CEYLON — The Ceylon City Council met on Tuesday evening and designated the following: Acting Mayor- Lon Oelke; Fire Association- Terry Muller; Streets, Parks and Utilities-Wayne Walter; Cemetery- Tiffany Marlin; Ordinances- Judith Perkins; Clerk/Treasurer- Mary Muller; official depository- Portage Bank; and official newspaper- PhotoPress.

City Employees Jim Plumhoff and Nate Beckendorf reported that they cleaned equipment and asked about shutting off water to houses and the fee for that complicated procedure, especially in the winter. Several steps are required and sometimes digging underground is needed. The council discussed the problem and the different reasons an owner may request the shut-off. Some move out, some are condemned. Most of the houses are shut off before the winter frost. There is a fee for an electricity shut-off. The council approved a fee of $200 for water shut-off year-round.

The junk ordinance was discussed and a list of those violations was presented to the council by the city employees. The council discussed the pending actions to be taken and approved contacting the city attorney in hopes that appropriate action can be started as soon as possible. The council may send letters and require a cleanup by a certain date and if not cleaned up the city would like to clean it up and charge the owner in their taxes. The city attorney will be contacted as to what the ordinance says and for legal actions available. The city employee tests for Nate Beckendorf are coming up, and he is ready.

The Fire Department report suggested a chain of command to ensure that furnace, LP and truck maintenance is reported promptly and addressed when needed.

Any building project needs to be brought before the council before the building begins.

The FREA has discussed a small building for Broadband use. The council and the FREA will meet to discuss appropriate and helpful cooperation between them. The council discussed the meetings for work sessions to prepare for the monthly meetings, quarterly meetings and quarterly Town Meetings and would like to start those in March. The townspeople should come to listen to others, bring up ideas and concerns and possible actions in a cooperative way.

The mayor suggested committees to organize what may help the city to become a community. Some of the council felt the regular meetings were the place for the citizens to come and request action, as some have in the past, but they would try the town meeting idea.

In other news:

— The clerk reminded the council that Monday, Jan. 19, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday and the office would be closed.

— There will be a cemetery meeting soon.

— The council approved keeping the pay for council meetings the same as last year and approved the contracts for the year with stipulation that the electrician contract be approved later.

The Ceylon City Council’s next meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the City Hall.