California received an emergency waiver from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to drill a new well.
Water and Sewer supervisor Kyle Wirts and Wastewater supervisor Patrick Murphy updated the board on California's collaboration with Bartlett and West, the city's engineering firm.
Wirts told the board the waiver is for city Well Number 10. He is working alongside City Attorney Ann Perry to determine the requirements for a well driller to be brought in for the well's construction. He expects the specs for the build to be completed very soon.
Wirts also informed the board of the city's southwest water line loop. In late October, the city received a grant for $10 million from the state - which will be used for waterlines tying wells together. He said department heads have an idea of where they would like the water line to go and that Davis is working on a map for easement acquisition if needed.
Wirts aims to request proposals for the well around Feb. 1.
Murphy updated the board on the clarifiers, wastewater mechanisms that separate solids from liquids, needed for the wastewater treatment plant. He said the company providing the clarifiers has increased its price.
Although the board approved an order for mechanisms, the original winner of the bid, when asked to add a third clarifier, increased its price.
Murphy said the company wanted to get renewed authorization from the council to go ahead and move forward with ordering those three mechanisms from another provider. The clarifiers would come from Evoqua Water Technologies with Nefco Systems utilizing other materials the city previously looked at.
The board authorized the purchase of all three clarifier mechanisms for $825,431.
California Fire Chief Brad Friedmeyer gave board members a letter recommending the city turn its fire department into a full-time department. Currently, the California Fire Department operates on a volunteer basis with Friedmeyer as its only staffed employee.
Due to low volunteers, Friedmeyer struggles to maintain a consistent number of firefighters on calls. He would like to have 18 firefighters on staff, however, he is still developing how to fund a full-time department.
After speaking with the Boonville Fire Department, a department similar to California's in size, he found it started full-time employees out with $34,000 per year plus benefits. Currently, California volunteers are paid $15 a call with most unable to respond to emergencies due to full-time jobs outside the city.
Although aldermen agreed there is need for a full-time department, the city told Friedmeyer to come back with a more detailed plan. In the meantime, the fire department will look for more volunteers who are available during the day.
In other news:
Aldermen approved the starting pay for its new police captain to be $27.50 per hour.
Aldermen decided to close California's tub grinder -- wood and brush disposal facilty -- for 90 days starting Jan. 12.
The city street department notified the board it closed down Rice Boulevard and Latham Road to repair Culverts. According to the City of California Facebook page, the repairs will take approximately two weeks to complete.