City Council to set work session on Electrolux
City manager hopes meeting will bring together major players to develop action planBy ANNE BLANKENSHIP Daily Freeman-Journal Managing Editor
City Manager Ed Sadler Monday night asked the Webster City City Council to set a meeting to begin discussions on how the city should begin to plan for the closing of Electrolux.
"I'd like our next meeting to be a work session rather than a council session," Sadler told the council. He added that there were a number of people he would like invite to the meeting.
"The closing of Electrolux was announced a little less than a week and a half ago. My biggest fear right now is there are an awful lot of well-intentioned people running around trying to save us from ourselves," the city manager said.
"I'm really using this opportunity to encourage everybody to slow down a little bit, take a step back. We really need to get organized for this. Right now we've got more questions than we've got answers," he said.
Sadler said he felt the community needed to put its best foot forward when dealing with potential new industries, with state agencies and other officials.
"We need to look really organized and professional. Right now, we're not even close to that," he said.
Sadler said he would like to invite the major players to the meeting.
"Hopefully, they will come to this work session and then we can figure out a plan, divide responsibilities, and get the answers we need to get," he said.
Sadler also said the city has added to its cash balance, and he said he planned to ask the council at the work session to dedicate a significant part of those funds to help attract new jobs to the community.
Sadler said he would get a meeting set up for sometime during the week of Nov. 16.
Sadler's salary
The council approved a two percent increase in Sadler's wages, following his evaluation held at the last council meeting.
Council member Melissa cast the only nay vote on the salary motion, and council member Mark Gillette said he was voting in favor of the wage increase as a way to make a "fresh start."
Sadler received the same percentage increase as the amount given the non-union city staff. His salary will be $94,723.20, effective Nov. 2.
Signs
The council heard two requests to keep existing signs that were to be replaced by the new wayfinding signs.
Tim Holt, president of the Hamilton County Fair Board, asked that the city put back the brown wooden sign with yellow lettering that was removed from Superior Street. He also asked that the city leave the other fairgrounds sign located near the corner of Dubuque and Bluff Streets.
Holt introduced Holly Myers, fair secretary, who listed many of the events that have taken place at the fairgrounds in the past 10 months.
"Out of 303 possible days during that time, the fair grounds were in use 267 of those days," she said. Myers added that many of the events draw participants and spectators from different states.
"We are utilized," she said. "It's not just Hamilton County people, it's not just Webster Citians. We need those signs to get people to the fairgrounds."
The council voted four to one in favor of keeping the brown wooden signs for the fairgrounds until arrangements could be made for new signage that would consistent with the city's wayfinding sign design. Mayor Gene Gray cast the only nay vote.
The council denied a request to keep an airport sign at the corner of Beach and Ohio Streets. The request came from airport manager Ralph Storm.
In other business, the council:
approved a request from Lyle and Judy Cole for a sewer fee credit related to a swimming pool repair.
asked Sadler to meet with county officials about the possibility of sharing law enforcement.
Contact Anne Blankenship at editor@freemanjouirnal.net or call 832-4350.
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USECOMMONSENSE
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11-04-09 1:21 PM
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Nobody has answered yet ! Why do we need a city manager and a mayor ?? What are they doing there anyways if they were not already organized & professional , Do we really think 2% more will make that much of an improvement on the skill level involved ..Didn't they even have a clue that this (electolux) was coming 3 years ago? OH , now it's time to start getting organized.. GREAT
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IAhawkfan
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11-04-09 12:54 PM
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Must be nice to make that kind of money when there won't be many people left in this town as soon as the plant closes it doors, they need to get their heads out of there a**es. I think this town has suffered enough, time we got a whole new council that actually cared about this town and NOT themselves!
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peppermintpatty
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11-04-09 10:11 AM
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AMEN positive! I'll even help them pack AND move!
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possitivemoments
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11-03-09 10:54 PM
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you could be right simple, hope not.. Well, we have to keep our prayers on those that are loosing their jobs.. and who make little to nothing for wages.... God will take care of everything........
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SimpleSimon
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11-03-09 7:20 PM
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"We need to look really organized and professional. Right now, we're not even close to that," he said. Why settle for merely looking really organized and professional? Wouldn't it be much better to actually be organized and professional? Shouldn't we be able to realistically expect organization and professionalism for our $95,000? Let's face it WC, the Peter Principle is in full effect here and Mr. Ed is not likely to be going anywhere in the near future.
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possitivemoments
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11-03-09 6:58 PM
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Time after time we have stated that something is wrong here. Yet, time after time you sit back and say nothing and do nothing. Shame on you if this is true about YOU! This raise, would it of helped anyone that needs a break on their utility bills? Maybe this money will help Ed afford to go on more trips to apply for a job. Believe me, we'll recommend him to others. Please! take him, he'll even come with a few council members.
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Lorietta
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11-03-09 5:41 PM
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I could not believe that raises were given in the first place, and then raise the City Manager to 95,000!!! Nobody is giving raises anywhere in hopes of keeping staff employed and visa versa. Then,the very next item of discussion was how bad this plant closing is going to hurt us and how we need to buckle down and handle it. I guarantee you would not have lost one employee because they did not get a raise. By the way, could I get a fresh start, like maybe a 0 balance on my utility bill??? Mr. Sadler, I found it somewhat entertaining that you were reprimanded for "micro-managing" by the same bunch that have been trying to micro manage you since day 1. Gotta go, time to vote :-)
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peppermintpatty
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11-03-09 9:18 AM
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$94,723.20 to be the city manager of Webster City?! THAT is OUTRAGEOUS!! At a time when this city is on the verge losing it's major employer you raise that man's pay?! And Mark, I think there are better ways to make a "fresh start"!
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