City Council - Regular Meeting

We're fixed. We're trying to fix it right now. Okay. Okay. You guys ready? Let's do it. Council workshop meeting Monday, April 6, 2026, 6 p.m. Bayer here. Briggs here. Coulter here. Hydrri here. here. Kathy here. Absol here. Senchup, please rise for pledge of allegiance.

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. All the committee members answer if they have or have not read the minutes of the meeting dated March 2nd, 2026. Pair, yes. Briggs, yes. Palter, yes. Hydrri, I

motion to approve. Second motion by Bear, second by Coulter to approve. All those in favor say I. I. It's approved. report of department heads, administration department, fifth and Jefferson Street collections.

Uh at the traffic committee meeting last Friday, uh morning at 8, uh the committee um discussed uh the use of the fifth and Jefferson Street intersection as historically what has been done in the past to allow organizations to go ahead and collect money for charitable causes. Um, in the past we've talked and and Sherry's passed out a letter uh from that recommendation from the committee uh that she gave right to you before the uh council meeting. Um, and it was noted that in there uh we did have u an individual that was struck back in 2023 uh collecting donations at the time. Uh the concerns been and then it just got raised recently due to the fact that our uh insurance requirements have gone up and uh one organization reached out and wanted to know um uh they were asking some questions about our uh insurance and and and in passing comment they said well we wish kind of the city would just kind of do away with it anyway so because and so which brought up the conversation I asked go ahead and put it back on the uh agenda for the traffic committee. I know that uh most of you though would probably get comments with regards to that. It's not something but we wanted to just bring it up for discussion to see if the council had any comments on it. U but we feel that there's probably other ways that they can go ahead and raise money for their charities. I'm not saying that this, but a typical night when we used to do it as a city for like United Way, like on a Friday evening, I think we would get like 20

2200 2200 um and it's almost not worth the insurance coverage that we require from some of these groups to go ahead and do it. So, um open for discussion, but that was the the recommendation from the traffic committee this past Friday when they met um um here in the council chambers. So open. I'm really surprised that somebody hasn't gotten hurt sooner. I am too. And I think it's probably a good idea to do away with it completely because it can happen again anytime easily. Yes.

I think it's something that's long overdue. I see it on a Saturday morning or something like that and then you neglect to talk about it next Monday. But yeah, I'm the same way. Some people that stand there just they can't get out of the way. and an average person, even an an abled body person couldn't escape a a vehicle traveling some of the speeds we see. So, yeah, I definitely think it's something that needs to be agree with the fact insurance is going up and it's going to cost them that much more. What um you know, should do it. Is it worth standing out there? Yeah. Doing this. Do you need a motion? Traffic committee. I think we should You need an ordinance or do you need a motion here? I just think you need a motion in a second. Just it's just a policy. So moved.

Second. Motion by Patky, second by Sully. Any further discussion about this guys? Looks pretty uh cut up and dry. All those in favor say I. I opposed. Unanimous passes. Thank you. Engineering Department FAA flight check agreement.

Good evening, council. Um, as part of the runway extension project out at the airport, um, FAA will need to do a flight check and inspection um, before we open the the runway up completely. Um, this is an agreement with them to do that for a little over 23,000. It was included in the original grant for the project. Um, so we'll get the same reimbursement as the project, which the city's portion is 5%. So a little over $1,000 will be the city share for this. So, how's that project coming?

Uh, good. They've gotten some more of the runway and taxi way paved. And hopefully with the good weather this week, they'll get a good portion of it finished up this week and next week. So, kind of confusing when you open the document and says non-federal reimburseable agreement right on the top. Really, yeah, the agreement itself is not reimburseable, but it's part of the grant reimburse. So, it's it is very confusing. Which one you reading that on? It's going to be good to get our runway back you guys because revenues have been down and goes have been down. We need that extra help to send it on. Second.

Motion by Hope Meer, second by Bear to send it on to council. All those in favor say I. I opposed. Passes. High Street Roadway and ADA Compliance Project STBG6400630.

So this is our grant project to redo uh high street sidewalks, curb and gutter and um repave the asphalt from Fifth to Front Street. KJall was the low bid at a little over 1.3 million. Um the estimate was around 1.5 and the budget was at uh a little over 1.5 million. So, we're under budget um with the low bid here. So, we're recommending go with KJU. Are any of the retaining walls on High Street affected by that? Um we are trying to avoid having to redo any of them. So, we'll uh try and stay away from them and do the best we can is the the idea. Quite a few of them.

