Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

All right, let's call to order the special meeting of this board of alderman for Thursday, May the 7th. We'll begin with the pledge of allegiance. Take your time. Take your time. All right, let's go for a roll call. Alderman Lang here. Alderman Brightchef here. Alderman Westbrook. Alderman Rogers here. Alderwoman Hills here. Alderman Mazerang

here. Alderwoman Jokers here. Alderman Harolds excused. Seven for the quorum.

All right. Thank you. Uh this meeting has been called uh to consider resolution 2603. This is a resolution of the city of Fenton uh reaffirming its opposition to and urging senators and representatives of Missouri general assemblies to oppose amending the residency requirement for mayors of certain cities including uh specialty Senate committee sub specifically Senate subcommittee substitute to House Bill number 3000. From what I understand, um, if you recall, we sent a resolution prior, uh, opposing this. From what I understand, they have taken this, uh, and added it on to another bill in the House or the Senate. And, uh, we just want to be ahead of this, uh, letting them know that we still oppose this. Um what I heard in Jeff City when we were up there is the reason for this is outstate meaning those cities in between you know say Missouri and Kansas City they don't have the population they don't have the people and they can't find people that'll get involved in government so why is that our problem I don't have an interest in representing Blackjack Jack Blackjack probably doesn't have an interest in running here, but I think if you initiate a situation like this, you're going to have those characters out there who just may. And I I I just think it's a terrible precedent to set and those outstate communities that don't have the people or have an interest in getting involved in their government, maybe they shouldn't be cities. Yes, sir. So Erin, is this um bill that they're piggybacking on, is it kind of a slam dunk bill or do you know?

Um I'm not sure. I know the person I heard he was worried that it was moving um which at the end is always concerning. Um but it was a House bill substitute that was passed or a Senate committee substitute to the House. It might not I mean it might not. Yeah. Potentials there. Yeah. And this will kind of grab it. The point of this one, we were very specific on the last one. We really are saying this one and then all future so that hopefully this doesn't pass and then we'll still have it. Good.

Are there any like you know like Sorry, I'm just trying to figure out like because then it could be like someone in St. Louis could run for mayor. Is there are It's within a county then a county. So St. Louis is not a part of St. county, right? But again, Calvertton Park, one of us could run up there. There's What interest do any of us have in Well, probably a more likely scenario. You could say have someone say an unincorporated St. Louis County right around us and say, "Well, I'm close enough to Fenton. I want to be mayor." Or is it just mayor or is it just the mayor now?

Right. Yeah. So, I guess the thing with this that I get concerned about is you could get enough people in say unincorporated right around us could get on the board and they could overrule and have Fenton incorporate a big chunk of unincorporated St. Louis County. That's that's where, you know, that's where I think I get concerned at because there's other parts of St. county that are not incorporated and maybe you get enough people that are in those areas that want to be incorporated that the municipalities haven't done it for years for one reason or the other and they might be able to get that overturned. Although it's it's just the mayor. It's not I I it's my understanding.

But you get but you get the mayor and then you've got one on there, right? And then there could be a domino effect that I get concerned about for the future, right? No, I I agree. I I'm not for this. Well, uh, and there is actually in Fenton at least, the mayor is a voting board of the PMZ. So, that does put that one individual from out of the city has quite a bit of influence on our our development. So, yeah. Yeah. But not all communities have eight aldermen. Some communities are much smaller. They have a much smaller board.

If somebody were to get in here somehow, some way, they'd have a lot to gain. This is a very, very favorable place to live. And I mean, we have a lot of businesses and things like that. So, this is a good thing. We need to uh we need who do we need to send this all to? I suggest we send it to our representatives at least. Uh but whoever else I I'd like the municipal league to get a copy of this. Um you know, the St. Louis County Council, the Sam Page, and whoever else. I send it to everybody. I don't care. Governor. Send it to the governor. Okay. Need a motion. Uh, we need a sponsor. Who'd like to be You want to sponsor this?

