Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

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feel down. Feel All right, it's 5:30. I'd like to call this workshop to order. Uh sh

I'll do a silent roll call if you ladies would like to take off. Take off. Start. Okay. [clears throat] So, before you all included in your packet, that's really loud. Um, there are our current codes related to the renting or leasing of city hall. This is all we have. There's no additional policy that we have for it. Nothing. Um, so I wanted to bring this before you all. Uh, there were a few things that I wanted to just kind of open up and talk with you all about. Um, first of all, we we I feel like we should develop an actual set of policies that go along with our codes. Um, things that would include um information such as, you know, no use of tape, especially duct tape on the wood floors because we had that. You can still see the stripes where it took the finish off the floor. um you know some prohibitions for groups using um so anyway that we'll get to that here in just a bit but I wanted to start with the codes that we do have on the books and understand that you know the last time these were revised it looks like maybe 18 was the most recent revision to any of these 2018 um I did trace the fees that are listed in the codes for rental back to the 2008 eight ordinance. I don't know if those same fees were in effect prior to that. I suspect the way that ordinance was written written that they were added at that time. So that's

I think I think you're right. When Cosmopolitan rented this basically, you know, we're grandfathered in, but um we were just paying janitorial fees. Gotcha. And we don't have anything in our code about janitorial fees. So that is that is something I would like us to consider is adding janitorial fees. Um, and so like I said, I didn't know if if we wanted to look at rental fees. I will say I just just as you know, precursor for tonight, I looked up kind of the inflationary factor from 2008 to 26 and that's like a 50 to 52% increase. You can change it after July 4th. Do I? [laughter] I said you can change it after July 4th, so I don't have to fund raise so hard.

But um, so so I just wanted to share that information with you all. I didn't know if you wanted to look at that. Um, a few of the other things um of note, like I said, I would like to add a a clean damage and cleaning deposit uh and and potentially have that set up as a refundable deposit so that if whoever's using it, if they have the manpower, the volunt volunteers and clean and leave it like it was before they stepped into, then we would refund that. Um, and that would be for all entities. Um, I did visit with Kimmy quickly today kind via text about how long does it take her to clean the facility after it's been used. She said it depends on on the group and what they were doing with it. She said probably the minimum is about 5 hours. Again, it's a big facility because we're talking we got to clean this space, the restrooms, the lobby a lot of times downstairs in the basement as well and those restrooms. So, like I said, a lot of space to cover. She said probably at the maximum about 10 hours. So, she's had it take that long. Um, so again, like I said, I I do think we need to look at that refundable cleaning and damage deposit. Um, we also have had some damage to the building that's happened over the last couple years when it's been used. So, that's something like I said, if they leave it in as good a shape, great. Um, I am working on I don't have it finalized yet on putting together like a daily cost for the building. And so by that I've started with utilities. Um, so all utilities, electric, water, sewer, natural gas. Um, to kind of get a daily rate to give us an idea. I'd like to add to that. Like I said, I know Kimmy's hourly wage. We can add that to it. I've asked John Roose, our our mechanic and maintenance guy, um to get me the costs for all the filters for all

the heating units, the feed heating and AC units, as well as then his manh hours that it takes for those the stuff he does in this building just so that I can put all of that together. I don't have all those numbers yet, but I'm I'm working toward that. Um, so not not having any of John's stuff or those costs, um, we're looking at an average of probably $50 to $55 a day, not counting John's costs at this point. So, I'll be continuing to look at what are the other expenses for this building. So, so just kind of keep keep in mind what those are looking like. Um, did you all have any thoughts or questions or observations?

I have um a concern with uh people are moving out of the city into the county and then the county h they're coming into Salem and they are spending money in Salem which is on the Salem city sales tax but yet they're penalized with regard to this facility. Again, these were adopted way before any of our time. Can we just make it up just across the board? It's up to you all.

Now, I also I I will add these were adopted prior to staff moving into the admin building. So, at that time, staff was in this building. So, it didn't didn't require someone to leave where they're working and what they're doing to come here to unlock to let people into right that kind of stuff. So that there's there's been that change since these codes were adopted. So, but I mean that's that's you all can discuss and see where you're at on that.

