City Council - Regular Meeting

under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all

here. John Brackenidge. John Fiser. Yes. Mark Harr here. Roberto here. All right, that takes us to our first public participation with council. We do have one person that wants to speak with us. That's Susan Smith here. I guess we can catch her on the rebound. Okay. Yeah. So, if anybody else This is public participation. If anybody wants to come and speak to us, please come. Another one. Another one. Oh, yeah. I've just got told he's not to be here. Oh, sorry.

That's why. Yeah. U sign in and you have This is five minutes. [clears throat]

All right, that takes us to the consent agenda. Shelly A, motion to approve the minutes of the March 2nd, 2026 regular session. Item B, motion to approve the real of the retail liquor by the drain picnic liquor license for the Cameron Chamber of Commerce for their annual bank being held on April 10th at the Cameron Regional YMCA. Are there any requests to move the items from the consent agenda to the regular agenda for discussion? Okay, I will entertain a motion to pass the consent agenda. So move second.

All those in favor? I all oppose. It passes four or in favor. Zero opposed. That takes us to appointments. We have no appointment. We do have three openings on the park board [cough] [clears throat] on the code board of appeals.

That takes us to the city manager report. Scott,

thank you. Um city hall update. So, the fire suppression vendor is still working on the water into the building for fire suppression and installing that system. Um, Tad reached out and we spoke with some vendors. Uh, we wanted to try to find out if the windows and doors are recealable and reinstallable, which might make sense since we don't really have a quality evaluation on that. We are waiting on further investigation because you know if they're just installed and can be resealed there might be a lot of cost savings there versus just buying all new materials. Um so so we are waiting further investigation. Um we'll keep you updated on that. The um one of the big issues for staff at the front desk has been utility billings. Obviously, you know, January 15th to February 15th and looking at today and you know, these weather streaks, um, we've reviewed a lot of consumption reports, you know, just for public information. We haven't changed our rates. We haven't increased the fees. Um, February, March typically are highest consumption months um, and highest bills. And, you know, that there's a lot of stuff on social media, people coming in asking things. All of the people's usage is individually metered by their specific business or home. And so we just want to make sure they understand meters when they fail, they typically stop reading altogether or they underread the consumption. They don't overread. They don't overassess you. Um and so then individually they're basing this strictly on their usage and penalties are based on a percentage here. So our 10% penalty for late. Um so if you have a problem paying, if there's a difficulty, come in, let our staff know. They could tear that out for three payment months. and break it up. No, shaking your head. No, they're they're telling me that you could do a payment plan if it, you know, was a hardship and

so so pay what you can and talk to our staff because of 10% penalty on your entire bill. Like today's the deadline was the 15th. So that means all bills were due by the 9:00 a.m. deadline this morning. So if you came in today at 2 o'clock, you're past due. It's already been assessed. So it's important that's printed right on the bill. It's been that way here for years and years. Um, but I guess there's a lack of understanding of the deadlines. Um, but a 10% penalty if you have a $500 bill is $50. So, so we encourage people to get it in on time. Um, and to talk to our staff, let us know if there's a problem. Um, the safety committee met the Mrs. Smith that was on the request to speak. She's she's a Cornhill Street resident and so we had a safety committee meeting at following one of our staff meetings this week and she has um some concerns because there's inadequate roadway on East Cornhill. A lot of semis drive in there and they can't get out. So they back over people's lawns, they take out infrastructure, they hit mailboxes, that kind of thing. So we looked at that. Um they they requested that they put up no truck signs. So the committee recommended to do that to public work public works director. Um so they'll put up a sign on each end of the street. If you drive through there and look at the the alignment, it doesn't make sense that a semi-d driver would try to make it through there. Um but they do. Um so that's what that issue was about and the committee. Um the true void phone system. So Bill was putting phones out today. They will be here Wednesday starting with the police department and then to city hall. Um we should be getting really close to activation. I don't know if Wednesday they'll probably be live with you guys first.

Um but so we're real close to having a solution. So thanks to the police staff and all the members of the team that have made that happen. Um there's a a Genwick meeting tomorrow. Just kind of some updates. Moan is here doing I will text. Yeah, it's on my calendar. We could always do that. Moan is doing a Brownsfield grants program training here Wednesday. Um you actually contact us. you want to come. It's mostly for public entities and cities and that type of thing. Um, and then on Thursday, the North Northwest Economic Development Group is in this building at 10:00 a.m. Um, so that's those are all the updates I have.

Round your busy, lots of lots of meetings. Does anybody have any questions for Scott or state manager? Um, one Ted, any news on the U roof for the city hall when they're going to get started? Yeah. Did they have did they end up having any idea that was all going to be based on the weather? Okay. Because it had to be 40° and climbing before they could even start. So, okay. We give them the deadline, June 1st. Right. I remember the deadline, but I didn't know if they

No, they didn't give us this. Okay. No, that's good. Um, as far as the windows go, why can't we just have someone local look at it before you go out and and we did we had we we got a I got a hold of Gary Manion. Okay. Brought his [snorts] window guy to look at it. He believes that the windows are the correct windows. He's going to send an installer to make sure that they are installed correctly. He said they probably just need to be brick removed, resealed, and then sealers around the around the windows. Okay. [clears throat] Cuz because the engineers told us that the windows were were all wrong, that they were

He said those type of windows are in commercial buildings everywhere. I figured and we're going to remove the brick anyway. We're going to have to remove the brick. So my thought is if if they are the correct windows and they can be se you know resealed we do the windows and the brick basically at the same time huge. Yeah that'll save a lot of time exterior will be basically done. We had some local people [clears throat] reach out that want to do the the ins insulation and drywall inside. So perfectly all local.

