Bronaugh's aldermen learn water-sewer operator plans to retire
Monday's meeting of aldermen in Bronaugh heard retirement plans by its water and sewer director, appreciation from citizens for the recent cleanup day, a request for a new repeater atop the town's water tower, discussion of a proposed unoccupied building ordinance and an update on the permit for the wastewater lagoon.
Although the report by the city's director of water and wastewater was listed last on the evening's agenda, it turned out to be the most significant item of all.
"You're going to need to start looking for a new director of water and sewer for the city," said the current director, Gary Loudermilk. "While I still enjoy it, my health is not what it was and this is a younger man's job. I'll stay on in the meantime and help train whoever you find but I want to be retired by the time I turn 70 next April."
The board expressed its sincere appreciation for his 19 years as director of wastewater and 25 as director of water as well the difficulty in replacing such a person. Loudermilk receives $450 per month for his management of the waste water system and $500 per month for the water system.
"Said Mayor, Sherry Brown, "It's rare for a town our size to have anyone with the necessary licenses and is willing to do the work for the relatively token salary as you have Gary, for all these years. Thank you so very much."
"Every time I call his wife at home and ask to speak with Gary, she's always telling me he's at the water plant or working on something with the sewer said Alderman Harry Pitts. "I think a lot of folks don't know all you do but all of us here do and we're mighty grateful."
Following City Treasurer, Ann Loudermilk's report on revenues and expenditures she informed those present of a certificate of deposit coming due.
"One of the conditions on each of our loans is we have to set aside some money as a debt service reserve so that if we have a financial emergency, we will still be able to make our monthly loan payments," explained Loudermilk. "The CD containing our debt service reserve for the current water project comes due on Sept. 19. It currently totals $16,560 and it looks like the best we can get for the money is 1.59 percent while the interest on the loan it's backing is 3 percent."
Loudermilk explained that only $7,452 was required to be in the reserve as of Sept. 1, and that she would have to add $138 per month into that fund in order to ensure it is fully funded at the end of 10 years from the completion of the water project. Once that loan is paid off, the state requires the debt service reserve to be rolled into the depreciation and repair fund so that it is set aside for future repair or replacement of the water system.
"So what I'm saying is since we don't have to have all of that debt reserve right now, we could save some interest by taking part of the funds of that CD and use them to pay down on our loan with the Missouri Development Finance Board," said Loudermilk. "The balance on that loan is $55,000 plus interest."
Aldermen followed the treasurer's recommendations and directed her to put $9,000 into a new CD with the balance to be placed in an existing money market account so that it will be included in the next loan payment, which according to terms of the loan, can only be made annually.
Once the meeting was convened, Mayor Brown called on a local resident who asked to address the
board.
"My name is Tracy Minor and I came here with Lewis Carter and we just wanted to say thank you for having the city bring in that large dumpster for a city clean up day. I know it helped us and a lot of other people in town. I think it might be good if you could do that twice a year."
Later in the meeting, Brown said of the 40-yard dumpster that was made available, "Tracy and Lewis were right, it was full. The dumpster runneth over. And it only cost us $425 to have it brought in and then hauled out. If we can get it for something like that price again, I'd like to see us hold another clean up day in the spring."
City Treasurer, Ann Loudermilk, raised another matter.
"We have a customer in town, Dale and Christy Beers, who won't let us read the meter," said Loudermilk. "They have a fence and the gate is locked. They have been giving us a reading but we have no way of verifying it."
Loudermilk had spoken with Missouri Rural Water Association and the office of the city attorney, William McCaffree.
"The water association said we have an easement and the right to go on their property to read the meter and McCaffree's office said we need to send a letter, informing them of the city's rights," said Loudermilk.
Mayor Brown told the board she would send the letter and inform the Beers of the city's rights as well as the date and time at which she, along with the meter reader, Jim Gransbury and Alderman Harry Pitts will be there to read the meter."
Reading a letter from local fire chief Kael Zogleman, Brown told the board of the department's need for a new radio and the sheriff's office need for locating a repeater in order to improve the radio coverage across the county.
A repeater is an automatic radio-relay station and combined with an antenna located atop Bronaugh's water tower, will enhance communication between the Vernon County dispatch center in Nevada and sheriff's and fire department vehicles and stations across the county which otherwise would be unable to communicate with one another due to distance or obstructions.
The board approved an exchange where the sheriff's office will be sent a letter from Brown giving them permission to install their equipment atop Bronaugh's water tower in return for the sheriff's department purchasing the needed radio for Bronaugh's fire department.
Returning again to the issue of establishing an ordinance for "repair, vacation or demolition of unoccupied buildings found to be dangerous" in town, the aldermen agreed it was needed, they could name places that qualified but agreed that at present, it would be too expensive to enforce.
Bronaugh will have an issue on the ballot for the Nov. 8, election to permit the city not to hold an election when the number of people running for office does not exceed the number of open seats. Holding an election can cost the city $5,000.
Gary Loudermilk reviewed the final details remaining on the city's current water project and then spoke about the city's permit from the Department of Natural Resources for operating the lagoon.
"Our permit to operate the lagoon expires on the 29th of this month. I submitted the required paperwork a while back," said Loudermilk. "As far as the state is concerned, we have met the requirements but they're behind and so we won't get the new permit till after the first of the year. They have us measure and report e-coli, ammonia and any discharging and our tests are meeting all the levels, so our lagoon is working and in compliance."