City Council - Regular Meeting

Councilwoman Ruckman here. Council member Robleski here. Councilman Furnus here. Councilwoman Stable here. Mayor Little here. Councilwoman Ferguson here. Councilwoman Ro here. Councilman Bernard here. And Councilman Bennett here. All right. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. And I think as you all know, we're going to remain standing for a moment in remembrance of the men and women in service. To the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Please be seated. All right. First item on the agenda this evening. Uh we'll seek approval of the minutes for the March 9th, 2026 council meeting. Seek a motion to approve. Second. Uh making that motion and a second. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Uh seek approval of the bills. Motion to approve. Second. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion is approved. Melissa, on to your report, please.

Saturday is the pet inoculation day at Rock Road Animal Hospital. Begins at 9:00 am um ends at 1 p.m. It'll all be indoors. They're offering more vaccinations for your pets um than they used to because it's at their own facility. And they're also offering microchipping. There is a little flyer back there. It has some of the prices on it, but it doesn't have all of them. Um at that time, we'll start issuing the new um pet tax. um that will not expire as well as the dog park information for 2627. Awesome. Thank you. And uh Joe, your report, please.

All right. Thank you. One moment, please. I have the following legislation to offer tonight. versus resolution uh 202616 authorizing a contract with Collins and Herman for the installation of a guardrail near the intersection of Lackland Roads in Sims Avenue. Okay. Do you have any questions or comments on discussion? Um couple of questions. Uh Chief, were there any accidents prior to the past 12 months at that particular stretch of road? I don't quote me on this, but I think there were one or two

prior there there were Okay. Okay. Um I did have my question answered about the guardrail is not going to totally block that empty property. Okay. Um has a traffic engineer looked at this or was this just kind of a decision that has been come upon? Who made the decision of like the placement? I'm just curious uh through discussions with residents there and the traffic committee looked at this to make a recommendation to essentially the city to put something in there. Okay. We did have engineer look at the location. So they put together plans and all that project.

That was my question. Okay. So an engineer has looked at the particular location. Okay. And then I still have a question. Um, I don't know that what county does would apply to us, but I'm a little concerned about any liability. If someone would hit that guard rail and come back into traffic, county will not install them in places where that is a possibility. So, be because of uh liability. So, are we are we okay with that or do we are we looking at any liability if someone would hit that guardrail and come back into traffic and get hit?

So, I think somebody would have to prove that it's a dangerous condition. I would argue that we're trying to remedy a dangerous condition that we're aware of. Um, you know, if it was negligently installed, we can't really be charged with negligence because we're sovereignly immune. So, the issue would be, you know, if you could prove that this was a danger, that it created danger. So, maybe the county takes the position that they're always dangerous. I don't think that that's necessarily the case. Okay. I just wanted clarification.

Yeah, I would argue that we know that there is an existing danger that we're trying to rectify. If we come to find that this is a this creates more problems for other drivers, then we might need to take it down. But I don't think the mere installation is necessarily triggering any liability at present. I have a question also. You say we're trying to remedy what the situation is. Do we actually know? I mean, what is the nature of these accidents? Do we know what is causing them? I mean what were the condition you know when these drivers were there tickets issued were speeding drinking I mean what were what was the nature probably uh speed

okay so we're not really remedying we're re we're redirecting the damage but we're not really remedying a situation I mean that's how I see it I mean yes we're going to keep personal property from being damaged But we're not really doing anything to change that intersection in any way. Yeah. And just on my opinion on this, I don't I don't think that item we're trying to remedy here is speed. I think the item we're trying to remedy is a car keeps going through somebody's backyard and into their Well, I I feel bad for them and I sympathize with them, but that isn't actually the actual problem.

I I would say it is a problem. Well, yeah. I mean, I'm not saying it's not a problem, but that's not that is not the problem with that space of road necessarily. I don't know. It just seems we're putting a band-aid on a pro, which is fine, but I don't think we're actually solving a problem. Yeah, I I don't have the records for these incidents. I don't know if it's speeding. I don't know. I mean, distracted driving, I think, is one of the major causes of accidents, too. I Who knows? Yeah. Yeah. I don't know.

When these accidents have occurred, has the city assumed any like liability for paying for any of these repairs or has it all been homeowners? Okay.