Awesome. Awesome. Okay. Thank you for that. Um, and then as far as the uh electric goes, I'm sorry, but we use the same excuse every year. Oh, there was more sub zero days. There were more cold days. Truthfully, that wasn't this year. We had some really good warm weather during that time. And quite honestly, the people that I talked to, I did ask them specifically for usage and they were all very similar to what they had been the year before. And yet the reflection on the bill was much higher. And I can tell you from personal experience, we um we we did use more, but when I calculated it out based on what it was last year, calculating out the uh hour wattage. It shouldn't have been up that much. Um so again, we need to look at something with this and I'll uh I'll let anybody else have.

So what do you think is the reason because there's only so many variables there. There's two reasons. We raised it and we raised the initial fee. So they got double whammy and then you throw in water which wasn't that one didn't change that much from the month before for me but it was still up whatever percentage from last year was a substantial percentage from last year and it was the same amount of water and that's what I kept asking people was tell me tell me how much it is right what is the difference I've had that conversation too with people

yeah and now so there's been a couple that were like you you know, they definitely used more. Um, and as far as the penalty, yes, you know, I kind of I don't mean to be a jerk, but if you don't pay it, I mean, you have to expect you're going to have a penalty. So, that piece of it I'm not as worried about. I'm more worried about the folks that are doing everything right and paying it. So, what's the other fee if for electric, if you're a commercial business or a large

demand? the demand fee. A lot of people were concerned about the demand fee, but yet at the same time it's I I just told talk to city hall, you know, you may or may not need to be on a fee schedule where you have a demand fee, but that's for some specific reasons, right? So, and that does raise it a lot. Yes, it does. residential and small commercial do not

do not get demand but yet the ones I would talk to they would say well you know I shouldn't get the demand fee like well you have this kind of business you know let's consider that like tanning beds well that is commercial that does use a lot of electricity but only use one tanning bed per month and you'll be good there you go

see in comparing a lot of the rates that I tried to over the last between March of 24 to 10 of 25. There were two different rate changes in there. And the the main thing that I came up with is that everything went up by 25% at the same time. And when you have a town with 60% of the population that's below the poverty level to raise utility bills across the board, 25% is a tough pill to swallow all at once. [snorts] Don't forget our senior citizens either that are out there

and it's a trickle down effect. So if they can't pay, you know, when you're on a fixed income, you can't just come up with 25% extra um you know, for me personally, I use less electricity this month than I did a year ago and it cost me 100 bucks more. Um you know, so then we've got citizens that are trying to decide whether they're going to eat or pay utility bills this month. Um some of them are get second jobs, you know, that trickles down to a lot of our local businesses um deciding if you're going to eat out or not, you know, and it just uh something's got to change, which you know, Ross, I kind of disagree with that because you can't tailor the city to be based on the 60% and the poverty level. You can't just lower all your services to the price where it's affordable at a very low low price. It just doesn't work that way because we still have to make improvements. We still have to to provide good services and hire good, responsible people. This isn't like Allenale where I grew up where you just get by. That that you have to have top-notch services here.

And I'm not saying don't raise the rates. I mean, we have to now we're married to the water. You know, we can't there's not a whole lot that we can do with the water. Um, well, but you know, even having this discussion is just kind of like a waste of our time because we had that discussion years ago and we decided to do the water. I don't know if maybe some of you were even part of that, but now we've got it and here it is. So, what's the point of complaining about the water prices? It wasn't. I don't think that's No, I'm not saying that. No, we're bringing up concerns from our citizens that that is a big deal. I mean, if that's a waste of our time, then then why are we trying?

No, don't don't do that. Concerns from our citizens is important. But I'm just saying you can't tailor the cost of city services based on on the lowest levels of income because if you have 60% of the people on that level, you can't you can't just tailor that unless they don't want good services. But if we bring in a consultant from out of town that compares the overall average and our electric our electric consumption per kilowatt hour is on the high end of things.

Didn't we do a rate study not long ago? We did a rate study and that's how we got these rates. These are the minimums that we can charge to continue to to pay our bills to pay our debt service to pay for future capital improvements. These were the what's the minimums? And don't we get an increase from our the vendor that gives us the electricity? Don't they raise theirs about I was told 2% every year

and the power factor of how much it cost in the grid for us to buy the whole city's power every month gets passed on to the consumer. So, so these are consumptive rates. They're, you know, just I don't haven't lived here a long time. some of our staff that lives in that the outline areas, their rates were, you know, close to double on electricity that of what ours are, the electric directors, one of them. Um, it it's pay now or pay later. It's never going to be less than it is today. If you make it less, the people down the road or in the future are going to have to pay that gap to catch up. And that's not just infrastructure and the cost. It's it's it's like gasoline. You know, my gas prices go up and I drive more, my consumptive use costs more and I don't have control over how much the gas costs, but I don't like paying it and you know I I don't know what the outcomes are for that.

Well, government government has one problem with and and you just brought it up. It's going to be we're going to get stuck with it. they're going to get stuck with it either now or in the future instead of let's focus on and see what we can get rid of that isn't needed anymore or that doesn't need to be as high. You know, my first thought when I saw this when when I started having people ask was, I know where we're getting electric right now. Why aren't we out there researching to see if there's another electric company that we can get electricity from at a cheaper rate? I'm I don't like the fact that I'm getting calls. I'm getting messages from seniors [snorts] that are getting beat up. They have been there been here their whole life. They've either spent their money here, they've raised their kids here, they've done all these things. And luckily I'm not in a situation where I have to go anywhere. But you know what they are and they've got a house paid for and they don't want to leave. But what what is happening [clears throat] is potential that they are going to have to leave and try to find something cheaper somewhere. And I don't know that there's a whole lot of other places that are any cheaper. Um I'm not saying that. I'm just saying I'd like to take a look at it again and see if there's something we can do. Uh spreading it out over three months that still you're still paying it.

