The Manchester City Council met Monday night, approving a franchise agreement with Maquoketa Valley Rural Electric Cooperative.
The agreement would be similar to the franchise agreements the City has with Alliant Energy and Black Hills Energy. Customers would be charged a three-percent franchise fee based on their electric consumption each month.
Manchester has started to see an increase in development in Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative’s territory along Highway 20/Highway 13, Burrington Road and the new Oakview subdivision. With new customers coming on line, the City says now is the time to implement a franchise agreement.
The City Council also gave their final approval for raising the City’s water, sewer and solid waste rates. The City is in its third year of a six year contract with Kluesner Sanitation and the contract has built-in annual increases. Water rates will increase by 5%, sewer rates by 2% and the solid waste collection cost will go up to $13.25.
And the Council approved the Manchester Police Department’s request to replace their tasers at a cost of $34,000. City Manager Tim Vick explains:
The Council also approved Chief Jim Hauschild’s request to purchase six new rifles for the PD at a cost to the City of $10,000.
The City of Manchester is looking into adding hanging flower baskets to their downtown light poles next spring and summer. City Councilperson Dean Sherman explains:
Sherman says nearly one hundred flower baskets will be hung throughout the downtown up and down Main and Franklin.
The group is hoping to get help from the West Delaware FFA or other volunteer groups to water the flower baskets early each morning – and is still trying to figure out the best equipment to use for that job.