And then so say for instance like some of the organizations that might need it for an extended period of time if they're doing a play or whatever in here. So would then the fees would that be an every day that they had to use the building that would be this charge for this day and then yes the next day would be that additional charge. Okay. Yep. Yeah. just because yeah the over 10 hours to 24 hours if they needed it for that full time then it'd be that $300 a day. Does that make sense? Um and then yeah they have a fee if they just need it for one to three hours the night before for setup or decorating for their event. That's just $50 extra. So

are in the organization portion of this are businesses included into that criteria? So, let's say we have somebody that owns a business in town but lives outside of town. Are they considered an organization if they request it? I mean, we don't have anything in the code that says one way or the other. Melissa, do you handle that any differently? We've really not had that come up, have we?

Yeah. But, I mean, nothing in the code specifies it. Do you know what I mean? It talks about individuals who live in town or outside of town and then it talks about certain organizations who are exempt from paying the fees, but beyond that it doesn't. So, I mean, that's all stuff that you all and and I'd like, you know, to get direction from you all what you'd like to see so that next time the next workshop, I could maybe have something drafted that we could pick apart at that time. Yeah. To be honest, for leasing or renting of a facility, this is very scanty. It is.

Um it's um Yeah. It kind of leaves us without much guidance. That looks so nice and how bad it looks now. Mhm. So paid outside on the sidewalk. Yeah. I Anyway. Yeah. And that's part of why I feel like we need that cleaning and damage deposit. Yep. Um

so that if Yeah. there are those types of issues. Um, the other thing, um, I've found a product, I've shared it with Melissa, her and I, we've really not revisited it since. They make it's like a a rubber mat specifically for wooden stages that get used for other things that would protect the floor. Um, probably in all honesty, it would just stay down most of the time at this point. But they do make that product. I'd have to look at it again and dig it up to see that what the cost those costs of it are. But that might be something that we consider investing in. So if it was reasonable Yeah. With reasonable Yeah. reasonable cost. Yeah.

So probably a good idea. Especially we're going to have more plays and sets and at least right whether we have more or the same amount. I mean we need to do what we can to protect the building. So yeah, I check into that. Okay, we'll try to get a cost for that for the next next workshop. Okay. Anything else you guys thoughts as you're looking at some decisions? Do we need some decisions tonight on Not formal decisions, but what would you like me to put into a draft changes? I mean, can we can can we pursue that across the board instead of city versus county? How do you guys feel about that?

What's that? I don't know that it matters one way or another being city limits or or not. I think a fee should just be a straight fee. One flat fee. Yeah. Okay. So, eliminate kind of that distinction of residency. Okay. Okay.

Okay. Um I I know some of the things like I said if we look at a policy that kind of goes along with this um you know no don't use no using of tape of any kind on the floors um we need to have in there trying to remember now what were some of the other things give me just a second because these are things that staff that we have seen over the past year or so. So, let's see. So, one of the other things that's really difficult to clean up and and I'm just going to make I'm just going to put this out there. Um, it may not be something we want to limit,

but glitter and feathers. And I know those are used for a lot of things, but they're very difficult to clean up. What are you laughing for? [laughter] Are they still um using this for jury duties, jury selection? Occasionally. Okay. It's it's truly on the case maybe. Huh? Yeah, it depends on the case. Not not real often and not even every year, but speak the truth, but it does happen. So, yeah, depending on the case. What is the just off top of your head, what is the utilization? How many how many times do we rent it out? Um, looking at kind of historical stuff, I don't know if you have information on this, but it looks like about six times a year. Okay.

Is is kind of what we've been doing. That's I got you. Oh my gosh. All right. get them to listen. Let me stand back here. No, don't. [laughter] It's so loud. Um the schools come over and use it quite frequently um for choir band performance. Uh they'll sometimes come in over and watch a movie, especially around Christmas time. They like to come over and watch movies. Are they charged for that the use of this? Uh during regular operating.

Yep. Um and then you have the plays that come in that that utilize it. It's one time a year for sure. Um gymnastics, dance sometimes utilize it. We have a uh gospel singing group that sometimes reserves it. Um you've reserved it in the past and then um jury duty, they'll oftentimes reserve a section of dates and then they'll call me and end up cancelling because it just depends on if it comes to fruition or not. But okay. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. You're welcome. So that that's yeah kind of that usage. So Melissa, I'd say six to maybe max 15. And sometimes people reserve it and hold it back and decide not to use it, right?

Right. So again, at this point, it's not highly utilized. Um, but I think some of it too, as we move forward, when we get to the point where we're ready to start showing movies in here, then that's going to change the dynamic quite a bit of the use of the building, right? Um, and so, you know, we're going to have to make sure that not only when others are using the building, but when we have a movie that we're checking things over regularly. So, is everything cinema still involved with that? Like the projector? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Did you have any kind of info on that? I didn't think so. Okay. All right. Mhm. Yeah.