Yeah. And to make this even more complicated, there's electrical boxes there, too. And I think more than one of these has hit the electrical box and cause utility work and there's a telephone pole that keeps getting knocked down and seems like when we were working on this with the traffic committee, we kind of looked at the past incidents, they were like, "Yeah, this one this actually is problematic." And then after we got the bids and we're working on signing the paperwork and getting everything set up, another car goes through the intersection and knocks out everything again. So we're like, "Well, I wish we could have acted faster here." when it hits those telephone utilities, anything like that. Is the city responsible for any form of Okay, just making sure.

Have any guard rails around town that currently exist ever caused an issue? I can't think of any time there's been any liability those have caused. Yeah. Yeah. I I know another common spot for accidents. is it's more of a mod problem with their page at Seven Up. That seems to be a recurring issue with like if you're heading east past Seven Up and they have that concrete barrier on the right and that's part of the uh redevelopment that they're doing there too. So, we just had one there a couple days ago. Yeah. So, is there a curve in this uh location also?

There there is now. So, if you're driving west on Lackland, that former gas station that's on the right of that curb, there used to be two entrances. Um, and I don't know if this was part of the cause of the accident, too, but they may have not seen the curb because the curb wasn't complete around the corner. So, we put the curb in around the harder turn. Uh, but we couldn't put it all the way in because we'd block access to the parking lot there. So there there's a physical curve there inside the curve itself.

There is still an entryway in there, but yeah, aside from that, it's a full curve. Questions, further comments on this one? Okay, if we move forward, we'll need a motion to approve. I'll make a motion to approve and all those in favor. Any opposed? And motion carries.

The next is resolution 202617 authorizing contract with Vernon Jones construction for the removal and replacement of the concrete storm water bowl at Brooks Park. Question on this one. If approved, would you know when they'll be starting and then start? No, I mean I would assume Usually over in the warm months that turns into a forest right there. Actually excited to get that done. That's hasn't looked good in a long time. I would assume in the next 30 days. Okay.

Fast motion to approve. Second. Second. And all those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. The next is resolution uh 202618 authorizing contract with Missouri Employers Mutual to provide workers compensation insurance coverage for the city of Overland and stating the compensation to be paid therefore motion to approve. Second. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion carries. All right. Thank you, Joe.

Staff reports for the evening. Rick, you have something for us? Hey, thank you for letting me talk. Appreciate it. Uh the summer events moving right along. Everything's going good. Everything's looking good. We got that orchestra concert coming up. That's our first thing we're doing in May. Everything's looking good for that. If anybody has any questions or anything, just let me know. All right. Thank you. Perfect. Thank you. Uh, any comment from anybody on the farmers market this evening? Doesn't look like it. Okay, Mr. Crowder, I like the gray.

You got the idea from the lawyer.

Very little. Uh, I love my whole thing about bragging on Overland goes back to childhood really. I did it as long as I could on my truck doors till they made them aluminum. Okay. But I want to say the Easter egg hunt was really well planned. It was almost military. Uh they had exactly the number of uh little bags for the kids. I think they had 6,000 eggs. Can you imagine? And it was really nice. I just want to say that in public. The first organizational meeting of the Neighborhood Preservation Commission is the 14th of April. We will be beginning our 16th year as a commission and that'll be happening pretty soon. Parade is coming along nice. 16th of May. We line them up at 9 and we roll at 10. Thank you very much.

Thank you. You always say the Overland Easter hunt is the greatest 10 seconds in sports. Spend two hours putting eggs out there and then they say go and a minute before everything's picked up. Chief, your report, please. Uh, we are accepting registrations for Safety Town. It is June 1st through June 12th, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Ages 5 through 7. Uh, just contact the station during normal business hours.

Thank you. All right. And no requests for resident comments this evening. Uh, city council report. Anybody have any comments? Okay. Um I have a couple things that I'll chat about here. Um one, I will seek uh council approval tonight. Just something for the volunteers. We've got I don't know 10 different groups to put their time in. And uh nobody does anything here for the money. I think we all know that. But uh I what I'd recommend is we give them access to the community center and wait room and that kind of stuff too, just as a perk. If you're showing up, we'll do something for you. I did get a request from one planning and zoning member for this. So not just for that person, but open that up to everybody who uh serves their time. So if that's okay with everybody, I'll seek a motion to approve that request.

I'll make that motion. Second. And all those in favor? I.

