The Lisbon City Council voted unanimously to set the percentage for their newly adopted Alliant Energy franchise fee to 2% Monday, May 11.
After some debate about whether to set the Alliant Energy franchise fee percentage to 2% or 3%, the council officially voted to set the percentage to 2% with a plan to revisit the subject yearly.
Financial Decisions
The council also dealt with other financial topics, voting unanimously to approve all, including a Well 5 CFB Change Order No. 1 in which the city would save $4,000; a payment to Wendler, Inc for $86,718.00 to get them “paid current for work that’s been completed,” according to city engineer, Dave Schechinger; and the approval of fund transfers related to bond SRF payments, which includes one more transfer resolution in June to include downtown reinvestment.
The council voted unanimously to hire Gavin Hove, a junior at Lisbon High School, as the second summer help employee for the City of Lisbon. Hove was hired at $14 per hour, and like Evan Coleman, another summer help hire, Hove will only be able to work half-days.
According to public works director, Travis Bagby, Hove and Coleman will do things such as running the blockage vehicle for Chris Rodman while he is on the buggy for curb and street painting; painting around town, including the storage shed at the cemetery; watering the seeded areas; and helping with the concrete pouring at the sports complex.
Reports
Lisbon’s city engineer, Dave Schechinger, shared a few updates in his report at the Lisbon City Council meeting Monday, May 11.
“We’ve been reviewing for some time some fiber optics permits with Kinetic/Windstream […] That’s going to be several thousand feet of fiber optic throughout town, primarily in the west, southwest, and southeast area,” Schechinger said.
Other updates shared by Schechinger included that some repairs are going to be done to the water main project; a landscaping contractor has been contacted to take care of the areas that need seeding; and well five currently has been seeing progress, as the footings have been poured, some of the pipe encasements are done, and walls are being put up.
According to public works director Travis Bagby, fire hydrant flushing throughout Lisbon occurred Tuesday, May 12, and the painting of the splash pad began Wednesday, May 13. Currently, an opening date is set to be May 26, with a possibility of opening May 29 instead if the paint does not dry properly in time.
Speaking for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department, Jason Blinks shared that with two officers currently in the academy and one heading there in August, the department is officially fully staffed.
“Actually, on the books right now, we’re one over,” Blinks said, however, with the retirement of Officer Todd Gehrke in July, “it’s pretty much a wash.”
Blinks also went on to share that Officer Macke is “back on the streets going through his field training,” and police K9 Grom has officially completed his certification.
According to Lisbon’s fire chief, Brandon Siggins, the Lisbon Fire Department will “start the process of decommissioning the rescue.” The department bought a 405 from West Branch, which will be used as the department’s new pumper rescue. It is unclear when the delivery of the vehicle will happen, but Siggins shared that he hopes it’ll be by the end of the year.
“I filled out a grant for St. Luke’s Foundation for an AED to go out to the new building at the sports complex on the baseball side,” Siggins said.
In Siggins’s role as city administrator, he shared a variety of projects that have begun as the weather has become more accommodating.
Siggins began by sharing that the concrete for the dugouts at the sports complex is completely poured, and 2T Construction will be coming in to build the dugouts. 2T Construction will be donating labor, and the city will be providing the lumber.
Alliant Energy will be returning to repair the areas in which grass did not fill in after the gas main project was completed on the north side of town. The deadline for the seeding window is May 31, and Alliant has promised to take care of the issue prior to that deadline.
Siggins shared that the City of Lisbon’s budget for next year has officially been certified with the county.
Kaylene Kroul will be donating hanging baskets that will be going downtown and will be returning to decorate flowerpots and put hostas donated by Jean Craig underneath the windows. Although the plants are donated, her labor will be paid for. Kroul also plans to place greenery around the Lisbon sign to make it more welcoming and attractive. All of this work is anticipated to be completed within the next couple of weeks, according to Siggins.
After sharing projects that are being completed, Siggins went on to talk about events that are coming up for the City of Lisbon.
Coming up over the weekend of June 20 is the citywide garage sales, which will be followed by bulky item day the following weekend, June 27.
Another upcoming event includes Lisbon’s Memorial Day Parade, which will begin at the American Legion on Main Street at 10 a.m. and will head to the cemetery for the ceremony. In the event of rain, the event will be held in the Lisbon School Auditorium.