The City Council of Webster City approved two street closure requests Monday night during the regular session at City Hall.

The Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce’s request to close Des Moines Street between Second Street and the Alley south of Second Street on Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the Music in the Park Open Mic Event at First American State Bank Plaza was approved. Music is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

“The Lions Club is going to be selling pork burgers, chips, and a drink for $5. Proceeds from that will go to help with repairing Lions Park,” said Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce Director Deb Brown. “We want people to bring their lawn chairs or blankets and come enjoy the music.”

A request from Arts R Alive to the close Seneca Street from Bank Street to Dubuque Street from Friday, July 29 to Friday, August 5 for street painting was approved. The street painting is part of the Sculpture Event that will be held on August 3 and 4 in West Twin Park.

“This is our 2nd annual event. Last year we just had the two days it was closed and we’ve had a lot of requests to have it closed the whole week,” said Janet Adams, Arts R Alive committee member. “The painting will happen that Friday and Saturday and then it will be there for viewing during the Sculpture Event.”

Action tabled

A motion concerning a residential completion agreement for 1503 First Street was tabled to the next council meeting on July 5 at 5:30 p.m. after discussion between council members, Nathan and Marty Parkhill, and City Attorney Zach Chizek.

“Following the last council meeting, Jared and myself were directed to go back and sit down with Marty and Nathan Parkhill,” said Chizek. “We did that shortly after the council meeting. After we had that meeting we agreed upon dates that we talked through, making sure they were reasonable time frames for them to meet and such.”

The Parkhills were not on board with the agreement presented.

“I’m not really very thrilled about it, I guess,” said Nathan Parkhill. “We don’t plan on agreeing to it until we further discuss it with our attorney.”

“I get it if you want your lawyer to look at it, and I understand that,” said Councilman Logan Welch. “We kind of went out on a limb to make sure we could get an agreement and I’m sure some of the city administration weren’t too happy about doing this. They’ve been through a lengthy process as is.”

“We have also,” said Marty Parkhill. “We’ve been stalled at different points with the progress of what we’re doing.”

Marty Parkhill voiced concerns about getting financing to build a new house on the existing property and the possibility of being fined for not having a dwelling property on the same site as the garage.

A resolution to approving Change Order No. 1, increase in contract amount of $12,850.60 to the East Second Street Utility Relocation Project (Phase 1 of the East Second Street Improvement Project) with McKiness Excavating, Inc., Mason City was approved.

A resolution authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into an agreement with EarthView Environmental Inc., Coralville, for services in connection with the Riverside Park Stormwater Wetland, an Urban Water Quality Demonstration Project, was approved.

A request to purchase Toughbooks for the police department from Keltek, Inc., in the amount of $27,379.92 was approved by the council. Toughbooks are notebook computers to be used in the police vehicles and also as the officer’s workstations while in the office. Police officials said they hoped the notebooks would be in operation by August 1.

Plats approved

Motions to accept and approve the Preliminary Plat of Brewer Creek Estates 5th Addition and the Preliminary Plat of Brewer Creek Estates 6th Addition were approved in a 4-1 roll call vote. Councilman Jim Talbot voted no on both motions.

Talbot expressed concerns about the exposure of the Brewer Creek Estates Plats compared to other city projects like the East Second Street Improvement Project.

“Who’s going to go out there and start developing houses?” Talbot asked.

“I understand your concern on the risk,” said Assistant City Manager Kent Harfst, “one through four, with the exception of the three spec homes that were built, have been fairly successful.”

Welch also expressed concerns about low-income housing and lot sizes in the fifth and sixth additions.

“I just really worry about that low to moderate income, the income that is probably making up about 50 percent of our population not being as supported as the higher income,” said Welch.

A public hearing was held at 5:45 p.m. concerning the Mayor and City Clerk’s authorization to enter into a five year agreement between the Iowa Department of Transportation and the City of Webster City for maintenance and repair of primary roads in municipalities. The authorization was approved.

Harfst explained that all agreements longer than 3 years are required to have a public hearing.

New appointments

The council approved number of appointments to different city boards, commissions, and committees which are as follows:

The appointment of Chris Kehoe to the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission for the term ending May 31, 2020 is on the agenda was approved.

The appointment of Zoami Sosa to the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission for the unexpired term ending May 31, 2019 was approved.

The appointment of Dan Goodpaster to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for the term ending May 31, 2021 was approved.

The appointments of Lynn Jaycox and Robert Vermett to the City Planning and Zoning Commission for the terms ending May 31, 2020 were approved.

The appointments of Gary Groves and Lindsay Welch to the Wilson Brewer Historic Park Committee for the terms ending May 31, 2020 were approved.

The appointment of Harlan Balsley to the Traffic Study Committee for the term ending May 31, 2020 was approved.

The appointment of Gary Westrum to the Airport Zoning Board of Adjustment for the term ending May 31, 2021 was approved.

City Clerk Karyl Bonjour noted that there is still an open seat on the Senior Citizen Advisory Board.

During the public comment section of the agenda, Welch encouraged the public to continue visiting businesses on East Second Street who are in the midst of the current construction.

“I just want to remind the public that they are open,” said Welch. “Please be a patron and help support them through this. I’d love to see us rally behind those businesses even though they are hard to get to right now.”

A resolution to adopt the Employee Pay Plan for the 2016-2017 year was approved.