WELLMAN

Disputes between neighbors once again came to the fore at the Wellman City Council meeting Monday night, as the council held a public hearing for an update to the fence ordinance, which currently requires neighbors to file a written agreement with the County Recorder before placing a fence on a property line.

That atypical requirement is being eliminated, allowing residents to place a fence on the property line without adjoining neighbors’ blessing, so long as the decorative side faces out and easement is provided for any utilities.

However, the updated ordinance may not solve existing problems.

“He’s got a fence post on my lot line. He won’t move it. I can’t mow it,” one resident in attendance said.

But whether he can remove that post without being sued by his neighbor isn’t something the City is empowered to determine.

“We don’t have any jurisdiction over a civil disagreement on where that lot line is, and unfortunately, it’s the landowner’s responsibility to have that surveyed and determined,” council member Nathan Kloosterman said. “We just don’t have any ability to help you with that.”

The council approved the first reading of the updated fence ordinance.

Before heading into closed session permitted by Iowa Code 21.5(1)(i), the council re-approved the loan agreement for the $2.7 million water revenue bond, the interest rate corrected to 3.84%.

The council also approved a quote from CIT Sewer Solutions in the amount of $48,900 for spot improvements of sewer lines. The most critical cracks are to be repaired/replaced.

The Wellman City Council will next meet on Monday, June 16 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.