1. NEXT MEETING: The next meeting is April 5 at 6:00 pm.
2. JOINT MEETING: A joint meeting with the trustees is scheduled for April 12 at 6:00 or 6:30 (depends on trustee agenda) and the group will receive IDA’s progress report. Another item will be a review of the Employee Handbook changes.
3. BUILDING REQUEST: The Community Development Department received a request from Steve Skold of Castle Development for property improvements on the building at 201-211 N. Buxton that houses Funaro’s and John Hoyman’s Office. Chuck Burgin is reviewing the request to determine which costs are eligible and a recommendation will be placed on the April 5 agenda.
FYI—Council member Steve Richardson is part owner of this building. He voted “abstained” on March 15 and voted against the incentive policy on January 19.
4. PARK DEDICATION ORDINANCE: A meeting with Charles Becker and Ivan Webber will be scheduled next week to discuss the ordinance. Bob Kreamer plans to attend as well.
5. CITY HALL: There are still some unfinished items (exterior restoration, locker room) that are preventing final acceptance of the building improvements. However, a final walk-thru is tentatively scheduled for April 13.
6. SQUARE INCENTIVE PROGRAM: In your packet are a letter and the Indianola Downtown Incentive Program that was sent to 85 businesses on Friday.
7. SEWER PROPERTY: In your packet is a copy of the letter to the editor from Kenneth Duscheck regarding the sale of the former sewer plant land to the Indianola Country Club. Below is some information about the property explaining the $70,000 purchase price:
• Two sanitary sewer mains extend diagonal from southeast to northwest on the property.
• The former plant, aeration tanks, digester foundations and numerous service mains still remain under ground
• The land has sat idle since 1980 and no purchase offers have been made. Several developers have made inquiries but when informed of the property conditions, their interest disappeared
• A survey was taken by the Parks & Recreation Dept in August 2008 and only 47% of the responders favored a park on this site
• City, county and school tax revenue on a $70,000 valuation will be about $2,700 annually and may increase after the driving range is complete
• A letter was sent to 25 property owners in the immediate vicinity of the property advising of the potential sale and public hearing. Only one property owner attended the meeting with questions about the proposed sale
• The majority of the paving cost for Country Club Road at that time was paid for by F.A.U.S. funds
• Cost savings to the city for mowing and snow removal
• Of the approximate nine acres being sold to the Country Club, a little over 3 acres is designated as flood plain
8. W. EUCLID: By order dated March 19, 2010, the Iowa Supreme Court has retained
jurisdiction of the Gray appeal. The case will be submitted to the Iowa Supreme
Court without oral argument on May 18, 2010.
9. IDA: Myles Kappelman, Executive Director of IDA, announced his resignation
effective April 23, 2010.
