[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6514997,"mediaKeyId","5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec","parentId",5021727,"title","Council votes to enter closed session to discuss city administrator performance","audioSeconds",51,"startMs",784000,"endMs",835000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec&start=784&end=835","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec/thumbnail_784000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6514997/Le-Mars/Plymouth-County/Iowa/Council-votes-to-enter-closed-session-to-discuss-city-administrator-performance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6514997-1abdaa150aff23d0cb412a8878d135a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773694322&Signature=D128WxDt27OkyZ6RtUqc1PqgWIbRvSALyoomBnFjetTZzMiWiD78gktZrdBiUaNNKo4LFuJD-XnvqijAwTnV9swQVm8WqfOX~qq9Vlsb8ykBqO6CtVc7Zb5fcjPVRK5KRaEAD5v5bWWq2vin6qjIg5UHOFvTICOQvQX0y-TpzJKIOVIIjOkiKQTJF4wA3CIjwZPw8oJgzePqiiKgrEgsAiRyWaLlBaBn8UQpghHg1T7CyBiLefbS8ISqKgbr1~WOV4Ch5PQ6OWgFKszfM9F-OaaXNPPJxFWZ61CPsOyJaFtRXZKBA7YWTf4Pk5YvJmbCRaxg5nqlr4PF2L7m-a8-Ew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Le Mars","date","2025-06-17T20:47:49Z","article","The Le Mars City Council approved a motion to enter a closed session to evaluate the professional competency of the city administrator under Iowa Code §21.5(1)(i), at the city administrator's request.

The motion announced in the meeting cited Iowa Code section 21.5(1)(i) as the authority to evaluate the professional competency of an individual and stated the closed session was requested by the administrator. The motion language in the transcript said the closed session was necessary “to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual's reputation.”

A roll-call on the motion recorded affirmative responses from members identified in the transcript as Goodchild, Bruns and Sturgeon. The transcript records the three recorded votes as “Yes.” The mover and seconder for the motion were not specified in the transcript excerpt.

The council entered closed session; the meeting record in the transcript does not include discussion that occurred in closed session or any subsequent public action taken after the closed session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Le Mars Council Meeting June 17, 2025 Part 3 of 3","oneSentenceSummary","Council moved into closed session under Iowa law at the city administrator's request to evaluate the administrator's professional competency; roll-call votes show multiple council members voting in favor.","taxTitle","Le Mars, Plymouth County, Iowa","taxId",64213,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6515001,"Contractor asked for one-month extension on Industrial Road sanitary extension project",60,53000,113000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec&start=53&end=113","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec/thumbnail_53000.jpg","/articles/6515001/Le-Mars/Plymouth-County/Iowa/Contractor-asked-for-one-month-extension-on-Industrial-Road-sanitary-extension-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6515001-01d702bdc7c49943689df4e886bfd78a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773694322&Signature=GpxzKM6kyFox~EzPIfQ9fWRcuYfv2lgAGEe7HwW9UbPlsSALOTCTmNK0Ujfm0z~7exUiWBk9iWPbvYsGAMIrlECAHzJVZB0aDV9AfXBP7TN9ic6uxmcF7kxPy-1lKkaw63s2d0Qvc5gnsdCtLE0JlaeCt3KDO4v~FvYEZtlDAaptPEQ5xEddi4YZDuiXz71JcekEKhbbG6IePR-iHBsD1UTcMi0m4bHuvjt63iplhpnXWJcX6mUT6JReTQtQ1Xjbwj5i7U1878u2g0mRmFBqnjtemg99K4pmJlHontBWxrCNyOyBz~Y9MqulzCsFTK2EdlcDVqqqCj6TskIl1sMPZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff informed the Le Mars City Council that Salsma Contracting, the contractor for the Industrial Road sanitary extension, has requested a one-month extension to its completion date.

City staff said Salsma has been slowed on other projects and asked for an extra month beyond the August completion previously noted. \"They've gotten slowed down on a couple other projects. So we're gonna end up giving them an extra month,\" a staff update said. Council members said the extension will not create a time crunch for the city and noted the sewer connection is needed for a nearby building that currently lacks sewer service.

Council members said staff had cleared the proposed extension with the owner of the building on the hill that will rely on the sewer. No formal vote to change the contract completion date was recorded in the transcript; the council discussion characterized the extension as an administratively cleared schedule adjustment rather than a policy decision.

