The Fayette Board of Aldermen, during its regular meeting Tuesday, February 18, rejected a RTP grant from Missouri State Parks to help fund improvements at Ricketts-Graham Lake. 

The project has been in turmoil since it was found that funding for the lake project had been grossly underestimated in the grant application. A grant for $141,000 was awarded in 2017. But engineer estimates in 2019 valued the project at more than double what the grant would pay for, leaving the city on the hook for approximately $170,000. 

“I just don’t see how we can afford it,” said Northwest Ward Alderman Marc Wells.

An attempt by the city to amend the grant was denied.

The council decided to complete the project upgrades with no outside contractors. It will ask those who donated toward the project to honor their pledges so that the city may work on the project in-house.

Ladder Truck

Fayette Mayor Greg Stidham told aldermen at the council’s previous meeting that he had spoken with the Columbia Fire Department regarding the purchase of a used ladder truck for the Fayette Fire Department. The department has been asking since 2014 permission to procure a newer truck after it was determined its current ladder truck to be out of date and unsafe. The council at the time elected to make repairs to the circa 1980 ladder truck. But even then, the truck was not put in service due to its age and condition.

The relationship between the department and the city council has been contentious since then. But now it looks as if the department could finally get the equipment it needs. Central Methodist University originally pledged $25,000 toward the purchase of a new or used ladder truck that would adequately service the taller buildings on campus in the event of a fire. Vice President for Finance and Administration Julee Sherman told the Fayette Advertiser on Monday that CMU is totally in support of a new fire truck and would invite a discussion regarding a financial pledge toward its purchase.

Stidham said the truck the Columbia department intends to sell in the summer of 2020 will likely cost between $125,000 to $150,000. The department currently has $200,000 in a sinking fund that can go toward the purchase of a truck.

The Mayor said that another city has also shown interest in the truck. Alderman Grafton Cook suggested the city draft a letter of intent to buy the truck when it comes up for sale, in an effort to secure the purchase. “At least we can get something on the record to officials over in Columbia to be sure that we’re the first that they call,” he said. The council voted unanimously to have City Administrator Robin Overstreet draft the letter.

Previous discussions by this city council have explored leasing a new truck as a way to keep short-term costs down. It has been noted that the department’s pumper truck will likely need to be replaced within the next three years.

Stidham has asked Fire Chief Chris Baylor and other firemen to inspect the Columbia ladder truck to ensure it will meet the requirements of the department.

Purchase of a more modern, used ladder truck would help the city in retaining an ISO rating of 5. Insurance Services Office (ISO) is the leading supplier of information to the property/casualty insurance industry in the United States. Classifications on Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule surveys (BCEGS) are distributed by ISO to insurers to assist in premiums. The lower the ISO rating, the better. The ISO ratings are reviewed every five years

Mayor Stidham has been working diligently to ensure the city keeps its rating. Fayette was told last year that the city’s rating would move to a seven, which would cause insurance rates to rise for property owners living here. 

So far the city has addressed most, if not all, of the concerns outlined in the ISO rating. Fire hydrants have been flushed and flow tested, and the county’s 911 service has made necessary updates. The fire department is also working to update its training paperwork to meet all requirements. The deadline for the city to respond is in April. 

Also with regard to the fire department, the city council unanimously agreed to a plan by area departments to provide automatic aid. “What this does is, when they dispatch, they will automatically dispatch out Howard County firefighters as well as Fayette city firefighters at the same time, which is the practice that they are doing now,” explained City Attorney Nathan Nickolaus. While this is already the practice, the procedure wasn’t written down, so the department didn’t receive credit for it with regard to ISO. 

The department is also preparing a procedure with the City of Glasgow to provide automatic aid between the two departments.

CID

The city council gave unanimous approval to make its annual contribution of $15,000 to the Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation. The MAEDC is a tasked with bringing economic development to Howard, Randolph, and Monroe counties. Currently it is working with Fayette Main Street to establish a Community Improvement District (CID) in downtown Fayette. The CID is aimed at revitalizing downtown Fayette by recruiting businesses and helping property owners make improvements to buildings.

