Trenton Municipal Utilities Director Chad Davis is resigning from that position effective September 2nd to take a job at Rolla. Davis will be the operations manager for Rolla municipal utilities.
The announcement was made at last night’s Trenton city council meeting.
Mayor Nick McHargue said Davis has done a good job at Trenton noting he’ll have an improved salary at Rolla.
Davis, who’s been employed at Trenton since July of 2002, said he’ll continue to be involved in the next six weeks. He also indicated a willingness to provide help in the process to find his successor.
Discussion on how to fill the TMU director’s job is expected to be on the agenda for the next city council meeting. It could not be discussed last night because it was not on the agenda.
Trenton now has two high-level administrative openings. In addition to TMU director, the city council has not yet filled the city administrator position. Cindy Simpson, with assistance from other city employees, is serving as interim city administrator in addition to her city clerk duties.
Among other topics, TMU Director Davis gave a brief update concerning a revised settlement with the Missouri department of natural resources. It’s associated with a bypass elimination plan related to the sewer system.
The city council approved an agreement with the firm Burns and McDonnell for engineering services regarding waterline work. The project is along 17th Street between
Harris Avenue and Madison Street, and along Harris Avenue between 18th and 26th Streets which includes replacements and eliminating dead ends.
Seven council members attending Last night’s meeting voted in favor of the agreement with Councilman David Mlika absent.
The engineering work by Burns and McDonnell is not to exceed nearly $76,000. The waterline project is considered complex enough that a contractor is used for the work.
It’s the first priority in a five-year plan for water system distribution improvements at Trenton.
The council, by a vote of five in favor and two opposed, approved an ordinance authorizing a block grant agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for design work in connection with crack repairs and seal coating the runway and taxiways at the airport.
The grant is not to exceed slightly over $33,000, with Trenton to provide around $3,700 dollars in matching funds.
Councilmen Brad Chumbley and Larry Porter cast the no votes regarding the airport agreement.
Trenton Mayor Nick McHargue said the city has spent a lot of money on the airport in the past ten years including government required work.
The Trenton Police Department has had just one applicant thus far for a police officer that’s been advertised for several weeks. Police Chief Tommy Wright said normally there would be eight to ten applicants by now, noting there’s been a problem nationwide in recruiting for law enforcement work.
On other topics, Chief Wright mentioned the poker run activities Saturday coordinated by Chumbley’s Bar and Grill raised over $1,100 for the police department’s “Shop With a Cop” program and a dinner. He also mentioned financial partners still are being sought for the clean sweep program in which citizens pickup up trash along streets.
Doctor Albert and Mrs. Carol Cross were recognized by councilman Allan Quilty for picking up trash along streets. Doctor cross has been particularly active in those efforts.
Later in the meeting, Quilty praised efforts to organize Community improvement projects called “Serve Trenton”. Councilman Scott Blair said others also are being sought to participate in the “Serve Trenton” efforts. The activities are planned the last weekend in September.
Council member Jennifer Hottes mentioned Chamber of Commerce clean-up efforts in connection with the fair.
Cindy Simpson said the Trenton Police Department received an award from the city’s insurance carrier for online training.
The council agreed to allow Fire Chief Brandon Gibler do what’s appropriate regarding the funeral for Green Township Fire Protection District firefighter Ed Cosgrove. Cosgrove experienced a medical emergency and collapsed at the scene of a recreational vehicle fire Sunday morning near Utica.
Community Development Director Ralph Boots gave a brief update on the North Central Missouri Business Facilitation program, which helps existing and start-up businesses.
Code enforcement officer Donnie Vandevender presented information on a National Guard community service program in which it will provide the labor and machinery to tear down city-owned structures with cities responsible for the other costs.
Vandevender also briefly discussed bids for the next round of demolition projects at Trenton. The Trenton building and nuisance board selected Red Rock of Kidder to do the work.
Councilman Scott Blair said members of the Building and Nuisance Board want the city to budget more money for demolition work. The city has been budgeting $20,000 a year for demolition projects. If the total amount is not spent, it goes back to the city.
Blair mentioned bids were sought to tear down nineteen structures, but it’s anticipated the city will have enough money to demolish around nine of those properties. That depends on the amount of funds needed to remove and dispose of siding and linoleum containing asbestos.
Councilman Blair also said the police department is doing a good job dealing with nuisances.
That board reviewed the two bids to demolish structures. Red Rock’s bid for all nineteen was $70,000 dollars. Dale brothers of Kansas City, Kansas bid $139,000 dollars.
The city still needs to determine additional costs for asbestos removal.
The Building and Nuisance Board selected eight structures to remove if funds allow. The owners of those properties are to help with the demolition costs.
The demolition program for the past fiscal year had a cost of slightly over $24,000 to the city. However, that number drops to slightly over $21,000 when final payments are received from the program in which property owners pay for a portion of the demolition work.
It was mentioned that spending on demolition projects was $3,400 dollars below budget during the 2014-2015 fiscal year, but the unspent amount went back to the city.
Several properties needing improvements also were discussed at last evening’s meeting.
A public hearing was held regarding 1005 West Crowder road with plans for repair work at that location. The building board did advance that property to the findings of fact stage in dealing with properties of concern.
The board voted to have a certificate of existence of a dangerous building placed on the property at 1101 through 1115 Shanklin, plus those at 1105 Wiggins, 1110 Rural, and 2211 Oak Street. That’s despite some work being done at most of those locations.
A certificate of existence of a dangerous building already has been placed at 103 East 10th Street, 802 East 24th Street, 843 West 14th Court, 1109 East 12th Street, 1314 Norton, and 1922 Oak.
It was mentioned the 802 East 24th location has been sold and was to be repaired.
843 West 14th Court is on the list in which the city and property owner share the demolition costs. Work was being done on the 1109 East 12th Street Property.
The Trenton Police Department has filed 128 nuisance violation reports this year. That’s an increase of 47 over last year. Of the 128 nuisance violation reports, there have been
16 citations, 75 have been abated, 37 are pending re-inspection or are described as “in progress”. 70 of the reports have dealt with grass and weeds with 43 others having involved trash and debris. There have been 14 nuisance vehicle reports.
Another nuisance violation report was categorized as public health/building.
The Trenton City Council briefly met in closed session last night regarding legal and real estate matters, with no announcement after the closed session.