So the the easiest way to make your rates cheaper is buy a whole lot more power. So you know people don't like solar fields, they don't like generation projects, they don't like money. So, if you start putting in a lot of usage here, when we buy bigger bulk bulks of power, it costs less.

You know, and I understand what you said about 2% uh increase, but but I'm a numbers guy. So, if if it went up two, we went up 25. And you know, if you if if our expenses go up 2% and we raise the rates 5%, we've doubled our money. So, if it went from 2 to 25, that's a lot. So, so a lot of this is paying for previous debts that we still have to make the payments on, right?

And for consumptive use to be at what's most affordable today. You just go in with the recommended grow rate. Like you could have set it higher, which then down the road those people don't get as big of a jump. It it's a it's a shell game. You can't make it less and expect people down the road to have the same low peaks.

And I'll say one more thing in in response to Dr. Car Dr. As far as comment, I understand that you can't tailor everything to 60% the poverty of your town. However, if those people are the ones that are paying your bills and paying your income and paying your expenses and they are looking at leaving because of what you have done, um you know the business uh side of things kicks in in the and some money is better than no money and what can we do to make it to where everybody's happy and and I just don't feel that right now is is at that point. I'm not worried about happy. Don't worry about making it right.

It's popular to be an advocate for everybody, but you really can't. And if you if you look around, I don't know you could ever go somewhere else and it would be cheaper because there's a lot of places I know where it's much higher. So, I it it's great to be able to say those words. Uh you'll get a lot of pats on the back from Facebook, but I'm a realist. Let's let's stick with facts and let's say we'll do our best do like John said we can look into alternatives. Um we're already discussing things tonight about saving on expenses and those are the things that we can do. They're very tangible and you know I I had a discussion with people because they're talking about the tax for the for the jail down here. Well, you know, we can look at our sales taxes and say what's needed, what isn't needed. We can make those decisions, but but we can't just say, "Let's wish for cheaper electricity or let's wish for that." You know, it might make people [clears throat] feel like [cough] their champion, but but I'm a realist. I want them to know we're doing our best and there's only so much you can do. Everything is expensive nowadays. So, Oh yeah, sure. Yeah, I'll be finished for now.

Okay. Well, that takes us to uh unfinished business and there is none and which moves us on to new business. A full read of bill 2026-4. Sh. Bill 2026-4, an ordinance authorizing an amendment to the agreement by and between the city of Cameron, Missouri, and Alliance Water Resources, Inc. for management and operations services. I will entertain a motion to pass bill 2026-4 in the second and final reading by roll call. First, first reading. Oh, first we're going to second. So move. Oh, it's a full reading. Second. Oh, that's right.

Begin at the beginning. First, we have a second. Okay. Discussion sounds like a good deal. I'm assuming that everybody was spoken with in time so that uh they weren't shocked by this move. So, um, Alliance came up and, um, presented the current staff that's impacted by this with all of the benefits, how transition looks for them as far as benefits. Um, that, you know, they'll be working here in our facilities. They explained to them the corporate culture. So, we did that, I think last Wednesday is when we provided.

So, did everybody get it? We can talk to everybody's there. Yep. Thank you. And and Bart was there as well. Thank you as well.

All right. All those in favor of passing bill 2026-4 on first reading, say I. I. All oppose. Four in favor, zero opposed. I will entertain a motion to suspend the rules of pass bill 2020 6-4 on a second and final reading by roll call.

So second I didn't know what we're doing. Second. She gave me a look. All right. Discussion. The only discussion I have for that would be Should we wait and just make sure that we don't hear anything from anybody for that? I mean, I think we can pretty much prove that this is saving the money. I'm just [clears throat] saying I might just add this is a pretty big thing that we did ask for a full reason reading because we're we're looking at an April one start date.

Yeah, I would love to be able to offer that. I'm just saying I just think this is a pretty big deal that we're doing and we decided to do it in two weeks. So that's I'm just asking. You guys can say no. Just a thought. I understand your I do. It is It is seems to be kind of rough,

but we are in We had to decide whether or not we're going to hire people and get all their license. No, but I'm saying an extra two weeks isn't going to hurt anything. That's all I'm getting at. But I find I mean if you guys want to go forward, I can go forward. I It's just a big change for the city, for employees. So that's it. All right, John Bracken. John Biker,

yes. Mark Carr, yes. Ross Worth, yes. Becky Curtis, yes. All right, that takes us to a first reading of Bill 2026-5. Shilling Bill 2026-5, an ordinance authorizing the city of Cameron accounting staff to write off uncollectible utility counts for the city of Cameron. I will entertain a motion to pass uh bill 2026-5 on a first review. So moved. Second discussion.

So how old are these accounts? Um all of the accounts on here have been um inactive for at least two years. Some of them have been for longer. Uh staff's gone through them and looked at uh any that they think that they could still collect. But I will tell you that when we write these off, notes go on each of the these accounts. So if next week anybody on here comes to get utility service put back in their name, they will be asked to put up a second utility deposit which equals the amount that of their bad. So if they come back, we will get the money from them.

