The Puxico Board of Aldermen used an additional grant to fund the addition of sewer lines to the sewer project.
Maintenance Supervisor David Hawthorne gave the board a copy of a change order involving Visu-Sewer’s work on the city’s sewer lines upgrade project. Hawthorne stated that after reviewing the video of the sewer lines taken by Visu-Sewer earlier in the year, Smith and Company, the city engineers for the upgrade of the sewer lagoon and lines project, determined that additional sewer lines needed a liner placed in them to prevent leaks. This change order that included work on additional sewer lines will add $249,916.75 to the original contract amount of $224,601.25, making the total contract $474,518. A Department of Economic Development Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $500,000 is being used to fund this portion of the sewer upgrade project.
Since the city is considering applying for a Rural Development Disaster Relief grant to do major repairs to the city streets, any street repair planned at this time has been set aside. Hawthorne was asked to get a cost estimate of fixing all streets in need of repair from an asphalt company.
The board opened the bids for the 2010 police Impala being sold by the city. The board voted to accept a bid from Shawn Green for $1000.
Larry Doublin, animal control officer, stated he is in the process of winterizing the dog pound, placing tarps on the outer edges and putting in bedding. Ordinance 205.050, requiring that the animal control officer maintain a notice of impoundment list in plain public view at City Hall, was discussed and the animal control officer was given a form to use for this notice.
Puxico Fire Chief, Eugene Goodale, asked the mayor to approve Wyatt Taylor and Jasmine Landers as firefighters. After reviewing the applications, Mayor McLean appointed Taylor and Landers as firefighters. The board voted to approve the mayor’s appointments. The board then addressed the situation regarding the acquisition of fuel for the fire department. The new owners of Southeast Food and Gas (now named Grab and Go) will no longer allow customers to charge gas/diesel, meaning the fire department needs a different method of obtaining diesel for the firetrucks. The board is considering two options: First, the fire department could use the maintenance diesel storage tank with the fire department signing a usage sheet each time diesel is pumped, or Southeast Coop will be offering a gas card beginning in December that could be used at its pump to charge diesel. The maintenance department diesel storage tank is locked up at night so the city would have to find a way of giving the fire department access at night if this option is chosen.
After the library report was read the lighting in the Minnie Beard Park on the north side of the library was discussed. City Clerk Alice Patrick had asked Quality Electric to check on the possibility of placing security lights on the north side of the library to light the park. After looking at the library and the area to be lighted, Quality Electric suggested that the city have Ozark Border install a directional security light on the electric pole on the east side, aiming it at the park. The board agreed that this should be done.
At the September board meeting, two commercial dumpsters within the city were determined to be in violation of Ordinance 230.010 D. After the September meeting, Patrick talked with the property owners who contacted Allied Waste (Republic) Services. The owners were told that the dumpsters would be changed out, but as of the time of the meeting, the dumpsters haven’t been changed. Alderman Harlan Lamb also mentioned that the one by the Puxico Medical Clinic was sitting on the city’s right-of-way very close to the edge of the street and it needed to be moved back on the property owner’s property. The board instructed Patrick to call Allied Waste and, if necessary, send a letter stating that the dumpsters were in violation of the city ordinances and asking them to replace the dumpsters with ones not in violation and to move the one by the Puxico Medical Clinic off the city right-of-way.
Under new business, Patrick gave an update on the 2020 census. A review of city addresses was completed earlier in the year with changes, additions and deletions sent to the Census Bureau. A little over a month ago, Patrick received a feedback update showing what changes had been accepted and those not accepted. There were 13 addresses/additions that had not been accepted and Patrick appealed these by sending in documentation showing that the addresses did exist. In October, Patrick also sent a list of new construction addresses that will be occupied by April 2020. The Census Bureau should have all addresses within the city of Puxico available for the 2020 Census.
The city Christmas dinner was set for Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m.