Jasper Common Council meeting – August 22

Meeting notes:

Heidorn Property

The Council approved a resolution (2012-7) allowing the city to seek proposals for the lease of the structure located at 1480 Knust Street (Heidorn Property). The property is located near the Jasper Power Plant and the city would like it to be used in conjunction with the proposed conversion from Jasper Clean Energy.

Meyer Distributing Tax Abatement request

The Council approved a resolution (2012-8) designating the area on Kathy Lane Meyer Distributing is planning on improving as an economic revitalization area. By designating it as such the city is moving forward with the process involved in Meyer Distributing’s request for tax abatement. Meyer Distributing received approval from the Economic Development Commission to move forward with the process on August 15. 

Property Purchase at 110 Main St.

The Council approved the transfer of funds between an equipment line item to a land line item in the Economic Development Income Tax fund. The transfer of $20,000 was made to potentially purchase a home in a designated flood plain in frog town. The home is going to sheriff’s sale this month and the city would like to purchase it in a plan to remove all the homes from this flood area. The city is applying for a grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the purchase of the homes. However, this house was in foreclosure and could not be included in the grant.

According to the City Clerk Juanita Boehm the money was transferred to allow the city to purchase the building but that action hinges on how or if the city can make a purchase at a sheriff’s sale. City Attorney Renee Kabrick is currently researching the process that may have to be involved.

The house is one of several the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) determined were too vulnerable to flooding to remain viable as residential housing. The city purchased 120 Main Street late last year and will be demolishing it next week.

Here is a story on the city’s plans for that area.

Change the notification procedures for mandatory water conservation

On June 29 the City had to hand deliver over 8000 notices to homes and businesses when the mandatory water conservation was announced. This was necessary due to the requirement in Ordinance 2008-21 that notice be made by mail or in person if time necessitates it. The water emergency was declared on a Friday and due to the weekend mail schedule the city launched a large effort to notify everyone.

The council approved a revision to the ordinance that now allows them to make the notification through the media, specifically radio and newspaper. Other means are listed but Facebook was not included ;-).

Story on mandatory water conservation here. 

Other Actions

Passed Ordinance 2012-23 for additional appropriations to various city department budgets for the remainder of the year.

Passed Ordinance 2012-24 for appropriations for the 2013 budget. A public hearing will be held on Friday, Sep. 7, 2012 at 8 a.m.

Passed Ordinance 2012-25 to set the advertised tax rate for 2013 at .9048.

Council comments on the Jasper Cabinet Building

At the end of the meeting Councilman Tom Schmidt stated people are asking him about the Jasper Cabinet building located behind the Jasper Train Depot.

“Now we are expanding the plaza down by the Train Depot and we’ve got that terrible looking building there. He’s (owner Jerry Fuhs) made a lot of empty promises,” Schmidt said. “We as a city have to do something.”

Mayor Seitz stated he had recently been in touch with the owner Jerry Fuhs but he was out of the area. Seitz asked for a meeting when Fuhs returns to the area.

The mayor also told the council there may be issues on whether the building is in a flood plain or flood way. These issues affect the decision on what to do with the building. “We were told by one professional, prior to DNR coming in, if any or all of the parts of that building are tore down, nothing can be rebuilt”, Mayor Seitz said.

The mayor stated DNR officials told them they could re-permit for any new building but this had to be considered within the constraints of the flood area.

The mayor also said he had approached the Redevelop Old Jasper Action Coalition about what could be done with the area if the building was demolished.

Schmitt and several council members agreed it should be tore down. “Its a dangerous building,” he said. “We have people coming in for the train and they see that and say, ‘What is that, this isn’t Jasper’.”

The Mayor told the council if they want to take any action, they were certainly welcome to do so.

Councilman Dave Prechtel asked about grants that were available for razing the building. Lisa Gehlhausen with Region 15 was on hand and explained if the city wanted to apply for the grant, they would have to have an option to buy or actually own the land first. Additional considerations in the approval process in tearing the building down include whether it could be considered historical. This could further hold up its demolition.

The grant is for up to $500,000 with a 10% match by the city, but agreements between the city and the owner would have to be in place before proceeding with the grant application.

“I would like to see it removed,” Schmidt said.

Director of Building/Planning/Zoning Darla Blazey stated they could take steps to declare the building as unsafe.

No decision was made on the issue but Blazey was told to keep the council up to date and the Mayor stated ROJAC would be contacted about possible solutions or ideas for the property.