LINN  — At last Tuesday’s meeting, Bartlett & West Engineer Hope Drennan told Linn aldermen that Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) awarded the city a $1,646,720 grant for the Lee Mar Hills Regionalization Project. DNR put the project on the contingency list, which, according to Drennan, means that funding is earmarked for the project. The city has one year to get a service agreement signed by all Lee Mar Hills residents to proceed with the project.

Drennan explained that the service agreement would be similar to the agreement that homeowners signed before the Jaegers Wastewater Regionalization Project could begin.

“That is great news,” Drennan said. “Awesome news.”

Aldermen Bill Turner asked if the project had been designed yet and how long the engineering would take before the project could begin.

“The first step is getting the service agreements signed,” Drennan stressed.

Drennan was unsure what the schedule would look like for the project but did not believe that surveying would start until the beginning of the next year.

In other business from Bartlett & West, Drennan informed aldermen that the Jaegers Wastewater Regionalization Project is nearly complete. The contractor was finishing a punch list and planned to be done by DNR’s Oct. 30 deadline.

Drennan noted that DNR has approved land restoration being completed after the deadline since it falls under warranty rather than actual construction. The contractor has submitted the final pay application, but Drennan will not submit that to aldermen until the November meeting so the remaining areas can be completed before the final payout.

“We also completed the DNR inspection on Oct. 12, and everything was to their satisfaction,” Drennan said. “They were content with the project and happy with how it turned out.”

Drennan noted that the system has been in operation since Oct. 12.

Aldermen approved Bill #2023-022 for the second change order for $12,000 that Bartlett & West requested for unforeseen construction expenses. The change order will bring the total cost of the project to $179,820. The additional cost will be covered by the DNR grant.

• The Linn Lions Club has a huge water leak, with usage already at 1,020,900 gallons for 2023. Last year, the Linn Lions Club used only 270,800 gallons for the entire year.

“They think they have found the leak, so they are wanting to know if we could give them a reduction on the sewer bill,” City Clerk Carrie Grellner explained.

Looking over the last two years of water usage by the Linn Lions Club, the aldermen averaged their usage between 270,000 and 300,000 gallons per year. Grellner estimated that the sewer credit would be $3,300.

“I’d like to know what caused the leak,” Alderman Dustin Flamm said.

Grellner said that she did not think they had dug up the problem area yet but had pinpointed where the leak was located.

“I would like to know where it is going,” Mayor Dwight Massey said. “But that is something we don’t know. I have no problem adjusting the sewer rate if the water is going underground.”

Aldermen agreed with Massey. Grellner will check with the Linn Lions Club and have them confirm where the leak is going; if it’s leaking into the ground, the city will credit the sewer charges.

• Resident Bryce Kliethermes has a water leak and is concerned that the shutoff for his water is not on his property. Kliethermes’ house is on 10th Street, and the shutoff for the water to his house is on someone else’s property.

“I’m really confused (about) why I have to pay to fix this and why my shutoff is not close to my house,” Kliethermes said.

Mayor Massey explained that the city is responsible for up to 10 feet off the main line and that the original builder of the house put in the water line and tied it into the main line.

Kliethermes argued that he has no easements on public record associated with his property.

“It (the property) has a prescribed easement because the water lines have been there so long uncontested,” Massey explained.

Kliethermes asked why the water lines were not updated before the street was repaved several years ago.

“Most of the water lines that go through there are in pretty good shape,” Massey said.

“I’m still confused as to why my shutoff isn’t on my street,” Kliethermes said. “It’s on Washington Street, and I’m on 10th Street.”

“Whoever built the house ran the water line down there for the city to tie into, and that’s why the line is the way it is,” Massey explained. “We didn’t build it. We don’t build lateral lines. We only build the main and the service lines that are tied into them.”

“What does it take to have my shutoff moved to where it’s supposed to be on my land,” Kliethermes asked.

“We would have to build a line, and we don’t have an intention of building a line,” Massey said.

He went on to explain that the city would not build a main water line down 10th Street because it would dead-end and cause there to be stagnant water in the line.

Kliethermes asked if there was any way the shutoff for his water line could be moved onto his property.

Massey explained that he would have to look at the situation in person and offered to meet with Kliethermes at his property the next day.

