Second St. project being winterized

CRESCO - Public Works Director Rod Freidhof told council members the 2nd St. project should be done in 3-4 work days, as of the Oct. 1 meeting. But it was unsure how the weather would cooperate with finishing up the 10-inch rock base. 

The plan is to get it rocked and graded and let it sit over the freeze and thaw of winter before concreting it.

• In other city business, Freidhof noted the downtown alley project was basically done. “With all this rain, I had a chance to look at everything, and all the water is going where it is supposed to.”

The project had several purposes — to fix part of the sanitary sewer and install a new storm sewer. In addition, the City gave all the building owners the opportunity to have the downspout hooked to the storm sewer at their expense. “Everyone took the offer,” he said. He later explained, “I’ve had a couple owners say it’s the first time in years they didn’t get water in their back door [since it has been fixed].”

• Cresco City Clerk Michelle Girolamo reported, “I’ve been getting some verbal complaints from people about the smell at Cresco Food Technologies, but they don’t want to fill out a complaint form.”

Mayor Mark Bohle asked, “Aren’t they on the website, too?” It was confirmed the forms are online.

Girolamo noted she had an update from a company representative, who said some new equipment was to be tested the first week of October to help with the odor.

• A thank you was received from Winneshiek County Sheriff for the donation from Cresco’s K-9 account to Winneshiek County. Also receiving $250 donations were Allamakee, Chickasaw and Fayette Counties.

Another thank you came from Northeast Iowa Community Action for the annual donation.

• There were no written or oral statements made regarding the sale of a property at 423 S. Elm to Wemark Luxury Rentals for $1.00. The company is required to build a single-family residence on a previous nuisance property. Upon completion, the new house will garner property taxes, which will eventually pay back the $10,535.28-plus investment of the City.

• Third Quarter Tourism grants were given for the Historical Society and Cresco Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Historical Society received $1,995 for work on the Kellow House, including a solar security light, re-glazing vintage window and structural repair of dormer and roof area.

Cresco Chamber received $2,000 to be used for Norman Borlaug Harvest Fest.

• An adjustment for a utility bill for water not going into the sanitary sewer was approved for $200.88 for Jamie Lucas.

• Elizabeth Thyer from Gardiner Thomsen CPAs presented the Auditor’s Report for FY2018, ending June 30, 2018.

It showed Cresco is in good shape financially.

It has $3.9 million in outstanding debt, which is 38 percent of the City’s debt limit. It is recommended to not have debt over 65 percent.

• Currently there are two options on how to pay Cresco utility bills — either pay by cash or check through a statement or automatic withdrawal (ACH — Automatic Clearing House).

Cresco City has approximately 1,900 utility invoices it bills each month. Seven hundered of them are ACH. All clerk Niki Hill has to do is press a few buttons, and the payment is complete. The other 1,200 are entered manually when payment is received.

The City is looking into another way to pay the bills — credit cards. Girolamo told council there are a few residents who ask to pay by credit card. She has held off on moving forward with accepting the cards because the approximate three percent cost of using them falls on the business. “That could get really expensive for the City,” she said.

Currently City entities Cresco Theatre and Cresco Fitness Center accept cards, and it takes a toll on their income.

Things have changed, and now the three percent usage charge can be tacked onto the customer’s total. For the customer, it is a nominal individual fee, rather than multiple fees charged to the City. The extra money would probably be retrieved in raising rates.

The theatre and fitness center will likely use the same procedure of adding the charge to the customer’s total if the City adds the use of credit cards to its policies.

Council authorized Girolamo to continue looking into the matter.