Any opposed? Motion carries. All right. Second one is news. I'm going to drop on everybody here at least uh budgetary conversations. Um we've added a couple positions in the past couple years. And what I how I try to look at this is how do we get the most bang for our buck? So if we're going to add somebody, what can they contribute the most to the city? And my idea for a new potential position here is something that uh we can collectively name, but essentially a communications director. U and this is somebody who not only can add a bunch of new stuff for the city, but also take on some of the work that we're doing already and improve it. So whether it's the newsletter uh or regular reports, somebody who's available to you know talk to the media, present that kind of stuff uh because I think we do a great job of managing the city. I think we don't do as good of a job of marketing the city and I think that's something that they can uh assist with and not only you know do the stuff we do now but consolidate that. you know, especially Facebook. That's how kind of the world gets their news is through social media these days. And um you know, our social media does all the legal stuff and all the stuff we want to do and make event announcements, but I think there's a lot more we can do. And I'm not good at that stuff at all. So, it ain't going to be me. And if it was, you'd regret having me do it. Um, but if that's something we can look into, uh, incorporate into the budget as we talk through all this stuff, I think that'd be, uh, something that in my opinion would be the best bang for the buck, the best, uh, product that the city can provide in terms of an improvement with a new position. So, um, salary still a question mark, title still a question mark, requirements and background still a question mark, but just wanted to bring it to all of your attention just to say, you know, get your thoughts, let me know publicly, privately, whatever you think, and we can incorporate that into this new uh role that we can use to to better serve the 16,000 folks that live here.

Sorry. Yeah. Do we have a basic outline of what that job description may look like?

Yeah. So, here's what uh we tentatively came up with. And uh this was just a conversation with Jason and I, but uh here we go. Uh creates and distributes public messaging and materials to inform and engage the community, develops newsletter letters, website updates, manages social media, creates outreach campaigns, uh and supports uh the various departments within the city uh in broadcasting uh these items. And then we have some other requirements that cities have. There are some job descriptions for for positions like this currently with Bridton and U city. So I don't think we're going to be the first people to do this. I know Marilyn Heights has a communications director. I'm assuming Chesterfield Florison might do as well. Um so we'd put ourselves in that that group with those cities. So

yeah, we we pulled up uh I have just have a screenshot here. I think the average was uh 55,000. So not a you know comfortable living but nothing crazy. Um and again bang for the buck. I think there are a lot of you know graduates who want this kind of job. Um and I think there's a lot of demand for a position like this. I say that now we might get zero applicants but at least we can get it out there and see if anybody's interested. One one last question for me. Um, would that person be um able to market Oland to potential businesses that would be coming in?

I think so. Yeah. And it's I'm not doing it for image purposes, but that's part of it, too. I think businesses want to go places that are attractive, and if we can highlight what we do, again, we're good at doing it. I feel we're very good at doing it. I just don't think we're the best at setting that narrative and selling it and getting getting it out there because a lot of times I get, you know, a lot of times, I mean, more than once every day of my life, I get calls, texts, Facebook messages about what's stuff that's going around town and sometimes it's true and sometimes it isn't. Um, and that's part of our job here to educate folks. But I think this would be a good good role to at least start. They're not going to be, you know, a journalist out on the street taking pictures of every incident that happens, but at least we can get something out faster and more consolidated. And you know, people want to say nasty comments on there, they're welcome to. But at least we're trying to get what's going on out there. We're going to talk a lot more about that. I've got to think a lot more about that, too. But just want to give everybody a heads up so we can all think about it. All right. Uh we have a lot to go uh remaining with the work session, executive session. So I'll seek a motion to adjurnn to go into a work session.

Second. And all those in favor? Any opposed? All right, we'll go right into the work session.