• Aldermen approved a credit of $15.60 toward resident Veronica Hoffman’s sewer account. Hoffman had done a lot of watering in her yard due to the dry conditions this fall. Her average monthly usage was 2,900 gallons, and in September, she used 5,300 gallons.

• Aldermen did not credit the water bill for resident Bill Kliethermes, who had a water leak. Grellner explained that the city did not typically credit accounts for water usage following a water leak but only a sewer reduction if the water is not going into the city’s wastewater system. Grellner also noted that Kliethermes’ water usage for the same period in 2022 was 19,250 gallons, and this year was 17,750 gallons. Grellner said that he has used less water and questioned why he was requesting the credit on his bill.

• The Missouri Rural Service Corporation (MRSC) presented the city with a safety award for having a less than 35% workers’ compensation ratio since 2019.

Massey credited the safety rate with the city’s workers’ commitment to work safely.

• Aldermen tabled Bill #2023-023, which would have amended the city’s no-parking zones to include 12th Street ,from Hwy. 50 to Jefferson Street, and Fifth Street, from Hwy. 50 to Maguire Park.

Alderman Turner questioned whether the city had the authority to extend no parking to Maguire Park since that was outside city limits and Fifth Street turns into a county road. Massey agreed that it was outside the city’s authority.

Grellner will rework the ordinance for the November meeting.

• Grellner received a request to have an individual take over the spring craft show and move it to the City Park on June 1. The date conflicts with the annual 5K run for victims of sex trafficking. Massey recommended running both events at the same time to possibly increase awareness and participation for each event.

Grellner will check with the organizers of both events and come up with a plan.

• Park Board President Neil  Loethen announced the old skate park fencing is 99% complete. A few cross bars are on back-order.

He is working on getting the pickleball court painted and installed and is trying to develop a cost-effective solution to level out and repair the crevices in the old skate park. Loethen thought the city might be able to use the extra shade from the City Pool at the pickleball court.

He is also looking to level out the spot between the dirt infield and the grass outfield at the ball field at the City Park.

At Maguire Park, the new grass is growing in right field.

Loethen noted the bathroom doors won’t stay shut and will need to be repaired.

He would like to come up with a better solution to cut grass and maintain the soccer goals. He acknowledged that making them moveable does not seem practical, so he thought that they could install a fake turf base under the goals, so they are easier to cut grass around.

Loethen will also start putting additional gravel on the walking trail at Maguire Park.

Linn has purchased 10 trees and shrubs with grant money. Loethen has been working with Linn BSA Troop 17 and planted them around the park.

The Park Board would also like to come up with a timeframe to close the bathrooms at the city parks.  Loethen noted that state parks typically close the bathrooms from Oct. 1 to April 1 and suggested the city could adopt the same policy.

The milk house roof has been painted, along with the railings at the amphitheater and trash can lids.

Alderman Christopher Jaegers and Turner will work together to coordinate the schedule for the All-Inclusive Playground. Mayor Massey feels that the city is not being kept in the loop on the schedule and plans.

• Progress on Lee Street has been slow. Massey noted the asphalt company the city had been working with took several other projects and may not be able to work on the asphalt on Lee Street this year.

“I wish we were further along with it at this point, but this is where we are at,” Massey explained, adding he hopes there will be enough time to finish the project this year.

• Resident Dieter Palmer thanked Police Chief Sam Ford for helping with a conflict in his neighborhood.

“My reason for being here is to thank Chief Ford for brokering a cease-fire of hostilities between two neighbors,” Palmer said. “He did a wonderful job. The neighborhood has gotten a lot quieter.”

• City Hall will be closed on Nov. 10, and the Linn License Fee Office will be closed on Nov. 10-11 in observance of Veterans Day.

• Aldermen approved outstanding bills totaling $184,357.06.

• Linn had the following balances in their governmental fund accounts: general ($616,174.89), pool (-$30,985.09), park ($103,886.05), police training ($2,980.58), park-improvement and equipment ($19,214.09), and pool-improvement and equipment ($1,948.24).

• The city had the following ending balances in their business-type funds: water ($434,898.81), water replacement ($84,028.36), sewer ($486,993.70), sewer replacement ($34,454.81), and grants (-$21,561.59).

• Linn has nine certificates of deposit accounts totaling $1,279,947.92.

• The next meeting will be on Nov. 21 at 5 p.m.