The City of Salem Board of Aldermen met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 27. Present were aldermen Shawn Bolerjack, Kala Sisco, Kyle Williams, and Mayor Greg Parker. Alderman John Whelan was absent.
During the meeting, the board heard a presentation from auditor Krista Deluca on the fiscal year of 2023, a financial presentation from finance director Stacey Houston, approved several resolutions, approved a bid from Rictor Plumbing LLC for plumbing repairs and upgrades within City Hall, tabled the bid approval for a chain link fence around the industrial park water tower, held discussion on and approved ordinances prohibiting smoking in public parks, and heard a report from chief of police and interim public works director Joe Chase.
The community involvement committee is meeting on March 21, 5 p.m. at the Salem Community Center to discuss and vote on the Independence Day firework display. Sisco believes quorum is established for the vote but encourages those interested in joining to sign-up and attend to ensure their voices are heard. “The more the merrier,” said Sisco. If interested in making donations or joining in the discussion on food vendors, Sisco encourages those interested in joining to email her at ksisco@salemmo.com.
Non-smoking ordinance
Bills No. 3589 - 3599 were approved unanimously. The ordinances would add provisions prohibiting smoking on city properties and specifically in public parks to the codes of Salem. Sisco brought up the topic of a non-smoking ordinance for city parks back in Dec. Hearing this was an interest to the city, Zach Moser, Director of the Dent County Health Center (DCHC), shared a model of a non-smoking ordinance developed by the American Lung Association.
Adoption of these ordinances creates a separate chapter for the non-smoker. The intent is public policy.
Rather than a blanket approach regulating area businesses, as local businesses are self-regulating and move to non-smoking in most instances, the draft ordinance was modified by Burbridge to focus on city owned facilities and parks. The Parks and Recreation Board voted to recommend adoption of the ordinance to the board.
Sisco shared her excitement as the topic had been a longtime discussion with the parks board and Moser of DCHC. She thanked the park board, Moser, and everybody involved for taking the time to back the ordinance.
“The one thing that is so important is one, our children are safe, but also that they’re involved in the activities being provided to them,” said Sisco. “They have clean air while they are either playing at the parks or in a sport they are participating in.”
She emphasized the need of the signage being very bold and loud to remind citizens of what is expected of them, citing that she has been to parks where there is inadequate signage; in these parks, the ordinance is still enforced despite citizenry not being aware of it. The use of proper signage would result in better success of the ordinance and less upset citizenry. She also brought up the importance of specificity within the signage to make it clearer to citizens where they can and cannot smoke.
Unanimously approved were the following resolutions:
• Resolution No. 5-2024: Following up from an equipment audit by Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) for floodplain administration in the summer of 2023, the board approved the addendum to the contract requesting an additional three thousand to the previously approved four thousand in order to assist more property owners with compliance.
• Resolution No. 6-2024: The board approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to renew an agreement between the city and the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) for sewer shed disease trend monitoring. The contract has been in the works since the advent of COVID-19 – it samples wastewater within the sewer weekly to identify the geographic distribution of SARS-CoV-2 and variants in Missouri. Sampling wastewater enables DHSS to monitor for indicators of community outbreaks. The city is reimbursed $100 for each sample.
• Resolution No. 7-2024: The board approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement between the city and Utility Serve Partners Private Label, Inc. d/b/a Service Line Warranties of America for sewer and water line laterals between the meters and residential private property. This warranty program offers unlimited calls with a maximum of $8,500 per occurrence for exterior water and sewer lines, or $3,000 per occurrence for in-home plumbing issues. The coverage is not mandatory but opt-in by home or building owners. The agreement gives Service Line Warranties of America permission to use the city’s logo and branding in marketing and educational information used periodically during
the three year term to promote the Service Line Warranty Program to city residents.
• Emergency Resolution No. 8-2024: The board approved an emergency resolution authorizing the filing of an application with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State Revolving Fund Program for loans under the Missouri Clean Water Law (Chapter 640, RSMo). The city has a grant under contract with Archer-Elgin Surveying and Engineering to do the current lead service line inventory, and the inventory must be in by Oct. The city currently has ARPA funding that will complete approximately 10% of the Lead Service Line Inventory. The application is for funding to complete the rest of the city’s inventory. Applications are due by Friday, March 1, which is why the resolution is considered an emergency.
Two bids were up for approval during the meeting:
• Chain link fence: The city solicited bids from qualified contractors to install a commercial grade chain link fence around the industrial park water tower and well to secure the area and equipment. The water department budgeted $40,000 for fencing. The bid was published by The Salem News on Feb. 6 and were due to the clerk by Feb. 22.
Three bids were received: Leo Morgan Fencing with a bid of $24,100; Diamond Fence LLC with a bid of $45,000; and J&M Construction & Fencing LLC with a bid of $29,950. The lowest bid amount of $24,000 from Leo Morgan Fencing was considered non-responsive as they did not include the required warranty information which was specifically requested. During discussion of bids, Sisco indicated that she desired more ways to get local businesses’ active with the city to keep money within Salem.
“I just want to put it out there, if you are a small business within a small town, look into public notices in order to see bids out there,” Sisco said. “We want to keep local business local.”
Burbridge reminded the community that not only are the bids put out in The Salem News within public notices, but they are also posted on the city’s website: https://www.salemmo.com/city/government/bids/index.php. Local businesses can choose to be automatically notified whenever the page is updated with new bids.
Sisco suggested that if interested parties are having difficulty finding the bids, they can also call the administrator’s office at (573) 729-4811 and Koller, Burbridge, or Houston can help with directing the party on how to put bids in “to keep business local”, said Sisco. It was also noted that if a business is located within Dent County, it would receive a 5% preference.
