The Trenton City Council Monday night voted to select an engineering company to be “on-call” for city projects, then voted for the company to work on a project that includes a bank that’s eroding at Muddy Creek.
On a vote of seven in favor and one against Howe Engineering of Macon was selected as needed for municipal work, including projects involving water distribution, sanitary sewer collection, storm drainage, street design, or site development. City Administrator Ron Urton said having an engineer on call will shorten the time that’s been involved in getting requests for qualifications from interested engineering firms, then meeting to review each one.
Owner Shannon Howe told the council it’s a matter of convenience for the city and its local officials. Voting against the contract was Councilman Brad Chumbley. Howe Company, which did engineering for the county on the new Charlie Dye bridge, will be paid an hourly rate for professional services during the two-year contract with the city.
An ordinance was approved eight to nothing for the Howe company to design and provide bidding service for the force main Muddy Creek crossing project. The lump-sum cost for engineering services is $17,000. Additional fees will be incurred when a company is selected to make repairs to a pipe that’s exposed in the west side bank. It was noted this would be a FEMA disaster relief project with 75 percent of the reimbursable costs paid by the federal government.
An ordinance was amended on the table of permissible uses within Trenton City Council to accommodate towers and antennas. The ordinance requires a commercial applicant to seek a conditional use permit and have a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Approval was given for the city of Trenton to purchase a three-phase substation transformer from the Solomon Corporation of Kansas. It’ll replace a transformer that officials say is 45 years old. The cost is $449,885 for the transformer and its installation. The purchase is a budgeted item for TMU.
Following a citizens’ request for a traffic sign in a residential area, the council decided to refer the topic to the administrative committee to see if it can establish criteria for the Police Chief and Street Supervisor to use in evaluating the need for a sign.
Two bids were received for renting 45 acres of farm ground in North Trenton. One proposal came from the current operator, Aaron Landes, at $165 per acre. The other is from Noah Herrold, who offered $182.26 per acre. A motion was made and seconded to accept the higher bid. After discussion among the council, city attorney, and Micah Landes, the council voted down the motion eight to nothing.
The cash rent of the Industrial park crop ground will be referred to the administrative committee to see if it wants to change from having just a one year rental agreement with an option on the second year.
A motion was approved to accept the high bid from Mark Pettit for his purchase of scrap metal that the city is selling.
The public comment opportunity was skipped when Priscilla Hertzler was NOT present to discuss a property tax lien involving 728 West 11th Street.
It was announced the city of Trenton would host a regional meeting of the Missouri Municipal League on November 7th at the Barton farm campus. Administrator Urton said an update is to be given by league officials on the medical marijuana law.
A mid fiscal year financial review is scheduled at a November 14th meeting. Information also is to be presented then by an insurance company representative regarding employee health insurance for the next year.
Urton also reported the city passed the air quality test for the new asphalt plant.
