DNR alters application for state funding, forcing action

By Murray Bishoff Special to the Cassville Democrat

During the Feb. 11 meeting, Purdy City Council members wrestled with how to proceed with fixing the city’s long-running problems with its sanitary sewer system. 

Engineer Bob Sell, with Allgeier, Martin and Associates, reported that federal budget cuts resulted in laying off a significant number of employees in the local US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office. Because the city has a loan through Rural Development, calculations over parity with charges versus costs now have to be done by the national office, significantly delaying a decision. This forced the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to revise its application policy for securing funding for local infrastructure projects through the State Revolving Fund (SRF).

Sell said that in the past, the city could have Allgeier, Martin design and bid a project, then later approve a rate increase to cover the project’s cost. Now, DNR wanted an ordinance in place, declaring rate increases, before the project could be considered. That meant a rate study has be done first, included in the ordinance. Then the ordinance would have to be passed before the engineers could proceed with the design. 

Sell continued that it was unlikely the city could complete a rate study and approve an ordinance before the September deadline for State Revolving Fund applications. At DNR’s recommendation, he advised the city to simply reapply to DNR for funding under the SRF. That required immediate action with a March 1 deadline. Council members passed a resolution to reapply, approving an application identical to the last one, except with different names for the current council members. 

The project in question called for major spending on lining sanitary sewer pipes to keep stormwater from flowing into mains through cracks and leaking manholes, what’s known as inflow and infiltration (I&I). Purdy now sends effluent to Monett for processing, and over a certain volume, pays extra. 

Known for having a major I&I problem, Purdy has worked for more than a decade trying to reduce its stormwater infiltration issue. Despite past spending on sewer crews that repaired pipe problems, Sell estimated less than 10 percent of the city’s sewer mains have been lined to keep stormwater out. Camera work on sewer mains, done seven years ago, may no longer reflect current conditions. 

“Things are not going to get better over time,” the engineer said. 

Purdy’s sewer system can send 60,000 to 70,000 gallons of effluent a day to Monett without paying a surcharge. On the plus side, Sell said Monett agreed to raise Purdy’s limit up from 200,000 gallons to 300,000 gallons a month without a surcharge. The challenge, then, is to reduce costs from unnecessary volume caused by rain. 

When Purdy passed a bond issue to build the sewer link to Monett, bids ran much lower than expected. That left unused bonding capacity. Sell said the city had the ability to raise rates within its current authority without going back to the voters. If the council imposed a higher charge for sewer repairs than necessary, Sell said the council could roll back the amount later. In the meantime, council members would have to calculate an amount and submit it to DNR to pursue a low interest loan through DNR’s SRF. 

At council member Heather VanNote’s recommendation, aldermen agreed to contact legal counsel overseeing the city’s bonding capacity to see how far the city could proceed with improvements. Aldermen then voted to authorize applying to DNR for a loan to proceed. 

The discussion over the sewer issue had originally been planned for closed session. Without a legal foundation for closing the meeting, council members reclarified the status of the discussion under the Sunshine Law and reviewed the matter in open session. 

Council members voted to enter into a contract with CPI Technologies at $795 a month on a three-year contract for an information technology services. Mayor Brian Bowers noted that Wheaton used CPI for two years and spoke highly of the vendor. Aldermen expressed concern about securing information within the city’s system from security threats. 

No decision was made about hiring a vendor to build a city website. Clerk Sasha Gomez presented council members with a proposal from the GO CAPS student program in Monett, which offered to build a website. Concern was raised about compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and who would run the system, as well as update it. Council members voted to table the proposals to seek additional information. 

In department reports, public works foreman Kevin Cook indicated the new sewer pump for the est lift station had been installed. The city now had four pumps all acquired in the last two years. The new OMA pumps were performing well. 

Cook noted the efficiency rating for water service dropped to 77 percent, in part because a relay on the pumps between the two water towers had failed and was on order. He had been switching between towers by hand. Cook asked aldermen to alert him if they discovered any overflows while waiting for the needed part, which is the size of a cellphone. 

Police Chief Jackie Lowe reported several domestic issues during the past month. On Jan. 12, a 14-year-old who assaulted his mother was subdued by a Juvenile Officer and was taken away in leg chains. In another case, Lowe arrested Levis Dalton Maddocks, 23, on an Arkansas warrant for sexual indecency with a child. In another case, Lowe arrested Antoin Deontae Jackkson, 35, of Kentucky, for fourth-degree assault. 

Lowe responded to five calls about dogs, several over the condition of the animals during severe weather. 

VanNote observed there appeared to be inconsistent information in city records over how many animals people were allowed to have. The revised livestock ordinance placed the total at 15, while Lowe’s records put the number at 6. One resident had 21, he added. VanNote advised consulting with city attorney Toni Hendricks to resolve the matter. 

The next meeting was scheduled for March 11.