The November 21, 2022, of the Alcester City Council was called to order by Mayor Dan Haeder at 6:00 p.m. with Councilwoman Darla Reppe, Councilman Lukas Driesen, Councilman Kyle VandenHull, Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples and City Attorney Sam Nelson.  The council and gallery recited the pledge of allegiance. 

(00:01:11.27)  AGENDA ITEM #3 – APPROVE AGENDA

(00:01:40.70)  AGENDA ITEM #4 – PUBLIC  INPUT 

          (00:01:48.17)  VICKIE LARSEN – Golf Carts being operated by underage kids.

          (00:02:46.13) COUNCILMAN LUKAS DRIESEN – Ofstad street complaint of sewer gas smell outdoors and in a home.  Councilman Lukas   also had an individual contact him about the old clubhouse with the idea of purchasing the building, leaving it where it sits and remodeling it into a         residence . 

(00:04:46.47)  AGENDA ITEM #5  STORM  SEWERS  SOUTH  IOWA STREET.  Discussion on the voids in South Iowa Street at and south of the railroad tracks. (00:05:34.37)  City Attorney Sam Nelson arrives as Mayor Haeder gives a recap on the initial video process.  (00:08:55.70) L.G. EVEREST suggests an Occupancy Permit in an email sent to City Attorney Sam Nelson.  2018 International Building Code which I believe the city of Alcester adopted describes and defines in “Chapter 3 General – 301.1  The provisions of this chapter shall control the classification of all buildings and structures as to occupancy and use…312.1 Buildings and structures of an accessory character and miscellaneous structures not classified in any specific occupancy…grain silos.”  However this relates to residential use and not commercial use.  What an Occupancy Permit would allow and in my opinion FSC and/or L.G.Everest to make changes and/or repairs to the in-ground culvert originally installed by previous owner Boyer prior to annexation of the FCS property.  FCS being the occupant of the property.  However in the annexation Union County specifically amended the agreement to read, “all abutting roads”…would become the city of Alcester’s responsibility of care.  (00:09:39.23)  Who issues the Occupancy Permit Mayor?  The City of Alcester?  Who?  (00:11:44.33)  Who sets the parameters, scope of work. limitations of work and inspection to make sure the work does not adversely affect the City of Alcester’s up-line infrastructure?  Who oversees and inspects the ‘work’?  (00:12:47.00) Banner Representative offers input.

After this information was shared with the council, the council approved a motion to “Seek engineering input on South Iowa Street culvert.  (00:18:05.90)  Council approves a motion to seek engineering input.  Unanimous vote X four.

(00:19:08.03) AGENDA ITEM #6  LEGAL UPDATES CITY ATTORNEY SAM NELSON

  (00:19:16.27) DELIVERY SERVICE GRILLE –  Proposal to operate a food delivery service from the Grille.  Listen to the discussion!  (00:19:56.87) By what authority is the Bookkeeper asking for a legal opinion or asking for a waiver from the City Attorney?  That is the purview of the Mayor upon the direction of the Alcester City Council, not the bookkeeper.  What the devil is the city doing?  To ask an employee to deliver food in their own personal vehicle, their own expense, and on their      own private insurance, who by the way would probably not be any more willing to insure them than the city’s insurance was willing to insure to this   ‘delivery service’!  So should the employee be involved in an automobile crash, will they be allowed worker compensation ’cause they were on the job?  Not from what I am hearing.  Either they are duly employed by the city   or they are contract working and they are vulnerable.  Waiver or not.  It is outrageous the city would even consider such an idiot move.  Folks take into    consideration if it would be an employee under the age of consent.  These youngsters under the age of consent do not have the ability to waive any of their rights unless they have been emancipated.  If they have not been emancipated any waiver is null and void and the City of Alcester would be on the hook financially from at least two complaining parties of an injury event.  (00:25:35.13) Councilwoman Reppe has received complaints about the ‘Grille’ service.  Specifically 45 minute waits for food and then Councilman Driesen commented on a complaint he received where an order for the day’s “special” was missing the fries and the drink and not receiving those missing items.  Instead of ‘comping’ the whole meal of $12.00 the “Grille” only knocked off $2.00 from the bill of $12.00.  THAT IS NOT GOOD PR!  The council correctly dropped the issue.

(00:27:50.73)  THE NEVER-ENDING STORY OF THE NUISANCE AT 307 IOWA STREET.  Nuisance inspection at 307 Iowa.  The City of Alcester is still wasting City Attorney Sam’s legal fees and Property Maintenance Inspector Joke Geoff Fillingsness’ $25.00 per hour fee on this ongoing, ad infinitum nuisance.  Three years now?

