TAMA – At the June 19 Tama City Council meeting, it was approved to move around the city’s accounts at the Lincoln Savings Bank. The city’s money will remain at Lincoln Savings Bank, but change accounts for an improved interest rate. The city’s money is currently earning a little less than 1% interest, but in the new account will earn around 4%. This new program also brings with it a new program called sweeping. This means that every night some of the city’s money will be “swept” out of the Tama Lincoln Savings Bank into other branches so that all the money can be FDIC insured.

The council also approved making Toledo City attorney Michael Marquess the interim Tama City attorney while the search is on for someone to take the position permanently.

No real updates were heard about the status of the Lincoln Highway Bridge as the main man who has to do the final testing for the bridge has been on vacation. However, a payment of $49,000 was approved for the work that has been done thus far.

EMS talked to the council about wanting to buy a Life Pack 15. A Life Pack 15 does a variety of tasks from defibrillation to checking patients’ levels. Both of the Tama ambulances have a working Life Pack 15, but if one would break or stop working, Tama would be down an ambulance. EMS stated that this purchase is precautionary, with a $26,000 price for a used and refurbished Life Pack from the company compared to a brand-new pack that runs about $40,000. The council tabled this subject as this purchase is not an already budgeted item.

The Tama Police Department received 476 calls between May 1 and June 19, including two deaths, two high-speed chases, one incident of identity theft, and a whopping 90 moving violations, among others.

The council got an update on an American Legion scavenger hunt.

The closure of 4th Street on July 1st was approved for a family event.

The council approved a resolution for raises to be effective June 24th.

For a thousand dollars, it was approved for the city to get a tablet for the Water Sewer department. The purchase of this tablet would streamline work orders and help employees work easier.

The council accepted the resignation of Deb Hanus from the Library Board and approved Lisa Crouch as her replacement.

The fire department currently has a pumper out getting a new tank. The Tama city clerk has received a $10,000 grant for a water department generator.

Waste Water found and replaced a broken valve.

The Public Works department has a new shed going up.