Lincolnville City Council: Interior of community building nears completion
New policy restricts city hall use to city business
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Community building chairman Greg Hubbard reported Monday at the Lincolnville City Council meeting that tiling of the floor in the main room was completed Saturday. Baseboards also have been installed.
Mayor Dave Schneider, co-sparkplug for the project, estimated the interior to be 95 percent complete. Door trim is being installed. The kitchen floor remains to be tiled and other minor items taken care of to finish the work.
Schneider said some exterior work including dirt work and grass seeding will have to wait until warmer spring weather.
All bids received on the work trailer at the community building were rejected. The highest bid was $1,250. The cost of the trailer to the city was $2,855. Other options will be explored.
The council also voted to dispose of the former well house.
Clerk Jane Pigorsch requested clarification from the council on use of city hall. She presented two requests for one-time use, one from the board of education of Centre USD 397 and one from Leadership Marion County.
After discussing the matter, the council voted 3-1 to establish a policy to allow use of city hall only for city business. They based their decision on precedent.
Brian Owens was opposed to the policy. He argued for a case-by-case decision and supported the use of the building for a school board meeting. He noted the city is associated with the school district, and the board of education should be allowed to meet at city hall.
Senior citizen Evelyn Matz offered the use of Friendship House to both groups.
The council discussed several complaints from residents regarding a person with a large number of dogs and dogs running loose.
Council members conceded the problem was not with dogs that tend to get loose occasionally and their owners take care of them but with dog owners who frequently let their pets run at-large.
The mayor was asked to contact the offenders and to get information about the possible need for a pet owner to have a kennel license to keep a large number of dogs.
Alex Case of Case & Son Insurance, Marion, was on hand to answer questions regarding the city's insurance. The council voted in January to make Case its agent.
Case said the city will retain the same insurer and the same policy but he will be the "agent of record." His service will begin April 1.
Clay Simons presented a computerized treasurer's report and explained it. He received approval to deposit income directly into the city's checking account, putting any extra money after bills are paid into the savings account.
January receipts totaled $19,889.38 including ad valorem and other tax revenue. Expenditures totaled $3,977.25. Funds on hand Jan. 31 totaled $47,865.22
After Clerk Jane Pigorsch reported the failure of the fax machine/copier at city hall, Mayor Schneider presented information on the cost of several different copiers.
The council tabled action on a copier but approved purchase of a new fax machine for not more than $100.
City employee Steve Podszus reported insulating shop pipes and installing heat lamps to keep them from freezing. He also completed city inventory, removed Christmas decorations, and trimmed trees at the sewer ponds and burn site.
Podszus hauled branches lying alongside city streets to the burn site and helped Owens relocate the electrical cable to the restrooms in the park. He also removed a large patch of dried up cattails at the sewer ponds to allow more wave action.
Owens reported the sewer ponds were checked in January. No violations were found but the city was advised to remove excessive plant growth along pond edges.
Celebrations and events chairman Sylvia Bailey announced cancellation of Cleanup Day this year due to a shortage of funds.
The council approved donations of $100 to Bowl for Kids' Sake and $50 to the American Cancer Society.
