At its first meeting in 2025, the City Council of Webster City made a number of important appointments and passed several annual resolutions to ensure it’s ready to do the people’s business in 2025. The appointments and resolutions are standard operating procedures enacted at the start of every calendar year. Here’s a summary:

— City Manager John Harrenstein was appointed city clerk, replacing Karyl Bonjour.

In practice, Harrenstein will oversee the work of deputy city clerks Elizabeth Ann Smith and Sherry Simmons.

— Zachary Chizek, of local law firm Groves & Chizek, was re-appointed city attorney.

— Adam Dickinson was appointed representative and John Harrenstein alternative representative to the North Iowa Municipal Electric Cooperative Association. Organized in 1965 to supply electric power and provide long-range electrical service planning to its members, the co-op serves 13 cities across Iowa, including: Milford, Spencer, West Bend, Algona, New Hampton Grundy Center, and Coon Rapids, in addition to Webster City.

— Brian Stroner was again appointed the City of Webster City’s right-to-know coordinator, a duty he’s completed since 1998. In this capacity, he monitors the location of hazardous chemicals, and how they might potentially affect employees or the public. He also makes an annual report to the Region V Hazardous Materials Response Commission in Fort Dodge.

The commission acts as a first responder in hazardous materials emergencies in nine North Central Iowa counties, including Hamilton County.

— Mayor John Hawkins was appointed to the Hamilton County Resource Enhancement Committee. Not to be confused with the Enhance Hamilton County Fund, the Resource Enhancement Committee guides administration of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP), which funds natural resource and cultural projects across the state. It is funded by receipts from gambling, and sale of natural resource license plates. All 99 counties have such committees.

— Brandon Bahrenfuss was appointed representative, and Derrick Drube alternative representative, to the MIDAS Council of Government’s Transportation Advisory Committee, which provides on-call public transit (ie. mini bus) service throughout Hamilton County.

— Councilwoman Megan McFarland will become a member of the Webster City Day Care Board of Directors.

— City Councilman Logan Welch will be the City of Webster City representative on the board of Riverview Day Care Center in Webster City. The board is presently raising funds for a new day care center.

— City Development Director Ariel Bertran will represent Webster City on the Heart of Iowa Local Housing Trust Fund board. The organization oversees grants to support affordable housing in Hamilton and Webster counties.

— The Daily Freeman-Journal was appointed the official newspaper of the City of Webster City. The Code of Iowa requires publication of a variety of notices, including those advising the public of hearings and public meetings. The requirement to publish such notices ensures local government is transparent and accountable for its actions to taxpayers, voters and citizens.

The council also approved the following resolutions:

— Eric McKinley was appointed representative, and Webster City Fire Chief Chuck Stansfield, alternative representative, to the Hamilton County Communication Service Advisory Board. The board manages the county’s E911 service. Hamilton County Communications, based at the County Courthouse, is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dispatchers are trained to answer and respond to calls for emergency medical assistance, and police and fire department assistance across Hamilton County.

— The City Council appointed John Hawkins representative and Chuck Stansfield alternative representative to the Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency. The agency is charged with developing plans, providing training of personnel, and managing response and recovery from tornadoes, flooding, winter weather, hazardous material accidents and acts of terrorism, that might occur in Hamilton County.

— Named Brandon Bahrenfuss representative and John Harrenstein alternative representative, to the Hamilton County Solid Waste Commission. The principal responsibility of the commission is operation of the county’s landfill and waste transfer site near Kamrar.

— Authorized City Finance Director Dodie Wolfgram to manage investment of city funds again in 2025. She is authorized to pay certain bills without direct approval of City Council, including such routine expenses as: postage; payments from Wellmark or Employee Benefit Systems, on behalf of city employees; and sales and use taxes due the State of Iowa. In the case of the city’s payroll, Wolfgram is authorized to make payment, with approval of City Manager John Harrenstein.

— Authorized City Finance Director Wolfgram to issue checks in payment, for grants and projects involving economic development within the City of Webster City, with approval of City Manager Harrenstein.

— Authorized six banks, credit unions and investment authorities as official depositories of city funds. These include: Availa Bank, First State Bank, Webster City Financial Bank, People’s Credit Union, all of Webster City; as well as United Bank of Iowa, Fort Dodge, and the Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust of West Des Moines. The city may not deposit funds in excess of $40 million in any single institution.

— Finally, a schedule of dates and times of regularly scheduled City Council of Webster City meetings in 2025 was approved. As in years past, meetings will be held the first and third Mondays of every month, beginning at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 400 Second Street, Webster City.

No meeting will be held Monday, September 2, 2025, in observance of Labor Day.