The Rock Port Board of Aldermen met Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 6 p.m. with Mayor Jeff Seaman presiding. Present were Aldermen Chris Chamberlain, Todd Stevens and Tim Taylor. Alderman Shawn Shineman was absent. Also present were City Superintendent Trevor Hale, Utility Clerk Terri McGuire, Chief of Police Shannon Sherwood, City Clerk Ashtin Paris, Lavon Paukert and Ron Deatz.
Mayor Seaman called the meeting to order.
Clerk Paris swore in newly elected officials Mayor Chris Chamberlain and South Ward Alderman Lavon Paukert.
Mayor Chamberlain began presiding over the meeting.
Taylor moved to approve the meeting agenda. Stevens seconded. All votes aye.
Stevens moved to approve the March 29, 2017 meeting minutes. Taylor seconded. All votes aye.
Taylor moved to approve Mayor Chamberlain’s appointment of Ron Deatz as North Ward Alderman. Stevens seconded. All votes aye.
Clerk Paris swore in newly appointed North Ward Alderman Ron Deatz.
Taylor moved to appoint Todd Stevens as Mayor Pro Tem (Board President). Deatz seconded. All votes aye.
Denton Melvin presented his customer-generator system agreement application to the Board of Aldermen for the installation of solar panels at his residence. Supt. Hale will set up an appointment with Denton to review the details of the application.
Stevens moved to approve the City financial statements, accounts payables, sales tax reports, delinquent tax list, and all board and departmental reports. Taylor seconded. All votes aye.
Taylor moved to approve the Utility financial statements, accounts payables, purchased power and water statements, take or pay water use report, water loss reports and Utility Clerk report. Paukert seconded. All votes aye.
Deatz moved to approve the Mayor’s board appointments and board liaison appointments. Taylor seconded. All votes aye.
Board of Adjustment
Denton Melvin – ending April 2022
Park Board
Lisa Farmer – Term ending April 2020
Tisha Jackson – Term ending April 2020
Greg Young – Term ending April 2020
Planning Commission
Chris Chamberlain – Term ending April 2021
Ron Deatz – Term ending April 2021
Tourism Board
Angela Mace – Term ending April 2020
Tami Lansdown – Term ending April 2020
Health Board
Jeff Seaman – Term ending April 2018
Alderman Liaisons
Tim Taylor, Board of Adjustment – Term ending April 2018
Todd Stevens, Park Board – Term ending April 2018
Lavon Paukert, Tourism Board – Term ending April 2018
Stevens moved to table the Glider Avenue survey. Taylor seconded. All votes aye.
An email from DNR was reviewed concerning the status of the City’s brush site and burn permit. In order for the burn permit application to be considered a compliance plan must be submitted. DNR will take into consideration past compliance history, the compliance plan, and the open burning permit application before deciding if an open burning permit will be issued.
Stevens moved to sell the 1986 International Snow Blower for $550 to the interested party or place the snow blower up for sealed bids again if the potential buyer does not agree to the price. Taylor seconded. All votes aye.
Stevens moved to approve payment of one-half of Provisional Judge David A. Baird’s Judges’ Conference expenses. Taylor seconded. All votes aye.
Chief of Police Shannon Sherwood reported that Officer Derek Morriss attended Crisis Intervention Training (CIT). Crisis Intervention Training teaches police officers how to deal with mentally ill persons and get them the help they need. Chief Sherwood will attend the CIT training in October. Following completion, all full-time police staff will have completed the CIT training.
Clerk Paris reported that the MML Elected Officials Training will be held June 8-9 in Columbia, Mo. if any of the officials are interested in attending. Textcaster training was completed and groups have been set up. Program sign-ups will begin with city boards and staff and then will be launched to the public. A meeting has been set with the City Attorney to review the annexation of city owned properties. The May meeting will be held Wednesday, May 17th at 6 p.m. NRC inspectors will be present to give an update on Cooper Nuclear Station’s performance and the role of the NRC. Clerk Paris has contacted Midwest Data Center concerning electronic (paperless) meeting options.
Supt. Hale reported that the sidewalk project is moving along quickly with the new contractor. Work looks to be complete in the next two weeks. They have done an outstanding job. The pool has been drained, paint touched up and filled. The chemical system is operational and all chemicals are at operational levels. Sodbusters has repaired the nonoperational toilets. A leak between the pool concession stand and north ball field has been discovered and is scheduled for repair. The fence and parking lot are completed at the practice field. Bleacher pads at the south ball field have been poured and bleachers will be set next week. The north ball field pad will be poured the week of the 24th. Sixty tons of hot mix asphalt has been laid at the park and thirty additional tons will be applied by the end of the week. Residential sidewalk projects have been measured and work will begin in the next two weeks on the first applicants. A fire hydrant survey has been done, with nine being selected for replacement this year. Information collected about the hydrants will be loaded into a replacement plan for use in the future. Currently we are 1,912,651 gallons under what our purchased water take was this time last year. Hale reported that he and Damien attended the Missouri Water and Wastewater Conference in St. Joseph, Mo., earning hours toward their water and wastewater operator licenses and also completed and passed their 3rd month testing for their 3rd year lineman apprentice program. The electrical upgrade work continues and weekly project meetings are going well. Hale recommended review of the free utility services provided to the city.
Stevens requested the area around the sewer manhole on Hillside Drive be filled in. Stevens also commended TNR Construction for the excellent work on the sidewalk project. Several in the community have commended their work and work ethic.
Mayor Chamberlain extended his thanks to Jeff Seaman for his years of service and leadership. Chamberlain reported that he would like to create a community council to get more people involved with city matters and to open the lines of communication. He requested each board member submit a list of 5 recommendations of community members to join the community council. Chamberlain also discussed the effects of drugs and alcohol on communities and how they can destroy a community quickly. He plans to work closely with Chief Sherwood to address the drug and alcohol problems in the community.
Taylor moved to adjourn into executive session for personnel matters pursuant to Section 610.021(3) RSMo. Stevens seconded. Roll call vote was taken. Taylor, Paukert, Deatz and Stevens voted aye. Nay – none. Absent – none.
Taylor moved to adjourn executive session and resume regular session. Deatz seconded. All votes aye.
Stevens moved to hire Mark Wilczek as a regular part-time employee and authorize Supt. Hale to adjust the wages as necessary and to hire a part-time/temporary employee and authorize Supt. Hale to set the wages accordingly. Paukert seconded. All votes aye.
Taylor moved to adjourn. Paukert seconded. All votes aye.