Council Chambers, City Hall, December 16, 2024, at 6:00 P.M.
West Union City Council met December 16, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in Council
Chambers with Mayor Cameron Granger presiding. The meeting began with the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Attendance Present: DeBack, McElree, Miller, and Tope. Absent: Gumm.
Approval of the Motion to approve the agenda, adding #3A: Accept IA DOT funding for N Pine
Agenda St bridge repair, was made by DeBack, seconded by McElree. All Aye. Carried.
Approval of Minutes Motion to approve the December 2, 2024, Regular Council Meeting minutes as presented was made by Miller, seconded by Tope. All Aye. Carried.
North Pine Bridge Julie Neebel presented updates from Origin Designs for the North Pine Bridge.
Update by Origin City was offered urban bridge funding administered by the IA DOT that will pay
Designs for bridge construction costs up to $1,500,000.00 for the replacement of the N Pine St structure and associated roadway improvements. Costs for engineering, studies, and right of way acquisition are responsibility of the City. Proposed structure is a two-span, 90 feet long by 32 feet clear roadway width concrete bridge. Structure amenities were discussed with Council in order to develop an estimate of probable construction cost.
Accept IA DOT Motion to accept IA DOT funding for North Pine St bridge repair in the amount
Funding for North up to $1,500,000.00 was made by DeBack, seconded by Tope. All Aye. Carried.
Pine Bridge Repair The City has three years from the date the funding agreement is signed to have plans completed for bidding, and all right of way acquisition complete.
Review Chapter 151 Council discussed Chapter 151 Trees as in the Codification. Motion to require
Trees as in the residents of the City to submit an application before planting any trees in the right of way was made by Miller, seconded by Tope. All Aye. Carried. Tree application fee will be set at $50.00.
Approval of Updated Lance Hangartner submitted an updated bid for tree removal including those
Bid for Additional that were missed initially and some trees that need to be removed on the W Elm
Tree Removal by boulevard. Phase 3 will now be completed in 2025 instead of 2026. Motion to
Lance Hangartner approve paying initial bid amount of $9,575 for Phase 3 tree removal out of Public Safety funds this fiscal year was made by Tope, seconded by DeBack. All Aye. Carried. The remaining $19,800.00 will be paid in Fiscal Year 2026 when additional tree removal has been completed.
Review of Mower Bids Mower bids were received from Baumler Implements and Tieskoetter Lawn Care
And Approval to for the Street and Cemetery Departments. Motion to approve purchases was
Purchase made by McElree, seconded by Miller. All Aye. Carried. Street Dept will purchase from Baumler Implements two Ferris mowers and trade in their two current mowers for a total net price of $13,274.36. These will be delivered now for spring use and be paid in July 2025 using LOST funds. Cemetery will purchase from Tieskoetter Lawn Care one Gravely Pro-Turn mower for $15,470.94. This will be ordered now and paid with Perpetual Care funds in July 2025.
Review Bids for Don’s Truck Sales and GATR of Cedar Rapids presented bids for a new dump
Street Dump Truck truck for the Street Dept. Motion to table until Street Dept can look over options
and test drive trucks was made by DeBack, seconded by Tope. All Aye.
Approval of Bruce Motion to approve Bruce Ehler as Airport Commissioner, replacing Nick
Ehler as Airport McIntyre, was made by Tope, seconded by Miller. All Aye. Carried.
Commissioner
Approval of Motion to approve Resolution 2025-13 approving the FY26 Five-Year Capital
Resolution 2025-13 Improvement Program for the Airport as required by FAA was made by McElree,
FY26 Five-Year seconded by Miller. All Aye. Carried.
For Airport Project
Approval of Steve Motion to approve Steve Roach to continue as Regional Housing Authority
Roach to Continue as Board representative for West Union for 3 years was made by McElree, seconded
Regional Housing by Tope. All Aye. Carried.
Authority Board Rep
Approval of Motion to approve Resolution 2025-14 moving Brandi Burrow to 90% full-time
Resolution 2025-14 with benefits as per City of West Union benefit package effective January 1,
Moving Brandi Burrow 2025, was made by Miller, seconded by McElree. All Aye. Carried.
To 90% Full-time
Approval of Motion to approve November 2024 Financials as presented and December 2024
November 2024 expenditures totaling $1,123,403.16 was made by DeBack, seconded by Tope.
Financials and All Aye. Carried.