There are quite a few. not in the best of shape, but most of them are kind of the property owners to maintain. So, I mean, all the retaining walls are property owners to maintain. It's not city property. I'm not aware of one property along there that that that where it was put up where the city had any involvement with it whatsoever. Okay. It's just it's nice to know ahead of time the project because if we get up to it Yep. Yeah. There was lots of questions in the in the bidding process about the retaining walls and you know how they were going to manage that. So when you did third streak, was there any issues with that? I'm just thinking there were a few of them along there that wereed a little bit.

We didn't run into too many. There was one that we had planned to redo that was falling over and we, you know, we got that in. Um but no, we didn't run into any that like fell during the project or anything. So Further discussion. Make a motion to second. Make a motion. Second. Motion by Pepsil, second by Patky. Further discussion. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? It passes. Fire department 2016 foam trailer purchase and budget amendment.

Good evening, council. In your packet, there is a letter outlining a uh opportunity that we have to purchase a foam trailer uh from Hatai uh facilities corporation which is essentially Hatai Fire Department in that portion. Um they are looking to uh dispose of theirs. Uh they have a 2016 National Foam Trailer. I priced one new. It's $60,950 for a new one. Um, and they're looking to sell theirs for $25,000. Looking to take that out of the spiller pace fund. Uh, currently the firefighting foam is changing uh with POS problems that Kevin's talked about. It it also trickles down in the fire service. Uh, the foams that we used in the past are no longer uh usable uh from environmental perspective. And because of that, you have to put foam on about 150% faster or you have to takes 150% longer to do it. Um, and there's there's no real resources in the area. Looking at what we have in the team track, a variety of industry plus what's on the roadways and the above ground storage facilities that we have down on Front Street, Highway A, we don't have the foam capabilities that we need presently. So, this would fill that gap that Spiller Pays has been kind of eyeballing that the we've been kind of looking at that. This just turns out to be a really good opportunity. 25,000

25,000 20,000 on spiller pays and 5,000 on the fire department operating budget. And then the foam we're having the uh Franklin County hazmat team is buying the first tote of foam. It's between 10 and 13,000. Sounds like you got the money to cover it. Yeah. So the school pays looks like it's got 26 right now. Yes, sir. Correct. Correct. We'd still have a little leftover. We've taken a little bit out of spiller pays to buy various equipment. And that's one of the caveats of the spiller pays law is that it has to be used for hazmat type equipment. We can't buy just anything with it. It has to be hazmat related.

Where will it be housed? Probably threes in the in the shed at threes is probably where it's going to go. Either they're makes probably the most sense there because there's a tow vehicle there.

Tim, why do they want to get rid of it? they're wanting to take the money and buy other equipment with it. So, uh I happened to be down there teaching a class a while back and spotted the thing in their engine house and uh kind of ooed over it and so the guy reached out to me when they wanted to get rid of it and said, "Hey, you interested in it?" I'm like, "Yeah, how much?" And so they sent us the original invoice. They bought it a new for 30,000. So, uh I'm like, "Yeah, let me see what I can do." So, here we are. I'll make a motion to send it on. Second. Motion by Greg, second by Pat Key to send it on. Further discussion or questions?

All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? Passes. Thanks, Tim. Weight training and fitness equipment purchases.

Thank you. Uh, in the packet also is a lot of information. Uh this is to complete the workout room at the new fire station. Uh this equipment is we looked at show me uh weights down in Fenton. Uh we were given a tip uh from a physical therapist that uh they recondition a lot of equipment and so it was an opportunity. So the guys looked at it. So they're looking at a reconditioned treadmill uh stair climber uh which is new. when we try to get that that stair climber is the highest piece of the whole whole puzzle about seven $8,000. Um that piece of equipment we couldn't get a comparable on it to get additional bids on. So we're looking to soul source that um through them as well. But this would include uh two weight benches, two squat racks, treadmill, um the stair climber, and a machine as well for a multiross fitness machine as well as some dumbbells and uh kettle bells. So, we had a committee put together that went through all this stuff uh to put together this list and we're looking to buy this as part of a new engine house.

