At last week’s meeting, Linn aldermen approved the street improvement project for 2022 at a cost of $209,475, which will include three of the groups that Bartlett & West had bid at the city’s direction. 

Bartlett & West had decided to divide the street projects into four groups and have each group bid separately into a lump sum for each. 

— Group #1 included resurfacing south Third Street, from Highway 50 to the south end, for $36,615. 

— Group #2 included resurfacing North Seventh Street, from Main Street to the curve, Benton Street to North Seventh Street to the post office entrance, and North Ninth Street, from Hwy. 50 to Benton Street for $96,080. 

— Group #3 included resurfacing South Ninth Street to East Lee Street to the south end, Washington Street to South Ninth Street to South Tenth Street, and South Tenth Street to East Lee Street to the south end for $76,780. 

— Group #4 included resurfacing North Klebba Drive to Main Street to the north end, and Oak Street to North Klebba Drive to the private drive for $49,140. 

The total cost for all four projects is estimated to be $258,615, which is higher than Bartlett & West’s estimate of approximately $225,000.

“You came in above your estimate,” Alderman Bill Turner said.

“Prices are escalating right now, as we all know,” Project Engineer Patty Lemongelli explained. “Materials, petroleum, everything is just continuing to escalate. I will admit that I had feared that the price would be closer to $300,000. I think the price could have been better. I think it could have been worse.”

“Everything is going up,” Alderman Rick Niewald said.

“When we were pulling plans together and evaluating the streets, Klebba (Drive) and Oak (Street) are not in near as bad a shape as the other streets,” Lemongelli said.

Aldermen agreed to eliminate the work on Klebba Drive and Oak Street from this year’s project, taking the total cost for street resurfacing to $209,475.

“And $200,000 is basically where we’ve been keeping the street repairs each year,” Niewald said. 

“We’ll kick a couple of problem streets in the head, and we’ll put (Klebba Drive and Oak Street) towards the top of the hit list for next year,” said Mayor Dwight Massey. 

Aldermen approved a notice of award to Higgins Asphalt Company, Inc., the only contractor to bid on the job. There will be a special meeting at 5 p.m. on June 2 to execute the award for the streets project.

In other business, aldermen approved Bill #2022-015, authorizing the mayor to execute an amendment for the Jaegers Wastewater Regionalization Grant. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) grant will cover this change order, and there will be no additional cost to the city. The change order was necessary to cover an additional cultural resources study to correspond with a request from the Osage Nation. The DNR extended the deadline of the regionalization grant from April 30, 2021, to October 31, 2023, to allow time to complete the cultural resources study.

The Jaegers Wastewater Regionalization Project is also being held up by one easement that has not yet been finalized. Aldermen tabled Bill #2022-009, which would have awarded the bid for Jaegers Wastewater Regionalization Project to Brulez Trenching, LLC, and would allow the project to begin construction.

Bartlett & West Engineer Gary Davis noted that Brulez Trenching is ready to begin work immediately.

“I think he is out of work and wants to order materials before they go any higher,” Davis said.

Aldermen hope the easement will be completed by the June 2 special meeting to allow them to sign the ordinance for the work to begin. The Osage Nation has agreed that construction on the project can start while the cultural resource survey is conducted.

• Bartlett & West also informed aldermen that the wastewater project for the Stonegate Subdivision was to begin on May 23 if the city had all the easements completed by then. 

• State Tech’s golf course wastewater project is scheduled to begin on June 17.

• Davis also asked the aldermen to come up with a list of projects that could be submitted to the governor for access to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. 

“Just like you got your ARPA funds for the city, the governor of Missouri got lots of money too,” Davis explained. “There is a competitive process to get that money. We’ve looked through all our clients, and Linn scores among the highest.”

Davis went on to explain that factors like low income, low population, and projects with the engineering already drawn up give the city priority points that make them more competitive in getting a part of the money for their project.

These projects require the city to match funding, but the match amount can be at the city’s discretion. Davis believes that a 20% match for funding would be a good goal for the city. Projects are stipulated to be for wastewater, drinking water, or lead service lines. 

“We are ready to help submit those projects,” Davis said. “I think the next step would be to have a work session to figure out what you want to submit. This is an excellent opportunity. I feel very strongly that the city would get something out of it.

“They will have more applications for projects than they have money,” Davis continued. “It will be fiercely competitive.” 

The deadline for the application is July 15, and the grants will be awarded in October. Aldermen plan to include the work session at the June 2 special meeting.

• Aldermen approved running an ad in the Unterrified Democrat for the Osage County Fair. The color ad will cost $235 and be similar to last year’s design.

• Linn has received two estimates to codify the city’s ordinances. General Code estimated an initial cost of $11,000. Ongoing service to the city to keep all the regulations up to date would cost between $695 and $1,195 per year, depending on which service package is selected.

American Legal Publishing’s estimate was $5,000 for the codification of 250 pages of ordinances. The firm would also offer the online coding option for an initial setup fee of $550, a first-year hosting cost of $250, and ongoing hosting would be $500 annually.

