During the Platte City Board of Aldermen meeting last month a number of construction project amendments were made, some for last fiscal year and some for the upcoming 2018-2019 fiscal year.
The biggest was approving $1,273,000 in the sewer capital project fund for remaining expenditure for the lift station east of Highway 92/Interstate 29. The cost this budget year was $127,072 for a project approved the prior fiscal year. The construction costs for the lift station will be slightly below the $1.4 million.
The other changes to the 2017-18 budget included:
The changes include $10,000 to the buildings and ground department to cover utility costs that exceeded budget levels.
Approved $8,000 to the general administrative department as personnel costs exceeded budget due to an unanticipated increase in hours totaling $4,000 and part-time staff hours supporting document archives totaling $8,000, which was approved in fiscal year 2016-17.
Approved $30,000 to the aldermen and mayor for legal costs for the evaluation of the police and parks departments that was not budgeted.
Approved $8,000 to cover additional personnel costs in the sewer operating fund to cover transition costs.
Approved $6,000 to the refuse operating fund for higher than anticipated vehicle repairs and fuel costs, which totaled $24,000.
Two resolutions were approved for the 2018-19 fiscal year.
The first is approving a $340,500 payment to the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission for engineering/design of the exit 18/Highway 92 cost share project. This is the first of three payments for MoDOT for a project that will begin construction in the fall of 2020. The other two payments will be made in 2019 and the summer in 2020 prior to the start of the work.
The total cost will be $8.1 million with a cost share program between MoDOT and the city, which will pay $4.05 million. That money will come from a variety of places: MARC funding ($1.75 million), Platte County Special Road District ($250,000); Platte County Transportation Fund ($250,000) and Platte City fund ($2 million).
The transfer of the $340,500 comes from five different funds for the city and results in a negative balance of $90,000 in two of these funds, according to documents provided online.
The staff is preparing multiple transportation finance options for the board to look at next month.
Another road work project was the amending of the fiscal budget for $54,500 to approve engineering services with TranSystems of Kansas City for design of intersection improvements at Kentucky Avenue and Platte Falls Road.
The project will include installation of traffic signals and lane markings at the intersection and improvements to the existing signals at Running Horse Road and Platte Falls Road. There will also be a pedestrian crossing on Running Horse Road to connect the two segments to the city trail system.
A traffic study was done last year and it found during the school year, the weekday average of 9,500 vehicles trips with 68 percent of the trips on Kentucky Avenue and 32 percent on Platte Falls Road. There was an average of 4.2 vehicle crashes per year at the intersection, above the expected crash rate of 1.0 per year.
The project construction will be completed by August. A contract for construction will be awarded late in the spring.
Other notes
The city will continue to be part of the Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste District’s household hazardous waste program for a cost of $5,290.08, which is within the budget funds for the 2018-19 year. Platte City has been part of the program since 2001, which gives residents access to two HHW collection facilities in the metro as well as a yearly drop-off event in town once a year.
An additional traffic sign on westbound Gates Drive West providing drivers notice of a stop sign, which will be placed east of the West Gates/Wilkerson intersection. Paint stop bars will be located on all three stops signs at that intersection.
In the police department reports, it was noted the department is investigation several child molestation cases.
Sgt. Mike Mand did training to become the department’s public information officer.
In the public works report, both surplus items — trailers — posted online sold. Also of note was the bid for lagoon dredging, with a recommendation going to the board this month. The next meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 18.
Due to overwhelming support the city will offer youth volleyball clinics in the spring and fall starting next year. Parks and recreation will also purchase two sets of indoor pickleball nets and paddles for $500. A one-day pickleball tournament/clinic is in the works for one of the fastest growing sports in the United States.
Appointed Rick McConnell of the law firm Armstrong Teasdale as special counsel for public finance activities with cost ‘substantially’ similar to those paid by the city in the past.