Click here to submit your
news ideas and stories to the
Manchester Press!
| | 
The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
| |
Council hears concerns on street project
by Latisha Sand |
Some Manchester residents expressed their concern about the 2007 Street Improvement Project at a public hearing that was held during the Manchester City Council meeting on Monday, Jan. 22.
The $1.5 million project will consist of road resurfacing, and replacing the water and sewer lines on 17 city blocks.
Most of the residents had concerns about the assessments that were recently mailed to them from the city.
“All (assessments) are estimates at this time,” City Manager Tim Vick explained to the dozen or so residents in attendance. “Residents will get letters after the job is complete that will contain an itemized bill with the final cost.”
Vick also told the residents that the assessments sent out are estimated on the high end and the final cost will not be over that price. After construction is complete, residents will have 30 days after the letter is sent to go to city hall and decide if they want to pay in full now, pay half of the final cost or put it on their property taxes. After 30 days, if the resident has not stopped in to tell the city staff what they plan to do, the city will hand it over to the Delaware County Treasurer’s office where it will then be put on a 10-year deferment.
Nate Kass, an engineer from TeKippe Engineering in Manchester, also said that if anything is added to a resident’s assessment or final cost, the resident would have to sign a voluntary waiver.
Using copper piping instead of plastic and whether or not the property owners should be responsible for the assessments, were other topics discussed.
Several residents recommended using plastic instead of copper tubing but a couple council members said it would be harder to trace unless a tracker wire was placed within the tubing. Council member Darrell Hanson asked to see more information on copper versus plastic. But, according to Council member Tony Broghammer, all the projects that have been done have all used copper.
Brad Necker, who lives on East Butler, said that his street has two churches, a convenience store and is used by other drivers other than people who live in the neighborhood. The council told him, and the others in attendance, that the benefit program has been in effect since 1992 and, since it is a residential street, people living on that street would benefit from improvements. Council members also said that when North Franklin Street (Highway 13) was redone, the property owners were assessed then even though the street is one of the most traveled streets in Manchester.
The City Council has a five year plan with TeKippe Engineering for street projects based on the following criteria: if there is funding available, proximity to other projects and the type of projects involved. If the scheduled roads or blocks are in good condition then the city would only do spot repairs but if most of the streets need repaired, it’s more economical for the city to do a complete repair.
Right now the city is only recommending that residents take part in the project while the streets are torn up. If, however, the resident doesn’t take advantage of the program and a leak develops later, the resident would be responsible for the cost to repair both the leak and the street, if it is torn up.
The bids for the 2007 Street Improvement project will be opened on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 1:30 p.m. with the council accepting the bids at their meeting on Monday, Feb. 12.
The council also approved:
• the appointment of Vick to the Community Childcare Board.
• repairing three major leaks at the Aquatic Center in the amount of approximately $20,000. The council will have to receive a loan to help pay for the improvements but won’t be paying for it until the upcoming fiscal year.
• receiving bids for repainting and touching up the exterior and interior of well number seven water tower. The council had budgeted the money for the repairs during this fiscal year, however, the money went toward the Williams Street Water Tower.
• putting an EZ Liner brand paint striper for sale on the Iowa League of Cities website. If the machinery is not sold by March, the city would then take it to Loecke Auctions. It’s estimated worth is $300 to $500 and the city has not used it since 1999.
The council members also approved to purchase two lots, located at 508 Lincoln Street, for $12,000 with a public hearing set for Monday, Feb. 12. They also approved to purchase a 50 x 50 foot parcel for the future location of the Schulte Lift Station, which will be located on the Sullivan property on North Franklin Street. |
Union fee requirements hot topic at state house
by Latisha Sand |
The 60-year-old Right to Work law in Iowa is still a hot topic at the state house and, depending on the party may or may not be in jeopardy.
The Iowa Democratic leaders would like to pass a Fair Share bill that, according to Senator Tom Hancock, would not cancel the Right to Work law.
The Right to Work law, Iowa Code Section 731.1, states that, “no person within its (Iowa’s) boundaries shall be deprived of the right to work at the person’s chosen occupation for any employer because of membership in, affiliation with, withdrawal or expulsion from, or refusal to join, any labor union, organization, or association, and any contact which contravenes this policy is illegal and void.” In other words, it is up to the employee whether or not they join a union and that employee does not have to pay fees, or get fired, if he or she decides not to join.
Representative Steve Lukan and other Republicans want to stop the new bill from going through. According to Lukan, employees, if the law is changed, could spend between $100s and $1,000s worth of union fees, which is typically 80 to 100 percent of the union dues.
“It could cause huge problems,” said Lukan.
But Hancock doesn’t think so.
