By Casey Jarmes | The News-Review
RICHLAND – During the Feb. 9 meeting of the Richland City Council, the council discussed whether to continue employing Jason Rebling, who oversees the city’s water and wastewater. Part of Rebling’s duties include taking samples from the city’s water and sending them to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Mayor John Capps explained that Rebling had had two major violations related to sending in samples in the past three years, the most recent happening in November, 2025. Capps stated that he found this “completely unacceptable” and that it reflected poorly on the city.
Rebling explained that he had taken the sample in on Nov. 30, the Sunday after Thanksgiving and the last day of the month, but that, when he arrived, the lab was closed due to a power outage. He stated that he should have tried to get the sample to the lab earlier in the month. Capps said he should have planned ahead going into the holiday weekend.
Rebling stated that the other incident occurred after he mailed the samples to the DNR, but that the samples did not arrive. He stated that this wasn’t the first time there had been problems with mailing things to the DNR, with things either not arriving or arriving late in the past, and that he wished things could be sent electronically. Public Works Directer Calder Bender said he had also had problems with the mail. Councilman Mike Hadley suggested sending samples through certified mail.
Rebling is currently training Bender to take over his duties. Capps brought up the idea of hiring Ion Environmental Solutions to handle Rebling’s job. He said Ion would be able to do this for $500 a month, compared to the $1,600 they pay Rebling, and would be able to do everything except train Bender, including taking samples to the DNR. Councilman Steve Pfeifer asked if Ion would be able to help if there was an emergency where something wasn’t working; Bender stated that they wouldn’t. Capps stated that he didn’t want Bender to be shorted on training and discussed having someone else oversee the training. Hadley asked if Rebling was capable of working at the level they needed and training Bender. Rebling stated that he had been bombarded during recent months, but that things were better now, and that he wanted to end things on good terms.
Discussion was tabled for two months. The council also approved switching from the University of Iowa’s State Hygienic Lab to Ion to process samples for the DNR. Bender explained that Ion would cost $754 per year, compared to the University’s $1,926. He stated that, for $857 a year instead of $754, Ion would pick up their samples, which would prevent problems with late results.
The council discussed what to do with an old .38 revolver that the city owns. Capps stated that he didn’t want a gun under the city’s name being stolen and suggested either selling it, removing the firing pin and donating it to the historical society, or removing the firing pin and hanging it as a display piece in a case in city hall. Discussion was tabled.
Councilwoman Cyndia Crafton suggested that they place stop signs on Stroup Street, one block west of the gas station, because the yield signs were not effective. She explained that she had almost been hit five times and that her husband has been sideswiped by a car. Hadley stated he had almost been hit there when he was 14 or 15. He stated it wasn’t a bad idea to try, but that he believed no one would pay attention to the signs and would keep blowing past them until law enforcement started writing tickets.
The council set the date of the annual car show by the ball fields as the last Saturday of September going forward. The council approved purchasing a load of rock to fill in a hole by the Gas and Goodies. The council also approved setting the time for the Property Tax Levy public hearing at 6 p.m. on March 24.
