Following concerns over bid specifications and the public’s reaction to accepting a higher bid, a motion was passed at Monday night’s city council meeting to re-bid concrete repairs.
Two weeks ago, the city council voted 5 to 2 in favor of accepting a bid from Grand River Concrete, located in the Jamesport area, which was $58 higher than the bid from Jason Shuler Concrete of Trenton, however, last night, a 6 to 2 vote was cast to discard the previous bids and initiate a new bid process for the planned work at four locations in Trenton. Council members in favor of restarting the bid process included Duane Urich, John Dolan, Lou Fisher, Marvin Humphreys, Tim Meinecke, and Dave Mlika. Glen Briggs and Calvin Brown were opposed to the decision.
During the meeting, a roll call vote was requested and conducted. In the previous meeting, a voice vote was used to determine the approval of awarding the concrete work bid, which amounted to $71,000 plus additional costs.
City Administrator Ron Urton, in response to the council’s decision, stated that the project would be divided into two parts. One part would involve funding from the city of Trenton for the removal and replacement of concrete at the fire station and the airport. The other part would require bids for the TMU property at the sewer plant storm inlet and a slab at the new TMU warehouse.
Mayor Jackie Soptic, following the bid reconsideration, requested that incoming bids be stamped with the date and time received. She also recommended an internal review process involving the city administrator, the appropriate department head, and either the city clerk or the comptroller, depending on the project. Additionally, Mayor Soptic requested that a checklist be provided to ensure bids meet exact specifications. She also emphasized the importance of sharing all bid documents, tabulations, and calculations with the city council. Mayor Soptic expressed her efforts in mitigating public perception following the previous vote, stating that she spent the next day doing “damage control.”
Councilman Glen Briggs defended the city’s decision to accept the higher bid two weeks ago, stating that he did not believe any wrongdoing occurred. Councilman Duane Urich, however, referred to the submitted bids as confusing and suggested the need for bids to express the same unit of measurement without requiring additional calculations for better comparison.
Jason Shuler, owner of Jason Shuler Concrete, was present at the council meeting and responded to questions regarding the bidding process.
In other matters discussed during the meeting, the council approved opening the city brush dump on Saturdays. They also agreed to reduce a tax lien contingent upon an individual’s purchase of the property. Additionally, the council accepted three appointments made by the mayor and received an update from the Main Street Trenton director.
Councilman Marvin Humphreys proposed and motioned to have the brush dump at the north edge of Trenton open on Saturdays, aligning with its weekday operating hours. He stated that Saturday availability would allow Trenton residents to dispose of the brush during a time when they might be unable to do so on weekdays. The council approved the proposal through a voice vote, with Glen Briggs being the sole dissenting vote. The city administrator was tasked with coordinating with the fire department to arrange gate access on Saturdays, as it is currently handled by a street department employee on weekdays.
The council unanimously approved the mayor’s appointments of Sarah Maloney to the building and nuisance board, replacing a vacant position, and Bruce Constant to the planning and zoning commission and board of adjustments, succeeding Jean Peace, who declined to continue. The reappointment of Gary Hooyman to the airport advisory board was also accepted.
During the meeting, a request by Christopher Jones of 1414 Mable to reduce a tax lien for a nearby lot at 1415 Lulu was approved. A house on the lot had been demolished using city funds. Administrator Urton explained that city statute permits the council to reduce a tax lien by up to 10% or $500, whichever is greater. In this case, Jones would pay $500 to the city, contingent upon his anticipated purchase of the lot.
A brief discussion took place regarding the prohibition of individuals selling or giving away puppies along the street. The administrative committee will review a draft of a city ordinance addressing this matter. The committee will also consider a revision to the ordinance concerning the days on which fireworks can be set off in Trenton, as the Fourth of July falls on a Thursday next year. For this year, fireworks were allowed on July 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
Lauren Dannar, representing Main Street Trenton, provided updates on upcoming downtown events. The 5 Points Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 2nd, which coincides with Trenton’s alumni weekend. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., including a cornhole tournament and other family-friendly activities. Dannar also mentioned plans for fall events, such as the “brew fest” on October 28th and the Turkey Trot 5-K on Thanksgiving morning. Furthermore, she announced her attendance at the Missouri Main Street downtown revitalization conference in St. Louis from July 26th to 28th. Main Street Trenton’s office is located at 903 Main Street.
Mayor Jackie Soptic informed the council about the Missouri Municipal League meeting scheduled for September 12th in Kansas City. She expressed her intention to attend, along with other representatives from Trenton. An orientation session for new members was planned for the July 24th meeting of the Trenton building and nuisance board, with City Attorney Tara Walker and Building Inspector Wes Barone providing guidance. The city council’s orientation meeting was scheduled for July 25th at 5 p.m. Mayor Soptic also considered requesting a change in city ordinance to shift the regular meeting start times from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The Utility committee meetings, responsible for overseeing TMU, were rescheduled to 4:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.
The city administrator reported the recent surplus property sales through the online Purple Wave auction, which included the sale of a car for $4,400 and a van for $4,100.
