News : Vinton Leaders consider ideas for the City

Monday night the city council, and department heads of the library, water and sewer, streets, parks and rec, and safety all met to make suggestions for the direction Vinton should be taking. The meeting was directed by Pat Callahan a Municipal Consultant. Each of the department heads and council members was asked for their input on goals to improve Vinton and submitted their suggestions to Callahan.

No action is taken at the meeting. This meeting gives each individual an opportunity to make suggestions and share ideas. While an "official" meeting it's a relaxed time for everyone to sit around the table and discuss the goals they have for the city. To borrow from one of the department heads, it's a time for everyone to just "spitball ideas."

To begin the meeting, each shared how long they've served the city. Together the group represented a little over 100 years of combined service. Callahan encouraged the group in ways to work together. This meeting was primarily to help both the council and department heads to hear from everyone in the room and find out where the priorities are for the departments. The meeting covered everything from large Capital Projects to needs in City Hall.

Water, Waste, and the stuff you don't see

Projects like the Wastewater Treatment plant upgrade, are not optional for the city. At a proposed cost of $10,000,000, the city is required to make the upgrades according to law. The project has completed the permit process by the DNR, the environmental study is being completed now and the land has been purchased for the expansion. The equalization basin now needs to be constructed. Loan forgiveness programs will help with engineering costs. Callahan explained that if the council chose not to bring the wastewater project up to code, the EPA could choose to personally fine or put in prison the council members. Also on the list were Water Plant improvements at $6 million.

Craig Walker expressed the need to get the infrastructure repaired or updated. Water pressure issues seem to plague sections of the town. Underground pipes were briefly discussed. While underground pipes are in the out-of-sight out-of-mind category until they don't work, this brought up the suggestion of a "water main replacement program." When the infrastructure for the plumbing was put in the ground, 4-inch pipes were used which aren't adequate in case there is a fire. 6-inch pipes are needed to have the appropriate pressure for fire fighting. Walker said that these are the hardest to replace and most expensive.

Suggestions were made to adjust water/sewer rates to pay for upcoming improvements" and on the flip side, another suggestion that was submitted said, "given that the median income in Vinton is low, review utility rates, current tax levies and see if there is a way to lower costs for seniors while still funding the needs." One side says raise rates, while another says bring the cost down, both issues the city leaders deal with all of the time.

Streets, Sidewalks, and Blinking Lights

Street improvement projects were also on the minds of leadership. Suggestions were made to have milling projects (this is when streets are ground down and the top is overlaid). Scott Meyer, Vinton's Street Department Manager, shared an example of why some streets need to be replaced. He said that before heading down certain streets sometimes the ambulance driver checks with the co-worker in the back to see if IVs were in the patient before turning onto certain streets because the street was bad.

Also suggested was creating a new sidewalk or sidewalk replacement program.

Other projects like the 13th St. Bridge replacement project which will come in at $1.5 million, will be taken care of with a grant.

Public works equipment needs include a sweeper, dump truck, pickup, and loader.

Traffic signal upgrades are also needed (see the blinking light downtown), Also mentioned was the lack of visibility of the lights for those coming into Vinton and are not familiar with the lights are unable to see them until they are almost to the intersection.

This was not a street issue, but a suggestion was made to allow the burning of leaves in the streets if the streets are concrete and if they have concrete curbs and gutters.

City Hall and City Operations

There were several suggestions made by the group when it came to City Hall and the operations of the city.

Paperwork

-Create a clear and concise procedure for evaluating employee performance.

-Upgrade employee description and responsibilities

-Create a document outlining the chain of command within the city, who reports to who, and who oversees which areas.

-Create a document specific to Vinton outlining all department functions, roles, and job descriptions to be given to all council members and staff.

-Planning and Zoning Commission review of City Maps, City Ordinances, and make recommendations to the city council.

-Review and update all city code sections.

-Develop a policy on FOIA requests

-Update zoning codes.

-Review and improve emergency response plans such as flood recovery.

-Update comprehensive plan. (usually works with planning and zoning)

-Long-term capital improvement plan.

-Annexation study.

-A new or upgraded City Hall

Online Presence & Technology

-Update the city website, better city web page and site making it more user-friendly provide better information.

-Post the recorded meetings on the city's website.

-Full-time IT person on staff.

Social

-Diversity education for employees.

-Better wellness incentives for employees.

-Identify additional sources of revenue to fund city services.

Housing and Structures

-More housing incentive programs.

-Rental inspections.

-Housing rental code.

-Property cleanup and enforcement program.

-Review and update city policies related to property abandonment.

-Implement a vacant or distressed property program.

-Nuisance abatement plan and goals, stricter rules

-Develop a fund for exterior repairs to owner-occupied properties below median income.

-Create a housing quality inventory.

-Revamp of oversize garage application process.

Public Safety

-The proposed EMS Public Safety Center

-a firing range for police

-a dog licensing program was also suggested so that if a dog gets loose, it would lessen the time that officers spend trying to locate owners.

-a city-operated ambulance service.

Downtown

-General improvements and updates in the downtown area

-Downtown promotion ideas and events to draw people to the downtown.

Parks & Rec

-Recreation Center/Swimming Pool Project $8-12 million

In other discussions

According to the last census, it was decided that the population in Vinton had dropped by 212 residents. But it was the feeling of those in the room that this couldn't be accurate. These numbers also affect the monies that the city would qualify for under things like the road use tax dollars and other state and federal grants.

In summary, each person in attendance was given 5 votes each. All of these suggestions were put up for those in attendance to consider. Of all the projects, there was strong support, or four or more votes, for the Safety EMS building, Water Main replacement program, Water plant improvements and replacing 4th St, from C to K Ave.

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If you would like to follow the meetings online, subscribe to City Of Vinton, IA - YouTube Kord Sellers has been kind enough to record and share these meetings.