Gallatin Public Works Director Mark Morey provided various purchases Monday, October 26th for the Gallatin Board of Aldermen to consider in the 2021 budget.
Morey talked about purchasing a new dump truck and buckets for the 2003 and blue bucket trucks. The board agreed for Administrator Lance Rains to collect interest rate bids for purchasing a new dump truck, to purchase a bucket for the 2003 bucket truck this year, and to purchase the buckets for the 1994 blue bucket truck in 2021.
Rains announced the board needs to consider the sewer camera mapping project in the 2021 budget if it is interested. Special budget meetings are scheduled for November 5th and 19th, both at 3:30 in the afternoon.
The board agreed for Morey to order salt and sand for this winter. Morey said a more permanent structure needs to be found for salt storage within the next year. One option is converting the old water plant backwash basins. However, the basins would first need to be cleaned to meet the Department of Natural Resources requirements. Rains and Morey collected bids for removal of the sludge in the old backwash basins, but the cost is expected to go down based on the lab results of the sludge.
There was a discussion on resurfacing West Grand and the possibility of a long-term certificate of participation lease option to resurface multiple streets at one time. Rains is to contact Charlie Zitnik to discuss available lease options.
Morey reported more than half of the updated radio water meters have been installed that would be compatible with an automated metering infrastructure system, which will help reduce the cost of an entire AMI system. Proposals for the AMI systems should be available for the last board meeting in November.
The board accepted an ordinance regarding entering into a contract with John W. Gillum, CPA, LLC for audit services.
There was a discussion on the residential cost of service fee charge due for multi-dwellings, which is currently outlined in the city ordinances. Rains will contact apartment complexes in Gallatin that will be affected by the additional cost of service fees.
The board reviewed the draft ordinance to authorize multiple-unit structures to be billed for the cost of service per unit for commercial accounts. Recommendations were provided, and Rains will send the draft to Robert Cowherd for the final review.
Snyder and Associates contacted the city regarding the reengineering of the aerator at the new water plant. Design plans were reviewed and discussed.
Rains reported the city has received the COVID-19 grant reimbursement funding check from Daviess County. The reimbursement is for the purchase of gloves, disinfectants, masks, and a new permanent counter for city hall.
Rains gave an update regarding employment pay pertaining to COVID-19-related issues. The Missouri Intergovernmental Risk Management Association provided the information.
Police Chief Mark Richards provided information on new police vehicles through Dodge and Ford. He also provided used police vehicle options that might become available from Daviess County and Platte County.
Richards also submitted an activity report dated for Monday, October 26th. It included five welfare checks, three traffic accidents with damage, and two domestic disturbances.
Mid-States Services has hired a tree trimming service before the installation of fiber overhead within Gallatin. Tree trimmers are expected to be working in two weeks.
The board entered into a closed session to discuss employees.