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Record of Proceedings

Regular Spencer City Council Meeting - November 2, 2026

City Council — Monday, November 2, 2026
BodySpencer, Iowa
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, November 2, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
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Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Unassigned speaker

2:45

I'm.

Unassigned speaker

3:31

I'm.

Unassigned speaker

4:01

I'm.

Unassigned speaker

4:40

I'm.

Speaker 1

5:15

Just to note on this resolution, the dollar amount listed as eighty-seven, the corrected amount is one eighty-seven.

Speaker 2

5:27

So for one eighty-seven.

5:42

First by Lauren.

5:44

Second by Becky.

5:46

Any discussion?

Speaker 3

5:48

Yes, I'd like to discuss why we need to approve the higher bed.

5:52

I think it was because they were certified.

Speaker 4

6:05

Good evening.

6:06

Uh so with this, what this is this project is for is for our canopy pruning, so our urban forestry management program that we have going on.

6:16

Uh the reason why one of the key things that we put into this um into this RFP is that uh we're gonna give preference to a certified arborist.

6:27

Certified arborist is gonna be a specialist in the growth and development of trees and maintenance of those trees.

6:34

Uh Snyder logging company, they have certified arborists on staff.

6:38

So that's why we chose to go with them over going with uh um sorry about tree service, yeah.

6:47

Yep.

6:48

So if it was just a straight up tree removal project, not so concerned about it.

6:53

But when we get when we get into pruning like this, and we really want to have people that's that have the education, the background that we need to make sure that everything's getting done right and to get everything back into check, that's what we want to go with here.

Speaker 2

7:11

You bet.

7:11

Any other questions?

Speaker 5

7:13

Sorry, I just want to clarify.

7:14

So it's because there's a a certification that there's a lot of a certified arborist, yep.

7:22

Certified arborist.

7:22

Okay, I just I was reading that their um, I guess memo, so to speak of what they said, you know, in their practices and things like that.

7:31

Um,

Unassigned speaker

7:32

which

Speaker 5

7:32

I mean, I don't disagree with you guys.

Unassigned speaker

7:34

I was just looking for um to make sure I'm gonna do that.

Speaker 5

7:37

Yeah, and that's that's one of the key

Speaker 4

7:39

factors, and that's one of the key things that we put in the RFP for this because of the of the what we want to make sure is that we have the the experience and uh the education to back it in there.

Unassigned speaker

7:49

That's

Speaker 5

7:50

right.

7:50

Thank you.

Speaker 6

7:50

You bet.

7:51

Bob, can you talk a little bit about the previous so 15-year history of trimming trees by sidewalks in the right-of-way versus the approach that we're gonna use moving forward, um, managing the tree canopy?

Speaker 4

8:07

Yeah, yeah.

8:08

So previously, what it really relied on is, and it's still we still have this in our city ordinances where the property owner is responsible for 10 feet over the sidewalk, 14 foot over the street.

8:20

Um, which is fine and dandy because it does keep the branching up, keeps the sidewalks open, allows for the traffic to move through.

8:27

It does not necessarily do a lot of good for our trees and our long-term growth and development, and it doesn't remove any of our structural hazards that we have in those trees when we when we do that.

8:40

So sometimes we can actually create more issues uh than what we can to help the tree in the long run and in the growth of that tree.

8:48

So when we take trees like this, we're growing them in areas that uh even though they are in right ways, they're under stress, but we put a lot of inputs into them so trees they don't have the natural pruning techniques that they have if they're grown in a forest situation.

9:02

So we want to have have somebody that can truly identify where those structural hazards are, we can remove them, we can take care of them before they are a problem, and uh help maintain some of these large trees that we have in that canopy.

9:13

So we switched that to where it was um pruning in the past has always been just of a homeowner called, we went out and pruned that tree.

9:22

Now we're trying to get ahead of the game and remove a lot of those hazards, plus take this up, get the canopy to raise correctly, and in uh in a correct form throughout in a timely fashion for

Unassigned speaker

9:34

us.

Speaker 5

9:36

I have a follow-up question.

9:38

And I know this project has already started.

Unassigned speaker

9:40

I live on the northeast side and it's uh you can tell it's it's it's an amazing effort that's already been done.

Speaker 5

9:48

Who has done the the first part it has okay so that we're just continuing on with them.

Speaker 4

9:54

Correct.

Speaker 5

9:54

Do we know is this bid significantly different?

Speaker 4

10:00

No it's it's very similar.

10:01

It's a little bit higher because we do it by a man hour rate versus as a total project it will not exceed $50,000.

10:08

That's what we have allotted for this project.

Speaker 7

10:10

Okay.

Speaker 4

10:11

And biggest reason because we do the man hour rate is each tree is going to be different when you come into this and so it'll allow them to kind of keep moving through things.

