City Manager's Blog December 7, 2012

YMCA Update

Community Development is working with the Iowa Department of Public Health and other state officials to obtain a waiver to allow a handicap ramp to be installed at the competitive pool in the YMCA. We are hopeful the waiver will be approved.  A meeting with all the various entities represented with the project will be held next week at City Hall to discuss and hopefully reach agreement so the final pool construction can move forward.  Overall progress on the YMCA remains on target aided by the recent good weather experienced in the area. 

Budget and Finance

Budget documents have been sent to all department heads for completion and submittal by the end of December for the coming fiscal year.  Staff has been given an initial target of maintaining the current levy rate of $11.20.  Overall direction and discussion of the budget will take place Monday night at the Council Study session.  As indicated in your packets, please bring your copy of the current budget to the study session.

Street Project Update

Paving Project – With the recent stretch of good weather experienced in the area, Sternquist Construction has been able to complete all the mainline paving for the year. All intersections have been poured. Sternquist Construction anticipates the last of the concrete pouring on 12/7/12. They are still hoping to finish the restoration and sodding of the disturbed areas yet this year, if possible.

Capital Crossroads/Local Government Collaboration

Chief Seymour and I attended the second local government collaboration last week as part of metro area initiative to promote local collaboration and efficiency.  The discussion focused on fire and EMS services.  The main issues identified to move forward were identifying potential efficiencies surrounding the use and maintenance of equipment and overall staffing and the opportunities to share staffing when available. 

Pickard Park Improvements

The street department will start digging the footing for the new restroom at the Pickard Park ball field complex next week. We will then need to get the water and electric service to the site and have the plumbing completed before we can receive and set the building in place. We have scheduled the first week in April for the delivery date. By waiting until this time, we can have the water turned on so the building can be hooked up and checked for leaks by the installers.

City Council Weekly Update

McVay Trail Closure

McVay Trail will be closed between 9^th & 15^th streets as early as next Tuesday, November 13 for 3-5 weeks while the erosion repair work is being done in the waterway along the trail. Please notify anyone who may get inquiries about this. We have notified the schools, submitted a news release to the Record Herald, will be placing information on the cable TV channel & website and will be putting placing signs and appropriate barriers at each entrance to the trail in the area affected by construction.

Budget and Finance

TIF: The legislature enacted a new law during the 2012 legislative session requiring cities provide much more detail regarding their Urban Renewal Areas. The report requires city council approval and is due December 1 of each year. The 34 page report is complete and scheduled to be approved by council November 19.In addition, the city certifies TIF debt each December 1 to Warren County and this too is approved by council (resolution) on Nov 19.

Debt Issue: Issuing debt for the YMCA (2013B Series), New Ladder Truck, Street Department Dump/Plow trucks, Pickard Park improvements and McVay Trail (2013A). Bond sale is Dec 10 (special meeting to be held prior to study committee) and funds will be received on Jan 9, 2013.

Street Projects

J/K Street - A traffic study will be performed on November 20th or 21st to record movements on both north and south J and K Street to provide warrants for signalization of the intersection. We should know the results by November 27th if signals can be included in the project. Community Development will provide a real estate contract for Council approval for the purchase of the Champlin property on December 3rd. Community Development is still working with the Historical Society to obtain a portion of their property as well. Because of the delay in land acquisition and confirmation for traffic signalization, Chuck has requested federal funds for the project be rolled over and completed in 2014.

2012 Street Improvement Project - All paving on Howard north of Detroit has been completed. Contractor will be replacing driveway approaches later this week and next week. We are still encouraging the contractor to complete the remaining portion of North Howard between Ashland and Clinton this construction season.

Annual Iowa League Budget Workshops

The annual Budget Workshops help city officials prepare for the budget process by providing information on financial projections and strategies to maintaining a sound city budget. The workshops are designed for city administrators, city clerks and finance officers, but are open to all city officials.  The workshop will be held in Altoona on December 6^th from 10-3.  Workshop topics include: Budget Projections and Issues, Budgeting for Beginners, Advanced Health Care Plans and Costs.  Please let me know if you wish to attend so we can register for the event.

