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The
Official Newspaper of Anamosa, located in Jones County, Iowa
Anamosa News
Since 1855
 Thursday, March 13, 2008
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City Settles Culvert Cost Dispute
by Mike Moynihan |
The Anamosa City Council agreed Monday to settle the Sycamore Street Box Culvert change order dispute for $15,632.87, less than half the original bill of $32,995.36 presented by Arensdorf Excavating. The council’s action, at its regular meeting, came in the wake of a compromise reached between the contractor Kevin Arensdorf, Snyder & Associates and City Administrator Pat Callahan.
The compromise grew out of mistakes that occurred at the previous council meeting February 25.
At that meeting, a motion to approve the change order in the amount of $31,102.85 had apparently passed on a 3-2 vote. Callahan stated immediately the motion had failed procedurally since a majority of the six-member council was needed for passage.
Arensdorf did his homework and checked this out under the Iowa Code, which states that only a majority of a quorum was necessary for passage of a motion. He further asked City Hall if council meetings were running according to the Code or if the council had adopted its own rules in such matters. He was told the council adhered to the Code.
In the meantime, Councilman Tom Swisher, who everyone thought had voted in the affirmative on the motion, turned out to have voted in dissent. This was more in line with his stated position that the city could help Arensdorf “but I don’t think we can pay it all.”
So it turned out that the 3-2 vote in favor of the resolution had indeed passed, but it was in fact not 3-2 in favor but against. City Attorney Adrian Knuth was consulted and said he didn’t believe it was appropriate to challenge the vote after the fact; if there was confusion on the matter, the vote should simply be taken again.
After that, Callahan sat down with Arensdorf Excavating and Snyder & Associates, the city’s engineering firm, and the three hammered out an agreement in which Arensdorf agreed to the amount of $15,632.87, and Snyder & Associates offered to cancel a bill for $6,000 for additional engineering costs resulting from all the meetings and discussions regarding the change order.
Snyder & Associates also agreed to make a payment of $4,000 toward the additional costs of the culvert.
This made the city’s net cost for the change order $11,632.87. Other aspects of the project, such as Arensdorf’s offer to install an 18-inch pipe on the west side of the box culvert, were not part of the proposal.
“I thought there was value in getting it done before the winter started,” said Callahan. “If it hadn’t been completed then, it still wouldn’t be done now, because of this harsh winter.”
The whole matter seemed to be settled fairly amicably, with only Councilman Bill Feldmann grumbling over what he perceived as a change of vote by Swisher, and further discontent over the same issue raised by various people who said they heard Swisher make an affirmative vote on audio tapes of the meeting.
“I listened to the tape about 15 times,” said Mayor Jon Hatcher in closing the matter, “and I would not say it was aye or nay.”
Another mistake occurred at the council’s previous meeting when Menards was awarded the contract for materials for the Lawrence Community Center (LCC) roof. Apparently Menards’ winning bid was based on 240 bundles of shingles, rather than the necessary 240 squares of shingles.
Since there are three bundles to a square, Menards’ bid covered only one-third of the surface of the roof. When apprised of this by Callahan, Menards offered to match the bid of the next lowest bidder, Anamosa Building Supply.
Callahan said the city couldn’t allow that; Anamosa Building Supply had presented its bid on time and in good faith, and it would be accepted. Callahan asked the council Monday to officially award the bid for materials to Anamosa Building Supply, and a motion to that effect passed unanimously.
He further told the council he would send a letter of apology to Anamosa Building Supply and in particular Barney Dirks, who had put in so much time and energy over the course of two or three years investigating the condition of the roof and the best type of material to cover it. Callahan further suggested posting a thank-you note to Anamosa Building Supply at the LCC for the great bid on roofing materials.
He also asked the Anamosa Journal-Eureka to “write an article that explains the error and that Anamosa Building Supply was the low bid.”
