T-R PHOTOS BY ROBERT MAHARRY — Marshalltown resident Mark Eaton voices his opposition toward a compost fee, contending the fee should be voted on by the public.

The city council voted down the $1.50 per month compost fee during Monday night’s regular meeting after more than a month of consideration.

The fee, which would be charged to residential customers of Marshalltown Water Works, had momentum before being tabled at a regular meeting on June 13. At the time, the plan was to also charge a fee to commercial accounts, allowing them the same access to the compost facility.

The resolution in front of the council on Monday included two options. The first was the resolution tabled on June 13. The second excluded commercial customers and limited the residential customers which would be charged. With this option, single-family and multi-family dwellings with three units or less would be subject to the fee. Of the options presented, staff recommended option two, and Councilor Gabe Isom motioned for the second option.

When the item was opened for public comment, Mark Eaton and Lyle Heinemann spoke against it.

“I’m totally against the way you people want to propose to make ends meet at the compost center,” Heinemann said.

City Administrator Jessica Kinser explains the city’s recommendations for a compost fee during Monday’s regular meeting. The fee was voted down by the city council.

Eaton referred to Iowa Code 388, which relates to establishing a public utility.

“It has to be created by the vote of the people,” he said. “Not a resolution or an ordinance of the vote of the council.”

City Administrator Jessica Kinser responded to Eaton by arguing that compost already exists as a city utility, so a fee would be adding a new revenue to an existing utility. Eaton argued that if the compost facility is a utility, it should have a board to manage it. Kinser said the council is the governing board.

When the motion went to roll call, Gary Thompson, Dex Walker, Al Hoop and Mike Ladehoff voted “No.” This meant Isom’s motion failed but the resolution was still alive. All members of the council except Barry Kell voted against the other option on the resolution.

In other business

The city accepted a bid from Con-Struct for the grading and ADA accessibility project at Elk’s Park. Con-Struct was the only bidder at $101,982.

Parks Director Geoff Hubbard said the bid was more than what was estimated. After discussion with Con-Struct, the city will seed the park itself, removing some of the fees and saving $12,000, putting the project under budget.

The council unanimously approved nominating Kinser for the city board seat on the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool Board of Directors. Iowa Communities Assurance Pool is the city’s insurance provider.

“Of the three seats, only one is filled by an active city council member,” Kinser said. “We deserve to be represented as a city.”

The council agreed Kinser would be a good candidate to serve on the board, especially because of her experience with the city as it navigated two natural disasters.

“They’ll get a great board member with Jessica,” Councilman Jeff Schneider said. “They’ll be lucky to have her and we’re very lucky to have her.”

In the consent agenda, the council approved authorizing $50,000 of 2022 General Obligation bond funds to fund preliminary designs and a cost estimate for a splash pad.

The council discussed the funding during its June 27 meeting, with the intention of constructing a splash pad on the property of the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA. There was debate among the council, and members of the nonprofit Splash 4 Life, about whether this is the appropriate location for a splash pad.

Thompson asked for this item to be pulled from the consent agenda to be discussed. He reiterated his concerns from the previous meeting.

“I’m definitely not against a splash pad in Marshalltown,” he said. “I just don’t like the idea that we’re going to use taxpayers’ funds to build this on a property the city does not own.”

Thompson and Hoop voted against the item, but it passed.

Lt. Chris Jones of the Marshalltown Police Department discussed the use of ATVs and UTVs on public streets. This discussion comes after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill allowing the use of the vehicles on county highways.

The city’s proposed approach to ATVs/UTVs would be to treat them similarly to golf carts. They would be allowed on most streets and kept off of highly trafficked roadways and arterial roads in town. They would need to be registered, complete with license plates, and operated by a person 18 years old or older.

“It’s positive for us to be able to compromise on this ordinance,” Jones said. “In 27 years we’ve had very few golf cart accidents and golf cart issues.”

Isom said he had reservations about the possible change in ordinance.

“I view this as more of a possible increase in nuisances across town,” he said.

The council approved bringing the item back with recommendations. Schneider and Isom voted against it.