| City Council Minutes: February 16, 2009 |
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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, Eugene Field, Merle Sterenberg, Charlie Letcher, Warren Juist, Wes Letcher and Bill Loerop answered present. Ald. Ron Roels was absent. Also in attendance were Bill Shirk - City Attorney, Randy Balk - City Administrator, Dan Clark - Public Works Director, Clink Kettler - Zoning Officer and Lt. Donnie Pridemore - Sergeant at Arms.
The pledge of allegiance was recited. Edie Lenz, pastor of 1st Reformed Church gave the invocation.
Mayor Van Zuiden read his State of the City report.
Ald. Sterenberg moved, seconded by Ald. C. Letcher to approve the February 2, 2009 regular council meeting minutes. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. C. Letcher moved, seconded by Ald. Sterenberg to approve the Treasurer's Report as presented. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. Juist moved, seconded by Ald. W. Letcher to approve the Bill List as presented. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Ald. Dykstra moved, seconded by Ald. Juist to approve the Mayor's appointment of Ray Damhoff to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.
Bill Loerop and Jane Orman Luker gave an update on the windmill museum budget and progress. The construction is running behind schedule due to the weather. The windows are in and the brick is going up. While construction may be complete by April, the museum would not be open then because of various inside projects that will need to be done. Opening is predicted for sometime in July.
The Friends of the Windmill and the Millers have committed $56,000 to the project most of which is currently in CDs which come due in March and May. They have been asked for another $60,000 contribution to the project and have gotten many firm donor commitments. Some of the commitments have already been received and other will be received in March and April for a total of $62,000. They are new donors. The will be conducting a person-to-person as well as a letter campaign to raise more funds.
Loerop explained the contractor payments are over budget due to changes requested by the museum committee and are not the fault of the contractor.
More positive information has been received on geo-thermal systems and they are hopeful that a grant will be available. The grant application has been submitted.
Loerop stated the project is short about $42,480, basically the amount needed for the furnishing inside the museum. He asked the council for suggestions on how to proceed. Four options would be 1) stop the project when the funds are exhausted and finish after funds are raised, 2) extend the hotel/motel tax loan, 3) use general fund money and 4) borrow money from the general fund and repay with interest. Loerop said all of these options would steer it away from taxpayer money.
Ald. C. Letcher moved, seconded by Ald. Sterenberg to pass Ordinance No. 1385 amending the general regulations code regarding drug paraphernalia. Roll call vote/Ald. Dykstra, Field, C. Letcher, W. Letcher, Loerop and Sterenberg voted yes/Ald. Juist voted no/motion carried.
Ald. C. Letcher moved, seconded by Ald. W. Letcher to approve Charles Dykstra going on the Washington, D.C. trip. Roll call vote/Ald. Loerop, W. Letcher, Juist, C. Letcher, Sterenberg and Field voted yes/Ald. Dykstra abstained/motion carried.
Ald. Sterenberg moved, seconded by Ald. Field to adjourn. Voice vote/all yes/motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 6:20PM.
Minutes recorded by,
Linda Hollis City Clerk |