City Council - Regular Meeting

I can't drink that stuff.

Council workshop meeting Monday, July 6, 2026, 6 PM. Behr? Here. Briggs? Here. Coulter? Here. Heydrich? Here. Holtmeyer? Here. Patke? Here. Pepsil? Here. Selinsop? Here. Please rise for Pledge of Allegiance. Will all the committee members answer if they have or have not read the minutes of the meeting dated June 1st, 2026? Behr? Yes. Briggs? Yes. Coulter? Yes. Heidrich? Aye. Holtmeyer? Aye. Pachy? Yes. Pepsil? Yes. Selinska? Yes.

Second motion by bear second by Solon truck to approve all those in favor say aye aye Passes report of department heads parks department new parks office interior renovation project and budget amendment.

I

Good evening. So on June 4th, we opened bids up for the New Parks Interior Office renovation project, the interior portion, based off of the recommendation from the facilities committee. After reviewing those bids with Horn Architect and the city staff, We would like to award a contract to CV contractors in the amount of $460,010, which includes alternate bid number two for some additional window treatments that were left out of the first actual portion. In addition to that, we would also like to establish a contingency of $34,990. That would still keep us under budget of $495,000. And then the last thing is that we will be pulling that from the Capital Improvement Sales Tax Fund.

Old one or the new one, Ari?

What's that?

Old capital one. The 2026.

The old one. The old one.

Okay, cool. I'd like to discuss something with you. I'm sure it's the councilman here wanting to know a little bit more information about it, but I've been getting some people talk to me about

The article in the paper about the city Washington taken over the fireworks and I think it was misread in the paper that the city was going to pay for the fireworks. What is the scenario in the city sacks I got their side of the story is one of the matches.

Do you want me to discuss that?

Sure, and I'll help you if you need.

So months ago, the Legion came to us and basically told us that it was too expensive for them. So not only was the insurance too expensive for them, but also the fireworks were getting to be way too expensive for them as well. and it was something that they were considering just ending. And Darren was still here at that time as well. We sat down and we talked about how this was such a beneficial program for the community and that it really brought the community together. And so it's something that we decided that we would put into that next year's budget and help with that portion so that we would fund the band and the fireworks portion and then still offer the fairgrounds to the Legion. They would continue to do everything else that they have done as far as the event is concerned.

What kind of money do you have in your budget for this?

So they have given us a recommendation from the Legion. I believe this year they spent about $35,000 on that. And so that's what we put that amount of money and then some money additionally for the band.

I'd spoke with Tim Fowler who is with the American Legion I guess whoever was in the meeting with you and whoever and said you know thank God for the pipe fitters Union and the plumbers Union and all the people that do sponsor that yes we're not getting on the street I don't know what you guys are hearing but they're saying that the city's gonna fork up $60,000 for the fireworks next year and I I just wanted to know where that money's gonna come from and how much you had budgeted. I know that they had talked about maybe forming a committee to get sponsorships. And, you know, he come right out and told me, he says, you know, if the city has a committee to go look for sponsorships, he says, I doubt they're gonna get any. The reason that they're getting the sponsorships from plumbers and the pipefitters and whoever else is doing the big sponsorships, last year I think they said they got $30,000 in sponsorships. Yeah.

they will still continue to look for sponsorships and then we will also especially through our charitable foundation as well and so we'll see what we can is that what you're thinking this might come from is the concert series foundation is that what you're thinking We're we're putting it in the budget and we're just gonna and we're gonna kind of go from there but It's definitely something that we want to continue for the community And so whether the foundation can help we gain sponsorships or it's something that's budgeted through the city It's it's something that we would love to continue mark correct me if I'm wrong, but anything over $10,000 gotta be approved by The council correct.

We will be going out for an RFP and then we will present that to the council for approval. Yes, I

Well, just kind of weird. Everybody here can say that we've always found stuff out in the paper before we found out. And for that to happen, I think it's I guess it went through the park board already.

No, it is not. This is just I was told this is just preliminary. They approached us a couple of months ago and said, hey, we cannot do this anymore. Insurance is going to be too expensive. Fireworks getting too expensive. We sat down with their legion and determined that this is what we were going to do. This is what we're going to do moving forward. And I don't know if Darren mentioned that in any of the meetings or not.

Also, Tim Fowler mentioned to me that their main concern is the insurance, and I was told that the city was going to piggyback with them to help them with the insurance, and they were going to continue to get some sponsors to do this, and I asked him what kind of increase he's going to have this year, and he said he won't know until September or October. So when we get that number, I'd like to know if we can find out what that is.

