MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE HILLS CITY COUNCILAPRIL 14, 2004Mayor Jim Jellema called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. with the following Council present: Jim Jellema, Linus Svoboda and Keith Elbers. Council absent: Dana Dahlquist and Arlen Leenderts. Employees present: Connie Wiertzema, City Clerk; Joanne Goehle, City Treasurer and Wayne Ward, City Maintenance. Guests present: Mike Spath and Jolene Farley-Hills Crescent.Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Elbers to approve of the minutes of March 22nd. Motion carried. Motion by Elbers, seconded by Svoboda to approve payment of the March expenditures: General $4,863.91; Park $795.74; Fire $3,941.76; Street $3,037.59; Legion $385.75; Sewer $1,105.59; Garbage $1,727.03; Recycling $477.30; Water $3,370.54; Baseball $10.85. Motion carried. TREASURER’S REPORT:General Checking 108,266.03General Fund CD#18197, 2.5%, 12/4/04 237,314.41General Fund CD#17760, 2.5%, 3/15/05 20,735.68Sewer Fund CD#18255, 1.5%, 7/19/04 40,646.36Fire Truck Replacement Fund CD#18237, 1.5%, 1/11/05 23,228.20Hills EDA Security Deposit Account 2,971.78Hills EDA Checking 4,826.85Southern Hills Apts. Account 8,189.14Southern Hills CD#17759, 2.5%, 3/15/05 5,183.92EDA CD#17850, 2.5%, 5/7/05 27,963.43EDA CD#17268, 1.75%, 1/26/04 10,631.54EDA CD#18160, 1.5%, 10/17/04 20,000.00TOTAL $509,957.34Motion by Elbers, to have Svoboda attend an auction to bid on a 1983 Pelican street sweeper, with a maximum bid of $5,200. Seconded by Svoboda. Motion carried.Ward was instructed to purchase a dog kennel for the purpose of holding stray dogs. Motion by Elbers, seconded by Svoboda to purchase a mosquito sprayer from Adapco-London Fog for approximately $3,000. Motion carried. The Council discussed whether there is a need for a culvert between Kuntze and Bundesen’s properties located in Park View Fourth Addition. Ward was instructed to outline a parking area along the north side of Lot 6 in Park View Fourth Addition for Southern Hills Apartment tenants, until such time a need or proposal is made for Lot 6. The 4-H club will be contacted to inquire whether they would volunteer their labor to plant three trees within Lot 6. Motion by Elbers, seconded by Svoboda to increase the fire relief payment by $135, per the State Auditor’s recommendation, pending Martin Township agrees to the same. Motion carried. The City’s Board of Equalization and Appeal meeting is scheduled for May 11th from 6:30 to 7:00 P.M.The Council discussed constructing a basketball court in the southeast corner of the softball field property. Contact Verhey Construction for an estimate on concrete work. Contact the Hills Lions with regard to whether they could help with funding or labor. Elbers was asked to purchase a sound system for the Hills American Legion building, maximum price of $500.The Council was informed of a resident’s junk vehicle that has not been removed following notification. The resident will be notified and given two additional weeks prior to taking further action. The Council discussed the problem of junk collecting outside the County’s recycling buildings, and suggested that the County publish notice in the paper that oil, vehicle batteries and paint cans are not allowed to be dumped at the County’s recycling buildings. The recycling buildings belong to the County, and therefore the Council felt it was the County’s decision on how to handle this problem. No further business, meeting adjourned at 7:05 P.M. Mike Spath arrived shortly after the adjournment, and the Council reopened the City Council meeting. Spath inquired about the empty lot on Main Avenue, and whether the Council would consider selling the property. Spath is proposing to construct a building for his lawn service and storage. Spath inquired whether the building would be assessed as commercial, the Council suggested that this inquiry could be discussed at the Board of Equalization meeting on May 11th. Spath also inquired about a building permit for a concrete pad in front of his garage, but that it may interfere with utility easements (water mains to the City’s tower). The Council suggested that Spath talk to city maintenance prior to making a building permit proposal. Motion by Elbers, seconded by Svoboda to adjourn at 7:25 P.M.Connie J. WiertzemaCity Clerk(4-22)