Hey, good evening everyone. So, the the there was a memo in your packet this evening or uh about this this conversation. So, the the the issue tonight is kind of the overarching um step increases, cost of living adjustments for full and part-time employees um that we would need to plug into the budget. So, um, the first slide here just kind of gives you a summary of kind of what we're looking at in terms of of salaries and b or salary, excuse me, just for the general fund and the park fund for next year. Um, so we're looking at a difference in the general fund of about 141,000. Um, these numbers include step increases for all full-time employees. Um just as a reminder with the collective bargaining agreement last year um members of the FOP were not eligible for step increases. They are this year. Um this also for the park fund includes compliance with the new minimum wage requirements. So that number is kind of uh fluid uh because it depends on who you hire and what rate they have and how many hours they work. Um Erin kind of came up with this number. Uh we've estimated currently we budget 80,000 for the front desk folks and uh 80,000 for building maintenance over at the community center. Aaron suggesting that that number be 120 for front desk and 80 or excuse me and 100 for the building maintenance. Again based on historical hours that those employees have worked. Obviously, you know, the more long-term employee leaves and worked a lot of hours. Um but that's what these numbers are based on. Um so uh for 2025 the current fiscal year um step increases were granted for elig for all eligible employees. As I mentioned FOP members were not eligible um topped out increases for all eligible

employees. Again FOP members were not eligible for the topped out um increase. A the council granted a 3% cost of living for all eligible full-time and part-time employees effective June 22nd, 2025. Um the salary adjustments, there were some individual salary adjustments made during the year. Um and then again, the salary expenses for the community center represent a partial year of compliance with the minimum wage because it didn't come in until later in the in the fiscal year. Um so the the 2027 numbers again represent um uh step increases for our eligible full-time employees. FOP members uh as well topped out again FOP members and then the salary expenses for the community center um are you know reflect the compliance with the new uh minimum wage law here in Missouri uh for the entire fiscal year. Um so for 2627 uh as of March 19th which was last Thursday uh the general fund had about 13.8 million in it and the park fund had about 1.7. Um a lot of that for the park fund obviously is due to the lake project. Um but those are the fund balances as of last Thursday. So the real qu or the the questions here tonight are you know step increases do we want to include them in the budget for next year? Um so we'd have the for full-time employees which would be two and a half% and do you want to do these just one at a time? Mayor is that

okay? Sure. So do we want to include step increases for all eligible full-time employees which is something we've traditionally done every year? Yes. Yes. Okay. uh for members of the FOP. Yeah. Yes. Um just want to confirm uh step increases for all part-time eligible employees. Okay. Uh top out adjustments for those that are topped out. Yes. Okay. All right. So again, the numbers that you saw on the screen reflect all of those.

Okay. we assumed um and he gives you some idea of what that cost. Um so the next is the um cost of living adjustment. So for this year the CPI increase 2.36%. Um so the question is do you want to give a cost of living adjustment and if so what percentage? Um, I supplied a 1% 2% 2.36% which is highlighted only because that's what the change is and then 3%.

What about a 2.5% for the instead of the 2.36 overall? It would be a 5% total, you know, for um for them. I'm going to guess 166. Close. Trying to get there. I don't know. 168.

How much is that going over? 168. You're shaking your head. Yeah, I was I'm good at one thing and that's adding up change really fast. That's it.

I've always felt that sticking with the CPI is a is a minimum. So, I'm with Councilman Furnus with 2.5. Anybody from the the left? CPI.5%.

Yes, sir. And it was um I think in the memo it said what the actual 3.37. Yeah. So So 3.37 and we did three. Yeah. I don't mind that. I just would like to not come midy year and then suddenly fundamentally wrong with our pay system again and have to redo all this again. So, I think if somebody still thinks there's a big problem with that that we should rectify that now instead of later. So, we Yeah, that's fine. We don't touch it for a year. Yeah, that's kind of kind of the idea.

Yeah, that Well, I mean, if we have a system, the system should be the system we use. And if somebody thinks there's a problem with it, then we should change it. I do think there's a problem with it, but I don't think we're going to be able to solve. Okay. So, we don't touch it until 27. There we go. There you go. Okay. 2.5. We'll if somebody can make that motion, please. One second. Are we doing this for full-time and part-time or just full-time or both? Both. Okay. I just want to be clear. I'll make that motion. Second. And all those in favor. Any opposed? Motion carries.

That's all session time. Okay. Uh with that said, we still have a lot more work up here. Uh I'll ask for a motion to go into executive session for legal and personnel purposes in accordance with RSO61021 subsections 1 and three. I'll make that motion. Second. And pull that vote, please. Councilwoman Ruckman. Yes. Council member Bleskkey. Yes. Counciloman Furnuses. Yes. Councilwoman Steel. Yes. Councilwoman Rquo. Yes. Councilwoman Ferguson. Yes. And Councilman Bernard. And Councilman Bennett. Yes. Put my cheat sheet