City Manager's Blog - November 2, 2012

YMCA Update

We have scheduled an owners walk-thru to view the current progress of the YMCA on December 3rd at 2:00 pm at the YMCA. We anticipate most of the building to be enclosed by that date. We encourage Council members to attend if possible.

AFR Submittal/Budget

The FY12 Annual Financial Report will be published in the RHT next week and is due to the Iowa Dept of Management by December 1, 2012. The report shows the actual receipts and disbursements of the entire organization for the last fiscal year. Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Budgets for FY14 will be sent to department heads late next week. The General Fund CIP will be brought to council study November 12 and the entire CIP to the November 19 council meeting.

Fire Safety Month

The Fire Department finished up annual visits to the elementary schools as part of the annual Fire Prevention Month activities. Over the past two weeks we have taken the fire safety trailer to each elementary school and worked with students on fire prevention education. We also visited several day care facilities and provided tours of the station to classes that choose to visit the station instead of having fire fighters visit their location.

Street Improvement

Community Development staff discussed the remaining portion of the streets to be completed for this construction season. Staff has directed the contractor to focus on the completion of North Howard and open to traffic as soon as feasible, including the two blocks north of Ashland Avenue. If successful, only one block of Detroit between D and E will remain for possible completion this spring. The J/K Street Alignment project is still progressing, however we need to update the traffic counts and turning movements on both J and K Street and provide warrants for the signalization of the new intersection.  Property acquisition within the project area including the Champlin and Warren County Historical Society property is still proceeding.

Trail Ambassadors

As a result of some past public meetings to explain about our trails plan and get public input, we held a trails ambassador interest meeting last Tuesday, Oct 23. The purpose of the meeting was to get people together to see if there is interest in forming a trails support advisory group. We had 6 people attend and have scheduled another meeting for Nov. 13. The hope is that we can get more trail users to the meeting and officially organize a trail support group that would meet on a regular basis and help support, promote, develop, and education people about trails.

News Items Ocotber 19, 2012

1.     STREET PROJECT: On October 24^th Snyder & Associates and staff had a walk through and created a punch list on the following completed streets:  “D” Street, “E” Street, South Buxton, South Howard and Boston. 

2.     SCULPTURE:  As a reminder, the “Tree of Life” sculpture will be presented by the Indianola Park Friends, the Indianola P&R Commission and the Indianola Fine Arts Commission on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. in the park (Sesquicentennial) located on the city hall grounds.

3.     PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING: There will be a public information meeting on November 8, 2012 between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. at the Warren County Administration Building to discuss the proposed reconstruction of Highway 92 just west of R-57 east to just east of South “N” Street.

News Items October 15, 2012

1.     STREET PROJECT:
 

·       The intersection of West Clinton and North Howard will close on Monday and reopen on Wednesday.  Adjacent property owners have been notified.

·       North Buxton has been paved with the exception of the intersections

·       All of Boston, east and west of Highway 65/69, is open to traffic

·       Water main on North Howard from Boston to Girard is still under construction

·       A portion of North Howard from Boston to Girard has been removed

2.     SEWER LAND:  The sewer land will be paid off in 5 years (FY17) and the payments are approximately $88,000 per year. As Dan indicated the city receives about $50,000 per year for rent to offset this payment.

3.     SCULPTURE:  A “Tree of Life” sculpture will be presented by the Indianola Park Friends, the Indianola P&R Commission and the Indianola Fine Arts Commission on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. in the park (Sesquicentennial) located on the city hall grounds.

4.     POLE ATTACHMENTS: Attached is a memo from IMU’s General Manager Todd Kielkopf explaining potential enforcement of the city right of way ordinances as they relate to CenturyLink and Mediacom and the removal of their facilities from IMU poles. If legal assistance becomes necessary the city may be asked to contribute financially. Will keep you updated.

5.     BIKE TRAIL: The P&R Commission will discuss the need for a flashing yellow light where the bike trail crosses on Hillcrest Avenue at their November meeting. John Parker requested this based on the high volume of traffic as well as speed limit on Hillcrest. The safety of bike trail users is of course the main concern. Will keep you updated.

6.     J/K STREET ALIGNMENT: Construction documents are being completed.  Land purchase negotiating is still taking place.  We hope to have land purchase contracts for your approval early in November.