Sure. All right. Um, so how we handling this? Aaron. Aaron. We doing a two reading. We just have to do one. Okay. Well, you don't have to do any, but would you please consideration or resolution 26-03, a resolution of the city of Fenton, Missouri, reaffirming its opposition to and urging senators and representatives of the Missouri General Assembly to oppose amending the residency requirements for mayors of certain cities, including specifically Senate committee substitute to House Bill number 3000. Well, then I would make a motion to accept this as written. I would do that. Okay. Alman Whisbrock, I would second. We have a motion by Bright Shaff, second by Whisbrock. Do we have further discussion? On uh roll call, please.

Alderman Brit. I. Alderman Whisbrock. I. Alderman Lang. I. Alderman Rogers. Hi. Aldwoman Hills. Hi. Alderman. Alderwoman Joker. Hi. Alderman Mazerang. Hi. Motion carries. Motion to adjurnn. Alderman Lang. Motion to adjurnn. Alderman Hules. I'll second. Motion by Lang. Second by Hules. Further discussion. All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. We'll reconvene at the uh Well, we can do that right now.

So, let's call to order the May 7th regular board of alderman meeting. Once again, we'll begin with the pledge of allegiance. Is anybody left? Nobody's left. We have seven for the quorum.

Thank you. Uh mayor's comments once again, I think uh work is continuing on all the pavilions. Uh I know Mode Native was up uh spraying today above and below the lake. You probably don't know that. And uh Mo Native Yep. Uh doing some other work. and uh the the people responsible for planting said they thought it looked really well. So what they told me today is what looks like cabbage is a cover crop that'll come in that'll start dying off and that gives the native flowers and plants uh ample time to to get up and grow and get protected. So everything according to them looks looks fine. They'll continue to treat the the uh honeysuckle that comes up. So,

fishing derby. Sorry. Fishing derby. Fishing derby this weekend. What? 9:00. Saturday from 9 to 11 at West. 9 to 11. Um, if you don't want to bait a hook, Robin will. No, she won't. So, don't forget the food truck on the 15th. That's right. John Jared will be playing. Yes. Okay, that's all I have. May public comments. No public comments.

No public comments. Nobody in the audience. Nobody on Zoom. We'll move to our committee assignments. First up is police municipal courts. We need an election of a committee chair. Alderman Rogers. Uh, I'd like to make a motion or a nomination that we keep, uh, Alderman Lang as our chairman. Okay, we need a second. Harold Rogers or Jokers? Alderman Jokers? I'll second. We have a motion by Rogers. Second by Joker. We have further discussion. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Congratulations, sir. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I have nothing else this evening.

All right, we're going to move to personnel. We have Lang, Whisbrock, Hules, and Jokers. Alderman Jokers. Um, I would love to nominate Alderman Hules. I hear she has been very involved in participating in all the interviews and whatnot. So, okay. Alderman Lang, I would second press. We have a motion by Alderman Jokers, a second by Alderman Lang. Do we have further discussion? All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Congrats.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, everyone. Um I do have one item this evening which is discussion regarding employee evaluations and this has my name behind it. Um, as some of you on the board know, uh, when I very first came, we did, uh, merit-based evaluations and then move to a standard either either you either meet the expectations or you don't. And it doesn't have any bearing on how much an employee gets for a raise. That they're pretty they're standard across the board. So I guess my question is is it something that the members of personnel feel like are still beneficial to continue to evaluate an employee

where it's just a kind of a pass or fail that kind of

it's kind of what it is now. I mean Dan has to evaluate all of his employees and maybe it's beneficial to the employee. I don't know. I'm just it just seems as though if someone in February has an issue with their performance, then it's corrected in February, it's not waited until October or November when the evaluations are done. That should be corrected at the moment. And then do you bring that correction back up? If they've if they've been corrected in February, that correction has been made. They're no longer doing that task. Do you put it on an evaluation in November?

I I think it still needs to be acknowledged for if 3 years from then they're just like, "Oh, you something else happens and then they have to correct that." I mean, I think it's it's important to know the history of somebody's employment. I I don't think I think I think you're right. I but I don't think an evaluation is you can still put that that in the personnel jacket. Yeah, that would go in personnel. We're talking about evaluations that come up. You had a you were next. Go ahead.

Well, I was just going to say since I've been here, I I don't remember any of their RA raises uh hindered on their evaluation. So, it was just across the board race. So in my mind, I try to put myself in both circumstances as a supervisor and think I got to do this. I got to evaluate everybody and and so I'm thinking for 12 months, you know, without looking at a packet. Then I put myself in the employees shoes and that, you know, I might get a little nervous and think, okay, I'm going to get evaluated. Am I are they going to fire me or are they going to give me a raise or what? So, if it's not necessary in my mind, I I just think it's outdated and we don't need it anymore.

