At the Tuesday, July 20 meeting of the Clarion City Council, a resolution was passed thanking councilperson Jim Williams for his almost four years of service. Last Tuesday’s meeting was Williams’ last as he has now moved to Iowa Falls.
The resolution in part read, “Jim’s involvement in the position of Councilperson has enhanced and affirmed the collaborative spirit of many City efforts including the Water Leak Protection Service…the City Council wishes to acknowledge the diligence and dedication with which Jim Williams represented the people of Clarion, Iowa. The Council of the City of Clarion, Iowa, on behalf of its citizens, do commend, honor, and express appreciation to Jim Williams for his almost completed four years of outstanding and commendable service to the City of Clarion.”
For his part, Williams thanked everyone who had served with him. He added, “It has been an eye-opening experience to sit on this side and see how government works. I was happy to serve but now am moving on. There are a lot of great changes coming up for Clarion though.”
According to City Administrator Clint Middleton, the council plans to appoint Larry Harrah to take over Williams’ seat at their August 3rd meeting. Middleton explained that Harrah was a person who had showed interest in the council in the past, and they are only allowed to leave a seat vacant for 60 days, so it needs to be filled. Since Williams’ term was up after this year, Harrah will then have to run for the seat in November to stay on the council.
In other council business during the meeting, Middleton noted that hotel/motel grants had been decided upon at the last meeting of that committee. Heartland Museum will receive $1,500 for outdoor signage, Purple Ribbon General Store, will get $2,250 for expansions and improvements including a meat vending machine, and Fuel was granted $2000 for event entertainment and advertising for the truck show.
The board approved the zoning ordinance governing setbacks on corner lots. Changes had been made to mandate a 15-foot setback on all sides of the yard facing the street and 8 feet on the other sides. The group decided to waive the third reading and adopted the ordinance.
In his report, Public Works Director Jon DeVries noted that he and Middleton have elected to not proceed on the storm sewer work on 2nd St SW and the water main replacement on South Main as they hope to rebid the projects next spring and get better prices.
During the open forum part of the meeting, Peggy O’Neill asked the council about dilapidated and uninhabitable properties. She asked if a solution to that problem is progressing. Middleton explained that certified letters went out to various property owners of such houses in the last two weeks giving them a timetable to remedy the problems.