Is there a collector that would be interested in taking this list? You know, that was my Thank you. I got three of them right here. Same thing we've talked about every time, every year. Right. We've looked at [clears throat] $2 million since 18 2019 that we've lost. We've looked at collections before and they do ask us to provide all of the leg work, all of the the information that we don't have right now. Um, as far as their locations and then they take half. And you know, in in a sense, I don't mind if they take half. I don't mind if they take some,

you know, because these are debts that are owed and and it's awfully easy to get by without paying your way and that's not offered to us, you know. So $2 million, Dr. Car since 2019 and in the state of Missouri, you can go back 10 years, right? So this only goes back to 19. And I have been asking for this for a lot of years to the point this year I decided I was going to go and look and find one or two or three.

Well, we can all do that, don't you? Every time I look and I say dirt there that I've got three three names of places that we can try and if the city doesn't think that they have enough resources, I'll be glad to call and ask. I don't I every collection agency is going to take something. U that's that's how they do their business. But I mean 50% sounds pretty fair. You can get $12,000 checks. So how much hassle is it to give them names and addresses, phone numbers? Um I I just have to look

and and is that not something they can just look on the computer and get it or is that a security problem? the state of Missouri um made the determination several years ago that utility information is our close records. So I don't know what we can I don't know what we have to look into that. I know what you mean because at the office we would have to physically give them that information and it was a pain but right that there was some people that were just you know deliberate about saying I'm not going to pay my bill right. You know

we we do keep really good records. I had a a customer list with me that signed up for service that still have like a $300 balance and they got all swore and yelled at our staff and then I intervened and they said this was a previous owner. It turned out to be the individual spouse. There you go. Right. And so so we're like well if you don't pay it, you know, you get shut off. Y it's it's not personal. It's an old debt. I I mean that's kind of some of the issue is the $25,000 year isn't causing everybody's rates to be higher, but it's not helping.

But $2 million over what, a sevenyear period of time, right? No, 200. No,

you have a wide variety of experience with other towns. What did they do with their bet? It it's hard because, you know, some some of those cities have, you know, bulk fees and things like that and they some of them were eight, you know, $80,000 for one customer, right? And it's hard because what if they're deceased? What if they were an LLC that went under? It's really hard to track some of those things and actually collect. I'm not saying that, you know, they did have the same discussions. let's find a collector. But like Shelley says, it's hard depending on the state law. You know, you don't need a release from the individual, but it's really hard to track down people that just leave. Um they have a lot of time and resources into that. And the collection rates probably there's probably industry standards of what they collect on like, oh, we typically collect 40% of your outstanding debts or you know, I don't know what that looks like, but it's it's a hard decision. And I think you have to weigh the total amount. The problem is I think you're more likely to get stuff from two or three years ago than some of this stuff that's on there from a long time ago. It It's not like we're going to see all of it. I'm not saying it's not worth trying. I'm just It It's a difficult It's really challenging for us. We have in place. It's recorded on their bills and the address. So when they come to do that, title companies are very helpful [clears throat] too when we when we get those requests when they transfer properties. [cough] We try to ensure now that's probably why the number it seems like a lot. The $24,000 is it it's it's not crazy now. Um

that's true. some of those places. I mean, I've seen, you know, fishermen and trwler boats that owe $200,000 worth of harbor fees, and it's like that's just one account, right? Um I I think it's I'm I'm happy that it's not a lot more than this. Um I think it's always worth trying. If people that information, I'd be glad to I got you on the bottom of it. Research a little Thank you.

Thank you. No problem. If you look at the addresses on these are all mostly apartments. I wonder what percent still live in Cameron. I did see some several names on the list that are hard. Well, they don't have to go after that. No, but actually might be able to get the most money. Just saying that's your job. It's hard because when come for service, we have record and so we do try to collect all of that.

I'm kind of vacasillating between I I know what a hassle it is to collect. I know how hard it is. I know how uh it's not a 100% deal. You collect very few of these things when you get into actual collections and uh but then at the same time it's almost like a carnival when when there's a whole bunch of people saying hooray I don't have that debt anymore and that's frustrating to people that they owe the debt to they owe everybody else money as well. So, it does cost it ends up costing other people. We don't know how much. I don't want to create staff more work either. You know, there's there's I said I'll do it.

You'll do. But I'm ser I'm dead serious because I do not like I don't love to have you call some of these people. I'm not calling them. I'll put together the information you need to give to the collection agency and I have called on collection calls. I will follow up on these. So should we not pass this tonight? If you want to go ahead and pass tonight and then I will give you an update at the second reading. Okay, another reading. Let's do that. I'm good at that. All right. All those in favor of passing bill 2026-5 say I.

All opposed passes five and four in favor zero. That takes us to our last resolution. Resolution 2026-17. Resolution 2026-17. A resolution of the city council of the city of Cameron, Missouri to enter into a contract with Aay Construction, Inc. for the sewer utility extension project at Highway B and Interstate 35. I will entertain a motion to pass resolution 2026-17. So moved. So discussion

I am still opposed to this. Um one is some more information that I have found out about this the [clears throat] blue Nile construction that this company used to be um is was blacklisted in Kansas City. That's why they had to change names. So, they were no longer able to do any work in Kansas City because of their performance. Um, I don't know. It just it's just it's very it's very concerning, but

I don't know the whether the owners are the same, but I know that it says that they changed their name. So, you know, I know I I found some of the biders that told me what the materials cost was going to be and this company is not making enough worth their while. Well, I don't like the idea of voting against them just so we can pay more with the assumption that we're going to get better product or better service just because the fee is higher. That would be tough to pass off to the public. Was this the one that uh that the attorneys had an additional addendum? They signed up. What was that? Was that did that have to do with any of these issues?

