Bronaugh council gets update on water project

Nevada Daily Mail

Tuesday evening, the Bronaugh city council witnessed the swearing in of the mayor and council members, each had been re-elected. Council also heard an update on its water project, a water analysis report, discussed an ordinance for building condemnation and, at city hall, ways to safely store documents and provide for utility payment drop-off.

After certifying the re-election of Sherry Brown as mayor and Terry Fleener and Rachel Jones to city council, all three were sworn in by city clerk, Lori Conner.

Michael Logston, an engineer representing Bartlett and West, the firm hired by Bronaugh to oversee its current water project, provided those present with a progress report. "To date, 80 percent of the concrete, 20 percent of the pipes and 31 percent of the pumps have been installed for a total project completion percentage of 28 percent."

Asked about the aerator and clear well Logston said, "We've finally got everyone on board with all materials, standards and components. Because the aerator requires custom manufacturing, I can see it's possible that the delivery and installation date for it will go beyond May 16, although I think the date will slip by less than a month."

Brown asked Logston, "We've received the first request for partial payment, do you think we should pay it now or hold off until the work is at least 50 percent complete?"

"I recommend you pay it," said Logston. "I think that overall, this project is on track and going forward."

"I should point out," said city treasurer, Ann Loudermilk, "that when a loan like this is approved, they don't send us a single check. Instead, they release funds as work is done, inspected and signed-off by our engineer and approved by the city council. I then submit the request, they wire the money and I make the payment."

City council approved the payment and directed the treasurer to request the funds and make the payment.

Logston and Gary Loudermilk, city water and sewer manager, reviewed a one page water analysis report by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources on a Feb. 1, water sample.

"While the bottom third explains what we're trying to fix with our water project," said Loudermilk, "there is one thing on the report that folks should be aware of. The level of sodium in our city's water is 545 milligrams per liter."

Current guidelines by the American Heart Association recommend a total daily intake of no more than 1,500 milligrams per day. Drinking three liters, 12 eight-ounce glasses, would exceed that amount.

Several citizens present at the meeting said they noticed this themselves and so use city water in the shower, toilet and laundry but drink bottled water. Another resident said her filtration system takes care of the sodium.

"While your water does pass state inspection," said Logston, "Mr. Loudermilk is right, the bottom third of the February report shows exactly what your water project will go a long ways to correct."

The report lists naturally occurring high levels of fluoride, softness, alkalinity and dissolved solids. The predominate solids are calcium and sulfur.

"The sulfate compounds react with the chlorine that is added to balance the water," noted Logston.

Water containing calcium sulfate ions is likely to have a bitter and astringent taste, something that has been reported with the water in Bronaugh.

The March meeting of the council saw the mayor distribute and ask council members to study a model ordinance for condemnation and clearance of undesirable structures.

Council member, Harry Pitts, summed up the feelings of many by saying, "I think we do need an ordinance but seeing daylight through walls and living in structures that lean were what some of us here grew up with and what some of our neighbors now have."

"I don't think we, as a government, have any business going into houses to tell people how they should live," said Mayor Brown. "But we do need an ordinance that gives us the ability to deal with dangerous structures when the owner either refuses or cannot make repairs."

It was the consensus of the council to discuss this at the next meeting, using the intervening month to determine which provisions they think are needed and pool their ideas when they meet on May 10.

Brown brought up two issues raised in the city's annual audit. "We were highly encouraged by the auditor to purchase either a gun cabinet or a fire-proof filing cabinet for the storage of city records and it needs to have a secure lock."

The other issue from the audit was providing citizens with a drop-off slot for utility payments at city hall. The ensuing discussion led into the need to repair the back door at city hall and put up some shelves for storage.

"I'll speak to some people and get some quotes for next month," said council member, Terry Fleener.

Mayor Brown announced that George Deaton was refurbishing his apartment units, either to sell or to rent. He was asking the council to determine the deposit he would need to pay to get the water and sewer service back on. Council members were glad for this request and set a $450 deposit along with one minimum monthly charge as well as a charge per apartment.

The March city council meeting had authorized the mayor to apply for a grant from the Missouri Emergency Management Agency for the purchase of a storm siren. At a project cost of $20,000, the city would provide a match of $5,000 with the balance coming from the grant.

"We had a choice of an electrically powered or mechanically driven siren," said Brown. "I chose the electrically powered unit with a battery backup. It has the capability of being used to make public-service announcements as well."

After the meeting, Brown said she hoped to hear about the grant by summer's end.

The treasurer's report reviewed accounts, noting how some were slightly down and another slightly up. Loudermilk then raised an opportunity.

"Part of the requirement for obtaining the loan that gave us an entirely new sewer system," said Loudermilk, "is that, for the 33-year life of the loan, we have to maintain a sewer depreciation and replacement fund. We are not allowed to touch the money. It's there so that someday, when we need to make repairs or replace a section, we have the funds. But in the meantime, we have just under $10,000 sitting in a money-market fund earning just .25 percent interest."

Loudermilk proposed moving $8,500 of that fund into a certificate of deposit at Metz Bank, earning 1.5 percent. After a few questions and discussion, this was unanimously approved.

The treasurer also raised the matter of the water rate for bulk usage. "Last year, as a condition of our most recent loan," said Loudermilk, "we had to raise the water and sewer rates, but I recently noticed that we somehow forgot to adjust the charge for bulk water usage."

Council member Pitts commented, "We need to do this but our main bulk-water user, Producers Grain, has already started spraying. After they've already started, I think it would be unfair, to change rates on them. This fall, let's take make the rate change and notify them so that they can plan for it in their budget." All agreed.

Resident Ann Williams had a water pipe break in her yard. "I know there is a one-time forgiveness policy on a bill for a leak and I'm here to ask for that."

Said Mayor Brown, "We're not a church but this is one situation in which our city grants forgiveness."

The council approved it, the treasurer computed it and Loudermilk told Williams, "It will show up on your next bill."

The matter of street repairs was revisited. "I put adds in the Nevada and Joplin papers for bids on our street repairs," said Brown. "And while they have until May 2 to respond, at this point, I'm not expecting any responses."

The council reviewed areas in the streets that need particular attention.

"If nothing else," said Brown, "we'll get a load of hot mix asphalt and patch what we can."

The mayor and council members concluded the meeting by expressing their gratitude that a number of residents took the time to attend the meeting and provide helpful input on several matters.