Centerville Tidbits
Council Agrees To Reimburse Engineer
After considerable discussion, the Centerville City Council voted 3-2 at its Jan. 14 meeting to reimburse Bonestroo, the city’s engineering firm, for $16,632 to cover additional inspection fees accrued last year on the CSAH 14 reconstruction project. Council members Ben Fehrenbacher and Jeff Paar voted against.
City Engineer Mark Statz had requested $35,000 to cover services in 2008 and 2009 that he said he was directed to perform and which were not included in the company’s original scope of work.
In a split vote at its Dec. 30 meeting, the council had voted against reimbursing Bonestroo in the partial amount of $21,000, but a change of heart on the part of Council Member Tom Lee led to the reversal.
“After a lot of thought on this, the only fault that I can lay on Bonestroo was the communication that [should have] occurred,” Lee explained last week.
“It was a crazy time around here for everyone [following the May 25 hailstorm],” he added.
Fehrenbacher opposed the motion, stating that he felt the engineer should have refused to perform additional work without renegotiating his contract.
Council Makes Appointments
At its first meeting of the year, council made council appointments for 2009. Council Member Paar was appointed acting mayor; Paar and Council Member Linda Broussard Vickers were appointed to the Centerville Centennial Fire District Steering Committee; Mayor Mary Capra to the North Metro Telecommunications Commission and the Rush Line Corridor committee; Capra and Lee to the Centennial Lakes Police Commission; and Mayor Capra, City Administrator Dallas Larson and council members Lee and Paar were given check-signing authority. Council committee liaisons will be Lee for the Parks Committee and Fehrenbacher for Planning & Zoning. The Citizen was designated the city’s legal newspaper. Other appointments remain as they were for 2008.
In other action, the council:
• Welcomed newly elected Council Member Ben Fehrenbacher to his first regular city council meeting.
• Approved new off-sale liquor licenses for Mainstreet Liquor Barrel and for Sager’s Liquor. They also approved a new cigarette license for Sager’s Liquor.
• Renewed a Therapeutic Massage Establishment and individual licenses for Serenity Now Healing Center.
• Approved a special event permit, and temporary on-sale liquor and raffle applications for the Centerville Lions Ice Fishing Contest on Feb. 14.
• Adopted sweeping changes to City Code Chapter 150, Building Regulations to update requirements in light of state statute changes and to bring more consistency into the code. Specifically impacted are fences, sump pumps, fuel tanks, and signs, among many other provisions.
• Authorized the expenditure of up to $4,000 for appraisal services related to the city’s trail project.
• Authorized a search for a new citizen member on the Economic Development Authority.
• Acknowledged that the city’s Parks and Recreation Committee will be soliciting volunteers and donations for the first-ever Fête des Lacs 8K race.
• Commended Centerville’s businesses, all of which passed recent alcohol and compliance checks.