“If passed, Fair Share would require all employees in unionized workplaces, whether they are a union member or not, to make a contribution to cover their fair share of the costs of benefits, legal representation and other services they receive, including contract negotiations,” said Hancock.
“Currently, in unionized workplaces, these services and benefits are provided to non-union workers for free.”
There are 22 states in the United States that have Right to Work laws, including five that have the law within their state Constitution. The law is under the requirements of the Taft-Hartley Act, which was passed by Congress in 1947. This act outlawed what is called the ‘closed shop,’ which said workplaces could require employees to be members of the union. The act did, however, let employers operate under a ‘union shop’ rule where new employees had to join the union after a minimum period of time. Employers could also have an ‘agency shop’ rule where employees must pay the fee whether or not the employee is a member of the union or not. The other option is an ‘open shop’ rule, which is Iowa’s Right to Work law.
This isn’t the first time a party has tried to change the wording of the law. In 1965, 1980 and 1988, the Democratic party also tried to change the way the law read.
According to Lukan, the Department of Revenue put out statistics based on states with and without a Right to Work law. Under the personal income category, between the years of 1995 and 2005, income increased 37 percent in states with the law and only 26 percent in states without a law.
During those same years states with the law increased their manufacturing by $1.4 million whereas states with the law saw a $2.2 million decrease.
“There are a lot of strong economical issues,” said Lukan.
But Hancock wants to remind residents that there has been “no legislation nor have I seen anything in writing regarding Fair Share.”
Hancock said that the bill will not apply “to workplaces where unions are not organized, which comprise the vast majority of workplaces in the state. Nearly 90 percent of Iowa employees work in non-union workplaces. Fair Share would not make union membership a mandatory condition of employment at a union organized workplace. An employee that does not wish to join a union does not have to. Fair Share does not require businesses to have a union in their workplace and Fair Share would not be mandatory in any Iowa workplace. Instead, it would be a subject to negotiations by employers and employees.”
Hancock said he will not support anything that would change the state’s representation as a Right to Work state.
“I have not heard from anyone here (at the state house) wanting to do that,” said Hancock.
See the progress of the legislators by visiting www.legis.state.ia.us.
|
Francois, Dudley receive awards from Chamber
by Latisha Sand |
The Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce held their 2007 Annual Awards Banquet on Wednesday, Jan. 24 and awarded Patsy Francois and David Dudley two of their biggest awards.
Francois received the 2006 Ernest Hayhow Chamber Person of the Year for her wonderful service to the chamber. According to new Board President Tirzah Wedewer, Patsy has been involved in many committees over the years and has helped with several community events.
“Patsy has been so helpful to me throughout my first year,” said Chamber Director Jack Klaus. “Many times she spoke up and reminded me of things that I needed to be doing and she could immediately put her hands on copies of helpful documents from her own personal files that helped us get going or keep us on track.”
|
Below, David Dudley received the 2006 Delaware County Meritorious Service Award for his work with the West Delaware Fine Arts Fundraising committee. Above, Guess who is the new Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce Board President – Tirzah Wedewer of F & M Bank. Scott Wegmann (left), Diana Hammel, Teresa Grieves, Eric Anderson, Keith Kramer, Wayne Burkle and Jack Klaus all showed their support by wearing Tirzah
t-shirts. |
Dudley received the 2006 Delaware County Meritorious Service Award, which can be awarded to a non-chamber member. He received the award for his outstanding work with the West Delaware Fine Arts Fundraising committee. In addition Dudley was recognized for his activities in the Manchester Rotary Club, chairperson of the chamber’s Agricultural Relations Committee and a chairperson on the Endowment Committee for the First Lutheran Church.
|
 |
“I’m really honored and humbled,” said Dudley about receiving the award. “The auditorium project has been extremely rewarding for me. To raise $1 million in a community of 10,000 says a lot.”
The 2006 Outstanding Committee of the Year went to the First Friday at Five Committee, which consisted of Janelle Tucker, Rob Edwards, Sara Kruse, Scott Wegmann and Tim Vick.
The 2006 Membership Award, which goes to members who are, according to Klaus, “the backbone of the chamber,” went to Dr. Tim Cooper and the Manchester Dental Clinic for their 25 years of membership.
At the beginning of the program, Past President Rick Aleman highlighted the 2006 achievements of the chamber, including the introduction of the First Friday at Five events. He then introduced the new president Tirzah Wedewer who mentioned a thank-you to the retiring board members, Wayne Burkle, Wayne Timmerman and Dave Smith.
After her introduction, employees of F & M Bank, Burkle and Klaus walked out in “T.I.R.Z.A.H.!” t-shirts.
|
109
E. Delaware - P.O. Box 245 - Manchester, Iowa 52057
563-927-2020 / FAX 563-927-4945
Copyright
Manchester Press 2005 - 2006
Thede
Web Works - Web Questions
|