Kalona plans a Storm Water Drainage Utility to be financed by monthly fee

By Mary Zielinski
As a way of building, operating and maintaining storm water facilities, the proposed Storm Water Drainage Utility for Kalona would be financed by a $3 monthly fee for each utility customer. The proposed amendment that would add a chapter to the existing ordinance, had a first reading at Monday’s council meeting. The council will hold two more readings during its August meetings.
The proposed measure is very similar to what other cities have done, explained City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh, noting that the Kalona one “is three-quarters of what Wellman’s is.”
The new utility and the charges for it are expected to generate about $40,500 and will now aid with storm water management facilities such as detention and retention basins, storm water sewers, inlets, ditches and drains, curbs and gutters and cleaning of the streets (to help water flow).
The funds will go to a special fund used only for the storm water management, Schlabaugh said.
Council member Ken Herington, acknowledging the extra fee, said that the storm sewer work should have been addressed 25 years ago. It is also a move to see that the extensive infrastructure work now underway will be maintained, he noted.
Schlabaugh stressed that the city will provide information to the public about the new utility. The proposed amendment would have the extra fee added to the monthly water and sewer bills that also have recycling fees.
In a nearly-related matter, the council was asked about any decision regarding the detention basin at Harvest Hill Estates, an issue brought up earlier this year by the home owners association there. The association had asked about a secondary use, such as a soccer field, for the basin. As a result, the city has received two engineering reports with opposite recommendations.
Douglas Fredrick of Hart-Fredrick suggested that a secondary use was possible and cited examples in Iowa City and West Branch in which the area is also a soccer. However, the city’s engineer, Jack Pope of Garden & Associates, stressed the basin was not designed for auxiliary use and recommended against it.
“We have conflicting reports,” said council member Steve Lafaurie. Schlabaugh said Pope will be in town Wednesday and the matter will be discussed with him. The issue may be on the council agenda in August.
The council also needs to address an erosion bank problem at Key Estates involving the creek on its western border. Schlabaugh noted that the city has zero easements in the area and in order to do any work will have go on private property, that the city would need a 30 foot easement. Schlabaugh said the county engineer has examined the area and that the city engineer will do so this week.
In other business, the council:

• authorized Schlabaugh to proceed with a loan agreement for the city’s issuance of not more than $1.6 million in revenue bonds for the downtown revitalization project. The action came after a public hearing in which no objections were raised;
• approved pay estimate No. 2, in the amount of $348,621.,98 to All American Concrete, Inc. of West Liberty;
• learned that the west alley in downtown Kalona should be paved this week, but that there have been problems on 4th Street that will require an additional $16,000 for storm sewers, curbs and gutters and pipe replacement;
• agreed that 6th Street, north of Casey’s, a heavily traveled street, needs repairs where breaks in the concrete, in at least one place, exceeds five inches across;
• learned that the city’s possible acquisition of the Miller Cemetery, near Walnut Ridge Estates, is awaiting a review and advice from the city’s attorney, and
• unanimously approved moving the council meetings to the new council chamber in the remodeled city hall. The next meeting will be August 2 at 7:30 p.m. Herington extended the council’s appreciation to the library for having made the library’s meeting room available during the remodeling.