City Council OKs water system study

"This is a tool we currently lack," Nevada City Manager JD Kehrman told the city council before they voted 4-0 to pass on first reading an ordinance approving an agreement with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Allgeier Martin and Associates for an engineering study of the city's water distribution system. Councilmember James McKenzie was excused while attending a conference.

The agreement will allow the city to apply for a $10,325 grant from the DNR to cover 35 percent of the cost of the study. The city is responsible for the remaining $19,175 of the total project cost of $29,500.

This study will give the city "everything we will need to know to address questions from developers about the water system," Kehrman said.

He said that the study will result in a very sophisticated model of how the city's water distribution system functions.

"A study like this is required for the city to pursue any funding from DNR or Rural Development," he said.

In other business the council:

* Voted 4-0 to approve the bid of $345,120 from APAC for the 2012 street construction projects.

* Voted 4-0 to approve the bid of $9,213 from Govconnection for nine Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 91z workstations for the city's finance department.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a special ordinance approving a contract with APAC-Missouri Inc., Springfield, for the 2012 street construction projects. The projects include Ashland, from Ash to Spring streets; 800-1100 North Oak; Cedar - Hickory to Atlantic and the 200 block of east Minnesota.

* Voted 4-0 to adopt Resolution No. 1339 authorizing the city council to provide written authorization for the Nevada Police Department to seek funding through the Missouri Highway Safety Program grants for traffic enforcement.

* Voted 4-0 to adopt Resolution No. 1340 to waive the prohibition on discharging firearms in the city limits and to waive the ban on overnight camping in Marmaduke Park so the Osage Territory Muzzleloaders Black Powder Competition can be held Sept. 6-9 at Marmaduke Park.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance approving a contract with Joplin Industrial Electrical to install backup generators at the Franklin P. Norman City/County Community Center and the Neal Center. The installation cost will be $80,043.35 and will be paid in part with a $150,000 grant from the Finis M. Moss Charitable Trust. The grant will also cover part of the cost of purchasing the two generators.

* Voted 4-0 to give final approval to changing the zoning on property in the 200 block of south Indiana from R-1, single family residential, to M-1, light industrial, at the request of the property owner, Jason Hedges. Hedges wants to construct a metal distribution building.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance transferring all equipment and money from the sale of recyclables to the Vernon County Commission, which will operate the recycling center in the future as the Vernon County Recycling Center.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on second reading a general ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the Municipal Code to eliminate defunct city boards including: the I.M.P.A.C.T. Nevada Tourism Board, the Social Welfare Board, Community Development Department, Economic Development Commission, Housing Rehabilitation and Citizens Advisory Board, After School Center and the Animal Control Board.