Government : City Awarded Community Development Block Grant for down payment assistance

The council sailed through the lengthy agenda on Thursday night.

The council approved a Class B liquor license with native wine permit for Cobblestone Inn & Suites.

The Mayor read a thank you note from Americorp NCCC's Rob Levis for the way in which the council handled the transfer of the IBSSS property.

The council also approved the third and final reading of an ordinance amending parking regulations, and an ordinance amending stop or yield required in the Anderson Creek Addition.

The council tabled the following agenda items.:

-Sixth Avenue sanitary sewer repair until they could see a second estimate.

-Approval of pay estimate #2 for the snow removal equipment for the Airport (Because of tractor repair issues)

-Approval of the engineer's statement of completion for the snow removal equipment for the Airport (Because of tractor repair issues)

-The cost of installation of ADA ramps at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Ninth Street, just making sure that it meets ADA requirements before it is paid.

The council approved a second payment for the splash pad project to Boomerang Corp. in the amount of $47,433.50.

Block Grant

The council approved a contract with the East Central Iowa Council of Governments to administer a Community Development Block Grant. The grant will be used to continue the down payment assistance program. This program is available throughout the whole community of Vinton. The program began on July 31, 2020,

The City was awarded $171,850 for the program.

The council also approved the distribution of the hotel/motel tax to Vinton Unlimited in the amount of $6,297.17.

The council held a discussion and made the final approval of a water system study by Fehr-Graham Engineering in the amount of $16,000. "The company will complete a Water System Study in preparation for improvements to the water plant. The plant is in need of equipment for iron filtration and operations as well as additional space for equipment maintenance and storage. Because the improvements will be a major overhaul to the treatment equipment and building. The study will review all parts of the portable water production system to ensure that that improvements are comprehensive and economical," according to Fehr-Graham.

The City Administrator reported that the IBSSS property has been transferred. There had been damage to the property from the derecho, but this will be taken care of by the Board of Regents, as it was still under their ownership. He has been meeting with Hobarts and Americorp. And reminded the public that the property is no longer pubic property but private.

Brian Parr will make suggestions at a later council meeting concerning the UTV ordinance and this will be revisited at a later date.

He would also like to consider adding no parking signs on 13th St. on the north side during school hours (across from Tilford). He suggested the areas between 3rd and 8th Ave. be restricted in light of all of the traffic which includes school busses, and cars to transport children home at the end of the day. He voiced concern about all of the children trying to cross the street to get to cars on the north side of 13th Street.