Chamois aldermen at Thursday’s meeting agreed to repairs for two different streets following a presentation of quotes by Maintenance Supervisor Danny Kirsch.
MoSeal LLC of Fulton provided an estimate of $18,850 for 136 tons of asphalt material to install an overlay on both South Locust Street and North Main Street.
The city has allocated $15,000 for street repairs for the fiscal year but has not used any of that money. Aldermen hope to get on the schedule to have the streets repaired this summer and then take the money out of the budget for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 fiscal years.
“We don’t know for sure how much it's gonna cost because they don’t know how much asphalt they are going to use,” Kirsch warned.
“It could be cheaper than that or it could be more than that,” Alderman Marty Gerloff agreed.
“It will be okay if they don’t go over the budget,” Alderman Rob Skaggs said. “The new president might have the cost of diesel so high by then theyre’ll be a big fat surcharge on it.”
Kirsch will contact MoSEAL LLC and see what dates they have available for the summer.
In other business, Alderman Kenny Rost Jr. submitted his resignation. Rost was not present for the meeting and did not give any reason for the resignation, which was approved by the board. Mayor Elise Brochu plans to appoint William Dixon to the empty seat until the April election.
“He has filed (for election) and so he’s going to be on the board anyway,” Brochu explained. “We might as well let him start now instead of trying to find someone else for a couple of months.”
Aldermen agreed that it made sense to have the position filled so that in case someone had to miss a meeting, there would still be a quorum.
* Republic Services announced a price increase for trash pickup for the new year, from $13.25 to $13.45 per customer per month, about a 3.3% increase.
City Clerk Michelle Stanley reminded aldermen that last year the board increased the trash charges per customer to $14 so that they could absorb several years of smaller cost increases.
Gerloff noted that last year he had contacted other trash pickup services and no one was interested in providing the service to the city of Chamois.
“That’s because they are all part of the mafia,” Skaggs said.
After a round of laughter, Brochu noted that she would investigate the profit and loss statement over the last six months for the trash services to make sure that the city was covering the cost and not losing money.
Republic Services also announced that March 30 would be the city’s residential clean-up day. The service is limited to residential customers only and the pickup will be at the curbside for all customers. Republic Services noted that all items needed to be bagged or bundled so that they could be handled by one person. Hazardous waste, liquid waste, yard waste, car parts, appliances, and concrete or large solid items will not be picked up. Customers can direct any questions to Republic Services at (573) 635-8805.
* Aldermen passed an ordinance that allows the city to formally accept the Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $750,000 for the Water Project.
The board also approved Brochu to reapply for the State Revolving Fund (SRF) as a part of the water project. Brochu explained that the city had been approved for the SRF funds but would not be using them until September of 2021 so it was suggested that the city reapply in March for the new fiscal year.
Brochu does not anticipate any changes, noting this is simply a formality.
In other news related to the water project, the Osage Indian Nation has requested a Cultural Resource Study before construction for the water project begins.
“I don’t know exactly what that means but I assume that’s to make sure we are not disturbing anything that we shouldn’t be disturbing,” Brochu said.
Kirsch noted that the Cultural Resource Survey may be already included within the project. Aldermen gave Brochu the authority to pursue the study if needed.
* Aldermen approved an amendment to the floodplain ordinance, which includes specific changes required in the verbiage by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Brochu noted that the changes and passage of the amendment were requirements by FEMA. As Brochu walked the aldermen through the motion Skaggs noted that the process was sometimes confusing.
“We’re just a bunch of hillbillies,” Skaggs said. “We don’t know what we’re doing.”
* Brochu presented the Board with an ordinance that allows the city to prosecute tickets in the courts. The board was not asked to vote on the ordinance until City Attorney Amanda Grellner can look over the wording and fix any verbiage she sees as problematic.
The ordinance stipulates that court costs will go to the court and any other fees would revert to the city of Chamois.
“What is the status with the town marshal?” Skaggs asked. “I’ve been asked that by several people.”
“We have to get this stuff done,” Brochu said, referring to the ordinance. “We want him to be able to actually write tickets and prosecute.”
Brochu noted that if Grellner can get the ordinance looked over and changes made quickly, she would be open to calling a special meeting to pass the ordinance and have the city marshal start right away.
* Brochu noted that the Bond Administrative Fee has been reduced by about $100.
“That’s the fee the bank charges us quarterly to administer our bond,” Brochu noted. “It went down a little bit but it’s not gone up so that’s good.”
Stanley provided paperwork showing that the City of Chamois currently pays an administrative fee of $1,341.88 per six months.
* Aldermen approved a variance for Misty Slusser and her business Best Budz Hemporian to be in a residential area within the city of Chamois, conditional on Slusser getting all the neighbors to approve the business location as well.
“I’m fine with it,” Gerloff said. “They are already fixing up the property and making it look better.”
This sentiment echoed the other alderman’s feelings on the matter.
“If the neighbors are cool with it, we’re cool with it,” Brochu said.
* Aldermen approved a payment plan for a water customer who had fallen on hard times. The resident approached the board requesting another chance to make good on his water bill. The customer has a total water bill of $3,600 and his water had been shut off by the city when he stopped making payments on his last payment plan. The customer has been on several payment plans in the past.
The resident explained that several years ago a filter had busted in the house and caused a big increase to the water bill, his wife had health issues that required constant care and hospital bills and there were COVID-related issues that affected his employment.
“The problem we have is, if we do this for you, we’ll have everyone expecting the same thing,” Gerloff explained.
“I understand that and I’m not complaining about anything,” the resident said. “It’s my fault. I live in this community and I know a lot of you guys. If you give me one more chance, I won’t let you down.”
Aldermen agreed to a $500 down payment and a monthly payment of $200 plus the current month’s water bill.
“Even if he doesn’t pay it, we get the $500,” Brochu said. “If we don’t do it we’ll probably never see that money. I think everyone feels the same way. No one wants to be lenient for someone who has defaulted on a payment plan.”
“At least he had the balls to come in here and ask and not just bitch as the lady at the window,” Skaggs said.
* The board approved unpaid bills for February totaling $6,510.82.
* Chamois had ending balances in the following accounts: cemetery ($9,673.17), city cemetery ($19,797.03), city park ($1,318.59). general fund ($53,651.74), meter deposits ($19,783.04), sewer ($34,108.93), sewer bond reserve ($26,567.40), sewer repair ($6,899.22). water ($130,019.93), and water repair ($28,834.01).
* The city has a one-year certificate of deposit for $2,069.99 and two-year certificates of deposits totaling $9,996.91.
* The next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 7 p.m. on March 18.