Is this equipment over and above what you already have? Currently, our equipment um the one machine is we have a treadmill, a bike, an elliptical, and free weights, um some some uh dumbbells and a machine that is worn out. It's the cables are getting ready to snap on it. So that machine is we were planning on leaving all of that at station four and then move this stuff into to the new building. Do you require your guys to to work out?

Not yet, but we're going to in we're working on a plan to incentivize it. So we're we're we can't require it quite yet. Um part of the reason we have some guys work out at fours. This time of year it's not bad and in the winter time it's not bad. We've had an increased use down at fours in the winter, but in the summertime that equipment's on the mezzanine out in the bay, so it gets ridiculously hot in there uh pretty quick. So, the new one does have conditioned space for the equipment. Did you look at leasing any of the bigger equipment?

Didn't look at it because we were able to get it uh reconditioned, so it's going to be cheaper than than trying to do that. So, we were looking at looking at the best way to do that. So, about a third of what we're looking at is has been reconditioned. That's the beauty of Show Me Weights. They buy equipment from Physical Fitness and and other places that are lower impact use on. It's not like they're buying it from a Planet Fitness and reusing that equipment. They're they're buying equipment that's been a little less abused, but it's in good shape. What do you think the percentage of your guys are going to use this

right now with the turnover in people? um probably close to 50% because our young guys that are active air mass qualified guys um they're down there quite often. We the fire on Pottery Road um those guys are actually out on a run from station 4. They had to run back from sixth in Lincoln to catch a truck. U so they were actually down there working out when that call came in. Last time I was at Fors, I caught a call down there as well. But Chief, it actually makes sense. the more the the more the fighters are in the house, the more ready available they are. So rather than encourage them to work out somewhere else, they're there. They're that's right ready to go.

The other piece of it is when you look at the fire service, our our number one killer is cardiac and stroke. Number two is cancer. So we we've been addressing that cancer wherever we can from contamination, smoke, all of that. And then the next piece of it is making sure guys stay physically fit and ready to go. Um when we had the fire across the street, there was one injury. um and that was a strain from from pulling. So, those are things that they're looking at. Um they're wanting to basically be stronger and more fit. So, these we have a group of guys that are 25 and under that have been pretty diligent about working out and staying in shape. I make a motion to send it on. Second

motion by Briggs, second by Coulter to send it on. Further questions or discussion? All those in favor say I. I opposed passes. Thank you, Tim. Parks department grounds maintenance services bid.

Good evening. Uh so you'll in your packet you have a letter for grounds maintenance services. Uh our most recent mowing contract with cleamp expired last fall. Uh we do realize that we have to do in-house mowing. We know that's necessary, but we also feel like a contracted mowing service also provides us some critical support during peak times. Um we currently mow 140 acres per week and approximately. Uh this contract will also provide an additional 39 to 40 acres per week. Uh we do we also want to note that a full-time person was eliminated and replaced for the previous uh with the previous mowing contract. Um and we feel like this is something that's been efficient for the city uh and for our parks and for our properties um over this time. We typically utilize one person to do mowing where a crew that we contract will bring in two to three people to do that mowing for us in a shorter amount of time. So that helps us as well. Um, also since transitioning to a contracted service provider, we really have had no uh complaints. Uh, people have have told us how great the parks look, not only from our crew, but also from the crews that we've uh worked with. So we do have a combined operating budget with both parks and fire for $75,000. 65,000 from parks and 10,000 from fire. Um, when we put this out to bid, we covered a contracted term of 2026 to 2028 with an extension for two more years. We did receive five bids back. Uh, and you'll find that in your packet as well. Uh, we would like to rem recommend that we uh use Hoffman Hillerman Nursery and Florist. Uh, their bid came in at

$50,245. It does represent the lowest bid that we received. Um, we had a chance to talk with them as well and we seem to have no issues with them uh taking that contract. Uh, their base bid uh is also almost $9,000 less than the previous contract that we had from 23 to 25. Um, so additionally with that, we would like to recommend some alternatives uh that we put in that bid um that would keep us under budget at $65,195. uh we would add 11 acres to the previous contract and still uh keep us in that price range. Uh and that would be First Parkway Median, Third Parkway Median, 101 Kingsland Drive, Burger North, the flood buyout area 1, and Bush Creek Trail East South Point. Um we also wanted to let you know that we have not yet talked to the residents uh of First Parkway, but we will do that and we think that they will be happy with with the contract as well. Um, and there could be there will be a change order for the new hire the new firehouse once we get that grass planted.