I kind of I tend to agree. I um you know, I think it's a lot I believe would have to believe it's a fairly large burden on our managers to have to do this on all the employees, especially Dan with lots of public works, you know, people. Um I don't know that it's if we're not basing on pay raises are based on this. I don't know that it's really a benefit in our employment ultimately.

The only thing I have I think they can be valuable. Um but it really depends on how much is stressed by the supervisor. I mean it can be something that really helps an employee and helps a supervisor. It can help a a relationship um gain some trust, but if it's only done because it has to be done, then there's there's no reason to do it. If it's done for a purpose, I think it can be valuable. And I'm not saying that this is the case here at all. I'm just using this as a example. It can also be subjective. If someone has an issue with an employee, they can evaluate them and that evaluation could be subjected to how they feel about that employee and not a true reflection. And I've seen that. Go ahead. The employee is done.

But that anything we do is always subjective. There's always an objective. There's always a subjective. it doesn't it's that will always be the case. I will say that uh as an employee that does get evaluated to have just across the board raises based on you know you passed or failed it kind of sucks because I work my ass off and I see everybody else on their phone and I get the same race. Um, I think I've mentioned this before. Um, my family's been involved in hiring large staffs, 300 people or more on staff. And a lot of times these evaluations, it's not the best way to motivate somebody. Um, they would we do things and this may not be applicable, but things like um attendance. If you have a perfect attendance for so many weeks uh in a row, you would either get a prize or your name would be entered into a raffle or something. It would be motivation outside of just some subjective evaluation. Those are sort of metrics that you put in place if you are on time every day that late something like that. But um it does it is effective. So I don't know if

and that would get rid of the subjective. Yeah, exactly. It would be they they have proof of that person showing up every day, right? So,

and again, I think in lie of an evaluation, you know, you keep track of that anyway. Um, so this is something that that I've been I mean, in years past, we had to do it in order to give raises. We've kind of gotten away from that. And first of all, I I and I still have to do them, but to me, they they're not effective that it was just write something down just to get it out of your hair, you know. But I've kind of learned now to to use my I put put it on instead of paper, I put it on my phone. So, here's what I think evaluations do. They often damage morale. They encourage short-term behavior. managers are frequently inconsistent with their evaluations. And I have to tell you, I've seen that. Not so much with the people I work with today, but in the past, I I have. I just have to be honest when I say that.

Um, annual reviews, as we talked about earlier, they're outdated. You know, you still have the ability if somebody messes up, they're still a good employee. It can still go in their job jacket. And I think that's important. um especially for down the road if you have a situation where you know things are happening too frequently let's go back and look and you can you can use that um they certainly create anxiety instead of growth with employees I mean we've been told that on numerous occasions um they oversimplify human performance you know we're we're throwing things at them the farm that we have there's things in there I I just go this this isn't even applicable. This needs to just go away. Um they consume significant time. You know, Dan has upwards of 10 12 people at times to to do. And I'm going to tell you, you have to sit there and write it out and hopefully you have notes on on people or put stuff in the jacket that you have to go back. Um they hurt collaboration. uh feedback should be continuous which means to me that okay if Susan Susan you're messing up I got to tell you now I got to tell you again you have to keep that up so at the end of the year when your evaluation time comes we throw it all on you at once you know that doesn't seem quite fair um and you just mentioned something you're a high performers already know they know ahead of you know, so those are kind of some of the things that I've highlighted and I I think I think we can accomplish the same thing. I think there's too many negatives about it. Just just eliminate it. It's time consuming. It's those are my comments.

Yes, I was going to just say one more comment. Um supervisors typically evaluate on on a daily basis um you know how how jobs are performed or whether they showed up on time or all that stuff. And then whatever um whatever would happened goes in the packet. So it's all it's all documented there anyway. You don't have to try to think back. You know what happened in February. Oh, okay. And and then the one other thing that I'm sure comes into a lot of it is friendships. You know, you got a good rapport with somebody, you're not going to throw them under the bus, you know. So there's a lot of that in there, too. So, some of it I think may not be um genuine might be a good word. I'm not accusing anybody of anything, but I'm just saying there there's some feelings there too where you might not get the the exact answer that that is appropriate.

