Jackie Taylor | December 16, 2022

Following a budget amendment hearing, see related story, the council approved bonuses for employees. According to City Clerk Karen Siffring, the city distributed approximately $5,500 in bonuses to 10 employees. Mayor Cindy Smith thanked employees for their hard work and dedication as she passed out envelopes to employees and department heads.

Smith also recognized Siffring for all of the work she is doing, as the sewer and water projects are on her plate, as are the everyday tasks included as clerk of the city.

The city council spoke of two condemnations they are working on; one with personal property and after discussion with City Attorney James Brun, a letter will be sent to one property owner asking that they remove all personal property from the condemned home.

Brun said the city has the capability to remove the personal property, but Smith said they’d rather have the owner remove it.

Councilman Robert Suppenbach asked if the Codes Department couldn’t get a ‘boiler plate’ letter to use where personnel fills out the name of the party and Brun said he could write it for them.

Brun next addressed a dock permit that had been tabled by the Property Owners Association and said the homeowner had submitted the proper documentation to the POA, who tabled it.

He continued that according to research he’d done, there is no legal way to table the permit request.

Brun continued that 30 days have lapsed and the homeowner has the legal right to put up the dock.

He said the dock must be the same as the one submitted in the permit in 2020, which was never denied by the POA or the control committee, so “the city is legally obligated to issue the permit.”

Brun and Smith discussed that the new Ordinance 239 changed the issue with the POA overseeing permits such as this one as the city now has direct control. Smith asked that the permit be issued using 2020 pricing.

During the Mayor’s Report, Smith asked that waste water volume meters be put on the January agenda. Discussion ensued concerning the current contractor for volume meters and issues the city has had with delivery. Councilman Lew Donelson and their engineering firm, BG Consultants, are looking into the situation as they need to proceed with equipment for the low pressure system at the Community Center.

Smith next spoke of fencing around where the new water tower will be as some residents are choosing to not use the gated entrance. Police Chief Corey Murrison has issued tickets to some of those people and Smith said the city needs to fence it to avoid further problems.

Murrison next addressed the council and said his new patrol car was delayed until January, that after ordering it 1.5 years ago.

The council approved two cereal malt beverage licenses; one for The Lake Shop, the other for the golf course.

Smith addressed the building permit moratorium and said they will meet in the near future to see what else can be eliminated from the list of items requiring a building permit. With that, roof replacement was discussed with the council approving a motion that states if a roof repair is less than $5,000 it does not require a building permit.

The council was concerned that reroofing sheds was holding up building inspections. Donelson also addressed that the council wanted to protect Linn Valley residents from disreputable contractors that might want to scam homeowners needing a new roof and suggested the city keep the building permit for new roofs.

Smith went over a sizeable list of accomplishments the council has completed in 2022.

The council approved the appointment of Eric Gross to the Planning and Zoning Committee 5-0.

They also approved an eight-percent cost-of-living increase for employees.

There will be no meeting on Monday, Dec. 26. The next meeting will be Jan. 9, 2023.