The regular meeting of Jan. 14, 2020 was a date to remember for the Morrison City Council as that was the day that the repair and renovation of the century old city reservoir would be finished. The council was finally ready to vote to make the final payment to Brian Patterson Construction Company and end months of haggling over the final bill.

All of the council was in attendance except Jason Koenigsfeld, who had been more directly involved in the project than the other members. Koenigsfeld was at a basketball game with his family and was hoping to be back before the final vote. Mayor Melissa Strope said she had talked to him before the meeting.

“He was thinking there should be enough money somewhere” Strope said. “We will probably have to pull from here and there and everywhere.”

City Treasurer Saundra Hartge spoke up and said, “That is what we did last time and we don’t have a lot left. You can see on the accounts that the balances are down. I can pull $10,500 out of Water, Sewer and Trash, and that would leave us with $6,000, and if we have any major repairs we are in trouble. I guess Motor Fuel has the most we can pull from, because the only thing we pay out of there is street lights. The lights are about $340 every month.”

“I would say pull some out of there and Water, Sewer and Trash, so it won’t be harsh with $10,500 out of one account,”  Strope suggested.

Hartge then repeated, “$5,000 out of Water, Sewer Trash and $5,000 out of Motor Fuel and $500 out of Special Water. I would not touch General Fund at all. I will move the money on Thursday in interbank transfers and write the check next week.”

Just before the vote was to have taken place Koenigsfeld arrived. He then reiterated information that he had shared with the mayor. He  said he had discussed the situation with city attorney, Mary Weston.

“She told me on Patterson’s bill that we both could spend the minimum of $10,000 on lawyers and still have to pay it.”

Alderman Steve Nolte added, “If we lose, then we end up paying for his lawyer too.”

“She did the math and this is actually a six percent above and beyond, and she said that on most contracts there is a six, seven, eight or nine percent increase on the budget,” Koenigsfeld continued.

The vote was unanimous and after months of struggling with the bill the council was ready to move on.

In other business, Hartge said she learned the city has to have an election even though there are only enough candidates for the offices; unlike school election that allow the schools not to have elections, if there are only enough candidates for the seats up for election.

“We get some money back from the elections every year after we prepay,” Hartge said.

Mayor Strope and aldermen Koenigsfeld and Nolte filed for reelection, and it was speculated that Stephanie Birk would likely serve as city collector again if her name was written in on the ballot.

* A possible sewer leak discussed last month was assessed by Koenigsfeld and Tom Hernandez at the Cindy Cornelia residence. It was determined that any repair would have to wait until warmer, drier weather. Sewer clean-out was done recently on some of the five grinder pumps in town by Tim Flagg. The water pressure issue with the Tyree home is still being reviewed by the city to determine what solution would be best considering the elevation of the residence and water tower.

* The city is looking for someone to plow and salt and cinder the city streets during the winter months.

* Aldermen discussed the issue of good internet service in town and what might be done in the future.

* A washed out area on 3rd St. near the mailboxes has not yet been addressed.

* Furniture was put in the bank building that will be renovated to be the new city hall.

* The injury claim from over a year ago at the mayor’s home has not been resolved yet through MOPERM insurance.

* In financial news, total income for December 2019 was $5,173.81, with total expenditures of $5,992.98. Total funds available in all accounts was $43,341.83.