The Board of Aldermen held a meeting on Tuesday night December 4, 2012 at 7:00 PM. Those present included Mayor Greg Richmond, Alderpersons Kristin Lett, Calvin Wilson, , Keith Kohley and Bill Hess. Also present were Chief of Police Tom West, Tax Collector Dawn Bunch, City Supervisor Davie Brodie, City Clerk Paula Brodie, Municipal Judge Clyde Davidson and Emergency Management Director Denis Kolb., Guests included Michael Wasson, Steve Wimpey, Angela Frazier Marcus Van Dorn, Lois Kolb, Jimmie Morgan and Joyce Haynes from McDonald County Press.
The Mayor called the meeting to order.
The Board of Aldermen discussed the minutes from the meeting on November 20, 2012. Ald. Lett moved to approve the minutes. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Kohley, Lett, Wilson and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board of Aldermen discussed the minutes from the budget meeting on November 27, 2012. Ald. Wilson moved to approve the minutes. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Kohley, Wilson, Lett and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board discussed the bids to repair the well house roof and the Police department soffit. The bids were opened on November 20, 2012. The bids were:
1. Aaron’s home remodeling and repair, the Police Station 2120.16 and the Well House $7,820.64.
2. L & M Construction in the amount of $4,255.25 for the Well House roof and $986.50 for the soffits at the Police Station.
Mr. Van Dorn was present. The Board asked him questions about his bid. The Board was concerned about the differences in the bids. Mr. Van Dorn explained his bids and answered questions. He said he was going to remove all the old rafters, the ceiling and the insulation from the well house and replace the rafters, the ceiling and the insulation. He also noted that he was going to repair the soffits on the police stations and fix the front soffit covering it with metal. He stated that he had a 2,000,000 dollar general liability bond and would get a city license if he was awarded the bid. He said he could start at the first of the year. David stated that would be OK as he had slowed down the leak some and it should hold until Mr. Van Dorn could begin the project.
Ald. Wilson moved to approve the bid from L & M Construction to replace the well house roof and to repair and replace the soffit at the Police Station. Ald. Lett seconded. Ald. Lett, Wilson, Kohley and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board discussed filling the open position of Recreation Board Director. Clyde Davidson was acknowledged by the Mayor and stated that in the past the Board had approved whomever the recreation board suggested. He said that Mr. Wasson had been helping the recreation board director for the last two years, and that last year he had been name the Asst. Recreation Board Director. He said that he felt that if Mr. Wasson wanted the job the Board should appoint him. Ald. Lett stated that she thought maybe the Board should put the position in the paper so other people knew the position was open.
Ald. Wilson stated he didn’t see any point in paying for an advertisement to be ran in the paper if Mr. Wasson was interested in the position. He then went ahead and moved to appoint Mr. Wasson as Recreation Board Director. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Hess, Wilson, Kohley and Lett voted aye, with 0 nays. Ald. Lett stated that she wanted it noted that she thought the position should have been placed in the paper so other people would know about the open position.
The Mayor noted that the date for the candidates filing is from December 11, 2012 to January 15, 2013 not January 22, 2013 as previously stated at last Board meeting. The Clerk noted that she had placed the wrong closing date on the last agenda and that the candidate filings will be taken until 5:00PM on the 15th of January.
The Board discussed the Tornado Siren Activation Policy given them by Denis Kolb, the Emergency Management Director. Greg asked the Board if they had taken a look at the activation policy. He said that he thought that the siren should be sounded once and then once again. He said he was concerned about sounding it every 8 minutes until the warning is over is too much. Clyde Davidson asked what would activate it. He asked would it be activated if there was a tornado warning in the McDonald County area, or just when the City fell into the warning area. He said if a tornado was tracking towards the city it should be activated. Mr. Kolb stated that it would be activated if a tornado warning was issued for the City or when one of the responders actually see one tracking towards the city.
The Mayor noted that he had asked for copies for the policies from Jasper County, Joplin and Neosho. He said that most of them stated that the tornado siren when sounded would run for a period of 3 minutes, and that their policies also stated that they do not sound an all clear.
