The Oskaloosa City Council passed each motion unanimously during the first meeting of 2009, and directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance requiring a state licensing for new electricians in Oskaloosa.

City Engineer Liz Finarty requested that the Council amend Chapter 5.16 of the City Code that requires electricians to obtain the city license. Her recommendation was that city accept the state license and phase out the local license by only issuing renewals.

The revenue from city licensing is approximately $1,000 per year.

The cost for a city license, which is required to work in the city, is $35 per year. The state’s charge for licensing is $375 for a three-year license for electrical contractors and master electricians.

Finarty said the state licensing for contractors is a more rigorous testing process than the city’s licensing.

The council directed City Attorney Randy DeGeest to draft an ordinance to amend the City Code to accept the state license.

In other action:

• The council appointed Michelle Purdum to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Dixon said she was the only applicant for the seat Dave Warwick resigned. Purdum’s term expires at the end of April 2010.

• The City Council reviewed the Capital Improvement Plan that was worked up by city staff after the previous meeting. The staff recommended these projects for fiscal year 2009: North 12th Street from E Avenue East to F Avenue East, and E Avenue and F Avenue from North 11th Street to North 12th Street; Eighth Avenue West from South D Street to Market Street; North C Street from A Avenue West to College Avenue; South B Street from Sixth Avenue West to Eighth Avenue West; South C Street from Sixth Avenue West to Eighth Avenue West; South F Street from 11th Street to Parkview Lane; South Seventh Drainage Improvements; Second Street from High Street to First Street; South Park Drainage; Pella Avenue Erosion; E Avenue West from North C Street to North E Street study; Terrace Drive Sanitary Sewer; J Avenue East and Sewer line replacement between North Seventh and J Avenue East.

The estimated cost to complete all of the projects is $2.2 million. Planned funding for these projects includes $1.09 million in new general obligation bonds and $555,050 in revenue bonds paid for by utility funds. The $1.09 million in G.O. bonds will likely raise the tax levy by approximately $0.063.

Council Member Pam Blomgren questioned the need to use revenue bonds. She also asked if revenue bonds are more expensive than G.O. bonds. City Manager Brian James said they are possibly more expensive and allow a city to avoid reaching the debt limit of 5 percent of the value of taxable property within the city.

Revenue bonds could be pledged with future funds from the sanitary sewer fund.

James planned to look up associated costs with using revenue bonds for the next meeting.

• The council approved eliminating some easements and conditions of the quit claim deed to CHI for the Grant School property. CHI requested that the city remove some easements to make Grant more attractive to investors.

• The council approved the second reading to vacate the alleys between South Market and South A Street and between Second Avenue West and Third Avenue West.