don't think there's a state law that says you can't

[38:05] helmets are not allowed You can't force somebody to wear a helmet but that

[38:09] doesn't mean they won't come back later and do that. I don't know.

[38:12] » You know we don't force them to wear a helmet on a motorcycle.

[38:17] » I mean well what I'm saying >> I don't know if these young kids there

[38:19] are wrecking You're talking about the 18 and then

[38:21] » going to be a constitutional issue. It's going to come back. The Supreme Court's

[38:25] going to say that parents have the ability to raise their children the way

[38:28] that they want and if they're not going to require them to wear a helmet, that's

[38:31] the way that it's going to >> or get vaccinated or essential

[38:35] » it's all like freedom of speech, first amendment stuff.

[38:37] » I think there was some the stuff in Des Moines may have more with where you can

[38:40] ride them on the bike path and go. Like that's why they've got trails and stuff

[38:44] like that where you have pedestrians and these bikes or whatever, I think. I'll

[38:49] I'll I'll pull the ordinance and then send them around send them around so you

[38:52] can >> waiting for an ordinance that that might

[38:54] have some teeth to it that seems to be makes sense before maybe we might adopt

[38:58] something like that. >> I was just Yeah, I was just going to

[39:01] show it around just to show what you have, what I've seen and like I said, I

[39:05] I know my MPO J C's working on something that they want to have all the cities in

[39:10] Johnson County pass which would kind of make sense to have the same rules for

[39:14] everybody. >> It's crazy but you know, all these

[39:17] e-bikes like we talked about 4 mph over 25. You see them now. So then

[39:21] you put somebody half my weight on that thing, that thing will

[39:25] go 30 mph. I know it's crazy but speed limit on

[39:28] sidewalks, I mean it just but I think we need to slow these kids

[39:33] somewhere or another down and I wish the legislature would uh

[39:38] be more aggressive on this because I think unfortunately it's going to

[39:42] somebody's going to have to get killed before anyone does anything.

[39:44] » Put an age limit on it would be the best thing.

[39:47] » Yeah, they um they mean you these scooters, I mean you go down the road

[39:51] and you'll get passed like you're standing still in a car. The guy who in

[39:54] Coralville has a YouTube channel where he's going like 80 or 90 in those

[39:58] scooters burning down the street. Hopefully he never hits a pothole or

[40:02] something else but >> If a police officer gets them going over

[40:04] 20 mph, I would think it no longer ceases to be an e-bike in my now becomes

[40:09] a a motorcycle or a

[40:11] moped type of thing. >> different tiers. I was reading up on it

[40:14] a a bit and we talked about it in one of our Tuesday meetings, too. There's

[40:18] There's like a tier 1, 2, 3, and 4. And tier 1 and 2 are supposed to be under

[40:23] the 20 mph. Those are more of like your like 10 to 18 or 10 to 16. And And

[40:29] there's not an age limit on that one, really. Once you get to the tier 3 and

[40:34] tier 4, it's supposed to be only a licensed driver. And then I think even

[40:39] tier 4, that's where you can get into your 20 to 20 mph. It's supposed Is it

[40:44] supposed to even be over 18? >> I It's I know it's at least licensed

[40:48] driver. So >> I don't know. The problem is a lot of

[40:50] those manufacturers aren't really clear on the speed on those. And so police

[40:54] officers may not know what tier Yeah. I'm all in.

[40:58] It's not just e-bikes. I saw a young girl on a little

[41:02] Well, I don't even know what you call it. A little skateboard.

[41:05] » Yeah. Scooters. Yeah. >> Where they Where they went across this

[41:10] crosswalk just like just that fast. And I just

[41:13] » And those things really have to have definitions.

[41:15] » Yeah. That's what I'm saying. >> And there's no seat in that you know,

[41:17] that was the whole The seat thing is kind of destroys all the definitions.

[41:22] » Little tiny wheels. >> Yeah. Little tiny wheels that go really

[41:24] fast. And a hole in the sidewalk. >> So

[41:27] » Or hit a rock. >> I'll I'll be sending around what I see

[41:30] in the Twin Metro area and then I'll be testing

[41:32] take a look and then we'll revisit. >> Okay. Anybody anything else?

[41:38] » I have one more thing. What's going on with the pickleball course?

[41:43] » We're waiting to be painted. >> We've been waiting for a long time.

[41:47] We're looking to finish up. Don't know.

[41:50] I'll follow up. You can follow up.

[41:54] » It's a good question. >> There's a weed patch around the boards

[41:57] and there's no nets or anything like that. Um

[42:00] » Right. I'll follow up. I'll give you some information.

[42:02] » It's time to ice out pretty soon. See.

[42:05] » I know Aaron, um they wanted to build a bench or put a

[42:08] bench in and she didn't like the quality of it because it's going to be our

[42:12] bench. She said, "No, we can't do that bench."

[42:17] I don't know I don't know what they're after with that so.

[42:21] She kind of mixed what they proposed.

[42:25] All right, motion to adjourn anyone? >> So moved.

[42:28] » Second. >> All in favor say "Aye".

[42:30] » Aye.

August 17, 2026 City Council Meeting

Transcript