Stidham reported that a recent meeting held with MAEDC and Fayette Main Street concerning the CID was held. The group has secured lists of all building owners and registered voters living within the proposed district. They will be individually contacted about the CID.

A recent online poll by the MAEDC about the proposed CID showed about two-thirds of respondents were in favor of the district.

Bell Block

With further regard to downtown buildings, Nickolaus told the council that Dan Reuther, the owner of the Historic Bell Block building on the corner of Church and Morrison streets, is “still working” on the building. “I told him when he’s done we’re going to want to come in and re-inspect,” Nicklaus said. “We may have to tighten the screws again on him a little bit.” 

The city last fall hired Klingner and Associates, an engineering company in nearby Columbia, to perform inspections on a line of four buildings on Church Street owned by Reuther. The city is allowing Reuther to make overdue improvements before further legal action is taken. “I told him from the very beginning, it’s not done until we say it’s done,” Nickolaus said. He recommended the city bring back the engineer from Klingner and Associates to re-inspect the building.

Public Works Director/Building Inspector Report

Public Works Director Danny Dougherty reported to the council that Socket Telecom, a Columbia-based company that provides internet and telephone service, wants to rehabilitate and lay new fiber optic lines in Fayette. So far about two-thirds of the city now has fiber optic high-speed internet service. The company wishes to supply the service to the remainder of city residents. 

The city was contacted by wireless company U. S. Cellular, which wants to put antennas atop several area telephone poles to improve its service in Fayette. Nicholaus, the city’s attorney, will inspect the contract before the city makes a decision. The city could receive additional revenue for allowing the company to use its poles.

The city has received bids from Poor Boy Tree Service, which previously met with the council, and Hentges Tree Service with regard to trimming trees around electric lines.

Dougherty reported that city crews will need to paint the bottom of the Fayette Swimming Pool this spring in preparation for the summer season. “The walls don’t look too bad, so I think we’ll get by with just doing the floor,” he said. The pool needs to be repainted every three years. He estimates the cost to be around $2,000. 

The city will need to widen doorways in the pool to make it ADA compliant. “When the splash park comes in, we’re going to utilize and fix up those old bathrooms,” Dougherty said. “In order to do that we’ll have to make the doorways wider.”

The city is in dire need of a new dump truck. Dougherty said that the current 1997 truck is “on its last leg.” 

“If we push snow for eight hours we have to work on it for four hours,” he said.

He recommended finding a used truck that already has a plow and salt spreader installed. Having a new plow and spreader installed would cost the city around $15,000, not including the cost of the truck. A used truck with the equipment already installed is estimated to cost around $30,000.

He said the city has another truck, which has a tree chipper attached. He said if a used truck can’t be found, the city could put a plow and spreader on it. “That would save us a lot of money,” Dougherty said. The city currently has money in a sinking fund to pay for such equipment.

Jamie Page, pastor of Faith Family Church, told the city he will have 50 to 100 volunteers for a community service day in May. Dougherty suggested painting of the shelter house and fire hydrants would be helpful to the city.

Scott Vogler, from MECO Engineering, delivered some good news to the council regarding the city’s upcoming sewer replacement project. The city was granted a construction permit from the Department of Natural Resources. Approved by Rural Development is still pending. “We are right now doing property research on sewer lines that we’re replacing to find out if the city has a sewer easement for those sewer lines,” Vogler said.

In other business, Doreathy Booth, over of the Savory Bakery on South Main Street in Fayette, asked the council to address an issue owners who do not clean up after their dogs. “Summer’s coming and all we’re going to smell is what the dogs have left behind.” 

Apparently someone walking multiple dogs has allowed the animals to defecate on the grassy area next to city hall, but does not pick up after them. “There are four dogs that visit it, and nobody picks it up. They just leave it,” Booth said. Nicklaus said he will check to see if the matter is addressed by city ordinances.

The next regular meeting of the Fayette City Council will be at 7 p.m. on March 3 at City Hall. Meetings are open and the public is invited.