City of Marengo agrees to update Code

MARENGO — The Marengo City Council agreed Feb. 11 to have a company codify its City Code to comply with state law and to provide a searchable, digital copy of the Code online.

Marengo Police Chief Ben Gray presented a proposal from Simmering-Cory Iowa Codification, a private firm that specializes in assisting local governments in Iowa with their codification needs.

“I think it will help us clean up some stuff,” said Gray.

For a $5,900 base fee, Iowa Codification will review Marengo’s current Code and identify questions, suggestions for changes and needed legislative changes. The firm will incorporate legislative changes from the past 17 years into the city’s code, print one new paper copy for the city and provide a digital version.

The cost can be split over two fiscal years.

The proposal does not include adding the City’s Zoning Code to the Code of Ordinances. The City currently keeps its zoning code separate.

The city can add Zoning Code for an additional cost.

Marengo will also have the opportunity to make the online Code more user-friendly, said Gray. Currently the Code on the city’s website is not searchable.

For $1,200, Iowa Codification would set up a digital, searchable City Code and maintain it in a searchable format for $450 a year.

The city could pay for initial setup using capital expenditures, and the yearly fee could come out of the city’s software funds, said City Administrator Ellen O’Rourke.

According to Jennifer Movall of Iowa Codification, the city’s code hasn’t been fully updated since 2006. The last ordinance the company codified was approved June 23, 2008, she said in an email to Gray.

“These are changes that are needed to keep the City’s code in compliance with the Code of Iowa,” said Movall.