The Kalona City Council Monday unanimously approved a resolution calling for a Local Option Sa…

By Mary Zielinski (free-lance)

The Kalona City Council Monday unanimously approved a resolution calling for a Local Option Sales Tax. The resolution, which provides for local property tax relief if the five-year term concludes early, will help finance a new Washington County Safety Center. It is the same resolution that was passed Thursday, August 19, by the Washington City Council.

The measure will go to the voters countywide November 16 and, if passed, goes into effect January 1, 2000 and concludes December 31, 2004. The five-year measure is expected to raise approximately $5 million to finance the new building.

Monday, Doug Tindal a member of the Citizens Safety Center Planning Committee told the council that cost for the building cannot exceed $4.5 million. The other costs are fees associated with the project as well as new communication equipment.

He added that the county board of supervisors has approved using half of all income generated from rental of the jail facilities to other counties for the new safety center. The other half of the funds is used for other county expenses.

Tindal also said that some funds from E911 will be available to help with equipment costs.

If the debt can be retired before the end of the Sunset Clause, the surplus from LOST will be used for property tax relief. However, if there is a deficit, “it will have to be made up by the county from property tax revenues,” said Tindal.

He also said that the cost for the November vote is approximately $12,000 with the cost apportioned throughout the county’s municipalities. For the LOST vote last year, Kalona’s share was $1,000.

Paving

City Administrator Doug Morgan told the council that an additional paving project was advisable, explaining that installing concrete curb and gutters “for two blocks on either side of the bridge on C Ave” is good idea.

The street will be resurfaced within the next month or so and Morgan said that the area never had curb and gutters.

Cost of the work is $14,865.

The council agreed that the project should be added and approved the move.

Morgan also reported that the city’s new generator will soon have a trial run, that the switch has been installed. The unit, which is portable, can operate the water plant if regular power sources should fail.

The council also formally approved closing 9th St. from Highway 22 to D Ave. and D Ave. between 7th and 9th streets during the two-day Kalona Fall Festival September 24-25.

In other business, the council:

•learned that the municipal pool will remain open through Labor Day, opening only after school.

•learned that problems with youngsters riding bicycles on the city sidewalks has continued and that many of the bicyclists are riding on the wrong side of the street and not stopping for stop signs. Morgan said he would talk with the police about making arrests for the violations.