The Tuesday, February 18 meeting of the Clarion City Council saw the council approving various resolutions. The first was regarding compensation for added duties and certification as a grade 3 sewer operator for city employee Mike Anderson. Anderson recently completed classes and examinations to obtain this status after a DNR reclassification of the Clarion sewer made this necessary. City administrator Clint Middleton noted that some comparably sized towns have decided to outsource this job now, which he feels will end up costing cities more in the long run. The council approved the resolution that would raise Anderson’s pay by about $9,000 per year.
A resolution entering into a contract with the firm Simmering-Cory was also okayed by the council. Middleton explained that this will hire Simmering-Cory to bring Clarion’s code book up to date, something that had not been done in about ten years. The action would basically organize the city codes, incorporating all the supplements into them, putting the codes up on the city website and can include a searchable format if that option is purchased.
The council approved another resolution endorsing the application for the Iowa DNR Derelict Building Grant Program. The DNR’s website says about the program: “The Derelict Building Program is available for Iowa towns of 5,000 or fewer residents to address neglected commercial or public structures that have sat vacant for at least 6 months. [The grant is for] applicants seeking funding assistance with conducting asbestos inspections, asbestos abatement, structural engineering analysis, building deconstruction and building renovation expenses.” The city plans to use the funds to possibly tear down the Duran building on Central Ave.
In other business, the council completed the second reading of the water rates ordinance that deals with when water payments must be received by the city. The amendment notes that if the 15th of the month should fall on a weekend or a holiday when the city hall is closed, people will have until the next business day to pay their bill.
In individual reports, Chief of Police Steve TerHark stated that a new officer has been hired, though the start date will not be until April. Director of Public Works Jon DeVries said the CDBG housing rehabilitation program is progressing in Clarion with ten applications having been received for it.
