The Minonk City Council increased the utility rates at the city council meeting Monday night. The increase is $.50 for garbage, 4% for water, and 4% for sewer
effective May 1, 2006. This will increases the minimum rate for water from $8.10 to $8.42.
City Administrator Trent Smith said the rates for water and sewer have not been
increased since the passage of the original ordinance in 2002, yet the annual
costs are increasing. He also reported that the new
budget is currently balanced unless something comes in and changes it.
The budget does include these proposed
increases.
This does account for the
inflation that
has happened with the
water and sewer funds for the last four years.
Alderman Cunningham said that
if we raise the rates it will lead to deficit spending in these two funds.
Smith said that four years ago the water and sewer rates had
not been increased for ten years and both funds were in deficit condition of $87,000.
The last increase almost doubled the
rates.
CIty health insurance rates lowered
The city will save $20,000 a year under its new health insurance
plan. Under the old plan the city paid $102,000 a year for health
coverage. The new plan will cost only $82,000 annually. The
new plan has a $2000 deductible for indivual and $4000 for family.
The
City will pay the first half of the deductible for the employees each
year.
If they do not use it, the amount
becomes a savings plan for the employee.
The employee would then be responsible for the second half of the
deductible.
Every
expense over that is then paid 100% by the
insurance company.
Before it was only
90%.
City balks at paying bill
Alderman Brian Peterson questioned the paying of an invoice for $1794 to Tjaden Construction for removing sand from
the volley ball courts before filling it in with clay.
City
Administrator Smith said that the letter the city received with the
bill said that Tjaden donated $3000 worth of clay towards the
project.
Petersen
said
it was his understanding that Tjaden had got a donation for the Recreation
Board and
they were going to donate
their time to move sand on the T-Ball diamond.
Smith said that the agreement was made with the Recreation Board, but it was their understanding that it was all to be
donated and were quite surprised to
get the bill.
Petersen said it would be worth talking to the
Recreation Board
and Mr. Tjaden to see where the
difference is.
Petersen said, "I have no problem with the bill as long as
everybody
was aware.
Going into it he said he was donating
everything.
I am pretty sure we could
have probably done it for under $1794."
The council agreed to table the discussion until the next meeting.
Spring cleanup set for May 2-3
City Administrator Trent Smith reported that the town-wide garage sale
has been set for Saturday April 29, 2006 and suggested that the
town-wide spring clean-up be set for the following Tuesday and
Wednesday which are the regular garbage days in Minonk. The council
approved to have May 2nd and May 3rd as spring clean-up days in the
City of Minonk.
Complaints on vacant house
Resident Herb Pinkham asked if the City had any accomplishments on the house on North Jefferson Street.
Mayor Koos said the city has contacted the owner and there is not a whole
lot that can be done as it is a private residence and the taxes are paid.
Herb Pinkham said "Don’t tell me you can only do so much because how would you like to have that house in you territory".
Mayor Koos said that we can issue a public health concern and
contact the Department of Public Health and have them come in and
determine if it is a public health safety issue. If they determine it
is not a public health safety issue there really is not a lot we can do
about that particular house. It is still a private residence and the
taxes are paid.
Pinkham said that the property is not kept up. The porch has
been cleaned off, but they have put another vehicle in there along the
house. Animals are going in and out of the house and the side door is
open. He added, "Last year we got 15 skunks in our neighborhood and do you want
them back in town again." Pinkham said that the house is not livable and
that is the reason the owner is not in there.
Koos said we could try and condemn the property, but if the
city starts down that road of condemning properties it is a very
expensive road. We would have to prove it. All we can do is enforce the
ordinances that we have. Koos said that we can contact the Department
of Health if that is the road we choose to go down. Koos concluded, "The property as it
sits now is not in an ordinance violation. There is a hole in the roof
and that is up to the homeowner to fix as we are not in the home
improvement business. We can not go on that property to fix the roof.
Koos said that we will contact the Department of Public Health and let
them make the call on the house."