Published: November 25, 2008 09:46 am      

Penalty proposal headlines council meeting tonight

Council also to set date for fire station referendum

CLINTON — The Clinton City Council Committee of the Whole will decide the future of late payments on sewer bills at tonight’s 7 p.m. meeting.

As discussed during last week’s Internal Operations Committee meeting, the proposed plan will look to change the current 10 percent penalty to a 1.5 percent compounded charge each month on late payments.

The new system calls for a 1.5 percent penalty compounded monthly, making a $100 bill increase $1.50 after one month, approximately $4.57 by the time the next bill is due in three months, approximately $9.34 in six months and approximately $19.55 in one year.

At-large councilman Mark Vulich backed the new plan at the IOC meeting, stressing the amended penalty will lessen the burden on citizens who may forget a payment, but pay it off in a timely manner.

The current late payment structure attaches a one-time 10 percent penalty.

The committee of the whole will vote to revise the purchasing policy for vehicles, per the IOC request. The new language set forth by the IOC reads, “Notice of the City’s intent to purchase cars, trucks, SUV’s and ATV’s will be sent to all local vehicle dealerships. New vehicle and used vehicle quotations will be sought for all purchases. Council reserves the right to approve the purchase of the vehicle best suited for the proposed function.

“Notice of the City’s intent to purchase function-specific commercial vehicles, i.e. police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, street sweepers, buses, etc. and the related specifications will be sent to local vendors and previously established commercial vendors. New and used commercial vehicle quotations will be sought for all purchases. Council reserves the right to approve the purchase of the vehicle matching the specifications for the proposed function.

“Bidding requirements may be waived for the purchase of any used equipment with the exception of cars, trucks, SUV’s and ATV’s, which have been approved in the budget.”

Also, Clinton Police Chief Brian Guy will present a report regarding the enforcement of the Noise Ordinance at the committee of the whole, as requested by Ward 2 Councilman Mike Kearney.

During the regular meeting, the council will look to pass a resolution to call a special city election for March 3, 2009, in regard to a new fire station facility. The ballot will pertain to building a new fire facility in Lyons, expand and renovate the Chancy Fire Station and replace fire equipment and a fire vehicle.

The referendum will call for an amount not to exceed $4.1 million.

At a committee of the whole meeting last month, City Administrator Gary Boden said the cost should not be more than $3.76 million.

The council will also vote on a resolution approving renovation to the Horace Mann School site, 250 20th Ave. North. The council will discuss the submission of an application to the Iowa Department of Economic Development for a Community Development Block Grant application for the Area Substance Abuse Council/New Directions.

The grant application would be $800,000 to renovate the former school site into a human services campus facility.

Total renovation costs are estimated to be a little more than $1.5 million.