Yeah. Yeah. On that point, I think it's pretty obvious. I I think um we had an example last year, I'm sure everyone remembers, where a supervisor noticed employee underperforming. So it it's obvious they they notice and it's brought to the the board's attention. So um I think they kind of evaluate them on a daily basis. So So nuts and bolts though. So nuts and bolts. What is the purpose of the evaluations for the city of Fenton? It used to be that's how you got paid. That's how you got your raise. And now we've just been given So now it's just a bunch of paper collecting. Is that correct? And what what are the downfalls to not doing evaluations? I

I don't see any. That's what I'm trying to say. I think we're trying to make improvements. Again, I read all the the stuff that I had highlighted. It it it really creates a morale problem, you know, but it doesn't we don't it's not used for any any purpose. I mean, I've heard I've heard not from Nikki or Jane or anybody, but I've heard from others who who have said, you know, this this is time consuming and sometimes, you know, it's just just write it down to get it done.

And so, Nikki, what do you feel like as as someone that has to do these, right? I mean, I I will agree with the statement of now it's either pass or fail. Well, every day you either pass or fail. You're either doing your job or you're not doing your job. Um because the purpose in the past was to show, you know, if you had some that went above and beyond when we looked at merit raises and we looked at percentages um where, you know, you had people who exceeded or just met, you know, the base to go. But that's by the wayside. Now it's across the board. Um either way with the raises. So that's not taken into consideration anymore. Um time consumption. I will tell you that because it has gone to that as an evaluator and as where basically if they meet you don't have to put anything down. So we just simply go through them and say yep you've met it for this year because again if there's deficiencies they've been addressed before that.

Did you want a motion? It says discussion but did you want a motion? I think yeah, I would make Okay, I'm going to make a motion to forward to the board meeting. Okay, we need a second. Alderman Lang, a second. We have a motion by Huels. A second by Lang. What did you need, Nikki? Manual. I'm sorry. We're most likely going to have to amend the personnel manual, so it'll have to be by ordinance, but we can work on that in the meantime. Right. Thank you. Okay. So, we have a motion forwarding the idea to the board to eliminate the evaluation. So, so basically we're foring to eliminate that month. Yes. Yeah. Fuels and Lang. Who else is on that committee?

Whisbrock, Joker, Lang. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. That's all I have this evening. Thank you, ma'am. Community development and affairs. We have Bright Shaft, Harold Rogers, and Maserang. I'd like to nominate uh uh Alderman Rogers as the chair for All right, we need a second. Alderman Brit. I would second. Motion by Maserang, second by Bright Shaft. Further discussion. All in favor? Opposed? Congratulations, sir. Thank you.

All right. You have nothing. We're going to move then to capital improvements. Brit, Herald, Hules, and Mazerang. Alderman Brit. I'd like to make a motion to um bring back Alderman Mazerang as our chairperson. All right, good choice. We need a second. Hules. Alderman Hules. Second. We have a motion by Bright Shaft, a second by Hules. Further discussion. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Alderman Bright. Alman Mazerang.

All right. Thank you everyone. All right. Tonight we have one item up for discussion. Um I have a a memo prepared by city administrator Nikki Frinkbinder. The city's 2026 capital plan includes a budget of 10,000 for city hall landscaping. Staff requested a bid from Elite Properties and Landscape Construction LLC for the project as under as approved under ordinance 4590 in 2025. The city has a contract with Elite Properties and Landscape Construction LLC for all on call as needed cleanup services related to city-owned properties. Per the contract, any service quote that exceeds 5,000 requires the board consent. At this time, staff is requesting approval of attached quote for 6825 for the project and as further described in the attached. Anyone have any questions? Susan,