Anamosa Building Supply won the materials bid with a quote of $24,100.52, followed by Menards with a quote of $25,273.69 and Lowes, which quoted $30,870.20. The total costs of the project are $40,500.52, reflecting the winning materials bid by Anamosa Building Supply of $24,100.52 and the winning labor bid by Siebels Construction of $16,400.
Dennis Waugh of IIW & Associates gave a presentation to the council on drainage of storm water from the parking lot of the proposed site for the new Jones Regional Medical Center (JRMC) on Hwy 64. Waugh explained the methodology used to make a study of the runoff grew out of a need to quantify erosion during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and with revisions made in the 1950s and 1972, it is used with confidence worldwide.
He presented computer animations showing the buildup of water in the proposed parking lot and how quickly it would drain depending on the severity of the rainfall, including a hundred-year rainfall. For the latter rainfall, nine inches of water built up and drained in 29 minutes.
Waugh told the council that for all rainfall events, the proposed conditions with the new JRMC are better than existing conditions. More than one council member said he finally had a firm grasp of the situation, and with that in mind, the council later in the meeting unanimously approved the site and storm water detention plans for the JRMC.
Butch Hoffman of Danko Equipment made a presentation on new outdoor warning sirens. The Federal Signal Corporation sirens could be set up in several different ways to gain the broadest coverage, and the council could choose from an AC power setup with battery backup or a DC power setup (battery) with AC backup.
The council voted unanimously to take the AC-DC setup at a cost of $35,839.84 with installation by Danko at a cost of $16,080.
A general obligation loan was unanimously approved to provide permanent financing for four projects: the first and second additions to the Anamosa Commercial Park, the eighth addition economic development grant for Meadow Ridge, the Highway 64 water and sewer line extension project, and the public safety project comprising a fire truck, the Highway 64 trail/sidewalk, outdoor sirens and the turn lane for JRMC.
The loan, in the amount of $2,115,000, was a joint proposal by Citizens Bank, F&M Bank and Security State Bank. The consortium of local financial institutions put together an extremely generous package with a low interest rate, no fees, no call date, no penalty for prepayment and the option to refinance the loan if lower interest rates are available in the future.
“It was a phenomenal proposal that they gave us,” Callahan said.
The council approved the first reading of an ordinance to designate five alleys as one-way traffic: the alley from South Ford running along the north side of City Hall will be one way east; the alley from East Main that meets the aforementioned alley will run one way south; the alley adjacent to Chamber Park between Huber and Davis will be one way west; the alley in the 100 block of West Main running to the Senior Center parking lot will be one way north; and the alley between South Ford and South Garnavillo from East Main to First will by one way south.
Several of these alleys are already signed as one-way, but it was discovered after the previous meeting’s discussion that no ordinance had been approved designating them as such.
A resolution adopting the Statewide Mutual Aid Compact, allowing participating counties and cities to provide in advance for mutual assistance in the event of any emergency or disaster, was unanimously passed, as was the sale of two parcels of real estate at the former Happy Hollow trailer court site. Doug Ricklefs is buying the land for $29,060.
The council approved amending Public Works Director Larry Driscoll’s contract to reflect an additional week of vacation each year, retroactive to 2006, when the council agreed to the extra week of vacation in lieu of a pay hike. The council also agreed there would be no cap on the amount Driscoll could carry in his vacation bank.
The council also authorized Driscoll and Callahan to purchase a used van for the water department for no more than $15,000, so long as the van has less than 30,000 miles on it and comes with a full three-year warranty. |
Braley to Seek Re-election
By Michelle Phillips |
Iowa First District Representative Bruce Braley has decided he will seek reelection in the fall. The first time congressman stopped at several locations around Eastern Iowa on March 7, including Dubuque and Waterloo, his hometown to announce the news.
Braley said his reason for running for office a second time was simple, “ I wanted to make sure we finish the work I started in my first term.”
He said that the US Legislature made a lot of progress since the 2006 election, but there have also been some setbacks.
“Part of the problem is the gridlock that is hindering the progress American people want to see. One of the significant obstacles is the thin working majority in the senate as well as the 60 vote minimum to cut off debate,” explained Braley, who said many of the bills that have passed through the house have gotten little or no time on the senate floor. |
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“If we could get some action, there would be less frustration for the American people who have expressed a need for change,” he continued.
