The Oskaloosa City Council discussed sanitary sewer user rates, approved the Oskaloosa Area Chamber and Development Group’s events for 2008 and heard unexpected news from the library at a meeting Monday night.

Library Director Suzann Holland said on Thursday there was a catastrophic system failure as a result of a server failure at William Penn University’s library. The server, which is shared by the city and the university, was due to be replaced in the spring and failed earlier than expected, Holland said. The city’s share of the cost is expected to be between $7,000 and $8,000.

Holland said she hopes the system is restored by Thursday.

Sherry Vavra, Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation executive director, presented an annual report from the MCRF. In 2007, baseball diamonds were completed and the concession stand was opened at the Lacey Recreation Complex, the YMCA expanded the football program to include tackle and work was completed on the Highway 92 east underpass for recreation. Work was also done on other projects.

For 2008, the Lacey Recreational Complex will continue to be the focus. There’s a plan for a solar walkway in the baseball parking lot and planning will begin for a multi-use stadium. The next place for recreation trail development will be at William Penn University and the Highway 63 north and south underpasses.

The MCRF Annual Progress Report is available online at http://www.teammahaska.org/tminfo/recreation/brochures.html

Council Member Janet VanDerBeek did not attend the meeting due to an illness.

The council set a public hearing for March 3 to most likely increase sanitary sewer user fees. The fee will not be increased by more than 10 percent, according to the resolution that passed unanimously. On March 3, people can speak for or against both calling waste water treatment bonds for early payment and increasing charges for sanitary sewer service by up to 10 percent. The reason for both is to maintain parity in the sanitary sewer fund.

The city’s financial adviser is figuring how paying off bonds early would effect the amount the fee would increase, City Attorney and Interim City Manager Randy DeGeest said.

The OACDG’s list of events for 2008 was unanimously approved. The list includes: Art on the Square, on June 14; Sweet Corn Serenade and Craft Show, on July 31; Trick or Treat Parade, on Oct. 30; and the 21st Annual Lighted Christmas Parade, on Dec. 4-5. The dates for Friday After 5 are June 6, 13, 20 and 27.

The council unanimously approved a resolution for the Greenview Addition Paving Project and the I and M Paving Project. The improvements will be paid by special assessments. The projects stem flooding due to last year’s heavy rainfall.

Council Member Jimmy Carter said people will have the opportunity to come before the council and object assessments for the project.

The council unanimously approved paying DeGeest an additional $1,000 for work in January as interim city manager. Work on hiring a new city manager and budget meetings caused DeGeest to work 64 hours as city manager in January compared to 38 hours in December, according to a memorandum from DeGeest. Originally, DeGeest agreed to be paid $1,000 per month to work approximately 8 to 10 hours per week.

The council unanimously approved a resolution to set a public hearing for March 3 to set the tax levy at $14.35 per $1,000 assessed valuation. After the Council approves a $3 million bond issue, the rate would increase to $15.285 per $1,000 assessed valuation.

The council unanimously approved tax abatements for several properties. Carter said he wanted to discuss changing the abatement period from five to three years. The Finance Committee will look at the question in the future.