Council to consider sewer rate hikes, elevator repairs
The Sedalia City Council is expected to take up measures to raise sewer rates and approve $38 million in bonds Monday to finance sewer system improvements mandated by a state consent order.
If the proposals are approved Monday, the city would issue $38 million in 25-year bonds to fund necessary system fixes and raise sewer rates in order to keep up with bond payments and operating costs.
The proposed rate change would boost the volume usage cost from $2.01 to $3.95 per 1,000 gallons, while the flat $2.15 base rate would be raised to $8 for residential customers, $35 for commercial clients and $60 for industrial users.
The city estimates that residential customers will see monthly rates rise from $10.15 to $23.72; while industrial consumers would see average rates jump from $478.52 a month to about $996.15, based on current usage.
The proposals resulted from a sewer rate study that identified financing options for upcoming sewer projects required as part of the city’s response to a Department of Natural Resources consent order to eliminate inflow and infiltration issues in the sanitary sewer system, which the city must comply with by 2016 or risk $2,500-a-day fines.
City Council members are also scheduled to review bids for elevator repairs at the Sedalia Municipal Building and consider extending the contract completion date for the second phase of the downtown streetscape project.
According to the meeting agenda, the elevator in City Hall was determined to be in violation of the Missouri Department of Public Safety’s requirements due to recent changes in its safety code. The city was notified of the deficiency in December 2009, and was given one year to correct it.
The city received three bids for the repair work, with proposals ranging from $23,521 to $39,878. City staff recommended the council select the lowest bid, which was submitted by ThyssenKrupp Elevator Corporation. The repairs are expected to be completed by Jan. 17.
The council also is expected to take up a second request from Orr Wyatt Streetscapes to extend the completion date of the ongoing second phase of the downtown streetscape improvements.
The original completion date for the project was Nov. 24, but it was extended nine days in a September change order. The request the council will take up Monday would push the final work day to Dec. 17.
According to a memo to council members included in the meeting agenda, the contractor requested the extension after encountering bad weather and unforeseen delays during construction.
Council members are also expected to take up a resolution to provide the city’s annual appropriation of $104,000 to Economic Development Sedalia-Pettis County.
The council is scheduled to convene at 6:15 p.m. Monday in the mayor’s conference room before its regular 7 p.m. meeting in the council chambers at City Hall. Council members will meet in closed session following the meeting to discuss personnel matters.
