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Keokuk council approves contracts, appointments and a temporary hiring freeze
Summary
At the regular meeting the council approved environmental monitoring, theater HVAC replacement, an airport change order, grant administration contracts and equipment purchases, appointed representatives to regional bodies and adopted a temporary hiring freeze while budget work continues.
The Keokuk City Council approved a series of resolutions covering professional services, contracts, appointments and a temporary hiring freeze during the meeting.
Contracts and procurement: Council approved a one-year environmental monitoring agreement with Klinger Associates for North Landfill compliance work at an estimated $11,500. The council approved a contract with Kraus and Sons to replace the Grand Theater air conditioning unit for the low bid of $69,500; staff said the theater can cover about $40,000 of the cost and a prior council allocation of up to $30,000 was available to assist the theater. Council also approved a change order for the airport terminal rehabilitation project after inspectors found failed ceiling joists and improperly constructed hangar-side wall framing; the proposed change order was $137,980, and staff said they will seek to place most of the cost into the grant to limit the city's local match (estimated not to exceed about $13,800).
Personnel and appointments: Council approved appointing Jim Ferneau as the city's representative to the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission board and reappointed Carrie Kloepfer to the SEIRPC loan review committee. Council approved a resolution to purchase a police canine using a combination of local fundraising and reimbursement through an opioid-settlement reimbursement grant; staff said the approved reimbursement is $31,000 while the purchase price is $23,723.11.
Budget and hiring: Facing ongoing budget deliberations, the council approved a temporary hiring freeze intended to pause nonessential position fills while the budget process proceeds; staff said the freeze includes a mechanism for necessary hires to proceed with mayoral approval and would expire in September unless lifted earlier.
Other actions: Council approved remediation work at 819 Ridge Street (low bid $7,200) with liens to be filed if the owner does not pay; council approved a Brownfield cleanup administrative contract with SEIRPC (not to exceed $64,000) tied to nearly $2 million in EPA grant funding for cleanup; and council approved replacement electronic control devices (commonly called tasers) for police, citing manufacturer service life and prior budgeting.
Next steps: For most contracts and purchases staff will execute agreements and pursue grant reimbursements where applicable; the hiring freeze and budget decisions will be revisited during the upcoming budget meetings.
