The Ava City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, July 13.
The council members heard a complaint about a city employee during the public comments portion of the meeting.
Steve Goehl of D.A. Davidson Co. Quantitative Group spoke to the council about re-funding the bonds for a sewer project.
Goehl said that the bonds were originally bonded in 2003, and each year his company examines the interest rates that the city is being charged and determines whether it would make financial sense to, in essence, re-finance them.
He said this year is the first year that he would recommend re-bonding. He said the city will save at least 3 percent, or a total of $90,000 for the life of the bonds.
Janice Lorrain, director of planning and development, said that the city will essentially be paying back the old bonds and taking out new ones to take advantage of lower interest rates.
The council voted to re-bond the bonds so long as the savings stays above 3 percent.
The city recently received a rating from Insurance Services Office, Inc., about their building codes.
Lorrain said the main concerns with the rating was that the city does not have any residential plan review process, and a lack of training and certification.
She said that the city has several items that they are working on before the next review, which will be in five years or when the city requests a review.
Lorrain said that concerning the water project, two of the contractors are close to completing their parts.
She said that the city is still encouraging the contractors to clean up as they work.
Some work is beginning to start at the new water tower site.
Mayor Leon Harris told the council that he recently spoke to Randy Kauffman, who was offered a waste-water treatment plant operator position and declined it.
Harris said that Kauffman said he would like to be re-considered for the position.
Council members present were Billy Long, Ric Engelhardt, Burrely Loftin and Judy Lovan.
The next regular council meeting will be Tuesday, July 27 at 5 p.m. in City Hall.