The suggestion by the Public Water Street Department to table the approval of the bids from the three contractors for the chain link fence was approved by the board.
• Plumbing bids: The freeze and subsequent water line breaks at the City Hall building in Jan. have necessitated the repair of plumbing fixtures in three of the restrooms in the building: the main floor men’s urinals need flush valve replacements due to freezing; the backstage restroom needs replacements of old CPVC water lines and valves; and the basement women’s restroom needs one toilet reset as it was removed to assist with draining of water from the basement floor.
After visiting with multiple staff and with Pat Todd who is the instructor for the HYSET classes held in the City Hall, it was determined that it would be in the city’s best interest to do some additional upgrades and improvements to the restrooms to fix issues that were noted and ongoing.
Upgrading the restrooms within the building would ensure they were prepared in anticipation of the building’s utilization in the coming months, such as for movie showings. Three quotes were solicited, and two bids were received: one from Perfection Plumbing for $6,750 and another from Rictor Plumbing LLC for $6,720.29.
It was noted both quotes were from local businesses. Sisco asked whether they had heard from insurance regarding coverage of the repairs, and Burbridge shared insurance would not cover all of it due to some being upgrades.
“Because of what happened, we have the opportunity to put it back better than it was and get it truly ready for more folks utilizing the space,” advocated Burbridge.
Williams moved to approve the bid from Rictor Plumbing LLC for the amount of $6,720.29 and Sisco seconded. The board approved the bid.
There was a first and second reading of Bill No. 3600, an ordinance authorizing the mayor to sign amendment No. 1 to Task Order No. 14 pertaining to an agreement between the city and C.M. Archer Group, P.C. (Archer-Elgin) dated Feb. 3, 2020, for engineering design services related to the Clean Water Engineering Report Grant (CWERG) facility plan I/I evaluation.
In Nov. 2022, the city was awarded an engineering grant to determine the magnitude of Inflow & Infiltration (I/I) in the collection system and to develop a long-term plan to reduce peak flows at the WWTP. In Jan. 2024, the city filed an extension for the Clean Water Engineering Report Grant (CWERG) through MO Dept of Natural Resources. CM Archer Group, P.C (Archer-Elgin) is the engineer working on this project under Task Order No. 14.
Due to the dry conditions over the last year, there have not been peak flow events that would enable proper sampling. The Task Order needs to be amended to reflect the requested extension date of Dec. 31, 2024. The board unanimously approved Bill No. 3600.
City reports
Parker shared that Parsons Chiropractic will host a one year celebration and patient appreciation on March 1. There will be food, vendors, and drawings at the event.
Chase provided the report that he’s been working on itineraries with department heads which has aided greatly in weekly task management. Furthermore, the department heads are currently working on individual staff summaries. Chase reported there are some issues arising as, in the past, previous public works director Mark Nash took care of staff summaries. Public works hopes the change will allow more freedom for future projects.
Also during the report:
● There were some fixes done to the AMI east of Hwy. 19 and north of Hwy. 32. Electric was able to run diagnostics and determined percentage signal strengths were not where they needed to be. Electric is working on getting replacement gateway units to sort out the issue.
● Work on the Frisco Trailhead street parking is nearly complete. Sign mounting poles are leveled out, and light-landscaping is done. The sign is ready to go as soon as Action Graphics completes signage.
● Identified areas of greatest need for street light orders.
• Identified an issue on Jennifer St. in which MasTec hit a secondary service line when it was running underground. The fix is complicated due to the wiring underground not being in conduit. Work is ongoing.
• Identified issues with water meters. There are steel lid meters in place which do not hold AMI antennas as well as poly lids. A plan is being implemented to replace the steel lids at three a week.
• The water department is considering the purchase of a handheld portable reader. Chase shared that it would give the water department the option to get automatic meter reads from within their vehicle as well as physical reads, if needed.
• Within the construction department, Chase shared that salt bins are completed and that the department is currently working on the metal roof replacement to the park pavilion.
• Also within Chase’s report was an update on the grease trap ordinance. There have been findings of bio solids within the wastewater treatment plant. A primary contributor was identified as Sonic. Its grease trap is in place, and there has been education on proper cleaning schedules to ensure there aren’t as many bio solids going down the drain. They then moved to Country Mart to ensure compliance, along with every restaurant along Hwy. 32.
• There has been maintenance done along with some mechanical repairs on several vehicles within the departments.
Sisco shared in her report that she wanted to extend her thanks to Jason Hogan for all of the hours of hard work he’s been putting into fixing the airport fuel pump. Pilots are now able to use it – there have been issues reported by pilots previously.
Sisco also wished good luck to Devon Sutterfield, a Voice contestant from Salem, who Sisco knew in high school.
Bolerjack shared that he and the county clerk attended a legislative conference in Jefferson City where they discussed some bills of municipal interest in this year’s general session that may have a positive or negative impact on cities. The biggest topic of conversation was the sales tax exemption on food items, of which there are eight bills filed this year – six going to the House, and two going to the Senate. The goal of these bills would be to eliminate sales tax on food items. In 2023, about 36% of the sales tax revenue for the city was on food items. It would be a significant impact if the bill goes through on the state level. Among these sales tax bills, there were other tax exempted items discussed such as personal hygiene items, diapers, vitamins, and medical devices.
Bolerjack was able to have a meeting with Senator Copeland in his office at the Capitol to share concerns on other bills and reports, “it was a very good, educational experience.”
Williams had nothing to report on.