The council heard this update as part of routine project reports. No additional funding was discussed at the meeting.","Salsma Contracting told council it needs an extra month to complete the Industrial Road sanitary extension; council members said the delay is acceptable and the project is not on a critical deadline.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6515005,"Council members split over apartment incentives, housing study online",486,281000,767000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec&start=281&end=767","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec/thumbnail_281000.jpg","/articles/6515005/Le-Mars/Plymouth-County/Iowa/Council-members-split-over-apartment-incentives-housing-study-online","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6515005-d8630263c714f267e01cd1481e3986c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1773694322&Signature=mnYFYmdDGZ1xGUaBArgei7znP0y9AbPyXH6Ag4j0kfAz0BaP2676csAi7yPwVEp7ypyylEy--k2f4OunN6zG~MRhv0qtgca~HXoVNxl3V5EwElUg8LiPrEFMGSwXxic6M0V1c4s8XiGj1YTrKmAaRkrJRi~3ZotZfJrBivDV9w9jH8Z~f0L8L3QyTdVVf~Auukqm1rqyipPQ-MHvEIxIkhb9xaGCL2jneU8nftNtp6EUN-Mg23-mKxZK-2xDPUjCuFCU8pOprpNjg6xH6bbFo7QKTKneVY2peUbrwVy7nnu1htjoaAl1H9RI0fYxiec54ZkJ5PTV~67vwJm8uxerbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Le Mars City Council members debated whether to continue incentives for apartment construction after reviewing a housing study posted on the city's website.

A council member said the study \"says we need more apartments\" but expressed concern that the original shortage that prompted incentives may have changed. \"If we don't have the need anymore, I think we need to back off the incentive,\" the council member said.

Other council members defended the community betterment plan and the incentives, saying the plan has generated private investment in downtown buildings and new businesses and has helped pass a recent school bond. One council member said they accepted the plan in an earlier meeting but explicitly did not endorse every part of it when they voted.

Discussion touched on differing public views about growth. A council member noted some residents oppose expanding to a city of 20,000, while others support measured growth to expand tax revenues and opportunities. The council did not adopt changes to incentive programs at the meeting; members agreed the topic merits further consideration and that staff information and the housing study should be used in follow-up deliberations.

The housing discussion occurred during general council business and overlapped with remarks about downtown occupancy and community development progress.","Council members discussed the city\fommunity betterment plan and a housing study available on the city website; some urged scaling back apartment incentives if local need has changed.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6515010,"Le Mars council debates tree-maintenance role, refers matter to public works committee",487,163000,650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec&start=163&end=650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5021727-a750911241f88d8b6541a27410a61aec/thumbnail_163000.jpg","/articles/6515010/Le-Mars/Plymouth-County/Iowa/Le-Mars-council-debates-tree-maintenance-role-refers-matter-to-public-works-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6515010-635ddb03bf219bc495570ddeeab5a0a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773694322&Signature=TdEZcSxZJnqe6uld-bCXCyGgdaY-BC-Sk3TG7cWBNErs3D5Xabg7pZpO5ftrUfcoCJkdU2sl9SVxTZDitzWh69DnEiH7X30Er8rnXUm-JGr-eLDyDJ5H~AIYeDsRYbIgTfATXM7y8lNXCt6zfDeN5RJIU1Civa1X107XVOhK4rd6PBzcN5pqEvp-US~yDrUHFPSLbevOaI-Gqv3txaIvCiTF4DDw9aIKx-Akli~AXEOQiA4SusznhSoczTIc~CgZQUvqQI8yesHE5WandVCclC~KTfSQT5gKBgaWC1~Mo~I9KW9DSL2zGpdbgNCG9nOuxMk7a2iq8qXipvAeJzoMuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Le Mars City Council members debated how the city should handle hazardous trees in parkways and directed the issue to the public works committee for further review.

Council member Clark pressed for a more proactive city role after several residents reported dead branches hanging over streets and sidewalks. “When it's dangerous, I think the city needs to take an active role,” Clark said, adding that he has seen branches “hanging over streets that are dead, clearly dead.”

The discussion centered on whether to change the existing ordinance that places tree-maintenance responsibility on property owners or to adopt clearer staff procedures for responding to complaints. A council member asked whether the change should be an ordinance amendment or a staff policy shift; the reply from others was that legal counsel should advise on the limits of ordinance changes and that a staff-policy approach could be quicker to implement. One participant recommended assembling a small review group including the fire chief, police chief, city administrator, and code enforcement to assess whether particular trees posed a public hazard.

Council members described a recent case on Central near Twelfth in which an apparently hazardous tree was removed after staff revisited the property and found a split. That episode prompted calls for clearer response steps when a member of the public reports a dangerous branch. The council discussed trade-offs between leaving current ordinance language intact and directing staff to be more proactive on dangerous trees; one council member said they were “not interested in going out and doing city maintenance on people's trees in the parkway” but wanted the public protected when complaints were filed.

The council concluded the discussion by instructing that the matter be taken to the public works committee for more detailed review and guidance. The group also asked for legal input on whether an ordinance change would be required for any new maintenance responsibilities.

The tree-maintenance discussion took place during council business and will return to a committee before any formal ordinance change is proposed.","Council members raised safety concerns about dead and overhanging branches in parkways, discussed whether city ordinance or staff policy should change, and directed the issue to the public works committee for further review.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council votes to enter closed session to discuss city administrator performance

Contractor asked for one-month extension on Industrial Road sanitary extension project

Council members split over apartment incentives, housing study online

Le Mars council debates tree-maintenance role, refers matter to public works committee