KEOKUK CITY COUNCIL
THE KEOKUK CITY COUNCIL MET THURSDAY NIGHT IN CITY COUNCIL
CHAMBERS. ON THE AGENDA MAYOR TOM MARION TALKED ABOUT
THE FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION URGING THOSE ATTENDING TO
STAY BEHIND THE SAFETY BARRIER WHERE THE FIREWORKS DISPLAY
WILL BE SET UP AND ALSO DO NOT BRING YOUR OWN FIREWORKS TO
RAND PARK AS IT WILL CAUSE A SAFETY HAZARD..
THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FROM THE HOTEL
MOTEL TAX. THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE NUMBER OF PERSONEL FOR
EACH DEPARTMENT INCLUDING 33 POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES, 19
FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH NO CHANGE IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS WITH A
TOTAL OF ALL DEPARTMENTS OF 105 CITY EMPLOYEES UP ONE FROM
LAST YEAR. THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE PETTY CASH AND CHANGE
FUNDS. PLUS APPROVED THE PURCHASING POLICIES AND PRECEDURES.
AND THE INVESTMENT POLICIES.. THE COUNCIL APPROVED TO RENEW
THE CONTRACT WITH SCHULTE AND SONS FOR GRAVE DIGGING AT
OAKLAND CEMETARY FOR TWO YEARS AT 350 DOLLARS A OPENING.
THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE VEHICLE TOWING CONTRACTS WITH
RAIRDENS AND NEWBERRY’S FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THE CONTRACT FOR
MOTOR FUELS TO WEST CENTRAL FS OF MACOMB WAS APPROVED FOR
TWO YEARS. THE COUNCIL APPROVED FOR JULY 12TH AT 4PM BE
ESTABLISHED FOR THE RECEIPT OF ENGINEERING PROPOSALS FOR
THE DESIGN SERVICES AND THURSDAY JULY 15TH AT 7:30PM FOR THE
PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE FAIRWAY DRIVE SEWER EXTENSION
AND THE 7TH AND 13TH MAIN STREET TRAFFIC SIGNAL IMPROVEMENT
PROJECTS. THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE CLASS E LIQUOR LICENSE FOR
COUNTY MARKET AT 2122 MAIN AND WAL-MART AT 300 NORTH PARK
DRIVE AND A CLASS B BEER PERMIT FOR PIZZA HUT 3338 MAIN STREET.
EARLIER THE CITY COUNCIL; HELD A WORKSHOP AND AFTER DISCUSSION
THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE HIRING OF RYAN BELL FOR THE BRIDGE
DEPARTMENT. BELL HAD WORKED AS A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE AND THE
POSITION WAS BUDGETED INTO THE BUDGET. THERE WAS CONCERN
ABOUT THE SHORTFALL OF MONEY IN FUTURE YEARS. AND THE COUNCIL
TALKED ABOUT THE KEOKUK DEPOT PROJECT WITH NEGOSIATIONS WITH
PIONEER RAIL CORP ABOUT THE PURCHASE OF THE DEPOT AND TRY TO
GET GRANTS FOR THE WORK ON THE DEPOT AND CONCERN OVER WORK
THAN NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE ROOF AND THAT THIS YEAR WAS VERY
CRITICAL FOR THE DEPOT. SEVERAL OTHER PROPOSALS FOR THE MOVING
OF THE RAIL CARS IN FROM OF THE DEPOT TO GIVE FOLKS A VIEW OF THE
RIVER WITH A POSSIBILITY TO WORK WITH ROQUETTE AND PIONEER TO
MOVE THE RAILYARD. ALSO WITH THE CITY PURCHASING IT THE CITY
CAN APPLY FOR GRANTS MAYOR MARION THOUGHT THAT A LEAST A
MILLION DOLLARS WOULD BE NEEDED TO FIX UP THE DEPOT AND WITH
THAT AND ALSO PRIVATE DONATIONS WOULD BE A BIG HELP TO SAVE
THE DEPOT. THERE WERE SEVERAL GOOD IDEAS TO DO WITH THE DEPOT.
THE CITY WILL GO INTO ARBITRATION FOR NEGOSIATING A LOCAL
LABOR CONTRACT. THE UNION REJECTED RECENTLY A 2 PERCENT
INCREASE. MOST CITIES IN THE REGION GAVE THEIR EMPLOYEES
NO OR LESS THAN ONE PERCENT INCREASE. MAYOR MARION ALSO WENT
TO QUINCY RECENTLY TO ATTEND THE MAYORS CONFERENCE AND WAS
INFORMED OF WHAT WAS GOING ON..
