The City of Tarkio Board of Aldermen met Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at Tarkio City Hall. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited at 6:00 p.m. Clerk Kephart conducted roll call: Mayor Jeff Agnew and Councilmen Scott Walker, Jeff Olson, Scott Poppa, and James Navin were all present. Visitors present were: City of Tarkio employees – Police Chief Tyson Gibbons and Street Superintendent Jamie Quimby; Tarkio Board of Public Works employee Danny Martin; Tarkio Park Board member Ashlee Driskell; and city citizens Dan and Sally Vietze and Sharon McCall.

Mayor Agnew asked for the approval of the May 14 regular meeting minutes and June 16 special meeting minutes as distributed. Walker made a motion to approve the minutes as distributed and the motion was seconded and approved.

There were no additions, deletions or continuances to the agenda.

Dan Vietze and Mayor Agnew spoke about Missouri Humanities coming to town this weekend to take pictures. The City of Tarkio won a contest to be featured in an article by Missouri Humanities and they will be taking pictures for this article. They will be coming back to interview the mayor and Mr. Vietze at a later date.

Mayor Agnew gave the first reading of Bill 325.25 Ordinance 311.25: An Ordinance to Execute Agreement with Grebe Farm Supply, Inc. Poppa made a motion to approve Bill 325.25 Ordinance 301.25 and the motion was seconded and approved.

Mayor Agnew gave the second reading of Bill 325.25 Ordinance 311.25. Olson made a motion to approve Bill 325.25 Ordinance 3011.25. The motion was seconded and approved. Bill 325.25 Ordinance 311.25 was adopted.

Mayor Agnew asked for the approval of the 2025-2026 Park Board officer appointments: Tommy Dow, president; Summer Reeves, vice-president; and Karly Hicks, secretary. Olson made a motion to accept the appointments and the motion was seconded and approved.

The board needs to appoint a delegate and an alternate to represent Tarkio on the Atchison County Wholesale Water Commission Board. These representatives do not need to be employees of the city. Mayor Agnew asked that the board members get a few ideas for possible representatives and bring them to next month’s meeting. Mayor Agnew will be attending the next wholesale commission meeting to represent Tarkio, until a representative can be appointed.

Mayor Agnew asked for the approval of the caterer’s license for Hwy. 136 Roadhouse for the rodeo. Walker made a motion to approve the license. The motion was seconded and approved.

Rock Port Mayor JR Chaney reached out to Mayor Agnew and spoke to him about a possible glow-ball game. Glow ball is glow-in-the-dark softball. The City of Rock Port bought the equipment for the game and would like to try and do a county-wide event, having a team from each town in the county play against each other. More information will come on this event, with the event possibly taking place in August.

Department Reports

Jeff Olson, Tarkio City Buildings – Delmar Schebaum should be starting on the shed at the RV park soon. Installation of the door at the Tarkio Community Building is complete.

Scott Walker, Tarkio Volunteer Fire Department – The new fire truck was picked up on Monday.

Scott Poppa, Tarkio Parks/Pool – Sherlock Welding from Burlington Junction will be coming to weld on the pool gutter Friday morning. Pro Track and Tennis will be coming to town on Friday to give a free estimate on resurfacing the tennis court. The repairs to the toilets at the pool have been completed. The pool opened last Thursday. Swimming lessons will be July 7-11, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The pool will be open from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. that week to allow for regular swimming. Large totes for the summer baseball equipment will be ordered to properly store the city equipment, due to the mice and rabbits getting into the building at the ball field. The park board has voted to make Dan Vietze a temporary park board member and asked for the board’s approval. Poppa made a motion to accept the appointment. Walker seconded and the motion passed.

James Navin, Jr., Tarkio City Streets: Jamie Quimby’s report:

• Repairs/Equipment – The dump truck has had to be worked on a couple of times this last month. It is having an electrical issue but is repaired now.

• RV Park – There are two campers at this time and many sites reserved for more coming. The crew continues to spray weeds in the new gravel.

• New Skid Steer – This has been ordered and could be delivered in September or October.

• Alleys – The alleys that the city maintains for use by the trash truck have been worked on and bad areas have been graveled or otherwise repaired.

• Tree Trimming – The crew has started trimming low hanging tree limbs along the streets.

• Tube Installation – The crew has installed tubes at two locations this last month, one at a residence on 4th Street and another at a business on Chestnut Street. There was also a tube that they attempted to repair at 11th and Pine. At some point, someone dug at this location and hit the tube, tore it open, then reburied it. This damage caused a sink hole to show up and dirt to be washed into the drain on Pine. This tube is not a good double walled tube; it is just field tile. Quimby didn’t have anything to patch it with so they made a patch and are trying it. If this doesn’t work, Quimby will have to order parts and expose more of the tube to take a section out and replace it.

• City-Wide Cleanup – This event went well. A total of 13.86 tons of rubbish was disposed of. Quimby would like to thank everyone who assisted with this event. Bob Wooten put in some long hours to assist. Charlie Kirwan and Danny Martin helped pick up a few items for residents. Scott Poppa was there every day to assist.

• Rip Rap – The crew placed more rip rap in the ditch along 3rd Street at the baseball field. This ditch was starting to erode away at the bank.

• Street Overlay Project – The street overlay project is scheduled to begin sometime between June 18-25 if everything goes as the contractor has planned.

• Fuel – Quimby has been in contact with Ricky McNeese, who works for Agriland, about putting fuel tanks at the shop. This would be much more convenient and the city crew would not have issues with not being able to get receipts or knowing if the pumps will be working at MFA. They would have to choose between 1,000 gallon or 500-gallon tanks. The rent on these is $75 a year and Agriland would maintain them and the pumps. Quimby believes they could make fuel logs for each vehicle and log how many gallons is used at fill up. This would allow all departments to use the tanks and help pay for the fuel. The tanks would be placed on the cement pad where the old shop used to be. They would be monitored by the cameras on the east side of the building. Poppa made a motion to have two 1000-gallon tanks placed at the City of Tarkio Street Barn for fuel and diesel. Walker seconded and all approved.

Danny Martin, Tarkio Board of Public Works – Kelley Madron has been hired as the new office manager at Tarkio Board of Public Works. Work has been done on the lagoons. Trees have been removed and mowing completed.

Mayor Agnew, Gould Peterson Municipal Airport – The air show is scheduled for July 12.

Chris Niles, Tarkio Animal Control – There was nothing to report.

Chief Gibbons, Tarkio Police Department – The K-9 Golf Tournament fundraiser is scheduled for July 25. Chief Gibbons is still waiting on quotes for a new police vehicle. Officer Logan has been trained and is now back to full-time duty.

Clerk Kephart, City Financials – Jeff Arp with MIRMA was in town for a visit on Tuesday. The agreement to share employees with the Tarkio Board of Public Works was discussed. This would include the City of Tarkio street and parks workers and the public works water crew of the Board of Public Works. MIRMA has asked that a mutual aid agreement be drawn up to have everything in writing. Clerk Kephart will be in contact with the city attorney to get this completed.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. The next regular Tarkio Board of Aldermen meeting will be held Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Tarkio City Hall. Citizens are encouraged to attend.