No, that was just kind of standard stuff. So, most of these uh construction contracts use a standard uh JCBC, which is like the um the more or less the engineering association. Um, so we just haven't uh added an an addendum for Missouri specific public contracting stuff. It's we add those agenda to contracts all the time. Oh, I didn't know that.

The other concern I had was that the contract times is between 150 days, so that's five months to eight months for completion is I guess that works with the current project. That puts it at the end of August to get it done. Well, this is going to TDR, so yeah. Yeah.

And so, you know, they they're starting to build, so they're going to need that that there. And we I've known for a long time it was going to cost over $750,000 to get get that there. And so this the money is coming out of where it's coming out of your utility utility department. Um but then they sewer but then they recuperate the fees and all the new infrastructure that's paid by the developer on the project. That's another thing. Yeah. for C. That's the cost of growing. The cost of pooping.

Literally. Yeah. Thanks. Like a true man. So, so you have um our project manager, Scott's recommendation there. They do have all the bonds and assurances [clears throat] in place. Ted, you heard anything from these about these guys uh with the black Do you know if it was I heard I didn't realize [snorts] I haven't heard anything. We didn't have a a really good taste in our mouth from when Northwind Drive got fixed.

Multiple people would have paid more for that be done right. Well, they went and did other projects instead of finishing ours. Oh. Just to make a comment on the Blue Nile, Blue Nile did your last sewer extension. Uh the one from the the water plant. Again, that was Blue Nile. Uh the one from the sewer plant over to Fri Road. I didn't have any issue there. Again, they were the low bidder. Didn't have any issues with it. Project went smooth, completed on time, under budget. So, I don't know about the block list here in the ABA, but just just little history on on blue aisle.

Yeah, I'd read that too. I said, by the way, I saw is the engineer consultant. I I don't know who Scott Fleming is. He's our engineer with HDR. He's he's the person that does pretty much all the all the camera, water, sewer, infrastructure updates. Um HDR's kind of ours.

So, we pay him to tell us what we need to do. He he put together the bid package. So this this is probably one of the last bid packets that goes out without the new format that the attorneys put in place. So So you did a notice of award at your last a couple meetings ago. In the future, you would get all that in one package instead of doing the notice award and coming back. It' all be all as one item. We don't really like doing it broken up like this.

Um but but it was put out their way in the bid packet. So we wanted to follow the structure they had put it out with. Yeah, if you all remember u when we when we did the the group bidding um how that that packet kind of had the information for biders, the sample contracts, like all of it together. That's kind of how we're going to start going forward as we continue bidding on other projects. So that kind of goes to Shel's previous question about the agenda. Um we're going to have kind of a more standard form contract that already incorporates those very specific I'm just curious where does his fees come out of? Is it in the 7600?

No. 79 or

so they they invoice us. They have a standard agreement with the city and we have preferred rates with them. I mean, most engineering firms have clients they work with a lot and they have preferred rates versus just hiring a firm to come design a sewer line like this. So, so we kind of get a larger firm better rates and then they [clears throat] do some so they help do the bid packet, they review the specs, they help do the project design. It's kind of all all in shop. Um it it's more palatable for us since we don't have an in-house engineer. We don't have the resources to to do all that. None of this work is ever free or cheap.

Cities get it all the time. They get I just didn't know where he came in to get paid. Yeah, I didn't know where he came in. Well, I knew he didn't get paid in that 679. That'd be closer to million million quarters probably. All right. Any other discussion? All those in favor passing resolution 2026-17 say I. I. All oppose. I nay. Nay. Nay. Otherwise, I think it's a late three in favor.

All right, that takes us to a second public participation. Anybody that wants would like to address the council, please come up to signing your name. Sherman, I just have a question. Does anybody know at this point as far as the city hall restoration project what percentage completion we are at this time compared to the deadline? And I wonder if that can't be reported each time. We don't have a deadline, sir. You know what you're wanting? You're wanting one of those fancy thermometers that just go up and you just keep marking this off. Yeah. would be nice to have.

So it's openended. Well, it's it's and yeah, pretty much because [clears throat] we're having troubles with the engineering firm. Yeah. If we had that up and running, we would we would have that's being discussed and worked with a lot in the executive sessions. Okay. Well, assuming that gets worked out from that point forward, couldn't they couldn't someone give us a periodic I mean, everybody has a project plan that has the task in there that you kick off. I was a project manager for 20 years. I know that you can have due dates and every all those are met and I wondered how how far along we were.

That's a good idea. and be able to publish that. That could be done in the newspaper as an article actually. Again, it's it's hard to do though if there's no progress being made when you're when you're stuck in the stuck in the log jam with this engineering firm that won't give us a go ahead to do anything. Well, but we have started we've started going around them. I know because that's why I was just going to say

was because if it wasn't for the initiative of city staff and the go-ahad from city council, we wouldn't be doing anything because we just finally just got disgusted with it and said we're we're going to get some things done because these are things that we can do. And then we started sorting out projects to say well that doesn't need engineer and this doesn't need engineer. And then we and and plus the weather, you know, in the middle of winter. So now we're at a point where we just said, "Well, we can redo the roof." So that was a big issue right there was the roof and uh and now the inside plumbing and all we can do those things. So we're kind of at a point where we really need to sit down and assess what projects we can't do ourselves. the front,

the facade, uh the bathrooms, the bathroom, the public bathrooms were going to be changed. That's going to take a design to do that. And the the patio, the patio with the Yeah. the facade that's coming off.