Denis stated he felt that the siren should be sounded every 8 minutes. He said it will only be set off by 911 so that there is a record in writing of who set it off. He noted there were other individuals within the policy who could set it off but that they had to do it through 911 so that there would be a record of who set it off.
It was noted that it should only be sounded in the case of eminent danger.
David stated that the tornado siren is really only for those people outside their homes. If you are in the house there is a chance that you would not hear it.
Denis stated that in the past the tornado siren had been sounded after the storm passed. He said that he really felt that it should be sounded every 8 minutes.
It was noted that in the past the siren was set off and on by a radio frequency. Denis stated he thought it was programmed now to run for 3 minutes and then automatically shut off. Jimmie Morgan said that when the siren was worked on recently Marshall Long had been in charge of the work done. He then proceeded to call Mr. Long to find out if the siren was programmed to shut off after 3 minutes. He stated that Mr. Long stated that it had been programmed to shut off automatically after 3 minutes.
The Board decided to ask Marshall to attend the next meeting so that he could give input on the policy before they voted on it.
Ald. Wilson said that they might put it in the paper that they sound it when the tornado is headed for Goodman, and that they do not sound an all clear. It was noted that a lot of people don’t get a paper and that once the policy is decided on maybe the citizens should be sent a notice. No decision was made.
The following reports were made by the department heads:
Tom West- had nothing to report.
David Brodie- noted that a trailer had been removed from underneath a canopy at 204 North Ozark trail. He said that the canopy that was over the trailer really needed to be removed and the lot cleaned up as it was very dangerous. The Board agreed that the clerk should write a letter to the owner telling them they had 30 days to remove the canopy and clean up the lot. If they have any questions they should attend the next Board meeting.
– he also noted that Thursday South School street will be shut off because a contractor would be installing water and sewer lines to a new house.
Denis Kolb- nothing to report.
Dawn Bunch –nothing to report.
Paula Brodie –told the Board that the employees received ½ day off for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. She noted that Christmas Eve was on Monday this year. She asked the Board if they wanted the City Hall opened for that half day on Monday or did they want to give the employees off for the whole day. The Board agreed that the City Hall would be closed both Monday and Tuesday to reopen on Wednesday December 26th. The City Hall will be closed on New Year’s Day January 1, 2013 but will be open on Monday December 31st until 4:00PM for those wanting to conduct year end business with the City. The Tax Collector noted that she would be receiving tax payments all day on New Year’s Eve.
– stated that shut off day for December would be the 24th the day before Christmas. She asked the Board if they wanted the shut off moved to the 26 or just not shut off services during December. The Board agreed that there would be no water shut offs during December this year.
– noted the next budget workshop is set for December 11, 2012 at 6:30PM.
The Board discussed the following old business:
Clyde Davidson stated that the School Bus drivers wanted to thank the city for the recent asphalting. He noted that they said the road was much easier to drive on now.
The Board discussed the following new business:
The Mayor noted that David Sarratt had taken the “D” wastewater test and had passed it. He said the Board would like to commend him for taking the class and for passing the test. The Clerk noted that the Board had agreed to give him $1.00 more an hour when he passed the test. Ald. Lett moved to give him a raise of $1.00 an hour effective December 1, 2012. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Lett, Kohley, Hess and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Jimmie Morgan reminded everyone that the City’s Annual Christmas parade is Saturday at 1:00PM.
It was noted that Mr. Morgan had done a good job on removing the burnt out house on School Street. The Clerk noted that the cost was paid by the City but was added to the property taxes as a lien. The Tax Collector noted that the statement had come back as undeliverable.
The Board discussed the bills including transfers in the amount of $147,733.99. It was noted by the clerk that the bills were so high because there was a transfer from the water account into the street department in the amount of $61,625.00 and then a check was written out of the street department account to pay Swift Construction for the street repairs. Ald. Wilson moved to approve the bills including transfers in the amount of $147,733.99. Ald. Kohley seconded. Ald. Wilson, Lett, Kohley and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.
Ald. Kohley moved to adjourn. Ald. Wilson seconded. Ald. Wilson. Lett, Kohley and Hess voted aye with 0 nays.