The Jefferson City Council met Tuesday night in regular session.
Following a public hearing, the Council approved entering into a loan and disbursement agreement to issue $19,750,000 in sewer revenue bonds for the wastewater treatment plant improvement project. They also approved a resolution to authorize those bonds to be in a loan agreement with the Iowa Finance Authority for a State Revolving Fund with a 1.75-percent interest rate. The final item for the wastewater plant project was the Council approving the first reading to amend an ordinance to increase the sewer rates from 11-percent to 15-percent for the next five fiscal years.
Additionally, the Council approved a resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with Jim and Jacque Andrew to install a portion of a new waterline in conjunction with the Russell Street water main improvement project as a permanent utility easement, updating the city’s procurement policy for Community Development Block Grant work, writing off bad debt from 2015-16 of $16,194, and a resolution of support and commitment to Jefferson Matters: A Main Street and Chamber Community.
They also approved hiring Midwest Municipal Consulting as the recruitment search firm to replace Mike Palmer as city administrator, with his retirement next July, accepting up to $500,000 from the Iowa Department of Transportation as the city’s contribution to the Jackson Street bridge replacement project in conjunction with Greene County, renewed the city’s health insurance plan with a 6.2-percent increase in premiums to $563,913, and the five-year capital improvement plan for the municipal airport was also approved.
During reports, Police Chief Mark Clouse told the Council the law enforcement committee reconsidered a request to amend the city’s ordinance to include the new state law allowing for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and over-the-road vehicles (OTVs) on county and city streets, which the city’s ordinance currently doesn’t allow. Clouse said that committee voted to not take action and bring a recommendation to the council for a vote.