Well, because the because the brick facade was set right on the patio, there was no brick mold that was poured on that foundation. And so so that's but this isn't brain surgery. This is what our our construction people here, Gary's one of them, that came in and gave recommendations saying this is something we do every day. We can build this stuff and and um and if we only had to engineer a couple of things, then we could be well off in getting this done. And that then once that's done, then we could be able to say, "Yeah, here here's where we are on this." Well, I think we gave them a deadline in December, right?

Yes. And so, we had to kind of wait to see what they were going to do with this deadline and now we don't. So, that's why we're like, "Forget that." Well, we we gave them a deadline in November. They missed it and then everybody agreed to December and they missed that one. So, 19th of December. Well, then we had the last executive session, but we can't say what what it was we decided. I think I think any like if we're going to talk more about the engineering that's probably best for executive session. Oh yeah, we were just talking about being moving forward, right? And getting

How many months is the uh new uh bank west? Uh Brett, how long did we get that? 18 months. So my goal is 18 months. Sure. That's a good I mean I I wanted it to be done in a year when we did it the last time, but yeah. Well, we're going to draw and saying it ought to be at least that. Oh, I agree 100%. And that's our hope. I mean, every one of us up here, every one of them over there has been really trying hard to figure out things to to help them get along

and to know what percentage wise we are close to getting there. There were I believe there were like three phases. Two. Okay. Phase one is 100%. Yeah. Phase one is 100%. Phase two is 0%. Oh my. Yeah. They said we're are we mold free and are we bat free? a little worried. [laughter] They did say when they came in and and did the eradication of the bats that until the group was finished. They did not finish

with and you can't kick them out in the winter. we can. [laughter] You think we can? I didn't hear that. Bill was in there the other day and there was one diet. Otherwise, what's it doing in there? It's It's warm, isn't it? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Those rascals are using our heat. So, at least you know that phase one's 100% which was the demo. Phase two is so I guess you could say 50%, [laughter] but I don't think it's really 50%. According to the real project, we have a question come back through and a desire. We all have that desire.

I don't know. I think it'd be kind of fun to watch. I think staff can work with mosquitoes. We did. You did. Had two bounce off my door. Oh my god. We can sell fertilizer and make some money. Oh yeah. We put it in lipstick, right? Mascara. Is it mascara? that. Okay, that's twice. We talked about that today. Okay, where we at? Let's vote on something.

Okay, so I is there anybody else? Not we will move forward comments from staff. I think because everybody's here, I don't have anything to add myself. As Scott already said, we've got a busy week of meetings this week and continuing on with economic development. So, I'll pass it on.

Um, I've already talked quite a bit about what we've been doing, but I want to tell you that application for Tree City has been approved. So, we are official now. So, we should be receiving our care package here pretty soon. I'm not sure what it consists of tree or a statue of Lance or somebody. Ashley. Yes, I met Ashley.

So, that was kind of exciting. And then, like I said in the previous meeting, we're planning on dewinterizing all of our bathrooms, trying to get them up and going. It's kind of dependent on the weather. Um, we have set Arbor Day presentation in Rec Park for April 22nd. So, and I'll have conservation agents come to the parks this year and speak to the kids and stuff. So, luckily one of them is my neighbor. So, he knows all for it. So, last thing is something big the park board's been doing is rewriting new bylaws and stuff. So, they've been working on those. We got our first draft and we'll be going over those. And like I don't if I told you guys, but we'll we'll take the hydric and Mias, make sure that they're all in code with what we need to do, and then we're going to present them to the city council and see if you guys like them, if there's any changes we need to make. So, this park board is very open and honest about it. And so, I want to make sure everybody's on the same page with it. So,

heard good things. Heard good things from internally. I've heard good things. That's uh other than just kind of trimming trees and trying to get ready for spring for mowing, that's about all I got. So, thank y

street crews, they have been upsizing storm pipes on sixth and locust to try to help out with some of the heavy grain issues. And then also there's going to be they were 24 inch pipes. They've upgraded those to 30 inch pipes and they're also doing that on seven street also. So hopefully we'll be able to help that area over in that over there. So and I've just been comparing prices from Kate Seals to overlays and trying to figure out stretch our money out and we've had pretty good luck with Third Street [snorts] East, but it was done 10 years ago. So it's held up pretty nicely. So that's all I have. Street Looks like they have most of the storm se complete. So moving right along over there, too.

Chief, um we're looking at uh doing some landscaping around the police department. It's kind of gotten out of hand. It looks uh there were some things several years ago on the south side of the building that never got fixed. Um, so we're going to uh see what we can do with the landscaping around the whole building. And I want to follow up with what the city manager said about the VO phones. Um, John, last time you had a question about how much it was. So,

um, we got in contact with the highway patrol. Uh, they are actually going to their own VoIP system. So, three of those phones that we ordered will be going back to them. So, that'll cut down on that initial cost. So, there could be more. Um, but right and they will be here tomorrow to set all the phones out and then Wednesday they'll be back to hook them all up. So sweet. Thanks. That's all I have. Thank you. Je. Hey, could we real quick um check with maybe I don't know who's running Boy Scouts right now, but could you see if there's some way they could maybe come up and help out with the land? We're looking at the options. I figured you were

Eagle Scout project. Thank you. Yep.

