Several projects currently underway were discussed at the regular monthly meeting of the California Board of Aldermen, Tuesday, Sept. 8, at the City Hall.
The council voted to accept the bid from National Playground Compliance Group for approved playground equipment to be installed near the east shelter house in Proctor Park. The bid was for $54,998 for the equipment. The total LWCF (Land and Water Conservation Fund) Grant is for $76,835, with the city responsible for $36,210, about 47 percent. The grant and matching funds will also include the cost of the rubber mats to be placed in the playground area for safety.
The old shelter house was taken down and the base has been prepared for construction of the new one. The new shelter house will be built on the site. Since there were problems with the purchase and delivery of the planned prefabricated restroom facility, the council approved, at a special meeting held Aug. 24, the bid of $39,325 by Rackers Manufacturing. The restroom facility will be on the end of the shelter house, making it accessible without going outside. It should be completed within 90 days of the contract on Sept. 6.
The asphalt work on Kelley Street, Cooper Street and Locust Street has been completed. There is some restoration needed, but it is 99 percent finished, according to Bob Gilbert of Bartlett and West Engineering. The work included water and sewer lines owned by the city and natural gas lines belonging to Ameren Missouri. Completion was delayed to some extent by the old fill, which did not provide a stable base for the new asphalt street. There were some questions about whether the cost of restoring the curbing which was damaged or destroyed during the construction should have been brought to the council for approval. Since the council had approved the bid for the costs of the materials needed, the work was done as it was necessary. One council member who resides in the area being worked on commented that waiting for the council to approve each part of the work at a monthly meeting was unacceptable.
Gilbert also provided an update regarding the well drilled near the new water tower on the west end of the city. The well is producing 1,000 gallons per minute, with only a 16 foot draw down, and a 12 minute recovery when the pump is turned off. Gilbert commented that it is maybe the best well he's seen as long as he's been doing wells. Testing is still on-going.
A contract from Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) on lighting the "Welcome to California" sign was reviewed. The sign is planned for the four lane Highway 50 / 87 interchange. The city is awaiting clarification of wording in the contract about the use of electricity from the state power lines at the interchange for the sign, in exchange for the city taking on the cost of the power for the Business 50 / 87 traffic light. Some information about the electrical connections is also needed.
In other business, the council reviewed the proposed new city logo and discussed possible taglines and whether a tagline is even necessary. The council members want to consider the logo design and approve it at the October meeting. The tagline generally accepted is the current one, "Proud to Serve." When approved, the new logo will replace the ones on the city trucks and anyplace the old logo is in use.
The Sanitation Department was discussed, with a recommendation accepted by the council to hire people to have a four-person department with a working supervisor. Although the work is being completed since the change to one day a week residential pickup, consistency has been a problem. A large part of the lack of consistency is due to there being 80 dumpsters which have to be emptied on Monday.
The council also approved environmental control of the wastewater facility building at the sewage treatment plant, addressed in a separate article.
The next regular meeting will be Monday, Oct. 5.