City Council expands City Crew by two spots

The Malta City Council held its bi-monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at the Malta City Hall Building, at 5 p.m.

The meeting got underway with Mayor John Demarais addressing the Council which consisted of Councilpersons Bonnie Wiederrick, James Sintler, William Hicks, David Rummel, City Clerk Lorie Bond and Public Works Director Jim Truelove.

The Council started by approving the minutes of the last meeting, approving the agenda, reviewing the payment of claims for the audit committee, and approving the February, 2021 payroll. All were approved unanimously.

Public Works Director, Jim Truelove, then gave his report to the council.

He reported that a new blower for the lagoon had been ordered. It should arrive sometime mid- week, and that the groups to install it had been contacted.

The City Crew has started patching the roads. He knows that they still have a lot to do, but they tried to hit the worst areas first.

The City Crew has cut down some trees in Trafton Park. They still need to do some tree trimming and the stumps will be removed when the weather gets warmer. Truelove has ordered some Ash trees to replace the ones that have been taken down.

PWD Truelove is working on getting an estimate in writing to replace the bathroom in Trafton Park that has to be replaced due to the old one being run into last year, and subsequently having to be demolished. He would bring it forward to the council when he receives it.

The City Pool House is moving right along. Truelove reports that, "The electricians are all but out of there." The plumbers are in there right now setting fixtures. He went on to say that he had acquired some epoxy paint to paint the floors before the plumbers set the toilets. The last thing that will be needed would be putting a coat of paint on the outside of the building, and that can be done "in house" by the City Crew.

Truelove asked the Council for permission to bring back the seasonal employees for the first week of April, which would be a little earlier than usual. He stated that he had plenty of work for them to get started early.

The committee discussed the request and a motion was made to allow it. It was seconded and passed by unanimous vote. Clerk Bond added that the ads for the jobs should be in the paper this week.

City Clerk/Treasurer Lorie Bond then gave her report to the Council.

Bond reported that a new treadmill has arrived for the gym, and that the City Crew were "very excited" to carry it up there and get it assembled.

Clerk Bond also said she would be consulting with PWD Truelove on getting a new water fountain. She went on to say that since so many are playing basketball in there now, that having a fountain with a bottle filler on it would be a good idea. Councilman Sintler asked if a new fountain was in the budget, Bond reported that it had been put in the budget for this year.

With Department reports finished, Mayor Demarais moved on to new business.

Doug Ost attended the meeting to update the Council on his progress to get city water hooked up to the old Promises building, which is outside of city limits. Ost asked the Council for help in possibly expediting some of the paperwork.

The Council discussed the possibilities. Mayor Demarais stated that the City could not put its name on anything until certain "hoops had been jumped through". Councilpersons Wiederrick and Rummel brought up the possibility of having the City Attorney draft a letter of support for Ost, stating that the City sees no problem in moving ahead with the hookup of city water, as long as all legal steps had been taken previously to do so.

A motion was put on the floor to have the City Attorney draft a letter. It was seconded and passed on a unanimous vote.

Other new business for the Council were brought forward by Clerk Bond as follows:

WIPFLI Audit change Order #1

Visa Statement Payment Schedule

Resolution 1295 – A resolution requesting distribution of Bridge, Road Safety, and Accountability funds

Online Banking – Making it possible for Bond as Treasurer to see if payments had been made. No funds would be changing. Just having the ability to look.

Barry Damschen – Landfill Contract

Legg Lift Station SRF Loan Compliance Certificate

All of these were motioned, seconded and passed unanimously by rollcall vote.

The meeting was adjourned.

The next City Council Meeting will be Tuesday, March 23, in City Hall at 5:00 p.m.