Westphalia aldermen at their May 31 meeting denied a request by S&P Management to adjust sewer rates for their apartment complex. In April, apartment complex owner Sharon Suess had requested that the sewer rate be adjusted to last year’s sewer charges after the rate jumped from $472.15 per month to $727.07 per month. Suess cited that the change was from several leaks in the fourth quarter of last year. The monthly sewer rate is based on an average of the water usage for the fourth quarter of the year. Suess claimed that the problems that had caused the leaks had been repaired. Aldermen were split at the April meeting on whether to deny the request outright and requested more information before making a decision.

“I reached out to the water board to see if it was an ongoing problem because it was reported that the water district had looked into the issue to assist because of some leaks,” Mayor Tammy Massman said. “It was not a water district or a sewer line issue. It was totally toilets, faucets, and other internal issues.”

Aldermen had questioned if tenant rates had changed in the apartment complex and affected the water usage. Massman found that the tenant rate had remained consistent throughout the timeframe.

Massman also received a report on water usage for the apartments. “There were increases in a multitude of months prior to the fourth quarter where it had jumped from 28,000 gallons to 35,000 gallons, and suddenly it was 49,730 gallons, 85,2220 gallons, and 123,000 gallons,” Massman reported. “It more than doubled in nine months.”

“And they never gave it a second thought?” Alderman Delbert Wieberg asked.

“It’s crazy that the usage varied so much if the tenants remained the same,” Alderman Ben Holterman said. 

“The tenant rates remained the same,” Massman repeated. “From May to June is when it started jumping up and doubling in usage; 28,000 gallons seemed standard, and then it started jumping.”

“So, it started jumping way before the fourth quarter?” Wieberg asked. 

“Yes,” Massman replied. “It should have been a substantial enough increase to show that the numbers were doubling and tripling. It should have been something that was caught prior to six months or better that there was a leak.”

“It was definitely a property issue,” Holterman said.

In other business, aldermen approved Ordinance #22-01 to place on the April 3, 2023, ballot whether to forego annual municipal elections for six years if the number of candidates filing for office equals the number of seats up for election. 

• Aldermen approved the renewal of the city’s liability insurance through the Missouri Public Entity Risk Management (MOPERM) for $5,395. Last year MOPERM’s liability policy cost was $5,279. The board also approved the workers’ compensation insurance through Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance (MEM) for $959. Last year’s cost from MEM was $973.

Aldermen discussed looking at cyber security insurance, which would be quoted separately by an independent insurer. Massman had not received any quotes before the meeting but will be presented as soon as the information is available.

• Massman noted that the aldermen needed to identify areas of off-street parking, curb and guttering, and sidewalks and curbs that need to be repaired. Aldermen agreed on the following areas: off-street parking, curbing/sidewalk area, and driveway entrance from the corner of Maries Ave., in front of Randy Wieberg’s residence connecting to the Joe’s Market entrance; the section of off-street parking and curbing area in front of the church along Main Street; off-street parking, curbing and possible driveway entrances from the corner of Bridge Avenue in front of the city salt shed connecting to the area joining repaired concrete areas in front of the Holterman property; and areas of off-street parking and possible curbing/sidewalk and driveway repairs on the east end of town along Main Street.

“We are a month and a half behind in getting bids from contractors to do this kind of work,” Massman said. 

The plan is to solicit bids separately for each area so aldermen can choose which projects to complete. Massman expressed concerns about being able to find multiple bidders for the project and getting the projects completed this summer while school is out.

• Massman discussed changes that may be needed to the Driveway Repairs Assistance Program. 

“It is just an assistance program; it is not an ordinance,” Massman said, noting that aldermen can make changes to the program. The consensus was that a drawing or schematic of the grate system the city wants to build should be included with the applications. 

Wieberg said he would talk to his nephew about drawing up the schematic. He also asked the board to look at increasing the cap amount per project from $2,500, considering current inflation rates.

Aldermen will revisit the Driveway Repairs Assistance Program at next month’s meeting.

• Aaron Iachowicz with Mid Mo Operation reported that the aerator at the sewer plant developed a new air leak over the weekend. 

“It’s not affecting anything yet, but it’s going to keep getting worse,” Iachowicz said.

He will investigate repair options so that the system can continue working until the city receives the balance of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds earmarked for a big sewer repair project.

Iachowicz also reported a power outage over the weekend blew a fuse at the wastewater plant and several lift stations. Mid Mo Operations was able to get everything back up and running quickly and ordered several additional fuses in case of an emergency.

Shawn York with Mid-Mo Environmental had the lowest bid to land-apply sludge. York came in at $.10 per gallon while several other companies were $.22 and $.24 per gallon. The landowner wants to cut hay on the fields before the sludge is land applied because there is a 30-45-day restriction from harvesting after land application. Mayor Massman will help coordinate with the landowner.

Mid MO Operations purchased a pH probe like the one in the city that was not calibrating correctly.  

