Five Ordinances And Several Appointments Approved Tuesday

The Sullivan City Council met in three different sessions on Tuesday night, April 20.

The current board took action on old business and moved into a second meeting where they approved five ordinances and made several appointments.

The board adjourned and went into a third meeting to review the city budget.

In the first meeting, the council approved payment of the monthly bills of $3,809,176.94, including the $2,425,851.49 MPUA invoice for electric supply for February. The council also approved the election results from April 6 municipal election before adjourning.

The council then has the oath of office presented to Mayor Dennis Watz, Municipal Judge Dan Leslie, City Collector Sarah Steinbach, Alderman Ward One Tony Wessler, Alderwoman Ward Two Kecia Philpot and Alderman Ward Three Bobby Maupin.

Under the City Administrator Report, Administrator J.T. Hardy presented the bids for the Pascal St. water project with the recommendation of accepting the low bid from Core and Main, St. Louis for $13,597.98.

Hardy also presented and received approval to award a construction project for the Sullivan Electric Department for a pre-engineered metal building measuring 60 feet by 80 feet to Alexander Construction for $276,730.80. Alexander was the lone bidder on the project and recently completed one for the water department in 2019.

The council approved $4,236 to the Fisher Drive project to construct an entrance to the Sullivan Homes area. It was not included in the initial project.

Alderman Paul McCulloch was the lone 'no' vote on the matter as he was concerned with why the city engineer and the engineering firm on the project missed this entrance.

Five ordinances were approved by the council that included;

Ord. 821, which rezoned property owned by Hayden Loch from C-4 general commercial district to R-2 single and multi-family district;

Ord. 3915, rezoned property at 730 Alice St. from C-4 to R-2;

Ord. 3916, changed the radius of the paved portion of cut-de-sacs and also added hammer-heads as acceptable permanent dead-end streets pursuant to International Fire Codes;

Ord. 3917, approved the adjustment of property lines on Hawthorne Lane owned by James and Anna Rice and

Ord. 3918, approved a 90-day contract with Alexander Construction for the construction of the pre-engineered metal building for the Sullivan Electric Department.

Under Alderman Input, aldermen voted to re-appoint Alderman Paul McCulloch to the position of President of the Board of Aldermen and Jan Koch to the position of city clerk.

Mayor Watz received Board approval to appoint Nancy Weiskopf to the position of city treasurer and the law firm of Hansen, Stierbergerm Downard, Schroeder, Melenbrink and Head LLC as city attorney.

The council went into a budget workshop where Hardy reported the city's fiscal performance to date is trending upward with sales tax revenue. He also noted that three 167 KVA transformers were damaged by a storm at Enjet Aero Manufacturing and were purchased through emergency procedures for $12,000, and Sullivan Golf Course needed additional funding after the city received an invoice for $75,000 from CTK/Walters Golf Management for golf course services. The account fund had $16,000 remaining, and Hardy proposed moving Special Reserve Funds from city property rental into this account for $200,000 as needed.

The council approved the transfer unanimously.

Hardy concluded the third meeting by stating he will begin meeting with department heads and aldermen to discuss 2021-22 budget.