I do. I feel like we are we re are we landscaping a different area or are we rellandscaping? So, if you go out and look, there are various areas that need to be recon. No, there are pictures on in your I know back, but it also showed the front with where the flag pole like we just did that they're all they're doing is they're just going to be doing spade edging. Um the way it has infilled through time the mowers they just ran over them today. They take out the landscaping as they run over them. Um it needs to be re-edged. That's all they're doing in that area. It's not actual landscaping touchup work. But then the plants underneath the plants underneath the window

those Yes. Um those get so tall that they grow over the windows in front of community development. So they're just going to be replaced with black eyed sus. They're not pretty. No. Were the Okay. I was just like it's just a few

they're going to dig in. This is going to include digging in the down spouts as well. Well, the big portion of this program is removing the patio in the back that has been torn up by mostly um chipmunks. I would say it's going to be chipmunks and moles. That patio's been there for as long as I can remember since before I started here. It needs to be removed. We're just going to turn it to a sawed area, make it for easy maintenance. Um a big portion of this is also burying the down spouts. If you go and walk around the building, you can see where they've been hit by cars, stepped on, um crushed. Those are brand new gutters that haven't even been installed for 6 months. Um they're hit by the landscapers. They're hit are you know the mowing company. They're hit by the boys are in their vehicles. Um it's to get those buried underground to where they'll they'll distribute out to the parking lot. Um in the back we had nothing but um along the back side of that building. They've since been removed is burning bushes which have been deemed invasive. Those have all been removed and in lie of going back and putting additional landscaping back there. It's just regrading and residing.

You decide to take that tree down in the back. Yes, we will take that. I'm going to have STL that was noted in there that that'll be done by a separate company. Love trees. Do we have to? This one This one's right next to the building still. Do we have to? Well, it's I I know, but it probably shouldn't. Yeah. Any further questions? Right. So, when we dig in the the uh downspouts and we put the exit out, are we going to put like a steel pipe in at the end so that when the Moore runs it over, it doesn't crush the plastic pipe down? They're going to curb cut it in. They're going to curb cut them. Okay. Daylight out of the curb, I guess. Yes.

But still, you could put a box box steel pipe in because when I just looking at the future, right? So if we do some of those things where we put it into it's designed to be run over by a mo or a car. Gotcha. Okay. So I think if you curb cut it and somebody drives over the curb and has the wheel on the grass side of the curb and they run the thing over. The steel's just Nikki. It goes over where they curb cut it. I can have them add those.

It just it's just a protective sleeve on the on the on the pipe. One one issue I see with that though is on the on those days when the weather's and now you're introducing water out there and then it could freeze and cause you some cause you some it's already running into they they've got yeah it's going to run there either way but yeah any further questions I'd make a motion that we go with elite is that is elite right elite for 6825 all right alman shaft I would second. We have a motion by Mazarang, second by Bryce. We need We need a final on that. You want to open this up? Is this a final? I'll make it a final.

Open it. We have to open it up to the full board. I'll resend. Okay. I'll resend. I'll make a motion to open up to the full board. Okay. One second. Okay. We have a motion by Maserang, second by uh Bright Shaft to open to the full board. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. All right. Now I'm making a motion to go with elite properties for 6825 as a final and that's a final alman shaft. I would second again motion by mazang second by bright shaft. Further discussion all in favor. Motion carries. That's it. We're going to move to public works forestry. We have Britshock Rogers and Mazerang. Alderman Whisbrock.

I would nominate uh Alderman Britsh. All right, we need a second. Alman Rogers. I'll second. We have a motion by Whis Brock, second by Rogers. Further discussion. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Thank you so much. I was worried.

Okay. Um, since I'm now the chairman, I will go on with the public work and forestry this evening. Consideration of a quote for a park restroom cleaning services is a memo from Nikki dated 429 of 2026. Um, I don't know if if you've all had a chance to read this. I won't read the whole thing, but uh, recently the company that provided the city's park restroom cleaning services for a portion of the season last year reached out to staff to see if they would be interested in the services again, excuse me, again. And um they're quoting $3,700 a month for all of the restrooms and all of the parks, right, Nikki? And is that a five

but everything but the Fenton Sports Complex because that's not used. just not locked up or open daily on the weekends is clean. Is that five days a week or seven days a week? Seven days a week. Okay. So, um the one thing that I saw on here said that we will still have to have our guys come out on weekends and that will not be um all that they're going to do is pick up trash and set up and take down events for rentals for the rentals. So, they won't be doing any bathroom cleaning. Okay. So, it will reduce the overtime on the weekends. Uh, will my

and I know it was qu I've been questioned about what the cost of for an employee. Um, Dan is online and can address this better, but the numbers that we've come up with would be about in salaries plus benefits, not including gas used, other things that you would add on because remember they are using we're still providing the toilet paper, we're still providing the soap to the company. um is that with our employees, you're looking at approximately I think Dan came up with 3,000 a month is about what it costs to use our employees with salary and benefits. That seems do what? That seems low.

