GRUNDY CENTER- The Grundy Center city council approved advertising for additional part-time EMS help and several budget amendments during Monday night’s regular meeting.
Grundy Center EMS Director Dwight Gliem spoke to the council over the phone and noted that due to an injury to paramedic Kenny Abbas, more help was needed. He said that the three current part-timers were doing well, but he would like to pick up a couple more if possible to accommodate vacations in the summer.
Councilman Dave Stefl asked Gliem if the city would be forced to pay unemployment benefits if a paramedic was laid off, but Gliem said that because they were only part time employees, the city would not have that responsibility.
“It’s within the budget. We’re not adding to schedules. We’re just covering holes,” Gliem said.
A motion to advertise for the positions carried by a 5-0 vote. After a brief public hearing with no comments, the council also voted to approve the budget amendments as previously published, which City Clerk Kristy Sawyer explained were mostly due to the sewer project and the sports complex addition now being split between fiscal year 2021 and FY2022.
Police Chief Doug Frost presented quotes for new tasers and body cameras from Axon Enterprises at a cost of $43,809.42, and he added that the current tasers are obsolete with software that is no longer supported.
“I think it’s an officer protection issue, and we need to do the best we can,” Councilman Rick Smith said.
A motion to approve the purchase carried unanimously. Later in the meeting, Frost reported that testing for the available police jobs will be conducted this Saturday, and over 30 individuals have applied so far. Frost also raised the question of whether officers should be required to live in town as Casey Walters, who is returning from military service, is struggling to find housing in Grundy Center.
“I think it’s impactful for them to live here, but we have to do what we have to do. We can’t make his life worse,” Smith said. “I’d rather have him live here, but if it’s the only way it’s going to work, it’s the only way it’s going to work.”
Frost added that as long as a response time is set up, he wouldn’t have an issue with an officer living in a neighboring community.
During the public comment period, Brittany Ruskusky asked about a code of occupancy issue with regard to a question of whether or not the basement was required to be studded and insulated. She noted that another house had passed a code of occupancy inspection without the insulation.
“My concern is if other houses have been given it in the same situation, we need to make sure we’re consistent,” Mayor Al Kiewiet said.
Another resident, Tom Shafer, raised concerns about a neighboring property to his own where shingles were blowing into his yard and wondered if problems with the property would be addressed.
Before the meeting adjourned, Councilman Butch Kuester commented that a resident contacted him about cars not slowing down and cutting the corner at the intersection of Indigo Street and L Avenue. The possibility of adding a stop sign was mentioned, especially as plans are moving forward to build a new housing development in the same area.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, the board:
· Approved publishing requests for bids for city hall janitor.
· Approved closing 7th Street and H Avenue on June 17 for Rock Around the Clocktower from noon to 9:00 p.m. as part of the consent agenda.
