The Lennox City Council met Monday, August 12 in the Lennox Board room. Mayor Fergen and the Aldermen heard agenda items including potential property purchases, pay applications, and board appointment.
The Council asked City Administrator, Nate Vander Plaats to make steps towards purchasing the property at 609 S. Main Street at the July 22 meeting. Vander Plaats reported back with his findings.
“Working with Sharese, we already had a representation agreement with the other property that we were purchasing. The offer is for the $285,000 purchase price with $2,000 earnest money, closing on October 1 with the title and fees split 50/50 between the buyer and seller. We’ll do cash financing on this, contingent on appraisal, survey and city council approval,” Vander Plaats said.
This is the initial offer the city will be making for the property and the funding for the purchase would likely be taken out of the 2nd Penny fund.
Alderman Britney Mower’s main concern with the project is taking the money out of 2nd Penny funding.
“What are we giving up if we go through with this, are we giving up some type of infrastructure by dipping into that fund?” she questioned.
Vander Plaats told the group he would go through 2nd Penny in the next two weeks and see exactly what funding is dedicated to other things and find out what the total balance is. One future plan for the lot is to turn it into a parking lot.
“Can you fit a t-ball field there? I am struggling with the idea of it being a parking lot, I’m sorry, but this is an expensive parking lot,” Mower asked.
“That property by itself probably is not big enough, but with the other two lots it probably is big enough for t-ball,” Vander Plaats responded.
The council agreed to table the conversation until the next meeting.
Next, action was needed on the Central Basin 4 Project Pay Application #13.
“Not a whole lot of news here, we’re obviously getting close to the finish line. If you look at the pay application, we’re only withholding 5.7 percent of retainage at this point. This payment application is just over $335,000. Everything continues to go along pretty well, our major hurdle at this point is going to be getting the concrete work done. I think utilities should wrap up today or tomorrow depending on how testing comes back,” Vander Plaats said.
Motion approved.
Vander Plaats next asked for a motion to approve the Slurry Seal Project Pay Application #1.
“The original contract price was just over $117,000, this application is just over $92,000 with a six percent retainage. There will be final adjustments with a final pay app two and final probably at the next council meeting,” he said.
Motion approved.
The City’s application to join Dakota Mainstem has been approved by the Board of Directors and now, the City of Lennox must appoint a representative and alternate to the Board of Directors.
“Given my involvement as a board member and treasurer for Lewis & Clark, I would certainly like to continue that role to Dakota Mainstem if there’s no objection from the council,” said Vander Plaats.
“As an alternate, I have included the Mayor as the appointee, but that can really be anyone, it could be a member of the community or council member, so please feel free to amend any of it as you see fit,” Vander Plaats added.
A motion to approve Vander Plaats as the representative and Mayor Fergen as the alternate was made by Mower. Motion approved.
The City of Lennox is proposing updates to the current ordinance regulating accessory buildings.
“Over the last several years, we have talked about this a number of times, just how complex our existing regulations are for accessory buildings. The primary issue has been a lack of more refined definitions for garaging and sheds and the requirement for a paved driveway to what we consider a fairly small accessory building at 120 square feet or larger. The rationale for that requirement has never really been clear to us, a 10 by 12 shed is not going to house a car, maybe a moped or a golf cart, but not a whole lot more than that,” Vander Plaats said.
The City Attorney and Planning Commission worked with VanderPlaats to refine the ordinance and make clear definitions and clarify the requirements for sheds and garages. Motion approved.
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