The third reading of the airport ordinance passed without any comments from the audience and only one comment from a member of the City Council.

At Oskaloosa’s City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, Council Member Jimmy Carter stated his views on the ordinance.

“The people’s vote is being overturned here,” Carter said.

The vote to remove the requirement for local control of the municipal airport passed by a 4-to-3 vote. The requirement had been placed in Oskaloosa’s City Code by a 2005 referendum. The referendum had blocked regional airport planning.

The council also approved a resolution in support of Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation. The resolution recognizes the time and effort that has gone into the creation and operation of the recreation trail. The resolution also pledges the city’s commitment to the ongoing development and expansion of the trail and the endeavor to maximize the use of the trail for all recreational uses consistent with concerns for public safety and orderly use of the trail. The council unanimously approved the resolution.

The council also passed the third reading for an ordinance to establish no parking in the bike lanes on South H Street. Council Member Aaron Ver Steeg opposed the ordinance in a 6-to-1 vote. He argued that the lanes are taking parking from residents and ought to be removed in favor of extending the recreation trail. Council Member Pam Blomgren said the extension of the trail should be extended before a decision to remove bike lanes, and also said that bike lanes will become more important in the future.

The council also set the preliminary assessments for the North I Street and M Avenue West paving project. The property owners in the area are planned to be assessed a total of $213,415. The total cost of the project is expected to be approximately $1.6 million.

The council unanimously passed resolutions fixing the values of the lots and adopting preliminary assessment plats and schedules for North I Street and M Avenue West. After public hearings in which the property owners will have the opportunity to bring the council a petition, the council will have to pass a resolution of necessity to begin the project.

In other action, the council unanimously approved:

• A request for this year’s CROP Walk route from the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds to the recreation trail and then to Edmundson Park. The walk is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 12.

• A request for a $55 reduction to a sanitary sewer bill. The increase had been because an outside faucet was accidentally left running.

• A request for no parking on the south side of Parkview Lane.

• The third reading of an ordinance changing how the city assesses charges for weed cutting. The new ordinance adds April 15 as a month by which grass and weeds must be cut and also gives the city the option to cut grass and weeds seven days after notifying the property owner.

• The second reading of an ordinance increasing the amount of bus parking by Webster School on Fifth Avenue East. The ordinance does not allow parents to use the bus drop off. The council also waived the third reading of the ordinance.

• The third reading to approve selling the alley adjacent to 209 N. Market St. to the Central United Methodist Church for $1,980.