“I called around about General Code today and talked to some city clerks,” Turner said. “Everyone was really pleased with General Code. I think General Code gave us a better explanation and a more professional explanation of what they provide. When you look at the websites, I think they handle them better. I gave the report last month where some of the situations with the cities didn’t feel like American Legal serviced them after the initial setup.”

Niewald asked City Attorney Kent Brown if there was a reason for the city to pursue the codification of the ordinances.

“Yes,” Brown said. “The one thing you’ll hear me harping on, over and over, once this is passed, is to make sure every time you pass an ordinance, it references back,” he said. “That way, you are never out of date; you are always updating.”

“I always like to go cheap when I’m buying things, but sometimes Harbor Freight tools are not as good as Snap On,” Turner said. “When it comes to codes, I’d much rather spend a little extra and make sure it’s done right.”

Brown noted that he had investigated codifying the city’s ordinances himself but that it was cheaper to go through one of the companies that specialize in that service.

Turner noted that when he spoke with representatives of the city of Russellville. They had their ordinances codified by General Code and later found ordinances on the books that were not enforceable.

“We need to get it done,” Turner said. “It just depends on how much we want to pay for it.”

City Treasurer Janelle Jaegers noted that the city had $15,000 budgeted for the codification process for the fiscal year.

Grellner will try to set up a time for General Code to come down and discuss with the aldermen what the process is and how it can benefit the city.

• Aldermen expressed concern about the concrete barriers that had been put up in the middle of Maguire Park to stop traffic. 

“Did we talk about a turn-around?” Turner asked, noting that he had driven through the park, and to turn around, people were pulling into the grass, which could cause a mess when it rains.

Aldermen agreed to look at the current situation and possibly come up with some options. 

• Park Committee Chair Neil Loethen reported that the netting for the batting cage has been completed, and the turf floor has been installed. He also noted that Van Loo electric would soon be installing eight additional lights at the City Park ball field.

Loethen has not started on the skate park renovations because Ron Helming of Aplex, Inc., had voiced a desire to take five feet into the current skate park and create additional parking in the area.

“I’d like to get started, but if you are going to take five feet of the asphalt of the skate park, that’s going to change my project,” Loethen said.

“The tennis court was put in with a Land and Water Conservations Fund Grant, and when you get that grant, you are basically saying that you will keep that as a park indefinitely,” Grellner said. “We sign documents saying that will be a park forever.”

“He asked this about three months ago, and he hasn’t shown up at a meeting,” Niewald said. “I texted him and asked if he wanted to be put on the agenda, and I got no answer.”

• Grellner will draw up an ordinance to address the outdated mileage reimbursement currently used by the city. She noted that the city reimburses employees when they use their personal vehicles at a rate of $.40 per mile and that the rate had not been increased for as long as she has been the city clerk.

Brown recommended that aldermen approve a rate that is the same as what the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows so that the reimbursement rate does not have to be constantly revisited by the city. Currently, the IRS reimbursement rate is $.585 per mile. Aldermen agreed and instructed Grellner to draw up an ordinance to be approved at a future meeting.

• Aldermen approved the clerk to get a credit card from Legends Bank for city use with a maximum limit of $5,000. Procedures for purchasing will not change when the credit card is used.

• Turner asked Police Chief Michael Bickell if he still wanted aldermen to consider the ordinance regarding distracted driving.

“We have a huge problem with crashes right now,” Bickell said. “The longer we wait, the longer it keeps getting worse. Last year, we had 60 to 70 crashes, and the majority are from distracted driving.”

Turner would like the language to be reviewed and rewritten, noting some areas need to be clarified.

“I know we’re not going to eliminate all of the crashes,” Chief Bickell said. “I think we are spending more money and assets and harming more people by not doing something.”

The ordinance will be brought up at the next regular meeting.

•The Linn Community Betterment Association was to meet for the first time on May 24 at the Barefoot Event Center. All aldermen were invited to attend.

• Aldermen approved outstanding bills for the month totaling $111,601.35.

• Linn has the following ending balances in their governmental fund accounts: general ($315,334.87), pool (-$8,656.88), park ($90,100.21), police training ($3,757.18), general fund-improvement and equipment ($3,757.18), park-improvement and equipment ($36,770.50), and pool-improvement and equipment ($13,985.14).

• The city has the following ending balances in their business-type funds accounts: water ($425,408.39), water replacement ($123,587.17), sewer ($425,097.70), sewer replacement ($85,985.30), and grants (-$258.87).

• Linn has nine certificates of deposits totaling $1,089,798.13.

• City Hall will be closed in observance of Memorial Day on May 30, and the Linn License Fee Office will be closed on Saturday, May 28, and Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day.

• The Linn License Fee Office will have Samco Business Products revamp the office space to meet the stipulations of the new contract. The schedule for the remodel has not yet been established.

• The Linn City Pool will be open on Monday, May 30. Claire Baker has been hired as the pool manager for the season, and lifeguards and staff have been hired.

•The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 21 at 5 p.m.