Linn aldermen field complaints about nuisance ordinance violations

By Theresa Brandt, UD Staff Writer
Posted 10/23/24

LINN   —   At their Oct. 15 meeting, Linn aldermen heard from two residents about overgrown properties in the city limits that were in violation of the city’s nuisance …

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Linn aldermen field complaints about nuisance ordinance violations

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LINN    At their Oct. 15 meeting, Linn aldermen heard from two residents about overgrown properties in the city limits that were in violation of the city’s nuisance ordinance. Resident Lyle Garreau is particularly upset with the property owned by Casey’s General Store off Main Street.

“What I’m after is to get Casey’s General Store to maintain their property,” Garreau said. “This has been going on for at least three years.”

Garreau showed the aldermen pictures of the property with overgrown weeds and brush.

Garreau said he has talked to Casey’s manager several times and has not gotten anywhere. He presented aldermen with a copy of the city’s nuisance ordinance and highlighted areas he found confusing.

“I think this ordinance needs to be rewritten, but I also want Casey’s to maintain their property since I have to look at it every day,” Garreau said.

He also presented the alderman with a copy of an ordinance from an Iowa city outlining how properties should be mowed and how the city handled non-compliant properties, which Linn could use as a template to rewrite its ordinance.

Linn Police Chief Sam Ford said he would send an officer to the property the following day and give them a notice that they had 10 days to bring the property into compliance.

“We’ve been issuing these notices all summer to different properties,” Ford said. “I don’t know how we missed this one.”

Resident Diana Bishop lives on 9th Street and is concerned about the overgrown neighboring property. Bishop explained that the owner of the property has three big dogs, one of which she believes is mean. Bishop showed pictures of the property, where weeds and brush are overgrown and falling over the fence onto Bishop’s property. The fence is also in need of repairs, and Bishop is concerned for the safety of her grandchildren.

“My husband has a power pole-saw and has offered to go over and trim some of the overgrown brush, but the owner told him to get off his property,” Bishop said.

Chief Ford noted that he would get contact information for the property owner and see what could be done.

• Alderman approved a bill from Horton Auto Sales for $2,012.50. According to City Clerk Carrie Grellner, the city was off by two inches when they marked for the water main, and Ameren Missouri hit the water main when installing a new pole.

“This is mainly for the gravel and the stuff he had already started to do for the repairs to his lot,” Grellner explained. “This is to repair those damages.”

• Grellner secured all the service agreements for everyone who will be receiving services in the Lee Mar Hills Regionalization Project before the Oct. 11 deadline.

“The next step is working with the property owners that we will need easements from,” said Bartlett & West Engineer Hope Drennan.

She explained they will need to receive signed easements from four property owners. “The line is already designed, but it could be moved if there is property owner negotiation,” Drennan said. “Since it is already designed, if we can reach an agreement with the property owners, it can be planned, and specifications can be written up pretty quickly, so it could be put out for bid soon.”

Grellner has worked with Drennan to get the additional documents for the project approved and signed.

Drennan also explained that the grant’s specification has changed slightly, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) no longer covers lateral lines in the grant.

“We will just be installing gravity mains, but all houses will get service once the lines are installed. The lateral lines will remain,” Drennan explained. “DNR will only fund what is necessary to connect.”

The lateral lines will be the responsibility of the property owners.

Drennan noted that the Jaegers Wastewater Regionalization project will require one more grading and reseeding of problem areas.

“There will be that final walk-through of the Jaegers Subdivision, and that that project will be officially closed,” Drennan said.

• Ryan Hertzing with RadioWire requested that the city allow the company to put equipment on the water tower by Maguire Park.

“There are some local businesses that would like to get service from us,” Hertzing said. “They are kinda down in a hole and we need something to reach down there.”

Haviland and Linn MFA are requesting internet service from RadioWire, but the company is unable to reach them.

Currently, RadioWire has equipment on another water tower in Linn, while Cable America equipment is on the water tower by Maguire Park.

Grellner said she would check with DNR and Cable America to see what could be done. She added that Cable America is supposed to supply Wi-Fi service to Maguire Park as part of the city’s contract, but it is currently not available.

Hertzing said that RadioWire would be able to provide service to Maguire Park as part of the deal for using the water tower.

Grellner will get back to Hertzing as soon as possible.

• Utilities employee Aleks Rowinski reported that his department is short-staffed and having trouble keeping up with the city’s demands.

“We are trying to stay on top of everything, and with us being down to two people, it’s been interesting to try to keep up,” Rowinski said. “I’m by myself for most of the week trying to get stuff done, and it is not exactly the best use of my time, but I’ve been doing as much as I can and putting in overtime.”

Rowinski said that Lee Street is ready for Higgins Asphalt, although it may need to be regraded. They have also dug trenches across the City Park parking lot to the concession stand so that water or electric lines can be run if needed in the future. Rowinski said this area is also ready for Higgins Asphalt to pave.

The Utilities Department is using the new track loader they received to move playground equipment into place.

“We are happy with that new piece of equipment,” Rowinski said. “It’s working out great for us.”