Unassigned speaker

10:22

Yeah

Speaker 5

10:22

I like keeping with the the company that we've been using they seem to be yeah again yeah yeah they've really made a difference.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation████████████████████████24%
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████21%
Transportation Safety████████████████16%
Public Safety███████7%
Public Engagement██████6%
Personnel Matters███3%
Budget Equity Analysis██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Regular Spencer City Council Meeting - November 2, 2026

The Spencer City Council met on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers. Mayor Wunschel presided with Council Members Amy Moser, Loren Reit, Becky Peterson, Jim Vermeer, and Julie Beehler present. Council Members Tom Nelson and David Lyons were absent. The meeting encompassed a public hearing, a consent agenda, multiple new business items, departmental updates, reports, a closed session, and adjourned at 7:58 PM.

Public Hearing

  • Council held a public hearing regarding the sale of Lot One (1) of North "Y" Gateway First Addition to Kelley Investments, LLC. No members of the public provided testimony.

Consent Calendar

  • Council unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included:
    • Approval of City Council Minutes of October 19, 2026.
    • Renewal of a Class "C" Retail Alcohol License for the Spencer Municipal Golf Course.
    • Pay Estimate No. 6 for the 2026 Splash Pad Project in the amount of $80,328.89.
    • Pay Estimate No. 1 for the 18th Street Trail Project in the amount of $58,335.80.
    • Resolution No. 6810 setting a public hearing for proposed amendments to city code concerning bicycles, electric scooters, and micromobility devices.

Discussion Items & New Business

Sale of City Property (North "Y" Gateway)

  • Council unanimously approved Resolutions 6811 and 6812, authorizing the sale of Lot One (1) of North "Y" Gateway First Addition to Kelley Investments, LLC, along with a Development Agreement, Minimum Assessment Agreement, and Purchase Agreement.

Tree Pruning Project (Snyder Logging & Tree Service)

  • Council approved Resolution 6813 awarding the Tree Pruning Project to Snyder Logging & Tree Service.
  • Position (City Engineer Brian): Staff recommended Snyder due to their certified arborists, emphasizing the need for specialized education in urban forestry and pruning versus standard tree removal. The project is budgeted not to exceed $50,000 using a man-hour rate.
  • Discrepancy: The official minutes record the vote as 4 ayes (Moser, Reit, Peterson, Beehler) and 0 nays for this item, while the raw transcript is garbled but includes a different set of councilmember voices. This vote discrepancy is noted without a single authoritative source.

Speed Limit Study (West Fourth Street)

  • Council approved Resolution 6814 accepting the Engineering and Traffic Study on West Fourth Street and scheduling a public hearing on proposed speed limit amendments.
  • Discussion: City Manager Kevin and Engineer Cole detailed the recommendation for a 50 mph to 55 mph transition, influenced by crash history at 32nd Avenue West. Council Member Peterson raised constituent concerns about truck traffic from the industrial park. Council Member Vermeer questioned the confusing speed transitions at a nearby intersection. Staff committed to monitoring traffic volumes and revisiting the limits if development increases.

Recycling Agreement Amendment

  • Council unanimously approved an amendment to the agreement for acceptance of Spencer Recycling with Van's Sanitation, Inc.

Holiday Premium Compensation Resolution (TABLED)

  • Council unanimously voted to table the resolution clarifying holiday premium compensation for Public Works employees.
  • Position (Council Member Moser): Expressed a need for transparency and noted concerns from department members, suggesting the personnel committee should vet the item.
  • Position (City Manager Kevin): Explained the resolution stems from a defunct 2008 union contract and a 2017 handbook omission. He recommended tabling to fully understand the financial implications of holiday pay, overtime, and comp time holistically, indicating it would return during the budget process.

Asbestos Inspection Services

  • Council unanimously approved Resolution 6815 authorizing a $17,850 contract for asbestos inspection and monitoring services with Blohm Inspection Environmental Services LLC. City Manager Kevin noted the cost is eligible for state grant reimbursement.

Department Updates & Reports

  • Fire (Chief): 75 calls for service. New engine delivered to Des Moines for outfitting. Member Dale McGuire retired after 30 years. Live fire training and new member onboarding completed.
  • Golf (Brian): Cart path overlay project 50% complete, delayed by rain. Course closed for safety. Council Member Beehler congratulated Brian on an award.
  • Library: Report submitted via email; no representative present.
  • Parks & Recreation (Bob): Splash pad completion. 60 trees planted via DNR grant ($8,000 remaining). Fall trout stocking scheduled for November 7th at Stollies. Christmas decoration preparation underway. Peterson Park fields updated by Youth Association.
  • Planning (Adam): 31 permitted projects in October ($985,000 valuation). Asbestos and demolition contractor management for flood recovery in progress. MyGov permitting software implementation started.
  • Police (Chief): 828 calls for service, 30 arrests. 29 applications received for the Iowa Great Lakes Law Enforcement Hiring Co-op. Drug take-back collected 54 pounds of medication. New squad computers and two new patrol cars being deployed.
  • Public Works (Mark): Glass recycling containers refurbished. Holiday solid waste schedule adjusted. 60.3 million gallons treated at wastewater plant. Snow preparation active. Progress with Iowa DOT for speed feedback signs in the central business district.
  • Human Resources (Jessica): Recruiting for golf director and street maintenance. Flu shot clinic held (16 attendees). Open enrollment for benefits proceeding. Spencer Employee Association collective bargaining unit recertified.
  • Engineering Report (Brian Schmidt, KCN): Golf cart path 50% complete. RISE paving projects and 4th Ave West drainage pending weather and DOT approvals. SMU lead service replacement 60% complete.
  • City Manager Report (Kevin): Demolition work starts mid-November. Budget process anticipates a 2% property tax cap increase (CPI is 4.1%). RISE paving opens 60 acres of heavy industrial property. West 18th St bridge to be complete by end of November. Eight downtown apartment units in development with state and city support.
  • Mayor's Report (Wunschel): Halloween was successful. Proclamation for the PALS program to be signed at Shoe Sensation on November 14th.

