City Council

FESTUS CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES December 13, 2023 The City Council of the City of Festus, Missouri met in special session on December 13, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. The following Council members were present for roll call in the Council chambers: Boyer, Wehner, Venz, Dennis, Templeton, Cook and Tinnin; Absent – Collier. Mayor Samuel F. Richards presided over the meeting. Also present in the Council chambers were City Administrator Greg Camp, Finance Director Michelle Vaughn, City Clerk Kerry Patek, Police, Public Works Director Matt Unrein and City Attorney Brian Malone. Council, staff, etc. then said the Pledge of Allegiance. Bids Public Works – Ice Pigging Water Foreman Zac Rundel requested the bid from American Pipeline Solutions, Inc. for ice pigging the line on Edgewood Lane be approved in the amount not to exceed $20,000. Public Works Director Matt Unrein gave a staff report. Councilman Cook expressed his frustration with having to cut streets that were only a few years old to replace these water mains and asked for better communication and project management to get under control between Greg Camp, Matt Unrein, Shain Dollar, Chuck Boyer, Zac Rundel and Josh Whaley. Councilman Cook expressed his concerns about water main breaks during the ice pigging procedure and the fire department be alerted when this process is being performed. Councilman Cook asked if we should hire an engineer who specializes in this type of problem. Greg Camp explained that this problem needs to be addressed now and that they are working with Burns and McDonnell on this ice pigging as the first step in a multi-step process. Councilwoman Templeton stated that this is not just an Edgewood Lane problem that this has occurred in various spots in town for years and thinks it is time to have a town hall meeting, that posting on social media and leaving letters on doors in not enough. Greg Camp stated he would like to have more information to provide to the public before having a town hall meeting. Councilman Wehner felt as not enough citizens know what is going on and that communication is key. Councilman Tinnin recalled the pinhole problems with copper pipes the city was having a few years ago and that his opinion on what caused that and some of the problems we are having now is the silica sand when the wells are in use. Councilman Cook asked when the water master plan is to be completed. Greg Camp responded no later than February. Councilman Dennis requested a map of brown water areas in town. Councilman Venz asked about the filtering process of the water plant and the wells. Greg Camp explained the process. Public Works – Ice Pigging (continued) Councilw om an Tem pleton m ade a m otion to approve this bid, seconded by Councilm an Cook. M otion w as approved by the follow ing votes: Ayes – Boyer, W ehner, Tem pleton, Venz, Dennis, Cook and Tinnin; Nays – none . CLOSED SESSION Mayor Richards asked for a motion to go into closed session pursuant to Missouri Law for the purpose of dealing with matters relating to RSMo. 610.021 (1) legal, (2) for leasing, purchase, or sale of real estate, and (12) documents related to a negotiated contract. Councilman Dennis made a motion to go into closed session, seconded by Councilwoman Templeton. Motion was approved as follows: Ayes – Boyer, Wehner, Templeton, Venz, Dennis, Cook and Tinnin. Adjournment Councilman Cook made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Boyer. On a call by the chair the motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned.