This week the Ellsworth City Council met with town’s Fire Chief Jaysen Evans on changing the way the Ellsworth Fire volunteers are reimbursed for their calls annually. Chief Evans has proposed starting and keeping track of the call reimbursements as individual “wearable” accounts for the volunteers. This benefit would also hopefully help increase interest from locals in volunteering as the numbers are lower than in previous years at this point. The city would go back to reimbursing the volunteers for wearables and fuel as a method of payment as opposed to payroll. The Ellsworth Fire Department voluntees woul remain on the workman’s comp insurance policy. The Ellsworth City Council voted 4 to 0 on the change in reimbursement with council member Sogard abstaining. Chief Evans informed the council that he is still collecting bids for the tearing down of the old fire station in Ellsworth as well as the new pole for the weather siren.
Ellsworth Public Library director Karlie Hunter and board members Beth Grove and Linda Bottorf shared with the Ellsworth City Council that beginning in July the library director will be receiving a $2 per hour raise and the part time staff a $1 per hour raise. The council was presented with state library statistics from similar sized library programs. The Ellsworth Library board members made the request to the council to obtain a credit card for small purchases by the library director. The city council will discuss this matter in the future. The board also expressed interest and investing some of their savings through IPAIT (Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust) where the diversified savings interest rate is currently 4% and the money can still be accessed within 24 hours as opposed to a fixed term investment.. The board will let city clerk Heidi Eckers know the amount they wish to invest. The funds will continue to be managed through city hall. The Library Board brought up some questions about the library’s insurance premiums. They would prefer to take out a renters policy to cover the contents of the building as opposed to continue paying for the insurance on the entire property which includes the building as the city owns the building, the argument was made that the city should be responsible for the coverage on the building. Director Hunter will speak with SMK Insurance in Jewell about what the cost difference would be and get back with Clerk Eckers.
Ellsworth City Clerk Eckers informed the council on several projects being worked on at City Hall. The bidding process to replace flooring in the Ellsworth City Hall continues. Replacement windows have been ordered for City Hall through Z and Z Glass of Iowa Falls. The council will be updated on the progress of these renovations.
Marcy Olson of the Ellsworth Community Association informed the council of a pancake breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt set for April 19th at the Ellsworth Community Center and city park respectively. The council gave its support for the two events at this week’s meeting.