It's It's been a very busy weekend. Um bunch of calls through the day and all night for that part. I'm still working with insurance companies on the downtown fire. Um Paul Reinhardt is um my helper on that, but I get inquiries practically every day uh insurance companies. So I just feed them the information. Um so I do quite a bit of that and um beating the trucks up, maintenance and things. And I I actually we we started with our uh kind of part-time help back several months ago and I I tend to get a few more one or two uh every weekend and and we're working in the back and cleaning up and maintenance helps for maintenance and we're actually spend a little time doing training with the new guys. So that's helping. [clears throat] I can say the last group of firefighters that I hired a year ago, they have excelled very quickly. Uh, and it's going to be a bunch of good guys.

Mike, why do you have to get involved with the insurance companies for a privately owned building?

I I have to provide on reports that we that we file because we file reports. Okay. We we will do a report. We file that. Uh, I have I have people that help me do that. Uh, Paul Reinhardt does that. We'll sit down, we put them together, he actually enters them into the national reporting system. Uh, then we have our own um report that we that we fill out because insurance companies are going to request times and number of firefighters and that kind of thing. So, we put that together. Then the insurance companies will request that uh and there'll be a description on there as to what we did um and and what the outcome was. So, [snorts] and they'll basically the insurance company or the owner. Most generally it's an insurance company um will just request that for their to file with their reports

legit more paper for for them because they don't really do anything with it, do they? There's nothing recourse. Yeah. It basically is what it does to an insurance company. It actually shows that hey there what they know there was a fire but they know that actually the fire department was there and did their job. Yeah that's what I that's what I thought is just kind of a waste of time for you guys but you're

and it looks at the times because uh all of our all of our times are logged through our dispatch system through the dispatch up front. So, we can look at our times and see when when the call came in, when when we actually uh received the call, when we took the call, what we got there, when we left, and that kind of thing. And all that data that that we keep that all goes into our reporting system and at the end of the year, we we pop out I have Jordan Ail, which is our computer programmer. Yeah. uh he he actually pumps out all the graphs and charts and things for us so we can actually go back and look at that data on a day-to-day basis u to see see how they see what happened.

At what point in time are they going to be required to clean that up? That I'm not into that. That's going to be Spencer and city staff. I'll I'll ask that later then. Thank you.

Okay. Anybody in the back? Uh just a quick update on on Great Northwest. Um we're still waiting, ready to go. Um we continue to flush the line and keep the corners residual up. Um again, from operations standpoint, we're we're ready to go. Uh we keep hammering on engineers and contractors to work on the the punch list. Uh we did get uh still we're working with DNR now that they've uh required some additional SCADA for operation and uh and Paul's worked with them on that and so hopefully we'll get that permit to dispense here sometime soon. But uh on that subject, did you get the email today? I did. So DNR asked who who the permit needed to go to. So that means we're close. Yeah.

I mean if they're asking who they're going to send it to, that's a pretty good thing. Why would they not have that information? Well, because there's so many permit there's so many name where you've got great northwest and wholesale water commission is a an entity in its own. Yeah. But Alliance is running it. So, they're going to need a copy of it. I told them the city of Cameron needed a copy of it for our files. [clears throat] Mazeville needs a copy of for their files. And so, it's kind of like if we're not in there, it's not getting paid.

Send it to Mayor Curtis. So they keep they keep lobing things at us. We keep knocking them back to them. So hopefully like I said hopefully we're getting close to to uh to moving some water. Like I said, as far as operations go, we're we're we can start right now. So um and then Keith, I'll let you talk about wastewater plant.

Uh wastewater. Right now we have started UV up uh two weeks early just to make sure everything is running where it needs to be. I will start a test tomorrow morning to make sure our residual is where it's supposed to be. for April or yeah, April 1st is our start date on that for the year. So, we'll be ready to go for that. Uh other than that, we're waiting on a couple pumps to come in and everything else just maintenance. Okay. Thank you. Can I make a comment on the on the water line? Yeah.

Uh our vault is ready to go. So, when they get ready, when they get the goat from DNR, RN's ready to go, I'm going to flush it this week. Make sure the valve works and everything. Now, stepping back a little bit, when we put it in service full time, there's going to be some some time there that it's going to take to iron out all the problems with that thing, making sure it opens when we want it to, closes when we want it to, all that kind of thing. But, for the most part, it's ready to go. Okay. Thank you. Sure.

I just wanted to remind everybody that tomorrow is St. Patty's day and there'll be a grade start at 43 and um that Wednesday the 18th city hall will close early at 3:00 for the city and I will be doing we'll close the office just a little bit early. They'll all be there. So you just have to knock on the door to get any like weightlifting and stuff like that. Yeah,

having said that we'll have one of the restrooms open at park. One will be closed completely down, but one will be available [clears throat] tomorrow. Tomorrow. So all right, that takes us to comments from the council. Me? I I don't like sitting down here all by myself. I'm going to suggest chilling. I should have. I know. I thought you guys would just scoot down, but that's a whole another story. That's more work. [laughter] I talked about that those buildings up there on third. And so here lately that wall just fell out and put bricks out into the street again.

And I always said that from the beginning. That's dangerous. those those pillars standing up there, the brick after it all been burned out, I thought this could fall over. And sure enough, it did. So, I'm suggesting that we get on the stick, at least knock that stuff down. So, and push it in. Why not? Because private property. No, but this is a safety concern. I agree. But it's still private property. I don't care. We should talk to them and see if we could talk. The attorney said, "Don't listen to that guy." [laughter]

I'm the guy that would run. I'm the guy that ran across the interstate to get a dog that had been hit and carried across because I'm going to do the right thing even if it's not legal or political. Don't tell us about it. Just go do your thing. Little info. So, two Fridays ago, uh, the insurance company had picked a contractor and so Spencer got a letter out that day so they could mobilize last Monday. Well, the contractor got it had a sub and that sub didn't show.

