META  — At their Aug. 9 meeting, Meta aldermen approved an ordinance officially establishing water rates, which will take effect on Aug. 1.

The board decided last month to proceed with an option to set the monthly minimum at $35. With a tier rate of $10 and other rates for 3,000 gallons ($55 per month) and 5,000 gallons ($75 per month) would generate approximately $64,105.67, giving Meta a net income of $2,935.67.

City Clerk Deidra Buechter reminded aldermen that customers would see a 2% increase on the Aug. 1 bill per city ordinance, with the new rates beginning on Aug. 1 for the bill to be paid on Sept. 1.

In other business, Kelly Sink of Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) told aldermen that she has been working on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) environmental report for stormwater grants.

She noted that improvements on Sixth Street would have to be reconsidered because it’s in the floodplain.

“We have to a couple of extra things in the environmental report because of that,” said Sink, noting one requirement is publication in local newspapers about the project. “I just ran one, and it came out in today’s paper.”

None of the other locations were in the floodplain. Another notice will have to be published regarding the Sixth Street portion of the project.

Sink spoke with Tammy Snodgrass of MRPC, who serves as Meta’s floodplain manager. “She said if you want your engineers to fill out a floodplain permit, she can get it approved pretty quickly,” Sink added. “We can show that you’ve got your permit specific to the CDBG grant.”

Buechter noted that Bartlett & West is trying to finalize a plan. “Because of the numbers being different, they are going to have to rearrange things,” she said. “So, once he gets that done, he’ll send it over, and then it’ll be a contract. It’ll just have numbers in different areas that we’re working on.”

Buechter will send Sink the contract once it’s executed.

Sink told aldermen that CDBG reduced the admin amount by $500, and she emailed a new contract for the lesser amount. “It’s the same contract we signed at the time that we were applying for the funds, except I lowered the amount because that’s what they put in the grant agreement,” said Sink. “We just wanted to keep it consistent.”

She added the contract could be signed at the next meeting, and a resolution approved last month will allow Mayor Emily Sommerer to sign on behalf of the city.

Sink explained the board would need to hold a special meeting, which the local CDBG representative for the area would be encouraged to attend.

Once that’s done, Sink plans to provide folders to the city identical to those that will be kept on file at MRPC so everyone is on the same page. That becomes even more important as the project proceeds and additional paperwork is generated.

•The board amended its parking ordinance to include 110 feet in front of the former business owned by Natalie Russell on West Fourth Street to the west. Alderman Otto Wankum measured the distance.

Buechter noted if people try to parallel park along this stretch, they’re on dirt, out in the street, and not safely parked.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has agreed to erect “No Parking” signs because the road is a shared highway.

From the intersection of West Fourth Street and North Bertha, no parking will be allowed in the 110-foot stretch, which includes the dirt area.

Parallel parking will be allowed from West Fourth Street and North Walnut Street to 204 West Fourth Street, and no parking will be allowed from West Fourth Street and North Olive Street to the intersection of West Fourth Street and North Pine Street. “That’s right in front of the Diamond Pet Foods shop, where they’re not supposed to be parking anyway,” said Buechter, adding that parallel parking will be allowed on the south side, opposite of West Fourth Street, along Diamond.

Wankum explained he was concerned because he sees semis come up Bertha Street, and “it’s a nightmare,” he added.

“I’ve watched some of them narrowly miss [cars],” said Helton.

City Attorney Nathan Nickolaus noted a car was parked, and he had to stop when a truck was coming up the hill to avoid a collision.

•Wankum noted a large fallen limb had been taken care of, and cutting had been completed around town.

“Based upon our tree problem, I never did get the city chainsaw started,” said Wankum. “So, I used my little one, which is too small for what we needed to be done. I think we’re gonna have to replace that chainsaw.”

He added the Stihl chainsaw is worn out, not from use, but from age.

Wankum said he and employee Taylor Backes cleaned leaves from ditches and plans to burn leaves in the fall.

Regarding the ballpark for next summer, maintenance employee Ronald Meyer asked how aldermen wanted the grass to look and how tall to keep it.

“A few years ago, they reseeded it and everything, and the next day, a flood came and wiped it all out,” said Alderman Steve Sherrell.

Wankum said the grass in other areas of the park looks better than what’s on the ball field.

Meyer believes a soil test may be in order for the ball field.

“Yeah, it’s probably pretty gravelly soil down there,” said Sherrell, asking if other types of grass would be better.

Wankum said fescue doesn’t clump, a problem the city has every year, but it’s costly. “It’s an investment in the ballpark; that’s how I look at it,” he added.

Sherrell said the field hasn’t been fertilized for several years and suggested that would help improve the grass.

Aldermen reviewed the park maintenance budget to determine spending options.

Alderman Ivie Helton suggested approving the project with a maximum of $2,000 for supplies and a soil test and see if MFA would donate fescue. Other supplies will be purchased from MFA.

“Based on that, we can cover the difference so they can get started,” she added.

Aldermen voted to approve Helton’s motion.

•The board voted to renew its cybersecurity policy, which has a liability limit of $1 million.

•Residents are reminded that the postponed Fourth of July celebration will be held on Labor Day, Sept. 4, at the park.

•A letter was sent to the Citizen’s Civic League indicating the city has no objection to the sale of alcohol by the drink at a fundraiser on Sept. 17.

In his report, Nickolaus said he has been able to serve one of the nuisance property owners, and a court date will be set soon.

Another was sent “service by mail,” and if it’s signed and returned, they are served. If not, Nickolaus said finding them would be expensive, but the property owner would pay for that.

WATER/TRASH SALES

•Meta recorded $5,675.66 in water sales, with $1,246.66 collected for trash service, $229 in late fees, reconnect fees of $60, a primacy fee of $624.88, and $179.87 collected in sales tax. An adjustment of $40 was applied to Meta Fire. Total charges were $7,967.07, with a previous balance of $2,281.89, and payments were received in the amount of $7,506.97, leaving a balance due of $3,281.99.

•Clerk Buechter reported that 750,274 gallons of water were pumped during July, with 562,840 gallons sold, 10,000 gallons in leaks, 3,000 gallons used by the fire department, and 174,434 gallons of water lost, or 23.25%.

Buechter told aldermen she forgot to include fire hydrant leaks last month, so the loss rate was about 10% higher than it should have been. Currently, the city is still investigating leaks, including fire hydrants.

She also presented Chief Water Operator Trevor Plemmons’ report that noted during an overflow of the tower and subsequent fire hydrant flush, a breaker had flipped in the well house. Once that was corrected, Buechter said everything went well.

Plemmons is also responding to a request from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to verify there is no asbestos in the city’s water line.

Buechter reminded homeowners to fill out their lead service line inventory.

FINANCIAL NEWS

•In her regular monthly financial report, Treasurer Karla Buechter noted income/deposits of $20,938.13 and debits of $8,788.08 for a balance on hand as of July 31, totaling $501,355.05; the money market balance was $141,344.96, and certificates of deposit total $50,429.75 and $127,651.07, giving the city total funds on hand of $820,780.83. Checks written last month totaled $11,129.91.