Minutes-10/11/1988

The City of Tiffin met in special session on Tuesday, October 11, 1988 in order to hear input from the community on the request for sidewalk repairs and installations. Mayor Potter called meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Council members present were Eggers, Morgan, Spivey, Stoner and Stratton. Also present were Mike Hart, Stephen Greenleaf, Rick Janssen, Gertrude Janssen, Linda Herring, Misty Herring, Nancy Hoyt, Rex Flansburg, Alverta Williams, Ralph Springmire, Emily Spraigmire, Paul Springmire, Helen Bryant, Betty Madeen, Louise Brown, Rita Verry, Paul Slaymaker, Sandy Cox, Larry Stratton, Dick Gent, Mick Potter, Mary Potter, Tim Spivey, Jeanne Smith, Leland Campbell, Pauline Spivey Motion Morgan second Eggers to approve agenda. Carried unanimously. Hart: Estimated cost for a large volume of sidewalk construction as follows: removal of old sidewalk at 25 - 50 cents per square foot, three foot wide sidewalk on a 60 foot frontage is $315 - $360 for cement, on a four foot wide sidewalk is $420 - $480, plus grading estimated at $200 per lot. Greenleaf: Iowa Code provides that the property owner is responsible for upkeep and repair and/or replacement of sidewalk. The city has the power to give notice to repair or replace defective sidewalk, give time to correct situation and if work is not done, the city can correct it and assess the cost to the property owner through the tax rolls. Potter: This issue has been brought up to the council several times. We have some citizens on one side and some on the other. It becomes very complicated. The issue of the sidewalk to the school isn't easy either. It'd take a lot of fill. Which side of the street would we put it on? The street to the school could be barricaded on one side to make traffic only one way. Mary Potter: Are we talking about putting sidewalks everywhere, or just to the school? Mayor Potter: We're talking about everything. Rick Janssen: Would you replace existing walks if they're not the right distance from the street? Greenleaf: No. Gertrude Janssen: What if there are trees in the way of where the sidewalks should go? Mayor Potter: They'd have to be taken down. Betty Madden: It'd cost me $2500.00 to get rid of my trees. Gertrude Janssen: I wouldn't want to get rid of mine. Helen Bryant: I have sidewalks along 100 feet of my property and I see the children walking down the street anyway.