City Council to Study Water Department
Oskaloosa City Hall
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Oskaloosa City Council is taking a closer look at the Oskaloosa Water Department through a new study by Public Financial Management.
The approximately $19,000 study would determine if combining duties between the water department and city staff could help increase productivity and cut costs.
“The study would include a review of current operations costs and metrics, benchmarking of similar systems and a review of best practices,” said Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt.
The water department, run by the water board, works independently of the city of Oskaloosa. The board is appointed by the city council but it sets its own rates and policies.
Earlier in the year, the council had discussed possibly dissolving the water board so that the water department would be under the jurisdiction of the city council. The proposed changes came out of council’s efforts to improve communication with the water board, which could help the department run more efficiently.
The study was approved unanimously by the council and Oskaloosa Water Department Manager Chad Coon said he supported the study.
In other city business:
– Janet VanDerBeek, Wayne Hook and Aaron Ver Steeg were reappointed to the Mahaska County Solid Waste Management Commission and Alven Meppelink was newly appointed to the commission. Aaron Ver Steeg and Wayne Hook were reappointed to the Ad Hoc Recycling Committee. All terms end on December 31, 2013.
– The council approved the sale of the alley adjacent to 907 and 909 South 7th Street to Oskaloosa Food Products.
– The third and final reading of an amendment to change the start time of city council meetings from 6:30 to 6:00 was approved. Meetings will continue to be on the first and third Mondays of the month.
– The council approved the revised site plan for a student housing project at William Penn University. The revised plan makes changes to some sidewalks and driveways and was approved unanimously by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