Key Outcomes

  • Property Sale: Approved sale of North "Y" Gateway lot to Kelley Investments, LLC.
  • Tree Pruning: Awarded $50,000 budgeted contract to Snyder Logging & Tree Service.
  • Speed Study: Accepted engineering study for West 4th Street; public hearing scheduled.
  • Holiday Pay: Resolution tabled for further review and budget consideration.
  • Asbestos Monitoring: Authorized $17,850 grant-reimbursed contract with Blohm Inspection.
  • Bills and Claims: Approved totaling $938,599.24.
  • Closed Session: Entered closed session to discuss real estate per Iowa Code 21.5(j). Discrepancy: Minutes state the closed session began at 7:36 PM but returned to open session at 7:28 PM, an apparent scrivener's error.
  • Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 7:58 PM.

Upcoming Meetings

  • Regular City Council Meeting: Monday, November 16, 2026.
  • Northwest Iowa League of Cities Meeting: Thursday, November 19, 2026 (Lake View).
  • Regular City Council Meeting: Tuesday, December 8, 2026 (moved from Monday for Grain Meander).

Meeting Transcript

I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. Just to note on this resolution, the dollar amount listed as eighty-seven, the corrected amount is one eighty-seven. So for one eighty-seven. First by Lauren. Second by Becky. Any discussion? Yes, I'd like to discuss why we need to approve the higher bed. I think it was because they were certified. Good evening. Uh so with this, what this is this project is for is for our canopy pruning, so our urban forestry management program that we have going on. Uh the reason why one of the key things that we put into this um into this RFP is that uh we're gonna give preference to a certified arborist. Certified arborist is gonna be a specialist in the growth and development of trees and maintenance of those trees. Uh Snyder logging company, they have certified arborists on staff. So that's why we chose to go with them over going with uh um sorry about tree service, yeah. Yep. So if it was just a straight up tree removal project, not so concerned about it. But when we get when we get into pruning like this, and we really want to have people that's that have the education, the background that we need to make sure that everything's getting done right and to get everything back into check, that's what we want to go with here. You bet. Any other questions? Sorry, I just want to clarify. So it's because there's a a certification that there's a lot of a certified arborist, yep. Certified arborist. Okay, I just I was reading that their um, I guess memo, so to speak of what they said, you know, in their practices and things like that. Um, which I mean, I don't disagree with you guys. I was just looking for um to make sure I'm gonna do that. Yeah, and that's that's one of the key factors, and that's one of the key things that we put in the RFP for this because of the of the what we want to make sure is that we have the the experience and uh the education to back it in there. That's right. Thank you. You bet. Bob, can you talk a little bit about the previous so 15-year history of trimming trees by sidewalks in the right-of-way versus the approach that we're gonna use moving forward, um, managing the tree canopy? Yeah, yeah. So previously, what it really relied on is, and it's still we still have this in our city ordinances where the property owner is responsible for 10 feet over the sidewalk, 14 foot over the street. Um, which is fine and dandy because it does keep the branching up, keeps the sidewalks open, allows for the traffic to move through. It does not necessarily do a lot of good for our trees and our long-term growth and development, and it doesn't remove any of our structural hazards that we have in those trees when we when we do that. So sometimes we can actually create more issues uh than what we can to help the tree in the long run and in the growth of that tree. So when we take trees like this, we're growing them in areas that uh even though they are in right ways, they're under stress, but we put a lot of inputs into them so trees they don't have the natural pruning techniques that they have if they're grown in a forest situation. So we want to have have somebody that can truly identify where those structural hazards are, we can remove them, we can take care of them before they are a problem, and uh help maintain some of these large trees that we have in that canopy. So we switched that to where it was um pruning in the past has always been just of a homeowner called, we went out and pruned that tree. Now we're trying to get ahead of the game and remove a lot of those hazards, plus take this up, get the canopy to raise correctly, and in uh in a correct form throughout in a timely fashion for us. I have a follow-up question. And I know this project has already started. I live on the northeast side and it's uh you can tell it's it's it's an amazing effort that's already been done.

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