The city of Jefferson will increase its share of the cost of police and emergency dispatch with the approval at the Jan. 28 council meeting of a new 28E agreement with Greene County.
The city until the current fiscal year paid a nominal fee to the county toward the cost of dispatching for the Jefferson police and fire departments. Those services are housed at the Law Enforcement Center with the dispatchers being county employees. Sheriff Jack Williams, since taking office three years ago, has worked toward bringing the city’s share more in line with the percentage of call volume for city services. County attorney Thomas Laehn and city attorney Bob Schwarzkopf formulated the agreement.
A 28E agreement between the city and the county for the current fiscal year calls for the city to pay $25,000. That agreement provided that the amount could be changed. The agreement approved by the council Tuesday night calls for the city to pay $35,000 in FY 21 (ending June 30, 2021), $45,000 in FY 22, and $55,000 in FY 23. The amount will increase 2 percent each year after that.
The council held the required public hearing to move forward with bid letting for putting a new roof on the now city-owned building at 100 E. State St. The Franks Design Group, which has done most of the downtown design work, provided the detailed plans and specifications, form of contract and cost estimates. Those items were approved after the public hearing. Estimated cost of the project is $135,000 to $185,000, with the cost dependent on what is found when the interior walls on the second story of the building are removed. The amount of damage to those walls is unknown at this time.
Bids will be due Feb. 20.
The council approved leasing a portion of the first floor of 200 E. State St to Heartland Bank, although the lease included a blank line to be filled in by attorney Schwarzkopf. Heartland Bank will pay $1,500 per month in rent, along with between $1,100 and $1,200 per month to cover the costs of work done by the city to “build out” to meet Heartland’s needs. City building officer Nick Sorensen gave the restrooms, a kitchenette, internet accessibility and the electrical service as examples of the build out. The exact cost of the build out is pending one more invoice from a supplier, Sorensen said. At that time Schwarzkopf will fill in the blank.
The lease will start Feb. 1 and run through Dec. 31, 2021.
The council approved paying Bolton & Menk $10,350 to complete a study of the elevator at city hall and suggest options for improvements needed to bring it to state code. The study will be completed by mid-March and work on the elevator should be completed by mid-summer. The cost of the project was included in general obligation bonds sold by the city in 2019.
The council also approved an engineering proposal and scope of service for the survey, design, bidding and construction of the airport runway extension. That project is receiving 100 percent funding from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Finally, the council approved two public hearings relative to the FY20-21 budget.
The first public hearing – a hearing on the proposed property tax levy – is slated for March 10 at 5:30 pm.
City clerk Diane Kennedy explained that due to a new state law, cities cannot increase the total tax asking (the amount of money generated by the levy rate) more than 2 percent for the general fund. Preliminary budget figures as she and city administrator Mike Palmer formulate the budget require a 3.5 percent increase in tax asking. According to Kennedy, the state-allowed 2 percent increase is $35,747; as 3.5 percent increase would be $58,959.
The new law allows cities to surpass 2 percent if the council holds a public hearing and then approves the increase by at least a two-thirds vote. (On a five-person council, a 4-1 or unanimous vote would be required.)
The second public hearing, slated for March 24 at 5:30 pm, will be on the adoption of the 2020-21 budget.
The council will hold a budget workshop at the conclusion of its regular meeting Feb. 11.
