Waukee Mayor, Council Member Sworn In; Update on Ori Estate Gift to Library

There was much to-do on the 's agenda Monday night.

In its first meeting of 2012, Mayor Bill Peard and Waukee City Councilman Casey Harvey both took the oath of office.

Peard was re-elected for a four-year term in November. Harvey was re-elected by drawing after he tied with challenger Chris Colter in the same election.

Also at the meeting, Peard appointed his mayor pro-tem and several council members to the city's various boards, commissions and committees. Those appointments are as follows:

Mayor Pro Tem - Shane Blanchard

Council Liaison: Board of Adjustment - Shelly Hughes

Council Liaison: Board of Appeals - Shelly Hughes

Council Liaison: Planning & Zoning - Dan Dutcher
Council Liaison: Park Board - Shane Blanchard
Council Liaison: Library Board of Trustees - Mike Watts
Council Liaison: Utilities - Dan Dutcher
Council Liaison: Chamber of Commerce - Bill Peard, Shane Blanchard
Council Liaison: Central IA Regional Drinking Water Commission - Casey Harvey
Council Liaison: Developers Roundtable - Casey Harvey
Council Liaison: MAC - Casey Harvey
Council Liaison: Dallas Co. Housing Trust - Mike Watts
Council Liaison: Waukee Community School District - Shelly Hughes
City Personnel Committee - Bill Peard
City Personnel Committee - Casey Harvey
City Personnel Committee - Mike Watts
Comprehensive Plan Review Committee (ad hoc) - Shelly Hughes, ad hoc committee
Comprehensive Plan Review Committee (ad hoc) - Dan Dutcher, ad hoc committee
Downtown Design Committee - Bill Peard, ad hoc committee
Downtown Design Committee - Dan Dutcher, ad hoc committee
Parks, Rec, Open Space Master Plan Steering Committee (ad hoc) - Mike Watts, ad hoc committee
Copeland Recreation, Sport Complex Steering Committee (ad hoc) - Shane Blanchard, ad hoc committee
Board of Adjustment - Steve Morain
Park Board - Matt Hackett
Park Board - Robin Spear
Park Board - Brian Harrison
Park Board - Chris Andrews
Planning & Zoning - Mike Nigro
Utilities - Kaushal Kothari
Utilities - Alex Broderick
City Depositories - (under Consent Agenda)
City Attorney - Brick Gentry Law
City Engineer - Veenstra & Kimm
Chief of Police - Larry Phillips
City Health Officer - Keith Rash
Official Publications - Dallas County News, Des Moines Register
WRA Representative - Jeff Kooistra
WRA Alternate - John Gibson
MPO Representatives - Bill Peard, Dan Dutcher
MPO Alternates - Casey Harvey, Jeff Kooistra
MPO TTC Representatives - Jeff Kooistra, Brad Deets
MPO TTC Alternates - John Gibson, Ben Landhauser
Waukee Economic Development Corp. - Bill Peard
Waukee Economic Development Corp. - Jeff Kooistra
Waukee Economic Development Corp. - Shelly Hughes
Waukee Economic Development Corp. - Voting Member Bill Peard
Greater Dallas County Development Alliance Board - Jeff Kooistra

Update on Library Gift from Ori Estate

Also Monday night, Erik Surber, director of the , addressed the council concerning the agreement between the library and the estate of Hiram Ori.

In September, the Waukee Public Library was bequeathed a gift estimated at between $500,000 and $700,000 from Ori's estate. Ori, a former resident of Waukee and Shuler Coal Mine worker, willed the money to the library to build a meeting room in honor of his late parents, Ernest and Casimira Ori.

Surber said the library would soon receive the first of three payments totaling $700,000 in accordance with the agreement. The Waukee City Council approved that agreement Monday night.

A reception is scheduled at the Waukee Public Library to formally acknowledge the gift on Jan. 26.