The City Council of Webster City discussed the need for an increase in electric rates Monday night.

The council decided to recommend an increase as follows:

•An increase of 6.25 percent across the board on base rate

• A 6.25 percent increase in Kilowatt hours for commercial and industrial will be phased in over a two year period

• A one percent increase annually on Kilowatt hour after the following rates have been amended

There hasn’t been an increase in rates since 2012.

The council approved the establishment of nuisance properties at 945 Water St. and 809 Merritt St and ordered the abatement of both within 30 days.

Both residences were shown to be in clear disrepair and not up to city code. City building inspector Elise Timm provided photos of both properties.

She explained that the 809 Merritt St. property was given a second unsafe building nuisance notice on May 4. Property owner Lynne Brinkman was originally given 30 days on March 6 to repair deficiencies or tear down the dwelling. Brinkman requested an extension with commitment to submit a plan to abate the following week. Nothing was received. A re-inspection was conducted on May 3 with no change to the property noted.

The nuisance property at 945 Water St., owned by Merlyn Tungesvik, was given 30 days on March 31 to have deficiencies repaired or the residence demolished. According to Timm, neither happened.

“There was nothing done. We gave him his 30 days and went back and did a re-inspection and nothing has been fixed. The windows are still broken and you’ve seen the dilapidated condition of the home,” said Timm.

“A lot of the work that goes into some of this is unseen, so a lot of people get frustrated and think no action is being taken,” said Councilman Logan Welch. “A lot of steps go on behind the scenes that take manpower and hours, so I hope the community realizes that things are being done.”

“Nobody is more frustrated, I think, than Elise, myself, Daniel, Karla … with the time this takes,” said City Attorney Zach Chizek, “but it goes back to the fact that we have to give proper notices and we have to follow the rules.”

A nuisance property on Third Street has been taken down, according to Timm.

The council approved contributing $1,000 to the Hamilton County Fair. This will be paid out of the Council Contingency from the General Fund 2016-2017 budget. According to a council memo, the city has been a supporter of the fair at the $1,000 level for many years.

Support of the fair at this level normally results in grandstand passes, parking passes and carnival ride passes. The council will not be accepting any passes or items that may be considered a “gift” in return for their financial support.

A resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter into a property usage agreement with Hamilton County, IA, for use of property at 1900 Superior St., for the farmer’s market, was approved.

The council set Monday, July 24 at 6 p.m. for the next Town Hall meeting. The location of the meeting has yet to be determined.