South Ward Alderman Jeff Olson and North Ward Alderman Scott Walker are sworn in at the City of Tarkio Board of Aldermen meeting Wednesday evening, April 12, 2023.

The City of Tarkio Board of Aldermen met Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at Tarkio City Hall. Roll call was done by City Clerk Danielle Madron: aldermen Scott Poppa, Jeff Agnew, Blu Dow, and Andy Riley were present. Visitors were: City of Tarkio employees – Street Superintendent Jamie Quimby, Police Chief Tyson Gibbons, Parks employee Chris Niles, Building Inspector Jesse Payne, and Police Officer Tyler Dorrel; Tarkio Board of Public Works employee Curtis Hedrick; and citizens Sharon McCall, Ashley Dalton, Jessica, Gracie, and Lyla Walker, Megan McAdams, and Mike Klosek, Sr.

Minutes of the regular meeting minutes March 8, 2023, were approved.

Mayor Staten read by title Bill No. 296.23 Ordinance No. 282.23: An Ordinance Of The City Of Tarkio, Missouri, Declaring The Results Of The General Election Held In The City Of Tarkio, Missouri, On The 4th Day Of April, 2023. Riley made a motion to approve Bill No. 296.23 Ordinance No. 282.23. The first and second readings were approved and Bill No. 296.23 Ordinance No. 282.23 was adopted.

Clerk Madron swore in the newly elected officials, North Ward Alderman Scott Walker and South Ward Alderman Jeff Olson.

Mayor Staten asked for approval of the appointments for: Terry White, Judge; Robert Sundell, Prosecuting Attorney/City Attorney; Danielle Madron, City Clerk/Treasurer; Tyson Gibbons, Police Chief; Jesse Payne, Building Inspector; and Aron Burke, Health Inspector. The appointments were approved.

Mayor Staten suggested appointing Jeff Agnew as the acting president. The appointment was approved.

Mayor Staten selected department liaisons for 2023-2024. The 2023-2024 department liaisons will be as follows: Jeff Olson, Parks Department; Jeff Agnew, Fire Department; Scott Walker, Street Department; and Blu Dow, City Buildings. The department liaison appointments were approved.

Mayor Staten informed the board that changes needed to be made to the bank accounts. Andy Riley needed to be removed from the accounts and Mayor Staten suggested adding the new acting president, Jeff Agnew, to the accounts. Resolution 69.23: Resolution for banking needs for the City of Tarkio was approved.

Mayor Staten read by title Bill No. 297.23 Ordinance No. 283.23: Approve Amendment #1 to State Block Grant Agreement Project No 18-001A-1A. The first ands second readings were approved. Bill No. 297.23 Ordinance No. 283.23 was adopted.

The city council will hold a public hearing May 10 at 6:00 p.m. to propose changes to parking on the north side of Main Street from 6th Street to 10th Street. The council is proposing a change of no parking at any time, excluding church and funeral parking at the First Christian Church at 802 Main Street. Clerk Madron will be sending out letters to inform the residents of the public hearing.

Mayor Staten asked for the approval of the airport hangar lease transfer from Michael Stenzel to Mitchell Hargin. The lease transfer was approved.

Clerk Madron gave each council member an employee handbook to look over so changes can be made and approved at next month’s council meeting.

Blu Dow, City Buildings – The evidence room door for the Tarkio Police Department has come in. Travis Hicks will install it. The ceiling in the mayor’s office has started to sag. It will be looked at. Two of the doors at the Community Building will be repainted as well.

Jeff Agnew, Fire Department – The fire department is going to order new air tanks. They have $54,000.00 in donations, leaving a remaining cost of $14,220.00. The rural board has offered to pay half of the remaining cost and the fire department has asked if the city can pay the other half, $7,110.00 from the ARPA monies that have been set back for the fire department. The aldermen voted to pay $7,100.00 toward the air tanks for the fire department.

Parks & Pool, Chris Niles – The rock wall at the pool has been taken down.

• Park Bathrooms: All bathrooms are open for the season with the exception of the one at Summa Park. There is a broken pipe that has to be repaired. Meek & Sons will be doing repairs.

• Grasshopper Mowers: The spring maintenance on these machines has been completed. There is a need for more filters, and oil needs to be ordered and a set of new blades for each machine. These will be ordered.

