Council OKs Force Main Repair Project

The Trenton City Council approved moving forward with repairs to the sewer system force main under Muddy Creek during a meeting on Monday night.
On a 7-0 vote, with John Dolan absent, the council agreed to have Howe and Company engineers proceed with design plans for the work to repair damage that occurred during recent flooding in that area. Once the plans are complete, bids will then be sought.
The estimated cost for the work is around $84,000 and will require Trenton Municipal Utilities to pay a portion of the cost because additional work is being done over and above what FEMA funds would provide reimbursement. FEMA has indicated it would pay for soil to be placed back around the pipe only with no fabric or riprap, which has an estimated cost of around $63,000. City officials do not favor that option because there is no way to adequately compact the soil back in place to prevent it from washing out again during the next high-water event.
The project approved by the council would include relocating the force main pipe further west in the embankment and extending the force main to the next manhole downstream, regrading the embankment and flattening the slopes, widening the channel cross-section and placing fabric and riprap on the regraded slope. City Administrator Ron Urton said this option provides better protection of the force main and has the least potential for future bank erosion. He said FEMA has indicated they would provide 75 percent of the $63,000 estimated for the first option or $47,250, with TMU providing the rest of the funds. It was noted that TMU has leftover money from other projects that can be used for the force main work.
The board reviewed the yearly net metering report, which showed solar panels being used by five customers to help offset their electric costs. According to the report, the output of the systems in total is 68,390 kilowatts. Solar panels are used at 802 Monroe St. (Diane Zieger), 5006 Lake Manor Drive (Gary Hooyman), 303 E. Seventh St. (Cody Oakleaf), Trenton High School and the Black Silo Winery.
Councilman Larry Crawford expressed his concern regarding the time it is taking for Toth and Associates to complete the electric rate study. He said the company was to have the study done in 90 days and that it will now be mid-February before a first-draft of the study will be available. Toth and Associates was hired in August 2019 to conduct the study.
An executive session originally announced for a legal matter was not held.
Building & Nuisance Board
The Building and Nuisance Board also met on Monday night, taking action on several properties.
Property at 1620 Carnes St., owned by Steve Ishmael, was removed from the nuisance list after being declared as completed by the board. A 90-day extension was given to Ishmael on a second property at 2108 Main St. to allow him time to finish taking down a structure on the property.
Moved to “findings of fact” following a public hearing were properties at 1437 Main St., owned by Genie Buzzard and Carman Morin; 1011 Custer St., owned by Birdie Wilson and Rose Ralston; 813 Olive St., owned by Denise Jones and others; 2002 Chicago St., owned by Samuel Southers; and 409 E. 19th St., owned by Altoff/Matlage. Code Enforcement Officer Wes Barone noted efforts were being made by owners of the 1437 Main St. property to get the structure torn down. The building was extensively damaged in a fire last year.
Moved to certificate of existence of a dangerous building were properties at 213 W. Sixth St., owned by Bob Lewis; 1004 Laclede, owned by T&F Enterprises, LLC; 812 Grant St., owned by Michael and Ruth Smith; and 302 E. Seventh St., owned by Gary and Susan Jacobs.
A public hearing was set next month on property at 1302 E. Eighth St., owned by Michael Berry. Receiving a declaration of nuisance were properties at 405 W. 13th St., owned by Matthew Lee; and 2904 Mable St., owned by Richard and Corrin Seddon.
Barone announced that no bids were received for asbestos removal on the 2019-20 demolition program properties and that the project has been rebid. He said two companies had expressed interest in submitting a bid. The deadline to submit a bid is Feb. 12.
Trenton Police Chief Rex Ross reported that officers investigated 323 nuisance reports in 2019, clearing 184 and having 80 of those cases prosecuted. Fifty remained active by the end of the year and 47 were in court. In comparison, 2018 saw the police investigate 258 cases. To start 2020, 12 incidents have been investigated in January, with seven being cleared, four being active and one being prosecuted.