The first parkway median is as some of you especially ward one knows that they've I think historically they've wanted to cut that grass themselves and they all do it like in front of their house. However, I will tell you that in the past few years we've had at least one possibly two where they've had problems where they cannot go ahead and do it anymore. So, what we did at the time, uh, Wayne was here. I I just told him, I said, "Well, find out what Clay Camp would charge you to go ahead and go up there and cut it." And they went ahead and did it. So, doing, huh? They were already doing Riverview over there, too. Right. That's why they were there already. They're there. That's right. Third also. Third Parkway as well. Where's Where's Where's one and two?

One and two. The flood buyout. Um, is it's the buyout down on Ninth Street. So, the If you scroll down, flood buyout one is right next to Optimus Park and that homeowner no longer cuts it. There was an agreement we had a couple years ago with the homeowner, but they sold that house there. And fly buyout 2 is be the big area along Nin Street. Uh but the homeowner still mow that right now. So, and there's no complaints with that. So, you're just recommending the uh flood buyout area one, which is just one. Okay. What was our current contract amount? I'm assuming

it was less 61,000 something like that. So, Hill Orman actually came in less than what we're paying currently. The one thing we found this on both of these bids, this one and the next item on your agenda. Yeah. The one thing about them is they are local. Um and so other companies that come from Chesterfield or somewhere else they're I mean with gas prices right now they're that's gas that's time uh that Hillerman they're closer and that's one of the reasons why their bid is came in a little bit lower too. They also cut in those general areas too. So they're already in those areas.

You hear rumors in town all the time and one of the rumors I hear is they're going to be giving up cutting grass. And if that happens, is this a guaranteed contract? Yeah. I mean, they're signing a contract for three years with optional years. We sat down with Hillerman's after we got all the bids and discussed, you know, just make sure that they're everything was good with them and they're fine. It doesn't act like they're planning on getting rid of any of the grass cut. I heard the same rumors, but that isn't what they said when we talked to them. Make a motion to move it on. Second. Second. Second.

Motion by Hope Meer, second by Solid Truck to move it on. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Asks

5100 medians maintenance services bid. So, sticking with the same general theme, uh, in December of 22, we went out to bid for uh, Highway 100 medians maintenance services contract. Uh, and we are up with that one as well. Um, funding for that is provided through the storm water fund as the native plants in the median help absorb water in an otherwise all asphalt environment. And then by reducing storm water runoff, these beds support the city's MS4 program compliance, making the use of local sales, local tax funds um from the storm water fund. Uh we did go out to bid recently. We received three submissions. Uh one of them was an incomplete submission, so we didn't have everything included in the packet. Uh the lowest responsive bid was submitted by Go Green, who is our current contractor that we use. Uh we have had no issues with them throughout the years. uh their bid came in at 245 for 2026, 26250 for 2027, and 28,000 for 2028. Um our second bid was from MACC contracting. The incomplete bid was from Hillerman, uh Hoffman Hillerman. Um so our recommendation is that we do go with go green and the amount of the 24,500 for 2026. Uh, and I'm happy to answer any questions about that.

Lori and Chad, how what what's the current bid that that we have with Go Green this past year? I'm sorry. Did I miss that somewhere? 20 I think it was 29,000. I don't I think it was too, but I don't have it in front of me. This is definitely This is cheaper all the way through the rest of the contract last year. Mhm. I think since the the stuff has gotten under control within the last three years based on a contract, it's why we're getting it's getting easier for them to go ahead and do the maintenance on it. I normally don't pay any attention to what they're doing out there when I'm driving by, but what what is this going to consist of? Mulch, trimming, weeding,

weeding, picking up trash, savings. That's what that all involves. Yeah, the trimming of everything. They'll cut it down in October. um that we mulch everything in the spring and then put pre-emergent down and make sure all the weeds are pulled out and if we have any issues in plants that need to be replaced, we can re they'll replace all that. I'm always paying attention to the road, right? Well, that's a good idea. Very good idea. Haven't noticed. It's tall. We need perhaps everyone in the room knows who I am now. less fires. Yeah, they need to put fireproof mulch down.

All right. Do I have a motion? So move. Second. Motion by S interrupt, second by bear. Further questions or discussion? No jokes. All those in favor say I. I. Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you. Street department vacuum excavator trailer purchase.