• Shrubs: The shrubs along 3rd Street at the Community Building have been removed and the area has been cleaned and leveled. Grass seed has been sowed. The street department suggested splitting cost with the Park Board for tubing at the deepest part of the ditch along 3rd Street at Summa Park. The cost for this would be $472.50 per department. The street department would install it. This would make this area much easier to maintain and be much safer for park patrons.

• Limbs: The limbs and sticks that fell over the winter have been picked up in all park areas.

• Trash: Trash cans are being emptied at least once a week since the parks are now open for the season.

• Pool Chemicals: The schedule shows that these should be ordered on April 17 and with permission they will be ordered.

• Ford Ranger: The clutch is going out of this small pickup and is in need of replacement.

• Baseball Field Drive: The street department is going to install a new tube here and do some ditch work in this area.

• Tennis Courts: The nets have been installed and the leaves have been cleaned out of this area. The area around the new volleyball pit has been taped off with “danger” tape because it is still incomplete and an open hole. The dirt work needs to be completed around the new basketball court. Danny Beckman is going to do this or the street department will assist with it when time and weather allow. The Park Board will be holding a special meeting Monday, April 17 at 5:00 p.m. to discuss pool repairs and lifeguard pay for this summer. Alderman Agnew asked that next month, the council look at the baseball contract and make changes to be presented for next year’s baseball lease contract with the school.

Street Department, Jamie Quimby:

• Repairs/Equipment: The grapple bucket for the front loader was down for a couple of days while they waited for parts to repair a hydraulic leak. He ordered one extra so that there will be one on hand.

• Brush Pile: This area caught on fire March 31. High winds exposed a left-over hot spot and sparks blew into the new pile. People have been using this area in a responsible manner so far this season.

• RV Park: The parks department cleaned up any limbs and sticks that fell over the winter.

• Pot Holes: The crew has been using up the aqua-patch in spring pot holes. Quimby will be ordering the cold patch as soon as they have warmer nighttime temps, usually late April or early May.

• City Wide Clean-Up: A list was given to the police department of addresses that are already putting items out. An updated list of these addresses will be put out later this week. There are several issues with items that are stored outside for a long period of time for this event. Stuff that is already set out will not be picked up.

• Street Matting: The bid sheets have been mailed to several contractors. Herzog has already contacted Quimby and they are coming to look at the work areas. These bids will be opened in May.

• Ditches & Tubes: Work has begun on some problem ditches. Quimby has had three tubes jetted out to remove blockages so that the tube didn’t have to be replaced.

• Storm Grate: There is a broken storm grate on the abandoned end of Main Street that Ag Partners now has. Quimby has spoken to Gary about it and it was broken over the winter when snow was moved. They are getting it repaired and do have it marked.

• Dig Rite Training: Quimby is attending a training in St. Joseph on April 13 about Dig Rite. This meeting will cover changes to rules and requirements of Dig Rite.

• Parks: The street department has assisted the parks department in a few projects.

• Enel: At last month’s meeting, the question was raised by a resident about the direction of parking in front of Enel being changed because of their company requirements that workers back into parking spots. Quimby spoke with Corey Martin and he said that they are required to back into spots on Enel property or work sites only. There is no need to change the direction of parking on Main Street.

Board of Public Works, Curtis Hedrick – The water company assisted in fixing some issues with the sewer at the high school. They will putting in a water meter for the house Don McEnaney is building out by the golf course. The generator project is also still underway.

Mark Staten, Gould Peterson Municipal Airport – There is nothing to report.

Chris Niles, Animal Control – There are no animals in the pound.

Tyson Gibbons, Tarkio Police Department – The K-9 golf tournament is set for July 14. There will also be a Bags For Paws tournament at the Community Building on May 26. There have been no applications for the open police officer position. Chief Gibbons will be going to the Missouri Western State University Law Enforcement Academy in St. Joseph to speak to cadets sometime this month.

Danielle Madron, Financials – Clerk Madron asked the council to approve getting a tablet for Chris Niles for the animal control/parks. Parks would pay for this service six months out of the year and animal control the other six months. The aldermen voted to buy the tablet. Jeff Arp with MIRMA was in town today and said everything looked good.

The meeting moved into executive session per Chapter 610.021 Section 3. Hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting a particular employee, etc.

After discussion, executive session ended and regular session resumed.

Dow made a motion to give Chris Niles a promotion to Parks Superintendent, with a 30-day performance evaluation next month. Agnew seconded the motion and four ayes voted to approve the motion and the second.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Next month’s regular meeting will be May 10, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.