CHAMOIS — At their meeting last Wednesday, Chamois aldermen hired Mid Mo Operations of Hartsburg to help with the city’s water and sewer systems. Chamois will pay $1,200 per month, and the firm will make a monthly site visit.

Mid Mo Operations will be responsible for the oversight of the water and wastewater facility, submitting the Electronic Monitoring Reports (eDMR) to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR), attending all DNR inspections, preparing and submitting sludge reports, and assisting with the Capacity, Management, Operation and Maintenance Plan (CMOM). The price does not include the collection of monthly samples the city hires Tim Flagg to take care of;  he will continue to collect and submit samples for $300 per month.

Mid Mo Operations met with representatives of the city before presenting their proposal.

“They were very knowledgeable, and they have all of the licenses to keep DNR happy and make sure that we stay in compliance,” City Clerk Meghan Birmingham reported.

Birmingham noted that DNR has cited the city for not having an operator and hiring Mid Mo Operations would solve that problem.

“They can sign off on everything, and we can keep DNR happy,” said Mayor Marie Slusser, adding that since the city will not be rehiring a full-time operator, there is plenty of money in the budget to pay Mid Mo Operations.

The Mid Mo Operations contract does not include meter readings, line locates, after-hours service calls, laboratory analysis, or labor to perform maintenance services. Any additional services the city requests of Mid Mo operations will be billed at a rate of $100 per hour plus the material costs.

Slusser said she intends to continue working with the sub-contractors that the city has been using to make bigger repairs for the water and sewer system since they are more reasonably priced.

“(Mid Mo Operations) also said they would direct our part-time employee to make minor repairs,” Slusser noted.

In other business, the aldermen approved Pay Application #4 for the water project totaling $158,658.26. This money will be paid from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant, and a small amount will come from the Community Block Development Grant (CBDG).

Progress on the final phase of the water project has been stalled because the subcontractor laying the block for the building is behind on their schedule. Block-laying for the building, supposed to be completed in mid-November, has still not started.

“It might happen in the next week or two, but the block layer is very far behind; I did ask if we could get someone else, and I was told they are completely backed up, and if we try to go with someone else, it would drop us back further,” Slusser said. “So, we are basically waiting.”

The actual work for the project should only take a couple of days once it is started.

The foundation and slab for the well house have been completed, and all underground piping has been completed. Archer-Elgin Engineering, Surveying & Architecture Project Engineer Alissha Feeler reported that the submittal review process with DNR is ongoing.

Slusser also noticed the area filled in for the original well site has sunk in and they will be coming back to fill the area with rock.

The city is looking to purchase a quarter-acre of ground for the site of Well #2. Slusser had Archer-Elgin Engineering, Surveying & Architecture, along with DNR, look at the properties the city already owns to see if any of them were suitable for the new well site, but it was determined that none of them were ideal.

Two ideal sites were located, and Slusser plans to talk to the property owners and see if the city can purchase the land. Slusser was unsure who owned the identified sites and would consult with the other aldermen and property owners.

“We only need a quarter of an acre for the well permanently and an acre for construction,” Slusser said, adding all she can do is talk to the property owner and see what options exist and what is feasible.

Slusser explained that the original water project included having the existing water tower repainted, but since the original project was put together in 2018, it did not account for inflation, and there was not enough money to paint the water tower.

“As of right now, with the funds we do have, I’d like to have someone do the inspections on the inside of the water tower and fix the door that is broken, and I would like any maintenance that is needed to be done so that if we have to have someone in there, it is safe,” Slusser said.

Alderman Jim Wright said he thought the decking on the water tower was rusted out.

“The last time it was inspected was 2012, and it was way overdue at that time,” Slusser said. “In 2012, it stated that it needed repairs. I have no idea why it hasn’t been fixed up until now. I would like it to be safe versus painted.”

