City manager calls street sweeper issue a 'miscommunication'

By Ralph Pokorny

Nevada Daily Mail

It was all caused by a miscommunication, Nevada City Manager Bill McGuire told the city council Tuesday night about outcry relating to a proposal to purchase a new street sweeper with money from the city's 1/2-cent transportation sales tax.

McGuire said that he based his proposal on the ballot language and the ordinance the council passed in 2001, instead of the one enacted in May 2006.

"The language for the 2006 ordinance is a lot different from the 2001 ordinance," McGuire told the council.

He said that the wording of the 2006 ballot calls for using the first $500,000 from the transportation sales tax for construction and improvements on existing streets.

"I'm to blame for not thoroughly researching this. It will change the way we pay for it," he said.

McGuire told the council that the 1/2-cent transportation sales tax brings in between $725,000 and $750,000 each year, with most of the money above the $500,000 earmarked for street construction being used for the street department's operating budget. Otherwise, that money might be available to purchase the street sweeper.

Since the infrastructure board reacted so negatively to the idea of using the money from the transportation sales tax to purchase a street sweeper, he said that the city will have to look at other ways to pay for one.

McGuire asserted that the city still needs a new street sweeper and Joe Charles, public works director, is shopping for a replacement.When Charles finds the one they want McGuire said that he will bring a proposal to the council -- hopefully with a way to pay for it, McGuire said.

"My belief is that we can improve the appearance of the town with a regular schedule of cleaning the streets. The current one can't do this," he said, adding that the new sweepers travel twice as fast and do a better job of cleaning.

The city's current sweeper is 11 years old and required more than $8,000 in repairs in the last year. Because of the down time for repairs it has not been used on a daily basis to clean the streets. Rather than sell or trade the current sweeper, they city plans to use it for cleaning after construction, to save wear and tear on the new equipment.

Councilman Russ Kemm said that with the current uncertainty in the economy he would prefer that the city pay cash for a new street sweeper.

"I don't want the city to get tied to a lot of long term debt," he said.

In other business the council:

* Voted to accept the low bid of $7,488 from Brenntag of Springfield for 12 dry tons of caustic soda for the water treatment plant, with the total cost not to exceed $8,500, since the actual delivery amounts may vary.

* Voted to approve purchasing security cameras from Supercircuits, Austin, Texas, at a cost of $9,884.13, which includes a discount of $1,031.66. The cameras are to be installed to increase the security and reduce vandalism at the north pump station, Walton pool, the public works building, Marmaduke Park and city hall. The city did not seek bids for this equipment because Supercircuits is the only source for this brand of equipment, which is already in use at the Public Safety Building. Using the same equipment everywhere will save in maintenance costs and will guarantee compatibility with existing equipment, city documents say.

* Voted to approve the airport boards recommendations on bids for surplus property at the Nevada Municipal Airport. Glenn Christie bid $22 for blue lenses, $23 for blue/green lenses and $31 for clear lenses; Mose Troyer, Richards, bid $801.91 for the beacon tower and Carey Barrett, Little Rock, Ark. bid $1,572 for the rotating beacon. The bids for the V.A.S.I. lights and for the red/green lenses were rejected and will be rebid.

* Voted to approve the purchase of "Firehouse" software and support from ACS Software Solutions for $5,470 for the Nevada Fire Department. ACS Software is the only source for this software that was developed specifically for the fire service and is used by hundreds of departments nationwide.

* Voted to accept the low bid of $22,897 from Nevada Auto Mall for a used 2008 F-250 SD 4-by-4 truck with 115 miles, for a replacement brush truck for the Nevada Fire Department. The truck, which is new, was damaged and had to be sold as used. The current truck used for this purpose is a 1988 4-by-4 truck that is not dependable enough for an emergency vehicle.

* Voted to approve the reappointment of Brian Leonard to the planning commission.

* Voted 5-0 to accept the low bid of $622,839 from Rosetta Construction, Springfield, to slip line the west interceptor sewer line. This method slides a smooth plastic liner inside the existing sewer main and does not require the sewer main to be excavated, except at the manholes where the lining is inserted.

"It's a smooth coated plastic pipe that will carry more flow because it is slick," McGuire told the council. He said that the company has inspected the line with cameras and thinks there will be no problem; however, if workers do have to excavate some of the line, that work will be included in the bid.

During his report to the city council, McGuire said that the city's south interceptor line, which runs across U.S. Highway 54 to the animal shelter also leaks and needs to be repaired, adding that it frequently leaks sewage onto a farmer's field. The landowner, who was not named during the meeting, has filed complaints with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. McGuire told the council that Rosetta Construction estimates that they can line the south interceptor line for about $200,000 and he will bring the council a bid for this work in the future.

* Voted 5-0 to give final approval to a special ordinance establishing the fee structure for youth programs. In response to a question from councilman Tim Wells, McGuire said that children who cannot afford to pay for the programs are not turned away.

* Voted 5-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance establishing fees and promotions for the use of the Frank E. Peters Golf Course.