FREEBURG —At their meeting on Monday, June 8, Freeburg trustees approved a bid of $14,850 from Verslues Construction Company for running a pipe, pouring an inlet, and a 12” x 60” pad of concrete with curb and guttering that would also add a parking area off Gilbert Street, where water run off is causing erosion issues.

The village received estimates from Sam’s Custom Concrete for about $11,000, including labor and materials, that would use 2” rock to line the ditch. They also received a bid from Hedges Skid Steer Services for $5,000, which included concrete to the edge of the asphalt, a silt drain, and large rock to line the ditch.

“We are not really comparing apples to apples with these two bids,” said Utilities Supervisor Doug Hamacher.

Mayor Darryl Haller agreed that the bids were not pricing the same project, but that these were the solutions that each company gave for solving the erosion and dealing with the runoff.

“When Verslues Construction Company does something, they have a good system, and the water goes where it needs to be,” Haller said.

Hamacher agreed. “For the long haul, the curb and gutter solves a lot of problems,” he said.

The village will use some of the money budgeted for new asphalt for the project, since the village does not plan to asphalt any new streets this year due to the high cost.

Haller will contact Verslues Construction Company and have them work on the project as soon as they are able.

In other business, trustees approved a $2,000 donation toward the Fourth of July Community Fireworks Show scheduled for July 2. The donation is the same amount that the board has approved for the past several years.

“We’ve always done it as a joint venture, but money gets tighter every year,” Haller said.

The mayor added that if the trustees decide they cannot donate the same amount in future years, they should let the Freeburg Lions Club know right away. This year, the donation will remain the same.

• Trustees approved the sewer project to go out for bid. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has approved the following dates for the project: pre-bid meeting for contractors is July 14 at 10 a.m., advertisement for the project will begin on June 29, and the bids will be opened at 9 a.m. on July 30 at Village Hall.

Bartlett & West will assist Village Clerk Danielle Holterman with the process and draft the advertisement that will be distributed and printed in the local newspaper.

• Resident Lisa Bullock believes the water that has leaked into her basement is a result of runoff from village property, and that the issue started when Freeburg was doing work on the lines.

“In the last month, we have gotten pounded by rain, her basement has been filled up with water three or four times now,” Haller said. “I can show you videos. I wouldn’t like it if it were my house.”

Hamacher explained that they had dug up the line and discovered that it is an old clay tile that runs water into the village sewer system.

“It’s an old clay tile that has just collapsed over the years,” Hamacher said, noting that the broken clay tile was put in a basement or floor drain to the house years ago. “I don’t know what they really want. We don’t pay for basement drains.”

Haller explained that the residents could dig a new line or put a sump pump in their basement to solve the problem.

“They do not want a sump pump,” Hamacher said.

“For our part, what we should be responsible for is to cap the line going to the sewer,” Haller said. “They are responsible for their end.”

Haller said that since the pipe will need to be dug up to cap it, Bullock could coordinate with the city and have work done at the same time, which might save them some money.

“The easiest answer is to put a sump pump in, but that is her decision,” Haller said. “It’s not our fault.”

“It’s a drain for their basement; it can’t be our fault,” Hamacher said. “I was there for one-and-a-half hours, and she just kept talking about all the water. It doesn’t matter how much water there is. It’s going into their basement because the line is broken.”

•  Trustees approved liquor license renewals for Show Me Convenience Store, Maui Stop N Shop, Dollar General, and the Holly Family Catholic Church Picnic.

• Hamacher will look into getting an estimate to repair and seal several streets before the next meeting.

• The board approved $2,447 in supplies to restock the water and wastewater departments. Items needed included 2” clamps, repair clamps, and meter pits. Hamacher will order the items right away.

• Trustees approved purchasing a new printer from RCS for $240.

“Cindy is having a heck of a time with the printer, and this one is similar to what we have now,” Village Clerk Holterman said of Water Clerk Cindy Struemph.

• The base fee for Paycore is increasing from $99.13 a month to $120 per month, starting June 1. The village uses the service to process payroll. They also want to charge an additional $150 per month for entering payroll data. Moving forward, Holterman will enter the information herself so that the fee can be waived.

• Trustees tabled the follow-up with Nicole Krieg regarding the sidewalk and retaining wall near her property. Krieg had approached the board at a meeting several months ago to explain that the sidewalk was funneling water into her property.

Haller and Hamacher inspected the sidewalk and found that nine of the 10 concrete sidewalk pads direct water away from her property, and only one, which is cracked, is not directing water towards the street, but it is not directing water towards her property either.

Hamacher noted they will contact Krieg and see how she wants to proceed.

• Hamacher explained that he is already in the process of painting crosswalk lines and putting up signs for Walker Street traffic near Becker Mill Work.

• Freeburg residents will soon be receiving a letter as required by the federally mandated Lead Line Survey.

“These letters have to go out every year,” said Water Clerk Struemph. “They are going to continue to go out every year until people respond. Last year, I don’t think anyone responded.”

Struemph said that, in her opinion, the letters are unclear and confusing.

Haller said that he is going to hand-deliver the letters if necessary and talk to residents himself to get a response and cut the number of letters that need to be sent out next year.

• Trustees approved the following outstanding bills: general revenue ($4,878.30), sewer ($467.16), and water ($420.92).

• Freeburg had the following ending account balances: purchasing ($407.97), sewer checking ($7,131.68), general revenue checking ($13,462.30), sewer money market ($444,338.53), general revenue money market ($542,514.40), sewer project ($64,356.23), water ($15,488.12), water replacement ($241.54), and water money market ($1,059,955.28).

• Freeburg had a 2% water loss for April. The village pumped a total of 1,347,340 gallons of water and sold 1,320,800 gallons.

• The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7, at 6:30 p.m.