Lights, camera, action. Is that just the screen? Yeah. Well, the R1 schools don't just too far. Okay. Yeah. They would also have transportation expenses if the rural schools came in to use it. So, the cost would go up for the for them. Not from us, but Right. Right. Right. But overall, I get it.

Any other thoughts? I I do think one of the things we need to change in here, there's some I don't know when that language is exactly from, but if someone wants to cancel their reservation, they have to do it within 45 days. [laughter] I feel like that's probably a bit more lead time than what's necessary. We're probably lucky if we get the reservation within 45 days. [clears throat] Yeah. So, I I think we need to probably update that a little bit. Um, what would be reasonable? What would you think would be more reasonable? I don't know. to cancel. 48 hours should be sufficient. Say something. Yeah. Two or three days. Yep.

Um, anything else that you guys see or that you've thought about or No. Okay. When we come back to you next time, like I said, we'll have a draft policy as well as draft ordinance and I will continue to gather input and information from staff um to put all that together. So, anything else you guys want to see? No. No board. Good. I'm good.

Okay. So, I've got definitely we'll bring back prices for formats for the stage and then eliminating the residency um changing the cancellation and then do we want to look at altered prices or do we want to wait and see what the costs are? Uh I' I'd like to see John's the maintenance piece. Okay. See what those additional costs are. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Okay. I mean, I don't think it should be a profit center, but No, but we also shouldn't go in the hole. No. And I mean, it should support itself. We We would hope. I mean, we got a long ways to go for it to support itself. The heating and cooling of this building. I mean, yeah,

I used the word should. Okay. [laughter] But I mean that that is that is things for you all to consider is you know are we worried about it paying for itself or are we providing it as a service and benefit to our community. So that's it's hard to judge that till we know what the cost. Gotcha. Okay. All right. And the utilization. Okay. I will get all of that together for you guys for the next workshop. All right. Sounds good. Thank you. And close this workshop then. Can we start the other?

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Heat. Heat. Doo be down. I call this meeting to order and ask everyone to please rise for pledge of allegiance and prayer. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

John, if you lead us in prayer. Sure. Everybody bow their head. Father, we just come to you and first let me thank you for your son Jesus Christ and your grace and mercy. I thank you for this country that we live in. I thank you for the community and the county. I just ask that everything that we do tonight, we bring honor and glory to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Amen.

First up, roll call. I am present. Alderwoman Dent present. Alderman Kenzie present. Alderman Whan Alderman Wheel. Yes. [laughter] Thank you for being present. No, you got to acknowledge that, sir. Okay. Alderman Ledworth, present. City administrator Burbridge, present. City Clerk Fuller, present. City attorney Weber, present. Public works director Payne is absent tonight. Chief of Police Jace. Finance Director Stacy Houston, good job.

Economic development director Carrie Sutterfield. And we have Joshua and Chris Mcghert from waste water and water department with us tonight. Next item up is approval of tonight's agenda. I make a motion to approve the agenda. Do I have a second? I'll second that. I will call for the vote. Alderman McKenzie. Yes. Alderman Lechworth? Yes. Alderwoman Dent? Yes. Alderman Whan? Yes. Next up is the consent agenda. Do I have a motion for the consent agenda? I make a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Do I have a second? I'll second. This time I'll call for the vote. Alderman Lechworth, yes. Alderman McKenzie, yes. Alderman Wayan, yes. Alderwoman Dent,

yes. We have no one up for public comment tonight. And the next item up is the US Small Business Administrative Administration presentation. And he is not currently here tonight. So, we'll move right along to new and miscellaneous business for the rebuilt of the wastewater treatment effluent pump for the UV system. Josh, did I say that right?

Effluent. All right. Thank you. This time, Josh, would you like to come up and talk about that a little bit? I would like to uh present and ask for the board uh to uh approve funding for repair on our uh UV pumps. They uh pump the effluent to the creek, but it uh passes the UV bulbs. Um this equipment um has to be back on in operation on April 1st um to meet compliance. Um but under the phase 2A uh scope of the work was to remove these pumps and install larger impellers on them to where we could increase our flow capacity through this pump station. Um when they brought the pumps in for inspection, they found that they've got uh upper bearings and the motors that are currently worn to the point If we continue service the shape they're in, they'll do more damage to the motors.