It's for about It's based on about three hours per day. There's times it takes longer depending on what they run into. We're just having to base it on an average. Sometimes you have higher paid employees doing it, sometimes you have lower paid employees doing it. So there's no specific number, but an average that he came up with was around 3,000 a month. Again, not including gas and um other tools that are utilized during that time for the cleaning.

Plus, uh not only that's just a pure dollar value assigned to the labor and and them, but the they could be doing other things. So we are kind of having trouble staffing these positions anyway. So this I I think brings in more capability to the city. I think we let the public works do other things instead of cleaning bathrooms. In addition, I kind of felt like the bathrooms were cleaner. Speak real loud into there.

I felt like the bathrooms were cleaner. Um you have public works people generally guys who they just I don't think that cleaning is their priority. Maybe that's the way to put it where if I don't want you to change the oil in my car. Hang on a second. But you know, but there there are some people that clean, but in general, this is a company that that is what they do. I agree. So, you know, every time I talk to Whisper Brock, he's cleaning.

Well, he is more than welcome. We will pay you $3,700 a month to clean all the bathrooms if you like. But I'm just saying in general, I think the public works employees, it's not their passion. I will take Mazerang and I will learn him how to do it. So, I think that we will have nicer rep as a result. Do we have any idea why they bumped I mean I everything's going up. I get it. But did they give us any specifics why they bumped it by 400 bucks? They did not. 335 bucks. I mean it's not 10%.

Maybe they realized what a tour actually I don't think they did as many. Did they? They did. They only did it for a few months though last year. It wasn't dedicated for we didn't start their service till what? July. I believe it was late. It was later in the season.

It was a very short contract. So, this comments to Dan. You know, I when our uh when our employees clean the bathrooms and we have some guests that have some spirited activities that go on in there, um I just want to make sure that this company's reporting back so that Dan or city of Fenton finds out about some of those things so maybe we can look at cameras or whatever else if there's some spirited activities that go on in those restrooms because they tend to get tore up. Not all the time, but there's some instances that go on.

So, as stated that there would still be a reason for our guys to go do trash. Our guys would still go around and I'm sorry, our crew would still go around and unlock the bathrooms. Uh, do a quick check inside, make sure there's not a major disaster or spirited activities that took place. Um, but you know, this is a benefit for us right now being short staffed uh to I think what was stated to allow the public works employees to focus their attention on other items at this point.

So, okay, go ahead, Robert. And they'd still have to come in to hang the tags for the rentals and make sure that the pavilions are cleaned up and that the tables are put back together. So if there's a Saturday rental, they have to get it ready for a Saturday. And then if there's a Sunday rental, it'll have to be turned over for Sunday. So there still will be a need for employees to come in on the weekends. Well, not just that, but to we are relying on another company to clean our bathroom. So we do need somebody to kind of inspect. Yes, they're doing a good job. No, they're not.

Yeah, we need to give a performance evaluation. And that is that is performed on a daily basis by multiple people within the staff. You know, they stop in to use a restroom somewhere. It gets reported back, you know, on if they missed something. You know, I had good communication with I can't remember his name now with the cleaning company uh last year a couple concerns. They were immediately addressed. Um, and it it it was a huge benefit for us considering our staffing levels at at this point.

So Dan, um, do we do we request this company to clean at the beginning of the day, the end of the day, the middle of the day, or what's best? Um, I believe last year they did it primarily during the the early parts of the day. Uh, I think it states in the contract that they do it in the evenings, but I I believe majority of time last year they did it during during the morning hours. So, it is clean for the day and then correct happens at the end of the day, you take care of it the next morning.

And and please understand, you know, once they're done, they're gone. If if we get a report of something or we notice something, we we will address it. You know, we don't call them back in. uh we address, you know, there's spirited activities that can happen throughout the day after they're gone that we would still have to address, but it it just happens. It's not a it's not an everyday occurrence.

