The Trenton City Council was asked to provide financial support for efforts to attract and retain business in the downtown area during a meeting Monday evening, with the council tabling action on the request.
The request, which was made by the Main Street Trenton/Downtown Improvement Association, came just two weeks after the council approved its 2022-23 budget – a document that projects a deficit of nearly $550,000 and included no salary increases for the city’s employees. The organization is seeking a donation of $10,000, which could be made as $5,000 from the “city side” and $5,000 from Trenton Municipal Utilities. Grundy County and North Central Missouri College are also being asked to kick in $10,000 for the effort, with Main Street/TDIA member Cathie Smith calling the downtown area “the front door to the college” and noting that it is the first impression many prospective students and parents have of the community.
Mrs. Smith and Scott Sharp, executive director of the North Central Missouri Development Alliance, said the funds would be used to hire a director for Main Street/TDIA, which has been instrumental in helping businesses locate in the downtown area and in sponsoring downtown events. City Attorney Tara Walker said the city cannot make a “donation” to the group but can have an agreement for “services rendered” and require an annual report be given to the city on how the funds are spent and the outcome of their efforts.
In addition to the budget issue, Second Ward Councilman Danny Brewer asked how it would be handled if another group asked for funding, for instance if the merchants at Eastgate Shopping Center wanted to form a group to attract and retain businesses. He was told that the council can say no to any group and that not all groups would have the “organization” that is already in place with Main Street/TDIA.
Trenton Mayor Linda Crooks, who joined the meeting by Zoom, said she thinks it’s a good idea but the city needs to remember their employees and the fact that there is a deficit budget. While the council appeared to be supportive of the efforts in the downtown area, ultimately the council voted to table the issue, with plans to revisit it in the near future after more information can be obtained.
Sharp and Mrs. Smith also asked for permission to close a portion of Main Street to enable it to host “Third Thursdays” in downtown Trenton from May through October. The “Third Thursdays” would focus on bringing in vendors with homemade/handmade items and farmer’s market-style produce. There was a discussion concerning how traffic flow in the downtown area would be affected and alternatives to actually closing a portion of the street. In addition, the group is seeking to change the city ordinance concerning business licenses. Currently, a business license is $50 per year, but the group is seeking to create a one-day license for vendors such as those that would be involved in “Third Thursdays” at a cost of $15 per day. The change would mean the one-day license for food trucks would go from $10 to $15. Mrs. Walker said she will draw up an ordinance for the council to review that will include the change in cost for the licenses and will state that they are only to be used as part of a city-sanctioned event.
Council members met with Brent Romesburg, who lives in the north part of town on Pleasant Plain to discuss issues with Rapid Removal, the city’s waste hauler. Romesburg said his trash is not picked up in a timely manner and noted that last week his trash was to be picked up on Friday but did not get hauled away until 2:15 p.m. on Monday and some of his neighbors still did not get theirs picked up. He had contacted the company and kept being told they would get to him. He also said he had tried to take some items to the location north of Trenton and found the gates locked at 2:45 p.m. He contacted the company and was told there were no more trailers to put trash in so the gates were closed.
The city and the company have had many discussions concerning the service provided to residents and Third Ward Councilman Robert Romesburg, who along with First Ward Councilman Lance Otto and Fourth Ward Councilman John Dolan was joining the meeting by Zoom, said he is ready to look at another company.
“Personally, I’m done dealing with them,” he said.
Mrs. Walker said that while the city certainly has “cause” to get out of it’s contract with the company, the fact that there is a shortage of vendors from which to choose, could create a problem. She urged the council to have a backup plan, something Mayor Crooks said is the problem – there is no one else to do it.
Mrs. Walker, who indicated she has still not seen a promised letter from the company concerning what items can be picked up, company policies, etc., said she will look into some options and report back to the council.
In other business, council members:
• agreed to order two backhoes – one for the street department and one for the water/wastewater department- earlier than had been planned due to anticipated price increases on April 1. The purchases were included in the 2022-23 budget.
• approved a work order with Howe Company LLC for engineering services for replacement, rehabilitation and extension of sewer mains and the Pleasant Plain Road lift station.
• gave permission for the North Missouri Solid Waste Management District to locate a 40-foot collection container at the street department, with the district to conduct its solid waste collections at that site.
• agreed to seek quotes for the painting of the old Trenton R-9 District office building at the airport.
• accepted a bid from Red Rock of Kidder for asbestos inspection for properties that will be included in the city’s demolition project. The bid, which was the only one received, was for $250 per residence plus lab fees. Nine houses are on the list to be bid out for demolition.
• held a public hearing to receive comment for the USDA Rural Development Community Facility Direct Program that would provide a portion of the funding for equipment for the Trenton Police Department and the Trenton Fire Department. If funded, the nearly $80,000 grant would allow some of what has been set aside from the ARPA funds to be used in another area.
• reviewed a proposed ordinance establishing an Animal Welfare Committee, which would serve in an advisory capacity. The committee would include five patrons appointed by the mayor and serving three-year terms, with one council member serving as an ex-officio member. The council is expected to take action on the ordinance at the April 11 meeting.
• agreed to allow access to the former USDA grain storage site at 1712 Harris Ave., (the current site of the TFD’s burn training center) by Bluestone Environmental Group. The group will be testing the groundwater to determine if there is contamination from its former use. The area was used for the grain bins from the late 1950s until 1972.
• reviewed a Six-Month Budget Review policy that would have the city look at the budget in December to determine if Cost of Living Allowances can be considered. The council will look at the asphalt sales total at that time and if the budget is balanced before considering a $1 per hour COLA increase for city and TMU employees. The additional cost for a COLA increase would be just under $100,000 for each entity.
• held a closed session to discuss personnel, with no announcement made.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, April 11.
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