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Osage
City Council
City sets sights on junk cars, unsafe structures
DeAun Michael
Reporter
OSAGE CITY—The Osage City Council is responding to citizens’
concerns by continuing to clean up dangerous and unfit structures
and junk vehicles in an effort to enhance the city’s neighborhoods.
At the regular Oct. 28 meeting, Osage City Council members approved
Osage City Manager Nick Hernandez’s request to continue the
cleanup by mailing letters of violation to several additional property
and vehicle owners. The cleanup had been initiated, in part, as
a result of a citizen survey taken earlier this year.
Councilman Loren DeBaun questioned Hernandez regarding the approach
being used when choosing which structures need torn down.
“I just want to make sure people understand we are not targeting
these people,” DeBaun said. “We’re basically going
through and evaluating worst structures to be torn down first.”
Hernandez assured the council DeBaun’s description of the
process was the method the city is using for dangerous structures.
As for vehicles, Hernandez noted, “We are targeting areas
of town and we’re going to try to get one area of town complete
and then move to the next area.”
In other discussion, a Nov. 25 date was set for a public hearing
on a proposed budget amendment. City Treasurer Robyn Liebelt told
the council the 2008 proposed amendment is a precautionary measure.
The amendment gives the city authority to increase expenditures
as long as additional funds do not require an additional tax levy.
The council also continued a review of the comprehensive fee schedule,
which includes fees charged by the city for utility services, municipal
court and other miscellaneous fees for city services.
Several increases are being considered, including an increase for
handicap parking violations and school bus violations from the municipal
court services listing, and a significant increase in water and
gas meter installations for new customers from the utility services
listing. Hernandez noted the increase in the water and gas meter
installations will bring the rate up to the current costs for the
city and also bring them in line with cities of comparable size
to Osage City. The comprehensive fee schedule will be on the agenda
of the next council meeting for final discussion and approval.
In other business, the council:
• approved the 2008 Uniform Public Offense Code.
• approved the 2008 Standard Traffic Ordinance.
• took no action following an executive session to discuss
attorney-client matters. |
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