Okay. They have a timeline when they'd finish it. If they got the we're able to do the repairs. Um, currently if we approve the funding on this, uh, they're they're supposed to meet the scope, you know, before the April deadline. Okay. Board have any questions? No question. I have a motion. Make a motion to approve the rebuilding wastewater treatment plant pumps for the UV system. Do I have a second? I'll second. At this time, I'll call for the vote. Alderman Whley, yes. Alderman Kenzie, yes. Alderwoman Dent, yes. Alderman Lechworth, yes.

All right. Next item up is a sewer trailer repair rebuild. if you want to speak on that behalf of the trailer.

All right. You'd like to dive in? Give us a description of this. The this particular uh machine was bought back in 97 I believe or 98 and this company that did the repairs on it is the one that manufactured this machine and it's been to my knowledge back there at least three times over this almost 30-year period to be rebuilt. We did contact another company that did come look. They couldn't identify what type of pump we had on it, what the brand was and different components of this and they they kept pushing the issue to uh purchase a brand new one. They didn't really seem to be interested in repairing this, especially since they didn't manufacture it and doesn't carry this brand. So, we reached out to this one, too. They're uh they were familiar with it. they built it and uh their cost was was pretty comparable between both. I can't remember the exact price of the other one. So, uh we budgeted 15,000 in the equipment maintenance to have this machine rebuilt the the parts that was wrong with it. So, we made the decision or I made the decision to go ahead and and send it over to them and and let them rebuild this. This machine is we thought at at one point that uh getting the back truck with the with the sewer jeter system that it's got, we may not need this, but then as Murphy's law took effect, there were areas where we could not get the back truck in. And with this piece of machinery starting to aail, it was really cost us a lot more time to open up a a sewer man that was in a remote place that we had to drag this machine into. And it just, you know,

wasn't operating up to the standards. So, we made the decision to go ahead and have it rebuilt. And it it's this machine is is a real asset for our outlying trunk lines and different things which the flow capacity them and the flow that they generate is tremendous compared to their our ones inside the the town in the streets. So we made the decision to go ahead and and have this rebuilt as quick as possible and get it back and that's where we're at with it.

Mayor, if I may. Yes. Chris, can you share with them the cost of a new machine? The new machine I believe uh we were over at $100,000 I believe for one comparable to this machine. That's where the woo came in. Wow. Yeah. All right. Board have any questions? No. No. Did we buy that machine new? Did you say 90? Yes. Brand new back in 97 or 98. And we rebuilt it three times during that. just different parts of it. Not a complete machine, right? And this would be a complete It's pretty close to it.

Sounds like good money spent to me for 15,000 over buying a $100,000. Exactly. Okay. Thanks, Chris. You're welcome. All right. This time, do I have a motion? I make it a motion to approve the spending of $12,563 to pay for the repair rebuild on the sewer trailer. And do I have a second? I'll second the motion. At this time, I'll call for the vote. Alderman McKenzie, yes. Alderman Whan, yes. Alderman Lechworth, yes. And Alderwoman Dent, yes.

All right. Next up is resolution number 1-2026. Resolution number 1-2026, a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement between the city of Salem, Missouri, and the Department of Health and Senior Services for the purpose of wastewater surveillance. Thank you.

Does board have any discussion? Do you mean to take it back up? No, I'm good. I have no disc. This is pretty standard. Yeah. Yeah. [clears throat] this time. Does anybody want to make a motion?

I'll make a motion to approve resolution number one, [snorts] 2026. Do I have a second? I'll second that motion. This time I will call for the vote. Alderman Whan, yes. Alderman Ledworth, yes. Alderman McKenzie, yes. Alderwoman Dent, yes. All right. Next up, we got reading the uh the first reading for bill number 3695. [cough] Bill number 3695, an ordinance amending the annual budget for the city of Salem, Missouri, beginning July 1, 2025, and appropriating funds pursuant thereto.

Thank you. Does anyone have questions on any of this these budget adjustments? Questions? Sorry. So, this staff report does summarize proposed budget amendments and the resulting impacts on the fund balances. These revenue and expenditure increases are primar primarily related to flood damage from November 2024 and the FEMA reimbursements that we have already received or anticipate receiving for these costs. A more detailed explanation for each fund and each item are on attachment A within the agenda packet. So, if anyone has any questions, um, with these requested adjustments, the overall change in fund balances will increase around 118,000.

