| City Council Minutes: April 7, 2008 |
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CITY OF FULTON
Mayor Van Zuiden called the meeting to order and directed the clerk to call the roll. On roll call, Mayor Howard Van Zuiden, Aldermen Charles Dykstra, Gene Field, Merle Sterenberg, Charlie Letcher, Warren Juist, Wes Letcher, Bill Loerop and Ron Roels answered present. Also in attendance were Dan Clark - Public Works Director, Clink Kettler - Zoning Officer, Heather Bennett - Tourism Director, Jim Miller - Lieutenant and Jim Rhoades - Chief of Police.
Communication from visitors. Barbara Mask asked for the Dutch Days committee request list to be amended to have Public Works put barricades out 15 minutes earlier than stated on the street closure request list. Mayor Van Zuiden told her the street closure request was later on in the agenda. Heather Bennett had given the council the amended street closure schedule with the earlier time of 5:45pm for barricade placement on April 29 and May 1 for dancing practice to be approved in the items for consideration or action part of the agenda. Barbara Mask also asked for permission to make some interior ceiling repairs at the Martin House. Dan Clark asked Mrs. Mask to get him an estimate.
Ald. Dykstra moved, seconded by Ald. C. Letcher to give Dan Clark the power to act on the Martin House ceiling repairs after he reviews the estimate. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. C. Letcher moved, seconded by Ald. Roels to approve the minutes of the March 17, 2008 and March 31, 2008. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. Field moved, seconded by Ald. Sterenberg to approve the subdivision plat as presented by Bill Holt of Norwest Surveying which will subdivide the property on the southeast corner of Rt. 84 and Rt. 136 so that the lot with the building on it (currently Red Dog Saloon) can be sold separately from the rest of the land. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried. The property is inside the city limits.
Ald. Sterenberg moved, seconded by Ald. C. Letcher to approve the subdivision of property in the Boonstra's Elston Road Addition, which is outside but within one and one half miles of the city limits. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. Juist moved, seconded by Ald. Loerop to amend the parking ordinance to prohibit parking on the east side of 13th Street from the alley to 13th Avenue during school hours. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried. The River Bend School Superintendent requested this action as a result of concern for student safety as it relates to the school buses departing and entering from the bus garage.
Ald. Dykstra moved, seconded by Ald. C. Letcher to approve the issuance of a temporary liquor license to the Fulton Fire Protection District for one day only, June 7, 2008 from 3:00pm to midnight. They will be holding a benefit for Steve Woods, fellow firefighter who has experienced serious health problems. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. Sterenberg moved, seconded by Ald. Loerop to approve the use of the old fire station for a Green Conference sponsored by the Fulton Chamber of Commerce and FACE to be held on Saturday, September 13, 2008 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. Sterenberg moved, seconded by Ald. Dykstra to leave Denny O's beer garden closing time at 10:00pm. Roll call vote/Ald. Dykstra, Field, C. Letcher, Loerop and Sterenberg voted yes/Ald. Juist, W. Letcher and Roels voting no/motion carried. Denny Ottens, owner had appealed to the council at the previous meeting for an extension on the closing time in an effort to keep smokers off the streets. Ald. Roels suggested a trial period with the police monitoring the situation, pointing out the tavern is located in a business district. Ald. Juist agreed that there should be a trial period with closing time at midnight. Ald. C. Letcher stated he received a surprising number of phone calls from residents against the extension. Denny said noise has never been an issue in the beer garden. Lt. Miller said the police have not had any noise complaints regarding the beer garden directly. Ald. Dykstra said he hears the noise from the tavern at his residence now. Jane Orman Luker, who lives on 4th Street, stated she was much opposed to the extension.
Ald. C. Letcher moved, seconded by Ald. Sterenberg to approve the Dutch Days street closure requests as presented. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. Field moved, seconded by Ald. Sterenberg to approve the request of Pastor Len Meinema to hold an outdoor church service at Den Besten Park on Sunday during Dutch Days (May 4). Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. C. Letcher moved, seconded by Ald. to pass Ordinance No. 1368 to Amend the Code of Fulton to Establish Minimum Fines in Various Sections of the Code. Roll call vote/Ald. Dykstra, Field and Loerop voted no/Ald. Sterenberg, C. Letcher, Juist, W. Letcher and Roels voted yes/motion carried. Lt. Miller addressed the council to explain the need for increased fines, stating the increase in fines will allow the police department to cover costs which are not currently being covered and deter violations.
Old Business. Ald. Loerop said it seems to him the budget was handled differently this year than other years and thinks the department heads should have more say. He would like to see a committee of department heads, 2 aldermen and the city treasurer to work on the budget. Ald. Dykstra in a prepared statement urged his fellow Aldermen to return the salary cost ratios to last year's formula. He also believes the city cannot afford a new police officer this year, but does not rule out an additional officer sometime in the future.
Ald. Roels moved, seconded by Ald. C. Letcher to return the salary percentages to the way they were last year and to form a committee consisting of Ald. Loerop, Ald. Dykstra, Randy Balk, Garry Medema and the department heads to formulate the budget. Roll call vote/Ald. Dykstra, C. Letcher, W. Letcher, Loerop and Roels voted yes/Ald. Field, Juist and Sterenberg voted no/motion carried.
New Business. Ald. Loerop presented two proposals in a hand out from the Tourism Committee. The first proposal recommended placing hotel/motel tax into Fund 18 (Windmill and Heritage Canyon) because it is a roll-over fund and the current hotel/motel tax fund is not. The committee would like to earmark the money as follows: 40% paying down the loan on the Heritage Canyon parking lot, 40% paying down proposed loan on the Windmill Museum and 20% for promotions. Proposal two is to borrow money from the City's Martin House CDs at 3% interest to pay down the Heritage Canyon parking lot loan. Due to current CD interest rates and current loan rates they believe this loan would save the city interest money.
Ald. Roels moved, seconded by Ald. Field to enter executive session to discuss the purchase or lease of property and personnel. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
The council entered executive session at 7:00pm. Executive session minutes are recorded elsewhere.
The council returned to regular session at 7:51pm and immediately adjourned.
Minutes recorded by, Linda Hollis City Clerk |