Friday, 07 December 2007 00:33

Ione City Council Update

Ione City Council met Tuesday evening to discuss multiple issues regarding City finances. Opening the discussion was the presentation of the City’s Quarterly Financial Report, with the next report coming in January of 2008. This is the first time quarterly reports have been presented at city council meetings and Ione City manager Kim Kerr said she plans to make it a regular practice.

 

Next on the agenda was the appointment of 2 council members, Andrea Bonham and Lee Ard, to help the City Council meet its financial reporting oversight responsibilities. Further training for the project is required and both appointees will attend a League of California Cities training in Sacramento in January. The City also applied for the California Integrated Waste Management Board Tire-Derived Products Grant, requesting a $100,000 grant to replace the bark that currently is used on the play structures in city parks, for a recycled tire product. The rubber chips have several advantages: it is actually easier to clean and the rubber is much heavier than bark chips and won’t fly away during wind storms.

City Manager Kim Kerr gave an progress report on the Ione Fire Station construction. Outstanding  items include obtaining final a California Department of Transportation Encroachment Permit for the entry onto Preston Avenue, a grading permit from the City, a Building Permit, a tree removal survey for the lot, and final OK from the Planning Commission to make sure that the specifications meet the conditions of approval. The specs will go to the Planning Commission on December 11th --  if the Planning Commission does not approve the plan or there are major changes, then the plans will come back to the City Council on December 18th. There is no final cost estimate for the new fire station yet, but the budget is approximately $1.2 million for the land and construction. The city also discussed the option to split up the design and building portions of the bid. This split would allow the council to pick and choose their options from multiple bids and find the most economically satisfying option for the city. Bidding on the project will open Jan 23, 2008 at 2pm.

The Council also discussed activating a Building Board of Appeal, which was approved by council in 1993, but to the knowledge of staff and from archived minutes was never enacted. This board would hear appeals by individuals regarding Administrative decisions on designs for housing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire and other design issues. The Board is required to have 5 members including 2 licensed contractors, 2 community members who are not employed in the construction industry, and either a engineer or an architect. Those interested in participating are encouraged to send in a letter of interest to the City Clerk at P.O. Box 398
Ione CA, 95640. The closing date for receipt of letters is the 2nd of January. For more information contact City Clerk Janice Traverso.