118,000 increase. Okay. All right. Everybody good? We're good. Good. Mayor Gathering. No. Okay. All right. Thank you, Stason. All right. Next up is reports vote on it. I'll start with my report. Uh Dancing with a Stars. They're hosting for at the Salem High School gym January the 24th at uh the doors open at 6:30. Dancing starts at 7:00. Okay.

Uh it's a fundraiser that they're sponsoring for. Uh, also if anybody hasn't been on social media lately and seen the post, uh, we'd appreciate feedback from the community about the color for the water towers, um, I see a lot of comments being made, but we need you to actually fill out, uh, the voting form and make sure that you turn that back in. That's the only thing that I have for my report on it. Please read the article. There's a lot of information in there and the least of it is the watercolor, the tower colors of the water tower. Yeah, it was a great article. Thank you.

Go blue. All right, moving right along. City administrator, you have nothing to report. No report this evening. Carrie, you don't have a report tonight. No, sir. Steve is not here. Melissa left. All right. Only people left is the board. Alderman Lechworth. I have nothing to report. Older Mackenzie, nothing to report. No report. Mayor, woman den,

I do. The beautifification committee of the community involvement committee met with uh Salem area community betterment association and city administrator and talked about some ideas for beautifification and what was needed. And um after talking with the committee members, we have decided to pursue an area that right now is um and I'll just tell you where it is. It's it's that area right across from Mirandis that has the fountain and has all the trees in it. Anyway, I talked to Mo DOT. Mod will be here tomorrow to talk to me and um they have no problem with us taking out the trees and making some beautifification there with flowers and whatever is needed and so hopefully that will be forthcoming and you'll see something nice in the spring.

Good job. Thanks. Yes. May I reneg on my no report? Oh yeah.

Okay. Apologies. Um but alderwoman Dent's report reminded me um I did discuss with staff this morning in staff meeting and I have reached out to Dr. Wills with Salem R80 schools. Um our downtown um some of the things that we need to still complete. It's not technically part of the project but things that we need to come back and do is um planters and trash cans downtown. So, uh, we've struggled a little bit with what and and I know we discussed this at at the meeting that Alderwoman Dent was referring to. Um, there are some restrictions with the new sidewalks that make placement of these fixtures more complicated. So, previously, you'll remember the big brick planters were on the kind of outer edge of the sidewalk closer to the street,

which meant our street crew watered those plantings with a truck. Mhm. So, that outer part of the sidewalk is now the ADA compliant section. Oh.

Which means we can't put planters there. We can't put trash cans there. Anything that would impede that. So any planters mid block would have to be pushed up to the building faces and then watering them with the truck could become a bit more of an issue. Um so there's there's those concerns. Um we've kind of talked about this morning talking among staff. We think we can figure it out to maybe place those on the bumpouts at the intersections so that at least each intersection would have kind of a gathering on all the corners. Um, but again, as as you look at obviously we get cataloges all the time at the city about street furnishings and fixtures and they're expensive. The cheapest trash can I've seen if we ordered from a company who does this is about $500. It's for a single trash can. So, um, as we've been talking, uh, Steve, our public works director, had brought up about, you know, St. James has for their planters. They have some custom metal that they've been like with a plasma cutter designs cut in sheet metal and it made these square planter boxes. Well, as we were talking about that, I had reached out to Dr. Wills. I had recalled a conversation several years back that the high school was looking at purchasing a plasma cutter so students could learn how to do metal art.

So, they did do that purchase. I wasn't sure if they had, but he confirmed that they'd had. and I asked them if they would be interested in maybe partnering with the city to do some custom planter and trash surrounds um that you know maybe we could provide the materials and some ideas on what that artwork looked like and then have the students actually make them. And so he said absolutely they would be interested in partnering with us. We just need to get some specifications together and and get with them. So if you all are good with that we'll move forward with that. Um I feel like it could be a real win. we could get some real community buy in and especially having the youth involved would be a really good thing. So,

I know that there have been some questions brought up about metal containers being hot to the touch in the summer and the possibility of people rubbing up against them or brushing up against them and being hurt or burned. Okay. I I mean that's Yeah. Okay. Just saying. Gotcha. Okay. So, anyway, that's that's what I have. Thank you. All right. Well, this time, do I have a motion to go into close session for attorney client privilege? I move that we go into close session for the purpose of attorney client privilege. Do I have a second? I'll second.

I will call for the vote. Alderwoman Dent, yes. Alderman McKenzie, yes. Alderman Whan, yes. Alman Leworth, yes. Thank you all for attending tonight.