The Trenton City Council last evening accepted the second lowest bid for the purchase of a new pickup, adopted two ordinances while a third was withdrawn, referred several topics to the administrative committee and hired a police officer.
Four bids were submitted on a three-quarter ton, four by four 2017 pickup for use by the electric distribution department of TMU. It’s to replace a 2008 pickup that was removed from service last August due to an engine problem. After much discussion, the council voted seven to one to accept a bid from Barnes Baker of Trenton that was for $25,529.
The dissenting vote came from Councilman Glen Briggs who felt the city should follow its purchasing policy and take the lowest bid of $24, 000 for a 2017 Ford submitted by Pettijohn Auto of Bethany.
Mayor Nick McHargue supported the Barnes Baker bid by noting the dealerships’ support of the community through advertising, making donations, paying taxes, and having employees who live in Trenton.
The city purchasing policy allowed for expenditures 5% above the lowest bid. The Barnes Baker bid was actually 6% more than the low bid or $325.00 greater. Two motions were made at the council meeting – one to accept BarnesBaker bid — but before it could be voted upon there was a motion to reject bids and request them again.
The attorney for the city, Tara Walker, said the council needed to vote on the first motion presented which, as stated, passed seven to one. Higher bids came from Barnes Baker of Chillicothe for a Chevy Silverado and from Woody’s of Chillicothe for a Dodge Ram pickup.
Amended ordinances unanimously adopted by the Trenton City Council had been recommended by the administrative committee. One involves the land use provisions regarding future demolitions which require all construction material larger than two inches diameter to be removed with excavations filled to existing grade.
The other ordinance on minimum standards for maintenance of rental dwellings specifies at least one ground fault circuit interrupter protected receptacle in all laundry and bathrooms.
An ordinance will be reworked to authorize an agreement with Burns and McDonnell for management services related to the 17th street and the Harris Avenue water line projects.
This comes as City Administrator Ron Urton explained only one bid was received for painting the Iowa Boulevard water tower and that company put off the completion date until next year as it already had jobs booked this year. Urton said the city will re-bid the painting project to also include the Princeton Road water tower and have Burns and McDonnell submit revised figures for supervision of that work.
One topic to be referred to the councils’ administrative committee is non-profits soliciting money at intersections with traffic signal lights. Green Hills Animal Shelter has done this in the past raising a considerable amount of money in the process.
But a previous city council passed an ordinance to prohibit such activity due to public safety reasons. There seems to be council support to repeal the ordinance but it first will undergo a review by the committee including possible requirements that maintain safety for pedestrians and the motoring public.
Other topics suggested by the administrative committee include re-visiting the issue of mowing yards to the street and whether to require department heads to attend the twice a month council meetings if they don’t have an item on the agenda.
In response to concerns by some who can’t hear the storm sirens when they sound, it was stressed these sirens are not designed to be heard indoors. They are only designed to warn people outside a building.
Trenton has three storm sirens. Administrator Urton looked into the cost of a siren, possibly for the area of Moberly Park. But he said it could be as much as $20,000.
Councilman Glen Briggs, who’s director of Grundy County Emergency Management, suggested a less expensive idea would be to have a process in which every land line phone in Grundy County could receive a phone call alert to a weather emergency. Those with a cell phone, could “opt in” for notifications.
Fire Chief Brandon Gibler told the council he still does not have a preliminary report from the state fire marshal’s office on last month’s fire at the Lakeview Inn.
The city council approved a request from Police Chief Tommy Wright, on behalf of the police personnel board, to hire Jasmine Diab of Moberly as a police officer.
Chief Wright told the council about the disappearance of 19-year-old Tanner Ward, reported missing by his family Friday night. Several persons have been interviewed as police continue to request information from the public regarding Ward’s whereabouts.
A report was given on moving a house from 9th and Harris to outside the city July 12th.
The city council last night also met in closed executive session for legal.