Rowinski said that he has been framing up the American Disability Act (ADA) ramp for the All-Inclusive Playground.

“We’re still working on setting the forms and making sure everything is ADA-compliant,” Rowinski said. “It’s really not that easy. I’m trying to get these forms set with no experience. It’s not easy.”

There is no firm date on when the All-Inclusive Playground will be completed.

Rowinski reported that there had been some well issues and problems with chlorination. He has also started flushing water lines to clean out debris. He noted there have been a lot of locates on the east side of town with all the new construction that State Tech is doing as well as the Hwy. 50 expansion project.

Rowinski said that he had trimmed the limb that was a problem on Linwood Street after the last meeting. He also reported a lot of repairs on the city’s current mowers. Rowinski has had a demonstration of Ventrack lawnmowers, which he believes would be better for the hills in Maguire Park.

“They are going to be the way to go because you don’t feel like you are sliding at all,” Rowinski said, adding that he does not feel like the current mowers are the safest thing on the steep hills.

Rowinski reported a recent issue with the triplex lift station that led to a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) in the Jim Butler lot.

“Basically, a power surge came in and took out the phase monitor and locked the station, so it wasn’t detecting any changes,” Rowinski explained. “The pumps never kicked on. We had to bypass the phase monitor and use a backup.”

Rowinski said he plans to contact Ameren to find out why the city is experiencing so many power surges. He also plans to install the new phase monitor when it arrives.

There have also been issues with the variable frequency drives (VFD) motors at the lagoons. Rowinski was able to access the menu option to change the temperature since the factory setting was 55 degrees, which was overheating the unit. The lagoon is also having some algae blooms, which are also being taken care of.

Rowinski is concerned with some of the city’s aging equipment, which he believes is inefficient and requires additional labor for repairs. He has arranged for a company to bring down a new jetter and a camera for them to try for a day.

Rowinski said that a new push camera costs between $10,000 and $15,0000, and a new jetter could cost between $28,000 and $68,000.

Rowinski would also like to look at getting some of the sewer pumps refurbished and repaired.

“These are just some things to think about,” Rowinski said. “I know we’re not even halfway through the year, and I’m looking to spend quite a bit of money, but this equipment is kind of a key to our resources.”

Rowinski has also looked at trucks with jet pumps and the capability for hydro excavation, which would cost between $150,000 and $300,000.

Unterrified Democrat Reporter Theresa Brandt asked if Rowinski has repaired the ditch on the Williams’ property yet. Resident Jerry Williams has been attending meetings for the past several months to ask the city to make the promised repairs to the ditch that runs through his property.

“We haven’t had the time to get back to him,” Rowinski said. “We’ve been literally down to two people, and we’ve had several emergencies and projects that have a higher priority.”

• Alderman Bill Turner reported that a company considered adding a splash pad to the city pool’s kiddie pool area. The contractor gave a rough estimate of up to $75,000 for the project.

“I told him that if he couldn’t be around $10,000, it was a waste of his time, and he called back and said he couldn’t do it,” Turner said.

Turner arranged for Columbia Pools to come down later in October and wanted direction from the board regarding whether they wanted to try to get an estimate on a splash pad or a repair to the kiddie pool.

Alderman asked Turner to get a price for both. Turner was not optimistic that they would be able to put in a splash pad.

• Aldermen approved the city employee’s participation in WageWorks on an annual basis.

• Diane Hopkins set May 31, 2025, as the date for the “Rescue Innocence” 5K race. The group raises awareness about human trafficking.

• The Taste of Osage County will be set for Sept. 13, 2025.

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

• New doors have been installed at the bathrooms at Maguire Park. Pickle Ball nets and basketball goals and nets will be installed at the City Park this week.

• Chief Ford believes he will be able to obtain some cages for the Ford Explorers free of charge by the end of the year.

“We’re getting to a point where we are arresting felons and other dangerous individuals that have to ride in the front seat next to our officers,” Ford explained. “I’ve been outspoken about it since I started here, but it’s just always a matter of money because there is always something else taking priority.”

Ford reported that he will have new brakes installed on the Charger and new tires and brakes on the Tahoe.

The two officers that Ford sent to firearms training did not pass the course. Ford was unaware when he signed the officers up for the program that it was an advanced course.

Ford said that he has a reserve officer who is certified and willing to do firearms training for the department.

• City Attorney Annie Willis has been working with Grellner to update the city’s ordinances so that they are available online for residents.

• Aldermen approved outstanding bills totaling $103,165.20.

• Linn had the following ending account balances in their governmental fund accounts: general ($744,085.13), pool (-$41,851.64), park ($109,944.43), police training ($926.66), park-improvement and equipment (-$399,597.96), and pool-improvement and equipment ($1,948.24).

• The city has the following ending account balances in their business-type funds: water ($478,367.22), water replacement ($119,348.36), sewer ($402,880.28), sewer replacement ($60,454.81), and grants (-$96,583.72).

• Linn holds nine certificates of deposit totaling $1,328,721.69.

• The city will hold its next regular meeting on Nov. 19 at 5 p.m.