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Oskaloosa council approves consent items, several agreements and second reading of wastewater rate increase
Summary
The Oskaloosa City Council approved multiple consent-agenda resolutions, a reimbursement agreement with Mahaska County, grant and enforcement agreements for the police department, and a second reading of a 3% wastewater rate increase during its Feb. 18 meeting; one council member abstained on the Mahaska County reimbursement vote.
The Oskaloosa City Council on Feb. 18 approved a package of routine consent items and a series of separate resolutions and motions covering property hearings, utility projects, intergovernmental agreements and public-safety grant applications.
The consent agenda, which included scheduling public hearings for property sales and rezoning and authorization to advertise bids for sanitary sewer improvements, passed on a single vote. The council later approved a separate resolution authorizing reimbursement to Mahaska County related to acquisition of real estate for the proposed Southeast connector route; Council Member Dross recorded an abstention on that vote.
The council also approved: a request to vacate and sell a 50-by-16-foot north-south alley adjacent to 1216 Santa Clara Street; a grant application with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau to fund local traffic-enforcement patrols and related equipment (including up to $15,000 for general enforcement, $10,000 for impaired-driving enforcement, up to $4,000 for two in-car radar units, $800 for portable breath testers and up to $16,000 for speed-feedback signs); and a 28E agreement with the Iowa Department of Revenue to allow the Oskaloosa Police Department to conduct alcohol compliance checks under Iowa Code chapter 123.4. The roll calls for these items were recorded as affirmative by council members present.
On ordinance business, the council approved the second reading of an amendment to Oskaloosa Municipal Code Chapter 13.08.57 implementing a 3% increase in wastewater rates. The second reading passed by roll call vote without recorded opposing votes.
The council moved into and approved a motion to enter a closed session under Iowa Code section 21.5(1)(c) to discuss strategy with legal counsel in a matter that is in litigation or where litigation is imminent.
Votes at a glance - Consent agenda (includes public hearing scheduling for 115 South M; rezoning hearings for 1107 and 1115 Eleventh Avenue West; plan specs/ad bid advertisement for sanitary sewer improvements): Passed (single motion). Roll call: affirmative. - Resolution authorizing reimbursement to Mahaska County (acquisition of real estate for Southeast connector route): Passed; Dross — abstain. (Roll call recorded.) - Vacation and sale of alley adjacent to 1216 Santa Clara Street (requested by Amanda Nelson): Passed (roll call affirmative). - Grant application — Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (local traffic enforcement; equipment): Passed (roll call affirmative). - 28E agreement with Iowa Department of Revenue (alcohol compliance checks pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 123.4): Passed (roll call affirmative). - Ordinance amendment — Municipal Code Ch. 13.08.57 (3% wastewater rate increase), second reading: Passed (roll call affirmative). - Motion to go into a closed session under Iowa Code section 21.5(1)(c): Passed (roll call affirmative).
The meeting included a brief public-comment period during which resident George Bebekis spoke about a 2080 agreement involving “City University Park” and “City of Wascoulus” for police protection; the council confirmed the related item would appear on the March 3 agenda. The names/terms used by that speaker appear as stated in the record and were not further clarified during the meeting.
Additional routine agenda items and roll-call votes occurred throughout the meeting; recorded roll-call names appear in the meeting transcript.
