Although it’s been cleaning Kalona streets for a week, the city’s new street sweeper isn’t paid fo…

By Mary Zielinski (free-lance)

Although it’s been cleaning Kalona streets for a week, the city’s new street sweeper isn’t paid for. Monday, the council approved issuance of General Obligation bonds to cover the $55,000 cost, to be paid in $12,000 annual installments.

Part of the formal process also involved approving a tax exemption certification for the $55,000 for essential corporate purposes. Both the bond issuance and exemption approval are simply formalities, noted City Administrator Doug Morgan.

He stressed that while the motion allows for a levy, “there is no extra tax. This is just to allow payment and the funds will come only from the general fund.”

Morgan told the council that the city’s new computers will arrive next week and that he authorized purchase of a new desk to accommodate the unit. In the process, the city has gained an additional work station, set up in the council chambers.

He also told the council that new playground equipment was installed at the Kalona City Park, something that makes “a very nice addition there.”

He reported that the city workers are repairing potholes and replacing some broken water meters this week. There also will be work done on 6th St. and some repairs for the concrete near Shelter C in the city park.

Further street work will be done in August when Metro Pavers start the C Ave. project.

Date changes

Because both Morgan and City Clerk Karen Christner will be gone during the first week of August, the council agreed to change the August meeting dates to the second and fourth Mondays at 7:30 p.m., rather than the first and third Mondays. It was approved four to one with councilman Steve Reif voting no.

Reif also asked how much longer it would take for Alliant to complete the utility pole repair. There is one pole that has remained unpainted, the large one at the southwest corner of B Ave. and 5th St. It was a project that should have been completed last year, Reif noted.

The council briefly discussed Y2K preparedness, noting it has a new diesel-fueled generator. Reif asked how fuel would be stored, and councilman Jerry Kauffman assured him “there will be filled tanks by December 31.”

Kauffman, who owns and operates a trucking firm, said he would see that his tankers are filled, “and there will be others.”

Raccoons

The council also learned that raccoons visited the municipal swimming pool, then found their way into the pop machine.

Parks and Recreation Director Todd Fitzsenry managed to “ask them to leave which they did,” said Morgan.

It was unlikely that they had money either for pool admission or the pop, the council agreed.