Iachowicz contacted the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) about a variance to reduce testing requirements for the wastewater plant. DNR will require that the changes be made at the time Westphalia’s permit is renewed, or the city will have to file a permit modification. Iachowicz is trying to determine the cost of a permit modification so the city can decide if it is a cost-effective option. 

“We’re probably 30 to 40 percent done with manhole inspections,” Iachowicz reported. 

They will continue to inspect and make manhole repairs when the ground is wet, and it is easier to find problems. Mid Mo Operations is still having trouble purchasing O-rings for the manhole repairs.

“No one knows when they will be getting O-rings,” Iachowicz said. “They won’t ship us anything out of their inventory because it will shut down their production. I’ll just keep hounding them.”

Wieberg noted that during the recent flooding, he was at the Hwy. 63 lift station at the same time as Mid Mo Operations, and all three pumps at the station were working.

“I don’t know if the three pumps are keeping up or if we’ve slowed some of the water coming into the system with the repairs,” Wieberg explained. 

He noted a root growing through the manhole above the lift station could be the main culprit in groundwater in the wastewater system. 

“If you get a lot of rain, that ditch fills up, and it’s right in the manhole,” Wieberg said. “Three pumps seemed to solve the problem, but we still need to fix that manhole.”

The plan was for Mike Moeller to repair and raise that manhole two feet. Wieberg also noted that Moeller has an extra six-inch ring at his shop and that he would like to repair a low manhole between the lift station and Wieberg’s property.

“While he’s there, he might as well bump it up,” Wieberg said.

Moeller was authorized to make $6,500 in repairs, and the city has paid him $3,200. Hopefully, the repair can be added and still be covered under the same amount.

Massman will reach out to the new property owners who tore down the old Linnebrink house. Aldermen believe there are two cleanouts where the back of the house would have been that will need to be capped.

Massman asked if capping the cleanouts would be a cost to the city or the property owners.

“What I see with other municipalities is typically when a building is demolished, capping (the wastewater line) is part of the homeowner’s expense,” Iachowicz said. “They own that pipe.”

• Massman noted that several complaints of local businesses not keeping their grass cut have been made. S&P Management and Buersmeyer Storage Rentals have generated multiple complaints regarding their grass. 

“It is the same violators every year,” said Massman, who has reached out to the property owners with a phone call.

“I don’t know what we can do other than remind everyone to cut their grass.”

She noted that the city would be open to hiring someone to spray the weeds that are growing up in the cracks of the city’s streets.

Westphalia is also looking for someone to repair the handrail approved at the last meeting. Anyone interested should contact the city.

• Linn Police Chief Mike Bickell talked to the Board of Aldermen about the “Shop with a Hero” program.

The program pairs kids with police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMT), members of the health department, military, and Department of Corrections officers. The kids get to go shopping with their “hero.”

The kids are identified through the schools.

“Last year, we only did the Linn area,” Bickell said. “This year, we are doing all of Osage County.”

Bickell is unsure exactly how many kids this will involve yet, but he plans to include students from public and parochial schools.

“We are trying to reintegrate law enforcement into the community and show that we actually work with the community and show how first responders help,” Bickell explained. “A lot of kids look at us and see a uniform. We may look big and scary, but we are just people. I’ve got four kids. I have a family.”

Last year, the program helped 15 Linn R-2 students and five from St. George.

“All of the money is donated from Osage County, and all the money stays in Osage County,” Bickell said. 

“Shop with a Hero” will take donations of any size, and money that is leftover at the end of this year’s program will be rolled over to next year.

Bickell noted that the program also encourages kids to become interested in law enforcement or other “hero” careers.

“It sounds like a great program,” Massman said.

• Sheriff Mike Bonham asked aldermen if they were aware of any car shows that were scheduled for this year.

“We have not had any requests,” Massman said. “The previous organizers have usually been in contact by now.”

“Well, they’ll probably just show up,” Bonham said, asking aldermen if they need help with any issues.

Massman and several aldermen noted minor parking issues as their only current concerns.

• Wieberg brought up again that water is washing out areas of Dale Logan’s yard and ditch. Wieberg addressed the problem at the last meeting, noting that a rusted-out culvert is part of the problem. There is still no agreement on whether the issue is the city’s problem or the property owner’s problem.

• Aldermen approved the following expenses for the month: city fund ($2,962.87), sewer system ($8,891.75), and special road district ($4,106.90).

• Westphalia reported the following receipts: city ($11,540.66), sewer ($9,581.13) and special road district ($65.90).

• The city has the following account balances: city checking ($178,175.91), sewer system checking ($35,476.38), special road district checking ($47,123.02), and special road district savings ($5,111.88).

• Westphalia holds the following certificates of deposit: city ($439,319.85), sewer system ($521,589.35), and special road district ($521,767.73).

•The next meeting will be held on June 28 at 6 p.m.