The Hampton City Council met on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at Hampton City Hall for a special meeting and the regularly scheduled meeting. Present were Mayor John Knetter and Council Members Jerry Huddleston, David Luhring, Anthony Verch, and Nick Russell. Also present were Cory Bienfang and Angie Smith of Bolten & Menk, as well as Chris Meyer, City Treasurer, Erik Porten, and as well a full room of Residents.
Special Meeting Called to Order – The purpose of the meeting was to discuss Resolution 2025_(1) setting salaries, fees, licenses, permits, services, schedules, appointments, and annual designations. Mayor Knetter call the meeting to order at 7:00pm
In a recent meeting, the council discussed several important matters related to city operations. Councilmember Huddleston reported that the inflation rate for the first 11 months of 2024 is 2.9%, which would justify a 3% cost of living adjustment for hourly employees. This recommendation was agreed upon by the council members without opposition. Additionally, Knetter suggested raising the fee for water meter installations from $25 to $40, citing the costs involved in replacing meters and accessing homes for installations. This proposal was also accepted.
The council briefly touched on the building room rental fees, with members agreeing that the rate should remain affordable and accessible to citizens. They also acknowledged a change in the IRS mileage reimbursement rate, which would rise from $0.67 to $0.70 in 2025. Chris Meyer informed the group that he had assumed the responsibilities of the water meter reader, a position previously held by a separate city employee, and would continue in this role as Treasurer. The council expressed their appreciation for his willingness to take on the extra duty.
Lastly, the council discussed upcoming appointments, noting that some commissioner terms were set to expire at the end of 2024. After some discussion it was noted that only a few commissioners ended this year. Members mentioned that they were open to helping with different duties as needed and agreed to review and refill these positions. Overall, the meeting focused on addressing wage adjustments, fee changes, and ensuring the smooth continuation of city operations for the upcoming year.
Adjournment - Motion by Luhring, seconded by Russell, to adjourn the special meeting. All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:17 p.m.
Regular Meeting Called to Order – Mayor Knetter called the regular meeting to order at 7:17pm. Present were Mayor Knetter and Councilmembers Jerry Huddleston, David Luhring, Anthony Verch, and Nick Russell.
Disclosure of Interest – None
Approval of December 10th, 2024, Public Hearing and Regular Scheduled Meeting Minutes – Motion by Russell, seconded by Luhring, to approve the December 10, 2024, regular scheduled meeting minutes. All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0.
Approval of Disbursements - Motion by Luhring, seconded by Russell, to approve the January disbursements. All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0.
Public Comments: None
Petitions, Requests, and Communications: Eric Porten addresses the Hampton City Council to express concerns about a potential development, focusing on issues of transparency, public data, and Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) signed by city staff. He clarifies that his goal is not to be confrontational but to provide information that could help the council make informed decisions about the project. Porten emphasizes that he has documentation supporting his concerns, which he intends to share with the council.
While Porten acknowledges that development is inevitable as the city grows, and he has no issue with Ryan Finnegan’s desire to sell his land for development, he questions whether the proposed data center aligns with the vision outlined in the city’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan.
One of Porten’s primary concerns is the handling of NDAs. He points out that Bolten & Menk, the engineering firm working with the city, is considered an extension of city staff, meaning that any documents they generate are subject to public records laws. Despite earlier statements by the council that no NDAs had been signed, Porten provides evidence that an NDA was signed by the city engineer. He believes this could potentially circumvent open meeting laws and hinder transparency.
Porten also raises concerns about the involvement of multiple developers, including Oppidan and Cogency Global, which has created confusion about who is leading the project. He urges the council to seek clarity on how these developers are connected and which one is ultimately responsible for the development.
In addition, Porten highlights concerns about the city’s wastewater treatment capacity. He notes that the city’s facility has a wet weather capacity of 101,000 gallons per day but a dry weather capacity of only 80,800 gallons. With the proposed development potentially increasing water usage, he questions whether the city’s infrastructure can handle the added demand without exceeding capacity.
Porten concludes by suggesting that future public meetings hosted by Bolten & Menk should allow for a format where the public can ask questions and hear answers directly from the engineers. He encourages the council to thoroughly investigate these concerns before making any decisions, as many residents are uneasy about the development. He offers to answer any further questions and thanks the council for their time. The council responds by thanking him for his presentation.
Ordinances and Resolutions:
Resolution 2025 __(01) Setting salaries, fees, licenses, and permits, changes for services, schedules, appointments, and annual designations – Motion by Huddleston, baseline being 24 and changes would be hourly wages would increase by 3%, meter reader would increase to $28.62 to match Treasurer, meter install goes from $25.00 to $40.00, and the mileage fee for IRS reimbursement rate goes from $0.67 to $0.70 per mile. Seconded by Verch to approve Resolution 2025_(01). All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0.
Reports of Officers, Boards, and Committees:
Engineer Report – Brad Fisher was not at the meeting and Cory Bienfang had nothing to report.
Water / Sewer Report – Moving along nicely, there was a repair in the pump house, the heater went out. Nothing else to report.
Park Report – Continuing to flood the ice rink and was informed about graffiti on the pavilion, will do some investigating and get that removed ASAP.
Street Report – Nothing to report
Unfinished Business:
Engine Brake Ordinance – Tabled until the next meeting.
New Business: None
Adjournment - Motion by Luhring, seconded by Verch, to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Kelly Roan