At Monday’s Centerville City Council meeting, a discussion was held regarding the need to reduce accumulated comp and vacation time by city employees.
Mayor Marsha Mitchell said there are many city employees who have accumulated many hours and those hours need to be brought under control.
“I have suggested setting a date for employees to use whatever they can and then after that date, lose the hours and not accumulate any more,” said Mitchell.
Council members Mike Zintz and Rob Lind both said they thought 18 months would be enough time for employees to use their excess time and council members Moe Carter and Bill McAfee agreed. The council voted to set the end of calendar year 2009 as the cutoff date for employees to use the excess hours.
Tracy Miller, administrator of the sewer grant, told the council the construction phases are complete and by June 30 all the paperwork on the project will be closed out.
The council considered the Washington Street situation, where half the road is vacated and half is not. Zintz suggested the council retain ownership, noting it has no value and is nothing more than a ditch.
“We might perhaps later put some grass or plants on it to control erosion,” he said. The rest of the council agreed to make no changes.
The council voted to approve a $5,000 donation toward the new shelterhouse at the city park and set a public hearing on a budget amendment for the FY08 budget for the next regular meeting, May 19 at 5:30 p.m.
City Clerk Kris May reported that Hy-Vee and Bratz have complied with their tobacco complaint settlement agreements and paid their fines (for selling tobacco products to minors) but nothing has been received from Ron Adams. May sent a letter stating Adams was to appear at a public hearing May 5 and he did not appear. The council voted to have the Adams conviction stand and take steps to collect the fee.
Police Chief Dan Howington said the police department is going to try to get back to doing some of the things it used to do in the community.
“For one thing we are going to hold a bike rodeo at Lakeview and present a bike safety program. Our goal is to keep kids from getting hurt on a bike this summer. There will be a bike safety talk to each grade level and we are going to stress helmets, lights and other safety measures,” Howington said.
“We’d like to get a new bike to give away at the rodeo. Everyone who participates would get a raffle ticket for it.”
He also stated that parents are very important in making sure what the kids learn is carried out after the rodeo. “They have to help by reminding the kids about safety,” he said.
Howington added there is a Neighborhood Watch being organized on Drake Avenue.
“We plan to get one area up and going and then work on another three or four.”
Moe Carter, who is on the police committee, said he has been working with the police force and sometimes rode with them on their patrols, for the five-year plan that he said is taking shape.
“I think the five-year plan is achievable and I will have a report for the council,” he said.
The five-year plan is one Mayor Mitchell proposed when she first took office and includes the entire council and all city departments.
“We are all working on a plan for budgeting purposes and as a road map to keep us on track, to prioritize projects and expenditures,” Mitchell said later.
Local News
City employees urged to use accumulated vacation hours
- Local News
-
-
Appanoose County's rank jumps from 83rd to 2nd in one year
Appanoose County has a chance to be number one in the state. According to Joyce Bieber, executive director of the Centerville-Rathbun Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Appanoose County is ranked second in the state for participation in the Live Healthy Iowa 100 Day Challenge as of Friday, Feb. 3.
-
Large turnout protests proposed closing of Centerville FSA office
Tuesday afternoon local producers and the public made comments concerning the proposed closing and consolidation of the Appanoose County Farm Service Agency office located in Centerville. Several questioned if the decision hasn't already been made.
-
Girl Scouts selling cookies at Hy-Vee Saturday
The Girl Scouts of local Troop 665 will be selling Girl Scout cookies at a cookie booth sale at Hy-Vee on Feb. 4 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The cost per box is just $3.50.
-
Tractors, tractors and more tractors coming to Appanoose County
The 2012 WHO Great Annual Tractor Ride is coming to Centerville and the Rathbun Lake Watershed.
-
SEI Orchestra presents winter concert series
Admission is by season ticket or at the door. Adult tickets are $15 and student tickets are $10. Children under 12 are free. There is no reserved seating. For information contact the symphony office at (319) 385-6352; send email to seiso@iwc.edu or on the Internet at www.seiso.us.
-
Benefit for Fred Jones March 2
A benefit for Fred Jones will be held on Friday, March 2 at Eagles Hall in Centerville.
-
31-year Iowa State Patrol veteran passes away
The Centerville community lost a long-time resident and law enforcement officer on Friday, Jan. 27.
-
Community donates to ‘Flag Man’
The Centerville Volunteer Firefighters Association presents Larry Eckhardt with four new hole punchers to assist him in displaying his flags.
-
Staffing agency matches up companies with new employees
The Workforce Development office may have closed, but those seeking employment still have options.
One of them is a staffing agency that has contracts to hire employees for 10 Centerville and Albia companies. -
IHCC Regional Economic Advancement Team holds office hours in Centerville
The Regional Economic Advancement Team from Indian Hills Community College will be holding office hours at the Centerville Campus on Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 8-11 a.m.
-
10.10.10 Heritage Pride; The diversity of Appanoose County
The 1920 census of Appanoose County showed 42 different countries where its residents originated.
-
AEDC executive director report for January 2012
The January 2012 Appanoose Economic Development Corporation executive director report from Tod Faris. The following is business communications by Faris up to Jan. 27.
-
Give input at meetings about state’s No Child Left Behind waiver request
The Iowa Department of Education will give Iowans a chance to weigh in on a plan to request a waiver from requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act during a statewide series of public meetings.
-
Mercy Hospital Auxiliary installs officers, awards pins
Mercy Auxiliary held its general meeting and luncheon Jan. 27 in the Mercy Hospital cafeteria.
-
Immunization clinic Thursday, Feb. 9
The regular monthly immunization clinic is Thursday, Feb. 9 from 1-4 p.m. by appointment only at Appanoose County Public Health office, 209 E. Jackson St. Centerville.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Appanoose County's rank jumps from 83rd to 2nd in one year