In other business, aldermen approved buying the Small Utility Billing Software (SUBS) for billing residents for water and sewer starting on Jan. 1. Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA) suggested that the program might be a good fit for the city since it focuses on municipalities with less than 500 customers. City Treasurer Theresa Walter investigated the program and, along with Birmingham, suggested that the city change to the system on Jan. 1 even though the city’s current water software program, UB Max, will not expire until June 2024.

“I would like to go with SUBS because it’s cheaper, more user-friendly, the training is free, and it’s going to cost us less in stamps, bills, envelopes, and everything else,” Walter said. “I would like to start the new year with it if possible.”

The SUBS program will print out the bills on postcards, which is cheaper than the paper and envelopes Birmingham currently uses for the UB Max system. Postage for each bill will go from $.66 per envelope to $.51 per postcard.

According to Walter’s research, SUBS offers free public service, free texting and email, free online bill-pay, and free training for $350 per year, with their year beginning in July. The city can sign up on Jan. 1 and pay a prorated cost of $150 for the remainder of the year.

UB Max currently costs the city $645 per year plus a public service fee of $452, online bill pay costs $86 per year, the meter-reading interface is $219 per year, and training is $250 for each time they have to come to Chamois to work with Birmingham and Walter. Birmingham noted that she has never had formal training on the current system.

“(SUBS) is set up for small towns,” Birmingham said. “They are going to help us with everything we need. UB Max is a pain anytime I have to do something.”

Walter understood the city is currently paid up on UB Max until July and that some might want to change over in July once the subscription expires.

“I understand that, but looking at everything, and the fact that if we can start the year fresh and, on a brand-new system and trained on it properly, I kinda feel that might be more important,” Walter said.

“I feel like it is a lot cheaper and will be a lot easier for you guys, especially when we do the audits,” Slusser said. “ I don’t see why we wouldn’t want to go with it.”

Walter also requested the city buy her a computer instead of her sharing the one with the city clerk. Walter would also like to have her own user identification on the accounts. Aldermen approved her immediately setting up her user identification and asked her to look into what type of computer she needs to support the new software program and Microsoft Office and bring that information back to the board in January.

Walter is currently working on the internal audit of the city’s 2021 financials. She said she hasn’t touched 2022, and people are asking her for the documentation so that they can finish the grant paperwork for the rest of the water project.

“They should have already been done,” Slusser said. “It has to be done quickly for us to get those grants.”

“I’m trying very hard to get it done,” Walter said. “I’m doing the best I can, but I never realized what kind of shape we were in.”

“It’s going to be a slow process,” Slusser agreed.

• Aldermen approved a $50 holiday bonus for each part-time employee.

• The city will distribute a Community Needs Assessment with the next water bill. The city is distributing the survey at the request of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) to see what the city residents would like the city to tackle after the water project. Chamois cannot apply for another CBDG grant until the water project is completed.

Slusser would like the city to rehabilitate North Cherry, West First, and Main streets, which she believes serve the most residents and need the most help. MRPC voiced concerns, noting they didn’t think all these streets would be competitive for a grant because street rehabilitation projects must benefit the entire community. MRPC also asked the city to consider Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grants, which require a 20% local match with a $100,000 minimum and only apply to sidewalk rehabilitation.

• Aldermen planned to attend a rescheduled group training on Dec. 15.

• Alderman Cole Schaben offered to help Birmingham review old ordinances over the holidays since he will have additional days off. Birmingham thought this would work well with her schedule since she will be on Christmas break from school.

• The board approved outstanding bills totaling $18.533.93.

• Chamois had the following ending account balances: cemetery ($10,437.77), general ($41,386.56), water ($204,265.13), sewer ($95,332.74), city CBDG in & out ($1,250), American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) ($77,213.68), sewer bond reserve ($26,750.48), meter deposits ($24,142.47), and water repair ($29,032.70).

• The city holds five certificates of deposit totaling $12,187.46.

• The next meeting was scheduled for Jan. 17 at 7 p.m.