MoDOT Late Invoice To City Among Items To Be Discussed By Council

The Sullivan City Council was scheduled to meet July 18, with one item under requests and petitions and six items under City Administrator J.T. Hardys report. 

One of the items was the council determining whether to pay a late bill submitted to the city on a cost share for traffic signalization at the Interstate 44 east overpass from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

Under requests and petitions, Sullivan Chamber of Commerce Director, Amanda Lindemann has requested a temporary street closure in downtown Sullivan on Tuesday, October 31, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the annual Halloween Spooktacular.

The chamber has spoken with downtown businesses and emergency services with the proposed road closure for Main St. from Hughes Ford to Church St. and Clark St. from Main St. to Springfield Rd.

Sullivan City Administrator J.T. Hardy has six matters to present to the council regarding various departments in the city.

City Engineer Robert Schaffer has submitted a letter to the council regarding cost overruns on the MoDOT cost share project with the city and Oak Grove Village. MoDOT would split the cost 50/50.

MoDOT has recently submitted unauthorized cost overruns not discussed with the City of Sullivan that total in the amount of $137,661.

Schaffer stated per the contract, MoDOT is to let the city know of any cost overruns at the time they are incurred and then they are split between the two.

Schaffer reported that something similar to this happened with another municipality, and they have alleged that if they didn’t pay the funds, they would be removed from future project funding.

Schaffer is seeking approval to pay the cost share due, which will also include his breakdown of the project from MoDOT providing the cost comparisons.

Hardy is scheduled to present information from Sullivan Police Department looking to purchase two 2023 Ford Explorers in the amount of $48,496, each, from Joe Machens Ford at the state bid approved level.

The department, along with many in the country, have had issues securing new patrol vehicles since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief Patrick Johnson reported to the council that with all the production delays and supply issues, they would request permission to make the purchases.

The council will review the Independent Audit bids submitted for the city with Administrator Hardy recommending the low bid from K DeLuca Audit Services LLC in the amount of $10,000 for 2023 followed by $10,250 in 2024 and $10,500 in 2025.

The only other bid received washroom Fink, Eggemeyer & Williamson, CPA’s, St. Louis with $13,300 in 2023, $14,000 in 2024 and $14,700 in 2025.

Two bids, according to Hardy, were submitted for the purchase of a 2023 2500 HD four wheel drive, four-door service vehicle for the Street Department with the only qualifying bids being submitted from Jim Butler Chevrolet of Linn in the amount of $69,880.50.

Hardy is recommending approval of this bid.

Schaffer informed the council that the city did not qualify for the Surface Transportation Project grant for curb and gutter alongside North and South Road, as well as sidewalks on the westside of the roadway.

Schaffer is asking the city to apply for the current Transportation Alternative Program that is due July 21, which would be an 80 percent federally-funded program. The city would pay 20 percent.

Payment of the monthly bills were to be presented in the amount of $1,711,743.91 that included: $47,182.14 for payment 184 on the wastewater treatment plant, $25,368.51 to Oak Grove Village for their share of Wal-Mart-Mart Sales Tax Revenue and $761,990.41 for MPUA Power Supply for the month of June.

One bill was proposed for approval as an ordinance in the city of Sullivan with Bill No. 3995 which would update the city’s pretreatment guidelines for the wastewater treatment plant.

The council did have closed session posted for real estate, litigation and personnel.