January 15 council meeting

Had everybody there but CM Ford. Also joined by new Council Member Andy Webb for his first meeting. He didn't run away crying, so apparently it went ok.

We had a lot of "paperwork" stuff to do. Part of that was based on our city audit, and recommendations on various stuff. To me, most of it was trivial "whatever" stuff. Other stuff is formalized stuff we have to do. So here are the things that went quickly with no discussion of note. Appointed the city clerk, city attorney, designated our city newspapers, designate the time and place of council meetings, appoint the fire chief (Jeff Larson), appoint the Mayor Pro Tem (Jerry Balmer), clarify that petty cash has $75 in it, add and remove people from signing privileges on the city checking account, and a partridge in a pear tree. The new signatures, and dropping off are for employees and council members that have been added, and employees and council members that have resigned.

We also approved a lien for collection of nuisance abatement (mowing).

A tad longer discussion surrounded 4 wheelers and cleaning snow off sidewalks with them. The sheriff's department wanted clarification if tickets should be issued for 4 wheelers on city streets, which is currently against the law. But a few snow removal companies use 4 wheelers with blades to clean sidewalks. The general consensus was the intent of the law is to avoid the potential nuisance of 4 wheelers on city streets in normal situations. So the clerk was directed to research other ordinances that allow 4 wheelers with blades to use city streets going to and from snow removal operations. That will be on the agenda to discussion Feb 5.

On another note, the council approved another annual membership in the Story City Chamber. The council thought, since we lacked a chamber of commerce in Roland, participating in the city with our greatest local ties would be good. We were a member in 2013 and the SC GCC has publicized events in Roland that we have sent in, via their emails, so that does get a wider audience. If you have any events in Roland, get them to me, I'll get them on the city Facebook page, and pass them on for other publicizing.