The Purdy City Council is seeking a new emergency management director following the resignation of Nick Mercer from that position at its May 14 meeting.

Mercer, who had held the city’s position for many years, announced he was resigning from that post, effective immediately. Mercer works in nursing management at Cox Monett Hospital, and for almost three years he has been the emergency room and nurse manager. He was out of town at the time of the April 28 storm.

Mercer said his career is taking him more and more outside of the local level, “My time focused solely on this community is limited,” he said. “I didn’t like the way the storm went. I couldn’t be here to do what I wanted to do.”

Mercer continues to serve as the chief for the Purdy Fire District.

Clerk Katy Prock planned to dig through ordinances for a job description for a successor. Mercer said “literally anyone” could do the job, but noted the emergency manager is not someone stepping into the disaster, but someone whose job is “to be a guiding light, a resource finder.”

Police Officer Russ Nichols, who is presently on leave following back surgery, serves as deputy emergency manager for the county under David Compton and preceded Mercer as the city’s director. Mercer recommended a city employee, “someone to represent the community.”

In major action, Mayor Brian Bowers opened nine bids for the city’s 1995 half-ton six-cylinder long bed Chevrolet truck deemed unneeded after buying a new truck. Many of the bids came from members of the same family. The top bid was $1,631 from Greg Bennett, whose offer the council accepted.

New water, deposit rates approved

Council members gave final approval to a new ordinance discussed at length in April setting new deposit rates for water and sewer service. New water rates were also set. The old deposits were deemed too low and frequently inadequate to cover the costs of unpaid bills for a month. A new rate was added for customers with a history of bad debt, determined through a credit check, or a history of delinquent payments.

Deposits were set $180 for residential customers and $280 for commercial users. At-risk customers would be charged $100 more in each category.

Water rates were set at $25 for the first 1,000 gallons and $5 for each additional 1,000 gallons for in-town residents. Out-oftown customers will pay a $46 minimum for $10 more for each additional $1,000 gallons used.

Late fees of $15 would be assessed on all bills delinquent after the 11th day of each month. Customers who had not paid by 9 a.m. on the 21st of the month would be disconnected and charged $100 for reconnection. The ordinance specified that the city would “make reasonable efforts” to contact customers at least 24 hours prior to disconnection, either through two phone calls, contact in writing or a “door hanger” notice.

The ordinance also set terms for tapping fees for requesting a new service, as well as extending any current city lines, setting a minimum standard of a three-quarter-inch line. Water main extensions could be made at the expense of a developer but would become city property when completed. New fire hydrants would also need to be placed at a minimum distance of 350 feet apart.

Passage of the ordinance was deemed an emergency “for the preservation of public peace, health and safety,” and thus went into effect immediately. Council members passed the provisions without further debate.

The ordinance did not include new sewer rates, which were also up for review in light of new charges from the City of Monett, which processes Purdy’s effluent. Council member Heather Van Note, head of the committee reviewing rate charges, was absent from the meeting. Prock said she and the staff reviewed all the old ordinances compiled into the new version to see that all the issues involved had been covered. Older versions were repealed in the vote.

Department reports

Police Chief Jackie Lowe reported a structure fire largely confined to one unit in the Cedar Tower Apartments on April 14, while two other apartments sustained water and smoke damage. The unit was empty and the fire marshal deemed the blaze to have been accidental.

The April 28 storm knocked out power for more than 24 hours. Lowe worked “the graveyard shift” that night as a preventative measure.

Public Works Foreman Kevin Cook reported renting a generator from Superior Rents of Springfield to keep the city’s water system from losing pressure after the storm and forcing a boil order. Power returned before the generator was needed. The company charged Purdy $1,090, a discounted rate for less use than expected.

Cook found the city’s powerful backup generator for the water system, a military unit, runs but did not produce any power. He continued to search for someone with expertise in generators with 175-amp fuses who could determine if the generator is fixable or needs replacement. The unit, he said, is too large to move to a vendor for assessment.

During a special meeting on April 28, the council authorized purchase of two new sewer pumps from Fluid Equipment in Kansas City for $20,457 each. Cook hoped the pumps would arrive sometime in June. Failure of the backup pump reported in April prompted the action. The remaining pump has continued to function well, Cook said.