The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

 

Published November 12, 2014

Camdenton Board of Aldermen actions Tues. Nov. 4

CAMDENTON - In other business at the Nov. 4 Board of Aldermen meeting:
* The city had whittled down the 10 applicants for its Five-Year Comprehensive Plan to four companies.

Interviews with representatives from those four companies were held Nov. 3, according to City Administrator Jeff Hancock, and a leading contender has emerged.

Alderman Dan Hagedorn marveled at how all the committee members had ended up listing the top two of four companies in the exact same order.

“Lo and behold we came out with the same person (company),” Hagedorn said. “The top two were the same for everyone on the committee.”

Hancock said the city is now in negotiations with the company to iron out a contract and hopes to be able to present one to the entire board in December. The city did not want to release the name of the company until the contract was created and presented to the board.

* City Administrator Hancock gave an update on the progress the city has made with status of the unfinished Clint Avenue, Hazelwood Terrace and Poplar Street projects.

Hancock said the city has received the preliminary engineering on two options for Clint Avenue; basically with or without curbs.

“With curbs makes a lot of sense,” Hancock said, “and the cost difference is negligent.”

He also added another option: “Should we be paying for the curbs and gutters or should the residents also participate (in the cost)?” Hancock suggested city officials meet with Clint Avenue residents to discuss their options.

The board had approved a policy for the acceptance of unfinished roadways and infrastructure on June 17 after repeated pleas from residents living on those roads.

According to Hancock, the policy outlines a procedure where the city would consider requests from property owners for acceptance of roadways originally platted as city streets.

“In particular it is where such roadways were started, but never completed or accepted by the city,” Hancock said in a report to the board.

* The board formally approved Mayor John McNabb’s recommendation to appoint Todd Davis as Acting Fire Chief and Mid-County Fire Chief Scott Frandsen as Acting Assistant Fire Chief.

According to McNabb, Davis will be on call weekends and evenings - he has a day job of Police Chief in Osage Beach - while Frandsen will be available during the daylight hours.

The city has been forced to temporarily replace Fire Chief Drew Stark as he continues to heal from injuries sustained in a freak automobile accident on Oct. 24.

A vehicle driven by Jacqueline G. Johnson, 52, of Camdenton was traveling at a rapid rate of speed when it slammed into the east corner of the building where Stark’s office is located.

Stark was pinned between his desk and the vehicle. He was eventually transported by Staff for Life helicopter to University Hospital in Columbia.

* The city administrator praised the results of the recent audit review for fiscal year 2013-2014. “It reflects a good financial picture for the city,” Hancock said. However, he added that the one account that showed any financial problems was water and sewer.

From there he spoke of the city’s water and sewer needs study, saying that the study - recently completed by Darren Krehbiel Consultants - needed to be fully discussed before any rate changes could be contemplated.

“Within the study, certain five-year projects could impact our previously identified need for a water and sewer rate increase,” Hancock stated in a report to the board. “After this discussion, we hope to move into a discussion on the specifics of any possible recommended rates at a future board meeting.”

He did mention a possible $40,000 that could be added to the account from “rate payers” as well as possibly going into debt to finish off some uncompleted water and sewer projects.

Alderman Sandy Osborn advised caution.

“Baby steps,” Osborn said, “let’s watch the use of that ‘D’ (debt) word.”

Public Works Director Jeffries noted that many of the city’s water lines are from 40 to 60 years old. “They’re way past their lifetime,” Jeffries said.

* The board gave first- and second-reading approval to an ordinance establishing the city’s election procedures for the April 7, 2015 municipal election.

The positions in the April 2015 election include an alderman from Ward II and III, two aldermen from Ward I, the mayor and a Special Road District R member. Filing begins on Dec. 16, 2014 and ends on Jan. 20, 2015.

* The board voted to go into closed session “for the purpose of discussing legal actions, causes of action of litigation….” No action was taken.

* Camdenton Airport Manager Corey Leuwerke was also present at the Tuesday night meeting. He said he chose to attend just in case someone wanted to speak to the board about the recent name change for the airport.

No one did, however city resident Max Fisher spoke out against it at the last board meeting and has created a grassroots campaign - including a new website and blog - in an effort to sway public opinion to change the board’s decision.

The board recently voted to approve changing the airport’s name from Camdenton Memorial Airport to Camdenton-Lake of the Ozarks Regional Airport.

All content is Copyright 2014 by Reporter Publishing, L.L.C. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited without written permission.