Changes Being Made To Utility Governing Board

Changes are planned to the governing board of Trenton Municipal Utilities following action taken on Monday night by the Trenton City Council.

During a discussion concerning the city’s boards and committees, members of the council voted to ask the Administrative Committee to look at developing a utility committee within the city council to replace the current Board of Public Works structure. It was suggested that the committee include members of the public. Because changes in the city ordinance would be needed to set up the new structure, it is being left to the Administrative Committee to determine how the new utility committee would be structured and what its functions would be. The changes would then come before the council for final approval.
The Board of Public Works currently has four members from the public who oversee operations of the utility. The term of one of the members, Phil Hoffman, is expiring and he has asked not to be re-appointed. A second member, Dr. David Ryan, has indicated his desire to leave the board although his term is not up until 2015. Mark Cole and Robert Day are the other two members of that board.
Jacob Black, who suggested the change from a board to a committee within the council, noted that 60 of 90 cities in Missouri who have their own utilities operate them through a committee within the city council. He said he felt by making the change, governance of the utility would be “more efficient.”
In the meantime, the Board of Public Works will continue to oversee operations of the utility. Appointments to the BPW were tabled until the changes are made.
Mayor Dr. Nick McHargue made several other appointments on Monday night, including that of Beth Mack, who will be the new first ward city councilperson. Mrs. Mack will serve until April, when that term expires. She replaces Bryan Hamilton, who has moved from the community.
Katie Lenhart and Wyatt Coffman were appointed as youth council members. Appointed to various boards were Vicki Meservey, Larry Bunnell and Luke Gibson, building and nuisance; Dave Bengtson and Bill Ausmus, planning and zoning and board of adjustments; Venna Hicks and Wenda Seymour, tree board; and Dyle Wilson, Gary Hooyman and Mark Cole, airport advisory board. Appointments to the Park Board were tabled until councilman Ed Spencer could be at the meeting to provide input. Spencer serves as the Park Board liaison. Also tabled were appointments to the TIF Commission and the Historic Preservation Committee so that current members whose terms expire could be talked to about continuing to serve another term.
The council voted to hire D.A. Davidson of Kansas City to provide bond services as TMU moves forward with its water plant improvement project. Bonding is one finance option being considered for the estimated $3 million project, which involves removal of disinfection byproducts from the city’s water and must be completed in 2014 as required by DNR. Two companies made presentations to TMU staff and members of the city council and, when it was all said and done, the council chose the Davidson firm based on a savings of about $6,400 in costs. Both firms were praised and members indicated that either group would do a good job for the utility.
Several ordinances were approved by the council. They included:
• A contract with the Green Hills Animal Shelter for continued services. Changes were made in the amount of money the city would pay based on what was actually spent the past year. City Administrator Kerry Sampson said this, hopefully, would keep the council from having to adopt an amendment for more funding as was done this past year. The vote was 5-1 with Mark Robinson voting no.
Approved on 6-0 votes were:
• An ordinance authorizing an agreement between the city and LifeFlight Eagle to rent the hangar at the airport for the next 36 months. Total cost would be $40,500 ($1,125 per month).
• An ordinance entering into an agreement with Olsson and Associates to provide engineering services for the maintenance portion of the airport runway improvement project. The agreement is required by MoDOT, which is providing funding for the work.
• An ordinance making changes in the city’s nuisance laws to shorten the time a person has to clean up debris on property and allowing the city to remove the nuisance and place that cost on a special tax bill or the property owner’s city real estate tax bill.
• Two ordinances rezoning property at 4030 E. 10th St., owned by Duane Urich, for location of a business and adjoining property at 4200 E. 10th St., owned by LET, Inc., for better use of that land. Urich plans to have a winery/vineyard and possible restaurant on his property. The change was from R-2, residential, to MU, mixed use.
• A resolution stating the city would adhere to regulations of the USDA if a grant being applied for is approved. The city is seeking a $30,000 grant to help purchase a structure to be used as a farmers market in the downtown area. It was noted that the structure could also have other uses. Application for the funding is to be submitted by the end of the week.
The council also heard several reports, including activities involved in this weekend’s Gooseberry Festival; continued review of applications to fill the police chief’s position; donations being sought for the fireworks display at the Fourth of July celebration; the addition of five new pay-per-call firemen and a basic firefighter class that will start soon; the recent review by DNR and other city personnel of the old landfill just off 40th Street; recognition of City Clerk Cindy Simpson, who received her master municipal clerk’s designation; and recognition of city personnel who assisted with construction of a building at the shooting range.
An executive session for personnel was held with no announcement made.