Well, um I was I was going to take this a step further, but you might have just answered my question. I thought since we're taking another thing away from public works and we're still advertising for maintenance workers needed or are we should we still be advertising for more workers if we're that that's going to be on next week's discussion. Oh, okay. That and I might have got out of line bringing that up here, but it's just a thought process. Okay. Any other discussion on this? And um we need a motion to forward this to the board meeting. Yep. Okay. I'd make that motion. We I'll bring it up at the end of month of the board meeting. Alderman Mazar.

I'll second. So we have a motion by Bright Shaff, second by Mazerang. We have further discussion. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries.

And the next thing I have to say, Mr. Mayor, is um a discussion regarding the estimate for exterior electrical work at city hall. Um, and this comes from a me memo from Nikki. Um, over the last few lighting ceremonies, evidently there's been some glitches with uh exterior electrical connections for the decorations and other things. Um, so the staff is requesting an an on call as needed. Contractor Bates to review the outlets and see what um they can come up with for a fix and they have an estimate of 6650, which includes boring under the sidewalks, which we all know gets expensive. Um, so they were out here and looked at it. Um, and we obviously have to get it fixed. Uh, first off, I would say what what were the deficiencies? What did they find? It was pipes deteriorated or boxes broken or what? Do you know what they found?

Um, I wasn't in direct contact with them, but yes, I mean the the the wiring needs to be replaced. The unit the the extensions need to be replaced. the the the indoor extension cords need to be replaced with uh uh what how should I put it conduits well conduit and uh should be according to code

so and and talking about this though is that um I the the statement of you know that we would need to do this I don't know that we need to do this I guess the question to the board is it beneficial to do it so these two lighting um areas are the islands that are in front of city hall when you first walk out to to the left and to the right um is what we're going to be creating that. So, we do do landscape or we do decorations out there every year. Um as you know, the elves have gotten a little overzealous the last few years um with their decorations and other things. Um but I guess the question to the board is is it this cost worth having those two islands up and running or just to have them look at just taking these offline? I I kind of am un like one if I heard correctly running an indoor like even I know you can't do that so I don't know who did that but they need to be talked to. Um but two um use solar lights on the island. You know you don't need to pay $6,000 to run an electric outlet over there. Just maybe use solar lights or Right.

But it's to put plug stuff in too, right? No, but instead of running an electric conduit out there so that you can plug the lights in, you use solar lights. You just kind of prop the little solar thing out there and collects the light and runs the lights all night long. Well, I think it was the Christmas decorations though. I mean, don't we have different decorations and stuff that are not not so much just like landscape lighting? This is light up. No, this is No, no, I'm there are solar powered Christmas lights that I'm I'm kind of not for spending money so that we can just decorate for Christmas on these two islands,

right? But I think if we choose not to do the if we choose to go down the road and not do the work, then I think we also need to discuss at the same point in time not doing the lighting ceremony because if you have solar lights, it's going to be tough to get those to turn on or turn the

islands. Well, so I think if you re if you repipe, I guess the way that I was thinking about this is if you have them put something in, you could have them put a master switch in. So when you plug everything in, you flip the switch on and everything lights up and goes. But if the if the electrical is not in very good shape, then we either need to fix it or abandon it because we could have another electrical issue, electrical fire or whatever else if it's in bad shape out on the islands that we're only talking about electric to the building,

right? To the islands, right? That's all we're talking about. So I do not see where you go from we can't have Christmas decorations on the islands then screw the whole Christmas party. That's do you want to

if I may say the the Susan I hear you whatever you say whoever put the whatever outlets in that are in there currently that happens oh my gosh 25 plus years ago um those outlets also feed some of the decorations that are in front of the building not just the islands uh this would address that issue also. Um I mean I'm neither here nor there as far as the islands being lit up, but you know, if we're going to continue on with the uh with the lighting ceremony, yes, I mean solar power, those are awesome. I I I use them at my house. Um but I'm also not doing a lighting ceremony in November to light up city hall. But the the electrical would address what we put out in front of the buildings. You know, it's it's half and half for the most part, but it would address the island issue. Also,

I think the big cost being the boring for the my understanding the big cost is the boring. So, there's still electrical work we need to have done. We need to have where the candy cane is lit up. Yes. Where the candy cane is lit up. And there's other things. It's not just the island, but you'll see. No, it's not. This is not just that minor. The big thing is the boring where the boring I apologize. I probably kind of lost track on that. The big cost of this is the boring at the 6650 um sorry or sorry for the 4650 for the boring. That's what it's going to take to get the new conduit back to those islands. So, did the conduit collapse?

