Planning commission dissolved Before it ever met, the recently appointed planning commission for the city of Kimball was disbanded at the council meeting Tuesday, Jan. 20. Citing calls from a number of concerned citizens, the council agreed that the commission got started off on the wrong foot and voted unanimously to dissolve it. Instead, the council will take a slower approach, open things up, and try to get more people involved before trying the planning commission again. Councilmember Andy Maus explained that it was his idea that the school superintendent (who does not live in the city of Kimball and therefore did not meet the criteria for the planning commission) represent the school district. “The school is another government entity in town, and it’s the largest employer,” Maus said. Maus had felt that the best person to represent the school district is the superintendent. All councilmembers present (Steve Edwards was absent) agreed that the council may have moved too quickly and without sufficient goals and criteria outlined. “Throw it out,” was Maus’ last comment before the vote that dissolved the planning commission. Employee raises All non-union city employees will receive hourly raises effective Jan. 1, 2004. Ranging between $.50 and $1.95, the raises represent up to three steps in the city’s pay scale. The city’s non-union employees who will receive raises are Chris Jeppesen, Brian Stiles, Jim Frilstad and Neil Hilary. Sewer problem The new city well is online and running, and the Hazel Avenue project is completed (except a final layer of asphalt to be put down in the Spring). But one home on Hazel Avenue is far from settled after the several months of road construction. Mayor Karla Davis removed herself from the meeting and her husband Larry presented their case to the council. Larry and Karla Davis’ home is on the corner of Hazel Avenue and Highway 55. After the new sewer line was installed on Hazel Avenue, each home was re-connected to sewer service. The Davis home was connected back to the old line instead of the new one; the old line that now empties nowhere since being replaced last summer. Larry said they first noticed problems in July. The sewer backed up four times into their basement. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving, again, their basement floor was covered with raw sewage. Two days later the the immediate problem was discovered and corrected: the home’s sewer line was connected to the new, city line. However, nothing was done at that time to fix the damage done by raw sewage throughout the basement. The Davises received two bids for repair which now is extensive – including removal of mold, replacement of floor coverings and paneling, and replacement of a bathroom. There is sufficient mold in the basement that Karla Davis cannot use that space for her daycare until it is professionally repaired. No repair work had yet been done inside the Davis home. Their homeowners’ insurance does not include coverage for sewer, so it cannot help. The city’s insurance, as Larry Davis explained, wants to first determine blame for the mistake; Kuechle Underground did the sewer hook-up, but at the direction of the city’s engineering firm SEH. At any rate, Larry Davis expressed his frustration that nothing has been done to repair their home. “It’s the city’s responsibility to take care of this [no matter who is at fault],” he said. The sewer work was done at the request of the city, and it is the city that is assessing homeowners for the Hazel Avenue project. “This is pretty cut and dried,” said Maus. “Someone should be taking care of this.” The council voted unanimously to send a letter of direction to the city’s insurance carrier to move on the claim and require them to act within ten days. The council agreed that their insurance needs to fix the problem now, and figure out who pays what later. Other actions The Kimball city council also discussed and/or decided the following: o Approved continued gambling for the Kimball American Legion until May 31, 2006. o Approved Public Works requisition to purchase a pipe locator; until now they have borrowed pipe locators from other communities. o Ryan Bettenberg will be a manager trainee rather than acting public works director until he and Jillian Holte (new public works worker as of Jan. 5) take additional rural water courses and Bettenberg takes some management classes. o Reviewed Kimball police report of activity for 2003. o Appointed John Gohmann as a second fire safety officer; acknowledge the imminent retirement of Richard Hinz. o Discussed annexation of Don Stein’s land, and Maine Prairie Township’s approval of a five-year tax plan on it. o Discussed the National Night Out in August and the potential for using this as a kick-off for Kimball Days later that week. o Agreed to terminate the contract with the city’s labor negotiations law firm effective immediately and include the new firm in the city’s labor negotiations meeting Feb. 5. o Discussed the city’s building inspector. Councilmembers have heard lots of rumors, but only two builders have had any problems with the building inspector. The city wants to compare cost of various permits with those in other cities. o Discussed having an open meeting workshop for the city council to set goals; this would be apart from regularly scheduled council meetings. The next Kimball city council meeting is Monday, Feb. 2. Unless otherwise specified, all council meetings are open to the public. Anyone living or working in Kimball is encouraged to attend. “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.” — Louis L’Amour