December 2024
Expenditures
CLAIMS LIST:
Access Systems-Copier 254.75
AFLAC-Insurance 122.28
AgVantage-LP 771.82
All Stop-Fuel 2,847.84
Allamakee-Clayton Econ Dev-Loans 3,000.00
Allamakee-Clayton Electric-Electric Bills 12,054.12
Amazon-Supplies 667.93
American Library Assoc-Dues 125.00
Amie Johansen-Training/Dental 278.46
Ascent Avia-Av Gas 6,226.73
AT&T Mobility-Phones 258.69
Baker & Taylor-Books 234.78
Baumler Imp-Repairs 1,306.07
Black Hills-Gas 1,708.32
Bodensteiner Imp-Parts 61.14
Casey’s Marketing-TIF 7,428.78
CenturyLink-Phones 311.03
Chris’ Complete Const-Maintenance 155.00
City Laundering-Supplies 452.20
College Subscription Services-Magazines 149.00
ComTec Land Mobile Radio-Repairs 17.07
Continental Research-Supplies 310.86
Dale Bilden-City Hall Janitorial 300.00
Demko-Supplies 58.43
EFTPS-Payroll Taxes 19,389.47
Eurofins-Testing 370.71
Farm Plan (Norby’s)-Supplies 436.65
Farmers Union Coop-TIF 4,851.79
Fay Co Union-Publishing 583.06
Fehr Graham-Engineering 4,800.00
Gage & Gage-Repairs 505.62
Galls-Supplies 194.15
Gordon Flesch-Copier 127.26
Gundersen Clinic-TIF 8,832.88
GWorks-Software 18,000.00
Hawkeye Interconnect-Internet 171.96
Hi Viz Safety-Supplies 198.00
IA Dept of Revenue-Taxes 3,622.76
Ingram-Books 613.97
IA Finance Authority-Loan 85,142.70
IA Prison Industries-Trail Sign 38.60
IPERS-Retirement 12,723.71
Jay’s Automotive-Repairs 1,168.44
Jesse Stanbrough-Dental 155.00
Jetco-Fees 1,834.50
Jill Clark-Dental 1,000.00
Kerndt Bank-Fees 152.20
KSB Solar-Solar Fees 1,111.80
Lane Johansen-Vision 259.00
Lincoln Investment-457b Plan 5,587.03
Lynch Dallas-Legal Fees 320.00
Marco-Copiers 141.12
Martin Brothers-Supplies 112.62
McClure Engineering-Airport 1,566.69
Midwest Patch-Supplies 1,824.00
Napa-Supplies 19.90
NE IA Water Systems-Supplies 161.75
NEIA Mechanical-Repairs 1,530.76
NutriJect-Reports 1,000.00
Nutrien Ag-TIF 14,340.92
Origin Design-Fees 4,800.00
Petty Cash-Supplies 41.25
Quill Corp-Supplies 52.52
Rausch Const-Trail 4,849.50
RNR Solar-Solar Fees 1,013.28
Sim’s TV-Supplies 218.80
Sisco Premium Trust-Insurance 24,778.53
Speicher Excavating-Repairs 42,217.12
State Hygienic Lab-Testing 64.50
The Standard-Insurance 446.79
The Union-Subscription 67.99
Treasurer-St of Iowa-Taxes 2,515.46
Truck Country-Repairs 1,871.26
True North-Insurance 292.60
UMB Bank-Interest 11,222.50
US Cellular-Phones 314.49
US Postmaster-Supplies 524.72
USA Bluebook-Supplies 1,418.13
Verizon-Phones 226.61
Visa-Supplies 758.04
Washington National-Insurance 83.90
WU Development Group-TIF 12,724.65
WU District Energy-Geo 280.00
WU Motors-Supplies 1,004.20
Wex Bank-Fuel 1,329.24
Wicks Construction-Trail/Airport 725,195.93
Wright Way Computers-Services 66.66
Utility Refunds 48.03
Total Payroll 56,987.14
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Total Claims $1,123,403.16
TOTAL CLAIMS BY FUND: TOTAL RECEIPTS BY FUND:
General $122,330.58 $142,303.14
Fire Equipment Replacement 21,240.50
Road Use Tax 23,521.62 29,687.85
Employee Benefits 25,166.98 35,261.79
LOST 20,797.70
TIF
Revolving Loan Fund 804.08
Library Donations 439.33 334.21
Park Equipment
Pool Improvement
Cemetery Donations 350.00
Debt Service 29,906.32
Capital Improvement 22,768.00
Airport Project 2,578.87
Bridge Project 8,000.00
Equipment Revolving
Perpetual Care 350.00
Water 16,068.30 33,674.38
Capital Water Fee 5,702.91
Sewer 18,745.79 28,262.71 Capital Sewer Fee 39,310.73
Sewer Sinking Fund 39,108.00
Capital Sewer Projects 3,000.00 12,000.00
Storm Water 4,467.43
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Totals $1,123,403.16 $443,561.75
Approval to Revise Motion to approve revising Cemetery fees to add $70.00 charge for marking
Cemetery Fees for foundations for full burials was made by Tope, seconded by McElree. All Aye.
Marking Foundations Carried.
For Full Burials
Approval of Motion to approve the application for tax abatement for Charlene Schwirtz under
Application for Tax the Urban Revitalization Plan was made by Miller, seconded by Tope. McElree –
Abatement for Abstain. All Rest – Aye. Carried.
Charlene Schwirtz
Under the Urban
Revitalization Plan
Comments and Items City Administrator Johansen discussed budget process. Mayor Granger urged
To Discuss Council Members to sit in with Dept head meetings to familiarize with process.
Linden St Project meeting for residents is set for Monday, December 30th, at City
Hall at 5:30 pm. Jon Biederman will give overview of the project and discuss
possible issues with parking, etc.
Discussed Trail being closed during the winter months. Council asked for a sign
to be placed at Trail stating that the Trail is not maintained in the winter and
entering is at the individual’s own risk.
Closed Session Per Motion was made by DeBack, seconded by Tope, to go into closed session per
Iowa Code 21.5(1)(i) Iowa Code 21.5(l)(i) to discuss “the professional competency of an individual
whose appointment, hiring, performance, or discharge is being considered when
necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual’s
reputation and that individual requests a closed session” at 7:45 pm. The
proposed closed session has been reviewed and found appropriate under the
referenced Iowa Code Section by the City Attorney. After discussion, motion was
made by McElree, seconded by Tope, to leave the closed session at 8:02 pm. All
Aye. Carried.
Adjourn With no further business to bring before the Council, a motion to adjourn was made by McElree, seconded by Tope. All Aye. Carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:02 p.m.
Next Council Next regular council meeting will be January 6, 2025, at 6 p.m. in Council
Meeting Chambers.
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