The West Plains City Council will meet at 5 p.m. Monday at city hall, 1910 Holiday Lane, beginning with a closed session to discuss personnel matters. A regular session, to which the public is invited, will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Following approval of the consent agenda, the council will recognize guests. Those slated to address council members are a representative of KPM certified professional accounting regarding the annual audit for Fiscal Year 2023; West Plains Pride Committee members Cammie Storm, Nick Hackworth and Erin Rigdon; Old-Time Music, Ozarks Heritage Festival Committee member Kathleen Morrisey; downtown property owner Jeff Tune regarding the East Dixon Street Pocket Park and Luster Arcade; and citizen Ernie Renegar regarding street closings.
The consent agenda will include approval of the June meeting minutes; bids for a sewer jet truck, the U.S. 160/Independence Drive overpass and paving for a part of the gravel road at the West Plains Solid Waste Transfer Station; the appointment of Cassidy Denton to fill the term of Eric Judd on the civic center board from September 2024 to September 2027; and a site development plan for 342 E. Olden St.
The sewer jet truck bids were solicited out of a need to replace the current 14-year-old truck, for which repairs are becoming increasingly costly and parts are getting harder to find, according to city purchasing agent Kristopher Bates. The price tag of the truck comes in at $188,770, under the $270,000 budgeted for it, leaving enough funds for other planned infrastructure improvements, he added. The winning bid comes from Pipe Hunter in St. Joseph, and the new truck is expected to arrive in four to five months.
Three bids were received for the overpass project, and Project Coordinator Michael McMahan recommends the city accept the low bid from Capital Paving & Construction, about $8.89 million. While the bid is higher than the $7.8 million budgeted by the city for the work, McMahan notes the city is prepared to fund all costs beyond the federal funds made available.
The paving at the transfer station is requested by Bates, who notes that asphalt paving will improve the road, benefiting city and citizen vehicles. The project includes striping to prevent traffic incidents, and the paving will help with dust control and snow removal, helping with employee well-being and equipment maintenance, he added. The low bidder was Mo-Ark Asphalt at $92,500. That comes under the $250,000 budgeted for the project.
City Building Official and Zoning Administrator Dustin Harrison and the Planning & Zoning Committee are recommending approval from the city council for a building permit for two duplexes on East Olden Street. The permit was requested by developer Alex Bandurovskiy, who is wanting to build multiple structures per lot on a site that had a three-plex apartment which burned down years ago, Harrison noted.
Council members are expected to vote on six resolutions and two ordinances which will be read and voted on for a second and final time.
Among the resolutions, the city is asked to renew a five-year contract with Axon Enterprises for the replacement and operation of police body cameras and a mutual aid agreement between the city and Missouri Public Utility Alliance. Council will also consider a resolution to close parts Dixon Street and Cass Avenue west of Washington Avenue to traffic. The plan is to create pedestrian-friendly access to storefronts from the parking lots behind the buildings on that side of Washington Avenue.
A resolution to authorize the sale of real estate held by the city to Gary’s Tire & Automotive on Jefferson Avenue for $19,100 will be considered.
City council members will be asked to approve a consultant contract with Olsson Studio for a comprehensive safety action plan concerning traffic. McMahon explained the plan will examine the city’s high-accident areas, pedestrian needs and ways to improve safety. The city was awarded a grant of $100,000 for the study, with a match on the city’s part of $25,000 paid out of the Transportation Tax fund.
Finally, a resolution finalizing an agreement with Crawford, Murphy & Tillyto provide construction engineering services for the U.S. 160 overpass project will be considered. The $822,430 payment for the services was already accounted for when budgeting for the project, to be paid by the Missouri Department of Transportation and the city.
Second readings will be given to an ordinance to vacate an alley between North College Street and East Olden Street for West Plains R-7 Schools campus safety improvements, and to repeal and replace an existing purchasing policy to streamline the city’s purchasing protocol.
City Administrator Sam Anselm will conclude the meeting with a report and remarks.
