City looks to dissolve public safety advisory committee

OTTUMWA — The City of Ottumwa will hold a public hearing during Tuesday's meeting at the Bridge View Center to discontinue the public safety advisory committee.

The committee, which was formed by ordinance in 1990, has met rarely over the last few years because of the pandemic as well as a lack of issues to address. The committee is made up of six members appointed by the mayor, which were supposed to serve three-year staggered terms.

According to the original ordinance, the committee was to advise and assist the city traffic engineer, which also was created from the ordinance, and other city officials regarding traffic-related matters and activities.

Two years ago, the ordinance was changed so that the committee would meet quarterly, but the underlying issue of a lack of purpose to meet continued. The public hearing is the first step in dissolving the committee, and is the result of a survey sent to current committee members as well as the mayor.

In other business:

— The city will give an update on code enforcement as it relates to junk stored on the east side of the city.

Over the past couple of meetings, resident Eddie Paxton approached the city council to discuss what it plans to do about items being stored on properties in the 1600 block of Mable Street and East Main Street.

Pictures of junk vehicles, damaged equipment, animal holes and general nuisance violations have been shown at recent meetings, spreading over several parcels of land.

In a staff summary ahead of the meeting, it was stated "substantial" progress has been made in licensing unlicensed vehicles, as well as the removal of other equipment and weeds.

— There also will be a public hearing to approve the plans and specifications for a new office and maintenance building in the Ottumwa Cemetery.

The building will be constructed in the southeast corner of the cemetery and the initial cost estimate is just over $2.1 million, with $1.875 million of that funding from the the capital improvement project fund, and the rest coming from the office and maintenance building fund, as well as a sale of property 1218 N. Court St. and two maintenance buildings.

The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.