The Wells City Council went into closed session at their meeting on Monday, Sept. 26, for the purpose of discussing and reviewing complaints against Planning and Zoning Commissioner William Schuster.

When the council resumed the open session, city administrator Connor LaPointe gave this summarization of the closed session: “The council reviewed the results of an internal investigation into complaints involving Planning and Zoning commissioner William Schuster.”

Council member Brenda Weber then made a motion to dismiss Schuster from the Planning and Zoning commission. The motion was seconded by council member Nancy Kruger and was passed unanimously with mayor David Braun joining Weber and Kruger in voting for the motion. Council members John Herman and Josh Raimann were unable to attend the meeting.

The first item of new business the council considered at their meeting was to vote on the proposed 2022 tax levy collectible in 2023.

The council has held work sessions through the summer months with the goal to define the city’s needs.

“The proposed preliminary levy amount is $1,506,218,” LaPointe explained. “This is $136,929 more than our levy from the previous year and represents a 10 percent increase. Our goal is to work to reduce the increase closer to the five percent range.”

LaPointe briefly discussed the changes in the various funds.

“You will note the biggest difference you will see is a reduction of over $152,000 in the General Revenue Fund,” LaPointe said. “The decrease is due to allocating the money to other funds, such as the Capital Fund.”

Along with adopting the preliminary levy, the council also set the Truth-in-Taxation Hearing for Monday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m. It will be held at the Wells Community Center.

In other financial news, LaPointe told council members the city would be receiving $50,082 in police state aid this year.

“That represents about a $4,000 increase over last year,” he said. “Our fire state aid also had an increase of around $800 so we will be receiving $28,810.”

Community Development director Tiffany Schrader told council members the Wells Economic Development Authority was looking for money to help fund a COVID-19 Loss of Revenue Relief Grant program.

“We have set up some guidelines for the program,” Schrader commented. “To qualify, an applicant must be a for-profit business and must be currently operating and have been in existence prior to March 15, 2020. The business must have the equivalent of at least two full-time employees. Only one application per business will be accepted and businesses are to receive up to $5,000.”

According to Schrader, eligible expenses would include revenue lost due to COVID-19 mandatory shutdowns, costs associated with reopening such as sanitizing and cleaning products and costs associated with adapting to COVID-19-related operating expenses.

“Property taxes and any lost revenue or expenses which were not the direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic would not be eligible for the grant,” she stated.

Schrader added she knew of two businesses who she was sure would apply for the grant.

After some discussion the council voted to give $25,000 of their remaining ARPA (America Rescue Plan Act) Funds to the EDA for the grant program.

“That would allow them to fund at least five grants,” Kruger said.

Schrader also mentioned the Housing Redevelopment Authority is working on blighted housing and the tax forfeited properties they have acquired.

“The hope is to get a couple of the blighted houses torn down before the end of the year,” Schrader commented.

The council then turned their attention to possibly adopting an amended snowplowing policy.

“The change to the policy is the addition and clarification of our policy for replacing mailboxes which are damaged because of snowplowing,” LaPointe explained. “The policy now states if an owner has a mailbox which is physically contacted and damaged by a plow the owner has two options for repair or replacement. Only mailboxes which are physically contacted by the plow are eligible.”

LaPointe then outlined the two options which will be available.

“The first option is for the city to reimburse the owner the full cost of the original mailbox, including installation, if valid receipts are provided,” LaPointe explained. “The second option, if no receipts from the original mailbox are available, will be for the city to reimburse the owner up to $75 to replace the damaged mailbox, given the receipts for the new mailbox are provided.”

The council voted unanimously to adopt the amended policy.

In other business the council:

• Voted to approve a variance request from Wayne Chapman to construct a garage on the east side of his property.

• Put out Request for Proposals (RFP) for contracted mowing services, a city engineer, a city attorney and audit services.