It was in a meeting before when Darren was here. We talked about it in a meeting. I don't think you were at that meeting.

I must not have been at that meeting. We did. We did talk about it.

And we did talk about it.

Was there a number brought up or anything or just the interest?

No, it was just basically.

I'm kind of surprised about the number here myself because I thought it was we were going to help out and they were still going to do exactly what you're saying. I thought. If there was a shortfall because of the increase in budget, we were stepping up for that, but we were taking care of the insurance and doing it with them. So I think we need to agree on what our amount would be to make sure that— Well, we won't know that until they get information back from the legion.

Well, the other problem with that is, though, if we go, we almost have to go out for bid for fireworks then.

Which is what we are doing. We are going to do.

And then we're going to determine if it's too expensive in October, and then we're going to say yes or no. And that goes away from what we've always done. But I think at that time, whenever we do go out to bid, then the Legion needs to be a part of it. And do they have sponsorships? You know, the baseball team who collects money, roughly $2,500 to $3,000 ends up being from the buckets around town. They're planning on not doing it anymore. The Legion has basically told them they don't need to do it anymore. So they're prepared to wipe their hands of it. And I don't know that that was really conversed in the right way either, as far as that goes. So I think there's a lot of misconstrued. But the newspaper, I think, threw everybody off the most because it threw a number out there that we never agreed on.

We have not talked about any kind of numbers as far as fireworks go.

Well to me told me that if you wanted him to come to any of the meeting to talk about it, he'd be more than happy. So maybe wait until you get the number and then have him come up here with you and we can discuss it together.

Yeah, they've been very open to come. In fact, we were waiting until the event happened that we could sit back down with them and talk more about it.

Well, I hope it works out, and I really appreciate the city stepping up and helping them with their insurance, because we all know what that could cost. And what the Legion does for us, we need to give a little back, too.

And that was one of the reasons why we approached it the way that we did. Yeah.

Okay.

They had some help, too, this year from the VFW, and they hope to continue that dynamic as well, so.

Yeah, I think there's probably avenues there that we can they can help them to get together with several organizations or might be right.

And that's one thing that we will be decided that we're going to to is form a committee. So that way we can plan it out.

I just want to piggyback again on insurance we require the Legion have insurance to have fireworks there do we know what that amount is.

Well, I don't know if we're going to be $4 million.

Well, what I'm saying is, is the city already has that.

We don't have the only insurance that we're going to require when I say only. But as far as fireworks, like the city is going to take on shooting or shooting.

We should have insurance already for our park system, but we shouldn't have to take a separate policy.

But then we are. But it's going to fall. It's going to fall under our umbrella. But we're still going to require the fireworks company to provide their COI as sure.

Right. But the cost of insurance to the American Legion as what the first thing the city should be able to absorb for absolutely they they will not have to pay for it, they don't have to go out and get a seal I for fire.

Tim also told me says the American Legion is dealing with. to the big money makers and one of them's fireworks which you know it costs a lot of money to ensure fireworks cases to fire from against her and then they have their shooting range across the river and they said you know that again is fire and they have a hard time ensuring that and that's why I think they wanted us to piggyback with them on the insurance. So they can afford to continue to do it. They're not going to get out of it. They said but they want help.

Yeah, absolutely and that's why we're and that's why we're doing what we're doing.

Yeah, I just haven't been approached by several people and I said I never heard that but I guess I wasn't at that meeting, right?

So I needed to know a little bit to tell these people whenever they're gonna come back to me again I'm sure I think a lot of people have thought that the city has been the people that have paid for the fireworks anyway and so might have struck a chord that way too, but

We get a good substantial amount of money for donations so I hope it continues and I hope we can work it out.

Yeah, and we've been told and they can go ahead and continue to do their sponsorships yeah, you know everything everything is going to stay the same is that the city is going to take over. the band in the fireworks.

Yeah, they were very open, the Fowlers, and hopefully they'll continue to be in charge of the event. But the Fowlers and Kelly, who runs the fireworks, have both been very open to talk to the city and partner with them potentially.

Thank you.

Thank you, Lori. Sure. Have fun tonight. Good luck. Any other department heads? Okay. We'll go right in.

Nothing? Tony, everything's good? We're good. That's good.

How's the bug spray going?

OK, if there is nothing else, then we'll go into executive session to move 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 there.

Yes.

Briggs. Yes. Coulter. Yes. Heidrich. Aye. Holtmeyer. Aye. Petkey. Sure. Pepsil. Yes. Salantrop. Yes.