What did it it like I said the wiring that's in there? Um I'll agree with the mayor. This this is not per code. I mean straight up it it is not. None of it. Um it was put in gosh I mean I was still working in maintenance whenever that was put in cuz there's no way you because we didn't we didn't experience major issues until this year with it.

Um everything was functioning good until this year and we noticed that when it rains it was shortening out the uh and and the the GFIs were doing their job. They were they were shutting it down. Um we had to clean it out, dry it out, get it ready for the lighting ceremony. Um had issues with it all year. This is the first year we had these major issues. That's why this issue is coming up now. Um and it needs to be co-compliant. I mean it it's if we're going to continue on with what we're doing with the operation, we do need to be co-compliant with it.

To me, this is just a safety issue. I mean that you don't mess around with electric. If if you're going to have electric out there and there's other issues around the building, all that. I mean, we we have to have electrical outlet. We have to if we're going to do it, we might as well do it right. We don't want to risk some employee or citizen or something getting a shock or electrocuted or something. Just let's just do it and do it right and get it up to code. No, absolutely. But yeah, this made it sound it was just for the islands. Oh, no, no, no, no. This is this is more for the all the exterior.

That's what I needed to hear. accessory line and they're going to be they're he's going to put them to where they're not run over anymore. They'll be in a box per code in the ground so they can cut not hit it with moors and stuff like that. So, so my my comment is I I sort of agree with Susan as far as the the sticker shock. a lot of money for two islands basically. But um if we were to decide not to do it, then we're still gonna have to pay somebody in here to get all that out and make it go away because it's not safe the way it is or we who knows what that could lead to. So Well, and it sounds like it's not just to the two islands. No,

it's going to be reelectrifying the outdoor. The bulk of the cost is for the islands. Yeah, it needs to be done. Yeah. No. If we if we're having someone come out, then we might as well do it. Any other comments? Then at this time, I'd like to make a motion that we forward this to the board meeting at the end of the month. All right. We need Alderman Whisbrock. Second. We have a motion by Bright, second by Whisbrock. Further discussion. Yes, sir. One last thing, and I could probably say this at the end of the month, but if we're going to do any landscaping out there, let's do this first and then the landscaping. Okay. Thank you. That's all. Okay. All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Did you have something?

Waiting for your next. Okay. The uh next is uh committee chair for information services. Alderman Hules. I am going to um ask that Alderman Herald become our chairman still. Alman. All right. Alderman Mazerang. I will second that. So we have a motion by Huels, a second by Mazerang. Do we have further discussion? All in favor? I I did talk to him last night. He is a agreeable to wouldn't have done any good anyways. All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. So, Alderman Hules, since you made that request, would you like to take his item on the agenda? Sure. Thank you. Thank you.

Um, we have one item, consideration request for Canvas software for the city's newsletter and program event marketing. If we have a memo from Jane, uh, Microsoft publisher, which is outdated, I it's been around a long time. um they will be retiring in October and staff is uh asking that Canva, which is an online publishing platform, be used as an alternative. Jane, did you have anything else to add? As the memo states, we'd like to get two licenses, one for city uh administration and one for public works for their marketing of of park events. Anybody doesn't have any questions, I will make a motion to forward this to the board meeting. Need a second. All right.

I would second. We have a motion by Hill, second by Bright Shaft. Further discussion, all in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Okay. Ready? Alderman Hills. Yes. I'd like to make a motion to close the meeting pursuant to section 610.0211, legal actions, cause of actions or litigation. Uh, Alderman Whisbrock. Second. We have a motion by Hills, second by Whisbrock. Further discussion. Roll call, please. Aldwoman Hills. Hi. Alderman Whisbrock. I alderwoman Jokers. Hi. Alderman Mazerang. Hi. Alderman Rogers. Hi. Alderman Brightchef. Hi. Alderman Lang. Hi. Motion carries. You want that

motion to adjourn. I got the second. Got to do that. All in favor. Motion. I'll hang I sitting