No. Good evening, council. We spoke about this at the last council meeting. Um, keep in mind this was not something we budgeted for, but we did see a need for it. We did have some money left over in our equipment um account from some other purchase we had earlier in the budget year. So, we did find this one. It is in stock and if everything goes good, we hope to have it uh if not by the end of the week, early next week. We will use it mainly for looking up utilities, not only for front street projects or digging projects, but also for our sign operations. With all these new subdivisions going in and all the utilities getting buried now along the road, it's just it's impossible to just go stick signs in the ground anymore. So,

and you say you had it you had money in your budget left over to cover it or short? Yep. We had I think 95,000 left over in our budget. It's for safety sake, I think, is well worth it. Yeah, it's a great tool, no doubt. And we talked about this last meeting, Tony. And yeah, you're right. Even putting a sign in the ground, as simple as that, if you don't have to locate and you don't have to wait, it all makes a difference. Even when we've had locates, you can have gas, electric, and the phone all in one area this wide, and then you're off private property. It's impossible. But if you do hit them, it's going to be your fault because they're going to say they marked it somewhere else. It happens.

And they give you what is it? Two foot variance on each side for error. Yeah. Make a motion. Second. Motion by Solent Trap, second by Pat to move it on. Further discussion, questions. Thank you. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. It passes. Water wastewater department laser flow meters purchase. No. He kept walking.

Good evening, council. Uh, these laser flow meters are going to be replacing our four current mag meters. Um, they're magnet magnetic meters that are in the plant. All four of them have become obsolete. They've been there since the plant was built. Uh, they were through part of the value engineering of the plant. So, they weren't installed correctly. I Well, it's hard to say correctly. um as they should have been designed for a mag meter. So, they've never worked correctly. However, uh besides that, they're just a another device that will go out in another 10 years that we have to replace again. So, we opted to go with these laser level levels, flow meter meters. Um they mount above the flow channel of the influent tank, influent lines, and they won't touch any sewage. So, they'll last a lot longer, easier to deal with and work with. I'll make a motion.

Second. Motion by Hydrant, second by Pepsil. Further questions or discussion? I just have one quick one about the treatment plant. Kevin, uh, I got a call on my neighbor's house was up for sale and a person contacted me and had asked me about the stink smell down at the treatment plant. And I told him, I said, 'Well, it's a lot better than it used to be and I think they're working on it continuously. Is that true?

That is true. And during the winter, we have to shut down our air scrubber because it freezes. So, we have to shut it down. So, it's back online. So, we should notice a a drop in the odor, but we're always going to have odor. We went to what we call flow matching at the treatment plant, just like we're flow matching down on Front Street, which we have seemed to eliminate the odor down there. Um, so we're doing the same thing at the treatment plant, but yes, we continue to work on order 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's just what it is. But, uh, yes. Thank you. Okay, we have a motion on the uh second on the floor. Second by Solen. Yeah. Second by Solent Trap, first by Hydridge. Further questions or discussion? No, I'm sorry. I've got first by Hydridge and a second by Tim.

Yep. Right. So, he just asked a question. I already got We already had this. Okay. Speak up. He did. He did. No. All right. Any further discussion about this? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? It passes. Well number nine, well electrical control panel replacement bid.

Yes, this is a continuing of our control panels that we're replacing in all the well buildings. Um we're replacing all of them to state-of-the-art control panels. This will be our sixth one. Um we have three more to go after this. Um but uh this takes everything and brings it into the current standards of electrical controls rather than the old 19607 80 controls process where parts are becoming obsolete for those too. So this is just another continuation of that. Every year we budget them. Got three more to go and we'll be back to where we'll have good controls and all the controls will be the same. Every well building's identical. So if we need parts we we stock one part it'll fit and work in every control panel. Make a motion.

Second. Motion by Hydrate, second by Solent. Any further discussion or questions of Kevin? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Thanks, Kevin. Passes. You want to go into executive? Well, any other u if you all don't have any other questions of department heads, we do have an executive session item that we need to discuss prior to council. Executive session public vote on whether or not to hold a closed meeting to discuss personnel, legal, or real estate matters pursuant to section 610.021 RSMO 2000. Bear yes. Briggs, yes. Halter,

yes. Hydridge, Immer, I. Pepki, yes. Pepsel, yes. Speaker, yes. You're voting for an executive session.