From Staff Reports
The Puxico board of aldermen accepted the fire chief's resignation, voted on sewer rates, and learned the library roof was leaking during the Nov. 16 meeting.
Puxico Fire Chief Rusty Parker turned in a letter of resignation and Mayor Rick McLean stated the city appreciated his work.
The aldermen voted to approve a bill to amend Section No. 700.020: Water and Sewer Rates - billing. D. Sewer Rates - in the Municipal Code of the City of Puxico. The ordinance set the flat rate for sewer at $13.82 and the per thousand (1,000) gallons rate at $5.30. This rate increase will take effect with the May, 2018 billing, and will make the average user charge for sewer use $40.32.
The aldermen learned in the librarian's written report, the roof of the original library is leaking. The clerk was told to contact Jeff Thomas to repair the leak.
Filing dates for the April 3, 2018, Municipal election were set to begin Tuesday, Dec. 12, and ends Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 4 p.m.
City residents may file for one of two offices - Alderman, Ward 1, and Alderman, Ward 2, which are both two year terms. In order to file as a candidate for alderman, the resident must have lived in the appropriate ward for one year preceding the election, be at least 21 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and have all municipal taxes and utility bills paid.
In his oral report, Parker said, the transmission on the GMC tanker truck needs to be repaired. The truck, at this time, is at Scheffer's Trucking near Delta. Scheffer's has stated it would cost between $6,400 and $8,400 to replace the transmission. The board discussed taking it to Perryville to have the transmission rebuilt instead. Alderman Bill Hemby will make calls to the businesses in question and determine if the parts are available and what the cost of rebuilding the transmission will be and then get the work done.
Due to problems with insurance coverage, Hunter Tackett and Zach McCoy were dismissed as firemen as of Nov. 16.
In an oral report, maintenance supervisor David Hawthorne said he attended the Missouri Rural Water Association meeting at Lake of the Ozarks the last week in October. He said, Asa Asphalt would be paving sections of the streets. Hawthorne has the snow plows ready for winter weather and he said, there is plenty of salt solution on hand. Hawthorne used Poplar Bluff Municipal Utilities department to bring its jetting machine to clean out the sewer on East Crumb Avenue.
Marshal Rick Sheren listed the tickets/summons would be heard at the Dec. 12 city court and those that will be state charges and heard elsewhere. He said, the police department has received a $1,000 grant to be used for reserve officer pay in December.
In the animal control report, Chris Strickler said the truck he is using had a wiring fire this past month.
The City Clerk asked the board to review its policy stating each department would submit a written report concerning that department's monthly activities and issues prior to each board meeting so the board could be prepared to discuss these activities and issues. Since the only department routinely making monthly written reports is the library, either the policy needs to be reinforced or discontinued. The board decided to revise the policy to state that reports could be either written or oral.
No action was take during a closed session in which the board discussed personnel.
Attending the meeting were Mayor McLean and aldermen Gary Burns, Hemby, GS Kilbreths and Gary Wilfong.