Progress within the 28e Agency Agreement’s board has been slow but steady, according to West Liberty council member Tim Parizek, who felt the board’s organization efforts were still moving in the right direction.
“It’s just taking a bit of time, but once all this gets decided, it’s going to be very smooth after that,” Parizek said as he and fellow board member, Mayor Mark Smith, gave an update on their meetings with other members of the newly established Rural Trustee Fire Protection District.
As per the terms agreed upon in the 28E agreement, the agency’s first board meeting was held Feb. 10 and saw Dick Brand be elected board president. The board’s next step is working on the agency’s bylaws.
“We have the 28E agreement, but we will need articles of incorporation and bylaws,” Smith said. “We’re in the process of developing that.”
This has include sending out Request for Proposals to four different attorneys, asking for help in reviewing and submitting the documents needed for the group to move forward. More work was done on the documents during the board’s March 3 meeting, Smith said, with another meeting scheduled for March 24.
For budgeting, a 50/50 split between the trustees and the City of West Liberty has been discussed by the agency’s board. Smith said the total amount available for fire protection plus ambulance services is $115,500. Both the Rural Trustees and West Liberty will pay $20,000 for ambulance services.
Later this year, West Liberty City Council will be asked to approve an investment of $95,500, which would go into the agency’s operating budget. Combined with other funds brought in from the Rural Trustees, the agency’s total operating budget will be $191,000 starting July 1.
Smith said he would also recommend transferring money from the city’s Trust and Agency Fund to the agency as soon as it is able to accept it. The fund has about $300,000 at this time.
“We have made it clear, as members of this committee, we do not have final say. That remains with the council,” Smith said. Smith also plans to share board and agency updates with the council on a periodic basis.
Engineering services
The council discussed a drafted Request for Quote for city engineering services in West Liberty. These services would apply to multiple city projects and utilities, including water, sewer, wastewater treatment, electrical, streets, housing developments, trail development, and annexation.
As per the drafted request, the selected engineering firm will also be responsible for tasks such as feasibility studies, preliminary engineering reports, cost estimates, planning, design, construction administration, grant writing, and inspection for various city projects.
No comments or concerns were given for the request, and the council unanimously approved it. Following the approval, the drafted RFQ will be sent out to engineering firms. Each firm’s proposal must include its qualifications and experience, technical expertise, and management/staff capabilities.
The deadline for firm proposals is March 31, 2025, and once all proposals have been received, the city will evaluate them before making a final selection.
Chamber events
The council received event requests from the West Liberty Chamber of Commerce. Chamber Director Jacob Lane said these requests weren’t much different than ones from previous years.
For the weekly farmer’s market held on Spencer Street from Third St. to the back alley, the chamber asked the city for event assistance and street closures 2:30 – 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday starting May 7 and ending October 29. Lane said the chamber is hoping to grow the event this year, and is looking for a volunteer market director.
Two other assistance/street closure requests were given by the chamber for its Muscatine County Fair parade and its Picnic in the Park event, both on July 13. For Picnic in the Park, the chamber also requested that free swimming again be allowed at the Kimberly Park Pool during this event. Police presence at the event was also requested for both events, with Lane saying he specifically wanted a West Liberty officer to lead the parade.
The council thanked Lane for organizing these fan-favorite events for the community, and unanimously approved all the chamber’s requests.
Resolution approvals
The council approved five different resolutions during its March 4 meeting.
20250304-222: The disposal of equipment that can no longer be used or has been replaced with updated equipment for the West Liberty Police Department. Some of this equipment will be traded in at Axon Equipment, and anything that can’t be traded in will be sold.
20250304-223: The approval of the roofing quote from Iowa Roof Coatings for the reroofing of the former ELC building, which has been leaking. Public Works determined that Iowa Roof Coatings’ bid was the most competitive. For $166,500, Iowa Roof Coatings will remove 6,000 sq. ft. of water damaged roof and put down a Kevlar reinforced ply system.
20250304-224: the approval of the Evans (Avenue) Sewer Agreement. Through the agreement, the city will be granted the use of a temporary lift station and its pumps during its sewer construction project. West Liberty will reimburse the owner of the temporary grinder pump system and provide sanitary services to the building up to $10,000.
20250304-225: Approving reimbursement to the West Liberty Locker through the West Liberty Economic Development Matching Fund Grant. It was determined West Liberty Locker met the reimbursement requirements for the grant through providing receipts of its completed retail expansion project, located at 3501 Freedom Street. The project’s total cost was $52,761.66, and West Liberty Locker will receive $25,000 for a matching fund reimbursement.
20250304-226: Waiving building permit fees (a total of $622.50) on behalf of the West Liberty Heritage Foundation for the Beers & St. John Stagecoach Inn. The council saw this as a way to support the Heritage Foundation and community development as a whole.
Budget hearings
The council scheduled its budget work session on March 18. A public hearing for the Max Tax Levy in West Liberty will then be held 6 p.m. April 1, with a budget hearing being scheduled for 6 p.m. April 15.