The City of Tarkio Board of Aldermen met Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at Tarkio City Hall. The Pledge of Allegiance was conducted at 6:00 p.m. Roll call was done by City Clerk Danielle Madron: aldermen Scott Walker, Blu Dow, Jeff Olson, and James Navin were all present. Visitors present were: City of Tarkio employees – Police Officer Tyler Dorrel, Street Superintendent Jamie Quimby, and City Building Inspector Jesse Payne; Tarkio Board of Public Works (TBPW) Superintendent Curtis Hedrick; Park Board member Ashlee Driskell; and citizens Michael Klosek, Sr., Dan Vietze, and Dallas Prather.

Mayor Agnew asked for the approval of the regular meeting minutes from June 12, 2024. Walker made a motion to approve the minutes as presented and the motion was seconded and approved.

There were two additions to the agenda: Craig Martin and the zoning board and citizen questions about the smoking ordinance.

Mike Klosek, Sr. informed the board of some tree branches that were hanging over or out into the city street that were becoming hazards for vehicles. Street superintendent Quimby informed the board that they plan to trim trees starting next week.

Mayor Agnew asked for the approval of the Tarkio Park Board officer appointments: Tommy Dow, president; Summer Reeves, vice-president; Karly Hicks, secretary; and Danielle Madron, treasurer. Walker made a motion to approve the appointments as presented and the motion was seconded. Three aye votes and one abstained vote approved the appointments. Mayor Agnew also asked for the approval of a new park board member, Lauren Clark. Olson made a motion to approve the appointment and the motion was seconded and approved.

Mayor Agnew asked for the approval of Resolution 73.24: A resolution of the City of Tarkio, Missouri, adopting the Atchison County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Dow made a motion to approve Resolution 73.24 and the motion was seconded and approved by all. Resolution 73.24 was adopted.

There have been several complaints about people mowing their yards and shooting the grass clippings into the city streets and onto the highway. This is very dangerous for vehicles and motorcyclists and also causes drainage issues for the city drains when the rain washes the clippings into the drainage system. Council members stated this should already be in an ordinance and that it needs to be addressed with the people mowing the clippings into the streets.

At the June 12 meeting, Klos-ek’s Trash Service presented the council with a proposal for a new trash contract to start in 2025. The council reviewed the proposal and had some questions that they asked Mike Klosek, Sr. about. He was going to take these questions back to the business and have them ready to be answered at the August meeting. The council made it known that they are not accepting the proposal, just asking questions to get more clarity. Clerk Madron gave the council the speculation and bid sheets that could be sent out to get more bids for a new trash contract. The council will review and bring back to next month’s meeting as well.

Mayor Agnew informed the council that Sherry Bowlin would no longer be working for the city as the building cleaner. The board asked Clerk Madron to put out a job notice for applicants to be reviewed at the August meeting.

Craig Martin is wanting to bring a modular home into town to put on the lot he owns on Poplar Street. The Zoning Board had three yes votes to allow him to bring the home in. Clerk Madron asked the council for their approval as well. Olson made a motion to allow Craig Martin to move a modular home onto his property. Walker seconded and four ayes voted to approve the motion and the second.

There were a few questions about the smoking ordinance due to a post on the pool Facebook page. The ordinance states you cannot smoke in a city park, but you can smoke in the parking lots. The board stated that in the parking lot or near your car would be ideal since the pool is considered a park.

Department Reports

Jeff Olson, City Buildings – There was nothing to report.

Scott Walker, Fire Department – There was nothing to report.

Blu Dow, Parks & Pool – Baseball concessions brought in a profit of just under $10,000. The Parks Par 3 Tournament is August 10. The cost will be $140 per team. Cruise night in June was a success and the park board is looking into having a few more cruise nights in August. The donor board for the baseball field is being made. The park board has voted to have extra chemical checks at the pool daily to ensure that the chemical levels are consistently where they need to be.

James Navin, City Streets – Quimby’s Report was presented:

• Rip Rap – The county continues to take rip rap. It is possible that the large pile south of the brush pile will be gone this year.

• Brush Pile – The brush pile is being used a lot, which is normal for this time of year. The city crew will burn it when the pool closes for the season.

• Brightspeed – Guards were installed on their overhead fiber. These guards were not installed correctly and wind started blowing them down or loose. Quimby emailed the only contact that he had for them and ended up getting a phone number that is for the person in charge of their fiber projects. A crew was sent out the same day.

• Potholes – The crew has patched most of the potholes. They have also worked on areas where the street was undermined from rain water.

• Curb Project – There was a void found near the north side of 3rd and Main. This void is part of the building’s basement that goes almost to the curb. They are reinforcing the work area with a steel plate and the building owner is shoring up his part to make the sidewalk safe.

• Tree Limbs – A large tree limb fell in the night across the intersection of 3rd and Spruce. Quimby was not called by 911 or anyone else so it was not found until a little after 6:00 a.m. by Chris Niles. They then moved the limb off the street and cleared the road. It is not a limb off a tree that is in the city right of way. Quimby contacted 911 and they had been contacted about it because of lost power in that area. He asked that they contact him from now on when they are informed about any tree limb being down in the street.

• Ditch Cleaning – Quimby has put locates in so that he can clean a couple more ditches.

• RV Park – It sounds like this area is going to have several people move in that are working on windmill projects. Quimby has installed splitters on the water.

Curtis Hedrick, TBPW – Lead service line surveys have been sent out and most have been returned. The work on the water tower is waiting to be scheduled. Jessica Walker is back at the water company working in the office. The pool has used 372,000 gallons of water.

Jeff Agnew, Gould Peterson Municipal Airport – There was nothing to report.

Animal Control – There was nothing to report.

Tyson Gibbons, Tarkio Police Department – Chief Gibbons got an estimate of $1,500 to fix the lights and sirens on the 692 police car. The K-9 Golf Tournament is July 27.

Danielle Madron, City Financials – Clerk Madron will be gone at a MIRMA conference July 23-26.

Walker made a motion to adjourn the meeting and the motion was seconded and approved. The meeting was adjourned at 7:33 p.m. Next month’s regular Tarkio Board of Aldermen meeting will be held Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at 6 p.m. at Tarkio City Hall, located at the corner of 6th and Main Street. Tarkio residents are invited and encouraged to attend all meetings.