Jefferson council adopts monthly garbage rate increase

By Rick Morain
Jefferson Herald

The Jefferson City Council Oct. 11 placed on third reading and adopted rate increases for residential sanitation collection (garbage) and fee increases for residential landfill services.

The city’s finance and sanitation committees reviewed the costs of operating the solid waste utility and determined that increases in fuel, equipment, and disposal costs require a rate increase. The solid waste collection rate will rise $1.05 per month, from $11.45 to $12.50. The landfill fee will rise by 50 cents per month, from $2.50 to $3.00. The new monthly fees will automatically increase by 25 cents each year for the next four fiscal years.
In a report at the end of the meeting, councilmember David Sloan reported that at the library committee meeting last week, the preferred library improvement project was identified as an expansion of the library to the half block immediately north of the existing library, closing the existing alley. Estimated cost of the expansion is about $10 million.

The Jefferson city council scheduled a public hearing for the Tuesday, Oct. 25, council meeting to begin the project to improve the city’s wastewater treatment facility (sewer plant). The resolution called for ordering bids; approving plans, specifications, form of contract, and notice to bidders; fixing the amount of bidders’ security; and ordering the city clerk to publish notice for the hearing, including an estimate of costs of the project.
Deadline for return of bids is Nov. 15. The estimated cost is $15.3 million, with final acceptance of the completed project estimated to be about two years from now, in autumn 2004. Bonding is planned for the financing, as well as some funds that have been escrowed by the city for the project.

The council, by resolution, approved setting a public hearing for the Oct. 25 council meeting on a community development block grant (CDBG) from the Iowa Economic Development Authority for the upper story housing conversion at 100 East State Street (the building that now houses The Centennial restaurant at the northwest corner of the square.
The council placed on first reading an ordinance to establish a no-parking area on the north side of Adams Street west of Grimmell Road. The affected street runs along the south side of the Sundown Court housing area.
The council approved Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $36,541.75 for the Russell Street water line replacement project. Replacement of the water line is projected to come in under budget by about $47,000; money being used for the project is COVID relief funds which can be used on water line replacement.

The council voted to combine the $47,000 with local option sales tax funds of $36,541.75 in order to replace the existing one-inch water line on Oak Street from Russell to Park Street (a distance of 630 feet) with a six-inch line. Total cost of the Oak Street line project is about $83,500.

The council also approved Pay Estimate No. 2 of $119,899.74 to Morris Enterprises Inc. for the Russell Street water main project.
An engineering agreement with Bolton & Menk for a fee not to exceed $15,200 for a sewer lining improvement project was also approved by the council.
The council by resolution voted to write off the city’s bad debt total for calendar year 2012 in the amount of $13,478.44.
Pay Estimate No. 11 in $17,144 of state CDBG funds was approved by the council for the improvement project on the building at 200 East State, the northeast corner of the square, Pay Estimate No. 6 of $204,467.98 was approved as well to be given to Jensen Builders Ltd. for the Greene County Animal Shelter.

In the public forum portion at the beginning of the meeting, Drew Sorenson suggested erecting old-fashioned windmills in each quadrant of the city, as a backup for city water in case there were an emergency with the water supply. He also said the windmills could help add more community gardens.

The Jefferson City Council meets regularly the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers on second floor of city hall, 220 North Chestnut.

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