Elkader City Council - This Month in Politics

When the Elkader City Council met Monday 26, council members bid farewell to council man Steve McCorkindale, they heard suggestions from the council on how to raise money for the city and they put library levy decisions firmly in the hands of the public.

After six years of working for the City of Elkader, McCorkindale is putting a cork in it and moving to the country; he resigned from the position of Mayor pro-term.

Mayor, Bob Garms, presented McCorkindale with a certificate for his years of service to the city..
"We present this certificate to Steve McCorkindale for his valuable contributions to Elkader City from 2001 to 2007...He has been our in-house lawyer during our meetings." said Garms.

Council woman Betty Landis will stand in as Mayor pro-term, her formal approval is on the agenda for the next city meeting.

The council heard from Jill Sanders, director of Elkader Public Library, regarding the library levy.

"A petition has been gathered...I also gave you warning on a library referendum," Sanders said. "Staffing is becoming an issue, we are busy all the time - and summer hasn't even begun yet," she explained.

Sanders pointed out that there was a need for another member of staff and that the ladies toilet, which has always been a problem, overflowed at the weekend. Sanders explained that building maintenance could also come out of the levy. Currently the city levy is $16.94 per thousand, the requested levy would mean an increase of 27 cents. She could raise $7,500 with this increase and the cost to each home owner would be $27 per year.
"I would have trouble supporting it," said Garms.

Council man Ken Seney said that his concern was that the city cannot maintain a yearly budget of $90,000 per year.

"I can see your concerns, but why would the citizens vote for it - they feel it is a necessity," said Sanders.

A motion was approved that was made by McCorkindale and seconded by council man, Roger Buchholz, to leave the decision to the voters.

In other business a motion was approved for the amendment to the urban renovation area; the area is the property in the old county rail house.

In an update on the 2007 construction project, city administrator, Jennifer Cowsert, reported that they are on schedule with the sewer and paving - and that they are currently on 3rd Street Northeast and Oak Street Northeast.

"Our contractors, Tschiggfrie Excavating, will come back in the middle of April to do the paving work," she said.

"Don't warn them, write them up."

In concerns of the council McCorkindale was concerned about speeding traffic on Hwy 13 and suggested that the speed be reduced to 45 mph near the entries to Elkader, but Garms had a more impacting idea.

"Give out speeding tickets. Don't just warn them, write them up,' said Garms.

Council man Daryl Koehn had other concerns and he suggested that another parking place be installed at the court house - as the one that is presently there is in constant use by a worker.

"Code says when you have one utilized like that one is, you have to have another one," said Buchholz.
Koehn also brought up the possibility of raising more funds for the city via the opera house and the old chambers - to be used for costs, such as insulation.

"Are those possibilities for some revenue"? said Koehn

A rental fee for the costume storage area was suggested. It was noted however, that the users of the space, Opera House Players, done most of the renovations on the building.

"But it is still our property," said Garms. "We have not seen any of the money for down here [city offices in basement of opera house building] that they said they would contribute to... we can look into it," he added.
Cowsert reported that when she brought up the issue of increasing the rental for talent at the opera house, to the opera house board of directors, she received no definitive response. Current city revenue from rent at the opera house ranges from $30 to $100 per booking, or per day. The revenue for the city, from the opera house, is reliant solely upon rent.

In open discussion, a member of the public, Julie Carlisle-Kane, asked what the city could do to help with a wall in need of repair. The city said that they would look into it further and council woman Betty Landis pointed out that they would not be able to pay for the total cost of repairs. It was discussed and suggested that the cost of repairs could be split between the commercial property owners - and any costs from owners who did not wish to participate in the repair project would be picked up by the rest.

"It is the wall that goes down into the water and runs along the riverside of buildings from the bridge at Central State Bank and up North Main," said Carlisle-Kane.

McCorkindale's last words as a councilman were jovially delivered as he was, on this occasion, concerned with a cake baked by his wife.

"I motion that we adjourn this meeting," he said.