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1. The city of Traer plans to hold a public hearing during the next regular city council meeting on Monday, March 7, to authorize a loan agreement for the city’s 2022 street projects which includes work along sections of Walnut, Iowana, and Ninth streets. The loan is not to exceed $1.5 million. City clerk Haley Blaine explained the projects are more than likely not to be anywhere near the total loan amount – the figure is rather “covering our bases and making sure we have enough if needed.”

2. The council reviewed the fiscal year 2023 draft budget summary. Anomalies to the next fiscal year’s budget include sewer and lagoon work set to take place as a joint project between the city and Traer Municipal Utilities (TMU) as well as the First Street bridge project, Blaine said. The bridge project is being funded by the Iowa DOT which administers a city bridge program that makes Federal-aid Swap (Swap) funding available for investment in municipal bridge projects. Blaine reminded the council the city will get those bridge funds back once the work is completed. A maximum levy hearing for the city’s budget will be held during the next regular city council meeting on Monday, March 7. The city’s tax rate last year was 19.26 percent. Blaine said this coming fiscal year’s tax rate is looking to be 19.30 percent. The city has a positive cash flow of approximately $60,000, Blaine said, which the council could use at a later date to adjust the city’s tax rate lower for the next fiscal year.

3. The council along with city attorney Brent Lechtenberg reviewed the five civil infraction citations the city recently issued for nuisance properties in the Berlin Avenue area. The properties are allegedly in violation of Chapters 50 and 51 of the City of Traer Municipal Code which includes violations of ordinances related to junk, trash, weeds, brush, overgrowth and vehicles/trailers/campers. Citations were issued to Mike Bradley, Carl Pearce, Rebecca Phillips, Philip Robinson, and James and Betty Harrison. All five parties were scheduled to make an initial appearance in Magistrate court on Feb. 8 in regards to the citations. Only Robinson of Woodlawn Avenue appeared in court. During his hearing, Robinson claimed to have abated the nuisance. A subsequent review hearing between Robinson and the City of Traer was set by the judge for March 8, 2022. Bradley, Pearce, and Phillips did not appear on Feb. 8 and were each thus ordered to pay a civil penalty of $750.00 plus court costs of $130.50 as well as to abate the nuisance. The Harrisons contacted the city ahead of the hearing and expressed interest in resolving the matter outside of court. The Harrisons were present at the city council meeting. Following a conversation with the Harrisons, the council and Mayor Pete Holden agreed to continue working with the couple, offering them an extension since they’ve shown progress cleaning up the property. The council further decided to serve notice again on Bradley, Pearce, and Phillips, giving them another 30 days to abate before the city steps in to abate.

4. Council member Carri Holst proposed a $2.00 per hour wage increase for Shaun Kennedy and Jo Kahler with the Traer Ambulance in order to bring the two up to a “more reasonable wage” for what they have been undertaking in terms of “extraordinary insane overtime hours” and to bring their wages in line with surrounding communities. Traer Ambulance is in the process of hiring a weekend paramedic set to start March 5 after losing two employees in December of 2021. The new hire’s wages are close to manager Kennedy’s and Kahler’s current wages. There is room in the city’s budget for an ambulance raise, Panfil said before adding, “It’s more a philosophical question – do we want to do it, do we need to do it.” “I think we need to do it,” Holst replied. The wage increase was approved unanimously by the council and will be effective immediately. This wage increase is in addition to the annual budgetary salary increase for fiscal year 2023. Street superintendent Chris Cooper was also granted a wage increase of $1.00 per hour by the council as a result of attending and completing certified pool operator school.