A swearing-in ceremony for the Mayor and four councilmen occurred Monday night at Trenton City Hall. Numerous appointments were made and a bid was accepted for a water mains replacement project in a portion of Trenton.
Taking the oath of office were Mayor Jackie Soptic as well as councilmen from the First through Fourth Wards, Lou Fisher, Calvin Brown, Timothy Meinecke, and John Dolan. Certified election results were accepted before the old council adjourned.
During that portion of the meeting, the council voted six to nothing to accept the bid by S and B Hinnen Construction of Chula to haul rock from the quarry to the asphalt plant. The nuisance ordinance was amended to state debris can not be stored under a tarp, plastic, or canvas.
Another section states trash and debris that’s considered a nuisance and getting moved from one property in the city to another in town will result in a violation at both locations. City attorney Tara Walker explained the additions were due to situations that arose in nuisance cases heard in municipal court. Absent for the first part of the council meeting were Glen Briggs and Robert Romesburg.
After Brown and Meinecke took their seats with the rest of the council, Mayor Soptic made several appointments with council consent. They are City Clerk Cindy Simpson, Deputy City Clerk Tracy Maberry, City Treasurer Sherry Betz, and Emergency Management Director for the city, Brandon Gibler. Four councilmen each have been appointed to the finance, administrative, economic development, and utility committees.
Council liaisons were selected for various boards and commissions. The council elected David Mlika as the President Pro-Tem. Four officers were approved to sign checks: the mayor, treasurer, administrator, and city clerk.
Five bids were submitted for phase one of the water main project in the vicinity of 10th and Oklahoma. Administrator Ron Urton said the project involves replacing old mains. The lowest bid was accepted by the council. Work will be done by Flinn and Sons Excavating LLC of Maysville at a cost of $374,210. Urton said the bid came in lower than the amount the engineer, Howe Company, had estimated. He noted there is a second phase to the water line project that will come later.
After a review of bids from three banks, the city staff recommended continuing to use Southern Bank, formerly Citizen’s Bank and Trust.
The Trenton City Council approved the Trenton Convention and Visitors Bureau budget for the fiscal year starting May 1st. $50,000 is the cash on hand with revenues of $43,000 expected for the year. Funds are generated by the five percent lodging tax. Expenses are the $25,000 pledged for the way-finding signs plus $24,000 for the digital presence including website hosting and updates, social media management and paid advertising, Google AdWords and other forms of targeted digital advertising. Money also is budgeted for traditional media advertising, facilitations and training for local businesses, and other opportunities that arise.
City Clerk Simpson provided a list of budget adjustments to finish the current fiscal year. The largest was the $1,693,580 increase in asphalt sales. The total on sales of asphalt last year was two point three million dollars.
The city had placed a lien on 208 East 10th Court after a house was torn down at the city’s expense. Ten percent of the lien will be paid by Ricky and Jackquline Wyant which is $729. The council agreed to release of the lien upon payment.
Approval was given to an airport hangar lease with an out-of-state pilot who parks a vehicle in one of the north hangar openings due to his plane being too large to fit It was noted the pilot buys aviation fuel at the Trenton airport and uses a vehicle he bought to travel to his properties in the area. He’ll pay $125 on a month-to-month basis.
The city council, with both retiring and new members, met Monday evening in a 20-minute executive session for legal and personnel. Urton said there’s no announcement at this time.