(00:29:13.40)  AGENDA ITEM #7  FAIR GROUND UPDATE  Alcester City Attorney introduced emails from County Attorney Jerry Miller questioning  how much money the city was willing to fork over for the moving of the County Fair.  Why should the city pay anything?  It is a county Fair.  From the relayed conversation with FCS CEO John McDaniel it is unlikely to pay a commensurate value for the land and the Union County Commissioners are unwilling to foot the bill, it sounds like “Tag Alcester is IT”.  Nah  (00:30:41.40)  As a citizen of Alcester I am not in favor of just handing over Alcester Municipal Property over to FCS or the County Commissioners.  We do not have the money for it.  As Councilwoman Reppe was questioned and reported about the status of the County/City Fairgrounds (00:37:54.97) a Constituent reported that a Union County Commissioner told them that “…Alcester has no money…” (00:34:35.37) Councilman Driesen quoted a Union County Commissioner, “…that if the fair move affects any Union County taxpayer, they don’t need to go any further.”  (00:39:53.50)  FCS was annexed into the city and became subject to all the ordinances Alcester residents are subject to.

(00:42:47.60)  AGENDA ITEM #8   505 OFSTAD STREET  – Discussion to establish 505 Ofstad as surplus property as it is no longer used for the purpose intended.  ???  This is residential, albeit it no longer has a house on the property the land is zoned residential.  The Council is making noises to sell the residential property or gift it to have a house built or a governor’s house place upon.  It is indeed being used for the purpose for which it was zoned,  therefore is still be used for the purpose intended.  (00:48:31.50)  MOTION TO DECLARE 505 OFSTAD SURPLUS PROPERTY.  Motion was passed unanimously.  Which, in my book of semantics, nullifies the vote to declare it as surplus.  So what ‘cha gonna do now?  Now there has to be an appraisal committee of three.  Approved members of the committee are Councilman Lukas Driesen, Katie VandenHull and David Larsen. 

(00:52:05.33) AGENDA ITEM #9 BANNER ENGINEERING – Tanya representative of Banner Engineering introduced the amendment to the bid and the ensuing costs for rebid $15,591.50 bringing the total cost of the project to $511,191.50.  Vote taken and approved the additional cost.  (00:55:37.47) Unanimous X4 vote.

(00:58:03.73) AGENDA ITEM #10  CHAIRPERSON UPDATE

          Street – Councilman Driesen – None

          Cemetery – Councilwoman Peeples  – None

          Water – Councilman Driesen – None

          Wastewater-Councilman VandenHull – None

          Library – Councilman VandenHull – None

          Golf Course/community ctr – Councilwoman Reppe – sales are slow and Sam has resigned as Cook

          Park/Pool – Councilwoman Reppe – None

          Finance Office – instead of a councilperson chair report Bookkeeper Patricia Jurrens gave a report

          Liquor – Councilwoman Reppe – None  She state she had not been there.

(01:04:19.03) AGENDA ITEM #11  OLD SCHOOL CENTER –Discussion began with an explanation from Finance Officer Jurrens in the capacity of her secretarial position’ on the Industrial Board. 

(01:17:40.23) AGENDA ITEM #12  PAYROLL AUTHORIZATION  APPROVAL  –  Abigail Moore described the process and the council approved the line of hierarchy for approve of the payroll and authorization process.  Council approve UNANIMOUS X 4

(00:01:26:20.57)  AGENDA ITEM #13  FINANCE OFFICE UPDATES

(01:27:36.53 ) AGENDA ITEM #14  EXECUTIVE SESSION IF NEEDED.  NOT NEEDED

(00:01: 27:49.10)  AGENDA ITEM #15 GOLF COURSE/COMMUNITY CENTER – HIRE another cook?  Approve the hire of Cornelia Hathcoat 16 yrs. at $10.00/hour as Cook  Unanimous Vote X4

(00:01:29:06.37) AGENDA ITEM #16  ADJOURN  COUNCIL ADJOURNED MEETING AT 7:29 P.M.

Contact City Council

Mayor Dan Haeder                            605-934-2287     

Councilwoman Darla Reppe             605-934-2602

Councilwoman Cyndi Peeples           605-934-2096

Councilman Lukas Driesen               605-934-

Councilman Kyle VandenHull          605-934-

Patricia Jurrens                                  605-934-2517