City of Ute Regular Council Meeting October 13, 2025 – City Hall 6:00pm – Monday The Ute City Council met with Mayor Henschen in regular, open session on Monday, October 13, 2025 at 6pm in the Council Chambers with the following council members present: Josh Gotto, Sue Kelm, Ryan Pithan. Matt Leitz arrived at 7:17pm and was not present for any votes. Absent: Jimmy Carlson. Also Present: City Clerk Megan Peitsch, Public Works Superintendent Lonnie Carlson, Ethan Joy (JEO), and Rex Roberts (Windstream) via phone. The meeting was called to order at 6:00pm by Mayor Henschen. Motion by Gotto/Pithan to approve the agenda. All Ayes. MC Rex Roberts was not yet available, so JEO went first with their presentation on the Preliminary Engineering Report for the Well Project. Motion by Pithan/Kelm to accept the Preliminary Engineering Report, authorize JEO to submit to the DNR for technical report, and authorize staff to submit USDA funding applications and SRF at staff discretion. All Ayes. MC Rex Roberts from Windstream presented by phone on a fiber boring project. Concerns regarding private sewer lines and the need for potholing was discussed. Windstream will add a pre-notification to the agreement so Lonnie can be present to alert for awareness of potential private sewer lines in areas of boring. Motion by Gotto/Pithan to approve the agreement with the pre-notification added and direct the Mayor to sign. All Ayes. MC Mayor presented a general update. Two building permits were approved: 431 E 6th St (Deck); 200 S Briggs (Workshop-limited 100 day permit). Public Works Superintendent Lonnie Carlson shared a general update. Concrete work is wrapping up. Trees that are being bid for removal by the city due to condition are marked with a white X and a white flag. City Clerk Megan Peitsch presented the following September financial reports: Cash Report, Bank Reconciliations (all accounts), Treasurer’s Report, Outstanding Transactions, Budget by Function, Tax Liabilities, and UB Reconciliation. All accounts will now be reconciled monthly regardless of activity. CDs were reconciled for July and August to catch them up to current. UB Reconciliation and Budget by Function are still under development with Banyon. FY2025 Annual Financial Audit and FY2025 Annual Financial Report were presented. Receipts for the Month of September totaled: $51,953.83. 001 General $20,848.66; 110 Road Use Tax $5,201.22; 121 Local Option Sales Tax $3,830.12; 600 Water $15,761.44, 610 Sewer $6,312.39 Motion by Gotto/Kelm to approve the consent agenda consisting of: Approval of Sept 2025 Bills and Payroll; Approval of City Council Minutes: 9/8/2025 Regular Meeting; Approval of September financial reports: cash report, outstanding transactions, bank reconciliations for all accounts, utility billing reconciliation, tax liabilities, budget by function, treasurer’s fund report, FY2025 Annual Financial Report, FY2025 Audit Report; Approval of Ampride Liquor Application (Class B). All Ayes. MC Motion by Gotto/Pithan to approve the resolution authorizing ambulance stipends for Fire Department when driving for the Ute Ambulance for FY2026 (RESOLUTION #2025-25). All members of the Ute Fire Department who are on file at City Hall as authorized drivers for the Fire Department - $40 per call stipend, when driving for the ambulance, not Fire. All Ayes. MC An update on the General Obligation Bond for the removal of marked trees in the right of way was discussed. No action taken. Motion by Pithan/Gotto to sign the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Iowa Department of Revenue and the City of Ute Regarding the State Setoff Program. All Ayes. MC The Mayor announced his acceptance the resignation of Whitney Gustin from the Library Board. No action taken. Discussion was held on clarifying the jury duty section of the Personnel Handbook. Clerk will write up a resolution with updated language for the next council meeting. No action taken. Motion by Pithan/Kelm to approve a Chicken License for Chistine Bussey pending inspection. All Ayes. MC. No other chicken license applications were received. Violation letters will be sent next week. Discussion was held on the City of Ute applying for the Monona County Foundation Grant for basketball resurfacing with the Community Club. This will be added to the budget amendment, but the application will wait for the Community Club and bids. No action taken. An update on the ongoing nuisance abatement for 119 E 1st was discussed. Council had no objections to the current course of action. No action taken. Discussion was held on an increase of funding for turn-out gear for the Fire Department. This will be added to the budget amendment. Council Member Matt Leitz arrived at 7:17pm during this discussion. No action taken. The list of known and anticipated budget amendments was reviewed by council. No action taken. Next regular council meeting is Monday, November 10, 2025 at 6pm at City Hall. A City/School Election will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Polls are open 7am – 8pm. City Hall will be closed Tuesday, November 4, 2025 to comply with election law. Motion by Kelm/Pithan to adjourn at 7:29pm. All Ayes. MC Submitted by: Megan Peitsch, City Clerk Sept 2025 Claims For Oct Meeting Vendor, Comment Amount Acco, Water Treatment Chemicals$493.80 Acs, City Hall Server $4,129.73 Acs, It Support$17.50 Badger Meter, Meter Hosting $31.16 Barco, Street Paint $707.92 Bomgaars, Supplies $173.67 Chn Garbage Service, Garbage Pick-Up$2,400.10 Cory Abbott, Street Work $9,300.00 Crary Huff, Legal$682.34 Derek Henschen, Park Tilling $200.00 Eftps Irs, Vendor Liability$1,807.44 Electric Pump, Sewer Pump Repair $883.75 Foundation Analytical Lab, Water Testing$52.50 Incontrol Electronics, Fire Door Dues $17.00 Iowa Department Of Revenue, Aug 2025 Wet Tax $821.51 Iowa Department Of Revenue, Vendor Liability$190.86 Iowa Department Of Revenue, Wet Tax Sept 2025 $824.59 Iowa Dept Of Natural Resources, Annual Water Use Fee 2026 $115.00 Iowa One Call, Locate Requests $25.20 Iowa Unemployment, Unemployment Qtr 3 2025 $68.69 Ipers, Vendor Liability $1,221.41 Jeo Consulting Group, Well Engineering Per $4,130.00 John Deere Financial, Tractor Parts $23.72 Lonnie Carlson, Reimbursement Irwa Conference $408.52 Mapleton Press, Publishing $228.45 Midamerican Energy, Electric $1,805.32 Moores Portables & Pumping, Port-A-Pot Sept 2025 $160.00 Positive Promotions, Fire Safety Week Kit $305.90 Rehab Systems Inc, Sewer Jetting And Scope $5,074.15 Sargent Drilling, Well And Pump Testing$1,100.00 Stinn Backhoe & Plumbing, Water Line Repair $470.00 Team Lab, Lagoon Supplies$1,349.50 Triple C Pest Control, Mosquito Sprays - 2 Extra $262.50 Usda, Loan 98491 Oct 2025$2,578.00 Usda, Loan 98492 Oct 2025$2,565.00 Usps, Postage $400.00a Ute Senior Citizens, Senior Meals Contract Oct 2025 $140.00 Ute Tire & Automotive, Truck Maintenance $94.69 Visual Edge, Copier Lease $97.78 Wellmark, Health Insurance$1,142.59 Wex, Fuel $237.66 Windstream, Phone/Internet $77.15 Windstream, Phone/Internet$334.91 Wipco, Sewer Electric $40.00 Accounts Payable$47,190.01 Payroll Checks$10,100.63 Total Disbursements$57,290.64 ******** General $29,093.88 Library$185.18 Water$12,457.52 Sewer$10,028.76 Road Use Tax$821.01 Employee Benefits$574.29 Water Capital Project $4,130.00 Total Funds$57,290.64 MP10-23-25