Some of the bills have had bipartisan support but were vetoed by President Bush. He used the example of the expansion of child healthcare and attaching a timetable for withdrawal to Iraq War funding.
Braley said if there were more Democrats in the house, it would be easier to make progress.
“I’m looking forward to working with a new president, and I’m confidant it will be a Democrat president,” he stated. “I’m confidant the War in Iraq will be transitioned with responsible withdrawal.”
Braley added that he felt a Democratic would change foreign policy and put less emphasis on the Iraq War.
With all the setbacks, Braley said there has been some headway during his time in office. He said the Energy Bill, Education Bill and Minimum Wage increase have all passed or at least made it to the Senate floor.
There was also bi-partisan support for the Economic Stimulus Package, which will give tax rebates to millions of Americans.
“If a second Economic Stimulus Package were to take place, the most likely type would be infrastructure,” he revealed. “Investing in infrastructure is an investment in jobs, enhances national Security and promotes economic growth.”
He said a congressional panel heard from “governor after governor” that there were plans on the drawing board, but no funding to begin.
In addition, Braley said the budget is still on track to have a surplus by 2012.
“We can’t continue to send 100s of billions of dollars to Iraq, though,” he reminded.
Braley said his introduction of the New Era Bill was one of his accomplishments. The bill would promote education in “green” job fields and create new programs at community colleges.
In addition, Braley has worked on a package that would boosts veterans benefits. There is added healthcare coverage and more financial assistance to families included in the plan.
“We’ve started to make the kind of change that made me want to run (for office). I hope we can continue to make that kind of change. I’m confidant we will,” he speculated.
Braley concluded that he was honored to represent the Iowa First District.
As for the superdelegate’s picked for office, “I’m giving it a great deal of thought,” he said. |
Stone City Water Tower Home to New Gift Shop
By Michelle Phillips |
The Stone City water tower that once served as a source of water for the John A. Green estate has a new role in the small community as a gift shop.
Nichole Boge opened the shop, Nichole’s Décor and More, on January 22. Since that time, she has done a bit of remodeling and filled the old round building with gifts and novelty items as well as a few things made by local artists. Items include jewelry, windchimes, soap and a multitude of other items.
“I had my own home business and did in home catalog parties. I knew I wanted the building,” she said and added that the property never went on the market.
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Nichole Boge |
She wasn’t sure what to do with the tower, which had become overgrown with trees and brush, when her daughter suggested the gift shop.
Boge said if you can’t find something you like in the shop, she can special order items from the catalog she used for her home business. The book offers everything from bedding to wallets and just about anything else you can imagine.
She would like to include more work by local artists. Right now, she has hand painted items by Cassandra Witt and is expecting to get some handmade jewelry and bookends soon.
The items are in the shop on consignment, and Boge keeps 15% of the cost.
Each month she does a raffle for an item in the store. In March, it’s a birdhouse of the customer’s choice. The proceeds from the raffle are then donated to a local non-profit group or organization. This month, the donations will go to the Jones County Food Pantry. Tickets for the raffle are $3 each or two for $5.
“I’m excited to open a business in Stone City,” Boge expressed.
She will have a Grand Opening June 7-8, the weekend of Grant Wood Art Festival, and offer sales and door prizes.
There will be a bake sale at the Stone City Community Center, the Stone City General Store is planning to open the same weekend and Boge said other Stone City buildings would also be open to the public.
Nichole’s Décor and More is open seven days a week, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., but Boge said she would likely increase hours in the summer months. The store is located at 12381 County Road X28. You can also check it out on the website at www.nicholesdecorandmore.com. |
Above Left: Figurines at Nichole’s Decor and More; Above: Bath products are one of the many items in the store; Below: The stone water tower that houses the gift shop.
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Box 108, 208 W. Main Street, Anamosa, IA 52205
319-462-3511,
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