The three remaining Webster City City Council members officially accepted the resignations of Melissa Borer and Mark Gillette Monday night, and started to discuss how to fill the two vacant seats.

Mayor Gene Gray set out the two options available to the council.

"The first option is that the remaining council members can appoint someone to fill those seats who would serve out the term, or the second option is to call a special election," he said.

Gray also said that citizens could also submit a petition of 115 names to call for a special election. The number of names on the petition reflects a percentage of the voters in the last election, he said.

"This is all new to me," said Jerry Kloberdanz, who was recently re-elected to the City Council. "I'm not sure what to do."

City attorney Gary Groves explained that the council has 40 days from the date of Borer's and Gillette's resignation to appoint two new council members or call for the special election. That date is Dec. 21, he explained and added that citizens would then have up to 14 days after the appointment to submit the petition for special election.

"Then we have to give the commissioner of elections 32 days to set the election," Groves said.

The city attorney said that citizens could actually petition the council now or anytime up until 14 days after the appointment.

"I think the best bet if you appoint someone is to make that appointment subject to a 14-day time period to follow," he said.

Which ever method the council chooses, the new council members need to be seated within 90 days of the resignations, which would be Feb. 12, 2010.

Council member Janet Adams suggested that area residents interested in serving on the council submit a letter of intent for review. The council voted to set Nov. 30 as the deadline for the letter of intent, and asked that interested parties also include a resume, list of qualifications and reasons why they would like to serve on the council.

Groves said he though a special election could cost as much as $3,000.

"We could save the city some money if we don't have a special election," he said. Groves said he had checked with the Iowa Attorney General's office to see if a council election could "piggyback" onto the Webster City school district's special election planned for February, but found that since the school district and the city have different boundaries, that idea would not work.

"The school district extends out further that the city boundaries," he explained.

Gray suggested that the best route might be to go ahead and call the special election.

"I think we'll find out on Nov. 30 who's interested," Kloberdanz said. "We don't know who's out there."

Sadler said his staff would provide the council with copies of the letters of intent and accompanying materials the day after the deadline.

Other business

Two new police officers - Joel Delaney and Eric McKinley - were given the oath of office by Gray during the City Council meeting.

Sadler announced that following a meeting with Cornbelt Electric, he was pleased to announce that there would be no electric rate increase this year.

The council approved the purchase of a new 2010 Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor for the police department.

Sadler explained that one vehicle is normally replaced annually.

"As in the past, we will be purchasing our vehicle from the State of Iowa bid," he said. The cost of the vehicle, $21,774, does not exceed the budgeted amount, according to Sadler.

The final payment for the 2009 infrastructure project was approved to Wunsch Construction, Inc., of Greene.

A public hearing on the proposed amending of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Webster City, pertaining to zoning, was set for 7:15 p.m. Dec. 7.

Contact Anne Blankenship at editor@freemanjournal.net or call 832-4350.