That's a bummer. So that's why it wasn't knocked down last week is because they I mean because I talked to him four times on Fridays and he said we are mobilizing once we get that letter because they have to do a wet demo because they don't know about asbestous and we have to send it to Nory and DNR and she had to give the green light and yeah not Nory Sonora. So what's plan B now? The insurance is still find another find another demolition contract. Well, let's give him the name of the guy that did the other ones there. Did with the poker. I like that. That little poke he got he got all those down. All he did was just poke them. And it wasn't like anything sophisticated. He just knocked them down a few bricks at a time.

Yeah. And uh so anyway, I'd like I'd like to see it cleaned up. If nothing else, the bulk of it just knocked into the hole and the bricks and all cleaned up off the sidewalk. And we've got a parade that goes right by. So that looks really that looks really bad. I talked to our insurance rep today, Jeff, and he said not to. Oh, I understand. And I know you guys would cringe if you saw me out there with my rake and I was actually You can do whatever you want to. [laughter] If I wasn't on city council, I probably would. So, where your heart at?

Yeah. So, the other thing was this. Okay. Hey, and this is something we've talked about before, but out [clears throat] at Love's truck stop, there's all of this trash that blows from there. You I got I got one one thing on that, too. Yeah. Go ahead. So, I went out there. I had to go was two weeks ago. We have talked to them as in Spencer and Stony. Yeah. And I went out there one day and I was just going out to pick up lunch and they had six people out there and two trucks out there in Early's Field picking stuff up,

trash. So they have heard what they've heard us and they are picking it up. Is there an enormous amount? Yes. Um but they are they are doing it well and that's not the solution. I mean that's okay if they do it but you know the solution is put up a 6ft tall chain link fence on the side of their property and let all the trash blow into that fence

rather than clear across the road. Bob Griffin Road, clear off to the other fence and then leave it in the weeds and bushes there. So, if they did that, then that would that would be very that I'd be content with that and that would solve the problem and it'll make it a lot easier for them. There'd be some expense in the fence, but it's all their junk and they should have predicted that. Is that commercial on the other side of that? So, so you can't but again it's private property. So, we can publish all we want, but unless we have unless there's a code for it out there. That's what I was going to ask next. Is there a code that can't do that?

No. So, I guess the only thing you can do is site them for littering or trashing the neighborhood until they get the idea to say, "I don't want to mess with them anymore." But then they then we'd have to prove that we know 100% that it came. Well, I think you could by what trash is over there. You could say, "Look, this is all the Arby's and stuff like that." Could maybe, maybe. Yeah. I'm just thinking, you know, going down the road when you're out collecting, just go pick up trash when you're over there. I did see a citizen picking up along Bob F and looked like she had uh four at least four trash bags full. So, she's been out there for

I know. I just hate to see citizens having to do that because it's a commercial business and they can afford to pick up their own trash. So, I'd like to see citizens pick it up somewhere else if they're so inclined. That's all I have. I just keep seeing that. I get tired of it. Maybe we can talk to the hospital and see if they will. I doubt it. I know. That's why I said you talk to Joe. We got Joe talk to me. [laughter] He's the grand marshal. Yeah, I know. Okay, that's all I did. Russ,

um to echo what that gentleman said, that was also a concern of mine about city hall was I I know he has a plan and didn't have a plan, but um you know, do [clears throat] we need to discuss the possibility of of coming up with project managers? Um, I I know it's a lot to now take on ourselves. Uh, but it see it seems like, you know, we got the roof taken care of, so you know, we can wait until the roof is done. But if we do this one at a time, it's going to take

it's going to take forever. And, you know, we we know that there's foundation cracks that need to be looked at. Um, you know, multiple trades can be working there at the same time. And I'm just concerned that if cleaning the roof, you know, and and all the brick ends up having to come off. Chances are it's probably going to have to come off, then that changes the way that the cap is put on the roof. And, you know, are we are we going to do this peace meal without a a plan? And I think that's going to come back to bite us at some point. So,

do we we already paid for a plan? Well, I said it's where we I I I know that we're dropping, but that's that's just the concern. And I did have a local contractor reach out to me about digging the foundation after putting the membrane on the basement wall to seal it up. And so we we got lots of local people wanting to jump in and the French drain on the outside of that. I don't know. I think the foundation drain still good. I really do. So, you don't need one outside the wall.

Besides the engineering, what's really holding this up is even on new construction, you don't want to do anything inside until you're dried out. So, take [clears throat] and you tear all the windows out, brick out, you can't really get ahead of yourself till that's resolved. So, I think once we know the windows and the bricks been said to have come out, so it makes sense to do all those things. That's why I say we put it out for the windows and the brick all some the outside will basically basically be done. Do you have specs on the brick though and how you're going to put the brick back? He did a lot of research on fire brick just regular brick. I mean you guys can decide what

but but that wasn't the problem was it wasn't that the brick was coming down and there was no support at the We'll have to we'll have to put a brick ledge on Yeah. the front. Yeah. or a footer or something down there. Okay. There's just a concern. It's gonna take a long time. I know piece that sounds like it's going to take a long time, but we're getting more done.

It'll go fast once we're driving. Good. Okay. Cool. I don't have anything really. I know. You want me to come up with something? Oh, that's fine. You guys are doing a great job. [clears throat] [snorts] All right. Well, I really don't either. Just thank you for coming, guys. And I will entertain a motion to adjourn into executive attorney client communication and John. Yes.

Yes. Gary still working on Matter of fact, I've got It's going to happen. pretty good.